PART II
So as reply the Might Mossman Tri in my mind, there are alot of other things going on in my head: like opening my doors to my two nieces for the week. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, children. Their smiles are infectious. Their energy sucks you dry. As they head out tomorrow, I've got a day and a half to recharge and open the doors to my Dad, whose coming in from D.C. Then, we round up my wife, my daughter and Dad for a weekend in Atlantic City. Ugh. This week sure is busy. But you didn't log on read to about that...
...Back to the tri.
6:45-the horn sounded and I began my swim. Remember, I'm a bad swimmer , so I purposely stayed in the back of the pack so as to avoid the bumps and hustle from the other competitors. Now, I don't know if I was feeling a sense of anxiety or fear, but what should have been a simple swim to the first buoy turned out to be more tense than expected-even swimming by myself. Heck, I should have swam with the pack if I was going to feel like this.
I reached the first buoy and took a few moments to catch my breath as planned. Surprisingly, I heard someone else ask me to make some space for them. That was weird. There was something comforting about another novice needing a few minutes to get his wits together after an adrenaline-rushed 70 meters. I had to chuckle at that. So there were Kris and I, hanging on to a lifeguard's boat, catching our breath to go back towards the second buoy. We calmed down, we swam, we got to the second buoy. We repeated the process to the third, fourth, fifth and final buoy. I'd be remiss if I didn't thank the lifeguards who stayed with us for our entire swim. They probably said to each other, "Hey. Watch these guys; one of them might drown". But that's not the point. Their presence mad me comfortable. Another thing that put me at ease was finding my groove after the third buoy. It almost felt like the current was guiding me along. That, coupled with me gaining control of my form, made the second half of the swim more relaxing. Did I mention how calm the water was, and how calm I eventually became?
Swim time: 27:39
Transition 1: 2:55-I didn't have any problems-Other than the slight embarrassment of seeing that my bike was one of 4 or 5 left in transition. Hey, such is life. Who's that chit-chatting with me again? Why, it's my guy Kris. You know, people look so different without a swim cap on their head.
Helmet's on, shades are on, shoes are on-Let's hit the bike!! And I must say, what a smooth ride. Again, I have to thank my TNT coaches for giving me sound advice on how to make up time on the bike after a swim. 1st lap, get out there like a bat out of hell. That's what I did. It was all good until I felt the dreaded "bonk" coming along. Oooooh boy. My legs were quickly turning into jelly. The drinks weren't helpful. Neither was the Gu. So I remembered my second bit of advice: a third of the way in (in this case the end of the first lap), slow it down and give yourself time to recover for the final stretch. Luckily, this came during the downhill stretch. What relief. And again, I looked over to my left, and there was my anchor-buddy Kris (I hope he doesn't mind me using his name. Maybe I'll refer to him as "Todd" from now on). So "Todd" and I had a (very) brief conversation. I believe he passed me. But even that moment to relax was great to relieve me of my potential bonk.
Bike Time: 50:37
Transition 2: 1:58 no problems here. Just in and out
Two-thirds of the day done. As a passer-by put it, "You don't have to worry about drowning. You don't have to worry about a flat. You're home free". And that I was. I think I pitter-pattered for the first mile. Turning the corner out into the main roads, I saw my guy Kr...pardon, Todd, one last time. I made it a point to remind myself to wait for him once I reached the finish line. In what felt like an instant, the 2-mile mark popped in front of me. And I had 15 minutes to spare in my quest to finish in under 2 hours. Oh, this is gonna be fun!! In my little world, I was having a race against the clock. Going through the run, I allowed for my mind to wander about what it was that I was doing. I was up before dawn to run a triathlon. What amazed me even more is the fact that it wasn't anywhere 9:00. It was so early in the morning to be doing this. My friends and family were sleeping. NICE!!
Run time: 34:27
Total time: 1:57:27
Two races under my belt and many more to come. The ride back home was so much fun and rewarding. The only thing missing was my wife, my daughter and a big breakfast platter of eggs, sausage and home fries. I was also most appreciative of my encounter with Kris. I read somewhere that the camaraderie triathletes share lies in the fact that they're ordinary people doing an extraordinary. Because of that, they're quick to support and congratulate each other. I'm happy to say I personally experienced that. AND I BROKE 2 HOURS!! WOO-HOO!!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Up at 3:45 a.m.? For a race?!?!
PART I
Really, people. you have to be a special kind of something to get up at 3:45 a.m. for anything. That time reserved for the core of your nightly sleep. But yesterday, that was me. I was up before the crack of dawn, ready to take on my second-ever triathlon in Norwalk, CT. I had full intentions of going to bed no later than 9:00, but when there are children in your life, you learn quickly that sometimes, your hopes and intentions are just that: hopes and intentions. I didn't hit the bed until I fed the dog, walked the dog, threw out the garbage, and racked my bike up to the back of the car. Bedtime turned out to be 10:45. My wife insisted that I go to bed and that she'd handle whatever she could, but I felt guilty leaving her with the rest of the nightly chores while she tended to our two visiting nieces. Did I mention my nieces were staying with us? Not exactly a peaceful night before race day at the Casa de SoulBrother.
3:45 a.m.- Alarm went off. No snooze button today. I lubed up, threw on my gear and grabbed breakfast: Cheerios, an orange, homemade iced coffee. I would have liked to have some oatmeal, but there was no time for that. And based on my experience from the CapTex Triathlon in May, my body just doesn't respond to heavy meals on race day.
4:20-Out the door. You know, the city sky doesn't seem so muggy and dreary at this time of day. There's a sense of beauty to the crescent moon and 16 stars (yes, I really counted).
4:50-Driving along I-95 North. Raphael Saddiq's "Live at the House of Blues" album was keeping me company. The best part was when he reunited with Tony Toni Tone and they performed their medley of hits. I find myself lately wondering where the good music went. Something about today's "singers" disturb me. But I digress. I've had no element of fear and/or nervousness this whole weekend-until I saw the "Welcome to Connecticut" border sign. Oh boy. Here come the flutters in my stomach. I needed a bathroom. I needed to pull over. I thought I might even need to make a U-turn and head south. Seriously, was I ready for this??
5:30-I arrived at Calf Pasture Beach. East Norwalk is a pretty town, by the way. It reminded me of Mystic, CT or the Nautical Mile in Freeport, NY. My wave was scheduled to start at 6:45. I felt that 1:15 would be enough time to register, set up in transition, and do my usual restroom ritual (see my last blog if you're curious of what that last part is about). Speaking of which, a man announced over the PA system where the restrooms were. To my surprise and glee, they were REAL RESTROOMS!! NO PORT-O-POTTIES!!! I felt my confidence building up again just off of that announcement. This day was going to be great. And the weather, I must add, was gorgeous. Let me find my place on the registration line...
5:55-Okay, why is this line so long? I'm nowhere near the sign-in desk. I heard people around me share my concern. Some competitors were convinced that the race wouldn't start on time. They weren't complaining over it; they thought the extra time would be necessary, considering the length of the registration line. I haven't seen the transition area yet. Man, the last thing I needed was to miss my wave, and miss the race. That couldn't happen, right? RIGHT??
6:10-I'm signed in. Whew. I receive my BIB #: 526. My goodie bag has some very interesting items: a Conair brush and stretch mark removal lotion to name a few. What am I supposed to do with this? Heading over to transition, I saw no space for my things. Very nice. I looked at how pretty the other racers hogged up the space. "Wow, look at that" I thought to myself, "A helmet got its own area". Then I looked over to my left, where this guy with a beach towel-sized mat was using only a third of the towel for his things. I decided not to mess with anyone's routine, so I set up against the wall. Three-quarters of the way through my set-up, a race official came over to tell me that I had to set up on a bike rack.
Me: "But it's too full"
Him: "Yeah, I know. Sorry. I know it's a pain"
Me: "So can I at least find an open space somewhere else?"
Him: "No. You have to stay in the designated area"
Me: "But it's too...
I stopped my thought right there. This was not the day to argue. I was nervous already.
Just then, an announcement was made: "ALL TRIATHLETES PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE BEACH". I wasn't near ready to move on. I hadn't put on my wetsuit, hadn't gone to the restroom. I hadn't even set up my running and cycling gear the way I would've wanted. My stuff was all over the place. So much for the fung schway transition area I wanted to set up: I gotta get outta here!! If my Team in Training coaches saw the discombobulation that was my transition, I think they would've forced me to run 5 bricks and 10 90-minute out-an-backs.
6:20-restroom break. Needed that.
6:30-off to the beach. Wave 1 already started. It looked peaceful. I got some strokes in and the water was quite relaxing. I especially liked the fact that you can walk into the swim, rather than jumping in like you'd have to do in a lake. Upon review of the swim course, I set up my game plan: at every buoy (6), stop for a one minute rest.
6:35-Wave 2 started their swim
6:40-Wave 3 started their swim. With my last 5 minutes, I said a quick prayer, made little chit-chat with a couple 1st-timers and stayed to the rear of the pack. It's more important for me to stay by myself than get punches and kicks to the head. I am NOT ready to deal with that yet.
6:45-The horn went off. So did I. Part two comes tomorrow...
Really, people. you have to be a special kind of something to get up at 3:45 a.m. for anything. That time reserved for the core of your nightly sleep. But yesterday, that was me. I was up before the crack of dawn, ready to take on my second-ever triathlon in Norwalk, CT. I had full intentions of going to bed no later than 9:00, but when there are children in your life, you learn quickly that sometimes, your hopes and intentions are just that: hopes and intentions. I didn't hit the bed until I fed the dog, walked the dog, threw out the garbage, and racked my bike up to the back of the car. Bedtime turned out to be 10:45. My wife insisted that I go to bed and that she'd handle whatever she could, but I felt guilty leaving her with the rest of the nightly chores while she tended to our two visiting nieces. Did I mention my nieces were staying with us? Not exactly a peaceful night before race day at the Casa de SoulBrother.
3:45 a.m.- Alarm went off. No snooze button today. I lubed up, threw on my gear and grabbed breakfast: Cheerios, an orange, homemade iced coffee. I would have liked to have some oatmeal, but there was no time for that. And based on my experience from the CapTex Triathlon in May, my body just doesn't respond to heavy meals on race day.
4:20-Out the door. You know, the city sky doesn't seem so muggy and dreary at this time of day. There's a sense of beauty to the crescent moon and 16 stars (yes, I really counted).
4:50-Driving along I-95 North. Raphael Saddiq's "Live at the House of Blues" album was keeping me company. The best part was when he reunited with Tony Toni Tone and they performed their medley of hits. I find myself lately wondering where the good music went. Something about today's "singers" disturb me. But I digress. I've had no element of fear and/or nervousness this whole weekend-until I saw the "Welcome to Connecticut" border sign. Oh boy. Here come the flutters in my stomach. I needed a bathroom. I needed to pull over. I thought I might even need to make a U-turn and head south. Seriously, was I ready for this??
5:30-I arrived at Calf Pasture Beach. East Norwalk is a pretty town, by the way. It reminded me of Mystic, CT or the Nautical Mile in Freeport, NY. My wave was scheduled to start at 6:45. I felt that 1:15 would be enough time to register, set up in transition, and do my usual restroom ritual (see my last blog if you're curious of what that last part is about). Speaking of which, a man announced over the PA system where the restrooms were. To my surprise and glee, they were REAL RESTROOMS!! NO PORT-O-POTTIES!!! I felt my confidence building up again just off of that announcement. This day was going to be great. And the weather, I must add, was gorgeous. Let me find my place on the registration line...
5:55-Okay, why is this line so long? I'm nowhere near the sign-in desk. I heard people around me share my concern. Some competitors were convinced that the race wouldn't start on time. They weren't complaining over it; they thought the extra time would be necessary, considering the length of the registration line. I haven't seen the transition area yet. Man, the last thing I needed was to miss my wave, and miss the race. That couldn't happen, right? RIGHT??
6:10-I'm signed in. Whew. I receive my BIB #: 526. My goodie bag has some very interesting items: a Conair brush and stretch mark removal lotion to name a few. What am I supposed to do with this? Heading over to transition, I saw no space for my things. Very nice. I looked at how pretty the other racers hogged up the space. "Wow, look at that" I thought to myself, "A helmet got its own area". Then I looked over to my left, where this guy with a beach towel-sized mat was using only a third of the towel for his things. I decided not to mess with anyone's routine, so I set up against the wall. Three-quarters of the way through my set-up, a race official came over to tell me that I had to set up on a bike rack.
Me: "But it's too full"
Him: "Yeah, I know. Sorry. I know it's a pain"
Me: "So can I at least find an open space somewhere else?"
Him: "No. You have to stay in the designated area"
Me: "But it's too...
I stopped my thought right there. This was not the day to argue. I was nervous already.
Just then, an announcement was made: "ALL TRIATHLETES PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE BEACH". I wasn't near ready to move on. I hadn't put on my wetsuit, hadn't gone to the restroom. I hadn't even set up my running and cycling gear the way I would've wanted. My stuff was all over the place. So much for the fung schway transition area I wanted to set up: I gotta get outta here!! If my Team in Training coaches saw the discombobulation that was my transition, I think they would've forced me to run 5 bricks and 10 90-minute out-an-backs.
6:20-restroom break. Needed that.
6:30-off to the beach. Wave 1 already started. It looked peaceful. I got some strokes in and the water was quite relaxing. I especially liked the fact that you can walk into the swim, rather than jumping in like you'd have to do in a lake. Upon review of the swim course, I set up my game plan: at every buoy (6), stop for a one minute rest.
6:35-Wave 2 started their swim
6:40-Wave 3 started their swim. With my last 5 minutes, I said a quick prayer, made little chit-chat with a couple 1st-timers and stayed to the rear of the pack. It's more important for me to stay by myself than get punches and kicks to the head. I am NOT ready to deal with that yet.
6:45-The horn went off. So did I. Part two comes tomorrow...
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Duh!! Of course you have to breathe when you're swimming!!
Hope everyone enjoyed their July 4th weekend. I must say that the older I get, the less motivated I am to do something to celebrate the holiday. I think I can attribute it to having a larger family. My family now consists of the Mrs., my daughter, in-laws, my own brother, sister and parents and some nieces and nephews. Suffice to say, I'd rather grill it up, down some beers and watch the game of choice on the tube. It's just way too much work to round everyone up and plan a trip. But it's nice to relax.
Moving on, today was a decent practice. The Mossman Tri is two weeks away. I realized that I hadn't been on a bike since finishing the CapTex Triathlon in May, in part because my bike is on its last legs and EVERYTHING seems to go wrong with it, like 4 front flat tires on race day. Since this summer will mark the end of my hybrid cycle, I figured I should get some "Good-Bye miles" in. I cycled for about 12 miles around Forest Park, then rode to the gym and logged in another 2 miles on the treadmill. I would've biked another lap or two, but I saw the front wheel running low AGAIN (For the record, I don't think it's the inner tube). An admitted light workout, but one that got me to believe that I could compete comfortably on the 19th. Now if I could just get swimming down...
Speaking of which, I'm slowly starting to feel comfortable with being in water. Little by little, the things I learned as a Team in Training member are starting to make sense. Mind you, I'm still slow, and I'm not the best at treading water, but I can move smoothly-as long as I remember to breathe. Sounds silly to say, but breathing is such an important element to swimming. My coach at TNT taught me to turn my head without raising it, and look back to get in a good breath. It worked pretty well yesterday. My other concern is finding the best time of day to get in the pool. Public pools are just that: public. It's hard to share a lane with as many as 5 people. But then again, I convince myself that in open water swimming, I've got to deal with the bumping and pushing from other competitors. I might as well get used to it here.
So my plans for tomorrow's practice is to get in another 1/2 mile of swimming in. I might also run a 5k. You know how I can tell I really like this sport? I'm willing to get up on the 19th at 3 a.m., leave the house at 4 a.m., drive along the Van Wyck Expressway and I-95 North for an hour to be in Norwalk, CT by 5:00-5:30 a.m., all for a race that I know good and well I won't win. And I'm willing to do it to just to be around the wonderful triathlon community. That to me is passion. We should all have something in our lives that moves us so much. Guess I'm lucky, because I've got about four means of motivation in my life: wife, baby, family, and now the tri.
Random Thoughts time:
*I'm still amazed at how tastefully done the MJ ceremony was. I really expected a media circus, and it turned out to be the complete opposite. The Jacksons, for once, looked like a family, not a bunch of personalities.
*I'm hearing that LeBron James got dunked on by a college player at his summer camp. To protect his image, he and the NIKE reps confiscated all videos of the game and subsequent dunk, making the moment something of urban legend. R. Kelly should've had that forsight...
*What's up with the celebrities passing away?!?! There's been about 5 in two weeks. Is someone trying to tell us something?
*If the mighy Lance Armstrong places anywhere in the top three of the Tour De France after his 4-year layoff, can we rank him as one of the top five athletes...of all time?
*Anybody want a dog? As I type this, my chihuahua/terrier mutt threw up on our brand new area rug. Needless to say, the Mrs. is LIVID. I can do so much for Lola, but she's on thin ice.
*"Family Guy" is much funnier now, as opposed to its earlier years when Stewie was trying to rule the world.
Moving on, today was a decent practice. The Mossman Tri is two weeks away. I realized that I hadn't been on a bike since finishing the CapTex Triathlon in May, in part because my bike is on its last legs and EVERYTHING seems to go wrong with it, like 4 front flat tires on race day. Since this summer will mark the end of my hybrid cycle, I figured I should get some "Good-Bye miles" in. I cycled for about 12 miles around Forest Park, then rode to the gym and logged in another 2 miles on the treadmill. I would've biked another lap or two, but I saw the front wheel running low AGAIN (For the record, I don't think it's the inner tube). An admitted light workout, but one that got me to believe that I could compete comfortably on the 19th. Now if I could just get swimming down...
Speaking of which, I'm slowly starting to feel comfortable with being in water. Little by little, the things I learned as a Team in Training member are starting to make sense. Mind you, I'm still slow, and I'm not the best at treading water, but I can move smoothly-as long as I remember to breathe. Sounds silly to say, but breathing is such an important element to swimming. My coach at TNT taught me to turn my head without raising it, and look back to get in a good breath. It worked pretty well yesterday. My other concern is finding the best time of day to get in the pool. Public pools are just that: public. It's hard to share a lane with as many as 5 people. But then again, I convince myself that in open water swimming, I've got to deal with the bumping and pushing from other competitors. I might as well get used to it here.
So my plans for tomorrow's practice is to get in another 1/2 mile of swimming in. I might also run a 5k. You know how I can tell I really like this sport? I'm willing to get up on the 19th at 3 a.m., leave the house at 4 a.m., drive along the Van Wyck Expressway and I-95 North for an hour to be in Norwalk, CT by 5:00-5:30 a.m., all for a race that I know good and well I won't win. And I'm willing to do it to just to be around the wonderful triathlon community. That to me is passion. We should all have something in our lives that moves us so much. Guess I'm lucky, because I've got about four means of motivation in my life: wife, baby, family, and now the tri.
Random Thoughts time:
*I'm still amazed at how tastefully done the MJ ceremony was. I really expected a media circus, and it turned out to be the complete opposite. The Jacksons, for once, looked like a family, not a bunch of personalities.
*I'm hearing that LeBron James got dunked on by a college player at his summer camp. To protect his image, he and the NIKE reps confiscated all videos of the game and subsequent dunk, making the moment something of urban legend. R. Kelly should've had that forsight...
*What's up with the celebrities passing away?!?! There's been about 5 in two weeks. Is someone trying to tell us something?
*If the mighy Lance Armstrong places anywhere in the top three of the Tour De France after his 4-year layoff, can we rank him as one of the top five athletes...of all time?
*Anybody want a dog? As I type this, my chihuahua/terrier mutt threw up on our brand new area rug. Needless to say, the Mrs. is LIVID. I can do so much for Lola, but she's on thin ice.
*"Family Guy" is much funnier now, as opposed to its earlier years when Stewie was trying to rule the world.
Friday, July 3, 2009
T.P. or not T.P. That is the question...
I've run in 3 duathlons and one (soon to be two) triathlon. Far from a veteran. However, there is one aspect of multi-sport competition that I've become an outright master in. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way that preparing for race day goes beyond the miles you've run or the laps you've swam. Race day is also a time to come prepared. Prepared with what, you might ask? I'll tell you: toilet paper. You read right-toilet paper. In my opinion, it's an absolute must to include on your checklist.
As with virtually all athletes, the closer you get to your starting time on race day, the more you get a feeling in your stomach that you cannot ignore. It's only a case of the nerves, but those nerves seem to have a way of making you feel VERY uncomfortable. The next thing you know, you're looking for the nearest Port-O-Potty with hopes of settling yourself down. If you've ever been inside one of these, there is nothing fun about the experience: they stink, they look and feel unsanitary, and depending on the time of day you use it, they can be unbearably warm. Now, imagine having no alternative but to use one on race day, only to find out that you have nothing to clean yourself with.
But you've gotta love the culture within multi-sport. You can tell whose been through the ringer a time or three. My first race was the March Madness Duathlon in April 2007. I was lucky enough to have access to a real bathroom. As I got closer to the men's room, I noticed there were two lines, one noticeably shorter than the other. Then I saw a guy asking the men on both lines, "What are you, a 1 or a 2?" Confused was an understatement to describe my mind set. As I watched the competitors go in and out, I noticed some people zipping through within seconds, whereas others took a few minutes. "Aaaaaaah", It hit me: 1's had to make the quick pit stop, 2's had to drop the kids off by the pool. I was lucky enough to be on the right line, but when I got to the stall, I realized I had the wrong tools. Oh, there was t.p. alright. But who wants to take care of themselves with wet, mushy, t.p?
But alas, the community: always willing to help random strangers out. I heard someone ask if anyone needed some paper, and from my stall, hand shooting over the top space, I screamed out, "Right here! RIGHT HERE!!" He found me, I got a fresh roll, and all was right with the world.
So please, rookies, as you go over your list and your race plan, don't forget the toilet paper. Should you get the rumbling in your belly on race day, and you're stuck without the necessities, you have two options: 1) go on with your race and that bad feeling (I've done that, too. Not good) or 2) well, you can imagine what your second option is.
Some random thoughts from the world as I see it:
*The Lakers signed Ron Artest. The Cavs traded for Shaq. The Magic traded for Vince Carter. My favorite team, the Spurs, traded for Richard Jefferson. The Knicks got...Darco Milicic. Fill in your own joke.
*Funny how it took mainstream media less than a week to get over praising MJ, only to make his life a circus all over again. Joe Jackson didn't help matters with his announcement of a record label two days after his son died. Hey Joe, no one important wants to be a part of "Get a Switch" records. You beat people, remember?
*I used to take my wife to Yankee games. That had to stop when she would read her gossip mags in the middle of an inning, paying no attention to what was going on-unless Jeter or A-Roid were at bat. The last thing I needed was a foul ball cracking the Mrs. upside the head.
*If you're running for political office, you should not be married. All politicians should be single. That way, you can get your freak on and not damage "the integrity of your office or our country".
*I've got to get myself to a theater. I'm hearing great things about "The Hangover".
The plan is to get some swimming in today. I would love to get some open water swimming in, but I'll settle for a pool. I have 16 days until the Mossman Sprint Tri in Norwalk, CT. Until next time...
Soul Brother No. 2
As with virtually all athletes, the closer you get to your starting time on race day, the more you get a feeling in your stomach that you cannot ignore. It's only a case of the nerves, but those nerves seem to have a way of making you feel VERY uncomfortable. The next thing you know, you're looking for the nearest Port-O-Potty with hopes of settling yourself down. If you've ever been inside one of these, there is nothing fun about the experience: they stink, they look and feel unsanitary, and depending on the time of day you use it, they can be unbearably warm. Now, imagine having no alternative but to use one on race day, only to find out that you have nothing to clean yourself with.
But you've gotta love the culture within multi-sport. You can tell whose been through the ringer a time or three. My first race was the March Madness Duathlon in April 2007. I was lucky enough to have access to a real bathroom. As I got closer to the men's room, I noticed there were two lines, one noticeably shorter than the other. Then I saw a guy asking the men on both lines, "What are you, a 1 or a 2?" Confused was an understatement to describe my mind set. As I watched the competitors go in and out, I noticed some people zipping through within seconds, whereas others took a few minutes. "Aaaaaaah", It hit me: 1's had to make the quick pit stop, 2's had to drop the kids off by the pool. I was lucky enough to be on the right line, but when I got to the stall, I realized I had the wrong tools. Oh, there was t.p. alright. But who wants to take care of themselves with wet, mushy, t.p?
But alas, the community: always willing to help random strangers out. I heard someone ask if anyone needed some paper, and from my stall, hand shooting over the top space, I screamed out, "Right here! RIGHT HERE!!" He found me, I got a fresh roll, and all was right with the world.
So please, rookies, as you go over your list and your race plan, don't forget the toilet paper. Should you get the rumbling in your belly on race day, and you're stuck without the necessities, you have two options: 1) go on with your race and that bad feeling (I've done that, too. Not good) or 2) well, you can imagine what your second option is.
Some random thoughts from the world as I see it:
*The Lakers signed Ron Artest. The Cavs traded for Shaq. The Magic traded for Vince Carter. My favorite team, the Spurs, traded for Richard Jefferson. The Knicks got...Darco Milicic. Fill in your own joke.
*Funny how it took mainstream media less than a week to get over praising MJ, only to make his life a circus all over again. Joe Jackson didn't help matters with his announcement of a record label two days after his son died. Hey Joe, no one important wants to be a part of "Get a Switch" records. You beat people, remember?
*I used to take my wife to Yankee games. That had to stop when she would read her gossip mags in the middle of an inning, paying no attention to what was going on-unless Jeter or A-Roid were at bat. The last thing I needed was a foul ball cracking the Mrs. upside the head.
*If you're running for political office, you should not be married. All politicians should be single. That way, you can get your freak on and not damage "the integrity of your office or our country".
*I've got to get myself to a theater. I'm hearing great things about "The Hangover".
The plan is to get some swimming in today. I would love to get some open water swimming in, but I'll settle for a pool. I have 16 days until the Mossman Sprint Tri in Norwalk, CT. Until next time...
Soul Brother No. 2
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