Today is Thursday.  I have had a pretty good week in training.  Our canoe club team won 1st place in our division for the 9 mile race!!!  It was a fun day down at Kawaihae Harbor with all of the other canoe clubs.  It sucks that I had to work afterwards, but hey that is the life that I chose.  

Our first Regatta  of the season is in Kona this Saturday.  It's a quarter-mile race. That should be great, too.  I plan on riding back from Kona as soon as the race is done so I can make it to work before dinner service.  

So on Monday I woke up with a sore throat.  Usually I don't get sick, but due to my Ankylosing Spondylitis, and more importantly, the TNF blocker that I take, if I do get sick, its usually pretty bad.  I didn't think much of it so I went for a huge run down the Fire Road to Puako from Waikoloa Village off of Hulu.  Then, feeling great, I shot south down the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway to Waikoloa Road and back up the hill.  I fealt awesome and did the run in 1 hour 45 min.  It was between 15 and 16 miles.  The next morning before doing the Costco run for the restaurant ( yes, it's the smart thing to do for small business here on the island),  I rode with the Bike Works crew for their Tuesday morning community ride from the Waikoloa Bike Works at the Queen's Shops.  That was a great 40-45 mile ride with breathtaking views of the South Kohala Coast.  Then it was time for a quick nap before our Tuesday evening paddling practice.  Yesterday I got the juice to go out to Kona and back before work.  I had a great 60 mile ride and made very good time in about 2.5 hours.  That is when it hit me.  I started to feel very under the weather, and I had to complete my shift at work so I could get some theraflu in me and crash out for the night and hope for a better day(today), which is kind of the case, but we will see how it plays out.  

This training is really making a difference in my stamina, endurance, and physical strength and productivity as an athlete, but it also takes up a lot of time and can take a toll on your health if you are not careful.  I'll be back at it tomorrow for sure!!

-H