Yesterday was my last hard workout before Nationals. It's the end of an era, just waiting to be topped off with a stellar race. As I was running errands this morning I was thinking about the top 10 things that are getting a little "old" about this part of the season. So, here goes. 10. Cleaning all the rocks and sand out of my bathtub that my wetsuit leaves behind after a pond workout...every other day.

9. Training without music.

8. Going through at least two sets of workout clothes plus warm ups every day.

7. "Building to race pace" in either the bike swim or run, or all of them, in every single workout.

6. The ache that my wrists developed from being in the aero bars, in stealth position, day after day after day.

5. My running flats smelling rank from being run in with wet feet, over and over and over again.

4. Having to write the workout on my hand because it's so complex I can't remember it.

3. Waking up at 2:30am to eat because I'm starving.

2. Running a "mobil training center" out of the back of my car with fluids, goos, body glide, several workout outfits in varying states of dryness, no less than 4 pairs of shoes, caps, goggles, bike tools, and still I manage to forget things.

1. And the #1 thing I will NOT miss about this part of the season: passing my husband as he walks in from studying and I walk out to train.