Weekly Workout Wrap-Up: Pure Enjoyment

“You must not know too much or be too precise or scientific about birds and trees and flowers and watercraft; a certain free-margin, and even vagueness - ignorance, credulity - helps your enjoyment of these things.” - Henry David Thoreau

Week 1 of my first ever two week vacation is coming to end. I've spent the last eight days in the mountains of far western North Carolina : exploring rocky outcrops high up on the surrounding ridges, swimming at the base of waterfalls, watching birds nest, sitting quietly as storms roll in across the lake, hugging 400 year old trees, eating and drinking local deliciousness......oh, and training for my first half-iron triathlon!

Technically, this week was Base 3, Week 1 in my annual training plan. However, the week can more accurately be described as Pure Enjoyment. Lots of hill running in a gorgeous setting supplemented by long and short day hikes, open water swimming almost every day (some for training purposes, some for only play!), home yoga practice out on the deck overlooking the lake, and biking - on my trainer because the hills around here are little too beyond category for me! - to my heart's content.

By the end of today, I'll have put in over 13 hours of training this week -- and have never felt better!