Boston Bruins and the City of Boston

I read a great article today about the Boston Bruins and all they do for our city. If you would like to read it, here is the link: http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2013/6/25/4461932/boston-bruins-stanley-cup-finals-year-didnt-suck-entirely-2013

I just wanted to add a few things. Everybody knows that Boston is a big sports city. We love our sports teams and our sports teams love us. We're pretty loyal; I mean, no offense to Cubs fans, but we've endured some pretty long droughts. After April 15, a lot of people knew life would never be the same again in the city. We didn't really know what to do or where to turn. And then, the Bruins started playing again. And, the city rallied around them. And we knew, that as long as the Bruins kept playing, we'd get that sense of normalcy back again. So sure, say that the Bruins exploited the event. But, the city knows they didn't. The city knows that they brought us back to a "normal" day when it seemed like there wouldn't be one. And the city knows that those men played their hearts out for us and truly showed everybody just how strong Boston is. So, thank you Bruins. Thanks for making it as far as you did. Thanks for shutting up the unruly and ungraceful fans in Toronto. Thanks for showing Lundqvist what a world class goalie looks like (Tuukka Time!!). Thanks for showing the penguins that defense is as important as offense. And thanks for showing Chicago what the heart of a hockey player looks like. We'll get 'em next season boys. For now, be proud of how you brought the city together and played your hearts out for those in need of a break.

On a side note, while swimming in the pool today, the guy in the next lane over goes, "Saw you doing one-arm swim drills. You training for something?" I think he regrets asking now because he heard all about my upcoming races. Whoops? He started it!

Fight on!

Training Update 6/25/2013

Training has been going decently. I'm back to running as much as before my injury in early May, which is fantastic news. This means I'll really be able to work on my half marathon time without being too worried about my body giving out on me. Biking is going quite well too. Haven't been focusing on swimming too much but I'm still at the same level I was in April.

Still training for the same goals. Ironman 70.3 Timberman is August. I'm racing for Make-A-Wish and that is my next big race. Signed up to relay the Boston Triathlon with my mom (how awesome is that. Her first triathlon is in July) on August 4th.

Life is about to get crazy though! I only have another week on my journey down south in Alabama. After that, I leave for Russia for two weeks. So excited about that. Then it's home to Massachusetts! My sister's wedding is late August so we have all those events coming up. The bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, and such. Should be pretty awesome. And in between all that, I'm dashing to LA and Seattle to visit friends before school starts up again. I'm slightly concerned about keeping up with my training with everything that will be happening, but I'm determined to make it work! I'll be sure to keep you updated on all my travels and training.

Fight on my friends!

If you wish to support my Timberman race for Make-A-Wish, you can find my donation page at the following link: ironman.kintera.org/makeawish2013/sarahcusson1991

It's a Three-fer! (3 weekends and 126.5 miles later)

Ironman 70.3 New Orleans - April 21

       Let's start at the beginning. Woke up at 4 am and had breakfast. Then left for transition and arrived at 5 am. I was happy to arrive early because about 15 minutes later the body marking line was 100 people deep. My mom snapped this picture and found it absolutely hilarious.

Transition closed at 6:30 and we all headed down to the swim start. They did a special prayer and moment of silence for Boston which I think we all truly appreciated. And then the waiting began. And we kept waiting. The initial start was delayed while they waited for clearance from the water officials. Pros went off at about 7:15 am. Then they started the age-groupers in time trial fashion. Originally, they send they were going to send off 2 people every 3 seconds, but they were only sending off one. They said we would all be in water by 8 am. Said being the key word. We all got restless very quickly. The pros were out of the water already. We just wanted to start. As the finish line was 10 miles away, spectators had to start leaving to be able to get out of the lots. And we still weren't in the water. We all had to pee really bad, but wanted to wait. Unfortunately, I was in the last age group to go off. And we didn't get in the water until 9:30 am. This was an annoyance for many of us but we weren't too upset. The water was 64 degrees. Not super cold but enough to shock you a bit when you first jump in. I was able to settle into the swim within 100 m and didn't feel cold for the rest of it. The swim course was an M shape. After the first turn, midway to the second turn, I felt a kayak paddle hit me gently. One of the kayakers had taped me to tell me I had gone off course. I starting laughing at this because before the race I was speaking about how I always go off course and the last thing my mom had said to me was to stay on course. After the detour, the rest of the swim was uneventful and went as well as could be hoped for. Out of the water and into transition. And then off onto the bike course. Bike course itself was pretty nice. It was definitely very flat. The only "hills" were the overpasses we had to deal with! Accidentally road over a rumble strip for a few seconds. It was a nice butt message! Lol. Besides that, wind was rather brutal on the way out. Definitely had a big negative split (does it count if it's because of the wind?). I hadn't a clue about the semi-drama unfolding behind me. The first inkling I had of this was when I got to T2. I was in there with a respectable time. I was hovering just around the 4:15 mark (a little slower than planned, but I think the wind had to do with that). Most of the bikes from my rack were still out which I was decently happy with. I was in good position when suddenly I heard the announcer say "And transition will be closing in 20 minutes officially ending the bike portion." I suddenly thought, "WHAT?!?". I thought this was impossible because the time cutoff was supposed to be 6 hours after the last person was in the water. Seeing as I was one of the last in the water, there had to be at least another hour and half before we hit that mark. How was this possible? Regardless, it didn't make a difference to me as I was in. So I put my sneaker on and headed out of transition. Right outside of transition, I grabbed some sunscreen in attempt to save myself (boy, did I fail). My ankle and knee were holding up decently well considering. After mile 1, I started to deteriorate fast. Now, I had the run training put in, but there's only so much you can do when you're sidelined for the last 4 weeks with injuries. By mile 3, I was about ready to call it day and take the dreaded DNF. My parents were waiting for me around mile 6, so I figured I'd walk there and then get in the car. But then I thought about Boston. I thought, "What about all those people who weren't allowed to finish?" I thought about Jeff Bauman. A man that many of my friends are close with. A man that has become a hero to the world. I thought, "I need to finish this for him. I need to finish for all those who can't and never will be able to again." So I started running again. Yes, it was painful. Yes, it was not pretty. And yes, I had the sunburn of the century. But at the end of the day, none of that mattered.

What mattered was I finished.

For Boston.

What a sunburn.

Is that a smile or a grimace?

Rock 'n Roll Nashville Half Marathon - April 27

What a race. Honestly, don't really have much to say about this race. Really was just out there to have fun and explore a city by running through it. It was my first trip to Nashville and I wanted to see the sights. What a better way than to run through streets closed off to cars!

Funny side note: At the start line, I was standing next to two guys, probably in their mid-twenties, who said to me, "We were out at the bars until about 3 AM. We may still be drunk." What an opener. I laughed and the conversation took many interesting turns from there.

The gist of the race was as follows: It rained. We ran. It rained harder. We ran harder. It kept raining. But we kept running. The course was rolling hills but nothing too bad. I was pleased with my performance. Didn't really feel anything start to nag until mile 10. I thought that was miraculous considering I was coming off a half-ironman 6 days prior. Made it to the finish line without incident. The second I crossed the skies really opened and the thunderstorms started rolling in. Boy, was I glad for that space blanket. Walked back to my hotel about a mile away, warmed up, and headed on home.

A genuinely fun race with a surprising amount of spectators braving the rain!

Rocketman International+ Triathlon - May 5

1500 m swim, 36 mile bike, 10 k swim

I really enjoy how in the above description, I managed to use three different distance units. Either I'm a terrible engineer or race directors need to get their measuring abilities sorted out. Let's go with the latter to save my career.

This was a fun and SALTY race. Started in the Indian River (salt water). Swim went rather routinely. Only issue was that the buoys for our distance were white! Who's idea was that? Just kind of had to follow the crowd and hope for the best, because I could not see those buoys for the life of me.

Then off onto the glorious bike course. Thank gosh for Florida, because the biggest hill (and singular) hill was the bridge to get over the river. Wind was "fun," but when isn't it! The course itself was pretty awesome. Got to ride around a shuttle pad and the VAB. Once in a lifetime kind of thing which is awesome. After the race, heard complaints about road conditions. Granted the roads weren't the best, but they were closed and in Kennedy Space Center. It's almost like they have to withstand thousands upon thousands of pounds of rockets or something!!! Personally, I had a pretty good bike split (best in my age group), so my day was made. The run course was flat, just like the rest of Florida. No real incidents. Everybody had major salt marks down them though! It was crazy. Combining the salt water swim, the Florida sun, and running leads to lots of sweat and lots of salt. One of the coolest aspects of this race was that it was three different distances. They set off the half-irons and international distance athlete 15 minutes apart and then the sprinters followed about half hour after this. Considering this, the international distance people were among the first to finish. Crossing the finish line, I got to sit back, relax, and cheer for all the other competitors crossing the line. Also soaked in a little sun while I was there.

Vehicle Assembly Building - where Shuttle came

together and where SLS will someday see

it's finishing touches

Shuttle Launch Pad

Finish Line - Mom's comment: "Looking fresh as ever."

I really appreciate being able to be apart of this race. The space aspect really made it cool for me, considering my profession. But other than that, with all the trouble the race directors had getting permits, it is likely this race may not happen again, which makes it all the more special.

Crossing the finish line, I couldn't help but think over what I had accomplished over the past three weeks. I got to travel to three amazing cities and participate in three unique races. I couldn't help but feel blessed that these opportunities had presented themselves and I was able to make them all happen. For all those who have supported me throughout the years, I thank you. While I do race to make myself happy, it would never be possible without you. Almost exactly two year prior, I was on crutches directly following a complete ankle reconstruction. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to accomplish what I had just done. I can't help but say that I was so proud of myself!

Fight On!

Life and Injury Update

Sorry I've been absent for the past month, but it's been CRAZY!! So I'll give a brief overview of what I've been up to and some thoughts:

April 21: Ironman 70.3 New Orleans
              Race went relatively well. Few gripes here and there, but I finished which is important. More detail                           to come in a monstrous post-race report.

April 27: Rock 'n Roll Nashville Half Marathon
             RAIN! Hilly and pouring but a great time. Again, more to come.

May 5: Rocketman International Triathlon (1500m swim, 36 mi bike, 10 k run)
              Possibly the most fun I've had in a race. Great day all around. Last portion of the debriefing.

After those three weeks, I was utterly exhausted. Took a (deserved?) rest week. Was ready to get back in the pool and really start working on getting my swim times down during a period with no major races.

Monday May 13 (first workout back from break): Tragedy strikes. I'm over-exaggerating a bit but that's how it felt. I was turning in the pool and pop goes the knee! I knew right away this wasn't good. Once I got out of the poll, my knee slowly but surely deteriorated. Finally accepted the fact that I probably retore my meniscus and made it to the doctor last Friday. MRI is tomorrow and decision on where to go from there occurs next Tuesday. Only saving grace is that I don't have a major race until August. Speaking of racing,

This Memorial Day weekend, I am heading home to MA to see my family. So stoked! I haven't seen my family since January so this will be a great visit. While home, I had planned on doing a 5-miler. After my injury, I knew this was a terrible and stupid idea to think I still could. However, with a meniscus injury, your knee is still stable so running theoretically is allowed. Of course, it'll be painful as hell and might worsen the injury. But as long as I do it before anything is fixed, then my twisted brain thinks that mine as well. So for reasons I will try to lay out here, I have chosen to try and "race." It will be more of a "get to the finish line" race not a "I want to PR" race. The race is Boston's Run to Remember. This race in an annual race put on by the Boston Police Association to honor fallen first responders. Obviously, after the tragic events on April 15, this race took on a whole new meaning and I was so happy to be a part of it. Beyond that, this will be the first race I'm doing with my sister, who completed her firs half marathon last weekend (woot!). So to not disappoint my sister and, even more, to honor first responders and the Boston Marathon, I will hobble my way through the race this Sunday. I'll let you know Monday if I still have a knee.

Again, more to follow regarding most things in the post, just wanted to remind everybody that I'm still alive!

Fight On my friends! (Especially those in Oklahoma right now. We're all rooting for you!)

The Aftermath

Before I start this, I just want to say that everything written here is my opinion and interpretation. I'm sorry if you do not agree with me, but it is certainly not my intention to offend or hurt anyone.

Like so many, when I first heard there was explosions at the finish line of Boston yesterday, I hope it was some malfunctioning equipment or power lines and no one was injured. Tragically, that was not the case. I was born and raised in a town outside of Boston and I felt this rock me to the core. The majority of my high school friends went to college in the city so I spent a few frantic hours making sure everybody close to me was okay. What I got back was that while they were okay physically, they certainly weren't okay mentally. One of my friends works at the Mandarin hotel which was right at the epicenter of the bombing. He is truly shaken and has seen things that will never leave his mind. Another of my friends finished the race about 60 seconds before the first explosion and is trying to grasp how such a small amount of time over hours saved his life. Regardless the tragic events that happened shook the state of Massachusetts, the running community, and the entire nation. We will never forgot the people who died or the act of courage by countless running towards the chaos.

What will really define this event, I think, is not how we reacted to the moments right after, but how we pick up the pieces and try to move on from this. Very telling of this is that the majority of runners spoken to after the event insisted that they would be back next year running again. They proved that one act cannot overcome all this event means and the spirit of thousands of people. So, I say, keep running Boston. Keep running America. And, keep running world. Prove to whoever did this that we will overcome this and we will run for those who sacrificed their bodies and lives in this senseless event. And, always, pray for Boston.

The reason I love USC's slogan so much is that it applies to almost every situation. Especially here:

Fight On my friends!

I will be racing Ironman 70.3 New Orleans this weekend with my home in mind. I truly hope I can push through my injuries and make to it the finish line for all those that weren't able to yesterday.

Rolling into NOLA!

11 days until the race. My ankle has held up while running but my achilles tendon is another story. It becomes painful and ever present around mile 2 of a run. Kinesio tape has thankfully abated the pain a decent amount making running possible. Physical therapy starts next week so we will see how that goes. Regardless, I have faith that I will make it through the race. How fast is another question. I'm so excited for the trip and the race though. My parents will be meeting me down in New Orleans for a mini-vacation!! Let's get this party started.

Fight On!!

P.S. Try to stay away from the tornadoes tomorrow and be extra careful.

Forever Injured

Yesterday, I decided to go on a 5 mile trail run. I wanted to shake up my surroundings a little and just run for the love of running instead of worrying about times and such. About a quarter mile into the run, my foot caught the edge of a rock and twisted over completely. I didn't immediately panic, because this happens to me quite often. Normally, there's a dull pain for about 10 seconds and then I'm fine. That didn't happen this time. It was a sharp and constant pain and I couldn't put any wait on it. And the pain didn't go away. I managed to be able to limp a little and decided to try to walk/run it out (probably not the best decision). My ankle continued to deteriorate. After a mile and a half I had to stop. About an hour later, I could no longer walk. I haven't had this kind of injury in a while. Today I'm still limping.

I have two main concerns at the moment. Luckily, I already have a doctor's appointment Tuesday for my knee so I'll be able to get my ankle looked at. My biggest concern is Ironman 70.3 New Orleans. The race is in less than three weeks. It's supposed to be one of my bigger races of the year and I am concerned this may screw over my running plan. My other concern is that this is the ankle I have had previously reconstructed. I sincerely hope I didn't do any damage to those tendons and ligaments.

Ice and advil are my best friends right now. I'm praying that it gets steadily better and I can run by late next week. I'm praying that my race will be able to go on as planned.

Fight On!

Foreigners Say the Darnedest Things

Okay, I just have this quick note because it was too long for Twitter but I thought it was hilarious. I was speaking with my friends who is from India and the conversation went as follow:

Him: "How's the boyfriend?"
Me: "He's good. Just visited actually."
Him: "I don't know how you do the distance thing."
Me: "It's just temporary."
Him: "When are you going to get a permanent one?"
Me (after attempting to compose myself several times): "I was talking about the distance, not my boyfriend!"

Oh gosh. Fight on my friends!

What Motivates You?

Nobody can stay motivated constantly. There are always moments when you want to stop. There are moments when you feel disappointed with your performance or are wondering how you’re supposed to make it 30 more miles to the finish line. To combat this, I’ve begun writing phrases on electrical tape and putting them on my bike. It’s a combination of things I know will make me laugh and things I know will make me motivated to keep going. After all, they say smiling makes even the worst of pain less. Often I don’t even have to read the words; just knowing they are there is comforting. I wanted to share some of the phrases that I have used and see if there are any that you would like to share.

“There are two reasons to stop: a broken left femur and a broken right femur.”

            This one both motivates me and makes me laugh at its ridiculousness. Obviously, there are other reasons to stop but it shows that most triathletes will stop for almost nothing. I've seen firsthand people get stung by sting-rays during the swim and refuse medical attention until after they finished. I also saw someone crash so bad during a race that they need stitches to repair the muscle, yet they still finished.

“If you have to ask why, you don’t understand”

“Smile if you’re not wearing underwear.”

            A classic really. Instantly makes everybody (who wears underwear during a triathlon) laugh and feel better.

“Live for (insert name here)”

            Everybody has lost someone that means a significant amount to them. Remembering them at down moments during racing and training always makes you motivated to keep going to finish it off for them.

“The only easy day was yesterday.”

            Slogan of US Navy SEALS

And then there is the ever popular,

            “Pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever.”

Feel free to share your thoughts and your favorites.

Fight on my friends!

Book Review: The End of Your Life Book Club

"I wanted to say so much more -- about the book club, about all she'd done for me, about how grateful I was for everything -- but it didn't seem like the time, it just never seemed like the time. And I knew I would start to cry and didn't want to. Not then. Maybe I didn't want Mom to have to comfort me. Or maybe I was scared that once I started, I wouldn't be able to stop."

One of my passions I indulge in is reading. I find that less and less I meet people that love reading as much as I do. Every time I meet someone, they speak of how they have been meaning to read this or that and how they wish they had more time to read. But in the end, they never get around to it. I, on the other hand, make it a point to make sure I read at least a little each day. Most of my reading is non-fiction. It ranges quite greatly from books about triathlon to mountaineering to political and historical events. I just really love the feeling of getting sucked into a good book and not being able to put it down. However, I am very familiar with the sorrow that can sometimes come with the end of a book. You have just been on this emotional journey and all you want to do is have someone look at you and know how you feel. With book, that doesn't really happen. Writing about them and the involvement they have in your life may help me release this feeling. For this reason, I've decided to include reviews of books I'm reading from time to time. To start, I've just finished The End of Your Life Book Club, by Will Schwalbe.

I've posted a synopsis (taken from Amazon) below:

“What are you reading?”

That’s the question Will Schwalbe asks his mother, Mary Anne, as they sit in the waiting room of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In 2007, Mary Anne returned from a humanitarian trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan suffering from what her doctors believed was a rare type of hepatitis. Months later she was diagnosed with a form of advanced pancreatic cancer, which is almost always fatal, often in six months or less. 

This is the inspiring true story of a son and his mother, who start a “book club” that brings them together as her life comes to a close. Over the next two years, Will and Mary Anne carry on conversations that are both wide-ranging and deeply personal, prompted by an eclectic array of books and a shared passion for reading. Their list jumps from classic to popular, from poetry to mysteries, from fantastic to spiritual. The issues they discuss include questions of faith and courage as well as everyday topics such as expressing gratitude and learning to listen. Throughout, they are constantly reminded of the power of books to comfort us, astonish us, teach us, and tell us what we need to do with our lives and in the world. Reading isn’t the opposite of doing; it’s the opposite of dying. 

Will and Mary Anne share their hopes and concerns with each other—and rediscover their lives—through their favorite books. When they read, they aren’t a sick person and a well person, but a mother and a son taking a journey together. The result is a profoundly moving tale of loss that is also a joyful, and often humorous, celebration of life: Will’s love letter to his mother, and theirs to the printed page. 

Now, my thoughts on the book:

-To begin, I thought it was a very well written book. As a true book lover, I also enjoyed being able to read about all these great books (and getting titles to read). One part of the books discusses how one of their favorite books is a book that loves books, and I found the same thing happened with this book.

-Everybody experiences disease and illness in their life. Therefore, another great aspect of this book is that everybody can relate to it. My grandmother had a long and painful battle with Alzheimer's disease, so I found myself at times thinking about how much I related to the author. One of the unfortunate aspects of terminal diseases is that people generally don't enjoy discussing them. Often that leaves those who are dealing with them feel like no one really relates to them while in actuality millions do. This book made me realize that and made me feel like I wasn't alone in the feelings I had experienced.

-The anecdotes in this book are simply great and show you how good of person his mother was. There should be more people in this world like them. Her work not only involved talking about the issues within the world but actually doing something about it. This book provides a great biography of an amazing woman.

-Lastly, one of the most poignant messages of this book is the people surrounding those with terminal illnesses. A lot of the time, all the focus is on those who are actually sick. But sometimes, it is actually harder for those who are surrounding them. Watching them suffer and knowing you can't do anything about it can be like torture. Knowing someone you love is dying and watching that happen is very difficult to process emotionally. And they are the people that are still there after their loved one is lost trying to pick up the pieces. The best lesson from this book (I personally think) is that we need to focus on the people surrounding those with illness and make sure they are just as okay as those that are sick.

Fight on my friends!

What We Learned From Toy Story

Ran across this story the other day and wanted to share it (especially with my love for Toy Story and the name of this blog). (Credit: http://blogs.disney.com/oh-my-disney/2013/03/23/what-we-learned-from-toy-story/?cmp=SMC|blgomd|OMDMarch|FB|Learned-ToyStory|InHouse|032313|Text||esocialmedia|||) Also made me start thinking about how this can really apply to everything in life. A lot of times it seems that triathlon can be an individual sport and can even get lonely sometimes. Here's my list of what we learned from Toy Story in triathlon terms:

1. You Can Have More Than One Favorite Toy
            You can have more than one favorite sport: swim, bike, run
2. Teamwork
            Working out with others is sometimes just what you need
3. Always Keep Extra Batteries Around
            Always keep water and some energy around. Never know when you need a pick me up
4. Be Flexible, Improvise

            Everything isn't going to go your way in training and especially in a race
5. Play With Your Toys
            Ride your bike
6. Don’t Forget To Pack Your “Angry Eyes”
            This one is self explanatory
7. Never Underestimate The Little Guys            
            You never really know who your competitors are but they all made it to the start line and  
            that's all that really matters
8. Don’t Put The “To Keep” Toys In a Garbage Bag
            You can never be too careful with your bike. I have known plenty of people to get their 
            stolen.
9. No Toy Left Behind
            No sport left behind.
10. Don’t Let Them Tell You That You Aren’t a Flying Toy
            Never believe in limits. Triathletes especially shatter them daily.
11. Play Nice
            Don't piss off other racers.
12. Enjoy Every Moment
            Enjoy the race just as much as the finish line.
13. Be Yourself
            Again, self-explanatory.
14. Clean Your Room
            Clean your bike, it will thank you.
15. Stand Up For What You Believe In
            There is a lot of ways to interpret this one. Racing for charity. Seeing others break the 
            rules. Helping others you see in need. 
16. Donate Your Toys To a Good Home
            Triathlon is an expensive sport. Help however you can.
17. Toys Don’t Belong On a Shelf
            Shoes don't belong in the closet. Bikes don't belong indoors. Swimsuits don't belong in 
            the bureau.
18. Don’t Hold a Grudge
            Against yourself for a bad workout. Against the weather in the winter. Against anything.
19. You’re Braver Than You Think
            In triathlon, stepping up to that finish line once is more than most will do in their lives. 
           Don't forget how big that is.
20. Be a Friend
            Whether in practice or a race, whether passing or being passed, always say hi to that 
            person. It may be just the pick-me-up they need to keep going.

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM TOY STORY

After three tear-inducing films and a couple of hilarious shorts, the toys have a lot of adventures under their belts. That means they also have a lot of wisdom to impart, inspirational, practical, and otherwise.

1. You Can Have More Than One Favorite Toy

During playtime with Andy, there is a place for everyone: good guys, bad guys, barrels of monkeys, Mr. Evil Dr. Porkchop, and maybe every toy was Andy’s favorite in their own special way. Maybe playtime wouldn’t have been the same without everyone. Maybe we’re not just talking about toys, maybe we’re talking about real life. Maybe we’re talking about friends. Maybe things are getting real metaphorical. Better keep going…

2. Teamwork

Andy said it himself, this duo is “unstoppable.” The toys had to find their way back to Andy on three separate occasions, and all three times they made it because of teamwork. Remember, there’s no “i” in “toy.”

3. Always Keep Extra Batteries Around

This one isn’t metaphorical. It really is wise to have extra batteries on-hand. (We recommend BNL batteries, of course.)

4. Be Flexible, Improvise

You can never know where the day will take you—maybe you’ll be at a cafe in Paris, or at a tea party with Mrs. Nesbitt. Just stay loose and be ready to go wherever playtime takes you.

5. Play With Your Toys

No one can say for certain that our toys are alive and eager for our attention. But we also can’t say for certain that they AREN’T, right? So, better play it safe and get in some playtime so that your toys don’t get lonely.

6. Don’t Forget To Pack Your “Angry Eyes”

You don’t want to have to use them, but it’s nice to have them, just in case.

7. Never Underestimate The Little Guys

The green aliens weren’t the most complex or innovative toys. They didn’t advance many plotlines, and were always easily impressed, “oooOOooooo!” But, when all was said and done, these little guys came to the rescue with their steadfast dedication to their pals and mastery of crane operation.

8. Don’t Put The “To Keep” Toys In a Garbage Bag

This one is also extremely literal. Toys you want to keep go in a box that says “attic,” or a nice storage bin, or better yet, a shelf. Never a garbage bag, otherwise Toy Story 3 hijinks ensue.

9. No Toy Left Behind

Buddy system, guys. We arrived together, we leave together. Never leave a man behind. That’s what the line “you’ve got a friend in me” is all about.

10. Don’t Let Them Tell You That You Aren’t a Flying Toy

That’s a fancy way of saying don’t let anyone keep you from your dreams. True, Buzz was a toy, not a space ranger, but he definitely flew once he put his mind to it.

11. Play Nice

If the scare tactics the toys used on Sid didn’t convince you to treat your toys with respect, then listen to us now. Play nice—you don’t want to end up like this guy.

12. Enjoy Every Moment

Kids grow up. We know, we know: ouch. But, instead of missing the past or anticipating the future, just enjoy the present. Keep in mind what Woody proclaims in Toy Story 2, “I can’t stop Andy from growing up… but I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

13. Be Yourself

Mini Buzz was not fooling anyone in this Toy Story Toon (except for, perhaps, himself). Why be a mini version of someone else when you can be the full-sized version of yourself?

14. Clean Your Room

Otherwise, mom will! And she’ll put the wrong toys in the yard sale box, which might include Wheezy, and then Woody will have to save the day to rescue Wheezy, and risk being taken by an avid toy collector and sold to a children’s museum in Tokyo. SO… just remember to clean your room.

15. Stand Up For What You Believe In

We like our potatoes feisty. Look at this picture of Mrs. Potato Head. Just look at her! She, along with the rest of the toys, didn’t like the way Lotso was running Sunnyside, so they hatched a plan and did something about it. The results? A better playtime situation where everyone got to play, all because the toys stood up for what they believed in.

16. Donate Your Toys To a Good Home

Though it pained us all to watch Andy hand his toys over to Bonnie, we were also so very happy that they’d now get to play again! And with such a sweet and imaginative kid! So be sure that your toys find a safe and fun home because…

17. Toys Don’t Belong On a Shelf

In Toy Story 2, Woody came so close to going to the Konishi Toy Museum in Tokyo, he had us screaming at the movie screen “No! Don’t do it!” Toys aren’t meant for a life behind glass, which he luckily realized by the end of the film, just in time to make it back to Andy, yet again. Whew.

18. Don’t Hold a Grudge

Lotso was one bitter bear, but we’re not going to say that his grudge was totally unfounded. He had his little teddy bear heart broken, and that’s a fact. But, he got another shot at playtime at Sunnyside, which would have been great had he not adopted his “no owners means no heartbreak!” slogan. If you think about it, Lotso and Jessie are two peas in a pod, except Jessie kept her heart open to a new owner, and look how happy she was! (This one got a bit metaphorical too.)

19. You’re Braver Than You Think

At every turn, Rex is filled with anxiety or nervous for the unknown. But he also helped rescue Woody, crossed a busy street, survived playtime at Sunnyside, not to mention he really knows how to party. Remember, being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t scared, it means you’re scared but go for it anyway.

20. Be a Friend

No matter where the toys ended up–Sunnyside, the attic, or Bonnie’s house–they knew they’d be okay because they’d have each other. We’re even getting ourselves all choked-up at this point. The point is, if you’re a good friend, you’ll always have friends to back you up and be the Buzz to your Woody or the Bullseye to your Jessie.

An Introduction of Sorts

Most of the people reading this probably follow me on Twitter, so it's not really an introduction, but at the same time it is because how much do you really know about the people you follow on Twitter? Anyways, I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts that has more trees than people. I was a competitive gymnast all my life with the opportunity to continue in college had injuries not gotten in the way. Between September  2009 and August 2011. I had 6 surgeries. Two knee arthroscopes (still have knee issues and need to run in a brace), an ankle arthroscope, an ankle reconstruction (that was a doozy) and two jaw reconstructions (upper and lower). Needless to say, that quickly put an end to my gymnastics career at the end of high school. So, I followed academics and chose the University of Southern California. I honestly could not be happier with that decision. I'm one of those cliche people (as much as I hate that) that is completely in love with their college. There, I chose to study astronautical engineering (yep, rocket science). My father is an engineer and I grew up listening to my grandfather talk about all the cool stuff he did on the Apollo program, so it just seemed right. Now I am a huge part of an undergraduate propulsion lab there that is poised to make USC the first university in space later this year!!!! While this blog will mostly follow my triathlon life, this part of me is just as important as that part, so I thought you ought to know. I also am sure from time to time that I will post about rockets so I promise it's not entirely random. After recovering from all the surgeries (for the most part at least), I got into triathlon with the USC tri team. I feel in love with it and haven't been able to stop. While all three sports have their nice qualities, I won't deny biking is my favorite. Running is definitely my weak sport due to my knee issues. However, recently running and I have come to a mutual understanding. I started my triathlon career with mostly olympics and sprints. Recently, I've come to adore racing the half-Ironman distance. My last race was Timberman 70.3 last August. Unfortunately, it was a week after I got hit by a car, so I ended up having to walk most of the half marathon. But alas, I finished! (Even if my time was absolutely disgusting). I also have a young adorable nephew who tagged along to the race (it was local for MA, only an hour north of where I grew up), and I decided to convert him to an Ironman one day (as seen below). Currently, I am living in the good old state of Alabama (never spent an extended period of time here before January). I was offered a long-term internship (I don't graduate until May 2014) in Huntsville working on a NASA rocket. My first race of this year was the Mercedes Half Marathon in Birmingham. While it was a bit chilly (23 F at the start), I maintain that it helped me because I couldn't feel my legs. It went surprisingly well. I had no knee pain and finished in a decent amount of time despite being sick for the three weeks prior. While I'm not going to call myself fast anytime soon or say running isn't my weakest of the three sports, I kind of ridiculously enjoyed the half marathon distance and will continue to sprinkle them in between other races. My next major race of the season is Ironman 70.3 New Orleans! It's a flat and fast course and I'm looking forward to it quite a bit (not just because it's a mini-vacation). Anyways, I'm always open to talk if you want to know more but I'm sure this is enough for all now. I will end this (and probably every post) with a saying that is near and dear to my, and every Trojan's, heart: Fight On!

Proof I finished!

My adorable nephew, Colton

Alright, I've finally given in. I'm going to try this blogging concept people are always doing. I will probably update ridiculously infrequently. Fair warning. I will post an update about me and my life at the moment soon, just wanted to throw my first post up there.