"About your social life.."

First off, I know I don't have much of one. Second of all, when one doesn't have much of a social life, is the next step down hibernation?

I'm about to find out.

I received some 'bad news' in the form of an email earlier this week. Sometimes email is a good medium, but when the note starts off "you might want to sit down," I knew I was in for it. Hell, having heared that before I had an idea of what to expect, but I didn't expect to hear this so soon.

Here's the deal.

I have a lot planned for the next.. oh, 5 months or so. I have 2 'A' events - one in May and another at the end of July. The one in July as been planned since last July and the one in May has been in the making for 2 years. It has been on the radar for those 2 years and now it fits the schedule.

The problem is my schedule doesn't fit the schedule of other people.

The problem is people don't 'get' what I do. And at times I don't get it, either. I just know I enjoy it.

I don't expect anyone to come out for 25-50k long training runs with me. If you do, great. I won't rope you in to being my sherpa or make you come spectate at races. If you want to, great.

Call this selfish of me, but this is my time. These are my 5 months. Training/racing isn't my life, but it's what I'm doing for the next 5 months. It is time consuming and at times it will be all consuming. I might eat like a monk and drink like Mormon, but that's my choice. Don't try to change me.

I might distance myself and not be as responsive as usual, but that's my choice. I might not be at happy hours or weekend parties because I need the extra sleep and/or miles, but that is my choice.

I've trained, and I know others have trained, for an Ironman triathlon, so there is some idea of the level of commitment involved to the training. I don't know many that have trained for a 100 mile trail run as well, and since I am new to it, I'm not going to skimp on the training. I've faked my way through an Half-Ironman before and trained/finished an Ironman when I didn't know how to properly train. There's no getting around covering 100 miles of trails. It is what it is - a long ass time to be on my feet.

So I look at my training schedule. I look at the copy I keep at work, the one in my backpack, the one at home, and the Word doc I keep open on my computer. There's not a lot of free time. I don't mind. Two years ago this trail run was but a blip on the radar screen. I want to cross it off my 'to do' list. I don't want to 'just finish'.

Everything comes with a price.

Sacrifices need to be made.

This isn't my life, but it's my next 5 months.