Happy December

Wow December 2nd, that flew by. I figured I'd get in my monthly update (ha ha.) Big news, our youngest daughter turned 1 yesterday, hard to believe she's been with us for only a year, i can't imagine or remember life without all 3 of them. So the days of sleepless nights & changing diapers are coming close to an end.

Given that i started this primarily as a training & racing diary, i'll get to it. With Kona, Clearwater, IM Arizona and IM Florida all recently happening, there is lots of talk these days about off-season and rest etc in the triathlon world. I, on the other hand, rested in the month of October (not counting 12-oz curls of Oktoberfest) and have gotten back to full swing in November and now December. We took the kids to Disney the week before Thanksgiving and I caught a cold on the last day (which is still making its rounds in our house) but otherwise I'm feeling good & strong. I blew up at mile 4.85 of the Pequot Thanksgiving Day 5-miler (i think due to my week of coughing) but i ran a great race until 4.85 miles, just below 5:55 pace. At 4.85 miles i just completely detonated, dry-heaved, form fell apart, had to stop & walk for a second, then jogged it in for a 30:36 finish (still avg'd 6:08 for the 5-mile race.) I think that without my cold all week i would have been in 29:30 or so, a bit faster than last year given where i hit the mile markers.

So i'm feeling good. So good, in fact, that I took the leap and signed up for Ironman Arizona 2010. I know Tempe well from going there on business 2-3 times a year and have run the run course (the old one & the new one) several times, so of all the IMs its the most familiar setting for me. So with that race way out 11.5 months away, I'm taking swimming very seriously this winter and being consistent as usual about my bike & run maintenance. I think i can rip 2 minutes off my 1/2-mile swim and continue to improve some increments on the bike & run to be very dangerous & in the hunt at the sprint & olympic distance races. I'm also going to do a half in September next year, not sure which one. But my two goals for next summer are #1- to win some friggin races and #2- to finish Ironman Arizona. My dream (not goal, but dream) would be to race IMAZ in the 9:30-9:45 range and qualify to race in Hawaii in 2011. But I acknowledge its a very long shot given my swim will probably be in the 1:15 range. I think on a good day I could lay down a 5:00-5:15 bike and a 3:30-3:40 marathon, which would put me in the 9:45-10 hour range. Based on my recent performances in the ultra mountain biking races, i'm feeling very good about my ability to keep fueled, hydrated & concentrated for a 9.5+ hour "race" effort. I know the paces & intensity levels that i can maintain and as long as i dont get caught up in the "race" i think i can have a good shot.

So between now & then I'm going to lay down an even thicker foundation of technique, endurance and strength & start to build myself into an ironman athlete.