Tether time...

Forty days until IMLP. I think I better start getting serious about my training and lifestyle.

Right now I feel like I'm in a training recovery phase, even though I'm putting in some decent mileage and have done over 14 century rides this year. It's just not as intense and consistent as I'd like it to be.

After training over the winter and already finishing 1 & 3/4 Ironmans, I'm not as "focused" as I normally am. Starting tomorrow that's going to change.

It has to, I can feel myself at a "tipping point". If I don't knuckle down, my weight is going to start moving in the wrong direction. It's already 185.8 lbs. That's about 5 lbs too heavy and I need to get back on track. I can't afford to gain anymore weight, mentally it would "chew me up".

I'm not yet desperate, I've gotten up to 185 lbs before and have always worked it down. Having to knuckle down for the next 40 days should do it. Part of my strategy is to go on the "90% beer wagon". That's a wagon that I may have to jump off every once and a while to fix a wheel.

I'm also feeling like I'm slacking when I read all the other PFG's blogs and training tweets. Lots of the guys are putting in some pretty consistent training and impressive racing gains. Especially the guys who went on MAO this year. It feels like I may get my A$$ handed to me at IMLP.

Of course, I picked tomorrow to start, I was tired and wanted to rest my calf one more day. Alice also wasn't much of a good influence. She felt like KFC tonight and truth be told, so did I. She said, "It'll be your last hurray" and that's all it took. Although, I was proud that I reversed my order of a McCain chocolate cake for only an extra $2.99.

At first I agreed to the cake, the 17 year old sounding kid made it sound enticing, then I reconsidered and yelled back into the ordering board with regret, "No stop on the cake, please take the cake off, please take it off, did you hear me?". I was proud of myself, but it wasn't all restraint. Alice had Fudgicles in the fridge and I had about six. On the upside, I didn't have any beers calories today.

I've been getting asked recently to provide an update about Reid's swimming progress. The good news is that he has not missed a workout and has even been faithfully doing three runs or bikes a week on his own. This month his aerobic exercise has been upped 10 minutes and he's doing 30 minute runs or biking sessions. He's looking good and I can tell he's feeling good about himself.

The bad news is that he's hooked on swimming and wants me to sign him up for the entire next season. They are going to move him up to level three, which is the "Foundation Competitive Level". It's going to cost me over $3000 for 9 months and I have to pay an additional $700 if I don't volunteer. Not to mention driving him to and from all the sessions. Alice isn't looking forward to that.

This club is no nonsense, the document with pricing and rules is 13 pages long and the parent and the kid have to sign the bottom of each page. They are serious about the kids being serious and if your not, you're out. I sold two business and didn't have to sign as many documents.

I thought making the $1000 bet was going to be expensive. It will probably get worse, with my luck, he'll get good and it will just be more training sessions, money and driving. What was I thinking? Although, I am thinking of making one more bet with him. I'm going to bet him before the end of the summer that he won't be able to finish a triathlon. I may as well "strike while the irons hot".

Non training wise, I got a knock on the door this afternoon. It was two pre-teen girls. At first I thought they were trying to sell me something, until they said they are playing a game and needed my help. They said my neighbour, who it turns out didn't participate, said I'd be the kind of guy that would be interested in playing.

They explained that they started with a hair band and have been travelling around the neighbourhood asking people if they want to trade-up something better. By the time they got to my house the hair band had turned into a brand new electric tooth brush. They asked me if I wanted to trade something better for it.

I asked them how they know if it's better. They said, "I was to determine and regardless they would accept it". So I traded them a hair band for the tooth brush. Just kidding, I gave them some "belly button lint".

I was now roped into their little game and spent about 15 minutes searching the house for something "better" that I could trade with them. Part of the problem was I was home alone and was left to my own devises. I'm sure if Alice or Reid were home, they'd have some suggestions of something we could give that we were trying to get rid of anyways.

I kept coming back to the girls and telling them that I'm still looking. At one point, they seemed a little bored waiting and said I didn't have to play if I couldn't find anything. They were so sweet. I finally found the perfect thing and it wasn't easy to part with, it was an authentic autographed photograph of the NHL legend Bobby Hull.

Before I gave it to the girls, I hid it and told them I'll give them something, but they have to posse for a picture holding it. Sight unseen, they agreed. When I showed them the Bobby Hull photo, I tried to explain who he was, I didn't think they'd know about Bobby Hull.

I thought they were going to pee there pants. There was excitement and giddiness in their voices. I could tell that they recognized I gave them a good gift. At first I thought they may have thought, "What the heck is this? I'm not a boy you weirdo, way to wreck our game. What a retard!!!".

I then told them to go next door to my neighbour, who didn't give anything and show him and don't let him trade anything up. I know he's a big hockey fan. The last I saw those two girls, they were literally speed walking down the street, looking back and forth at their Bobby Hull treasure and each other.

When Alice and Reid got home, I told them about the girls and their game and told Reid I gave away the movie poster he loves that hangs above his bed. It was great watching the blood drain from his face before I told him, "JUST KIDDING".

When they both found out I gave away Bobby Hull, they weren't impressed. But I said, "Look I just got an electric toothbrush, I've always wanted one! I think I traded good, don't you? I don't care what you think, why weren't you home, leave me alone".

They said they would have gotten rid of the Hanna Montana photo that Reid use to cherish. I'd bug him that Hanna Montana was his girl friend and he wouldn't say a word. Not a, "shut up, she is not". It was then I realized, he got the picture because he had the "hots" for Hanna Montana. I guess his crush is over, he must have realized he hasn't got a shot at getting her and is prepared to part with her picture.

Rest Day - Calf injury