Goodbye July...Hello School :(

This year I will start my 11th year of teaching. It's hard to believe, but at the same time good to know I have put that much time into a job a majority will leave after 3 years. July was going to be a big month for me. Ironman Louisville was roughly 2 months away, my training was really going to increase, I had a list of things to do around the house for baby #2, there was plenty of golf to be played and I was presenting at a conference in Nashville. Then...

Well, July started great, Aimee and I took a mini stay-cation to STL/Jeff City for the 4th of July weekend. We saw free concerts, ran in Forest Park, saw two firework shows and got some much needed together/family time.

After returning to Farmington on the night of the 4th, I headed out for a long training ride on Saturday morning. This is where my July plans took a backseat as I was struck by a pickup truck at an intersection 2 hours into my ride. I totaled my bike, was flipped onto my back and fractured my left index finger but was blessed to only those injuries and was able to walk immediately following the accident. The picture below is my bike following the accident (pointed the opposite direction I was headed). I'll choose not to post pictures of my finger but the Doctor described the surgery as "challenging" and called the bone that was left "dust". 

Within 5 days of my wreck and 2 days of my surgery, I had to decide if I could continue with Ironman Louisville, request a partial refund, or transfer. I decided to transfer since I was without a bike and not allowed in water, so Ironman Maryland it was. Why Maryland? Well it was either that or Lake Tahoe as they were the only two events still open. This will be the inaugural year for Ironman Maryland and it will take place in Cambridge.

The last week of July produced some good news as my new bike arrived and over the course of this past week I have put in my biggest training week of the summer, 17 hours, and have already logged close to 150 miles on my new bike. P.S. It its nice, but a painful upgrade. Oh yeah, school starts August 13 (my birthday)...blah.  

July Training

Swim: 7.06 miles

Bike: 507.6 miles

Run: 148.1 miles