Where Am I?

I'm tired today. I slept for 10 hours each of the past two nights and I'm still beat today.

I honestly can't figure out where I am in my WS prep.

I weigh too much. I've been drinking too much.

My diet has been better recently, except for the empty alcohol calories.

My left piriformis is bothering me at times, although it wasn't a factor on Sunday. I think that with appropriate stretching and chirpractic help that this problem will not be an issue.

But, I ran faster on Sunday than last year depsite being a year older. I'm in good physical shape. I'm way stronger than a year ago. I'm mentally focused on my race prep, at least most of the time.

In the last 5 months, I've dropped about 3.5 pounds of fat. I've added 3.5 pounds of muscle. That's not the way to get to a good raceday weight.

I have 66 days until WS. I have some changes I need to make. I think my training is solid. My diet is OK. I need to stop drinking for a while. It's really that simple, and yet it's not easy to give up that simple pleasure after a tough workout.

In 2004, when I was 11 weeks from Hardrock, I weighed 196. Thirty-four days later, I had lost just over 20 pounds and I raced Hardrock at my lightest weight every for an ultra - 175.

Right now, I weigh a bit over 196. If I raced today, I'd be at my highest weight ever for a 100. On a hot course, the extra weight will kill me (not literally, I hope).

I'm five years older and I take anti-depressants. My doctor thinks that the combination of age and the meds has made it harder for me to lose weight. That might be true, but beer and tequila don't help at all.

I need to not blow this opportunity with short-term pleasures taking priority over long term goals.

I'm concerned and I'm also encouraged by Sunday. I don't know where I really am, but at least I know what I should do. It all comes down to execution.

Maybe Dr. Andy is right. Maybe I have gotten soft.

Just under 10 weeks. I can make the right choices and have a great race. Or, I can make bad choices and waste years of preparation and obsession. Sounds like an easy choice, huh?