A Whole Lotta Changes!

Yep, I pretty much gave up on the blogging thing a while back. I'm not so sure I'll be good at this, but I am going to give it a 2nd try!

First, a few updates... we left Chicago a few months ago and moved back to our hometown, in SW MI. I have a new job with the same company, just now a LOT closer to my permanent address, but requires a lot more time in the air. We completed Oceanside despite losing all momentum and most of my training in the last 6 weeks leading up to the race. We're in the middle of rehabing our new home. AND ... drum roll please, along with Evan, my brother in law, his wife Stacey, and my husband Conor, I am now officially signed up to do Ironman Coeur D'Alene 2011.

Given all of those changes, I think this blog will end up being a combination of updates on home renovations - the FUN stuff - and a place to keep track of my thoughts about and progress on Ironman training.

Evan, my local IM expert, informs me that I must start getting 6 days of swimming, cycling or running in, starting now. This will allow me to build a solid base from which to increase the level of training needed to complete the IM a year from now. Having completed 2 70.3 races, including the aforementioned Oceanside, with a smile still on my face, I'm feeling pretty good about having the physical wherewithall to complete the race next year. With that said, I am also terrified of completing said race. Mentally, it is likely to be one of the most challenging things I will ever do. Physically, hands down, it will be the most gruelling thing I will have endured up to that point in life (I haven't yet experience childbirth). There is one particular source of my fear - the bike. 112 miles on a bike, riding hills, strike that, riding mountains, in a race (with a bunch of crazies) terrifies the living crap out of me. I have some serious work to do between now and June next year. I need to get stronger, I need to get more comfortable on my bike (both mentally and physically - a new saddle is a must), and I need to get faster - after all, the less time I have to be out there, the better! So, I will be starting to find ways to get out on my bike more often than I am now, find ways to build strength and confidence riding hills (a challenge given our flat landscape), and practice maintaining a higher effort for longer periods of time. I have some work to do.

Speaking of work, when I am not in the office, or out swimming, cycling or running, I am likely to be working on our house. This has been incredibly fun, stressful and rewarding. It has felt very slow, even though looking back, we have accomplished a LOT in a few short months. Thanks to help from many friends, including Chris and Jared, who have labored long hours getting the skilled work done with skilled hands! Thus far we have completed the following: new paint throughout entire 1st floor, new floors throughout entire 1st floor, new baseboards throughout, some new furniture, emptied almost all boxes & put away our things, cleaned up outside landscaping - including removing many "sore spots" and replacing with new landscaping, outfitting screened in porch and new lighting through most of the house. In subsequent posts, I will share photos and some other adventures we've encountered in our home renovation process.

Until then, here's looking forward to a good weekend, filled with landscaping, swimming, cycling and running! :)