Running in the Rain

It is August 31 and the weather today was 62 degrees, rainy and cloudy. Today I realized I have lived in Seattle a long time. I actually enjoyed my run in the rain and prefer it to the 80 plus degree running in Hawaii. But, I can be so positive because the sun will be back tomorrow (supposedly).

Swim Bike Run done

Photos from our Wahine Sport relay team at the 2010 Seattle Danskin triathlon. A relay is a great way to get some physical activity without taking up a lot of training time AND a way to connect with friends and other women.

Cats of Suzdal, Russia

Wherever I travel, photos of cats are usually in my collection. I never tire of looking at pictures of these "strangers". This cute crew was photographed in Suzdal, which is a charming village several hours outside Moscow. The cats were horrified when our friends' german shepherd "Ziggy" made a mad dash for them.

Saved by the Wetsuit

Sadly, the BlueSeventy Sprint had to be returned. It's a beautiful suit but it was one size too small for me. Now I've got the Tyr Hurricane wetsuit and it is perfect. I made sure to order up a size. And I still need help from a friend getting it one and zipped up. But it adds buoyancy and warmth. Two key features I want for tomorrow's triathlon in Lake Washington.

Wrestling with a wetsuit

Exciting--finally received my Blueseventy Sprint wetsuit yesterday. I had carefully reviewed the height/weight chart and THOUGHT I purchased the appropriate size. My first clue should've been that I was struggling to get it on past my ankles. But noooo, I continued to subject myself to torture and after quite some time, got my body completely in the wetsuit and zipped up. Of course now, I can barely move my arms and will never be able to complete the triathlon in this contraption. Getting it off my body was an even greater challenge as I was writhed and rolled on the floor.

SUGGESTION: check the height/weight chart and then purchase 1 size larger.

Danskin Triathlon in less than 2 weeks

Gasp! My reaction when I realized that this was happening in under 2 weeks. I've been meeting with my swim coach and diligently practicing my drills in the (safe) pool. Now I need to take it outside. Finally ordered my Blue Seventy wetsuit and hoping it will arrive before the weekend. Will test out the new wetsuit and test out my swim progress outdoors this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed for warmer weather.

Exploring Russia on foot

My husband and I traveled to Russia last month. We visisted with friends that live in Moscow and ventured off a bit on our own to other parts. We felt especially adventurous since my vocabulary consisted of only 10 Russian words and we weren't encountering many English speakers in Moscow. The heat wave that has hit Russia and other parts of Europe had already begun. The idea of running in the heat and smog was unappealing and cycling seemed too much like an extreme sport with the Moscow traffic and crazy drivers. Workouts consisted of LOTS of walking. Even navigating the metro system involved LOTS of walking. No wonder so many Russian women are slim!

Found! Pants!

Finally found versatile pants for a recent trip to Russia. The Zenergy line from Chicos. I'm generally not a big fan of Chicos clothing but I was getting desperate. Got a pair of capri cargo style pants made from a very comfortable wicking poly/lycra blend fabric. Did not overheat in the unusual heatwave that has hit Russia. Dark black color looks good in the city. I even wore them on a backcountry hiking trip last weekend in the Cascades.