I am [an] Ironman

After twelve hours, eleven minutes, and forty-three seconds, my 140.6-mile journey had come to its end. This past Sunday, June 21, 2009, I became an Ironman. According to the bib numbers listed in the race guide, some 2,600 participants were set to begin the race, but, for a number of reasons, only 2,153 would complete the course. As I walked through the finishing area, fortunate to consider myself one of the "survivors," I could not help but think, "now what?" A big question, to be sure; after all, why was the journey even begun? To borrow from George Mallory, when asked why he had the desire to scale Mount Everest: "Because it's there."

"There" is Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a town of some 34,000 folks, some 25 miles from the eastern border with Washington state, and a couple of hours south of the Canadian border. Out of the eight Ironman-sanctioned races held in North America (one of which is the Hawaii Ironman, which, as the world championships, requires a qualifying time unattainable by mere mortals such as I), Ironman Coeur d'Alene (CdA) had the perfect combination of location, familiarity with the course (I know several people who have completed the course since 2005), and timing (it's difficult for me to take extended time off during the school year). Late June in northern Idaho seemed perfect. But, we had to get there.

Fortunately, everything seemed to fall into place in early March. Whilst reading a story on MSNBC of a six-pound burrito (yours for the eating at some casino in Las Vegas; finish it, and you get unlimited rides on the casino's indoor roller coaster -- how's that for a prize?!), N--- happened upon a link for Frontier Airlines and allegedly cheap airfares. After a few clicks, emails, and phone calls back and forth, we had our airfare. As for getting the bike and transition bag (traditionally, a backpack stuffed with all of the gear a triathlete needs to complete a race [wetsuit, goggles, bike helmet & shoes, running shoes, and nutrition for twelve hours of racing, for example]), plan "A" was to throw it all in a bike transport box loaned to me by a friend. That, however, can prove problematic (and expensive and cumbersome), as we would be without a rental car; given our hotel's proximity to the race course, we simply would not need to travel, save from the airport to the hotel, and the hotel provided a shuttle. But more on that in a bit. Plan "B" became such, as Jim Britton, local bike shop owner and now fellow-Ironman, was having a trailer hauled up to CdA a week before the race. Fortunately, there was room on board for my bike and related gear.

The hotel at which we stayed was the Coeur d'Alene Golf & Spa Resort. As it sounds, the resort was expensive as all get out, but its location could not be beat: ~100 yards from the swim start and right in the midst of downtown CdA, which put us within walking distance of both the athlete's village and numerous restaurants, thus no need for a rental car. Additionally, the resort had 24-hour room service for Ironman weekend, so the early morning rituals of race day could be observed with minimal inconvenience; I left the hotel barely an hour before the race start. Nice.

Ironman does a great job of presenting its races, allowing athletes the opportunity to peruse & train on the course in the days leading up to the big race. Gatorade sponsored morning swims, from 7:00 -- 10:00 AM, complete with buoys and watching of athletes' stuff (dry clothes, etc.) while the athletes swam; some athletes even got free Gatorade, but I was not so lucky. From last year's race, the biggest topic of conversation was how cold the swim was. Lake Coeur d'Alene is rumored to be glacier-fed, so it's expected to be cold. However, for 2009, the water temperature was perfect, hovering in the neighborhood of 65° all week. I did only one morning swim, given time constraints with scouting the bike & run courses, and it was perfect. Too bad, for it would have been better practice to have had some rougher water in which to train.

The only downside to not having a rental car was that it would inhibit me from scouting the bike course (two 56-mile loops through town and then off to hillier terrain of the northwest). However, a quick post to a well-known triathlon forum found a ride from a couple in town from Louisiana to do the race; they, too, would be scouting the course that afternoon, despite the rain. Travis & his wife picked me up from the resort around 2:30, and we navigated our way around the somewhat convoluted route. From the backseat of their rented Monte Carlo, I actually began to have my doubts as my ability as a cyclist: These were some serious hills they had in northern Idaho. Why did I have such a hard time believing this was the same course elevation profile posted online? Where was the flat land so evident in Napoleon Dynamite? The next morning, better weather allowed me time to go for an early-morning spin on part of the bike & run courses, where my legs were able to loosen up some, and my confidence came back. I could would do this. After the ride, it was time to pack my transition bags and drop them and my bike off for the next day's race. Ironman was here.

Sleep was something with which I had had trouble in the weeks leading up to the race. Being in Idaho only made it worse, as I was still running on Central time, instead of Pacific. Couple with that the fact that it gets dark late (nearly 9:00 PM) and light early (shortly after 4:00 AM); I was usually up shortly after daylight. Race morning, though, I was up at 3:00 for breakfast (huckleberry pancakes & eggs!), and then managed to go back to sleep for another 90 minutes before rousing myself and getting my remaining gear together for the race. With a little over an hour remaining on the countdown to race clock, N--- & I made our way down to transition. Thirty minutes later, I was wetsuitted up and standing on a beach with two-and-a-half thousand of my closest friends, ready to get the show on the road. The noise & excitement from every body on the beach made it near impossible to hear one's self think; I barely even heard the cannon fire at 7:00 AM, signifying the start of the race. It was time to do the seemingly impossible.

SWIM - 1:26:04

The swim in Lake Coeur d'Alene would consist of two loops around a rectangular course. I've heard horror stories of the craziness of the swim starts -- 2,400 athletes trying to swim in a relatively narrow corridor of water -- so my plan was to wait a minute or so before entering the water -- which I did: I was literally the last one in the water. That plan didn't pan out so well, though, for, by the time I made it to the first turn, I was already in the thick of it, and nearest the turn buoy -- which is where I did not want to be. Somehow, though, I still found myself nearest the buoys at every turn, getting conked on the head, whacked on the back, kicked in the side. Survivorship helped me make it back to shore for the completion of the first loop, and then it was time to do it all over again. Loop #2, though, proved to be more challenging. Granted, there were fewer swimmers ahead of me, now, but the wind had really picked up, making for rough chop on the way out. Some swells must have been three feet high, and I had little choice but to ride it out, swimming on what felt like a treadmill, going nowhere fast.

Finally, I made it back to shore, had my wetsuit peeled off of me, and I was off to the changing tent for transition #1 (T1). Because of the rumored chill that was to be in the air for race day, racers were advised to change out of their swim attire and into dry attire for the bike & run legs. I heeded this advice and had probably the slowest transition in the five years I've been racing: 11 minutes, 32 seconds. Abysmal, but I was now ready to go ride.

BIKE - 6:03:10

Typically, hills & such do not seem as bad from a car as what they really are. The opposite was true of the CdA bike leg. Whilst Travis & I commented on how tough the course was going to be from the confines of a car, once out on the bike, it really wasn't that bad. True, the hills were real grinders (and made me glad I had opted for a 12-25 cassette, just to give myself an extra gear or two, should I need it), but all that made the bike course really tough was the chill in the air and the unceasing wind: There was nary a tailwind to be found! However, there were bagpipes, just before the first turnaround at the top of the course's first climb. Hearing the pipes four times on the course was nothing short of awesome.

Loop #2 felt easier than did loop #1, for I had a better idea of what to expect for the climbing and descents. Mid-way through the second loop, I knew I would not hit my target finish time of sub-six hours for the bike split and began to recalculate my finishing time and what it would take to still hit a twelve hour finish. However, when I entered T2 (the second transition, from bike to run), I saw I was just over six hours, and still had somewhat of a shot at nailing my finish time goal. T2 was much faster (2:46), and I was off & running.

RUN - 4:28:12

I had run three marathons prior to Ironman CdA, and in none of them did I walk. Ironman, however, is a different animal. I felt great the first 10k (~6 miles) of the run, but by mile seven, the mile markers were becoming sporadic, and it became difficult to get my run splits, to see if I was on pace. Shortly thereafter, I gave up and had to walk, feeling like I was going too hard. Taking in the right amount of nutrition to counter the cold (it was barely above 50° when I began the run, and rain was coming) became paramount, seconded by finishing. If it could be done in twelve hours, super. If not, well, I would still finish; death before DNF and all that.

Seeing so many fellow runners and triathletes was really motivational. I ran into (no, not literally) another poster from the triathlon forum, recognized by the kilt he wore on the run. With a little over 10k remaining in the race, I began to increase my pace, slowing down only once more to take in some fluids at the aid stations. As the course wound its way back into town, a kid on a corner, shouted out that there was less than a mile to go. The pace intensified even more. At the top of the final hill, a volunteer patted me on the back and said to hang a left and then it was seven blocks to the finish. Rounding that final corner was an amazing sight.

With one exception (the weather), everything I had heard about the course at Coeur d'Alene was true: It was beautiful. It was just the right amount of challenge. The volunteer support was superb. The entire town turns out for the finish to cheer athletes on, regardless of finishing time. Running into town, through the finishing chute, and hearing my name (mispronounced) that I was now an Ironman was a one-of-a-kind experience. As I crossed the finish line eleven minutes & change over my desired time, I received my finisher's prizes (a nice hat, a bland t-shirt, and a medal that will make a lovely Christmas tree ornament), and found myself asking, "[I've finished an Ironman,] Now what?" For starters, work. I focused entirely too much on my training this past school year and not enough on my students. Additionally, taking the GRE and beginning work on a Master's degree, although in what, I have not decided; I'm barely a week across the finish line -- work with me. Most importantly, though, is getting married next March. N--- has been wonderfully patient with me through the training and selfishness that accompanies the prep for a race like this. It's my turn to now support her.

Other thank yous go out to:

• Dan & Kristine, for all of the help in getting prepared for what to expect from both Ironman and the town of Coeur d'Alene.
• Dad & Mom for use of the camera, watching after the cat while N--- & I went adventuring in the Pacific Northwest, and for rides to & from the airport
• Travis & Kristin for shuttling me around the bike course on a wet Friday afternoon. It's folk like you who make the triathlon community a great thing to be a part of.
• Jennifer, Skyler, Taylor, Keith, & Tamara for meeting N--- & I at the airport with Mom. It made for one heck of a landing & reception.

Although she has already been mentioned, not enough can be said to thank N--- for her love and support on every front in this venture. From the times she literally dragged me out to go run to warm meals cooked after long bike rides to the simple smiles and cheers given while out on course, nothing can beat having someone as kind and as caring as she. Thank you.

And thus concludes my lengthy race report for Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2009. Thanks for reading.

By the Numbers

The message for which I had been waiting was received today. While not entirely pleased with the results, getting the number I wanted was a one a million shot; well, one in 2400, give or take a few.

Bib numbers for the 2009 Ironman Coeur d'Alene were posted today, so, like all other tri-geeks anxiously counting down the remaining days, hours, minutes, seconds until the cannon goes off (almost down to single-digit days!), I rushed over to Ironmancda.com to find mine, and here it is:

807.

Kinda lackluster, I know...not something I can get entirely psyched about. One digit up, and it would have been a cool wheelset made by Zipp, but, I guess it's not possible to switch now. I will forever by bib #807 for this race, so I need to make sure I make the most of it. At least I can now compose that email for friends & family that includes the bib number, for whatever difference it makes; apparently, last name is the preferred method of tracking athletes over at ironmanlive.com.

Grumbling aside, that's now one less thing over which I need stress, if, in fact, I've been stressing. With ten days & change until race day, insomnia has again surfaced. Fortunately, I can sleep during the days, now, if need-be (which I did today; just got up from a ~4-hour nap; felt good), and do what I must in the evenings. However, a pattern must be established, so I'll be working on that in the lead-up to the weekend. Elsewhere, I've made the arrangements for transportation from the airport to the resort and dropped off the Slice and my transition bag at Britton's for the long ride up to Idaho. And, yes, I did remember to pack my Big Red for the special needs bags. Apart from the whole lack of sleep thing, I think I'm pretty well set. Come on, June 21st...or at least the 18th. Methinks I'll feel much more relaxed once I'm at the race site. One week to go.

With that said, it's time to tend to things around here. Both my & N---'s vehicles need oil changes, and I'd really like to make it through as much of that book that N--- gave me for Valentine's Day this year before the weekend, in order to devote full attention to an in-depth reading of In Cold Blood; I want to be better prepped for PAPE2 this year. Enjoy whatever's on your summer reading list, even if it does include this blog. Thanks for reading.

Gearing Up, Gearing Down

Apparently, nothing can go as planned.

The plan was to clean the bike & pack up the transition bag after dropping N--- off at church for her mission trip to Galveston (after her first race of the season; she finished 2nd in her AG & 4th female, overall). A jury summons for N--- for Tuesday morning changed all of that, as there were no means of contacting the county courthouse over the weekend to request postponement, etc. , which means I made a quick trip out to Galveston Island today to drop N--- off. I tried checking in on peeps in the area I knew, but everyone was at work (or, not at home; L--- is a teacher, too, but even she didn't answer). Some four hundred miles later, I'm home.

Elsewhere, and after doing some reading on ST, I'd come to the conclusion that an 11-23 cassette might not be the best option for me for CdA. A quick call to Bicycle Heaven secured a 12-25 cassette for the Jet 90 (I didn't want to trust the season's "A" race to the aged cassette off the CAAD9), but, after installing it and finding the cassette rattled on the wheel, I freaked. Unnecessarily so, as it turns out I simply needed a 12-tooth lockring; silly Campagnolo equipment. While there, though, I ran into W---, C---'s girlfriend, also doing the course, as well as V---, a triathlete who has really taken off in to the multisport world, seeming to "live for the sport." V--- even quit his job with a local sports team to go work for Mellow Johnny's up in Austin. He seems to be enjoying it, including the perks: A new Trek TTX with Red componentry. Very, nice, but I'm still keen on my Slice; after all, it really does have my name written all over it.

Once back from the shop, lockring in hand, found the Slice now shined, primed, and ready to rock the bike course at Ironman Coeur d'Alene Sunday after next. Additionally, my bag is all packed (nutrition & all) and ready to be dropped off with the Slice tomorrow afternoon at Britton's for safe transport up to Idaho.

I've had quite the busy day; sitting in a car can be exhausting. Methinks I'll wind down with some reading and drift off to sleep. Enjoy your summer, and thanks for reading.

Finished

Yup, the school year's (finally) over. 

What has been said about the fifth year being the hardest is true: This was definitely one to test me on nearly every front. However, I survived -- and even renewed my contract for next year, which, I'm hoping, will not be much like the 2008-09 year at all. Rumor has it I'll have conference and athletic periods, N--- finishes grad school in December, which should help remove some of the stress on how (in)frequently we get to see one another, and having another swine flu outbreak (at least one that shuts down the entire district) seems unlikely. About the only thing that could cause difficulties are the new TEKS, but, like a good little school boy, I brought my binder home for the summer to start planning...once Ironman is over. With a little over two weeks until race day, I should be left with plenty of time for that sort of thing...unless I qualify.

<insert.laughter.here>

With that said, I'm off to get a massage. My body has all but shut down from racing & training the past two weeks, so it's time to start rejuvenating. Taper starts tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.

CapTex 2009

Great race, save the bike retrieval from transition. Thanks to the awesome support from those who made the journey to Austin, and thanks for reading.

HTFU

I'm staring at 32 days until the gun goes off at Ironman Coeur d'Alene.

That countdown timer has whittled its way down from triple to double digits and, before too long, to single. There are a two or three more intense-ish weeks remaining until I begin my taper (sadly, at the same time school lets out for summer; now I really am grateful for Swine Break '09), and the workouts are every bit of that: Intense.

This past weekend was to see a century & follow-up run, but, due to the aforementioned Swine Break, the SAT I promised to proctor was rescheduled for this past Saturday. While the bike ride was definitely out, the run was still a possibility -- until the heavens opened up, literally, as I handed in my paperwork to the lead administrator. So, I went home & slept. Sunday was to be a bike ride to the gym, weight workout & swim, followed by a ride home. Stupidly, I left my bike lock at home, so I turned around at the gym and rode back home, narrowly avoiding being taken out by people in a hurry to get to church (seriously! two cars, making turns into two separate entrances, nearly took me out -- my front tire actually hit the rear bumper of the second car). By the time I made it home, I was livid and unwilling to do anything. Then N--- came over and game me a pep talk before she all but dragged me out the door to run with her. While the run was only six miles, and at a 9:something pace, it gave me a wakeup call: I need to harden the <expletive> up. Granted, it's not likely I'll have any near misses with the church crowd at Ironman, but I am likely to face some serious mental challenges out on course -- physical challenges, for certain -- and, unless I am fully prepared for anything that can get thrown at me, I may as well not even board the plane.

Hypocritically, I skipped this morning's workout, due only to nearly passing out after last night's harder-than-it-should-have-been 15-mile run, but did post a really good brick tonight. Swimming's scheduled for tomorrow morning, with the Ride of Silence having the green light for the evening. Meet at Hemisfair Park, if you're keen on the Ride of Silence; wheels down at 7:00. Yea or nea, keep an eye out for cyclists, and thanks for reading. 

I'm in the Wrong Business

So I'm sitting in a workshop, learning about blogging. Sit & ponder that one for a moment.

Right, that's what I was pondering, too. Personally, I was hoping for more on how to use blogs as a useful writing tool for teaching. For that, I do have my own ideas, and I'm hoping to get them in order sometime after Ironman has been put to bed, for it doesn't appear I'm going to get anything useful here.

The person running the workshop (remotely, from Arizona) is doing little more than serving as a human search engine for various blogs he's found and organized. Yes, it's that lame. I'll bet he gets "exceeds expectations" on his PDAS, though. Maybe I need to move to Arizona. Why not? J--- is. A--- & her husband moved there, too, and they're both triathletes. Hmm....nah, wouldn't work. N--- hates Texas because it's so hot; I can only imagine what she'd think of Arizona. Still, we'd be closer to an Ironman course, because we all know how much I'm enjoying the whole training process.

Speaking of, I'm off for a 15-mile run after this workshop is done. For now, I'm off to mapmytri.com to get a route together, as, after 34 minutes, there's been nothing mindblowing going on here. I so hope this is not how my kids feel.

Right. If you're keen on the run, meet me at the library ~4:30 this after. Thanks for reading.

Safe Transport

The past few days have been tough, both in terms of training and in terms of going back to school after a week-and-a-half off. The down time was great for training, and I could have certainly used a lot more of it. I am totally looking forward to the summer holiday.

Yesterday was a brick workout out at Boerne Lake. I'd heard there would be a few people swimming at 7:00, so I headed out from N---'s just past six in order to get there and suited up in time. Glad I did, too, for the parking lot by the boat ramp was filled when I rolled in at 6:45. Apparently, several groups were meeting to swim at seven, including the Purple Menace, and all of them were intent on being in the park by 7:00 AM, for that is when the gate guard comes in. Make it in before she does, and you save $8 a car-load.

I wound up swimming the circumference of the lake with a small group of CdA-bound triathletes. My first time all the way around, according to one's GPS, we clocked 2.3 miles of open water swimming -- and in 1:08:33! Once out of the water, it was onto a bike ride, again with the same group. Some were more swift in "transition," while others took nearly 45 minutes to be ready to ride. Because I was an uninvited guest, I opted not to say anything and just hung back as best I could, until I saw how late it was getting -- and we were still nearly ten miles out. Thus, the proverbial hammer was dropped, and I rocketed back to the lake to get changed and head back to N---'s in order to grade papers until she returned from the lab. Unfortunately, her day didn't go as planned, either, so we just wound up hanging out together, making veggie burgers, and watching the HBO miniseries John Adams.

This morning was a planned 20-mile run, but I failed to take in adequate nutrition pre-run, as well as not loading up the Camelbak with a Nuun tablet. I tanked after 11 miles, and sulked back home to shower and feel sorry for myself.

About the only thing that has gone perfectly this weekend is arranging for the bike transport up to CdA. Rumor circulated around last weekend's fateful 1604 ride that J--- was taking a trailer up to CdA with room for several bikes. I swung by J---'s shop yesterday to inquire about it, and, while the price was a bit more than that of the airlines, that I would not have to fuss with a bike box (and that I could smuggle my Big Red for the special needs bag in the trailer) made it worth the extra $50. Barring theft or serious traffic accident, the Slice will be waiting for me in Idaho without the need for assembly and little-to-no maintenance. That alone made up for the longest 56-mile bike ride I can remember.

Tired and sore from this weekend's activities, I'm off to lick my wounds. Thanks for checking in, and thanks for reading.

Back to School

Alas, the unscheduled break (aka school closures due to swine flu) has come to its end. Faculty & staff returned to school yesterday for a meeting and work day; the kids return today.

Over the break (including yesterday, since I was still without students), I managed to get in...

• 12,749 yards (including two trips to Boerne Lake!) swimming
  
• 217.3 miles (plus one 2-hour trainer ride) of cycling
  
• 51.99 miles of running
  

I'd have liked my bike mileage to be a tad higher, but, in all, I don't think it was too bad, considering Sunday's wreck, which effectively shortened bike mileage by 40; run, 10. Meh, whatever.

Tonight has (hopefully) another 20-mile run on tap, with brick workouts beginning with Trisition at the lake this Saturday. I'll see how the first one goes and then reschedule accordingly. However, both CapTex and CdA are creeping up on me really quick-like. Training must really stay ramped up, even though there are four weeks remaining in the school year. Lucky for me, most of it will be spent in testing, insuring the kiddos are ready for final exams that first week in June. From there, it's taper, taper, taper, all the way into Idaho.

See you on the Parkway tonight. For now, it's off to work. Thanks for reading.

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.