12 months of Training

This starts 12 months of training. The big event is the CDA Iron Man, taking place June 24th, 2012. The entire Moser family is going to be there, including my sisters new husband Thom, and probably his parents, since they live nearby.

The purpose of this blog is to try and capture the ups and downs of training, the struggles, the pain, the suffering, the highs, the lows, and generally to show what a badass I am.

I became obsessed with running a few years ago, and really made huge strides once I became single again. After my wife and I split, I had a huge amount of energy and free time it seemed. I went from a 3:31 marathon time to 3:11 at the toughest road course in the country (Big Sur) to now down in the 3:10's (I hate you Boston, so much).

TRI's were something that I half halfheartedly got into through my ex. I did one in Hawaii when I served there in the Army, and then a few more. Now that I work in Boulder, and have really started enjoying learning the new aspects of swimming and riding, I feel like I'm now pushing in 3 directions. This is a great way for me to appease my ADD! My plan is to next year to a bunch of the Xterra series off road Tris, and also the big event of the year, CDA Ironman.

SO, thus the attempt begins to cronicile my trials.

Two important things I want to say regarding why I have done so many events, and why I focus to break through my limits by focusing on new races in the future.

1- I have to put my energy into something. A few years ago, a lot of energy went into making money and a career, and into relationships. I put some energy into working out and doing the things that I love, but it always seemed over shadowed by everything else.

Now that I'm single, I can completely devote myself to my hobbies, to improving my fitness, and to pushing my limits.

2- In the past, I have dedicated races to our good friend who killed himself. Although at the time, this seemed appropriate, it can also lead to extreme disappointment. I remember running the Denver Marathon hoping for divine intervention to carry me to the finish and have me qualify for Boston. I thought somehow I would be able to run faster than I was capable. I learned that just because I want to run 6:30 a mile for 26 miles, I have to train at that level, I can't just think dedication to a friend will carry me through. Although the course ended up being too long, and my time was damn close, I didn't qualify.

Every time I do a race, I think of B, but I never dedicate a race to him. He would agree with me, this is the best course of action. I do know that every time I find extreme happiness in races, when I push, I will raise up my arm and point to the clouds, to say "What UP!" to my buddy that I always wish was with me.