So I waited

I had planned on a Friday off day. I am doing a 5k on Sunday. So I figured it was good timing.

Nichole stopped in at work and told me about a vegan dinner and lecture this eve(Thursday) at the library near my folks house.
Long story/short...I switched rest days and went to the dinner. My body needs it, the race is maybe a c-race. I need info.
I showed up at about ten minutes early to a very small group. Within 10 minutes the room was full.
Some how when getting in line for dinner, I wound up at the back of the line. I was offered a spot closer, but I felt it wasn't fair to other people. So I waited.
The first folks in line, especially the men seemed to pile the food on the plates. those of us at the back wondered if there would be any food left. We were hungry and the line didn't move quickly.
The opportunity for practicing Buddhist teachings I have been studying presented it self, and I took it.
I was worried. Why was I worried?. I was worried for fear. Fear that I would come to the food table and no food would be left. I would remain hungry through the lecture. After the lecture I would be tired and dizzy. and so on......
It was okay to feel this way, but I knew the nature of my fear was silly. so I acknowledged the fear and moved forward. I breathed for the moment. I practiced mindfullness. I really tried to absorb the energy that was present in the room. It was a good energy.
As soon as I gave up my Self, the line had arrived at the food table. The food was abundant. I, as well as the 30 people that had joined the line after me were fed well.

Soon after the meal a vegan nutritionist named Anya spoke about how to maintain a healthy vegan diet. Mostly info I had already gathered on my own, but reaffirming what I have read on the web has its place.

The vegan community seems healthy here in town. Thats good to know.
I had a good night.

Kickin' it on Coventry

I had a really nice weekend of training. The only problem I had was having to return to the trainer Sat. due to heavy rains. I am looking forward to long out door rides. Got a long one in while watching OSU as it blue past Memphis.

Friday Zac, Nichole, and I went to the Cafe Limbo for some tasty veggie cooking, music and beer. I had a stir fry entree' and a portabella appetizer. It was all really good. The restaurant is in an old house on Larchmere.

Today I enjoyed the sun and warmth. I rode to the pool, and got a nice run in with Dane. I had a production meeting at the Barking Spider later. We sat on the patio. I was trying out B Bops B12 suggestion with hops. "Holy Moses" by Great Lakes Brewery. Tasty unfiltered Wheat ale...I had 2....Yum.

One thing I have been wanting to do is to play hacky sack. I love this silly game.
It really helps me with flexibility and footwork.

If you don't know, hacky sack is played with a small bean filled ball(footbag). The goal is to prevent the bag from landing on the ground while not using your hands. You can play with any number of players. I prefer 2-3. No score is kept. You just play for the moment. If it hits the ground you pick it up and serve it. This can go on for hours.

When I play, I get fixed on the sac like a dog and a tennis ball. I move around a lot and play a fearless and active game. I don't like the tricks people attempt. Sort of messes with the flow of a game.

After the Cavs lost I walked to the corner and started kicking. Within seconds I was joined by 2 others. We played for an hour or so. It was fun, but I am out of practice. The easy stuff was there, but when I would go airborn I would foul every thing off and away from other players. The stuff behind my back was inconsistent and the no look stuff was all 50/50. It will come back to me soon. It's early spring.

The coffee thing is going well. 1 cup in the morning. Sleep is really easy now. I lay down, close my eyes, and wake up to the alarm refreshed.

I checked out the new Whole Foods Market this morning. My immediate reaction was:
NO BIKE RACKS!?What?
I filed a suggestion. and locked my bike to a bunch of shopping carts....hehehe.
16 ounces of Hempseed oil for $8.99. Good Deal.
Crowded, to many people, long lines.
I got my oil and left.
I will investigate again.

Anyhow, Happy Spring.

Boomerang Bug.

March has been tough on me. I have had a cold, I turned my ankle, and I spent the past week being beat'n down by what I will call a boomerang bug.
It started last week and just kept reappearing every time I thought it was gone.
This bug caused extreme stomach issues and fatigue. My appetite was light. I missed a lot of work outs, and my mood was blue. I know it is a flu bug because Zac and Nichole have suffered the same symptoms.
I made it through my long run Sunday. I was motivated by a new friend name Dane. I know her from AJ Rocco's and offered to help her train for the Cleveland Marathon. I did this with Sheila last year. The trade off is experiance for enthusiasm. It helps. Sunday, Dane really pulled me for 2:20.
I took advantage of the good weather mid week by spending some quality time in the saddle. Most of my pool time was spent taking guidance from Steve. Aside from that, I took it easy.
I felt better today. I ate well and I did 2 workouts. I feel normal.
CTC Blogger Jodi had some health issues a month back. She just concluded a monster week of training with few complaints and lots of confidence. So I know if my base training is solid, I have little to worry about. I know it is part of the journey. Just a small bump. I know everything will be fine. But the down time sucks.
Spring starts today and my health has improved.
Let the good times.

One more thing.
B12 is something I need. I was reading Veg*Triathlete's blog and noted that she supplements with it. After a little research I understood why.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I am trying to cut coffee down to 1 small cup a day instead of my usual 67 ounces or so. Wish me luck.

St Baldricks Fun

The early estimates have us raising over 200K to fight childhood cancer at AJ Rocco's alone.
This fund raiser is huge.
Thanks to all who sponsored me. You can still donate by using the link in the sidebar.

Thanks also to Kirk, Sandy, and Denny for handling the camera.

The Trifolk Crew
Zac, Nichole, and I headed to the UK bald, bald, bald. No one will suspect that we are dirty hippies

It's gone
Boy will this save time in the shower between workouts

Brendon
The boss and his bald AJ Rocco's crew.

This is the only way he can keep us groomed (dirty hippies)

Zac and Nichole

Trifolk IMUK support crew/ My friends

Michelle and Jay
Michelle works with me and Jay is a fellow Coventry musician

Maggie(Maggie appears in the post "Reunion") and Adam
My Caribou friends/Barristas unite to fight children's cancer

Dogs and thunder

As I slumbered deep in my dreams I heard the phone ring. It was a distant ring. The kind of ringing that you can accept as a part of the dream. After half waking I realised that the ring was real.
At 5am there are few reasons why my phone would ring.

1. Drunk call from an x.
2. Family emergency.
3. Zac can't get to work.

If you guessed 3, you are correct. Whatever bug my body battled and beat apparently was kicking Zacs ass and winning. When this kinda thing happens I get to go to work early. So I showered, dressed and jumped on the bike.

As luck would have it the rains were light. I crashed badly last summer during an early morning downpour. Crashing your bike hurts if you are lucky. I had given myself time, so I could take it slow if need be. The fact that I had to leave early saved me from heavier rains.

With Zac out, I assumed that I would be going solo till 10. Sucks, but I handled it and tips were good. I was able to leave at 2:30. Cool!

If I get out early, I like to go to the little Indian place in the Colonial arcade on Euclid. This is what I did. After lunch I headed around Browns Stadium and headed home along the lake front. The ride is flat and rough. The lake looked cool as most of it has thawed, except for random ice chunks. The wind was easy. The ride was nice.

As I turned down MLK and headed south along the bike path, I felt my seat bag come loose. I slowed to tighten it. As I slowed I notice several dark patched in the woods across the Doan Brook. The shapes began to take form as I focused and I thought that I may be seeing a pack of wild/abandoned/stray dogs. I began to move forward again when I realised that they were dogs and that they were very interested in me and my bike.

Crap! I decided to go for it. I decided to test the speed of the dogs.
Crap! Those dogs were fast. About six of them. They were led by a lab Shepperd mix and he and I were 3 feet apart.

I fiercely yelled "NOOOO!".
The dog didn't obey.

I hopped my bike into MLK.(This is sort of like jumping from a burning building to avoid death by fire). MLK is Nuts.

I signaled to the car behind me for help. Traffic seemed to get what was happening and allowed me to escape to the other side.

Boy, that was close.

With my knees still shaking I peddled up to University Circle. As I passed the VA I noticed my rear wheel was soft...softer....Flat............
So I sat on the stairs of the Quaker Friends House and fixed the flat. Peddled home. Switched bikes. An rode till the thunder came.
Maybe Someday I will be reborn as thunder. When I am, I am gonna go scare those dogs good.

Be careful out on the roads. Dogs bite, cars kill, and helmets save.

75 degrees

I went to bed feeling a little sick in my belly last night. I didn't eat well yesterday and my legs hurt. Aside from that I felt fine.
After work I stopped at the Food Co-op to get some more hemp protein powder. While I was there I got some tasty granola, some almond milk, a rice dream bar, and an oatmeal cookie. After checking out I sat in the Bus shelter and had a pigout session.
Oops.
I got home, had some granola and an orange and just started feeling bad.
I figured an easy spin would fix me up abit.
Nope.
I made a smoothie and went to bed.
I woke up still feeling bad, so I scrapped the bike commute. Cleveland has a way to go in terms of being bike friendly. With my attention compromised with sickness, I thought the first ride in was a bad idea.....Drat.

As the day went on it became clear that this day was made for training. Unfortunately I was dizzy and queasy. I was allowed to go home, but I stuck it out. made it till 4 and headed home.

Walking down Coventry from the bus stop, I felt something different. I felt something that has been absent in my life lately....I felt warm sunshine. The neighbor hood was alive. Folks were jogging, riding bikes, pushing strollers, walking slowly, and sitting on the corner(Coventry has a corner park that we call Monkey Island. On a nice day or night it can be packed).

I went up to my Apt. and instinctively changed in to my run gear. Not the stuff I talked about last month, but shorts, a tech T, no socks, a visor, and the Oakley's with the dark tint. I Pulled up some Peter Gabriel("Womens Day") and hobbled down Hampshire.
With the sunshine falling down on me, my stiffness eased. My belly mellowed and my tight hobble became a trot. 3 miles later I jogged home down Coventry waving and smiling at all of my neighbors. I am goofy like that.
I still needed more sunshine.....
Next, I rode to the pool for an easy swim, rode home, and had a beer while watching the Lebronless Cavs win by 24. ...This team is starting to heat up heading into the playoffs.
For dinner I had a big salad. And I feel fine.
Tomorrow.....No bus.....Bike to work day at AJ Rocco's.

Shamrock 15k Recap

The Shamrock 15k is put on by the Summit Athletic Running Club. It takes place in the Cuyahoga Valley area near Blossom Music Center(summer home to the Cleveland Orchestra). The race has a reputation for its hills. I last ran it in 1999 and took 2nd in my age group with a finish time of 1:09.
Zac drove down with me. He misunderstood my message and called me at 7am to let me know he was almost here.
Oops, the race starts at noon, no big hurry. anyhow, we had coffee and he fell asleep while I got ready and ate.
I had some Kashi puffed grain and added chopped dates, raisins, craisins, blueberry's, sunflower seeds, a banana, and soy milk. I also had an orange.
At 10:20 we left and headed south. I was pre registered and we were on target time wise to allow me lots of time.....And then we got lost.
So with 14 minutes till the gun we arrived and I ran in, pinned on my number, said hello to JenC, hit the 'let, threw my stuff in the Volvo and ran to the start.
I never ceased running from that point as the horn sounded upon my approach. So I hit my watch and began weaving threw the crowd.
I like starting near the back as it forces me to start slow and pass other runners through out the race.
The weather was perfect. 40 degrees and sunny with a light breeze. It felt like spring.....Wahoo!
The race starts with a rolling dissent into the Cuyahoga Valley. The Valley is really one of NE Ohio's great treasures. The last of the Allegheny rivers before ohio becomes a plains state. The woodlands here are beautiful and are now designated as National Park Land.
In the first mile we passed by the Humane Society to an overjoyed kennel of dogs. 155 runners to bark at. This made me smile. Then it made me sad. I wish I could addopt. My home is to small and without a yard.
My pace was around 7:25per mile heading into the valley. My plan was to to run the 1st 5k in 23 minutes and take advantage of the downhill.
Everything was working.
When we hit the flat at the river I began picking off runners 1 by 1. I felt very confident that my base work was paying off and that I could maintain the effort through out.
At mile 4 the course takes a sharp and steep turn back out off the valley.
I yelled "let the party begin", and bounced up to the hill.
I chatted with 1 fella for a minute but dropped him during a climb.
By 10k I was at 48 minutes, right on goal pace.
I heard a runner gaining ground behind me, but felt comfortable with how the distance to the next runner was shrinking.
She caught me and we ran together for another mile and a half before she pulled away.
Finally out of the valley and headed to the finish, I felt strong.
I finished at 1hr and 15 minutes. for an 8:03 pace.
My plan and body came together.
I am VERY satisfied with the result.
After the race I talked with Jen and her friends Sam and Carrie.
GCT race director, Mickey Rzymek stopped to say something funny while I waited for the awards. Mickey promised the Big Hill is still on the new Greater Cleveland Triathlon course.
As the awards wound down I headed back to the Volvo to find that Zac had awakened from his slumber.
Got back to the Heights. Watched OSU beat the badgers. GO BUCKS! Little scary in the first half as Greg Oden went as silent as Troy Smith did during the BCS game.....And I ate some Thai for dinner
I plan to hurt tomorrow. This race beats you up.

Rebirth of warm...

Spring is near.
I hope to ride to the pool tommorow.
I have a race Sunday.
Shamrock 15k.
Sping is near.


Really.

new jersey

I opened my mailbox today and wahoo, a package fom the UK.

This is the first non web related Ironman contact I have had. I was excited and ripped open the package like a 5 year old on Christmas.

Inside was a Ironman UK water bottle and an In-Training bike jersey.

"Size small?!" I guess my diet is going well. A little snug, but it fits.

Apperently the sizes were a size larger than the label.

Sick

This past week brought a cold into my existence. I expect it to happen around this time of year.
It was my first chance to test my immunity against the diet and increase in training.
The bug took hold about 12 hrs after my long run last week. I had gotten in a weekends worth of long distance stuff, and I had left the door wide open for a little flu bug.
Fortunately the big workouts were done. so the two off days may have given me recovery that I don't often get following big workouts. All and all my body is feeling structurally sound.

Monday I came home from work, made a veggie chili, big salad, orange and a pair. I went to bed on my sofa and watched sitcoms. They mostly sucked, however 2 and a 1/2 men seems like a good one.

Tuesday was one of those "why am I at work?" days.
It was also a "why am I MC'ing the PEACE ACTION annual meeting", night.
I was exhausted Tuesday. I just wanted to sleep.

By Wednesday I wanted to run. I did some research on running with the flu/cold.
I probably should have just rested. Instead I found information to support my desire/fear of fitness loss and headed out for a 10 minute trial run followed by 35 more minutes of an OK run.

Thursday I rode for an hour before another Peace action events planning meeting. I am the Chair of this committee so it is really hard for me to skip. (We decided to surrender to Japan) That's what liberals do, right?(notice tongue in cheek)

By Today I felt better a bit. I rode my bike to the rapid station and all the way home.
I ran a few miles, and I swam about 1600 yards. Not 100 percent. Not even 90. But I am up and training. This weekend is an easier plan than last. Hopefully I won't miss much more.

Getting sick is no fun.
Stay healthy. Eat well and rest.