The triathlon at the group home was a HUGE success! Four kids participated and they really loved it. Would post pictures but... can't ... :-(
We'll definitely go back out there again. Albeit in my new RAV4!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/brandon.dorman/car02
going to the USA Triathlon camp next week...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Hydration
For the past three days - and foreseeable days ahead - the temperature has been over 100 degrees here in Fresno. I've been doing a lot of work lately at a group home where I worked before teaching and the kids are in awe of the 'triathlon stuff' I do. So much so that I take them bike riding I overheard comments between them like, "I bet if you tried to take off on this thing Mr. Dorman would catch you in 2 seconds..." which while it maybe true, was funny nonetheless.
So as I've been taking bikes out to the Ranch as well as go swimming with them, the issue of hydration has taken center stage. Yesterday I went with a kid without drinking beforehand and we were both parched upon coming back from six miles of riding at 2pm.
This morning I went out there again and the kid had drunk quite a bit of water and eaten oatmeal too... we rode more than 12 miles total and he agreed he felt fine today.
For me, the best way to avoid dehydration is to drink about 2 hours and 1 hour before working out. What we drink while we work out won't be processed really anyway... and of course keep drinking afterwards! I like to make sure I go to the bathroom before I work out too ESPECIALLY running.
On thursday myself and a few others will hold a mock 'triathlon' for the boys out at the group home. All contained within ranch property, it will be a one mile run, then a six mile bike, finishing off with some laps in their small pool. Sure it's a reverse tri, but we figured by starting at nine and then finishing with the swim it'd feel good :-) I'll bring old bib numbers for them to wear and take their times -including transition - too. Should be a lot of fun. For legal reasons (most of the boys are there because they've committed felonies...) I can't show pictures but hopefully will make it a great experience for the boys! The plan has always been to try and include these guys in Tri-This! experiences but scheduling is very difficult and has to be considered that there are about 7 county Probation Offices to contend with too...
Drink up!
So as I've been taking bikes out to the Ranch as well as go swimming with them, the issue of hydration has taken center stage. Yesterday I went with a kid without drinking beforehand and we were both parched upon coming back from six miles of riding at 2pm.
This morning I went out there again and the kid had drunk quite a bit of water and eaten oatmeal too... we rode more than 12 miles total and he agreed he felt fine today.
For me, the best way to avoid dehydration is to drink about 2 hours and 1 hour before working out. What we drink while we work out won't be processed really anyway... and of course keep drinking afterwards! I like to make sure I go to the bathroom before I work out too ESPECIALLY running.
On thursday myself and a few others will hold a mock 'triathlon' for the boys out at the group home. All contained within ranch property, it will be a one mile run, then a six mile bike, finishing off with some laps in their small pool. Sure it's a reverse tri, but we figured by starting at nine and then finishing with the swim it'd feel good :-) I'll bring old bib numbers for them to wear and take their times -including transition - too. Should be a lot of fun. For legal reasons (most of the boys are there because they've committed felonies...) I can't show pictures but hopefully will make it a great experience for the boys! The plan has always been to try and include these guys in Tri-This! experiences but scheduling is very difficult and has to be considered that there are about 7 county Probation Offices to contend with too...
Drink up!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
new car!
Well, it's been a busy month once again! After having my main car (a 1998 Toyota Corolla) totalled June 26th, I had to resort to the backup plan - my 1993 Chevrolet Suburban with no AC and about 10 Mpg.
However the brakes they were a squeakin', and along with some other problems needed about $400 in repairs.
I knew Cash for Clunkers was going to happen soon, so have been shopping for a bit now. The time today seemed right, and I purchased the RAV4 mostly seen above today! It will arrive on Friday. I had room in my budget for $350 a month and I negotiated a price of $353 before adding the towing option. However the racks up top are included along with a slew of awesomeness!
However, many of my students and I are pretty sad about the Suburban leaving. When it was given to us at a deep discount in 2007 - specifically for the Triathlon Team - it was a godsend. I would certainly say that without it, Tri-This! would not be the organization it is today. It is with great sadness that Wednesday night we will have a little good bye party for it and people can share favorite memories, etc. (after water polo practice.)
I made a slideshow of pictures here (also showing my now deceased Toyota Corolla in some parts...)
http://picasaweb.google.com/trithisfresno/goodbyesuburban
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
update
It's been almost a month since the last update! Wow.
We've been training for an upcoming triathlon next weekend - a Sprint distance on Saturday and an Olympic Distance on Sunday with TBF Racing. The camp site is reserved and today I'm going to get the business of who is doing what relay race, etc.
I visited my friend Mark in Indiana for a week which was awesome. Last week I did some 'subbing' at the group home at night and summer water polo started which is always a good time. Also got into a car accident on the way to a family camp for kids with cancer... no one was hurt. Looking at buying a house with/for the fiancee too which is very exciting. More meetings with real estate agent today and the parents are coming down on Friday to possibly sign the deal...
Tri This Board meeting on Thursday which are always fun. I will be trying to push a scholarship for a kid through to help him pay for USAT West Skills Camp July 27-31... I visited it for one day last week when they had the first session and it was amazing! 24 something kids and great venue. It will be this kids second time at 'camp' - his first is actually this week at a church camp. He's 18. So it's good for him to experience these things before his senior year and heading out into life.
We've been training for an upcoming triathlon next weekend - a Sprint distance on Saturday and an Olympic Distance on Sunday with TBF Racing. The camp site is reserved and today I'm going to get the business of who is doing what relay race, etc.
I visited my friend Mark in Indiana for a week which was awesome. Last week I did some 'subbing' at the group home at night and summer water polo started which is always a good time. Also got into a car accident on the way to a family camp for kids with cancer... no one was hurt. Looking at buying a house with/for the fiancee too which is very exciting. More meetings with real estate agent today and the parents are coming down on Friday to possibly sign the deal...
Tri This Board meeting on Thursday which are always fun. I will be trying to push a scholarship for a kid through to help him pay for USAT West Skills Camp July 27-31... I visited it for one day last week when they had the first session and it was amazing! 24 something kids and great venue. It will be this kids second time at 'camp' - his first is actually this week at a church camp. He's 18. So it's good for him to experience these things before his senior year and heading out into life.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
random cool quote
Today I was taking a kid to Lifeguarding practice, and he forgot to wear his seatbelt - automatic 5 'triathlon-style' pushups (where the kids go down and hold for one second, then two seconds, then three...). Not much but it gets the point across without being corporal punishment :-) Anyway, so we got to the pool and he did them without complaining. Then he made the comment, "you know you're the only person I'd do that for."
Which was cool because this is a kid who I met two summers ago in my summer school class (and actually failed it because three days before he would have passed it he stopped coming... three summer school absences and you're automatically failed...), then did water polo for a season, tried diving for 2 weeks but then quit, and has gone on just one triathlon camping trip because he annoys most of the kids. So he's definitely what you call, "grew up without a strong father in the home." Nice reminder as the school year ended the power of positive change being consistent with these kids can bring about!
Which was cool because this is a kid who I met two summers ago in my summer school class (and actually failed it because three days before he would have passed it he stopped coming... three summer school absences and you're automatically failed...), then did water polo for a season, tried diving for 2 weeks but then quit, and has gone on just one triathlon camping trip because he annoys most of the kids. So he's definitely what you call, "grew up without a strong father in the home." Nice reminder as the school year ended the power of positive change being consistent with these kids can bring about!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Splash and Dash Race Report
It's taken a week, but I really wanted to be able to sit down and do a race report that fit the Splash and Dash!
Friday (5/29)
The venerable Suburban did not die (as it had been doing lately... whenever I'd be driving for a while then stop, it wouldn't start without a jump) as I picked up the trailer, students, sleeping bags, fruit, shirts, etc. We met up at McLane for a nice Chipotle dinner courtesy of our sponsors and then headed off to Millerton Lake. We set up camp, had a nice little swim, and people came up to help us set up, tell ghost stories etc.
I did have some problems with some of the 23 (yep) students who hadn't been on trips before because I belatedly tried to enforce the usual no electronics rule. Didn't work too well. But all were in their tents at 10:59 just as I had instructed.
Then the sprinklers came on.
Yep... we were camping out by the picnic area as we had been allowed to by the park ranger and the sprinklers hit the tent with the girls newest to camping. The rangers could hear the screams from across the campsite. Most of us were laughing, although a few of the students not so much! Ha ha. So we initiated "back up plan B" which involved sending a few of the students whose stuff was now soaked to other tents or to sleep in cars. Thanks Lindsey and Edna for understanding... sleeping in the Suburban isn't that bad ;-)
I slept on a park bench.... first with just a blanket for a pillow and in my regular clothes, but around 3am it got cold so put my wet sleeping bag on top of me. I didn't sleep on the ground because we'd seen snakes earlier that night.
SATURDAY MAY 30th!
The day was finally here! I'd stayed up until about midnight every night of the week prior getting ready for this, and had been talking it up for months and months! I pretty much used up most of my 'personal capital' getting ready for it, but it's all good.
We had 51 pre-registration sign ups, and 24 people signed up on race day! There were certainly a few bumps in the road, but most people were good sports and I was very thankful for the strong tri-community support. My student volunteers were outstanding and I got several comments or emails like this one:
"I just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with all of the teens who were working the event. They were all helpful, friendly, and serious about their jobs, which is not always the case with teen volunteers at races. I just want you, and your students, what a great job they did."
So that's nice to see! It was pretty fun being race director with the megaphone and everything.
The people came in, we got results going and all that... then for the other big surprise!
After the results were announced and pictures taken of people on the podium and all, I asked my sponsors to come on up. Active.me who provided sports and energy drinks, Sierra Running Company who came up with wetsuits and other stuff to give away and helped set up the entire thing, local tri clubs who helped get things set up, etc. And my girlfriend, because I mean she put up with me working and stressing a lot about not just the Splash and Dash, but the tri team in general!
Then, as I thanked her for being so wonderful I reached into my pocket.
And pulled out a ring.
And got down on one knee and proposed! Captured on many cameras and even in video!
She said yes. So we're gonna get married sometime in the next year or so. Still kinda working on the date.
It was a GREAT first weekend for Tri-This (we netted about $500) and and of course me personally too!
Pictures are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/trithisfresno/splashanddash#
Friday (5/29)
The venerable Suburban did not die (as it had been doing lately... whenever I'd be driving for a while then stop, it wouldn't start without a jump) as I picked up the trailer, students, sleeping bags, fruit, shirts, etc. We met up at McLane for a nice Chipotle dinner courtesy of our sponsors and then headed off to Millerton Lake. We set up camp, had a nice little swim, and people came up to help us set up, tell ghost stories etc.
I did have some problems with some of the 23 (yep) students who hadn't been on trips before because I belatedly tried to enforce the usual no electronics rule. Didn't work too well. But all were in their tents at 10:59 just as I had instructed.
Then the sprinklers came on.
Yep... we were camping out by the picnic area as we had been allowed to by the park ranger and the sprinklers hit the tent with the girls newest to camping. The rangers could hear the screams from across the campsite. Most of us were laughing, although a few of the students not so much! Ha ha. So we initiated "back up plan B" which involved sending a few of the students whose stuff was now soaked to other tents or to sleep in cars. Thanks Lindsey and Edna for understanding... sleeping in the Suburban isn't that bad ;-)
I slept on a park bench.... first with just a blanket for a pillow and in my regular clothes, but around 3am it got cold so put my wet sleeping bag on top of me. I didn't sleep on the ground because we'd seen snakes earlier that night.
SATURDAY MAY 30th!
The day was finally here! I'd stayed up until about midnight every night of the week prior getting ready for this, and had been talking it up for months and months! I pretty much used up most of my 'personal capital' getting ready for it, but it's all good.
We had 51 pre-registration sign ups, and 24 people signed up on race day! There were certainly a few bumps in the road, but most people were good sports and I was very thankful for the strong tri-community support. My student volunteers were outstanding and I got several comments or emails like this one:
"I just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with all of the teens who were working the event. They were all helpful, friendly, and serious about their jobs, which is not always the case with teen volunteers at races. I just want you, and your students, what a great job they did."
So that's nice to see! It was pretty fun being race director with the megaphone and everything.
The people came in, we got results going and all that... then for the other big surprise!
After the results were announced and pictures taken of people on the podium and all, I asked my sponsors to come on up. Active.me who provided sports and energy drinks, Sierra Running Company who came up with wetsuits and other stuff to give away and helped set up the entire thing, local tri clubs who helped get things set up, etc. And my girlfriend, because I mean she put up with me working and stressing a lot about not just the Splash and Dash, but the tri team in general!
Then, as I thanked her for being so wonderful I reached into my pocket.
And pulled out a ring.
And got down on one knee and proposed! Captured on many cameras and even in video!
She said yes. So we're gonna get married sometime in the next year or so. Still kinda working on the date.
It was a GREAT first weekend for Tri-This (we netted about $500) and and of course me personally too!
Pictures are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/trithisfresno/splashanddash#
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
almost here!
The race bibs are written, the t-shirts are ordered, the permits issued and paid for... wow! The 2009 Splash and Dash is almost here!
Counting some students, 52 people have signed up and we expect at least another 14 to sign up between now and on race day. 70 would be a cool milestone to hit.
Tonight I went with some students to Home Depot to get some course markers and sign posts, also posterboard and the like. Also processed a few more registrations today (although active.com likes to go down at night when I try to do my offline registrations...)
Will of course pictures and all that after the event as soon as possible!
Counting some students, 52 people have signed up and we expect at least another 14 to sign up between now and on race day. 70 would be a cool milestone to hit.
Tonight I went with some students to Home Depot to get some course markers and sign posts, also posterboard and the like. Also processed a few more registrations today (although active.com likes to go down at night when I try to do my offline registrations...)
Will of course pictures and all that after the event as soon as possible!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)