Triathlon training, School, and Osteens

First off the summer semester is about to draw to a close and it looks like I’ll be hauling in another A (or A-, depends on how the final test goes).  That’s a load off.  A BIG load.  The fall semester will feature Organizational Behavior and Management (MANA 6332) coupled with Marketing Administration (MARK 6361).  At least one looks like a heavy presentation type class, and I’m ok with that.  That’ll bring me to the halfway point of my range-riding and every day after that will mean there are more miles behind me than in front of me…  “I’ll be anticipatin’/my true love will be waitin’/waitin’ at the end of my ride...”  It’s all worth it.  Bringing in the herd is what it’s all about.

 

On September 7 is The Stef.  As I said before, I love life and love folks who love life.  Just like I said when I trained for and ran my marathon and rode all those MS150s, I feel a little guilty when I come home, run down, tired, and just collapse.  Why?  Because I know, deep down, that I CAN… I just won’t.  Meanwhile there are people who simply CAN’T and would love to have the choice to simply not want to, versus be unable to.  Then, there are the people who shouldn’t be able to, then decide to do so anyway…  then I feel REALLY guilty.

So, when I heard about The Stef, and Stephanie Johnson (the namesake and inspiration), I thought to myself “why the hell not?”  I’ve talked about a triathlon before and never got off my ass to do one.  The semester is drawing to a close and I’ve got a good couple of free weeks during which I can seriously focus myself and see if I can pull this thing off.  200 yard swim, 6 mile bike, 2 mile run.  No sweat.

 

Well…

 

Yesterday I swam for the first time in eons.  I’m a strong swimmer, but it’s been awhile and I’m about 20lbs past my fighting weight.  I went 100yds non-stop, then had to stop.  Another 50 quick yards then had to take a longer breather.  The last 50 went relatively easy but there’s no way I could have gotten on my bike at that point.  If I can swim 200yds non-stop AND still be able to ride a bike and run over the weekend, I’ll do this thing.  Maybe I’ll make a day of it.  Otherwise it’s going to be tough to justify it to my lovely wife.  I figure I can “rest” while cycling, because that’s my natural first sport.  Running 2 miles isn’t going to be killer, as long as I don’t overdo it on the bike.

But everything rests on whether or not I can cruise 200yds non-stop in the pool (by non-stop I mean nothing more than a quick breather on the edge of the pool, The Stef’s swimming portion will be in a pool, not a pond.)

I’ll have my final determination on Sunday afternoon (sorry to keep you waiting, K.)

 

And now for Victoria Osteen (by popular demand, Jon).

I had a whole screed about Victoria acting like a fool in front of her children, husband, and “adoring public”.  I also had comments on Joel being unable to take control of the situation (I think I may have even used the term “control your woman”, which may be coarse in tone, but is not intended to be derogatory toward her at all).  I even considered what I would do in a situation like that if it were me and my wife going off the handle like that.  I even had $.02 for the stewardess who clearly is a money-grubbing fool.

 

But on second thought, I don’t really care enough about the Osteens to really have an opinion.  As far as I’m concered they’re just another pair of folks who have absolutely zero impact on my life.  I don’t care what they do, or how they act, or who tries to take 10% of their assets.

 

I can say that for me and my house, the whole thing would have been handled very, very differently.  Beyond that, I just don’t care and if I heard nothing more about those two, it would still be too much information.