2-28-11 Hoop Dreams

Okay so that race in Tucson last weekend took its toll. I spent the majority of the week tired and was only able to muster an hour a day of training Mon. through Fri. Thank goodness for the weekend ride with Zia Velo or my weekly hrs would have been pretty dismal.

My consecutive streak continues and now I am somewhere around 70 straight days, and yes I am tired! The emphasis has been on the bike because to tell the truth the Gila has me a little worried. On Saturday I was able to get out of bed early and catch the bike team as they were rolling through Mesilla. I am glad I did because we really rode hard, something I just can not match when I ride by myself. We were also able to practice the crit style race which will be on day 3 of the Gila race. I went way too hard and lead most of the times around the loop course, but that's how I feel I improve come tri season.

Saturday after the ride we decided to go visit my family in Socorro and while we were there my brother and I were able take in a basketball game. The Warriors were playing for the district championship. I hadn't been back to that gym in over 20 years, not since we played the very same team (Silver City Colts) for the district championship 23 years prior. The outcome was the same... a Warrior victory! It sorta took me back in time as I looked around the old gym wondering how many of the crowd was sitting there in 1988 when we brought Socorro its first basketball district championship and state birth in school history. Later that night I even had a dream I was back in high school playing ball again. We went on to the State Championship so I hope history repeats itself yet again:)

This week has me itching for Tri-Fest in Tucson in a couple weeks, wanting to buy a new mountain bike, and accepting the position as the boy's track coach for Vista Middle School. What a busy spring it is going to be, but that is the way I like it! Tri-Fest, spring break, and track will take me right up to the Gila race which will cap off in May and directly into triathlon season!! I know I wanted to do as much as possible to get ready for a stellar season, but I wouldn't want to do this much year after year unless I was 20 years younger.

Last week the coach cancelled Levi's soccer practice and he was totally devastated. He cried because he was so looking forward it, was already dressed for it, and had already "pre-hydrated" with a glass of my cytomax. I decide to take him to the NMSU park and kick the ball around with him. We ran the perimeter of the park two times passing the ball back and forth. It was a blast! That was the first time my son and I had really interacted in that manor. I was waiting for him to invite me or for him to be ready to need my help and when it came I couldn't have been happier. As I have gotten older I have come to realize that although its fun to place well at a race or hit a perfect rhythm in my training, there are things that matter more and it will be those things which will ultimately give me the most satisfaction when it's all said and done....