By car, from my door step to Madison, WI is 268-miles and takes just about 4-1/2 hours (dependent on the number of rest stops and breaks along the way). But what fun would that be? Anyone with a car, $25 for gas, and a half-day can do that.

The road I’ve chosen (for me and for anyone willing to travel along) is much more interesting. The road I’ve chosen will take nearly another 9-months and by the time we’ve arrived at the starting line in Madison, we will have traveled quite a long way (Figuratively and literally).

In Fact, we will have swum 225-miles, biked 3,960-miles, and run 935-miles, and that’s just to get to the starting line. Once we arrive in Madison we hope to add to those totals another 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run. It’s only then they we can say ‘We’ve Arrived’!

Along the way I’ve planned a few stops, brief moments in time really, opportunities to pause and reflect on our progress. Oh I’m sure we’ll have a few additional stops along the way but here is what I’ve planned so far.

Our first stop along the way will be in Woodbury, MN at the Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon. This event takes place on Sunday March 01. I did this event last year for the first time. The swim is in the pool, you have time to change into dry clothes before the bike, which is on a studio cycle, followed by your best Gerbil interpretation on a tread mill.

Next, The Minnesota Ironman Bicycle® Ride, now in its 43rd year, is the longest running century bike ride in Minnesota. With routes of 100, 65 and 30 miles, this single day bike tour has something for every cyclist. The event is April 26, and I’ve chosen the 100-mile ride to get us started off right. The ride takes place in Lakeville MN, and is the start of the cycling season in the upper Midwest.

Then on May 09, we make a stop in New Prague, MN for a half-marathon. I’ve done this event the past two years. New Prague is small, quaint town. The water stations are manned by the towns residence and the runners vote on which water stop had the best theme, costumes, decorations, and spirit. The course has gently rolling hills through the surrounding country side and the weather this time of year is ideal for running.

Next stop, Buffalo, MN, June 07. So far, by far, (in my long and storied career) my favorite event, is the Buffalo Triathlon. The Olympic distance race starts with a swim in Buffalo lake. The water temp in early June has been brisk. The bike course has some rolling hills as well as some flat fast sections. The run is an out and back with the turn around in the town’s cemetery. The event is well run and well attended. This will be my third Buffalo triathlon. Professional Triathlete, Chris Legh, from Australia, is the reigning champion and course record holder.

Next stop, Duluth, MN for the 33rd (my third) running of Grandma’s Marathon. An enjoyable weekend regardless of the weather or the result. We are camping again at Spirit Mountain, and will have several friends running the race again this year. The event is Saturday, June 20 this year. The weather this time of year can be very unpredictable. Two years ago it was very steamy, last year, not quite as warm, but still sticky. The course runs from Two Harbors to Duluth along scenic highway 61. If it is warm again, let’s hope that the wind cooperates and releases some of those refreshing breezes off lake Superior. USATF passed a ruling last year that grants race directors more freedom with the headphone rule. Rumor has it that Grandma’s might have adopted the don’t ask don’t tell policy with iPods and headphones.

Next, Lake Nokomis Park, Minneapolis, MN on Saturday, July 18. This time as a spectator. Alexandra and several of her SEMS team mates will do the Miracles of Mitch, Miracle Kids Triathlon. The event is a fund raiser for kids with cancer and their families. The theme is ‘Kids Racing for Kids Who Can’t‘. Alexandra and her team mate Jake did the race last year. I was very proud of what these kids accomplished! There were 300+ kids ages 7 – 17, racing for an amazing cause.

Sunday, July 19, less then 24-hours later, we’ll be at Frank Murphy Park, on the Door County Peninsula, in Wisconsin for the Door County half-iron Triathlon. This challenging Half Iron course begins with a 1.2 mile swim in the clear waters of Horseshoe Bay. The 56 mile bike route travels along Door County’s scenic backroads, through the main retail district in Sturgeon Bay, along the shipping channel, out and back on a wooded back road and gradually ascends 200 feet up the famed Door County Bluff before returning to Murphy Park. The 13.1 mile run course takes participants north to the Egg Harbor Dock, up Harbor Heights Road, through the village of Egg Harbor, up the infamous Bluff Pass Road (200 foot climb in 1/2 mile), and through the stacked stone fences of Horseshoe Bay Golf Course before a downhill descent to the finish line.

Then on August 09, a stop in Cleveland, OH, for the 2009 Greater Cleveland Triathlon. This is an International distance race with a 3/4-mile swim in Lake Erie, a 23-mile moderately hilly bike course, and a 10k out and back run. I did the race last year, the swim was cancelled due to rough water conditions so the event ended up being my first Duathlon. The bike course was challenging, there is one hill on the course that I still have nightmares about. The hill is not long, just scary steep!

Our last scheduled stop, Sunday, August 16, prior to turning east again towards Madison, will be the 28th running of the Woodbury, MN half Marathon (also known as the Woodbury Country Mile). This will be my third visit to this unique course. The run takes place primarily on recreational paths throughout the community. It winds around four local lakes, is moderately hilly, and narrow.

So pack your tooth brush and join me. I promise it will not be just another boring car ride!