32 LOVE FOR TWO

Some training updates before I get right to the point of the post. Still on track for the Half Ironman on August 10th at Mentor Headlands. Have been getting in long runs....the biking has been going well too. The Red Cannondale is loving life ,"rightside up".

Went to the Fairport Harbor swim Tuesday morning. Some of the regulars..Karen Ruth, Juan, Joe Rodriguez, Kathy, and others were there. We got alot of new folks and there were 6 or 7 kayaks keeping an eye on the newbies. We swam .4 mile out to the breakwall. Waited for the folks who were struggling a bit....Regrouped and then swam back to shore. Then, I tacked on another half mile swimming along the shore to the mouth of the Grand River and back. Water was like glass. Spectacular!!! The Beach management said they were not happy about two triathletes that went out a half hour before everyone else. Beach Brass means business and wants NO accidents, and the like. I can appreciate that. I promise pictures in coming weeks. The swim is worth it for the food that Kathy cooks up.

Today, I met a woman, Kristen Minnick who is competing in the Cleveland Triathlon Sprint on August 3rd in downtown Cleveland. She is one of a few families who are doing the race, and having their child with cerebral palsy,"along for the ride"...like the Hoyts have been famous for all these years. In fact,, Kristen met Dick Hoyt (YOU TUBE VIDEO) last year and was inspired. This is her first triathlon. I interviewed her and will do a piece on the news next week. Her daughter Julia, is 3, born on Christmas day. A gift from heaven, I think. Little girls smile will melt your heart. The race officials will not allow the parents to tow the kids in the water like the Hoyts for liability purposes, so some members of Masters swim clubs have volunteered to swim for any family that wants to split the other relay chores, the biking and the running. Kristen will swim by herself, then will hop on her bike with Julia in tow, and of course after the bike, she will push the running stroller with Julia. You simply have no idea how much the Hoyts inspire people worldwide. I will keep you posted about how Kristen is doing. Thanks to the Cleveland UCP folks, Karen, specifically for telling me about Kristen and Julia.

32 Equals Everything

As I write this, the memories are flooding back.. back to a day 32 years ago when Jane Quinton of Manhasset New York said "I Do" to a goofball from Cleveland, Ohio. We met on a blind date. Yes, love is blind and I have been sightless all these years. We are lovers, friends, buddies and soulmates. We raised 3 fantastic kids whom we are so proud of. But let it be known that the kids were very much shaped by the discipline and strong love of THE BRIDE. The hubby was the good cop, to The Brides tough cop. But its a team and if I may use the language of todays youth... "Thats how we roll".

Yes, I will do an endurance "stunt" workout, sequence ..whatever you want to call it to pay tribute to our 32 years, but as I "roll" through the miles, the strides and the distances, I'll be doing it to honor the greatest lady on the planet. The woman, I love to call "The Bride".

Michael Buble' sings Everything.. and thats what The Bride is to me.

You're a falling star, You're the get away car.

You're the line in the sand when I go too far.

You're the swimming pool, on an August day.

And you're the perfect thing to say.

And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.

Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.

Cause you can see it when I look at you.


LIFE IS A BLAST!!!!