Life As It Comes 

Weekend Update5 Comments

Let me tell you about my weekend:

Friday night, I watched the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies with some people from my small group. It was a stunning display and an amazing coordination of over 15,000 performers. Then, during the parade of nations, the broadcast became a powerful reminder of the “wondrous variety” we all are.

Saturday morning, I woke up and did my nearly half-century ride (47.02 miles actually), peaking the bike part of my training, as scheduled. I still have some work to do on the run.

Saturday afternoon I watched some Olympic coverage and had a power nap.

Saturday evening, I went to watch the ZHT’s production of Beauty and the Beast and witnessed a large tree branch crush eight cars and a person. The show was well-done; my thoughts and prayers are with the man injured by the tree.

Sunday was 7:30 AM setup again for Crossroads, then church and tear-down. I went home to take a nap and woke up at 6:30, too late to make it to The Concert of Praise at HCBCNW.

I spent the evening watching more Olympic coverage, including the unbelievable men’s 4×100m free relay.

A full couple of days, no?

Defend Austin Race Culture2 Comments

Are you ready for a bit of activism from yours truly?

The Austin race culture is in trouble. There are many speaking up to complain about the street closures and other inconveniences associated with the frequent races our city hosts. A city council task force has been created to address the issue, and you have a chance to speak up about it, if you have the desire:
Continued »

Couples Tri6 Comments

This weekend was Couples Tri. This marked my first “official” experience with triathlon in an actual race.

My plan had been to compete in the Olympic Distance for The Austin Triathlon as my first race, but I figured since Couples was beginner-friendly and a Sprint-Distance, I might as well do it for the experience.

Here are my results. I received so much encouragement from the T3ers, especially once word spread that this was my first triathlon. I also felt well-prepared and didn’t really physically struggle much during the race, which I owe entirely to the T3 training. The only obstacle that came up was that I dropped my chain twice on two successive hills. Other than that, the race was a success, a good benchmark for where I am, and an incentive to keep training hard for The Austin Tri.

Enjoy some pictures! I didn’t take any of these, but they are good. Also, there are professional pictures coming in 5-10 days.

Roller Derby4 Comments

A few of us went to see the Roller Derby this weekend. Be sure to check out Andrew’s photos. The Rhinestone Cowgirls handily defeated the Putas del Fuego.

Chief Illiniwek Retires4 Comments

The University of Illinois will retire its mascot, Chief Illiniwek. Ostensibly, the idea of having a Native American mascot is offensive to some; however, I - like many - only have respectful and endearing memories of having “Chief” perform at the games. In my recollection, growing up near Champaign-Urbana, “Chief” would always do a dance as a way to fire up the team, etc. As far as I know, great care was taken to be very honorable, respectful, and authentic in the portrayal.

As a Boilermaker, I wish my conference-mates well and bid a fond farewell to Chief Illiniwek.