SweatyShe Monday (06/28/10): Five Things about RAAM

SweatyShe Monday (06/28/10): Five Things about RAAM
By Susan Farago
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We She's are game for just about anything. I recently returned from a work trip across the United States. When I say “across”, I mean Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. And when I say “work trip”, I mean FUN! I was part of this year’s Race Across America media crew which means I was one of about 15 media folks who got to follow and cover cyclists who were racing their bikes across America.

I was partnered with two other media people – Rafiel the photographer and Ryan the video journalist. My job? I was “the writer”, responsible for posting headline updates to the RAAM website. We were supposed to have a driver but there were some last minute issues which left the three of us to fend for ourselves on the driving front. Make that two of us – Ryan doesn’t drive. So Rafiel and I tag teamed it.

There were solo riders and relay teams of two, four, and eight people plus their crews in RVs, vans, and cars. We left Oceanside on a Saturday afternoon immediately after the teams went across the start line. As the teams made their way across the first set of mountains in California and down into the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, were there taking photos, video, and writing -- all of our content then uploaded to the RAAM website to keep people who were following the race informed and up to date. This continued for eight days across 14 states and through 55 timing stations.

Five things struck me about this amazing adventure:

1. The United States is big.
I’m used to driving for 10 hours and still being in the state of Texas. But driving for eight days and never seeing the same roads twice? Yeah, that’s big. Each state was very distinct and sometimes the distinction was immediately evident at soon as we crossed the state border. Shout out to the people of Ohio – learn to use street signs to mark your roads, will ya?! Another shout out to West Virginia – in my eyes, you are no longer the “hill billy” mecca I thought you were. That honor goes to, yes that’s right, Ohio.

2. People are amazing.
As with any physical endurance event of epic proportions, we saw the FULL range of human emotion. From German crew members doing push ups and laughing while waiting for their rider to come through some small town in Indiana (they didn’t want to get fat from eating an “American diet”), to the former LAPD female officer who was paralyzed from the chest down being helped into her van by her husband after her 20 min ride segment was over. And special shout out to Team Summit who took every opportunity to invite us into their team RV and feed us lasagna, chocolate covered blueberries, and Hershey’s chocolates.

3. Van camping is a great ice breaker.
I didn’t know Ryan (from Boulder) and Rafiel (from Los Angeles) at the start of this trip. But let me tell you, sleeping with two perfect strangers in a van, in the middle of a hay field, in the middle of NOWHERE in Arizona makes for a great ice breaker. The second night we slept somewhere in Monument Valley and listened to the whizzing and whirring of cyclists passing us throughout the night. We woke up to fantastic views of towering orange, red rocks reaching up to the blue morning sky.

4. Don’t over think. Just do.
I’m all for planning and preparation, but sometimes it’s better to get out of my own way and just DO. In talking to some of the teams, I learned that some teams didn’t really train (nor were the riders really cyclists) but their goal was not to win, it was to come out and raise awareness for a certain disease (Friedrich’s Ataxia) or mission (Amy Xu and Team Strong Heart), or just to have a heck of a good time (Team Enjoy the Ride). They came, they saw, they pedaled, they raised awareness, they had a blast!

5. A picture is worth more than a thousand words.
I took a lot of pictures and video and with all the amazing things I saw and experienced, I don’t think anything quite sums up the feeling and attitude of RAAM as this does (see photo).

I plan to do RAAM in 2011 as part of a four-woman relay team. We are in the throes of planning and preparation and we plan to officially announce our beneficiary and start raising money soon. I plan to keep my list of five things (above) in mind throughout this journey. As for any type of tattoo? I don’t think so. But then again, never say never!

Details about my experience, including van camping and photos can be found on my blog at: http://susanstarstink.blogspot.com/


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Thoughts or comments? Share them here! Become a fan on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/sweatyshe.

SweatyShe Monday: Five Things about RAAM

By Susan Farago

We She's are game for just about anything. I recently returned from a work trip across the United States. When I say “across”, I mean Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. And when I say “work trip”, I mean FUN! I was part of this year’s Race Across America media crew which means I was one of about 15 media folks who got to follow and cover cyclists who were racing their bikes across America.

I was partnered with two other media people – Rafiel the photographer and Ryan the video journalist. My job? I was “the writer”, responsible for posting headline updates to the RAAM website. We were supposed to have a driver but there were some last minute issues which left the three of us to fend for ourselves on the driving front. Make that two of us – Ryan doesn’t drive. So Rafiel and I tag teamed it.
There were solo riders and relay teams of two, four, and eight people plus their crews in RVs, vans, and cars. We left Oceanside on a Saturday afternoon immediately after the teams went across the start line. As the teams made their way across the first set of mountains in California and down into the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, were there taking photos, video, and writing -- all of our content then uploaded to the RAAM website to keep people who were following the race informed and up to date. This continued for eight days across 14 states and through 55 timing stations.
Five things struck me about this amazing adventure:

1. The United States is big.
I’m used to driving for 10 hours and still being in the state of Texas. But driving for eight days and never seeing the same roads twice? Yeah, that’s big. Each state was very distinct and sometimes the distinction was immediately evident at soon as we crossed the state border. Shout out to the people of Ohio – learn to use street signs to mark your roads, will ya?! Another shout out to West Virginia – in my eyes, you are no longer the “hill billy” mecca I thought you were. That honor goes to, yes that’s right, Ohio.

2. People are amazing.
As with any physical endurance event of epic proportions, we saw the FULL range of human emotion. From German crew members doing push ups and laughing while waiting for their rider to come through some small town in Indiana (they didn’t want to get fat from eating an “American diet”), to the former LAPD female officer who was paralyzed from the chest down being helped into her van by her husband after her 20 min ride segment was over. And special shout out to Team Summit who took every opportunity to invite us into their team RV and feed us lasagna, chocolate covered blueberries, and Hershey’s chocolates.

3. Van camping is a great ice breaker.
I didn’t know Ryan (from Boulder) and Rafiel (from Los Angeles) at the start of this trip. But let me tell you, sleeping with two perfect strangers in a van, in the middle of a hay field, in the middle of NOWHERE in Arizona makes for a great ice breaker. The second night we slept somewhere in Monument Valley and listened to the whizzing and whirring of cyclists passing us throughout the night. We woke up to fantastic views of towering orange, red rocks reaching up to the blue morning sky.
4. Don’t over think. Just do.
I’m all for planning and preparation, but sometimes it’s better to get out of my own way and just DO. In talking to some of the teams, I learned that some teams didn’t really train (nor were the riders really cyclists) but their goal was not to win, it was to come out and raise awareness for a certain disease (Friedrich’s Ataxia) or mission (Amy Xu and Team Strong Heart), or just to have a heck of a good time (Team Enjoy the Ride). They came, they saw, they pedaled, they raised awareness, they had a blast!

5. A picture is worth more than a thousand words.
I took a lot of pictures and video and with all the amazing things I saw and experienced, I don’t think anything quite sums up the feeling and attitude of RAAM as this does (see photo).

I plan to do RAAM in 2011 as part of a four-woman relay team. We are in the throes of planning and preparation and we plan to officially announce our beneficiary and start raising money soon. I plan to keep my list of five things (above) in mind throughout this journey. As for any type of tattoo? I don’t think so. But then again, never say never!

Details about my experience, including van camping and photos can be found on my blog at: http://susanstarstink.blogspot.com/

SweatyShe Monday (reprint from 8/17/09): I Had Forgotten Why …

Susan is traveling these two weeks so she has posted reprints from prior SweatyShe Mondays. Enjoy!!
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SweatyShe Monday (reprint from 8/17/09): I Had Forgotten Why …
By Susan Farago
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These past couple of years have brought a lot of changes: Leary and I moved into a condo and completely downsized our lifestyle, I left IBM exactly 12 months ago after a 10 year “corporate career” to pursue a “non-corporate” career, and friends I used to see on a regular basis I now see much more infrequently.

But since 1998 when I ran my first half-marathon, no matter the amount of chaos or change in my life, I could rely on my training schedule to keep me anchored. The schedule provided some semblance of daily direction. It gave me an excuse to figure out new and creative ways to prioritize the rest of my life around “the workout”. Then last year something changed. After countless triathlons and running races, for the first time since 1998 I was no longer enjoying my training. Fun had been replaced with competition. Inner challenges had been replaced with outward pressures to “do better”. Quite frankly, I was no longer in the mood to continuously push, push, push based on what I “should” be doing or because of someone else’s performance expectations. The schedule had literally been relegated to the bottom of my pile of “things to do”. What happened to the fun? Where did my “self” go? What was I doing? I had forgotten why.

I had forgotten why I started running in the first place.
It was my senior year of college and I was studying abroad in France. I didn’t want to go to a health club to exercise (and deal with the French men) so I started walking, then walk running, then running.

I had forgotten why I did my first triathlon.
It was a combination of turning 30 and my pants no longer fitting AND receiving a jury duty form in the mail and under “hobbies” I had to leave it blank because I was too focused on climbing the corporate ladder and had no life (which is why my pants no longer fit).

I had forgotten why it was so fun to plan my first long run.
I had my husband drop me off at the Arboretum and I ran all the way home to Lakeway – 22 miles in total. I knew I needed protein and carbs but it had to be small enough for me to carry – so I fueled with almonds and candy conversation hearts (I know…I know…what was I thinking). What amazing memories of that long run and Leary driving along RR620 to make sure I wasn’t laying in the ditch somewhere (thankfully he also brought REAL food!)

I had forgotten why long runs and bike rides were so fun with friends.
It was because they were “chat” based, not “performance” based. And how wonderful were the honest, funny, deep (and not so deep) conversations where any topic was open for discussion.

I had forgotten why self-discovery was so important to me.
That there were so many new, exciting, and different activities to try. Activities that would make me uncomfortable (but in a good way) and that would push me (but on my own terms – me versus me, or me versus the clock). And that I didn’t have to rely on others for self-discovery. I could make up things I wanted to try or do and then just go do them!

This past weekend I was reunited with my “why”. I raced the Sweet and Twisted sprint distance triathlon at Pace Bend Park – the same place I raced when I did my first ever triathlon in 2000 - The Danskin. The familiar roads, terrain, and water - it all came flooding back to me – the fun, the laughter, the feeling of how great it was just to be out there in an all women’s race again, just doing my own thing. My goal for the race was to enjoy myself. And as two other women from my age group passed me on the run, for the first time in a long time, it didn’t matter. I just let them go rather than chase them down. On this day, I wasn’t racing…I was enjoying.

Surprisingly enough, I ended up coming in 3rd in my age group at that race. And as I received my trophy, I started scheming how I could do better next time. There’s always a next time. But it wasn’t so I could beat those ahead of me, it was because I knew I wanted to push myself harder – me versus me, me versus the clock, me on my own terms and no one else’s.

Everyone has different motivators for what they do and why they do it. For some it’s personal challenge and for other’s, like my Mom, their response to the “why” is, “Because it’s there!” And yet for others, competition is what fuels their why.*

We all have reasons for what we do whether they are externally imposed or internally driven. So Go.Do.Be. - but don’t forget the why.

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*For an interesting look at the nature of competition and the negative effects check out, “No Contest: The Case Against Competition by Alfie Kohn (1986).

SweatyShe Monday (reprint from 8/31/09): Stressed Out? Drop the F-Bomb!

Susan is traveling these two weeks so she has posted reprints from prior SweatyShe Mondays. Enjoy!!
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SweatyShe Monday (reprint from 8/31/09): Stressed Out? Drop the F-Bomb!
By Susan Farago
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I have never been a big curse word user until I started doing triathlons and running. Growing up, my Dad would curse every now and then but it was the “minor” curse words like the “D” or “H” or “S” word. And only ONE TIME did my brother and I EVER hear my Mom curse. She said the “D” word. Hey, we deserved it. We were acting like royal pains! But what an impact it had on us! Even now we still remember, “The day Mom said the ‘D’ word.”

But somewhere in my 30’s, when I rediscovered sports and being active, I also discovered the power of cursing. I don’t curse at people (unless it’s some guy I don’t know drafting me on the bike) but I curse at situations. For example, it is customary that before I jump into Barton Springs’ 68 degree water, even though I’m wearing a wetsuit, I still can’t help but blurt out the “F-bomb”. I try to disguise it but it still slips out as I dive in and I feel the cold water seeping through the zipper of my wetsuit and giving me the willies up my back. This is why it is good to have to go to the bathroom when you dive into any cold body of water while wearing a wetsuit. Hot and cold help counteract one another – if you know what I mean – and it’s known as “turning on your heater”.

A more recent incident caused a series of rapid fire “F-bombs” to fly from my mouth. I felt justified - it involved a snake. My friend Laura and I were trail running and we were on a fairly remote section of trail - a narrow single track that was grown over with brushy, tall weeds and it had a steep rocky ledge to the left and a dirt/rock wall to the right. Laura was ahead of me and we were chit chatting when all of a sudden she let out a blood curdling scream, shot about 5 feet straight up, and literally flew over the 2 big rocks that were in the middle of the trail. I stopped short (because you never know what the person in front of you sees on the trail so better to stop and find out what the heck it is than take your chances). There we were – her on one side and me on the other…and a big, fat snake between us.

I looked at her, then the snake, and then her again. “Oh crap” I said, “You’re going to make me run past that dang thing aren’t you!” At this point she was already digging around for a big branch so she could poke it to see if it was a “John Snake”. Our friend John came across a hognose snake and after doing some research, he came to find out that if you poke it, the snake will literally play dead. He actually had an opportunity to test this theory on a live hognose snake and it did indeed work – good thing he correctly identified the snake!

As Laura emerged from the bush carrying the equivalent of a tree limb, I said, “Hold on! Don’t poke it until I run past!” Nothing like getting a snake good and riled up before deciding to hurdle over it. This is when I started dropping all the F-bombs. I was trying to psych myself up to get past this dang thing. I literally would have to jump over it since the trail was so narrow and we were sandwiched between a drop off and a rock wall. My imagination went wild. Would the snake lunge at me and grab hold of my leg as I ran past? Would it sink its fangs deep into my flesh, causing me a slow, venomous death? What if it shot up my shorts leg when I straddled over it? Maybe it would wait until I was just past it and then it would spring up and get me into a boa constrictor-like death grip!!!

I just stood there saying over and over again…F-bomb, F-bomb, F-bomb, F-bomb, F-bomb…

I finally said to myself, “OK, don’t think about it, just RUN!” and with that I let out one more F-bomb and flew past the snake. As I landed on the other side of Laura, I spun around just in time to see the snake...do absolutely nothing. Really? Nothing? Maybe it was dead? Laura came swooping in with the big branch and scooped the snake up under its belly and plopped it back down on the ground again. Standing on our tippie toes, we peered over the end of the tree limb. Still nothing. Hmmm. Then just as we started to relax, it moved its head. We both let out a shriek and took off running. F-BOMB!!!!

From that point on everything looked like a snake. And as we ran away, still giggling and completely freaked out, Laura said, “Wow - that was messed up!”

For a more scientific approach to studying the effects of cursing and stress relief which DOESN’T require a snake or cold water, check out this article recently published in Time Magazine:
“Why Swearing Helps Ease Pain: Benefits of Curse Words”
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910691,00.html?artId=1910691?contType=article?chn=sciHealth

SweatyShe Monday: Happy Memorial Day!

In honor of Memorial Day, please take a few moments to remember those who have served our country and protected our borders and our freedom, in the past, present, and future. We thank you!

SweatyShe Monday (05/24/10): Chivalry on the Trail (or, I hate wet feet)

SweatyShe Monday (05/24/10): Chivalry on the Trail (or, I hate wet feet)
By Susan Farago

My tough-girl, hard-core image has come into question but I am here to defend myself. Sort of. The thing is, I hate having wet feet while running. HATE it! The rest of me can be absolutely drenched or dripping with sweat and it doesn’t bother me. But that awful squishy, enclosed, soggy toed feeling step after step knowing full well that gynormous blisters are forming and getting infected with god only knows what bacteria only to be one step away from contracting gangrene? I will go to great lengths to avoid the whole mess.

Which brings me to our trail run on Sunday. Jim and I were discussing routes earlier in the week and we weren’t sure if it was possible to start at the 360 trail access and end up at the Hill of Life without getting wet from the creek crossings. Jim offered to scout out a few routes on Friday and he thought he found a way. Great! So five of us headed out for our usual Sunday morning trail run and before I knew it, I found myself standing on a mini island in the middle of the creek bed, water flowing on both sides, and Jim announcing, “Yeah, you’re going to have to get your feet wet.” I looked down at my watch and it read 6:15. Six minutes into a three hour run and I’m already being threatened with gangrene? Yeah, I don’t think so! I was not alone in this sentiment. Laura was standing next to me and not enjoying the prospect of wet feet either.

I managed to hop-skip-and-jump my way across half of the creek and my feet were still dry. There had to be a way to stay dry and get to the other side. My eyes were scanning the rocks and branches in the water, tree limbs overhead, something…ANYTHING! By now the guys were already across, succumbing to the prospect that their dry feet days were over. I did the only thing I could do at this point. I chewed Jim out. “Jim! I thought you said this would be dry?!?” He laughed and said, “Yeah well I guess not.”

Laura and I were not amused. As the water rushed around us, I was pondering several options:
1. Stand here for another few weeks until the water receded and we could cross.
2. Turn around and run the alternate (dry feet) route I knew about.
3. Throw something at Jim.
4. Consider the possibility of doing a handstand and “hand walk” across the creek.
5. Do the unthinkable…

Before I could even finish coming up with option #5, Leary (my husband) knew what I was about to think. So he stomped through the water, turned around with his back facing me, and said, “OK, climb on.” My hero! So I hopped on and he carried me piggy-back style across the rest of the creek and set me down safely and dryly on other side. This is only one of the many reasons why I love this man. John was not too far behind us toting Laura on his back as well. A thousand “thank yous” ensued and we were off!

As we ran towards the Hill of Life, there was a lot of sloshing and squishing sounds going on. But it wasn’t coming from Laura or me. We were very happy girls. I turned to John and Leary and said, “We’re not going to live this down are we?” John quickly responded, “Nope you’re not.” In the name of dry feet, I’m ok with that.

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Photo: Warda 50K trail race in Nov 2009. Proof that I will get my feet wet if I have to :-)

SweatyShe Monday (05/17/10): GuppyMax -- Ode to the Jim Swim

SweatyShe Monday (05/17/10): GuppyMax -- Ode to the Jim Swim
By Susan Farago
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Austin is a great place to train for just about any sport (as long as you don’t need snow) and we are lucky enough to have hills, hot weather, and a lot of open water.

Lake Travis is by far my favorite place to swim and I especially like Hippie Hollow because its “big open water”. One drawback, or at least point of interesting amusement, is that Hippie Hollow is a nudist beach. Yep. Nothing but naked people just letting it all hang out. The water is usually a little choppy which makes for a more honest swim and there is a well marked swim area where you can easily swim a mile along the shoreline without stopping. So if you don’t mind the occasional flapping body part or someone getting arrested, it’s fantastic!

So when this time of year rolls around, thoughts turn to GuppyMax – the very informal Monday night open water swim group. GuppyMax wasn’t always GuppyMax. Unofficially starting sometime around 2004, it was originally the “Jim Swim”, named after Jim Pacey and it all started at Barton Springs. Jim is an amazing athlete but swimming isn’t exactly his favorite part of the swim-bike-run triathlon combo. So his version of a swim workout would be to swim for 5 minutes, then stand around and chat for 10 minutes. Then swim another 5 minutes, then chat for 15 minutes. Then do a 5 minute swim cooldown, chat for another 5 minutes and go get breakfast. That was his idea of a 45 minute swim.

After that first year we decided to move the swim to Lake Travis. Jim coined the name “GuppyMax” and we’ve been swimming at the lake from March to October ever since. We alternate between Hippie Hollow and the cove at Mansfield Dam depending on water levels and our mood.

Part hard core swim, part screwing around and laughing our heads off, GuppyMax is whatever people want it to be. Some people come and swim hard for an hour while others are just getting used to the idea of swimming in open water. There is never a dull moment and I am not sure if it’s the fresh air, open water, or eclectic mix of personalities that make for unforgettable memories. Some hilights include:

-- When we set the record of the most people ever crammed into Leary’s truck – 18! The look on the face of the park guard was priceless!

-- The time Danny tried to sneak up on a couple of ducks. When he got close, he dove underwater and all we could see were a few ripples and then the two ducks completely freak out! Nice try Danny!!

-- The “Hoochie Fish” – those little fish that cautiously swim up and then when you’re not looking, ZAP! The give you the old nip and run. Robbie seems to attract them so don’t swim near her.

-- Synchronized swimming performances as a post swim cooldown. We look pretty good with our circle swimming, leg extensions, and the grand finale of kick, spin, submerge!

-- The post swim “Foodie Challenge” where we compare Hey Cupcake to Sugar Shack’s chocolate cupcakes and Rudy’s ‘nanner pudding to Thundercloud’s brownies.

-- The time Mike called Rudys to find out if they had brownies for dessert (because Thundercloud did and we wanted to do another Foodie Challenge). He got on the phone and all we heard was, “This is Mike P. with GuppyMax.” … pause… “Mike P.…with GuppyMax.”

-- Swimming out to Fraggle Rock at Mansfield Dam cove when the water was really low and then just hanging out and chatting. Jim would be proud!

-- The guy swimming in the cove with his dog floating alongside in a cooler.

-- Going for dinner at “ThunderRudys” – vegetarians would swing through Thundercloud Subs and get veggie subs to go and then sneak the vegetable contraband in to Rudys where the meat eaters were already seated at the outside picnic tables. Who says we all can’t get along!

-- Instead of swimming the buoy line, I convinced everyone to swim to the boat dock, which was a nice change of scenery - except for seeing the underwater stumps which always freak me out. In the words of Ed, they look like heads!

-- It seems to take forever when getting into our wetsuits – and we now have some new terminology:
“Bohonkus” (from Cynthia): referring to hip and rear end sizing when trying to pull the wetsuit UP over this area. Oh the irony of putting ON clothes at a nudist beach!

-- Jake gyrating around in the water and when I asked him what was going on, he gasped and responded, “I’m dying of heat stroke!!” as he was attempting to flood his wetsuit with fresh lake water.

-- Several encounters with “John and his John” - a very nice guy who introduced himself (ALL of HIMSELF) to us. Notes from my initial encounter with John is posted at: www.susanfarago.com/writing/SW-SH_Mon_05-11-09.pdf

-- The monsoon that hit Hippie Hollow a few minutes before we got in the water. We all looked at each other and decided that while the trees were bending nearly horizontal there was no lightening so it must be safe to swim. We swam through the storm and 20 minutes later everything was calm and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

There are so many funny stories and did I mention that we actually do get in a swim workout? This is our 6th year of GuppyMax swimming and I look forward to seeing the same friends every Monday and meeting new ones as well. GuppyMax meets every Monday night so come join us! We promise not to make you synchronize swim – at least not right away. More information is at: www.susanfarago.com/athleteresources.html#guppymax .



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SweatyShe Monday (05/10/10): Bike Commuting – Tales from a Newbie

SweatyShe Monday (05/10/10): Bike Commuting – Tales from a Newbie
By Susan Farago
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May is national bike month and week one of the “Austin Commuter Challenge” is over. I have logged 226 miles over 9 trips and luckily my rear end is still talking to me (metaphorically, not literally). To provide some perspective, I live in Lakeway so there is really no such thing as a “quick commute”. My legs are tired and I have a whole new appreciation for Velcro straps and what an extra 15lbs of weight on the back of my bike feels like when trying to ride up hills -- by the way, I’m never EVER gaining weight and would love to lose about 50 pounds just so I can haul more stuff around.

But I have to admit, I’ve enjoyed the challenge so far. There is something very appealing about strategizing and planning to get from point A to B without the use of a gas pedal. Here’s what I have learned:

1. Now that I have figured out how to strap everything to my bike, it only takes me about 5-10 minutes to get everything ready to ride. The first time out it took me over an hour and A LOT of curse words!

2. I am learning to enjoy bike riding again for the sake of bike riding and not having to do splits, tempo, intervals, or hill repeats.

3. Not all bike pants are created equal and tri shorts don’t cut it for rides longer than 30 minutes. Ouch!

4. When commuting to a coffee shop, I can put my bike helmet in the chair next to me and use it to drape sweaty clothes over to dry (bra, socks, bandana, etc.).

5. When a coffee shop barista compliments me on how cute my new cycling skirt is, I should just take the compliment and not follow it up by enthusiastically lifting my skirt and saying, “And look…it has built in bike pants underneath!!!”

6. The difference between a fitness cyclist and a commuter cyclist is the amount of spandex worn.

7. My new form of meditation is commuting. There is something peaceful about just riding. I can’t take calls, make calls, write down notes, review my planner, change from radio to CD and back to radio, or drink coffee. All I do is ride and think.

8. Listening to Michael Jackson in my one piece earphone NEVER gets old.

9. It is possible to ride my bike and not be totally sweaty and wet once I reach my destination. I suspect this will change the closer we get to summer.

10. I think it is actually safer to ride during rush hour when traffic is at a complete standstill. Plus there’s the, “Ha-ha – I’m moving and you’re not” factor.

11. Friends are more than willing to bring water to run workouts so I don’t have to haul water with me (thanks Laura, Jim, and John).

12. I am getting much better at time management and actually allow extra time to get to places. I think it’s because deep down I know the ramifications of not allowing time for traffic or having to fix a flat tire is one long, hard speed interval!

13. The resources I’m saving in gas are now being spent in water consumption. I am taking extra showers, doing extra loads of laundry, and I’m drinking a lot more water. So while the “save gas” people are probably happy, the “save our water” people are probably not.

14. Commuters seem to have a special extra “wave and nod”. It’s not just saying, “Hi”, it is as if to say, “Hey, I’m right there with you in doing good for our planet by saving gas and not falling into the capitalist society that has become our nation of gas guzzlers and precious natural resources wasters. DOWN WITH THE MAN!!!” OK, maybe the wave and nod is just to say “Hi.”

I still have three weeks to go. Maybe I am still in the honeymoon phase where commuting is still new and exciting. Maybe it’s just something cool to do to change up my routine or an excuse to buy new bike pants. I’m not sure yet. I’ll check back in at the end of May for a final update!


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SweatyShe Monday (05/03/10): RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!

SweatyShe Monday (05/03/10): RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!
By Susan Farago
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Trail running with my friend Laura is always an experience. She’s always up for exploring new trails, conquering huge hills, or dangling over the edge of a ravine and hanging onto tree roots while I exclaim, “I know the trail’s around here somewhere... .” I’ve seen her poke at snakes, launch 3 feet straight up while scorpions are underfoot, and scream at various wildlife creatures (fuzzy bunnies be warned). But I can ALWAYS count on two things when we go for a run – the first is that we will have a great time, and the second is that at some point during the run we will have to stop because she is laughing so hard that she needs a minute to catch her breath.

So when we met to explore new trails at Wild Basin on Sunday, she did not disappoint. We climbed hills, got lost, got found, ended up in someone’s backyard, and yes…at one point we had to stop because she was laughing too hard to continue.

It started out innocently enough - as always. We were standing in a ravine trying to find the trail. Our friends Jim and John were also with us (they are used to our antics). So as Jim and I looked for some sign of a trail or clearing, John proceeded to bend over and pick up a rock. Laura asked, “What are you doing there John – trying to read the land?” John replied, “That rock just looked out of place and sure enough, looks like there’s a tarantula hole underneath it.” At this point my mouth decided to operate without my brain and from out of nowhere I yelled, “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!” If you’ve seen the movie “Clash of the Titans”* (either the 1981 or 2010 version) you’ll appreciate the reference. I thought it was sort of funny. Laura took one look at me and absolutely fell apart. She was laughing so hard there were tears! I was soon to follow and as Jim and John stared at us like we had finally gone around the proverbial bend, we were falling over ourselves with laughter.

When I got home I e-mailed her and asked her to list the times she’s laughed the hardest on the trail. Her response? “Gosh, there have been so many times!” Below is what she had to say:

- When we were running behind Toys R Us investigating new trails and the "troll" we ran in to [short, squat man with long hair and very heavily bejeweled sitting near a stream and VERY out of place] said, "YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!" when you asked him where we were.

- The time you got too hot to wear your running shirt and I told you to tuck into the back of your shorts and after awhile gravity took its toll and made you look like you had an "accident" in your running shorts.

- Blood curdling screams trail running at night when we ran into a "homeless" man; then Leary greets him with, “Hi! How are you doing?"

- Choking on a gnat.

- Me screaming at rabbits, squirrels, snakes, scorpions, spiders, rabbits, birds, dogs, bugs, spider webs, butterflies, etc.

- Us running towards screaming, howling coyotes near the base of the Hill of Life during a night run and you picking up a boulder and running with it in your hand and hauling UP the hill...and I said, “See you at the top, I am going to fight to the death!”

- The time you said, “feggie” (for frontal wedgie) and I thought you said, “veggie” (for vaginal wedgie). I think John is still recovering from THAT conversation!

- When you admitted listening to Air Supply in your college dorm room while working on sewing projects at 2:30 in the morning.

- And of course, “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!”


To Laura - I dedicate this SweatyShe Monday to you. While the trails might be safer and quieter with you off of them, they certainly wouldn’t be nearly as fun. Thanks for your friendship, all the great times we’ve had, and the ones certainly to come!


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*References to “Clash of the Titans” and “Release the Kraken” can be found at:
Trailer from original 1981 movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVcT5YWBzq8&feature=related

Trailer for new movie:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2626946073/

FYI – the 1981 Kraken was MUCH BETTER (and fakier) than the new and improved Kraken.

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SweatyShe Monday: Patience is a Virtue – Do We Need Virtue?

Sweaty She Monday (04/26/10):Patience is a Virtue – Do We Need Virtue?
By: Susan Farago
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I've always been a "what's next" person so living in the moment has never been one of my strong suits. Neither has patience. When I was little my mom always used to tell me, "Patience is a virtue." For the longest time I didn't know what a "virtue" was and figured I probably didn't need it anyway so I continued my impatient, future looking ways.

This year I turned 40 and while I’m not sure if it was the age milestone or the feeling that time is going by way too quickly, I decided to become more centered and try to live in the moment. My first attempt was to just keep telling myself, "I am in the moment. I am in the moment." But then my mind would wander off as I would begin compiling the list of things I had to get done or how I was going to spend the weekend. I felt like Dug the talking dog from the movie “Up” - - SQUIRREL!
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftidAFcJ_EQ&feature=related)

My second attempt was to try meditation. I consulted my yoga instructor who recommended I try Kundalini – a brain balancing meditation and mantra. The process is as follows: sit cross legged on the floor for 1 hour and chant the following phrase: "SA TA NA MA". The phrase is repeated continuously and in 15 minute blocks – first only in the mind, then as a whisper, then normal talking voice, then whisper, then in the mind. I decided right off the bat that 1 hour was not going to work because I would either fall asleep or become too restless. So I opted for 30 minutes total with 5 minute chanting increments. As I got settled into place and began my chanting, my cat Fritz came up to see what I was doing and proceeded to rub against my foot and hand and then head-butt me in the arm. While I appreciated his fuzzy support I booted him outside and resumed my chanting. The second issue I had was not knowing how long 5 minutes actually was so I was continuously looking at my watch. Is it 5 minutes yet? Is it 5 minutes yet? I figured this was probably defeating the purpose but proceeded anyway. After what felt like an eternity, I finished the 30 minute set and was exhausted. And Fritz wanted back inside.

My current attempt is reading a book entitled, "The Presence Process – A Healing Journey Into Present Moment Awareness". Blech. It might as well have been entitled, “How to Watch Paint Dry”. But who am I to judge? Plus it was recommended to me by a friend who is even more impatient and rammy than I am so maybe there was something to it. This is not a quick read and seems to require a lot of coffee drinking on my part to “hang with it” but for the past 2 months I have been reading, pondering, and gleaning little tidbits of insight into being "in the moment". Some examples:

1) When we consciously connect our breathing, the first procedure is the gathering of present moment awareness. This is an automatic by-product of breathing without pausing.
In practice – I have not figured out how to do this without hyperventilating but at least I am taking deeper breaths and not forgetting to breathe (which I sometimes do).

2) The experience of present moment awareness that we seek is nowhere “out there” in the world and cannot be achieved by fiddling with the outer world or moving frantically about in it. It is an inner accomplishment.
In practice – I couldn’t get past the fact that the author actually used the word “fiddling”. It made me giggle. But he did have a point and I could fully relate to, “moving frantically about in it.”

3) Most of us spend our waking hours either thinking about circumstances of the past or events yet to occur. Unconsciously, our mind is almost exclusively engaged in this activity. This is a mental addition and affliction that has imprisoned humanity in an inner world of illusion that is reflected outwardly as our ongoing planetary imbalance…we shall call this illusionary and unbalanced state “living in time”.
In practice – So my question is how does one NOT live in time when the rest of humanity does? Do I need to go live in a hut or ashram? In an attempt to distance myself from time I stopped wearing a watch. But I don't seem to have the hang of it because now I'm late to stuff.

As verbose as the author gets, he does raise some very valid points. I am on page 97 of 323. I have quite a journey to continue and apparently much coffee to drink.

I was trail running last Sunday with two friends and during the run we were talking about being in the moment. Shortly after that conversation, Laura tripped and nearly rolled her ankle. As she shook it off, she muttered, “Well that’s what I get for living in the moment! I was watching two butterflies just ahead on the trail and forgot my footing!”

So does Present Process Awareness allow for multitasking? Probably not. But I bet it allows for virtue!

The Capes Won!

In response to the SweatyShe Monday Post - "To Cape or Not to Cape"
The capes won!

Boston Marathon - April 19, 2010

SweatyShe Monday: To Cape or Not to Cape

Sweaty She Monday-On Friday (04/16/10): To Cape or Not to Cape
By: Susan Farago
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Let's face it, the Boston Marathon is a big deal in the running world. Participants have to qualify in order to participate. It's not like you can just show up and run...or at least not with a clear conscience. So given it is THE running race of running races, it is to be respected, revered, and those who run in it are to be admired.

I trained hard in the winter of 2008 and qualified for Boston the Austin Marathon in February, 2009. I was elated to see all that hard work pay off. I registered for Boston that following summer and was all set to run Boston in April, 2010.

And here we are, the night before we leave for Boston.

The big question that has been on my mind these past few months hasn't been about training, recovery, or proper nutrition. It hasn't been how to beat my best marathon goal or to try to requalify for Boston at Boston. It hasn't been on which Boston Athletic Association apparel will I buy at the race expo.

The big question? Should I wear the cape?

By cape, I mean super hero cape of course.

I've been mulling this over and over and here are my top five reasons for wearing the cape:
1. What better way for Leary to find me on the course amongst 20,000 other runners.
2. Self-entertainment for 26.2 miles.
3. Additional warmth on race day - it's supposed to be in the low 40's.
4. Leverage in talking my running buddy Richelle into also wearing a cape.
5. In the words of my Mom, "Because I can."

But there's a tiny voice inside my head that is telling me this would be blasphemous. It's like showing up to the presidential inauguration wearing a clown suit (although these days one would fit in quite nicely amongst certain politicians - ha!) But you get the idea. Such a race steeped in 114 years of athletic excellence and historical significance warrants the utmost respect, doesn't it? But then again maybe I've just been indoctrinated with too much "Keep Austin Weird" influence.

So the question remains: to cape or not to cape? Stay tuned.

SweatyShe Monday: Yoga Mat in the Shower (MGW#2)*

Sweaty She Monday (04/12/10): Yoga Mat in the Shower (MGW#2)*
By: Susan Farago
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*Part of the Multi-tasking gone Wrong Series


We are busy women so any opportunity to do two things at once only seems to make perfect sense. The other day I was in a yoga class and when I was standing on my mat, I noticed bits of sand embedded into the squishy blue surface. Time to wash the mat. We live in a condo and really don't have a convenient way to wash things outside via garden hose and I was not liking the idea of trying to wash the yoga mat in the kitchen sink. Hmmmm....what to do?

I got home and as I was getting ready to hop in the shower my brilliant multi-tasking plan came. I would wash the yoga mat IN the shower WHILE taking a shower! So I grabbed the mat, hopped in the tub, and pulled the glass door shut behind me. I had to wrestle the mat into position in front of me but once I did, I could wash a small part of the mat, then scoot backwards, and then wash a little more. My process was working well: scoot back, wash, scoot back, wash, scoot back ....WHAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH! Holy crap! I bolted upright! While in the throes of scrubbing the mat I forgot to pay attention to my derriere's proximity to the tub faucet. Let's just say that I backed up a little too far and, well, I got "fauceted"!

My husband came flying into the bathroom to see if I was OK. There "we" were - me and my yoga mat taking a shower. He asked me what I was doing and while I was explaining my grand idea, he just shook his head and walked out.

Mission accomplished. My yoga mat is now clean. And I also know exactly how long my bathtub is!

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Thoughts or comments? Have any other brilliant multi-tasking ideas? Share them here!

SweatyShe Monday: Good Friends and Strong Currents (reprint)

This is a re-post from a prior SweatyShe Monday
A reminder to get out there and try something new - and see if you can rope a few friends in too!
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Sweaty She Monday (8-10-09):
Good Friends and Strong Currents

By Susan Farago

Sometimes it’s good to just have the bajeezus scared out of you. As my Mom would say, “it builds character”. So whenever I’m feeling low on character and a little too comfortable in my own skin, I think up something goofy to do. And of course it’s more fun with friends! I am grateful for having good friends who are usually up for joining me in these screwy activities. The latest escapade? Night swimming in Lake Austin.

I decided the safest place from a “no boats” perspective would be the low water crossing immediately below Mansfield Dam. This meant the water would be cooler (68+ degrees) but a great excuse to wear a wetsuit for extra buoyancy and a barrier from weeds and who knows what else would be in the water. In addition to the wetsuits, a few of us discussed “gear” before the swim, including using glow sticks for lights and general navigation, and perhaps buying clear swim goggles to see better in the dark, which upon further thought I realized didn’t make sense.

My friend Laura said she was going to bring swim fins in case she has to “get away in a hurry”. Get away from what? I didn’t want to think about it. But unfortunately my overactive imagination kicked in and the list suddenly seemed endless: Freddy Krueger (Nightmare on Elm Street movie), Jason (Friday the 13th movie), the Lochness Monster, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, snakes, sharks, piranhas, giant squid, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre guy, Jaws, giant human-eating seaweed, the thing lives under your bed, the Blairwitch witch, the Swamp Thing creature, barracudas, zombies, vampires, and did I mention Freddy and Jason?

With all these things in the lake, it was going to be a crowded swim!

A few days before the swim, Leary and I drove down to the low water crossing at 10:30pm, on our way home from a night trail run of course, to check things out. Virtually no current, water temps were fine, and surprisingly there was enough ambient light from nearby docks and the dam itself that we could make out the shapes and shadows of trees the shoreline, and the narrow channel that was the start of Lake Austin. Plus we didn’t think we would be in any “park rules violation” since this was just a small dirt parking area with a neglected path by the side of the bridge leading to the water. This was going to work. The prior week we scouted out another place to swim but a few days after we were there a woman accidentally drove her car into the lake at that very spot and drown. They recovered her body but I was NOT taking any chances. I knew foreshadowing when I saw it (smile).

The night of the swim, the small group met for dinner beforehand and at one point we ran through some “worse case scenarios”: What if the dam flood gates open? What if we get lost? What if we freak out? What if … what if….what if…The answer was always the same – head for the shore!!

At 8:30pm we were in the small dirt parking lot near the low water bridge. It was dusk and the lights of Mansfield Dam loomed above us – the fearless five: Laura, Mike, Laurie, Leary, and myself. We were nearly ready to go when a park ranger vehicle drove past us and onto the bridge which was a dead end so we knew he’d be back in a few minutes. We all looked at each other. In an attempt to corroborate our story (just in case) I said, “OK, we just finished our swim and are getting ready to leave, right?” Right.

Sure enough, on his return the park ranger pulled into the parking lot. All I heard was, “Park’s closed!” and before I could turn around and say anything Mike said, “We just finished our swim and are getting ready to leave.” With that, the park ranger pulled out of the lot and left. Luckily the park ranger failed to notice the glow sticks strapped to Laura’s and my head AND the fact that none of us were even wet. A somewhat panicked discussion ensued about parking tickets, getting into trouble, and other scenarios leading to fines or incarceration. Mike said, “I have a bad feeling we’re going to end up on the nightly news after this.” We decided to hurry up and get in so we could get out.

A quick photo to commemorate the event at the edge of the water (of course), and then SPLASH - Leary was the first one in. The water reeked of mud and dead fish. With the low water crossing and the Dam to our right, we immediately turned left and started to swim towards the third dock light approximately 400 meters down the narrow channel. We agreed that at that point we would turn around and head back.

Swimming in the dark was wonderful! And oddly enough it didn’t feel creepy at all. After about a minute I popped my head up to make sure everyone was OK. I counted five sets of glow sticks. Good. But I noticed we were all making good progress. In fact, too much progress. I looked at the shore line. I was making progress and I wasn’t even swimming! One word flew through my brain – CURRENT!!! I hollered for Mike to look at the shore line – it was moving past us pretty quickly. Leary made this realization at about the same time too. Laura and Laurie were ahead of us so I yelled to get their attention. All I saw were two sets of glow sticks jerk upwards so I knew their heads were out of the water. I yelled “CURRENT” and they understood. We all started swimming back towards the bridge where we got in just a few minutes ago.

Remembering our “worst case scenarios” solution (head for the shore), I saw Leary make his way to the bank so I swam cross current and headed in that direction – aiming for the green glow stick that was bobbing along the shoreline. The current was definitely strong. There was a big dead tree branch half in the water and with every breath and stroke I took, I could see the same branch. I wasn’t making any progress. So I angled my body cross current to get closer to the shore and I kicked and pulled a little harder. I felt the current subside and as I neared the swim exit, I felt something on my foot. Freddie? Jason? No. It was Mike.

What took three minutes in swimming out with the current required about ten minutes of swimming back before we finally got to our swim exit.

Shortly afterwards, we were out of our wetsuits and back up to the cars, laughing and marveling about the whole thing. We took a few more photos and I brought some small mementos for everyone to commemorate the event. Just as we were getting into our cars, we saw the familiar headlights of the park ranger’s vehicle. He drove past us just as we were pulling out of the lot. Whew! THAT was close!!

Mission accomplished. We all tried something new and as a result…we each have a little more “character” than when we started. Were we ever really in danger? I don’t think so. But my years of growing up on the St.Croix River and life guarding have taught me one thing – it is always good to have a healthy respect for water.

On my way home, I sent everyone a quick text to say “thank you”. Laurie responded with, “We left just in time! That was a hoot!” And Laura responded with, “We need to do that again!” Did I mention I am grateful for good friends?

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Thoughts or comments? Share them here!

Sweaty She Monday: Squiggles on the Trail

Sweaty She Monday: Squiggles on the Trail
By Susan Farago
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I grew up in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes and six months of snow and cold. While there were many winter activities to pass the time, few things seemed as funny and amusing as when the boys would test their cursive writing skills by writing their names in the snow...with urine. I'm not even going to articulate what type of "writing instrument" they used, but use your imagination and you will get the idea.

While the girls had a harder time of it - OK, we actually thought it was quite dumb and knew better than to even try - the boys thought it quite hilarious.

I had completely forgotten about this skill until I ran the Bandera 100K trail race a couple of weeks ago. I will admit my rate of public urination had significantly increased since I took up trail running, a necessity when you are in the middle of nowhere and “have to go”. But I still follow some basic principles even when racing: stop, squat, try to avoid the feet, watch for splatter, hurry up before anyone sees me, etc.

So when I was seemingly in the middle of nowhere at Bandera, around the 45 mile mark, I noticed what looked like the remnants of someone’s leaky water bottle on the trail as I ran. A long, single, wet squiggle appeared seemingly out of nowhere, continue for about 12 feet, and then abruptly stopped. At first I thought it unfortunate for the poor soul to have a leaky water bottle. What would they do if they got thirsty? The next aid station wasn’t for another five miles? But then this single squiggle started to appear with more frequency and a shocking thought flew through my brain.

Peeing on the fly?

I’ve seen this in triathlon while on the bike. Heck, I’ve even done it (and it takes A LOT of concentration). But while running? While contemplating this possibility, I ran up behind a guy and passed him. And just as I did, we both encountered another squiggle. I said, “Don’t even tell me that’s what I think it is.” And he said, “Yes it is.” He then went on to tell me about a guy he saw “whip it out and pee on the fly” without missing a step.

Well I’ll be darned. For the remainder of the race, I looked for signs of legibility whenever I came up on a squiggle. Someone’s name? An inappropriate phrase? Nope. Just squiggles. Apparently these boys aren’t as talented as the boys from up north. But maybe that’s a good thing.

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