Superbowl in Vegas recap

Standard Las Vegas disclaimer apply's (ie what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas). I will only speak of my own actions on the weekend in order to protect the sanctity of those I traveled with, except when those actions are pure and altruistic. To get the big question out of the way, yes I did lose money. Oh please, you can't win every time you go and I lost a pittance compared to previous years.

We got in early Friday and I immediately went for a run while most of the group hit the tables. I was only going to run an hour, saving my legs for a hard Saturday run the next morning. To my surprise I felt very strong and continued to run for 2:04:00 and the distance of a half marathon. A pace of 9'28". Afterwards I went to the spa and spent a couple hours relaxing.

The group I was with all meet up for a dinner at a high society joint called Carnevino. I really wasn't in the mood for steak which they are world famous for. But I was cajoled into splitting a large two person cut of their award winning signature steak. It was delicious, creamy, fatty. Not only was it much more sophisticated than boring universe of normal foods, it was much to rare for my taste. Otherwise the evening progressed long into the morning with me gambling little and drinking an occasional cocktail. Mostly I just talked up everybody I met.

Some things never change. In my almost twenty years of Vegas trips, most all of them involve maximum people in a minimum room. The only thing that has really changed is the quality of casino and the size of the room which this years room at the Venetian was superb. I awoke on a great couch but not feeling great. In fact I felt quite ill and my stomach was killing me. I envisioned my previous couple weeks of stomach flu and remaining cold coming back. While everyone else headed to the buffets or the tables I puked myself silly in the bathroom. Other than a forced trip mid afternoon trip to get some bland food and water for the rest of the day, I stayed on the couch till Sunday morning with a horrible stomach.

Sunday I woke up much rested and feeling good. I went down to the gym to ride the bike for a bit and lift some weights. Afterward, I felt good but my stomach still not right. Luckily all of us agreed to meet for a classic buffet and Harrah's hit the spot with a awesome breakfast spread. It was great. I had a very good traditional breakfast, twice. Hey, it was all you could eat. I walked out with a waffle cone, not filled with ice cream, but with key lime pie. Waffle cone and pie. No better combination. Have no fear I ate less than half of it. Damn it.

Between the buffet and the Superbowl, we hit a couple of casinos and played some cheap tables. One lady asked a friend if he was winning this weekend. He looked at her with a straight face and said, "Lady, I'm playing $5 blackjack, do you think I'm winning this weekend?"

I didn't put anything on the game, so had no stake in the results. I am amazed at how little I gambled this trip. Usually we watch the game at a big crowded party, but I was not the only one who suffered from the Friday dinner so we all watched the game in a penthouse my partner was staying in, separate from us. After all was said and done in this town, it cames down to just the classic group of guys hanging around a flat screen and one-upping each other based on bets placed between them and how they played out during the game.

So many Las Vegas trips lose points because of disintegrating group dynamics revolving around morality, debt, communication and commonality but this one continued to get stronger each hour. with us. For me, this trip ranked somewhere in the high middle of all my Vegas outings. I've had 1's (worst) and 10's (best ever) and give this one a 7. Even though I was sick and on a couch for 24 hours, the group I was with was really tight and made up for all the other stuff.

It's not enough to exist. I am going to live.

Why should I worry, thats what you do

I really love my friends. I do. There are so many people that are invested in my successes (and failures) that it is hard to go through the day without smiling about my great fortune. If you can't say the same about your life, then I am truly sorry you can not understand this blessing.

For almost two years I ran as far away as I could from my competitive spirit as I could. My literal life depended on it. When I came back to training, it was purposefully uncoordinated, loose and without race specific goals. Believe it or not, I was quite happy with that. I wondered if I could become one of the mythical dudes people talk about who never raced but always surprised people in training how great I was. Chevy Chase in Caddyshack was my motivation in that. But those that know me, know that ain't me.

Admittedly it was reckless to make a marathon my first race back to being on a clock. And doing so has moved me even closer to the person I was before, though hopefully without the gigantic flaws. But I love my friends because they remind me of those flaws. It is so, so easy to get myself psyched for a race and forget what I have become. My friends keep me grounded. Boy do they keep me grounded.

Between the daily texts and the phone calls I get regular reminders to 'slow down', reminders of my 'don't kill yourself contract' I have with Mistress, others say, "are you effing nuts, you're an idiot." To race within my physical ability not my wish list. I have a big list. I am personally really looking forward to this marathon. Especially since unlike triathlons, I will be doing this whole thing with some of my closest friends around me in one big gaggle.

I will say that mentally, a marathon is a nothing distance to me. Whether that is a result of all the marathons and road races I have done since the early 1990's or my Ironman training or visualizations or just my Iron F#@king Willpower; it doesn't seem a huge hurdle for me.

The real test will be my bodies ability to handle that distance and really, truthfully, override my mind if things get tough. And if it can't, that's what my friends are there to do, make me do what my body wants, not what my mind wants. Then of course recover afterwards. And I already know that in this regard, my body will take much longer than it ever has to bounce back and I'm prepared for that.

It's exciting. I wouldn't be doing this marathon if it wasn't for my friends being there with me on the course race day and all the ones that have been there encouraging, motivating and most importantly holding me accountable throughout this whole ordeal.

Its not enough to exist. I am going to live.

Boys Town

This weekend continues a long standing tradition of going to Las Vegas for Superbowl weekend. Been doing this with mostly the same set of guys for the last dozen plus years. While I have in the past had some incredibly raucous and unrepeatable times in Vegas, (unless we're drinking at a bar and one upping each other, in which case I'll kick your ass), I thoroughly expect this weekend to be a decidedly low key affair.

I have actually planned this trip more as a workout retreat rather than a gambling, drinking, partying binge. I have a long run planned most days, in fact the first thing I'm doing when I get there is running the strip outside of town. Great route I've done before. You see a whole new level of Vegas when your not in a taxi. And sober. Okay, I will admit I love the gyms and spas in these hotels and look forward to soaking out my stress and sore muscles.

I don't even have gambling on my radar until Sunday. Not that I won't if I get the opportunity. Don't get me wrong I love to gamble. But get past the slot machines and the up & down adrenaline of table gambling and there is so much more to do there, even if you despise gambling. The shows, the events, the food, the strip itself. Its an incredibly entertaining experience. I have so many great experience in this town, I would actually love to bring Mighty Mo there in a year or so.

Whatever you do in life, don't just exist. Live.

Dealing

The time is fast approaching for my first race since 2008. Next weekend is the Lost Dutchman marathon. I would say my five week training plan was going good the first three weeks but this stomach flu to lungs to sinus crap is annoying. I'd say I am recovered except for the broken glass sound in my lungs when I run. Is what it is.

Mistress had a version of this. Both parents a version. Now Mae. She has pneumonia. One would think that as parents we would be flipping out that our 11 month old has pneumonia but c'mon, by now Mighty Mo had pneumonia or bronchitis four or five times on top of all the other surgeries, scopes, hospital stays. In fact, we are damn lucky with Mae.

The only downside is that Mae treats being sick like every other person that is not Mighty Mo, so she flops around, cry's, whines, drama over vomiting and feeling miserable. It's really been Mistress shouldering the burden of this 24/7. I am leaving this weekend for a guys trip so I have been trying to bank sleep for Mistress by taking Mae downstairs at night so Mistress can sleep in peace. Which means by default, I don't sleep at all.

I am not a napper. I don't sleep well at night. If I wake up I am fully awake and nothing puts me back down except exhaustion. So I am used to 18-20 hour days. I don't like them but I deal with it. Based on the last two nights I didn't sleep at all Monday night (41 hours up) Then got about four hours sleep last night in two different periods.

Luckily there is nothing on the agenda for the family this weekend so everyone will stay home while I am gone. Then next weekend is Mae's 1st birthday. A simple affair with just close family Saturday, My marathon is Sunday. Hopefully no hospital stay on Monday. And when the marathon goes well (i.e. finish standing up with a smile on my face) I will start officially tying all my other race and adventure plans together into a cohesive schedule. And boy, oh boy, that will be fun to look at.

It's not enough to exist. I am going to live.

A New Shiny Thing: Suunto Core

I have been hiking enough lately and planning events for the near future that I began looking for a ABC watch (Altimeter/Barometer/Compass). After looking a several makes and models, (a bit of sexy factor) I chose the Suunto Core light green model. Interestingly enough my purchase did not satisfy my desires for an unbreakable watch however I will get to that in a bit.

First off, Suunto has been in the business of outdoor supplies for years, mostly with compasses and diving equipment. It doesn't hurt that their Core line is damn sexy. Their watches are split into two face types, the 'light' which is watch in photo with a greyish background with dark numbers. Then the 'negative' or black watches which is black background and orange or greyish letters. I prefer a watch that is easier to read so chose the light version. Your mileage may vary. (YMMV)

The Time face allows you to see the time in two zones, plus the temperature, sunrise/sunset, seconds, date, countdown. The Altimeter/Barometer

a weak week.

Life sucks when your sick. Totally derailed my training for the marathon next month. Just zero energy. Of course its in January, one the busiest months of my industry. Good grief. I don't normally miss work but I showed up and then was sent home by my partner. Spent two days in bed feeling like I had been knifed in the belly.

That being said I am trying to stay positive....well actually, I haven't seen much this week to bolster my normally positive sunny disposition. That sort of sucks. I could look at this bright side, the stomach flu has been great for my weight loss plan. I did not default to my normal sick day food of diet Coke and peanut M&Ms. Small positive victory's.

Baby Mae is walking short distances now. Well she CAN walk short distances but she will still sit down and crawl. However she is at the point that she doesn't want to be in a lap anymore she wants to down. She is scouting out the house and the places that Mistress and I have not baby proofed. I have tried to get pictures of this but she is the most camera shy baby I know. (Pretty limited pool actually. I'm allergic to baby's).

Tomorrow is the last work day of the month, what a month. I am so behind. Between some fairly large projects earlier, half the family being gone and then sick, I have to bust ass tomorrow to get it all done. I really don't like that. I am the person that gets S done early and this rush to finish stuff sucks.

A weak week to say the least. But as the hopeful SOB that I am, I will find a way to finish all my work, get in my training and enjoy my life.

Its not enough to exist, I am going to live.

Joyous Homecoming

Mistress and Mae made it home safe and sound last night. Well not exactly sound. Their flight from Philly was canceled and had to wait three hours for another flight. At least when they go to Phoenix the airport was empty. We ended up waiting almost a half hour for the luggage to show, so Mae and Mo and the rest of us all got to hang out, crawl on the floor and walk around. Very fun.

Mistress did not get me any gifts. She figured if the right thing didn't pop out then saving money would be the great gift for me and she was right. I did get some of the Queens chocolate which she got at Windsor. Mo got a snow globe which he really liked, plus some chocolates.

The parents came over and Mae went nuts for them. She is walking much better though not on her own yet. Close. Her legs are so strong right now. I think it all just biomechanics. Her and Mighty Mo played like fulls this morning. Of course mommy and babys schedules are off so its the middle of the day and they are sound asleep. Mo is playing PS2 and I am watching a movie online. Waiting for Mae to wake up first so we can take her and let Mistress sleep some more.

Training is not were I wanted it while Mistress was gone but I can cope. Mostly treadmill stuff but whatever.