This Is How I Want to Glide in the Water!

This Next Week - Back on Track!

I came across two quotes today that I really like. One fromCharisa's blog:
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive well-preserved body; but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming whooooo hooooo . . . . what a ride!"

The other is from a book: “the further you reach, the more you grow.” (Carol Dweck).

Hope you all have a great week and be safe. Tomorrow it's back in the pool and a ride on the trainer, then the upcoming week:

Give this a listen!

A very nice rendition of the Hendrix classic "Little Wing"

WWAIMD?

Brandy, my sweet co-worker (who just did her first Ironman and needs to get her race report up SOON!), walked into my office last week and handed me a piece of paper with the letters WWAIMD on it.

I have latched onto it as my mantra/motto for the upcoming year. It is starting to permeate my thoughts as I go through the day. For example, I was tempted the other night to pull into a fast food place on the way home from work as I was tired and feeling lazy. But I asked myself if Ironman would do that or go home and fix a healthy meal. I drove on past and made the right choice.

So what WOULD an Ironman do? The most important thing of course is to not lose focus on being a good dad and boyfriend, but aside from that, all you long distance athletes can now share your wisdom and advice with me.

So . . . WWAIMD?

Foolishness

Thanksgiving was great as Becca and Kelly (and Annie) were with me for the holiday!

For the last 5-6 weeks I have been a working fool. Working late at night, working weekends, even dreaming about work! Averaged 60 hours a week. Got in lots of overtime which is great, but my working out has been next to nil. I'm up about 10 pounds! Argh!

Now it's time to switch from being a working fool, to a working out fool! Tomorrow I dive back in. Next Monday I will be back working out with Jess 3 days a week. I will swim 3 days a week, bike 3 days and do some treadmill. Calyx is my new weight loss coach. I am pumped!

No VikingMan, instead I went ahead and signed up for Boulder 70.3! I will do Glenwood again and most likely Redman, although if I have a lot of money to travel, I may do Beach to Battleship half. Will throw in at least one other sprint or oly. Time to get serious!

Ironman Arizona

Wow, what a trip. It was a fantastic weekend except for one thing, Andy crashed on the bike and got yanked. That really stinks! He has some minor injuries and of course the first thing he said when someone asked him what they could do was to check on his bike! A true triathlete!

And I was ok being there, I think I needed some recharging and relaxing and that is what I got.

Andy and Dana (and Sedona and Hunter) threw a great party, Staci and I got to either visit with or watch tri peeps race (names in Bold and italicized)over the weekend - Chris, Karla and Spence, Commodore, Carol and the kids (May is so cute!), Melissa, Andy #2, Sarah and her mom Paula, and her mom's friend, Barbara and Mike, Cheryl and Brant, Coach Tammy, Jeff, Delinda, Karie and hubby, Robin, Brandy and Eric, Momo, Shane and Krista, Lindsey, Molly, and even got to see Rudy get on the bike and on the run. I did miss getting to meet Suzi, but I will!

Race day weather was great although the people who lived there were a bit chilled!

Here are just a few pics, enjoy!

Wrestling

I woke up at 2:30 am today, wrestling in my mind with the coming year. Do I try to do my Ironman in 2010 or not. After some deep soul searching I have decided that I will wait until 2011 for Ironman. 2010 will be a year of focusing on burning off my excess weight, which I absolutely must get rid of. I am at peace with this decision and am now getting excited about the upcoming year.

I think this is the focus I need and will be the most beneficial for me. Long and slow does not burn my fat, I will be doing high intensity during the week and long and slow on the weekends.










My race goals for 2010 will be to complete two half ironman distance races and knock off 3 or 4 more states. I’m looking at VikingMan in June, which would take care of Idaho, then RedMan in September, which would take care of Oklahoma. Hopefully I can do some sprints or Olys in nearby states such as New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming in my quest to race in all 50 sates (5 down, 45 to go). I will do Glenwood Springs which is a must every year, a celebration of my new life.

Thursday I am off to Tempe to watch Brandy, Andy, Molly, Sarah, Suzy, Cheryl, Barbara, Karla, Tammy, Jeff, Delinda and others do IM AZ, what fun! Blogger party at Andy's! I will be doing body marking with Melissa and then will enjoy the day with Staci. Oh yes!

Interesting - I Am Intriqued

"Fat, sugar, and salt-especially when combined, interact with the opioid circuits in the brain, which causes us to consume more of the substance that triggered the reaction. Think about potato chips. You don't think of them as having sugar, but the simple sugars in the potato covered with fat and topped with salt are a deadly chemical combination that triggers an insatiable desire to consume all of the potato chips. The same thing happens with tortilla chips or bread. You can't even tell when you are satiated, because the combination of the fat, sugar, and salt overrides the ability for the body to create satiety signals to get you to stop eating." (from The End of Overeating, D. Kessler)

Now I can certainly relate to the bread thing. There have been many times I have devoured piece after piece and was still starving.

Do foods layered with salt, fat and sugar really trigger the pleasure centers of our brains, releasing opioids that cause us to lose control and overeat? (paraphrase).

I just went Paleo on Monday, so it will be interesting to be away from those foods and see what happens!

Ironman Arizona and Next Year

I am going down to Tempe to watch friends race and for that I am happy, but it will be bitter sweet since I am not racing. It will be good to hang with friends and meet new ones for the first time, but I think I will be very conflicted. I have gone up and down in depression since dropping out. The first six weeks were hell, then I got better, now I am in a deep funk. I hope this reactivates me.

I am volunteering (body marking) but I am not signing up for next year. My plan is to focus on weight loss and shooting for a 1/2 IM distance June 5th - VikingMan. At that point, if my weight is where I need it to be and if my training has helped me get through my first 1/2 IM, I will sign up for a community slot for AZ (if there are any left). If not, maybe RedMan in September.

Coaching? I am looking for a new coach. Any referrals would be appreciated!

Elk Hunting 2009

Well, no elk this year, but we had a great time! Becca and I drove to Meeker and met up with Adam and Melissa and we all headed to elk camp. This year there were only the four of us (we were missing Joe, Tyler, Kyle, Greg, Ron, and Kelly).

The weather was fantastic, we saw two moose, some big horn sheep, turkey, deer, and that beautiful Colorado landscape . . majestic green forests punctuated with the golden shimmer of quaking aspens, the clear blue sky dotted with an occasional puffy white cloud drifting lazily by, the fresh scent of pine floating on crisp zepyhrs though the meadows with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. Heaven! And of course, hanging with Becca, my sweetie! Enjoy!

CAF

Want to help me raise some cash for challenged athletes? Maybe you could donate just $1 or $2, or maybe even $3? By helping me reach my goal of $500, you will help people with physical challenges realize their dreams. Your donation will go to the Challenged Athletes Foundation, an incredible 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides funding and inspiration to hundreds of physically challenged athletes each year so they can participate, compete and live life to the fullest.

If you would like to donate, please go here: Donate

Thank you for your support,
Duane

In the Doldrums

Nothing to train for, nothing on the schedule. Hmmm. Volunteering at IM AZ and focusing on weight loss but I still need events!

Maybe the Jingle Bell Tri in December, maybe a 100 mile bike ride by January (if it doesn't snow too much), something else?

Ideas anyone? And I desperately need help redesigning this blog! Anyone game?