It's Monday.  I am back after two blissful weeks off.  Two weeks in Florida, with family, and with my new bike.

It was a complete luxury of a holiday - to be able to spend the time I wanted training, and then to spend the time I wanted with my family.  So often time escapes me and I feel pressured to fit everything in that I want to do.  But not the past two weeks.

I will try to keep this post brief, to show you rather than to tell you.  I had so much fun. And - truth be told - I am scared that if I write about it, the memories will leave me!

In short, over the past two weeks I:

• Learned to travel with my bike
• Had a proper bike fit (which I will write about in another blog)
• Fit in 13 training sessions
• Swam:  6.15km
• Biked: 155.74km
• Ran: 8.2km (this is an estimate - 50 minutes)
• Spent some quality time with two little cutie-patooties, my niece and my new nephew

As for triathlon stuff...

I discovered this amazing pool - the Aquacrest Palm Beach County Pool in Delray Beach Florida.  Apparently in the winter for NCAA team training they turn it into a 50m pool, but at the moment it is divided into a 25 yard section and a 25 meter section.  It was relatively empty when we went - except for triathletes.  Always a pleasure to swim with other athletes in training!

The purpose of the trip really was to spend time on my new bike.  Thanks to John Hirsch, the baby has a name.  Meet Ninja Face.



The two of us got along great.  We conquered this spectacular bridge - meet the Channel #5 bridge on the Overseas Highway portion of the A1A in the Keys.  I think this is the tallest bridge on the highway.
 


Even in a brutal headwind we had fun.  I invested in some Chamois Butt'r and that meant the pressure soreness I had started to feel was no more.  I think I've well and truly fallen for Ninja Face!

And I managed to get some running in - on the beach.  Beach running is great for ankle strength and stability.  I suppose I should've done it barefoot, but I wore my trainers.  Although I wore my trainers, I felt it the day after - that good kind of "man I have worked those muscles" feeling, not the bad "uh oh what have I done to myself" kind of pain.  I hope this helped to make me stronger.  I guess I'll see this week when I get back to the track...

Here is the beach I ran in Delray...



And here is the beach I ran on in Islamorada (The Florida Keys)...



And finally... 

Here are the two cuties I got to spend a lot of time with.  What can I say - my sister and her family are just awesome.  This was probably the hardest part of leaving Florida - saying goodbye to these little ones who will be so much bigger the next time I see them.  I have got to sort out my computer problem and Skype them regularly!



This week marks a return to reality.  Hopefully I can hold onto some of that holiday bliss and feeling of balance.  At least I hope to keep my training going strong and to continue to build strength in the run up to the start of my triathlon season. Stay tuned...