The Best Training Partner Ever!

The joy I get when running with my dog is hard to overstate. It makes him happy, it make me happy, we bond, we get exercise. When Rango and I run together we have the time of our lives!

John Thum

2011 Race Plans

The Ironman is fifty-one weeks away and the New York City Marathon is forty-nine weeks away. It is time to start planning my season. I am not going to do as many races as last time I did an Ironman, but since the last triathlon I actually completed was Ironman Arizona in 2008, I feel I should get a few under my elastic race-number belt before the big event. As of today and subject to change, my season will look like this:

February 6: Surf City Half Marathon
April 17: Bonelli Sprint
May 15: Bonelli Intermediate Distance
June 12: Bonelli Olympic Distance
November 6: New York City Marathon
November 20: Ironman Arizona

John Thum

Happy Thanksgiving

There are so many things to be thankful for it is hard to know where to begin. I am thankful for The Great Magnetic Wife, I am thankful for my family, I am grateful for my friends, I am grateful for the joy that our dog, Rango, has brought to our lives, I am grateful that we were finally able to buy a house, I am thankful for my health and that I am able to realistically plan on running a Marathon and an Ironman Triathlon in a two-week period. I am grateful that I was able to get into both the New York City Marathon and Ironman Arizona next November. Most of all I am grateful God, who makes all things possible.

John Thum

The Return Of The Tri-Ku (XXV)

Question asked again
Will I be an Ironman?
Only time will tell

John Thum

Five Fingers Thum

While I have been enjoying by season with the L.A. Leggers running only in my Vibram Five Fingers, my brother has wholeheartedly embraced true barefoot running. He has become friends with the guru of barefoot running, Barefoot Ken Bob and a number of other guys whose monikers begin with “Barefoot.” It seems all of the barefoot runners are known as Barefoot (insert name here), i.e. Barefoot Ken Bob, Barefoot Ted, my brother would be known as Barefoot Dave.

I never run barefooted, I always run in the Vibram Five Fingers. It’s close, as close as you can get without actually running barefoot, but the is a difference and I doubt I’ll ever go all the way to barefoot running. So for guys like me, my running name shouldn’t start with “Barefoot,” it should start with “Five Fingers.” Hence, my new running name will be Five Fingers Thum!

John Thum

Ironman Arizona 2011

Well, now I've gone and done it. I signed up for Ironman Arizona 2011. Next November will be quite busy. I will be doing the New York City Marathon on November 6 and two weeks later I will be doing Ironman Arizona.

I think this blog will return to its roots at a triblog.

John Thum

Congratulation Chrissy Wellington!

Chrissy Wellington won Ironman Arizona (she has never lost an Ironman race,) in a world record time of 8:36:13.

John Thum