I think I found it....

My MOTIVATION that is! Man, it's been missing for a while and although I've searched for it for weeks it just didn't want to show itself. This week I think I finally found it again and am so thankful.

Last year was such a long year for me. I started Jan 1st with a marathon program of 70-80 mile weeks and I literally didn't give myself a break until November 8th, after Ironman Florida. I was tired, mentally & physically, and I was simply burnt out. Post Ironman usually brings a bit of depression with it but not for me last year. I was loving November and December. It was the holidays, we were traveling, and I was just enjoying doing whatever the hell I wanted. I was thinking 2 months of that and I'd be fired up to go again come January 2010. Nope! January came and went and I still didn't have much to give. Although I've stayed active all winter and actually maintained my weight since Ironman (which was kind of shocking!) I was just doing what I wanted each day... I didn't track a single workout in my log, I hardly wore a watch when I ran, I didn't count my meters in the pool, NOTHING! I think halfway through January the Ironman depression caught up with me. Maybe it wasn't IM depression as much as winter depression. I wasn't bumming IM was over like usual but I was bummed I didn't have the same drive as I did last year at this time. I was lucky to get in 20 miles a week, swim once, and maybe log 5-6 hours total. This time last year I was logging 70+ miles a week, swimming 10k a week, and totaling closer to 18 hours of training, in Jan & Feb (yep, I was crazy). I have a love hate relationship with my training logs because it's really nice to look back and see what I was doing this time last year but it's also not so fun to look back and see what I was doing this time last year and feeling so far behind :)

I was originally planning a spring marathon to kick start my year since it worked wonders for my running last year but January came and went and I just didn't have the fire to start training seriously yet. With the purchase of our house, the icky weather, my back bugging me, etc...I decided to listen to my body and mind and just let it dictate when I was ready. My runs had felt slow and it was all I could do sometimes to even get a workout in.

Finally, this week I feel like I bridged that gap a bit. I ran every day and had 2 solid speed runs and the speed is finally coming back. Last year, even my fast runs felt effortless. The rhythm was there and it felt smooth. I feel like I'm clomping along still but at least I'm cranking out some faster splits. The rhythm will come back with more miles. I did some repeats this week and was able to hold a solid 6:35 pace for a bit, faster than I was running this time last year. After 3 solid runs this week and a long run today (my longest since Ironman) I finally feel like I'm getting the desire to pick it up again and I'm getting excited about the races I've picked and racing with the Trisports.com team.

I've known for a while what my race schedule would be for 2010 (with a few TBD) so I know I still have time. Although, unlike last year, my A race this year is in June not November. I'm thankful it's only half ironman rather than a full. Training for a half doesn't require as much time so even with a bit of a "late" start, I know I have the time to prepare. Instead of a full marathon this spring I'm going to do the longer training but race halfs instead. I don't want to trash my legs in a full marathon in May with Lubbock 1 month later. I need to work on the speed component for a half marathon. I'll start with the Colorado Half and I'm hoping to break my PR of 1:39. It shouldn't be too tough since it's a down hill race. I would love to crack 1:30 and then try for 1:35-1:40 in Lubbock. This year will be interesting in my running. I always seem to run better off the bike in a triathlon than I do in pure running races. Hell, if I'm going to try for Boston, why not just do it in an Ironman marathon instead? Sounds better to me anyway, pure marathons hurt!

Here is a glimpse of what I have planned for 2010. A few post-June are up in the air and will be determined in Lubbock. I'm not sure if I'll do IM Canada if I don't qualify for Kona or stick with Half Ironman races instead, maybe Clearwater? We shall see how it all shakes out. Fingers are crossed for a slot to Kona (since it'll also be our honeymoon if we get it!!!!) but I will sure have my work cut out for me and I'm excited for the test! I hope it's a hot day down there on June 27, I love to race in the heat and love to watch everyone else melt! Muah ha ha ha!

May 9 Colorado Half Marathon

May 31 Bolder Boulder 10k

Jun-Aug Stroke & Stride Series (1500m swim/5k)

June 13 WEDDING

June 20 5420 Sprint

June 27 Lubbock 70.3 (To Determine Kona)

July 11 Boulder Peak Olympic

Aug 8 Boulder 70.3

Aug 20 IM Canada (If I don't get Kona and can still get in?)

Sept 11 Harvest Moon Half Ironman

Oct 10 KONA-IM World Championships (TBD)

Oct 17 Longhorn 70.3 (TBD)

Nov 14 Clearwater-Half Ironman World Champs (TBD)

I'm tired just thinking about. Better get going!