My freaking L.A.D.

This will hopefully be a quick one. Two days ago I had a CT scan for my cancer surveillance and all is well in that regard. However, my oncologist, who happens to be on jury duty, emailed me to say that I have a calcification in my freaking L-A-D (left anterior descending artery) of the heart, and this is unusual in a guy my age (clearly they missed the sub-title --- a fat lazy kid...) and warrants a cardiac work-up. Lovely! Just what I need --- one more excuse to back out of ironman. Btw, this is the major artery of the heart and from what I am told, it is called the 'widow-makers' artery. Figure it out. Mom's concern was that my training partners knew CPR.

So I have already seen the cardiologist, who was concerned but not worried. Now a million dollar workup will begin and I will carry-on to Madison for my race. Speaking of which, training carries on, and I promised I would post a brief update:

6.14.08 - run 18mile (2:28.50)  avg pace 8:13/mile with goal of a negative split. Successful by three minutes

6.15.08 - 45mile recovery bike ride. Best route to date: Cedar river and May Valley

6.16.08 - open water swim at Martha Lake 1.2 miles

6.18.08 - easy brick - quick 15 mile ride (20mph) then easy 1 hr swim (2800 yds)

Today - 10km tempo run - 46:24 - avg 7:44/mile  

* that's not my CT by the way

critters, wildlife and a regional delicacy

Well the day finally arrived -- my first open water swim of the year; though I'm not sure I will be heading back to Martha Lake anytime soon -- unless it is cold outside and there will be no 'huffers' on the beach taking dibs on my stuff the minute I hit the water. Seriously, the wildlife tonight was huffing --- aerosols.

No less, I was recently reading in my neighborhood's local rag that this year the muskrat population has gone through the roof, and now it's 'buyer beware' if you plan on swimming. I guess with the cold spring and late run off the growing conditions are perfect for the typical muskrat diet of cattail roots, lily roots, and stems. As well, there was a late autumn ban on trapping in the Pacific Northwest and that has allowed the populations to flourish. So now they are warning beach goers (do 'beach goers' in Washington really have a 'beach' to 'go' to in the standard sense of the word?) to pay extra attention in the calm, shallow waters along the lakeshores. Just what all of us need.

Seems folks in Erie, MI will have a good crop of meat for their next 'Muskrat Dinner' to be held at the VFW Erie Post 3295, date TBA. Here's a couple of links for anyone interested in more information: http://www.erievfw.com/
http://www.blogsmonroe.com/food/2008/01/26/eat-this-blog-muskrat-dinner-at-erie-vfw-post-3295/

BTW newsletter clip:
Notice: The renovation committee is in the process of replacing and modernizing the ceiling and walls. A handicap unisex bathroom addition is also planned.

The Gun raffle: Went well.

5-16-08: Howard is at home recovering. He goes to therapy 3 days a week. He was promoted from a walker to a cane yesterday

I think this calls for an original haiku:

furless so naked
flanked by mashed and sweet cream corn
muskrat swims no more

'100 days of greatness'

I say this with my tongue in my cheek... this is what I have termed the last 100 days leading up to IMWi.08.  I doesn't imply 'greatness' in the presence; instead it refers to how great my training will (has to) be.  Hopefully this will entail better nutrition and sleep.  Maybe I should also strive for blog greatness.  Makes me feel like a class B blogger when I look at my friend Perry's Alcatraz site.  Visit his site and you will get a day by day update --- impressive if you ask me.  I also took some heat from a couple of friends (who have a minor addiction to tri blogs about not sharing mine with them).

The weather has been 'sub-par' for training (but par for the course for spring in Seattle) so I am feeling like I haven't been riding enough.  The trainer counts but is so literally and figuratively painful.  We did a great run in Eastern Washington -the Sunflower Run.  A great hilly trail run from Mazama to Twisp.  It was billed as a 22-ish mile course, but my footpod clocked it closer to 23-ish.  Seriously, a teammate of mine commented that parts of the course were like the "hills are alive with the sound of music" hills.  Had a great paella feast afterwards... I could blog about that too - I guess. 

I swore I would never do this; that is bore people with my training of log, but I figure this way maybe some passer-by might make me accountable for the next 100 days (actually 86 and a couple hours currently) -- Dare me to train:

6.9.08 - swimming in Boulder, CO - tough one with the elevation so I swam for time (60min) instead of distance.  Too bad one day in the pool at elevation wouldn't help me out at sea level, but enjoyed the 80 degree weather and got a sunburn to boot!

6.11.08 - morning swim with endurance and technique focus - 3600 yds / 70 min.  Got the workout from "Going Long" by Joe Friel and Gordo Byrne

6.11.08 - Cross-training / weights at the gym - 60 min

6.12.08 - Late afternoon brick; it was sunny and high 60's - 100 min ride / 20 min run

I worked too late today to train, but am planning an 18 mile run tomorrow with brief swim at Coleman Pool (a Seattle treasure if I say so myself), then an easy 45-50 mile recovery ride on Sunday.  Keep you posted...

* btw - the pic was taken along the North Cascades Hwy coming home from the Sunflower run