It was a Pbttttth week. First my knee felt weird. I poked at it suspiciously. I bailed on the track workout I had planned and did something easier instead. Then Tuesday I didn’t get any sleep. None. It was a late night to begin with and then I just stared at the clock. “10pm I should be in bed. 12:30am I am so wound up I’m never going to sleep. 2 am, I’m going to fall asleep now. 3 am, I give up. 4 am, I can get an hour of sleep now. It’ll be like a nap. 4:40am nope, might as well make eggs for breakfast.” So Wednesday’s workout was shot. 
Thursday I ended up working all day. Like 8am to 9pm – with only short breaks between things. Maybe I could have squeezed some lifting in – but at this point I had thrown in the towel on the week. But Friday I redeemed myself. I. Did. My. Workout. YES!!!! I have a great record of not doing long swims on my own. I have made workouts and then talked myself out of it. “Eh, that’s a bad set. I’m bored, that’s enough.” So this time…. Continue reading
One good one.
Posted in Fitness
Tagged athletics, Beach2Battleship Triathlon, swimming, training, triathlon, workouts
5 Comments
Made possible by napping
This post is brought to you by the power of naps. And kittens. And beer. Napping with kitties, then drinking beer. 
Posted in Fitness
Tagged athletics, Beach2Battleship Triathlon, biking, friends, napping, napping with kitties, training, triathlon
4 Comments
A Fun Upgrade: Training With Friends.
It would have been Type 2 Fun alone. Because I was with a friend it was more like 1.5 Fun. With a friend it’s more of an adventure when things don’t go as planned.
I often train alone. I like the solitude. I like being able to focus on my pace and my body. Sometimes having only your discomfort for company can get really miserable. This week I did two key workouts with friends.
Kaitlin and I aimed for a 60 mile ride through downtown St. Paul to the Gateway Trail on Friday morning. First we got started late. Later I got a flat tire. Then the trail head was demolished without a clear detour. Finally a mile from home I got a second flat tire! We ended up with only 40 miles. Had I been alone I may have been very crabby and at least a little demoralized. Together it was fun, and not even miserable fun.
The following day I ran with an old high school friend. She pushed me faster than I would have gone on my own and yet it never felt too fast. We had a wonderful time running through the woods and catching up.
On my ride home from the run I got a third flat tire! This time, alone and tired I was done. I was only .7 miles from home and I called Will to come pick me up. Will then picked up my spirits with a walk to Northbound brewpub to cap off my training week.
Unlike the last F*n 15 hour training week, this one was actual fun fun.
Posted in Fitness
Tagged athletics, Beach2Battleship Triathlon, biking, running, training, training with friends
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Jeff Chow AKA Spring Hash
Asparagus season is almost over, so I better share this now. My spring hash was created to feed people who might normally turn up their noses at asparagus. I was in my mid 20’s living like sardines with friends. Will and Jeff paid me to grocery shop and cook for them. Spring hash was so enjoyed it was renamed Jeff Chow – I was told because “It’s what you feed Jeffs.”
I’ve made this a variety of ways – so I’ve included very few measurements. The keys are:
– Roasted cubed potato with other stuff.
– Fried meat and onions + peas and asparagus.
– Tons of herbs in lemon mayonnaise. Continue reading
F*n Training
I can’t muster the energy for a thoughtful post. Or even a funny post. God, I’d love to be funny right now. It was my first 15 hour training week this season. That’s including all the itty bitty bike commutes. It’s time in the saddle, and I say it counts.
I had a really miserable long run. Epically miserable. So Type 2 F*n I want to spit at it. So Type 2 that not enough time has passed for me to call it fun. I only know it’ll be “fun” in retrospect because I didn’t actually die, or break, and I made it home. There was lot of walking and several times I considered abandoning it altogether and taking the bus home. I cut the run short by 2 miles and it still took me 45min longer than it should have. No injury, no real pain, just tight and tired.
I’d like to say something wise and thoughtful about training. But right now I don’t feel wise or smart. I just feel tired and slow and dull. So I’ll be brave instead and share my training log for the last two weeks.
Next week is mostly recovery, lots of sleeping, and sitting. Bring it. I’m so ready.
Posted in Fitness
Tagged Beach2Battleship Triathlon, running, training, training log, triathlon, Type 2 Fun
4 Comments
Curry Split Pea Soup
It’s another looks like crap tastes like yum dish. Like the other curry thing I make. I haven’t quite figured this out 100%, but it’s so delish you should start tinkering with it and make it your own. Curry split pea soup with ham.
The secret ingredient is oats. It makes it super thick and creamy with out any cream or a rue (butter and flour). I underestimated the amount of liquid and it got way too thick and burned to the bottom of the pan. Most of it was totally fine, but I had to add more water, and I have no idea how much liquid you should add. But it’s super yummy and totally healthy so you should make this shit. Continue reading
Three reasons I feel like an athlete.
I’ve been second guessing myself. Who doesn’t? Ever since I did that crazy thing, paying an outlandish sum to do something even more outlandish. I’ve been wondering. How did I end up here? Do I belong here? This iron distance triathlon is not small potatoes.
I’m often around athletes who’ve gone longer or faster and sometimes both. Sometimes they make me doubt my athleticism.
I’ve coached women of all ages and backgrounds. Sometimes they doubt me when I tell them they are athletes.
So I’ve been thinking a lot about who is an athlete. Not just who is athletic, but who is an athlete? 
I recently had the opportunity to coach at the Can-Am Paralympics Swimming Championships. Here were people of all kinds of physical states (blind, paralyzed, missing limbs, it goes on) who were elite athletes. What felt remarkable was how unremarkable it was. Wheelchairs, guide dogs, and limbs on deck didn’t change that they were doing what all athletes do everywhere. Speed or strength or distance is not what made them athletes. I could see it in their focus, in their preparation, in all the hours, weeks, months, and years of training. They helped me understand myself as an athlete.
Racing doesn’t make me an athlete.
Registering and showing up to races is not what makes me an athlete. There are times when I’ve shown up untrained and unprepared and simply participated. I did an athletic event, but I wouldn’t say at that time that I was being an athlete.
Continue reading
Posted in Fitness
Tagged athletes, athletics, Beach2Battleship Triathlon, challenge, coaching, iron distance triathlon, kymsfavorite, racing, training, triathlon
7 Comments
Lazy Noms with Condiments
It’s been a while since I blogged. I’ve been busy. We’re all busy. I’m not half as busy as many women out there. I’ll make my excuses anyway. There was an indoor triathlon which I was the race director. Then there was a Can-Am Paralympic Swim Championship in Toronto which I coached at. Between all that I’ve spent my blogging time trying to fit in more swimming, biking and running. I haven’t even cooked anything worth blogging about. Then I realized…. I do a pretty good job with the lazy, I’m too busy, too tired food. It’s all about the condiments. I use the broader definition as opposed to only marketed products. (Check out the wiki article on condiments.) I have so many I couldn’t even take pictures of them all. Sweet or spicy? Perhaps both?
From left to right: Maple syrup, Will’s mom’s strawberry jam, tomato preserves, garlic pepper jam, meyer lemon blood orange pepper jelly. Mr. Fuzz’s Nuclear Nectar (a real fruity habanero sauce), some asian black bean chili sauce, Tabasco, garlic chili sauce, and of course Siracha.
Posted in Kym Cooked
Tagged busy cooking, canned salmon, chicken, condiments, cooking, cooking methods, lazy cooking
2 Comments
A blister and a race.
To continue illustrate my dedication to Type 2 Fun I have two announcements.
One, I have a blister. I think it started two weeks ago. When I biked 45min in too many pants because it was below zero and my brother-in-law had his birthday at Surly’s Destination Brewery. I think the five hour indoor bike ride on Saturday didn’t help it. ….yeeaaah. This is a special blister. It was worth it.
Two, I registered for a race. I have never paid so much to commit myself to so much pain. I have never needed so much support just to register for a race. Will was cheering me on while I nervously completed the registration. In 32 weeks and 5 days I’ll do the Beach2Battleship Iron Distance race.
Yup. 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike, followed by a 26.2 mile run.
*gulp*
I brought this upon myself.
Because a good dose of suffering makes for a richer type of fun.
Miserable Fun & Granola
I figured out what my life is all about! Well, no, not really. But I figured out what my blog is about: miserable fun! Yup, Type 2 Fun. Fun that isn’t fun until it’s over. I willingly, often eagerly involve myself in things that make me somewhat (or quite a bit) miserable at the time but I call fun later.
It’s taken me 80 posts over nearly two years to figure out what the common thread is behind my blog. Which I suppose that makes it also about patience.
So I’ve written a second About page. It’s about the blog, as opposed to about me. Check it out! I could also use a subtitle. Like Midwest With Zest: Questionable Fun. Eh?? Have any other ideas for a subtitle?
Oh, and here’s my new granola recipe. Because I figure you’re reading this not just because I need help thinking of a subtitle. Continue reading
Posted in Adventures, Fitness, Kym Cooked
Tagged camping, cooking, granola, Type 2 Fun, winter, winter camping
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Midwest With Zest 