Inspiration from the blog world!

As a first year IM person, I am enjoying this time of year!  It seems that a lot of people are getting into gear and setting plans into play for the new season.  I have to say that it is a great time to be reading everyones' blogs and gaining more inspiration from it.  A thank you to all of you out there for adding to my motivation to get tot the start line as  ready, fit and charged.  Reading the goals accomplished by many of you in the last few days is fuel in my tank.  As well, reading about the frustration that some are going through adds to the reality of such a crazy sport.  I have made comments about keeping it all in perspective as I truly believe that we are privileged to be able to enjoy this journey that we are on, I hope when I hit some of the walls that are out there that I can remember my words!
Today was a light training day, again I am trying not to get all charged up now as I am still 9 months out.  I am working to build a base and do some light training for some of the 'races' that I have in the spring.  I have a lot of ski training in the next 8 weeks and I dont want to start my program burnt from working 7 days a week and not able to move.  I am however, putting a method to my madness.  To date I have been doing as I choose, not a lot of structure, just consistent workouts.  This week I have put a couple of goals in place to make certain that the spring races are enjoyable.   I realize that I am not a top ten finisher, so all my efforts are to make myself strong this year so that I have a baseline to work from.  What I have raced in the past has been for fun, now I am ready to see what I can do. A lot of people have asked me what my goal is for my IM..  Here it is, my A goal is to finish, by B goal is to be in 13 hrs  range, my C goal is to be under that.  Backwards you say, I dont think so.  As a first time IM why set myself up for failure.  Should I reach my A goal, guess what, I will be over the moon and have set the bar for the future.  From my A goal forward it is only better.  Imagine when you were in school getting a C and wanting to post it to the world to see.  Well, hopefully I am that dude!  If not, guess what, I will still have reached my number one goal and be on top of the world!  Along the way I am going to have a lot of fun, learn more about myself than most people will ever discover about their own beings and live life ton its fullest!
Today I went out on a short run.  Did 6k at lunch and felt great doing it.  The past few weeks my runs have been i the snow, I discovered today running in the snow SUCKS!  I dont mind running in the freezing cold, but, snow running SUCKS!  It was a short 6k run and I did it at a 4:58k/m pace.  For my previously fat asz that is a great pace.  the best thing about it is that it was not a huge effort.  I guess the training has been working.  I enjoyed running as it was a great day out, not insanely freezing.  My goal for the next 6 weeks is to run at least every 2 days on average, I hope mother nature keeps the snow in ski country and the good weather here for running.
Tomorrow AM is my favorite run of the week.  I get out at 5AM(yeah that is nuts) do my run and then some hot yoga.  Then off to Starbucks for a ripoff coffee to talk and enjoy the start of the day!  I hope all of you have a great start to your day as well!  Happy training and dont forget, we do this for fun!  Cheers!