The final countdown...

Well finally after months on the trainer and some ridiculous weather for the past six months the Chicago tri season kicks off the 2009 season on Saturday in Galena and for me it can't come soon enough.

I had all intentions of getting out and riding Saturday but when the alarm went off at 5:30 and I looked out the back window and saw the trees blowing almost sideways I decided this was not the day to deal with crazy winds. So I went back to bed and slept in until almost 8:00 which for me hasn't happened in a really long time. Our family is usually out of the house on weekdays by 7:10 and off to daycare and work. Well a toddler has no idea what the difference between Monday and Saturday is so on the weekends it is consider a pleasure if we sleep past 6:30 and now after almost three years of this you kind of just wake up on your own at the crack of dawn.

So after sleeping in and the weekend being mothers day and all I really couldn't get in a groove to get going. Workout totals for the entire weekend was a little over 7 miles, that is it and I am cool with it, now.

Ironman training takes quite a bit of time and for those that work and have a family it takes a toll on everyone in some form or another and I really think you need those breaks mentally as well as physically where you say enough, I am going to chill this weekend try and have a normal weekend that does not revolve around your training schedule. Well that weekend was last weekend and let me say it couldn't come at a better time. It wasn't planned but after all said and done I think I needed it. It let me get right back at it Monday morning at 5:30 am watching Sportscenter on the trainer with a fresh mind, a little less guilt and some fresher legs.

The rest of the week has been pretty typical. Monday swam 3100 yards with a 500 for time again, kind of stuck at the 6:42 mark on that distance but I am happy with the pool progress. Tuesday started with a 90 minute trainer ride and Sportscenter again.

So the highlight of the week: I got my Brooks T6 racers and I had to give them a spin. They are very lightweight and very comfortable even running with no socks. I ended up going just under seven miles with an average pace of 6:57 per mile, I have never ran that far that fast so I will have to quote Mars Blackman here "Is it the Shoes? Is it the Shoes? Is it the Shoes? … Money, it's gotta be the shoes." Hopefully they are fast on Saturday as well.

This morning hit up the Computrainer class on the road bike and the set was good, high watts at short threshold sets. This was a perfect class for racing this weekend.

Still going to hit the pool once more this week and running with Radgowski in the morning but nothing to crazy on tap. Even though Galena is just a Sprint and a challenging one at that, I know the real goal is Louisville but I want to go there and definitely do better than last year. I am ready for a challenge and to see how my body responds.

Oh ya, stayed up way to late last night watching the Biggest Loser finale. Why was that three hours long? Very grateful for the DVR on that but man what a great message and to see how much better and healthier those folks are today than six months ago all through hard work and a decent diet is a great message. I really hope the father son team stick with it and help the younger brother get his weight down as well.