Mile High Post

Greetings from 28,000 feet! (when I was originally writing this post...) Airline wi-fi rules.  It's pretty much the only part of today that has, it seems.  Everything has been a struggle. Consider:

-- Electronic car key fell apart this morning on way rushing to pool.  Fixed it though.

-- Going from car to pool, the strap on my duffel bag snapped.

-- I lost my toiletries kit at the gym during my lunch-hour workout.

-- Checking into my Southwest Airlines flight became a disaster as the entire national reservations (and online check-ins) network was down.  Had to resort to my co-workers printing a temporary boarding pass to get me to the gate, where I then had to wait in another long line to get a manual boarding pass.  Made the flight though.

It's been that kind of day. But it's also been the kind of day where I was able to spin on the bike, swim 2,500 yards in the pool AND squeeze in a killer strength-training session from Shannan.  So it wasn't a total loss.  However, I also think that trying to fit in all these workouts amidst a busy schedule can be counter productive.  Here I am rushing around like a lunatic, working, juggling, training, helping with wedding planning, and things fall through the cracks.  Keys break.  Bags snap.  Razors get lost.  My patience is tried.

Is it worth it?

I'd like to quickly shout "Yes!" and explain how training can change the entire outlook of your day.  But today, in this instance, I think it caused as many problems as it helped alleviate.  That said, I wish I could connect the dots better when it comes to taking the lessons from triathlon training and applying them to my life.  In the pool, for instance, slower is sometimes faster.  Gliding on the water and extending your arm further before the underwater pull can shave time.  So why can't I do a little more with a little less? And what would that mean in this instance?  Fewer workouts?  Less time in each workout?  Skipping a workout?  Probably.  Yet, I can't.  I'm addicted.  I hate missing a workout, and yet at the same time I can't stand feeling that way.  Sometimes I almost feel trapped in my training.

I'm excited for Ironman Coeur d'Alene. I really am.  But I'm looking forward to taking a bit of a relaxing break afterwards.  There's got to be a better balance, though there are no compromises when it comes to Ironman training.

112 days and counting.