Setting In...

Little by little, I'm starting to grasp that I am leaving for CDA tomorrow! (No, I still haven't packed yet...)

I had the best impromptu breakfast with Elizabeth this morning. I feel especially connected to her through this experience, even though we haven't trained together like we used to. (She's too dang fast!) However, I still remember when she decided to sign up for CDA through community fund. At the time, we thought about writing letters to ourselves to read before Ironman. Well, we never did... though we decided our blogs did a good job of saying what we'd have written. Anyway, it was so great to talk about our season and our goals and what this experience has meant to us.

Also, she inspired me to look at the training totals on my Beginner Triathlete training log. Here goes, for 2009:

Swim: 47 hours - 80 miles
Bike: 146 hours - 2,367 miles
Run: 77 hours, 420 miles

This doesn't include core, elliptical machines, etc... but overall, I've logged about 300 hours & 2,876 miles. I have no idea how that stand in comparison to others who train, but that's an average of 13+ hours per week. I haven't gotten faster, I haven't gotten much stronger, I certainly miss the gym a LOT, but... I have been consistent. My endurance is there. My attitude is there. The training is there.

And... taper is here too! Check this out - this is what taper looks like!!!
E & I played around with some finishing times this morning, but ultimately came to the conclusion that we are both out there to soak up the experience and enjoy it. So, this training better get me across that finish line under the 17 hour cut-off. If I can do that, I honestly will be very very happy and consider this a successful year.

(Right now, though, my lack of packing is my biggest roadblock!)