Weekly Bike & Run?

Hi everyone,

Time has been flying by and we're getting closer to Oct 11! A new 8-week training program has been posted on the Ramblin' Rose website (http://www.endurancemag.com/ramblinrose-training). I've decided to follow that plan beginning August 17th.

Is anyone interested in getting together for the Friday bike/run workouts at the Art Museum at 9:30 am? The plan recommends riding the course in Chapel Hill for Week 5 - we could move that week to Saturday. If another day/time works better for you, I'm flexible on day of the week (but can't do Sundays) and can meet earlier on Saturdays.

Any takers?

Amy

Meet A Playah -- Andrea Powell Fergueson

Age: 43...pretty much.
Superhero Name: Road Wren

Stretch Factor: "I go back and forth between around a 5 and a solid 11. If it was swimming-only I’d be into triple digits."
Choice Words: "Damn Brenda Lo for getting me into this." (Geez!)
Goal: "Firm thighs, a smaller butt, better overall fitness, and world peace. In that order (OK, world peace is honestly *much* further down the line than the firm thighs and smaller butt)."

Andrea is an amazing actress and owner of her own web design business AndiSites. She's a fairly new member of the elite group of folks who actually like their job and didn't wish they did something else for their job. She is now the last person in our group to sign up. Kim, meet Andi...Andi, this is Kim, who also signed on in a charity spot.

PMS-ing involves "An entire tube of Toll House cookie dough. Then another one. Yes, completely approachable…if you don’t mind the crying, which could be triggered by anything from actual sadness to total happiness to the fact that it’s Wednesday. Or I just saw a bird." Now, I will take a moment to say that Andi is The Crazy Bird Lady. Outdoor birds -- not indoor. She lives on this great piece of property near The Fearrington House and has loads of bird-feeders and a wheelbarrow that she rolls from feeder to feeder to replenish them. It's almost like National Geographic Channel, peeking into nests and seeing little babies with their mouths open, waiting for their parents to return. Crazy Bird Lady says, "I’m pretty active anyway, but only in that taking walks and occasionally playing Wii Tennis or hiking when we’re on a trip kind of way. Otherwise, sports-kind-of-active was last before she was 11 years old. "However, I will say that the other day when I told my Mom I was doing this she said “Oooooh, be careful you don’t pull something….or break something.” There ya go. Thanks, Mom.

Andi is doing the tri "In honor of my Mom, the coolest and most amazing woman I’ve ever met; in memory of my Dad, who best expressed his love by teaching me I could pretty much do anything I put my mind to." She most looks forward to "Finding a swimsuit that doesn’t traumatize me with its honesty or ride up (which I have…hooray!)". Her biggest challenge will be "Swimming with my face in the water. Training on yucky days." She asked if we're required to do a particular stroke because backstroke is really her strongest stroke. Oh, I so have images of Andi doing the backstroke, a la Rachel's daughter, Ava at her first swim meet...boinking into the rope, lifting her head, looking at the rope, then returning to backstroking with no change of trajectory, and continuing to boink into the rope. Anyone in on a triple-dog-dare for Andi to attempt it in backstroke? We'll start a pool of $ and hedge bets on how far she gets before the officials decide she's considered a nuisance to other swimmers or threat to safety. I could eat these words. She may win her division.

The first thing she's going to do after crossing the finish line is "Hug my sweet husband, Paul." Brenda Lo is damned for getting you into this and Paul is sweet? Need I remind someone that he's the one that actually signed you up for a charity slot? And how does she know Damn Brenda Lo? "We act (and audition) together."

Coaching Activities for Ramblin Divas

At Fleet Feet on Wade Avenue next to Whole Foods. I've got it on my calendar. Maybe we could do coffee afterwards.

Ramblin Divas: Beginning Women's Triathlon
Geared toward women who have registered for the Chapel Hill Ramblin Rose sprint triathlon on October 11th. This is an 8-week program. Also a great intro to triathlon for women who are registered for a different sprint race during the same time period.

Coached activities: Thursday evenings beginning August 20th

Interest Meeting: July 23rd @ 7pm, Fleet Feet Sports

Program includes coaching, tips on transition and each of the three sports, written workouts with workoutlog, official training plan, tech shirt, and guest lectures.

More info coming soon!

Meet A Playah -- Rachel Hearn

Age: A mere 44 until further notice.
Superhero Name: Raquel Roundapple or "The Rock" for short

Stretch Factor: 12+
Choice Words: Kanye West will echo her sentiments
Goal: "I hope to get in better shape so I can have more time to brainwash my future grandchildren."

Rachel -- aka Raquel Roundapple -- aka Witty -- aka Smartass is currently in between careers and "considering becoming a ward of the state". However, would she not be mooching off of our tax dollars in the splendor of a padded room, she would consider the occupation of "pastry chef (obviously dependent upon further education)." To her credit, Rachel is an amazing writer. Check out her life on Nevis on her blog, Volcano Life.

She claims to have no cravings when pms-ing other than the Tylenol for the headache "mostly because I believe in a little Daily Chocolate." (Yes!) Approachable? "Not sure I could ever be considered "approachable"...just lucky to have very brave friends." If she's got chocolate I don't care how grumpy she is -- I'll approach. She is most looking forward to "the pancake-fest I am planning for the night before. IHOP, everyone?" Rachel was swimming the salty Caribbean waters off the coast of Nevis long before she set foot back on US soil but says, "I have never been so active as to go so far as to strain, pull, injure or break any part of myself. That would be so dumb!" Rachel -- I mean, The Rock has been working diligently on her "exit strategy" from the pool and I have to say, I give her a 15 out of 10 for style points. If I can capture it on video, it will be posted on YouTube for a test market run while we design DVD jackets for distribution at the race -- maybe pre-race if we really get our act in gear. A how-to video like this could revolutionize triathlons across the country if not internationally.

Rachel is doing the tri thinking "...that my son Alden will be proud of me because he knows what a stretch this is for me, and that I will set a good example for my daughter, Ava, who still thinks I can do anything. This is of course assuming I don't flame out on my [pink huffy] and t-bone a bus." Her stretch factor is a 12+. "(Never did, never wanted to, hate me + hate Brenda)" But we're still friends...for now.

The first thing she's going to do after crossing the finish line is "Borrow Brenda's wrist-mounted satellite phone to call a cab for the 50' ride back to the apres-race party. (Unless I missed the party by a couple of hours, then we'll have to hit the nearest bar and start our own celebration! Bring the on the deep-fried twinkies and navel shots!)" She's so jealous of my wrist-mounted satellite phone. Doesn't everyone have one? And the day our lives became more complete..."I met Brenda in a Starbucks near downtown Raleigh. She was blending in with the hoi polloi, sipping a gluten-free, decaff organic soy chai latte and doing Something Important on her laptop. We took an instant dislike to each other, and have been avoiding each other ever since." Did I mention she's an amazing writer? Fiction. Purely fiction.