Here's Proof! Braggebration Time!!!!!

The other day I was out running, after a fairly hefty weekend of training.   I was out for a long run following a spritely forty mile ride with the guys.  Towards the end of my run, I saw one of my heroes out starting his own brick. I could see the surprise in his eyes, along with a bit of respect that he was throwing my way.  Perhaps I don't really listen to what I'm saying when I talk to my friends. I spend so much time talking about recalibrating my life, work, time with the kids, slowing down with age, and so on, that I don't celebrate that I'm still tough (or would that be bragging?) OK, braggebrating that I'm tough!!!!

So here we go, proof, quite literally, that I'm still out there doing Triathlon. In fact I think Galena was something like my 45th triathlon, but who's counting? 

The Galena Sprint Triathlon, May 2012:

Photographers, found at every modern sporting event,
lest we want to drop a dime on real live documentation of
our muscles, tans, and hot racing suits!

Brick, The Seminar

Today I went for a ride to the Dam with the guys, and Jack suggested that I join he and Mike for a brick run afterwards. I had a run on the docket for the day, so, of course! Training has bordered on lonely lately so a sunny morning with buddies was the perfect fix. This was a particularly good run because it gave us ample opportunity to discuss Ironman run training strategy. Mike is a true master, and I love to hear what he has to say. To me, Mike is a great Ironman theorizer because he balances technical training details with a considerable dose of heart (without which, the heart part, I would find the whole Ironman endeavor completely boring and as fulfilling as chewing on metal lawn furniture). When we all met up in Jack & Ave's spectacular backyard, we were all three wearing the same little fuel belt which carries fliuds and nutrition. Go team!
During our run we were spotted by no less than three of our Lake/Harlem cycling buddies plus my runner friend Mary. Jack & I were adamant that being seen bricking by our pals was a major plus. Cool cucumber Mike was nonplussed, but really, who ever knows what is going on in the mind of a champion...
After the affair, we sat down with a bit of apple juice, pretzels, deadly good salami, and cheese made in Ave's Italian home town.