Dallas skyline

It seems like we just got back from Chicago and we are headed out once again.  This time to Dallas.  Susie has her annual Mary Kay Seminar this week.

Just as Chicago is one of my favorite cities, Dallas is one of my least favorite cities.  What I enjoy about Chicago is that most everything you can want is within an easy stroll on actual sidewalks.  A friendly city built for walking or running.

Dallas on the other hand is an automotive city.  There are no sidewalks and trying to run in Dallas is a nightmare.  I have literally nearly been run down twice when there.  Anyone running is  either trying to escape immigration or has stolen something.   I remember last year going out to a convenience store (???) about a half-mile from our hotel and getting stung by fire-ants when trying to traverse an urban landscape not meant for pedestrians. Also, very much a Chained (vs. Unchained) city.  Miles and miles and miles of the same tired chain stores, restaurants, etc.

BUT! As is my habit, I have made lemonade when given a bunch of lemons.  I found a fantastic health club called the Verandah Club

Verandah Club-Dallas

and I am able to get a short-term membership because we stay in a Hilton property.    The club has a 25 meter lap pool that I have never had to share with anyone.  Great workout equipment and a half-mile rubberized running trail.  It also has a eucalyptus steam bath, whirlpool, and sauna.

So, I look forward to getting away with my wife and enjoying some quality Karma.

Toilet roll and dancing turd: Celebrate!!!!

Hey!  I must apologize to my faithful blog readers for the dearth of posts of late.  It can only mean one thing: I have actually been training!!!

Even though the weather has been less than cooperative, I have managed to get substantial activity in every day.

Also, I have a new secret weapon in my triathlon arsenal that has given me a huge burst of energy, increased stamina and vitality, in addition to quick turnover in recovery.  (No! It does not involve any banned substances.)

Sunday, July 19: 16 mile long run in the morning. Cool weather. Overcast. Worked on landing on my forefoot.

Monday, July 20: Bike cleats are STILL not in from Performance Bike so I ran again. 6 miles of interval running.

Tuesday, July 21: Went to the Bicycle Station in Columbus and bought new cleats. Given up on Performance Bike coming through.  Rode 18 miles before work.

Wednesday, July 22: Day Off. Once  again weather is cold and raining.  I rode for two hours in torrential rains and heavy winds before packing it in.  Got in my car and went to Anytime Fitness. Joined fitness club and did two more hours of work on their spinning bike. Really nice spinning bikes!!  Able to watch the Tour de France and bike at the same time.  Then did two hours of ellipticals at the highest resistance.  Felt really great! New secret weapon is really paying dividends.

Thursday, July 23: Ran 6 miles in the morning.  Elliptical training at the fitness club later in the day.

Friday, July 24: Hour  and 15 minutes of elliptical training at highest resistance.

Saturday, July 25: I had invited several people to ride in the morning, but ended up going solo. Rode 2 hours and 25 minutes. 37 miles. As usual, pouring rains and cold. Saving a ton of money on sport drinks as there is very little sweating going on with the cold weather.

Sunday, July 26: Dilemma? On-call at work and haven’t been called out in ages. Does this increase the likelihood of getting a call?  Anyway, I ended up going to Anytime Fitness and doing 90 minutes on the treadmill and 90 minutes on the elliptical machine.  I was able to see the final stage of the Tour de France.  Congrats to Alberto Contador on the win!!

• High-Tech bike jerseys vs. Old School wool jerseys.
  

  Italian wool bike jersey

  I was looking for a new bike jersey on eBay and just happened to notice a vintage Italian-made wool jersey from the 70’s going for $5.99 with just seconds to go. I ended up winning the jersey with the thoughts that if it sucks I can piss on it for $5.99.  The jersey is soft wool in fantastic shape and is every bit as cool as the more high-tech stuff. I have managed to get a couple more vintage jerseys at a fraction of the price of the high-end bike jerseys.  I am really lovin’ the Old School wool.  The downwside is the you have to wash them in cold water and then hang to dry.

Simplybrent and I are the lone males in an office full of women.  Every day we listen  from our position on Stallion Row

Stallion Row: Testosterone Fortress

to our co-workers vent about their husbands and just males in general.  Since simplybrent and I are very successful bloggers, we suggested that they create a blogspace for their rantings.  Blogging is a very cathartic experience.   You find kindred spirits in your situation.

With a little from Simplybrent and I the ladies have their blog created and are proud of their efforts. Check it HERE.

Man Punching Bag

Thinking Cap

Chicago skyline

I am back from the Chicago ALA Conference and had a great time.  It was also our kids’ 8th birthday and we were able to celebrate it at the Cheesecake Factory and a trip to the Field Museum.

It was enlightening experience as far as library business is concerned.  We in Jackson County are very fortunate to have a library in as good of a financial situation as we are in.  Many library trustees that I spoke with were in dire financial straits with the current economic climate.  Many libraries are in a situation with having to close branches and make lay-offs.

There are also a lot of new technologies on the horizon.  More and more books are being offered in a digital format for easy downloading via the internet.  How will libraries figure in this equation?  This is a technology that we will hope to be able to offer so that all citizens have equal access to information.  I also saw some exciting language-learning technology for both English and non-English speaking patrons.

Libraries are becoming less and less about shelves of books and more about being a community-building resource and the gateway for information.

The Blogger and Seth pose with real-life statue.

Beware of dogs while running!

Hey!  I am back from Chicago and had a great time. I will tell about the trip in another post.  When we got back from the trip I had to pick up our dog Liberty from Seymour Animal Hospital and that reminded me of a story.

I was running along Vehslage Road in Seymour during a lunch hour run a couple years ago.  I was quietly minding my own business lost in thought.  As I neared the intersection of New Ford Road and Vehslage, I was attacked by a vicious dog.

It appeared out of nowhere.  One moment I was happily running, and the next I am being attacked by the vicious dog.  I leapt into the cornfield and screamed like a girl. Watery fecal matter was dripping down the back of my legs ( OK, that is embellishment!)  When I turned around to see the dog that is attacking me it was none other than  One Trick Pony. Apparently, he had learned to growl like a dog in vet school.

Last Wednesday (7-8-09) TT and I ride 66 miles and then I ran 6 miles afterwards.  Despite being July it was actually cold at the start of the ride…63 degrees with a misty rain.  We rode a mix of hills and flats and the wind seemed to turn with us.

While in Chicago I was able to get in several runs along the lakefront and I used the elliptical machine in the health club at hotel.  The weather in Chicago was perfect for running.

(7-15-09) When I picked up Liberty at Seymour Animal Hospital, One Trick Pony said that he and TT had riden 75 miles the day before so I ended up riding 76 just to stay ahead of the game.  Got a really late start due to the weather and gain the temperature was very mild for July.  My cleats still have not come in from Performance Bike after I walked 16 miles in them and ruined them.  When I try and climb my cleats come out of the pedals, so I was forced to stay on mostly flats.  (Performance Bike will not be getting an America Unchained citation any time soon.)

American Library Association Annual Convention

I leave tomorrow morning (Friday, July 10) for the Annual American Library Association conference in Chicago and I could not be more excited.  Whenever I mention this to people they give me the strangest looks as if  this would have to be a tortuous event.

People conjure up images of elderly ladies in hairnets shushing people. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today, libraries are on the forefront of freedom of information and keeping information able to be freely disseminated. An added plus is that Chicago is one of my favorite cities in the U.S.

Digital Rights Management (DRM), for instance, stands in the way of information ( such as ebooks, e-magazines, etc.) being disseminated through libraries.  It would be impossible for a library to purchase a copy of an ebook for every patron checking out the title. Some entities view libraries as an impediment to enhanced profits.

This is also one of the largest audiences for publishers and a chance to meet some of the greatest living authors of our time.  The conference also showcases emerging technologies in digital information and how this can be integrated into library systems. Every year the library is less about hardbound books, but more about the integration of knowledge into a user-friendly and accessible form.

Jackson County has a wonderful library system and I am proud to be a part of this great resource in our community.  If you have not checked it out lately, I urge you to see what the excitement is about.

One of my regular features in this blog is an item called “America Unchained” where I feature a small, independent business in the hopes that we get back to the idea of locally-owned, family businesses that focus on customer service and pride in product.

Travel in double-decker comfort on Megabus.

I am leaving for the American Library Association Annual Conference this week in Chicago.  Luckily, my brother-in-law told me about Megabus.

From Indianapolis to Chicago tickets are from $15.00 to $21.00 depending on the time of travel.  The double-decker buses are equipped with bathrooms and wi-fi internet service. The trip takes approx. 3 hours, 20 minutes non-stop.

One of the downsides to driving to Chicago are the outrageous parking rates downtown.  Since we are staying downtown at the Wyndham,  we really don’t have need of a car once we get there.  Flying to Chicago takes longer than driving based on my experience. There are convenient times of departure  from Union  Station in Indianapolis throughout the day.  The Megabus arrives at Union Station in Chicago with convenient return times as well.

Megabus operates routes between major cities in the U.S. and Canada, as well as the United Kingdom. Check it out at www.megabus.com

Finally! I'm on a roll!

After several Ironman Training Updates whinging about my lack of resolve or time commitments getting in the way, I am happy to report that my training has taken a turn for the better.

I have officially switched my day off at work to Wednesdays for the foreseeable future so that I can do my “Long Day” during the middle of the week.  This prevents me having to do three days of long intense training on the weekend.

Yesterday (7-1-09) I rode 60 miles with TT.  I was great to have some company on a ride and be able to enjoy TT’s company.  We rode into Bartholomew County and I was even able to show TT the gated estate that I had mentioned in a previous update when I had walked 16 miles.

I did a 12 mile long run on 6-28-09 and felt great.  I have gotten up every morning and gotten out the door and done something athletic.

I have noticed a very definite improvement in my overall energy level since I’ve resumed my habit of bringing my lunch to work.  For a couple weeks I lapsed in my usual habit of eating a healthy lunch at work.  Instead, I went out and got fast-food crap.  By mid-afternoon I was sluggish and tired and my energy level the next day was sub-par.

My nutritional aim is to eat a low-fat, high protein diet that is rich in complex carbohydrates and low in simple sugars.  The key is availability.  If healthy foods are readily available, that’s what I eat.  If junk is laying around, that’s what I eat.

Keep the eye on the prize.