2 Weeks and Counting . . .

2 weeks . . .

You know, when I signed up for my HIM (Half Ironman) about seven months ago, it seemed like such a long, long way away.

Not so much today.

It is 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday. My little sister is getting married today and then she won’t be my little sister anymore. I have just returned from an 80 minute run around Ridgeland Mississippi and I can only hope the weather in Conroe Texas is the same as it was this morning, however with my luck or lack the of, it will be the opposite of this morning.

As I exited the hotel at around 4:05 AM, I was welcomed by a brisk cool morning with dew on the ground and I was happy. I began to run with a hop in my step that I haven’t seen in a while. After about mile 2 I began to think about Conroe and the two weeks between now and then.

I am doing a sprint tri next weekend in Lafayette. Amanda is participating in her first tri as a relay participant!!!! I am so excited! She has been training on her own, running twice as fast as me in her first day out. I am so excited, it was worth a repeat.

We depart for Texas on the Thursday before the race. Big D from the tri club is riding and staying with us. I love Big D to death. She is about (man I hope she doesn’t kick my butt) 40’ish, maybe 42’ish? And one tough mother!! I can only dream of having her body (only in the male version) when I am her age. She works had at it and it pays off.

I think a lot about how difficult the day will be and if I can hold up. After the 1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike I think I will be ok. It is the 13.1 mile run after all of that which worries me. I know that after mile six my body, hips especially, will be in bad shape, but I will not give up. I am a little worried about the cut-off time. In my head the numbers work and I see myself finishing a good 30 minutes before the cut-off of eight hours.

I have also made one last resolution. After this weekend I am only allowed to think on the progressive side, the positive side. I am only allowed to see myself succeeding and doing so with style. Or just not crapping in my pants!!!

I believe in visioning and I will put the belief to the test in 15 short days.

I must admit, I have not trained as I would like to have, but I have trained to the extent that my body has remained intact. There have been days that I couldn’t lift my left leg to put on my pants because my hip was in such bad shape. I look forward to dropping to my goal weight. My thought is that I will not be in so much pain from the training aspect of the sport.

However I have to work with what I have right now and I am doing the beast that I can. I am in what is called the TAPER portion of my training. This is where I begin to lower the distance of my training and begin to push the speed portion until I get close to race day, where I let the body recuperate for the big, long, weary day.

This has been a journey.

Amanda stop asking me about a week ago . . . “Are you still going to do your Half Ironman?” I think she is finally grasping the fact that this is going to happen. I know she worries about me. I am not sure the Disney Tri and Medical Tent experience helped her.

That was the last question she has asked me regarding this race, “Is it going to me a Disney finish again?”

My response . . . “Likely.”

Thanks to everyone, Timbeux, Anne, Amanda, and everyone else for your thoughts and encouragement. I will take that with me on my journey.

Here we go!