Last weekend was the one year anniversary of my first IronMan. It was in Cozumel and it was one of the most exciting things I have ever been a part of. As I was getting updates on Lauren, Laura and Johnny who were doing the 2nd annual event I couldn't help but be a little jealous. It was such an accomplishment for me to finish that race and I really wanted to be there racing it again. I first want to say that I am very proud of Lauren and Laura for finishing their 1st IronMan event. They have both been good friends to me and I'm really excited for them. As for Johnny, he had a tough day having to stop racing due to an illness. I know this sucks for him but anyone who knows Johnny, knows he will be back stronger than ever.
I just wanted put a few thoughts down regarding the event. I really loved this event and I hope to do it again in the future. As for me, the training is moving along well. I am very excited for 2011 and what the new race season will bring.
Later Dudes!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Turkey Trot 2010
On Thanksgiving I did my first Turkey Trot. I did this run in Dallas and it was a lot of fun. The run consisted of 2 distances a 5k and a 8 mile run. I chose the 8 mile run. Here are the run details:
When I woke up to head to downtown Dallas I was not sure what to wear for the run. It wasn't super cold but it was supposed to get colder as morning went on. I decided to bring warm and cool weather gear and I would decide before the race started. When we arrived downtown my decision on what to wear was not any easier so I ended up in shorts and a running jacket. This ended up being a good decision. It was windy and cold and I felt just right with what I wore.
The start line was a little bit of a mess. There were non-timed runners mixed with the timed runners and knew I did not want run through the people that were not going for time. Norma and I started making our way through the crowd and eventually made it towards the front of the pack. As we waited for the race to start we saw that we were standing next to a kid in a Gumby suit that was stretching and was looking to run a fast race. I thought to myself just don't let Gumby beat you. As the race got underway Gumby took off and I thought so much for not letting Gumby beat you. I just hope he was only running the 5k.
As the run started I was a little sore and the wind and cold were getting to me. I felt like I was running in place but I had a decent pace going. As I reached mile 1 I was looking forward to a an aid station because I needed some fluids. Unfortunately there was no aid station in sight. I kept going as I felt pretty good overall and I knew I could go another mile. At mile 2 there was an aid station but there was only water and I was hoping for some Gatorade. Nevertheless, I motored on keeping a decent pace. I wasn't sure if I could maintain my pace without the Gatorade but I was determined. As the turnoff for the 5k approached I thought about cutting my run short but thought better of it and kept on. As I reached the halfway point of the run there was a boy, probably 8 or 9, who asked me what run route we were on. I told him that we are on the 8 mile route. He threw his hands up in the air in disgust. It seems he missed the turn for the 5k and he really was not prepared for the 8 mile run. Two men running near me told the boy he was their hero and that he could run with them. They took off and I never saw them again. I'm glad I don't get bothered by little kids kicking my but in these events anymore. As I made my way to the aid stations at mile 4 and 6 I was disappointed to find they were stocked with only water. I knew this was as good as its going to get. I was regretting not buying some Gatorade prior to the run but I knew I would make it. The last few miles were tough because a couple of overpasses that I was not prepared for but I held it together. Overall, I felt pretty good for the event and the final for the 8 miles was 1:07:23. Not too bad for my 1st road race since the 2009 Houston Half Marathon.
After the race I finally found some Gatorade. I refueled and headed back onto the course to find Norma. I found her about a mile from the finish and she was moving well. I ran the last of the race with her and this allowed me clock in 10 miles for the day. I had a great time and I thought this was a good event that I would definitely do this race again in the future.
After not doing any cycling or running events in 2010 I found a way to do one of each in a 5 day period. Not too bad.
Bye for now!
When I woke up to head to downtown Dallas I was not sure what to wear for the run. It wasn't super cold but it was supposed to get colder as morning went on. I decided to bring warm and cool weather gear and I would decide before the race started. When we arrived downtown my decision on what to wear was not any easier so I ended up in shorts and a running jacket. This ended up being a good decision. It was windy and cold and I felt just right with what I wore.
The start line was a little bit of a mess. There were non-timed runners mixed with the timed runners and knew I did not want run through the people that were not going for time. Norma and I started making our way through the crowd and eventually made it towards the front of the pack. As we waited for the race to start we saw that we were standing next to a kid in a Gumby suit that was stretching and was looking to run a fast race. I thought to myself just don't let Gumby beat you. As the race got underway Gumby took off and I thought so much for not letting Gumby beat you. I just hope he was only running the 5k.
As the run started I was a little sore and the wind and cold were getting to me. I felt like I was running in place but I had a decent pace going. As I reached mile 1 I was looking forward to a an aid station because I needed some fluids. Unfortunately there was no aid station in sight. I kept going as I felt pretty good overall and I knew I could go another mile. At mile 2 there was an aid station but there was only water and I was hoping for some Gatorade. Nevertheless, I motored on keeping a decent pace. I wasn't sure if I could maintain my pace without the Gatorade but I was determined. As the turnoff for the 5k approached I thought about cutting my run short but thought better of it and kept on. As I reached the halfway point of the run there was a boy, probably 8 or 9, who asked me what run route we were on. I told him that we are on the 8 mile route. He threw his hands up in the air in disgust. It seems he missed the turn for the 5k and he really was not prepared for the 8 mile run. Two men running near me told the boy he was their hero and that he could run with them. They took off and I never saw them again. I'm glad I don't get bothered by little kids kicking my but in these events anymore. As I made my way to the aid stations at mile 4 and 6 I was disappointed to find they were stocked with only water. I knew this was as good as its going to get. I was regretting not buying some Gatorade prior to the run but I knew I would make it. The last few miles were tough because a couple of overpasses that I was not prepared for but I held it together. Overall, I felt pretty good for the event and the final for the 8 miles was 1:07:23. Not too bad for my 1st road race since the 2009 Houston Half Marathon.
After the race I finally found some Gatorade. I refueled and headed back onto the course to find Norma. I found her about a mile from the finish and she was moving well. I ran the last of the race with her and this allowed me clock in 10 miles for the day. I had a great time and I thought this was a good event that I would definitely do this race again in the future.
After not doing any cycling or running events in 2010 I found a way to do one of each in a 5 day period. Not too bad.
Bye for now!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Red White and Bike
Last Sunday I did the Red, White and Bike in Hockley. It was my first organized bike ride in over a year. This was a ride that benefited the children of Purple Heart recipients. The proceeds provide bicycles to these children. As for the ride it was a tough one. The route was hilly and it was a very windy one. I rode the 40 mile route with my tri team and I had a great time. I didn't ride for speed (at least for the most part) I just rode to get the miles in. One a great note due to the the tri team having 20 riders we were able to have a bike dedicated to a child in the team's name. I want to thank Lori Ivanoff for organizing everyone to do this event. This is a great cause and it was a lot of fun!
Sorry for the short post. Pictures will follow.
Bye for now!
http://www.redwhiteandbike.org/
Sorry for the short post. Pictures will follow.
Bye for now!
http://www.redwhiteandbike.org/
Monday, November 8, 2010
2010 Trail Run to Benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
On Sunday November 7, 2010 I ran the 2010 Trail Run to Benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This was a fund-raiser for those of us running in one of the TNT events in January. It was 3.85 mile trail run through the Memorial Park Mountain Bike Trails. I have never done trail running but I had a blast. It was tough running and I was very sore after but I definitely want to try my hand at a trail run in the future. Here are the run details:
We started the run near the Picnic Loop and made our way to the Mountain Bike Trail. After a brief run through the trail we exited along Memorial Blvd and then we had to complete an obstacle. It was easy, just a quick run across some 2 X 4's. At this time I was in 5th place and I was feeling good. We then re-entered the trail and weaved through the woods. It was fun but not the fastest running. After about 2.9 miles of tough running we exited the trails and we had another obstacle. This time we had to run through tires and then crawl through some tubing. This was little tougher because the tubing moved as you crawled through it. After making it through I made it to the aid station where one of the runners ahead of me dropped out. This put me in 4th. We then ran back onto the trails near the baseball fields for the last portion of the race. The trails were basically the same and we exited close to the bridge that crosses Memorial. This is where the 3rd and final obstacle was. For this challenge we had to Army crawl under a tarp and then run through some more tires and then it was a straight shot back to the finish line. At this point I was tied for 3rd. As we made it towards the finish I turned up the speed and finished 3rd overall. This was obviously a very small event with a little over 30 runners. With that said I was still excited to finish 3rd overall. It was my 1st podium finish ever. After the run, I put in another 7 miles of running. It was slow and I was hurting but I needed the miles.
The training is still going well and I hope to get a few more runs and rides in this week. I feel like I am getting closer to being ready for the Goofy Challenge and the Houston Marathon. I'm looking forward to both.
Bye for now!
We started the run near the Picnic Loop and made our way to the Mountain Bike Trail. After a brief run through the trail we exited along Memorial Blvd and then we had to complete an obstacle. It was easy, just a quick run across some 2 X 4's. At this time I was in 5th place and I was feeling good. We then re-entered the trail and weaved through the woods. It was fun but not the fastest running. After about 2.9 miles of tough running we exited the trails and we had another obstacle. This time we had to run through tires and then crawl through some tubing. This was little tougher because the tubing moved as you crawled through it. After making it through I made it to the aid station where one of the runners ahead of me dropped out. This put me in 4th. We then ran back onto the trails near the baseball fields for the last portion of the race. The trails were basically the same and we exited close to the bridge that crosses Memorial. This is where the 3rd and final obstacle was. For this challenge we had to Army crawl under a tarp and then run through some more tires and then it was a straight shot back to the finish line. At this point I was tied for 3rd. As we made it towards the finish I turned up the speed and finished 3rd overall. This was obviously a very small event with a little over 30 runners. With that said I was still excited to finish 3rd overall. It was my 1st podium finish ever. After the run, I put in another 7 miles of running. It was slow and I was hurting but I needed the miles.
The training is still going well and I hope to get a few more runs and rides in this week. I feel like I am getting closer to being ready for the Goofy Challenge and the Houston Marathon. I'm looking forward to both.
Bye for now!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Triathlon Season is Over
I know I haven't put a post up in a while due to nothing really to report. I have made a tough decision to end my triathlon season at 6 races. I had planned to do Iron Star on November 7th but I think my time would be better spent on a fund-raiser that I have going on that morning and I'm just not sure what I would get out of this race. I know I could complete it but I definitely don't feel like I normally do going into a race of this distance. When I do long course racing I need to be in top shape physically and mentally and I definitely don't feel that way now. With all that said 6 triathlons is a good number. It is the earliest I have ended my multi-sport season since 2005 but I stuck to something I promised myself, take it easy in 2010. I have done no running events and no cycling events to date and my triathlons consisted of 3 Sprints and 3 Olympics. All in all not a bad triathlon season.
So what's next? I do have two big running events in January. I have the Goofy Challenge (please donate to my fund-raising) and I have the Houston Marathon. I also have the big race of 2011, IronMan Texas in May. That is the big focus for now. I know I will be back at it with a number of long course races in addition to IMTX in 2011.
Lastly, I am saying that I'm not feeling up to doing a half-ironman but I have been training. My running is going very well and the cycling and swimming is not too bad. It just doesn't feel right at this time. I will be updating my blog a little more frequently with my training updates and you never know I might sneak in a running or cycling event before the end of the year.
Bye for now!
So what's next? I do have two big running events in January. I have the Goofy Challenge (please donate to my fund-raising) and I have the Houston Marathon. I also have the big race of 2011, IronMan Texas in May. That is the big focus for now. I know I will be back at it with a number of long course races in addition to IMTX in 2011.
Lastly, I am saying that I'm not feeling up to doing a half-ironman but I have been training. My running is going very well and the cycling and swimming is not too bad. It just doesn't feel right at this time. I will be updating my blog a little more frequently with my training updates and you never know I might sneak in a running or cycling event before the end of the year.
Bye for now!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Training and Other Notes
I have not had much going on since Clear Lake at the end of August. I've been training a lot and my endurance level seems to finally be getting back to normal but that's about it. Now, I just need to get race weight. I am not signed up for anymore races this year but I am sure I will do at least one more. As of today I am still considering Longhorn 70.3, Firethorne Sprint and Iron Star Half-Iron. Iron Star is the only one that I am pretty sure I will do. Its a cheap race for a Half-Iron and I like the event. I'll figure it out soon.
As for my coaching duties, I am very encouraged about my team. We are only 2 official practices in but they look good so far. We have a short brick coming up next Saturday and I am excited to see what the team can do. This should be a good event for those doing Firethorne next month.
Bye for now!
As for my coaching duties, I am very encouraged about my team. We are only 2 official practices in but they look good so far. We have a short brick coming up next Saturday and I am excited to see what the team can do. This should be a good event for those doing Firethorne next month.
Bye for now!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Bridgeland Triathlon and Clear Lake International Triathlon
Well its been a little over a month since my last post and I have completed 2 more triathlons during that time bringing my 2010 total to 6. They haven't been my best performances but I finished and that is what counts. Here is a brief recap of both races.
On August 8th I did the Bridgeland Triathlon in Cypress. It was a Sprint Race (50n0 meter swim, 14 mile bike and a 3.5 mile run). For the most part the race was uneventful. I was in the second wave and I started off well. About 250 meters into the swim I swallowed a nasty mouthful of water and I actually had to come to a complete stop until I could get all the water I swallowed out of my system. After a few minutes of not moving I finished my swim and moved on to the bike. The bike was very flat and very fast and I averaged over 22 mph on the ride. The run was the same, flat and fast and I averaged 8:20 per mile. Not my fastest run time for a Sprint but it will do. My finishing time was 1:24:16. Overall a good race and I'm sure I'll race it again.
My second race of August was in Clear Lake on the 28th. This is the 3rd time I have done this race and its one of my favorite events. I started in the last wave for the Olympic which is rare for me but what can you do. I felt really good during the swim despite my slow swim time. I'm not sure what happened but again I felt good in the water. The bike course was mostly flat with the exception of the Kemah Bridge which I struggled getting over because my legs were dead. There was some headwind but it didn't effect me too much. My bike time for the 40 k ride was 1:11:13 which was 20.94 mph. Last year I averaged 22.9 mph but I was also in the middle of my Ironman training and I was much better prepared. The run was the same course, flat and fast. I finished my run in 53:55 which was an 8:40 pace. Not as fast as last year but not too bad. My finishing time was 2:49:15 which is about 10 minutes slower than last year. The good news is that it was my 3rd fastest at the Olympic distance.
My training is going well but I am not signed up for anything else this year. I'm not sure what is next but I'll keep everyone posted.
Bye for now!
On August 8th I did the Bridgeland Triathlon in Cypress. It was a Sprint Race (50n0 meter swim, 14 mile bike and a 3.5 mile run). For the most part the race was uneventful. I was in the second wave and I started off well. About 250 meters into the swim I swallowed a nasty mouthful of water and I actually had to come to a complete stop until I could get all the water I swallowed out of my system. After a few minutes of not moving I finished my swim and moved on to the bike. The bike was very flat and very fast and I averaged over 22 mph on the ride. The run was the same, flat and fast and I averaged 8:20 per mile. Not my fastest run time for a Sprint but it will do. My finishing time was 1:24:16. Overall a good race and I'm sure I'll race it again.
My second race of August was in Clear Lake on the 28th. This is the 3rd time I have done this race and its one of my favorite events. I started in the last wave for the Olympic which is rare for me but what can you do. I felt really good during the swim despite my slow swim time. I'm not sure what happened but again I felt good in the water. The bike course was mostly flat with the exception of the Kemah Bridge which I struggled getting over because my legs were dead. There was some headwind but it didn't effect me too much. My bike time for the 40 k ride was 1:11:13 which was 20.94 mph. Last year I averaged 22.9 mph but I was also in the middle of my Ironman training and I was much better prepared. The run was the same course, flat and fast. I finished my run in 53:55 which was an 8:40 pace. Not as fast as last year but not too bad. My finishing time was 2:49:15 which is about 10 minutes slower than last year. The good news is that it was my 3rd fastest at the Olympic distance.
My training is going well but I am not signed up for anything else this year. I'm not sure what is next but I'll keep everyone posted.
Bye for now!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Memorial Herman Ironman 70.3 Texas
Today was the unofficial start to the TNT Memorial Herman Ironman 70.3 training season. We had a short practice this morning (1 mile timed run) followed by a shoe clinic at Finish Strong Sports. So far it looks like we have 25 people and hopefully a few more. I am very excited with my new group and I know we will have a great season. We will have one more unofficial practice and a few clinics before we get started with the tough work at the end of September. In the meantime I will put my coaching duties aside and will train with Memorial marathon group to get ready for the Goofy Challenge in January.
I also signed up for the Clearlake International Triathlon this week. I went ahead and signed up for the Olympic distance because my training is going well. So, I will race twice in the month of August. Beyond that I have a few races in mind but nothing concrete at this point. I hope to have some definite answers over the next few weeks. For now I am planning to focus on my training.
Bye for now!
I also signed up for the Clearlake International Triathlon this week. I went ahead and signed up for the Olympic distance because my training is going well. So, I will race twice in the month of August. Beyond that I have a few races in mind but nothing concrete at this point. I hope to have some definite answers over the next few weeks. For now I am planning to focus on my training.
Bye for now!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Training Update
Well, my training has not gone as planned. I am recovering from a back and neck injury. I injured my self about a month ago and I am just starting to get to where I feel like I can train as normal. My main issue is my neck but its slowly getting better. I am hoping to ramp up my mileage over the next month and get back into a routine.
As for racing, I have done nothing since the Silverlake Triathlon in mid May and I still have a few weeks before the Bridgeland Triathlon on August 8th. Even though my training has been light I feel I can do this Sprint race with little difficulty. I do also plan to race at the Clearlake International Triathlon at the end of August. I have done this race twice and I really enjoy it. I am trying to decide on the Sprint or the Olympic. My body says do the Sprint but my brain says do the Olympic. I'll make a decision in the next day or so.
Bye for now!
As for racing, I have done nothing since the Silverlake Triathlon in mid May and I still have a few weeks before the Bridgeland Triathlon on August 8th. Even though my training has been light I feel I can do this Sprint race with little difficulty. I do also plan to race at the Clearlake International Triathlon at the end of August. I have done this race twice and I really enjoy it. I am trying to decide on the Sprint or the Olympic. My body says do the Sprint but my brain says do the Olympic. I'll make a decision in the next day or so.
Bye for now!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Exciting News
I wanted to let everyone know that I have signed up for 2 exciting events in 2011. For my 1st event I have signed up to do another fund-raising event for Team in Training. I will be raising $4500 for Disney Marathon's Goofy Challenge on January 8th and 9th. This consists of a Half-Marathon on Day 1 and a full Marathon on Day 2. I am also planning to run the 5k January 7th. This should be a very exciting event and I am looking forward to participating with TNT again. Please help me raise me by making a tax deductible donation to fight blood cancers. You can use the link on my page to donate.
For my 2nd event I will be competing in IronMan Texas. This event will be on May 21, 2011 right here in The Woodlands. This will be my 2nd IronMan and I am very excited that I will be doing the event here in Texas.
Please check back for updates on my training and fund-raising efforts.
Bye for now!
For my 2nd event I will be competing in IronMan Texas. This event will be on May 21, 2011 right here in The Woodlands. This will be my 2nd IronMan and I am very excited that I will be doing the event here in Texas.
Please check back for updates on my training and fund-raising efforts.
Bye for now!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Silverlake Triathlon Part 4
Before I give a recap on Silverlake I wanted to add something to my last post. At Gateway I had the pleasure of meeting Andy Potts and Matty Reed. They were competing in a relay for charity and they stuck around for a meet and greet with the athletes and fans. It was a super cool experience and I was able to get my picture with them.
As for Silverlake this was my 4th time racing there. I have done this race more than any other and its one of my favorite events. Its a short Sprint race but always well done and they added a finishers medal for 2010.
The swim course was the same and it happened to be wetsuit legal. The swim was nothing exciting and I finished in 9'52" which was my second fastest at this race. I was little tired coming out of the water but overall I felt good. The bike course was new for 2010. It was still flat and fast but with less turns which made it even faster. Because of this I had my fastest bike time of 28'09" which was 21.3 mph. By the time I made it into T2 I was starting to loose energy. The beginning of my run was good but I started to fade quickly. If not for a slower run I might have set a PR for this course. My run time was 23'50" which was a 7'57" pace and my second slowest time at this race. Overall my time was 1:05:31 which was 3rd fastest for this event. All of my times are relatively close in time so I was satisfied with the day.
As for my next race I have 2 in mind but I have signed up for neither. I am looking at the Sylvan Beach Triathlon and Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon. I am not sure if I will do one, both or neither race. I will let you know.
Bye for now!
As for Silverlake this was my 4th time racing there. I have done this race more than any other and its one of my favorite events. Its a short Sprint race but always well done and they added a finishers medal for 2010.
The swim course was the same and it happened to be wetsuit legal. The swim was nothing exciting and I finished in 9'52" which was my second fastest at this race. I was little tired coming out of the water but overall I felt good. The bike course was new for 2010. It was still flat and fast but with less turns which made it even faster. Because of this I had my fastest bike time of 28'09" which was 21.3 mph. By the time I made it into T2 I was starting to loose energy. The beginning of my run was good but I started to fade quickly. If not for a slower run I might have set a PR for this course. My run time was 23'50" which was a 7'57" pace and my second slowest time at this race. Overall my time was 1:05:31 which was 3rd fastest for this event. All of my times are relatively close in time so I was satisfied with the day.
As for my next race I have 2 in mind but I have signed up for neither. I am looking at the Sylvan Beach Triathlon and Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon. I am not sure if I will do one, both or neither race. I will let you know.
Bye for now!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Gateway to the Bay and Lone Star Triathlons
I know these race reports are way over due but I wanted to give an update prior to the Silverlake Triathlon tomorrow.
On April 10 and 11th I did my first back to back triathlons. April 10th was the Sprint (500 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike and 5 K run). On April 11th was the Olympic (1500 meter swim, 24.9 mile bike and 10 K run). The Sprint race was a non event with the exception of the swim which was very choppy and a bad cold that I was nursing. It wasn't my best swim but I was happy considering the choppy conditions. The bike was a one loop course the started with Kemah bridge. It was tough making it over both sides with little momentum but that was the toughest part. The rest was flat and fast and I averaged a little under 20 mph for the bike. Not my fastest but not bad considering my training. On a side note I received my first penalty ever for passing in a no pass zone. The run was flat and went through the Kemah Boardwalk area. Overall it was a good race and I finished in 1:21:59 without the penalty.
The Olympic was a little more challenging. The swim started with being taken a mile off shore on a boat dropped off to swim back. The water was not as choppy as the day before but it was still challenging. You would think this would be easy? Just swim in a straight line and make it to shore. The problem is it is a long shore and you have to exit in a specific place. To make matters worse there were only 3 marker buoys. I rely heavily on these buoys to guide me because I have poor vision and I have a difficult time swimming in a straight line without them. Needless to say it was by far my worst Olympic distance swim ever. After I exited the water and got on my bike I felt better. The bike course was the same but it was 2 laps. Overall, I has happy with my bike but again not my fastest. The run course was different than the day before but it was still flat. Unfortunately, my bad cold and the long swim took my energy away and it just was not my day. I finished with my 2nd slowest Olympic ever. My two Olympic races this year have been very slow but I have several upcoming opportunities to improve.
Lastly, I wanted to provide a brief note about the Lone Star Triathlon. I coached 18 people to compete in the Olympic Triathlon and 4 people in the Half-Ironman Triathlon. They all did a great job and I was proud of them all. I hope they all enjoyed the event and I hope they all return for a future event with Team N' Training.
Tomorrow May 16th I am racing in the Silverlake Triathlon for the 4th time. I have not done any other race more than 2 times. It is one of my favorite races and I am hoping the weather cooperates. I'll let you know how it goes.
Bye for now!
On April 10 and 11th I did my first back to back triathlons. April 10th was the Sprint (500 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike and 5 K run). On April 11th was the Olympic (1500 meter swim, 24.9 mile bike and 10 K run). The Sprint race was a non event with the exception of the swim which was very choppy and a bad cold that I was nursing. It wasn't my best swim but I was happy considering the choppy conditions. The bike was a one loop course the started with Kemah bridge. It was tough making it over both sides with little momentum but that was the toughest part. The rest was flat and fast and I averaged a little under 20 mph for the bike. Not my fastest but not bad considering my training. On a side note I received my first penalty ever for passing in a no pass zone. The run was flat and went through the Kemah Boardwalk area. Overall it was a good race and I finished in 1:21:59 without the penalty.
The Olympic was a little more challenging. The swim started with being taken a mile off shore on a boat dropped off to swim back. The water was not as choppy as the day before but it was still challenging. You would think this would be easy? Just swim in a straight line and make it to shore. The problem is it is a long shore and you have to exit in a specific place. To make matters worse there were only 3 marker buoys. I rely heavily on these buoys to guide me because I have poor vision and I have a difficult time swimming in a straight line without them. Needless to say it was by far my worst Olympic distance swim ever. After I exited the water and got on my bike I felt better. The bike course was the same but it was 2 laps. Overall, I has happy with my bike but again not my fastest. The run course was different than the day before but it was still flat. Unfortunately, my bad cold and the long swim took my energy away and it just was not my day. I finished with my 2nd slowest Olympic ever. My two Olympic races this year have been very slow but I have several upcoming opportunities to improve.
Lastly, I wanted to provide a brief note about the Lone Star Triathlon. I coached 18 people to compete in the Olympic Triathlon and 4 people in the Half-Ironman Triathlon. They all did a great job and I was proud of them all. I hope they all enjoyed the event and I hope they all return for a future event with Team N' Training.
Tomorrow May 16th I am racing in the Silverlake Triathlon for the 4th time. I have not done any other race more than 2 times. It is one of my favorite races and I am hoping the weather cooperates. I'll let you know how it goes.
Bye for now!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Champions Triathlon
Last Saturday I did my first Triathlon of 2010 by completing the Olympic distance at the Champions Triathlon in Austin. This also marked my 25th triathlon since becoming a triathlete in 2005. I am very proud of this milestone and I look forward to many more races. Now for the race report:
Saturday morning I woke up around 6 am to get ready and eat some breakfast in the hotel. I had a waffle and some orange juice that did not settle well with me and would prove troublesome during the race. As we drove to the race my stomach was upset and I thought it was just nerves but the feeling wouldn't go away. I was determined to race anyway. After body marking, bike racking and transition set-up it was down to the swim start.
As I waited for the race to start I felt like throwing up and I tried to hold it in. Unfortunately as soon as I entered the water for the start I started to hurl. I felt awful but I started the race anyway. The water was not too cold but it was very choppy. This was not helping my stomach and I had to keep stopping to let my stomach settle. After one of my longest Olympic swim times ever I made it to T1 and set off for a slightly longer than normal bike course. A typical Olympic distance triathlon is a little under 25 miles. This event had the bike at a little over 26 miles.As I started the bike I was happy to have a tailwind to give me a little time to get settled. The tailwind didn't last long and it was hills and headwind for a little over half the loop. The bike course was two 13.1 mile loops so I knew I would have to deal with all the challenges twice. It took about 11 miles but I started to feel a little better. My legs were hurting but I pressed on. The bike kicked my butt however I was able to average 18.4 mph on the bike. Not too bad considering my lack of training time leading up to the race. After a challenging ride I headed to transition to prepare for the 10k run.
The run started off OK but my energy was fading. The run consisted of 2 loops around Lake Pflugerville. It was flat but not as fast I would have liked. After my 1st loop I was starting to get sick to my stomach again and I had to walk for the first time at a race of this distance. I was disappointed but I had to walk or bad things were going to happen. After all was said and done I finished in 3:05:29. This was my slowest Olympic but I was just happy to finish.
One other race note. Several members of my Lone Star team did the event as well. 
Lori, Jessica and Norma competed in the Sprint race and Mindi competed in the Olympic. Norma and Jessica finished top 6 in their age groups and Lori earned a podium spot finishing 2nd in her age group. 
Mindi in her first ever triathlon finished 6th in her age group. They all did a great job and I am proud of them all.
For my next races I am competing in the Gateway to the Bay Triathlon in Kemah on April 10th and 11th. I am racing the Sprint and the Olympic distances and I suspect I will have a much better outing. I have never done back to back races before so I am not sure how it will go but I am excited about the challenge.Lastly, I received some great news last week. I gained a sponsorship from PowerBar and I am now a member of PowerBar Team Elite. I am very excited and honored to be a member of this team. I will have more details to come on this sponsorship in the weeks to come.
Bye for now!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Lone Star Triathlon Team and Other Notes
We are about 2 1/2 months away from the Lone Star Triathlon and this season has been filled with lots of ups and downs. Let me start by saying that I love this team but we have had a number of obstacles that have prevented this team from clicking. The main obstacle has been the weather. The weather this year has been rough. The rain, snow and the cold has prevented many of the team from coming out to practice on a regular basis. As a coach these practices are important because it is my only opportunity to help each athlete. I am hoping the weather starts cooperating because I know with a little help we can have a well oiled machine with this group. Fortunately we have time to get people ready for this event. I'm confident that it will get better.
I know I said I would not sign up for anything until March 1st but I had an opportunity to participate in the Texas Independence Relay and this was such a unique opportunity so I didn't want to pass it up. This is a relay run from Gonzales to the San Jacinto Monument. The run is a total of 203.2 miles. I am not sure about my portion of the relay but it looks like I will run 4 legs. I feel I will be up for the challenge.
A few weeks ago I received the Garmin 310XT for my birthday and I love it! Thanks Norma! It has really helped me with my training and if I get lost the GPS will lead me back to where I started. I look forward to using it at the T.I.R.
Lastly, I still have not made concrete decisions about the triathlon schedule for 2010 but I have a few races in mind. One race that I will not do is Ironman Louisville. It looks like it is sold out and only has Ironman Foundation spots available. I will probably list a tentative race schedule in a few weeks. I will let you all know.
Bye for now.
I know I said I would not sign up for anything until March 1st but I had an opportunity to participate in the Texas Independence Relay and this was such a unique opportunity so I didn't want to pass it up. This is a relay run from Gonzales to the San Jacinto Monument. The run is a total of 203.2 miles. I am not sure about my portion of the relay but it looks like I will run 4 legs. I feel I will be up for the challenge.
A few weeks ago I received the Garmin 310XT for my birthday and I love it! Thanks Norma! It has really helped me with my training and if I get lost the GPS will lead me back to where I started. I look forward to using it at the T.I.R.
Lastly, I still have not made concrete decisions about the triathlon schedule for 2010 but I have a few races in mind. One race that I will not do is Ironman Louisville. It looks like it is sold out and only has Ironman Foundation spots available. I will probably list a tentative race schedule in a few weeks. I will let you all know.
Bye for now.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Rebuilding a Triathlete
I made a decision this week to start over from a training aspect. Now I realize that I am not really starting over as I have kept a base level of training from IM Cozumel but I needed a way to get myself motivated. I decided to start with short runs, rides and swims with my primary focus on my strength training. This has worked very well. For the first time in months I don't feel like I am forcing myself to train. In the last week I was able to get 3 runs, 2 swims and 2 bike rides in addition to 4 strength training sessions. I also did my first Yoga session on Friday. Yoga is very tough but I want to become more flexible so I plan to keep this as a part of my training. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress.
I have also been watching what I eat. I really want to get my weight and body fat % to my 2007 and 2008 levels. I have lost 4 pounds this week and I am confident that I can myself to the right weight and body fat levels over the next few months.
Bye for now.
I have also been watching what I eat. I really want to get my weight and body fat % to my 2007 and 2008 levels. I have lost 4 pounds this week and I am confident that I can myself to the right weight and body fat levels over the next few months.
Bye for now.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
2009 and Beyond
Well, I had a very productive 2009. I completed 1 half marathon, 1 full marathon, 4 bike rides ranging from 30 miles to 101 miles and 9 triathlons. Of the 9 triathlons I completed 2 Sprints, 4 Olympics, 2 Half-Ironman events and I finished the year with my first Ironman in November. I spent 500 hours training in 2009. I ran 772 miles, cycled 2325 miles and I swam 62 miles. I also completed 97 strength training sessions. As I sit and look at what I did in 2009 I am amazed that I survived it. When I started competing in endurance events I never thought I would do this much.
So what's next? I am still not 100% sure but I have a few things in mind. I was supposed to run the Houston Marathon last Sunday but I was not feeling well on race day and I decided not to run. I am looking for a marathon to make up for Houston in the next couple months. As far as triathlon is concerned I am sticking to the plan of not signing up for anything until March. I have not done much as far as training goes since IM Cozumel and I want to give myself time to get back into shape before I sign up for anything. I will keep you all updated with what I decide.
Bye for now
So what's next? I am still not 100% sure but I have a few things in mind. I was supposed to run the Houston Marathon last Sunday but I was not feeling well on race day and I decided not to run. I am looking for a marathon to make up for Houston in the next couple months. As far as triathlon is concerned I am sticking to the plan of not signing up for anything until March. I have not done much as far as training goes since IM Cozumel and I want to give myself time to get back into shape before I sign up for anything. I will keep you all updated with what I decide.
Bye for now
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