Thursday, December 31, 2009
And I'm an Idiot
As for the rest of the day, I was able to go to lunch at Wegmans with my parents. After lunch we headed to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law. Pretty good action flick, very enjoyable. I just have to laugh though because it leaves it EXTREMELY WIDE OPEN for a sequel...I mean basically the second film started at the end of this film. That Robert Downey Jr....he's just rolling in the dough, it seems like every movie he does has a sequel that comes right along with it. Smart man if you ask me....
Food Points 12/30/09
5..i did good
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Ahhh...
I am also very excited because tonight I am finally going to "Next Door", Wegmans new restaurant that opened right across from their flagship store in Pittsford. A good friend from home who moved into my apartment complex is going to go with me, which is very very cool since the amount of people who I can comfortably go to dinner with is still few and far between up here in Rochester. I don't know how to explain that, I guess I am one of those people who has trouble reaching out to new people, I'm very shy in that respect...nervous of disappointment, I need to work on that. Enough of that...I'm super stoked to be going out to dinner and a movie. There is something to be said about bunking up and staying in but getting out amongst the crowds of people is truly a treat. I don't have a bar scene, or a club scene so I don't really associate with people of my age that much. I guess I just don't really know to many people who are into the same things as me right now. I mean I like to get my sleep..so I go to bed early and get up early to train. On New Years Eve I will be in bed before the ball drops since I am going to do a running race on New Years day. This does not depress me or bother me at all...its what I want to do! I want to run in a race more that I want to get drunk in the middle of the night, weird? I don't think so...That reminds me of something funny, as I was leaving swim practice last night some of the older guys joked with me about how New Years was coming up and one of them made a comment that inferred that I would be out partying because I was the "young-guy". I didn't say anything about this but inside my head I was just thinking about how funny that is to me. I mean honestly the last time I was out partying was during Senior Week of my Senior Year in College...and before that there really wasn't much "partying" going on. I guess once I hit a certain point in my life, sometime around the beginning of my Jr year in college I decided I was going to do what I wanted to do, be who I wanted to be instead of trying to fit in with certain crowds. I feel I have a natural gift of being able to fit in with many types of "clicks" for the lack of a better word. Thus, throughout my youth I really felt like I was always trying to fit in to be accepted, not really being who I truly was. So anyway to make a really long story short I changed...for the better. I know I have drifted from people, but that's life...the people that really matter will still be there no matter what. Life is very complex and difficult but I'm on my own path and no matter what, that's on the right track, wherever it is taking me.
Alright, getting back on track...I'll wrap up today's post by saying that today has been great. I wish I could do this everyday...someday...someday....You've got to at least try in order to succeed. What's the worst that could happen, failures? Ehh failures are just like growing pains. Hurts when they happen but you end up growing bigger and stronger from them.
Until tomorrow...
-Matt
Yesterday's Points (12/27/09)
Vege's - 1
Fruit's - 1
Water - 1
Not Overeating - 1
Wegmans - 0 (But I used a gift card that I got for Christmas so it wasn't like I was depleting my own bank account...which is nice)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Lazy Tuesday....
Swim practice tonight was pretty cool if I must say so. Our coach gave us personal attention which was VERY NEEDED! I now am loaded with a full arsenal of swim improvements to work on....and I love it. I know that I have a lot to work on in terms of my swimming but its all good because that means I can only get FASTER :) Oh yeah..the lifeguard couldn't make it to practice tonight since its winter break for MCC so we all took turns being the "lifeguard." They even let me take the deck and patrol the waters...I felt like David Hasselhoff, powerful stuff!
Food Points: 12/28
Vege's - 1
Fruit's - 1
Water - 1
Overeating - 0 Ate more than I needed at night.
Wegmans - 1
Monday, December 28, 2009
1st Day of Vacation
It's now 8:26AM and I am now located at the 12 Corners Starbucks enjoying a non-fat latte. My swim workout for the day has been completed and I now have until 7:00PM to do whatever I feel like (At 7 I have Yoga!!!yey, I really like yoga).
It was quite a drive to the pool this morning. Lots of snow was on the road but this did not deter the RAMS faithful. The pool was pretty much filled with the usual Monday morning characters. A little winter weather can't stop dedicated swimmers! However, it now appears that the snow has ceased for now. The plows are finally making some headway and the roads are looking a lot better. I heard on the radio that their were over 15 accidents in the Rochester area...yikes! Glad that I was not a part of that statistic today.
My immediate plan for the day is to make my way back to my apartment in a short while, eat a nice breakfast, and cozy in to read parts of the 3 books that are in my reading rotation. Interested in what I am reading these days? Well even if you are not, I am still going to tell you.
1. Racing Weight - How to get lean for peak performance - By: Matt Fitzgerald
I am really enjoying this read. From what I have read so far it has a ton of tips on how to structure your diet plan. I really need this as I have a tendency to sabotage my meal plans. Don't get me wrong I eat an extremely healthy palate of foods. Recently I was introduced to a "Nutritional Challenge" which incorporates a point system on a daily basis(maximum of 4 points per day, or 5 in my case.) I do not claim to have come up with this idea. The idea was presented to me by Kelly C., a member of the Train-This group, and I thank her for sharing this challenge! I know that Kelly tries to do this on a 4 week basis and based on her 4 point system she aims for a cumulative score of 25-28 per week. Since I will be adding a point to my challenge I will bump up my goals to 32-35. Kelly also creates the incentive for success by treating herself to a "non-food treat" like clothing, triathlon gear, etc...I will incorporate this as well. Most like with a spending limit. Maybe for every week I achieve my goal I will bank $10 dollars...something like that.
1 point for eating 4 vegetables (Not an issue...ever)
1 point for eating 3 fruits (Not an issue...ever)
1 point for drinking 80 oz of water (I don't believe this will ever be an issue)
1 point for not eating "junk" or overeating/splurging
My additions to this challenge:
1 point for not going to Wegmans - (I tend to go to Wegmans way to much and spend way more money on food than I need to. Obviously I do not mind spending money on good food..(I spend a lot) but I just really need to work on purchasing food in a smart way)
At the end of each day's posting I will tally my previous days score and keep a running total. If you would like to participate with me...THE MORE THE MERRIER! and please provide any other suggestions for the nutritional challenge.
So for day 1 (12/27/09)
4 points
Vege's - 1 point
Fruits - 1 point
Water - 1 point
Overeating - 0 points (Although I did overeat in a Huge way I still ate more than I needed last night. I really have trouble with the night time eating and hopefully the techniques and meals plans I am learning about in Racing Weight will help me overcome this challenge)
Wegmans - 1 point (I have lots of food in the apartment, thanks to being at my sisters house over the holiday as well as being generously given a lot of food preceding my departure last night) I should be able to get through most of the upcoming week without going to Wegmans. I'd estimate maybe 2 times...But we shall see.
Alright on to book #2:
SuperFreakonomics - (This was suggested to me by a friend. I did not read the first edition 'Freakonomics', so this will be totally new to me. It is a humorous and interesting look into the world that we live in. I just started reading the introduction this morning and the titles of the chapters that I scanned over seem to be quite entertaining. In fact the authors even wrote a little description about each individual chapter...a nice touch if I may say so myself.)
Book #3:
Twilight - (Ahh...let the laughs reign loud and clear. I know...I know...I have fallen prey to the Twilight Saga Monster, just like when I was consumed by the Harry Potter Machine. I intentionally held out as long as I could, thinking that this was just to "girly" for me. However, I was listening to a triathlon podcast of all things when a girl..AND GUY were both discussing how they had listened to the twilight books on their iPods in their cars and while on the trainer/treadmill. Well that sealed the deal...If fellow triathletes were finding these books interesting enough to listen to...then well I felt I should at least give them a shot. I need a bit more inspirational motivation while on the trainer and treadmill so I am going to stick to movies and music for the long boring days. However, I began reading the BOOK in the evenngs and at other various free times. I must say that it is exactly what I was looking for. A nice easy read that goes quickly. Its the type of book that you really do not need to engage mentally. You can just read and enjoy without over-exerting your brain. I was also pleasantly surprise that although it is "girly" at this point I have not felt overwhelmed and/or disgusted with the girly-ness. If all goes well I am happy to start reading these books because their are 3 more after the first one..so it will keep me mindlessly busy for a while. Plus there are now 2 movies out. Even though these movies will probably not be nominated for movie of the year they will still be about a book I have read and just for that I will watch..and they will at least give me a couple hours worth of viewing time on the trainer. Think of me as you like...I am reading these books. HHAHAHAH..(That's me laughing at myself)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sharing the Journey
Saturday, December 26, 2009
A Family Affair (12.26.09)
So lets see what else went on yesterday (Boxing Day). Well after the workouts my mom and I made a trip to Wegmans to pick up some needed groceries since the other side of my family (My Dad's side) was coming to Syracuse for the afternoon. This turned out to be a very strategic move on my part since my mom wonderfully let me pick up a bunch of food for myself to have for the upcoming week...and let me tell you 1 trip to the grocery store for Matt Curbeau in which the tab is picked up by someone else is extremely beneficial to the cash flow!! So for that I am very very thankful. A funny thing occurred when we were out shopping though. As we were shopping I received a call from my sister informing me that my 90 year old grandmother was requesting a word search book since the other grandmother (my brother in laws mom) had one. If you know my grandma you would understand that she has to have everything that anyone else has but will really never actually say it. She will just make little condescending remarks or as my mom relayed to me, "Instead of just asking for the classic chocolate milk shake at a restaurant we were at last week that she had remembered from years past, she will instead say "Isn't this the place that has the Big Chocolate Milk Shakes""...haha its funny and its definitely my grandma. So naturally we stopped at another grocery store and picked up a couple word search books so that she would not feel left out.
The rest of the afternoon was spend with the family. A meal was had, presents were exchanged (and I must mention here that my two cousins Kevin and Brian gave me a trek gift card and nike running gear)..about the best stuff in the world. So to them I say THANK YOU!!
Later on in the evening after a lot of Wii instruction to my nephew and brother in law, my sister, mom, dad, and I snuck out to the movies. This was a much needed break from the family. Not for me but really for my sister (dealing with everything and everyone in her house and my mom for dealing with her parents who are getting older and require a lot of attention) as for my dad and I..well I wouldn't say that we needed a break or anything we were fine and nowhere near the stress level that my sister and mom were probably dealing with. I really don't know how my sister does it, two young kids and a grandma in the house who all pose different stresses and dillemas. As I told her when we were walking into the theater..I don't know how you do it..I guess its just something you do when its put on your plate. So that was that, we snuck out and went to see Clooneys new movie "Up in the Air." It was a really really good movie with an ending that will...well I'll just say that the ending is "something." Thus, if your looking for an adult'ish movie to go see I would definitely recommend this movie. After the movie we came home and all made out respective ways to bed.
That was that a good day overall. There was cycling, running, family, good food, good activities, good movies...and the next day (today) I was not at work...It doesn't really get much better than that. As this upcoming week approaches I must say that I can hardly contain my excitement..I have the whole week off from work. This will be the longest stretch since my college days where I have not had to work. I am going to utilize this time to the maximum for training and recovering along with hopefully making it back to my hometown to see a couple of my best friends who I have not seen in a very long time. Other than that I do not really have many plans. Traveling has been kind of ruled out since I need to save at least some of money in order to keep paying for all these triathlons I have been signing up for..haha...I talked about this with my mom yesterday and just said how lucky I am to have my mother and father. Without them I would not be able to do the things I love. Triathlon is a great sport, but when your like me and love to travel and do amazing things, the sport of triathlon can be costly when you start doing some exotic events..well exotic for me. Like going to Texas and Florida to race when your originally from the great Upstate NY. So even though I have a wonderful job which for the most part pays all the bills...my parents support both emotionally and financially is essential. I simply cannot say how much it means to me. If I was not able to do these events or train the way I do..I just don't know. I'd probably been off the deep end. My parents keep me in the lifestyle I have created..like fore exampled, Wegmans Food. If I didn't have my parents I might be living on ramen noodles and water..haha. So in all seriousness I must say that they are amazing and keep me happy, I will probably dedicate a whole post to them simply about this discussion..about how much support from family and friends matters to athletes and in particular to athletes in individual sports.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas...
A very Merry day indeed. Today was filled with a lot of fun with the family. I began my Christmas morning with a short trainer ride while watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation in the theatre room of my sister's house. Once off the trainer I strolled upstairs to find the rest of my family beginning to make their way down stairs. The timing couldn't have been better, as my nephews ran down the stairs and into the living room the Christmas atmosphere couldn't have been in fuller force. Quite possibly the best present that I have ever seen awaited my 4 year old nephew who got what he asked Santa for…2 ventriloquist dolls (Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd) I mean these dolls are from a tv show that was on in the late 1940's. Only my little nephew Billy would find these guys out and actually ask Santa for them. Anyway…here is a picture of the two beauty's. I had the joy of getting to play with them and I must say it was quite a blast, some great home movies were made this morning. Not to be out done my 8 year old nephew was actually surprised when a Wii showed up under the tree. He did not know that it was coming so to see him actually surprised and overjoyed was pretty special. Later on in the evening while playing a game of Cranium my brothers from Oregon and Japan were able to contact us via iChat on the computer. Our family was brought together via the internet where the grandchildren were all able to show off their presents to each other. Even though we are all thousands of miles apart it was still pretty special to spend a few minutes talking to each other face to face.
As I write this my family and I are all camped out in the living room watching round 2 of family movies. My sister did an amazing job of digging out very old family home videos from the 1930's all the way to the 1980's and them all put on DVD's. It has been quite an experience to see my Mom, Grandparents, siblings…etc when they were just babies and then around my age..
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
This morning I went on my 50 minute run that turned into a 60 minute run because I decided to run up Cobbs Hill to the reservoir for kicks. It's a really cool place in Rochester that I only discovered last year (Even though I have lived near it for about the past 3 years). Anyway its a great quick climb up a big hill and then a nice large oval loop around the reservoir. At the top their is an amazing view of the city of Rochester. The downtown area in Rochester is nothing special and in my opinion it really is the pits! However, when I run up on top of Cobbs Hill in the early morning or at night, when the sky is dark...there is a really great view of all the downtown office buildings, as well as the bridge that crosses the Genesee River. This reminds me of another really nice place to run with a really nice view just around sunset. This place is right at the top of my list of great places to run in Rochester. It is located in Mendon Ponds near the beach parking lot. There is a large hill that is off to the left of the playground and parking lot if you are driving down to the beach. There is a little path that comes around from the back side of the hill furthest from the parking lot which crests with an amazing view of the lake. If you catch this at the right time the sunset is amazing. Their is usually an elderly gentleman smoking a big cigar in a lawn chair during the warmer months, so when in doubt just run to that guy...he's always there just taking it all in...Even though I disapprove of his smoking habit I do heartily agree with his choice of evening relaxation location. Instead of looking mindlessly into a computer screen, or a big screen TV this gentleman views nature...views the beauty that we so often take for granted. I have always thought that this run would be the perfect "date"...the only tough part is finding the girl who would think that going trail running would be the ideal "date". But hey I wouldn't be opposed to buying dinner after sunset..heck maybe a picnic would be appropriate...alright enough of my secrets I better keep them for myself.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
I'm tired...
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Great weekend to talk about..but for now...REST
Friday, December 18, 2009
use FEAR as FUEL
Even as it is only about 20 degrees outside and snow is on the ground, I am already feeling some sense of Fear, some nerves if you will, for the upcoming 2010 Triathlon season. Funny thing is...this will be my first real season, with real training, a real coach, true team support, and legit triathlon equipment. It kind of freaks me out to tell you the truth. I guess the biggest Fear I seem to be facing is that I won't perform at a level that is reflective of the amount of effort I am putting into my training. I must not buy into this though. I have a coach who is looking out for me, I am putting in quality hours, I have the right mindset. I would assume that this Fear is a common one with triathletes considering the immense amount of time and effort that is put into training. Basically a Triathlete banks a few races on months and months of training. If something happens during those races and you come up short it can be devastating...well at least in my opinion it could. I guess that's where this sport really determines the people who are really in it and those who are just playing around. In my opinion it looks to me sort of like the CPA exam. In my experience with this test it was a test of endurance. Most people, including myself fail various parts of this test. In order to pass all the parts it means that when you fail by even 1 point, you have to get back in the saddle, study for 2 more months and try again. I persevered and passed all 4 parts..in a row...after coming up short on 2 straight. Even though this was test taking and not an athletic activity I believe it is the mental aspect that is what I am endowed with and which will make me a successful triathlete. I have big expectations for myself and I know I will achieve them. The question is...Will I let the Fear slow me down? Well I know for me and I hope that for everyone else that the best way to remedy this Fear is to use it as Fuel. Use this feeling to motivate you to get up at 5am and hit the roads for a run/bike, or to head to the pool. Use the Fear in a beneficial way that helps make a 4hr bike ride feel absolutely glorious. I have never done an Ironman but I fully expect to feel sick to my stomach on race day..however I also fully expect that as soon as I start fighting my way through the masses of people in the water that everything will disappear. I will go into survival mode. My hope is that I will stop thinking, stop "fearing" and just perform. Perform in a way that reflects my training. I will have put in the time and effort, once the gun goes off its just a matter of how I can put it all together. I am not going to think though...I'm just going to race. Once the race begins I will be at peace, I will have way to much happening around me to think about how freaked out I am. For the time being my overall time isn't really going to matter. I am going to just be racing as fast as reasonably possible....if that is fast enough to realize my goals...all the better. If not well then I will just get back on the saddle and re-group to do it again. So my biggest challenge over the next few months is to not only continue my great training regimen but to use my Fear as Fuel and if all goes well my Fear will transform into confidence. I want to come into race week raring to go and welcoming the challenge at hand. I feel that there is no reason for any of us to be scared of racing, as triathletes we train to race....so be I will be excited to get in the water come later April. I am going to be a joker, you will not find this kid stone faced. I am going to be high-fiving not cold shouldering. If there is one thing I have come to love about this sport in the short time I have participated in it..its that at every race I feel like I am in a community of people that are just like me. All the people racing feel like an extended family. I always like to chat with people that I saw on the race course that day. There is some kind of brotherly/sisterly bond that is created when two people run next to each other for 500 yards, or 5 miles even when no words are uttered. It's unique...it's respect...it's what really gets me going!
I hope this post helps people not feel alone in the fear's they might have. And if your ever racing in a race that I am in and your feeling crappy before the start..come find me, will find something to laugh about :)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Everyman's Sport
1. It's like a brotherhood. The people that are involved in the sport really "get-it". I have been welcomed into a new community with open arms. Everyone I have crossed path's with so far have been amazing. I love that I am creating new friends literally every day. Each person that I am meeting totally get it. I really can't explain how excited I get when I am on my way to ride bikes with a group, or on my way to the pool where I will join everyone at the master's class, or on my way to Mendon Ponds or (insert location here) to meet up with people for a workout, or on my way to a new friends house in Syracuse for a jam session on indoor trainers. I love that feeling and can't get enough of it. If you could see me in my car on the way to these things you would probably fall over laughing. Imagine me jamming out to whatever music I can find, pounding on the steering wheel with a huge smile on my face. The people driving next to me must think im nuts...and are probably worried I will crash into them..haha I can honestly say that I have never been as into a lifestyle as the one I am in now. I hope I can continue to progress in this sport and makes great things happen!
2. Triathlon is for the masses. The people that do triathlon are real people. They are not bodybuilders with bodies that look like they have been taken out of a cartoon book. They are not 400 pound NFL lineman, they are not MLB players with forearms the size of my thighs. Triathletes are machines. Machines that have one objective to see what their engine is capable of. Triathlon is so interesting because anyone can give it a try. You do not need to be a former Collegiate All American to take a crack at Kona. You can just sign up for an Ironman, train your butt off, and give it your all on race day. If you do good enough they will invite you to take part in their World Championships! To me that is cool!
3. Triathletes are regular people. Most triathletes aside from some elite's have regular day jobs. The average triathlete and even the super fast age-groupers are training themselves to compete at a near professional level while at the same time working over 40 hours a week. It's pretty remarkable the dedication that these athletes exude. Getting up to go to the pool before the sun is up, pedaling away in the dead of the winter on a trainer, running through snow banks at 5am...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Training Hard without Risking Injury
Monday, December 14, 2009
1 Day Down - 4 to go
Sunday, December 13, 2009
TRI SPOT DAY..woohoo!
Well its about 430 in the afternoon, I am back in Rochester hanging out at my favorite Starbucks. As I sit here, beside a girl who is studying for the CPA exam, I think about how lucky I am to have that chapter of my life behind me. How absolutely wonderful it is to have the ability to do what I want to do on my own time. Passing the CPA exam was one of the most grueling things I have ever had to do. It consumed my life, kind of like the new thing I am into......triathlon. Funny how we as humans, well at least for me that I am constantly looking for things to test my limits, to take me to breaking points and see if I can succeed. I guess the biggest difference is that the CPA exam was a necessity to take and pass, triathlon is a passion that I do for fun. I enjoy the work, training, the planning. In short, everything that I have seen and been exposed to in the sport of Triathlon I have loved and subsequently it has left me craving for more. So for everyone who wants to ask the question "Why do you do Triathlon?" I think I may have some sort of an answer...I believe that my answer will be an on-going one throughout my life but as of now I would say that I do triathlon because on race day whether your result is as expected, above expectations, or below....it feeds the desire to do it over again. Training for triathlon is a process. Each individual sport has a "natural" aspect to it. A person can be a natural swimmer and swim 2.4 miles in under an hour with minimal preparation, A person can be a natural cyclist and just really take to the road (obviously time on the road will make you a better cyclist) but in general a person who naturally enjoys mashing pedals will probably perform at a higher level then someone who is just "putting in the time." The mental game in an endurance sport like Triathlon is soooo huge...you really have to enjoy being out on the road or on a trainer for hours of time. So like I said someone can naturally take to cycling and really get a kick out of it...and likewise a person can be a natural runner. For whatever reason this person was blessed with proper form, quick and nimble feet, iron lungs, etc..etc..There is a reason why Mr. Bolt runs the way he does. He was born to run, his body was meant to move fast, he was groomed from day one to do what he does. Thus, in each aspect of the sport of Triathlon a "natural" aspect plays a role. However, the great equalizer in Triathlon is that all these sports must be done on the same day, one after another. You can even be good at all 3 but if you do not have the right mind set, the right approach...you might as well cash in your chips and call it a day. A lot of games can be played in your head over the span of 8-12 hours under the sun (or rain if its crappy out). Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, my answer to why I TRI? Well in a condensed answer I would say because after each race (good or bad) there is a reason to train harder and longer, whether it be to improve on a poor performance, or to take it to another level and drop into the sub 10, sub 9, or in the half the sub 5, sub 4:30...GET TO KONA...etc etc...so thats why I TRI..because for better or worse theres always something else...something more...something out there within reach. All it takes is work, dedication, drive, support!
Well I think that at this point I have a good segway into my original blog idea for the day. I wanted to take a minute and reflect on the day I had today. It was AWESOME. As usual I was very excited to be visiting TRI SPOT in buffalo to do a 20 minute TT and get some video shots of my running and swimming (which was done in an endless pool...SOOO FREAKING COOL) If I only had about 60k to blow on one of those! I don't think it would fit in my apartment though :( Well, my day began early as usual. I was up and out of bed around 4:45. I intended to sleep longer but once I wake up I might just as well get out of bed. I can never seem to get back to sleep, especially when I have a big day coming up and I'm already super energized. So I got up, had some coffee, some yogurt and ezekiel cereal, watched the final episode of Monk on Hulu (Tear...I loved that show!) and then started to pack my things. I ended up taking off around 6:30, with one stop at Wegmans for a protein bad and water I was off. I cruised on into buffalo and settled into Tim Horton's around 7:30, did some writing in my moleskin, had a spot of coffee and ate my protein bar, then headed to TRI SPOT at 8:30 to get set up so I'd be ready to roll when everyone started to arrive. As I entered TRI SPOT I felt like I kid in a candy shop. It is probably the coolest place for a triathlete to be if they can't be outside. I mean this place has like 10 computrainers all hooked up to one big screen tv, a HUGE endless pool to swim in, multiple tredmills, NEWTONS! and various other running shoes, gadgets, nutrition, hydration, etc...etc...and oh yeah it has a few bikes...and by a few I mean quite a bit, but no TREK's (this was the only disappointment in my mind, I am a Trek man through and through..there's no denying that and unless someone wants to sponsor me and provide me with a free bike I am sticking to my guns and rocking Trek's..just like my man LANCE!) btw...have you all seen the new 2010 Madone for Team Radio Shack??? Well if not here it is -->
Pretty nifty in my opinion. But not as nifty as this little guy that's currently being driven by Chris Lieto and won't be available to us lowly Age Groupers until 2011...Ladies and Gentlemen please refrain from drooling and if you get excited easily please brace yourself..this thing is SMOKING HOT!
Where was I?.....Well after my initial excitement of seeing TRI SPOT for the first time I finally settled in and put myself together. The Mellow Johnnys Kit was being rocked and my bike was mounted. Around 9:30 the rest of Group 1 had arrived, some I knew..others I didn't. However all were fellow teammates and super cool. I am extremely lucky to have found such a great group of people to share my passion with. Each and everyone I have met so far has been so nice to me. I cannot thank my friend Jay enough for getting me in touch with my Coach. And I cannot thank Mary (the coach) enough for taking me on. Mary has begun to show me the ropes, Mary and I have plans, goals if you will. We both expect big things from ourselves. I know that I will be turning to her a lot in the coming years and I hope that I can provide her with the additional support that we all need. And the same goes to all the new teammates I have. These teammates are the people who I spend my mornings with at the pool, the people who I will run in the snow with this winter, the people who I will mash pedals with indoors and on the road, they will be the runs wearing the same kits on race day. No matter how I feel coming into a race or during a race, I know for a fact that when I see a fellow Royal and Green wearing TRAIN THIS TEAMMATE I am going to get a boost of energy..a little extra kick! If I run by someone, or they run be me you can guarantee that I am going to high five the hell out of the and give em a rousing cheer! So off we went, my 8 new friends and I on a 20 minute journey that was being shown live via the big screen. Wattage, speed, averages, placing, even a little chart that showed who was in the lead (like those things at the fair where you spray water at the little red dot and try to get your fire truck to the other end the fastest)..yeah it was like that. VERY COOL! The time came and went. I had no expectations as this was my first foray into the 20minTT on a computrainer. I ended up averaging around 310watts. I do not really know what that means because I have yet to train with power (fingers are crossed that a powertap will be coming my way) Anyway, since I weigh about 148 to 150 I am told this is a decent starting place. I can only hope to crank this number up in the coming months. So for now I am very very excited! Later in the day in another group fellow Teammate CUSE TRI blew me out of the water averaging in the neighborhood of 350watts...WHAT AN ANIMAL! As for the rest of the day I enjoyed a nice swim in the endless pool where Mary was able to take some underwater footage of my stroke, then I hopped on the treadmill to get some run footage. It's really great to have all these tools and knowledge around. It can only make benefit the team. We are going to be one monster machine. People will definitely have to recognize when Team TRAIN THIS shows up! Were coming to dominate, and be nice and have a crazy good time while doing it. hahaha...
So that about sums it up, I was able to do all these things this morning..it was fantastic. I was even able to pay for a new hydration fuel belt, the helium (wicked cool!) How was I able to pay for this you ask? Well my extremely wonderful mother gave me a big jar of coins that she found when she was cleaning the house. I took the jar to the Wegman's Coinstar and low and behold came away with over $60 dollars!! What a mom!
Friday, December 11, 2009
No substitute for a good cup of VIA
Thursday, December 10, 2009
COFFEE RUN...AT 9:20PM....YIKES
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Snowy Morning in Rochester
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Team Radio Shack Sneak Peek
Monday, December 7, 2009
Back on Track
So works OK right now, TRAINING IS GREAT AS ALWAYS!, and I even was able to clean my apartment yesterday! This is a big accomplishment for me. I definitely have OCD type behaviors but their comes a certain point for me where I just give up the battle to keep the dishes cleaned at all time, and my clothes folded. Well...I was facing a very intense battle with my clothing and dishes..they were truly putting on a full force attack. My Dad even stopped by a and told me that the if the Department of Sanitation decided to stop by that I would be living at home very soon. This is coming from a man who is WAY more messy than me..just ask my mom! My Dad has shoeboxes with sneakers in them from like the early 80's that have never been worn...and he's not a collector..their just there, for no reason..haha. Anyway, I cleaned my place up, chloroxed the living daylights out of the kitchen and bathroom, vacuumed my floors so much that my upstairs neighbor came down and complained about the noise. I was kind of irritated by this because it was 1pm on a Sunday afternoon when I was cleaning. This is a time when even a hungover college kid is awake. This neighbor has it soooo good, I am hardly ever at my apartment, I never play music loud, and I live alone...but as soon as I decide to catch up on my spring cleaning (yeah I was a little late, missed it by about half a year or more) I get the knock on my door...whatever, life's to short to be mad, so I struck up a conversation with her, learned her name, and we discussed how its always quiet around our place because I am never here, and I guess she was never there either prior to like a month ago, even though she has had the apt for 6mo. She said she was living with her boyfriend (and shes prolly in her late 30's so don't get any ideas of a rebound girl for Matthew, she's to old for me, and since she's still in an apartment and not living on a yacht in the south of France I am not going to try the Male Gold Digger route).
Saturday, December 5, 2009
I love to get "High"
So I got really of track there but what I was trying to say is that I loved practicing, I loved the fact that even though I was not as big or as strong as some of the top football players around, I was still a starter. I knew how to block, I knew how to complete my assignments, I caught the passes when they were thrown to me, got the first down, and got down....mostly :)...haha, I made most of the field goal attempts I had. I was not a college prospect but I still was "player of the game once"...that was and still is something I am very proud of. I don't mean to gloat but I really didn't think I would ever have the chance to be considered for that kind of award in football. Let me remind you that I was the kid who stopped playing football when he was a freshman because he figured he would never really be that good and he should just focus on basketball and baseball...(haha basketball, what was I thinking..5 foot nothing white kid..I had not shot from the beginning, lol). Thankfully Coach Minor slapped some sense into me and got me back onto the gridiron. How did he do this? He just told me that I was an athlete and that I should be playing football. Plain and simple. My friends all played and I really missed being with them. Once I was back playing football I had to find a way to be on the field. It didn't really matter where I played, all that mattered was that I wanted to start, I wanted to be a player, I wanted to make some kind of impact! Somehow Coach Minor made me a great safety, receiver and kicker...a "joy boy" as he would call us. And I was by no means fast or tall..I just did my job, I blocked when I needed to, I made most of my field goal and extra point attempts, intercepted the occasional pass, and even threw for 3 touchdowns from the wide received position..yeah we PY mustangs had some tricks up our sleeves!...I just can't say how great it was to kick that extra point after my teammates scored a touch down. I felt that i was just as much a part of their 60 yard run as they guy who threw the key block, I made an impact in the game, and that to me made a big deal. So back to the practice thing, Yeah you'd get yelled at in practice when you'd miss a fieldgoal, or miss a block, but when it came to game time and you executed your job...OMG it was just awesome! Coach's would be going nuts, announcers going nuts, fans clapping..it was nice. I will always have those memories of the two seasons I played Varsity Football, it was really more than just a high school sport to me. We were our own little family unit. We had convicted fellons, straight A students, jocks...etc. You name we had it, we were a bit of a rag tag bunch but we meshed really well. We knew what we had to do to win and we loved doing it. It was always cool to be the last "fall" team to still be playing. It would almost be Thanksgiving and the basketball season had begun but us football guys were still putting on the pads and knocking helmets out on the field, that was cool!