Back On Track: Ironman Reflections Week 11

After a pretty dismal week #10 of Ironman training, I am back on track—thanks in part to my new Kinetic Fluid Bike Trainer—an feeling much better in week #11. I had a kick-ass 11 mile run with my friend Bill Sunday, a great 2700 yard swim workout yesterday, followed by a nice 40 minute ride on the trainer, and am on cue for a nice swim/bike tomorrow. I have to say, I am a little leery of the bike on Saturday: 2:30, followed by a 45 minute run. Phew! Can't wait, the weather is starting to break here with a scheduled high of 60 for Saturday, but with a little bit of rain. I am sure I will not melt.

I have been working out hard, but I have been eating equally as impressive. I am never really exceptionally hungry right around the "normal" feeding times, but I am eating pretty consistently throughout the day, and although I have had somewhat of an issue keeping weight on, I can not help but feel guilty when all I want to do is snack after dinner time once we get the kids in bed. With out a doubt, this week, I am feeling like an Ironman, but these feelings are susceptible to change by the minute. I am on spring break this week, and although I should be catching up on sleep and have plenty of time for training, I found myself on my trainer last night at a quarter to eleven asking myself, "what the hell am I doing?" Seriously, Ironman makes you crazy.

The Bambini:

Have I ever told you how happy my daughters make me? All of my children have vastly different personalities, but the one common denominator among the girls is that every time I break out the camera, they are ready to pose and urge me to "take a picture of me daddy, take a picture of me!" Here is my future Irongirl Janina sporting an interesting new way to wear an Ironman visor. The other day at dinner, we were talking about amphibians—just standard dinner conversation when you have five children under eight. Anyway, the conversation morphed into dolphins. So, I ask Luca, "... are dolphins fish." "Yes," he replied quickly, "...well, no... I mean, they are kind of like sharks." My wife and I look suspiciously at each other until Julian—who is six—interjects "Luca, dolphin's aren't like fish or sharks, they are mammals like us because they breathe oxygen from a hole on top of their head." My wife and I look at each other, then she looks down at Luca and says "You're really good at sports buddy." Of course, we understand that everyone has multiple intelligences, and that Luca has the memory of a napkin right now. Julian has inherited an amazing memory to recall even the most trivial data from his memory banks.

Update: Okay, the long awaited race entry fee post is ready for immediate departure. Seriously, I promise this time. I had SO much stuff to get done this month that keeping up with my blog posts has nearly taken another year off my life.

Giveaway: I have not posted a time for my Clif Bar giveaway, but I think that I will draw the three names on Sunday and let everyone know in a post Monday morning. Stay tuned!

p.s. Had an excellent 2700 yard swim this morning, and ready for my one hour ride this evening after putting the kiddies in bed.

Train Smart!