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