Hey There....remember me?

Well....this is awkward.  You know...we have our little fun, say we'll talk and hang out, never really do and then run into each other at the store.....

I feel like there's a lot that's happened, but I can't really think of much.  I'm into 13.1 training now and should be around the 9 mile mark for my long runs, but just completed 7 this past weekend.  I was shooting for a PR of Sub-2 for the race on 10/12 (the Showdown Half) http://www.showdownhalf.com/  but it's looking more like a good jump start to marathon training. 

I volunteered for a sprint tri over the weekend.  Saw some people I know, saw some familiar faces, and got to give back to the sport that's treated me well.

I also found out that I'm a finalist for a Brand Ambassador gig with EnduroPacks.  http://www.enduropacks.com/  I was interviewed over the phone last week and got an e-mail over the weekend that they want to send me a one month trial and have me review it, etc....and if they like my 'social interaction' on the web, I could possibly be a 3-month Ambassador.  Go check them out.  It's a new company.....focused on the recovery aspect of training....which is my nemesis.

Also....JFord is about to embark on an amazing 140.6 journey.  He's doing Redman in OKC this weekend.  You can follow him on FB and via his blog (http://memphishassumthin2say.blogspot.com/)

We have a lot going on these next few weekends.....lots of family things.  This is where we, as amateur athletes, shine.  We have to get our training in and balance the family time too....which if it comes down to it, I pick the family.  But.....I can get my azz outta bed at 4:30a and get it done before anyone even knows I was gone.

I'll be posting more....I'll be looking for new followers.

Spread the word on my blog....and get me some followers people!!!!!

Week in Review

That's a dumb title....I apologize.

Monday - Rest and recover day....posted on here.

Tuesday - Rest  and recover.  Really didn't need it but lied to myself and justified it that way (Did 6 burpees and 60 push-ups and 60 sit-ups_

Wednesday - Thought about swimming and spinning.  Had cable issues and spent well over an hour on the phone with AT&T.  They will hear back from me today.  Ate taco bell.

Thursday - Woo-Hoo.....got up early and ran. 3 miles in the books.  Also did 8 burpees followed by 80 push-ups and 80 sit-ups.  Tonight is an "alumni" reception and Leadership class kick off party.  I was a part of a very cool program hosted by our City last year.....and now I'm an alumni so I get to go rub elbows with important people and drink free beer or two. (but not too many).

Tomorrow I need to either do a brick of (1:15 and 3 miles) or swim/spin.  Normally I do take Friday off, but I've schlepped off a bunch and we are leaving on Saturday morning to drive to Austin of the nephews birthday and "end of summer bash" at the BIL and SIL's.  That means Saturday will be a wash and I'll probably consume beer....because that's kinda my thing....so Sunday morning at their house will be slow going.  Unless I can not drink beer and then hop outta bed at 6a and then run while I'm down there.  Hmmmmm.

So....there's what's happened thus far and what's to happen.

Forgot to mention that we watched the Cowboys game on Sunday.  Here is the lil'est Cowboys Fan....and the damn cutest too......just my opinion, but it's also fact.

 

How could you not want to be a Cowboy fan after seeing that?!?!!!?

McKinney Kiwanis Triathlon - Race Report

For those keeping score at home, this was the race that I got a comp'd entry for....a week before the race....and something that I had not trained for (or trained at all after my Ironman).  This seemed like a good idea, then it didn't, then it did.  I had a few people that said to just rock it and have fun....so that was the plan going in.  When I picked up my schwag on Friday, I saw the entry list.....there were about 100 doing the race.  This got me concerned again, because there was a bigger chance for me to be close to last.......

 

Race Schwag.....not too shabby

Race morning, I was up at 5, loaded up into the car by 5:15....got my 5-hour energy, clif bar, and the Gu Blocks to eat right about 20 minutes before the swim.  Got to the race site, set up transition and then sat around for an hour.  Why, oh why, did I get here so early.  I did run into some folks I know and the mayor was there too....so we chatted. 

Finally....it was time to get in the water.  They were letting people in every 10 seconds and there were already log jams in the water.  I was actually in an okay spot...the guy before me took off and he was pretty quick.  I get in and just start to go.  Took the first 100 pretty easy then noticed that I had a bunch of open water both in front and behind (I didn't want to get caught either).  Snaked the pool and finally got to the end.  Felt slow in the water but finished clean.

Transition was very quick and then off on the bike. 

I know the bike course pretty well, since it went next to and behind my office campus.  The ride was 13.6 miles in lots of country roads.  Some decent short climbs and some good flats to get the speed up to hold it.  Bike was really uneventful.  I got passed about 10 times and passed one.  I was feeling pretty good during and after the bike.

T-2 was a blur....I remember getting it, then the next thing I know, I'm on the run.  Probably fastest transition time for me.

The run started off great.  I didn't have any time on me or my gps watch so I was just running....and running.....I got to the first aid station pretty quick.  I thought "wow....that first mile was a breeze".  Got my drinks, then headed back out.  The run snaked around some neighborhoods and near our downtown area.  However....we started up a pretty long hill and I decided to walk at that point.  I figured I'd already gone 1.25 - 1.5 miles so it wasn't a big deal.  Half way up the hill I see the sign "MILE 1".  WTF??!?!!!??!  Seriously.....Uggghh....  I was a bent spent after that and decided to walk/run the whole rest of the way in.  At that point, I knew that I had done better than I thought I would and was okay with how the day had gone.  Got back around to a slow downhill then hit the finish line.  Time said 1:27:xx.  Very....very pleased with sub 1:30.  However...that was Gun time....I thought to my self "no f'ing way did I do better than that".  Got back into transition and got my phone to text Annie.  Went to results table and saw that I was 3rd in my AG as of right then.  "No F'ing Way" I thought again.....

Sure enough, I was.  I was 3 out of 6 in my AG!!!!!!!  This is my first podium spot in a race that I thought was going to be my worst race. 

 

3rd Place Baby!!!!  (not a great pic of me)

 

My splits were:

Swim: 4:41 - Ranked 10th out of 85
T1: 1:19
Bike: 42:08 - 59 out of 85
T2: 32 seconds
Run: 35:38 - 66 out of 85

(see where my areas of opportunity are????)

All in all....good race, very pleased with how I did, especially having not done anything for 2 months.  I am sore, very sore.....in places that I haven't been in a while.


Big Shout to JFord and Coy......for their pep talks!

Packet Pick up and other things.

I ended up riding on Wednesday night, but did not swim.

I was going to run last night, but at 9p it was still in the upper 90's....so I caught up on sleep.

Tonight....I may ride.  I also go and pick up my packet today.  I'll IG pic the schwag.......

Tomorrow, when the baby goes down for her morning nap, I plan on bricking.

Then Sunday is the sprint.

I'm just going to go balls out for as long as I can.....especially on the bike.  There is zero strategy to this race, no goal, nothing.....just go.

The swim won't be an issue at all.  The bike will come down to how much wind is out and the run....that may be more of a walk/run.

I know I just said that there is no goal for the race (meaning, I'm not trying to improve, hit marks, etc) but here is what I'm thinking will be my times:


Swim: 5:05 (300m)

Bike: 50 minutes (14 miles - 16.5mph)

Run: 41 minutes (3.6 miles - 11:30/mile)

Plus 4 minutes total transitions......

A little over 1:35 finish time.

Realistically, it'll probably be closer to 1:45

Check back on Monday!!!!!!

Pitch Perfect

Instead of working out last night, I ate Taco Bell and then curled up on the couch with my beautiful bride and watched "Pitch Perfect".

Don't judge me.


Tonight......in the immortal words of Roger Creager.....Tonight, we ride again.

800m swim (200m at 1:40, 300m at 1:55, 200m all out, 100m cool)

Then ride/spin for an hour or so.


Thursday I will run

Friday off

Saturday Brick (1 hour holding at 17.5 and 2 mile run)

Sunday Race.

*subject to change*

Free Entry Submitted

Ok...so I did it.  I got confirmation that there was a free entry to be had and I has it.

Filled out the form (for 300m swim time I put 4:45.  I don't know how accurate that is but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

So I ran 2.3 miles last night.  It was a struggle.

Bike tonight

Run tomorrow

Bike Thursday

Light brick on Saturday morning (45 minutes, 1.5 miles)

Race on Sunday.

The race report probably won't be as long and/or emotional (for me at least) as the IMTX one.

Free Entry?

So...I'm so far off from any semblance of training that it's close to comical.....

However, I found out that my company give money for a triathlon sponsorship to a local charity.  A few weeks ago, my VP of Sales (who's the company contact for the sponsorship....and an Ironman) said that he was going to use the free entry.  I had hoped to use it as a motivator to train more religiously and have a mini-goal.

Well...he's traveling this week and I sent him a text bagging on him saying that I'm going to be there to watch and he'd better go sub-1:30 or I was going to make fun of him.  Well....he forgot that it was this weekend, he's been plagued by injury off and on and isn't going to do the race.

So....I sent an e-mail to the RD and my contact at the charity to see if I could use the free spot....assuming they are giving us one (they have in years past).

300m Swim
14 mile Bike
5k run

It's on Sunday.....and I'm not even in "sprint" shape.  And I have an Ironman tattoo (which will be funny when the 14 year old on a huffy passes me)

I'm thinking to myself that I should just go for it (assuming there is a spot).  I will have ZERO issues with the swim (it a pool swim) and the bike is moderate hills so that probably won't be an issues since it's not very long.....but the run.....that may be a killer.  It's got some hills in it too....

I've never done this course either, so I can't even give a goal time/proximity of how I'd finish.

Should I?????