Trying to Focus

There is a lot going on right now and trying to focus is difficult!  Entering into the winter season or 'off' season is much fun, but it's also the time to build strength for next year--not to mention getting ready for the Tallahassee Marathon and the Asheville Marathon next year before taking a bit of a break to hit Ironman training on May 1st.

Running is going well.  Today was the end of a dial back week and my pal Mike and I ran a 10 miler with some hilly terrain getting ready for a race next month.  I paid for it though, because I went out last night to watch the local MMA fights and had a few beers.  Not much really, but enough to keep me up most of the night.  I know better!

I swam today for the first time in a couple of weeks (after the run) and that felt pretty good.  I only swam a half a mile but it felt pretty good as I concentrated on form and what I am doing with my stroke and hands.  I've got a way to go before Ironman next year if I want to put down a 1:05 swim so it starts now.

Where I believe I have to spend some time is working on diet control.  I work pretty hard to select good stuff at the grocery store and keep it whole as much as I can.  But, I tend to overdo it when I cheat and I've got to get that under control quick!  One thing I have learned is that diet will derail a training program quickly.  The interim goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon during the Tallahassee Marathon in February.  I have to run below a 3:15 which is going to be a challenge.

So, my goal for the next few months is to focus that presence of mind I talked about on diet and diet control.  I think if the diet is right, training and everything else will fall into place!

So this is Gettin' After It...and all that life has to offer.  For me, that is the pursuit of happiness, the pursuit of peace of mind, the pursuit of ultimate fitness and the pursuit of experiencing the important things.  It's new to me and I'm going to embrace it.

Gettin' After It is dedicated to having some presence of mind in what I am going to do over the next, at least, 362 days of my life and then beyond.

In 2011, I finished Ironman Florida and it was my first iron distance race.  As much as I remember about that day, I don't!  It dawned on me in talking to another athlete just the other day after watching the 2012 race (as he told me that he saw me out on the course several times cheering for him) that I was so much in the zone in 2011 that I didn't even see my family in the crowd when I crossed the finish because I was so focused on the finish--and not the journey!

I decided that this time, I'm going to have some presence of mind leading up to, during, and beyond Ironman Florida 2013 and the journey it takes to get to the finish!  I am also going to focus on other areas where I'd like to see some change.

So this is Gettin' After It...and all that life has to offer.