KENDALLPROJECTS updates

Hills Hills and More Hills

2010-01-20T07:59:00.000-08:00

Since moving from New York to South Carolina, on e thing is for sure I don’t have the luxury of choosing the type of terrain I am training on. In NY I could ride or run towards the coast for more flat terrain or head up the 9W to get in any hill work the training plan called for. Here our new house is located on the top of the highest hill in the area, so no matter what route I choose I will always have to climb a hill to get back home. In one direction there is a very steep incline and in the other is a long gradual grade that last about half a mile. So each time I go out it is a challenge to maintain an “EZ” pace or control my heart rate when the workout demands it. What this is teaching me is to more patient and to know that the training on the home course will prepare me for any and all the races I will do in the future.

I’m definitely feeling stronger and my times are getting faster with either the same or less effort (recovery workouts.

End of WEEK 2

Thursday: (1:39:14 MED EZ BIKE 24.8mi)

Went out with a controlled consistent effort, not too hard, not too easy. Still cold, but no wind. Felt really good, had some minor aches but nothing that technique and adjusting can't fix.

Very disappointed in the time though, still very slow:(

Friday: (1:07:00 HARD SWIM 3000m)

2x 200 br/fr

2x 50 sde kck no fins

6x 200 3'45", 100 ez pull 2'15"

5x 100 2'05

4x 50 1'15"

Was really tired going into the workout, but was able to push through and perform better. Very pleased about the way I'm feeling in the water!:)

Saturday: (00:34:48 EZ Run 3.1mi)

Just getting it in...I'm tired & have a slight hangover...but I did it and did it slow:)

Sunday: OFF

Training Total: 5.9 hrs

WEEK 3

Monday: 00:59:48 Med Run 5.25mi

Fat Burning, controlled HR. Thought it would be harder, but ended up feeling really good!:)

Tuesday: Dryland & EZ Swim

DRYLAND #2

3x 25 V Crunches

3 min 15 on/ 15 off

back kicks

supermans

4 med ball exercises

12 plank stands

Upped all the exercises

EZ MED SWIM

8x 200

1st 3 on 4'00''

2 on 4'15"

3 on 5'00

I was dead after dryland, by the end of the set I could barely flip turn because my abs were shot!

Wednesday:OFF

Back To The Future

2010-01-13T04:35:00.000-08:00

For the most part, things seemed to be back on track and my life looks to be settling down more everyday.
The girls are now going to bed on their own and sleeping through the night. This has completely restored my motivation for training and helped my outlook on the first races of the season by giving me ample sleep and recovery time. They/ I now have a routine that we can plan around. In addition, I have been going to see a chiropractor again, which has made a huge difference in how I feel both in training and in life! Coupled with all the stuff I just listed, being in my own house has and will aid my diet as the workouts become more demanding, which is the last crucial element in the plan.
Because I have had more rest and I’m generally more happy, my imagination and creative energy have started to ease into my daily thoughts, which is exciting. Just yesterday afternoon while I was coaching swim practice a new fresh idea for a video popped into my head as I watched the kids swim.
I feel more balanced in my life right now than I have in a very long time.
Training:
Well, by Wednesday of last week I was back on the training wagon and by weeks end it seemed that my body was rebounding pretty well.
WEEK 1 (of a 18 week build to Race Day)
Total: 4.1 hrs
Wednesday: (52 min) EZ Swim
10x 50 1'05"
5x 100 2'05"
2x 200 4'00"
10x 50 1'05" (last 3 pull on 1'00"
8x 25 EZ last 4 w/ fins drill
Just trying to get back into it after being sick again. Felt really good, chiro adjustment seem to be making a big difference.
Thursday: (32:10) 5k Run loop (reverse) in the new neighborhood.Went out to see how I felt after being sick again and to see what the reverse 5k route felt like.
felt faster but it wasn't, was exactly the same time and I had a higher HR avg. Other than that wasn't any effect from being sick.
Friday: 1st Dryland & Swim Day (2000m). I did a core workout, with med balls and body weight exercises that will get longer and increase in intensity over the next 2 months. I felt really good both on the land and in the pool.
(15min) DRYLAND #1
3x 20 V-crunches
2min 6" leg kcks (15sec on 15sec off)
2min superman (15sec on 15sec off)
Med Balls 30 sec each (all 4 types)
10x plank-2-stands
Spine felt very stable!
(45min) 1500m EZ Swim
No Drag Suit
10x 50 1'00"
4x 25 sde kck no fins
5x 100 2'10"
200 pull w/ pds
200 w/ fins
Saturday: Off
Sunday: (1:32) 22 mi EZ Bike "new route"
I took a new route, so stopped a lot to check map. I won’t use this till rides get over 30 miles.
Was really cold (28) and windy and all computers died or are about to die!:(
WEEK 2
Monday: (1:14) 3000m HARD Swim
5x 100 2'15"
200 br/fr
3x 200 4'00"
10x 100 (5 w/ suit 2'00" 5 no suit 2'00")
2x 200 Pull w/ pds 3'45"
8x 50 1'15"
Felt good!
Tuesday: (1:14 10mi/ 3.1mi) EZ Brick
Bike (00:43:21)
No Speedometer, No odometer, & No Watch...just HR's BPMs was cold but not as cold as Sunday.
Introd Big Ring main gear but didn't force it. Still no ready for it on hills....think weight will determine its use more than fitness.
Felt good overall.
Run (00:32:58)
Just went out with nothing But HRs BPMs and listened to my cadence, I feel like its all there if the weight just comes off.
Wednesday: OFF

In the coming post I will be continuing to show the training log, which you can view via, www.trifuel.com at the following
http://www.trifuel.com/log/view_others.php?selectuser=5329
I will also be posting picks of the house and how the remodeling is going!

Back With A New Plan!!

2010-01-04T07:30:00.001-08:00

I had been planned on starting the year off with new entries that documented my training for the upcoming season and give updates, as to what has been happening in my life since I last wrote on my blog, while continuing to do so on a regular weekly basis.

Although I am still going to do so, this entry may leave more to desired by some, but please be patient.

I started getting sick on Friday afternoon and has progressively gotten worse since. So as I sit here this morning writing with a foggy head and frustrated heart I will try to collect my thoughts.

My plan was to start the week with a bag, with workout entry and a lengthy update of some of the exciting things that have happened to my family and me in the last few months. Since there will be NO workout entry I’ll start with a few other cool things that have happened.

A HOUSE!!! We bought a house! And it is awesome and huge! (Well at least for us coming from NY) We will be doing a lot of changes and additions etc… over the next year but the potential of the house is enormous!! The girls have a big backyard to grow-up in and I have a big 2 and half car garage to put a studio and home gym into!

The girls are 9 months and getting bigger by the minute. Both have at least 2 teeth fully in and more poking out daily. Their personalities have really been developing as well, Lucie has been named “TANK” since she bull dozes into anything and every thing. Although Leola seems to be a few weeks behind Lucie in development she looks to be the more calm, calculated one out of the two.

My art unfortunately has been put on hold till the rest of my life is more sorted out. However I’m collecting ideas and inspiration that can last a lifetime! So don’t’ worry I will be sharing it all.

As for the Training:

Although I’m not able to workout right now I have been training. I have a good base to start on and now that I’m settled in our home I feel confident that the plan will resume as soon as I’m over this cold.

I am however, not so sure that the first 70.3 race will be as successful as I’d liked, but I have to shift me mindset from going fast to simply finishing with dignity.

Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts

2009-09-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I have managed to get at least one entry in every month since moving! Just a couple of updates:

I signed up for the Florida 70.3 at Disney World on May 16th, 2010 (We're taking the girls)
My first season as Head Coach at RNE Swim is wrapping up next week and although the team was small they exceeded my expectations and made me so proud to be their coach.

As I continue to struggle with adjusting to living down south and as I begin my journey of training for Florida, which starts next month, I look to music to inspire, teach me and lift my spirits.
I listened to this song last night on the way home from a swim meet.

Travel like a king
Listen to the inner voice
A higher wisdom is at work for you
Conqering the stumbling blocks come easier
When the conqueror is in tune with the infinite
Every ending is a new beginning
Life is an endless unfoldment
Change your mind, and you change your relation to time
You can find the answer
The solution lies within the problem
The answer is in every question. Dig it?
An attitude is all you need to rise and walk away
Inspire yourself
Your life is yours
It fits you like your skin
The oak sleeps in the acorn
The giant sequoia tree sleeps in its tiny seed
The bird waits in the egg
God waits for his unfoldment in man
Fly on,
Children Play on
You gravitate to that which you secretly love most
You meet in life the exact reproduction of your own thoughts
There is no chance, coincidence or accident
In a world ruled by law and divine order
You rise as high as your dominant aspiration
You descend to the level of your lowest concept of your self
Free your mind and your ass will follow

The infinite intelligence within you knows the answers
Its nature is to respond to your thoughts
Be careful of the thought-seeds you plant in the garden of your mind
For seeds grow after their kind
Play on, children

Every thought felt as true
Or allowed to be accepted as true by your conscious mind
Take roots in your subconscious
Blossoms sooner or later into an act
And bears its own fruit
Good thoughts bring forth good fruit
Bullshit thoughts rot your meat
Think right, and you can fly
The kingdom of heaven is within
Free your mind, and your ass will follow
Play on, children
Sing on, lady……Yeah

-George Clinton (Funkadelic-“Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts”)

If you do listen to the whole song, the lyrics do not come on until just over half way through the song.
Peace

Maybe....

2009-08-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

I started writing an entry the other day but got distracted and by the time I got back to it…needless to say I was uninspired to write anymore.
So, today I’m so thankful for the sports I now love and spend my life pursuing…Like swimming, biking, and running…AHH, triathlon….This morning I have began the process of filtering the constant flow of high school football into my brain. Lately I have often stopped and wondered how I participated in that culture for so long! As a swim coach, I have had the opportunity to witness the mindless machismo of both the coaches and players of high school football from the perspective of an outsider. It is amazing how seemingly mindless the devotion to these young men is, and to think I was one of them back in the day! God I sucked! But triathlon changed this jock into to something more one day back in my football days when I watched the ironman on TV in my dorm room. So maybe there’s hope for some of these boys. Maybe?
Also this morning as I thumbed through the local paper (God, I miss you Daily News!) I read an article in the ‘arts” section about a hot local artist. He graduated high school with my younger brother and is self-taught. The article talked about this buzz around this guy’s work and it is true I had heard about it before the article or his solo show that opens today. The work is a cross between a Basquiat/ George Condo and Max Ernst, but the guy that made it probably wouldn’t know that since he’s self-taught and the folks around here don’t give a shit since they don’t know who those other 3 dudes are either!.
SO I ask myself, am I just hate’n? Sure! What’s strange is I even found myself defending the guy as my parents, started in on how his worked was crap. But is that what it takes to be an artist in South Carolina? I don’t know! Maybe!
I miss New York today. What do I miss exactly? Being able to be anonymous but not being anonymous. I could do that because of the thick atmosphere of multiple cultures all piled in on top one another. This thought made me realize in the county I live, we have a third of the population that Manhattan has.
Did living in the city for as long as I did change me down to my soul? Maybe?
Because home down here just don’t feel like home did up there!
I haven’t submitted an entry in a while so I won’t end on a negative tone. Since moving here I have found a haven that has become my own private get away every weekend. SO I’m shout’n out to Tom and the boys at the cigar lounge!
www.liteumupcigars.com
Thanks Tom for opening such a welcoming and classy place that welcomes all new comers as regulars! Cheers!
Are there places here where I can feel like myself?
Maybe?

Those Moments of Truth Give Me a Much Needed Gut Check

2009-07-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

As mentioned before the past 7 weeks were filled with emotions that were numbed by escape into excess on my part. Little to no exercise coupled with too much food and drink brought me back to a point of self loathing I hate to go to, but sometimes it cleans me out, then I can go on. I get to a point where I am completely fed up with my self. I groan every time I catch a glimpse of myself as I walk past a shop window or notice how the pants I’m putting on get a little tighter after they have been washed. However I always seem to have a breaking point when I say, NO MORE! GET IT TOGETHER JASON!

I find it strange how some people resist that change or challenge. I crave the challenging environment when my faults or mistakes are exposed and I am forced either to acknowledge them or hide in the comfort of denial. F$#%! denial! If I have behaved wrongly or overindulged let me know it, if I haven’t been made aware of it. Yes this hurts in a lot of different ways, but it only makes life better in the long run.
As I get my ass back on the bike, in the pool and out on the road I am reminded of those moments of truth, when you can stay and fight or run and hide (sometimes in a bottle). It’s hard to get out of bed in the morning to squeeze a workout in. It’s hard to say no when everyone is out at happy hour but you have a long ride the next morning or just trying to shed a few extra pounds. It’s hard to not take a bite of cake when someone puts in front you. Life is hard, but worth every second if we learn from those moments of truth and raise up to the challenge to be a better me/ you!

These moments have come around more often for me lately. I think that is why I’ve been more aware of it. I’ve been told that I just need to “Get Over IT!” concerning all my gripes about my current living situation and concentrate on the good things the move has bought to my life.

So as I prepare for my season as a swim coach and continue to get settled here down south I am committed to trying to, “get over it” and see my life as a new beginning and embrace the difficult decisions I will face in the coming months and years.

For example, I have been struggling with continuing to make art here although the community and scene is a lot different. While at the same time trying to decide if I should commit to taking some time off to get my body and life in the kind of shape that will make it easier and more to make art again. Is this a moment of truth or a gut check t see if I am willing to do what is necessary to make my life better and myself? Not sure yet but we’ll see.

Moving up and moving on!

2009-07-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

Back on track, with a new attitude and a set of new challenges in my life that have left me bewildered and a bit melancholy, but I’m still excited about what the future will bring. The last 7 weeks have allowed me to indulge, grieve, escape, hide and fall apart all at the same time. Moving out of New York was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and now it’s over, I’m here in South Carolina. No more feeling sorry for myself, wallowing in self-pity and playing the victim. I will pick myself up off the floor, put on my new face and get back in the race.
It may take some getting used to the fact that I have a clean slate here that I can build or become anything I want to and it can be an intimidating and daunting task I’m up for the challenge. I have to be, for my family and me.
In the coming weeks I will be back to my normal blog writing, to update you all on what has been going on with me and the stuff I do.
I’m struggling with what it will mean to be an artist here now that I’m no longer in NY, but I will figure it out soon enough. Patience and time is something I seem to be able to afford these days and they seem to be easier to come by as well. It will help me manage my demons that have only gotten closer since moving south.
Stay Tuned Folks it’s only going to get better fro now on!

“Tuesday found me, …standing on the highway……………”

2009-06-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Today I feel so lost. I know the move is taking its toll on Faith and me, but I never thought it would be so intense. I feel so uninspired, unmotivated, tired (but sleeping too much) generally lazy and I’m beating myself up for it too. All I want to do is sit around all day with the girls, play guitar hero (when they’re napping), eat junk and drink “good” beer.
It seems to sooth my soul to watch them just sit in their swings smiling and cooing at the toys hanging down in front of them. Last night Lucy was so tired and fussy. All she wanted to do was sit in her Daddy’s lap, hold his hands and suck on her passy. Within 15 min she had been fed and was out for the count. That is an overwhelming feeling of pride and pressure when you realize how important your presence is to this tiny little person.
Training has become a chore, even though the results have been promising in spite of the no scheduled race plans. I think the fact that I now will have to withdraw from the Timberman race is making me very sad and disappointed. I feel like a failure in someway. Although, I know this is not the case and it is only because of this transition process and that my priorities are out of wack.

It seems daunting that I only have 3 full weeks felt in NY and it is breaking my heart. I feel like I’m walking out on a relationship, or something. I never thought it was going to be this difficult.

And my wife is such a trooper. I see daily, that it is getting tougher and tougher for her but she keeps pluggin away at packing boxes, never letting it show how hard it is for her. This includes packing up her classroom at a school where she has been for 8 yrs! I don’t see how she is doing it. It makes me love her even more and I never thought that would be possible.
I didn’t write this entry for anyone to feel sorry for me, I just need to try and makes sense of all these feelings I’m going through and writing about it helps that process. My stomach is starting to constantly churn from the nervousness I’m feeling and the guilt from not being able to do all the things that I wanted to before we left.
And I say all that to say this…….it’s HARD very HARD and I had no idea how hard and it just keeps getting harder everyday!

The images in the post were just a way fopr me to remember what I'm looking forward to....

I Shall Return!

2009-06-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well, the small initial steps for moving have begun and now that it’s official, it actual packing that looms is causing me great dread and stress. When are they going to invent a teleport machine! However as the days count down to moving day I continue to get more and more excited about the next chapter in my life. The changes it will bring in life, my art, my training and ambition are all welcome challenges that will make me a better person, Dad and artist.

The girls are great! With the exception of general new parent issues and growing pains of a set of twins Lucile and Leola are growing by leaps and bounds by the second. This past Friday we celebrated their 8 weeks with a trip to the doctor for the first round of their shots. They were real troopers! One of the hardest things for us so far is to see them in pain and not be able to do anything but hold them. It’s so heart breaking to not be able to do anything but let them scream. Lucy was really constipated all weekend and she would just look at me with those blue eyes as if she was saying, ”please help me daddy”. It killed me!
Training is going really good. Except for having to cut some long bikes I’m moving right along. Right now with all the general stress, lack of adequate sleep and guilt from being away from the girls I feel that spending the day resting with the girls and help Faith is much better spent right now instead of a 7 hour bike ride. However, it will come a time in the training that fitting those in will be more crucial, currently it gives me more juice for my weekly workouts. This past week was week 4 of the May training cycle.

Monday
Swim/ Bike
3000 yrds/ 54 mile bike
Tuesday
OFF (stretched, used roller)
Wednesday

Run

11 miles

Thursday
Swim
4000 yrds (2x 1600 main)
Friday
BRICK
36 mi Bike/ 6 mile Run (HIM race pace)
Saturday and Sunday
OFF
Even though I was wiped out Friday after the BRICK, I felt good about the way body responded to the pace vs effort.
Tomorrow I will begin the process of cleaning out my studio and packing it up. I will be out of it in the next couple of weeks.
My friends here in New York have been SO supportive about the move and it warms my heart that they understand and wish me the best and hopefully miss me.
But I Shall Return!

Jason, How The Hell Are ya!? Long Time No See.

2009-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I hear ya!

Well, life has been running it’s course and I have been playing catch up, but not having too much success at it. Since the Mother’s Day weekend we have been making some serious life changing decisions about our family’s future. After many discussions, some crying, and some arguing we have decided to move back to Columbia South Carolina to raise the girls as true southerners. I had always said that if we were going to move back, it would happen if it was supposed to and it looks like it is supposed to.
When the girls were born the possibility of us moving this summer was brought up, but the state of the economy in S.C. and the fact that we both had good jobs here in NY made it hard to justify moving back down. However life has a funny way of running its course. Faith started applying for jobs and we decided that if she got a job we could move and I would try to find a job when we got down there. I knew ultimately it was the best choice for the family for a lot of reasons, child care, bills, insurance etc…All these pros out weighed the cons of us staying. Since the girls were born, I just don’t have the time to go to the studio. It’s frustrating and sad sometimes but spending time with my girls as the grow-up has become my top priority without any regrets.
This past Thursday Faith got the call that she had a job at the same elementary she went to as a child and Friday morning I was told that my old high school was looking for a new Head Swim Team coach and would love to have me fill that position.
So………we’re “Southbound”. So by July 8th I’ll be a resident of South Carolina again. I will always be a New Yorker at heart but the southerner is in my blood.

I am still training and will continue to do so and I’m struggling with the decision to bag the Timberman race or wait to see if I can fit it in even with the move. Either way I will be doing the SC Half Ironman in October if it can be worked around the new job schedule.
I will also be doing my best to keep the blog updated more regularly, just don't forget about me out there.

Roxy... Thanks For The Support, “No Really Thank You!” Grad School and the Reason I Tri

2009-05-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

This morning on the way to the pool, I pondered the comments on my last entry. Until last weekend when my wife mentioned her name, I hadn’t ever thought about writing about her here. I think of her often and when the girls were born, she was the first person I wished I could have called. She would have loved them!
Roxy…
She was the most influential mentor I had ever had before going to graduate school. Roxy Thomas was one of my undergraduate sculpture instructors who gave selflessly her advice, love, generosity, criticism, and patience to me up until she passed away from ovarian cancer in early 2007. (Wow, has it been that long!?!) She was a mother, artist, printmaker, teacher in art, yoga and life.
She was the single person who encouraged me to follow my dreams, move to New York, and do what so many young artist dream of doing. She is the reason I sew. Yes Mom and Granny but she was the one who told me to go the store buy a pattern and fabric and “make something good, damn it!” She encouraged the tender caring side of my identity to come out in my work and ideas. She taught me not to worry about what would happen to a piece of work after it was completed, “just kick ass and make it!” When I’m in the studio I often think about the look she used to give me when looking at an unfinished process and smile to myself.Tthat look used to piss me off so bad, because it would only make me think harder about what I was trying to say with the work. Through her I understand that making art is a life long journey that never ends even after you’re not around.
To say I miss her is an understatement. A part of myself is no longer here feels more right.
I miss you Roxy,
and I know you’re around me somewhere.
Thinking about Roxy got me asking myself a question that seems to hanging around me till I answer it, honestly.
Why Do I Triathlon?
From an art world perspective I feel like it is viewed as a bit extreme, crazy and maybe doesn’t fit into what an artist does, but I don’t feel that way.
While in graduate school, I had the opportunity concentrate on only making art, completely indulging in my creative process. Now that I am a full year past graduate school I can say that doing that nearly killed me, physically and emotionally. Before grad school I was in the best shape of my life and in the best head space of my life, after I was in the worst shape and in the worst place.
Yes, Roxy’s passing played a part in my slide into despair but it wasn’t to blame. What caused it was a lack of sleep, late nights, parties, partying, drinking, fast food and generally no exercise. By the end my body was depleted of all the natural chemicals that made one a happy person. So, I turned back to training for a triathlon to see if could get me back to that place and it has!
Triathlon is, in a sense a savior for me. It lets me know exactly where I stand with my self. Yes I love the way my body looks when I’m in shape and my confidence level is where it should be when I’m in that kind of shape, but it gives ME purpose!
And now, I’m in a place that I am trying to combine my purpose as an artist and my purpose as an athlete into a balanced expression of both. It will be a life long journey, I know, but I feel more than ever it will be well worth the effort no matter where I live.
I also want to say a sincere Thank You to my Wife, Faith for taking the majority of the shifts last night so I could get up this morning and swim before work. I hope that I can help you find time for yourself in the mist of the storm we’re going through.

“-You can lead a horse to water, but “Faith” is another matter, but don’t you surrender because sometimes salvation is in the eye of the storm.”
-Sometimes Salvation (The Black Crowes)

Being that I believe Ol’ Warren Haynes is somehow my derivative alter ego here is a version from the Mule with the boys from the Crowes.

Riding in the rain, the failed aero helmet paint experiment and the changing future

2009-05-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

The start of the May training cycle.
This month marks the first month of crunch time for the training. All the base stuff is done and my body seems set to start of the serious work involved in getting ready for a 5 hr plus race.
So……………
This past Sunday was the 2nd progressive long ride of the season. I did a 70.5 mile to Nyak NY and back. I went out to the first real incline, climbed it then turned around and headed home. To say it rained the entire ride would be an understatement, but I am very used to training in the cold wet spring of New York. At least the green of the hills have fully come in, which made it feel less cold.
I felt really good during the ride. It is nice to have juice back in the tank. The only bad thing about the ride was how my left knee felt after. During some of the climbs my pedal stroke technique got sloppy, which caused some irritation on the inside ligament of the knee, but by yesterday evening it was back to normal.
Yesterday, I did swim/ bike where I pushed my intensity on the bike really high after swimmming hard. I felt strong!
Well, I went to the studio on Wednesday to work on painting my aero helmet and by Friday evening I had all but ruined the helmet and the original paint job. The long short of it is…. because I rushed the drying process it started to flake off in spots, so I rushed to fix it before it was ready to be fix and made it worse.
BUT!
I learned a lot about a process that I have always wanted to get better at and now know that patience is key, when doing a project like that.
My plan now is to turn this helmet into my first triathlon sculpture and buy another helmet to race in. Some may say I wasted the money, but I think I invested in my creative process. Now, the question is, do I take what I’ve learned and attempt to paint the new helmet? The jury is still out…….
As the girls get bigger by the day, older by the minute we have been discussing our future here in NY and asking, what would be better for the girls during the coming year. The prospect of packing up this summer and moving south is incredibly frightening for me, but I am coming to terms with the fact that it is a possibility. As I rode through the hills in the rain I thought about what this would mean for me. I know what it means for the girls, but I have worked so hard here for so long and I feel I would be starting again.
However all things happen for a reason and if it is meant for us to move then it will happen. If not, it won’t.

Feeling Inspired by Recovery and The Girls Helped With It All

2009-04-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

Last night was a rough night. Well, long for me but not that rough. Faith on the other hand seemed to be on the rough side. Lucie has developed a real temper when she’s not getting what she wants, especially when she wants to be held, but last night she was so constipated she screamed her head off till she blew up 2 diapers in a row! So while Faith tended to Lucie’s dilemma I chillaxed with Leola as we did the 3 hour relay. One bottle, 3 hours sleep, wake-up and repeat till morning. Usually Sunday night and Monday night Faith takes point and lets me sleep so I can train the next morning, but this week is a recovery week and boy, could I use some recovery, so I bucked up and split the duty and took care of Twin B. This caused me to change my training plans and work schedule, which is totally cool with me.
As I thumbed through an ArtForum while my coffee warmed it hit me! I’m starting to feel rested and I can’t wait to make art again! It is, as if my brain chemicals have been refilled! I remembered there are all these great projects I want to work on and finish. The newer ones will involve triathlon and the “art” of endurance training.
Balance and patience, Jason, it will happen. Right!
My legs are not feeling so heavy as well.
Tomorrow morning I’ll do the very short run I planned to do today and hop into the pool to do some kicking to finish up some of the recovery then head to THE STUDIO! Of course there are some errands that have to be run that support the goal of working in the studio, but I can do it! I know it!
Then Friday I’ll be working on the video from the training footage! It so hard to set-up again to edit, but I’ll just have to slide the swing and boppies over to make room for the hard drives.
I’ll be heading back up state on a bike ride on Sunday if the legs continue to lighten up, which I think is definitely happening now. I think I’m going to take my camera and snap some pics to post.

I guess the point of this post is to say, “I’m feeling so much better!” and it is because the girls made me improvise my recovery, which reminded me that, “yes, I am still inspired!”

This is a pic of my dear friend Sarah and me enjoying the sun and a Stone!Thanks for the pics Heather!

Riding In The Dark, Stiff Legs and An FYI for My Blog Readers

2009-04-27T06:48:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is commute on my bike in the morning before the sun comes up. If I am training, I try to leave the house by 4:15am. At this time, the streets are usually deserted. It is safer for me to make it through the streets to the bike path without encountering much traffic except for the delivery trucks making their pre-dawn drop offs.
The city seems like another place at this time. I often see and hear things that usually get missed during the hustle and bustle of rush-hour, like hearing the birds chirping and the sky going from black to deep blue, then to orange as the sun comes up. On the cold mornings I see the grass glistening as the lights of the cars reflect off the frost and my invisible breathe appears as a smoking grey when the light of day starts to peak through. By the end of the ride/ workout the color of day has appeared and a new has started for all around me.
This morning’s commute and the ride post swim was the first of coming warm summer days. I was able to wear shorts, no sleeves and no toe covers which is the tell tale sign that warmer days are on the way. Although it is suppose to cool of again I think the thawing has officially started. This a pic of my bike path just as I get on it.

I have been meaning to write about my bike commute in the dark for awhile, but hesitated to share it because I didn’t want anyone to worry, but after reading a forum post on trifuel I realized I wasn’t the only one out there that braves the dark for a brisk morning ride. I wear white, and reflective garments with flashing lights on my bike, so don’t worry Mom.
Well, as of my last post my body has been fighting to recover. I took Friday off, did a short 3 mile run on Saturday, followed by my first ice bath of season, then cancelled my long ride on Sunday and enjoyed the after noon playing Guitar Hero Metallica, stretched, rolled, stretched and rolled some more while chilling with the my girls. As of last night, my legs were still stiff and sore, so I went ahead and shaved my legs so I could really get into the muscles with all my massaging tools. There are other reasons for us triathlon peeps to shave their legs, but I’ll save that for another post.
After talking to some my friends who read my blog (but don’t comment!?!?!)
I have to clarify how I write and edit each post.
I usually sit down and just write out the rough entry as soon as I can, to keep the thoughts fresh in my head. Then I’ll post it without very much revising. As the day goes on I’ll revisit the post to make changes, edits etc…So if you’re reading a new post early and it sounds like I’m a crappy writer I’m sorry I just haven’t had a chance to go over it yet and fix the mistakes. But, rest assure I will and I promise that I’m not a challenged blog writer.
I am going to the studio Wednesday if it kills me

Found Myself Standing On The Edge Of A Training Cliff

2009-04-23T07:48:00.001-07:00

SPENT!
Today marks the first day in my training saga that I must listen to my body and it is telling me, “Jason, you better back off or I’ll make you pay for putting me through anymore overtime!”
It is a feeling I can’t explain. Even after you get plenty of sleep, stretch and eat for an entire day you just can’t get your body to perform at the level needed to make progress. Some call this over reaching. I’m even considering canceling the bike ride I had planned for Sunday because my legs feel like I’m carrying around lead weights in my flip-flops.
There is an upside to times like these in ones training cycle. It allows for improvising and creative thinking to be injected into the normal routine, because when I start feeling like this I don’t want to train. Every task becomes a grind and that is red flag #1. Next week was supposed to be recovery week, so to make it fun I will be taking the camera along to see if I can get some more training footage to work with.
I’ve spent the morning looking at my plan and beginning to make some adjustments to keep me interested and fresh. Will keep you updated on what they are and how it works.
I really want/ need to get back into the studio. I hope by the end of next week I’ll have the wig for Dorothy finished. (If I can ever get it to Grace!) and be able to finish up the aero helmet paint job. AND….
Allow my brain to clear up, so I can make a more insightful post for you all to read.

Where I'm at today....

2009-04-20T08:09:00.001-07:00

Man, what a week and weekend! Right now I’m exhausted! I’m going into week 4 of a cycle and last week topped out my run training so far. Tues I did 7 miles at the track, Fri 3miles of a BRICK and Sunday did 10 miles! Total 20 miles! And I’m shot. I got into the pool this morning and by my 2nd 400 I knew I wasn’t going to be able to hold any kind of interval. I just had no juice left in the tank. This past weekend it was gorgeous here, high in the 70’s on Saturday.
The girls are doing good, we seem to be a good team! Faith has been awesome. She is accommodating my training, but on my off days, I give Faith time off to do her stuff and I spend all my time with the girls.
More and more I find myself in a weird headspace, pondering the meaning of balance in my life now. Before I worried about the what-ifs, now I’m more content in my daily routine and I get excited about what the next day might bring. We’re thinking about moving back, which has always been the plan, but things seemed to be working for me here right now. I have a good job that I like, I’m getting in shape to race again, I’ve stayed inspired with my art (even though not able to get into the studio much right now) and I’m cool with how everything is right now. Every time I wake-up to see those little girls faces all the small stuff just melts away with the warmth of their little grins! I think for the first time in my life I truly believe it’s all going to work out in time, just be patient Jason and enjoy every breath of life you breathe.

The Mountains Win Again and Walter Returns Home

2009-04-14T07:51:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday I headed out on my first “real” long bike ride since starting to train again. I say “real” because the route is on 9W heading into upstate NY and it is hilly to say the least. Knowing that it was going to be hard ahead of time is one thing, but you add 15- 20 mph wind into the mix and you have a recipe to become the cowardly lion!
Nevertheless, I packed the bike in the car with all my cold weather gear and headed to Williamsburg Brooklyn to start my Easter morning ride.
Going into the ride, I knew if I was going to accomplish my goal of riding 5 hrs I would have to seriously pace myself. The first hour and a half were really rough because of the wind chill, but by the time I got to the hills I was warmed up and positive about my decision to get out on the road despite the wind and the cold.
Luckily, the wind was in my face going out, which meant I was going to have some help heading back in, on some of the steepest climbs. I didn’t encounter the most extreme inclines because I only was going 30 miles out (2:30 hrs) then turning around, but I did go far enough to I realize my decision to practice diet discipline and drop these last 20 lbs by limiting my weekend splurges will help immensely the next time I head out there in two weeks.
However, even with the tail wind coming back I have to say that the mountain won this battle, but I did survive. I love those gut check type workout on such nice days and in such beautiful places .
I saw some funny things on the ride that I have never seen before. As I climbed a hill I could hear this music coming up behind me, thinking it was a car approaching I eased further into the median. Only to laughed out-loud as another cyclist rode past with 2 small speakers stuck in the back pocket of his jersey blaring hip-hop from his ipod . The other was an older gentlemen blowing past looking like he stepped out of a picture from the1960 Tour de France, wearing and using all old school vintage cycling equipment. It was awesome.
As I headed back, the wind was blowing the hardwood blossoms off the trees and I could see the slightest hint of green color in the distance. I took the moment in as long as I could…..
By the time I got to Central Park this song by Blues Traveler was playing in my head.
So keeping with my theme of adding a sound track here is that song.

Yesterday evening after Faith and the girls rescued me from locking my keys in the car (lack of sleep?) Faith made a comment about our youngest cat “Walter” going missing. This isn’t unusual because he has always been a cat that marched to the beat of a different drummer and he comes out when he’s ready.
Walter is named after John Goodman’s character, “Walter Spochak” from the movie The Big Lewbowski, which is probably my favorite movie. After finding a 2 week old kitten in the street about 5 years ago I knew this would be his name. Since then he has always retained some of the character traits from the movie. Here is a compilation vid of some of “Walter Spochak” and his famous lines!

Back to the story:
The trick is to shake the treat bag to get all 3 cats to come running. This works no matter what.
We shook the bag, but still no Walter. We searched the house literally inside and out and still, No Walter. We even walked down the street shaking the treat bag and still... No Walter.
Going to bed last night we were very sad and worried about our Walter.
As I told Faith goodbye this morning, she asked me did I see Walter. I said, no :(
When I walked out the door I stopped, stood really still and called his name…………….. thinking just maybe he'd respond. I waited...............

“meow”
I called it again….

“meow?”

I kept calling him till, I found him in our neighbors backyard under one of their kids toys. I reached under it and grabbed him then took him inside and surprised Faith!
Not a scratch, just a little scared.
The Family Still Intact! Thank Goodness!

Beer, A Close Call and the Stealth Bomber Survives

2009-04-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

Now it’s just the 4 of us. Both pair of grandparents has gone home. We’re settling into our family routine and the plan is in effect to balance training a helping with the girls. To be honest I couldn’t have ask for better babies. They are sleeping a good 3 hrs between feedings so Faith and I have set up shifts according to my training schedule which seem to working pretty good. Some days we’re more tired but like today we’re all rested and doing great!

Well after this weekend I have come to a crossroad with my diet and now that the girls are here it’s time that I stop saying it and do it. Up until now training has allowed me to be relatively slack with my diet and still lose weight, but it has come time for me to break-up with me weekend girlfriend, good ol’ “craft beer” and a butt load of pizza! I fell in love with IPA’s about 3 years ago when I drank my first Dog Fish 60 min IPA. It was an explosion of flavor that I never tasted in a beer before. From that pint on I have sought out new and different beers that has now turned me into a very well educated craft brew connoisseur. An IPA is short for “East India Pale Ale” the tradition of this beer dates back to the colonial traders. They brewed with a lot of fresh Hops so it would last the journey of the ships and still be fresh and tasty.
Unfortunately beer hinders your body’s ability to burn fat up to 73% within an hour of consuming 3 beers. You add a couple slices of pizza to that and you have a recipe for triathlon diet sabotage. My problem is on Friday and Saturday I’ll kill a 6 pack and 3 slices because I trained so hard that week, but now it is absolutely crucial that I begin tuning my body into a fat burning machine as these workouts go from 2 hours to 5-7 hr journeys into personal discovery. Although my fitness level is where it needs to be it’s time to admit that carrying 20 extra pounds on an 8 hr 100 mile bike ride in the mountains ain’t a good idea, not mentioning racing a 70.3 Ironman with that extra weight.
So in attempt to get over my break-up I’m going to introduce you to some of the best beer in the world.

In the past few months I’ve been obsessed with the IPA’s from the Stone Brewery in San Diego California.

Their regular IPA is awesome! Pair with just about any food. Especially anything with cilantro and of course totinos frozen pizzas.

For a kick in the mouth and little more buzz go for the “Renusiaitor” IPA, best paired with super flavored foods (big robust Italian taste) because normal taste fade fast when drinking this brew.

Then there is their new “Cali-Belgium IPA” which Is one of the top 3 beers I’ve ever had! A must try for any beer lover!

Well, yesterday I had an incident that was bound to happen no matter how careful I am riding my bike. About time minutes into the bike portion of an EZ brick workout riding in the bike lane a van passes me, then cuts me off as he turns into a gas station. This causes me to slam on breaks and do everything I can to keep from smashing to the ground, but unfortunately that did happened! Picking myself of the ground, making sure all my parts were ok and the Stealth Bomber was no worse for wear I headed over to the asshole who about killed me! At this point he is casually filling up his van. As it turns out he’s a Russian gentleman that apparently doesn’t speak English. So I said my piece of mind and got back on my bike and went on down the road and 15 min later a flat tire! This allowed me to cool off and I finished the workout on a very positive note.
So for you reading that don’t ride a bike on a regular PLEASE keep an eye out for those of us who do and know that an extra 30 seconds and 5 feet for us on the bike goes a long way.
Now excuse as I say good bye, to the last of a Lagunitas IPA. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Cheers!

The Magic of Life!

2009-04-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a prior entry The Allman Brothers Band played their 40th anniversary shows at the Beacon Theatre during the month of March and every Friday up until the girls were born was our music night. Faith and I would play music for the girls still in her belly, including the music from the Allman’s Beacon run and yes some Kid Rock “Only God Knows Why” .
We decided to start playing music for the girls at about 3 months. We bought a little set of “ear plugs” that pressed against Faith’s belly which plugged into the ipod. The first night we did this, we didn’t have to ask each other what song to play first, Soulshine!
I scrolled to the what I think is the purist of the many live recordings of the song from Gov’t Mule’s “With A Little Help From Our Friends” recorded New Years Eve 98-99. This version features Chuck Leavell, Derek Trucks and the late great Allen Woody on bass. At the end of the song Derek breaks a string on his guitar but rips on seamlessly without missing a note.
As we played the song, we looked at each other and smiled as tears streamed down both our cheeks. We knew we had just introduced the girls to the love and power of music that has been such a big part of ours since we were both small children.

Fast Forward 5 ½ months to approx 7:15-pm Friday March 27th in the recovery room waiting to be taken in for the C-section.
I turned to Faith and said” If things go according to schedule the girls will be here about the time the Allmans take the stage", thinking that we would be have them around 8:30pm like the doctor was saying. (The shows had been starting between 8:40pm and 9:00pm) Well, that wasn’t the case, but everything happens for a reason, right. There were a couple of emergencies that took priority over us, so we kept getting pushed back and by 10pm we were in the O.R. getting ready to meet the girls. Lucie was born at 10:13pm and Leola at 10:14. Personally, I think it was a few minutes earlier than that but that’s what they put on the birth certificate.
After sitting in the recovery room with Faith and the girls for a few hours, they sent my home to meet my parents who were on their way to NY. It was 2am
I picked up a 6 pack and a frozen pizza and headed home.
I waited for my parents to arrive at around 4am. As I ate my pizza and drank my beer I decided to see how the Allman Brother’s show went.

At approx 10pm the Allman Brothers played Soulshine w/ Kid Rock as their special guest! (give or take depending what time they went on). I was overwhelmed with emotion! As I balled like a baby I text Faith to let her know that this had actually happened!

And the tears kept flowing when the next song they played was “Can’t You See” by the Marshall Tucker Band (who are from South Carolina, for you folks who don’t know that, can’t you see what women are doing to me!)

Fate, Coincidence, or Luck? I believe it was Destiny! Better yet MAGIC!

If you haven’t heard the song you can listen to the actual event above (sorry it's so shakey) and sorry I don't have the recording handy that we first played for the girls, but
this version by Beth Hart fits the post perfectly, being that the song will be sang by the girls in the future.

SOULSHINE
Written by Warren Haynes 1994

Part 5: What Now For Kendallprojects?

2009-04-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

Just minutes before I got the call that the twins were on the way, I had a great conversation with a friend of mine about what we make as artist and why we do it. With the economy in such awesome shape the art world has, is and will continue to change. Although galleries are closing and people are losing money, the art is growing! For some of us it was never been about the money or the fame, but about the work! As we looked at what I've been working on, talked about triathlons and how it was shaping my ideas, I was reassured that I'm doing it the right way! I'm searching! Day in day out I'm looking for "it"! All the while accepting that I may never find it!
Hats off to my fellow artists who forge ahead in this uncertain time looking for IT!

My aero helmet is really coming along pretty good, there are some flaws in the paint layers due to having to spray outside (dust dirt etc...) and I rushed the drying a little, but the clear coat is really starting to make it look good! I'm about 1/3 of the way done. The clear coat has a few more layers then the flat black racing stripes go on. It will have some red pen stripes and one last surprise detail that will able to be seen in the right light! (hint: flames, dragon, skull!)
After 1 clear coat:

TRAINING:
Now that the girls are here and we will be able to set a schedule that works for all of us I HAVE to get down to serious training details! Diet is now priority 1 and stretching and recovery is a very close 2nd! The workouts are requiring me to concentrate on what I'm putting into my body everyday all day....cheat or sblurge days have to be regulated to drop the last remaining pounds!
Don't Let Fatigue Make You A Coward!
Coming Soon: TheDorothyProject
Hopefully by the end of the month I'll have the drawings and plans I've been working on, finished enough to post.

Part 4: Back at Home Ready for the Hard Stuff!

2009-04-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, we're all back at home now and the girls are settling in just fine. (notice Gammy's handmade coming home outfits, beautiful! So pretty I even wore one home from the hospital when I was born.)
The first night home I took point on the night time shift of feedings and changing, and by about 2am they finally went down for the night. They seem to love their room and crib...ITunes (Sleepy Time Hits)...they definitely love the nursery ipod selection!
We're all getting the feeding schedule down and learning about the growing girls every second. I'm trying really hard to take in and enjoy everyone of those seconds, even when I'm exhausted and they're screaming!

Part 3: More of the Girls

2009-04-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

The girls were a dream at the hospital. They ate and slept just fine from day one. Although my schedule was all turned upside down because they kept Faith in the hospital 2 days longer to monitor her blood pressure I was able to get in the training for the recovery week. However the diet was harder to keep on track.

Me and Dad, The Kendall Men holding the "Kendall Twins" (which I'm sure they will come to be known!)

Part 2: What was happening before the “call”…

2009-04-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

The day of the birth I got up at 3:45am to swim. It was the last workout of the 4 week cycle…and I was absolutely exhausted! The plan was that I would go to the studio continue working on the aero helmets paint job, go get our favorite pizza and beer (for me) and head home for an early dinner and early bed time. WRONG!
Before Faith called me to let me know she was going to the hospital I was putting the final touches on the 1st layer of clear coat on my aero helmet.

Part 1: The TWINS

2009-04-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

On Friday March 27th at 10:13pm and 10:15 pm Lucile Margaret Kendall and Leola Estelle Kendall were born into this wonderful world. Due to Blood Pressure issues Faith was taken to the hospital and by 2:30pm it was decided by the doctors that the girls would be delivered by C-section at approx. 7:30 pm (they had to wait 8 hrs from the last time she ate). However, 7pm was shift change at the hospital and there were a lot of other emergency c-sections that got pushed ahead of us. We even sat in the OR for an hour and shot the sh#t with the nurses waiting for the Doc to scrub in, but it finally happened! Here are the first pics of the family post delivery.

WOW WOW WOW WHAT A WEEK!

2009-04-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

MAN, I never in my life thought I’d go through a set of events like the ones I experienced this past week!
First, this will be a giant post and will be posted in installments.

Hung Up On Dreams That Want Life To Go Faster

2009-03-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

Dreams
I usually don’t share my dreams because they are too abstract to put into words, but this one seemed to make since on some level. Especially after the day I had yesterday.
Yesterday, I was having these flashes of panic all day because any day I could be the father of two twins girls! (Even though the doctor feels like my wife could carry them the full 40 weeks with no problems). My training is at the point where I see daily that giant strides are being made in my fitness. This past Sunday I ran 9 miles, although slow, I still did it and kept my HR in it’s zone with NO probs and had no pain in the areas of my body mentioned in previous post.
So yesterday I started looking at the calendar and thinking about the what if’s, the unknown! Even after my wife reassured me that we have a plan and support that will help to ensure I am in able to train when the girls arrive. I still had moments during the day when panic smacked me around, but by the end of the day I was cool and relax
The Dream:
A few years ago, I dreamt that I was in a race somewhere in the mountain, a place I had never been before. It was a good dream, from what I remember.
Well, last night I dreamt that I was back at that same place about to race again, but I either forgot, my equipment or I had brought the wrong kind. In the dream, my wife had gotten together enough equipment (shoes, bike etc…) to see that I was able to race. However, I was freaking out yelling because it wasn’t the exact stuff I wanted to use! There were other strange events in the dream, (rain and porta-potties) and I don’t even remember if I actually raced, but I woke up thinking to myself, “man, I was being a complete ass, in my dream!”
The dream really allowed me to remember to trust the people in my life who understand and support both my athletic endeavors and creative projects, because without them I would not be able to do, the things I have done and continue to! Thank you ALL!

That brings me to the second part of the post. I had planned a bike ride outside today, but because it was 25 with a wind chill 0f 12 (wind gust up to 20 mph) I opted for one more ride on the spin bike at the club. As I finished up the last segment of the 2 hr ride, I shuffled to a song on my ipod that seemed to help me through the rest of the workout and summed up how I’ve been feeling about the training, racing, the twins and my art!
This is also for a few of my fellow trifuelers out there pushing their training along!

I know, “that life goes by fast, and if you don’t stop sometimes to look around, you just might miss it”-Ferris Bueller
Believe I’m trying to take every second in as my life slowly changes, but I am human and I get excited sometimes!

COMING SOON:
Tomorrow I get to start working on the paint job on my new aero-helmet! Will have picks and drawings by the end of the week.

One of the Reasons I Fell In Love With the Sport of Triathlon: BRICKS

2009-03-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Last week I did my 1st BRICK of the season and while it was a wake-up call (only 20 mi bike/ 3 mi run), it reminded me of why I love doing triathlons! In addition, as I continue to complete TheDorothyProject (yellow bricks) I keep thinking about how these two areas of my life are intersecting, which has got me thinking about exploring the term “brick” and how it has been used throughout both my art and sports career.
There are many different definitions that I use to describe a brick.

Triathlon: Anytime you combine two of the events of a triathlon in a single workout, either swimming, then biking or the more common, biking then running.
Art: Refers mainly to the work of the minimalist artist of the late 60’s and early 70’s, Carle Andre, Donald Judd and Sol Lewitt. Just to name a few.
Others include, a common building material that I have either used or seen used many times in my life to create structure.

Webster’s Dictionary says:
1brick
Pronunciation:
\ˈbrik\
Function:
noun
Usage:
often attributive
Etymology:
Middle English bryke, from Middle Dutch bricke
Date:
15th century
1plural bricks or brick : a handy-sized unit of building or paving material typically being rectangular and about 21⁄4 × 33⁄4 × 8 inches (57 × 95 × 203 millimeters) and of moist clay hardened by heat
2: a good-hearted person
3: a rectangular compressed mass (as of ice cream)
4: a semisoft cheese with numerous small holes, smooth texture, and often mild flavor
5: gaffe , blunder —used especially in the phrase drop a brick
6: a badly missed shot in basketball

On a Sunday one Fall afternoon when I was playing college football, I watched the rebroadcast of the Ironman and said to myself I want to do that one day.
I remember the first time I did my first workout geared towards the goal of completing a triathlon by going for a bike ride, hopping off and going on a nice easy jog. At the time, I was an experienced mountain biker who recently bought a rode bike to increase my fitness without the wear and tear of the trails on my body. After what I thought was an easy bike ride I put on my running shoes and headed out the door. Before I got to the end of the block I was saying to myself “what the $%$#@! How do they do this in a triathlon! After 1 mile, I was walking, but I was hooked. I realized at that moment it was going to take a entirely new level of fitness to achieve the goal of completing a triathlon.,. much less an Iron man. The next memory was the first time I got out of the pool and jumped on the bike. When the blood rushed from arms into my legs, it literally took my breath away. As I gasp for breath and my heart rate soared, I knew I would never look at any other sport the same ever again. These were the 1st of many BRICKS I would do for the next several years.
This took place prior to going to art school. While at art school, I began to race triathlon (sprints) and became interested in contemporary sculpture. Ultimately, I got my BFA with a concentration in sculpture.
So what is it that fascinates me about “bricks”? I have to say mainly it’s the idea of weight.
No matter what the context the term “brick” carries weight.
Weight, in all sense of the word, it implies gravity, work, struggle, craft, foundation, structure, material.
It is the rush you feel when the blood flows from area of the body to the other. You feel so heavy!
It’s the sound the bricks make when they’re being stacked and the sound your feet make as they struggle to run.
It is not prejudice. A 5 lb brick will be 5 lbs no matter who picks it up and biking 25 miles then running 6 mile is always a 25 mile bike and 6 mile run.
You always know where you stand with a brick.
Towards the end of the season as I prepare to race some of my favorite workouts will be bricks.

Here are a few
1.) Is what I call a “mega-brick”.
12 mile bike, 2.25 mile run repeat up to 4x, while holding Olympic race pace.

2.) Swim Brick
4400 yrds (800 yrd pyramid), then 44 miles on the flats out in Rockaway.

3.) The Test Brick (making sure nutrition is dialed in)
56 mile bike (70.3 pace), then 7 mi as if I was going to run 13 mi

The Request I Had For An Entry

2009-03-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

Feel like I’m writing to write, making and entry just to enter.
It’d funny, as my training pushes into the next phase; the wear and tear on my body seems very familiar. The little aches and pains, stiffness or soreness ushers in the balancing act between the body, calendar/ schedule and the mind. I start to think about what I should be doing and what I can do without pushing my body past the point of injured returns.
As of today an old nagging “injury”? has reared its head to either taunt me or tempt me. (maybe both) The increase in miles and intensity really fatigues my mid to lower back. Then the hours I spend sitting at a desk either at work or in the studio only aggravates this even more. The remedy for this is a regular stretching routine that I do immediately post workout and a few times daily. Well, I really haven’t been doing enough of that in the weeks of this training increase. Now I’m bending & rubbing all day nursing my erector spinae and my quadratus lumborum to alleviate the irritation in my IT band. (Thought I’d throw those anatomy terms in there to see if you were paying attention.) I know that all progress forward depends on how this minor ding responds to the rehab treatment and if I’m wise enough to allow it to heal before I continue this level of training.
IN THE STUDIO:
Yesterday after working in the studio for a few in the morning (post swim) I made my way into the city to buy some supplies for the studio and for training.
I finally cashed in on my birthday present and bought myself an aero bike helmet for the future races I’ll be doing this year.

My plan is to put a customized paint job on it that will match the race apparel I am having printed up.
I’ll post the design drawing, progress pics and the results, as soon as the get cranked out.

Coming Soon:
One of the Reasons I Fell In Love With the Sport of Triathlon: BRICKS

Tuesday Found Me With No Easy Way Out

2009-03-17T03:38:00.000-07:00

Have to admit it has been tough couple of days mentally...sometimes daily BS from other people drag me down whether I want it to or not. The Allman Brothers Band is doing their annual March run at the Beacon Theatre here in NY and because the twins could be here at anytime I didn't get tickets this go around (even though its their 40th anniversary). But I was in luck! They have been able to broadcast the shows on the web in HD. This weekend we sat on the couch and watched about 8hrs of the Brothers do their thing! It was great!
Every morning for the last week I have been checking each night's set list to see who the special guest was and what songs they played.
Well, this morning I saw that Gregg sang a song last night that, I have felt was written just for me. Especially the last few years and especially so early on this Tuesday morning.... as I sat at my desk, watched and listened to him sing it to me, I thought I'd share with you these lyrics as I have interpreted them over the years.

Oncoming Traffic
by Gregg Allman

Tuesday found me, standing on the highway...
Seems like no one, no one, was going my way
OR Was I waiting on the wrong side of the road
and I just don't give a damn, which way I go... yeah
Tell me where has my Faith gone
Has she walked out on me
Or does she still lie, somewhere inside of me
or maybe she's just to close, for my tired eyes to see... yeah, yeeah yeeeaah yeah
Tell me when... WHEN! Is my ship gonna come in
I ain't cold I ain't hungry, gotta little money to spend
But a man cannot live, oh no, on riches alone
He needs love friendship and a home
or Lord, he stands alone,
Oh, There are some many roads, which you may choose...
on some you're bound to win, on others you will lose
But it ain't never been so clear
That it is all,
Lord it is all,
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
That is all up to you..All up to you now baby!

-REFRAIN-
Since I have been trying to leave you with images or videos, this vid from the ROCKY series should be played to complete this blog thought.

I Have Tracked Down the WIcked Witch

2009-03-12T05:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, here it is SO far, ever since starting this costume it has fought me tooth and nail. Even yesterday, it seemed like every seam or stitch had to be redone. I picked the material to be relatively easy to put together, but I guess I was wrong…or does it have something to do with the fact that it is the “wicked” witch costume! I used a flash because of the black fabric, the shades of black match up better under normal lighting. This weekend I’ll be updating the entire TheDorothyProject web page. So stay tuned for that announcement.
It’s really funny how the training is opening up my brain to new an fun ways of completing this project. Yesterday at the track and today in the pool, two new ideas popped into my brain. At the track as I rested in between intervals, I walked around on the field. It occurred to me that the field was actually two playing fields in one... it had the markings of both a football field and a soccer field. This got me thinking about the terms “American football VS Football”. I also began to think about the possibilities of what kind of playing filed would be created if a section of that field was cut out and then placed into another context, like The Land of Oz?
After I finished this 1st track workout I realized how and why I was so much faster and efficient the last time I raced! Can’t wait to see where I end up this time around!

Early Mornings, The Times We Love to Hate

2009-03-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you who that read the blog in the morning, and share the experience of the early workout this vids for you!

I have been fighting a cold since this saturday and I even had to cancel 2 workouts to ensure a quick recovery, but I hit the pool hard this morning.

Warm-Up

2x 200 free, breast

400 back, free switch every 50

200 back free switch every 25

Main Set

20x 50 free w/ paddles

16x 50 w/ fins back kick 25 hard, free recover

2x 200 free pull w/ paddles

Cool Down

200 pull

On the way to the pool I thought about the ACDC Nike commercial, especially when I flipped ON the lights to the pool.

If all goes well I be in the studio after my track workout tomorrow morning, hopefully I'll have some pics of the "WickedWitch" costume.

Morning Training Explodes Into thedorothyproject

2009-03-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

What a difference a few days make.

This week is a recovery week, I still train but not at the intensity or duration, I would have in the weeks prior.

“Thou Shall Not Overtrain”

This morning as I was in the middle of my main set (part of a swimming workout in the pool, for you non-swimmers) I looked up at the clock and it was 5:35 am. As I pushed off the wall for the next interval I thought, “how lucky am I!” I’m in this big pool all by myself, doing what only a certain group of folks get to do or are willing to do. Although it was hard, I rolled out of bed around 3:55am and was in the pool by 5am.
On the way to the pool I had a moment of clarity. Because of this sport/ training and getting up so early, my brain was working in a way that allowed a breakthrough in the manner in ahich I was thinking about thedorothyproject.
“simple, non-linear narrative, sports contests, don’t spoon feed it, make’em work as hard as the characters are”
That’s it. Now the filming, setting, and objects have a more specific role and possible resolution. (no studio required necessarily)

Art and Training:
The 1st attempt to collide them took place yesterday morning as I filmed myself doing my easy 5 miler on the treadmill. I don’t know if there is any real usable footage there , but it is a step in a new direction.

The Day After...Keeping on Keeping On!

2009-03-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

I have almost come to terms with and wrapped my brain around not having a studio space anymore. Yesterday’s entry may have been written with a lot of emotion and haste, but it was how I was feeling and how I still feel, mostly. However, while I am trying to remember my “Rosie-isms”, “it is what it is” and “it could always be worse”, I do know that this will provide an opportunity for me to think and make other stuff, approach my ideas differently and really have a chgance to think outside of the box. It is just that I feel like I’m taking 2 steps back, again!...I know, “patience, young grasshopper”, but…..
There is an upside to this. I will be able to concentrate on training for a while. However until my lease is up I will be running any and every scenario through my brain, in hopes of finding away of keeping the studio.
To those of you out there who are keeping up with blog, thank you. Please don’t be shy and let me know who you are by joining the members section, it’s free.
A quick thought about sports and me.
When participating in a sport/ athletics, it balances me. It makes me feel good about myself and gives me direction. I am presented with obtainable goals that produce patience and insight. It helps me forgive and forget myself while escaping into blissful alone-ness. My mind, body, the earth, wind and water are in a loving struggle to exist in harmony while I hurl myself through time and space, as fast as a can. When it is over, my brain has slowed down, I’m recharged, balanced and ready to continue in this struggle called life.
Continuing to dwell on the connections between art and athletics, music/ soundtracks exist on the same plain as art and sports. Different genres, songs and artist may relate to either art or sport better, but they all seem to serve a similar function for both. It acts as a vehicle for them both to travel in through time and space. Example: I can listen to the Allman Brothers Band all day long while working in the studio, then get up the next day get on the bike trainer and pedal for 2 more hours blaring the very same songs in my head phones. Chords and note structures inform each differently as well.

Growing Up Sucks! and I'm scared!

2009-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'm having a really tough start to the week. There is about 8 inches of snow on the ground and the reality of the future has smacked me square in the face! We sat down this morning and looked at what the next year of our life could possibly bring. We can't afford my studio rent and pay for child care. I will have to work as much as I can and being the realist I am, I have come to the understanding that I will in fact have to give up my studio as of May, when my lease runs out. All the hard work I put into giving KENDALLPROJECTS a home will be sacrificed to provide a more stable and reliable life for my girls. Yep, I have just made a selfless decision that signed the death sentence to, my hopes of remaining a working artist in NY. The hope of living in NY as an artist has all but vanished. As of May, except in the event of winning the lotto, or an act of god the doors of kendallprojects will be closed indefinitely. Until I can figure out a way for me to make art, help pay bills and make sure the girls are taken care of I will be packing up the sewing machine.
Whether this is truly the case or not, I feel like I have been wasting my time the last 8yrs, while lying to myself about my true chances of "making it" here! I have a degree that ultimately don't mean shit and I might as well pack the family up and move back to SC and be unemployed like everyone else.

The Role of Discipline Now

2009-02-26T06:20:00.000-08:00

"The Masters in the Art of living make little distinction between their work and their play, their labor and their leisure, their minds and their bodies, their information, their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which: they simply pursue their vision of excellence at whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing."
-James A. Michener
Discipline acts as a catalyst for me to understand how my body and mind work, both separately and together. So that I can learn, how and why they perform in the manner, which they do under the stress of training or competition. Discipline also makes me approach going to the studio as a job, because inspiration can strike at anytime weather I want to be in the studio or not. It also suppresses the self-doubt that often haunts me while I’m in the studio. Training and Triathlon nearly dissolve that self-doubt completely.

Dealing with Today, To Be Prepared For Tomorrow

2009-02-26T06:11:00.000-08:00

As the arrival of the twins approaches, I find myself working in the studio less and less because of the important preparations that are needed for any expecting parents, which has taken up any spare time I have of late. Although I am incredibly grateful to be blessed with a job, the daily stress from the office has begun to take its toll on my mental space. I feel like “Thedorothyproject” is slipping away and the death sentence of a “working” artist is slowly creeping up on me. However, I do know that this is only temporary and when the girls get here all the elements of my life will be put into perspective.
On a more positive note I’m finally getting back in shape. The need for this crazy sport called triathlon is paramount to my entire well-being and mental health. As I settle back into my life post grad school, I reflect on the condition I was in both mentally and physically before going back to school. Then I think about the toll school took on my entire life during those two years. Although it was a lot of fun, I met and worked with some incredible people, and learned a whole hell of a lot about how I make work, the schedule and pace of that life nearly destroyed the mentally stable and healthy person I was prior. Now I am finding balance again and it is a struggle everyday.
I’m ramping up into full training mode and it feels great. This week I did a 8 mile run, a 3400 yard swim and tomorrow if things go as planned I’ll get on the bike for about 40 miles. Even though those workouts were hard and exhausting, I LOVED every second of it! If I could have gone to the studio instead of the work, I would be living my dream life! But, there are bills to pay, mouths to feed, dishes to wash, groceries to buy, and soon diapers to change. With all that I said I must continue to remind myself, “It could always be worst”.

Where is it coming from and who cares where it is going!

2009-02-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

My Art embodies the fantasies that stem from childhood obsessions that are now motivated by the knowledge learned through my adult life experiences.

In the studio: My Brain is at full speed, thinking, reworking, regretting, and remaking both my past and future. My, I pod acts as the stimulus to a constant stream of thought that comes from the joy, fear, anger, memories, wishes, and stories all new and old in, which places me back in a place of doubt, worry and fear of the unknown. I question my honesty…my selfishness. I ask, what is the point, of making this stuff? Many times the answer is “I don’t know, but I just got to get it out or I’ll burst!” and any obligation I may feel from being an artist comes from the knowledge that I have the ability, experience and talent to do so.When I forget about the “business” of being an artist, simply have fun with what’s going on in my brain and engage in the joy of making “stuff” I believe I’m creating something magical! Deep down I truly believe nothing matters other than how my art and creative process makes me feel. However, I do understand that there is a world out there where my art exist. Unfortunately, I do care what others think about what I make, but I worry that in the end they just don’t

Random Words That Make Some Sense

2009-02-12T11:14:00.000-08:00

Athlete, Art, Contemporary Art, Temporary Artist, Sports, Spoiled, Triathlon, Weak, Warrior, Endurance, Suffering, Imbalance, Balance, Family, Father, Music, Lost, Soundtrack, Waste, Worth, Worry, Doubt, Belong, Wrong, Love, Escape, Indulgent, Discipline, Memories, Morning, Mourning, Speed, Youth, Pace, Place, Power, Rock.
Really been feeling like my head is clearing these days and I'm trying to grasp a new persepctive on my life and creative process. In the next few post I'll probably be posting some of the thoughts I've been making note of lately. As well as images that have me thinking and continued updates of TheDorothyProject (note the new spelling)
Any comments and/ or encouragement is welcome and appreciated!

The RUBY SLIPPERS! aka Dorothy's action footwear

2009-01-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the first look at the finished Ruby shoes I will be wearing as Dorothy, while building the yellow brick road. I hope they retain a sense of the majick I felt while making them. It was a lot of fun putting them together. I also will stick a pic of some of the yellow brick she already acquired.

The kendallprojects SAMURAI,

2009-01-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

This is the debut of the samurai image. There will be different variations in the coming months, but this is the first version scan.

Witch of the West, Timberman and the Twins

2009-01-20T06:05:00.000-08:00

Well, the New Year has started and the world seems upside down. Faith and I are expecting the twins, the 1st of April or at the latest early as mid-March. Over the Holidays our good friend John Powell (http://www.johnpowellphoto.com/) took some incredible shots of the family.
Thanks JP!
We are excited and Scared As Hell! Can ya tell!
The "Wicked" Witch costume that helps Dorothy along in the Dorothy Project is well on it's way. Plus a bunch of Pentagram Drawings that will inform the sculptures somehow.
I have registered to race the 70.3 Timberman Half-Ironman in late August. It was the best triathlon Experience I've ever had and I hope to enjoy it all again.
Training for this will somehow turn into Art (especially having a new camera to document it all).

By March my life will be: Take Care of the Girls, Train, Make Art, Sleep, and if my job is lucky, work a little.

Stay tuned for images for how these ideas develop and inform the completion of the Dorothy Project, and the struggle to balance life with twins!

Triathlons and Tattoos....

2008-12-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

Once grad school was over and I was trying to workout regularly, I decided that it was time to start racing again and achieve a balance between my athletic endeavors and my art practice.

As I a start the initial training I find myself thinking about if I could streamline these aspects of my life to create something new in my art.

The Dorothy Project is going well, just don't seemed to have enough time in the studio because of the day job at the sports club. After being turned down by Redux I started drawing more in the small amount of spare time I have.

The result was an image that could in fact become my next tattoo. For a while now I thougth about getting a samurai tattooed on my body. With the theme of balance taking precedence in all practice it is quite possible this image could end up as the new Kendallprojects icon.

Stay tuned for a glimpse at the samurai image and the other drawings I'm working on for future stuff.

Introducing "The Dorothy Project"

2008-12-09T17:57:00.000-08:00

PLEASE GO SEE THE WEBSITE!!! AND PASS THE WORD. All the work in full detail is there and I will reference the work that often. I will be indulging behind the scenes images and details that I might not ever get a chance to share otherwise.

This first post gives a small insight into "The Dorothy Project" and where it really came from, without all the "ART" speak that I never seemed to escape from when speaking about it.

While absorbed in Led Zepplin and Jimmy Page being channeled an ex-athlete, I saw I picture of my Cousin in a Dorothy costume on my parents fridge. I thought that it would be fun, weird, disturbing and hilarious to dress and play Dorothy. It wasn't until the "Hammers project" was almost complete did I start making the connection to that at idea with the music of Pink Floyd. After reading the Oz books (including wicked) I thought, "what if Dorothy became a disgruntled construction working who builds the yellow brick road" and the whole story I'm telling now, snowballed from there.

The First prep drawing of dorothy (re)building the Yellow Brick Road.

I quick look at the Witch Costume idea.