The trouble with giving a girl like me free stuff is that I generally get emotionally attached to it and approach its usage like an engineering problem. After four years of wearing hand-me-downs and thrift-store specials from Seattle and mom's old sweaters from the 1940s, I was overwhelmed when I got some awesome gear from my awesome new team TIMEX :) I got three varieties of hats, lots of lycra (yeay) and most importantly awesome watches that I can tap and that make great conversation pieces with the cute trainer in the gym that I am secretly hoping will ask me out someday! There IS a God and his name is Denzel Washington...

Back to the story in hand, I got so attached to my new tap-watch that I have been running like a maniac... tap at the start, tap half-way up our version of heart-break hill, tap when cute kiwi looks over at me, tap again when shoe laces come off, tap once more just to tap and so on..

Speaking of the hats, I decided to stress-test 'em all to see how I looked and give you a gear review on the aerodynamics of hats............ Perhaps I shouldve titled this article "of hats and hicks" :) Anyhoo, back to the point at hand.... The pink bling hat is very cute but makes me look scary so, while I love cute, I say no to the pink bling. The booster juice hat was shaped differently but a bit too purple so, while I am marrying a surfer who lives in a purple house (and is preferably Canadian), I say no to the purple as well... Which brings us to the mother of all non-hats, the VISOR....... This is a headless hat, which makes it instantly appealing as pursuing my doctorate left most of my brain in ethereal ruins anyway, I think most of what was left evaporated and this is the no-pretense hat......... so, I tested this in three positions, the usual route, makes me happy... the side Eminem-look-east-tries-to-ape-the-west look... makes me even MORE happy... the 180 degree turn all the way back makes me the happiest :) Who cares if its aerodynamic or not! Given that I have a new fashion mentor (Daniel Brienza) who has been training his tail off for upcoming races, I have to look good, AT ANY COST.

Back to the lycra, I decided to "suit up" for a 2 hour ride recently, and look like a "REAL ATHLETE" and all.. I didnt know how to wear the leg-warmers so, I sent a panic-mail to Daniel asking about the laws of gravity as applicable to these non-tights in white. He said, I should definitely wear them OVER my bike shorts and make sure I had them on first and then the shorts, so that I didnt spend too much time.. er.. suiting up. And so I did... it took a bit longer than I thought it would but Daniel knows best.............. In this moment of extreme fashion makeover-age, I forgot to eat breakfast and sure enough bonked 40 minutes into my ride and stopped for some coffee and goodies. I asked for the apple strudel with yoghurt and the chocolate brownie with cream and a latte... but on second thought, given that I had to fit into the lycra at least a few more times, I cancelled the brownie and asked for the strudel instead but with the cream, instead of the yoghurt... and oh, switched to plain coffee with *gasp* low-fat milk. This snack improved the quality of my ride by a little more than the matching clothes and I was convinced of my own awesomeness again! Mom's jacket and the thrift-store red-coat and my button-less blue wolly cap added a bit more color to the riding ensemble.. Be BRILLIANT, I say!


So, Im off to buy some MORE matching gear and have no fear, I will give you the review......... The runs are all coming back to me now........... 8 weeks in paradise swimming with big-a$$ paddles, and then Im off on the long brown road to yonder.

Its closer to midnight than I thought it would be.. Ive been listening to Boh Runga for a while, after having ridden my bike today. After a long time, my bike and I are talking to each other again. I missed my bike and I was told the feeling was mutual. As I ponder my next steps, Ive been taking time to rest my tired feet and rejuvenate my mind. I found that music, cooking and training early are the three things that really heighten my senses to the possibilities in a day. Additionally, a job well done also makes me happy, no end. I also like reading but good books are hard to come by. My latest read is "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and it looks very promising so far.

I struggle to reconcile between my life as a quasi-hermit-ess and the need to be around the people I count as my friends. The ones who will listen to me at the end of a long day, commiserate on the state of the world, lift me up when I am down and let me help when they need a hand. Officially speaking, I prefer the quiet places. I need the bustle of my work and the mad schedules every now and then but, 8 months of the year, I am happy working hard, cooking, reading, listening to music, writing and training.

One of my favourite poets is Billy Collins, American poet laureate, that my partner David introduced to me. Of late, the soulful tunes of the Runga sisters (Bic and Boh) and their lyrics more importantly have been very comforting. I know that peace is a fleeting emotion and one wishes to hang on to that feeling for as long as they can but, what if the road not taken involves discovery? I always wondered about people that feel like they are discovering new places, new things or breaking new ground. For example an Amelia Earhart, Ada Lovelace or even our long-distance women runners. Did they miss home? Did they find new horizons measure up to the choice of new environments and playgrounds to discover?

I wonder!

For now, Ill leave you with how I feel, in Boh Runga's words :)

"Follow a trail of thought ‘til
It leads you to your station
And everyone there is on time
No worry or fear will find
Leave your worries and fears behind you"

Im going to uncrowd my life. There is a glimmer of hope!

Polite Conversation often escapes me!