I'm gonna cry about those numbers and move on

I really don't celebrate New Year's. My husband doesn't either. In fact, though I was awake five minutes before the new year, I forced myself to go to sleep before the ball dropped just to reaffirm how much I don't care.

I believe that each day is a fresh start and should be cherished, so the beginning of a new year (because it's just another day to me) is irrelevant.

There is something to be said, however, about a look back toward accomplishments, or the lack thereof, during any given period and the dates of Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 happen to be a good place. Also, Beginner Triathlete has these totals listed by year, and they're just easy to review that way.

To write that 2010's training volume was significantly down from that of 2009's is not doing justice to the truly embarrassing stats, so I'm providing them below. While I was at it, I took a look at 2008's numbers. Other than the swim, I still did more training my first season than I did this last season!

2010 Swim:     20,908 yards in 10h 54m 04s
2009 Swim:     64,058 yards in 31h 09m 53s
2008 Swim:     18,598 yards in 15h 32m 19s
                        43,150 less than 2009
                        2,310 more than 2008 

2010 Bike:       115.9 miles in 6h 56m 09s
2009 Bike:       541.77 miles in 36h 14m 52s
2008 Bike:       456.66 miles in 40h 08m 21s
                        425.87 less than 2009
                        340.76 less than 2008
 
2010 Run:       254.79 miles in 47h 47m 28s
2009 Run:       350.98 miles in 61h 14m 31s
2008 Run:       280.86 miles in 70h 10m 33s
                        96.19 less than 2009
                        26.07 miles less than 2008
                       (To be honest, about half of these running miles were straight walks. In '09, I started logging my walks from Runs to Walking in my Training Log.)

Yeah, those numbers are enough to make me want to cry. But they are what they are. I cannot change them. So, what do I do about them? I have to learn from them.

Seeing them posted back-to-back in this manner is an invaluable reminder of how easily time can slip away, and how having a passion for something challenging helps muster the drive to get there.

So, I'm looking forward to the next training chapter in my life which begins with my new training plan tomorrow. I'm excited to see what challenges, new and familiar, I face as I train, and I'm excited about setting a personal record for total mileage by the time 2011 is over.

The Ironman is chasing me

How Monday night's dream began and ended I don't recall.

What details are vivid include a dark evening in a major metropolis. Perhaps it was New York City. Soft glow from hundreds of streetlights and light being cast out from the windows of street-level storefronts warmed what darkness nightfall had already brought.

Shoppers took their time walking from store to store, bundled underneath winter coats, hats and gloves. It was Christmastime.

A picture-perfect, peaceful night suddenly went chaotic.

Loud, crashing booms shaking the ground every two seconds warned of an inescapable evil approaching. A glance towards the city's skyline revealed a pale green, robotic monster towering over the tallest buildings headed their way.

Cries of terror could be heard from the people as they began fleeing for their lives, easily abandoning the gifts they carried and quickly clutching their children's hands.

I was among them. I joined them in their screams and allowed my feet to carry me as far away from this threat as possible.

What became clear to me as I was running was that this monster was only after me. It didn't care if it stepped on innocent people while pursuing me, but it was out to destroy me.

I was scared to death.

The dream ended.

It wasn't until later on that day that I realized what this dream was about.

A few days ago, I made the decision to do an Ironman in 2011. It's been my plan to do it in 2011 since I began tris, but changes in my schedule have held-up my completion of the half iron distance I wanted to do in 2010 which, in my mind, would delay my Ironman.

After my lowest training volume year, mostly because work consumes most of my attention, I realized that the biggest motivator I needed was an extreme challenge again, the way embarking on my first sprint triathlon was extreme to me those two-and-a-half years ago.

I needed to chase Iron (as a fellow blogger titles her blog).

My husband and I discussed this. It would be crazy. It would be $575 dollars. It would be the hardest thing I would ever do. It would be crazy.

He was on board.

Ever since then, I have been frightened, and, as Aragorn says to Frodo in the movie The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring as the Nazgul were chasing him, probably "not nearly frightened enough."

This dream, I suppose, was my subconscious embracing that extra fear to process it.

The monster was the Ironman, probably taking such a large shape because of the Ironman machine from the comics and movies, and probably because of the largeness of the goal.

The peaceful city is how my life is right now, comfortable but busy and it is the Christmas season after all...and then I go and ask for something like an Ironman race to wreak havoc on my tidy existence; almost a little like how Dan Akroyd's character in Ghostbusters summoned the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Since this decision, I have thought a lot about the phrase chasing Iron; how I'm now officially chasing that Ironman goal. The fright of failing and/or injury on race day has become very real.

But here's to hoping that I needn't be as frightened as Frodo really should have been. Afterall, it was just an imaginary monster chasing me in my dream. The Nazgul chasing down a Hobbit for the Ring of Power really happened.

I'm mentoring again

After taking a few months off to focus on work, I've decided to pick up mentoring again on Beginner Triathlete.

I really like encouraging women who will be taking this journey for the first time in 2011, so I'm limiting the group based on those conditions.

If you or someone you know is interested in being mentored or even becoming a mentor, here is a link to the forums. They haven't released the mentor threads yet, so you'll have to check back over the next few days to see when they've gone live.

Please be sure to read the instructions thoroughly before committing as a mentor. If you do want to join a group as a mentee, my best advice is to hurry! They fill up very fast.

Here's to a great 2011!

Please vote and share: How did your season go?

As I look back on my season, it certainly didn't go according to plan.

I thought I'd do at least five triathlons and I did one. I thought I would complete a half ironman. I finished a half marathon instead.

So, I'm curious to see how everyone else's season went. Vote over to the right and share the details here!

Happy offseason training!

Look what I got for 30 bucks

A poster on Beginner Triathlete wanted to know where to find a good deal on a trainer. I responded by telling him about the great deal I got on an adjustable fluid trainer back in September from Nashbar.

I paid $135 for a $329 trainer with the discount they had on the product plus an additional 20% for the Labor Day holiday.

I went to Nashbar to check the exact name of my trainer to share with this poster and noticed they were having yet another special: 72 items at 72% off.

I had a little money to spare so I decided to see what all I could buy for $30. Including shipping and tax, for $30.42 (OK, so I went a little over budget) I got the following items:

• A frame pack bag - $4.94
• Two pairs of Wigwam socks - $2.69
• A rack strap - $1.43
• A  balaclava - $4.49
• A set of arm warmers - $5.04
• A 24 oz. water bottle - $2.51
• And a 2008 Tour de France water bottle - $1.34

BALACLAVA

Not too shabby, huh?

When I got home from work this evening, my husband had put a box on the kitchen table. Before changing into my comfy clothes, I grabbed the nearest pair of scissors and began taking everything out of its packaging.

So, the burning question is, of course, which item am I most excited about? That answer is easy: the balaclava.

Though I looked like a clumsy ninja when I tried it on, it really is a practical piece of gear for cold weather running and biking and I've been eyeing them for a couple years.

If you're a triathlete or cyclist - heck, even a runner - you've got to check out Nashbar. They've got a good reputation, are very quick to ship and have incredible prices.

Hiiiiiiii-yah!