Dreams

So now I've swam three times since Thursday, yeah!  That's the most consistent I've been since before the taper back in August.  I've lost a little weight because I've been playing the 360 instead of just watching TV and stuffing my face with snacks.  I'm only 147 now so maybe I can make it through the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Xmas season without going for a new all time record.

Elena and I went to Ikea this weekend.  It's such an interesting store.  They really have it figured out.  They have food and a kids play area where you get a fancy pager in case something goes wrong.  You pick up your furniture down in the warehouse after seeing it all in the upstairs viewing areas.  We bought a dresser for Elena, bookshelf and coffee table for me.  We tried to buy a desk but they didn't have it in stock.

We also stopped at Costco for $3.35 gas.  Not bad.  We went into Costco for just a couple of things like Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi, raisins, and jerky.  I stayed away from the chips since they only have Ruffles which I like.  It's time to get serious about training again since O called and told me he swam a 29 at an Olympic on Sunday.  He's going to crush me in the water if I don't my crap together.

Elena and I put together all the furniture.  The dresser took the longest with it's 3 drawers.  It was fairly inexpensive(cheap) furniture so it had all these interesting screws and such.  She'd find the right screw for each of the parts I was putting together.  It took awhile but they turned out okay.  Not too crooked...

Elena cracks me up and definitely is my daughter.  We were eating dinner last night and she told me that she's always hungry and then said she even dreams of food sometimes.  Classic!  I asked her what types of food and was expecting to hear like candy and ice cream.  Nope, she dreams of eating vegetables and rice.  Hilarious!!

The Debate

I didn't do anything after yesterday's swim because well it was windy and 59 degrees out during lunch time.  I "debated" with myself about trying to go for an easy spin as I went somewhat hard being chased by rain on Wednesday. 

The Brain(moderator): It's time for our normal easy day spin.

Focused conscious: We must act before we end up in full exercise crisis if we continue with following all these deregulation policies, skipping workouts, eating whatever food you want.  I'm willing to reach across the aisle and allow some junk food but overall we need to reign in these habits.  We need to regulate Chip Street and get back to Exercise Street.

Slacker conscious: We need to think of our fitness.  This is a fundamental difference between you and me.  I believe that we need be free with our exercise and not add more regulations of what we can eat, when we have to exercise, how fast, how far.  The body knows what it wants and the best way is to let it regulate itself.

The Brain(moderator): What about our weight?

Slacker conscious: I'm glad you brought that up.  Another fundamental difference between my views and our opponents.  I don't believe its man-made.  It's just a natural cycle of our body.  We can alleviate our hunger by subsidizing snacks.  With Doritos at an all-time high of $3.59 for a bag, we need to explore cheaper chip options but we don't need complete independence.  We've been able to go fast and have great fitness in the past and still eat chips.

Focused conscious: I disagree this new weight increase is man-made.  It's not a natural cycle to gain 10 lbs in 6 weeks. It's a direct result of not eating clean fuel.  We must continue to investigate and learn news ways to fuel our body during these tough times with healthy food. I'd also like to rebut deregulating our exercise.  We need to stay focused, find a new goal, and develop a training plan. We gained all this fitness over the past year doing just that.

The Brain(moderator): What if your daughter became out of shape and fat?

Focused conscious: This is an extremely dangerous situation and we just can't allow that to happen in any circumstance.  I would sit down with her and try to work out a solution.  Explain how important it is to have exercise in her life.

Slacker conscious: This is something that both of us can agree that this is an extremely undesirable situation.  However, we would be more diplomatic. We'd work with her mother and probably impose some sanctions to turn it around.

The Brain(moderator): Okay let's have the closing statements.

Slacker conscious: First I would like to thank you and my opponent for this great debate. As you can see, we just can't have another year of these policies, no junk food, waking up at 4:30AM everyday, and 2 workouts every day.  The body just doesn't like it. We must continue with the chips surge and cannot cut our chip funding.  The weight will go down again when it gets warmer as this is just a cycle.  Sitting at our desk is just as good as an easy spin which is probably impossible with 20mph wind gusts.

Focused conscious: I would also like to thank you and everyone for listening to a great debate between my opponent and I.  There are just fundamental differences between our campaigns.  This is not just a cycle it is man-made.  We need to start working on finding healthy snack food to fuel our body.  Our campaign will reach across the aisle like having a beer at a party and some chips but we must have regulation.  Exercise street can longer suffer at the greediness of Chip Street.  We must focus now and head outside to ride.

Well, the slacker won the debate and I just sat at my desk.  I did stay up for the debate which out on the east coast ended at 10:30pm.  I was hoping for some Palin humor after the hilarious answers she was giving Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric in interviews.  She only made one obvious mistake about the general in command.  However she only got technical on a few questions and didn't even elaborate on her own policy but Biden said it in gory detail.  Biden seemed to always try to answer every question as well as refute Palin's claims.  He just look way more experienced at debating.  For the real facts, check out this website, FactChecking.

I believe Biden won just from the fact he answered all the questions and Palin was lost on a couple that she didn't even address.  We didn't find out any details on McCain's tax plan which means the most to me as having more money to spend would be nice.  I thought it was interesting that the Democratic ticket opposed the official gay marriage.  I just assumed the democrats were in favor of this.  It's good to hear though that both tickets don't want any discrimination for a gay couple.  Overall, you can definitely tell that Palin isn't very smart.  Most politicians aren't which is fine as long as they have smart advisors it's just a bonus if they are.  Biden definitely is smart just by the fact he just knows all those facts and figures.  Sure you can say he just studied but that's the point.  Palin studied too but really didn't recall all of it even with her notes.  You could see her shuffling through her notes to find the right page as she attempted to start talking.  Pretty amusing.

Onto a lighter note, the Beavers lost it looks like in the 4th quarter.  Damn, typical though as they always choke it away.  I'm worried about our chances at making a bowl game this year. My Dodgers look awesome right now with another drubbing of the Cubs.  Sure you feel bad for the Cubs but man I'm excited.  If the Dodgers make the NLCS, that would be great.  Not sure if we can beat the Phillies or Brewers but it would be great.  We still have to win at home and it's not like the Cubs are going to lay down.

It's Friday...I'll be hitting IKEA tomorrow with Elena for some furniture for her room and probably be hitting Costco for at least gas.  I might go into the store but the only thing I'm out of right now is CHIPS.  We'll see.

Greenpeace and Halloween

So I got into the pool today and was immediately wary of Japanese whaling ships luckily Greenpeace was there to protect me as I tried to swim for 30 minutes.  It wasn't too weird but man my muscles were tired.  I finished and proceeded to get out while be attentive to any marine biologists trying to put me back out to sea.  Overall, it was so miserable so maybe I hit the pool more often as I really didn't hate it.

I had Elena last night and surprise she was excited to see me.  I got to hear all about school and various other musings.  It's nice that she still talks to me but I'm sure in a few years that will stop.  I asked her what she was going to be for Halloween.  She answered that she's going as Belle but next year she's going to be a ghost.  I asked why she was going to be a ghost next year.  She said that she'd be 7 so she wanted to be ghost.  I asked again and she mentioned that older kids wear "spooky" costumes for Halloween and not princess ones.  I tried to tell her to be her own kid and do what she wants but she just said she likes ghosts.

She had a wardrobe meltdown this morning but I forced her to wear some black leggings with her skirt.  She said it didn't match but it did even to a fashion illiterate like me.  I just told her to get used to me telling that she can't wear something or has to wear something.  I have no idea what the cool fashion will be when she's a teenager but I'm sure I won't like it.

Super Glue

I think I'm the victim of a super glue accident.  Probably sometime in June, my running watch face just came unglued at the pool.  I thought I was screwed because I really like my Nike triax as it keeps 50 splits and if I wanted has speed with a foot pod.  I haven't used the pacing part of the watch for a long time because it's too disappointing.

So I borrowed some super glue from Amber and proceeded to fix my watch and yes I took it off my wrist just in case.  I got the watch face glued back on but I spilled some on my fingertip.  I really didn't think any big deal as it seems every time I used super glue I get some on my fingers.  I have to wrench them apart because that stuff really does work.  I've been noticing for the past couple of weeks that my finger tip feels weird.  It's like it has a coating of something on it but it won't wash off or rub off.  It's my middle finger and it makes it weird to type.

I would think that my epidermis would shed enough cells that it'd be gone by now but no such luck.  I guess it could be from a burn but I can't remember burning my finger.  My fingerprint on that finger is forever changed though.  You ever wonder why we have fingerprints?  I mean most of our skin in other places doesn't have these grooves, why do our fingers and hands?  You would think suction cups would be more beneficial in our every lives than just simple skin grooves.  Something to ponder...or look up on wikipedia.

And yet again I couldn't get my butt out of bed early today..ugh!

My piggies

They're missing their nails.  I had two fall off yesterday all from the Ironman toe carnage.  I think only one toenail out of the ten didn't have a blister under it.  I did my best to release the pressure under most of them but 3 didn't survive.  Both big toes are toast but only one has fallen off.  Luckily my calf is all screwed up so I'm not running.  Just cycling without a big toenail is weird.

The calf pain has pretty much spelled doom for any October marathon in order to qualify for Boston.  That's okay as I think I have time to train and qualify in the next few years.  I need to get the calf feeling better because fall is just around the corner here.  The highs now are in the low 70s and I have to wear arm warmers, knee warmers and a vest when riding now because it's around 60.  I can feel that soon the rains will start and for exercise I'll need to run.

I'm so lazy I'm only planning to swim on Thursday when I take Elena to school and possibly this upcoming Monday.  I need to get to the pool more than that but I just have no motivation.  I guess this really makes me a duathlete and not a triathlete.  I have that non-wetsuit Florida half swim in 9 months.  I would like to go faster than this years 42 but that requires training.

I go to Germany and Switzerland towards the end of October so hopefully my calf will be healed by then so I could run in the mornings over there.  I'll have to fly out on a Saturday and won't get back til the following Saturday.  Europe trips always suck because you usually eat a weekend day by sitting on a 7 hour flight.  I think I need to find 2 good books before going to help get me through the long flights.

Well back to it...

Back home from back home

So I survived a trip to Oregon where I ate way too much and worked a ton with some workouts thrown in as well.  I climbed up Newbery on a 23 which about killed me but luckily I had sat in the whole ride just in case and survived.  I ate 5 pasta bowls and chocolate gelato at Olive Garden's never-ending pasta bowl.  My buddy Orion just texted me yesterday that he demolished 7 at his local Olive Garden in Florida.  They must have "big" eaters in Florida because the waitress told him that somebody had knocked off 15.  I went and ate endless shrimp at Red Lobster until I was unable to walk but they were good.  I had tons of chips and doritos at work while I was slaving away.  All in all a good trip but I am glad to be back to my condo and my routine.  Although my routine sucks because I can't seem to wake up early anymore.

I did screw up my calf in Oregon so I'm not really able to run.  I could run through it but man it's just sore.  I'm on day 4 off from running and it still feels tender.  I'm going to ride today for exercise since I still haven't been in the water since 2 weeks ago.  I need to find some focus to get swimming again.  I think I need to switch the Bally's that is across the street for that motivation.

Its crazy about all this financial trouble.  I'm thinking about taking my money out of Bank of America and putting it in my mattress.  It'd keep me warm at night as it's not earning interest anyway.  Gas prices are all over the place one week they're under $3.50 and the next they're over $3.65.  I wonder who these banks were giving mortgages too?

I almost came home with an Imac but the box was too big to get through the scanner at the airport so I decided I'll just take in the shorts and have to pay Maryland tax.  I did however buy a terabyte external hard drive and a couple of video games when I was in Oregon tax free.  I can't wait to put in Rock Band 2.  My credit card bill is crazy from the hotel bill and rental car.  I need to send my receipts back to Oregon so I can get reimbursed quick.

What to do?

I keep wondering what to do with all this "shape" I'm still in.  Throughout the winter it's just going to disappear.  The Ironman was the peak in my shape for all 3 sports.  I've been in better cycling shape by itself and in running shape by itself and in swimming shape..oh wait not.  Overall, I was in the best shape.  I mean I was 140 and basically didn't have any real fat on the body.  I still have some decent running shape as each run feels pretty good.  I went hard yesterday on the bike and felt pretty good.  In the pool, well I pushed a couple of 100s and I'm not even close to the pace I was before the Ironman.  If I focus on staying away from the junk food, I could probably get back down to 143ish which would help my cycling even more.

I keep looking for a race of some sort to do but my work traveling schedule really isn't going to sync up with anything.  I keep thinking about trying a marathon but then I think why.  I mean I could probably drop a nice BQ time but no where near my marathon PR of 2:50.  I might be able to go low 3s but I don't think I have enough speed to dip under 3.  Boston would be fun but it seems only Billy is planning on doing it now.  Earlier this summer there was a thought that a bunch of my Portland running mates were all gearing up for the Portland Marathon with the BQ as the goal.

Although with all the down time, I've been slowly "moving in" to the condo.  I've actually unpacked most of my boxes now.  I've purchased a few key things like end tables and retired the dish packing boxes which were the end tables.  I got a bike rack to bring the Trek from outside on the patio to inside the apartment.  I finished all my recycling which had been overflowing.  I still need to buy 2 bar stools for the breakfast bar and clean it.  I need a coffee table and DVD storage rack.  Elena's room still needs a real clothes dresser and possible desk.  When it gets colder and closer to the holiday season, I'll be buying a Mac which will allow me to work on some home movies that I've been sitting on.  All in all its definitely fun to be able to have time on the weekend.

The only negative from that is I definitely can't eat as much.  I get full faster as my body is slowly adapting to a more sedentary state.

Well that's about it for now...