To Be Continued...

Apparently, this swine flue thing is still hot on the nerves of the powers that be at the Department of State Health Services. They've "recommended" the district stay shut down until May 11th, and the district, apparently, is complying.

While bad news for getting curriculum & whatnot knocked out, this is quite good news for training, as I have been blessed with yet another week to get in some serious training for CdA. At 49 days and counting, timing is actually pretty good. I just hope we don't wind up going too much further into June than what we already do. In a podcast, the superintendent requested that employees stay home and away from others to stop spread of the disease. While I am staying shy of others, staying home is just not something I can do too well; there's training to be done. Then there was snippet from USAToday:

Health officials say swine flu is preventable: the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests washing hands often, getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, eating nutritious food and drinking plenty of fluids.

Why we are expected to stay at home and do nothing, essentially waiting to get sick, is beyond me. I guess I'll just keep doing what it is I've been doing: Hitting those last three points hard and heavy. Of course, with all of that physical activity, getting plenty of sleep is a no-brainer.

I'm off to finish my tea and head out to the lake for a 2-mile swim. Tomorrow's the 1604 ride, for which I am quite stoked, followed by a rest day on Monday. Depending on how things go, D--- & I might head up to Comfort for some mountain biking.

Stay healthy, and thanks for reading.

Trainer Workout

With the weather as iffy as it was this morning, I opted out of the scheduled bike ride and hopped on the trainer, instead. While not my preferred method of getting in bike time, it did let me spin on the TT bike (was going to take out the Cdale road bike, as the Slice's rear bottle cage mount is out of commission) for a couple of hours, instead. I have to say, today's workout was a real challenge. Here's what I did:

• 15 minutes easy
• 15 minutes leg drills (1-minute left, 1-minute right, 1-minute both; repeat)
• 20 minutes tempo
• 20-minute TT (all-out effort)
• 10 minutes easy
• 15 minutes tempo
• 15 minutes easy

Special thanks to the fine folks at Cycle Ops for posting some of Linsey Corbin's trainer workouts; they're a real life saver on days like today.

Nap time before this evening's swim. Good luck catching a siesta wherever you are. Thanks for reading.

Swine Break?

Now doesn't that make you feel better?
The pigs have won tonight
Now they can all sleep soundly
And everything is all right

Wow. Friday's emergency faculty meeting blossomed -- nay, exploded! -- into a full-fledged shutting down of the whole district by the Texas Department of State Health Services this week. And just in time for TAKS, too!

So, just like for spring break last month, my district is again down while everyone else is in school. Truth be told, I was a lot disappointed about all of this; I was actually looking forward to going into the work today. But then I went for a run.

Thirteen miles and change later, I am pumped about getting a whole week off to do little more than train and maybe grade some essays. Of course, this week was supposed to be an easier week, but I'll just do a tweak here & there to get done what I can get done in the time I have been afforded. I just hope we don't have to go too much farther into June than what we already do. I'd kind of like to have that week in between finishing school and leaving for Coeur d'Alene to myself, to wind down and more effectively taper before departing for the Pacific Northwest.

I'm off to toy with my training schedule for the week. Weather permitting (and it looks really iffy this week [surprise]), I'll be able to get in at least one more long run and a long ride or two before Sunday's excursion around 1604.

Stay safe out there with the flu & such. Thanks for reading.

Birthdays

Today is William Shakespeare's birthday. Two days ago was Robert Smith's birthday.

How coincidental is it that two of the greatest poets to have lived were born days apart from one another?

Thanks for reading.

Narcissism

N--- sent me this article today:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30312181//

...and it was sobering, on how I perceive both myself and those around me (no, not you). Makes me wonder if that Facebook page (or Facebook itself, regardless of how many people it's put me back in touch with, for if they were all that important, why did we lose touch?) was really all that necessary.

I'm appreciative of the article, for I believe it will be helpful to me, personally. I've some serious growing up to do. Really, I think many of us do.

Whether you do or not, thanks for reading.

Sick & Tired

...of all the @#%* wind.

Had to say it.

Thanks for reading.

Approaching Normal

The past week has been exhausting. Tacked on to the passing of M--- have been complications in my own life, all of which have since been overcome, thanks in large part to the patience and love of those around me. I literally could not have done that on my own, less I be on my own. Regardless, I found myself completely exhausted upon my return from work to swap out attire in my gym bag (nearly 5km swum in the past 24 hours, coupled with riding & such). By the time I made it to the bedroom, all I recalled doing was slipping off my shoes and falling asleep atop the covers. I woke up a little over an hour ago.

So, here I am, now showered, dressed, and ready to go to work. Hmm...maybe "prepared" would be a better descriptor for that last clause, as I have been actively trying to find distractions from leaving the house. However, at 7:58, I fear I can delay no longer and must go. I just hope that this Thursday is a better day than was last, in terms of metaphoric bombs & such.

A closing, somewhat random note (though the inspiration for the title of today's post), is again regarding music. Blue October has released another album. While largely more commercial than others (and certainly not as good as its immediate predecessor), Approaching Normal does have some great tracks. "Weight of the World" and "Kangaroo Cry" stand out among my favorites. Download your copy from Amazon or iTunes to give it a listen. Thus far, the only thing upsetting me about the band is that I'll not be able to see them when they grace Sunset Station in June; ticket prices are cheap, but factoring in the Ticketbastard prices make a pair of tickets obscenely expensive. Bleh.

Off to work with me, off to wherever it is with you. Thanks for reading.

Cut Here

"So we meet again!" and I offer my hand / / All dry and English slow / And you look at me and I understand / Yeah it's a look I used to know / "Three long years... and your favourite man... / Is that any way to say hello?" / And you hold me... like you'll never let me go

"Oh c'mon and have a drink with me / Sit down and talk a while..." / "Oh I wish I could... and I will! / But now I just don't have the time..." / And over my shoulder as I walk away / I see you give that look goodbye... / I still see that look in your eye...

So dizzy Mr. Busy - Too much rush to talk to Billy / All the silly frilly things have to first get done / In a minute - sometime soon - maybe next time - make it June / Until later... doesn't always come

It's so hard to think "It ends sometime / And this could be the last / I should really hear you sing again / And I should really watch you dance" / Because it's hard to think / "I'll never get another chance / To hold you... to hold you... "

But chilly Mr. Dilly - Too much rush to talk to Billy / All the tizzy fizzy idiot things must get done / In a second - just hang on - all in good time - wont be long / Until later...

I should've stopped to think - I should've made the time / I could've had that drink - I could've talked a while / I would've done it right - I would've moved us on / But I didn't - now it's all too late / It's over... over / And you're gone..

I miss you I miss you I miss you / I miss you I miss you I miss you so much

But how many times can I walk away and wish "If only..." / But how many times can I talk this way and wish "If only..." / Keep on making the same mistake
Keep on aching the same heartbreak / I wish "If only..."

But "If only...." / Is a wish too late...

A Loss

I got word yesterday afternoon that, at some point earlier in the day, a cycling friend, with whom I'd ridden, literally, thousands of miles, committed suicide. The demons plaguing him since his wife's sudden death 18 months ago must have become too much for him, so he sought solace in eternal silence from this world; or, I suppose as much.

M--- had been on my mind for over a month, for I'd not seen him on any rides or elsewhere in so very long. I'd intended to call, or at least email, and I did not; it seemed as though when the thought occurred to me, it was not at a convenient point in time (in the midst of a ride, whilst teaching school), and the thought would be gone by the time it was no longer inconvenient. In essence, M--- was forgotten.

Sadly, this came to be too real yesterday, at least, perhaps, from M---'s perspective. Perhaps he felt forgotten or at least out of place; everyone around him still has their significant others. Everyone around him went about their daily lives, thinking, wishing he would "get over" the death of C---. I know I still miss C---, so I cannot fathom what the pain, the absence must have been like for M---.

This is a total departure from what I typically write here, but, being my blog, I can pretty-much write whatever the <expletive> I want. Additionally, having had the past 15 hours to think, mold into words what, previously, was only shock and silence, I finally felt ready to say something; writing is that outlet for me. Funny, me being an English teacher & all.

I need to go. The car's radiator needs replacing and, in a sad twist of irony, I'm off to pay more heed to the needs of a machine than I did to the needs of a friend. Thanks for reading.

Spring Break Wrapup

Lots happened with the miles reported, but here's what I managed to accomplish, training-wise, over the 9-day spring break:

• Swim: 7000 meters
• Bike: 210 miles
  
• Run: 19.78 miles
• Two bricks: 1 swim/bike; 1 bike/run
  

It's weak for a week, plus, but I did lose two days for the bike fitting, plus the weather wasn't always cooperative (the above does not reflect trainer time for the bike). With only 90 days remaining until race day, I now have backup plans in place when weather is or may be an issue.

If you had one, I hope your break was a restful one. Thanks for reading.

New Bike!

The Felt B2 has finally been retired. After last Saturday's ride over godawful asphalt out near Helotes, the decision to switch from aluminum to carbon was solidified, and I am now the pleased-as-punch rider of a Cannondale Slice 3.



I'll take it out on its maiden voyage tomorrow night, plus there's the whole bike fitting with John Cobb next week, so some adjustments, I'm sure, will be made. For now, it's bedtime. Oh, what dreams may come. Thanks for reading.

Perfect Ending to a Perfect Week.

Winds blow, riding bikes doesn't.

The weather was better than it was last weekend, so I intended to take full advantage of it to break in the new Hed 6/9 wheelset on my TT bike. Meeting up with a guy I met off Slowtwitch at The Rim, we headed off for a 70-mile jaunt to Castroville. We knew it would be tough going out, due to the velocity and direction of the wind, but thought little of it in consideration of the promise of a killer tail-wind on the way back. That didn't exactly happen to plan (winds can shift direction--who knew?), but the ride was great, PLUS I met a fellow CdA-bound triathlete on-par with me in cycling ability. I am so looking forward to the lead-up to Ironman.

Today was another 70-mile ride, this time solo; this time on the Cdale. The winds were still blowing, making for a tough ride home. The cloud cover helped, but the rough pavement on River Road did not. That which does not kill me may make me stronger, but it certainly did no good for my lower back. I see a massage in my future.

But first, a trip to Target for N--- to pick up her new iPod, given the premature demise of the last one she had. Thank goodness for extended warranties.

Big training week ahead, so I'll see you on the road, at the pool, or next Saturday at Boerne Lake. Thanks for reading.

Tranced

It's late, and I should be in bed. Unfortunately, I'm still a tad wired and have been unable to lull myself to sleep, so, here I sit, typing. This is not going to help tomorrow morning's scheduled track workout, I'm sure.

The past couple of days have rocked. Monday was "get your <expletive> back in the pool" day, and the temperature at the gym was a crisp 81°. While two weeks out of water did my form & function in the pool absolutely no good, it did feel good to get wet...and to break in the new Swedes (now featuring bungee cord!). There's just something amazing about that first swim with new goggles. Ah...

Right. Back to the rockin' past couple of days. Tuesday rocked because the ELA TAKS test was taken, finished, and put to bed, meaning work can feel less like it, and maybe, just maybe, I can teach the kids something other than how to take one, <expletive> test. After school, it was off on the TT bike for a 30-mile spin around the block. As luck would have it, the winds really picked up, but were nowhere near the Oz-like proportions they were on Saturday. That, plus a minor tweak of my elbow position made me not only more comfortable but also more powerful: It was though the wind wasn't even blowing, noticeable only when it was at my back, and my speed ramped up from the low 20s to the high 20s, pushing 30+. I love riding a bike.

Once home, it was off to Borders to pick up a copy of Speak (started a novel unit with that book as the focus; poor kids have no clue what's in store for them), as well as a couple of Tiesto CDs. I've recently rekindled an interest in his twist on music, scouring the Internet for favorite tracks, including the radio edit of "Tears from the Moon" (which was found through a kind soul on Slowtwitch -- thanks!).

The iPod is now filled with the usual fare, as well as some great trance tracks, which means my next long run is going to be that much cooler. I literally cannot wait. However, I will have to do just that, for the next long run will be Monday. Tomorrow is track and long swim; Friday, swim; Saturday & Sunday, bike, with Saturday's ride done on the TT bike with my new Hed 6/9 wheelset; I pick 'em up tomorrow. Yes, the past few days have been so good.

Before I get too excited, though, I need to get some sleep. Guess I'll try curling up with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, plow through some pages, and try to get some shut-eye. Four hundred splits are on tap for the morning, although I'm not looking to bust any records; rather, just keep my speed up where it needs to be. Again, distance isn't for a few days more.

Thanks for letting me entertain you this evening, and thank you, N---, for agreeing to go on that run with me around Boerne Lake, three years ago this day. Life continues to be good ever since.

For the rest of you, here's to the good life. Thanks for reading.

Still Recovering

The difference a week makes is incredible.

Last weekend, I could barely move, I hurt so badly from 100° temperatures & such. This weekend, I rode and ran, but not on the same day. Saturday's 55-mile excursion into 30 MPH winds didn't kill me but certainly did not feel to make me stronger, either; at least, not immediately. I slept Saturday and piddled around the house most of yesterday until finding the energy to go for a jaunt out & back on the Parkway. I'm not sure if it was the tunes or just a general frisky feeling, but I managed a 7:20/mi pace for the duration of the run; it was awesome...until I got home. Post-run, I felt severely worn down, wanting to do little more than sit on the sofa and reflect; I barely wanted to eat.

Twelve hours later (nearly ten of which were spent sleeping), I feel much better. Obviously, I didn't make it to the pool this morning, but that will be remedied this evening or in the not-too-distant future. I feel confident about my running and think now I just need to increase the time spent in the lanes and on the bike. For the latter, daylight savings time kicks in next weekend, so as long as the weather doesn't dump snow or blow with gale-force, methinks I'll be okay.

It's off to school with me, now. Thanks for reading.

North Winds, Blow!

From the weather desk:

NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH CAN BE
EXPECTED TODAY.

Looking at the windmill in front of the house, every bit of that 20--30 MPH wind is blowing in from the north, right now. Time to go suit up and ride a bike into that for the next four hours. Woohoo.

Thanks for reading.

Twenty-fifteen

Great day today:

• It's Friday
  
• One more (school) day until TAKS
• I'm feeling good enough to go swim tonight
• My teaching certificate is good until 2015, so it looks like I'll have a job for the foreseeable future

In order to swim tonight, though, I need to run out to D&J for a new pair of goggles. Swedes are great, but the strap tends to wear thin after a few months. Maybe I'll look into a bungee or something. Regardless, it's out to 410 & Blanco with me before it gets to be too late. See you at the pool or in the AM on the bike. Thanks for reading.

Type B

I am officially sick.

After a brief spell of feeling better, N--- shuttled me off to the Doc in the Box yesterday afternoon, mid-way through the first disc of season four of Battlestar Galactica. After hours of waiting, the verdict came back: Influenza, Type B.

Doc said that I should be on the down-side of this by now, since I've been feeling ill since Wednesday afternoon, but he prescribed the meds, anyway. A "quick" trip to the only local pharmacy still open after 6:00 PM on a Sunday got me what I needed, so it was back home for lasagna (yum!) and more Battlestar. When I finally cratered, N--- & I had just finished the first disc, and she made her way home. Mad props to N---, too: Drives all the way out from the other side of the universe, puts up with sick ol' me, takes me to the doctor, comes back, goes for a run, comes to get me, and still can sit through hours of sci-fi with me. Definitely says something of the perks of being an endurance athlete. No wonder I want to marry this gal.

So, here I am, at home, playing the pathetically sick boy. I managed a run up to the school to make copies & instructions for the sub and to grab the last stack of journals that I need to grade, meaning I will have plenty with which to occupy my time, just in case sleep doesn't overtake me. For now, it is time for a bit of breakfast. Wash thoroughly, and thanks for reading.

Anti-Bike?

You ever get the feeling that all the forces in the universe are working against you? While I don't think the gods are necessarily against me, I somehow think there is a conspiracy against me riding my bike outdoors. Seriously. Look at the facts:

• After Longhorn, it was marathon season, so running took precedent.
• Come December, the weather was an issue, making a soppy, wet mess of the roads.
• January, I managed to build some decent base miles and regained my confidence, courtesy of some good MTB sessions (thanks, D---).
• Now, February, swim season is over, and I get sick. Two days before the weekend's double-awesome area rides, including Freiheit. I am so <expletive> angry.

Here I sit, recovering from fever (hit a high of 101° yesterday!) and trying to find the strength to even hop on the trainer to get my legs spinning. Freiheit isn't until tomorrow, but I doubt I'll be able to make the century ride out of it that I had initially planned -- unless a minor miracle happens with my health. Eh, who knows.

On the up side, the TT bike has received a couple of upgrades: A new stem (thanks to a cleaning session where, during reinstallation of the old stem, I somehow stripped a bolt) and new wheels. Yup, I bit the bullet yesterday and ordered a set of race wheels, Hed 6/9 C2. They won't be in for a week or two, but that's fine by me. As I've not been out on the bike much at all lately, I doubt I could do them any justice.

I'm off to nap with the cat and sulk myself into feeling better. Thanks for coming to my pity party, and thanks for reading.

Houston Half

Got a postcard in the mail today with the official results from last month's Houston Half-marathon.

• Chip time: 1:36:03
• Gun time: 1:37:26
• Pace: 7:20/mi
  
• Place within division: 28/544
• Place within gender: 231/3548
• Place overall: 315/8333

Not too shabby, but imagine if I would have trained.

Swim season ended today at the regional meet. More on that another time. For now, I'm ready for some well-deserved and seriously-delayed rest. Thanks for reading.

Countdown

This is so cool:



Available at: http://www.ironmancda.com/cdaclock.html.

I really need to go to bed, but thanks for staying up with me. Thanks for reading, too.

Cool Pool

A little whining goes a long way.

Remember my ranting about the temperature of the pool at the gym? After a week of non-returned phone calls, I decided to call again, this time reaching a competent rep who fielded my complaint, asked some questions, and took down my number to call me back when she had an answer. She called the next day.

A compromise had been reached between corporate management (from whom the edict of an 88° pool temperature supposedly had originated) and the local management. It wasn't the 82° for which I was shooting, but, rather, a mediocre 85°. Tonight was my first night back at the gym to swim (N--- wasn't feeling well, and it would have been too late ([about this time] when I would have left UTSA to return the pass key to her, and her health is more important than my swim time), and I am ecstatic to report that the pool temperature was a cool, crisp 84° -- the same as at Chisolm Hall. Of course, the gym pool is but four feet deep, all the way across, but, for my Thursday night swim, it did just fine.

Tonight's workout was focused on bi-lateral breathing, a technique I preach to my swimmers, yet have had difficulty in putting into practice for myself. My arm turnover is improving (thanks, in large part, to increased work with Stretch Cordz a couple of times a day), so bi-lateral breathing has become somewhat easier. I'm still no Thorpedo, but my 500-yard splits were about 20 seconds faster tonight than in weeks past. Woohoo.

Well, sports fans, it's way past time to call it a night. Tomorrow is what will likely be the last swim practice of the season. The regional meet is tomorrow night, and we are in a ridiculously tough region. That, plus the kids are tired. Real tired. Deseveredly so, too. They've put in a good, long season since Labor Day, and, with only two exceptions, all of them should be returning swimmers for next year. Hopefully, we can keep a better handle on eligibility this next year, but that's another topic for another time. For now, it's sleep-bye time. So sayeth the kitty.

Sleep well and enjoy sleeping in after tomorrow morning. Thanks for reading.

The Rudy Project Project

I have a thing for sunglasses and have for several years. When I applied for and received sponsorship from Rudy Project last year, I knew things could get expensive. Until recently, though, I've actually been able to keep a pretty good handle on things. Here's my side of the story.

There was, of course, the helmet N--- got me in 07 for Christmas, which started the snowball rolling. From there, I received a complimentary pair of Sportmask Performance glasses in the same color scheme as what Macca wore in Kona 07. This past summer, RP released the Exowind, a dual-lens system with rocking lines that rivaled the Tayo. I tried the Exowind and liked them but wound up returning to the Sportmask Performance, due to its virtually non-existent weight and superior field of vision. Last week, though, I pulled the trigger on a pair of black Exowinds, with the intent of going Frankenstein on my other pairs of Exowinds in order to create a unique pair of glasses: Black frames with red accents. It worked, too, and they were, indeed, a sweet-looking pair of shades:


However, there was the issue of cost. I'd a good chunk of change invested in the Exowinds, even with my discount, and I remained unconvinced that the extra 10g of weight over the Sportmask was insignificant. That, plus the pinching I experienced at Longhorn (and after only 4-1/2 hours) made me leery about sporting them for the duration of CdA come June. Last night's run with the Sportmask solidified the feeling that it was the ideal pair of sunglasses for triathlon, for me. So, the black Exowinds are on their way back to RP for return. I may contact RP support to inquire about returning the other two pair of Exowinds I own for some sort of store credit (RP has finally released a multilaser red lens for the Sportmask -- wahoo!), but I'll check into that another time. For now, it's time to head out for the pasta party before heading out to the pool to swim. Thanks for bearing with me and my sunglass fetish, and thanks for reading.

Ghosts Run

14-mile run tonight. Very casual pace. Very good soundtrack, too: Ghosts I-IV, by Nine Inch Nails. Strongly recommended, be it for running or just plain listening. ghosts.nin.com.

Thanks for reading.

The Sufferfest, Part 1

Hot diggity! The difference a few hours and a clean house can make is incredible!

After an afternoon of doing little more than watching Serenity and the bulk of the Firefly series, N--- had to make her way home, so I decided to hop on the trainer and try to get in a workout before she got home. She made it home before the workout ended, but what an awesome workout it was.

A few weeks ago, I read about this Podcast site called thesufferfest.com, which posts workouts geared towards indoor trainers, complete with video and audio. The latest workout caught my attention by title alone: "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now." While The Smiths did provide the opening & closing tracks, the workout was an interval type based on perceived effort, as opposed to a specific gear or cadence -- something that was right up my alley. I did pause a time or two to make a couple of minor tweaks to the arm rests on the B2, but after 10 or so minutes, I was totally in the zone and rolling for the duration of the video. If you own an iPod with video, or have a computer near where your trainer is set up, I highly recommend these videos, especially when they're as cheap as free.

Workout done, legs shot (but cleanly shaved after a shower), and swim practice a little more than six hours away tells me that it's time to get to bed. Methinks I will make a quick trip to the Quick Stop for some OJ, but then it's night-night time. Thanks for checking back on me, in consideration of the rough morning I had, and thanks for reading.

Breaking Point

This morning was near-perfect for a bike ride: Cloudy, cool, and a barely-noticeable breeze blowing from the south. The plan was to roll out from home around 8:20 and meet up with the group for a ride that would clock in just under 90 miles. Of course, that was the plan. Enter my fragile mental state at an early hour with a less-than-idyllicly clean house. Yeah, I lost it.

Something seized hold that frustrated me how there just never seemed to be enough time in the day or days in the week to do what needed to be done, compounded by the fact that I still had not finished last week's laundry and that this week's was already over-flowing. In what was probably not a terribly flattering manner, I proclaimed, "<expletive> it," and changed from cycling garb into the attire of a domestic do-gooder: sweats & a t-shirt. Several hours and a considerably cleaner house later, I now sit at the computer, ready to draft up this week's lesson plans. But first, I thought I'd write to you, dear readers, for it has been so long.

Much has happened as of late, including the district meet (we advanced; regionals are this upcoming Friday & Saturday [yes, on Valentine's Day, of all days]) and a rocket trip to Dallas for the baby shower for the forthcoming twins of D--- & K---. The latter was a lovely, albeit rushed, trip up north for the shower and a bit of face-time with dear friends. That they are about to welcome two children into the world makes me extremely happy, in a vicarious sense. Before I get too teary-eyed, I'm going to get those lesson plans done and then try to spend some quality time with N---.

I do hope your Sunday has gone better than mine and that you, too, have a clean house and content kitty cozied on your lap...providing you're not allergic to cats, that is. I'd hate for you to be sneezing your head off just in the means of fulfilling my prerequisites for Sunday afternoon bliss. Whatever four-legged fuzzball you have on your lap, thanks for reading.

A Feel for the Water

The past few weeks have been riddled with interesting swim experiences of my own. Here's how the past three Thursdays have gone:

• 01/15 -- The heater in the Fiesta Trails gym broke, putting the temperature at a brisk, 72°. It was awesome.
• 01/22 -- Heater fixed, water a miserable 88°. I maybe eeked out 1500m before succumbing to heat exhaustion. I am at a loss of words for the irony.
• 01/29 -- Still waiting for a return call from the gym's corporate offices in Dallas over the serious health concerns with their pool temperature. In the interim, N--- went and renewed her membership at Chisolm Hall, the 5-lane, 25-yard pool on the campus of UTSA. Granted, it is difficult to find lane time until late in the evening, due to heavy utilization by swim clubs, but the pool is a constant 81°, just like a pool should be.

Last night was my first dip at Chisolm Hall in over a year, and a dip was more or less what it felt like. I quit timing myself and more or less just spent the time getting a feel for the water, focusing more on myriad techniques (back wasn't half bad, either); I felt g-o-o-d in the water. Arm turnover was much higher, and I felt like I floated farther with each stroke, with each kick, than I ever had at the gym. I'm still no Thorpedo, but I do feel a lot more confident about my swim prep than I have in a long while.

Speaking of swim prep, I need to head out to swim practice. The kiddos have their district meet tonight, and we're all pretty psyched. It's bittersweet, for me, but I'll explain that one another time. Until then, get back to bed. Do you have any idea of the time?

Thanks for reading.

Nerdy English Teacher

Below is the transcript of an email exchange from the newsletter editor of the bike club:

> Yep. Except I think I accidently put an apostrophe in Starbucks
> (Starbuck's) where there shouldn't be one.
>

Although, really, shouldn't there be? As the corporation spells it, it implies more than one Starbuck. Yet, as the name of an establishment, it should be possessive, either singular or plural, given the two Starbucks of relative fame: 1) First mate of the Pequod; 2) Pilot in the Battlestar Galactica series (of which, there are also two, although the character's purpose remains the same). So, is the company wrong? And, if so, why? Was inserting the apostrophe that much extra work that some intern or ad rep could not completely comprehend because s/he didn't pay attention in English class? Or was it a cost issue (one extra character * infinitive coffee cups = a load of money)?

Bah, whatever. I'll get the new schedule formatted and uploaded in the next few days. For now, it is bedtime, for swim practice will, again, come early.

Apostrophe or no, thanks for reading.

Passing the Torch

Prayer to Saint Sebastian
(Patron of Athletes)

Dear Commander at the Roman Emperor's court, you chose to be also a soldier of Christ and dared to spread faith in the King of Kings, for which you were condemned to die. Your body, however, proved athletically strong and the executing arrows extremely weak. So another means to kill you was chosen and you gave your life to the Lord. May athletes be always as strong in their faith as their Patron Saint so clearly has been. Amen.

Thanks, D---...and thanks to all of you for reading.

A Whale of a Good Time

N---'s wanted me to add this picture for a long while, so, here goes:

The above was taken this past May in Corpus Christi, just after our running of the Beach to Bay and somewhat prior to my asking N--- to marry me. I thought it appropriate, now, given that 2009 is now well under way and that my 2+ week winter holiday is about to come to an end.

In spite of the mostly lousy weather and lack of fresh DVDs from Netflix, the holiday was a good one. During my break, I got much work done on miscellaneous projects (including grading!); visited, either in person or via telephone, with friends and family, near and far; got back on track with my training (okay, this week in Dallas has been somewhat of a wash, but it's my own <expletive> fault for not mapping out bike routes in McKinney before heading up here); got to see the Stars play at the AA Center in Big D (including rides on the light-rail system -- San Antonio so needs to get one of those); and welcomed in a new year. Busy, I know, but all in a couple of weeks' work for yours truly. Now I just need to get back to SA in order to get completely back in the swing of things.

It's after 12:30 in the morning, again, and I am still awake. I am hoping to get my sleeping back on somewhat of a regular schedule before too long; once back home, I cannot keep up with these late nights and early mornings.

It is hoped that the first 24+ hours of 2009 have been good to you and that the remaining 364 days are equally so. Thanks for reading.

Two Thousand and Nine

A new year has arrived, and, once again, I find myself at the home of N---'s parents in McKinney. But, my, the changes over the past two years.

This year is set to be mine & N---'s year. So much is in store for us, both respectively and collectively. N--- will complete her masters in chemistry; I, Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Shortly after N--- walks the stage in commencement of her degree, she will walk down the aisle for us to exchange our vows and become husband and wife. I count myself among the fortunate, the blessed for having been granted a second opportunity to make good on the greatest gift of all, love.

It is a long haul until December, though, and much must be done in preparation. Granted, the wedding should not be terribly complex, given our simplistic plans (we will not be like the couples featured on We Network's bridal shows -- oh, how glad I am to not have cable), but N--- has another semester of independent research, as well as another chemistry course to suffer through this fall. Leading up to all of that, I have many miles to swim, bike, and run in preparation for IM CdA, the first of which taking place in ten or twelve hours or so, as me, D---, and N--- go for a fast-paced stroll around White Rock Lake. But, before I can even get to that, I need to get to bed.

Happy New Year, and thanks for reading.

Why Can't I Ride My Bike?

The winter break was supposed to allow me time to get caught up on training, long bike rides, in particular. However, such has not been the case when it comes to cycling, for every day that I have scheduled a long ride (Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and, now, today), it has been wet. Not the hard rain that can actually be kind of fun to ride in, but just the wet, sloppy stuff that is apparently commonplace in cities the likes of Seattle. Bloody weather.

Tuesday's botched ride was supplemented with a nearly 3-hour ride on the trainer (boy, was that fun & exciting!), while Wednesday's was a spin class, preceded by a 2km swim, so all is not completely lost. Today, though...eh...I guess I'll just wait & see what transpires. Cross your fingers for better weather during the break. Thanks, and thanks for reading.

Happy Christmas

Just returned from the track with N---. Yesterday was her day to hammer out 2x1-mile splits; today was mine. Both days were beautiful, with a hint of winter in the air, but not so nippy so as to mandate winterish apparel.

As N--- & I get ready to open gifts to & from one another, I wanted to wish you all a joyous time of year, regardless of religious affiliations or lack thereof. Peace be with you, and thanks for reading.

Training Wheel

The winter break is finally here...been here, actually, as Friday was the first, official day. However, I've had (and have, tomorrow) swim practice, albeit at not such an ungodly hour, so the day's have been anything but uneventful. Come the end of the week, I was finally over my sickness and ready to resume training. Cue the monkey wrenches.

Plan for Saturday: Ride to swim practice. Ride from JAC to Comal Elementary for the SAW ride, ride home with 70+ miles on the C-dale. Reality: Misty rain <expletive> that completely shot ride potential; I did not want to take another spill in that kind of weather, like I did during the last break. So, I took it easy riding home, earning myself the honor of changing a flat on the side of Pat Booker, at about the half-way point. It looked to be a piece of a broken beer bottle that had lodged itself in my tire, not fully penetrating the tire itself, but applying enough pressure to puncture the tube. Dang it.

Right, so I made it home, went to the post office to take care of my passport (CdA is so close to Canada, it'd be really nice to visit), then off to meet N---, K---, and T--- for lunch at CPK (don't you just love my heave use of initials & acronyms?), before jetting over to Bike Heaven for trainer parts. The new skewer for my aged, yet functional, Tacx Cylclesport Swing made it in a couple of days ago, and I went ahead and ordered a flip-flop (fixed + free hub) wheel for the commuter so I could throw a 10-speed cassette back on the old Mavic wheel for use with the trainer. The commuter is temporarily out of commission (flip-flop wheel should be in by Wednesday, I hope), but my trainer rig is now completely ready to go, trainer-specific tire & all. Thank you to all who helped me get it ready; you should know who you are.

That said, it is now bed time. One more day of swim practice this week and then it's truly holiday time...to the extent that I will not have to interact with the kids. I still have oodles of papers to grade, plus a quiz to write, but everything in due time. Hopefully, I'll be able to find the time before all is due.

Yeah, gonna go before the cheese starts rising above waist level. Stay warm where you are on the trainer, treadmill, or whatever gear you're using to keep moving through the holidays. Thanks for reading.

Go See This Film

Last night was the San Antonio premiere of an independent documentary regarding the world's addiction to oil:

There were several amazing things about the experience of seeing this film last night. There were some revelations about the oil/gas/automotive conglomerates currently attempting to (and in some cases succeeding in) pulling the wool over American's eyes with our purchasing choices, but one cool, unexpected thing was that the director, Josh Tickell, was in attendance for a Q&A session afterwards. Additionally, it was revealed that San Antonio was a test market for this film.

Austin, yeah (where, surprisingly, the film was met with more objection that last night's debut), Portland, sure, but San Antonio? That's progression. Let's keep the trend going, eh?

Fuel is slated to run its test phase through December 18th but could be held over if enough people go see it. Do the world -- yes, the world -- a favor and go see it. Whether or not you agree with everything that the film has to say is irrelevant, but it is imperative that we agree with the core message: Our dependency on oil, foreign and domestic, must end. This film goes several steps further than to simply point out the obvious; how we can begin to end this dependency is provided to a culture grown accustomed to have the world spoon-fed to us.

It's the weekend. Rather than go see some fabrication of fantastically fake people doing unbelievable things on the big screen, head over to the Bijou Theater @ Crossroads Mall and get yourself a healthy dose of reality (and a spinach Alfredo pizza -- those things are awesome!). Films like Fuel don't come along every day, and their arrival, let alone stay, in a town like San Antonio is even less frequent. Let's start changing that. Then we can move on to changing our fuel, changing our world.

Thanks for reading.

A Wasted Week

The week started out good: Good ride Sunday morning at a good pace in fantastic weather. Stretched on Monday. Swam on Tuesday (all 3200 meters, too, also at a good pace). Wednesday, it hit me. Hard.

Let's rewind a bit, just to have full perspective.

I teach high school. Yeah, not the most sanitary of environments. The past few years have been spent building up my immune system to pretty high standards -- successfully so, too. Friday night, I dove into the Schertz Pool as part of the Polar Bear Splash fund raiser...without my wet suit. Yup, just me in a square-cut suit and a pair of goggles. The water temperature was a crisp 43°, while the air was a cool 47°.

Sleep was not hard to come by Friday or Saturday night, but, come Sunday, I could not sleep worth a darned. Same for Monday. And Tuesday. Finally, Wednesday morning, my body had had all that it could take and shut itself down. No getting out of bed for practice; barely making it up and through the day for work. Once home, I fed, took some cold medicine after talking & coaching for wellness by N--- (what a gal), read, and was asleep by 8:00. Practice this morning was rough, but manageable. Same with the school day. And, here we are.

The purpose of this post was more or less to just have a place in which to whine. Yes, CdA is still 6+ months out, and I'm still feeling strong after a good finish at the marathon last month, but...that was last month. This week has just felt...wasted. I feel weighed down by the demands of work (swimming on its own is a full time job, to say nothing with teaching six English classes a day), in that I have virtually no free time. I literally wake up and go straight to work. If I'm lucky, I have about 30 minutes after swim practice at home before I have to head to the school. Typically, I'm there until 4:30 or later (twice this week, it was after 5:30 before I left), before heading home to maybe eat something before it's time to grade papers or read from one of the two novels my two different levels are covering; fortunately, I've read them both so it's mostly review. By then, it's after dark, and, after feeding the cat, I don't feel like doing much else except trying to get some sleep for the day begins all over again in less than ten hours. Being sick on top of all that isn't helping matters much, either.

Breathe.

Time to wrap this thing up before I go off on another rant. I really do like my job, what I do, working with kids, trying to make a difference. Catch me again when I'm a lot less groggy. I'll do my best to be Mr. Sunshine. Thanks for reading.

Priceless

Terrible 2s

Most people look to the end of their work day as a good time. For me, that, too, is typically the case. However, for whatever reason, today just plain sucked as soon as I locked up the bike in the garage.

After hurrying inside to change clothes and get going back out the door, I was met with challenge #1: Making a left-hand turn. Traffic, you see, backs up over a quarter of a mile, thanks to this most wonderful construction project on the Parkway, so I stupidly turned right and headed to 78. The challenge continued, due to even greater traffic congestion (all trying to turn left) onto 3009. In order to make it to the usual inspection house, I wound up taking the circuitous route, only to find out the joint quits doing inspections at 5:00. That was challenge #2: Finding a place that would inspect my car as late as it was (5:30). Mission accomplished, and just down the road, too. Once the car was again legal, it was a little further down the road to the folks' house to pick up chili making supplies for the post-Polar Bear shindig at my place this Friday.

I tried to time my arrival at the gym to avoid any aquatics classes, but I was unsuccessful, just as I was unsuccessful at getting to speak with a manager at the gym (raised my rates by $3/mo -- something I do not believe the are permitted to do, as I was a member of a gym absorbed by this golden conglomerate from abroad, and Texas state law is supposed to protect that sort of thing). Finally, after an hour, I got my lane and go going, but leaky goggles (methinks the string on my Swedes needs to be replaced) kept me from getting going well; I was also really tired and unfocused.

So, here I am, at home. Chili fixins are in the kitchen, ready for me to throw them all together, as are six packs of cornbread. After jumping in a freezing-cold pool Friday night, I know I'll be ready for it.

I'm beat, so I'm going to bed. My bad day pales in comparison to the garden variety day of many, especially those overseas, so, with that in mind, I ask you to keep those less fortunate than either or both of us in mind as you find yourself in a meditative state. Thanks, and thanks for reading.

Taking on Toutant

Way back in January of 2001, I did the all-club New Year's Day Ride here in San Antonio. Knowing I would be in no shape to ride 60 or 70 miles after a 3-week holiday hiatus from the bicycle, I signed up for the 40-mile jaunt thinking it a piece of cake. After all, I had taken on the MS150 a few months prior and I had just won a trip to the wind tunnel at Texas A&M, so, truly, how hard could it be for a cyclist of my caliber. Ask a stupid question...

Less than 20 miles into the ride, I was gasping for air, barely able to make it up the first major climb on Scenic Loop. Six or seven miles later, when we hit Toutant Beauregard, I had my first real introduction to hill country climbing. I completely fell off the back of the group and had to even get off my bike by the side of the road. Heck, I may have even cried, disappointed as I was in myself. After suffering up its inclines and turns in the freezing cold (yes, it was actually cold that New Year's Day), I vowed to myself that I would conquer that climb.

Luck was on my side for doing so, too. I had just begun classes at UTSA for my BA and had a nice, long mid-day break for my Tuesday/Thursday class. I used this time to head out on the bicycle and ride Toutant Beauregard. By the time Spring Break hit, I had mastered its first false flat, as well as its two major up-turns: the first is a long, steep incline takes a semi-switchback approach to making its way up, while the second is a shorter climb, but far steeper than the first. After that, it's almost all down hill, all the way back to I10.

I rode up Toutant Beauregard yesterday for the first time in a year or two (the ride I did on Veteran's Day came the opposite direction, a near-suicide-pace descent around its twists & turns -- the opposite in more ways than one) and was amazed at not only how much the area had developed (more houses and even a Starbucks at the corner of TB & 10) but also with what relative ease I made it up the climbs. While it wasn't freezing, it was misitng the whole time, which added to the memorable mystique of one of my favorite rides in the area. The mist did create some doubts for my safety, but everything was just fine on Toutant and the ride back in...at least until I returned to the UTSA parking lot. I went down pretty hard, due to the slick streets, but, again due to the slick streets, injuries to me were minimal: A few scratches & bruises & gashed handlebar tape were the worst of it. My helmet appeared to have survived (still waiting for a callback from Rudy, though), and my sunglasses survived without a scratch, as well; Rudy Project makes some awesome stuff.

The weather appears to be more cooperative today, albeit a bit cooler outside. Today's training has on tap for it a 50-mile ride, followed immediately by a 4-mile run. I'll get to top those off today at noon with a massage. Life, it seems, is pretty good right now. Of course, I'll need to come crashing back to reality immediately thereafter and get grades entered and a test or two (or three? Hmm...LOTF, CMC, and finish the modified vocabulary; yup it'll be a busy day!) after my three days of sluffing off during the Thanksgiving break. Oh well. It's but a three-week haul until the Christmas holidays, so I feel confident I can make it. After all, if Toutant Beauregard posed no problems...

Thanks for reading.

Post-Marathon

It's been a few days since the Rock & Roll Marathon in SA, and my body has recovered surprisingly well. I mean that in that I have virtually no aches & pains anywhere, save for my left Achilles, but that will likely stretch itself out when I can actually find some time to work out. And finding time to do that has been near-impossible this week.

• Monday: Massage. I earned it.
• Tuesday: Hockey game with N---. This was the 2-year anniversary of our first date, also a hockey game. The Rampage continue to lose, but N--- & I are very much the winning team.
• Wednesday: At work until nearly 6:00. Got home to do more work for the forthcoming Polar Bear Splash, as well as laundry; I leave tomorrow for Corpus. Were it not for the fact that I have to be up for practice in a little over six hours, I'd likely head to the gym to sneak in a swim. Too bad I'm a wuss.
  
• Thursday - Saturday: Will be in Corpus Christi for the TISCA swim meet. I plan to take running stuff with me but am unsure if I will be able to find time/locale to run whilst there. I'm not holding my breath for the La Quinta to have a fitness center, either.

And such will be my week after the marathon. I suppose taking some time off after such a major effort is a good thing, but I would like to be able to call the shots on it myself, rather than having my time dictated to me. It makes me feel so...helpless. Using the excuse that June 21 is still so far away won't cut it, either; I want to do well in CdA. Here's to hoping for a winning Super Lotto ticket or something.

With those idiotic thoughts, I bid you a good evening. I'll pop back in after TISCA to share the good news that I have returned to my training plan. Until then, get some work outs in for us both, and thanks for reading.

Rock and Roll!

Today was the inaugural San Antonio Rock-n-Roll Marathon. I ran all 26.2 miles of it, establishing a new PR for a marathon, and proving to me that the Nike Free is one of the nicest darned pairs of shoes made. I totally plan on wearing them next year for CdA.

There is much I could say about this weekend's events surrounding the marathon (expo was lame [where were the deals?]; concert started too late for we working types; the Rudy Project SportMask is friggin' awesome -- I honestly forgot I was wearing them -- especially when the black fangs are paired with the Racing Red lens), but I'll leave it at that I felt great throughout the run (with one exception) and that, again, I set a new PR, missing qualifying for Boston by a mere seven minutes. Soon.

Okay, so what's the new PR? Read it & weep:

Yup, that's it. Again, it's no qualifying time (as some guy in Spirit of the Marathon put it, "qualifying times are slanted for women and the elderly"), but it's the best I've been able to eek out since graduating to the full distance two years ago. After all, I went in with no expectations today, other than finishing. I was certainly not disappointed...well, not too badly, anyway; I always feel I could have done better.

But, there's always next year. Will I do the RNR SA, again? If nothing better comes along, sure. Providing the course doesn't change and I can hold steady, I just might be able to qualify next year. However, my attitude towards the marathon could change after Ironman. Ask me again in seven or eight months; I should be able to have an answer for you. As always, thanks for reading.

Want

I'm always wanting more / Anything I haven't got / Everything I want it all / I just can't stop.

So rings true the decade-plus words of Fat Bob, for it seems that I am always wanting more. Ladies & gentlemen of the jury, I present exhibit "A," the Fuji D6:


I first glimpsed this beauty on ST several months back, and, after reading reviews & a video from this year's Interbike, I have reached the horrible conclusion that I cannot live without this bicycle. Never you mind the hefty price tag and the fact that I already have a TT bike, I want one of these. Were I to win Super Lotto, my first stop after the bank would be Joe's Pro Bikes to put one of these on order (size 54, Joe), complete with Hed 3 wheelset and, most likely, a Hed cockpit to match. Oh, and SRAM Red, too.; I've just been dying to give it a spin, and no time like the present to fulfill one's fantasies.

Sadly, that is all the D6 will remain: A fantasy. True, I can totally see myself on one of these, full-on aero, hammering out some course or other, but I can not see spending that kind of coin on a bike that will likely not get more than a couple of thousand miles out of me this next year; post-Ironman, probably even less. Sigh.

On this somber note, I bid you a good evening. Be sure to download your copy of the new Cure album, 4:13 Dream, from Amazon, and thanks for reading.

Back in Black

I finally got out on my bike this past week, and it felt wonderful. That it was a 32-mile leisurely spin with the 2s AM crowd at Starbucks is irrelevant. What matters is that I got to ride my bike and have fun. While others were working, I was playing and having a great time doing so.

Because of the overcast conditions, I opted to wear the SportMask glasses -- something I've not worn much, since obtaining the Exowind. Awesome of a shade the Exowind is, I really enjoyed the near-nothing feel and unparalleled optics of the SportMask; I had, again, fallen in love with them. And that got me to thinking about colour options for CdA: Black & red. A perusal of Rudy's lineup more or less ruled out the Exowinds, for buying yet another set of them (in black) was just beyond my budgetary means, so I got to looking at options for the SportMask. An email to the offices in California, inquiring about buying just a pair of the "fangs" for the the SportMask performance (in black) was met with wonderful coincidence: The rep to whom I spoke just happened to have a pair on his desk that he was willing to ship straight to me for nothing more than the cost of shipping. Score.

N---'s flight wa supposed to land in a little over an hour, but it looks like it's going to be delayed some...closer to ten, maybe. I'm going to fly, so I can let Coach know I likely will not be at practice in the morning, due to my pending late night and already-exhausted state, and then head on out to the airport, regardless. Rest up, and don't forget to stretch -- the marathon's this weekend! See you in the starting chutes. Thanks for reading.

Better Than Last Monday

While the data from my flash drive is still gone, today was a much better Monday than last. Nothing particularly special happened today to make it so, but nothing particularly awful happened, either. I'm hearing a lot of flack from students & parents about the college research project, but I'm simply passing the buck to the ST who wanted to spearhead the project; welcome to the big leagues, kid.

Typically, I get thoroughly depressed at this time of year, what with the time change and loosing that extra hour of daylight & all. However, day two of daylight savings time wasn't all that bad. I arrived home a little after five, changed, talked a bit with N---, stretched, and was out the door a short while later. What started out as a painful 6-mile jaunt out & back the Parkway quickly turned into a virtual hammerfest, courtesy of some guy with a baby jogger. For a couple of miles, he set a really good pace, but I guess the hills & weight of the baby jogger got to be too much, and I wound up overtaking him with a little over a mile left. And, now, hear I am: Home. And it's only seven o'clock.

It is, however, time to get some ironing done, for I am way behind on that lovely little chore. Toodles, and thanks for reading.

Gruene with Evny

It's Sunday night, and I am once again stuck wondering where the <expletive> my weekend went. Actually, I kind of know, but it still seems unfair. Being 35 sucks, what with all the responsibilities & stuff.

This weekend was the somethingth-annual Tour de Gruene. Traditionally, Sunday has been race day, with a 2-person team trial on tap for all who dared...and could find a partner. The latter has always proven my undoing, considering where, in the season, the TdG always fell. This year proved to be no exception, but there was the possibility of actually being able to race: A solo TT on Saturday afternoon. The hitch: I proctored the SAT yesterday morning and wound up doing yard work the rest of the day. The good side to that: N--- & I got to spend a lot (more) quality time together, even if it was raking a seemingly never-ending yardful of leaves.

Sunday morning was back to punishing myself, pounding out a hair under 15 miles in a hair under two hours' time; being unable to run more than once a week has been devestating to my training. However, I did feel good this evening, and I even got to swim tonight...for the first time in nearly a month. More musings on the irony of a swim coach not swimming another time. For now, I must find a bed, for practice will, as usual, come early tomorrow morning.

Hope you remembered to set your clocks back last night. Get some rest to gear up for Monday, and thanks for reading.

Mon-day

Today sucked.

It was Monday, of course, but that wasn't the worst of it. No, when I arrived at school, my SmartBoard wasn't working, but that still wasn't the worst of it. Rather, after rebooting my machine, the SmartBoard started to work, but my flash drive (the one with all of my school data on it) quit working. As in, all of my data (attendance records, grade book, book checkout for CMC, and so on) is gone. Completely. I am most displeased.

I do hope your Monday was somewhat better than mine. If not, share in the fact that tomorrow is that much closer to Friday, which is that much closer to the Thanksgiving holidays. For that, I am most definitely thankful. Thank you for reading.

Best (SA) Hockey Game Ever

Through three teams and ten years, I've been a fan of San Antonio hockey. S--- has been there, too; it was not uncommon for us to bolt to the Coliseum after work to catch an evening game of either the Iguanas or the Dragons (and again the Iguanas), and, finally, the Rampage. San Antonio hockey has been good to me; it was mine & N---'s first date (a double with S--- & K---, too). Last night's bout with the Iowa Chops (formerly the Stars) failed to disappoint, either. It was, in my opinion, the best San Antonio hockey game ever. But what made it so great? For starters, N--- scored awesome seats on the flex pack tickets she got me/us for my birthday. Then, during the first period intermission, there was this:



Yup, S--- got to "dance for [his] dinner," winning a $50 gift card to Boston's Pizza, all for the low, low price of making a fool out of himself in front of the crowd at the AT&T Center and, now, you.

Hockey-wise, the Rampage won the game, 5-1, playing amazingly well. And, while I'm not known for being a fan of the fights at games, last night was an exception; SA & Iowa apparently had it in for each other, and S--- got some great shots using his Crackberry. Too bad we'll have to miss tonight's re-match, since N--- will be in the lab all afternoon. :-\

Fortunately, it's still early in the season, and we've nine tickets remaining in our flex packs. More to come as the season progresses. Hope to see you at a game. Thanks for reading.

Woohoo!

No, the title of this post does not mean I got to go to the Nine Inch Nails concert last night (although that would have been so awesome). Rather, I actually peeled myself out of bed this morning with enough time to go for a run. I decided the pace would be quick, so I set a target time to finish in less than 30 minutes. After a mile, I re-set my goal to closer to 28 minutes. Final finish time: 27:59.37. I so rock.

That's it for now. It's now time to get cleaned up and go teach some English. Thanks for reading.//dhs

(N)INcoming

As N--- & I left the Spurs game the other night, I thought I saw mentioning of Nine Inch Nails tickets for sale. When I last checked the tour schedule several months back, SA was not mentioned; Houston would be the closest they were to get, so I didn't pursue ticket inquiries any further. Stupid me: NIN will (again) play the AT&T Center this Thursday. Sadly, I will not make it.

It's just as well. Typically, come Thursday, I'm beat, anyway, and the last thing I'd want to go do is fight 20,000 people who know "Closer" and maybe one or two other songs just to see the band live...again. The image below was taken at the June 2006 show at Verizon, which was an incredible show. That, coupled with another show at the AT&T Center a couple of years prior, are enough to satiate my fondness for the band and its music. Of course, there have been three (THREE!) new albums since that June evening, but I know I'll live. Whether or not you make it to the show, thanks for reading.

(De)Boom! Skirt Chaser 2k9

A quick blurb about the second run for the day:

The Skirt Chaser 5k was a total blast. The venue was a tad more crowded than last year and, initially, seemed smaller, both in size & locale. However, by the time the gun went off, there was quite the crowd of skirt-clad ladies and several dozen gents to give chase. N--- & I toed up in our respective classes and wound up bettering our time from last year by almost two minutes. My run time was 20'27", itself a new PR for the 5k distance; N--- & I were cheered as we crossed the line together, hand-in-hand, with the announcer commenting, "Hey, you caught yourself a skirt!" When it was all said & done, we found my folks and headed back to the car to find some grub (more grumbling on that another time, but I will say one would do well to avoid Applebee's in New Braunfels; flies buzzing in the restaurant paid better attention to our table than did the server or the manager).

Prior to the race start, N--- & I met Nicole DeBoom, the company founder & race organizer. A pleasant & easily approachable woman, she listened to the concerns N--- & I had emailed to the company a month or two ago over the logo found on Skirt Sports' men's attire, letting us know our emails did not go unnoticed and that Skirt Sports was looking into alternatives. She liked the idea of the tag line, "Mom always told me to watch out for fast women." Remember, kiddos, you read that one here, first.

So, after 23.1 miles today, I find myself rather exhausted. That ten mile recovery run on tap for tomorrow may not be realized, but what is realized is that when one has a companion who not only runs but runs in a skirt, while being chased, and slows down for the chaser to catch her, life is pretty darned good. I've got mine, so go catch your own skirt. Thanks for reading.

Wish

Woohoo -- I made it the whole way of my 20-mile run this morning. Of course, I managed an 8:41 pace for the run, but I'll allot myself the excuse that I'm racing a 5k in a little over six hours' time. That, plus the fact there was a lot of climbing on the run, as evidenced by mapmytri.com's elevation profile:


I did stop about mile 17 to refill the Camelbak at a Shell station. While refilling, I encountered a woman stopping by for breakfast. She queried me on the distance I'd covered (despite the cloud cover, the humidity was extremely high, and I looked like I'd just swum Boerne Lake) and commented that she wished she could do that. I'm unclear on if she meant just run or run 17+ miles, as she was driving a rather large SUV and was no waif herself. Still, when she passed me a mile or two down the road, she rolled down her window and cheered. Even if this person never laces up a pair of shoes to run a 5k, 10k, or whatever distance race, that a chance encounter fostered good feelings (and good will) towards running gives me a warm fuzzy inside. As such, I wish her, and you, well.

Skirt Chaser 5k is tonight, and I've some house work to tend to before heading up to Austin with N--- and my parents (they want to go!). I'll pop back in tonight or tomorrow to let you know how it went. My time last year was 22'06", and that was after a 22-mile run. I'm not necessarily wishing to beat it, but I do hope I can.  Best wishes to you for a wonderful weekend, and thanks for reading.

Photo Finish

Remember that sprint for the finish at last weekend's Longhorn that I thought would make a good picture? It did. Yes, that's me in the back in the Bicycle Heaven kit.

Yeah, that's it for tonight. Long day at the office today, so not much to report, other than I rested and vegged in front of the tele tonight. Busy day on tap for tomorrow, with a 20-mile training run in the morning and the Skirt Chaser 5k in the evening. Providing I've some down time in between, it should make for a good day. I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for reading.

Weak End

It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it certainly wasn't.

Today's training schedule called for an 8-mile run at no particular pace. By the time I made it home from swim practice (parents of a couple of the kiddos were very late picking up their charges from the pool), I needed maximum effort to make it to the bed and collapse. I think I called N--- before I fell asleep and woke up an hour later when Coach called. We discussed the thief in our midst and planned Monday morning's practice before I let her go. Sleep refused to come to me, so I decided to get up and do those eight miles. Barely one mile into the course, I knew running tonight was a bad idea.

So, here I am, having barely accomplished half of tonight's planned run, tired, beaten. Thankfully, tomorrow is a rest day, so I intend to take advantage of it and rest, although stretching is not completely out of the picture. Saturday will be a double-header, with a planned 20-miler in the morning and the Skirt Chaser 5k that evening. Sunday will be a 10-mile recovery run, providing I can still feel my legs, let alone move them. Tune in to find out if I made it and to laugh at my suffering. Happy Friday, and thanks for reading.

Longhorn 70.3

It should go without saying that if, on the day of a race, you have to visit the medical tent before the start of the race, you're in for a rough day. Such was the case for me yesterday at the Ironman Longhorn 70.3 Triathlon, held in Austin.

Earlier in the year, I found myself without sufficient motivation to go out and do anything, so I decided to register for a race so late in the season that I would, in theory, remain constant with my training. It didn't work. What did work was signing up for one race after another, including Ironman Coeur d'Alene -- that was the real ticket. But back to the race at hand.

Despite the fact that Austin is less than an hour's drive from the house, N--- & I thought it best to stay the night in A-town, which wound up being a great dry run for how the morning of CdA should work, in terms of lodging, food, and so on. I was hoping D--- & K--- were going to be able to make it down, but D--- had the great misfortune of being selected for jury duty at the same time his company swamped him with a great deal of work. And I moan & groan about how busy I am.

Before the race began, I did my now-usual stretching routine, and, in the process, managed to lodge a tiny splinter in the palm of my hand. The nails on N---'s fingers were not long enough to get it out, so I had to make the aforementioned trip to the medical tent for a pair of tweezers.  They were without that handy tool, but they did give me a hypodermic needle with which I was able to prick enough of the skin off and dislodge the offending hunk of whatever it was. Minor medical emergency aside, here's how the race went down:

1.2-mile Swim | 34:31

Mine was the fifth wave to go out, originally slated for a 7:41 AM start time. That didn't happen, as a number of athletes & others were delayed by the shuttle service from the Travis County Expo to the race start. Having been slowed down by getting to race starts before, I can't b&m too much, but delaying the start by 20 minutes? Grrr...

At race start, the water registered at 77.5 degrees, making it just barely cool enough for a wetsuit. My wetsuit, though, was lying in my closet, recovering from a mending job of a fingernail tear; breaking in the new Vortex2 will have to wait until open water swims start in the new year. Despite the "cooler" water temperature, I'm glad I left the wetsuit, for I found that while swimming, when I wasn't getting kicked or slapped in the head by my fellow competitors, the feel of the water was pleasantly reminiscent of Canyon Lake and the summers spent playing in the lake until all hours of the day. I felt truly relaxed and focused in the water, which helped set me up for a good bike. So good, in fact, that I was able to sprint up the ramp into T1 and onto the bike while those who finished in front of me were still fumbling to get out of their wetsuits.

56-mile Bike | 2:41:43

A good TT bike will set the owner back several thousand dollars. Those dollars represent quite possibly years in the design process, coupled with countless hours spent in a windtunnel to find-tune every facet of the bicycle for maximum velocity. Why, then, are the number stickers for the bicycle so <expletive> big? Looking at these things makes me think that every aerodynamic advantage designed into the bicycle gets negated by the sticker. Wait, where was I? Oh, yes, the bike leg.

Mounting out of T1 was slick, and the first 20 miles ticked by nearly effortlessly. Then I began to realize the painful truth: I had to pee. Because it was beginning to adversely affect my mental state (I literally felt faint at one point), I did something around mile 32 I'd never done in a race: I stopped & peed. On the side of a road. How redneckish of me. It probably cost me two minutes in up flat time, but the time it saved over the remaining 24 miles of the bike leg was incalculable. It didn't do much to regain my 22.3 average speed for the first hour (the wind was tough, despite the super sweet Zipp 606 wheelset M--- hooked me up with); the remaining time saw me wind up with a 20.8 average, which was respectable, but off the pace for which I was shooting. Next time, I suppose.

13.1-mile Run | 1:50:51

I suck at trail running. For this course, it certainly didn't play to my advantage, as the course was nearly a 50-50 split, with the toughest sections being off road. One section, in particular, was a hill affectionately referred to as "Quadzilla." We got to run it twice. Joy!

Fortunately, the entire run course was staffed by mondo-enthusiastic volunteers, including a group at the base of Quadzilla in superhero costumes, ranging from Batman to Superman to Buzz Lightyear. On the second round, Batman gave me a knuckle pump and said, "Good job," to which I replied, "Thanks, Batman."

"Thanks, Batman"? Did I really just say that? Good thing there was a little less than two miles left in the run; I was surely losing my mind.

Running into the finish chute, I had a good sprint to the finish with the guy in front of me, but he nipped me at the line. However, it felt good to finish with such a rush. I think it would have made a good picture.

Finished: 5:11:50

The Ironman Longhorn 70.3 was the toughest Half course I've raced, but I am thankful for that, for it offered me the opportunity to really push myself, both physically and mentally, while, at the same time, setting a new PR. Will I do the course again next year? Not likely, as continuing training in the early part of swim season is proving too difficult. I need to get this sort of thing out of my system by summer's end...or, at least before morning practices start. Then again, if D--- is up for it next year, I could be easily coerced.

Speaking of, I need to wrap up this long-winded post of mine and head to bed, for morning practice is just a few hours away. To those of you who helped to get me to the starting line and across the finishing line, you have my most heartfelt thanks & gratitude, especially to my personal cheering squad: N---, Mom, & Dad.

My season will wrap up with the SkirtChaser 5k this weekend and the San Antonio Rock-n-Roll Marathon on November 16.  Then, it's nothing but training for CdA. I can't wait, and I'll bet you can't, either. Read all about it here. Thanks for reading.