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My forward forward rolls have been suffering it seems from a lazy form. I finally hit the sweet spot this weekend by really tucking in tight to the fore deck. By not coming as far off the deck of the kayak when I initiate the sweep for my hand roll I was coming up with more ease than in the past. I think after another session I may be able to begin working back towards using a mitten and not the norsaq.
Cheri Perry had cautioned me against the commonplace arm thrust on this roll and to concentrate on the abdominal crunch and tuck.

Lo there did I feel the tummy burn on this roll…

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When you’re in junior high you’re afraid to tell your friends you like a girl because… well you’re in junior high. They may not like her, it may not work out, she might dump you. At the end of the day you have to live with yourself, and you have to make a commitment with what you believe is right.

Now that I am a grown up, I don’t care what my friends think about my girlfriend, otherwise they wouldn’t be friends. So I have to set a goal and make the summit approach.

This long winded analogy is a way of saying I have been holding off from telling folks that I intend on running another marathon. Most likely Bayshore (again barring injury) on Memorial day weekend. I came in at about 3:40 for Chicago in 2004. I am shooting for about 3:30 if my body will let me do it. My training has ramped up since October and I have been running 25-30 miles a week since then. I need to ramp up to about 35-45 miles if not higher in the end. It’s the long runs that do you in, but that are ultimately what count. They are also the edge of the world in terms of physical endurance, your sanity. You see what you are made of out there. And like fox holes, there are no atheists at the 24 mile marker…

The thing about running is that unless you are superhuman, you know you won’t win. My son once asked me why I ran any of these races if I knew I wouldn’t win. I told him you have to race to see how fast you can go, to see what you’re made of. I hope to find I am made of sterner stuff than I think. Even if I come in at the same or worse than Chicago, it is still the attempt that means everything. If I don’t try, I will never forgive myself.

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Tyler Ramsey opened for Band of Horses when Laura and I saw them in Pontiac this year. He is also one of the guitarists for the Band of Horses. His solo album is out now and available online from newburycomics.com

Twelve tracks featuring Tyler’s song writing except for one cover of Jackson Browne’s These Days.

So far the title track is living up to the hype….

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Alpine Mountain Climbing is frankly something that terrifies me. Razor edged peaks that ascend into the clouds don’t tempt me. That said, the achievement of Hillary and Tenzing Norgay boggles the mind. With primitive equipment and clothing, but superior skill and determination this pair stepped onto the summit of the world’s tallest mountain in 1953.

Mt Everest at 29,028 feet high is the tallest mountain in the world. Mt Everest is in the Himalayas on the Border of Nepal, Tibet, and China.

No ladders through the Khumbu icefall, no fixed ropes run by sherpas. No ladders up what is now ironically called the Hillary Step. No one carried Hillary and Tenzing’s packs for them, no one helped them up the mountain. This pair climbed onto the summit without all of the support that most modern climbers receive. This feat would not be surpassed until Reinhold Messner summited alone without supplemental oxygen. Because the world is shrinking, I don’t think the likes of Hillary will ever be seen again in this world. RIP you noble beekeeper.

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Stanley Kubrick once said that the last uncharted territory of human nature was marriage. What makes one work for a lifetime? So often because of proximity, domesticity breeds contempt in us as marital creatures. We often forget how much we wanted this from the outside. I often wonder if relationships would be better if we didn’t live in the same space all the time. Which is why a lot of folks end up divorced I guess. Maybe the long kayaking trips is what makes my marriage work? A break from the domesticity is often a good thing. The closeness to weakness, character faults, and uglier sides, (any side for me) sometimes makes it hard to respect the other person. Unless there is love. Without it you get nowhere.

Which is why this Songs:Ohia tune should be every married man’s mantra.

Captain Badass

departure and worry
still shakes me
resistance failed
and friendship failed
as lovers we did not fail
brown eyes your pulse is getting hotter
brown eyes your pulse is getting quicker
quote Captain Badass,
” I am setting your heart on fire
so when you leave me
i will burn on in your soul”.
you won’t have to think twice
if it’s love you will know
we get no second chance in this life
so a hot pulse is alright
so a quick pulse is alright
so a hot kiss is alright
so a long kiss is alright
so a long night is alright
and all night is alright
there ain’t no contest
against the final day
we’ll rise above us either way
we’re either greeted
by life or its reverse
then each day greeted
by fortune or its reverse
will you stand up for your one chance
will you stand up for love
we get no second chance in this life
you won’t have to think twice if its love
you will know

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Had my first sub twenties commute of the year. I felt much warmer than last year. Ninjaclava from Outdoor Research was a plus, as were the Cyclone Booties from Pearl Izumi.

However as I had some new gear on that seems to be working out, I thought I would point out a few losers from last year that I thought would work out well but ended up failing miserably.

The Bad and the Ugly

1. The EKG Base layer from Pearl Izumi
I bought two of these as base layers. They were comfy and next to skin good for about two days. Both of them developed holes in the armpits that grew in size. Either I have acid in my sweat like a Geiger alien, or Pearl Izumi needs some QC/QA.
2. Thermafleece Tights Pearl Izumi discontinued. These started out warm, snug, and terrific. They now have developed a hole in the arse and in the crotch. Again is it acid eating sweat, or poor QC/QA? Do the people that rave about Pearl Izumi all the time actually use their gear at all? For the price, almost double HIND or Sugoi gear; they better last more than a season.
3. Louis Garneau Cycling Gloves-these things suck as cycling gloves. They do not block wind in anything below 45 degrees, and they are not water resistant.

1. Lendal Paddle Kinetic XTI White Water paddle-Previously posted

   Editorial note, they are shipping me a new paddle that has as of yet not arrived.

   The Good

2. CW-X Lite-fit Top
I bought two of these to replace the Pearl Izumi tops. One year on, they are still taking the abuse of my acidic alien armpit sweat. I’ve worn them under drysuits, ski jackets, and cycling jerseys. No rips no runs, still like new.
3. NRS Toaster Mitts

Great 30 dollar investment.

1. Mega Maverick

Great carving machine, many many fun rides in this downwave maniac. I can’t say enough good things about Mega’s surf boats. More fun than I am legally allowed to have.

1. IR Custom Drydeck

Great heavy duty rubber randed sprayskirt custom made to my kayak. No more cold water ejections. No Tag

For two short weeks I was the proud owner of an 8 Gig iPod Nano third generation. I loaded music on it, and merrily listened to it through an FM tuner adapter in my old volvo. Dec 26th, while carrying my sleeping seven year old daughter into the house, I stupidly forgot to go back and lock my car. Some lucky fool trolling through my parents posh suburban Clarkston neighborhood spotted the gold bomber from the street went up, found the car unlocked and removed the ipod, part of my dashboard (wholly unneccessary), and the adapter. I guess this is why I shouldn’t have nice stuff…

There are flesh eating microbes awaiting someone’s testicles in hell.

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