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.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
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
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
I am IronMan
Well I am finally writing my race report. Sorry it has taken so long but I wanted to digest the experience before writing. Here we go:
We arrived in Cancun early Thursday afternoon and I was hoping to get to Cozumel in time to watch the Cowboys game. Unfortunately getting to Cancun was the easiest part of the trip. After our fun getting through customs we bought bus tickets to take us to the ferry that would take us to Cozumel. The lucky thing was the fact that we were the first stop. Along with me there were two other athletes with bikes that were getting on the bus and not too many other people. I thought to myself this won't be too bad. After a few minutes on the bus we pulled up to stop #2 that had a bunch of people with bikes. People were freaking out that their bikes and luggage wouldn't make it on the same bus and it was a big mess that was adding time to the hour that we already waited. Finally, after what seemed like forever the bus was heading to the ferry. Once we made it Playa Del Carmen we bought ferry tickets and were close to heading to Cozumel. The ferry was another nightmare. There were so many people and bike boxes. It took forever to get everyone loaded up. During our wait the weather starting turning worse and it got very windy. Once the ferry took off I knew we were in for a bumpy ride. The ferry was swaying all over the water and the 2 restrooms were filled with sea sick people. Unfortunately there were a number of bike boxes that were not very lucky as there were people vomiting all over them. It was so fun. I thought "I am going to be swimming in this water on Sunday?" This is fucking great! When we finally made to Cozumel the representative, Pedro, from the villa met us and we took a cab to our home for the next 7 days. The trip was rough and I missed the Cowboys game but the villa was awesome and it made up for all we went through to get there. After dinner it was off to bed and up early for what I thought would be a training swim.
Friday morning came quick and it was very windy outside so I decided not to head to the park for a practice swim. I decided to stay in, eat breakfast and put my bike together. After some trouble getting the saddle on I took the bike out for a ride and then it was off to packet pick-up. The packet pick-up was pretty easy and expo didn't have much but we picked a few things. During the expo we ran into Liz and John and we sat with them during the info meeting and then it was home for dinner and rest.
Saturday we woke up early and headed to the park for a practice swim. The weather was great and the water was perfect. You could see all the way to the bottom and it was smooth as glass. No choppy waves to fight. After the swim it was back to the villa for more rest and eating. Later that afternoon I rode my bike down to the start, racked my bike and my race bags. Then it was back home to eat and rest. I went to bed relatively early to get a little sleep before the big day.
3 am came early on Sunday. I was very nervous as I woke up. I get nervous before every race but this was different. This would take everything in me to finish. I got ready quick but I wasn't feeling that well. My nerves were preventing me from eating all that I needed. I just felt like I was going to hurl. I was thinking about my training and was it enough? I had a lot of doubts as I sat at the breakfast table. The cab driver came around 5am and we were off to the race start.
As I got to transition I was still nervous but settling down. I put air in my tires and walked around waiting for the race to start. Around 6:30 I made my way to the ramp that would lead me into the water and beginning of a journey that I would remember forever.
As I watched the professionals start I knew I would be okay and made my way into the water with John. The water was warm and there were no choppy waves. It was perfect. Before I knew it we were off. I felt good despite my shoulder. It was very crowded at first. I have never done a race with a mass start. About 300 meters in I was kicked in the face and my goggles popped off. It took several minutes to get them back on correctly. After about 20 minutes in the water the crowd spread out and we made the 1st of two turns. After the turn the swim was great. The current was behind us and I was swimming at decent pace. During this part of the swim there were a number of scuba divers in the water taking pictures and waving at the athletes. Before I knew it we were at the turnaround to make it to the dock. I looked at my watch and it showed 59 minutes. Many Ironman athletes would be disappointed but I was happy. I was where I wanted to be and felt like I could break 90 minutes which was my goal. As I swam into the dock we were against the current and it was slow but I was still moving well. As I exited the water I looked at my watch and it was at 1:29 and I was very happy as ran to the changing tent.
The changing tent was a new thing for me. I am used to having everything in transition. Two transition spots make that impossible. In the changing tent you see some unique things that I will not mention on this post. I will just say dudes are pretty disgusting and you can just use your imagination. After I put my helmet, shoes and glasses on it was off to my bike. Early on the bike I felt really good. I was averaging 22 to 23 mph and I was cruising. When I reached the other side of the island the wind picked up and I slowed way down. After the first loop (40 miles) I felt good except for a health issue I will mention later. As I reached the halfway point of the second loop I was getting very tired. The wind was really getting to me and I was fading. The one neat thing was spotting Norma and her parents towards the end of the loop with the cool signs she made. I needed that pick me up. The third loop was not much better but I knew I was going to make it. During the third loop I also getting angry. There were a lot of people drafting! I just hate when people don't follow the rules! As I reached the end of the last loop I realized it was the least of my worries. I rode an extra 1.7 miles because of course changes and I had 26.2 miles to run. But as I said, I knew I would make it.
When I reached T2 I handed my bike over to the volunteer and I went into the changing tent. The 2nd changing tent was even more disgusting. Someone sprayed so much sunscreen you could not even breath. Even more disgusting were the pot-o-cans. The athletes shit all over each of the cans and it was hard not to vomit. It was so disgusting. After pulling myself together I ran out of the tent and I spotted Norms. I was dragging and hurting but I started running. About 4 miles in I caught Liz and she was hurting bad as well. I talked with her for a moment and pressed on. The health issue that I had was causing me problems. I had a recurrence of a UTI that I had back in March. Needless to say I did not want to run. I kept going the best I could. At the end of loop 1 I spotted John and he looked fresh. I kept my run/walk through most of the second loop where I saw Norma. She had a margarita for me but I unfortunately couldn't drink it because I still had 8 miles to go. I was hurting and dragging but I pressed on. I have never hurt so much. I saw Liz at one point and she look tired and like she wanted to cry. I felt the same way. Norma walked with me for a little bit after I made the 2nd turnaround and then I told her I had to run. It was rough but I kept moving. As I reached mile 25 I started to pick up the pace. I knew I was going to cross the finish line running. When I saw the mile 26 marker I started sprinting. There were so many people cheering that I just had to. As I crossed the finish line I was filled with so much joy. I had done it! I am an IronMan! I saw Norma and I started crying. I was hurting so bad but was so happy. The final time was 13:25:03. It's right where I planned to be.
As I finish this post I have a few final comments. First, the people of Cozumel were awesome. The lined the streets during the bike and run portions of the race cheering all the way. When I was really down the spectators would yell "si se puede". (You can do it!). I really needed it. They were great and they made the race so enjoyable. I had a great time during my remaining days in Cozumel and I look forward to my next race in Cozumel.
Second, I have a number of people I want to thank. Sorry this is my Academy Award speech. I want to thank the folks at Bike Barn in The Village for my bike. I love that bike. She is the greatest. (Yes, my bike is a she, get over it!) I want to thank Johnny Zepeda at Tri on the Run and Raymond Cooper at Finish Strong for all they have done. They supply me with everything from shoes to bike tubes. They have been very supportive of me and TNT. Thanks for everything. I want to thank all my friends who have been so encouraging over the past year. It is so comforting to have the support of those close to you. I want to thank Jay Branson for loaning me the bike box. It worked great, thanks. I want thank John Vigil for doing the Rage Triathlon with me and for racing with me in Cozumel. You are a great friend. Coach Liz, what can I say? I have said this before but you have done so much for me that I can't even put it into words. I know you have heard this so many times but I would not be here if it wasn't for you. You are so awesome and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for me.
Third, I want to thank my family for their patience, understanding and love. I sacrificed a lot to do this race and I appreciate their understanding in this journey. Thank you so much. I love you!
Lastly, I want to thank Norma. She sacrificed a lot over the past year. She drove SAG on all my long rides and runs and was photographer on the 9 triathlons I did this year. She never complained even when she sacrificed her own training. She just wanted me to do well and have a good race. She also organized all the travel for this race. Lord knows I couldn't do it. I am forever in your debt. I love you and thank you for everything you do and for taking care of me.
Well that's it. I have the Houston Marathon in January and then it's a little time off. I'm not sure what is next but I will make some decisions in the next couple months. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and I will update you soon.
Later Dudes!
(pictures will be posted tomorrow)
We arrived in Cancun early Thursday afternoon and I was hoping to get to Cozumel in time to watch the Cowboys game. Unfortunately getting to Cancun was the easiest part of the trip. After our fun getting through customs we bought bus tickets to take us to the ferry that would take us to Cozumel. The lucky thing was the fact that we were the first stop. Along with me there were two other athletes with bikes that were getting on the bus and not too many other people. I thought to myself this won't be too bad. After a few minutes on the bus we pulled up to stop #2 that had a bunch of people with bikes. People were freaking out that their bikes and luggage wouldn't make it on the same bus and it was a big mess that was adding time to the hour that we already waited. Finally, after what seemed like forever the bus was heading to the ferry. Once we made it Playa Del Carmen we bought ferry tickets and were close to heading to Cozumel. The ferry was another nightmare. There were so many people and bike boxes. It took forever to get everyone loaded up. During our wait the weather starting turning worse and it got very windy. Once the ferry took off I knew we were in for a bumpy ride. The ferry was swaying all over the water and the 2 restrooms were filled with sea sick people. Unfortunately there were a number of bike boxes that were not very lucky as there were people vomiting all over them. It was so fun. I thought "I am going to be swimming in this water on Sunday?" This is fucking great! When we finally made to Cozumel the representative, Pedro, from the villa met us and we took a cab to our home for the next 7 days. The trip was rough and I missed the Cowboys game but the villa was awesome and it made up for all we went through to get there. After dinner it was off to bed and up early for what I thought would be a training swim.
Friday morning came quick and it was very windy outside so I decided not to head to the park for a practice swim. I decided to stay in, eat breakfast and put my bike together. After some trouble getting the saddle on I took the bike out for a ride and then it was off to packet pick-up. The packet pick-up was pretty easy and expo didn't have much but we picked a few things. During the expo we ran into Liz and John and we sat with them during the info meeting and then it was home for dinner and rest.
Saturday we woke up early and headed to the park for a practice swim. The weather was great and the water was perfect. You could see all the way to the bottom and it was smooth as glass. No choppy waves to fight. After the swim it was back to the villa for more rest and eating. Later that afternoon I rode my bike down to the start, racked my bike and my race bags. Then it was back home to eat and rest. I went to bed relatively early to get a little sleep before the big day.
3 am came early on Sunday. I was very nervous as I woke up. I get nervous before every race but this was different. This would take everything in me to finish. I got ready quick but I wasn't feeling that well. My nerves were preventing me from eating all that I needed. I just felt like I was going to hurl. I was thinking about my training and was it enough? I had a lot of doubts as I sat at the breakfast table. The cab driver came around 5am and we were off to the race start.
As I got to transition I was still nervous but settling down. I put air in my tires and walked around waiting for the race to start. Around 6:30 I made my way to the ramp that would lead me into the water and beginning of a journey that I would remember forever.
As I watched the professionals start I knew I would be okay and made my way into the water with John. The water was warm and there were no choppy waves. It was perfect. Before I knew it we were off. I felt good despite my shoulder. It was very crowded at first. I have never done a race with a mass start. About 300 meters in I was kicked in the face and my goggles popped off. It took several minutes to get them back on correctly. After about 20 minutes in the water the crowd spread out and we made the 1st of two turns. After the turn the swim was great. The current was behind us and I was swimming at decent pace. During this part of the swim there were a number of scuba divers in the water taking pictures and waving at the athletes. Before I knew it we were at the turnaround to make it to the dock. I looked at my watch and it showed 59 minutes. Many Ironman athletes would be disappointed but I was happy. I was where I wanted to be and felt like I could break 90 minutes which was my goal. As I swam into the dock we were against the current and it was slow but I was still moving well. As I exited the water I looked at my watch and it was at 1:29 and I was very happy as ran to the changing tent.
The changing tent was a new thing for me. I am used to having everything in transition. Two transition spots make that impossible. In the changing tent you see some unique things that I will not mention on this post. I will just say dudes are pretty disgusting and you can just use your imagination. After I put my helmet, shoes and glasses on it was off to my bike. Early on the bike I felt really good. I was averaging 22 to 23 mph and I was cruising. When I reached the other side of the island the wind picked up and I slowed way down. After the first loop (40 miles) I felt good except for a health issue I will mention later. As I reached the halfway point of the second loop I was getting very tired. The wind was really getting to me and I was fading. The one neat thing was spotting Norma and her parents towards the end of the loop with the cool signs she made. I needed that pick me up. The third loop was not much better but I knew I was going to make it. During the third loop I also getting angry. There were a lot of people drafting! I just hate when people don't follow the rules! As I reached the end of the last loop I realized it was the least of my worries. I rode an extra 1.7 miles because of course changes and I had 26.2 miles to run. But as I said, I knew I would make it.
When I reached T2 I handed my bike over to the volunteer and I went into the changing tent. The 2nd changing tent was even more disgusting. Someone sprayed so much sunscreen you could not even breath. Even more disgusting were the pot-o-cans. The athletes shit all over each of the cans and it was hard not to vomit. It was so disgusting. After pulling myself together I ran out of the tent and I spotted Norms. I was dragging and hurting but I started running. About 4 miles in I caught Liz and she was hurting bad as well. I talked with her for a moment and pressed on. The health issue that I had was causing me problems. I had a recurrence of a UTI that I had back in March. Needless to say I did not want to run. I kept going the best I could. At the end of loop 1 I spotted John and he looked fresh. I kept my run/walk through most of the second loop where I saw Norma. She had a margarita for me but I unfortunately couldn't drink it because I still had 8 miles to go. I was hurting and dragging but I pressed on. I have never hurt so much. I saw Liz at one point and she look tired and like she wanted to cry. I felt the same way. Norma walked with me for a little bit after I made the 2nd turnaround and then I told her I had to run. It was rough but I kept moving. As I reached mile 25 I started to pick up the pace. I knew I was going to cross the finish line running. When I saw the mile 26 marker I started sprinting. There were so many people cheering that I just had to. As I crossed the finish line I was filled with so much joy. I had done it! I am an IronMan! I saw Norma and I started crying. I was hurting so bad but was so happy. The final time was 13:25:03. It's right where I planned to be.
As I finish this post I have a few final comments. First, the people of Cozumel were awesome. The lined the streets during the bike and run portions of the race cheering all the way. When I was really down the spectators would yell "si se puede". (You can do it!). I really needed it. They were great and they made the race so enjoyable. I had a great time during my remaining days in Cozumel and I look forward to my next race in Cozumel.
Second, I have a number of people I want to thank. Sorry this is my Academy Award speech. I want to thank the folks at Bike Barn in The Village for my bike. I love that bike. She is the greatest. (Yes, my bike is a she, get over it!) I want to thank Johnny Zepeda at Tri on the Run and Raymond Cooper at Finish Strong for all they have done. They supply me with everything from shoes to bike tubes. They have been very supportive of me and TNT. Thanks for everything. I want to thank all my friends who have been so encouraging over the past year. It is so comforting to have the support of those close to you. I want to thank Jay Branson for loaning me the bike box. It worked great, thanks. I want thank John Vigil for doing the Rage Triathlon with me and for racing with me in Cozumel. You are a great friend. Coach Liz, what can I say? I have said this before but you have done so much for me that I can't even put it into words. I know you have heard this so many times but I would not be here if it wasn't for you. You are so awesome and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for me.
Third, I want to thank my family for their patience, understanding and love. I sacrificed a lot to do this race and I appreciate their understanding in this journey. Thank you so much. I love you!
Lastly, I want to thank Norma. She sacrificed a lot over the past year. She drove SAG on all my long rides and runs and was photographer on the 9 triathlons I did this year. She never complained even when she sacrificed her own training. She just wanted me to do well and have a good race. She also organized all the travel for this race. Lord knows I couldn't do it. I am forever in your debt. I love you and thank you for everything you do and for taking care of me.
Well that's it. I have the Houston Marathon in January and then it's a little time off. I'm not sure what is next but I will make some decisions in the next couple months. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and I will update you soon.
Later Dudes!
(pictures will be posted tomorrow)
Monday, November 23, 2009
Runners are the New Cyclists
As I sit to write this post I am less than a week away from Ironman Cozumel and the anxiety of this big event is starting to hit me. I can't wait to get this race over with. My shoulder is still sore but I think I will be okay on race day even though I don't expect a fast swim time. Yesterday I did a 32 mile bike in the morning and then a 9 mile run in the evening. I know it was more than I should have done but it made me feel better. I did not swim over the weekend in order to give my shoulder extra time to rest. I do plan on swimming after work this afternoon.
When I started this whole endurance sport thing one thing was apparent to me early on. I thought runners were a respectful but intense group and I thought the triathletes were an easy going group that just wanted to see how far they could push themselves. Cyclists on the other hand have typically been very arrogant in my opinion. (Sorry to lump all cyclists together) I have seen so many cyclists who feel they are so much better than runners and triathletes. They think they are better than you because they have a $5000 bike who make a lot of money and that gives them an excuse to be a bunch of jerks. For example, I did a century ride earlier this year where a group oh U of H cyclists were riding 5 wide and nearly running cyclists going the other direction off the road. My favorite is the group of cyclists who get red with anger if a person on a tri bike comes within a mile of their draft line but would gladly draft of a person on a tri bike. I think you get the point. The last few times I have been running at Memorial Park I have noticed a growing trend. Runners are becoming jerks as well. I notice a lot of runners who run on the wrong side of the trail and then look at you as if you are the crazy person. My favorite is the group of runners who run anywhere from 3 to 5 people wide and will just not move in to let you get by. It doesn't matter if you are running towards them or trying to pass them. Last night as I was running there was a group of 3 runners moving towards me and they would not move over. One of the runners actually hit me and didn't even stop, slow down or apologize. I was as far to the right as I could be on the running loop and this guy still hit me. I have always seen people like this at the park but it seems there are more and more each time I go. I hope any runner that reads this thinks about the rules and general courtesy the next time they go running.
Sorry to ramble. I think this race is affecting my already angry mood. I'll be providing more frequent updates as I get closer to race day.
Later Dudes.
When I started this whole endurance sport thing one thing was apparent to me early on. I thought runners were a respectful but intense group and I thought the triathletes were an easy going group that just wanted to see how far they could push themselves. Cyclists on the other hand have typically been very arrogant in my opinion. (Sorry to lump all cyclists together) I have seen so many cyclists who feel they are so much better than runners and triathletes. They think they are better than you because they have a $5000 bike who make a lot of money and that gives them an excuse to be a bunch of jerks. For example, I did a century ride earlier this year where a group oh U of H cyclists were riding 5 wide and nearly running cyclists going the other direction off the road. My favorite is the group of cyclists who get red with anger if a person on a tri bike comes within a mile of their draft line but would gladly draft of a person on a tri bike. I think you get the point. The last few times I have been running at Memorial Park I have noticed a growing trend. Runners are becoming jerks as well. I notice a lot of runners who run on the wrong side of the trail and then look at you as if you are the crazy person. My favorite is the group of runners who run anywhere from 3 to 5 people wide and will just not move in to let you get by. It doesn't matter if you are running towards them or trying to pass them. Last night as I was running there was a group of 3 runners moving towards me and they would not move over. One of the runners actually hit me and didn't even stop, slow down or apologize. I was as far to the right as I could be on the running loop and this guy still hit me. I have always seen people like this at the park but it seems there are more and more each time I go. I hope any runner that reads this thinks about the rules and general courtesy the next time they go running.
Sorry to ramble. I think this race is affecting my already angry mood. I'll be providing more frequent updates as I get closer to race day.
Later Dudes.
Friday, November 20, 2009
T-minus 8 Days
I am 8 days from Ironman Cozumel and I'm getting excited and nervous. I took 3 days off from training and it seems to have to done me some good. I just finished a slow 10 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run at Memorial Park. It's the first time I have been pain free in my back, hip and legs in weeks. It felt great. Unfortunately my shoulder is still bothering me. I am going to try and get a swim in tomorrow and then another short training on Sunday. The shoulder is not going to keep me from racing but I know it will slow me down in the water. At this point I just want to make it out of the water and onto my bike. I'm sure I'll be fine.
On another note I am starting my 3 season as a Triathlon Coach for Team in Training. I am looking forward to getting started again and I know it will be a fun season. We have 37 participants and I know we will get them all to race day!
Bye for now.
On another note I am starting my 3 season as a Triathlon Coach for Team in Training. I am looking forward to getting started again and I know it will be a fun season. We have 37 participants and I know we will get them all to race day!
Bye for now.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Iron Star Triathlon
Last Sunday I did the Iron Star Half-Ironman Triathlon in Conroe as a final tune-up prior to IM Cozumel. Overall it was a good race and I had a time 5:47:36. Not too bad considering the injuries I am dealing with.
I'm not going to bore you to death with same old race report so here is the condensed version. The swim was slow for me due to a shoulder injury that I am still nursing. It was very painful and it was difficult to swim. The bike course was challenging. There were a lot of hills and the headwind made it tough to keep top speed. I finished with an average of 19.8 mph on the bike. Not bad considering the back, hip and knee issues I have. Lastly, the run was pretty tough. My legs did not want cooperate. They pain was worse than anything that I could have imagined. I somehow made it through and only missed my PR by 6 minutes.
I feel ready for IM Cozumel despite my numerous injuries. My back feels a little better but my hip, knee and shoulder are still hurting very bad. My run last night was painful and slow but I made it. My shoulder has prevented me from swimming much since the race but I should be okay. I'm starting my taper and I am looking forward to this race being over.
Later Dudes
I'm not going to bore you to death with same old race report so here is the condensed version. The swim was slow for me due to a shoulder injury that I am still nursing. It was very painful and it was difficult to swim. The bike course was challenging. There were a lot of hills and the headwind made it tough to keep top speed. I finished with an average of 19.8 mph on the bike. Not bad considering the back, hip and knee issues I have. Lastly, the run was pretty tough. My legs did not want cooperate. They pain was worse than anything that I could have imagined. I somehow made it through and only missed my PR by 6 minutes.
I feel ready for IM Cozumel despite my numerous injuries. My back feels a little better but my hip, knee and shoulder are still hurting very bad. My run last night was painful and slow but I made it. My shoulder has prevented me from swimming much since the race but I should be okay. I'm starting my taper and I am looking forward to this race being over.
Later Dudes
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Reports of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
I have not felt much like writing lately. I have been very busy at work and of course with the training. I will be brief with this posting as well.
As I write this IM Cozumel is 34 days away and I do feel ready for the most part. My last triathlon was 2 weeks ago in Dallas and it was a very tough event. I won't go through all my normal race reporting but I will say it was very rainy and cold and I did not have my best day. The one neat thing about the even t was the fact that it was part of the Toyota Cup series and there were a lot of pros there.
This weekend was very productive from the training perspective. Saturday I put down an 86 mile ride on my bike followed by an 1800 meter open water swim at Twin Lakes. It was not my fastest ride but it was great to get out on a beautiful day. The swim was good as well. I have not put much open water time lately and so it was a much needed training. Earlier today I did the Houston Half Marathon and I set a PR with a time of 1:46:00. I felt good despite a little pain in my left Achilles tendon. This is the same injury I have been dealing with most of the year. The pain comes and goes but I seem to able to deal with it. After the race I was able to get back on the course and run 4 more miles with Norma as she finished her race.
The one disappointing thing about today was the fact that I did not do Longhorn. It is a race I love and one I have done the last two years. It was my first Half-Ironman and it is very special to me. I felt that I needed a longer training than Longhorn could give me and I wanted to save my money with IM Cozumel coming up. I do plan on racing Ironstar in a few weeks for my last tune-up.
I'll be providing more updates with the big race coming soon.
As I write this IM Cozumel is 34 days away and I do feel ready for the most part. My last triathlon was 2 weeks ago in Dallas and it was a very tough event. I won't go through all my normal race reporting but I will say it was very rainy and cold and I did not have my best day. The one neat thing about the even t was the fact that it was part of the Toyota Cup series and there were a lot of pros there.
This weekend was very productive from the training perspective. Saturday I put down an 86 mile ride on my bike followed by an 1800 meter open water swim at Twin Lakes. It was not my fastest ride but it was great to get out on a beautiful day. The swim was good as well. I have not put much open water time lately and so it was a much needed training. Earlier today I did the Houston Half Marathon and I set a PR with a time of 1:46:00. I felt good despite a little pain in my left Achilles tendon. This is the same injury I have been dealing with most of the year. The pain comes and goes but I seem to able to deal with it. After the race I was able to get back on the course and run 4 more miles with Norma as she finished her race.
The one disappointing thing about today was the fact that I did not do Longhorn. It is a race I love and one I have done the last two years. It was my first Half-Ironman and it is very special to me. I felt that I needed a longer training than Longhorn could give me and I wanted to save my money with IM Cozumel coming up. I do plan on racing Ironstar in a few weeks for my last tune-up.
I'll be providing more updates with the big race coming soon.
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