A Bit Cold

Today is Friday and I've got to be honest, I don't feel like doing CRAP today! Therefore, I'm not going to train at all today. I haven't had a rest day this past week, so today is the day. It's rainy and cold outside and it's one of those days that one doesn't feel like leaving the house for anything. However, I have a job and responsibilities and I'm off to tackle them. It's Friday, my favorite day of the week and I'm going to enjoy the "laid-backness" of it.

Weekend here I come! Going to train hard Saturday and Sunday.

Update from the Big Man T:

The Tri up Hi-O

Ok, it’s me, the guest writer again. I have to say that I appreciate Todd more and more for doing this part each day. I write about 3% of these (if that) and I’m this far into the entry and already lamenting it. Nevertheless, I trudge on!  We’re about a week away and I’m in Ohio right now with my wife and children visiting her family for fall break. Except for my father-in-law who hates me (and most other people too), I enjoy my time with all of her relatives. It’s nice and cool up here right now. I woke up and had breakfast today, checked a few emails, put on my “gear” and was then off for a 40 minute run through a neighborhood I’ve never seen before. I wasn’t interested in breaking my neck for a world record time or anything. I just wanted a nice brisk run under the cool overcast day and to think about all that God has done for me and the love and grace that He has given me. Truly, I am a blessed man. As Todd and I set our eyes to next week, it’s important that we truly try to fine tune our bodies and minds in preparation for our 2008 closing event. I’ll tell you this. Running is still my weak link, but not Todd’s. I can see a look in his eye that the “jogging monster” will NOT get him this time around at the Triathlon. I’m quite curious to see how well he finishes. The being sick thing last week really set me back, but I’m hoping that a diligent 10 days prior to the event itself will prove to be an effective element to help me bounce back and be ready to roll in earnest. I love training up here. The colors have all changed and it’s a beautiful time of year and a good reminder of the glory of God’s personal paint brush. I’m glad I’m not the one in charge! To God be the GLORY!

Troy's Last Ride

Today was Troy's last ride before the Suncoast Triathlon. He's leaving on a business trip and won't return until we have to leave for Florida. It seems a bit surreal that we're this close to the event and I'm hoping that Troy gets in his ample share of training while on the road. I'm sure he will because he knows that value of how important these last two weeks are. He's going to well. I can feel it.

Our ride today was quite nice. The weather was beautiful! The ride was intense, and the conversation was stimulating. If that truly IS our last ride together for the year until next tri season, then that was a spectacular one to end on.

It's time to get the off-season training on and crackin'!

Our New Toy

Yesterday turned out to be quite a fun "training" day. A few months ago, Troy got this crazy idea to get a couple of mountain bikes for us to enhance our cycling addiction. In his infinite unselfishness, he sprung me with the idea that he was buying two bikes and the one he was buying for me would be my birthday and Christmas present (yet again, another act of unselfishness from my little brother). At any rate, the bikes finally arrived from order and we were antsy to test them out. Yesterday was to be that day.

Troy and I both had never been on a mountain biking trail but were eager to give it a shot. So Troy looked up some trails that were close by home and away we went. Not really knowing what to expect, we jumped on our bikes and rode off as if we knew what we were doing on the trails. We never gave it a thought that the trails might be for intermediate or advanced riders. We definitely paid the price - but in a good and fun way. Luckily, our bike riding wind and endurance came into play. Otherwise, we'd have never made it even close to an hour on those trails. It's a whole different workout and routine. It's much more upper body and strength based whereas road cycling seems to be more leg and endurance driven. I'm still partial to the road and the speed, but I can already tell that I'm going to love getting out there and exploring the trails and another sport that has challenged us. It's a great change from the norm.

Today's workout was a very intense and rewarding one. 45 minute swim this morning backed by a 25 minute run. It makes for a nice fit feeling for the rest of the day.



This is a rough shot of the new trail bikes made by Trek (we're partial and loyal to that brand).

Mundane Mondays

4:30 a.m.!!! Good lord! And on a Monday no less! Why can't every day be a Friday or Saturday? At any rate, this morning was no different than last week. Waking up at 4:30, get the twins to their swim practice, I swim while I'm there as well, then wait for them to finish and take them to school. They're committed to being a part of that team and I love and respect that. If it means me sacrificing some sleep in order for them to learn what it's like to be a part of something that takes some commitment and dedication, then I'm more than happy and willing to sacrifice for my girls.

This morning's workout was a 45 minute swim where I swam about 2300 yards. It was intense and good. Especially for a "slow to get started" Monday. My afternoon workout is going to be quite a fun one. Troy, in his endless selflessness, bought the two of us a mountain bike to further fuel both of our biking addiction. It was my birthday AND Christmas present and I can't think of something that I would've liked more (one day Troy, one of these days! I swear!). Anyway, we're going out on our first mountain bike trail here in Franklin. Troy found it online and it's right near our house and we've never even been aware of it. We're both excited to say the least.

I'll post pictures and video of the new gear and the trail after the jump. It should be fun!

Me Lung-butter Long Time

This morning was the first bike ride I've had in seven days. Last time Troy and I rode was this same ride we did last week. However, I've done a lot of swimming and running (if you've kept up with the blog). Troy, on the other hand, has been sick and hasn't had much activity for the obvious sickly reasons. He HAS been itching to get out and get some training in for a solid week though. So as you could imagine, he was antsy to get out and ride this morning - even with some lingering after-effects of his illness. I've gotta say, I didn't expect much from him since he's been under the weather and literally on his back and sleep deprived. But once again, I'm surprised by the circumstances. Not only did he make it the whole way without stopping or getting off of the bike, but he also made it up "Deliverance Ridge" without having to get off of his bike and walk up the climb. That was a surprise to me! He had every reason and excuse to get off and walk up the hill, but he found enough in his tank and dug down deep enough to find the strength to make it up there. Understand, this is no easy climb on a bike! In fact, cars that drive up this ridge struggle a bit. I was taken back (once again) by Troy's determination, desire, and work ethic to power through the extenuating circumstances that lie ahead of him. It's these small glimpses and lessons that I get that show me where I can improve - where my weaknesses are.

Troy is a strong man in every sense of the word both physically and mentally, and I truly value these small nuggets of life lessons that I get through our training and us doing life together. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Freaky Friday

I called today Freaky Friday because today consisted of the two extremes of a really good day, and a really bad day all wrapped into one nice little package. It was good from a standpoint that I got a lot of work done at the office interfacing with various staff to continue to get plugged in to their "system". Much was accomplished and I'm feeling very confident in my building role and my relationships with the current staff. That was the good part that consumed the majority of my day.

However, . . . the back part of the day was littered with some devastating and tough news that has really put me back. No need to expound on it. It's something that will naturally work itself out anyway and I just have to stay reminded that all of this - everything - is in God's hands. He will do with this situation what He feels is the best and I am trying to stay faithful in that. Even when it's hard to.

Troy is just now getting over his illness and it looks as though we'll be riding early in the morning. I'm thankful for that because that's a specific time that we both look forward to and he's antsy to get back out there and be active. . . especially since we only have 2 weeks to go.

Now excuse me while I get ready to go for a long much needed run!

Late Wednesday Entry

It's much too late and I'm way too tired to be writing. The video says it all and I've got to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get the girls to swim practice and to meet Troy at the pool.

Man, this schedule is crazy! I certainly prayed to be more busy and to stay occupied. Be careful what you wish for. You just may get it!

A Lazy Tuesday

Today was one of those "good intention" type days. By that I mean, I had every intention to do something totally different than what my final outcome was. This morning I was going to get up with the twins (as usual) and take them to the swim complex for their practice while I get in a training swim of my own. That didn't happen! I took the girls to practice, and instead of staying to swim, I dropped them off and drove back home to sleep for another hour or so. Out of guilt for not staying and swimming like the twins do, and guilt for not training at my allotted time, I woke up and forced myself to go for a short 20 minute run. The run was short but intense at a relatively quick pace. I still feel as if I should have stayed a swam, but oh well.

I guess the reason for this personal lethargy so close to our race is due to the weather. The weather has slipped into the fall stages where the leaves are turning colors and the temperature is a brisk cold at night and in the mornings. That makes for a lazy demeanor. . . at least in my case. This morning was especially difficult due to the added overcast and rain in the forecast. It was tough making myself do anything physical related. Plus, Troy is feeling under the weather and sick so I knew that he wouldn't be training today. Therefore, I knew I wouldn't have that accountability that I so highly lean on to push me.

The end result was that I forced myself to do something and pushed through the "lazy" wall. And in the end, that's the stuff that'll pay dividends come race time.

A Church-less Sunday

It's Sunday and today I wasn't able to get to church like I normally do. My oldest twin Shelby has been sick so I had to stay home with her while Taylor and Kori went to church with Uncle Troy. I enjoy the church that I go to, so I found myself missing the message and encouragement that I normally get on a weekly basis.

In place of church while taking care of little Shelb, I did a wonderful bible study for my Monday night men's bible study. Then after she fell back asleep, I slipped in a 35 minute run. It wasn't a fast run but it was exhilarating and I got lost in the music that I was listening to. That always makes for a more enjoyable run.

We're now inside of 3 weeks and now is the time to really buckle down on the training and nutrition. It's time to REALLY get serious! Next March is right around the corner for the start of next season! Let's get it!

A Compassionate Ride

Waking up at 5:30 a.m. doesn't agree with me at all. I'm very much a night person. However, this morning's Saturday ride was one of those days of subconscious anticipation. The day was gorgeous, we were anxious to ride, and we were meeting a friend of veteran cycling prowess to ride with us. The only down side was that the weather was too cold for my taste. Well after bundling up and getting the muscles warm, that didn't seem to be much of a problem either.

Spence Smith (who works for Compassion International and is a web guru) met us at 6:45 at our normal launch spot and we were on the road by 7:00. We couldn't have asked for a better time and a better day. We had great conversation and worked hard at the same time.

Today was particularly good for Troy for some reason. Troy was feeling rather "froggy" today while riding. I noticed early that he seemed to have some extra energy that we was trying to release. I didn't think much of it until we arrived at Deliverance Ridge, a hill that Troy always get off of his bike and walks. Today was a different story for the very first time. He made it up the tough climb without getting off to walk and was exhilarated by his accomplishment. He SHOULD feel proud. It's an extremely tough climb! For the rest of the ride, I felt like he was a caged horse waiting to get out and run. Troy should feel proud of himself and the fitness level that he's currently at. He's now to the point that he can hang with virtually anyone we ride with. Constant progression - that's the key!

Renewal Day

This morning was a swim training day and we had a really great and intense workout. With us being 3 weeks away from the Suncoast Triathlon, we're really getting intense with the workouts. Once the Suncoast is over, we'll probably lighten our load on the training side but still keep it going. We're looking to join the Excel Triathlon Swim Training group. It'll be fun and a great experience and training tool. Now all we have left for today is a late afternoon run.

Feeling good and confident.

Wednesday (you know what it is)!

It's Wednesday again and that means another training rest day. I'm going to enjoy it!

The dog in the picture is NOT my dog!

Tuesday Morning Run

As I sit here in my new place of employment, I can't help but think about how I got here and the unbelievable journey that I've been on to get me to this point. It seems amazing, and I certainly can't figure out how I've made it this far without "cashing it in". It's because of the love of friends, family, and most of all, the Lord's unmerited favor. From here, I want to be a Godly, integrity filled, humble man that chooses to take the right paths from this point in my life and forward. That's exactly what I intend to do.

This morning, I woke up to the twins already getting ready for school. Their routine is to wake themselves up at 5:30, take a shower or wash their hair, get breakfast, then off to school. It's a ritual that I've come to enjoy very much. After I dropped them off at their school, I hustled home to change into my running attire in order to get in a run. I ended up running 5.5 miles on an 8:02 pace. Not a bad pace for me, especially when I got lost in some music this morning. The run felt great and my pace was a comfortable one. Still no problems with the achilles and I'm feeling better about my running. However, still trying to be careful too.

Sunday Afternoon Swim

The day was absolutely picturesque today. Troy and I felt like we HAD to do something active training-wise. So we decided to go to the Rec Center pool and do some swimming. What I didn't realize was that there was already a triathlon swim training class going on that was being coached by my former swim coach. She immediately asked me to come over and jump in a lane and go through the hell that she was putting the others through. In some sadistic way, that actually appealed to me so off I went and jumped in the middle of the training. It was great and I was pleased with where my swimming fitness level was because I didn't wane at all compared to the rest of the swimmers. That felt good.

This all happened before Troy arrived because I happened to get there early. When Troy got there, I ended up moving over and swimming with him for another 45 minutes. So in essence, we got quite a workout in. 

It felt great and was arguably our best swim workout to date. Due to that and talking to the coach, I think we may join the class once we've finished our Suncoast Triathlon in late October. It'll definitely help in our technique and overall water fitness. We're really into all this crap! It's actually kind of funny but amazing. It's great to see how much Troy is in to this. He's like a kid in a candy store and he's certainly getting his fill.

The Glasses Half Full

This morning Troy and I went on our weekly 40 miler and the morning couldn't have been more beautiful. It was almost as if the Lord said, "here, have an incredible morning on me." That's exactly what we did. We had an incredible morning! As usual, we talked about a plethora of topics that was stimulating and spiritual all at the same time. It was great.

As Troy mentioned in the video, there's some good news hovering in the camp but we're not ready to divulge it just yet. It's certainly news that's powerful enough to help me out of my somewhat desperate situation. Let's just say, God is good and faithful. I'm feeling empowered. Troy's feeling strong and empowered and I'm sure the devil is feeling threatened. That's when we've got to be the most on the lookout.

It's a new day and a new beginning. Thank you to a dear friend for helping me realize that.

Thank you to Shelby for the accidental "borrowing" of the fashion glasses. :-)