Four days to go....

So, as I committed to losing my sanity and doing the Wildflower Long Course, I promised that I was going to be better about posting updates.

Fail.

Life gets in the way.

Two fronts to update.  First and foremost, Wildflower.

This is going to be my first 70.3, and who knows if it will be the last.  I think it will be a good test to see if the full ironman for the big 40 is a realistic option.  Personally?  Mind over matter.  But I think my wife would probably leave me if I basically took a whole year to train for an event.  She has been more than accommodating with the time commitment that I've put in to Wildflower, and so I thank her for that.  Anyway, how do I feel... Good.  I can do this.  It ain't going to be pretty, but I think I will meet my goal - finish on my own two feet.  

The season has gone very well... in some ways too fast; I'm going to miss hanging out with the EB Tri Team.  I've met a lot of really cool people (as I always do with TNT)... Just hope that we're all able to stay in touch.  I haven't had any real injuries this season - which is good... although I've had the sporadic foot problems. Plantar fascitis (sp?).  I can tell it isn't gout - because it isn't swollen.  But a day after a run, if it isn't stretched out, man it's hard to walk.  And thank god it's in my right foot and not my left.  Because I don't know how I would be able to operate a clutch.  But I feel good.  I'm looking forward to the experience of a big 70.3; and I'm looking forward to that beer at the finish line.  The only sad part is that I can't see my teammates race on Sunday.  That's the other big update.

We're moving.  Yep.  Leaving OakTown and heading back to the 925.  We found our little piece of suburbia.  Got the keys today, and move next week.  So that's it.  We found our 30 year plan.  Couldn't be more happy.  Ready to start the next chapter of our lives.  OAK had its moments.  Some good, some bad. And I will miss our house... We have a lot of sweat equity, and we had some good times there.  And contrary to popular belief, I will miss having my in-laws around the corner.  That element has been the high-point of our 6.5 years here.  One of these days I'll give you the long narrative of my 9-years in the east bay; but not right now.  Time to go to bed.

Anyway, next time you hear from me, I will be HALF IRON.  

Till next time...

40 days to Wildflower....

So... we're at right around 40 days to Wildflower. What have I learned thus far?

Doing this with Team in Training is the only way that I would ever be able to get myself to the point that I can finish. Well, outside of paying a private coach... but that's not exactly in the budget. It's kind of fun though - having done several triathlons in the past, a lot of the folks on the team look at you like "Whoa! That's cool!" Actually, it's pretty cool - I was in their position four years ago - and by no means am I an expert here, but it's nice to be able to say "Yeah. Here's what's going to happen, you don't need to worry about this, you'll be fine if you do that, etc."

So what have I learned...

Well, the most important thing is that I think I can do it. My first 70.3, and of course I sign up for the one that a lot of people say is the most difficult in the nation. It ain't gonna be pretty, but that's not the point. The point is to cross the finish line, preferably in one piece and standing up.

I also learned that being awakened by your coach at quarter to six with Flight of the Valkyrie followed by the Imperial March, and capped off with Red Solo Cup is a bit of a surreal experience.

I learned that swimming 1.2 miles and then transitioning to your bike for a 56 mile ride isn't that bad.

I learned that you really can never put enough body glide on your neck. When in doubt, just put another streak on and your wetsuit won't chafe the living hell out of you.

I learned... no not learned... confirmed that riding 10 consecutive miles in a headwind, followed by six fast miles, followed by another six miles of headwinds, followed by 3.5 miles of gargantuan climbs (not to mention some bitchin' descents), followed by another 10 miles of headwinds really sucks. But at least it wasn't raining.

I learned that when you're going 40+ on a lightweight road bike and you get hit by a heavy crosswind that you may come close to shitting your pants. Even if you're expecting it.

I learned that running (okay... run-walking) 13 miles isn't that bad. It's the 0.1 mile that you still have left when the other 13 is done that is the toughest.

I learned that diaper rash cream may not just be for babies.

I reconfirmed that after one hell of a workout, that ice cold beer really does taste amazing.

Bring it on, Wildflower.

HAVE YOU TOTALLY LOST YOUR MIND????

The short answer, I guess, is yes.

2012 is officially upon us, and part of me feels obligated to do my usual “year in review” post. But you know what, I’m just too lazy. 2011 was a good year overall, I’m not going to complain, so let’s just leave well enough alone. My goal is to make 2012 even better than 2011.

I’ve made a few resolutions – personally, professionally, financially, most of which none of you (the three or four of you who actually read this) are going to care about. One of those resolutions however is something I’ve been threatening to do for a while, and I have decided (probably after a few beers) that 2012 is my year.

As I find myself about to turn 35, I find myself feeling almost as bad as I did when I turned 30. Stressed, overweight, not exercising (as much as I want), and just generally kind of “bleh.” (Yes, that is the clinical term for it). I think about how a couple of years ago riding my bike for 50 or 60 miles was “a good start to a Saturday,” to now how a 30-mile ride is “a hell of a workout.” I think about how drastically undertrained (yes, somewhat due to the fact that it rained pretty much clear through June) I was for last year’s century ride with one of my oldest friends, Scott.

And then I think about Scott.

10 years ago, there was a pretty good chance that today there would be no Scott, and I would be thinking about Scott in the past tense. But 10 years later, I am fortunate enough to be able to just pick up the phone and call him.

But I digress… Why have I lost my mind?

I am making good on my threat to complete the Wildflower long course triathlon. This is a half-ironman distance… 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run.

Now, Ryan and Dana have both done races of this distance (Ryan has even completed the long course at Wildflower). But people have called the Wildflower course more difficult than full ironman courses. This will be the first (and maybe last) half-iron course that I do; but I’ve got to do it. And I’ll have help. I’ve joined Team in Training again, and am raising funds for cancer research.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/wildtri12/bwfargo

(yes, that is a solicitation for donations)

Why am I doing this? Simple. Because I can pick up the phone and call Scott. Let me back up for a second.

Scott and I have been friends since we were freshmen in high school. I was just shy of 14; he was barely 14. Our lockers were right by each other, and we got to know each other through daily ball busting. Fast forward to when we were 23, and he told me in the same breath that he and his then girlfriend, now wife Kate got engaged, and that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkins disease. Always one to keep it cool, he told me not to worry, and that in six months he’d be fine. Sure enough, that was the case.

Scott and Kate got married in 2001 (I know this because Alli and I had only been together a few months at their wedding), but not long after, he was diagnosed with an unrelated case of non-hodgkins lymphoma. At 25, my friend of 10+ years was telling me that he may not make it to 26, and even if he did, that he had a 40% chance of making it 10 years.

Fuck you, cancer.

Let’s not dwell on that.

5 years ago, we all turned 30. Scott celebrated with 5 years cancer free. About 3 years ago, he started mountain biking. And then he got on a road bike. 3 years ago, he dusted me up Metcalf Road in the Livestrong Challenge. 2 years ago, he pushed me through my first century ride. Last year, he started RACING bicycles. And he put up with my undertrained ass through my second century ride.

Scott turns 35 in May, and will be 10-years cancer free in July.

Suck it, cancer.

That’s why I’m doing this. In honor of Scott. One more survivor, and one of my heroes.

Here's to a great start to 2012 (with the exception of the pending root canal), and i promise to keep you updated through my pending challenge.