Current fundraising total - $280 (target: $2000)
Current training benchmarks - 10-15 miles jogging per week, 25-30 miles bicycling, 1-2 miles swimming.

Took a few weeks' break from blogging here, but then the end of an academic quarter can do that to you. Don't think that my typing fingers were standing...er...hanging still at the ends of idle hands. Far from it. I discovered that you can chisel out the time, in between writing 5000 words about Max Frisch or alternative local currencies, to get on the exercise bike or run around the track at the Ping, but there's only 24 hours in a day. Things have calmed down considerably over the past couple weeks (though I'm still a pretty busy boy), so here's hoping I can catch up and stay up.

The latest round of thank yous:

A big thanks to my Aunt Wanda, who contributed a whopping $100 to the cause...that's a very kind gesture from a very special woman.

Then there's fellow Metrofanatico and fellow OU alum Bill G., who slid $25 into the pot as well. Thanks to Metro's #1 (soon-to-be) Midwestern-based hypereducated hooligan!

Adrian's one of my lifelong best friends, and as a fitness guru/physical trainer type he could probably run rings around me in events like this. Instead of leaving me in the dust, he's dropped another cool quarter-of-a-hundred in....thanks Adge!

OU J-School alums step up again, in the form of my friend Erin C. Erin's also got a personal connection to cancer research and recovery, and so is raising money for Relay For Life. You might want to send a couple bucks her way. Not wanting to be outshone, Mr Yioryios N. represents OU TCOM as well as all Greek Cypriot Penn State fans. A formidable group, to be sure.

Victoria B. - chilistrider to those in the Bigsoccer know - has sent another five very appreciated bucks in. If you think five bucks doesn't make a big difference, you're wrong. Especially sweet as it comes from who doesn't know me, but pitched in out of the goodness of her heart. Thanks, Victoria.

Lastly but not leastly, I'd like to say thanks to and acknowledge ESPN The Mag/Mlsnet.com columnist Jeff Bradley. Not just for the great contribution he's put in, but for giving me someone else to keep in thoughts and prayers over the next 60-odd days of training and coaxing.

As for what's ahead:

Taking advantage of fine - or at least, passable - weather, I've been biking a lot more outdoors lately. Getting up to 12-16 miles at 3/4-to-full speed. Look out, Lance, right? Well, not quite.

This is a triathlon bike:

















This is MY triathlon bike:


















Also my getting to school bike, my tool-around-town bike, my do-everything bike. A little like pedalling a draft horse, or an SUV. It got me there and back on the Hilliard Heritage Trail last weekend, and over the Adena-Hockhocking Trail yesterday afternoon. It's not what I'd take out to do an Ironman. But...that's at least six months away, isn't it?

Michael
http://www.active.com/donate/tntcoh/MichaelK