What a great week!

The culmination of a great week came today as I ran 8 miles in the frigid, windy weather. Okay... eight miles may not seem like a whole bunch of road in the whole scheme of things, but its right where I need to be in my plan for March 26th's Music City Half Triathlon. This coming week, will take me to a 10 mile long run on Friday.
All week long my runs were great, each and every workout went just as planned. Some better than other, but as a whole I was very pleased. I have had to put my Saturday yoga class on hold for the time being. There's just not enough hours available in the week to do it all. I can for sure feel the difference without the yoga so after the 26th I will definitely put it back on my schedule.
Also this week, I started private swim classes with a local instructor and I can tell you for a fact, that after just one session, the improvement is a thousand percent. Just the few things he showed me and asked me to practice on before our next meeting will make a difference. I can't hardly wait to get this going.

Saturday March 22/08

According to my training schedule, I should be able to run 7 miles by now. This was the case last Saturday when I took to the streets mid-morning. As usual, and I cant figure out why, the first mile or so was the hardest for it seemed like every inch of my body was being pushed to the max. Luckily sometime within the first ten minutes my energy level kicked in. I don't want to say I was on cruise control, but it seemed to get a whole lot easier. I was able to work on form and some speed. Prior to my run, I stretched for some 20 minutes and warmed up in an elliptical machine at the "Y'. I had taken my GU jell prior to this, for it's instructions state that this should be done some 15 minutes before exercising. Forty five minutes after I got going, I took another jell pack, strawberry-banana and it was good. It game me enough of a boost at the end that I felt like I could have gone another three miles. But I know best, I need to keep to the plan. On area of concern this morning was the fact that I seemed to be having a hard time breathing through my nose. Must be allergy season as well. This week's plan is to swim at least three times, bike at least twice and run three times, with an 8 mile run this coming weekend.

2008 Schedule

The process of selecting which races to participate in this year was done with much thought. Being that this is my first competition year, I surely want to partake in events which will allow me the highest possibility of success in my journey. Success, as I define it, for this purpose is not to "win" any of the races I participate in. Success for me will be finishing each and everyone of these events. My goal will not vary from last year's half marathon. My goal continues to be "to finish, to finish standing up and to finish the same day the race starts"... somewhere in the middle of the pack, or better... would be a bonus!

This is the list of events for 2008:

April 12th - Purity Moosic City 10K - Nashville, TN
April 26th - Music City Half Marathon - Nashville, TN
June 28th - McMinnville City Triathlon - McMinnville, TN
July 26th - Cedars of Labanon Triathlon - Labanon, TN
September 6th - Old Hickory Lake Triathlon - Hendersonville, TN
September 16th - Music City Triathlon - Nashville, TN

And to finish out the year...

Boulevard Bolt 5 mile- Thanksgiving Day - November 27th
Memphis Half Marathon - December 6th

Bitten by "The Bug"

Have you ever been bitten by a bug? No, I don't mean by a spider or a wasp or an ant or anything creepy crawler. I mean a bug! Something that just got in you and you couldn't shake loose... not that you tried to get rid of it, but something that once in you it just grew and grew. Some may, and some have called it an obsession, I just call it a purpose.
It all started very innocently. It all started with the intention of just looking for a way to loose a few pounds, for I was what I thought was a bit overweight-198lbs at 5'10". At the very beginning it was hard, the most difficult venture I ever entered into. But fighting through the initial pain, it all got better as the days and the laps passed.
Before I knew it I was hooked! I had lost some weight and my doctor told me my overall health had improved tremendously. But never mind that... I felt Great!
Early January 2007, I wast talking with a friend, discussing my exercise routine and habits and he suggested I should enter the Music City Marathon. "What?, 26.2 miles! You have got to be kidding me!" I settled for the "Half" for 13.1 miles seemed a whole lot more manageable. I researched several sites that offered advice on a structured training program and once I found one I thought I could stick to, I went for it. Somehow, this whole process seemed a whole lot easier for me than I had ever imagined.
The rush, the adrenaline, the excitement of the event was unlike anything I had ever experienced. At this moment, I new the "Bug had bitten me". But I want more!
Now, I have set a new personal goal: "Ironman World Championship 70.3", Clearwater, Florida. on or around November 7, 2009. That's 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run.
So off I go. I have to set my plan and work my plan. 20 months will be here tomorrow!

UPDATE:  As you can see had a lot to learn back then.  I thought you could just register and show up for Clearwater!