I learned lots of great things on lifting, methodology, training. Good session. Here I'm hauling around a 40 lbs medicine ball. I'm sitting here in the alphabetic district of Portland @ the Lucky Lab Brewery, drinking beer, eating pizza and chilling. Everything (except my wife, my dog, and my dorky cat) are here. Well, OK, I only have once bicycle, no climbing gear. But shit, I'm close....OK, not really even close, but it's cool, nonetheless.
Did I mention I have a buzz?
Me @ the Argentina/Chile border guard station, January 2004.
Prepped for 4 hours of surgery, July 6th 2004.
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Two months later, second chemo session.
I got a huge gash in my neck, I've got a big ass needle poked into my chest. I have a plastic device embedded into my chest about the size of a chestnut, my whole face is puffy from chemo. Oh and I suspect I puked up my lunch from earlier today.
What a horrible experience.
Today, I weigh about the same I did 4 years ago, after 4 rounds of chemo therapy....Therapy....that word makes me laugh when used in conjunction with chemo.
Just like when people say "when you got sick." Funny...I felt fine.
Cancer is full of funny contradictions.
Being alive vs. being dead is one, I guess.
9/11 - 160 - But that was after a four hour bike ride.
If I can hold it for a week then, I really did it.
My professional career is over. I couldn't even get hired here:
> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:15:36 -0400
> From: VirtualEdge@safeco.com
> To: xxxx
> Subject: Safeco Insurance – Proj Mgr Sr, IT #3806
>
> xxxx,>
> After carefully reviewing your qualifications for this position, we have decided to pursue other candidates. Our Career Center is updated as new positions become available. I invite you to visit Safeco.com frequently to apply for opportunities, maintain your profile, check your application status and set up job agents to receive new job postings by email.
> Thank you for participating in our process and for considering Safeco as an employer. Best wishes in your job search.
> Safeco Recruiting
Turned down by a machine at a lame insurance company.
Got the agenda for our weekend mountain athlete lifting seminar....Looks painful.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
0730-0900 Strength Training Session
In this hands-on session attendees will experience first hand a training session which includes a 1-RM strength test, complex work and strongman training.
0900-0930 Mountain Athlete Training Philosophy & Goals of Gym Training
Our approach. What we feel is important, lessons learned, and the drive for continuous improvement. The transferable goals and attributes of gym training as they relate to mountain, industrial and tactical athletes.
0930-1000 Basic Training Concepts
Fundamentals of strength and conditioning will be explained and discussed: Adaptation, Progression, Accommodation, Specificity, and Individualization.
1000-1130 Periodization Basics
Discussion of differences between Linear, Undulating and Conjugate periodization, periodization cycles (macro, meso, micro), and applying periodization principals to a yearly calendar. Periodization for hybrid gym training, and integrating hybrid gym training with program design for sports and activities outside the gym will be covered.
1130-1200 What athletes need. How we train it.
A nuts and bolts discussion of how gym training can complement the performance and out-of-the gym training and practice for mountain, industrial and tactical athletes.
1200-1300 Lunch Break
1300-1400 Training Strength
Different types of strength, types that are important for mountain/industrial/tactical athletes and how to train them will be covered.
1400-1430 Core Strength
A strong core is key to durability, especially in mature athletes. Discussion will include static versus dynamic core training, loaded core training, and strength endurance.
1430-1500 Power Endurance & Metabolic Conditioning
Power endurance - or the ability to deliver power over extended periods is perhaps the most important physiological attribute to hybrid athletes. The principals behind power endurance will be discussed. Training sessions to train and evaluate power endurance will be demonstrated and discussed.
1500 - ?? Programing Basics (Lecture)
Conjugate periodization to train in the gym for maximal strength, explosive power, power endurance, strength endurance and metabolic conditioning will be covered. Lecture will include programming for an example month.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
0800-0900 Core Strength Training Session
In this hands-on session attendees will experience first hand an intense, core training session.
0900-1000 Sport Specific (Climbing) Training & Periodization
Physical attributes and how to train them for climbing will be covered, including how to incorporate sport specific training with hybrid gym training.
1000-1100 Training Session Design
This is where the rubber hits the road. Designing daily workouts which meet conjugate periodization goals, yet take into account athlete physical and mental fatigue, movement and muscle balance, and time restrictions is as much art as science. Learn the approach we use.
1100-1130 Professional Development Strategies
Developing a strategy for continuous learning and professional development which pays attention to time and cost restriction will be discussed.
1130-1200 Final Q&A
An open question and answer period to address any lingering questions.
My friend Tim is back from living in China for 4 months. Now somebody to go run with. He's a good guy and helped me a bunch when I was sick...
We went for a 40 minute run. Back felt OK. Legs felt really good. I think I need some new running shoes.
I rode 4.5 hours today, on the new bike of course. I really like that bike.
So after 8+ weeks of 2x a week chiropractor, and 2x a week naturopath, I'm done. Time to take the situation into my own hands.
Go the the gym and pulverize my back until it gets in line!
i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie to the hip hip hop,
a you dont stop the rock it to the bang bang boogie, say up jumped the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
now what you hear is not a test--i'm rappin to the beat and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
see i am wonder mike and i like to say hello to the black, to the white, the red, and the brown, the purple and yellow
but first i gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie
let's rock, you dont stoprock the riddle that will make your body rock
well so far you've heard my voice but i brought two friends along and next on the mike is my man hank come on, hank, sing that song....
Getting Skinny
165.0 - 5.6% body fat. I need to try much harder if I'm gonna get to 160 by the end of the month.
Didn't work out as I expected. Not really what I wanted to do. Oh well, time to start looking again.
So, how do you prep for an interview with a company that has NO public information? Uh you don't, really. That's OK. My answers are the same as they always are.
Blah Blah Blah.....
I get my references updated. Print a couple extra copies of that and my resume.
My buddy Matt says, "there is a game @ Safeco today, which means NO parking." Ouch, I better go early.
The offfice is in pioneer square, so I head out super early to scope it out and make sure I know where I'm going and where I can park.
OK that was much easier than I thought it was gonna be. I now have 1.5 hours to kill. Hmmm. How about the world famous Elliot Bay Books? What are all these people doing in pioneer square? I guess this is the place you hang out if you don't have a job. Oh well....Off to EB books!!
I find an interesting book. I look through it. It makes me laugh. I buy it.
OK it's interview time.
I walk through the door. 10 or so people all sitting @ desks.....somebody in the back behind a desk gets up.
I get an email mid day.
"Hi Alan, you're confirmed with your interview with _____ at 2pm, tomorrow August 6th. Here are directions to our office."
Cool.
Later in the day, I go for a late afternoon ride with my friend Roger. It ain't so cool. In fact it's fucking hot. Real hot. I hope we don't ride too hard. Roger's done STP in one day, and RAMROD this year. I've done NOTHING.
He takes me on a tour of the Kenmore/Lake Forest Park area. We ride lots of hills. Good thing I had the 34 on front. Damn. 2 hours later I get home and I'm pretty blasted. Not from the ride but really the heat. Remember hotter than 80 is REALLY hot here.
I decide I need to start looking for a job.
http://www.dice.com/ - Not bad but mostly contract positions. Contract jobs aren't all that bad, but when you know the contract company is billing you at twice what they are PAYING you, ya gotta wonder......
MS.com - Too much crap. Do I really want to work @ MS again? Maybe I should consider somewhere new?
Hmmm....I'm a pretty huge fan of ol craigslist. I've sold good shit, I've bought good shit. My friend Brian says all the hip kids are using craigslist.
So I do some searching. I see a listing. Description looks interesting. Kinda vague, not much detail. No doubt I can do it. I'll send of an email off Monday AM and see what happens. It's a legit company (or at least they have a website) so....
Monday. Send off the email. Say I'm interested in the job. Attach my resume. Expectations. NONE.
Weather looks really nice today. I think I'll go for a longish bike ride......
Damn, I forgot my phone.....No biggie....I'll be home in a couple of hours.
Huh, somebody called and left VM.
"Hi Alan, My name is ______ and I would like to talk to you about what kind of role you're looking for, blah blah blah. Please call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx."
Holy Shit. Did I even expect a response? No.
I collect some notes and prepare to call her back. We chat and long story short, she wants to know if I would like to come in. Of course I would. She'll send me interview details tomorrow (Tuesday)
