Wiley Coyote Eats Cat

We have been having a problem with coyotes. Recently a man near my home while walking his Shits-on-you dog (no not Collie and Coffee Drinker) was attacked by Wiley Coyote. Wiley Coyote it seems, thought the Shits-on-you was a snack on a string. The man beat off the coyote with his cane (read the story here).

In the video above the poor kitty, Caesar, had an uncaring owner who left Caesar out all night only to wander into Wiley Coyote.

The moral of the story, Wiley Coyote is hungry and is moving into populated areas. Don't leave your animals out or they will be lunch orin Caesar's case, a midnight snack!

From Survivor Back to Patient

Well I was cancer free for 7 months, not as long as the last time, 2 years, but it seems that I have a "green thumb" and can really grow tumors. This time it was only 7 months after being declared cancer free by my docs and 3 months from my last melanoma body scan check up.

I noticed on my calendar at home that it has been 4 years since my first cancer and lymphoma surgery. So I guess it has worked out better than it has for a friend I met, he lasted 8 months after his melanoma diagnosis and pasted away. I find it hard to say he "died", but like saying "I have cancer" I guess it gets easier..... have you noticed if you say you have breast cancer you get all kinds of support but skin cancer well that's no big deal hey it's only skin caner. Only melanoma is the fastest growing cancer.

I have changed my banner...did you notice.

The problem I'm having is a pain in my..... back. One of the biopsies was rather deep and IT HURTS! Well no matter, it is going to hurt more as I have to schedule wide excisions of both sites... they take out more tissue in the size of a large biscuit to examine how far the cancer has spread, how deep the tumor is/was and then proceed to the next step. The kids are coming to visit for the month of August, so I guess they can get me to and from the surgery and tend my dressings.

On the training front, I had an OK run this morning. Just a few miles in the humid heat. It just finished raining as I left for my run. I did get some pool time in yesterday with a fairly good bike so I guess an OK run is well OK.

Two More Lesions

J's Birthday Flowers

This week I have been in somewhat of a funk. Even though last Saturday and Sunday I had big riding days. In fact I was second in the sprint on Saturday with the Bad Ass Coffee Cycling Team. My total mileage for Friday thru Monday was 170 miles total.

Wednesday was J's birthday and not wanting any bad news for her birthday I had to go to the doctors. So guess what, he had to take off two more lesions. These were on my back which is much better than the last one in Oct 07 which were on my arm. So now it is a another wait to see what the path report says. the doc talked about the new cocktail, CDV plus interferon and interleukin. I understand you are sick as a dog with flu like symptoms for a year. I don't think I want to do that.

The week update date:

• Bike: 175 miles
• Run 14 miles
• Swim 3 hours

Saturday Tony and his wife went with J an I to Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse for dinner. A lot of money for an OK meal with poor service.

Sunday after the ride I felt AWFUL. I can't begin to tell you how sick and tired I felt. When I got up today I hoped that I would feel better but...alas is not so. I rode with Tony this morning. I asked to ride slow but .... it was suppose to be 20ish but ended up at 24ish with a big sprint at the finish. So now I'm really tired.

Almost Jailed

My cycling buddy, Tony the Brit or Tony26 as the Bad Assers call him because even when the set speed is 22 to 23 he pulls at 26.... well we are riding our usual 26 mile weekday route. The route, 26 miles long, is along a newly opened road with, for the most part, good road surface and a bike lane until we turn to go thru Burrito Springs. Just a few side roads then down Terry Street, a four lane road without a bike lane, turn left at the traffic light and to rejoin the newly opened road with a bike lane. The only problem is we have to get over into the left lane then the turning lane to turn left at the traffic light.

Now Burrito Spring is just as it sounds, old Florida rednecks and those still wet from crossing the river....not to say that they don't have green cards, drivers licenses or even insurance on their cars which they don't and that's the Rednecks. As we get to the left some one scares the be jeepers out of us by honking their horn...not once, not twice, not thrice but over and over and over again!

Now an occasional horn doesn't bother me, being from the Northeast, but I was pulling at 22 mph with Tony26 on my wheel in the left lane of a REDNECK-MEXICAN Road. Kinda makes you nervous and waiting for the gunshot.

It appears that the person behind us in a lime green VW Bug wants to get past us to make the approaching traffic light before it turns red. We move left, the car squeezes by us on the right, beeping only to have the light turn red so the lime green VW Bug has to stop at the light as we roll to a stop in the lane next to it.

Now Tony26 is a calm rational Brit just recently allow to become a US Citizen - not that I had anything to say about it. All of the sudden he starts banging on the window and yelling at the woman driver "You almost caused an accident by hooting at us (yes he said hooting!)"She rolls down her window and starts yelling back.... "You don't belong in the left lane! Stay right or on the sidewalk!"

I of course am calm cool and collected yell back at her "We have as much right on the road as you...." With that I see a Lee County Sheriff's car turn on it's red lights and cross over 2 lanes of traffic pulling in front of the lime green VW Bug. The officer gets ot of the car and says to Tony26 and me "GET AWAY FROM THE CAR AND GET OVER HERE!" With that Tony26 start yelling a the officer! and yelling and yelling....finally the officer says as loud as he could '"STOP YELLING!"

TONY26 calms down and calmly tells his story to which the offier says ... "OK, you can go". He then takes his ticket book and walks to the lime green VW Bug. The last thing we here as the light changes to green for us to turns is the officer asking the woman...."May I see your driver's license and registration?"

I thought for sure we were going to jail......

July 4th Ride Pic

Here is the Bad Ass Flatlanders Cycling Team at Ava Maria, FL the halfway point of the 80 mile ride know as Drop the Brit Ride.

What's Happening.....

Here's quick update on What's Happ'n Now!

• Rode Saturday with Bad Ass cycling group --- +/- 20 riders who meet at Bad Ass Coffee in Estero. Good ride of 40 miles got dropped on the Sprint- hey 31 is to fast.
• Rode Sunday with BA --- well the first 20 miles then rode alone in aero as much as possible finished with 56 on the meter.
• Rode Monday with Tony - btw he has new Zipp 404's - a little tired, well a lot tired but got 25 miles in with an ave of 21 mph.
  
• Ran Tuesday -today - ran 8 miles and plan on swimming for an hour later tonight.
• Ride 25 tomorrow and play company golf with a client.
• Run and Swim on Thursday
• Ride the "Drop the Brit Ride" or 80 mile Ava Maria Ride for the 4th
  

On the health front:

• no new melanoma since my surgery last Oct 2007
  
• Declared cancer free by oncologist in Dec 2007
• Brain tumor declared - "the thing in your brain" by Brain Surgeon in Jan 2008 (meaning he doesn't know what it is or he doesn't know what to do or he's just crazy.

One More time

OK... so I've been away for a while! Well a long time. It's a long story. Added to the fact I helped a friend develop a blog and it got mixed up with mine... no I didn't run for office in Bonita Springs...

Coffee Drinker and Collie are no where to be found.... I haven't seen them in a year!

But I've added a few new people that I'll write about:

The Scarecrow - a lady who has had to much plastic surgery and now hides her face when peolpe run/walk.cycle past her. She takes her Shitzonyou for rides in the car and/or golf cart.

The Pajama Girl - walks two large dogs most mornings with her hair wet and pajama's

Salesman - walks his Shitzonyou and carries a golf club to fend of Coyotes - yes we are having a major problem with Coyotes. They think small dogs are a snack on a string.

Everyone Passed

OK everyone passed the test post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


As you can see after a long absence I'm somewhat back. I'm working for a Chicago based company helping them to move their offices to NAPLES, FLORIDA. Go figure people actually want to move a company to Naples.


I have lost my new reader info were I kept trackof everyone so it may take me a little while to gettting to your blog and saying hi but don't feel neglected I still love you...

Cold Weather

Well fall is upon us here in beautiful Southwest Florida. Last night a windy cold front went thru so at O-darkthiry it was COLD, 53* compaired to 71* yesterday morn. Since it was a swim morning at an outdoor heated pool I chose to run! Normally I wear a sleeveless coolmax shirt and shorts but today I chose a cotton long sleeve t-shirt and shorts (well it wasn't that cold). I had forgotten about the joys of running in a cotton shirt. At the 6 mile mark or so my shirt was soaked and weighted a ton. I quit at eight miles and took a hot hot shower! Hopefully it will warm up enough that I can swim at lunch time.

Something New

The humid weather returned this morning so rather than run on the dreadmill, which I'm sure you hate as much as I do, I decided to run to the pool and back. I leave the house at 0-dark thirty and at that hour of the morning I thought better of running thru the woods.... you know panthers, bobcats and yes snakes. So it was the long way to the pool 4 miles before sunrise.

When I got to the pool the sun was just coming up giving everything that golden glow, kinda erie. So after doing the snake-walk around the pool looking for snakes that went swimming overnight it was time to hit the laps. This summer we've take 4 water moccasins out of the pool gutters. They will not hurt you unless they bite so take them out with a net!

The pool temp has now dropped from 90* to a nice comfortable 82* almost cold. So today was 7 x 20 laps (correction it was 20 laps of a 30 yard pool. the way I could laps with my watch I get confused because I have to double the laps of the watch) with 3 minute rests. As I got going once again I got hot, hot hot.... 4,200 yards.

The 4 mile run back to the house was uneventful other than the sun was up and the temp was 78*... hot!

So there you have it my "new" training. Not really a brick it's a run-swim-run...RSR?

Long Over Due - Not eaten by Collie

I was not eaten by Collie or shot by an angry bike shop owner! My long over due up date, for those of you who have missed my updates! I'm living in Florida once again. Fortunately I didn't sell my house so I just moved back from Pa. The weather here is more conducive to training, at least that's what I tell myself. There are no hills here only flat, flat roads.

Health wise I'm doing much better. When I went to Philly I was hoping to find some answers regarding my brain tumor only to get the same answers and treatment that I was getting in Florida. It's a sad state of affairs in healthcare so don't get sick. I recently saw my brain surgeon after a series of test and yes I do have a brain... but the good news is the tumor (actually it appears to be a cluster of tumors about the size of a tennis ball) seems to be smaller. So that's good. I have also seen my oncologist, dermatologist, my primary doc and my regular (as appose to the brain) surgeon and they all agree there are no new signs of my cancer. So that's good. I have taken the past 4 months off work and plan to look for a job beginning in January, unless something comes along that I can't pass up. So I have more time for training, so that's good.

Training has been not as good as I would like it to be. I have focused on the swim this summer and I feel that I have gotten stronger. Lately my training each week has been 3 days of Swim (12,000 yds per/week), 5 days of run ( 40 miles) and 4 days of bike (150 miles). Now that the weather is getting cooler I hope to get a long ride in on the weekends and getting a little on run miles in. I have been going to Doc's Beach House for my weakly open water swims.

Mentally have been in a funk. I'm disappointed that I couldn't get a good or should I say better treatment plan in the Philly area.

Collie's Evil Cousin

Well boys and girls you all know about Coffee Drinker and Collie that reside on Tony's street and how I try to get Collie to spill Coffee Drinkers coffee? Well meet Collie's evil cousin, Border Collie. That's right a new challenge! Today as I was just finishing my 15 mile ride, I turned into my street when what should I see but three ladies walking in the road (no sidewalks). One of the ladies had a Border Collie on a long leash. When Border Collie looked a me I could tell it was on! He was in front of Border Collie Lady (BCL) but then as I approached he moved to behind her and then as I passed he wrapped his leash around BCL causing her to yell "Damn it"! Was me or what....

Today at the pool I tried did a ladder then spent alot of time doing my balance drills. I'm curious as to how you spend your pool time. How much time do you just lap swim? Drill? Do you use a pull bouy or kickboard? Fins anyone? Tomorrow I plan to work on bilateral breathing.

It is so hot now I have to run on the dreadmill at the fitness center...7 miles ugh!

Weakend Update

It seems I still have the knack for getting people pissed off. If you haven't read the last posts comments you see I had some response to my posts.

This past weak I've been concentrating on swim and bike although run is perhaps my weakest spot. I've been trying to swim every day including going to the beach for an open water swim. I had forgotten how much fun those "rollers" can be when you go to take a breath.

Tony and I did our Sunday ride to Coconut Point which included a brief 5 mile side trip to see the progress on the new mall. Hopefully next weakend we can do around Estero Island. As we were talking, riding side by side, going about 17 mph, two cyclists over took us. Of course we can't allow that and caught up with them, one had a Giant with a kickstand and the other a Trek. It was good to find some other Sunday riders. It will not happen again guys.

So here are this past weaks totals:

Swim 12,000 yards + 1 ow swim
Bike 150 miles
Run 24 miles

This morning I rode 30 miles and hope to get to the pool before the rain comes.... we have been having a lot of rain of late like many parts of the country.

Bike Shop Visit

OK boys and girls another lesson in how not to run a business. As you might remember I like to visit bikes shops look at the bikes and who knows I might buy something. You do remember my lunch time visit to a bike shop while living in PA?

I had noticed Roo needed new brakes. After 3 months of hills in PA Roo's brake pads we severely worn and in nee of replacement. Since I had to make several stops in and around Bontia Springs I thought I would stop at the Naples Cyclery then swing over to Doc's Beach House for a lunch time swim and a brief snack.

Upon arrival I noticed there were two employees in the shop. A high school age boy (hsab) and a bike mechanic. The hsab asked if he could help me and I said I need brake pads and gave him a sample one that I had taken off of Roo's front wheel. He quickly found a matching set and said that will be $24 I'll ring you up at the register. I guess he assumed that was all I wanted, needed or had to have... Feeling I was getting the bum's rush to get out of the shop I said to the mechanic who was working on a nice looking Felt Tri bike "Oh you sell Felts?" "Naaa" said the mechanic "just in for service". "Oh what do you sell?" me... "Giants" hsab interjects... (by the way they are Specialized dealers and have a nice selection on road bikes in the shop.) "Giant road bikes?" me. "Yea they're a little stiff for a road bike I don't really like them." hsab.

Well realizing the mechanic was a man of few words I thought I try another approach to get him to loosen up. "I'm looking for a group ride in the area do you sponsor any for your shop?" "Nope, to much traffic around here" hsab. Me "My buddy and I come by here every Sunday morning on our around Estero Island ride of 60 miles. There are no organized rides in this area?" (BTW there are a few roadies in the area that parktheir cars in parking lot behind the Naples Cyclery to ride Vanderbuild Beach Road then on the Gordon Drive and back) "Nope, but our shop down in Naples has some on Thursday evenings I think, that will be $25.44" I could tell they wanted me to get out of their shop so they could go back to.... telling jokes or playing cards or dealing drugs... "Well how about if I get a group together to go from here would you like to sponsor a group ride?" "Nope"

OK I know I should have driven the extra 5 miles to my LBS, Clint's and I shouldn't expect friendly customer service, nor should I expect a bike shop to want to sponsor rides for it's customers. So that's how to run a business today.

Lance

Coffee Drinker and Collie Update

OK now that I have your attention. I've been trying to get back into some kind of normal routine here in Florida. The medical opinion is in-operable means in-operable so no gama knife, surgery or radiation. My left eye might clear if I'm good, if not I'll be a one eyed triathlete (hey maybe I'll change my blog title to One-Eyed Oldman) So learn to deal with it and get use to dizzy. For those that asked no I haven't seen Tony since I returned. He has been in Buenos Aires for 3 weeks but we plan to ride Friday morning.

My Chilean neighbor, not having seen me in 3 months, greeted me by saying "You look like you've gain some weight in you tummy!". So, I've been riding in the mornings 25 miles M-W-F and 15 miles on T-Th then at lunch time I ride my bike to the pool and swimming 3,500 yards and in the evenings I run M-W-F 5 miles and T-Th 7 miles on a dreadmill , in the evening due to the thunderstorms (we get a storm everyday around 5 pm in the summer months). Saturday I think I'll go to the beach, Doc's Beach House, in the morning to do a long ow swim and then run hopefully 12 miles. Sunday will be around the island with Tony for 60 miles.

This morning on my mornings bike I saw them, yup Coffee Drinker and Collie. Not a kind word or glance was exchanged between us. No I think that dog really likes to get his master mad at me, I can see it in his eyes. Collie's leash was attached to a tree and Coffee Drinker was washing some metal bar stools. I could just tell Collie wanted to get free and spill the coffee...he tried to get one of the stools to fall over but Coffee Drinker was there to catch it. Hey did I do that? Kewl!

OK now back to looking for a job.... any one need an old broken down triathlete to work for them?

Home Again

Well boys and girls, Philly just didn't work for me! So as of last Friday I resigned my Philly job and arranged to move back to sunny hot Florida. My house didn't sell so I still have a home. I arrived here on Tuesday so I have been unpacking and getting my house back in order. I can't tell you how much I missed this tropical paradise and it was reflected in my training. This morning I did 25 miles on my bike and I swam at lunch time. So it's back to normal.

Update, Thots, & Personal

The Weakly Update

I know now that many of you just want to know what my stats were for the weak. So I’ll start there for a change.

Swim – 4,000 yards

Bike – 110 miles

Run – 28 miles

OK? I know it was not a good weak for me. I had to change my long run with my long bike due to rain. Does it always rain in PA? I feel like I’m about to rust. My long run has consisted of running the nature trail and paths around Haverford College. The nature trail is about 2.5 miles, so I did it 5 times and added a little to get my 14 miles. I’m old and slow so it was not a very fast paced run. Sunday it wasn’t raining but it was cloudy looking like rain and the roads were damp. However, I got my long ride in of 60 miles. It is quite boring here not having someone to ride with but then IM training is boring.

This morning was a run day. I just did a recovery run of 5 miles. My legs felt a little sore today so my rule is to listen to my body and take it easy…so watching my heart rate I tried to just keep it easy. Today is an easy swim at lunch as well.

A Thot

My apartment windows look out to Haverford School field (not the college but I think a private high school). I see all kinds of sports practiced on the field, soccer, baseball, some football and a few joggers. Yesterday I watch a father and son practice punting and place kicking a football. I was reminded of a story told to me by someone who grew up in the same neighborhood as Mike Schmidt of Phillies baseball fame. He related to me how every weekend and particularly on Sundays Mike and his father would practice hitting, fielding and baseball basics. Sundays from early in the morning to late afternoon they would practice. That’s what it takes to be great in a sport. Commitment to train.

As I watched the father and son practice, I thought about my sport, Triathlon. Why wasn’t I out there working on my sport? I have read, as you have, of the good to great triathletes training schedules. They usually are twice a day to sometimes 3 a day workouts. Long boring runs, rides, and swims. Now allowing for the fact that I work for a living and I’m getting “over-the-hill”, I questioned my commitment to train. Could I spend an entire Sunday training? Would I be willing to give up a Saturday do put in a long, long swim?

So I’d be interested in hearing from you. What is your commitment to train? Do you do anything above and beyond the basic base building? What is going to make you stand out in your next A race?

PERSONAL

As some of you know I moved here to the Philly area to get better healthcare. My brain surgeon has referred me to a neurosurgeon who specializes in gamma knife removal of brain tumors and the treatment of gilomas. The concern of course is leaving me with a frontal lobotomy and smiling a lot. But the hope is that I can get relief from my dizzy spells and headaches. Perhaps the tumor is still in operable and maybe that's why I can't sell my house in Florida because God wants to die in Florida rather than Philly. So, next week I see the new doc and start a new series of test. Along with all of that I see a new oncologist next week as well so no telling what he will "mix-up" for me. Since I haven't had the commitment to qualify for Ironman Kona I'm revising my banner to training for Ironman...you know lower your sights.

LO and BEHOLD!

I was walking by a local sports store on my way back to my office from a lunchtime swim. They were having a sidewalk sale. Not really needing a side walk I looked at the tables when LO and BEHOLD a pair of Speedo Vanquishers normally priced $12.99 for 50% off! Remembering de Bold's statements about dem I couldn't resist.


Also bought a Camelbak Hydrobak 50 oz for $14.00 normally $34.95 plus a Phillies hat for $2.00.

It's Finally Friday!

Today it was cloudy and overcast with the weatherman threatening to allow it to rain. How could he do that on my ride day? Alas I decided to run instead. Isn't it nice to have options in life?

I have found this "nature trail" that circumnavigates Haverford College. My guess is it's about 3 miles but the best part it is a quiet woodland in a city of noise. I find it very refreshing to "run thru the woods" even if it is in a city. Above is a pic of a meadow and a lake in the distance.

On my second loop I developed a slight hip pain. I keep telling myself that this is just a reminder of the pain to come when I do longer runs.

This weakend the plans are tonight I'm meeting my old friend Jailbird and his wife (he's 39 she's 29) for drinks at Flat Rock Saloon in Manayunk near the famous Manayunk Wall of the Philly Pro Cycling Race fame. He's the Jailbird because he was one of the first people arrested at the old Vet Stadium during an Eagles football game when Philly instituted court at the Vet. You know they have a Judge at the stadium and he sentences you right there. Well Jailbird was one of the first arrested and sent to jail overnight to sober up.

Saturday I'll work off the beer by doing a brick that consists of a 75 mile bike and a 10 mile run on Saturday. Sunday I hope to swim either at the Y or I'm looking for someplace to do some open water swimming, a lake, pond or something!

Here is a pic at the trails end....