LDACistan

As you may know, I went to Fort Lewis Washington for the last five weeks. I've been constantly blogging about it because I was pretty worried about my performance. I am glad to say that I meet the school's standards and exceeded them. The Army asseses leadership on 16 character dimensions and provides an overall evaluation. The overall eval can be an N, "no-go," S, "satisfactory," or E, "excellent." Of the 16 dimensions I recieved 11 dimensional E's and received and overall evaluation of E. I hope this will be able to land me into active duty but we'll see. I also have some resonsibilities to look foward to as the Battalion Command Sargeant Major. I can't wait.

Internal Conflict

This week has turned out to be quite a ride. I am very tired and struggling to keep the pace at which I have set myself up for. I have been working almost 10-12 hours everyday and driving back and forth from Philadelphia to meet my ROTC responsibilities. It was nice since I was able to hang with my friends still in that area.

A close friend of mine talked to me about having some problems with his girlfriend. He had been dating her for a few years now and it seems like they are having a serious relationship. His problem is that he wants to break up with his girlfriend because he feels like the relationship is not going anywhere. She wants to have a future with him but he doesn't see himself with her. I am not sure why he feels that way because he has an amazing girlfriend but it doesn't matter what other people see all that matters is what you see and what you want. He told me that he feels "comfortable" with the relationship and he doesn't really know what to do if they would break up. A person once told me that you need to be able to stand on your own two feet if you ever want to make it so I passed that information to my friend.

I can see that guys and girls are different when it comes to relationships. Women like to see the future and plan far ahead and want head over heels commitment early on. Men (at least for me) are more concerned about their well-being before making plans of taking care of other people. I am a very ambitious person and have a lot of goals I set up for myself. I have a long list of things I want to experience before getting married and I don't feel like someone should hold me back from doing those things. I want to feel like I accomplished what I set myself up to do. Sometimes a person can help but wonder if you can have a playmate and a spouse in one person. Someone who enjoys everything you doon the weekends and rubs your back at the end of a hard day at work.

Confident but Not Ready

I had ROTC drill this weekend and I am glad to say I had a good time. The atmosphere was very calm and not stressful by any means. We started the weekend with Field Leader's Reaction Course. It is basically a bunch of different obstacles a squad must complete. Many of the tasks seem impossible but a great deal of teamwork and strong leadership are needed to succeed. I had a good evaluation for my leadership and boosted my confidence for LDAC. Afterwards we did some Land Nav. It is pretty boring stuff but I ended up getting 6 out of 6 points. I was too HOOAH for my own good that I figured if I got back early I had more time to chill. I was sadly mistaken and had to go back out and find more points. Then we finished the weekend with the Basic Rifle Marksmanship. I qualified but I should get better as time goes on.

So I did a lot of "warrior" tasks and proved to myself that I am tactically and technically proficent but I still don't feel like I am ready for LDAC. I think I need to keep my guard up and continue to prepare in the same intensity I am currently doing. Although a bunch of other things in my life are at a stand still, I find that it may be worth it as long as I kick LDAC in the ass.

"You are not Superman"

This week has been really rough at work, at the gym, and at the trails. I have a bad habit of being committed to everything I am a part of. I guess its not always bad but somtimes it turns out that way. I am worried about going to "LDAC" this summer because if I don't pass I will not become an officer and everything I've done would have been for nothing. This fear has coused me to discipline myself a little more then I usually do. I also enjoy mountain biking more then any other activity I have started. I would even go as far as calling it a passion. This passion forces me to want to incorporate mountain biking into my fitness plan just because I enjoy it. Now there's work. It is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Just thinking about calling myself an "RF Electrical Engineer" is making me feel like I have accomplished something. I work for an awesome company that I would really enjoy working for when I am done with college and/or the military.

This week I have been getting up at 0400 in order to go to the gym in the mornings before work. I workout for hour and a half and then go to work. I usually get to work arounf 0645-0700. Monday,Thursday, and Friday (today) I am going to have to work really late. Monday and Thursday I already worked until 2000. The time card shows 13 hours in one day. I get home around 2130 and do some chores around the house to get to be by 2300 just to wake up in a few hours. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to hit the trails which was enjoyable. I did endo on Wednesday and I hurt my elbow. It has been a really long week and this weekend I have ROTC stuff but it shouldn't be that bad compared to the last few ones.

So I woke up this mornin rather late. I got up at 0600 and woke my mom up. She saw me and I had this look of exhaustion. The first thing she says is"Paul, you are not Superman... You need your rest just like the all human beings." I know I need my rest but I do not like it when people question my committment. I usually go a little m0re then what is expected of me because I want the people I work with to know that they can trust me. Hopefully it is not going to ruin my life but right now it is kicking my ass trying to keep up with a schedule I set up for myself.

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was pretty uneventful and filled with the same old stuff.

Friday:
After work a few of my co-workers and I decided to go to Happy Hour at a place called Beacon Street Grille. The beers were pretty high on my scale of what I should pay for a pint but all is well when in good company. I ordered sushi because I am one huge sushi fan. I learned a valuable lesson that American Lagers and Japanese food DO NOT taste very well. It was also fun hanging out with a bunch of the guys while we talked about girls, girls, and more girls. I ended up having 2 beers and then then calling it quits and going home.

Saturday:
I spent the morning doing trail maintenance at Round Valley State Park. A section was eroding pretty bad so we filled it in and spent four hours getting bitten by bugs and rolling huge rocks into place. While driving there I was doing about 80-85 MPH which is rare for me. If you know me, you would know that I do not speed at all so I was pretty cautious. As I am driving I see a cop putting his seat up and getting ready to drive out of his "trap" zone. I am thinking he tagged me and I look in my mirrors and he pulls out and has his siren on. I think to myself "F*CK!!!!" this is going to suck. He gets behind me and then immediately shifts the left lane and pulls over this SUV a few cars ahead of me. I was so happy he didn't get me.

Sunday:
Mother's Day in my family does not really mean much. We already do a lot of things for each other that this day was pretty much like any other weekend and we eat out at some different place. I learned that Seventeen Magazine is the reason why the younger generation of women is all messed up. The magazine had articles for girls on how to pick up guys at the beach and how to finally have that summer romance you only read about. There was also an article on how to pick the perfect swimsuit to show off the most cleavage. It just proof that we are all headed for the $hitter. We already know that guy's magazines aren't any better but what are you going to do; the world and the people in it are f*ucked.

Thanks Combatives

I went for a ride yesterday with some people from MTBNJ at 6 Mile Run. I had an awesome time. It was fun not only because I was on a bike but because the group of people I was riding with made everything quite enjoyable. I did have my moments to remember though. Before the ride even started I had flat rear tire because the valve was leaking. I run around a get a spare 29er tube. I rush over to the trail and fix it. The ride starts and we are moving at a good pace but nothing too fast. Then I take my first spill because I leaned the bike to much trying to corner at speed that it washes out from underneath me. Then I end up breaking my pedal on one side. The ride continues and we are moving along crossing over man made bridges and log piles (29ers eat these up BTW). Then We are going across the final bridge which goes over a canal about 5-6 ft. Of course I am the one that falls in. Thanks to combatives I learned how to brak my fall correctly without hurting myself and it worked. I got right up and continued to ride. Then as we approach the end of the ride I end up getting a flat tire in the front. Damn I got tubeless tires for a reason; TO AVOID FLATS!!! How do I get two in one ride? Oh well time to upgrade the wheels I think.

Finally I am going to talk about women and bikes. I think the combination is magnificant. I think that if a man and woman are going to get along, certain sacrifices need to be made by each person. Sometimes you have to accept the lifestyle of the other person and try it out. I am convinced that if a girl wants to be a part of my life intimately, they are going to have to try riding a bike a few times. Luckily my girlfriend now has tried it and continues to ride so she is making the right choices without me having to nag her. She is also my biggest supporter when it comes to racing. No one else in my family is so eager and enthuastic to come to my races and watch me. So for those who think girls on bikes aren't hot check out Niki Gudex. Beautiful woman, XC champion, DH champion and everything else in between.

First Race: Over and Done with

It is Monday morning and I am here at work early and really tired. I decided not to go to the gym because I am pretty tired after the weekend's events. I finished 3rd place at the Waywayanda Spring Clean Race which is the 1st race in the Camp Mor H2H MTB Race Series. I don't think its a bad finish considering its the first race of the season but my field (19-29 Beginners) was not the largest by any means. Here is the recap of the day:

I wake up at 0600 to start the day. I had already packed everything the night before so I was ready to just eat some breakfast and get rolling. Tina and I eventually mount up and leave around 0645. The morning was foggy and a light mist filled the air. I had a feeling the race might be run in rainy wet conditions but I figured it would be ok and just go out and race. We end up getting to the park around 0815 and I start getting ready around 0830. I ride over and sign a waiver and begin my warm-up around 0845. I go and pre-ride/warm-up on the the course. I find some key terrain like hills and choke points and some places to attack. As I am getting back to the start line, I see everyone lined up and ready to go. I get in behind some people and the announcer yells "19-29 Beginners Ready, Set, Go!!" Meanwhile I am in the back while everyone leaves. I had lined up in the back with the wrong field. I says excuse me and work my way up a group of people who hadn't even started. I finally get out and start the race with half a water bottle and tired legs. I catch a few people and make my way to third place but I didn't know it. I see that the guy I had caught up to was moving pretty fast so I decided to ride his wheel. My calf was feeling funny due to the lack of hydration so I decided to just finish the race behind this guy. We spent most of the race going back and fourth and discovered that he was a strong sprinter but not so well on the climbs. I thought to myself that the next hill I would attack and force him to keep up with me. Unfortunately the hill never came and I actually struggled trying to keep him in my sights. The final portion of the race was a fire road sortof downhill where he could sprint his way to a second place finish. Overall it was a good race where I learned more from in one day then I did from reading books and talking to people about their experiences. Although most of people's experiences did help me as far as pre race preparations but next time I can actually use their advice during the race.

Drawing Near

There are only a couple more days until I have my first race. Although a 6.5 mile loop through single track may not seem like a major feat, I am looking at it as a way for me to test the waters in the worldful world of XC mountain bike racing. My girlfriend seems to be very excited for me also and is being very supportive which is amazing and I sometimes tend to neglect. I've also read a library of books over the last few months about training and nutrition that I feel like I may explode with information. I luckily had a great group of people (Drexel Cycling Team) who helped me figure out what was important and where I would benefit the most being the inexperienced rider/racer that I was. The last time I felt this way was during my first road race. I kept thinking about my warm-up and if I was going too hard, did I hydrate enough, and I also thought about certain training rides I wish I didn't skip out on. I am feeling like that right now and hopefully all of the butterflies will leave once I cross the start line so I can focus on having a good race.

I went to the gym last night and again this morning so that I can go for a road ride this afternoon with a co-worker. This guy is pretty much reaping the benefits of his hardwork from years of working as an RF technician. He is old and little out of shape and he wants to go bike riding with me to get out and enjoy the weather. I told him that today would be the perfect time to go for a ride since I am tapering my training. He has an 07 Orbea Orca. This bike is fully carbon with super aero frame tubing and he decked it out with a Dura Ace/Ultegra drivetrain and controls. He also got carbon fiber accessories such as handlebar, stem, seatpost, fork, and all other goodies. He has it pretty set and I am excited to be riding with him. Many people tend to get intimidated by me when I tell them they can run, ride, or even workout with me. I have no idea why because I am not that hardcore or in amazing shape. Sometimes I just like to be with someone else enjoying some outdoor activity. This certainly not true for everyone but most people I do come across.

In other events, tomorrow will be one of my friend's birthday. Happy Birthday to her as she will go off and spend it in the woods while it rains this weekend. I feel really bad for her as she has quite a tolerance for things like this happening to her. Hopefully she keeps her spirits up as she knows that once we get a chance the party will be wild, the alcohol will overflow, and the memories will last a lifetime.

Just a quick recap of this week's training log:
Monday: (AM) Miranda's Strong Man-APFT Improvement
(PM) Nothing
Tuesday: (AM) Nothing
(PM) Spin Class and Core - Cycling and APFT Improvement
Wenesday: (AM) PT and Core - APFT Improvement
(PM) Miranda's Strong Man - APFT Improvement
Thursday: (AM) Light Core - APFT Improvement
(PM) Planned Easy Road Ride - Cycling Improvement

What To Do??

I am not sure why I end up in akward situations but sometimes people just need someone to talk to. Yesterday one of my co-workers invited me to his office and then began a normal conversation asking me about my workload and pretty much making small talk. After a few minutes he then began to tell me how difficult it is for him to focus on his job because he recently finished going through a 2 year settlement for his divorce. Based on his facial expression and body language it was apparent that he was still very much in love with his wife but she was not taking any of it. He then began to tell me all of his attempts to save his marriage but again his wife was not going to let him stop her. Now I completely understand that everyone needs to talk through their problems even if you already know the answer.

I am sure everyone has had their friends come up to them when they have a problem but I feel like it is a little different for someone to ask for my advice concerning a divorce when I haven't been married. Although I do feel his pain because he's been married to this woman for 16 years. It is also unusual because knowing my co-workerhe puts his family before anything and he works hard to provide a good life for them. His experience has shaken me up a little on the inside. How do you know, as a couple, if your signifcant other is really the one? Whats the point in getting married if you will end up getting divorced 16 years down the road. First off its one hell of an expensive mistake. Secondly that time wasted from actually finding someone who would be a better match. Yes I am 21 and thinking about these things because I am not the type of guy who looks to the future and likes to have a plan. There are plenty of people who like to live life day by day and all that good stuff. Everyone is different and I respect that.

Someone else told me a similar story that I related to what happened yesterday and maybe everyone needs to slow things down. Relationships these days are far from traditional and are a part of why people are so confused. My relationship did not start off traditionally and it is far from being one. Most of the people I know are the same way but all of us seem to be doing fine. I guess I am just feeling a little mixed up after yesterday. I would go drinking this weekend but I have a race to get preped for, anyway maybe next weekend.

Miranda's Strong Man Competition

Today is Monday and I am in quite a good mood and being very productive. In fact I am so productive that I've decided to slow down the pace at which I am working at to write a little something for all of you. I went to the gym at 4 Dark thirty this morning to do my workout. I decided that I should have a workout that best resembles the World's Stongest Man competitions. So there I was on a four lane indoor track. The lanes are 30m long and are color coated for easy identification. Then I saw the tires which I used last week. I saw a cool looking weight that represented a shot put with a handle. I then figured I would use the pull sled stacked with a whooping 140 lbs. I roll the tire to one end, place the sled next to it, and the shot puts next to the sled. My intentions were to first flip the tire the 30m and back. Soon to be followed by a sled pull for 30m and back. Then it would be a shot put run 30m and back. The final exercise would be a sprint and back with pushups at the end. Most people would be sweating and out of breath after reading all that but for you fitness enthuasits you may have a "woody" for a lack of a better word. After completeing one set I could feel my heart pounding like it want to burst out of my chest but to my disappointment it did not. So I completed two more sets and very angrily walked towards the water fountain to replenish my long lost fluids. Afterwards I did some core exercises that my friend showed me and added a few extra I saw online. I am sitting here feeling rather sore from a difficult exercise. I was going to go for a run this afternoon to continue my 1/2 Marathon training but the weather is not cooperating so I am going to wing it.

Passion: The pursuit of one's inner fire

Yeah I know the title sounds like I am about to write something deep and spiritual but I am not drunk enough to pour out my inner feelings. So just bear with me; maybe you may find some peace by relating my experience with something you are struggling with.

The word passion, to me, has many interpretations. The two biggest things are the passions in your life that motivate you to better yourself and then there is the passion that push you towards bettering your relationships with your other half. So the next thing I ask myself is what is driving me to better myself, what are my passions?

There are four things currently going on that make me the person I am. All of the decisions I make I base around these four things. First there is school, then Army ROTC (HOOAH!!), then there is mountain biking, and finally family and friends. These are not in any particular order because if you know me ROTC can sometimes be last and mountain biking can be put above all else. This past Friday, after work, I went mountain biking. I know its nothing new but for me hitting the trails and riding for hours help me find myself. People are always telling me that I ride too much and that I spend too much time with my bike. Well its my outlet from life. Its were I can get away and figure out how to better myself. So not only is it getting me better physically but emotionally too. Sometimes I want to punch people in the face so I just go for a ride and cool off. If you ever have built up aggression trying climbing a section of technical single track and tell me how you feel afterwards. Well I was in a good mood this Friday and the ride was amazing. Feeling the sweat drip down your back and the heat coming from your legs as you try and get up the climb just put the biggest smile on my face. After getting through all that I went to the bike shop this Saturday to get my ride checked out before my race this weekend. I spent the whole day talking bikes, fixing some flats for people, sharing riding stories with people, and helping newbies figure out why are some bikes so expensive. There is nothing better then all of that. In fact I can't help but smile right now just thinking about all that.

The next thing I want to share is my other half. If you want to talk about ups and downs this where the roller coaster is. This year has been a big struggle for us but we somehow find ourselves back in each other's arms. I may have endurance on the bike and other things but she definitely has the emotional endurance to deal with me. I am a insensitive, selfish, and hard-headed person when it comes to certain things but she somehow has ways get me to realize my mistakes. She is very passive when it comes to other people but she always tells me how it is straight up. So in a way she is also making me a better person and she allows me to better myself.

Finally a new thing I am going to add is my training log for the week to help me keep track of everything.

Monday: (AM) Nothing
(PM) 90 minutes core and PT - APFT Improvement
Tuesday:(AM) 5 mile rum - 1/2 Marathon and APFT Improvement
(PM) Nothing
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Rest
Friday: (AM) 60 minute HIIT - APFT Improvement and Cycling Power Training
(PM) 150 minute Mountain Bike ride - Cycling Endurance Training
Saturday: (AM) 7 mile run - 1/2 Marathon Training and APFT Improvement
(PM) Nothing
Sunday: Rest

Pushing Through

This morning I had another session with a personal trainer at my gym. I went in with the mentality that this workout was going to be tough and that it would suck. I could not have been more correct about it. It was an intense workout that involved pulling sleds, pushing sleds, $hitload of pull-ups, sprints, flipping tires, jumping on boxes, squats, lunges, shoulder presses, and push-ups. My legs are destroyed but it is one of those feelings that make you realize you are still human and that you are only making yourself stronger. If you are one of my workout partners and are reading this, rest assured that I will be introducing this type of workout with you whenever we get a chance. In fact this workout was so hard that I ended up in the chump bucket afterwards. This was the first time I've ever hit it but I did. Later today I am going mountain biking in preperation for my race next Sunday. For everyone thats greeted me, thank you for your support. For those of you that didn't, you can eat $hit... Just playing.

I have not been very good in my half marathon training program. Mostly because I've been driving back and fourth from the City of Brotherly Love. There are times when I feel like I don't need to go to certain ROTC functions. My presence is not very signifcant and no one really notices I am around anyway so there isn't a point for me to attend. I end up spending a lot of money on gasoline and I lose money because I don't go to work. It wasn't a wasted trip though. I got to learn a few new things about people and sometimes those little moments make a big impact on your outlook. Its good to know that people have more to them beyond what you can gather just based on their looks. I shared a few drinks with a friend who I never though I would enjoy having a beer with and yet there I was with him for a few hours just sitting back, enjoying the weather, and enjoying our brews. Then I also learned about Foxtrot Bravos. Something we have at one point in our lives and then realize that those moments can sometimes hide the true meaning of what people want from you. So to all those people that made the trip worth while, my hat goes off you and may we share more moments with good laughs, good drinks, and good company.

Crunch Time

Things have been going really well as far as training. I've been very disciplined with spreading my efforts towards the different activities I participate in. Looks like I will be racing mountain bikes again this year. I am a little excited since I am commited to an actual Racing Series as opposed to signing up for random races. For a list of the racing schedule check out the link on the right that has Camp Mor H2H.

My time at the gym has changed a lot. At first I was all about getting the superficial muscles going but now that I have events that evaluate my performance I altered my thinking. I now do a ton of core workouts and I find that this type of workout is much more benficial because the muscles are getting stronger and it saves your body from injury. For the army, having a strong core means your upper body works less in stabilizing your lower body when performing push-ups, sit-ups will be easier because you will be less prone to use your legs (at least at the beginning), and finally when you are running the power in your legs will come from a solid foundation rather then a mushy one. For the half marathon it goes the same as running in the army so I won't hit that again. For mountain biking and cycling in general, a solid core will give your legs more power to push off and will stablize your upper body during climbs. So hopefully I do things right and reap the benefits of all this.

I was at the gym yesterday and I saw a rather unusual sight. There was a older gentlemen who had just finished working on one of the cardio machines and was walking down the stairs to do some resistance training. I looked over at him and saw that he wore grey sweatpants and a yellow button down polo shirt. It looked like he had come from work and then just decided to put on sweatpants and not change his shirt. Now when I bust my ass in the gym I like to have a loose fitting shirt, wicks moisture if possible, and allows my sweat to leave my body. This guy was wearing an undershirt that was soaking with perspiration and was leaving sweat marks under his arms and onto his dress shirt. I guess he was old and sex was no longer a goal and didn't care what other people saw. I'm sure his wife wouldn't even touch him after seeing that. Oh well I guess if we are comfortable who's to say we are wrong. Its pretty funny since I was having a similar conversation with a friend of mine back at school before I left.

Running Around and Women these days

Work was a little bit bothersome today. The company I work for makes a wide array of electronic devices. Everything that is designed has to be documented so that it can be referenced and all kind of legal things are covered. Well someone did a pretty bad job on the unit I am working on. I spent a couple of hours trying to fix a design problem that eventually was scrapped. So I wasted 2 hours of work and then I had to redesign everything. Luckily I was only working until lunch today because its an off Friday. Sometimes people should just do a good job the first time so that productivity is not wasted trying to fix stupid errors.

On a happier note, I started my half marathon training program today. I went online and found some interesting programs and then decided to make my own for simplicity. Since I was feeling sore from the last two days I decided that today would be an "active recovery" run. I ran five miles at about 8:00 min pace in order to prevent any over training. It didn't work because every time someone ran by me I would keep up with them until I brought myself back down (or just really couldn't keep up because they were too fast).

I ran at the beach in order to have a great view while I ran to help with my mental state. All of the eye candy was also a way to get me through the mileage. There are also some things that I noticed among women these days. As much as we see 12 year olds try to dress older, today I saw older women trying to dress like they were still in their twenties and it was not pretty. I don't understand why some women just don't know how to be beautiful. Why do they feel like showing off a little more skin then they should will make them seem more attractive? I completely understand that women have a harder time to address their appearance but I feel like some of them are just going about it the wrong way. I will break it down from a guy's perspective: HOOCHIE MAMA DOES NOT EQUAL ATTRACTIVE!! When guys are in a group we always talk about hot girls passing us by. The girls that get the positive feedback are the fashionable conservative types that know how to be "beautiful." It can be from wearing the right pair of jeans that show a little of what you're working with or putting on a touch of make up to show off your pretty eyes. You will then be more likely to have regular decent guys come up to with a mindset of getting to know you not have "hot pockets." Walking around half naked will give you negative feedback and then guys will approach you in "predatory" way. Personally I am more attracted to the conservative dressing individual who has an aura of sexiness and sophistication. Hopefully this was an informative entry and you can walk away with some wealth of knowledge. Again I am just trying to do my part in making this a better world.
Sempre Fi, Army Strong, can't we all just get along?

DAMN TREE!!!

I had my first taste of what spring has to offer today. I went mountain biking at Miranda's Playground and it was a blast. I smoked my old personal best by about 35 minutes my first run in the season. I can't wait to see what kind of shape I'll be in once the racing season comes around.

Today was another constant reminder why it is better to have a work out partner. It doesn't matter how much in shape the other person is; whats more important is that they motivate you to become better. I've been working out for the last month or so on my own and its really a pain in the ass trying to push myself. I still get really good workouts but its just not the same. When I am at school I have my ROTC family to back me up, but I at home I am the "Lone Ranger." This experience has made me appreciate what I have when I am at school. There were definitely people/person I can count on more then others but options are always good.

I got an e-mail today and it looks like I will be a mountain bike instructor again this summer. So if anyone out there is interested in learning the basics of mountain biking come on down. I don't charge anything and you will be in small classes where you can get the attention you need. Wednesday at 1800 at the Hospital Rd entrance at Allaire State Park. Anyway enjoy the pictures of Miranda's Playground.



Pictures were taken today by my mobile phone.

A$$ kicking

It is too early to be awake for some people right now. Not for me. I got up at 0400 this morning to start my day off on the right foot. I got my bike together and all of the equipment I need for today's adventures. I went to the gym at 0530 and worked out with a personal trainer. It is the free trial you get when you sign up at the gym. I told the guy that I was getting ready for LDAC and that PT is my number one concern because I have the other stuff pretty squared away. Apparently this guy was in the Army for nine years as an FO and his last year or two was spent getting people in shape for the PT test. After working out with him for the allotted one hour, I was pissed off and ready to leave because that workout was fucking hard. I think I will continue that type of fast pace workout from now on because it really kicked my ass. Good news is that after work I can go play on my mountain bike.

Good Stuff

My running this even kind of kicked my ass so I am glad to just get home and relax and enjoy the home cooked meal my dad prepared. Tonight it was salmon and spinach. I think he is getting the idea that I would eat his cooking more often when its healthy. I am going to the gym tomorrow at 0530 because I am taking advantage of the free personal training I get with my military discount. After work I am going to go mountain biking at "Miranda's Playground" because I was a little green with envy seeing all of the mountain bikers today.

Every time I get to go mountain biking I just take good look into the wood line and tell myself that the ride is going to be awesome. Hitting the first single track out of the parking lot takes you into a climb and wakes your legs up and reminds them its time to go to work. Your heart rate elevates, your lungs burn, and your legs get tired but you make it to the top. Then you are rewarded with a very technical downhill that gets the adrenaline going. Who knew a cross country bike can take a 2 foot drop at 25 mph in the trails? Cornering at speed and seeing trees and branches fly by your face is making the ride just as memorable as the last time. You keep the flow going, trying to hold your line, bunny hopping over every log to keep your speed up. This is what makes mountain biking different; this is why I ride.


Finally here is the video to my new favorite song. It does contain explicit material so only watch it if you can handle it. Enjoy Guys!!

First Time for everything

Today marks the first actual blog I am writing online. For the last few months I've resorted to writing in a journal. This method soon died because I started typing everything in my computer. After a few entries I realized an online blog would be a better idea since I pretty much let everyone read my $hit anyway. Now it makes everything simple and no one would get confused by my handwriting.
Since this is a blog about the first time thing, I am going to say that I am going trail running for the first time this season. It will be in the technical Hartshorne Woods Park in the great Atlantic Highlands area. Many of you who know me will recognize that name since it is where I mountain bike. I think I will refer to it as Miranda's Playground from now on since I spend so much time there.