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An epic Memorial Day weekend

Kelly and I collapsed, exhausted, on the couch at around 8pm last night and each of us was more than happy to head to bed by 8:30. It's just been...tiring! Which is funny because there have been no epic runs or rides or swims. In fact, I've barely been keeping up with my training the last few days because of weather and the gym being closed for the holiday and a variety of things subverting my intentions. What we have had, however, is a series of outings and events going on...coupled with the kids turning into early risers with the sun (5:30am has become common).

Friday afternoon, Leda was still recovering from her 102 degree fever at the doctor's office for her "checkup." No call from the doctor means no strep on the test, I'm guessing. But both kids have been cranky and tired, we think, from fighting it off. Leda, especially, has been a mess of rolling around on the floor when she gets super sleepy. She cries and throws her milk and refuses to sit with you and refuses to simply lay down to sleep. Cole has had his own issues--mostly dealing with Leda--though both kids have been pretty good about being well-behaved out in the world when there is something else to pay attention to besides sit at home and play nice with the sibling. So Kelly stayed home with Leda and I took Cole on our first bike ride away from home...we drove to Salt Creek where I normally ride and did about 12 miles. There's a tunnel with trains on top, a bridge, geese, we heard woodpeckers, and the whole trail is right by the creek so lots of logs and stuff to look at in the water. He had a great time. Then we dropped Kelly's bike off at the bike shop (finally) and picked up Kieran's ashes (finally).

Saturday morning we were up and had done 5 errands before 9am. Including a trip to Home Depot to make Kelly a knitting device out of plastic pipe. The farmers market is open but lots of our favorites not there and the pickings not much to get excited about yet. But we got donuts...uh, this was not my finest weekend for eating healthy and exercising. The rest of the weekend was sort of a blur until yesterday morning. I went to the movies with a friend on Sunday evening and even got a Schlitz at the world famous Billy Goat. (The place is a dump and hasn't changed much in the last few decades, then again the same could be said about Wrigley Field.) We got patio furniture in the side yard, grilled, went on an ice cream run to get soft serve last night at one of our favorite little shacks...Cole loved his cone so much he wanted to take it home even after he stopped eating.

Yesterday morning we had anticipated a train ride on Metra out to the far suburbs (finally), but with the rain and one of the local museums being closed on Mondays, we decided to head to my old office instead--the science museum. Cole loved it as he never has before. Leda even enjoyed seeing the baby chicks. Cole requested the airplanes--the flying thing is a fairly new obsession. Plus we hit all the usual trains and I was excited to see the new exhibit about bicycles. It covers lots of progress in bicycle tech from 1860's to today...with the highlight in the center of the room being a Cervelo P5.

Speaking of bikes, Kelly's being dropped off for maintenance hopefully means family rides together are not far around the corner. It definitely needs new tires...chunkier, non-race ones for recreation riding. Though he asked if Kelly wanted the aero bars off and she's told him to keep them on. I've been officially offered her carbon frame Scott CR1 Team for Ironman next year. Which I was hoping, but wasn't gonna get pushy. (Thanks, honey!) It's her baby which I totally respect. But she also is of the opinion that it's a fairly high-performance machine meant to race...collecting dust in the basement in a trainer is not the life it wants to live. So I'll be doing everybody a favor taking it for a spin. So I get to look forward to a proper bike fitting on it eventually. Maybe take that women's saddle off and put the original back, eh?

Back to normal this week, hopefully, with training. Last week was supposed to be a recovery week anyway. So I don't feel THAT horrible about slacking. But this week and next week are fairly high volume leading up to peak before I taper to race day. So I feel like starting with my swim tonight I need to make sure I get the work in. I feel totally prepared on the bike, less so on the run--but confident from experience--and just need a few more convincing workouts that swimming isn't so horrible.