Enough about baseball..my Ironman training so far....

Well my last few posts have dealt mostly with the New York Yankees post Season performance (or lack there of) so I guess now I should deal with my own post season evaluations. As many of you know I am training for Ironman New Zealand ( the financial implications are difficult to explain but hopefully I will pull this off...I'm filing my taxes at midnight Jan.1 so I can get my refund quickly to pay for this bitch...) So far the training has been not as intense as I would have hoped for, granted I'm only two weeks in . In the past week my runs have consisted of a 4 miler last Tue. on Central's rock hard knee killing indoor track, a 6 miler on the pitted back roads of my home town last Thursday, and a 12 miler on the same roads on Saturday Tomorrow Afternoon I'm hoping to cram in a 6 miler before class.. My pool performances have ranged from the grand total of 8, 200 yards I did last week ( 2000 on Mon., 3000 on Tues. and 3200 on Friday) this week I'm on pace to crack 10,000 ( I did 3200 yesterday, will do about 3500 tonight, and hopefully another 3000 tomorrow morning plus my Friday 3000 + master's workout) Yet the finding time to get in the necessary bike distances is tough. Last week I managed to get in a 50 miler on Sat. This week I only eked out a 25 mile ride on Sunday night and nearly killed myself on the trainer ( stupid uneven floor surface) causing me to feel shaky at best on it ( so much for my idea of watching the playoffs while riding to better fitness, granted now that the Yankees are done there is little point for me to watch accept that Colorado might Win the World Series which would be sweet for them, so the Ironman/TDF highlight dvd's will be getting much use.) Indeed I want to get as much time on the Bitch Stomper as possible. I know my reliable road bike ( Enrico) can handle any terrain and high cross winds but I really need to get used to how TBS ( The Bitch Stomper) will handle on varied terrain, and variable weather, also the fact I have to get used to clipping and unclipping into my Look pedals ( which I am very comfortable clipping in but bailing out is still a chore.) the unseasonably warm weather seems to be at an end which means the window for me to get in real long rides and not trainer simulations is closing rapidly by the day, ( and sadly my town is mostly hills that are not plowed exceptionally well and I do not find the idea of riding on a icy and steep descent while dodging speeding traffic fun. So on tap for the week are a lot of swim and run work outs ( which I can easily fit into my packed schedule) and trainer sessions in my room ( which has a steadier floor surface than my living room) and Hopefully long out door rides on Saturday and Sunday. At the End of the Month I have a week of vacation, so if the weather co-operates with me I will be able to have a real hammerfest bike focus week. (I will be stringing 25 mile daily rides together with a 75-100 mile ride and 10 mile run brick that Saturday. )All in all I'm hoping to at least have the base for the Ironman by Jan. and hopefully mother nature will bless Connecticut with a warm apocalyptic style global warming , winter ( you know the kind you can wear shorts on Christmas kind of Winter) So I will have the ability to still get in long rides on roads that are not covered in icy, snow, rock salt, sand, calcium brine, or some sick combination of all of them.
Well that's all I've got for now...If any one has any winter biking tips please post them on the comment board...any help I can get in this department is appreciated.
R.D.

Humble pie.....I cursed the Yankees.

Well my beloved New York Yankees are out of the playoffs ( cusses to self as he hears dead Red Sox fan uncles laughing and giving each other high fives from across the rift.) Which now leaves me more time to train and study. I believe that their playoff failure this year was not due ( as Steinbrenner seems to think) to Joe Torre's incompetence ( come on under his leadership the team cut a 7 game defecit to win the Wild Card and nearly snatched the divison from the Sox who once lead by 14 games), Player Cold streaks ( Jeter, Mr. Clutch was cold, Abreu cold, Wang, looked more like sum ting Wong....although Peittite, Rivera, A-Rod?, Damon and Caberra proved to be clutch and worth the money spent, they could not carry the team. ) No my fellow Yankee Fans ( or smart Alec Sox fans or Indians Fans reading and preparing to rub salt in the wound.) The Yankees loss was due to my cocky Remark...." And the Red Sox still suck " made to one neoprene free Sox fan when it seemed they were on the verge to losing the division to the then Red Hot Yanks. So Joe Torre if you can read this as you empty your desk, please forgive me.
R.D.

The Empire Strikes Back!

Last night I was ready to write my angry rant on how stupid Steinbrenner would be for firing Joe torre as well as my post of the Top-10 reasons the (ugh) Cleveland Indians would beat the (double ugh and fist shake of rage) Boston Red Sox. Then came the inning The Yanks were trailing 3-1 ( clemens well...I think he should stay retired for good. shit the bed and gave up 3 runs) Phil Hughes was pitching in relief and working on a gem. And Brian Westbrook for Cleveland was just un hittable. The Yankees innings up to this point were predictable...lead off man gets on. Second guy strikes out...third guy grounds into double play...Cleveland gets up and adds a run to the lead..In the Indians duguout you could probably hear the following statements "Is it warm in Boston?" Or "hey Skip who we starting against Beckett?" Or Kenny Lofton Spouting " I wonder if I should put my AL pennant ring on my lucky neck chain?" Jason ( overpaid and overrated ) Giambi grounded out. Then came A-rod ( who earlier in the game broke his playoff cold streak) got a single then the unthinkable happended...Westbrook walked Matsui. Johnny "Jesus/Judas" Damon came to the plate he worked the count full I cringled waiting for the dreaded double play ball. Instead he lifted a high fly on to right center ( where Trot Nixon had launched one earlier...damn what is it with all these 04 Red Sox jumping ship?) a Three run Homer and a 2 run yankees lead...there was no turning back. A couple innings later the Yanks got back to back hits for the first time in this series and Robbinson Cano launched one to Nixon, who proceeded to let the ball roll toward the wall and let 3 runs score . Joba came on to relieve Hughes ( who should be offered a lifetime contract for his " Hey Steinbrenner you see these strain marks on my back that's from when I came in in the 3rd and carried your ass.) and gave up an rbi to Trot Nixon then from there on it was Good night as Mo Rivera shut down the Tribe's bats allowing the Yankees to survive for another day. Final score 8-4
Top 10 reasons the winners of this sereis will beat the Red Sox
(1-5 are for the Tribe 6-10 for the Yanks)
1. His name is Kenny Lofton.
2. Sabathia
3. Carmona
4. We just beat the Best hitting team in Baseball!
5. Revenge for Giving You guys Ortiz and Rameriez
6. Momentum Shift ( think the crap you guys pulled from game 4 on in the 2004 ALCS isn't pay back a bitch!)
7. Hey Red Sox Meet Joba!
8. A-Rod finally Learned to hit in the Playoffs ( MVP...MVP...)
9 Jeter= Clutch
10. Johnny Damon curse?

12 miles....in 2 hours.....

well that's the the approximate distance I got off of gmap pedometer as the site was in the "shit the bed phase" when I tried to process my route. I got it in in about 2 hours ( just coasting under the barrier with a minute to spare.) so ten minute mile pace..part of me is now glad I might have to work Hartford Marathon Weekend. My knee is tight from Central's wonderful indoor concrete track..and now I'm left scrambling for the treadmill ( I'm glad my mom became a fitness nut.) as my training tool when those sub zero training days roll around so I'm not nursing a knee injury in the Ironman ( alla Country Music Marathon when two valuable weeks of training were lost because I was limping due to the track's unforgiving surface.and swimming does not prep your legs for the unforgiving nature of the beast...even the half doesn't do the full justice.) Last night I nearly fell off my bike trainer ( and no Jodi it was not When the Indians rallied. I was at my pool workout that I showed up for just in time and did not learn of my Yanks demise until I walked in the door.) due to the uneven nature of my living room floor. ( my idea of watch the game and ride was cut short.) There was a somber note to my run. 3 teens were killed on East St. Rt. 322 on Thursday morning ( driving home from breakfast after a water main closed the high school.) I normally run past where the crash occurred ( dodging speeding cars as they blow by the Farmingbury Country Club and East St. Eatery )and today I noticed the memorial of photos and flowers at the side of the road where the teens' car came to rest after a violent collision. The ironic thing was three houses down from the crash site a couple was celebrating the birth of their son...life and death on the same stretch of highway....it almost has that circle of life kind of vibe. The humidity and heat played a little bit of a factor ( I completely consumed 3 of the 4 eight ounce bottles of water on my fuel belt ) especially running up the hill on Todd rd. But car wrecks and humidity aside I managed to get my longest run since the half in and now must kick up the bike phase ( to take advantage of the good weather while it lasts.) So that's it in a nutshell nothing too new and exciting Leave some love or hate...or a donation to the War on ALS.
R.D.

I Think I'm losing it.

Yes that's right I only rested for one week and have slowly stated getting my self back into bitch stomping shape but yet I feel completely out of shape...not just the awkward in a speedo brief out of shape....not the "I'm jealous about the six pack abs the guy I just schooled has "out of shape...I mean the Chris Farley sitting on the couch watching baseball with chips and a six pack/John Belushi Breakfast of Champions out of shape. Maybe it's my training mentality of "of you aren't running x miles a week, biking x days a week and swim x^100yards a practice at least y days a week you will suddenly turn into a slow, wheezing out of shape sumo wrestler overnight, combined with stress at work , school, home, trying to get my travel to NZ finalized and paid for, I've gone from feeling like a blood thirsty animal at Park City, to a slightly less ferocious beast at the Nutmeg Half, to the slow fat kid getting dropped by 40 year olds on a group ride

(this photo is of me Freshman year at Fordham killing my lungs and liver simultaneously ...I have since stop puffing on the Cancer sticks but I think the damage has been done so if I'm looking for a transplant in about 60 years you can wave this picture in my face and tell me to piss off.)

Well Today I have a nice 10 miler on hand to try to get my legs back into diesel ass- kicking hot fire shape, and maybe a 10 to 20 mile ride on tap ...I'll see how the run goes and what errands I get into. Expect another post on how the run went and/or ride and possibly a meditative and inspirational wrap up of the 2007 tri season and well as a preview of the Magical Mystery Tour for 08.

Sunday night/Monday's post expect one of two things either a cuss fest on how much I hate the Cleveland Indians and hope they get sued by some tribe out west and are forced to change their name to the Cleveland Native Americans,yet despite all this I hope they kick Boston's ass. or a Boo-yah we ain't dead post glorifying the Managerial Skillz that Killz of Joe Torre.

Well gotta run.

R.D.

It's October and I'm a Yankee Fan ( which means I'm cussing out somebody and this year it's the Indians)

Well up until I walked in the door and found out my beloved New York Yankees lost ( again! seriously I'm wondering if they're going to become the 2000's version of the Red Sox and not win another playoff game let alone World Series until 2086...shudder.) I had a nice meditative baseball free post planned now the Cleveland Indians have wrecked that (oh by the way...you're welcome for getting Kenny Lofton back.) and the Angels seem to be proving that the Yankees are the only team they know how to beat..and the Red Sox well The Evil Empire is the only team that has their name and number and the tribe is making quick work of them. So if/ but most likely when the Yanks lose Sunday night I can expect Steinbrener to attempt to go on yet another spending spree to buy washed up big name talent..hopefully Brian Cashman will sit the boss down and tell him that it's not big name Talent that wins ball games and will have him bump up some minor leaugers with promise...and lop some dead weight off the roster...Giambi....Matsui ( sorry Godzilla we need results and not just against that team from Beantown) ....Mussina ( sorry moose but you just can't start anymore..unless it's against Wakefield.(which either means it will be a pitcher's duel or home run derby.) Indeed I found the perfect way for the Yanks to win on Sunday Bump the entire roster ( except for Milkey Cabrera, Joba Chamberlain, Hughes, and maybe Jeter and possibly Petitte) back down to the minor leagues and raise AAA Columbus, cause I guarantee you those guys will play with more heart than some of the overpaid slobs in the game right now. Alright that's my rant on my Yankees Playoff performance or lack thereof. The other thing that boggles me is all the curse breaking that's been going on seriously the Red Sox won in 04 ( their last was in 1918) The White Sox won in 05 ( their last was in 1917) The Tigers and the Cardinals played in 06 and the Cards won for the first time since 1982 which leads me to my bold yet most likely dead wrong prediction:

Cubs Vs. Indians anyone.

The Tribe hasn't won since 1948 and the Cubs ( who are in the same spot as the Yankees 1 game away from going home and cleaning out the lockers for the winter.) well they were cold when the Red Sox took them out in 1918 and they haven't been to the big dance since 1945 and they haven't won since 1908....so who's up for a good ol' curse bashing fest...

unless of course the stars realign and the Yankees resume their winning ways of old...in which case I would gladly welcome a re-match of the 1927 World series Cubs vs. Yankees ( I would love to see Cabrera give the middle finger to Cubs fans Babe Ruth style by "calling his shot" and sending a deep one to the bleachers. )...and of course being a Yankee fan I would welcome the same result...after all somebody's got to be cursed and it better not be them.

Yes that is a replica Lou Gehrig Jersey While I'm talking about baseball and my favorite team I might as well shamelessly plug for the war on ALS. Gehrig was a great player whose career and life were cut tragically short by the terrible disease and I ask ( even if you are an irate Cubs, Indians, Angels, ( shiver) Boston( double shiver) fan ) please click on the link and donate to the War on ALS. Anything given to the cause, even if it just a buck...will help to find a cure or at the very least treatment.

Ok that's enough baseball/fundraising/ranting/ pissing off Red Sox, Cubs and Indians fans for me.

R.D.

The day form Hell !

Well today in one word SUCKED! I was cussed out on the teller line, was late for class because my drawer was over for some odd reason? ( can I pack the away the difference ...please I really need it.) I was having a high stress binge due to lack of funds, loan denial and oh yeah a credit card payment that was due to day but just did not want to go through. To cap it all off my mother's philopshy of "visualize positive results and they will happen" ..um well let's just say that's been working in an opposite direction for me more of like I visualize positive things and get....crap....I try to the converse visualize crap and get.... more crap...at least in my method i'm prepared for what's coming.... Alright I know my little juvenille tieraid is misplaced. I'm not starving, no one's going to die or was going to die if I couldn't pay my bill ( unless some old ex-gestapo dude took over the bank my card's at then, then my vision of a whole line of cubicle dewellers getting cap because " God damn it it was your reponsiblity to make sure a 22 year old punk ass from Wolcott CT paid his credit card staement!" might come to furuition) The lady in the car who called my names I dare not repeat..( let's just say she thinks I'm shorter than I really am and have a better sex life than I actual do.) That whole positive Krama thing...well i won't toss it out as complete crap just yet, but it's slowly inching it's way toward the open waste basket. My withdrawl letter for IM New Zealand has not been written yet, although over the last two weeks I've been tempted more than once to start it and cut my losses, yet for some odd reason part of me still thinks I can pull this off. so we'll see. My cutoff date to withdrawl is December 11. ( I figure by the time my letter gets there it would be close to the Jan. 16 or 17th cutoff date for a refund.) So as of right now I'm still heading to New Zealand...otherwise my ass will be gracing the shores of Kona or louisville Kentucky next year...although trying to qualify at Eagleman is like trying to win the Daytona 500 in a rusted out 1968 GTO...not impossible but really tough. well after nearly passing out in Computer Class I'm off to the indoor track to get in 3-4 miles and then the pool for an "easy" 3k. on one good note I was able to get my payment through...so maybe in 30 years when I payoff my debts I will be able to buy my own place. So all in all It's been down.....it's been up, then it's come crashing down at 6o mph with no brakes, then its picked up again...all I know is I'd better get that work out in before the gym expoldes of something...because it has just been that kind of day.
R.D.