The Important Stuff, and oh yeah those fucking Weekly Workout Totals for 6/08/2009-6/14/2009

First, the important stuff. I'm coming up on Ironman #13. I have several very close friends, most of whom are triathletes, and I know a bunch of triathletes and assorted people from my various doings in life. I read Slowtwitch forums and am just as familiar with the OCD-ness displayed there and also by myself.

I started thinking about my past Ironman's and what I most remembered about each of them, so here goes:

• Lake Placid, 2001: I was scared shitless, but my then coach assured me I'd be just fine. I had my friend Cindy to freak out with, and I was so grateful that she and I were sharing this huge deal.
• Wisconsin, 2002: It was a beautiful day, and I had a good friend sherpa for me, meet me out on the course and take pics. All I could think of that day was how lucky I was to be doing this and have such a good friend with me.
• Wisconsin, 2003: It was a miserably hot day, but I had a good friend taking care of me the entire time.
  
• Great Floridain, 2003: I went by myself, raced by myself, but the bright spot was an unexpected appearance by two friends, and that just made my day.
• Canada, 2004: I roomed with a near stranger, but I never felt alone once I met a couple of guys who shared deeply personal stories with me and I with them. I phoned a close friend when I was finished and packing my bike since I had a flight out at 6AM the next day, and she reminded me that I had better get some more food in me. Thanks!
  
• Hawaii, 2004: I had two dear friends with me who put up with my volatile moods and made sure I didn't forget that I was in my favorite place on Earth.
• Wisconsin, 2005: It was a miserably hot day, but I had several friends doing the race, and we were all in it together.
• Brazil, 2006: I was walking around in transition crying over how alone I felt that my Mom had just passed away a month before, and an almost perfect stranger put his arms around me and told me I'd make it through, and I did.
• Lake Placid, 2007: I had my coach and friend with me and another close friend close by, and we made the week more about our friendship than the race. And we both had great races!
• NothingMan One, 2007: I spent the day with someone I had just met in person a month earlier and our "race" was more about connecting with one another through that adventure.
  
• Lake Placid, 2008: It was a miserably cold and rainy day, and I raced the entire time with the memory of my Dad, including some of his ashes, but the time I spent with several of my best friends was the most precious thing of all.
• NothingMan Two, 2008: I spent a few days with someone I had just met in person that weekend, and once again, the "race" became a way to connect with one another rather than how far or how long.

So you see, it's always been about friends and connections. Pretty deep shit, eh?

And now, just so you know that I'm training well again:

Weekly Workout Totals	06/08/2009-06/14/2009 This week's totals are sponsored by FINALLY BIKING ENOUGH!
Swim:	10420 yards (5.91 miles) in 3.68 hours; 18% of weekly workout time; approx. 1289 calories burned Canadian: 9528.05 meters
Bike:	Approx. 207.7 miles in 10.75 hours; 53% of weekly workout time; approx. 4976 calories burned; Total TSS=699 Canadian: 334.26 kilometers
Run:	Approx. 31.97 miles in 4.89 hours; 24% of weekly workout time; approx. 2207 calories burned Canadian: 51.45 kilometers
Strength:	1.02 hours; 5% of weekly workout time; approx. 255 calories burned
All Sports:	Approx. 245.58 miles in 20.34 hours; approx. 8727 calories burned Canadian: 395.22 kilometers
Sleep:	7.96 hours avg./night
Stretching:	2.17 hours. Massage: 1 hours