After a bit of an overwhelming last semester that proved extremely un-conducive to a rigorous training schedule I’m finally getting a chance to easy myself back into it. Short runs right now; partly because it’s minus 25*C outside, partly because it’s stinking slippery out there but mostly because I’m not in any great shape to be throwing down a ten miler every other day!

Getting back into the swimming groove has been tough, I feel like I’m putting in all my mental effort to get an even kick and can’t even keep it symmetric. I just love hitting the pool though, I really missed it.

Last semester taught me something, the opportunity to find time for a 10 workout/week training schedule last summer was an amazing blessing! It was good to be called into a higher level of commitment than I had anticipated with InterVarsity. It was good to have my schedule dictated for me essentially hour by hour. It was good for me to see my run times decay over the course of the Wednesday night XC series. It may have even been alright for me to loose 16 cm of circumference from my thighs.

I really learned that the chance to dictate what I do with my time is a blessing. I feel like this semester has given me a bit more control over those sorts of things. I’m not jumping back into a 10 workout/week schedule until May, but even when I do I’ll have a greater perspective on how lucky I am to be able to hammer down Saskachewan drive at 40 kph.

Quantum Mechanics is honestly the sweetest course I have ever taken in the history of my life. I’m now checking it off on my list of life goals as complete

Now, anybody else in the course right now might be thinking otherwise as we are all finishing up the largest “weekly” assignment of our lives. Mine totals 16 pages. But by struggling through some ridiculous matheMagic to do those complex integrals and expectation values etc. I’ve developed not only a greater interest in the stuff, I’ve really got a much larger respect for the whole deal.

When you start an integral on one page, and hack your way through it on 2 pages, making reference to another 4 pages of previous results for simplification along the way, and arrive at the finish line with an answer of h|bar*(l^2 + a). You really get a grip on how intricately everything fits together. Having started with an expression that was so long I couldn’t even write it on one line (and couldn’t be reduced from there either!) and can develop such an elegant result I’m beginning to get a bit better grip on how perfectly God has this world balanced out. Whether or not the quantum mechanics aspect of the problem characterizes the real world very accurately, the math itself is something that elicits a bit of awe in me. I can’t help but sit here at my desk and be in a good mood even though the clock now shows “12:50″ because I’ve just seen a few of God’s fingerprints.

I’m on the 10 person short list for the Atco electric scholarship. This means that next Tuesday is highlighted by a 45 minute interview downtown Edmonton to convince a panel that they need to select me as the recipient…

Value: $5,000

Conditions: To be awarded annually to Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents with satisfactory academic standing entering the third year of Electrical or Mechanical Engineering. Recipients will be selected on the basis of academic standing, well-rounded personality, interpersonal skills, and leadership potential as demonstrated through involvement in extracurricular activities.

Donor: Endowed in 1987 by Alberta Power Limited (now ATCO Electric) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the creation of engineering as an organized profession. ATCO Electric will try to offer summer employment to the finalists in each competition.

“I am an outdoors type of person.” Really means: I train in any type of weather. If its raining, snowing, 90 degrees w / 1 0 0% humidity, or winds gusting at 30 mph. I don’ t want to hear any complaints because I will still train in it and youre just a big wuss for complaining about it.

“I enjoy riding my bike.” Really means: with or w /o aero bars, alone or in a peleton, I don’ t care. If you can’ t do a spur of the moment 30 miler then youre not my type. I will let you draft, but if you can’ t hang and I drop you I will see you later. I am a capable mechanic, but don’ t expect me to change your flats or tune your bike. You need to learn that on your own.

“I enjoy jogging.” Really means: Lets run hills until we puke. I have just as many shoes as you only mine are bet ter because they are functional and all look the same.

“I enjoy dining out. ” Really means: I enjoy eating out, in or anywhere else I can find food. Don’ t be shy because with the amount of food I eat, you can have that main entree instead of a salad and you will still look as though you eat like a rabbit in comparison. Don’ t ge t your limbs too close though as I may take a bite out of you. Most importantly don’ t expect any taste of f my plate unless you can bring something to the party like more food. Eventually though if your not burning 4,000+ calories a day your going to plump up and have a terrible complex due to watching me eat deserts and not gain any weight. Friends and family will eventually decide not to dine with us anymore due to my horrid table manners. Oh, and don’ t ask me any questions during breakfast, Mid Morning Lunch, Lunch, Af ternoon lunch, Dinner or Recovery Dinner as it does not lend to efficient food intake.

“I enjoy quiet walks on the beach.” Really means: Walks on the beach warming up into an 8 mile run and then plunging myself in the ocean for a 2 miler. If you get in my way you’re going to find out what mass start is and let me assure you that you don’ t want to find out.

“I find fulfillment in charitable work.” Really means: If I am not racing, I am volunteering and I expect you to be there along side me as I stand out in 90 degree weather for 8 hours handing out sport s drink to cyclists going 20 mph. Just stick the ol’ arm out there and hope it doesn’t get taken off.

“I enjoy sharing quiet moments together.” Really means: It ’s taper time. Just back off because I am strategizing and in a pissy mood because I am worried about my “A ” race and can’ t workout.

“I am an active person.” Really means: Aside from my 40 hour job, and the 8 mandatory hours of sleep a night. 10 hours a week are devoted to me during the offseason and 20 during race season leaving us 4 hours. 2 of which are spent inhaling food and you not talking to me, so lets make the best of the 2 hours we will spend toge ther on average each day. If you are a licensed message therapist or doctor this would make the most optimal use of our time together. Nutritionist is also accep table, but I probably already know just as much as you.

“I enjoy road trips and leisurely drives.” Really means: You have your choice of Wisconsin, Idaho, Florida, California, Arizona, and New York, bu t don’ t expect to do much site seeing. If I get enough support from you we might be able to include Hawaii in there.

“I enjoy site seeing.” Really means: Lets grab a mountain bike and get our HR’s up to 90%. There’s plenty of time to look around on the descent as trees and bushes whiz by you at 40 mph.

“I like stimulating conversation.” Really means: while we are running, we can talk about food. Then we can talk about how we decided what to wear on this run based on the temperature at start time versus the temperature at the time we expect to finish, how horribly out of shape we are, how many miles we did last week, and how many we will do this week and next week. Then we can talk about food.

“I enjoy relaxing soaks in the tub.” Really Means: I’m going to stop on the way home and buy two bags of ice, throw them in the tub with some water, and sit in this torture chamber for 30 minutes.

“I’m interested in photography” Really Means: My camera is permanently perched a tripod in front of my trainer. I obsess over taking photos of my bike position and analyzing them to get the perfect setup.

“I’m into in technology” Really Means: My HRM and bike computer are my best friends. Until you can give me some hard data that can improve my training, don’ t bother trying to buddy up to me. You could one day break into the top three if I find you as entertaining on long runs and rides as my mp3 player.

Triglycerides: 1.1 mM/L

Total Cholesterol: 3.36 mM/L

Fasting Glucose: 4.55 mM/L

HDL: 1.12 mM/L

LDL: 2.01 mM/L

VLDL: 0.5 mM/L

TD/HDL: 3.3