Josh:

It's been 6 weeks since I signed up for a triathlon to take place September 16, 7 AM.  I thought it was about time I do a trial run-through of the actual course, on a weekday so the area would be deserted.

The tri:

1/2 mile swim
13-mile hilly bike ride
3-mile run.

So!

Up at 5:30.

Ate a slice of whole-wheat bread and peanut butter, some watermelon and blueberries, drank some coffee, checked the email, took care of business.  Loaded up the bike and the cooler full of water into the car, and headed on out, 50 miles to the mountain.

Got there at 8. Drank Red Bull on the way.

Pool didn't open until 10, so I biked up the mountain, 4 straight miles. Not a car or another person did I see.  Lovely.

Took a cell-phone video of myself at summit saying, "Top of the world, ma!"

It was easier today than it was the first time I did it last Saturday.

Did a total of 15 miles (I'd clocked it with the car last week), then back down to the car for half a bottle of vitamin water.

Then---ran 3 times around the lake, 3 miles. Just one small hill each time around. Easy--but hot. It was 93 yesterday in New York.

Then---into the pool for 30 minutes of glorious laps.  The pool is gargantuan, and ladies and gentlemen, today I was the sole customer.

I don't know how long it takes me to swim a half mile, but I thought 30 minutes was pretty good to aim for, so I clicked my stopwatch and went for it, without pausing, for 30.

By 15 minutes into the water, I became somewhat disoriented, and very, very tired.

Now I know why they have you swim first in triathlons.   I just wanted to go to sleep.

Finally made the 30 minutes, hoisted myself out and collapsed next to the pool in the hot sun for the next 10 minutes, just breathing, semi-semi-conscious!

Brain fried.  Heart pounding, then slowing.  But I started convulsively laughing.  What the HELL am I doing????

Drove home eating a banana in a kind of a daze. Stopped by my father's grave to say hello. Ate a turkey sandwich, took a nap and went to the office to proof YOUR DRIVE.

Came home, took another nap.  Wiped out, man, just wiped out. I had no idea it was going to knock me out like this.

Woke up and went to the Squeeze concert at the Beacon with Mrs. M. 

"Pulling Mussels From The Shell", "Tempted", "Hourglass", "Annie Get Your Gun", etc.  Rowdy as hell, and lots of fun.

I'm an Aries---what can I say?

But hey, one of these a week until Sept. 16 in addition to my regular training schedule, and I should do ok.

(Secret: I want a medal!!!!!)

Here's a few nuggets I've learned along my way:

*The triathlon doesn't start when they fire the pistol.  It starts when you pay the money and you're officially in the race, and it effects virtually every area of your life.

*You have absolutely no idea what you're capable of, but it's 1,000,000 times more than what you might imagine in your wildest dreams.  

*When you are training with every fibre of your being, there aren't any such things as "my problems".  It's the same when you are driving a Ferrari F-430 at 130 miles per hour on a race track.  In fact, "you" completely disappear when you're total.  You don't even have a name.
 
*There is absolutely no point to anything. Everything should be done for the fun of it, and the challenge.
 
*Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend. 
..

 
 
 The above bike is a test bike, not the Schwinn mountain bike I rode yesterday.  I just liked the way the shiny wheels looked...