Retribution: (noun) Punishment that is considered to be morally right and rightfully deserved.
I got even with myself, and on the eve of the 2006 Tour, few things I would rather be doing, than going for a beautiful ride.
At the 25 mile point, I fell over, climbing a hill. This is not as horrific as it may seem, though it still shakes one up.
The rest of the ride was absolutely incredible. Went easy, and coasted at great speeds, with minimal efforts.
I have had my vengeance on the heat.

Retribution: (noun) Punishment that is considered to be morally right and rightfully deserved.
I got even with myself, and on the eve of the 2006 Tour, few things I would rather be doing, than going for a beautiful ride.
At the 25 mile point, I fell over, climbing a hill. This is not as horrific as it may seem, though it still shakes one up.
The rest of the ride was absolutely incredible. Went easy, and coasted at great speeds, with minimal efforts.
I have had my vengeance on the heat.

It’s been a long time since breathing was this difficult-

You know that feeling, in the heat of summer, when a thunderstorm comes, and then after the storm, the nearly unfathomable humidity; The thought of a dry, cold winter’s day makes you shiver.
On my ride this afternoon, after a 9 mile run this morning, I felt as if I could not move.
The air was so thick, so saturated, it felt as if I was inhaling the waste of a lawnmower, after mowing the grass, after a freshly fallen morning dew.
When this happens, you cannot oxidize the air as readily, thus seriously diminishing muscle contractions.
Imagine, one can leg press (My- I haven’t thought of that in a very, very long time) 400 kilos.
Then imagine, trying to press 1,000 kilos, repetitively. Witness my ride.
I didn’t even want to hit my recovery window. I didn’t. Not the most prudent of measures, but sometimes that’s life.
Longing to move on.
See you tomorrow J

“Drenched in my pain again, becoming who we are”

Today was tenaciously formidable.
Began the day with a light recovery run after yesterday’s quasi-long run.
6.5 miles easy, no problems.
Scheduled my long ride to be this afternoon: 33 miles in humid, yet cool conditions.
Mile 25, front tire became flat.
Repaired, although repair was multi-pronged – Whereby it was salvageable for approximately more miles, It blew out again, and then I decided to give the call.
Parents came and picked me up, very fortunate.
Got the flat repaired at my local mechanic (www.ipswichcycle.com) Great guy, told me the tube was flat, not the tire. I am Anthony’s smiling bank account.
Followed all this up with a great open water swim, accumulating with taking my mom out to dinner for her birthday. Nancy Flaherty is correct when she cites “Triathlon…its just a passion.”

194.
That was the number of times my heart pumped blood in one minute, during my time trial ride this afternoon.
I really didn't anticipate doing it on my trainer, but with the thunderstorms that I thought were going to surely electrocute me, I decided to park it and sweat.
I must have dropped 20 ounces of water, and about 500mg of Sodium, from myself today.
The second peak in my time trial, I think the heart rate monitor went nuts...218 beats per minute.
Maybe this is possible.
Maybe.



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So I did it.
I dragged myself to the pool, and accomplished more than I anticipated.
Longest consecutives swim to date: 1 mile.
1600m doesn't sound like alot, but when you're a runner, and lack any formidable upper body strength. I smiled, and was delighted.
This is my evolution.

This route will officially be christened the "Moo Route", as my mother mapped it out for me.
It was 95 degrees, and the zenith of the route, is about 4 miles of state highway entitled "Route 28"
One can travel on Route 28 at 50 km/hr without any perceivable effort. It was a blast. It had those cool heat ripples in it and everything. I felt distinguished, I must admit.
Brought alone my aero bottle with Gatorade Endurance, with ice cubes, and my usual Gatorade Bottle in the cage, with the like solution.
The image, is me cooling off at a local pond. Too much fun.
Went well. Keep moving.

In a few moments, I am going out on my ride. Its already 80 degrees, and is forecasted to be around 95 come the hottest part of the day. This will prove to be a very challenging hydration test. I am prepared, and I am educated. No more of this dry mouth blah.
I don't quite know where I am intending to ride, but hopefully somewhere quite nice, and peaceful. Long, open highways, aero-bar land.
See you later!

Psychologists have long known, that when one is clinically ill, they evolve through a series of stages: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Today, I discovered the stages of dehydration, and despite all our efforts to maintain well hydrated, we can still be victim to it.
I had a late night last night, getting back in after work around 9pm, hurrying through a quick dinner, and falling fast asleep.
I woke up at 9AM, and only awoke once during the night. I did my morning thing, and noted that my hydration litmus test was poor, and went out for a scheduled 9 mile run.
I felt very tight in the beginning, like most runs, and after about 4 miles, realized that 9AM temperatures are dramatically different than 6AM temperatures - 60 degrees versus 80 degrees, to be precise.
Unbeknownst to me, I began feeling better at about mile 6, and thought I would make it into my long run for the week, seeing I had no place to be.
First your muscles slow down in contracting. Then your mouth becomes dry, then your throat becomes very dry, then you lose the ability to spit, and then to swallow. Thank God I didn’t stop sweating. That happened once, one of my first lessons of hydration.
I was on a treadmill in New York City in the Spring of 2004, and I decided to have a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato 20 minutes before getting on the hamster wheel. Never-ever, ever again. I did stop sweating, and it was only a 30 minute run.
Probably the lactose within the beverage.
So 13 miles, and about 2 hours later, I am still connected to a Nalgene bottle-based IV of sorts. Happy summer!

Change is needed.
My life is balanced, but its not moving forward.
My job at the moment has me up at night, and at times my runs have become poor. Maybe this whole “goal setting” policy should be overhauled – or at best, revised.
It would be easy to say it is all correlated, to cortisol levels, poor sleeping habits, bad diet, and all that, but I cannot certify any of these.
My diet, if anything has been awful for the better part of four months; oatmeal raisin cookies, bagels, practically no fruit, and an assortment of monotonous vegetables.
Pardoxically, the best runs and rides and swims are those which are entirely unplanned.
The precipitate of this note was a series of runs, wherein I was disgruntled and upset by my lack of progress.
I wasn’t content, nor was I puzzled. It may appear counter-intuitive, but I’m beginning to overhaul my system, from the inside out. I’m going to re-evaluate my needs, my likes, my desires.
The late George Sheehan, true to his history, was correct when he stipulated that action often results from dissatisfaction.
Two years ago, I would absolutely disgusted with my present form, but that’s another issue entirely.
Albeit, my race times have slowly improved, so by endurance peers are congratulatory, but I’m not. Go figure.
This triathlon thing – The goals, the target heart rates, all of the objectives, arguably detract from the overall contentment with these endeavors.
Succinctly, I see no reason to explore new terrain, try new things. I know what makes me happy, and I know what doesn’t.
As aforementioned, stubbornness is my biblical flaw. It is hereditary, and its awful.
Fortunately, the strength of the genes has been diluted over the generations, and maybe I might be able be the master of my own house. ‘Here goes nothing’

Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde

Classic story about a man in 19th century England who by day was a practicing physcian, and my night a distrubed chemist, who roamed the streets of London as a sinister pariah.
I too, have an alter-ego. I'm a political operative. Today was slow, as I sat in the office for many hours, thinking, dwelling, fatasizing, about ...my ride.
80 degrees and clear for the first time in over two weeks. On the drive home, I must have passed fifteen cyclists, and two pelotons. T-21 minutes until happiness.
I got home, changed, and became the other man...The man in the tight shirt and shorts, with those weird glasses, and that bright orange bike. I have named the species: Pteridactal.
As detailed above, you will see the man by day, and you will see the vast lands of my alter-ego.
I challenge you to find your alter-ego...

It has been several hours since I left my happy place.
It is a large lake in Southern New Hampshire, USA, and makes me so happy when I run there.
But today, was special. It was only me, and the sun was out, and the lake was clear and blue, and I felt great.
I ran so well, so fluid, and wish I was still there.
Given that it has been several hours since I left, I lack the acute senses I had when I was there, yet I know that it forever makes me happy.

We all have been there. The reasons, the deliberations, and then the rewards of accomplishment. Large or small, we have bettered ourselves.
However, when man is whittled down to his core, to his primal instinct, it is then, and only then, that desire is replaced by necessity.
On my ride, I felt great, despite the fact that torrential rains saturated me for every mile.
It was blissfull, although at times challenging given the inclimate conditions. At one point, all my problems, my concerns, my indecisions, became mute. For I had only myself, the earth, and the machine upon which I was moving.
This is evolution, and the triathlete is the species.

So close. But I'm not settling.

Nearly all my goals for this week have been accomplished. Only the cycling remains. As I write this, it is intermittent light drizzle, with some wind.
I am scheduled to ride 87 minutes, yet I know because of the flooding, this will be a heart challenge, if actually possible.
So before I go out, I'm writing this now. And in two hours, I will learn something deeper about myself.
See you soon.

I think I have finally come to realize what I dislike so vehemently about living at home.
By-in-large, it is too soft. Too comfortable. Too many amenities. Curtains, trinkets, candles, little crap that just doesn't need to be here.
I have a few requests and joys, and the more I think about it, the fewer they are. I like to spread out. A large wood floor will do.
Anything that lets me expand my body and soul.
And arguably, I feel that a majority of the mass's discontent lays within their inability to expand their soul.
After my long run today at a beautiful place in New Hampshire, I came to realize, that my home life is entirely antithetical to what I am accustomed to. Actually no. I have known this for a great time, I have just now come to understand why it disrupts me.

Dream Wish Fantasy Hope Love Everything I Need Strong Faithful
“…counting on a new beginning, a reason for living.”

A few words to describe what running is to me.
I drove 2 hours to a convention this morning. It lasted ELEVEN hours. God Bless America.
I got home, with nothing in the tank but a handful of M&M’s and a Powerbar, and pulled a 4 mile tempo run after 5 easy miles this morning.
Was such bliss, I wonder why I make running so complicated sometimes. This is true love.

Just when you think the wave will overcome you, and you can’t breathe through the stress and objections innate in life, you’re rescued. To me, it was a pair of wet, running shoes, and a self-diagnosis: Insanity.
A week ago today, my car was towed with a dead battery. My battery died again today after work. Not joking here. Life is incredible sometimes. I was supposed to be 2 hours away in 3 hours. I didn’t make it, but the good news is I’m not in trouble. I am going out there tomorrow AM. And will enjoy it.
So I went to my gym, changed into my wet running stuff, still damp from this morning’s AM run, intent on doing 2 or 3 miles. 7 miles later, I am a different man.
Didn’t run fast, didn’t run that well, but I ran. And somewhere between those 7 miles, I was renewed.
I did miss my recovery window, which I am catching up on now as I write. I thank God everyday that he has shown me this blessing, or peaceful elation as I move through space.