fear #1: i can't sit at my *desk* for 7 hours...

...so how am i gonna sit on a BIKE for the equivalent of a work day?!

good Q! so i stragezied (my fave part of this adventure):

start with 20 mins every eve after work, no matter what time i got home, then worked up to 90 over the wknd

may not seem like much, but it's honestly my greatest concern...today, that is.

sat will involve 11 mi worth of running -- and did i mention my other '09 ambition?

Espanol!

i've loaded 8 discs of michael thomas on my 'pod, which should help pass the time in the weeks (months!) to come

wish me luck ...and remember, there IS no finish line!

drs
**

an excerpt from Rich Stauss (http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/race-day-prep/mental-focus-for-the-ironman-000565.php):

"After my Kona race, a client asked me about the mental focus required for a successful race.

I went through Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in January through March, 1996. It was the coldest winter in 100 years. For one exercise we had to negotiate a very long obstacle course, which included the Quigley, a small creek, covered in ice. The instructors had us break the ice with the butts of our M-16's just so we could get in the water. For the exercise, I was the leader of a four man fire team. The other three guys were very thin runner types and they were absolutely suffering in the cold water.

The instructor yelled at them and said "I didn't put you in that water, you did. You asked for this. You have asked for the privilege of leading me and my Marines. You earn it in that water. Suck it up, Buttercup."

The body will do amazing things, when driven by the single-minded focus created through clarity of purpose. In short, identify why you want to do this to yourself and then commit your head to driving your body to the edge of your physical envelope.

In the words of Jack Palance in City Slickers, it's the One Thing..."