Birthday Presents are even better when you buy them for yourself

So my birthday is right around the corner and I needed to buy some new things too. For quite sometime I have been wanting to get a new watch. For the past 6 or 7 years I have been wearing 20 or 30 dollar watches, and they have held up decently but, they aren't that nice. The way I feel about a watch is that it should be nice. I see a watch as not just a time piece but as part of your wardrobe just as shoes or a shirt. A nice watch says a great deal about the person wearing it. However that is not to say that you need to spend a ton of money on one either. The watch I had was about 2 years old and I paid 28 dollars for it. I could say I got my moneys worth. If you have never held an expensive watch or wear one, just go into a store and pick one up and you will realize the difference between my 28 dollar timex and a more expensive watch. So I went shopping last night and bought myself some birthday presents with my tax return.

I shopped around at 3 different well know jewelers in dallas and got a great deal on a TAG Heuer Automatic Aquaracer. It is really nice watch and I plan to keep it for many years to come. It has the black face and I am really pleased with it.

I also needed new sunglasses since the pair I have had for the past 3 years finally bit the dust. I think I may have had to much fun on St. Patricks day because ever since they were bent and when I bent them back the metal hinge almost broke. So I got another 2 weeks out of them almost.. So it just so happened that about 2 weeks ago I got a gift certificate in the mail from the sunglass hut for 20 dollars off as a present for my birthday. So I decided to go use it. I went in an looked around and wanted a different pair of glasses. I had a pair of tortise shell ray-bans for the past 3 years and wanted to change it up. So one pair stuck out and I think they look great. I ended up buying a pair of Prada sunglasses. They weren't cheap but hell either is a pair of 200 dollar ray-bans or something else. What I like about them is that they are very different and unique from most other guys glasses that I know. I like them quite a bit.  So that was my birthday presents. I also ended up paying 500 plus dollars for my ticket to madison for the half marathon with laura in may. It sucks what 2 weeks difference will make on airline fares. O-well.

Workout wise today I had 5mi run at a super slow pace this morning. I almost ran at a 9min/mile pace. I haven't ran that slow in years it was quite peaceful too. After that I came in and did about 25min of yoga. I always DVR this show called Namaste Yoga on FIT-TV channel and do those. Its nice because I always have about 5 episodes on my DVR and I can do them whenever I want and they are always different routines.

Today I had to go out to a jobsite for work and what I thought would be about 2hrs time spent there ended up in 6hrs. I didn't get home until 6:45 and was going to just eat dinner and relax, but as I walked up the past the shitty ass work out facility in our apartment I saw 2 people working out and said to myself is why would anyone ever torture themseleves by spending time inside when they could go outside and run. Then I get to my apartment and look out the window and see tons of people running, and biking by on the Katy Trail in a slowly setting sun with a warm breeze blowing the leaves on the tree, that makes one reminesce of my mispent youth running around Glendale, Ohio. When I saw that seen and thought of 2 people stuck in the basement of an apartment complex in a former laundry room on an elliptical machine, and I said I have to get out there on my bike and ride. So I went out and rode around for 47mins. 

One thing I practiced a bunch was my Transition 1's and 2's for my sprint races. I practiced leaving my shoes on my bike and jumping on it and strapping in and begininng to pedal. I also practiced leaving my shoes on the bike and taking my feet out and pedaling with my feet on top of my shoes and hopping off barefoot. I really messed up one time and fell on the top tube of my bike. It was not a plesant feeling for the little boys. But you gotta learn somehow right? What I was trying to learn and eventually got the hang of was these links :  and

So check them out and that is what I practiced today. It was a good day for me long but good. Tomorrow I have to pack all my stuff for the race and go to this stupid training for work from 4-6pm. I don't think I will swim tomorrow am but try to get in a good bike ride in tomorrow night. At worst case I will swim tomorrow pm.

When you write a goal down on paper its always there to remind you!

Well I had a little too much fun last night out with friends. I won't write about for the world to hear but if you are interested let me know. It has made today a little rough.

Today I went for a 2 hour bike ride which was very slow and casual.  We rode all over Dallas and saw many of the sites in the city. It was nice and got me thinking about how the Tour of Dallas I am doing the weekend after my race will be really cool.

I really just wanted to write in about my goal. I cut out of the last Triathlon magazine a clipping of the Ironman Wisconsin race bio. I hung it on my wall and wrote 2009 on it. This is the goal. In the year 2009 I will begin the one of the largest undertakings in my entire life. I will after completing the Ironman 70.3 race in Austin, Texas take a break and figure out my plan for racing the Ironman Wisconsin race. The race will be in September 2009. It is now a going to become a reality. Its just a matter of time.

About 2 years ago I began my first training program ever. I got on runners world and downloaded a half marathon training plan. I did this for one reason, and there is one person to thank. That person is Fernando Rodriguez.  Fernando was my boss at Turner Universal when I first started working in Janruary 2004.  I had another opportunity to work with him in the summer of 2006 at Turner. He is a great mentor and a positive person who I have learned a great deal from over the years. I really look up to him in many ways. He is one of the people that I was sad that I left behind when I transferred to Dallas. I throughly enjoyed working with him. Anyways thats who Fernando is. When I told him about how much I was running and how I had done some 5k's recently he said simply, that I should train for a half marathon. Plain and simple he is one of the reasons that I am where I am today. He put it simply, just get a plan and stick to it and the training does the rest. From what I can recall, from that day forward I began to research what Half marathons I could race in and where I could get guidance on a training plan. I found what I needed in Runners world magazine and there online website. I set the goal of training for The St. Judes Half marathon in memphis in December 2006. I started my training when I went back to school and one thing I did was print it out and post it on my wall. I crossed off each day that I had a workout and looked at it everyday. I also wrote the date of the race on it as a constant reminder.

What I am trying to convey is how your goals, dreams, and aspirations can always be attained and achieved no matter how lofty. I put reminders of these goals on display for me to see everyday. I look at them a thousand times a day. I stare at them thinking, hoping, and dreaming of what will come. Not only are they there for me to see but everybody that comes in my apartment sees them as well. This is a great way for me to share my dreams with friends. It helps to keep me accountable for what I am trying to achieve because every time someone asks me what they are I tell them. This simple act of printing the race registration or in my case putting the ad's and articles about the races I am running in from Triathlete magazine on the wall will help me to make my dreams reality.  This little trick works too. I encourage anyone to try it for anything at all. A fellow person on runnersworld traithlon forum has a quote that sums up this topic.

You can quit and sure nobody else cares, but you'll always know you quit. 

It was a good friday wasn't it????

Oh how it has been a good friday. I slept in an was rested but a little groggy, I didn't go to bed until 3:30 and woke up at 8:30. The week went well as I wrote about on monday. I still am dissapointed because I have not yet received my DVD what it takes yet.. I got 2-3 priority mail and here it is friday 5 days after I ordered it and it still hasn't shown up. Damn mail system. I hate the USPS system, and much prefer UPS or Fedex. 

Today we planned to go for a 50mi ride on the bikes. Tommy, Mike, and myself found a route on the internet and we packed up the car and rode down south to Waxahachie, its about 35 or 40 miles south of dallas and started our ride. It could not have been a better day for it too. The sun was shining about 75 degrees and hardly a cloud in the sky. At numerous points during the ride I realized that I much more enjoy riding the country like that with limited cars and minimal stops. It was great. I have this feeling that we will be doing this much more often in the future. 

The only complaints were the road was quite rough at times and the wind was harsh. However this isn't really a complaint because it only prepares me for race day because you will never know what you are gonna get come race morning, but its key to be in control of the things that "YOU" are in control of.  One of those is being training in conditions like today so if thats what your given you can pull back to those memories of easter weekend and riding 50 mi in rough winds and bumpy roads. This is when I will tell myself, you did it then so lets do it this time... Its funny how your mind and heart take you across the finish line and not your legs or your arms.

In closing I am only 9 days away from my first Half Ironman and couldn't be more thrilled. I did this with Team In Training and didn't really ever even train with them, but I raised the money more than expected too. I was sent an email from a coach and I will post a little something that they wrote. I enjoyed reading it so maybe you will too.

The time is drawing near for you to put aside your fear. We all were once in the same boat thinking "Will I sink or will I float?, Will my legs really spin pedaling into the wind? Will I take a big spill going up that big hill? Will I run to the finish? Will my strength be diminished? Will I suffer defeat or become a better triathlete?

But all of us, we made it, through the water, and on the pavement, ....... So when you see that big banner, when you see that big clock,  fall back on your training and relish in it because it will be something that you never forget....

Short on Work, Long on Training

This one is going to be short but something is better than nothing. My workouts were great today. I had a 2800m swim this morning and then a 21 mile ride this evening in which I averaged 19.4 mph. I was hauling ass down the Katy trail.... it was great! This week will prove to be a great week for a couple reasons.

1. I ordered the movie "What It Takes" on Sunday. I got both the Trainer Edition and the Standard edition. I am so excited about watching this I can't even begin to explain. I am so excited in fact that I am considering setting up my TV outside and riding on my trainer when I get it. I have a feeling that I will watch both of these movies on a regular basis and they will serve as inspiration when the training begins to get tough.

Time for a tangent.... A recent post on runnersworld triathlon forum, was what type of motivating things should you say to a person competing in an ironman while you are a volunteer. A few Ironman finishers posted their comments. However, there was one that stood out among all the rest. This comment really helps to paint the picture of why I want to complete one of these races. The comment was simple, short and sweet, it was: "Your going to be an Ironman" If someone to say that to me at mile 14 or 18 of the 26.2 run, I would feel re-invigorated and that special thought would come back into my head as to why I am doing what I am doing. To me completing an Ironman is 10+ hours of grueling, punishing, but yet satisfying work, that once completed, I will own the bragging rights of being an Ironman for a lifetime. Just watch the videos and you'll see what I mean. Here are some cool videos Ironman and Ironman 2 and Ironman 3

Anyways... 

2. I don't have to work on Friday another great thing...

3. Friday is a free day to get in some great training. I am planning on going somewhere far off in the country and going for like a 60-70 mile ride on the bike. Slow and easy but fun...

4. Saturday is an open water swim at lake grapevine. I can't wait for this. I get to wear my wetsuit in the open water. I love the challenge of swimming in the open water. I want to do about 2000-3000 meters or around 1 - 2 hours of swimming. Then go maybe get to know some of my Team In Training Team mates a little better.

5. Mike is having people over tomorrow night for a cookout so that will be fun.

6. Wednesday night I am cooking a swordfish recipe from the latest issue of Men's Health, it should be a good meal too. I think I will have grilled asparagus too. 

If all of these reasons don't make this into a good week, I don't know what will... So a short posting, I guess not..

I will be sending my blog out to a distribution list of my close family and friends.... If you would like to be added to this list please email me at bskyllingstad@gmail.com

Have a good night...

Well here are the results:

St. Patricks Day Triathlon Results

I didn't place in my age group but ended up getting 7th. I was pleased with this performance. My computer told me I averaged over 20.7 mph on the 12 mile bike leg. I was able to hit a 4:57 in my swim but its probably closer to a 4:40 in the swim because I had to wait to get out of the pool and run a bit before I got to the mat for the timing chip. The swim was 300 meters so I averaged about 1:31 per 100 meters. The run was weak, I could have gone faster but for the first mile I had a side stitch that I couldn't shake because my nose was stuffed up and couldn't take deep breathes. Normally when I get a side stitch I take deep breaths breathing from your stomach in through my nose and out through my mouth. What I mean by breathing from my stomach is imagine and try wen you take a deep breath let you stomach be pushed out and not sucked in. Its a technique that I learned in yoga. By breathing like this when you have a side stitch it helps to relax your diaphragm and alleviate the side stitch quickly. I normally can get ride of a side stitch before it even starts. I realized my description of breathing through your stomach isn't very good so here is a link. Belly Breathing

Besides not getting a medal I was very happy with my performance. When you compare results to last year there was a bunch more competition in the race. My time from this year would have put me in the top 3 in my age group when compared to the results from last year.

Yesterday ended up being one drunken day too. We went to Greenville Ave. for the block party they had and a few houses too. It was good time, and needless to say I ended up in bed at 11:30pm. But that is a long day after waking up at 4am. So now I am gonna go for an easy ride on the bike.

"Those who gossip with you will gossip of you."

"You'll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind."

"Your feet will bring you to where your heart is."

"Praise the young and they will blossom."

"A silent voice is music to the ears."
-Irish Proverbs


I'm a drinker with a writing problem.
-Brendan Behan

And...

"I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted."
-George Best

How many times in your life have you heard a short quote and thought it simply captures your raw feelings and emotions better than a 1000 words could ever describe. This has happened to me many times. Another one of my favorites is

Discipline is doing what you don't want to do so you can do what you really want to do....

Jeff Fischer--Tennessee Titans Head Coach

That quote has carried me through the past 2 years and 3 half marathons, 1 duathlon, numerous 10k's and 5k's, 3 sprint triathlons, 2 olympic distance tri's, and a 100km bike ride. Those 19 words can better describe my inner personal drive than I could. Today those words will take me through my 4th sprint triathlon.

As I sit here at 5am on a saturday only after going to bed at 10am on a Friday night, which by the way is the earliest I have gone to bed on Friday since my last saturday morning race many a moons ago. I pondered many things before I went to bed last night. I am a big advocate of visualisation and actively imagining each step and movement of a race. While I am thinking of the process I am constantly reminding myself of the way my body is going to feel physically and mentally. I try to imagine the intensity I will be racing at and draw back on those hard mornings in the pool, long winter days on the trainer in my hotel room in Houston, where the hotel staff knew me as the "Bike Guy", and not to mention the long morning in Austin at my first marathon.

It is critical to remember the experiences and feelings your body goes through in training because those thoughts and emotions will be what takes you to the finish line, and in my honest opinion, the longer the race the more important your mental state affects how you will finish.

Have you ever asked yourself "What was Chris McCormack thinking when he hopped off his bike after riding 112 miles in the heat and humidity of Kona, HI only to strap on his shoes to run a 2:20 something marathon." www.chrismccormack.com  What drives him and how do you emotionally and mentally take your body to that limit. As I sit here and write this I already know the answer for myself, and that is what is important, My answer is that he believed he could do it and nothing was going to stop him from doing it. When I believe I can do something, it's just a matter of time before I can get my body physically to the place where my mind already is.....

So didn't write much this week but I had a good week. I had good swims on monday and wednesday, a good bike on monday and thursday, my first tempo run since the marathon. This felt good. On Tuesday I did a 5mi 38min run on the katy trail, and friday was a rest day and I am racing this morning at and I hope to go out 100% and post a good time. www.stpatrickstriathlon.com I am going to leave it all out on the course and learn by failure... If I get a medal then thats great if not, I just ran a race with 2 good friends and am already looking forward to the next. Its gonna be nice to sit around afterwards with friends and talk about what we each learned and struggled with at the race.

Well off for now and I am already getting the butterflys, but that is good thing to me, if you don't have those then your not nervous and if your not nervous then your mind has been put in a place where what ever you are about to do doesn't really have much meaning to you. I mean think about why do you get nervous? I get nervous because I am concerned about performing well in the race. But what does that really mean? It means that this race is really important to me and that no matter what time I post its a big thing in my life that has significant meaning in my life. Fail or succeed, to not be nervous or anxious or what ever you want to call it before a big event in my eyes means you don't care two shits about the event or presentation or what ever it may be.

So many races so little time

Good afternoon, I just got done registering for a 90 mile ride from Austin Texas, to Shiner, Texas to take a tour of the Shiner Bock brewery and drink lots of beer. My friend Mike and Tommy will be doing the ride too. This will be the farthest I have ever ridden too. Its going to be a great practice for Buffalo Springs 70.3 which is a really hilly bike course and will be tough. That is on June 29th and the Shiner Ride is on May 3rd. I already can't wait. I am doing so many cool races this year. I love Texas and all of the races that you can do here.

Yesterday, I did about a 30mi ride followed by a 10mi bike ride. I felt quite strong the entire time i was doing it. It was a good practice before my first half ironman (HIM). What I have begun to realize that having run the marathon has really made me feel confident in my ability to run 13 miles. Its so easy for me know to do that distance. I could run that distance all day. The confidence I have now is superb. I kind of wish I could have ran the 10mi a bit faster but no worries, with time will come speed.

I did Yoga today for about 40 minutes, I was quite sore from yesterdays workout. This should help with that soreness.

Last night I got a call from a good friend Jen from college. It was really nice to hear from her. When I think back to my college experience, I recall many good memories. But some people and some certain experiences stand out above all others. Some of those people like, Tyler, Mike, Chris, and some memories like karaoke. That is where Jen comes into play. In college I was a bit on the hefty side and now not so much. With that being said not too many girls were ever attracted to me nor did I meet that many girls while I was in college. Jen was different and she was someone that I became great friends with. She was really like the first girl that I got to know well in college. Through her I met many of her friends and gained a great group of friends. This may sound a little weird but this didn't happen until I was a junior in college. I mean I could count the girls I knew in college on 2 hands and some of those were people I knew before I went to school. To give you an idea of how fat and how few girls I knew in college, I was never once in my 5 years at school ever invited to any sorority date party, formal or anything like that. Some may laugh when they hear that but it kinda sucked for me. Some people went to those things all the time and I never went to a single one. What is really funny is I learned how cruel girls and others can be to people when they are fat. I mean most girls would never give me the time of day when I was fat and as I began to start to loose weight more and more girls started to be nice to me and actually realize that oh this guy isn't so bad anymore now that he lost a few pounds. I think its so funny how having a better body will make more girls appeal to you, but hell I am the same way about girls. However when I was fat I never really felt like I was fat and should have paid more attention to the fact that I had to keep buying bigger pants.

Jen is a great person and truly a good friend of mine. Yesterday while I was riding my bike I thought about her and what she might be doing. The reason I thought about her was I just think about college and what some of my friends might be doing and she just happen to be one that I thought of. What was crazy was that I got a call from her last night while I was walking to a bar and it was really nice to hear from her and hear about what she was doing. Of all the people at school Jen is one that I miss hanging out with. What is great about Jen is that through me having a girlfriend and at sometimes being mean to her and I apologize for this, she is till my friend and hasn't wavered that is the mark of a good person and friend.

I feel like I am starting to get a little long winded and the day is passing away as I type so enough for now...