The past few weeks since camp have been much of the same, execute the training plan. The big highlights came from last weekend's friendly competition. Since most of the members of Tribal Multi-Sport have been racing, posting results, setting PR's, I totally felt jealous...I had to get out there. I'm sure all of you understand how hard it is to be on the sideline while everyone is charging ahead. I know I'm not fine tuned for an all out running PR at this point of the season but I did decide to mix it up. You won't see many triathletes jumping in cycling races but honestly, it's been such an important factor in my development. Sean Coleman Memorial Race/Race for Humanity Pure cyclists are definitely a breed of their own, often scowling at my lack of socks in cycling shoes, however they offer tremendous versatility as training partners. If you take a look at a HR file, you can't help but notice the continual spike in HR, the exact opposite of my 3 hour long rides for 70.3 training. Anyway, if you notice my awesome attire in the US Military Cycling kit above, you'll see I'm only wearing a vest (Thanks Sunny Gill). Trust me, not my first choice. There were a series of unfortunate events that led to me wearing a vest for this picture. Simply put, a 3:00pm race start threw me off. I'm used to waking up at 4:00am, stumbling about, jamming in some nutrition, visiting my "home office" (toilet) a few times and then it's race time. To be brief, I ended up leaving my race bag at home for this particular event. This was a problem since it contained my jersey, bottles, nutrition, dry clothes and dignity. The weather was 52-ish degrees with continual misting and rain, not ideal for my first bike race of the season in the category 3-4 field (51 miles). What did I do? I pushed onward, got cold, filthy and finished....toward the back, lol. Luckily I had a 1.5 hour ride in the A.M. which meant my cycling shoes, helmet and HR monitor were in my car (BOOM), SO I only had to spend $80 on a Belgium Racing Team long sleeve Jersey...Women's cut, size large. Come on! It was all they had and since I'm a military man, overcoming adversity is kinda my thing. Chilly Willy Duathlon The day after the bike race, it was time to test myself again. Based on the previous day's events, I was focused...ready to execute the plan and would quit triathlon if I forgot my gear again. This was my first ever duathlon but having volunteered the past two years and having spent hundreds of hours training and racing at Ft. Desoto, I was comfortable. In true Chilly Willy fashion, the weather was brisk BUT dry (finally). I knew the second 5k run would suffer but at the end of the day, nothing to prove, just knew I would fight to the end. Fellow Tribe member Nat Glackin always humbles me and furthermore, the winner threw down a quick first 5k to get a nice gap. I rode myself into 3rd in the elite field and held on until the end. I thought 3rd overall was in the bag until a sleeper in the AG field got me by 30 seconds...(simulate a deflated tire sound). None the less, I thrive off of the energy of a race! I felt like Wall-E after he was re-charged by the sun! Seeing all of my local supporters and friends is definitely what I'm all about. Being an ambassador for "Vitality" is my ultimate goal, so I only support the sponsors the deserve the recognition. Thanks to Fred Ryzmick for always producing the BEST local events in the Tampa Bay Area. Remember, the results don't define your journey! Always focus on the positives! My Favorite Pizza and Burger
TO THE FUTURE! Having sponsorship this year is almost like Christmas. I'll get random shipments of Osmo Nutrition, Honey Stinger, Xterra Wetsuits, Rudy Project gear and soon....new Scott Bikes. I'm still in shock to be accepted into such a remarkable program. The men and women of the US Military Endurance Team take care of their members like I've never seen. I can't tell you how many "deals" and "perks" are sent out on a regular basis. I know they don't get thanked enough so I'd really like to invite everyone to "like" this organization on Facebook and if you can join....JOIN and COME TO CAMP IN TUCSON!
These next few weeks will seal the lid on "pre-season". If you check my race schedule you'll notice I race every weekend in March AND have the Tucson Camp. This is going to be heavy, rewarding, draining but unforgettable! My first year in the PRO FIELD is going to be MEGA intense! I am preparing to be humbled by the amazing talent the World has to offer. No doubt I'm going to get whooped on, but I could care less. I'll always promote those who support my "active" lifestyle with a smile on my face. I'm going to have many ups and downs this season but no matter what, I'm going to learn, get stronger and stay free of injury! To everyone who has taken the time to read about my experiences, I cannot thank you enough and if there is ANYTHING I can do to help you on your journey, please ask!
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