Break Time...

I took an unscheduled day off from training today. My legs are "shredded". They have NOTHING in them. Just walking was difficult.

Unfortunately, it was one of those days that my mind was willing to train, but my body just wasn't able. It's tends to be the other way around.

The culprits were IMSG, then taking only 9 days of rest, before back into IMLP training. My return looked like this; Day 1 - 6 hour bike; Day 2 - 1:35 Half Marathon; Day 3 - 2:35 bike and weights; Day 4 - 1:35 run. I knew I needed a rest when I was still doing my morning "shuffle" at 6 pm.

Rather than train, I "shuffled" around the corner and down the street to Jamie (8 x Ironman) and Barbs place and we drank beer and smoked cigars. I figured the least I could do is give my lungs a bit of a workout. It was a beautiful night, I think at one point yesterday it hit 27 C. Alice joined up with us and we all got a bit of an ab workout from laughing.

Jamie was "pissed off" when I showed up with my own bag of beers, he thought I was "trailer park" and he has beers for his guests. I guess it doesn't look good when you have a Porche Carrera GT, a Ferrari 16 M, a Audi R8 V10 and another Porshe in the driveway and your guest shows up bringing his own beers. That gave me a good laugh.

By the way, as a side bar, the swimming bags they give you at the Ironman events, that you normally banish to a drawer, are great for carrying beer. Little did my neighbours know I had beers in the bag as I walked down the street, they probably looked at me and said to themselves, "looks like Bryan's going swimming again, does that guy ever just relax?".

At one point last night, I was talking about Vegas and how I love going there. Most times I don't gamble and my plan is to get up and walk the strip, stopping at hotels and bars along the way and let serendipity guide me. Jamie told me he did the same thing years ago with his best friend and it was awesome. They walked from the new strip to the old and back, stopping and drinking along the way.

Before the end of the night, Jamie said, "lets go to Vegas!" He meant it. Right now let's go to Vegas?! I thought long and hard about it for "a second" and was "in". Then my "Alice" tether and Jamie's "Barb" tether overruled us. Although, I left the standing offer that if they ever want to go to Vegas or New York to experience it Training Payne style, I'm in. I'm not sure if they want to do it, or are too scared to do it.

Alice told them the process, "we just walk the streets aimlessly and crazy fun stuff you won't expect just happens, it's surreal". Barb asked if we go to shows or events. Typically we don't, or if we do end up buying tickets, we'll find ourselves having so much fun doing something else that we "blow off" the show. We've learnt not to bother buying advance tickets, it's a waste of money. Unless it's a UFC event, that's the only thing I won't blow off. Who'd blow off watching strong tough guys bash each others brains in?

I've come to learn that when you hang out with Jamie, it's time to go home when the street lights turn on. He goes to bed early and is up at 4 am. By the time I got home, I was beat mentally. I had a full day of meetings and staying up until 2 am yesterday blogging. It all finally caught up to me. It rarely happens, but I was to exhausted to blog before bed, I figured I'd do first thing in the morning.

Yesterday, I got a pleasant surprise, my blog made $25. Which means I made $12.50 per hour to write yesterday's blog post. Not bad, considering Canada's minimum wage is $10.25 per hour. Alice and the kids couldn't believe it. They didn't think I could even get a job worth $12.50 per hour. I showed them.

I'm proud to release the stats. The very FIRST contributor to the TPPF (Training Payne Party Fund) is, drumroll please.....comes all the way from Minneapolis, Minnesota and was Scott @ree_ti_ree. The rest, in order, where MattyO, then Doru , then Al Nolan , then Ian @PedalmanTO and last, but not least, Johan @tristemmet. Oh, and the last donor, who has given me about $200 worth of fine cigars and cold beer is Jamie Grant. Thanks guys, I "raise" my beer glass to you and you will all be getting special invitations to my Summer Training Payne Party Bash at The House of Payne.

Only 47 Party spots left, donate now. You don't want to miss out.

The funniest tweet I got back was from @ree_ti_ree and he wrote: "Just read the blog I own, that you write. haha. 1st party invitation that requires passport. Heck, 1st party invitation, period!"

This is going to be an expensive party for @ree_ti_ree, he trades currency from his home and I assume in his underwear, he's also going to have to buy a pair of pants. Going through the airport in your underwear is a no no.

Unscheduled Rest Day - Half Marathon Blister Healing time.

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