Exciting times!

Well its been a while since my last post, so a quick update on what`s been happening. In the last couple of weeks I`ve been doing a lot of thinking about where my training is going to go with regards to 2010. I think I`ve mentioned in an earlier post my ambitions to do a long distance tri in the future, well August the 8th 2010 is pencilled in for my first Ironman distance triathlon!!
The race opens for entries on November 1st, so I`m counting the days down, also around about this date I`m moving house so it`s all change!! The race is in Nottingham UK and its the the first running of the event so should be fun, also it coincides with the Nottingham festival that weekend so should be a great atmosphere. Its aptly called the Outlaw Triathlon and apparently on completion you become one of Robin hoods outlaws... lol. I`m toying with the idea of doing it for charity, I`ve never raced before for a charity but this is such a big challenge it would be nice to feel like I`m achieving some good through it, and may even help keep me going through the long grim winter days of training I`ll have to endure.
The training starts next week, I`m following a 30week training schedule in Don Finks book "be ironfit".... great book and can highly recommend it although I will be playing around with the schedule a bit. Firstly it`s actually 40 weeks till the race so I`ll be doubling up on the base period so effectively the base period will now be 20 weeks but I reckon that`s a good thing considering my lack of experience. also I`ll probably put more emphasis on the swimming during the base since swimming is most definitely my weakest discipline. Don Fink gives you a choice of three schedules to follow a just finish schedule and intermediate one and a competitive one. I`ve decide to opt for the competitive program not because I have any real ambitious plans regarding finishing times , but I can commit to more weekly hours training so I feel this may give me the best chance of having a really positive experience in the race.
As well as the outlaw Tri, I plan to do at least two other tris earlier in the year 1 Olympic distance and one half IM distance if I can find one at the right time.
The other big news I haven`t mentioned yet is I`ve entered the Shakespeare marathon in stratford upon Avon in April , I did the event in 2005 so really looking forward to going back. I`m not to sure about my goals for the race, before my decision to enter the Nottingham Tri was going to attempt my dream of a sub 3.00hour ot at least try to qualify for London in 2011 with a sum 3.15, but now may use it as a practice for marathon I`ll need to do after the bike and swim and adopt a walk run strategy and aim for 4 to 4.30 finishing time, tbh this would probably be a more sensible idea.
On the injury front everything is great, my achilles seems to have settled down and one or two other slight niggles I had after the Kenilworth half have gone, hopefully the large quantity of long slow stuff I`ll be doing in the next few months will help strengthen the body up a bit and I can stay injury free (ok probably wishful thinking!!)