"No person can teach another self-knowledge. One can only lead him or her up to self-discovery
- the source of truth." ~ Barry Long (Australian writer and spiritualist, 1926-2003)

"Self-Discovery"

Trying to find the person inside again who could endure long bike rides, long runs through the woods, and countless laps in the pool.

"Self-Knowledge",

That I need to to listen to my body more instead of my mind to acknowledge that the aerobic fitness I have been used to has deteriorated and the road back will take one step at a time.

So this long weekend was all about that and more.

Running the local 4 mile Turkey trot on Thanksgiving Day with my TRI friends was truly inspiring. Finishing the race with a comfortable 8:40 pace with my teammate without little pain was a total relief.

So still listening to my mind again I ventured out on Saturday for a 25 mile bike ride along the Chicago Lakefront. With the unusual warm weather the past couple of days, there where cyclist, runners, and some triathletes along the path.

So many things I missed about riding my road bike again and some things I wish I had forgotten. Like a sore butt and crazy cyclist who takes up the entire path going around a corner going 17+ mph. I had to play chicken with him I hate to say.

So Sunday was another training day for me, I started out with my TRI club for a 9.5 trail run. After 1.5 miles the "truth" came out. My body was not ready for the pace they were running at, so I finished the run on my own that resulted in 6 miles of a run/walk trail adventure. Then I waited for them and we mounted our mountain bikes and planned to ride two 9.5 mile laps. I didn't make it for the second lap, because "truth" came out again as I felt a little pain during the first lap of my mountain bike ride. "Self Knowledge" won out on the side of caution.

So with some sore muscles I concluded the weekend with more than just a willingness to train again but with a dose of "truth" of where I'm starting from.

As I take a break from my road bike ride, I look out towards this crazy city I call my home, I look out and think to myself maybe, just maybe, this time again next year, I can call myself IRONMAN once more and discover a little more about myself along the way.

Let it begin!

THANK-FULL

In the words of William Wallace from Brave Heart...
F-R-E-E-D-O-M.

Today is the last day of the Doctor imposed sanctions of NO strenuous activities. Like swimming, biking outdoors, and especially running. A entire month off, I don't think I have ever taken that much time off in 3 years.

But I'm thank-full, but with endurance athlete O.C.D. in full effect now.

I have a 4 mile Turkey Trot race on Turkey day morning. Okay, with NO running at all, Ooh the recovery surgery thing, I think it will be more of a jog and if I have to kick in the Galloway marathon rule of run/walk for 4 miles, that will be okay. I'm just thankful to be out there again and run around with some of my teammates again.

On Turkey day weekend I'm thankful for alot of things:

Thank-full I have a very supportive wife, that thinks I'm nuts most of the time, but supportive nonetheless with all my endurance race adventures.

Thank-full for my daughter, who likes to run races and could not imagine my life without her.
(A picture of her waiting for me to FINISH my IM)

Thank-full for my parents and wife's parents are still around, so my child can have grandparents she can play, laugh with, and of course be spoiled by. Something I missed when I grew up.

Thank-full for my small circle of friends who were very proud of me for finishing my IRONMAN and took me out for a celebration marking the event.

Thank-full for the TRI-Club I belong to and to the 5 others who are doing IMoo in 2007 along with me. Bring it ON. I'm back "Human Racers".

Thank-full for this cyber community we all call "Blog-land". Reading everybody's blogs, all of them with inspirational stories. You help me get my ass in gear out of bed for those 5:00 am training sessions.

And yes, thank-full to have a long-weekend off from work.

Happy Turkey Day

And let the mad shopping days begin. Cool (if you are a
complusive bargain shopper like me). To bad they don't have deep discounts at the TRI shops this weekend.

The 7 Day Stretch

So the big event for the day was to see my Surgical Doctor 3 weeks after my hernia surgery. I was really hoping for him to let start up my neurotic O.C.D. impulse of over-training and most often over-racing.. I even packed my gym clothes so that I could take a light run on the treadmill after my appointment..But I was DENIED.

Doctor: "everything looks good," How you feel.

Bubba: Sometimes I get a sharp pain that last a couple of seconds and what is this thing that feels like a PVC pipe in my southern region. :0

Doctor: you should be fine, and that is scar tissue..

Bubba: And yeah.

Doctor: After a month you can do whatever you want. No running or activities that might cause undue stretching until then..

Bubba: A month from now or month from surgery?

Doctor: One more week and then you should be okay to do "whatever"..

Leave the doctor's office tell my wife my sob story.. No sympathy of course. But what is one more week. I guess not to long.

What is 7 more days?
7 more days of eating White Hen pastries.. Cool.

What is 168 more hours?
I could finish my "Age of Empires" Video game.

What is 10,080 more minutes?
I could do stuff around the house or tinker with my bike? Is there really a choice here..

But for now I will take a minute to talk about my neurotic dog. I actually have two neurotic dogs. But one is better than a local weather station. It acts all goofy before a thunderstorm hits my area. Actually tears up the house looking for a hiding place. But somehow finds its way into our bathtub this day. The crazy thing he hates water and has not taken a bath in years, but somehow still smells like Doritos potato chips, go figure that out.

Now back to my doughnuts.

140.6

One and half weeks of forced R&R, another one and half weeks to go before the surgical doc lets me loose in the O.C.D world of running, swimming and the wonderful world of the indoor trainer. I hope anyways.

The first couple of days has been tough after surgery, O.C.D mind craziness, and trying to catch up with things around the house with the stipluation I can't do to much straining in the process.

Oh what fun?

So Saturday I watched Ironman Florida on and off most of the day, watching the start, and actually wished I was there. Then I looked down and was happy to be eating my cinnanmon danish and coffee, instead of warm gels, clif bloks, and blue sports drink the entire day. I might start getting used to this life of sleeping in, watching TV, and array of doughnuts at my disposal.

So surfing around the net I found this to remind me of the little things I forgot about a IronMan race and remind me why I love this stuff:

140.6 reasons to do an Ironman Triathlon

»001. Makes everything else seem so SHORT.
»002. The 3 week taper before the race.
»003. The 4 week recovery after the race.
»004. I've done one, so now I have to do it faster the next time.
»005. As much Pizza as you can eat.
»006. So that when the car runs out of gas, I can still get away from the Police under my own power.
»007. Beats watching the new Survivor, Big Brother, or anything else on TV.
»008. For all the times you heard someone say "I'd do one of those ... I just can't swim."
»009. The Finishing Oval at Lake Placid
»010. Steve King's accent at Ironman Canada
»011. Mike Reilly's hoarse voice still bringing people home at 11:30pm
»012. The Massage Tent - anywhere.
»013. St. Lynda is waiting for me at the finish.
»014. So is my mom...
»015. ...and so are Lynda's parents.
»016. Chalk on the road.
»017. Easy rides and runs the week before.
»018. Finishing your last workout and smiling because you know "I'm SO ready."
»019. For everyone who as ever asked you "Why?"
»020. For the teachers in school who told you you'd amount to nothing.
»021. To silence the one voice inside your head that still believes that bunk.
»022. You want to test the endurance limits of the music collection in your head.
»023. The "Bier Mile" at IM-Europe
»024. Spectators looking up your name and cheering as you plod past at sunset.
»025. Where else can someone ripping off your clothes in public be considered a benefit of a big race? (Wetsuit Strip)
»026. Miles in the Run
»027. Want to see the world and eat the food in each country, guilt free.
»028. So you can answer "One." When people ask "How many days does that take?"
»029. To wave at the scuba divers.
»030. To backstroke at the TV helicopter.
»031. Cards in your special needs bags.
»032. Cards in your T1 and T2 bags.
»033. CHICKEN SOUP!
»034. CHICKEN SOUP AGAIN! (Yes - it's worth 2 by itself)
»035. The Adirondacks of Lake Placid.
»036. The view from Richter Pass.
»037. Alii' Drive
»038. Main Street Penticton.
»039. Driving the bike course in a caravan of friends.
»040. Valet Parking and Catering ... all day long.
»041. You might get on TV
»042. I want to laugh at the former cool (now fat) kids at my 20th High School Reunion.
»043. The Marines at the race formerly known as Ironman California
»044. Takes as long as having a baby, nearly as satisfying, only without the morning sickness and the 21 years of bills that follow.
»045. Flying with a bike case makes business trips seem EASY.
»046. Sharing a smile with people wearing the finishers T-shirt the next day.
»047. Knowing that as you step in the water on race day - YOU MADE IT THIS FAR! Now just get home.
»048. How many people can say they did anything for 12,13, 14, 15, 16...hours?
»049. The "Hot Corner" at IM-USA
»050. The wristband that somehow becomes your favorite fashion accessory.
»051. So that when you tell your grandchildren stories about what you did when you were young...yours will be true.
»052. Main Street Lake Placid
»053. High fives from people you don't know.
»054. The Sponge as a fashion statement
»055. Coke and Chicken soup - the ultimate power cocktail
»056. Knowing that after the gun goes off, you don't have to worry anymore.
»057. First Place and Last Place get the same amount of cheers.
»058. Walking to the start with Heather, Lothar, Thomas, Jurgen...
»059. Getting lapped by Heater, Lothar, Thomas, Jurgen...
»060. Getting lapped again on the run by Heather, Lothar, Thomas, Jurgen...
»061. Making the turn for home.
»062. Because MolybdenumMan doesn't trip off the tongue in quite the same way
»063. If Judy Molnar can, dammit, so can you.
»064. You might get to run with Alexandra Paul!
»065. High fiving Daryl Haley, and going backwards 5 feet.
»066. Sunset over Skaha Lake on the run.
»067. If Randy Caddell can do it with just his arms, you can certainly do it with your legs.
»068. Easier than Eco-Challenge.
»069. Got rejected from the astronaut corps.
»070. Got rejected by the Marines.
»071. Crashed out of the Blue Angels.
»072. Makes US Navy SEAL training seem like a good idea.
»073. You enjoy the smell of chlorine in the morning.
»074. You've had enough with your current social life.
»075. For the love of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream!
»076. Your friends are watching on the web.
»077. You need to prove to your mom that even if you get on the bike right after you swim...you won't catch a cold.
»078. Helicopters over Kailua Bay.
»079. Roadies think you're nuts.
»080. Masters swimmers think you're nuts.
»081. Your running club KNOWS you're nuts.
»082. So that you can master the left-handed bottle grab (IMAus, IM-NZ).
»083. Morning swims
»084. 3 hour breakfasts after the morning swims
»085. The Underpants Run
»086. Laughing at people in the Underpants Run.
»087. The Hog's Breath Cafe Breakfast Special at IMC
»088. Glowsticks
»089. Cowman A-Moo-HA!
»090. Because Winston Churchill said I can't ever give up.
»091. The 12-step program to make me stop hasn't been invented yet.
»092. Any National Anthem, before the start, anywhere.
»093. Knowing that when you wake up at 4:00am, the next time you go to bed you will be VERY different person.
»094. 6 miles, 10 minutes - straight down to Keene.
»095. Yellow Lake done - 12 miles downhill to go.
»096. Because you've always wanted to see how many CD's and towels it would take to ride the whole IMC course on the CompuTrainer
»097. Makes your next marathon just a nice morning run.
»098. To make your Boss jealous because YOU have a life that doesn't involve the office.
»099. Because the longer you're out there, the less per hour it really costs!
»100. Being there is way better than watching on Pay-Per-View
»101. Finding yourself in the middle of your doubts ... finding a new meaning of being scared.
»102. Finding out that you're far stronger than those doubts a few miles later.
»103. Falling in step on the run and making a friend to the end, without having to say a word.
»104. A fried breakfast the day after.
»105. Watching people headed home while you're headed out, thinking "I'll be there soon ..." and they cheer for you.
»106. Understanding why that is as your cheering for people headed out when you're finally headed home.
»107. That feeling of ice cubes in your hat on a hot run never getting too cold.
»108. Telling folks with flat tires "It's a long day - hang in there!" and seeing them breathe and smile for a moment.
»109. Hearing people cheer you up while your changing a damn flat tire.
»110. Rolling into T2 knowing that no matter what - you can't have a flat sneaker from here on in.
»111. Having someone catch you, and hold you up when you can't do it anymore.
»112. Miles in the Bike.
»113. The IV's feel SO good the next day.
»114. To see if it really feels as good to do as it does to dream.
»115. To see if it really feels as good the second time.
»116. And a third...
»117. And a fourth...
»118. To try and finish in daylight.
»119. To try and finish before midnight.
»120. To try and NOT get stung by that (#*@! bee this time.
»121. Your kids already think you're a hero - prove them right.
»122. Your wife doesn't...but you might prove it to her, too.
»123. An M-Dot Tattoo would look swanky on your ankle.
»124. 5000 Volunteers - all for you.
»125. Hearing them say "You're almost there!" all day long.
»126. Being nearly almost there - for real.
»127. CHICKEN SOUP! (It's been awhile)
»128. Quiet hugs before the start.
»129. Kissing her goodbye, and promising "I'll be back later..."
»130. The first time you think "Holy crap - I'm doing an Ironman!"
»131. Beating back the voices that say "Holy crap - you can't do an Ironman!"
»132. Mile 26.
»133. That moment when you KNOW you're going to make it for the first time all day.
»134. Entering the oval.
»135. Running down Lakeshore Drive.
»136. Running down Alli Drive.
»137. The Finish Line
»138. The first step after you cross the line and think "Oh, My....God....!"
»139. The Medal
»139.6 Because they said I can't
»140.6 Because I say I can.

Hurricane Bob
* #299 in your programs, from the Fighting City of Philadelphia.... *