THE Planner

This is the time of year where most of us tri folk are registering and getting all jazzed for the 2010 season. In my last post I mentioned 'my' plans, but neglected to mention a few essential points.

(1) I have been hesitant to make much of it, but it is clearly a relevant matter. For some reason the medial aspect of my L knee is simply not cooperating. Training has been mediocore at best for the last 3 or so months despite my efforts to correct this matter. I will be taking the next logical step, which is an MRI. I want to make sure all the details are out there so the journey through 2010 can be truly documented.

(2) Dovetailing off that last point I want to make sure I can give God the credit for His mercy and faithfullness. I trust fully in His will and plan for me. In fact, amongst the 'gray' and the unknown of where this knee thing is going I find great peace about the season. I can plan all I want for this season, but I know He will direct my every step. This gives me great peace, confidence, and ultimately joy.

So, there you have it. My hope is that I can eliminate this knee problem w/ His assistance and have the kind of year I hope for. Ultimately, I desire to glorify Christ in 2010 and not myself.

Scripture that gives me strength and is relevant:

Luke 6:48 (New Living Translation)

⁴⁸ It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.

In this very small setback/roadblock I will continue to trust and 'build' my foundation on Him. In both the good and the bad I know all things come to me to shape and refine me. To prune from me what is not of Him.

I look forward to seeing how He will work in and through me in this season.

Praising God along the way!

Coach L

2010 - Take Two!

Happy New Year!

I hope you are all getting fired up for the upcoming season. Planning out your season can always get the juices flowing a bit.

"Team Leo" has two key items on the docket for this year:

(1) Bring another little one into the world. The expected due date is July 12, 2009. We are very excited about this new addition and I am certain Luke will enjoy a new 'training partner'. I only wish the nausea was not so intense for Annie.

(2) Further refine the "Ironman in 10" training methods with intentions of qualifying at IMF 2010.

I also plan on dabbling in the NCTS; Cool Breeze, Huntersville, Belews, OTM, Latta, LKN, and a few others will serve as 'threshold tests' for 2010.

With that being said, I plan on bringing more detail to my IM prep and the many steps that I will be implimenting along the way.

Generally speaking, I will be keeping volume low at this stage of the game and be focusing on boosting my high end aerobic threshold via loads of interval work.

I will be spending a significant amount of time in 2010 on myofascial work and corrective exercise. This will be executed prior to all of my training to keep 'hidden weak links' from surfacing later in the season as full blown injuries.

I plan on posting baseline data for the three disciplines in the near future. This will set the stage for preping for the sprint/international distances that will springboard to IMF down the road.

I look FWD to another fun filled season and hope to learn much from it...

Happy training folks...Coach L

Praising God!

Giving God Praise this morning for several reasons.

Two key points to make here:

First, I am happy to report my peeps succesfully battled it out at Beach 2 Battleship and Ironman Florida this weekend. So very proud of each of them. Job well done my friends...job well done!

The lessons one learns while pushing their bodies through this distance is simply outstanding. I personally love how you eventually reach a level of brokeness that is hard to experience in other distances. The Great Sustainer (Christ Jesus) can truly lift you up when all you want to do is call it quits.

Second, my beautiful wife is pregant! Anne is 6 weeks pregnant and I am overjoyed. I was ready to tell the whole world this news, but refrained for about a week. The little one should arrive (Lord willing) on ~July 16, 2010. Looking FWD to seeing how IMF prep will go. This will make the 'IM in 10' approach truly intersting and very much necessary ;)

I hope you are all well and enjoying the closing weeks to the 2009 tri season!