Hittin' the Road

Well, I'm off to Baltimore for the week. Towson, MD to be a bit more precise. It appears that we have a new store to open. So, I'm off to help out where I can.

This will be the first "Grand Opening" weekend I have been through in quite some time. Typically I am sent in very early in the store opening process. I usually help hire the staff, help make sure construction is finished, help get the merchandising in order, and most importantly, help get the staff trained.

This week will be a very different experiennce. The staff will already be trained, the building already merchandised and built, the staff already hired. In essence, I'll be arriving at a store that is nearly operational. My task will be to help the managers control the process of the Grand Opening weekend...something that is always a bit daunting. Massive amounts of business, massive amounts of people (staff and customers), and lots of chaos. Should make for a long week.

However, I do get to live on the company dime this week. Which is a bonus of sorts. And, after an inspirational conversation with MC at lunch yesterday...it's time to get focused on eating right. I've been doing plenty of riding/running. But, I'm still not developing good eating habits. So, I'm going to use this week as a chance to do exactly that.

It's typically difficult and relatively expensive to try to eat healthy when I am at home. But, with the company buying meals for me this week...it will make it a bit easier. Thus, I'm going to make a concerted to make healthier decisions with my food intake. MC is having some good luck by kick-starting things with a carb-free diet. I think I am going to try to cut back on my fat and carb intake. I'm not exactly going to go vegetarian...but, I definitely need to eat more fruits/vegetables (other than potatoes). Chicken is alright...but, I really need to eat A LOT more seafood. Fish, shrimp, etc...I had great luck eating those items over the summer. Time to get back to that.

So, the challenge this week will be surviving the test of mental endurance that comes wiith doing a Grand Opening weekend. And, having the self-discipline to drive past the steakhouses to find myself some healthy seafood.

I got a good start this morning. Orange Juice, Bran Muffin, and a Banana for breakfast. We'll see if I can keep that going.

Training this week will provide some unique challenges from a training standpoint. I won't have access to my bike. I won't be commuting via bike. And, since I'm staying at a La Quinta...I'm betting I will have access to only very bare exercise facilities. So, I'm probably going to be spending time on a broken treadmill in some dark, dank, grey room that vaguely resembles a storage closet. Sound like fun? Yeah, doesn't sound like it to me either. Maybe I'll try to get some running done outside. But, that always makes me a bit uncomfortable in a city I don't know. Just another challenge this week...

I have Fisk Knob coming up at the end of March. And, I still need to be ready for the Riverbank Run in May. Lots of work ahead of me.