Update

I haven’t been blogging much lately. Most of my free time is split up between triathlon stuff and my girlfriend. My job has been busier than ever, so I don’t get as much free time as I use to. I am not complaining; I am in better shape than I have been since my 20s, I love spending time with Carol, and I am still employed even when my company has been laying off people. That is why you don’t see many posts anymore.

Triathlon Training
Here is an update of what is going on. After 5 triathlons I am pretty much calling it a season. I’ve started falling apart. I was supposed to do a race in August, but I tweaked my back (lifting my laptop out of its case of all things). I also think I did some nerve damage to my feet on a sixty mile ride (I had to finish the ride with my feet on top of my shoes) (I’ve recently switched pedals to help prevent this from happening again). But, one of the biggest things has been a tight chest with some shoulder pain when it happens (I been to the doctor and had a stress test, my heart is great). These things, along with the fatigue that accompanies training, means, it’s time to take it easy for a while.

I am still doing the Monday swims, and Wednesday spin classes, but I am cutting the intensity of the swim (if the coach says do 90%, I do 80%), and I am not doing double spins. Tuesdays I’ve been riding the Silver Comet with Carol. I have also been walking Cale every morning.

Because this year was my first year doing triathlons, I didn’t know what I was doing (even with the guidance of my friend Don and the Atlanta Triathlon Club (ATC). Next year I will be a little more prepared. I plan on only doing 3 triathlons (John Tanner Sprint, Chattanooga Olympic Triathlon, and Augusta Half Ironman). This will give me a steady progression of training, and hopefully not burn me out.

Carol
I’ve been dating Carol for 6 months now. Things are going great. We spend most weekends together, and will often meet once or twice during the week for a bike ride or dinner. I have met her mother and brother; and I will be meeting her dad during Thanksgiving. She has met two of my sisters (and she didn’t go screaming into the night), and will be meeting everyone in March for my mother’s 80th birthday. She has also met my dog (Cale thinks of Carol’s as her second home). Cale adores her (I think she may adore her more than she adores me) (Bitch).

As the t-shirt says, “Life is Good.”

Work
I survived this group of layoffs. My boss didn’t (I’m not too sad. I don’t want anyone to lose their job, but I was tired of working for him. I had started looking at other jobs in the company before he was let go.) I like the new boss, but he has a lot of stuff on his plate, and he is starting to become stressed. A stressed boss stresses out him employees.

He is starting to stress me out a bit. He keeps on sending me to meeting. I hate meetings.