And so it begins...again

I am going to do it.  I am going to do things that months ago I thought were impossible.  I am going to go out and prove to myself that I can do it.  What is it?  I have a list...I have a plan.  Of course I have had so many plans in my life, so many, too many to count.  I sometimes shake my head and wonder what happened to all those plans.  But recently some of those plans have panned out.  Some of those plans have actually come to fruition, much to my disbelief. 

When i crossed the finish line of the Bridgeland Triathlon, I held in tears of joy, or accomplishment, or something like that.  I had taken my sunglasses off somewhere during the run that morning because the sweat was hitting the glass and it was irritating to look through.  But when I turned that corner and saw the end in sight, just hundreds of yards away, I had to put them back on because I had emotions swelling inside of me.  Joy.  Happiness.  Sense of pride.  call it what you want but it was a feeling that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I enjoyed it so much that I went to Disney World. 

When i passed the finish line in the Houston Triathlon, and actually passed people doing it, that joy was back. 

Now I have a plan.  I want to get better.  And then I had surgery.  The details suck, but I cannot ride a bike for the next 5 weeks, and I cannot start training until tomorrow morning.  And train I will.

I have a list of things I want to accomplish this next year.  I have 5 months to get ready.  The list needs to be put on paper, and it needs to be done.  Will I accomplish them, I think I will.  I think it will get me ready for 2014, which will get me ready for 2015.  If the Mayans are not correct, then the next few years will be huge.  I am going to cap 2015 with a full Ironman, 140.6 miles of pain, adreniline, joy and pride.  But I cannot get to the top of the ladder without the first rungs.  So here are the first rungs of 2013:

1. MS 150 - Houston to Austin bike ride that is not 150 miles, but actually about 178 miles.
2. Kemah Olympic Triathlon
3. Kona sprint triathlon
4. Bridgeland Sprint triathlon
5. Houston Olympic triathlon
6. Katy Triathlon
7. Pflugerville Triathlon
8. Houston Half Marathon
9. Monster Mash 15 k
10. Tough Mudder Houston

Tough Mudder looks to be the new triathlon in my sites next year.  It is a 10 mile obstacle course with ice water swims and electricity involved.  It looks fun.

But to get there I still have some things to acconmplish.  Here are the things that are going to get me to those goals:

1. 17 week training program for running.  This will get me to the 13.1 mile mark and get me ready to run.  I hate running, this starts tomorrow.
2. 17 week training program to develop core strength.  If the words planking bring to mind pictures of people laying on tables on the internet, then this is not for you.
3. December brings 25 mile bike rides twice a week.
4. January brings 35 mile bike rides twice a week.
5. February brings 40 mile bike rides twice a week.
6. March brings 50 mile bike rides once a week.
7. Swimming starts in March, regardless of water tempature.  Thousands and thousands of meters a week.
8. Run, run and run.
9. A new menu consisting of no more "health" foods.  Protein based, healthy menu.
10. Hutting my target weight of 220 lbs by March, 48 lbs to go.

This starts now.

ian