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.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
I should seriously write a book about this....
If I haven't faced enough adversity in trying to train, fundraise, and get to Ironman New Zealand, Mother Nature is deciding to bust my balls at the last second. This morining as I got into work I was immediately hit with one of my co-workers saying she was coming in in a full snow suit tomorrow. I looked at NBC 30.com and checked Bob Maxon's forecast ( I could no longer take the antics of Scott Hiney...I mean Hanney, who is probably doing a snow dance at this moment.) Friday night into Saturday they are expecting "A Traditional New England Nor'Easter." 6-8 inches of snow and sleet muhahaha! Now seriously anytime there is the incling of a flurry these guys are breaking out the deathtoll meter, early warning system , and crazy religious wackos saying " Repent the end is Here!"Now I don't have much faith in their forecast, I think we'll get some white...(hopefully not) but I'm thinking 3-4 inches, I mean these guys have been prediciting the next ice age since September...it gets tiring...fast. Ok weather rant done!
If the roads are absolutely horrible on Saturday I'll take the Metro North in, figure the rails will be clear, and I can grab a cab to JFK or do the Connecticut Limo thing.
I got a later more commuter friendly flight back to NYC from LA So I won't be sitting at JFK For 3 hours waiting on the CT Limo Shuttle. That's always good right?
Well regardless, it seems like things have been popping up all along the way to try to stop me from doing this, which means one of three things will happen in Taupo
1. I will finish against all odds,At the stroke of midnight after enduring terrible hardship, winning the Hearts and minds of athletes everywhere.
2. I will have one of those " Greatest Game Ever Played" Moments. Being an unknown amateur and suddenly stun the tri world more than Chrissie Wellington's Kona Win, either beating Cam Brown and Luke Bell in a Duel Down under or coming damn close.
If the roads are absolutely horrible on Saturday I'll take the Metro North in, figure the rails will be clear, and I can grab a cab to JFK or do the Connecticut Limo thing.
I got a later more commuter friendly flight back to NYC from LA So I won't be sitting at JFK For 3 hours waiting on the CT Limo Shuttle. That's always good right?
Well regardless, it seems like things have been popping up all along the way to try to stop me from doing this, which means one of three things will happen in Taupo
1. I will finish against all odds,At the stroke of midnight after enduring terrible hardship, winning the Hearts and minds of athletes everywhere.
2. I will have one of those " Greatest Game Ever Played" Moments. Being an unknown amateur and suddenly stun the tri world more than Chrissie Wellington's Kona Win, either beating Cam Brown and Luke Bell in a Duel Down under or coming damn close.
3. I will have the greatest race of my life, Qualify for Kona, get massive sponsorship and turn pro.
Or at least that's how it would turn out in a novel.
Regardless of what happens I will finish even if, in the words of Jon Blais, " They have to roll me off the course."
Ok mush gushy emotional part of the post over.
Praying For Clear Skies and a Tailwind.
RD.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Ironman Update: 9 days and counting.....
Days until I get on the big steel bird: 3
Days Until I hit the Water: 9
Days until I know if I made the Big Show: 10
Okay Bob-o's mini doomsday clock is running, granted of course my countdown has happier ending than the doomsday clock...hopefully..barring any Dingos in canoes making their way across 1600km of ocean .....
Well apocolyptic time pieces aside I am tapering and giving my legs a well deserved rest. Tomorrow morning and Friday I'm planning for some quick 4 mile runs, not much but enough to work the legs just a little bit, you know before I sit with my feet up for 14 hours. I might throw in a trainer session tonight after masters, a nice little 30 min. spin, small ring 15, in the words of Troy Jacobson. I went out for coffee on Monday with Stef....we're just friends, at least for now...and as mentioned before I am on taper which means I'm mostly sitting on my prosterior chain, eating, working, and doing classwork.(gasp)
The Angry Express has annoucned its willingness to haul my butt to JFK, getting home I will utilize the CT Limo Airport Shuttle, since I'll be arriving at 1AM so by the time I claim my baggage, get a bite to eat, etc, It'll be close to 3am or I'll just bite the bullet and call American and get a later flight so in anycase I'll be back in the Dirtywater in time for class on Tuesday the 4th. So that's where I stand at the moment nothing out of the ordinary to report. Expect a pre-flight Post on Friday and then a live from Taupo Post sometime Sunday.
Well that's all from the hood.
R.D.
Days Until I hit the Water: 9
Days until I know if I made the Big Show: 10
Okay Bob-o's mini doomsday clock is running, granted of course my countdown has happier ending than the doomsday clock...hopefully..barring any Dingos in canoes making their way across 1600km of ocean .....
Well apocolyptic time pieces aside I am tapering and giving my legs a well deserved rest. Tomorrow morning and Friday I'm planning for some quick 4 mile runs, not much but enough to work the legs just a little bit, you know before I sit with my feet up for 14 hours. I might throw in a trainer session tonight after masters, a nice little 30 min. spin, small ring 15, in the words of Troy Jacobson. I went out for coffee on Monday with Stef....we're just friends, at least for now...and as mentioned before I am on taper which means I'm mostly sitting on my prosterior chain, eating, working, and doing classwork.(gasp)
The Angry Express has annoucned its willingness to haul my butt to JFK, getting home I will utilize the CT Limo Airport Shuttle, since I'll be arriving at 1AM so by the time I claim my baggage, get a bite to eat, etc, It'll be close to 3am or I'll just bite the bullet and call American and get a later flight so in anycase I'll be back in the Dirtywater in time for class on Tuesday the 4th. So that's where I stand at the moment nothing out of the ordinary to report. Expect a pre-flight Post on Friday and then a live from Taupo Post sometime Sunday.
Well that's all from the hood.
R.D.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
So what are You doing @ 1AM Eastern Time March 1?
Well this week , has officially been nothing to write about, 2 runs ( one was a 4-5 miler on ice the other was an 8 miler in the midst of a rain storm.), My swim Work outs have tapered to the "Below 3000 yard" point, and The Bitch Stomper is packed up and ready to Rock and or Roll the Southern Hemisphere. Also as a side note I did find stickers small enough to detail it, but I will also sharpie names to my arms and legs just so they're visible. This weekend after having Al and the guys at the Bike Rack in Waterbury ( Your source for all things Mountain Bike and Fixed Gear.) help me pack TBS I calculated the time differences between the major time zones and Taupo. For all my readers on the EAST COAST it is a 17 Hour Gap. What does this mean? Well for any one planning on watching the live pod cast/ webstream @ ironmanlive.com( Cannondale Jim, Ken, my Grandpa...etc) this means that the broadcast hours will be a little odd. The Race starts Sat. Mar. 1@ 7AM NZT (New Zealand Time) which means it will be 2PM Fri. Feb 29 EST (Eastern Standard Time) My self projected Finish @ about 11 hours..hopefully less means I will be finishing @ 6PM NZT which equates to the following: My HEAT Gear clad butt will be streaming live @
6AM in London(SAT)
1AM in NYC, Boston, Hartford, and the DirtyWater.(SAT)
12AM in the Tri capital of the Midwest Cleveland Ohio (SAT)
10PM in the LA/San Diego Metropolitan area (Fri)
granted hopefully the cameras will be locked into a riviting age group battle as New Zealand's Finest duel with a few gifted Aussies, some Talented Japanese, and a smart Alec American.
So if anyone is interested in watching me finish, you might need an massive jug of coffee.
Speaking of New Zealand, the Ironman Group down there has arranged this whole adopt an athlete thing, where a local family sort of takes an "overseas" athlete underwing, so I might have a live cheering section afterall....hopefully one with a nice, attractive, single 20 something year old daughter....but wait if they're technically "adopting" me does that mean we're siblings...it'd be just my luck that I'd meet my dream girl and it would be pesudo- incest for me to date her. That and my "NZ Mom" would keep asking when I would be bringing her home a daughter in-law.
Speaking of attractive 20 somethings, I went out for coffee with Stef, hey were just friends, she does have a boyfriend currently...who can probably stomp me like Gina: Angry's dream girl.
Also Castro resigned today, Nike, Disney, and Walmart are propbably chomping at the bit to open sweatshops....I mean help the Cubans embrace a better more American friendly economy.
Well that's all I can write on Company Bandwidth.
The Globe Trotting, Daughter Stealing Ironman
R.D.
6AM in London(SAT)
1AM in NYC, Boston, Hartford, and the DirtyWater.(SAT)
12AM in the Tri capital of the Midwest Cleveland Ohio (SAT)
10PM in the LA/San Diego Metropolitan area (Fri)
granted hopefully the cameras will be locked into a riviting age group battle as New Zealand's Finest duel with a few gifted Aussies, some Talented Japanese, and a smart Alec American.
So if anyone is interested in watching me finish, you might need an massive jug of coffee.
Speaking of New Zealand, the Ironman Group down there has arranged this whole adopt an athlete thing, where a local family sort of takes an "overseas" athlete underwing, so I might have a live cheering section afterall....hopefully one with a nice, attractive, single 20 something year old daughter....but wait if they're technically "adopting" me does that mean we're siblings...it'd be just my luck that I'd meet my dream girl and it would be pesudo- incest for me to date her. That and my "NZ Mom" would keep asking when I would be bringing her home a daughter in-law.
Speaking of attractive 20 somethings, I went out for coffee with Stef, hey were just friends, she does have a boyfriend currently...who can probably stomp me like Gina: Angry's dream girl.
Also Castro resigned today, Nike, Disney, and Walmart are propbably chomping at the bit to open sweatshops....I mean help the Cubans embrace a better more American friendly economy.
Well that's all I can write on Company Bandwidth.
The Globe Trotting, Daughter Stealing Ironman
R.D.
Friday, February 15, 2008
What to read during Taper or a 14 hour flight....
By popular demand I am giving a list of reading mateials to help kill those long rest days, layovers, travel, or hours on the Spinner, When Troy has become too annoying.
Angels and Demons by Dan "I'm rich because of the Da Vinci Code" Brown.
It's a prequel to the Da Vinci code and personally I think it has a better plot, unfortunately no Albino Catholic Monk hitmen.
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Elan Poppe
Poppe is an Israeli and pretty much finds the essence of the whole Arab-Israeli stems back to land and "land grabs"...including one major one in 1948 which displaced about 500,000 Arabs...Not a bad read, gets a little dry at times, pisses you off at times, and gets you to see why the Palestinians are so pissed off.
The Popol Vuh
An English Translation of the Religious Texts of the Quiche Maya. Seriously this book is full of shape shifting, talking animals, blood ,gore, ritual, coming back form the dead....it's a pretty cool read almost trippy at times. Gives you a different world view when you're done reading.
The Longest Night
Can't remember the author, but the basic is plot is one of Meyer Lansky's Hit men goes to occupied Holland in 1943 to help spring a train load of Jews from a concentration camp. The hitman is cynical as all hell. It's got action, suspense, comedy, it's a good read. Finished it in a weekend.
A Man's Place by John Tosh...I think
A text book for my Victorian England. it describe what the "social ideal" was for a middle class man in Victorian England. Pass the opium and Absinthe please.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Better than the Musical. Dark, violent, the Phantom is a BADASS cross between the Joker, Pavarotti, David Copperfield and the Unibomber. Christine is Easy , and Raoul is a real prententious smuck. Also has a ghost from the Phantom's past in this thing called the Persian...and he's BADASS...the writing gets a little repetitive and some of the chapters don't make sense until you read a little more...It's a decent book, but it plays headgames with you. It's the 1890's version of a Bond Flick.
There are others but these are the books that came to the top of my head, mainly becaue I'll be reading Poppe and Tosh on the flight accross the Pacific, as I desperately try to cram my class work into a nice 14 hour flight. Figure that way there will be less for me to do in NZ and I can enjoy my Travel expereince instead of spending it hunched away in my hotel room writing about people who died over a hundred years ago....or how the stituation in the Mid-East is ticking me off. Free Gaza!.....Two State Solution!....Jerusalem as an International City!..oops let my politics show....
Last night I got in a 40 min. Run with Bjoern on the icy slick roads of New Britain....It was almost like the scene in Cool Runnings where the Jamaicans are learning how to run on ice. ( my home is till without internet so I can't upload the video clip.) It was my first physical activity since Monday and it felt good. Tonight I've got master's on tap, tomorrow hopefully an easy morning swim, followed by work, a short ride with Bjoern, and then packing The Bitch Stopmer for its voyage. My W-2 came into payroll Yesterday, which means I won't be able to pick it up until Tuesday, which means I'll hopefully file Tuesday Night and I'll have my tax rebate in on the Wednesday I'm in NZ. Hopefully some of that refund will be going to pay for a Kona Entry, other wise it will be going to Master Card. Well that's it for now.
Fire on Ice
R.D.
Angels and Demons by Dan "I'm rich because of the Da Vinci Code" Brown.
It's a prequel to the Da Vinci code and personally I think it has a better plot, unfortunately no Albino Catholic Monk hitmen.
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Elan Poppe
Poppe is an Israeli and pretty much finds the essence of the whole Arab-Israeli stems back to land and "land grabs"...including one major one in 1948 which displaced about 500,000 Arabs...Not a bad read, gets a little dry at times, pisses you off at times, and gets you to see why the Palestinians are so pissed off.
The Popol Vuh
An English Translation of the Religious Texts of the Quiche Maya. Seriously this book is full of shape shifting, talking animals, blood ,gore, ritual, coming back form the dead....it's a pretty cool read almost trippy at times. Gives you a different world view when you're done reading.
The Longest Night
Can't remember the author, but the basic is plot is one of Meyer Lansky's Hit men goes to occupied Holland in 1943 to help spring a train load of Jews from a concentration camp. The hitman is cynical as all hell. It's got action, suspense, comedy, it's a good read. Finished it in a weekend.
A Man's Place by John Tosh...I think
A text book for my Victorian England. it describe what the "social ideal" was for a middle class man in Victorian England. Pass the opium and Absinthe please.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Better than the Musical. Dark, violent, the Phantom is a BADASS cross between the Joker, Pavarotti, David Copperfield and the Unibomber. Christine is Easy , and Raoul is a real prententious smuck. Also has a ghost from the Phantom's past in this thing called the Persian...and he's BADASS...the writing gets a little repetitive and some of the chapters don't make sense until you read a little more...It's a decent book, but it plays headgames with you. It's the 1890's version of a Bond Flick.
There are others but these are the books that came to the top of my head, mainly becaue I'll be reading Poppe and Tosh on the flight accross the Pacific, as I desperately try to cram my class work into a nice 14 hour flight. Figure that way there will be less for me to do in NZ and I can enjoy my Travel expereince instead of spending it hunched away in my hotel room writing about people who died over a hundred years ago....or how the stituation in the Mid-East is ticking me off. Free Gaza!.....Two State Solution!....Jerusalem as an International City!..oops let my politics show....
Last night I got in a 40 min. Run with Bjoern on the icy slick roads of New Britain....It was almost like the scene in Cool Runnings where the Jamaicans are learning how to run on ice. ( my home is till without internet so I can't upload the video clip.) It was my first physical activity since Monday and it felt good. Tonight I've got master's on tap, tomorrow hopefully an easy morning swim, followed by work, a short ride with Bjoern, and then packing The Bitch Stopmer for its voyage. My W-2 came into payroll Yesterday, which means I won't be able to pick it up until Tuesday, which means I'll hopefully file Tuesday Night and I'll have my tax rebate in on the Wednesday I'm in NZ. Hopefully some of that refund will be going to pay for a Kona Entry, other wise it will be going to Master Card. Well that's it for now.
Fire on Ice
R.D.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Proletariats of the World Unite...or It's Valentines day!
Ok, yes I stole the first title from Karl Marx, I had to write the 4th essay on The Communist Manifesto, in as many years because if you're a European History Major you get this little 30 page pamphlet (and 100 page introduction) slammed down you're throat more times than you care to read it. Now seriously, on paper Communism looks good, but that's just it...it looks good on PAPER! So after my usual 3 page summary of what Marx and Engels were trying to say, fiscal analysis of 1840's Britain and Prussia, and political commentary of the times, I than gave a few case studies of why Communism has failed and at its core is the Utopian idea of a philosopher who just happended to know a little history and economics. ( Think China.There are sweatshops in China, communism was supposed to rid the world of sweatshops so why are there sweatshops in Communist China?) Ok rant on my homework asignment done.
For all of us wage slaves in the Capitalist World Today is Valentine's Day, or as most of us know it as the " Oh crap I've got to go spend a truckload of money on my significant other" day Now today is a day I'm glad I'm single, no girlfriend= no spending. So in a financial sense being a 22 year old spinster makes cents.......ok tacky financial humor done.
I can't really think of anything triathlon related to throw in today because weather and class work has sort of restricted me to a desk for the past two days. I feel like I'm going to gain 300 pounds if I don't stop eating and start working out ASAP, that's what the weekend's for right?
Also, I managed to get Decals for my bike, unfortunately they are too large for me to put names on TBS. I will try to find smaller ones other wise I will have my arms sharpied up.
Well that's all for now.
Bourgeoisie Capitalists Unite!
R.D.
For all of us wage slaves in the Capitalist World Today is Valentine's Day, or as most of us know it as the " Oh crap I've got to go spend a truckload of money on my significant other" day Now today is a day I'm glad I'm single, no girlfriend= no spending. So in a financial sense being a 22 year old spinster makes cents.......ok tacky financial humor done.
I can't really think of anything triathlon related to throw in today because weather and class work has sort of restricted me to a desk for the past two days. I feel like I'm going to gain 300 pounds if I don't stop eating and start working out ASAP, that's what the weekend's for right?
Also, I managed to get Decals for my bike, unfortunately they are too large for me to put names on TBS. I will try to find smaller ones other wise I will have my arms sharpied up.
Well that's all for now.
Bourgeoisie Capitalists Unite!
R.D.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Well if I can't hold myself to a taper, mother nature's going to do it for me.
That's right Mother Nature is making up for "spoiling" us all winter, by giving us more snow in the this week than she has dished out all winter ( an old school Nor'Easter is predicted for Sunday into Monday, but I'll believe it when I have to drive through it.). Now I could react in one of two ways
The first: Go on my usual 5 year old-esque temper tantrum of how much I hate the white stuff and as soon as I'm financially secure with degree in hand I'm moving to California, Hawaii, Florida...insert local where 40 degress is considered an artic cold front here. And gripe that mother nature is wrecking my well orcastrated training plans...again.
The Second: Take it as a warning from the fates to take it easy, give the trainer a little love, cut my yardage in the pool and not work my legs on long runs, which I would be sure to do if the weather was ...well more conducive to distance training.
So I'm going to take option B this time around. It is two weeks before an Ironman...my legs do need rest..granted I would have like to have done one more longer ride but I'll suck it up with the 75 miler...I'll go easy on the first loop and then hammer it home on loop 2 and save what I can for the marathon. As for the improving my mood, I'm going to pop in some Jimmy Buffet, Crank my space heater up, put on a flowery shirt and dream Kona...
if only I could find my long lost shaker of salt....
Alright that's enough of that.
R.D.
The first: Go on my usual 5 year old-esque temper tantrum of how much I hate the white stuff and as soon as I'm financially secure with degree in hand I'm moving to California, Hawaii, Florida...insert local where 40 degress is considered an artic cold front here. And gripe that mother nature is wrecking my well orcastrated training plans...again.
The Second: Take it as a warning from the fates to take it easy, give the trainer a little love, cut my yardage in the pool and not work my legs on long runs, which I would be sure to do if the weather was ...well more conducive to distance training.
So I'm going to take option B this time around. It is two weeks before an Ironman...my legs do need rest..granted I would have like to have done one more longer ride but I'll suck it up with the 75 miler...I'll go easy on the first loop and then hammer it home on loop 2 and save what I can for the marathon. As for the improving my mood, I'm going to pop in some Jimmy Buffet, Crank my space heater up, put on a flowery shirt and dream Kona...
if only I could find my long lost shaker of salt....
Alright that's enough of that.
R.D.
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