Dana Burland

Today marked the 3rd and final triathlon in the YMCA’s Indoor Winter Tri series. This was my first time doing these events, and it was great. I’ll be back and back and back. Today’s race was tough! I’ve been healthy 1 week off a 3ish week cold/sinus infection. Overall I’m really happy with my performance and feeling like I’m newly back to the training shape I like to hang out in. This tri was different than the previous two ( 1 , 2 ). Jan and Feb were structured for 15 minutes in each discipline, with 5 minutes break for each transition. This one was distance based–complete 450 meters (18 lengths) in the pool, 6 miles on a stationary bike, 2 miles running on the indoor track. Transition times between each count toward your total time. I swam 450m in 6:09–averaging 1:22 per 100. Transitioned to bike in about 4ish min. Biked 6 miles in 20:26–averaging 17.6 mph. Transitioned to run in 20 seconds. Ran 2 miles in 16 min 45 sec–averaging 8:23 pace. I finished 5th for overall women a...

I’m sitting back in Grand Rapids, but still in a New York state of mind from a weekend parent’s only trip to NYC. B and I snuck away for 48 hours to NY for a whirlwind of a weekend. The goal was to see a Broadway show (I’d never seen one before), and of course explore, eat, shop and wander in a glorious childfree fashion. The overarching bummer of the trip was the stuffy, runny cold we were both nursing. Thankfully it was nothing more than that and OK to push through. The show: Chicago Wowowow. Incredible! Of course it was, it’s Broadyway! The singing, dancing, humor. The amazing cast, most notably a 58-yr-old actress playing Roxie Hart about 4293 times better than Rene Zelleweger did in the movie when she was 32. So take that! And Mama/Mary Sunshine played by 2 amazing drag performers were so perfect for their roles I can’t accept anyone different. Exploring Top of the list for me was our chilly but sweet walk around Central Park. Nowhere makes you feel like you’re a NY local m...

Candlesticks. And a table runner. Those were the tangibles I’d been focused on. On and off for 8 years, but more intensely over the last several months, I’d been scouring the Internet for them. I lacked them. I couldn’t nail down a look that felt like me. And I needed to have them! To have an adult way to dress up our table……… for all the adult dinners we throw? Hm. Well. I found them. And I’m not going to lie, I love them. Hah! But you and I, dear reader, we know it was never about the damn candlesticks and table runner. This morning I dressed this table up for my birthday dinner later today. I love this eclectic, colorful view that feels very much like me… but wouldn’t you know, as all is well on the homefront, I care much less about this dinner view and just really want to be immersed in the giggles and fun that will surround it. I hope year 36 brings lots of those giggly fun moments, and when the routine chaos rolls in, which it of course will, I’d like to engage in ...