Because You Can't teach High School in A Speedo

Man, I am some kind of aggravated right now. I have been trying to get back into a workout routine/regimen, If only I could avoid the speed bumps.

So, yesterday I finally found a training schedule for the next 18 weeks, which will culminate with a Olympic distance triathlon in Memphis on may 23rd, my 1st at that distance. The plan officially begins Monday. I was excited to find this plan and studied it during my planning period and while my students were taking their Holocaust/Pearl Harbor test. I Did a short run last night and even planned out my workouts for the rest of this week to make them fit with the new schedule.

Then, I decided to get serious about the nutrition I need to train the smart way. I planned out what to do for breakfast(pre-AM-workout and post-AM-workout) 2 smaller meals of healthy stuff during the day, and a sensible, high protein dinner. I even made groceries(went shopping). I spent an hour walking the aisles of the Wal-Mart super center gathering all manner of healthy and nutritious morsels of deliciousness.

I got home, unpacked everything only to repack everything in different place and containers to make putting these meals together. I packed my gym bag, set the alarm clock, and went to bed. I even downloaded 4 Beatles albums onto my ipod to have new old music to listen to.

5:00 am, the alarm goes off. luckily my bag is packed. I shuffle around, brush my tooths, share a banana with Sadie and head to the Y to swim. I catch the one red light that I have never not had to stop at. I get to the Y about 5:35, walk in to the locker room, start to unpack my bag and slip of my shorts and into the speedo(the long ones, not the skimpy ones)and realize I forgot my watch. Damn! then I figure I can just use my cell phone to tell time today. crisis averted right? Nope. Then I also realize that I for got my work clothes hanging in the closet. DAMN DAMN!(says Emmit Brown).

I quickly do the math and figure that I can not do the planned workout AND go home to get my clothes and still get to work on time.I really want ed to do the swim but since they won't let me teach in a speedo i figured I better go get my clothes. So, I put my shorts back on, repacked my bag and headed home. Since I was home I decided to have some chocolate chip waffles and milk, got dressed and shaved and made it to work on time.

Now, I have my bag packed and it is in the Jeep. I am, planning on swimming after school. I was going to do an am swim and a pm run. I will only do one of these after school,I guess I'll see how I feel when that time comes.

At least I have a cooler full of healthy options to gorge myself on till 3 O'clock!

How to arrive too early for a 5am workout???

So I have been trying to get back into shape and start preparing to enter some road races and triathlons. You have read that I am back in the pool now and running again. Well, with being a teacher comes being on your feet all day and interacting with the future leaders of America, HA! Which leads to being tired when the final bell rings to end the school day(not to mention that it gets dark at 5:30, which makes me sleepy). So, I've been trying to determine the best time to work out.

In general I like to get workouts done 1st thing in the morning. This now creates a BIG problem for me because I have to be at work by 6:45 am. So, to work out before school would mean getting up long before the butt-crack of dawn, which means I would have to go to bed before my prime time shows even start.

Basically, I would be living on the schedule of some retirees in Boca, Oy!

Nevertheless(I have never used that word in a blog before)I thought it wise to get up at 4:40 this morning to get to the Y when it opens at 5 to swim some laps, I even went to bed at 9 last night, though I didn't fall asleep until 10ish.

The alarm went off, I debated whether to rise or snooze. Eventually to rise won. And so I did. I quickly packed my bag and off I went. I figured I had plenty of time. Swim from 5:10 till 5:45 or so, grab a shower, use the mousse that Kelley left at my house to style my hair, smack some old naked guy on the but with a towel in the locker room and be out the door by 6:15. And all was going well until I arrived at the Y at 5:10 only to fins that they don't open the place until 5:30. CRAP!!!

I quickly considered my options:
a) Lay the seat back and sleep in the jeep until 6:15, then go inside to change my clothes and head to work.
b)Wait around till 5:30 and swim till 6
c)call in sick and take the day off
d) head to the nearest waffle house

For some reason I took option b, swim from 5:30 till 6.
As it turns out, I think i will be able to get in a decent swim from 5:30-6:10 and still have enough time to get showered, dressed and to work on time. In fact, the bright side is that I wont have to roll out of bed until 5:10, which buys me 30 extra minutes of sleep. the down side is I wont have time for towel popping.

Sacrifices eh?

Did that really just happen?

WHO DAT say they going to the Super Bowl!!!
It's the morning after and I still can't believe the Saints are going to the Super Bowl. Gongrats to the Who Dat Nation and to the boys in Black and Gold. I don't know how I'm gonna teach these kids today, I can't focus.
I will definitely post my thoughts on all this in the next few days, but for now all I can say is WHO DAT!!!

Here are some pics from last night.
Pierre Thomas takes a sreen pass 40 yards to the end zone.

How would Favre sum up his experience in one word,PAIN.

The 1st and 2nd ranked teams in terms of points per game, so of course it would be a defensive play that wins the game. Saints defense brings the wood.



Garret Hartley has ice in his viens, after hitting the 40 yard game winner.


Brees with the 2nd most beautiful trophy in sports, he plans to pick up the most beautiful on a trip to Miami in a couple weeks.

Diving back in: the results

So, I DID go to the Y yesterday and I did swim and I didn't drown. I call that a successful day. More specifically, i swam the length of the pool 50 times. 50x25 yards =1250 yards. Oh crap, was the pool 25 meters? either way, I swam 1250 meters or yards(not exactly the same but close enough for now). I didn't do a planned structured workout, just kept swimming, taking 45 second breaks after every 8-12 lengths of the pool.

Unlike the pain that getting back on the bike, swimming actually felt good. I'm no aquaman or Mark Spitz but I did feel comfortable. Today is an off day. I'm looking forward to walking the dogs when i get home and having a relaxing weekend at least until Sunday when the Saints Thrash the Vikings. Favre is good, and at least he will be close to home when his season ends this Sunday.

Have a good weekend, stay hydrated.

Diving back in

I'm not trying to impress anyone, thats never been my thing. But I am happy to report that I have only taken 3 days off in the last 14 days. Yea for me. But don't worry, I am not overtraining, my workouts haven't been that intense. Tomorrow will be a day off. Today however I will make my return to the pool. I honestly don't remember the last time I was in the pool. some time before Halloween, Possibly all the way back in September. Again, I don't remember. But that all comes to an end today. After school/work(since I am a teacher I never know which to call it) I will trek over to the Y and dive right in. The goal: 45 minutes of easy lap swim with a minute break scattered within. Not worried about speed, just getting used to it again.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Where's that darn easy button?

Nobody ever said it was gonna be easy, and I've been around long enough to know thats true. But, who woulda guessed that riding a non-moving bike could be so hard.


Spin class part 2 can be summed up in one word, aargh! Last night I met my brother at the Y for another attempt at spinning. Once again, my Bro is a spin beast but I just don't feel comfortable. I kept my sprocket spinning but never felt any level of comfort. I also learned that having a smootie right before said workout may not be a good idea as I had a major cramp in my back 10 minutes into the 45 minute workout. Still I pedaled on. I suppose that if I was trying to learn a lesson from the workout it would be to just keep going. I wasn't doing everything or exactly what the instruct asked us to do, but I didn't stop. And not stopping means you are still moving, and usually forward.

Today, its back to the gym. After work today I'll be re-acquainting myself with the treadmill. 2 weeks down and I've only taken off 3 days. Definitlely making progress and I'm already down 4-5 pounds.

Over the weekend I got in several good runs in Midtown Memphis. Saturday on Peabody ave(but I didn't see the ducks) and Sunday on Union Ave. I kept singing the Mark Cohn song "Walking in Memphis" especially the line, "I saw the ghost of elvis on Union Avenue, followed him up to the gates of Graceland and I watched him walk right through". Well, I didn't see the king but I did see the fab 4. Sunday night Kelley and I went to see a show called RAIN at the Orpheum in Memphis. it is a tribute to the beatles, all the songs were performed live, nothing pre-recorded. The band was really good and really had down the mannerisms of the Lads from Liverpool. Now I'm not generally big on cover bands but this was a really good show.

Most Importantly there was football game on Saturday, and Our Saints destroyed the Cardinals. The boys looked healthy and energetic with eyes on the prize. It felt good to win again. I can barely contain my excitement leading up to Sundays game. I don't have tickets and am planning to watch from the cozy confines of my couch with a frosty cold beverage in one hand and my faithfull black and gold dogs by my side, and my brother may come over too.
Great game guys. Special kudos to Reggie Bush, dude truly "brought the wood".

***If by some chance you find yourself at the game with an extra ticket or 2 don't go selling to our friendly visiting Viking friends, sell it to someone in Black and gold, or better yet, CALL ME, I'll be on my way.

Stay Hydrated and Geaux Saints!!!

In a sentimental mood

Sometimes I find my self missing things. Today I miss my home, one of them at least. Tuscaloosa seems so far away. I feel a lifetime away from there, and maybe I am. But she has captured my heart, just as New Orleans has and today she is on my mind.


Railroad bridge between Tuscaloosa and Northport, just down the street from the apartment I lived in for 4 years. Oh the moonlight nights on the tressels, good times!


Archibalds BBQ, opened in 1961. This little shack of BBQ heaven is behind the owners house. you literally have to go "round back to get dem ribs"

Spinnin' Wheel, Got to go 'round

In my efforts to get back in shape i have decided that any time anyone asks me if i want to do anything workout related I will say yes. With that, my brother mentioned to me the other day that he has gone to spin class at his local YMCA a few times. I asked him if he likes it and he said yes. He asked me if I wanted to go sometime so I said yes. I have put in many miles on a bike training for the triathlon last year but I've never done a spin class before. Well, yesterday that changed.

I am now a spin class veteran. I was a little worried because I was still sore from sundays weight training regimen but figured I would be fine. Survey says???? Wrong answer!!!

Spin class is a beast, sweat was dripping from my chin after 10 minutes. I wanted to do all the things the teacher instructed us to do but couldn't. So, I made sure that i pedaled through the whole work out. It was in part to my already sore body and in part because it was a new workout that I didn't have the level of success I was hoping for. But, it was my first time and my goal was just to see what it is like and to actually be working out. In time The ability will come, and it will come, no doubt about it.

I was glad I went, happy to gain that experience and happy to test my body. I'm not making A's yet but I did well. My brother on the other hand was a beast. It amazes me to think how far he has come in the last few years, he is a true inspiration.

I will go back to spin class, and I will get my bike back on the road when the weather allows. Most importantly, it was my 4th workout in 5 days. And with the treadmill workout I have planned for today and the weight routine I have planned for tomorrow I will have worked out 6 of the 7 days since I started. That i am happy about.

I'm not quite ready to reveal my goals yet, I'm still trying to build a little confidence before I post them on the internet for all to see and judge me by.

I am moving though, and thats all I am really looking for right now. In about 2 weeks I will set out a plan to achieve my goals. But today, I'll just smile because the wheels are once again spinning.

Getting back to it

Well its been 11 months since my marathon and 9 months since my triathlon. Since then it is safe to say I haven't done much to maintain y level of fitness. Today I am actually at the heaviest weight I have ever been(218-220) and the pants waist are getting tight again. Actually, they aren't getting tight, the ARE tight.

After my recent conquests I decided to take a little time off. Well, a little turned into a lot as things kept "popping up" to keep me from working out. 1st I blamed the heat of summer. Then I blamed my new job for taking up a lot of time and new stress. lately I've been wanting to blame the holidays and the fact that it gets dark earlier now. I am realizing that there will always be something to blame but the blame rests on me. If I really want to get back in shape and achieve future goals its my responsibility to make it happen. So I AM taking responsibility and I am getting back to it.

One of my favorite sayings is "if it was easy everyone would be doing it". I like setting myself apart and doing things that NOT everyone else has or can do. That's why I run, bike and swim. Not to say I'm better, because I'm not, But to say I am a better me.

School was closed Friday due to winter weather(in Baton Rouge? who woulda thunk it?). As the call came in Thursday I immediately had the thought that this is the perfect time to get started. I went to the gym(YMCA) on Friday and hit the stationary bike and treadmill for a while just to see what my fitness level is. Well, it ain't so hot. I quickly realized that I am starting over from square one. This time, however, I have experience on my side. I know what works well for me and how my body responds to different types of training and types of diets(and by diets I mean healthy eating plans, not "hot fads"). So Friday, though sad because I have digressed so much, was a good day because i simply got started and every Marathon starts with one step.

Saturday I crossed the river for a treadmill workout with my brother(yes mom, we do stuff together) and Sunday I hit the weight room for a light full body workout which again reminded me how out of shape I am. Indeed, I am quite sore from the weight training yesterday but it is a good sore because it is a constant reminder that I am making progress.

And that's what its all about, progress. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone, just trying to be the person I envision myself to be. It doesn't happen overnight, but it starts with one walk around the block, one trip to the gym, one hike in the woods with the family.

I have set some goals for the next few weeks, months and next year and a half. I will tell you about those soon. But today I'm just happy to be making progress, I'm back on the roads and in the pool.

Basically, I'm getting back to it.

Big Game Tonight!

ROLL TIDE!!!

Tonight The #1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide takes on the #2 Texas Longhorns in The BCS Championship game. Hopefully Bama will bring home it's 13Th National Championship(and 1st of the BCS age). With a Bama win it will be the first time any conference has won for straight national titles, so all you LSU fans need to suck it up and pull for your conference tonight.

But I got to thinking today that My feelings about this game are much different than they were the last time Bama played for a National Championship my Senior year of High school, 1993.

Then it was like life or death, it was all I thought about for days leading up to the game. It consumed me and the people around me.Fast-forward to today, I still hope Bama wins and will be excited if they do(I'll even by the t-shirt) but if they don't win I wont take it personal, I won't slip into a depression, I'll still go to work tomorrow and be a damn good teacher.

I guess I've just reached a point in my life where I see that these games, and I do mean games, don't rule my life. Family, friends, The wolfpack, educating our youth, those things rule my life and football is just a away for me to spend time with family and friends. Coaching is a way to teach our youth.

Ultimately, there will be a winner and a loser, but regardless of the outcome there will be a battle. and it is the battle that I love (sounds familiar). Its the battle and shared experiences that we remember, enjoy, and that we learn from.

Texas has a great team and a high powered offense. Alabama has a great team and an awesome defense. It should be a great game. My prediction is Bama by 17. Hopefully the tide will roll. But if the longhorns stampede the Crimson Pachyderms. It will just be the end of a season, not the end of the world.


PS-Rammer Jammer Yellow-Hammer, Give 'Em Hell Alabama!!!


As for the # of titles Alabama has won, feel free to debate how many they should count, as for me, if somebody names me champion I'm claiming it. And so would you!!!

Laying Here

tonight I lay here in my bed
thoughts of you float through my head
carry me to places i've never seen
only heard of and imagined in my dreams
I travelled there often but always alone
but tonight i'm there and so are you
but the thoughts in my head are just a dream
no matter how real each one seems
I turn the switch and the light reveals
the loneliness that I now feel
tonight i lay here in my bed
hold you near, in my head