If Yer Gonna Play in Texas...

The season in review so far has yielded:
1. A DNF with cooked brain cells at my A-race
2. A PW (personal worst) at Musselman

All time goals have not been met. So now that I've come home from running away to the hills with my mountain bike I've dusted myself off and found that I've got another half-Ironman race left in me. This cowgirl is off to Austin, Texas for Longhorn 70.3.
I've always wanted to visit Austin: it's supposed to green, hilly, and a pretty part of Texas. I've been to Houston twice too many times and found the sprawling concrete Generica stifling. Lance Armstrong's bike shop, Mellow Johnny's, is there as well as some yummy Texmex enchiladas. Also, a road trip with Kevin, Mary, and some TT pals is irresistable.
10 weeks from now until the race should be enough time for me to regain some fitness to feel confident at the start line. I have revisited my 2008 season goals and have a single goal for this race: To leave it ALL out on the course. Period. I want to cross that finish line having given everything I possibly could.
Yes, I shall have a pacing and nutrition plan. I'm not planning on going out as hard as possible until I blow up. Been there, done that lots of times. I shall continue to ride/run during the hottest, most humid and oppressive time of day to acclimatize (last year's Longhorn had a heat index of 107--deja vu Eagleman!). The shift is from a time goal to an effort goal. I want to see if I can take pride in the labors of the process instead of a numerical result.
The adventure starts tomorrow with a week of testing. Time to get back in the saddle. Giddy up!