Vacation, a great book and a training update

I feel like I barely have time to write anything. Maybe it's because I have too much to talk about and I don't know how to get it all out. But I'll give it a shot, using a bunch of pictures to help tell the story.

We had an incredible trip to the BVIs. We were four families, each with a boy and a girl. Nick was the oldest, but there was another boy on our boat who is just nine months younger. There were two other girls a year older than Leah. Then there were two boys who are in second grade, and a girl in kindergarten. Everyone got along famously- at least until one boat stole the other boat's water balloons. We had two catamarans, so each family had a hull. I grew up with two of the other three dads sailing summers in Castine.

When I think about it, the trip was full of potential problems- there easily could have been problems with the flights, weather, boats or personalities. We talked with someone who was in St. John who had three solid days of rain. We saw the rain down there, but never had a problem. The only rain we had came at night (plus our return to Road Town, Tortola at the end of the cruise). The first time, I awoke in the middle of the night to light rain coming through the hatch. When I looked out, I saw nothing but stars. Strange.

Our route took us from Road Town to Norman, Peter, Spanish Town, Bitter End, Cooper, and back to Peter. Each place was great and full of stories. So here are just a few highlights...the last day, like I did three other times, I want for a short (20-30 min) open water swim. On this one, I nearly bumped into a shark (about 3 ft long), then saw a sting ray....

Peter Island

The whole group

Deadman's Bay, Peter Island

Cooper Island, perhaps the best snorkeling I've ever had.

Weeeeee!!!

An amazing sunset-

Saba Rock, off of Bitter End, Virgin Gorda. The entire island is one acre, taken up entirely by this restaurant and resort. One of the most spectacular settings I've seen.

Richard Branson's island, where you can stay for a cool $5,000 per night, per person.

We found a gap in the rocks at the Baths that the surf would drag the kids in and out.

Dragging the kids off the transom while sailing-

If you've made it to the bottom of this post, good work. As for triathlon......I didn't bike or run for eight days to give my knees some rest. In the last three days back home, I've done two bricks (20 & 3, 41 & 6) and run 7. I think I've overdone it a bit. When I got back in the pool at noon today, I was mentally back on our trip and tired from the last 2 1/2 days of training. I crapped out at just 1500 yards. I figure it's far better to get out and come back with some real energy in a couple of days as opposed to hating it.

On the trip I read "Born to Run." If you haven't, get a copy. It covers personal stories, anthropology, ultra racing, physiology, the sneaker industry and more. It's a great book, and could possibly change the way you run, train and race. Seriously, it's that good.

Mentally, I'm also working on a plan for next year already. It includes triathlon, but from a very different angle. More to follow.....

The season-opening race in Saturday, May 8. The Polarbear sprint includes a pool swim, which helps. I have no idea how it will go. Parts of my training have been very good compared to prior years. But then there's a week's layoff, how I feel now, and what I see others doing in training. I guess we'll see.....