What a difference attitude can make...,

I haven't posted lately because school is about to reconvene. For teachers, that means a ton of work from now until mid-May.

I'm totally cool with that.

Teaching is an amazing profession. I've done corporate America, made lots of money, and can honestly say I was bored 95% of the time. Hotels, airports, bitchy clients, and twitchy stockholders equals misery in my book. I'll never forget my sales manager saying in disbelief, "But, you're number one in the country. How can you quit to be a teacher? Do you know what they make?" I hung up and left my car at the airport with my AMEX in the glove box and computer under the front seat.

No thanks.

So now, I'm teaching at the high school from which I graduated. It's a bit surreal to walk the walks and hear the ghosts of memories past. I still remember what subjects I studied in the classrooms as I walk down the halls. Very strange.

And cool.

So, I'm hoping for a good year. I'm teaching American Literature to the Junior crowd this year. Juniors are a funny breed. They have finally figured out high school but just want to get out. It's also the year of all the high stakes testing so they're a bit more focused. That translates into being hammered by Mr. B. Good times.

As far as training goes, I've had a bit of an injury so I scaled back. My left knee was seriously inflamed so I gave it a rest and I think it will be okay. I'm been hitting the upper body really hard and hope to see some improvement soon. My strength is already improving and I see the hint of a third ab.

August 1st marks the beginning of the training regimen for the Pine Mountain 40 Miler which is really just a training run for the Mississippi 50 Mile Trail Run in March. My goal with both is to simply finish upright and coherent. I think my running days are rapidly drawing to a close so this may be my last hurrah. I don't think my body will let me do a 100 miler and not suffer some type of devastating injury. That doesn't mean I won't try one-it just means I may pay a huge price for my hubris.

Okay, enough. I'm going to the gym to see what little strength I have. It really is pitiful. A pasty guy with a M-dot tatto trying to get stronger.

Sad.

Feeling the love....,

School starts for me on Wednesday.

I'm excited. Way excited.

I almost bailed on teaching after last year. I figured if I was going to have to take all this shit, I might as well get paid to absorb it. I left corporate America to make a difference, ti impact students' lives , and to inspire them to get outside themselves and find their boundaries. Last year was an exercise in abuse, weak academic performances by unmotivated students, and a general decline in my desire to teach. Then I did the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project.

It brought me back from the dead.

So, as I wait for Wednesday and think about the upcoming year, I think about what I want to do and what I want to accomplish in my classroom. I want students to see American Literature as I see it-our literature. American literature is our nation's history as seen through the eyes of poets, philosophers, drunks, addicts, and statesmen. It is a body of work that is uniquely American and steadfastly renounces the voice of the English. My students are going to write.

In massive quantities. In many different forms. Until they get it right.

Life is gonna be good on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to gettin it on.

Stay tuned.

Racing the storm

I sat in a seminar for 8 hours today with brand new teachers. OMG-was I ever that innocent?

It damn near killed me. After hearing 8 hours of theoretical classroom management strategies, I was ready to run.

And the storms started to form...,

As I finished 5 miles, the storm approached. Remember-I ride a motorcycle. So, I guzzled Gatorade, yanked on my helmet, and raced out of the parking lot.

Lots of wind. Lots of crabbing against said wind to maintain direction.

Scary...,

Dental work, good drugs, off day

I have the best dentist on the planet. I absolutely love her. And yeah-today she hurt me .

Whatever.

So, I went to the gym and did upper body and core work. Gotta do more of that.

Oops-Captain Darvocet is calling my name.

peace and love,

Captain Tripps

10 Miles

Yeah, it blew.

5 miles with the family

Did 5 while dragging my cute dog along. Hot, humid, and fun. Feet are okay and I'll do another decent run tomorrow.

Charlotte and Ingrid did the 5 as well. Ingrid bitches about how she has a "crazy fit" dad who runs marathons and does triathlons for fun and obsesses about his diet. Charlotte calls me "her skinny, moody, redneck-writer type."

That's cool. I hope Ingrid sees the value in living a lifestyle that has health and wellness as a focus.

Feet hurt

Yep-my heels hurt and my legs feel really heavy. But, other than that, I'm good to go. I think I'll go to my local park and bang out a 10 miler just to get the blood flowing to the legs again.

Maybe.

Then again, I may not do anything except go to the local library and find some good books. School starts back in about a week or so and I gotta get my fix of mind candy before the academic stuff starts (student essays, research papers, etc.)

16 damn ugly miles.

Damn ugly. I can't say it was miserable but it wasn't pretty. 16 miles of rock-hopping, striding, running, cursing, and generally moving forward. Weather was great and I saw ZERO critters, not even ground squirrels.

Weird.

The rice cakes were a hit although they don't taste great when heated by a sweaty back and washed down with fruit punch Gatorade. I have three new blisters so I need new shoes.

Legs are trashed, feet hurt from the rocks, I think my butt's chapped a bit. Slugged down 24 ounces of Endurox R4 and will take an NSAID later after I eat. I'm headed for a cold shower now.

Great way to start the weekend...,

Here we go...,

It's 5:54 and it's gameday/ I'm actually pretty excited about the run. The park opens at 0730 so I plan to be there to greet the ranger.

Pre-run meal was French toast with coffee. I'm also going to scramble some eggs for the added protein. I always like to start a long run topped off with easy fuel to burn.

Coffee is doing its job. Yikes.

So, stay tuned and I'll let you know how this run turns out. It's supposed to be in the 90s today.

Okay-two rest days...,

Yeah, I took today as well. I probably could have fit in something but the day was really tight. So, tomorrow is the day for the big runs. I'm trying something new for nutrition so either my next post will be about some epic projectile vomiting or a testimony to the art of trying something different.

Yeah.

I'm feeling a bit fitter and nothing hurts as of yet. That's good news. My plan is to go slow up the mountain, bang out a strong pace through the Cheatham Hill entrance and try to be steady around the loop. God knows what type of shape I'll be in coming home.

The beer is chilled, right next to my Endurox R4 and Advil.

Good stuff (levyism)

I'm up but am decidedly undecided about the mountain...,

I'm up, got my stuff ready but didn't sleep at all last night.

Probably those damn fajitas...,

Anyway, Charlotte reminded me that I have to go to Cobb BOE this morning and Ingrid and I dentist's appointment early this afternoon. So, I'm not sure I can get the run in anyway.

Tomorrow, however, is looking mighty fine for some epic suffering. I can still knock out 12 today but it will have to be at my local park. I was really hoping for the mountain run today.

So, decidedly undecided works for me.

Rest day today-BIG DAY TOMORROW...,

I took today as a rest day and cleaned the garage. It's amazing how much crap a family of three can acquire in a few years.

It took all morning to sift through three rooms in the basement and the garage. Not fun.

Tomorrow is a test of sorts. I'm hitting the mountain early and running big Kennesaw to Little Kennesaw, crossing Pigeon Hill and doing the loop at Cheatham Hill and then finishing around the base of big Kennesaw. I'm thinking that's about 14-17 miles and if I keep it together, it will let me know where I am fitness-wise. Of course, I'm doing the run slow (9:30-10:00/mile) but it's the distance that counts for now.

Gonna hurt though.

Bad.

We'll see what happens. I'm not too proud to abandon the run if it's going to hell but I really would like to drop the hammer and see where I am.

Stay tuned.

10 miles in the books

I ran 10 today. Easy pace, walked some of the hills, watched critters in the woods, thought about the upcoming school year.

Solid effort but I wonder if I have what it takes to do an ultra. I guess I'll find out once I've completed this base phase.

I'm giving blood this afternoon so I'm hydrating like crazy. Wonder what my pulse will be?

5 miles and 1 blister

It's funny how the smallest thing can just irritate the hell out of me while I'm running.

Like a blister.

I had 7 miles on my mind today. I'm loving the park near my house and was on cruise control, listening to music and feeling the earth under my feet when I felt a hot spot developing on my right heel.

Damn.

I thought I could just override the thing and move through it but the more I tried to ignore it, the worse it felt. Finally, the skin ripped away and that was that. "All engines stop, Captain!"

So, I'll get some more miles tomorrow. Ran 12 yesterday, 5 today, and would love to get 40 miles in this week. Gonna be tough but doable. Thank God for duct tape and moleskin.

If I can manage the small things...,

Keep moving...,

My day blew up so I missed the chance to do a decent run. So, I took a walk.

5 miles.

I don't run on concrete or asphalt unless I'm being chased or have a race number on. Today saw me with neither. I didn't have time to get to the park so I headed out the door. The strips of earth between sidewalk and roadway are veritable treasure troves of weirdness. Some examples:

I counted no less than four condoms. Seriously, how did those get there?

A complete Betty Crocker cookbook.

Numerous articles of clothing including a pair of boxers, flipflops, and 1/2 of a pink bra.

A set of handlebars from a bicycle. Not aero enough to take home.

Good stuff...,

I'm up, it's 5:45, and the morning is positively cosmic!

We went over to my friend's home last night for a nice meal and wonderful company. Dave and Lindy are from South Africa and they have traveled the world. As travelers and educators, they have lots of stories to tell and ancedotes that make me laugh.

So, we ate and visited. Nan, the media specialist from RHS, showed up as well. Always good to see her. Nan's son is headed to MIT to major in something called Theoretical Math and some type of weird computer science thing. Nan says he wants to study "pure math."

Yeah.

Legs are a little sore so I'm only running 6 this morning. I'm going to try a new park, Leita B Thompson on Hwy. 92 in Roswell. I used my new handheld bottle yesterday and it worked great.

Looking forward to the Gahuti. Ouch.

Going blogging crazy!!!

Hey, third post of the day. Stephen King would call this "unbottleling (his word, not mine)." Going camping this week at Fort Mountain and that means hill training for Six Gap and long runs on the Gahuti TRail. If you've never hiked, much less run the Gahuti, it's sick.

Stupid sick.

Some sections are straight up while others are just carved out of the damn mountainside. Makes for a fun 2 hour run. Did I mention it's only 9 miles long but 2 hours is WAY good.

I think.

So, me and my trusty waterbottle are gonna get us some mountain over the next few days.

Stupid sick.

One in the books

Pretty decent run albeit at glacier speed. It's always fun to run at Kennesaw Mtn. No critters other than the human type and even those were sparse.

Good stuff.

0600 and the day has begun...,

Okay, I made Charlotte waffles and then topped them with peach jam that I made last weekend. I've pounded my second cup of coffee and am trying desperately to wake up. My goal is to be at the mountain around 7 or 8 to run a smooth 11, albeit very slow. Slow is good these days without any type of race in the NEAR future. I'm more interested in building base miles than anything else. Slow and steady is now my mantra.

Getting fat. Quick.

I'm okay with gaining a little weight, especially when out of a training cycle but...,

I'm going to apply to the Vermont 100 but don't think they take me. I haven't run a 50 yet and my most recent full marathon was in 2006. The application does say the director will consider "other endurance races." I wonder if a full Ironman counts? If anyone out there has any experience with the Vermont 100, please leave me a note. Does it fill quickly, running surface, etc..

Uh-oh. Coffee is moving...,

See ya

My wife saw me on TV...,

And it wasn't even on Cops! Seriously, my wife said she saw me during coverage of the Peachtree yesterday. I asked her how I looked. She said like everybody else. It's good to know I fit in...,

So, I don't like the new course but I'm not sure anybody was thrilled with it. I really don't like the race either but when I wear the shirt, it gives me a chance to talk about fitness and health. I'll probably run it again when they change the course back to a finish at Piedmont Park.

My time? Does it matter? I ran 57:22. I ran slow because 1) I just wasn't feeling it yesterday 2)it was really humid and 3)I had to dick around with the new water bottle. Speaking of which, I almost threw the damn thing in the bushes. I know when running an unsupported race, it will be invaluable but I've been running for a long time with nothing in my hands so it[the bottle] is quite noticeable. I'll get used to it.

Maybe.

So, today we're headed to Alabama to visit Charlotte's parents. They live in north Alabama where there are some some big hills. I'm taking my Trek and going to do some miles.

Six Gap looms large.

Looking the part...,

So, now that I have committed to the world of ultra, I have to get new stuff. That meant a trip to Big Peach Running Company. Their store is staffed with runners and tri-geeks so it's fun to go talk with them and understand each other.

I bought a water bottle. Sexy, huh?

For years, I've run with a Fuel Belt. The one I have currently has no functional zippers, very little Velcro left, and is pretty nasty looking. But, it has spent some serious time with me and I'll miss it. I went with a handheld bottle. We'll see. So far, I ain't impressed. I'm going to use it tomorrow during the Peachtree and make my decision then. It's possible the damn thing could wind up in the bin with all the other gear that is worthless.

Prediction for tomorrow? As always, finish upright. And then, who knows? I'm in Group 2 so I'm guessing I won't have a tremendous amount of human debris to wade through. I'd be happy with anything under 50:00

That said, I don't really care what my time is.

• It's the 4th of July
• I'm a teacher so no work until the END of July
• And friends are coming over for some dead animal and high octane beverages

Good stuff.

Michael

It's 4:58 and I'm up.....,

WTF? I'm not sure why I'm up other than my wife went to work early, way early, today. So, here I am and I was thinking about my KMWP experience and other pressing issues.

The KMWP was a vehicle to make new friends and explore what I could do as a writer. It did little for my ability to actually teach writing. I found the research work tedious, uninspiring, and dull. It will look good on the resume and ultimately provide contacts for the next level-PhD.

My new friends are fine people and I hope we stay in touch. My life experience tells me that won't happen but I'm okay with that. Sometimes snapshots are all we really need.

I thought about what I had done yesterday with the races and have determined it was indeed, stupid. But, one cannot look back and regret. So, moving forward, I'll start training soon.

Maybe.

I'm thinking about closing this blog as no one reads the damn thing and starting over. But, there's some good stuff here. I don't want to see that go away.

If you're lurking out there, leave me a comment so I'll know I'm not alone in the blogsphere.

peace,

Michael

Okay, now I've done it.....,

I admit it. I'm an endurance idiot. I'm not very fast at any of the disciplines, my knees are damn near shot to hell, and I'm just tired. So, my solution?

I signed up for some more pain.

Ironman 70.3 Augusta (how could I say no?) September 29

Mississippi 50 Mile Trail Run March 7th

Yep-$325 of misery. Good stuff.

The KMWP is over, I wrote some really good pieces, and I'm ready for a friggin break.

Michael