Back in the saddle again....

So to say my training routine had a wrench thrown into it would be an understatement. After the bike crash it took me a few days before I could run semi-comfortably. My pool that I train at is closed for two weeks for yearly maintenance. Then add in a almost week long trip back home to Nebraska where mass quantities of alcohol were consumed, and its safe to say I had been itching to get back into my normal routine.

There routine isnt quite there yet since the pool is still closed hindering my swim workouts, but I was able to focus on some running lately, and yesterday I was able to finally get back out on the bike for the first time since taking a spill.

I got out early enough before the heat started to set in, and it was actually a gorgeous morning for it. Lately I have been doing a lot of hill work when I go out on the bike, and considering the was my first time in a couple weeks back in the saddle I wanted to ease into it a little bit. I ended up taking a little flatter route, and I could definitely tell the hill training has been paying off. I wasnt pushing myself too hard but still cruising at a pretty good clip. I even came up on another group ride and ended up passing them about half way through my ride. Rocked 25 miles in just under 1 hour and 25 minutes, so I was pretty pleased.

One of the best parts about this weekend though was out at the lake this morning. I went out to get a swim in, and as I was getting ready to get in the water another guy showed up. We started chatting about swimming, and racing and such, and come to find out not only has he completed multiple Ironman races including Ironman Texas, his lottery number was picked for the Ironman World Championship in Kona in October and he is gearing up for that.

It was amazing being able to pick his brain about Ironman racing, and what it takes to complete the races and the training involved. Not only had he done Ironman Texas, but he did it two weeks after completing Ironman St George. When he does Kona in October it will be 6 Ironman races total, with 3 of them being this year alone. Needless to say I couldnt stop asking questions trying to soak up as much information as I could. I was like a sponge. But it was amazing.

Talking with him really gets me even more pumped for Ironman Texas. In a way it makes me wish I was signed up for the 2012 race. I have the itch to do it, and each day it gets a little worse. But talking with my buddy Jarod this morning who is also doing the race, it probably is for the best we wait. We definitely want to make sure we are properly trained and are able to give that race our best effort. I have to keep telling myself, that I have been doing races for less than a year. I really need to not only build a base of training, but a base of race experience. But all that will come in time with some patience.

In the mean time though, I guess I will have to keep dealing with the itch!