Here we are, summer of 2016… Racing season is in full “go”, and we’re all starting to reap the benefits of all of the hours put in on the trainer over the winter.

I’ve been racing since April, but the results haven’t quite matched up with the expectations.  All of my training has been fantastic, as I’m putting up the best swim/bike workouts of my life, and my running is doing just fine.  That’s the funny thing about racing, though – it’s a “one off” event. Sometimes, it’s an accurate reflection of the training you’ve been doing, and sometimes, it just goes sideways! Haha!  But that’s part of what makes it so exciting, and it’s why we keep coming back for more.

Up next for me is THE classic Finger Lakes half-ironman, aka, Musselman.  I first encountered Musselman in 2009.  I wasn’t in particularly great shape, and I spent most of the day before the race drinking Miller Lite (you’re my boy, Wade Boggs!) & playing disc golf.  Yet, when I got on the course, I just felt so fired up by the surroundings, and I raced wayyyyyy over my head, to get a 5th place finish.  This was a HUGE deal to “2009 Doug”.  There were something like 800 people in the race, and I got 5th?!?!?!?!  That was BANANAS to “2009 Doug”!!  I remember they handed me an envelope with $40 in it, but it felt like $40,000.

I next lined up at Musselman in 2013, and through a combination of racing hard, and avoiding bad luck, I was able to pick up the win.

You might say I was pretty happy about it, haha!  There was lots of yelling.  I tend to get pretty amped up… Eeeeep!

I also gave Musselman a crack in 2015, but came out a bit flat, as it was just 2 weeks after racing Ironman Coeur d’Alene.  And Musselman is one of the most competitive independent races in the US, so if you don’t show up with your ‘A’ game, then there are going to be a bunch of hungry athletes out there, taking advantage of any weaknesses you show…

So that brings us to 2016.  I’ll be racing on my home turf for the 4th time, and hoping to bring home my 2nd win.  The fitness is there… the desire is there… Only one thing left to do…