Sunday, June 20, 2010

Just a Small Town Girl

As the song Don't Stop Believing comes on the Ipod...


Maggie: This song is great. Why do people hate Journey?

Cue the next Journey song...

Maggie: Never mind I get it.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Tri-As He Might

Thoughts on my first Triathlon

*I now have even greater respect for superheros after wearing a wet suit, rubber is hot.

*Mobile bathrooms, become less gross the more you need one.

*Sorry Bobby Boucher Jr., Gatorade is better.

*Salem Springs' pond does not taste great.


*Red Vines are an excellent recovery food, Pay-Days are excellent race fuel.

*Triathlons are addictive.

*Racing around farms and having people bang cowbells at you on your bike, really allows you to pretend you are in the Tour de France. This is of course a very a happy delusion.

*Someone turned a giant piece of farm equipment into a dragon with a sign that says, "Don't Feed the Dragon". Neat.

*Look Llamas.

*Having people chant "BEARD, BEARD, BEARD" and "GO BEARD GO" is awesome.

*Only slightly more awesome is winning the prize of a high quality new bike bag solely because of your ability to grow facial hair like a Norse God.

*DZ Nuts is essential to success.

Musical Rundown
I only used music during the run portion of the race, and then I only started at the half way point. It made an enormous difference. I immediately felt energized, and picked up the pace instantly at the point I decided to turn on my the Ipod.

*Under Pressure-Queen
First song to come on is a perfect way to revive the lost energy. Queen as long been the band best associated with stadium soundtracks.

*NFL Films Soundtrack
The orchestra playing rousing music while John Facenda grizzled voice speaks of blitzing linebackers, Vince Lombardi and the gridiron as the floor of the ancient Roman coliseum even though you are not in anyway resembling football still manages to stir up all of the masculinity stored in your body and push you further.

*Stronger-Kanye West
I'll let all you haters finish in a minute, but I gotta say Kanye recorded one of the best work out songs of all time.

*Iron Man-Black Sabbath
Tommy Iommi's guitar and Ozzy's vocals...nuff said.

*Shipping Up to Boston-Dropkick Murpheys
Finding your wooden leg while being genuinely pissed off seem to echo the feeling during the last minutes of triathlon.

*Black Friday Rule-Flogging Molly
Again, when you are just needing to harness the anger to push yourself nothing beats Irish Punk.

*Blitzkrieg Bop-The Ramones
Fast and furious excellent for when you want to make a move and pass some fools.

*Beautiful Day-U2
The song I like to end all of my runs with with. It captures the zen feeling of seizing the day and experiencing life that running/biking/swimming on a perfect sunny day bring to pass. Beautiful Day encompasses the experience you are in the midst of because the rush of endorphins merged with weeks of training and sense of accomplishment all collide to great a day you don't want to let slip away.