So quick update, since my last entries...
I've got a new girlfriend: Katie, she played Div 1 soccer for Boston back in college. We met earlier this year @ a mutual friend's party. We hit it off and I guess "Dated"/hung out for a while before making it official (about 2 months ago now?).
I quit my job with Finance America because I didn't really enjoy the hours and after a while I realized that I had moved out here (Boulder, CO) to train & enjoy the outdoors. I liked everyone there and my boss(ess) were pretty cool with me as well, but when it's time to go...it's time to go, ya know? Yeah bingo!
I trained through most of May with one of my mates from Aussie: Kate Smyth (not my gf, but diff kate). She's a stellar Marathoner who was in town. She then left for several months and has just returned. Her myself, Katie (my gf) & kiwi marathoner Nina Rillstone have trained together in recent days/weeks since arriving here.
Kate & Nina are getting ready for the NYC & Chicago Marathons later on this fall. They're very fit athletes. Other then that, I trained for about 1.5 months with a good mate of mine: Hamish Carter, who was the 2004 Olympic Gold medalist in the Triathlon (from New Zeeeeeealand). Nice guy and good times were had.
Next up is my best mate Paul Hamblyn, who's had a pretty solid (& long year). He'll be back here after the World Cup race in Athens, Greece (good old memories from that location). Once he's here we'll go pretty hard @ Training (& partying?).
Let's see what else. I flew to NY last month (Aug), & raced in Central Park. It went well considering how training was going. I finished 17th @ the 8k Champs there and helped our team place 2nd vs a very strong (& international) squad from Westchester Track Club.
August also saw me flying to Alabama to attend the funeral of one of my best & long time friends: Anthony "Clay" Hope. He was 25 & just went in his sleep. It was truly emotional as I've knonw him, his family and "little" brother since back in the late 80's. His "little" brother who's always my best friend: Sky came home for the funeral in a hurry from Iraq.
He'd been there (2nd or 3rd time in the region now) since March (spending his 2nd consecutive b-day there or so) and is a damn good soldier, who's also built like a brick shit house (5"11 215lbs pure muscle). Funy once upon a time we were the same, but now it became ridiculous @ the funeral when we both stood about 5"11 with me @ 145 & him @ a "slimed-down" 195...OUCH!
I'm currently in the middle of laundry, then I'll pack then ship out to Maui, Hawaii for 5 days or so. I'll be taking part in a very exclusive (& thus a good field) race. It'll only be a MILE, but it's part of a weekend long running expo, with a 5k, 1/2 marathon & finally a MARATHON taking place.
While there I'll get to hang out with none other than: Mr. Adam "I didn't know she was under 17yrs old" Ostrow. It'll be about damn effin time as we haven't chilled together since....(fill in the blank). I just told him that I'm 100% his AFTER THE RACE.
Alrighty mates, this entry has gone on long enough. I'm feeling fit and ready to race fast and hard and WIN! We/I will update when I get back or with Ostrow while there. I don't have a lap top. I'm planning on getting one between NOW & X-mass. Anyone know of any good sites to get a really cheap (good quality though) lap top? I just need it for travel, so just e-mail capabilities and maybe WORD or something like that.
Cheers!
Peace & Love Mates!
ps- A special Hello, to Mrs. Ziminsky
Coming soon:
Update about upcoming trip to Hawaii (where I'll get to hang with Mr. Mindsay himself: Adam Ostrow)
Update about NEW Gf (that's Girl friend)
Update about recent trips to New York (for a race) & Alabama...
Stay tuned(?) in the next few days...
(ps- Adam remind me to update in case I forget)
Well I'm still alive and training...still living in Boulder, Colorado and umm...training.
I'm gonna make this quick cuz I"m currently balancing a million things at once.
Let's see since my laaaaaaaaaaaaast update.
Well I traveled to NY in February and ran in my 1st XC (cross country) race since sometime in late 2003. It went rather well all things considering. I basically just flew out there to visit my Mom & cousin who was staying with my mom for most of the winter. She's since left back for Spain though.
I finished 2nd in a race I most likely could've won had I gone out more agressively but since I was coming off a minor set back my coach & I decided to take it really easy.
Okay let's see moving on....
March brought on the Common Wealth Games, where I cheered on many of my mates in their respective competitions. Major props go out to my # 1 training partner: Paul Hamblyn for coming in 4th in the 1500m Final. He's an awesome runner who I always have a great time with whether on a punishing 20 miler @ 8,500ft elevation or piss drunk @ the bars.
Majors props to Jo Ankier, the brit steepler. She didn't do as well as she would've liked but she'll bounce back after dealing with some injuries. Also finally, major props to my girlfriend, YUP I said it: GIRLFRIEND, Myra Moller who represented the Cook Islands in Mt. Biking. She rocks umm so yeah!
Let's see what else is new. Well since about the end of March I haven't gone out to bars or had a drink or anything. Been training and living the spartan lifestyle. I've gotten in pretty good shape...perhaps the strongest I've ever been, in anticipation for perhaps (probably not happening now) the European Track & Field season where the plan is to just smash all my PR's (Personal Records) from the 800 - 10k (you'd be hard pressed to ever find me on the track for 25 laps though).
So just been training. Quit my Financing Job almost 2 weeks ago so I could get some propper R&R before my anticipated race in Puerto Rico -which also doesn't look to be happening now- so yeah I'm dealing with some real frustration right about....NOW.
Part of it is kinda my fault and part of it is completely outta my hands. The Puerto Rico meet is the "Iber-Americano Championships" so you need to represent your federation, which mine at the moment is doing a bang up job at not really communicating well with me. Oh well at least I'm in shape if I get the last minute (which seems we're leaving it till) call to compete.
The plan is/was to race this Friday in the 5k (haven't done that in like 3 years) and then the 1500m on Sunday (haven't done that since.....Athens?). Eitherway I'm prime to smash good times in both. Have been having some solid workouts lately and even some just as fast or faster than my mate: Paul Hamblyn who's back @ sea level in New Zealand.
Anyways I'll try and update this beast more often, especially so that Adam Ostrow doesn't think I've stopped loving him.
ps- His b-day is coming up SOOOOOON (think the 30th). So be sure to wish him a happy 42nd b-day. That weigt lifting bastard is looking older and older each time I see him. So yeah that's more or less the meat of it. I could realy go on and on but I rather not. Maybe if I can get my lazy arse in the swing of things I can update maybe 1 x a week. We're currently in the process of movig (we = Al & I) but only about 1 mile from where we're now, our new place will surely rock more than this place. So come by for a visit if any of you are ever in the Boulder area (HINT HINT: ADAM!)
So I'm gonna try and plan out some domestic races in the next few weeks in case I don't jet off to Europe around July like I had planned before hand. Sometimes "FUNDING" woes really suck but if you're in shape and ready to run fast then you shouldn't let anything stop ya. Whether it be some podunk meet or some massive meet in Europe if I'm in tip top shape then it doesn't matter I'll run fast with competition or without, with the lights on or off...no worries, just frustrations that's all.
My gf is currently in Australia (she's a Kiwi though) with her mother and training hard on the bike, she'll get out here to the U.S in a few months, so that's cool. Other then that the summer's starting to creep in here in Boulder, and I'm loving it as I get to run the way I've always loved....free and shirtless.
Till next time, hope anyone & everyone reading this is well.
Peace & Love Mates
scamsThis is a pretty slick new scam that I thought might be of interest to you as the callers does not ask for your card number; they already have it.
By understanding how the VISA &MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself and help others identify this scheme.
The scam works like this: The fraudster says, "This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?"
When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?" You say "yes".
The caller continues - "I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number." The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?" Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says,
"I need to verify you are in possession of your card". He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers".
There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?"
After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.
What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or MasterCard directly for verification of their conversation. VISA will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost to late
and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.
In other news, things are slooooooowly picking up. I'll try to have a decent update when I return. I'll be flying out to NY to visit my Mom & Cousin & to possibly participate in a race (rust buster) so I"m looking foward to that.
Peace & Love
Just another lil update.
January has started off (more or less) pretty crappy running/health wise. I recently started running again after not running for 4 days straight! I thought I was gonna kill myself.
Last Friday afternoon I noticed my right knee getting a bit swollen, by the end of the day it was twice the size of the other one. It wasn't painful but not really e-z to walk/bend it let alone run. So I got some great work on it (thanks Lorraine/Harlan) & decided to take it day to day. I was also battling a cold @ the time as well.
My weekend was spent on the couch, icing & watching one terrible movie/show after another. I finally started running again Yesterday. I didn't go overboard, just an easy 30 mins @ lunch & then anothe 20 or so odd minutes slowly again @ night.
Today I did a pretty tough pool session. I was going to go out for a light jog tonite but between the snow outside and falling off my chair earlier today I decided to call it a day.
That's the skinny for now. I was planning on racing next Saturday, but I'm 99% that's scrapped as my coach & I both feel I need to have ONE full week of healthy running to test out the knee before we do any workouts, let alone a competitive race as this one would prove to be. So yah I'm not happy about that, but at least I'm running again. Time to make up (slowly) the missed 4 days!
Peace & Love Mates!
Well blow me down...