2008 The review so far....

Alright I haven't posted on this blog in a while and this post will most likely be getting cut and pasted to my other blog

2007 was an amazing year and I was hoping 2008 was going to equal or surpass it. In some ways it did, I did my first Ironman, left the country ( US and its possessions I went to St. Croix in 03) for the first time in almost 20 years. I met some good friends along the way, and raced and trained more than I thought possible in a season. I was sponsored for most of the season, and raced some major events, with good results..in some ways 2008 was a banner year.

2008 was a rough year in other ways, my father lost his job and he and my mother took commission based positions in a volatile market, this put some strain in my finances as I owe my parents for paying off my bill for my sophomore year at Fordham, and I have helped where I can with what I can, and sometimes with what I don't technically have ( ie credit.) The fact that I had helped last year along with the expenses of commuting to school, buying a new bike, entering about 7 -8 races last season and a little trip to the Southern Hemisphere didn't help my situation, so when I found out about a laspe before severance kicked in I gave money that would have paid one of my bills for life expenses, this and a delay and reduction in my expected stimulus package put me behind the 8-ball and forced me to borrow from my parents and grand parents to race Patriot and Eagleman. I sold off my road bike to a friend to finance RI 70.3, In essence I was in deep shit and had to put a freeze on race entries in May I only recently was able to get out with the help of a student loan which went to cover the gas and book charges on my cards from last year. My tri season essentially ended on Sunday with a DNF at Nutmegman, I guess a fitting end to the nightmare my season had become, maybe I should have just ended it back in July with RI 70.3 and the high note I had, but 2 months of training runs and rides would have seemed wasted if I didn't roll the dice just one more time, as with all gambles sometimes you end up with snake eyes.

As for 2009 many of you know I was planning on doing IM New Zealand again I'm going to wait and see how things pan out over the next month if I have the entry fee in October and I either have a homestay arranged through my friend Catherine or the race staff, then I'll go to Taupo in March if not then I will use the money saved for other life endeavors..that's my ultimatum to myself no cheap lodging no go...simple.

If New Zealand doesn't happen I'm might do a cheaper alternative and race the Country Music Marathon again ....just to see if I can beat my first time there, also it gives me an excuse to see an old friend.

IM Arizona is on the schedule ( either tomorrow or Wednesday I'll grab the paper work to re-register the Central Tri Club..so Bjoern and I will be reimbursed our entries.) I was there for Bjoern's first half and I'll be there for his first full, we train together and push one another to the next level so there's no doubt a PR is in both our futures.

The Griskus Sprint ( Surprise) is always on my schedule..it was my first tri I'll keep racing it unless I move off the East Coast.

Patriot is on I was there for the inaugural which was also my first half, so I'm going back for more.

RI 70.3 and Eagleman aren't on the list for next season not because I don't like them but the cost is an issue if I race an Ironman or hopefully 2 if the budget allows, I won't have the cash flow to race all over hell and back, a hard lesson from 08 but a valuable one. I do plan on doing Eagleman again in either 10 or 11 when I've gotten myself set up and have a better idea of what kind of cash I can throw at the sport.

Nutmegman is on the list as it is a final tune up for Arizona as well as the race now owes me big. I have never DNFed before in my life and it leaves a terrible taste in my mouth even if the choice to drop out is the right one.

So in the grand scheme of things I have anywhere from 4-6 races planned, plans always change, I may add or subtract depending on life, training, cash, mindset, I may decide to inflate my rather deflated USAT ranking and do more sprints and intermediate distance races, I may decide to focus on the unglorious task of training and go "into the basement" for 3-4 months just cranking out workouts, whatever I do I am confident that 2009 will be better than 2008, and it will not end with a DNF....which the Hartford Marathon and half marathon are coming up I may yet end 2008 on a high note...

R.D.