I was sitting with my mother one evening listening to her reminisce about her childhood on Marcella Street in East Cambridge. Something about getting older clarifies the long term memory as it muddies the short term stuff. She wondered out loud … "Why is there so much violence with kids these days?" She could not …
Author: fergysun
I'm Don Ferguson, I live in the New England town of Amesbury, Massachusetts and blog to track memories, sports adventures, create stories and to pursue interesting ideas.
Need to know what to do in the off season? Go with rocket science.
October in New England is that part of the season typically my “off season or down time”. From now until after Thanksgiving is the time I go easy and start thinking about next year’s goals. After my last race I decided to use this time to get my run game back. I started out as a …
Continue reading Need to know what to do in the off season? Go with rocket science.
Dormouse said: Feed your head, feed your head
Lately the world news is a bit overwhelming (elections, world news, social unrest)… I find myself feeling helpless and angry at what appears to be a generally a bad situation that is getting worse. My mind plays the lines from Jefferson Airplane’s song “Go Ask Alice” over and over in my head… "When logic and …
Continue reading Dormouse said: Feed your head, feed your head
Superstitions and Maiden Voyages
Living in a port town you get too hear about all about the superstitions that surround a vessels 1st time out to sea. One such superstition is no bananas on board ship???….. I think the rationale behind it has to do with the fact that fermenting bananas can let off a lethal fume; and that spiders who …
Lucille is here….and the world is right again.
What kind of man drives into the garage with his carbon road bike Cervelo S5 strapped in the roof rack…??? I did am I'm so sorry.... sorry Lucille... Everyone knows the best surgeons in the world are in Boston... so I had hope even in my darkest hour. Dr. Marty and his staff of surgeons …
Continue reading Lucille is here….and the world is right again.
The Face of Pure Joy
My Granddaughter - Reminds me what Pure Joy is....Uncomplicated, Stress less, Excited to experience the day, Simple in nature, Eager to begin a new journey .... Thank You Grampa Don....
I lost my Lucille today…..but I’m gonna get her back……..
My favorite way to tune out the world’s problems is with BB and Lucille (his Gibson guitar Model E355) playing “The thrill is gone” or “Need to pay the cost to be the boss” Back in 1949, when King was in his early 20s, he performed at a nightclub in Twist, Arkansas, in the dead …
Continue reading I lost my Lucille today…..but I’m gonna get her back……..
Sleep-laughing has a funny name it’s called Hypnogely
In general I don’t remember my dreams very often but last night I remember having a dream and big laugh that really felt good. Typically, dreams that make us laugh are odd, bizarre or even unfunny to the person when they awake but while asleep they seem so hilarious. Nevertheless, my nighttime chuckle fest left …
Continue reading Sleep-laughing has a funny name it’s called Hypnogely
The difference between Tri and Triumph is a little …..umph!
I read once that if you recognize that life is hard, things seem to go much easier. So what makes “The Hard Things” we do in life? For me training for and competing in Triathlons is hard and something not many in my circle of friends do. Races always scare me. I get anxious before …
Continue reading The difference between Tri and Triumph is a little …..umph!
Racking Up Your Race Karma
Have you ever had that sense that something is not going well and your Spiderman (Spidey) senses warn you of impending danger? That's what it was like for me on Sunday around mile 33 during the Rev3 Williamsburg Half Iron bike leg. A group of four riders were jockeying around for position and generally being unsafe when …
Peeing in the shower – Pro or Con
The question is simple enough…it has to do with what you do in the shower. Do you or don’t you? …I’ve wondered what women talk about on a “Ladies night out”… But, I would never have imagined that peeing in the shower would be high on that list, although it seems last night this was …
I’m in the Hot Seat (updated)
I’m in a tailspin, off the rails, unfocused and lack significant motivation….. I was supposed to be racing my season opener this past weekend however, when I showed up for early packet pickup I found that I wasn’t even registered…What? Hold on, you are kidding right??? You don’t have my name down? WTF! Hold on …
Exhale – 2016 1St Open Water Solo Swim
It’ is 05:30 AM and about 57 degrees on a very cool misty New England morning. Today will be my 1st open water swim of the season. I’m nervous…. but I’m nervous every year on the 1st day… The parking lot is empty of course, what nut-bag in his right mind would be at …
For me..Its about the Cake
We learn things growing up that stick with us into our adulthood. I grew up in a house full of boys who loved to eat…. We ate a lot and often. Financially I don’t know to this day, how a single mother ever managed to afford feeding five growing boys. She cooked large quantities of …
Surrounded by beautiful women.
In a man’s world of honors there are not many titles that can beat “Dad”… until you get a field promotion to the rank of Grampa. I now have my third star promotion to Grampa-Don same pay as before, but I get to work remote. Many guys brag about the tough things they have done… …
Mother Nature is listening….
Be careful what you say about the day, Mother Nature might be listening This morning started out cold, dark and rainy …. Not the kind of day I was hoping for but, then again this is a typical spring in New England … Days like these are perfect pool workout days. So I'm off to the …
Vulnerabilities & Strengths
This is one of the scenes from the Boston Marathon Bombing three years ago. Growing up in the area I guess has influence me to become a life long runner.. Even as a middle school-er I can remember running bridge to bridge along the Charles, before school past Harvard, MIT and BU. Running …
Someday I’m gonna write a Biography
Authors Note: I just learned that Dave Orlowski and the other 11 original Ironman competitors are the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame inductees for 2023. Ironman as we know it today all started with a question among these 12...who among us is the fittest athlete, is it the swimmer, the bicyclist or the runner? The rest …
Seven Deadly Tri-Sins
Triathlon and the Seven Deadly Sins I think at some point every triathlete suffers from one or all of the Seven Deadly Sins.. The sins are Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed and Sloth. As sins go they may not be big ones per se, but sins none the less. Fear not sinners, forgiveness is near. …
Perception
Wait what just happened? Sometimes during a workout we see something that totally changes our perception. Like cresting the ridge on a mountain road to witness a breathtaking view…where minutes before your thighs were burning and your chest was pounding as you labored towards the summit. In an instant you switched from I’ve had enough …
When life trumps your training schedule
All last year I struggled with maintaining a schedule when more important priorities take precedence over my triathlon training. I had many discussions with my coach about ways to balance the stresses of everyday life with that weary tired feeling from training. I found myself apologizing over and over again for not keeping up, measuring …
An Epic Journey
Epic journeys like the Wizard of OZ, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or The Never Ending Story all tend to follow a basic pattern commonly referred to as the Hero’s journey. It describes the typical adventure of a Hero, who goes out and achieves great deeds. I believe the stages of a Triathlete’s Journey …
A Positive Habit Pattern
Some years ago I developed a habit of saying “Good Morning” to just about everyone I pass on my morning bike and run sessions. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I actually get a response. Lately, I have even tried to squeak out a smile if I can because I have noticed runners never do a …
Fighting the Crypt Keeper Look
Fighting the Crypt Keeper Look – Thinking about implementing some Strength Training into the plan. So what’s wrong with being leaned down??? On the plus side being lean enables me to cruise along on runs, knife through water on swims and climb hills like a Billy goat on bike rides, so from a performance perspective …
Father Kinda Knows Best
Over the weekend my daughter and I had a father / daughter chat about want… She mentioned several times about wanting new things to replace some of the things she had but did not “like” any longer. My coaching to her was to learn to be happy with the things she had and to not …
The Bow Legged Blogger 