My toes aren't doing too bad, the skin has finally hardened somewhat so it's not so painful to wear a shoe. I think it'll be fine by the Ironman.
I plan to get a disposable camera, and have someone take a picture of me and a few of the volunteers at every mile marker on the run and entitle the final product "The progression of an Ironman athlete". I think it'll be cool to see how i look from beginning of marathon to end.
I'm really psyched about doing this, and whether I'm ready or not, i've done what i could, and will get the result that it brings.
You all can watch for me at www.ironmanlive.com where live results will be updated throughout the day. Once i find out my number that is, but if i don't get a chance to post my number, you all know my name is Jed Sweetser and you can look it up by that. A trick to it is to get to the results page, go to EDIT>FIND ON THIS PAGE and type in my last name, it will auto scroll and highlight the first entry for my name.
I'm going to try and get in a ride and a few more runs in, and also a 4-5000 meter constant swim before the event. Hopefully next thursday (my day off) i'll be able to get the swim in. one thing that sucks is that it's short course season, so it's 25m per length. Ugh, talk about having to stop and turn around a bunch of times.
Tuesday, October 21
I just can't win.
Today while helping an employee clean out our fryer, the oil shot out of it (hot) and onto my right foot. I couldn't get my shoe and sock off fast enough before my toes and top of my foot got burned. My toes are nice and pink with some skin peeling off. ALl i can think about is how much it's going to suck to run.
Furthermore it's going to be longer before i can get internet access because i have to get DSL and it cost more to install then cable. Our cable company doesn't have cable modem access.
SOOOOOO.
suck.
Today while helping an employee clean out our fryer, the oil shot out of it (hot) and onto my right foot. I couldn't get my shoe and sock off fast enough before my toes and top of my foot got burned. My toes are nice and pink with some skin peeling off. ALl i can think about is how much it's going to suck to run.
Furthermore it's going to be longer before i can get internet access because i have to get DSL and it cost more to install then cable. Our cable company doesn't have cable modem access.
SOOOOOO.
suck.
Tuesday, October 14
Not sure why i'm all of a sudden inspired to write about endurance, but here it goes.
When i look at the people around me
the people i work with
the people that pass me by on the street
the people that drive past me on the road
the families
the loners
people of all types
I can't help but think: "Do they know what their limits are?"
And better yet, "Have they pushed those limits, and gained strength of mind, power, and body?"
Exercise should be a sect of religious proportions.
Take a lost boy who's overweight, irresponsible, immature, and conniving -
add 3 years of development
and 3 years of exercise...pushing the limits
and you come out with a responsible, level headed, mature, goal oriented, undaunted individual.
WHen my boss says, "Are you ready for the next step? The next set of responsibilities?"
all i can think of is, "Dude, i did a half ironman in 110 degree heat. I've suffered dehydration that was almost dibilitating. I've trained on a consistent basis for 3 years, all the while exploring, finding, and smashing every limit i've ever concieved of."
and all i can do is look him straight in the eye, and say, "Hit me".
He looks me back, searching for a sign of backing down, a hint that i'm joking, and when he doesn't find it there, he grins and gives it to me, without a second thought. Howelse do you go from lead to general manager in 3 months? Today he told me i'll make director some day.
When my girlfriend rides up to my work and she's a little out of breath and a bit tired (3 miles), all i can think of is, "Man i wish i was back there again, barely able to do 1/2 hour of exercise with so much potential to go."
Back then the gains came quick. The suffering was the same...but the gains came in big chunks. Now that i'm nearing my Ironman, all i can think about is that first day when Carl and I went to the Orange Trail, ran less then 2 miles and was destroyed for the effort. Or the time we did our first 5 miler. Or the time we did our first 10 miles. My first 5k, my first sprint triathlon.....I was so excited, i was breaking through barriers i never thought i'd ever break through. I was finding happiness that i never thought existed in my life. Finally i was finding DIRECTION in my life...and finally i could be overweight, but confident because i could look at someone half my weight and say, "Wanna run 10 miles?" and watch them squirm.
There's nothing quite like it. Athleticism has brought me wonderful friends. has brought me amazing experiences, has pushed me to the brink of quitting, to the maximum point of pain, only to push those thresholds back and max them out again.
Now that i'm approaching my Ironman, i believe i am approaching the end of my triathlon chapter in my life. It's the longest chapter yet. I've never stuck with anything longer then this, i've never reached the heights i've reached here today. And as i close this chapter in 3 weeks, i will open a new one with crit racing. I say now that i just want to do it recreationally, but i know myself better then that, within 3 -5 years i'm sure i'll be CAT2. Probably sooner.
The greatest thing a person ever said to me was, "You're least likely to succeed out of all your peers" which was said to me my senior year of highschool. I'm accomplishing somthing. I"m making something of myself. And when i go to my highschool reunion in 3 years, i'll take a big shit on the floor in the middle of the auditorium and say, "I just thought i'd return the favor"
Athletics saved me. Athletics kept me on track. Athletics gave me comfort. I will always have something in my life that is physical. After crit racing i want to do adventure racing. After that who knows?
Now don't get me wrong, i will always do a triathlon or two, most likely olympic distance since my crit racing will erase a lot of the long endurance stuff and instill more speed.
All i have to say is this: If you have or just are reading my journal, and you havn't gotten involved in sports yet, do it NOW. All other problems just seem to solve themselves so much easier when you start feeling like you are accomplishing something every day. When you start accomplishing something that the everyday joe can't do.
When I complete my ironman i will get my IM tattoo, along with .25% just below it. .25% represents the worlds population that can complete an Ironman in under 17 hours.
When i finished my half ironman i got a supreme confidence in my swimming. Any body of water i look at now i feel like i could swim across it. i KNOW i could swim across it.
When i cross that finishline for the Ironman who knows what kind of confidence it will instill in me. But i hope my head doesn't get any bigger then this, because i might not be able to fit in my car!
When i look at the people around me
the people i work with
the people that pass me by on the street
the people that drive past me on the road
the families
the loners
people of all types
I can't help but think: "Do they know what their limits are?"
And better yet, "Have they pushed those limits, and gained strength of mind, power, and body?"
Exercise should be a sect of religious proportions.
Take a lost boy who's overweight, irresponsible, immature, and conniving -
add 3 years of development
and 3 years of exercise...pushing the limits
and you come out with a responsible, level headed, mature, goal oriented, undaunted individual.
WHen my boss says, "Are you ready for the next step? The next set of responsibilities?"
all i can think of is, "Dude, i did a half ironman in 110 degree heat. I've suffered dehydration that was almost dibilitating. I've trained on a consistent basis for 3 years, all the while exploring, finding, and smashing every limit i've ever concieved of."
and all i can do is look him straight in the eye, and say, "Hit me".
He looks me back, searching for a sign of backing down, a hint that i'm joking, and when he doesn't find it there, he grins and gives it to me, without a second thought. Howelse do you go from lead to general manager in 3 months? Today he told me i'll make director some day.
When my girlfriend rides up to my work and she's a little out of breath and a bit tired (3 miles), all i can think of is, "Man i wish i was back there again, barely able to do 1/2 hour of exercise with so much potential to go."
Back then the gains came quick. The suffering was the same...but the gains came in big chunks. Now that i'm nearing my Ironman, all i can think about is that first day when Carl and I went to the Orange Trail, ran less then 2 miles and was destroyed for the effort. Or the time we did our first 5 miler. Or the time we did our first 10 miles. My first 5k, my first sprint triathlon.....I was so excited, i was breaking through barriers i never thought i'd ever break through. I was finding happiness that i never thought existed in my life. Finally i was finding DIRECTION in my life...and finally i could be overweight, but confident because i could look at someone half my weight and say, "Wanna run 10 miles?" and watch them squirm.
There's nothing quite like it. Athleticism has brought me wonderful friends. has brought me amazing experiences, has pushed me to the brink of quitting, to the maximum point of pain, only to push those thresholds back and max them out again.
Now that i'm approaching my Ironman, i believe i am approaching the end of my triathlon chapter in my life. It's the longest chapter yet. I've never stuck with anything longer then this, i've never reached the heights i've reached here today. And as i close this chapter in 3 weeks, i will open a new one with crit racing. I say now that i just want to do it recreationally, but i know myself better then that, within 3 -5 years i'm sure i'll be CAT2. Probably sooner.
The greatest thing a person ever said to me was, "You're least likely to succeed out of all your peers" which was said to me my senior year of highschool. I'm accomplishing somthing. I"m making something of myself. And when i go to my highschool reunion in 3 years, i'll take a big shit on the floor in the middle of the auditorium and say, "I just thought i'd return the favor"
Athletics saved me. Athletics kept me on track. Athletics gave me comfort. I will always have something in my life that is physical. After crit racing i want to do adventure racing. After that who knows?
Now don't get me wrong, i will always do a triathlon or two, most likely olympic distance since my crit racing will erase a lot of the long endurance stuff and instill more speed.
All i have to say is this: If you have or just are reading my journal, and you havn't gotten involved in sports yet, do it NOW. All other problems just seem to solve themselves so much easier when you start feeling like you are accomplishing something every day. When you start accomplishing something that the everyday joe can't do.
When I complete my ironman i will get my IM tattoo, along with .25% just below it. .25% represents the worlds population that can complete an Ironman in under 17 hours.
When i finished my half ironman i got a supreme confidence in my swimming. Any body of water i look at now i feel like i could swim across it. i KNOW i could swim across it.
When i cross that finishline for the Ironman who knows what kind of confidence it will instill in me. But i hope my head doesn't get any bigger then this, because i might not be able to fit in my car!
Sunday, October 12
No exaggeration: 86 hours last week. I simply can't train under these conditions, so i've resigned myself to just doing my best on race day and hope that i havn't lost too much in the past couple weeks. I have 3 weeks till the Ironman, and 17 hours to complete it. I have a tattoo to get, and i'm GOING to get it. If i have to drag myself acrtoss the line on my hands and face, i'll do it.
On the other hand, i moved in with Jes and they can't get a cable modem with the current cable company so i gotta call Bell South and see what they have to offer. Frig heads.
I havn't gained or lost any weight over the past few weeks so i guess i'm ok there (212) i think if i had stayed focused and not gotten a kill me job, i'd have raced under 200, which would have put me under 200 pounds for the first time since i can remember...even before highschool. I'll get there though, and i can't wait till the IRonman is over, i'll get my tattoo and start crit racing. I think i already mentioned that i met a guy who crit raced professionally for awhile and he's going to help me get things goin.
Till i can get online again: Train hard, train harder, then race the hardest.
On the other hand, i moved in with Jes and they can't get a cable modem with the current cable company so i gotta call Bell South and see what they have to offer. Frig heads.
I havn't gained or lost any weight over the past few weeks so i guess i'm ok there (212) i think if i had stayed focused and not gotten a kill me job, i'd have raced under 200, which would have put me under 200 pounds for the first time since i can remember...even before highschool. I'll get there though, and i can't wait till the IRonman is over, i'll get my tattoo and start crit racing. I think i already mentioned that i met a guy who crit raced professionally for awhile and he's going to help me get things goin.
Till i can get online again: Train hard, train harder, then race the hardest.
Wednesday, October 1
Have i been training lately? nope. I did a couple runs but nothing consistent. Am i going to suffer like a mofo at the ironman? Absolutely. I WILL finish it though! Now that i'm practically the GM of my store, i've had to put in 70+ hours a week at work (76 this past week thursday to tuesday) and today on my off day i'm moving some of my stuf into Jes's house. It makes a whole lot of sense and we just can't stop getting along heheh.
I'm basically going to just do run training whenever i can for the rest of the month. Thats the only place i'm really worried about at this point. 26.2 miles is a long ass way. The real suck of it all is even if i wasn't with Jes, i'd not be able to get the training i need. I work 12 to 11 every day except wednesday. Just too many hours. I can't wait to get this IM over with so i can crit train and not worry about swimming or running for awhile. After i move my computer into Jes's place i'll be updating more often, i promise.
I'm basically going to just do run training whenever i can for the rest of the month. Thats the only place i'm really worried about at this point. 26.2 miles is a long ass way. The real suck of it all is even if i wasn't with Jes, i'd not be able to get the training i need. I work 12 to 11 every day except wednesday. Just too many hours. I can't wait to get this IM over with so i can crit train and not worry about swimming or running for awhile. After i move my computer into Jes's place i'll be updating more often, i promise.
Thursday, September 18
It's certainly been a little while since i logged anything on here. I havn't really been home though since i met Jes, we're doing awesome, totally into each other. She's so great, we meld really well. I havn't been training a whole lot, although i did do a 4.5 hour ride yesterday. It was supposed to be 5 hours, but my eating habbits havn't been all that consistent and i bonked promptly at 4 hours. I limped home with Carl in tow. I still have a lot of confidence about this race, i may not finish as fast as i wanted to, but i WILL finish it, no doubt about that. the swim and bike are nothing to me, the run still worries me, but i'm going to do a 15 mile run soon and see how it feels. Then 17, 18. and 20 two weeks before the event.
Monday, September 8
Things with Jes are going really well. We have a very honest and open way of talking to each other and it's helped resolve some issues before they became issues The only downside to seeing her right now is my training is suffering and i'm not getting much sleep...or eating on a regular basis. But today i plan on running after work, then going over her house. I know that if we don't have a full blown relationship, Jes and i will definitely be awesome friends
Anyway, Jeff is back - his father passed away last saturday. He's going to collect his stuff and drive the U-Haul back to maine. He's only back for three days, which sucks because i was hoping he'd stay longer so we could go to a park, or a spring and just chill for a whole day. THose plans would have been ruined though because Randy got fired last night after flipping his lid and talking back to our Director of Operations. THe DO called me and said that he's going to move me up, and soon.
Thats good financially, but it's not how i wanted it to happen, i didn't want to take my friends job. It's a moral thing i'm going to be struggling with, and also if they make me GM i'll be skipping two levels of management, so it'll definitely add more pressure and paperwork and more hours then i'm already giving. That means less time for my ironman training. I guess we'll have to see what happens.
Anyway, Jeff is back - his father passed away last saturday. He's going to collect his stuff and drive the U-Haul back to maine. He's only back for three days, which sucks because i was hoping he'd stay longer so we could go to a park, or a spring and just chill for a whole day. THose plans would have been ruined though because Randy got fired last night after flipping his lid and talking back to our Director of Operations. THe DO called me and said that he's going to move me up, and soon.
Thats good financially, but it's not how i wanted it to happen, i didn't want to take my friends job. It's a moral thing i'm going to be struggling with, and also if they make me GM i'll be skipping two levels of management, so it'll definitely add more pressure and paperwork and more hours then i'm already giving. That means less time for my ironman training. I guess we'll have to see what happens.
Saturday, September 6
After work last night, Jes called me and we met at the restaraunt to go out. She took me downtown to Chillers. It's been 4 years since i've been downtown and at first it brought back bad memories, but as the night rolled on and with the help of Jes and her friends being very nice and friendly, it turned out to be pretty ok. My lower back hurts from dancing, but i'll get over it. I jumped on the scale this morning, and i'm 210. I've dropped 25 pounds in a month without a ton of training. Just goes to show that i was not eating properly before.
Anyway i had a fantastic time with Jes and i'm so glad i've found someone that is funny, outgoing, sarcastic...she challenges me and thats always what i've looked for. Someone to not just nod their head at me all the time, but to contribute to my life in some way. Jes will definitely do that. She even brought me over to 'Puffer Bird's' house. Puffer bird is an elderly lady that she watches occaisionally on the weekend, and Pufferbird had to approve of me before we could take things further (half joking). When we arrived from the club Puffer and I hit it off very well, and she invited me back...which is something she hasn't done to any of Jes's boyfriends. Puffer is the nicest old lady i've ever met, and her dog is very affectionate too, without being over bearing heheh. We had some good laughs, and then when the conversation turned serious i apparently answered her questions satisfactorily. So i'm thinking this is going to go somewhere. All i gotta do now is make sure i still train.
Jes has not had a very good track record with boys...always picking the wrong ones and she has let down a few of her defenses, but hte biggest and strongest ones will take some time to lower. I'm just going to be myself, let her know that i care about her not by telling her (well i will on occaision) but by proving it over time. Just let things roll.
Anyway i had a fantastic time with Jes and i'm so glad i've found someone that is funny, outgoing, sarcastic...she challenges me and thats always what i've looked for. Someone to not just nod their head at me all the time, but to contribute to my life in some way. Jes will definitely do that. She even brought me over to 'Puffer Bird's' house. Puffer bird is an elderly lady that she watches occaisionally on the weekend, and Pufferbird had to approve of me before we could take things further (half joking). When we arrived from the club Puffer and I hit it off very well, and she invited me back...which is something she hasn't done to any of Jes's boyfriends. Puffer is the nicest old lady i've ever met, and her dog is very affectionate too, without being over bearing heheh. We had some good laughs, and then when the conversation turned serious i apparently answered her questions satisfactorily. So i'm thinking this is going to go somewhere. All i gotta do now is make sure i still train.
Jes has not had a very good track record with boys...always picking the wrong ones and she has let down a few of her defenses, but hte biggest and strongest ones will take some time to lower. I'm just going to be myself, let her know that i care about her not by telling her (well i will on occaision) but by proving it over time. Just let things roll.
Friday, September 5
Thursday, September 4
I have a new Article up on triathlete.com. Check it out and let me know how you feel on my little forum (Leave a message at the beep)
Tuesday, September 2
the hardest decision i ever made was the decision to become me. no that doesn't make me super duper or anything. It just makes me non-tolerant of most of societies bullshit. Today my boss was scheduled to work and instead he decided to go to a barbecue. When i arrived to work the place was in shambles, i had a line out the door, and i was running out of stuff. The district manager happened to call me and i told him what i was up against. He called my manager and told him to go in like he was supposed to. WTF. So you guessed it, my manager comes in and gives me a rash of shit saying he ne ver gets a dya off...blah blah blah. What an asshole. If he was scheduled off, i could understand, but he was SCHEDULED TO WORK.
After the bullshit he pulled tonight, i called the district manager myself personally and asked him if i was able to relocate if things didn't smooth over tomorrow. He said no problem. THat gives me leverage. and i'm going to use that leverage to make sure my manager apologizes...or loses his best employee. Don't play games with me bitch, if you think life is hard now...i'll xfer to another store, and i'll take three employees with me.
After the bullshit he pulled tonight, i called the district manager myself personally and asked him if i was able to relocate if things didn't smooth over tomorrow. He said no problem. THat gives me leverage. and i'm going to use that leverage to make sure my manager apologizes...or loses his best employee. Don't play games with me bitch, if you think life is hard now...i'll xfer to another store, and i'll take three employees with me.
Saturday, August 30
I finally got off my ass, didn't drink, or eat pizza, and ran. Did a quick 4 miles before work and boy do i feel awesome. I had a few bad days this week, but i'm back now. Tomorrow i'm going for a ride and hit the pool. I got scheduled for my monday which is my long run day, i think i'll try and go to bed right away tomorrow night and get up at 8, run for 2.5 hours then go to work. ick.
On a good note, i have wednesday AND thursday off, so i can do my long ride and recover thursday instead of working.
On a good note, i have wednesday AND thursday off, so i can do my long ride and recover thursday instead of working.
Tuesday, August 26
tonight i ran about 12 miles (2:15). Running in the dark is scary and exhilerating. One thing that sucks about the run route i have, is all the hills are at the end, so after i've been running for two hours, i got fifteen minutes of rollers, and boy do they hurt. But it's done, and i'll do it again next week, hopefully the hills will make the flat IM course seem easier.
Sunday, August 24
I have to say that i'm pretty happy with my weight loss and my performance overall. I havn't been in the pool in awhile but i'm not too worried about it right now. Gotta take some benedryl and go to bed right when i get home tonight, i got a long run in the morning. Work has been super stressful, but it's about to get better as the day manager who is totally jealous of me, will be moving to another store, giving me free reign over my shift. No more butting heads.
Today i learned a valuable lesson: Don't go riding without a spare tube. I was having a really good ride, feeling great, when all of a sudden:
psst.
Psst.
Psst.
I thought my chain was rubbing my deraillur, but then my back tire started to wobble and i knew i had a flat. I was about 1 mile from the house, so i walked it, in my bare feet. Not fun.
ANyway i'd like to make a plug for the Carb-One pump. I dont' care that it weighs negative 4 pounds. I don't care that it's small and compact. What i carea bout is the ease of use and the quickness in which i was able to inflate my tire (only to have it deflate a few seconds later). I used a couple other pumps and their unweildy and generally a pain in the ass to use. This one seemed like it was assisted, because i pumped the tire up rock hard with little effort.
oh yea, and "E" and i never went out. Turns out she wasn't interested. wtf.
Today i learned a valuable lesson: Don't go riding without a spare tube. I was having a really good ride, feeling great, when all of a sudden:
psst.
Psst.
Psst.
I thought my chain was rubbing my deraillur, but then my back tire started to wobble and i knew i had a flat. I was about 1 mile from the house, so i walked it, in my bare feet. Not fun.
ANyway i'd like to make a plug for the Carb-One pump. I dont' care that it weighs negative 4 pounds. I don't care that it's small and compact. What i carea bout is the ease of use and the quickness in which i was able to inflate my tire (only to have it deflate a few seconds later). I used a couple other pumps and their unweildy and generally a pain in the ass to use. This one seemed like it was assisted, because i pumped the tire up rock hard with little effort.
oh yea, and "E" and i never went out. Turns out she wasn't interested. wtf.
Wednesday, August 20
Monday, August 18
Let me introduce Jeff. I met Jeff when i was 15 at the Card Cage (where i met Carl too) back in highschool. shit...i don't really feel like going t hrough the details, but let me put it to you this way. If you're reading this, think of any one person thats been in your life for longer then 5 years, and you feel like they're a rock in your life. A standard. The person you know you can always go to no matter what the occaision and you know that person will be honest with you and try and help you. That's Jeff.
Jeff's father is dying. I didn't think i'd be affected as much by it, but i am. I just got off the phone with Jeff and i just couldn't help but remember every time i was over his house, his father was always had something funny to say. But his humor wasn't like most peoples. See, Conrad was the hardest old fashioned worker you've ever met. And in being so, his opinion was...straight forward and just - funny.
Conrad had some leisions on his brain that needed to be surgically removed, and from there other cancerous problems developed. He's going to die, and the saddest thing about it is - the same things Jeff tells me about his dad, my friend Kelly told me about her dad just before he died this year. I can't go into details, it's too hard. But know that i'm hurt by this event. And i'm glad i'm hurt, because i'm glad i can feel pain and sympathy in a life where i really feel like i can be more like a robot when it comes to feelings - turning them on and off at will.
I'm going to call my mom and see what she thinks.
As for today:
Lunch with Dan at World Gym
Dinner with "E"
Jeff's father is dying. I didn't think i'd be affected as much by it, but i am. I just got off the phone with Jeff and i just couldn't help but remember every time i was over his house, his father was always had something funny to say. But his humor wasn't like most peoples. See, Conrad was the hardest old fashioned worker you've ever met. And in being so, his opinion was...straight forward and just - funny.
Conrad had some leisions on his brain that needed to be surgically removed, and from there other cancerous problems developed. He's going to die, and the saddest thing about it is - the same things Jeff tells me about his dad, my friend Kelly told me about her dad just before he died this year. I can't go into details, it's too hard. But know that i'm hurt by this event. And i'm glad i'm hurt, because i'm glad i can feel pain and sympathy in a life where i really feel like i can be more like a robot when it comes to feelings - turning them on and off at will.
I'm going to call my mom and see what she thinks.
As for today:
Lunch with Dan at World Gym
Dinner with "E"