The Amazing Race – In-Person Tryout San Francisco 2015

Today was the day! The Amazing Race came to San Francisco to do in-person tryouts today. I read obsessively what I could about the intakes on various blogs, and peppered my cousin Christopher (who has tried out for Amazing Race 2x and Survivor 2x) with a ton of email questions. (As a side note, I […]


If It’s Saturday It Must Be…the East Bay Century…

OK, first of all, let’s just get this out of the way – look at this: OK, I know that you can’t really read this. But you can “kinda sorta see” the hills. Suffice it to say that the highest percentage was FOURTEEN percent. Yes, a 14% grade. Yo. Mama. Here is actually a URL […]


Money In The Bank: 3/4 Iron Weekend (beware: long post!)

I never really understood the phrase “Money In The Bank” until this weekend. The week was a toughie for me. I had gotten an eye ulcer (likely from a gnat flying in my eye – though I am VERY careful to ALWAYS wear some sort of eye protection on the bike). It hurt to blink […]


Back At Del Valle – Open Water Swim and Cross-Country Run

I go through periods of being great at blogging, then suddenly BLAM and it’s a fortnight later and I haven’t done a thing. Those who know I really was a podcaster (and haven’t podcast since December!) must REALLY be wondering what happened…(Actually, my computer blew up in December and I haven’t re-installed all the audio […]


LONG Weekend: Oysterfest for LLS, run/swim brick, triple brick

On Saturday, Maria (M-Dot) Afan and I worked Oysterfest for LLS. Basically, that means working from morning to night pouring Guinness-branded beers, with tips going to the Leukemia Society. It was a SUPER cold morning, so I visited my Favorite Shopping Palace (Sports Basement) to pick up some arm warmers before hitting Fort Mason. Maria […]



S.F. Bay Aquatic Park Swim & Country Music Marathon; Run Marker

So, first, Missy’s update from doing the Country Music Marathon. Missy is my “Tennessee Teammate” – she found me via my blog, and we have been “training together” ever since. The best part was that I asked my IronTeam members to send her good luck emails for her race, and a bunch did. It meant […]


Swing Low…Sweet Chaaariot…

Today we were back to Lake Del Valle in Livermore. I gathered up my “Lil’ Lady” Iron Mel, Moddie the Tree Frog, our 3 bikes, bike trainers, wetsuits, various paraphernalia, and off we went from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal at 6:15 a.m. We arrived and had a “pay it forward” moment – Jim K. had […]


Why We Do This: Chris McCubbins

Chris McCubbins is the uncle of my masseuse, Katharine Chaney at www.PureJoyBodywork.com. He recently died after a valiant battle against the cancer that I am racing to cure. As a youth, Chris never got a hit in Little League baseball, he was the last person to be selected in school yard games, and he was the […]


Bike Marker at Nicasio Reservoir & More “You Know You’re Iron When…”

Sunday was the Bike Marker, after the Swim and Run Markers on Saturday. H came with me, and we met Mentor Margaret, Moddie The Tree Frog (smile), Bike Coach Les and Jennifer at Nicasio. It had been really super nice weather when we left the house (about 55 degrees), but as we wound our way […]