Turn Setbacks Into Opportunities, Indeed: FitOldDog Is Back With His Training Goals

FitOldDog eating his last fig of the season.

The last fig of the season, from my little fig tree, was yummy – is that a good omen for my 2015 Ironman training and race season? I think so!

Fig on FitOldDog's fig tree

There it was. Last fig of the season, as the leaves are starting to yellow with the oncoming winter. Yum! Make great jam, too.

Time to set my training goals for 2015.

I had a tough triathlon season in 2014, after making Ironman All World Athlete, Bronze, in 2013, and missing a Kona slot by only one roll down at the Louisville Ironman. Amongst other things, Bob Scott (84) beat me at the 2014 Eagleman Half Ironman again, and I’d promised myself he never would. But he did, and he is one of my heroes, so that’s OK. Then two disastrous Ironman races, Mont Tremblant (missed the bike cutoff by 10 minutes) and Maryland (missed the run cutoff at mile 18 of the marathon).

At least I now know why 2014 was so tough.

My hip was displaced the entire time, since my bike wreck in 2013. The realignment, a couple of months ago, was followed by the work needed to bring my soft tissues back into line with my skeleton. This included lots of water running, in addition to massage with rollers, plenty of carefully directed stretching, then onto the treadmill, and finally a return to the weight room for strength training, with short visits to the track.

FitOldDog's new vegetable garden.

My garden is pretty well ready, and some turnips and winter greens are coming up, even though they were planted a little late. I’ll have a great time vegetable gardening in the spring.

My latest recovery milestone occurred two days ago, when I ran continuously on the treadmill for 15 minutes with no tight right calf, no rebirth of my essentially recovered plantar fasciitis, and IT FELT GREAT!

Thank goodness for Tara‘s Osteopath, Perry North.

My training goals for 2015

  1. Setting up my new vegetable garden
  2. Bringing my run back on track, with the specific objective of qualifying for the Boston Marathon again.
  3. Dial the bike back in as my run returns while, cycling strongly enough to complete a decent post-bike marathon.
  4. Hold my swim steady, with three swims per week, in the range of 1,000 to 5,000 yards.
  5. Hire an Ironman-distance triathlon coach for about six months, prior to a chosen race in 2015 or 2016.

I have no interest in walking an Ironman run ever again, as it is extremely unpleasant.

In addition to my training goals, of course, I’ll be building the business, Old Dogs in Training, writing more books, and working towards becoming a decent businessman.

You’ve got to reinvent yourself regularly for a full and happy life.

Happy Trails.

 

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Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.