2008 In Review

What a year.

 

First let me apologize for my lack of posting over the past few months.  As many of you know I am a Financial Planner and I have been in high demand to my clients as you might imagine.  Today I am spending time with my beautiful wife Amanda and preparing food for a few friends who are coming over for Turkey Day!

 

I am thankful for so much.  Thank you God for all things.

 

At the beginning of this year I weighed in at a smooth 328 pounds.  Not bad since I weighed in at 434 pounds the previous year.  I had a few lofty goals for 2008 – some reached and some not.  But overall I am happy with my year of healthy living.

 

Let’s talk about triathlon first:  By year end I was averaging more than 21 MPH on the bike in my races and around 11 minute miles on my run.  My swim remained about average, but I was fairly proficient at the swim when I was over 425 pounds.  I FLOATED BETTER!!!!  When you compare those times to previous years – I was averaging around 17 MPH on the bike and about 17-18 minute miles on the run portion.  I am quite satisfied with that progress.  Not that this has been important to me - I began climbing up in race finish times – from dead last and near the bottom to about middle of the pack.

 

While I was unable to put together my end of the year race goal of top 50% in the swim, plus 20 MPH bike, ending with a sub 10 min mile run – I CAME CLOSE several times and I actually began finishing races faster than I thought I could.  I am very happy with my 2008 race focus. 

 

I completed 14 triathlons, 3 duathlons, and a time trial bike race.  I also raced in a few 5k and 10k run races as well.

 

It was a trying year for me as well with my gallbladder deciding to act up in June.  I had it taken out with surgery and that set me back a bit, but it wasn’t too bad. 

 

Today was a cap off of my racing for 2008.  Turkey Trot 5K!!!  I had a goal of sub 30-minute finish time – actual finish time was 32.06.  Last year I finished the Turkey Trot in 41:52.  That is about 10 minutes cut off!  I’ll take it!

 

Now it’s time to begin focusing on 2009.

 

This coming Wednesday I have a major surgery.  I have decided it is time to remove the loose skin around my mid section. It is a drastic procedure that will have me on the operating table for 7 hours.  When complete it will take about 17 pounds of skin off of me.  Amanda and I will stay in Houston for a week after the surgery to make sure I am out of the infection and complication phase.  I will take any prayers.

 

I will be out of the training loop for more than a month and a half and I can’t get on the bike until probably the last week of January or early February.

 

THE IT IS TIME FOR SOME TRAINING!!!!

 

I am doing very few races next year with my focus on two.

 

New Orleans 70.3 half Ironman and I will end the year with my first Ironman – racing at Ironman Florida on November 7^th.

 

I WIL BE AN IRONMAN!

 

Today I weigh in at 253 pounds and I hope to be below 210 before IMFL in November.

 

Thanks to everyone for their support.  This hasn’t been easy.  Everyday is a battle.

 

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!!!!

 

I will post up a few days after my surgery next week when I am up to it.