It wasn't supposed to be a rest week....

Well this week wasn't really banner on thhe training front. I got to the pool 3 times and managed to eek out 10k I was going to try this afternoon but I just took the day off. Running only 8 miles for the week but I've really wanted to get out. I could use the excuse of the frigid...ok to my Canadian readers...slightly less than tropical weather of 15-20F with a 10F windchill have kept me indoors. So essentially I'm calling this a rest week and will get back to cranking out ridiculous miles and yards next week. Starting tomorrow. On the plus side I did hit the weight room and cranked out sets of Push ups, pull ups and over head presses to try to get my flappy forearms back in shape, with some TGUs added in for good measure.

R.D.

On the lighter side of the news...Bob-o gets Spanked by an Old Guy.

Ok with the life changing earth shattering decision I announced in the last post I almost forgot to mention how the Time Trial went on Sunday. I showed up at the Plainville and tossed down my $4 coaching fee and made my way to the pool deck. Some of the HEAT regulars like Erica, Doug and Ray and Ray were there so were a few new faces and one who would become my "nemesis" for this TT. Coach Rich ( probably the most hysterical yet evil Portuguese Swim Coach on the Planet.)showed up with his freshly out of Grad school son and we jumped in for Warm up. After 300 yards it was out of the pool and we picked heats for the swim. I went in heat one. there were no counters but Ray assured me that he'd let me know when I had 50 to go. The other swimmers in my Heat were Doug and I believe Erica. Rich sent us off and away we went. Now the week prioor to this I had been running myself through torturous sets my most infamous 4x500 on 7:00. So I was pretty prepared for this. I didn't know if I'd be pulling 12:30 or lower like I did in my college days but if I could bust the 13:05 I pulled at East Lyme a couple years back I would be happy. The swim went well I was even amazed that my counting was on the money. I just missed breaking 13:00 but I was pretty impressed.I beat my closest competition by a minute. I managed to hold 1:19 100's on most of them so I was pretty stoked. Then the next heat came up Coach's son and Karl and Ray...reasons we'll remember Karl 1. Rebecca arrived late so she was warming up in the lane he was doing his time trial. 2. He told Ray his goal was to beat 12:00. Well as I started timing for him it became apparent this guy was a former collegiate stud. His opener was a 1:06 100. As he cruised along I had to recheck the watch at his 500 split a 5:55 "surely this guy's gonna blow up." I thought /hoped too myself. He didn't his splits stayed perfectly even 1:13's he just barely missed the 11:59 mark going a 12:00:50. Coach's son pulled a 12:45 ( granted I didn't feel as bad being upstarted by a 27 year old ex-college guy as I did by a 40 somethng year old ex-college guy....although it does make me hopeful that I can be pulling 11:00 Ironmans into my 60's.) Anyhoo I got taken to school. Well Played sir.
I could go into details of the set after the TT 10x100 on 1:45 thee fiirst 5 we cruised and apparently the second 5 we were supposed to sprint. Coach looked at us afterward and was like " the set was too easy." I was like "how can you tell?" to which he replied " You're smiling you're not supposed to be smiling you're supposed to be suffering." On that note I don't know if I'll be going to many more workouts...afterall I'm already pulling ridiculous yards during the week....but part of me wants to bust that 12:15 I did back at good ol' Fordham University ( pre-drinking and smoking. Seriously I was so dumb my first two years of school.) In either case I don't think my check book can handle it and my shoulders are rejoicing at that.

Today well I could go into the long brutal story seriously found out some stressful details hat might torpeedo my plans at a commission and any advancement in the civillian sector as well as some bad news for my brother.... the workout was the best part of the day. 8 miles on the dreadmill, a little lifting and core work, and 4200 in the pool after an unintentional 2 day rest.
So right now I'm just hoping and praying that I can get some stuff in order and move forward because quite frankly I'm getting tired of being stuck in this dive.

R.D.

Bob-o Steps out of his comfort zone....

Well for those of you that have been reading for a while a few months back I said I was debating about entering the Armed Services. Well over the past few months I've done a lot of searching and reflecting and made a decision:

I'm applying for my Commission in the U.S. Navy.

There are a lot of reasons I'm doing it. Some are not necessarily right: (ie I need more money than being a bank teller.) Some that are right: (ie I want to help people and this will put in a better position to do so.) And some that are sort of in between: (ie I want to be the first commissioned officer in my family, this path will allow me to challenge myself and give me better opportunities for growth.)

Ideally I want to go for aviation which is a little longer commitment than most other duties, but if I'm going to put myself through the wringer I want to do something extra ordinary. The process is going to be long, parts will be difficult ( I'm pretty sure there are going to be days down the road where a Gunnery Sergeant will be calling me a worthless pile of amphiban shit that I'll want to quit.) but then again isn't anything that's worth it in life usually is. Whether or not it's the right call I'll won't know until I do it, but I can't sit here and dally on it forever, the die has been cast, it's time to move forward take a deep breath and stop talking and start walking. It's a challenge just like the Ironman, you set a plan and despite the pain and the anguish you focus on the goal, the finish line, the light at the end of the tunnel and you see it through. So I have begun the process, and hopefully in the journey I will find what I'm looking for.

R.D.