Rain, rain go away..... 

Rain

The weatherman lied. Again! He said it wasn't going to rain until the weekend. But this morning at 4:30 am I was awakened by the sound of a downpour. The was raining cats and dogs. The only good thing about the rain is that I don't have to fill the pool with water ( I think it has a leak).

Tony and I had planed to do our usual Friday morning 25 mile ride after fixing my flat. But it was just raining to hard to leave the garage. I did fix the flat. Last nite stopped by Clint's Bike Shop to get a new tube. Clint gave me a free replacement tube since he found the "pinch" in my tube. Apparently he pinched the tube in between the rim and the tire causing my leaky tube. But now it's fixed.

Since I had the time but couldn't ride, I went to the fitness center and ran on a dreadmill. Only 5 miles. That's all I could stand in the 45 minutes I had. Ugh I hate running indoors. I was hoping to ride tonight when I get home, but alas it's still raining..not hard but hard enough to make a miserable ride home in the rain.

It isn't suppose to rain in Florida during the dry season only during rainy season and then on time. You see during rainy season it rains every day for about 30 minutes at 3 or 4 pm. It never rains all day unless it's a hurricane. I can't remember the last time it rained all day other than Hurricane Charlie. Speaking of Charlie, they finally came and fixed our roof damage from Charlie. Not that it was leaking, just missing roof tiles.

Well it off to fight the rain and the traffic...Ugh

Rant - another flat tire

Well I have the worst luck with tubes! I took Roo to the shop last week to get her ready for another year of riding. It was her 5,000 mile check up.! So new tires, new tubes, new chain, and cassette and I'm home with her Friday. I take her for a ride on Sat...After the feel test of the tires I decide air is not needed so I happily ride her. Sunday morning time for my ride with Tony...and I feel test the tires and decide air is in order so 110 lbs in both tires. Good ride...back home wipe down Roo... and so on to Monday. I go to ride feel test the tires and the rear is FLAT.... no air. Ok go to pump up the tire...it will not take air.... after ten minutes of trying... I change the tube using my spare but alas it is a short stem which is to short for my deep V rims and I struggle to get air in tube but finaly it works good ride. Now today I go to ride feel test the tires and the rear is flat...and I can't get air into the stem because it's to short and slips into the V..... UGH... I ride the Steel Monster.

Riding the Steel Monster is ok when your alone because you can do your own pace. But today Tony was on time and I had to jump in without warming up, all upset about the flat, and do 18 mph. About 5 miles out my left quad starts to ache, not overuse pain but using it different pain. I push harder to keep up with Tony. As we go to the flats straight-a-way I struggle to keep 23 with Tony drafting me...my legs are aching. One the second loop I fall behind and just plain hurt. Finaly 25 miles... I'm ready to stop. So much for conditioning!

Well I plan on taking the "new"tube back and asking WTF?

O BTW... I have my stitched taken out today at 3:30 and I just got a call from my oncoogist's office, they set-up a second opinion for me with another brain surgeron...but not the guy I wanted. Now I'm working to get the guy I want after all its my brain....

Pres Day Off

I had Monday, Presidents Day off since the markets were closed. So other than prepare my will since I'm looking at brain surgery in March, I had nothing better to do than take a long ride on my bike. Tony rode with me for the first two loops (10 miles each) and dropped out since he had to work. I rode another loop by myself and felt sufficently tired so..that was it!

Totals for Last Week Ending Sat:

Bike: 50 miles
Run: 7 miles

It was a little off due to my back surgery on Tuesday to remove another tumor. I get the stitches out this coming Friday. I will not be able to swim though for another 3 weeks.

Here's a Picture of Roo...My bike all clean and shiny. She just got new tires, chain and cassette. I took her to Clint's Bike Shop in Naples for her 5,000 mile check up. The only problem was when I went to ride her on Saturday, the rear tire was flat. UGH...a new tube gone bad!

While Roo was in the shop on Friday, I rode the "Steel Monster" for my regular Friday ride of 25 miles. I was surprised on the straight-a-way I was able to get her to 24 mph. While it's not 30 mph (our goal) it was fast for the Steel Monster! I guess it's right it's not the bike but the rider!

Sunday Tony and I did our regular ride of 40 miles, all though I really didn't feel like riding. I would have much preferred to stay in bed asleep.

Just a little ketchup!

I have been in a bit of a funk so I have failed to update my blog, sorry about that. Since the half marathon I've been keeping a some what modified training schedule. It's been cold in the mornings, well cold by Florida standards, so I have lacked motivation. Last week I was able to ride three days for a total of 75 miles and I ran twice for a total of 12 miles. I had my friends Jerry and Ginger come down for 6 days, so that interrupted training as well.

So this week. I was able to ride 25 miles Monday with Tony, it was a pleasant ride except I'm having trouble with my chain. I think it is stretched and needs replacing. Well it has 4,000 miles on it! I took Roo (my bike Quintanna Roo Tequilo) to the shop yesterday and will have her back on Friday.

Tuesday I had my surgery. My friend Jerry was suppose to take me but he had the flu so Ginger went instead. Thanks Ginger. It was 7:30 am since I like to be the first case when everyone is awake. They gave me general anesthesia so I was in the OR form 8:30 to 11:00 and got home at 1:00. They took a golf ball size growth out with a little muscle too. I worked at home the rest of the day.

Wednesday I ran 2 miles light, since the doctor said no strenuous exercise and no riding my bike. I went to work but wished I hadn't since felt so bad by noon.

Today... Hey I ran another light 2 miles...I had a little difficulty figuring out what day it was... I hope it's not the thingie in my brain but just my wackiness.

Naples Half Marathon

I finish the Naples Half Marathon yesterday in 2:34:42. No world record but an improvement over last years time. It was a great day! Joanne and Tony were at the finish line to take pictures and to cheer me on.!

Joanne and Me at the Naples Half Marathon Pasta Party Saturday night. This was after we found out that I don't have a brain tumor. It was a great party with pleanty of pasta for the 1,500 runners taking part in the Naples Half Marathon on Sunday.

Futures and Options

Today at 4:30 pm, I see my nuerosurgeon (brain surgeon) Dr. Michael Lust. He comes highly recommended. Hopefully the oncologist has sent all of my test to him so he can give me an intelligent update on my options and my future. His office is at NASA (Neuroscience and Spine Asociates) it is close to the office so I can slip out at 4:30.

What could be worse than cancer? A brain tumor!

I got my results from all of my tests last week. It took a while and the oncologist would not tell me over the phone. Always a bad sign. I had to go in Tuesday during my lunch to get the results. The MRI showed a spot on the frontal lobe of the brain...and the PET scan showed that it was a tumor approximately 3.3 centimeters or 1.3 inches. The growth on my back is well...soft and squishy....

So I will be seing my surgeon next Wednesday to set up a time to have the growth on my back removed....

Next I will be seeing a Neurosurgeon to determine how to handle the brain tumor...

I still plan on doing the Naples Half Marathon this Sunday.....

Tomorrow's Brain Scan

Well tomorrow I'm scheduled for a CAT scan of the chest and brain. Tonight I have to drink some kind of dye....I guess I'll glow in the dark!!!! This all messes up my training and I wish it were over....

Here's my weakly totals:


Bike.... WOW A NEW HIGH 175 miles
Run....what a low......14 miles


Goal this week:

Bike - recovery week 100 miles
run -take Tuesday off- 20 miles

Tour de Cape Finish

Tour de Cape

Well it was a great time!!!! And I finished the 100 mile-which was my goal. Here is a brief report of the race.

Tony and I left the house at 5:45 to get to Cape Coral on time to register for the race. Yes we did not pre-register because of me. After registering while getting our bikes ready and pumping the tires a guy parked near use came over to tell us that he had a flat. He was looking for theSAG but no one was around. Since he didn't have tools or a spare or a patch kit...Tony and I changed the tire for him and Tony gave him his spare. Then the guy came back and said the tire was flat again.....there was glass in the tire...so we changed the tire again and give him my spare. So Iwas off with only one spare left.



When 7:30 came the Cape Coral police escorted us out of the parking lot and the race was off. Tony and I being in the middle just rode along at a brisk 23 mph....it wasn't long before we fell back to the second pack and fit in better there doing 20 to 22 mph. Each of us took a turn pulling and I did my share.....I froze my water bottles so I had no water for the first 20 miles....ugh! At the 50 rest stop the pack decieded to stop to "refuel" so I was able to drink eat, stretch etc.... then it was off again. I was a little stiff after the stop and wondered about the need to stop had I the fuel on my bike.

At the 60 mile mark...I began to have cramps..so bad they brought tears to my eyes...or maybe it was sweat! I stoped to massage my legs...the park ranger asked if I needed medical assistance and I refused....I drank some orange juice and continued on...but now I was alone...

I fould a nice lady who was cleaning her already clean garage. I asked her for some water and some salt. So I ate 3 teaspoons of salt raw then put some in my water bottle and drank that as well.....hey it helped I didn't cramp any more!!!!! I now had to deal with never been this far and the just plain pain...the ball of my left foot started to hurt....then at 75 miles I stopped at the aid station and drank some pickel juice, ate 2 bananas, drank some water, gatorade...ate some salttines with peanut butter.... and was on my way....

At 80 miles I had a major headache and dizzy spelll....but it passed...Finally I made it to the finish line...well there was no one there except Tony sitting on the tailgate of his SUV...no banner or line or clock or people to cheer...whats with that?

Well I finished and now I can say I did 100 miles....the first 50 was great being in a pack of riders was alot of fun. I averaged 20 mph for the first 50...so not to bad...


Tour de Cape tomorrow

Well I've had a headache and ringing in my ears since Monday. No big deal just a slight headache rather dull ache, a stiff neck and a little dizziness. I've been able to run and ride though it.

I saw the dermotologist and mentioned the lump that is growing where my first surgery was...orginal melonoma. He said it is not noral for something to grow so quickly. dah!!! Since then it has almost doubled in size...so he said to call the oncologist....

The oncologist says she wants a CAT scan of my back and since I'm having headaches a brain scan....then a PET scan to see it the cancer has spread anywhere.... I want to wait until monday...soooo and I also call the surgeron for a Wednesday appointment....

So tomorrow is the 100 mile Tour de Cape. I've been looking forward to this for about 6 months. Tony is going to do the race with me. Our goal is to keep a steady pace of about 17 mph. But I'm sure Tony will want to go fast at times.

Tour de Cape Start

Old Shoes

This morning I didn't feel like wearing my regular running shoes for some reason, so I pulled an old pair of Brooks Beasts off the rack. They don't look pretty but they feel good! I thought since haven't been running in two weeks I'd just take it easy and slow with my old shoes. Well I felt pretty good. I did the first mile in 9:54 with a heart rate of 145 then for the next 6 miles just tried to keep getting a little faster. I did stop at the 3 mile mark for water then to take off my shirt but all in all I think it was one of my best runs in a long time. 7 miles in 59 minutes! Maybe I should just rotate old shoes......

Goal Setting

Last year I set a few goals for myself....

Complete Naples Half Marathon...Done!
Complete a Sprint Triathlon... Done Ft. DeSoto!
To Swim/Bike/Run every week... well almost....does sickness count?

My weight goal was to be 175 lb...I'm 15 lbs short of my goal..ugh!

Here are my year end stats:

Bike 3,456 miles
Run 1,289 miles

So I hope to do better in 2005! Here are my goals...A goal without a plan is a wish!

Training Goals:

Swim 600,000 yards or 12,000 yards a week
Bike 6,250 miles or 125 miles a week
Run 1,850 miles or 37 miles a week

weight Goal 161 by 12/31/05 lose 0.58 lbs a week!

Race Goals

Complete Naples Half Marathon under 2 hrs.
Finish St. Anthony's Tri
Finish Florida 1/2 Ironman
Qualify for Boston Marathon at Steamtown Marathon in 3:30

Back at it....

Now that Christmas is over, I'm back to my training and races. This week is the 100 mile Tour de Cape and then later in the month is the Naples Half Marathon.

My break really started the week before Christmas when we had some cold weather here in Florida. That week I was only able to ride two days out of my regular 4... Over Chirstmas week I did no training until I got home on Thurs (Dec. 30). Also when I got home I had a flu bug so that didn't help either. It is amazing to me that when you take a few days how quickly you lose fitness and gert sick.

Weakly Totals:

Bike 65 miles
Run Nada
Swim Nada
Weights Nada

Goals this weak:

Bike 80 and 100 mile race
Run 25 miles
Swim 3,000 yards
Weights 2 times

Christmas Vacation

My Christmas Vacation started with a nightmare. Tony took me to the airport thursday night December 23...in pleanty of time for our 8:40 pm flight. After check in I discovered the plane to RSW was delayed...delayed due to weather in Newark, The plane was to arrive at 7:30 and leave again at 8:40. After much waiting, watching Lord of The Rings on the puter and waiting and waiting the 7:30 plane arrived at 12:30 am Friday and we left at 1:300 for a 3:45 am arival in Newark.

Even worst was the cold ! When I left Estero it was 75*. When I arrived in Newark it was a balmy 26*...needless to say I was cold!

Training is taking a vacation!

Weakly Totals

This past week was a little disappointing, I've been tired and it has been chilly by Florida standards. Sunday was down right cold in the morning, 45* at 7 am!

Looking forward to 2005 and keeping with my goals I did sign up for St. Anthony's and I'm considering Walt Disney Half Ironman in May so far here is my schedule:

Jan 8, 20056 Tour de Cape 100 mile Bike Race
Jan 23, 2005 Naples Half Marathon
Feb 12, 2005 Chilly Willy Duathlon
March 6, 2005 Bay to Bay Classic - 12k run
April 25, 2005 St. Anthony's Triathlon - Oly distance
May 22, 2005 Florida Half Ironman
June Publix Fitness Tri Series - sprint
July Publix Fitness Tri Series - sprint
September Publix Fitness Tri Series - sprint
Oct 9, 2005 Steamtown Marathon - Boston qualifier
November Great Florida Triathlon -Ironman distance

Here are the Weakly Totals for the Week ending 12/12

Bike : 130 miles
Run : 17 miles
Swim: 1,000 yrds
Weights 1 x
Pilates 0