Thursday Morning Swim

Don't feel much like a blogger today and honestly don't care much either. Troy and I went for an early morning 35 minute swim. I'll probably get a bike or a run in late this afternoon.

Sorry for being brief. Until next time. . . 

A Supposed Rest Day

My day started out at about 4:45 a.m. with a text from Troy saying let's not do the 5:30 swim. That meant that I didn't have to wake up at 5:00 to get going. I was fine with that and the extra sleep that came with it. After getting my oldest twin off to school and a morning meeting, I finally got to get my 40 minute run in. It was desperately needed! Today has been one of those days that I would rather just restart or not have actually started by getting out of bed to begin with. Along with the everyday stresses of a situation that's already tough, I received some news to compound the issues. I know this is all part of a season, but sometimes it seems that the season refuses to change.

Like I mentioned earlier, my run was greatly needed to do some thinking and relieve some stress. It turned out to be very therapeutic. I ran 4.2 miles in just under 40 minutes which is slow for me. However, I'm still concentrating on being very careful with my achilles tendon problem and was also dealing with some residual soreness from my Monday run. So far, everything seems to be on track and I'm really trying to ramp up the intensity to my workouts the closer it gets to the Suncoast Tri.

Troy is using today as a rest day (as he should be) because every Wednesday is our day that we take off of training. That happened to be yesterday for me due to Big E being here and getting him off to the airport and such. The day was just out of whack for getting in some training so I decided to switch the off days for this week.

Thank you Lord for my health. Without it, I think I'd go insane.

Spotting the Unicorn

First, I want to start by getting the business out of the way. Big E is now gone and the creative weekend is over (and what a weekend it was!). I'm now back to my regular training routine and am really ratcheting that down these last 4 weeks. I'm shooting for being in the best shape of my life! Shouldn't be a problem.

Now for a rare moment of transparency (which is truly rare). I'm posting this at a time when I currently haven't done my training for the day due to the "unusualness" of the day's schedule. It's Tuesday and I've just dropped off Big E at the airport. Normally, that's not a big deal because we've been best friends for almost 9 years now. However in all the times that we've been together throughout the country, this time was different. God opened my eyes to something that I've been closed to for far too long and that is the physical view of what true friendships and relationships are all about. This weekend was that eye-opener for me. You see, E came into town to work on some specific things that pertain to music and we had a clear vision and direction of what we wanted to accomplish - and we did that. But E was here for more than just music. Unknowingly, E came here for me because he's selfless and truly loves me for who he knows Todd to be. It really hit me today that Big E needed me to know, in all of our macho athletic bravado, that he's here with me and for me and just wanted to love on me through a very difficult situation. That means far more to me than any hit song, any cool athletic event, or any Nike hookup! That is the fruit and manifestation of what it means to love someone and to truly be their friend.

I sit here a broken and humbled man, but a very blessed man as well. I've been through some tough times, but it's through these times that God has really revealed himself to a hard headed self-centered idiot such as myself. The Lord has allowed me some trying times but it's through these times that He's purposefully put people in my life that normally may not have been there to reveal more of His glory. I'm lucky to have men in my life that I know will be there and stand in the gap for me. Particularly guys like Big E and, most of all, my brother. It's through these two and other close personal relationships that God shows me that I can make it and I'll be a better man on the other side of this. It's through these people that He speaks to me. For that, I'm a blessed man in so many ways.

Now back to training.

The Great Run

I'm currently sitting in my studio listening as Big E doodles around on the piano to find something that he likes to put into a song that we're creating. The creative process is an interesting thing. It comes and goes at it's own discretion. I liken the process to being like cats. Cats seem to come and go and do exactly as they please on their own time. There's no forcing a cat to do anything it doesn't want to do. That's the same with the creative process. You can't force it and sometimes that can be frustrating - especially when you're bound by schedules. It is what it is.

This morning, E had a meeting with a friend of mine so I took that opportunity to steal away some running time to test out the achilles tendon on a longer run. As you can tell from the video, it felt great and gave me no problems thus far. I'm hoping I won't feel any after effects or soreness tomorrow, but we'll just have to see. The run was great. The weather was perfect, my wind was fine and the legs didn't get too fatigued. It was one of my better runs in recent memory. Plus, it was at a moderate pace, so that may be the key. I averaged an 8:20 mile over 4 and a half miles. Not blazing speed, but it's a long race - not a sprint!

Troy's due for a run today as well and we're both supposed to lift weights today. I honestly don't know how feasible that's going to be for me with E being in town and us working in the studio. Troy and I both may just have to get some push ups and sit ups in for the day. It won't be the first time.

An Overcast 42

As I write this, It's 1:30 a.m. and most normal people are in bed at this hour. Not me. I'm awake in my studio writing songs with my best friend Big E. He's in town and while he's here we decided to make this a music trip for him and me. I'm currently typing the entry for this blog and E is playing piano as we search for our next creative song idea.

Troy has been dying for me to get this post up all afternoon and I'd been meaning to. I just simply haven't had the time. We've been in constant "creative" mode all day and only now have I had the chance to get up to date on the training blog.

This morning was a super tough day to get up at 6:00 on a Saturday for. It was overcast, a bit drizzly, and a little on the cool side. In other words, a perfect day to sleep in. Not to mention, I had stayed up with Big E working on songs until about 1:30 in the morning. Believe me, it was tough to wake up. However, I did it and Troy and I embarked on our Saturday ride - only this Saturday was a 42 miler. I've gotta say, Troy's performance on the bike was definitely the best I've seen from him since we started this journey. In a nutshell, Troy climbed every hill and stayed consistent with his cadence and speed the full 42 miles. That's something he's never done. And on top of that, he never once got off of his bike to walk up some of the steeper climbs that we have throughout the course. He did, by far, better today than I've ever seen him since putting on bike shoes! I was thoroughly surprised and impressed. Troy's getting stronger, faster, and (most importantly) thinner. He's now to the skill level on the bike that he can actually beat me handily on a downhill. That's NEVER happened, yet he's consistantly doing it - especially today!

Keep it up T and keep bangin'! And by the way. . . Happy Birthday Dad! We love you! :-)

Your Boys.

Episode #100!

With today being Friday, it seems only fitting that we get to episode #100. That's crazy to me that Troy and I have marched through 100 of these things. Seems impossible. However, it's been really cool to see the progress that particularly Troy has made from the start of May until now, and yet he still has so much farther that he can go. We both do!

Today's workout schedule called for a swim and a bike. I've only been able to get the bike in due to scheduling and the gas crisis that's currently going on in our area as a result of hurricane Ike. People are literally standing in line to get gas and stations are running out left and right. So, it looks as though I'm not going to be making the trek to the pool in order to conserve as much gas as possible until this storm blows over. They're saying middle of next week should be the time when stations get re-fueled for the pumps.

The other reason for not getting in the swim is because my best buddy Big E is coming in to town to work with me in the studio on some stuff for his new record or just us to have a chance to be creative. Plus, we've got a project that we're being hired for from Gotee Records that we need to make good on. At any rate, I'm excited that he's coming and staying for a few days. We'll have a great time and, who knows, I may even post something up here - even though it'll have nothing to do with our health and fitness. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow is our Saturday ride. As usual, I'm very much looking forward to it.

Less Than 6 Weeks

The weather during this part of the year is unbelievably perfect for riding and training outside. I just wish it were like this all year 'round. Today's training was much needed after yesterday. Even though Troy and I had a training rest day, there was no resting about the day. I had to clean and ready my house to be shown to some prospective buyers. That literally took me all day, and with one guy living in a far too big house, it becomes a daunting task. However, I got through it and the place is in immaculate shape. Plus, it comes at a good time because my best friend Big E is coming into town and staying with me over the weekend, so the place is spotless.

Yesterday, our "rest" day, was a day of ups and downs - victories and defeats. However, I'm choosing to look at yesterday as an overall victory even though there were some serious hurdles to get over. That's why it's been so crucial for me to continue on this path of health and fitness. It's a stress reliever and knowing that Troy is counting on me is a good source of accountability and motivation. In so many ways, Troy and triathlon have both saved my life and for that I am eternally grateful.

As for Troy, he's biking this afternoon and running tonight so he'll be getting in his scheduled training for today. I no longer worry whether he's going to do it or not. He's gotten to a point where he feels bad or guilty if he's not sticking to his schedule. That's a place, with him, that I've never seen him be in. Plus, I find it very intriguing the places in which he gets his own motivation. Case in point: I'm posting a picture that Troy found that he wants to target as his "look". This is a picture of him about 12 or 13 years ago and I must say, he looks great. You decide. Trust me, Troy's on his way!

Today's Update from Troy

Well, we DID get the ride in today around 3:30. How about this? We tried a variation of a mid-distance route and it was PERFECT! 18 miles and we did it in 1 hr and 1 minute (and that included a TON of stops behind a school bus). The weather was perfect. It was low 70’s and crystal clear with a nice breeze blowing. Todd and I had a very nice and enjoyable ride. I feel like we have our best talks about Jesus and what He is doing in our lives on days like this. It seems that when we get “deep” on stuff, that the moments fly by and the miles just rack up and it’s over before you know it. I’ll tell you, my brother is an AMAZING creation. The stuff that cripples us mere mortals is stuff that he just sails right through. For example, I don’t think he’s aware that steep hills are difficult on a bike and that slowing down is a natural occurrence. Oh well, be that as it may, I DO feel his pushing me has improved me greatly both physically AND spiritually (which is more important anyway – and we would BOTH say so without hesitating). I never dreamed that when we made ourselves accountable to each other back in April that we would be this transformed in so many ways 5 months later. God is steering our collective ship. I absolutely LOVE the view from His “boat” too! Give it a try if you haven’t gotten on board yet.

Tuesday Morning Swim Club

This morning's workout, once again, came really early! Getting up at 5:00 a.m. SUCKS! I'm not a morning person, but when you have kids, you're forced to be. Anyway, Troy and I got to the pool by 5:45 and were met there by Kevin Sparkman. Again, that was a pleasant surprise for me to see him wanting to take an active role in the betterment of his health and fitness. If he'll just stick with it for 30 days, it'll become a habit for him and the soreness will no longer be an issue. He's been the only one that has even come close to sticking with any kind of program for any extended period. Troy and I have had a lot of guys talk the talk, but none have been willing to walk the walk yet. That's what's so impressive about Troy being almost 5 months into this program. He's stayed with it and it is payiing off in big ways now! I never thought he's stick around this long but he seems to have made a complete lifestyle change. That's the whole idea!

Today's swim is behind us but we're looking to get an hour ride in this afternoon. Should be a good one!

The Monday Brick

Okay, I think I've somewhat figured something out with myself. I think I'm finding a direct correlation between how fit I am and how high my stress level currently stands. Let's just say I'm pretty darn fit right now! I find great comfort and peace in going out and training. It truly levels out some of the stress within me. I'm not sure if it's spiritual, the endorphins, or what. I'm certainly not a sports scientist, but I have a feeling it's a combination of the two. I had a great talk with the Lord today on the bike and we worked some things out. He allowed me to have a good and intense workout while He seemed to be speaking to my spirit. It was quite encouraging.

At any rate, I had a good workout and was pleased with the result of my achilles situation after my bike AND a short 15 minute run. It doesn't seem to be bothering me like it did in the past, so I'm hoping that if I continue to go slow and ease back into the run portion, hopefully it won't bother me.

I haven't spoken to Troy today but I know he's extremely busy this week and I don't know what he's going to be able to fit in this week either. I do know that he's got a 40 minute run and weight training scheduled for today, so hopefully he'll get that in this afternoon or tonight. We'll see.

Saturday's New Recruit

Troy and I woke up this morning at 6:00 a.m. like we normally do on Saturdays for our 22 mile ride. However, this morning was a bit different in that we had a guest come with us. His name is Mark and he used to work with Troy. He's been wanting to come out and ride with us for a while now and finally made it out. It was nice having another person out there to converse with and for a bit of a change. We had great fun and hopefully he'll come out with us again in the future.

Troy had a small victory today in that he climbed a very steep hill today and made it 3/4 of the way up the hill. That's much farther than he's ever been up that same hill. It's a hill that we've affectionately named "Deliverance Ridge". We named it that for two reasons. 1. The people that live that far out in the country are very back woods and it looks like we're riding through deliverance country. 2. When you reach the top and you realize that the climb is then behind you, you get a feeling of being delivered! Troy's next serious ride, I'm confident that he'll make it all the way to the top without walking any portion of it.

It's cool to see Troy's confidence level continue to rise as he gets more fit. I can see that he's starting to realize that he can swim, bike, and run with just about anyone. When he gets to his target weight, it's going to be scary!

Thanks to all the many readers and voyeurs who have given us encouragement or left comments here. We certainly appreciate all of you (what few there may be).

A Beautiful Friday!

Okay I'm going to honest in saying, yesterday was a really tough day for me. Troy and I woke up at 5:00 a.m. and went for our morning swim. It was then that I knew I'd be struggling. Not struggling physically with the workout, but struggling mentally and emotionally with everything that's going on in my personal little, overly selfish, world. When I got to the pool, I made a conscious effort not to show that I was already  having a tough day. It didn't work. With Troy being so close to me and knowing me better than anyone else, he could sense something. He just knew. And in fine Troy fashion with Godly wisdom, he got me through one of my toughest days internally.

I say all of that to say this. Our training for triathlon is not about getting our bodies into shape (although that's a nice by product). It's not about trying to train to win something at the end. It's not even ultimately about the long term health. To me, this is about relationships. Relationships with God and man. It's about getting to know who you truly are when no one is around. It's about understanding that your mind can control your physical. It's about learning to endure the suffering that goes with the exertion. And it's about being real with yourself and the other person you're with. It's about being strong for them when they're weak. Not only in the physical aspect, but the mental and emotional aspect as well. This training is, in many ways, a mirror of life and how we should live it to the fullest.

Yesterday was exactly what this "physical" training was all about for me. It goes so much deeper than the outward shell. It's truly spiritual in connecting with self and, more importantly, with God. I've learned that He can get really close when you make a conscious effort to pursue him. . . and it certainly helps to have His personal spokesperson in my "big" brother.

Another Morning Swim

This morning was another one of those God-awful early morning workouts with Troy. I woke up at 5:00 a.m. to be in the water by 5:45. Troy, of course, met me at the swim complex and we commenced to going through a 40 minute swim and kick/drill workout. It was good, but Troy and I both agreed that we're starting to not have as much trouble doing a continuous 40 minute swim as we used to. It looks as though we're going to have to up our duration in order to continue to push ourselves. 

Now it's on to work in the studio and hopefully a ride late this afternoon.

I haven't been able to post video for the last few days because my camera is being borrowed by my girls' mom. I'll get it back soon and be back in the "movie-making" business.

It's Wednesday!

That means it's. . . 

Rest Day!

Five O'clock A.M.

In my humble opinion, I don't believe God made man to wake up at 5:00 a.m. It's just not natural and people (especially me) just aren't as happy and well functioning at early morning hour. Nonetheless, Troy and I dragged ourselves out of bed this morning at 5:00 and jaunted out on our 40 minute training swim. It was good and it was intense, but it felt good to finish. And I must admit, it feels great to know that it's behind you once it's over with. Now all we have left is a run for Troy and a bike for me and we can look forward to tomorrow's rest day.

I'm tired, but I feel good. Training has been good for my soul.