84 Days Out

Well, what more needs to be said at 84 days out from Ironman Texas when you have a shoe mound like this?  Here are a few things:

The Seattle Weather has officially started to bother me.  In the past, this time of year never got to me because the rain meant lots of snow in the mountains.  Now that I'm trying to get out on my bike, rain and cold cloudy skies is the last thing I want.  Most of my bike rides lately have been 75-90 min stationary rides on my trainer in my living room.  This is about all I can stand before my shoes are just over flowing with sweat.  Yes, gross indeed. 

I know that I need to just suck it up and get out there on the road but I've yet to be able to do it.  Now that I'm less than 3 months out, mentally I think I'm closer than ever to actually doing it :-)  Luckily the weather yesterday was pretty nice so I took the opportunity to change this pay periods off day to Thursday.  I went and rode the furthest I've ever gone to date (70 miles) and then followed it up with a 3.3 mile brick run down the Burke Gilman Trail.  I was pretty pleased with my bike ride.  I focused on keeping my avg cadence around 90.  I still need to work on this.  My hill climbing also still needs work.  Hopefully over the next 60 days I can get my bike dialed in more.  My current plans are to head to Eastern WA for some long Brick Rides the 1st & 4th weekends of March.  Not only will I be able to find dryer weather but there are roads with longer stretches w/out traffic lights and other things that slow you down.  Stay Tuned.

Besides the biking, I think that my running and swimming are coming along pretty well.  Here are a few pics from a recent Masters Swim Meet I swam in.






















I've also been volunteering and competing in the TriFreak Rainman Indoor Triathlon Series.  This weekend in Tacoma is the 3rd of the 4 indoor triathlons.  So far my times have improved but not so sure about this weekends race.  The run will be a hilly 1.1 mile loop in downtown Tacoma.  I guess I should just embrace my inner hill and go for it.








Finally, a few weeks back I was notified by the people at the Ragnar Relay Series that I was selected to be a Ragnar Ambassador.  Basically this means that I get to spread the good word about participating in this great running event.  I am very excited about this.  If you want to know more about it feel free to ask me about it.  If you don't like to run but want too,.....do this race.  I guarantee you'll find a way to love running after a relay race.

This last picture is of me in a T-shirt that I designed at Zazzle.com for my TEAM IRONJOE supporters.  I figured that no one else would take the initiative so I'd do it.  Well every one's a critic!!!!  I've gotten some feedback that people hate it.  All I can say to that is....make your own then.  I think it's funny and I like it.  If you don't like it that's cool you don't have to wear or buy it.  I would still appreciate you cheering me on though :-)

With that said, I must go do some training.  Either that or I'm just going to go to Yogurtland and call it a night.  We'll see.