Marvelous Monday!

Yes, that is right, marvelous Monday!  Why?   Why not!!  What was not marvelous about it?  I woke up this morning, I was able to put my feet on the floor!  My dog licked my face before I even had both my eyes open to thank me for nothing!  I had a hot shower in my washroom in my wonderful house in my wonderful neighborhood !  When I got to the kitchen my awesome wife had a great breakfast waiting for me in our wonderful kitchen.  I sat down and read the paper while getting ready for the impending marvelous Monday!  What, what am I talking about?? Think about it, your day was likely just as great if you put it in perspective.  Look around you and see what is happening in the world and each morning becomes a new positive adventure with a ton of opportunity and privilege that the rest of the world might not enjoy!  So, I decided that I should enjoy it and I did!
This weekend was a ball of fun!  It started with the frigid run that I talked about in my last blog and only got better. When I got up to go skiing on Saturday AM, the temperature was -24c(I think that is about -6F).  My thoughts as I was driving to the hill was how unpleasant the day would be, that is stupid cold and there is no logical reason to be out in it all day intentionally.  Oh well, my choices were limited as I had 3 groups that were likely going to show up to learn somehting. So, I out on my happy hat and headed out to the drop freeze!  It was absolutely amazing, the snow conditions were out of this world.  There was 6-7" of fresh snow and it was light as could be, it was one the few perfect days of the winter.  The cold was not factor at all, the sun was shining bright and no wind was to be found at all.  Over the day, I came of the hill for 15 minutes to have a small bite to eat.  I skied from 8am until almost 4pm non stop skiing every turn with passion and excitement, I loved every dam freezing moment of it.  It is winter and if you get dressed for it, it isnt all that bad!  Sunday was significantly warmer, but the skiing was eqaully as spectacular.  I had another day of being out for the entire day, with the exception of my snack time!  It was a great weekend of skiing.  Last night I slept like an baby!  My head hit the pillow and I was out like a light.  I did not stir the entire night!  I guess in a few more weeks I wil be trading my skis for goggles, shoes and bikes and be just as tired every night!  I cant wait to get it going!
Today was a fun day as I get closer to starting my official training program.  I am 222 days away from the start line and I am starting at day 170.  Until then I am doing the 'base' thing and having fun so that I dont hit a wall.   Doing the fun thing without any pressure prodices some fun days with some results which are also at times very pleasing.  To date, swimming has been a huge gain for me, I am most surpised with that progress.  I hope to continue on my journey to becoming what could be called a 'swimmer'.  Along my journey I have been somewhat passive with my running.  When I started this I was pulling arounf an extra few pounds and it made running a struggle.  I have never been a fast runner and an extra tire on my ass did not help the game.  Today I had a run like never before.  Although it was only 8k,  with boogers freezing all over my face,  I ran lose to half of my run at a sub 4:45/k pace.  I felt awesome!  In the past that would have been a pace that I would have been able to maintain for 500m then slow downs o that I did not collapse. Today I moved along at that pace feeling little stress or effort.  I hope that it is the results of training and will continue to move along in the positive direction.  I finished my run with a big smile on my face, almost feeling like I could call myself a runner! Wahoo!  I now am learning to like the previously frowned upon discipline!  This journey to the start line is more enjoyable each day!
Another fun part of the day was my trip to the weigh scale.  As some of you know I am a member of http://pfgtriathlonclub.blogspot.com/ .  I started this IM journey at a plump 225lbs and a bet.  Today I got on the scale and was 187lbs and 20%BMI.  My weight or BMI has not been in that zone since I was in my 20's!  It is a great feeling that as I move long this journey and chase what is becoming a true passion that I gain the result of becoming more fit and more healthy than ever!  I do have to say that I am now going to put more focus on my diet.  As my training ramps up I do not want to suffer because I am not getting proper fuel.  As I get closer to the start line I will put a focus on losing what I dont need to bring along, but I dont want to get to that point 3 months early.  This journey is a blast and I hope that everyone else on the IM train feels the same small victories as they go through their day to day training.
Until tomorrow wonderful opportunities, I am heading out to do a little bit of nothing now!  Cheers and Happy training!