Welcome to the Operation Bucket List. Here are the things I hope to accomplish before I kick the bucket. [Read more about how this list came to be here.] EXPLORE swim in the ocean swim with the dolphins donate blood go to a casino see a drag show get my belly button pierced <2000> go skinny dipping <2001> get into grad school <2006> dye my hair black <2009> get M1 motorcycle license <2010> get M2 motorcycle license <2010> fly a helicopter <2010> meet Sue Johanssen <2010> buy my own place <2011> take a course in Sanskrit <2011> practice ashtanga yoga in Moscow with authorized teachers <2011> watch a sunrise and a sunset in the same day <2011> complete a 10-day silent meditation retreat <2011> watch Pulp Fiction <2011> get my eyebrow pierced <2012> go to a movie by yourself <2012> feel comfortable dancing <2013> participate in a flashmob <2013> see a Cirque du Soleil show <2013> see Jesus Christ Superstar musical <2014> visit a drive-in movie theatre <2014> eat local (100 miles) for a month <2015> watch a movie at TIFF <2015> participate in a free hugs campaign <2015, for my birthday!> have a dinner date over Skype shave my head <2016> sleep under the stars <2016, that time at a bus shelter in nicaragua, 2016> throw a large family picnic <2016> get married <2016> attend a Toast Masters meeting <2017> write poetry every day for a week <2017> test drive Subaru STI <2017> attend a poetry slam <2017> attend a religious house of every major religion (Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism) attend an Indian wedding buy a bonsai tree <2017> dive off a cliff crowd surf dress up as Trinity for Halloween <2017> experience zero gravity get a dog get a short haircut <2017> get a tattoo get my fortune read <2017> shoot (a) gun(s) milk a cow organize a flashmob give a TED talk participate in Caribana parade ride a horse really fast meet Dan Savage set a world record take a picture with my best friend in a photobooth volunteer at animal shelter act in a play attend a live UFC fight have a child watch everything by Aaron Sorkin get a too-expensive pair of beige pumps have a boudoir photoshoot have a custom action hero doll made train my dog to understand commands in Russian and hand signals LEARN learn to write haikus <2013> take a creative writing course <2012> attend TED conference - York TEDx <2013> study with Natalie Goldberg read Darwin's Origin of Species read the main works of the Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse play Moonlight sonata on piano learn enough Hindi to get around learn the Canadian anthem by heart learn to play/sing 10 songs by heart on a guitar take an IQ test take a defensive driving course become conversational in Italian take a bartending class get a PhD/MFA be able to tell a merlot from a shiraz learn to change a tire develop a consistent meditation practice take Intro to Buddhism course at Tushita Centre in Dharmsala, India make peace with boredom take improv or writing classes at Second City <2018> learn to solve a Rubik's Cube attend a church service that feels like a party take a wine class TRAVEL go to Oktoberfest in Waterloo, ON - second largest in the world <2009> float in Dead Sea, Israel <2010> run in a desert <2010, half marathon in israel> ride an elephant 2011, saw one in the wild, and didn't want to ride one any more] go to Mysore, India to study yoga <2011> fly first class <2011> see white nights in St. Petersburg, Russia <2011> spend a night on a yacht with a bedroom [ 2011] go to New York for a weekend, race and check out the best vegetarian restaurants <2011> go on a girl road trip <2012> go on a road trip without a preset destination <2012> go on a road trip to Kripalu Yoga Centre in MA, USA <2012> explore Toronto's Chinatown <2012> explore Toronto's Little India <2013> go to the Bata Show museum in Toronto <2013> go to Burning Man <2013> visit Mount Rushmore in South Dakota <2013> go to San Franscisco and walk across the Golden Gate bridge <2013 - drove across, 2015 - ran across> visit Vancouver <2014> eat pizza at the oldest pizzeria in Naples, Italy <2014> lean on the Leaning Tower of Pisa <2014> see an active volcano <2015, sat on the crater edge of an active volcano in 2016> go on a solo camping trip and read Thoreau's Walden <2015, did that while living in a hut on an island in nicaragua - good enough!> Maid of the Mist, Niagara Falls <2015> watch a Shakespeare play in Stratford, ON <2015> see ballet at The Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow <2016> go to Hermitage in St. Petersburg <2016> see something weird in Portland - yes, it's a reference to Portlandia! <2016> take a working road trip <2016> take Italian to Russia <2016> go on a West Coast road trip go on a "Europe" trip in Ontario - Paris, London, Brussels.. meh, got my share of small Ontario towns visit the towns of Marathon, ON and Sparta, ON visit all Ontario breweries shifted attention to wine! :) drink Primitivo wine in Puglia, Italy <2017> eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant <2017> go on a coast to coast Canada road trip almost," but="but" not="not" quite...="quite..." drove="drove" from="from" Toronto="Toronto" to="to" Calgary in="Calgary in" 2013,="2013," Vancouver="Vancouver" TO="TO" in="in" 2017;="2017;" next="next" up="up" east="east" coast="coast"> visit every Canadian province (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland/Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) visit every US state (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississipi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, District of Columbia) set foot on each of the seven continents (Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia) jump at the world's highest bungee (so far jumps in India, Russia and Canada, highest jump approx. 80m) ride a motorcycle from Manali to Leh, India - highest passable road in the world stay in Varanasi during monsoon ride a toy train in India ride the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia see Lake Baikal run in Kenya see a whale see Northern lights go to Iceland for my honeymoon go on a yoga retreat/massage course in Thailand go hang gliding over the Grand Canyon walk across the desert trek the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal solo skip winter use a fancy toilet in Japan visit a coffee farm in Ethiopia go to Purple Valley Yoga Centre in Goa, India ride a Vespa in Rome spend a layover in a fancy business lounge stay at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity TRY snorkeling white water rafting taking hip hop lessons <2010> indoor rock climbing <2011> bungee jumping <2011, jumped in india, russia and canada since> orienteering <2012> improv <2013> parcour <2014> a Polar bear dip <2016> surfing <2016, in costa rica> Tai Chi aerial yoga Capoeira circus training krav maga doing stand-up comedy hunting CREATE create my personal website <2012, www.solovieva.com=">www.solovieva.com"> start a blog <2012> bake pie from scratch <2012> make bread <2010> get blog professionally designed <2013> start my own business <2013> get to 100 Likes on my athlete Facebook page <2013> make Indian curry <2012> see my article in print <2013> read at least 12 books a year <2014,=">2014,"> get to 1,000 Likes on my athlete Facebook page <2014, reached 2,500 in 2015> raise at least $1,000 for charity <2014> write a paid article for a magazine <2015> reach 100,000 views in a year on my blog <91,000 in 2014, 103,000 in 2015> get my nutrition coaching certification <2015, l2 precision nutrition> pay off debt <2016> get paid to speak <2016> have a logo designed <2016> make Ukranian borscht <2017> create a tradition <2017> read a graphic novel be interviewed on CBC radio write a book write a fictional short story participate complete 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo plant a Siberian birch grow a spice garden design a personal day retreat and carry it out redesign my personal website bake bread without supervision <2018> perform at an open mic take a Think Week (like Bill Gates) MOVE teach a yoga class <2010> go skydiving tandem <2010> complete yoga teacher training <2010> practice yoga on top of a mountain <2011> practice yoga on a beach <2011> get a running gait assessment <2012> have a fitness photoshoot <2012> get under 20% body fat <2012> meet New Year's running <2012> do at least a month of CrossFit <2013> do 20 double-unders in a row <2013, reached 70 in a row> learn to chop wood <2013> do 10 kipping pull-ups in a row <2014, did 15 in a row!> do one pull-up with 45lb weight <2014, two pull-ups; one pull-up with 53lb in 2015> do the SkyWalk around CN tower <2015> overhead squat 100lb <2015> learn how to throw a spear <2015> do a handstand push-up <2016> do a muscle up (2016, bar muscle-up in 16.3!) participate in a powerlifting competition <2016> snatch 100lb (practicing with 55lb in 2014, 85lb in 2015, 115lb in 2016) participate in a CrossFit competition <2016, and omg - 2010?> participate in an olympic lifting competition <2017> bench press my own body weight (120lb in 2014, 125lb in 2015, 147lb in 2016) complete a beep test complete Fran workout Rx sport a 6-pack (long enough to snap a picture!) learn a flip turn in swimming go skydiving solo deadlift 300lb (250lb in 2016, current max = 280lb) participate in CrossFit Games do one ring muscle up dance on stage again learn to dance salsa learn contemporary dance hike the Grand Canyon Rim To Rim To Rim RACE run a 5k <2009, pride 5k> run a 10k <2009> run a half marathon <2010, ottawa army run> complete a Warrior Dash <2010> complete a Super Spartan race <2011> complete a try-a-tri <2011> complete a Sprint distance triathlon <2012> complete a Spartan Beast <2012> complete a Spartan Trifecta <2012> complete a Spartan Ultra Beast <2012> complete a Goruck Challenge <2012> complete a Tough Mudder <2012, did two laps> complete three laps of Tough Mudder complete a Spartan Hurricane Heat <2013> complete Spartan Death Race <2013> complete an Olympic distance triathlon <2013> participate in Run for the Toad relay trail race <2013> run a night race <2012> run a race in the rain <2012> run Chilly Half Marathon (PR) <2013> run Around the Bay 30k race <2013> run a marathon <2013> participate in an adventure race <2014> win a race <2014, mudhero toronto, 1st female, baby!> run an ultra marathon <2014> run a happy ultra marathon <2015> participate in obstacle race outside of Canada/US <2015> run the Great Canadian Death Race <2015, team relay, legs 1, 3 and 5> DNF a race <2015, twice :)> participate in OCR World Championships <2015> run a burpee free Spartan Race <2015> participate in BattleFrog Race <2016> run a race barefoot <2016> participate in Ragnar relay <2017> participate in a time-based race <2017> complete a century bike ride complete a half IRONMAN complete an IRONMAN participate in Sahara Race participate in UK Tough Guy run a sub-20 5k run a sub-40 10k participate in a mountain bike race run a trail race in Italy run the entire course of the Great Canadian Death Race (leg 1, leg 2, leg 3, leg 4, leg 5) finish a Survival Run run Sinister 7 Ultra in the Alberta Rockies run Fat Dog Trail Race in British Columbia see how long it takes me to hike up to the top of the Grouse Grind <2017> run across a country do an ultra in Siberia EVERY YEAR come up with the word of the year write my personal mission statement check off a bucket list item on January 1st read at least 12 books <41 in 2017> visit at least one new country <2014 - italy, 2015 - nicaragua, 2016 - costa rica, 2017 - vatican> make a difference in someone's life <2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017> Anything cool that I have missed? What else do you think should be on my list? Can you steal from this list? Absolutely. I would be only flattered. Liked this post? Read why you should have a bucket list, how I add/remove items to the list, and 30 things a woman should do before turning 30. Hugs, SOLO

As obstacle racing events go, there was one race that seemed to have passed under the radar of our attention. The third ever Spartan Ultra Beast, taking place in Australia, came and went without the usual fanfare that accompanies the handing out of glow-in-the-dark medals. Even Obstacle Racing Media did not talk about it. It’s almost as if… it didn’t happen! Here’s one scene from this completely fictional event. MEANWHILE IN AUSSIELAND by Solo ----------------------------------------------------------------- CAST OF CHARACTERS DAVE HUCKLE, a 33-year old obstacle racer, founder of the Weeple Army, the largest Spartan Race team JOHNNY WAITE, International Quality Control Manager at Spartan Race, and the sweetheart of the sport PAUL BUIJS, a 36-year old New Yorker, founder of Mud and Adventure ALEX MULVIHILL, a 27-year old Aussie obstacle racer and Crossfitter, who keeps making OCR podium despite her asthma MELISSA ROBERTSON, an Aussie obstacle racer, and 1st female in the Sydney Ultra Beast SETTING: Sydney, Australia TIME: November 2, 2013 SCENE 1 As racers are still finishing up, DAVE, JOHNNY, PAUL, ALEX and MELISSA congregate not too far from the finish line, with huge medals hanging around their necks, some with a beer in hand. JOHNNY: (wiping his face with a towel) And done! How long was each lap? DAVE: I didn’t have a GPS, but it was under 13 miles each loop. It felt like somewhere between 22-24 total miles instead of 26.2. ALEX: (joining the group) How did you guys go? DAVE: Just under 10 hours. I ran the whole thing with JOHNNY, so we waited for each other to do burpees when the time came. JOHNNY: I am always just in it for the experience and don’t worry too much about placing. Unlike Melissa over here. Am I right? (winking at MELISSA) MELISSA: Haha. I was pretty happy with coming first, that’s for sure. DAVE: How long did it take? MELISSA: Well, the results are up already. (glances over DAVE’s shoulder on the results board) Took me 6 hours and 13 minutes. PAUL: (incredulously) Seriously? The results are up? I love Australian Spartan Race! Did everyone finish? ALEX: Well, I know that 105 racers started - 96 men and 9 women. MELISSA: Yeah, 1 guy DNFed. PAUL: Holy moly, only 9 women? MELISSA: Let me tell ya, the line-ups at the girls bathroom were not an issue. ALEX: For once! (laughing) JOHNNY: (examining the results) The fastest finish time was 4 hours and 50 minutes. Holy shit! It took Pak over eight and a half hours to complete the Vermont Ultra Beast. MELISSA: Yeah, and Morgan, the first female in Vermont’s Ultra was out there for eleven and a half hours! Our course was definitely shorter. ALEX: Were any of you guys at Vermont Championship? JOHNNY: I was there in 2012 and 2013, but could not participate, as I was running the Team Death Race. DAVE: Right! I remember those poor guys doing burpees out in the parking lot in the middle of the night. Pouring rain and all. PAUL: I was signed  up for both the Beast and the Ultra Beast in Vermont, but the Beast kicked my butt so bad, I didn’t even toe the start line for the Ultra. MELISSA: Sydney can’t match Vermont for its terrain, so we make up for it with the heat! (smiles) Besides, many standard obstacles were harder. Monkey bars were much thicker, and none of the rope climbs had knots. ALEX: Today the terrain was an obstacle in itself! It was so dry and dusty. PAUL: Yeah, the terrain was hilly, but not ski resort hilly. And my lips were dry and cracked the whole time! (turning to Melissa) So you were in Vermont? ALEX: She came 15th in the Saturday Beast Elite wave! MELISSA: (nods) I definitely found Vermont to be the harder. DAVE: Well, I thought this course was the best laid out Beast course I have done. The terrain was rough and rugged and the course designer used it extremely effectively. JOHNNY: (also nodding emphatically) Nonstop hills! It was always up or down, and uneven footing most of the way. DAVE: I loved the water obstacles, but the Herculean Hoist and the Dead Ball were the most challenging for me. I'm no beefcake. PAUL: I know! I’m not sure how heavy that kettlebell was, but I gave it a strong tug, and the damn thing wouldn’t budge. And I’m strong for my 150 pounds. JOHNNY: I loved it all! Although I had trouble with the second round rope climbs, as I used all arms and they were fried. ALEX: (exasperated) And can you believe that damn sandbag carry? JOHNNY: Yes! Crazy steep through bushwhacking! ALEX: (explains) Thistle plants. And bindies were those sharp prickly ones. PAUL: The sandbag carry sucked! Then again, it’s amazing how much experience plays into it - after that epic sandbag carry at Vermont, I was able to complete this section without putting the bag down once. (pauses to reflect) I hated the long barbed wire crawl more! ALEX: (nodding) It was pretty much gravel by the second lap. And rolling made me nauseous, so I dragged myself on my side and on my back. PAUL: And we had to do two laps! So the first time it was brutal because of the sun, and the second time around, it was frustrating  trying to maneuver around all the people from the non-elite beast waves. JOHNNY: It WAS really hot. Over 35 Celsius. Not Vermont temperatures. DAVE: You Canadians, and your strange metric system! JOHNNY: (jokingly punching DAVE in the shoulder) WE are strange? You know Aussies use Celsius too, right? MELISSA: 35 Celsius is about 95 Fahrenheit. ALEX: The fact that they ran out of water at the aid stations really did not help. My bladder was empty at one point and I got very worried. Thankfully, we ended up getting boxes of sports drink at all the obstacles. DAVE: What I loved was the way the Australian Spartan races use water obstacles. I did the Brisbane Super earlier in the year and they used lots of natural water obstacles there too. JOHNNY: I loved all the water and mud. So much mud! ALEX: (laughing) Yeah, the flies must have loved that too. DAVE: Would you guys do anything differently? ALEX: Ha! I would have definitely done more hill training. As a trail runner, I was at ease on trails, but wasn’t used to so many hills. I walked 60-70% of the course. PAUL: I wore my Salomon Sense Ultra’s, and given the inclines and mud pits, I think I may have been better off with FellCross. MELISSA: (turning to DAVE, JOHNNY and PAUL) Will we see you in Australia next year? DAVE: Sure, why not! I never miss an opportunity to visit Exmouth. PAUL: I’m definitely open to the idea. I much prefer the hot to the cold. ALEX: I am contemplating doing the Vermont Beastin 2014. It’d be cool to get my Trifecta over in US next year. JOHNNY: Well, I’m focusing on the super long distances next year, but I’d definitely do this one again. The Aussies do it right!!! MELISSA: (smiling) They do, indeed. Something tells me Aussies will do it right again at the upcoming WTM2013. My bet is on Deanna. PAUL: (shaking his head) Amelia Boone will be back to defend her title. MELISSA: (shrugging) You never know.. Things often change last minute JOHNNY: So what do you say, guys? Same time, same place, next year? ALL TOGETHER: Aroo! Group hugs at the end, and heads out to get another beer. THE END ----------------------------------------------------------------- P.S. Read Melissa Robertson’s Ultra Beast race report here and another one written by Bec Grimwood here. Those interested in the Sydney Beast, here’s a race recap for you: YOUR TURN: Did the Ultra Beast Sydney really happen? Are we forgetting that there’s more to obstacle racing than just North America? Hoo roo, mates - love you heaps, Solo

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey is the best selling brand of protein powder at Bodybuilding.com, which is how I found this powder initially. I never had a reason to go to any other brand. PROS1. LOW IN FAT, LOW IN CARBOHYDRATES Before you bite my head off, and tell me how carbohydrates are not evil, hear me out. I like my supplements separate, so I can mix and match. So in my protein powder, I want - protein. Best quality, pure protein. The other two are easy enough to get from food. The nutrition label is flavour specific. Let’s take a look at the one for Vanilla Ice Cream flavour. . However, I maintain that adding carbohydrates to your protein shake is really easy. Fruit is an easy way to do that. However, if you are looking for a stronger carb punch, they won’t be calorie dense enough. In which case, add oats to the liquid, and let it sit for few minutes, then blend. The oats get soggy quickly, and add thickness to the smoothie too.My default smoothie looks like this: 1 scoop of protein powder ½ banana 1-2 cups of spinach 1 tsp of peanut butter 1 cup of almond milk (or other milk) 1 cup of water 3-4 ice cubes And here’s what I could use between meals as a snack: 1 scoop of protein powder ½ cup of coffee ½ cup of almond milk 1 cup of water 5-6 ice cubes *Time-saving tip - freeze your coffee, and use coffee ice cubes instead. Brilliant, right? 2. (PRETTY) SIMPLE INGREDIENT LIST Protein powder is one of the few “processed” foods I consume on a regular basis. And yes, I’m a big fan of knowing what exactly goes into my body. This brand has no vitamins, green extracts, BCAAs or anything else added to it. And that’s the way I like it. Here is the ingredient list for Vanilla Ice Cream flavour: Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolates, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Peptides), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Lecithin, Acesulfame Potassium, Aminogen, Lactase This list is significantly shorter than the ingredient list on a typical vanilla ice cream box, let me tell ya. Now, you can always go even simpler. It’s called egg whites. So what the heck are all these things?Protein blend (Whey Protein Isolates, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Peptides). This is what we are buying. Check. More expensive protein powders would include an even simpler protein profile. For example, Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydrowhey (review coming soon!) lists Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolates as the only protein source. This product is 1.5 more expensive, and features other added nutrients as well as a longer ingredient list. Thus, you'd have to weigh the pros and cons - just like we are doing here! Natural and artificial flavours. Let’s be honest, whey protein isolates do not naturally taste like Vanilla Ice Cream.Lecithin. Emulsifier, which helps in mixing. Usually derived from eggs or soy. Check your candy bar ingredient list - this is what keeps cocoa and cocoa butter from separating. Aminogen. Patented digestive enzyme which breaks down the protein. It is often added to high quality protein powders. Lactase. Enzyme that breaks down lactose, sugar found in all dairy products. Those lacking lactase may experience symptoms of lactose intolerance, when consuming dairy. Lactase is the ingredient added to lactose free milk to aid digestion. Because whey is filtered many times, it actually has very little lactose (and very little carbohydrate). Therefore, most people with lactose intolerance will have no trouble digesting protein powders, however, lactase is often added, just in case. Acesulfame potassium. Artificial sweetener, commonly used in baking and carbonated drinks. 3. TASTE I loved the taste of this protein powder from the get go. There are loads of flavours to choose from. Although, if you check out the flavours of a typical protein powder, it’s almost like they have already tried all the flavours, and settled on the ten that seem to work. You’ll never see an Apple Cinnamon protein powder. Or Grape Explosion. I have tried: Chocolate Peanut Butter - my favorite one so far! Cinnamon Graham Cracker - ok. hope you like cinnamon. Double Rich Chocolate - this one did not blow me away, and I’d be interested in trying Extreme Milk Chocolate as well as White Chocolate and Chocolate Malt to compare French Vanilla Creme - a solid vanilla flavour, which goes well with pretty much anything If you have never bought a protein powder before, I’d recommend starting with a vanilla flavour, as it would most easily blend with any other ingredients you want to try. Anything very fruit specific - like Banana Cream or Delicious Strawberry, I personally would get sick of very quickly. I’m sticking with chocolate and coffee flavours. As for peanut butter… Well, you could put it into nail polish, and I’d be licking my fingers. 4. COST When it comes to cost per serving, this brand delivers some of the best bang for your buck that you can find on the market. As a rule, larger container size would yield cheaper protein powder, starting from $1.04 per servings for the smallest 453g container (15 servings) to 0.70 per servings for 2.2kg (80 servings) container. To compare, Gaspari Nutrition MyoFusion Probiotic Series Elite Athlete Protein Powder (holy moly long name!) is $0.90 per serving at the same size container. Although look at the prices carefully, because in case of Optimum Nutrition, 2.2kg is indeed the best deal. The mammoth packages of 4.5kg are a little bit more expensive. But those would probably be only practical if you have multiple protein drinkers in the family, or protein powder is your main food group. In which case, please drop me an email. You poor thing. CONS Let’s see. I’m a fan of this product, so this part will be difficult. 1. NOT VEGAN If you are vegan, this is not the protein powder for you, but then you knew that already. :) 2. HARD TO ACCESS For my Canadian friends, this is either impossible to find in stores, or ridiculously overpriced once you do, so you are stuck with ordering this online. YOUR TURN: What is your favorite protein powder? Flavour? Why? Powered by protein, Solo

The first weekend of sunshine. People are slightly insane from joy - flipflops and all. Cyclists are back, and their jerseys are as tight as ever. And the start of the triathlon season is weeks away. For all triathletes and triathlete-to-bes out there - the race recap of my first Olympic triathlon that I completed in 2013. Does a costume give you superpowers? I’d like to believe that it does. Just ask any woman, wearing high heels and a miniskirt. And they don’t call it power suit, for no reason. Superpowers, I tell you. As I pick up my wetsuit rental on a Friday before my Olympic triathlon, it is black and orange. Orange is my lucky color, so I take it to be a good sign. My memories of the first time in a wetsuit are far from favorable. After a friend suggested that I go for medium, I decided to play it safe and go for large, only to have to squeeze into an X-large twenty humiliating minutes later. Lots of huffing and puffing, I pulled and tugged, and squeezed, and pulled some more. The result was a cross between Catwoman and italian sausage, with a heavy (ha!) emphasis on the latter. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are definitely upsides to a wetsuit. For example, neoprene does wonders for cellulite. Adds buoyancy to the potentially brick-like extremities. The dolphin skin fabric even makes pot bellies look adorable. Just add doggie paddling, and you could practically squeal from tenderness. Fortunately, Friday’s wetsuit experience was much more positive. I knew what to expect, and the Catwoman / Italian sausage quotient shifted somewhat in the direction of the former. I did my very first triathlon at a week’s notice in 2011. It was a Try-a-Tri at Toronto Island - swim 250m, bike 10km, and run 2.5km. (Thanks, Goss!) When I saw the race gear list, I thought they were joking. A bike helmet? What’s next? Knee pads? Goggles? Why would you swim with goggles? You can’t see anything! As I’m packing for this event (two years later), at least there are no surprises. SWIM The swim takes place along the river. It is essentially one extra wide and extra (extra!) long pool lane. Swim down with the current, swim up - against. I dare someone to pull a negative split on this one. Getting into a wetsuit only takes a couple of minutes. I’m getting better at this Catwoman thing. Triathletes are already warming up, doing laps across the river. I go in, mostly to get the “getting wet and cold” part over with. To my surprise, it’s not at all cold in the suit. My god, I want one of these. Not for triathlons. No, I want one in general. To wear to the swimming pool. Or cocktail parties. I also feel as light as Tinkerbell. As I lie back in the water, the suit supports my weight, as my feet peep out of the water. This is freaking amazing! I definitely want one of these. I may take two hours to do this damn swim, but at least I will not drown. Sweet! According to Coach Mike, it’s almost a tradition to... you know... warm up the wetsuit before the race. Of course, he could have been joking, and I just made a total fool out of myself. Meh. Won’t be the first time (or last). My first time peeing in a wetsuit. I feel like a triathlete already. Although I gotta say, triathlete pride aside, I'm not a fan. That warm feeling slowly spreading around your stomach is just fucking weird. A cute quaint river feels much cozier than an open lake, that’s for sure. I still remember the 500m I had to swim in an off-road triathlon, when it was chilly and windy. The water keeps slapping you in the face, as if offended at your constant pummeling. I see the sky few times. This is in literal, rather than metaphorical sense - I actually turn over onto my back and see the sky. When I see the green turn-around buoy, I cannot believe my eyes. We get to turn around? I was mentally ready to swim two, three times longer than we already had, before we got to come back. I touch the bottom twice with my foot, and both times pull it away so quickly you’d think the bottom was burning hot. “I am swimming this distance, damn it!”, I think to myself. A big sign of success - not a single guy/girl in a canoe attempts to save me today. One looks directly at me, and not even a glimpse of concern registers on his face. Ladies and gentlemen, apparently I no longer look like I’m drowning when I swim. Who would have thought? BIKE I expect this part to be slow and uncomfortable. In fact, I make peace with the fact that I will probably spend a good two hours in the saddle. The bike is borrowed from a friend, who uses different pedals, and so, I am destined to make the ultimate faux pas of the triathlon and ride in my running shoes. I rip off the wetsuit, but then take my time to get dressed. T-shirt, running crops, socks, running shoes (yep, no clips). The bike course in two words: Scenic. Long. The pallette is white, green and yellow. White - flowers, road markings, clouds. Green - leaves, grass, trees. Yellow - sun, deer warning signs. Goss later said she was incredibly relieved to see me smiling on course. It was a hilly one. I went into the bike portion, expecting to be slow and uncomfortable. The ride was... well, slow and uncomfortable. And I was quite comfortable with that. I was fully prepared to spend two hours in the saddle. Hence, the smiling. I may have been (gasp!) enjoying the ride. As the lead cyclists are coming back, I’m still figuring out how to shift gears. They fly by. Black disk wheels, and aero helmets, each one is like cross between a Dementor and a freight train. RUN The only body parts aware of the fact that I’m running are my eyes (thankfully!) and arms (helpful!). The legs have no idea. They are still spinning bike pedals, bored. I have no feedback from my lower body at all. I glance down, checking (per km) pace. 6:00 5:30 4:30 Whoa, too fast. Finally, six kilometers into the ten kilometer run, the legs wake up. They are fully aware now. And they don’t like it. “What the hell?”, they complain. “Come on, we are almost there!”, I shush. “That’s a total bullshit sentence, and you know it!” They are right. I know it. “Shut up and work. I’ll give you beer”. Legs seem intrigued, but not yet convinced. “What kind of beer?”, they wonder. “Cold kind”, I respond. “A craft brew. Something red.” “Fine”, they mumble and grudgingly oblige. I pick up the pace in the last 500m, and sprint towards the finish, passing a woman in front of me. And that’s it. Another bucket list item done! I am an Olympic triathlon finisher. I covered 51.5km of distance today, using my body (as well as a sheet of neoprene and two wheels). I swam for 1.5km, biked for 40km, and ran for 10km. In a row. As in... one after another. Without stopping. That’s pretty impressive, if I say so myself. That shit takes superpowers. *Race Firsts: my first Olympic triathlon my longest solo bike ride the first time I peed in a wet suit the longest I have ever swam freestyle first triathlon I used my Suunto Ambit2 YOUR TURN: Do you remember your first triathlon? Your first 5k? Your first obstacle race? What are some of your memorable race firsts? Liked this post? Read about my first ultra marathon and how I've never run an easy race.  Your favourite tri-baby, SOLO

I have written about my favourite rock opera, Jesus Christ SuperStar before. Yet, the Gethsemane scene came to mind once again recently, as the ultimate portrayal of torturous self-doubt and sheer necessity of faith.This is the culmination of the rock opera, as Jesus comes to Gethsemane garden in Jerusalem to pray the night before the crucifixion. Glen Carter, 2000 Listening to the monologue in full, I realize Jesus could have been one of my clients, trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, to eat better, to lose weight, or to gain muscle (or in this specific case, to decide whether to allow others to nail him to the cross or not). Initial enthusiasm is gone, and the prospect of being nailed to the cross does not seem as lucrative. And, quite frankly, it sounds like a hassle. He is not convinced. Where’s the guarantee that he would get results? 1. He talks about his waning motivation… I have changed I’m not as sure As when we started Then I was inspired Now I’m sad and tired 2. He doubts whether doing as he is told would make any difference… Why I should die Would I be more noticed Than I ever was before? Would the things I’ve said and done Matter any more? 3. He wants proof before he fully commits… Can you show me now That I would not be killed in vain? 4. He’s tried everything else… After all I’ve tried for three years Seems like ninety Big things require faith. You will not always have the answers. You do not always get to know why. You have to believe first. You have to leap. You have to trust. Yet, it is scary as shit. So, you question. You waver. You wonder. You worry. It may not be easy. It may not be fair. But that’s how faith works. I hope you can believe. [It’s not like you are contemplating potential crucifixion here]. Hugs, SOLO *I cannot decide if I like the original 1973 version by Ted Neeley better. What about you? FULL TEXT: I only want to say If there is a way Take this cup away from me For I don’t want to taste its poison Feel it burn me, I have changed I’m not as sure As when we started Then I was inspired Now I’m sad and tired Listen surely I’ve exceeded Expectations Tried for three years Seems like thirty Could you ask as much From any other man? But if I die See the saga through And do the things you ask of me Let them hate me, hit me, hurt me Nail me to their tree I’d want to know I’d want to know my God I’d want to see I’d want to see my God Why I should die Would I be more noticed Than I ever was before? Would the things I’ve said and done Matter any more? If I die what will be my reward? If I die what will be my reward? I’d have to know I’d have to know my Lord Why, why should I die? Oh, why should I die? Can you show me now That I would not be killed in vain? Show me just a little Of your omnipresent brain Show me there’s a reason For your wanting me to die You’re far too keen on where and how But not so hot on why Alright I’ll die! Just watch me die! See how, see how I die! Oh, just watch me die! Then I was inspired Now I’m sad and tired After all I’ve tried for three years Seems like ninety Why then am I scared To finish what I started What you started I didn’t start it God thy will is hard But you hold every card I will drink your cup of poison Nail me to your cross and break me Bleed me, beat me Kill me, take me now Before I change my mind

Most of us are conditioned to associate palm trees and water with vacations. But, the joys of working remotely means that for me it is just another day at the “office”. Just with a much (MUCH!) nicer background. Here is what my typical day looks like. I wake up between 4.30am and 5.30am (without an alarm! who the hell IS this person?). It remains dark until 6am, so I work or read in my room until it starts to get light out, or head down to the beach (which is about 20 steps away) to watch the sunrise. Hens and dogs keep me company. By the time the sun comes up, it’s about 6.15am. I go back to my room. I can count the items in the room on one hand – bed, table, chair, waste basket, and a fan. Spartan living, anyone? Other modern luxuries (in addition to a fan) include one electrical outlet. It’s loose, and does not actually support my laptop charger’s weight, so I use a little velcro strap to hold up the charger, as I charge my laptop overnight. The windows are cut into the stone, and do not have glass, just thick wooden doors that mostly stay shut – otherwise, bugs fly in – and keep out daylight. I head out for a run along the road that hugs the island. The lake stays mere steps to my left (or my right, if I run in the opposite direction) the entire time. Other days, I do a strength workout on the beach. I return 30 to 45 minutes later, sweaty, but satisfied. It is starting to get hot. I jump in the shower (or the lake!). The shower is a glorified name for an outhouse that has a toilet and a tap with cold water. [Well, 70% of the time it has cold water. 30% of the time, it does not have water of any kind. But there is always the lake.] On the island, you only get hot water in “fancy” hotels. Cold shower actually feels pretty amazing after a run. Yes, yes – I sound like a convert. But apparently cold shower HAS to come with +30C temperatures, or I’m out. I change, guzzle some water, get my work bag, and head over to a cafe nearby that has an internet connection. Breakfast is usually eggs and gallo pinto – a local mixture of red beans and rice, and coffee. Other days, I throw something together in an outdoor kitchen hut on the property where I live. There is no fridge, so anything that requires refrigeration is out of question. However, there is a gas stove and a wood stove inside, as well as a cutting board a knife or two, few plates and utensils. There is even a rusty grater. And it turns out that boiling water in a frying pan is not as awkward as it sounds, and that Starbucks VIA instant coffee is better that most coffee you can get on the island. I work until lunch time, then head home to put together a meal. Lunch is often local tomatoes (one of the few vegetables available locally) and some sort of canned fish for protein. The latter you can buy in purperia (local little food kiosk) for about $1.20 a can. It’s overpriced, as I can get it for less than a $1 in Canada, but it works in a pinch as a cheap meal. I try to make at least one meal a day by myself to save a bit on eating out. Some snacks and essentials I brought from Canada – a biggish ziploc with mixed nuts, BCAAs, few Clif bars, hemp seeds and Starbucks instant coffee packs. After lunch, I work offline for few hours. Surprisingly, a lot of work can (and probably should) be done off-line. I can respond to emails and reach out to clients offline, with just enough planning, and simply send everything off once I have an internet connection. It starts to cool off at about 4pm. I have another 1.5 hours of solid sunlight. This is a great time to get some more movement in. While here on the island, I realized that I actually feel much better if I move more than once a day, not just sit in front of a computer all day and have one workout at the end of the day – which is what I would usually do home in Canada. My “gym” consists of three resistance bands and a lacrosse ball. And all the rocks I want. Everything I need for a strength routine. The lake – for swimming, the beach – for yoga. So. Many. Options. After the workout, change (if I swim, I do not bother with the shower), and head out to have dinner. Here I can send off any emails or any work that I completed off line, post a blog post for the next day, and connect with family and friends. I head back home around 8 or 9pm, and fall asleep by 10pm after reading 15 pages or so from Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Yes, the book about living in the middle of the forest and minimalism. Yes, I know. The irony is intentional. Buenos noches, amigos. YOUR TURN: Did the above sound like paradise? Or hell on earth? Liked this post? Check out Nicaragua in two words, and my reflections on Milan. Hugs, SOLO

Previously, I have talked about what to do when your female friends do not support your racing, how to balance it all, and whether OCR is a good way to meet women. This week, Chicked Nation asks: #DearSolo, I am in need of some advice. I have done a few OCRs this past year, including two Spartans and want to Trifecta next year. I am also deaf on the course – I wear hearing aids but can’t wear them due to water obstacles when racing. I do mean deaf – I cannot hear a thing when racing. Is there any way that deaf or other types of “handicapped” racers identify themselves to race staff, volunteers and other racers? I try to run with a group but this is not always possible. Do you have any suggestions or do you know how other deaf/impaired racers handle this? Hearing impaired runners may not have too many issues running road races, as there is no water involved (ok, it may rain, but you are definitely not swimming in a lake), and other racers are usually more aware of other runners who do not hear due to the widespread of headphones and running with music. Obstacle races present a unique challenge – large crowds, full submersion in water, and the need to understand instructions from volunteers at various obstacles. I reached out to my friend, Pam, who is a hearing impaired runner, obstacle racer and a badass chick all around. Pam has completed two Tough Mudders this year as part of Operation Light Within. Here are some of our suggestions: 1. Try to run with a guide. Notice this is different from running with a team. The guide is there for you, and only you. Ideally, a guide is someone who ran with you before, however, someone with obstacle racing experience and willingness to help will do just fine! It helps if your guide is somewhat faster than you, in case, there is ever a need to run ahead and scope out the course. 2. Race early. To avoid the largest crowds and line-ups at obstacles, race early in the day, and late in the weekend. For races with multiple waves, race early in the day. If the race takes place on Saturday and Sunday – Sunday event tends to be more chilled out. 3. Use touch for communication. As you won’t be wearing your hearing aids during the race, chat with your guide prior, and ask them to use touch to get your attention instead. A gentle tap on the shoulder can act as a signal. Or, your guide can squeeze your hand to let you know to speed up or to slow down. Instruct your guide to look directly at you, when they are talking to you during the race, so you can read their lips. 4. Identify yourself as a hearing impaired runner. Wearing a racing bib that identifies you as a “hearing impaired runner” is helpful for other racers and volunteers. An awesome bonus is all the support and high fives you will get on the course! You can get “blind runner”, “visually impaired runner”, “hearing impaired runner” and other bibs through Achilles International or a similar organization. Your guide can also identify himself/herself by wearing a bib “guide runner”, informing other racers that they are guiding someone. YOUR TURN: Do you have a friend or loved one who is hearing impaired? Are they physically active? Any tips or tricks that you would suggest? Happy obstacle course racing! Hugs, #DearSolo ******************* #DearSolo is a weekly advice column I launched after becoming of the admins for Chicked Nation, one of the largest online obstacle racing communities with over 15,000 members. Think Dear Abby, but SO MUCH COOLER. So, if you have a question about obstacle racing – hit me up. Leave a comment, use Contact Me form on this website, tag me on Facebook or Twitter, just remember to use hashtag #DearSolo.

“Girl Runner” by Carrie Snyder is one of the highlighted books about running in Canadian fiction that came out in 2014. Written from the perspective of Aganetha Smart, a 104-year old woman in a nursing home, who receives a couple of unexpected visitors. Aganetha may not look like a runner now, but she has an Olympic medal and a nickname Golden Girl in her past. The novel is punctuated with obituaries, as we witness Aganetha’s loved ones die one after another. It’s a quick read, and it ends with a satisfying twist. Snyder’s timeline is sometimes confusing, but confusing on purpose, demonstrating the mastery of weaving in and out of present, and back into the past. I have previously written about what to do if your female friends do not support your racing. Snyder explores another aspect of female friendship in her book – if I beat my friend in a race, do I put our friendship in jeopardy? Yet my favourite aspect of the book are the many references to running, just running. Running as a way to think, running as a way to work, running as a way to escape, running as a way to exist. HERE ARE MY TOP 10: 1. You do what you do until you’re done. You are who you are until you’re not. 2. It is too late to change tactics, to go wide around the trouble, to save my best burst of speed for the final stretch. There’s no starting this race over again. And I still run. I run and I run, without rest, as if even now there is time and purpose and I will gain, at last – before my spool of silence unwinds – what I’ve yet to know. 3. I’m so sure of myself, of this track I’m on. I’m sure it will be as easy as muscles on fire and gritted teeth and learning to take the corners, as easy as responding to commands, as easy as running itself, which comes easily for me even when it is rough and painful and grim. I could run another lap right now, I know it. I could run until sundown, just like I said. I know I can’t be spent. 4. I am lost, I am running, lost in the running. My feet in my sneakers are damp with snow and sweat, not cold, though my hands are so chilled and stiff that I have to press them into my armpits, which makes my stride awkward. I pick my way carefully, reminding myself to take caution: roots, stones, invisible patches of ice. Hands thawed, or thawed enough, I swing my arms for balance and pick up pace, finding a rhythm that is familiar, two strides per breath, in and out, tap tap tap like a metronome. 5. The appearance of perfection does not interest me. It is the illumination of near-disaster beside which we all teeter, at all times, that interests me. It is laughing in the face of what might have been, and what is not. 6. I never ran because I was strong, if you see what I’m saying. It wasn’t strength that made me a runner, it was the desire to be strong. I ran for courage. 7. I don’t respond well to winning. I need to run from behind. I need to tell myself a story in which I’m not the best or the favourite, and no one is watching me too closely – no one believes I can win. The other story doesn’t work for me. 8. “I am not fast enough”, I say, and recognize the truth in it. It strikes me that the truth should make me sadder than it does. Instead, I feel unexpectedly freed. No more races. I can do something else instead. 9. When I am running I inhabit and exit my body in the same moment. I bear witness to the harshest of physical sensations, even while I feel myself flying free and away. And, finally, my favourite: 10. I’ve lost myself inside the familiarity of pain. The discipline of birth is similar to training and racing. Both are explorations of extremity, the sensation of leaving the physical self by means of pain. How can I explain? You give what you have in you to give. You may have more than you know, and you can only know how much, exactly, by slamming head-on against the limits of toleration. YOUR TURN: Which of the above quotes is YOUR favourite? Do you have a favourite running quote? Curled up with a book, SOLO Publisher’s Description: Girl Runner is the story of Aganetha Smart, a former Olympic athlete who was famous in the 1920s, but now, at age 104, lives in a nursing home, alone and forgotten by history. For Aganetha, a competitive and ambitious woman, her life remains present and unfinished in her mind. Book Details: Title: Girl Runner Published: 2014 Author: Carrie Snyder Category: Fiction My Rating: 4 stars

Milan. I feel blasphemous even saying it, but… I kind of hate it. Milan smokes, wears high heels, skips breakfast and has a purse the price of my car. Milan and I seem to have very little in common. Even Duomo, the central cathedral of Milan, is gorgeous, edgy, sharp, leggy. It’s the fashionista of churches. Fashionista, I am not. I am comfortable in a gym. Any gym. Any CrossFit box or state of the art fitness centre, or dodgy neighbourhood garage with weights, or fancy upscale club with snobby trainers. Comfortable. At home. Know what I am doing. Look it. Act it. Feel it. As my best friend put it (in one of the best compliments I have ever received): “You can bring an eyelash curler to the gym, and nobody would question you, but rather ask how to use it”. In Milan, surrounded by high fashion and extra skinny mannequins, I am quite far outside of that comfort zone. And I wish I brought an eyelash curler. Too many options, too many people. Shoes – black, red, glittery. Lingerie – black, red, glittery. Purses. Sunglasses. Purses. Jewellery. Purses. Watches. My idea of luxury is a $500 GPS Suunto watch, currently decorating my wrist. This morning I decide to coordinate it with yellow, green and purple Salomon Scream runners. High fashion, bitches. Runner style. To be fair… Milan also talks. Talks a lot, and with her hands. Milan is opinionated. Milan is strong-willed. Maybe, we have more in common that I thought. And I have heard that the best gelato in the world can be indeed found here. In Milan. A little off the beaten path, but I am willing to make the trek. Since I’m not wearing high heels. YOUR TURN: Do you have a city that you did not exactly click with? Why? Why not? What about a city you clicked with instantly? Ciao, Solo

New Year’s resolutions have been out of fashion lately… Most people seem to take pride in NOT making any resolutions as another year comes around… I LOVE these!!! The self-experimenter in me is doing a little dance at an opportunity to start something new. (Not that you have to wait for January 1st to do that.) Yes, yes, most of the resolutions fail. I even coined the term “January 1st phenomenon”. The “I-will-change-myself-my-life-and-the-rest-of-the-world” attitude that strikes on the first day of every day. That’s kind of the problem. Too much too soon. I jumped on the wagon and joined 2013 365 Days of Fitness Challenge. From the event description: “The idea is to complete the basic list of exercises in the challenge everyday. If they are part of your WOD or other planned activities ( races, crossfit, etc…) they can count toward the challenge. If you can exceed the minimum by all means do so. […] If you need an easy day just do the minimum list of exercises. There are no rest days.” Here is the daily basic requirements for the challenge: run/walk 1 mile 25 sit-ups 25 pushups 25 burpees 25 squats 20 lunges (10 per leg) 75 jumping jacks 2 minute plank 2x 60 second wall sits You’ll notice that the workout is pretty short, and all body weight, which means it can be done ANYWHERE. Therefore, no excuses. It takes between 20 and 40 minutes to do, depending on your fitness level (and whether you sprint the mile or drag your feet like I did yesterday). I find most of these pretty easy, and I do not know if I will necessarily stick with these for an entire year, however, I thought it was a great way to kick off the year with some consistency. After few days, I find having to run/walk one mile each day most helpful, as it gets me moving. Wall sits are definitely the most difficult! Holy cow! Especially if you do them after a trail run (hi, Captain Craig!). I’ve also been replacing situps with crunches, just because those feel better on my back. Keep in mind that if you are just starting out, doing this every single day with no rest days may be quite intense. I find that breaking it up helps. For example, you could do half of the reps in the morning and half at night. You could also run a mile one day, and walk it the next day. A really nice side effect of this challenge is that once you start moving, it’s really easy to KEEP moving. Remember the reps and exercises posted are the minimum, and once you do 25 squats, what’s 25 more? I also really like adding jumping rope to this routine. I challenge you to try this one! Let me know how long did it take you, and how you felt in the comments. Signing off, Solo