What a long strange trip it 's been.

I will be finishing 2007 the way I have finished my first Ironman, with Zac and Nichole. This New years will be spent on Coventry amongst my favorite group of strangers....Or maybe the strangest group of favorites I know.....Well, those of you planning on a Jan.1st open water swim in Lake Erie, you all are a bit weird also.


Anyhow, thanks for being a big part of this past year. It has been one hellofa ride.

Happy New Year!

A Far Off Distant Shore

It is not everyday I am able to leave work early. With the slow week, it was not important for me to stay at work.

So with a free Thursday afternoon, I am doing some laundry and running job searches. I have been thinking I need a change, so search I will. I did come back toward food service in '04 as a transitional job.
In '03 and '04 I was working in a recording studio as an engineeer. I spent most of my hrs recording rap/americana/folk acts and doing remote sessions with classical and gospel musicians. I had just come out of school having lived on the deans list and doing a Production Internship with Telarc Int. The future seemed bright as I rocketed forward in my career as an audio engineer.

The studio I worked for was a very cool room with some very nice gear. The hours were erratic and pay was poor. Security was often a MAJOR concern for me as many of my sessions were very late at night. Some of the clients and their management/posse raised my concerns. One night while I worked with a group, the clients' friend's broke into and robbed the office. I was fortunate as they avoided robbing the actual studio where I was working. The thought of standing between the thieves and the high end recording gear still leaves me with strong reservations about returning to the industry.

I did stay on for about a month after that, but eventually was unable to justify the personal and professional sacrifices made to keep a job that left me feeling paranoid. I was no longer employed by a local studio.

After sucking up my pride I accepted a job to manage a coffee shop near the justice center. Jobs were scarce in my industry and I needed income. Soon after that my fiance' broke off our engagement. My life was a little f'd up and I was drinking a lot.

After about 7 months back in the service industry and not a lot of opportunity in music surfacing, I accepted an offer from my current boss. Earning potential was increased and the environment was a bit more creative. My co workers were/are an amazing group. The move was very positive. I absolutely needed the environment and support Rocco's has provided me . It has become very comfortable and I enjoy going to work in the morning. However, something remains missing for me. I am lacking fulfillment of my own professional path

I am wanting to return to the audio industry. Working on the CD has fueled my desire along with the knowledge "Anything is Possible"that was strongly reaffirmed during Ironman. Music is my passion.

My job quest this time will reflect the patience learned during Ironman. Out of school I took the first opportunity offered me. The pressure to find something more secure became hurried and panicked with the coming wedding and increased inconsistency of the studio I was working for.
As I start my search, I know that my current job is one that I like. That security will allow me more selectivity in my hunt. It also allows me to take my time in making the right choice.

The tough pill to swallow is that I will have to open my search up to the possibility of relocating.
Of the megaopolis cities, Chicago would be choice #1.

New CD and a makeover.

I did get a haircut. but the makeover has been to my music site. The CD is now on sale. So to celebrate I have given the music page a whole new look. The photo above is for the Gleukos web site.

I will be having a release party at Rocco's soon. Please stay tuned.

I started a run today following an afternoon filled with waisted opportunity by The Cleveland Browns. Hoping to run of the frustration a lose with playoffs still not assurd, I headed out for what I thought would be a fun night of snowstorm running. What I found was a very thin layer of ice over every thing. After a mile I wrapped it up. I had already put in a good effort on the trainer, so I was ok with the mile of ice. With the holidays over the next two days I will have lots of time to run

Anyhow, BUY MY CD!

It's Gotta be the Bike...It's not the bike.

Fed Ex dropped off a couple of packages today. One Included the sunglasses shown above along with a Rudy project hat and a couple of Gleukos sport drink samples. Thanks to Jasper Blake, Gleukos, and Rudy project for the prize. These are really nice sunglasses with two sets of lenses.

The CD also arrived. It sounds good, however there were a couple of typos I had to fix. It will go live very, very soon.

___________________________

Training is going well thus far. I am increasing frequency right now. Weekends will include 1+ hr runs and longer trainer rides. Swimming is going well but i will loose 6 days of pool time during a ten day period due to the holidays. Polar bear swim will have to count as a workout.
I really love to train. It is why I do this triathlon thing.

Steelhead really has my attention. I am really looking forward to this race. It will represent 10 years in triathlon for me. Looking back at my first season I know I have come a very long way. I have become far more balance as a multsport athlete.

IMKY hasn't sunk in yet. I am searching my soul for an unshakable reason of "Why IMKY". I need something to focus on. Last year it was "To become an IRONMAN". This year I need a new candle to fix on through out this 9 month meditation called Ironman. Searching for this has been frustrating. I am searching for an answer, tho I don't know what the question is.

_____________________________

You may have noticed that Trifolk has gone commercial. I figured, maybe I could earn a little extra dough to try and ease the sting of entry fee's. I will most likely spend over a grand for races this coming season. So, I am now hocking space on the blog. If I find that the random ads do not represent my interests(such as "Turduckin" ads) I will quickly evict the sellers.

Something had to happen

So here it is December 14th, the eve of my IM training start. I leave work feeling a bit pissy(not for any real reason, just felt that way). I stop at the bank, loose my bus pass. Purchase another in anticipation of heading to the pool. Arrive home, and decide not to run or swim. I just felt down. maybe a little depressed. I am not sure why. I think I was just having a spell of loneliness.

The goofy part is that my solution was to further isolate myself. I stayed home on Friday to clean my home, and do some laundry. A thought kept going through my brain as I cleaned. "Something has to happen. I am not inspired."

I cleaned everything. The place looks great and I am feeling very cozy now. As I woke, I felt as though my house was in order. I felt ready to begin. Not a 100%, but enough to get out the door so to speak.

As I set up the trainer, the phone rang. It was Kurt and Michelle my comrads from Ironman UK. Michelle was passing thru Cleveland on her way to Toronto to visit her family. We made a plan to all meet at Tommy's Restaurant or the Coffee shop after my ride. I got on the bike and peddled away while watching "Who Killed The Electric Car".

After my workout, I was hungry, so we settled on Tommy's. The last time I ate with Kurt and Michelle I had to eat quiche at the IMUK awards. Today I was able to stay vegan.

Being able to start my IMKY training with a visit from my co-UK competitors was exactly what I needed. A chance to look back and look forward with the people I became an Ironman with. Kurt is doing IMUSA while Michelle will be in central America.

After they left, I got dressed for a run. I Secured a ride to Tri swimming for tomorrow, and scampered off in to a wet snow for a5k round the south campus area.

My body is feeling ready for another 259 days of training. My mind is getting there.

To further fuel my fire, I noticed that Jodi and Trisaratops had made their entry into Steelhead official. I was inspired, and now my entry is official.

Michigan this year has been a right of passage for my teams. The Tigers, Pistons, and Wolverines all had to be beaten before the big show could begin. Unfortunately The cavs, Bucks, and tribe all lost the final games. For me after conquering Michigan I will be headed to Louisville for the main event. Since my goal does not include winning, I should be fine.

Waiting at the Mailbox

Standing at the start of a race is one of my favorite moments in life. For me this is the most exciting part of the race. It is the point that you have hopefully finished with the port-a-loo. The sun is beginning to rise. With every nudge toward the start, comes the realization that you are absolutly committed to this race. Your energy is at a boiling point and you have no where put it. You are focused and terrified. Once the race begins, you have no choice but to move forward, but for now, you wait.

That is what I am doing right now.

My CD is in route from the west coast. If the proof checks out, it will be available the minute I ok it. Until then, I have no CD to sell. I am missing the massive consumer cash cow we refer to as Christmas shopping season.

The Jasper Blake win a bike sweepstakes prize is also coming Fedex from Oregon. They would like me to send a photo of myself with my prize for the Gloukos web site.....What did I win? A helmet? Some sunglasses? A Kuota frame and fork? I will post this news when it arrives.

Oh bother.

Training starts Sunday. I am healthy and have had some nice workouts this week. Last night while swimming, I took a deep breath, gulped and accepted the task of training for Ironman. I know that training will be easier as I am stronger and have the experiance of training for and completing Ironman. The concern I have is that my excitement for Ironman is not as manic as it was for my first. This could be a good thing.

So anyway, here I sit beside my mailbox waiting for a couple of packages. I have my shoes tied tight and I am ready for some Long Slow Distance.

Right now is the moment before it all begins.

Just a head in the crowd (Goals for '08)

As I meditate on my goals for the 2008 season I have to look beyond the numbers and finish times.
But here they are.
2:30 Olympic Distance triathlon. I plan to race Maumee bay again. The course can be fast dependent on the wind conditions.

• The swim will be without the wetsuit for IMKY practice. I haven't gone without a wetsuit in a while. Swimming in a wave will help with the courage.
• The Bike will push my ability to stay aero as long as possible.
  

• The run has been hot during this race. My main goal will be to keep the body cool. Going at an oly effort and trying to stay cool will help me prepare for the heat in Louisville.

6hr half IM. Steelhead, Mountaineer, Deercreek

• No wetsuit at mountaineer for the above mentioned IM prep.
  
• These (70.3)are training days.
• Maintain absolute focus.
  
• Always push harder/negative splits
• Nutrition trials

13 hr IM- Louisville

• I would like to do a 1:15 swim. I feel as though I am having some swim breakthroughs.
  
• On the bike, I have to develop more power.
• My run work will include a speed phase that I largely ignored last year while I continued with base work up till IM

4hr Marathon-Not sure where.

• Because I can, and should.

My real goals this year are a bit more intro/outrospective. I have to find my motivation. Heading into my first Ironman, my motivation was clear. I had to finish. This year the goal is not as clear. I know I can finish. I am an Ironman. That mystery is solved.

Goals this year involve digging in deeper. Learning how to trust and act on early instincts. I also need to really learn to trust others. I am not as good at it as I was when I was younger. I fear going through the emotional stuff. I am unproductive with drama in my life. It also hurts a lot. I don't like going there, But I need open myself up more to the people around me.

IMUK was a great metaphor for the way I have lived the last 3 years. I have felt relatively isolated and alone during that time. Mostly I have just been licking my wounds, healing and getting stronger. All the while , Zac and Nichole are keeping an eye on me. They are amazing friends.

IMKY will be raced amongst friends. The blog community for this race is big. CTC will be represented by a bunch of us. Steelhead plans for a little vegan feast are on. I am trying to figure out how to book myself to play at the campgrounds for mountaineer. The social calender is filling quickly.

This years goal number one will be in reaching out more to the people in my life in more meaningful ways.

I feel sometimes like a single raindrop falling from the sky.
Solo and alone.
I let the wind push me,
but other than that, I follow my own path...........
Soon I will hit the ocean and join all that is,
Whole, holy hole.
No end, No beginning.
I am fluid within of a never ending ocean
As sound ceases to have any contrast
and light looses it's rhythm,
I loose my sense of self.
we are all interconnected

I am ready to re- join the universe.

Never accept what you think to be truth with out challenging it again and again

I always accepted the fact that a marathon was to far to run. The Ironman was for the "real" athletes. I fella like me should not attempt such a race. The people that could do Ironman were the really gifted men and women. They hurt less. They used personal resources much more efficiently. They had all the best gear. They had been athletes all of their life. I thought this to be true.

I had only known two Ironman finishers well. Jen and Sean. Both of them were at the top of the local tri scene. If Jen lost, it was to women named Flicker or Deboom. I honestly don't remember Sean loosing. These were my impressions of Ironman. I had no business going there.

In 1999 the three of us went to Medford, Mass for a Kona qualifier. It was my first Long course race(1.2 mile swim, 38mile bike, 9,3 mile run). It was hard, but I finished and had a good time. But it was nothing compared to Ironman I thought.

In 2005 I decided to finally try a half. I knew I could do it. I worked hard, got really nervous, and went out a ran a good race. As I finished I said, "I can do more!". I put in another season of training for the half and signed up for IMUK in '06.

Through all of my training I constantly broke through barriers of doubt. The belief that "I couldn't do it" was so deep, that it never completely vanished until I started running onto The Sherborn Castle grounds 14 hours 30 odd minutes after the canon sounded. At that moment Every thing I had ever believed about not being able to do an Ironman vanished. At that moment any doubt that I had ever had in my life vanished. "Anything is Possible" they say in Ironman.

Much of what I learned growing up is true. Much is not. Much of my life has been spent trying to find out what is real and what is not. Sometimes I get hurt, and sometimes I get lost. But somehow I always land on my feet, or at least I am able to get back up off my ass.

Some of what I have seen is downright disturbing and sometimes I wonder how I stay half sane( I maintain that I am not crazy, just a bit silly). Most of the time much of what I see is amazing. It makes me happy that I am where I am.

I believe in magic. I believe in things that don't make any sense. I believe everything I was taught was meant to be questioned. I believe that truth can change. I believe that I should continue to question every thing I believe. I believe that every one of us can be everything we hope to be, and everyone of us has things about us that we could have never imagined.

Just because we accept something to be true doesn't mean it is. Challenging what we have already accepted as truth will allow us to do the impossible.

It's time to make my goals for '08.

I just kinda don't want to be in my skin

Royal slug photographed at the Tower of London

The last week has been a little weird for me. I have been feeling a bit sluggish. Today I worked out for the first time since last Monday. It is the longest stretch of total rest for a long time. I got a nasty cold/flu that I decided to shut down everything in an effort to get over it. As an added benefit I have been able to rest the pain in my bum. My goal right now is to be healthy when It is time to start my base work. I have set Dec 15 as the GO date.

Another side effect of not training and being sick is the crankiness. Nothing is really bothering me, I just kinda don't want to be in my skin when I am sick. I have tried to keep that in check. I think I am leveling out right now.

With all of the free time I have been able to put the new collection of music together as an actual disc. I am awaiting my proof of the entire package. Once I approve the proof, the disc will be available through my site and on Amazon. I will also bring them to shows.

I have become a contributer to two Blog Groups. http://ironmanlouisville2008.blogspot.com/
and http://sportyvegans.blogspot.com/ I am excited to have these outlets for my vegan rants and the IMLube banter. Not to worry, I will not exclude that stuff from this page. However, I can share directly with others going through the same experiance as me with out having to look to far. It is one reason I enjoy the CTC forum. Anyhow, contributing should be fun. I also look forward to having all of these bloggers in one place.

Aside from that, I got nothing.

One more thing, most of you know already that we(OSU/Cleveland sports fans) get another shot at the big game this year....Go Bucks!

Andy, I am disappointed.

Being a sports fan in Cleveland, Ohio right now is really exciting. Our 3 major pro sports teams have all been competitive this year including a trip to the NBA finals and baseballs ALCS. Our OSU Buckeyes also made it to the National Championship in both Basketball and football with an outside shot at another National Championship appearance in football. Currently our Cleveland Browns are a game back from the 1st place steelers and and are in position for a wildcard birth.

Being a fan here has never been so much fun(At least in my lifetime). None of our teams have won the final game of their respective season, but they sure as hell gave us a good ride. Local athletes like Jenson Lewis, Troy Smith, Anthony Gonzales, Ted Ginn, David Lighty, Joe Jurevicius, Josh Cribs, Eric Snow, and of course Lebron James have captured our hearts. Others like Fausto Carmona, Chris Wells, Daniel Gibson, and Derick Anderson have stepped up To huge levels for us. Greg Oden, CC Sabathia, Kellen Winslow, along with the aforementioned Smith, Cribbs, and the King have all been the very best there position has to offer. Our town has so many athletes doing great things on the biggest stages. Pro sports are fun in NEOhio. We can finally cheer again.

Well, not so fast. Anderson Varejao, the Brazilian rebounder that resembles side show Bob from the Simpsons is insulted by the contract offer of 32 million dollars over 5 years and refused to sign. He has reportedly asked for as much as 45 million. Now he is demanding that the CAVS trade his rights or he will take his talents to Europe. Somehow he feels this would be a better plan than to earn $32,000,000.00 over the next five years while playing with the best player in the game.

Now, I understand these guys can make a lot of dough to play. But Andy is asking well beyond his market value. The guy is not the starter at his position. He wants starter money.

My biggest problem with Varejao's demand is that he feels he is being treated unfairly.

I am not sure what he thinks unfairly means.

Most of the workers that work in the same part of town he works(Gateway) are service employees. Peaple like Zac Nichole and I that work long hours for erratic pay, with few benefits and a dependence on gratuity to earn a living.

The really screwed up part of all this is that,

ANDERSON VAREJAO DOES NOT TIP HIS SERVERS!

Lucky for Andy, nobody tips in Europe.

One last thing Andy, ask Maurice Clarrett if he would have done any thing differently.

Some of us are just happy to have a chance to play.

Turkey Trot and Turkey Not

I woke this morning at 6am, had some breakfast, got dressed and hopped on a bus. My first stop was at a coffee shop where I switched bus lines. The coffee shop is one that I would not normally frequent(bartsucks or some jumblewords variation), but it was open. My next bus arrived quickly which was good because it was cold windy and rainy. I was downtown quickly and I headed into the convention center to register.

The Cleveland Turkey Trot is a five mile race thru downtown. The weather is always the big question. Two years ago the course was cut short due to dangerous conditions. Last year it was perfect. This year was mid 30's rain/snow mix, wind, basic suck. The lakefront was sure to be nasty. So the morning talk centered on what to wear. I went with the tights, long sleeve Coolmax top, a coolmax short sleeve for a second layer, gloves, and a hat.

We had a good showing from CTC. The hour pre-race wait flew by. with 10 minutes till the gun, we all headed out to lakeside and waited.

Ding ding ding, and we were off. I had no plan, just run and see how it goes. My hammy strain from this past Sunday quickly began to flair up. I was aware of it, but it didn't bother me enough to convince me to back off. I hit mile one in 8:15.

Soon after that IronJack caught up to me. He had shown up just in time for the start. The two of us stuck together through much of the run. It helped me out quite a bit. We ran this race together last year. We make each other work.

Though the weather sucked, it was manageable. I enjoyed the harder effort and just kept pushing. At the final mile I pulled ahead of Jack a little and started racing those around me. I crossed the line in 43:11. No PR by any stretch. I felt great, turned around and waited a few seconds for Jack.

Following the race, The CTC folks all gathered. JenC Had a big smile and held up her finish time for me to see. She had a good race.The mood from everyone was very positive.

A few of us headed to Bartsucks because it was open.

I hitched a ride home with Jack and Showered up.

Once home , I started cleaning my apt. Man, did it need it. I felt very domestic. I cooked my tofurkey and went to my folks.

In addition to the Notbird, my family was very conscious to keep most of the sides vegan. To replace the Thanksgiving triptofan, I had a little extra wine. Dinner was good. My whole family was present and we all got along.

Before desert, my moms centerpiece caught on fire. I reacted quickly and smothered the flames with my hand. I have a nice blister on my index finger now. The pain was really intense. I held a straight face, but my lil'sister saw through my stoicism. We treated it and drank coffee. Thats how we handle adversity......Kind of funny, during the toughest part of IM, I looked for caffeinated gel.

Anyhow, Happy ThanksGiving.

The neverending adventures of Ironyman

In our last episode, Ironyman was railing on and on about staying in the moment.

Well while checking my email, I read a message telling me I had won a prize in the Jasper Blake "Win a Bike sweepstakes".

Chances are i have won some Rudy Project Sunglasses or maybe an areo helmet. All very cool, but I can't help but to start thinking ahead. Maybe I won one of the four Kouta frames. Maybe, maybe maybe.
If all I win is a funky areo helmet or pair of shades, I will still be geeked.

Anyhow, Jasper is hysterical and very insightful. Do check out his blog.

__________________

Ironyman celebrates Thanksgiving

I recently added a stat counter to my blog. The counter allows me to look up all kinds of info about site activity.

One of the google searches peaple use most to find my blog is "How to deep fry a turduckin". Being a vegan, this is pretty funny/gross. The search results refer to an april Race Recap where I referance a deep fried turduckin that I thought was horrible on many levels.

So, if you found this site looking for info on turduckin, lets start with the origin of your planned feast. If you want to enjoy your turkey dinner, do not click here.

How come the future has to take such a long time.

As I look back on my '07 triathlon season, I feel I had a very successful year. I stayed injury free. My training was consistent. I got my nutritional issues rectified. I rebuilt my bike. My swim issues were addressed and put on a corrective path. My "A" race goals were met.

My early goal was to run The Cleveland half in 1 :45. I ran it in 1:45.01.
I PR'd at the half Iron distance.
My Oly and mary times were the best since '99.
I became an Ironman.

I did not make many mistakes or have happy accidents. I never blew away my expectations nor was I seriously disappointed. I was steady on all year.
My spiritual journey was deep. I learned alot about myself and the universe/the tao/......so on and so fourth.
I developed new friends ships and deepened existing ones.
I stayed true to my plan of doing IM as a vegan and carefree(that was a typo/ I meant "carfree").
I got a tattoo.
I had an amazing experience this past year.

I am looking back now so that I can plan for next year. I think my greatest strength last year was my ability to stay in the moment. Having a carefully prepared plan enabled me to remain present to the work I had to do. I followed my road map closely and let the big picture take care of itself.

For the next week, I will be creating my training plan for '08.

My race schedual will begin in January with an attempt at 50k. I am veiwing this as a base building day. I figure the trail, hill, and other course features will be unlike a traditional marathon. Should help to train the brain.

Nichole and I are considering The Big Sur Marathon in April.

At the end of June is Mountaineer 70.3 followed by Steelhead 70.3 at the start of August.

August 31 is IMKY. This will be my "A" race. I want to go fast!

Fall races will be dictated by post IM recovery.

A singer I like sings out "How come the future takes such a long time, when you're waiting for a miracle".

What made my year so great was that I never felt like I was waiting for the miracle. I always felt that I was living it. On Ironman day, my strategy was to enjoy every second of the race. The execution of my strategy was simple, as that is how I trained. For me long course triathlon is not about a long race. For me it is all about one precious moment.

That moment is now.

Bounced our way...

We were gonna win. We lost. We were tied. We won.......What the hell did I just see?
Boy, I bet a few fans in Baltimore are shocked and disgusted.....
HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Art Modell is a scumbag.
I am convinced the Bush administration used Art to discredit Sen. Voinivich when
Modell sighted the then Gov. of Ohio as the friend that advised him to move the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore.

Anyhow, the Browns won despite losing today. The Baltimore Raves lost despite having won.
How Funny.

_______________

I spent the weekend training. I felt like doing just that. That and watching the Browns and Bucks beat their bitter rivals.

I ran a lot.
I lifted.
I swam.
I rode my bike.
I played guitar.
I ate well.
I didn't do laundry.
I read.

___________________

Banks suck, and they pick on people that spend all their money on triathlon.

$38!

I tend to over do some things.

One of those things was a draft.

$38 for a little overdraft.

Thats a freaking entry fee.

Banks suck

I have the worst job!

According to an article in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, my job is ranked as the worst job by The University of Massachusetts's. Jobs are ranked by benifits, salery, and retirement plans.

Some how, barrista is worse than solder in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other place on earth that Americans are seen as a threat.

I don't know why, but I thought it kind of offensive that this report should appear on veterans day.
Have we really become so wrapped up in the importance of personal wealth that we think that my day of work is worse than a 21 year old kid who has had his leg blown off by a roadside bomb during a 15 month tour.? His second.

My job is great I rarely complain about it. The job is fun. I enjoy being there.
I don't believe I would enjoy being in a war.

I base little value on wealth. I have the things I need and more. I live simply, and I am happy.
I have freedom with my job. I have flexibility that enables me to to follow more meaningful pursuits. I spend my work day amongst friends. I don't believe for a second that my job is a bad one.
We are a nation at war.
I have it pretty good.

So any way, I guess what I am sayin' is, "if you would like to thank the people that do the worst jobs in our culture, don't thank me.

Finally Cleveland has a winner.

Thats right, Michael Symon is the new Ironchef.

So if you are thinking I am OK with the Browns and Buckeye losses, I AM NOT.

It could be worse. I could have dragged out my recovery a little further. But I didn't. Not running is not my idea of fall. So I have resumed the run and I am considering running the Buckeye trail 50k in January. I think because I was asked how far I could run, and I replied "I don't know". It got me to thinking that I should find out. The ultra is still mythical to me.

We began tri swimming workouts at oberlin today. First time swimming since Deer creek.....Really. The pool was fun, and I moved over a lane....

Friday was the CTC fall meeting at Bike Authority followed by a bunch of triathletes and beer.I was one of the last of us to be carried out.

Thursday was the gig and debut of the new music on the web. We had a nice turn out at Rocco's.
and I really enjoyed playing. Thanks to everyone that came out. I bet it was one of the only events in town that night with an Ironman on stage, behind the bar, and in the audience.

A few mentions, Congrats to Cat Viola who finished IMFLA in 16:22. She was the final finisher in the CTC Ironrookie class of '07. One thing I have really enjoyed this year was watching Jodi, JenC, Nathan, Jack, and Cat finish. Knowing how hard they have worked makes it so special to witness the feat of becoming an Ironman. There were a few of the original group of eager triathletes from last fall that didn't make it. The race is not guaranteed with registration.

Anyhow, I think thats all I have got for now.

The Music is available for download

Two things I have added to the page are a music player that plays my new CD, and a link to the site where you can purchase high quality downloads of the music.

I hope you like this new addition to the blog.

Also, I ran for 35 minutes today. Felt so good.

Hope to see everyone tomorrow at Rocco's.

Get on the Bus

"I woke up this morning, my head was not in sight
I would ask the walls about it, but they vanished overnight
I could not think or spell my name, or fly their words away
And the heat came round and busted me for smiling on a cloudy day

Escaping through the lily fields, when I came across an empty space
It quivered and exploded, left a bus stop in its place
Well a bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began
There was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never ever land"

From
The Other One
Bob Weir-GD

Yeah, I am not sure what the hell that means either.

Sunday, I hopped on a bus. I went to Michigan. I rode around on more buses. I spent time with a friend on the bus. I said hello and goodbye while getting on and off the bus. The bus got me many places, and in many places I got the bus.

When I left Michigan, the air was getting colder. Soon Cleveland will be cold. The day's are growing shorter. Bike committing gets harder and harder with impending snow. I am glad we have a bus. I like going places.

My next scheduled trip to Michigan.....Steelhead 70.3. I spoke with both BBop and The Veg*Triathlete about it today. We are all planning to meet as a group. Zac and Nichole are also making the trip.
Zac has come along way toward restoring his VW. He plans to bring it to Steelhead. If you are at the race, come find us. We will be the group with the bus.

Inked

After work today, I hopped a bus for Lake County. I met up with my friend Annie, and we went into downtown Willoughby to find a place on Vine that had a good reputation. I gave the artist Joe my design and some dollars. We picked out a spot on my lower calf and the fun began.

It didn't hurt at first, but then it did. And then some more pain. We took a break as I felt a bit hypoglycemic. I had water and some candy, and we started up again. I tried to imagine a more pleasant pain like pounding out mile 16 of the IM marathon.

Finally we were done.

Here it is....


Sorry mom and dad.
The design is mine, and should be obvious. The rook represents Sherborne Castle, the main feature of IMUK

Maybenextyear, Ohio

I am really trying to take some time away from training right now. Except for 20 minutes of easy bike riding on Monday to loosen the post marathon legs, I have done no deliberate exercise.

It has been kinda nice but boring, but I find things to do. I have been playing a lot of guitar as I ready myself for gigging.

I have watched some of the World Series. Josh Bekkit, who I previevously refered to as Bukkit is really an amazing pitcher. I could sit and watch pitching like that forever. I am a baseball fan and do enjoy the game despite the disappointment of my team being eliminated last week. I am convinced that Wahoo carries a curse. It is time to change Cleveland. I am also going to suggest to the City of Cleveland that we change City's name .
One thing that has change in our area is the cleanliness of our local parks. As a kid I used to think that pop tops and empties were a part of nature. The filth was ridiculous. Since the 70's and the 80's we really have grown to try to preserve what we can on a local level.
Today I rode my bike to The Shaker Lakes Nature Center and set off on a 3 and a half hour hike. Much of the hike followed fairly technical trails. I felt like I got a great workout. The park is so clean now. It is such an oasis of life here in the city. I took my time and just enjoyed an awesome fall day in Maybenextyear, Ohio

Here are some more Photos

The Big Gig Anouncement.

Date Change...Please reread
My new CD will be available as a download very,very soon.

I have a show scheduled for Thursday November 8th at 8pm.
I will be performing at AJ Roccos celebrating the release of this collection of recordings.
Please join me.

Looking futher ahead

I have wanted to try to qualify for Boston for a long time. Some how I never thought it possible, as BQ times for me have seemed so far out of reach. Today I was looking up times while checking results, and realized that in 5 seasons my qualifying time will be 3:30. I know that I can go this fast If I work toward that goal. Right now I am busy with Ironman, so Boston is not a realistic goal. However in 3 or so years, training for a fast marathon should give me a needed break from IM training.

Just a thought.

The tribe's recent exit from post season play is a bummer in many ways. As a restaurant worker in the area around Jacobs field, the World Series stood to bring us some nice extra income. Oh well.
Zac and I had planned to use the bonus to fly to Amsterdam.....Drat!

Speaking of Amsterdam, our friend Michelle from IMUK ran the Amsterdam marathon Sunday with a finish time of 4:24:35. Kind of weird how Nichole, Michelle and I all ran a pace within a second and a half of each other this past Sunday. Our other UK camp mate Kurt ran a 3:17 at Columbus. A bit quicker than the rest of us.

Columbus Marathon Race Recap

Columbus denied the earth being flat.
Obviously, he never ran the Columbus Marathon.

We woke at 5:45 Sunday morning in Nichole's brother Franko's Apt. I was able to focus on the basic race morning ritual despite my Cleveland sports fan sense of impending doom. I had a bagel w/PB, a banana, and a cup of coffee. We climbed into the volvo and headed towards the center of our state capital. We arrived at 7 and parked next to the finish a few blocks north of the start.

The start was located at the capital building and port-a-johns were a plenty for the sold out field of 10,000. I had never run a race this big, and was excited by the mass of runners. Nichole was ready to begin her first 1/2 marathon, whilst Zac and Max found a spot to wonder where we had been swallowed into the crowd.

As the start of the race approached, Nichole and I rambled on in silly banter and watched as 3 black hawk helicopters flew in formation following the anthem. I am always a bit freaked out by military displays like this as I see it as a flexing of the federal muscle.

Anyhow, the horn blew and we were off...........Well, we would have to wait a few minutes to cross the start. We went out with the 8:45 group. The two of us stayed together for 6 miles before the 1/2 and full split. Pace was a little hard to find, so we just stuck with a decent effort(9:15 or so) .

Early in the race, I removed my cotton gloves and dropped my red Ironman bracelet. Nichole saw me drop it and went back to get it. She went against the current of runners and retrieved the bracelet I had received during the IM marathon. The scene was very surreal. I thought it ironic that I almost lost my IM marathon bracelet(used to signify completion of lap 1) during a marathon.

The first half is mostly through wealthy neighborhood and under the cover of shade tree's. The temps were cool at the start, but the predictions to hit 80 was looming. We took in fluids at each aid station and listened to the war stories of all the Chicago runners who came to finish what they had started.(the Chicago marathon course was closed midrace due to heat and the inability to provide water).

At 6 miles the halfers split off and I wished Nichole well. I began running with an Ironman who had done IMKY this year. We spent a few miles together and split later at an aid station.

At the halfway point, I was feeling good, and took down my 2nd gel. At about mile 17, just past the OSU campus, I started running with a chi-town runner named Arron. We pushed eachother through the wall near 20 and found new life at 22. The final 4 miles we slowed a little bit as the sun was really heating up and shade was no where to be found. I maintained a steady focus . CTCer Adam was out rooting club members at 24. with .2 miles left we pressed to the finish line at 4:25:10.

Overall I had a great race. It was my best marathon since I last ran Columbus in '99. I could have used one more gel. Aside from that, I ran well. Walking only at aid stations and stopping twice to use the loo, I never gave into the part of my mind that says "go ahead and walk a little". I met some nice folks on the course, and really appreciate the job Columbus has done with the race. The course is flat and the scenery is nice. The bands, crowd and volunteer crew were great. It was a really nice event.

Nichole finished her first half in 2:12:10. We held our pace within a second of each other through the remainder of the race. Today she stated "I want to go faster". I have no doubt that she can BQ soon.

Zac and Max were a great crew(max is pictured above with Nichole and I). We were all hungry, and headed to the Olive Garden for lunch.

Seasons end

I woke this morning and ran a 4:25:10 for my final event of 2007. The weather was warm and sunny. Columbus puts on a great event. I will post a recap later.

I just finished watching another unbelievable collapse by one of our local teams... Being a Cleveland sports fan is really difficult. Some how we keep hoping and believing. The tribe and the Cavs are young teams that exceeded expectations. This is not over.

One more thing, Manny is a jerk.

A walk in the park

"A marathon should be a walk in the park following Ironman", a coworker said to me.

I guess if I intend to walk. The truth is, I intend to run. Sub 4 would be a nice day with a solid effort. 8:45 pace should do it. My PR is 3:54.

My taper has been easy with the back to back 12 hr days, followed by trips to Jacobs field. Sleep is in short supply. Nutrition could be better, but its not horrible.

Tonight was a well needed off day for the Boston/CLE series. Every restaurant worker in Gateway is exhausted. The MLB players get to maintain daily routines. We have to work about 10X harder then normal. On the plus side, the money is good and the C-Bus 26.2 is paid for.

Last night I sat in the bleachers at Jacobs Field with one of the tenents from the Caxton Building(Rocco's local). Rod is a historian with SABR (Society for American Baseball Research). He also knows the WI FI password for Jacobs field. This enabled us to pull more facts than Bob Costas on steroids. In the bleachers, the Jumbo-tron towers above you and is impossible to see. The WI FI negated the need for the scoreboard, as we were able to dissect the history of every player in greater detail than the scoreboard operator ever could. Lots of fun for baseball nerds. I really like watching baseball with people with a knowledge of the game.

Tomorrow I plan to come straight home after work. I work early on Friday, and I need to get some rest. I have to get myself together for Sunday. I have a marathon to run, and a marathon is no walk in the park.

I went to a ballgame this evening.

Wow!
After work I grabbed a beer and headed out to the patio before the ballgame. I started rapping with a scalper when he waved a ticket in my face.
"You wanna go in?" The ticket broker said.
"YES" I replied.
"Give me $40 bucks and a beer........eh, give me th 40 when you get paid" he said.
Then he gave me the ticket.

Like a little kid, I raced off to the Jake to go watch the American League Championship Series Game 3. I climbed up the ramp, reminding myself that I was in a taper. No needless ramp running.
Once I found my seat I called my mom and dad to let them know where I was. This is something I do when I am jazzed about being somewhere cool.

I got a beer, settled in and had the time of my life. The folks around me were a lot of fun. I went in alone, but by the 2nd inning we were all Clevelander's together. We screamed and cheered. We fretted, we winced. We all held our breath as Joe Borowski threw what seemed like 5 final pitches. When the last out was recorded we all celebrated as one. "Joe is amazing!", "Jake was brilliant!", "KLUVVVV!!!!"...everybody is so happy that Kenny Lofton is a part of this thing.

We had a couple chowderheads in front of us. I tied off the ends of their jacket sleeves when they got up to use the restroom. Aside from that they were barely abused....They seemed like pleasant folks. Not the Jimmy Fallon character we think off when we think of Red Sox fans...

One thing that annoys me. Fans that paint wahoo on their face. This is so offensive people. This is no different than black face. It is very biggoted behavior. PLEASE STOP IT!
I am not a wahoo fan. My Cap is the simple "C" from the "48 Series winner. Many "fans" ask why I am wearing a reds hat. These are the same fans that justify wahoo as tradition. I struggle to understand how someone that does not know history can cling so tightly to tradition. The Hat I wear was the design worn by Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Satchel Paige, Lou Boudrou, and other tribe greats.

The team seems to be moving slowly away from the mascot, with its new "I" logo. But there is no I in team. So I cannot accept this logo.

My idea for a new logo is using the smiling Bob Feller head. Kind of looks like Wahoo. We could then call him Old Yahoo. Somehow though I think the fans that embrace Wahoo will find this to be offensive.

Anyhow, GO Tribe! 2wins away from the World Series.

So hard to find my way.

The nostalgia of the autumn leaves me feeling a bit faded. I am ready for the foliage to change color and drop to the ground. Like the trees that line my run routes, I am ready for my winter hybernation. My limbs are tired and the rest ahead is a welcome sight.

I have mostly been focusing on the run training since deer creek. I am ready and eager for Columbus. My endurance engine is solid. I am feeling a bit more like a runner these past few weeks. Now it is taper time. My goal is to have a nice time and enjoy the last party of '07. This has been a wonderful season, and a fall Marathon seems like a great close to it.

One of my post Ironman plans was to enjoy a pennant run by our local baseball club. What a treat we have had. Tribe beat the Yanks in the ALDS. Next up is the ALCS with the BOSOX. Should be a great series. Manny hits well at the Jake. Manny hits well. Pitching wins however. Tribe in five. Next Thursday is gonna be one hell of a party at Rocco's and throughout Gateway. One beer limit for me pre marathon.

I am itching to start gigging soon. I HAVE TO SING! I will be sure to announce a Rocco's gig during the next week. The gig will coincide with a CD(Downloadable) release. I have been receiving high praise for the material on it. I am excited to start pushing it. It is a good listen.

I do love the fall. The sadness and grays are in full color. We know that winter is coming, but we have one last season to rejoice before the earth turns to ice. One last hour before we take shelter from the cold. The leaves will change, the wind will howl, night will come sooner and sooner.

It has been an amazing ride and it is almost time to rest. The expectations for rest are only that I am able to.
But first I have a pennant race to cheer on and and a marathon to run.

Happy fall.

So long Joe Torree

That is all have to say about that.

Veg, I hope you like beans and toast, cause bean town is toast.

Go tribe!!

96 and 66

Once in a while you get one of those perfect weekends. This was one of those.

It started Friday night. I took it easy heading across the street to the beer garden to take in a little baseball.....beer.....marathon talk. I ran into an old friend and swapped race stories till she had to head home and get to sleep for The Akron Marathon relay. I stuck around and watched the tribe give CC Sabathia win 19.

Saturday I rode my bike down to Whiskey Island for the CTC fall picnic. The weather was perfect on the lakefront as we sat around sharing more race stories.

I then headed through Ohio City to meet up with Nichole. Zac was working the pre Genesis concert, so we went to Rocco's and had more beers and a cheese free pizza. I sat around complaining that Peter Gabriel wasn't gonna sing, while Nichole wondered out loud why so many wanted to see the other Phil(as opposed to Phil Lesh of the GD).

As Rocco's filled( or should I say Phil'ed) we decided to head to Coventry to take in some coffee, play guitar for a bit, and yack on about our upcoming Columbus Marathon. At about 11 Zac called to let us know the aging art rock fans were tired and going home. He was free to leave. Nichole left to get him and they headed home.

I kicked back and watched Lebron host SNL. He did a good job, even if he is a Yankee fan.

Sunday I headed out for my coffee and paper. The weather once again was the perfect fall day. The neighbor hood was crawling with Brown's fans. At 1PM I headed home, tuned in and sat in awe as our new Browns put a lickn" on our old team. Vengeance isn't my thing, but it tastes better than the bitterness old Art Modell left here in Cleveland.

Following the upset of the Ravens, I filled my Fuel belt and headed out for an amazing 2.5 hour run. I went through the cemetery, University circle, I ran/crawled, trails through the Doan Brook area and around Shaker lakes. I felt really good and am really looking forward to Columbus.

After the run I had a Strawberry/Banana/Hemp smoothy. I ordered Thai. I Checked the Tribe score, and watched the Steelers get beat! The Indians won and finish the '07 regular season tied for best in baseball with Manny's Red Sox. October starts Thursday at the Jake against the Yanks.

As a sports fan in Cleveland, '07 has been surreal. OSU football and basketball finals. Cavs NBA finals, Tribe October baseball, and .......oh yeah......IRONMAN!!!!IRONMAN!!!!IRONMAN!!!!

Thanks for being apart of my perfect fall weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.

Toyota Challenge at Deer Creek Race Recap

This story begins friday morning while at work.
Ray the building manager pokes his head into Rocco's to let Zac know his car is leaking transmission fluid. The car was now grounded for the weekend and Deer creek was a uneasy maybe. I got home and threw an SOS to the CTC. Good news. JenC answered the call and offered me a ride down. I secured a campsite online and met Jen Saturday at the Caribou.

The ride was good, however I am terrible with directions. At least I am terrible at communicating them. We never got lost or missed a stop, but I was often late with the facts.
We arrived in Grove City at Jens Hotel in the early after noon and met up with Sam, Joe, and Paula before heading to the packet pickup.

After checking in and getting our race essentials, We drove the bike course. We took two cars and Jen suggested Paula act as the navigator. I rode along with Joe and Sam and got to talk Ironman with them. They will be heading to Lake Placid next July and completed their first half distance yesterday.

The course was a little different than advertised and offered no shade or protection from the wind. The back section had a few climbs. Some of the roads were less than smooth. Flat and fast was a relative description.

After the course drive I was dropped off at my camp and the others went back to Grove city. I set up my tent and rode to the park lodge for dinner. The restaurant was great. The waitress got really excited about my diet request and said that the cook loves creating vegan meals. Unfortunatly I wasn't after creative, just simple. I had pasta and marinara with a side salad and rolls. The photo at the top of the post was shot from my table. I sat and gazed at the lake for while. the waves and ripples were quite trippy.

Following dinner I went back to camp, talked to Nichole on the phone, checked the tribe score, read and went to bed. The sleep was mostly fine sans my neighbors partying till 3am.

Race morning I woke at 6am. I rode to transition and was greeted by a sea of red.

Joe, Sam, Ryan, Jen

The Cleveland Triathlon Club was in full force. The weather was a little cool and it looked to be a great morning for Triathlon. With my preface rituals all taken care of I headed for the beach. My wave was one of the last. We went off around 8:50 or so.

When the horn blew I hit my watch and began swimming the two loop course. I immediately had to secure my watchband and just kicked as I dealt with that. I fell back and got tossled a bit. by the first turn I was back with the mass of swimmers. It was a chaotic swim that was rougher than the Ironman swim. Full contact was on. I was punched clawed, kicked, pulled, and elbowed. I swallowed a bit of water and swam into a few bouys and rope. Aside from that, it was a good swim with an unofficial PR of 35 minutes. I spent the other 4 minutes wrestling my way out of my wet suit on the grass before entering transition.

In T1 I couldn't find my bike. My rack had a card that said "Y". On the other side it said"J". I searched for Y and got freaked out thinking my bike had been pulled from Transition. I eventually found my gear and quickly got on the road.

The bike course was 3 loops. I pushed hard through the hole 56 mile only letting up to eat or take salt. The hills, wind, road surface, and heat were all strong factors. We had 6 turn arounds forcing near complete stops. My time was 3:04. I was disappointed, but knew I could still go sub 6 hrs with a 2:10 run.

My transition was smooth,except for forgeting my visor. After 20 steps, the sun reminded me to get my visor. I took in some gatorade, hit the loo and began running. By mile one I was at 9:25 and feeling comfortable. I settled in.
after leaving the park the run course went over the Deer Creek Dam. The view was awesome. The wind was gone. The sun was hot, and the course had no shade. my plan was to maintain my pace from aid staion to aid station. The tempurature hit 91. We were roasting. I was going strong through 11 miles and following my plan perfectly. The problem was that I could not pee, and was taking in a lot of fluid. A began to feel sick, and backed off quickly. The last thing I wanted was to vomit in this heat. I was close to the finish and on pace to break 6 hrs if I continued running. The decision to slow was tough, but ultimately my life means more than a PR. Aftter walking the better part of mile 12, I jogged easy most of the final mile and picked it up with a few hundred yards to go to protect my position of 98th place from a pursuant runner.
Finish time 6:11. No PR, but not bad in the heat.

Victory was mine, I was not the last double digit finisher. I tried to shake his hand, but no. 99 would have none of it. I spent 30 minutes looking at food in recovery while trying not to puke. I couldn't eat, so I sipped some Pepsi and cleaned up my gear.

Paula drove me back to camp where we got showered and I packed my camp up and waited for Jen who was still cheering on Sam and Joe.

Jen and I drove back to Cleveland and talk about all kinds of stuff. She has a great sense of humor and a fantastic collection of metalica and Abba. I had fun.

Final thoughts
I pushed myself every inch of this race. The conditions were downright dangerous. MY time goal was sub 6. My real goal was max effort. I did that. I have to expect IMKY to be as hot if not hotter. What I received at deer creek was what I needed. It was a very tough race. I feel successful.
I missed Zac and Nichole, but having so many club members down for the race really made me feel at home. CTC is an incredible club with great people. I am lucky to have such a good tri club in my town.
Thanks to the Collisters. Matt was the Lone spectator on the course, and Jen made the hole experience a reality by providing me with a ride.

I am going to rest for a couple days. I hurt and am tired. I left myself out there.

Next up, The Columbus Marathon.

My '07 Triathlon season has come to a close

Very tough day. I am exhausted. I will give a full recap later.
06:11:42
Thanks Jen for the ride. The travel was the highlight.

Last race of the season

Headed down to the old Pineman, now called the Toyota challenge. JennC is picking me up near the freeway and I am camping alone at the state park.
Zacs car broke yesterday and the bus is not ready. I will miss them (Zac, Nichole, and Max).
See ya Sunday.

Ironman UK Critique

I am guessing registration for Ironman UK will open soon. This is a review of the course, race management, and host town of Sherborn. If you are thinking of doing this race, hopefully I can provide some objective insights to help you with your decision.

First off, let me make it clear that my only other Ironman experience was for IM Austria in '99.

Travel-This was a very simple trip. The town of sherborn is about a 100 miles from London. If you rent a car, Stonehenge is halfway. Stop there. It is freakin' stonehenge.

Lodging- Sherborne does not have many hotels. There are a few options for bedding. Camping, home stay, and dorm style.

We chose to camp. I dug it. Being a former scout, and an old dead head, the open field full of tents was very comfortable. Clean bathrooms and private showers were on site with hot water. If you are not a tent camper, you can rent a trailer that will be on site when you arrive.

The homestay program has athletes staying in the homes of Sherborne residents. I heard good things about this option. In its fourth year, the hosts have come to understand the needs of IM competitors.

The dorms sounded bad. curtains separate competitors. No Privacy.
But then, it is not camping.

Race management-The IMUK crew was great. Very organized and attentive. Laura, the same women that checked me in, also put the medal on me at the finish. The race had a more organic personal feel. Very little was overlooked.

The volunteers were incredible.

My two complaints. 1- No cookies, pretzels and chips on the run as promised. 2- pre race meeting included a few surprises with only 3 hrs till transition closed. To avoid a DQ, 1200 athletes descended on the Expo for bottle cages and reflective strips. I, thanks to Zac and Nichole had scouted out a bike shop in town. Just the same, to much stress to close to race time.

The course- The swim is two laps in a narrow lake. Sighting is simple. Just swim.

The bike course is hilly. Downhills are short and quick. Uphills are long. This is not a fast course. It is incredibly scenic.

The run course is also very hilly. It is a mixed surface course. The scenery is great except for the two loop mid hill section.

The finish is at the Castle. Very cool.

The town of Sherborne and Dorsette county- Pubs, Abbys, amazing countryside and Indian food. The town is small and very friendly. Take a half day in Cerne Abbas and see the Giant and abby.

The English people were very welcoming and all share a great sense of humor.

Summery- Sherborne and the IMUK crew host a really nice event The weather was often less than ideal, yet we never seemed to be bothered by it. The lodging is unique, and the race is a bit more intimate than I remember Austria being. The course is challenging.

This was a fun event and was very affordable.

I am glad I went. I highly recommend it.

I am thinking IM Japan in '09....Hmmmmm

Unmotivated

Before you slap me, please remember that these things are relative.

Twenty five days since IM and 10 days till the half at Deer creek. I did a solid brick Saturday, ran 2hrs Sunday. My pool workouts have been short but strong.

Returning to the indoor pool, I am swimming with swimmers I haven't been with since early June. My progress on the swim is evident while swimming with a couple of swimmers that I used to pace with. I am excited to continue to grow as a swimmer in the coming year.

I have been pushing the big ring on the bike lately. For IM I went conservative during the bike. I rarely went big unless I was going downhill. A big goal for Kentucky is to work harder on the bike. One great thing about choosing IM so close to home, is that I can ride the course in advance, or at the very least drive it a few times.

As a runner, I have used a three day on, one day off routine for years. I really like that schedule as a runner. However, I am no longer a traditional runner at this point in my time as an athlete. I am an Ironman distance triathlete. This means that recovery is a must. The other disciplines are of equal importance. Every week now includes two days in a row away from running. The three day has been cut to two days in a row followed by one or two rest days.

I feel that I am now truly thinking as a triathlete. My training goals are focused on Ironman. I want to go Sub 1:15 on the swim, sub 6:30 on the bike, and sub 5 on the run next year at Louisville. with my T1 and T2 being 12 minutes I have left 3 minutes to finish sub 13. I believe these goals are within reach and will make me focus on improving.

During my UK training, I gave endurance work all of my focus with the exception of swim tech drills. For KY I will focus on strength and speed while maintaining a steady flow of long sessions.

Next week at deer creek, My "A" goal is to go sub 6. If for any reason I struggle trying maintain that pace, I will let go of any expectations, back off and enjoy the final triathlon of one great season. Finishing is important, as it may be the long session prior to Columbus.

Well, I guess I have lots of motivation...........Never mind.

Commitment

10 years ago, I was seriously considering a spring marathon(my first). I knew that I would have to find cross training alternatives to my running and add some weight training. I started looking for a gym to join and stopped at a Bally's for some info. The minute I walked into the place I had 3 muscle heads putting the hard sell on me. They were demanding that I take a 3 year membership.

I am an Aquarius. I squirmed, became aloof, and started heading for the door.

"What do you have against commitment?" Shouted the drill Sargent/sales rep with the Joe Piscapo neck.

"I just ended a 3 year relationship with my girlfriend, I am not ready for this!" I replied.

The Bally's rep paused and said "Oh."

I left.

I ended up joining the YMCA at the end of my street an eventually became engaged to the program director.

IRONYMAN

Today I spent following 2 1st Ironman races. I read a recap of a 1st ultra marathon and a 1st Century. It was clear to me that the four athletes I was following had all made huge commitments to themselves. They have based much of their lifestyle on the commitment they have made to reach their goals. You can not start one of these events, without investing a great amount of time and energy toward these goals.

This morning while stretching the legs out on the towpath for 2 hrs, Dane was comparing her marathon with her bar exams. She said, The big difference is that the process is more important than the result in the marathon. The bar is all about the results."

As mostly recreational athletes, we are afforded this option of just enjoying the process of reaching our goals. We can explore the joy of success and suffer personal defeat with wonder, always knowing that we are learning something knew. No matter what the result of a single race might be, we have gained more than we ever imagined while training for the event. We win before the starting bell is ever rung.

We do not need to win on Sunday to preserve our careers. We just need to make a commitment to start.

Congrats Jack, V3Jen, Matt, and Jayme. Your commitment continues to inspires me.

Ragweed

Yes my eyes are extremely bloodshot from this weed. I am sneezing, I have a runny nose, My eyes itch, I get headaches, I struggle to sleep. allergy season hits me hard.

Last year at this time, we were camping on lake Erie awaiting the Great Lake Escape(GLE) Triathlon. The rag weed was horrible and I never slept the night before the race.

GLE, like the other escape style races had a ferry boat start. Our race became a duathlon due to bad lake conditions. Bummer, I still would like to do this race with the ferry start.

During the race, I was very excited about IM MOO. IM started an hr after our race began. My big plan was to register the following morning. Every time I ran by Jodi, I would get big eyes and say something like "they are swimming in Lake Monona". As our race went on, we began a back and forth play by play of the race in Mad Town.

After the GLE, I fell asleep and Zac toted my slumbering sweaty self back to Coventry.

I had asked for the following day off from work, so I could register for the race.
I was ready. I had raised my entry fee with a gig at roccos the week before. Jodi, Jenn C, Brian, (all bloggers) and others contributed to my fund raising goal. Nichole made Gift baskets that were raffled off. I sang and gave away CDs.

Monday after Moo, I sat with a cup of coffee where I sit now . When the reg. site opened I got on very quickly. I filled every thing out and hit enter......I waited 20 minutes.




Errors.... please correct and resubmit.
OK, ENTER...........


"Registration for Ironman Wisconsin 2007 is no longer available".

My heart dropped...

My journey had stopped before it began.

This was my last major obstacle on my way to Ironman. The lesson: pause, regroup, adapt, move on.

Last year my goal was to do the distance. My theme was the GD lyric "Show me something built to last, or someone built to tri". I created a motivational image for my desktop to remind myself of what I was doing. My goal was to build the endurance for Ironman. I know now that I can cover the distance.

Anyhow, due the crazy demand for Ironman entry, I registered for IMKY before I had a chance to digest what I had just done in the UK. I knew that I had a blast. I love the life style. I like the distance.

But what business do I have in Louisville?

That question made me come up with a goal and a theme for this race. I want to improve on what I have become. I once again looked to Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter for a little direction. "Won't you tri just a little bit harder?, won't you try just a little bit more?" from the Dead tune The Wheel.So my plan is simple:
Little bit harder, just a little bit more,
A little bit further/(faster) than you gone before.

I will start just as soon as my hay fever subsides....sniffle, snifle.!

Dane County

War protest in London

I played at the Peace Show yesterday. The gig went well, the day was beautiful, the crowd was huge.
The event is held every year on labor day. Oddly it began in 2001. We were basically living at peace back then. A week later our world changed.
The show has shown many faces over the past years. Compassion, outrage, frustration, hope have all been moods of the anti war/peace community as exhibited at the Peace Show.

Yesterday seemed to have a lot of energy. I think people feel a troop reduction is near, as is an administrative change.

Of the many groups present, I found myself drawn toward the Animal rights and cycling groups more so than the efforts to end the war. I think I see peacemaking as a personal thing that happens with the choices I make in my own life.

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I have gotten back to a regular training schedule. I feel good. Nothing long yet. I think I may do a 13 miler with Dane.

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Speaking of Dane, good luck to those of you headed to Dane County, Wisconsin. I will be following races of my CTC friend Jack Carney (78) and blogger IM Able (53). Part of me will be wondering "What if?" because my plan "A" was IMMoo. I didn't have a "B" plan at that time. My music career began 20 years ago on State Street. Becoming an Ironman there seemed like such a fun plan.

Well, you know how the story played out. I wouldn't have changed a thing. My experience was amazing. It will forever be one of my favorite memories......Oh yeah, and I am an IRONMAN.

Overpriced official finish photo

Hee Hee Hee....I will cut that out in a few weeks. Still can't wipe the smile off my face.

The best way to watch a race is from the course.

Nichole and Zac have come to a lot of my races the past couple of years. I can't begin to tell you what this has meant to me. From Maumee Bay to the UK, they have become some seasoned tri spectators.

We always make the trips into little vacations, generally choosing to camp near the race site. We all have a lot of fun, and good memories are born.

Something funny happens while watching an Ironman. Often friends and family are on the course for15 or more hours while waiting for a handful of sightings from the athlete they have come to watch. The anticipation and worry becomes enormous. I remember going through this in Austria while waiting for Jen. It is really very exciting watching your Ironman coming down the chute and witnessing the finish.

I can't imagine very many people seeing the IM finish, and not wondering what is possible. I know that it planted a deep seed in my mind. If you don't want to be an Ironman, then DO NOT go to Madison (Have a great race Jack, bib #78)next Sunday.

Anyhow, since returning from the UK, Nichole has been doing a little Swim/Bike/ and Run. Last night she called and asked if I wanted to go running today.......She also mentioned that she was registered for the Columbus Half Marathon.

Go Nichole!

We ran today for an hour at Rocky River. She did great.
She is going to enjoy the Race in Columbus from the best vantage point of all.
From the course.