I'm back. Almost. 

I've been strength training, biking, swimming and Voodoo flossing like mad to get my ITBS in line so I can fully start training for my upcoming 70.3. The pain is almost completely gone, but I want a full week of no pain and no running to make sure this thing is done.

Through dealing with this injury, I've had a lot of time to think about plans, goals and what is the best way to achieve those goals.

Still working on the "how to achieve" part, but I have had a reoccurring thought here recently.

Ironman Louisville 2015.

That's right. If I did that, this blog wouldn't make sense. 

Perfect.

Hear me out.

After talking to a close friend more about his first IM experience, I think this goal is obtainable. But at what cost?

My blog. A sub 14 hour finish? Not even finishing? 

I don't know. I mean, I'm writing a blog post at 1:42 a.m. for crying out loud.

So, we'll see. Don't get your hopes up, me.

Well, back to sleep or my Polar will throw a fit in the morning.

Well, I am injured. 

After running the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon, I took some time off, two and a half weeks to be exact, then went for a six mile run one day.

I had done speed work the day before and after my six miler, my IT band felt horrible. 

It’s been two weeks since my last run.

It sucks.

So, I’ve been hitting the bike and pool hard to make up for it.

I’ve also added in much needed hip strength training and IT band stretching.

Hopefully I’ll be ready to run before my Polar M400 comes in for Christmas. 

We’ll see.

As for now, I’m pissed at everyone I see out running, and becoming anxious about being behind on the running side of my 70.3 training. 

Luckily it’s winter.

I knew an injury would come, it was only a matter of time. 

My next post won’t probably come until I run again, or my Polar shows up. 

This past Saturday I raced the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon. Based on the goal I had for myself, I killed it. I executed my race strategy perfectly and finished with the official time of 1:55:56:18.

Based on my longest run splits, I expected to finish around 2:05ish, but secretly, I was hoping to break 2:00.

I lined up with the 2:10 pacer, with my sights on 2:00, knowing that the pace would probably start out fast, which it did. 

For the first four miles I settled into my pace, looking for people with Ironman calf tattoos. I was able to hold my pace, which was faster than I've ever run, and make my move at mile 10, when I caught the 2 hour group. 

In years past I've suffered quite a bit from injury. This time around, I trained injury free, started the race injury free and in a brand new pair of On Cloudsurfers, to which I attribute this successful outing. 

With recovery, I'm still in the foam roller and Primal Sport Mud stage, but hopefully I'll be out swimming/biking/running within the next two days. 

Overall, it was a great race, volunteers held cups from the bottom, bourbon was freely available, and I beat my goal. 

Finally, I've found a way to watch all the Ingmar Bergman movies my wife will never watch with me.

The Criterion Trainer.

I'm a Hulu Plus subscriber and I've marked all the Criterion movies by duration so I can choose a movie based on the length of my training session. 

When you're doing grueling brick sessions in preparation for a long course triathlon the difference between what's an illusion and reality can often blur, which is why this movie is so fitting. 

For those, like my wife, who fall asleep at first sight of a black and white movie(excluding Casablanca, of course), riding on a bike trainer should offer up enough stimulation to keep you awake.

Stop watching Youtube training videos of a group of guys riding through southern Arizona and watch some good movies! 

Here are three of the movies I'll be watching over the next few weeks while I'm on the trainer.

I've expressed my love for The Clymb website, but my most recent obsession is the Facebook group "Online Meet Swap" or OMS. OMS is a group dedicated to selling, swapping and purchasing used cycling gear. 

It's the shit.

I just bought a Cycle-Ops Fluid 2 bike trainer(retail $339) for only $150, lightly used with a block. People will post all kinds of stuff and usually it's priced very well. 

I switched shoes. I've been a Newton fan boy for two years now, but for some reason I've been very interested in On Running. Pictured above is the Cloudsurfer. These shoes retail $130 but I was able to snag them for $65 on The Clymb. 

I went for a 7 mile run in them this morning and they really impressed me. They are light, springy and very fast. When I am in the Newtons I feel like I have to remember how to run in them. Usually about mile 3 I get in the groove. 

WIth the Cloudsurfer's, I was in my groove very quickly and the run felt much more effortless than runs I've done in Newton's or Nike's. Like I mentioned earlier, the "clouds" on the bottom of the shoes really pushed me forward and helped me maintain quick turnovers. 

I really enjoyed running in them. 

If there is one thing I didn't like it would be the drop. I had a hard time feeling the ground in these shoes. You feel like you are running on Clouds, which some people will not like. 

TRAINING CONFESSIONS

Training sucked this week. My parents came to town on Thursday. No workouts M-Sat, but I was able to get in that 7 mile run on Sunday. Only 5 weeks until the half marathon...

Here are my 7 mile run stats via Runtastic:

Duration: 1:06:07

Distance: 7.17

Ave. pace: 9:13

Elevation Gain: 358

Fastest Split: Mile 3, 8:46

Slowest Split: Mile 2, 9:26

Triathlon is an expensive sport. My wife tells me that almost everyday. Contrary to what my beautiful blog and twitter page design may make you think, I am not made of money.

Even if you use your old Schwinn bike, your board shorts from spring break 2010 and your lawn mowing Asics from high school, you are still going to have to cough up $650 dollars to run in an Ironman branded 140.6 race, and that doesn't include the $90 full refund plan. Did you catch pneumonia a week from race day? Without the full refund plan you are SOL, buddy.

So forget about Ironman branded races. Ironman is a brand, let's not forget that. How about a Challenge event or Rev3?

Rev3 usually cost about $525 if you don't get an early bird special. A Challenge event will cost you around $250 depending on location and how early you sign up.

Still, $250 to race is steep.

Don't let the price of admission keep you from pursuing the sport.

Race your local triathlon events.

The Ironman distance is still the Ironman distance, whether it is branded by Ironman/WTC or by W.L. Rupert & Associates LLC.

Run the W.L. Rupert & Associates LLC Triathlon Series 140.6.

I've been able to find local 140.6 mile races in my area for around $80. The free t-shirt will still be awesome, the medal will probably be more awesome, and you will still be able to pay rent when it is due. 

So just run a damn race and keep it local, especially if you are new to the sport. That way, when you decide to not take salt tablets and you have to be wheel chaired off the course at mile 12 of the run, you will only be out $100 dollars or so, instead of $700+.

Check out http://www.trifind.com to find triathlons in your area.

I've recently made a few purchase/received a few hand me downs. 

Scott Road Comp Tri Shoes - The Clymb for $49.

2XU Tri Suit - FREE from the guy I bought my Tri bike from. He threw together a goodie bag that included not only this tri suit, but cycling shirts, nutrition products and spare tires. 

Look Keo 2 Max pedals - Ebay new for $80.

Arena Jammers - The Clymb for $24.

Haven't received the shoes or pedals, but I went for a swim in the jammers and it was amazing. I am pretty my swim stroke improved just by wearing these shorts, or least it made me try harder. Either way, buying a pair of jammers is well worth it. 

Below is my recently purchases Quintana Roo Caliente. Yes, that is a flame graphic, and yes it was discounted due to the flame graphic. It is a carbon fiber frame, so I really don't care what is on it. It is super fast. The last 50 mile ride I did was last weekend and this baby hauled. If you want a decent price on a tri bike, you have to go used. It is the only way.

I caught bikes at Ironman Louisville over the weekend. Guy Crawford lead the race coming out of T2, but(spoiler alert) he ended up falling back during the run and Chris McDonald took 1st place, with Nina Kraft winning for the females.

via Courier-Journal

No, I didn't catch any of their bikes, but I did grab the pee ridden and sometimes bloody saddles of many age groupers as they transitioned to the run. Ironman does provide volunteers with latex gloves, so don't let that keep you from volunteering.

It was an amazing experience. I've really never seen so many emotionally distraught athletes at one time. 

I'll never forget this one guy running to the changing tents, slapping five with all the volunteers and spectators and crying like a baby the whole time. 

It was magical.

One thing I love about endurance sport is the sometimes sheer disbelief at what you have accomplished and knowing that the hours of basement trainer rides actually were worth it. It is a beautiful thing. 

And it was hot. The day of the race it was the summers hottest day in Louisville. Next year the race will be in October so it could either by 95 degrees like this year, or snowing. Living in the Ohio valley you probably won't know which it will be until the day of the race.

via Courier-Journal

But more than anything, I was able to see people determined to finish something and trying everything possible to make that happen. Whether it be running with road rash legs from falling on mile 88 of the bike, eating other peoples dropped nutrition bars on the run or peeing their pants, all the athletes participating had amazing determination.

All in all, it was inspiring, revealing, hot, exciting and fun. If you ever have the chance to volunteer at an Ironman event, or any endurance race, I highly suggest you do it.

Although my updates have been inconsistent, I have made progress. But still, it is not like you care, and when I - you- I am talking about myself. 

I have signed up for a race. It's not a triathlon. It is a half-marathon that provides Bourbon at the finish line! One of the many perks of living in Louisville, KY. So anticipate finish line photos of me throwing up Woodford Reserve. The race is Oct. 25, 2014.

When I started this blog I weighted 175 lbs. I now weight 169.6 lbs. Not bad, I guess. I want to stay below 170 lbs, but I really need to be at around 165 lbs on race day. 

Now it's confession time:

I have still have not signed up for a triathlon.

I am using not having a $2000+ bike as an excuse to not sign up.

I haven't trained as much this week.

I didn't hit the pool ONCE this week, which means I've probably forgotten how to swim.

I'm a Cincinnati Reds fan.

Goals over the weekend:

through day 1.

Still missed my 4:45 a.m. alarm, but managed to go the the gym at 8:30 p.m. after work. Run felt pretty good, although I probably put to must effort in. Swim was OK, but I feel nervous about how my backstroke makes me look. I am trying to mimic the Alistair Brownlee youtube video I watched the other day. One can only imagine how that is going.

As you can see, it has been 9 months since my last logged workout. I can assure that I have been physical active since then, but not consistent enough to merit logging.

I am now down to 172 lbs. 

Day 1: I slept through my alarm.

The photo above was taken last summer. I was dedicated, passionate, and wearing tri shorts during casual runs through the neighborhood. The voice of Mike Reilly would run through my head, and I'd rehearse for my "Breakfast with Bob" interview.

You see those 2XU leg sleeves? Ya, they are completely unnecessary. At 5 a.m. I'd hit the pool, lunch break I'd watch a video of Paula Newby Fraiser "hitting the wall" and then end the day with a green shake while listening to the MaccaX podcast. I was a fanatic, who unfortunately lost his drive.

But now, it's back. That's why I started this blog. Nothing keeps you motivated and accountable like a tumblr blog no one knows exists. I will update this blog daily with my failures, successes and embarrassing moments, so that when the glorious day comes that I hear Mike Reilly welcome me into the Ironman club, or I see the ceiling of an ambulance, I can look back and say "if I wouldn't have wasted so much time blogging and focused more on training, maybe I would have done better." I am already on the right track.

When you look online for estimated finishing times for first time participants, most will tell you to just try to finish the race. So, thanks to the internet I am setting the bar low and shooting to just finish the race. I've got this.

Here are my current stats:

I'm an unconvincing 6 ft tall.

I weigh 175lbs.

I have a somewhat bad right knee.

I am a vegan...