Week 11 Goes to ...

... Life.

Webb: I once asked a running coach about how valuable frequent running is. He gave me a thorough answer which was consistent with what many have you read in hundreds of articles and read in another hundred is bad for you. The one thing he said to me that stuck though was, "Hey man, the most important thing is that life happens and you can get too hung up on it."

Webb: Which brings me to one of my favorite things about the sport of triathlon: The professionals have as much respect for us Age Groupers as we have for them. We admire them for showing us that limits are barriers we place upon ourselves. They inspire us to set goals and then smash them. Meanwhile they cannot understand how we can slog through a 40-60 hour work week and still find time for training, not to mention domestic responsibilities. Sometimes we can't.

Webb: Week 11 started out well enough. We knew we had our challenges with a short trip to Arizona planned. It was supposed to be a Face Off In The Desert. It turned out to be Laze Out in the Desert. No swimming. No cycling. Just one shake-out run the morning after our flight. That’s fine. It was great seeing the family and good friends. We’ll see you all again in February for Ragnar Del Sol.

THE WORKOUT:
5-mile easy run in Phoenix, Arizona

Elle: But that one run we had in Phoenix was really nice. It started out great, Webb and I ready to face-off in the desert. We headed out into the sunshine. It was cool, but not too cold. Just right. Although we both had some issues with breathing (from the flight? Allergies? Altitude? No ones knows), and I struggled in the beginning (Note to self: NEVER drink a carbonated beverage before heading out on a run), it ended up being a really nice, 5-mile, easy run.

Webb: This was a tough week. Anytime I know I’ll be missing work, I strive to get as much done as possible to keep any fires sparking while I am away. (That proved to be futile.) Usually that means staying late at the office or taking work home. Last week was no exception. Add to that the never-ending supply of laundry that needs doin’. Seriously, I do not know why The Laundry Industry has not targeted the endurance community with ferocity. "Seventh Generation" or "All" or some detergent company should have a race series. I can’t catch a break. And as you know, it is best not to let it sit unless you want your local Public Health Commission to condemn your home. Anyway, I’m looking forward to Week 12 and getting back on track.

Was horseback riding a leg of Ironman AZ?