4:45 CAN'T GET HERE SOON ENOUGH!!

That is when my fine friends at United Airlines will be giving me a lift to the Big Island of Hawaii for my first visit to Triathlon Mecca, KONA! Seriously, I am having problems concentrating on anything else, and I think I have looked at my watch 50 times already this morning and its only 9:30. If it wasn't brand new (thanks http://www.trisports.com/) I would have sworn it was slow.

Yesterday was not such a good day. My body felt pretty ravaged from the weekend workload that led straight into this weeks training schedule, and the track session that evening was not sounding all too appealing. But, alas, once I got there, and got the legs turning over, I actually was surprised at my ability to run. I still felt "not right", the"heavy legs" syndrome would not go away, but effort and respiratory wise, I didn't feel that bad. I had a little pre-workout talk with Coach Ed about my training and the body's response thereto, and Cal. 70.3 which is only 9 days away!! Master that he is, Ed was able quickly determine that I needed a little "cool down" and told me to do the workout, but just back off on intensity. Up to that point my motivation for the impending track workout had been, on a scale of 1 - 10, solidly entrenched at a 1.5. Ed's talk busted the restraints, and I was then at about a 7. Seriously, I owe him big time for all he has done for my running (and my brain) in the short time I have been privileged to be under his tutelage. So the workout began, with an 800 talking pace, 4 laps of straights & curves (easy, med. build up, hard) then into the main set. Ed made sure to inform us that the evening's workout was about PACING! (we have about 12 Club Ed runners headed to Boston and he wants to reinforce the importance of pacing). So the first set: 1600 @ 10k pace (which per Ed's orders meant no faster than 6min for me); 2nd set: 1600 @ 10k pace (when I went through 400 at 1:20 I got a "EASY IAN" from Ed), 3rd & 4th sets: see sets 1 & 2; 5th set: 800 @ 5k, and cool down. I was a diligent pupil and kept all 16's within the 6 - 6:15 range. A good workout it was.

I had planed on just running 3mi this morning, but I knew I would enjoy running and if i went longer, it would make less "waiting" time till departure, so I ran 6. I was surprised at how good the legs felt.

They say every cloud has a silver lining. Well, I guess the opposite is kinda true with my trip to Kona. See, I am going to miss Superfrog Half Ironman this weekend. This sucks for 2 reasons: 1) My friend Brandon asked me to swim on his relay team, and with his run and a smoking cyclist, we probably would have had a real good shot at a podium and even some $$; and 2) more importantly, this will be Brynn "the Minnow's" first Half. I am super bummed I will not be able to come support and cheer her on, but I take solace in the fact that she will not "need" it. She has made some HUGE gains in the water (or "wooder" as she calls it), and her run has always been strong. She is worried about the bike, but I think her fears are complete nonsense. So long as she is able to kick her "Starbucks" T1 habit from last season, I know she will do very well. So here's a Big Good LUCK to ya Minnow. Keep your head down, and race your race. You will rock it!!

Alright, long post I know, can ya tell I am excited to get the hell out of here? The Island, the warm and clear ocean water, the Queen K, Ali'i Drive, are all calling my name. Plus I get to spend time with some great friends, Sean & Trish, and be their one man "race support crew". Plus, I will hopefully get to meet Bree, Rachel, & Maggs and watch them race as well. This is gonna be awesome. I may not come back ;)

I am now exactly 4hrs from leaving for LAX, and the hours are SLOWLY rolling by.

Tick, Tock,

Ian