I will no longer be updating Iron Guide (see below). Instead, I am now writing at my new, personal blog. Though that will be about some of the newer things I'm doing in life, if you want to see updates about Louie, Lester, and now Dusky, add me on Facebook -- there's enough ridiculously cute pictures to go around.

Little Lester Pester, the blog, will be going through some changes in the New Year. Lester, the dog, I imagine will be headed back to San Rafael or Boring in a couple months and, although I'm fairly certain I'm going to take another new puppy, I'm also fairly certain that the new puppy won't be named Lester.

Let's say she's named Vixen. If you were named Vixen and your beloved owner wrote about you in a blog named after another dog, wouldn't you get some sort of a complex? Some complex that, festering inside of you for months and months, would, oh, I don't know, make you lash out one day and tear the heads off cute little stuffed dogs? Oh wait. Hm.

So, the name is changing and we're moving.

To Iron Guide.

Iron Guide? Yup. So here's the other bit of news. On August 24th 2008, I'll be running the Ironman. Having done something like 6 marathons and triathlons this past year, I'm setting my sights on something a little bigger and more exciting. For those of you who haven't heard about it, the Ironman is basically a very, very long triathlon. (And if you don't know what a triathlon is, try Wikipedia.) You swim, bike, and run, just like a normal triathlon; unlike any standard triathlon, however, the Ironman is the longest, toughest triathlon in existence. Over the course of 17 hours, you traverse 140.6 miles: first a 2.4-mile swim in open water, then a 112-mile bike ride through climbs with names like "Heartbreak Hill" and "The Beast", with a final 26.2-mile run -- a full marathon -- to chase it all down. The pros take about 8 hours, the best amateurs take 10-11 hours, but, ultimately, if you survive and finish it all under 17 hours, you go to sleep that night an Ironman. The things that the human body and mind can accomplish are sometimes truly extraordinary.


As part of the Ironman, many athletes fund-raise for causes near and dear to their heart. As part of my Ironman, I will be raising for Guide Dogs for the Blind. I'm already raising dogs for them -- now, I'll also be raising dollars. There are incredible stories of people raising millions of dollars for their causes, and, although I don't expect to get anywhere near that, I'm hoping to be able to do something significant for Guide Dogs. It's an amazing organization: from the people who work and volunteer there, to the work they do in giving the gift of freedom, to how they do it without charging anyone a single penny, I've been absolutely blown away. So, I'm dedicating my Ironman to Guide Dogs.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be putting together something on Facebook and on this blog to begin spinning things up. I'm going to keep writing about Lester (and any puppy that follows him) but I'll also spend some time talking about the Ironman and my training since, ultimately, that'll also be closely intertwined with the work I'm doing for Guide Dogs. It'll be a tough journey, no doubt, but I think it'll be worth it. I'll definitely need your support and everything -- moral support after a bad training day, a donation to Guide Dogs, anything -- will be deeply appreciated. Wish me luck!

Appropriately enough, I'm off to run a few miles to loosen up for a 5K tomorrow to ring in the New Year! :) Afterwards, Lester and I are heading downtown to meet up with friends for some New Year's Eve partying.

I hope everyone has a fantastic night and a Happy New Year!

Labels: Ironman, Lester

Permalink | Written at 6:41 PM | Post a comment | 6 comments | Trackbacks

Hard to believe Little Lester is headed off to college in a couple months. It seems like just yesterday he was having a hard time not whining in his crate. Your little boy is all growed up :-).

I like the name Iron Guide; it has a ring to it. Good luck with your race and your fund raising!
Permalink   | Posted by  Kim at January 1, 2008 10:43 AM

Good luck on your race and I think it is awesome that you are doing this for GDB. I can't believe either that lester is off to formal training! He will do great I am sure.
Permalink   | Posted by  Brittany at January 1, 2008 4:04 PM

This is awesome! The best new year opening move I'd say... :)
Permalink   | Posted by  Karan at January 1, 2008 11:30 PM

I watch the Iron Man on TV every year and I marvel at those people. Haha. The endurance alone is just insane! Good luck preparing for the triathalon to end all triathalons and with your new pup. Enjoy these last few months with Lester!

Oh and if you'd like to still read my blog, drop me an e-mail at dazzlingstar at gmail dot com. I went private during your couple month hiatus. :-)
Permalink   | Posted by  MK at January 6, 2008 8:56 AM

I am a guide dog user, and actually graduated from the campus in Calif.

I know first hand what a guide dog can do for one's independence, and as an aspiring 400m runner, my dog has travelled with me to just about every corner of the world to date.

They are amazing animals, and I'll definitely be heading back that way, when the time comes to retire my aging fella.
Permalink   | Posted by  Anonymous at January 17, 2008 12:47 PM

Hey, my guide dog Kimberley and I did the 7.5 mile Bay to Breakers race in S.F. with my daughter who is also aswimmer, runner, biker. Good luck to you
my son-in-law is also hoping to do the Iron man in Hawawii also, he has done the half Iron man in Canada.
Good luck.
Thank you for being such a special person, because you can never believe how great the high is when you take your first guide dog out .
Permalink   | Posted by  Anonymous at January 17, 2008 9:36 PM