It's the new year

2008 was good. 2009 will only be beter.
I was sick, kinda, going into christmas. So I didn't run or ride any. I haven't ridden since the cross races, and I've done a 15 miler the week before Christmas while running. I was hoping I could get the legs used to some long pounding miles before I trudged into a marathon on Janurary 18th.
So being sick and not training a month before something a hard as a marathon, and never having done one, I began to wonder. No worries, the sickness would be gone in a day or two and I'll be good to go!
On the 26th Magan and I left for Goldthwait, to visit her family and go hunting. I took every advantage I could to get out and kill something. I had no choice....the sickness lingered, and I wasn't going to do a run only to have 3 more days added onto the sickness.
The first day I sat on a hill, no blind, just me with the wind to my face. Deer came out, but I waited and shot a raccoon.
The next day I went back, same spot, passed on some deer and shot a doe, which is in fact a female deer. Shot through the heart! Loading her was more difficult after tracking her, by myself, carrying her down a mountain by myself, and putting her on the 4 wheeler by myself. We ended up using that doe for bait for some bobcats down by the river.
The next morning I woke to go in a stand with the big deer. Magan's cousin, Mark, who owned the land, needed to manage the population. So I was to shoot not a big deer, but a certain one he didn't want. We saw 15 bucks, most of which would've been 12+ points had they not broke off all their antlers in fighting. These pretty semi-tropheys were lucky I couldn't shoot. The deer that I was supposed to shoot never showed, and lucky for him...I was jones'n to kill again.
That night, we drove to Fredricksburg to go to the Rock Box. It's a funny show, and we saw the christmas version.
here's the doehemian rhapsody, about Texas Hillcountry deer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-rc3QPR_OI&feature=related
Jason would love it there! It's beter live.
Then on Monday, I was out again. I was in a makeshift blind in the fenced off exotic animal area. I was after a blackbuck. He was the only one left, and Mark didn't want him there anymore. I was more than happy to be out again, but I've yet to see him, and was wondering if he was still alive! We drove around, looking at areas he could be at, and saw nothing. Then we flushed him out. I saw him, and was super ready, adrenaline pumping. I was looking for a shot like a whitetail deer, but never got the opportunity. This thing was fast, and could disappear in a heartbeat. Mark told me I'd have to shoot him african style....on the run.
I'd stalk up to where he 'could' be, and eventually flush him out....he'd run, through trees, and I'd shoot my singleshot toward him. Never getting him.
Hours went by, me stalking, not trying to spook the zebra and addax, and occasionally taking a bad shot.
I came back, after lunch, to try again. I located him after an hour, and began the stalk. This time, I thought about what I was doing wrong, and corrected. I led the deer, and took a calmer shot.
I ended up shooting right behind the ribs....which is a bad shot, but I also didn't want to hit the front, as it would be a great mount. It took some good hours, and lots of energy, but this deer/antalope is sure pretty, and worth it.
Guess what, I felt beter after killing that deer.
I finally return home....not sick anymore, and get a good 9 mile run in. It feels ok. But it feels like it takes a long time....my mind isn't used to it anymore.
New Years was fun, the normal gang came over to the house....played dominos, and I played some Lego Indiana Jones on the Wii.
On New Year day...I went for an easy jog....around 6 miles. I kept going and exploring and ended up doing a 14 mile run, with some walks every 25 minutes for 1 minute, it took just over 2 hours. I'm thinking I can do the Houston Marathon in 3:30 or less. If I was training beter, and longer, I would go for under 3 hours....but starting a month and half before something that long is just too much to ask your body to do.
I was planning on doing the cross races this weekend, and missing the E2(torture test) since I haven't ridden any. But after being sick, I might miss both, and just try to get some runs.

Now I need to go plan for this weekend....and see if I need to sign up for Leadville.