A Day in the LIfe...

People sometimes ask me if the jet-setting, high-rolling life of a pro triathlete is as exciting as it seems so here is a day in the life of my taper week :
6am wake up (a little early but I have to train myself to be awake at race time otherwise the alarm on race morning comes WAY to early).
6:30 head out for a decaf. I know, I know, decaf coffee is like lite beer – it’s in that “why bother” category. This is a race week anomaly so that when I hit that triple espresso on race morning it is all the sweeter.
6:45 Realize that I am locked out of my condo. Oops . Try to crawl through the window but no luck. (thankfully the owners live next door and when I return from my coffee run they are just leaving for work and kindly let me back in).
7:30 swim session at the local YMCA. Love the 85 degree pool, it’s a nice change from the ice bath in which I usually swim in Colorado Springs. Swim is light with some pace work and a nice stretch afterwards
9:00 Breakfast of manna bread and almond butter and read the local paper. Do the crossword. (See, I told you this lifestyle is pretty exciting – when I am really feeling frisky I do the junior jumble too)
10:30 A knock at my door – its Terenzo Bozone and his entourage. Terenzo is an young kiwi superstar and probably the nicest guy you’ll ever meet (sorry ladies, he’s got a long term girl back in New Zealand). We head out for a ride together and he kicks my butt, but it’s nice have a wheel to sit on heading back into the headwind. It’s freezing here in Clearwater right now – seriously, I am wearing my winter gear in Florida! Good thing I have my flash new Zoot Multi-Sport tights to keep me warm…(check ‘em out at http://www.zootsports.com/2102.php. )
12:30 Roll around on the floor on my Yamuna Ball – it’s like a small plastic ball that acts like a massage. It is amazing at loosening up my hips and ITB after a workout.
1pm lunch of stone crab claws (it’s a bit of an addiction, I think I’ve eaten them every day here) on the patio in the sunshine overlooking the water. Life is good.
2pm Head into town to check in for the race and check out the expo.
3pm - Amazing Massage from Pete – I fell asleep on the table, half naked in the middle of the expo. I used to think massages were a luxury and a treat. Now they are often painful but a necessity. I must be getting old.
5pm Chill out on the beach and watch the sunset. When you live in the mountains you miss the ocean. I promised myself that every day this week I would head across to the beach to enjoy the sunset and it is spectacular.
6:30 Dinner - salad and chicken and a block of dark chocolate (I hear now it’s considered health food…)
7-10 chill out, read, watch movies, roll on the ball again, check emails etc. (I am a multi-tasker, even in a taper week I can’t sit still).
10 ish Bed time so I can wake up early and do it all again :)