Baltimore Marathon Race Report

As I begin this report I am pleased to announce that I met my goal-finish.
2nd Goal-Have fun.  I cheered the spectators on, high-fived all the kids who had come out of their row homes to see these crazy people running and I ate as much as I could.  I also gave the 'Maopalski' fist pump to as many people as I saw! :)
I was admittedly worried in the day leading up to this race, but I have an awesome group of friends who are also runners who had nothing but encouraging things to say to me the week before.
I arrived at the expo on Friday and after picking up 4 Hammer gels and 2 gu gels I went to get my bib.
The atmosphere was very exciting.  It seemed that every vendor was selling the same stuff just in a different spot. My sister and I went back to her house where Brendan had prepared a nice salad a monster steak and a baked potato.  Through my study of the paleo diet and how my body responds to the challenge of endurance sports I have found that loading up on lean protein the might before a race works best for me.
I looked over the elevation map for the race and put together a rough nutrition plan for the race.  As a bigger guy this is a pretty important aspect.  My smaller friends can eat less and perform well.  I like to think of them as compact cars that are very efficient-I on the other hand, am a Humvee.  If I do not refill the tank every couple of mile things don't work out.
Before I went to bed I finished up the last of my inspirational reading-Dean Karnazes-Ultramarathon Man.  The last story in the book is about how he ran 200 miles straight-kind of puts things in perspective.  That night I slept like a log.
The next morning I got up  and ate a bagel with almond butter and a cup of coffee.  We arrived at the race village around 7:15 I made a quick pit stop, confirmed with my sister where they would be so i could look for them along the way and got myself lined up.
The race starts on the side of Camden Yards where the Baltimore Orioles play.  I got into line and struck up a conversation with some of the guys around me.  Being my first marathon they were excited for me and gave me a couple of pointers.  The best one was-take it easy in the beginning.
They played the national anthem and as is customary in Baltimore when they get to the lyric 'O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave.' the whole crowd roared 'O.' It's an Oriole thing.  The gun when off, the confetti flew and we were off.
The first three mile is a 250 foot climb.  It is really not a big deal with where I train.  I took it easy running at about a 11 min pace the whole way up.  One side note-as I was driving through Wiles-Barre on Friday on my way to Baltimore I realized I had left my Garmin GPS unit at home.  I train with it all the time so running without it was going to be different.
Around the mile 1 there was this scraggly old guy guy yelling "Go Runners" over and over again.  I found it funny.  By the time I reached mile three I had fallen in with a couple of people that were talking runners.  I get pretty bored running for so long so it is nice to be able to talk so someone along the way.  Plus it make it more fun.  They were Debbie from Westchester, NY and Sean from Virginia.  We had some good laughs but i had to make a pit stop at mile 5 and lost them to the pace.
After my pit stop we ran through the beautiful John Hopkins campus and Druid Hill Park.  This was also where we picked up the first relay exchange.
It was downhill to Federal Hill after that.  I grabbed some skittles at Mile 7 and kept booking along.  I met a guy who was about 6'7".  I made some comment about his height and he laughed.  We got to talking about how his Dad had died ten years ago to the day.  He was kind of commemorating his life with the run.  He had been a marine at Iwo Jima and a Baltimore City School Principal.  They were very close.  As our conversation we parted ways with me pulling ahead.
Entering Federal Hill there was a huge cheering section and some girls with Swedish fish so I decided to get some of them too.  Running while trying to chew Swedish fish is harder than you think.  I spent the next mile trying to get them out of my teeth and wash them down.  Federal Hill is also home to the Under Armor factory who was the primary sponsor of the race.  This was mile 12 and they were handing out power gels.  After this a girl ran by me who had a very springy stride.  we got talking and someone overheard me saying I was for North East Pennsylvania.  We all got into a conversation about Lake Wallenpaupack and the town of Hawley.  This was pretty unusual because where I live is pretty obscure.  It was during this conversation that I also came across an ipod on the ground.  I picked it up and later returned it to the lost and found after the race.
At the half Marathon point I found myself running alone again and it stayed this way for a good time.  we ran by the Inner Harbor and the Aquarium then to Fells Point.  This was were my sister was going to be meeting me.  At about mile 15 I spotted her.  She had bought me a shot of espresso and filled one of my other water bottles with HEED.  I took my shot, ate a banana and I was off again.  By mile 16 I was still feeling great.  This was pretty significant because this race would mark only the third time I had run farther than 16 miles.
I kept my pace up, passing through another realy nice park section and into what I knew would be the most challenging part of the course.  It is at mile 16 that some pretty big hills come into play.  I was so excited to the way body was feeling.  I was getting tired, but i knew it was nothing I could not work through.  as I neared mile 18 I caught up with my friends Debbie and Sean.  After the first big hill Sean dropped off and Debbie and I pushed each other up the following hills, making conversation as we went. 
When we came to the mile 20 marker things started to go south.  My body and legs started to just shut down.  At mile 21 someone was handing out candy and I was so beat I couldn't even open a twizzler wrapper.  I kep pushing on hoping I would make it past, but the more I pushed the worse it got.  My quads began to cramp so bad that I almost fell over.  I stopped at a lamp post and stretched things out and it got better then worse again.  This is how the next 4 miles went.  It was the longest 10k of my life.
Finally as the hill crested at Mile 25 my body got a second wind.  I don;t know what happened but my muscles stopped cramping and I was able to keep a pretty steady pace.  What is great about this course is the last mile is all downhill.
I was going of sheer will at this point.  My body and mind were completely spent.  As I cam running in my thoughts drifted to Renee and Liam who were not able to be there.  I was missing them badly.  The crowd got thicker on either side of me.
The last 500 yards of the race goes through the brick path of Camden Yards.  As cool as this is, it is also kind of anticlimactic because no spectators are allowed in this area, so you have about 100yds of just you and the brick.  As I broke into the final stretch I could see the finish line.  In my mind I heard Liam saying 'Go Daddy Go!'  My Sister and Brendan were there cheering and as I came in I thanked God for giving me the ability to do this.
My official time was 4:39 (that's hours boys and girls)
I received my medal, solar blanket and stood in line for a dry bagel and some granola bars.  I asked  half marathoner who had already finished if he would help me to the ground.  I was afraid of what would happen if I tried to do it myself.
After I met up with Emily and Brendan we went to Fells Point and got some pizza.  Consequently enough I met up with my Federal Hill crew there.  Who knows, maybe I will see them while they are on vacation this winter at Lake Wallenpaupack!
I left this racing feeling very happy with how I did.  I wanted to cap off the most active year of my life with a marathon.  I also know that I can do it faster.  Going in I said I would not be doing another marathon next year...I lied.  I want to do it again with a faster time goal, because i know I can.  I look forward to the challenges to come.

Thanks for reading and for all your support!

Sebagoman Race Report

I spent Friday counting down the minutes till I left for the race.  At 4pm I wrapped up my last appointment, ran home for my bag/bike which were packed and I got on the road.  I made a quick stop at Action Bikes and Outdoor in Matamoras, PA for some Hammer Gels and arrived at the hotel in Chester, NY at about 7pm.  My first dinner was a disappointment so I ventured out and found an awesome Shop Rite.  I took a chance and bought some Sushi-Salmon Avocado Rolls which were awesome.  I also bought my breakfast for the next day.  My cheering section (My sister Emily and her boyfriend Brendan) was not going to arrive till 11:30 so I decided to hit the sack.  I was exhausted but I laid in bed wide awake.  No matter what I tried to do I could not fall asleep.  Emily and B rolled in at about 12:00 and I am pretty sure they were both asleep before I was.  I decided to work through my race plan to try and put my mind at ease.  It must have worked because the next thing that happened was the alarm going off at 4:15am.  I ate my breakfast of a Wheat bagel with Almond butter and fresh strawberrys and blueberries and got on the road.


Spent the 30 minutes drive spending time praying and reflecting a lot the awesomeness of God.  He gifted the word with an incredible sunrise that morning, rich red just brned through the early morning sky.
I arrived at the check-in and heard the Race Director talking to somebody else.  I knew that the cap on the race was 400 but I heard them briefly chatting about how there was only 120 people signed up for the race.  At this I suddenly felt a little hope.

The Sebagoman Olympic Triathlon is a .9 mile swim to a 21 mile bike to a 6.2 mile run.  To be honest I did not have many expectations going into this race.  My biggest goal was just to finish-and beat that big 3 mile ascent at mile 6.  But other than that I had no hopes of placing or anything like that.  I had originally signed up as a Clydesdale (it's the Division for guys over 200 lbs) because at the time I thought I might be able to place.  But at the months have passed I have not had the time to train as much as I would have liked.  But with the word of the smaller field I got my hopes up of possible top 3 in the division.  I found myself sizing up every guy setting up the transition area to see who my competition would be.  You can never really tell though.  I went back to just getting focused and ready for the race ahead.

It was decided because of the small amount of people there that we would all go off in one big wave-"like on big happy family."  I took and Espresso Hammer Gel and headed down to the beach.  I lined myself up on the outside of the pack.  The plan was to let the group thin out a little then I would move in closer to the buoys.  I donned my cap and goggles, said one last prayer and waited for the horn.  When the blast went off I was very surprised at how relaxed I was.  I just started chugging along like I usually do.  I did not even try to site the buoys because they were white...and so was everyone's swim cap.  So I watched where everyone else was going.  Unfortunately I got caught up in a group that decided to swim away from the buoys.  When I went to site a buoy I found I was way off course and quickly started moving back toward the main pack (or pod) of swimmers.  I got pushed and bumped a few times, even tried to draft one guy for a little while until I realized that he was going too slow.  This swim also wins the award for most scenic.  Usually water is murky from being churned up by swimmers.  But you could see all the underwater landscape because it was only 7 feet deep at it's deepest point.  By the second lap around the triangle I found I was not at the back, nor was I in the front.  It was nice to know that even though i have not spent much time in the water my swim was turning out really great.

I made it out and ran into Transition 1 feeling really good.  I put on my shoes (I still use toe straps) took a Hammer Endurolyte, through my gel flask in my back trisuit pocket and started the ride.

One thing I knew I had to watch out for was cramping.  In my first tri (Got the Nerve-Sprint) my calves cramped up in a wicked way after I got off my bike.  So I had been training with Hammer HEED (see a trend here?)  I packed two bottles full of Melon Flavor and had added a little extra to keep my muscles from getting over fatigued.  The big hill I had fretted about so much was pretty big, but the time was passed when I started riding with this guy who was going about the same speed.  We chatted for a good way up the hill.  My plan for this hill was to take it easy because it was still early in the race and there was still a long way to go.  The roads on the first half of the ride were absolutely abysmal.  I felt like was going to blow a tire from all the potholes.  The second half was brand new backtop so that made up for it.  The scenery was gorgeous and passed a few hardcore runners who cheered me on as I went.  at about mile 19 there was this large group of people lining both sides of the road.  They were all cheering as if I were some kind of elite.  I think they were waiting for a bus or something.  Either way it was just the boost I needed to get through the last miles of the bike.

I jumped into Transition 2 grabbed my hand held water bottle also filled with HEED (lent to me by UltraRunner Chris Freet) took my second Enduralyte and got going.

I was definitely fatigued but felt good.  The run was a moderately challenging course that was rolling hills.  It was okay because it was nothing I had not trained on in the past couple of months.  a half mile into the run the lead guys came flying around the corner and gave me a big high-five and an encouraging word.  One thing that I experienced in this race was how much all the athletes encouraged each other during the race.  As we all passed each other on the 6.2 mile out and back there was almost always a high-five or an encouraging word.  At 2.5 miles I heard someone come up behind me, a small little woman, I politely asked if she would be willing to carry me up the next hill.  This emitted a bit of a laugh and a little more encouragement.  By mile 3 I was out of HEED and felt my body starting to get dehydrated.  Not only was I parched but my muscles were starting to cramp up, especially my quads.  There were also hotspots forming on the arches of both my feet.  I had opted not to wear socks because I felt I would be able to bear it during such a 'short' race.  Plus I did not want to waste the time in the transitions.  As I came down the final stretch I heard my sister yell "Go Ken, you are going to make it in under 3 hours!!"  I dug deep into everything I had and crossed the finish line.  I grabbed a water, vitamin water and a handful of ice which I proceeded to drop into my trisuit.  I was exhausted but stoked it was accomplished.

I enjoyed 4 fig newtons, 1 banana, 1 Vitamin water, and a slice of Sausage Pizza to wrap up the race.  I did not even think to check my time or standing until I went back for some more water and saw people standing around the preliminary printout results.  As I followed the column down I saw that I was the #2 Clydesdale.   I guarded my heart in case it was some kind of mistake.  As they got to the last of the awards they called my name for second place.  I was blown away!  I have never won anything in the way of an athletic trophy (barring the 'Most Improved' Cross Country trophy in 8th grade)  It was like all the training had been validated!

My official splits are a follows:
Swim 33:19  (2:06/100yd pace)
T1 1:06
Bike 1:23:09 (15.2 mph pace)
T2  0:29 (4th fastest T2 time)
Run 59:13 (9:33 pace)
Final 2:57:16
Placed 61 out of 100 overall

One thing about this race is I just had a lot of fun with it.  I found myself just enjoying what I was doing despite the great amount of pain-especially at the end.  I am looking forward to recovering from this race and getting busy with the business of the next race-the Baltimore Marathon on October 16.  Keep me in your prayers!!

Slaying the Dragons

I have an active imagination.  My youth was marked by pictures of G.I. Joes, Super Heroes, Robin Hood, Knights, Castles, and Dragons.  I used to (still do) draw pictures of dragons.  The mythical beasts always seemed to just engross my mind.  I recently read a series of fantasy books that helped those thoughts along.  The Eragon Series were a boy becomes a dragon rider.  Books like those are food for the kid in me.
During the long hours of training you have a lot to think about.  I can only think about my pace, time, nutrition, , so much before I begin to think about something else.  I think also when I am experiencing intense amount of pain I look for some kind of out.  Something to take my mind off the pain.
My next two races are hilly.  A few weeks ago I took sometime to go out and drive the course for my next race.  As I drove it I realized that the elevation charts did it no justice at all.  A sick feeling started to form in my stomach as I drove in my car up some of these hills.  Renee turned to me and said "This is fun...right?"  Here is the elevation chart for the the Sebagoman ride: MapMyRide - Sebagoman in Stony Point, NY 
I went home from that little day trip saying...I need to work my hills.  Now working hills where I live is not difficult.  I live in the Northern Poconos and I really can't get on my bike without expecting at least one big hill.  It is worth mentioning that the run course is mostly downhill on the way out and uphill on the way back.
Hill training is tricky.  I am still new at this so I am not really sure the 'right' way of doing it.  In my mind I just push as hard as I can till I get to the top of the hill, then do it again for the next one.

Enter the dragons.

As I was charging up what we call Jadwin hill I began to see these hills as dragons.  When I stand at the bottom of a hill I stare at something that wants to defeat me.  I am not one for giving up or being defeated.  These giants want to conquer me, but I will not be conquered.  My imagination gripped me as I began training these hills.  Call me a nerd-but no longer was I a 225 guy running up a hill.  I became a fearless warrior facing down a dragon that only sought to devour me.  Things like this only enable my unwillingness to give in to pain.  Step by step was another step toward victory and getting to the top of the hill meant I won.

We cannot be defeated by our dragons.  Whether in life or in a race.  We need to face them, fight them, and slay them.  If we allow ourselves to be conquered we only set ourselves up for another defeat.
So slay your dragons fearless warriors

Family Matters

I have a family.  In fact, as I begin to write this post my 20-month old son Liam is practicing his climbing techniques on anything that has steps, rungs, or hand holds.  My wife is at work and she is pregnant with our second child due in November.  I love the wonderful benefits that come along with having a family.  Watching Liam grow is always an adventure as he explores and discovers what works and what doesn't-what is right and what is wrong.
I can also safely say I am an endurance athlete and I try to train like one.  As many people who train with families at home know there is a mighty word that rings like a bell in the night.  A word so important the repercussions are epic (okay, that may have been dramatic) the word is- Balance.
Balance is something that is so hard to find when the world spins about you like a tilt-a-whirl careening out of control at a carnival.  Trying to find time to spend time with the family, get all my work done, and train to the level that will allow me not just to finish but perform at a satisfactory level.
Many of my endurance brethren would agree that many times being able to rain means getting up a redonkulous hours of the morning when those single athletes are still nestled in their cozy little beds getting their 8 hours of sleep dreaming about the awesome workout they plan on having when they are fully awake.
I am not complaining, no, we family supporting endurance athletes, we actually consider ourselves a finer breed of warrior.  We live on 6 hours of sleep (if we are lucky) we move while the world sleeps.  Coffee, Ensure, and Gels are the staples in our diet because without them we would never get moving.  We wear our families as a badge of honor.  Not only are we able to train for races that defy the limitations of the human body but we are champions for our families as well.
I am not going to say it is not difficult, because it is.  Sometimes we have to make sacrifices somewhere.  More often that not I choose to sacrifice training.
When my life ends, I want there to be three truths about me: 1. My life reflected a love for God 2. I was an awesome Husband(see #1) 3. I was a great Dad (see #1).  All the physical accomplishments in the world cannot hold a candle to those 3 truths. 
I'll continue to train and race because they have become a fun motivational factor in my life.  But my greatest reward is coming through the door after a heart wrenching workout and seeing my little guy come running in with a smile on his face because he is happy to see his daddy.

GTN Triathlon Race Report Part 2

This is a continuation of my race report and is the actual report of the race.

After I got my race packet and number marking I took my bike and the rest of my stuff into the transition area.  The transition area can be a little intimidating.  Everyone is setting up all their stuff and everyone has a different system.  Everything I had read told me to do my own thing and not pay attention to anyone else.  This was easy because my way was the best way anyway.
After I got my transition area set up I put on my shoes and went for a little run to warm-up, stretched and then spent a little more time with Renee, Liam, and Erin before it was time for the competitors to enter the transition area to get ready for the race start. (My Transition area is on the left in the picture to the right)
Looking around I felt like i was standing amidst a pod of seals.  Most everyone had a wetsuit except me and the woman standing next to me.  At that point the nervousness really started to set in.  I breathed deeply and started to shake myself out.  A volunteer was walking by and must have seen it in my eyes because she stopped, looked at me and said "You'll be fine"
We were herded much like cattle down to the beach and instructed that we had five minutes to warm up and get acclimated to the water.  I rushed in nervous that I might run into the same problem I have had with previous open water swims.  The water is so cold that it takes my breath away.  The water was a brisk 66 degrees.  This was not nearly as bad as the 55 I had been in Lake Wallenpaupack the week before.
I gathered with my wave and we entered the water.  This was it.  I kept repeating in my head one of the last things Renee had told me before the race-"Race your own race."
The gun went off and the 45 men in my wave took off.
I had heard about the kicking and hitting that usually goes on during the first moments of the swim taking off but you don't really understand it til you are in it.  Honestly, it's not that bad.  Everyone is just trying to go in the same direction at the same time.  The only trouble is you cannot really get into a rhythm.  By the time I was able to get my bearing straight I found myself at the back of the pack-this was mildly disheartening, but I kept plugging along.  After the first buoy I started to pass people.  I looked to the left and saw a couple guys from my wave doing the breast stroke, on my right a guy just floating on his back.  Rounding the second buoy I continued to pass other guys from my wave and make my way toward shore.  My mantra for the swim was "Race your race" (thank you sweetheart).  I emerged from the water winded but determined to continue on.  My whole body screamed "Just walk fast and catch your breath" but my heart refused to yield.
I came into the first transition heard Renee cheering for me and filming(video will come later).  T1 went very smooth except for the tongue of my right shoe going further down than I would have liked.  Once corrected I grabbed the bike and off I went.
The first part of the bike course was pretty rough but once we got out onto the main road things got a lot smoother.  As I got into my rhythm I found that I began to pass a bunch of people from the two waves ahead of me.  This was a huge confidence booster.  I played leap frog with a couple of people but for the most part once I passed someone they were gone.  at around mile 7 I ended up riding with a guy in a blue trisuit.  We chatted for a bit about the beautiful countryside then about the big hill coming up.  I asked him if he wanted to race, he said "Sure, loser buys the winner a drink" needless to say I never saw him again.  I still owe him a drink.
The big hill came and went and was pretty brutal.  I passed a couple people walking their bikes up.  My heart, again, would not let me do such a thing.  as I buzzed downhill at mile 10 a Honda Element passed me then made a right turn right in front of me! I did a little yell more because I was buzzing along at 23 mph and had to slam on my brakes.  It was very frustrating. 
The rest of the bike leg went very well.  I was very happy with my pace and by mile 14 felt I was really getting into my groove.  The words Imago Dei popped into my head.  This is a Latin phrase that means "Image of God."  I was pumped by this.  The idea that we are made in the image of the most powerful being in the universe can really get your psyche amped.  Coming into the last mile of the bike leg I felt unstoppable.

I found out quickly that just because you are made in the Image of God, does not mean you are God.  I parked my bike and took off for my run.  As I came out of the transition area I saw my cheering section with Liam holding a sign that said "Go Daddy!"  The push from my friends/family was just what I needed because right then I felt an excruciating pain start to course through my calf muscles.  With every step I felt as if my calves were going to freeze up right on the spot.  I said to myself, just keep running, they will loosen up....I hope.  After a mile they did, but not after all previous waves buzzed past me like I was standing still.  I got as second wind as I came around the 1.5 mile point.  I grabbed some water and dug in.
When I got off the rail trail and back onto pavement the adrenaline kicked in and I pushed with everything I had left to the finish line.
As I crossed the finish line I was overcome with this sense of relief, exhaustion, pride, and whatever else.  My mind did not really know what to do or think and so I defaulted to a bit of crying-not much, but those who know me know I am a cry baby.  I thanked God for the ability to compete and exercise and do all that I had just done.
At first I was not overly pleased with my time but this is what the final split was: (the split is a separation of the times)
Swim 10:06 Pace-2:03/100
T1 1:41
Bike 53:39  Pace 17.9mph
T2 :41
Run 25:54 Pace 8:21/mile
Final Time 1:32:01
Placed Overall 207/588 Age Group 24/45

I was definitely surprised at my run time as I usually train at around a 9+ pace and I thought my legs were going to give up on me.
After the race I went and enjoyed some fried food at a place called the Blue Bird Inn near Mt.Gretna with my cheering section.  Thankfully Liam slept in my arms through most of lunch (he was apparently a very tough to deal with during Daddy's race).  A big thank you to Renee, Liam, Emily, Brendan, and Erin for coming out to support me.

Renee asked if I would do this one again.  I think I will.  It was very well organized and very first timer friendly.  The bike course is mildly challenging and the run gives a great opportunity for a PR.  Next on the docket in the Sebagoman Olympic Triathlon on August 21.  Stay tuned for updates on my training and thought about the upcoming race.

Got the Nerve Report Part 1

This is the first of a series of reports on the Got the Nerve Triathlon held in Mt. Gretna, PA on May 22 2010.  It was my first triathlon so its a pretty cool deal.
This post is a prequel to the actual race itself.  We used a disposable camera and still have 12 pictures to burn as of the writing of this blog.  So pictures and video are coming soon.
Friday afternoon I shot out of work to lots of well wishes and re-explanations of what I was going to be doing the next morning, which is no problem because I love talking about it.

I got home laid out all my gear to make sure I had everything  For those who know me well I have swiss cheese for brains and I tend to forget things.  Once I got everything laid out I packed it up got everything into the car and took a 15 minute cat nap Renee and Liam got home.
As we headed down the road Liam was acting a little more fussy than usual.  Those with toddlers know that long car rides are not the most fun in the world.  Liam also has a screech which leaves his mouth and goes right into your spine.  It does not stop there but spreads itself out along you neck and shoulders.  This does not provide for a relaxing or enjoyable ride, but this would only serve as a precursor for the night to come.

We stopped in Wilkes -Barre at an Applebees for dinner.  I found to best looking pasta dish on the menu to store some carbs.  It was a Three Cheese Penne with Grilled Chicken.  It was not anything to write home about, but good enough to serve its purpose.  One interesting site we saw was this, a alrge dresser sticking out of the back of a sedan...it did not look very safe.
Our original plan was to stay with some family in Lancaster but due to a lack of beds we opted to stay in a hotel.  There were a couple of reasons for this, but the primary one was I needed/wanted a good nights sleep.  Second it was only about ten minutes from the race site.  We made a half-hearted effort the night before to find the race site site but to no avail. Turns out I turned around about 500 yards from the turn-off.
We got to the hotel around 7:30 which normally is Liam's bed-time.  We did our best to rock him, give him a snack, but by 9pm he still was not going down.  Renee and I were both losing steam and I really wanted to get some rest.  So I took liam for a walk on my shoulders through the hotel.  I thought he might be fading, but by 10pm he was still going.  I got the stroller and we did laps around the Hampton Inn.  I am sure I covered over a mile and it still did not seem like he was fading.  Finally at 11:15 he passed out-and so did we.
At 3am we were awoken abruptly by some yelling and arguing.  And it wasn't like it was down the hall, it was right outside our door.  The guys was going on and on about who knows what.  Finally I hear another voice of a older woman scream "Hey big-mouth, people are trying to sleep!"  I thought she handled it well because things quieted down after that.  I found out the next morning it was a drunken wedding just back from the reception and the State Police had almost been called.

My wake-up call came at 4:45 I got up went downstairs ate a bagel with Peanut butter, a banana and some coffee.  When I got back upstairs my family was still sleeping.  I got them up (reluctantly-he's so precious when he sleeps) and we got on the road.
The parking area was already filling up when we got to the race site.  I started to feel twinges of self-inflicted intimidation as I got the bike out and my gear set.  I picked up my race packet and got my body marked with my bib number 534 and my age on my right calf.  This number would prove very useful in my own observation during the bike leg which i will save for the next post.  Thanks for reading!

The Final Countdown

For your listening pleasure while you read this blog.
The Final Countdown
But here were are, 6 months in the training.  It is amazing to think how far I have come since November.  As I ws thinking the other day it really all started when i watched a "where are they now" episode of the Biggest Loser.  Two of the guys on there went on to do Ironman Triathlons.  Those are the bigs ones and take well over a year to train for-so we are starting small.
But in a little over a week I will be participating in my first Tri.  I am very stoked, excited, nervous and I know the next week will be filled with dreams about me missing the race or getting there late or something like that.  This always happens when I get close to some big event.  I am comforted by the fact that I will have an awesome cheering section.  So far it is up to 4.  Renee and Liam, my sister Emily, and a close family friend Erin.
My biggest worry is my bike to run transition.  I was disheartened by a brick workout I put myself through last week.  When I got off the bike my legs were spent and my pace was less than satisfactory.  So I have been battling in my mind the different possibilities and reasons for this.  My cardio is more than prepared for this race.  I can perform twice the distances required in all the disciplines without any great difficulty, is it just a matter of my body not being ready for it?
Or do I need to do something I have never thought to do, refuel nutritionally during the race? It is a short sprint and should take longer than 1:45 but do I need to intake some calories halfway through?  A problem with this is that I have not practiced refuleing during training, only pre-workout and post work-out.
There are ton of questions cruising through my mind right now and each one feels more confusing than the rest.  Just praying that I can do what I know for this one and look forward to the next.
Be praying for me this week, and know that I have more excitement than worry.  The worry just tends to be more vocal sometimes.
Peace.

New Supersuit

My new Trisuit came in the other day and I have been just itching to try it out.  I have also decided that I will no longer call it a trisuit but a super suit.  I think it will make me faster.  Up here in in North East Pa we have had some nice weather this past week.  In fact it has been so warm that we had to open up all the windows in the apartment and employ the use of fans.  This has also been encouragement for me to get out and do my first open water swim.
Everything I have read says "Do not wait till the day of your triathlon to swim in open water." This is a challenge for me because the water stay pretty cold till June around these parts.  Yesterday I found a straw and decided to suck it up and take the plunge.  The water I will be swimming in on my first race will be between 68 and 72 degrees.  I have opted not to go with a wetsuit despite the many benefits it offers (warmth, buoyancy,  and better hydrodynamics) mostly because I don't want to spend the 40 bucks on the rental or the 200-500 on one to keep.
I asked Chris to come watch me and make sure I didn't drown and went down to a small lake that is probably 250 yards across and never has any traffic on it because it is private. 

I donned my new super suit and my goggles and jumped in.  Now I have been in very cold water before.  3 years ago Chris and I went whitewater kayaking in March on the West branch of the lackwaxen.  We launched off a snow bank and saw numerous ice chunks as we paddled down the creek.  Unfortunately I caught and edge wrong and over I went-that was cold.  I can honestly say that yesterdays dip was nothing compared to that.
The only thing that made me uneasy was the very dark storm system just to our south.  As I jumped in I could hear the thunder. Made it about fifty yards out and was so distracted by possibly being electricuted that I turned around and came back.  A I came close to the dock I cam face to face with something underwater.  I still cannot tell you what it was, but I let out and audible yell into the water...yes I am a wimp-but I'll have you know there are some very large Bass that live in the lake, though this was not a Bass.
Very short lived and pretty disappointing swim, but I'll be jumping in again within the week-thanks for reading and all your support.

Banjos, Studios, and Springs

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post.  Partially because I don't want to bore people with the mundane of my training, also because my training has backed off a bit.  Work and vacation have been tyrannical though I have been able to find some time to sneak some training in.

A week and a half ago I went on a great ride with Jeff.  We went into northern Wayne County-which has it's hazards-rural, wildlife...banjos.  The route stays flat for about 5 miles then goes uphill for five miles, it's pretty awesome on the way down.  Anyway, I have had enough of riding in the cold and I am looking forward to warmer weather.  At the "end" of the ride I decided that 24 miles for the day was not enough so I decided to head up Ridge Street.  As I turned up Chapel Street to change gears, I felt my chain fall off.  I got of the bike and while trying to put the chain back on I saw that my small front cog was bent in half.  Fail.  I walked the bike the mile through town and back home all the while snacking on humble pie.
My other notable sessions were this past week in Florida.  I as down there for a conference for the Free Methodist Church.  On friday I did 4.5 miles with Chris through around the grounds of Universal Studios.  Did you know that they do all the work on the grounds at 4-6am-pretty remarkable.   The trails around the Hard Rock Hotel were winding yet scenic.

Then on Sunday my parents to us to Alexander Springs State Park.  This is an aerial shot of the beach area.  There was a really nice trail that I ran three times.  I am guessing from my time that it may have been shorter than the 1.8 the ranger said it was.  As I got halfway through my third loop I started to get a little tunnel vision and nausea sure sign the body wanted me to stop.  I guess i am not used to the humidity.  But I did get to experience what the water may feel like on race day.  The water from the spring was between 68-72 degrees-and honestly it was perfect.  I feel confident about my decision to forgo the wetsuit in my first tri.
I was also able to get a decent swim in at the Eustis public pool.  I only had to pay a dollar to use it-that's awesome considering Woodloch charges 12(I have not gone, nor will I for that price)
I ate like I was on vacation which is never good, but we will reengage in healthy eating this week.  I have 23 days to get this body tuned up for its first real endurance challenge...CHARGE!!!

Fat Guy in a Little Trisuit

I spent the past month debating whether or not to buy a trisuit or not.  After much debating I decided to and found the cheapest on I could find.  It is a very nice color.  Royal blue with a wide black stripe down the side.  Today I got it in the mail-then I tried it on-then decided to stop eating.  I would post pictures but I want you to read my blog again.  Nuf said.

Good Form Old Chap

Just about every single article on triathlon swimming begins by hemming and hawing about how all triathletes dread the swim, it is their most feared leg, they always do bad-and on and on and on.  I actually really enjoy swimming and have enjoyed my increased endurance in the sport.  As my last blog outlined the Carbondale YMCA pool has a current when they turn the water slide on.  This current proved to be a challenge my first day out but this last time I was ready.  My first 500 was current free, my second and third were a different story.  I heard the pool turn on and felt the increased resistance.
I could feel the water pushing against me while I struggled to gain ground amidst the continued fatigue of my muscles.  There is a series of articles by Triathlete Jim Vance called "Dance with the Water" in it he says:

"Ignoring the water is like trying to dance alone to a song meant for couples. Swimming is all about the interaction of the human body and water, so we must better understand the water and what it is telling us before we can better assess our own movements within the act of swimming."

This truth rang true in my mind as I pulled and struggled.  The article goes on to talk about proper form in a very absract kind of way which is right up my alley.  I worked very hard on improving the different parts of my stroke as well as my body movement.  There is really a lot to think about when you are still learning.  But when I finally started to move in rhythm with the current I felt as if I could go on forever.  Unfortunately my foot felt otherwise via cramp and I was forced from the pool after 1650 yards.
This is how our journeys are.  Many times we so desperately want to force our will upon what we are experiencing.  We wish people acted more in the way we would like them to.  We wish circumstances were different.  More money, different job, bigger house, nicer car, better friends, etc.  We hit these currents that disagree with them and become so consumed by wishing for what is not that we fight the current.  This is bad form.
No matter how hard I tried to pull with muscle, only finesse would help me.  And no matter how much you try to pull and push your own way in life, you will never change many of the circumstances you find yourself in.  Many times it is just easier to throw in the towel as I had done in my previous workout.  But that was bad form.
I cannot stop that current so as Jim Vance says, I have to dance with it.  What is we start dancing with the difficult cirumstances in our lives.  Accepting them as the opportunities for growth that God has equipped us to deal with.  What happens if we grab the difficulty and turn it into joy.  I love the words of the Apostle James:
"Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trial of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
We need to realize that we will miss life if we do not live with good form.

Current Events

The Carbondale YMCA has been where I have logged 99.9% of my swims to date-minus my swim in Indy.  I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of their new facility. The pool is full size and the locker rooms are bigger too.  This and I have had to stop and turn twice as often as the normal swimmer.  Well last week the new facility finally opened HUZZAH!!!!  So today i decided to go over the mountain to try it out.  The facility is just a beautiful as I imagined.
When I walked into the pool there were at least 100 kids in and around the facility and it was pure madness.  And all the lanes were occupied by kids/teens.  I went up to the guard and asked him about lap swimming and he kindly cleared the lane for me.
I jumped in and started my work.  I immediately felt myself just flying through the water with incredible speed.  It was awesome.  My adrenaline kicked in with the realization that all this training is starting to pay off.  I made my turn and came back, I got through my first 300 without much problem then took a little 30 second breather.  I then started my second set.  As fatigue set in I started to notice something.  I was moving considerably faster on my down than I was on my back.   I realized why I had been flying through the water at such an incredible speed...a current.  Never had I anticipated such a thing in a pool, but it was there.  This current slowly became the bane of my existence.  Having to use half the effort down that pool and twice the effort back was really messing with my psyche.  After my second set of 300 I decided to call it quits.
On my drive home I was thinking about this new little debacle.  I was a bit frustrated because I just want to swim with no distraction, nothing messing with my head or whatever.  But the voice of a triathlete spoke to my mind and reminded me that my swims will be in open water with no lanes keeping other swimmers at bay.  I may run into currents and kicks and other things but I just have to work through them.
This is a great lesson for life.  We would just love it life were all roses and we never experienced any difficulty, but that is not how it is.  Adam and Eve ate the fruit and messed the world up.  So instead of complaining about how bad things are we should just keep swimming.  Working through the tough things knowing they are preparing us for the race ahead.

Relation, Relation, Relation

I started the day off this morning at 6am at the Plainfield, IN Aquatic and Rec Center.  It is a beautiful brand spankin new facility.  I am used to swimming in what I call "The Dungeon."  It is the basement of the YMCA in Carbondale, PA.  Word on the street is their new facility will be open within the month(I will believe it when I see it).  Anyway because the facility I swim in is sub-par I almost never have to share a lane with people.  Today was different, even though I was one of the first people in the building all three lanes were occupied, the outside lanes were occupied by seniors moving slowly and the center lane had a younger dude.  Another guy came up beside me and when the guy in the center lane came to our end we agreed to circle swim in the center lane.  I was a bit faster than both guys so I passed them a few times, but each time they graciously let me pass.  At the end of our swim I had a nice conversation with the one guy named Mark who turned out to be training for his first sprint Triathlon as well.  Very friendly guy.
There is a cliche saying in Real Estate-"Location, Location, Location" and it is so true.  Depending on where you live, the value of your home either has more or less value.  During my Missions Training one fo the big things they have stressed over and over is a different 'mantra' Relation, relation, relation.  Many times the stated purpose of a missions trip is to build, renovate, or do a service.  Sometimes the team for one reason or another is derailed in their project.  They become frustrated and feel like the trip was a failure.  Not so.  The relationships that a short term missions team builds with the native is more important than any building.
It is very obvious if we look at the example of Jesus.  Jesus never talked about building a church, school, or orphanage.  Though building can be used to love others, Jesus' biggest initiative was building relationships.  It was the relationships that he invested in that helped build the church after he ascended to heaven.
I enjo meeting new people, even though there is some apprehension.  I may never see that guy Mark again.  But I'll remember him because we talked about common interest and acknowledged each others humanity.  I think we need to be doing that more.  Just seizing opportunities to build and foster relationships with anyone we come in contact with.  No matter how short or long the conversation, sometimes all people need is to be acknowledged to know they are still alive and more so-they are loved.

A Different Kind of Training

This morning I woke at 3am to catch a ride from an ulrarunner to a puddle jumper which brought me from Scranton to Newark.  I then had a 4 hour layover then took another small jet from Newark to Indianapolis, IN.  Why? To train.
For me most of my training has been of one kind with one goal and that has been with my sights set on May 22.  My first Tri.  My running is going to have to take a back seat as I think I may have stirred up and old injury, swimming is going to get some more focused work and I am getting more confident with every ride.  But to be honest those things are about me.
I am here in Indianapolis to train for others.
Unless you have been living under a rock on another planet you have probably heard of the devastation in Haiti.  I am part of a denomination that has a very active church in Haiti and lost many of it's schools, churches, and its main hub in the earthquake.  And as it was put today during one of the sessions, the reset button has been hit on Haiti.  The whole infrastructure is being rethought, buildings and roads and homes are being relocated and changed.
What is unfortunate is right now helping Haiti is a fad and it just can't be that way.  This is a not a fashionable cause to throw money at and a huge flux of resources.  These are people with names, cares and concerns.  When a congregation of almost 300 Haitians was asked "How many of you have lost a loved one?" Everyone raised their hand, yet they picked up and worshiped the God who loves them.
I was very encouraged to hear that the Haitian Free Methodist church is not run by American missionaries but by Haitian leaders.  I am also glad that the Haitian leaders are deciding how the money being sent should be spent.
So this week I am here going through a training so a team of people from my local church body can also be trained to go, help, and to love.  I will be giving little snippets as to the things I will be learning over the next few days.
But in the mean time, think about training...no, practicing.
Practice loving someone other than yourself today.

Lessons From St. Patrick

Yesterday was another beautiful day in NEPA.  So I decided to do a new route that I planned out on the bike, and after my disastrous ride last week I figured a planned 18 miles would not be so bad.  It is an out and back on Route 6 from Honesdale to Hawley.

Mind you this was St. Patrick's day so I had to dress appropriately. 
My ride to Hawley was much faster than I had anticipated.  17 miles took me 1:20 last week so I figured the same, but as I rode into Hawley I realized that I had ridden it too fast and to turn around would cause me to not get my whole expected 1:20 in.  I decided to ride up the hill in Hawley to the Lake region IGA, this adds about 3 miles to the original plan and a monster hill.  All said and done it took me 1:30 to do 24.75 miles.
The ride back was good but I was a little more spent than I thought I would be.
This is where St. Patrick comes in.  Patrick was a teenager who was kidnapped by Celts and sold into slavery.  He spent a few years tending flocks and praying.  God told him to escape so he went back to England where he became a priest with a nice plot of land and other resources.  At the age of 40 God called him to go back to Ireland to minister to the Celts.  Understand the Celts were not nice people nor very welcome to visitors-especially escaped slaves.   Patrick sold everything he had and evangelized the Celts.  It was very expensive as he regularly had to pay off tribal leaders for protection.  But the result was people knew Christ and it was all worth it.
As I rode the second half of my ride I just thought about how hard it must have been for St. Patrick to continue the journey, but he knew the end result was worth every bit of effort.  He brought glory to God.
In everything we do there will be some difficulty, stress, opposition but the end result will always be worth it because you can look back at the route you had to take and say, "Yeah, I did that." And while you are at it, thank God for giving you the grace and ability to get there.

Off the Laurels

I can justify anything.  A cookie, a nap, a break from exercise.  You see I am not too far away from an incredibly unmotivated self.  It was only a year ago that I weighed in at 279 pounds and frankly exercise was the enemy(I weighed in this morning at 231).  I had been to the gym on and off and always knew I was strong, but kinda lied to myself about being in shape.  It was especially evident my first day on a snowboard this past winter when I had a ton more control over my body.
So today I came to a crossroads.  I had every intention of taking the bike out for a spin today, but as I lay in bed thinking through my day I came to the halting conclusion...there is no time to ride today-you have one option-run.  Normally I would have already been on the road but yesterday I put in a 5.7 mile run at a 9:28 pace which is a marked improvement over the 10:00 pace I have been pushing.  But I thought after my run yesterday I was going to have to take a couple of days off to rest them runnin legs.

So my battle for the morning began.  I have Liam till noon and the only bit of exercise he and I can do together is run/ride.  We picked up this great jogging stroller last year which has been awesome.  Right until I strained my calf muscle last fall I was putting in some regular mileage.
I called Chris and asked for some advice-he told me to go for it, so I did.  And as I ran I thought of the number of excuses just that morning I had come up with as to why I shouldn't run.  Then it kind of led me to think of other things that people makes excuses for.
I had a friend who in September noticed my weight loss and mentioned that she wished she had time for it.  Without thinking I looked at her and asked her "How long are you going to use that excuse?" She was taken aback and rightly so, but a month later I saw her and she let me know that my calling her out helped her get going with exercise.
You can make all the excuses you want as to why you should do it tomorrow.  Why you should exercise tomorrow, or start the new eating lifestyle tomorrow, or forgive that person tomorrow I will start reading my Bible tomorrow.  Just a bit of advice, if you keep putting things off till tomorrow-tomorrow will never come.
I ran because there is something in me the that is giving be a big boot in the rear and telling me to get of my laurels and get to living.

What are you putting off?

And in case you were wondering where the phrase "Resting on your laurels" comes from:
In the ancient Pythian games held at Delphi in Greece and regarded as second in importance only to the Olympics, the winner was crowned with a wreath of laurels, which has remained a symbol of victory or distinction to the present day. The adjective laureate means 'as if crowned with a laurel-wreath as a sign of special honour'. To rest on one's laurels is (ill-advisedly) to live off one's reputation or refrain from further effort because of satisfaction with what one has already achieved.
http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/sayingsr.htm

The Image: Part 2

Long runs give you time to think.  Now I do not run nearly as long my buddy Chris so I may not be as wise but I do think about things. 
In the world of churchiness  there is something called liturgy.  Basically it is just a guide as to what you are supposed to be reading about during what time of the year.  Right now we are in Lent.  Lent is a time when all Christians are supposed to step back, do some fasting (giving something up in most circles) and reflect on the life and death of Christ.  We are supposed to be doing this all the time, but I guess Lent is another one of those "religious" things that help people understand God better.
The strange thing is I have gone deeper in my walk with God as I go deeper into my training.  I don't know if it is the extended amount of time each day that I focus on not only encouraging myself but calling on God to make me stronger than I am physically and spiritually.
Last week I posted a verse from the Book of Isaiah, one of the lines read-"with a shout he will raise up his battle cry."  This is a reference to God and the passion he feels about going into battle.  We also see Jesus doing a bit of yelling: at religious leaders in Matthew 23, at money changers in the temple as they exploited the poor, and finally as he died on the cross.
There is this screen printed t-shirt I can't get out of my head.  For one, I am not a huge fan of the screen printed Christian t-shirt.  I own them yes, but they were gifts.  I feel my witness and my faith are done much more justice than a message on a t-shirt.  But there is one that sticks out in my mind.  I really doubt that Jesus was this ripped.  The man was a peasant who walked a lot.  I undoubtedly think he probably had more the physique of an Ultra Runner. 
This particular image stand out because I see Jesus struggling physically with the spiritual weight of the world. 

I think it is interesting that when many people think of Jesus they think of this picture (which I am not particularly fond of.)  This is pretty Jesus, and he doesn't look very tough.  He's is kind of staring off into space at what we have no idea.  His skin is too light, his hair is too light and he is expressionless.  It is not wonder that more men don't follow Jesus, because this may be the only picture they see of him.
Jesus was strong, I know this because he was God incarnate.  He is also who we talk about when we speak of the one who gives the shout and stirs up zeal.
We need to start reinventing our image of Jesus, because the gent to the left is much to stayed, much too tame, and the fire that burns deep within me, the passion, the excitement for life does not leave me looking like him.  It leaves me burnt up, exhausted and alive!  This is the image I was created in.

Class Is Now In Session

Yesterday was another beautiful day-in fact this whole week has been spectacular and for people who have been jones'in for the outdoors it has been opportune.  Me being one of those people I decided to do my first legitimate road bike workout.

Before I left I went on LiveStrong.com to map out a route-they have a great feature that can help you do this, I highly recommend it.  The loop I charted was about 11.62 miles.  I was going conservative because, as I mentioned in my last blog, I have not spent much actual time on the road.  This ride was meant to acclimate myself with the bike and road cycling.  The course looked easy enough.  Watts Hill Road to Bryn Mawr Road to Oregon Turnpike to 191S which brings me home.  Here is the link to the route let call it the Watts Hill Intention.
The Big Picture:Drive the route you plan on riding if you are not extremely familiar with the area.

Lesson 1: Learn the Terrain
Now granted this route goes behind my house and explores the beautiful Wayne county countryside-I should know it.  But I don't and I paid dearly.  If you would like to refer to the topographical layout underneath the map at the above link you will find that the first 2.5 miles is a 400 ft climb.  Some of you seasoned cyclists are thinking "Big Deal."  I will tell you this...yes big deal for me.

Lesson 2: Scout Trouble Spots
Then come to find out, a whole mile and a half of Watts Hill road is dirt (didn't know that) most of it was pretty hard paced but being that it is spring in NEPA there were plenty of soft parts.  Did you know Road bikes are not make to go through soft mud? (don't worry Brad everything is still clean)

Lesson 3: Confirmation of the Route
There was a point where the dirt road split, one went uphill, the other went downhill.  Being totally blasted from my climb my head cried "Thank You Thank You Thank You for this downhill onto pavement"  I couldn't see where the other road went, but I was pretty sure I did not want to find out.  Turns out, that was my turn.  And my route went from the Watts Hill Intention to what I am calling the Watts Hill Insanity

I remember looking down at the odometer at mile 8 thinking "Somebody lied!" Either the odometer was way off or the map system was way off, because I had a general understanding of where I was definitely going father than 11.62 miles.  When the sign said ' <------Honesdale 9'  I laughed out loud-beared down and rode as fast as I could.  Luckily the second half of the route was not nearly as punishing as the first.  You can see that there was a down hill section of about 1 mile which allowed me some decent speed and some rest on the legs.

The whole route was 17.07 and it was stellar!  I really do live in a gorgeous area of the country and I was just thanking God that I could drink in his beautiful creation amidst the searing pin in my thighs.  But that is another blog for another day.

All in all I think I could get used to this cycling thing, it's really a blast and oh so challenging.  I also realized that in the past week I had exceeded the distances required for my first Tri in May.  I know I can put them together for a decent race.

So stoked for the training to come!

"This" is not "That"

So I am new to the whole triathlon training thing.  I decided last November that I was going to do this and I have been pretty steadfast in training.  Because Winter around here means very cold temperatures, icy roads and snowbanks that impede the roads, running outside is a maybe and biking has been a no-until this week.
I am loving on the spring weather and I am very excited to take my training to the great outdoors.  I have spent the past two months on treadmills, and stationary bikes.  This is where the fun part comes in.

When I announced to a group of my friends my goal of a Tri, one of them asked if I had a bike.  I do not so he said I could borrow his till I got one of my own.  It is a Giant OCR3-I think.
He told me the gear system is probably different than I am used to but I would be fine.  The bike has since sat in the vacant office next to mine since the middle of January.  I have not transported it home because I have no way of doing that, no bike rack, no room in the Jeep.
Yesterday gorgeous, sunny, 55 degrees-so I decidedyesterday would be the day that I would saddle up and ride it home.  Went a bought a helmet, ate a Clif bar, suited up in my bike shorts and a warm under armor base layer and away I went.
I quickly found out that "This" being a stationary bike is not "that" the road bike.
I was around about mile one when I got myself mixed up in what button shifted what gear as I panicked going up hill, I heard the tell-tale clunk and the loss of all forward momentum.  Alas I ate my first piece of humble pie, put the chain back on the sprockets and continued on my merry way, not without first riding over to the car wash parking lot to figure out how these things work.
The ride is mostly down hill out of Beach Lake which was nice after the series of little/steep hills.
In an effort to be kind a tractor trailer went around me by way of the median.  The median has a winter's worth of dirt and cinders which were promptly kicked into a thick cloud.  I was blinded for 200 yards and decided I did not want to do that again, maybe I will start wearing my swim goggles-it will make the swim to bike transition just that much faster!
When I got into town I came to a red light in front of the Arby's on route six-for those of you who are not sure what you do at a red light-you stop.  I pulled my foot out of the toe clip, and leaned against the telephone pole.  This is another one of those "this" is not "that" moments because when the light turned green, I was stuck.  I pushed of the telephone pole and tried to put my toe in the clip only to find I did not have enough momentum to go up hill.  I eventually got going up the hill and made it the rest of the way home without incident.
This biking thing is awesome, I am stoked to get better at it and do it more.  If anyone has any pointers...please share.
Peace

The Image: Part 1

I have grown to enjoy physical activity and exertion.  It started last year in April.  A friend of mine, Steve, asked if I wanted to do P90X with him.  Of course I had seen the commercials-Tony Horton and other similarly small and fit human beings doing a nauseating amount of pull-ups, push-ups and a self-mutilating workout called Ab-Ripper X.  For the record P90X lives up to the hype.  It helped me get into the mindset that exercise is what I enjoy.  These workout provided me with a base fitness to get into the endurance sport of triathlon.
During many of my workouts I have to give myself pep talks.  Sounds a bit strange, but it works.  Some words that have always pressed me to go a little further and to dig a little deeper are: warrior, monster, and animal.  Take a moment to laugh-I know you are.
Recently I came across a verse in scripture:

Isaiah 42:13

The LORD will march out like a mighty man,

like a warrior he will stir up his zeal,

with a shout he will raise the battle cry

and will triumph over his enemies.

When I think of great warriors I think of William Wallace, Maximus, King Leonidas you know these men that I am talking about.  Their battle cries turn the blood of their enemies cold.  They ignite passion and inspiration in the legions that follow them.  Who doesn't get chills when William Wallace gives his freedom speech?
God is like these men, only so much greater-and we were made in His image.  I was asked the other day, "Why am I here, what is my purpose in life?"  The Westminster Confession say this "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."  At risk of being cliche-Imitation is the great form of flattery.  In other words-to glorify God, I will try to imitate Him
I was created in the image of God so when I seek the heart of a warrior I seek the heart of God.  One who is never willing to back down, give up, or sell out.  When my body grows weary I remember that I was made in the image of the eternal.

Falling Footsteps

Today I ran outside for the first time since November.  Before today the coldest I had run in was about 32, but when I passed the bank this morning it was a cool 22.  If you are not a runner you might think, That's really cold, he's crazy" trust me there are crazier dudes than I.  (Chris Freet *ahem*)  You actually warm up nicely as long as you are wearing some decent gloves and a good hat, as well as performance gear that keeps the sweat from staying on your body.
Here is the route I ran today Honesdale Lowland Short Route  I ran it much slower than I would have liked, but I am giving myself a little grace right now because it is my first day back.

Back in the Swimming Suit

It has been two weeks since my last swim.  Went to the dungeon at the Carbondale YMCA and found something new today.  In the past I have always had to contend with children and the rope that keeps them in the shallow end.  As I made my way to the pool I could hear the delighted screams of children spalshing and playing in the water.  Though it would bring smiles to the hearts of many it does not for me.  In the past I rationalized saying "This is how it will be in competition-having to dodge and swim around other competitors."  Except I am sure there is rarely a time when another competitor will bob underwater and stare you down as you come to the end of you lane.  Or ask you questions every time you turn your head to breath.  Though I love kids when I workout I enter 'the zone.'
As I was getting ready to commence my workout the life guard asked my if I wanted to set up the lane buoy.  It was of great surprise to me that I was going to be able to swim without the hinderance of the children.   Who knew that this was even possible.  Of all the days I had never been offered this before!
My workout was a bit crummy.  I guess that is what I get for making so many excuses over that past two weeks. 
100 Yard Warm up
50 - Closed handed Crawl
50 - Ten Snap Ten
50 - 1 Armed Crawl
500 Main set (Took a breather after 325)
100 Cool Down

Really tried to be more consistent in my bi-lateral breathing, this may have been part of the reason I had such difficulty today.

Charge

Rough night. Board meeting till ten then had lack of judgment to drink a cup of coffee right be fore I left. Needless to say I lay wide awake in my bed till I decided at 11:30 to watch the documentary I just got from Netflix. A movie called God Grew Tired of Us. Awesome movie which documents the life of the Lost Boys of Sudan who were driven from their homes when the Sudanese government decided to wipe out all the Christians in the south. Amazing story of how they were resettled to the United States where they were given jobs and opportunities of education.
So I stayed up late for that coupled with Liam teething and running a fever led to a later more exhausting night than I had anticipated. This in turn effected the 5 a.m. run.
I have been knocked off my horse a bit with my training. One of the challenges of living in Northeast PA is the weather and lack of pools in proximity to my life. Also pool hours do not help. But enough with excuses I will make up run today and jump in the pool tomorrow. Got the Nerve Triathlon is less than 3 months away and I have a lot of work to do. My plan is to place in the top 20 in my age group 25-29. Looking at the times I really need to step up my swim. Thankfully the weather is getting warmer and outdoor training is not too far away.