Back from the Dead...

ok. so... yea, been a long time since I've posted anything really of worth when it comes to training and all...so, just click away from here as the following post will be a long one, but I'll try to limit it...

Most everyone close to me knows now that the last year or so has been kinda rough in terms of working and training and trying to juggle all of it, then add in being sick with Bronchitis for 10-12 weeks off and on... End of the day- let's face it- although I've struggled with some issues both with work and health- it's a blip on the radar compared to what others have gone through, so let's just remember that first and foremost. I'm thankful for all that I have and am able to do.

Spring-

Well... spring came and I was charged up after Solvang and was having a lot of fun training with Timmy. I was having some issues with being fatigued, had a depressed heart rate and my muscles hurt during workouts...so, I knew something was wrong. It took me a while to go and see the Dr. but got a bunch of blood work done and I found out my Iron levels were very low for a guy and my Ferritin levels were very low- So, this all was new to me...

During the spring I really struggled to try and find a coach- just having a sounding board give me workouts and have it be someone I fit well with and trusted that the style of training would match. I tried to have Tony DeBoom look at my workouts and bugged Michael Lovato a bit, but in the end- I went back to the one person I trusted who's helped me from square one get to where I'm at... Timmy... who is really helping me return to having great workouts.

Intensity-

To be perfectly honest with myself- I absolutely dropped the ball when it came to coming back and building my basework how I typically do- lots of strength work in terms of hill running and just putting in good miles on the bike and run. Instead, I opted to try a few things different and try a bit more intensity on the bike and run to try and zap my system out of a funk. In the end- all it did was knock me down even further... maybe this works for some, but not for me. So lame to think that I was going to try and get back to great form with what I was doing...

Work-

Trying to learn this last year how to get in a rhythm of working from home on the freelance gig has been a HUGE challenge for me, and probably has been a huge burden on Jenni. I am finally now just beginning to get in a rhythm of work and workouts and everything... Work has been good this year I think- I really haven't had to search out design... BUT, I decided to take on designing/art directing 3 apparel catalogs (that turned into 4) over the span of 3 months- am I thankful for the work? Yes. BUT- Holy Lord... I think the stress of this is something I just wasn't prepared for. This is compounded by the whole design community being really backwards... basically getting paid from clients is like pulling teeth. Enough said.

Lungs-

Yes, as most of my friends and family know now- I had a bronchitis like respiratory infection that lasted FOREVER- yes- close to 12 weeks and 3 stints of antibiotics. I know, I know- I would tell someone else to take off 2-3 weeks and get better, but I decided to try and work through it. It's weird now to run and ride and not have snot and mucus coming out of my face every 3 minutes while I cough up chunks... Well, now- finally at the beginning of August- I am 100%- I feel like this has been an injury of sorts, but I guess I've learned from it... the hard way... just like I do everything else.

I've prided myself on staying injury free and to be smart about how I approached things in terms of my fitness and my body and what I can handle, but seems I forgot about a set of the most important pieces of all of this- my 2 lungs and my tiny brain... both got worked over the last few months...

Ups and Downs-

Over the span of the spring and summer- I've seen the racing season come and go. I decided to let the idea of racing Ironman Lake Placid go as well as a few other halfs. I put my own training aside a bit and really put my energy into Jenni's training.. which I can really say that I've enjoyed a TON! To see her ride 15 minutes faster at BSLT this year and run like a monster was so much fun. Yes, she turned down her Kona slot, but she will only get faster and stronger...so, I'm happy for her. Such a high point of this season for me. I can't express in words how proud I am of my wife on numerous levels.

On the low side this last spring, I've just had so many doubts and was really struggling if I really wanted to continue with this whole triathlon thing- I felt like crap every single workout and would stop and walk numerous times home from a run wondering why I was out there. I just wasn't enjoying anything relating to swimming, biking and running- which is really weird for me...but with Jenni and Tim as my support squad, I feel that I've taken these downs and put them into this fall as building blocks... Although I've never been at a level of this guy, I wonder what it is that keeps him and people like him coming back for more, as well as really understanding how others like his brother, as well as Timmy- people that hung it up and never looked back...

Again- all of this has been super hard on Jenni- to say that I've really struggled with all of this the last year would be an understatement! I've struggled again and again and just really wasn't going to announce to anyone about all of this....

From now on...

At this point, I've had quite a few solid weeks of training under my belt- I've basically put it into my mind that my spring was my winter, my summer has been my spring and now- this fall is well... time to turn the screws for a late season Ironman. With Timmy's guidance, I've been putting in some great basebuilding mileage on the bike as well as the run and am feeling like I'm getting fit- FINALLY!! After seeing a lot of people fry themselves again and again, I feel that I can head into a race fresh both in mind and body.

Hopefully I can get back to posting more workout stuff- really what this blog thing was intended to do...be a record of my training...