3/4 SLEEVE AND A VISITOR

Every so often the stars align to create the “perfect” weekend.  This rare and elusive weekend is created when everything effortlessly goes according to plan and allows you to temporarily forget about the stress of the real-world.  In short, the weekend completely recharges your battery.  Well friends, I’m happy to report that I had just this type of weekend…and it was perfect.

I had been waiting for this past Friday for weeks.  Initially I was pumped because we were going to be hosting a visitor—my momma.  If that wasn’t exciting enough, I got a call from the tattoo shop early last week saying they had a cancellation and I could come in Friday afternoon to get started on my new piece.  Now, I had two awesome events happening in one day.  Friday couldn't come soon enough. 

The visit with my momma was great.  We saw some sights, had some great conversations, and shared more laughs than I can count. 

My tattoo is going to be great (if the first session is any indication).   I gave the artist the idea of what I was looking for and let him work his magic…and I couldn’t be happier.  I can’t wait for the remaining art to be added and to start the color.  Hopefully there are some more cancellations in the near future.

Enjoy the week!

Not the best picture but you get the idea.  (Ignore the smudged ink.)

More art and color coming soon.

WEEKEND FUN

This past weekend was a perfect mix of productivity and relaxation.

Friday night consisted of getting a haircut, grocery shopping for the week, and cleaning the house.  I took an extra step and even scrubbed the kitchen floor old-school style...that's right, with a bucket and brush.  I also managed to do a few loads of laundry.  Not a crazy party  night but I was more than OK with it.

Saturday we went trap shooting in the morning at a range near our house.  The range was clean, well organized, and the staff was friendly and informative.  It was my first time ever shooting trap at a range and I really liked it.  I hit 18 out of 25, which was the most of anyone shooting in our group.

In the afternoon I changed the spark plugs and wires in my truck.  I've never done this before but it is amazing what you can learn from the google machine.  So, about 1.5 hours and a hundred bucks or so later the truck runs (yeah, it started!) much better than it did with the old wires and plugs.  Plus, the mechanic quoted the job at $400 and I did it for $300 less...totally worth the time and busted knuckles.

The only negative of the day was that the Cardinals didn't pull off a victory.  Good thing it's a multi-game series.  Regardless of the loss, we still had a good time watching the game at a Cardinal bar and met up with an old buddy from my home town.

The weather on Sunday was perfect for a bike ride.  We met up with some friends and checked out a few new trails.  A great time was had by all.   

Thanks to this great weekend I'm ready to charge into the week and kick some ass.  Hope everyone else had a great weekend, too.

TEACH IT ALL...GOOD AND BAD

Positive events and negative events both played a major role in creating the America that we know today. 

The idea to only focus on events that "promote citizenship, patriotism, essentials and benefits of the free-market system, respect for authority and respect for individual rights" and don't "encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law" sounds pretty similar to what communist countries and dictators try to do.  State sponsored media (although, it could be argued that the current USA model isn't far from that since almost all major news outlets are owned by a handful of corporations which have direct ties to government parties) net neutrality, or book burnings, anyone?

What I can't wrap my head around is that this idea was presented by an (I'm assuming) somewhat intelligent person...I mean, you have to be somewhat ahead of the curve to be voted onto a school board, right?  Then, the rest of the (I'm assuming) smart-ish people need to approve your idea, or at least entertain it enough, so that it can even make it off the table. Clearly, my assumptions were wrong, very very wrong.

By not learning about all past events how can one move forward?  That is like telling aspiring artists they can only study a few select pieces of art.  Just doesn't seem to make sense, but then again, neither does a lot of stuff that's happening throughout the world. 


Until this is officially voted down I hope the students and teachers continue to make their voices heard.  Just think of what other less than stellar, and potentially harmful, policies have been put in place by this inadequate Board.  If it were up to me, they'd all be fired.


More info here: http://news.msn.com/us/denver-area-students-walk-out-of-school-in-protest

TODAY

Is going to be a good day.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

The Good: 
I can successfully breathe out of  one nostril 75% of the time.


The Bad: 
It feels like I have an ice-pick jammed into my left ear. 

SICK?

Despite having co-workers and a wife that have been sick at some point over the past 2 weeks I thought I had lucked out and dodged the bullet.  Turns out, I didn't.  My head feels like it's in a vice and I can't breathe out of my nose.  Rats.

DONE.

INK

My left calf is about to look a whole lot cooler.

HOLY HOT

A yoga studio near our house offers a seven-day-free-pass to non-members as a promotion tactic.  On a whim I decided I wanted to see what hot yoga was all about.

So, last night I attended my first ever hot yoga session (this was only my second time yoging...is that even what it's called?)  Holy cow it was hot, which, shouldn't be a surprise since the name paints a pretty clear picture of what to expect.

Let me say that walking into a yoga studio solo and as a beginner is somewhat intimidating.  The lobby was full of people in great shape who looked like they stepped out of a yoga catalog.  Everyone knew the system and executed flawlessly...check in here, put your shoes there, bring a towel, do this, don't do that.

I'm not going to say I stuck out like a sore thumb, but...I showed up in my standard t-shirt, mesh shorts, and running shoes (something tells me this outfit wouldn't be found any any respectable yoga catalog).  I didn't know the system and blindly stumbled through the check in process.  But, I kept reminding myself that everyone has had a first day and was a newbie at some point.

The actual studio was really cool.  There were candles burning, the lights were off, and hypnotic music filled the air...as did the heat and humidity.  It didn't take too many bends and stretches to get the sweat dripping--flowing might be more accurate.  Before I knew it I was soaked.  In a weird way it felt really good to get all hot and sweaty (this was hard for me to type-I hate being hot) but it was a different kind of feeling than you'd get after running or working. The instructor had a positive and mellow vibe and helped guide everyone through the stretches and poses while offering words of encouragement and asking thought provoking questions.   

Overall I really enjoyed the experience and think I'll go back again (within the next 6 days of my free trial, of course).

DAY 2

Went back to the gym yesterday.  It felt good.  And I get it...2 days in a row is nothing but I'm using the platform to hold myself accountable.

Lucky you.

SO...I LIED

In a previous post I mentioned that I was going to start working out again...well, I lied.  That lasted about 2 days.  Since finishing the tri I've quit working out and started eating whatever I want (a bad combo).  Yesterday I weighed in at 218.6, which is about 6 pounds heavier than I was on race day.



I'm not sure how others feel, but after a long absence from working out and healthy eating the last place I feel like being is the gym or on a running trail.  It's easy to slip into the mindset, "I haven't eaten healthy all week, what's one more burger and beer going to hurt?" or "I haven't ran in so long, there is no way I can run like I did in the past."  BAM, next thing you know you're 20 lbs heavier and can't run a mile.


So, despite my lack of desire, I headed to the gym yesterday to start what I'm calling HCHW (Hard Core Health Week).  I need to reverse this free-grazing, no exercising trend before I can't button my pants.

My new goal (because it seems I always need to be working toward something) is to lose 18.6 pounds by November 17th. 

Wish me luck!

RANDOM

Sometimes random thoughts or memories pop into my head...seemingly at no reason at all. 

Example: I just pictured a gas station that I used to pass while driving from my home-town to college.  Weird.

BACK AT IT

My legs are back to "normal" and I've started working out again.  Up to this point, I've only been lifting and stretching, but am looking forward to going for a run this evening.  I thought that I would want to take a long break, but that's not the case.

Although training was time consuming, and at times, less than fun it seems that I miss the routine and the feeling of working towards an end goal.

I'm kicking around the idea of still joining the triathlon club.  Not necessarily because I want to do another tri anytime soon, but because it would be a good motivator to continue working out at a high intensity.

I'll keep you posted.

HALF-IRONMAN TRI...DONE!

It's over.

This past Saturday I checked an item off the my bucket list.  I competed a half-ironman distance triathlon. 

Ever since I was in grade school I wanted to complete this distance...all because I saw a group of people wearing the race t-shirt.  Yup, that's right.  One day when I was young my family and I were eating dinner at this Italian restaurant in Springfield, IL and I saw a group of triathletes carb loading (or they could have been celebrating a finish...which, I guess would make more sense if they were wearing the shirts) and I knew that I wanted a similar shirt.  So, it was fitting that just by happen-stance we went to the same restaurant for my pre-race meal. 

I learned quite a few things during this past five or so months...both about myself and the triathlons. 

Training
If I were to be completely honest when looking back over my training, I would have to say I was training at about 75%.  I didn't do as many two-a-day training sessions as was recommended, cut many long runs and rides short, and wasn't as discipline as I could have been about waking up early on the weekends to get the training done so I could have a "normal" weekend.  I tried really hard not to let the tri overtake my (and my wife's) entire life, and sometimes that meant going out on Friday or Saturday nights even though I knew I had a long run in the morning.  

Diet
This portion of the training went really great.  I feel that I was very disciplined about eating the meals that were on my meal plan and deviated only a little bit.  The time requirement for this was mainly on the front-end and during the planning.  One weekend I spent 5 or 6 hours researching various foods and the number of grams of carbs and protein in each, and created a meal plan.  Since creating this meal plan, my diet has been almost exactly the same each week.  I really didn't mind eating the same food over and over...and will probably continue to use a similar meal plan in the future...with a few less carbs.

Gear
Triathlon gear is expensive.  I tried my best to train and compete on a budget, which means none of my gear was top of the line...but it all worked was better than anything I started out with.  I started training on the bike by wearing mesh shorts, running shoes, and was on a mountain bike.  In the pool I wore board shorts and old goggles. 

My plan was to buy the most important items first, and then hope that I was able to save enough for the less important items.  The bike was the first purchase on the list and it made a huge difference mentally and training-wise  I felt that as long as I had the proper bike then I would be able to stand a chance to finish this race.  Obviously, I wish I could have bought the best of everything right at the start, but my plan worked and made me really appreciate the specialized gear when I got it.

Race Day
Race day started at 4:30 a.m. and I was a mixed bag of nerves, anxiousness, and tension.  I just wanted to start so I could quit thinking about everything and just "go". 

The first 5 minutes of the swim was a bit dicey, but after I saw the first bouy I was good to go.  It was windy and the water was choppy, so it made for slow going.  My plan was to let everyone in my wave go ahead of me and I was going to swim on the outside of the lane to try and avoid getting kicked.  This plan worked great and I was happy that I was able to stick to it.  The only issue I had was that I took the angle wrong on the last turn and swam about 50 yards out of my way...when I realized this I was able to correct and finished with no problems.

The biking portion was by far the toughest...which was a surprise.  I typically rode at about 18.5-20 mph during training.  During parts of the race, I was doing all I could to go 14 mph.  The wind was not being very friendly during the ride, and it seemed that no matter which way the road curved we were always pedaling into the wind.  The roads we road on were riddled with shoddy pothole patch jobs, cracks, bumps, and gravel.  Oh the gravel...it got me.  At about mile 32 my front tire went flat.  Not on of those slow flats, one second I was cruising along, the next my tire was completely flat, and the next second I was on the ground.  I had an extra tube and pump, so no huge deal. 

I had no clue how I was going to run.  My legs were shot after the bike, and 13.1 miles seemed so daunting.  I just told myself to take it slow and drink plenty of water.  After having a banana, briefly talking to my support crew in the transition area, and taking a moment to get my head right, I was ready to tackle the run.  The first 7 miles surprised me and went by smoother than I could have imagined.  Up to this point I was running about 15 seconds slower than my normal pace, which I was really happy about.  Mile 7 seemed to drag on, and I needed to walk.  My quads were threatening to cramp, and I was just about out of gas.  Luckily, every running station had runners gel, sports drink, and towels soaked in ice water which made it possible to press on.  It was really hot (89 or 90 and really, really humid) so the cold towels were very welcome.  To make sure I was staying hydrated I was drinking between 18-22 ounces of sports drink every mile (They say that if you're thirsty it's too late...your body is almost dehydrated.  I was so thirsty that I couldn't drink enough.)  I altered my strategy of running the entire thing to running 5 minutes and walking 1, I did this for quite a while and it seemed to work.  Then, 5 minutes seemed like an eternity to run and my quads were not  happy, so I switched to run 3, walk 1.  I kept altering the run/walk splits based on how my quads felt.  This strategy seemed to work great because it broke down the few remaining miles into doable sections. 

When I crossed the finish line I was ecstatic!  I felt so proud of myself and so grateful for the family and friends that came to support me.  I felt truly blessed.

If I were to do another...
I would join a triathlon club.  This would help hold me accountable and would break up the boredom of the long hours of training.  I found a training program online and was fortunate to have someone who has completed an Ironman distance tri to ask questions (Thanks Carrie!)  but I think the team aspect would be nice.  I would also try train at a higher level than 75%. 

All in all, I was proud of my performance and am happy to check it off my list.

ALMOST HERE..3 DAYS AWAY

I'm feeling good about the upcoming race.  Although my last few weeks of training have been really good the pre-game jitters are starting to creep in.  I just want to hit the water and get this party started.

SECURE??

Seems like this isn't the best option...maybe a higher poll would work better.

HAPPY 7-11 DAY

Go get yourself a slushie...you've earned it!

GETTING CLOSER

Only 25 more days (not counting today) until the tri...

NEW SET OF STICKS TO SWING

Thanks to a kind and generous co-worker, yours truly has a new set of irons.  Guess this means that I'm going to have to work a round of golf into my schedule this weekend...

SMALL THINGS

Thanks to the in-laws, and the care package they sent, I started my day out with a few cups of French Vanilla coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. 

Sometimes it's all about small victories.

LOOKING THE PART

This past weekend was the first time I actually looked like a road biker.  Up until Saturday, I had been wearing mesh shorts, a backwards Cardinals hat, a cycling jersey, and until very recently, running shoes.  Basically, I looked like a guy that didn't really belong on a road bike.

But no more!  Saturday, I donned cycling spandex shorts, a bike helmet*, a cycling jersey, and biking shoes.  I looked legit.  And, who would have thought the spandex shorts would be so comfortable to ride in.  It is a good thing they're so functional (with the padding) and comfy, because they look ridiculous.

*While out riding the other day I saw a guy fall and hit his head on the pavement.  He was going so fast and the impact was so great that his helmet broke.  But, he was able to walk and talk and had no blood pouring from his head (his hands and knees were a different story...nothing awful, just some road rash).  This sight, combined with the fact that I'm still new to the whole clipless pedal game, and the fact that the road bike is somewhat squirrelly, and I ride by myself far from home, I thought I should trade in my ball cap for a helmet.  Up until now, I really didn't think helmets would help you in a crash...I can see that I was wrong.

AS PROMISED...

Here is a picture of my lil' sis's kid...welcome to the world (and this awesome blog) Maeven. 

Congrats Lou and E!

She comes from good stock...of course she is cute.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Yesterday was my first day back at training...and I could tell.

My legs were sluggish and the ride took more out of me than it should have.  It was also my first official ride (although I'm not sure if you could call 10 miles an "official" ride) with the new shoes and clipless pedals.  Unfortunately , my left foot got really sore around the 2 mile mark and by mile 8 it was throbbing.  I decided to cut the ride short and head to the bike shop for some adjustments.

Hopefully the adjustments to the cleat and the bike will take care of the problem.  

GETTING BETTER

I finally went to the doctor yesterday and was informed that I am the proud new owner of a sinus infection.  But don't you worry, they gave me some magic pills and I'm on the road to recovery. 

Training will resume this evening.

HELLO WORLD

Welcome Maven Marie.

Mom (my sister) and baby are healthy and doing good. Pics to come.

STILL SICKISH

Training is still on hold.  During the past week I have taken a slew of over-the-counter cold medicine and tried some old-school remedies, some have helped and others not so much.  Since I can't afford to take another week off of training I'm giving myself until Sunday to feel substantially better.  If I don't, I'll head to the doctor.

Keep your fingers crossed that I'll be in tip-top health by Monday morning...and that my legs remember how to run.

TORNADO PARTY AT WORK

SICK

You read it right...yours truly is sick. 

Training is postponed until I can breathe normally.  

MY DOG'S LIFE

Wake up at the crack of dawn on a fluffy dog bed, whine until I am let outside, bark at absolutely nothing, come back inside to lay around, bark at a closed door, eat, lay around, half-assed chase a cat, gnaw on a toy, lay around, go outside and lay around in the sun, bark at something invisible, lay back down, eat some food, play fetch with the rattiest dog toy in the yard (to my owner's dismay...because new toys are bought nearly every week), lay around, get completely worked up because a 10-pound dog walked down the street, lay around, eat, and then finally go to sleep.

Repeat.

There you have it folks, this is the way my dog had decided to spend his days.

Livin' the hard life.

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO

The last week or so has been really busy, so here is a quick update of what I've been doing to pass the time...

1. Went to Amarillo for a work trip
2. Attended a birthday party at a gymnastics studio...jumped on a trampoline.
3. Watched J's softball team clinch the championship
4. Tore out one flower bed and put a new one in its place
5. Went to Home Depot...twice
6. Started to get sick...still not feeling 100%
7. Went to an impromptu happy hour
8. Supervised (ie-didn't do too much to help) the planting of an herb/tomato garden
9. Mowed the lawn
10. Started to learn how to ride with my new clip-less pedals...fell twice.

Lucky you, now you're caught up on what I've been doing for the past 7 days. 

SNOW IN MAY

By the time it's all said and done, we're supposed to have between 6-9 inches of snow accumulation.  Sure, it's nearly mid-May and it's snowing.  Sure, it's the heavy mushy snow that leaves you soaked after being outside for only a few minutes.  Sure, my feet got wet walking into work. 

I'll gladly chalk this up as a small sacrifice for living in such an amazing place. Snow today, 50s tomorrow, 60s on Wednesday, and 80s by the weekend.  

Let it snow let it snow.

MEAL PLAN UPDATE

I've been at the new meal plan since Monday and it's going great!  I'm happy to report that I have not cheated once and have stayed the course.  This weekend will be a challenge...I'll report back on Monday-ish about how it went.

I can definitely tell my body is reacting to the new fuel...my workouts have been better than ever and I've had enough energy to go a little bit farther/longer than what the workout called for. 

Next week's goal:  Up the speed and intensity.

Stay tuned.

NEW MEAL PLAN

This past weekend I took some time to research the ideal number grams of carbs, proteins, and types of foods I should be eating during training (weird, Coors Light wasn't mentioned) and created a meal plan for the week. 

After looking at the daily menus I thought for sure I would be eating well over 3,000 calories a day. To my surprise, the highest calorie day was just under 2,000 (with more than enough carbs to allow for high intensity training).  I am happy to report that day one was a success.  I didn't deviate from the plan, felt full all day, and had quite a bit of energy.  I'm hoping today has the same results.

WORDS TO LIVE BY???

This was stolen from a buddy's blog...

UPDATE: NOTEBOOK

After spending way too much time and energy looking for the perfect notebook...I ended up going with a standard composition book.  Boring.  But, they've been around for a million years, so maybe they work like magic.

Either way, I hope your Friday holds more adventure than mine.

NOTEBOOK

I've been searching the google-machine for the perfect notebook.  One that would help keep all of my projects, to-do lists, and goals organized.  I can't seem to find exactly what I want so I've settled on something that will work OK. 

I wonder if I started a company that let people customize notebooks to exact specifications if anyone would buy them.

AWESOMENESS...INCREASED

A big thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Bacon for the new loveseat/recliner combo.  An even bigger thank you to my wife, who let me put the new loveseat/recliner combo in our living room.  Now I can morph into relaxation mode even faster...and with my feet comfortably lifted in the air.

Pay no attention to the bags of clothes headed to Goodwill

UPDATE

So far my training has been going well.  Don't get me wrong, there is still a lot of room for improvement but I'm very happy overall.  Luckily, I've gotten to the point where I know I can finish, no matter how slow or ugly.

Here are the longest distances I've done so far vs. the race distance:
Biking: 35 miles vs. 56
Swimming: 1 mile vs. 1.2
Running: 5 vs. 13.1

I'm happy that I've already completed over half the required distance for both the swimming and biking...now to work on the running.    

Swimming:
Although I have already swam nearly the entire required distance, I want to shift my focus from completing the distance to completing the distance via the freestyle.  Up until this point, the majority of distance covered was thanks to the breast stroke.  That will be May's goal.  Hopefully, by the time of the event, I will be able to swim 2 miles at a comfortable pace.  Knowing I can swim this distance will help ease the swimming anxiety.

Biking:
I've learned a thing or two over the past few months.  I'm still working on figuring out what to eat on my ride and have been playing around with a few options.  My goal for May is to bike 70 continuous miles and master the clipless pedals.

Running:
I need to step up the running, but I have purposely been paying more attention to the other two events up until this point.  My logic: I'm a runner.  I know I can run the distance so I didn't need to spend the first (almost) 2 months of training proving it to myself.  May I will focus more energy on running.  My goal is to have ran 10 miles without stopping by the end of the month.  I'm also starting to entertain the idea that my (hopefully soon to be purchased) camel pack will be suitable for running.   More to come on this topic later.

My last goal for May is to be even more conscious of my eating.  I've lost some weight since the beginning of training (which is a nice extra, but not the overall reason for registering for the tri).  It still amazes me how training and exercising is night and day different depending on diet of that day and the day prior.

Hopefully this upcoming month will see even more healthy days than April.

I'll keep you posted.

SOMETIMES YOU’VE GOTTA PROVE IT

Was going to a concert on a week night when I had to wake up early the next day the smartest idea?  Probably not.  Was it worth it?  Most definitely.

When my friend mentioned she was going to a concert at a cool venue, which, had been on my “must check out” list, I felt compelled to buy two tickets.  I mean, why would she lie when she said it would be an awesome show and a great night?  Well friends, she was telling the truth. 

Sometimes I feel the need to prove to myself that I’m still capable of doing the same things I used to take for granted.  Even though I have a very active and busy life (busy training schedule, work schedule, and life schedule) I often feel like an old man.  “Oh, its 9:15, I should probably head to bed” comes to my mind more times than I care to admit. 

Sometimes, I think it is important remind myself that I’m 32 and not 55.  Old Man mentality and tiredness be damned…off to the concert I went.    

Disclaimer: I didn’t do everything exactly like I would have 10 years ago…I didn’t start the night off at a bar and didn’t end the night at a bar.  (Seriously, how did I used to stay out til 4 a.m. then go to work the next day?) 

I had a great time and the show was high-energy.  You couldn’t really ask for anything more from a Thursday night

Happy Friday.

Here is a sampling of the awesomeness.