One sport, three disciplines, many beers

I am a triathlete | I am a lover of microbreweries and craft beer | I am convinced these two passions go hand-in-hand | I am trying to be the best at exercising, professionally

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Today’s family 5k looked a little different from last years series. For one thing, it involved other people! The whole family had fun, tried hard and went as fast we could. For the first time, Gloria actually had some prerace nerves about not winning and we got to talk through it. I told her why I love to show up, even when I know I’m not going to win, and why I think it’s still fun. In the end, she had a blast! And then there was Rock n Brews for finish line beers, so we were all happy. Poor AC May have overcooked a bit though. #family5k #fastisfun #funisfast #motherrunner #villagerunner #tiredbaby #thumbsup #finishlinebeer #4thofjuly5k #beeroftheday (at Village Runner South Bay) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ4Rccjh2Wz/?utm_medium=tumblr

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First run back from the saga of the broken toe happily coincided with #globalrunningday! 3 minutes jogging, 2 minutes walking for 40 minutes felt like a giant leap forward to hopefully racing in august. Day two of the Better Than Nothing Training Plan complete! It feels good to be out moving with my small running bud, even though it seems we tired him out. #training #motherrunner #trimom #professionaltriathlete #strollerrunning #runningbuddy #daytwo #literallynooneasked #buthereitis https://www.instagram.com/p/CPpRzPwBXlA/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Today is the first day of following a training plan from @dustynabor since the lead up to IM New Zealand in March of 2019! (Pregnancy and covid lead to my 2+ years of just general exercise without actually training). But I’m toying with racing IM 70.3 Boulder in early August, so all of a sudden it’s crunch time. And, obviously, AC had a runny nose over the weekend, which means no child care. So we walked (toe still recovering), he slept, and I did my PT routine in the front yard. My entire training plan can be summed up as and titled Better Than Nothing. #facepalm #im703boulder #roadtoironman #protriathlete #promom #momswhotri #childcare #betterthannothing #comeback #motherrunner https://www.instagram.com/p/CPlf0xnBT0E/?utm_medium=tumblr

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It was a big day in my saga of the broken toe. I’m five weeks in, and I’ve officially lost my boot. And today, I went on my first actual, purposeful walk. This has been my longest break ever from walking/running in forever and I missed just being out, moving my legs. Thank goodness I’ve been able to ride indoors and swim. I’m doing “toe yoga” to get my foot back in shape for eventual running. It’s still swollen and painful to move, but we’re getting there. It’s weird to think that I was back running sooner after giving birth to humans than after breaking my stupid pinky toe! #sagaofthepinkytoe #toesaga #toedrama #pinkytoe #sausagetoe #gowalk https://www.instagram.com/p/CO_3xtsBVlL/?utm_medium=tumblr

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This is the best finish line for a solo half marathon along the #parktoplayatrail (with extra Playa). It’s my favorite local run because it’s awesome to traverse a course through the city, and because it forces the family to get involved in dropping me off and picking me up! Happy Saturday chauffeur-crew! #runlocal #parktoplaya #playadelrey #chauffer #takesavillage #hi #bathroomfinishline (at Park To Playa Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CM8HBhMhc6S/?igshid=1uum9ptxi9pgc

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Got my power hour done early today with the Zwift duathlon series. It may be 70 and sunny outside, but here I am taking advantage of a perfectly timed baby nap in the garage! It’s a bike/run extravaganza that almost makes me feel like a multisport athlete again! 35 minute bike, transition to 15 minute run, both just to go as far as you can in time allotted. #babynap #duathlon #zwiftduathlonleague #gozwift #mummytummy #diastasisrecti #protriathlete #promom (at Zwift Watopia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLsM49kBOnN/?igshid=1d33yzric82x2

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I got to run the #parktoplayatrail finally! The fam dropped me at the start in Baldwin Hills and I ran through four different parks on dirt and paved trails until connecting to the Ballona Creek bike path in Culver City. Then it’s a paved path to the Playa where I was met by sandy kids and parking lot beers. I love to #optoutside, #maskup and #recreateresponsibly. Also, this was my longest run since IMNZ in March 2019, so feeling extra accomplished. #explorelocal (at Park To Playa Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJj7cpkhsgr/?igshid=1fyi9sxdqygv9

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I got to saddle up with my virtual bike team SISU @iracelikeagirl_eracing for one last 2020 @wtrl_racing team time trial this morning. We’ve spent countless miles “together” as racing avatars and real life voice-only friends, strategizing, chatting and encouraging each other. I would never have ridden this much, or this hard, without the motivation to show up for the team at least twice most weeks since this summer. It feels weird to credit a video game for a large part of my happiness this year, but #2020. It was nice to feel like an athlete again, for at least part of the time! #gozwift #friendsirl #sisu #wtrl https://www.instagram.com/p/CJedfP-h1yf/?igshid=qh432xpsfpmk

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On this #trainertuesday, I can finally announce that I understand video games. Now that I haven’t been able to train or race for the sport (and job) that I love in over a year. From pregnancy, almost straight into pandemic quarantine after AC was born, I’ve never felt less like a pro triathlete. I still hold out hope for racing next year (call me naive) but until then, thank goodness for my garage she-shed. Even with kids in baby jail (or glued to the tv for Gloria) as I never leave the garage, I’m still able to feel like a high level athlete twice a week. Forever grateful to the athletes on my team @iracelikeagirl_eracing and the other athletes on the virtual start lines every week. #eracing #zwift #wtrl #zrl #zwiftracing #iracelikeagirl #teamwork #girlgang #squadgoals https://www.instagram.com/p/CHtMyQphkgy/?igshid=dc4vlxto7g2d

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#challengeaccepted to be empowered by women and empower women. Instead of nominating 50 women, I’m donating $50 to @andmother_org a non-profit from the powerful @alysiamontano that breaks down the barriers that limit a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood. (Thanks for the nomination @tripilatesdb and for the donation idea @jenniferehunt) I’m so grateful in my life to have been raised by a strong woman and surrounded by other strong women. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMTeA3h4ez/?igshid=m94s2i8q85j1

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Fair virtual racing means very official weigh-ins. 😆 I’m eternally grateful for internalizing early in my sporting life that it doesn’t matter what you weigh or how your body looks. What matters is how your body performs and what it can do. Except in virtual racing, then it really does matter what you weigh to keep it fair. So, as teammate @lucyjbrash said in her post, own it! And way to go to the women of #teamSISU for the big win today in the Team Time Trial. Stage 2 is tomorrow!#proudofeverypound @tourdeboudicca #protriathletes #eracing #zwift #transparency #strongasamother #teamsisu (at Zwift) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDCdB5xhEj-/?igshid=1w2afr1lfufhg

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This is my #mummytummy. It certainly looks different than it did before having two kids, but it’s not a reminder of work to be done or pounds to be lost or of weakness. It’s a reminder of strength, because this tummy carried two humans. Sure I do my strength and PT exercises to help heal the diastasis recti, and I wouldn’t complain if the pooch shrinks, but I do respect this belly, just as it is. I see you mamas with your pooches, scars, extra skin, and any other beautiful form your belly takes now. Be proud! And arrest the cops who killed #breonnataylor #momstrength #proudpooch #dra #strongasamother https://www.instagram.com/p/CCsK09ZBVir/?igshid=1juh7dbr8nh0v

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New shoe run day! Unsponsored this year, for a race season that’s not happening anyway, I can choose to run in whatever I want. I’ve run in @hokaoneone in the past, and just got the new Carbon spe shoes. Light, responsive, great ground feel. But most importantly, it’s a company whose insta feed you can scroll beyond Black Square Day and find athletes they have sponsored and featured of different ethnicities and body types way before this recent movement. It’s a great thing that many brands are now working toward creating a more inclusive environment in the outdoors and endurance sports, but it’s even greater to find a brand that was already doing it before May. And they make great shoes, too. #notsponsored #justafan #runningisforeverybody #outdoorsforall #protriathlete #runtherapy #timetofly #hokaoneone https://www.instagram.com/p/CCowtfgh54m/?igshid=vn1km8mtpcgg

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She’s mapped out her route on her scooter, she’s trained hard, and she’s ready to race! Tomorrow is Gloria’s chance to race for a cause. She’s running in the @sesamestreet Virtual Kids Fun Run and raising money for the Sesame Workshop. She can’t wait to have a parent aid station and to race her course with some of her friends. In her words, “I hope it’s a tie!” We’re taking bets on this five-way tie her via her fundraising page (link in bio) or Venmo to @artiejohann or me. #sesamestreetfunrun #shelterinplacefamilyfunrun #yellowfeatherfund #sesameworkshop #thefamilywhorunstogether https://www.instagram.com/p/CB7Vh0FhLUv/?igshid=1whjaai3ja918

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Today is Juneteenth (which should be a national holiday) and I ran 6.19 miles. I wanted to learn about a local Black historical site and have it serve as the destination for the run. I found the Mayme A Clayton Museum and Library, which should have been at 4130 Overland Ave here in Culver City. However, I learned it was sadly evicted from this site last year after a battle with LA County. This library and collection represents Clayton’s life’s work. “Mayme A. Clayton, Ph.D. (1923-2006) founded MCLM in 1975 as the Western States Black Research Center (WSBRC). Dr. Clayton, a university librarian, collector, and historian, believed that preserving and sharing the scattered and often neglected history of Americans of African descent was vitally important for current and future generations. Working independently for over 40 years, Dr. Clayton meticulously amassed a collection characterized as one of the finest collections of African-American literature, manuscripts, films, and ephemera in private hands." (From the MCLM website) The collection is temporarily being housed at West LA College. The good news is, in February 2020, the Culver City Council approved a plan from the adjacent @wendemuseum to turn the vacant building at 10828 Culver Blvd (basically just a couple blocks away) into a Creative Community Center. This new building will house the MCLM and serve as a location for the important cultural events and concerts the MCLM used to hold. It will also incorporate the AmVets organization and Upward Bound House, services to prevent homelessness. I couldn’t find any updates on how this construction is faring during pandemic times, but now that I know, I’ll be following the progress. I can’t wait until my next 6.19 mile run can actually take me to the new museum instead of the vacant old building. #maymeaclayton #mclm #blackhistory #americanhistory #juneteenth #r4awjuneteenth (at Culver City, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBoknMiheod/?igshid=1sf1x8eny897p

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Training is going strong for this weekends #ShelterinPlaceFamily5k! Since we started racing 9 weeks ago, @artiejohann has won twice with a PR of 21:47. I won 6 times with a PR of 21:21. Literally 10s of fans have showed up for the best physically distant sporting event in LA. We’ve taken two weeks off racing, but the training has continued. We’re finishing our 5k series this Saturday with our first ever head-to-head battle as their Aunt Hey-Hey watches the kids. The last four races have raised $5158 for charity as we took bets on each race and donated that money, plus matching amounts, to the East LA YMCA, Public Counsel Debtors Assistance, Every Mother Counts, and the Navajo Nation Covid-19 Relief Fund. The Grand Championship will raise money for the Westside Food Bank in LA and @chrisreddis Covid-19 Protest Relief fund to help those affected by covid-19 or other ailments/injuries after protesting for the Black Lives Matter movement. Donate directly to either charity and let us know who you bet on and how much, or Venmo us (in bio). #5k #funraising #family5k #championship #racing #livesports #sportsbetting #raceweek #protest #keepshowingup #professionaltriathlete #motherrunner #charitypartner https://www.instagram.com/p/CBRU9cMhuxy/?igshid=1olteujqjibxk

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Last Saturday’s 8th Weekly #shelterinplacefamily5k held no change in the leaderboard, even though I went a bit slower and @artiejohann went a bit faster. He’s convinced his only chance is in an actual head-to-head race. So, as #shelterinplace gradually eases and Artie keeps losing, we’re doing one final race, on June 6, for the #SIP Championship. We will race head to head (with a responsible, also quarantined person providing 20 mins of childcare). The loser will spend 3 hours in a dunk tank the following day. Betting is open now and bets from last week will carry forward. We will match all bets as a donation to the @westsidefoodbank. And, Sunday June 7, from 9am-12pm, the loser will sit in a dunk tank. For a donation of any amount, locals can dunk the loser (probably, hopefully Artie). Venmo @carly-Johann to bet on me and @RTjohann to bet on him. The Westside Food Bank is taking extra steps to end hunger and support families in need during the COVID-19 crisis. The Food Bank has partnered with local groups on the Westside to raise money to support a series of food assistance programs operated by social service agencies in Santa Monica, Venice, Culver City, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Inglewood, and the LAX area. #funraising #communitylove #lovenothate #family5k #motherrunner #livesports #placeyourbets https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvz3UMBcxx/?igshid=12a6hk2lptl43