Cowtown over and triathlons are starting

Okay so going into the Cowtown I actually had a plan for how to run the race.  And also for a change, if not a first, I actually followed the plan to a T for the first half.  I wanted to take it easy and try to stay in the 10:30 per mile range and then for the second half get myself in the 10 per mile range.  Well the first half went according to my plan and I stayed in the range I wanted to stay in.  The problem is that when the second half of the race started I was about to hit my wall.  Miles 14 and 15 were going decent but I could feel the wall coming.  I tried focusing on other things I the runners in ponytails.  Yes a weakness of mine.  I follow runners with ponytails.  There is just something about a runner in a ponytail that just drives me crazy and also keeps on focus on that instead of the run ahead.  But even with the beautiful women and their beautiful ponytails the wall slapped me hard yet again.  Two marathons and two walls that came and took over.  Plus around mile 16 I, and I want to put this nicely because I have no clue how in the hell this happened, pulled a groin muscle will taking a quick rest-stop.  Seriously how is it even possible to pull a muscle like that while standing still and going to the bathroom.  Ok but even that didn't bother me much because it wasn't much of an issue until mile 23.  So for miles 16 to 23 it was impossible for to keep the pace going.  Finally at mile 23 the groin issue became a huge factor.  It is tough to run knowing that if you had to stop then the groin problem would be a factor in your ability to start running again.  But in the end I finally finished two days later or it felt like it.  It did really take me 5:16 to finish it and an average of 11:55 per mile.  The slowest race average I have ever had.  So in the end I think I may have had my plan all wrong.  I probably should have been a little more aggressive at the start of the race because it appears that no matter how many full marathons I do I am just not the runner who can break through his wall.

I also learned one other thing.  You get what you paid for.  I didn't really train that hard for this marathon.  For the past two months of training I only had one long run of over 14 miles.  With no long run over that I really was not prepared to have my best race.  I took these past two months to focus on some running but mostly I was focused on my swimming.  But I had one goal coming into this year for my running and it was to compete two marathons so I have one done and one to go.  That one will be in December in College Station most likely as I really loved that marathon and who they supported with their money from the runners.  I will always support a run that helps fight human trafficking.  Between that and suicide prevention I will support any run or group because those are the most important causes that I believe in and will support to the fullest.

Now on to the most important thing.  My focus is now fully onto triathlons.  I got one signed up already and another one a month after that.  This is now fully the year of the triathlon for me.  My goals now are fully on to making this happen with an ultimate goal of my first 70.3 in 2015.  The race is still not picked out but Knoxville is looking good for me.  I would love to swim in the same area that hosts the Vol Navy during the college football year.  But Knoxville is almost in the mountains so any bike or running done will probably involve some major hills.  Another option is to skip the states and head to Europe and find a race over there.  Maybe Czech Republic or Ireland or Netherlands.  The waitress at Ascension is from the Netherlands and wow.  That is all I am going to say other than she is married so dang it.  

With my triathlons the most distance I will be running would be mostly 5k's to start my season off.  I am hoping near the end of the season I can see myself in a couple of longer races.  

My Saturdays are now going to be filled at White Rock most likely with a bike ride of 30 or more miles and running of about 10.  Sundays I hope are filled at Trinity Park for another 30 or more miles and some swimming.  

Swimming 4 or 5 days a week now.

Biking hoping 3 days a week now.

Running 4 days a week now.  Mostly 6 miles per run with a Saturday long run of 10 miles.