Bob Stocks' Group - Full for now! (Page 14)

Thanks again for all the well wishes.  My race report is up!

Race: Walt Disney World Marathon 

How did we fall to page 2, the humanity.  Here are some thoughts for the day:

"You don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals."
Edmund Hillary

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
John Quincy Adams

To me, training for sport is the ultimate in delayed gratificiation.  For me, in triathlon in particular I will literally need to retrain every system in my body to be an endurance athlete and this may take a decade (or more).  Racing (or games in other sports like football), however, is the ultimate in instant gratification: you lay it on the line, leave it on the course and obtain your result.  Win or lose (whatever that means for a MOPer), only you can control your effort.

Guys like Hillary or Q-Adams are the paradigm of both of these concepts: years of toil and underappreciation to achieve amazing results.  Happy Wednesday from the philosophy department.

Non-triathlon related, but I have a question.  Why is it that I am having so much trouble with turning 30 on Sunday?  I mean, I'm not going to be any different of a person on Monday as I was on Saturday.  So, why is it hard to change a decade in age?

--Actually, this is kind of triathlon-related in a very far-stretched way, as I haven't been able to muster energy for workouts because I'm dwelling on my age.

Fear not, you will not have to start driving really slow in the left hand land, wearing depends, or talking about the 'good old days' on Sunday.  Actually your thirties have the potential to be your best years.  Ususally during your thirties you are starting to get established in your career.  Which means you actually have some money.  Most people are establishing their families and starting to grow into true adult hood.  Again fear not.  Get your run in, drink a couple cold beers, and cheer on your Eagles! 

No worries, come Sunday you will only be 1 day older than you were on Saturday!  I am a few years ahead of you (36 last month) and its funny because it seems like the older you get the younger people older than  you seem (if that makes sense!).  Like Kristen said age is just a number.  You are as old (or as young!) as you want to be.

Happy Early Birthday--in case I forget come Sunday!

30's are rewarded with less hangovers, more independance from friends, more money, what more could you want! Life is too short to sweat the small stuff, welcome to another awesome decade!

I've had a terrible training week this week.  Actually it's been completely missing.  Too many parties over the weekend started me off on the wrong foot, then couldn't work out at lunch on Mon & Tue got me out of the mood.

Now I'm back in the mood!

Check out my log today for more fun pictures like this! (No it's not me, it's a car that crashed into my next door neighbor's wall....)

Yikes!  From reading you log, you should probably be carrying extra insurance at your house.  Sounds like the people before you left some bad karma behind.

Not such a bad thing to take a few days off every once in a while.  Helps you to realize what you really enjoy doing.

I so 100% agree with this! I love being in my thirties (I move up to the 35-39 age group in April) and feel so much happier with me. I don't feel the same need I did before to make everyone happy, always be the life of the party, never miss a moment. Life now is much calmer and less dramatic and hectic. I wouldn't trade turning 30+ for anything! Happy Early Birthday!  

I got in a short swim workout today.  I didn't really feel like doing anything, but I made myself go to the pool.  I'm glad I did, as I feel much better now that I have some endorphins going.

At my pool, I tend to be one of the better swimmers, which doesn't say much for the quality of people at the pool.  Today, a woman who swims for the Boston College swim team was there.  I spent some time watching her, as I don't usually get to see really good swimmers.  She was amazing!  It looked like she was barely putting in any effort, but she was going so fast!

Those are some crazy pictures!  Don't people realize that you drive SLOW in icy/snowy conditions?  That way you only bump the wall when you hit it, instead of plowing right through it.  Crazy!

Happy birthday.  As my grandfather used to say: getting older is better than the alternative.  Enjoy everyday!

On another note: I attained one of my goals for the year - I joined a local tri team

Saw in your log that you were going for a run down by the water with the tri group?  Did you do that?  It must have been cooooold.  Congrats on achieving your goal!

Barb - Happy birthday!! If I remember correctly 30 is when everything starts to completely fall apart. It's the beginning of the end. The age that even fine wine deteriorates. Just kidding!! One thing triathlon has done for me is make you realize that age is a number and old is just a word. I am in better shape at 42 (43 in a month) than I was at 25, 30, and 35. It amazes me to see the ages of some of the triathletes at the Ironman races. I don't think the 68 yr old woman who was at Kona really felt 68 when she's racing at the World Championships, (the next morning she may have). Anyway, 30's just a number and a faster age group. Enjoy it and have a great year!!

Bob - Nice pics!! I hope you find your MOJO soon. I know what it's like to lose it. A few workouts is all it takes to find it and you will!

Congrats Jeff on joining the tri club. You'll get a lot of great information and energy from the group workouts as well as the meetings. It's nice to check off goals too!!

It's been a busy week for me, I apologize for not being around much. It's -14 out right now and I'm heading over to the Y for a swim and a weight workout going up to plug in the tractor, check on the horses and making sure the kids don't go to school in t-shirts and windbreakers like yesterday. Brrrrr!!!!!!

Gaaa!  Page 2.

Bump...

Joining a tri club was a pretty easy goal, but thanks.  Did a 4 miler last night.  It was about 0, no wind though, so once we started going it was fine.  What was better was the steam afterwards. 

I have done off road tris, but never Xterra. 

Most importantly: feta was back on the menu this morning.

Hey guys!  I got in a swim this morning, and a 4 mile run after work.  My legs feel pretty good after the race this past weekend.  I was thinking I would be sore longer.  That has been a nice surprise!  I did an X-terra 2 years ago in Macon, Georgia.  I love mountain biking so I'm planning on doing another one this year.  My plan is to do X-terra @ Smith Lake, NC on 05/31/2009. 

Anybody racing or have any big plans for the weekend?

No racing here.  Hope to get an hour run in tomorrow.  Going to a charity event tomorrow night and then hope to get a few hours of skiing in on Sunday.  Sunday looks like a heat wave, should get all the way up to 25 deg.

 Lo-Daddy--glad your legs are feeling good.  Must have done a good job getting yourself ready for the race.