Little League Time

Little League tryouts started today and as usual it was cold and windy. I guess that's better than rain or snow which is what we had last year. It's at this time, as a coach, that I have a personal debate within myself. Normally I want to at least have a competitive team. This year I'm trying (and I mean trying) to focus much more on the kids themselves. I want each kid to have a memorable season. The dilemma is this..... When coaching minors which is ages 9-11 year olds. Each team has a wide array of ages as well as talent. I believe as a coach, you owe it to those kids who love the game of baseball and work their tails off to be good at, to at least attempt winning. I think Vince Lombardi said it best, "if winning or losing doesn't matter, why do they keep score?" But this is Little League. Will these kids remember winning or losing or will they remember having a good time and hopefully learn a little baseball at the same time.

Now this is all easy to say and write on a blog but when the time comes I question my ability to stay focused on what's important.

The frustrating part about being a coach is coaching the kids who really don't give a crap about even being there. These kids are there because their parents think it is a good idea. These are the typical parents who think it is the coaches job to teach EVERYTHING (including discipline). These are the parents who never play catch with their sons yet expect them to have the same playing time as all the other kids who do practice on their own time.

I'm hoping and praying that I can find a happy medium. Living in a small town, its easy to upset some parents when your coaching their kids. This will be my 8th year coaching and hopefully I'm getting better at it, but it's the same every year, trying to coach 12 kids while also trying to make 12 pairs of parents happy. Wish me luck.

Thanks for Reading.

More Ridin'

Spring Break is almost over and everyone has taken some time off except for me. I've been the only one at the office for most of the week. Even my wife and boys are out of town. It started out slow as far as getting any rides in. Since I was the only one here to cover the office, riding time was slim pickins during the first part of the week. All is not lost though. The week is ending on a good note. I got in 40 miles yesterday with a good climb the last 7 miles.

Today I had to see two patients over in Eagar so as luck would have it, my bike was already loaded in the van. Eagar is small town about 50 miles east of Pinetop and for the most part it is most flat and usually windy. They do have the best climb around though. We call it the Big Lake Climb and when the road is open it's a 7 mile climb to the top. It's the closest thing we have to anything comparable to the percent grade of the Ironhorse Bicycle Classic. Since I was going over anyway, my goal was to ride the climb just to see how I felt. The last patient took a little longer so I didn't get started until about 3:45.

As I started the climb the wind was already miserable. This is a town which was actually mentioned on the game show Jeopardy as the windiest town in the U.S. The cool thing about climbing into a headwind is of course you have a tailwind coming down. I'll talk about that in a second. Minus the wind, the climb was beautiful. I hadn't ridden this road in almost two years and it just amazes me how gorgeous it is as you climb up. My intention was to ride the entire 7 miles up but at mile 4 I found out the road was closed. Apparently there are still snow drifts at the top. I wanted to go farther but it would be my luck I'd get busted for going past the road closure signs. So I turned back.

The ride down is a blast. I did realize one thing though.......I suck at descending. I'm such a wuss. I've hit 60mph before on this descent but today I didn't have the guts to go faster than 41mph. I realized this is something I've really got to work on before the Ironhorse. It's not going to do me anygood if I can climb fairly descent if I just get passed by everyone on the descent. Now don't get me wrong, I have no intent on being first on the climb, but I don't want to climb my butt off only to be smoked on the downhill.

I did the climb twice and did a little better on the second go. Both up and down was faster on the second run. My regret is that I get so caught up in the training that I missed most of "The Ride". The variety of trees on the way up is beautiful, the sound of the wind through the trees, the snow near the top of the climb, the view down below as you twist up the switchbacks.....these are the things I need to start paying attention to. These are the real reasons to ride. And my favorite sound......the sound of the rubber on the road when you have a tailwind. It is so awesome. With the wind at your back you can hear every little sound the bike makes as it flys down the mountain. It's not often you get to hear it, but when you do it is such a rush. This is the moment on the bike that I love the most.

Spring has Sprung

I'm hoping and praying that Spring is finally here. I got in a ride this morning at 6:30 and although tights, earwarmers and a jacket were still part of the attire, by the time I got home it was gorgeous out. I believe were supposed to hit 70 degrees today.

Like the rest of the working world, I'm stuck in my office most of the day. I venture out every couple of hours just to enjoy the sun a little. My entire staff is on vacation this week so I'm having to do triple duty. The joy of being self-employed, when spring break comes, everyone takes a break but me. Even my wife and boys are leaving for a few days. I'm actually off this weekend but little league tryouts are on Saturday so I have to stay in town.

Speaking of little league......I think I'm busy now trying to juggle work, family, and riding. Little League takes away what little bit of extra time I've got . I'm going on my 9th year of coaching and like everything else, once I get started I have a blast but until then I dread the extra work.

The little kids are great to be around. When I'm with them on the ball field, the stresses of work just seem to go away, at least for a little while. Even with the time restraints though, as I look back on the years spent with different kids and everything I learn from them, I wouldn't change a thing.

I guess that's about it for now. Please remember to keep Spencer in your prayers.

Thanks for reading

What Matters

I've been keeping up with the happenings of Spencer (the puddin cyclist) and everytime he writes, he always opens a place in my heart and my mind. I take what he is going through to heart and like I've mentioned before, I try to make the most out of other peoples experiences.
Right now I'm pretty healthy (minus this cold I can't seem to get rid of). For about a year though I was sick and they had no idea what was wrong with me. Thank God it only ended up being my thyroid but I remember the long nights sitting in the recliner, tears in my eyes just begging God to make me healthy again. It was a very miserable time. Time that I can't get back.

I'm always thinking to myself what would I do differently today if I was told I only had a month or two to live. I know for a fact I wouldn't take life so seriously. Why do so many of us take This LIFE for granted?? Everyday has been a new day of learning for me. I'm trying so hard to focus on the important things. The things that really matter. Family, Friends, Fun, Etc. I have found that while trying to keep this perspective, it made other parts of my life more enticing. I'm actually enjoying work again. I'm still putting in 50-60 hours a week but somehow I'm making more time with my family as well. I'm learning to cherish my time with my friends too. Chris (Super Good Friend) came by with his Wife and new little girl a couple of weeks ago and I really relished the moment I had with them. Their daughter is just so adorable. What is totally awesome is that I'm seeing a side of Chris that only a child of his own could bring out. They currently live in valley so it was great to see them. We've been friends since Junior High School and I'm fortunate to have kept in touch with him. Along with Family, I'm learning to cherish these special friendships a little more.

Chris has been sort of a mentor to me as I've grown in my business. He's unbelievably smart when it comes to business stuff. He keeps me on my toes as to what I need to focus on and things I need to improve on. Having said that, he'll be happy to know that as I sit here writing this, I'm also preparing for a lunch with a 25 employee doctors office. I'm sort picky about the people we market to in that I want to work with offices who have a very good rapport with their patients. These doctors seem to be a lot more fun to work with and it also seems like it becomes more of a team effort when trying to get the best for their patients.
I bring this meeting up because normally I would be pretty nervous for something like this and for some reason I'm not. I think a lot of it has to do with what I've been trying to learn and apply to my life as I read Spencers Blog. Whether I screw up or not while I'm talking with this office, it really doesn't matter. I can honestly share my heart with them as well as why I honestly believe in our company. How can I go wrong with that. My wife has busted her butt all day preparing a lunch for 25 people and it looks awesome. It will be a good day.

I'll quit rambling for now, but whoever reads this please read Spencers Blog and learn from his experiences. Don't take today for granted. Turn the TV off. Play with your kids. Take your wife to dinner. LIFE is happening now. Don't miss it!!!

Thanks for reading

Long Ride

Had my first long ride of the year this weekend and it kicked my butt. We did 86 miles in 45mph wind. It was supposed to be a zone 1 and 2 ride but within the first 15 miles I found myself in upper zone 3. I could tell it was going to be a long hard ride. I rode with Dave who is in much better shape then me and can just hammer on the hills. On the short hills he would be at a HR of 145 and I'd be at 160. So basically he was riding aerobically and I was pretty much anaerobic. The route we did is what we call the Whiteriver loop. The first 60 miles is rolling hills and then about at about mile 70 we have a 6 mile climb back up to Pinetop. I'm not sure of the grade percentage but it's one of the best local climbs we have.

We tend to do a lot of time trials up this climb throughout the year. The average is from 23-25 minutes, with the best being sub 20. After 70 miles, Dave was still able to do it in 23:45. He motored up this thing while I was just looking to make it to the top without cramping. With the Ironhorse coming up, I'd like to get to where the first 60 miles of this ride is fairly easy. I'm hoping I can get there soon. I was amazed at how easy it was for Dave.

On another note, I'm not sure how many of you know Jamie Whitmore. She's a big time triathlon stud who isn't shy about giving God the Glory. She has recently been sidelined with some sort of tumor in her leg. Please keep her in your prayers as she battles against this miserable thing.

162# and Counting

I'm down to 162#!!!! That's 20 lbs since January 1st. I feel better then I have in years. It's actually a bit scary because I haven't been strictly dieting. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely eating better but I could do better. I've still had no coffee and still eat very little sugar.

I think the big difference maker right now is my thyroid medication. I had my blood work done on Tuesday and my TSH is currently .29 (norm is .34-4.82). TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and it has to be thought of in an opposite sense. If the TSH is low that means you have excess thyroid hormone. So right now I would be considered a bit Hyper-Thyroid. The upside to being "Hyper" is just that, it tends to be easier to lose weight. The downside is, if you are hyper for too long it can cause osteoporosis. It can also cause you to be a bit shaky and weak as well which is why I may decrease my dosage just a bit. I'm wondering if this is the reason my legs seem to give out a bit quicker on harder bike rides. I'm feeling so good though that I'm a little afraid of changing anything.

We had a good group ride last Saturday (if you consider 4 a group). It was a 50 mile ride with a good climb at about mile 37. I was really happy with my current level of fitness though I definitely need to start increasing the tempo and muscle endurance workouts. I've got the endurance but the power is weak.

I've been able to ride outdoors all this week but I understand it's supposed to be 20 degrees colder tomorrow and through the weekend. We're supposed to be doing a 5 hour ride on Saturday so it may be a chilly windy ride.

That's about it for now.

Thanks for reading.

Live Each Day

The word Cancer scares the heck out of me. I'm 36 years old and people all around me are being diagnosed with some sort of cancer, people not much older than me. I'm not sure what the odds are of being diagnosed with some form of cancer but I'm guessing within a few years, the odds of someone pretty close to me (if not myself) being diagnosed are pretty good. Just last year a very good friend was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 41 years old. I've been keeping up with The Puddin Cyclist, and my heart and prayers are with him constantly. This is a guy whom I've never met, but I for some reason feel like I can relate. He's a guy that if he lived closer I know I'd be riding bikes with. I'd be at his house everyday just making sure he didn't need anything. This is a guy who has always put his family first and now comes down with a miserable disease.

I bring this up because his latest post mentioned that when he beats the cancer, his priorities in life will be more focused on the "important" things. Family, sunsets, living life NOW, etc...

Owning and running a business can take a lot out of you. I have to say, I work quite a bit. Yet I still make a great effort to spend daily time with my family. I like to play ball with my boys after school and I enjoy riding with my wife. When I first started my business, I wanted it to be different. I want my employees to have the time to put their families first. I want them to enjoy coming to work. I want them to make a difference in the lives they come in contact with. I want the same for myself.

Boz at Pedal or Die has also been a great motivator for me. Without even trying, his words just strike a chord with me. While driving today, I was looking at the clouds and thought "if Jesus came down through those clouds right now, how many would be ready?" The video below was an eye opener for me.


We live in a world with tremendous sin. We put God aside and just go on living our materialistic lives. Have you ever for just one hour put your thoughts with God and realized how great of a feeling it was? I did it today, and it was such a peaceful feeling. Whether one believes in a Higher Being or not, when your heart is set on helping others, in God's eyes you are a blessing. When I was in high school a teacher gave me a card that said, "What you are in the eyes of God.......That you truly are". I was too immature at the time to make sense of it, but now I hold on to that quote with all I've got.

That being said, LIVE each day to the fullest!!! Don't wait until your 65 and retired to plan on Living. Do it now!!!!

God Bless
Thanks for Reading

Mtn Biking Weekend

Were back from a great weekend of riding down in 80 degree weather. Phoenix is absolutely beautiful right now (minus all the people). From all the winter moisture, the desert floor is glowing with green grass and flowers.


We left friday with bikes in tow to do the Estrella Mountain Reserve Mountain Bike Race. My wife raced the sport class, I did the beginner men's, my 8 year old did the under 12, and our 5 year old did the kids race. Typical, everybody won a medal except for me (I'll include my excuse in a minute).

My wife did awesome. This was her first race in the Sport class and she kicked butt. She even took some time to help out a fallen rider and still managed to take second place. This a woman who really hasn't trained very seriously this year and still ends up taking a podium spot. While I train my butt off and have to settle with the top 1/3 of my class.

Ok, here's my excuse. Each class of riders are designated by a certain number written on our legs. He's flying through the group at the starting line asking each rider their age and assigning (and writing) their corresponding class number on their legs. He asked me my age (37) and proceeded to write a "3) on my leg. So this means I leave with the other 3's. After the 1's and 2's started he said (to the 3's), "ok you guys should be the 40-49 age group". So I quickly thought "oh crap, I should have been a 2. So I took off like a bat out of he## about 50 yards behind the slowest group of 2's. I could see the lead group about 100 yards ahead. About 25 yards in, the track was already single track which made it harder to pass the slower riders. My heart rate was 174 by the first half mile. My legs were already on fire but I just kept plowing through the rocks and sand trying to pass one rider at a time. Remember, I am not a mtn biker and I was quickly realizing why. The track which is probably fairly normal for most mnt bikers, was absolutely brutal to me. Very rocky, and when it wasn't rocky it was 6 inch deep sand which made my legs burn even more. To make it even more pleasurable (NOT!!), the first 6 miles was all climbing. And when I say climbing, I mean climbing. If you sat too far back on your seat, you would definitely go over backwards. It was a mixture of trying to keep your front wheel down while at the same time keeping your butt back so as to not lose any traction. The backside was a blast. Downhill Baby!!! Still very rocky which was a beating, but at least gravity was helping pull me towards the finish line. I ending up finishing 8 out of 24. I was disappointed but what the heck, it was my first time out and hopefully over time I'll get better. We're not able to really train on mtn bikes right now. The forest is still snow covered and where there's not snow there is tons of mud.
It was really a great weekend. I'm super proud of my wife and boys. Everyone gave it 100% and had a good time doing it. Here's some pictures while at the races.




Here's our 5 year old at the start of his race.

My wife trying to make me feel better