A book

So I finally finished one of the three books I have been reading.

I flew through the first half of the book, then slowed down for the 3rd quarter and rallied for the finish. A good read overall especially for the athlete looking for the edge.

But it was a drop in the fish bowl I guess. Lately change has been happening all around and I have been re-evaluating things. I won't spoil any of the book as I think it should be a must read for everyone.

I have a shelf full of books that have made an impact on me. They range from 'The Fellowship of the Rings' to 'The Monkey wrench Gang' from 'A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' to 'Sea Biscuit' from the 'Tao Te Ching' to 'Me Talk Pretty One Day' and from 'The Fountainhead' to 'Silent Spring'.

I am lucky my parents taught me to read. According to them early I didn't enjoy reading. They asked my teacher for help and she recommended the Choose your own adventure type books. My earliest memories of reading recalls me devouring these books to find out what happens next. Then came 'The Chronicles of Narnia', 'The Fellowship of the Rings' and many others. I remember in Junior High reading 'The Clan of the Cave Bear' and my Jazz band teacher being dismayed I was reading such a book (both sexually and material wise). Since then my reading has lead me to new idea's, new worlds, new people, places and things. I have seen the ugly in man and the beauty in the world. I have see loss, treachery, love, honor, war and hope. In far of worlds, our own and inside the human soul.

All this without a remote, a Internet connection or a hit off a line. Open a book and open yourself.

Cheating

Big news in the Tour today... it was a rest day so you weren't expecting anything. Vino... Vinokourov... pre-race favorite, fallen warrior, reborn hero... a cheat. He tested positive for having someone elses blood in his system after his win at the time trial... WTF!

He wins the stage he knows he will be tested... He wins another stage and has the audacity to throw his fist in triumph. Give me a break.

I don't get it? How can you look at yourself in the mirror? How could you look your competitors in the eye? How could you talk to your friends and family, those that support you and not die inside. That kid who bought his jersey what is he thinking now. As a parent how do you tell you son that his hero... cheated.

Of course there is a double standard here. All my co-workers will watch ESPN tonight and here the story and bring it up tomorrow. Then go on talking about American Football and Baseball... like those sports aren't dirty. Just laws protect the players here. They are just as dirty I can't believe Barry Bonds is still swinging a bat.

The sad thing is the message it sends. Win... win at all costs. The ends justify the means. They say sports reflect the society and in this I can believe it. What other aspects of our world is that the mantra... win... win at all costs. The sad truth is all aspects.

But I am an optimist. I do believe it is the minority. That most men and women are good, don't cheat and in sports (and all things held in high standards in their life) they do follow the rules and want the honest competition. To compete, win or lose, fairly and feel good about themselves.

Look in the mirror and I hope you like what you see.

Yesterday was the Boulder Peak triathlon. I had an ok race it's just hard when people ask how I did to express what how it went. They see a 2nd overall in the age group race and think great. They don't understand the 314 average watts was way below the 360 I was hoping to hold. The don't understand the 6:12 mile pace is slow for a 1/2 marathon... and this was less than half that distance.

So I say I had a good race and try to leave it at that.

Sanctuary

I have been house and dog sitting for my parents for over a week and a half now, I just have 3 more days and I am done. But "I am done"! Naturally I will finish it out, but I just can't handle being away from my place, my sanctuary, for this long. I'm not sleeping (or eating) well there, in quality and in how I feel when I wake up. I have tried a number of beds there but none agree with me. It's the little things too... they all add up.

It's worse as I get older I think, years ago I didn't mind. Of course years ago I would get drunk every night blasting the stereo and shooting pool. Now it's get comfortable in the sun room with my book and relax after training. But now as I am getting set in my ways deviations annoy me. Which is interesting as I more flexible in other things lately.

But this combined with everything else has me all out of center, moody and despondent. This weekend I go home and have a race in Boulder so hopefully everything gets back to normal again.

Women...

Women... lately nothing but pain. Not all just mainly two... twins. I know what you are thinking... 'twins... yeah boy!' Not so fast. Their names Helga and Gerta. That should warn you off... but no I like the pain. Kind of. It was a good relationship until tonight... then things got ugly. Long work week, tough training and a lot to work through left me a tired mess. But come Friday night and it's time to see the girls.

I was sore, tired and man was my back sore from all the stress. A simple massage and then the girls came out... ok enough of the teasing. My massage therapist, the reason I can train the way I do, named her elbows. Meet Helga and Gerta... 'The Girls'

There I was totally defenseless lying on the table and they showed up. My back, which usually isn't a problem area for me, was a mass of twitchy fibers, trigger point and just painful points. Did they care... no! They have one mission... to get my muscles loose. I love them and fear them. There were points where it hurt so bad all I could do was laugh. That is when Carrie, therapist extraordinaire, knew I was hurting. She didn't stop mind you but she probably took it a little easier.

So now women= evil.

Until the next massage and then I will love Helga and Gerta until it's over. Then once out out their reach I will curse them. ;-)

Soooooo slooooooow

So I am house sitting and the computer here is an old 533 with 128MB RAM... on dial-up. I think my watch has more power than this thing.

I am dying just trying to connect to the minimalist sites I can think of...

Budget

So the budget was due today (well actually 8 a.m. tomorrow morning). The mental energy of the last two days was draining. It really affected my training, but that is life. I guess if I didn't want that I would find a different job or turn pro ;-)'

But I like my job, the people, the different tasks. It's a good place to learn about myslef and grow.

Crash... not what happened in the Tour today (well maybe) but I was thinking about the movie toaday. How everyone is connected and my actions today may affect others, or myself later. Then there was a crash today in the Tour. A wheel touch by someone you can't even see and your race is over, or you breeze right by the pile up happening around you and escape untouched.

Double isn't always Double

Today's workout was a 4 hour ride. The first two hours were great. Flying along, feeling great, moving at a good clip. Then the turn around happened and things changed. Not just the headwind and the rain. Just the accumulation of effort... it's exponential... or at least not linear.

My hamstring started hurting, the energy fell off (mainly mental!), it wasn't just double the distance coming back it was a new realm. Yes I have been here before and know all this it's just reliving it or experiencing it again makes me ponder. And therefore end up here.

The relativity of duration (or whatever unit of measure) for something... at some point becomes more as it increases. A comforting thought.

Of course a spasming lower back didn't help.

Sunburns and Strawberry Shakes

So today was swimming then a long run with some 30 minute steady states. Ouch! I was hot out there today and I maybe not have had adequate sun protection (read as I went shirtless with just sunscreen on my face and head). So we are a little burned, not smart. But it was a good run so that counts for something right?

And I went and got a strawberry shake at the Drive-In... Yummmmmm

Power and Nerves

So Monday my coach had me doing a 1.5 hour bike ride with 7 X 3 minute Power Intervals. Basically as hard as I can go for 3 minutes with 3 minutes recovery in between. Well I had a small breakfast and a small lunch at work but didn't think anything of it. I like doing Intervals on my trainer since I don't have to worry about anything and I can just concentrate on throwing down the power. So I start off and numbers 1 and 2 go fine... 3 no problem... 4 towards the end got really tough. I sit up for my rest part and and get a little dizzy... 'Huh... that's odd'. I don't dwell on it too much and soon enough number 5 is here... and it's ugly. About half way through I was cooked. I struggle through the 3 minutes and realize how little I had eaten. I know there isn't too much I can do for the last two and I just struggle through them watching my power drop rapidly through each interval. I get done down load the file and am dismayed. 'Move on' I tell myself.

So today I have the same thing on the schedule (I have a lot of Power Intervals in the next two weeks... I think Nick is telling me something!). I had a big breakfast, a good lunch, had my Power Bar Endurance and Gel ready to go! I was going to OWN this set. I haven't been worried or nervous before my races lately but this workout was getting me all worked up! I warm up and think 'Conservative... start smart and finish strong'. Naturally being who I am, here I am done with the workout... all 7 intervals were withing 3.3 watts of each other and I am worried I was too conservative. :-) I am sure Nick will let me know. But it was fun to look forward to a workout like that.

Ohhh look there it is again next Wednesday. :-)

Balance

I was wondering what I was going to say today (not that I feel I have to post everyday... ok... I am competitive and feel I have to post everyday... back off!) when I realized just post what you are thinking. Today was all about balance for me. Training, work, social, personal and relaxation. As a triathlete, and maybe especially as an Ironman one, life is a full plate. Or actually it's like everyone else it's as full as you want to make it, I just choose different entrees?

I am a budget analyst for the Water System Maintenance Department at our utilities... hey wake up! It's not that boring is it? Any way as I was saying. I do the budget for my department... first budget submittal is Wednesday the 11th... a lot is going on in work between then and now. What else in this time frame? I have a house/dog sitting responsibility. A friend is having a birthday dinner. I have my personal things to take care of (laundry, shopping, cleaning). I am behind on my book reading. I have a ton of training to do. This is normal right?

Balance... it will all work out. Why... this is life. It's fun, fast and furious... was going to say fabulous but didn't feel right. But it is... life is fabulous. You just have to live it that's all.

Now excuse me I have a movie to watch, dishes to do, emails to check and some meditation.

Newbie

So I had a MySpace account but I got tired of all the crap. Then I saw Renee's blog and thought 'That's cool' so here I am making my own. I am sure it will take a while to get the hang of everything. Plus between working, eating, sleeping and training... I don't have a lot of extra energy.

So the 4th was a good day. Went to a BBQ in Manitou, then a group of us went to the Velodrome to watch some track racing. I have lived here since I was 6 and never been there. A shame as it was fun to watch. Poor Renee had to keep answering all my questions. :-)