The Buddy System (Tbs): here we are with the one and only the Black Reaper, aka Billy b, Blackfish, and the Kid. Black Reaper welcome to The Buddy System!
The Black Reaper (BR): great to be back here with The Buddy System and Amongst Friends!
Tbs: I've been personally looking forward to this chat since rumors were running rampant that you were getting back into the game of triathlon, rumors which this Blog broke and confirmed yesterday. What say you?
BR: Yes, I am back. Well, I am back. Yes, I am back. Well I am back, back. Welllllll I am baccccck in BLACK. (FINGERS AIR GUITAR)
Tbs: Right on! When did you decide your were going to race again and break Triatus?
BR: Honestly sitting in my cardiologist’s office on Monday. I kept thinking to myself I want to live to get Radical again. The most radical thing I know of that I can do today is a triathlon. The doc gave me a clean bill of health, and I made some calls and here I am. I'm back.
Tbs: Why now?
BR: Because I can, to be honest. Because I know that if I put my mind to it, by September 14th I will be racing again. I mean this and unless you have been down, down in the hole man, or walking next to the black muddy river you might not truly appreciate this, but I want to fucking live. I want to live. I choose to live. I am alive and I dreaming, dreaming big and I want to live man. To me living is swimming, biking, and run/walking. It fucking freaks me out man, really. Look, I've wasted too much time on the couch. In the office. In a dead in career. In the drive thru. On things that weren't worth my time and effort. You know what is worth my effort? Training. Training should be fun and for a purpose. My purpose if Triathlon. There is nothing funnier than race day. Man in a Tri its fucking amazing man. I can’t tell you. So many people cheering you on. Pushing you to finish. How can you keep living without that?
Tbs: Black, can I call you that?
BR: Don't be stupid.
(Cold look follows)
Tbs: All right man, all right. Black Reap...
BR: The Black Reaper if you must shorten it you can...
Tbs: call you BR?
BR: what the fuck do I look like a fucking 31 Flavors? No you can't call my BR, you want me to call you System, fucktard, or ass butt? No. Don't be disrespectful just because I'm a voice inside your head that is helping lead you to reconcile your dual nature.
Tbs: Right. Right on. Ok. The Black Reaper are you physically healthy enough to race after Lavaman you were hurting. Your words you were to fat to race. You said your body couldn’t handle your weight.
TBR: Honestly, my heart is healthy enough. The body hopefully will follow. Look I weight 10 pounds more than when I did a duathlon at Lavaman. Remember I didn’t ride there. To be honest, I think if I train, I can do it. However, this triathlon won’t train for itself. I have to put in the time and effort. I have to move. The knees actually feel ok. The lungs will come back, and my ass has to get used to the bike seat again. However, the truth is I'm ready in my mind and in my soul to get back out there. So the rest will have to follow. I have a good team working with me to make sure I eat well, move daily, and train. Train! Train! That is the key. In my mind I've already crossed the finish line. So I'll do it. It's going to be tough. Everyone knows I walked away from the Game of Triathlon because I was too heavy as you said and my body hurt. Like I said I am heavier now. However, for the first time in my live I believe I can get the weight down. Tyson Griffin manages my food. This fucking guy is amazing. His fried rice tastes good! His chili rocks. Chicken, gooood. Name it is good. I think with his help, its gonna happen. I am going to get to my goal weight. I can’t stress how thankful I am to have him in my live. We are gonna start punching soon, he cleaned out his garage for me to box in. Fucking A man. I have my family ready to go and support me. I have always been blessed with good friends. I am not sure why, but I have been. I know I am not always deserving of them, however, they love me and I am lucky. So I know I will be doing some riding with El Beav. Swimming, biking, and running with JC, CP, DS, HH, and RG. I'm well supported. They got my back, but again, in my mind I am doing this. My mind has already started endurance training again. I am not afraid anymore.
Tbs: so you’re not back with Team in Training?
TBR: Undecided at this time. The truth is I haven't decided if I'm going to be a rogue reaper or if I'm going to be on the team. Team is hard because of fundraising. I'm in a selfish phase right now were the only thing I want to work on is me. Look I have to be selfish or I'm gonna die. I think people would rather have me as selfish then dead. There are pro’s and con’s to each. I love the TNT coaches. I love the cause. I love thought of getting to meet new people and expanding team Billy b and the Reaper Unit. The cons are I work far from the team and weekday trainings aint gonna help. Then the fundraising is a lot to ask. I will be honest; I am beggar when it comes to that. I wish I had some talent that I could use to make money for the cause, but honestly there isn’t much. Not like anyone is gonna pay me to write or blog. My friends are tapped out. So, it’s to be determined. I mean the thought of having a training with the team on Saturday and my family on Sunday sounds fucking amazing though. So who knows? Only time will tell. I have time to decide that. Lets just get training first and let the rest of it take its course. KA will decide.
Tbs: It always does.
TBR: you know that’s right. It’s a fucking wheel man.
Tbs: Kaka
TBR: Look man your not Eddie of New York, so don’t use his lines man. You know he is my favorite character of all time. The shit that man overcame to walk the path.
Tbs: You’re a lot like Eddie.
TBR: Ya, we are both Kai Mai. However, it is more than that. You know I cried when he died. I am reading a book. He dies and I fucking cried. Tears streamed down my face. I’ll never forget I was living in Campbell. I put the book down and didn’t pick it up for two weeks. That night I just cried. When I listened to the book, I will never forget this either I was doing Wharf to Wharf and I was coming down a hill and I will damned if Eddie death wasn’t on when I was coming down the hill to finish, and I cried again. I loved him. Like you said we aren’t just a lot a like we are the same. We are the fucking same. We both overcame addiction to find out towers. It’s a bond, which can’t be broken. I know it is weird to see a fictional person as a hero, but he is a hero, he is my hero.
Tbs: That’s deep man. I love the insight. I hope people can appreciate that bond. So let me ask you where are you going to break Triatus.
TBR: I am taking my game to Pacific Grove.
Tbs: Why The Triathlon at Pacific Grove?
TBR: Because I love stuffing myself into a wet suite and swimming in kelp.
Tbs: Really?
TBR: No jackass. I feel like Pacific Grove is my home course. I think I need home field advantage coming back to racing after almost two years. In 2007 I went to PG and I got introduced to the game of triathlon. The next year I popped my cherry there. My first tri race. My first Olympic. My first double dipped down there. It's just where it is supposed to happen. It is just right.
Tbs: any early time predictions?
TBR: Ya. Finish. Nothing else matters, now. Let’s finish the game. There is a difference between knowing the path and walking it. I am ready to walk. I am ready to race. I am ready to fucking live again. Nothing like racing man. Nothing.
Tbs: The last time you did PG your rocked a Winfield. As a matter of fact there is picture of you rocking it linked to Google, we did a piece on it yesterday. How did rocking spunky facial become a race tradition?
TBR: I just did it one race, for PG in 12. It felt right. I followed up at Lavaman rocking some serious chin pubs and long ass sideburns. Its race day man. Face hair is fun. Racing is fun. Might as well make a statement doing it.
Tbs: Tell me what special facial grooming can we expect for September 14th?
TBR: You know that's always a race weekend decision. Plus I would spoil the surprise.
Tbs: Come on just a hint?
TBR: Ok. I'm 50% sure we will go Klingon. 20% sure we will go Abe Lincoln, 18% chance of rocking just a goatee, and a 10% chance of going all in with just a porn stash and 2% sure we will go gangster rapper pencil thin beard.
Tbs: sweet on all of those. What if anything do you want to say to our readers?
TBR: Don't ever quit. Never stop fighting. You want something bad enough fight for it. There is hope in the world! If I can rise so can you. We are making changes for the better! And See you at Pacific Grove!
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