Today was a Good Day

Some days you wake up and the sun is shining and you just know it is going to be a good day. Well not in the literal sense. You see it is 4:30 am so the sun is not up yet and I do live in the Delaware Valley so it's raining...again. I think we've had like 4 days of sun this spring. But you get the idea.

Having worked out 99 of the last 108 days and literally 23 straight days it is rare that I wake up and feel like a human let alone great. It's days like this that make the hard work worth while. The achilles feels great, the knee problem seems to have gone away and the herniated disc in my neck feels like a distant memory.

What can cause the human body to heal in such a remarkable fashion? Is it the wholesome foods that I eat as part of the strict diet that I follow? Three cheeseburgers and a stack of cookies hardly sounds wholesome...check that one off. Maybe its the deep cleansing sleep that I get each night? Haven't slept more then 6 hours in who knows how long and I wake up a minimum of 3 times a night due to copious amounts of water I am drinking....check that one off too. Is it the carry over effect of yesterday's divine intervention? You know what I am referring to...Survivors "Eye of the Tiger"...again not likely. I will have to investigate this more thoroughly at a later time.

Today, for the first time in a while, I can't wait to get to the gym. I start off with a solid 7 mile run. My heart rate starts at 65% and gradually drifts up to 70% by the end of the hour. The endorphins are kicking and time is on my side so I decide to make up for Monday's missed strength straining workout. I hit the weights for a vigorous 30 minute session and am off to the pool.

The swim feels great today. Some days I feel uncoordinated in the water but not today. I have a strong swimmer in the lane next to me to set my pace against. This forces me to focus on my technique and cadence to keep up. It is a funny thing when this happens. Neither of us acknowledge each other but it is clear we are aware of each other and pick our tempo up accordingly.

I vary my breathing throughout alternating every 3rd, 5th and 7th strokes every 2 laps at a time. This serves to increase lung capacity and help my body process oxygen more efficiently. My focus is high, my stroke strong and my technique sound. I finish the swim workout up with a solid 150 laps (~2.1 miles) in an hour.

A 7 mile run, 2.1 mile swim and a strength session...it's days like these that make me believe that I will conquer the IronMan this November. Experience has taught me to cherish these days because they are few and far between. It is only a matter of time before the pain returns and doubt will again enter my mind. Enough about that for now. Today is a day to envision myself crossing the finish line.

Tomorrow's workout is a 70 minute bike ride followed by a 45 minute swim. If I am still riding this wave tomorrow I may go crazy and mix in a couple of sit ups?