dodging the bullet

Well, Al is pretty lucky. Dodged a big bullet. Besides a good deal of edema and scarring from the initial injury, MRI shows only a small tear to the calf muscle to contend with. When I felt the onset of this second incident, I stopped immediately. This saved me from having a serious tear, as was the case the first time around. This will take some rehab, but I should be back in the saddle before long. Yippee-ki-yeah (motherfuckers).

In celebration, I'm drinking my newest batch of homebrews (an ale that I dumped about 16lbs of malt sugar into the wort to make one strong motherfucker of a brew). I'm feeling tipsy and ornery. Fuk you.

Al's World (Excellent!)

Cue Heavy Metal Guitar Slide Riff






Al awaits the results of MRI

As Tom ("I Found Jesus") Petty says, "the waiting is the hardest part." I'm hoping for good news. I know, though, that rehab will take a while and the chance of re-injury will be good. (As this re-injury shows: soft tissue is just never the same after something like this.) But. whatever the doc gives me as a protocol for rehab, I'll do (and probably a bit more).




The Fucking Mets




It's hard to know what to feel about my Mets. One thing is for sure. I'm glad Reyes is ok after Varitek tried to do a ball-ectomy during the collision at home plate last night.

The Mets have so much going for them but a few real holes. Last night's battering in Boston exemplifies the problem. Pitching. We've got two great starters (Glavine and Pedro), one real question mark (Trachsel), and two guys who you just can't count on (Hernandez and Soler). Can a team like the Mets go the distance with 2.5 starting pitchers? Al thinks not. But who could be out there for the Mets to get? I don't think Willis will be leaving Florida (not if they have hopes of getting a new stadium or a better deal from a new city). And I don't think Zito will be on the block either (Oakland tops the tightly packed AL West right now). So who? I sure don't want to pick up Levan Hernandez (though it certainly would be interesting to have our own little Mariel Boatlift in the dugout, we don't need another has been). (BTW, I'm off to Yankee (scum) stadium Fridy night for the start of the Bronx leg of the Subway Series.)





Good Luck To Peter Gammons



He's a great analyst and a great writer (member of the baseball writer's hall of fame). He's undergoing brain surgery right now for a brain aneurism. Al wishes him a full and speedy recovery.

ULTRAsound

Hi all. So the dr. visit went well. I was ferried about and made to feel like a real VIP. (If they only knew what a total A-S-S I am.)

I got to feel what my wife felt like (in some small way) when I had ultrasound today. She, of course, had the slimy wand rubbed on her belly (for both our kiddies) during pregnancy. I only had to experience the cold jelly and cock-like imaging tool on my injured calf.

ULTRAsound is somewhat limited (as any of you men with kids will attest: "are you sure that is the head, dr.?")So I was sent for an MRI too. (Results should be in this week.) But the good dr. believes I have a tear in my gastrocnemius muscle. He also believes that the tendon is A-OK. Good news there. BUT we really must await the results of the MRI as I have a lot of scar tissue from the original injury. We also will have to wait and see what sort of treatment is appropriate and how the muscle will react to it. I can tell you that it is sore as a motherfucker right now from all the poking and prodding.



Incidentally, just to clarify, this fat, bruised hock is not mine. (Many of my admirers were alarmed by the trauma to this extremity. I've just got some swelling. Nothing like this. Plus, I wouldn't put any part of me on a grey pleather couch.)



And this ain't me either. My hair lost all its chestnut hue some years ago. It's now a mix of fleshtone and salt/pepper.

Until we speak again,
Keep your feet on the ground and your fingers out of your ass (in public).

BACKSIDE BOY BIDS ADIEU (SNIFF)

Backstreet Boys say goodbye to Richardson

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Backstreet Boys are saying goodbye to the oldest member of their band, according to a statement posted on the group's Web site Saturday.

Kevin Richardson, 33, said he was leaving to purse other interests.

"It was a very tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life," Richardson said in the statement.

The Orlando-based pop band ushered in a new teen-music craze in the late 90's, buoyed by their soulful harmonies, synchronized dance steps, clean-cut good looks and charm. Their three albums sold a total of more than 35 million copies.

Al's Thoughts On Our Predicament
We will all try to find meaning in this void. We'll struggle to make sense of it all in the emptiness of the days ahead. We'll try to hold on in the hope that some mistake has been made: maybe it's misinformation, or an error, or impulsive start soon to be retracted? As we enter these dark days, I want to leave you with a memory to sustain you:











As Long As You Love Me

Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine
I'm leaving my life in your hands
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind
Risking it all in a glance
And how you got me blind is still a mystery
I can't get you out of my head
Don't care what is written in your history
As long as you're here with me
Chorus:
I don't care who you are
Where you're from
What you did
As long as you love me
Who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me
Every little thing that you have said and done
Feels like it's deep within me
Doesn't really matter if you're on the run
It seems like we're meant to be
Chorus
Bridge:
I've tried to hide it so that no one knows
But I guess it shows
When you look into my eyes
What you did and where you are comin' from
I don't care, as long as you love me, baby.
Chorus
Who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me
(repeat to fade)



IN OTHER AL-RELATED NEWS
I'm off to the Dr. today at 12:30. I'll let y'all know what the prognosis is. Until then, in the words of Casey Kasem:
...I want a goddamn concerted effort to come out of a record that isn't a fucking up-tempo record every time I gotta do a goddamn death dedication! It's the last goddamn time; I want somebody who uses his fucking brain to not come out of a goddamn record... that's up-tempo and I've got to talk about a fucking dog dying!...Boy, is this fucking ponderous man...ponderous, fucking ponderous.

Whoops, not that one....

"Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!"

A Few Observations

Al is in a pensive mood

I'm down for the count and not happy. This, I suppose, motivates rumination.

Have you noticed that doctors tend to be the most unhealthy fuckers out there? This, I suppose, fits with the sort of stereotypical inverse relationship so many have with their profession:

Lawyers/Cops are the crookedest
Politicians the most corrupt
Caregivers the least caring
Service professionals the least service oriented
Teachers the least knowledgeable



Have you noticed that road construction is a complete cluster fuck!? (Of course you have.) They spend five years with the road 1/2 closed and cluttered with debris / equipment only to have it in worse condition when finished (exhibit A: the LIE in Queens. Throughout the late 90s into early 2000s it was "under construction." Now it is full of steel plates and mismatched sections and poorly topped areas that peel off in the winter and become projectiles and leave bomb craters for us to drive through. And how about the six miles they need to close down/limit/slowdown to work on a 100 foot section. Don't you love that? You spend forty-five minutes alternately driving at 10 miles an hour or 0 only to come upon two fat fucks in hard hats and day glo orange vests sitting in the back of a pick up. At least there's a few revolutionaries out there trying to end this. Have you seen the signs? END CONSTRUCTION Vive La Revolucion!



Have you noticed that parents have become complete fucking idiots? (But they think they're geniuses.) It is never more apparent to me then when I am at a function at my children's nursery school. I was there for the orientation for their 2 year olds summer program. And there are all the parents:

Mother 1: Betsy Really enjoys Social Interaction! (No, bitch, you mean she likes to play. And is this a fucking revelation? Every two year old--every kid--likes to play with other kids. Unless you continue in fucking up their heads.)
Mother 2: We're potty training. We're in the modelling and shaping behavior phase. (Au contraire, asshole. You're sitting the kid on the potty and letting him watch you shit.)
What I really like about all this is the irony in it. We think we're soooo much more knowledgeable than our parents and their parents. We know better about everything. Yet kids have never been more fucked up. They're obese in epidemic numbers. According to empirical research and teacher's anecdotes, they're harder to teach and less well prepared for school at all levels. They're rude and self-centered. They don't know how to behave in groups and have no respect for any of our social institutions. They suffer more from depression, adhd, addictions, phobias etc etc etc It's wonderful.




Have you noticed that everyone else in the world is fucking bonkers about soccer (football)? And this is sort of strange to me. It seems like soccer is a very big sport for kids growing up in America. It seems to be a pretty big middle/high school sport. Then suddenly, soccer drops off the radar. ?









Have you noticed that Rod Stewart has turned into a total douchebag? Do we really need another wanna-be Harry Connick Jr. (who is, himself, a wanna-be Frank Sinatra)?








Have you noticed that male pornstars seem to have some sort of buried machinery in the Nacho region? (Nacho=taint...nacho ass, nacho balls...taint yo ass, taint yo balls.) Every time one of these fuckers is about to blast off, they're always fiddling around in the almost-ass region like there's a pump in there or some sort of gear assembly that is out of alignment.


These are my contributions for the day. This morning I did an upper body lift. Later I am off to the pool for a swim.

--Lefty

Al For Now

Al got lucky. (No, not like that.)

The first 3 Dr.s I called (I should say offices...you NEVER speak to the MAN) said they'd be glad to squeeze me in...in October.

My dad, however, was on the job. His college buddy has a son in rehab medicine (not methadone, you pricks). I got the digits and they will see me whenever I get there (yes you heard right "whenever") on Monday. I'm in for Ultrasound and an MRI. Then we'll see what happens...

Here's another thought on the fucking stupidity and frustration associated with dr visits. I have a disk that is fucked in my neck. When it was bad (02 and 03) I tried to find a dr. and went through the "see you in 3 months" thing. But it gets worse. They always want, for these sorts of injuries, an MRI or some sort of advanced imaging. Typically, they do not do this in the office. So it is 3 months until the visit, then they simply write a scrip for an MRI after seeing you for 4 seconds. Then it is another two months until they even diagnose what the fuck is going on. But try, just to see what happens, to approach this logically. Ask them--during that first phonecall--if you can get the MRI during the time you're waiting for the first visit. Just ask, I dare you.

Anyway, I am a very lucky guy. I am circumventing all of this. Phew! Now let's just hope that my injury can be dealt with. Soft tissue is a bitch. And I'm starting to think this may be my achilles and not the muscle. (A little online research is definitely a dangerous thing.)

Al B. Hard Goes Down!

FUCK! What else is there to say? Al suffered a re-injury today, and he ain't happy.

History

In 2004, Al B. Hard started training for the NYC marathon. Because he was a fat, out of shape fucker then, he tore his calf muslce while trying to do something that approximated a sprint at the track. It was bad enough that Al could not walk the 1/4 home. This injury plagued Al for more than a year and made it impossible for him to run.

Present Day
I was pressing it a bit with Al K. today. We went out hard for the first 4 miles of what was to be our 8 miler. Suddenly, at the turn around, I felt that familiar pull / tear in the lower left calf muscle. Almost instantly I was hobbled. FUCK!

I really don't know what to do. I don't want to go to the last asshole Dr. I saw ("take 3 months off from exercising and see me then. Pay the lady at the front on your way out. Bye.") I need someone who is familiar with sports med / athletes. I'm very pissed.

I won't run again until I see the dr. My plan, right now, is to try to ride (primarily just spinning on the trainer, I think, with not much resistance); also I think I will swim a lot.

Well, It's About Time!

Study: San Andreas fault overdue for quake

By ALICIA CHANG, AP Science Writer Wed

LOS ANGELES - New earthquake research confirms the southern end of the San Andreas fault near Los Angeles is overdue for a Big One. The lower section of the fault has not produced a major earthquake in more than three centuries.

The new study, which analyzed 20 years of data and is considered one of the most detailed analyses yet, found that stress has been building up since then, and that the fault could rupture at any moment.

"The southern section of the fault is fully loaded for the next big event," said geophysicist Yuri Fialko of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.

Predicting exactly when that might happen, however, is beyond scientists' ability.

The analysis was published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

Experts have estimated that a quake on the southern San Andreas of magnitude-7.6 or greater could kill thousands of people in the densely populated greater Los Angeles area and cause tens of billions of dollars in damage.

Today, I've got a 10 miler on tap with Al K. This lame has been dogging it lately (he's getting married soon and has been spending his free time tasting cake, choosing music, looking at china patterns, and, in general, being a total slack off) so I'm heading east to kick his ass a bit.

In other news, Moveitfred has been displeased with my stroke work (all these years of practice!)so we've begun discussing Al B. (ever so) Hard building a fixie. More on this as it progresses. More Fixie.

Jose Hit For The Cycle!!!!!!!!!!!

9:40 Pm....Jose Reyes just slugged a single and capped a wonderful evening, hitting for the cycle in tonight's game. He's only the 9th Met to do this and it's only the 3rd time it has happened at Shea. Jose went homer, double, triple, and then the single. AWESOME.

Postscript 10:00 PM....Then they lose after Billy (Remind Anyone of Armando Benitez?) Wagner blows the fucking save. COCK!

Oh, What The Fuck!?

This is a big fucking disgrace. We're just going to have to work harder, people!


New Yorkers are polite? Yes, says mag

By PAT MILTON, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - New Yorkers are a polite bunch.

No, really, they are. So says Reader's Digest.

The magazine sent reporters "undercover" to 36 cities, in 35 countries, to measure courtesy. New York was the only American city on the list.

In a city with a reputation for being in-your-face, New Yorkers seem to be expressing themselves with a new one-finger salute: a raised pinkie. In fact, they seem to have even better manners than people in London, Toronto and Moscow.

In its admittedly unscientific survey, the magazine's politeness-police gave three types of tests to more than 2,000 unwitting participants.

The reporters walked into buildings to see if the people in front of them would hold the door open; bought small items in stores and recorded whether the salespeople said "thank you"; and dropped a folder full of papers in busy locations to see if anyone would help pick them up.

New Yorkers turned out to be the most polite: 90 percent held the door open, 19 out of 20 store clerks said "thank you," and 63 percent of men and 47 percent of women helped with the flying papers.

In short, four out of five New Yorkers passed the courtesy test.

Freefallin'

So Al found himself at the Tom petty show at the Garden last night. (Snuck in a fast 4 before the train.) Petty sounded excellent, razor sharp. And he had Stevie Nicks on stage for a few songs (who, by the way, should seriously consider salad...they did a slide show of the early years of TP and Stevie Nicks collaborations and projected it on her ass).


Mr. Copacetic
Anyway, Al had enjoyed a number of cervezas with dinner and was having fun when Mr. Copacetic came on scene. Al and his pals had snuck down to loge level as their upper tier seats were not to their liking. Mr. C grooved up doing that trippy, dead "wind-em-up, watch-my-hands, now-I'm-jogging-in-place" dance that all these patchoulli smelling MFs favor. He looked at Al with a "just communed with the bodhisattva" look and said, "that's my seat, man. But it's cool. It's cool. I'm copacetic, man. I'm copacetic." He then danced down a step, tried to do a turn with his hands in the air and proceeded to fall, ass over tea kettle, the 40 or so steps down to the floor section. In all, it was a hell of a maneuver. I deducted points, though, because of the landing (he took out the section divider at the bottom of the stairs). A number of other hipsters were near the bottom of the stairs and were very excited to see their brethren come blasting by. They piled through the hole in the divider and rushed the stage.

Just Found Jesus
So the show is progressing and Tom is rocking through "Refugee" when I notice something. As he spins around, the brown velvet vest he's got on has BIG crosses at the lapels and an even BIGGER one on the back. BIG. They are done in a crimson colored glitter and when the light hits them they shine like crazy. Now I'm a Tom Petty fan. I've got a bunch of his albums, and I'll give the knob a crank when he comes on in the ride. But I had no idea he was a Jesus freak. I've enjoyed his music for 30 years...NO IDEA. I'm remarking to one of my friends, "hey look at those fucking crosses." I point and gawk. "What's the story?" Just then Captain copacetic leans in from over my left shoulder (how he got back from the assault on stage left, I have no idea) "yeah man, he found Jesus."

I had no idea he was lost.

Sunday Ride / Monday Run

Al tried to beat the heat and get the Sunday bike ride in before the Father's Day festivities began. Tried...

I got out at about 6:45. I rode 20 m from Oceanside to Massapequa area. By 7:30ish, it was already pretty hot. And there were lots of bikers about.

I decided to head north on the Mass./Bethpage bike trail. It's a 13 mile loop and is mostly shaded. Which brings me to my next thought. The bike path is not aptly named. I believe its official title is something like "The Bethpage State Park Memorial Bike Trail." However, I'd vote for something more accurate: "The Bethpage State Park Bike / Run / Walk / Fish from bridges while standing mid trail / dog off leash / dog on extendo leash / stroller / roller blade / stand 4 across and chat / lay on pavement and sunbathe {no shit} / birdwatch and photograph with tripod and eqipment mid trail Trail."











When all was said and done, I got in about 45 miles. I also worked on my aggravated swerve, emergency stop, evasive action, off road technique while cursing, step in and step out of pedal skills.


MONDAY

Today I did a 9 mile run: 4.5 with the wife while pushing the double jogger (ugh). 4.5 on my own. The second half was quicker (for obvious reasons). in all, a decent run. VERY windy on the Bwalk, though.

Krypton, Motherfucker

With the impending movie opening, Al B. Hard would like to offer an idea to the collective consciousness: Black Superman. Al feels it is simply a failure of the imagination that this very likely possibility has not been explored:

Where do negroid peoples originate? That's right, closest to the equator and, therefore, the sun. We know that planet Krypton is closer to a much larger, red sun. Radiation from that sun is much stronger. It seems logical that Kryptonians are not the pasty caucasoids we've imagined.

Come on, people. We've a black santa,



and a black Jesus,


why not a Black Superman?

THE ONION : "On Fire"

Albangorhard has not obtained permission to share the musings of The Onion on the dangers of secondhand fire but did it anyway. He feels it will elevate the crap on this blog. I'm burning up right now.

Surgeon General Issues Report On Dangers Of Secondhand Fire
THE ONION
June 13, 2006 | Issue 42•24

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Three decades after health advocates brought to the world's attention the serious risks associated with being on fire, a report released Monday by U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona purports that secondhand exposure to those ablaze could prove equally as deadly.

"We now know that individuals engulfed in flames not only pose a danger to themselves, but to everyone else around them," Carmona said. "While severe irritation of the eyes, throat, face, arms, and legs is common among those not on fire themselves, prolonged contact can also cause irreparable damage to bodily organs, most frequently the skin."

"Be it the increased chance of heart attacks, malignant growths that rapidly swell and blister over the surface of the flesh, or simply a burning sensation, secondhand fire is not something to be taken lightly," Carmona added. "It can, and often does, significantly affect one's quality of life."

According to the report, exposure to secondhand fire, or "passive burning," as it is also known, for as little as two minutes can take 80 years off one's life. Statistics show that senior citizens with dry skin, young children who are smaller and consequently take less time to burn, and men and women covered in flammable liquids are most at risk. Chronic asthma sufferers were shown to have their condition drastically worsen within seconds.

"Hundreds of Americans die prematurely each year from flame-related illnesses," said Brian McMillen, who in 1995 lost his wife and half his home to secondhand fire and is now the executive director of Americans Against Involuntary Scorching. "I've watched this silent killer take healthy men and women full of vigor and render them unrecognizable, reducing them to mere skeletons of their former selves before my very eyes."

In response to the findings, smelting plants and fireworks distributors across the nation have introduced harsher workplace restrictions on those in flames, requiring that they extinguish themselves immediately, and even barring them from their establishments altogether. This comes as welcome news to customers and coworkers who have long complained about working around people who are burning.

"There's nothing worse than being trapped in a room all day with a bunch of people blowing red-hot embers and charred fragments of bone in your face," said New Jersey pyrotechnician Heather Benart, who spends several hours each night scrubbing the smell of scorched human flesh out of her clothing. "If they want to be on fire in their own homes, that's their business, but they should at least have the decency to stay far away from those of us who don't have a death wish."

Welder's apprentice Kenny George, of Mobile, AL said the workplace should be a safe environment, noting that he has to deal with blazing colleagues several times a week.

"It's unbearable when someone standing right next to me just bursts into flames without thinking twice," George said. "Inconsiderate people like that are so preoccupied with their own little dramas that they don't even realize they're doing harm to others."

Top executives from six of the nation's largest lighter manufacturers, including Zippo, Cricket, and Bic, who in the past have been accused of glamorizing burning and marketing fire to children, issued a joint press release Monday in response to the surgeon general's report, alleging that the study is "just another attempt to vilify the flame industry." The letter also referred to claims that secondhand fire can cause serious harm as "irresponsible and wildly exaggerated."

The most vocal dismissal of the report's findings, however, have come from burners' rights groups, who have claim they have historically felt ostracized by anti-burning ordinances and other fire-control measures. Advocates frequently accuse anti-burners of expressing unreasonable fears and hysteria, a sentiment echoed by James Feig, a 25-second burner who spoke before the Massachusetts Bar Association on Tuesday.

"Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhh—Dear fucking God, no—Aaaaarrrrggghhh," Feig said.

Whole Foods bans sale of live lobsters

By LIZ AUSTIN, Associated Press Writer
AUSTIN, Texas - Customers craving fresh crustaceans will have to look beyond Whole Foods Market Inc. after the natural-foods grocery chain decided Thursday to stop selling live lobsters and crabs on the grounds that it's inhumane.

The Austin-based grocer spent seven months studying the sale of live lobsters from ship to supermarket aisle, trying to determine whether the creatures suffer along the way.

In some stores, they experimented with "lobster condos," filling tanks with stacks of large pipes the critters can crawl inside. And they moved the tanks behind seafood counters and away from children's tapping fingers.

Ultimately, Whole Foods management decided to immediately stop selling live lobsters and soft-shell crabs, saying they could not ensure the creatures are treated with respect and compassion.

Has the whole fucking world lost its mind, or is it just me? "INHUMANE"!? We're talking about creatures that scuttle about on god damn claws here. We're talking about creatures that are related to sea lice and barnacles. We're talking about food. (And, may I say, food that kicks ass with a side of melted butter and a nice piece of filet mignon sharing the plate.)

All right, I mean if supermarkets were having a "lets rip their fucking claws off and see how long they live" contest, I'd agree with discontinuing the practice (though I'd probably want to catch the show at least once). But we're talking about a swimming cock roach that goes from sea floor to fish tank to tummy. Someone explain the problem? Don't we have some bigger things to worry about ? I swear to god, if I see one jackass vegan (replete in white man dread locks, hemp shirt, brown blue jean cut offs, and birkenstocks) with a "save the lobsters" sign out on the road today, I'm swerving my SUV up onto the median and taking the skinny little cocksucker out. These motherfuckers will step over a homeless guy sleeping in his own piss to spit on some bitch wearing a mink.



Fuck Whole Foods. Fuck vegans. Fuck you.

"Suddenly I'm Not Half The Man I Used To Be"

LESS IS MORE

AL 8/05:




AL 6/06:

THE PRO-ACTIVE PREZ

You'll want to sit down first.....






Bush Acknowledges Guantanamo Damages US image{!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
Reuters -
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush acknowledged on Wednesday that the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where three detainees committed suicide, has damaged the U.S. image abroad and said it should be shut down.




Yesterday I ran and then spent some time in the lap lane. I swam long course and did a nice endurance workout for 2200 yards. (Long course really shows you where you're at. With all the walls and streamlining in the short course, it's easy to be fooled and think your stroke is a lot better than it is.) Last night I did my lame-ass weight circuit at the gym. I actually used to be strong in the gym (back when I was close to 215). Now (as I hover at about 185) I'm pushing significantly less steel.

I ran 4 this morning...early. This eve I plan on some hills on the bike. MoaningFred has been busting my balls about my pace goals and assessments. Hey Fred, even a steer can try.

Al Returns

After a nice two week vacation, Al returns.

To honor his return, here are some awards:

Bloated/Slippery Cocksucker of the Week:


Most In Need of a Good, Stiff “Shut The Fuck Up!”:


Runner Up, Most In Need of a Good, Stiff “Shut The Fuck Up!”:


Guilty of Taking World Cup Soccer Just a Bit Too Seriously:



Most In Need of a Good, Stiff “Get Fucked and Go Away" / "DIE!”:


Runner Up, Most In Need of a Good, Stiff “Get Fucked and Go Away" / "DIE!”:



Nice Outfit:




Runner up, Nice Outfit:




Fully healed (not including the toes) I’ve begun my training for triathlon. My first tri will be on July 9th. It’s a sprint tri. I’ve got some background in swim. I’ve raced as a marathoner, and I’ve done my share of club rides and can hang with the B boys (but I fucking hate the bagel stops). So I’m training for a bigger triathlon in October (a 1/2 Ironman). The 1/2 consists of a 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run. FUN! (The full Ironman is just too crazy for me to even consider.)

This week will be typical example of my early season training schedule:
Monday (yesterday): 30 mile bike on flats at about 20 mph avg. (I’ll bump that to 50 miles in the upcoming weeks and try to get the avg up to 22-24 mph. )
Tuesday: 4 mile run at race pace / swim workout/weights. The swim workouts vary but are all 2500-3000 yards. They involve endurance and form work right now. As I get closer to race day, I’ll be doing more speed. (And if you want to revamp your swimming, totally change your stroke and its efficiency, read “Total Immersion.”)
Wednesday: 4 mile run at race pace / Bike work—hill and interval training.
Thursday: 4 mile run at race pace / swim workout/weights.
Friday: OFF
Saturday:4 mile run at race pace /weights.
Sunday: 10 mile run at marathon pace.