September 18

It's been a week since the race and I've gotten over the disappointment of not getting the BQ. It's always a tough pill to swallow when you don't achieve a goal but instead of dwelling on the past, I'm channeling that energy into preparing for Phoenix in February. With the cooler weather coming, I should be able to get in the long runs that were lacking in the last cycle due to the extreme summer heat. You just can't beat the Arizona winters for training.

After the race I was feeling pretty beat up but I'm happy to report that I'm able to walk like a human again. Normally I'm feeling better a day, maybe 2 afterward but this time it took 4 days which had Christine calling me Ozzy. All I can say is running down a mountain seriously tore my legs up. Still I was feeling alright by Thursday which had me considering a short run but it had been a long week and I opted for the extra rest instead.

So having not run for a week, I was glad to be able to get in 3 miles yesterday although, if I had my choice I would have run on the road. Instead, because of a short business trip, I had to run on the hotel DM. It really felt great to be running after the week off and while my calves were somewhat tight, it was still a good 30 minute effort. I might even try to get in a few miles later this afternoon.

Otherwise, I have been enjoying a post-race cheat treat week. After training hard and eating clean for the past few months, it is nice to cut loose and not worry about it. I can't say that my body is all that pleased which serves as a good reminder that it prefers good food over junk.

Now that you are caught up on my training, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the outpouring of support; it really meant a lot to me. I don't know if I would still be running if it wasn't for the great online community we have. You really are my inspiration to keep grynding.

I was also remiss in forgetting to give a shout out to Amy and Eldon who we met for dinner after the race. They had just finished a tri and were heading home but took the time to meet up. Congrats to Amy for getting through her first OWS and finishing 3rd in her AG.

On a more personal front, Christine and I are moving forward with our new business, Wegrynd. One thing that we have noticed is the lack of reasonably priced, eco-friendly running gear currently available. With a blend of recycled polyester and bamboo charcoal we hope to fill that niche.

Not only is the fabric good for the environment but it is good for you in that it provides UV protection as well as antibacterial properties. Another benefit of the bamboo charcoal it that it is odor absorbing. Just because you train hard, your clothes don't have to smell like it.

Now that training will be scaling back, I'll have time to get the website up before the shirts arrive in about 2 months.

For those of you that are wanting show your Wegrynd colors before the shirts are in, we do have visors available on our eBay site.

That's all I have and once again, I can't thank you enough for the support, it is very much appreciated.