Me: I’m always open to inspiration. It’s one of those strength-and-weakness things. I get a huge catapult out of the chute until I get deflected in some other direction. So knowing that, guess the next part of this choose-your-adventure-story:

You listen to a boss at work talk about how his brother-in-law did an Ironman triathlon for his fortieth birthday. You have always been fascinated by triathletes and are an amateur cyclist. You need inspiration and goals to lose weight and get in shape. You turn 30 in two years, which seems a reasonable amount of time to train for such a triathlon.

If you want to acknowledge the man’s strength of character, dedication and endurance and then move on, please go to page 335.
If you want to try to train for an Ironman yourself for the year you turn 30, please go to page 231.

If you think I turned to pg 231, you’re absolutely correct. I decided then and there that in 2012, I would compete in an Ironman triathlon. Not to win or anything, just to finish. Flash forward to my cut body hobbling toward the finish chute, it’s so emotional and triumphant and…I’m way out in front of reality here. Hold on.

For those who don’t know and haven’t looked it up on wikipedia yet, the classic Ironman triathlon is a 2.4 mile open water swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride, which when completed is followed up by a standard 26.2 mile marathon run. And, mid-race cutoffs notwithstanding, contestants have to finish in 17 hours. If I use the term “Impossible Goal” to refer to the race, well you probably get it.

So here’s me, having never run a whole mile (this is before I ran that mile I mention in the last blog post), being an ugly, ugly swimmers whose technique/strategy in the pool is mostly to avoid drowning, and who has ridden 100 miles on a bike in a day once…in 10 hours…last fall. Also: looking in the mirror, my athletic build is best described as “Clydesdale” at the moment.
But hey, I have two years right? All of that can be accomplished if I completely change the way I live and take up running and swimming and workout 15 hours (at least!) a week. Not setting myself up for failure at all, am I?

Well, it’s been a month since I’ve decided to do this crazy thing and yes, some things have changed. First, I do want to take boxing seriously and while that’s not entirely at cross purposes with triathlon training, I’m also in school half-time and working full-time and I like my wife…there’s a finite amount of time available for me to do what I want. Maybe I start to waver on getting that ovular “140.6″ sticker to put on the back of the car, maybe an Ironman really is too much.

So my Ironman gets downgraded, maybe I go half Ironman (1.2mi swim, 56mi bike, 1/2 marathon) which isn’t as scary. And there are other lengths, too. The Olympic tri is a 1.5k swim (.93mi), a 40k bike (24.8mi) and a 10k run(6.2mi) which seems almost reasonable in comparison to the Ironman and Half Ironman. And the Sprint Triathlon, which is essentially a 1/2 Olympic, I could do tomorrow given proper nutrition and motivation, understanding that the swim part would suck beyond bad and that they’d probably drag me out of the water for causing danger to the other swimmers with my thrashing.

So all these maybes add up into one Iron-maybe. Here’s how I feel about it: I want to train like I’m going to do either a half or full Ironman in 2012. If I succeed I’m a huge stud and will have a story to tell my grandkids. If I fail I will be a very fit failure. Win-win, if I come up short I’ll still end up looking long and lean. And if the inspiration only carries me as far as it has already, which is to be someone who runs 10-15 miles a week, then it’s already done me a huge service. In the interim, maybe I hit a sprint or Olympic and maybe I love one of those distances. And hey, maybe I’ll see you at Couer D’Alene in 2012 running down that victory chute. After all, I’ve heard it’s an easy Ironman course.

A few of my “running memories” should shine even more light on this:

• The mile run was a big part of “field day” at my local elementary school. Even when young and skinny, I was not speedy. I’m not sure I ever came in last, but I never finished far from it. I remember one year where I was 2nd to last: I finished before a girl who walked the whole way. Lots of walking for me, too.
• 8th grade football practice. My buddies and I still remember an assistant coach (and another player’s father) driving me to keep running even though I was obviously not in shape to continue. They thought he was going to kill me. Needless to say this is not a pleasant memory. Heavy breathing, shame, lung discomfort. I was a chubby 8th grader and this was not a good way to encourage me to exercise.
• In high school, I played football my junior and senior years. I became convinced that Coach Clemens (his body type would be best described as “scrappy”) hated me because of how he drove me during conditioning. I felt like he was mocking me, and since I distinctly remember him running circles around me during jingle-jangles on occasion I can safely say he actually was mocking me. I know now that he didn’t hate me, he just hated that I was fat.
• I ran from home to the train when I was late once. It was the first time I could recollect that running didn’t suck. It was also the first time I tried running while not being a) very overweight or b) a smoker.

So recently I got an idea (more on that later…maybe) and decided to start running. As is my custom on such whims, I went and bought running shoes and shorts and socks and thought: Hey, maybe I’ll do it this time. I also thought: Hey, maybe I just wasted a bunch of money on crap I’ll never use.

On a Saturday afternoon, July 31st 2010, I went with my buddy Seth on a 3-mile walk/jog. We ran the whole last mile, it was the first time in my life I’d ever done such a thing without stopping, and I have to say…it felt great. And that’s the oddest thing I could’ve ever imagined.

Over the past three weeks I’ve kept it up, even ramped it up. Not everyday, but enough. I even woke up at 4am last Tuesday to run 3 miles before work. On Thursday, I ran a very slow 5k. Not only do I think I like it: I think I’m an addict. I think *gulp* I’m a runner.

I don’t know what it is, but I’m not a fan of the run/walk thing. I like to walk and stretch, do my run and then cool down. Also, it should be noted that when I say “run” I’m doing what most people call jogging. But for me: It’s a big deal.

There’s still the creeping doubt in my mind, though, that my wretched history of poor follow through will eventually catch up to me on this. But I think I’m somewhat reformed in that respect now. 2010 has been a good year for that. I’ve managed not to crap out on school after these three terms. I haven’t had a cigarette for almost 9 months, I’ve lost almost 40lbs since the start of the year and I’m still riding my bike almost every day (today I hit 2000 miles since I got her) and not only are those things indicative of a new attitude, they all put me in far better shape to succeed at running. Add that I’m also falling in love with boxing, and running “roadwork” is a huge part of the conditioning process for that, not to mention the impossible goal (like I said, more later) I may have set out for myself, I think I have the inspiration to keep it going as well.

But I guess we’ll see, until then it’s just one foot in front of the other.

But now, sunshine. The Fouth of Freaking July. Fireworks, barbecue smell and girls on bikes.

This town loves summer. And summer loves it right back.

Now, I’m sure summer in Paris is great. I’ve heard very good things about Denver. I’ve done New Orleans and Atlanta, Chicago, L.A. and Seattle and summer is nice all those places (Note concerning N.O. and Atlanta: Not if you’re a heavy sweater.) but I’ll be honest…I don’t think I’d trade.

So I’m asking myself here: Why is summer in the Rose City so…rosy? At first I figured it was just straight contrast. After all the months and months of gray and gloomy a warm day is like a drug here. There’s this smell of the trees heating up, the sun warming your skin. All of a sudden people are everywhere, wearing clothes that haven’t seen daylight in 8 months, and they’re all smiling in their sunglasses. The city looks, feels and smells like a different place.

And then it hit me: Summer in Portland has an entirely different color palate than Portland Winter. Just watch on a partly-cloudy day as the shade turns to sunlight. The trees are suddenly greener, the murals more vivid, the river gleams, the bridges and buildings all jump.

Portland is a beautiful city, even at its rainy/gloomy worst. Then the sun comes along and makes it even more beautiful. Imagine a woman or man that you find very attractive, then imagine something happening to this person that makes them 100x hotter. This is what the sun does to Stumptown.

That’s a huge part of it, but the nights are different too. The roll up doors come up and the chairs and tables come out at all your favorite places. Summer brews, crisp meals and patios. Mmm…summertime goodness.

And like that, there’s cloudcover. Happy Fourth all.

I love you flaky, beige and beautiful.

I love food. I’m a “foodie” even if I think the word is insipid. I love the good things in life; I enjoy good food, good drink and a life filled with art and love and all that. I can run off a list of my favorite restaurants in this town from southern comfort food (Screen Door!) to Asian infused gourmet (Chameleon) to pub grub that is many levels of awesome (Saravesa, home of the pasty). I love flavor, I love spice and savor, I love the color of spring vegetables and I love fresh, locally grown, organic produce. Mmmm.

That said, I absolutely adore oatmeal. It’s certainly not my favorite food by any means, but it’s likely my most commonly consumed food (in a dead heat with Apples); I eat it nearly every day. Not only do I eat it every day, but I don’t even sweeten it anymore except when I put a little honey in it on the weekends. So why wax poetic over this flavorless gruel? Because it is awesome. That’s why.

First, I bike to work most days but I don’t really need a ton of energy to bike 5.5 miles, so I don’t need something that will be readily available to my metabolism. What I do need in the morning is something warm and good for me that’s easy and takes zero time. I don’t mess with a pot and don’t have a microwave, so I just boil up some water and pour over some quick-oats and let it cook up while I’m getting all my shiz together for the day. Bam! Warm, nutritious meal in seconds.

Second, oatmeal is close to the least expensive breakfast in the world. Winco has it in the bulk section for 47 cents a pound. Note: A pound of oatmeal is a lot of oatmeal. Note also: That pound of oatmeal is going to last me at least a week, maybe two. Cold cereal is way more expensive, requires milk and more than likely has a crapload of preservatives and crap. My morning meal has two ingredients: Rolled Oats, Water.

Finally, this gruelly wonder is absolutely amazing for you. For starters, it’s low in calories and fat and I’ve heard that’s pretty good. It’s got decent fiber and protein (2 and 3 grams respectively), but more than that it basically undoes everything bad you’ve done to yourself. It’s been shown to lower choresterol and blood pressure (think of it as edible angioplasty, but less uncomfortable) and might even reduce the chances of type II diabetes, three things that (due to family history and a bit of hedonism) I’m a little worried about. Add in a pretty good spread of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and such and I’ll say “take that acai berry, like to see you cost me less than fitty-cents a pound” and neither Oprah or the acai berry can say anything about that.
Oatmeal is the yoga of food, no wonder old people love it! (Also, it’s possible that there are so many old people eating oatmeal because the ones that don’t eat it die at a higher rate…research should be done.)

So imagine with me if you will, the ideal breakfast. What would it be like? What do you want out of your morning meal? What if it were…

1. Fast and easy, taking very little time or effort.
2. Filling and satisfying, giving energy for hours.
3. Not terribly high in calories or fat.
4. Proven to give tangible health benefits to its eater.
5. Hot and warming.
6. Inexpensive
7. Delicious like candy or pizza.

So, other than not tasting like Eggs Benedict or a fruit pie, oatmeal has everything you could have ever wanted in a breakfast. This oatmeal nay, this SUPERFOOD, overcomes it’s lackluster flavor by being absolutely awesome in every other imaginable way. And it doesn’t taste bad it just doesn’t taste much. However, even if I take the stuff straight, you don’t have to. A little brown sugar and cinammon? A sliced banana? Raisins? All make oatmeal marvelous. I even went through a period where I’d put a fried egg in with my oatmeal (don’t hate, a fried egg truly does make everything better but that’s another blog post) for a tasty super-duper breakfast.

So yes, I love me some oatmeal.

That said, I get an itch sometimes at night to go out and do. Do what? I’m not even sure necessarily, but I get an urge to do ‘mischief’ sometimes. And it’s not even really mischief since mischievous actions sound either scandalous or vandalous and I’m not really up for ruining my marriage or my spotless criminal record on a given night. So what do I end up doing? I hop on my aluminum steed and drink beer at a dive bar on a weeknight, often alone. Exciting, eh? Sure I’ll meet an interesting person or get a decent story out of it most nights, but it’s mostly just hugely predictable.

But really, what else is there? Sure I can give a buddy a call and see if he wants to have some beers at his house or a bar, but that’s more of the same. It’s nice, but it’s not wild. A couple of beers with a buddy when you want wild will get you stone drunk in a strip club at closing time, which isn’t the end of the world but it’s just not that great.

I’m not saying alcohol is to be tacitly avoided, it should just not be the function or you’ll end up a) drunk, b) broke and c) unsatisfied/bored. I don’t have the inclination to go into this now, but I feel like those of us who go out and get drunk every once-in-a-while overstate the fun we’re having in order to somehow explain our actions, perpetuating to ourselves and our friends that it’s the thing to do. I’ll expand on this at some point, but I’m four paragraphs into this thing and still no idea on what I’m supposed to do this Wednesday when I have $15 and four hours to burn at eight or nine at night.

I also have too much on my plate with school and work to commit to a weekly activity. I’d love to do a softball league or some other fun regular activity, but that’s just not in the cards. So whatever I do, it has to be drop in friendly.

The solution methinks is planned spontaneity of some sort. I have heard of ‘possibilities calendars’ and I’m creating one with google calendars right now. I figure to put in weekly things like trivia nights, karaoke, upcoming cheap shows of interest. Stuff like that. Yeah, most of that will be in bars anyways but this is Portland, where else do we do stuff?

Note: So far the possibilities calendar is a psuedo-solution at best. But it’s really all I can think of right now. Word.

mmm...gadgety

I’m contemplating buying myself a pair of Bluetooth headphones. As with most gadgety purchases I have to ask myself, “Will this make my life better?” I think it will.

For me this is a not a simple yes or no question, though, it borders on the existential. I’m caught between loving technology and despising its stranglehold on our lives. Every time the nerd in me gets giddy over something, say…terabyte broadband internet for instance, the Luddite in me tells me to “get my ass outside and live a little, dammit!” However, that luddite nature has never had to work in a coal mine or plow a field with a team of oxen or ride a horse more than once. Plainly my Luddite nature is an all-talk pussy.

All joking aside, the question is a serious one to me. Will this moderately priced, attractive and useful device make my life better or just more complicated? Just for reference, here’s some examples of some things already in (or out of) my life compared to this standard…

• My Phone. The G1 has the FREAKING INTERNET ON IT HOW SWEET IS THAT!? OMG! SRSLY! Honestly, my phone is awesome. There are some design flaws that I’ll touch on later in this very post and the battery life is pretty weak, but having the internet at my thumbtips is lifechangingly awesome.
  Does it make my life better? I’ll say yes.
  More complicated? An extra monthly cost and a pretty high timewaste rating aside, the G1 actually ends up making my life less complicated. It’s an mp3 player, research library and organizational tool in one moderately clunky package that I’d be hauling around anyways because it’s my phone.
• My Bike. The bicycle is not nascent technology, but my aluminum soldier has all sorts of cutting edge gadgetry from reflective tape and a speedometer that I’ve put on after market to the pure-love that is Shimano 105 components with index shifting. Also, there’s a lot of gear to keep me from getting soaking wet and/or freezing to death while commuting.
  Does it make my life better? Cycling makes me happy. It’s good for my body, my attitude and my tree-hugging-heart.
  More complicated? Yes, but in a way that Luddites everywhere can appreciate. I might have to plan my trips and buy specialty clothing, but at the end of the day I’m not riding around in a dinosaur-burning metal and glass box.
• My computer. At this point, having a PC with internet service is a borderline necessity for most of us. It is beyond ubiquity now. I consider a working computer a home appliance, perhaps not as important as the stove or the fridge, but given the choice between owning a computer and owning a dishwasher I wouldn’t even think a minute. And I hate doing dishes.
  Does it make my life better? Mostly. School would be hard and the internet is really useful.
  More complicated? The internet is the cause and solution to all of life’s little problems. Computers at the best of times are cranky, inconsistent machines prone to intermittent problems and time-consuming workarounds. Add that I don’t use anything from Microsoft or Apple and you have a recipe for a time vacuum.
• My old Palm T|X. Man I thought that thing was sweet. It was going to make me organized! It was going to make my life easier! It’ll replace my mp3 player! Wifi in my pocket! None of this was true. I never had it with me. It was bulky and awkward, the headphone jack shorted-out halfway and I never got it fixed. I was able to check baseball scores from my bedside on the “mobile web” and the sudoku app was killer.
  Does it make my life better? If paying $250 for glorified pocket sudoku is wrong, I don’t want to be wrong.
  More complicated? Yes, nothing has been more complicated than trying to convince my wife that any gadget purpose is worthwhile when she can just pull out “but didn’t you think that about your palm-thingy?” It’s like a local version of Godwin’s Law: If Heather and I talk about a prospective purchase long enough, eventually she’ll bring up my Palm Pilot.

So, we were talking about headphones at some point weren’t we? Anyways, my rationale for these is pretty simple, here goes.

What makes me think “Bluetooth Headphones” will make my life better?

1. Wires suck. Whether biking or bussing, my messenger bag weighs a pretty penny. Whenever I put the bag on or take it off over wired headphones I pull them out or they tug against my ears. I know it sounds like I’m being a little bitch, but do this 5 times over the course of a public transit commute and you get a little bitter about it. Also, I have no idea how it happens, but headphones must run around a maypole while I’m not looking or something because I’m constantly not just untangling my headphones, but undoing countless unintended knots as well.
   Sounds like a problem easily solved by a bluetooth headset. Bonus: Not having to wire myself under my jacket to hide my hideous earbuds with the phone mic on them.
2. The G1′s glaring design flaw. Okay, go find my friend Danny and ask him about the headphone jack or lack thereof on the G1. Go make a pot of coffee. Go to Papa Murphy’s and buy a pizza, go home and bake it. After you eat it go back to Danny and listen to the last 1/2 hour of his rant about the G1′s single mini-usb port. It’s pretty bad, I’ll admit. You can’t charge it and use headphones at the same time. It requires an adapter to use your own headphones, and apparently the adapters are prone to breakage. I have the actual headphones that plug in from the old model and they’re large and ungainly.
   Imagine not only charging my phone and using headphones at the same time on my phone, but imagine me walking around unfettered within a short distance of my phone. Not unforeseeable that the next time Danny gears up for his rant I can reply calmly that they must have had a headset like mine in mind when they made their terrible design mistake. (I don’t understand why more commercials don’t use this setup, it’s effective.)
3. Hello, Oregon’s hands-free law, meet my sweet bluetooth headset.
4. Hello computer, glad to know you have bluetooth operability, I’ll be sure to not carry my other set of headphones with me all the time.

Well, I’m convinced. What do you guys think?

- PIR’s Winter Wonderland Bike Night. Some friends and I got together and rode up to Portland International Raceway and got to tour the track’s light display on our bikes. Way cooler than in a car, I’d reckon. Also: Free hot chocolate after.

- Biking to bars. I went to Hop and Vine (~1.5 miles) and Kennedy School (4 miles) to see some friends on different nights. Hooray for Zombieland.

- Disc Golf. Luckily PJ lives near Pier Park, because going from being on a bike for 30 minutes to being outside walking for a while wouldn’t have been fun.

So I can’t let the cold stop me from cycling to work and the activities I love. Let’s see if I can live with the rain in the same way.

Bikeportland.org has a great article up on getting gear for winter riding, but I thought I’d share my setup since I’ve taken some time putting it together. If it seems like I’m a fanboy for Columbia Sportswear (and sub-brands Montrail and Mountain Hardwear), you’re partially right (especially on Montrail and Mtn Hardwear, their stuff is entirely awesome) but I do have the ability to get their stuff direct from the employee store so it doesn’t often make sense to go elsewhere if I can get what I need there.

The Setup

I ride a Specialized Allez Sport. I’ve put ~870 miles on “Alice” so far, 100+ of that coming from a century ride in September. Other than the rear wheel problems covered briefly below (which are being resolved), I couldn’t be happier with my aluminum horse. She has Shimano 105 components throughout and upgrades (if any) will likely be minor for the life of the bike. For long rides I use my clipless pedals, but for commuting I have Decksters so I don’t need to carry an extra pair of shoes for work.

The Gear

Anyone who commutes by bike needs all or most of the following if they plan on pedaling to work after the onset of fall.

Fenders – After the first rainfall there’s no excuse for riding without them. Keeping wetness and road-grime where it belongs (mainly anywhere not on your body or bag) is huge when it gets wet outside, leaving your other gear to deal with the current conditions and not the most recent rainstorm. Without them expect a black/brown trail of awesome on your back and the occasional road soup in your face. Mmm.

Rain Jacket/Pants – Particularly in Portland you need to be able to keep yourself dry. I have a Columbia rain jacket and some Mtn Hardwear pants that pack into my bag so I’m ready when the skies open up.

Cold Jacket/Pants – I’m not going snowboarding on the way to work and I’m not riding to work in the snow, so my needs are usually either braving the cold or braving the wet. For the cold I have a Columbia soft shell that I’ve had for a few years that does a pretty decent job of blocking out the wind and the cold without the bulk of a full jacket. As for pants, if what I’m wearing is insufficient I have a pair of snowboarding pants that should do the trick.

Shoes – I’ve also had some unfun experiences with deep puddles (all day clammy socks are not awesome) and cold winds on my feet. Boots are no fun to ride in so the best thing is a comfortable and waterproof (or at least resistant) shoe that you can wear to work. I  just bought a pair of Montrail Mountain Masochist shoes with a GORE-TEX liner to keep my toes toasty and dry. I may also eventually purchase a pair of gaiters to bridge the gap between pants and shoes, but I’ve already spent far too much money* on this stuff for now.

Gloves – I actually just bought a pair of these puppies, which should more than do for my purposes. I didn’t even know Mountain Hardwear made gloves for competition ice climbing, but they should do the trick for me in any conditions this winter throws at me. However, I’m sure most winter riding gloves that are designed for biking would do the trick just as well.

Check your head – I’ve been wearing this beanie by Endura which fits snugly over my huge head and under my helmet**. I team it up with a great old wool scarf, since I can’t bring myself to wear a ski mask.

Bag – Another Mountain Hardwear plug, my Sentinel messenger bag could be my single favorite possession on the planet. It might not have the hipster hotness of a Chrome buckle bag, but it works just as well for what I need. It fits comfortably on my back with plenty of room for my lock, my lunch and anything else I might need. I try not to love “things” too much in my life, but I’ll make an exception for my bike and my bag. It’s also completely waterproof and has some reflecty goodness which brings me to….

Lights – It’s dark out there, please light up. Being warm and dry is great, but not being hit by cars is even better.

After writing all this, I’m actually kinda pumped up about riding tomorrow. Wish me luck.

* Especially when you only consider the cost of fuel when comparing the economy of cycling and driving. I factor in the environment, exercise and exhilaration into the equation. However, I’d like it to save real money as well, since that’s a huge factor when cyclevangelizing.

** I’m not going to rail anyone anymore about not wearing a helmet. I’m just going to go with a paraphrase of what my good friend Danny says on the subject: Anyone who rides a bike without a helmet has made the decision that they have nothing that’s worth protecting with one.

I’m also just happy to have the thing back. Rode to work on Wednesday and didn’t mind the cold at all (however, I have purchased an under-helmet beanie and some sturdier gloves since), in fact I hope to keep riding to work except in icy/snowy conditions.

Yesterday (Friday), I got the most riding-in-a-day since my century at the end of September. I escorted Seth on his first commute to work and basically ran all around town. I only totaled 20 miles or so, but it still felt great. It’s easy to forget just how much I love riding, but I’m back in business.

Also, Monday night is PIR’s car-free winter wonderland. Anyone up for it?

As always, the greatest roadblock to this blog’s success/survival will be my ability to continue generating content. Those who know me know that I’m fantastic out of the blocks but have a nearly fatal lack of follow through. In order to increase the chances of said success/survival I’m going to widen the scope from what aletown was going to be originally. Instead of being a blog about baseball in Portland, I will blog about a variety of things: Portland, baseball, other sports, beer, cycling, politics, religion, and whatever happens to be on my mind. Maybe it works, maybe it won’t, I just hope that it succeeds or fails based on the the quality of what I’m doing – not because I fail to keep doing it.

Thanks to my friends for reading my stuff. Your support is much appreciated, and hopefully I can show that appreciation by not making you look at the same article at the top of my page for months on end.

Cheers,

Will