Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

I decided to give up caffeine again because it was affecting my sleep, which in turn was screwing with my training. Today was day two, and I warned BC that I might get a bit testy in a week or so. So far, so good, no headaches, sleeping better, all good.

I have, however, been extra-snarky. Like, really, really overly sarcastic at every little thing. Poor BC got to see a lot of it this weekend as we watched TV and I did a complete snark-a-thon at pretty much every show. Not quite what I was intending when giving up caffeine (New and Improved! Now with extra Snark!), and hopefully it’ll pass shortly as my system gets used to the change. Until then I suppose I’m going to have to watch my tongue more than usual.

Well, that was a pleasant way to spend a weekend. Most of it was, thankfully, spent with BC. Quiet night in on Friday. He went home for a good chunk of Saturday, then came back that evening for an outing.

We headed out with friends for drinks, dinner and Cloverfield Saturday evening. The camera work did not make me sick, though I suspect it was a one-time watch for me (big screen – good; small screen – meh; at least that was my impression of it). I do also have to echo another bloggers comment that “I wanted to see more monster, and less people.” The relationship drama stuff could have been cut down in order to see more of the actual attack, and I suspect any military folks watching (as was the premise at the beginning) would have edited out all that extraneous stuff in favor of “more monster.”

We were very nearly late to dinner because, well, in the spirit of MAL (which we did not attend) I attacked him in some of my Nasty Pig gear when he came in the door about an hour before we had to head out. That was quite fun.

Sunday was langorous. We finally bestirred ourselves from some gaming in the morning after sleeping in (Mass Effect on the Xbox for me, Bioshock on his laptop for him), got a nice big late lunch at Thai Tanic, then picked up stuff at Whole Paycheck for a mushroom & sun-dried tomato risotto that evening. Yum!! Fantastic recipe out of Vegan with a Vengeance, though I modified it slightly (more rice, mainly). We were glad to spend most of the day indoors, since the temps never really made it out of the 20s. Poor BC forgot to bring gloves, so when we hauled the groceries back to the car (two bags total) I handed him one of mine for his bag. He laughed, but still took it gratefully as we wandered back, one gloved hand with groceries out, one hand firmly ensconced in a pocket.

Unfortunately he had to work today, but we have date plans tomorrow – another nice night in with movie and some soup (a curried split pea soup, to be precise). For most of the day I was a bum. Did hop on the bicycle trainer to spin out a few miles for a little over an hour, but mostly played more Mass Effect. Beat the game late this evening playing on “casual” mode, so I’ll have to play it through later on a more difficult level. For now it’s back to one or more of the games on the Wii, I suspect, so I can finish those and perhaps lend them to BC.

Back to the salt mines tomorrow, though even with all the other stuff I was doing this weekend I think I came up with a solution to a sticky wicket one of our programs has gotten into by mis-reading some of my office’s advice. Clarification (to the program; not here) shall be forthcoming tomorrow.

I did a flexibility and core strength assessment tonight as part of beginning my tri training season. One word: Ouch. Mostly flexible, except for the lower back, but not strong at all when it comes to the core strength (which I suppose matches with the not-so-flexible part). Ouch, ouch, ouch. At least I know where a major weakness is, which I was expecting to be the case, and can address it now.

Ended up stuck at work until 7ish tonight on a couple of phone calls and negotiations. I feel like a horse trader with all the back and forth stuff I’ve been doing these past couple of weeks. I am, evidently, the guy with the answers, or so it feels like. Regardless, I took some time to put together a presentation for my colleagues on this year’s budget and what changed for our BGA. Hopefully da boss lady will like it and I can get this thing done soon because I think it’ll help a lot of the other attorneys who’ve never looked in at our appropriation.

So, back into the routine, but with some twists this year. Should be interesting.

Feeling a little light-headed from paint remover fumes. I’ve been cleaning off the brass (it turns out) knobs on my kitchen cabinets this afternoon. Along with the dreadful paint color (“winter garden”), whatever idiot painted the kitchen also painted over all of the knobs with the same dreadful paint. Which is odd, because they had to them screw the knobs back on after at least a single coat of paint because the screws in the back were not painted over. Oy. So, 6 of ten are done. I thought perhaps from the way the paint was peeling off the knobs that they’d be more a dark nickel color, but brass they are.

Mostly done, but decided to break from it when the fumes got to be a bit much, even with the fan(s) going. This was after breathing in a plethora of other cleaning products as the place got scrubbed down, vacuumed, swiffered, etc. this morning and afternoon. Much needed cleaning, but never completely fun stuff.

I’ve started the process to purchase the new stove, first step being to find out what’s needed in terms of wiring, etc. to handle it. Given that the current one is original to the apartment (i.e., from 1963) it was better to ask first and see what kind of conversion box might be needed., if any. I have to call tomorrow to have them come check it out this week and give me an estimate on the work (conversion box, if needed, removal and installation of the new unit, etc.).

BC and I popped out to a party last night. I stuck to water, so slept fairly well and got in a bike this morning on the trainer before beginning to clean. Probably balanced out the not drinking by eating too many cookies today, but so be it.

BC and I had a nice, low-key NYE, over at a friend’s house with a few other folks. Much fun was had playing Godzilla Unleashed on his Wii, and aside from a single glass of champagne at midnight I didn’t touch a drop (I drove up there so we didn’t have to deal with taxis or Metro). Driving home was the most challenging part – drunken people popping out in the road at random intervals, all trying to flag down any taxi they could. What. A. Mess.

No new year’s day run this year – we got up too late, and then had to zip off to another get-together at Richard’s place in the afternoon. No matter, we got in a nice 4 miles today which, while cold, wasn’t bad. The cold symptoms are calming somewhat finally, but aren’t completely gone quite yet. Rest, relaxation, lots of water, and no drinking. Am going to begin exercising again, though. I just can’t wait any longer.

Speaking of which, signed up for my third and final triathlon for this year, the Nation’s Triathlon here in DC. So I’m doing Columbia in May (Olympic distance), Nation’s Tri in September (Olympic again), and Ironman Arizona (aka IMZ) in November. And a couple of other running events, I’m sure, sprinkled in between (Lawyers Have Heart 10k in June, the National Press Club 5k in September, etc.). Aside from IMZ, they’re all local things, so not a ton of travel for races this year, which should be a bit easier, especially if I’m transitioning jobs later this year.

We did a little shopping today, and I picked up some extra controllers for the two gaming systems, as well as recharging stations for both – no more disposable batteries.

So, a nice quiet beginning to the year, which I hope bodes well for the rest of it.

Getting up at the butt-crack of dawn, driving an hour to Baltimore, and then running a 5 mile race in the low 30s is perhaps not the best way to get rid of a head cold. That said, I had a great deal of fun at this race.

Chips aside, the race is a fairly low-key event. If a race with around 2,000 people in it can be said to be “low-key,” that is. Regular registration was $10, $45 if you wanted the jacket. Having seen the race shirts from prior years, I sprang for the jacket – embroidered, not ironed-on, and very comfy for post-race attire (and would work well to run in as well). Money well spent.

Started a few minutes after the stated time, which I find to be normal with a race this size. The beginning was a nice uphill to get the heart rate going and warm us up. BC ran this one with me, and save for a couple of moments in the middle, and right at the end, we ran together this time. Was nice to chat with him as we ran. The last race, a turkey trot right before Thanksgiving, he and his dad left me in the dust, which isn’t a big deal, but it was nice to have some time running with him for once.

After the initial hill, it was a roundabout, gently rolling course around Druid Lake park, with one of the final miles around the lake itself. The course wasn’t too crowded, folks were able to pass and be passed without much difficulty. The one water stop could’ve been a bit better laid out from what I saw (I had a bottle, so didn’t stop), but the volunteers there were very friendly and helpful from what I heard while passing it. Which was pretty much par for the course here – the volunteers were, hands down, some of the best I’ve seen at a race. Friendly, happy to be there, and enthusiastic with cheering out on the course.

The initial uphill was the final leg coming into the finish line as well, and I picked up a bit of steam coming down it. Actually, a bit too much steam – I ended up with that lovely “hi, I’ve run too fast and now I want to puke” sensation after the finish line. Whee! Didn’t ralf, thankfully, but it’s not the most pleasant sensation. My own fault for kicking up my heels a bit too much at the end.

What was pleasant was that immediately after I could breath clearly for the first time in days – my sinuses were completely clear, and no cough. Not the case at the moment (later this evening), but it felt great right as we got done, and lasted until we got ready to leave Baltimore, post-brunch.

There were a ton of folks at the race from the tri club as well, and it was great fun to wave at folks while running, and hang out with them before and after (as well as at brunch up the road at Cafe Hon).

All in all a great race, and one I’ll happily run again.

Headed up to Baltimore shortly for the Celtic Solstice Five Mile Run. Looks like it’s going to be a cold one. At least it’s not snowing like they first thought it was going to this morning.

Went to see Enchanted with BC on Monday. I most decidedly did not cry at the end; I had something in my eye. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it, so there.

Dinner tonight with RNJTM to talk Ironman and life in general. Should be fun, as always.

Seeing BC Friday & Saturday & hopefully Sunday as well. It’s to be a full weekend – Grubbycrawl tomorrow, two events on Saturday, plus the start of the USAT club challenge (meaning I have to get off my butt and go swim and run). Looking forward to all of it, and looking forward to doing all of it with BC. We’ve had some integration of stuff with friends, but are still working on the mutual introductions. He gets to meet more of mine this weekend, which’ll be good.

So, if all goes right in a year I’ll have finished an Ironman race. Let’s let that sink in. An Ironman. Wow. This is definitely a big deal.

A 2.4 mile swim to start, 112 miles on the bike in the middle, then 26.2 miles of running, a full marathon at the end. It’s easy to see why they allow racers 17 hours to finish the race (7 a.m. to midnight).

I’ve known for years that I eventually wanted to complete an IM race. It’s all RNJTM‘s fault – he generously took me up to see him race his 3rd 4th IM Canada in 1999 and ever since it’s been sitting in the back of my brain, waiting for the right time to happen. When IM Arizona announced a second race in 2008, with easy online registration, well, I jumped at it. After an hour or so of contemplation, that is.

This isn’t something one can enter into lightly – it’s going to involve a lot of time, and a lot of foregoing of other activities. Folks who’ve done marathons know what I’m talking about – early bed times, not going out drinking with friends, and lots of time on the road. Just add “in the pool and on the bike” to the “on the road” part.

I know where my first steps are, getting back to my regular exercise routine, reducing my caffeine and alcohol intake, and spending some quality time working on swimming technique. The swim is my big limiter (along with nutrition) – if I can keep my heart rate down during the swim, not have a panic attack, and stay on a good rhythm, then I can get through the rest of the race much more easily than I’ve done to date. I’m getting there, but it definitely needs polishing. Get to test that in May here locally, thankfully.

Did get in a swim this evening, mostly drill work to retrain me how I should be feeling in the water while I’m swimming. It did help – wasn’t terribly fast, but was more comfortable than it’s been in a while.

I’m still processing the magnitude of signing up for this race. I know I can do it. Might not be terribly fast, but I know I can finish it with the right training. Doesn’t mean it’s not intimidating, or freak-out worthy, but I know I can do it. The fun part is going to be the long runs and rides well into cooler weather here in DC (October and November), then adapting to the warmer temps in Tempe.

But before that, it’s getting the base built up, which is where I find myself now. Wow. This is going to be a lot of work.

Not content to stay put, and despite my resolve to race less next year, I just signed up for Ironman Arizona, 23 November, 2008.

Yes, I am insane.