Whistler!!!

I've been toying around with the idea of going to Whistler for years now, always saying, "I'll go next year." "Next year" has come and gone at least a half dozen times, so last night, after a few weeks of planning and discussing it with some friends, we finally bought our plane tickets. 

It hardly feels real. Even just last week, I had a dream...where I got bit by a zombie and was on my deathbed...and one of my biggest regrets was not boarding at Whistler. Seriously. So now it looks like I'll be heading to the west coast in the thick of winter for 2 weeks (or 3! I haven't bought my return flight yet!) next year with a kickass crew who is bound to push me to ride harder than I've ever ridden before. I am SO STOKED. As much as I want to board in Colorado or Japan or Switzerland, there's something about riding pow in your home country that is just that much more amazing. 

Coming soon...

I just came back from Europe last week! Posts and pictures to follow =)

Acropolis, check! 

Tough Mudder Toronto 2013 Review

Sunday, May 12th.

6:00 am - Wakeup call
7:00 am - Pick up Team Cuddles
7:30 am - Depart for Barrie
10:40 am - Start of the most physically challenging event of my life

Team Cuddles -- before

I'm not sure any kind of training could have prepared me for the obstacle course event known as Tough Mudder. When we first arrived at the site and stepped out of our cars, we were struck with a blast of cold wind, which was then quickly followed by a mass of groans, "Damn, I should have worn more layers", "Shit, I wish I had bought gloves", "Fck, I'm already cold and we haven't even started." On the shuttle bus between parking lot and site, an organizer stepped on the bus and hastily explained the registration procedure and casually mentioned, "Oh, and by the way, there was snow on the mountain this morning." Of course there was.

This is the middle of the May. But nevermind that, this is Canada, and Mother Nature loves to be fickle. The weekend prior, temps had been in the high 20s. Today, the temps were hovering around zero and there were now reports of snow, rain, hail, and blistering winds. For those who did Tough Mudder on the Saturday, ya'll got nothing on us ;)

While most people did the second obstacle, diving into dumpster bins filled with ice water -- aptly named Artic Enema, I might add -- by the time the next two kilometres rolled around, what had initially seemed like a fun idea had turned potentially dangerous. At the 4km mark, I could no longer feel anything -- not my hands or my face, and perhaps most frighteningly, I couldn't feel my legs at all. We warmed up on the buses that were stationed at the rest stops and saw runner after runner load up on the buses that would return them to home base. 12 km left to go. This was the turning point for me. Either turn back now -- there was no shame in that; I value my health above all, and hypothermia was more than just a distant possibility -- or keep on going. Our team looked around at each other. Nope, not leaving anybody behind. Onwards!

The total distance was a little over 16 km with 22 obstacles. I'd be lying if I said that I did every single obstacle. I'd say you'd be hard pressed to find anybody on Sunday who did every single obstacle. Most of the Tough Mudder obstacles incorporated some hydro element, and it was just simply too cold to do all the water obstacles and keep your core warm. Additionally, as we were the last heat of the second day, and given the freezing temps, I suspect that they closed off a few obstacles early, as there were some on the map that I don't recall us even having the option of doing (i.e. Wounded Warrior Carry). As a result, I'm sure that the race was very likely less than 16 km. As we continued on the course, I noticed that most of the obstacles that involved water, especially nearing the latter half of the course, (Underwater Tunnel, Smoke Chute, Cage Crawl, to name a few) were vacant and some no longer had volunteers standing by to supervise, as if to say that they, too, had given up on these obstacles.

Tough Mudder Toronto - Spring 2013 course map

I remember trudging up an umpteenth hill and cursing myself for signing up for this. In dragon boat, when you reach the last 200 metres of a 500 metre race, you're told to "empty your tanks" -- in other words, give it all you've got. I had barely reached the halfway mark and my tank was already empty. How was I supposed to keep going another 6 km? But like many things in life, this was very much a mental game (although it didn't feel like it at the time). One step at a time. One foot in front of the other. And as Jillian Michaels loves to say, "Unless you puke, faint or die, keep going!" I'm sure she hadn't factored in hypothermia in that equation, but in any event, I wasn't ready to quit just yet. I kid you not, the one phrase I kept repeating to myself over and over again was, "You are one tough motherf*ker!" Over and over again. Until we rounded a corner and saw the finish line ahead.

I cannot express in words how happy I was to see the finish line. One last obstacle to go -- electroshock therapy! -- and we could get our orange Tough Mudder headbands and call it a day, call ourselves Tough Mudders. We regrouped. We ran as a team, Team Cuddles, through the final electroshock obstacle, 10,000 volts and all, and passed the finish line as a team. I couldn't be prouder. I was so proud of my team for sticking together, pushing each other over walls and shouting words of encouragement through the howling wind and hail. I was so proud of myself. I did it. Having never run more than 7km in a single run in my life, I just ran 16 km uphill, downhill and through mud. I have no doubt that as much as this was physical, it was mental too. Immediately after running through the last obstacle, I collapsed a few feet past the finish line. My leg cramped up so quickly and violently that I was literally cheering with my team one second and ass-on-muddy-ground the next. I guess my body had finally had enough, but only after my mind said it was okay. I did it.

Team Cuddles at the finish line

Despite not doing many of the water obstacles, I am still proud that I pushed myself through the ridiculously cold weather to complete the course with the rest of my team. Nothing else will ever seem as hard or as cold as that day. Would I do it again? I'm not sure. Perhaps not unless I get a weather guarantee of no snow. I would like to do the entirety of the course with all the obstacles. Does that mean I'll see you again at Tough Mudder Toronto in September? Maybe.

Here is the official video for Tough Mudder Toronto Spring 2013. I've gotta say, though, that most of the footage is from the Saturday, as Sunday was all snow and hail!

If you want to see want some of the footage from Sunday looked like, check this vid out, especially at the 20:50 mark and watch it for at least a minute to get a sense of the weather:

Team Cuddles -- after
WE ARE TOUGH MUDDERS!

“They take pictures of mountain climbers at the top of a mountain. They’re smiling, ecstatic, triumphant. They don’t take pictures along the way cause who wants to remember the rest of it? We push ourselves because we have to, not because we like it. The relentless climb, the pain and anguish of taking it to the next level. Nobody takes pictures of that. Nobody wants to remember. We just wanna remember the view from the top. The breathtaking moment at the edge of the world. That’s what keeps us climbing. And it’s worth the pain. That’s the crazy part. It’s worth anything.”

— Grey’s Anatomy

Am I tough enough for Tough Mudder?

I am terrified.

Actually, terrified would be an understatement.

I have Tough Mudder in two weeks. Through no fault of anybody but my own, I am grossly unprepared for what lies ahead. I am not an athlete. The furthest I've run, ever, is 7km, and that was Spartan Race last year. Even when I work out, I've never done more than 5-6 km. Tough Mudder Toronto is expected to be 16-19 km. I've done intermittent cardio training over the last few months, but nothing like the 3 months of Insanity that I did last year -- and even then, that was barely enough for Spartan Race. I've done no weight training, no incline training, no endurance training. Don't get me wrong -- I am not making excuses for my lack of preparation; I'm merely stating the facts. And no matter how much I push myself in the next two weeks, I am not ready for Tough Mudder.

Upon sharing my insecurities with others, I was asked, "Why did you even sign up for it in the first place?" First of all, I've done similar races over the last few years (Warrior Dash, Spartan Race), each with a higher difficulty level. I enjoyed them. I love getting dirty. And where else can you crawl through waist-deep mud followed by a crawl in ice water? Secondly, I wanted to push myself and do things I wouldn't "normally" do (run 15k+? Ha!). And thirdly, because I have wonderful friends who inspire me to do challenging things, who push their physical limits...so why couldn't I?

15,000 people are anticipated to participate over the two-day event, with a 30% failure rate. That's a lot of people who can't finish the race.

I am afraid of failure.

And it's not that I anticipate it. I merely fear it. Better to have a healthy sense of doubt and apprehension and emerge triumphant...right? I know half the battle is mental. But the more I talk to people and the more articles I read, the more I worry about whether I am seriously physically capable.

Is the person who quits any better than the person who didn't even try?

2012 in Review (Long overdue, I know)

2012 has been a year of self-discovery and new beginnings.

Physical challenges (Insanity, Spartan Race) have pushed me to my limit and shown me that I'm much stronger than I thought.  Sometimes sheer will is all that stands between you and success.
I've finally finishing school and working full-time has forced me to reevaluate my time management skills (not to mention my financial management skills!) and learn to balance work and a social life.

So what have I been up to?

I celebrated my quarter century in July with as many close friends as I could gather in the midst of a busy summer. I've definitely had my "quarter-life crisis" moments, but nothing too long-lasting that I can't subdue...for now.

Surrounded by my favourites

In mid-August, I flew to Calgary for a youth conference and stayed with family for a week. I hadn't visited Alberta since I turned 18, so it was lovely to meet some oh-so-adorable new cousins, catch up with old friends, and make new ones. And while I didn't get to snowboard in Banff, I did visit the mountains for some scenic pictures and short hikes. Hopefully, it won't be 7 years before I finally knock the Rockies off my to-board list.

True North strong and free..

My mom's side of the family in Calgary

The end of August culminated in the celebration of another BBH wedding, my dear friends, Jon and Flo. Lively crowd, great band, and of course, what better venue to meet lovely new people? Can't wait til the next BBH wedding! I have no doubt that 2013 (and 2014!) will be full of joyous gatherings ;)

The first night we met.
Photo cred: Derrick Francis Wong

We had to make a pyramid to make the bride and groom kiss
Photo cred: Kuba Photography

BBH crew at the BuTran wedding
Photo cred: Kuba Photography

The long-awaited proposal..Congrats, Viet & Robin!

And of course, to wrap up summer and the end of the beach volleyball season, I finally got the tattoo that I've been itching to get since I was 18. While I had wanted it for my 25th birthday, I had to wait until I was out of the sun for the season to get it. Quick and relatively painless, considering I got it on my rib cage. I'm tempted to get another one, but perhaps I'll wait another 7 years just to make sure I reaaaallly want it ;)

Honestly, it didn't really hurt, but the back of my rib was sensitive

This Too Shall Pass

In November, I flew down to Texas to celebrate my first American Thanksgiving. What a blast! I spent the first five days in Austin and Houston, and the latter 5 days in Dallas. K was a wonderful host and kept me plenty fed...I'm pretty sure I ate at least 5-6 times a day while I was in Austin/Houston. Oh, America, I heart your food trucks. I got to make up for my lack of university partying by bar hopping in Austin. What a crazy college town! When I was in Dallas, H & A took me to the gun range and I go to shoot an uzi! This wasn't on my original bucket list...but it should have been!

My very first philly cheese steak! ermagod SO good

Captain Tom's. I always stop by when I'm in Houston 

My first Vietnamese-American Thanksgiving!

Corn. In. A. Cup.
Corn + cheese + spices + butter + sour cream + hot sauce = $1.50 heaven

In America, I get to shoot an uzi.

It's no secret that I love to eat. And while I stray away from watching television too much, the one channel that I'll always watch is the Food Network. Whether it's a Friday night in or just something to run in the background while I cook myself, there is always something interesting to watch on the Food Network. It got to the point that all the episodes were starting to seem like repeats because I left the channel on so often. Then came Master Chef. While it's not a Food Network show per se (Good job, Fox), it had all the fixings of a good foodie reality show. Master Chef opened up the doors to weekly discussions between M and I about the challenges and contestants, with one contestant in particular, Christine Ha, who became our own fan favourite. You see, Christine is legally blind and yet here she was, cooking up a storm on Master Chef, impressing judges, and surprising skeptics. And, of course, the fact that she was Vietnamese was a proud bonus too. I recognized a lot of her dishes and could imagine my own kitchen here at home bustling with the energy and vibrant smells of the traditional Vietnamese dishes she made. But it wasn't just her underdog status that made me want to root for her -- it was her story:

"My mother was my cooking inspiration. She was a wonderful cook. When I was fourteen, before I'd had any interest in cooking, she passed away. She left no recipes. After I moved away for college, I had to learn to cook for myself.[...] I've since spent many hours in the kitchen using my childhood memories trying to recreate my mother's dishes."

This hit home pretty hard for me, and her words have lingered long past the ending of the show. I've never had much of a presence in the kitchen, and up until the last year, I had difficulty cooking rice with a rice cooker. (Okay, that might be a bit of an exageration, but you get my point.) I've always been fond of pasta dishes and the occasional shepherd's pie, and maybe even corn and crab soup if I was feeling particularly adventurous. I also make a full Thanksgiving and Christmas feast each year with S, so I'm not completely hopeless. But in terms of venturing into the domain of Vietnamese cooking...well, there's not much to be said there. I can eat nearly everything on a Vietnamese menu (also worth noting that it's the only Vietnamese I can read fluently) but when I move out, my new home will be sorely lacking in traditional asian cooking. So, with that in mind, I've made a conscious effort over the last couple of months to spend more time in the kitchen with my mother. I could never forgive myself if I didn't learn how to recreate (or at least write down) some of her recipes. I've always helped here and there with food prep, but never really paid attention to the actual cooking portion -- How long do I simmer this before I add this? How much fish sauce do I add? What can I use as a substitute if I don't have a this ingredient?

As a result, I've been writing everything down, almost obsessively, and in finite detail so that I won't forget a step when I try to recreate it. And chances are, it'll probably take a few tries until I perfect it myself, but at least I'll have it written down somewhere. Mom has since taught me how to make my absolutely favourite prawn dish, as well as her staple fish sauce seasoning and a few other dishes as well. Next up: pho, bun rieu and canh chua. I hope to be able to cook these dishes by the end of the year!

As an aside (actually, M lost a bet and I participated just for the fun of it), M and I attempted to 'see' through Christine's eyes by embarking on a blind baking challenge of our own...

We may have made too many peanut butter cookies...

I have no doubt that 2013 is going to be spectacular. If 2012 was the year of self-discovery and new beginnings, 2013 will be a year of transition and growth with a side of adventure. My first full year of working full-time with no schooling. This means saving, saving, saving! And also...traveling, traveling, traveling. I've got lots of places I *want* to travel to this year (Dominican, Turks & Caicos, Rome + Greece, Miami...and the list continues to grow..) but I know I have to put some priority on paying back my school debts.

Upcomings: Glass blowing! All-girls snowboarding workshop! Swedish House Mafia! Tough Mudder!

I promise my next update won't take so long =P

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.
-- F. Scott Fitzgerald