Chillin' in Chama..

The view from our deck, where we took off to run this AM:

This is me in my very special "Dollar Store" cabin outfit. Sexy, huh?

These are the Brazos Cliffs..another view from our place..

Hartley and Mocha's favorite place to be on a typical Chama afternoon:





















As we enjoy our first of a couple of days of "R&R" or whatever you call it when you are retired and want to get away from "it all"..

A few things have changed:

1. Chucky is gone! Oh thank you God for that!

2. The firehouse that exploded last year has been completely rebuilt.

3. The Chama store that collapsed from the snow last year is also rebuilt (last year not a good year for this area).

4. Our 14 year old beloved Mocha can no longer get up the stairs by herself. She can only occasionally jump up on the couch, where she sleeps up here. Yesterday, H carried her up the stairs to the main floor, put her down and she promptly fell and didn't look like she was going to get up. She falls from time to time now, just out of the blue. So H & I were having the talk that neither one of us wants to talk about-Mocha's last trip to the vet.. and all. Of course we got up this morning and not only was she able to get off the couch to go pee on the floor, she also managed to jump back up on the couch. Then she was jumping around like a puppy after we got up as if to say nope, not ready for that trip to the vet yet! I am ready for my walk now!

We took a run this AM up the road. I felt like I had rocket fuel in my shoes today. Somehow all this speed work I have been doing is making me faster. How about that! It is only a little faster but I feel stronger than ever these days, with the extra 10 lbs-must be muscle-(right)!

I am in search for what to do to train for IMWA. I have choices of course:
A. Self training with Beginner Triathlete IM program.
B. Use Mark Allen Online program without the one on one coaching part.
C. Ironguides..a new training plan I found online that emphasizes I think more higher intensity workouts. Hard to tell until you actually purchase the program which is already suspect to me..

I seem to be in charge of the decision although of course H has input. He thinks the Ironguide thing sounds a bit gimmicky. Also he has a tendency to get hurt with speed work so is not particularly in favor of that. Mark Allen training is great for us older athletes but in reality I will probably never get faster at IM distance with that plan. So do we go the safer route and stick with MAO? Or take a risk and try a new way to train for IMWA...choices, choices..

We will meet with Coach Eric next week, who will be taking us down the stretch to Buffalo Springs Lake half IM at the end of June...then July we will start Ironman training for IMWA. H is busy this weekend researching the rest of our 2 month adventure down under. I can't wait!

Sometimes when I am up here, I think I could just chuck city living and live up here. This is one of those times. So quiet, so simple..not much happening here at all..we are 15 miles from Chama itself, which is a town of say 500 people? Much different living up here. But..then I think what about our friends, our kids and grandkids? How we we see them as much.

It is not as if I cannot have all the alone time I want at home. It just feels different up here..All Walden's Pond or something. I remember reading that book and envying the guy in the book. Solitude was his friend!

Chances are slim we will be Chama-ites any time soon. I love my tri-biking with friends every weekend too much. Wednesday rides with bike friends. I love Starbucks and Albertsons too much. And then there is Kohls. There is not even a Walmart up here!