Road to Ironman Arizona (7/27-08/03/09)

Monday Ocean swimming and bodysurfing; 1:15 hour bike ride around Port Aransas with my brother

Tuesday 18 holes of golf at Rockport Country Club; ocean fun

Wednesday 30 minute barefoot beach run (fluffy sand)

Thursday Day off

Friday 1:30 bike/run brick (1 hr bike/ 30 min run)

Saturday 50 minute run; 2000 yard swim

Sunday Rest Day

This was the week my family and I were planning to be in Puerto Rico with all my family. For several reasons, that didn’t happen. We did, however, manage to get away to Port Aransas with my brother and his family and my parents. It was a much needed respite from both work and regular training.

My swims were all more bodysurfing related than actual workouts. My run on Wednesday was a great leg workout running in fluffy sand for about 3 miles. And my bike ride with Mark was a low intensity sightseeing ride around Port Aransas. The road was pretty rough for a majority of the ride and the headwind on the way back made for quite a tough finish. Friday and Saturday were regular workouts, with Saturday’s run being very hot and humid. I ran much of it in zones 4-5 due to the heat and subsequent sweat loss. I didn’t carry water, so I lost a lot of fluid. I weighed the night before and the scale showed 166.7 lbs. I weighed after the run and swim and AFTER breakfast and weighed 160.3 lbs. This morning I weighed 163.7 lbs. That explains why my heart rate skyrocketed during a seemingly easy 50 minute run.

Nutrition was decent for breakfast and lunch most of the week but dinner consisted primarily of fried seafood. I also drank more beer this week than I have all year, but considering I’ve not drank any beer this year, it only took about a 12-pack to get me by for the week.

I REALLY enjoyed my time away from work and being with family. The rat race is such that I see my wife and kids an average of 4 hours a day, so spending whole days with them and actually interacting and having fun was a real treat. Spending time with my brother and his family and being with my parents for the first time in many months just added to the good feelings. It was very tough to leave and even tougher to say “see you later.” Maybe it’s the stress my body and mind are under from training; maybe it’s stress from work; maybe it’s the fact I turn 40 this month (more than likely a combination of all three); but leaving my family and thinking about going back to “life as normal” was especially difficult this time. I’ve been very melancholy since everyone left and only hope that the “normal” routine will become “normal” again quickly and I’ll feel more upbeat.

This coming week begins the BUILD phase of my training. The intensity picks up along with increased distance on the long workouts. This means I’ll need to switch my REST day from Sunday to Friday. I really don’t like making that change, but it’s the only way to get 4 + hour bike rides in without having to take vacation days from work. What this means is that my REST day will be spent working, which is certainly not ideal. Just another sacrifice of the average age grouper athlete.

I have so much to be grateful for and I’ll be my happy, positive self (my wife laughs) very soon. I hope all of you will find those things that make you happy and focus on them rather than all the reasons we may have for being sad or depressed. As my son told me yesterday during our errand runs, “Happiness is not doing what you like but liking what you do.” I know that’s not his original quote, but it sure meant a lot more coming from him.

Kia Kaha!