Some People Think...

... that unless you have a fever, you're ok to work out. I tend to buy into whatever theory directly suits what I want to do.

So yesterday I decided that I wasn't going to be sick anymore... that I was going to go about my day just like I would normally... you know... honeydo things, play with the kids, wash the dog, maybe rake up some leaves and remove the doggy droppings from the grass. I also thought, "HEY! I KNOW... I'll bundle myself up and hop on the trainer and SWEAT this crud out!" Great idea right? So I put on a whole bunch of layers... including two hats, gloves, and a down jacket and hopped on the trainer. I got to watch both IM Wisconsin AND St. Croix... had them taped but hadn't watched them yet. Actually felt really good to sweat a bit. I got off the trainer, drenched, after over an hour of spinning at a steady cadence of 95 with my HR never getting over 145 BPM. I felt SO good that I grabbed my oldest son and we took Aggie to the dog wash... we love a clean baby puppy. After we got home and I sat down and stopped moving around... it hit me like a ton of bricks! I could physically feel my sinuses filling with guke and my head trying to compensate for the building pressure in my ears... ouch!

So guess what I did today? I stayed in bed. Yup. Good times. Luckily for me Kathryn went to the store, bought all the fixins, came home and made some chicken n ginger soup. She's a saint. I'm feeling quite a bit better as I sit here writing this... I'm hoping for the best. All I know is that this has got to pass and its got to pass fast.

Breathe...

p.s. Coach Matt... I'm still not scared of you... even if I am sick!

Ya Gotta Be KIDDIN ME!!!

I just can't believe it! Here I am... our guests our gone... the house is quiet... I'm on vacation with plenty of time to train and have fun.... but NOOOOOOOO... I'm sick! Nothing too special like the mumps or typhoid... just a head cold that makes you just miserable enough to NOT stay in bed all day! Yeah... cool huh!? So I'm consuming massive amounts of vitamin C, suckin down Zinc lossenges, hydrating, drinking LOTS of tea, etc. etc. etc. I really don't have the time for this... so I'm confident that it'll be over by today! Somebody gimme a, "Pooooooor baaaaaaaaaabyyyyy".

Breathe...

Merry Flippin X-mas

I have the WORST food hang-over you could ever imagine! I'm fat, lazy... and pretty durn happy actually. The entire family came to our pad for the festivities and my wife Martha Stewarted her ASS off... resulting in much bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort due to excessive caloric intake. Good times! The only regret that I have is that my sister and her crew weren't able to join us this year... maybe next...

In the last few days I've visited the pool with my buddy Scott once... putting in 2,700 yds. I've rode my trainer once... putting in just over an hour and watching Ironman Wisconsin... and have run... once... from the garage to the front door... a total of 15 ft. max... I kept my heart rate well within zone 1.

Lookin forward to receiving my first training plan from Coach Matt Lieto and getting started on some serious base January 1st. Matt keeps trying to scare me... but let me reiterate... I'm not scared of some big-shot pro-triathlete momma's boy. (*whisper* boy do I hope he doesn't read this)

Breathe...

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Laugh....

Because really... it's just SO much better for you!

X-mas prep is of about complete! We're hosting this year which ought to a LOT of fun! You know family... love em, hate em... either way they're here to stay and we're going to have a great time! Took the crew out to get a tree at Northern Lights this year! Even Aggie came and she had a BALL!

OK! Catch ya up on what's been happening triathlon-wise over the last few weeks. While it is the off-season... I'm still unclear about how to exactly define that... I've swum roughly 21,000 yds in since my last post. This is averaging 3,000 yds/pool visit 3 times/wk for 3 weeks minus 6,000 yds b/c of my week out with the black plague and there you have your total! (Check my Math... I was an English major in colige) As a result, I don't think I've EVER felt more comfortable in the water. Really cool. Now having said that... I'm not entirely sure if I'm any faster. I suppose it might be time for another test set with Coach Gina! Here's what I did today:

• 700 yd warm-up (200 swim, 200 pull, 300 kick)
• 6X200 yds on 3:00
• 500 pull with paddles
• 500 pull w/out paddles
• 100 cool-down ez
• Total Distance: 3,000 yds

Good times. Good times. That's similar to the type of workouts I've been doing in the pool.

My run has been non-existent. Seriously. The first time I've run in the last 2 months was last Sunday. I did a 20 min aerobic run. My toe hurts. Enough said. I talked with Coach Matt about the lack of running and he basically said, "Yeah... don't sweat it." So I'm not gonna.

I've done a few rides and a LOT of trainer time. ALL of the rides have been in a low aerobic zone and I've concentrated on keeping my cadence up between 95 to 100 rpm... apparently this is more efficient... but it's also a learned skill. When I started focusing on keeping my cadence up it felt really odd to be turning over the pedals that fast... now it seems "normal". Bike fitness is coming along but still has a long way to go before I get where I want to be. Patience... patience... patience...

I think the whole focus of this "off-season" stuff is to make sure you give your head a break from the intensity yet to keep your body moving and active so that when you launch into training in the next season.... ya don't kill yourself. Mission accomplished! Coach Matt is starting me on what he calls, "The Program" (ominous isn't it?), January 1st. I'm actually really really ready to get started!

Aggie update: Super Perfect Angel Fantasy Puppy has regressed. Yeah... I knew it was too good to be true... she's now decided that its o.k. to pee on our floor. Yeah. Joy. As my wife says, "She's a puppy Rob. She's going to figure it out." Thank you oh wise one. I've had many proud parent moments as I'm yelling expletives at the puppy in front of the kids... yeah... cool huh? Geesh. As if I didn't have enough to humble me... thanks puppy!

Breathe...

THIS...

is what I've felt like for the last few weeks or so. A bit dramatic? Of COURSE it is... that's just part of Rob. See... I've always leaned toward the depressive arts. It's part of who I am however annoying that may be. The weather, the flu, the puppy sucking the life outta me AND I got some terrible news about my brother today too... freakin figures. ANYWAY... thanks for the emails and the comments... believe it or not it has helped.

I'm a bit weary of the dark pit I've fallen into... I think I'll climb out now...

Breathe...