Kansas 70.3

Kansas 70.3 2011

June 2011 Lawrence Kansas
As I remember it the drive up was a long one, there were only a few of that decided to race in 2011 Jason, Brian, Tommy, and Sandra. All the guys stayed in a friends house, we had a great time just hanging out and getting ready to race. I remember on the drive up looking at the Flint Hills and thinking this race may be a good challenge, who knew Kansas was so hilly, my other thought was that I should have trained more between races!
I knew I had taken a little to much time off between Galveston and Kansas and not trained as much as I should have! I felt like I was as ready as I could be, but I was mistaken! Race day turned out to be pretty challenging for me.
Luckily race morning was wetsuit legal and I could start in my wave because I needed the extra time. I am a slower swimmer to begin with but my lack of swimming and doing open water between races really showed at this race. I came out of water with a time of 1:17 and was legally one of the last ones out of the water, needless to say I did not feel good coming out of the water.
Getting on the bike for 56 miles was a challenge after spending that much time in the water. I had thoughts of not being able to finish in time but I knew I had to give it a try! About 10 minutes into the bike I started to feel better and my goal was to just start passing people and get done as fast as I could and try and save some for the run. I kept seeing Sandra on the bike course and I was getting closer to her and my new goal was to catch her before the end of the bike. I chose not to stop on the bike so I could make up as much time as possible which worked for my goal. I ended up catching Sandra at the bike dismount like and we went into T2 together and started our run together. I tried to pee on the bike but I waited way to long so I had to take the time to go in T2, glad it was in a grassy area!
The run was sunny and getting really warm, but I started out good and stayed with Sandra for most of the first loop. It was also really good to have the support of Stacy on course, she helped push my through the day and ran with us for a few minutes. I was starting to pay the price for my lack of training even more on the run, I started to get leg cramps and the mental game started, how much time did I have and left and was I able to finish with the cramping I was having. I just kept moving forward, I was walk running the course just to get done, more walking the last lap with the cramps increasing. I was on the final lap with about 3 miles to go at the last run around when I saw Natasha and her crew and they were helping to push me along, I pushed with everything I had left the last few miles and the cramps were getting worse and it really showed when I turned into the final finishing shoot. Our whole crew was waiting for me to fiinish and I saw then right at the last turn into the shoot and that was what I needed to give it that final push. As soon as I turned the corner though both my legs locked up with cramps and I hobbled/ran the rest of the way in. My day was done and I had finished in just over 7:30. That was my toughest race at the time and a true learning experience for sure.
Take aways - train better between races and get my nutrition locked down!

Kansas 70.3 2012

June 10th 2012
....

The Journey to 70.3

The Journey to 70.3 Started 2 years ago when a friend asked me to do a Sprint Triathlon that June and I said sure why not, little did I know what that would start! I had a minor fear of water due to something that had happened to me when I was very young and I also had in the back of my head the two bike wrecks I had, had that sent me to the hospital both times! I started to look at training plans online and started some general workouts, swimming(yeah right) and biking some (On a mountain bike) and I could run (it just had been a while). I decided at a certain point to find a coach and found one of the best if not the best in Fort Worth.

I still remember the first group ride through Dutch Branch park and over Nice Hill, I felt like I was going to pass out! Tim came up beside me and asked if I wanted to get a road bike and I said yes for sure. So just a short time later I got my 2009 Giant Defy 2 just before we went on our vacation so I got to hear how we could have spent that money towards the vacation for the whole trip! I still ride the same bike today with some modifications like a Speedfil, and bolt on aero bars and cages behind the seat that is still stock.

When I first got in the pool to swim I was unable to complete even just 25 yrds without stopping several times and it took me a while to complete 50yrds without stopping. I really had not done much real swimming since I was in boot camp in '93 and even then we did not have goggles so it was really just some thrashing around. It's not a fun situation to learn to actually swim when you are an adult, most kids will spend lots of time in a pool but not actually swim and this was the same for me. I had to learn to breathe on both sides, learn to pull correctly and even stop kicking so much.

I have had a basic 5k running base since before boot camp and right after I was pretty fast, but that did not last long and I did not run but a few times each year when it was time for my pft and an occasional 5k. After my first Tri season I started to work my way up the running ladder, I picked a few key 10k's to run, the first one was the Cowtown 10k, then America's Hero's 10k, then the Wounded Warrior 10k.

With all this in mind I was going to do my first Tri in June of 2009 the Disco!

Well I can say it was a very hot day and I was able to finish, at that point I could have competed in the Clydesdale division(200lbs and over for the men), not good! I was hooked after this first Tri, but I only managed to complete a few Sprint Tri's in 2009 and then again in 2010. After my first Tri season I started working my way up the running ladder and since I had completed a lot of 5k's it was time to move up the the 10k's. My first 10k was the 2010 Cowtown 10k, then the Americas Hero 10K and finally the Wounded Warrior 10k at which I PR'd!

My time with my coach had run out at the end of 2009 but I felt I had a good base, but was proved wrong in April and May of 2010 when I did the Lonestar Sprint in Galveston and the Benbrook Tri. After seeing my friends race the 70.3 I started thinking about doing this same race in 2011, but this was going to take some major work, so I decided to go back and start training with Tim and team again in about July of 2010.

When I told Tim I wanted to do a 70.3 he asked which race I wanted to complete and I was set on Lonestar 70.3 it was going to be the day after my 37th birthday and it was far enough out that I felt I had the best chance to completing it and finishing strong! I also got back into the heart rate training we had started during the sprint program, but this meant I had to go really slow to stay in the zone 2 (129-144) he put me in. I was doing jog/walks and riding the bike about 10mph at first, but as my aerobic engine built up I got faster! After a few months of training Tim and Tamara started a training group with the American Cancer Society to run the Cowtown Half and Full Marathons, which I knew I wanted to run the Cowtown Half in 2011 as a step up in the running ladder again, so I joined the team!

My journey with Team DetermiNation was a great one, I got a meet lots of people new to running and some that had lots of running experience. We all worked together and encouraged each other to reach our running and financial goals. As the months progressed so did the miles we put in, but it was a great team to train with! The night before Cowtown, was a very special night in my eyes, as I knew it was here and I was also very close to my financial goal too, due to family and friends helping out. I was getting my running gear ready and pinning on the last of my ACS ribbons when I got an email that I had reached my financial goal also, I will say that I did shed a tear or two due to the support I had received and for whom I was running this race for!

Now I had run at least 1 unofficial half marathon and had a goal in mind for the Cowtown and that was below 2 hours. Finally race day was here Feb 27th, 2010 and it was a very warm and humid morning, I got to the race site early enough to get my nerves calmed down and get my mind set on the race. I was going to start out slow and gradually build and shoot for negative splits in the last few miles of the run. My race started out great, but as the miles wore on the race got a little tougher then I first thought, I was still on course to finish in under 2 hours but I had my doubts at times. There were times when it seemed hard to breathe, but then I would see more ACS signs and supporters and they would help push me along with with me thinking about those that could not run that I was wearing ribbons for! The last few miles seemed to take a long time and I knew I was getting closer to the 2 hour make and I seemed to be walking more! Once I made it down the Lancaster bridge I knew it was not much further and I had to run the rest of the way to reach my goal. I rounded the last corner and was able to see the finish line and pushed through and finished in under 2 hours including gun time and chip time!

After Cowtown I only had one more race the Benbrook Sprint which was an all out, lets see how fast we can finish race. My swim was a little above average and the bike was a cold and windy but overall good bike. My run was the best I have had yet, I was passing lots of people and even some team mates on the run and I felt great at the finish, even finished 59 seconds ahead of my coach which felt even better!

I was now just a few weeks out from my first 70.3 race and I know in the back of my head I am thinking about the swim. I know I am not a great open water swimmer, but I know once I get out of the water I will be able to finish the race as long as I stick to the race day plans. You will have to read my next entry for the race report.

Gene

Gene in the Stockyards

Little Gene hanging out during the family photo shoot!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Fort Walton Beach Day 2

Up this morning about 7 and everyone got some breakfast and headed to the beach. Beach service had already set out the umbrella and the chairs for us, so we just took the inner tubes and our set of chairs out. Once we setup our area we notices the water was cloudy today and it was from seaweed, we waited a few minutes to see if it would clear up and I walked both directions down the beach and it was the same all around.
We went in the water and played for a few hours, I finally managed to get little Gene in the water and he had a great time. We came in for lunch and getting some rest then off to check out the area and see what to do next.

Fort Walton Beach - Vacation

Got into Fort Walton Beach late this evening, got the stuff in the great condo and went down to the beach for a few minutes which is just steps out our door. What a long trip down but it is already worth it.

Disco Traithlon Race Report

Sunday Morning at 4am Cathy arrives at my house and we load her gear in the van, mine was already in from the previous night. Drive to the race site, where we were some of the first ones in transition. Got marked and bikes checked and setup in transition and then waited for over an hour for the race to start, this gave us time to meet up with Jack, Tamara, and Jenn and get in a nice short swim. Jack and Gene are in the second wave of the swim with about 125 other men 30-39, the water was nice and cool. I didn't get to nervous before getting in the water, the nerves set it once I started swimming though, I just moved out to the left of the pack and let as many pass me as wanted to. A kayak did get in my way once I got to the first buoy, I guess he though I needed help but I just let him pass and kept moving to the second buoy using what ever strokes would get me there and not get me to tired. I just kept moving through the water while seeing others rest on the buoys and kayaks. I made it out of the water without issues and I felt I was ready for the ride, so I ran up to transition and made sure I clipped my helmet before I grabbed my bike. As I left transition I saw Jenn leaving at the same time, this would be the last time I would see her till the finish line!

The ride was for sure in the Texas hill country and was very breezy, As I made the turn around Cathy passed me! I was ready for the climbs back up the hills we had just come down, they all went well and I managed to get back to transition faster then I had the week before. It was starting to get hot out and I still had the run to complete! My transition from bike to run went very well and I was out of the gate running at a nice pace that I hoped to keep up the whole 3 miles. That did not happen I did find myself walking a few times but I knew I was going to finish the race and become a Triathlete! The turns seemed to never end on the run but as I approached the finish I could see it through the trees and this gave me the extra push to run faster, as I came out of the trees to the finish line I started to sprint and almost tripped but kept upright and crossed at 2:11:51!
I did have a good time at the race and look forward to the next one, as well as making improvements and bettering my times. I know I still need lots of work in all the areas but I know I can finish!

Freedom is not free!!

I have had Eric and the rest of the Caban's on my mind all week, this saturday will be 3 years since we lost Eric, I know where I was when I got the call and where I will be on Saturday! Thanks for your service Eric.

Freedom is not Free, we will never forget you!