Back to (Somewhat) Normal

So Ironman Louisville was 16 days ago, my Ironman high is wearing off. I took a full week off of doing nothing after Ironman, but after that week I didn't feel very sore or fatigued. Now that more time has passed, I feel the fatigue now. I am doing short distance stuff right now, but only cycling and running. I haven't swam since Ironman, I got an M-Dot tattoo on August 30th, 2 days after the race. Unfortunately, thus far the tattoo hasn't worked out. I got it red, but it has turned pink, and this one just isn't looking right for being 2 weeks into the healing process. I have about 14 or 15 tatttoos, I lost count, so I am pretty familiar with the healing process and what it should look like right now. So right now its pink, puffy, and is peeling like a sunburn. Me and Joel went to the tattoo shop and showed the artist. After he said "Hmmm, its pink" he told me to come back in a few weeks when it is completely healed and he will re-do it.

Me and Joel are doing a small local sprint tri on Saturday. I know I am not completely recovered from Ironman, but I think I can swing a sprint. Its a 500/14/3.1. It will be Joel's first triathlon. He has road bike tires and clipless pedals on his Giant hybrid bike, so with the upgrades he can almost keep up with me. It will be a fun race. I haven't been swimming since ironman, and the way my tattoo is looking, I don't think I'll be getting in the pool, but I think I will be ok for a 500 M lake swim. It is looking like this will be my last triathlon of the year. I have quite a few running races planned for the winter, and I would really like to try a sub 4 marathon. I am going to do the Jacksonville Bank Marathon again this year in mid December. Last year I ran it in 4:17, and that was with no running 4 weeks before the race because of an injury. This year I have more endurance, new shoes, a new running style, and have stayed injury free through ironman training, so even if I don't go sub 4, I know I will improve my time.

Me and Joel will celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary on September 30th. To commemorate the occasion, we are doing the Marine Corps Half Marathon in Jacksonville, FL on October 1st. It will be Joel's first half marathon. I wanted his first half marathon to be at a race where the finisher's medals are cool looking, and as far as local races, this race has the best one. We booked a room at the host hotel, so the plan is to leave early morning on our anniversary and spend the day in the Jacksonville Beach area, go to lunch, go to packet pickup, go window shopping. It will be a great weekend.

Have I mentioned lately that I hate school? Well, the further I get into it the more I learn to hate it. I know I am almost done, if I can just get this math under control, its pretty much all I am deficient in for my degree. I am just sick of it, the studying, the homework, sitting in class, I just want it to be over. Now that ironman is over, I have been applying for jobs again, going to try to give this a go again, even though the past three years we have lived here, I have put in about 30-50 applications at one time and might get one phone call. I have even been applying for seasonal jobs, since the holidays are coming, and can't even catch a break there. It is maddening.

So that's my life post ironman, running races, botched tattoo, taking care of the girls, spending time with Joel, hanging out with Loraine, endless piles of homework, desperately looking for employment. Going to Louisville and doing the Ironman was a surreal experience, but reality has hit me like a ton of bricks.