Champions Tri

I completed my very first Olympic Tri!

Champions Tri: 1500m Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run

Swim: 2nd time ever swimming with my wet suit. It was nice to have the wet suit on in the cold water. However the water was very choppy which = very scary. Ha! Every time I turn my face to breathe...BAM water in the face. It was rough but I finished it.



Bike: Felt strong. Felt fast. Didn't over do it because I had a 10K to run. Nutrition was on target.



Run: Achilles was feeling funky the first mile and half but then it finally chilled out. It was a hot run. Miles were about 8:15-8:30/mile (which I completely didn't mind).



Finished in 3 hrs and 46 secs. I'll take it!



Next triathlon IRONMAN TEXAS!

100/20

What a weekend!

My first 100 mile ride with a 20 mile run the following day. OH MY!

On Saturday I rode with a new group. They were fun! We started in south Austin and rode up the toll to Lake Pflugerville then around Lake Pflugerville area and back down the toll. It was a crazy windy day. It was hot. I can't believe I did 100 miles. These are the rides when you work on your nutrition and hydration. You find out what works and what doesn't. You find out what your body needs more of or what you should never consume again! These are the rides when you battle with the negative thoughts and continue to push the positive thoughts through. These are the rides when you start singing some random out of the blue song out loud. These rides are what make you an Ironman.

Sunday I had to do 20 miles. I didn't run until mid afternoon so that I could get a feel of what it would feel like during the Ironman. I left my house (north Austin) and ran 20 miles down south (ended up at Barton Springs Pool). I think most of the run I was spaced out. I remember looking down at my Garmin and seeing that I was on mile 7 then not too long after I looked down and I was on mile13. I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS! Since I wasn't really in the mood to run 20 miles, I decided to run with my iPod. I miss running with music. I do not run with my iPod anymore because I'm not allowed to in the Ironman. I had a good time singing and running (I'm sure people thought that I was crazy!)

I met Lisa and Greg at Barton Springs. I took a dip into the pool which was probably a fantastic thing to do for my muscles considering it's so cold in there. When I got home I was exhausted. Done! Spent! I was so tired that I lied in bed after my shower and told Greg, "I think I'm crazy. I'm nuts." His response, "You're just realizing that?" HAHAHA! I love that kid!

2011 Austin Marathon

In February 2001 I ran my very first Austin marathon. It was the Austin Motorola Marathon. I ran it in 4 hours, 30 minutes and 19 secs. It was an amazing experience to actually finish 26.2 miles. I was so excited. I cried at the finish line! A few days after the marathon I looked back at all the finishing times and ages of the runners and right on top of my name was a 72 year old man who finished in 4 hours, 30 minutes and 5 secs! WHAT!?...a 72 year old man beat me!? AWESOME! From that day on I made a personal goal to run one marathon every year until I'm 72. When I'm 72 I'm going to beat a 22 year old! It's going to be sswwwweet!

Well I'm still at it. I completed the 2011 Austin Marathon. This year I finished in 4 hours, 3 minutes and 9 secs (which is actually my personal best). I had a great time training with Gilbert's Gazelles. I met and trained with two wonderful ladies, Katie Jan and Lauren Moser. I'm so blessed to have met them. All those long Saturday runs wouldn't have been the same without them. You can learn a lot about a person running the streets of Austin (literally).

Every year I dedicate the marathon to someone or several people. This year I ran in memory of Raul Castillo, a friend who died in a car crash this past October. I also ran in honor of my friend Eliza De Los Santos, who would have ran the half if she wasn't in the same car crash as Raul. She is healing fast but can not run at the moment. It was so awesome to see her at the race.


This marathon was just a stepping stone towards Ironman Texas. It was my foundation for what lies ahead. I'm glad that it's over. Bring on Ironman training!

Fitness Program - Blue Cross Blue Shield

If anyone has Blue Cross Blue Shield log on to the site and check out their fitness program! It's so worth it!

I was pretty bummed about traveling for work this coming week because I didn't have any where to swim, spin, and train. But here comes Tulio to my rescue! He reminded me that Blue Cross Blue Shield has a program that you can pay for to get into gyms around Texas. It is their Fitness Program. You pay an initial $39 and then $31.39/month for unlimited access to places like YMCA, Gold's Gym, 24 hr Fitness, Bally's and other local gyms in different cities. I gave up my membership at Gold's Gym a while back because I go to Woodward Crossfit, but I was using Tulio's Gold's membership to get in to swim. Now I don't have to! I can use my very own membership via the Fitness Program. YEA!

Tulio is canceling his membership to Gold's and getting on the Fitness Program because he is paying the same amount for one gym instead of all of them. Here in Austin we can go to YMCA, Gold's, 24 hr fitness and Curves (hahaha...yes Curves...nothing wrong with Curves...I'm just laughing because I'm imagining Tulio going to Curves...like that would never happen)!

Go check it out!

Money Here, Money There, Money Going Everywhere

This Ironman stuff ain't cheap! (But I'm sure it will all be worth it come May 21st.)

I am keeping a spreadsheet of everything and anything that I have spent money on towards the Ironman. I'm not going to announce how much we have spent but if anyone is interested in training and doing an Ironman and would like to know how much we have spent please let me know. I'm not doing this to discourage anyone from doing one. I'm doing this so that one can be aware of not only the physical and time commitment but also for the financial commitment.

This weekend I went over to Jack and Adam's and purchased a new saddle (seat), new bike shoes, and added more hydration cages to my bike.

I also purchased my first wet suit at Austin Tri-Cyclist! Thanks to my in laws! (Thank you Mama & Rob!)


I love that it has a tramp stamp! Hahaha!

But I would swim 3000 miles and I would swim 3000 more...

Remember that song?...."But I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more. Just to be the man that walked 5000 miles to fall down at your door." Hahaha...well it has nothing to do with my post other than it popped in my head when I was thinking of swimming 3000 miles. Yeah, I know...I'm nuts.

Yesterday, my girlfriend, Christy and I swam 3000m straight! Yes, you read it right....3000m straight! That is just shy of 2 miles. I'm so proud of us. This is the longest straight swim we have ever experienced in our lives. Christy has been gutting out my Ironman swim workouts with me. She is a fantastic swimmer. It's wonderful to have someone to chase in the pool.

I love to think back on how swimming was hard for me (never forget where you came from). Yes, I could get through it (that's just the stubbornness and drive in me), but when I was tired and felt like I was about to hyperventilate I would quit freestyle and go straight to breast stroke. I remember thinking, "Am I ever going to be able to swim freestyle an entire race?" "Am I ever going to get into a swimming zone like I do when I run?"...well I haven't done a race yet this year but I did get into a zone yesterday! Yeppers! I am on my way. On my way on becoming a better swimmer. A proficient swimmer. A 2.4 mile swimmer! An Ironman swimmer!

"Never forget where you came from." - (1) you never know when your story can be helpful to someone else who is going through the same thing as you are or (2) you don't want to get back to where you started.

Christy and I before a triathlon in 2008.

Edurance Weekend

Recap on my weekend:

Saturday: 22 mile run with Gazelle's. Great run! Felt awesome.

Sunday: 3.5 hr ride and short run. Craziness! Body felt good until I could not feel my feet anymore.

Today, Monday, I'm not really sore. I can tell that my legs did some work but overall I feel good.

I'm glad the weekend is over with. I know there will be more like this though.