Monday, October 31, 2011

Book Nook

I managed to get in four spinning classes and two weight workouts last week.  Am feeling ok endurance-wise, but still haven't started swim-training.  Am also avoiding running, to let my plantar heal.  The whole mind-body concept has led me to actually read some books.  Hence, the following book reviews:

You are an Ironman:  This book is mega-motivational.  It follows six age-groupers as they prepared for the 2009 Ironman Arizona.  Everything from a double lung transplant to bike crashes seem to get in their way, but they soldier on.  I highly recommend this book if you have even marginal interest in triathlons.



Ready Player One:  This is a sci-fi book taking place in a downtrodden USA in the year 2040.  Most of the populace avoid their real lives by participating in an on-line universe called OASIS.  If you were a teenager during the 1980's this is the book for you, because it contains non-stop references to 1980's pop culture.
Pac Man anyone?

The Quest:  This is a non-fiction book about the world energy situation.  The author really tells a good story, but this tome is over 700 pages long, so I may not finish it before it's due back at the library.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Tar Heel

Just spent the week in Chapel Hill, NC.  The "Triangle" area is home to the campuses of UNC, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest.  It's heavily wooded and has some good running trails.  We managed to get out running on the golf cart trails near our hotel.

The UNC campus in Chapel Hill has a small domed structure called The Well.  Tradition has it that a student will do well if he/she drinks from the well on the first day of classes.  Whatever works.

The Chapel Hill Post Office and Courthouse was being occupied by protesters in tents.  The whole "Occupy Wall Street" movement seems like a great opportunity to find free camping space at select locations around the country.  Why not occupy Beverly  Hills?

The NC State Fair is roughly 40% midway, 40% food vendors and 20% everything else.  The "everything else" is the most interesting, but still the fair is nowhere near as large as the MN State Fair.  The NC Fair is held in Oct., to avoid the summer heat.  The teachers' convention provides a fall break for students, so they  have time to attend.

Summer heat avoidance was also behind the recent sprint-distance triathlon held in the area.  The athletes had complained that March was too cold, Aug. was too hot, but the Oct. weather was perfect.




Sunday, October 16, 2011

A Stitch In Time

18 stitches to be precise.


On Monday I had a skin cancer spot removed from near my ear.  It required 18 stitches to repair the wound.  The surgeon recommended that I not work out until the skin heals.  So I took the week off from tri training.

Yesterday I volunteered as a timer at the Nerstrand Big Woods trail race.  From my post at the finish line I saw the LOML Angel finish the 5K race.  I ran this race two years ago and fell 3 times.  Ended up in the ambulance at the finish.  My first ambulance visit ever.  Fallen leaves obscure roots and rocks on the trail, making staying upright a real challenge.


So much for the medical reports.  I intend to resume my tri training next week.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Screaming Trees

The trees here in Minnesota are screaming for attention.  The fall color change is at it's peak and we are in a state-wide forest of eye candy.  My drive to work is like the Tour de Fantasyland.

Went for a run this morning on the trails at Hyland Hills park.  The park was gorgeous and the trails were in great shape.  Saw Roger Hauge and some of his friends from his Florida running group.  Roger is always an inspiration...he started running after age 60 and has done 160+ marathons.

Also managed to attend two spinning classes ("studio cycling" in corp-speak) at the health club this week.  So I'm covering two of the tri events, but still haven't started swimming.  But I did get a library book called "Swimming for Complete Idiots".  I can use it to fend off sharks.

The week-long fruit-and-vegetable diet is about to end.  It wasn't too bad, but I've been craving hot food.  My plan is to dive into a Lemon Chicken dinner from my favorite Asian restaurant this evening.  I've lost several pounds on this program, so can highly recommend it, and the LOML Angel says we will do this quarterly to celebrate the change of seasons.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

MOTIVATION

I spent much of the day on Sunday at the ALARC (www.alarc.com)Wall at Mile 20 of the Twin Cities Marathon.  (Marathoners are said to "hit the wall" at mile 20 of a race.)  Had a great time and was even able to handle the announcing for a spell.  It was a gorgeous day and the runners were pumped.  The energy they exude is palpable, and makes me want to join the race.  (I have done the TCM  nine times.  Runner's World says it has the best finish line in all of marathoning.)

The ALARC group is great fun to train and volunteer with.  They put on a couple of races during the year, and sponsor the Ice Dive at Lake Minnetonka on January 1st each year.

My friend Ali completed the TCM is 3:50, just three weeks after doing Ironman Wisconsin.  Way to go Ali!

My greatest motivator is the LOML Angel.  She convinced me to do the Tri U Mah, and to undertake the Reboot.  This is the second day of eating only fruits and Veggies, and I feel good. (Good luck finding produce at Costco, as I cleaned them out yesterday.)  The chance to lose weight is also motivating...I'm down 2.5 lbs. since yesterday.   Yes!

Monday, October 3, 2011

The Journey Begins

...with a dead battery.   My truck, The Loon Ranger, refused to start this morning.  Maybe the ghost of Henry Ford was telling me to walk to the health club.  (Oh the irony.)   I jiggled the battery cables and the LR started up and deprived me of the extra exercise.

This morning, I signed up for my first indoor tri, the Tri U Mah at the University of Minnesota on Feb. 5, 2012.
In preparation, the Love Of My Life (LOML) Angel convinced me to do a 24-hour water-only fast yesterday and a 7-day vegetable & fruit-only "reboot" starting today.  We're off to a good start.

My weight after this morning's workout was 228.5 pounds.  I hope to do the tri at approx. 200 lbs.  How will I lose the 28.5 lbs?  Here's the plan:

a) Trim my beard = .1 lb.
b) Wear lighter shoes = .4 lb.
c) Eat less & exercise more = 28 lbs.

It's good to have a plan.

Speaking of Reboots, we watched a movie called "Fat, Sick and Almost Dead".  It's about an overweight Australian who spends 2 months in America and eats only fruit & vegetable juice.  He travels across the country with his juicer, buying supplies along the way.  He loses about 1.5 lb per day.  A very inspiring show.