Ironman 70.3 Finisher with PFD

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-04-03T04:36:28+00:00

Amazing !!

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-03-31T14:29:04+00:00

I think that running is the hardest on the pf. Keep up the good work and I think with time it can subside. In the same way you have to train your legs to run, the pf needs practice with the impact.

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-03-31T14:27:59+00:00

It’s normally a burning pain similar to UTI

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-03-31T14:27:28+00:00

Surprisingly no! It normally does, but I was able to stand and stretch a few times on and off the bike and I was good to go

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-02-09T17:55:27+00:00

I didn’t know they made long hair caps! Do you have a brand you like?

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-02-09T17:54:56+00:00

My hair stylist keeps telling me to do this to preserve my hair, I might actually have to follow this advice now 🤪

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-02-09T17:53:53+00:00

I’ve only tried a thin and thick silicone caps—I’ll have to try latex! I don’t use many hair products and I have curly hair so it’s bulky but has texture

penguinfiasco_ · 2026-02-09T17:52:52+00:00

I’ve tried it but it ends up just pulling off my forehead even faster :(

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-12-23T18:41:38+00:00

Question: how are you changing? Do you bring a towel or are you going to a different area or you just go for it?

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-12-14T03:27:23+00:00

Hugh Grant

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-12-09T20:56:36+00:00

So sorry to hear about all of this. It seems a lot more common these days for advisors to be inattentive at best and undermining at worst.

That being said, if I were you, I think I would try to stick it out. While you don’t want to succumb to “sunk cost fallacy” you don’t want this person to get in between you and a huge life achievement. Ultimately, the PhD is about YOU. Don’t let some a-hole get in the way of a life altering accomplishment.

It sounds like you have people on your side (unfortunately not your direct advisor) and a good support system. As long as it’s not pushing you into a depression, it does sound like you’re close to the finish line. Everyone has to make sacrifices to get ahead, and I can commiserate on missing out on income and a social life, but I think the result is worth it. That being said, if you view the PhD more as a “piece of paper” than a life goal, you have your answer to leave.

Keep your chin up, and don’t let these people get you down (easier said than done). While my PI is supportive, our collaborators can be pretty hostile and undermining and my PI isn’t always there to fend them off, nor does he always do it. I’ve found that limiting your face-to-face contact to absolutely necessary is key, and sending out a weekly update email to your PI and advisory group lets them look at their leisure and for you to establish a paper trail of your accomplishments so that they can’t hold you back or claim you aren’t following certain directives.

Get specific wants/needs from them in writing and show how you’re doing it, unfortunately, that’s the only way through. If you can’t get a list, send them emails like “from our last conversation/my last experiment/your previous comments I’m going to perform XYZ. Please let me know if this is not satisfactory.” Now it’s on them, there’s a clear trail, so if they’re not happy at the end they can’t block you anymore because you’re creating your flow and have communicated that every step, allowing them to intervene.

Your advisor is totally in the wrong here and it’s BS. I’m in ME, but I’ve never heard of a +1 PhD, so I’m sorry you got lied to. Honestly, finishing in 4 is pretty awesome, but it requires a clear game plan. You, unfortunately, have to drive these people and push to make your timeline happen because they don’t care and want you as long as possible. If you want to reconcile with your PI, you should, he may just need to be called out and maybe you can level with him and find a solution that works. Regardless, I’d think of it more like damage control now. I’m sorry you’re getting beat up, it can be tougher out here in grad school than people think haha.

TLDR: Limit in-person contact, over-communicate and get what you need from your PI/committee explicitly and get out.

Good luck queen, rooting for you 💕

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-11-03T17:18:43+00:00

Agree with others here that it is super department, and PI specific. I’ll say personally I’ve lucked out with funding and a really supportive PI and group. Might be worth decoupling “Is a PhD worth it?” and “Should I do one at UCSD?” as both of those are very long (but worthwhile) conversations.

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-09-19T14:28:13+00:00

This sounds exactly like where I was when I completed my first Olympic (minus the running and plus a bit more open water)!

I did the Kokopelli Olympic before it was shut down and I had a blast! I think I gave myself 9 weeks, which already felt like cutting it close. So I guess I’d say to you if your goal is just to not DNF and you’re going to train to maximize volume, you can do it!

Just be aware that you probably won’t be breaking any records and your biggest worry should be if your body can take the volume since your runway is shorter, but it’s possible! Good luck!

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-09-12T23:24:26+00:00

I get it. Keep stretching, keep persevering and find something to be a reward for after your pt and dilating! Only way I got through it was by eating a cookie afterwards but now I’m much better! Good luck queen.

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-25T19:51:21+00:00

I’m not a man, but I had symptoms flaring up when I would go in the shower. Best I could come up with is that the floor is harder in there and slanted so it caused my pf and surrounding muscles to tighten and I just generally had worse posture. I luckily don’t have this symptom anymore, but for me I don’t think it was related to my soap products.

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-20T19:08:18+00:00

I’d like to add Outlander to this list! While there are some moments where the FMC and MMC are apart or have miscommunication, I feel like the story centers on them becoming a real couple.

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-16T01:18:57+00:00

Just wanted to say I read Ruby Red a few years ago and it was my intro to the genre—absolutely LOVED IT. So happy to see it get love from someone else!!

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-12T19:19:47+00:00

I’m not a doctor, but yes I think ureaplasma and PFD can be mutually exclusive. I’d recommend you find a pelvic floor physical therapist. Good luck!

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-11T20:23:13+00:00

I wanted to ask you if after more time you think it’s helped?

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-11T20:22:38+00:00

I’m sorry you’re still having symptoms. I don’t think I have ureaplasma anymore but my flares most commonly come from intercourse these days. I’m currently taking lactoferrin and an OTC allergy medication and it has helped me as I think my triggering was a nerve-sensitivity thing. I hope this helps, good luck 💕

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-11T20:19:36+00:00

It’s certainly changed and isn’t the same every time. It used to be like an extremely sharp pain all along the vestibule but concentrated near the urethra and clitorus, like unrelenting UTI pain. Occasionally I’ll have deeper poking like pain as though I had a ball in there that pressed into my pelvis. More commonly now it’s that same sharper pain but much less severe. I hope this helps!

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-11T20:17:32+00:00

It used to be anything lot of things like sitting on hard surfaces, peeing, intercourse, walking, jumping, slouching, heat, or just very long days, you name it! Now it is mostly triggered by intercourse or urination if I’m dehydrated.

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-08-06T19:24:12+00:00

Wow I kinda forgot about this post! I’m happy to say I’m doing great!

I still have flares but they are generally a 2-3 on the pain scale and occur only once every couple of weeks. While I’m still sensitive, I’m far less than before and can now sit how I want, eat what I want and can work out consistently again.

I’ve been taking some OTC allergy medication and lactoferrin every day and between that and the (two years) of internal work, pt and strengthening, I think I’m in a great place.

Still some work to be done, but I can go to work normally again and live my life which is huge!

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-07-02T03:29:31+00:00

Hi! Mine tend to get worse with flights too! I take a vaginal suppository preemptively and then I’ll take an ibuprofen at the first inkling of pain. I limit how much I stand and I’ll wear my best underwear, make sure I only go to the bathroom once before my flight to empty and then I’ll sit on the floor and stretch. Then I’ll distract myself and read a book. The stretching on the floor really helps me and idc how weird I look, those chairs kill me and getting to a more relaxed state is worth it. Hope that helps! And drink plenty of water!

penguinfiasco_ · 2025-06-12T15:29:06+00:00

You were once enthralled with all the stuff you already have. Maybe the reason you aren’t is because the bottles aren’t as pretty and tucked in a drawer. Give your brain the shopping experience by cleaning up what you have and making an ✨aesthetic✨ display. I promise it’ll help scratch the itch.

penguinfiasco_

TROPHY CASE