Detour on the Road...

As is evident by the date, I am now writing an update on my Blog almost one full year after the last post. In that time, I have ridden about 150 miles on my bike, run maybe 50 miles and swum 5. I have missed every marathon, every triathlon, every road race that I would have and should have competed in in order to make my goal. I have also gained about 10-15 pounds. Not quite the training that one needs to make it to Kona by October 11, 2008.

So I step back and regroup.

There are a lot of excuses I could make for myself and my lack of training over the past year. Some are more valid than others, but when it comes right down to it, it's all about priorities. I have a more important priority right now and that is finishing my dissertation and starting my career. I have a great new job that I will be starting in August, and my dissertation is much farther along now than it was this time last year, mostly because I have put it in front of training. I don't like the way things have worked out for me physically, but I suppose we have to sacrifice some dreams and goals for others to happen.

The good news is: I have only lost a little time on my training. I still have a wonderful family, a body that works (although it is exacting revenge on me for not keeping it well tuned,) and a new job, a new home and more time to return to my training. I am still desperately working to finish my dissertation and will not be competing again for a few months, but if everything goes according to plan, I will be marathoning again in November and competing seriously once again in 2008.

Here's to rededication and achieving goals.