Photo: 2-hour bike/run brick, 6:30 a.m., -26 degrees outside/ 69 degrees in the basement

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 7,500 yds (ytd 26,000 yds.)
Bike: 84 miles (ytd 353 mi.)
Run: 24 miles (ytd 101 mi.)

Boredom outweighs frostbite.

Photo: 3-hour bike/run brick, 8:00 a.m., 6 degrees, Marion, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 7,300 yds (ytd 18,500 yds.)
Bike: 97 miles (ytd 269 mi.)
Run: 29 miles (ytd 77 mi.)

Brrrific.

Photo: 9-mile run, 7:00 a.m., 22 degrees, Marion, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 6,500 yds (ytd 11,200 yds.)
Bike: 86 miles (ytd 172 mi.)
Run: 27 miles (ytd 48 mi.)

And so it finally begins.

Photo: Chilly dip, 10:00 a.m., 32 degrees underwater, 25 degrees on the dock, Excelsior, Minnesota

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 4,700 yds (ytd 4,700 yds.)
Bike: 86 miles (ytd 86 mi.)
Run: 21 miles (ytd 21 mi.)

It's easy... swim the very short distance from dock to dock... in VERY cold water.