In college, we always talked about the day when we would not have to train every day anymore, what it was going to be like, how great it was going to be. Those days ended almost eight years ago now. Since then very few times in my life have I not continued to train every day. Since then, it has been due to choice I have continued this lifestyle. Why I choose this though, I am not entirely sure why. This much I do know though. It is, for some odd reason, very much a part of who I am.

True, for the last week I was in Maryland getting ready for and racing in the American Open of the Canoe World Series. However, I have a rule for posting on this site. If I cannot say something positive, I say nothing at all. Thus all I have to say about the American Open was to confirm I was in fact, actually there and did compete.

Six hours and 16 minutes, at least this is what my rental car told me it took to get from Charlotte, NC to McHenry, MD. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of life trying to get everything in place to just walk away and have to focus on little more than paddling for a week. A lot has been going on. At first, I though the Subaru was giving up the ghost. Duringthe last couple of months, I have been working in both Support Services and Instruction with ESRI, meaning I have about one and a half jobs. Also, I found the right townhouse to buy at the right place and the right time.

Yes, this entry is post dated. It is not a check, so I can do this. After all, it is my site.

This is a bit of footie Cathy caught. Actually, it is a compilation of some footie Cathy was gracious enough to film during two sessions, one the night before leaving for Nationals and the other right after we all conveined in Charlotte again, about 10 days prior to leaving for World Series.

Enough talk, I know all you really want to do is watch the video so as Aerosmith so elequenty put it, "Just Push Play."

Yesterday afternoon, after my first run in Maryland, I found myself in fourth place. Following the second run, it was somewhat of a differient story, eighth place. From the first to second run, fourth to eighth place, four places. Then, this morning, when going to change the oil in the Subie, the Subie is acting like it is ready to dump one of the four cylinders...as in the stinkin' thing barely even runs now. To solve the problem for the short term, I picked up my truck, which the rear hatch on the shell was falling apart.

This would be beautiful weather...for April here in wesetern Maryland. However it is most definitely not April. Rather it is August, supposedly the hottest month of the year here. For our morning workout it was in the low 50's and alternating between mist, an outright downpour and everything in between. Now, almost five hours later, all which has been accomplished is a little lunch and a good nap. It really was one of those days. Having finished video review, it is now time to get back on the water.