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NyCxPhiL
read my profile sign my guestbook Location: New York City, New York, United States Birthday: 10/7/1980 Gender: Male Interests: Looking for heaven, while living in hell. Expertise: Sea Soldier Occupation: Military Industry: Government Message: message meEmail: email me Website: visit my website AIM: NyCxPhiL Yahoo: NyCxPhiL Member Since: 6/9/2002

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Tuesday, August 15, 2006

	They say hell is hot, but is heaven cold Know one ever knows til you gone And when you gone does ya soul drift off to a better place Or do you jus float up and fade away Like a bird when its headed towards the sky Or do you just die, Or do you just perish from the earth and its over?
	2:31 PM - 22 views - 2 eprops - 1 comment - email it

Sunday, August 13, 2006

True Fortitude and Loyalty

Strongest Dad in the World [From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day. Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except saved his life. This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs. "He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an institution.'' But the Hoyt's weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. "There's nothing going on in his brain.'' "Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want to do that.' Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore for two weeks.'' That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!'' And that sentence changed Dick's life.

He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon. "No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyt's weren't quite a single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year. Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?'' How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried. Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Iron mans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think? Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for "the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together. This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time'? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

"No question about it,'' Rick types. "My dad is the Father of the Century.' And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctor told him, "you probably would've died 15 years ago.' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life. Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day. That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy. "The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjPrL3n63yg

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10:00 AM - 5 views - add eprops - add comments - email it

Friday, August 04, 2006

Basic Guide to running

Before you sprint out the door...:

A standard precaution is that anyone over the age of 35 should have a stress test and a full medical examination before running. Request an electrocardiogram recorded before, during and after exercise. Those under 35 who have risk factors for heart disease should also be tested (this means people with high blood pressure, a history of smoking, or a family history of heart disease). You should also consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program if you meet any of the following conditions:

* You have pains or pressure in the left of midchest area, left neck, shoulder or arm during or immediately after exercise.
* You often feel faint or have spells of severe dizziness after mild exertion.
* Your doctor has said that you have bone or joint problems, such as arthritis.

The bottom line is to use common sense and be careful. You don't have to be in perfect shape to start running; that's probably the reason you've picked it up. All the same, get your doctor's go-ahead if you have any doubts about your health.

Ease into running:

If you start by running too far, too fast, you'll wind up burned out at best, injured at worst. Possibly both. Take it easy, and give yourself time to learn to love to run. It doesn't happen immediately, and you'll probably experience a few aches and pains starting out. This is natural, and it will pass. It takes your body time to get used to what you're doing. Give it the time it needs. Like so many other things in life, running can be difficult and discouraging if not undertaken properly.

Use the "talk test" to figure out if your pace is appropriate. You should be able to talk comfortably while running; slow it down if you're running out of breath. Don't hesitate to alternate running and walking; if you feel lousy, take a breather and walk for a while. It's not a sign of weakness, just common sense.

The aim is to "train, not strain." If you are already fit from another sport, such as cycling or swimming, it is still important to go a little easier at first than you might want to. It is too easy to push yourself past what your muscles and joints can stand at first.

How much is the right amount? Try our nine-week beginner program to build up to 3-mile runs.

The basics of good form:

As a beginner, you don't need to get too preoccupied with the finer details of form, but here are some general pointers. Most distance runners land on their heels or midfoot and roll forward to the toe. Running up on the toes, by contrast, tends to be the form of sprinters. You'll find that if you try to run on your toes for too far that your shins will probably start hurting and your calves will get tight. Never fear, it shouldn't take much concentration for you to stick with the heelstrike, since most find it the most natural stride when running at an easy pace. Likewise, when you sprint, you'll likely find yourself up on your toes without even thinking about it. Our bodies typically handle this naturally without much conscious attention.

As you run, try to keep your hands at waist level, right about where they might lightly brush your hip bones. It's not uncommon to see beginners, especially as they get tired, holding their hands way up by their chest. Trouble is, this posture tends to create tension in your arms which travels up through your shoulders. You actually get more tired holding your arms that way.

Keep your hands relaxed. You might try touching your thumb and fingers lightly together, as if holding a pencil. The idea is to keep your arms and hands as relaxed and comfortable as possible while on the run.

Keep your posture straight and erect. Head up, back straight, shoulders level. Check your posture once in a while. As you get tired toward the end of the run, it's common to slouch a little, which can be a minor contributor to shin splints and lower-back pain.

Avoid bouncing. Too much up-and-down movement is wasted energy and can be hard on your feet and legs. Try to land softly on your feet, almost as if running on eggshells. The idea is to maintain an economy of motion, with every action dedicated to keeping you moving forward. That goes for your arms, too: no need for exaggerated arm-pumping (except for on the occasional hill). While some side-to-side arm swinging is natural, try to limit it -- there's no reason for your hands to cross your navel on the run, for example.

How do I breathe?:

Many new runners are preoccupied with their breathing as they run their first few miles. We get questions about whether it's best to breathe in through the mouth or through the nose, about how quickly a runner should breathe, about the proper shape of the mouth when exhaling.

Don't worry about it. As a new runner, there's no need to concern yourself with the modest performance benefits to be gained from subtle breathing patterns. You've been breathing all your life, and your body will figure out the best way to get the air it needs. Just breathe as naturally as possible and put it out of your mind.

If you're running in cold weather, though, you may experience a kind of burning sensation from the cold air. Breathing through the nose can help compensate for this, as can breathing through a scarf or turtleneck.

Make it a habit:

The important thing in the first few weeks is to get in the habit of exercise. Develop a training routine and make it part of your schedule. It doesn't matter where or when, but try to be consistent. Find a training partner if possible; on days when motivation is low, a commitment to meet your partner will help keep you going. If you do run with a partner it should be someone of similar fitness. Joining a club that caters to beginners can help with motivation and be a good source of advice and coaching.

9:22 AM - 3 views - add eprops - add comments - email it

Friday, July 14, 2006

	Man-Up
	12:06 PM - 3 views - add eprops - add comments - email it

Monday, December 20, 2004

The Sailor at Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, the ship was out steaming,

Sailors stood watch while others were dreaming.

They lived in a crowd with racks tight and small,

In a 40-man berthing, cramped one and all.

I had come down the stack with presents to give,

And to see inside just who might perhaps live.

I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,

No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,

On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.

They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,

And a sober thought came into my mind.

For this place was different, so dark and so dreary,

I had found the house of a Sailor, once I saw clearly.

A Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,

Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle, the room squared away,

This was the United States Sailor today.

This was the hero I saw on TV,

Defending our country so we could be free.

I realized the families that I would visit this night,

Owed their lives to these Sailors lay willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,

And grownups would celebrate on Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year,

Because of the Sailor, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,

On a cold Christmas Eve on a sea, far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,

I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The Sailor awakened and I heard a calm voice,

"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice."

"Defending the seas all days of the year,

So others may live and be free with no fear."

I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,

To live a life guided by honor and code.

After all it's Christmas Eve and the ship's underway!

But freedom isn't free and it's sailors who pay.

The Sailor say's to our country "be free and sleep tight,

No harm will come, not on my watch and not on this night.

The Sailor rolled over and drifted to sleep,

I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent, so still,

I watched as the Sailor shivered from the night's cold chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold dark night,

This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

The Sailor rolled over and with a voice strong and sure,

Commanded, "Carry on Santa, It's Christmas, and All is Secure!"

Honor, Courage and Commitment

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

3:22 AM - 8 views - 6 eprops - 3 comments - email it

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