Dark Tunnel

If there's light at the end of that tunnel, I still can't see it. For those of you who are in shape right now, and getting tired or burned out of all the running, swimming and biking and are thinking of just taking a little time off...

Forgetaboutit!

Going from "Iron-fit" to "not at all fit" takes about a millisecond, just in case you were wondering. The real depressing part is that me, being the anal-retentive record keeper that I am, happened upon Buckeye Outdoors where I had kept all of my pre-Ironman CdA08 training logs... and even though those records are over 2 years old now, lucky me - they are all still in there!

It's not bad having a point of reference, really. I can look back and see what I did, and the results that I got from all that effort. I can use that to gauge my next buildup to IMAZ11, and although I'm 2 years older, I can see what I need to do to reasonably hit my goal for that race.

It's just the darn evidence is there! I used to be fit! Now look at me; fat, slow, and did I mention slow? Muscle memory my ass! That's a myth. Probably started by perpetually skinny people who never would have dreamed of taking 2 years off.

My first Tri of the season, of my return to fitness, is in less than 2 weeks. A nice Olympic up in Clermont Fl, called the Florida Challenge. In the past this was typically only a Half Iron distance race, but I guess to up the attendance, they included an Oly this year. Good for me! Of course I can only look forward to racing and finishing - this is a "one foot in front of the other" day, make no mistake. It's gonna be awesome to be out racing again, though, you know?

The last time I was out here was in '08, right before IMCdA. Didn't PR then, my best Oly coming in '07 at St Anthony's. 32:08 on the swim - a 1:57 per 100 yard effort. Since swimming again, I've been at 2:10 or so per 100 yard, so I'm hoping I can push out about a 36 min swim.

My SA bike PR was 20.9mph average, and in Clermont, I averaged 19mph in the hills. I've got my base rides up in the 18.5mph range, so with the hills, pushing it, lets shoot for 18mph, putting me at 1:23.

Oh, the run. The run will be ugly for sure! My PR is 1:00:51 for a 9:51 pace. Of course, that was at 245lbs, and I'll be running at least at 275 on race day. I'm gonna be very real, here, folks - averaging 11:00 per mile after the swim and bike will be all out. 1:07 or so is the probable outcome, with an extra what, 7 min in transitions? Total time for my first Oly of 2010 - 3:14

The really cool thing is that I've got two more Oly's for '10; Longleaf and Key West - with plenty of time to improve and progress. That's actually gonna be neat to see!