My first triathlon experience as only I can tell it!

Here goes. Friday afternoon I drove over 200 miles to Arroyo Grande, CA just north of Santa Maria. My first stop was Lake Lopez where I picked up my race packet for Saturday morning also getting in a "lay of the land" so to speak.

I then headed over to my friend Skip's in Grover Beach where I spent the night after we had a hearty dinner at the local "Girl's Restaurant". Tri-tip, asparagus, curly fries and a piece of coconut cream pie for dessert.

Fell asleep on my twin-size air mattress around 9; woke up about 2 and played around on my Blackberry until falling back to sleep around 4 waking up to my phone's alarm at 5:30.

Pulled myself together and headed out the door at 6 greeted by a temperature of 46 degrees!

After a 15-minute drive to the lake, I learned if I want to leave before noon (Lord, I hope I'm done by then!), I'll need to park in the lot that's about a mile up the road not the one RIGHT OVER THERE I'd seen the day before.

After hauling my gear, UPHILL, to the transition area, I settled-in and began to chat people up. Just across from me were a husband and wife, roughly my age, who, I learned, have done multiple triathlons. They were very nice and very helpful as where to place my race numbers on my bike helmet and such (the wife and I also discussed due to the outdoor temperature, the lack of available, shirtless, eye candy). Next to me, was a young man who'd previously done one other triathlon. After multiple, little conversations, I determined triathlon folk are good people, and I like them.

Race time for me was 7:45. Still cold, and I have no problem admitting I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold, sans the reason I live in Southern California...HELLO.

Ultimately, getting in the water was going to be a welcome relief as its temperature is warmer (about 68) than the outdoor, air temperature (about 53-55).

Sticking to my plan, I'm near last in the water. I swim forward about 20 feet immediately rolling over on to my back and near immediately lose my yellow, race cap that's been assigned to me. I also near immediately head completely off course veering way over to the left whereupon a young, female, water safety, volunteer in a kayak gets my attention and says to me, swear to god, "Sir, are you in the race today, or just out for a swim?". LMFAO

And do you have any clue how hard it is to say afloat when you're laughing your F'n ass off?

I do believe I was the last male athlete (athlete - I like that word) to leave the water after being passed up by most all of the women as well as a bunch of men and women who'd started a completely different race...AFTER ME!! LMAO

After slipping and sliding my way up the boat launch ramp, I made my way to the transition area where everyone, and I mean EVERYONE had left. Did a yeoman's job of getting out of my wetsuit and on to my bike.

Heading uphill out of the transition area, I see the husband of the couple across from me walking his bike downhill toward with his right leg all scraped up.... because he'd HIT A DEER!

About now, I'm thinkin' losing my race cap ain't all that bad.

The 12-mile bike ride was rather uneventful other than, what else, it was cold. Not only was I wearing wet bike shorts but fog, wind and mist rolled in about 3 miles into it; however, there was a lovely view of Lake Lopez and surrounding hillsides in addition to my fellow triathletes heading back in the opposite direction.

When I got back from the bike ride, there were actually people milling around in the transition area who'd just finished the race. A very nice, young man chatted me up and told me to "Have a nice run - it's scenic with a few hills - enjoy". Again, I like my new, triathlete peeps.

He was right. I enjoyed the run even as I was passed by athletes from the other, longer race who would still finish before me.

After telling a group of teenagers manning a water station not to check out my ass as I passed by, on the return trip, told them, "Look, in the end, the first place finisher and I are covering the same distance. I'm just slower...that's all".

I do believe I was second to the last of males to finish but that's just it - I finished.

What's that quote I posted here on Facebook the other day? Oh, yeah,"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you". Lao Tzu

Better yet, I respect me.

"After the Emmy's"

You think I'd learn by now not to watch the Emmy's or any other award show for that matter; I always end up feeling like I'm not good enough and at the same time, I end up feeling like I'm in the wrong profession. I hear winners gushing about how fortunate they are to be doing something they love and how they have a passion for it, and I wonder if I've done something wrong - have I somehow missed finding my special talent? Over the years, I've worn a variety of career hats and regardless of what I've been doing, I feel less than.

There are so many things I want to accomplish in life, but I get down on myself for not being passionate enough and easily distracted. Late bloomer would be an understatement.

"Quote of the Day September 21, 2009"

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him, his own."

-Benjamin Disraeli

"Quote of the Day September 19, 2009"

"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser".

John W. Gardner

"Quote of the day September 17, 2009"

"Life is just a chance to grow a soul."

A. Powell Davies

"Quote of the Day September 16, 2009"

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around".

Leo Buscaglia

"Quote of the Day September 15, 2009"

"Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak. Sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go". Author Unknown

"Quote of the Day September 14, 2009"

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself".

Harvey Fierstein

"Quote of the Day September 13, 2009"

"Not all those who wander are lost".

J.R.R. Tolkein

"Quote of the Day September 12, 2009"

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal".

Henry Ford

"Quote of the Day September 11, 2009"

"Self-sabotage is the smartest thing you can do if you're sabotaging a self that is not really you".

Armand DeMele

"Quote of the Day September 10. 2009"

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”

Marie Curie

"Quote of the Day September 9, 2009"

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do".

Edward Everett Hale

"Quote of the Day September 8, 2009"

"When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?"

Eleanor Roosevelt

Covered 13 miles on my bike this morning using toe cages for the first time, and I liked 'em other than come time to hop off, I need to remember my shoes are strapped in!

The ride out heading north on the bike path was good but coming back, there was a headwind...dang, it really made me work!

After putting on that new tube and tire on Friday night and having read the tire pressure is good up to 90 psi, I paid more attention to inflation today realizing my tires were a bit low so on the way I home I stopped and filled them to 80 psi. Just noticed the rear tire is coming off the rim and that's a tire installed by a small, bike shop in downtown Long Beach used to go to. Methinks I'm gonna have to have that checked out at Jones'. I don't really want to mess with the back tire, and the chain and all for fear I won't get it back together.

All in all, I'm feeling good about my training. Good thing, cuz I've got less than a month!

Hey, wow, yesterday, I had a great run! Thought I'd do 3 miles so I'm definitely covered on that distance come October 3rd but, I don't know, something in me just said go farther, go farther; so I did. I ended up doing 6.5 miles, and I felt great up until the last mile. It wasn't very hot, but it sure was humid, and I started to get hungry. Could hear and feel my stomach churning. Was not at all surprised by this given I had doubled the length and time.

Literally, with the humidity, every inch of fabric on me was drenched. Got a little irritated with myself having not brought a towel along but that didn't last long once I was on the move and the air-conditioning was cookin'!

By the time I arrived home, realized I was a bit dehydrated with a headache coming on, so I had more Propel and a diet coke for its caffeine as well as popped a couple ibuprofen. By the time I showered, I knew I'd nipped it in the bud.

The rest of my day was filled with finishing laundry and random chores including a trip to Jone's Bikes in the Shore where I had new pedals with toe cages installed on my bike. Looking forward, with great anticipation, to their use!

"Quote of the Day September 7, 2009"

"What you get by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what you will become by reaching your destination".

Zig Ziglar

"Quote of the Day September 6, 2009"

"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence".

Frederick Douglass

Quote of the Day September 5, 2009

"Excess on occasion is exhilirating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit".

W. Somerset Maugham

"Quote of the Day September 2, 2009"

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring".

Oscar Wilde

"Quote of the Day August 31, 2009"

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

Conrad Hilton

"Quote of the Day August 30, 2009"

"Health, happiness and success depend upon the fighting spirit of each person. The big thing is not what happens to us in life - but what we do about what happens to us."

George Allen

"Quote of the Day August 29, 2009"

"Pity the man who inherits a million and isn't a millionaire. Here's what would be pitiful,if your income grew, and you didn't".

Jim Rohn

"Quote of the Day August 28, 2009"

"There is nothing we like to see so much as the gleam of pleasure in a person's eye when he feels that we have sympathized with him, understood him. At these moments something fine and spiritual passes between two friends. These are the moments worth living".

Don Marquis

"Quote of the Day August 27, 2009"

"In order to have survived something, we've had to have been a victim. I prefer to think of myself as someone who has persevered".

Lauren Bacall

"I'm a triathlete!"

I did it! On Sunday morning, I became a triathlete. Scaling down and pulling back to the sprint triathlon distance was the ticket. I was up and out Sunday morning completing a 1/4 mile swim, 11.4-mile bike ride and a 2-mile run, and I felt good when I was done! Not only physically but psychologically as well. Came home and cleaned house, did laundry, made cupcakes plus a whole lot of other stuff. Boy, did I have energy!

My goal now is to spend both Saturday and Sunday mornings working on my technique and time creating the best flow possible.

I've got over a month yet so I'm good. Plennnteee of time!

Had dinner with my friend, Karla, last night and she's loaned me her triathlon mat for laying-out all my stuff at the transition point as well as gave me advice on how to do it most efficiently. Learned I need to wear my bike shorts under my wetsuit as well as go to "Youtube" and watch videos athletes have posted on transition techniques. Did that very thing last night for awhile and learned lots.

The major must-do is to get my butt and my bike to Jones Bikes in Belmont Shore and have pedals with toe straps put on my bike; that way, according to Karla, I'm not just pushing down on the pedals, but I'm also pulling up requiring less overall energy from my legs while at the same time, increasing my speed. Just checked their website, and the cost is twenty bucks...not bad.

With my strong showing this past Sunday, along with Karla's help last night, I'm feelin' like my my game is totally AWN!

Quote of the Day August 26, 2009"

"My friends are my estate."

Emily Dickinson

"Quote of the Day August 25, 2009"

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle".

Thich Nhat Hanh

"Quote of the Day August 23, 2009"

"Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine".

Robert C. Gallagher

"Quote of the Day Augsut 23, 2009"

"The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself".

Alan Alda

"Quote of the Day August 22, 2009"

"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is something valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit".

E.E. Cummings

"Quote of the Day August 21, 2009"

"I have learned that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours".

Henry David Thoreau

"Quote of the Day August 20, 2009"

"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new".

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Bumpin' Down"

Ah, training this past weekend was top notch, a joy, fun, inspiring and powerful! After last week's disastrous, hilly, bike ride in El Moro Canyon, I was down in the dumps and completely unmotivated. With something like 6 weeks of training left, didn't see how I was going to pull-off another 12 miles; not to mention, connecting it to swimming and running. At first, I told myself I would swim during the week so I could hit the hills on my bike both Saturday and Sunday mornings. Well, Friday came, and I hadn't done any swimming. And then Saturday morning came, and I slept in; didn't swim, cycle or run. By time Saturday night hit, the plan was to stay local Sunday morning and ride the streets of Signal Hill.

As one might guess, when Sunday morning daylight peaked through the blinds, I rolled over. Tossing and turning trying to convince myself to get up and get moving, it all of the sudden dawned on me that instead of playing this little mind game and beating myself up and maintaining my frustration, the thing to do was bump it down.

Bingo, I was outta bed and at my laptop emailing Scott Tinley's Adventures switching from the Off-road Extreme Triathlon to the On-road Sprint Triathlon. So, instead of a .5 mile swim, 17-mile off-road bike ride and a 10k. I'll now be doing a .25-mile swim, a 12-mile on-road bike ride and a 5k. Nailed! I got this one nailed. Currently, I'm there! All I need to do now is focus on my form, technique and speed.

And no sooner did I click send, I was out the door and on my way!

Ended up covering 11.1 miles on the bike path with a bit of an adrenaline rush pushing me to some, thank you road bike and your skinny tires, 3:30 miles (way FAST for me!) and then I hit the ground running for another 2 miles. Had hoped for 3, but I'll take the 2.

Successful. I'm again feeling successful and powerful in my ability to accomplish a goal, and it doesn't matter that I've lowered the overall distances; what matters is that I'm still in the game, and I'm feeling strong, confident and viable in my athletic ability. This regained mind set then spills over to other aspects of my life contributing to my emotional and psychological well-being and stability.

My now near 20-year-old Raleigh road bike I purchased 4 years ago for sixty bucks off eBay. Used it for cross-training in preparation for my first marathon (Chicago 2005).

Enjoying an overcast view of downtown Long Beach as I round the marina.


The Queen Mary dwarfed by a Carnival Cruise Line ship.

Yes, all y'all, Squirt was my energy drink of choice Sunday morning. Went to the "wrong" 7-11 where they only sell Gatorade, and I don't, and I repeat, I don't like Gatorade. They had every size, shape and flavor of it, mind you, but no Propel or flavored water of any kind. And they had plenty of "plain" water, too, from a multitude of suppliers, but I need FLAVOR, and a bit of fizz ain't bad either! Squirt has carbs, sugar and a little salt but most of all, it's got FLAV-UHH!

Can you say cycling stud? Mm hm, I knew you could!

"Quote of the Day August 19, 2009"

"In the world to come, I shall not be asked, "Why were you not Moses?" I shall be asked, "Why were you not Zusya?"".

Rabbi Zusya

"Quote of the Day August 18, 2009"

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet".

Corita Kent

"Quote of the Day August 17, 2009"

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on".

Robert Frost

"Quote of the Day August 16, 2009"

"Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable".

Sydney J. Harris

"Quote of the Day August 15, 2009"

"Trust that still, small voice that says, "This might work and I'll try it".

Diana Mariechild

"Quote of the Day August 14, 2009"

"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory".

Albert Schweitzer

"Quote of the Day August 13, 2009"

"The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action".

John Dewey

"Oye, the Schvimming"

Yep, the swimming still proves to be a study, but I'm getting there. Little by little I feel stronger and more confident in the water, but I really need to start kicking it up a notch or I'm not gonna make the October 4th deadline. I'm feeling a bit behind the eight ball right now. Need to get to the Belmont Plaza pool this week and get some laps in.

Psychologically, though, I'm feeling good, and I feel exceptionally good after I finish a hard workout knowing I've put my best effort out there. Very empowering. Weird that I'll have to give myself the "big talk" to get out there and do it but then after I do I feel so much better. You'd think that "high" would stay with me or, at the very least, be readily available the next time I was in an unmotivated place.

And I headed to the hills of El Moro Canyon with my bike on Sunday morning only to be blown away by them. Covered 5.27 miles, and I thought my heart was going to pound right out of my chest. Looks like I need to start kicking some butt on the bike just like in swimming.





Come this weekend, think I'll swim on Friday morning at the pool so I can bike both Saturday and Sunday. This week, though, I'm gonna head up to Pasadena. Learned of a place to go in the hills above JPL where there's free parking. The cost to park and have access to El Moro was ten bucks. A bit steep for me to go both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

"Quote of the Day August 12, 2009"

"The opposite of war isn't peace it's creation".

Jonathan Larson (A line in the song "La Vie Boheme" from RENT).

"Quote of the Day August 11, 2009"

"Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out".

Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Quote of the Day August 10, 2009"

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't".

Erica Jong

"Quote of the Day August 8, 2009"

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own".

Ben Sweetland

"Quote of the Day August 7, 2009"

"When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people".

Abraham Joshua Heschel

"Quote of the Day August 6, 2009"

"We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time".

Art Buchwald

"Quote of the Day August 5, 2009"

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next; skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it".

David Starr Jordan

"Quote of the Day August 3, 2009"

"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living".

Anais Nin

"Zzzzzzzzzz"

Ah, Sleeping in, a true gift. This morning, I was going to follow-up yesterdays' half-mile swim with my first off-road, bike ride at El Moro Canyon near Laguna Beach, but my pillow called instead. For some reason, I didn't sleep very well last night so when 5:30 came around and the thought of hauling my ass down there came to mind, I said no with a capital N-O! In exchange, as soon as I'm done here, I'll go for a run down to the beach. Need to earn a reason to come home and make myself a big breakfast!

The channel between the Peninsula and Naples where I swim.

Long Beach shoreline/skyline where I run and cycle along the 9-mile bike path.

At a fund raising dinner last night, had the chance to chat with Judy who's been to Sunday afternoon "Yoga in the Hood"; learned she swims at 5:30 three mornings a week at the Belmont Plaza Pool here in Long Beach so I'm gonna meet up with her this week to learn some tips and techniques to get my butt moving faster in the water.

All-in-all, feeling good about my training so far. This month is going to be about going the distance in each sport; next month, will be about putting it all together in a straight line and then, boom, it's October.

Oy-to-the-vey!

"Quote of the Day August 2, 2009"

"The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision".

Helen Keller

"Quote of the Day August 1, 2009"

"The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity".

George Bernard Shaw

"Quote of the Day July 31, 2009"

"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless".

Caroline Myss

"Quote of the Day July 30, 2009"

" I say to people, "Be limitless, be open-minded and don't say "impossible" ".

Peter Brock

"Quote of the Day July 29, 2009"

"All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why".

James Thurber

"Quote of the Day July 28, 2009"

"There's always an element of self-doubt lurking. You can think that this is all too hard and go easy on yourself and not fight through the stress or pain, but you need to be aware of two things: that everyone else is going through the same thing, and you're not going to be successful if you stop".

John Eales

"Quote of the Day July 27, 2009"

"When people keep telling you that you can't do a thing, you kind of like to try it".

Margaret Chase Smith

"Puttin' the Try in Triathlon"

Today, I definitely put the "try" in my triathlon training. In less than one month's time, I am now a duathlete!

When I trained for my first marathon in 2005, I cycled as part of my cross-training but never on the same days I ran. I would do yoga after running but, thus far, yoga doesn't come into consideration when talking about athletic events and overall prowess.

This morning, though, prior to 9 a.m., I did a 9-mile bike ride and a 3-mile run...back-to-back! WOO WOO!

Talk about confidence building, boy, do I feel good. It would be a bunch of b.s. if I said I didn't have concerns or fear over my ability to pull off, this, my second, major, suicide attempt so having accomplished this hurdle toward my goal is definitely a physical as well as mental milestone. And, really, for anyone who thinks what I'm doing is some sort of super human thing, believe me, you too can do it; it's really all about mind over matter AND doing it in such a way as to take care of yourself and know your body and in doing so, know or begin to learn to know more about who you are as a person.

In addition to becoming a duathlete today, yesterday, I was in the water for a half mile. Wasn't forward stroking the entire time, as a matter of fact, I spent more time on my back kicking my legs, but I still covered half a mile!

Form, I'm working on my form. Learning when and how to breathe and whether or not I do that on one side or from side-to-side, after two strokes?, after three strokes? It's all a learning curve. My friend, George, is coaching me and helping me to figure it all out. Methinks I'm a side-to-side breather every three strokes; the problem I had yesterday, though, is that my head wouldn't always come out of the water high enough so I'd take-on water instead of air, and it's salt water...yuck, yuck and double yuck. After talking to George, what I now know is that I need to have more rotation in my shoulder so my head comes up enough, with the least amount of effort on my part, so I won't be suckin' in water.

Oh, and I did my swimming yesterday in my new springsuit, with flippers, goggles, swim cap and nose plugs. I'm quite swimming, fashionable appropriate I gotta say!

A springsuit, by the way, is short-sleeved and comes down to just above the knees, and a whole helluva lot easier to get into than my full suit making for a more positive swimming experience all the way around. Halle-frickin'-u-lah!

Definitely working my way to the nutrition area of my training (always the last thing on my list up until the time I, again, realize it's the most important).

Prior to swimming yesterday morning, I had a banana and a raisin bran muffin. Followed that up with chips and homemade pico de gallo for a snack; later on, a chicken and cheddar and monterey jack cheese burrito with nibbles of fresh strawberries and blueberries throughout the day. A couple of nice, cold Hefeweizen's in the evening and some roast beef for dinner.

This morning, prior to my bike ride and run, I had a banana and a raisin brain muffin. When I transitioned from my bike to the run, I nibbled on a couple of strawberries and a handful of blueberries along with a couple swigs of Propel, and a few bites of another muffin grabbing water at fountains along my route.

Surprisingly enough, one of the key ingredients in my dietary intake, is the chips accompanying the pico de gallo. Salt has never been a favorite of mine. Don't have a problem with it, just never use it so I've come to learn I need to consume it during my training process, especially over the hot,summer months, because it helps retain water and staying hydrated is crucial, and I mean CRUCIAL.

So, there you have it, the July 26 update. Thanks to all who help me along the way and thanks for reading!

"Quote of the Day July 26, 2009"

"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn".

Harriet Beecher Stowe

"Wetsuit Wonderings"

Okay, so what is it week four of training, and I don't feel like I'm doing half bad. Missed out on swimming last week, but I did get in a 2.25 mile run and about a 13 mile bike ride. Held off on swimming thinking my friend, Karla, was getting me a new springsuit from Costco, but they were all out of them, and she even went to two different locations. All in all, I'm feeling good about my progress. Well, at least this morning I am. There are times I am concerned whether or not I'll be ready in time especially when it comes to the swimming portion of this, my wacky, little adventure; luckily, having completed marathon and half-marathon events, I suspect I have less of a fear factor than someone who would be choosing to do a triathlon as their first competition; nevertheless, it's still there.

And speaking of competition. The only one I'm in competition with here is me. I'm not out to win this thing. It's all about the goal. Setting it and following through on it is the true competition. What happens on October 4th just signifies the end of this particular goal up and until the time, I set a new one. If I didn't set the goal, I wouldn't be out running, cycling and swimming. Weird in that I enjoy it. Weird, in that I get to do it in Southern California so, duh, why wouldn't I want to be outside ALL the time but major weird in that I have to set these physical fitness goals to get myself out there doing it.

The other crazy thing about setting a fitness goal and taking the first and next steps to make it happen is that I find myself being more methodical in the other areas of my life; it spills over. The sense of order, direction and follow through, my training plan, finds me looking for and creating more structure in my life, overall and that's a good thing. A comforting thing.

"Quote of the Day July 25, 2009"

"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid".

Audre Lord

"Quote of the Day July 24, 2009"

"If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people".

Virginia Woolfe

"Quote of the Day July 23, 2009"

"The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is on the contrary born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything else- we are the busiest people in the world".

Eric Hoffer

"Quote of the Day July 22, 2009"

Quote of the day: "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment".

Marcus Aurelius

"Quote of the Day July 21, 2009"

"Revenge has no more quenching effect on emotions than salt water has on thirst".

Walter Weckler

"I'm swimming, I'm swimming!"

Up stream. I'm swimming up stream. The swimming portion of my triathlon training is kicking me in the behind. Luckily, though, I have two friends who have swam competitively so I have some new found insight. Realized I was breathing all wrong. I was holding my breath under water so that when I came up for air, I was trying to both exhale and inhale in a very short amount of time; therefore, supplying me with little or no air. So now what I must do is breathe out when my head is under water so I can breathe in when it comes up. And not only that, but I also need to find my own rhythm. Will I do two strokes on one side and breath...maybe 3, or will I alternate sides. Don't yet know.

And not only am I swimming up stream with the aquatic portion of my training, I'm swimming up stream keeping it recorded. In the past two weeks, Fitness 4 All (F4A) has exploded onto the scene. Thanks to the article in the Grunion Gazette along with an email I sent to a local running club, we're getting volunteers and support. Now, not only am I off and running, literally, I'm also off and running with F4A. Lots to do in getting the program design down on paper, shopping for grants, planning and organizing a 5k fund raiser.....big stuff. Definitely, there's nowhere to go but up!

Wish I could say I have utter total and complete confidence in myself as I face my first triathlon as well as making F4A a success, but I can't. There's a lot of self doubt going on, but I suppose that's a good thing. If life were easy and steady-going all the time, I suspect it wouldn't be all that much fun.

Back to the triathlon. I did get in a 12.7 mile bike ride on Sunday the 12th so that's just 4 miles shy of what I need to do; however, the 17 miles I'm going to cover is on fire roads with hills so pretty soon I'm gonna have to switch-up my training to that level.

All in all, I question myself. Wondering why I'm doing what I'm doing. I begin to obsess over it working myself into a frazzle up and until such a time I begin to listen to what I'm saying out loud to others and then I start to actually believe myself. It's about feeling alive. Feeling I'm working toward something. Not feeling stagnant. New experiences create new opportunities; they nurture my soul and all worrying, obsessing aside, brings me peace.

"Quote of the Day July 20, 2009"

"And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others".

Marianne Williamson

"Quote of the Day July 19, 2009"

"Become aware of your moods and don't allow yourself to be fooled by the low ones".

Richard Carlson

"Quote of the Day July 18, 2009"

"I am a part of all that I have met".

Alfred Tennyson

"Quote of the Day July 17, 2009"

Quote of the Day: "I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: which is: Try to please everybody".

Herbert B. Swope

Wow, where has the week gone. Still haven't got 'round to posting anything about my training from last weekend.

This afternoon. I will definitely have time to do this afternoon.

"Quote of the Day July 16, 2009"

"Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid".

Marcus Aurelius

"Quote of the Day July 15, 2009"

"It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement".

Mabel Newcomber

"Quote of the Day July 14, 2009"

"One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever".

Chinese Proverb

"Quote of the Day July 13, 2009"

"If the world were a logical place, men would ride side saddle".

Rita Mae Brown

"Quote of the Day July 12, 2009"

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished".

Lao Tzu

"Quote of the Day July 11, 2009"

"If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be too cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down".

Annie Dillard

Alas, here it is Friday so that means, come tomorrow, I'm hittin' the bike path, the streets and the water. Gotta fit it all in, but I'm not sure how. Think my best bet is to run early tomorrow morning giving myself time to cool off before puttin' on that wetsuit, because, let me tell yuh, there's no getting into that thing when my body is all damp and sweaty. Talk about trying to squeeze 5 pounds of potatoes into a 10 pound sack!

Yes, I could swim first and run second, but Joe doesn't leave his place on Saturday's until 9 so that means I wouldn't do my run until, at the earliest, 10 o'clock and by that time, the heat of the day becomes a factor.

And then come Sunday, I'll cycle. From an organizational and time management standpoint, would much rather run and cycle on the same day, but I don't think my legs are up for it just yet.

"Quote of the Day July 10, 2009"

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness".

HH the Dalai Lama

"Quote of the Day July 9, 2009"

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us".

Alexander Graham Bell

"Quote of the Day July 8, 2009"

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power".

Alan Cohen

"Quote of the Day July 7, 2009"

"Highly developed spirits often encounter resistance from mediocre minds".

Albert Einstein

"Can You Say, Padding? Mhm, I Knew You Could"

On Sunday, I went for my first, bike ride, and I do have a bit of difficulty calling it a bike ride because that to me sounds more leisurely like taking a stroll on the beach or something and to say, I went for my first cycle or cycling training, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue either. I guess since I'm writing about training for my first triathlon, if I say I went for my first ride, all y'all are supposed to know I'm on a bike and not a Harley although I'm thinkin' a Harley would probably be a helluva lot more comfortable, and, not to mention, I could be wearing one of those cool t-shirts that says, "If you can read this, the bitch fell off".

I made plans to meet friends, Connie & Mark, around 7:15 a.m., in the marina parking lot near Joe's Crabshack. They're in training for a "Metric Century" race, meaning, 100 kilometers or, in linear terms, a 63 mile "ride". Their goal for Sunday's training was 43 miles...ewe, ewe and double ewe! Greatly admire their ambition, but I'm so not there yet.

I did, however, manage to cover just under 8 miles. 7.72 to be exact. Lost them, or I should say, cut them loose around mile 1, because they were on their "road" bikes and mine is considered a hybrid, of sorts, in that it serves dual purpose as both a road and off-road bike. The cycling portion of my triathlon will be on gravel/dirt fire roads so I do need to train with this bike as opposed to my road bike. In other words, I couldn't keep up.

What's the difference? The tires on my hybrid are wide and fat with textured tread making road cycling slower-going as opposed to a road bike with its skinny, near zero-tread design. Less tire means less contact with the road, making for a faster ride.

Good thing about our route, I cut-off at the peninsula. Wearing my Garmin, I was able to calculate the distance of Saturday's swim. Estimating where I'd entered and exited the water, I'd covered a quarter of a mile! Who woulduh thunk?

Similar to Saturday's swim, I didn't want to push it too hard first day out so I rounded the peninsula and made my way to the bike path and then to the pier where my right, hamstring started giving me a little bit of trouble so I headed back.

It was a beautiful morning; I really enjoyed the ride, but it appears swimming is my new, favorite thing. The peacefulness of it is mesmerizing.

Oh, and I mustn't forget to mention, padded seat and cycle shorts combined, I'm sorry, cycling is still tough on the uh hum...er...inseam. Don't know if it's the same for women, but I'll find out and let yuh know. Oucha, oucha oucha!

"Quote of the Day July 6, 2009"

"Every exit is an entry somewhere else".

Tom Stoppard

"Ten Pound of Potatoes in a Five Pound Sack!"

Saturday, July 4th, began the swimming portion of my triathlon training. Going into this little adventure or second, major, suicide attempt, as I refer to it, I see swimming and pulling all three events together in a straight line as most challenging. Having covered 5 miles of running on day one, I'm well on my way, theoretically speaking, to nailing the 10k.

Lucky for me, my friend and client, Joe, lives on the Peninsula here in Long Beach so, yesterday morning, I drove to his place a little after 9, used his garage as my changing room, squeezed into my wetsuit and scurried across Ocean Boulevard to the channel between the Peninsula and Naples.

Feeling a bit self-conscious in my wetsuit, I was hoping to sneak across the sand and into the water relatively unnoticed. No such luck... 4th of July, holiday, beach goers were already en masse!

Look, it's Sandra Bullock in her first nude scene!

Made yuh look!

Not sure exactly how far I swam but let me tell you, that water was cold with a capital C-O-L-D!
And it wasn't about me being a little, wussy boy either, because I met a fellow swimmer, Karen, who said she'd come out the day before in her swimsuit not realizing the chill factor so she, too, was in a wetsuit, and she even had nose plugs and flippers reminding me I'd forgotten mine along with my goggles...oye!

So, I chose to sorta kinda do the back stroke; I wasn't really ready to get my face wet. I did have my bathing cap on and that works wonders keeping the water out of my ears, because, obviously, I wouldn't be needing it for any other reason!

Swimming on my back, kicking my feet while scooping my arms out to the sides, was heaven. Felt greatly akin to what I imagine a sensory deprivation tank to be like. With my ears just under the surface of the water, all I heard was my steady breathing, and the splashing of the water as I kicked my feet. Joyous. It was joyously peaceful.

Suprising to me, I never felt winded. Thought for sure the steady use of both my upper and lower body would be a grand effort, but I was very calm and plugged my way along feeling pretty good.

Not sure how far I'd gone when I decided I should probably stop; not because I was tired, but I had concerns about overloading my arms. Really, how well would my training go if I couldn't lift a fork to my mouth?

I took a look around making note of where I'd exited the water so I could come by later with my Garmin to figure out how far I'd actually gone.

Heading back to Joe's along the beach, I, of course, ran into people I know (Remember what I said about being self-conscious in my wetsuit?). Grrr....

Tony and Karen, friends of Joe's whom I know from many a Christmas party, were out front of their home and then while I was visiting with them, along comes Brett, whom I hadn't seen in several years. Great seeing them but, again, I was in my wetsuit!

The rest of the day I pretty much did nothing. I putzed around the house and even got in a nice, little nap.

Oh, and I ate better the night before too. Roasted a chicken on the grill; had that along with some broccoli and cauliflower, and I did leave the house in better shape having had a banana, a diet coke and a toasted bun with garlic, cream cheese, a slice of bacon and homegrown tomato.

Using Joe's house and garage as my swimming, base camp is going to work out great. Easy access in and out, and I can leave my wetsuit hanging in his garage from swim to swim. Thanks, Joe!

"Quote of the Day July 5, 2009"

"By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist, we create it".

Nikos Kazantzakis

"Burrtini"

Okay, so yesterday, day one, I headed outta here having had a mozarella cheese burrito for dinner the night before, and a coupla, smart martinis. Breakfast consisted of a banana and a diet coke and just before walking out the door, I grabbed a couple chunks of Val's beef jerky, drank a bunch of water, and I was gone!

Not necessarily the best nutritional example to set but in my own defense, didn't find out until Thursday night I was for sure without gas this weekend. The front house is tented for termites and because my gas meter is attached to it, and my gas line runs underneath it without being buried, my gas had to be shut off too. No stove no cooking unless it was microwaveable. Yesterday, however, I picked up some propane for my camp stove so it, along with the outdoor grill, gives me a near, fully operational kitchen!

Made my way to the beach, bike path parking my car along Ocean Boulevard in Bluff Park, and I was only 15 minutes behind schedule!

Decided to stick with the original 5-mile plan I had with Kathleen so that would take me toward downtown and the marina. If I was feeling up to it, figured I'd go all the way around past the Marine Bureau office increasing my run by another mile or so.

In the end, I stuck with the 5. At miles 1.16 and 3.29, stopped at a drinking fountain as well as did some stretching. At mile 4.14, needed to pee and grab a drink but the fountain wasn't working so I did a little more stretching and finished back where I'd started with my Garmin registering a total of 4.94 miles, but I ALWAYS round up. Five. I did 5 miles!

And not only did I complete 5 miles, but I came back faster!

Here's my mile per minute pace:

Mile 1: 13.38
Mile 2: 13.28
Mile 3: 13.20
Mile 4: 12.56
Mile 5: 12.09

I'm so like a horse heading back to the corral! And while I may not be fast, at least I'm out there doin' it!

How's it go? What do you call someone who finishes first in their class in medical school? Dr. And what do you call someone who finishes last in their class in medical school? Dr.

So even if I come in dead last in October, what will I be called for the first time at near 51, a triathlete, baby, a triathlete!

Quote of the Day July 4, 2009

"Stop making excuses. If you want to make something happen, just make it happen".

David Goggins

It's "T" day! Day one of triathlon training. Just a little bit before 7, and I was supposed to have met my friend, Kathleen, at 7:30 for up to a 5-mile run, but she's not feeling well so I'm on my own. Always a little bit more tough motivating myself to get out there on my own but today, I think I can pull it off. I've been procrastinating long enough as well as been sorta goal deficient in that I've been avoiding me, to a great extent, while focusing on others. I'm truly at a stage where I want what I do for a living to be a major part of who I am. I want to wake up every morning knowing what I'm doing is great for me as well as for those around me. I'm tired of loving what I do but hating where I do it. I'm just done having to fight off the anger and bitterness on a daily basis. Life's short.

I see uh change uh comin!

"Quote of the Day July 3, 2009"

""One's mind has a way of making itself up in the background, and it suddenly becomes clear what one means to do".

A.C. Benson

"Quote of the day July 2, 2009"

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world".

Harriet Tubman

Two days. Two days 'til I start my triathlon training. Set up to run with Kathleen Friday morning at 7:30, swimming on Saturday morning and then meeting Connie & Mark for a bike ride on Sunday morning.

Kind of a crazy start to the week. Love teaching yoga and other exercises classes; wish I did it as my own business. All the gunk that comes with working for a company can sometimes make me crazy. Co-workers especially. Self-employment offers the opportunity to say buh-bye if someone is a pain in the ass or has personality disorder issues. Life's a whole let less stressful when you can get rid of the dredge.

Need to spend time this weekend working on getting back to self-employment.

"Quote of the Day July 1, 2009"

"Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon".

Susan Ertz

"Quote of the Day June 30. 2009"

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act".

George Orwell

Six days until I start training. Lucky for me, my friends Connie & Mark are training for a metric century bike race. How far's that; you ask? Calculates out to 63 miles. Have plans to meet-up with them Sunday somewhere along their training course. More than likely, it will be near the end, because it's all about where we go to breakfast afterward.

So, since I'll be cycling with them on Sunday, this means I'll start my swimming on Saturday.

Best thing to look forward to as I train. Eating. The more miles and distance I cover the more I gotta eat!

On another subject, posted this in the "Note's" section of my Facebook page so thought I'd post it here too:

Over the past several days, I've tried to stay away from a majority of the Michael Jackson media blitz currently taking place; however, if you're anything at all like me, this is a tough thing to do.

Checking my email, playing around on Facebook or flipping the channels on the TV, inevitably connects me to the newest and latest tidbit of MJ information hidden in, around and behind seemingly endless, storyline repetition.

At home, my TV reception is one of those new, digital boxes and whatever I can scare-up on Hulu. That's it. No Dish, no Direct TV; no cable.

Given the amount of exposure I've had to Michael Jackson's life along with my own, the shining individual of the moment, for me, is Lisa Marie Presley. If you haven't yet read what she posted on her MySpace blog, you'll find it below.

Recently, a friend of 20 years, accused me of being the biggest narcissist she knows. Having been in this skin nearing 51 years, I'm well aware of how my ability to care for my mental and emotional health and well-being can appear narcissistic; however, I stand by the belief that in order to truly take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves.

In sharing her thoughts about MJ, Ms. Presley is honest and to the point without damage and pure in her own heart knowing what she had to do and ultimately did do for her own survival.

It's a beautiful tribute and walk-through, I believe, to the human condition.


In regard to a conversation she had with Michael during the course of their marriage, Lisa Marie Presley wrote:

"At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.' I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that."

"A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened. The person I failed to help is being transferred right now to the LA County Coroners office for his Autopsy. All of my indifference and detachment that I worked so hard to achieve over the years has just gone into the bowels of hell and right now I am gutted. I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once. Our relationship was not 'a sham' as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a "Normal life" found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much. I wanted to 'save him.' I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened. His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn't know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then. At that time, in trying to save him, I almost lost myself. He was an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated. When he used it for something good, It was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad. Mediocrity was not a concept that would even for a second enter Michael Jackson's being or actions. I became very ill and emotionally/ spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him. I was in over my head while trying. I had my children to care for, I had to make a decision. The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow.

"After the divorce, I spent a few years obsessing about him and what I could have done different, in regret. Then I spent some angry years at the whole situation. At some point, I truly became Indifferent, until now. As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play by play."The exact scenario I saw happen on August 16th, 1977 happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted. Any ill experience or words I have felt towards him in the past has just died inside of me along with him. He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together. I desperately hope that he can be relieved from his pain, pressure and turmoil now. He deserves to be free from all of that and I hope he is in a better place or will be. I also hope that anyone else who feels they have failed to help him can be set free because he hopefully finally is. The World is in shock but somehow he knew exactly how his fate would be played out some day more than anyone else knew, and he was right. I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening."

"Quote of the Day June 29, 2009"

"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom".

Anais Nin

"Quote of the Day June 28, 2009"

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong".

Mohandas K. Gandhi

Let's see, no triathlon training today. Lots to do before heading out to Simi Valley this afternoon for a wedding with plans to visit the Ronald Reagan Library. Given my love for travel and flight, wanna lay my eyes on Air Fore One in and out.

Also gonna stop by my, favorite, Italian market in Burbank and pick up some pizza making fixins'; they make their own sausage and marina. Yummy, with a capital Y-U-M-M-Y!

I was going to stay in a hotel overnight, but I think I'm going to head home instead. Lots to do tomorrow, and I really don't want to spend the hundred and twenty-five bucks.

"Quote of the DayJune 27, 2009"

"Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds:.

Albert Einstein

"Quote of the Day June 26, 2009"

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power".

Alan Cohen

"Quote of the Day June 25, 2009"

"It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something."

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Find myself, over the past few days, coming in touch with my age. Not in a physical way and not necessarily in a negative one either but somehow age and maturity have intersected with the hard work of self-exploration and personal growth.

"Quote of the Day June 24, 2009"

"If you're going through hell, keep going".

Winston Churchill

Bike rack's still on the car. Think I'll keep it there as my reminder. Need to repackage some stuff in the garage so I can come up with an empty, Rubbermaid, tub to use at Joe's house to catch the drips from my wetsuit once I begin the swimming portion of my, little, triathlon excursion.

Looking ahead to this weekend, I have Deanna's wedding on Saturday out in Simi Valley. Still trying to decide if I wanna stay at the hotel or not. Probably will. Don't need to worry about driving home if it gets late, and I'm always up early, anyway, so I can shoot home Sunday morning giving myself plenty of time to get weekend chores done, orrrrr, I could look for some bike or running trails and take myself on a little trek come Sunday morning. Not a bad idea. And then stop at the Monte Carlo in Burbank on my way home to pick up some pizza making supplies for "Yoga in the Hood". Yum yum. Will have to see what time they open.

Well, off to Nifty Brookhurst. Let the fun begin!

"Quote of the Day June 23, 2009"

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on".

Robert Frost

Well, didn't get around to kicking my triathlon training program into gear this weekend. Put the bike rack on the car Saturday night and got my bike out and ready, but it was a no-go. Sleeping in took precedent. It's all okay, really, since my actual start date is the 4th of July.

And I talked about it to friends who came over for yoga so that counts.

"Quote of the Day June 22, 2009"

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty".

Winston Churchill

"Quote of the Day June 20, 2009"

"Every man has his follies -- and often they are the most interesting thing he has got."

Josh Billings

Looks like this Saturday is going to be triathlon training day one. Unless, of course, I wait until next week. Giving myself 3 months to prepare and starting this week, would actually be doing so a WHOLE week early. Not sure if it's the realistic, practical side of me or the procrastinating side of me that wants to wait, but I really won't have the answer to that question until the weekend's over.

Once I get started, there'll be a whole lot of focus going on. The three months will go by like lightning.

The one thing I have done is to begin to live like I'm outside the country. I'm making myself, more or less, unavailable. Hiding out almost. Found myself giving away way too much of my energy toward people, mostly, whom I allowed to pull me away from where I say it is I want to go. Taking on the notion that I'm out of the country, keeps me less likely to allow myself to be distracted.

"Quote of the Day June 19, 2009"

"When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it".

W. Clement Stone

"Quote of the Day June 18, 2009"

"Concealed talent brings no reputation".

Desiderius Erasmus

Ah, Wednesday, hump day. So ready for the week to be over so I'm on to other things like cycling Sunday morning after sleeping in on Saturday. Even if it's only 15 minutes, there was no alarm!

Psyching myself up for the triathlon training. Going easy until this weekend and then I'm not gonna push it. Haven't been on a long bike ride in quite some time so taking it slow is the key. Figure I'll head on down to the San Gabriel River (cement drainage ditch) and see what I can do. Gonna start with my road bike, because it will be a better way to ease into cycling again. As I become more confident and conditioned, I'll switch over to my trail/road bike and start adding some hills.

I'm looking forward to this adventure!

"Quote of the Day June 17, 2009"

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking".

General George S. Patton

Haven't yet taken the time to work on a training schedule for the triathlon. Not sure if it's procrastination or my believing I actually have plenty of time to train. If I start July 1, that give me 3 months, because the event is October 4th. Part of me thinks I should just jump right in with all this sorta killer instinct, woo woo go for it emotion, but the practical part of me says I've got to plan this out and do it in such a way as to be physically safe as well as most productive. Took this approach when training for Chicago in 2005, so it should serve me well this time around.

I've made plans to use Joe's house on the Peninsula as my base camp, so to speak, making it a lot easier to get the swimming portion of this adventure under my belt. Plan to pick up some sort of tub or container to catch water allowing me to hose off and hang my wetsuit in Joe's garage between trainings. It's a pain in the neck having to change clothes alongside my car in the street while wrapped in a towel; not to mention, making a mess of the car with all the sand and, of course, the wet wetsuit. I can change in the garage as well and just toddle on across Ocean to the channel between Naples and the Peninsula to get my swimming in.

Have decided to go this event alone. Have found, at least at this point in my life, I'm better off doing so. Found myself way too involved in the lives of others and not enough in my own. Figure if people want to spend time with me, they'll figure out a way to do so. I give away way too much of my time.

"Quote of the Day June 16, 2009"

"When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is something you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it".

Edgar Watson Howe

"Quote of the Day June 15, 2009"

"Patience is the companion of wisdom".

Saint Augustine

Now I've gone and done it; I've registered for my first triathlon this coming October. I've got 3 months to whip myself into shape. Swimming. The swimming's gonna be a killer.

When I ran my first marathon in 2005, during the training process, I pulled, strained, whatever, my IT band (Iliotibial band). Usually, an IT band injury is the cause of lateral knee pain in the runner but no, not me. For me, the pain was in my hip. The IT band somehow wraps around the hip and the pelvis diagonally crossing over the thigh on down to the inside of the knee, I think, is how it works. Anyway, wouldn't yuh know, my injury was less common in the world of athletes; however, it's more so common in pregnant woman due the the added weight on the hips. What this says about me I'm not exactly sure. Ultimately, it hurt like hell every time I put running weight on my right leg. Walking was fine but running no way, never, never, uh, uh uh!

Not wanting to be a quitter, I purchased a wetsuit, flippers and, funny enough, a bathing cap and soon found myself swimming in the bay not far from my home here in Long Beach. I wouldn't necessarily always be swimming although I would do a pretty, fair backstroke when I needed a break. What I would do most is run in the water. I'd go out far enough to be able to float vertically, which in itself is quite the accomplishment, while wearing my flippers, and then I'd run. Well, I wouldn't really call it running, per se, because I barely moved at all as witnessed by everyone on the beach with a "What the hell's he doing out there?" look on their face, but I wasn't in it for the support, I was in it for the goal. The testing of my will. Could I really run my first marathon just a few weeks shy of my 47th birthday when I'd never been anywhere near the least bit sports minded or athletic?

My 28-year-old nephew, Matthew, was a high school and college football player who helped me learn how it's possible to both love and adore someone while at the same time, cursing the day they were born. Matthew's first marathon was Chicago in 2004. I witnessed his successful completion of the event and was so inspired by it, I decided to do the same in 2005, so, alas, I hold him accountable for what I lovingly call my "vertical runs" during the summer of 2oo5.

And now, not only is he to blame for my having run the Chicago Marathon and 3 others since, mind you, he's also to blame for my now thinking I can complete a triathlon. Last month, he completed his first "International" or "Olympic" distance triathlon, meaning, a .93 mile (1.5km) swim, 24.8 mile bike ride (40km) and a 6.2 mile run(10k). I wish I could say I'm insane, for making the decision to attempt my first triathlon just a few weeks shy of my 51st birthday, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. I, however, am not expecting a different result; I'm hoping for the same ones I got from my four marathons and that, my friends, is to not drop dead.

While training for the Chicago Marathon, I referred to it as my first, official, suicide attempt so I guess shooting, no pun intended, for my first triathlon, would be my second.

On to the wetsuit, I haven't worn mine since the summer of 2005. Although it wasn't the full deciding factor in my choosing to register for the triathlon, it certainly helped tip the scale over to the "in favor" side when I was able to squeeze my way into it earlier this afternoon and to my surprise, I looked pretty good! Although it is a bit more snug than I recall, all the yoga, Pilates and strength training I've been doing as an instructor, have bulked me up while at the same time, really toned me up making me look a lot less rolllie pollie and dare I say, "buff".

I'm going to consider fitting into my wetsuit as having accomplished hurdle number one. Next, I need to work on a training schedule. The triathlon I've signed on for will include a half mile swim, a 17 mile (uphill/downhill) bike ride and a 6 mile run. Psychologically, I'm gonna tell myself, "p'shaw, the whole thing doesn't even add-up to marathon distance" but ultimately, I know the combination of all three is a whole, new ballgame especially when adding in the swimming. Oy, the swimming!

"Quote of the Day June 14, 2009"

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known".

Carl Sagan

"Quote of the Day June 13, 2009"

" A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing".

George Bernard Shaw

"Quote of the Day June 12, 2009"

Quote of the day: "Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind".

Seneca

"Quote of the Day June 11, 2009"

"that is the best - to laugh with someone because you both think the same things are funny".

Gloria Vanderbilt

"Quote of the Day June 10, 2009"

""I am not concerned that you have fallen -- I am concerned that you arise".

Abraham Lincoln

"Quote of the Day June 9, 2009"

"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius".

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

"Quote of the Day June 8, 2009"

Quote of the day: "Don't be afraid if things seem difficult in the beginning. That's only the initial impression. The important thing is not to retreat; you have to master yourself".

Olga Korbut

"Quote of the Day June 7, 2009"

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are".

Bernice Johnson Reagon

"Quote of the Day June 6, 2009"

"My husband and I have never considered divorce... murder sometimes, but never divorce".

Joyce Brothers

"Quote of the Day June 5, 2009"

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now".

Joan Baez

"Quote of the Day June 4, 2009"

"The dream was always running ahead of me. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that was the miracle".

Anais Nin

"Quote of the Day Jun 3, 2009"

"Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go much further than people with vastly superior talent".

Sophia Loren

"Quote of the Day June 2, 2009"

"Life is "trying things to see if they work".

Ray Bradbury

"Quote of the Day June 1, 2009"

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched ... but are felt in the heart".

Helen Keller

"Quote of the Day May 31, 2009"

""We must let go of the life we have planned to make space for the one that is waiting for us".

Carl Jung

"Quote of the Day May 30, 2009"

"Joy is the best makeup".

Annd Lamott

"Quote of the Day May 29, 2009"

"The best index to a person's character is (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back".

Abigail Van Buren

"Quote of the Day May 28, 2009"

"The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they themselves are no longer able to set a bad example".

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

"Quote of the Day May 27, 2009"

"There is nothing to fear except the persistent refusal to find out the truth, the persistent refusal to analyze the causes of happenings".

Dorothy Thompson

"Quote of the Day May 24. 2009"

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself".

Andy Warhol

"Quote of the Day May 22, 2009"

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers".

M. Scott Peck

"Quote of the Day May 21, 2009"

"If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people".

Virginia Woolfe

"Quote of the Day May 20, 2009"

"Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe".

Winston Churchill

"Quote of the Day May 19, 2009"

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity".

Gilda Radner

"Quote of the Day May 18, 2009"

"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning".

Ivy Baker Priest

"Quote of the Day May 15, 2009"

"Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only for wallowing in".

Katherine Mansfield

"Quote of the Day May 14, 2009"

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty".

Mohandas K. Gandhi

"Quote of the Day May 13, 2009"

"If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down".

Mary Pickford

"Quote of the Day May 12, 2009"

"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city".

George Burns

"Quote of the Day May 11, 2009"

"The most successful people are those who are good at plan B".

James Yorke

"Quote of the Day May 10, 2009"

"In the end, we will remember not the workds of our enemies, but the silence of our friends".

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Quote of the Day May 8, 2009"

"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day to day basis".

Margaret Bonnano

"Quote of the Day May 7, 2009"

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm".

Winston Churchill

"Quote of the Day May 6, 2009"

"I can resist everything except temptation".

Oscar Wilde

"Quote of the Day May 5, 2009"

"The dumbest people I know are those who know it all".

Malcolm Forbes

"Quote of the Day May 4, 2009"

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is".

H. Jackson Browne

"Quote of the Day May 3, 2009"

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude".

Denis Waitley

"Quote of the Day May 2, 2009"

"You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings".

Pearl S. Buck

"Quote of the Day May 1, 2009"

"You don't know a town 'til you shop it".

Donald Brown

"Quote of the Day April 30, 2009"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment".

Rita Mae Brown

"Quote of the Day April 29, 2009"

"Life is rather like a tin of sardines - we're all of us looking for the key".

Alan Bennett

"Quote of the Day April 28, 2009"

"The only way to make sure people you agree with can speak is to support the rights of people you don't agree with".

Eleanor Holmes Norton

"Quote of the Day April 27, 2009"

"I always try to believe the best of everybody -- it saves so much trouble".

Rudyard Kipling

"Quote of the Day April 26, 2009"

"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance -- it is the illusion of knowledge".

Daniel Boorstin

"Running Amuck" Inaugural Meeting!

"Running Amuck"
Long Beach
A social running club

.....introducing a new.....
5 & 10k Run/Walk Training Program
including yoga

Saturday, May 2nd 8 a.m.
Meet near the Northeast corner of 2nd and Bayshore in Belmont Shore

Come join the fun!

General membership $25

Membership and training program $50
including 2 free yoga sessions

Weekly yoga $5

runningamucklongbeach@gmail.com

"Quote of the Day April 25, 2009"

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed".

Albert Einstein

"Quote of the Day April 24, 2009"

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because some day in life you will have been all of these".

George Washington Carver

"Quote of the Day April 23, 2009"

"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness".

James Thurber

"Quote of the Day April 22, 2009"

Nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.

Georgie O'Keefe

"Quote of the Day April 21, 2009"

"Experience is a dear teacher, and only fools will learn from no other."

Benjamin Franklin

"Quote of the Day April 20, 2009"

"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out".

Anton Chekhov

"Quote of the Day April 19, 2009"

"There is only one person who could ever make you happy and that person is you".

David Burns

"Quote of the Day April 18, 2009"

"If you think everyone's against you, change your way of thinking".

Larry Rosenwinkel

"Quote of the Day April 17, 2009

"There is no remedy for love but to love more".

Henry David Thoreau

"Quote of the Day April 16, 2009"

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

Robert Heinlein

"Quote of the Day April 15, 2009"

"Attack life; it's going to kill you anyway".

Steven Coallier

"Quote of the day April 14, 2009"

"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes on worrying about are of no importance whatsoever".

Isak Dinesen

"Quote of the Day April 13, 2009"

"Being on a tightrope is living; everything else is waiting".

Karl Wallenda

"Quote of the Day April 12, 2009"

"She had an unequaled gift...of squeezing big mistakes into small opportunities".

Henry James

"Quote of the Day April 10, 2009"

"Always strive to excel, but only on weekends".

Richard Rorty

"Quote of the Day April 9, 2009"

"Being friendless taught me how to be a friend. Funny how that works".

Colleen Wainwright

"Quote of the Day April 8, 2009"

"The vitality of thought is in adventure. Ideas won't keep. Something must be done about them".

Alfred North Whitehead

"Quote of the Day April 7, 2009"

"In life we don't get what we want, we get in life what we are. If we want more, we have to be able to be more, in order to be more, we have to face rejection".

Farrah Gray

"Quote of the Day April, 6, 2009"

"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it".

Maya Angelou

"Quote of the Day April 5, 2009"

Well, actually, this is more of a thought for the day instead of a quote, but I really like it. My friend, Stephanie, posted it on Facebook, and I lifted it from there.

It reads: I was never good at hide and seek because I'd always make enough noise so my friends would be sure to find me. I don't have anyone to play those games with any more, but now and then I make enough noise just in case someone is still looking and hasn't found me yet.

"Quote of the Day April 4, 2009"

"It is better to err on the side of daring than the side of caution".

Alvin Toffler

"San Diego Mud Run"

Well, I did it! I completed my first mud run today. It was a lot of fun other than a big honkin' ass hill, and I just HATE big, honkin' ass hills!

Going thru the mud pits, over the bales of hay, through the sewer pipe and up and over the wall was a cinch, but the mud goes everywhere...and, I mean, EVERYwhere! Tried to look at it as one, big, visit to the spa!

Did the run with my friend, Deanna, from Nifty after Fifty. She and I also did the LA Marathon together a year ago. Also from Nifty, were Tiffany, Courtney and Sandi.

After the run, Deanna and I headed back to Long Beach from San Diego but not before stopping at "Tip Top" in Carlsbad www.tiptopmeats.com. TT is a German grocery store, meat market and restaurant and let me tell you, they got some good grub! In the past, have only been there for the "Big John" breakfast consisting of eggs, hash browns, toast and all the meat you can eat, meaning, bacon, ham or sausage, and they make their own sausage and don't be thinkin' little pork links cuz we're talkin' bratwurst and Kielbasa size all for $6.98!

Too late for breakfast, so we had lunch. Deanna had a bratwurst sandwich with fries, and I had the Rouladen. This is a German dish my mother used to make consisting of bacon, onions, mustard and a pickle rolled up inside thinly sliced beef then cooked. This meal also came with mashed potatoes, red cabbage, sauerkraut, and a roll and salad for $8.69..YES..$8.69! I only ate half...brought the rest home for another meal some time this week.

We, of course, then had to shop the market. I picked up two loaves of rye bread, some wieners, bratwurst and kielbasa along with some liverwurst, and a Lindt's white chocolate with coconut candy bar.

All in all, another beautiful day in Southern California!

Enjoy the photos!

The Nifty gang lookin' good!
Left to right...Courtney, Sandi, Deanna, Tiffany and your's truly

Deanna and I looking our best pre-mud run!

Deanna and I looking lovely post-mud run!

Quite the nasty shoes and socks!

More nasty shoes and socks along with a scraped-up shin for Tiffany.

The Nifty gang all muddied-up!

"B-A-C-K in the USA"

Arrived home last night around 10 after, something like, 24 hours of travel, 20 of it in the air. Guess I'm of the odd kind in that I love to fly...doesn't bother me in the least, especially when there's plenty to do. I watched 4 movies "Doubt", "Body of Lies", "Slumdog Millionaire" and "My Best Friend's Girl". Also caught an episode of "Mad Men" in addition to entertaining myself with wordsearch puzzles and video solitaire and blackjack.

At times, while in Dubai, I found myself saying, what the hell are you thinking? OMG you're halfway across the globe...ON YOUR OWN! I would start to get all freaked-out and then I'd need to talk myself back down from all the catastrophic thought. What helped me then and still now is when people tell me how inspiring I am and how impressed they are with my ability to travel alone. Believe me; I don't set out to impress anyone. This is just something I do. Can't totally explain it either especially when there's still fear. Nothing at all cavalier about it.

All photos have been posted here. Will periodically update this blog on stuff...just stuff as it hits me so check back now and again when you feel like it.

Enjoy!

"Dubai Day 5"

Here it is my last day in Dubai. Can hardly believe I traveled halfway across the globe in the first place and now, tomorrow morning, I'm heading home.

My choosing to stay in last night really paid off because today, I was up and out around 10:30 just after updating my blog. I hopped a cab to the Sheraton where Jamile suggested I check in with "her boyz", meaning, the bellmen and concierge. She also suggested I stop in to see Hussain in the carpet shop, who kindly invited me to join him for tea. I've later learned from Jamile this is quite an honor. So here we were a gay man raised Christian, and a Muslim man discussing humanity and mans injustice to man agreeing George W. Bush's approach to the world and how far his belief system and behavior was/is from creating a peaceful, loving and kind existence; in turn, we shared in honoring our new president, Barack Obama.

After tea with Hussain, I had lunch at Automatic a Lebanese restaurant Jamile recommended. It was delicious. I had the mixed grill plate including lamb and chicken along with onions, pita bread and all the fixin's!

Here are some architectural sights along my way!

Hungry anyone!

Pizza Hut

Dunkin' Donuts or Baskin Robbin's per chance!

Or how about some of the Colonel or Carl's Jr.?

After lunch, I took a cab to the Gold Sug (Gold Market) where I was blown away by all the jewelry. Usually, I like to pick up a simple "little something" for myself, but there was nothing "simple" to be had; it was all very ornate. My friend, Diana, asked me to bring her some hoop earrings, but it was beyond my shopping ability to find them....sorry, Diana!

Feeling a bit adventurous, I wandered around eventually making my way to the creek where I hopped a water taxi to cross back over to "my side of the tracks".

Knowing it was something I wouldn't be able to get away with from June thru September, I decided to walk back to my hotel. I wandered in and out of many a shop snapping photos along the way. Enjoy!

Look, no fiberglass!