Hi folks Every country is just a little different from the last, and Australia is no exception. I finally worked out how to gain Internet access, in my severely jet-lagged state. One of the first real differences I noticed was the size of the bats (plus the notice about shark nets along the beach - so I found an excellent Olympic size pool instead!). My blog posts may be a little erratic as I ... Read more
Short Or Tall, Cute Or Ugly, You Are What You Think You Are, So Think Great
Hi folks, During a recent 'comment conversation' with my interesting brother, Trevor, the issue of height was discussed and he called me 'Lofty.' I smiled about that, which in itself is revealing. As a 5' 6"-tall teenager, I was called 'Shorty' and labeled as having 'ducks disease,' and was otherwise teased unmercifully about my vertical challenge, with severe damage to my self-esteem, but as John ... Read more
Work Out And Race With Your Kids For As Long As You Can
Hi folks, Life is a great journey, with all of its vicissitudes. When my first child was born I felt as though I had been thrown into prison with a squalling guard who would never let me escape. All of my old habits of going to the movies, reading a book, or eating out whenever I liked, were thrown into disarray. Then two more sons and twenty years later, this screaming but delightful child, Nick, ... Read more
The Natural Cycles Of Birth, Death And Endurance Training
Hi folks, I was sitting in our screened-in porch the other day, quietly reflecting on something or other, when I heard a cracking sound, and looking up I espied a large, dead tree crashing to the ground. After many years of walking in the woods, this was the first time that I had witnessed such an event. Trees are being born and are dying all the time, at effectively the same rate, though most never ... Read more
Our Personal Legacy And Don’t Trash Up The Ironman Course
Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) "I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked ... Read more
A Transition Plan Combined With Practice Can Take Minutes Off Of Your Triathlon Time
Hi folks, It really is worth planning your transition. I've made pretty well every mistake in the book. The real trick is to plan your approach, which should be as simple as possible, and practice the routine until it is completely automatic. I have learned some tricks over the years, largely from other people in my age group, including the use of layers that you peel off. It is important to avoid ... Read more
Of Dabbling, Business And Athletics
Hi folks, A little while ago a friend of mine said that my business efforts were just 'dabbling,' which caused me to think of ducks. There are two kinds of people in this world, duck people and regular people. My eldest son (Nick) and my younger brother (Trevor) love ducks. They just do! Watch them around ducks. They just see ducks. Now, I like ducks a lot, and so does Gary Larson, but not like Nick ... Read more
Don’t Underestimate The Value Of Walking Your Dog As A Conditioning Exercise
Hi folks, I learned about exercise from many people, one of which was Bruce Lee, via his books and my Jeet Kune Do instructor, Erwin (haven't seen him for years - really nice guy). Ironman training or not, I couldn't handle one of Erwin's classes today. I remember Bruce Lee writing that one should incorporate exercise into your daily life, and not confine it to the workout area. This included climbing ... Read more
Recent Comments