Quality of life system

Just saw a solitary confinement documentary.

That is some serious stuff, used to work across from the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. It was the first solitary confinement facility, inventing the "Penitentiary" system. Terrible results.

Lots of evidence suggesting the damaging effects of this treatment. I don't quite understand it myself.

...Biked 18 miles. .....really....really....cold.

And one

Last week.

Will get some biking in mid to late week. New Mizuno Wave riders should be in late in the week also. Might be able to run Thursday, Friday, or Sat. Depending.

Beautiful weather out...really. Some dude was a total dick to me in the pool this morning. I'm just wondering what is wrong with some people. Its like "Hey, do you mind splitting this lane?" ...then he moves over and grunts...so thats a yes. Then...two laps in...he's like in my face "Hey...that lane over there is open" ....

JUST SAY "NO I DONT WANT TO SPLIT THE FUCKING LANE".....god damn...seriously....not that hard.

Ticket....shoes...

Ran 3 in my old Asics yesterday. Ran a few in the Newtons this morning. Still like the Newtons more....but will buy a mid-range shoe to compromise and save my foot

Getting some Back on My Feet interest in some tri's. Should be a blast.

Celtic solstice 5 miler coming up, seeing if I can't run under 6:30's for that one. Will start off with Jeff W. (Resident MCVET member), probably head off around mile 2.5 or so.

We'll see if I make it that far in training by the 18th. I'll pass on re-injury.

Winter Sport

Snow shoe racing is already taken by a guy on our team (Geordie Edmenson). He's one of the few (besides Guy Berkible and Daryl St. Clair - Ironmen) who posed a challenge last year. In 2011, my goal is not to lose to him. He is 40-some though....but has a better bike than me (who doesn't).

I swear...my first $5000 that is disposable is purchasing a bike. (Yes...that's right...I'm that type of person)

First thing first, wheel set for my existing bike.

Intervals

New shoes soon. I think the Newtons broke my foot. I will either go back to Asics or try out Brooks.

I think I'll get into some new stuff maybe next year. Like Xterras...(trail run and mountain bike tri's) or.....maybe a winter sport that's cheap. (besides running).

Most importantly, birds.

Got to hit the books...again.

The richness of life...undeniable?

Marathon

Philadelphia Marathon...

Lauren got in under 4:00hrs (3:59:18), which was not even her goal! Awesome improvement from her last marathon. This was her third marathon.

Lauren's mom Dee ran with a MCVET resident member from Back on My Feet. They got in just under 5 hrs. Both of them first time marathoners!

I am jealous. Since the stress fracture in October, I have run 1 mile (yesterday). I am planning to do the Virginia Beach marathon in the spring as I am now several behind. I need to do one in the spring and one in the fall for several years to make up the distance. However, lots of half-irons in the 2011 tri pipe line....LOTS!

Also, my father has scheduled 23 triathlons (mostly sprint distances) in the 12 months of 2011, he is 52. I'm planning to hook up with him for as many as possible...but sprint distances are too short for my taste to do too many, going for big tickets. Got the Gator half in March(which I may sacrifice for marathon) and Shawnee Half in August.

Philadelphia

Heading up there this weekend for the marathon. Going to be a freak on the sidelines.

Philadelphia and I never got along, even when I lived there. Not sure why it attracts so many people. Very strange place, tall and dirty. No sight lines. Gotta get that sky.

It's usually a question of applicability I suppose. At times its questionable.

Bash and ...vacation?

Going to the Back on My Feet "bash" tomorrow night, gotta dance. Should be a good time, despite having no dancing skillzzzz...

Doing an hour swim in the morning, the one I've been trying to fit in for almost a week....will be exciting...

Heading up to Philadelphia with some Back on My Feet folks Sat night for the Sun marathon (I will be cheering...waiting till Dec 2 to run again)....it's exciting...but again just making my vacation more condensed.

As it ends up..."Thanksgiving break" is actually "write four papers in 4 days" kinda vacation....oh the irony.

I swear, jumping through hoops gets old really fast, gotta question those motives....(mine...)....

Shakespeare and bicycles...

Worked yesterday, that was good. Got to be in the sun, enjoy the weather before it gets horribly cold and dark.
Biked 30 yesterday after work. Have some new routes to check out on Hillside drive (should be less traffic). Av speed 17.6, new high.

Also biked around today, last night I went to a performance of Macbeth in Fredrick, pretty awesome, but got home late. Haven't been getting the proper amount of sleep. I'm dead.

Anyway, ride was around lake Montebello this morning, rockin, gorgeous day. Should ride the savageman 70 course two weeks from Sat with my dad. 51. some miles of hell....

Destruction and Creation....

Bearing the raw elements in hopes of a new conglomerate.

I saw Andy Stern on CSPAN2 last night. He was talking on behalf of The National Assembly of Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and had some amazing new ideas and initiatives that didn't include spending or taxes, can you imagine that?

Also, I think I'm getting [more] brain damage from paint stripper, I lost my respirator. Gotta get on that...precious neurons.

The Ritual.

I found a new game to play. I switch from my commuter bike to road bike at some point during the day on Mondays, and can do a "time trial" through town back to the school. 8:53 seconds today, 2.53 miles.

We'll see what next week brings. Still increasing my swims. Attempting to gain a few pounds through strength before I start running again (Dec 2nd....who's counting?). I lost 20 lbs this summer through racing...don't need all of it back...but some would be good.

Mural

Finished the Eubie mural in the weight room.

Next step is the rec office, than before too long the gym wall, right next to the old mascot.

Sweet! Biked about 19 miles today. Foot is good to go on the cycle. Will ramp up my workouts.


Should have some pretty good hours this week.

I want a vacation.

Subcontracting

Got some new jobs coming up through some networking over the summer. Should be experiencing new things shortly.

Consensus through a physical therapist is 4 more weeks before attempting to run.
My consensus: 3

Holidays are terrible, why are we only appreciating things several days out of the year?

It's possible to recognize the differences between the days, if you try real hard.

Ran into a guy at UB two days ago who has done a 10 mile swim race. That's about 7 or 8 hours.

What!? New goal, hit the 4.4 mi swimming base race.

The Darkness is coming

Beautiful day out. Biked around, acquired some text, and got a swim in.
I feel like I should have gone to the Half, but that's in the past, probably better for my foot.

Loving this cold weather. I need more calcium...

Sacrifice

Not attending the Washington Half. This stress fracture is killing me.

Some other reasons I stuck around town this weekend...not quite sure what they are though.

Thoroughly disappointing and annoying. Totally confusing and befuddling.

I am going to kill my roommates cat, why is it making god awful noises?

Stress Fracture

Got a metatarsal stress fracture wed night on a run. Out for at least 4 weeks.

Will attempt the swim and bike legs on my half iron next weekend, bib is non transferable/non refundable, gotta get some of my monies worth.

Richmond marathon is pretty much out of the picture.

Real setback, extreme disappointment. Will come back as a stronger swimmer and cyclist, ready to dominate 2011 season. Planning to try pe chang jan 16 marathon instead. We'll see.

Detour Dave

Ran with Back on My Feet this morning, afterward they handed out "awards" for the running festival.

I got one that has "Detour Dave", due to my wrong turn in the 5k, nice.

Hitting up some Pennsylvania action soon, heading up for some training and family time.

I have had some ideas instilled recently in regards to race organization and business (major...)...think I'll move forward with those.

Still behind on my bike legs, but my patellar ligament problem seems to be healing, so I should get one or two long rides in before the half.

Running festival.

Got in 50 miles since Wednesday on the bike, good deal with the ligament problem.

Have been driving out to Pretty Boy for the bikes, cut out the 5 to ten miles of city traffic to muddle through.

Surprisingly enough, I also managed to get my swims in as well as my running. Someone is giving me a free bib for the running festival 5k. Lots of Back on My Feet people are doing the half and full marathons tomorrow, I need to run 24 total so, 3.2 will be the start. Should be able to do 5:40 splits, but lots of elite runners will be there so....

Things are relatively hopeful, injury is healing, moving forward with the training schedule for half iron and richmond. Still looking at that 3:10 finish.... 

Then there was...

It's pretty much like manifesting destiny and getting fucked at the same time.

Several experiences have occurred recently that are driving home the strange nature of our existence. Terrible things joined with huge victories of the human spirit. I guess it's par for course.

You often begin to wonder if you have some "control" over the things that you don't control. Will?

So, recovering from a patellar ligament problem gives rise to these things. Taking it easy, swimming some more...
replacing carpets...

Should be able to do 60 on Wednesday.

Short run, proportions...

Ran about 13 this morning with back on my feet. splits still aren't low enough to run a boston qualifier in richmond. At 7:45...still need 20 sec off each mile and the intensity to hold it for every.single.mile.

Next Saturday will be 23 miles, it will be great.

I also noticed that this week my proportions are all messed up. I knew it would be a low mileage bike week. It broke down like this 40% swim/ 80% run / 20% bike....140%....that's right.

Assimilating all the results I receive, those who are the strongest cyclists win the race. Thus, I have to ride more this week. Too much machinery in my opinion, but it has it's moments (like the ones when you go blazing down a hill at 48.7 mph)....

New Skill = Patina.

Tuesday, I learned how to patina bronze. This is done by heating the bronze with a torch and applying a solution with acids. Their can be various "colors" or tints applied with different chemicals such as sulfate (green) or ferric nitrate (orange).

These patinas often accentuate their colors through the oxidation process, but can be made to look "aged" from their initial patina. The discipline of patina takes a tuned technical touch, and can take a lifetime to master.

Rain and train

Was out in the rain on Thursday for about 4 hours. Biked 50 and a good pace, average speed was up from last time. Got back, changed, and ran about 7. Good brick workout.

I've been going out falls to greenspring valley then greenspring ave through the farm country to butler road. It's a sweet route, but it definitely gets tight on falls. Thinking of trying some new routes, Butler is less populated and gorgeous. Might start driving out somewhere for a start position.

Ran 18 yesterday at approx 7:45 splits. Feeling like I am getting faster, but Boston Qualifier is 3:10 for my age group. That's 7:25 splits for my first marathon...hmmm...we will see.

Definitely hungry for more intensity, working hard on my running technique. This week should be a big swim week, will cut the rides and up the intensity. Long run next Sat will be about 23 miles. Then comes the taper.

What's that? Oh yeah...me.

Met my goals. Pumped. I got either 4th or 5th overall (which is actually frustrating, less than a minute from 3rd overall...transition times are killer!). First age!

Awesome, my dad competed also. Must have been the Newtons on the run, passed two people. Had to fight during the bike but distanced from those on my tail. Only one passed me on the bike, probably his equipment. That's the sad part, you can be equally fit but the guy with a better bike can slip by. Guess I'll work on getting that 5 grand for a better bike...hah.

The race venue was a little funky, said hi to Shawn Loper. Open water gunpowder state park swim. Bike was a little tight with some yard sales in a local neighborhood (somebody got hit). No medals, insulated water bottles with embedded tags (with race and age place). Probably won't go back next year, not really worth it overall.

Now I can focus for the Washington NC half iron, get more speed and sustainable intensity.

Hammerman

Hammerman is tomorrow. Shawn Loper is the organizer, he took 5th in Savageman 30.0.

My dad and I will be competing in this race, I have a few goals. Trying to place in top ten, 2nd age and keep my splits as close to 6 min as I can for the run. With the help of my Newtons (I got them this week), I think I can meet that run goal. The others will depend upon who shows up, probably quite a turn out.

Long week, but good. Registered for Richmond marathon and Washington NC half iron. Will have some time to focus on speed training in prep for both these races.

Savageman 30.0

Savageman 30.0 was amazing! Garrett County is gorgeous!

Awesome time yesterday. Met this guy in the chute for the swim before the start. He is 21, started doing Ironman's when he was 19! I'm behind, gotta catch up. That being what it is, I beat him yesterday by about 10 minutes.

My time was 2.25, 4 minutes behind numbers 1 and 2 in my age group. I got 3rd in the age group, not too bad, wasn't expecting to place because of the large crowd (several hundred). Number 1 overall was 2 hrs 1 min.

Heading back next year for the 70.0, gotta get a brick in the westernport wall. This triathlon was the coolest one I've been to yet, got a matted illustration instead of a medal, nice. The guy who does the illustrations for the clothing and awards wrote a book called Trizophrenia: inside the minds of triathletes and completed the 30.0 yesterday, he is doing the 70.0 today (making him a "true savage" of 100.00).

Sweet, I'm going to recruit people to race with me next year....

The cycling...

Overcame some fatigue by taking an extra day of rest yesterday. Did a swim today, working on speed.
Savage man 30.0 tomorrow, feeling good. My cycling schedule has been sacrificed frequently recently, need to get in two big rides and a tempo workout each week, have mostly just been getting in the big rides....

Marathon miles need to be in to, pretty close. Looks like I'm leaning towards Philadelphia, if I did Baltimore I would have a poor PR. Looking to get in under 4 hours, hopefully 3 and 1/2 if I can hammer it out, it will be a challenge. Those Newton shoes are going to be killer, can't wait.

Great weather out, looking forward to racing with my dad at Hammerman on the 25th, maybe head to the reservoir after for a training ride. Will have to get a better bike next year if I plan to shave time off the bike leg, entry level just doesn't cut it against those elitists.  

Die grinding...

The repetitive task, altering consciousness and requiring an enduring mind with a ebb and flow of focus. Composing before acting, what is the relevance? Can we actuate the full body of ourselves?

Did a brick workout today, run then swim. Getting those Newtons soon, today actually. Should help my legs. I tried talking to them, being stern, being gentle...seems they are quite stoic.

Closer to the marathon, focused on savageman, should have signed up for the 70.0, maybe next year.
 Briarman half lite 50...probably do that as my last tri of the season. Half-irons coming up in the spring.

Die grinding...

late.

Ran 20 miles Sat. Took me some time. Ran into another guy with Newtons, loving it. Ordering some myself today hopefully. Biked 37 on Sunday in the rain, nice weather. The hills on Falls road don't compare to upcoming savageman western MD territory, but it's still got some nice climbs. Gearing up for the race, missed the run this morning due to a sore knee, got in some strength training instead.

More and more...

Ran 9 miles last night, felt decent. Still unsure if I can compete in Baltimore marathon or need to wait for Novembers Philadelphia marathon. Got a swim in, other than that spent today spinning away on academic endeavors...seems irrelevant, but History is good.

Note to reader: I don't think in my entire last year I used the word "I" once in a paper. Narrative essays are tough, talking about yourself is hard, I feel totally pretentious to say the least. It has been a good experience thus far however.

Gorgeous day, fall is on the way. Gathering as many rays of sun I can before the dark, depressing, ever intense winter comes crashing down on us.

Milage and beauty

Logged 13 miles on the run this morning, 11 with Back on my Feet. Not much pain, less than I was expecting with my track record. Getting closer to hitting up Baltimore marathon, might do Philadelphia in Nov instead.

In other news, went to Pretty Boy with some friends who had never been. Gorgeous day for it, couldn't have been better. Got in a brief swim after the several mile hike. Hoping this weather stays cool for Savageman next weekend. Need to work on my bike leg heavily this week, lots of suffering ahead.

Need new running shoes to knock out this foot pain, Newtons. Talked to a guy who had injuries and problems for years (even after physical therapy, acupuncture, doctors, etc)...he got Newtons and is healed, nice. A world champion ironman (Not David Scott) wears Newtons.

Calf sleeves, shorts, watch, and rims are in the lineup too: shoes first.

Tri results

This past Saturday, I took 9th overall and 3rd in my age group. It is somewhat of a disappointment, two guys in my heat were just in front of me. I am motivated to make some training schedule changes and introduce some new methods to acquire more speed.

The journey towards Ironman continues, constantly riddled with challenges, near-injuries, and time constraints. I find that this path is not so much about me, but simply a series of observations and experiences made along the way (the true value of it all).

I am satisfied with my race numbers this summer, and have found the varied and diverse rewards related to being involved in the circuit are more than motivation. The people that I meet, and the places that I go are providing a sort of energized, magnetic allure that is irresistible.