I give credit to all of the people that have been on The Biggest Loser bube show! Last week my wife bought the DVD endorsed by the show. She is looking to get back into riding shape for the upcoming season...after being bikeless with me for so long.

I have always been a fit person and really didn't see the need for 'girly' stuff like aerobics. My current fitness, I thought, was amiable for me...NOT to be compared with some locals that regularly race and stuff. I was doing well with my Combat Conditioning workouts...so I thought.

Now, given I have never done aerobics in my life, I struggled with the different moves and such ( and I've learned that lunges are NOT my friend!). That said, even considering my oft flounderings, I got my ass kicked by this workout!! So much so that I immediately denounced it and told myself that it beat me...what the...this is THE drive that I need this year. I will not let Bob beat me down. Yes, my asthma flared up after about 15 minutes of thrashing, but I will consider this a good learning experience that I need to realize my air intake/exhaust limits and pace myself. Maybe it will lead to TransIowa 3...who knows where it will lead. But I'll tell ya this, I will be lean and mean this year and my DeKerf will plead me for mercy.

"...Lights OUT! Guerrilla radio..."

Latah~

2006...a breath of new air

This year I have vowed to become a different person in all of my avenues of life. I have not set any certain or particular goals, per se, but am shooting for the broad stars to improve my life. I have had many things happen, both good and not so good, in 2005, and am happy it is over so that I may jump into the swell of hope that brings all procrastinators together every New Year.
Things definitely planned:
1) Lose about 20# that I gained when I quit ingesting all artificial sweeteners. I will still minimally use sugar-free gum in place of the 'real' stuff to keep the pearly whites happy. This is mostly in attempt to aid in asthma 'cure'. This weight loss will be mostly dealt with by being as 'intuative' as possible when eating. Eat only when hungry, then eat as healthy as I can depending on the type of food craved. I've longed to weigh in at a deuce, while being fit and lean...it has been said, it will be attempted. Definitally will hafta pump some iron to get there...from the current here.
2) I will try to keep this blog both alive, and as objective as possible. I will rant when needed, but will try to keep the self pity and loathing to a minimum for the sake of others. I originally began this as a small remedy earlier in the year, from a suggestion by The Jackal, to ease my MTB race woes. It has not worked as I thought and has become rather dark and whiney. I have put up a couple good posts, but I want to move away from that person.
3) Be a more attentive Father, spouse, family member and not so self-involved. Self pity, I have found, is an abyssmal pit of nastiness, and leads to all sorts of family issues. Not that my life is on the rocks, I just want to be all I can be when my wife, kids, and family are involved.
4) Do a better job at my new job. I was engraced a prestigious position within my foundry home. Not an actual "promotion", but a moral promotion. One where you are finally recognized for the grand job you have done. I am a worker that puts everything into the job...and I mean everything. I am compulsive by nature and when i do something well (work) I am all out. There have been musings of an actual promotion into the salary ranks, but I am happy with my current, "Trustee" (without guilt) position.
5) Be better as a home owner. I am a horrible procrastinator and want to move away from the meth addicts in my neighborhood soon, so I need to stay off my haunches and get some shit done. Git 'er dun!! Man I love that guy.
6) Follow up on my long time 'dream' of running a bike shop. Not to twist guts and send others reeling back, but I have wrenched on bikes (both mine and all others that ask) my whole life. I have done everything mechanically possible in the cycling, wrenching ranks except for actually welding up a frame...which I would like to eventually do. I am a crafty artisan of sorts that loves to dive in and git 'er dun. I once thought of running a 'Neighborhood Bicycle Repair' business out of my garage, but with the rather recent theft, I think it would be wise to keep that stuff somewhere else. It was bad enough having MY bikes stolen! I don't know how I would deal with myself if the same thing happened to someone else's bike while in my care. I have had my eye on a downtown Waterloo location for quite some time...I just need to do some real world research and make an educated, life-altering decision.

That's about all I can think of at the moment. 5:00am comes quick when up this late.

"...rally 'round your family with a pocketful of shells..."

Saturday in the trenches

Today was a work day, the first Saturday in about three or four months...who's keeping track? Due to the new job, actual, physical work was applied to my human being today. It's not been like that for quite some time. I really want to get out to GW tomorrow and do some trail walking to keep the general directions in tow for those that wish to get out and ride...hopefully that will be me in about two weeks when Xmas shutdown occurs (this one will be a full two weeks). I used to XC ski, but that was MANY moons ago and I wouldn't know where to begin. Plus, I'd rather ride in four feet of snow than XC ski in six inches of snow...that's how I roll. Where's that front disc when I need it??!!


Latah~

Winter, officially here...

This actually bites ass when compared to my usual, MTBing self any other year/winter. Before the whole bike theft debacle, I rode pretty regularly in the Winter...usually as much as the more favorable months, just not as long. Now, after not sitting on a good saddle for nearly three months, and not being acclimated to the cooler/colder weather, I just don't have the drive. There are still fit issues to deal with on Deke, and Winter is best left to trusty steeds in my mind. Not saying I won't ride, just living up to the realization, knowing it won't be as frequent as it has been in the past snowy seasons. I also have to get some shoe covers/snuggles that fit over my old shoes. Injury issues have driven me back to the original El Gato shoes...anyone interested is invited to gift some new ridin' shoes my way in this season of giving!

I will, however, try to keep the light on JY's new trail at GDub. Breaking it in will be a moot point in the Winter, but I will try to walk it between snows and keep the light on, even though I did get lost about halfway through. I'll hafta get with him and graph the actual trailbed/path so we can keep an eye on it...can't let new trail go back to nature, especially when it has a real good flow...there are a couple of tight spots, but nothing that is boring and no-wanty-to-ridey-because-it-is-too-twisty...like a certain trail at Ulrich...nuff sed there.

I see congratulations are in order for G-Ted Productions!! His (www.g-tedproductions.blogspot.com) was voted in the Top 5 for cycling-related blogs by www.goclipless.com ...beruse around and you'll find the correct page on that site.

Snow will beckon an early rise tomorrow. Lots of shoveling will be in order. Good work out for the newly appointed, 'non-worker'...hehehe. Began a new job and it is far less stressfull and physically requiring, so I'll need every bit of calorie burn I can get to slough off the holiday gains...

Latah~

SNOW...NO!

Woke up this morning, on cue, prepared to commute by bike for the first time in three months...I did not realize that we were going to get as much snow. I can handle that. However, what I couldn't take was one of the worst mornings I've had in a long time. Nothing seemed to go right...the shovel caught up on every concievable crack in the sidewalk, as well as deck board screw heads that I had previously thought were OK for the winter. Shoveling this morning was a chore!! This, coming from someone that shovels four neighbor's areas and about 300' of sidewalk...what can I say, I love to shovel. It doesn't really matter if it is snow, sand, dirt, hogshit, foundry flash-iron, or whatever. For whatever crazy reason, I just like to shovel. I don't EVER see myself wasting good bike money on a $1K, winter, lazy machine. It is also a great workout to boot, provided ya keep your stomach muscles tight and taught to keep the lower back in alignment.
Also, because I've not commuted and built up a 'cold shoulder' to the elements, this much colder weather is going to make climbing back on the commuting horse a real chore. I may just hold off while some chronic injuries heal up...with the help of a podiatrist and an orthopedic surgeon (messed up knee). The knee is just beginning to emit some pain while extending the leg. It has 'clicked' for a number of years and for whatever reason, began hurting a touch over the last couple of weeks. Doc says a 'clean-up' of the region behind the patella will most certainly cure the chondromalacia he says I have. We'll see.

Had to get a few words in. Also, CONGRATULATIONS to MATT HOOVER on his new title as The Biggest Loser!! I have been a wresting fan most of my life and was really stoked watching this season's shows with him on it. It was extremely moving and quite motivational...maybe it'll help me lose the 25# I have gained in the last three months...no riding, and quitting diet everything!! Ta for now.

Latah~