Iron Dad’s ‘taper weekend’ 1 week before the race

I’m in Calgary this weekend, 1 week before the Half Iron in Vancouver on July 3, and the last weekend to get in some ‘quality’ workouts, before a heavy taper next week in advance of the race.

Visiting my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter…she’s one year old this weekend…is just great.

The day after arriving, I did get in a good 40 minute run in the neighborhood, accompanied by 2 beautiful young women on the bike pacing me…somehow running around/with girls always brings out my best form 🙂

You can notice the handy water bottle on the bike being carried by my support crew…soooo much better than having 5 pounds of fluids hanging on my hydration belt.

Of course, they know about my training ‘obsession’, so we’ve been able to work my last BIG workouts into this weekend rather seamlessly.

Today was a BIG training day, reminiscent of my BIG training days over the past month…only a ‘taper’ version in respect for the race, only 7 days away now.

The day started early with a bike ride to the airport.

To get my lungs ready for the sea level race, we did some work at altitude in a Cessna 172 with my son flying, on a beautiful day…a Mooney joined us along the way…very cool!

Following the flying, I was able to get in a 30 minute ‘swim’ with my granddaughter during her swimming lesson at the local YMCA.  Although not my usual swim workout, my ‘splashing’ is much improved.

I also learned a number of water games, that if I knew when I was 1 year old, would have totally changed my meager, current swimming ability…and even though I have an off-tune singing voice, that causes people in church to turn around to shush me up, nobody seemed to care in the YMCA kiddie pool today, as a dozen of us, with our tiny, precious treasures, merrily danced and sang and played in the water…too cool 🙂

Next up we headed out on the bikes again…my son is relentlessly enthusiastic

…this weekend we’ve ridden the bikes everywhere

…today was up to a great saloon, reminiscent of the old west for a couple of cold ones with lunch to keep up hydration before heading back to the house, trying out a few twisting roads for pleasure and experience…very cool!

…okay, it was Harley and not my tri bike…it’s a bike right!!!

…tons of cyclists on the roads…for some reason it just looked like they were _really_ working hard today as we cruised by…do I _really_ look like that on my tri bike…geez….

…Harley’s are cool 🙂

And to keep up the high training load, I finished today with a 45 minute local spin, with an extra few wriggling pounds added to the bike, just to push it out to the limits.

A one hour nap today before dinner was a very good idea…I woke up refreshed, and ready for my babysitting evening while the young couple rode off on one of the Harley’s for a party.

…and hence this blog 🙂

So yes, a ‘classic’ taper this weekend might put a bit more intensity and length into the workouts, but there’s a lot to be said for recovering the mind and body from time to time.

…and for me, I’ve accomplished my primary fitness goals when I’m standing at the starting line of a race…because for me it’s primarily about the training…and the ability to maintain a calorie balance under the pressure of my love of great food, fine wines, and creative craft beers…the balance of training and ‘life’ on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis…the triathlete ‘lifestyle’ that I enjoy so much.

So I have a few races on the calendar, to help me focus my training, and help me get out the door every day, every week, when other priorities are pulling, because I have a ‘goal’…the race date…and I want to do ‘well’ of course, but I’m probably the happiest athlete on the beach when the gun goes off to start the race, simply because I’m there.

…and on the way to the race, a weekend with the ‘kids’…and our beautiful granddaughter…priceless 🙂

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