I'm no fair weather rider

Today a snow storm hit Santa Fe. It lasted a few hours. One of the things I love about New Mexico is that I can ride my bicycle pretty much year round. As long as the snow isn't sticking to the roads or there isn't ice on the roads I can still ride.

Let me back track just a bit. For the last 3 weeks I've been on paternity leave & haven't shaved so I have grown one heck of a beard.

So, on with the story. Today I saw that there was an inch or so of snow sticking to the ground, but none at all sticking to the roads, so I threw on my cold weather cycling gear & took off for a ride! After about 20 minutes of riding the people who drove by were pointing at me. I get that a lot when I ride during the winter. Last year I went on a 3.5 hr bike ride in 19 degree weather. I actually had someone who drove past me turn back around & record me on their camcorder as I rode past them:) This time it was a while before I figured out why people were so amused with me. The snow that would normally hit my clean shaved face would melt. Today the snow was hitting my beard & instead of melting it was freezing & building up. After 45 minutes I had over a half inch of snow frozen onto my bearded face. Here's an interesting fact- the snow freezing onto my beard prevented the cold wind from hitting my face. So my face was warm & comfortable the entire ride.

Silverman 70.3 is on!

It's been a miracle, but I haven't missed a single workout in 3 weeks! As busy as I have been taking care of my wife healing up from a C section, keeping our 2 & 4 year olds busy, & trying to keep the house as neat as my wife likes it. Needless to say I don't have the time to train long anymore. Instead of training for 70.3's I've been training for sprints. It's been a miracle, but I haven't missed a single workout in 3weeks! I finish my run or bike before the kids wake up. Then 3 days a week while the kids nap I swim. After 3 weeks I'm feeling the effects of over reaching. Which is nice, because after next week I'll take a recovery week & do thew Silverman 70.3. I know, I had backed out of the Silverman, but my cousin has asked me to race it with him. It doesn't take much to convince me to race. I usually average 15 races a year! A bit OC perhaps? So I'll drive up there, sleep in the van, eat the cheapest foods I can find, & struggle through the Silverman. I say struggle because since Sept 18th the longest bike rides I've done was 33 miles & 25 miles. My longest run has been 5 miles. I'm definitely training way to short to do well in a half Iron. but hey, I'll struggle through it & enjoy it regardless of how much it hurts:)

Home again

My wife & I had baby #3. He was 7 pounds 10 ounces. He was born via C section on the 12th. He's perfect in every way.

I have a great wife. We were in the hospital for 3 days & each day my wife would feed baby Rion so he'd sleep well, & then she'd tell me to go workout. The whole time we were in the hospital I never missed one workout.

Once we got home training became a bit more difficult. Since my wife had a C section I've been taking care of her while she's recovering, while also trying my best to keep my 4 & 2 year olds occupied & happy, & try & hold & bond with baby Rion. The amount of training I've been able to do has been cut by more than half. I don't mind at all, just stating the facts. My long rides have been cut from 4-5 hrs to 1.5-2 &, my long runs have gone from 13-15 miles to 6 miles. Consequently my goals have changed. I went from my goal being The Silverman Half in November of this year & the Mountain Man in Aug 2010, which are both 70.3 distance triathlons. Now my next A races will be the Jingle Bell & Polar Bear triathlons in back to back weekends in Dec. I have absolutely no idea what my next A race after that will be. I don't know how much time I'll have to train, but more importantly I don't think we'll have the money for me to do any half Iron distance races which cost $250 & up or any Iron distance races which cost $500 & up, depending on the popularity of the race. Plus I'd have to travel to any 70.3 or Iron races, & we can't afford to travel either.

I am also now officially without a coach. The 5 weeks I'm taking off of paternity leave have stretched us beyond the breaking point financially. I'm hoping I can afford another coach mid next year, but to be honest I'm not sure we can rebound by then.


So, the only 2 things I do know about next years triathlon season is that I'll be doing local races, & I'll most definitely be a Clydesdale again next year. I'm doing poorly with the weight loss, gaining rather than losing. My current weight is 215. I don't mind doing local races or being a Clydesdale at all. The local races here in NM are fantastic. & the Clydesdales here in the SW all know each other & offer each other great support. I just wish I could stay under 215 pounds, which I'm thinking wont happen....again. Thanks for tuning in

a kinder gentler aproach:-)

I've been in the hospital for 4.5 days with my wife & new born son & while there realized my point of view on my previous post should have been presented differently. More on the bith of my wifes & my new born later, once I catch up on some sleep.

How's this:

First & foremost the RD's of races should have C/A divisions. I've sent out emails to all but the Alpine. I'm hoping I can get as many people to email the races RD's to request this as possible, even if their not a C/A.

I understand that there's no way to know which triathletes in a race are C/A's or where they finished among each other. So there's no way to know who should get 2-10 points. But the series has always given 1 point for just finishing a SW Series race. In my opinion I think the C/A's should STILL geta the 1 point for competing & finishing a series race.

I don't think the 1 point should be Johns responsibility to figure out. If a C/A emails & asks for the point because they did the race then they get the point for finishing that race. At least then their not completely out of luck. If a C/A doesn't care to ask for the 1 or 1/4 point & never gets it then no harm done. It's a very easy & uncomplicated way of giving at least some credit for completing a SW series race.

I could understand in part why someone would say,
"if you want the series points there are plenty of other races in the series. Just do one of the other ones."

or

"If that particular race is that important to you then you should do it for the joy of that race, not the points."

I just think giving the C/A's the choice to do the series race without at least a point for finishing isn't really much of a choice at all. I already had the choice to do any race not affiliated with the series. I do 10-15 SW series races EVERY YEAR because I love competing not just in each race individually, but racing in an entire year long series where I can get credit & points for competing in ANY of multiple races affiliated with that series. If it's in the series I feel it should be in the series for everyone at least in part. Leaving out a group, or three groups is still unfair to those groups left out. A 1 or a 1/4 point (if more than 8 races are completed) at least recognizes that a person or group of people did that race in the series.

Don't isolate me & my kind just because we're fat. Just kidding.... unless of course me planting that picture of a fat kid being left out of all the AG games pulls your heart strings, then by all means feel it baby! LOL.

I can understand everyone has different points of views on any one subject & by no means am I trying to say "I'm the only one who's right here."

I truly hope I didn't offend anyone by posting my feelings on this issue. & please understand I'm not one of the series haters that only write about the series because they resent the series. The reason I'm so passionate about this particular subject is because I'm truly passionate about the series, the competition, & camaraderie that comes from the SW series. As a Clyde I want that feeling at ALL the SW series races. Not just some of them.
Peace,

no love for the Clydesdales or Athenas

Some of the South West Challenge Series races don't have Clydesdale or Athena divisions. Before that was OK, the series still gave SW series points to the Clyde's & Athena's who competed in the races that didn't have divisions for the bigger athletes.

I recently found out the series won't give points for Clydesdale's & Athena's next year if they race in a SW series race that doesn't have Clydesdale & Athena divisions.

I'm not very happy about this. I think C. & A.'s should be allowed points for racing SW series races w/ no C. & A. div's. I'd be OK w/ that as long as it's mandatory for a race to have C & A divisions to be allowed in the SW series. That isn't the case though. I was told the series will put pressure on the RD's to have a C. & A. div, but if they choose not to then "it will be your choice to do the race or do one with those divisions." quote unquote.

Just wondering how everyone else feels about this?

In the meantime I was hoping I could get you guys to email the RD's of the races w/out the C. & A div's to request them to have them next year.

Perhaps even email the SW series & request that if they impliment this polocy to make it mandatory to have Clyd & Athena div's to be eligable to have thier race in the series. If they dont want to make it mandatory then don't have that polocy.

Here are the races I competed in last year that didn't have C & A div's were the
1)College nationals (sprint) owned by the RD's for BSLT 70.3 & the Buffman & Squeaky. marti@buffalospringslaketriathlon.com
2)The Santa Fe triathlon. tcr@tcrproductions.com
3) 2 years ago I did the SULLY SUPER SPRINT TRIATHLON & they didn't. But I haven't raced this race since then so I don't know if they do or do not . jbaade@sulross.edu

re-evaluate

I'm readjusting my goal of getting to 180 pounds. I've decided I'm going to try to get to 200 & maintain it.

Seems every time I get to 200 pounds & I get to the point where I'm about to drop below it I fall off the wagon for 3 or 4 days & gain 5-9 pounds. I figure I need to think about the long term. It would be better for me to maintain 200 than to keep attempting to drop below it, fail, then become disheartened & gain all my weight back. So it looks like I'll be racing the 2010 triathlon season as a Clyd again. Once I feel comfortable about my ability to maintain 200 poundsfor awhile I'll try to start dropping again. Until then I'll do my best to dominate & terrorize the Clydesdale division.

Hey, keeps me from having to rename my blog:)

would u say a prayer for my wife & unborn baby?

My wife & I had another check up for our unborn son today. He's due date is Oct 18th. The Dr. expressed concern of a vaginal delivery. 2 years ago when our 2nd child was in delivery he got stuck. His head had came out, but his shoulders wouldn't. He was stuck there for so long the Dr's started to freak out, they called for more staff & emergency equipment. At the last second before performing an emergency C section my poor wife had been able to push my son out. He was purple, wasn't breathing, & had no pulse. It took over 4 minutes of the medical staff working on him before he came back to us. That was the most difficult thing I've ever gone through. Even now 2 years later when the Dr. asked me to explain what happened I started crying. Silly I guess, it's over & my boy is fine, but it still chokes me up even thinking about it. I know if God wanted my son to be with Him my baby boy would of been in a better place. As hard as I try I could never be as good of a father as Him. But I was , & am selfish. I want my babies with me. The hardest thing for me as a follower of Christ is to accept Gods will unconditionally even when it goes against what I want. I'm working on that. But I'm not to where I should be.

Anyhow, our Dr said she doesn't want to risk that again. Our unborn son is measuring the same size as our 2nd child did at this point. So she set up an apointment for a C section on Oct 12th at 12:30pm. I pray to the good Lord he allows my son & wife to heal from this. I also pray He gives me the strength to accept his will no matter what it is. If any of you prayer warriors would be willing to do the same for me I'd be gratefull. It says in the bibble not to be afraid for He is in control, but I'm weak, & I am scared. I'd sure apreciate any extra prayers. Thank you.

multi-sport

I love multi-sport training. There's nothing about it I don't like. It's challenging, it allows me to eat more without any weight gain, it makes me more focused on maintaining a healthy weight, it teaches my kids how to live a healthy active lifestyle, it makes me sleep better, it makes me more focused & determined of a person, destination races allows my family to see parts of the country we never would see otherwise, it makes me better equiped to defend myself & my coworkers, it's a stress reliever- there's times when I'm in a bad mood that my wife, without a word spoken will bring me my cycling gear, when I return from a workout I'm happy go lucky again!

Yesterday was my first day back from 4 days of overeating. Bad news is that after those 4 days, it will now take longer to get to my goal weight of 180. But the good news is so much better than the bad news was bad! I'm back on the road to being triathlete thin!

Every time I've failed to drop the weight, went on a food binge, or gained more weight back than I had lost I learned something about myself & my food issues. I'm not saying I'll ever be "cured" of my love for, or my emotional dependency of food. But everytime I fall into my temptations I learn something, each time I back slide & figure out what caused it or how I recovered and I gained a tool I can use next time. Each time I learn from my failure I'm more likely to regain control of my overeating more quickly & am able to have the binge happen less frequently. Each time I fall off the wagon it slows me from reaching my goal, but for the first time I know without a doubt I'll get there.