Actually, I am running out of first time events to PR.
Today I ran my first organized 5k to benefit a fellow cyclist who was hit by a truck. The run was to raise some money offset their growing medical bills.
The Garmin 305 showed 2.98 miles in 22:38. I suck at math and haven't put the data into Motion Based, but that time is just over a 7 minute mile. I'm pleased with that.
Especially since I was pushing Smarty Pants in her stroller. She made it all of 7 minutes and wanted to go back. Well, Dad ain't that fast so she had to wait a while.
Still, it was for a good cause, and the auction afterwards netted me an oil change and 4-wheel alignment for only $80. I take my excitement where I can people...where I can.
September 27, 2008
September 26, 2008
"I don't want to go on the cart! I think I'll go for a ride"
I am slowly returning from the depths of snot hell. Slowly and snottily returning.
Two weeks to Moab and I am looking forward to the race. No trepidation. I feel pretty good other than my sinuses and jaw from my last dentist trip. I need to remind him that my jaw does not actually open 180°. It has been more than two weeks and it still hurts, but no Vitamin I yet today so I think I am improving.
I doubt I'll surpass my best ever 1:11 lap time on the course, but I am going to give it my best to be within a couple of minutes. I will definately be the slowest member on the team.
I decided to do something active today actually slipped out for a short ride during lunch. It was the first ride on my cyclocross bike since the crash during the alley cat race in July. It is amazing how far a little bit of back flexibilty goes. The handlebars on every bike I have feel high. The cross bike was way too high.
Maybe I can motivate myself to get up tomorrow morning and hit the trail pre-dawn. I still haven't tried out my new light.
Two weeks to Moab and I am looking forward to the race. No trepidation. I feel pretty good other than my sinuses and jaw from my last dentist trip. I need to remind him that my jaw does not actually open 180°. It has been more than two weeks and it still hurts, but no Vitamin I yet today so I think I am improving.
I doubt I'll surpass my best ever 1:11 lap time on the course, but I am going to give it my best to be within a couple of minutes. I will definately be the slowest member on the team.
I decided to do something active today actually slipped out for a short ride during lunch. It was the first ride on my cyclocross bike since the crash during the alley cat race in July. It is amazing how far a little bit of back flexibilty goes. The handlebars on every bike I have feel high. The cross bike was way too high.
Maybe I can motivate myself to get up tomorrow morning and hit the trail pre-dawn. I still haven't tried out my new light.
September 22, 2008
Sick Again
What I thought was an allergy has become a cold. Again. And if you remember my earlier post about getting sick, you'll know that I am in for a long haul.
That's the trouble with being healthy. Most people wake up one day and are sick. BING! Magically diseased. Not me. I get something and it takes about a week to beat me down before it actually takes hold. Then it runs rickshaw over my vacationing immune system for about a two week course and then I need about a week to recover.
I have three weeks until the 24 Hours of Moab. I wanted to ramp up this week and have one more solid week of training before my taper. But it isn't going to happen. I hope I don't lose too much fitness from the disease. Or hopefully it won't morph into a sinus infection as head colds often do with me, thanks to my septum that resembles a bowl of spaghetti.
That's the trouble with being healthy. Most people wake up one day and are sick. BING! Magically diseased. Not me. I get something and it takes about a week to beat me down before it actually takes hold. Then it runs rickshaw over my vacationing immune system for about a two week course and then I need about a week to recover.
I have three weeks until the 24 Hours of Moab. I wanted to ramp up this week and have one more solid week of training before my taper. But it isn't going to happen. I hope I don't lose too much fitness from the disease. Or hopefully it won't morph into a sinus infection as head colds often do with me, thanks to my septum that resembles a bowl of spaghetti.
September 18, 2008
Oh Deer!
It's 8:45 am. Yes, I am at work writing this. Cut me some slack, I've already had an eventful morning.
Coming in to work I have to travel through deer carcass alley. It is a woodsy section of road through South Weber with fields on one side of the highway and the Weber River on the other. Deer cross back and forth on the highway and frequently don't make it. It's one reason why I dislike riding my motorcycle in the morning, deer are very active that time of day and smacking one on the old SV would pretty much jack me right-the-hell-up, if not kill me.
Today, one unlucky two-point bucks number was punched.
Without going into detail, the girl in the car right in front of me hit it, sending it turning into the air and well into the median. I stopped to make sure she was alright and her car was okay to drive. They fared better than the deer.
When I first walked down it was still moving, but when I walked down a few minutes later it had died. At least I hope it had died because I hate the thought of leaving an animal in pain. I tossed a couple of sticks at it and got no blinking reflex so I am pretty sure it had gone into shock and died.
I used to carry a pistol in my briefcase just for this reason, in case I or someone else hit a deer and I had to dispatch it. One of my coworkers had hit a deer years ago and had to leave it injured. Pretty sad deal. But somewhere along the way I stopped carrying a briefcase, mainly because I just don't feel important enough to need one, and thus stopped packing my pistol. Plus I don't have a concealed carry permit so I had to unload the pistol and put the ammunition in the glove box to be legal.
Maybe it's time to get that permit and start carrying again. Maybe I can strap it to my motorcycle Road Warrior-style and if a deer jumps into my path I can start blasting at it before it gets in my lane. Or maybe I could just turn.... Or sell the motorcycle. If I sold the motorcycle why stop at a pistol? I could keep an AR-15 behind the seat. Then I wouldn't even have to walk down to humanely euthanize an animal. I could do it right from the front seat, wait, that's illegal. It gives me an excuse to buy a new AR-15 though.
Actually it's a shame I couldn't take the deer down to the butcher. What a waste of a good chunk o' meat.
Anyhoo, back to work. Need to get me some stuff done so I can ride with the neighbor, who I have dubbed Cliff, after work. I'll try and help him keep upright.
Coming in to work I have to travel through deer carcass alley. It is a woodsy section of road through South Weber with fields on one side of the highway and the Weber River on the other. Deer cross back and forth on the highway and frequently don't make it. It's one reason why I dislike riding my motorcycle in the morning, deer are very active that time of day and smacking one on the old SV would pretty much jack me right-the-hell-up, if not kill me.
Today, one unlucky two-point bucks number was punched.
Without going into detail, the girl in the car right in front of me hit it, sending it turning into the air and well into the median. I stopped to make sure she was alright and her car was okay to drive. They fared better than the deer.
When I first walked down it was still moving, but when I walked down a few minutes later it had died. At least I hope it had died because I hate the thought of leaving an animal in pain. I tossed a couple of sticks at it and got no blinking reflex so I am pretty sure it had gone into shock and died.
I used to carry a pistol in my briefcase just for this reason, in case I or someone else hit a deer and I had to dispatch it. One of my coworkers had hit a deer years ago and had to leave it injured. Pretty sad deal. But somewhere along the way I stopped carrying a briefcase, mainly because I just don't feel important enough to need one, and thus stopped packing my pistol. Plus I don't have a concealed carry permit so I had to unload the pistol and put the ammunition in the glove box to be legal.
Maybe it's time to get that permit and start carrying again. Maybe I can strap it to my motorcycle Road Warrior-style and if a deer jumps into my path I can start blasting at it before it gets in my lane. Or maybe I could just turn.... Or sell the motorcycle. If I sold the motorcycle why stop at a pistol? I could keep an AR-15 behind the seat. Then I wouldn't even have to walk down to humanely euthanize an animal. I could do it right from the front seat, wait, that's illegal. It gives me an excuse to buy a new AR-15 though.
Actually it's a shame I couldn't take the deer down to the butcher. What a waste of a good chunk o' meat.
Anyhoo, back to work. Need to get me some stuff done so I can ride with the neighbor, who I have dubbed Cliff, after work. I'll try and help him keep upright.
September 15, 2008
Honey, I Broke the Neighbor
Well that was fun.
What a weekend. No rollicking good times to be had. I don't have time for that stuff. Instead I ran a 10k on Saturday and did a good mtb ride on Sunday.
The 10k was on the new Legacy Highway or Parkway or whatever the hell they call it. 3.1 miles out and back on about the most boring road this side of Nevada. I figured I would go at a sustainable pace and see how it went, if I started getting passed right off the bat then I would slow down, recover and then hammer the last 5k to get some training data. As it turned out, I took off and watched a handful of people literally run away from me while I ran with a lopey-striding teenager, behind one other guy.
Long story short, I dropped those two and had two guys pass me just before the turn around. I followed one other lopey kid until he blew up (I started feeling bad for doing this) and then saw the overpass where the start/finish was.
I saw that thing for an eternity. It just didn't get any closer. I think it was the headwind.
Finally I finished in 41.59. That time, shockingly put me in first place in my age group.
First place. No shit. Not bad for a guy who doesn't train to go fast.
Of course the dude that won the overall was in my age group and creamed me like an eclair coming in just under 30 minutes - a 4:27 minute/mile pace. I didn't think it was possible to run that far, that fast and have your feet actually touch the ground.
Anyhoo, they have me as numero uno in the 30-34 age group with my far from record-setting time at 7:25 minute/mile pace. I'll take it. I promptly took my medal home and gave it to Smarty Pants who then showed it to everyone and told anyone who would listen that her dad had won it for her.
Which I did.
The race was a benefit for the Hess Cancer Foundation. Which I had no idea what they did. The founder, Travis Hess, explained that he started the foundation after his 3 year old daughter died of cancer. After the treatments, Travis and his wife Sherry couldn't afford a funeral. Fortunately their families stepped in, as did an anonymous donor who gave $1000. The gratitude they felt caused them to start the Hess Cancer Foundation, which helps the families of those who have lost loved ones to cancer, to cover funeral expenses.
This is a worthy cause. If you get around to it, go to hesscancer.org and make a donation, or look at their event schedule and try to participate in one of their events.
So I broke my neighbor yesterday. He called and wanted to do a mountain bike ride and the idea of having someone to ride with at 8am kept me from going out alone at 5am. We rode on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and did the ride we've been doing in the dark. Everything was going just great until we came to a technical little climb on the Beus section of the trail. I got through and heard an "oh shit. " I figured he just dabbed a foot so I kept riding and got to the top of the climb, pulled out the rest of my carrot cake Clif Bar and started munching away. After a couple of minutes of marveling at the actual cream cheese tasting bits o' frosting (this was a good bar, people) I sort of realized he wasn't here yet. I gave him a couple more minutes and was getting ready to head back down the trail when he came riding up.
And he was bloody and bleeding. Apparently he'd tried to wheelie up and over a rock on the steep part and wheelied right of the trail and the edge of the mountain. Not a vertical drop, but steep enough that he went ass over tea kettle 3 or 4 times.
After the ride he was stoked because I took him on some gnarly shit and he hadn't ridden most of the trails we'd been on. He wants to ride again on Thursday. If his girlfriend will let him ride with me. Or if Wifey will let me take him because she thinks he's cute....
Of course I need to fix my tire that I had to pump up 5 times before getting back to the vehicle and find out why my chain is hanging up when I shift into my small ring before then.
What a weekend. No rollicking good times to be had. I don't have time for that stuff. Instead I ran a 10k on Saturday and did a good mtb ride on Sunday.
The 10k was on the new Legacy Highway or Parkway or whatever the hell they call it. 3.1 miles out and back on about the most boring road this side of Nevada. I figured I would go at a sustainable pace and see how it went, if I started getting passed right off the bat then I would slow down, recover and then hammer the last 5k to get some training data. As it turned out, I took off and watched a handful of people literally run away from me while I ran with a lopey-striding teenager, behind one other guy.
Long story short, I dropped those two and had two guys pass me just before the turn around. I followed one other lopey kid until he blew up (I started feeling bad for doing this) and then saw the overpass where the start/finish was.
I saw that thing for an eternity. It just didn't get any closer. I think it was the headwind.
Finally I finished in 41.59. That time, shockingly put me in first place in my age group.
First place. No shit. Not bad for a guy who doesn't train to go fast.
Of course the dude that won the overall was in my age group and creamed me like an eclair coming in just under 30 minutes - a 4:27 minute/mile pace. I didn't think it was possible to run that far, that fast and have your feet actually touch the ground.
Anyhoo, they have me as numero uno in the 30-34 age group with my far from record-setting time at 7:25 minute/mile pace. I'll take it. I promptly took my medal home and gave it to Smarty Pants who then showed it to everyone and told anyone who would listen that her dad had won it for her.
Which I did.
The race was a benefit for the Hess Cancer Foundation. Which I had no idea what they did. The founder, Travis Hess, explained that he started the foundation after his 3 year old daughter died of cancer. After the treatments, Travis and his wife Sherry couldn't afford a funeral. Fortunately their families stepped in, as did an anonymous donor who gave $1000. The gratitude they felt caused them to start the Hess Cancer Foundation, which helps the families of those who have lost loved ones to cancer, to cover funeral expenses.
This is a worthy cause. If you get around to it, go to hesscancer.org and make a donation, or look at their event schedule and try to participate in one of their events.
So I broke my neighbor yesterday. He called and wanted to do a mountain bike ride and the idea of having someone to ride with at 8am kept me from going out alone at 5am. We rode on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and did the ride we've been doing in the dark. Everything was going just great until we came to a technical little climb on the Beus section of the trail. I got through and heard an "oh shit. " I figured he just dabbed a foot so I kept riding and got to the top of the climb, pulled out the rest of my carrot cake Clif Bar and started munching away. After a couple of minutes of marveling at the actual cream cheese tasting bits o' frosting (this was a good bar, people) I sort of realized he wasn't here yet. I gave him a couple more minutes and was getting ready to head back down the trail when he came riding up.
And he was bloody and bleeding. Apparently he'd tried to wheelie up and over a rock on the steep part and wheelied right of the trail and the edge of the mountain. Not a vertical drop, but steep enough that he went ass over tea kettle 3 or 4 times.
After the ride he was stoked because I took him on some gnarly shit and he hadn't ridden most of the trails we'd been on. He wants to ride again on Thursday. If his girlfriend will let him ride with me. Or if Wifey will let me take him because she thinks he's cute....
Of course I need to fix my tire that I had to pump up 5 times before getting back to the vehicle and find out why my chain is hanging up when I shift into my small ring before then.
September 12, 2008
The Weekend is SO Here!
Damn if I'm not ready for a day off.
Some of you that know what I do will scoff at that remark, but this has been a rough week. Deadlines and demanding clients have taken their toll.
I'm gonna rock out with my . . . I'm gonna run a 10k tomorrow to benefit the Hess Cancer Foundation, something I don't do enough of. It will be fun, I've never done an organized 10k, so whatever my time is will be a PR. It is also on the new Legacy Highway. A road that took 12 years and a buttload of litigation and environmental studies to build because it goes right through a wetlands area.
I'm not a fan of the Legacy Highway, but it's here whether I wanted it or not so I may as well enjoy it.
I'm sure a bike ride is also in order for the weekend. Maybe another morning dark ride. Something easy to recover from the 10k madness for sure. Or a road ride.
There is sure to be plenty of working in the house, too.
Time to go have a beer.
Some of you that know what I do will scoff at that remark, but this has been a rough week. Deadlines and demanding clients have taken their toll.
I'm gonna rock out with my . . . I'm gonna run a 10k tomorrow to benefit the Hess Cancer Foundation, something I don't do enough of. It will be fun, I've never done an organized 10k, so whatever my time is will be a PR. It is also on the new Legacy Highway. A road that took 12 years and a buttload of litigation and environmental studies to build because it goes right through a wetlands area.
I'm not a fan of the Legacy Highway, but it's here whether I wanted it or not so I may as well enjoy it.
I'm sure a bike ride is also in order for the weekend. Maybe another morning dark ride. Something easy to recover from the 10k madness for sure. Or a road ride.
There is sure to be plenty of working in the house, too.
Time to go have a beer.
September 11, 2008
9/11 — Never Forget!
On this day, the 7th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, I encourage you to remember those who sadly lost their lives and the families who so unexpectedly lost loved ones that day.
I remember turning on the television that morning and watching a live feed from a helicopter. It showed the World Trade Center's North Tower smoking, and they were talking about what type of plane had struck the tower.
Then suddenly, at 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston — the second hijacked airliner — flew in from the left of the TV screen and crashed into the South Tower.
I will never forget seeing, LIVE, Flight 175 strike the South Tower. For that brief moment, time stood completely still as I realized that our nation was under attack. I will never forget.
And I knew that somewhere in the world, very soon, that there would be hell to pay. Because 9/11 would turn into the most unifying event since the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Because in spite of our political and religious beliefs, most Americans continue to share the same steely determination as the brave people on United Airlines Flight 93, who faced down the terrorists and took them on. Losing their lives, but preventing another, possibly more appalling disaster.
The United States and our true allies continue to be at war fighting terrorists who are in league with those responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Terrorists who have zero tolerance for infidels and differing lifestyles, those who simply don't believe in the same God as they do.
While you are saying a prayer for, or simply remembering, all the victims of this tragic day don't forget to add a little something for our military. The men and women who are putting their lives out there to do the best they can to prevent another 9/11 from happening ever again.
I am a patriot. I love my country, it is the greatest country on the planet, do not disgrace it. Do not burn a flag near me. It may be your First Amendment right to do it, but it is also mine to do everything I can to put out the flames.
I'll close this post with the immortal words of Todd Beamer, one of those who fought back on United Airlines Flight 93:
"Are you guys ready? Let's Roll."
September 9, 2008
Officially Dedicated
I am officially dedicated. I woke up at 4am again and hit the trails this morning for two hours of riding before work. Hell, it even rained and we had two light failures, but we got it done.
I am also officially tired. Already. And it is only 9:45am. Today is either going to be insanely long or I'll sit here working in such a semi-stupor that it will be time to go home before I know it.
I am cooking jalapeno burgers for dinner. Never done it before.... Good thing I keep beer in hand. Yep, in hand, it's like on-hand except literally in my hand. Beer in one, spatula in the other.
BULLY!
Definitely won't be going riding tomorrow morning. Smarty Pants has already requested a breakfast of "marshmallow cereal" (Lucky Charms®) with me. How can I say no to that?
Of course, if I can get to the pool by 5:30 I can be back before she wakes up....
I keep trying to think of something at least entertaining to write here, but I think my brain is shot. Figuratively, of course.
Maybe my new lights will arrive today and wake me up a little, but probably not until tomorrow.
I am also officially tired. Already. And it is only 9:45am. Today is either going to be insanely long or I'll sit here working in such a semi-stupor that it will be time to go home before I know it.
I am cooking jalapeno burgers for dinner. Never done it before.... Good thing I keep beer in hand. Yep, in hand, it's like on-hand except literally in my hand. Beer in one, spatula in the other.
BULLY!
Definitely won't be going riding tomorrow morning. Smarty Pants has already requested a breakfast of "marshmallow cereal" (Lucky Charms®) with me. How can I say no to that?
Of course, if I can get to the pool by 5:30 I can be back before she wakes up....
I keep trying to think of something at least entertaining to write here, but I think my brain is shot. Figuratively, of course.
Maybe my new lights will arrive today and wake me up a little, but probably not until tomorrow.
September 7, 2008
Dudication
Dedication is getting up at 4am, strapping the headlamp to the ol' Titus and heading out the door for a mountain bike ride. In the dark.
I'll actually be dedicated if I ever participate in such tomfoolery again.
Few things get me pemanently out of bed at 4am. The chance to get in a good duck or goose hunt, in someone's boat (paddling my poor man kayak won't get me out that early) is one thing.
Really that is the only thing.
Because what else do I enjoy doing, really, that requires getting up so early? Not. A. DAMN. Thing.
But it was so much fun. I couldn't eat anything proir to riding because the Duckboy's digestive gut parts were punching the snooze button, but what a great time to ride. No sharing the trail. Less than 900-degrees. I hope to be getting some badass Light & Motion lights this week, guess I might have to get up and go try them out before work soon.
And it's fantastic 24 Hours of Moab training. Especially for my lazy ol' guts.
All in, people. Can't wait.
I'll actually be dedicated if I ever participate in such tomfoolery again.
Few things get me pemanently out of bed at 4am. The chance to get in a good duck or goose hunt, in someone's boat (paddling my poor man kayak won't get me out that early) is one thing.
Really that is the only thing.
Because what else do I enjoy doing, really, that requires getting up so early? Not. A. DAMN. Thing.
But it was so much fun. I couldn't eat anything proir to riding because the Duckboy's digestive gut parts were punching the snooze button, but what a great time to ride. No sharing the trail. Less than 900-degrees. I hope to be getting some badass Light & Motion lights this week, guess I might have to get up and go try them out before work soon.
And it's fantastic 24 Hours of Moab training. Especially for my lazy ol' guts.
All in, people. Can't wait.
September 2, 2008
Fallready?
It officially feels like fall today. Here in the greater Ogden, UT region the highs today will be in the low to mid 70s.
Beautiful.
We had a major storm roll through over the holiday weekend. Not Gustav-news worthy but it was the first real precipitation we've had for a while. We spent the weekend at Bear Lake and I have to say that the water is just unpleasantly cold, plus I forgot my wetsuit. Being in the new house I am still a little paranoid about inclement weather and being gone. I don't know if the roof is leaking or the basement is flooding or if the backyard was a cemetery and bodies will start coming out of the ground like in Poltergeist. I worry what I'll come home to.
Nothing but a house. Yayyyyyyy!
I spent over two hours last night hanging up a mirror in the family room. Or living room. Which is which? Is the room you eat and watch tv in the family or living room? Is the room you never set foot in except to clean or invite the missionaries and home teacher in to give you a lesson the living or family room? Whichever the latter one is is the one I don't need. I'd rather have the space for something else like my garage.
I digress....
Two fucking hours to hang a mirror. What a piece of holy shit this thing is! It weighs like 30 pounds. For once I actually got the holes and anchors exactly where I wanted them in the wall. They were even level. But the garbage mirror mounts weren't. And they were recessed like three inches into the frame. Basically this thing was next to impossible to hang, let alone hang level.
But I am proud of how I handled myself. No outbursts. No throwing. No breaking of anything. No scaring of Wifey and Smarty Pants.
I feel so mature.
Miraculously I was able to move through the 697 different ways I tried to hang this piece of shit calmly (mostly) while Wifey stood over me and Smarty Pants jumped up and down on my head (figuratively, she likes to "help").
So mature, so aged.
Moving on. Because I have so much shit to hang up that I know if I continue to dwell that I'll keep putting off doing it.
By the way, fall is my favorite time of year on so many levels. Riding, running, hunting, just a pretty season. Also, I think I need a duck boat. I am tired of paddling my kayak and Smarty Pants needs to learn to fish. She's way too into this Princess stuff, we need some green and camo to balance out the pink.
Beautiful.
We had a major storm roll through over the holiday weekend. Not Gustav-news worthy but it was the first real precipitation we've had for a while. We spent the weekend at Bear Lake and I have to say that the water is just unpleasantly cold, plus I forgot my wetsuit. Being in the new house I am still a little paranoid about inclement weather and being gone. I don't know if the roof is leaking or the basement is flooding or if the backyard was a cemetery and bodies will start coming out of the ground like in Poltergeist. I worry what I'll come home to.
Nothing but a house. Yayyyyyyy!
I spent over two hours last night hanging up a mirror in the family room. Or living room. Which is which? Is the room you eat and watch tv in the family or living room? Is the room you never set foot in except to clean or invite the missionaries and home teacher in to give you a lesson the living or family room? Whichever the latter one is is the one I don't need. I'd rather have the space for something else like my garage.
I digress....
Two fucking hours to hang a mirror. What a piece of holy shit this thing is! It weighs like 30 pounds. For once I actually got the holes and anchors exactly where I wanted them in the wall. They were even level. But the garbage mirror mounts weren't. And they were recessed like three inches into the frame. Basically this thing was next to impossible to hang, let alone hang level.
But I am proud of how I handled myself. No outbursts. No throwing. No breaking of anything. No scaring of Wifey and Smarty Pants.
I feel so mature.
Miraculously I was able to move through the 697 different ways I tried to hang this piece of shit calmly (mostly) while Wifey stood over me and Smarty Pants jumped up and down on my head (figuratively, she likes to "help").
So mature, so aged.
Moving on. Because I have so much shit to hang up that I know if I continue to dwell that I'll keep putting off doing it.
By the way, fall is my favorite time of year on so many levels. Riding, running, hunting, just a pretty season. Also, I think I need a duck boat. I am tired of paddling my kayak and Smarty Pants needs to learn to fish. She's way too into this Princess stuff, we need some green and camo to balance out the pink.
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