DWD

I'm picturing you dressed as Eowyn, running me down on your horse if I don't get a move-on. The draft is about 280 pages, and I'm on a third time though. WHen I'm done I'll send it to my editor and get a cover made. January maybe? (Dons mithril shirt just in case)

One more triathlon for the year, then it's time to focus on writing. I have the second draft of a sequel to polish up!

Thanks Will! And I just realized "nerdy" and "awesome" is kind of redundant.

Riding the train near the black forest. I envy your public transportation and ancient trees.

Just looked back to see how far I've come in the last year: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/35804-spectacle-rock-is-an-entrance-to-death/ More nerdy AND more awesome! Mostly. I still have a few gaping holes, but they appear to be shrinking.

Luck with the lappy Safety to your shoulder Best on the bellyfit Cheers!

The last two years my bro-in-law has organized a triathlon for his boy scouts and their familes. He talked me into going this year. I think they wanted the two-time champion kid dethroned. So I went, and clobbered 53 teenagers and out-of-shape parents in a half sprint triathlon. I feel equal parts happy and guilty. That kid was looking for a three-peat and I swiped it, but it was kind of fun standing around for seven minutes before he, the second place person, crossed the finish. And the race only took me 46 minutes. Especially happy after my Ironman disaster. However, I took a butt-kicking at a half-marathon I thought I was going to own when I was 18. It was good for me, and I stepped up my training. That's what this kid's dad told me when I apologized for smoking his son. "It's good for him." I hung out after and talked with the kid for a while. He's the kind I hope will interest my daughter in a few, I mean, twenty years. It was good to see him excited about a sport and all his life ahead of him. Made me hopefull he can avoid the messes I had that lead me to search out this site. Fixing a problem is great, but I wish I could have avoided all the health problems instead of correcting them. All reflection aside, here's to my first ever triathlon win! And to my bro-in-law who arranged a great race and then took third.

My consolation prize. In my update.

Happy late birthday! Does that mean immunity from Sugar Monsters for the day?

Loved Last Starfighter!

The first one is finding a balance between the Alpha and Beta male traits. Sure, the cocky jocks get the girls, but they can't maintain a relationship. James Bond isn't my hero. But who wants to be friend-zoned or turn into their stereotypical parents? A good example of the balance is Captain America. Do I have the bravado to say it like it is with a smirk, then take charge of the laundry and putting kids to bed? So far it's working. MMSL stuff like we talked about before. I had a mentor once point out the difference between listening to respond versus listening to understand. Double my listen time, halve my talking time, and try to comprehend those around me. I used to be better at it, but I'm getting back to where I was.

Rhubarb - the desert that counts as a vegetable!

Thanks. And don't forget saucy!

Yep. Swampling is an apple in said sauce. Or as she would say, "pommes." Oh, wait. Wrong Europeanese...

I'm a little off everyone else's schedule with my own thing, but it's a level-up party over here! Click the LEGEND OF NINE in the signature for the details. Carry on, everyone. GRRR!

LEVEL UP! 33 Here's what made me more awesome than a month ago: Blue heart - Time with my kids 4 days a week for 10 consecutive weeks Tunic upgrade - Holding to my spiritual goals for 8 consecutive weeks Quill - Writing three times a week for 11 consecutive weeks Leaf - Nutrition plan for 9 consecutive weeks Keys - Listening and assertiveness plan for 13 consecutive weeks JD - New job goals met every day for a week Turtle shell - 100th follower, fan, or review on my novel And all this WITHOUT the boost from finishing the Ironman. Feels pretty good!

I should have skipped the warming tent. I had dry clothes and a a bike to ride. I would have been just as warm 30 minutes later and ten miles down the road.

Given that yesterday was Canada Day, here’s another way to look at the situation. Specifically from the perspective of one Anne Shirley. She would have loved this outcome far more than what I had planned. The tragedy! How romantical! I can imagine her imagination running away with the possibilities. Such a close shave with accomplishing something heroic! Makes me want to take some ipecac to help with a croupy cough and lie down in a leaky boat in that choppy freezing lake. Yeah, that’s a good story.

Here are photos! Can't see the heart containers on the front of the jersey, or the master sword and magic rod on the back, but it was Link-tastically nerdy! http://www.finisherpix.com/photos/my-photos/currency/USD/pctrl/Photos/paction/search/pevent/ironman-coeur-dalene-2014/pbib/1619.html

Race report's up for my Ironman! It's the battle log link in the signature.

So here’s the race report of my Ironman Triathlon. The Death Mountain Gannon-bane battle I've been preparing for for so long. Unfortunately, it was an attempt rather than a triumph. As the swim started, the wind picked up and I was swimming into two-foot waves which were frequently whitecaps. In spite of that, I did well, and got out after two hours. Never swam 2.4 miles before! Problem was, I was shaking so badly from hypothermia (lake temperature was about 58 degrees) I couldn’t speak well or get my wet suit off. They sent me into the warming tent, and in my stupor, I lost track of time and stayed 30 minutes. Once warmed, I got on my bike and rode 56 miles of rolling uphill road, and into the wind. Coming back down was super fast though, and I was just short of my 15mph average I needed to finish the whole race in 13 hours. As I finished lap one, I ran into the problem. At the pre-race meeting, we’d all been warned of the cut off spots on the course. Listening to where they were and what the time was, I wasn’t worried. But 1:30 pm at the start of bike lap two was one such cut, and I got there at 1:35. Stupid hypothermia. I spent almost a year preparing for this, and one stupid strategic error screwed it all up. But what makes me feel okay about it is it was one stupid strategic error. My swim time was good despite the wind. After 56 miles on the bike, I couldn’t tell a difference in my legs from when I started. I had trained sufficiently to get the job done. Now I just have to wait until next year to do it. It would be dishonest to say I wasn’t furious and depressed when the race official took my timing chip, but it progressed rapidly to a determination to fix the problem. Progressed fast enough no one witnessed my initial reaction. Next month is an Olympic triathlon (about a 1/4 Ironman) in the same lake and some of the same ride. I did it last year and had my best time ever. This year, I’m taking off another ten percent. First two workouts to that end are already done. GRRR!

Race report next post!

Woohoo!

Hey all! I haven't been updating, but I've been working like crazy. New job, long commute. But the best news is DEATH MOUNTAIN TRIATHLON in four days! If anyone happens to be in northern Idaho, come watch the Ironman. I'll be there. In a green Link jersey. Finishing in under 14 hours. Woohoo! And thanks for the year of motivation, everyone!

Thank, everyone! 18 days until the big race!