Tri 2 Live

Enter The Zone

2008-04-25T16:15:00.002-05:00

TGIF, Man what a long work week. Weeks always seem long when you're actually working.Haha

I have been a long time fan of the website crossfit.com and I think it's just what I need to motivate me to get back into strength training. I really like the idea of training for function instead of just for looks. It's not really designed for long course triathlon like the ironman or 70.3, but it will be great for sprint and maybe Olympic distance races. Many of the Crossfitters use the Zone Diet as a way to stay healthy and to increase performance. I picked up some of the diet books at a used book store and I started the Zone on Wednesday. I am not really having any trouble sticking to it which has surprised me a lot. I think if I can stick with it for at least two weeks I will be well on my way. On another note, my cough has finally improved the the point where I feel I can hit the gym and not have a hacking fit.

Spring

2008-04-18T18:51:00.002-05:00

Yes, I am still alive. My motivation has been prety much non existant for the last 6 months. I'm really not sure why. All I know is that the wether is getting nicer and I am getting that itch to get out and do some things. I quit the YMCA because I just wasn't using it. It was great when it was only 2 blocks away but I now live 15 miles away and I just seemed like a pain to go that far. I did join a Snap Fitness that is only about 2 miles from home and it's open 24 hours a day. It doesn't have a pool but at least it's something. Oh yeah, I finally got an indoor trainer just in time for summer.LOL Take care out there in blogger land.

2008

2008-01-09T09:01:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. What the heck happened to me the last 3 months? To tell the truth I'm not really sure. What I do know is that I have to get back to posting on here because it helps keep me motivated.

2007 was a year of change for me. I completed my first sprint triathlon and became a triathlete, something I have aspired to be for some time now. I also trained for and ran in my first marathon even though I didn't finish, something about it be 90 plus degrees in October. I did all of this while weighing near 300 pounds. I'm not going to make any sort of New Years resolutions or anything for 2008, but I do want to continue loosing weight and training and competing in triathlons.

I have decided to put the Ironman goal on the back burner for a little while longer. I think I need to get some good sprint, Olympic, and half Ironman races under my belt before I think anymore about 140.3 miles. I just want to have fun meeting new people and filling my life with fun, health and fitness.

Speaking of fun, my parents got me this book for Christmas.

I laughed so hard I nearly wet myself.

288.6

2007-10-29T09:01:00.000-05:00

So this is my current weight. I have been in a slump for the last few weeks since my marathon and I haven't worked out much at all. I really owe it to the fact that I had no plan in place for an off season training program. I sat down yesterday to plan out the next few weeks to give me some structure and to keep me on track toward my fitness goals. My plan is to do 3 days of weight training on Mon, Wed, and Friday. I will try to get to the pool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to get in some swimming. I think that if I try to do more than 2 days during the winter it just won't happen. I think it would remind me too much of swim team in high school. I really grew to hate those cold dark mornings. In addition to the weight training on Mon, Wed, and Friday I am planning on getting my biking in and adding an extra day for a longer ride on Saturday. As far as my running, I am planning on taking some time off to let my joints recover. I plan on switching to the elliptical untill I lose at least 20 pounds. I think that in the long run my body will thank me. I will plan on getting on the elliptical on Tues, Thursday and Sunday at least for now.

Sick!!

2007-10-11T07:48:00.000-05:00

I had all these great plans to start eating better and to start on my new fitness plan this week, but I woke up on Monday with a scratchy throat and now I have a full blown head and chest cold. This sucks!!! I'm not on call this weekend so my plan is to try and rest as much a possible to kick this thing and get back to training.

DNF

2007-10-08T14:56:00.000-05:00

Where to begin.... There's nothing quite like getting together with about 45,ooo people to run the Chicago Marathon on the hottest day ever recorded in the 30 years since it's inception.

When I stepped outside my hotel on Sunday morning I couldn't believe how hot it was. At 5:30 am the temperature was already at about 70 and the dew point was around 65. Now that's humid! I had a tremendous amount of anxiety as Stef and I waited for the train to downtown Chicago. The platform soon filled with other racers with their gear check bags slung over their shoulder and race numbers pinned to their shirts. For as many people as there were, the crowd was eerily quiet. We soon boarded the CTA Blue line, toward Jackson St and the race starting area. We were lucky enough to find a seat because by the time we reached Jackson ST the train was totally packed. We arrived at our destination about 45 minutes later and headed up the stairs out of the station to the surface.

Even though I Knew there would be a lot of racers I couldn't believe my eyes. Racers were coming from all directions all heading like a pack of lemmings toward the start corrals and gear check. Stef and I checked our gear and headed toward the start corrals. She is a much faster runner than I am and wanted to start around the 3:45 pace group. Since It was still about 45 minutes till the race start I decided that I would join her for a while then move back closer to the 5:45 pace group that I thought I would be able to keep up with. About 20 minutes before the race start I said good luck to Stef and headed back toward the 5:45 pace group. Yeah, that never happened. I got back as far as the 4:30 group and got stuck. Since I couldn't go anywhere I decided I would make the best of it and start there. It was so humid that sweat was running down my back just standing still. I leaned to the guy next to me and said, "This is October right?". He said he was thinking it should have been much cooler too. I looked down at my heart rate monitor and it was at 122 bpm. I attribute this to the humidity because even though I was nervous it normally wouldn't be above 90. I guess heat does make a big difference.

The race started and I ended up making a huge mistake I went out way too hard in the first mile. My first mile was around 9-10 minutes. I normally go around 13-14 min. That is a huge difference. That's what I get for starting with the 4:30 group. It was so easy to get swept along for the ride. I started to get that tingly feeling in my face that tells me my heart rate is too high. I looked at my watch and it read 202. Holy crap!! I immediately slowed to a walk to try to get it back down. It finally came back down and I started running again.

I had this whole nutrition thing planned out pretty well because I knew that with the heat hydration would be key. I had a 20 oz bottle the was filled with Gatorade, two Nune tablets and 10 gu packets. My plan was to take in 20-40 oz Gatorade or water and 2 gu packets per hour to keep me hydrated and fueled. This was great in theory. I skipped the first aid station because I still had plenty of Gatorade to get me to aid station 2 at around the 3-mile mark, little did I know this was a big mistake. Here's where it all goes to hell. There was no aid station 2. Ok, there was a 2nd aid station but there was nothing left. Due to the heat, the runners ahead of us were taking multiple cups and dumping them on themselves to keep cool. I really can't blame them, as I would have done the same thing. There was absolutely nothing left for us. I was now with the 4:45 group so there were thousands of people still behind us. People were really pissed. Some guy said, “Their gonna need more ambulances.” No water equals no gu packets no gu packets equals no energy. This totally sucked. In the news the race director stated that they had plenty of water and supplies. Thousands of others and myself can attest to the fact that that is a load of crap! The next aid station wasn’t till mile 6 which was almost 5 miles from the first aid station. When we got there, there was water, but no Gatorade. Come on people get your act together. It was too freakin hot to keep having these kinds of logistical screw-ups. Two girls that I talked to actually ran into a store to by some bottled water. That was a great idea; too bad I didn't have any money on me. Silly me, I thought I paid a $110.00 entry fee so I wouldn't have to buy my own water. One thing I will say is that the people of Chicago really stepped up by bringing out their hoses and pitchers to help keep us going. By the time I finally got some water I was feeling really sick and had to force myself to take in a gu packet. The gu and water helped a little, but it was too little too late.

The symptoms of heat exhaustion are as follows: cold clammy skin with heavy sweating (check), Pulse rapid and weak (check) mine was 204bpm, thirst (check), weakness (check), dizziness (check). I finally decided to call it a day just after mile 8. I really didn't want to die. As I sat down in the chair at the med station a girl came running up asking for help. Some guy was vomiting blood just down the street. It was then that I felt a whole lot better about dropping out. I rode a bus back to the finish line and waited for Stef to finish. At around 12:30 they made an announcement that the race had been cancelled due to the intense heat and humidity. I think it was a good decision. One man died and about 300 people we sent to the hospital for heat related injuries. Stef did finish with an unofficial time of around 4:52 this was after they called the race and made everyone walk. Last year she ran around a 4:06. I do plan to compete in another marathon in the future, just not in one this hot. Thank you to all of you who helped me get to the starting line. You guys rock!!!

Hot!!!!

2007-10-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

This pretty much sums it up but I will be giving my full race report soon! Link

Race / Injury Update

2007-10-04T15:22:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Marathon is just a few days away and even though my ankle is still not 100% I am going to do this thing come hell or high water. You guys are so right. Even if I DNF at least I had the courage to toe the line. When I signed up for this race back in January I thought a fall marathon would be great. I thought a nice crisp fall day would be the way to go. The forecast for Sunday is 86 degrees. Can anyone guess what the record high is? It's 86 degrees!!! Can you freakin believe that? I was thinking 60-65 degrees. This should be interesting. My bib number is 26209. If anyone wants to follow along on race day just go to this link and follow the instructions to receive updates at 15K, halfway point, 35K and Finish Line.

I went for a short run today and this is what came running straight at me. I swear my heart stopped for about 5 sec. I was lucky the dog was chained up , but I still almost wet my pants. I mean really, this dog weighed like 120 pounds. As if I don't have enough stress already this week.

Longest Run Ever

2007-09-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

"Even if you fall flat on your face at least you are moving forward."
~Sue Luke

Well, Sunday I finished my last long run in my marathon training. I ran about 14 1/2 miles in around 3 1/2 hours. I ended up making a few stops along the way at Kwik Trip to use the bathroom on the way out and on my way back to by some bug spray. I was being eaten alive by mosquitos. This run did not go quite like I had planned it. I got started much later than I wanted which led to me having to find my way along a 2-lane highway in the dark. That was not very smart. There was also much more traffic than I had anticipated which caused me to have to jump on and off the road repeatedly. For those of you who have had to do this you know how tiring that can be. About 2 miles from my car I stepped in a hole and turned my ankle and proceeded to limp the rest of the way. I am still limping today, but I think it's only a minor sprain. I am taking ibuprofen and I am icing 15 minutes 15 off. I learned something about my own mental toughness. I found that I could push my body much farther than it wants me to go. I am very proud of what I was able to accomplish. I know I will be cutting it very close on race day, but I know I have people behind me and that counts for a lot.

Chicago Here I Come

2007-09-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

"What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

Well, I finally decided what I'm going to do. I have decided not to drop out of the marathon. You guys are right. I know that even if I DNF I will be so happy I did it. Thank you for all of your great input. Sometimes I just need a good push in the right direction. I have decided that my game plan will be to run 5 min, walk 1 min. I think this will be my best bet. It gives my knees short breaks often and it will help to keep my heart rate down. I have my last big long slow distance this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes. I also want to take the time to thank Siren for sending me the pics I took at Ironman Wisconsin. I will have my spectator report up soon.

Is It Worth It???

2007-09-14T11:18:00.000-05:00

"Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."
~Steve Prefontaine

Is it worth it? This is the question I have been asking myself lately. I have about 20 days till I am scheduled to run the Chicago Marathon with my friend Stef. The longest run I have completed is only 10 miles. The day after the run my knees, ankles and feet were killing me. I still weigh about 277 and every morning I wake up and ask myself "how much will it hurt to stand today?". I have been popping ibuprofen like its candy and I know it's not good for me, but it does ease the pain some. I went for a run on Wednesday and when I was done, I stopped and picked up a 20 lb bag of ice and sat in the tub for a half an hour to get the inflammation down. I find myself at a crossroads. I really think I could finish the race in the time allotted, but how much damage will I do to my knees in the process. I just don't know what to do. My family doesn't want me to do it. It's not that they don't think I can, they just don't think it's a good idea at 277lbs. Part of me thinks they're right. I could really use some advice.

9/11

2007-09-11T09:48:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take a moment to remember those whose lives were cut short on September 11Th. I would also like to thank our troops for doing the job no one else wants to do. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Ironman Wisconsin 2007

2007-09-07T19:44:00.001-05:00

Well, it's finally here! Ironman Wisconsin 2007 is this weekend. I took the whole weekend off of work including Monday to recover. Team raceAthlete will be out on the course giving it their all come race day. The forecast looks great this year. I will be helping update the IMMOO 2007 website with pics and such along with many other volunteers. I am really excited to meet these people whose blogs inspired me to become a triathlete. Anyone wanting to follow along on race day can go to this link http://immoo07.blogspot.com or watch it unfold live on Ironman Live. Have a great weekend everyone.

GO TEAM RACEATHLETE!!!

Kendall “TriGreyhond” #1257
Roman “Roman Mica” #1493
Brett “Texafornia” #706
Tyler “JetPack” #904
Chris “Chris Sweet” #424
Katie “Katie Paulson” #2285
Brian “Taconite Boy” #76
Greg “Bolder” #1419
Michelle "Rural Girl" - #2248
Stacey "Simply Stu" #1258
Tracy “IronWil” #2169
Brent “Brent Buckner” #1435
Brian “TriBoomer” #1654
IM Able - #53
TriDummy - #478
Pharmie #2023
Steve in a Speedo #386
Tri-Shannon #2090
Mike Walchka - #457

My First Triathlon

2007-09-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

"If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race - it's up to you."
~Dave Scott

Wow! I finally did it! I completed my first sprint triathlon. I definitely get what everyone has been talking about.

Race Morning
My friend Stef and I left Pewaukee at 3:30AM to a very rainy 2-hour drive to Manitowoc. About a half hour or so outside of Manitowoc the sky cleared and you could tell it was going to be a beautiful day. We pulled up to the race grounds around 5:30AM and went over to get marked and registered. It was only about 60 degrees or so and I finally started to get nervous. There really wasn't a lot of information given as to where or how they wanted us to set up, but we just asked some of the racers setting up around us and they were more than willing to give some newbie advice. While setting up we met a fellow first timer Jen who looked just as lost as we did. Misery loves company so we hung out together till race time. The race itself was pretty small. There were only about 350 people or so and there really weren't many spectators.

The Swim
The swim was held in the harbor and we had an Easterly wind, which made the water completely flat. Thank God! The chop on Lake Michigan can get really bad. We were so lucky. The water temp at race time was 67 degrees. It was a little cold at first and just about the time I got out I was just getting warmed up. The swim was a beach start with an out and back loop. The water was really shallow and we had to walk 50-100 yards before we actually started to swim, so much for worrying about completing the swim. For the swim they sent us in waves of 25 people at 2-minute intervals. I finished the swim with a time of 8:02, which I was very happy with.

T1
I ran to where my bike was and started to put on my bike shoes. In my confusion I forgot to dry my feet before putting on my socks and shoes. This was a mistake because for the rest of the race my feet were sopping wet. Ugh!! I got my bike and headed off on the bike leg.

The Bike
I swear I was still trying to figure out where I was because I had a heck of a time clipping into my pedals. I was so thirsty at this point that I grabbed what I thought was my water bottle and took a few big gulps. In hindsight that was really dumb. I had not grabbed the water. I had gulped the Gatorade. That pretty much sent my stomach into a churning mess for the rest of the bike. The bike course itself was beautiful. We biked along the lakeshore for about 3 miles or so before turning inland onto come nice rolling country roads. All through the bike every time I was going up a hill it felt like my rear tire was in quicksand. I kept looking back at it to see if there was something wrong with it. There had to be!! After the 5Th hill I realized that the problem wasn’t the bike it was yours truly. Apparently when you weigh 280 pounds gravity has an increased pull or something like that.

T2
I finished the bike and came into T2 totally spent. I almost fell over after my dismount from the bike and waddled over to rack my bike and get ready for the run. I am so glad I had Yankz laces cuz I don't think I could have tied them at that point. Off to the run I went.

The Run

The run was 3.1 miles out and back with only one water stop at the halfway point. Just after starting the run Stef passed my going the other way. She shout some words of encouragement and it really boosted my spirits. all throughout the run fellow racers were telling me to keep going and other really nice things. It is really strange, I was in so much pain and at the same time I was having the time of my life. I allowed my mind to wander to other things. I thought about my family and the community of bloggers that really helped me to where I was. With only a half mile to go my quads started to cramp something fierce. I knew that if I stopped it would be all over so I just kept moving forward. I was running like a drunk. With each step my leg would give a little and then I would catch myself with the other. This went on till the finish. My final time was 2:10:05.29. This time really doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is that I finished my first triathlon. It wasn't pretty, but I got there. There are so many bloggers that helped me get to this point, but one I really want to thank is Duane from Couch Potato To Ironman. He is a true inspiration to us all. Thank you Duane!

Stef and myself after the race. Could that smile on my face get any bigger?

Stef and Jen

I'm A Triathlete

2007-08-26T14:07:00.000-05:00

Well, I survived my first triathlon. I will be posting a race report as soon as I get my pics. It was a blast!

The Gear List

2007-08-24T07:50:00.000-05:00

Swim:

Swim cap
2 pairs of goggles, one dark and one clear.
Fog free spray
Bike shorts
Sunto HR monitor, chest strap

Bike:

Bike
Helmet
Sunglasses
Bike shoes
Bike gloves
2 water bottles
2 gu packets
spair tire
Tire inflator
2 co2 cartridges
multitool

Run:

D3 visor
Running shoes
Race belt and number

Misc:

3towels
Glasses (for contact back-up)
Warm-up suit
Registration confirmation
Body glide
Sun screen
Bike pump
Tire gauge
Talc powder for shoes
Camera

Well, that ought to do it! See ya on the other side.

140.6

2007-08-23T17:53:00.000-05:00

"If it is to be, it's up to me."
~Dad

I am so excited for the race on Saturday. I have been dreaming about this day for a very long time now. My first triathlon is finally here. Even though it is only a sprint, just getting to the starting line means I have won something.

The last few years have been very difficult for me. Some of you know what I am talking about. As I sit and write this I am 100 pounds heavier than I was just five years ago. Life is about living. These past years I just up and stopped living. I became very much an introvert. I stopped hanging out with friends and the only time I went out into public was to go to work or get food. Each day was pretty much the same. I would go to work, go home, sit in front of the T.V. and eat till I couldn't then fall asleep. I ate to make the pain go away. Sometimes I would even cry myself to sleep. I have a very loving family who has always been there for me, but even my parents and my sister didn't know how depressed I was. No one did.

Hope and inspiration can be found in the strangest of places. It's hard to believe this whole thing started by clicking on this little pod cast called Get Your Geek On. Here was an ordinary person just like you and me who was talking about their journey to complete an Ironman. How far is an Ironman you ask? Well, it's a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and a marathon (26.2 miles). For those of you who didn't add it that's 140.6 miles. That is a really long way. As I listened to Iron Wil and the Kahuna talk about their training and life, something clicked in my head. I see sick people every day at work that have no choice in what is happening to them and here I am wasting my youth, wasting my life. I needed a change. I bought a pair of running shoes and I decided that someday I would complete an Ironman. I know, I know, baby steps. That's why my first triathlon is just a sprint. After all, I need to be realistic. So far on this journey of mine, I have discovered many blogs that have kept me going and continue to inspire me. One such blog is Couch Potato to Ironman. Duane is a big man with an even bigger heart. His courage and determination continually fuel my fire to achieve more and never quit, never give up! To all the people in blog land I want to offer a heartfelt thank you. I have a long way to go, but I know that you will be there to help me as I continue my quest to complete that elusive 140.6.

I'm Going To Be A Triathlete

2007-08-20T20:20:00.000-05:00

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
~Vincent T. Lombardi

I am super stoked! I registered for another Triathlon. This one I will complete. The Manitowoc-Two Rivers Triathlon is a sprint that will be held on Saturday at 7AM. I can't wait!!! I got my bike back from the LBS and it is working great. I am still riding a mountain bike, but I had the LBS put on some smooth hybrid tires. These things kick butt. My average speed on the bike before the switch was 10-12 mph. Now my average is 17-19mph. I feel like I'm flying! I can't imagine how fast I'll go when I actually get a road bike. I am finally getting back into a training groove. It's about freakin time. I have so much motivation. Ironman Wisconsin is just around the corner and my marathon is rapidly approaching. It's hard to believe it's been just over a year since I heard my first Get Your Geek On podcast and was bitten by the tri bug.

Home Sweet Home!

2007-08-06T20:11:00.000-05:00

I'm finally getting settled after my big move. For those of you who don't know, I just moved to Pewaukee, WI. I am less than two miles from the beach where the Pewaukee Triathlon was held on July 14Th. In answer to the question, No, I did not race. I am sure I could come up with a list of lame excuses, but I won't. Call it lack of confidence, insecurity or whatever, I think I just chickened out. This won't happen again. Even though I didn't compete, I went to cheer on those that did with my friend Steph from work. Her husband was at work for the day so we decided to meet up early to go watch the event. Steph is the one who talked me into running the Chicago Marathon with her. We had a blast!! There weren't many spectators so we made sure they heard us. We did get a lot of strange looks, but mostly the athletes smiled and said thanks. Here are some pics.

My training has been a little hot and cold lately. I went running with Steph on Sunday and even though it was only 2 and a half miles or so, it felt awful. My heart rate was really high for most of the run. This is not good. I have only 2 months till the marathon. I really need to buckle down and train. One of my biggest problems is food. I eat great until I get home from work, then I sit on the couch and start stuffing my face. This is definitely why I'm not losing any weight. I am trying something different tonight. My new rule is that I am not allowed to sit on the couch after 7PM. Just look what happened, not only am I not stuffing my face, but I am finally posting. Maybe this will work.

My swimming has been great! I put in 1500 yards the other day. It felt great! There is one downside though. My shoulders hurt really bad. It doesn't feel like muscle pain, more like tendinitis. It feels like hot pokers are being stuck into the joints. I don't remember having this back when I was on swim team in high school. I will try some ice and ibuprofen and see if that works. I am open to any suggestions anyone else might have. I haven't been biking due to bike related issues. I finally broke down and took to the LBS. I should get it back in a few days. I really need to get out there and ride. Well, that's all for now.

It's nice to be back!

2007-08-05T09:22:00.000-05:00

I finally have my internet hooked back up. I will be posting again soon.

2007-07-10T15:45:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note. I will be without Internet until the 20Th or so. No posts till then. I am going through Internet withdrawal. I can't believe it is going to take 2 1/2 weeks to get it hooked up again.

ugh!!!

2007-06-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

Today was super humid. The dew point was in the 70s which made the temp feel like the 90s. My run tonight, if you can even call it that, was awful. My legs felt heavy, I was having stomach issues and it was hard to breath because the air was so thick. This was not one of my better training days. We are supposed to have a cool front come through in the next day or so. I can't wait! It will be just in time for my 9 mile run at my new apartment on Saturday. I'm sure that will go much better.

Moving Sucks!!!

2007-06-25T12:34:00.000-05:00

I have spent the last few days packing and cleaning before I move into my new place in Pewaukee, Wisconsin on Friday. Now that I'm done with school I can afford something a little bigger than the 500 square feet or so I am currently living in. For the record this will be the 14Th move for me in the last 13 years. It must be an ADD thing. One good thing about moving a lot is that I am getting pretty darn good at it.

I can't believe how much crap I have accumulated living in such a small place. My new apartment is about 1400 square feet and I'm afraid to see the amount of stuff I'll have by the time I'm ready to buy a house. I have decided to rent as opposed to purchase a home since I still have student loans to pay off and the homes here are fairly expensive. I am limited to where I can live due to the fact that I have to be able to respond to the hospital when I'm on call. I will post some pics of the new place when I have time to take some.

On the training side of things, I had a great five mile run on Saturday.
Note to self, don't wear all black when it's 85 degrees outside. I swear I literally cooked my brain. I took some pics of my run route while I measured it with my car. It really is a beautiful route to run. Well.... back to more packing.

Hard Weekend

2007-06-17T20:21:00.000-05:00

I have started training for the Chicago Marathon and decided to follow Hal Higdon's training plan to get me there. I only have 16 weeks till the race so I need to get going with my training if I expect to finish. I ran seven miles yesterday which totally kicked my butt. It has been really hot and humid here which doesn't make it any easier. I'm a little sore today, but it's the good kind of sore. For some cross training today I went to the YMCA and hit the pool for about 45 minutes. Man, did it feel good to be back in the water again. I can't even tell you how happy I am to be training again. I just hope I stay healthy.

Suunto

2007-06-15T18:32:00.000-05:00

OK, so here it is. I finally broke down and purchased a new heart rate monitor. My old one is about 10 years old and really beat up. After much painstaking research I zeroed in on the Suunto t6 duathlon pack with foot and bike pods as talked about by Brett from Zen and the Art of Triathlon. After some trial and error I finally got the foot pod calibrated correctly and started using it on my runs this week.
This thing is so darn cool!!! It gives me air temp, speed, distance, heart rate, altitude, and of course time. I can also sync it to my computer which analyzes everything and gives graphs and all sorts of interesting information to help in my training. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heart rate monitor that does it all.

Been Gone So Long

2007-06-09T20:51:00.001-05:00

I'm back! I haven't posted in what seems like forever. All my life I have been very blessed to have not been sick much at all. I was the guy that prided myself on the fact that I hadn't called in sick to work in years. I don't exactly know what happened, but I hope it never happens again.

I have been sick for almost three months. It started as the flu then became something else. A few days after the flu finally subsided, I Got this horrible cold and cough. After about two weeks of coughing my lungs up I went to see the occupational health nurse at work to see if I had bronchitis. The x-ray turned out to be fine so she gave me an antibiotic and sent me on my way.

It turns out that I am now allergic to penicillin. (I wish I had known that before!) I broke out in a rash with welts the size of quarters all over my body and my throat started swelling shut. Good times!!!! Good thing I live 1/2 mile from the hospital. They put me on a steroid to counteract the antibiotic and after a few days I was back to normal. I still had this nasty cough that made me cough so hard I threw up a few times. I went back to the same nurse that darn near killed me and asked for a stronger cough suppressant and a different antibiotic.

Yeah, that was a good idea!

The cough suppressant had hydrocodone in it which made me pretty loopy, but cleared my sinuses and stopped the cough dead in its tracks. I was thinking that I had finally found relief. Wrong!! the next morning I woke up to an upset stomach caused by the cough suppressant. I threw up a record 12 times by noon. I went back to the hospital and was given an IV to flush the drug out of my system and to rehydrate me. The cough came back. No more nurse for me.

My cough quit about a week ago so I can start training again. I have really lost a lot of ground. It's pretty darn hard to do cardio when you can't breathe. So now it's like starting over. I have to totally revamp my race schedule for this season. I am so out of shape. At least I'm back and back for good I hope.

Outside At Last!!!!

2007-03-25T15:24:00.000-05:00

The weather has turned into summer almost over night. It was 80 degrees today!!!! Yippy!!! I finally got to bike outside for a change. I didn't go out with any kind of training plan. I just wanted to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the ride. It feels a little weird to be actually moving while pedaling. I have really missed biking outside. I am still saving for my tri bike, so I am still riding my old mountain bike. Hey, old bike is still better than no bike. In other bike news, I got my team raceAthlete Jersey in the mail. It doesn't fit yet, but I ordered it a little small as an extra incentive to lose some more weight.

On the running front, I have decided to retire my Brooks Addiction running shoes. Yesterday I drove out to the InStep store in Delafield. I had stumbled across their website a few weeks ago and thought it would be great place to get some new shoes. I was right. They were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They spent a lot of time with me watching me walk and they even had me do some one legged squats. I tried on numerous types of shoes before I finally settled on my new Asics Gel-Foundation VI.
I highly recommend InStep to anyone in the Milwaukee area looking for running shoes.

Sick!!

2007-03-11T19:35:00.000-05:00

I know , I know, it's been a few weeks since my last post. I had the flu. I mean I really had the flu. I haven't had it in about 10 years or so. Man did that suck! On the brighter side of things, I lost 10 pounds. Hey, 10 pounds is 10 pounds no matter how you lose it. I am going to start working out again tomorrow and will update you more then.

Plowed In!!

2007-02-24T07:46:00.000-06:00

Ugh!!! It snowed big time last night. The weatherman said we weren't supposed to get any snow till late tonight. Apparently we still have another huge snowstorm headed this way. They are saying it might actually qualify as a blizzard, what ever that means. So, I got up at 5:30 and started to shovel out my car. I live in an apartment complex and don't have a garage. They were nice enough to plow the main corridors of the parking lot bright and early. There's only one problem. They totally plowed me in. I mean, the snow was over the trunk of my car. Thanks for nothing. I took me nearly two hours to finish digging it out. While I was shoveling, this elderly woman came out and looked really sad that she too was plowed in. I decided that I would be all nice and neighborly and I offered to dig her out. Here is where the story gets a little humorous. I was already pretty tired you see from not having had anything to eat before this little project of mine. I hadn’t counted on it taking so long. I decided that I would try to dig her out in less than 10 minutes. I was like a machine, furiously throwing snow every which way. All of a sudden I hit the wall. I got all light headed and started seeing spots and pretty colors. I damn near passed out. I thought to myself, how embarrassed I would have been had that really happened. I paused for a moment to regain my faculties and went upon finishing my task. The woman was very grateful and went on her way. It really made my day.

Disappointed

2007-02-20T05:55:00.000-06:00

Last night I had planned to do my run on the treadmill at the "Y" then get my swim in afterwards. No such luck! My run went great. I did a 10 minute warm-up followed by 6 x 30 second sprints at 5k race pace. I concentrated on increasing my run cadence with each interval. I felt tired, but very satisfied with myself by the end of the run. Here is where the disappointment comes in. I stretched and then I went to look at the pool to see how busy it was. There was only one lane open. The other lanes had an adult stroke class in them and the open lane had a bunch of kids in it just playing around. Needless to say, I didn't get my swim in. I will have to remember to swim in the morning on Mondays from now on. Ugh!!

1:25

2007-02-17T10:58:00.000-06:00

1 Hour 25 minutes. That's how long I ran yesterday morning. This is by far the longest I have run to date. I can't believe I made it that long. My workout consisted of a 20 minute warm-up and 10x2 minute hill returns and a nice long cool down. Man, did that kick my butt. I think I picked too steep a hill, because by the last few I felt like I was hardly moving at all. I'm really feeling it today. I feel like I've been run over by a bus. I ache all over. The pain feels good in a way though. It reminds me of how far I have come and that I still have a long way to go.

I finished my run at about 6am yesterday and decided to go to the "Y" to see if I still knew how to swim. I had mixed feelings about it, but as soon as I hit the water all that went away. I have not been swimming in years and when I got in the water something strange happened. My buoyancy was all screwed up. I had a hard time sinking and my butt was way up in the air. I thought this must be due to the extra 100 pounds I am now carrying. Very weird! The water was much warmer than I had anticipated. It was about 84 degrees according to what the lifeguard Jessica had written on the dry erase board at the side of the pool. I was sure it would be freezing.

I bought a pair of Speedo Vanquisher goggles about a week ago that I had read good reviews on from some other websites. They are super comfortable and seal really well. I am definitely happy with the purchase. My swim workout was short and sweet. I didn't want to overdue it after the long run workout so I only swam around 500 yards or so. Most of this was the drills from lesson one of the Total Immersion program. My goal was to work on getting comfortable in the water again. At the end of my swim I was sitting at the side of the pool and I overhead a group of about 5 people in the far lane talking about some race. I am pretty sure they were talking about triathlon. I will have to keep my eyes open for them the next time I go swimming. I see TRI people, they're everywhere!

Cold, Cold, Cold!!

2007-02-14T18:04:00.000-06:00

Ever have one of those days when you just can't seem to get warm? I went running this morning around 4:30 and just couldn't warm up. It wasn't very cold, only about 5 degrees, but the wind chilled me to the bone. I had a decent run. I ran for about 3 miles which for me takes me about 35 minutes. Work was about as bad as it gets today. It was just one of those days. If hadn't run I don't think I would have had the strength to make it through. I did! It's done! Thank God!

Tonight I am going to start swimming. I finally got to the eye doctor to get a backup pair of contacts just in case I lose them in the pool. I'm blind as a bat without them. I bought the Total Immersion DVD and open water swimming book and am excited to give the drills a try. I have heard it can really help your swimming. I think that the hardest part for me will be retraining my stroke. I was on swim team in high school and I'm sure the muscle memory is still there. Stay strong and have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Chicago Here I Come

2007-02-12T06:01:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally did it. I am now registered for the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Marathon October 7th 2007. This will be my first marathon. I can't wait! I will be running it with some friends from work who managed to talk me into it. I must be crazy. I am also planning on some triathlons this summer. I will keep you updated as I enter each. If this year goes well, I am going to shoot for Ironman Wisconsin 2008.

YMCA

2007-02-07T05:56:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally did it! I joined the Tri County YMCA. Now I can finally get my butt back in the pool, after all, this is TRIathlon not dualthlon. It felt strange actually paying for a membership having worked at a YMCA for almost ten years with a free membership being one of the job perks. The YMCA has always been good to me over the years and it's a great place to meet new people interested in fitness. I have to say that when I went to workout the other day, I had mixed feelings. The last time I was in a YMCA I was about 185lbs and a personal trainer. Now at well over 200lbs, I am now the fat person in the gym. I am very ashamed of what I have let happen to myself. If I ever ran into my old personal training clients I don't think I could look them in the eye. I digress.

Tomorrow is payday and I plan to hunt for a new swimsuit and some other gear. I don't have a suit that fits. Big surprise huh? Does anyone have any suggestions on brands and types of swim goggles they would recommend? The last time I went home to visit my parents; I picked up a new TYR pull buoy. I can't wait to try it out. Well, I have to get going on my bike ride. It's 60 minutes aerobic on the stationary bike tonight. Wish me luck.

Burr!!!

2007-02-06T08:32:00.000-06:00

I must confess, I haven't been very good about keeping up with my workouts lately. I have absolutely no excuses. All this has done is take me further away from my goal. Yesterday was so freakin cold! It was -12 with a -30 windchill. For those of you who don't know what -30 windchill is like you can spit in the air and it will pretty much freeze before it hits the ground. For some reason I decided that it would be a great idea to go run three miles at 4:30am. Not such a bright idea. I had on lots of layers and covered all parts except my eyes, but it was still really cold. I used my new baclava which kept my face warm and shielded from the elements. It worked great! Even though I nearly froze to death, I felt so proud that I actually got out there and accomplished something.

After my run I got ready for work and went out to start my car. No such luck. I normally don't drive to work because it's less than a mile away, but the cold was a good excuse to drive. All of my really good layering clothes were still wet from my run so it was a long cold walk to work. I was lucky enough to hitch a ride home from a coworker which pretty much made my day. You gotta love winter in the Midwest.

Happy New Year!!!!!

2007-01-02T17:07:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's 2007, can you believe it? I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year. The weather hear in Wisconsin is incredible. It was 42 degrees today and sunny. For those of you who don't know, January in Wisconsin is usually zero with a below zero windchill. I actually took my bike out for a ride, nothing too much, about a half hour or so. It felt so good to see the sun and be outside again.

I have started to make my list of gear I will need this year for triathlon. It's a long expensive list, but at least I have it down on paper. Here is just a small sample of what is on my list, helmet, clipless pedals, bike shoes, Bike, goggles, wetsuit. It's a start. If anyone has any gear suggestions I welcome them. I need pretty much everything.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2006-12-24T08:17:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone! For me this is definitely a merry one. I just graduated with an associate degree in diagnostic medical sonography. For those of you who don't know, sonography is ultrasound. I also have a brand new job. I can finally stop working 50 hours a week for free. I have already started planning how I am going to be spending my new found wealth. I am hoping to get a new bike by the end of February. I'm not sure if I should get a road bike or a triathlon bike. There is a great LBS called Emery's Cycling & Fitness that specializes in triathlon and I think they will be very helpful when the time comes to make a choice. My training has fallen by the wayside a little due to finals for school and the holidays. With my first paycheck I have allocated funds to join the local YMCA. It's only 3 blocks from my house. I am really excited to finally start my swim training. I have just received the book and DVD for Total Immersion swimming and I am looking forward to trying out some of the drills.

2006-12-10T06:42:00.000-06:00

Badmeester

You know you've done it!!

Back At It!

2006-11-29T05:52:00.000-06:00

Well, my test is over with and I will be graduating in about two weeks. Finally!!!! I have been offered a job at my internship site that I have decided to take. I'm only an hour or so away from Madison so hopefully in the spring I can meet up with some people for some training rides.

I have taken the last two weeks off to study for school and now it is time to get back to work. Last night I got my butt back in the gym and did some weight training. I am super sore today, but it's the good sore. The best part about pain is that it lets you know you're not dead yet. In other news, I have been talked into doing the Chicago Marathon next October. I am already looking forward to it. I just know it will be a blast!

Test

2006-11-16T19:10:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted. I have been studying for my final exam tomorrow. I'm almost done with school. Wish me luck!

Fatigue

2006-11-07T05:11:00.000-06:00

I am beat! My training and work and school is finally catching up with me. In addition to the 50 hours per week I am putting in for work and school I am now starting to take call at work. I have been sleeping like a rock, which to me means I am very fatigued. I haven't been missing any workouts, but I will be really glad when I am done with my internship and can get into my regular work schedule of 70 hours per pay period. Tonight's workout is strength training and bike efficiency. I can't wait.

Confession Time

2006-11-06T06:04:00.000-06:00

I must confess. I totally broke down on my nutrition this weekend. I don't mean a little slip either. I ate a ton of crap. I had been doing so well lately. I haven't missed a workout though, which makes me feel a little better. I really have no excuse for not posting except that I have a final exam next week and I have been really stressed about it. Here are my last 2 workouts.

Sunday: Bike ME Muscular Endurance 85 WU: 15' MS: 5x3' w/ 1' RI, Repeat w/ 15' of Zn1-2 riding in between sets. #1 End at low Zn 3 #2 End at middle Zn 3 #3 End at upper Zn 3 #4 End at lower Zn 4 #5 Build to Zn 4 in first 45s and hold. CD: 15'

Today:Run Speed Speed/Efficiency 40 40' run with 8x30" strides. These are best if done on a slight downhill on a dirt path. Warm up for at least 10' before the first stride. For your recovery, you can walk back to the starting point. Strides are quick bursts that are as fast as 5k pace. You are looking to get in about 45 left foot strikes per 26-28". Stretch when done and add in Core 1, 2 or 3.

Boys And Girls Can You Say Lactic Acid

2006-10-29T16:42:00.000-06:00

Today's workout consisted of a 60 minute bike ride. Fifteen Minute warm-up then 30 minutes all out race pace and then a 15 minute cool down. What a tough workout. My legs were really burning. The weather was beautiful. The temp was about 50 degrees and it was about an hour and a half before sundown. It was the perfect fall evening. I rode along a nature preserve that is just a few blocks from my apartment. There were lots of other people out walking their dogs, inline skating, running chopping wood and raking up the fallen leaves. What a great day!

Into The Wind

2006-10-28T17:45:00.000-05:00

Today's workout called for a 55 minute easy run in heart rate zones 1-2. This was not as easy as I'd hoped it would be. It was about 40 degrees which is way better than the 25 degrees a few days ago. The only problem was that there was a wind advisory and that wind made it feel much colder than 25. I was really chilled for about a third of the run. It was into the wind for at least 2 miles straight. I thought I was going to get frost bite on my face it hurt so bad. I sucked it up and forged on. I feel very healthy right now and I hope it stays that way.

50 Minute Run

2006-10-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I haven't posted for awhile and decided it was time that I did. I have been missing a lot of workouts lately. I started using the training program from beginner triathlete and since I don't have access to a pool I thought I would switch my runs to the afternoon. This was a huge mistake. I am always too tired to run and all I end up doing is sitting on the couch stuffing my face. This was not getting me any closer to my goal.

This morning I awoke at 4am sharp. I checked the temperature. Burr, 25 degrees outside. I was determined to get out and run anyway. My workout today consisted of a 10 minute easy warm-up then 30 minutes as hard as I could go checking my average heart rate over the last 20 minutes then a 10 minute jog for a cool down. My average heart rate was 168. I am super happy with the way I ran. It has been years since I ran for 50 minutes nonstop. I feel so alive today! This has definitely been my best workout to date. I even saw the 2 deer that I have been seeing during my runs. The little one is growing up so fast. HaHa! I still have to do some core work yet later today though. I'm looking forward to it.

Biking In The Dark

2006-10-15T19:24:00.000-05:00

Well, tonight I did my bike workout for the day. I biked for about 50 min and about half of that was in the dark. I saw my deer friends while riding down Shady Lane. They looked at me as if to say "oh it's you again". I am pretty sure those are the same deer I have seen there before. One of the deer was scared and bounded into the brush. This deer was not very smart. It stopped dead in its tracks with one of its rear legs up in the air like a dog pointing a bird. The only problem with this tactic was that its butt was sticking out of the brush about a foot or so. Not fooling anyone. I'm starting to like these deer. I hope they make it through the deer season. Does anyone have any ideas on what I should name them?

No Pain At Last!

2006-10-09T06:33:00.000-05:00

I got off work early today and thought I would do a quick post before my afternoon run. The pain in my foot is finally gone. I am really excited to get back to running again. This morning I started to do some Yoga. Man, am I out of shape. I used to do Yoga all the time before I stopped working out. I forgot how good it can make you feel. I am hoping that it will help prevent some of my running injuries that keep popping up.

I am starting my new training program today. I am going to be doing the winter maintenance prep workout from Beginner Triathlete. It's about 7-10 hours per week but, I think That I can handle it. I am really looking forward to getting back into weight training and core work. Over the last two years my core has become nonexistent. Well......here goes.....

Beginner Triathlete

2006-10-03T05:53:00.000-05:00

I have made another commitment. I have signed up on BeginnerTriathlete.com. I was I need of some kind of coaching. I didn't want to go into this thing blindly. I am really excited about it. Now I can get a set training schedule that will get me in shape for the 2007 season. I am super psyched up about it. More details to follow.

Ice Is My Friend!

2006-09-30T06:18:00.000-05:00

Yep, you guessed it. I am icing my foot again. Today was supposed to be the last of my 8 week build up to running for a full 30 minutes. My foot was still pretty sore when I got up , but I thought it would warm up enough to run on if I walked around for a while. I was wrong. I got three blocks from my house and it started to get worse. Ugh!!! Very frustrating! So, here I am icing my foot at 6:15am on a Saturday morning while downloading my favorite podcasts. Maybe I'll go for a bike ride this after noon. This is the best time of the year to be outside running and I have to sit here with this stupid injury. This will at least give me the opportunity to plan out the rest of my training program for the year.

Foot Problems Again!

2006-09-29T05:36:00.000-05:00

Well, here we go again. I have had tendonitis in my right foot for about three years, but it just flared up again the last few days. The top of my foot is swollen and sore. It feels like it could be a stress fracture, but the x-rays said no. So, here I am with my foot in a bucket of ice water instead of running. I'm sure I could run if I wanted to, but that would just make it worse. The weekend is almost here and I will get a chance to rest. On the brighter side of things, I am actually posting to the blog. I have been neglecting it. Sorry!

Running Again!

2006-09-18T06:10:00.000-05:00

Yeah! I think my ankle is healed. I ran today and felt great the whole run. I was afraid that I would slip backwards, but instead I feel even better. I guess the week off helped more than my ankle. The weather was great this morning. It was about 55degrees and dry. I wore running pants to keep my legs warm and short sleeves up top. It was a very comfortable run. I can't wait for tomorrow's workout. I am definitely addicted.

Injury

2006-09-14T05:46:00.000-05:00

Why am I writing this so early instead of running? I have strained my tibial tendon. Tendonitis to be exact. This sucks! I am sitting here with my foot in a cooler of ice water trying to heal up so I can run again. This is super frustrating. I guess this is supposed to teach me some humility or something. I haven't been biking either for fear I might make it worse. I just want to get back out there and run.

Ironman 2006

2006-09-09T07:43:00.000-05:00

Ironman Wisconsin is tomorrow. I can't wait. I was up at 5:30am listening to the latest Get Your Geek On podcast and watching the Simply Stu bike course video. I'm planning out where I want to be to get some great pictures. I hope that the sun will be out tomorrow. The forecast is calling for overcast and about 65 degrees. I just finished my run and have a lot of things to put together for tomorrow. This is so exciting.

2006-09-06T16:05:00.000-05:00

deer attack

When Animals Attack!

2006-09-06T15:43:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen the show When Animals Attack? Well, this is the first thought that popped into my head while on my morning run. There I was, running along all in the zone and everything when I had a feeling that I was being watched. It was pretty dark out so I didn't notice them at first. I slowly turned my head to the left and stopped dead in my tracks. Three deer were standing less than fifteen feet away just staring at me. All I could think of was that T.V. show When Animals Attack. You know, the one where that guy gets stomped on by the deer. I yelled at them and started jumping around trying to get them to leave. This worked for two of them, but the third just stared. I was thinking what I would do if it attacked. I really didn't think my pepper spray would deter it. I was thinking I would have to fight it. Just then, a car came by and spooked it. Man, these runs get more interesting every day.

September

2006-09-04T08:36:00.000-05:00

September is finally here. The trees are starting to turn. There is nothing better than fall in Wisconsin. Ironman Wisconsin is next Sunday. I can't wait! It's all I can think about.

I had planned on getting up at 5am, but I decided that since it was a holiday I would sleep in until 6:30am. My run went really well today. I have started to eat an apple before my morning runs and I am noticing that I have a lot more energy at the end of the run. I decided to add biking and weight training to my weekly workouts. I will start biking tomorrow. I can't start swimming due to the fact I'm a poor student and can't afford the YMCA membership. I start my new job next week and I hope I will be able to scrape some cash together. The YMCA is only two blocks from my house so the morning swims would be very convenient for me.

If you have the chance, check out throughth3wall.com. Iron Wil has posted some very inspirational thoughts.

2006-08-30T07:12:00.000-05:00

(Can ) Father-son bond of Dick and Rick Hoyt

Big Dog

2006-08-30T06:51:00.000-05:00

My workouts are going well and I'm starting to shed some pounds. Yeah! During my run this morning I turned a corner down a very dark street. A big dog, about 90lbs of yellow lab, jumped out from behind a car and started to bark. I started to freak out when I realized that there was no chain and no owner around. Ugh! This normally wouldn't have been a big deal except that I left my pepper spray at home. Oops! I backed away very slowly. The dog finally gave up interest then walked around a house and it was gone. Another narrow escape in the adventures of an aspiring ironman.

The Fog

2006-08-26T07:17:00.000-05:00

It rained last night and it was very hot and muggy when I went for my morning run. The fog was so thick I could see less than a half a block in front of me. It gave me the willies. I thought for sure, the Black Pearl herself would come sailing out of the fog at me.

I had an interesting thing happen during my run today. I was almost half way done when something changed. It was so subtle I almost didn't notice it. My short choppy lumbering stride changed. My legs relaxed and I felt my stride lengthened. It felt as if I was running down hill, but I wasn't. What a cool feeling. I was grinning like an idiot the rest of the way home. It was definitely a good run.

I'm Excited!

2006-08-23T06:39:00.000-05:00

September 10th is the Ironman Wisconsin. I will be going for the whole day to take lots of pictures and to get inspired. I will be taking 2 cameras one digital and a film slr. I have been doing some research on the best way to get some great pics. It's pretty much all I can think about. I am hoping to get some shots of Iron Wil from Get Your Geek On. She has been working so hard and she should have some good images to remember her first ironman.

My training has been going very well. I felt a little sluggish this morning, but I owe that to lack of stretching. Each workout I am running longer and the added time doesn't seem to bother me. I haven't registered for my 5k yet, but I hope to this week.

Who's Afraid Of The Dark?

2006-08-19T06:05:00.000-05:00

This morning I completed my run/walk out in the country, as I am staying with my parents this weekend. My warm-up consisted of a 1/4 mile walk through the woods, down the driveway to the road. Man, is it dark here at 5am. The air was hot and sticky. The sky was overcast which is why it was so dark. It was a little creepy. I could hear all these creatures lurking just a few feet away, of course I couldn't see any of them. One thing that always worries me about running in the country is loose dogs, so I carry pepper spray. It eases my nerves. As I approached the end of the driveway the wind whistled across the field and gave me chills. The only lights were the ones on a few barns.

My run went really well. I only saw two cars the whole time. The road was all mine. I ran out to the highway and back. I beat my time out to the highway by about 50 seconds. Yeah! On the way back, I passed some marshland and scared up a few grouse, or should I say they scared me. I passed a rooster crowing and thought to myself, "Ha, I beat you up this morning". I guess I'm the early bird. The sky started to lighten up a bit and I could now see the clouds looming overhead. Except for the fact that it was so warm and humid it reminded me of one of those dreary fall days just before it's going to snow. Walking back up the driveway I happened to look up and through a small crack in the clouds I saw the crescent moon. It smiled at me as if to say "well done". What a good morning.

Going Home.

2006-08-16T17:10:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how much energy I have lately. In the beginning I hated getting up at 4:45am every day. Now I just do it cuz it has to be done. I am starting to look at the world differently now. I am not stressing about my life nearly as much as I have in the past. It feels good.

I got a new job today. Finally! I have been looking for a job since the start of my internship back in June. It will be nice to have an income again, even if it's just to get me by till I graduate in December. I drive back home tomorrow for my monthly seminar for school. It's a 4 hour drive, but it gives me a chance to listen to my favorite podcasts. It will be nice to have a change of scenery for my daily workouts. My workouts are going very well, but my diet needs to be cleaned up a bit. It's hard work running at 257lbs.

It's Monday

2006-08-14T17:38:00.000-05:00

Wow! My workout this morning was great. I am now running for 5min and walking for 1min x5. The stretching I did this weekend must be paying off. My legs felt pretty fresh till about my last 5min of running. As I walked the last few blocks to my house for my cool down, I was admiring how nice the weather was and thinking to myself how good it felt to be making this change in my life. There was something different about me but I couldn't put my finger on it. Then it dawned on me. I was smiling. It wasn't just a smile, it was contentment. It has been so long since I have had that feeling. It can only get better from here.

Long Week

2006-08-12T07:51:00.000-05:00

Thank God the week is over! Work was rough this week.

The weather is beautiful today. It's 61 degrees and sunny. I just finished the last run of the week and I am tired. It went by really fast listening to the Simply Stu podcast. My cardiovascular conditioning is coming along fine, but my legs are dead. They feel like tree trunks. All the muscles are tight and sore. I haven't been stretching much and I'm sure that's part of the problem. I think I'll start doing some yoga today. Tomorrow is my rest day. Yeah!! Finally, a day to recover.

2006-08-08T17:34:00.000-05:00

Can

This is what it's all about.

It's not so bad!

2006-08-08T16:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had another run. I left the house at 5:05 AM. The humidity was at 98% and it was super foggy. I had been looking forward to the run because I had a day of rest on Sunday. I was just itchin to get out there and show the road who's boss. From the very start I knew it would be a long 30 minutes. I started wheezing right away and felt achy all over. I starting to feel better about 20 minutes in when I had a sharp stabbing pain on the side of my right knee. I decided to run through it. I started to limp and must have looked like a broken down truck with a flat tire. The pain did finally subside just about the time I got back home. I think I need to do more stretching.

Even though I had some pain I felt really great when I was done. It is a big accomplishment for me. I know I can do this.

Running Again!

2006-08-05T17:53:00.000-05:00

Well, today I did another 30 minute run walk. I ran 1 and walked 2. I am already making progress. I have not lived here very long and today I had the chance to go exploring a little. The sun was just coming up and finally the humidity was down. The air was crisp and clear. I can't wait for fall to come around. It's my favorite time of year. While running through some nice quiet neighborhoods, I passed a woman jogger who commented how great the weather was. She was nice and made me feel really good that I had also gotten up to run that early. I'm finding that runners are a friendly bunch. I hope it will be the same with the triathlete crowd.

I still haven't picked my first race. I am hoping to do the 5k here in October. I think I can be ready by then. I have to start somewhere. Right?

Today I watched the rerun of the 2005 Ironman Championship in Kona on NBC. I found out it was being rebroadcast from ironman.com. I am really psyched up now. Isn't it funny how inspiration comes along right when you need it.

2006-08-05T08:33:00.000-05:00

ironman

So It Begins!

2006-08-04T06:51:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, at least that's what they always say. I started my training today. What am I training for? I am training to live. I have had a few very stressful years and as a result, I have allowed myself to get very fat and out of shape. I currently weigh 257.5 pounds and in the past year my cholesterol has gone from 154 to 215. I knew I had to do something when I started to develop sleep apnea. I just turned thirty in June and decided that this is not how I want to live my life.

I have been interested in the sport of triathlon for many years and have dreamed of competing in an ironman. For years I have collected triathlon magazines and read the articles dreaming of what it must feel like to be that in shape. One day while scanning through some podcasts on itunes I came across the triathlon podcast Get Your Geek On. This podcast has totally inspired me. It made me want to change the way I live my life. I want to be better, try harder, live longer. I don't want to have a stroke at age 35. I am so motivated! Iron Wil and Kahuna I may just wind up owing my life to you.

I went out and bought a new pair of Brooks running shoes the other day. I'm very excited to get my training underway. I am starting my training off slow, but steady. I picked up a good beginner running workout from runnersworld.com and I started running at 5am today. I did a 30 minute run walk. Man! Am I out of shape. Well, I'm in a shape but that shape is much more rotund than the shape I'm after.

Before this year is out I plan to run a 5k and a 10k. In 2007 my goals are to complete a half marathon, sprint triathlon, Olympic distance triathlon and possibly a marathon. If I meet these goals I plan on training for an ironman in 2008. I am well aware that these are lofty goals but, with continued motivation from Get Your Geek On I know I will succeed.