Calculating my bike miles this week, I realized I had biked 88 miles in 4 rides. That's the most in one week since last year at this time when I did two 50-milers in one week (4th of July and the weekend after). Its much easier getting the miles in when you have extended weekends and/or are on vacation. Now if I could be as consistent with my running. . . .

Looking at upcoming triathlons, there is one on July 22 I would like to do, August 5, and Aug. 19. Then Crim on Aug. 26 and Reeds Lake Sept. 9. That should do it for the season. Funny how it seems not that far off to be the end of the season around here. Didn't it just begin??

Wearing a long-sleeved shirt on my run the other morning, I thought about the race where I got that shirt, a now-defunct 10k on the Lakeshore. It wasn't my first 10k, but I hadn't done many up to then either. 5ks were becoming popular then and I mostly did those almost every other weekend. I was obsessed then about racing. Now? Not so much. I don't mind the training, but racing is a lot of work, in more ways than just the physical side of it.

When I think of the difference in my attitude toward racing then and now, I don't know when or where the change came in. In 1988 when I started running, and 1989 when I started racing, it was unheard of to walk in any race of any distance. Now it is very acceptable (that is, if you let yourself). As for walking, then the marathon standards were your Boston age standards. Now, the same is true if you want to qualify, but it has become exceedingly popular for every person to do a marathon, and walking is a big part of the training. Then I didn't know any better and ran in the hottest part of the day. Now, if it gets over 75 degrees, I won't go! Then I would run every day of the week if I could. Now, I force myself to get at least 2 runs a week. Then I studied the results to see who I had to beat at the next race. Now its good enough if I just finish, even if I am last. The comparisons could go on and on, but that is the gist of it. Why was I more motivated then than now? There probably are many reasons for the change in mental attitude--past injuries, age, shifting priorities to name a fiew. Doing back-to-back long workouts to achieve a certain level of conditioning isn't as appealing as it was even 10 years ago. However, I do know where my weaknesses are and that's what I want to focus on so that when I do an event, I will have at least a minimum amount of training needed. Where this will lead me, only time will tell. The main key to any workout regimen is consistency, and until I become consistent with my training in all 3 disciplines, I will not get the results I feel I should be achieving with the years of experience I have. There is no reason for me to not be at least middle of my age group, but truthfully I have never been there since doing triathlons. Even if I am first or second in the age group out of the water, I am always last or close to last in the bike and run. So today instead of taking it totally easy, I will do another short bike and try to push it harder, rather than doing the long swim. I feel I need more biking than swimming, and more running than biking, but since it is 86 degrees out, I will be doing biking!