Soooo hey there. 
Been a couple of weeks I think since i last had the chance to post. I hate march. It is the biggest time suck of the year. There are some amazing reasons why, all work related, as it is the most exciting, stressful, with a hint of sad mixed in time of year. 
Hiring season.
Now hiring brings with it new ideas, potential change, and the stress of ' how in the hell are we going to get all these positions filled before exams' kind of stress. But it also means that a very large group of people that have poured blood, sweat and tears into their jobs. Specifically the executive team that I work with each year that have really made their lives their jobs for a year are getting ready to finish this 12 month journey. It is bitter sweet, because for most it is time to move on, they have worked their butts off in their academics and given more then anyone, aside from us, will ever know all for the betterment of our organization and the students that attend this school. For us that remain and continue the work, it is always with a mix of sadness and pride we say goodbye for now.
The beginning of the end is transition weekend. 
A time in which we seclude 13 university students for a weekend of intense 'passing the torch' type information sessions and activities. This year was no different, but it made the week for workouts a bit more intense as my goal is to be able to have a cigar or two once the learning day is done. So my week last week went like this:
Monday: 1500m swim 
Tuesday:2x20min runs + 2x15min bikes
Wednesday: 3x10min sprint swims + 2x20min runs + 2x15min bikes
Thursday: 5.5mile run
Friday: 2x750m swims + 500m in sprints + 3x15min bike sprints
Saturday: Away
Sunday: Away
So as you can see all work outs 3+3+3 for each discipline was accomplished. So yay, #cigarTransitionWeekend
What you also may notice is that the distances/times are very specific, that is because April 3rd is going to be the first event for me of the season, the Indoor Triathlon.
I had a great time at this event last year and am really looking forward to see how I do compared to my distances from last year.
Last year I did:
20.5 lengths of the pool in 10 min
7.16 miles on the bike in 20 min
10.5 laps of the indoor track in 15 min
This led to a 3rd place overall, so i have been trying to get my speed up last week and have carried that on with my training this week.
It is nice to focus on these timed distances the last week or so.
That weekend is going to be crazy busy, but I still intend on giving er for it.
I am on a mission this week to get my 3+3+3 in this week because my cigars from my Cigar of the Month Club finally arrived and my in laws also picked me up some cigars from their recent trip to Cuba. I am in cigar heaven right now.
Might have to start trying for some 6+6+6 weeks so I can have multiple cigars on #cigarSunday.
Can't wait to light one or two up and review them in the coming weeks!!!
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan

Holy crap its March! Had a two week break from the blog as this is "shit gets real" time at work with many hirings, end of the year stress level highs, and the threat of real life looming for many getting ready to finish up degrees and join work week. 
Did I ever pick a great time of year to try going vegetarian........
On one particular evening last week, I didnt get home until around 11:30pm, I had missed lunch, and didnt get much of a dinner so I was in Lost World Raptor mode. In the fridge was a container of rice, lovingly saved by my wife from dinner that evening. Plain white rice. Also a container of pulled pork that I had made a couple days earlier.
Plain white rice.
Slow cooked pulled pork with a St. Louis sweet spicy mop sauce.
*sigh*
So away I went slicing and dicing various veggies, and a stir fry was made. Now it was good, I was happy to have it. But stir fry is not pulled pork.
I guess that is really my big problem with the vegetarian diet, way to much thinking is required, there is little grab and go in regards to having something more complex then the actual thing it is. Yeah I could just eat a carrot, apple, or celery stick, but I like to think of myself as a foodie, and need more then just that, plus its boring as fuck.
So here we are Day 21, 3 weeks. One week more then I said I was going to go, and to be honest, I dont know that I feel better, or am loosing weight, neither of those were the original reasons to give this a go, but in regards to my gout coming back, nada. I have not had anything over an occasional twinge in at least 2 weeks. So that part has been successful, but I also havnt been drinking diet pop either. My sugars ( yes I am checking my sugars again) have been a little high but below 7 in the mornings for most of the last 3 weeks, which is pretty good considering I am have been eating late and way off my schedule the last week and change.
Another plus is that the week before last was probably one of the better work out weeks I have had in a while and i accomplished my goal for a #cigarSunday, last week, not so much, but at least my no #cigarSunday streak was broken and held to 4 weeks without one.
2 weeks ago:
Monday: 3x10min sprint swims ( 450m, 500m, 450m)
Tuesday: 2mile run + 10mile bike
Wednesday: 2x750m swims
Thursday: 13mile bike + 3mile run
Friday: 1500m swim
Saturday: 4mile run + 5mile bike
Sunday: off

Last week:
Monday: 3x10min sprint swims ( 400m, 500m, 450m)
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 2mile run + 10mile ride
Friday: 1500m swim
Saturday: 4mile run + 5mile ride
Sunday: off

So first up this year in regards to events is the indoor triathlon sponsored by StFX recreation. I have been working on swim and bike sprints, my running is my running, i dont know that it will get much faster then what it currently is, but I have been trying to get the treadmill speed up. I have also decided that April will be the month I start moving some things back outside. I dont want to be in the same situation that I was in last year when I did almost nothing outdoors and completely got schooled on the bike in the only triathlon I did last year. So i see a lot of hills in my future.
Yay...

So here we are starting week 4. I think at this point I want a pop more then I want meat, to be honest I dont miss the meat, I miss the option of not having it. Plus i find myself talking alot about donairs lately. I may have to come up with a vegetarian version, because subbing out donair sauce for pizza sauce and using vegies is not cutting it.
I think I am going to try a pre mix donair rub and some portabella mushrooms as a meat substitute and go from there. I will keep you updated on my progress.

On to Day 22!
​Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan