Turning up the heat again!

I'm ba---aaaack :-) Wow. Where do I start? First, let me say it's good to be back. I hate it when I skip about a month of blogging and then so much has happened that I haven't a clue of what is most important or the most entertaining to blog about. At any rate, I'll try to condense it all down into the quick version or at least the things that I can somewhat remember.

The new year was pretty good. I've had better and I've had worse :-/ I won the Flash's Bowls contest for the college bowl games this year. I have never even placed in the top 10 of this contest and somehow I guess the bowl god's saw it fit to drop that $535 plus the crown right, down into my hands this year. I am greatful! What do I do with the? Hmmm... lots of ideas. Vegas? Time trial bike? XBox plus Rock Band? Save it? I dunno.... it will be used fashionably well regardless :-)

The Masters Swim program kicked off at the rec 2 weeks ago. This is fuuuuun! I am improving quite a bit and learning a lot about form and slowly making some progress. I like it because it is sure to get me in the pool a minimum of twice per week. Now if I can just keep from getting lapped multiple times in the Ironman Lane!!! lol. Another fun aspect of this activity involves going out for dinner and drinks with my fantastic swim buddies on Wed nights. The people who I train with are so awesome. They are not only training partners, but they are friends and almost feel like family to me. They encourage me so much and I appreciate that so much! It's like they have never given up on me.... thanks guys :-) The encouraging emails, text messages, & phone calls have meant the world to me. Dylana & Jamie - thank you for all that you know you have done. All the late nights and early mornings! ha! And last but not least, Bethany has been there. She has SOOO been there.

I have not done as little as you might think. Overall, I have stayed pretty consistent. Not neccesarily gaining, but not losing either. I think there was about 1 week right around Christmas when I didn't do a thing, but other than that I have tried to get in 2-4 runs per week, a swim or two here and there and 1 or 2 trainer rides per week. I have GOT to get on my mountain bike. I am starting to crave it and Leslie is going to help me get there :-) This past week was one of my best week's so far. Sunday was a 6.5 mile run with my peeps. Most of them are training for the Birmingham marathon and did 20-22, but Leslie and I are not - so we opted for a 6.5 mile out and back. Good run! I needed it!!!! Then I went in to the rec and swam for about 40 minutes. Monday I did a 40 minute trainer ride, then onto Masters swim for the evening. Tuesday - nothing but rest. I needed that too! Wednesday I ran 4.5 miles, then onto master's swim, then onto dinner and drinks with the group. Good times!!! Thursday I did a 4 mile run at lunch and Friday morning I broke my record. The earliest I have ever met this hard core group of friends for a run is 4am. Well I met them at 3:30am Friday morning. They did 16, and dropped me off at the rec at 8.33 miles at an 8:50 pace. Wow - they really push me! I am always close to 9 min miles give or take 10-20 seconds if I run solo. I pushed hard to stay with them! This was my longest run in probably 2-3 months. I even went into the rec and busted out 2/3 of a lap of lunges around the track and a very very few arm weights. I gotta get goin on that - before you know it, April will be here and my sleeveless shirts will be begging me to lift weights with my arms!

So, what is my plan??? Well... it's hard to say. Until I can get a good reading of how my swim is going to turn out it's just difficult to predict or even plan. I am wanting to follow a half ironman training program for the bike and run portions.... and hopefully the swim will follow suit - but obviously I have a LOT of improving to do before I can even fathom the idea of doing an open water swim - much less in the ocean. So, my plans for 2009 just aren't in stone yet. I know I have some goals - and that is good enough for now. I would like to pick my swim up to be able to do a couple of triathlons this year. And the MS 150 Jack and Back.

Other mischellaneous items: I went to the Titans playoffs game. Lana and I have had some "fun girls" nights :-) I think I've gained about 3 lbs :-( I've read a really awesome book called "Bounce Back" and have picked back up on the Total Immersion - Triathlon Swimming book. I have considered med school.... and had a lot of other crazy but true ideas. I am learning a lot about myself!! Scary stuff, man :-) Attended the 2009 Mach Tenn/Highland Rimmers Winter party.. And I am having fun! The pictures are worth a thousand words.