This is for Hershey and Mars of the USA

Chocolate makers of America, if you are listening.....could you make yours taste better? I am at the mercy of the kindness of my half brother to bring me a giant bar of Cadbury milk chocolate from England once a year. The rest of the year I am stuck eating the 'just ok' American kind. Sure, I love this country and you do so many other things well so why the hell can't you make chocolate as good as the Brits? And why are there no Mars bars around here either (not the ones with almonds in it)? Oh, and while you are at it, can you pass a note to the beer makers and tell them the same thing!

I get it...you're smarter than me.....

So with all the hoopla surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden I have come to one conclusion, some people are really annoying when they think they are right.
When I first heard about his death I did wonder about the timing of it. I have always assumed that our government knew where he was but chose to leave him alive so that he would not be deemed a martyr.
However, I have since learned that there are a number of people that are not convinced that OBL was even responsible for 9/11 or that he even exists. I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion but a conspiracy theorists standard response to being challenged is that I am a 'sheep' following the governments garbage that they feed me. I do question things before I form an opinion. Just because I choose the more popular option does that make me less intelligent? I prefer to think of myself as more scientific in my approach. In Osama Bin Ladens case, what is more likely?

1. That there really is (was) a man that was so filled with hatred and decided to use his religion/money/influence as a springboard to commit acts of terror against a country that he views as the epitomy of greed?
2. That the US government created such an individual to pin the blame on for 9/11 and somebody else is actually responsible for flying two 747's into the twin towers?

I am gonna go with number one but that is not because I am uneducated. I have read the alternative theories out there and am not impressed with the 'proof' or ideas that have been put forth.

Tri Shorts Reviews for Newbies

After completing two sprint triathlons last year I finally decided to buy some triathlon shorts for the upcoming season. I know you are thinking, what? You don't wear $2 bike shorts from Wal Mart to swim, bike and run in? Apparently not. From what I can tell at the races, triathlon apparel falls into three categories:

• The seasoned triathletes wear a one piece contraption that resembles a wrestling unitard. This is significantly better than the previous man-bikini (see left) that ruled in the 80's.

• The weekend warriors wear tri shorts and a tank

• The rest of us wear whatever we already own in our closet. This usually consists of a speedo one piece with a sports bra underneath and various ratty running clothes.

Triathlon shorts look a lot like cycling shorts, have a padded butt, and dry very quickly. They are also expensive at an average $50 per pair. It is rare to find a store that carry's a wide selection of these shorts so ordering them online is the way to go. Unfortunately, there are so many brands, lengths, and styles that it is difficult to guess what is going to fit your shape the best. I ended up having to order three different pairs before I found a pair that I liked and was comfortable. I thought I would write about my experience as I found it very difficult to find any good reviews when looking for tri shorts. I cannot comment to wear and tear as I have not used the shorts yet, just the fit and feel.

Just for comparison I am 5 foot 4 inches, size 6-8, 138 pounds and my measurements are around 35-29-40.

Note: Tri shorts don't actually look good on anyone that is over 110 pounds so forget about finding a pair that looks good. Comfort should be a top priority.

1st pair:

DeSoto Women's Carrera Tri Short Low Rise (~$50)

These were a really nice material, not too tight and the leg bands were not cutting off the blood flow. Their were two problems for me: one, the leg inseam was only 6 inches and the leg bands hit me mid thigh which created a very bad 'sausage effect' so I would prefer a longer length. The low rise option is usually nice in pants but in these shorts I couldn't bend down without my butt crack showing. I do have a longer torso so maybe that was the issue. Or maybe my ass is just too big.
Bottom line: These are great shorts at a great price if you have a shorter torso, and prefer the shorter inseam.

2nd Pair:

Pearl Izumi Women's Select Tri Short (~$55)

I ordered these shorts because I know the brand is good and they came in an 8 inch inseam. I honestly don't have much good to say about these except that maybe I ordered them in wrong size. I normally order medium and the Pearl Izumi size chart did list my measurements as a medium. When I put them on they were very constricting all over. They were tight in the crotch area and the leg bands were so tight above my knees that I looked like I was walking around on two Italian links (there's an image!). There was also a very bright beige sheen to these so it looked like you could see my skin underneath. They weren't actually see through but it was disconcerting. I did not re-order in a bigger size as I could not see a bigger size really being that much better. If you do order these, order a size up!

3rd Pair:

TYR Women's 8" Splice Short (~$40-$50)

I ordered these shorts in a large because I had seen a review where it said they ran small. I love these shorts. They are not too constricting, they have a drawstring in the waist so you can cinch them tighter during swims. The length hits me just above the knee and the leg bands are not too constricting but are snug. There are two little pockets on each hip (not zippered) in which I can put Gu or jelly beans (preferably after the swim portion :-). Hopefully, these hold up well in a race because I am not returning them!

Also, just to give credit to www.tri-zone.com because I ordered the TYR shorts from them and they discounted them $10 for me after I sent them the same pair priced lower on Amazon. I am always amazed and grateful when a retailer actually stands behind their policies. I will definitely be using them in the future.

Definition of a 'Homer'

Re Sports: A fan who believes that the other team is full of cheaters, the refs are paid off, and their team 'just needs the right motivation' to win a championship. Possibly despite all indications to the contrary. In other words.....deluded.

I did the best I could.....

The title of my post is a quote that has been running through my mind lately. It originally came up when I was slightly disappointed with my first triathlon times. I can appreciate the spirit of the words when they are applied to sports or physical conquests. I am very skeptical of them when they are spoken about the actions that people take in their own lives.

Everyone has heard this line on TV or in the movies. It usually comes into the plot when grown children are accusing their parents of being crappy role models. Or drug addicts that can't seem to pull themselves together to be a responsible parent. When someone says this I am inclined to call 'bullshit!' on them. Did you really do the best that you could? Are we all limited to what we think is our best? Or should we be aspiring to be better than who we thought we could? Wouldn't a better response be 'I'm sorry I disappointed you and I didn't always get it right but people make mistakes'. I definitely have my parenting failures and somehow it seems that I will spend my life regretting the times when I could have done better. I know that it was not 'my best' and I am trying to be ok with that. To be human is to err.

Hmm, just re-read this post and not sure it makes sense but will post anyway.

First Sprint Triathlon

Woke up at 5:30am. Shuffled around and ate a PB & J. Washed it down with a cup of tea and set off for the race. Arrived at the transition area feeling a little nauseous with nerves. Amazed at the sea of bikes and people walking around in tri suits. Grabbed my bag of stuff and my bike and set everything out in the order I would need it. Saw a friend who was there to watch. He took pictures of us and gave us some last minute tips. Felt very intimitated by the amount of people who seemed athletic and very relaxed. Walked down to get my number written on my arms and my age (!) on the back of my leg. Waited in a very long line to use the porta potty and grabbed my baby blue color cap and goggles.

Walked down to the start of the swim joking and laughing with a few people. Got into the lake with the rest of the third wave group and realized that although the water was warm it was loaded with sticks and seaweed. Treaded water for three minutes so I didn't have to touch the bottom. I confidently got out to the front of the group and stayed there for most of the swim. The water was so dark I couldn't see anything. Was completely thrown off at the concept of swimming blind. I took way too many breathes just so I could see where I was going. Staggered out onto the beach and was still rattled over my less than great swim. Barely remember making it to my stuff.

Pull on socks, shoes, shorts, shirt, sunglasses and a helmet. Start my bike with my breath still coming hard from panicking in the water. Ease into the bike and halfway through realize that I can do better. I am trying to save my energy for the run. Eat an energy gel pack that I decide is absolutely disgusting. Finish in what I think is a good time.

Trade my helmet in for a baseball cap and walk out of the transition area. My left foot is completely numb and I couldn't make it go fast if I tried. Start running as soon as I hear the beep of my chip timer. Have to stop and walk for a few seconds a couple of minutes in. I am dying but I start running again. The breath comes easier now but I can tell I am not running well but can't seem to pump it up. Start reading the back of peoples legs so I can see how old the people are that are passing me. Get to the half way point and realize I am not going to make my goal of a sub 30 minutes. Try to kick up the pace and I feel like I am. I am singing songs in my head, counting foot falls, anything to keep from stopping. I finally see the orange cones of the finish line. Me and the guy next to me decide to sprint it out. I am going full speed towards the finish. Cross the line. Made my overall time goal by two minutes. Success. On to the next.....

7 Things I Have Learned Training for a Triathlon

With a week left until my first sprint triathlon I look back on what I have learned over the past two months:

1. A 'brick' is not something you build a wall with, nor what you may see in the toilet after a day full of cheese and no fiber. A 'brick' is a workout that combines two of the triathlon sports. In my case, usually a bike ride and a run. It is spectacularly brutal in the midst of summer.

2. Working out like a dog four or five days a week will not make you skinny. It hasn't even lost me much in the way of inches but I could crush a walnut with my thigh muscles and run 3 miles after a 10 mile bike ride.

3. With number two in mind, triathletes are not always chiseled, young, and athletic. I recently watched a local triathlon and while there were definitely fine looking people there, half of the top twenty looked like your average person that goes to the gym a couple days a week.

4. I have the mental toughness of a can of dog food. My mind is definitely stronger than my body and keeps telling my muscles that 'you cannot do it'. I have to listen to music while I am running just to drown it out (that and the huffing and puffing).

5. Swimmers do not belong on land. Swimming for me feels strong and graceful even when I am gasping for air. Running makes me look and feel like a person that is going to throw up on the side of the road for lack of oxygen.

6. Carbs are my new best friend....again. I found myself feeling quite ill sometimes after my workouts and figured out that a granola bar and a gatorade before my brick workouts made me feel so much better (rather than the cheese stick I was having).

7. Peoples reactions when they find out I am doing a triathlon are interesting. They either seem to think I am crazy or are disappointed to find out that this is not the Ironman I am entering.