I'm posting on posterous now

follow my thoughts at http://woolard.posterous.com/

woolard speak is dead. long live woolard speak. for now.

Alright, I'm callin' it

this blog thing is no longer inspiring me/you. let's put it on the table. i get it. you get it. i'm doing other things and communicating in new ways. additionally, i frankly am sick of thinking about blogging. it's an afterthought.

a hiatus till it's inspired.

in the meantime: http://twitter.com/Woolard

or, just close your laptop and go outside.

grab a drink

interesting range of reports on how folks are dealing with the current economy:

How Twentysomethings are Coping
Unsure times, pack some heat
Feeling blue about your investment, how bout investing in time?

How are you/your consumers coping?

Why Southwest Airlines continues to charm

in this time of economic blah blah blah wah wah....

you get it.

it's nice to see a company with personality AND spirit.

via A Brit Planner in the Rockies, check it.

A magical psa

reposting a great video from Barkley colleague Mike Swenson via colleague Dave Thornhill.

things i love: the today edition

Contrails. the resulting community, safety and public awareness is just a bonus to the satisfaction of leaving your own mark.



Mountain Hardwear's new online community. guilty of spending way too much time navigating the 3-D entry page today.

no link needed here, but i'm loving the idea of being outside, on my bike in about an hour.

Classic Cycling.com - a plug!

one of the Hincapie/Gary Fisher/Barkley riders, Shane Martin, has launched a great online store for cycling gear/bikes/accessories: Classic Cycling. go check it out - you'll get sucked in and hopefully spend a few bones on some of the great deals/sale items, and even collector jerseys. my birthday's in a few months...i'm sure the 2005 Disco team Champes Elleyse kit would look good on me. just saying....

great launch of a valuable site, Shane.

knock knock

seriously, i'm here. have been, just intentionally blacked out the Woolard Speak for a while. not sure i want to be back on the blogger train, but it's depressing to realize how long it has been since i've really posted. so here goes.

i've been twittering a lot more lately, basically due to its ease and my propensity for shorter engagement. i like following friends and inspiring stalk-ees via twitter and have been updating frequently.

frankly, i think i've just been overwhelmed by other things and in order to keep my head in one piece, i've re-prioritized. both work and life have organically moved me toward the real world. real people, face-to-face conversations, sweat, tears, sounds. and i think i prefer it to capturing thoughts here.

work has been nuts to say the least. staff changes, new business and increased client responsibilities. i've been drained, and i'd like to say it's in a good way. i think it is in most instances. the other instances make me want to close the laptop at the end of the day and not open it back up until i have to. might be one reason for the lack of blogging.

i've also been overwhelmed by an Achilles injury that occurred after the Dallas Marathon. i'd planned to run four marathons in TX this winter, but only got through two - and an ultra (keep forgetting that little 31-mile trail jaunt). being unable to run most of the winter has been good and bad. good, in that i've focused on strength training and cycling. bad, that i feel my normal outlet for stress (see above paragraph) has been eliminated. good news is, after doing everything according to the recommendation of my massage therapist and chiropractor, the running hiatus has paid off and i'm back on the road and trail, feeling like a complete man.

probably the most overwhelming happening was my dog Monk being diagnosed with two different types of cancer. Lymphoma and Mast cell. two surgeries and much recovery later, he's doing quite well all things considered, although we're dealing with a very real prognosis of months, not years.

as the temps hit 60 today and i reflected while at the dog park (a place a few months ago seemed like a fantasy trip) i realized it was a long winter in my life.

a few more updates before i turn my attention to the DVR'ed Paris Nice race (yes, i caved and got cable):
Interwoven Threads is keeping on keeping on. Just made another donation to an increased stable of great partners: reStart, Thresholds, Feeding America, USD 500 Homeless Liason Office . sales have slowed since the economy has tanked, which is concerning, as the recipients of Interwoven customers' kindness are those who are hardest hit when the economy goes south.

though work has been busy and my island of planning has been lonely of late, it's good work and things that i enjoy. additionally, i've been involved in a few pitches and new clients that fit my real-world interests perfectly. i'm ushering Barkley's cycling sponsorships again this year. look for hot new team kits racing across the US and abroad this year! i love this stuff and am honored to be part of two talented efforts. check them out: Hincapie/Gary Fisher presented by Barkley
Hincapie Development Team

what else? i moved from auto-drip to French press. i'm drinking more wine than beer. and maybe with the help of both, i'll try to post more often.

donation time

it's the best part about owning Interwoven Threads: quarterly donations to three worthy partners: reStart Kansas City, Thresholds Outreach in Chicago and Feeding America.

Check it all out on the Do Better Blog. it was a banner quarter for donations!

remember you can buy online, at the wonderful Gifted Hands boutique in Crown Center (where 40% of Interwoven sales go to preventing domestic violence in Kansas City) and now in Chicago at the eco-boutique Grasshopper 510.

thanks to all who have supported this vision and mission.

look good, do better.

andy

"you're in 9th place...."

the first of 4 marathons we're running in the large state of Texas was checked off this past weekend. Pa-Woo, Larry and I ran Marathon to Marathon in, well, Marathon, TX. it was a small marathon, but set in a beautiful part of the country, chock full of mountains, desert and quirkiness. we stayed at the Gage Hotel in Marathon - a place i'm already planning to revisit. not only was the hotel and its accommodations unique, its restaurant was one of the best at which i've ever eaten. even better was the chance to hang out with Larry and Sheri, who we have been lucky to befriend and travel to many marathons with.

I went into this marathon with the idea that i'd take it easy in preparation for this weekend's North Face Challenge Endurance Challenge - 31 trail miles in Madison, WI. but as i started off, with mountains around me and the course lit by a desert sunrise, i flat took off. felt great. kept feeling good on a very hilly course and when i got to mile 18, a man at the water stop said, "I think you're in 9th place."



i am not fast. and even if 10 people were running the race, i wouldn't guess to be in 9th place. so when he told me this, i cranked up a new strategy: finish this marathon in the top 10. i figured it'd be the only chance i would have in my marathoning. so, with about 8 miles left, i kept myself safely away from two encroaching runners, paced the women's winner, and flat skipped the water stops and the urge to pee. by the time i got to the finish line, i was still in 9th. a small step for mankind, a big step in my running world. as always, i ran in Brooks shoes, supplemented my nutrition and hydration with Hammer products and wore an aerodynamic do-rag.

the race ended and the rest of the fun began: lounging in a beautiful hotel courtyard, sharing war stories with dad and Larry, celebrating with good food and some post-race-party beer...appropriately served in the race's remaining gatorade cups.

i will definitely make a plan to run this again. hoping to get a whole crew to go down and spend some additional time in Marathon, TX. big thanks to Ma-Woo and Sheri for the incredible crew vehicle support. they made this possible, as always.

today's schedule includes a massage and some light running. tomorrow i'll hop on the chiropractor's table to ensure alignment before this weekend's ultra. more soon.