Training... Work... Whatever...

I want to be swimming and running right now. But this pesky "having-a-job" business that comes along with being an age group athlete has me stuck inside at Lava Java dealing with the 101 things that have come up during the past week. And the fact that, between the Europe and Hawaii trips, leasing a new apartment, breaking my old lease, and making car and coaching payments, I am flat out br-roke for at least the next week or two. Ramen tonight, anybody? It's very sad that I am in Hawaii, and right now would almost rather be back in Texas, working. In fact, it's just wrong. But my glorious plans for three days of non-stop training were clearly ill-conceived.

So now I'm taking phone calls and sending emails and creating files and all of the other administrative tasks that come with having a job (regardless of what industry it is in). And the water looks pretty and blue outside, but still, here I am.

I keep saying that someday I am going to start making those big triathlon bucks that I tell people about (jokingly, of course), but I have a feeling that they are still a ways away. It's hard being on the other side of this, realizing that even though I love what I do, it is still a job, and it requires hard work like any other job. If only it were all swimming, biking, and running, and no typing or emailing. That would be perfect. But no job can really be that simple, so I have to balance work and training like every other age grouper. And the truth is, even if work and money weren't an issue right now, I think that I would still be too blasted from camp to even take full advantage of three solid days of training. Lesson learned for next year, though. Camp is work, and work is taxing no matter what it is. Post-camp recovery is key. You know it's bad when you can't even fully appreciate Kona.

Anyways, in 48 hours I'll be on my way home to my three favorite guys - Ken, Chuck, and Jake - and some serious time in the office and on the trainer and in the pool. For now, I guess I'm just stuck in Hawaii... : )