If you've read my previous posts this week, you know there is a lot of routine in my day when it comes to family responsibilities. I'll try to be brief on those topics, but if you have kids, whether you're a triathlete spending a lot of time training or not, you know that family has to be the number one priority. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way!
Thursday 2/27/14
5:30 am: Wake-up
My alarm was set for 5:50, but Luke woke-up. I convinced him it wasn't time to wake-up and he went back to bed until 6:00. When I went in to wake him, he sprung out of bed!
6:30 am: Out the door
Laura got Matty ready while I got Luke ready. No surprises to report. We're way ahead of schedule today. Laura and I drove separately because she was picking the boys up early to take Matty to his helmet appointment. He wears a helmet to correct a flat spot on the back of his head. I think it makes him even more adorable. He looks like a football or hockey player.
7:20 am - 3:03 pm: School/Work day
I used some comp time to leave school at the end of the school day so I could get a jump on my workout.
4:30 pm: Bike ride on trainer
2 hour ride with 7x5 min with 2.5 minutes between intervals. The first 3 intervals 260-280 watts and the last 2 290-310 watts. My average watts for the 7 intervals were: 276, 282, 281, 308, 311, 311, and 309. I am very happy with this workout!
Laura took care of the boys with some assistance from her mom for part of the time. Laura also made dinner. Thank you!
6:45 - 7:15 pm: Dinner and Clean-up
7:15 pm: Bath, Books, and Bedtime
Luke wanted to read a book about Thanksgiving, then Easter, then Halloween. I put the nix on Halloween. He said we would read it when we got Trick-or-Treating again. I agreed.
8:00 - 8:45 pm: Relax
I watched a little of "Step Brothers" with Will Farrell. Stupic funny is exactly what I needed.
8:45 pm: Lights out!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 5"
Wednesday 2/26/14
5:50 am: Wake-Up
I got myself dressed and ready for work.
6:00 am: Luke awakes
I got the little man up, dressed, and brushed his teeth. A month and a half ago this was quite the chore, but ,thankfully, Luke is much more cooperative now. He actually wants to get dressed. It probably helps that we let him pick out his clothes for the most part. This means we rotate between spide-man and Lightning McQueen t-shirts. :)
6:20 am: Matty awakes
Matty's pretty easy to get ready. Wake him up, change his diaper, dress him, and put him in the carseat. Laura feeds him every morning at 5:00 am so we don't have to worry about that.
6:30 am: Out the door
We had to leave early this morning because Laura has a class council meeting at 7:30. So I drove, dropped her off at the High School, and took the boys to daycare.
7:15 am: Drop boys off at Daycare
7:25 am: Chik-Fila
A quick run through the Chik-Fila drive thru for a couple chicken biscuits. When I went to Duke in college, I was exposed to chicken for breakfast. At first, I thought it was peculiar, but now I don't think twice about downing a chicken biscuit. :)
7:40 am - 4:00 pm: School/Work Day
We had a few minutes left in one of my College Prep Math classes so I struck-up a conversation with my students about their other interests...besides wanting to be the next great mathematician. It's amazing how we can get caught-up in the routine of life and forget to take the time to get to know and understand the people around us. Each of my students has something they enjoy and are even passionate about. It may not be math, but developing a respectful and appropriate teacher-student relationship can make the time we spend together in math class more valuable and more enjoyable.
4:15 pm: Pick-up the boys from daycare
4:50 pm: Arrive home
The original plan was to do my seven mile recovery run when we got home. However, Laura's mom invited her to go to dinner along with Laura's grandma, G-Mamma. So, I had to be flexible. Here's how the evening played out...
When we got home, Laura fed Matty and I went outside to pick-up the dog waste that had piled up over the past month with all the snow. Laura headed out to dinner about 5:15. I fed Porter and decided I was going to sit on the floor with Matty and watch some TV with the boys. Well, Matty pooped. So I took him upstairs and decided to give him a bath. After that, we came downstairs and I fed him some baby food. During breaks from feeding Matty I started to prep dinner for Luke and me. I made salmon burgers on the stove and microwaved a steamfresh bag of peas.
6:00 pm: Dinner time
Of course, Luke didn't want to eat the salmon burger. He wanted chicken. I tried to tell him it was chicken and in fact, it was the chicken that "Sid the Science Kid" eats. He took one bite and asked for chicken nuggets. So I microwaved some chicken nuggets for him. I had my open-faced salmon burgers (2) with guacamole and cole-slaw on top. Luke had his nuggets, and Matty had some baby puffs.
6:30 pm: Clean-up
While I cleaned-up from dinner, Luke played and Matty sat patiently in his high-chair.
6:45 pm: Bottle
Matty was looking tired so I figured I'd give him a bottle and put him to bed early. I changed him into his PJ's, sat down on the couch with Luke, and fed him the bottle. It was a seven ounce bottle, and after four ounces, I held Matty up for the usual mid-bottle burp. He burped and then threw-up all four ounces. It went all over me, the couch pillow, and his PJ's. I froze in shock for 10 seconds thinking to myself, "you have to be kidding me."
Luke asked why I was taking my clothes off in the living room, as if the answer wasn't obvious I thought. I changed myself and Matty and put everything in the laundry room.
7:15 pm: Matty goes to sleep
After the throw-up incident, Matty had to be rocked to sleep. With Luke on the foot stool playing with my legs, I rocked Matty to sleep in his room and put him to bed. One down, one to go.
7:30 pm: Bath, books, and bedtime for Luke
This went to plan. Luke was cooperative, and we had fun. One of the books we read was Luke's favorite, "Bedtime for Bear."
8:20 pm: 7 mile run
Laura got back from dinner about 8:15. I was already dressed for my run. Since it was a recovery run and Porter was standing at the door, I took him with me. It was cold (about 20 degrees) and dark and the last thing I wanted to be doing at this time. But, there is a goal, and I want to achieve that goal.
9:30 pm: Recovery
Porter and I finished our run. I showered and sat down for a recovery snack before bed. A glass of chocolate milk, a banana with peanut-butter, and a chocolate chip cookie. Hmmm. I watched a few minute of TV while I snacked and then headed to bed.
9:45 pm: Bedtime
I spent 15 minutes reading the Jordan Rapp article in the most recent issue of Lava magazine and then turned off the lights.
5:50 am: Wake-Up
I got myself dressed and ready for work.
6:00 am: Luke awakes
I got the little man up, dressed, and brushed his teeth. A month and a half ago this was quite the chore, but ,thankfully, Luke is much more cooperative now. He actually wants to get dressed. It probably helps that we let him pick out his clothes for the most part. This means we rotate between spide-man and Lightning McQueen t-shirts. :)
6:20 am: Matty awakes
Matty's pretty easy to get ready. Wake him up, change his diaper, dress him, and put him in the carseat. Laura feeds him every morning at 5:00 am so we don't have to worry about that.
6:30 am: Out the door
We had to leave early this morning because Laura has a class council meeting at 7:30. So I drove, dropped her off at the High School, and took the boys to daycare.
7:15 am: Drop boys off at Daycare
7:25 am: Chik-Fila
A quick run through the Chik-Fila drive thru for a couple chicken biscuits. When I went to Duke in college, I was exposed to chicken for breakfast. At first, I thought it was peculiar, but now I don't think twice about downing a chicken biscuit. :)
7:40 am - 4:00 pm: School/Work Day
We had a few minutes left in one of my College Prep Math classes so I struck-up a conversation with my students about their other interests...besides wanting to be the next great mathematician. It's amazing how we can get caught-up in the routine of life and forget to take the time to get to know and understand the people around us. Each of my students has something they enjoy and are even passionate about. It may not be math, but developing a respectful and appropriate teacher-student relationship can make the time we spend together in math class more valuable and more enjoyable.
4:15 pm: Pick-up the boys from daycare
4:50 pm: Arrive home
The original plan was to do my seven mile recovery run when we got home. However, Laura's mom invited her to go to dinner along with Laura's grandma, G-Mamma. So, I had to be flexible. Here's how the evening played out...
When we got home, Laura fed Matty and I went outside to pick-up the dog waste that had piled up over the past month with all the snow. Laura headed out to dinner about 5:15. I fed Porter and decided I was going to sit on the floor with Matty and watch some TV with the boys. Well, Matty pooped. So I took him upstairs and decided to give him a bath. After that, we came downstairs and I fed him some baby food. During breaks from feeding Matty I started to prep dinner for Luke and me. I made salmon burgers on the stove and microwaved a steamfresh bag of peas.
6:00 pm: Dinner time
Of course, Luke didn't want to eat the salmon burger. He wanted chicken. I tried to tell him it was chicken and in fact, it was the chicken that "Sid the Science Kid" eats. He took one bite and asked for chicken nuggets. So I microwaved some chicken nuggets for him. I had my open-faced salmon burgers (2) with guacamole and cole-slaw on top. Luke had his nuggets, and Matty had some baby puffs.
6:30 pm: Clean-up
While I cleaned-up from dinner, Luke played and Matty sat patiently in his high-chair.
6:45 pm: Bottle
Matty was looking tired so I figured I'd give him a bottle and put him to bed early. I changed him into his PJ's, sat down on the couch with Luke, and fed him the bottle. It was a seven ounce bottle, and after four ounces, I held Matty up for the usual mid-bottle burp. He burped and then threw-up all four ounces. It went all over me, the couch pillow, and his PJ's. I froze in shock for 10 seconds thinking to myself, "you have to be kidding me."
Luke asked why I was taking my clothes off in the living room, as if the answer wasn't obvious I thought. I changed myself and Matty and put everything in the laundry room.
7:15 pm: Matty goes to sleep
After the throw-up incident, Matty had to be rocked to sleep. With Luke on the foot stool playing with my legs, I rocked Matty to sleep in his room and put him to bed. One down, one to go.
7:30 pm: Bath, books, and bedtime for Luke
This went to plan. Luke was cooperative, and we had fun. One of the books we read was Luke's favorite, "Bedtime for Bear."
8:20 pm: 7 mile run
Laura got back from dinner about 8:15. I was already dressed for my run. Since it was a recovery run and Porter was standing at the door, I took him with me. It was cold (about 20 degrees) and dark and the last thing I wanted to be doing at this time. But, there is a goal, and I want to achieve that goal.
9:30 pm: Recovery
Porter and I finished our run. I showered and sat down for a recovery snack before bed. A glass of chocolate milk, a banana with peanut-butter, and a chocolate chip cookie. Hmmm. I watched a few minute of TV while I snacked and then headed to bed.
9:45 pm: Bedtime
I spent 15 minutes reading the Jordan Rapp article in the most recent issue of Lava magazine and then turned off the lights.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 4"
Tuesday 2/25/14
4:10 am: Wake-up
Not everyday can be a day off.
4:50 am: In the pool
3000 yds (300 WU, 600 build, 2x300, 3x200, 6x100, 300 CD)
Good swim!
5:50 am: Out of the pool
Shower and dress for work at the gym.
6:05 am: Leave the gym
Eat a Cliff Bar and drink the rest of my Gatorade to hold me over till breakfast in the car on the way to work.
6:20 am: Arrive back home
Get Matty and Luke dressed.
Feed Porter and let him out.
Pack-up the car full of kids, bottles, school bag and lunch.
Grab breakfast to eat in the car.
6:55 am: Off we go!
We're running a little late today. I hope we hit green lights.
7:25 am: Arrive at KinderCare
I drop-off Matty today and Laura walks Luke to his classroom. Laura takes too long to drop Matty off. It's a mother thing I guess. We don't have time to wast today.
7:40 am: Arrive at school
Whew! We must have hit every green light.
7:45 am -3:45 pm: School day/Work day
Honors Geometry class is working on a Ractrack Geometry problem where they have to calculate the "headstart" the runners in lanes 2-4 of a four lane track for an 800 m race where the runners stay in their lanes.
College Prep Math class is reviewing/relearning Area and Circumference.
4:15 pm: Pick-up boys at Daycare
I get Luke and Laura gets Matty. Off we go!
4:50 pm: Arrive home
Feed Porter and let him out.
5:10 pm: On the bike
1.5 hour endurance ride on the trainer.
Laura bathed both boys and fed Matty while I was on the bike. Awesome!
6:45 pm: Dinner
Left-overs. Remember that Sir Pizza from Sunday evening. Oh yeh. And the ChimiChangas. Quick and easy!
7:15 pm: Clean-up
7:40 pm: Books and Bedtime
Luke and I read a Counting Numbers book and an Animal Sounds book.
8:15 pm: The Bachelor
Since tomorrow's schedule is a 7 mile recovery run, I don't have to wake-up early. So Laura and I got to enjoy another one of our shows. Well, more hers than mine, but I like watching it with her. Juan Pablo has been an interesting choice for the Bachelor this season. He took some heat from Andy this week, and there is more on the horizon next week when, "The Women Tell All" episode airs. Oooh!
9:30 pm: Bedtime
4:10 am: Wake-up
Not everyday can be a day off.
4:50 am: In the pool
3000 yds (300 WU, 600 build, 2x300, 3x200, 6x100, 300 CD)
Good swim!
5:50 am: Out of the pool
Shower and dress for work at the gym.
6:05 am: Leave the gym
Eat a Cliff Bar and drink the rest of my Gatorade to hold me over till breakfast in the car on the way to work.
6:20 am: Arrive back home
Get Matty and Luke dressed.
Feed Porter and let him out.
Pack-up the car full of kids, bottles, school bag and lunch.
Grab breakfast to eat in the car.
6:55 am: Off we go!
We're running a little late today. I hope we hit green lights.
7:25 am: Arrive at KinderCare
I drop-off Matty today and Laura walks Luke to his classroom. Laura takes too long to drop Matty off. It's a mother thing I guess. We don't have time to wast today.
7:40 am: Arrive at school
Whew! We must have hit every green light.
7:45 am -3:45 pm: School day/Work day
Honors Geometry class is working on a Ractrack Geometry problem where they have to calculate the "headstart" the runners in lanes 2-4 of a four lane track for an 800 m race where the runners stay in their lanes.
College Prep Math class is reviewing/relearning Area and Circumference.
4:15 pm: Pick-up boys at Daycare
I get Luke and Laura gets Matty. Off we go!
4:50 pm: Arrive home
Feed Porter and let him out.
5:10 pm: On the bike
1.5 hour endurance ride on the trainer.
Laura bathed both boys and fed Matty while I was on the bike. Awesome!
6:45 pm: Dinner
Left-overs. Remember that Sir Pizza from Sunday evening. Oh yeh. And the ChimiChangas. Quick and easy!
7:15 pm: Clean-up
7:40 pm: Books and Bedtime
Luke and I read a Counting Numbers book and an Animal Sounds book.
8:15 pm: The Bachelor
Since tomorrow's schedule is a 7 mile recovery run, I don't have to wake-up early. So Laura and I got to enjoy another one of our shows. Well, more hers than mine, but I like watching it with her. Juan Pablo has been an interesting choice for the Bachelor this season. He took some heat from Andy this week, and there is more on the horizon next week when, "The Women Tell All" episode airs. Oooh!
9:30 pm: Bedtime
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Kona Project: "A Week in the Life of...Day 3"
Monday 2/24/14
It's a day off! No workouts for today. To put it simply, I get to be a normal person for a day. I'll touch on the highlights.
6:00 am: Wake-Up
Boy did it feel good to sleep-in.
6:00-6:50 am: Get ready for work
It doesn't take me long to get myself ready in the morning. I could probably be out the door in 20 minutes. Most of the time is used getting the boys ready for school. After Laura feeds Matthew at 5:00 am, she gets herself ready. I got Luke and Matty ready. For Luke, this includes going to the potty, getting dressed, brushing the teeth, combing the hair, getting him milk and two Eggo waffles to eat in the car on the way to "school." For Matty, this includes a diaper change, getting dressed, and putting him in the car seat. Oh, I feed Porter (our dog) and let him out to go to the bathroom too. All of us eat our breakfast in the car. It's about a 30 minute drive to Kindercare so eating the car saves us some time at home. Laura and I try to drive together as much as possible, but some days I'll take the boys in the morning and she'll pick-up in the afternoon so I can get home and start a workout.
7:45 am-3:45 pm: I do have a job
A routine day at Mount Lebanon High School trying to teach teenagers math. I teach Honors Geometry to freshman and a course named College Prep Math to juniors and seniors. Word is getting around to my track sprinters that I won't be coaching this year. When they ask, I explain that the spring will be an important time to train for my qualifying races for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. One student said, "is that the thing that ends with the marathon."
4:10 pm: Pick up the boys from daycare
Best part of the day! Matty still a little too young, but Luke gives a huge smile and runs over when you show-up in his room. It's awesome!
5:00 pm: Arrive home
After a car ride full of questions from Luke and requests to hear certain songs on the radio, we unload the gang at home. I feed Porter and let him out, and immediately start on making dinner while Laura feeds Matty. ChimiChangas with ground Turkey for tonight with a side of broccoli.
6:00 pm: Eat dinner
We've started playing "Happy and Sad" with Luke at dinner. We each tell what made us happy and sad today. Luke comes up with some pretty funny things most of which didn't happen.
6:45 pm: Homework
We've been doing the The Pittsburgh Plan with Luke for about a year. It's an educational program created by Dick McCoy that teaches young kids to incorporate homework and learning into their lives in a no stress, no expectation environment. We don't do the 15 minute homeworks as often as we should according to the plan, but there is no doubt it has helped Luke learn letters, numbers, shapes, counting, and the beginnings of reading. We've even started addition.
7:00-7:45 pm: Bath, Books, & Bedtime
If you've read the other posts, you know this routine. If you haven't read the other posts, it is just what it sounds like.
8:00-8:30 pm: Haircut & Shower
I cut my own hair. This was a quick and short haircut. A number 3 clip all around and a 2 to clean up the edges.
9:00 pm: Bedtime
I have an early morning tomorrow.
It's a day off! No workouts for today. To put it simply, I get to be a normal person for a day. I'll touch on the highlights.
6:00 am: Wake-Up
Boy did it feel good to sleep-in.
6:00-6:50 am: Get ready for work
It doesn't take me long to get myself ready in the morning. I could probably be out the door in 20 minutes. Most of the time is used getting the boys ready for school. After Laura feeds Matthew at 5:00 am, she gets herself ready. I got Luke and Matty ready. For Luke, this includes going to the potty, getting dressed, brushing the teeth, combing the hair, getting him milk and two Eggo waffles to eat in the car on the way to "school." For Matty, this includes a diaper change, getting dressed, and putting him in the car seat. Oh, I feed Porter (our dog) and let him out to go to the bathroom too. All of us eat our breakfast in the car. It's about a 30 minute drive to Kindercare so eating the car saves us some time at home. Laura and I try to drive together as much as possible, but some days I'll take the boys in the morning and she'll pick-up in the afternoon so I can get home and start a workout.
7:45 am-3:45 pm: I do have a job
A routine day at Mount Lebanon High School trying to teach teenagers math. I teach Honors Geometry to freshman and a course named College Prep Math to juniors and seniors. Word is getting around to my track sprinters that I won't be coaching this year. When they ask, I explain that the spring will be an important time to train for my qualifying races for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. One student said, "is that the thing that ends with the marathon."
4:10 pm: Pick up the boys from daycare
Best part of the day! Matty still a little too young, but Luke gives a huge smile and runs over when you show-up in his room. It's awesome!
5:00 pm: Arrive home
After a car ride full of questions from Luke and requests to hear certain songs on the radio, we unload the gang at home. I feed Porter and let him out, and immediately start on making dinner while Laura feeds Matty. ChimiChangas with ground Turkey for tonight with a side of broccoli.
6:00 pm: Eat dinner
We've started playing "Happy and Sad" with Luke at dinner. We each tell what made us happy and sad today. Luke comes up with some pretty funny things most of which didn't happen.
6:45 pm: Homework
We've been doing the The Pittsburgh Plan with Luke for about a year. It's an educational program created by Dick McCoy that teaches young kids to incorporate homework and learning into their lives in a no stress, no expectation environment. We don't do the 15 minute homeworks as often as we should according to the plan, but there is no doubt it has helped Luke learn letters, numbers, shapes, counting, and the beginnings of reading. We've even started addition.
7:00-7:45 pm: Bath, Books, & Bedtime
If you've read the other posts, you know this routine. If you haven't read the other posts, it is just what it sounds like.
8:00-8:30 pm: Haircut & Shower
I cut my own hair. This was a quick and short haircut. A number 3 clip all around and a 2 to clean up the edges.
9:00 pm: Bedtime
I have an early morning tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Kona Project Update: "A Week in the Life Of... Day 2"
Sunday 2/23/14
Sunday starts with a brief conversation late Saturday night with Laura about what my workout on Sunday and what time I'm getting up. I told her I have a 15 mile run, which will take about 2 hrs. I also wanted to go to the Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale that started at 8 am. Then, I give her two options. First option is that I wake up early, like 5 am, and do my run before going to the warehouse sale. This means Laura would have to wake up with Luke, who never sleeps past 6:30 and might awake at 6:00. However, it also means that Laura doesn't have to endure a full 2 hrs of taking care of both boys by herself. The second option is I wake up with Luke, he and I go to the warehouse sale, and I do my run after when we get back. This means Laura gets to sleep-in, but she has to endure the 2 hr run taking care of both boys on her own. Here's what happen...
6:26 am: Luke gets up
Laura chose option 2 to sleep-in. A good choice! I got up with Luke. We went downstairs for some cartoons and breakfast. Cartoons range from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" to "Sid the Science Kid." We are selective in the shows he watches. We want them to be entertaining, but have some educational value. Breakfast for Luke consisted of an Eggo Multigrain waffle (no butter or syrup), blueberries, and milk. He likes his waffles plain, and he eats them with his hands like a cookie. I cleaned up a little from the previous night's family festivities by unloading and reloading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor, and wiping down the counters. For breakfast, I had three Eggo Multigrain waffles with butter, syrup and blueberries on top, a bowl of Low Fat Cottage Cheese with sliced peaches in it, and a glass of apple juice. Hey, I'm preparing for a 15 mile run!
7:46 am: Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale
I got Luke dressed and ready, and we headed to the sale. Luke was very excited. He loves going to the "bike shop." Usually, we are going to "Top Gear" in Wexford, but I explained to him this was a different bike shop. When we got there, he walked around like he owned the place. An older woman even commented to me about how good of a helper he was. He carried the tires I bought and loved pumping the new air pump. After checking-out, we had to hit up a coffee shop so Luke could pee, and then we headed home.
10:00 am: 15 mile run
It was time for me to tackle the day's challenge. A 15 mile run with the last 2-3 miles between 6:50-7:00/mile pace. Last Sunday, I had the same workout and had no speed at the end of the run. Today, it was 15 degrees warmer (32) and I was better prepared mentally. I got dressed, went to the bathroom a couple times, got my nutrition ready, and was out the door.
It was a great morning for a run. It was brisk, but the sun was out and there was some warmth to it at times. I knocked out the first 7 mile loop around my house with no problem. I knew the second 8 mile loop would present the tougher challenge, especially that fast finish. Unfortunately, we live in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, which means there aren't many stretches of flat roads to run on. Oh well, you do what you gotta do. My overall pacing for the entire 15 mile run was 7:33/mile, and my last four miles were 7:09, 7:26, 7:15, and 6:53. Hey, I'll take it! On flatter terrain, I think I can hit the 6:50-7:00 goal.
I had a coughing asthma attack immediately following the run, but a couple puffs on the albuterol inhaler did the trick. It's been a while since I've had an attack, but it subsided quickly.
12:00 pm: Lunch Time
Left-over pulled pork on multigrain bread with cole-slaw and a side of baked-beans.
12:30 pm: The Earth shook
Not really...but Luke and Matty actually napped at the same time. I got to lay down for 40 minutes, then Matty woke-up.
1:30-4:00 pm: Playing with Matty
While Luke napped, Laura went to the mall, and I hung out with Matthew. He did some serious playing sitting with me on the coach, then on the floor, then some tummy-time. It was a lot of fun. He was laughing and smiling the entire time. He finished his play session by feasting on some Turkey & Rice baby food. Hmmm.
4:00 pm: Dribbling with Luke
Luke has had a sudden interest in dribbling a basketball. Our basement is unfinished with a concrete floor perfect for dribbling. A lot of Luke's toys are down there including several basketballs. Luke's cousin, Tyler, is 7 and plays basketball in the Riverview Athletic Association League. On Saturday, when all the cousins were together, Tyler was teaching Luke and Rylen to dribble. So on Sunday, we had to practice. Luke and I dribbled in the basement for about 15 minutes before it turned into Luke playing with other toys and me cleaning up.
5:00 pm: Dinner time
Laura and I quickly agreed on "Sir Pizza" for dinner. Quick, easy, and great pizza. Two larges: one pepperoni and one mushroom so we can have left-overs.
7:00 pm: Bath and Bedtime for the boys
2-on-2, Laura takes Matty and I take Luke. Bath, read books, and to bed by 7:48. Good team work!
8:30 pm: Relaxing with Laura
After making my lunch and helping Laura get bottles ready for Monday, we sat down and watched the Olympic coverage about the look back at the Nancy Kerrigan/Tanya Harding saga. Nancy Kerrigan awesome. Tonya Harding not.
At 9:00, we watched the "Walking Dead." I usually am going to bed at this time, but it just so happens that Monday is a day off from workouts. So we stayed up and watched one of our favorite shows. I won't spoil anything in case you DVR'd it.
10:00 pm: Bedtime
Sunday starts with a brief conversation late Saturday night with Laura about what my workout on Sunday and what time I'm getting up. I told her I have a 15 mile run, which will take about 2 hrs. I also wanted to go to the Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale that started at 8 am. Then, I give her two options. First option is that I wake up early, like 5 am, and do my run before going to the warehouse sale. This means Laura would have to wake up with Luke, who never sleeps past 6:30 and might awake at 6:00. However, it also means that Laura doesn't have to endure a full 2 hrs of taking care of both boys by herself. The second option is I wake up with Luke, he and I go to the warehouse sale, and I do my run after when we get back. This means Laura gets to sleep-in, but she has to endure the 2 hr run taking care of both boys on her own. Here's what happen...
6:26 am: Luke gets up
Laura chose option 2 to sleep-in. A good choice! I got up with Luke. We went downstairs for some cartoons and breakfast. Cartoons range from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" to "Sid the Science Kid." We are selective in the shows he watches. We want them to be entertaining, but have some educational value. Breakfast for Luke consisted of an Eggo Multigrain waffle (no butter or syrup), blueberries, and milk. He likes his waffles plain, and he eats them with his hands like a cookie. I cleaned up a little from the previous night's family festivities by unloading and reloading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor, and wiping down the counters. For breakfast, I had three Eggo Multigrain waffles with butter, syrup and blueberries on top, a bowl of Low Fat Cottage Cheese with sliced peaches in it, and a glass of apple juice. Hey, I'm preparing for a 15 mile run!
7:46 am: Trek of Pittsburgh Warehouse Sale
I got Luke dressed and ready, and we headed to the sale. Luke was very excited. He loves going to the "bike shop." Usually, we are going to "Top Gear" in Wexford, but I explained to him this was a different bike shop. When we got there, he walked around like he owned the place. An older woman even commented to me about how good of a helper he was. He carried the tires I bought and loved pumping the new air pump. After checking-out, we had to hit up a coffee shop so Luke could pee, and then we headed home.
10:00 am: 15 mile run
It was time for me to tackle the day's challenge. A 15 mile run with the last 2-3 miles between 6:50-7:00/mile pace. Last Sunday, I had the same workout and had no speed at the end of the run. Today, it was 15 degrees warmer (32) and I was better prepared mentally. I got dressed, went to the bathroom a couple times, got my nutrition ready, and was out the door.
It was a great morning for a run. It was brisk, but the sun was out and there was some warmth to it at times. I knocked out the first 7 mile loop around my house with no problem. I knew the second 8 mile loop would present the tougher challenge, especially that fast finish. Unfortunately, we live in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, which means there aren't many stretches of flat roads to run on. Oh well, you do what you gotta do. My overall pacing for the entire 15 mile run was 7:33/mile, and my last four miles were 7:09, 7:26, 7:15, and 6:53. Hey, I'll take it! On flatter terrain, I think I can hit the 6:50-7:00 goal.
I had a coughing asthma attack immediately following the run, but a couple puffs on the albuterol inhaler did the trick. It's been a while since I've had an attack, but it subsided quickly.
12:00 pm: Lunch Time
Left-over pulled pork on multigrain bread with cole-slaw and a side of baked-beans.
12:30 pm: The Earth shook
Not really...but Luke and Matty actually napped at the same time. I got to lay down for 40 minutes, then Matty woke-up.
1:30-4:00 pm: Playing with Matty
While Luke napped, Laura went to the mall, and I hung out with Matthew. He did some serious playing sitting with me on the coach, then on the floor, then some tummy-time. It was a lot of fun. He was laughing and smiling the entire time. He finished his play session by feasting on some Turkey & Rice baby food. Hmmm.
4:00 pm: Dribbling with Luke
Luke has had a sudden interest in dribbling a basketball. Our basement is unfinished with a concrete floor perfect for dribbling. A lot of Luke's toys are down there including several basketballs. Luke's cousin, Tyler, is 7 and plays basketball in the Riverview Athletic Association League. On Saturday, when all the cousins were together, Tyler was teaching Luke and Rylen to dribble. So on Sunday, we had to practice. Luke and I dribbled in the basement for about 15 minutes before it turned into Luke playing with other toys and me cleaning up.
5:00 pm: Dinner time
Laura and I quickly agreed on "Sir Pizza" for dinner. Quick, easy, and great pizza. Two larges: one pepperoni and one mushroom so we can have left-overs.
7:00 pm: Bath and Bedtime for the boys
2-on-2, Laura takes Matty and I take Luke. Bath, read books, and to bed by 7:48. Good team work!
8:30 pm: Relaxing with Laura
After making my lunch and helping Laura get bottles ready for Monday, we sat down and watched the Olympic coverage about the look back at the Nancy Kerrigan/Tanya Harding saga. Nancy Kerrigan awesome. Tonya Harding not.
At 9:00, we watched the "Walking Dead." I usually am going to bed at this time, but it just so happens that Monday is a day off from workouts. So we stayed up and watched one of our favorite shows. I won't spoil anything in case you DVR'd it.
10:00 pm: Bedtime
Monday, February 24, 2014
Kona Project Update: "A week in the Life of - Day 1"
As I document my journey to qualify for Kona, I thought it would be interesting to record my daily activity for one week. Here we go...
Saturday 2/22/14:
5:00 am: Wake-Up
5:30 am: Workout 1 - 2.5 hr endurance ride on the trainer (Avg Power: 197 watts)
I watched "Gangster Squad" starring Ryan Gosling on my ipad. Good movie. I usually wake up early on Saturday's to get a significant part of my long ride in before Laura and the boys awake.
10:30 am: Luke's swim lesson
Saturday is usually a pretty busy day with Luke's swim lesson at 10:30 at the gym and then a combination of weekly errands that include trips to Costco and the grocery store. At this week's swim lesson, Luke went under water four times and jumped in from the edge of the pool. He's really doing well.
Workout 2: 30 min circuit workout
While Luke's at his swim lesson, I get a quick workout focused on core strength. I probably get 3 sets of 4 or 5 different core exercises along with some body weight squats, leg extensions, and leg curls.
11:30 am: Errands
After a trip to Costco, back to the gym because we dropped Matty's hoodie in the parking lot, through the express shopping at Giant Eagle (a GE employee completes your online shopping order and brings your groceries out to your car at your scheduled pickup time), and by the bank, we returned home. I unloaded the groceries, fed Luke and Matty, and got Luke down for a nap while Laura ran out to Target.
2:15 pm: Car Wash
When Laura got back from Target, I spent an hour outside washing the new Grand Cherokee. It was a sunny day with temps around 50 degrees so I had to take advantage.
3:30 pm: Family visit
As I finished up the car wash, my extended family was arriving for a visit. My sister Katie and her family were in town from Columbus, OH. The Erdeljac clan had an enjoyable afternoon and evening hanging out. All the cousins got to blow off some steam playing around the house. It was a little loud and hectic, but fun.
8:00 pm: Luke's Bath and Bedtime
Laura went to the neighbor's house for a gathering with the other women in our neighborhood and my family left shortly after 8 pm. Laura had already fed and put Matty to sleep. I bathed Luke, read him some books, and put him to bed about 8:45. This reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's rant on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon about putting kids to bed. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's funny.
9:00 pm: Bedtime
I laid down to watch some of the Olympics and found myself dozing off. I threw in the towel and shut the lights off a little after 9:00. Good night!
Saturday 2/22/14:
5:00 am: Wake-Up
5:30 am: Workout 1 - 2.5 hr endurance ride on the trainer (Avg Power: 197 watts)
I watched "Gangster Squad" starring Ryan Gosling on my ipad. Good movie. I usually wake up early on Saturday's to get a significant part of my long ride in before Laura and the boys awake.
10:30 am: Luke's swim lesson
Saturday is usually a pretty busy day with Luke's swim lesson at 10:30 at the gym and then a combination of weekly errands that include trips to Costco and the grocery store. At this week's swim lesson, Luke went under water four times and jumped in from the edge of the pool. He's really doing well.
 |
| Luke and Ms. Debbie |
Workout 2: 30 min circuit workout
While Luke's at his swim lesson, I get a quick workout focused on core strength. I probably get 3 sets of 4 or 5 different core exercises along with some body weight squats, leg extensions, and leg curls.
11:30 am: Errands
After a trip to Costco, back to the gym because we dropped Matty's hoodie in the parking lot, through the express shopping at Giant Eagle (a GE employee completes your online shopping order and brings your groceries out to your car at your scheduled pickup time), and by the bank, we returned home. I unloaded the groceries, fed Luke and Matty, and got Luke down for a nap while Laura ran out to Target.
2:15 pm: Car Wash
When Laura got back from Target, I spent an hour outside washing the new Grand Cherokee. It was a sunny day with temps around 50 degrees so I had to take advantage.
 |
| So clean you could eat off it. |
3:30 pm: Family visit
As I finished up the car wash, my extended family was arriving for a visit. My sister Katie and her family were in town from Columbus, OH. The Erdeljac clan had an enjoyable afternoon and evening hanging out. All the cousins got to blow off some steam playing around the house. It was a little loud and hectic, but fun.
 |
| This is a picture from last fall of the cousins with Pap-Pap. |
8:00 pm: Luke's Bath and Bedtime
Laura went to the neighbor's house for a gathering with the other women in our neighborhood and my family left shortly after 8 pm. Laura had already fed and put Matty to sleep. I bathed Luke, read him some books, and put him to bed about 8:45. This reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's rant on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon about putting kids to bed. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's funny.
9:00 pm: Bedtime
I laid down to watch some of the Olympics and found myself dozing off. I threw in the towel and shut the lights off a little after 9:00. Good night!
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Kona Project Update: "Weathering the Storm"
Wow! It is cold outside! This has been the coldest winter in Pittsburgh that I can remember. I love the term "Polar Vortex," but when will it end? With temperatures constantly below freezing and often in the teens and even single digits and below, Pittsburghers have weathered the storm in anticipation of some warmer weather.
I've been weathering my own storm as I pursue a qualifying slot for the 2014 Ironman World Championships in October. Over the past few weeks, it seemed like things couldn't get anymore hectic, until they did. Let's start with my lower back pain. It came back. It's ok because I've been feeling good for a couple weeks now, but that's only after a series of appointments with my orthopedic doctor and two different chiropractors along with the purchase of a Teeter Hang-Ups inversion table, styrofoam roller, and a tempurpedic bed. It's become clear that I have to do the maintenance stuff to keep my body prepared for the rigors of heavy training.
After the heavy downpour of back pain, the storm brought on an unexpected gust from a broken down car. Laura and I came out of school on a bitter cold Tuesday, and when I turned the key to start the car, there was nothing but silence. "You have got to be kidding me!" Five hours later my car was towed to the dealership and the family was home thanks to Pappa Bob's escorting service. We spent a week with one car, and I dealt with the dealership telling me I needed things repaired that another mechanic told me I didn't need repaired. Ultimately, the car situation was resolved this past Saturday as we traded in the old four-wheel drive sleigh with over 145,000 miles for a new one with a few more bells and whistles. Oh yeh, and a new car payment.
Those two things combined with the daily forecast of changing diapers, pediatrician appointments, feeding, bathing, dressing, undressing, and overall caring for two little boys while also training at a level I've never trained before has made "weathering the storm" a true challenge. I'm very lucky to have Laura's love and support on this journey, and it's all still fun in its own unique way. :)
I've been weathering my own storm as I pursue a qualifying slot for the 2014 Ironman World Championships in October. Over the past few weeks, it seemed like things couldn't get anymore hectic, until they did. Let's start with my lower back pain. It came back. It's ok because I've been feeling good for a couple weeks now, but that's only after a series of appointments with my orthopedic doctor and two different chiropractors along with the purchase of a Teeter Hang-Ups inversion table, styrofoam roller, and a tempurpedic bed. It's become clear that I have to do the maintenance stuff to keep my body prepared for the rigors of heavy training.
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| I ran almost as many miles as was the temperature (15 miles). |
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| I don't know if I'll remember how to ride a bike without it being propped-up for me. |
After the heavy downpour of back pain, the storm brought on an unexpected gust from a broken down car. Laura and I came out of school on a bitter cold Tuesday, and when I turned the key to start the car, there was nothing but silence. "You have got to be kidding me!" Five hours later my car was towed to the dealership and the family was home thanks to Pappa Bob's escorting service. We spent a week with one car, and I dealt with the dealership telling me I needed things repaired that another mechanic told me I didn't need repaired. Ultimately, the car situation was resolved this past Saturday as we traded in the old four-wheel drive sleigh with over 145,000 miles for a new one with a few more bells and whistles. Oh yeh, and a new car payment.
Those two things combined with the daily forecast of changing diapers, pediatrician appointments, feeding, bathing, dressing, undressing, and overall caring for two little boys while also training at a level I've never trained before has made "weathering the storm" a true challenge. I'm very lucky to have Laura's love and support on this journey, and it's all still fun in its own unique way. :)
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| Laying with the boys |
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| Reading "Little Quack" |
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