Saturday Stream of Consciousness

I'm having a bachelor's weekend. The Mrs.® and the Boy® departed on Friday for parts unknown to view a college graduation of Niece Numero Uno. The first thing I did not do was a Tom Cruise Risky Business impersonation. I was going to cycle but at that exact moment Mother Nature laughed in my face and said, "Oh, Dearie no." A few crackles of thunder and the rain set in.

So I putzed. That's what men do. We putz. If you aren't sure that that entails...ask around.

I did end up watching Without Limits. It is a 1998 biographical film about the friendship between running star Steve Prefontaine and his coach Bill Bowerman, who had co-founded Nike, Inc. Billy Crudup plays Prefontaine and Donald Sutherland plays Bowerman.

Without Limits was produced by Tom Cruise. Yep, that Tom Cruise. Cruise originally wanted to play the role of Steve Prefontaine, but it was decided he was too old. Well, duh! Tommy Lee Jones turned down the part of Bill Bowerman. I think Sutherland did a great job. The film is a must see if. I bet you put on the running shoes and head out once the film is over.

We now have a robin who has nested directly above one of our backyard security lights. So the light goes on...off...on...off, all night long. I'd move the nest but I am 99.9% certain she is, ahem, with child. I'm going to leave it be. After all, it is Mother's Day on Sunday.



I'm trying to decide whether to head to Bismarck for their annual triathlon on June 14. Or bag that long haul and instead race locally at the Liberty Tri on June 13. Or skip a race that weekend altogether and give the Achilles (or whatever will be the injury flavor of the month in June) a period to heal.

I like the Bismarck course and it is flat and fast. But the Liberty Tri is literally in my backyard and is where I do all my cycling, So I know each hill, pothole, and blade of grass like it belongs to me. Well, I pay taxes so I suppose the road does belong to me.

The other thing about the Liberty Tri: It is a special qualifier event for the 2009 USAT Age Group Championships!! USAT A.G. Championships will be held in Tuscaloosa, AL on August 22nd. The Liberty Triathlon will qualify the top 33% or top 5 people (whichever is greater) per age group for the 2009 Age Group Nationals.

One problem with that: I can't even run a 5K, how will I run a 10K? I guess I'll cross that bridge should I come to it.

I'm considering jumping into a few of the local Tuesday night cycling time-trials hosted by Gear West Bike & Triathlon and Cadence Multisport. The T'N'T Time Trials are certified by American Bicycle Racing. I've never done one of these, and so I'm being a little like Bashful from Snow White. Maybe I need to be like Dumbo and find my magic feather that will make me fly? I do know that if I want to achieve my goal this year of racing in the 22 MPH zone, I need to practice speed.

The only problem is the Boy® has soccer on Tuesday's. Maybe if I just did two time trials....?

That's all for now. I have a kickstand I need to put on the Boy®'s bike. I know, kickstand = loser but he also just 'parks' the bike wherever he jumps off. Whether the middle of the driveway, the street, on the neighbor's cat....he needs to learn the bike is an extension of himself. "Take the pebble from my hand, Grasshopper."

Have a good one.