Major Bigtime Update

Sorry folks... I know there are a bunch of you that have been sort of tracking and rooting for me on my journey to Ironman. So I wanted to issue a public apology for going in and out of hiding! I have been on again off again and really struggling for motivation. This will be a HUGE entry, so stick with me... In the back of my mind I know and have known for a while that IMKY is out for me. I have just missed too much training. I feel like I have gone back to square one on the bike. I have been training and racing local sprints but I don't have a big tri on the calendar just yet. The Morganator and I have been discussing the options for what Ironman to do and when. We got really close to signing up for Germany but the real motivator for me is that I do not want to wait that long to to this thing! My wrist is still not 100% so I am not sure what to do there. If anyone knows a good hand doctor in Dallas, I could use a 7th opinion. At this point, I am not sure what to think, you would think that it if was trauma and not Kienbock's Disease, it would have healed by now. Anyway, its not that bad, just nagging so I will let it ride for now.

For a while in late May, I had worked my run back up and was really cranking out the miles. I had a really big race on the calendar and was trained up, peaking and ready to roll! Memorial Day weekend, we (and 4,000 others) stood in the rain and ankle deep water waiting for the race officials to call off the race... they did and it hurt me. I was really pumped up and the cancellation was a huge let down. The next week, my motivation waned. Becca and I were getting ready to leave for a week in Colorado to take a group of highschoolers to Young Life Camp in Fraser, CO. I knew that I would not have any time or energy to run while there. In a last minute effort to keep the train rolling, I booked myself for the Paddle, Pedal, Pount the Pavement Tri in Grapevine the Saturday Morning before we were to board the bus for the 14 hour trip. There are alot of ways to ensure sleep on the bus and this is probably not the best... the muscle spasms were horrible in the cramped bus seats. Anyway, I showed up to the race and had low expectations. My Coach, Chris Phelan, was there vying for the cash prize to be given... These local money races pull the fast guys out of the woodwork. I was glad Chris was there, I really wanted to do well for him. To make a long story shorter, I had a fabulous race! I PR'd my run and finshed 11th overall. Click Here for the splits I felt really good about the run but knew that the bike needed some work... if I had only been keeping with it, I could have flown! My legs felt dead and I knew it was from the brutal fact that I have not been riding at all. Cycling has always been my stregth and I think I have taken it for granted. My cycling partner Norm is addicted to MTB and Stephen moved away, and the Morganator is away for the summer so my only hope for cycling looks lonely. I have to get over this and get back out there! Anyway, we went to camp and had an amazing time (read all about it at www.darrendurrett.com) When we got back I took a day off to catch up on rest lost on the bus ride home. This extended into a bonus day then one more just to make sure... all of a sudden the entire week went by and I was working till late and trying to keep up with the three days a week of camp follow up. The next weekend came and Becca and I both buckled down and vowed to get back into the grove. Then the rain came. Then came the cold (sick). The cold moved to a sore throat, then to my head, down to my chest and then I was coughing -- violently. This mystery illness would hang on for two weeks, zapping my energy and ablility to train. It was aweful. To make matters worse, it rained for something like 22 straight days. It seemed that all would be lost.