Weathering the Storms

It's been raining here for what seems like a month, and I have to say, I'm sick of it. Really.

Alas, the first original post since PlayTri last April (technical difficulties; sorry), and I choose to open it by #(%*& about the weather, when that's only background to everything that's been going on since said triathlon. Where to begin?

Crookshanks. No, not Hermione's cat from the Harry Potter series, but my own fuzzy feline, has moved on. She somehow contracted a fairly common virus called feline infectious paritonitis (FIP), which, when it does what it's supposed to, starves a cat to death. Unfortunately, Crookshanks's strain did what it was supposed to. Poor girl dropped over a pound in a matter of weeks by not being able to keep anything, food or water, down. To make matters worse, fleas seized upon her in her sickened state (they later made themselves at home in my home, but more on that in a bit). She became too weak to fight on, but remained chipper right up to the end. It's been nearly two months, but I still miss seeing her trot across the lawn whenever I pull into the drive on my bike. I even miss her near-incessant whining. I don't, however, miss her fleas.

Fleas have to be the most difficult pest to rid one's home of. After six weeks and $200+ in expenses, I think I've finally rid my home of the little buggers; rather, I've not seen a living one here in a couple of weeks. Sevin Dust is definitely the bomb when it comes to that sort of thing. Raid flea foggers are not.

Backtracking to the same weekend that Crookshanks was put to sleep, N--- & I went down to Corpus Christi to run the Beach to Bay relay marathon. Granted, we weren't on the same team, but that didn't keep us from having a grand time while we were down by the beach. N--- ran the leg before mine, so I got to see her trucking into the chute to hand off to her teammate. What a stellar runner.

I'd a hard time getting to my hand-off person, but once I did, I motored on, using the angst I had inside of me over Crookshanks to motor through the 4.4 miles in 29'04", averaging 6:35/mi. Considering my leg was the bridge, even I was impressed with my time. Since then, though, my training has gone more or less down the toilet. Enter worst weather I've suffered through in several years.

Tri 101 is still a few months away, so I remain optimistic about being ready for it, despite my lagging behind on training. I'm finally coming to the "acceptance" phase of things and will begin adapting my training schedule to make full use of the gym and its amenities to accommodate the lousy weather.

Kind of a blah post, I know, but I felt compelled to type in some stuff tonight, in light of the poopy swim I had this evening. There just seems to be so little gas in the tank, literally & figuratively speaking, due in small part to the weather I seem to be unable to shut up about. So, I guess I'll just shut up all together. Besides, I still need to finish The Once and Future King.

I'll be more coherent next time, I promise. And, now that this thing is back up & running at 100%, updates should be a little more frequent. As always, thanks for reading.//d

Survivalism

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

That thought ran through my head quite a bit today when I queried myself as to why I had signed up to do a half-iron distance race so early in the season. In reality, though, I didn't directly sign up to do the race; rather, N--- transferred her registration over to me when it became clear that spreading her time between the three sports, work, and school wasn't working too well. Judging by today's results, I didn't do such a stellar job, either...and I didn't have school to think about. I am a slacker.

Over all, though, my participation in the Playtri Triathlon Festival was a success. My goal was to survive (er...finish), using the race as a baseline for how much work was to be done between now and Tri 101 in November. Needless to say, I have much to do. Read on to find out why.

Swim - 37:12 (88th OA)
Omigosh, was the water ever cold. From the previous days' events, there were several people who DNF-d (did not finish), due, according to rumor, to the frigid temperature of the water. But, I had my trusty wetsuit and I managed to stay warm enough to somehow negotiate 1800 meters of choppy water in Lake Carolyn, navigating a series of barely-perceptible buoys, trying to make around the assorted bends and back to shore.

Bike - 2:48:41 (26th OA)
Omigosh, was it ever windy. Despite the fact that the course was essentially pancake flat, and on relatively well-paved roads, this was the toughest bike leg of a race I've done. Strong winds from literally every direction caused me to fight to keep the bike upright and going in a straight line. Psychologically, doing three loops of the same, blisteringly windy course took its toll on me by the mid-way point of lap two. Physically, my left leg began bothering me again on the second lap, but I was able to work through it with greater success than the same problem experienced at Gulfman last year. I'm thinking that a pedal change might be in order...Speedplay is seeming to be the most viable option, given the amount of available float.

But, speaking of equipment changes, I've decided that for long-course races, the Louis Garneau Chrono (or, the first generation of said helmet) is not the best of choices. Were it not for the consequence of instant disqualification, I'd have ripped the thing from my head by mile 30; it was that bad.

I tried something new coming into T2: dismounting with the shoes still clipped in. But for the problem of getting my left foot free of the shoe before the dismount line, and some crazy dismounting from a guy on my left, it was, for the most part, a success. I think with a bit more practice, I'll have it down.

Run - 1:54:05 (43rd OA)
Omigosh, was I ever tired by the time I hit the run. I'd my own little group of groupies at the race today (N--- was there the whole time, wonderful woman that she is -- she even gave me pirate socks as a good luck gift! what a gal, while D--- & K--- made it by for the run and the post-race pigout festival at Snuffer's), and they all commented on how good/comfortable I looked on the run. Based on how I actually felt, though, nothing could have been farther from the truth.

Because I had to fight the bike so much on the bike leg (as opposed to fighting the bike on the swim?), my shoulders were extremely tight. My cardio also felt way off, so I just ran with it, doing the best that I could. It was an interesting course (part of it went past an out-of-sight shooting range, so all were treated to the comforting, incessant sounds of gunfire; one runner remarked that it reminded him of being in Iraq), much of which was on concrete trailing, making for a hard-on-the-body run. It took every ounce of being I had to keep from abandoning after the first loop, but I made it through.

Summing It All Up
Swim - 37:12 (88)
T1 - 3:24
Bike - 2:48:41 (26)
T2 - 1:57
Run - 1:54:05 (43)
Total - 5:25:21
Placings - 34th OA / 8th AG

It was most likely due to my lack of preparation, but this was probably the toughest race I've ever done -- tougher even than Buffalo Springs. However, it was a good learning experience for me. A few examples:

• Don't use the Chrono helmet on long-course races
• In strong winds, it's best to use a less-deep front wheel (but I'd still like to use the 404s for Tri 101 in November, M--- & B---)
• One bottle is not really enough
• Nuun hydration tablets rock...but use only half of one per bottle
• Time pedals + me + long-course triathlon = possible need for new pedal system (not a word, M---)
• I have the most awesome, supportive group of friends anyone could ever ask for; thank you, all

For most of the day, it's been difficult to move. As a precautionary measure, I called in sick to work, and N--- made an appointment for me to get a massage before we head back home. But first, I need sleep. Disintegration is cued up on the iPod, so I will now bid you all a good evening and head off to slumber. As always, thanks for reading.//d

Case of the Mondays

Was this ever a Monday.

Blame it on the weather or what-have-you, but today was pretty-much a let-down. Nothing terribly great came of today, for I'd no energy to do much of anything but make it through the work day and plop down in front of the tele to watch a movie, Office Space. I needed something to reflect my mood and cheer me up, and the flick certainly did the trick.

I found myself somewhat inspired & motivated afterwards, but only enough to come in and type up most of tomorrow's Gatsby quiz for chapters 5 & 6. I still need to finish refreshing myself on 6 & 7 but will tend to that after I conclude this entry.

Training is beginning to wind down, as PlayTri is less than two weeks out. I don't feel ready for a strong showing, but, this is intended to only test my fitness and show how much stronger I need to be before Tri101 in November. Since I won't actually be fast, I will at least look fast; new tri gear from Speedo and Sugoi looks sharp. Now I just need to find a place to get a massage.

Goodness, this is a disjointed post, isn't it?

Breaking & Entering

Although Easter is still several weeks ago, today is a good Friday:

1) Spring Break has finally arrived & begun
2) My income tax refund finally made it in
3) I am now registered for Tri101 in The Woodlands this November.

Dear God, what have I done?

Now that I am registered for such a long-distance race, I suppose I should start training. Fortunately, I do have a schedule worked out, and it is (so far) a workable one...at least until swim season begins next year. But, that's a whole bunch of months away.

For now, I will stick with what I worked out during TAKS last month and see how that fairs me for PlayTri next month. So far, it's working, as my run & swim are both doing well. And, for having been off the bike for so long, I think I did pretty well on last Saturday's outings with the LBS and SAW. I hope to increase the mileage over Spring Break and through the summer, allowing me to really have a great racing season.

I've a 10-mile run to do in the morning, so it's off to bed with me. Thanks for reading.//d

Holy Half-Marathons, Batman!

Good gravy, was it cold this morning.

While not exactly alone in the dark, there was no one around me I knew. Still, as at triathlon races, you just can't help but make friends with everyone else who is there to suffer along with you. True, I didn't get any names, but I did meet a trio of guys who were decked out with 625x HRMs, complete with foot pods. We chatted about the 625's accuracy, training in general, and so on, and I felt justified in not running with my 625x, opting, instead, for a Nike Speed Triax 100 Super watch. Yes, the 625x would have given me every one of my splits (I missed several), but the times (most likely) would have been off. All the same, I felt free on the run. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Just for the half, more than 6,000 people signed up, so you can imagine the confusion when the gun went off at 7:00 AM. I missed the first mile split, hit the 2-mile, and missed every split again until mile 4...or was it 5? I dunno, but I was moving at a good clip until the full and half distances split. From there, it was one challenging hill after another. One guy completely deflated after seeing the climb we had to go up at mile 11; he uttered an expletive before dying.

Despite my lack of training (due in large part to injury), I still managed to finish the half -- and in pretty good time, too. According to my watch, my finishing time was 1:35:19; official time was 1:35:18, placing me 200th over all. N--- finished her half a few minutes later, crossing at 1:39 and change -- a new PB for her, too. The girl rocks.

If all goes well, I'll run the full Austin marathon next year. In the likely event the course remains the same, I know I've some serious training to do -- those hills are killers! Until then, it's focus, focus, focus on triathlon; PlayTri is just over two months away. I'll do my best to keep you, my avid readers, abreast of how training progresses, as well as if I'm ever able to get back out on my bike. Thanks for reading.//d

The Waiting Game

Tonight, I had the single worst restaurant experience of my entire life.

So, we're in Austin for the marathon. Me, N---, several of her regular running buddies, and two of my VPs from work are there, too. We all decide to meet for dinner, and Ms. S--- wants to go to this Italian chain restaurant with a location close to the hotel where she's staying (I'm crashing at B---'s house, which is also close to this restaurant), and it's close to where N--- and her friends are, so we agree. Table for nine.

I get to the restaurant right after talking with Mr. S---, the other VP, and reserve the table; 50-minute wait. No problem, as no one else is there; by the time they make it, we're down to 40 minutes. Still, no problem. We sit at the bar (which is mercifully smoke-free [thank you, Austin]), have some beverages and wait. And wait. And wait some more.

After 45 minutes, I go to check on the table and am told it will be another 45 minutes. The gang is still cool with this (some had ordered salads & appetizers), so we wait. And wait. And wait some more.

Every 15 minutes, I go to check on the table, and we finally get one -- after an hour and forty minute wait and much complaining on several peoples' parts. But, the fun doesn't stop there.

Once seated, we're given the obligatory bread and order our food (we'd plenty of time to look at the menu during our stay at the bar). I opted for the customized pasta bit, which proved to be a huge mistake -- almost as huge of a mistake as going to this restaurant in the first place.

The food arrives after we'd been at the restaurant for 125 minutes and an acquaintance of one of the VPs went to complain to management. My food was not present but made it to the table a very short while later. It was cold.

I'm usually keen on cold pasta, but the pasta was not thoroughly cooked, which made for inedible grub. Not only that, but the broccoli was cold and the chef went a little crazy with the olive oil dressing, too. If that weren't bad enough, I found odd pieces of other pasta types mixed in (not sure if they were cooked -- I didn't eat them), as well as some other things I was unable to describe.

Most everyone else had edible food, but I refused mine and refused to pay. After everyone made their way back to their respective hotels, I headed next door to a steak house for a baked sweet potato. I ate it at the bar, racked up a staggering $2.45 bill for one amazing spud, and am now back at B---'s, waiting for sleep to hit me. Guess I'm still a little worked up over yet another bad experience with a chain restaurant. I just hope I have enough energy to make it through the 13.1 miles in the 90-minute time slot N--- has set for me (actually, she's only told me she is certain I could do it in 90; I just want to see if I can).

Ah...

Guess I needed to think about sleep, as I now feel its familiar touch upon my eyelids. Sweet dreams to you all. I'll pop back in tomorrow with a post-race report. Thanks for reading.//d

Veggin' Out

I have successfully navigated another Saturday without accomplishing squat, as related to work -- unless you count actually thinking about work enough to load up the laptop in Buckbeak for transport over to S--- & K----'s. Eh, I wouldn't either. What I will do, though, is whip out the lesson plans for E2 & E3, once I finish this blog post. So, let's get crackin'.

I'm a lot concerned about my health. No, I'm not dying, although I did feel like it during my run this morning. A little over three miles into what was supposed to be a 15+ mile outing, I began to feel light-headed...almost as though I were about to pass out or fall asleep. I stopped, tried to collect my thoughts and decided to head back at a light trot; not even a mile later, I bonked again. Staggering back to the main road, I resumed a jog (I was not going to let some heavy-set woman in lime-green Spandex run up the hill whilst I walked) and managed to get it back up to a decently-paced run within the next half-mile and finish just under an 8-minute pace. As far as runs go, the pace & distance were decent, but I clocked in ten miles short of what I had set out to do. Still, it gave me some time to contemplate the future.

The district swim meet was yesterday evening at PAC, and both teams did well. The girls' team from Steele took first (woohoo!) and Coach went in the water. In a way, I'm glad I didn't, yet it did hurt a bit to not be included in the frivolity...as though I have no place there. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I do.

Personal free time and training have taken a heavy hit since beginning the program last September, but, since I wasn't really racing, it didn't matter so much. Besides, I had an awesome finish in the SA marathon. However, with swim competitions so frequently, plus Saturday practices, and the less-than-ideal nutritional situation surrounding swim meets, the effects are more than evident -- which disheartens me, as I would really like to see the program (and other "non-traditional sports", as a football coach called it) succeed. One of my juniors, who was at the meet to cheer on his girlfriend, even asked me if I would consider coaching cross country and/or the mile in track next year. I told M--- I'd considered it but would have to see what pans out.

The remainder of my day was spent getting out-bid on a pair of speakers (again) for the rear DTS outputs on my receiver and getting Buckbeak looking sharp; now that it's clean again, it is certain to rain. I am now back over with the pups, roasting some vegetables in the oven for dinner; fish & brown rice are in the steamer. N--- is on her way over but is currently stuck in traffic, meaning I have a bit of time to get started on the next week's lesson plans. Of course, there is a Wii in the living room, and a round of tennis could be nice...

Tune in next time to find out what I did...providing I don't wait six months to post again and forget what I said last time. Whatever happens, thanks for reading.//d

Back in the Dog House

Seems like the only times I was really willing to make a post here is when it ices over an inch thick or when S--- & K--- go on a cruise and ask me to dog sit. As it was sunny & 65° today, you can probably guess which one it is.

I've just arrived for another round of dog & house sitting, but I'm finding myself in a rather non-jovial mood -- quite contrary to what I'm typically like when here, as the droolsome threesome are quite good at rousing the spirits. Heck, there was even a (stray?) pup waiting for me when I parked the car; pretty dog & extremely playful.

But, here I sit, perplexed at the range of emotions stewing within.

When I returned home from a casual run with a co-worker (too gorgeous of a day to just do nothing, and a light run was right up my alley), I was welcomed by a phone call letting me know my grandmother had been taken to the hospital because of a low blood count. I'm presuming red blood cell, but mum didn't clarify. To make matters worse, the one time Cingular's service decides to crap out on me was when talking with mum, so I missed much of what she was said and had to resort to using a land-line. How archaic.

In trying to cope with the hospitalization and the potential outcomes of such, I tried calling N--- but got voicemail. I attempted to leave a message but couldn't articulate much of anything, let alone what was going on. So, I showered, left, and grabbed a bite to eat (sushi, rather than the pizza initially craved, was such a good choice) on my way over to the dogs. Wait. That didn't quite come out right.

Whatever.

I called back and left another message, doing something I've not asked of anyone in...years: I asked N--- to say a prayer for my grandmother. N--- doesn't even know her (she just met my family a few days ago [all of whom were completely enamored by her -- they love her!]), but it just felt like something I should do. Besides, it was all I could get out, and even after I asked this of her, I again lost my ability to speak. Good thing N--- knows me well enough to know I know how to speak.

Which leaves me in a ponderous state about many things. N---, of course, is one of them (In reflecting on the time [and events of that time {everything, indeed, happens for a reason}] that has passed since meeting her, I'm really feeling...peaceful about things; I like how things are progressing, as well as the rate at which they are.), as is the subject of (organized) religion, my stance on said subject, will I have to move and when...too many things to think about, so I don't think I'm going to.

The upcoming weekend will be a busy one, but one that I hope to be productive. Of course, the direction I have planned could very easily be changed by what happens with my grandmother, but I will hold course & have faith as best I can that everything will be all right.

This was a weird one, I know, so for tonight, more than any time in recent memory, thanks for reading.//d

The Dash Likes

Hola, Amigos.

Yeah, it's been a while since I've rapped at ya, but two 007 got off to an interesting start.

I broke down and signed on with Dish Network through AT&T last December, and it's turned out to be a huge [expletive] mistake. Not only was there seldom anything decent on the however-many-hundred channels I received, but DN also tried to sneak in a few charges everyone who "helped" me through the setup process neglected to mention. I was not pleased and let the eight or so collective reps from AT&T & DN know as much. Guess that means I'll be mooching off Heaven for the grand tours again this year.

But life is not a pile of poo.

After several injuries that sidelined me the past few weeks, I managed an incredible 9-mile run tonight in just over an hour. Yes, the legs are a little sore, but it's nothing a bit of (or a bit more) stretching won't cure. At least I hope.

To cure my stank, though, I'm going to need a shower, so that's-a where I'm-a gonna dash off to. More updates will come, as I'm house-and-dog-sitting for S--- & K--- again this weekend; they're going on another flippin' cruise, if you can believe it -- but more on that later.

Thanks for reading.//d

Ice, Ice, Baby

For the second day in a row, school has been canceled. As a kid, I know I would have been ecstatic about having school canceled (and was, when it snowed in 1984, and we received two days off for it), but, now, I'd rather brave the elements, teach my stuff, and not have to worry about make-up days in a couple of months. I was actually disappointed when I received the call yesterday afternoon, thinking that it wouldn't be as bad as what forecasters had predicted -- after all, how often are they right? The pictures at right were what greeted me this morning when I stepped outside. Ice was everywhere.


Sixteen-inch long icicles dripping from the rooftops, a blanket of slipperiness over the stones by the workshop, and layer of ice half-an-inch thick over the chainlink fence -- which proved quite effective in keeping the gates shut. So, here I am, at home, again. Crookshanks can't decide if she's an indoor or outdoor cat (she'll go outside for ten minutes, come inside, then want to go back outside ten minutes later; like a fool, I oblige her), which makes getting anything done inside somewhat complicated.



According to the assorted weather outlets, today is the last of the worst, and I really do hope so. I'm anxious to get rolling and running again, and hope to be able to make it to Dallas this weekend to visit my new nephew, as well as visit some friends. For now, it's house cleaning time before trying to make my way to the gym. I just hope the mercury cooperates.

Happy New Year

A new year is again upon us, and I cannot help but wonder what the #%)(* happened to the old one. Wasn't it just New Year's, 2006?

Regardless, 2007 is here, and I enter the year in a somewhat somber state of mind. The racing schedule is uncertain for a number of reasons, with the exception of the Austin marathon. That's still on for February 17th.

Time again escapes me, so I'll cut this off now. Until later in the year...or next, considering how quickly 2006 rocketed by. Once again, thanks for reading.//d

Marathon Man

"You have to respect the distance."

That sentiment was expressed to me close to a year ago when I fancied I could handle the White Rock Marathon in Dallas. Instead, I opted to stick with the White Rock Half, and I'm glad I did; 13.1 miles really kicked my butt last December. After missing the boat for the Austin marathon in February (for which I am still thankful; it was COLD that day), I vowed to complete at least one marathon in 2006.

White Rock was a strong contender until my ("volunteer") position with the Steele & Clemens swim teams came along, so I backed it up a few weeks and signed on to do San Antonio, in spite of the ill I had heard after last year's disaster of an event, complete with awful weather and an even worse 2-loop course. The 2006 San Antonio Marathon was held today, November 12, and I don't think I could have asked for a much better baptismal marathon. Here's how it went.

The Good
Perfect weather (clear-to-over cast skies with temperatures in the 40s at the race start, high 50s at the finish) and a new single-loop course. The course was slated to begin in Alamo Plaza, wind through the King William area, then hook up with the Mission Trails to take runners past all five of San Antonio's Missions. The "running tour of San Antonio" aspect really worked to my advantage, as, at the start, Just before the start, I met a guy from Connecticut who was here to run the race and then tour San Antonio with his family for the next couple of days. He agreed to pace me (3:30 was our target finish), so I played tour guide as we made our way around town.

The Bad
Long lines for the 2649 race participants -- 30 port-a-potties for greater than 2500 race participants, plus spectators. Incidentally, of those who finished, only 965 were there for the full-bore marathon; 1684 did the half. I also didn't care for the options of only water or Gatorade at the aid stations. In my old age, I've grown not-fond of the ultra-sweet taste of Gatorade whilst running (or cycling, for that matter). Since Hammer Nutrition was a sponsor, I'd fully expected to see HEED on the course. Further, something other than water or Pepsi products (no Gatorade this time) to drink at the finish would have been nice, too. (Can you tell I post on SlowTwitch?). Oh, yeah -- $10 for parking at the Alamodome?! C'mon, guys...hide that crap in the race fee or something.

The Ugly
Mid-course nature breaks aside, the grimace on my face at mile 23.whatever when my right calf cramped could not have been pretty. Also, while technically after the race, some guy was side-swiped in the parking lot. I didn't see the crash, but I did see the impacted car spinning after the distinctive sound of screeching tires and scraping metal. To make matters worse, that car was a rental, and the guy who'd just finished the full marathon was not happy. I'm just glad my race finished better than his. Incidentally, neither driver was injured.

The Results
Total time: 3:31:00.3. Pace: 8:03.2 min/mi. Placement: 14th AG, 101st gender, 119th overall.

The Thank Yous
Obviously, all of this is D---'s fault. Yes, I now respect the distance and look forward to respectfully running Austin in February 07. However, I could not have kept anywhere near that pace today without the guidance of P---, vacationing running dude from Connecticut. Mad props, too, to the countless volunteers (outnumbered race participants, I'd wager) who helped keep everyone on the course hydrated and motivated.

And there you have my final race report of the year. My 2007 season is beginning to take form, with early contenders being the Austin Marathon in February and the PlayTri half-IM in April. I'll likely do CapTexas again in May (great way to end the school year) and Small Texan in July. The late season will be decided, based largely on how I do at PlayTri and CapTexas. But more on that another time.

As always, thanks for reading. //d

Three Dog Night

Holy crap -- three nights straight!

Yup, dog sitting gives one lots of free time to do the more exciting things in life, like watching dogs & grading papers, both of which are about on par with watching paint dry, grass grow, or flies procreate. All the same, it's good to have some semblance of downtime.

The iPod is finally working. Letting it run all night didn't do squat, but a reboot of iTunes seemed to do the trick. So, my Nano is now fairly fully loaded with a bevy of tunes matching my somewhat melancholic mood for this abnormal week in mid-September.

Upon my arrival at S--- & K---'s tonight, I popped in what has to be among the most depressing films I've ever seen; neither Closer nor The Hours could touch this one. It was a documentary about Wal-Mart, of all things: Wal-Mart:The High Cost of Doing Business...or something to that effect. If I weren't already dead-set against doing business with Wally World, I certainly am now. Heck, most of the Boxes that take advantage of China and other countries, for that matter.

Crap, it's already 9:30. I've still a hefty stack of papers to get through this evening, so it's off the Blog and back to the real world. As always, thanks for reading.//d

Cats & Dogs

Holy schneikes, a second post in as many days? What's the world coming to? Judging by the sounds of thunder and the flashes of lightning, it's anybodies guess, but the fact that I'm dog-[expletive] tired, in spite of having done little more than 30 or 40 minutes of jokingly awful flip-turns this morning in the pool, leaves little doubt that it's at least the end of the day. And it's not even ten o'clock. All the same, it was a productive day...sort of. I did get my laundry finished, as well as the aforementioned flip-turns (on a side note, it seems as though I'm not too strong in the pool as of late, most likely due to the fact that I'm so dog-[expletive] tired, but I've also just felt so...empty inside; reality, indeed, bites), and I even had time to swing by Best Buy and pick up an iPod Nano -- something I've had my eye on for some time now. Granted, my Shuffle did its job nicely, but having an LCD and better playlist management was something I'd longed for, and, given that the 2nd Gen Nanos just hit shelves, I thought I'd take advantage of it. Big mistake, and I'm not talking buyer's remorse. I headed back to my house to get a few files transferred over (Disintegration, in particular; tonight would have been perfect for it) but instead encountered a slew of technical difficulties, culminating in the moving of the MP3 drive over to Tyler in order to get the Nano to even work; the USB card I put in Jan a couple of months back hasn't done jack except cause for me one headache after another. Things weren't too much better with Tyler, but I at least seemed to not lose the connection with the Nano. Then again, it was still repairing itself when I called it quits after forty or so minutes. And now, it's time to call it quits in my ramblings here. While there's no tin roof to hear the lulling effect of the rain in its descent from the heavens, the rolling of the thunder and my dog-[expletive] tired state should all but guarantee a good night's rest. Here's to hoping, and thanks for reading.//d

Dog Days

It is a quarter past twelve in the morning, and I am aware of two things:

1) I cannot sleep
2) I will not be running with RTR in the morning

And it's a shame, too. I'd been looking forward to tomorrow's (well, technically today's) run the whole week -- a 22-mile jaunt from Mac, including Stone Oak, but now, it will not come to pass. As it is, I'm already extremely tired -- hit the proverbial wall twice on the short shop ride -- yet sleep evades me. I'm sure it's my own fault, too. I was the dolt who went to Borders a few hours ago for a pumpkin spice chai. Figured I'd be safe with the small; shows what I know.

So, here I sit, in the computer room at S--- & K---, looking after their trio of Boxers: Zoë, Big-a-Toe, and Four-of-Seven. I didn't name them; I just get to look after them from time-to-time. My time here (all eight hours of it) has been productive, though. I've essentially caught up on grading for my juniors and am set to begin grading my sophomore's CMC exam. Grades have also been updated for all classes, so I've now only the coming week's lesson plans to tend to tomorrow...er, today.

I'm not sure why it is I've been unable to sleep the past few days. One would think I'd be exhausted at the end of the day, ready for sleep, what, with my days now beginning at 4:30 in the morning for swim practice. Then again, I'm not the one who gets to swim. Yeah, I've tossed my name in the hat to assist with the swim team this year, which means practice twice a day, no stipend, but plenty of opportunity to learn. It's only been a few days, and my training has already taken a hit, but I believe that is due more to my lack of preparation for entering the program -- everything happened so quickly. One day I send out an email offering to help, the next day I'm on deck being primed for a coach's spot...even though it'll likely not happen until next year. Oh yeah, next year.

Next year appears somewhat fuzzy. My goal was to land a job in the Schertz district, teach with K---, and eventually work into the swim & cross-country programs. I got the job, but K--- moved. Then lightning struck, and the world changed. At least, it looked as though it was going to change; for a while, it did.

Kat entered my life during a weekend trip to visit D--- & K---. We instantly hit it off, sharing many of the same philosophies on life & relationships, exchanged business cards & a few emails, but nothing much happened. Then I called her. The following weekend, I again found myself in Dallas on the RBM ride and later at dinner before finding some comfy chairs to sit and literally talk the entire night. We shared something beautiful, and I came under the impression that I might need to start looking at moving to Dallas at the end of the current school year. But lightning struck again: Kat was being moved to Connecticut.

No problem. I thought I could even handle Connecticut, in spite of it being homeland of J---, Queen Bitch of the Universe; Kat's long-term plan was to move home to New York, which I knew I could handle, despite my disdain for the cold. I mean, all you need is love, right?

The hours-long phone conversations lasted a week or two more, but as the time of Kat's next trip grew closer, the conversations grew shorter. I came to realize with bitter coldness just how far apart we were, literally, even though I figuratively never felt closer to anyone, including L---. Now, the calls have all but stopped; we talked twice the past week, and for less than half-an-hour, total. I feel lost, alone. Wait & hope...if only it were so easy.

Such has been my life as of late and the excuse I plan to use for why I've not made an entry in so long -- not that this rambling tirade remotely qualifies itself as a competent entry, let alone a decent piece of prose, worthy of even electronic, online publication. Still, much of what was said was something I just needed to get out. I feel a little better, a little more tired now, so perhaps I can now find the sleep that has eluded me. Kat, if you're reading this, just know that I miss you, but that I do not wish to hold you back or otherwise complicate your life any more than what it already is. Be well; be at peace.

For the rest of you, be well & at peace, too, and thanks for reading.//d

Small Texan Update

Results for the Small Texan were posted today, and it looks as though I did better than I thought. I remained 26th overall (male/female; 22nd for male only), but moved up to 3rd in my age group. Out of 207 racers who finished, it's not too shabby...according to me, anyway.

The Difference a Year Makes

Yesterday morning, I took part in my final scheduled race of the season, the Small Texan Triathlon. The race is designated as an ITU (International Triathlon Union) distance race, which is also referred to as Olympic distance. The swim, however, is a bit short for, in my opinion, full ITU standards, thus, I think of the Small Texan as a
"SprOlympic" distance event: part sprint, part Olympic distances. It is the only race I've done this year that I also competed in in 2005, so it did serve as a bit of a benchmark for how I've progressed in triathlon. As such, times in parenthesis will include the 06 & 05 times, respectively (2006/2005).

SWIM - 800m (20:42 / 25:46)

I rode a lot harder on Saturday than I should have for the first thirty or so miles, but I did spend the next twenty recovering, making for fresher legs in the water Sunday. In spite of the general nastiness that Boerne Lake is famous for, once I got going, I really got going. I felt calm, focused, and at ease on the swim. It did, indeed, set me up for a good bike.

T1 (01:47 / 01:56)

BIKE - 45k (01:25:52 / 01:20:11)

It seems like I couldn't have an uneventful ride in a race this year. Mercifully, I didn't cramp, but I did drop a bottle in the last half-mile of the course (in front of the photographer, so I *had* to go back), and the miles before that were layered with the worst, god-awful chip-seal in the whole flippin' state; Freiheit had nothing on this.

So, in spite of the B2 being blessed with the aerodynamic awesomeness that is the Zipp 404 wheel, I lost nearly six minutes on the bike. The course was the same as last year's, and was anything but smooth, anything but flat. All the same, I felt extremely comfortable on the bike, without going so hard that I had nothing left for the run. And, while, true, the 11-tooth cog on the rear wheel didn't want to play too nicely, the only thing that could have made the ride even more enjoyable (and faster) would have been smoother roads. I mean, a top speed of 41.2 in Comfort? On 404s? On aerobars? Still, it was a good feeling to enter T2 and see so few bikes on the rack.

T2 (01:46 / 01:40)

RUN - 10k (47:58 / 55:16)

There's not a whole lot to say for the run other than that I felt great. The first mile or so was a little rough getting into the groove (and without pavement, no less), but once I got there, I stayed there. As with the bike, just before the finish, the water flask I carried with me popped out of my back pocket, necessitating a doubling back for it. Better to lose a few seconds in picking up my junk than getting dogged with a 2-minute time penalty. Then again, the guy who tossed his Gu flask on the dam on the run in front of me didn't get docked...but, I'm not that guy. That guy finished nearly three minutes after I did.

ADDING IT ALL UP

With a final finishing time of 2:38:06 (versus 2:44:49 in 2005) & preliminary placings of 26th OA & 4th AG, I'd say the race was a stunning success, especially with how I felt during & after the race. However, that success would not have been obtainable without the efforts of a whole lot of people, most of whom are reading this right now; you know who you are.

With triathlon competition now behind me for 2006 (unless I opt for the Dave Scott Olympic race in Dallas, mid-September), I've some new targets to focus on, chiefly the MS150 (San Antonio-to-Corpus in one day [Dan, are you in?] this October) and the White Rock Marathon in December, so I'll certainly be on the move. Thank you all, again, for every level & bit of encouragement, training, equipment, or whatever else it was you helped me with over the season. Rest assured it did not go unnoticed, nor did it go unappreciated.//d

Buffalo Springs 70.3

Yesterday marked my eighth foray into triathlon, the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3 Triathlon. Not to be confused by the name, it is not "the" Ironman, but rather a half-iron distance, hence the 70.3 designation, so as to avoid confusion with a full iron-distance, 140.6. The race was challenging, no doubt, but mostly from forces not associated with my physical conditioning or preparation (and I use the term loosely) for the event.

The BSLT 70.3 is held in the self-contained community of Buffalo Springs, just outside of Lubbock, Texas. Lubbock is typically known for two things: Texas Tech University and Buddy Holly, the musician who helped further rock-n-roll in the late 50s. Holly died in 1959 but was immortalized in Doc McLean's, "American Pie." The song, not the movie.

When I registered for BSLT in March, I was under the impression that Lubbock is pancake flat, which would help yield an excellent bike split. I was not incorrect in believing Lubbock to be extremely flat; it is. Buffalo Springs, however -- or at least the roads just outside of Buffalo Springs, is not flat. Rather, they carve a path up and down a series of canyons that are nothing short of breathtakingly beautiful. These roads are also breathtakingly challenging, literally. But let me not get ahead of myself.

Getting There
I had the great fortune of not having to drive myself to Lubbock for this race. Instead, I hitched a ride with Branton & Sarah, the former competing in his second triathlon. We would be meeting Branton's parents (who were driving in from Arkansas) at the hotel they were also gracious to share with me, but also happened to have one of Branton's friends from Arkansas join in at the last minute. Rob, a rep for Javelin Bicycles, made the total in the hotel six, yet we all fit in just fine; the Marriott was most accommodating.

Race morning, we rolled out of the hotel just before five. Buffalo Springs is about a fifteen minute drive, and on that drive, we were witness to a most-impressive lightning show in the general direction that we were driving. Scattered storms had been forecast a few days prior, but no mention of them were made in the pre-race briefing the day before. Additionally, it looked as if several trees would be uprooted by the gale-force winds whipping across the Texas plains, all but guaranteeing an even more challenging day...providing the race could go on.

As we slowly made our way across the dam and to the parking are (a logistical nightmare, yet managed to pale in comparison to what was witnessed at Danskin a few weeks ago), the lightning let up, which meant the race would be able proceed. However, because of the length of time it took to get into the parking area, parked, bikes numbered, and so on, Branton & I were left with but ten minutes to make it to the transition area and get set up -- and it was almost a mile away!

The time must have been extended, for I had time enough to set up my designated area (bike racks were pre-marked with race numbers -- sweet!) and into my wetsuit, down the stairs to the lake, and into the water for a swim to the starting beach. A short swim, but good enough to get a feel for the water and realize just how tired I was from having a combined total of nine hours' sleep for the past two nights.

Swim - 35:56.1
Unlike CapTex, my wave was the second to go out, meaning I didn't have to wait for an hour before hitting the water. The horn sounded at 6:40 (6:39:39, according to the Polar, but who's counting?) and we hit the water. Temperature was reported to be 76 degrees, which technically made it wetsuit legal, although the water was on the comfortably warm side. I'm glad to have opted for the wetsuit, for a couple of hundred meters out, I began to feel sluggish and sleepy; I couldn't churn my arms well enough to generate any speed. That changed after rounding the second buoy, and I began to feel better and gain ground. Yes, there were the obligatory couple of mouth-fulls of water, but in all not bad. Both lenses managed to stay sealed, too, which helped out a great deal. Final 100 meters or so, I had to move between two swimmers, where I somehow managed to steer/split them using my hands. Open water is getting to be much, much easier.

Once I hit the finish, I was helped out of the water by a volunteer and then confronted another who grabbed the front of my suit and pulled it off of my arms. I was then instructed to lie on the ground, where I my suit was ripped off my legs, and thrown back at me. A few seconds later, I was off & running to T1. Beats the heck out of the fumble fest I had with the suit at Gulfman.

Bike - 2:59:50
This was easily the most problematic bike ride I had ever been on. I was barely clipped in before two guys went down in front of me, one spilling three Gu bottles. I grabbed two of them and handed them back before attempting to remount. After what seemed like an eternity (more like 20 seconds, according to the HR stats from my monitor), I managed to get clipped in and rolling, only to be slowed down by a near-nine percent grade hill. Not exactly the best of things to be faced with after a swim, but manageable, using the little ring. A quick downhill, another up, and I was really rolling...into the wind. Still, I was holding around 19, preferring to ride conservatively the first half or so before picking up the pace. In doing so, I would be able to take greater advantage of a tail wind coming back into transition.

The course was somewhat congested, and I was thankful Branton's father drove us over the course the day before. I managed to maintain a decent speed, yet was still passed by numerous riders, many of whom had 404s or better; many had a full disc, lucky bastards.

After passing and then getting passed by the same cyclists a few times, I noticed one of the officials began to take a notice in me. Rather than risk a penalty, I sat up and created a substantial gap between us, still holding it a little under 20mph.

While descending after then second turn around (the course was a "modified out-and-back," having three turn arounds after some serious climbing), I noticed my back wheel felt funny. At the base of the hill, my fear was confirmed: I had flatted. The problem was a small staple-like item that had penetrated the tire and proved to be a real bugger to get out. It finally was worked out, wheel remounted, defective tube tied beneath the saddle (more on that in a sec), back on the bike, and I was rolling. Since we were now on the back stretch, I decided to ride a bit more aggressively, and in doing so, began to make up some time. Never mind that I had lost a little over eight minutes because of the flat, I was able to start making up some ground. Tail winds are indeed a great thing.

On one of the last stretches, I noticed my dead tube was working itself out of the saddle straps, necessitating a sit up to remove it. I tried to finagle the straps beneath the saddle, which worked for a few more miles. In the final few miles, though, they were coming into dangerous contact with the rear wheel, so I again had to sit up and remove the straps, somehow sandwiching them into my already crowded jersey pockets. Total time lost because of the flat was in the neighborhood of 9'15". I wasn't happy, but that was irrelevant, for I still had a half-marathon to run.

Run - 2:02:17
I'm not sure if I over-hydrated on the bike, but the first half of the run sucked. Breathing in was difficult and almost painful in the area of the chest & abdomen until about mile five, where I began to pick up steam. By the time I hit the turnaround, I was feeling much better and managed a good run until the last mile. By this point, my hamstrings were tightening, and I got a little scared for myself when I saw another runner completely seize up half-a mile from the finish. I still managed to make it across in decent shape, but without the typical sprint I somehow manage in the closing meters.

Between the heat and the hills, this was probably my worst performance on foot in a race. However, it was finished, so what did it matter, other than to take the experience, analyze it, and plan for next time. Total time for the race, then was 5:44:25.

Next Time
You have a lot of time to think to yourself while participating in triathlon. In doing so, I almost considered quitting teaching, in order to get a better paying job to finance my expensive habit. However, the events of April 20 will never permit me to do that, so I will continue in the classroom, doing what I can to better the lives of others. Triathlon does better my life, but some changes will need to be made for me.

I've one more race I am registered for for this year and from there, will begin scaling back my competing in triathlon. The training is still enjoyable, and I will continue to do it, but mostly for the fitness and aspect, not because I have some event of other coming up. That means my goal of Ironman (Arizona was a strong contender) will most likely not be realized in 2007. I need to refocus my efforts (and especially my finances) into other endeavors, namely my savings and my education. Ironman will have to wait until after my masters, instead of coming beforehand.

Mad Props
Buffalo Springs was a tremendous amount of fun, even if it was horribly expensive. I literally could not have made it there without Branton & Sarah, so thank you for letting me tag along and letting me crash on the sofa. Much love to the rest of the good folks at Bicycle Heaven for support & gear in order to make the bike all the more enjoyable, let alone possible. Though only having met en route to the race, thanks to Rob from Javelin for advice on making the bike section that much easier. Thanks also to Dan for getting me wholly into the sport, and to his wife, Kristine, for continued support and lots of laughs. Bill & the gang from Tuesday nights, my hard-charging effort on the last half of the ride would not have been possible without riding with you guys every week; please understand if I'm not at 100% tomorrow night. Naturally, Mom & Dad for your kindness and support on every front. Wish you could have been there.//d

Summertime Rolls

Yeah, get the link to the Blog back up, and I'll be making posts all the time. After all, I'm not working this summer, so I'll have loads of free time!

Bullshit.

It's been more than a week since my last post, and all I can offer up is the oft-used excuse, "I've been busy." Busy with what? Well, let's see.

For starters, there's the training for Buffalo Springs. Of course, there's the remote possibility that I won't be able to even make the race, given my financial situation for the summer. However, recent developments may permit me to essentially free-load my way there & back, including lodging. Of course, I'll throw in at least half for gas, and need to feed myself, but it's certainly cheaper than going it alone.

Twelve hundred meters in the pool today, though, along with 20-ish miles on the TT bike, and I'm feeling fine. Long run on tap for tomorrow. But first, bed...and sleep.

Thanks for reading.//d

Wiped Out

I can't feel my legs. Rather, I wish I couldn't feel my legs, because they hurt...bad.

Tuesday, for reasons I'm not entirely clear on, is intended to be my "hard" day. By that, I do all three disciplines (swim/bike/run) to a relatively high degree of difficulty in order to really challenge myself. Today was particularly trying, given that I'm not swimming at the crack of dawn anymore (ah, summer!), but competition for lanes at Gold's is a bit fiercer in the later part of the morning; everyone trying to get their laps in before the utterly ridiculous water aerobics classes start up. All the same, I did get a couple of thousand meters in, mostly in the form of kick & paddle drills; I only did about 800m free (300 warmup, 500 cooldown). In doing so, I was humiliated by the portly bloke in the next lane who seemed to swim so effortlessly. But one of these days, I'll hit super lotto and can hire a real swim coach...or maybe join SA Masters or something.

Right, back to the day.

I returned home to mow/trim the yard, which I followed up with a nap, in preparation for the evening's activities: Tuesday night ride with the gang from Greenvalley Elementary and a long run.

En-route to the ride, I rode over to Steele HS, where I'll be teaching next year, in order to time myself. Distance clocked in at 4.1 miles, taking me 11'58", door-to-door, running at a moderate effort. If I give myself 15-20 minutes for transportation & such, I'm good. Even at 2o minutes, it's still half the time it took for me to drive to HMS...and will save me billions on gas. Well, maybe not billions, but certainly a couple of c-notes each month.

Upon leaving Steele, I high-tailed it over to GVE to meet up with everyone -- and I do mean that. The first couple of rides of the season were limited to just three or four of us, but we're up to about 10 - 12 regulars each week now. B--- & I were both on TT bikes tonight, as was B---'s neighbor, J---. J--- is just returning from a near-decade off from triathlon and showed up on his new steed, a Cervelo P2-SL, a totally sweet bike.

We all gave it a fairly hard effort tonight, and it showed. By the time I hit the run, I was fairly well spent, but was able to crank out 10 miles at a decent pace. As on the bike, I was pretty parched (temperature exceded 100° again today). I'll need to remember that for Buffalo Springs in a couple of weeks.

And, that was my day. It's ended with this entry and chatting with I--- on the phone. On-tap for tomorrow is a casual ride with the Trailblazers in the morning and then another pool workout in the afternoon or evening...maybe weights, too. Thursday is what I'm anxious for, though -- swim workout at Boerne Lake! Despite my initial hesistency towards open water, I certainly prefer it to lap after mind-numbing lap in the pool.

Okay, it's past midnight now (woohoo! survived 06-06-06 without any troubles, including religious fanatics or non-religious lunies waving anything in my face), and I'm beginning to get tired. WHC is a little over eight hours away, so that gives me some time for Icy-Hot, cuddle time with Crookshanks, and one more call to I--- -- she got to go get ice cream. Hmmph.

Sorry for the high school style journal entry tonight, but it was what I was in the mindset for. Regardless, thanks for reading.//d

Finally!

Hey there, sports fans!

Yes, it's been a horribly long time since posting anything here. Part of it is my fault (got busy, sorry), but part was due to changing Web servers and never getting around to setting up the Blog password stuff. So, again, sorry 'bout that. On to business.

Tri season is well under way for me. I raced Gulfman way back in April to lackluster results (cramped on the bike). However, the race was intended to use as a benchmark for what happened with my fitness over the winter. In spite of the cramp, fitness level was good and has continued to be such. Finish time for Gulfman was 5:22:13, ranking me 63rd out of 140-something competitors.

Next up was Capital of Texas this past Monday (Memorial Day), in Austin. An Olympic-distance race, things went almost as expected...except that I didn't bring my wetsuit, and the water was @#%* freezing (73°, technically, but still pretty damn cold). After struggling to get warmed up for ten minutes and change, I managed to be #119 out of 147 in my AG out of the water. Twenty-five miles of cycling later, I was #13 -- and that was without use of the 404s (I elected to not use them, given the technical layout of the course and my limited cornering experience on deep-dish rims -- and A---'s story of wiping out on the course on similar rims still rang in my ear). I faded a bit on the run, but still managed a 45th place ranking in my AG and 229th OA. With 1116 athletes crossing the line, I'd say that's not too shabby for a B-level race.

Another Half IM looms on the horizon, though, and I am again behind on my training. Buffalo Springs is in less than three weeks and I am in some serious need of swim time. If I can drag my arse out of bed in the morn for a trip to the gym, I'll work on some drills for an hour or so. In any event, I plan to make it out to Boerne Lake a few times before heading to Lubbock. K---- had mentioned something about swimming in Austin this weekend, too, so we'll see what happens.

Much has also been happening outside of my little tri-verse, too, but that's another topic for another time. For tonight, I just wanted to get something posted. Don't mention it.

As always, thanks for reading. I'll try to do better about getting content up here on a more timely basis.//d

Fat Tuesday

Yes, it's been alost a month since I've written anything, and my excuse is the same: I've been busy. And, as always, I remain optimistic that things will begin to slow down, but that remains as likely to happen as it ever did.

Rather than outline everything that's been going on -- which really isn't all too different than the s.o.s. -- I'll just say that the state writing test is over, so my job is a little less stressful, though perpetuates itself in being time consuming: Yearbook season is full on, it's research paper time, and I still have a 30+ minute commute each way. One lead has shown promise for a position closer to home, but I'll put out some additional lines during spring break. Should nothing pan out, I might have to move. Damn.

Gulfman is still up in the air. The organizer promised to have new routes, etc. posted online by the 28th (today), but he instead posted that new info will instead be posted Friday, 03/03. With roughly one month remaining until race day, it's not exactly comforting. My attitude remains constant, though: As long as I'm not eaten by a shark or hit by a car, I'll consider it a successful race. Besides, I'm ready...or at least feel like I am.

I've been scaling back a bit on the training, though not entirely by choice. Yes, my schedule is packed tighter than a can of sardines, and the weather has been less than ideal on the weekends, but my workout times are better than ever: 7'19" miles (on hills), 22+ mph bike (with wind), and 30 minutes & change for 1500 swim times. I was unable to get an 1800 meter time because I was ejected from the pool tonight by the eternally overweight, elderly "swim" crowd at the gym: Water aerobics.

The class itself, to say nothing of the participants, is a joke. A bunch of overweight, old ladies gather in a pool and splash around to some music and think they're getting in a quality workout. To make matters worse, they "have the right" to take down the lane dividers in order to hold their classes, which, I suppose is fine, but the situation could have been handled better -- and I didn't need to catch any flack from the participants for my ability to swim. Yeah, I complained to management and managed to get recognition that lap swimmers (me) get preference to the lanes when classes are not in session. Signs are supposed to be posted soon stating such, which will probably amount to a computer printout on a sheet of paper destined to be wettened and whithered away in less than a week's time. Typical.

Time to fly. With Lent about to begin, I hope to give up my habit of not posting here. Heck, I might even have something interesting to say. Until then, thanks for reading.//d

Disintegration

The Cure echoes through the halls of my home this evening, setting a seemingly appropriate, somber tone for this Saturday evening.

This was a trying week for me, the least of which being that my swim turned to shit again, due in large part to general fatigue and the fact that the water in the pool on Goliad was the most vile, disgusting, and just down-right nasty liquid to ever be found in a swimming pool. To a certain degree, I can still taste it in my mouth, and it's been four days since swimming there. It'll be many, many more days before I swim there again, meaning I'll need to adjust my T/R routine. Running & swimming will most likely be swapped, which might make track workouts a little more difficult, but, as those only happen every 4th or 5th run, I think I can survive.

Tonight's swim wasn't too grand, either, but I was severely bummed over something I'd read on Velonews prior to leaving for the gym: Tyler Hamilton's appeal to the CAS was denied; home boy will have to sit out another season.

It's unfortunate, to put it mildly, that such a stellar athlete and role model won't be able to professionally participate in the sport. The Tour would have been really interesting if he'd been there. It'll be interesting enough with the return of Millar, but, there's always next year. Just keep on believing, Tyler. I do.

A little over a week remains before the writing portion of TAKS, and I'm getting a little anxious. The second TAKS academy was held today, with a pretty high turnout. Granted, there were quite a few stragglers, but that's not what's important. They were there...and boy, did some of them need to be.

I'm still a a lot concerned over how things are going to go on the 21st, but C--- gave a pep talk to me today, reaffirming what others have said about the kids, their abilities, and that it really boils down to them. Regardless, I'm still somewhat worried about how it will reflect on me...especially with this whole "teacher of the year" crap they threw on me last week. It looks good on a resume, but if I'm not able to deliver whatever goods it is that are expected of me...providing any goods are even expected. Oh, hell, I don't know. I just want to go, teach, and try to make a difference in as many lives as I can.

It's cold outside. I'm beginning to feel that way inside, too, so I think I will shut this down so I can go and shut myself down for the night.

This blog was intended to be a training-type diary for me, but it's, instead, become something different. Given that there have been no posts or replies to any of my previous posts, though, it doesn't appear to be that big of a deal. Regardless, I'll get back on track eventually. Maybe after TAKS...maybe not until after Gulfman. But soon. Keep the faith, and thanks for reading.//d

Gulfman, oh man...

Holy schneikes, has it ever been a while since I've made an entry here. Sorry 'bout that; been busy with work & such.

Actually, yes, things have been really humming along at warp speed. Work is keeping me insanely busy (TAKS is less than two weeks away -- huzzah!), but I still find time to get some training in, although some of the workouts have become shorter than I would like. Still, when I find I need to push myself on the occasional long(er) workout, I'm able to do so with less anguish. In all, I feel I'm set for Gulfman on April 2nd. That is, if I wind up doing it.

No, I'm not wussing out of the event -- again, my training is way on track (200m swim time is down to 3:55; bike averages are in excess of 20mph [solo, against the wind]; run times are hovering around 7:20/mi), but some of the things I've been reading in the forums at Slowtwitch, as well as some disturbing news from USAT regarding sanctioning, have me wondering whether or not this is an event I am really that keen on doing. I mean, when USAT says they'll not sanction anything this particular promoter puts togeter...well, it just can't be pretty. I've asked for a refund and, if granted, will focus my efforts on the South Texas Tri at Canyon Lake on 03/25. It's a week before what Gulfman should have been, but it is an Olympic distance and on familiar territory. Providing it's not raining this time, I should be able to post some stellar results on the bike.

More...I would really like to write more, but my eyes will hardly stay open. Heaven knows how many typos I've made thus far, but I'm at a point where I don't care about anything but sleep right now. Thursday will hopefully be here soon, and with a track workout on-tap, I should be able to be back in front of Jan (the kitchen computer from where I compose my musings for all the world [okay, just for you] to see) at a decent hour and can maybe actually hack out some decent crap for you to read. Until then, thanks for reading, and good night.//d

Shuffling Along

The part couldn't have cost more than ten cents, but it cost me nearly $200 to replace.

My MP3 player, the most recent in the ones I've had the past five years, became officially useless (to me) earlier in the week when a cheap, clear plastic snapped. I was unable to repair the sleeve and, as a result, can no longer use the MP3 player at the gym or when running, the only two instances when the player was actually useful, save the flights to & from Philadelphia this past summer. I essentially knew what I wanted (Apple iPod), so I did my research on the various models, leading to a toss-up between the new & ultra-slick Nano and the sveltely simple, yet sexy, Shuffle.

In reality, I shouldn't have purchased one, but contemplation during & after a conversation I had with another tri person this morning (J---, new to the area from NO -- would you believe she's sponsored by BMC?! And she's only 20!), I decided to bite the bullet and trekked out to the Apple store.

J--- uses the Shuffle model, which she cited for simplicity & durability, both of which I'm keen on, but personally was leaning more towards the Nano due to its larger capacity & greater selection of accessories; speakers, in particular. See, the district bought me a new 'puter (iMac G5, which dropped in price this week after Mac World; oops), and I'm not supposed to keep any personal media on it, such as MP3s. So, by using an iPod and some fancy docking station, it'd all be cool. However, none of that will be necessary. I'll need only make a CD of the MP3s I wish to play, and iTunes will play them straight from the disc; no media will be transferred to the district's property. And it saved me $60 on the price of an iPod.

Yup, I wound up going with the 1Gb model Shuffle, in part because I wanted to feel like I was getting a deal (no discount on the 512kB model for educators), and also because I couldn't be out done by G-man and the twin 'pods he picked up over the break for his kids. By the time the Nike-branded arm band was thrown in, I was just south of $200. Apple stuff looks slick, but, damn, you pay for it.

My MRI was this morning...for the knee thing. It was essentially uneventful, hence its mentioning going way down here, but I hope to hear some good news come Tuesday afternoon. Naturally, I'll keep the one or two readers I pretend to be writing to here informed of what transpires, as well as how training for Gulfman draws nearer.

Training, in general, hasn't been going too well the past few days. I've been horribly depressed about the usual, and I guess I just can't move through the denial stage that I will most likely be alone for the rest of my life. But that's another post for another Blog another time. Right now, I need sleep. It's been a busy day with little intake in terms of nutrition. Tomorrow will be better. Woman Hollering Creek in the afternoon, so that's at least motivation to go out and kick some arse on the bike, since I won't be able to on Monday; teacher work day, but at least no kids. :)

Peace out and thanks for reading.//d

Here, Chicky, Chicky, Chicky...

Cripes, where does the time go? I've been meaning to sit down in front of this flippin' machine and type this post out since Saturday but have not had the time until today, Tuesday. Here's a quick recap on how things are going:

• Hit the pool hard almost daily last week
• Lots drills with fins & paddles
• Lots o'laps freestyle
• New (Swedish) goggles are working out fantastically, and with minimal ring-around-the-eyeballs
  
• 1500m time down to 33'16" on Sunday; 33'30" today -- more than a 3-minute improvement in <>
• Weights are going great...almost back to my pre-crash chest press weight stack...which wasn't really all that impressive, but it's certainly better than the 35 pounds I was maxxing at a month ago
  
• Laid off the bike over the weekend due to general tiredness/laziness (was up late both nights, including a date on Saturday!) and not wanting to peak too soon
  
• Been running a fair amount, including:
  
• 12-miles on Sunday morning with no pain in the knee
• Track workout tonight with RGR; again, no pain in the knee

So, my knee has been cooperating, but I still went to see Doc Jacobs this after for his opinion. His opinion is that I might have a torn meniscus. To confirm, I'm scheduled for an MRI on Saturday morning, meaning no riding for me Saturday. Sunday's outing has the potential to be painful, simply because I didn't ride last weekend and everybody else did...on Skyline. Geez, I've been back riding now for close to six years and still haven't done that flippin' road. Then again, at a 23% grade in one spot, it might be good that I didn't. Ah, who I am kidding? It's all for fitness & training, so it has to be good. I'll tell you what else is good, too: sleep

Yes, as overrated as it generally is, last night's 8+ hours of shuteye did me lots of good...or, at least I felt like it did. Perhaps I'll go get some more just to be sure. Thanks for reading.//d

Coming Up Roses

At about 24 hours shy of being a full week into 2006, I have to say that the year is, thus far, off to a great start. True, I've no lady in my life, but I've found little else to complain about.

School started back up on Wednesday (Tuesday, technically, but the kids didn't come back until mid-week), and a three-day work week is seldom a bad thing. To improve things even more, they're finally starting to catch on to prepositions, their pre-TAKS results weren't quite as horrid as initially thought, and my new iMac G5 arrived this morning. Once I get the necessary software to support the teaching & extra curricular stuff (Mac Office & Adobe CS -- the latter for yearbook, which I appear to be moving into the sponsor instead of technical consultant), I'll be able to stop lugging my laptop around with me, making the trip to & fro work that much more enjoyable...and potentially more possible to do by bike. Perhaps after Gulfman.

Speaking of Gulfman, training has been going awesomely well, and it's all thanks to self-monitoring of my form: knee problems while running seem to have subsided (still going to see an orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday) and my swim times are down significantly -- I've shaved nearly 1 minute off my initial 200m benchmark! Granted, I'm still no Josh Davis or Ian Thorpe, but I am slowly clawing my way towards improved endurance in the wet. Well before April, I hope to take a few private lessons with the fine folks who run the Master's program in SA (I've a little rant about costs involved with triathlon, but, as the hour is late, I'll save that for some other time), to tweak things, but the Becoming a Faster Swimmer DVD and Total Immersion book are proving beneficial, in spite of my initial reactions to the DVD.

Tomorrow is Saturday, and I'm still not 100% on what my primary activity will be. According to my self-made training schedule, I'm supposed to ride & run, but the weather is again turning chilly, which means I don't want to be out on a road ride, freezing my butt off for umpteen miles. In consideration of last week's stellar performances on two wheels, I'll likely skip the ride and go for a nice, long run...in part, to test my knee, and in another part, to avoid cold-ass bike rides and the long-ass distances to go to do said cold-ass bike rides. Sheesh...looks like I'm getting a little testy. It's definitely past my bedtime, so I'll go ahead and shut this thing down in order to get myself shut down for some quality shut eye.

As always, thanks for reading...presuming anyone actually is. With no comments posted to date to previous posts, it's kind of hard to tell. Still, without anyone really to talk to who is remotely interested in the goings on of my life, triathlon or otherwise, I'm pleased to have this medium to bore the snot out of you, the reader. Tschuss.//d

Four Months

Holy crap, it's 2006.

With today being the second, I have four calendar months remaining until I dive into Galveston Bay to take part in my first half-iron event, the Gulfman. It is at this point I have to ask myself if I am ready. The answer: sort of.

My swim is still weak, but it's not due to arm strength. Granted, my shoulder still aches when trying to do chest presses and/or certain yoga poses, but my reduced swim times can be highly attributed to a lack of form & proper technique. Go figure, with my never having had any formal swim training, save the few group sessions I went to at UIW last year. While no one-on-one training was to be had, having a knowledgeable eye watching my goofs was beneficial. Guess I'll have to see if S--- will be hosting those again this year and if I can still sneak in. Providing I can make it through 1800 meters of the fluid fun that is the swim, I am fairly confident the bike & run will go well. My long distance runs are still averaging in the 7'45" range, which I feel is respectable. If I've not already said it, I'm not looking to place at Gulfman; rather, have a good time and get an idea of where I am entering the season and just how much work is ahead of me before my "A" level races later in the season. It will also (hopefully) give me a better idea of what the multisport athlete needs to do in the off season in order to be prepared for such an intense effort so early in the season.

Back to the bike.

If the past two weekends' endeavors are any indication of performance, I should be able to post an incredible bike time. Last Saturday was on similar terrain, though with a more intense wind...and I dropped everyone but a lone SPW (shameless parasitic wheelsucker). A look back at the data from my HRM shows that it was possible for me to squeak out even a bit more juice yielding a better bike time. If I'm able to score some sweet wheels for Gulfman...

Running is going swell. No significant knee worries to speak of, but I do have an appointment with my orthopedic doctor on the 10th to make for certain. That will be the determining factor on if I register for the Austin marathon, but, regardless of the outcome at the doctor's, I feel confident I can still post a respectable run time. After 85 hilly miles into the wind yesterday, I cranked out a little over four miles with good feelings in my legs. All that was lacking was a gel before I started the run. Too bad I'm out. What's worse, there's only one place in town that carries Honeystinger, and they're on the opposite side of town of where I am. Typical, but I'll be going by there on my way to run tomorrow night. Hope I've time to make a pit stop.

Speaking of tomorrow, it's the end of the Christmas holidays, and I need to return to the real world and begin working again. To complicate things, it's TAKS season. The good part is that the writing test is in late February, so my training should be impacted only minimally. Here's to hoping the weather holds...to a certain degree, no pun intended. A few more good freezes would be nice (to help curb potential bug problems in the spring & summer), but weather like yesterday's (blue skies &amp;amp; 75°) is sure nice.

Time to wind this entry down and begin winding myself down for the night. True, it's relatively early, but I get back on schedule tomorrow, which means a 5:00 AM wakeup call in order to be in the pool by 6:00. Here's to a great 2006, year & season. Thanks for reading.//d

Jingle All the Way

Holy schneikes, what a day.

Two hours on the MTB at Mac, followed by weights & a swim at the gym, and run tonight with RTR. With the exception of the swim, the day totally rocked.

Yeah, my swim is in definite need of improvement, and I'm 99.9% positive it has to do with technique. Amazon says the TI DVDs will be here Friday, so maybe I can get some research done and start nailing what I'm doing wrong down before the new year. If not, a coach will be needed...stat.

Oh, the run!

Tonight was my first night out with RTR: Ralph & Tony's Running (Group). I first found out about them through H--- & L--- at a holiday party a few weeks ago. They got me added onto the email distribution list, which I glanced over the past few weeks, but when I saw the subject line of "Party"...well, how could I say no? (ignoring the fact I skipped out on RTR's official holiday party last Friday -- c'mon, I was beat!).

The run was well attended and covered a little over five miles, where we ran around in Santa hats, reindeer antlers, and jingling bells, looking at Christmas lights on houses in the hostesses neighborhood. Afterwards, it was a nice little social event in D---'s home. I made some new friends, as well as plans to run with them again before too long. Granted, they're an older crowd than most at RGR (and fewer single, attractive ladies), but they do seem more organized and a lot more fun...generally speaking. I guess I'll just play it by ear the next few weeks.

For now, though, I need sleep. The turkey from the party is starting to kick in and I've a long-ass ride slated for tomorrow: 85 miles on the TT bike at a modest effort. Hope I can keep from bonking this time.

Thanks for reading.//d

Christmas Vacation

The second day of the Christmas holidays is almost at an end. Lucky for me there are still six more to go, not counting weekends. :)

After taking the week after White Rock off, I am getting back into my training groove. A run on Saturday afternoon (due to a leaf raking exercise of near-epic proportions -- 7 hours!) kicked things off and with minimal knee pain, too. Just took it relatively easy, keeping the heart rate & pace both in check. Sunday's 65-mile excursion to Sattler was at a good, quasi-recovery pace, meaning I didn't need to take a rest day yesterday. So I didn't. Good thing, too, because it showed just how weak I am in the pool.

One thousand meters yesterday & today (each) showed my upper body is in need of some serious work. Plan to hit the weights in all seriousness tomorrow, in order to establish a twice-weekly routine to improve upper body strength. I also plan to move my T/R swim to evenings and investigate a swim-only coach in 2006. I've recently ordered (like, five mintutes ago) two Total Immersion DVDs, so we'll see how those work. Perhaps I can find the book of the same name and do some more reading. Heaven knows the weather hasn't been that great for much else...except mountain biking.

Yup, after nearly three months, I dusted off the Kona and headed out to McAllister Park this morning. Met B--- from the shop for an hour-long spin, where I tried desperately to get my groove back and succeeded in maybe one or two spots. I'm still spotty on corners, but I intend to head back tomorrow & Sunday (morning, before all the family stuff), as well as a few times next week, as a morning workout.

I'm feeling good about Gulfman, in spite of my weakness in swimming. There really is something about being in a competition that gets me going, so the results of that will help dictate the rest of my schedule for 2006...presuming budget is not an issue. That said, I'm off to do some more reading before retiring for the night. As always, thanks for reading my ramblings.//d

White Rock & Roll

I know, it's been a near eternity since making a post, but there has just been too #(%* much going on this #(%* holiday season to find the time to sit down & write. To be included in this year's festivities was my weekend excursion to Dallas for the White Rock Half-Marathon. Dreading the traffic in Austin, and not wanting to take the 281 bypass, I arranged for a sub for half the day and made my escape at one o'clock. With the cruise control set somewhere in the 90s, I was on the tollway in Dallas by six; Austin added a near-negligible fifteen minutes to the commute. My sister no longer lives in Big D, so I arranged to stay with my friend, D---, and his wife, K---. Come to think of it, even when Miss Muffet was in Dallas, I preferred to stay with D--- & K---. Their accommodations are more inviting and they don't always have the TV on. That they ride, too (D--- is an IM finisher, too; Coeur d'Alene, 2005), which is just bonus. Saturday was jam-packed with making up this week's midterm for class (habit forced my eyes open at 5:30, and it was too cold to run, to say nothing of the fact that I don't know their neighborhood too well), hitting the expo for packet pickup (Active.com registered me twice -- and charged me twice, too!), then a spin around the lake by bike before swimming (outside) and dinner. Saturday night was mercifully uneventful; D--- & K--- went to a party whilst I chilled at their casa, reading my new book, The Devil's Teeth. More on the book another time. It's time to run. Sunday morning was chilly, but not as cold as the initial forecast called for; 40°. Dressing for the whole event, I made my way to the AA Center (um, that's American Airlines, not the other AA) for the 8:00 AM start. By then, the sun was up...and so was the temperature. By mile 6, I was sweating a good deal, but lucked out by spotting (rather, being spotted by) D--- & K--- on the sidelines. I shed my hat & vest and moved on, making (what I felt was) decent time. I crossed the finish with a time of 1:44:31, 29 seconds less than my goal of 1:45:00, which is good. What wasn't good was the fact that my S625X reported a distance of 14.1 miles, one mile over the stated 13.1 miles. D--- is supposed to check on the distance for me. The other non-good thing was that my left knee was again bothering me. It hurt like hell the rest of Sunday & all day Monday, but was much better by Tuesday. I've an appointment with the doctor tomorrow (Thursday) to try & find out what's going on, but, like my buddy, B--- -- who is also training for an IM (got his eye on Kona), it might just be a case of tendonitis, best cured by improved form. Good thing D--- in Dallas is a running coach. Maybe I can bug him for some tips...a payback for the biking advice I gave him last year (for all the good that it did; he was already a good rider when we met, but we did train a fair amount together, in spite of the distance between SA-town & Big D). Right, then. I think I've rambled enough. Time to grab some dinner and ready tomorrow's lessons. Two more days until the holidays, and then it's time to get serious about training. Hope the weather holds out. Thanks for reading.//d

Believe

D--- came out for a ride this past weekend; first time I'd seen or talked with him since September. His wife had apparently had some "medical issues," to put it mildly...really mildly.

The cancer that threatened her life five years ago decided to come back and come back with a vengeance. Within a few days of becoming aware of her condition, she was under the knife and on chemo to bring it under control. In spite of it being the second attack, and a major fuck-up by the doctor on her medication, it looks as though L--- just might make it...again. She was due for a scan this week or the next.

And so it got me to thinking about not only just how fortunate many of us are (that's a "duh" kind of thought any old day), but also how strong people affected by this mishaps are. When I first met L--- several months back, I knew of her delicate condition (a previous brain surgery had left her unable to drive, due to worsened vision) and what she has survived, but there she was, smiling and being cordial to some Lycra-clad stranger who would kidnap her husband for a few hours a few times every week. She is apparently well back on her way to being that same person.

Likewise, D--- was his ever-pleasant self, in spite of his own weakened condition (2-1/2 months off the bike will do that to a person), but still trucking along, smiling, and doing what he could to help push the pack along at a brisk pace...and into the wind, at that. It just helped reaffirm my belief in the ability and capacity of us all to do great things to help one another. Yeah, things can be tough from time-to-time, but even though Thanksgiving is now near two weeks past, there is still so much to be thankful for.

So we then enter the holiday season, a season of hope, with hopes of varying degrees for that which we hold nearest & dearest to our hearts. Whatever it is you hope for, I hope it comes to pass. Thanks for reading and keep on believing.//d

Party Season

Holy schneikes, am I tired.

No post yesterday because yoga was just that relaxing. By the time I made it home, I was ready for bed, so off I went to a very welcome, very warm, very cozy bed. So cozy, in fact, I completely ignored my alarm this morning and skipped the swim before work. I made good after work, though, clicking off 1200 meters in time that was nearly four minutes faster than my time from Tuesday (or where I was at 1.2km on Tuesday; I did 1500m in that workout but lacked the time before the run this evening).

The run, thankfully, was a non-track workout type run: a quick 5k through Hollywood Park with a growing group of great people, all with the energy to pound out a few miles in cold darkness. So far, no other tri geeks in the group, but that might change when the weather does; some are still hibernating.

During the run, I got to talking with someone about the holiday season that is now upon us, like it or not. Along with that comes the obligatory holiday parties, social events I used to loathe, given my former co-worker's liking for liquor that was comp'd from the company. Those same rocket scientists had the curiosity to ask why there was seldom any money for raises or bonuses. But I digress.

I began tallying up just how many parties I'll be attending this season and was shocked. I have three this weekend (four, if you count my nephew's one year birthday party), one the following weekend (iffy on that one, given it's the same weekend as White Rock), and three the following week, including the open house I'm planning the afternoon of the 18th. Guess that last one means I'll actually need to do some cleaning around here.

So, the training schedule will be a bit laxed this weekend. Swim drills tomorrow before W---'s party, probably a 12 - 15 mile run run on Saturday, and a hard bike on Sunday as punishment for getting into the holiday spirit so soon. Eh, I'll have two weeks to do nothing but train in another two weeks, so if I can just stay somewhat on track before then, I should be able to pull through okay. Wish me luck.

Tschuss.//d