Good Old Fashioned Hardcore Training

I have run 4 times this week. The most in 3 weeks and I hit nearly 19 miles in 4 runs, so things are going well. I don't follow a training schedule yet, nor do I feel pressure to run, just doin it to do it.

Today we went to tht 'Grin (North Chagin that is). I hit my usual birdie/bridle/castle loop in 42:24 (about 5 miles) and then a cool-down for 19:50 (about 2 miles). My legs are definately shot after all this running and lifting, but I am sooooo pumped. Tomorrow though I better take a day off. I really want to run, but I need to hit some cycling and the Tri Club needs everyone to swim about 6 miles between now and tomorrow night and yes some people like JT are crazy enough to do it! I wish her the best of luck. I might go for 5000m, or maybe none who knows. I could break it up and swim 2000m in the am and go back in the afternoon. I just don't know if I will be able to move my shoulders any time after that.

After the run we grabbed a quick bite to eat at Bruegger's Bagels. I love the Western with eggs, bacon, cheese, peppers and chipotle sauce. We got to see the headmaster who is moving to Colorado for a sweet job in July. He gave me a good pep talk about going after the dreams you want no matter what the cost, and I mean cost literally. School is going to make me way more than broke if I follow this dream of mine. Anyway, we hurried home to change into swim gear and hit the pool for 2000 meters of swim drills. It was nice, nothing to taxing, but the pool is overheated for long swimming and I always, always get nauseated, although this time it wasn't nearly as bad as it has been and it passed fairly quickly I am pretty sure it is because I ewas taking breaks between drills. I am sure I will be soar again tomorrow, but that makes me feel good. It means I am challenging myself with my workouts and I WILL get stronger.

Happy Christmas Mikey

The walrus, me, GI Mikey, and his Chicken
GI Mikey's Mom & GI Mikey


GI Mikey's Dad and GI Mikey with victory billiard shots of none other than Black Haus (eeeewww)!!

This by far has got to be one of the best Christmas's. My little brother who most of you know is in the military and has been stationed in Mississippi for the last 3 months and will soon be leaving for a year in Afghanastan came home for a little over a week to celebrate the holidays with us. It was the greatest gift.

He arrived last Monday evening and we only thought he was staying until Thursday evening and then heading back, but a phone call on Wednesday afternoon from the army had delayed his leave time until today (a week later), YAY!!

It was a stupendous week. Tuesday, the walrus and I headed to mom and dad's with our gifts to celebrate Christmas early for my brother. It was crazy. I hadn't seen that many presents under the tree in years. I myself, got a mini-fridge, a coffee table, an entertainment stand and this totally rockin' dog tag with a pic of me and the brother just to name a few. There were gift certificates, fishing equipment and cooking supplies exchange also. Personally, I thought the walrus and I had done a pretty good job on my little brother. We had gotten him a new Nintendo DS and the 2 games to take with him to Afghany. He loved it, heck so did his wife (we found out she was playing it the next day while he was napping the next day). Mom also managed to whip up a huge and delicious ham, mash potatoes, green bean casserole and 3 or 4 other concotions for a family dinner. I didn't really get much down due to a terrible stomach virus that had been plaguing me since early Sunday morning and would continue to bother me for another week.

After, the walrus and I packed up a ton of presents we had received and made a quick trip back to my house to drop off the gifts before heading back to a local hangout to meet the family for more partying and of course, karaeokee. My brother managed to sing a few songs, whip everyone's ass in pool with my dad's help and drink the bar completely out of Jaegermeister. I am so proud of him. I had too stick to some ginerale which was just as well since somebody had to drive.

I finally visited the doc's on Friday to find out I was going to need a few more days of rest and no work (darn...haha). I chose to stay at my parents though just in case my brother ever stopped by again. He did on Friday for a few hours with his wife. The night was a short one though as he too had gone to the doctor and had a terrible cold and needed a little down time.

I began to feel better by Saturday and was able to return to work on Sunday barring a stomach that just wasn't ready for heavy drinking or Mexican, neither of which would be a problem...until Chrismas Eve.

Tuesday night, my awesome roommate offered to work my shift so I could head to the 'rents early for once on Christmas Eve as this is traditionally our Christmas. I arrived around 5:00pm to find everyone already partying and playing cribbage. I watched my parents get skunked and then the real fun started. The name of the game is "ASSHOLE" and yes, my parents played and yes my parents have played before, no joke. I played at first sipping 2 glasses of red wine before switching to 7-up as my stomach was in no shape to be drinking. I became the president almost immediately after switching to soda and remained the president until we changed games again. Go figure, hmmm.? The walrus arrived and we then finished the night with Cranium and we eventually busted out the karaokee machine. I hugged my dog, who was terrified of the loud noise and told him it would be okay and they would eventually stop. Eventually came around 2:00am. I was in bed by 1:30am. I couldn't make it. The walrus rose early with a HUGE hangover, courtesy of a bottle of Grey Goose and headed home to celebrate his second Christmas with his children. I managed to walk him to the door before going back to bed till about 9:30am when I again got up, but this time to say goodbye to my little brother. He was leaving to go to the in-laws and I would not be seeing him again. I gave him a big hug and told him to have fun. He laughed and so did I because he knew I was talking about being in Afghany and not going to the in-laws, although you never can tell, he could have been thinking of the in-laws :) After he left, I again went back to bed until about 10:30am when I finally had caught up on my sleep from the late night. I managed to hang with my mom piece for piece in a trivia pursuit game that ended at 6:00pm after a good 3 hours of torture with a tie between her and me. I plan to be victorious in the re-match.

Today he left mid-afternoon. I didn't get to talk to him again, but I thought of him on and off all day and my prayers are with him. I tear up thinking about the year without him that lays ahead. I know he is a man, but in my heart he will always be "my little brother."

Confucius Says...

"Change comes from within...."

I don't know when it happened or why but I am trying to step up to the plate. I want to be the best person I can be in all aspects of my life (and I can't really figure out why, but maybe it will continue to add to my happiness, or it will insure my place in heaven, or someone else will have a better life because of me... I don't know).

This is a tr/running blog so here is the "rundown"

1. We have started recycling. We have a blue bag for plastics and glass and a brown box for paper products.

2. I am donating all my "acceptable" running shoes to warrenstriderstrackclubinc and to nikereuseashoe.com. Warren gives them to other people and Nike uses them for athletics and playground surfaces. I think that is so neat.

3. My grandfather was diagnosed with lymphoma a few months ago and has been putting up one hell of a fight and in his honor I am going to run the Cleveland Marathon to raise money for Team IN Training http://www.teamintraining.org/. I have registered for the full, but I have done that the last 2 years and had to drop to the 1/2 due to injury or under training. This will hopefully keep me on track.

I know it is only 3 things but every time I try a "BIG" thing I get overwhelmed and it doesn't work or I only do it half ass. Life is too short I need to be all I can be in this life.

On another note. Training is not very in depth, but it is still on the go. I am struggling with my anemia a bit. I have had a few cramps and my RLS is back. I am hoping it is caused by my dehydration lately. I haven't had any alcohol in 3 days and am trying to down a around 30-40oz of water a day or more. I am not really that thirsty, but my body needs it.

I started lifting this week and I actually liked it. Yea, I liked it. I even called my dad at the last minute and told him I wanted a weight set. My goal is to gain stronger legs for running and cycling which should equal faster times and just to get cut and drop off some of this pudge I have acquired. Swimming has been nil this week. I have not made it up to the Y, because we haven't changed to a family membership and I feel bad not paying. I might have gone today if I hadn't slept all morning and missed the lap swim time. Cycling is picking up. I am working on frequency more than seat time as my butt can only handle about an hour max right now. I bought some movies in hopes of distracting me from the time and to help keep my head up. It is bad form to look down and I do that on my bike when I get tired or antsy. Running, running, running,....still haven't hit the bug yet. Hoping to get it before the big snow hits and I don't want to go outside. I still am only at 10-20 miles a week. Soon here it will change whether I like it or not. Active recovery is nice, but only a few more weeks and I will have to start training if I am to make it to Cleveland and my first HIM.

It's Like Cutting Grass... One Season Ends and Another Begins

The season is nearing an end my friends. I am not sure how I feel about that. I am sad that there is only one more race I am doing this year, but I am also relieved that I will have some down time. This season was just one injury after another and I need to rebuild and refocus.

The PLAN.
Get in lots of miles of swimming for the USAT National Club Challenge.
Begin the "Build a Butt of Steel" for my planned 08 HIM
Run a few times a week NOT exceeding the 10% increase rule until I build a base of 30 mpw.
Lose 10-15lbs of fat and add some muscle (Total BW 120-125 lbs.)
Rediscover what's under that belly fat

It is of course going to be easier said than done. The weather has become increasingly colder and the snow has hit. I am hoping Ohio will not have the minus temperatures it did last year. Brrrr!!

My tenative plan for '08 is looking like this...

CTC Indoor Triathlon - Jan/Feb/March
Dirty Dog 10k - Feb
Catch A Leprachaun - March
Cleveland Marathon - May
Flag Day 5k - June
Mountaineer HIM - June
Johnny Cake Jog - July
Lake Erie Open Water Swim July
GCT HIM - August
Great Lakes Escape Tri - August
YUT-C 50K - September
Fall Marathon ???

Small tris
FRR series
Clay's Park
Lorain
Fairport

I am thinking about doing the FRR series just to make sure I stay on my training plan. I could also win a couple hundred bucks for my suffering. I can tell already with 12 events it is only going to get crazier. My other goal is too follow my training plan and not start throwing in rinky dink races this year. It is about quality not quantity. I am waiting patiently for the 08 season schedules to come out and then I will definately have my schedule set.