It has been enough years now that I don't get as worried as i used to if long periods start to go by with limited or no specific triathlon training. At different times over the last 14 years I can say I have probably made it to about 3 or 4 months without any swimming, biking or running. At the beginning my lack of desire would worry me as well as the drop in fitness. But i discovered there would always be a time that my head would start to want to plan my program and search out interesting races. I now believe allowing myself this time, waiting for the spark, is what allows me to keep going with the energy and desire in training and racing that I have. These ups and downs brought on by many different reasons throughout life has also created times when i only took up one sport. And what a discovery that is as well after trying to fit in 3 sports a week. It allowed me to try more things in my training because i could do more of that 1 sport which ultimately raised my level in that sport and therefore also improving my triathlon racing when i went back into that. At this point i have not raced in a triathlon or on a bike since GWN 08, but put in a great year of running in 09. My swimming has suffered immensely and cycling certainly has lost a few watts, but i have had the spark for a little while. I am not willing to battle kids schedules with my own training schedule, but have found opprotunities to get in a couple swims a week and have actually got my spark back to put the blades back on after coaching my 6 year old this year. So if i dont drowned and some hockey toughens up my cycling legs I hope to get back out there this season as the desire to compete is going from a spark to fire.