Happy Downton Abbey Season Finale to all the fans!
We're under the weather in my house...it's been a slow progression starting withPatient Zero Kelly feeling tired for a week, finally getting a cold, then it spreading. First to Leda. Then to Cole. Finally, yesterday, I made sure to get some laundry done and had Kelly buy a pound of coffee for me even though I was going to roast...I had a feeling I'd be in no mood to do much. Yesterday was just that tired, run-down feeling that I was hoping was maybe from my swim on Friday. So I skipped the gym yesterday even though I wanted to practice. But my instincts were right and I ended up with a stuffy nose overnight and feeling like I've been hit by a truck today. Took a nap that helped a little. And we did manage to make it out to the grocery store as a family. Where I tried to let Cole pick his cereal...and he selected Cookie Crisp. Yep, I have a kid. No longer a baby, he went for the sugary cartoon character crap on the easily reachable shelves--put their specifically for this reason. On the up side, he had a choice between homemade smoothie and M&Ms this afternoon and picked the smoothie. Overall, they eat pretty well.
I don't know how we got on the topic yesterday, but Ironman Wisconsin this year came up. I've been planning to go up to Madison to volunteer for the race--which essentially moves you towards the front of the line for registration for the next year. But volunteering doesn't open until April. And, since we really hadn't talked about it, I hadn't made any plans for a hotel figuring I'd stay wherever.
The conversation turned to maybe getting a room in the heart of things so that Kelly and the kids could go, we could park at the hotel, etc.. Of course, at this point, anything near the capital, the Start/Finish is long gone...but since I was already on the hotels website I might as well make a reservation. We'll see whether the whole family can go. Not knowing when/where my volunteer shift will be makes it difficult to say. I picked something that would be convenient for me, in any case. Easy to find off the highway, not too far from the Start/Finish, restaurants I like, stores to kill time if I need to.
The actual race is on Sunday then the registration for the 2014 race is the day after on Monday. So we'll see what shift I get...those of you who have done the race or volunteered before feel free to let me know your opinion. I know a few of you really love to "catch" the finishers...I don't think I want to smear sunscreen on, sorry. I have a hotel booked for both Saturday night and Sunday night. I figure I'll check out Monday then go register for my race before heading home.
And, for those of my friends and family possibly interested in joining me in Sept 2014, I learned my lesson this time. The rooms in the heart of downtown Madison are long gone--the hotel blocks open soon after race registration, I believe. So there are rooms left for this year now, for instance, but they are at the hotels 5-10 miles away. Just FYI.
Obviously, for 2014 I will do better about getting prime hotel space. Needing to be in a good location to come and go for bike check-in and athlete meetings. We'll need to plan my longer stay around the family being there, too. Seems weird to think about all this with my first triathlon still months away...but logistics sort of dictate it.
We're under the weather in my house...it's been a slow progression starting with
I don't know how we got on the topic yesterday, but Ironman Wisconsin this year came up. I've been planning to go up to Madison to volunteer for the race--which essentially moves you towards the front of the line for registration for the next year. But volunteering doesn't open until April. And, since we really hadn't talked about it, I hadn't made any plans for a hotel figuring I'd stay wherever.
The conversation turned to maybe getting a room in the heart of things so that Kelly and the kids could go, we could park at the hotel, etc.. Of course, at this point, anything near the capital, the Start/Finish is long gone...but since I was already on the hotels website I might as well make a reservation. We'll see whether the whole family can go. Not knowing when/where my volunteer shift will be makes it difficult to say. I picked something that would be convenient for me, in any case. Easy to find off the highway, not too far from the Start/Finish, restaurants I like, stores to kill time if I need to.
The actual race is on Sunday then the registration for the 2014 race is the day after on Monday. So we'll see what shift I get...those of you who have done the race or volunteered before feel free to let me know your opinion. I know a few of you really love to "catch" the finishers...I don't think I want to smear sunscreen on, sorry. I have a hotel booked for both Saturday night and Sunday night. I figure I'll check out Monday then go register for my race before heading home.
And, for those of my friends and family possibly interested in joining me in Sept 2014, I learned my lesson this time. The rooms in the heart of downtown Madison are long gone--the hotel blocks open soon after race registration, I believe. So there are rooms left for this year now, for instance, but they are at the hotels 5-10 miles away. Just FYI.
Obviously, for 2014 I will do better about getting prime hotel space. Needing to be in a good location to come and go for bike check-in and athlete meetings. We'll need to plan my longer stay around the family being there, too. Seems weird to think about all this with my first triathlon still months away...but logistics sort of dictate it.