TSA Nastiness

I travel a fair amount and been through numerous security checkpoints. By far, the rudest TSA personnel are employeed at Seattle's SeaTac airport. They really seem to hire people who seem inspired by the little amount of power they are given to make air travelers' lives miserable.

Today I flew into SeaTac. As I was exiting the secured area, I heard one of the TSA's shouting at the lemmings in line, "People! Water is a LIQUID! You cannot bring water through the checkpoint! How many bottles do we need to remove and throw away before you get it! WATER IS A LIQUID!"

Had I been standing in line, I would have been seriously tempted to dump a bottle of water on his head. What an ass. I love business travel.

The Bench and Run

Yesterday was the 10th running of the Run For Wednesday's Child or as PFFC and I always refer to it, "The Bench and Run". The basic idea behind it is first you bench your weight (or half your weight for women), doing as many reps as you can. Then you run a 5k. For each rep you benched, you get to subtract a minute from your 5k time.

Last year was my first time doing the Bench and Run. I weighed in around 123 lbs. which meant I ended up having to bench 65 lbs due to the somewhat convoluted way they did the rounding along with the fact that they didn't have 1 1/4 lb weights to use. Fine. I did 27 reps. Not bad but not stellar. And my 5k time was 24:09. Again, not great. But I still ended up with 2nd in the Bench and Run division and 3rd in my age group for the straight 5k.

This year, I vowed it would be different. First off, I was determined to make the weight - i.e. be 120 or under. That would ensure me of only having to bench 60lbs where I could easily crank out over 40 reps. And I'd train, I'd be faster. I wanted first place.

What's the saying?....the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Donuts were my downfall. I've decided they're my best pre-race food and snarfed a few of them before the Sucker Brook race. Combine that with the appearance of the bottomless Hersey Kiss jar at work, and I was doomed. In actuality, I did lose a few pounds. After a long dehydrating run I weighed in at 119 four days before the race.

So I approached the weigh in knowing it was going to be close. Walking up to the scale, I ditched my jacket, my tshirt, my flip-flops, my cap and what the hell, may as well lose the watch. You never know. I asked the older guy running the weigh in if I could weigh in naked. He stammered "Ahh...no...". Cracked me up. After all that, I stepped on the scale and 123. Wah! But I was ok with it, having been practicing at the gym with 65 and could now pump out over 30 reps. But then, new rule this year! They rounded DOWN! I only had to do 60! Yes!

A crowd of about 50-60 people crowded around the bench. About half the crowd were police cadets (they're a big sponsor of the race) and they boistrously yelled for their guys. It was amazing to see some of these big guys bench 225lbs like it was a stick. Then it was time for the women. I couldn't decide whether to go first and demoralize everyone (feeling a little cocky, eh?) or see how much everyone else did and then aim to beat it. First to go was the woman who always just wears a jog bra. That was fine this year, but last year it was around 40 and f&^&% freezing. Even after the race while hanging out for the awards ceremony she was still just in tiny shorts and jog bra while I'm in sweats, beanie and mittens. Very weird. Anyway she does around 36. I figure I can do at least that many plus I know I'm faster than her. PFFC goes, she does 24. A few other women go and none are close. So I decide it's my turn. Now, even though I was supposed to do 60 lbs, it turns out no one brought the 2 1/2 lb weights. Which means, there's no way to make the bar 60 lbs. It's either 55 or 65. Grrrr..... So, I'm back to doing 65 lbs. Fine. That's what I prepared for anyway. I take out the pony tail so my head's flat on the bench, get set and lift the bar off the rack. Bam! Pump out a quick 20 reps and lock out to rest. I looked at the clouds and thought, how strange and neat to be lifting outside. But the clouds moving beyond the bar makes me a little dizzy so I close my eyes. I open my eyes, stare at the bar and bang out another 6 or 7 reps and lock out to rest again. Bam! Again, punch out 3 or 4 more. My arms are getting tired but I'm at 31 which is the most I've done at the gym. Now, I hear S, Trish and the rest of the onlookers yelling, encouraging, cajoling me into trying for more. Each one gets slower. The 36th one I barely get up. I'm toast. I get 36 reps. Same as Jog Bra Girl. I'm happy but I know Cadet Girl still has to go.

But before Cadet Girl, another woman goes. She's supposed to do 60lbs also. But for some reason, they round her down to 55!!!!! What the hell? Who changed the rules? Not fair! S says something to the judges to that effect but they don't care. Cheater Girl does 31 or something like that. I'm too annoyed to care. Then it's Cadet Girl's turn. I know I'm faster than her by about 1 min/mile so I can give her 3 reps. If she goes over 39, I'm sunk. And she does 40. Now, I'm really cursing that I didn't get to do 55.

Let it go...let it go.. think about the run. Run like hell and make up the reps. I keep telling myself that but don't think I can go under 23. Plus, it's 85 and humid which is totally weird for a Boston September day. I line up at the front right behind Cheater Girl who looks like she can run at pace close to mine. I figure I have to at least stay with her so she can't beat me. Gun goes off, Black Eyed Peas are singing on my shuffle and I try to stay with Cheater Girl. First mile is around a 7:30. Perfect. I was afraid I'd go out too fast and blow up. However, Cheater Girl is still pulling away. Push harder, go faster. Head's on fire - way too hot for this. Grab a cup of water at the halfway point. One sip to drink, the rest on my head. Second mile around 7:50. Yow! Too slow but there was a strong headwind so I should be able to make up time on the way back. There were two younger women running together who passed me about then. I tried to stay with them, even passed them once. One was encouraging me to go, "You got it...you got it...go!" I put the hammer down and tried but just couldn't. Too hot, couldn't breathe, felt like the fruit smoothie I had for breakfast was going to get tossed any second. I stayed right behind them to keep on pace. Finished in 23:49 or so. 40 seconds faster than the Race For The Cure two weeks ago so I'll take it.

Overall, 2nd in the Bench and Run. 2nd women in my age group. 6th woman overall.

Next year, no donuts. I'm going to make the weight. :-) And we're bring a set of 1 1/4 and 2 1/2lb weights!

Sucker Brook Cross

This past weekend was the Sucker Brook Cyclocross Race. It was my first cross race in nearly two years. And yes, it showed. And yes, it was still a blast.

It was a weird feeling to be racing cross on a 80 degree, sunny, dry day. More like a California cross race than New England. Note to my new pit crew (a.k.a. The Support Ho's): please have a bottle for me in the feed zone. Although given my current fitness level, I'm sure it wouldn't have helped my results.

We lined up a little before 9am. The field was probably around 60+ in four divisions (Men's B Masters, Men's C, Women's B and Juniors). We originally thought they were going to start us all simultaneously but fortunately they decided to go with a wave start with 60 seconds between the men's fields and 30 sec between us and the men and juniors.

My basic goal for the day was to not get pulled. My super stretch goal was to lead after a lap and then melt away. The plan was to sprint off the line, get the hole shot and attack out of every remount, hill climb, and turn. I accomplished not getting pulled. ;-)

The whistle went off and Blake was off the line like a bullet! How do people accelerate so fast! It felt like she was over the horizon and I hadn't even completed three pedal strokes! Funny how perception and reality diverge, though. As we left the pavement for the left hand turn onto the gravel road, I was 4th back. Not so damn bad! After the short gravel bit, we entered a long twisty section on grass complete with one set of barriers, 4 short climbs (one being one of those quick, short downhill-U turn-back up hill dealies), and some off-camber bits. I don't like riding on grass. It bugs me.

Leaving the grass for the woods, we tore up some double track with a few roots and rocks and one steep gully you could slam down and launch back up to get some air. That part rocked. The woods became the one section where I tried to recover on each lap. There was a sharp left turn where some guys were watching and every lap through I got a, "Go Surly!" which always made me ride a little harder.

After the woods was the dreaded sand pit. Actually, two sand pits separated by a quick bit of grass. I couldn't decide on the best way to tackle this section. The first bit of sand really wasn't ridable due to timbers making it kind of a raised sand box for kids. Then you hit the grass with more deep sand followed by a quick, uphill left turn on grass. I tried riding the grass and second sand pit and was successful doing so but not sure that was the quickest way. I should have spent more time there in the practice laps watching others and their approaches.

Anyway, after the sand was more grass, then asphalt where we originally started. Coming around after two laps, I barely breathing as they held up the lap card. Three laps to go. (!?!?!?) Seeing that, I thought I better throttle back because I was sure I would blow up before finishing 3 laps at the current pace. I don't think I was passed by any women in that lap but I sure didn't push to catch someone. In retrospect, very bad move.

As I came around for the next lap, the lap card read 1 lap to go. What?!!?!? Now, I was really confused. A distracting conversation started in my brain: Does that mean there's one lap to go AFTER this one? Did I hallucinate? Did I pass out during a lap? What the f*&^%? There was some other voice yelling in my head, "JUST RIDE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!" Finally, the little brain argument reached an agreement - they were ringing a bell, it's the bell lap. Just get to the finish and you're done! (In my stupor, I had been lapped by the men's leaders and in cross when the leaders finish, everyone finishes.)

So I put down the hammer and rode as hard as I could. I'd like to think I was flying but in actuality I was most likely barely moving given how hot and tired I was. I tried to make it look good for the Surly boys, S provided great encouragement in the sand pit (and all over the course during the race) and sprinted (yeah, right) up the pavement to the finish line just like with S on Mill St. Finished, done, happiness! 14th place. I wasn't last and didn't get pulled.

My teammates did well, too. 5th, 6th, 12th, 15th, 16th, and 17th. Go NEBC!

Now I'm off the bike for a week during a business trip. Looking forward to Gloucester (where I'm sure I'll really get spanked) in early October.

It's All Over

Wah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, it's September and I've been back at work now for exactly 14 working days. I haven't posted in over two months. Cross season has begun, the Yankees have clinched the AL East, football has started, the leaves are changing, there's a chill in the air and I'm still wishing I was bobbing around the hahbah on the J24 with Danno (a.k.a. The Buoy Basher - more on that later). :-)

So whats blog etiquette when you haven't posted in over two months? Do I do a quick post summarizing what I did? Do I just skip it and get on with current events? I'm not sure...so in that case, I'll simply recap the highlights so I can remember them later.

Mid-July my parents came to visit and we went up to Kennebunkport. Interesting place and we had a good time. It's nice that I can still vacation with my parents and enjoy it.

TCB came to visit for a weekend, overlapping by a few hours with my parent's. This is how you judge a true friend - someone who sits on a runway in DC for something like 6 hours waiting for thunderstorms to clear in Boston. Originally slated to arrive around 6pm, she finally staggered to the back door around 1am, still smiling, though! Furthermore, a true friend also trusts a water-fearing land-lubber. She became my first passenger as I took a Soling out on my own for the first time. I was aided by the fact that there was almost no wind and that TCB didn't mind hanging over the bow to retrieve mooring lines, tacking the jib, or folding the sails. I think she would have helped paddle too had the wind not finally picked up. We were starting to think that I was going to have to dump her at Logan from the hahbah rather than drive her there for her departing flight.

I spent the next few weeks sailing with Dan as often as possible on Solings. We actually became more proficient and confident although there was one day when the winds were around 25 knots and we didn't have the storm sails on. Both of us couldn't wait to get the boat back to the mooring. Funny how those conditions can be so frightening when you're not experienced and a blast when you are. I wish I could describe the feeling of when you have the sails trimmed just right, the boat perfectly balanced and you're just flying over the water, tasting the spray. Yum!

Mean People Suck

As I was changing in the locker room at the gym today, a woman in my bank of lockers answered her phone.

"You moron!", she yelled at the poor caller who I assume was her husband/partner/boyfriend. She continued to berate the caller so loudly and viciously that I wondered why the poor sap didn't just hang up on her. It went on and on for as long as I was changing my clothes, tying my shoes, trying to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Apparently this person was supposed to come pick up her car for her so she went on to describe where she parked. "I parked to the left of the front door - in the spaces reserved for the PT/Surgery patients." And, of course, 5 minutes later, I saw her doing her workout on the treadmill. I hate mean people.