I've been fighting a cold for the past few days. It seems that everytime the stress-o-meter is redlining, as it has been since the death of my mother-in-law, then you finally get a chance to rest, some sort of ailment develops. However, the "training," while still guilt-producingly-easy, is consistent and is definitely upticking,

I've been giving some thought to the events I would like to focus on in the next few seasons. As discussed, I would like to do a 20km XC-ski race this winter, a 1/2-marathon next spring, and then focus on sprint triathlons all summer, culminating in an Oly to end the season. Similarly, in 2008, I would like to focus on Oly's and subsequently end the season with a 1/2-Ironman distance race. 2009's focus will be to train for a "low-key" Ironman-distance event...preferably within driving distance...but definitely race the shorter distances locally that summer. There exists an outside chance at going back to IMF that year.

2010 will be the Hawaii qualifying attempt...most likely in Placid but we shall see.

I stocked my back-office fridge here with all kinds of healthy food designed to keep me from going down the street to Tim Horton's. I also had a blog-reading patient bring in a new coffee maker and a new blender for me...nice guy that he is. The Smoothie of the Day was filtered water, plain yogurt, bran, mixed frozen berries, and 2 scoops of 5 year-old Interphase left over from IMF 5 years ago. If there are no posts for a while, then chances are I've died of botulsim.

It is interesting to see the changes in what I want to eat now that I've started to train again..."craving" is not the right word in that I'm not freaking out over anything in particular. I certainly notice that I'm paying more attention to what I eat and I suspect that this is not a concious activity...it just seems that I want better food/nutrition.

...no change in aches and pains...hope they get better soon!

On another note, I'd like to commend 40+ Rick Hellard (a guy I was always about 10-15 minutes behind in Olympic races 20 years ago) who just crushed the field AND the course in the Esprit Ironman-distance triathlon in Montreal this past weekend.