I needed to take my bike, and therefore I needed a hitch for the back of the van to take the bike. $250
Registration I thought was $100, but it turned out was going to be $240 ($100 for the police/fire games, plus $140 for the race itself)
Extra hotel nights: $150-ish/night
Extra food for the family: Don't even want to think about it
Before you knew it, I was looking at almost $1000 for the race, and I seriously couldn't justify spending that kind of money right now. But we had already told the kids that they would be going to California, and going to San Diego too. At first we were going to take them to Lego Land, but at the last minute the oldest decided that he would rather go to Sea World than Lego Land. This was more than fine with Shawna and me so off to Sea World we would go.
I'm starting to get a little ahead of myself about the vacation. We had planned to do the race, and told the family when we would be down. They planned a graduation party around when were coming down, so with the race cancelled for me, we were still committed to getting into town by a certain date. The problem was not when we got there, but when we were going to leave. Shawna's best friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly before the trip and was going to be in LA to have the surgery to get it removed. Unfortunately, the surgery was scheduled for the end of our trip, so we extended the trip so Shawna could be there for her and her family. Luckily, I was able to get the extra days off I needed from work to allow Shawna to be there, but it meant being away from home even longer. This wouldn't normally be a big deal except for the lack of training that was being done while in California. This was one of my biggest frustrations about California.
I was gone for 20 days and did very little training in general, and even less triathlon specific traning. I got 2 longer runs in, a 10k and an 8 mile run, along with a 2.25 mile run on the beach. The problem with the running, was that my right lower leg was starting to hurt again. During the runs, I'd feel fine, just like during most of the day. But after the run, my leg would ache a little bit, and I have some pinpoint tenderness as well. I can also move my foot in a certain way and make the pain come on. I'm not really sure what's going on with it. I have great range of motion, no swelling and no real pain. It's just a dull ache unless I touch a certain spot or make my foot do a certain thing. Very weird, and something that I should probably get checked out. The beach run did get my leg hurting while on the run, but only when my right foot was landing on the ground higher than my left. The slope of the ground was causing my form to be all funky and my leg was feeling it. I put the brakes on and slowed down on the run when that started happening.
The other triathlon training I did while in California was one swim at the pool. My mom has a membership to the YMCA, and she got me into her gym so I could hit up the pool. My mom didn't know anything about the pool facility other than the fact that they have specific lap swimming times. So I went down there and quickly realized how spoiled I am with the Rec Center. The pool at the Y is tiny. It's only "20yds" long, and 5 lanes wide. I had to do a double take when I walked into the pool area because of the size. I put 20 yards in quotes because that's what the life gaurd said, although I think it was even smaller than that. Then there was the fact that every lane had old people in it. I ended up choosing a lane that had one old guy who was hanging out in the deep end of the lane in the corner. He'd lean back and just kick for a while, and then hang out. Then kick again. This went on for the majority of the time that I was in the lane. So I got one swim session in, and used it to work on my form. I saw a video of the Brownlee brothers doing some pool drills and they showed a drill where they play catch up with a kick board. You hold the board out as far as possbile, with your hands on the the very outside corner edges, just barely holding on. You stroke, but don't start you're other stroke until the first hand is back on the kick board. Because of the board, it forces you to have a good arm entry that is away from the body. This encourages the arm to stay away from the midline, and helps prevent crossing over the midline. It also encourages a high elbow for a good pull phase in the water.
This is what the YMCA pool felt like
The rest of the training was done with what I brought with me to California, a kettlebell and a jump rope.
I did a few workouts that I made up on the fly that used those two things, and it worked out pretty well. I was able to hit up Crossfit High Voltage in Burbank just once while I was down there and got a workout in with them as well. I had ZERO bike training and I'll tell you why (time to vent just a little). EVERY gym that I called about spin bikes gave this same answer. Yes we have spin bikes. No you can't use them unless you're in the spin class. Spin bikes are only for the spin classes. SERIOUSLY??? People are getting to be so retarded and afraid of someone getting hurt that you are not allowed to get onto a stationary bike unless there is an instructor there to watch you. Oh, I could of used the recubant bikes, but those pieces of crap are useless.
The rest of the vacation went as well as could be expected for 3 small children out of their normal enviornment for that long of a time period. We had our good times, and our melt downs, but everyone survived, barely. I have yet to mention the sickness. Shawna had taken the kids to a play date with her cousin and their kids. 3:4 of her cousin's kids are within months of all 3 of our kids, which is crazy because we live so far away. Well the play date had a little something extra in store for us. A little virus that we like to call Hand, Foot and Mouth because that's where the rash goes. The cousin's kids had it, and warned us about it, but said that they were past the contageous part so Shawna went. Little to our surprise, they were still contageous and son #2 and the daughter got it. I'm still not sure how son #1 missed it, but he did. So we had 2:3 kids come down with this nasty bug. Luckily it never went to their mouths, which was the silver lining. Although Shawna came down with something that I'm thinking was a spin off from the virus. Doctors claim adults can't get Hand, Foot and Mouth, but I know those who have. Shawna never got a rash, but she did get sick shortly after the kids started feeling better.
As far as Shawna's friend and the surgery, it went well, and everything is looking good post surgery. Shawna was essentially gone for 3 full days at the hospital, and another half day too. She spent all day on our anniversary at the hospital with her friend. We still went out that night, but didn't make it to a restaraunt until 1045 that night.
Here's some crazy numbers from our trip
The total miles place on the van from the trip: 2,347.6
Money spent on gas (est): $463.50
Amusement parks visited: 3 by Shawna and the boys (they went to the water park), 2 for me and the daughter. All of us did the LA Zoo and Sea World.
Number of beers that I drank while in California: UNK. I stopped couting after the second 12 pack.
Number of sick family members: 4, out of 5. Somehow I didn't get sick, but son #1 did for a day.
Number of times someone puked before we got home: 3, names will be withheld.
Number of people who got wet at the Shamu show: None from this family, the kids were too scared to get wet!
Number of times I packed and repacked the van before the trip: 2 leaving, 3 times before coming home.
Outside temp while driving home through the California desert: 111*
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