A Mighty Adventure

Sorry, I'm on Facebook now. ;)

2009-02-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

If you care ...

Tate's Arsenal Undefeated in Soccer Tournament

2008-12-16T06:17:00.008-07:00

Saturday, December 13 - Sunday December 14, 2008

First Game: 20 - 0
Second Game: 5 - 2
Third Game: 15 - 0
Championship Game: 3 - 2

Here are some pics ...

Old School Relevance Still Ahead of it's Timewave ...

2008-12-12T07:11:00.002-07:00

Be Enlightened, Naturally!

2008-12-10T07:55:00.004-07:00

To be enlightened is simply to be absolutely, unconditionally intimate with this moment. No more. No less.

It's simple, and much harder than it sounds.
Also ...

"Don’t try to be spiritual. That is only a word in the dictionary. Make it your goal to become a normally functioning individual. Let these principles shape you according to your real nature of a simple, decent, honest, unafraid human being."

~ Vernon Howard from Mystic Path to Cosmic Power

That is my goal for 2009.
To be as aware and available in the present moment as I can, without 'trying.'

"I'm Going to Jackson ..."

2008-12-05T23:04:00.008-07:00

Sweet Victory ...

I'm done training for the year and I'm ready to party and relax.

Life is good and I have exceeded my goals for the year.

I'm heading to Jackson ... look out Jackson Town.

In these crazy times, remember the simple things are the most important.

The good things in life are free...

I want to say thank you to Kelli and my boys especially for supporting me this year on my mighty adventure. Thank you, thank you, Thank you.

I will continue posting once a week about what's going on in Kelli, the boys and my life if you want to stay connected.

Thank you for all your support and remember, keep triing ...

Happy Holidays and I love you all and miss you all.

Eric

Ironman Arizona November 23, 2008 Moving Pictures ...

2008-11-24T19:49:00.003-07:00

The swim start. It was a pretty brutal swim this year.

I describe the Ironman swim start as a bar fight but in the water.

That's what it was this year for me.

Swim time: 59:40

At the turnaround heading out for lap 2 of the bike.

Bike Time: 5:43:01

Heading out on lap 2 ... pretty good pace.

Run Time: 4:21:52

Running to the finish line.

Overall time: 11:13:08

Ironman Arizona Finisher Pictures

2008-11-24T07:55:00.005-07:00

Running down the finisher's chute. My supporters are wearing the green shirts.

It was awesome!!!

The family (Support Team!!!) congratulating me.

Ironman Arizona Nov. 23rd Race Results

2008-11-24T00:06:00.006-07:00

I had a very good day!!!
Lost about 30 minutes on the run with some GI distress at mile 11-13, but got over it and finished strong.

ERIC JELINEK

BIB	AGE	STATE/COUNTRY	PROFESSION
632	36	GILBERT AZ USA	ART DIRECTOR

SWIM	BIKE	RUN	OVERALL	RANK	DIV.POS.
59:40	5:43:01	4:21:52	11:13:08	495 of 2189	98 of 369

LEG	DISTANCE	PACE	RANK	DIV.POS.
TOTAL SWIM	2.4 mi. (59:40)	1:34/100m	196	36

FIRST BIKE SEGMENT	37 mi. (3:01:00)	19.27 mph
SECOND BIKE SEGMENT	37 mi. (4:53:14)	19.78 mph
FINAL BIKE SEGMENT	38 mi. (6:48:49)	19.73 mph
TOTAL BIKE	112 mi. (5:43:01)	19.59 mph	484	101

FIRST RUN SEGMENT	3.5 mi. (7:20:11)	8:15/mile
SECOND RUN SEGMENT	8.6 mi. (8:45:57)	9:58/mile
THIRD RUN SEGMENT	8.3 mi. (10:16:59)	10:58/mile
RUN FINISH	5.9 mi. (11:13:08)	9:31/mile
TOTAL RUN	26.2 mi. (4:21:52)	9:59/mile	495	98

TRANSITION TIME				TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE: 6:08				6:08
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN: 2:27				2:27
I'll post some pictures and my race report after I heal up in a day or two. I'm going to sleep NOW!!! Goodnight. Eric

17 Hours to go ...

2008-11-22T13:57:00.004-07:00

Dropped my bike and transition bags off early this morning because I had to get back home because my parents were coming into town and Tate had a soccer game at 2:30.

So, I was one of the first people into transition.

Above is a picture of my bike all alone.

That has already changed as I type this because 2,646 more people are going to drop their bikes off by 3:00 p.m. today.

Yep, 2,647 people are racing tomorrow.

I asked the NAS guys last night at the pre-race dinner.

CRAZY!!!

That's a lot of peeps.

So, this will be my last post until after the race.

Wish me luck and send me good vibes.

I am trying to go sub-11, so like a 10:58 would be awesome, if I had a great and lucky day and nailed it.

A more realistic goal is around 11:30 -11:59, though.

BUT, we'll see.

The funny thing about an Ironman is that anything can happen. It is a long day.

Chat with you all later and thanks for your support.

Eric

42 Hours to go ...

2008-11-21T11:39:00.008-07:00

Here's a few pics from the practice swim and registration yesterday.

Cozy and warm after the practice swim in Tempe Town Lake.

Andy Potts (in black beanie) was 8th this year at Ironman Hawaii. It was his first Ironman ever. He was giving a swim clinic before the start of the practice swim.

WHAT, I've been doing it all wrong ....

Signing my life away in case I die!

Taking care of "business."

Inspiration: Why I Tri ...

2008-11-19T05:58:00.003-07:00

(This is a re-post of my blog from early July. It is still pertinent.)

I got into racing triathlons for two reasons.

First, I saw an article about Robert McKeague, a 77-year-old man who finished the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii (he just finished last years at 80.) I thought, man, if he can do it at 77, I should be able to do it now. There's really no excuse.

Second, my boys, then 4, 2 and 1 were already starting to run circles around me and I wanted to be in good shape to keep up with them.

So, my journey started.

My inspiration for doing triathlons continued as did my quest.

Ed, my friend who is doing the Ironman with me in November (his blog is HERE), and myself signed up for the "Fat Tire Off-Road" Triathlon. We only had three months to train but we made the effort. While in line to pick up our race packets three days before the triathlon, we were behind this forty-ish looking gentleman. We started talking to him and found out he was in his mid-fifties. He was solid like a rock and the coolest, chillin' dude you'd ever want to meet. I made a vow to myself right then and there that this is how I wanted to age. That was inspiration number three.

Inspiration number four came to me about 12 weeks into training for my first Ironman. If you've never heard of Dick and Rick Hoyt, you need to watch this. Then this. Then go here. If you can watch these without crying, you're not human. Or, you lie. Whenever I don't want to train or am feeling sorry for myself, I watch those video clips. Works every time. That first video got me through 18 weeks of insane training and scheduling nightmares. No excuses.

Inspiration number five came about 18 miles into the marathon of my first Ironman. As I was crossing the Mill avenue bridge en route to the third and final loop of the marathon, I noticed a man in a wheelchair cheering like crazy. It hit me like a load of bricks, "I bet that man would love to feel the pain I am feeling in my legs right now." I could just tell that he yearned to be out there with the rest of us pushing our limits. Instantly the pain in my legs dissipated and I picked up my pace. I started to feel really good. If you look at my run splits you'll see that I ran the last loop almost as fast as the first loop. Inspiration.

As I enter the 11th week (Now 30th week!!!) of training for Ironman Arizona on November 23rd, I continue to be inspired by all the stories in the world about people overcoming to realize their dreams. Each one helps me move closer to my dreams and helps me realize that you truly can do whatever you dream if you work hard for it.

With that, I challenge you to examine your own dreams. What can you do today, right now, to further yourself along the path to your dreams? If your not chasing your dreams, why not? As I wrote in my first blog, were all running with the dead. Our time here is so minimal. What are you waiting for? Who can you inspire? Go, Now ...

Be well,

Again, my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

9 More Days ...

2008-11-13T20:05:00.001-07:00

9 more days until I will do this, again.

I can't wait.

Eric

Ode to My Family

2008-11-06T06:28:00.007-07:00

Ode To My Family

Understand the things I say, don't turn away from me,
'Cause I've spent half my life out there, you wouldn't disagree.
Do you see me? Do you see? Do you like me?
Do you like me standing there? Do you notice?
Do you know? Do you see me? Do you see me?
Does anyone care?

Unhappiness where's when I was young,
And we didn't give a damn,
'Cause we were raised,
To see life as fun and take it if we can.
My mother, my mother,
She hold me, she hold me, when I was out there.
My father, my father,
He liked me, oh, he liked me. Does anyone care?

Understand what I've become, it wasn't my desing.
And people ev'rywhere think, something better than I am.
But I miss you, I miss, 'cause I liked it,
'Cause I liked it, when I was out there. Do you know this?
Do you know you did not find me. You did not find.
Does anyone care?

Unhappiness where's when I was young,
And we didn't give a damn,
'Cause we were raised,
To see life as fun and take it if we can.
My mother, my mother,
She hold me, she hold me, when I was out there.
My father, my father,
He liked me, oh, he liked me.

Does anyone care?... [X9]

--------------------------------

So, I just want to thank everyone who is supporting me on this Mighty Adventure, especially my family. (Especially you, Kelli. And the boys.)

THANK YOU!

To my extended family ... Remember the days when we just laughed and played in the sun, having unchained, glorious fun?

I do.

I have been thinking about that kind of stuff on my runs lately.
I miss the freedom that being a young child had. The security of not having serious responsibilities, not caring about the 'details' that seem to make us angry and anxious as we age.
I am on a mission to become like a child again, and to help my children enjoy 'their moment in bliss.'

The Cranberries song I posted above emotes the feeling I have for you all. Sometimes I wish we could get together more often, and were a 'real' family again.
For some reason I have been missing you all lately. For now I soak in the memories of Grandpas funeral. But, I hope we can get together in the next few years, or earlier. Until then. ;)

Only 17 more days until the Ironman. Send your good vibes my way.

Mantra for today: "Be like a child, have reckless fun."

I love you all.
Eric

Big and Long ...

2008-11-03T14:21:00.002-07:00

So I finished my biggest and longest week of training for the Ironman.
The taper has officially started.

Here were my numbers:

Thursday: 1:30 bike, 1:30 run
Friday: 6:00 bike, 1:00 run
Saturday: 1:30 Bike
Sunday: 3:00 run, 1:00 bike

I'm wiped. I had a great long bike ride and run which means my nutrition is spot on. It was very hot on Friday (I took the day off work and rode with my friend Ed) which means I nailed my nutrition even better.

But ... my long run on Sunday went horribly wrong around 2:10-2:15. My stomach shut down and I got really bloated. I think I was taking in too much nutrition. I was washing down my hammer gels with a highly concentrated Gatorade mixture. Then, I wasn't washing it down with enough water. (It was also very hot Sunday.) I still finished my run in 3:03, but I was hurting. My stomach still hasn't recovered as I write this.

So, now it is really all downhill from this point.
I'll write again soon.

The pic is of Dane as Wall-E for Halloween.

Keep Tri-ing,
Eric

Elevation and Big Week Training ...

2008-10-28T06:09:00.006-07:00

So, It's been a while.

Last weekend the family and I went up to Flagstaff to visit some friends.
(pic is us on San Francisco Peaks.)

I had an opportunity to do my training at elevation (8000 ft.)
Whew ... wiped me out.

Although, I had a wondrously serene 10-mile-run in the forest by Munds Park, running towards Mormon Lake. I saw a huge Elk run across the road in front of me. Awesome.

This weekend, training was crazy.
On Friday, I ran 10 miles, then swam 2+ miles, then rode 30 miles.
On Saturday, I rode for 6-and-a-half hours.
On Sunday I went down to Tempe Town Lake, where the Ironman is held, and watched the SOMA Half-Ironman. Well, actually, I ran 18-and-a-half miles around the lake and watched the race as I ran. I finished the run with two laps up and down A-mountain. Ouch. My legs still haven't recovered. Then I watched the pros fininsh the race. Chris McDonald won and set a new course record of 3:48.

WOW.
A Half-Ironman in 3:48. Crazy!

After the race, I went home and rode my bike for an hour-and -a-half...
.. fell asleep at 7 p.m.
Completely wiped out. Exhausted .. and loving it.

This coming weekend is the hardest and longest of the training period. After this, its taper time. I'm running on empty. Every training session is pushed to the max and i'm waiting for the wheels to come off. I just need to hold it together this last week and all will be well.

Now is the time to focus, hone the mantra and have faith in the training process. I am a machine and I will conquer.

Have a good week. I will be in touch again after this crazy week.
Wish me good vibes and much energy.

Mantra for the week: "Finish Strong."

FYI - my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency . If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

edtheironman.blogspot.com

Be The Sage

2008-10-15T06:29:00.005-07:00

The sage is one who can say "Yes" to Life - under all conditions.
The sage is one who can say "Life is good" - under all circumstances.
The sage is one who is always at home.
The sage is one who needs nothing more or other from Life.
The sage is one who:
sees only Truth,
knows only the Real,
and lives only Now.

With all the craziness happening in the world right now, Focus is of supreme importance. We can choose to see negative or we can choose to be positive.

I will:
Swim to swim.
Bike to bike.
Run to run. To better myself and be positive.

Mantra for today: "Be the Sage. Let life consume you."

FYI - my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency . If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

edtheironman.blogspot.com

Be Aware!

2008-10-10T05:51:00.004-07:00

“Someone once inquired of a Far Eastern Zen master, who had a great serenity and peace about him no matter what pressures he faced:

“How do you maintain that serenity and peace?”
He replied, “I never leave my place of meditation.”

He meditated early in the morning and for the rest of the day, he carried the peace of those moments with him in his mind and heart.”

~ Stephen R. Covey from “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”

Do you meditate?

If not, you should seriously consider sitting quietly for 5-10-20+ minutes a day—connecting with the peace and stillness of your deepest nature and that of the universe.

Let’s remember that the only reason we meditate is to make our LIFE a meditation.

What good is it if we meditate x minutes a day x times per week and we’re an *sshole?

Not very much.

Meditate. Every moment.

Sharpen your focus. Repeat your mantra.

Be Aware. Beware.

Mantra for today: "Slow Down, Be Aware, BUT Keep Moving Forward."

FYI - my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

edtheironman.blogspot.com

We Owe it to the Moment: No Reason to be Here at all ...

2008-10-07T09:18:00.005-07:00

Energy flows where attention goes
For the gift of the present we owe it to the moment
as above so let it be below
For the grace of the presence we owe it to the moment

No reason no rhyme
Not even to be grateful
No reason to be here at all
The more I learn the less I know for sure
I am reminded
Each new belief is a limit itself to be transcended

Many signals many signs
Appear in sure succession,leaving such impression
So many signals many cycles many constellations
Signs of the times align in infinite progression
Take a slice out of life
Everybodys got to own their own little piece of it
Well hell I've got mine
And now its true I wonder could I really ever do without it?
No victim no crime
So how come they can still call we criminal
So many people doing time
It's easy to get cynical
When there just is not enough justice
There will be those who try to deny and oppose you
There will be others still whose aim is but to use you
Don't let them bring you down, don't let them disappoint thee
Their eyes shall never see the coming of the glory
Sunrise no surprise another spectral morning
Open my eyes to find a brand new day is dawning
Must be the season or the silence
That gives my lovers whispered words the innocence of song birds

Moment, Axis Mutatis, The Shamen

I am grateful to be here now.
All I really need is:

clean air to breath,
clean water to drink,
fresh food to eat,
and my family to love.
Everything else is a distraction/illusion.

Remember what is really important in these perilous times.

Mantra for today: "Keep Moving Forward, One Step at a Time. Don't Stop."

FYI - my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

edtheironman.blogspot.com

Be Here Now ...

2008-10-06T06:42:00.003-07:00

“Today we come across an individual who behaves like an automaton, who does not know or understand himself, and the only person that he knows is the person that he is supposed to be, whose meaningless chatter has replaced communicative speech, whose synthetic smile has replaced genuine laughter, and whose sense of dull despair has taken the place of genuine pain.
Two statements may be said concerning this individual. One is that he suffers from defects of spontaneity and individuality which may seem to be incurable. At the same time it may be said of him he does not differ essentially from the millions of the rest of us who walk upon this earth.”

~ Erich Fromm

Are you authentically showing up in your life?
Or pretending to be something you’re not?

FYI - my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Get Smart ...

2008-10-03T05:43:00.006-07:00

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.”

~ Brian Tracy

Have you ever hear the story about the kids who were accidentally labeled as “smart” or “dumb” and how their teacher’s expectations dramatically impacted their growth in the school year?

Classic story on self-fulfilling prophecies.

The quick version:

School in England. Computer program completely messes up the labeling of kids and literally puts the “smart” kids in the ‘dumb” class and the “dumb” kids in the “smart” class. Oops.

So, teachers start teaching the “smart” kids as if they’re smart and the “dumb” ones as if they’re dumb.

Fast forward 5 months.

They catch the error. And re-test the kids on IQ and other measures.

Guess what?

The truly smarter kids score significantly worse than before. The less intelligent kids? They improve dramatically.

Why?

As the teachers for the “dumb” kids said when asked to explain her teaching experience during the first few weeks of the term: “For some reason, our methods weren’t working,” they replied. “So we had to change our methods.”

Wow.

The data said that these kids were bright. So if things weren’t working, it had to be their teaching methods.

Imagine that.

When the kids had someone who totally believed in their abilities and potential and showered them with optimism and support, they grew.

And if they thought they weren’t too bright? They fulfilled that expectation as well.

VERY (very very very) powerful stuff.

_______________________________________________________________

What expectations do you have in your life?

For your kids if you have them?

For your friends?

For your colleagues?

For your significant other?

And, most importantly (as what you think of yourself is going to be the strongest predictor of what you think of others), WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF?!?

Let’s create some new prophecies to fulfill, shall we?

This week's mantra: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Back on Track ...

2008-10-01T05:42:00.007-07:00

What is this word "efficiency"?
Sometimes it seems a close cousin to death.
We are encouraged not to linger, not to enjoy life,
to hurry up and get it done so we'll have time for something else.
Something else?
What?

Efficiency the destroyer, millions and millions of living dead,
done in by the electric can-opener, the television, the internet
and the automobile.
Progress is our most important product,
babies are our business,
time is money,
life is cheap.

Modern technology, modern business, the modern state
give us everything we need

except breathable air, drinkable water, real edible food, meaningful work, freedom from fear, freedom to love, freedom to be ourselves, courage, pride, friendship,
hope.
The moral of the story is: don't be in such a hurry.
Beware creeping efficiency.
Slow down and live.

_______________________
So, I am back on track!
My chemical imbalance (what I am calling it), the result from a very fast and hot half-ironman on Sunday, seems to be over.
Food, sleep and a media blackout can do wonders for the soul.
And the endocrine and nervous systems.

It's funny because I actually had one of my best runs, physically, Tuesday morning. But my head was not in the right place. My soul was not in the right place.
And they need to be to realize the full potential of a great workout.
Luckily, we each get a new day to start fresh and new.
My mantra this week: "SLOW DOWN AND LIVE!"

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Thank You and I'm Sorry ... Infinite Forgiveness

2008-09-30T07:30:00.009-07:00

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on
Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes
Sometimes everything is wrong.
Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go, (hold on)
When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on '
Cause everybody hurts.
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts.
Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone
If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on
Well, everybody hurts sometimes,
Everybody cries.
And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes.
So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts.
You are not alone.

R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts

Well, Let's just say I am going through some terrible mental problems right now that training for an Ironman can give you. The constant intense training mixed with reduced calorie intake and a few days lack of sleep can wear ones soul down to a pretty raw state. It is in this raw state that I have come face to face with some parts of myself that I don't like. You wouldn't really see it on my face or how I hold myself, even if you know me really well. But, let me tell you that it is there and it is my challenge on this Ironman cycle. I'm tired and will write when I feel better.

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Half Ironman ... Complete!

2008-09-28T11:43:00.005-07:00

So I finished my half Ironman Training Race this morning. I'm glad that is over. Whew!

Start Temp: 73 Degrees

Finish Temp: 91 Degrees

Distances: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

Swim: 27 Minutes, 07 Seconds (AVG. 1:17 per 100)

Bike: 2 Hours, 53 Minutes, 13 Seconds (AVG 19.3 MPH)

Run: 2 Hours, 01 Minute, 24 Seconds (9:15 Minute per Mile)

Transitions: 8 Minutes, 2 Seconds (5.75, 2.27)

Finish Time: 5 Hours, 29 Minutes, 46 Seconds

FYI - my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called theTempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Positivity in Negative Times ...

2008-09-26T05:39:00.003-07:00

Here are some inspiring words while we enter these dark and perilous times. I hope for the best for all my friends and relatives over the next few weeks and months. Be prepared and be aware!

"Most of us can learn to live in perfect comfort on higher levels of power. Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitements of that day do not call forth. Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. It is evident that our organism has stored-up reserves of energy that are ordinarily not called upon - deeper and deeper strata of explosible material, ready for use by anyone who probes so deep. The human individual usually lives far within his limits." - William James

"The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are; first, hard work, second, stick-to-it-iveness, and third, common sense." - Thomas Edison

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them." - George Bernard Shaw

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." - Lao Tzu

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

"You wake up in the morning, and lo! your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the universe of your life. It is yours. It is the most precious of possessions. No one can take it from you. It is unstealable. And no one receives either more or less than you receive." - Arnold Bennett

Get Crazy

2008-09-25T05:29:00.006-07:00

“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Problem occurs. How do you respond?

“Oh, Man!!! Why Me?!!?” That’s one option.

Or, mabye: “Sweet! Another chance to see if I can meet this challenge. Let’s get it on!!”

Problems are good. How else are you going to show what you’re made of?!?

Get Crazy!

In these perilous financial times, let's put things in perspective. We can either be afraid and be mad or we can get crazy and use it as a challenge. Remember, what you 'focus' on is what expands your universe.

“Problems are God’s resistance to create spiritual muscles.”

~ Tony Robbins

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

The Mathematical Equation for Opinion Manipulation Through the Use of the Control Machine

2008-09-23T05:46:00.010-07:00

"It is the absolute right of the state to supervise the formation of public opinion. Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play."

- Joseph Goebbels

"Words realize nothing, verify nothing to you, unless you have suffered in your own person the thing which the words try to describe. A powerful agent is the right word: it lights the reader's way and makes it plain; a close approximation to it will answer, and much traveling is done in a well-enough fashion by its help, but we do not welcome it and applaud it and rejoice in it as we do when the right one blazes out on us. Whenever we come upon one of those intensely right words in a book or a newspaper the resulting effect is physical as well as spiritual, and electrically prompt: it tingles exquisitely around through the walls of the mouth and tastes as tart and crisp and good as the autumn-butter that creams the sumac-berry."

- Mark Twain

I found this on a mathematics 'word problem' website:
"The hardest thing about doing word problems is taking the English words and translating them into mathematics. Usually, once you get the math equation, you're fine; the actual math involved is often fairly simple. But figuring out the actual equation can seem nearly impossible. Be advised, however: To really learn "how to do" word problems, you will need to practice, practice, practice."

So, my thoughts that I have had for a few years now, finely tuned, honed and distilled by countless swims, bikes and runs, will now be addressed. Hopefully.

This is a theory I have had on how to reverse the mathematical equation and apply it to English grammar. Basically, reversing the above statement: Taking mathematical equations and applying them to the word, sentence and paragraph. Even to complete books. I think choosing certain words and grouping them together in a certain way can obtain a desired effect, i.e. an emotional response or feeling. So, if you can repeat the desired effect with different combination of words, then one can focus a message and control the unknowing recipient.

PR people, marketing executives and politicians know this. It's what their job is about.

One timely event that should strengthen my theory is the upcoming presidential debates, starting Friday, September 26th.
Watch how each candidate carefully selects the words, sentences and paragraphs to say the least and evoke the most emotional response as possible to get you to vote for them. They answer a question without answering the question.

Words are symbols for concepts.
Concepts catagorize experience.
Experience provides knowledge.
Knowledge is expressed in words that are symbols of concepts.

It's funny because I have been interested in this subject for quite a long time. When I was 22-years-old and in my Communications 101 class in college, I wrote my thesis paper on "Shamanism and Language: The Creation of Reality Through Words." The main concept was that in aboriginal cultures, words were magic symbols which created patterns of thought which created realities. The Shaman would cast "magic spells" to help and heal the community. Sorcerers would cast "spells" to harm people. I stated that nothing has changed except amount of words the "controllers/media" (who used to be the shamans/sorcerers) have access to.

Seriously. At 22. (Oh, and for credibility, I got an A on the paper and in the class!!!)

So, here's the idea:
The mass media industrial concerns in both the commercial and governmental sectors that deal with information control spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually practicing the art of propaganda. Corporations, as well as the federal government of America, have spent many decades and hundreds of billions of dollars researching how best to effect the opinions of the American people.

The information available to the ordinary common American is radically less than that which is available to the producers of mass media or 'information' campaigns which use advertising agencies, public relations firms and political consultants.

An uninformed, ignorant populace is far easier to manipulate than an educated, thinking populace.

American culture has devolved into a materialistic consumption oriented society, uninformed and ignorant.

Opinion manipulation is practiced so individuals may acquire wealth. (i.e. advertising, marketing through branding)

This is the current American way of life.

It is known that the human brain processes different sensory mediums in different ways.
Written and spoken words are put through a symbol decoding process where the brain deciphers the words and the sentence structure in order to properly interpret what the mind is reading or hearing. In this process, both the conscious and unconscious mind go through an internal debate comparing and interpreting new information with what is already known to be true.

Two individuals communicating through words, written or spoken, that come from the same culture and social group will necessarily understand one another better than those that come from a different culture or social group. Even within the same culture and social groups those with different experience sets such as age, place of birth, social classification, work experience and hobbies will necessarily experience corruption of the original conceptual image created by the word symbols.

This corruption is inevitable.

By taking emotional responses attached to the words of the greatest common denominator of the human experience, those at the helm of the control machine can cross culture and social groups and reach the greatest number of their audience.
Fear of the unknown, the urge to mate/copulate and the acquisition of wealth are the key emotional reactions they use.

"We are what we think." - Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

We are what we think is true in that our mental lives, which others experience as our attitude, predicates what we will become.The essence of reality suggests that thoughts creating actions of compassion will be reflected back as compassion; and thoughts creating actions of avarice will be reflected back as avarice!

By knowing this, the powers that be can engineer and replicate emotional responses with words just like a mathematical equation always has the same answer. That's the mathematical equation for opinion manipulation.

So what are you thinking? And, who or what is influencing your thinking?
Is the mathematics of nearest common denominator opinion manipulation controlling you or your life?

You'll know when 2 + 2 = 5.

I know this was a stretch and that there are many concepts here that could be expanded. Leave me a comment and expand on this discussion with your own thoughts. I'm just freethinking this concept and trying to organize my thoughts on it ...

"During a war, news should be given out for instruction rather than information. It would not be impossible to prove, with sufficient repetition and a psychological understanding of the individuals concerned, that a square is in fact a circle. They are mere words, and words can be molded until they clothe ideas in disguise."

- Hermann Hesse

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Impossible Things ...

2008-09-22T19:17:00.006-07:00

"There is no use trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things."

"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Every morning before breakfast I re-affirm my goals for the day. Sometimes, the impossible schedule of the day becomes barely possible. It is in that brief moment that I grab hold of my dreams and make them real.

That's Ironman training, and racing, at it's core. The impossible becomes possible. Eventually the distortion in your head that says "can't", "impossible" slowly gives way to a faint voice from way down below that says "can", "possible." In that very moment, the battle is won.

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Do or do not. There is no try.

2008-09-20T09:08:00.006-07:00

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

~ Yoda, Jedi Master

I’m going to try to get up early tomorrow morning.

I’m going to try to lose that weight.

I’m going to try to create a beautiful, loving relationship.

I'm going to try to...

Do or do not. There is no try.

My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Complaint of the Skeleton to Time

2008-09-17T05:25:00.004-07:00

A warrior chooses a path with heart, any path with heart, and follows it; and then he rejoices and laughs. He knows because he sees that his life will be over altogether too soon. He sees that nothing is more important than anything else.

Carlos Castenada - from A Separate Reality

So, my cousin and her son did the Nautica Malibu Triathlon last weekend and killed it. My nephew, Blaine(15), averaged a 6:30 minute mile to podium. And he rode a mountain bike. Freakin' awesome! Props to you on having fun, keep it up. Oh, and Eric ... What's up with the man-crush on Matthew McConaughey? Oh, I get it, you were just taking those pictures for Gail. Got it. (Hope you don't mind I used one of your pics for the blog.)

And in other news - it was my birthday yesterday. As I get older, I realize the importance of living the healthy, fitness based lifestyle. My goal is not to live forever, but to make those days I am here much, much more enjoyable. As I look at more and more older people around me, I realize the importance of the health investments I am making now. These investments will pay dividends far beyond the original 'up-front' costs. Especially when the compounding interest of time starts occurring in those oh-so-important latter years. I want to see my children and, hopefully, my grandchildren have fun and be there DOING it with them. That's when all my deposits into the Bank of Longevity should extend the due date of my 'loan' - this human body. Hopefully, especially in these current times, the Bank of Longevity does not go bankrupt before it's time.

That reminds me of one of my favorite writings by Allen Ginsburg:

Complaint of the Skeleton to Time

Take my love, it is not true,
So let it tempt no body new;
Take my lady, she will sigh
For my bed where’er I lie;
Take them, said the skeleton,
But leave my bones alone.

Take my raiment, now grown cold,
To give to some poor poet old;
Take the skin that hoods this truth
If his age would wear my youth;
Take them, said the skeleton,
But leave my bones alone.

Take the thoughts that like the wind
Blow my body out of mind;
Take this heart to go with that
And pass it on from rat to rat;
Take them, said the skeleton,
But leave my bones alone.

Take the art which I bemoan
In a poem’s crazy tone;
Grind me down, though I may groan,
To the starkest stick and stone;
Take them, said the skeleton,
But leave my bones alone.

Focus

2008-09-12T07:27:00.002-07:00

Your daily life - with all its opportunities, challenges and dilemmas - is a composite reflection of your recent focus of attention. Shift this focus, and you will begin to realize new dimensions of unmanifest potential. Watch and learn as this energy moves. Whatever you focus on expands.

So, be vigilant on what your focus is.

The Lord and Master of My Universe

2008-09-12T05:46:00.006-07:00

"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power."

~ Lao-tzu, 6th century bce Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism from Tao Te Ching

I always try to analyze where my focus is.

Am I trying to master myself? Or am I trying to master others?

That reminds me of another quote:

"When superior people hear of the Way, they carry it out with diligence. When middling people hear of the Way, it sometimes seems to be there, sometimes not. When lesser people hear of the Way, they ridicule it greatly. If they didn't laugh at it, it wouldn't be the Way."

~ Lao-tzu, 6th century bce Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism from Tao Te Ching

By mastering myself, true power, I don't let others (lesser people) bring me down when they laugh at or ridicule me at for following my passions.

So, follow your visions and master yourself.

Those that matter don't mind. Those that mind, don't matter.

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

2008-09-11T05:47:00.004-07:00

"The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same."

~ Carlos Castaneda, 20th century mystic and Toltec warrior from Journey to Ixtlan

One of my mantras in my first Ironman was "running hurts and walking hurts, so why not run?"

Every moment we choose to be miserable or we choose to be strong. Let your mantra help you.

Time to become harder, better, faster, stronger.

More Control: A Mantra, Part 2

2008-09-10T06:16:00.006-07:00

“The word mantra comes from two Sanskrit words man, (“to think”) and tra (“tool’). So the literal translation is “a tool of thought.” And that’s how mantras are used in Buddhist and Hindu practices, as tools that clear your mind of distractions. Because when you focus on repeating that mantra over and over again, soon the noise will die down and all you will hear is your inner voice.”

~ Russell Simmons, hip-hop mogul from Do You!

Mantra = “Tool of thought.”

So ... what mantra are you knowingly, or unknowingly, chanting in your head?

The cool thing is, when you finally hear your inner voice, you realize all the other voices aren't yours. Hmmmm ...

By the way, one of my mantras, for those that asked, is "Now is the only thing that's real, so be here now!" - The past doesn't exist and the future doesn't exist. It's always NOW. NOW is where it's at. But, the past got you to this moment and your future is decided in this moment, so NOW is where the change is made. The mantra is a tool of the NOW. While training for and racing an Ironman, that mantra, for me, is everything.

I Can part with that.

Control: A Mantra for Change

2008-09-09T05:27:00.011-07:00

"We talk to ourselves incessantly about our world. In fact we maintain our world with our internal talk. And whenever we finish talking to ourselves about ourselves and our world, the world is always as it should be. We renew it, we rekindle it with life, we uphold it with our internal talk. Not only that, but we also choose our paths as we talk to ourselves. Thus we repeat the same choices over and over until the day we die, because we keep on repeating the same internal talk over and over until the day we die. A warrior is aware of this and strives to stop his internal talk."

~ Carlos Castaneda, 20th century mystic and Toltec warrior from A Separate Reality

We're always talking to ourselves. Mind chatter ...

Just as Hinduism and Buddhism encourage us to control our mind, Shamanic wisdom teaches us to control our "internal dialogue."

Training for the Ironman has taught me to have a mantra that I can recite over and over to dispel my negative thoughts when I am unmotivated and don't want to train. Luckily, that mantra also works outside of training. At any moment it brings me back to my source, my center, allowing me to regroup and reevaluate my direction.

Mind control is the most important skill to reach a goal. A mantra is a good tool to begin controlling the mind.

The question is: What is your mantra?

Is it your mantra or a mantra inseminated by the media ... a message implanted by the television or radio?

- OR -

Is it a mantra given to you by your parents, teachers or friends?
Once I found my true self mantra, that made all the difference.

A Bodhisattva mask for the dance

2008-09-08T05:28:00.010-07:00

"What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him."

~ Viktor Frankl from Man's Search for Meaning

Wow.

Too often, we want to live in the “tensionless” state we can find watching television or, for some of us , in the state of meditation in meditation—transcending the throes of our daily challenges.

But that’s not the point of life.

The point?

To find a goal worthy of us and to spend our lives “striving and struggling” to fulfill the potentiality within us.

As we truly engage in this passionate pursuit of our potential, an effortless effort comes in that beats any idea of benign “tensionless-ness.”

Our potential is calling.

Let’s answer.

__________________

Interesting Thoughts ...

Ruminations on the nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future.

2008-08-23T21:59:00.009-07:00

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then the one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older
And shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the [human] way
The time is gone the song is over, thought I'd something more to say

____________________________

Running in 105 degree heat at night can do more to your psyche than just about any ingestible chemical can. The place my mind goes 6 miles into a 10-mile-run in 100 degree weather at 9 pm can get pretty strange.

Time seems to be the valve, while heat is the force. Think a steam engine: wood or coal stoke the fire to burn hot enough to power the engine along. Time is the tracks, I am the engine and the heat is, well, the heat. (I'm going off the rails on a crazy train sums it up ...)

Anyway ...

As I was researching, there seems to be two distinct viewpoints on time. One view is that time is part of the fundamental structure of the universe, a dimension in which events occur in sequence. The opposing view is that time does not refer to any kind of "container" that events and objects "move through", nor to any entity that "flows", but that it is instead part of a fundamental intellectual structure within which humans sequence and compare events. The main reference for my experiences stem from the latter. A place where man-made time (seconds, minutes and hours) don't matter, only natural time (days, months and years.) Through this time portal, I can visit the past or future all within the present moment. And I do. A lot.

Sometimes I am transported to the past, visiting old memories and conversing with ghosts and skeletons given artificial insemination by the great secretions of the pineal gland, that ancient mystical well of universal consciousness. Old mistakes, regrets or misdeeds, reminders of a less then human existence. Other times I am thrust into grand portentions of a glorious future where wealth, wisdom and power are bestowed upon me for daring vigilance in the throes of battle with the dragons and demons of fear, doubt and other spells cast by the great wizards of the depths of the void of awareness.

Sometimes I just have bad gas.

I never know what I'm going to get, which is the great part about running in the heat late at night.

Sometimes I creep myself out. Like the time I was running and all of a sudden I got the chills and felt like the spirit from 'The Grudge' was chasing me. Man, that was really bad. It felt like the time when I was surfing up at Moonstone Beach in Humboldt County and all of a sudden had the thought that there was a shark under me. Once that thought came, I had to paddle in and stop surfing. Except, when your running and your a few miles from home, you just have to run the fear down. There's no where to hide. You HAVE to face the fear.

Usually, the experience is an ecstatic one, meaning a state of overwhelming emotion, like a rapturous delight. And, as in my past blogs, it is triggered by a song I am listening to. I have those time twisting hallucinations quite a bit. A few times I have even gone a few miles only to realize that I was so entranced that I forgot I was running. Those are the days I like the best. My run workouts seem so short on those days.

These experiences are truly why I run. Don't get me wrong, I like the health benefits and the quiet, introspective moments I get. But the truth is, I really like the mind-blowing, bizarre trips I get to experience. My runner's high ... running truly is a psychedelic experience for me.

So these thought were what I was thinking about last Sunday night on my long run. Well, that and the UFO I think I saw. But that's for another blog.

Happy trails and purple hazes,

Eric

Those who control the past control the future.

Those who control the present control the past.

Way to go U.S.A. Swimmers

2008-08-13T07:26:00.004-07:00

Michael Phelps is just plain amazing. Talk about being way ahead of your peers ...
Off to the gym to swim a measly 5000 yds. today.

New introspective/philosophical post to come soon. I ran 6.5 miles last night at 8 P.M. and it was 103 degrees... weird brain happenings occurred.

Have a day,
E

My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

That's How I Ride, Yo!

2008-08-06T19:09:00.011-07:00

So I have been very super busy lately, if you haven't noticed. I haven't written a blog in over two weeks. I did tell you that this blog would be published sporadically, though.

I took 10 days of vacation where I rafted the Middle Fork of the American River, played paintball (kicked ass at paintball was more like it), waxed philosophical, tried to wax political, was inducted into a local Placerville bar book club, took the kids to Disneyland, surfed for three days while the family was at The Carlsbad Inn right on the beach in Carlsbad, CA and generally chilled out.
It was a heavenly, hectic rush of excitement and an exhausting endorphin filled few days.

So, the picture above is my rant. So, I use my wife's bike to make my weekly paper delivery. In the process I save gas, I save money by not using my car and I fit in a one hour bike workout. The down side is that I get a lot of smirks and jesting from the people that pass me. So what ... I am riding a woman's beach cruiser with a basket and a baby carrier. Big deal. It is perfect for holding the papers. So to all you haters out there laughing at those who aren't "cool" or don't fit in, I say screw you. And to all you women out there - I know this makes me hard to resist - but SORRY, I'm taken!

Now if everyone would just inflate their tires to the proper air pressure ...

Till another day ...
E

My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

JibJab votes and I am there ...

2008-07-17T06:39:00.003-07:00

Have a fun day.
Eric

My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Back on the Chain Gang.

2008-07-11T10:38:00.008-07:00

Just a quickie this morning.

I just ran in the most humid rain storm ever. It didn't really rain on me much, just a few sprinkles, but it might as well have. It was so humid that I was completely soaked with sweat about 15 minutes into my run. It was cooler, though. In the high 70's. Anyway, as I was finishing my run and heading back to the office, I ran by a chain gang. No joke. Right before I ran over the Broadway street bridge which spans Interstate 10, the was a policewoman and about 4 or 5 women working a chain gang. They were in the old school black and white striped jumpsuits and were manacled together. As I ran up on them I could see them eying me. Then, as I came next to them, the women started hooting and hollering. I thought "Awesome, I'm get cat calls from felons." So I flashed them devil horns with the hand on my tattooed arm and let out the deepest growl of a yell, "Raaaaawwwwkkkk," all without breaking my stride. The policewoman leered at me. The women on the chain gang hooted and hollered some more, then I crested the bridge and ran out of their sight. That was pretty cool. I've never seen a chain gang before, much less been about 5 feet from one. And one being all women.

A quick left into the cemetery to ponder my mortality and I was done.
I must have looked like I ran through a downpour because I was soaked from head to toe in sweat. It was nasty.

Have a day.
Eric

My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Moving Pictures and the Control Machine ... or the Politics of "Reality"

2008-07-08T09:16:00.007-07:00

Before you read this put on your glasses

As I was running this morning, I was thinking about reality.
What exactly is "reality?"

According to wikipedia it means "the state of things as they actually exist." As with 'Truth," "Reality is a subjective thing. Some schools of Buddhism hold that reality is something void of description, the formless which forms all illusions or maya. Buddhists hold that we can only discuss objects which are not reality itself and that nothing can be said of reality which is true in any absolute sense. Carlos Castenadas' Don Juan has a more active view on "reality." His view stated that almost all humans live their day to day lives in a dream world where they are influenced by invisible forces and powers, including sorcerers and spirits. Only by transcending this dream state could one know the "unknown realm" outside the realm of normal everyday consciousness. These people (Nagual) were called "seers." Castaneda often referred to this unknown realm as nonordinary reality, which indicated that it was indeed a reality, but radically different from the ordinary reality experienced by human beings who are well engaged in everyday activities as part of their social conditioning. It's the part of perception which is in the arena of the unknown yet still reachable by man.

Hmmm ... I don't know, its all so confusing.

Sometimes, I have this yearning to distill my "bought - and paid for" reality down to the natural, true reality of my life. I want to see things as they exist in their most natural, primal state. As I run through the fiber optic - cable TV planned neighborhoods and dirty chemical oozing warehouse districts, on paved streets with carefully manicured landscapes, I slowly realize that this is harder to accomplish than I thought. One must actually go farther out into the wilderness to commune with this rare solitude of a moment than one thinks.

Away from the omnipotent buzzing of the umbilical cord power lines and the beamed in telescreen messages of shame, fear and control. Away from the kamikaze car wheels and the subsidized back door street deals. Away from the moving pictures of artificially inseminated flat, dead pixels telling me who and what I am or should be. Away from the control machine spewing it's propaganda 24/7 from the power grid and the uber comsumptive mega-convenience store bulimia banquets of greed and gluttony. AWAY.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater. I like excess as much as the next person, but in my wiser?, older years, it has been tempered; sometimes I need to peer outside of the bounds of my present "reality" to see the bigger picture. By getting away from these artificial voices in my head I find I slowly start to hear a faint, but strong voice. That voice is MY voice. My true voice. My true self speaking to my perceived self.

Perhaps the reason that mystics, hermits, or the wilderness recluse seem so crazy is that they are actually thinking their own thoughts. So, to those of us still plugged into our "realities" in the control grid, they seem insane. What if we are OK the way we are. What if we don't need a Playstation 3, an Xbox, a cellphone, a blog (what?), MTV, makeup or the latest hairdo or fashion trend? What if there is, gasp, no god or diety? No heaven or hell? What if we make mistakes and look foolish, but it's OK because it just who we are? What if all we really have is right now, this very moment?

No eternal reward can forgive us now for wasting the dawn.

These questions open up a whole new "reality" of unlimited possibilities.

Is it really that easy? Can a question change my life?
I think questions leading to action can change a life.

Ahhhh ... enter the politics of reality.

Peer pressure and social acceptance are powerful, subtle influences. I tend to view what happens to people who think for themselves (in extreme cases) and are in the public eye with caution. They usually end up six feet high on a cross or six feet down in the ground. Balance seems to be the key.

Anyway, when I run I feel like I tend to disconnect from everything for a little bit. My mind wanders in and out of itself and I seem to unite with a purer level of thinking, like an unconscious consciousness, if that makes any sense. Like I am joining the collective consciousness of the world, a sort of universal consciousness. This morning was one of those runs. It's funny, too, that runs where this happens seem like they're over sooo quick. It is almost like I'm on auto pilot, in a deep meditative state, aware of my surroundings, but completely in the zone.

As usual, I finished my run through the cemetery, which always grounds, or amplifies, my experience.

Some people run towards death. Some people wait. Some people worry.

I think death is a friend, whispering into my ear compelling me to tempt it.

Hmmmm, some heavy thought for a Wednesday. I don't know ...

Live free, die well.
Eric

My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Inspiration: Why I Tri

2008-07-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

I got into racing triathlons for two reasons.

Second, my boys, then 4, 2 and 1 were already starting to run circles around me and I wanted to be in good shape to keep up with them.

So, my journey started.

My inspiration for doing triathlons continued as did my quest.

As I enter the 11th week of training for Ironman Arizona on November 23rd, I continue to be inspired by all the stories in the world about people overcoming to realize their dreams. Each one helps me move closer to my dreams and helps me realize that you truly can do whatever you dream if you work hard for it.

Be well,

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Strange Denizens of the Pool ...

2008-06-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

On Swimming:

I have been a competitive swimmer since I was 5-years-old. I started surfing when I was 7-years-old. I lettered three years in Water Polo and four years in swimming in High School. As a senior, I went to the Junior Olympis Qualifier. I didn't qualify, but I did OK. In triathlons, I routinely come out of the water with the pros. Needless to say, I can swim. Very well. That leads me to this next blog.

Slowtwitch triathlon forum has a thread that has been around for a few years now on "The Strange Denizens of the Pool." The elitist type swimmers have names for these 'oddities. Anyone who has spent any amount of time at a gym pool will have seen some of these people.

(Also, if your not a swimmer, so you know, there is pool etiquette and rules for lap swimming.

1. If a lane is open, take that one. 2. If all lanes are taken, ask to join the lane. 3. Join the lane of your swim speed, i.e. slow, medium, fast, etc... .4. If there are two of you, split the lane. If there are three or more, circle swim. 5. Obvious, but be polite.)

Anyway, here is how the post starts:

"Been swimming at the local YMCA lately in the mornings, and I have noticed certain species of pool users. I'm not dissing any of them...I am sure they all have their reasons for doing what they are doing, and I certainly don't begrudge them using the pool...I just find what they do interesting.
The weirdest one is "Deep End Guy"...he was there this morning...he just sort of hangs out underwater near the bottom of the deep end. He pops up occassionally at random spots like a seal poking his head out of the water. He was there when I arrived at 0630, and still doing this when I left 40 minutes later. I am very curious as to the reason he does this...or maybe he just digs it, who knows?

Then there are the "Walker Ladies"...they like to walk back and forth across the unlaned section of the pool at a snail's pace. What's pretty freaky is that most of them of are fairly large, and when I get the to shallow end, the current they have created pushes me right across my lane.

"50 Yard Guy"...this dude's workout consists completely of 50 yard intervals, followed by what seems 1 minute+ of rest. Now, he looks really good in the water, and kicks my butt when I try to keep up with him on his 50 yard interval, but he must have a helluva base to do so little actual swimming. I've never seen him go longer than 2 lengths, ever.

Also noticed a couple of weeks ago..."Lots of Splash and Flailing, No Forward Progress Guy"...this dude puts out a rooster tail worthy of a hydroplane racer...you can barely see him for the water that is erupting around him...but he is barely moving. He generally goes one length, rests for about 2 minutes, and then is off in an explosion of water.?

So, over the years people have added to this list their own strange denizens. Here are just a few of them I have seen:

"Goggles Guy" He swims one length (not even a full lap), pops up, pulls his goggles off, checks them, puts them back on, and swims another length, then repeat. The length of his goggle inspection increases based on the number of people waiting for open lanes. He also seems to lose his hearing when anyone approaches his lane to ask him to share.

"Equipment Guy" He/she arrives at the pool deck with a duffle bag of goodies - from two pairs of fins, two paddles, three bottles of some energy drink and four extra googles.

"Ultra Fast Kicker Girl" She does her kick drills faster than you can do your freestyle sprints.

"Weird Stroke Old Guy"...this is (usually) an older gentleman who is doing some sort of inverted back stroke in the water...laying on his back and doing some sorta frog kick and rowing with his arms. He manages to take up an entire lane with this stroke, and nobody ever asks to share his lane 'cause you'd probably get a concussion from one of his froggie kicks.

"Singing Guy" He's a Korean war vet ( I think) and sings 30's and 40's era oldies NON STOP in the locker room before and after his swim.

"First in the Water Guy" Every morning he is the first guy in the pool, swimming the first lane under water every time.

"Inappropriate / Unfortunately Colored Suit Guy" the one whose swimsuit most closely resembles his skin tone, making him appear to be swimming naked.

"Anti-Social Guy" He will wait for an hour for a lane of his own, and if anyone else asks to get in, he either says no or gets out and waits for the next open lane.

"Pregnant Guy" a man with a gut so large you'd think he was pregnant.

10.

"Newspaper in the Hot Tub Guy" reads his Sunday paper and does the crossword in the hot tub.

11.

"Ambiguously Gay Duo" two very buff young men who always swim together

12.

"Refuse to Split the Lane Guy" He'll gladly share the lane with you but will only circle swim, NOT split the lane, even if it is just the two of you, becuase, "if other people want to come in, it's against the rules". He is ALWAYS 1/2 your speed and you have to pass him every other lap.

13.

"Ready to Swim from the Locker Room Guy" He walks from the lockers all the way to the pool with his cap, goggles, and fins on.

14.

"Abacus Lady" She used to put an abacus on the end of her lane, and for every lap she would pop up and slide one bead over.

15.

"I Want to Race You Guy" You know, the guy who waits til you are 500 yds into an 800 and decides to push off the wall with you, swim well-above his normal pace for 35 yards, and then can't hang? This guy also sometimes shows up mid-lap when you are about to pass him (for the 100th time) and decides that he doesn't want you to pass this time. And even though you've clearly caught up to him, he still thinks he's faster...

16.

"Freaky Flip Turn Guy/Gal" Think of an open turn but keep your face in the water the whole time.

17.

"Saggy Swim Suit Guy/Gal" Chlorine destroys Lycra; some folks just don't seem to notice (or care).

18.

"Lane Hog Guy" Not sure if he's legally blind or if he just tries to be annoying, or maybe he just likes to grope the ladies. But no matter where you are in the lane he will run into you at least 10 times in the span of the hour. Expecially if you are between sets and sitting at the end of the lane.

19.

"Strange Bikini Woman" This woman shows up in a tiny bikini and huge fins. She then swims a strange dog paddling stroke on her side for hours.

20.

"Muscly Old Guy" does a crap load of ridiculously slow breaststroke laps in his underwear. Cotton, nonetheless. The pool people never say anything.

21.

"2 Guys Who Talk Way More Than They Swim" obvious.

22.

"See You in the Shower Guy" Thought he was just a friendly talkative dude. He finishes his swim 10 - 30 minutes before me each morning, depending on my distance. When I head into the locker room to shower he pops out of the sauna, takes the shower next to me and strips off his speedo while beginning a conversation. I now shower in my jammers, in less than 15 seconds.

23.

"Naked Shaving Humming Guy" Again, I try to spend as little time in the changing room/ bathroom as possible.

24.

"Angry Dad" He brings his two kids (about 8 and 10 years old) to the pool religiously every day. They seem to be good swimmers for their age, but they clearly have no desire whatsoever to be in the water. Angry Dad seems to be living vicariously through the kids. They do their workout, and he yells at them the whole time. "That was AWFUL!! What were you thinking? I WILL get in that pool with you and show you how it's done!!!" (So far, no one has ever actually seen Angry Dad get in the pool.) Of course, each of the kids requires his own lane -- they can't share with each other, despite the fact that the pool only has 4 lanes for lap swimming. And God forbid that someone should ask to share a lane with one of them. Oh, and one more thing... Angry Dad always wears weight lifting gloves to the pool -- WTF?

25.

"Fabio" He's one of the more entertaining characters at the pool. When the outdoor pool is open in the summer, Fabio shows up wearing a brightly colored speedo, and he arranges himself oh-so-carefully by the side of the pool. Every 5 or 10 minutes, he sits up to slather on a little more suntan oil, and then on-so-carefully rearranges himself on his beach towel. Of course, he never actually gets in the pool, because that might mess up his hair.

26.

"Really, Really Fat Guy in a Tiny Little Speedo"....arrgghhhh, my eyes, it burns, it burns!! Lycra and spandex are a privilege, not a right.

27.

"The Gambler" This lady brought a stack of poker chips to the pool as a counting accessory. Every time she finished a 50, she would move a chip from one stack to the other. Kind of cute, actually. She was very nice and didn't mind sharing a lane, so I did my best not to splash her.

28.

"Everything But Swim Guy" Again, Obvious.

29.

"Pull Buoy Guy" There is a swimmer at my local university pool who swims for one hour, every day. He uses a pull bouy every day, every swim, every lap.

30.

"Competitive Guy" I frequently end up splitting a lane with this guy. I am only slightly faster than he is (neither of us break any pool records) and he always swims at an even pace for his entire session *except* when I begin to pass him, at which point he speeds up and forces me to either a) Slow down or b) Speed up so that we don't wind up swimming next to one another for the rest of the set.

and related to "Competitive Guy" is ...

31.

"Race You for 50 Yards Guy"...he waits at the end of the pool for you to get there, then takes a huge push and races for 50 yards while you are in the middle of a 1500 or 2000 main set.

32.

"Whale Blow Hole Guy" Decent swimmer, but about every 5 minutes he'd do some weird reverse butterfly stroke (On his back), come up for air and blow water out of just about every orifice on his face.

33.

"Calisthentics on the Deck Meathead Guy." Wearing the aforementioned board shorts with no goggles, this creature will saunter down to the pool area with notebook and gallon jug of water in tow. He enters the water with purpose and gives the water a look like he's gonna kick its ass. After his push off the wall, he seemingly disappears amid the flurry of waves, only to reappear with arms and legs flailing about midway down the pool. Eventually he makes it to the other end and pauses for a brief stop. Round two is on, and our mighty challenger conquers the water again as he makes it back to his starting point. No rest for the weary, however, as it is off to sets of push ups and sit ups on the deck. It is cardio day, after all, and you don't want that heart rate to drop. He decides to give the water a good thrashing for maybe two to four more laps before the obligatory twenty minutes of cardio is reached. A quick dry from the towel, a swig from the gallon jug, and maybe a flex for little miss lifeguard, and our hero departs having brought the water to submission.

34.

"Manta Ray Guy" Dressed from head to toe in black lycra and a black swim cap with a seal mask. In addition to its attire the manta is distinguished from other pool species by its preference to swimming underwater breast stroke for three strokes, coming up for air and going back under for more breast stroke.

35.

"Super Splashy Guy" He hops in the pool and begins the following workout:
Warmup: 4x50 ALL OUT on 2 minute rest; Main Set: 4x50 ALL OUT on 2 minute rest; Cooldown: 2x50 ALL OUT on 2 minute rest; 1x10minute stare at sunbathing girls. His splashing makes my lane an open water-style blender. Despite the fact that, I'm, you know, three lanes over.

Then there's the always entertaining ...

36.

"Wardrobe Malfunction Girl" Always trying to swim in a bikini too small for lap swimming. Use your imagination ...

37.

"Super-Hot Competitive Collegiate Level Swimming Girls" Always swim twice as fast and twice as far as you. Lucky for me, I can usually hang on to them. Sometimes I beat them.

38.

"Yes I Am a Triathlete, Thanks for Asking Guy" This guy always wears one of his event swim caps (longer race equals better, extra points for wearing an IM cap), has his HR monitor and strap in place and spends the entire workout setting the interval timer on the watch. Freestyle only.

39.

"Too Good to be on the Swim Team Family" Kids are too good for the swim team or parents think they're better than the swim team coach. So they get a lane and have "swim team practice". I just saw them for the first time two days ago.

And finally, my last encounter ...

40.

"Annoying, Float Under my Lane and Watch Me Swim 13-year-old Girl" I think she might have been a bit "Off," but she would float under my lane as I swam and watch me for at least 20 minutes. then she started jumping in my lane and trying to miss me by as little as possible. Parents? Lifeguards? Apparently she was alone, unsupervised because I finally had to pull the "Mean-guy" card and ask her to get out of my lane. She booked out of there...

So, there are a plethora of "types" at public swimming holes. Next time you go, look for them. I guarantee you'll see one, or more. If you don't, you might want to ponder which one you are ...

Swim well,

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Running with the Dead

2008-06-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

So this is my first blog post, ever.

I don't think of myself as an overly interesting person so I never thought anyone would want to read about what I do. But, apparently a few of my acquaintances disagree.

Hence, here I am, writing for you.
So here we go ...

One of my hobbies is training for Ironman distance triathlons.
An Ironman is a race that has a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. All to be completed in 17 hours or less. Training for an Ironman takes a lot of time. Most of my free time, actually. That means I swim, ride my bike and run alot.
On my training swims, rides and runs I usually have some unusual social interactions and/or internal psychedelic or synchronistic experiences. The following is one I had today.

I had an 7-8 mile run to do today which, since I live in Phoenix, Arizona, I usually do at night because during the day it is 113 degrees. My parents were coming into town today so I did my run before work at 5:00 a.m.

I must have ran the first half pretty slow, or had some rocking music on the second half because I did the second half 10 minutes faster than the first. So to eat up the last ten minutes of my run I decided to run through the cemetery right next to my work. I love running through the cemetery because it gives me some mental clarity as I am reminded that I will die someday and to make the most of my time here.

Anyway, the second my foot leaves the sidewalk and hits the cemetery pavement my iPod switches songs and "The Coming Back to Life" by Pink Floyd starts playing. So this instantaneously sends my mind spiraling as I feel the full effects of my "runner's high" and really puts me in a good place. So I am cruising around the cemetery just jazzed as I am listening to this song and enjoying the crisp, serene moment. Then my iPod switches songs again to "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M. As the chorus begins to play, I have a visualization of all the dead people in the cemetery watching me and cheering for me.

The feeling I am attuned to is that they are happy because I am actively pursuing my dream of being healthy, doing Ironman triathlons and eventually going to Kona for the Ironman World Championships. Even my Grandparents are there (though they are not buried in this cemetery) just cheering me on. It was a surreal and inspiring moment.

But, alas, as with all my other surreal moments running, once I started my cooldown, the feeling went away and I came back to the world. I'll write about those in another blog.

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

Thanks.

May all your adventures be mighty.

Eric

P.S. > I m not a "on schedule" personality, so this blog will, in all likelihood, be published sporadically and in an untimely fashion.