My Princess Bride

Had another one of those cosmic weeks last week.

First there was panic about how I would get in all my training on a "build" week with all my baseball coaching commitments, work commitments and a planned trip to Disney for Mel's Princess Half Marathon.

Then, there was the relief of getting it done early. I had an awesome training week:

- Monday = 2700 meter recovery swim after the H2H half marathon
- Tuesday = Bike Trainer session followed by Strength Training

- Wednesday = HARD Swim Session as:

- 400 WU
- 1000 continuous tempo swim in 17:20
- 6x100 intervals on 15 second rest (last interval in 1:25)
- 400 Cool

Followed by a 6 mile run with 5 1:00 accelerations
- Thursday = Rest
- Friday = 60 mile bike in 19.6 mph avg. and 20 minute transition run (7:35s)

- Saturday = 10 mile easy run

- Sunday = Rest - Cheer on Mel at Disney Princess Half Marathon

Weighed in at 163.8 on Friday night which is nuts...I never thought I could get down to 165 yet alone 163.8. This is all about smart eating, no stupid snacking and staying focused on long endurance training in preparation for Half IronMan New Orleans.

So overall I am satisfied with my training...but ecstatic that I can manage so much and stay balanced. There were deep breath moments for sure...but nothing I can't handle. Oh yeah, JJ won one game and lost two but PITCHED in one game and struck out the first batter he faced...The look on his face...

But the real hero of the week was Melissa. Less than 7 months from being pregnant, she trains, starts and COMPLETES her first half marathon. It was the Disney Princess Marathon. 7,000 women started the race...many of whom donned princess "uniforms". Mel went all out with fairy wings, a tiara and a princess visor. Her double knee braces, foot orthotics and wraps were NOT part of her costume.

She ran it with two friends from the gym. I was very nervous considering has bad knees and ankles that have been aggravated through hard training these last few weeks. Mel's mind and will is much stronger than her physical body. I mean a STRONG will. She was not going to be denied.

She goes out in 36 and change for her first 5K. Several photo ops. and bathroom breaks later...she sees JJ and me at the 8 mile mark in under two hours. She finishes the whole damn thing in 2:59:35. Her goal was to break 3 hours!

That is blazing all things considered. She was limping a bit at the end but made it through a day in Animal Kingdom and a visit with her Grandma and a night of intermittent sleep due to Benjamin. No issues the next morning and now she is iching to run. That's in-human.

Of course, it's now all about tri. training. She wants to hit the pool, buy a bike, continue to run and enter the Naples Fitness Triathlon on June 7.

No doubt, I will see her on the Podium!