I TRI

After much training, I finally competed in a tri-athalon this past weekend. It started at 7:30 in the morning with a 1 mile swim, then a 20 mile bike, then finished of with a 6 mile run. By the time it was all said and done I was exhausted but felt very triumphant! I did pretty well, beating my time last year by 8 minutes. This year I also conned my brother Jared into coming up and competing too. 

Jared finishing up

Me and Jared right after he finished

Meet Beatrice

About two months ago, after much thought, I purchased a Trek road bike. It has proven to be one of the best investments I have ever made. I look forward to getting to ride my bike everyday that I can. I bought it initially because I wanted something better to ride during the upcoming triathalon, but now I am thinking about really trying to get into my biking during the spring and summer. Last weekend I was about 5 miles out when I got my first flat. As a newbie, I didn't have any of the necessary tools to fix the tire, so I ended up walking the whole 5 miles back to campus.

A shot of the lovely Beatrice

This is the new carry on pack I bought for the bike. I ended up getting it for free because the cashier forgot to ring it up.

Remembering Dad

The other day I noticed some herbal essences shampoo and it brought me back to a childhood memory of the smell of the shampoo that my dad always used. From this, I realized shampoo rhymed with the word canoe and that just got me going. The following is a poem I wrote in memory of my dad and all the things that remind me of him.

Dad

The taste of an orange and the smell of herbal essences shampoo

the sound of man who can't sing in church and the sight of an 'ol canoe

The cans of sardines covered in mustard and those blurry programs on tv

The feeling that there was someone bigger and knowing church held the key

The time he told my ccd class that I had a brownie with something more

and the fact that he would pay me way too much money for just  about any chore

The idea that a tree house should be twenty feet in the air

and the way he wore his clothes, giving matching no care

The thought that pictures were the best type of souvenir

and the ugly head above the fireplace of his first killed deer

The stink given off by one of those old rusty vans

and the thrill of leaving for a vacation without any plans

The way he rubbed my feet not worried if they were dirty or clean

and the embarrassment he loved to give me when I was about thirteen

The rumble of a motorcycle and the constant energy he always had

and how each and every one of these words leads me to the word Dad