HOWE LESLIE Swim: 0:26:14 Bike: 1:07:44 Run: 0:48:52 Total time: 2:22:50

Here are my splits for the race. I am not too pleased... But I guess it is ok. The swim is shorter than I had thought it would be because of my problems getting into the swing of things. The bike is way longer than I thought it would be, but the bike time also includes my transitions, which I thought were pretty good. The run, well, I thought it would be about 10 minutes better than that. Next time...

The guys started their private swimming lessons today. I think it will help them catch up with the local kids who seem to have been swimming since they were six months old. I am hoping that by the time the swim meets begin (next Tuesday), Andy will be able to go the length of the pool without stopping.

Ron has started seeing a personal trainer. Today was his first day and he wrote me an email that had me rolling off my chair. Here is an excerpt:

"I get to the gym this morning and talk to Bob the trainer (not to be confused with Bob the other trainer). He wants to start me on cardio but says to me, "well, if you are going to be riding your bike on the weekend I don't want to burn you out." His chosen method of torture: the elliptical trainer. Now I have never been on one of these so this was all new to me, but he wanted me to do 30 min. So I hop on and start. Once Bob makes sure that I am ok, he is off and I am on my own. I am trucking right along and the burning in the legs starts as my body revolts against the torture that I am giving it. I look down to see that I have been on the trainer for 6 min. That's it -- 6 min. I think I am not going to make it but then, at about 10 min, the body kicks in and starts with the endorphins and life is good I don't care any more I am just trucking along listening to the music looking around. I look down and now I am at 20 min only 10 more to go ... I can do this and with all this sweat I am getting even with this machine surely it will rust in hell.. I finally reach 30 min and have to get off. Now the whole floor feels like it is moving when I step down. It was really something. On to the next part which is the weight training so I am going to hit 6 machines to work out my upper body.. Now this is all about the reps and I am to go from one machine to the next doing 12 reps on each. I get a brief demo on the proper way to use the machine and I am off making the circuit. After the first round I get a 1 min break and then it's round 2. Now I am done for the day and its off to the stretch machine to stretch my back and calves then to the shower. Tomorrow I get another 30 min of cardio with all new weights to work out my lower body. Oh yeah, I can't wait."

I laughed and laughed.... I will keep you updated as he tells me more!