23 January 2007

A diversion from training… in verse?

Posted by Brad Hefta-Gaub under: Billy Collins; Cycle; Diet; Family; Fitness; Ironman; Poetry; triathlon.

Lance CrashYesterday I mentioned my cousin Joe. He’s really quite a nice guy. He may also be a little surprised by the attention… but alas, he has only himself to blame. He put up a blog. He commented on my blog. He has taken back to the roads to cycle. He also happens to like poetry from iconoclasts and scoundrels. (Note, I don’t actually have any proof that Billy Collins is a scoundrel, but I suspect he’s a hoot at a party!)

I didn’t really know that much about Billy Collins till last night… but I was struck by Joe’s reference to his poetry… and so I had to dig deeper. Sometime around 2:30am I was done for the night. Here is my work product…

“Untitled” (by Brad Hefta-Gaub, 2007)

My legs scream just to stop the pain.
My legs scream just to stop the pain.
They remember last night’s rest.
They remember last night’s rest.
Last night’s legs remember just my scream.
They rest to stop the pain.

Wheels laugh and kiss the road.
Wheels laugh and kiss the road.
The chain doesn’t care, it taunts me.
The chain doesn’t care, it taunts me.
Chain me and laugh, kiss the wheels.
“The road doesn’t care”, it taunts.

Darkly black, do I see the glass?
Darkly black, do I see the glass?
But, now my tire is flat.
But, now my tire is flat.
My tire is darkly, flat, black, now,
But I do see the glass.

Chain taunts me, “The tire doesn’t care”, they laugh.
And flat black is last night’s kiss.
Remember the pain, wheels, the road,
Now rest my legs, to stop my scream,
I see the glass but darkly,
Just do it.

It’s my first paradelle! Gosh, ain’t it cute.

Now get back to the road! It’s time to ride!

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One Comment so far...

Joe Hefta Says:

23 January 2007 at 2:56 pm.

You kid, but actually it’s not bad. Now set it to music (why are Eminem and the Beastie Boys coming to mind?) so I can listen to it on my trainer rides. I’m less than half joking.

Here’s one from a confirmed scoundrel: Bukowski. I like to recall it as I’m looking for that last bit of mental toughness during a wall sit or a climbing repeat.

Yeah

just heard a commercial
which told me
Farmer John smokes his own
bacon.
now, there’s a tough
son of a
bitch.

 
 

About:Brad Hefta-Gaub

Location:Seattle WA US 98103

I was a fat kid, turned fat adult, who by age 34 weighed 200lbs at 5'4" tall with 36% body fat. Now, I'm 60lbs lighter, and a three time Ironman. If I can do it... anyone can.



 

Activities: Year to Date

Distances
Bike: 81 miles
Run : 82 miles
Hours of Activity
 Bike: 6.4 - 25.5%
 Run : 13.0 - 51.9%
 Strength: 4.3 - 17.2%
 Flex: 1.0 - 4.0%
 Other: 0.3 - 1.3%
  Total:25.0
 

Activities: Last Year

Distances
Bike: 5,001 miles
Run : 1,255 miles
Walk: 5 miles
Swim: 20,890 meters
Hours of Activity
 Bike: 311.1 - 59.0%
 Swim: 9.4 - 1.8%
 Run : 198.1 - 37.6%
 Flex: 5.2 - 1.0%
 Walk: 1.3 - 0.3%
 Other: 2.3 - 0.4%
  Total:527.4