New Motto

New Motto for 2008 taken from a conversation from with a friend.


"Pace less and Hammer more"


This is meant in the best and cleanest meaning of all words...

As the days dwindle to the marathon start, part of me just wants it to be over, the other part of me is hoping for a blizzard and a few more weeks of training. Considering that in Texas our winters are very mild the chances of even a wintry mix is slim to none, I'll start my taper after a long run today.

Most blogs this time of year are full of resolutions and goals, this should be inspiring to me, others good spirits are like an air born virus most of the time. They stream on the Internet and plant themselves into the surfers blood stream like a string of meningitis. Unfortunately for me I'm not feeling it. This year will be a year for contentment as my goals are to stay satisfied without feeling stagnate. With another child only 5 months away insurance issues enter into the picture for a financial savings. Also, as the engineering/constructablity needs grow and opportunity's open, then close in front of me because of wanting to be home with the family. The growing trend for people with my background is to go overseas and return only a few times a year for brief visits. Destinations such as Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Indonesia, Kosovo, Sudan, the list goes on. None of these are vacation destinations, and that is compensated with excessive amounts of money. But does the compensation equal to the milestones I'll be missing? After being involved in the same relative discipline since graduating high school, working from the lowest level of field production to my current status. Now finding that limitations and being established because of my age, this is understandable but at the same time hard to swallow. It seems my resume needs to be presented and reviewed before every discussion so my thoughts will be validated. I'm viewed as a "kid" even in my early 30's because my counterparts are minimum 20 years older, creating a scar on my bottom lip for having to bite down so f'ing hard when hearing about prehistoric methods within the field.

How boring is this? Oh well, no one reads this crap anyway. OK, so back to my new motto, sorry for the boring rant of a dolt, ie. ME...

OK, so I've somewhat planned my race schedule for the year, my next step will be to devise a workout plan. My longest races will be 70.3 so I was given the advice to "pace less and hammer more". As my fitness increases the races seem to get shorter, the workouts are longer and more intense. This is the part I enjoy talking/thinking about! A year ago I ran a 10K with the goal of not walking, afterwords I was so drained I could hardly walk. Now a 10K is warm up. The first time my wife drug me into the pool after not swimming competitive for almost 15 years my body was almost in cardiac arrest after a simple 50 yards... Now 500 is my typical warm up.

Hope every ones new year is off to a great start. Now I'm off for a run where I will be going against my motto, but the spirit of "hammering" will be echoing in my hollow head...

Au revoir

I have a very highly developed sense of denial. Gwyneth Paltrow

2007

Overall this has been a great year for me and my family.

We really have nothing to complain about. I've given this last blog on the year a little more thought, but then I remembered that no reads this dumb blog of mine.

OK, here it is...

This year I changed jobs in January, realized I hated my new job, and somehow got my old job back. Thus learning a lesson in patience, contentment, and ambition. It worked out for the best.

We went to a few weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, and traveled a bit as a family. This includes our Cancun trip we took without our little guy who was only 8 months old! Nicole promised to not call home more than once a day to check in, when it was all said and done I think she tripled that. We learned a lesson there too. Cancun is much more fun when acting like a reckless 20 something not a 1st time parent. I think after the 2nd day she was ready to come home....

Nonetheless, we did some how make it out to Mr Frogs one night. I don't even know this guy!!!

I made a new friend, training partner, and fellow fan of McLovin. I've found for me there is no better motivator than some friendly competition.

So now as we enter 2008, things are getting smaller; such as our house, our bank account, and my window of opportunity for long training days.

2008 tri goals...

I'd like loose a few more lbs, but I'd also like to keep my Clydesdale status.

I'd like to come in under 5:30 in a half Ironman Distance Tri.

hummm.. what else... you know what??? who cares?? I think the best thing is that I stay healthy and hopefully tri's will stay fun, right now I'm really loving the energy is gives me. I don't think I'm a slave to it yet, it could happen in the near future.

Overall a good year and I'm looking forward to what 2008 can dish out.... Have a great New Year, go nuts!!!

It feels like I could go outside with a bikini thong on right now. Puff Daddy

Its all about me..

Sunday morning everyone is still sleeping, its too cold to do anything outside, and my coffee is just too good right now. Isn’t it funny how sometimes coffee just tastes like a Porterhouse cooked just the way you like it, and other times its just something to stimulate your mind and ease the caffeine headaches???

Do I need a nickname? As I surf through the blog world I see that everyone has nicknames. My last name has been my call letters for years, (its has also been modified into derogatory comments) but what if someone wants to stalk my family and me? Call me naive but until a Trojan horse arrives on my lawn and we’re berated with harassing phone calls which I sometimes enjoy, its not going to worry me..

Training? Despite the occasional acts of gluttony I’ve experienced this December training is going better than expected. Gearing up for the marathon has kept me out of trouble, long runs are still torture but I’ve fallen in love with the soreness in my legs that follows. My Javelin hasn’t seen the light of day since Thanksgiving but I’ve made the stationary bike part of my plan. Of course my workout plan is only in my head and I’m sure if I were to tell someone who really knows how to train they would kindly let me know that what I’m doing is all wrong.

Well, the kiddo is waking up and I’m going to let momma sleep a bit longer so I’m going to cut it short. Its not like anyone cares since no one reads my stupid ramblings… Happy Sunday to all…







I found there was only one way to look thin, hang out with fat people. Rodney Dangerfield

I got tagged

I'm not too sure what that means Jane, but I'll play along... 5 things that people don't know about me.

1. I can play Backgammon for hours at a time.

2. I think Mike Jones is a marketing genius

3. I love CiCi's Pizza....

4. I have 2 Fantasy Football teams this year and they both suck.

Superbad 7-6

Hometown Heros 1-12

5. I won a dance contest on a cruise a few years ago for doing the "robot"

People blame me because these water mains break, but I ask you, if the water mains didn't break, would it be my responsibility to fix them then? Marion Berry

Marathon countdown 27 days??

27 days?? WTF!!! I'm beginning to think I made a mistake, maybe my eyes are bigger than my tummy kind of thing... At 220lbs do I have any business running 26 mi., 385 yds at one time? Nevertheless, I'm committed, Jan 13th I'll be out there and I'll do it and no complaining... When I see these guys and gals who not only run the marathon but do it will all the grace and form of a ballet dancer, I turn green with envy. Its so impressive to see a body so well conditioned to not only run the distance but hold a constant pace and finish as strong as they started... I applaud all runners and especially those who lap me. Has anyone seen this? Does anyone read this stupid blog of mine?? Too bad this movie wont be showing before the Houston Marathon, maybe it would motivate me to run/train harder for something I don't enjoy without swimming or running, http://www.marathonmovie.com/home.html....


So along with Marathon Training and Daddy duties, I was able to tackle the mess we call a garage. Someone explain to me how it is possible to accumulate so much cr@p in a short amount of time. A little over a year ago we were able to fit both cars comfortably in the garage, today one car. A year from now at the rate were going we'll be lucky to walk thru the conglomerate of stuff known as a garage. Anyway, I spent a cold morning sorting, organizing, and riding our garage of junk. I had a friend who showed up to help me out, but he just sat there and watched me work, then I caught him digging thru the trash so I asked him to leave...


Now for the good news... Friday, we got out best Christmas gift for the the year... My wife had her 18 week ultrasound which made me the happiest man alive! ANOTHER BOY!!! With all the technology today were told were having a healthy baby with a 4 chambered heart, a developed spine, and a growing body... As we look forward to having 2 boys only 18 months different in age and double the dirty diapers we can also celebrate the gift of life this Christmas... We can also celebrate the over opinionated elders we have in our family that see entirely too much meaning in a name. I still like McLovin...
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
Romeo and Juliet Act II, Scene 2