Happy Holidays Y' All!

Alright I know in today's politically correct climate I can't get away with saying Merry Christmas...but who was I to be politically correct.

If you celebrate Christmas:
MERRY CHRISTMAS! ( even though JC was actually born in spring, hey it would be a pretty short liturgical year to have Christmas and Easter back to back.)

If you celebrate Hanukkah:
HAPPY HANUKKAH ! and may the next 6 nights be just as crazy as the first 2!

Kawanza:
HAPPY KAWANZA!

The Solstice:
Well it's passed but I hope it was good.

Don't celebrate anything:
Well enjoy the day off, or overtime, or sitting at a desk being productive knowing your are the true wheel turning this economy back on track..and it will all pay off when us slackers get what's coming to us.

Ok so I think I covered everybody,

May God ( what ever variant you choose to believe or not believe in.) Bless you and yours and try not to eat too much, keep that crazy uncle away from the liquor cabinet, don't pull anyone's finger, and oh yes have a happy holiday.

R.D.

Thank you ma'am can I have another....

Well last night after I got home from work I set to digging my 2002 Subaru Outback from the confines of its snowy prison. I set to work with my shovel after two hours of labor I had a path to my driveway. I managed to get my car up with little or no issues...boo-yah old man winter.



After my two hour core workout, it was off to masters. Steph wrote a 4000 yard workout that turned out to be a 5000 yard workout so when I came up a little short at closing time I didn't feel so out of shape.



Here it is by the numbers



500 Swim on 7:30

400Kick on 9:00?

300Pull on 4:30



8X50 on :45 Holding :40 or under

2X100 Kick on 2:00 barely made them

4X75 on 1:10 held 55's

6x125 pull

8X25 on :30 made on :20 or lower

3x100 kick on 2:00

5X150 on 2:00 Barely making it...but making it I really wanted to push this set...and I did..now I just need to get back into shape.



8x25 on :30 last 4 on :25 to finish before closing.



Total yards: 4000.



So with the snow corework and the painful set above I was feeling pretty damn good. Today, X-mas shopping with the girls and then I'll head over to the Y for atleast an hour on the treadmill. It's supposed to warmup tomorrow so hopefully I'll be running out doors on Christmas.
Well that's it from me.

R.D.

Holy Shit it's Christmas or Anyone got a tow truck.....

Well, my training this weekend was totally shot. ( stupid winter storm and 12 in. of snow.) My car is stuck in my neighbor's backyard (another thank you to that wonderful winter storm.) our annual run to the casino, cost me $20, I still have to finish my Christmas shopping, yep things are in full holiday swing in my neck of the woods.



Saturday I tried to muscle my little Outback over the plow bank at the front of my driveway ( our plow driver hadn't come by yet and I needed to get to work.)..when I found it wasn't going to go straight through I back up to get a running start...well it got stuck again...and well repeat that scenario until my back bumper is against a pine tree at the end of my neighbor's property. after his and my futile attempts to get it out I walked to my parents place about a mile up the road, they drove me into work and took a shot and getting my baby free, right now it is a mere 500 feet from my nice plowed driveway.





Today my dad and I will work at digging my car out of it's icy prison, using the towing power of his Explorer if necessary so I can hopefully get to masters, if not the trainer is looking mighty inviting right now.



The Casino trip turned out to be less profitable than anticipated... another reason not to drink: Alcohol Makes you do stupid shit like going back to the craps table when you've tripled your money and then you lose it all..... all said and done I lost $24 of the $25 I went with but it would have been sweet to leave with the $80 I had before the bar..oh well lesson learned for my March run with my sister. Also Angry was in constant contact with Pants..So I can only imagine the conversations...Especially after our ill fated third trip to the craps table, I seem to hazily remember Angry going on a litany of I hate you guys...and some threat of war with the Mohegans... I can assume there were many deadlifts done this morning.



Training wise my outdoor activities are on read and react mode: I read the weather forecast and react accordingly...this week looks like it will warm up just a tad so I'll get some running and riding in. I was going to run yesterday but a little "wintry" mix but the kibosh on that, instead I shoveled the 4 additional inches of fresh powder that accumulated on my driveway and tried to triangulate the angles on getting my car out. It looks like our best is to clear a path up to my drive way and with a little traction and a little brute force I should be able to have baby back on road again...just in time to go out and do my absolute last minute Christmas shopping tomorrow night.



Well that's all from here...hopefully I'll get my training and my car back on track.



The weary walker

R.D.

Winter training ...or the I need to move to Florida post.

"What's the worst they could do to us send us to Siberia? We're already here."
-some movie.

Well upon looking at the weather forecast for the next couple of days maybe I should have signed up for the world biathlon ( you know XC sking and shooting) championships instead of an Ironman.For some God forsaken reason we are going to get a foot of snow dumped on us or at least that's what the doom and gloom weathermen are saying..then again these guys change their story every 10 minutes...10 inches no 20inches..no 12 inches...no 5 no 10 again...seriously these guys snowfall tabulations flux more than my 401k....

anyhoo it's safe to assume that unless these guys prove to be completely full of crap that my masters workout is going to be canceled. Already did my backup this evening.I managed to get a 4000 yard swim in my main set was 20x100 on 1:25...
I was barely making them so my butt is definitely more out of shape, than I was last year granted my courses were more demanding than last year. I plan on a beat the blizzard run tomorrow morning and then nothing but sweet sweet love for the trainer tomorrow night. figure a 3 hour session to the tone of Rocky, Rocky IV, and Miracle are in order, If I can stomach 4 hours I might go for it, but spinning in place gets so boring.
Saturday, depending on how long the white stuff delays my buddy from Nashville, the boys are making are the annual let's celebrate X-mas/ Angry's birthday trip to the casino...I'm hoping for mad winnings...a frist class ticket to Taupo would be nice...my car paid off even better...There will be much sin and debauchery as always. Hopefully the weather will clear up and I'll be able to get a quick pre work run in. Next week Christmas looks like the only good day for a run granted if it's decent Tuesday I might try for one. Next weekend hopefully this weather pattern will clear up and I'll have some cold yet dry road conditions to try to get 60-80 miles ( figure if I can get back up to that by mid Jan.and a frigid century I'll be in business.) in...but a guy can dream can't he....

Claire when are you moving to San Diego I'll be your box...I mean van....I mean roomate.

Not a fan of Artic weather....
R.D.

Training Plans put on ice....literally...

Well the forecasts for the next 2 weeks look like this...

Temps below average with a chance for wintry mix.

I should expect it it is New England and we always get that 2 week deep freeze before everything starts to go back to normal. Also last year I was spoiled, colder than average but drier, this year it looks like we have an "old fashoned" wet winter...which means snow and worse ice....at least I can run on snow but ice just plain sucks. I jokingly sent Catherine an email asking if she needed a roommate...I cook and do windows what more can a girl ask for? But seriously until the weather gets it's act together, I'll be spending time on my trainer getting reacquainted with my DVD collection...any one have any 36 hour Bollywood Epics they aren't watching?

All that aside the semester is ending which means I'll be back in the pool with my masters group, Stef already said she'd be happy to kick my ass into shape. So things are coming together, I'm contemplating putting a now vintage McCain "Drill baby Drill!" sticker on my top tube...not because I like McCain ( viva Obama! until he does something stupid...like giving GM a $600 Billion bailout with out giving everyone in America a free car.... speaking of which I'm waiting for my dividend from AIG....if we're going to have to pay it then we should get something out of the deal...but alas I'm no econ guy.) but back to what I was talking about a "drill baby drill!" sticker to remind me to "drill" the bike this year..to drill it hard...to leave it craving a cigarette and pillow talk afterward, only to leave it heartbroken as I leave on the marathon. I figure an hour on the trainer everyday..and the long rides or trainer session on the weekend, should get me into shape and rearing to go.

Well now that I've gotten my weather rant and training outline done, time to execute it.

Titan of the Tundra.
R.D.

RIP: The Big Red Caboose: Cardinal Avery Dulles S.J.

Ok so the title seems a little disrespectful but let me explain Cardinal Avery Dulles S.J. was the chair of the religion department at Fordham University. Many moons ago when I was young reckless and attending Fordham, say 2004, I was a member of campus ministry I was helping out at Holy Thursday Mass. Now Fordham is run by the Jesuits a bunch of priests who live in community and take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, so at this shindig there were about 20 members of the Roman collar club present, and all of them were going to be processing in. Father McShane the president of the university was lining the group up and made a remark to the cardinal, " and you, sir will be our big red caboose." Now if the cardinal was the uptight pompous sort he would have taken great offense to such a comment but the fact he chuckled a little at the remark spoke of his character. He was smart he was pious and he had a sense of humor. I only had the pleasure of hearing him say mass twice in my turmoil filled years at Fordham, his wisdom was profound and if you saw him walking around campus with his cane and Irish touring cap you would have thought he was just another one of the Jesuits on staff. He is what the Catholic Church would have type cast for a priest, smart, full of wisdom and faithful, yet at the same time easily approachable and in good humor. He will be sorely missed.

Rest in Pieces sir.
R.D.

It was above 30F on Sunday with no snow Could you guess what I was doing...

That's right the training rides have begun again...granted this year I'm going to maintain my bike a little better so I'm not forking over $40 for a new chain ( granted Pro Bike Kit has them for $25 ..dang this site and Nashbar are more deadly than an ice cream truck dealing crack in a school zone.).

Yesterday I got in fewer miles than I hoped for a whopping 37 miles in 2:20 at 16mph pace, but for my first day back in the saddle I'll take it. I drove up to Waramaug because I wanted to survey the road up, just to see what there were like...I could have kicked myself for driving all the way out there as they were mostly clear with the exception of one or two icy spots...well next time I know. I started by doing loops of the lake but after one loop, decided to mix in some hills, so I climbed Hopkins Rd. and went up this steep ass grade by the Hopkins Inn and Vineyard. The restaurant was working full tilt as the smell of fried food filled the air around the place. After the ascent I had to take it easy on part of the descent as there was one large ice pack on one of the side roads. As I shot down the main road back by the lake I decided to ride part of the Nutmeg Half Marathon Route. I figured riding in a flat circle wasn't going to help me prep for the hills of Taupo so I had better kick my ass back into climbing shape in a hurry.
After riding up Flirtation Rd. ( Claire and I had fun with this name on her Easter Half Iron bike.) and darting across US 202 I made my way to the center of Washington. Not knowing how bad the roads were heading toward New Milford, I decided to tackle the last "clover" of the Half Iron course, it was nothing but clear yet pitted asphalt. Also this was a gradual up hill, so my climbing legs were getting a decent workout. I got back to the lake and I was at 29.10 miles I decided I was going to ride until I hit 30 becasue the sun was setting...but opted to tack on the extra loop. I managed to get to my car feeling like I was going to "let it fly" at any second. I didn't have my head lamp with me so my plans for a run were nixed, so I decided to drive to Marty's cafe in Washington to relieve myself and get some coffee to warm my dead but up.

It was a good ride but I need to improve. I hope to ride Next Saturday morning if the weather co-operates although the apocolyptic weathermen can't seem to agree on whether it's going to ice/ snow/ or rain on Friday and if it will carry over into Saturday. If all goes well and the plans for wintry mix are foiled I'll get a 62 miler in, if not then it might be 3 hours on the trainer...ugg...I can only do so much work on the trainer...and then maybe a trip up to the casino with the homies, granted I'm thinking it might be wiser to stay home.

The Warrior of the Wasteland.
R.D.