My Thoughts

It wasn't all that long ago that I came pretty darned close to losing everything.  It's a particular part of being human that our perspectives can become so overwhelmingly relative to our situation.  Fortunately, sometimes experiences intervene to remind us of the importance of not just observing the world around us, but observing what our vantage point.  For anyone who knows the significance of the above picture, hopefully they know what I mean.

Thanksgiving was good...too much pie, if that's possible.

I think it is possible.  

I've decided that it would be good if I put things up here other than just race reports.  So, what's going on with me?  I've decided that before the new year rolls around, I'd like to do some assessment of where I'm at in life, make some goals, and the like.  So what did I accomplish in 2008?  Let's see:

1. Completed internship over at Navatek in Hawaii, had a great time training there

2. Did my first half iron--5 flat tires, but didn't drop out.  I consider that significant.

3. Completed my senior thesis

4. Graduated from college

5. Did my first ironman

6. Am slowly coming to terms with a low-level eating disorder

Why did I put that last one in my accomplishments?  I feel that the problem has been 'lurking' for a while and I am now beginning to understand it more completely.  With any problem this internal, what I said at the beginning with regards to perspective becomes so essential.  Having an external perspective (i.e. a friend, family member, or professional) to help out here is a key to success.  

What are my goals for 2009?  Here they are, thus far:

1. Be a good employee for my employer (i.e, an investment that begins to pay some dividend in the form of sellable services).

2. Put in consistent and quality training for IM Brasil and qualify for Kona at the race.

3. Achieve a greater balance between work, training, social, family, religious and other commitments, through better planning and discipline (i.e. do in the future what I am saying right now).

4. Learn to be a good motorcycle rider (!)

5. Put on a quality, athlete oriented multisport event in the Puget Sound region.

I think that is enough for now.

Take a look at my training plan/log for December.

Oh yeah! One last thing.  I am putting together a spreadsheet that will easily calculate some very relevant training parameters from a .csv file format from your PowerTap.  Should be here soon!