The FRESH LOOK

The Fresh Look! Swim, Bike, Run and More!

Life is in transition over here but its a good transition. The kids are officially on summer vacation so we are getting into our summer schedule groove. I now officially have kids who are headed to 2nd and 4th grades next year which is pretty wild. We are making a school transition next year so are getting prepared for that whole new big adventure. I keep telling the kids that it is new and exciting but that it’s okay to feel nervous, everyone feels that way even your mom and dad. The kids were already able to attend a “Fast Forward Day,” where they got to meet their new teachers for next year and spend a little bit more time with their new classmates.

With the transition to summer also comes an adjustment of schedule for me because the kids are no longer in school so we and camps haven’t started yet so we are working to find our summer rhythm. Just to make everything a bit crazier we welcomed a puppy into our family at the start of the week. Over the past two years we have had to say goodbye to our sweet black lab Homer and our lovable Cairn Terrier Lucy. It had been a long time since we hadn’t had a dog at home so we were eager to find the right one to join our family. Our puppy is a Mini Schnauzer/Shi-Tzu Mix or Schnautzu. He is just over 8 weeks old so truly still a baby. We decided on the name Teddy Bear even before we had him because I read that they look just like little bears. He has the sweetest little face and is truly a little cuddly love bug. We are working on crate training which is going okay so far and house training (so far he gets a gold star). The kids are great ages for having a puppy (almost 7 and almost 9) so they are taking on many of the responsibilities of having a puppy (There is a learning curve). So far the hardest part is the night wakings. I had forgotten how hard it is to get up multiple times during the night.

More “treadmiles”

I am trying to figure out how to work in my triathlon training for the summer. Just when the weather has gotten nice (at least for a few days). I was able to get in an awesome 45 mile bike ride again this weekend completing my loop 10 minutes faster this time! I have been trapped at home for many of my workouts so the treadmill and bike trainer are my friends again. I did move my trainer to our porch which at least has a nice view although it is a bit of a sweat fest out there! As far as swimming goes this week has been a bust. The pool that I have been swimming is currently closed for maintenance. Also, I am waiting for the delivery of my new long sleeved Roka wet suit so that I can brave open water swimming. We have hardly had any warm days and it has been so rainy which does not make oepn water swimming seem like a good idea (water temps are oh so cold). Perhaps I’ll be doing super short laps in my Mother-In-Laws heated pool (LOL). I am scheduled to race Half Ironman Mont Tremblant at the end of the month but am feeling somewhat mixed about going to race it which is strange for me. Perhaps its nerves, who knows?. If I decid not to race it I may do the local White Mountains Half Ironman instead. Hmm .  . . we’ll see!

Spin!

What I’m loving right now . . .

Music Love: Something Just Like This–The Chainsmokers and Coldplay

This song gets me totally fired up. The fusion of Coldplay with Chris Martin’s voice and The Chainsmokers is one song that I often end up putting on repeat.

Gear Love: ROKA Women’s Maverick II Elite Wetsuit

ROKA Women’s Maverick Elite II Wetsuit

I don’t officially have this in my possession but am super stoked to give this wetsuit a try. I need to add a long sleeve wetsuit into my arsenal for triathlon training especially since the temperatures here in New Hampshire are not doing much to warm up the river and the lakes here for open water swim training. This wetsuit is said to have great mobility in the arms and shoulders due to its “Arms Up” design. Hopefully I ordered the right size. When I ordered my first one I ordered one that was way too small and it was pretty hilarious trying to get out of it!

Puppy Love: He’s Here!

Our Puppy Teddy Bear

Meet Teddy Bear! He is now a part of our family and we are completely in love!

Recipe Love: Homemade Stir Fry Sauce

I have been on the quest for the perfect stir-fry sauce. I discovered that many of the pre-made sauces cause migraines so have had to eliminate them from our pantry. Making things from scratch is so much better anyways! I have tried many different stir-fry sauces but this one hit it out of the park. This recipe is from blogger Lindsay at Tomato Boots and features the perfect blend of ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce (I substitute with Bragg’s Amino Acids as soy sauce also seems to be a migraine trigger). We made this soy sauce and used it in a chicken stir fry with zucchini noodles (zoodles), cherry tomatoes, baby corn, and broccoli. I would definitely recommend giving this recipe a try!

Food for Thought: Want to Sell me Sportswear? Show me an Athlete.

This article on Racked.com by Ellie Krupnick discusses how while male athletes are usually picked to represent athletic clothing brands, female athletic clothing brands often choose non-athletes such as Kendall Jenner to be the face of their brands. What gives? There is still so much mixed messaging thrown in the faces of women and girls today. Women are strong, and fierce, and dynamic just like men and should be represented in the same way to females of all ages. When I was growing up one of my role models was Dorothy Hamill, a true athlete and I admired her for her powerful jumps and strength on the ice, when I became a rower I longed to be like the muscular and strong women who wore sweat instead of makeup who graced the cover of my Rowing News magazine. Some companies are beginning to switch towards representing real strong women like Skirt Sports with their #RealWomenMove campaign and Oiselle who has chosen runners such as Kara Goucher, a famed US marathoner and long distance runner to be one of the faces of their brand. These are the brands that I respond to because I can relate  to  who they have chosen to  represent them. These are the brands that have got their messaging right in terms of what we should be showing the young women and our daughters in this country. I hope you will read this article too and share your thoughts with me.

I’m linking up with Meranda, Lacey and Rachel for the Friday Five.

What are your latest favorite songs? New pieces of gear? Good Reads? I’d love to hear from you!