Nesting for Baby Choo

Jason suffered through his workout with a view like this. 

It's a good thing that we're in the taper stage of Ironman training because workouts are taking a backseat to the demands of work, children, and general domesticity.

We're still taking treks to Sioux Falls for our swims thanks to the drained pool about a mile and a half away from us and the persistently bluish green lake in the backyard.

This weekend, we divided and conquered, thanks again to lots of help. Jason headed out west to cover South Dakota's first (ever) half ironman distance triathlon at Custer State Park. He took off on Friday so he and our friend who was competing could complete workouts in a new environment Saturday and prepare for Sunday's event.

While Jason was soaking in the beauty of the Black Hills, I stayed home with the minions. And the clothes dryer quit. However, thanks to daycare Saturday, two very brave friends on Saturday (one who watched our three little people with her three little people and another who rode a 50+miler with me), and another good friend on Sunday, I finished both of my long-ish workouts this weekend, picked up a used clothes dryer (thanks Craigs List), and moved the old dryer out.

Good thing we're tapering.

This weekend allowed for a few moments of reflection. Since the last seven years of my life with this year aside have consisted of being pregnant, having a baby, and then nursing and caring for a newborn, I can't help see comparisons (or stark contrasts) between life now and life the last six years.

Tapering for an Ironman sure feels a lot like nesting.

Maybe I'm just losing it a little and second guessing things, but seriously. I have been doing some of the very same things I've done three times now. I'm thinking the same thoughts. And in a way, the past seven years have prepared me for this week. Let's look a little at the comparisons.

The Chattanooga Handbook--it's like the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" for Ironman.

We count down the days until the due date. Literally.

Our trainer asked us to start "visualizing" a perfect day, a moderate day, and an "everything-goes-to-the-dogs" kind of day to prepare for what's to come. We took a class like this (which included some graphic video footage) a few months before baby number one came.

We've mapped out the route to Ironman . . . kind of like how we mapped out the route to the hospital and practiced it just in case things didn't go as planned.

I spent Monday morning preparing and freezing six meals so we would have something to eat while we recover from Choo. Yep, this felt familiar.

I'm thinking about packing an overnight bag soon.

I've been told this will be the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever done.

I've read and heard that we might experience some depression after this event has passed.

Yep. Ironman. It's a lot like nesting.

Twelve days left . . .