Talking about Time

Time . . . it's something we triathletes focus on, well, all the time: training time, split time, transition time, recovery time. You get the picture.



I'm luckier than most triathletes when it comes to finding training time (usually). I'm a stay at home dad to two kids both of whom are in elementary school. As long as I keep the laundry flowing (only fair since I create most of it), the fridge stocked and the meals coming, I pretty much have from 9-3 to get my training done.



Until summer, also known as triathlon season, that is. Once the kids are out of school I'm in the same boat as most of you other triathletes. Trying to arrange my workouts around a work schedule (in this case, my wife's). Most mornings I can sneak out for a swim or a run as long as it's of the shorter variety. Sometimes she's out the door before 6:30 (like today) and I can't fit in the workout I was planning.



In preparing for the Rockman 1/2 Ironman, I was getting in 9 workouts a week (3 in each discipline) plus yoga once or twice a week. In my heaviest weeks I put in around 12 hours of training. Typically I'd only have 1 workout to do over the weekend so I could spend some time with the fam.



This summer I've already planned to drop to 6 workouts a week (2 in each) and hopefully hit yoga once a week. So far that's not happening; in part due to recovery needs from Rockman and Grandma's and the related travel, but also from lack of time.



I'm currently treating the Turtleman Olympic distance (August 9) as my next "A" race. For those of you who don't know, an A race is one that you train to a full peak including resting immediately prior to the race. If you attempt to achieve this peak too often it can lead to injury and/or under performance. I want to win back THE Turtle (more on that to follow).



I'm not sure how I'll prepare for the Square Lake 1/2 the following month, but I've got some time to figure that out (in keeping with the theme of this post).



Anyhow, I won't waste any more of your time waxing on about my time trials (so to speak - pun explanation for non-bike/triathlon fans - a time trial is an individual bike race against the clock - similar to a triathlon since drafting is not allowed). Like most jokes, it loses something if you have to explain it - assuming it had anything in the first place.

Oh My Lord, I've Done It Now!

It's official. I have now volunteered, no make that paid a small fortune, for the privilege of hauling my carcass 140.6 miles in under 17 hours on June 21, 2009 in and around the apparently lovely burg of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.

If you've done it before I'd appreciate your input as I go through this process. Either way I hope you enjoy following my journey. And I encourage you to click through on some of these triathlon ads - it's the only way I'll be able to pay my entry. Although for my married friends I recommend sticking to the training websites and not the "triathlon singles" sites.