Training

For the first time in my life, I am training of my own volition for a goal of my making. And, in order to train for my goal, I have made smaller goals. Like smashing triathalons and trail-running races. This requires training for those activities! Now, I have always been taken by the renaissance and as such I love cross-training. If I want to be a good climber, I rollerblade, run, slackline, and bike in addition to climbing. If at all possible, I double- or triple-up activities within a day, compounding results and effects.

Hold on. Can I just say that one of the greatest side-effects of exercising to the brink of your limits is that your instinctive senses are heightened, especially those of taste. For example, this smoothie I am performing a magic act on (it's disappearing) is normally wonderful. It has cherries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, after all. But right now it tastes like ambrosia and I'm waiting for Hermes to knock on my window with the latest news. Also, reading The Count of Monte Cristo actually makes me want to pick up a pitchfork and go eat some wrongdoers like they were a greek-inspired pasta salad.

But then I remember that I'm a jolly giant. And I'm very tired. The loons whistle love tunes on the lake without snow or ice. Here's what a non-emotional diary entry would look like for my today: I woke up after sleeping for 3.5 hours. Shower. Get dressed. Drive 45 minutes to a 7am meeting. Eat 3 muffins and a coffee and water. OK, fine, I drank the last two. Sponge in all the information at the meeting. Clapped when appropriate. Since my other meeting wasn't until 2:30pm or so, I went to the E-Store. I got some friends some gifts. I went to deliver them in Portland, but they weren't there. So I returned to Freeport (20 minutes of driving each way).

This entry is boring thus far! You say? Then check out what I did next:

I biked as hard as I could for 11 minutes, turned around, and tried to beat that 11 minutes back to my car. By the way, this is with rain paints on because it's drizzling. Upon my return, I take off my front tire as fast as I can, put my two-parts of bike in the car and remove my helmet, and quickly switch shoes to conclude my transition into running. Same deal. 11 minutes as fast as I can run (not sprint) and turn around, trying to beat that time. It felt amazing. I can't wait to do a tri!

Later that night, after my second meeting at L.L.Bean, I went to Portland to climb at the Maine Rock Gym for a few hours. After which I snuck in another 30 minutes of biking around the "city" of Maine. What a great day.

OK, back to lounging. I hope all is well with everyone. And by the way, road bikes rock! Here's my new road bike that I got for a great deal at Gorham Bike & Ski on Congress Street in Portland, ME at the recent April 30th, 2011 Bike Swap event!