Catching Up, Part I

Author's Note: Just like the way everything else in my life is scheduled now, so are my blog entries. I try to get them out on Sunday nights. However, this past week I was preoccupied watching the Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl XLV. As a result I haven't been able to get around to finishing this post that I started Monday.

Week 3 is in the books, and it finished with some new highs and only one notable low. The first high point included my longest ride on the bike trainer yet coming in at 3 hours. Although somewhat physically tiring, this was really more of a psychological challenge. Distraction is the only way to make it through this tortuous activity. This weekend I got through it with one episode of SportsCenter, half an episode of Man vs. Food (a re-run I had already seen) and then finished off with "The Hangover." The first two were easiest enough to work through, but I just about fell off my bike laughing through the movie. Ultimately, it turned out to be more of a distraction than I would have liked, but it wasn't enough to stop this wolf pack of one.

I'm definitely going to give this week's highlight to yesterday's long run. Our Thursday morning group met up at Jen Flint Panetta's house and headed out from there. She was nice enough to hand out cue sheets to those of us that A) didn't know the route and B) had no chance of keeping up with her. Marita and I brought up the back right from the start. We were eventually joined by Mike and then Marita's cousin Megan. Other than the scenery, the outstanding weather was the best part. The temperature was finally up over 40 degrees for the first time in over a month. It was nice enough to distract us from the 15 miles of constant hills we were tackling. It was just under 1000' of vertical gain. We eventually made it back to Jen's house for coffee and muffins. I'm pretty sure Jen had changed, done a few loads of wash, finished grocery shopping for the week and read a book in between getting back home and waiting for us to arrive.

The week's low point came on the first of the month. I missed my first scheduled day of training in over a month. The cold, wet weather got the best of me, and I came down with a fever for about 24 hours. Actually, I was probably due for a break, but I was disappointed with my streak coming to an end. I think all of the training has finally caught up to me. The volume (total time spent training) is more than I have ever taken on, and there isn't much of a break-in period either.

Other than the relentless schedule of swim, bike, run, repeat there are some other constants emerging: constantly hungry, constantly thirsty and constantly tired. Time for bed - tomorrow's 5:30 AM run is approaching quickly.

To Be Continued...