Next steps!

   So with the 2014 season done and 2015 slowly sneaking ahead, its time to start considering what to do about next year. This fall I've been enjoying getting back into running as my foot slowly heals, and got some time to catch back up with some of the BLN guys for a few rides before it got too dark. Biking grew on me a lot this past year, and I enjoyed meeting a lot of new people through that sport. However, since in the fall the temperatures start to drop, it gets dark, and my travel schedule picks up again, I always usually revert to just running. Its a lot easier to pack a pair of shoes and my running gear then worrying about a bike and trying to find a pool. I enjoy the simplicity, the ability to explore with running, and deal with the elements better than the other sports. I signed up for the Austin Half Marathon to give myself a goal to train to with running, and have been appreciative that my body is rebounding fairly well to get my mileage up without my foot hurting again. I've had to make a few changes with my flexibility, and include more core work for imbalances with my left leg. I've also tried trying to take in more tumeric to see if that helps with the tendon inflammation in my foot...but honestly its a pretty yummy spice anyhow so even if its not doing anything its OK.

Exploring Portland where I had my annual ECN/ESA meetings. My Oiselle clothes kept me warm with the unusually cold temps there in November, especially the Jogging tights. They are awesome and hold a cell phone (very important when running in Portland...which honestly was sketchy at night).

But...the big BUT is starting to come back. I talked to my friend and teammate from college Jackie about doing a half-ironman distance race in Florida in April, and I started considering whether I wanted to do my first half early in the spring before Worlds and Redman in the fall. The timing would be perfect, since late April through July I have a lot of traveling again for work, and so racing will be a secondary priority this summer as I try to juggle work and just basic training anyhow. So, it would be good to get a big race out of the way in the spring. However, it would mean pretty much my whole winter would be sucking it up on the trainer, and back to super-long, solo training sessions in Norman to try to juggle everything as efficiently as possible. Right now I'm trying to decide if I've had enough of a mental break from this past season to throw in swimming and biking too this early, or just enjoy my running return and its easy ability to adapt to my schedule. The itch for tri training is coming back...but not in full swing just yet. Decisions, decisions! But no matter what, time to get started on 2015!