roads....

Been a bit busy getting things in order here, but, all is well....back on the road. Training for a few weeks easy and re-setting. It's incredibly nice to do this after a little rest and re-evaluation. Also nice to loose some fitness and heal. Rebuild.  Seems like now I need a lot of discipline to stay chill during workouts and focus on base again.  I love this.

                                                          

As some may have noticed through twitter or FB,  I've been offered a spot to compete in the 2013 in Canada. Uh....Yes please.

Excited for so many reasons. I applied for this months ago after some thought and prayer.  I made sure not to jump too soon after the disappointing result in Cozumel. Weird...I actually stopped to think for a bit. (Rhonda was the biggest reason for this) -- I find most ( if not all) decisions or apparent good choices are not because I stopped to ponder-but, I stopped and listened to Rhonda. Seriously she is wise. Discussions about Ultraman went a little back and forth, & when the e-mail/invite arrived I was elated. How awesome of an opportunity?!?  I was actually fortunate enough to exchange a few e-mails with Steve King, a sport legend, he was very encouraging about me applying for a spot. I have the utmost respect for Ultraman athletes and will do my best to show up on race day prepared.  I considered it briefly a few years back but just wasn't ready. Also, able to share a few thoughts with Rich Roll on the phone (thanks Rich) a few days ago and talking to him cements the fact that it's the type of event that will change you--Show up ready.

Rhonda will be the lead on my crew for the race and I'm so stoked to spend this event together.  She's excited too, and we'll have one of our closest  friends Eric (supported me in Kentucky) and our son Ian to round out the team.  I'll also be working with Chris again developing a plan of attack, plus-my experience with training for the Epic 5 will be valuable.  I'll relay to you the events of my training leading up to the race and answer any ?'s too...it'll be fun

Sweet that I've raced Ironman Canada twice and have spent time in Pentiction training,  I feel very comfortable there. Amazing coffee at "the bench", amazing people...just an amazing place.  Can't wait.
Thanks Ultraman Canada for allowing me this great privilege.

 Look forward to meeting such great athletes from around the world.

My first time in Haiti I was assaulted with thankfulness on so many levels-but roads...actual roads that we drive on, take for granted, the vessels for so much of my life, our life...I never considered. It's easy to think about water, food, electricity, but roads??  Just thought they were...normal. Does that make sense? My trips to Haiti I am always reminded how fortunate we are to have good roads. Some of the travel in Haiti is limited due to rough roads.

Yes..there are great metaphors using roads in life..."the road of life...less traveled...fork in the"...Whatever. A road caused my wife to get in a pretty bad accident two weeks ago that totaled our car-she's fine, the car is not.  My daughter will be driving on our roads soon, and Ian soon to follow.  I see much tragedy on roads at work-just been thinking about roads....Over the last few weeks running I have been so thankful for them-really. Transporting food, supplies, school kids, employees, athletes, friends, family. Snow covered roads on Christmas Eve, roads that hold the heat into the summer night that you can feel while running in the dark.  One of my favorite roads and runs ever I ran last year on the bad-water 135 course. It was that road that made me come back 3 times in one day. 6 miles in the morning, 6 in the afternoon, and again 6 in the evening.  Roads rule (and yes-It was a road that enabled me to meet my friend Greg in Indio-told you this post was for you). I shared whispers with my daughter Evelyn on a great road to school. I remember the way the road looked on every run in every Ironman I've ever raced.  It's roads that allow me to train. We are always on them. Thank you God for the blessing of roads.

 "But what is the most important road?" I said to myself today during a run.  So many cool ways to look at this. Or..maybe this is just "runner's mind"...... able to take anything and make it into something because of hours spent running. I often miss the beauty of a road because I'm not paying close enough attention. So literal and artistically my plan is to pay more attention to the roads leading me into Ultraman.  I'll hang with this theme for a while because I do think it's valuable, and over the next few posts share some thoughts about roads. Cool??

Be looking out for updates to my website and Social media pages.  Considering changing my FB format to just one page (my actual name, not Luke920) for simplicity, and a few other reasons.  It will help going into Ultraman for one, and some other things that are getting harder for me to manage would be easier-still working on that..... I'll let you know.  I'm using one of Living Fuels recovery products and will soon pass on thoughts about -Insport Recovery. Living Fuel is such a great supporter of my desire to succeed. Thanks KC and crew.

                     Stoked about teaming up with Orbea this year also.  Details very soon about that.

This coming Sunday February 10th, I have the honor of talking to the Men's youth group from Sonrise church here in Hillsboro Oregon. Looking forward to that-Thanks Eric for the invite.

Next week a bit more about direction of travel and what road will take me there.