No Pics on this one...

Ug.

I tried on my new Sugoi Velocity Tri top this morning. The first thing I noticed was how cool the fabric felt in my hand before I slipped it on. I ogled the big rear pocket and ventilation panels sewn in to it.

Then, as I zipped it up I could tell, pretty quickly, that there was no way I was going out in public with it on until I lose at least 20 lbs.

For fear of ruining the shorts, I spared them the agony of trying them on. They look cool as hell, but Sugoi's largest size, the XL - well, it's just ain't XL enough for the M-dot Bigun.

Remember the scene from "A Christmas Story" - when the little guy had been bundled up and was on the ground and couldn't get up? That top was so tight, I felt the same way as I tried to get it back over my head. I almost had to call Di for help.

I really should have brought some of that awesome GU I got with the bundle of goodies on my bike ride this morning. I totally bonked having not eaten any breakfast before the 10am ride. It wasn't 8 miles in when I absolutely knew it was time to pack it up.

The Bigun did not have a great training/triathlon day.

Happy Memorial Day to all my brothers and sisters who have served and are serving this fine country of ours. Thanks to all of you!

Sugoi and me

I've got some cool stuff from "My" Sugoi Rep, Devon - you can see what I got to the right:

I'll be trying out his garb and the gu's over the next couple of weeks, and especially at my next tri, coming up in a week, and let you all know what I think.

What I really think.

I'm excited about it.

This past week was kinda crummy training wise. I'll try and make up for it tomorrow on my bike ride - and even try and get in a run afterward some time during the day. It rained and rained every day here, and not just a few drops here and there. Buckets. Lightning. Not good for outdoor training.

Tac's really been wanting some Sugoi stuff - too bad he doesn't blog anymore...

Training Cobwebs

Well, I waited about 11 months to get back in the pool, and of course, it shows. I went to the "Y" close to work, and was pleasantly surprised that the pool was refurbished while I was gone. All new surfaces along the bottom and sides. Brandon Family YMCA - kudos to ya!

But I got yelled at today for diving headfirst into my swim lane. "Soon there will be kids here in the summer, and if you do it, they all will think they can do it". Gotcha, lady. I didn't need the lecture, really - a simple don't dive in would have sufficed. I'd probably dove into that pool 40 times in the past...

I feel the swimming muscles coming back to life. Chest, biceps, lats, core... it's awesome. My crummy 600 yards and die wasn't awesome, but 2 days later getting in 800 yards in the same time was a boost to the swim spirit.

Guys and Gals - ya really don't want to take that much time off. Yes, life gets in the way. But more reality was that laziness and depression got in the way much, much more.

I've gotten word that there's a good chance I'll be testing some Sugoi products for review on my Blog and in our podcast. Tac didn't get the initial invite, because as we all know, Tac doesn't really blog. Yes, there is still the TacBoy and Bigun Podcast - it's just so hard to be funny when so much of your financial life swings in the balance. Things are looking up though, and it will be fun to get back into making our friends laugh with our auditory antics. Don't worry, folks, I'll try to avoid scaring the kids with any pictures of me in Sugoi trunks. Lets just say that I'm coming down off of my post-Ironman-post-market-depression-depression-eating-disorder-weight-gain high of 282 lbs (that's 32lbs over my IM weight...).

I'm racing in a couple of weeks. 15 days from now in fact. I'm of course way too heavy and way too undertrained for anything other than haveing some fun and getting it done. Having a race on the calandar makes the training real. I'm such a goal oriented person... for some reason I can't get myself out of bed just to run. I have to be training. There is a difference.

I've got a few newbee triathletes doing first tri's at this same race. Lee and Chris will be toeing the line for the first time at a tri - I'm trying to help them out as best I can - it's been so long since I've raced, I keep going back to their offices to give them another piece of advice that I all of a sudden remember. You know, like start your swim wave as close to the front and center of the pack as you can.

Yes, I'm still a bastard...

First Tri of the Year

Oh yea, I did it. Pulled the trigger. Perspective is a funny thing. After non-stop training for 3 years, the big "pull the trigger" event was IMCdA. After an 8 month layoff, the big deal is signing up for the local sprint. And being worried about it!

This is the banner sprint event in the Tampa area for the Triathlon Community. The Mad Beach Triathlon. This will be my 4th running of it. It all boils down to two words. Say it with me now.

Beer Tent.