Well...I guess I've been goofing off long enough, and it's time to get back into keeping the blog updated and you folks informed...I know it's the highlight of your day...ok, maybe that's a bit overstated.
To bring ya'll (yes, that's southern for "you guys") up to speed, I did...well started (that's called foreshadowing)...the Jacksonville Marathon in December. I've had a bunch of stuff going on with work and life that have kept me away from the long runs needed to do well. But, since I had a free entry I decided to line up.
My only goal was to break 3:20 and get a Boston Marathon qualifying time...I knew with my lack of training I would have to really be on a great day to make it through. Long story short, it wasn't a great day for me. I was on pace, but started hurting at mile 7...let that sink in...yes, 7! Coach Will Shaw and Sammy "The A Man" Serverino said that if you were hurting at mile 15, then it was going to be a loooooong day...they didn't say anything about hurting at mile 7. Anyhow, at around mile 18 I decided to call it a day...Danny was running with me and our friend Troy ("Bowflex Boy") happened to be on the side of the road to give us a ride back.
I was still on pace, but knew that I wouldn't be able to hold it the last 8-9 miles...so instead of risking injury and/or a lengthy recovery, I DNF'd. I HATE dropping out of races, but decided it was the best option...and as Danny & Greggy tell me, "Train for a marathon, but don't race one". I've been trying to get back in the groove after the New Year, and have even stopped drinking...hopefully my marriage will make it through me being "on the wagon" again.
Shawn Burke from Velocity Multisport has a great program set up for me, that will hopefully have me going well for my triathlon goals in 2009. In April Danny and I do the New Orleans 70.3, then Jennifer and I head down to St. Croix in May to do the 70.3 there, and lastly I'm off to Couer d'Alene for the full Ironman in June. St. Croix and Couer d'Alene are my main goals, so hopefully I'll be firing on all cylinders by then.
Shawn has me doing one of his staple workouts...a Wednesday night treadmill run. I've only run on a treadmill a few times, so this is a new experience. The first week I set the pace too slow, and the next week I ramped it up 30 seconds per mile faster...and almost puked on the CLCG (Cute Little College Girl) on the treadmill next to mine. I was really hot, running fast, and sweating like a Wildebeest...this also meant that I was slinging sweat like a Spring rain onto the CLCG and the MMM (Mongoloid Muscle Man) to the right of me. I was in my own world with Black Betty, Du Hast, Dragula, Bodies, and New Dawn Fades (Joy Division version is better than Moby's...but have both) playing in the iPod...they had better bring more towels this Wednesday...
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