It's Ridiculous Is What It Is..

Today's Jen's World column....

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Last year, I did my first triathlon. I spent the entire summer getting ready for the big event. I swam between the buoys at Foster Arends. I biked up and down the Douglas Trail. I ran loops around my neighborhood until I was practically dizzy. I went so far as to drive out to Waseca the week before the race to try the course. And when the starting gun went off that fine August morning of the race, I might not’ve been the fastest athlete out there—but dang it, I was ready.

This year, I’m doing the Rochesterfest Triathlon. It’s being held in four days. I can’t help writing that last line without breaking out laughing. It’s ridiculous is what it is.

I haven’t been anywhere near as dutiful in my training this time around and I’m trying to figure out why. Am I not scared enough? Am I in denial? Has my mind been preoccupied with other matters? (School + Work + Family + Volunteer + Facebook does make for a full schedule.)

Until a few weeks ago, I thought I was doing okay. I’d even been doing the “interval” course on the stationary bike for up to 10 miles—which is how far the bike portion of this tri is.

But then, last week, I did my first training ride on the actual Rochesterfest course on 18th Avenue. I’ll tell you what: I could’ve stepped off my bike, laid down on the shoulder of the road, tucked in my arms, and rolled up that hill faster than I was biking it. Holy hills.

I huffed and puffed up 18th, making contorted expressions with my face and desperately trying to come up with an excuse to get out of this triathlon. (Quick? Do I know anyone with strep?) But by the time I rolled back into my driveway an hour or so later, I thought, “Well, I guess it wasn’t all that bad.” (Kind of like childbirth, now that I think of it.)

And besides, I convinced myself, I already signed up for the fool thing and paid my money. So I’m doing it even if I come in crawling. Which is a very real possibility.
The swimming portion feels tougher this year, too. When I train in the pool, I rotate between multiple strokes—usually the breaststroke, followed by the side stroke (so I can see what’s going on), and then the backstroke (to rest up). You may’ve noticed that I didn’t mention the freestyle (“the front crawl”). Apparently it’s the fastest stroke, which is why everyone does it. But it kicks my butt, and my goal isn’t speed, anyway. It’s completion. I’ll doggie paddle if I have to.

I bought a wetsuit this year. Not because I’m freaked out by the weeds or anything (actually, I kind of am)—but because a wetsuit adds some buoyancy. I’ll take any help I can get. Come to think of it, I haven’t even tried it on yet. I should probably get on that.

The last event of a triathlon is running. And, oddly enough, I’m not too worried about that. I figure the worst thing that could happen is that I’m so exhausted by that point that I end up walking those last three miles. Worse things have happened. As long as I make it to the run, I’m optimistic that I’ll finish, even if I do straggle in last.

I’d really prefer if that weren’t the case, however. I still have a few days left to build my endurance. And you can bet I’ll be using these days to their fullest. Watch for me: I’ll be the one biking up and down 18th Avenue in running shoes and a wetsuit.

Video Tuesday

I was just in from swimming at Foster Arends when I remembered I had a video due today...

Wednesday's Jen's World

Wednesday's column is up on the Post-Bulletin site. It's a bit dated now, but if you want to read about how I spent my Memorial Day, you can find that article here.

Happy weekend to all! I'm looking forward to the Farmer's Market in the morning and some hardcore triathlon training in the afternoon. (The tri is a week away and I'm justifiably freaking out!)

Then Sunday finds me and Christian at another 5K (the MacAttack down at Silver Lake), followed by a progressive deck party in our neighborhood.

What a fantastic weekend. Hope the same for you!

I Can't Quit Writing About that Last 5K

I know, I know. I've gone on and on about this. But I saw the Post-Bulletin article on the Chester Woods Trail Run 5K today, and was blown away by the rankings.

I came in 51st. Christian came in... well, look here to find out: Post-Bulletin article.

New Toys!

Last weekend was a busy one for us. I ran a 5K trail run with Christian and my friend -- and fellow Post-Bulletin columnist -- Tracy McCray. Tracy wore a shirt that said, “Chatty Chicas” and she wasn’t kidding. It was fun to talk away the race (and solve the world’s problems in the process) with her. And, really -- what else was I supposed to do? Christian stuck by my side for exactly 75 feet, until I said, “You can go ahead of me if you want.” Off he flew.

Other weekend activities included gardening, going to a soccer game to watch Christian’s friends, hanging out at the Freetly's campsite at Chester Woods. We took in a movie. I finished the paperwork that marks the end of my third semester. I managed a hilly 10-mile bike ride to prep for the impending (and WAY too close) triathlon.

So with that much weekend action, is it weird that the highlight might've been getting a rain barrel and compost bin?

On Saturday morning, still in my running clothes and bed-hair, Jay and I hit the parking lot at the Apache Mall, where there was a truckload sale of -- you guessed it -- rain barrels and compost bins.

When we arrived, I saw my friend Katie right away. "How do we know which line to get in?" I asked, since she was standing in one of three lines that ran the expanse of the parking lot.

"It's all one line," she said.

I laughed. "Seriously -- what line do we go in?"

"It's all one line," she repeated.

I stepped back and took a look. It was all one line, snaking back and forth across the parking lot.

Who knew rain barrels and compost bins were such hot items?

The process actually went fairly quickly. We were home with the goods in an hour. This morning, I set the compost up in our garden and started filling it with the potato peels and eggshells I'd saved from last night's dinner and dessert. (I'd made my first lemon meringue pie -- a success even if I never did get that *#&@$%#&% meringue to peak.)

The rain barrel--which, claims Rochester Public Utilities, can cut our water bill by up to 40% by collecting rain water for use in watering our lawn, gardens, plants--is going up this week. According to the EPA, a rain barrel saves most homeowners "about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months." Amazing.

I'll let you know how it goes.

This Week in Jen's World...

Here's this week's column... about an experience I'm repeating tomorrow! Christian and I will be up bright and early for the Chester Wood's Trail Run in the morning.

T minus 10 hours

I'm running my second 5K of the season tomorrow at 8 a.m.
The last time I ran was two weeks ago, at my first 5K of the season.

And swimming and biking? It's been nearly as long.

Do I need to tell any of you that this doesn't bode well for the Rochesterfest Triathlon? That's 16 days away?

16 days.

ha ha ha ha hahahahahahhahahahha....

Today in Jen's World...

Little known fact about this week's Jen's World promo video: My son, Christian, is holding his head so (unnaturally) still because it's covering up a picture in the background that I didn't want in the video. Though, now that I type that, it seems to me that it would've been easier to just take the thing down...



Hmmm... for a reason I don't understand, Christian is cut off when I embed the video. To see the video in its entirety (and Christian's amazing head control!), click here.