Meredith - chloe+isabel

Let’s Talk About Dairy

As we enter the second week of training, I really want everyone to know why Farm Sanctuary is so important to me and why organizations such as this one need to exist.  There are so many aspects of animal agriculture and factory farming that are kept in the dark – and for good reason.  Paul McCartney once said “If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian.”  Well, as true as…

Last night, amid vegan sandwiches and fantastic company, Farm Sanctuary’s inaugural NYC Triathlon team officially kicked off training season!  Here we are: plant-based, powerful, and passionate folks who are ready to put in some serious training to benefit an organization that we hold very close to our hearts.   Terri, an “[a]iry fast-food joint offering carefully sourced, vegan & kosher spins on…

Guess Who’s Back?

Well, it’s been quite the hiatus but I am back and ready to train.  The wrist is fully healed, my legs are nice and rested, and I am antsy for another go in the Hudson.  Consider this my formal promise – in writing, no less – that I will be swimming, biking, and running (crawling?) my way to another New York City Triathlon finish line in July.  And you all get first row seats to my training!…

I can’t believe I am writing this but here we go: I had a little bike accident over the weekend and broke my left wrist in a pretty bad place (scaphoid) and fractured part of my right hand (trapezoid ridge).  Luckily the fracture in my right hand is too small to require immobilization but I have a cast on my left arm.  A giant purple cast.  Yup. What can I say – when I do something I do it big. …

Entering the Home Stretch!

18 days – thats it! In 18 days I will swim a mile in the Hudson River, ride 25 miles and run 6.2 in the NYC triathlon in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! And I am ready (for the most part- I do plan to get out on that bike a couple more times for some long rides. But THEN I’ll be ready!). Swimming isn’t nearly as concerning for me as it was last year; in fact, it might be my favorite…

Just about 6 weeks until the big day!!  It’s hard to believe that it’s coming up so quickly.  Crunch time is upon us, ladies and gents.  Time to begin panic mode or beast mode. Which one will it be? (Beast mode. Obviously ;-) ) So, remember that big swimming adventure I totally hyped up in my last post?  Well…. we didn’t go because the thunderstoms last weekend would have messed us up,  BUT we…

Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far.  Because of YOU I am 36% of the way to my fundraising goal of $5,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Because of YOU we are that much closer to finding a cure for cancer.  Because of YOU this lady – my grandma, my first dancing partner and swimming (among countless other activities) cheerleader – is still remembered and alive in our…

Little of This, Little of That

Yikes! It’s been a while since the last time I wrote! Don’t worry – my time has been training-filled and full of learning experiences. Since my last blog entry – the NYC Half – I have done 2 more half marathons! Last month was the More Shape Women’s Half Marathon, which was 2 laps around Central Park. Great race, boring route.  (I know, calling Central Park boring makes me sound like a brat, but…

A new training post on a Monday morning.  If that doesn’t brighten your day, I don’t know what will!! ;-)

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far – I really appreciate it – but I still have a long way to go.  Please don’t forget to visit my fundraising page (http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nyctri15/Meredith).  Every little bit helps the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society get one step closer…

It’s About That Time

Official kickoff for the Team in Training’s (TNT) NYC Triathlon team is in just about two weeks, which means one thing: the triathlon is just about 4 months away!!  While I cannot wait to jump into the Hudson again (and even more – I can’t wait to step out of the Hudson after!), I am excited for the opportunity to be able to once again fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).  Since…

Did you miss this?

Awwww yeah. It’s almost that time again! I woke up to this pretty little email yesterday:

Ok, time to stop slacking off.  Time to pick up where I ended in August.  Time to refocus and get back into training mode. It’s real. (Seriously – they charged my credit card for the entry fee yesterday.  If that doesn’t slap you in the face, make it real and force you feel that triathlete beast mode…

NYC Triathlon, Part 2: The madness

… And then the horn sounded.

Ok. Let’s do this, New York. Remember that TNT mantra: I am strong. I am alive. I will thrive. Not just survive.

Next thing I knew I was in the Hudson River. Leg one on the road to triathlete.

I am strong: The first 30 seconds or so were crowded, but people began to spread out pretty quickly and so there weren’t nearly as many close call encounters with other people’s…

NYC Triathlon (part 1): The Build Up

It took me a while to write this because I didn’t even know where to begin! The triathlon is over and I not only survived it, but had an amazing time doing it.  It was so much fun and I kind of can’t wait to start training for next year!!  The weekend started on Friday with the Team in Training Inspiration Dinner where we gathered together one last time and basically patted ourselves on the back…

T – 3 days

Today is Thursday, which means one thing: 3 days until the NYC Triathlon.  Three.  It doesn’t seem that long ago when it was three months away, when I was telling everyone “oh, it’s not until August” and feeling like that was a lifetime away.  I don’t know about you, but I am so excited. The hard work is over.  We’ve done what we could. We trained hard and for a cause. We went to practices,…

Coney Island, Take Two: Redemption

July 19 – the second open water swim with my Team in Training (TNT) crew. We all know about the first one and how that went, so – even though I swam great in the Hudsona few weeks ago – I started the trek to Coney Island that morning with an uneasy feeling in my stomach and nerves that were acting like I was on my way to the guillotine. I originally planned to meet some TNT folks and ride my bike…

4 Miles for Ian

What? You didn’t think I would let a couple weeks go by without doing another race, right?

Last Saturday morning, bright and early with 71% humidity, was the 4th annual Boomer’s Cystic Fibrosis Run to Breathe 4 mile run. Named for Boomer Eslason, an NLF Hall of Famer, this race originally started out as a 10k but has since been shortened so that more individuals with CF could participate.…

I Love That Dirty Water

Ok, so we all know that I’ve been stressing the swim part of this triathlon. And it’s definitely no surprise that the stress grew after the first open water swim last month. Since then I have been swimming a ton in the pool – usually before work. I feel great there, but every time I swim there is a nagging voice inside my head that reminds me the pool isn’t the Hudson River. Sure you can swim here