Math Leagues and Haymakers

There hasn’t been much to write about in the past few weeks. The weather for the last few rides has been sunny, I didn’t hardly get lost, and even a fund raiser we put together was pretty successful.

And all this good news makes for terrible writing material. Having good things happen just isn’t funny.

The 100-miler I did was so amazing – every turn had color coded markings before, during and after each turn. The only way they could have made it simpler was to put my bike on rails. I tried my hardest to get myself lost, but to no avail. The best I could muster was getting slightly befuddled as to which parking lot the ride started.

This past weekend’s ride I started about a half-hour ahead of the main group, so I could head up to my second cousin Aidden’s Christening (baptism) party. Again, the weather was accommodating.

It was slightly cool, and a bit humid, and it rained for just a bit, but the only downside was that all the salty goodness that I was saving in my helmet ran down and deposited on my glasses. I think if most people took a good look at what came out of their pores when they exercised, the fitness industry would be crippled on the spot.

Since I have had no time to train during the week, getting about 15 minutes and 45 minutes of total training in apart from the marathon rides on Saturdays, my strength has been slipping. In spite of my lead, a number of folks overtook me in the latter party of last Saturday’s ride, which darkened my mood to complement the inclement weather. And there was a new face in the crowd – Peter.

Peter is a triathlon junkie, plain and simple. I did a mini one once (mountain bike, kayak, run) in 1999 before my knees decided that my running days were through, and it was fun, but I didn’t take the whole thing very seriously. But tri junkies take it all very seriously.

At one of the rest stops, Peter explained to us how you can save a few seconds by taping the tops of GU to your crossbar, that way you don’t have to rummage for the little packets of Manna from Heaven and you don’t have to fumble to tear them open.

We just looked at him the way dogs tilt their heads quizzically at bicycles. Save a few seconds? This isn’t a race, and we’re going to be riding for about 6 hours so what was a few seconds here or there going to do? He just stared back at us, not getting how important seconds can be in a triathlon. We might as well have been speaking different languages to each other.

While the guy had the passion for tris as strongly as the kid who doesn’t get why others don’t understand why it’s so cool to be champion of the Math League, this guy could ride. My feeble legs kept up with him for a bit, but when he decided to get going, he quickly became a lycra-coated speck on the horizon.

You know what, I just remembered that I did miss the very last turn on that ride. I hope that makes every one feel a bit better that everything is right in the world.

After the ride, I headed up to Walden, NY, the bucolic town where my cousin Veronica and her husband Dave are raising three amazing kids. Because of the ride, we were arriving a few hours late, and most had “loosened up” by the time we got there.

Now, when you look at yourself every day, you don’t notice changes. But apparently I look as though I’ve lost some weight (Actually, I weigh about 5 lbs. less than when I started, at about 190 lbs.). Looking so apparently healthy, one of my aunts decided that she needed to gauge my level of fitness by planting a haymaker right above my belly button. As I was curled up in a ball of pain, I don’t know if she got a satisfactory answer.

I must say, if getting sucker punched at family parties is an advantage to being healthier, I am looking forward to chunking up again.

Oh, I am about $700 from my goal, so if you haven't gotten around to making on a donation, now would be an excellent time. You can mail me a check (245 5th Street, #1 Jersey City, NJ 07302) made out to ""Leukemia & Lymphoma Society" or save yourself the 39 cents and click on the link below:

http://www.active.com/donate/tntnonj/tntnonjEFlemin