the weeks

I have been keeping busy as you may have read over on Bri's blog. She has been doing a better job of providing you a window into our soul lately. I have been busy with coaching and the preparations for the swim series, coming soon. It is always nice to feel needed in some respect.

Training has been going very well. I am not doing a huge amount but what I am doing is good quality. I could run more and bike more and swim more, but there are limits to my superhuman abilities.

I am still keeping track of world economics and all that. My bias is that now is a good time to hang onto cash or low risk bonds. Stock PEs are nearing or in the 20x range which historically is not a good time to invest for the long term. The mortgage fallout is nowhere near done and foreign governments around the world are also faced with high unemployment and a smaller revenue base (hinting at higher taxes everywhere or further defaults). Our stock market looks pumped up on government steroids and the pusher is about to get busted.

Here is a picture of Obama and his evil twin, Sociobama:

skipping races guilt-free

I opted not to run the Raleigh Rocks half-marathon this morning, primarily because the weather predicted a nice day today and rainy tomorrow (so riding will be nice today and lousy tomorrow), but also because I didn't give a hoot. My motivation and fitness are fine, I decided a long time ago that if I didn't want to do something regarding racing & training, I wouldn't. Instead of racing today, we'll ride close to three hours and then run 10 miles or so easy tomorrow. I feel no guilt, anxiety, etc. Nothing except the urge to tell you, gentle reader, if you feel like skipping an event, do it and don't feel bad about it.

In other news, the Triangle OW Mile Swim Series has picked up a couple of sponsors - Trysports signed on as the title sponsor, and Cabinet Connection of NC has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the Nuclear Swim at Harris Lake. The first race is coming soon - 5280 Swim at Falls Lake on April 10 - so check it out if you want some early season open water racing.

March 23 update 2010

I have had several requests for a detailed update (well, one really, my wife, but that is the one that counts) of my thoughts and recent travels.

1) Atlantic City can be a lot of fun if you keep control of your pocket book. Check out the Tun Tavern if you're ever in town. My Dad is an excellent poker player and co-won a 1-day tournament on Saturday. I won a bit, lost a bit, and essentially broke even on the weekend. I did get in runs and rides on the boardwalk and the beach.

2) The Health care bill, while noble in spirit and ideals on a few fronts (except for various plots and intrigues), fails to address systemic problems we have with private and public health care. Instead of making things better it will cost much more than advertised, like every other entitlement program that has been enacted in recent decades. Next time you receive your SS statement, check out the total amount you've paid into it. If you don't get one, don't worry, we'll pay for yours, too. While we all pay just a bit of tax towards Medicare each year, making millions of our seniors happy, the program itself runs unsustainable expenses.

3) I am going to enjoy a month of staying in town and getting work/housework done. Traveling can be a lot of fun but it is also stressful and time-consuming.

Todays quote is: "The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes." – Winston Churchill, 1874-1965

That is all.

weekend updates

Still busy here at OSB central headquarters. I would write more but Bri has been updating you well on what is going on with us lately. I am off on Thursday to meet up with my father in Atlantic City for a weekend of good times and losing money in the casinos. We will grab a nice meal or two along the way. I plan to run the boardwalk a couple of times and ride my mountain bike through the shore towns to Ocean City for some fresh air on Saturday.

If anyone in the South Jersey area is up for a 10 mile run @ 8min pace on the boardwalk starting at the Taj Mahal on Sunday morning around 730AM, drop me a line.

The anti-aging picture process

Bri and I compete in a lot of running races and triathlons, as most of you reading this already know. One of the many things we get a kick out of is checking out the race pictures after. They can be good or bad and sometimes you get a doozy.

At the Gasparilla 15k a couple weeks ago, I went into the race after riding and swimming a ton in the previous few days. So not at the top of my game. Here is pic #1:



I dunno about you, but if you ever see me looking much worse than this, call a doctor. Gravity and time are having their laughs.

A bit later on I am looking slightly more lively:



As we approach the finish line, the idea that I'll soon be done fills me with great joy, which also apparently makes me younger- and happier- looking:



And at the finish:



Super geeked-out for sure, but I don't appear quite as dead on my feet!

The point of this blog post is simply to fill your vacuum of boredom at work today.

pictures from training camp 2010

A few pictures from our winter training camp 2010 in Treasure Island/St Pete:

one sided vs bilateral breathing in freestyle

I have posted a new short article on one-sided or bilateral breathing.

florida travels

Been visiting family and friends the last couple of days. Spent some time with my sister Anna and my niece Cate on Monday and Tuesday, visited my sister / brother in laws on Tuesday, and about to go back to St Pete to pick up Bri at the airport tonight. The weather here has been less than pleasant, sunny but windy and cold. Still running and swimming. Planning on the Belleair Classic 5k on Saturday morning and swimming and riding with Bri tomorrow (Friday). On Sunday we will head home, hope to catch up a bit with my mother and sister again. March and April will both be busy months. Time flies. I would post pictures but am not smart enough to hook the camera up to my mac laptop. See you somewhere!