As I mentioned in a previous blog I had to take Riggins to the vet early this morning (poor kid has to have a round of antibiotics and special shampoo for his skin allergies) and I have to get my hair cut and colored after work today (yes I HAVE to). Luckily I’m working from home today which means I was able to run during lunch!

Mid day run in LA in July = giant sweaty mess! I had no choice but to plop down next to Riggins on the floor to regain my breath, let the sweat dry a bit, and get my heart rate down.

Now this blog post would be a bit boring without some sort of rant so I got somethin’ for you. What is with these elastic head bands (said in my best Seinfeld voice)? Since my bangs currently cover my eyes I’ve had one on all morning but it is quickly driving me insane. How do you all keep these on your heads? Am I deformed? Do you all have some sort of “shelf” in the back of your head for the elastic band to hold onto? Mine tends to slowly slip up and off during the day. I would say it is due to my lack of hair to hold it down but I see girls at exercise class with their hair neatly pulled back into a pony tail and one of these bands still wrapped around their heads (seems like a little bit of an overkill to me but what do I know). What gives? I don’t seem to have the “keep the giant rubber band type object in place” gene that all other females have. Hmmffff.

Now off for a super quick shower before writing up a couple of proposals.

Did I mention I’m still sleepy?

I received an email from the PR woman for TrekWomen asking “Why I Tri”. She is looking for information on why the participants in the next TrekWomen CA race signed up in an effort to raise awareness of the event.

Now I’m happy she sent me this email as it made me look up info on the Sprint I signed up for. I was thinking it was mid Nov which means I had a month before my training should begin. WRONG! The race is early Oct. which means my training should have started last weekend. Oops. Well I did a 5K so I suppose that kinda counts. Time to brush of the cobwebs on my bike (i hate the bike) and get a new pair of daytime swimming goggles. Thurs. morning Bar Method will have to be pushed for swimming and the heat is coming which means weekend hikes with Riggins will be harder. Easier to force myself to go biking when it’s hot then to worry about poor black Riggins dying of heat exhaustion.

So back to the question … Why Do I Tri? Sadly I don’t have a good story. Nothin’. No dramatic reason why I was driven to sign up for my first, second, and now third race. One year my friend Martha did the Tri with her Step Mom. She loved it and I was more than slightly jealous that she had completed something so cool. I swore I’d sign up with her the next year and she held me to that. Martha dragged me to the Rose Bowl Aquatic center, which became my second home as I love swimming more than any other exercise. (Can’t wait to get back into the pool. Although it’s packed now so I’ll have to arm wrestle some small children and H2O team members for a lane.) I’d call my mom and dad after each swim to announce, “I didn’t drown!”.

The weekend of the race a mutual friend, Martha, and I went down early to sit through orientation and race. We had a blast! My time wasn’t fast but I did it and could now say I had completed a Triathlon (sounds more impressive when you leave off the “sprint” part of it).

This year (just a week prior to my 36th b-day) my friend Giovanna and I signed up for the Pasadena Reverse Tri (run, bike, swim vs swim, bike, run). Again my time wasn’t fast but I had oodles of fun and felt like I did something really great for myself. Even with my horrific Easter Egg colored tri-suit on.

I don’t want to admit it but the Pasadena Reverse Tri is a shorter distance than most sprints which means for my one in Oct. I better start running, swimming & peddling to get ready — now (well actually last weekend)! Still I know I’ll be happy I did it.

Remind me I said that in about a month 1/2 when I’m in pain from trying to train and “brick” training keeps me from going to see the summer movies and I’m near tears.

So why do I tri? I guess because I can!

I’ve posted about my experience at The Bar Method before. That was a few months ago and I must tell you I haven’t gotten any better at the exercise. It’s horribly upsetting. HOW CAN YOU DO SOMETHING THAT MUCH AND NOT GET BETTER? I blame my complete lack of natural athletic ability. I don’t get any better at my 5K’s nor does climbing Runyon ever get any easier. It’s just the way it is.

It’s so sad. My teachers often look at me and shake their head and “tsk” in disgust (okay that is probably just all in my head since the teachers are the NICEST people on the planet and are always encouraging and positive). It doesn’t help that I’m horribly inflexible and a natural klutz. Still I see results. My arms have started to gain definition (They better. Let me tell you I’m not doing those horrible reverse push ups because they are fun.) and my thighs and waist are toned up. I haven’t lost weight but I force anyone around me to touch my thighs, calves, arms, abs, and if they are lucky, butt so they can feel for themselves that I’m not full of it … that’s muscle. In some horrible karmic joke that mother nature, God (or the Gods), and science has played on us muscle weighs more than fat. Yah … doesn’t make sense to me either.

My goal is to be one of “them.” One of those beautifully fit and toned Bar ladies (and a couple men). Faux ballerinas (some are actually ex-ballerinas which makes the faux part a little easier for them) with 0% body fat and the ability to stand up straight without constant reminding. The Bar Method advertises lean tapered legs, core strength, reduced inches, great posture, sculpted arms and seat (aka butt), an overall body sculpting work out. The teachers I’ve had are all that and more. It’s sickening. Seriously 90 lbs soaking wet (and there are a couple that wouldn’t even hit that on the scale), not an inch of fat, and the flexibility of a circus freak. THAT’S MY GOAL!

Last night after leaving class a woman walking by asked if the classes where any good. I gave her my sales pitch and her response is, “Yeah. You all look so toned and have those great round asses.” SHUT IT. DID SHE SAY “ALL OF US” AS IN ME TOO? I think she may have been blinded by the Bar uniform (black leggings, tank, sports bra, sweat) and confused me as one of them. I mean take a look at the picture above. Not bad (seriously all muscle — touch it) but it isn’t this (click). Not yet!

Still I’m going to pretend when I go to class tonight that I am one of “them!” I’m going to pretend that I won’t have to re-set in the middle of thigh or I’ll throw up. I’ll be happy not ready to kill, when the instructor tells us we are doing something called “pretzel” for butt exercise. I’ll rejoice in the fact that I can now touch my toes and if I work hard enough may actually use the bar for stretch vs. the stall bar (aka loser bar) — (BTW this won’t happen. Don’t kid yourself. I’ll never be flexible.)

I’m going to pretend I am one of them!

Awhile back (long while back) I posted about the fancy work out classes I had started to attend called The Bar Method (http://meandriggins.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-got-somethin-you-can-hold.html).

I’d like to take it back. Not because they aren’t brilliant — because they are. Not because the workout doesn’t work — because it does. Not because the people aren’t crazy nice — because they are. The problem is too many people know about this little gem in Pasadena now. I tried to sign up for tomorrow night’s class and “GASP” had to go on the wait list.

Now I’d never wish anything but “great business” to the super nice co-owners and I’m very excited things are going well for them, BUT you can’t get me addicted to a work out and then take it away from me.

Now the problem, as I see it, due to my work location I only have the option of attending one class during the day. The late, and most likely most popular, last class of the day. The obvious solution is to get a job closer to downtown Pasadena. Personally I suggest JPL but my lack of science background and skill is proving to be a problem with that goal. Therefore, I put it out for all of you to help with. Let’s get Wendy a job close to the Pasadena Bar Method studio so she can be fit AND happy!

I admit it. I am. Sometimes I do something dumb. Not often. Still …. sometimes. This morning was one of those times.

The past few days I’ve been fighting a head/chest cold. Grrrrr. I angrily cancelled going to The Bar Method Thursday night and then unhappily cancelled swimming on Sat. BUT THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS NOT DOING THE 5K SCHEDULED FOR THIS MORNING. My second favorite 5K in the world (minor over exaggeration as I’ve only done a handful of races in the LA area) the Santa Anita 5K has you run through the Arcadia Arboretum and finish on the horse track at Santa Anita Race Track. HOW FUN IS THAT? I wasn’t going to miss it. I just wasn’t.

So this morning, after coughing on and off during the night, I blew my nose, pulled on my running pants and hoped in the car! I’M THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE WORLD — NOT. This route has always kicked my butt. I don’t know why. It just does. This morning it’s as if my body and the race route got together and said, “let’s teach her a lesson!”

The first mile wasn’t great but I was on pace for a normal finish with a 9:30 mile. Then it all went downhill. I had been fighting to get enough oxygen. Stuffed nose, chocking on my own mucus … you see how basic breathing was an issue … was causing me stress. Then about 1 1/2 miles in my pulse jumped to crazy land. That hasn’t happened in a long time and I actually take medicine to stop it. So I had to walk. Walk during my 5K. SO HORRIFYING! I’ve only walked once before and that was because the hill I was running was practically vertical. I felt like a loser as tons of people passed me BUT I was also aware I had done this to myself. As I tried to slow my heart so I wouldn’t black out I finally had time to notice how pretty this run is! I have always known it was but this time, my fifth time “running” (sigh) it, I was now taking the time to smell the roses. I even heard a peacock call out over Sexy Bitch playing on my iPod (I love that song! It’s my new anthem.).

Well I FINALLY finished with my worst 5K time EVER — 36 minutes ish. Grrrrr. Although I’m alive so that is a plus!

My body wanted to make sure it got it’s point across and smacked me with a big ol’ migraine as soon as I got home. It wanted to make sure I fully understood … DON’T BE AN ASS NEXT TIME AND STAY IN BED WHEN YOU ARE SICK!

Now I am resting before heading out for my b-day party with friends. Oh yah! There is no way I’m missing that. Screw you body!