Where did you come from, Where did you go

O wow, it has been longer than i intended, but I'm here now, that's all that matters right?

Exams are done, over-and-done-with, finished, in the past.  And trust me, that is for the best.  As it all turns out, NOT my best  performance, not my best semester...but we press on learning from what happened. 

Okay, there is a serious cliche coming.  While talking to my dad about my grades and what they mean and what directions I'm steering myself, he proceeded to plunge into a terrible yet

 effective cliche based around endurance sports.  While my dad doesn't fully understand the sport, or the addiction, he knows that it is something that i value and care about.  Begin the comparison between marathon training and a semester's worth of school work.  There is a long term goal, far off in the distance, barely visible on the horizon.  It is the knowledge that when you cross that finish line, several months away, there is an indescribable feeling, unduplicatable (if thats a word).  Quick analogy to finishing a 5K, a sprint triathlon, the Kona Ironman..whichever you choose.  Anyways, this ends one period of my college career..time to re-establish a working schedule, with school, work, and training. 

 Discipline is the quality I'm hoping to help turn this around.

Enough of the school/rambling, onto whats been going on with my training.

I came home from work on Tuesday with a little notification on my door saying i had missed a delivery.  After getting the box from the office and a small struggle with assembly, i was pleased to find my new favorite training partner:

okay, so bad picture, but my roommates and i went in together and bought a cycleops fluid2 trainer.  Great investment.  I've ridden it three times over the last week, and have really grown to like it.  Keeping a college student's schedule makes weekday bike rides during the winter rather difficult.  Anyways, this looks to be a pivotal part of my winter training.  

I came home for a few days and was able to tag along with a few of my dad's friends for a nice weekend ride.  Thirty miles and some winded old men later, i felt like i had gotten a decent workout in.

Swimming has been going well,  It is definitely the weakest of my disciplines and the area i feel i get the best workout in.  Right now, I'm just working on building strength and establishing an efficient and effective stroke.  

Christmas came early this year in the form of some sweet new 2009 Nimbus's.  Real excited about the shoes.  I've got them loaded into SportTracks, and plan on accurately cataloguing the miles i put on them.

Okay...probably the most random post i could have put together, but this is just a weird time, Christmas break, cold days, and spending too much time sleeping ( :-D ) have led to me turning my brain off.  Looking forward to a warmer week here in Chapel Hill, maybe get in a few rides before it really gets cold.  

Hope everyone is officially geared up for the Holidays, they are closing in fast.

Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.

Brian Tracy

T