Confessions of a triathlete

In my last post I said training would start today and that's the great thing about blogging.  Once I've said it I really can't go back on my word.  Knowing you may be reading my blog means I need to deliver.
The same goes for the goals I set.  Make them public then you can't go back.  As you will know my next challenge is the Highland Fling.  A 53 mile ultra marathon that I want to complete in around 12 hours.  My blog is there to record the blood, sweat and tears during my journey so you can get a "front row seat" of what's involved.  Now here is where the confession comes in. I'm 52.  Not a fact I've tried to hide but just as importantly not an excuse I will make for my performance.  I don't consider myself an athlete, just someone who is determined to push my own boundaries.  It's almost like an expirement to see just how much more I can get out of myself and I look at other older athletes and realise there is plenty more to go.
A lot of my training is done on my own so I can fit in family and business commitments.  But I enjoy getting together with other triathletes and runners. In 2014 a large group of ATHelite members are training for Ironman distance and I look forward to joining their training sessions, after all my second race this year is a 70.3 Ironman.  However what I have to guard against is trying to keep up with them or being despondent when left trailing behind.  I need to keep my goal in mind and follow my own training plan.
So with a view to my 53 mile ultra marathon I weighed myself on Xmas morning.  Not happy to be touching 12 stone as I recon my "fighting weight" to be 11.25 stone max.  So carrying all that extra weight takes a lot of effort and I can't afford to do that over 53 miles, never mind all the training miles.  I said training starts today so I will be blogging on a more regular basis.  I hope to provide technical details for those that are interested and details of the journey for those wanting a laugh over a coffee.  So, how do you get from 6 miles, which I ran today, up to 53 miles in 4 months?  Well sit back and enjoy the journey.  Better still grab a pair of running shoes and start your own journey.  Thanks for following mine.