Thursday Morning Swim

This morning was another early wake up in order to get the girls to their swim practice. I too got in another workout, but this time it wasn't a swim AND some weight training. I just swam for about 35 minutes and made a conscious effort not to swim too hard. I had a good workout, took a shower, and got ready by the time the girls were finished. I took them to school and now my day has truly begun. I must say, I'm very tired from being up late last night and could really use a nap.

Troy and I start some light workouts next week to ease into some off-season core and strength building work. Lots of time spent indoors. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I'll take it over the alternative.

A Bit Antsy!

Okay, so I'm a bit antsy. I told Troy and myself I would take a week off to rest before off-season training began. Well, I guess I lied. This morning, I had to take Shelby to swim practice at 5:00 a.m. That meant we had to wake up at 4:30 to get going. I figured that I had to be there anyway to take her to school afterward, so why not get in a workout. It felt quite good to get back into it after a few days of recovery. The workout was deliberately not very intense. Just a nice "get back into the swing of things" type of deal. I swam for 40 minutes then got out and had a light upper body weight workout. It was nice.

Training in the off-season will be more geared toward building strength through weights rather than an in-season type of endurance regimen. Troy and I will do a lot of weight training, treadmill running and sprints, recumbent bike, and some other cross-training types of things. Just a lot of different stuff to keep us interested and motivated and keep the winter fat at bay. Troy's still steadily dropping weight and I want to make sure that we stay diligent in our fitness routine especially through the holidays. That's where you can lose it the quickest!

Still looking for that first triathlon to put on the schedule so we have something to shoot for. We haven't decided yet. However, the countdown will begin soon!

Resting

It's Tuesday and Troy and I are still in "rest" mode. Troy hasn't been feeling too well and and I believe that it's because his body takes a bit longer to recuperate from such a taxing event. We had our culinary "cheat" day and are back on our nutrition plan of healthy eating, but we've decided to take a physical rest period of about a week before we move into our off-season training program. Off-season will consist of a lot of weight training, treadmills, and stationary bikes - along with some swimming mixed in. We're going to be spending a lot of time inside but won't necessarily have to go to the extreme intensity that we've had to go before to get ready for a race.

                                                                

It's a mentality and a lifestyle and one that we enjoy for our physical and mental health. Now on to next season!

The attached picture is of Troy and I just before the Suncoast race. The water was cold, thus the wet suits. We look like a couple of cut-rate, back alley, ghetto-fabulous super heros!

The Journey Home

Okay, so as of current posting time, I wasn't able to get this up for yesterday. It's Monday morning and Troy and I are home safely and have had a full night's sleep. It's nice to be home and comfortable in your own space. However, this trip will go down with tons of special meaning. Quality family time, exercise, competition, Florida weather, the coastal environment, and (most of all) time well spend with our Grandmother whom we rarely get to see anymore. We had a wonderful time with her and a great period of "bonding" time with her in her old age. This trip has really solidified how much my support system and family mean to me. I (or we, I should say) couldn't have done this without the "behind the scenes" support of our family. It's a strengthening and confidence builder. Troy and I now feel that we can go out and conquer anything that we truly put our minds to. We know we have the focus and the drive and it's that support system that we can fall back on when we are feeling weak. That's a wonderful gift that I've truly realized in the past few years from being so selfish. Thank you, triathlon, for being a part of helping me realize my strengths, my weaknesses, my faults, and my iniquities. As Troy and I have often realized, the sport of triathlon is a metaphor to life. It's a long journey that you continue to learn from and better yourself from your mistakes. As I get older, maybe that is why I'm so attracted to the sport. All I know is, it's making me a better overall man - even though I still have a long way to go.

Now it's time for some rest for a few days then on to our off-season workout routine. We'll keep you posted.

Suncoast Triathlon '08

Today was "dooms day"! This is the event that Troy and I have been training for over the last 8 weeks. So, this morning we awoke at 4:45 a.m. and was greeted with some scrambled eggs made by our Dad. That was chased with some Red Bull and our daily GXL supplements. We packed the car with all of our prepared gear and headed to the race site with excitement. Upon our arrival, we immediately jumped into action. Checking in, organizing, and arranging was in full effect from the start until we had to make our way to the starting line on the beach. To top things off, we had to deal with adverse weather consisting of rain and lots of wind. It was not an ideal start of a race. However, the race proceeded as planned and by the end, the conditions ended up being perfect.

Going in, I had a goal in mind. Even though the course was longer than our last tri, I made it my goal to finish in less time than my previous race. My last race time was 01:13:22. I was shooting for a 01:10:00 even with the extra 200 meters in the swim. During the race, I felt good and kept my focus on who I was doing this for and the small benchmarks I had made for myself during the race. Come race end, I was not only able to meet my goal, but better still, to exceed my goal. My official time ended up being 01:07:28 so I'm quite satisfied with my performance and my fitness level and I'm more than ready to find, train, and tackle our next outing.

Meanwhile, (this is Troy writing now) I threw up all over my shirt (that I was actually wearing) when it was over and I passed out in the car on the way home. Nice one, huh? No kidding. This is not exactly the same glowing report that Todd was just able to personally provide, but looking back, I really don't have any regrets at all. My time was 1:24 the last time I did this one. Today it was 1:30. Considering that we had 200 extra yards to cover on the swim than the last time we did this course, I'm actually not very disappointed. My goal coming in was to match my time last time, and with my being a heavier guy and still a "work in progress," I knew it would more than likely take ideal weather conditions to pull it off because my goal was difficult from the outset - just like Todd's was. This is a reflection of 2 things in retrospect upon examining each of our results: 1. That the weather proved to NOT be the ideal conditions that I knew I would need to get this done, but much more impressively, 2. How amazing Todd's preparation and eventual results proved to be. I tip my hat to him. He dropped 6 minutes from last time, while I added 6 minutes - on the SAME course, at the SAME time, and in the SAME conditions. Todd said that the run wouldn't get him this time like it did last time. He was right. I would think that 11th place out of the 65 men in his division would verify that. I close with this comment on a personal note. While Todd placed 11th, and he earned every bit of that ranking, I'm proud to report that I came in 20th place in the "Clydesdale" division. For those of you who are unfamiliar, that's the group of men that you have to be over 200 pounds to be in, which (believe it or not), I actually qualify for. :)

Check back on the blog soon. Our next order of buisness is to identify our next target, set the blog countdown timer, and get going! Yes, you know it, we're going to do it again! (and again, and again, and AGAIN!)

The Day Before Suncoast

As I sit here entering this blog, I find myself in a very peaceful place. I'm with family whom I love and I know who loves me. My sweet Grandmother is here with us and I rarely get to see her. She's 81 years old and my Mom & Dad are currently taking care of her as she slowly succumbs to the years that continue to pass her by. She's a wonderful old lady that still is as feisty as ever. We love her dearly.

I'm at peace with everything right now. I'm ready to go tomorrow and I really want to do well. Maybe even to my own detriment. At any rate, the last half of the day today was spent in preparation for tomorrow morning's race. Troy and I went to get our registration packets, we picked up a new wet suit for the cold water swim, and we have set out all of our gear in order for the transitions. If we're not ready now, we're not ever going to be ready. It's go time! It's time to put up and shut up! It's time to ultimately have fun! Here we go!

The Journey Down

Today was a travel day so we wanted to make a concerted effort to get to Florida early enough to get plenty of rest before Saturday morning's tri. It's an exciting time right now. We're here and we are in anxious anticipation to try and conquer this thing. Troy seems in very good spirits and seems ready. I'm certainly ready and wanting to kick the crap out of this course! I admit, I've put some undue pressure on myself, but that's the way I like it and that's what drives my competitive juices.

Troy and I have decided to document the whole weekend and post it here. Hopefully, it'll be something worthwhile to document.

Tomorrow is our serious rest day and we have to pick up our race packet with our numbers and race info inside. Bill Jackson's here we come, and the excitement continues to build!

Gettin' Ready

Oddly enough, I'm still not used to waking up at 4:30 a.m. every morning. I'm, by nature, a night person and the early morning rises are certainly not a badge of honor. It is however a labor of love for my sweet little girls that are not so little anymore. I find myself drawing strength from them and how strong it seems that God has made them. I do this training stuff, and to better myself mentally and spiritually, for them. This weekend will be for them and with them in mind. I draw a ton of strength from knowing they rely on their daddy and that will be the impetus behind what pushes me. Not because I want them to know that I competed in a triathlon, but because I want them to see that I want to be a better daddy in every way. This weekend's event is just the beginning of the long journey.

Today's workout was a swim, weight training, and a morning run. I'm tapering for the event so the workouts are becoming less intense. Troy and I leave on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday and Friday will be total off days dedicated to rest for Saturday's event. I'm pumped, a little anxious, a little nervous, but definitely excited. I've put a lot of pressure on myself to do well. Now it's time to deliver!

One Last Brick

It's Sunday and there's not a cloud in the sky. An absolute perfect day for training (other than a bit on the chilly side). It was 73 degrees at 2:00, so I decided to make this day the final day for a brick session before the weekend triathlon. It is now officially crunch time! Today was a 20 mile bike ride followed immediately by a 2 mile run. This was done specifically to get my legs and back used to the drastic transition. Ultimately, I felt pretty good with an 8:30 pace on the 2 mile run. Not bad for me immediately after a 20 mile ride that averaged just under 20 mph. I think I'm ready. In fact, I know I'm ready! I'm anxious and I've done a lot of visualizing of the upcoming race in bettering my previous time - even though it's a slightly longer course. I'm fitter, I'm stronger, and most importantly, my endurance levels are much better than they were this past July. I'm ready to finish the season strong, take a short rest period, then start the off-season program. Next season starts in April and I'm anxious to see how we do over the course of a full season (which we have yet to experience).

I'm ready, Troy's ready, and we're both ready to get going down to Florida on Wednesday. It's going to be fun, but Troy and I are going with a specific purpose in mind - to focus and get better. It's a constant refining process! Let's get it!

My personal goal is to come close or beat a 1:13:22. The course is exactly the same as the one that we did this past July except the swim is 260 yards longer. I'm gunning for under 1:10:00. I hope and pray I make it. Okay, there it is! I've thrown it out there. Now I have to deliver!

A Bit Cold

Today is Friday and I've got to be honest, I don't feel like doing CRAP today! Therefore, I'm not going to train at all today. I haven't had a rest day this past week, so today is the day. It's rainy and cold outside and it's one of those days that one doesn't feel like leaving the house for anything. However, I have a job and responsibilities and I'm off to tackle them. It's Friday, my favorite day of the week and I'm going to enjoy the "laid-backness" of it.

Weekend here I come! Going to train hard Saturday and Sunday.

Update from the Big Man T:

The Tri up Hi-O

Ok, it’s me, the guest writer again. I have to say that I appreciate Todd more and more for doing this part each day. I write about 3% of these (if that) and I’m this far into the entry and already lamenting it. Nevertheless, I trudge on!  We’re about a week away and I’m in Ohio right now with my wife and children visiting her family for fall break. Except for my father-in-law who hates me (and most other people too), I enjoy my time with all of her relatives. It’s nice and cool up here right now. I woke up and had breakfast today, checked a few emails, put on my “gear” and was then off for a 40 minute run through a neighborhood I’ve never seen before. I wasn’t interested in breaking my neck for a world record time or anything. I just wanted a nice brisk run under the cool overcast day and to think about all that God has done for me and the love and grace that He has given me. Truly, I am a blessed man. As Todd and I set our eyes to next week, it’s important that we truly try to fine tune our bodies and minds in preparation for our 2008 closing event. I’ll tell you this. Running is still my weak link, but not Todd’s. I can see a look in his eye that the “jogging monster” will NOT get him this time around at the Triathlon. I’m quite curious to see how well he finishes. The being sick thing last week really set me back, but I’m hoping that a diligent 10 days prior to the event itself will prove to be an effective element to help me bounce back and be ready to roll in earnest. I love training up here. The colors have all changed and it’s a beautiful time of year and a good reminder of the glory of God’s personal paint brush. I’m glad I’m not the one in charge! To God be the GLORY!

Troy's Last Ride

Today was Troy's last ride before the Suncoast Triathlon. He's leaving on a business trip and won't return until we have to leave for Florida. It seems a bit surreal that we're this close to the event and I'm hoping that Troy gets in his ample share of training while on the road. I'm sure he will because he knows that value of how important these last two weeks are. He's going to well. I can feel it.

Our ride today was quite nice. The weather was beautiful! The ride was intense, and the conversation was stimulating. If that truly IS our last ride together for the year until next tri season, then that was a spectacular one to end on.

It's time to get the off-season training on and crackin'!

Our New Toy

Yesterday turned out to be quite a fun "training" day. A few months ago, Troy got this crazy idea to get a couple of mountain bikes for us to enhance our cycling addiction. In his infinite unselfishness, he sprung me with the idea that he was buying two bikes and the one he was buying for me would be my birthday and Christmas present (yet again, another act of unselfishness from my little brother). At any rate, the bikes finally arrived from order and we were antsy to test them out. Yesterday was to be that day.

Troy and I both had never been on a mountain biking trail but were eager to give it a shot. So Troy looked up some trails that were close by home and away we went. Not really knowing what to expect, we jumped on our bikes and rode off as if we knew what we were doing on the trails. We never gave it a thought that the trails might be for intermediate or advanced riders. We definitely paid the price - but in a good and fun way. Luckily, our bike riding wind and endurance came into play. Otherwise, we'd have never made it even close to an hour on those trails. It's a whole different workout and routine. It's much more upper body and strength based whereas road cycling seems to be more leg and endurance driven. I'm still partial to the road and the speed, but I can already tell that I'm going to love getting out there and exploring the trails and another sport that has challenged us. It's a great change from the norm.

Today's workout was a very intense and rewarding one. 45 minute swim this morning backed by a 25 minute run. It makes for a nice fit feeling for the rest of the day.



This is a rough shot of the new trail bikes made by Trek (we're partial and loyal to that brand).

Mundane Mondays

4:30 a.m.!!! Good lord! And on a Monday no less! Why can't every day be a Friday or Saturday? At any rate, this morning was no different than last week. Waking up at 4:30, get the twins to their swim practice, I swim while I'm there as well, then wait for them to finish and take them to school. They're committed to being a part of that team and I love and respect that. If it means me sacrificing some sleep in order for them to learn what it's like to be a part of something that takes some commitment and dedication, then I'm more than happy and willing to sacrifice for my girls.

This morning's workout was a 45 minute swim where I swam about 2300 yards. It was intense and good. Especially for a "slow to get started" Monday. My afternoon workout is going to be quite a fun one. Troy, in his endless selflessness, bought the two of us a mountain bike to further fuel both of our biking addiction. It was my birthday AND Christmas present and I can't think of something that I would've liked more (one day Troy, one of these days! I swear!). Anyway, we're going out on our first mountain bike trail here in Franklin. Troy found it online and it's right near our house and we've never even been aware of it. We're both excited to say the least.

I'll post pictures and video of the new gear and the trail after the jump. It should be fun!

Me Lung-butter Long Time

This morning was the first bike ride I've had in seven days. Last time Troy and I rode was this same ride we did last week. However, I've done a lot of swimming and running (if you've kept up with the blog). Troy, on the other hand, has been sick and hasn't had much activity for the obvious sickly reasons. He HAS been itching to get out and get some training in for a solid week though. So as you could imagine, he was antsy to get out and ride this morning - even with some lingering after-effects of his illness. I've gotta say, I didn't expect much from him since he's been under the weather and literally on his back and sleep deprived. But once again, I'm surprised by the circumstances. Not only did he make it the whole way without stopping or getting off of the bike, but he also made it up "Deliverance Ridge" without having to get off of his bike and walk up the climb. That was a surprise to me! He had every reason and excuse to get off and walk up the hill, but he found enough in his tank and dug down deep enough to find the strength to make it up there. Understand, this is no easy climb on a bike! In fact, cars that drive up this ridge struggle a bit. I was taken back (once again) by Troy's determination, desire, and work ethic to power through the extenuating circumstances that lie ahead of him. It's these small glimpses and lessons that I get that show me where I can improve - where my weaknesses are.

Troy is a strong man in every sense of the word both physically and mentally, and I truly value these small nuggets of life lessons that I get through our training and us doing life together. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Freaky Friday

I called today Freaky Friday because today consisted of the two extremes of a really good day, and a really bad day all wrapped into one nice little package. It was good from a standpoint that I got a lot of work done at the office interfacing with various staff to continue to get plugged in to their "system". Much was accomplished and I'm feeling very confident in my building role and my relationships with the current staff. That was the good part that consumed the majority of my day.

However, . . . the back part of the day was littered with some devastating and tough news that has really put me back. No need to expound on it. It's something that will naturally work itself out anyway and I just have to stay reminded that all of this - everything - is in God's hands. He will do with this situation what He feels is the best and I am trying to stay faithful in that. Even when it's hard to.

Troy is just now getting over his illness and it looks as though we'll be riding early in the morning. I'm thankful for that because that's a specific time that we both look forward to and he's antsy to get back out there and be active. . . especially since we only have 2 weeks to go.

Now excuse me while I get ready to go for a long much needed run!

Late Wednesday Entry

It's much too late and I'm way too tired to be writing. The video says it all and I've got to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get the girls to swim practice and to meet Troy at the pool.

Man, this schedule is crazy! I certainly prayed to be more busy and to stay occupied. Be careful what you wish for. You just may get it!

A Lazy Tuesday

Today was one of those "good intention" type days. By that I mean, I had every intention to do something totally different than what my final outcome was. This morning I was going to get up with the twins (as usual) and take them to the swim complex for their practice while I get in a training swim of my own. That didn't happen! I took the girls to practice, and instead of staying to swim, I dropped them off and drove back home to sleep for another hour or so. Out of guilt for not staying and swimming like the twins do, and guilt for not training at my allotted time, I woke up and forced myself to go for a short 20 minute run. The run was short but intense at a relatively quick pace. I still feel as if I should have stayed a swam, but oh well.

I guess the reason for this personal lethargy so close to our race is due to the weather. The weather has slipped into the fall stages where the leaves are turning colors and the temperature is a brisk cold at night and in the mornings. That makes for a lazy demeanor. . . at least in my case. This morning was especially difficult due to the added overcast and rain in the forecast. It was tough making myself do anything physical related. Plus, Troy is feeling under the weather and sick so I knew that he wouldn't be training today. Therefore, I knew I wouldn't have that accountability that I so highly lean on to push me.

The end result was that I forced myself to do something and pushed through the "lazy" wall. And in the end, that's the stuff that'll pay dividends come race time.

A Church-less Sunday

It's Sunday and today I wasn't able to get to church like I normally do. My oldest twin Shelby has been sick so I had to stay home with her while Taylor and Kori went to church with Uncle Troy. I enjoy the church that I go to, so I found myself missing the message and encouragement that I normally get on a weekly basis.

In place of church while taking care of little Shelb, I did a wonderful bible study for my Monday night men's bible study. Then after she fell back asleep, I slipped in a 35 minute run. It wasn't a fast run but it was exhilarating and I got lost in the music that I was listening to. That always makes for a more enjoyable run.

We're now inside of 3 weeks and now is the time to really buckle down on the training and nutrition. It's time to REALLY get serious! Next March is right around the corner for the start of next season! Let's get it!

A Compassionate Ride

Waking up at 5:30 a.m. doesn't agree with me at all. I'm very much a night person. However, this morning's Saturday ride was one of those days of subconscious anticipation. The day was gorgeous, we were anxious to ride, and we were meeting a friend of veteran cycling prowess to ride with us. The only down side was that the weather was too cold for my taste. Well after bundling up and getting the muscles warm, that didn't seem to be much of a problem either.

Spence Smith (who works for Compassion International and is a web guru) met us at 6:45 at our normal launch spot and we were on the road by 7:00. We couldn't have asked for a better time and a better day. We had great conversation and worked hard at the same time.

Today was particularly good for Troy for some reason. Troy was feeling rather "froggy" today while riding. I noticed early that he seemed to have some extra energy that we was trying to release. I didn't think much of it until we arrived at Deliverance Ridge, a hill that Troy always get off of his bike and walks. Today was a different story for the very first time. He made it up the tough climb without getting off to walk and was exhilarated by his accomplishment. He SHOULD feel proud. It's an extremely tough climb! For the rest of the ride, I felt like he was a caged horse waiting to get out and run. Troy should feel proud of himself and the fitness level that he's currently at. He's now to the point that he can hang with virtually anyone we ride with. Constant progression - that's the key!

Renewal Day

This morning was a swim training day and we had a really great and intense workout. With us being 3 weeks away from the Suncoast Triathlon, we're really getting intense with the workouts. Once the Suncoast is over, we'll probably lighten our load on the training side but still keep it going. We're looking to join the Excel Triathlon Swim Training group. It'll be fun and a great experience and training tool. Now all we have left for today is a late afternoon run.

Feeling good and confident.

Wednesday (you know what it is)!

It's Wednesday again and that means another training rest day. I'm going to enjoy it!

The dog in the picture is NOT my dog!