Where's Donald

Since I started at my new job last year July, which is in another city, 110km away I've been traveling the same route everyday, 6 days a week. The biggest part of the route(90km) is on the freeway and there is a small pond next to the freeway about halfway on the route. The pond is only visible when I return home in the evenings as it is very small and is in a ditch. After a few days I noticed this little duck all on his own in the pond, but didn't think much of it. As I became a seasoned traveller on this route, the duck became part of my trip home and I would look at this duck every afternoon as he keeps himself busy in the water. You guessed right I named him Donald, although I have no clue if it is a male or female. Lately I would even slow down and see what Donald is doing. For me Donald is part of my trip home but surely Donald sees thousands of cars everyday so I am just another car passing by. Without exception for the past eight months Donald was always in the pond until last week Monday. There was no sign of Donald but I didn't think much of it, but it has been now a whole week and Donald is still missing.

It is funny how something this stupid can upset you as you think of it every evening and hope to see the duck. As they say you only realize how you miss something until you don't have it anymore. Donald was never mine but he became part of my everyday journey. I hope nothing bad has happened to Donald but instead maybe he found a new bigger pond or even a mate and moved away.

The last two days was big training days and tomorrow is also big with a 3 hour run. Today was another killer with a brick session consisting of a 6 hour ride and a 30 min run and that after a gym session this morning. Luckily next week is a taper week for my half Ironman on Sunday. Last year I did a PB at the same event but was on a whole different training program. I don't expect to do that well as I just finished my power gym phase and my legs still need to recover with the Chisel phase starting now. But that is all part of my plan to be in the best shape ever for Ironman South Africa on the 5th of April.


Yesterday's workouts

Swim: 1h24, 3.5km, 121 bpm ave, 1013 kcal
Run: 40min, 7.8km, 124 bpm ave, 5:08min/km, 497 kcal
Bike: Intervals 40min, 25km, 37.5 km/h, 126 bpm ave, 513 kcal

Today's workouts

Gym: 1h07, 529 kcal
Brick--Bike: 6h03, 175 km, 28.9 km/h, 3950 kcal
Run: 27 min, 5.5 km, 4:54 min/km, 132 bpm ave, 367 kcal.