Dirk rocks!

Finally got to train at the end of the afternoon. I had originally planned on a 16k run from my kids' school to the mountain. Today's weather was superb.

But then as I was getting ready, I noticed Dirk on-line and said hello ... How horrible! An inattentive motorist almost ran him over! He hadn't even bothered to look when Dirk approached him on his right. As Dirk told me, Miami motorists pay attention only to other cars, and not to cyclists or pedestrians.

He tells me he'll be alright ... he fell on his chest and left knee and also received a gash on his right calf. He'll have to take some time off training because his knee is definitely injured ... Ouch! I'm just happy he didn't have a worse injury.

By the way, yes, these are some pics of Dirk, my trainer, good friend, and 22-time Ironman. He's an incredible guy!

So after speaking with him on the phone and making sure he was alright, I realise that now, I obviously have a lot less time left. So I tell him, "Well I should try to get in at least a 10k." He says "10k minimum, no, 11k". (By the way, I can't believe he still believes I'll be able to pull it off ... you know, an Ironman ...)

We continue talking, and I think, "Well, I would have enough time if we didn't like chatting so much." I finally make my way to my start point for today's run.

I had a good run nonetheless. I decided that what I lacked in distance, I would make up in intensity. Ran 40 minutes at tempo pace with 15 min. warm-up and cool down. So 55 min. in all. Probably got in close to that 10k, but definitely not 11k (sorry Dirk!).

I'm not a huge fan of tempo running, but I figured it would be good for me to work on a quicker turnover and lifting the legs a bit higher in the front. Today, I had to breathe pretty deeply, none of that easy-breezy-let's-have-a-good-chat pace that I really love. I had to work!

Tonight, I watched ER and the news while I cycled for 75 min.

There's a British woman who's 63 who decided to have a baby with her husband. They're both in good shape and have already had children so understand what parenting is about. There are those against it. I don't see anything wrong with it. Yes, the child's parents will be older, but heck, how many men father children even into their 70's? Didn't Clint Eastwood have a child? How many children have parents who don't take care of their health, do no exercise, smoke, drink and don't eat healthily? How many parents neglect or abuse their children? Who are we to say?! Besides, death can come at any age, not just old age ...

What's your opinion?