I am blessed. A 50 year old wife who looks like she's 35 and acts like she's 25!
Happy Birthday Babe!
(computrainer 30 kms, weights)
"It takes a long time to grow young"---Pablo Picasso
Love
Peter
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
"Magic Moments"
They say a picture's worth a thousand words. And certain moments are so special that you just have to pull your grocery cart over to the side of the road to capture one of those moments as a picture! One of those moments that puts everything in perspective. There may be be other nine year olds out there that would figure out how to do this with a grocery cart, but I categorically deny that there are any who take as much pleasure in it as my Colb! Or for that matter any grampas who enjoy watching it as much.
(swim 1500 metres, run 11 kms)
“As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment."---John Steinbeck
"This moments contains all moments"---C.S. Lewis
Love
Peter
(swim 1500 metres, run 11 kms)
“As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment."---John Steinbeck
"This moments contains all moments"---C.S. Lewis
Love
Peter
Sunday, February 12, 2012
"Hmmmmm?"
Just how important is this thing? Unfortunately that question has raised it's ugly head as I consider the distinct possibility of significant change in my working life. You have all heard me rave about the freedom I have had for the last several years, a freedom which has allowed me to do things like this with quite a bit of flexibility. Even when I was travelling, the scheduling was almost completely up to me. With the departure of my long time mentor and now my immediate boss, some kind of change is imminent. There is only one possible situation in which I could have more freedom than I do now and I don't know if I'm ready for that one?
But if that becomes the reality then so be it. I'm pretty sure it would end up being a good thing one way or another, and certainly there would be nothing to limit my training then. I'll just be doing it on a tighter budget....no more new saddles!! The bigger worry I have is that the changing of the guard may mean stricter rules around my work hours as well as increased travel requirements. It is this distinct possibiliy that has got me considering just how important this is. Should a 56 year old, middle of the pack amateur triathlete actually consider quitting his job of 27 years because it is interfering with his training? Hmmmmm?
Right now I am of the mind that nothing should interrupt my plans but I can probably think of a lot of 'what if's' which would cause me to reconsider. For instance, the health of a family member.....well actually that's the only one I can think of! Any maybe that answers my previous question? Hmmmm?
Whadda ya think?
(swim 1500 metres, computrainer 30kms)
"If you want to make good use of your time, you've got to know what's most important and then give it all you've got."---Lee Iacocca
"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."---Henry David Thoreau
"Nearly everything you do is of no importance, but it is important that you do it."---Mahatma Gandhi
Love
Peter
But if that becomes the reality then so be it. I'm pretty sure it would end up being a good thing one way or another, and certainly there would be nothing to limit my training then. I'll just be doing it on a tighter budget....no more new saddles!! The bigger worry I have is that the changing of the guard may mean stricter rules around my work hours as well as increased travel requirements. It is this distinct possibiliy that has got me considering just how important this is. Should a 56 year old, middle of the pack amateur triathlete actually consider quitting his job of 27 years because it is interfering with his training? Hmmmmm?
Right now I am of the mind that nothing should interrupt my plans but I can probably think of a lot of 'what if's' which would cause me to reconsider. For instance, the health of a family member.....well actually that's the only one I can think of! Any maybe that answers my previous question? Hmmmm?
Whadda ya think?
(swim 1500 metres, computrainer 30kms)
"If you want to make good use of your time, you've got to know what's most important and then give it all you've got."---Lee Iacocca
"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."---Henry David Thoreau
"Nearly everything you do is of no importance, but it is important that you do it."---Mahatma Gandhi
Love
Peter
Saturday, February 11, 2012
"She Just Laughed"
But I'll come to that. First the weather report. I woke up to winter. It was minus 11 with snow coming down and nasty winds to boot. Trying to run in those conditions is beyond being disciplined, beyond dedicated, beyond obsessed even....it's just stupid! So I had my second breakfast's (hobbit style...the first was at 4 am) and went back to bed. When I did finally crawl out I decided to go bike shop hopping instead.
That's what got the laugh from my dearest Roo. When I came home with a new saddle!! I was quick to point out that it was on a trial basis only, and that if I did not like it in a couple of weeks I could return it at no cost. I did put it on the bike and rode for about 15 minutes and my first impressions were very good. The other thing I learned in that 15 minutes was just how tired my legs are and I was so grateful that I never tried running today. It would surely have been a disaster.
So here's the latest. It's called the Cobb V-Flow Max. Please note the test stencils clearly indicating that it is just a loaner!!
It still has a fairly generous slot down the middle and yet it is narrower overall than my Adamo, the one that really relieved my numbness problems, and yet caused me discomfort in my sit bones and in the backs of my legs. The only immediate concern I have is that it is quite well padded which is usually counterproductive. That was the downfall of the pretty blue one....the padding was so soft and thick that it simply collpased into the centre slot when you sat on it, thereby completely defeating the purpose. My hope with this latest iteration is that it is a happy medium between the other two. More tomorrow after I spend an hour on it. That's assuming that I don't give my long run a try tomorrow, but as of right now I'm inclined to skip altogether this week..
(rest)
And as I struggle with a personal situation around my work I read this and knew it was meant for me. I will tell you more about that as I can, but for now consider this.
“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."---Buddha
Love
Peter
That's what got the laugh from my dearest Roo. When I came home with a new saddle!! I was quick to point out that it was on a trial basis only, and that if I did not like it in a couple of weeks I could return it at no cost. I did put it on the bike and rode for about 15 minutes and my first impressions were very good. The other thing I learned in that 15 minutes was just how tired my legs are and I was so grateful that I never tried running today. It would surely have been a disaster.
So here's the latest. It's called the Cobb V-Flow Max. Please note the test stencils clearly indicating that it is just a loaner!!
It still has a fairly generous slot down the middle and yet it is narrower overall than my Adamo, the one that really relieved my numbness problems, and yet caused me discomfort in my sit bones and in the backs of my legs. The only immediate concern I have is that it is quite well padded which is usually counterproductive. That was the downfall of the pretty blue one....the padding was so soft and thick that it simply collpased into the centre slot when you sat on it, thereby completely defeating the purpose. My hope with this latest iteration is that it is a happy medium between the other two. More tomorrow after I spend an hour on it. That's assuming that I don't give my long run a try tomorrow, but as of right now I'm inclined to skip altogether this week..
(rest)
And as I struggle with a personal situation around my work I read this and knew it was meant for me. I will tell you more about that as I can, but for now consider this.
“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."---Buddha
Love
Peter
Friday, February 10, 2012
"Holy Cow"
Because of Dr Hammonds cancer machine I have a limited amount of saliva as well as fairly damaged chewing and swallowing muscles. While this doesn't stop me from eating by any means, it does require that I consume large amounts of liquid in order to to get all but the greasiest things down my gullet. I discovered early on that the best liquid for this was milk. While it is not necessarily more effective than water or other fluids I found that it complimented the taste of most foods, as opposed to the blanding effect of water. I do stick almost exclusively to skim milk since I surely don't need the bad animal fats that are in whole milk. I do however try to watch my overall calories as well, as I try desperately to lose this last 10-12 pounds of baggage. That is what prompted me to consider just how many calories there are in the milk I drink. Holy Cow!!!
I often drink a bag of milk with lunch and another with supper.....sometimes even more. I bag equals 1.333 litres or approximately 500 calories! Holy Cow! I am regularly getting over 1000 calories per day just from the liquids I consume with my meals. Time to reconsider. Maybe I'll switch to beer. About the same calories per volume believe it or not, and with a distinct positive side effect that milk sure doesn't have! Plus I can rarely drink more than two.
I had a fairly decent long swim today. Not extremely fast but I did move the distance up to 2500 metres and it felt fairly easy. Just as important was the fact that my second half was faster than the first, which indicates that I am swimming fairly relaxed while paying attention to my form.
Long run tomorrow. Not sure yet how far I'm gonna go. I will probably let the weather decide.
(swim 2500 metres, 47:18)
“Drinking beer doesn't make you fat, It makes you lean....
Against bars, tables, chairs, and poles."---Anon
Love
Peter
I often drink a bag of milk with lunch and another with supper.....sometimes even more. I bag equals 1.333 litres or approximately 500 calories! Holy Cow! I am regularly getting over 1000 calories per day just from the liquids I consume with my meals. Time to reconsider. Maybe I'll switch to beer. About the same calories per volume believe it or not, and with a distinct positive side effect that milk sure doesn't have! Plus I can rarely drink more than two.
I had a fairly decent long swim today. Not extremely fast but I did move the distance up to 2500 metres and it felt fairly easy. Just as important was the fact that my second half was faster than the first, which indicates that I am swimming fairly relaxed while paying attention to my form.
Long run tomorrow. Not sure yet how far I'm gonna go. I will probably let the weather decide.
(swim 2500 metres, 47:18)
“Drinking beer doesn't make you fat, It makes you lean....
Against bars, tables, chairs, and poles."---Anon
Love
Peter
Thursday, February 9, 2012
"Bracing For Change"
Sound ominous doesn't it? Could be! For the first time in my Magna life I am troubled by the direction my employer is taking. It better not interfere with the direction of my life! Or perhaps that is my life, and and as such of course it is gonna interfere. So! It better not interfere with my Ironman!
But change is usually good eh? You can't always control the things that happen to you, but you can control your attitude in response to those things. The only really important things that I wish to retain are the love of my wife and my grandchildren, and the tolerance of my children. Everything else is nogotiable.
However, when you have been in one situation for a very long time the possibility of change is more frightening. But perhaps in that very fear lies a message. A message that it's time for a change anyway.
When we are afraid of change it is because we see a future that is less desirable than the past, but with what good reason I ask? Who can see the future? I know that in almost all cases when I thought I could, I was very wrong.
I remember how shocked I was when my parents decided to enact their own significant change and retired from farming when my Dad was a very young 57 years old. Thank god he did, such that he was able to enjoy the remaining 10 years of his life, instead of milking cows another 365 X 2 X 10 =7,300 times!! Somehow he knew? I turn 57 this year!
Thanks for letting me put my internal dialogue out there. It really helps me to be public about my fears. Somehow naming the beast renders him less powerful.
(computrainer 60 mins, weights)
"Change always comes bearing gifts."---Price Pritchett
"Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."---Anon
"God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me."---Anon
Love
Peter
But change is usually good eh? You can't always control the things that happen to you, but you can control your attitude in response to those things. The only really important things that I wish to retain are the love of my wife and my grandchildren, and the tolerance of my children. Everything else is nogotiable.
However, when you have been in one situation for a very long time the possibility of change is more frightening. But perhaps in that very fear lies a message. A message that it's time for a change anyway.
When we are afraid of change it is because we see a future that is less desirable than the past, but with what good reason I ask? Who can see the future? I know that in almost all cases when I thought I could, I was very wrong.
I remember how shocked I was when my parents decided to enact their own significant change and retired from farming when my Dad was a very young 57 years old. Thank god he did, such that he was able to enjoy the remaining 10 years of his life, instead of milking cows another 365 X 2 X 10 =7,300 times!! Somehow he knew? I turn 57 this year!
Thanks for letting me put my internal dialogue out there. It really helps me to be public about my fears. Somehow naming the beast renders him less powerful.
(computrainer 60 mins, weights)
"Change always comes bearing gifts."---Price Pritchett
"Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."---Anon
"God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me."---Anon
Love
Peter
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
"He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins"
While I don't seriously subscribe to that maxim I am a guy, and as such I use it often. And I admit to being a serious toy guy. Whether it's in the kitchen, the computer room, the garage, or dare I say it, even in the bedroom, I like toys. That's why when it comes to the age old question about the journey or the destination being the focus of life, I tend towards the journey.
When it comes to my Ironman journey I can usually find good excuses to satisfy my toy fetish by spending Roo's money on trinkets along the way. She has proven pretty tolerant so far, so I think it's okay to show you a few of the little things I have acquired over the last few weeks. They fall under the categories of entertainment/electronics, hydration, and speed, and all relate to my bike.
What you see here is a waterproof case for my i-phone. Thanks to all the good people at Apple my phone serves as my music, my bike computer, my facebook connection to my one and only friend, my maps, and yes, in a pinch I can use it as a phone to order a pizza or to call a paramedic. It mounts nicely between my aero bars. Very cool!
In order to make room for the phone I had to rethink my aero drinking system, which was an excuse to buy one of these. I have had my eye on this beauty for some time. It is very large and can be filled on the fly. It has a kind of rubber baffle for a lid which allows you to upend a water bottle into it very quickly without any mess or wasted time. It then has a flexible straw that you position at your pleasure. The top end of the straw has a built in check valve so that the liquid does not drain back into the bottle every time. Very, very cool!
And in the speed department I give you these lovelies. They are called the Look Keo Blade. In this case I definitely needed to do something since my old pedals were literally worn out. The reason they call this the Blade is because of the little leaf spring you can make out at the bottom of the pedal. Traditional pedals use an adjustable coil spring to provide the engagememt to your shoes, where as in this case the little leaf spring is carbon fibre. Very, very, very cool!
That's it for today. I do have a few other little goodies already in the closet in specific preparation for the big day and I promise to tell you about them all eventually. First I have to make sure I tell Roo!
(swim 1500 metres, run 11 kms)
"When I am grown to man's estate
I shall be very proud and great.
And tell the other girls and boys
Not to meddle with my toys."---Robert Louis Stevenson
Love
Peter
When it comes to my Ironman journey I can usually find good excuses to satisfy my toy fetish by spending Roo's money on trinkets along the way. She has proven pretty tolerant so far, so I think it's okay to show you a few of the little things I have acquired over the last few weeks. They fall under the categories of entertainment/electronics, hydration, and speed, and all relate to my bike.
What you see here is a waterproof case for my i-phone. Thanks to all the good people at Apple my phone serves as my music, my bike computer, my facebook connection to my one and only friend, my maps, and yes, in a pinch I can use it as a phone to order a pizza or to call a paramedic. It mounts nicely between my aero bars. Very cool!
In order to make room for the phone I had to rethink my aero drinking system, which was an excuse to buy one of these. I have had my eye on this beauty for some time. It is very large and can be filled on the fly. It has a kind of rubber baffle for a lid which allows you to upend a water bottle into it very quickly without any mess or wasted time. It then has a flexible straw that you position at your pleasure. The top end of the straw has a built in check valve so that the liquid does not drain back into the bottle every time. Very, very cool!
And in the speed department I give you these lovelies. They are called the Look Keo Blade. In this case I definitely needed to do something since my old pedals were literally worn out. The reason they call this the Blade is because of the little leaf spring you can make out at the bottom of the pedal. Traditional pedals use an adjustable coil spring to provide the engagememt to your shoes, where as in this case the little leaf spring is carbon fibre. Very, very, very cool!
That's it for today. I do have a few other little goodies already in the closet in specific preparation for the big day and I promise to tell you about them all eventually. First I have to make sure I tell Roo!
(swim 1500 metres, run 11 kms)
"When I am grown to man's estate
I shall be very proud and great.
And tell the other girls and boys
Not to meddle with my toys."---Robert Louis Stevenson
Love
Peter
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