Haven't been able to get to this for a couple weeks and feel like I need to get moving on it a bit. I have started some other blogs that I will finish as I kick this thing off in full swing in November. The original blog already made my company's local newsletter and we have some of my co-workers standing at the ready offering up all kinds of support. Super excited about that. Can't wait now until I can get the donation site set up and can get things moving.
I have been training for an Olympic distance race on October 11th. I started an actual training plan and am currently on week 14 of 16. It's a trial run to see if I can follow a written plan and hit all my goals along the way. I ran this race last year and really enjoyed the course. You can click here to check it out. An Olympic distance race consists of a 1500 meter (almost a mile)swim, 40 kilometer (24.8 mile) bike and a 10k (6.2 mile run). It should take me close to 2 and a half hours, give or take a few minutes, to finish. I figure if I can spend 16 weeks training for 2.5 hours then I can put a year in for the less than 17 hours that it will have to take to finish the Ironman. It's a personal test to see if I have the self discipline to commit to a plan and actually do it. So far things are going well. Probably the hardest part is juggling day to day life with the training. It's going to get harder as the big race next year gets closer. My wife and kids have been great. I couldn't ask for any more support than they all give. They come to most of my races and make huge sacrifices at home to make sure I get the time and the rest I need to do this stuff. Big props to Knikie and all she does to keep me swimming, biking and running. Literally Knik has kicked me out of the house on occasion to insure I get my training in for that day. I can tell she is going to be a big plus to have on my side as we move closer to the main event.
So what are the goals for this Olympic distance?? Normally it would be to simply beat my time from last year. I haven't ever really gone out to try and win my age group or to be competitive with anyone, but myself since I started this whole thing. I have even asked some of my closer friends to give me some predictions on finish times for this one, but that was just to get a gauge on where they think I'm going to come in time wise (to see what they think I'm capable of). This time around the goal is much different and much more aggressive. I want to win my age group. I don't want any males with the ages 29-34 on their calves to pass me and if they do, I will make every effort to catch them. I'm going out this time to beat others, to truly race, to win.
Photo taken by Knikie Simmons on September 20th, 2009. It's my feet close to the finish in the rain at a local sprint race in Key Biscayne, FL.
