Home Sweet Home

So you know that song by Johnny Cash that starts with " I've been to" and then he lists all these cities.
That's how I feel. In the past 6 weeks I have spent at least 1 night in 9 different locations. It was great and I didn't mind living out of a suitcase. I was worried that I would miss some things dearly, like my espresso maching and pillow, but I never thought about them. The trips and travel were so much fun that I didn't miss home. Being routine oriented it was good for me to get out of that rut and embrace a more hectic, helter skelter approach. Don't get me wrong, I did some serious workouts and stayed focused, but I opened up to new ways of approaching my training and life.
It's good to be back home although everything seems so much bigger and frantic. The SUV's, malls, subdivisions and general sprawl seem much worse than when I left. Of course those things haven't changed, it's me that has changed. Now that I have seen what it is like to live where there isn't a Starbucks, McDonalds, WalMart, Home Depot or any other chain store within 10 minutes, I miss it. It's hard to ignore those mega stores because they push everything else out. A good example is that I wanted to go have a nice meal, sit outside, enjoy the weather and have a gelato. The problem was that in my area, that doesn't exist. Yes, some places have outdoor seating, but sitting next to the parking lot isn't quite what I am looking for. But it does no good to whine, so I will make the best of what's available. There are some nice spots, but they require more driving than I care for.
The training has been decent, but tough. Being down from altitude for 6 weeks has left me winded. My first efforts were slow and painful. My throat was on fire and my legs were burning. Things are turning around though and I am feeling better every day.
Next on the schedule is the 5430 Half Ironman August 12th in Boulder. It's nice to race close to home after so much travel. The coming weeks will be filled with plenty of training and getting things organized at home.