Return to Racing

I'm so back. I know I haven't blogged for a while but I was stuck on a two week hellacious road trip. However, I'm back. And in more ways than one. I returned to racing triathlon after more than a year this weekend at the SPUDMAN in Burley, ID. They have touted this race as "Home of the World's Fastest Swim Course" and they weren't lying. It's downstream. It's PR heaven. Even with the adapted training schedule (a.k.a. trying to train while living in hotel gyms) I had a PR. In track, when the wind is at your back it's called a "wind aided" time. This was a "swim aided" time for sure, but I still finished feeling strong in under 3 hours. I love the feeling at the finish. I remembered how much I love racing. And this is a race that Juice would love. Everyone attends the pre-race pasta feed (which felt a little like a church activity :)), it's less than $50 AND all proceeds go to the local lions club (who was supporting a triathlete who had been hit by a car and is now paralyzed) and there were more people there for the love of the sport than anything else. I'm back next year. And all of you reading this should put it on your calendar to sign up in early 2007. This race sells out in a matter of weeks.

Few and Far Between

Occasionally, there is some perks to travelling to places for work. Last night was one of them...took a 2 1/2 hour sail on a client's restored 80 ft. sailboat on Lake Ontario. Saw the sunset over Toronto and wasn't the one who got sick. All in all, a good day.

The Truth About Business Travel

Business travel is not glamorous. Everyone who doesn't travel for business thinks it "would be fun." Everyone who travels for business knows otherwise. I returned home Friday night only to leave early Monday morning for a 10 day journey. It is going to be LONG. I'm going to New York (both the city and upstate), Florida, and Montana. All are "destination" spots for many people for vacation this time of year. (Yes -- people love Montana - yellowstone, grand tetons, etc.) However, the only destination I'm currently interested in is H-O-M-E. I wish Dallas could have joined me on this trip. His first trip to NYC was with me in the above pic. So rather than complain anymore, here is my solution: I should "audition" my friends and family members to come with me, they could "sign up" like you did for the school play tryouts. Then I could pick who would be the most fun in a certain destination. Dad would certainly not sign up for Florida. Michelle would certainly sign up for NYC. So would Gram, but Michelle would win. Mom would like upstate New York. So start commenting and signing up folks. It's up for grabs.

Just how many miles do you need?

This is where I should have stayed last night -- the airport hotel. I didn't. I stayed an hour away and tried to get to a 7:15 am flight. Didn't happen. America West couldn't find another flight for me until tomorrow (they are, as my sister calls them, America Worst -- especially after the merger FYI). So I had to go through a variety of different airlines on which I have miles and find a flight home. Southwest -- nothing. Northwest -- nothing. United -- nothing. Delta was finally able to find me a flight for 50,000 skymiles to get me home by 8:30 pm tonight. Ah well at least I had the miles. Dallas is always saying I should save them...but I don't know what for. Maybe he has a secret getaway planned...

Ski Slope Way

I've done it...my reminiscing inspired me. I've registered for the Tahoe Sierra Century this year. I was looking through pictures and found this one. Oh Sh#$...I forgot about Ski Slope Way. Ryan -- meet me there DUDE. This IS it.

Hotel Workout Rooms

I've raced in more triathlons then I can count. I've raced all distances, including a full ironman, the real deal. Then, when i started working for this firm and becoming close personal acquaitances with hotel and car rental employees, I stopped training like I used to. I finally got tired of not being the "lean mean fighting machine" I used to be, got a tri coach, and am back on track to race a few races this year. My next one is in 3 weeks. I also should mention, that prior to that, I will be on the road for nearly 2 1/2 of those weeks. This means one thing...hotel gyms. Quite frankly, I think they are who is to be blamed for me getting out of shape in the first place. They are a personal version of hell. They shouldn't be called gyms. They suck. They make you hate working out. Tonight I went to the hotel gym and ran/biked (if you can call it either of those) and didn't feel any better afterwards. I hate that. I miss the American River Bike Trail, swimming at Lake Natoma, and the 2-3 years that about 10 of us spent racing/training/playing together. The picture above was taken the first time we did the Tahoe Sierra Century. I almost cried when I found this picture -- I miss it a lot.

Beefcake Doctors and Philadelphia Airport

OK -- I'm finally breaking down and writing a blog. Ryan has inspired me. I figure that he works just as many hours, if not more, as I do and he still manages to keep it together, write a blog, and post ridiculous pictures of me.

I'm sitting in Philadelphia waiting for a plane to Pittsburgh to drive another 90 minutes to see another client. This is a hellacious travel month.

I was visiting a client who is opening a multi-million dollar practice. He is the only client I have that is younger than me -- and single. See above photo. We were in the middle of our meeting, my computer plugged into my projector, and he sat his chair on top of the powercord for my computer. Sparks flew...and the screen went blank. It was DEAD. Given the fact that I had 4 remaining presentations this week, I had no choice but to visit Circuit City and purchase a new computer. Oh joy -- spending money on elecrtonic equipment for work. This is the third laptop I have purchased in less than two years. The first, stolen out of my Xterra at the Zin Grille in Sacramento. The second, an identical replacement. Both of these were Dell. I know HATE Dell. I considered starting a blog solely on this topic, but there are many people ahead of me with that idea. I attempted to contact their customer service when the computer died and all they did was give me the Indian runaround. What a joke. So now it's all about HP.

And just in case you were wondering...beefcake doctors sitting on power cords is not covered under any type of extended warranty.