Wendy Mastripolito

FINALLY!!!..... Well my Ironman "Blog" Story is in print and available for purchase. Currently both the paperback and the hardback versions are offered through Lulu…. The paperback copy will have an ISNB number and also be offered through Amazon in 6 weeks. Boy.. what a long undertaking!... The ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon An inspirational and unique look at completing an “ Ironman ” Distance Triathlon through the eyes of a middle aged athlete Foreword On September 29, 2007, I attempted the ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon, a 140.6 mile, all day adventure of swimming, biking, and running. The ChessyMan (so eloquently nicknamed) is an “ Ironman ” distance triathlon set in Cambridge, Maryland. On my first attempt at this distance in 2007, I did not make the cut off time and was disqualified. Battered and broken spirited, I almost gave up on triathlons forever. However, with the support of my husband, I attempted it again a year later in 2008. This is the account of finally w...

Weekly update and it's only Wed. Joe is doing really well… had a follow-up visit with the doctor, got his Epi Pen, meds and so forth and is taking a few days off of training… his spirits are doing well too!.... here are some clips for the week so far.. somehow non drama may not be in our vocabulary. Monday, July 20th On Monday night, my sports massage therapist guy taped my shin and leg with some sort of Japanese voodoo sh-t.. it's blue and pink tape following the line of the muscles.. suppose to help me with my shin problem... I have to leave this tape stuff on for three days even while training and bathing.. it's breathable material it's kinda cool.. I had to look it up, here is the info.. does this mean I will be an Olympian now>? Kinesio Tex Gold Tape , Worn by athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics! Relied upon by athletes at every level, Kinesio Tape has become a staple in the world of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine. Kinesio Taping® supports muscles and impr...

I am NEVER taking Joe to a trail race again! Joe got himself into a battle with a bee and ended up in the freaking hospital... I mean COME ON…… but you have to give him an “A” for creativity… I mean what a creative way to get out of running! At least he keeps the blog interesting. Note: Joe had a serious life threatening reaction to a bee sting yesterday, thankfully we were at a race with medics on hand… here is the story: Yesterday was the Bear Creek Half Marathon (21K) Trail Race at the Bear Creek Mountain Ski Resort (used to be Doe Mountain Ski Resort) and it was the last race in my trail running series… each race you earned points depending on how you placed…I was currently leading the points for my age group (40-44) and so all I had to do was finish this race and I would win my age group… so I signed Joe and I up and told him it would be a really great training run.. trails are better for the legs and such anyway.. yeah…. So knowing all I had to do was finish I was really excite...

Kayaking today! Joe and I kayaked at Marsh Creek for almost 2 hours.. although we spent more time snapping pictures and just floating then actually paddling! Saw a turtle sunning himself on a log... what FUN!! Afterwards we met up with our friends and did a 5 mile MTB (mountain bike) ride around Marsh Creek in which I promptly ejected myself from the bike twice... sigh.. Then Denise, Joe, and I ran a bit on the trails... we are exhausted!!! Tomorrow is the Bear Creek Half Marathon Trail Race.. it's on a ski resort.. yeah can't wait for that.... NOT.. :0 8:00-10:00am: Kayak 10:30-12ish: MTB 12:15-1:00ish: Trail Running

Ok.. I really should be used to this kinda of thing by now… It started a few days ago… this really foul stench emanating from somewhere inside my truck… At first, I thought perhaps maybe when I shoved my MTB bike (mountain bike) into the back of the truck on Monday evening that perhaps something got on the bike and transferred into the truck (even though I had a sheet down on carpet before putting bike in)…. but NOPE… it was not from the bike… hmmm…. So on Wednesday am, mom and dad said drop the truck off at our house… we will look.. I was like ALRIGHTY.. cool!!!.. I drop off truck, take mom’s as a loaner and head to work… a few hours later I get a call… Mom asks if I had another set of keys… this is NEVER a good way to start a conversation… I said not on me… WHY?....... well it appears that after mom and dad cleaned up truck ( and NO it was not that dirty!).. she had placed my truck keys on the back rear bumper of dad’s truck which was sitting in the driveway.. and then proceeded to ...

OK.. Well, it was one hell of a weekend!..First off I want to mention that Joe and I are the proud owners of two kayaks! YES…!! But back to my tale of woe…. I spent all day on Saturday weed whacking with the gas powered weeder… ok.. maybe it was only for a few hours… but I am sure I saw a sly smirk on Joe’s face when I asked him if I could use it.. I mean how hard could it be!? Unbeknownst to little old me is that I would lose all functionality of my arms and hands.. and holy crap I SOO could NOT feel anything after just an hour… I knew I was starting to tire when zzipp.. I took out a row of flowers… oops… zippp… another row.. SHIT… whatever… Joe did give me a stern look when I nailed the solar light… and the damn thing flew off like a freaking UFO… .. oops.. he was NOT happy.... sigh Ok.. so perhaps I totally underestimated my ability to hold a 20 pounds destroyer… whatever.. I put that project away.. I am so going to do something easier… so hmm.. what to do..??... I am going to give ...

I gotta say I am one of the luckier ones.. when I run, I have the option of taking a lot of country type roads and sometimes on these roads I would see the occasional bunny, deer, chipmunk, cat, bat, mole .. you know.. wildlife… What I can't understand is how Heather when she runs these same roads she seems to have animal issues… I have been on runs with her and I am shocked at how many animals “throw” themselves at her..if I didn ’t see it with my own eyes I would never have believed it… although I am still questioning the whole white owl story… either case… Heather is an animal magnet…... So I am not at all shocked when she calls me up all teary: Mom... sniff.. sniff.. I ran over my first animal ... sniff.... sniff…. It was a small chipmunk… (how you hit something the size of small stone moving at the speed of light is besides me )… I felt this bump... sniff.. sniff... and then the poor little thing had to drag himself off the road.. sniff. sniff... (and she is seeing this in ...

Well I am finally back to writing a bit… needed time to think. Tough week…. Lost a faithful companion of 18 years last week. Puffers, our beloved 18 year old Maine Coon cat had to be put to sleep. It happen so quickly..within a week of her falling ill she was gone. The vet had found a very aggressive tumor in her mouth…and she was unable to eat and drink… I think she knew…we didn’t. Joe couldn’t stay in there… he had to leave the room, it was just too painful for him. I stayed and the vet explained everything. I held her as she laid her little chin upon my arm…her warm wet nose formed tiny droplets on my skin as she fell into a deep peaceful sleep. She knew I was there… she felt my warmth… and then she took her last breath. She had the most beautiful eyes, the color of auburn, of a fall day. Her eyes are vacant now, a life of no more suffering….no more pain.. As I looked at her.. I didn’t see the ravaged body of what the cancer had done, I saw my beautiful kitty… my beautiful gorgeous ...