4.5 months

4.5 months of dating.....

Someone who I really liked

Someone who I really enjoyed spending time with

But someone that I knew

Not only deep down

But because he voiced it

Didn’t have the same intentions

Or feelings as I did

19 weeks after meeting

He ended it

I didn’t have the strength

Or honestly

Even the desire

To walk away from something

From someone

Who wasn't BAD to me

With a history of abusiveness

And a history of depression

And a lot in between

To me,

It was better

To just be happy with someone

Even if it wasn't long term happiness

I spent hours and sometimes even days

wondering what he was doing

How his day was

Why he wasn't answering my texts

Why he didn't care to check in with me

It was always that he was "busy with work"

We'd try to plan times to hang out 1-2 times a week

but besides that, there was nothing there

Do I now think there was someone else

No?

But does it hurt that someone could 

pay such little attention to you? 

Yes...

Do I regret not walking away?

No

Am I happy he spoke up

And did walk away?

Yes, YES I am

It's nice to walk away from something, from someone

and NOT hate them

Because they manned up

and ended it as that, a MAN

Of course I  was upset

but KNEW I'll move on

and be OKAY

When a friend asked me how I was

I responded with

"OK, just trying to move on"

His response was simply

"You will..you know the routine"

When my response was,

"Yes, unfortunately all too well"

He realized that might not have been the best thing to say

but it was OK

cuz it reminded me

that I've been thru a lot

and I am a stronger person today

because of it

And I WILL find my prince charming some day ;)

Bike Buying Experience

This whole triathlon thing
is such a quick and sudden thing
I immediately had to go out
and search for a bike

I started a Fast Splits in Newton
where I got a lot of information
but didn't actually test any out
The next day I went to
Ace Wheel Works in Somerville
and they were pretty awesome
I got a ton of information
and got on several different bikes

I learned about some of the components
and found out that I did not like the cheapest bikes gears
So UP went the budget

But thank goodness
I (finally) finished my degree
and as a graduation parents
my parents gave me some
money towards a bike!

I found a bike that I really liked
It was a Trek Lexa S
but the guy wanted me to try
the Specialized bike that was similar
which, they didn't have built in my size
so I was scheduled to come back the next day to try it

I went back for a 3rd day of bike shopping
and immediately did not like the Specialized bike he had me on
I tried one other Trek
but kept going back to the Trek Lexa S

I didn't want to impulse buy
and I had the day off from work on Friday
so I told him I'd come back on Friday
..at which point he told me it'd be going on sale that day
Score!

After talking to a few friends the next day
I decided I was going to check out one last bike at a place in Natick
I got there and immediately noticed it was the gears I didn't like
(guess I forgot to ask/mention that)
But I asked if he had anything similar price wise and with better gears
He put me on a Fuji and it did feel good
But the customer service was terrible
The guy just didn't seem to care
and as a newbie to biking and triathlons
that really scared me so I kinda just left and said I'd call back
I went on a few errands
...bought myself a tri suit

and looked the bike up / talked to some friends

After reading it was a good bike
and worth more than I'd be paying
I decided to go back and test it out again
After riding it for a good 5 minutes
I decided I wanted to talk numbers and that it seemed like a perfect fit for me

The price was right
The bike felt good
and it just seemed like it was MINE

About 20 minutes later
I was driving home with the bike in my car!

I can not wait to test it out on a good ride tomorrow!

First pool experience

Over the weekend
I went to City Sports
to pick up a bathing suit
..don't think a bikini is good
for a gym pool ;)

I checked out some goggles and caps
but got confused
and was lucky that
a friend was going to give me extra that he had

I know I can swim
I grew up in lakes and oceans
My parents have a boat
My summers are spent
at Lake George and Long Beach Island
but this...this swimming...
this is just....
different
and scary
and the unknown

I attempted to go to the gym
no swim cap and no goggles
just a swim suit
and my anxious self
for a quick swim
Well... I got to the parking lot
Stepped out of my car
and turned right back around
and into the car back home

There was no way I was going into the gym that night.

So... next day
I AM DOING THIS

I got a swim cap and goggles
I AM getting in the pool

I kept watching this video
from The Notebook
Get in the water! 
and a friend sent me this:

and I was getting pumped to finally do it.

Well... I got there and my first anxiety problem was solved
A lane, all to myself!

I started with a there and back

WHEW... I need to slow down

I realized I was trying to move too fast
and could barely breathe

I might be training for a sprint tri
but no reason to actually be sprinting

(in reality, I was probably still slower than elite swimmers, for only 40 meters!)

I successfully did 20 minutes in the pool
and felt so much more comfortable about it
and about the race!

Next up:  BUY A BIKE!

I signed up for a....

TRIATHLON!

Here I go again

Jumping in head first!

Over the past month or two

I’ve been dabbling with the idea

Of getting a road bike

And learning to properly swim

and participating in a Triathlon

NEXT year......

Well

I should have known

Not to say that

Around my

Triathlon friends

Went out for drinks

For Cat’s birthday

Last Thursday

and somehow

now..

I’m signed up for

The Boston Tri

In 12 days!!!

I will update with

My first swimming experience

And my bike buying experience

As they happen!

Energy Bits Review

I heard about these a while back

between Twitter, Facebook & Bloggers

On Twitter, I responded to someone

asking if there was a way to give them a try

And Jonathan, from EnergyBits

responded to send him my mailing address

and he'll send me a sample

I had a race coming up

and didn't want to try anything new

so close to the race

So I had to wait 2 weeks

until the race happened

to give them a try

I was excited to try something new

especially while I'm in the beginning weeks

of NYC Marathon Training

So my first run after that race,

I took some before my run

And..

Well... I have fallen in LOVE!

Yes...they were weird smelling at first

NO..I did not chew them, 

I opted to wash them down with water

Sometimes during my morning runs

I feel like I burp up my food or 

feel it in my stomach

and this did not happen at all this time

so I was thrilled

I felt more awake and alive for my run.

They are great!

A little bit about Energy Bits, 

now that I'm done rambling about my love for them:

They are small, pill-shaped food made from 100% spirulina algae.  They are natural and only 1 calorie per bit.  A typical serving size is about 30 bits.  They give you energy, more mental vitality and are a healthy high protein snack for on the go.  They have the highest concentration of protein in the world (64%) .

Check out:  bitsofhealth.com for more information on Energy Bits and their other products!

*This review is my opinion based on a sample that I received 

Finish at the 50 - 10k at Gillette Stadium

I was pretty excited for this race!

A bunch of my Reach The Beach crew
were signed up for this.
It was my first night race
It was not only at Gillette Stadium
but ending at the 50 yard line
AND it was the night before a week long vacation for me
So I was ready to rock!

Until.. we knew how hot and humid
it was going to be for this race

Then... I had no desire for this run

I also started thinking
about how I had a long drive in the morning
(for vaca!!)
and at that point

I knew I wasn't going to give it my all
I was going to have fun with it,
not push myself,
& just have a good run

Lisa is usually around my pace
Then I realized that another friend
who is more of a Tri guy
was about my pace also
(the back of the pack!)
So off Chris, Lisa and I go..
First two miles..
Chris entertained us
with his laughter and jokes
at the random costumes
and interesting people all around us

Then...the heat hit
And my asthma decided to act up

(The neighbors along the road
who sprayed us with their hose
were awesome though!)

My hope for a fun race
turned into a....
I just want to be DONE
(and have a beer)
kind of a race

The discussion of trying to finish in 65 minutes came up
but then half way in
I looked at my Garmin
and knew there was no way that was happening

We had the up and down ramps inside the stadium ahead of us
and I just started to realize that was going to be pretty brutal

Mile 4 came and I knew we were getting close to the stadium
And at least,
even if brutal,
it would be neat
to be running a race
inside Gillette Stadium.

And then........
(it seemed like forever;
didn't know we were running
all the way around
before we actually got inside!)
We were inside!

And UP the ramps we went
Holy........
It was tough!

As we rounded the top of the stadium,
headed towards the down ramps,
Chris suggested that we sprint the 50 yards to the finish
I tend to sprint at the end of races
so why not!?

We made it to the down ramps
Chris got sick..into his water bottle
Our Garmin's weren't working
My shins were killing me
Holy shit.  I'm SO over this run!

Finally.. at the bottom
and around we go again
outside..
then...
we see the entrance to the field

I say let's go, THERE
We start sprinting earlier than discussed
off he went..
My shins were killing
Thought I'd collapse
but didn't want to stop..
Don't remember anything else, all a blur
But finally finished.
[Results are below]

Definitely no PR
Definitely a brutal run.. but
Definitely a fun run and night with friends

Results: 1:10:41  11:23 Chelsea Pells