Dude got 2nd

I knew Eirik was in good condition.  His swimming has really taken off in the last few months, he's always been an avid runner, and he tolerates cycling (but mostly as a means of transportation).  We thought we would give this a try...

Gecko Triathlon:

100m open water swim
3km mountain bike
1km run on the beach with and up hill finish.

Setting up his 'transition area'

Playing in the water before the event.  His friends Rachel and Jon also participated.  Their dad, Derek, an Ironman in training is taking photos.

Just waiting around....

All the kids at the beginning.  The Gecko was kids up to and including age 12, boys and girls.  There was a group of boys that trained quite hard for this.  One won, but he used a road bike (we were told MOUTNAIN BIKE or Eirik would have had his road bike) and totally groomed for this race.

My boy.... we were in it for the fun....

Eirik is already in the water swimming... they go around the bouy you see then around another then out to the bikes.

Eirik is about 8th out of the water... we are yelling at him to start running, it would be faster at this point. 

#14 (his new favorite number!) running for his bike.  Emily and I couldn't have cheered louder for him.  He ran very fast to the transition area, and in NO TIME he was pedalling.  He dropped many of the kids that beat him out of the water at t hat point!

GO! EIRIK GO!

At the bike area, Emily and I cheered him.  They had to do two laps.  He said he just picked off the riders and was behind the winner.  But he had an adult sized road bike (this is GECKO?)... that boy then just took off....  The difference in time was a lot, I worried that maybe Eirik crashed... but he came down the path.  We screamed, "Just take off your helmet and GO!!!!"

GO!  EIRIK GO!

Down and back on the beach.  He was with a pack.  I came to the turn where he was to go up the ramp.  I didn't know if he knew where the finish line was.  If he slowed before crossing the finishline, he'd loose his postiion,

"Go up the hill, cross the ramp into the store!!!"

"FASTER EIRIK FASTER.... YOU CAN DO IT!"

He did it!

HA HA!  I yell!  I can't beleive it......  The PE swim teacher participated in the Sprint version and she was just estatic!

We were all so surprised!

At the Bar-B-Que, they said, "In 2nd place:  Eric Mangro!"

Okay... he has a new name!  ha ha ha! 

And.... if THAT wasn't enough.... he won this bike in the lucky draw! 

The best part of the entire experience is he was happy and his attitude and sportsmanship was outstanding!  He was happy because he swam well, he rode hard, and he ran like there was no tomorrow.  He finished nearly needing to vomit!  Then.... he smiled! 

He was humble and grateful for the experience.  He cheered his friends on and didn't show off!  He was thankful to his sister for spending her weekend in Mui Ne for this and cheering him on..... 

I am so proud of him, for being Eirik..... the 2nd place prize... well, that's just the frosting on the cake.  The real prize with the experience and fellowship with friends!  That's the victory!

Tri Training Week 2

Remember, the reason for 'tri' training is to make me hungry and desire to ride the suckiness that is Ho Chi Minh City cycling.... yup, that's as positive as I can be... but really, it isn't horrible.  I am not upset, it's just the truth of the matter.... should you disagree.... ride a peloton during rush hour and take away the rules of the road....

Sunday:  swam 1000m (no flippers - yeah!)
Monday:  5km run 28.5min followed by 2.4km walk to cool down (theoretically)
Tuesday:  rest
Wednesday:  12km bike..... flat tire, had to catch a taxi.  However, met some guy who was doing the triathlon that Eirik is doing this weekend.  He gave me some very helpful hints.  Again, getting a flat tire, I don't get upset.  Thus far living in Vietnam, every flat has saved me from potential disaster....  (lost in Cambodia, just before my handlebars gave way...) but today... it was a gift.   My dude got 2nd place in the kid triathlon out of 50 kids!
Thursday:  60km bike (300m climbing), 1000m swim (all freestyle, no flippers.... even learned flip turns!)
Friday:  6.2km run, 2.4km walk to cool down
Saturday:  55km ride in Mui Ne

Run:  11.2km (+4.4km walk)
Swim:  2000m
Bike:  127km

Tri Training Week 1

So, in an effort to NOT HATE cycling.... I am diversifying my exercise a bit.  What are the obvious choices.... swimming and running.  Before I sat on two wheels, I ran a lot.  I am a slow runner, but from point A to point B, I generally can get there.  I have ran two marathons and a handful of fun runs.  When I worked at the insurance company, nearly the entire actuarial department ran.  We had a running log and a world map, we tried to combine all our miles and run around the world.  Every day, we logged our miles.

Okay... so, now that the Tour of Friendship is over and I am completely an exercise junkie, to reduce my risk of dyign on a bike and like I said above, hating it forever..... I will 'Tri Train'. 

I am NOT training for a Triathlon....  just simply training like I am....

So...

Monday:  5km run
Tuesday:  30km boys, 30km roller (on bike)
Wednesday:  60km ride
Thursday:  rest
Friday:  30km ride
Saturday:  60km riding, 600m swimming

So:
Run:  5km
Ride:  210km
Swim 0.6km

Not a good start.... I got blisters, I cut my heal on something sharp in the swimming pool... and my rides were actaully good.  I stayed with the boys on Saturday, had a much better average kph for the entire ride, but still not where I want to be.

Best part is, Saturday's swim, as pathetic as it is.... was teh best recovery for cycling besides a good Thail massage....

The Tour, The Future

My 'urn' is the smallest....  the 1st place one is really big!  Considering what happened on the last day, I am lucky I still had my 5th in the GC.

Our stage prizes were these porcelain helmets.  Really cool!  Each place 1st - 5th got a different color.  1st was yellow... obviously.

Singapore's Team Spinning... if you will.  Christina the woman far left is an animal!  She is really strong on the flat and a good climber.  The other three women were her teammates that protected and supported her.  With time, they'll be much stronger.  Christina's husband of 8 years is one of the guys... sorry... don't remember which...

Waiting for the last day to start.  It isn't all the girls, just the western girls.  We all had water.... we drank as much as we could up to the start making sure we were soaked with COLD water at the beginning.  It was a challenge to keep yourself cool.  The average temperature was nearly 38C, and all but one day was in scorching sun!

2nd day awards....  not impressed with my performance.  As a matter of fact, I almost missed the bus to dinner.  The previous day it left at 6:45, but this day it left at 6:15.  I had come to the lobby for more water and some of the guys said, "Tina, ready, lets go....", "Oh...."  Siw (my teammate) and Christina, #'s 1 and 2 again!  3rd to the little Thai girl I raced against in February.  She seems to have improved....  a little (lot!)

I think if I were in better climbing shape, I'd be not as happy with this result... but considering my last climb was over 6 months earlier during a race I really didn't care about.....  I was pretty happy.  At least I had a feel for the mountain. 

So, the Tour of Friendship made me a whole lot of friends.  Amazing ANZA team....  Nobody knew how I would do, I didn't know how I would do.  I am glad I survived....  I know my training conditions.  they, quite simply.... really suck!

Now that the Tour is over, I feel like a lost puppy.... what's the purpose...  but I anticipated this feeling and hoped I would come home from Thailand with some prospective on cycling and understand where I am if I want to be competitive in SE Asia.

After the hurt of Stage 4 subsided (for those of you that think I am whining too much about it.... imagine having no group training other then the crazy peloton that throws itself infront of an oncoming bus while running a red light, continuously fighting with the motorcycle traffic of HCMC.... you'd understand the hurt.  It's like running around a crowded city block training for a marathon!) I came to understand some basic things.

1.  I still love to cycle.... 

2.  I still love racing.....

3.  I have to diversify or #1 and 2 will be removed completely. 

I have started running.... 

I will start swimming....

These sports will keep me active and hopefully those hard to lose pounds off.  The running I firmly believe will help with my climbing.  Any good climber is also a good runner.  So.... shouldn't the reverse be true?  So far... I have seen that proven as well.  Running, I can do without aggrivation.

I'll tone down my cycling to about 1/2 the kilometers I was doign previously.  However, the riding will be very targeted training.  Either a skill, or a speed will be maintained as the goal of the day's ride.  I learned that surges are my weak spot.  I need to ride faster during training, and much more interval training.  These things CAN be accomplished in HCMC.

I gotta get on my mountain bike.  Just, so far, mountain biking with groups has conflicted with family activities....  so, haven't done that yet.

June 18th we start our journey home.  Once home, I'll get out my ghetto bike, Ms. Massi (with Tiagra Shimano components... you know the ones with the window on the hoods so you can see what gear you are in) and ride like the wind up and down the Olympic Penninsula....  hope to join a few races too:

PIR Monday nights, on a race track for cars, but closed MOnday and Tuesday nights for bike racing.  Some nasty curves through the course.  I figure this will give me some good handling skills I am not getting doing out and backs every day here.

Larch Mountain in ORegon.... a lovely climbing race... Great to climb the beast... maybe... my legs will remember it for tour de Bintan.

Tour de Bintan in Indonesia - mid October

Queen's Cup in Hua Hin Thailand (give safe to travel)

repeat the other SE Asia races.

Taiwan?  Unless Amazing ANZA wants to do the Tour of East Taiwan, most likely no.  But, there is talk....

Tour of Friendship Lady's Day 4

The hardest of the stages to write about.  This was the 2nd time since I started racing in March of 2007 that I had not been on the podium out of probably 45 races.  It isn't that that makes it hard to write about, I beat the 5th place girl, hands down....  the course wasn't marked....

After the 3rd stage, my position did not improve, but the GC spread out. I was only 18 seconds from 4th place, but knew that wouldn't change.

I couldn't sleep.

I was exhausted.

I was so nervous.

I laid in bed for hours..... watched a little TV....

Finally, I took 1/2 Tylonol PM. I thought about it seriously before swallowing. I remembered the last time I took this before riding it really affected my ride, but that was a whole one, that was a 50km climb up DaXueShan back in 2008, and I took it in the early hours of the morning. It should pass.....

Oh.... how stupid. I was so wrong. I was so stupid.... there really isn't another word for it.... just plain stupidity.

At breakfast, we are discussing what to do. We think we are in with the M40 again like the prior two days. We heard a rumor they will shorten the course because so many participants are flying out that night. Christina approaches us (she must be laughing her head off now to think that I could actually keep up with her and Siw....) We know if we drop the two Thai girls, we can go 1, 2, 3! Siw and I need a LOT of time an we don't have a lot of distance to do it in. If we can get some M40 help, but they ahve their own race too..... ANZA M40 has their own agenda and a few members they want to break free and hold the rest behind! It's 'the race' for most.

(M40 group - Siw and I are in there, discussing plans for controlling the peloton.  M40 needs to protect Patrick to keep his GC position)

At the start we learn we will actually go with the M60, and Juniors.... like the first day. I think this is good news. No managing the big peloton through the tiny roads we would be heading through today.

At the start line, as we wait, I feel sicker then normal. I want to throw up and can't get my stomach settled. I ride a little to see if it is nerves.... for the most part, I think it is.

Its our turn, we take off.

We start a few surges.... the Thai girls stick. Hmmm.... The Juniors have their agenda as do the M60's. Too many races in one group. A few surges later, I realize, I have absolutely no energy. I push on the pedals but nothing happens. It is almost an out of body experience. The whole race is in slow motion and incredibly painful.

I hurt the entire race.

I suffer the entire race.

I come to grips that something is really wrong. Now, I have to think about my 5th in the GC. I have to keep it. There's quite a time gap between 5th and 6th, but if I drop off our of exhaustion, I am gone.

I go to the top to tell Siw, "I have no power today, doubt I can be much help".

A few km's later I feel a little better, I go back to the top, "What's the plan?"... she tells me, "double dummy"... okay (as if I know what that means). There's a surge, but we are going through a town with lots of dust, gravel, and turns. Surge, recover, surge recover, etc.... finally, too much for me.... I had dropped.... trying to keep up... I can't.

They have the power of the Juniors and the M60 with them. I see who is behind me, what's the lay of the land. Three of Christina's teammates and one of the Thai girls.... well, we got one I think. So, I have two choices:

1. Hold back and guarentee we move Siw and Christina up in the GC. My 5th is guarenteed as no one below me is ahead of me.

2. Since Christina has so many teammates behind.... and their speed is slow enough, do I try to bridge the gap between me and the Thai girl. I need 3 minutes. It can be done.... She isn't going to break out on her own, the other's don't go that fast.... maybe if there's some sort of slowing I can catch the lead group.

I go for it! Feeling slightly better.... I bear down and ITT the entire way. Speed isn't great, but my heart rate says I can't go much faster... so we are all battling the same wind.

The course passes the finish line on the other side of the road. You make a U-turn then finish on the correct side of the road. I see the lead pack finish.... the U-turn must be the first one!

There is NO ONE there.... no sign, no paint in the road, nothing. Since other turns had been marked, clearly this is NOT the U-turn.

I go to the next U-turn, again, nothing!

I start to the NEXT U-turn.... finally one of the officials tracks me down and tells me to go turn around.

I realize I rode about 3 - 4km longer then the course.... Now I really hammer....just hoping I beat the other girls...

I cross the finish line with the entire pack waiting for me.

I came in dead last.

I am hyperventalating....

They led me astray....

They didn't mark the course

They had NO ONE marking the course...

They were out for a smoke? I don't know...

They are laughing at me...

I protest... I tell everyone....

I assume there will be neutralization.

We are told, they will review each category and make a decision.

It wasn't until the awards ceremony they decided not to do a damn thing about my category. It was getting late and apparently, they thought we weren't important enough?

Every peloton had an issue.

I was so angry.

By my calculations.... I would have had 4th in the GC, not 5th. I could have made up that time.... It would have said more to my team getting 4th behind their woman superstar's 3rd, then placing 5th with a horrible time.

I try to protest, many tell me "aahhww, it's just how it is...." There was justification in the other categories.... I finally say, "I train in the suckiness of HCMC by myself.... it took a hell of a lot more out of me to get here then most! I definitely deserve to be heard, or at least an apology!"

Nothing....

I am crushed.

I am hurt.

I am humiliated!

Unbelievable.

I have sinced sent a very nice letter to the organizer.... nothing.

Of course, had I not taken the meds, perhaps I would have held on and it wouldn't have been an argument after all.

When people ask me about the tour, the best I can say is, "It was okay".

I'll be back...

I'll be stronger....

I won't make the same two mistakes....

It will be different....

Tour of Friendship - Lady's Day 3

I woke up putting the prior day behind me. Today is a totally different battle. I am not nervous because I am really too tired. Racing day after day, one looses the nerves you have when you only race once a month. We are in the M40 peloton again, but I visualize myself thriving in the peloton.... using the boys for the pulls... being a proactive rider!

The red area is the ladies, M50, M60, and Juniors. Our very controlled by ANZA peloton keeps the speed between 30 and 35. This goes on for about 35km, finally we start to pick it up... somehow... I end up in the back of the pack again... almost like a vaccuum before I knew it I was sucked back.... Okay... I relax, I am not dropped by any means. Its a feeding zone, motorcycles are giving us water. We ride on the left side of the road as we are in Thailand. No real safe side of the peloton. I get my water. Go back to the top... "Nice work" says Siw... "Yeah, don't know what I have for the hill"...

I suffered dearly the day before. Every 96km of yesterdays ride was suffer... I didn't benefit from the pack so I was tired.

The hill comes about 5km shorter then advertised. Seems to be the norm in Thailand... Hmm... seem to NOT be in the right place.

We know there is a steep part. We are told it is 2km into the climb. I brought the Opera. I decided on this bike because there wasn't too much climbing and I am so much more comfortable on this bike then the Cervelo. I feel it just moves faster... and they weigh the same. So, if I can manage the hills on teh Opera, why Cervelo?

I pass Janine... Okay, 5 ahead of me.... I pass Siw... 4 ahead of me... I pass a few ANZA guys... where is the Specialized girl, I think she will be next. I see a Specialized jersey... I go for it! ONly to pass "her" and see here number is 313... it is a guy from the 30's division....shoot, WHERE ARE THEY? There are 4 ahead of me. AAUUGGH... Pass another ANZA guy... pass my friend John, "WOW! Go Tina!!!" he says....

I cross the finish line.... in 4th place.

I have a HUGE smile on my face. I gained some time back in the GC, but not sure how much.

1:35 behind the winner of the category (but she got a 10 second 1st place bonus, and another 10 second KOM bonus)

1:30 behind the other Thai girl (wasn't counting on that... she seemed weaker then me in the flat - she gets a 6 sec bonus)

0:58 behind Christina (4 sec bonus)

me!!!

Siw and Janine come in just under two minutes behind me.

The other girls.... some time after that, not sure.

I am elated! I have not climbed more then 1km since the 14th of November! I am really happy with my climb, but pretty sure it was below my 'peak'.

I take my 4th place as another victory.... I am so happy!

Two unfortuante things for ANZA girls.... still I am in 5th for the GC, and Siw has moved from 1st to 4th.... I am 18 seconds behind her. that won't be made up as the next day is flat road and she is stronger then 1/2 the men on our team....

At the hotel later that night, a few ask me, "You must be feeling good tonight!!", "Yes, why?",. "You flew past me on the hill"...

Alan said, "So, you're a climber, huh?"...."Used to be... I am definitely not in climbing shape now!"

John said, "You flew past me! I was surprised..." I said, "I've lost a lot of climbing too!"

Maybe the team will see a valuable position for me?

The team was very concerned and upset with Siw's new position, "You need to help her tomorrow Tina!"..."Of course!"

tomorrow....we have work to do!

Sure enough... when I got home and analysed my data from North Coast Race, KOM, etc.... I lost a LOT of climbing power. A solid 2kph in speed. had I been in NC Race condition.... the results would have been very, VERY different... and maybe I'd seen yellow.

Of course the situations were not identical... the hills and distance were. Our speed in Thailand was slower approaching the hill as the M40 controlled peloton had 90 km to go after we let go. But, the heat in Thailand was the hottest weather I ever rode in!

Every water bottle I took, on sip, on the head, sip, on the legs, sip, on the back, down the front, then drink the rest.

Tour of Friendship - Lady's Day 2

Photo from Day 1....

I went to bed with a HUGE smile on my face..... I rode with the big girls and held my own!! I was not humilated....but so pleased. Siw told me, "You rode well!"... I am so happy.

I broke my front break lever in my crash, my handlebars and fork needed to be realigned and scratched up the tape and lost the thiny at the end of the handlebars. Grateful to have Campy because Colin (the team's mechanic) just taped up my break so I could ride safe. I am fairly sore and a little scuffed up, but of the three crashes ANZA riders had that day, mine is not even noteworthy. One guy really hurt his hip and had surgery when he return to Singapore. Another in the same peloton just got scratch up pretty good, but needed bandages and visited First Aid twice a day.

Siw and I discuss tactics on the way out. We think I could be slightly better on the hill, so if she should drop a little, I slow the peloton down at the top. we are TOLD it is a hilly stage, but just rolling hills. I tell her that I can read people's climbing fairly well just by seeing how they do on the little inclines... I am usually right on... this will give us valuable information for tomorrow's one and only real hill stage.


The profile above shows the steepest climb is in only 45m... well, I am not exactly sure where it was... seemed to be fairly flat to me!

At the start line, everythign changed....

We are now in with the M40.... For Siw and Christina, this is great news, they have ridden with these guys day in and day out. They know them well. For me, it is intimidating and overwhelming. My job went from helping my teammate to just surviving the damn ride! It was not good news for me and I didn't have time to prepare for this....

Luckily, the rain had stopped, but the roads were still wet in places. I haven't ridden in the rain in a long time.... not because I am a princess and don't want to get wet, but because it is a death wish here in HCMC. I find that in the top 10 safety features of any thing here.... usually 8 are covered. The roads do not drain well here, potholes are big and unseen, and just revisit other posts to see what kind of surprises you can run over.

That said, I find myself in the back of the pack. Today's stage is to be 110km for us. 160 for the boys. I guess we will just finish and they will carry on? I am not quite sure how 9 girls are suppose to just magically slip out of the peloton and finish.

ANZA riders are throughout the peloton. Thankfully, one tells me the plan of attacks... at the 50km mark, surge, relax two by two...I need to improve my position if I am going to survive these...

Janine goes down, she takes two or three others with her, her wheel touched the Specialized girls wheel.... I start to relax more. I didn't realize how tense I was and nervous.... the crash from the day before and our new 'fast' peloton really did a toll on me mentally.

I eventually get dropped completely.... I misread a surge.... At only the 60km mark, I am humiliated....but Colin is in the van and cheers me on.... tells me what to do.... after hammering for a few kms I catch back on...

Lesson LEARNED....get my butt up there.... I improve my position, though not at the top of the peloton, closer to the middle.

Then comes the asphault.... fresh blacktop on the road. there is a 10cm edge that takes down several riders.... it is very, VERY hot...the rocks are black, tarred and sticky.... The noise is unbearable....

I realize the noise is from me...

My bike is making a deafening noise, knowing it was alreay mamed from the day before, I don't recognize this noise... my tires are not flat.... but this noise...

I make a bad decision, but knowing the conscequenses... I briefly get off my bike and spin my wheels.... quick check, the motorcycle guy simply says, "Its okay" - Go! I knew once I got off the bike, it would cost me the GC... but the noise was so horrible I felt I had no choice. The high rims really ampliphied the sound..

He gives me a push back to the peloton, but the other team vans are yelling, "NO ACCIDENT, NO FREE PUSH", we try to explain it was a mechanical problem.... I ask not to be pushed. I don't want to be accused of cheating...

I see the peloton, but never catch up. I ride solo for about 10km, then two of the other girls catch up to me from behind. We eventually begin to rotae. There's finally the 3km sign... I sprint ahead... they don't even challenge it.

2:13 behind the leader now (after time bonuses)... should have rode faster to bridge that gap....

5th for the stage....

cross the line, humilated, and screaming a cuss word....

gotta get ready for the next day's stage.... maybe I can take out 2:00 on the climb. It is the North Coast race.... PERIOD.

Tour of Friendship - Ladies Day 1

The tour actually started on Saturday, May 1st. However, women were not in the ITT, so we had a free day. Siw (my teammate), Jennifer (Daniel Carruther's wife), Kenny (helping us), and I all went and did some shopping.

I was late getting to the hotel. The race included hotel/airport transfers. We were all treated as a mass bunch of people. Everyone, bikes, etc all moved at the same time. I was really impressed. Nothing really started on time and things took longer then we though, but all things considered and the Thai 'easy going, don't worry' attitude... it was pretty impressive.





AAuuugghhh... look at the lovely hill! oh.... a gentle (with a few steep pitches) 20km hill at the end of a 90km flat road... Hmmm... sounds like 1/2 of the Taiwan races just doubled in length. I was very excited to see this profile!



Understandably, my climbing has lost power... but, I know something is left. I have trained climbing as hard as I can with what is available. The only thing is I can't judge my rhythm without a good tempo climb....



We get to the start line the next day.



"They took out the hill today!"



Seriously? I look at Siw and say, "That's one trick I have in my bag... I don't know that I can climb better then anyone, but sometimes, I can". I knew one of the Thai girls, not the other. In Koh Kor Classic, I was out climbing her until I had to get off my bike (okay... maybe I didn't out climb her, right?) Who knows about anyone else.... Doesn't matter.... the race will be nearly decided at this first stage and I love an up hill finish!



So, we are told 118km out flat. For this stage we were out with the Juniors, and men 60+.



It was an uneventful 50 - 60 km to start with. I think, hard to remember now. There would be minor surges, but nothing permanant. When I saw Siw on top, I'd make sure she didn't pull.... I protected her energy. Siw and Christina are the powerhouses for this race, Janine as well. I know I fit in there somewhere.... just not completely sure where. I caught a few off guard, no one knew me.



I ended up towards the back while taking in some water.... we were going through a town... something came towards our group (not really sure what)...



one swerved...

another swerved...

the last cut me off, I could see it all happenening but didn't correct fast enough...



DOWN I GO!



I was back on my bike with in seconds.... the motorcycle escort asked if I was okay.... "YEAH, I AM FINE"... the peloton then was slowing down and I was able to catch up.... Fuming pissed, I remained at the top, even if I had to pull for the rest of the ride....



Speed began to increase as we saw the 3km mark (placed nowhere we though it was.... but that became the norm...)

Just after 1km, slight uphill, I go for the finish.... I know it is too early, but I so desperately do NOT want to be last.... I sprint....

holding...

holding...

blowing...

200m to go... I see the wheels,

50m to go....Siw....Christina

Finishline... me!



I finished 3rd place on my first stage....



I thought, a ROCK STAR performance:



1. Trainined in Vietnam, you know the challenges

2. Crashed, got back up

3. Pulled for the winner, my teammate, she and Christina didn't spend anytime in the front...



I raise my hands in the air as though I won... quite honestly, if felt that way.



I broke in to tears.... I did it... I overcame the challenges I have with training and darn it:



I DID IT!.....



My new team is very excited for Siw, and I believe excited for me.... Christina and Siw gave me their "Singaporean High Five" knuckle touch.... "You're strong", says Christina.... That's a huge compliment....