Early Retirement

I am going to retire. Not retire, retire, boxing retire. The kind of retirement where the champ gets beat half to death and then says he's retiring. But, they all come back for more.

Still, there are some races I want to do. I have never done the Marathons of Texas - Dallas, Houston and Austin all in the same season, 3 marathons in 3 months. And more of a scar than anything, there is only one race I have signed up for that I didn't complete, the MS 50. I had knee surgery 2 months before the race and had to walk the 10k instead of running the 50 miler. That was 3 years ago. This year, sandwiched between 2 Ironman races, I'm going to complete them all.

Nov. 6 - Ironman Florida
Dec. 5 - Dallas White Rock - 26.2 Miles
Jan. 30 - Houston Marathon - 26.2 Miles
Feb. 20 - Austin Marathon - 26.2 Miles
Feb. 27 - Ft. Worth Cowtown Ultra - 31 Miles
March 5 - Mississippi 50 - 50 Miles
May 21 - Ironman Texas

What am I going to do in "retirement?" You already know.

The Gift Catalog

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkyy9pvjU2Y

Healed

Accident

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

And, I am playing ultimate frisbee today.

1 YR

A year ago today, I had a more exhausting day than today. I spent 15 hours running around and completed my first Ironman.

The greatest thing about having completed an Ironman is the mad respect. I would say 90% of the people I have talked to in the last year have no idea exactly how far an Ironman is, they don't know the distances, but they also don't need to, they know it is just nuts.

God willing, this time next year I will have completed 3 Ironmans. And that makes me nuts.

Body Battle

I was feeling really good and about to jump start super endurance build up when I got busted in the face with an elbow. Stitches two weeks ago, then my stomach goes on a hate-me-for-ceviche bout, and now I have metatarsalgia.

On a run, with an unfortunate step right up against a curb, I bruised the ball of my foot. It is the first injury I have had running and I was wearing my five fingers. Five fingers, you got some splainin to do. Actually, I think my feet just got soft due to a lack of activity for the past two weeks. 

I'll be thankful to be healthy and at full strength again. And then body, you will really suffer.

Creepy Office

The doctor said I must wear a beard at all times, forever.

Or, a Tom Selleck mustache, my choice.

Protecting the Head

My new bike helmet came today!
Maybe should have worn it playing ultimate frisbee.

Mama always said, "snitches get stitches."

I ain't a snitch.
But with an elbow to the face I did get 7 stitches.

Faster with Farther

It has become really clear to me that I have one speed. I am not fast. So, I am going to become faster by going farther. I think increased endurance is my key to a faster pace, not speeding up my pace and then adding distance to it (as is recommended). Never slowing and never becoming winded is my new goal.

Becoming tired while running is killer. It eats away at your mind and makes you hate running, so much so, walking becomes acceptable. I am hoping to finish this Ironman while there is still light, and never walking is going to be key.

Running in the Rain

It rained a bunch yesterday, all day. So, I went for a run. There's something cool about rain in that once you are soaking wet, you can't get any wetter. 2 hours later I was just as wet as right after I started.

I have been really fortunate to have never had terrible weather on a race day. Twice it has forecasted disaster, one of those being Ironman Lake Placid, but it is fun to train and get in some fun in something other than the sun.

This was my last run in the rain. It has been a while.

Fine Print

1. I HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE AND ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT. I acknowledge running, bicycling, swimming, and/or other portions of this Event are inherently dangerous and are an extreme test of my physical and mental limits that carries with them the potential for serious bodily injury, permanent disability, paralysis and death, and property damage or loss...

This is the beginning of an 8 page waiver I printed, and of course signed without reading much further.

Six Hundred and Thirty Dollarinies

Perhaps crazier than actually completing an Ironman is paying $630 to compete in one. I have completed 1 Ironman and am currently signed up for 2 more.

Maybe I need a lobotomy.

IRONMAN 3!!!

They are adding an Ironman in my own backyard!

Sign up is today at Noon, I'll be at my computer hitting the refresh button about 100 times at 11:59.

Doing Things Differently

This Ironman will not be the same. Different course, different me.

Ironman Lake Placid's swim was in a calm lake with biking and running in mountains. Ironman Florida's swim is in the Gulf of Mexico with biking and running basically on a runway. I was a tank before, it worked, and I think it would work again. But, somehow I hope I am smarter, more experienced and am building a better ride for the journey.

Here are some notable differences from ironman me a year ago:

• I eat a lot less. Before I usually ate 2 dinners most nights. It was an awesome feeling to eat 2 dinners and somehow feel stronger, like much stronger.

• I drink a lot of water and really not much else. Before I would drink Gatorade at an amazing rate.

• I am running more barefoot. I want to do a marathon barefoot, mainly for shock value, but for now my FiveFingers are getting a good run.

• I don't care about building up muscle. I use to do a lot of push ups, the Perfect Push-up will just have to gather dust for now.

I am going for lighter and quicker. Only one way to see if this way works.

The Opponent

One bad thing is it seems for the past month I haven't thought about Ironman. Not that I forget I am signed up and not that I haven't been active, just not really thinking about a grueling event that wants to put me in the hospital.

It makes you think about a boxer with an upcoming fight, you know they are thinking about the other person wanting to punch their face in, every day.

Currently, starting over, building up and serious training for 4 months leading up to another Ironman seems tougher than just going out and doing the event itself tomorrow.

Maiden Voyage

One day I might do some real running, swimming and biking. Not today. I carried this beast of a pack 3 miles, but got a 2 hour kayak warm up in before all the heavy lifting. 

                                   

This is much easier to carry than the ladder.

The unload. I love you SeaEagle.