"Shhhhh"

When I got to the pool this morning my triathlon buddy was there and we hadn't connected for about 2 weeks.  Of course we acted like 2 kids chattering about our latest adventures in training and racing, as well as our usual gear discussion.

He's more than 10 years younger than me and accordingly faster but he's a really good guy and I love shooting the breeze with him.  The first order of business was a review of my marathon, the results of which he already knew from checking them out on line.

I guess we must have demonstrated the exuberance we have for our sport because after 5 minutes of our end of pool discussion the lifeguard sheepishly approached us with a request form the aqua-fit instructor at the other end of the pool.  "Could we keep our voices down a little?"

I demonstrated my incredible maturity by laughing out loud and then explaining to the lifeguard that as sorry as I was that she had to come and ask us that, I had absolutely no intention of keeping my voice down.  She apologized but felt she had to humor the bitch.  I say maturity in my case because what I really wanted to do was yell across the pool to the instructor and tell her to shove it right up her tight fuckin ass!!

There are places that call for a certain amount of solemnity, or reverence.  Maybe in church?  Maybe at a yoga class?  Maybe in a funeral home?  Maybe during a public speaking engagement?  Maybe in your own home if you so choose.

But now ever in, at, or near a freaking swimming pool!  Absurd!

Despite this very small annoyance I had a nice encouraging swim (very noisy, lots of splashing) and then rode in the basement this afternoon as the weatherman was uncooperative today.

On the injury front I think my feet are getting a wee bit better but I will know better after tomorrows long run.  Unfortunately in my inherent idiocy I both stabbed and crushed my left hand while working on my bike last night.  It is swollen and quite sore right now so we'll see how that turns out as well.

Speaking of my bike I found a few little problems with it yesterday which are easily solved but it got me thinking one more time about maybe a new one.  I asked my partner for her candid thoughts but despite my request to think it over before she answered she insisted on an immediate exuberant "damn sure!"  I don't even know how serious I am yet but it just feels so good to know that my wife thinks I'm important enough, or rather maybe that she thinks I deserve it.  I'm not so sure myself but who am I to question her on such an important topic.  :)  I'll let you know where I go with it.

(swim 2000 metres, leg weights,  computrainer 1hr, 40 mins)

"A solemn, unsmiling, sanctimonious old iceberg who looked like (s)he was waiting for a vacancy in the Trinity."---Mark Twain

...and please note in the quote below that I capitalize God which I am not always want to do so.  My reason?  Because this is the God I believe in...

"From the solemn gloom of the temple children run out to sit in the dust, God watches them play and forgets the priest"---Rabindranath Tagore

Love
Peter

"Ice Cream For Breakfast?"

This morning I had my usual 2 bagelfuls (190 cals, 3 gms fat each) and a banana, along with my coffee.  I was still hungry so I ate one of Colbys toaster strudels (180 cals, 8gms fat). I was still hungry, and not relishing another bagelful, and not wanting the fairly high fat in the strudel what was I gonna have?  I could have had another banana but I usually  eat 3 or 4 every day as it is and they do tend to cause a little constipation when I eat too many.

So what to do, what to do?

And then it came to me!

Ice Cream!

Yup!  Ice Cream!

I have made an exciting new discovery.  Remember me complaining that I couldn't find a cookie that didn't have at least 10 grams of fat in it?  I was looking for something that I could enjoy with my evening coffee. I found something better and I'm gonna eat it every day for the rest of my life.  And today that started at breakfast time

Check out a product from Nestle company called Skinny Cow, Cookies and Cream sandwich.  It ain't really ice cream since it is made with skim milk but I found them to be absolutely delicious.  And here's the best part.   They contain 140 calories and have a shocking 2 grams of fat!  I since had another one with my lunch and it will also be my bedtime snack.  I can't wait to let Colb try them out because he will be the ultimate judge.  Oh and in contrast.  A Haagen Dazs Ice Cream bar comes in at 310 calories and 23  grams of fat!  Holy shit!!  That would be about 1/4 of my daily fat allowance.  By the way, Roo's rule of thumb for fat is 3 grams per every 100 calories.

Ice cream for breakfast!  Who would have thought it?

Today was a bit of a recovery day in the training world and rightfully so after my long one yesterday.  I went to the pool and then to the trails.  There is something very healthy about off road running from both the physical and mental perspectives.  The ups and downs,  the roots and rocks, and the mud and the trees all serve to harden your body all the way from your feet to your head.  And speaking of your head, running is just so much more relaxing in the absence of cars, pavement and man made noise.  I even stopped a couple of time to try to figure out what was making the splashes in the lake.  Although I never actually seen anything I believe it was the carp further out, and the turtles along the shore.

Life is good!  Game on!

(swim 1500 metres, 6 km trail run)


"Life is like an ice-cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time."---Charles M Schulz

"Life is like ice cream enjoy it before it melts"---Anon

Love

Peter

"Seventy-Thirty"

I have decided that this is the best ratio for marital happiness.  You should spend 30% of your time together and 70% on your own.  We tested that theory today and it seemed to prove out.  We rode together for 30 kms and then I went on my own for another 70 while she went off and did whatever she did.  Actually I think she went back to the house and baked something!!!  Holy shit!!  Of course it wasn't for me!

Anyway it was indeed very nice riding together.  As I suspected I had to work hard to keep up and although she dropped me a few times I managed to catch her on the hills....that's cause I'm so skinny!  And riding behind her reminded me again of one of the things I admire most about her.   Made me fall in love all over again.   Oh baby that's-a what I like!

From a weather perspective it started out a bit chilly but warmed up nicely over time.  The wind kinda sucked mind you....well actually it blew, not sucked, but then again in some connotations I suppose that's  the same thing??

One of the drawbacks to living and riding near the lake is the inconsistency in the wind direction.  You can never be assured that just because you headed out against the wind that you would have it at your back the whole way home.  Sure enough I got cheated out of about 15 kms of tail wind down by the lake.

But overall I was happy with my 102 kms, and I managed to get off and run afterwards.  This is my first bike/run workout of what now becomes a bi-weekly event.  I had forgotten just how hard it is to do.  I had told myself in advance that for this first time some walking was okay, and so I allowed myself two 5 minute breaks in my trip around the block.  The good thing is that I felt better as I went along.

And on my favorite topic I wish to tell you that the search for a better saddle is officially over, at least for this year.  Every time out I feel a wee bit better, and although it is still a long ways from comfortable I can say with confidence that this is the best it's ever been.  I'm glad that the search is over, cause being unemployed I now can't afford any more!!  Plus I'm eyeing a few other things I may need  :)

(ride 102 kms, run 7.3 kms)

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."---Mignon McLaughlin

...and this one hit me between the eyes...probably because I don't do my part...I'm gonna try harder

"Marriage should be a duet - when one sings, the other claps."---Joe Murray

Love

Peter

"HA!"

My dear Roo inspired today's post as she has many others.  Most of the time because she says or does something brilliant, but today just cause she was being dumb!

She told me I was getting too skinny!  What a lark!  When I truly was too fat she never complained, so now when I am totally fit and healthy does she have something to say? I think she just loves me and is worried about my obsession tendencies....will the idiot know when to quit?  I also think she conditioned herself a bit back in 07/08, when she did indeed have to worry about me.

Well guess what?  before Christmas I weighed 170 lbs and I told you that my goal was 160.  On Jan 27th I complained that I was not making any progress but was resolved to keep working at it.  Then on Feb 26th I proclaimed "half way" day with a weigh-in of 165 lbs, and I expressed confidence that I would be at my goal by race day.  Which of course brings us to today.


Here you go!!

My feet still look kinda fat, don't you think?

It's been a long journey back to what I weighed in high school.  Eight years ago I weighed 240 lbs and while I have bounced up and down a bit since then, the trend has gradually been downward.  Of course that little episode I mentioned in 07/08 helped the trend a little, but the big change was really reducing the stress in my life. 

What I am most happy about however is not the weight, but the sense of accomplishment that comes as a result of maintaining the discipline necessary to get there.  When you're hungry all the time it is tough to make good choices but I have made them.  I truly believe that I have conquered a lifelong problem.

The biggest a-hah for me has been something that Claudette has been telling me for years but I needed to learn for myself.  Very simply.  "To lose weight, lift weight".  There is no doubt in my mind that for a middle aged man muscle mass is the key.  What it seems to do to my metabolism is quite amazing, much more than all the running/cycling/swimming I do.  Which is the reason I will still go down stairs and do my weights tonite even though I sure as hell don't want to!

On a other note, tomorrow is a big day at my house.  For the first time in probably 8-9 years my wife and I are going riding together.  I am very excited. She has been riding inside all winter so I expect to have to bust my butt to keep up.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Meanwhile here's a look at her machine.  All ready to kick ass!

(swim 1000 metres)

"I don't know who decided that skinny was more appealing than not skinny. It seems arbitrary."---Gwyneth Paltrow

"If nature had intended our skeletons to be visible it would have put them on the outside of our bodies."---Elmer Rice

Love

Peter

"Some People"

Have no consideration what so ever!
While I don't like to do it, I go to the weight room at the YMCA to do my leg workout twice a week.  The major reason is that they have good machines to do squats.  Trying to do them by myself at home with free weights is a bit dangerous.  Since I have to go there anyway I choose to do the rest of my legs at the same time.  My routine calls for me to start with leg extensions, and since they only have one machine to do this exercise I am always aware of when the machine is in use.  Today another guy just beat me to it.  No problem.  I need to remain flexible so I decide to do leg curls first.  When I finish my first set there the man is still on the extension machine, and it looks like he hasn't even started!  So I change my strategy and decide that I will do both of my two sets back to back, instead of rotating to the next exercise.  After all, though it is not that uncommon for people to hog a machine for some time, I try not to let it get to me.  Anyway I move off to the other end of the gym and do my squats and then check back again.  Would you believe he is still there and although he has now started to do something, it appears that he has little or no weight set up, and he is barely moving his legs....perhaps 5 degrees of extension.  What the??  Deep breath Peter and I go do my hip flexors.  By this time I am starting to think I may have to say something but since I didn't have the energy for any conflict I proceeded to do my back extensions and my abs, all the time watching this guy out of the corner of my eye.  He just seemed totally oblivious to the possibility that someone else may need that piece of equipment as he clearly spent most of his time just sitting there, occasionally making some small effort to put the thing in motion.

Finally, when I was just about ready to say screw it and go home,  he dragged his lazy ass off the seat and back into his wheelchair!

Okay so maybe I embellished my story a bit.  But only in that I knew he was handicapped all along.  He had almost no use of his legs and yet was making some effort to exercise them.  Dear God, I am so blessed to have the use of all of my limbs.  I promise to always put them to good use and to try not too whine too much when they are a bit sore from the use I put them to.  Or failing that, I at least wish to beg forgiveness in advance for when I do whine.

So if you got 2 legs that work today....use them today!!!

Along with my weights I had a decent ride in beautiful warm weather.  As far as I'm concerned it can never be too hot to ride. Bring on summer!!

(leg weights, ride 70 kms 2:16)

...and this ones for you Mikey.  I hope you like it....

"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward."---Franklin D Roosevelt

Love

Peter

"Thanks Elly!"

You made it okay for me to post that picture.  I was struggling with the fear that it would come off as arrogant.  Somehow I want to be an inspiration to others, but it is tough to know how when my intent gets all mixed up with my own insecurities, and my own arrogance.  I don't know if anyone can understand that and I struggle to explain it.  I am proud of my accomplishments and I want to tell the world what can be done, but at the same time I know that the best way to inspire is quietly, through action, not words....and/or pictures.  But from the insecurities side, I still look for validation of my own worth.  And all that sounds totally contradictory to me!

(swim 1000 metres,  6 km trail run)

"First find the man in yourself if you will inspire manliness in others."---Amos Branson Alcott

"Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be."---Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Peace"

(swim 2000 metres, ride 40 kms, upper body weights)

"Every goal, every action, every thought, every feeling one experiences, whether it be consciously or unconsciously known, is an attempt to increase one's level of peace of mind."---Sidney Madwed

Love

Peter