Baby, it's cold outside!

There are times when the "lows' will kick in during training for an iron distance race. It will never let you know when it's going to happen. You will simply awake and realize that the "low" has been waiting for you at the end of the bed, ready for when you. Ready to slap you in the face the minute you realize there is a long run in your immediate future.

To add insult to injury, it would also have to occur on one of the coldest mornings of the year. Never one to shirk a challenge and head to the treadmill, after what seemed like two days worth of endless cold weather dress preparation, I was out the door. It is always immediately apparent how cold it has gotten. The first most immediate sign is when your "gentleman bits" raise the white flag like a Frenchman heading to war and then shift off back so far inside your body that you worry whether they will ever come out again (the gentleman bits, not the Frenchman!) Luckily, you quickly warm up with your own sweat and heat release. Little do you know that the few loonies who are also out for a stroll are getting a entirely different picture. As far as they are concerned, the abominable snowman is headed right for them. This one perhaps with a contagious disease. Any form of moisture that has escaped you being has immediately refrozen the minute it has spread more than a millimeter away from you comforting warmth. That includes, but is not limited to, sweat, snot, snot rockets that have gone wrong and any other form of fluid that should not be discussed in polite company.

After the body was "warmed up" for the day, it was fast apparent that the heat had not chased off the "lows" of training. Perhaps a little too much too soon, or a little over-zealous on the long bike the day before, had left me with little energy for this brisk, winter wonderland run. It was decided, perhaps with the heavy influence of the outside temps, that the "long run" would quickly become somewhat shortened and a hasty retreat was initiated after a short 6 miles.

We are quickly in to week 6 now. The time is flying by. Too put it in to context, we are a quarter of the way through the 24 week programme. It is unclear as to whether fitness has remained from the previous season, or whether the training is becoming such common place that is seems to fit in to everyday life......or there is the third option..... that we haven't hit the real training yet. Easily referred to as the "walking around like a zombie" or the "kiss your family goodbye" portion of the training plan. This is typically the second half when everything seems to get that little bit longer. A false sense of security is currently enveloping my psyche, like a warm blanket on a winters night. Giving a warm and happy glow, only to be stolen from you as you throw off the blanket to discover the cold truth of the day.

Here's hoping that it could be some of the former, but as Napoleon says, it always f@!#ing hurts! Week 6 did get off to a good start though, with my first early morning swim in the books with Constitution. We hadn't worked out together in a while, so it was a good morning to get caught up. Caffeine pales in comparison with the effects of jumping in to a cold pool in the morning. The pool's ability to full awaken you in the shortest time possible beats coffee hands down. Although, coffee does taste an awful lot better!

As the snow falls outside my window (reminding just how much I love winter) spring is not far around the corner. Soon the clocks will be leaping forward and the snow will be dripping outside my window, with the promise of getting out on the clear roads only 6 weeks away. That groundhog better stop seeing his shadow and let us triathletes get on it!

Good luck to us all!