My Tour DaVita 2011:in training

It is hard to believe that another year has passed and it is that time again. I look forward to September as I do Christmas. It is time for the annual Tour DaVita. This year the tour is in beautiful Connecticut. If I have my way the weather will be cool but more importantly, dry. Last year in Washington State it rain most of the time we were there. The weather broke on the final day and we were able to see the mountain. I still had a lot of fun and enjoyed talking to teammates from all over the states.

This year I am going to push myself to do the century ride. On the third day of the tour we are giving the option to do a 100 mile ride. I have not been up to the challenge in the past tours but I am training hard this year. I have been doing daily 14 mile rides and then this last weekend did a 50 mile ride. I know it doesn't sound like much but I am training on a mountain bike. Not to mention that the temperature has been triple digits for just about the last month. I was able to do the 50 mile ride in less than 5 hours and the temperature was 94 when we finished.

I will continue to do the short 14 mile rides during the week but I think I will hold off on the long rides due to the extreme heat. I think I will keep it under 30 miles a day on the weekends. That should be three hours in the saddle, more than enough to toughen the skin for the tour.

Last year my camera bit the dust due to the wet weather. I kept it under my wet weather gear but the rain was such that it soaked though the gear. I hope to have a new camera to take with me so I can capture all the memories. So check back after September for a follow up on how well I did and I hope to have some pictures posted.

Pants on the ground

The weather here has been beautiful! The temperature is getting into the 70 and low 80 degrees. I have made it a point to continue my evening walks during the week and morning walks on the weekend. While on my walk this afternoon I learned a valuable lesson. I need to either wear a belt or buy smaller short pants. I was walking and my pants ended up down by me knees. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been going commando! Just kidding! I was wearing underwear but is was still embarrassing. I kept looking around for something that I could use to hold them up. At mile 2 I found a caution tape that was put up for construction so I used a piece to hold my pants up. I was able to complete my 5 miles. I will be better prepared next time.

The trails are so nice this time of year. The trees are just getting their leaves.There are so many different shades of green going on. Some of the trees that bloom are in bloom and add a splash of color. The other thing that I like is the smell of honey. The agarita plants are in bloom and the smell great! I love this time.

Now that my blood pressure and cholesterol are under control it is time to start back with the blood donations. I have an appointment this Saturday morning. I donate at 0700 and hope to be out on the trail by 9:30. I want to get in a 10 mile walk on Saturday and shoot for a half marathon on Sunday. Or maybe see about getting the bike out and taking it for a spin. Either way it will be a great weekend to be outside.

Let the summer fun begin!

Community service

I spent my morning picking up trash from the local park today. It was part of a community service project to clean up the parks. We were assigned to clean up the Bandera road area of the Leon Creek Greenway park. There was so much trash!. I was amazed at just how much we picked up. Our group picked up over 25 lawn bags. I took my daughter Ashley with me. We walked and picked up trash together but more importantly we spent time together. It is these small moments that I treasure. I picked up 5 of the bags of trash that were collected by the group. Ashley told me that I am such an over achiever. I told her that I would rather be known as an over achiever than a slacker any day.

This is just one of the community service projects that we do together. We have spent several days with Habitat for Humanity. I think it is a win win situation. The community gets help and I get to spend time with my kids and instill my values. I can't help but think that I get the most benefit. I know that my kids don't think they are benefiting now but in the years ahead I hope that they will.

I said. I did.

I had made the comment yesterday that if I get an early start on my morning walk I would do 20 miles. Well this morning I was on the trail at 0730. I just reached my 5 mile mark when I remembered what I had said. As I was walking back toward the car I said to myself "What were you thinking?" When I got to the parking lot I opened my car and grabbed my banana and my water and headed back out on the trail. As I passed each mile marker I would say "I said. I did." I kept pushing on and at mile 15 I hit the wall. I made the first 10 miles in 2 hours and 3 minutes. The next 10 miles was 2 hours and 17 minutes. By the time I was back to the car I was ready to collapse. I sat down and exclaimed "I said. I did."

Then I was thinking, why did I do that. No body would know what I had said the day before. No body would care that I did or didn't do it. But I would know. And it was that important to me. So that has become my motto for the new year. "I said. I did."

Go for the glory

Glory lies in the attempt to reach one's goal and not in reaching it. Mohandas Gandhi

I was reading the quote feed on my blog and I read the quote from Gandhi "you must be the change you want to see in the world". I love that quote from him. So I went in search of more writings from Gandhi and this one made me think about New Years day. As we move into the New Year we make our resolutions. These are our goals for the coming year. The most common resolution is to loose weight. So many of us start off strong and then become discouraged because things are not going as planned. And so you give up trying. There is no longer an attempt and you loose self confidence. Don't give up. Go for the glory.

And so a new year begins

As the midnight hour approaches I take a moment to reflect on the past year. I was able to do the Tour DaVita again this year. I endured more cold and wet weather than I thought possible while pushing my self to go the distance on a bicycle. What great memories of the friendships I have developed over the years. The next tour is in Connecticut and I hope that I am able to attend. I bought a new car this last year. My wife and daughter were in an accident in the Honda Fit. I give thanks that they were not injured. I traded the Fit in after the repairs for a much larger Kia Sorrento. I just love the ride and it is still pretty good on the gas. I lost 25 pounds this last year. And as I dropped the pounds I lowered my blood pressure and my cholesterol.

While I reflect on the past I look forward to what the new year may bring. I do have some goals that I would like to work on this year.


I am starting the new year at 173 pounds. I would like to be 165 by my next doctors appoint on June 1st and to end the year less than 165.

I would like to keep a log of the miles that I walk. I have been walking 25 to 40 miles a week and I would love to see what that number would be by the end of the year.

I want to walk a ½ marathon every month this new year. I have done it once or twice this past year.

Ride my bike more this year. Teri gave me a road bike. It needs a little work but is in good shape. I put new tubes in the tires today and will road test it in the morning to make sure all the gears work.

Get my daughter into college. She has been doing so well in school. I am very proud of her.

Bond more with my son. He is growing up so fast and changing so fast. He is doing outstanding in school and makes good choices. I am proud of him as well.

Here is to the new year. May it be even better than the last. Always remember, you create your happiness and life is what you make it. Make it a great year!

Looking Back

Where did this year go? It seems like yesterday it was the start of the year and now it is almost over. I was looking back at my post from January and the things I wanted to accomplish this year.

Read 12 good books. I have read more than 12 good books this year. The best series that I read was The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I read all three books back to back. It was a very good read. I was so disappointed when it was over. I love to read books like that. I then watched the movies. They were good but I have yet to see a movie that is better than the book.

Loose 20 pounds. Well in fact I have lost a total of 24 pounds! At the beginning of the year I was diagnoses with a fatty liver and high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I was put on medication for the cholesterol and blood pressure. I started to walk in the park and now I walk about 35 miles a week and watch what I eat. My blood pressure is now fantastic and cholesterol is below150. I find out on Monday how my liver is doing.

Give 20 gallons at the blood bank. I did not reach this goal due to my health conditions. I wanted to make sure that I had all of my issues taken care of so I can donate for years to come. If all is well on Monday then I can start to donate again. I may even try to get a donation in before the end of the year.

Be happy with my decisions. Well that is another tough one. I have to make decisions that effect not only me and my family but also my team at work and patients that I see. I would have to say that there are few decisions that hind sight would change my choice. I would have to say that I am happy with my decisions that I made this year.

The past year dealt many challenges, both personal and professional. It seemed like there was one obstacle after another put in my path. I have been able to overcome those obstacles and turn them into inconveniences and learning experiences. I look forward to the many challenges that the new year will bring.