I wanna go back...

Ever think back to your first sports memories? That may be football, Hoops, Soccer, Volleyball, Dance, whatever it was in your life. Mine is Ohio State Football. I lived in Columbus for three years while my Dad was at Ohio State. So pre-school through 1st grade I lived in the middle of Buckeye Football. Not a lot has not changed, but back then I hung out in the 'Shoe and North Facility for intramural practice, ran all over the empty stadium, met Woody Hayes there, and attended Buckeye Games during the Archie Griffin years. All this stuff had changed as society has changed the last 30 years. They don't watch us we watch them. Nowadays we make our kids start organized sports when they are 4 and drag them all over the state until they are burnt out or we are out of money. Is this right? Is this wrong? I don't know. It's just how things are.

Already being a little nostalgic this week, Jack crawls into bed this morning and asked me what I did for fun when I was his age? I told him ride bikes with my friends, play baseball and run around. "But Dad did you play football?" How could I forget pickup games in the old neighborhood? It was every single day in the fall and winter. When we didn't have enough for teams, we'd play Smear the Queer. Guess that's no longer PC and probably too rough? Then he asks me "What I will do for sports when I am your age?" (His guess was workout in the basement like Mom, in case you wondered) Stumped for a minute before I realized although I've made mistakes and missed out on some dreams, it's the same thing. Riding bikes, playing pick up football (with the little kids &/or the 40 year old kids) and looking forward to those 11(12) fall Saturday's so I can pretend I am still your age.

I guess the after a cup or 3 of coffee advice for him is you are five, you still have the chance to be anything you want to be when you grow up. Make the best of it, be a kid as long and as often as you can, be a grown up when life dictates and live your dreams.

...to Ohio State to old Columbus town, to hear the stadium to hear the band, by far the finest in the land.

I'm off the Night Train...ready to rock and roll.

Following the Mohican Debacle, feeling fatigued and mentally burnt, I took a little advice from a red headed elder and hopped on the Night Train to enjoy summer a little. Took a few weeks to taste every beer in Georgia. Fell in love with Oskar Blues along the way. (you people in other states don't know how lucky you are) Then eloped from life for a month at the lake last weekend.

With another trip to the bug infested sweet single track having swamps of Orange County New York looming I thought best to test the fitness yesterday. After tuning up on a semi dry course last week, what do I wake up to race day morning? That's freaking right kids!!! Jason wants to race a mountain bike so Mother Nature takes a crap on him once again. 3 for 3 in 2010. At least I'm batting 1000.

Took a page out of the Montalbano Guide to Mountain Bike Racing and clipped into the only single-speed in the Sport division. I didn't think my lack of fitness, skills, experience and low body fat % were quite enough challenge. Add one more...two mile out and two miles back across the dam without a tow rope and that should make for a sufficient disadvantage.

You can see the rest of the story developing in your mind, right? Line up with 5 others, keep up till my heart feels like it going to explode halfway across the dam, hit the slick root infested singletrack and hang on. First bridge, Mohican Flashback, we all slow down to talk to the guy sitting in the ravine taking inventory of his parts.

I know, I know, land this plane. Ran the old ticker at 99% for 1:59 and finished, you guessed it, DFL. What? Were you expecting a happy ending? OK there is some optimist left in me. Due to the weather it was a low turnout, so most of the field were series regulars competing for points. I was the only person idiotic enough to try and keep up across the dam, but I passed a geared guy on the home stretch, beat a handful of dudes in other age groups (including you know who) and finished 10 minutes behind the winners of my class. I'll take my 54 series points, go home happy and scrub my gear for a few hours.

BTW, its says it's not going to rain in NY this weekend, wanna bet?

2010 Mohican 100k....errr49k.

I'm still to tired to write anything humorous about my day with Noah. Let me temporarily sum it up with one photo. This is how I looked at Aid Station #1 at Mile 20 which btw took me 3 1/2 hours to traverse. You can just use your imagination to decided how I looked when we pulled the ripcord around mile 43 and 8 1/2 hours in the monsoon.

Guns N' Roses - Nightrain - Live At The Ritz 88

Rubber Band Man

D-Day in seven days. Was feeling like Ironman coming away from SSAP and Capital City Half Marathon. Yes i completed both in a seven day time frame (if you knew big fat Jason then you will allow me a moment to boast). For the past two weeks I feel like RubberBand Man and I don't think The Spinner's will carry me and my bike for 60 miles next Saturday (although there seem to be a lot of dudes in that band). So today it's music, mowing, recovery swim and cookouts. BTW my 1500 recovery swims now are further than I was ever able to swim when I was training for Sprint'Tri's...go figure. That makes me more confident about my fitness level and maybe I just need to rest the wheels this week.

Hopefully this is me at 2:00 PM next Saturday:

Oh, Lord, this dude is outta sight
Everything he does
seems to come out right

Ah nothing like some French Press Jittery Joe's on a chilly rainy day

As I sip my afternoon cup of Jittery Joe's coffee watching the rain come down I wonder if maybe I am misremembering? I thought it was April Showers bring May flowers?

Anywho, as I am beaning up for the rest of the day and contemplating my days soggy exercise regime I wanted to take a moment to thank Mr. Gore for the comfort he brings us all on days such as this. No not the Liberal Hippie wannabe that thought he won the election...the other guy. Bob Gore.

"Gore-Tex was created by Bob Gore in 1969 when he rapidly stretched PTFE under certain conditions" Thanks Bob!

Sounds like he had a little more than coffee that fine day in that fine year. Pretty sure I cannot pronounce polytetrafluoroethylene until I've had a pint or three.

Actually the other Mr. Gore would be handy to explain why it rains so much in May now.

I could quote Barry Mainilow...but I won't

However she did make it! GREAT JOB WIFE! Just wanted to give a little shout out to Sarah for completing the Capital City Half Marathon.

Here are the answers you are seeking:

• Yes it did pour for the last 1/3 of the race.
• Yes I did find it interesting Mayor Coleman wished 10,000 runners luck running in his city as lightening flashed in the background. You thought a drunk wife ended your political aspirations?
• Yes for the 2nd time in 7 days a race i entered encountered Biblical Rains.
• Yes i was glad to be on pavement because I had enough mud last weekend.
  

This Mornin, I shot six holes in my Freezer...

For those of us who have sometime wished they could lead a "dogs life". Take a moment to imagine trying to take care of your business with your johnson dragging in the snow. Nuff Said: he deserves to sleep on the sofa until the snow melts.

With each day of Winter my sense of humor slips further and further away. It's not bad enough I have not seen my yard or grass since early January (when it was actually 50 degrees), now certain relatives think it is funny to text and post photos of how beautiful the weather is where they are. You will get yours!

Sometime even the world's greatest pessimist can find a silver lining. Anyone can sip a sissy beer on a hot beach, but this weather screams try every single IPA you can find, then hit the Lager selection.

What's that?? Gotta run, seems my throat is a little scratchy...better put a touch of honey in my Woodford tonight.

PC Translation Machine

OK kids, for our next exercise let's translate the following email I just received:

Politically correct version from the Communications Director:

"Olentangy Local Schools will NOT be dismissing students early today. However, parents may pick up their students if they so choose without consequences"

Plain English Version:

Our school Admins have better things to do today than field you phone calls. SO quit calling the schools asking to pick up little Johnny and Little Suzy because you have watched too much Oprah and you think the sky is actually falling today. It is not 2012 yet, it is still 2010 and that stuff is SNOW, not death from above. Johnny and Suzy are a hell of a lot safer on a 10 ton school bus with a highly trained (somewhat debatable fact) driver than they are in your Odyssey whilst you are chatting with Beth in the Tahoe behind you.

"Man" in the mirror

So I wake up Monday morning to stare reality right in the face...


Oompa loompa doopadee doo/I've got a perfect puzzle for you/Oompa loompa doopadee dee/ If you are wise you'll listen to that little voice/What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?/Drinking as much as Jim Morrison drinks/What are you at getting terribly fat?/What do you think will come of that?/I don't like the look of it/Oompa loompa doopadee dah/ If you will stop gorging on booze and sweets you will go far/You will live relatively fit and trim/Like the Oompa Loompa doopadee doo/Doopadee doo