Recap and Resolute

Where to begin? I do this to myself by not posting often enough. With that, I guess I'll begin with recapping last year's resolutions:
1. Blog more - failed this one. Just 3 posts in 2010, oops.
2. Lose weight - we'll call this one a semi-success. I dropped a few and transformed into a little bit of a healthier shape by starting to lift weights again near the end of the year (i.e. muscle weighs more than fat).
3. Attempt dating again - I gave it an honest effort I thought - asked someone out w/out knowing what was up, fired up an online dating profile again - so I'll put this in the success column. I went on a few dates, hoping to get something started before the new year rolled around, but nothing panned out. I'm not opposed to dating in 2011, but free time won't really be a comfort I'll have (more later on why) so I won't be actively pursuing any love interests. If something falls into my lap I'll act on it, but it'll more than likely be at someone else's doing.
4. Setting race results - call this one a wash. I didn't do enough races or have a great training year to get serious about setting a time result. I was able to cross 2 more states off my marathon list though and had an ABSOLUTE BLAST trying a new triathlon with CC - the Burrito Union 10 hour Tri. Team Cap'n and Mac was awesome!
5. Financial goal - slight failure in this one, but all things considered I won't beat myself up over it. It'll remain a resolution for 2011 as well.
6. Parental goal - success here I think. Had more fun with the boys this past year and I was able to "play" with them and "parent" them. They are great kids and I couldn't ask for anything better.
7. Family goal - I'm not sure what I had in mind when I set this one so we'll just disregard it for tally purposes.
So, in the end, 3 successful resolutions, 2 failures, 1 tie and 1 whatever. I guess that's why people set them. If you succeed at them all, then what fun is that? You may have set things too easy for yourself.

This brings me to what 2011 will be. My main focus, at least the first 9 months of the year, will be pretty tunnel-visioned and one of the main reasons why I want to fire up this blogging thing again. It stems from a decision I finally acted upon in 2010 that will come to fruition in 2011. I signed up for a little race called the Ironman Triathlon. On 9-11-11 in Madison, WI I'll hopefully swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles all in under 17 hours! When I first started doing this triathlon thing back in the '90s the seed was first planted about this IM thing. A couple of the friends I was doing local events with were IM caliber so it got me wondering if I could do one. A decade+ of years went by, but the thought never really left my mind. These past couple of years watching other friends go through the journey made me realize I should finally put up or shut up, even if it was only internally. Tomorrow, 1-3-11, starts the beginning of my Ironman journey and training - a 36 week program that will get me ready for my personal 140.6 mile quest. There are going to be many early mornings, long miles, and hours of contemplation. I'll use this blog as my release, escape and sanity check. If you notice the postings getting a little loopy don't be afraid to mention something. I just hope to document my feelings, revelations and findings about anything along the way, just something to look back on to relive the times so these next 9 months don't seem like a complete self-absorbed waste of time.

As I sit here today, beyond my immediate family there are only a handful of friends I've personally told that I'm attempting the IM. I know the word has gotten out to others, and I'm totally fine with that, but I don't want it to consume who I am this year. I've had many friends do this event the past couple of years and it seems every facebook post, every conversation, every "how are you doing?" begins with Ironman. I love my friends, but it seems like self-promotion and any bragging rights were the driving forces to why they did this event and not the personal gains, almost a martyr-type approach. To me anyway, this seems backwards and that's not me. Sure, I'll dress up in costume and run an event (thinking Ragnar), but I don't think I'm doing it to get noticed. It's fun and helps create the memories! 2 years from now I'm not going to remember how many people noticed me doing something, but I will remember we all dressed up like superheroes and had a hell of a good time! With the Ironman, the distance needs to be respected.

I think I have a healthy respect for what I'm getting myself into and to be honest, part of me is scared shitless! I don't know if I can do this, I've never tested by body with a 140.6 mile event before! When I look at my training schedule as a whole or think of it as a 12-17 hour event or think back to when I've hit the wall just running a marathon I wonder what the hell I'm doing even starting down this road. But on the flip side of that, the bigger part of me is excited and a "good" nervous to start the training and get this ball rolling! I've done plenty of triathlons, albeit shorter distances, so I've been prepping myself for this all those years!

As I sit here today and ponder what 2011 will bring me I only hope to be able to meld my worlds together for the next 9 months. I will not slack on my training because you either pay for it now daily or you pay for it exponentially on race day. I hope to remain the good parent I think I am and not become too self-focused. I've warned the boys about my training schedule, but their needs, and wants, just can't be ignored. The melding will come in hopefully teaching my boys some life lessons - healthy lifestyles and nutrition, setting goals, planning, time management, thinking and doing beyond what is comfortable... And maybe give them something to brag about regarding their dad to their friends. ;)

Happy New Year everyone! Bring it on 2011!!!