Apologies and what's been going down

Hey there readers....if there are any of you still out there. I'm still alive and making through. A lot is happening on the home front so I apoligize for not keeping up with posts and reading yours I plan on devoting half a weekend to it.

I completed Manchester on Thanksgiving granted I was over a minute slower than last year.I blame that on lack of training as I was laid up with a head cold and some drama on the home front. Still my time wasn't too bad a 32:27 still fast enough to get seeded in the sub 35 corral next year. I would like to go into more detail and talk on how I was put in the corral with the sub 30 people but my internet connection is kind of finicky.

Congrats to Speedy Claire in her Ironman Cozmuel adeventure she managed to pull a 12 hour race from the jaws of a DNF.

I'm still sort of schleping through winter training doing a lot of swimming and running since my bike is in storage and there's no Ironman New Zealand on the agenda. Also my hodge podge training and whatever is available diet has caused me to go from my usual 165-170 to the 175-180 lbs. range.

Still considering Navy OCS but I'm not really sure. My parents are screaming it would be a mistake and I kind of see their light on the issue. I'm not the best person under stress granted I've been under stress for the last two years,especially this year and managed to function. Granted I tend to get a little snappy and sour and well just not the type of person most would want to be around. Likewise my other alternatives aren't looking too pleasant either. Option one is go back to working two retail jobs until the economy gets back in gear...this is sort of the reason I went to college in the first place. and with the economy in its current slump not necessarily the most available options as some place tend to turn down people with degrees as being "over qualified." The second is attempt grad school in 2010-2011 which means another year of trying to juggle bills and student loans then taking out more debt to get a sheet of paper that might get me the opportunity to get a job, but not really guarantee it. essentially I'm torn in what to do. I could see my self in grad school I could but let's face it a BA in History might as well be toliet paper. And a MA in Education with a BA in history might toss you into the fray for the 20 or someodd openings for history teachers. I would like to go into medicine and as my dad has suggested I could do Public Health Services when I get that coveted sheep skin but that means taking out loans for a year of post Bac. and then 4 years of Med School.or 2 years of Chiropractic, still it's a lot of coin up front.

I'm getting back into training because if I do decide to become the first commissioned officer in my family then I want the physical part of OCS to be as painless as possible. I look at the website for it and sort of had to chuckle when they wrote we will be doing 10-12 miles of running weekly...that's sort of a vacation compared to the 20-30 miles I normally do weekly on top of swimming, cycling and weights. Indeed the physical part is the easy part for me. The Mental challenge of having to follow strict protocols for tasks as basic as eating might be where I'd have a problem. Likewise add in officers and drill sergeants screaming at me for the sheer purpose of creating the most stressful enviroment possible and I'm just not sure how I'd take it. I might be fine but without a daily release like my long run or swim and I'm just not sure.

At the same time there's been a lot of drama on the home front that I just can't really get into. But needless to say this is also contributing to my cloudy visions of the future, as I essentially feel like I'm sailing in limbo. So that's what's been going on here. Time keeps moving into the future and the time to act is approaching but I'm just not sure which course of action to take.

R.D,

God help me...

Yep I signed up for a life changing experience today....well ok...maybe not too life changing. I didn't join the Navy, I signed up for the Manchester Thanksgiving day Road Race for the second straight year. My run training has been scant as I've had life stress on max overload for the last couple a weeks with a pretty ugly head cold thrown in for good measure. But this weekend I managed to get back on track and have cranked out about 19 run miles in 4 days. Thursday's race isn't anything too big to worry about it's only about 4 miles and change, but I would like to defend my sub 35 min seed card. Yes this race is hardcore as there are over 11,000 entries and they have to seed anybody planning to run sub-45 minutes to try to avoid traffic jams and twisted ankles. The race ( like any big event.) caters to ultra professionals, to weekend warriors to complete psychos running in wacky costumes. Like the reflector wearing saftey man, and more guys and gals in skivies and body paint than I'd care to count. Thankfully the weather looks to be warmer this year so I'm not really upset at Josie for twisting my arm into doing this race. Up until last Thursday I wasn't planning on it I was just about to toss my seed card and entry form on to a pile of used kleenex when I got the text along the lines of "dude you're running Manchester." So tonight we drove out there braving the terrible log jam that is the I-84, I-91 merge through downtown Hartford and got out to the race site after sitting in traffic for 45 minutes the 2 seconds it took to register and leave felt, well, kinda anti-climatic...especially compared to last year's last second mad dash to enter the night before Thanksgiving. So I'm in and if any one of you lives in Connecticut tune your TV to Fox 61 at about 9AM you might catch a glimpse of me waving into a TV camera like a doofus ( as the TV stage is set up right where the 35 min and under corral is.) I think I'm also going to shout out a request to those bag pipers at mile 2 I hope they can play Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" because let's face it Scotland Brave is soooo over done...

The Turkey Trotter
R.D.

Trying to figure things out

Well as things start to stablize on the home front I'm starting to look for a second job to help subsidize my student debt which is now rearing its ugly head. I'm still working as a bank teller and it doesn't look like I'm going to be going down an alternate career path anytime soon, well at least it doesn't look that way. I figure I want to move out west so I need to get my life and finances togehter for that. Likewise if I'm going into the Services I want to be in the right state of mind going in because taking on the stress of officer training while your psyche is stressed out from other issues is not a good combo and usually results in conduct...um well not becoming of an officer.

On the training front I have ideas for which races I want to do in 2010 but the future is not really clear at this moment. So I'm training but there is no definite schedule in my head. I want to do my usual pilgrimage to East Freetown for the Patriot Half, and my local races. I would like to do an Ironman/ Iron distance race so I have given thought to talking to Ken Glah for the "Lake Placid Package" I've also number crunched for Canada but neither race is New Zealand and with all the issues facing me it's safe to say the earliest I'll be heading back to Taupo will be 2011. Which I'm not bitching I'll actually have a winter to devote to something other than riding at the lake. Kentucky looks viable, and Ken also has entry packages for Arizona and Florida, so I'm confident I will be rolling into an Ironman next year it's just where and when is the question.

R.D.

Alternative Career Routes

Well the job hunt continues after putting out more apps and starting to look into the sports field one option has started staring out at me: The Navy. But Bob, why most people would ask? Well, right now I feeling like I'm doing nothing with my degree, I'm in debt up to my eye balls and my parents' suggestions to me are go into even more debt going for my doctorate in chiropratic, and with a lot of drama on the homefront I'm afraid of stagnating into an unstable enviroment where I will just continue to go nowhere get further into debt and not be able to pay it off not be able to do the things I enjoy and end up living with my parents for the rest of their lives. So I started looking into the Armed Services as a possible career alternative. I've narrowed down to two branches. The Coast Guard or the Navy.



I opted out of the air force because intially I thought I wouldn't have the eyesight requirement to fly (turns out I do I'm 20/25 uncorrected so I know I could correct to the 20/20 they want, but if I'm going to fly I'd rather do it Navy style because personally I like a challenge.)



The Army well I don't want to do land based combat. I really didn't agree with the rationale for the Iraq war ( Afgahnistan is a whole diifferent ball of wax....)granted I believe we need to leave some enigneers and medical staff in the country to help them get back up to speed ( afterall we

can't just wreck a country's infastrcture and walk out...but that's beside the point.) The thing is even through I would be stripped down to my animal core of kill or be killed I don't know if I'd have the mental strength/ Conscience to kill another person in hand to hand combat to look into another person's face and deliver a death blow, if I had to I could do it but getting into the trenches of the enemy just isn't what I desire.



The Marine Corps...same as the Army ( or as they like to say the guys who Aren't Ready tobe Marines Yet.) These guys are hardcore they are hardcore enough that they drill the Navy's recruits.They live for hand to hand combat, First in, last to leave. If you absolutely positively need it destroyed they are who you call. They''ll jump out of a plane go into the trenches and leave the poor Slobs they're fighting mamas in pain from the damage they infllict then do 500 push ups and a 20 mile run to celebrate. They are a special breed, hard, tough, loyal, fearless. There is a reason they are the few and the proud and quite frankly kudos too anyone who is tough enough to join them. Siemper Fi fellas.



Now to the options I'm considering.



The Coast Guard: Other branches can insert jokes here. Puddle Pirates, Duck Washers..etc but realistically these guy get the most action of any branch. They are the last and first line of defense,, search and rescue, and support. I'll go into why I think I should join:



Become a rescue swimmer:



Pros: let's face it I'm strong in the water, and I'd be saving not taking lives.



Essentially I would become Americas best paid life guard.



Cons: The Berring sea in Alaska is the most dangerous patch of Ocean in U. S. Territory. If I'm as good as I hope I am then this is where they'd most likely send me. Not that I mind but some people were built for living in the artic but not me. Request for a transfer to someplace that has an average temperature higher than 35F sir!





Bases on the Great Lakes. Same thing I get depressed with 76 inches of snow yearly in New England....I don't see living in upstate NY or Wisconsin having any advantages other than I would be ready for IM Lake Placid or IM Madison......the whole 4 months it's actually warm enough to train.



Become a regular or Aviation officer:



Pros: Fighting drug and human trafficking scum,

Essentially being a cop on a boat or a chopper.

Keeping the ports safe staying in the country, on land or at least close to it.

Miami is looking really nice this time of year.



Cons: Could still shipped get somewhere cold ( suck it up Ensign.)

The boats are pretty dinky.

If I "go down in the line of duty" the telegram would look like this:

Dear Sir and Madam: We regret to inform you that your son gave his life to prevent 10 Kilos of Cocaine from hitting the streets of Miami....yes we know it's spit in the ocean too ma'am.



That leaves the Navy as my other option.





Pros:

As a kid a bunch of my friends and I grew up watching movies like Iron Eagle and Top Gun, planes were cool,, and we sort of came up with idea to become pilots. One of us went to the naval academy and decided to go USMC special opps. Another is on the fence and reallistically wouldn't it be a kick in the balls if the kid who grew up afraid of heights was the one to get his wings first.



This was sort of the branch I thought I'd go into, nautical based, figure my odds are better in the water than on land.



From my buddy Lt. K "The navy has bigger boats and warmer ports."



More firepower on one ship than the Coast Guard has in the entire fleet.



Spiffy Uniform: I look good in Navy Blue and a peacoat, ain't gonna lie.



Pay: well an Ensign makes a hell of a lot more than a bank teller. Plus student loans are paid off, so I could go do my chriopractic stuff while I'm in.



Figure if I hate it I use it for what ever it will get me. If I love it then make a career of it.



Two Words: San Diego!



Flight School is either in Florida or Texas and snow does not exist in either place.



Officer Canidate School aka OCS is in Newport, RI close to my sister, close to home and close to a college where the girl to guy ratio is 5 to 1.



Cons:

OCS= HELL ON EARTH!!!! or a least for the first 4 weeks. A tweleve week crash course in learning routine, following orders,developing teamwork,and sucking it up. It's like being stuck at mile 5 of the run in the Ironman...you question why the hell you're doing this, but you have to dig deep and find a reason. I've talked to some people who went through Navy Basic as well as consulted online resources. This thing is the first day of any college sports practice ,finals week, home economics on roids, and a Marine Corps Drill Sgt. screaming at you from Reville until Taps. You Want those bars you got to Earn those bars and you'd better show you can shine your shoes and fold a bed before the Navy entrusts a crew of Enlisted men or a multi-million dollar aircraft to your care. Toss in some academics, and some good old fashioned hazing and it's like your back in freshman year ....except all those professors you hated are getting sweet sweet payback. I don't think I will be as happy to drive over the Pell Bridge as I will on graduation day than on any of my other trips back from Newport.



I might be a misfit. I was brought up to question why? To weigh out all possible options. In any military branch even as an officer you have to perform without question. You have trust the guy shouting orders at you has the best information and is making the right call...even if you don't ...you have to do it anyway...it's a lot of Control that a skeptic has to give up.



The next con will be done to the tune of the rap song "I'm on a boat.":

I'm on a boat and it's going slow and I'm going to be away from land for six months supporting the Afghans...going to Kona yeah keep dreaming, Ensign there are Somali pirates scheming ....



might not become a pilot, RIO (Radio Intelligence Officer ( Goose from Top Gun.)) or medical and end up working logistics...Yes sir, I will Fed-Ex 250 barf bags to the aviation school sir.

I become a pilot and get shot down...I will die in one of 3 possible ways.
1. Blown to smitherines like my aircraft. Probably the best way to go other than you know old in bed surrounded by my family.
2. Slow, cold, and alone awaiting rescue in the sea.
3. Suicide to avoid capture because if my own guys can put me through hell to not crack in Survival and evasion training, I'd hate to find out what my enemies can do. hopefully in this senario I'll have more bullets than enemies or a really short jog or swim to friendly territory.

Well that's Bob-o's considerations on military service whether or not I decide to go depends on few factors, but it is looking like a viable option.

Also to all vets past, present and future...Thank you!

R.D.

Maybe I might be good at this Xterra Crap...

Well ok after purging the negativity about my endless quest for more gainful and meaningful employment I've decided to write about what this blog was started for. Chronicling my exploits.

This weekend I went to visit my sister in Newport, RI. After serving as designated driver for four party harty Salve Grads on Halloween night I decided to take a run along the cliff walk. ( figured it was safer than trying to run my normal loop to Middletown and back.) Well apparently I forgot that the Cliff Walk is paved with stone boulders in some sections and you're essentially rock hopping for a bit. My run started from my sister's apartment on Bellevue and would take me past the Elms, and Rosecliff Mansions before I enter the cliff walk. The first mile was pretty easy as I ran past Salve Regina University and darted around tourists and walkers. Then this thing wennt into Xterra mode, for the next two miles I was rock hopping, doding puddles and contorting my self into awkward positions while still carrying on at a brisk pace. On one particular section a thought popped into my sick and twisted mind...maybe I go do this off road crap, I mean I'm pretty good running on trails, and rock skipping. Only thing is I need a moutain bike, and I mean when I was a kid I was fearless on the trails after all mud and rock has got to be softer than asphalt. After nearly twisting my ankle on a couple sections I decided to take the safe route back along Bellevue, passing Marble House and other "cottages" of the "Captains of Industry." While it was only 5 miler it was a hell of a workout.

So will I be doing off road next year probably not but it may be in the my future.

R.D.

Where do I go from here?

Well last week I had my Claims assesment exam and sadly it did not go as planned. Apparently I hate it when life doesn't follow the little script I give it. The plan: I was supposed to pass it and be on my way to Jersey this week to have my interview and land a job as a claims rep. Instead I got the dreaded "We're sorry to say Mr. Duguay that you got an unsatisfactory on the first section and sadly can not continue. You can make another attempt in 6 months." Maybe part of it was life stress, maybe the other part of it was I've been exhausted, but regardless it seems yet another promising way out the pit I've been in for the past year has been uprooted and now I sit here wondering where do I go now?

One part of me is deciding maybe I'm not meant to work in finance, fine, I'll still put in applications and if anything comes up I'll still go after it but realistically failing that exam on the BS section has really hurt my confidence, it's like crashing on the bike in T-1 or getting a cramp half way through the swim in the Ironman and watching your 11 hour glory day end after 20 minutes and a kayak ride, it's flukey and bogus but it weighs on the back of your mind the next time you attempt it.

The other part is maybe I should go the med school route. I like sports I've got an ok science backround and personally I'd like to work in sports medicine. The only problem I'm in massive amounts of debt and I really don't want to take on more debt so what are my options to pay for it. I could join the Navy, get them to pay my med school and patch up some busted Marines for a few years. Not a bad option maybe even join their tri team and ass kick myself into the best shape of my life. Might be a good life except for the fact I have more in common with Pfc Joker from Full Metal Jacket than Cuba Gooding Jr. in Men of Honor. Yes I'm a smart ass and my Drill Sgt. would have a field day...if I go this route I'd better get used to doing 100 push ups at a time. And learn to keep my wise cracks to myself...at least until after OCS.

One part of me is looking into selling tri gear as a rep for Pearl Izumi, Gu, pretty much anysports related vendor. I have experience in retail and customer service and hey I might as well be hawking a product I like.

The bottom line is I can't keeping living the way I'm living now so I better find a path to a better future and fast.

At The Drawing board.
R.D.

2009 In Pictures Part 1

Well it had it's ups it had its downs but here's my 2009 racing season in pictures. I know these pictures are overdue but it's the first time I've been able to sit at the compputer long enough to up load them. Here's Ironman New Zealand's pics to go with the Race Report.

Ironman New Zealand:

Ah the Scenery.

Pro Spotting in Taupo: Doe, Bonzone and Lawn.

Steve's Poster at Cafe Body Fuel.

Cat and I.



Sunset on the waterfront.



The Swim Start

Running up the hill on the second loop.


Pulling away on untested legs.

Trying not to puke.

Frank and his neighbors going over the logistics of shiping and storing bikes.


Frank and His Neighbors must have Very Understanding Spouses who would give up this much Shed and Garage Space.

Sorry it was nearly 8 months late. More pics to come as I clean oout my photo galleries and surf the net .

R.D.