To Speaketh

Short notice but I wanted to mention that I will be speaking tomorrow night at the Cancer Survivors Day Celebration held at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. The program starts at 6:30 PM.

Address - 501 North Lansdowne Ave, Drexel Hill, PA. More info is at 800-254-3258

Peace

Toe Central

Greetings.

Well, remember that knee pain that I mentioned a few weeks ago? It never went away by itself so I started some physical therapy with NovaCare. The good news is that my tests were clear and structurally, my knee is sound. I just have a strain or slight tear to the MCL on the right. The bad news is it still hurts and I want to rush the healing process. I still can't run on the road but I can pool run, cycle, and swim. So from a fitness level perspective, I should be fine. But mentally, I feel old, fat, and out of shape. All of that being said, I will probably still race Hammonton next weekend. Emotionally I need a race to jump start me. Even if I tank it, I just need to get out there.

Some of you know that my passion before triathlon was soccer. I was a goalkeeper and looked up to a few key role models of the sport. One was a legendary goalkeeper named Shep Messing. Another was a guy named Bobby Rigby who was a local guy that put American soccer on the map in the 1970s. He was one of the best American goalkeepers of all time. (OK he and Shep were tied) He is now back in the area and working as a substance abuse counselor in the Ridley Twp school system, where he is from. The cool thing for me is that I have connected with both of these guys recently and we have kept in touch. "Back in the day" I admired them for their goalkeeping abilities. As we have matured (ok ... some of us have) they continue to make substantial contributions in life and in sport and I have been fortunate enough to connect with them and consider them peers. It makes the world a little smaller. And better. Both of them recognize what a special bond there is between goalkeepers even long after playing days are behind us. We have all moved onto bigger and better playing arenas. But the secret club still exists.

And now for a scary, random, and fragmented brain dump: 

Coffee is good. Politics is getting old. The Clintons are getting old. McCain IS old. I am riding my bike into work for a couple of hours today after TNT swim practice. I need to finish this drywall project in my living room. I was asked to give the motivational talk again at the TNT pre race dinner for the Philly Triathlon in June. How can my youngest daughter be graduating from high school if I am only 15 years old?

Your mission for the weekend - A random act of kindness for a complete stranger. I mean really go out of your way to do so. Don't just pause 2 seconds to hold the door for the person behind you.

Peace

 

Hey Jude

This is unbelievable ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgrrQwLdME8 

 

Book Reviews

These two reviews ran in the Seattle based eZine Outdoors NW -

Book Reviews
The Inner Triathlete; My New Race chronicle the human side of Triathlon

   If it’s training tips and race plans you want, you won’t get them from reading Stephen Brown’s two newly released triathlon-focused books, The Inner Triathlete and My New Race. Instead, these quick-reads of short stories, interviews and articles offer perspective that speaks to the human side of the sport of triathlon and to the spirit of the triathlete.

    Brown wrote The Inner Triathlete as a tribute to elite triathlete Jon Blais, a.k.a. “Blazeman” who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig ’s disease in May, 2005. Blais won the hearts of millions five months later when he became the first ALS patient to race and finish the Hawaii Ironman. Blais died 1-1/2 years later of his disease.

    Ironically, author Brown — a longtime ultra triathlete himself —  was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2006. In My New Race, he chronicles his journey of diagnosis, treatment and finally, across the finish line of an Ironman-distance triathlon just seven months later.

    If you need a break from training, or simply want to celebrate the life of others, these books are must-reads. A portion of their proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Blazeman Foundation. www.remissionman.com

— Carolyn Price, Publisher Outdoors NW

Greetings and Other Stuff

Well it has really felt like summer this week. It's been great. I am supposed to kick off my racing season tomorrow in New Jersey although I am struggling with some knee pain and and taking a watch and see on this thing. I probably should have it looked at - but I can probably squeak out a sprint race first. I'll keep you posted.

This weekend is the St. Anthoneys triathlon in St. Petersberg. We trained 20 some odd athletes for this race and Todd is with them now in Florida getting them ready for their big day tomorrow. Wish I could have gone but couldn't really take the time off of work between my job still being new, and just coming off missing days due to chemo treatments. Next year I'll make the trek. And I will be with the team at the Philly race and Nation's race in DC in September.

I forget if Belleplaine and Hammonton are on my schedule but I added them yesterday so now they are. My daughter Jennifer is also racing them with me. She'll also race Midge's race in Avalon. She is psyched. Now we have to get Danielle signed up for a couple of 5K road races.

Someone entered me into what I thought was a kind of goofy contest sponsored by EverReady. It's something in the spirit of the Energizer bunny and the "keep going" attitude and lifestyle. Somehow, I was selected as one of the 100 semifinalists. (Maybe there were 110 original contestants - ha). At any rate, maybe this isn't so silly because the winner gets $10,000 in cash and $5,000 to their charity. Who knows? If the committee chooses me into the top 10 finalists, then the people would vote on a winner between June and July. Don't worry, if it get's to that point, we'll be looking for plenty of votes and plenty of people will know about it. Since I already do a decent amount for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on many levels, I expect the chosen charity to be The Community YMCA of Eastern Delaware County. More on this as we progress. Oh - and I just picked up Power Bar as a new sponsor. "Good eatin".

Time for more java.

 

Done
Well, I'm done. Finished my last treatment Monday and I am quite happy about that. Pretty tired today. I have a follow up post CT scan in June then see the doctor again to check blood levels in July. Amen. Time to move on. It's been a crazy few days. Mixed in with my last treatment were two funerals, a TNT bike ride and run in the pouring rain on Sunday. And a little gathering with a handful of my Cabrini buddies Sunday evening. It was one of those roller coaster of emotions weekends.

Right now I just need a strong dose of real spring. I need fresh air, shorts, and tee shirts !!

Interesting Tails
It's been a fun couple of days. Our dog Carley has developed some kind of an infection in her eye and is on some drugs and is wearing a lamp shade. Now you have to understand Carley. She is very affectionate and lovable and loyal. But she isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. So, couple that with slightly impaired vision in the one eye and a lamp shade and you have an animal who moves about the house with the grace of a refrigerator being thrown down a set of stairs. She bangs into the same wall three times before she realizes she needs to adjust. She tried to walk into her crate three times last night only to realize that once she was in there, she couldn't turn around. So she backed up ..... and tried again. It's pretty amusing to watch. But even funnier is the expression on our other dog, (who just may be the sharpest tool in anybody's shed) He just watched Carley and then looks at us as if to say "Is she stupid"? We'll get a few more kicks tonight and then take that ridiculous thing off of her.

Great Weekend
OK gang. Let me get you caught up to speed. I had a great weekend in Washington DC. Spent the time there attending a triathlon coaching certification clinic with Dave Scott. The clinic itself was a blast. Getting there was another story all together. I left Friday evening straight from work around 5 PM or so. Made pretty good time considering Friday traffic travelling 95 South from the airport through Delaware, etc. I stopped at a Taco Bell somewhere in Maryland for a bite to eat. I think I found the slowest moving "fast food" joint in the east. They weren't ignorant slow, just slow slow. Everything was slowwwwwwer in that part of Maryland. No worries. I had plenty of time. I followed the directions to the T and got into downtown DC. That's when all hell broke loose. I didn't know that the DC marathon, a walk for epilepsy, and the beginning of the cherry blossom frenzy (whatever that is) was all this weekend. Traffic in DC was horrific. I spent about 45 minutes driving around circles, jughandles, one way streets, and diagonals trying to find my hotel.  The architects of that city need a lesson in city planning and logistics. After stopping for directions once, and calling the hotel twice, I finally found the place. I pulled into the hotel driveway only to be met by a gentleman who very politely informed me that their parking lot was full. We exchanged pleasantries (only mine were a little louder and more offensive) and I got back into my car to find a place to park. Luckily I found one just around the corner and it would be cheaper than my hotel. "OK" I thought..... time to settle in a and relax. I knew I would be sharing a room with another coach from Lehigh Valley but I knew I was about an hour ahead of him. I checked in and made my way up to the room ........ opened the door ..... and found ...... one bed for me and Greg to share. So, I went back down to the lobby and exchanged a few more louder and more offensive pleasantries and they moved us to a junior suite with a pullout couch. OK, I was fine with that. Then Greg calls my cell and says "Dude where the #@$% is the $%^#-ing hotel"???  Who was I to try to help. I had no idea how I got there. But he made it. Shortly after that, we found the bar, threw down a few Bass Ales and all was well with the universe again. The clinic itself was great. Dave Scott is THE MAN. And he has earned that title. www.davescottinc.com We met last year at a race where we were both speakers and have gotten friendly.

Fast forward to yesterday where I underwent follow up chemo treatment number 3 of 4 and will finish up ALL by next Monday. Yesterday went off without a hitch. No problems to report and even went out for a short run after treatment.

That's it for now.

Another Good Day

Yes, treatment today was fine. Meds were even cut back a little so I should be able to sleep tonight !  Yeah ! Seriously, all went well and I should be back to normal tomorrow. Whatever "normal" is.

Workouts were strong this weekend as well. Feeling good. Two more of these 2 go and I should be good. All in all it was a great weekend. Don't forget the interview this Wednesday at 4 PM Eastern Standard Tme on Clarissa Burt Talks presented by The Voice America Network. Details will soon be posted here http://www.modavox.com/boombox_va/burt/

Top of the Day.

Why do my dogs bark at something the minute I put them in the backyard? You can get back to me with that answer if you wish. It's going to be a nice weekend I think. Yesterday was great and I capped it off with a great workout (bike, lift). I will probably help out a little at the Y today with their Easter egg hunt (or non denominal orb search for the bore ass pc folk out there) and then get in a nice swim. Longer run tomorrow and then I get to go back in for more treatment on Monday. It's OK though, it's all coming together. Gotta finish this drywall project though...

For those of you used to seeing me driving around in a Liberty Sports Magazine Subaru Tribeca I have given that vehicle back and I am happy about it. I simplified my life a little by getting rid of that car and it feels good.

OK, I need to get some coffee and get my act together. I shall return but in the meantime, have fun at whatever you do, or don't do it.

s