Shedding Fatigue

Holy cow! Honu is next week! A week from right now I'm going to be eating my pre-race dinner and my bike will be checked in and my transition bags will be turned in and... Yikes! The big races are upon us! Finally.

Just in time for the 2nd biggest race the Big Island has to offer, apparently some sharks have started tasting surfboards for fun... Yikes again! You know, I've been swimming in the ocean regularly for years and I have never ever laid eyes on a shark. In the back of my mind I kinda think they don't really exist... like the loch-ness monster? Maybe I'm wrong on that, but while ocean swimming I've only ever personally seen dolphins and turtles and manta rays.... and I've heard whales singing... that was cool... just never seen a shark. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Let me be naive. It makes ocean swimming a lot more tolerable when you think like I do. :)

Anyway, Hapuna Beach (where we will be swimming) is 25+ miles north of where those most recent sharks have been feeding, so seriously, if you're coming out to race Honu, we will be fine. No worries at all about sharks. What you *might* want to be worried about though is the wind. Seems like it has been blowing strong and steady (like gale force) all spring. Pretty much every time I've been out on my bike lately I've thought, "This is like the worst day we've had!" I haven't checked the weather pattern to see what the forecast is, but know that we've been crazy lucky in the last few years over there because on race weekend the winds have been very light... this year might be a different story. Personally I don't mind a bit if the winds are howling... But if you're not used to riding in windy conditions, well, you might be in for a special treat. Consider it an honor to get to experience the Legendary Winds of Hawi. ;)

Anyway, this week I've had some pretty light training days. Coach calls it Shedding Fatigue. I call it Getting Grumpy. I understand the concept behind rest and all, but that doesn't mean I have to like it... Interestingly, in Macca's new book he talks about how athletes are afraid of rest when they are not confident in their training... not sure I agree on that. I am confident in my training. I think I just don't prefer rest because I actually enjoy training. Beyond that tiny disagreement, I have to say that Oh MY, I have *never* devoured a book the way I am devouring Macca's new book. Very enjoyable. I highly recommend it.