I've decided that i'm going to take a hiatus from blogger for a bit, and direct you readers to a new site. A site where i can blog and post artwork. I invite you to take a look, register for free so you can comment on my stuff and hopefully this will be one big happy family!

go here: http://ironjed.deviantart.com/

See you there!

Things are pretty rough round here these days. I'm bigger then i've been in years, i have no money till we move into this house next week, and my first day at Moe's on sandlake was a disaster. Not much else to say for now.

Well...as usuall a whole bunch of lifechanging shit has gone on since i last wrote. I quit Bally's, got a job back at Moe's but with a different owner - on the other side of town. They gave me the opportunity to help open another store, which is quite an honor. They know i know what i'm doing, and they trust me to train people. But it's another 40 minutes away, which is about 1:25 from the house in Clermont and it didn't make sense, so on Monday i'm going to be working at Sandlake with a friend of mine as a supervisor. This store is 3x the volume of my previous store so it should be very fun.

We move into the house on the 1st of May, and hopefully secure some bunk beds right away so we can get triathletes in the house. I need to start makin some money again. Tomorrow i meet Karen at the trail head to put her through some brick training. HOpefully it'll be fun and get me back on the bike!

Moving to clermont should help a lot too. I did the most trainign in my life when i was in clermont. Just bike or run right from the front door, and swim at the NTC just a mile away.

For the past couple days i've been getting a random bloody nose. This morning it's been the worste so far, it dripped so fast that it got onto my shirt before i could stop it. Not sure what it's coming from, but i've never really had bloody noses before.

ok, here's a better idea of how my first workout went. I'm sitting here wondering if i would have even made it through it without my endurance training, but also wondering how much better i would have done if i had stuck to the training. See...all the work i did last year in preperation for IMFL was low aerobic stuff...i took all the quick stuff out of me. And i proved that when i did a sprint and did worse then my very first sprint ever. I had a much faster swim, but my bike and run was an aweful comparison. But thats how it works though, speed training is much different and uses the systems differently then long training does.

Anyway, he had me sprinting (remember the shuttle run in school Presidential Fitness Testing?) all over the place, and the main reason i puked was becuase i didn't have enough elecrolytes, i was just drinking water. Right from the 3rd or 4th sprint i was already light headed and dizzy. But i trudged on. He had me carrying 25lb dumbells in my hands and sprint around and around...each time i had to beat my previous time or else i had to do it again. It was very footballesque.

Then after all that, i was weary and dizzy, he put me on the decline leg press and started me at 300 lbs, i had to push it 25 times. Then 400. 15 times. then 500. 10 times. by this time i was grunting like an ape, and he put his hand very close to my chest and told me if i didn't hit his hand with my knees before pushing out, i'd have to do it again. then he put 600 pounds on it. By this time when i got up my legs were failing and i had to hold onto something to stand up...my face was red and flush, and i knew i was in deep trouble, but i just couldn't bring myself to say anything to him on the first workout, i had to push myself to the limit. Afterall, he does play for the Orlando Predators. I put myself in a happy place in my mind...you know the place - the place where you go when your dehydrated, dead tired, but still know you got 2 miles to go before you get to the car. You're in trouble but you have no choice but to trudge on until your back at the starting point. I was there. And i don't remember much of pushing the 600 pounds, or the leg extensions, or the leg curls. What i DO remember is walking to the trashcan and vomiting about 1 liter of water.

He came in and said (of course), "Woooo baby! thats weakness leaving the body right there!" then told me ot throw away the trashcan...the whole trashcan. I was feeling so terrible, so weak, but i knew what the problem was and i went right to the cooler to get a gatorade. I drank it down and just about five minutes later felt awesome and ready to roll again.

I'm not used to the sprint, high intensity stuff, but i wonder now how my previous training helped me. Today i'm pretty sore, but not so much that i can't walk. I definitely will ride a bike today for an hour to flush out the toxins and tomorrow we work upper body. I wonder how hard he'll work my upper, considering he's training me specifically to skate the Disney Inline Marathon in a few weeks.

My legs are locking up by the hour. I'm going to the hot tub to try and get loosened up. I went to Sonny's for lunch and instead of getting tons of food, i got one plate of egg whites and some chicken salad. MMmmm Good.
Tomorrow i think i get with Rich again for another PT session. This time we're going to do upper and core.

My computer crashed! for the last 4 days i've not even been able to get it to the DOS command prompt. I finally got it running, though i had to reinstall windows, and lost some stuff, but not all of it. Anyway i had my first PT training session today at work, and after the workout i promply vomited into the garbage can. I didn't have enough electrolytes becuase i vomited just water. Still not fun. The workout was insane, after the interval cardio stuff, he had me pushing 600 pounds on the leg press. Insane.

If i can walk tomorrow i will. If not...i wont.

just a quick note on how things are going. I started at Bally's today and it was a good time. i have a good feeling about this. I didn't skate a whole lot last week but this week i'll definitely get some skating in, i even think i'll skate to work. As for the Last Supper..well i'd rather forget it then recant the tale. I got too drunk and wasted my whole weekend recovering. Not too happy with myself. On wednesday i get my new Verizon phone for signing a new contract. Sweet.

I hope to get some people into USANA this week...people i've been working on for a while, that'd make my week complete.

Took my first digger today. While skating with Jess and Luis, i hit a stick in mid stride and hit the pavement in record time...about .073 seconds. Luckily Jess didn't roll over me, instead she dug it in the grass. Scraped my hands a little, shoulder and thats about it. Fun. Better then popping my melon at 20 mph i guess.

So that was about 20 minutes of skating before i had to go. I have a training program provided by www.marathonskating.com because i signed up for the Disney and the program is free. It seems pretty simple, but i'm going to follow it. Tomorrow is a xtraining day, i'd love to go swimming but i think i'll do a jog. I noticed from the wear on my wheels that my left skate doesn't really stand up straight, it sorta angles in. My right skate had good overall wear, but the left one has a very canted wear pattern on the wheels.

Going to work now...even more fun.

Friday is the "Last Supper" at Bennigens. I can't wait.

Over the weekend i went skating with Luis. Had a blast...my lower back is nice and tight now. It was funny because we were passing bikers and they were commenting as we went by. We were going about 18 mph that day. I still need to find a happy place in my skate boots. Sometimes the ankles feel loose, and when i tighten them up, my feet cramp. Gotta find a happy medium.

I got to see Christophe from the Homestay last year, and Julia. It was fun having lunch and talking with them again.

Oh yeah, and before i forget, i'll be moving into a 4 bedroom house in a couple months in Clermont. Gonna get a dog. Have a fence. Gonna be a good time.

I close for the next few days, so i'll try to make plans with Joe or Luis in the morning.

Yesterday i went skating with Jess at a leisurely pace. We covered 6 miles in just under an hour. This saturday i'm going to do a 6 mile time trial to see where i'm at. Whats interesting is the different skate styles from leisure to speed...speed skating uses the glutes and outer leg muscles, but leisure skating uses the inner thighs because your body is upright and you use the inner leg to push off. So now my complete leg is sore instead of just the outsides. Either way it was a nice ride in some nice weather.

Today i started the cleanse again with Jess. 5 more days of just bars and liquids...really set it in firmly into my system. I start at Bally's soon..two monday's from now...i can't wait. Closing at the restaraunt tonight so no workouts planned.

Got the skates, went for a ride and woa! These things are fast! Today i played racquet ball for an hour, then went skating for about a half hour. At first my quads were screaming, but i got into a pretty good rhythm and got a good speed and burn going. I can't wait till i have more time and can really go.

I had a meeting with Luis today who's a great Personal Trainer. I think he's impressed witht he products and he'll probably sign on in a week or so after trying product.

Things are lookin up...summer is coming, and my race is coming soon too!

I typed this letter today with intentions of giving it to my Director of Operations:

"Bill,

It’s been an amazing ride. Unfortunately it’s finally come to an end. I have been offered a job where I will take all the discipline and guidance you have given me over the past 9 months and utilize it to make some serious money in the fitness industry. I truly hope that Moe’s gets under control and in a month or so’s time, you’re able to kick back on the weekends and drink a beer or two.

I’ve grown in proportions that I’ve never thought possible, and only from that am I able to get this other job and grow with it, so I thank Moe’s for the opportunity and I thank you for having the patience to mold me into what I have become.

Peace out brother.

Jed Sweetser
Two Weeks Notice beginning: 3/12/04"

I have decided to go to Bally's and sell memberships. It just seems like i'll get the practice i need to close deals, be around people that will want the product, and also it is WAY more money and looks to be a very fun environment...i truly have learned the discipline with moes that will take me ot the next level at Bally's i think.


By the way, i weighed myself this morning: 227.5

Now that the cleanse is over, i feel so much more balanced...back like when iw as training over the summer. I feel great. I'm also in a tight spot right now. I've gone from loving my job every day, to really not liking it at all. The numbers the company wants me to run at Moe's are ridiculous, and not only that but i constantly am bombarded with crap, like having the director of ops threaten my job, yell at me, swear at me, etc. He adds more and more paperwork on me every week and then never collects it. I'm just tired of it.

The good news is that the manager at Bally's has been asking for me to come to work for him for awhile, and now that is a viable option. I went to talk with him today and he said i'm hired soon as i give him word. I also heard from another manager at a Moes across town (which does double our business, and is the one i used to frequent a few yearsa go when i worked at Colorvision). He wants to get me as his assistant manager and that would actually get me another 2k pay raise. We'll see on word from him, but once i talk this over with my girlfriend there's no doubt as to whether or not i'm quitting, the only question is where i'm going.

The bad news is i'm moving at the end of April, so if something falls through it could spell financial disaster for that.

We'll just have to see.

I'm getting more resiliant to food now, its DAY 4 of the cleanse and all i've 'cheated' with is some lettuce and cucumbers. I feel great now, no more headaches, and the reduced coffee i think is helping too. I'm down to 10 oz of coffee a day from 64oz.

Luis (good friend of mine from my body for life days) wants to do the rollerblade marathon at Disney in May. I told him i'd do it with him and we're going to start training tomorrow or so for it. That should be fun! I need to just do whatever and see how it works out. I have a meeting tonight, then i'm booked all day tomorrow with meetings for USANA. Now that i've been on the vitamins for 2 weeks, when i take them i pee barely yellow after..i'm absorbing so much more of the vitamins becuase it's such a superior product.

I was thinking about running today, how when my girlfriend and i have occaisionally run together she's been very negative in her talking and it's gotten to me a bit. But then i started thinking about how i started...some of the longest runs i had, i did nothing but talk with Carl about negative stuff in my life and now i see that it's the process of 'running therapy'. So it's sort of inspired a short essay on the subject:

If the roads i run could hear me.

When i began putting foot in front of the other
When i decided i needed to run
It was a time when i had a close friend
A time when i ran in wal-mart shoes
It was more of a run then walk
But the one thing i never stopped doing was talk.

I was angry, suffocated
the longer the run, the more aggression i had
Carl would run silently next to me
listening

The rainy days
the days i had to run alone for more then three hours
the days i had a headache
the days i didn't bring enough hydration
if the roads could only hear my thoughts

time passed
faster and faster i got
thinner and thinner
longer and longer the runs became
My thoughts changed
i never stopped talking
but i started talking about the good things in life
my moments of pride
my accomplishments
the people who have helped me

suddenly i wasn't running with a grimace
i was running with a smile
the pain seemed almost comforting instead of insulting
now i'm not even thinking about anything
i'm comforted by not having to think
just glide

Its that high at teh end of a run
its the weight lifted at the end of the conversation
its all of that combined that makes running such an amazing therapy

and for that matter, biking, swimming, rollerblading....

At first it's pain and agony, it's anger management
then it's burning comfort, and amazing accomplishment

Yesterday was good. i added another shake and though i still get hungry close to that two hour mark, i managed to get through ok. For the next couple days i get to add two servings of fruit, so i'll do that for breakfast (banana this morning) and for lunch, then go light on the dinner. Got my first bizop (business meeting) today at Starbucks at 11. Going to meet a starbucks employee and see what happens. I managed to get 4 bizops on tuesday, one on monday, and two on thursday. Should be a good time.

I've added a Daily DIet link above so you can view what i'm eating per day. I didn't realize the calorie reduction i had yesterday, it's astounding and probably not that healthy, but it's only for a few days, i'll hack it till then. I actually feel pretty good today, not sure if i'll get a ride in though...if i do i'll have to add a shake thats for sure. Just gonna do some USANA stuff and catch up on this blog and email today.

9:44pm: I couldin't take it anymore! I broke down and fed my hungry belly with a hand full of lettuce, tomatos and cucumbers....oh my god i'm so bad!

heheh.

Cleanse Day 1:
The product tastes great. but less filling. It's 8pm and i've already had one extra bar. I just downed my dinner shake and i'm not positive i won't have another one when i get home. I'm going to update Fitday to reflect what i had today, but i was borderline hungry all day and even though i drank over 200oz of water today i'm getting a slight headache. I think i am having coffee withdrawls as well as maybe needing to up the calories by a little bit. We'll find out and adjust tomorrow. I do know that my headaches have everything to do with cutting my daily coffe in half. I usually drank 2, 32oz coffees a day, today i drank two 14oz black coffees. It's better for me to wheen myself off the caffeine anyway because during the season i can use it as a good stimulant for racing.

Tomorrow i'll go for a light ride.

I also plan on doing some more stuff with the site.

I got my product in this morning and it includes all kinds of goodies. I'm going to start my 'Cleanse' tomorrow which consists of 5 days of shakes and nutrition bars only. Time to get balanced and gain some momentum. I'm going to keep careful track of my nutrition (easy to do with shakes and bars) on Fitday.com and will have a link to my diet on my site soon.

It's a new beginning hopefully, and with USANA I'll be securing my financial stability as well as my overall health.

Take a moment and visit my site from the link above, it's a fantastic product and even better financial plan. Now that i've got a cause again, i don't see myself failing.

Also, i'm moving to clermont soon which rocks..about 2 more months before i move.

Again, i'm sorry i havn't been updating. I have been busy though and have thrown some training in once in awhile but nothing consistent. I've finally started riding to and from work a few days a week...

What i've been busy with is USANA! I was approached by an Ironman Athlete who was in my store and asked what sort of nutritionals i used. He told me that he had a better product and that i could make money off of using the product, and also getting other people to use it. Sounds shady right? Well after 4 hours of conversation and using the essentials vitamins for two weeks, i'm totally sold. These products are far superior to anything i've taken, and i feel great. I'm now in the company and will be looking for other athletes and non athletes alike to use these products and benefit from the health and wealth that it offers.

I hope to start updating now as to my progress as an athlete again, and also my progress with USANA. This should be an interesting ride!

Havn't been really doin much except focusing on work. I have tomorrow off and plan to ride for awhile, we'll see how lazy i am though.

I won't be playing soccer again anytime soon. My knee is filled with fluid which hasn't happened since highschool, probably from the horizontal pounding it took when i was diving around on the ground. My hip flexor is messed up too from booting the ball so much. Just going to take it easy for a few days and hope the pressure is relieved from my knee, then begin biking and running again to see if my other knee will hurt. I wish i had insurance so i could go see an ortho.

Anyway as for the food front, i've kept up the decent eating habbits. Yesterday i declared it a day to have an icecream, and boy did it mess up my system! Talk about having the craps - don't eat dairy for a couple weeks, then have icecream. Ugh. it was good, but not THAT good. no more icecream.

Well it sure is good to be sore again. Tuesday i went for a 10 mile ride with my girlfriend which was nice, then yesterday i played soccer...FOR THREE HOURS. Oh....My...God... i can barely walk up stairs today. My quads and glutes are totally shot from kicking and running. Great thing is i wasn't even tired at the end of the game...i did however get blisters in my new cleats which bled into my sock. Yuck. My quads are destroyed from booting the ball. Being sore keeps me feeling alive though, so it's good. i did however twist my ankle twice which sucked, but i'll live..just a bit of swelling. I think i'm going to play soccer every wednesday, and i just found out we have a raquet ball court in our complex, if i could find a partner i'd definitely play that a few times a week like i used to back in the day.

All is good on the workfront. I got a few hours knocked off my work week recently, and i have a couple big meetings where people will not be happy, but i have to prepare my staff for summer or we'll sink. It's going to take some extra work and planning, but we'll get it.

Other then that, Operation Buddha Be Gone is underway, i have eaten very well this past week, with no cravings or even the want at all to have anything bad.

A good start.

I don't know if you all remember but when i tried to run awhile ago with my girlfriend after the Ironman, my right knee was tweaking bad. It took a couple days to get over and then i forgot about it. Well on my first run home from work yesterday it started up again, only this time i couldn't stop or turn around because it was very cold outside and if i stopped i would start to shiver. So i ran through the pain for about 20 minutes until i got home. Not good. This morning i woke up all ready to run and when i got out of the parking lot my knee was hurting so bad that i had to stop. It's not all that cold out today so i thought i'd just walk the rest of the way...but even walking hurts now.

I'm NOT GOING TO LET THIS GET ME DOWN. i just keep telling myself that. i will find an out of the way bike route somewhere and ride it to work.

I'm pretty pissed off thta my body won't cooperate, and the fact that i'll have to go see a doc to figure out what the problem is with my knee in the future.

But i've officially started "Buddha Be Gone!" since running home from work last night in 30 degree weather. Time to get back into shape.

I've decided i'm going to run to and from work. It's about 4 miles (i think) and it'll be great aerobic work to slim down again for the season ahead. It will also motivate me to stop eating crappy.

ANd i'll HAVE to run to work because i'm going to leave my car there so i can do my bank deposits and stuff. Hope it gets me rollin for this summer...

I certainly have been away for awhile. When you work 8-8 five or six days a week, all you can really do is work and sleep. I'm gaining weight because i just can't motivate myself to train with these hours, and i only see my girlfriend once a week...and i live with her.

But things are starting to really turn around and i feel like i'll be able to pull back from this store in the near future. Summer is coming and i'll be able to get flexability with my hours. I also got a guy at my store to think about training with me so that'd be cool.

Other then that, relationship is going great, work is long but still good. Not much else going on.