Back at it...

but just a bit.

I was surprised to find that the Wednesday after Ironman CdA I felt the itch to train. Not a big itch... but rather a little annoying one... like the kind you get under a cast... that you can't scratch. I had kind of expected to fall into the Post Ironman Pit of Dispair immediately after. I mean... isn't that what's supposed to happen? Aparently not for me... at least yet. I just think that my thoughts and energies are directed toward bigger issues... and as a result I passed right over that, "Oh my GOD! What do I do NOW?" phase. I have been relishing in not having a set schedule... not being gone for an eight hour training day... having enough energy in the evening so that when Tom says, "Hey DAD! Wanna jump on the trampoline with me?" I say, "You bet your ass I do!" (ok... not really... I just say "sure pal").

Having discussed it with Liz... she advised me that I should not being doing any "hard efforts" for at least a month following Ironman. Apparently the damage done is pretty deep and though you might feel like you're ready to go... you're simply not. Especially for an old guy like me. SO... I've been running a bit... not more than 30 min at a time... and I've swum a bit... no more than 2 miles at a time... and I've done one ride... roughly 1:45. All in all everything is firing perfectly.

I'm not entirely sure what the rest of my season is going to look like. To be honest... I'd like to race. I need those goals... they're what push me forward and there's a number of smaller, shorter, local races that I'm looking at. I've also begun to tentatively plan for next year... although its all pretty much up in the air at this point... which is both frustrating AND un-nerving for me... but... it is what it is.

Hope you all had a great weekend! If you did something truly special for someone other than yourself... big or little... take a moment and pat yourself on the back... it'll come back to you... I promise.

Thanks for taking the time to read! Hope you're all happy, healthy, and whole!

Breathe...

Who wants a marshmellow???

How can I put this?

I'm not going to write a race report.

I have sat down countless times to write this "narrative". Every time I start... I get a couple of sentences in and I grind to a complete and utter halt... I just can't write about it. I feel like I'm trying to "create" a story... an experience. I feel like I'm making things up. The reality is... I don't remember a whole lot about the day. I remember bits and pieces:

• Standing at the swim start, closing my eyes, holding an invisible hand and smiling.
• Laughing with Earl in the changing tent about taint pain.
• Passing Marit on the bike... then getting passed by her later... all the while laughing and smiling.
• Seeing my best friend from high school on the run... and stopping to hug him and tell him I love him.
• Begging my stomach to come around so that I can run to my ability.
• Striking a pose at the finish... b/c Liz asked me to.

I remember moments... but I can't put the entire thing together. The bottom-line is this: I ran this race in ernest. I ran this race because I made a commitment a year ago and needed to see it through. I ran this race because I felt like this was one of the only things in my life that I had control over. I spent 6 months... January through June... training under conditions that should have folded me into the fetal position in the corner. There is no logical reason that I should have completed this race in the time I did other than out of the necessity to see the commitment through.

So here's the deal: I have unfinished business with Ironman. Don't get me wrong... I am thrilled that I was able to complete the race. I am ecstatic that I had the experience that I did. I feel so blessed that I'm healthy, and capable, and able to participate in this sport... but I am not done with this distance.

Stay tuned and...

Breathe...