That's It!

I am doing it next weekend. I have officially had it with my hair, and I am chopping it in 6 days.

Every time I run or swim, I have to spend 5-15 minutes combing tangles out of my hair (and yes, I do have a spray-in detangler which helps minimally). It is irritating, and hair ends up all over the place. Then I get in the shower, and more hair falls out in spite of my diligent deep conditioning routine. It gets stuck on the drain, and I have to fish it out to throw it away. It is gross even though it is my hair. When I get out of the shower, I shellac myself with aloe-infused baby oil (a must to prevent total chlorine dry-out), and somehow, more hair gets stuck to my hands and arms. I am amazed that I even have hair left to get tangled. Yesterday, I hit the wall. I called Seven Locks Barbershop, and I have an appointment with Sandy next Saturday at 1 PM.

I think that I am going to donate my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. It is like Locks of Love, except that it also provides hair to adult women who are battling cancer. The other bonus is that they only require 8 inches as opposed to the 10-12 inches required by every other hair donation organization. I have to be realistic here. I am not sure how radical I will be feeling next weekend, and I want to keep my options open. I may lose all of my gusto, and just get 4-6 inches cut off to make my coiffure more manageable, but if I am going to cut it, I would rather it go to some use as opposed to being swept into a pile and thrown away.

I am fairly certain that I will immediately regret my decision as I come to the realization that I will actually have to do something to my hair each morning as opposed to the current regimen which includes combing it out after the shower and swiftly pulling it back into a low messy bun thing. As long as I can get it out of my face for work and running, I will be satisfied. I have six days to back out, but I think I am committed.

Sniff Sniff, No More

I have been having a small issue when I ride my bike on the stationary trainer in the basement. I tend to have sinus issues on a daily basis, and over the course of the day, I go through a facial tissue or two. No biggie, except that when I am riding the bike, I never have a tissue handy. I can only sniffle so much, and at a certain point, it is just not effective anymore. When it gets to that point, up to now, I have been using the sleeve of whatever shirt I might be wearing or the back side of my bike gloves. The gloves have fleece on the back. As far as I have been concerned, the only reason why there might be fleece on the back side of a glove is to wipe something (i.e.: sweat from forehead, snot from nose, etc.). I am going on record now as saying that I can think of nothing that would fall under the "etc." in the previous example list.

Well, today on the way to work, I saw something that may change the way I ride my bike forever. I was stopped at a light when I saw the man who always rides his bike to work...at least I assume he is going to work. This guy is intense, and I'm talking mailman intense. He has all sorts of gear for any type of weather, and I have come to look at him a somewhat of a bike expert. This is based on nothing except for the fact that he is the only other person I have ever seen doing any type of endurance activity in Dover. I take that back, but the only other bike rider I have seen is an old man, and he has one of those bikes where the seat is like a lounge chair. At any rate, I observe him keenly for the 5 seconds each day when he is in my line of sight for anything that might help me be a better biker. Today all that watching really paid dividends. He rounded the corner while I sat at a light, and I got a glimpse into a technique that is going to help me immensely...the snot rocket! I can only assume that this is standard practice for bike riders. It eliminates the need to carry tissues as well as the need to dispose of/stash in pockets said tissues after they are used. This has to be the answer to my dilemma.

Of course, I need to research this a tiny bit more, but I am hopeful. This doesn't solve the problem of what to do when I am on the stationary trainer in my basement, but for now, I am going with the old lady technique...tissues up the sleeve.

Totally Unrelated

Not one of the four football games this weekend went the way I wanted it to...not one! First, K-Dub and the Cardinals got their asses handed to them by the Saints, but it's ok because I like Drew Brees. Then, the Ravens lost to the Colts, which is ok because I like the Sony commercials with Peyton Manning. Today, I was sure the Cowboys-Vikings game would be entertaining if nothing else, and that turned out to be yet another whupping. I am over Brett Favre, and while I certianly wasn't rooting for the Cowboys, I definitely wanted Favre to throw an intercetion of 5. Now, the Chargers are losing to the stupid Jets. Nate Kaeding has missed 3 field goals, and I swera, I think I could have made at least 2 of those. In addition to that, if I hear the CBS commentators say one more time that Mark Sanchez was sitting in the stands at this game last year, I am going to hang myself with my Snuggie.

In other news, I ran 14 miles yesterday in relatively gorgeous weather followed by a 1-mile swim. I also picked up some pretty sweet gear at the Nike Outlet. Today, it rained a cold, windy rain, and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. Instead, I ran a quick 7 miles on the treadmill at the gym and did a little light lifting since I will not have time for that tomorrow...and a San Diego touchdown! Come on! Tomorrow, it is back to the daily grind. I am going to break the streak of not getting my ass out of bed on Mondays, and I am going to get up, ride the bike, and run a quick 3 miles at the YMCA.

Good Day...Good Morning, Anyway.

It is 7pm on a Tuesday evening, and I am ready to hit the sack. On the down side, I feel like I am 65 years old. On the up side, I had the best morning! It was an early morning, but there was something awesome about the light dusting of snow and mine being the only set of footprints. These are the things that I get a lift out of these days. It was a chilly 22 degrees when I left the house, and, like a wuss, I broke out the hand warmers for inside my gloves. I have not been able to warm up since my run on Saturday, and so I allowed myself the luxury. I ran a lovely 7 miles and saw a total of 4 cars. It was like a dream!

I then drove to the YMCA, and took a little swim. I was able to swim 150 yards consecutively, and the only that kept me from going longer was a cramp in my left hand. I am encouraged by the fact that I am able to see improvements in my endurance after only 10 days of swimming.

If I could have then gone back to bed and skipped work, it would have been a perfect day.

Ironman of a Week

It is Friday evening, and the first full week of 2010 has come and gone...and it was the worst! Work was a total nightmare, and the cat coughed up a fur ball on my new Snuggie. In spite of my best efforts to start each day anew with the hope that it would be better, quite the opposite was true. Each day was more stressful and frustrating than the day before. Were it not for my training, the week would have been a total wash.

I swam on Tuesday and Thursday morning after completing my run on the treadmill at the YMCA. I am always nervous on my first day at a new gym. Morning gym people are particular, creatures of habit...I should know, I am one of those people. I run on the same treadmill at the base gym every morning. One day when I got a late start, I arrived to find someone else using my treadmill. Mind you, there were 18 open treadmills, but that one is MINE! I didn't want someone else looking at me and thinking the same things I thought about the poor woman who had inadvertently ruined my run that day by taking the mill in front of the TV with ESPN...and reading on her Kindle the entire time! What gives?! She should have been on the one in front of the infomercial TV, but I digress.

Back to the swimming. I am now the proud owner of a swim cap which saves me at least 20 minutes of post-swim hair combing. I do love the quiet of the water. There is no gym banter. There is no gym grandstanding. There is only swimming, and I love it! I am still no good at it, but I completed 2 of the workouts Neil gave me to begin getting me in shape to train. I didn't have to pull up gasping for air mid-lap, and my arms only felt like lead at the very end of my set. Good times.

This morning, I tried out my new bike shoes, and I must say that I enjoy the clip-in factor. I am definitely going to have to get used to how to clip in and out while in motion, but it is nice to not have to worry about my feet slipping off of the pedals whilst I ride. If it ever warms up/gets less windy/stops being icy/snowy, I look forward to riding outside again one day. I have yet to ride outside since I took my little spill in October, and I am looking forward to getting that first spin around the block out of the way and off my mind.

Running has always been a form of therapy for me. I can get out on the road, listen to Adam Carolla, and either solve or temporarily forget all of my problems. I must say that after my first week of combining my Boston Marathon training with a bit of swimming and biking, I think that I may really be on to something. I was worried that the newness of the other two disciplines might eliminate the therapeutic training effect, but it is quite the opposite. I like the variety, and I have to admit that I am starting to feel like a little bit of a bad ass.

I know that I lost my mojo after the Chicago Marathon. I had wrecked on the bike, and as a result of my rib dysfunction, I did not run as fast as I know I would have otherwise. I had to take it easy for a few weeks after Chicago. It rained/snowed a ton in November/December, and the holidays came and went before I really got to enjoy them. Between a bunch of crummy workouts, no lifting, Washingtonesque weather, and work stress, I think I had a touch of the SAD. However, the corner is in the process of being turned. Jersey Shore and Modern Family are back with new episodes, and I am not a completely incompetent swimmer. The sub-freezing temperatures are giving me the opportunity to try some of my new cold-weather gear for my outside runs, and I have an excuse to sleep in as I wait for the sun to come up. If I can just get through each work week without committing a felony assault on someone, I may just make it to Louisville.

Neverending Gear

I love a good 3-day weekend. Unfortunately, this is the last one I will be getting for a while. It is somewhat depressing that I get Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day right in a row, and now there is a drought until Memorial Day. As of tomorrow, it will be a long haul as I await my next paid holiday.

It will also be a long haul as I train for the Ironman. My Boston training has already begun, but April doesn't seem that far off. August, on the other hand, seems like a small lifetime from now. As I said yesterday (that's right, another 3-day streak!) I am thankful that I have some time to get myself ready for the daunting endeavor that I have laid out for myself.

This weekend felt good. Eight miles and a swim yesterday was a nice start to the year. I did a quick six miles today followed by some intense core training. I have laid off the core workouts and lifting over the past month or so and not really by choice. Work and life have taken time away from my workouts, and I am taking that time back as of tomorrow. I am going to go to bed earlier so that I can get up in time to complete my full workouts each day. I think it will make the stress of work more tolerable. I have never found that the extra 90 minutes of sleep when I ignore the first alarm makes me feel any better during the day. I just hope the gate guards are ready to search my car for terror at 0430 every day, although it will actually be more like every other day. I am going to try to run and swim on Tuesday and Thursday mornings when I don't have to be in to work until later. Mondays and Wednesdays will be running/lifting/core. Fridays are an off day on the marathon training, and I will use these for cross-training/biking and more lifting/core workouts. Weekends for now will still be geared towards my long runs with a swim in there on one of the days if I am feeling particularly motivated. Good plan, I think.

The only thing I didn't physically do this weekend was bike. I think the de-Christmasing of my house took the bike time and put it on the back burner. I always hate the taking down of Christmas decorations. It is the clear sign that the holidays are over, and I am always left feeling a tad down. My cure for that today was a trip to the bike shop. I have been riding in an old pair of running shoes when I ride thus far, and it has not been much of a problem. I figure, given my short but painful history on the bike, that it would be nice to get used to clipping in and out of real-deal bike shoes on the stationary trainer before I try to do it on the mean streets of Delaware. So, as of today, I officially have my first pair of road bike shoes! I didn't really know what I was looking for, but I think these will do for now. The cleats are attached, and they are ready to roll the next time I hop on the bike (probably Friday). I also got some other bike odds and ends, and I am now starting to realize just how much gear is involved in biking. I knew it would be the most gear-intensive of the three disciplines in the triathlon, but I definitely didn't fully comprehend the extent. Between the bike shoes, spare tires, triathlon handlebars, front-mounting water bottles, tire-repair kits, and pouches to hold the tire-repair kit I am definitely glad that we joined the rewards club at the bike shop.

In an effort to keep with my goal of taking back my workout time and not being totally exhausted/burned out, I am now going to hit the sack. Three miles tomorrow and a little light lifting before ten hours at the jobby job. I heart Mondays!

Not the Worst

After completing an 8-mile of run in a 30mph headwind to and from my house (seems impossible, right), today I joined the YMCA of Dover Delaware...exciting stuff. After completing all necessary paperwork, I made my way to the pool. I have to say that I was more nervous about swimming in front of people who know something about swimming than about swimming in general. I was also concerned about my goggles fitting properly, potentially losing my contact lenses, and inhaling water/choking/making a complete fool of myself. I would like to reiterate that I have, in my lifetime, completed approximately 8 total laps in a pool with lane lines. There was a lot that could have gone wrong.

On the up side, it was not nearly as bad as I anticipated. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely glad that I have until April to build up my endurance, but I actually felt like I sort of belonged in the water. My goggles fit just right and there was no loss of lenses. Neil was surprised that I did not suck as badly as he might have expected, and I was surprised by the same thing. He gave me some form tips and a few drills to work on my stroke which were definitely welcomed. I am now on the hunt for a good program to build up for my official training. I have a website of 50 swim workouts, and hopefully some of them are for beginners.

Today's swim also brought up some other thoughts. As I type this evening, I can still smell the chlorine on my skin, so I definitely need to be diligent about my moisturizing regimen. My skin tends to be dry in general, and the swimming will definitely not make that any better. I have also been toying with the idea of donating my hair to Locks of Love or another similar organization. I think it is best that I do this before my hair gets totally destroyed by the pool chemicals. I am slightly nervous about going with the short hair again, but it might make everything easier in terms of working out. We shall see. I am giving myself a week to decide.

Day two of 2010 = successful success!

New Year, Same Goal

It is the first day of a brand new year, and, apart from being slightly hungover from a night of reveling in Philadelphia with Mary (but sans Arsenio Hall) I feel no different. It is a rest day on the Boston trainng schedule, but I forced myself to the gym after napping through the better part of arguably the best day of sports television programming of the year...The Rose Bowl, The Winter Classic (even though I have not quite gotten myself to like hockey yet, it is pretty cool), Ironman marathon on Universal Sports, and the Mummer's Parade all in one day. That's right...it's all downhill from here.

I am watching the Ironman World Championship from 2007, and I think it is appropriate given that it is now officially the year that I will be attempting this feat. There is a blind man who finished the Ironman with a guide...incredible. In his interview, he says that he doesn't worry about what he hasn'tgot because he'll never have it. What he can do is be a productive member of society and be an example to his grandchildren. I wish I could record this and play it for some of my patients and for a lot of Americans in general. I just watched Rutger Beke, a man who finished 4th in 2006, walk across the finish in 898th place. Even as a professional, he doesn't thik that it is fair to the age-groupers to give up when a race isn't going his way. I never get tired of watching these finishes.

Tomorrow begins another phase of training...I will join the YMCA and start swimming. This is one of the many aspects of this training about which I know very little and about which I am terrified. That is part of why I am doing this to begin with. There is value, I think, in doing something that scares the bejesus out of me. There is value in conquering that fear, and after a few hundred hours of training, I figure I probably won't be afraid of it anymore. I think they call that immersion therapy.

When I wake up tomorrow, I am going to run 8 miles in the cold and wind, and then I am going to go for a little swim. For tonight, however, I am going to sit on the couch and watch Ironman replays and football. Happy 2010!