MIA

So who knows where I've been for the past 5 months...? Training, life-ing, DisneyWorlding, Oilmaning, camping... Just being generally busy. I still have two race reports to write - the Mammoth Lake Olympic (which I will not return to) and Oilman 70.3 (which I will definitely return to, just not in 2016). Our family spent a weekend at Brazos Bend State Park with our Cub Scout Pack in November enjoying our first family campout (which will also be repeated; early and often). We also spent Thanksgiving at Disney World and Universal Studios (which left us broke and tired, after 46 miles of walking in 5 days).

I did a scary, scary thing this weekend. I took a pic of myself in not much at all to track my progress between now and IMTX. I haven't decided if I'm going to publish this post or keep it private. Maybe I'll publish it without the images, just to keep myself honest without embarrassing myself and my family. The plan is to take the same two pics every Sunday from now until IMTX to document how my body changes and responds to the intense training schedule that is Ironman.

Some day soon, I'll get around to the race reports and camping tales and Disney fun and all of that. Kids are going back to school tomorrow after Christmas break and marathon training will come to an end on January 17 when I toe the line at the Houston Chevron Marathon. (shaking in my New Balance....)

I don't make NY resolutions any more - I set yearly goals. This year, the goals are as follows:

- Run the Houston Marathon
- Conquer the sub-7 half iron
- Learn to cook rice
- Register for IMTX17

I have two weeks left until the Houston Marathon and 14 weeks until HIMTX. I made my first pot of rice this morning. It wasn't half bad. I'll volunteer at IMTX in May and sign up for IMTX17 the following morning. I'm well on my way to achieving those goals and it's just the fourth day of 2016.

With a whole lot of prayer and some dedication, I'll completely transform my body through the next 15 months, 17 days, 14 hours, and 60 minutes.

How's that for a catch-up post??