My 5-Miler playlist for the Wild Rover Series

Two down, one to go of the 3 part Wild Rover Series. When you do all three, the medals snap together and make one HUGE medal! Yeah!

As I anticipate next week's 5 mile run through my own lovely Lowell, I am hopeful to bust out some 10-11 minute miles with my rockin' playlist. And as I write about my 10 minute miles I recall the female winner of all races so far who trots past, gazelle-like, winning with her 5 minute miles. Ahh. I admire that grace and elegance when running. I shuffle my ass, trudging and slapping my feet on the ground, red-faced and huffing. But no matter, I think, at least I am there and alive and not sitting on my couch or smoking cigarettes or shooting drugs or any number of other horrible life choices I could have made. I feel good when I run and am free enough to admire and enjoy the grace of the running masters rather than be jealous of it or feel badly about myself. I celebrate them and all of us pack-of-the-packers. And the thing that gives me most momentum is envisioning the faces of my kids as they cheer me on, 

"Go Mummy Go!" 

The Playlist: for a 5mile run with 10-ish minute miles. 53 min. 

1.  Rocky 1 Theme. (yes, I know)
2.  Ex's & Oh's - Elle King
3.  Dangerous  - Big Data
4.  Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
5.  It Takes Two - Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
6.  S.O.B.  - Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
7.  VooDoo Lady - by Ween
8.  Royals - Lorde
9.  World Destruction - Afrika Bambaataa feat. Johnny (Rotten) Lydon
10. Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
11. Skokiaan - Louis Armstrong
12. Rocky 1 Theme - (again, for emphasis)
13. Push It - Salt-n-Pepa

"It's got a funky beat and I can bug out to it"

Putting the Try in Triathlon

After a pleasantly social media-free summer, I am back. I took a break from it all with the goal of living my life rather than logging it. It was very relaxing. Just getting through a day of training and working and childrearing is enough, and blogging on top of it all seemed like a bit much. Sometimes I'd just rather go do the dishes. Or read Goodnight Moon for the umpteenth time. Or stare at the wall. I am particularly found of that activity, especially after everyone's asleep and the house is finally quiet. 

I trained for and completed the Wildcat Sprint Triathlon, and I am now training for the Bay-State half-marathon this fall.

Putting the Try in Triathlon

I went back for more Wildcat Sprint/ Merrimack River panic this year. 

AND 

I placed 2nd for Athena. Yeah! 

I met the goals I had made for myself, mostly, although my swim time was shorter it was still longer than what I had hoped for. 

Looks calm. Looks can be deceiving. It's seething.
Photo courtesy of Marianne Gries/ Flickr Creative Commons

Despite my blissfully calm open water swims during training, I still apparently loose my beans at the onset of a tri swim. Loose my BEANS. And that current! Whew! That mighty, might Merrimack. I realize now I most certainly need a wetsuit and a coach for next year. And to do more races in general. Whatevs. I made it out of the water and picked up some momentum in the bike & finished the run strong. 

And now to keep plugging away for the half marathon. I can't wait to put that 13.1 sticker on my car. HA! How's that for motivation? I actually have a wealth of deeply emotional and spiritual reasons for doing the half, but for right here I am going to be shallow and say it's for that bumper sticker I crave to show off to the world that despite my fat ass and swaying post-partem, two 9lb baby pregnancy carrying, c-section having, jiggle belly diastasis recti ruined mummy tummy that I can in fact haul myself 13.1 miles muthafuckah!

"Dolemite is my name, and fuckin' up motherfuckers is my game..."

Athena bashing?

So, I belong to an Athena triathlete group on the old Facebook. And for those not in the know, Athena is a weight class distinction for women 165 lbs or more. It is not a requirement to assign yourself to this class, but many do. 

 So, this group was "suggested" to a woman, as Facebook likes to "suggest" to you groups to join, who became very insulted at this and made some pretty insensitive remarks which got some of the gals understandably a bit riled.  I cannot provide a link to this as it is a private group, but I made my own choice comments along the lines of "I am 165 lbs of muscle so she can go shit in her hat." 

This morning while out on a run with my son, a leisurely 3 miles pushing the 50+ lbs of combined child and stroller, I had the time to really rev up my inner monologue soapbox, and the beauty of social media is that I get to share it all with you!

Ahem.

I don't usually come on Facebook all cussin' and guns blazin', but damn if I wasn't feeling a bit FEISTY last night. This past September I had the privilege to be on national TV and declare to the lovely Dom Streater that I was "comfortable in my own skin" Check me out HERE

It took every second of my 37 years, many inner struggles and two wonderful babies to get to that point. I have been fat, skinny, everything in between. 
Now, by the grace of God, I can say I am a strong and healthy mother for my children. I feel good and do not for one day take my health for granted as I have seen so many of my family succumb to various illnesses.

80 year old men have whizzed past me in races, and I have "skinny" friends who can't keep up with me. We all march to the beat of our own divine rhythm and the world is better for it

I am proud to be an Athena Triathlete, I am proud of the women in the group because we all have some hella fiesty or we wouldn't even bother with it. ;)

I do not know the woman who made the remarks, and honestly, I am not insulted by her. This is about ME and how I feel in my own body. Her remark was insensitive and I don't care,  but it is representative of a general attitude that is pervasive in our culture. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH.

We are strong. We are healthy. We are blessed. Now lets get good and comfy in these amazing bodies! We inhabit them only so briefly. The hell with all that other noise!