It gives you a second burst of CO2!

Monday this week was a VERY cold and VERY rainy day. I got home early and curled up to watch the older Waffle Episode of Good Eats. I was so enthralled with the idea of waffles and double acting baking powder (it lets off a second burst of CO2 when the batter his 120 Degrees)! On Wednesday night I was all primed and ready to get home from work and go running. I first stopped at the store on the way home from work for a few things. While there I was again enthralled with the idea of waffles and double acting baking powder! It was again cold and rainy, and being the cravenly runner I am, I decided to swap running for waffles! Be honest, you all would have done the same thing! Anyhow, off I went in search of Double Acting Baking Powder. It sounds like a specialty item so I hoped they had it. I didn’t know it at the time, but it turns out that most baking powders ARE Double Acting, but I didn’t know that and I bought one anyway.

While making my waffles and using my NEW DOUBLE ACTING BAKING POWDER, I remembered that I had recently already bought baking powder. I decided to brave my giant spice cabinet mess to see if I could find it. I did find it, and two others as well. I checked the expiration dates on them and just about died laughing. I guess it has been a while since I cleaned out the spice cabinet. I laughed just long enough to take the above picture and then pitch the extraneous expired double acting baking powders in the trash. I guess it is sad when your house clutter even expands to the spice cabinet!

The waffles were FANTASTIC and I am certain it is all because of the second burst of CO2 when the batter hit 120 degrees! Gotta love Alton Brown!

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10 Things My Second Sprint Triathlon Taught Me

1. I actually felt a lot more like running about 10 minutes after the race then while I was doing the race.

2. The idea of post race food did not make me want to puke.

3. You can cut 15 minutes off your time even if your 5k run time is 5 minutes slower than the first one.

4. Biking in flip flops is A-OK and if you don’t have clipless pedals, it is MUCH better than biking in your running shoes!

5. Since they write the ages at the end of the year on everyone's right calf, I spent the whole 5k looking at the calves of the people that passed me to see how far behind I was getting. Then, for the rest of the day, I found myself checking the calves of everyone in front of me for their age.

6. Bring a bright streamer or tie thingy to mark your bike transition location so you can find it easily.

7. The people with kids will still forget the baby powder for their socks

8. A single French braid is perfect for racing with long hair

9. Body Glide will actually make your permanent marker body marked numbers bleed down your skin.

10. I don’t believe that the wetsuit made me much faster (though I understand that it is scientifically impossible for it NOT to make you faster), but it DEFINITLY gave me more confidence.


How I faired on my “5 Things to do before my second triathlon” goal list

1. Train for real (example: Lose 700 lbs)
A: I biked to and from work most days. I did not do much running or swimming. I lost 20 lbs…680 lbs to go before next triathlon.

2. Practice open water swimming using REAL swimming
A: Tried but the swim beaches were closed

3. Work on my “running a 5k while tired” time
A: That will still be a goal for next time as well

4. Find some sort of triathlon clothing so I don’t change during transitions
A: I bought some tri shorts on clearance at a running store and got a tri top for $10 off of ebay. Both performed very well.

5. Register early and by mail to save about $50.
A: This should always be a goal…yes?

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My STILL Funny Mother In Law

So, while Artur is in Italy, his mother, Maria, is running one of his businesses. This is what she chose to wear today. I feel kind of like the mother to a 3 or 4 year old who just HAS to dress themselves. I can't decide if it is the sweater vest over the Florida Gators T-Shirt, the gardening hat, the pink striped pants, the 10 different colored socks, or the normal Nikes that are my favorite part. :-)

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10 Things I Learned About Summer in Arizona

1. Roadrunners are NOT the same size as coyotes!
2. A gallon of water will not be enough to keep you hydrated
3. There is a “cactus line” on the mountains, just like there is a timberline.
4. Rattlesnakes like to hide in missile silos
5. You won’t sweat; the water just evaporates right out of you.
6. They sell 85 SPF sunscreen.
7. Any and All outside activity needs to take place before 7 AM
8. It is easy to get a plane ticket TO AZ, and nearly impossible to get one FROM AZ.
9. Even the water that comes out the “cold” side of the faucet is hot!
10. I can’t think of a sum of money that would encourage me to live there.

Pictures to come.

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Triathlon

11 Things I Learned By Doing My First Triathlon


1. If it is an open water swim, and you have never done one before, you might forget how to swim (even if you are a great swimmer) and have to do the half mile doing some sort of modified breast stroke/doggie paddle.

2. Make sure your timing chip is properly secured to your leg before you do the swim.

3. Timing chips cost $97 to replace.

4. If you are a slow, fat triathlete (or probably even if you aren’t), everyone (even the extremely fit hot guys) that passes you will tell you, “Good Job” or “You are almost there!” or “It’s just around the corner” or “Keep it up”.

5. It is easy to make the volunteers all over the course laugh (in a good way, not AT you).

6. It will be at least an hour (and probably more like 6 hours) before you feel like eating, even though you may be starved.

7. The extra pair of goggles you bring in case someone forgets theirs will be useful.

8. People are tough enough to do the run even though they forgot their running shoes (yes, barefoot).

9. While they are announcing the age group winners, PAY ATTENTION because you might have placed 3rd in your age group and not realize it! (this was NOT me, but the “wait around an hour after he is done to give Linnea a high five as she crosses the finish line” guy)

10. While they are doing the drawings for prizes, PAY ATTENTION or you will not know you won something, or make sure you have someone paying attention for you. (This was me - $25 gift card)

11. Being “Tricked” into doing a triathlon isn’t so bad as long as you have the most wonderful friends supporting you, cheering for you, and celebrating your success with you!


5 Things I Will Do Before My Second Triathlon

1. Train for real (example: Lose 700 lbs)
2. Practice open water swimming using REAL swimming
3. Work on my “running a 5k while tired” time
4. Find some sort of triathlon clothing so I don’t change during transitions
5. Register early and by mail to save about $50.

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Why I LOVE Bike to Work Day!

1. The stash of stuff you get. It is like Trick-Or-Treating for organic food!
2. Free bike helmet.
3. Free Breakfast
4. Free Lunch

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Ode to My Swedish Goggles

I am doing that triathlon…in just over two weeks. I am going to DIE! However, I must pause for a moment and share the bright spot of my training…my goggles (my pair pictured above). I LOVE THEM! I have used many many many different pairs over my lifetime as a competitive swimmer and nothing comes even close to these fabulous gems! The best part is that they are only $4-6 a pair and they work perfectly. They never leak. They never come off, even when doing racing starts. They don’t fog. They come in every color imaginable. I love them. They do take a bit of getting used to (like one to two days) since they don’t have any eye padding, but that is what makes them so spectacular. Also, you have to assemble them yourself, but that is easy and fun. Anyhow, they are the Swedish kind and you get them at any swim store, or even online. If you are taking up swimming in any way, shape, or form…you must get these. If only the rest of this triathlon stuff were so easy.

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The Universe Must Hate Me

I think I have done something terrible, well actually horrible. Last night, while I was talking with my sister in Taiwan, I was also chatting on and off with a friend. Now this friend is a pretty talented and funny guy who also is also dedicated to his life as an amateur triathlete. While chatting with him, he sent a link to a triathlon on July 11, 2009 and told me to do it (I am paraphrasing here). I laughed out loud at the thought, because I have been pretty adamant about not running again (see the Bear Creek Trail story—though this is more of an excuse than a reason these days). I have really no desire to get up at the crack-o-dawn at cock-a-doddle-do hour and swim in freakin cold H2O, bike 14 miles, and then run 3.X miles in what I can only imagine would take me three hours.

ANYHOW, the point was I laughed out loud at the suggestion, and my sister heard me. I told her why I laughed, at which point she proceeded to not only try to talk me into doing it, but telling me I should. After laughing back and forth about it and telling her there was pretty much no way I would be doing it, she wouldn’t give up.

So, I proposed a deal. Without looking at the calendar I told her that if it was on a Saturday and not a Sunday, I would do it. NOW, I knew this was a very very safe deal to make since pretty much every event of this type is held on Sundays. The chance of it being a Saturday event was like .0000000000000001% of .00000000000001%.

You can guess, without looking, what day of the week July 11, 2009 is…Yup, a Saturday.

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Look At Me...I Am Artistic!

Well, not really, but again, I did this one blog design all by myself! Anyone want me to do one for them some day. I am getting pretty good...for an artistically challenged computer geek. :-)

I did this one too....

http://berhankids.blogspot.com/

Anyone? Anyone? Eh...I didn't think so. :-)

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One Momentus Occasion

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