Miami Cold Front

Here I sit in Miami preparing for the 2007 ING Miami Marathon. The big news in town, besides the Superbowl next week, is the blistering cold front they are having here. It was a low of 55 degrees last night. I hardly think that scares anyone who lives anywhere in the USA north of Orlando. Today we're supposed to climb back to 70 and race day is supposed to be 80. Salt tabs!!!

Check out one of the neatest things about this marathon at www.runforsomethingbetter.com. My wife is helping to shuffle 800 kids onto the marathon course on race day. These kids have run a total of 25 miles at their schools over the past months. Sunday they will race the final 1.2 on the course right through the official finish line. Very cool to see and be a part of.

Top 5 workout EVER!

Once in a while work and training dovetail perfectly. Its rare, but it happens. For the past 5 days I've been in Phoenix Arizona staying at the lush Biltmore Hotel. That, in and of itself, is a treat. But if you happen to be from the east coast and used to getting up between 5 and 6AM each day you find yourself looking for something to do around 4AM (time change!) as you wake each morning...even if you struggle to stay up socializing until midnight mountain time. Getting out of your room is the best option even when its colder in Phoenix than it is in Raleigh (40 degrees@4AM, not bad).

So, if you are like me, you put on your running gear and go. In this case, you run 7 miles to the base of Camelback Mountain. Then you climb/scramble/run the mile or so to the top and watch the sun rise. Then you downclimb/scramble to the bottom and run the 7 miles back to your hotel. Then you go to work. Hard to beat that for a fun and full day.

It was so good I did it twice while I was there. Once Saturday and once Tuesday. Check out the proof here since blogger doesn't want to take photos right now.

Registered for White Lake

After much frustration with their broken website I've registered for the White Lake 1/2 Ironman on 5/5/07. That will be my big athletic objective for the first half of 2007.

I'm also starting my coaching program this week. I've just submitted my profile and we're about to get me going. Time to carve more time and prepare for the 5AM alarm 6x/week.

The weather in Arizona today is cool. 4 miles this AM, 20 tomorrow AM.

End of this update only post.

Hurry up and wait...

I made a semi-conscious decision to stay home from work today (and work some from home) so that I could do four key things:

1) See my parents off on their ride back to Oklahoma after a nice two week stay with us and the kids - SUCCEEDED
2) Help Mrs. Lucky get the kids back to school after a long break...one in which they often mysteriously get a "tummy ache" on the morning school is to begin again - SUCCEEDED
3) Sign up for a 2007 Key Race - The White Lake Half Ironman triathlon in May. I am currenty failing on this one. At about 11:57AM, 3 minutes before the associated website went live for registrations, it bombed out. They finally have a "sorry we're working on it" message up now at 12:30PM - PENDING
4) Go for a 10 mile run AFTER I register - PENDING

So I thought I would take a moment to say happy new year and remind you of two of my biggest rookie tri-learnings of 2007.

1) There is a unique spot that can be shaved on men to make the long bike ride more comfortable
2) Get your workout in before 8AM and you are guaranteed a great day (I confess I already knew this one)

Out.