The challenge...

What happens when you take 10 of the nation's smartest Field Grade military Officers, 70 cans of beer, halloween, and a competitive guy?  We like to call it "the challenge."

The challenge?  Eat 50 packets of candy in 50 minutes (without throwing up for another 50 minutes after the challenge was complete) for $50. 

It all started innocuously enough...Apparently, children were afraid to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood...I suppose this isn't surprising given that our neighborhood is filled with a bunch of 35-40 year old "Geo-Bachelors" (guys whose wives are living back home while we're in school thousands of miles away).  The result was someone asking "what are we going to do with all this candy."  And then it happened...Someone said, "Vinnie will eat it" and Vinnie actually said he could...

The candy was a mix of Snickers, Twix, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Swedish Fish, and Sour Patch candy.  Somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 calories (heck, some people can eat that at a Burger King for lunch).

Vinnie started out on fire by powering through a few chocolates and a bunch of fish, but it was ultimately the Sour Patch which proved the greatest challenge.  At 20 minutes, he'd consumed 20 items.  At 30 minutes, he'd consumed 30, but wasn't looking good.  At 36 minutes, he threw in the towel, exited the house, and fertilized the grass.

I wonder what we can do with Turkey for Thanksgiving or Egg Nog at Christmas...

Peaceful...

I ran into this deer on Sunday's run.  Despite hunting season in full-force, we managed to watch each other for a few minutes.  It's as if the deer could sense that I meant no harm and that we could both coexist peacefully on a beautiful day.

Sensitive?

I had a great weekend. With 3 hours of solid effort on the bike on Saturday and 1:45 of tough running in windy/hilly conditions yesterday, I should be feeling over-the-moon and ready for Clearwater...

Heck, I'm a Navy Diver...A "tough guy" as it were. I can shiver all day and drink all night and then repeat again the next morning. Well, actually, I have the alcohol tolerance of an 11-year old girl.

Nevertheless, I'm a pretty confident fellow. So, it's been interesting as I track my response to an event that occurred 8 days ago.

Last weekend (8 days ago), I took the Navy Physical Fitness test. It's nothing overwhelming (some push-ups, sit-ups, and a 500 yard swim). I finished my swim in 9:08. While not my fastest swim, it was a solid effort for me.

That evening, I was having dinner with my Executive Officer and her family. We were discussing the swim and I mentioned my time. That's when it occurred. Initially, it was just a slight smirk, but then it was followed by outright condescension...From my XO's 11-year old daughter! As she put it, "That's slow. I can swim 500 in 7 minutes." Wow!

I love to say I dismissed her comments, but I gotta be honest. After all the additional work I've poured into my swimming the past 10 months, it's REALLY frustrating to know that an 11-year old girl can still kick my butt. Heck, I've been working on my swimming since 1998 (when the girl was only 2 years old)!!!

Oh well...As I always say, triathlon teaches humility. Even for those of us who ARE racing the World Championships in 12 days.

Final bits and pieces...

17 days until Clearwater...

My legs are fine.  My swimming has reached a plateau (if I've improved at all).  And, I'm just trying to finish the last workouts so I can race. 

 

I'll need to tighten up my diet a bit as I'm feeling a bit "fat."

It's been a weird year.  Quite a bit of training consistency.  A solid coach.  Decent race results.  Yet, I don't really feel fulfilled.  Candidly, the half-Ironman distance doesn't feel "special" to me.  It just doesn't feel like a big accomplishment relative to the longer stuff.  

Do I enjoy the training?  Yep.  Do I like the people I meet?  For sure.  Do I think I've made improvements?  No doubt.

Current prediction?  4:40 as (:34, :04, 2:30, :02, 1:30)...

I'll need to work on my transitions to ensure I don't waste "free speed."  I'll also need to take advantage of the "legal draft" at Clearwater and ensure I keep pressure to the pedals if I hope to ride that fast.

After that... Time will tell.  I'm thinking 2009 will need to make room for Ursa Major, but I'll worry about that on 10 November once I've accomplished my goals for Clearwater.

Sandbagging?

Last weekend, I was able to travel home to Portland for a weekend with Rachel.  When I'm home, we have really limited time for lots of competing demands.  One of my goals for the weekend was to race cyclocross.

'Cross in Portland has created its own subculture.  It's quirky, grassroots racing at its finest.  It's also an opportunity to see lots of friends in one location.

With that said, I couldn't afford to spend all day hanging out at a bike race so I chose to race the "Category C" event as it was starting earlier in the day.  With limited racing in my legs and only a single speed MTB to race, I felt that I could afford to "drop down" a category for the day.

Well...I guess not everyone agreed:-)  From the first stroke of a pedal (and for the next 45 minutes), I enjoyed the constant cheers of "sandbagger" or "race the Bs" from my friends along course.  

I suppose I understand.  In reality, we all race to push ourselves to the "next level."  Whenever one makes a conscious choice to plateau, they are bound to be "motivated" by others to keep pushing.  In some respects, THAT is what makes the athletic community special.  It's the willingness to push OTHERS to exceed their self-imposed limits.

Am I proud of my performance on Sunday?  Actually, yes.  I pushed myself physically and raced well.  Would I have preferred to have the time to race a more challenging category?  You betcha!

Long run...

Perfection... When everything comes together...  

I took a nice 1:45 minute run (building in pace/effort the entire time) on a beautiful "last days of summer" morning.

Days like today are the reason we run in the rain, cold, excessive heat, treadmills, forbidding streets of unknown cities, and alone.  For that rare day when the legs, the lungs, and the head all come together and say I AM ALIVE.

Bike for sale...

I'm selling this for a friend (Jesse Anthony's pit bike from 2004/2005):

Ridley Supercross Frame/Python Fork (size 54)

Campy Chorus Carbon Ergo Levers

Campy Record Rear Derailleur (can trade for a Chorus Carbon Long Cage)

Campy Chorus Front Derailleur (can swap with a Record Carbon CT)

Campy Record Hubs laced to Open Pro Rims (Brand New)

FSA Carbon Crankset

FSA Platinum Pro BB

Empella Froglegs Cantis

Ritchey WCS Bars

Ritchey WCS Stem

Ritchey WCS Post

Fizik Arione Saddle

Michelin Mud2 Tires (Brand New)

$1350 complete ($1500 if you want the optional Mavic Ksyrium Tubulars with Challenge Griffo Tires).  $1650 with both sets of wheels.