Nathan Intensity Race Hydration Pack for Women: Buy or Not?

I'm *this close* to buying this pack. I'm finally (thanks be to God and to trigger point therapy) back on the trails pain-free again, and my existing packs (Camelbak Skeeter, Reebok, Salomon etc) ain't gonna cut it for my planned longer runs.

While there is the newer model (2.0) of the Nathan pack, this partickular one is on sale, and it receives glowing reviews from a bunch of satisfied reviewers. About 99% of the reviewers on REI use it for their ultramarathons. Maybe if I possess this pack, I could also somehow run an ultramarathon too! :p

Ok, gotta do some preventative plantar fasciitis triggerpoint therapy now.

xo Gracie

Shipping Service from USA to Singapore etc

Triathlon can be a very expensive pastime (or fulltime actually!) and I'm always looking for deals on tri suits, wetsuits, and other awesome tight-fitting neoprene thingies that if successful in squeezing a body into, can either make said body look hawt or like a papaya.

The other day Ironman and Coach, KS messaged me asking if I could help purchase some triathlon stuff for him from Bike Shop Liquidators. Apparently there is a Huge sale going on there right now. Apparently, there is Always a Sale going on there even. I like sales :p

My search of Google Shopping shows Bike Shop Liquidators as one of the cheapest for the 2012/13 Pearl Izumi P.R.O In-R-Cool Tri Shorts among all the online shopping sites. KS certainly did his homework on this one. It's a bonus that free shipping is offered to anywhere in the US for purchases above $99. The plan is for the goodies to be shipped to my address, then for me to forward them to KS halfway around the world. Unless I really like the stuff and wanna hang on to them.... just kidding! If it's to Australia, I'll use USPS First Class International Air Mail (cheapest option for anything under 13 oz / 370 g, 10-14 business days) or Priority International Air Mail (second cheapest option that also offers flat rate priced boxes, 6-10 business days). Priority is expensive, e.g., $47.95 USD for a medium flat rate box to Australia. You can check out the shipping rates at USPS.com. I'm not shipping to Malaysia unless you totally absolve me of all responsibility if your item gets stolen by the postman or confiscated by customs - I've had too many bad experiences shipping to Malaysia and don't want to risk it anymore. If you have friends in Singapore I could ship it to, that's better - you can pick up from them in person after I send to Singapore, k?

Feel free to email me if you have any questions, need or quotation, or want my help purchasing and/or forwarding stuff to you ya. For the time being, I'm doing it at no charge, since I am testing the waters to see if it's a feasible venture for me.

xo Gracie

100 km Hill Ride in Rural Pennsylvania: The Secret Training Files

These hills on which I currently undergo my secret treneng, are in the region of Pennsylvania that was the training ground and from whence were launched the careers of cyclists like Floyd Landis, who went on to win the Tour de France in 2006. That he was stripped of the title for doping does in no way take away from the hard fact that these hills are real. And to mere mortals (like me), these hills are painful, but in the nicest way possible.

Two weeks ago, chillaxin over dinner with Spencer, for no reason, a string of words flew out of my mouth that my brain didn't really authorize:

Grace: "Hey, can we go for a 100 k ride?"
Spencer: "Erm, ok......."
Grace: "Really?"
Spencer: "Ya"