You know how the rest of that goes, right?

Time flies when you’re having fun.

It’s totally true — I’ve been busy enjoying the summer weather, time with Lucas and friends and colleagues. So, here’s a quick rundown.

Finishing floors:

Playing with puppies:

Getting gifts from my (incredibly talented baker/website maker/marathon-signer-upper/potter) baby brother:

Screaming at grammatical errors:

Eating vegan waffles:

Pouring (and drinking) beer at festivals — it pays to be married to a beer blogger!:

and, sadly — saying goodbye to good friends:

(Source)

It was great to see the girls (and their awesome boys) over the weekend … I am so spoiled living in Florida!

What else is happening?

• Lots and lots of strength training, especially Body Pump
  • I’m planning on doing another triathlon this fall, but it’s too hot to do a lot of outdoor training right now!
• Cooking GALORE — this weekend, I made recipes by:
  • Mama Pea (soft pretzels) **These were AMAZING — I used cinnamon and sugar one one of them and it was my favorite
  • Ashley (crackers)
  • Angela (quinoa cereal)
• Vacation planning (more on this in coming posts)
• Poolside relaxing
• Testing out free stuff (ALL GIVEN TO ME in exchange for honest opinions):
  • New Balance Rock and Tone sneakers (pretty cool, although they need some serious design work)
  • Nature’s Pride buns and rolls (too bready — Lucas cut each half in half just to be able to eat it)
  • GOsmart pedometers (just getting started — will post more thoughts soon, with a giveaway!)

What’s new in your lives?

I’m a triathlete.

Do you feel the pride in those words? I earned ‘em. And I throw them around whenever possible. I mean, how many people in the world can say they’ve completed this trifecta (ha) of sports?

(OK, recently? Meghann, Caitlin, Ashley, Kelly, Megan, Steve, Michelle, Shosh, Frayed Layes and a few more!)

But there’s something special about conquering the swim, bike and run at any distance — super sprint, sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman, Ironman or otherwise. And if you’re thinking you might be interested, I’m here to tell you you CAN and you SHOULD.

Actually — I’ve made both of those arguments before. Here here here here and here.

But that’s been the philosophical stuff…I’ve left you totally unprepared on the nitty gritty. So when Sabrina asked me for some first-timer tips, I knew it was time to drop some knowledge.

**One quick note — if you are looking for official, researched and legit information? Look elsewhere. These are my experiences as an under-trained, overwhelmed, amateur and non-elite athlete. I made a lot of mistakes, and can’t promise that any of the advice below will help you get a PR. But it will help you survive.

The Gear

AKA — What to Wear. There are lots of expensive, super-sleek triathlon suits, wetsuits and more out there. I blow most of them off. Here’s what I wear:

• A good sports bra — sometimes two, one on top of the other. Remember, it’s a LONG workout and you don’t want any issues.
• Over the bra(s), I wear a one piece swim suit. I wear a 10-year-old TYR because it won’t bother me if it gets dirty or ripped on the race.
• Over the suit, I wear a pair of padded cycling shorts. INVEST.IN.THESE. I’ve had the same pair for three years and wear them for every race and spin class twice a week. You will develop butt calluses (seriously) through training, but without some padding you’re going to be VERY sore. I wear Pearl Izumi Sugar Shorts but recommend checking out your local bike shop for the best selection. Oh, and since I promised nitty gritty — I don’t wear underwear under these shorts (they have a built-in chamois).

• Good running/cycling socks. Another wise investment — they help wick away the sweat, and if you’re going to be on a bike then on a run, you’ll thank me. I like the Belega brand.
• Cycling shoes — BUT PLEASE READ THIS. I invested in my shoes after completing two triathlons. They’re not worth an early investment, in case you do one triathlon and hate it. Plus, there’s a transition period for getting used to clipping in for rides. Your sneakers are just fine. I promise. If you like triathlons, consider the shoes (I also wear them to spin classes) later.
• Helmet. I could go on and on about why this is so important, but the bottom line is, you won’t be able to compete without it.
• Bike. Maybe the most-often-asked question is “do I need a triathlon bike?” GOD. NO. I have a road bike — an expensive one. I saved my pennies and begged Santa Lucas and we decided to get me one. But you should beg and borrow a bike — any kind, including mountain — for your first race. Most triathlons aren’t picky about what you ride, as long as it has two wheels (no joke — I saw a unicyclist at one race).
  • Bonus stuff that I use but is not necessary: Garmin/Heart Rate Monitor, Body Glide (to prevent chafing), Cyclometer, Sunglasses

Swim

I’m a swimmer by nature — I competed as a kid, am a lifeguard and still consider swimming my strongest leg of the triathlon. Most people that I have talked to about training for triathlon name swimming as their biggest fear.

If you have an opportunity to do an open water swim, DO IT. It’s the only way to get used to a frenzied start. But if you don’t, do what you can in a pool and just know that no matter what, you will make it through the swim.

• Expect to get kicked, punched, pulled and splashed. No matter how organized the event is, there will be chaos at the beginning. If you’re a first-timer and are nervous, I highly recommend that you let the first wave go before you dive in yourself. At the maximum, you’ll start 10 seconds behind the crowd but you’ll save yourself a lot of stress. Also, try swimming on the outside of the pack. If you’re in dark or murky water, there’s nothing wrong with treading water to get your bearings or floating on your back if you start to panic. (Even as a strong swimmer, I often pick my head up every 20-30 strokes to make sure I’m not off in the weeds.)
  

  

Bike

(Transition details are later in this post!)

• Once you’re on the bike, pedal pedal pedal. This is a great chance to make up some time if you had difficulty in the swim. If you use a cyclometer, you may want to try and keep your speed at about 15MPH or up. I get bored easily on the bike, so I like to check out the legs of the people who are ahead of me. In many races, the director will write your age on your calf, so it’s fun to ride down people and see how you compare.
• If you’re in a long race and are worried about the turns, you can print out a cheat sheet and tape it to your bike, between your handlebars. Just include the names of the streets and which direction you need to go (example: Right on Oak, Left on Elm, Left on Cedar). Most races will have people stationed along the route, but I’ve done small events where it’s just been me and I haven’t had anyone to follow!

Run

• When training, I highly recommend doing at least one brick before your race day. A brick is when you do more than one leg back-to-back…so ride your bike for 10 miles then hop off for a 3 mile run. Or swim 500 yards followed by a 20-mile bike. I don’t care how good you are at one of the events — you won’t believe how weird your body can be. I have jelly legs for at least a mile in the run, no matter how much I’ve trained.

• It is totally OK to walk some or all of the run leg of the triathlon. Depending on the course, you may see people stopping for water or aid, tying their shoes, playing with their iPods, etc. At this point in the event, you’re sure to be questioning your sanity, so if you’re miserable or hurting, take a walk break.

Transitions

This is where you can make or break your total time — and there are some easy tricks to carving off some time, if you care. If not, enjoy the cheering from supporters and the short-lived break from competing!

• Hopefully, you’ve set your stuff up ahead of time in a way that makes it easy to get from one leg to another (details below). This is the most important thing you can do.
• As soon as you finish one event, start thinking about the next. When I have about 20 strokes left in the swim, I start mentally preparing for the bike. What do I need to put on? What should I be thinking? How fast do I want to go out? That way, I’ve started the transition mentally before I have to deal with it physically. On the bike, when I have a mile left, I start thinking about the run.
• Don’t worry about the mess you make. Just try and keep your stuff near your station and respect others. You’ll have plenty of time to collect your junk after the race.
• If you need water or food, grab it and take it with you. I tuck GU or Shot Blocks in my bra and wait to get to the first water station for a drink.

Race Day

Below is a general list of what I do for a 7am race…this can be tweaked!

• Night before: Pack bag and put bike and helmet in car. In my bag, I have the gear I need PLUS:
  • Extra safety pins
  • Extra towels
  • Extra socks
  • Extra bathing cap
  • Extra goggles
  • Sunscreen
  • Lotion
  • Change of clothes
  • Underwear
• 4am: Wake up and immediately chug a glass of water and eat my breakfast. I usually go for a Z bar or something small because my stomach does not tolerate a lot of food well when I’m running.
• 4:30am: Stretch. I do a lot of very gentle yoga on race mornings. It loosens up my muscles and forces me to calm my mind.
• 4:45am: Put on copious amounts of sunscreen and Body Glide.
• 5am: Get dressed. I wear everything except my socks and shoes — those, I put on when I arrive.
• 5:30am: Head to venue.
• 5:45: Get marked with age and event.
• 6am: Arrive at venue. Go to the bathroom. Lay out my gear EXACTLY as I’ll need it for transitions — so:
  • Rack my bike (there’s usually a big metal rack and you can put your bike on it so it’s secured by your handlebars, hanging off the ground)
  • Put helmet on top of bike handlebars (so I can’t leave without it)
  • Lay out a big towel on the ground
  • Put a bucket or Tupperware box out with water (for rinsing my feet after the swim)
  • Lay out my sneakers
  • Untie sneaker laces
  • Put running hat on top of running shoes
  • Put iPod on top of running hat
  • Put GU or bar on top of iPod
  • Put cycling shoes next to running gear
  • Put cycling socks INSIDE shoes, ready to put on
  • Put SpiBelt on top of socks (has my bib — you can also use safety pins to put these on your shorts)
  • Put small towel in front of the cycling shoes (to help dry my feet after rinsing in the bucket)
  • Bathing cap (usually issued by the event director)
  • Goggles
• 6:30am: Bathroom
• 6:45am: Go to beach for pre-race instructions and last-minute information from race director
• 6:50am: Warm up in water and start to focus on the swim

Other Stuff You Should Know

• Nobody gets into triathlon without a story — so meet as many people as you can and get inspired by THEM.
• Have fun. Race day is the LAST time to be scared — you’ll just tense up. Enjoy every minute that your body allows you the privilege of competing.
• Take lots of pictures and SMILE when you cross the finish line.
• You’ll want to change clothes for the ride home. I don’t usually shower, but I do get my stinky, wet suit and shorts off as quickly as I can.
• You’ll be spent for the rest of the day — short of a big pancake breakfast, try not to plan anything for after your event. Yes, this is do as I say, not as I do, but…

Have other questions? I’d love to answer them so PLEASE leave me a comment! And if you do a triathlon, please let me know!

That’s a lot to promise for one post, huh? In order:

Drunken Monkeys: Lucas and I are big fans of Zane Lamprey and Three Sheets. I mean, the guy gets PAID to travel the world, getting drunk! So when I saw that he was coming to Orlando as a combo comedy-TV Show tour, I snapped up the tickets. You can see why the show was a major disappointment here, but there were two good moments — coffee at the Drunken Monkey (I got toasted marshmallow flavor with steamed coconut milk!) and a high-five with another drunken monkey…Three Sheets mascot Pleepleus!

Upward Dogs: When I saw Tina and Kate starting up Yoga Month, I jumped at the chance to show off a pose. I mean, I have a rocky and rollercoaster relationship with yoga, so I’m always looking for new ways to get excited about the practice.

I was randomly assigned upward dog, which is cool because it’s a pose that’s included in even the most BASIC routines. Plus, it’s a great way to stretch out your abs after a tough sit-up session. According to Yoga Journal, here’s how you do a proper Upward Dog:

Step by Step

Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your waist so that your forearms are relatively perpendicular to the floor.

Inhale and press your inner hands firmly into the floor and slightly back, as if you were trying to push yourself forward along the floor. Then straighten your arms and simultaneously lift your torso up and your legs a few inches off the floor on an inhalation. Keep the thighs firm and slightly turned inward, the arms firm and turned out so the elbow creases face forward.

Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points. Firm but don’t harden the buttocks.

Firm the shoulder blades against the back and puff the side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Look straight ahead or tip the head back slightly, but take care not to compress the back of the neck and harden the throat.

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana is one of the positions in the traditional Sun Salutation sequence. You can also practice this pose individually, holding it anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily. Release back to the floor or lift into Adho Mukha Svanasana with an exhalation.

Here are some shots I took this morning, demonstrating the knees up and down versions.

Do I look legit? I think I was supposed to put my head back more and strain to the sun…or some Zen crap like that. And there you have Upward Dog.

(((Note: I just added a new forum page…and I started a topic, asking for your definition of healthy. Won’t you check it out?)))

If you’d asked me a year ago what I thought about yoga — I would have told you I hated it.

I hated holding poses…breathing through my nose…quieting my mind (I’m no good at it) and not seeing a sweaty reflection that PROVED I’d worked my butt off.

Time went by, and I kept at it…finally, I begrudgingly started to like yoga. Then love it. Then big fat puffy heart I never want to let you go love it. But I was still missing that sweaty satisfaction.

No more, thanks to Caitlin and Orlando Power Yoga.

Do you see how nasty I am? That shirt is soaked, save for one small dry spot from my sports bra. The evil smile proves that I enjoyed every single second of every single pose.

What is power yoga? I’ll let OPY explain:

Orlando Power Yoga practices the Baron Baptiste style of power vinyasa yoga. As the name implies, it is a vigorous, fitness based yoga, which is practiced in a warm room. The Baron Baptiste style of yoga gives great emphasis on the principle of adaptation, meaning that each practitioner can adapt and modify each posture and make the practice his or her own. The emphasis and practice of Baptiste style of yoga is to challenge you to experience a transformation, starting from where YOU are presently. A good yoga practice will give you the overall sense of being strong and stress free. This is a moving meditation which will make you feel great after and during class.

We at Orlando Power Yoga strive to offer you a great yoga “workout”, in a casual, relaxed, and fun atmosphere. Whether you’re learning yoga at one of our yoga for beginners classes, or you’re a seasoned yogi participating in our heart thumping, sweat inducing workouts, you’ll soon feel the benefits of our power yoga. Start by learning the breath and learn to follow along.

Transformation is right. I spent the five minutes before class in DEEP conversation with Caitlin…talking about blogs and bloggers, exercise fatigue, media, travel and more. I felt my shoulders coming up and my head spinning. There’s just been so much drama in the blogging world this week, with people questioning their blogging identities, questioning others’ and getting away from the reason we all started blogging in the first place:

COMMUNITY.

80 minutes in a power yoga class took care of all those thoughts, and for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace. Clear-minded. Confident. And every word the instructor uttered seemed to resonate:

• You are enough. Don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing. Just do your best and let everything else fall away.
• Let it go. You have to lose it to find it.
• Be strong. Be powerful. Dig as deep as you can and then dig deeper.
• Whether you think you can or think you can’t…you’re right.

So, guess what? It turns out the community is only as strong as each of its members. So read those bullet points above, and even if for a second, apply them to your life. Then say “Ommmmm” and give me a nice easy tree pose.

Either one of the poses below will work:

Or, maybe a downward dog? Or if you’re really feeling flexible, a flipped dog?