As I write this from the Admiral's Club @ LAX ( my income tax came in and I didn't make Kona so I decided to spend $50 on comfort and Internet access for my 6 hour lay over in the city of "angels" ) As I had a lot of time to reflect on the flight back to the US and A I wanted to give some shout outs and props to everyone who made this Ironman Possible:
My Family: My mom had to deal with me leaving early in the AM and not returning until well after dark most days, my sisters had to deal with the lovely noise of my trainer most of Christmas Break, My dad had to deal with my weekly "if it keeps snowing like this I have to drop out" rants, for the emotional support and being understanding for my long days on the bike , road or at the pool , and despite everything that was happening not letting me quit I thank you.
Angry Runner: Whether it was keeping me company on a 20 mile training ride, talking common sense into me on the blog, or hauling my ass to JFK the day after a Nor' Easter, you have truly been there for me.
Speed Racer: If friendship is going the extra mile for someone then you went an extra 149 beyond that. Most people would not drive 3 hours to ride 50 miles on a warm day, let alone a cold, windy day in November...you proved that you are beyond most people.
Bjoern: For the bike case, the banana shakes, and being the only psycho willing to run in the middle of the night in New Britain with me thank you.
Cranky, Pants, and Warrior Woman: For the motivation, inspiration Donations to the War on ALS ( Motor Neuron for my Kiwi readers)good humored stories and travel advice thank you.
Dave and Al: for putting up with the fact that I spend three hours in the store yet I tend to drop less than $100 on equipment. For the tubes the bike packing, and advice along the way.
Ken Glah for putting up with my plethora of nervous emails, the beer at the after party, picking up my dehydrated ass on the training ride to Repora, pretty much the entire trip....
Marty.....Coke all the way on the marathon actually works quite well although I don't know if I'll be able to look at flat soda the same way again....
Ken Schultz, Max Gary, Sean, Vin, Cristano, Jim, Raf, all the Guys and Gals at HEAT, for the advice and putting up with all the questions, thank you.
To the whole EST group: Good Job! Back next year?
To Dan, having expert bike knowlegde and a wonderful sense of humor.
To Blair, for giving me the course tour,the repairs, the training advice and helping me settle down two nights before, and being there with encouragement at the 40k marker. thank you. ( Also it wasn't windy, if it was windy there'd be surfers on the Lake. Good luck in China!)
To Dave D. The $50 was well spent and the $5 went to a post race beer...on Sunday....
To Stef Karas for giving me ass kicking swim workouts.
To the staff at the Taupo Times, you guys made me feel like a pro for a week.( Next year when I come back I'll try to shower and shave before I go into the office instead of walking in fresh off the bus from Auckland.)
To Simon, for the beers, the interviews, standing in the rain, getting me into the VIP area at the finish and trying to explain the in's and out's of Rugby to me. Also get into triathlon mate, the girls alone are worth it.
To Catherine, for putting up with my constant flirting with good humor, standing in the rain and getting soaked to the skin, the excellent photography and fun times along the way. Seeing you pop out of that car with 7k to go put a smile back on my face. Also if you're doing this race I want to be there!
To all my readers and the inmumerable others that sadly I don't have space to fit for all that you've done even it was simply putting up with my Ironman related posts for 7 months.
Those 11 hours 13 min. 43 sec. in Taupo were because of you.
R.D.
Showing posts with label Thank You.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thank You.. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Ionman Update: As the snow blows......
Old Man Winter is in his death throws and has decided to puke the White stuff on Southern New England once again. Once again I could go on a massive tie raid, complete with "Al Gore is full of crap.!" Howard Dean Yells ( ARRRAGGG!), and just plain anger frustration and a pure waste of emotion...besides I already did that clearing my car this morning.
In 24 hours I board the big sliver bird and get my butt to Los Angeles, then from there a nice little terminal change and I board Air New Zealand's giant winged beast and 12 hours later arrive in "sunny" Auckland.....it might be raining but at least its warm...(insert Angry New Englanders tossing rocks and snowballs at me.) Sir Angry and I are keeping an eye on the weather and road conditions, right now it looks like a sled and a team of dogs might be a safe bet. Either that or cross country skis and a shotgun, biathlon training and protection in Queens.....man that could be a post in itself....
Most of my stuff is ready to go, I've just got to pack my carry on, grab a calling card, and pray my flight is not delayed too late. As of right now arriving flights are delayed 4 and a half hours. I've emailed my travel angent what kind of contengency is in place in case my JFK/LAX flight is running a wee bit late.
So I'm praying for a clearing, and hopefully my next post will be from Taupo.
P.S. Thanks for the encouragement along the way..also Pants thanks for the grocery list, and 'm sure Vegemaite isn't as bad as everyone says...is it?
de-angry de icer
R.D.
In 24 hours I board the big sliver bird and get my butt to Los Angeles, then from there a nice little terminal change and I board Air New Zealand's giant winged beast and 12 hours later arrive in "sunny" Auckland.....it might be raining but at least its warm...(insert Angry New Englanders tossing rocks and snowballs at me.) Sir Angry and I are keeping an eye on the weather and road conditions, right now it looks like a sled and a team of dogs might be a safe bet. Either that or cross country skis and a shotgun, biathlon training and protection in Queens.....man that could be a post in itself....
Most of my stuff is ready to go, I've just got to pack my carry on, grab a calling card, and pray my flight is not delayed too late. As of right now arriving flights are delayed 4 and a half hours. I've emailed my travel angent what kind of contengency is in place in case my JFK/LAX flight is running a wee bit late.
So I'm praying for a clearing, and hopefully my next post will be from Taupo.
P.S. Thanks for the encouragement along the way..also Pants thanks for the grocery list, and 'm sure Vegemaite isn't as bad as everyone says...is it?
de-angry de icer
R.D.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
For the second time in as many years I did not get my ashes.
Yes that's right I'm probably the most Hell bound Eucharistic Minister in the Archdiocese of Hartford. For the second consecutive year I forgot( ie...didn't have time to get to mass.) on Ash Wednesday. Now I didn't really do anything that bad..I ate today which if you go off the old school 1500's theology is bad because you're supposed to fast which means nothing but maybe a glass of water. or in the 1960's Vatican II theology means just don't snack and eat a big meal and like a yogurt or cereal for breakfast and lunch. I didn't do either, but I didn't have meat and I'm doing 140.6 miles for charity I'm sure that earns brownie points with the boss right? Ok the fact that I am a moderately "bad" Catholic aside. I have recieved a lot of donations to Team Blazeman and a couple of donations to the send Bob-o to Taupo fund or I guess as it can now be called, keep Bob-o from eating Ramen the week before the Ironman fund. Which is very full so there will be much reprocity.
I have now decided I am charged with 5 sacred tasks on my New Zealand Oddessey
1. Kidnap a Kiwi Bird for My Sister Crissy.
2. Find a hot young New Zealandette to become Angry's Baby Mama.
3. Qualify for Kona or die trying.
4. Find descent, afforable, yet meaningful souveniers for those I have promised them to.
5. Say hi to the 20 something year old Canadian Dude for Leana.
Tonigh Bjoern has decided to swim and I think I'll join him afterall it is too late for me to get to Waterbury and spend time with the diva of the lane lines Miss Stef.
I reflected alot on my drive up to campus about my friends and all of the people that have got me here...alot of you were very generous and supportive and I have vowed to myself that I must pay this forward. A few of your have sent me direct financial assistance, kind words, donated to my charity page. I have decided that when I graduate form college and have my financial situation in order ( ie. I'm working behind a real desk, and earning more than $20k a year.) That I will start a fund for disadvantaged athletes. I guess the main reason for this epiphany has been the help I have gotten but it has also been in the spirit I have seen in some of the runners from Wilby High School. On New Year's day as I cranked out a 15 miler, a kid from Wilby's track team running in a borrowed pair of holey sneakers was trying to get in his 7 mile distance run. We started talking and did about 5 miles together, and the kid had heart, the whole track team had heart, the sad thing is they did not have the money for descent training gear. The city of Waterbury paid for Jerseys and spikes but they were on their own for trainers and this kid was reduced to borrowing from the track coach. Now I will tell you from experince that it takes a lot of balls to run in borrowed shoes and even more to run in holey shoes on a cold wet winter morning. So this is my vow, when I get secure, or if I croak in some crazy, bike vs. Kiwi vs. wild dingo accident in which this will be charged to the executor of my estate. I want money going into these inner city track and swimming programs. That will be the focus of my life after college, after Webster, and God willing when I'm 85 and I've grown tired of being the oldest Hawaii finisher every year, after competition.
Like I said if I don't start doing anything toward this when I'm well establiashed in about 5 years time , someone please mail me a hard copy of this post.
Sport has been very good to me.
R.D.
I have now decided I am charged with 5 sacred tasks on my New Zealand Oddessey
1. Kidnap a Kiwi Bird for My Sister Crissy.
2. Find a hot young New Zealandette to become Angry's Baby Mama.
3. Qualify for Kona or die trying.
4. Find descent, afforable, yet meaningful souveniers for those I have promised them to.
5. Say hi to the 20 something year old Canadian Dude for Leana.
Tonigh Bjoern has decided to swim and I think I'll join him afterall it is too late for me to get to Waterbury and spend time with the diva of the lane lines Miss Stef.
I reflected alot on my drive up to campus about my friends and all of the people that have got me here...alot of you were very generous and supportive and I have vowed to myself that I must pay this forward. A few of your have sent me direct financial assistance, kind words, donated to my charity page. I have decided that when I graduate form college and have my financial situation in order ( ie. I'm working behind a real desk, and earning more than $20k a year.) That I will start a fund for disadvantaged athletes. I guess the main reason for this epiphany has been the help I have gotten but it has also been in the spirit I have seen in some of the runners from Wilby High School. On New Year's day as I cranked out a 15 miler, a kid from Wilby's track team running in a borrowed pair of holey sneakers was trying to get in his 7 mile distance run. We started talking and did about 5 miles together, and the kid had heart, the whole track team had heart, the sad thing is they did not have the money for descent training gear. The city of Waterbury paid for Jerseys and spikes but they were on their own for trainers and this kid was reduced to borrowing from the track coach. Now I will tell you from experince that it takes a lot of balls to run in borrowed shoes and even more to run in holey shoes on a cold wet winter morning. So this is my vow, when I get secure, or if I croak in some crazy, bike vs. Kiwi vs. wild dingo accident in which this will be charged to the executor of my estate. I want money going into these inner city track and swimming programs. That will be the focus of my life after college, after Webster, and God willing when I'm 85 and I've grown tired of being the oldest Hawaii finisher every year, after competition.
Like I said if I don't start doing anything toward this when I'm well establiashed in about 5 years time , someone please mail me a hard copy of this post.
Sport has been very good to me.
R.D.
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