To all you P90X'ers, and you Master Swim Classers, and you Wii Fit MoFos, and you "well my wife qualified for Boston" folks, and all you "I act country but I'm really a Metro Sexual"(please forward this to Chuck, Stiney)--take notice---I am coming out---I mean coming up and I want the world to know...my official 2009 race schedule:
March 21: St. Leo's 5k
May 16th: Statesville Rotary Tri
June 7th: 36 North Triathlon
July: too busy
Aug 9th: Triad Tri, G-boro (spend the night w/ Stiney in Mebane, get revenge for snake incident)
Sept 20th: Angels Triathlon. T-wood
Sept 27-28 Tour of Tanglewood (i get credit nate for both Bryan and Jason if they sign up, oh yea and if I don't get bibs this year I am riding for Silkroad)
Oct 4th: Take Flight Sprint Tri-- Huntersville
It would be awesome to train and compete with you folks. It would mean more to me than you know to have some inspiration and some company during this next season.
May we find much more than what we seek.
MB
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Gift of Health...
It will be 2 months soon since the OBX marathon. These last two months have been the most difficult "training months" in recent memory...and I have not exercised a bit!
My family and I have been fighting every virus from pink eye to RSV. We have bought so much medication that the drug store clerk thinks we are making meth! Throw in an ambulance ride and a hospital stay and our family has had our share this season.
The lack of activity has tested my patience, my mental health, and my body differently than it ever has before. I also have added on some unwanted "lb's" to bring into the tri season--grrr!
Although, most significantly, I have been awed again by how fragile we truly are and how blessed my family and I are to have the gift of health.
May I appreciate my health and the benefits I receive from it.
...only 3 more days of penicillin and then it is on!
My family and I have been fighting every virus from pink eye to RSV. We have bought so much medication that the drug store clerk thinks we are making meth! Throw in an ambulance ride and a hospital stay and our family has had our share this season.
The lack of activity has tested my patience, my mental health, and my body differently than it ever has before. I also have added on some unwanted "lb's" to bring into the tri season--grrr!
Although, most significantly, I have been awed again by how fragile we truly are and how blessed my family and I are to have the gift of health.
May I appreciate my health and the benefits I receive from it.
...only 3 more days of penicillin and then it is on!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Mohawk hair, Mohawk attitude, Mohawk adventure---Mullet ending!
Well...I finished the 2008 Outerbanks marathon. Thanks for all the support and well wishes. I learned a lot about myself and my surroundings!
Quick race recap: I made some key mistakes.
A) I left my water bottles for my fuel belt at home. I have never been on a long run without them. It was hotter than expected and the liquid stations were NOT every mile as hoped.
B) I bought brand new shoes---1/2 a size too small. When my feet started to swell at the 13 mile mark...my feet were killing me. I had blisters that went on top of my toenails and have had to donate to the toenail gods recently.
C) Because of the cold start, my heart rate monitor did not get a good contact and stopped working after mile 1. Therefore, I had to race completely off of feeling.
Things that went well:
A) I had some sub-8 minute miles around miles 13, 14, 15.
B) I had a blast!
C) There was an incredible crowd of locals the first 13 miles that were handing out jello shots and Margaritas. Thank you to the lady handing out gummy bears--they saved my life. And to the guitar playing guy handing out oranges before the bridge--you ROCK!
D) I hit the 13 mile mark at 1:56:02 (8:52 avg) and then the 20 mile mark at 3:01:58 (9:06 avg).
Then, somewhere between mile 20 and mile 21---my body would not cooperate. I started cramping and my legs would not turn. My pace dropped to 12 minute miles. I had to resort to a run/walk/walk/crawl/roll/hitch-hike method to get to the finish. I ended up with a chip-time of 4 hours and 13 minutes and 15 seconds. A personal best---but not what I wanted.--I could have done better.
Reflections:
A) An Ironman is going to be incredibly tough!!!
B) I have the most supportive family in existence who without them---this part of the journey would not have happened.
C) There is nothing like having a group of friends to share this experience with! Congrats to AJ, J-rock, Whit "Lightning", Megaman Andy, B-Nizzle, Nate-Dogg, Cali from the Valley, and PJ for rocking it all day and night! Can we come with you to Boston Whit?
D) Running a marathon in April, having a baby in June, and running another marathon in November is a pretty cool accomplishment in a year.
E) Puking at the finish when everyone else is drinking beer really, really stinks!!
F) This put fuel on the fire folks. I am starting back today with new quests and plans.
May I appreciate my health and my opportunities...
...oh yea...and may others "fear the hawk!!"
Saturday, November 1, 2008
7 days left until OBX!
Well we finished our 20 miler and are now enjoying the taper. Final preparations are under way for the trip and we are hoping for the following:
1) A tailwind
2) Sunny but cool weather
3) All chaffing issues to be resolved
4) Knee pain to go away
5) Gas prices to continue to drop
6) At least most if not all of one Prince song to be sung on race day-by the group-at race pace
7) To be able to channel my "inner Kenyan"
8) For those that promised to do "Mohawks" to follow-thru for race day!
May I be mindful this week of the journey ahead...
Sunday, October 19, 2008
What is a vision quest anyway?
Let me explain the purpose for the vision quest premise. Vision Quest was a "cheezingly awesome" 80's movie that high school wrestling coaches across America used to motivate youth. And although I emulated that movie more than I'd like to admit--I am not referring to the movie this time!
You see, when I was in elementary school, my perspective is that my parents did not want the cost or time commitment associated with Boy Scouts. So instead they got me involved with Indian Guides. It was like sitting at the lunch table in 4th grade and everyone else has brand name "Doritos" and then they pick on me because I have "Food lionitos" in my lunchbox. All the "cool" kids were in Boy Scouts and made pine wood derby cars and shot rifles at summer camp.
At Indian Guides, I sat and made "head dresses" and played drums in a circle---WITH A BUNCH OF OLD WHITE MEN trying to read from a YMCA book about how to be Native American! I mean seriously--we wore "war paint" on our faces and had names like "Little Bear". The concept of this was wrong on so many levels!
However, as ill-conceived and misguided as it was, perhaps there were good intentions and something much more significant about a bunch of 30-somethings pretending to be Native Americans every Thursday night in a suburban basement. I believe, like me now, they were searching for a way to connect with their sons and to connect with nature and their surroundings--traditional Native American values. We attempt to do this in so many ways now...
It was from one of our "tribe" meetings in which we had (I want to believe so bad that this is was true) a Native American tribal chief that told us stories about becoming a teenager and going on a vision quest. I recall that the purpose of a vision quest was to remain in solitude and experience a journey in nature. If we were able to do this then truths about ourselves and the world around us would appear to us. Now of course this speech was given to us before our annual camping trip and I ate that stuff up ravenously.
Hence, the vision quest premise for my blog. This potentially infinite goal of wanting to complete an Ironman is my journey. Jokingly, at this stage in my quest, I have substituted endorphins instead of peyote.
May truths continue to be revealed to me about nature, my surroundings, and myself.
You see, when I was in elementary school, my perspective is that my parents did not want the cost or time commitment associated with Boy Scouts. So instead they got me involved with Indian Guides. It was like sitting at the lunch table in 4th grade and everyone else has brand name "Doritos" and then they pick on me because I have "Food lionitos" in my lunchbox. All the "cool" kids were in Boy Scouts and made pine wood derby cars and shot rifles at summer camp.
At Indian Guides, I sat and made "head dresses" and played drums in a circle---WITH A BUNCH OF OLD WHITE MEN trying to read from a YMCA book about how to be Native American! I mean seriously--we wore "war paint" on our faces and had names like "Little Bear". The concept of this was wrong on so many levels!
However, as ill-conceived and misguided as it was, perhaps there were good intentions and something much more significant about a bunch of 30-somethings pretending to be Native Americans every Thursday night in a suburban basement. I believe, like me now, they were searching for a way to connect with their sons and to connect with nature and their surroundings--traditional Native American values. We attempt to do this in so many ways now...
It was from one of our "tribe" meetings in which we had (I want to believe so bad that this is was true) a Native American tribal chief that told us stories about becoming a teenager and going on a vision quest. I recall that the purpose of a vision quest was to remain in solitude and experience a journey in nature. If we were able to do this then truths about ourselves and the world around us would appear to us. Now of course this speech was given to us before our annual camping trip and I ate that stuff up ravenously.
Hence, the vision quest premise for my blog. This potentially infinite goal of wanting to complete an Ironman is my journey. Jokingly, at this stage in my quest, I have substituted endorphins instead of peyote.
May truths continue to be revealed to me about nature, my surroundings, and myself.
Friday, September 26, 2008
The "F" word...
Yes I know I say the word you are thinking of a bunch...but this time I don't mean that word. I want to talk about "Failure".
In personal reflection mode, I am by nature not a risk taker. I don't gamble. I close the curtains when I get dressed. You won't find me investing any money in buying beach property or on e-trade looking for bears and bulls. Nope, I calculate as much as I can and use logic (what I think is rational) to make 99% of my decisions. Hell, I'll stopwatch most anything to help me calculate a plan!
In regard to training: I try to plan everything. My distances...my times...my nutrition...my music...my heart rate...heck even my underwear is strategic. Along the same lines, I am cautious about doing anything that I don't think I can do.
I am afraid to fail.
Now, I can rationalize ("everyone fails") and reframe ("look at what else you gained from this!") as good as anyone. But to try to do something that I truly don't think I can do from the start...extremely difficult for me. I suspect I am not alone on this. I think most people in our Western culture are like this. We are taught that "failure" is "bad" and that it says something about the value of a person.
It is almost like if we fail...well then we were wrong. And if we were wrong then what does that mean? It may make us question the very foundation of many of the things we believe. For some, that is too unraveling.
For me, I hope this quest has many successes. I am too scared today to hope for failures. But may I recognize them when they happen and be attentive to the exposed nerve endings that lead to deeper answers about myself.
No matter how raw...that is what this quest is about.
In personal reflection mode, I am by nature not a risk taker. I don't gamble. I close the curtains when I get dressed. You won't find me investing any money in buying beach property or on e-trade looking for bears and bulls. Nope, I calculate as much as I can and use logic (what I think is rational) to make 99% of my decisions. Hell, I'll stopwatch most anything to help me calculate a plan!
In regard to training: I try to plan everything. My distances...my times...my nutrition...my music...my heart rate...heck even my underwear is strategic. Along the same lines, I am cautious about doing anything that I don't think I can do.
I am afraid to fail.
Now, I can rationalize ("everyone fails") and reframe ("look at what else you gained from this!") as good as anyone. But to try to do something that I truly don't think I can do from the start...extremely difficult for me. I suspect I am not alone on this. I think most people in our Western culture are like this. We are taught that "failure" is "bad" and that it says something about the value of a person.
It is almost like if we fail...well then we were wrong. And if we were wrong then what does that mean? It may make us question the very foundation of many of the things we believe. For some, that is too unraveling.
For me, I hope this quest has many successes. I am too scared today to hope for failures. But may I recognize them when they happen and be attentive to the exposed nerve endings that lead to deeper answers about myself.
No matter how raw...that is what this quest is about.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Formula for success?
I was awestruck this week by how "spot on" and I guess what I mean by "spot on" is how similar I feel to a review by Bob Boilen (the NPR guy) of a Radiohead concert in which he described their music as it "stretches time and allows the mind to wander and rejuvenate. I think of it as resetting the synapses. Creativity breeds creativity. When the music was over, I felt unboxed and changed and pretty darn happy."
I thought "man, that is such the way I feel when I listen to Radiohead"...and when I am not puking...that is the way I feel after a long run or ride.
The run allows my mind to wander and rejuvenate and to be mindful and centered...I have come up w/ the best ideas for work and family. When I finish...I feel changed and "pretty darn happy." Imagine me running and listening to Radiohead at the same time...one's mind could explode on that juice!
Now, about my "formula for success". I have started a Cervelo fund to go towards a new time trial/tri bike for next season. Every little morsel of cash I don't spend goes into my "can". As a sign of my competing priorities on so many dimensions, Similac is my chosen sponsor for the endeavor. So if you borrow a few bucks from me and it reeks of this strange soy-milk smell...well then you know how important that dollar was to me.
I have 15 miles tomorrow morning. May the journey rejuvenate and breed creativity! Hope to see you along the way!
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