To steal a bit from some obscure and hence-forgotten comedian I saw on T.V. a long time ago, there are different ways to say the word "Dude", and have it mean lots of different things. Few words in the English language allow you to express such a wide array of sentiments just by how you say them, and "Dude" is one of them. I'm sure most of you understand what I'm talking about, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with the multifaceted expression of the word "Dude", it's delivered by voice inflection and octive, enlongation of vowels, and facial expression; and expresses emotions ranging from disgust, to satisfaction, to abject fear.
Being one of few words, I like the word "Dude". It's efficient. I like efficiency. Therefore, the word "Dude" is a common word in my vocabulary. Just do something stupid and see. If you cut me off in traffic I can express my utter contempt for you with just one word, while saving the oxygen I would otherwise expend with further verbal thrashing (and, of course, the energy expended by wild digital gesticulation). It's a lot more polite, too. Might even keep you out of jail. Or the hospital. You should try it sometime.
This being a written media, however, I find myself a little short on words to explain why I'm doing this, why I signed up for this particular race, how I've arrived at my paltry level of fitness and expanded form (not so much from chicken fried steak as from Chinese take-out, pizza, and beer), and just how, exactly, do I find the motivation to prepare for such an epic event. Needless to say, my entries into this blog will probably be short, sweet, and most likely tinged with a good dose of curmudgeonly smarm.
I've finished one full Ironman (Coeur d'Alene, 2008), a few half Ironman races, and several shorter distance races, so I know the whats, hows, and wherefores of training for the big race. Those are pretty easy. Knowing the "why", however, is a critical part of training, yet sometimes that knowlege is so elusive. Maybe knowing the "why" is so critical because it's so elusive and buried deep enough that it appears only as a shadow of something you once knew. As the days progress toward Ironman Texas, my "whys" will take many forms, possibly change dramatically, and definitely grow in number. For the most part, I plan to keep them to myself. Well, the deepest, shadiest ones anyway.
An Ironman triathlon is a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. Digest that for a second or two. Now, is there any better word to describe that than, "DUDE!"?
Being one of few words, I like the word "Dude". It's efficient. I like efficiency. Therefore, the word "Dude" is a common word in my vocabulary. Just do something stupid and see. If you cut me off in traffic I can express my utter contempt for you with just one word, while saving the oxygen I would otherwise expend with further verbal thrashing (and, of course, the energy expended by wild digital gesticulation). It's a lot more polite, too. Might even keep you out of jail. Or the hospital. You should try it sometime.
This being a written media, however, I find myself a little short on words to explain why I'm doing this, why I signed up for this particular race, how I've arrived at my paltry level of fitness and expanded form (not so much from chicken fried steak as from Chinese take-out, pizza, and beer), and just how, exactly, do I find the motivation to prepare for such an epic event. Needless to say, my entries into this blog will probably be short, sweet, and most likely tinged with a good dose of curmudgeonly smarm.
I've finished one full Ironman (Coeur d'Alene, 2008), a few half Ironman races, and several shorter distance races, so I know the whats, hows, and wherefores of training for the big race. Those are pretty easy. Knowing the "why", however, is a critical part of training, yet sometimes that knowlege is so elusive. Maybe knowing the "why" is so critical because it's so elusive and buried deep enough that it appears only as a shadow of something you once knew. As the days progress toward Ironman Texas, my "whys" will take many forms, possibly change dramatically, and definitely grow in number. For the most part, I plan to keep them to myself. Well, the deepest, shadiest ones anyway.
An Ironman triathlon is a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. Digest that for a second or two. Now, is there any better word to describe that than, "DUDE!"?
