I'd Rather
- by Caleb May
I'd rather change a diaper,
I'd rather eat a fly.
I'd rather go to summer school,
Or be a robber guy.
I'd rather have a bunny ear,
I'd rather be a cat.
I'd rather be a circus clown,
I'd rather wear an ugly hat.
I'd rather be a skeleton,
I'd rather go and swirl.
I'd rather do most anything
Than be a girly girl.
I found this in the van today. Caleb wrote it for school. He says it sucks, because he's way too hard on himself. I love it. :)
A couple of Saturdays ago, I worked with a girl I hadn't met before. About half-way through the shift, she said something to the extent of, "You seem pretty cool. You're not a girly girl." No, I most definitely am not. Now, don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoy taking the odd time to dress up and go out. I like being treated like a lady now and then. I like it when someone tells me that I look nice today. But I don't worry about breaking a nail. I hate shopping (except for my one day in Arizona, and sometimes, grocery shopping - but that's just because it gets me out of the house alone). I don't spend an hour doing my hair and makeup every day. Rather, I would prefer playing a game of football to gossiping in the schoolyard. My activity of choice usually involves getting dirty and sweaty - on a mountain bike. I like action movies, not chick flicks. And the few chick flicks I really like, most guys like, too. Most of my closest friends growing up were guys. Still are. The girls that I get along with best are generally not girly girls either.
My girls aren't really girly girls either. Dani is more so, though I suspect it may just be a phase. I remember Charisma going through that for a time. Caleb doesn't care for girly girls, as you may have guessed. This makes sense - the female role model in their lives is not one.
I don't know what makes me this way. More testosterone than most women? Perhaps, but thankfully I am not sprouting a mustache and don't have an abnormally low voice. I don't really care why. All I know is that I'd rather do most anything than be a girly girl. ;)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
"3am is just not a good time for anything!"
Well, other than sleeping, which I certainly was not doing at 3am last night. (Neither, incidentally, was Jamie Whitmore, whose status quote I stole.)
I have noticed a couple of trends in my racing season this year:
1) The week before is particularly stressful.
2) The night before is extra-short, despite my best efforts.
3) If 1) and 2) don't happen, the weather is too hot and I race poorly.
Today was my first Olympic distance race of the year. Last week definitly qualified as stressful, for reasons I do not wish to get into here. I decided to do laundry far too late last night, which meant an 11:30 bedtime. No worries. Five and a half hours will be fine. I asked Charisma to sleep with Justin so that I could have a better sleep without him, but he would still have someone sleeping with him. 2am - the bathroom calls. 3am - Charisma comes downstairs to inform me that Justin is really crabby and she can't calm him down. 4am - I give Justin a dose of ibuprofin, because by now I figure that something is definitely bothering him. 4:30am - I finally get back to sleep. 5am - my alarm goes off.
Thankfully, I was prepared. The coffee machine was ready to go. Caffeine... Only on race mornings. Otherwise I generally drink decaf.
5:40am - on the road. Ok, 3am would also be a great time for driving, just like 5:40am. No traffic. Most lights are flashing (though this makes the ones that aren't incredibly irritating when they are red). It was slightly foggy in the city, but nothing that affected visibility. Once I hit the highway, it was a different story, however. The other side of the fog provided a beautiful view, though, as the sun was just rising.
The rest of the drive was uneventful as I enjoyed listening to my traditional pre-race tape - DC Talk's Free At Last. If DC Talk ever has a reunion tour, I am SO there!
As I walked into transition, I saw Kim. Kim and I are, in many ways, cut from the same cloth. She is also definitely one of my favourite competitors. We have a great friendly competition that drives me to do better. She also inspires me with many things that she does. At any rate, we immediately proceeded to exchange excuses as to why today's race was not going to go well. No need to make excuses after the race. ;) Mine essentially consisted of lack of sleep and training. I hadn't biked 40km since July 1st, run 10km since June sometime, and hadn't swam 1500m since last August, and now I was going to do all three. She had biked 88km yesterday at an average pace of 33.5km/hr. The only question that remained was whose excuse would survive at the end of the race.
My warm-up, as usual, was virtually non-existent. Take the bike through the gears to make sure it's still working, run to the port-a-potties, swim long enough to get the wetsuit ready to go (100-200m).
The swim went surprisingly well. Yes, the second lap was definitely tougher than the first, as was expected. I really didn't get much opportunity to draft. But I was out in about 28 minutes, and that made me happy. Of course, there was some help from the current...
I ran into T1 and found my bike easily, as it was the only on on its section of the rack. I took a quick look and noticed that Kim's bike was still there. But my wetsuit did NOT want to come off, so T1 was definitely on the slow side.
The bike was relaxing, mostly because my legs didn't want to pedal hard. My heart rate was low, and I wasn't breathing hard at all, but I just didn't have the legs. As we went out onto the second lap, the sprint racers were just going out on the bike. This made for a lot more traffic, which ended up being a good thing. There were about three of us riding at the same pace, so we kept passing each other. We kept it legal, but there was also a whole lot of drafting going on as we passed through each others' draft zones. It also made the ride much more fun. :)
T2 ended up being not much better than T1. The ground was incredibly soggy from the ridiculous amounts of rain we've been getting, so my socks did not go on my wet feet very well.
As I started out on the run, I was almost shocked at how good I felt, especially considering how bad my "warm-up run" felt. The good feeling didn't go away, I was able to get somewhere around an even split, and smile as I crossed the finish line. Oh, and Kim? Well, her excuse held up. She was hurtin' on the run, but she pushed through. Of course, she's also only 2 weeks out of her first 70.3 race, which I know she will do wonderfully at...as long as she trains smart for the next two weeks. ;) (Yes, she's reading this.)
My goal for the race - sub 2:50, and if all was going well, sub 2:45. My final time - just under 2:47. Success! I guess the 3am thing didn't turn out too badly after all.
I have noticed a couple of trends in my racing season this year:
1) The week before is particularly stressful.
2) The night before is extra-short, despite my best efforts.
3) If 1) and 2) don't happen, the weather is too hot and I race poorly.
Today was my first Olympic distance race of the year. Last week definitly qualified as stressful, for reasons I do not wish to get into here. I decided to do laundry far too late last night, which meant an 11:30 bedtime. No worries. Five and a half hours will be fine. I asked Charisma to sleep with Justin so that I could have a better sleep without him, but he would still have someone sleeping with him. 2am - the bathroom calls. 3am - Charisma comes downstairs to inform me that Justin is really crabby and she can't calm him down. 4am - I give Justin a dose of ibuprofin, because by now I figure that something is definitely bothering him. 4:30am - I finally get back to sleep. 5am - my alarm goes off.
Thankfully, I was prepared. The coffee machine was ready to go. Caffeine... Only on race mornings. Otherwise I generally drink decaf.
5:40am - on the road. Ok, 3am would also be a great time for driving, just like 5:40am. No traffic. Most lights are flashing (though this makes the ones that aren't incredibly irritating when they are red). It was slightly foggy in the city, but nothing that affected visibility. Once I hit the highway, it was a different story, however. The other side of the fog provided a beautiful view, though, as the sun was just rising.
The rest of the drive was uneventful as I enjoyed listening to my traditional pre-race tape - DC Talk's Free At Last. If DC Talk ever has a reunion tour, I am SO there!
As I walked into transition, I saw Kim. Kim and I are, in many ways, cut from the same cloth. She is also definitely one of my favourite competitors. We have a great friendly competition that drives me to do better. She also inspires me with many things that she does. At any rate, we immediately proceeded to exchange excuses as to why today's race was not going to go well. No need to make excuses after the race. ;) Mine essentially consisted of lack of sleep and training. I hadn't biked 40km since July 1st, run 10km since June sometime, and hadn't swam 1500m since last August, and now I was going to do all three. She had biked 88km yesterday at an average pace of 33.5km/hr. The only question that remained was whose excuse would survive at the end of the race.
My warm-up, as usual, was virtually non-existent. Take the bike through the gears to make sure it's still working, run to the port-a-potties, swim long enough to get the wetsuit ready to go (100-200m).
The swim went surprisingly well. Yes, the second lap was definitely tougher than the first, as was expected. I really didn't get much opportunity to draft. But I was out in about 28 minutes, and that made me happy. Of course, there was some help from the current...
I ran into T1 and found my bike easily, as it was the only on on its section of the rack. I took a quick look and noticed that Kim's bike was still there. But my wetsuit did NOT want to come off, so T1 was definitely on the slow side.
The bike was relaxing, mostly because my legs didn't want to pedal hard. My heart rate was low, and I wasn't breathing hard at all, but I just didn't have the legs. As we went out onto the second lap, the sprint racers were just going out on the bike. This made for a lot more traffic, which ended up being a good thing. There were about three of us riding at the same pace, so we kept passing each other. We kept it legal, but there was also a whole lot of drafting going on as we passed through each others' draft zones. It also made the ride much more fun. :)
T2 ended up being not much better than T1. The ground was incredibly soggy from the ridiculous amounts of rain we've been getting, so my socks did not go on my wet feet very well.
As I started out on the run, I was almost shocked at how good I felt, especially considering how bad my "warm-up run" felt. The good feeling didn't go away, I was able to get somewhere around an even split, and smile as I crossed the finish line. Oh, and Kim? Well, her excuse held up. She was hurtin' on the run, but she pushed through. Of course, she's also only 2 weeks out of her first 70.3 race, which I know she will do wonderfully at...as long as she trains smart for the next two weeks. ;) (Yes, she's reading this.)
My goal for the race - sub 2:50, and if all was going well, sub 2:45. My final time - just under 2:47. Success! I guess the 3am thing didn't turn out too badly after all.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Boy+bike+ego=snicker.
I have to admit that, in the cycling world, I'm really nothing special. However, as a triathlete, and as a commuter, I'm pretty darn fast. Not the fastest, but fast. Which often leads to amusement during commutes and races, due to the male egotism that I encounter.
Now, granted, there are a LOT of guys out there who are legitimately faster than I am, and I'm ok with that. But I have to snicker a little when guys just assume that they should be faster than me, solely based on gender. Today, I got the pleasure of that snicker twice.
It's shortly after 7am, and I'm casually biking to work, trying not to work too hard because I don't want to start the day all sweaty and gross, and besides, I have to train later. There's a guy riding on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, no helmet...I'll save that whole rant for another day...and as I ride by, I hear, "Ooohhhh...a passer!" I mumble under my breath, "Well, you're not exactly going all that fast." Then suddenly, this bike flies by as if all hell were in pursuit, racing through a red light (again, saving for another rant). I shake my head, and carry on. A couple of lights later, I saw the same rider, all tired out. I would have easily overtaken him, except one of us turned off. Congrats buddy. You passed me.
On my way home. I'm stopped at a red light. A cyclist comes up from behind me, and positions himself in front of me. I have realized that looks can be deceiving (there's this one guy who rides a recumbent bike who can fly by me - drives me nuts!), but this guy does not look like he has what it takes to stay in front. The light turns green. I have a bit of trouble clipping back in, so my acceleration isn't great, but it still takes me only about half a block to catch up to him, and then be forced to dawdle behind him. Thankfully, there was room to pass him at the next light as he started talking on his cell phone (yes, another rant). I never saw him again.
I know I'm not the only female who experiences this. You can read my friend's story here. Yes boys, girls can be fast, too.
Now, granted, there are a LOT of guys out there who are legitimately faster than I am, and I'm ok with that. But I have to snicker a little when guys just assume that they should be faster than me, solely based on gender. Today, I got the pleasure of that snicker twice.
It's shortly after 7am, and I'm casually biking to work, trying not to work too hard because I don't want to start the day all sweaty and gross, and besides, I have to train later. There's a guy riding on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, no helmet...I'll save that whole rant for another day...and as I ride by, I hear, "Ooohhhh...a passer!" I mumble under my breath, "Well, you're not exactly going all that fast." Then suddenly, this bike flies by as if all hell were in pursuit, racing through a red light (again, saving for another rant). I shake my head, and carry on. A couple of lights later, I saw the same rider, all tired out. I would have easily overtaken him, except one of us turned off. Congrats buddy. You passed me.
On my way home. I'm stopped at a red light. A cyclist comes up from behind me, and positions himself in front of me. I have realized that looks can be deceiving (there's this one guy who rides a recumbent bike who can fly by me - drives me nuts!), but this guy does not look like he has what it takes to stay in front. The light turns green. I have a bit of trouble clipping back in, so my acceleration isn't great, but it still takes me only about half a block to catch up to him, and then be forced to dawdle behind him. Thankfully, there was room to pass him at the next light as he started talking on his cell phone (yes, another rant). I never saw him again.
I know I'm not the only female who experiences this. You can read my friend's story here. Yes boys, girls can be fast, too.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
I've considered blogging for awhile now, but had my reasons not to. What should I write about? And more importantly, what should I name my blog? My friends all have clever names for their blogs, and I couldn't come up with one. Admittedly, my blog name isn't all that clever. But it is appropriate, since it seems that most of my life choices lean towards the road less traveled, though, as Robert Frost wrote, "as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same."
(Somewhat ironically, however, choosing The Road Less Traveled for my web address was definitely NOT the road less traveled, since any variation on it or any other significant line from the poem The Road Not Taken was gone. So, I went with a title from one of my favourite poets, Ogden Nash. A Lady Who Thinks She is Thirty.)
Like I said, it totally felt like I was out on a country ride. But perhaps my favourite sighting was of this gentleman, just waving at me as I rode past:
With all the rain we've had lately, the roads were pretty muddy. My bike and I both came home needing a bath - the sign of a good ride. :)
I'm not sure what I'll write about in my blogs. Just life, I suppose. Experiences, and random thoughts. It will likely, for the most part, replace my "Notes" on Facebook.
So, in honour of my blog title...
Today, I decided to hit the roads less traveled. It was my first time out on my mountain bike this year. It was quite phenomenal to be in the city and yet feel like I was way out it the country. Just a few minutes into my ride, at a fork in the road, I saw this young lad (lass?) standing in my way.
I opted to bike in the other direction.
As I continued on...
Like I said, it totally felt like I was out on a country ride. But perhaps my favourite sighting was of this gentleman, just waving at me as I rode past:
With all the rain we've had lately, the roads were pretty muddy. My bike and I both came home needing a bath - the sign of a good ride. :)
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