Now I'm a Try-Athlete, just a real slow one

San Diego International Triathlon

1000 meter swim, 20 K Bike ride and 10 K run

( I got passed by a 77-year old)

OK, so I didn't expect to win. I really didn't, I just wanted to be in the middle of the pack. Not unrealistic is it? Well I started in the middle of the pack in the swim, but then my goggles filled with water. I stopped, cleared them then they filled again. I stopped, tightened them and went on. They filled again. I stopped. A lifeguard on surfboard asked me what was the problem and I told her my situation. She said, "come over here (she wanted to call me a loser, I know) , rest on my surfboard and put your goggles under your swim cap." OK, that fixed it. But now, the wave of swimmers behind me had caught up. But I finished the 1000 meter swim and went on to the bike section.

I did OK on the bike section, finishing at about 18 miles an hour from down by the water, up to Cabrillo monument for two laps and then back down again. I didn't seem to pass any of the other 45-49 year old men who finished the swim earlier though.

Transition to the run - I felt pretty good and I figure I did about 9:30 minute miles. Still didn't pass any of my fellow 45-49 year old friends.

Finally, the finish line. A man passed me. On a triathlon, you get "marked" with a marker that says "S" or "I" for the two different distances, Sprint or International (the longer one I did was the International). So this man passes me and I see marked on his led I-77. A friggin' 77-year old man passed me. If I could have caught him, I would have knocked him over into the bay........

I finished 64th out of 68 men in my age category.

If I had registered for the Clydesdale (over 200 lbs.) and over 40 group, I would have been 12th out of 18. I'm only five pounds shy of a Clydesdale, hell that's 4 Bon-bons.

If I was in the 65 - 69 year old category, I still would have been 3rd out of 5.

But how many of those men had sausage sandwiches for lunch the week before in preparing for the race? Twice! But I did. Sausage - The fuel for my racing.

In this race I "completed" versus "competed".

I have another triathlon scheduled for July 19th. It is in Camp Pendleton. It's a 1500 meter swim, 40K ride and a 10K run. That's my last triathlon for the year I suppose.

If I see that old man I'll knock his wrinkly butt off the road.

The problem is I live in one of the most physically fit areas of the country. Most of the top triathletes in the nation are in this area and even the average athlete is in great shape. If I raced in Wisconsin or Canada or somewhere up north, they would be fatter, eat sausage and take their time in a race. Maybe that's my new tactic, not race faster, race slower people........

Last Class of the Biola McGee Cohort Group

I attended my last class at Biola with my cohort group, McGee. I started with these students 18 months ago, now they are friends that I have grown to love. Biola has helped me grow as a student and as a Christian. But I have a long way to go.

Current plans are that I'll graduate in December, if I can get all of my elective classes done.

Now I need to find a job. I had a great opportunity that I didn't get, but I know that there are opportunities for me, I must find them though. I want to thank all of the professors at Biola, Kathy Mavity, my academic advisor and my cohort group. I also must thank my family who had to put up with me being tied to my computer these past two years and away every Tuesday night.

The Lord has blessed me with the time these past months to be available for friends in need, to learn to swim and complete a triathlon and to take more classes towards my degree.

I feel that after I complete the Pendleton Olympic Distance Triathlon on July 19th (.9 mile swim, 24.8 mile Bike and 6.2 mile run) and finish some online classes at the same time, I'll be ready.

Ready for what, only God knows........

Mark and Karina move into our house

Some of you may remember my neighbors who used to live next to us, Mark, Oksana and their little girl Karina. Mark and Oksana helped us find and contact our relatives in Ukraine. My mother and I travelled to Kiev and stayed with them. After our trip, Mark and Oksana thought that the dry air of Las Vegas would be better for Mark's health. They bought a house there and rented out the house next to us. As time went on, Oksana's health deteriorated and on May 30th, she died. Mark is 75 years old and has been planning a "final" trip to Kiev to sell all of his remaining properties. Unfortunately he has to also bury the ashes of his wife and he left to do that recently.

Now we are taking care of Karina till Mark's return and they will live with us until the renters are out of Mark's house in September.

Karina is a joy of a child and Hannah is sharing her room, her toys and her friends (and her Mom) with Karina. This is difficult for Hannah but she is doing a great job.

Karina has been registered for kindergarten in the fall. She will be in the afternoon session so that she can go there with Darcy.

For now, we are taking one day at a time. Karina seems to be adapting extremely well to living with us and the loss of her mother. We have visited a counselor to talk about how we deal with Oksana's death with Karina and that helped us. Mark should return soon and we'll be one big happy family, all six of us.

Hannah and Tom visit Pittsburgh

Hannah and I spent a few days in Pittsburgh with my family. Hannah loved being with her cousins, especially Janice's boys, Liam, Declan and Kegan. I've been accused by some family in Pittsburgh (who shall remain nameless) that if you read our blog, you'd never know we had family in Pittsburgh. Well we do. We had a great time and Hannah was actually away from her mom for five days. They are so amazing close, at first I thought we had not cut the umbilical cord between them, in actuality, we must have replaced it with a bungee cord.