Snow, Sickness, Slapstick and Scandals...

What a week!  A lot has happened within the world of Tri-craziness and beyond.  (Well, I must state it would be completely egotistical to say things don't happen outside the world of Tri-craziness.)  I hope those of you who read the title caught on the alliteration.  That is a just a little fun with the English language I like to have as an educator.

Patty and Russell on the bridge on the Bicentennial Greenway.

It snowed buckets on Thursday night in the Triad.  (OK, maybe 4 total inches, but that is a lot to us Southerners!)  It did not only snow buckets, it thunder snowed.  I was invited to go out, but due to the training schedule and my crazy work week fatigue had set in in a major way!  I was completely wiped out!  (I must admit that I even skipped my scheduled trainer ride.)  I thought that I might take a nap and regroup, but then it started to thunder snow and that is simply stuff one reads about in the Bible (Lewis Black, 1999) and I simply wasn't going to risk that!  

Ron "Bane" Kennedy putting me in the hurt locker!

Besides, I had already had the hurt put on me at 6:00am at ABsolute Fitness NC with Ron "Bane" Kennedy.  Yes, we call him Bane when he gets into trainer mode just like Bane from Dark Knight Rises.  He truly has transformed my overall performance and worked on my muscle endurance.  We all know those times when the aerobic system is still operational, but the muscles are simply toast!  Ron has truly worked with me to build up my overall strength and muscle endurance.  He  compares muscle endurance to having a car that can go from 0-60mph a bit slower than a car with NO^2, but will ultimately outlast the souped up car over time.  Look forward to Ron's interview on this blog in the near future.  It is always interesting to hear the views of a person with a degree in Health and Human Performance who also played football compared to those of the degreed nutritionist +Tara Martine who owns WIN Nutrition (and also holds her pro card in Triathlon, not to mention is a fruitarian.) 

Drink your Greens! Put a hurtin' on the virus!

As the title states, there has been some sickness that has hit me this weekend.  I rode 42 miles with Kurt, John and Tundra and was struggling during the last 15 miles or so.  This ride was an attempt to stay away from the black ice and snow that was left from Thursday night's thunder snow.  I'm not sure what is smarter, riding at 4:30pm as dusk approached in Cary, NC with Brain Lewis or riding two days after an NC snow?  Kurt, who is riding super strong lately, was climbing like a maniac!  Usually, I am able to put a little hurt on him when climbing, but Saturday he was crushing it on the hills.  He chose the route and John and I told him to take a different rode for fear of black ice (truthfully wanting to avoid the massive hill), but Kurt thought otherwise.  I attacked the hill trying to teach him a lesson about going off the path, but cracked like an egg before it is scrambled.  It was here I realized that I was completely DONE!  I was constantly farmer's blowing at every stop light and sign and coughing like crazy.  I'm pretty sure that this came on around Thursday when I was feeling fatigued.  What this is teaching me is that I am going to have to adjust my training schedule to my life.  There was an article on slowtwitch.com that spoke about how all stress in life impedes recovery.  As an age group triathlete finishing grad school and working a full time job (although being an educator often feels like working three or four full time jobs, especially with after school rehearsals), I must remember that recovery is necessary.  Hence the fact that I am changing my schedule from a 10 hour training week to a 7-8 hour training week.  (This cold kept me from my long run this weekend, but I didn't miss veggie fajitas with Kurt after he ran 10 miles).  

Now for everyone's favorite section Joking on Jester!!

Recumbent Sweat?  Is this real work?

Jester, you have been putting in SOME work.  A five mile run here, a three mile run there.  The latest development have been your ventures on the recumbent bike.  You have spent an hour on the recumbent bike as well as a 15 mile recumbent bike ride.  I see the huge level of sweat you produced, but does it really work the same as a 40 mile ride in the hills of the Triad?  I know you have tons of winter gear, get out there on your bike, bro.... rent a Huffy, do something!!  I think you dig the gym ladies checking you out as you sit back and pedal.  Yep, that has to be the truth.  Even though I am suffering right now, I got out there!  I need to see some more posts of you being outside, not to mention have you even entered the pool?  (The pool I swim in at the over commercialized gym The Rush seems terrible, but at least I am getting in the pool!)  Continuing to monitor your progress on Daily Mile as we count down the weeks towards Azalea!

A flawed human who inspired millions

The Lance Factor.  Yes, his stock has plummeted over the past months with the reasoned decision released by USADA that stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven tour wins as well as all wins after 1998.  I am sure all you Enduro-Freaks have watched "The Interview" or at least read some journalist's take on it.  I have just a few things to say about Lance and his confession.  First, it took a lot to go on national television, no matter the network, and admit to being completely flawed and a cheat!  This is not saying he wasn't a bully or that what he did was right, but is there no forgiveness in this world?  Even though he was flawed, a cheat and a magnanimous bully didn't he begin a foundation whose sole purpose was to provide cancer support for those suffering and promote cancer research?  This is not saying that his humanitarian efforts make what he did right, but if he didn't dope and win 7 tours, as well as come in third during in the comeback, would LIVESTRONG be as globally recognized as it is today?  This is not to say that I don't feel betrayed by Lance, but I must remember that I too have flaws and in the eyes of that great I AM greater than all of us no flaw is larger than the other.  So, draw your own conclusions on this man who won 7 tours in an era that was proliferated by performance enhancing drugs.

Patty, Russell and I after 5 miles in the snow!

Well, I hope everyone takes a moment today to reflect on the two significant historical events that occurred.  One being the remembrance of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.  Even though we may disagree in these United States at least every 4-8 years we have a peaceful transition of power.  So, whatever your political affiliation remember this fact when you're out and training because in the end we are all Americans and because of this we can live and train free in this continuing great experiment!  On that note, I think I'm going to try to run 4 miles before getting caught up with the mountain of grad school work!

(Sorry, no video this week folks.  Perhaps next week!)