Busy week so far

Here's what I spent most of Monday and Tuesday on:

Well, there was actually more than that one paint scheme. I had to do a couple more in a rush job for a presentation that was given somewhere in Arizona today. I had to completely draw a Bell 407 helicopter template to do the paint schemes on, plus redraw the hospital logos. It was not too bad because once I get into a project I tend to get lost in it and time flies for me. Usually the problem is getting into a project in the first place! But once I'm there and the muses are hanging out with me, it's sweet and things get done. Sometimes I wish I were more of a workaholic...like 60% of one...and I'd get more things done but that's just not me. But I do enjoy some of my jobs and totally get into them. It's even better when the check arrives in the mail! Yeahhh!

The last couple of nights we have spent at the old house, painting and trying to organize things. I had wanted to get it completely empty by the end of this month but somehow February is missing a couple of days and it's thrown me off. It looks like the weekend is more realistic to get everything out. If we end up renting the place ourselves, I'll toss some of my stuff in the shed out back so I can sort through it later on without disturbing the rentors. I took a load of things to the recycling center and trashed other things.

On a side note: Happy Birthday, Shannon!

I found out a number of days ago that a good friend of mine might be having a recurrence of cancer...I'm not happy. But she has a good attitude about it. I guess when you've faced the chance of dying once and beat it, why can't you do it again? Natalie is most worried about losing her hair again...it came out so great after her chemo last summer, really cute and curly. She'll have to dig out her wraps and hats again! Jonnene and I will try to spend time walking with her between chemo treatments to keep her strength up and keep her active, but I think she'll handle this second round pretty well. If things had happened like they normally do with Stage 4 ovarian cancer, I wouldn't be talking about this right now. Miracles do happen and they don't have to happen just once, right?

Got in a 3-mile run at lunch today and hope to do a couple of hours on the bike tomorrow afternoon. After that we look at possible new carpet for the old house. I think we're going to be busy for the next 2-3 months...lots to do.

Wreary Weekend

I think Jonnene and I spent most of today in a daze. This past weekend really wore us out, yet it was a good couple of days, lots of things to do and some fun to be had. It basically boiled down to three things:

Saturday morning we did some long rides on the bike. She did about 44 miles and I cranked out 63, or my first 100K of the year. It took a lot out of us since we haven't been riding as much as we'd like but we knew we needed to get some long rides in and it wouldn't be pleasant all the time. Maybe most of it but not ALL of it!

After the rides, she ran some errands while I washed up and prepped my gear for the 20K time trial being held in Monroe the next morning. But first we were going to Monroe Saturday afternoon to be at a play that evening. We had to dress up since the performance was only for the patrons of the theatre...the "upper crust" of Monroe-West Monroe society, or something like that. The play was "A Streetcar Named Desire" and we were going because a racing buddy/teammate of mine was playing the male lead role of Stanley Kowalski and I had to see that! We'd also stay at his house for the night before the time trial. Well, the play was fun to see although the seats were a bit uncomfortable and not enough leg room for guys like me. Brian did a great job and his was his first time to be in a play! I thought he was excellent...of course, he's a lawyer in real life, so maybe acting's a natural thing for him! Anyway, we met up with him and his wife after the performance and stayed up until 1 am talking and catching up on things. The Wife and I dropped like rocks once we got to our room to go to bed.


After five hours of sleep, we jumped up to do the time trial over at HorseShoe Lake, a basic out-and-back 12.6 miles of pushing a bicycle as fast as you can stand it. I was greatly out of shape and it showed. I did an even 33 minutes for the distance (I did it in 30:22 just last September when I was in great shape for this "older" body) but I was pretty happy with my effort. All I have to do is get stronger and stay focused...the speed will come and the times will drop. My result put me at 6th place in the Masters 45+ and that's okay with me since it's early in the season. That's me in the picture above in the new team kits.


Jonnene (above) did the time trial, too, and her time was about three minutes slower than last year. She had to use one of my front wheels when the valve extender on her Blackwell 50mm broke as we were airing up her tires.

Accolades and things like that

Saturday night was the Shreveport-Bossier Advertising Federation's Addy Awards, recognizing the best in advertising in the area during 2007. I had entered three items and was informed that I won something, so we went to the awards banquet that was held at Independence Stadium in the suites in the south end zone. Pretty cool place to hold a party I'd say. I won a silver and a bronze for work I'd done for Goodwill Industries for their Tour de Goodwill bike tour last year...got to go up to the front both times to get my certificates and pose for photos with a couple of young ladies dressed as cheerleaders. The awards had a sports theme this year and the girls actually WERE cheerleaders! The food was pretty good and the video presentation of the awards could be seen on the monitors in the suite as well as the Diamond Vision screen on the north end zone scoreboard. The interesting part of the evening was a huge storm raging outside...the rain could be seen going sideways outside the large windows as the awards were handed out. It was a nice evening and I like wearing my tuxedo when the chance permits, plus seeing everyone else dressed to the nines. Jonnene looked great which probably made me look better than I deserved when I was next to her.

The weekend was busy and we got a few things done although it doesn't feel like it. Weather and time kept me from getting a ride in and I ended up doing a wind trainer ride in the living room while watching the prologue time trial in the Tour of California on Sunday evening. I mention the weather because with all the rain we got (that same weather system spawned tornados in Alabama a day later that hurt 40 people) we got to see how the water gathers up in our back yard and driveway. No chance of water getting into the house but it sure looks like it could happen when you look out there! Here it is Monday morning and there's still some water left in the driveway, and the ground in the backyard is quite saturated....just another project to work on this year to make the house even better!

We might have a interesting take on the old house...our next-door neighbor's daughter is moving back here from Texas and is interested in possibly renting our old place. It's something we'll have to look into.

Per Gallon

For real, this happened...I drove past the Volero station just before lunch and it had posted $2.77 for a gallon of regular. I needed some petrol so I made a note to stop by on my way back. That was the best price I had seen. Had lunch with Dad, then headed back to the station. The price had been changed to $2.86!! Hacked me off so much that I went to the Exxon station instead for their $2.85 gas.

I think I finished up the Blackwell catalog but I'm still waiting for a final okay before I take it to the printer. It's pretty much a knocked-together job so we can get something out as soon as possible. This is the front and back cover layout...what do you think?



Later this afternoon I took the K2 out for a spin and put in about 25 miles with a few hard efforts. It was in-your-face windy if you were going west or south, but it was beautiful riding if you were going east on Highway 175. All riding should be like this...25 mph with a bit of effort but not too much to spoil the moment where you feel like a world-class cyclist flying down the road. Einstein said that nothing makes you feel more like a kid than going downhill on a bicycle. Having a tailwind on smooth road while on a time trial bike is almost like that.

Feeling Slug-gish again

Cruising during a ride last September.....

I haven't done much outdoors since the Sunday ride outside of some yard work and walking the dogs. Team LaS'port's "Death Blow" training camp is currently going on and I didn't make either the Tuesday or today's 100-mile rides. Looks like I won't make the Thursday one due to a rush job for Blackwell on a 4-page "catalog" I've got to get out for them. I turned in the first draft today and, depending on when they finish proofing it, I've got to try to get it to the printer sometime Thursday afternoon! As much as I need the riding, I also need the money, so I'll be cozying up to the computer to get this job out. Maybe I can get an afternoon ride in on the TT bike.

Speaking of TT's, the 20K time trial in Monroe is the 24th and I won't be in one lick of decent shape for it. But I'll give it a go and I'm hoping I can get under 32 minutes. Last October I did a 30:22 on the same course after having mechanical problems before my start and ended up using a rear wheel that I didn't want to use. Jonnene's going to give it a shot, too, but she hasn't been riding as much as she'd like either. Her bike's been in the shop all week getting a tuneup but she'll have to get a new chain and shifter which are on order and will be added later on. She's just too tough on her bike! She needs to be gentle on her ride like I am...I'm still using parts that are about 15 years old on my bikes! Hey, I ride it till it breaks!

Running, Biking, Raking Leaves...

Wow, what a busy weekend! At least it felt busy. We did the Trail Run at Lake Bistineau on Saturday morning and survived the son-of-a-gun. Didn't do too badly at all...Jonnene got 15th overall of 54 in the 3-mile trail run and won the Women's Masters trophy (well, not really a trophy...it was a travel CD case). She cranked out a time in the 32-minute range and helped a fellow runner deal with a sprained ankle after the race! I guess we've lost that Ace bandage for good!

I got 22nd overall of 86 in the 10-mile run and I have a couple of blood blisters on the ball of each foot to prove it! It was cold to start the race but the humidity was low so it was quite tolerable. After the pre-race meeting, we started off into the woods where it took about 2-3 minutes over the logging road to sort out everyone before we entered the first real trail. I stayed with a group which had a couple of runners I know who are pretty fast and I was able to hang on for the first 35 minutes...probably four miles...before I started to lose them. Even then I kept them in sight for a while as they hovered about 100-125 meters ahead. But they'd disappear eventually and I spent a lot of time by myself, occassionally passing someone or being passed by someone with more endurance/speed than me! The good thing about being with that faster group was that it took longer for some runners to catch up to me later in the run. The top two women runners finally caught me around the 7-mile mark as I was slowing. One passed me pretty quick while the second stayed behind me for almost a mile and we chatted nearly the entire time. Then I told her that I was just holding her up and let her pass by (she would beat me by a little over a minute).

In the last couple of miles two more guys passed me but I held everyone else off. As I exited the woods into a field, Jonnene was out there waiting for me and, as I blew her a kiss, yelled out that I had a chance to beat an hour-and-a half if I picked it up a bit. Sure enough, as I got within sight of the finish I could see the timing clock and started sprinting the best I could. Crossed the line in 1:29:53 for about a 9-minute-mile pace for 22nd overall (did I mention that already? Hee-hee.) and fourth in the Grand Masters 50+ age group. Except for the blood blisters, I came out of the run pretty good...a little stiff and some pain in my right hip socket but that was gone by Sunday.

Today we did a ride with Mack's Sunday morning take-it-easy group (usually a recovery ride for the hard Saturday ride). There were eleven of us and we covered more than 50 miles. It did have its fast moments and I was very pleased in how I kept up and just had a fun ride. Even Jonnene rode like a champ though she had to give up trying to stay with the group a bit when the pace picked up at the end but we weren't going to leave her. This week is Russ' "DeathBlow" training camp...100 miles a day Tuesday thru Friday, then 125 miles on Saturday and on Sunday. About 650 miles in six days if you do all the rides. I hope to do 3-4 of the rides but I doubt I'll cover the entire distance...I'll probably keep it around 50-75 miles for myself each time I'm able to come out. That'll be good for me this early in the season!

The rest of the day was shopping, for food and some items for the house. Planned out how I was going to empty out the old house during the remainder of this month. I want the place cleaned out by the end of February so we can get it on the market. After that we spent some time in the back yard, raking up some of the leaves. There's plenty out there and I'm interested in seeing what's below them, to see what we're dealing with in this new yard we have. Some things I'll have to fix and others to adjust. Some things will be just fine as they are.

I'm ready for bed...I'm knackered (as J sez).

Pounding Dirt

Tomorrow is the Trail Run at Lake Bistineau, 10 miles for me and 3 miles for Jonnene. I haven't run since last Sunday to give my right knee a chance to heal properly...it's probably okay anyway but there's not much I can do to enhance my fitness the last week before a race. I did get out on the bike Tuesday plus a spin on the trainer Thursday to keep the legs loose. We'll see how it goes Saturday morning...full report to come. It'll be a cold morning with plenty of sunshine and I'm hoping for a mostly dry trail to traverse upon. Then I'm back to the bicycle to catch up (eventually) to a decent level of fitness and get some races in.

In the meantime, we're keeping up with the news of one of J's uncles who is in hospital down in Perth. Without going much into it, it looks like some complications during surgery might be responsible for his condition, which is not too good. We're trying to stay hopeful but we're not getting much information. What we are getting doesn't sound good and he is in our prayers.

Training is SO overrated...

Sunday afternoon Jonnene and I went out to the Eddy Jones nature trail so I could get in a long run on a trail where I wouldn't go over the same stretch twice like I usually do at the Stoner Trails. Thing was, I had forgotten (or I think I had forgotten) how brutal this trail could be. I last did it 14 months ago in accomplishing a half-marathon run (and left for Australia the next day) where the first 6.55 mile lap went well and where parts of the second lap was short of a death march. Anyways, I took off for a one lap jaunt. Wow, all the uphill portions were some real work! J took her dog for a half-hour walkabout on another part of the trail, doing a little running herself, too.

Well, I finally staggered out of the woods...ran the lap about two minutes slower than my second lap of the half-marathon. Part of the problem is that this had been a junk food weekend. After the bike tour Saturday morning and for the rest of the day (especially at the local Mardi Gras parade that night) I didn't exactly eat the best food out there. So my nutritional needs for this run lacked something and I knew that could affect the run...and it did. I should have done done the thing way better. Fortunately, at the trail run competition next weekend I'll pay more attention to what I eat and being worn out at the end can be attributed to the genuine effort...I hope.

My body was hurting afterwards and J worked on the ITB on both legs to work the tightness out of them that night. Took some Aleve for the inflamation. My right knee felt weak and really hurt when I walked on it the wrong way so today (Monday) will not consist of any running, biking, or silly exercise things like that. Seems to have worked...the knee feels pretty good this evening. I might try a light run with it tomorrow to see how it goes but I won't push it. Rather have it ready for this Saturday with some rest then push it too far, too soon.

The Gee-ants won the Super Bowl last night 17-14. It was a pretty good game as Super Bowls go, definitely an upset although the Giants were my sentimental favorites. We went to a friend's house for a Super Bowl party (re: more junk food...hmmmm) but left after watching Tom Petty at halftime. Saw the rest of the game at home and it was a great finish, very exciting.

Another FYF

Just a quick writeup on today's Freeze Your Fanny bike tour in Longview, TX. I did the 31-mile route plus a few extra miles since I don't have the endurance in my legs (I only did a whole 100 miles total in the entire month of January!). But it was a good ride. For the first 50 minutes that I stayed with the chase group I climbed the hills better than I thought I was capable of in my current physical shape...maybe all the running has given me some strength to handle the bike for a little while. Even had some good speed on the flats. The whole thing was not at race pace but it was pretty darn fast. I was happy with the effort. Tomorrow I hope to do a 7 mile trail run on the MTB trails at Eddy B. Jones Park if it doesn't rain, or doesn't rain too much.

I'm going to try to update this blog more often but usually I have to be in the mood to type it all up. Given how short this entry is, I'm obviously not completely in the mood!