4th of July

I spent the last 3 days in Waterville, MN, with Karin's friend Crystal.  We spent 3 days on the lake by her house, grilling, relaxing, cruising the lake on the pontoon, and in my case, swimming and running.  On the 4th we went to a small town 4th of July celebration with fireworks and a live band and food and a dance floor.  Since it is miserable outside in Phoenix in July, and the 4th of July is a hard time to get time off work and standby seats on flights, it's been years since I actually did anything for the 4th of July.  This year we wanted to do something.  So Karin called her good friend Crystal to see if we could crash her party.

It is always so fun to run in new places, and there was a great paved path not far from Crystal's house.  I got in a 6 mile tempo run on the 3rd and an 8 mile run on the 4th.

Paved trail in Waterville

Open country roads are a welcome change for this runner.

I also got in a training swim in the lake.  That turned out to be great practice for the Ironman swim in Tempe Town Lake, because I couldn't see anything in this lake!  There was a lot of seaweed on the surface that I tried to avoid, but at one point I popped my head up to check where I was going and I had seaweed haging off my face and draped from my goggles!  I couldn't see myself, but I felt like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and based on how long and hard Karin laughed I assume I looked like I felt.  Karin was kind enough to paddle a kayak next to me to "block" me from boat traffic on the lake.  I say "paddle" but I think she only paddled a few times during the 30 minutes I was swimming.  I am not hard to keep up with!

Karin kindly "blocking" for me while I swim

I didn't get up early on any morning, as I had planned, while I was in Minnesota.  The plan was to workout early, while it was cool, then have my days free.  Fortunately, because our schedule was basically wide open, I still managed to get in my workouts.  And I still had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the great scenery and weather.

Gorgeous sunset on Lake Tatonka

Found plenty of time to relax

Previously I was trying to explain the difference between my new phase of training and what I have been doing for the last 6 months.  I think one major difference is that workouts no longer feel optional.  It feels like "no excuses" time.  I went out of town and overslept daily and quite frankly, drank more beer and a lot less water than I usually do, but my 6 mile run and 8 mile run and open water swim were not things I tried to squeeze in.  They were things that needed to get done.  Just like today, when we flew home, we took late afternoon naps, but I still got up around 7 pm and went to the gym to do my 40 minute swim, then came home and did my 55 minute trainer ride.  I used to have to talk myself into workouts.  It was often hard to get motivated to just get out the door, or get on the bike.  As if each workout was a choice between doing it or not doing it.  But it no longer feels like a choice I am constantly making.  It is not a matter of if I will train but when.  It is not a matter of trying to train but just training.  

THERE IS NO TRY IN TRIATHLON.