Brick Mason

The forecast for today was pretty much rain all day. The likely hood of getting the brick in today was looking pretty slim. I'm not a big fan of riding in the rain and didn't think everyone would show up as planned. About 1:30 I decided to head over to see if everyone would get together to at least do the run portion. And yes I took my bike just in case. The rain had slacked, but it was still soggy out when I arrived. To my surprise, there were two other guys waiting and wondering if we were going to ride. Then all of the sudden our coach comes out with his helmet and singlet on. Guess that answered that question. The brick was on. The plan was to do a 20 mile ride followed by a 7.5 mile run.
The road conditions were sketchy. Not too slick, but enough to keep me at a slower pace. Breaking was difficult needless to say. Within like 10 minutes of the start the bottom fell out again and it started pouring. I ditched my shades due to water build up and took on the wind and the rain with my bare eyes. Seeing a little was better than not at all. Luckily the rain broke and we could see the clouds behind us clearing so we knew the ride back would be easier. About half way into the ride, we hit some dryer areas and really started to push it. I felt a little more confident with the conditions and pressed the accelerator a bit. My legs held strong on the hills, and I really started to feel good.
Back at home base, we made a quick change and hit the roads. The route took us along a busy road which wasn't perfect for running but we made due. I could really feel the hills in my quads. Cardio-wise, I felt strong and started to hit my stride on the flats. It was those damned hills that got me though. The last mile I pushed it hard. I was so ready to be done, but really glad that I had the chance to see what I could do.
Final stats on the day: 19.5 miles at a 18.9 mph avg and 7.5 miles in 54:45 which is a 7:26 pace. As I sitting here typing my legs are already sore. I know tomorrow is going to be even worse. Will have to ride a little to work the soreness out.

The rain held off!

The last couple of days have been great for training. I took only worked until noon yesterday so I bolted home and strapped on the running shoes. It was gorgeous out. The temp had to be in the mid 60's. I ran 5 miles in 36:55. Not earth shattering, but a good run. As for today, I had a bike ride scheduled, but was unsure about getting it in before the rain came. Luckily, the rain held off. We won't be getting any until tonight. So I took off this morning and got 28 in before meeting the guys for breakfast at Super Sam's (home of the best bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich in the world) I was able to show off my new yellow Team Discovery Jersery. Gotta love eBay.
Tomorrow, we're doing an end of the year brick. The ride will be 20 miles followed by a 7 mile run. Going to start hydrating now. Really looking forward to this, we'll see how my legs handle the transition. I've only done one brick in the past month.

Time to get back on Track

Count 'em off: Thanksgiving, gone! Office Parties, bye bye. 12 days of Christmas parties, see-ya! Christmas breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all that snacking in between, poof! Be gone! Oh and left overs? You don't exist at this house. Eating is so difficult to manage over the holidays. Oh and I made the most of it. I took advantage of every sausage ball, every cheese dip, and every cookie with sprinkles on it that I could find. Enough is enough. It's time to get back on track. It's time to really start seeing some results and get ready for Triathlon season. It's starts today.
I started the day off with protein, chicken and salad at lunch, low carbs at dinner, and small snacks in between. Not perfect, but it was better than the past three weeks. We were traveling today so I did the best I could.
I made it out for a quick run today. The sun was still out, but the temp was dropping quickly. I didn't feel like doing the prescribed hill repeats so I decided to run three miles through a hilly section of town at a quick pace. I managed to do 3.25 miles in 22:11 which puts my time at a 6:48 pace. Not too bad. My knee felt great which is encouraging. Tomorrow will be hill repeats on the bike. You know I'm really enjoying my time on the bike these days. Didn't think I'd ever get to that point. Bad news ahead though, the long ride I was planning on doing on Saturday will be rained out more than likely. Maybe if I had a trainer like someone I know, I'll call "BZuck", it wouldn't be so bad. But alas, instead of training on my own bike, I'll be in the freaking gym. Yeah me.
I picked up two books for Christmas. Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike" and "J. Edgar Hoover" by Curt Gentry. I started reading the book on Hoover this weekend. With each page I am becoming more and more disenfranchised with our country's actions following the first World War. The sinister actions of a few have forever put a black mark on the history of how our great nation handled emigrants and those seeking freedom. I'll post more on this as I read more, but needless to say J. Edgar will not make my list of heroes.

Christmas In Mobile

I've been in Mobile now since Saturday morning. The weather was gorgeous. Sunny and about 70 degrees, until the sun went down. But since then, the temps have been in the 50's and low 60's. Despite the rain on Sunday, I was able to get a run in of 5.5 miles. I took Christmas day off except for a round of golf. According to a local club's website, there was to be a ride leaving this morning at 5:15 so I woke up early to join these guys. It ended up just being 3 of us. I've never ridden much in the dark which as it turned out much of this ride was in. The temp was 43 according to the bank's sign. Not too bad. Mobile is much flatter than Birmingham so I had no trouble on the roads. The pace was a little slower than I usually keep, but it was good to get out and stretch my legs. I was disappointed to find out that the ride wasn't going to be the 28 miler that was advertised, but rather 19 miles. Oh well, just glad to get a ride in. My wife met me at a coffee house for breakfast. It was good to enjoy the morning with her. I didn't realize how much I'd missed our time alone to talk. Going to play a little more golf with the father in law. Here's a pic from yesterday. We're not as weird as this looks, promise. We all decided to put something on that we got for Christmas. Tail winds..

Cool pic from SI.Com and Travels

Check this pic out. It's from the start of the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. Amazing. The water is just white from all the churning. It gets me out of breath just looking at it.

I've only competed in races with staggered starts. Every 5 seconds. Have any of you competed in a race with a mass start? With all the chaos of a staggered start, I can't imagine what it must be like in a mass start. Lots of kicking and grabbing I'm sure. Sometimes I feel like I'm apologizing for the full length of the swim.

I'm headed to Mobile, AL this weekend to see my wife's family. They are great folk. I'm sure I'll be playing a bit of golf, but I'll also find time to train as well. Sunday will be my long run, 9 miles. I found a group to ride with on Tuesday morning. My only beef is that they start at 5:15 am! It's not even light outside yet. I've been wanting to get a ride in down there, so I'll suit up and turn my lights on for this one. Should be fun. Merry Christmas everyone.

Why do I do it?

Sometimes I'm a jerk. I'm really short tempered with people who don't know what their doing, who don't put thought into their actions, or who are oblivious to others around them. I really lack patience for these people. For instance, I'm at a stop light and the person in the car in front of me is chatting away on their cell phone while the light has already turned it's fourth shade of green. I am the type that will honk the horn. I don't gesture or make faces, but if they aren't paying attention and it's been 5 or 6 seconds, they're getting a honk. I don't feel very good about it, but for the love PAY ATTENTION! Yesterday, I contemplated letting a guy hit my car when he pulled out in front of me. He was clearly in the wrong and wasn't paying attention. He would have paid "out tha nose" to fix my car. This would have given me tremendous satisfaction, because I could have been like - "What were you thinking?" But I showed restraint and hit the brakes.

All that to set up this situation. At work, I'm used to dealing with professionals or people who are in the industry and know what they're talking about. As of late, I've had to do a lot of work with a good number of Joe Schmoes;people off the street with no more knowledge of my industry than Anna Nicole Smith (so it's safe to say that I'm not in the business of loud obnoxious drunks, marrying rich old men, sleazy movies, or trim spa) I'm in insurance by the way. These Joes are not my customers or even my customers' customers - so no love there.
So I get this call and from the word go, I know it's a Joe because it's the 30th call I've received of this type today. It goes like this:

"This is Matt, may I help you"
"Uh yeah, this is Joe Schmo and I was told to give you a call."
"Ok, who told you to call me?"
"Uh, my dad." - by the sound of his voice, Joe was my age.
"Alright, why did your dad tell you to call me?"
"I don't know, he just told me to call and said that you could help me."
At this point I knew why he was calling and what he needed, but I'm a jerk and I really wanted this guy to know why he was calling me.
"Help you with what" I ask.
"Uh, I don't know, he just said to call"
"Well Joe, can you have your dad call me, I can't help you if you don't know why you're calling me."
"Ok, bye"

I had ample opportunity to help this guy out, but I'm a jerk and I didn't have the patience for him. It's pretty tough when you can see one of your short comings so clearly. The mirror is pretty tough to look at sometimes. Thankfully I am loved despite my short comings. So is Joe. I need to do a better job of remembering that. - John 13:35

Long Week

I've kind of had a love hate thing going on with this week. It's been long and boring due to work, but the nights have been fun with Christmas parties nearly every night. I am ready for a night off though. As for work, I'm almost ready to close the chapter on the year 2006. It's been a successful year so no complaints there, but I've had to start working on production for next year which isn't always fun. It all starts again. Same thing with triathlons, except that I'm stronger and faster -which is pretty freaking cool. Hopefully I'll be able to not suck it up on the run in each race this year. I had some pretty disappointing finishes this past year due to endurance and bonking issues on the run portion. Hopefully, that will not be a problem again.
One good thing of note, I went to the doctor on Monday and my ear was issued a clean bill of health. He suggested that I stay out of the water for another month, but said it wasn't necessary. He was concerned that the ear, while healed, might still be susceptible to getting infected. I'm going to give it until January 1 and then take the plunge. I'm ready.
Does anyone have any preference on brand of Tri Shorts? I have two pair. One is wearing thin and the other rubs me the wrong way. So, before I start the race season I'm going to need to buy some new shorts. Please send me any suggestions.
This weekend includes a 5 mile run (in about 30 minutes), a 2 hour ride and weights tomorrow, and a 9 mile run on Sunday. Here's praying for mild temps and a tail wind. Later.

2 Runs and a Ride with a Pro

The weekend has gone pretty well training wise despite the chilly weather and Christmas parties thrown in. I took advantage of the warmest part of the day on Friday (43 degrees) and ran my prescribed 5 miles during lunch. I knew there was no way I was going to want to run after work if the temperature continued to drop. On Saturday, I waited until the mid afternoon to ride. The temp was supposed to get in the 50's which sounded just perfect for a good long ride. My riding buddy was still Christmas shopping with his wife (where are his priorities?) so I was on my own for the ride. I took off from the house and after a few miles caught a glimpse of another rider heading off in the direction I was going. I caught up to him at a stop light and asked where he was heading. He said that he was just finishing up. He'd already done 56 and had downed a cup of coffee. After a short talk, he changed his mind and agreed to ride some more with me. We headed off through Mtn Brook toward Old Leeds Road which is a popular spot for cyclists as the road is long and fairly straight. Starting off, I took the lead on a hill and did my best to keep up a good pace. He was right there with me the whole time. We started talking again and I caught his name. I knew who he was as soon as he said his first name. He's a local who competes in Tri's and Duathlons professionally. It all made sense. So I thought "great, he's going to kill me on this road." For the first couple of miles I stayed with him. I took the lead and pushed the speed up to put on a good show, but at the first hill I lost it. It was all I could do not to coast for a while. He took the lead and I nearly dropped off completely. I pushed it hard to get back in his draft so I could rest a bit, but just doing that wore me out. Mercifully he slowed down a bit to talk. He said he was going to turn back at the next road. He said his legs were "spent." Keeping up appearances, I thanked him for riding with me for a little while and took off on a hard pace as he turned around. I've got a lot to work on before I can keep up with the big boys. Nice guy.
Today was my long run. 9 miles. I was a little apprehensive about the run today since my knee was aching after 8 last Sunday, but I thought I'd give it a try. Just moderate pain throughout the run. Just a little discomfort, but I am going to make a point to stay off of it for a few days. Over all the run went well. DCavin ran the last 3 with me which was helpful. Cardio wise, I felt like I could run for days. I could tell I needed to take some fuel with me next time. My energy level was low during the last miles.
By the way, did anyone happen to catch the Ironman World Championship from Hawaii on TV this weekend. Wow! A two hour spot on TV for Ironman. Loved every bit of it. I'd love to be there one day. Buck, you're going to have to get there this year without me, but I'll be extremely jealous.

Doesn't this look good?

Don't know why this is so appealing right now. But wow, how cool would it be to be able to earn this logo. Going to have to settle for a half for now.

So the last couple of days have been really good as far as training goes. Monday I took a much needed day of rest, but was back at it on Tuesday with a 5:45 am spin class followed by a little weight training. Today I did a first, running hill repeats. I have a good sized hill just up the road from my house. I couldn't manage the cold this morning before work so I did them at lunch. I'm lucky in that I live close to work and can get a work out in during my lunch hour (and a half). I told my coach today that I hated them, but also loved them. I felt so good after I was done. Definitely felt like an animal. Overall, I'm loving training. I'm loving how it's changed my energy level and helping me achieve my goals. Tomorrow, hill repeats on the bike. Golden!

If you get the opportunity, check out joepurdy.com. You can listen to all of his albums for free. I'm listening to Sessions from Motor Ave right now. Good stuff.

Tough Run

Per my training guide, I was supposed to spend 45 minutes on a trainer today, but yawn.. excuse me, I had better plans. This 45 minutes was supposed to include some focus on my technic with no resistance. Did they not know how beautiful it was outside. Was I supposed to spend my afternoon at the gym? Well, I took out on my own. I ran 8 miles today. Haven't done that in a while. I'm still planning on running my first 1/2 marathon in Feb. and I've been a little concerned that I haven't been putting the miles in running wise. I'm on the bike 4 times a week and in the pool three times. So far, I've only had to do moderate paced runs of 3 or 5 miles. My goal for the 1/2 is to finish in 1:45. That would be just over a 7:40 pace, I think. So today I took off and finished 8 miles in 1 hour, which is about where I need to be. That was encouraging. What concerns me is that my knees started aching a bit. Don't know if it was distance or if it's time for some new kicks. Maybe I made that second one up. I haven't run that much recently so hopefully, their not wearing down under the stress. Tomorrow is an off day so let's see how they feel after a good rest.

Cold, cold morning

I met BGillis this morning at 6:45 for a early morning ride. A cold front moved in over the last day and dropped the temp this morning to 35 degrees. Oooh, it was so cold. I was fine just standing there at the car, but as soon as I got on the bike and started moving the wind just ripped through me. The problem areas were my ears, toes, and worst of all - my fingers. I need to buy better gear I guess. My partner was not "feeling it" today so our pace was a bit slow. We ended up just over 25 miles. I've had a good two weeks of training since coming back from Italy. I can definitely see some improvements in my strength on the hills. Still have some work to do on maintaining a higher speed in the flats.
Overall, training is going well. I just wish it was a little warmer.

Oh, I'm hurtin....

My belly is a rumblin. Oh why do I do it to myself? Overeating that is. Some of the guys from the office took off to Dreamland BBQ today for lunch. If you've never been there or heard of it, you're missing out. For the longest time, they only served ribs and sweet tea. Recently, they've branched out to serving side dishes and desserts like banana pudding (oh sweet Jesus).
At Dreamland, you are immediately served a loaf of white bread still in the plastic bag and their secret sauce for dipping. While they are working on your order, you dine on this delicious soft white bread that's been smothered in the sauce. It's a golden time. It's like a foretaste of what's to come. And then, they bring the ribs. (insert heavenly music here) It doesn't take long for them to bring them out, cause they've been cooking for hours. Man they're good! Once they hit the lips, it's soooo good. And this is what gets me. These wonderful ribs and the fluffy white bread just sits in my belly reminding me of what I've done. Oh tummy, why do I torture you?

So I'm thinking ahead to tomorrow's ride. With this wonderful lump of meat and bread in my belly, what's my energy going to be like. Will I throw up at mile 20? Will I bonk on the hills? Well, we'll find out. I may have just set my training back a whole week, but to tell you the truth.. it was worth it.

Saturday Ride - Cahaba Heights

Wow, had a great ride this morning. I met a group over at Cahaba Cycles in Cahaba Heights for a 7:30 am group ride. I'd never ridden with this group so I was nervous about being able to stay with them on the road. They announced that we'd be ridding a 42 mile loop. This was slightly daunting as well as I had never ridden over 30 miles at one time. Well, the temp in the parking lot was 46 degrees. I felt that I was dressed warm enough, but after a couple of miles we dropped into a valley that was in the shade and the temp dropped about ten degrees. My face immediately froze, and I lost all feeling in my toes. I decided right then and there that I needed to buy some toe covers.
The route took us through some farm communities and back roads. The weather turned out to be just right after a few more miles. I enjoyed meeting these guys and they kept a pace that I was comfortable riding. Some times you'll get in groups like this and everyone puffs their chests out and sees who can pee in the tallest grass, but this group was very easy going and easy to get along with.
I nearly had my first wreck today. We were only about a mile from the end of the ride, and I was going around a curve going down a hill. I over compensated for the curve and found a big rut off the shoulder. I let out a few cuss words, my handle bars bent forward, and I braced for impact just knowing that I'd flatted both of my tires. To my surprise, I stayed on the bike and both tires were still with me. It scared the crap out of me to say the least. Not a good way to end a ride, but I'm glad we were close to the end, because I was a little jittery after that.
So the stats on the day ended up being only 38 miles, avg HR was 143. Not bad. I'm going to feel it tomorrow. I hope not too much, because per my coach, I've got another hour and half ride to do tomorrow followed by a 3 mile run. I'm going to stretch now.

Pics From Italy

ITALY TRIP

Just wanted to share some pictures and some thoughts about my trip this past week. Lauren and I arrived in Rome on Thursday the 16th around 9am. We spent three nights there then took a train to Florence for 2 nights.
While we were there, we attempted to see most of the majors sights and get a good feel of the life there in Italy. Overall, we had a blast. We saw some amazing places. I'm still amazed at the age of the buildings and their condition. Such as the Pantheon, built around 125 A.D. Wow. It's the oldest building in Rome and in incredible condition. The inside was simply amazing.
We visited St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday. I was a little turned off by how opulent and over the top the decorations were. Lots of gold, marble, etc. I know that was the style when it was built, but I really had to wonder if God was really happy with us for this building. Here's the square outside.
Some of my favorite sights were, the Pantheon, The David (in Florence), and the coliseum. The things I didn't enjoy: walking everywhere! (I love my SUV), the pushy beggars (they were mostly clean and well dressed), the cost of everything, and tiny showers. About the expense, the dollar is worth only .75 Euros. On top of that, everything is jacked up for the tourists. $3 waters were not uncommon.
I'm so glad that I went. I had a wonderful time with my wife. She's so amazing and beautiful, and I'm so lucky to have a travel companion like her.

Oh, and the statues. Don't know why, but they impress the hell out of me. Paintings are kind of lost on me. Maybe I'm an idiot, but the statues were incredible. I'd like to have one some day. Maybe of Lance Armstrong or Mr. T or someone. They would definitely have clothes on though. There are too many statues with exposed parts if you ask me.

I'm back in the pool and weight room this afternoon.

Back In the US

Made it in from Italy this afternoon (5:00 pm in AL, but 12:00 am in Italy). I'm writing now just to stay awake. I have to go to work in the morning and need to hold off on going to sleep for a while. I've been up for 24 hours now. Will definitely post some pics and stories from the trip. I will tell you that I wish I would have "trained" a little more for this trip. Lauren and I visited Rome and Florence and covered a number of miles each day on foot. We went back to our hotel each day just beat from all the walking. Both cities are easy to walk around to see the sights, so we avoided the buses and subways and opted for walking instead.
Glad to be back in the US though. I loved visiting, but I really enjoy where I am and my routine. Also, it won't bother me at all if I don't see any pasta for a while either. Pass the green beans and black eyed peas please, oh and yes, I would like the big gulp of sweat tea too.
Back into training tomorrow too. No rest for the weary or jet lagged.

Elton John's Comment

You may or may not have read the article regarding Elton John's comment on religion or better yet organized religion. It's below. I'll let you read it.

LONDON, England (AP) -- Organized religion fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias, pop star Elton John said in an interview published Saturday.
"I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people," John said in the Observer newspaper's Music Monthly Magazine. "Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays."
"But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion," he said. "From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate."

At first glance I rolled my eyes at the article. Being a Christian, of course I was a little offended. Then I thought about it and realized that Elton was right on so many levels. As Christians we have failed to show him the love of Christ. Donald Miller wrote a book called "Blue Like Jazz." It tells of a time when he was in college at a very liberal school in the Northwest. He and his buddies dressed up like monks and set up a confession booth on campus. A few people stopped by out of curiosity and found that Miller and his friends weren't there to take confessions but to give them. They started by asking for forgiveness from them for the acts of Christians throughout time (Crusades, 1960's etc). They then asked for forgiveness for not being loving, for not feeding the poor, for not loving those who persecute them, basically for not representing Christ well. As a faith, I believe we are at fault because the biggest impression we have left on people is our bigotry and intolerance. Not love and compassion. People have a strong reaction to what they see on television (the TV evangelist, religious groups marching pushing their beliefs). The few have changed the perception of the many. Basically that sucks, but it's perception and we've done nothing to change it.
So to wrap up, I apologize for myself and my faith for not loving our neighbors, for not feeding the poor, or clothing the hungry, and finally for not representing who Christ really was. Please understand that those of us who claim to bring Christians are just big messes themselves still struggling with sin.

Two State Parks in One Day

This weekend I headed up to Cheaha State Park with some gents from my community group from church . We found a good spot away from the crowd and set in the night. Temps were in the low 30's, high 20's. Perfect camping weather. It was so good to sit around the campfire, drink a few beers, and really get to know the guys. Conversations ranged from favorite movies, books, football, and then faith. It's reassuring hearing how these guys struggle in the same areas that I do. I believe God redeems us through relationships, and I'm so glad I had the chance to spend this time with these guys.
So, this morning we broke camp and headed to Cracker barrel. Cracker barrel on Sunday morning in small town Alabama is a sight. I forget how different Birmingham is from the rest of the state. Memaws and PaPaws lined the rocking chairs in front of the store as countless others shopped for worthless swag. Oohs and ahs could be heard as two gray hairs admired an "authentic Tennessee quilt." that was probably made in Taiwan.
After breakfast, I headed home and after a short nap headed to Oak Mountain State Park which is considerably closer and for a bike ride. Despite sucking in campfire smoke all night, I felt pretty good on the bike. Legs were good, lungs held strong. I was able to try out my new HRM. I averaged 19.1 miles per hour on the ride and my heart rate averaged 168 bpm. Looking forward to figuring out how to really benefit from it, but it was fun to play with. Tomorrow I'm in the pool for 700 yard as fast as I can go. We'll see how it goes.
Oh yeah, I'm headed to Italy in a couple of days. Gotta start packing.

Back in the pool

I've had a couple of days of training under the new regime, ala the Coach. The weight training was fairly easy. Toughest part was the core workout, mainly the planks. Today though, I finally made it back into the pool. The new ear plugs worked well. I kept the ole ear drum dry as bone. I did 1100 yards. Wasn't too bad. I mainly focused on my form. I need to work on keeping my head down. This will really help in getting my hips and legs higher in the water resulting in less drag. Overall, I loved it. I could tell I hadn't swam in a while. It was awkward at first, but after a while it all came back. Now if I can just get my endurance back up.
Tomorrow, I'm headed out for a ride in a.m. before heading up to Mt. Cheaha for a little camping trip.

Training Officially Started Today

Met with my coach this morning at 5:30 am for a work out session. We went through the exercises in the gym that he'll want me to perform. I thought it was kinda cool. I definitely had to push myself through some of them. Formerly, my weight training involved big weights with a focus on getting bigger and stronger. I come from a baseball background, which doesn't exactly translate well for triathlons. Over the past three years I've really made a concerted effort to drop the amount of weight that I'm doing and focus on low weights and high reps. I've notice a huge decrease in my weight. This may have something to do with the amount of R/B/S'ing that I've been doing as well. I would say 4 years ago I weighed 209 pounds. Hey, I could compete in the Clydesdale division is races. Now, I'm weighing in at 176. Clothes wise, a big decrease and an even bigger decrease when considering the amount of power needed to push myself on the bike or keep myself afloat in the water.
So, I'm excited about these new work outs. They involve a good deal of body core workouts along with quads and hammys. I never workout my quads and hammys. I thought that's what the bike was for.
Getting pumped. 1/2 IM will be here before I know it.

Vulcan 10K - mission complete!

This morning was the Vulcan 10K. I woke up around 6 am and starting eating my oatmeal. It took me a while to really wake up. I was so sleepy that I decided to stand up to eat. The morning was a crisp 38 degrees with clear skies. The run would be nice once the sun started shining.
There were a little over 1000 participants running in the race. A decent event for Birmingham. I never felt really good before the race. I don't think it was nerves, but I never really got the pre-race shot of adrenaline. That worried me a bit. I worked my way to the front of the pack before the race started. There's nothing worse than being stuck behind a group of joggers running four wide.
Mile 1: Started well out of the pack. I couldn't really tell my pace, but just ran a comfortable speed to get my legs going. I had the worst feeling you could possibly have during the first mile, I think I have to pee! How could this be? I just went. Oh, I hope I can hold it. I passed the first mile marker at 6:26! Gulp.
Mile 2: I looked back at this other runner and asked if that right? It didn't really feel like full mile. He affirmed that he was on his pace. Still felt good throughout mile 2. I knew that after I hit the 2nd mile marker I'd have to start climbing, so I tried to keep up my speed. Legs felt good. The need to pee went away, so all was fine in that area. Sun was shinning. Temp was just right. Mile 2: 6:47.
Mile 3: I was almost 1:15 under my goal and I knew I'd need the extra time. Over the next mile a half the route gains 150 feet. It was painful. I kept trying to surge and recover, but my surges started looking like my recoveries. Mile 3: 7:51.
Mile 4: Once the terrain leveled off, I knew I had to make up some ground so I started pushing it a bit. This mile winds in and around a really cool section of the south side of B'ham. Highland Ave has a lot of historic plantation homes built by the elite of society around the early 1900's. I say this because, I don't remember seeing one of them. I was focused. Mile 4: 7:20.
Mile 5: Now I get the benefit of a little downhill. I started taking long strides and getting a little air under my feet for a 1/4 mile or so. It gave my lungs a "breather." I was in the straightaway headed back for Downtown. Felt great and I was cruising. Mile 5: 7:02
Mile 6: Despite being so close, fatigue started setting in. I could feel my body start to slump a little. You probably could have pushed me over with a finger at this point. I knew I was so close. Kept pushing. Mile 6: 7:09.
Finishing line: with .2 miles to go to the finish, I knew I would beat my expectations for the race. I did my best to make a strong push for the finish. I made a good showing for the spectators as I sprinted across the finish line at 44:03. What a relief.
Wow, great race. I felt like I ran just about as well as I could have. My time really shocked me. I never really felt the adrenaline surge, which worried me that I might not run well. Things worked out though and now I can relax for a few days. Training officially starts Tuesday for the 1/2 Ironman.

I've made up my mind

I can't stand it any more. I'm still fighting with this ear infection due to the hole in my ear drum. I haven't been able to swim in a couple of months, and it's killing me. Can't tell you what an animal it makes me feel like to cut through the water and get the laps in. I've gone with out long enough. I've invested in some decent ear plugs. Cover me Johnny, I'm going in. Gotta get the laps in. I'm starting to train next week with my coach, and I'll be a monkey's uncle if I'm going to miss out on swimming. If I read one more blog about someone else swimming while I'm stuck on the bike or just pounding the pavement, I'm going to go freaking crazy. As for the ear, I'm going to see the doctor on Nov 27th. I'll do my best to keep it clean and dry as recommended, but it's held me back for too long.
Two more days until the Vulcan 10k. Ready to fly.

RACE WEEK!

Alright, I know it's just a 10K, but I get really pumped for races. This week I've taken it easy with just a couple of easy runs and stretching. I even managed to eat only 1 piece of Halloween candy. Now, I did however wear the nacho cheese dip out though. It had sausage in it. That's protein right? Well, after this weekend's race which is the Vulcan 10, I hope to really start my off season workout. I will officially start on the "program" on Monday with my trainer. Looking forward to his suggestions and being able to push myself again. I'm feeling good about this weekend's race. I hope to run anywhere between 7:00 and 7:20 minute miles. That should put me around 45 -46 minutes.

I haven't biked all week and it's killing me. Can't wait to get back out there. The mornings are perfect right now. I also get my heart rate monitor next week. That ought to be cool too. Later.

Here's Casear - Doing the shake thing

Two Good Runs and a Ride

"The sea was angry my friend!" That's how I've felt about the weather all week. It's been nasty cold and rainy. It started Monday with my intervals in the rain. I had to ride inside at the gym on Tuesday due to the rain. Yawn... It's so boring. Thursday, I was determined to get out and run no matter what. BGillis joined me, so my plans to run for time were scrapped. I ran at a slower pace this time, but put in 6.3 miles in about 55 minutes. Not a record setting pace, but it was just good to pound the pavement so to speak. Even though it was a sprinkling a bit and the wind was blowing, it was perfect for running. I never did get too hot. I finished the run by sprinting the last 1/2 mile. It really felt like I could've kept going. If there wasn't somewhere I had to be I would have.
Saturday, I ran the 6 mile Red Eye Run in Mtn Brook. Felt strong most of the time. It was a chilly 41 degrees, but the sun was out so it wasn't too bad. Toughest thing about the run was fighting off discouraging thoughts. The mental aspect of running has always been tough for me. It's made a big difference by working to reduce my thoughts about being tired or not "having it" today. As for the run, I made a point to run a little faster than usual and it paid off. I finished in 45:08. Not too bad. Still felt like I had a little in the tank. I think I'm ready to try a longer distance.
Today (Sunday), I headed out for a bike ride around Irondale. It was really good to get out and put the miles in. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! It was a little windy which slowed us down a bit, but overall a great day for riding. I logged 28 miles. Tomorrow, we're back to running intervals. 6 x 800 meters in 3:12. Ouch. I'm already sore.

Weekend Events

This weekend, Lauren and I took off for the Loveliest Village on the Plains, Auburn, AL, for the Auburn/Florida game. We met Lauren's family for an day of tailgaiting. I think I ate about 30 chicken nuggets and way too many brownies. Man, I love tailgaiting food, but it'll kill you nutritionally. Mix all that in with a few beers and you've killed your whole week of training. I've been detoxing all day. I've sworn off junk food for a few days as a result. Nonetheless, it was an amazing day. Auburn somehow pulled off a win against the #2 team in the nation with an unrelentless defense. I've been to a lot of games, but this time the crowd was louder than I've ever heard. The 87,451 fans on hand in the stadium had to play a part in the total dismantling of the highly touted Florida offense.
We came home early enough for me to get a good run in before dark. I took it easy and just enjoyed getting the miles. I'm finding that I run really well at the 7:45+ pace. Not too much of a struggle to maintain that pace over 5 miles or so. It seems where the effort comes is in getting it around the 7:15 - 7:30 range. I still would like to get under that and I think I will if I can continue my speed work on the track. With that being said and since it worked well last time, here are my training goals for the week:
Monday - light weights and core in the am with speed work at track after work.
Tuesday - 20+ miles on bike before work
Wednesday - off
Thursday - Run 5.3 mi loop for time - beat previous time of 38:40
Friday - off/ weights?
Saturday - Red Eye Run - 10K
Sunday - 30 mile ride

Something I've discovered about Myself

Well, after 31 years I think it's safe to say that I'm still getting to know myself. No, I haven't discovered a hidden talent or a new wart, but rather a personality trait or a disorder maybe. I've learned that my mood is directly tied to the amount of exercise I'm getting. I don't think it's this runner's high that everyone talks about, although I definitely get that feeling as well. Usually, and a lot of people might say this, I generally feel better about myself if I've had some exercise some time during the day. Weights don't do it. I think it requires sweat, which I do better than most people. I failed to find time to run this weekend and although I did get a good ride in yesterday, I found myself somewhat depressed all weekend. It may have had a lot to do with the tail whoopin my Auburn Tigers took at home, but I think after today's little trip to the track I've figured out the true source. BGillis and I went down to Vestavia's High School track and ran some intervals. Tonight's program was 6 - 600 meter runs at 2:24 clip with 400 meter jogs in between. The run went really well. I finish all of my intervals under my goal time. The eventual goal is to be able to run a 10K at a 6:30 pace (GAG). There's really no hope, but I can try right? I can't even run a 5K at a 7:00 per mile pace yet. Anyway, back to my thought. I left the track feeling on top of the world. I made it home in a so much better temper than I'd been over the last few days. I don't think it was that I had an exceptional Monday either, because it pretty much sucked all day. I know my wife appreciated it too. I've felt like a big grouch all weekend. To that I say I'm sorry honey. Love ya. All this to say is, as long as my legs and knees hold out, I'll keep pushing.

Sunday Morning Ride

I failed to get any exercise in yesterday, other than work around the house, so this morning I made myself get up for a ride. I left around 7:15. The sun was out and it had to be 64 degrees or so. Perfect. I don't have the best gear for riding in chilly weather but I made due. It felt great to get out and pound the peddles. The hills were a little tough this morning, but I was able to open it up at a good speed on the flats. I can tell that I'm getting stronger and more efficient with my strokes. I have to keep going through the drills in my head. Makes a big difference. There may be some juice left in the legs today for a jog with the dog. He wears down really quickly so it won't be too long. I love this time of year.

So far so good...

This has started off pretty well with my training. I did my ride Monday morning. I actually found a better route that allows me to push it a bit harder thus getting in a few more miles. Man, I love early morning rides. The intervals after work were tough. Luckily BGillis joined me. Can't beat training with friends. Weights on Tuesday - so, so. Doing this more to stay a little muscular. I still have some weight to drop, so I don't want to bulk up too much. I used to believe in bigger weights, now I just do low weights and high reps. BGillis and I ran about 5 miles tonight. 8 min per mile pace. Tomorrow weights and a bike test with the trainer. Lactate Threshhold mumbo jumbo. It's gonna suck. The Vulcan 10k run is in a few weeks, so I'm focusing on that right now. Would love to push the lower 40's. Gonna take some work.

Sunday Hike

So today is our wedding anniversary; Our first. Sorry about the title of this blog, babe. It's just not about the anniversary, but I will take a moment to say "Wow." God is so good.
Anyhoo, so today Lauren and I took off to Oak Mtn State Park with our dog Caesar. I've always wanted to try the trail to Peavine Falls, which if you know Alabama mountains and what is required to have a good waterfall, you'd also know that there aren't any good waterfalls in the state. I've been up to the falls before, sometimes by Mountain bike, but usually by car. After a good rain, the falls are usually pretty decent, but it hasn't rained in Birmingham in weeks. So I wasn't expecting much. The trail is @ 3 miles up and down over ridges. It was fairly warm, but I appreciated the wind while we were up on the ridge. Caesar was having a hard time. He quickly tired and started showing his age, 7 years. It felt good to stretch my legs a bit and breathe hard again. I've had zero exercise for the last week while I was out of town in Orlando.
We made it down to the falls, and as expected there was barely even a trickle. Nonetheless, Caesar found some water to submerge himself in while he rested. Lauren picked up some colorful nuts she found that apparently would look "just so cute in a bowl."
On our way back, we avoided certain peril by running from a swarm of yellow jackets. Poor Caesar had two on his rump that I had to swat off. He thought I was spanking him, so I had to assure them that I had the best intentions.
The hike was great. It was wonderful spending time with Lauren on such a special day. I was able to chill out after a week of work and business meetings. I also realized that I really miss hiking. As the temperature is getting cooler, it makes all the more sense to spend the night under the stars. Hopefully, that will be happening soon.

Training Schedule

Alright, the last two weeks have been #$*& poor as far as training goes. First of all, I'm in Orlando for another work trip. Guess how much time I have for exercise here, ZERO. Add to that the fact that I've had gourmet food with all the trimmings thrown at me all week. Long days and late nights do not make for a healthy athlete. Once again, feeling out of shape. So, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to post my plans for the next week up for everyone to see so that I'm kept a little more accountable. Not that too many people visit here anyway, but I'll feel more responsible to get my butt in gear.

Monday morning - ride 1 hr before work, after work run 8 400 meter intervals at 1:30 per lap with 2:30 400 meter jogs in between.

Tuesday - Weights, stretching
Wednesday - 8K - Track shak run - 37 minutes or less.
Thursday night - 1.5 hour ride or 27-30 miles.
Friday - rest
Saturday - Red eye run 6 miles - easy 8 min/mile pace.

Let's see how well I stick to this now.

Thoughts on kids and God

Today I found myself in a situation that has become increasingly common, but never as much as today. Today I was uterly surrounded by children. Not kid kids, but more or less babies. The still in diapers, "I soil all of my clothes in drool" kind.
Lauren and I went to my parents house for my father's birthday, he's 57 now. I spent most of the time playing with my 2 year old nephew, Dakota. He's just now becoming fun. His new toy of the day was a old wallet that he'd found. Of course, when he showed it to me I had to give him some money for it. Little did I know, it seems that everyone that saw it had the same thought. He'd racked up quite a stash before I'd gotten there. I need to remember to get one for my future kids. It's quite a racket. Dakota and I wrestled and played in the yard. I tought him how to kick a ball. I taught him how to kick a ball off of my toe like in a football game. I even included a "War Eagle" prior to the kick for special effects.
Afterwards, we went to church to see my best friend's kid be baptised. He's about 6 months old and looks just like his dad. We all went back to his house afterwards for dinner. For whatever reason, it's etiquette to have friends and family over after your kid's baptism. Is it a Southern thing? I don't know. Of my friend's 5 brothers and sisters, there have been 5 boys born with a year. Amazing. Not all of them were there, but with the friends and other family members there, there was quite a gathering of little ones. We had criers, dancers, thumb suckers, gigglers, and pukers. Normally after a day like today, I'd find myself wanted to run away and find a quite little spot to chill out away from all the kids, but not tonight. For whatever reason I saw the beauty and magic of kids and how wonderful of a gift they are from God. Though they come in small packages, they give us a little insight into how God sees us. Just as we love our children, God loves us - even more so. There's a special bond between a parent and a child. I don't think the child could ever love the parent as much as the parent loves the child. The child could never disappoint the parent so much as to cause the parent not to love the child. This is the beauty of God's love. Despite our continuing failures and disobedience, he still loves us as much as ever. Hard to believe. I am so very thankful.

Ear Infection - Sounds lovely right?

This past week I forgot to pack my ear plugs in my swim bag prior to a training session. The result was a little water in my right ear. I’ve had problems with this ear for the past year or so. A few years ago I busted my ear drum when I fell off of a tube being pulled behind a boat. Didn’t think too much of it at the time, but last December my ear became infected after you guessed it, getting water in it. I went to see a specialist who after 5 months of treatment determined that the ear was healed. So back into the water I went. Didn’t have any problems over the summer, but of course I always used my ear plugs.

So after my ear started bothering me again this weekend, I got a little nervous. I went to see a “doc in the box” who confirmed that the hole had not healed. He prescribed some antibiotics, gave me a shot in the rump, and made an appointment for me to see the specialist again.

This is really bumming me out. Other than my ear draining and irritating the crap out of me, I’m probably going to miss swimming entirely during the off-season. I love to swim and it feels so good to glide through the water. It’s such a good work-out and the thought of dropping it for a while is so depressing.

I’ll find out on Oct 4th what my options are for my ear. More than likely, it will end in surgery which is never fun. In the meantime, I’ll spend my time running and biking.

Mourning the loss of day light

This morning I rolled out of bed at 5:45 for a little pre-work bike ride. I had laid out my long sleeve jacket and leggings the night before because when I did this last week, I nearly froze my tail off in the lower 60 degree weather. Well, I wouldn't need them as this morning was a pleasant 78 degrees. I was kinda frustrated with the sun though. There was never any substantial sun until about 6:20. Not having to dodge cars was nice, but I kept having to swing around runners and walkers going 3 wide. No worries, the air was perfect for the ride.

I'm really worried though about the pending fall and winter months. It's really depressing to come home after work and it be too dark to ride. I'll be forced indoors for biking and will find myself wearing a reflective vest and blinker while running. Not looking forward to that. Right now it's staying light until about 6:45 in the evenings. That time will be gone soon as well.

Another thought for anyone with advice -- I know I sweat a lot, but it seems I can't wash the stench off my exercise gear. I've had most of them for a couple of years. I wash them regularly and switch them out a good bit. I'm having the most trouble with my Nike shirts. I don't know if it's that after a while the stench just soaks in or if there's something else I should be doing. Until, I figure it out, I'll be searching for some more gear.

Back in Training

This week marks the first week of off-season training. Kinda odd to be already working on next year, but I know I've got a lot to work on. This week I met with my coach who professionally fit me on my bike. I'm not in a better position to churn out some power while giving myself more room to breathe. He's also giving me some pointers on pedal strokes, but hopefully will increase my efficiency and help me to use different leg muscles, thus giving me a little help in the run portion. I haven't had time this week to really put some miles on the bike, but looking forward to it.

Last night, I met with Coach for a swim assessment. After watching me swim a few laps to check my form, he said, "well, you won't drown." Thus began the tinkering and rebuilding of my swim stroke. Swimming is all about efficiency in the water. I'm a stocky 180 lbs at 5'11''. Maybe closer to 5'10''. I'm fairly muscular so I sink like a rock. After a few, technic instructions, I have a good base to build on. My hope is that sometime this weekend I'll be able to practice what I've learned. I've never felt like such a spaz in the water until yesterday. It's all for the hope of improving though.

Frantic Frog Triathlon

This morning began at 4:50 am. By 5:00 I was eating oatmeal and peanut butter crackers. Had to get my calories in. We stopped off at McDonald's for Lauren to get coffee and a biscuit. Oh, coffee. Here's a story. We were staying at the Econo Lodge in Scottsboro. It didn't seem to be the nicest of hotels from the outside, so just on a whim I checked with Nell at the front desk to make sure they had coffee in the room. She said they didn't, but she lent us a coffee maker and coffee. Lauren about fell out of the car when she saw me returning to the car with a coffee maker under my arm. Well, we didn't have cream or sugar with us, so we didn't bother with making coffee that morning. We're kinda coffee snobs any way.
So, after McDonald's we made our way over to the race which was being held in Goose Pond Colony. There were just over 400 participants and I was scheduled to start 26th. They do a pier start, which means you have to jump from a pier, while keeping your googles on your face and making sure you get moving so the person behind you doesn't land on top of you. We went off two at time, which I didn't like. The water got crowded quickly. I couldn't get into a rhythm and soon found myself sucking wind. I finished the swim portion about a minute over what I'd hoped for. I forced a few good thoughts into my head on the way to my bike. It worked. I felt great on the bike. I was worried because due to my traveling, I hadn't touched my bike in two weeks. I was soaring on the bike until we turned onto a side road, which is at best a paved gravel road. I felt every bump. Everyone suffered. The bumpy road brought everyone to a halt. It was awful. I was barely able to keep my speed over 15 mph. I don't think I lost my place with anyone, because I was still passing more than I was getting passed. I was able to finish strong once I made it back onto a smoother road and completed the bike leg about where I expected. In all, except for spilling a GU packet on myself, I was happy with my bike. The run was just a 5K. I handled it well. Had good energy and felt like I ran a good leg. My total time was unofficially 1:12:20. We'll see where I placed among the other participants once they post the results.


This was the last race of the season for me. Well, it's the last Tri anyway. Kinda sad about that, but looking forward to running a few races and training for the Mercedes 1/2 Marathon in February. Special thanks to my wife Lauren who supported me and followed me around to all my races. I love you and am so glad you're my wife and best friend.

Drinking My Weight

Sounds a little devious doesn't it? Well, I'm not talking about beer, not even my precious Fat Tire Beer. What I am talking about is wonderful, life giving, crystal clear water. I did in fact finally sign up with a coach today to help me train for triathlons smarter and more efficiently. With two days to go before my race in Scottsboro he gave me a few pointers as far as nutrition. Today I am to consume protein, ehite protein such as fish, chicken, and eggs preferably. Secondly, he advised for me to drink my weight in water over the next 24 hours. WHAT??? Sounds crazy to me too. So, since noon I've lugging around my nalgene bottle downing water between trips to the bathroom. Between the hours of 1:30 and 5:30, I drank 64 ounzes of water and urinated 5 times. My feet hurt from burning up the carpet between my office and the potty down the hall. So far tonight, I've finished off another 40 or so ounzes. I sincerely doubt that I'll be able to drink 180 lbs of water. I've only done 5 lbs so far. Really I think the point was for me to drink a lot of water so that I'm well hydrated for the race. I think I'm getting that now.

Being out of town and Feeling a little out of shape

So last week I was in Vegas. Nice restraunts, big catered lunches, sitting around discussing work, airports, yuk! I returned home on Thursday in time to kiss the wife and meet the guys at a sports bar for wings and beer. It's the first night of college football, and it had to be celebrated. Immediately following work on Friday, Lauren and I head down to Mobile, AL to see her folks. Cheeseburger and french fries was the meal for the night. The weekend consisted of watching football and more big meals, generally more than I would eat at home. Monday night we return home in time to meet some friends at a Mexican restaurant. Tuesday, we had a group over from church, spaghetti was on the menu. SO CRAP!!! Have I just been a freaking pig over the last 2 weeks. I feel like a blob. I promise we don't normally eat like this. Luckily, Lauren is a very good cook, but she is healthy cook. So I'm soooo looking forward to being at home and eating her cooking. Not being at home takes a toll on what you eat. I don't know what it is about being out of town that makes us (me) over indulge. It's also so much harder to get out and exercise. I always take my running shoes wherever I go, so I'm usually able to get a run in, but I really miss out on swimming, biking, and if you can't tell, eating healthy.

I have a race coming up this weekend. I've heard tapering is good before a race. Well, I have just pulled off the king of tapers. I've eaten like a pig and barely moved a muscle to burn any of it off. I should be well rested going into the race. I just hope that it doesn't kill me. I'm going to detox over the next few days. Oatmeal for bfast, salad for lunch. Thankfully, Lauren is cooking tomorrow night. Glad to be home.

Fat Tire Beer

Vegas has one redeeming factor, and I discovered it today. I was sitting at dinner with some clients and noticed a certain bottle pass by on a waiter's tray. Oh, could it be? It was. I spied a bottle of Fat Tire Beer. Oooh, the sweet nectar of the gods. It was a little too late in the dinner to order a beer. So after I made my exit, another connoisseur and I found a shop inside the hotel selling this particular brew. We bought two each and sat down and enjoyed every drop. If you've never tried Fat Tire or other beers by New Belgium, you're missing out. Make your way west of the Mississippi and find a bottle. I'm waiting patiently for New Belgium to start sending their beer east, but until then, I'll have to just enjoy these few times I'm out west.

I did get a good run in this morning. I ran down the Vegas strip. Even at 6:45 in the morning the city was full of exhaust fumes. I don't know if it's the lack of wind or the excessive amount of buses and taxis, but the fumes were disgusting. I saw a guy drinking a 40 ounce beer as he walked down the street. Was he starting his day or ending it? Way to early to be downing beer.

Ready to get back to B'ham to see my bride. She means everything to me.

Stuck in Vegas

So I find myself in Vegas for work for a few days. I'm sitting here itching to get some work in, not my 9-5 type work, but some actual exercise. I'm at a fairly nice hotel/casino so I'm thinking, "oh, they'll have a pool and a maybe a treadmill." So I stroll out to the pool area, which I can see from my 15th floor room, and make my way around the 5 different pools. They even have a "wave pool" and a "easy river" for the kiddos. Guess what, no lap pool! I head over to the Spa Royale to see if they have a lap pool. No pool!! Oh and guess what, to use the bikes and treadmills, they will gladly take a cool $27 a day from you for this priveledge. Ouch. I pay $70 a month for a family membership back home. So no work out for me today. Going to count this as a rest day and hit the pavement early in the morning before the real work starts. Bummer.

Brick Work

Saturday morning, I set out with BGillis to conduct a little brick work out. Short and sweet, we biked 8.5 miles and ran a little over 2 miles. Yeah, it wasn't much, but we do our best to push ourselves and treat this as a sprint more than anything else. With only one more sprint Tri left in my season, I'm focusing my training on being quick.

I absolutely love brick work outs. They kick my butt, and humble me to the core. My buddy BGillis is still new to Triathlons, but he's coming on strong. I know it won't be long before he's pushing me and threatening to pass me by. He's a good athlete, and a great friend. Training with a friend is hands down better than going solo. There's no way I'm going to let up with someone watching.

Saturday was also the first day in some new Tri Shorts. I'm going to have to say, while they fit fine and felt great during the race, they did a little damage that left me walk a little tender the rest of the way. Can you put body glide on your "boys"? Going to have to consider it.

Two weeks until Frantic Frog in Scottsboro. Feeling good and ready to see what I'm made of.

Coach Found?

Today was a great day. What a begining right? I went back to work today after a four day stint at the beach. My wife's parents have a condo in Perdido, FL (Orange Beach for those from Alabama). Played some golf, ate some fish, caught some fish, and took plenty of naps. I only exercised (a four mile run) one day which is a low amount for me, but I was enjoying my naps too much. Well, as I mentioned, I had to go back to work today, but not before I hit the pool for some pre-work laps. Enjoyed every chlorine filled moment. There's something envigorating about swimming prior to work. I feel loose, stretched out, and alive. I believe I'm more productive too. Is it just swimming or just any workout. Don't really know as I usually bike and run after hours. After work, I boogied out to Oak Mtn State Park with BGillis and put a few miles in on the bike. Two disciplines in one day! Always a good thing, but not even the best thing of the day (that is outside of waking up and going to bed with my bride - in case she's reading this). I think I found a coach to help me train for Triathlons. Thus far, my idea of training for races consisted of getting the miles in or seeing how long I can endure a certain torture test. I've read about lactate thresholds and tapering, but it was all just to boring and more info than I had time to divulge into. So, with this guy, I'm looking for a training program that'll not only help me improve on my times, but will help me train smarter and more efficiently. I'm even toying with the idea of a half ironman next year. I've got a bunch of sprint and olympic distance races under my belt and it's time to move on to the next level. So, I'm pretty encouraged by the idea of it all. I've been a little depressed that tri season is winding down, but this will give me something to look forward to other than the winter months. 11 days until my Auburn Tigers kick off by the way.

Mountain Lakes Triathlon and sleeping in a camper

This past weekend I competed in the Mountain Lakes Triathlon in Guntersville, AL. As I have mentioned before, this was to be a redeeming race for me. Believe it or not, it was. I finished quicker than my expectations. Top third. I have to admit, it came down to nutrition. I ate more before the race and was actually able to down a Gu packet during the bike. I have a renewed belief in myself and am ready to meet the next challenge. I'm definitely not satisfied with my time. The next race is in less than a month. I've got time to work on a few things, but I probably won't improve dramatically. I know I'll be prepared and have plenty of calories to push me through. Hopefully, this time I'll beat my 3 mile time from the last race. It's still the slowest leg of the race for me. So, Scottsboro's Frantic Frog, get ready.

Oh yeah, we stayed in my family's camper up at the lake. If you've never had the pleasure, count yourself as lucky. While it has all the aminities of a home, they're all crammed together in a small space. Lauren and I slept on a sleeper sofa each night. Not just a regular sleeper sofa, but a camper sleeper sofa. It's a little smaller and a little thinner. Cramped quarters and too many people make for a restless weekend. The redeeming factor was that I was with my family which is always fun. I just may have to enjoy their company while staying in a hotel next time.

Life Coach - striving to be better

I think I realized today that I need to be motivated. Not just in work or sports, but in all aspects of my life. I would really like to see what I could do if I was pushed. I'm a fairly motivated person as it is, but there is no real reason for me to push myself for any other reason than to please myself. In sports, I've noticed that among my friends it's usually me going "let's go, let's go". There's really no one to push me or ask me to train or work out harder. It's a simple reality. If you have someone relying on you, you tend to work harder to hit the goal. Whether it's getting up in the morning to meet someone rather than sleeping in because no one is there waiting on you, or running harder on the last mile because someone's on your tail about how slow you're going. As for work, I feel that I have to motivate myself. While we have company goals to meet, it's not a big deal to me (financially) if we hit them or not. There are other projects that I can work on to earn more money. There are no other co-workers that compete with me for #'s, so there's no competion to urge me on. What I'm getting at, it that I think I'd really benefit from a life coach. I need some direction and someone to motivate. I'm interested in seeing what I can do with a little push and encouragement. Setting goals isn't the problem, I need someone on my ass if I don't hit them.

Triathlons

This is my third season to compete in triathlons. I'm still very much a beginner in ability and knowledge. I've thoroughly enjoyed the process of training, buying gear (cause I'm a gear head), and competing against others and myself. I feel like an animal and walk around a little prouder of myself because of what I've been able to accomplish. Pride lasts for all of only 2 legs of the race for me as I see competitor after competitor pass me on the run portion. I've struggled so much with having enough energy to complete the races. I know now that it comes down to nutrition. I need more calories and better planning on what I eat.

I love race day. I love seeing the various types of people competing in the races. People of all shapes and sizes show up and compete (Now of course the elite are all specimens of health and fitness, but the average athlete still looks like they could lose a few). There's an incredible energy in the air prior the start. During the race, as I move from one discipline to the next, I feel like an animal adapting to the circumstances. I'm slowly but surely luring my friends into the sport. My next race is only 12 days away. It's in Guntersville, AL. I'm going to this race with a little something to prove. My last two races were disappointing. As I mentioned, the run portion of the race has killed me. This time, I'm going in a little better prepared. It's a shorter race than the one I completed a few weeks ago so I should be ready physically. Calories, calories, calories will be my mantra. One more full week of hard training, then a tapering week before the race. Race season is winding down, and it's killing me.

Just Created

Somehow I managed to fall asleep on the couch for the 2nd time this weekend before 10 pm. Sounds like I'm living the life of a 60 year old. Or could it be that I've just "played" so hard during the day that my body is just ready to call it quits. I hope it's the latter. I've made my self get up and create this blog which I've been putting off for a while.

Here's my attempt to keep (for prosperity's sake) the thoughts of this 31 year old man from Birmingham, AL, and if someone happens to comment on it along the way, that's cool too. So, raise your glasses to the start of something that hopefully I will use more often than my box of dental floss.

So here's today - Nothing's better than Sunday morning coffee and reading the paper. Having someone to spend it with makes it even better. My wife, Lauren, occupies the other side of the table and competes with me for sections of the news paper. She's really nice, so I usually win. She tolerates my morning ritual of not saying anything unless it is of the utmost importance. Once the coffee has been consumed and the paper thoroughly destroyed, I am ready for the day. I need a plan. I have this crazy need for an agenda for the day. Nothing too strict, but I need activities. So here they are: I did actually make it to the gym for a while. I spent some time in the yard and also tried to fix some of our doors that won't close in the house. Our house was built in the 1950's, and over time the house has settled causing the door frames to be a little off. After a few hours of sanding and chipping away wood. Our doors close only slightly better, and now I have the wonderful job of repainting the doors to cover up my handy work. Just the joys of home ownership. All of this was followed by church in the evening and dinner on the coffee table watching the history channel. More on those two later.