Favorite posts
Asking me to select my favorite posts is sort of like asking me to pick my favorite color of Starburst: heartbreaking and unfair to the others I love. But I wanted to round up some of my favorites, just in case (for whatever reason) you don't want to read through months of entries while killing a family-sized bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. I guess you and I have different ideas of a good time, then. So without further ado, here are my faves.
- The goldfish connection: better than rainbows. My love of goldfish, sweet messages from my mom, and John Mayer's role in the bigger picture.
- Proudly representing geeky former athletes. "Quick disclaimer: I love numbers, analysis, Excel, and Google Maps. I’ll jump at the chance to use a new gadget that allows me to analyze mileage and pace, as well as to visualize exactly how badly I die during certain parts of my runs."
- Background check. This is like Katherine McCoy 101.
- Essential information. And this is the intermediate level course.
- Things You Clearly Want to Know About Swimming and Weren't Afraid to Google. This series of posts on the swimming-related things you Google without shame is one of my favorites. Mostly because I got to type the words "Ryan Lochte." Love that. I hope to keep adding to this series in the future.
- I'm an Arizona star, and I... don't get it. "Bangs are to Louisiana what mullets are to Arkansas."
- Lake swim. "I worry that I'll swim directly into one of the wooden posts sticking out of the water, which are probably covered in barnacles and pieces of glass and needles and nuclear waste and eels."
- The time I got a B in middle school, and other fateful tales from P.E. A reliable source tells me that this post caused my dad to do that clappy thing he does with his hands when he gets angry. Neither of us is over it.
- Why I run. "This short essay should actually be titled 'Chronicles of the Calves: How I Became a Recreational Runner Despite Having Ankles the Size of My Wrists.'"
- There's an infographic for that. Fact: I still only own one vehicle named Roy.
- Why I am the way I am: stirrup pants. The early '90s were pretty kind to me, except for that part where my mom would only buy me leggings with impossibly tight elastic around the feet.
- Because it's not Christmas without mockery and margaritas. "Did you own or rent your cannons? Or were they rent-to-own?"
- Happy birthday, bloglet. "Dear blog, Thank you for giving me an outlet to write about my running injuries and the gut-checking swims I've completed in Lake Pontchartrain."
- Anatomy of a happy half marathon. "I've never experienced another time so full of excitement, anticipation, nerves, math, carbohydrate gels, smiles, torture, and thirst."
- Where I'm from. "I am from the discipline, order, expectations, and steadfastness of tradition. And I am equal parts breaking with it."
- Carbon copies. "I'll remember Mr. Ward as an incredibly kind man, the father of my longtime friend Stacey, a longtime friend of my own father, and the coach who was so supportive of me, especially through that final season."