Revolution Not Resolution

This year it is time for a revolution and I am ready!!! I just keep listening to John Lennon and know it is time for a revolution. My thinking has changed drastically this year and now I will have a time to act on it.

My biggest goal looming at the moment is Ironman Mexico in Cozumel this November. Boy I get really nervous in my stomach when I even think about that one, it will be a doozy. I have been doing four runs and three bikes a week. Next week the pool opens and I will add a couple of swims a week. The thing is I never get really fast at swimming, but I sure need to get stronger.

I have so enjoyed getting back on the bike. Man it feels good to cycle again and I forgot how much I loved it. Last week I even made it all the way up to Monte. It took some doing and I was a little sore in the hamstrings the next day, but it was awesome to make it.

One thing I am trying to incorporate this time, since I am not working as much and do not have six children at home, will be yoga. I hope that training will not be quite as stressful with less kids and less work and better weather. We will see. I do have the disadvantage of being 10 years older than the last time I did this.

Looking forward to an awesome year!

Half Marathon

I can't believe I committed to a half marathon. Not just any half marathon, but the Leadville heavy half marathon. It actually climbs to 13,000 ft. altitude. I am going to be sucking air big time, if I even survive it. I am doing it for my brother. We will be doing it on his 50th birthday, so I relented. So far two brothers and we are still trying to talk the third brother into doing it with us. Is that the sign of one sick family that we celebrate birthdays by hurting ourselves?

There was one hitch in the whole thing. I told my brother that 15 months after we did this run he had to join me in Cozumel for the Ironman on my 50th. His excuse that he sinks just does not hold water, no pun intended. I told him he could just come and watch and eat. He was fine with it as long as he does not have to watch me puke! He did agree to bring the defribulater and we are going to talk my Dr. bro into bringing the oxygen, I should be fine.

Actually I am more worried about the half marathon than the ironman. The whole not breathing thing has me really worried. I am thinking spending the month before the run in Flagstaff might not be such a bad idea. Two of my brothers live at altitude, the other and I are about sea level. I am planning on running up in the mountain here once the volcano settles down. I can probably get to about seven thousand feet running up the mountain. Wow sounds fun.

I have decided to include some track work for this run. Not to increase my speed, though that would be nice, but to teach me how to suck air more efficiently. I am not real good at that since I usually keep my heart rate really low when I work out. In fact my coach brother has reminded me that I need to get my heart rate up while I work out, since it is going to go sky high at that altitude. Man I hope I survive without any altitude sickness!

Ironman Bug

It has taken me 8 years but I think I am ready to dive in again. When I was 40 I did an ironman, or tried. Some poor guy drowned on the swim, so we ended up doing about 80% of an ironman. At any rate after that I decided I was done. Now that I am looking real close to 50 I am ready for round two.

Today I actually found the perfect one. It is Cozumel Mexico. Close and a good time of the year. The only problem is it will be a few days before my 50 birthday so I will be in the younguns age group. Not that it makes any difference. I just want to finish a dang Ironman.

So next week it is off to the pool I go. I only have about one year and 10 months to get ready for this baby!