¿Dónde está el baño!

Its 3a and the cell phone alarm 2 feet from my head goes off, much to the dismay of my wife.  I know that you're not supposed to keep your cell phone that close to you at night, but I wouldn't hear it if it was any farther away.  I have that very meaningful conversation with myself that we all have first thing in the morning of how I would be able to rearrange the day's tasks if I just got another hour of sleep.  After some self-negotiating, I decided to just get up and see what happens.

When you run that early in the morning, there is a lot of time to think.  I purposely don't bring the iPod because there are so few moments in life where there is little to no noise.  3a runs are some of those moments and I'm learning to treasure them.  I find myself rehashing what I thought, at each moment, were insignificant events in my life; where is the neighbor, that lived down my street when I was 4, that was always so nice to our family?, why do I remember what I was wearing to school on a particular day in 6th grade?, what about the time that my mother told me not to point at the obese woman across the street, I was 3 then?, or how about running down a silent street in the dark with the sudden urge to use the facilities...any facilities!!!...that was when I was 39 on June 15.  Somehow that is the most vivid for me.  There are really few things more motivating then a desperate need to find a bathroom.  Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.  When everyone sees the roll of toilet paper I have rolling around in the back seat of my car, they all comment on how good of an idea that is to have there.  Just make sure you tell people you got the idea from me.

Having just returned from a few days in the Dominican Republic with some old and new friends, I began to think that this year is half over.  Years of planning, travel arrangements, logistics, coordination, training, begging, feeling guilty for leaving my family...its half way there.  I feel better during runs, swimming is easier, hell...getting up in the morning is getting easier.  I now feel like its working, that part of me is turning back the imaginary clock I have in my mind.  I know that most people think this year is a ridiculous bout of midlife crises, but its really turning out to be my best year ever.

Kili No Mo

Today I found out that one of the six team members of this summer's Kili climb is unable to make the trip. Uncle John, as my daughter calls him, not in a prostitute sort of way, let us know that his boss wont give him the time off.  He will only be one month shy of the end of his project and the word came today that he is going to serve every last day of his duty.

Its very telling that while we've been planning for three years for this trip, one person can stand in the way of your dream.  Its a good lesson; most of us think we're in control of our lives, but its clear that most of us are naive to think that.

So then there were five.  Five knuckleheads traipsing across the earth to get together and have a beer at the end of their most prolific trip of their lives.  Paying for the Skype upgrade to have multiple users would have been easier.  But you can see the desperation in voices as we try and share our training regimes with each other to try and get an edge on the pain that we're about to inflict on ourselves.  In any case, we're in; flights made, deposits are nonrefundable, clothing purchased, satellite phone ordered, climbing advice received and estate planning is being secured.  We're off to see the....

HDLs Going Down

Summer planning is well underway and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by it all.  While I've accomplished almost half of the events that I've set out to do already, the REAL feats come in August, September and October of this year.  The logistics of me going to Africa for Kili followed by NY with the family make me feel like I'm planning for my first State Dinner at the White House.

We just had our most recent conference call with all six of the Kili participants on the phone at the same time.  Pretty amazing given that we're juggling 12 times zones.  Our group essentially depicts all maturity phases of my life (Name purposely withheld); Starting with my friend from when I was 5 and we have done everything together our entire lives and he is now an ER doctor, two more friends from when I was 8 that coincidentally are both in health care at some of the highest levels, another friend that I met when I was 17 and decided to travel the world for a while instead of going to college and finally, a college friend who is now in Afghanistan serving his 23rd year in the Army. Its going to be a great trip.

In any case, I was called back to the doctor a couple of weeks ago to do a follow up on my cholesterol and believe it or not, my levels have gone went down.  While I still have to watch the diet, my pants seem to fit a little better these days and I can wear a tie for longer periods without being too uncomfortable.  Exercising is getting a little easier and I'm finding that I actually need it...if I dont get it, I get cranky.

All in all, there seems to be some positive effects to early mornings, early evenings, training time and family time.

The interviews are becoming more and more interesting.  Recently spoke to a woman in the Washington, DC area that has lost 60 pounds since she started exercises all while running her own business and experiencing the wrath of her verbally abusive husband for being overweight.  She completely impressed me with her honesty of how she feels about herself now and contrasting that with her self-image before the weight loss.

I love the fact that my friends and family are following this journey and, at the very least, entertaining me with an "at a boy" when I see them at different events.  I've received a lot of encouragement from total strangers and all seem to be simultaneously curious, envious and stupefied by my 40th year.  I appreciate the comments and look forward to reading and responding.  We'll see how this all plays out, one way or another.

If I had $5,000....(BNL Music)

Ring Ring Ring

Dave:  Hello
Slob:  Hey man, what's up?
Dave:  Nada mucho, y tu?
Slob: We got a hotel room for the race but wanted to coordinate with you and stuff
Dave:  What are you talking about?
Slob:  The race in two weeks, I'm bringing the family and we got a hotel room
Dave:  I have no idea what you are saying; what race?
Slob: The triathlon we signed up for six months ago.
Dave:  I signed up for a triathlon that's in two weeks?
Slob:  Yep, I'm sending you the link so you can see your name on the website.
Dave:  I have no desire to do a triathlon in two weeks, I'd rather you get a running start and kick me in the nuts as hard as you can
Slob:  I would if you had any nuts to kick
Dave:  Good one.  Well, as long as you're going to be here, just stay at our house so we can at least carpool to this so called race you think I'm signed up for.
Slob:  Cool, see you then....

And so it went, the Slobs came to visit us and actually proved that I signed up for a triathlon.  Over three thousand people registered and everyone but me was excited to be there.  I felt like a grumpy old man:
-The lines are too long
-I have to walk too far to get my bike
-I have to wait too long to start the race (The winner finished before I even started, no lie)

But as I watched wave after wave of people I began to notice a progression in age.  Like most races, you start with people that are at or near your ability level.  With over 3000 people, that meant that they had roughly 30 different waves that went off in 5 minute increments.  I got a good view of about 15 of those waves and saw men and women of different ages start their slumber towards justifying the t-shirt they received the day before.  I started noticing a lot of patterns too;

1.  Men in age groups from 20 - 30 years old have a lot of tattoos
2.  Men in age groups from 40 - 50 have a lot of body hair in weird places
3.  Women of all ages are more polite to each other as they begin the thrashing of a mass swim start
4.  Men seem a little less conscience of the weird shapes of their bodies as they get older
5.  It seems that you need to spend about $5,000 on a bike to feel good about yourself these days

As I got into the transition area where all the bikes await their owners like little puppies in the window of the pet shop, I couldn't help but notice that there was millions of dollars in leisure equipment just laying around.  There was so much expensive hardware there this weekend it made me a little sad that the average person had been convinced somewhere along the way that even though they are getting older now and had to "compete" in individual sports, the way to make themselves happier was to purchase an eighteen gram crotch rocket that slices through the air.  There I was, borrowed bike, running shorts (no spandex), and a great sense of urgency to run as fast as I could so my wife wouldn't be late for an appointment she had immediately following the race and I could stay in her good graces.  Hey, everyone has a different motivation.

The finish line is nearing and there is my family on the final turn, screaming and yelling for Daddy.  The scowl that I had for the previous three hours immediately changed to shear joy and I grabbed my daughter so we could run the last 100 yards together and cross the finish line holding hands and pumping our fists.  You want to know why I'm "clinging to my youth?," so I can experience that moment for as many years as possible.  I will remember the crowd's cheers for us and her face forever.

View 2100

I started this project with the simple understanding that I would try and find out what it would take to prove to my children that their Daddy still has "it."  Showing the kids, through text, what it was like when their father turned 40 ultimately came with the challenge of many athletic events and subsequent interviews with other people that may have done interesting things at roughly the same age.  With a little more than a quarter of the year complete, I've found out so much more.

I have found that I can find a toy to step on at any time of the day.  I have found that there is not a snotty nose in our house that can't find me, and ultimately my shirt, as I leave for work each morning.  I have found that the time I spend alone training in order to prove something to my children only makes me feel guilty for being alone and not being with them.  I have found that baby monitors can easily be turned off in the middle of the night.  I have found that I get cranky when I don't exercise and is a trait I'm not sure I want to pass down.  I have found that spandex is like the Adam Sandler of clothing; you just know its going to be funny especially the longer you watch.  I have found that the more I find interesting people to interview, the less interesting I become.  I have found that Facebook makes me wonder what will be available to our children when they are my age.  And I have finally found that there are over 2100 people that have read this blog since it was started; poor people, they should stick to Facebook.

Race number three is coming this weekend and the interview schedule is growing.  Wish me luck on all fronts and let me know if you have any comments for me.

Pleasantville and Morning Blow

Walking around Pleasantville (my neighborhood) this past weekend with both kids in tow (the three year old walking with me and the little one in the stroller), I had a very suburban moment when I saw a neighbor, who is probably in his late 30's or early 40's and fairly fit looking, blowing the grass off of his driveway after the obligatory Saturday mow.  He's wearing what all of us suburbanites wear; khaki shorts, an untucked, 15 year old polo shirt with an outdated insignia on the left chest and a baseball hat from when we were both much cooler than we are now.  As he noticed us approaching he slowed down the blowing speed from very slow to essentially an annoying noise maker to make himself look busy which subsequently lowered the decibel level to one that was manageable for conversation.  (Insert pleasantries here.)

After our brief conversation and encounter, one comment he made stuck with me..."just out getting some exercise."  Exercise!!!  Out Getting Some Exercise???!!!!  I just couldn't help think that I am killing myself to shed a pound or two to get off the US Government's obese scale and our neighborhood hair-dryer operator just has to go out for a morning blow.  Is that fair?!  It obviously doesn't matter if its fair; while he blows, I still have to trudge through the darkness, for hours at a time on most mornings, so I can feel less guilty about eating a bagel for breakfast.

This summer break from my planned events is actually making my time busier with logistics.  I'm still interviewing a lot of interesting people from all of the world and look forward to hearing stories of how work, family and life are balanced from places as far off as India.  Please let me know if you have anyone that you think would be a good candidate for an interview.

Also, I've been banned from more websites now.

I Can Hear Myself Getting Slower

Logic would make one think that with the running of a half Ironman triathlon, a few days in Lake Tahoe at altitude and plenty of rest, that I would feel like I was in pretty good shape.  On the contrary my brother, aka Au contraire mon frere.  I feel like I  have actually gained weight, I feel like I run slower and my dunlap (used in a sentenence and as defined on onlineslangdictionary.com as something to the effect of "My belly dunlapped my belt.") has become more pronounced.  


I interviewed Drew Barnes this week.  Drew is the famous mechanical engineer that works for Northrop Grumman and travels back and forth to CA from FL every week.  Drew was actually my first interview of someone that hasn't made a name for themselves completely in their athletic endeavors.  However, he has, as a 40 year old, accomplished many.  With 4 home-schooled kids between the ages of 19 and 3 and an obvious superstar wife, he works for one of the worlds most notable defense contractors where he commutes to CA every week, while also competing and training for endurance events.  It was amazing to hear how his quest for and attempts to engage in the unknown allowed him the motivation to complete so many of life's experiences without missing any time with his family.  


Where does that drive come from?  Drew told me but I'm going to wait until the end of this year to summarize my findings.  In the meantime, please see what I aspire to by the end of this year: