Hard Work Pays Off when you least suspect it

So a week ago I decided to participate in the Tour Des Fleurs on Saturday 9/20/08. My only intention was to use this run as a training run on saturday morning. Many times running by yourself for 20K or 12.4 miles can be boring, so I figured why not do it with some 2000 others. So I signed up for the race on Friday 9/19/08. I went to the race and my only goal was to go even pace for the entire way or around 8min/mile. I went out and felt good from the start. The morning was cool and the air fresh. My splits are as follows:

1 -- 8:05

2 -- 7:56

3 -- 7:38

4 -- 7:45

5 -- 7:47

6 -- 7:45

7 -- 8:15 (I walked thru the aid station and took my Gel)

8 -- 7:53

9 -- 7:47

10 -- 7:38

11 -- 7:19

12 --7:38

.41 -- 2:58

So nothing too fancy or fast. I averaged 7:46/mile. So I get home and look at the results and low and behold I placed 3rd in my Age group. I was happy with that and I didn't even try. Apparently no one my age came to race that day, because 7:46/mile is not fast.

I now have to see if I got an award somehow.

On Saturday after the 20K I signed up for a sprint triathlon on saturday at 3pm the race was on sunday at 7:30am. I was only doing it for fun and a interval training day. The race was a 500m, 18mi, 5k. I was out of the in about 7:39. I knew there were 2 people in front of me because one was leaving transition and one was slightly ahead of him is what the volunteers said. So I said to myself, "F*%K it, lets hammer and see if you can win this race the entire thing!!

SO I hammered on the bike. I quickly passed the first guy ahead of me within the first mile and the other guy within the 3rd mile. I was riding my bike like I stole it. It was actually really cool to have a motorcycle escort and a lead car the entire race. I got off the bike with over a minute lead on the entire pack, or so I thought. I got passed on the run after mile 2, by a 35 yr old. Needless to say he is fast because his swim wave started 5min after me!!! I was still pleased with my run splits of 7:38, 7:08, 6:40. I thought since I finished 2nd across the line, but no. I go to look at the results and come to find out the 35 yr old, a 40yr old, and a 50 yr old all beat me by less than 3 min. O-well.. I still won my age group by over a minute.

It's interesting to think what I could have done if I hadn't spent the entire afternoon tailgating and drinking beers. My pre-race dinner consisted of beer, chips and dip, and hot wings. So fun days for me.

My total race time splits are as follows:

500m Swim: 7:39

T1 -- 1:42

18mi Bike -- 48:06 --averaged 22.0mph

T2 -- :35

5k Run -- 21:55 -- averaged 7:04/mile

So all in all a very productive weekend. I never thought I would have been able to achieve these things ever. Great Confidence Booster.

Its Official !!!!

A beautiful sun filled day was what Ironman Wisconsin competitors was blessed with. This day was followed only by a gloomy and rainy day. For me this rainy day was more important to me than the sun filled race day. As I began standing in line at 6:30 AM to register for the 2009 Ironman Wisconsin race, I thought to myself, this is where it all starts. All of the running, swimming, weights, yoga, and cycling has gotten me to this point. Standing in the rain, at the crack of dawn waiting to spend $525.00 dollars to just to race in an Ironman. Some would call it lunacy to have to pay that kind of money to put yourself through the tortuous day of racing that is an Ironman, but I call it beauty.

The purpose of this blog was to have an outlet for my training and life while I pursue a dream of racing in an Ironman. After having witnessed one of these events first hand, I can see myself being closely tied to these events for a very long time to come. So it begins, the story of the next year.

I recently just registered for my second FULL marathon. It is in Austin, TX on February 15th. It will be nice to shift the emphasis from Triathlon training to running. I will also start to work on some weight training excersices after the triathlon season is over and through the winter. So with a positive outlook and a fresh body the training will commence.

So to everyone who reads this mark your calendar for September 13th and plan on being in Madison, Wisconsin. I need all the support I can get. To anyone who has ever done an endurance event, it is a great psychological boost to see a friendly face in the crowd at mile 20 of the marathon or mile 90 on 112 mile ride. Not to mention having someone there for you at the finish line of a race. I have raced in so many races where I had no support after finishing and its far better to see family and friends after racing for some 12 hours. 

So to Grandma, Mom, Dad, Lauren, Donnie, Brooke, Jeff, Devon, Andrew, and William, I expect you to be there. And as Jeff said in his blog post, I would welcome and love anyone who would run along the sidewalks while I run the 2 - 13.1 mile loops in Madison.

Matt B -- I expect you to be there since it's only 2hrs from where you live.

Laura W-- You now have another reason to come up to Madison, other than just wanting to get a fish bowl and Wando's...