Getting Back

First, thank you all so much for the comments on my b2b race report. 40 comments? that's the most for any post so far. Fantastic. Your support and friendliness truly means a lot to me.

It's time to get back into the swing of things. Last week I allowed myself no restrictions, just do what I wanted to do. I only did one swim and one run. I ate anything that would fit in my mouth. I was recovering. By wednesday my legs felt like being shaken again. So I only ran 2 miles. It was good enough to work out some remaining soreness. No sweat there. The swim was pretty good too. I felt efficient and strong in the pool, and came out hungry. I'll take it.

Then this weekend, I had a batchelor party in Charlotte to go to. So many beers. Oh so many beers. I'm too old for that crap now. Still, I got to regale some of the guys with tales of ironman. We were able to properly send that one poor soul into the death of his batchelorhood by way of lap dances and pole work. It was mostly fraternity brothers, but the groom's uncle showed up at a bar for a while. It was fantastic to get to see my old college buddies again. We all get together a couple of times a year. But now we're all old and married, so it's just a matter of time before these weekend long parties turn into 3 beers over golf in the afternoon and a nap before dinner.

Which is really ok with me. I discovered this weekend how much bars hate me. They are so loud, and I don't hear well anymore. So I can smile, and clank my beer against yours, and that's supposed to be entertaining until 2 am? I'm too old and too married for that crap.

I stopped wearing a wedding band when I got fat a few years ago. Yes, it does fit again, but I'm not in the habit of wearing it so I never think to put it on. Since then, I've also stopped being a fan of things that go "around" me. I even quit wearing a watch, or ties, or any other jewelry. I know what you're thinking, and yes it was weird when I finally took off that ankle bracelet - no just kidding. But I did have to admit to the fraternity brothers that I shaved my legs. That's another story. Anyway.... we found a few batchelorette parties at the bar saturday night and I was 1 of only 3 of our group not wearing a wedding band. I did get some of the strangest looks when I admitted that I was married (and full disclosure: I ALWAYS admitted it, even when I was not asked - see the above note about not being able to hear or talk in bars).

Saturday was our 11th wedding anniversary! Yea I know, bad timing, I spent my wedding anniversary at a bar without my wife. Hey, I didn't pick the date for the party or our wedding. Total coincidence. Besides, you may remember last year when for our 10th anniversary, Kelley was shopping and barhopping with her college friends in Williamsburg, VA. So I had justification. We did the celebration thing Monday night after getting back from the race. Just going out for a nice dessert and coffee after putting the kids to bed. Still, 11 years? Happy anniversary honey! I did actually call her from the bar at 6:10, approximately when our ceremony ended 11 years earlier.

When I got back to Raleigh sunday afternoon all I wanted to do was eat vegetables and sleep. I did some yoga just for the cleansing effects mentally. I think my stomach is still off kilter a little bit.

Today I decided it's time to get back on track. I'm going to have to ramp back up to the 14 workouts a week I was doing before. But I started out with a 600 m swim over lunch. I was amazed how much my lungs were feeling the effects of those smoke filled bars. I could barely make it 6 laps without stopping to cough up a lung! wow, it was tough. I still feel dehydrated too. I'm doing my tri power workout tonight too, then going mountain biking with the office crew tomorrow over lunch.

I'm searching for races in 2010, and starting to lay out the calendar a bit. It's tough to go too far in advance without knowing when our houses in Greenville will sell, but I feel safe nailing down a few outlines. I'm leaning towards doing this century ride, it's very near some friends of ours that we want to visit soon. And it looks flat enough to qualify for an easy first century. I don't want to do the same thing I did with my first marathon, picking something incredibly challenging in the wrong time of year.

All I know is, I better be ready to stomp out the snail come February.