Slow time and stay in motion. This is my mantra. It’s a deep rabbit hole that keeps one pondering.

The morning’s chiming alarm sang loud enough for me to reach and turn off quickly. In a relaxed state I grab my pulse oximeter and it shows my heart rate at 39 and my oxygen saturation at 98%. It suggests my recovery is going well. In the dark I put on my bike shorts and proceed blindly down 3 flights of stairs to our basement where my SCOTT Plasma awaits. Still in the dark and barely awake I start turning the crank. My mind is free, my body is in motion and my thoughts float excitedly in a myriad of directions. The only audible noise is my breathing and the SRAM groupo that is clean and lubed well. Calmness permeates while I focus on the never ending nuances of the pedal stroke.

Four hours later and I’ve regressed to external stimuli in the name of Netflix that gets me through the final hour. The three hours leading up to the final hour allow me to stay present and focus on form. There’s so much joy in this eternal moment. Slow time and stay in motion.

The early start allows for maximizing family time. Lola is 7 months today and she keeps me present to a level that is unsurpassed by anything else. She’s a treasure one can only fathom in dreams and then it’s real. She’s a lively bubbly little girl and is starting to speak, “Da, da. Da, da” I can’t help but hear my name every time.

Hortense and I started a run streak 80 days ago. I made it to 40 and now my wife has doubled me up! There’s been some ‘bad’ weather (bad weather is my favorite to go running in) running and late night jaunts but she’s ran at least a mile for the last 80 days and her goal is to get to 100. I think a few months ago she felt like getting back into shape was going to take forever…well; it’s safe to say her level of fitness is awesome. It is inspiring to see.

My training is going well and for the first time I’m attempting to give biking an honest go. The time consumption for biking is a challenge but it is motivating to maximize my ability here. My focus has been on form for all three sports and I feel all three have improved even my swimming. Being a month from 36 and swimming my whole life I have to wonder why it’s taken so long.

It’s thrilling to contemplate the 2011 season; full of hope and aspirations and looking to stay healthy while racing with my family as much as possible. I have not nailed down the schedule but have some crazy thoughts of doing three weeks of grand racing; Wildflower Half, Saint George Ironman, and then LeadMan’s 250k Epic…three of the toughest triathlons on the planet. We’ll see; the prospect is frightening which is also exhilarating. I’ll need to perfect my mantra to have good efforts at all three and still have fight for a long season.

July 20, 2010 The Birth Day

Summer ripened like a mango bursting with sweet juices

The Golden Rain Drop Tree summoned pollen collectors for miles around

The tepid weather with its beaming sun rays surrendered to pleasant wafts of air

A bloom in yellow the rain drops to be, start a blaze in flame

The roar of bees humming from nectar to nectar dropping pedals like rain

A house calmly waiting for its new arrival; the sparrows approving the nest

A Father and Mothers loving embrace followed by an entire family

Emotions bordering on the other worldly, deep in the soul and profound

Time stops, a singularity is reached

Awe, pure and absolute wonder shakes the mind at its core

The minds reason impedes the moment and cascades to a quiet place

Now, one becomes centered as the essence of the soul

We’ve come through on the other side; breathe in the world fresh and newborn

We meet for the first time?  But we’ve always known you

Waltzing with us amongst the universe for millennia

Welcome Lola Annabelle Everett to the human race

Little Lola weighed in at 8.6 lbs and 21 in long and is the sweetest angel….Mom and Dad are thrilled!

Running along the dirt trail lifted my spirits; after twenty minutes I was in a rhythm.
Feeling light on my feet and alive in my soul I turned a bend, heading up an intimate ravine.
The scene was out of my dreams; a lucent sky in the twilight hours of mid winter.
Hearing snow melted water progress down the rocky creek bed gave life to the valley.
Following the sound of the water up the meandering gorge revealed a veritable delight.
Moonrise.
The glowing orb transfixed my eyes.  The gentle radiance created a perfect ambiance.
It seemed to be the pot of gold at the end of the path; snow capped mountains ablaze in moonshine.
Seeing my reflection in the full moon gave me supernatural powers; I ran up the valley to get closer.
Moving along the creek with ice accumulated boulders, the moon set, the moon rose, then set again.
The ebb and flow of mountain peaks dancing with the lunar rays shimmered my space and time.
It was time to turn back… to go home, alas, the orb was obstructed; I had to see another moonrise.
Running to a clearing higher up in the valley the auditorium’s spotlight was concealed.
Then, the audience came into view as the clouds parted.
The trees and desert fauna fox-trotted to sounds of rushing water.
I let the orb fashion its image in my mind as eternity washed away any thoughts.

Seven days of inactivity left my body yearning for some self human propulsion.  The final race of the year ended and the impetus to plunge into sustained movement was back after three days.  Addiction, it seems, can be healthy when one’s physiological or psychological dependence is on a potentially healthy drug.  The natural endorphins encountered from nourishing exercise can be a powerful driving force.  The withdrawal is absolute; although the syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symptoms that follows discontinuance of an addicting drug is not ‘painful’.  Uncomfortable; yes, Discontent; sometimes, Restlessness; yes, Despondent; sometimes, Irritable; yes.  It is mostly, just plain awkward.  There is a lot of time and energy that suddenly needs to be replaced.  This is where a lot of house chores come into play…but that’s not fun.  How about something inspiring?

I lay in bed until I can stand it no longer.  There is no denying my body has acquired all the sleep it needs.  It is my first Saturday in over a year with no plans to train.  It seems daunting to have a full day with no workout.  I worry that my excess energy will be spent cleaning the house all day.  Augh, I lay in bed longer, contemplating how to handle my day.  Then, an idea formulates and I’m out of bed in a flash.

“C’mon Milo , let’s go running.”  The day’s brilliant sunshine warmed the air to a comfortable 50 degrees encouraging some outdoor happenstance in mid November.  I gulp down some pulpy orange juice and grab my running attire.  I’m wearing a short sleeve shirt and shorts with a hat and sun glasses to neutralize the bright sun.  Milo and I drive a quick 2 miles, the last ¼ mile on dirt road to the base of Hulls Gulch. 

We start climbing immediately.  The steady climb makes for slow going but warms us quickly, Milo is already panting.  The temperature couldn’t be more arousing for running with light beads of sweat forming around my hat in the brisk afternoon air.  It seemed Milo and I had beaten the rush of people that would surely take to the hills on this fine day.  As we continue to climb we encounter almost no one.   For long stretches we take the scene in while feeling alone in our serenity.  I meditate on the sound of my foot strikes hitting the hard packed sand.  Quick strikes against the earth as I dance up some craggy areas along our ascent. 

My mind is free to wonder.  This simple pleasure invigorates my spirit, partly due to my fitness.  My body feels good while I climb and climb up the side of a mountain.  Feeling good while ascending a mountain charges the brain with endorphins.  I find what I’ve been craving the last seven days.  Soak it up.  Experience the surrounding.  A transformation takes place.  Your senses are on alert.  Something basic takes over as if you’ve been transported through time.  Back to a time and place where survival is paramount…  You are now on a hunting expedition trying to cover vast amounts of land in search of prey.  Your tribe is hungry and they are counting on you to find them something to eat.  The water is rushing down the mountain side in the creek just below the trail.  Following a water source almost always ensures a successful hunt.  You smell the air and pick up sage brush, decomposing leaves, mud from drying out rain puddles and… a hint of your prey.  Scanning the hillside you notice movement up on a craggy outcropping.  Adrenalin spikes through your system and your body moves with stealthy efficiency.  In one fluid motion the spear raises above your head with your elbow pointing right at the target.  The speed of your attack startles the deer and they hesitate for an instant.  They take off up the hill but it’s already too late.  The thrust of your arrow rock meets the flesh of the deer’s neck.  It is a decisive blow.  Your tribe will feast tonight. 

We continue climbing the mountain.

The steady climb brings us high above the valley giving us a birds-eye view of our town.  The grade gets steeper as we reach the crest of the trail.  We have now been unremitting in our ascent for almost an hour.  It is rewarding to see your progress laid out before your eyes.  You have just ran away from the city… far into the wilderness under your own power.  It feels good to escape.  Peering off towards the valley below the city is a small model confined to a diminutive area far away.  The tranquility of the moment lures one to stay awhile as if the open space around you somehow empowers you.

The sheer joy of the descent is evident in my sore thighs as we near the bottom.  I fall down the mountain with delight; enjoying the speed and efficiency that my body thrust itself.  I am not a good example of this, yet, it is astounding how well balanced a two-legged human can fall down a mountain gracefully.  A crash at this angle and high speed would be harsh but the acceleration from falling is too much pleasure to have any kind of delimiter.  I fly down the mountain with all the grace and speed I can muster.  Forget about everything else…it is thrilling.

I had one of those restless, excited, in-and-out of a dream state, while tossing and turning sleeps the other night.  Earlier in the day I had made a supremely satisfying purchase on E-Bay; one that causes Tri-Geeks to reminisce about the sleepless nights before Christmas when they were kids.  I felt like a kid.  Albeit, when I was 5, I would not catch a moment of shut-eye in anticipation of the next days plunder.  At least this time, I was getting some much needed sleep.  I know, because of the lucid dreams dancing in my mind.  In these dreams, I moved effortlessly; with power, poise and pace.  It was a basic vision, the ultimate in moving your body.  I had the healthy fitness capable of propelling your body over land and sea with efficient speed.  A daily ritual I tirelessly attempt to improve on.  Although improving all the time, perfection only gets farther and farther away.  In this dream, I was relaxed and feeling euphoric, yet I was racing at max effort.  Being in that fleeting state of mind where the task at hand flows with the body and focuses on seemingly nothing and everything to do with your movements; where your body and mind merge into that elevated state while your movements become beautiful and tranquil.  My mind was clear and calm and in a state of being contemplative.  Time slows down, allowing me to further enjoy the moment, as I race along with a slight grin; a small window for those watching to see and experience my internal pleasure.
Although I did not get the best night of sleep I was still cheerful from all the good visions of the previous night.  I had to wonder if the single act of purchasing a disc wheel triggered my lucid dreams.  “Maybe”, I thought, as I began to daydream about taking my first ever pedal stroke and having the huuumm, huuumm, huuumm sound of a disc wheel. 

Surely much of the lucid dreaming comes from the simple fact of enjoying my fitness.  I have been breathing a lot of air; healthy and consistent in my training while steadily improving.   Having a breakthrough workout is rewarding enough to have me in the clouds for several days.  Like last weeks BRIC workout at the Boise High Track.  It was 4x (10 minutes on the bike trainer then a mile run.)  I was not feeling up for this workout, tired and hungry after work and being just 3 days removed from the NYC Triathlon.  The east coast trip was disruptive on my sleep patterns.  I lightheartedly showed up at the track and began warming up.  Feeling lethargic and heavy I wasn’t sure that I would be able to hit my goal time of 5:15 per mile.  To my surprise I clocked a 5:07 first mile; then went 5:01, 5:07, 5:08.  That’s good stuff for me. 

Then, yesterday in the pool I felt strong and fast while swimming high in the water.    Swimming at the Downtown YMCA is awesome.  I started learning the intricacies of water in this very pool over 30 years ago!  However, it is not a fast pool; being a shallow 6 lane pool while having 4 guys in my lane with 3 guys in the wall lane and 5 or 6 on the other side causes a raucous.  But we like to think its good simulation for rough open water swimming.  The main set was 12 x 100’s on 1:40 going 75fr/25Fly descending in 3 sets of 4.  My times:
1:02, 1:01, 1:00, :58
1:03, 1:01, 1:00, :57
1:03, 1:01,  :59, :57

Solid, feel good swims, especially considering the wavy pool and negotiating butterfly with so many arms flying.  I had more than a few awkward recovery strokes in the butterfly to avoid smacking arms.  But the feeling strong and being high in the water is sheer joy for me.

Up next, the beautiful McCall Mountain Triathlon.