Summer's Over

The summer is over, kids are back at school, everyones home from vacation, soccer weekends are starting up, and the cool weather is here, at least in the early mornings. Bring back that heat and humidity!

I have blogged very sparsely this summer, but will be more diligent now, especially since Hawaii is just five weeks away and I use this blog as a personal journal of my process.

I'm very pleased with where I am at in regards to peaking for Hawaii. I like to break down my self analysis into three major groups: A) physically - I feel solid during all my training sessions at the moment, getting the work done but also much more cognisant of my recovery and keeping the pace "right" according to IM training. I'm not getting in the volume I once did. My time and priorities now don't allow for it. But the key sessions are there and they feel right. B) nutrition - I'm 80/20 here. Eating the healthy stuff but also getting in my fair share of ice cream, beer and wine. My appetite is huge right now! C) mentally - I'm still very motivated and enjoying the process.

Ken asked me on one of our rides if I could distinguish between my IM races. I told him I remember clearly different key things from each one that I have done. I also told him how the last three that I did, I remember during my training thinking about treading water at the pier, waiting the 15 minutes for the gun to sound and for the day to begin and actually dreading that moment. Dreading wading there, getting kicked and thrashed by all the other nervous athletes jockeying for their key starting position, anticipating the long day and pain that lay ahead. This year in my build, I actually am excited about the thought of being there.

The best thing though is to have a clear and precise goal, and to have something I'm aiming towards. I have been placing myself on a schedule and it feels great to follow an organized plan that's taking me somewhere.

I did have to make a big decision about this weekend though which hurts, but it's the right thing. I will be at a soccer tournament that my son is in all day on Saturday and Sunday. I will wake up early and get my long run in on Saturday morning, however, I am going to miss the New Haven 20K Road Race on Monday - my first miss there in a very long time. I need to get in a long brick and Monday is the only day I can, so sadly, I'll be absent at the race.

Other sad news is that I have lost three more ipods this past week. Please, I'll be ok. I know, this is major. The problems we must face here in the US! I think that Apple sets these things up so that they die after one year of use. My waterproof one just made a popping sound and hasn't worked since, my other shuffle, i learned once again, is not sweat proof, and my Touch will only stay in the horizontal screen.

Cheers,

EH