It's over. The school year, I mean.

Thank God. The kids are gone, the room's packed, and I've got diving on my brain. And a motorcycle.

Gas for my diesel truck is approaching $5/gallon. Quickly. So, I'm thinking about a scooter. Not a wimpy scooter but a fast scooter that I can do around town and use it to commute to work.

The problem is-I'm scared of the damn things. A mistake can very easily make me dead. Or worse. Something in between. Some idiot talking on their cellphone while using their laptop while eating a Whooper spells greasy spot on hood. Of course, it would be like that in a subcompact as well, I guess.

Not really.

So, I'm thinking about it. Charlotte is quietly adamant against the idea. So, I'm thinking long and hard about this.

That's a new thing for me...,

Three mile run

Ran three today to get just get outside. My knees are really sore and the shoulder hurts like hell. We're moving textbooks at school and the shoulder is not feelig the love.

Nice day at the park. Glad I didn't run more.

My favorite time of year

It's graduation week. And, it's my favorite time of the academic year. For those of us who are in education-this is the week we get to see the switch thrown from the petty world of high school to the non-caring world of the adult. This is the week we get to see our work and sleepless nights come to fruition with the swish of a cap and gown. This is the week we as teachers get paid.

I have so many students that I would like to say congrats to. Some are headed off to big time universities where they will quickly discover that I was pretty easy but entirely honest about freshman comp. Some are joining the military and I wish them Godspeed. A few have no idea what they're doing and I say to them, "that's cool-life will get you centered very quickly."

I mostly want to say that my classroom will soon go silent and again become just a room. Without you, the students, a school is just so much brick, mortar, and silence. It's summer and God knows I'm looking forward to the break. But, I'll miss you and the work. I can't name you here but thanks for making my year go better.

Now, go graduate.

No Worries run

Ran 6 miles today at Kennesaw Mtn. It was nice to just run with no race pressure, no plan, nothing but breathing and music. I said hello to everybody (some twice) and just enjoyed the run. I gotta do more of that.

Embarassing. Really.

Okay, I went to the gym. The word "worthless" crossed my mind. I'm weak. Really weak. And I hate lifting weights of any sort. No cardio benefit, no purpose. Pick the damn thing up, grunt, put the damn thing down, repeat. Flex and admire yourself.

Holy shit-are you kidding me? I can't see doing this for long.

I think I'm going to look into the benefits of push-ups, crunches, and pull/chin-ups. Functional fitness ain't found lifting weights. I think it's time to do some research.

New Challenge-Ultra on the horizon

So, I've been thinking. A lot. About life, school, relationships, etc. I need to find the edge (sounds so Top Gun) that will show me who I am when I am reduced to nothing. I thought perhaps Ironman would do it but instead it fueled the fire to do more. Those who really know me will say I'm not really a classic Type A. I'm fairly quiet and introspective about life and who I am. So, the idea of an ultra has appeared on my radar screen. Not a baby ultra but the whole damn 100 mile ultra. I'm thinking the answer lies somewhere between mile 0 and mile 100. I've never run more than 30 miles but I'm not letting that even slow me down. Hell no, I'm thinking I can do this. All of it.

So, the plan.

There's a local 40 mile race in December. I'll run that as a training/eye opener run. Then I'll do a race in February that's super technical and has a history of eating runners alive.

Then I've already signed up for a 100 mile run. That's just how I roll. If I spend the money on it, I'm doing it. So, there ya go. Another flash of being a dumbass.

I'll publish the runs later. I'm a little freaked out by the absurdity of the quest. It looks good on a blog but probably not so good when I toe the start line.

Okay-there it is. Keep reading. I'm sure this is gonna be fun.

Saying good-bye

Today, I say farewell to my rented Zipp 808s that were so fast at GC. Not only did they bolster my confidence, they actually stayed inflated! If you need fast wheels but don't want to spend $3K, rent them from www.racedaywheels.com Great customer service and a big selection of wheels.

I'm feeling better today. Yesterday was pretty bad. My body was just beat to hell and it was a Moan-day to boot! So, today is better. Sunburn is starting to itch so it's healing up. Next year at GC, I'll change from a tri top to a running shirt. I may even invest in one of those stupid hats from REI with the neck coverage. Just a thought.

I'm taking this week completely off. I may go for a walk at some point but I want to give my tired body/mind time to rest and reset. Again-balance.

It's funny. I have nothing planned. No races scheduled, nothing. Wait-I'm running the Peachtree this year. Okay, that's something. Speaking of running-I'm looking forward to running for fun again. Fitness and fun. Hmmmmm.

A better man.....,

Dave, my training partner, DNF'ed at Gulf Coast. He said he tweaked his hamstring and calf as he was pulling off his wetsuit in T-1. It didn't hurt much on the bike but when he got to the run, the pain was intense. If you know Dave, that means it must have been damn near crippling pain because Dave is tough. Really tough. So, Dave made The Decision. He stopped and did the right thing.

Yeah-he could have shuffled, walked, crawled, whatever, and probably gotten through it but at what cost?

I think it takes someone with guts, real guts, to call it a day. And I think it takes someone who really understands themselves and what makes them tick to pull the ejector pin and get out. I know Dave. He doesn't quit. He doesn't slack just because it's getting hard. That's just not him. So, it must have been bad.

Real bad.

Anther race day will come and Dave will conquer. And this day's chit will be redeemed.

Gulf Coast Half Report

There's an old saying: "If you want to make God laugh, make a plan." I think God laughed all morning as I attempted to go 5:30 at Gulf Coast.

Ouch.

First, let me say that I went to GC this year with ZERO swim training due to a bad shoulder. Not a little training but no training. When we arrived on Thursday, the Gulf looked liked a washing machine. White caps, steady winds, etc. I immediately soiled myself and asked Charlotte should I be doing this race at all?

She just looked pensive.

Friday rolled in and I did the bike thing. Saw Joe Reger as I was entering the transition area. I knew it would be the last time I saw that guy so we chatted for minute and I got the impresson he was in his zone. Quiet, reflective, said he had to "run a smart race." Nice guy.

I got my bike all set and prayed over my Zipp 808s. Hell, I didn't want to flat and have to change one of those tires. Cruised the Expo. Boring.

Friday night was scary because I was sure I was going to drown the next day. Hell, I couldn't swim 1.2 miles at the pool, what made me think I could do it in the ocean?

Saturday
Bang-alarm at 0400 and the day was on. Huge omlette, EnduroLytes, Gatorade, coffee, Advil, and Pepcid. Potty x3.

Got to body marking and the girl there asked me if I was age grouper or pro. I almost kissed her.

I stayed away from the beach because I was SERIOUSLY considering bailing from this race. I WAS SCARED. But the call came and out I went. My mouth was dry and I was literally shaking. The water was rough, not like IMFL, but rough enough. I saw Dave on the beach and he just looked like he was going to kick some ass. He came over to me a little before the swim and told me to relax. I think he could see the terror in my eyes.

The Swim

What can I say? I survived. It wasn't pretty and it damn sure wasn't fast. After about 500 yards, I had to throw my left arm forward because the shoulder was shutting down. This produced a swimstroke that constantly had me pulling to the right-away from the course.

Not good.

After I rounded the first orange bouy, I took a huge mouth of Gulf and really started to get in trouble. I just stopped and tried to get to my sh&t together but I was a LONG way from sand. I started breastroking and tried to get a kayak's attention. None came. I kept swimming, dogpaddling, etc. and eventually turned towards shore. I tried to freestyle and got way off course and had to work even harder to get out of the water. Finally, I got to shore.

49:57ish

The Bike

I had a hell of a good time going out but coming back was work. A lot of work. The wind howled and damn near stopped me cold. On the way out, I average 23 mph. Coming back? 18. I talked to some really nice folks out there. Triathletes are just the nicest people. Very Type A but very nice. Saw Charlotte at the turn and she looked great. What I didn't know was how much energy I was using up just to maintain the speed.

But soon I was gonna find out.

The Run

A death march. At the end of mile 1, I was in trouble. Real trouble. I had no legs. Nada. I kinda jogged, shuffled, grunted, and bitched the first few miles. Finally, the legs sorta returned but so did the sun. In a big way. Man, it got hot. Really hot. The aid stations were super. Sponges, ice, fluids, they were prepared.

Charlotte was waiting for me when I entered the park. The look on her face said it all. I must have looked really bad because I got "that smile." My daughter didn't know what to say-she just stared.

After I left the park, I'm not real sure of anything. I remember running through an aid station with Boy Scouts and the leader saying quietly to the Scouts-"He's in the Zone-let him be." Zone? Hell, I just wanted to be done. Mile 13 is the longest damn mile....,

Final time: 6:27 ish almost a full hour off what I was expecting.

Thanks to God, for not letting me drown and keeping me safe. Take care of the athlete who is now with you. I hope he gets a PR in heaven.

Thank you, Dave Roberts, for riding all those miles and for your advice. Joe Reger-you're a stud. Loranne Ausley (16th in her AG)-thanks for the high five and the beer afterwards. You're a true friend.

Most of all, thanks to Charlotte and Ingrid for being an amazing race crew.

I'm out.

Ready to GO.

Yeah-I'm feeling it. The anticipation of the pain. The excitement of the race.

Triathlon is unlike any other endurance discipline. People are more low key because they know on any given day, the race can humble you (think Normann Stadler.) The pain and effort is blind to how much your bike costs, type of gel you're eating, or body type. Sure, those things might mitigate the pain somewhat but in the end, the race is about you and the voice that says, "stop-it hurts too much" and your ability to deal with that distraction.

I'll let you know how I do. Dave (my training buddy) left a comment on the blog saying I need to average 24 mph to hit a 2:20 bike split.

Maybe that's aggressive, maybe not. He could do it. So, why can't I? Again, the mystery of the race. Will my legs fire well enough on Saturday to maintain the screaming tempo I want? I think they will. I'm headed into the race way undertrained in the swim, just right on the bike, and refreshed on the run. My legs aren't tired and nothing hurts. So, again-why not? That's what the race is about for me. I'm putting everything out there. All of it. Nothing left. Charlotte is a little worried. She keeps talking about EnduroLytes and positive hydration.

Again,I'll let you know.

Seriously, Michael.......,

Yeah-I did the manly thing last night. No, the other manly thing.

I shaved my legs.

Got them nice and smooth for the Gulf Coast.

It was hard to get it all. Finally, I gave up. Charlotte came to my rescue. I stood on the edge of the tub and Charlotte exfoliated my legs.

Nice job, Charlotte.

Okay-here we go. In Print Predictions

The Gulf Coast Triathlon is in four days. I thought it time to man up and set my predictions and goals here on the page for God and everyone to see. Gulp. Here goes:

Swim: 45 minutes

T-1: 00:1:30

Bike: 2:20

T-2: 00:1:00

Run: 2:00

That's it. That's the deal. I have a dream time but even I'm not that ballsy to put it in cyberspace. You can bet your ass that it's flashing in neon colors in my brain. Looking at the numbers-I gotta have a great bike and and a decent run. All of that is keyed to the swim.

Damn.

A good day

So, I finally met the famous "Reger" today. That's Joe Reger to most of the blogging world. He met Dave and I at Hiram today for a little jaunt before Gulf Coast.

It was probably one of the best rides I've had in a long time on the SCT. The pace was way up tempo but it felt pretty easy. Joe is one of those types you just like from the minute you meet him. And, he's fast. Really fast. I think he has 3 percent body fat. Conversation ebbed and flowed. Heartrates skyrocketed. Nobody backed off. Hell, it was just a great day in the saddle.

Thanks, Joe, for a great morning ride. I'm hoping to do that again soon.

Okay-so I've been a little slack

Life gets in the way. School, kid, spouse-all distractions I am blessed to deal with on a daily basis. But seriously-the world of tri has gotten a lot smaller this year.

Charlotte and I were shopping today and she told me it seems like I'm never home. WOW. What the hell did she think when I was training for IMFL? Oh yeah-life went on. She remodeled the kitchen, installed a garbage disposal, supervised the hardwood floors going in , new stairs, etc.

Again-balance. Right?

Gulf Coast is in 7 days. I'm so blessed that I get to race, okay, participate in , okay, finish the race.

I'm feelin it.

Or maybe that's the granola.....,