Before we hit the MEAT of this blog, I really want to take a minute to shed some light on what YOU can get involved in when you visit these amazing race locations. We usually don't appreciate what we have until it's gone or until there has been some sort of tragedy (sadly) so in order to fix that, I definitely try and give back a bit more than I used to. Why? It helps keep everything in perspective. I mean seriously, sometimes my biggest stress is that the headset on my bike is loose As much as I see success all around, there are examples of the struggle and turmoil everywhere. Karen and I took a few hours as More Than Sport Ambassadors, partnering with Race2Rebuild and we cleaned/painted a church dedicated to youth services. Some of the kids came out to see us but the 15 volunteers we met WORKED their butts off! I mean it's like 85 degrees and SO humid and we're scraping walls and floors, planting gardens and getting sweaty...15 hours before the race. It was a huge honor to work behind such dedicated athletes! Trust me, they broke their backs to make this church shine! Alway, please check out the links and consider donating some time! You can organize a school-supply drive, food donation...the sky is the limit!  I was sooooo excited to race 70.3 San Juan! I was thrilled to be back in Puerto Rico, one of my first, unforgettable half iron events! I had some great sessions building to this race, high energy and my good luck charm (Karen) on site! BUT>…… It’s hard to know that you were ready, yet came up short…said every triathlete. No matter how many “CONGRATS” or love you get post-race, there’s always that deep nagging voice that says, “you could have done better”. I suppose it’s why we continually show up on race day. If we KNEW we would kick serious ass and WIN, it wouldn’t be a test. It’s why I have hope, despite wanting to be one of the very best in the world RIGHT FREAKING NOW. I know it’s this journey that defines who I am and it’s why my story matters. The lifestyle, the hours spent alone on the bike, the copious amounts of delicious,healthy food…it’s all worth it. Honestly, looking back at this past race, I still came away with some knowledge and some tools for the next race….only 14 days away @ 70.3 Oceanside. I just saw the start list and it's awesome to line up with the best! So how does a guy like me, with zero background in endurance sports get to travel around, race all year and be his own boss? Discipline! I wake up at 4 am, handle some admin work, respond to e-mails, book tickets, eat breakfast and brew some coffee. Whoa whoa whoa, why do I wake up so early? Because it’s when my body wants to wake up. If I don’t set an alarm I still wake up within 15 min of that time. Plus I feel great, look forward to the routine and prepare for the days training load. After the food digests I either head to a to the gym, swim, bike or…YOU guessed it, run! I like to get all major sessions in before 1pm but the longer days don’t usually end until 3-4 pm. Sometimes, driving to and from training locations adds some extra time but the bulk is spent grinding it out. I usually plan all my food in advance and know where I’ll stop or have some food on hand. Either way, I PLAN. Someone once told me “I sometimes forget to eat”. Really? Do you forget to start your car with keys? Oh man that sounds so awesome doesn’t it? When I used to do all of this and work full time, I’d have said it was going to be super easy but human beings find any excuse to stress or complain. So how could I not tell you that it’s still the hardest work I’ve ever done. My biggest weeks are almost that of a full time job if you don’t include recovery. Either way just know, I usually smell afwul, have a bag of wet clothes, drive around in a stinky car, go to bed super early and have tantrums if I don’t eat when I need to eat. Karen would say I turn into a Diva. I have to constantly apologize for the things I did when hangry, hiritated, or huncomfrtable. Despite the seemingly illogical complaints and brief moments of diva-ness, I generally keep the discipline on high alert. I want to be a contender at the highest level of this sport and I want it now. Patience is my weakest area as it is for most control freaks…so I’ve evolved a bit, learning to take it as it comes, only focusing on what I can control. It’s why 70.3 San Juan doesn’t get me too down. It was an opportunity to dominate or meet my goals and yes, the sun still rose even when I ran like poo. So here is the recap of the event in a brief, efficient rundown.
All in all I’m happy with the nutrition plan I set out and looking further into the training load, I might not have been as fit as I was last 70.3…which should have been pretty obvious. But who really thinks logically when they want to do great things? I will continually set the sights high and know that when it clicks, big things are going to happen! I still have a LOT of racing to do this season and I think Oceanside will be a chance for redemption. The Pro field will still beat the crap out of me but I can’t stop….wont stop!  Feeling chipper during the first few miles!
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