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."