Thunder & Lightning

I have always liked thunder and lightening. The sounds and sights of power. Mama Nature with attitude. Thursday we enjoyed a terrific 111 mile ride out front of the storm. She hit later that evening with a vengeance, a roof-thumping, wall-rattling, glass-shaking vengeance. Cool Northwest mountain air, meet warm summer thermal . Pow, wham, rattle, BOOM (chaka-lakka). Rain, wind, the crackle of organic juice. We made it to the top the next day in a little over two hours, had a cup of coffee in the lodge and watched with cool amazement as the blue turned to grey, the grey to black and the black to a bikers nightmare. Only one way out. Fast, down, cold, bleak, visually impaired, slick, windy and dangerous. And that was the fun part. Seventeen miles later, with prune-like hands, chilled to the bone, it didn't take lot to manufacture connect, change into dry clothes and head for the nearest short stack and cuppa joe. There were a lot of lessons along the way, all addressed in class this morning. I am a better rider for the effort and experience and cannot wait to get out and do it again. Man, that was fun. 

Special thanks to all my compatriots in the epicness, Bernie, Chris, Clo, Stephanie and Captain SAG, Steve. You were all fabulous and thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to ride with you. 

We uncorked a five minute tune trial this morning that was a shade different. That change thing again. Here is the link to the incredible variation of the jazz standard Caravan, here done up by the Brian Bromberg Trio. Seriously soul stretching. 

Rory delivered the PO doors this morning. As soon as I get back on the roof and nail off the protective overhang I will assemble and install. We are getting closer folks. 

I'll sign off with that and try to get as much done today as I can. This between the ongoing thunder and lightning. Which somehow seems an appropriate score. 

The Bubble

Notes to self: No junk food Wednesday. Drink lots of water. Recover from and prepare for. You started with smoke, let's finish with fire. Be yourself. Embrace the reality that you are not perfect. As an example of this I use myself with the following simile: I am to perfect what white bread is to pizza. I make mistakes, many. Some, I have repeated due to ignorance, stubbornness or sloth. Others I enjoy and will pay (gladly) the price to err. The bureaucrats call it a sin tax. This phenomena pops up regularly in our training and racing. I am not a great swimmer. You might have heard. I can and do, however, ride and run fairly well. Which always makes my triathlons a real test because of the mistake I make in thinking that I can bike past or run down the faster swimmers in my age standard. Sometimes it works and I forget about the embarrassment of being almost last out of the water. But when I miss a win by two or three minutes because I spotted Mr. Fish five to ten from T1, the errors of my ways start to haunt like Freddy Krueger on Halloween. 

The counsel (as told into mirror) is to practice your weakness. If you have power issues on hills, and who doesn't, you should consider adding progressive resistance. If you have spinning issues you might want to rehearse your high RPMs, if you want to race long you need to ride long. Same with fast and same with strong. This isn't advanced astrophysics, it is simple. And in its simplicity comes its dynamic. We must repeat until adaptation is complete. That might take a year. It might take ten. You might never get it BUT the act of practice gets you a little closer. Hour by hour, day by day, year by year and race by race.

This is known as the road. The journey to there. Your path. It is imperative, pilgrim, that you be gentle with yourself along this trail as one can easily succumb to frustration, burnout or injury or, worse, boredom, apathy or disillusionment. You must keep the faith, stay motivated and remember who you are and why you are here, doing this. You will never be perfect. One day, with any luck at all, you might put together a very good race, but a perfect one? Odds are against. You are still the dark horse running at 1,000 to 1. Regardless, always bet on you. Big money on me. 

But never give up. Do not quit under any circumstance. Enjoy the ride. Be in the bubble, bask in the light. Toss a little love at it. Feed the fun. It is you being you. Every time you engage in a training session or an event you demonstrate to the universe your understanding of the value of life. How big is that? It is money. YOU are money. 

If you pay attention and listen closely you might even hear the Cosmos respond by showing your weakness back to you. This is the way friends talk to one another. Upon completion of every race (in or out of the bubble) I hear an ethereal baritone whisper laughingly, "Dude, your swim!" 

I know, I know, I know.

The Long Road

I fully realize that you have priorities. There are things in your life that are more important than riding a stationary bike. You have responsibilities and commitments, you have a family and a job. You have bills to pay and lawns to mow. Between the morning crossword and the evening news there is stuff to get done. I understand. 

As does your body. No longer needing as many calories to fuel your exercise, the absolute genius of its design is to store them for later use. Your body will blow through carbohydrate, both simple and complex, during your metabolic activities, such as walking to the parking lot, pacing to and from your cube, breathing, teaching your mouse to behave and repping 12 oz arm curls. Everything else goes to storage. You know where. 

With the passage of time this becomes your ritual. You have decided that money is more important than your health. You kinda like being a Fat Cat. Your kids like their toys and gadgets and the sigother likes the trips to Paris and club membership. The BMW is shiny and why would you ever want to walk instead of driving the golf cart?

More time passes. Your doctor suggests a diet. There are occasional life style issues. You can't keep up. Vitality, energy, endurance, performance slipping away like the memory of your glory days in High School or at the U. You have made a successful segue to the middle. A day dawns that you realize you can no longer touch your toes. You go through denial. Your doctor now prescribes a diet with exercise. 

More time passes if you are lucky. If you haven't had some form of heart disease, diabetes or disabling injury, there is precious little time. You begin the long, slow, painful, merciless journey back to good health, pleased that you had the wisdom to see the folly in your initial priority ranking. 

Your fortune has been made. Your kingdom built. Your family raised. You have the respect of the business world and complete acceptance in your community. You are on rehabilitation road. The way back. Bravo.

You have priorities. Please place your health and fitness at the top. There is no one else that can make this decision for you. It is all on you. Please reconsider and act appropriately. Today. 

That road back? It is a long one. 

Truth & Pain

Climbing the hills in our never ending quest for deep satisfaction and inner contentment, we need the fuel to flourish. The octane to thrive. Some go-go juice. I am constantly reminded of this. Water cools and nourishes our overheating muscles, some combination of electrolyte replacement beverage keeps our chemicals in balance. Complex carbohydrates get the sugar to glucose to ATP transfer happening with astonishing efficiency and often just as astonishing results. How anyone could not be humbled by the intricacy and complexity of this miraculous dynamic, is about ten light years beyond my understanding. Simply stated, I find it fascinating. 

Even more so, perhaps, is the fundamental part that the central governor plays in all of this. Regulating, managing, encouraging, supporting. A little more of this and a dash of that for the next five minutes please. And be sure to properly dispose of waste and recycle whenever possible. Oh, and remember to breathe properly. The central governor, the hands-on CEO of YOU inc., unless directed otherwise by the BoD, has more to do than simply ensure adequate supplies (the supply officer does that for him) and direst focus (the drill sergeant steps up here) establish strategy and tactics (logistics) and keep moral high (MWR), she also limits, represses and removes the potential for harm. After all, you aren't much good if you don't have a body. Meaning that the deck is stacked against you from the get go. Pain is a powerful way to gain your attention. It indicates that something is amiss. You just sliced your foot on a oyster shell? Don't do THAT again. ITB as tight as a drum? Better get some quick and effective treatment. Knee hurt? Stop doing whatever caused the pain. Temporarily, and then get back at it, taking the lesson. 

Over time we become conditioned to respond very Pavlovian-like to pain. Avoid it. DO NOT ENTER. Safe and sane. Thus, it takes learning, re-learning and adapting to the new requirement that includes its gradual re-introduction to our training. Because pain is good. It can be our best friend, our guru, a sage and supporting training partner. Coach hurt. 

If you so choose. If you don't, that is OK too, just go find yourself something a little more sedate. Something that won't ask so much of you. Won't test you. Won't challenge you. That feels growth is linear, measured by age. Cable TV is good for this. So are spectator sports. 

However, if you aspire to your highest, if you have goals that include optimal fitness, outstanding health, unrestricted freedom of movement, joy, passion, respect, chivalry, purpose, compassion, effort and friendship, then you had better make an appointment with your CEO and come to terms. Pain plays a part. Some of this is going to sting a little. You will question your whys. Suffering is an gerund that, when we say, we smile. You had better get used to this lambchop twinkiecakes honeybunny. 

Allow me to ask one question today. Do you think it is possible to know your true potential without going through some ouch? 

If you ride and run on the flats every day, what do you expect will happen when you show up at the start of the hill known as Heartbreak, Diablo, Toe Jam or Hamburger? Ooops, that is two questions, sorry. 

Pain is our friend. Our best friend. He or she has, always, your best interests at heart. You simply need to address them, discuss them, agree to them, and get your ass in gear towards them. Read the signs. They are there to help. 

The truth hurts. But not nearly as much as no pain. 

Exercise your Freedom

To a large degree what we do is about exercise. Movement. Freedom. When we ride, when we run (and I have the sore calves this morning as proof) we exercise our freedom. For this I am grateful. There are many situations and circumstances, oppressive and otherwise where this not the case. I believe it to be a basic freedom, and therefore something needing protection and honor. One might even go as far as to say allegiance. 

To those who understand, right down to the cellular level, the importance and pure joy associated with movement, there is no alternative. We move, fast, strong and graceful, because it makes us fell alive. There are precious few other activities that evoke this complex arousal of blood flow, attention and emotion. Sure, being face-to-face with a snarling Greman Shepard or sharing in the sacred dance with your lover are others, but those don't happen every day. I know they don't over here.

But every day we have the option of movement. The choice of go or no-go. To ride, run, swim, walk, ski, paddle, tango, twist or two-step. To feel the hot summer air rush past our skin, shiny with sweat. To be childlike and get a little dirty in play. To run in the mud and ride in the dirt. Maybe even take a bee in the bonnet or a bug in the grill. 

As we celebrate the 236th birthday week of our country, let's take a closer look at what we can do for it. We know that changing a part, changes the whole. We can get healthy and stay healthy. That changes a lot. We can start here, now, today. We can grab some freedom, take it out and dial it up. If you want to truly feel alive, to respect, appreciate and join the dance, all it requires is that you move. 

The politicians will try to tell you it's about jobs, or the economy or whatever they personally don't do what their opponent apparently does, bureaucrats simply what the bureaucracy to stay alive, haters will hate, 80% of America will over-consume today and millions will dummy down under the weight of propaganda and mass market manipulation. Somewhere, somebody wants your money. There is a subversive and dangerous undertone that puts profit ahead of your well being.

Keep moving. Take this responsibility into your own hands. Own your health. You have the freedom to choose. 

Exercise your freedom. 

Hello?

It is officially the building season. The sun is shinning with zero chance of rain. For me this means that I try to cram six months (six years actually) of repairs, maintenance and clean-up into a few weeks. My biggest challenge (outside of having no budget) in this arena is to try my best not to start any new projects before the old, current ones are complete. Which is kinda like saying' first things first, one foot in front of the other and once begun, better finish. 

With that as opening metaphor, I was struck this morning as I circumnavigated the eight hilly miles known reverently as the Big Lap Deuce, by a thought about second wind. Here it is: In order to get to your second wind one has to use all of the first wind, first. You know that most people never get there because using all your wind kind hurts a little and contains an element of fear. Have you ever heard yourself wonder how much longer you can sustain the current pace? Or how you will respond to the current and coming output necessary for goal achievement? Have you ever backed off because it felt like THIS breath, THIS gasping for air, THIS out of control attempt to move oxygen and hydrogen from mouth to core might be your last? Extreme examples, perhaps, but we have all been close to one or all of them and understand the felling and concept. I trust. If you haven't - you need to. 

Following on that is the 'what comes next' paragraph. Because what comes next is a decision. A choice. YOU get to take charge of the situation and apply your current level of physical acumen and personal power. YOU get to opt to sustain or succumb to diminish. Keep going or back off. Hold on or let go. Please think about this for another second (heck you've come this far) and consider deeply what this really means. I will give you a hint:

It means everything. If you can keep the inertia you have created for another ten seconds, you have made an incredibly powerful statement to the universe. You have gone beyond, transcended, grown. You have won. You are a champion. 

That ten seconds represents a new door. Once through it you now face the next challenge. That's right, the next ten seconds. The road leading to that ten second door is known as physical adaptation. It is a long road. One must be patient as the miles pass. One must have faith in the process and keep eyes peeled for allies sometimes disguised as pilgrims or wandering monks. One must pay attention to change. One must hone one's skills, bringing strengths to battle while relentlessly practicing weakness'. One needs respect. One needs to balance all this with laughter and love. Then there comers another ten seconds. And another.

Collectively they create your second wind. A natural progression. Use the first in building towards the second. 

We can build from that, onwards and upwards. 

God's Cloud

Consider: Success is what separates the producers from the consumers. You, we, us, we all, ya'll need to get out of the consumer mentality and get back into production mode. That can take many forms. We create energy and inertia through our movement. Velocity and force are key elements. We produce speed, horsepower, wattage and good karma the same way. We make things happen. Good things. 

Consumers, on the other hand, get played just like another hand of poker. Buy this, by that, you need this, you can't live without that another day. If you want to witness the success of the consumer phenomena, go to lunch today at the closest McDonald's to your residence or place of employment. You won't have to travel (in your car) very far. More? How much do you spend a month on communications? Have you totaled your bills for cell, cable, DSL, movies and games? More? What is the difference in your driving habits now that the Oil Barons have temporarily settled on $4/gal as the pain threshold? More yet? How is your appetite for carnage? Our war on terror has to date cost 900,000 lives and five trillion dollars. Consume that!

So imagine my delight when it was announced that scientists have found found is being called the God particle. Not to be confused with the Higgs boson. Another piece in the "who are we and what are we supposed to be dong here?' puzzle. Please remember that every organized religion manufacturers their own version of this popular game. To be fair, so do scientists, engineers, doctors and most lawyers. The hook being that you, the believer, must consume the dogma and act in accordance with the rules of their version of the game. No meat on Friday, forty virgins and multiple wives, jihad for the infidels, kill the Buddha. All pieces of the puzzle and please not to infringe on the copyright. Shut up and consume. Obey. After all, everybody knows that priests make the best babysitters and he who defends himself defends a fool, right?

Let's produce something a little more progressive, shall we? Can we start to move in a more, say, enlightened manner, people of the world? Maybe we can stop killing each other for gas, oil and minerals. THAT would be a good start. Maybe we could start to support, educate and care for each other. WOW. Maybe we could be just a touch more tolerant of the opinions of our neighbors.  Maybe we could stop glorifying violence, greed, corruption and instant gratification. Maybe we could throw a little love at it and see what happens. 

We could start by talking the individual initiative to begin today. I read an article this morning on the importance of the first thing that you do every morning, as it becomes the tone-setter for your entire day. Make it count. Set the stage. Put the props where they can do the most good. Cast your best and brightest friends. Hire the musician who scores the sounds of your soul. Write the script to altruistically inspire and motivate those around you who could use some help. Love, thank, serve. Repeat. Man, that is BIG drama. 

Had to laugh when as I was imagining the concept of the God particle. Under the microscope, in the shroud of the double helix we finally find God's cloud, her non-polluting and eternally topped-off cushy vapor-ride. God's Cloud. 

With an Obama '12 bumper sticker.