I suppose I should write another post before I compete.
Ever since the funeral, things haven't really been going according to plan with my training. In fact they've hardly been going at all. Looking back on the blog, I'm seeing that the last time I really mentioned the house was over a month ago. Well, we bought one. Yep, the amazing low credit score wonder managed to eek out a loan and by his family a place to live. Imagine that. It's a pretty nice house, if a little outdated, and I've been finding little daily projects to make my life a little more interesting.
On the down side, moving fell entirely on my shoulders. As did cleaning the old place, and fixing the electrical, plumbing, and ventilation of the new house enough for us to move in.
Unfortunately, that left precious little time for training. Honestly, I really don't know how those people training for Ironman do it. My training schedule, at the worst, was just a hair more than 9 hours a week, and that was pushing it for me. A quick check on Beginnertriathlete.com shows a first time ironman competitor would quickly move up to 15-18 hours a week. Thats pretty rough from where I stand.
Another bummer is that the forecast is calling for T-storms on Race day Sunday. On the plus side, it could actually help me out. I'm good at maintaining a speed, however slow, no matter what whereas I would assume a normal triathlete will likely suffer a bit in the wind and rain. So like a steamroller with a stuck throttle, I'll creep my way to the finish, the victorious tortoise. Yeah right, but it sounds good anyway.
Wednesday was our weekly ride and one of the few things that I've kept up with for the most part. One of the regulars came up with a great idea for eithe next week or sometime soon. The La Crosse area has put up a bunch of local artists' concrete herons decorated in the artists personal style, all over the city and a bit beyond. 30 some in all, these all get auctioned off for charity later this year. Well, its become a kind of a local challenge to go out and find each one and take its picture. Joe's idea was to do an "alleycats" kind of ride in one of the coming weeks to see how many of these pictures we can get in a certain amount of time. We'd split into teams with disposable cameras (to discourage cheating) and meet back up at the local Walmart later on to get the pictures developed. Since some of the herons are at a good distance, we'd assign a points system, and obviously the team with the most points wins. Yea! Sound like fun to me.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Cycling, Cemetaries, and Cynicism
Some people just can't take a hint that they're not wanted. Clinton refuses to bow out
In case any ones missed it, today is Wednesday, and that means my weekly group ride from Myrick Park. Another easy ride, just over 20 miles. I haven't been feeling the greatest, so I decided not to go real hard tonight, except of course for the way to the start of the ride. I thought I was late, and about to miss the whole ride. Unacceptable. I doubt that I dipped under 20 mph the whole way there. Just blew right by a couple of MTBers and left them in the dust. As it turns out, I ended up being a good 20-30 min early. I'm finding out that this ride doesn't exactly have a start time. Its more of a group logic as to when everyone gets going. Ever see a flock of birds avoid a building en mass? Same idea.
The ride went great. I did drop my bike once trying to do something completely unnecessary, but fortunately I wasn't on it at the time. Also, I'm not the most recent crasher, at the moment. We pulled into a Kwik Trip, and another clipped pedal junkie missjudged his stop and over he went. There was talk of a "yellow jersey of shame" for the one who screws up the most during the rides. I had better get better at my clips or I'll be wearing that thing out.
Well Ottumwa went ok. There were a few unexpected surprises, though. The pastor performing the ceremony wasn't exactly what I would call a great speaker, as you would expect someone in his position to be. Oh what else? Oh yeah, they DUG UP THE WRONG GRAVE Y'ALL!! At least this one was empty too. The deal was that Marylin Shearer (Aunt Jo) and Mary Ann Shearer (Aunt Jo's husband's sister-in-law) sound pretty similar. All in all, I was unimpressed with the whole thing, and I told Becca cremation sounds pretty good to me at this point. Preferably post-mortem lest she get any ideas.
In case any ones missed it, today is Wednesday, and that means my weekly group ride from Myrick Park. Another easy ride, just over 20 miles. I haven't been feeling the greatest, so I decided not to go real hard tonight, except of course for the way to the start of the ride. I thought I was late, and about to miss the whole ride. Unacceptable. I doubt that I dipped under 20 mph the whole way there. Just blew right by a couple of MTBers and left them in the dust. As it turns out, I ended up being a good 20-30 min early. I'm finding out that this ride doesn't exactly have a start time. Its more of a group logic as to when everyone gets going. Ever see a flock of birds avoid a building en mass? Same idea.
The ride went great. I did drop my bike once trying to do something completely unnecessary, but fortunately I wasn't on it at the time. Also, I'm not the most recent crasher, at the moment. We pulled into a Kwik Trip, and another clipped pedal junkie missjudged his stop and over he went. There was talk of a "yellow jersey of shame" for the one who screws up the most during the rides. I had better get better at my clips or I'll be wearing that thing out.
Well Ottumwa went ok. There were a few unexpected surprises, though. The pastor performing the ceremony wasn't exactly what I would call a great speaker, as you would expect someone in his position to be. Oh what else? Oh yeah, they DUG UP THE WRONG GRAVE Y'ALL!! At least this one was empty too. The deal was that Marylin Shearer (Aunt Jo) and Mary Ann Shearer (Aunt Jo's husband's sister-in-law) sound pretty similar. All in all, I was unimpressed with the whole thing, and I told Becca cremation sounds pretty good to me at this point. Preferably post-mortem lest she get any ideas.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Sorrowful tidings
I have a rather sad announcement. My G. Aunt Jo passed away on Saturday morning. (Lord above, please accept your servant into your loving arms, and grant her peace everlasting, amen) She has been weak for sometime, and I'm certain that this is more of a blessing to her than a sorrow to the family left behind. Even so, she was a pillar in our family, and will be missed.
A little sore
I guess I didn't realize that I hadn't posted for nearly a week. What a collosal slacker I am sometimes. I'll make up for it today.
First off, Saturday started the Coulee region Bike to Work Week which I am trying to fully participate in, despite a little head cold at the moment. If you don't want to go to the link above, the idea is that you basically give up the car for anything around town for the week. For instance, Becca, Lorelei, and I went grocery shopping on the bikes yesterday. I just threw the groceries in the back of the trailer (Which worked better than I thought it would) and off we went. Lorelei, who last year didn't really like the trailer, couldn't have cared less. With the extra 20-30# it felt like I was riding in a little mud, or that the trailer had a flat on the way home, but other than that it was an enjoyable ride. (Note: Although, I'm theoretically helping lower gas prices, getting a workout, and overall doing my part, the only comment I get from work is about my blindingly white legs. Ouch.)
On Saturday I ran the longest run I've "intentionally" ran since the Bix 7 road race when I was in High school. I admit, I ran a little farther than planned, though. I meant to only run, at maximum, a 10k, but the 1/2 mile markers on the trail stopped for some reason at 1.5 miles and I meant to turn around at 2.5. I kept looking for the next sign thinking that I had just overlooked the 2 mile marker, but none showed up. After a while, I figured I had run far enough and turned around. I was actually pretty close, running a total of 6.4 miles, instead of 6.2. To any super-humans, Ironmen/women, or ultramarathoners reading this, 1/5 mile doesn't seem like much, but I think it was that extra little bit that made my legs sore today. Just like its that last drink that gives you the hangover, and not the dozen or so before it. Very "Butterfly flaps its wings in Tokyo, and Chicago gets rain instead of sunshine" type of logic, I know.
I ordered my "wetsuit" the other day, and very soon hope to get some open water swims in. Along with the "wetsuit" (just a neoprene shirt top), I bought a new helmet, and (much to Becca's amusement) toe socks. That should close out all that I need for June 1st (& 8th???). Oh sure, there are all kinds of things I want still, like a Garmin forerunner 301 (GPS that measures heart rate as well), a bike computer with cadence, or a new bike for that matter, but nothing that I need to finish, or even finish well.
To close this off, I have a couple sites that you have to check out. One is already listed to the right Zen and the art of triathlon: "Don't bike to work" but you have to ready these comments as well, to really understand the extremeness (Is that a word?) of this sport. The second is just funny as I see it. This year, the Bix 7 has a little contest for one of us ordinary mortals. All registrants are entered and if you are picked by the lottery, you get a 2-3 mi headstart. If you beat the elite runners back to the finish line, you win $3400 or so. I don't know about you, but my best per mile time is pretty embarrassing. The winning runner runs this race in the neighborhood of 30 min. I don't think I'd have much of a chance, even with the headstart. ;-)
First off, Saturday started the Coulee region Bike to Work Week which I am trying to fully participate in, despite a little head cold at the moment. If you don't want to go to the link above, the idea is that you basically give up the car for anything around town for the week. For instance, Becca, Lorelei, and I went grocery shopping on the bikes yesterday. I just threw the groceries in the back of the trailer (Which worked better than I thought it would) and off we went. Lorelei, who last year didn't really like the trailer, couldn't have cared less. With the extra 20-30# it felt like I was riding in a little mud, or that the trailer had a flat on the way home, but other than that it was an enjoyable ride. (Note: Although, I'm theoretically helping lower gas prices, getting a workout, and overall doing my part, the only comment I get from work is about my blindingly white legs. Ouch.)
On Saturday I ran the longest run I've "intentionally" ran since the Bix 7 road race when I was in High school. I admit, I ran a little farther than planned, though. I meant to only run, at maximum, a 10k, but the 1/2 mile markers on the trail stopped for some reason at 1.5 miles and I meant to turn around at 2.5. I kept looking for the next sign thinking that I had just overlooked the 2 mile marker, but none showed up. After a while, I figured I had run far enough and turned around. I was actually pretty close, running a total of 6.4 miles, instead of 6.2. To any super-humans, Ironmen/women, or ultramarathoners reading this, 1/5 mile doesn't seem like much, but I think it was that extra little bit that made my legs sore today. Just like its that last drink that gives you the hangover, and not the dozen or so before it. Very "Butterfly flaps its wings in Tokyo, and Chicago gets rain instead of sunshine" type of logic, I know.
I ordered my "wetsuit" the other day, and very soon hope to get some open water swims in. Along with the "wetsuit" (just a neoprene shirt top), I bought a new helmet, and (much to Becca's amusement) toe socks. That should close out all that I need for June 1st (& 8th???). Oh sure, there are all kinds of things I want still, like a Garmin forerunner 301 (GPS that measures heart rate as well), a bike computer with cadence, or a new bike for that matter, but nothing that I need to finish, or even finish well.
To close this off, I have a couple sites that you have to check out. One is already listed to the right Zen and the art of triathlon: "Don't bike to work" but you have to ready these comments as well, to really understand the extremeness (Is that a word?) of this sport. The second is just funny as I see it. This year, the Bix 7 has a little contest for one of us ordinary mortals. All registrants are entered and if you are picked by the lottery, you get a 2-3 mi headstart. If you beat the elite runners back to the finish line, you win $3400 or so. I don't know about you, but my best per mile time is pretty embarrassing. The winning runner runs this race in the neighborhood of 30 min. I don't think I'd have much of a chance, even with the headstart. ;-)
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