A Skin Tag on My Nipple (and Frostbite)

Let's start this with an up-to-date picture of my left nipple:

Yeah, I'm that hairy. Deal with it.

For the last 6 months or so, I've noticed a TINY skin tag on my left nipple. Well, technically it's on the areola (the colored skin around the nipple). It's TINY. We could be the most intimate of lovers, and you'd never see it.

But I've kept my eye on it.

I didn't want to pull it with a tweezers, because AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH... it's on my NIPPLE!

I didn't want to clip it with a nail clippers, because AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... it's on my freakin' NIPPLE!! But I knew I needed to do something.

Flash forward to about a week ago. I went on a chilly hour-long 8 mile morning run - I think it was around 10 degrees. It's great running weather, and I finished feeling fine. It wasn't ANYTHING like the time I slightly frostbit my penis.

Flash forward another 2 days. I was checking out my nipple, and I did NOT see the skin tag! There was just a TINY dark spot where it used to be! Here it is pointed out in the same photo from above:

I THINK MY SLIGHTLY MORE "EXPOSED" SKIN TAG GOT FROSTBITE AND "BURNED OFF."

I'm now "skin tag free!!"

Chalk this one up to "just ignore it long enough and it will go away."

Thanks Mother Nature!

(And you haven't read about the time I nearly froze my penis off, you might want to check that out. It's a good read.)

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Friday Funny 454: A Former Student's Dream

A student where I teach posted this to my wall yesterday:

I WONDER IF THAT WOULD WORK!?!?!?!

And if you haven't visited my new tumblr page, stop by and check it out. It's like "Friday Funnies" all week long. I've been posting a lot of fun swim / bike / run stuff there too: steveinaspeedo.tumblr.com.

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Friday Funny 439: Oversharing on Facebook

I've been known to "overshare" here on my blog, but I think that's what keeps some of you weirdos coming back for more. (For an example, read this.) But even I have a limit....


These are my TOP 3 INSTANCES of "Oversharing on Facebook."


NUMBER 3:

NUMBER 2:

NUMBER 1:

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Friday Funny 434: Arm Wrestler

Yeah... sure. You got that arm from "arm wrestling." Uh huh. Sure.

Turns out he's for real. His name is Matthias Schlitte, and he's a German arm wrestler. See? He's for real. And so's his 18-inch forearm. Wowza.

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Have You Ever Killed Anything on a Bike Ride?

This guy hit a squirrel on his ride, and it BROKE HIS FRONT FORK!!

Gross. Poor guy.

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Friday Funny 424: Till the WHAT Explodes?

Related:

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Friday Funny 411: This Makes No Sense

This is just a little bit ironic....

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Friday Funny 404: Movie Test

Holy cats. Try this. It works:

It nailed it for me! How about you?

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Friday Funny 383: LanceNeilLouis Armstrong

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Friday Funny 370: Oddly Sexual Moments at the Olympics

One of these is a repeat from a Friday Funny about 3 months ago, but I hope you like the rest...

Show me a guy who hasn't tried that, and I'll show you a liar.

Back with some notes from recent workouts (while on vacation!) tomorrow. Happy Friday!

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Otter Attacks Minnesotan Triathlete

Two weeks ago, I posted about testicle-eating fish. That MAY have been stories from fisherman, and that was all the way over in Illinois. I wasn't concerned about it here in Minnesota.

But now, if you haven't heard, there was an otter that attacked a Minnesotan triathlete training in a lake near Duluth. Leah Prudhomme is a Facebook friend from the tri-world, and she is recovering from 25 bite marks! Here's a bit from the Star Tribune:

In the middle of Island Lake near Duluth, the triathlete struggled as the animal sunk its needle-sharp teeth into her legs, feet and back, leaving 25 bite marks, some 2 inches deep.

"It just kept coming after me," said Prudhomme, 33, of Anoka. "You never knew where it was going to bite next."

[...]

She said she's thankful she wore the wet suit, which was shredded during the attack, but which likely saved her from more extensive injuries.

Another article quoted Leah as saying "My wetsuit tells the tale best because there’s just claw marks and chunks missing and lots of bites all over the wetsuit. It’s pretty much destroyed now."

And look at this:

Yikes.

Leah got a series of rabies shots, and hopefully everything is OK now.

The best tongue-in-cheek article I saw about this was from Heavy.com where their headline was
"Otter Bites Triathlete 25 Times, Reminds Us Why Exercise is Bad."

And guess what? The triathlon that Leah was training for was last weekend. She finished the "Buzz Ryan Triathlon" 20th overall out of over 100, and she was the 6th female! Congrats Leah!!

So, men in Illinois, keep your testes safe. And swimmers in Minnesota, don't assume that little furry thing is cute and snuggly....

Back tomorrow with the winners of my recent giveaway!

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Awesome Speedo at the Minneapolis Triathlon

Remember my 2 promises that I made in 2 of my "Friday Funnies" last week?

First I said I'd try to get a race photo of myself like this lady from this post of "Ugly Race Pics:"

Well I totally forgot about that in the race, so I have no "ugly race pics" to show you of me.

Sorry.

Second, I posted how "CrashHouston" found my blog trying to find photos of dudes in Speedos because (as he put it) "sometimes the gays like checking out guys in speedos. Go figure." So I was going to try to get some Speedo photos for him, but I wasn't able to get anything.

Sorry CrashHouston.

BUT.... my "race buddy" Nick (from TriJuice) got a photo worth sharing. Here's Nick's photo from Saturday:

That SAME Speedo was at Life Time last year, and I shared 4 photos (1 my wife took and 3 that I took) of him in this post. But I never knew what was written on the front! In my post, I had stated this:

I don't know what the front says, but it must be about George Washington:

You're welcome, ladies (and certain men)

Thanks Nick for getting a shot of the front. CrashHouson thanks you too.

;)

CLICK HERE (or scroll down 2 posts) for my LTF Triathlon Race Report.
CLICK HERE (or scroll down 1 post) to enter my most recent giveaway.

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Men: Watch Your Nads

Let's say for a moment that you like doing open water swims. And that's not THAT strange - it's a fun thing to do. Well not any more....

This was in the Huffington Post over the weekend:

Pacu, Testicle-Eating Fish Species, Caught In Lake Lou Yaeger In Illinois

When biologists say the pacu fish eats nuts, they may be correct in more ways than one.

The pacu, a toothy fish that can weigh up to 55 pounds, has been spotted in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois, KSDK reports.

Responding to a report that a fisherman had reeled in a piranha on June 7, lake superintendent Jim Caldwell brought the fish to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, where it was identified as a pacu. Some reports say another pacu was seen a couple of weeks later.

Caldwell said he is still swimming in the lake nearly every day. Pacus primarily eat nuts, aquatic vegetation and snails, he told KDSK, and pose no real threat to humans.

Residents of Papua New Guinea may beg to differ. There, according to British fisherman Jeremy Wade, the pacu is known as the "ball cutter." In 2011, Wade said locals informed him that two fisherman had died from blood loss after something in the water had bitten off their testicles, according to the Metro.

"The locals told me that this thing was like a human in the water, biting at the testicles of fishermen," Wade said.

Wade determined that the perpetrator was the pacu, which is known for having human-like teeth. The angler did note that such attacks are uncommon, the Daily Mail reports.

Though pacus are native to the Amazon Basin, they were released into Papua New Guinea waters in the 1990s as part of an initiative to boost fisheries.

Biologists say any pacus in the Illinois lake are most likely former aquarium pets, according to the Journal-News. Anyone caught dumping the fish in the lake could face criminal charges.

A close-up of the pacu caught in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois.

I don't know about you, but the line "two fisherman had died from blood loss after something in the water had bitten off their testicles" makes me want to stay locked in my room.

Forever.

Why, God?.... Why?

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Craziest Bike Tattoo

Being my brother-in-law Matt and I are currently riding some hills in Wisconsin as part of "Hillfest," I figured I'd post something bike-related. I recently saw this photo on the internets:

Here's what the text says:

If you think your bike looks good, it does.

If you like the way your bike rides, it’s an awesome bike.

You don’t need to spend a million dollars to have a great bike, but if you do spend a million dollars and know what you want you’ll probably also have a great bike.

Yes, you can tour on your bike – whatever it is.

Yes, you can race on your bike – whatever it is.

Yes, you can commute on your bike – whatever it is.

26” wheels or 29” or 650b or 700c or 24” or 20” or whatever – yes, that wheel size is rad and you’ll probably get where you’re going.

Disc brakes, cantis, v-brakes, and road calipers all do a great job of stopping a bike when they’re working and adjusted.

No paint job makes everyone happy.

Yes, you can put a rack on that. Get some p-clamps if there are no mounts.

Steel is a great material for making bike frames - so is aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium.

You can have your saddle at whatever angle makes you happy.

Your handlebars can be lower than your saddle, even with your saddle, or higher than your saddle. Whichever way you like it is right.

Being shuttled up a downhill run does not make you a weak person, nor does choosing not to fly off of a 10 foot drop.

Bike frames made overseas can be super cool. Bike frames made in the USA can be super cool.

Hey, tattooed and pierced long shorts wearin flat brim hat red bull drinkin white Oakley sportin rad person on your full suspension big hit bike – nice work out there.

Hey, little round glasses pocket protector collared shirt skid lid rear view mirror sandal wearing schwalbe marathon running pletscher two-leg kickstand tourist – good job.

Hey, shaved leg skinny as hell super duper tan line hear rate monitor checking power tap train in the basement all winter super loud lycra kit million dollar wheels racer – keep it up.

The more you ride your bike, the less your ass will hurt.

The following short answers are good answers, but not the only ones for the question asked – 29”, Brooks, lugged, disc brake, steel, Campagnolo, helmet, custom, Rohloff, NJS, carbon, 31.8, clipless, porteur.

No bike does everything perfectly. In fact, no bike does anything until someone gets on it to ride.

Sometimes, recumbent bikes are ok.

Your bikeshop is not trying to screw you. They’re trying to stay open.

Buying things off of the internet is great, except when it sucks.

Some people know more about bikes than you do. Other people know less.

Maybe the person you waved at while you were out riding didn’t see you wave at them.

It sucks to be harassed by assholes in cars while you’re on a bike. It also sucks to drive behind assholes on bikes.

Did you build that yourself? Awesome. Did you buy that? Cool.

Wheelies are the best trick ever invented. That’s just a fact.

Which is better, riding long miles, or hanging out under a bridge doing tricks? Yes.

Yes, you can break your collar bone riding a bike like that.

Stopping at stop signs is probably a good idea.

Driving with your bikes on top of your car to get to a dirt trail isn’t ideal, but for most people it’s necessary.

If your bike has couplers, or if you have a spendy bike case, or if you pay a shop to pack your bike, or if you have a folding bike, shipping a bike is still a pain in the ass for everyone involved.

That dent in your frame is probably ok, but maybe it’s not. You should get it looked at.

Touch up paint always looks like shit. Often it looks worse than the scratch.

A pristine bike free of dirt, scratches, and wear marks makes me sort of sad.

A bike that’s been chained to the same tree for three years caked with rust and missing parts makes me sad too.

Bikes purchased at Wal-mart, Target, Costco, or K-mart are generally not the best bang for your buck.

Toe overlap is not the end of the world, unless you crash and die – then it is.

Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.

Yes, you can buy a bike without riding it first. It would be nice to ride it first, but it’s not a deal breaker not to.

Ownership of a truing stand does not a wheel builder make.

32 spokes, 48 spokes, 24 spokes, three spokes? Sure.

Single speed bikes are rad. Bikes with derailleurs and cassettes are sexy. Belt drive internal gear bikes work great too.

Columbus, TruTemper, Reynolds, Ishiwata, or no brand? I’d ride it.

Tubeless tires are pretty cool. So are tubes.

The moral of RAGBRAI is that families and drunken boobs can have fun on the same route, just maybe at different times of day.

Riding by yourself kicks ass. You might also try riding with a group.

Really fast people are frustrating, but they make you faster. When you get faster, you might frustrate someone else.

Stopping can be as much fun as riding.

Lots of people worked their asses off to build whatever you’re riding on. You should thank them.

This is one of my favorite lines from the tattoo:

"Really fast people are frustrating, but they make you faster. When you get faster, you might frustrate someone else."

Nice. :)

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Friday Funny 334: I Think This is the First Sign of the Apocalypse

Only at Taco Bell.

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Friday Funny 319: Unintentional Sexual Sports Moments

Funny potentially inappropriate "Unintentional Sexual Sports Moments" from Jockular:

Is that a tail?...






















Most guys like "ringing their bell," but THIS guy is REALLY into it.

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Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Fitting in a Workout!

No matter WHAT life throws at you, always try to fit in that workout!

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Friday Funny 313: Falling While Running

Ummm... what did I just read?....

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Friday Funny 301: Wear This While Running

File under "W" for "WWHHHAAAAAAAAA?!?!?!?!?!

(From Dailymail)

Soon going for a run won't just help your fitness levels, it’ll give your phone a boost too thanks to an ingenious new inventionthat uses the air from your lungs to charge it.

The clever piece of kit, dubbed the AIRE mask, harnesses the wind power created by breathing and converts it into electricity to run anything from your iPod to your mobile.

The electronic mask contains tiny wind turbines and the energy created is transferred through a cable to your electronic device. [....]

So.... just a few comments:

#1: I'm for "going green" and all, but there's a line. I don't know that I want to look a little like the Predator while going green.

#2: Wouldn't that chafe the hell out of your face while you were running?

#3:The device is sooooo poorly Photoshopped on those models. (It's OK on the guy, but pretty bad on the woman.) Come on, people at AIRE.

#4: Keds?!? Do you remember Keds? Is she running in Keds? WTF?!?


What else? What am I missing? Add your commentary in the comments below...

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Creepy Rev3 Poster

Wait... is this real?

That's a strange poster from Rev3, right? I'm not the only one who thinks 2 kids running with a skeleton wearing a finisher's medal with an a-bomb going off in the background is a bit weird.... am I? It's giving off a "Terminator 2" vibe. And not in a good way.

I LIKE Rev3 - I've never done any of their races, but Pharmie had a great time when she raced Rev3 Cedar Point in 2010 (just before I knocked her up). And we're thinking about doing Rev3 Wisconsin Dells later this summer.

But that's a weird "2012" ad, right?

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