Chris G. & Kevin B.

The chronicles of Ironman Week

2010-11-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

This is a long one so get a couple beverages and a snack and I hope you enjoy my mind dump of Ironman week.

Tuesday November 16

Kevin and I said our said our farewell to Sampson as we dropped him off at camp and we headed south to San Antonio where we stayed with Sean and Meredith since we had a 5:45 am flight to Phoenix. Uneventful, we arrived just in time for wonderful send off dinner and a great night of catching up.

Our gracious host were nice enough to drop us off at the airport so we could leave our car at their place (money saved could be spent on Ironman gear) and we were on our way to Tempe and IMAZ 2010.

Wednesday November 17

After a great and stress free flight we arrived and met up with Veronica at the airport. After grabbing our luggage we were off to pick up the rental car. IMAZ we’re here to kick butt & chew bubble gum, and we’re all out of bubble gum so get ready for a butt kicking!!

After a good lunch we headed over to Dorsey Place condos to check in and this happens to be where most of the T3 crew is staying so it’s T3 central. Since we’ve all been schooled by the great nutritionist Meredith Terranova, we knew getting our food shopping for week was a priority.

Grocery shopping check!!

Back at the condos, I had a good relaxing massage by Michelle and then it was time for potluck dinner with the early arrivers. We really didn’t start the potluck with a set menu/plan but somehow we had a wonderful well balanced meal, I guess this is how in sync we are with each other after the many hours of training we’ve spent together over the past 7+ months.

Thursday November 18

Our final condo mate Travis arrived and we were off for our first visit to Ironman Village. After hitting the store to pick up a few things and meet up with some of the crew it was time to go through the check in process. The check in process for Ironman is very different than regular Triathlons, but this is not just another triathlon this is IRONMAN.

After working my way through the many stations I get to the table where they go over the numerous bag stickers, timing chip and then the wonderful volunteer breaks out the famous Ironman wrist band. This is another point where it hits me; this Ironman thing is really going to happen.
After checking out the race site a little more I finally head over to Tempe Town Lake to look at where we will be swimming on Sunday. We’ve been here the past two year for Ironman as spectators but this year was different so I need to make peace with the water. Standing at the rail, I said another prayer and proceeded to have a short conversation with two of our volunteers for Sunday who will be signing up for the race on Monday. Wow, that was me a year ago, wide eyed and getting ready to start my Ironman journey at the registration table.

I found out of the guys was doing wetsuit stripping, so I asked him to keep an eye out for me and make sure he took good care of me. Of course I told him it was going to be easy to spot me. J

After a little more walking around I decided to go ahead and get body marked to save time later in the week. This was a very good idea because we would hear later on Friday that the lines were very long. Back at the condo we decided to head out for dinner and we met up with Andrew and his friends Adrian and Maurice from Colorado. A great dinner to wrap up another great day in Tempe.

Friday November 19

Since swimming wasn’t going to be allowed in Tempe Town Lake until Saturday, several of us decided to join locals Michael Nemeth and some other members of One Multisport for a swim at Saguro Lake. This lake was going to be alternate swim location if Tempe Town Lake wasn’t repaired and filled in time for the race. I’m so glad we went out there because it was absolutely beautiful. The water felt great and surrounding mountains made for great back drop for the swim. Back in Tempe, Kevin decided to go for a run with Kevin Russell and Frank and I took this as some well needed quiet time. Until this point I didn’t realized how much noise was around me. Time for Chris to recharge and I decided to start my race bag sorting and packing process. This quickly turned into another moment when I realized how many details go into race planning and prep, but following a checklist is a huge stress saver.

After a couple of hours of down time we got ready to head out for the evenings activities. We made it to the Tribe Multisport party and got to mingle and get pictures taken with several top pro athletes like Amy & Brandon Marsh and Matt Reed. After winning a few door prizes we headed back to Tempe for the team picture, welcome dinner and athlete meeting. It was great to see most of the team together for the picture and the dinner was better I expected. Once the welcome dinner officially started and they showed one of the Ironman motivational videos that I’ve seen many times but this time it was different. Goose bumps on my skin and tears rolled down my face because this time the video was for me as I prepared to become an Ironman. Then the voice of Ironman Mike Reilly officially started the welcoming party and it was an all around great evening.

Saturday November 20

Was a day full of activity and it started with the one and only practice swim in Tempe Town Lake where the race was going to be held. After meeting up with several other teammates to carpool we headed to the lake and there were people everywhere. Since the practice swim was only going to be open for two hours everyone had to get dressed, get in and get out in that time frame. After getting in my wetsuit several of us headed to the water and jumped in. Since the water was 61 degrees I braced myself for a bone chilling cold, and I was quite surprised that my chest didn’t lock up and I could breathe just fine. However, as soon as I started to swim my goggles started filling up with water. I think, no problem just clear them and move on. Tried once, no good, try again same thing and now I start to think what the heck is going on because the exact same goggles worked great the day before. I swim over to a kayak and try to clear them and get a good seal and the same thing happened when I tried to swim again. By this point I’m freaking out because my last swim to prepare me for Ironman and I’m having trouble keeping water out of my goggles. Finally I give up and start swimming back to the exit by only looking out of one eye because the other one is completely filled and it was like trying to look through a cloudy fish bowl. About 100 meters from the exit they both were filled with water again and I just kept swimming because I could make out the images. I get out of the water very upset because had this been race day I would have been in serious trouble.

I change back into my regular clothes but take a minute to gather myself to not let the swim bother me and put negative thoughts in my head. I thought, tomorrow no matter what make sure I have good seal on my goggles before getting in the water.

After running a few last minute errands, we grabbed lunch and prepared for bike and gear bag drop off. It was smooth and seamless and while over dropping off my T1 bag I ran into Barb and her sister who we met the night before. We chatted and I happened to mention my goggle issue earlier in the day and she asked if I had my goggles over or under my neoprene cap? I had it over it and she told me she had the same problem the previous week because just the little extra thickness of the neoprene cap can prevent getting a good seal.

Back home for dinner and quiet time before heading to bed it was officially IRONMAN EVE.

RACEDAY NOVEMBER 21

As many of you know I get up two hours before I need to leave before a big training weekend or race so this way was no different, follow the plan that’s worked for this long. Since Kevin was volunteering for the early shift he needed to be there by 4:30 which meant we needed to leave by 4:15. Therefore, I had to get up at 2:15 am, but what the hell let’s just make it 2 am just to keep it an even number.

The clock goes off at 2 am and I get up well rested and ready to engage my race day plan. I had written out a few notes the night before to make sure I didn’t forget anything and laid everything out that I needed. Start brewing the coffee, grab my banana and check a few emails and see lots of good luck messages. I also, grab my three cards that were given to me and told not to open until right before the race. First, I read the one from Kevin, followed by the one from Jen and then Shawn. They brought tears to my eyes because they all have gone through what I was about to go through and they all wanted me to succeed. With all of this support and encouragement I said a prayer for good day and to cross the finish line.

The weather forecast as the week went on the forecast got worse and it proved to be true. It was cold around 50 degrees and the winds were already blowing around 10 mph.

I proceeded with my morning breakfast menu and got the rest of the crew up at 3 am. By Just after 4 we were heading out the door to the race and I put on my noise canceling headphones and started my IMAZ play list. I immediately went into the zone and would probably not speak another word for the next hour.

We head over to drop off our special needs bags and by the time we got back to transition they were letting in athletes

After entering transition I head over to drop off a few nutrition items in my T1 & T2 bags and then head to my bike to get it ready. I go through my mental checklist probably 3 times and make sure everything is just right.

Once everything was set I headed over to the morning clothes area where some of the other T3 team members were hanging out and we settle in to chat and relax before the race. Before we know it, it’s 6:15ish which meant it was time put on our wetsuits and get ready for the day we had been training for the past 6 months.

Wetsuits on, good luck wishes and fist bumps are flying around and Kevin gives me one last hug before I head off into the unknown of Ironman. I walk over to the water with my teammates and we’re all excited but very nervous about what’s to come. We’re all standing near the water and the cannon goes off for the pros and then it’s our turn to jump in the water.

I had my swim start location picked out based on some advice I was given by a local so I jumped in the water worried about my goggle issue from the day before and YES sealed!! Energy is getting high, heart rate is through the roof as I swim to my planned spot and then I just tread water for a few minutes taking it all in. Looking at the people on shore they must have been 5 deep as far as you could see down the lake, I turn and look above to the Mill street bridge and wave at the people up there and then I turn back to look at my 2,300+ close friends all bobbing in the water with me. I look for the helicopter but because it was a windy day no helicopter.

It was almost 7 am somehow I found myself in the water about to start an Ironman race. Still today I find it hard to believe 18 months ago I didn’t know how to swim and was afraid to be in water over my head and now I was about to swim 2.4 miles in water way over my head with people who would swim over me and punch me in the face just to get clear water.

Right at that moment, one of my favorite songs started playing over the speakers, “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay and at that moment, I became confident that I was right where I belonged in my first Ironman race.

Mike Reilly got the crowd pumped to cheer us on throughout the day and then asked us if we were going to be an Ironman at the end of the day?, we yelled yes in reply and then the famous Ironman cannon blasted and our seventeen countdown started.

I felt comfortable right away and settled into a grove and the meters went by one by one. A few times people tried to swim over me and when I felt them I gave them a kick to get back and when someone got to close from one side or another I gave them an elbow or push to get back. Somehow I had instantly turned into an Ironman swimmer and deserved to be there just as much as anyone else.

Finally we reached the first turn and 1.2 mile done. Going down the back side of the swim I probably had a smile on my face because at that point I knew I was going to make it. A few times I caught a draft off of other swimmers but quickly figured out they were even slower than me because I had caught them. So I pulled around them and kept swimming. Finally one more left turn and there was the swim exit and it was time to go have more fun. Out of the water, I reached back to start undoing my wetsuit and my hand cramped up. Not good, I thought. I let one of the volunteers undo my zipper and continued down the carpet a little ways because based on my viewing the last two years I knew this area was less congested.

Wetsuit off I was onto T1, one of the volunteers immediately came over to help me with my things and then asked me if I wanted to change outside? I thought to myself, are you crazy it’s cold out here. However, I just replied, I’m doing a full change so I need to go inside. Inside two volunteers helped me get my things out of my bag and organized and probably would have dressed me if I had wanted. I put on my full cold riding gear and out of the tent I went. Kevin & Frank were waiting there to cheer me on when I came out and there was my bike waiting for me from the bike valet volunteer. Grabbed C1 and off I went giving Joe a high five and I left. Mount line, on the bike and off I went. It felt great to be in this race and I know I had a smile a mile wide because I was going to be an Ironman at the end of the day. Out for my first loop, the cold that was there at the start of the day was still there and the wind had picked up. Crap this was not in the plan. As our coaches always say, “you don’t know what race day bring so be prepared for everything”. Ok, cold and rain I can handle you so let’s just get this thing done. Out on the Bee Line Highway, I stat seeing more and more of my teammates and everyone is looking good. But the wind is behind me and I going up hill with ease and I think this is not going to be good going the other way. After the turn around I was going down hill slower than I was going up because the head wind was so strong. Right about that time I noticed my left shoe sliding back and forth on the cleat and peddle so I stopped at the bike tech area to get it checked and good thing I did because one of my screws was about to fall out and another one was very loose. Quick tighten and I was back on the bike. Back in town it started to rain and I thought REALLY!! First cold, then wind, and now rain, oh well Ironman isn’t supposed to easy. The rain picked up and backed off and I finished the first loop with the loud cheering of the T3 support crew.

Back out for the 2nd loop which was pretty much the same and but this time I would get to have my PBJ at the halfway point. When I got there and got off my bike this lady was standing there with a not so happy look on her face and said she was very hungry. I gave her some of my PBJ and she was very thankful. Finished my happy snack off I went. The miles few by and soon I was back in town and going out for my 3rd and final loop. More wind, more cold and more rain oh well I’m at mile 90 of Ironman and I had he biggest smile on my face. Other cyclists were looking at me and I saw them smile when they saw me so it was great and we’re in a freaking Ironman race. I cruised back into town and there was the T3 crew still there cheering for us while everyone else was long gone. Talk about loving your teammates, I really felt the love and “flat Chris” was still out there. Back at the dismount line the volunteer was there to take my bike and asked me if I needed anything off of it and I responded “no, you can have that thing.” I love C1 but we need to spend some time apart. Off the bike it was time to test out the knee that failed me 3 weeks ago.

As I had been told by many others make sure you have your head wrapped around doing a marathon before leaving T2 and that’s exactly what I did. I got dressed, chatted with the volunteers found out who won the race and then set out for my last 26.2 miles of the Ironman race. Right out of transition I saw Dan so he and I ran/walked together for the first 5-6 miles and then he went on with his race and I was actually feeling very good and comfortable with my run/walk pace. Again I couldn’t believe I was actually on the last 1/3 of my Ironman race and I would finish with some time to spare under the 17 hours. Coming to end of my first loop I was going to ditch my arm warmers and the contents of my special needs bag to Kevin when I saw him on the second loop and then it started to rain. Nope, decided to keep the arm warmers and told Kevin I would give him the special needs contents when I saw him.

Just as I started my second loop I needed to stop in the port-o-potty. When I came out I saw this lady who was doing her Ironman shuffle and by this time I was power walking. After about ¼ of a mile we noticed that her Ironman shuffle and my power walking pace were the same and we quickly knew we were meant to be together. After meeting my new friend Jill from the Tempe/Phoenix area we said we’re in this together to the end. So off we went and there was no stopping us. Mile by mile went by with Jill, we introduced each other to our support crew, I dropped my special needs bag with John because Kevin was away eating at the time and Jill and I continued our Ironman marathon. For the most part we were both very upbeat but there were some low points that we wanted the pain to stop but never once did we consider stopping. We knew we would finish this race and we were committed to keeping each other going. When one of us stopped the other waited and vice versa. We ran into teammates from both of our teams and Ali even asked if I had met Jill before tonight because we seemed like such good friends. I responded no but we’re friends now. At the start of the 3rd loop I turned on my new light saber and it was game on because we were going to be an Ironman. The miles went by, 21, 22, 23, 24, then 25. I got teary eyed because the dream I started almost over 18 months ago was about to come true. We quickly talked about who was going to go first because we both wanted our moment in the finish chute so we agreed since I had a little extra left I would go. I picked up the pace and made the big left that said “FINISH.” I saw Natasha taking bikes back to trailer and she gave me a cheer. A little further up the road I could hear people calling my name it was Kevin, Dionn, Joe and a few others I gave them a high five because I was about to make the biggest left turn of my life. That’s when I saw the finish line. I was about to become an Ironman. Because I’ve been to a few of these before I knew your name was called before you cross the finish line so I slowed up coming down the chute, gave several people in the crowd a high five, did several jumps in the air as I heard Mike Reilly say those magical words “Chris Garlington from Austin, Texas, for the first time YOU ARE AN IRONMAN”

I had done it, I beat the swimming demons, battled through the cold, wind, rain, hail and the knee that had failed me three weeks before held up perfectly.

After crossing the finish line I immediately saw Chrissie Wellington and I gave her a big hug and she said congratulations to me and I replied the same to her. I continued through the finishing area with a volunteer and that’s when I saw Kevin and many of my other teammates. It was a great ending to a truly magical day that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Post Race
Finishers Gear
Kevin and I both got our Ironman tattoos
After party with many of the IMAZ racers and support crew
4 days and Thanksgiving in the Grand Canyon with Kevin and 5 others from the IMAZ race and support team.

Answering the common questions:
1. Was it the hardest thing I’ve ever done? Yes
2. Will I do it again? In a heartbeat, in fact #2 will be on May 21, 2011 with Kevin and several other close friends
3. Am I sticking to only doing two Ironman races? Probably not but I will take some time off to fix my knee after the 2011 race season
4. Am I happy with my time? Yes, I finished but I will be more aggressive for the next one

Until the next time,

I CAN, I WILL, I DID!!!!!! I AM AN IRONMAN

I Can, I Will

2010-09-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

Written in the car on the way back from OKC, so this could get a little long and boring for some.

In the beginning, there was a 40 yr old male who couldn’t swim but wanted to do triathlons and compete in an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run) race. Fast forward 18 months the same male stood in the water ready to put all of his swim practice to the final test before the ultimate goal of competing at Ironman Arizona. But let’s back up before we get to the actual race itself.

Going back a week before this weekend race I preparing for a week of work training in Pittsburgh and I had made arrangements for my bike to go up with my friend Lynn and the rest of my gear was going to go up with my friends who I was rooming with Tim & David. But as faith would have it work was crazy busy for two weeks leading up to race and my training was postponed until December. This was a blessing in disguise and now I could follow my normal pre-race routine.

Friday morning came and we met at Tim’s place to load up and head to Oklahoma. The drive was uneventful and several other friends were either already in Oklahoma City prepping for the race or they were on the road with us and Coach Charles blew by us along the way. After a quick lunch stop and couple more hours drive we arrived in Oklahoma City and headed directly to race site to get checked in. We ran into Bekah & Dan right away and several other friends were at the athletes briefing getting the race low down.

After a quick chat with friends we headed to our hotel to get checked in. Upon arriving, we found this hotel was not up to our standard. Through the goodness of modern technology and iPhones David found us a much nicer hotel closer to the race and near other friends. After dropping off a few in the hotel room we headed back to the race site to drop off our bikes and gear and it was then time for an early dinner.

The alarm clock went off at 3am and it was time to start the pre race ritual. My body was feeling good, I had all of my normal food and my Achilles felt 100% and just before 5am we headed out for the race. We arrived and you could immediately feel the excitement in the air. Heading into transition Dina greeted us with a smile and hug and it felt great to have so many friends from Austin there racing together. After getting transition all set up it was time to chill for a little bit, chat with friends and hang out in the chit chat line J

As 6:30am rolled around it was time to become a human sausage (put on the wet suit) and head down to the water. Finally it hit me, I’m about to swim the Ironman distance in a race and this will tell me if I’m ready for Ironman in about 50+ days.

The shot gun went off and it was time to go, I started swimming and I immediately felt relaxed and knew I was going to be a good day. I rounded the first turn and then the second and thought wow, this a great swim and even started passing people. I finished the first 1.2 miles and looked at my watch: 55+ SCORE!! I was stoked because the last time I swam this distance in a race it took me 1:11. I completed the second loop in about the same time and out of the water there were Dina and Ginger cheering me on the whole way (thank you!!!)

In and out of T1 I was off for 112 miles on the bike. Feeling great after my swim I probably has a smile a mile wide. A few miles out I started seeing friends on the course and we were all having fun and having great races. Loop 1, loop 2 and now this was getting old and I had two more loops. On loop 3 I was really starting to feel it and thank goodness it was time to stop and have my PBJ J Just after I started back Coach Charles came by me and yelled out to him “damn this continuous riding is hard.” What I realized on the ride was how much of a break we get by stopping at traffic lights or at the store to refill on water. During an Ironman none of those breaks are there so it’s time to man up because if it was easy everyone would do it.

Loop 3 was my toughest and just when I was in a low point, zooming in the other direction was Tammy and shortly after her were two people on a moped and one of them was Dina. When she yelled “go Chris” it was a huge lift in my spirits motivated me to finish loop 3 take it out for my last loop. Knowing this was my last loop, it no time to go conservative and my mind took over and I started going faster and faster. Mile after mile went by and soon I could see the dam wall of Lake Hefner. I had just completed 2 of 3 distances of the Ironman within my time goal of 9 hours. During this race I accomplished my goal of getting the confidence going into Ironman Arizona, but I also learned a lot about myself.

Huge credit goes to me for having the guts to get on this Ironman journey and sticking with it. However, it would not be the same without my great T3 teammates on this journey with me and the excellent T3 coaching. And as many of us endurance athletes know nutrition is key part of our success, huge thanks to Meredith Teranova for helping me dial in my nutrition plan. And most of all, thanks goes to Kevin for all of his encouragement and support, thanks for being the best partner in the world.

Much to my surprise on the way home I get a text from friends who stayed for the awards banquet that I got second in my age group.

Wow, to that I will say “I Can, I Will”

To be continued………..

Alex vs. Ironman, guess who won?

2010-07-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well this weekend was the 4th of July long and Kevin and I had lots of plans and Tropical Storm Alex, threatened to disrupt our plans.

Friday started with a nice swim in Barton Springs and then it was time to watch a World Cup game at Third Base with some friends. Later in the day on Friday rain from the storm was moving into Austin so our plans could get derailed. So going to bed Friday everything was TBD weather depending.

Kevin was set for his scub diving certification but lightning would his certification would be delayed or cancelled. Saturday, arrived with light showers and very wet roads and after a few discussions with my training mates we decided to do our 15 mile run and save the ride until Sunday. Somehow before even leaving the I twisted my knee and it did not feel good enough to run at all let alone run 15 miles. However Ironman training is all about overcoming pain and pushing through it and that what I did. At mile 10 it really started hurting and I had to run walk the next 15 miles. Mission accomplished, it was time to head home with a stop at the store for four bags of ice because I was going to need all the help I could get to recover for Sunday 70 mile ride followed by a 30 min. run.

After spending a couple of hours with friends at a cook out it was time to head home and get ready for Sunday. Sunday turned out to be a great day to ride and the crew put our wheels down from Brushy Creek Park to travel a new route. My knee felt better but not 100% and it seemed everyone was feeling the miles we put on our legs from Saturday's run. No matter what we were determined to get it done and so we did with a smile on our face. The best part of the day was at the finish. In Brush Creek Park there was a children's play area with water fountains and standing in the cool water felt great.

After gathering up our things it was time head home and Sunday also happened to be Sampson's birthday. He was his normal self until he got his special Bully stick so this gives him something to play with for at least a week.

Since a few of us had today off and as if we hadn't done enough training this weekend the gang decided to meet at Barton Springs for a swim and then go for breakfast.

So in the end, Ironman won the battle with Tropical Storm Alex and Kevin is now a certified scuba diver.

Time for bed to rest up and reload for the coming week.

So much has changed in such a little time.....

2010-06-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well since my last posting got accidentally deleted this one is going be short and brief.

Kevin, Sampson and I are doing great and life is treating us very well. Work is keeping both of us super busy and I just learned that I will have a few training trips this Summer as if I didn't have enough going on.

Kevin is just about ready to start running again since his stress fracture sidelined him almost two months ago and maybe I'll be able to keep up with him on his first comeback runs :-) However, since he had some free time on his hands from not running he's been studying for his diving certification so that he can dive with Laura and Rick while in Honduras for Michael and Gisselle's wedding in August.

I'll keep my swimming to triathlons for now thank you.

Last week I completed my second sprint triathlon and my first without my wetsuit since my first triathlon last August. The race went great, I survived the swim and beat my previous time by 5min.

After getting back into the swing of things this week the talk about a full Ironman race coming to Texas was in full swing. And Wednesday it became official, Ironman Texas May 21, 2011 and registration was set to open Friday 6/25. Well Kevin and I said we were going to our second Ironman together and this one would be close, lots of our friends would be there either racing or cheering so should we do it????

Keep in mind I'm only into my second month Ironman training and it's insane to think about signing up for number two so early in training for number one. Well....................I guess I'm insane :-)

That's right, Kevin and I will both be racing the inaugural Ironman Texas next year and to add more excitement to it our good friends from Toronto and Ft. Lauderdale will be coming to do it with us. We can't wait and it's going to be so much fun.

Well, I'm off for a Hawaii in Austin party tonight, this shoud be interesting since Kevin and I will both be wearing grass skirts.

Much Love and remember,

"There's a lot of things to think about, but nothing to worry about" -Matt Koepke

Vacation is over, let Ironman training begin!!!

2010-06-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I spent a great week in Liberia & Flamingo Bay, Costa Rica over Memorial Day weekend and this vacation exceeded our expectations.

The planning for our vacation started late last year and once we decided not to stay in a nice hotel we were super lucky to find an apartment on VRBO.com - http://www.vrbo.com/196417 this slice of paradise is a must if you planning a trip to this area of Costa Rica. Here is a link to the homeowners website http://www.casadeserenidadcostarica.com/. Our Host Babe and her husband Don were wonderful and made us feel like family visiting for a week.

While we were in Costa Rica we did lots of relaxing but we did get out for two great tours in addition to our site seeing of the area. We first did a canopy tour near the Rincon Volcano http://www.guachipelin.com/canyon_canopy_tour.php. This was a great adventure, we got to zip line upside down, repel down into a canyon and then rock climb out and after the tour we had lunch and did a two hour hike in the forest near the volcano. The hike took us up to 30ft waterfalls and at several points there was lava bubbling up from the volcano. Not your average hike in the city.

A couple of days later we decided to go white water rafting, since this was my first time I was a little apprehensive but once we got there I was more than ready to go, http://www.rinconcorobici.com/AdventureTours.php. The family that owns and operates this operation were great and took very good care of us. Once we got to the water we were informed that there were class 3 & 4 rapids and we should be prepared to be thrown out of the raft. They were right and Kevin and I got bounced/thrown out several times and once the raft landed on my head. Not to worry the tour guide instructed us how to get out of this situation.

All in all it was a great trip and we would highly recommend visiting this country.

After arriving back in Austin and taking a day to settle in, I eased back into my training routine and it felt great to get back after it. Today was my first official long ride of the Ironman training season and the schedule called for a 50 mile ride followed by a 30 min run. After speaking to the coaches to have a goal for every ride I decided to make this my ride for high cadence so I would feel good for the run. Mission accomplished and my run was awesome.

This is going to be fun and I'm ready for the first long run tomorrow, 11 miles of glorious fun.

Until next time be safe and keep living life to the fullest.

What will you do when Ironman throws you a curveball?

2010-05-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

Well that's the decision I was faced with this morning. However, before we get to what I did when the ball got to me we have to go back a few months.

It was this past Winter when we were training for Lonestar 70.3 and several of my training friends and I had our weekend all planned out and Mother Nature had other plans in mind. I don't remember what we ended up doing that weekend but what I do remember from that weekend are the words John Jobes said "when things don't work out as planned because of weather we'll have to train when we can"

Simple enough right?

Back to this weekend, the plans were:

Saturday, go for a 40-50 mile ride
Sunday, swim stroke clinic and then go for a 8 mile run

This weekend roll of Ironman was played by Mother Nature. The storms from Friday night rolled right into Saturday morning and it was very easy to just turn off the alarm clock and go back to sleep because it was raining. Shortly after getting up the rain stopped and the wind picked up. Still easy to blow off the ride because wet roads with wind wasn't safe. The little guy in my head said it's ok, it's just one ride and you can miss it and have no problem. True but would one missed ride turn into two, then three and so on over the next 5+ months.

Throughout this decision process I was exchanging text messages with Eric C. and one of his text messages said, "he and John were going to swim and then ride because he wasn't giving in that easy." That's what I needed to hear. The little Ironman to-be inside was kicked in the rear by those words and I said to myself. "Yes you were going to ride today but I must be flexible and get the training in when I can." So after I changed some plans around for Sunday afternoon my day opened up a little more to allow for ride so it was time to go for a run.

This turned out to be one of the best runs ever!! I saw several friends and training mates at the start and then I took off. My pace was fast, I focused on staying relaxed (thanks Coach Leslie), and watched my crossover (thanks Richard). One thought that kept coming to mind while I ran was, if I would have given in to the weather what would this mean for the rest of the summer when Ironman training gets really tough, was I going to give in? No because while the training plan calls this phase pre-endurance training, I think it's really pre-gut check training and time for us to ask ourselves "how bad do we want it?"

Ironman, I'm ready to take your best pitch, show me what you got because I'm ready to show you what I'm made of!!!

Thanks everyone, you motivate me with the small things to keep going

Tri to see things from a different view

2010-05-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

This update is going to be a little bit different than some of the others, hope you can see things from my point of view.

Well after 4 1/2 months of solid training my body and mind started giving me signs that it was time for little break. These signs worked out pretty well with an upcoming business trip so it should be easier to relax and enjoy things which are different from my normal day-to-day activities.

Once, I decided to listen to the calling signs and not try to train through the weekend before leaving it was only natural for me to go out and cheer for a couple of races. This is where I got to see things from a different point of view.

Saturday morning took me out to the Chuy's 5k Trot, where a friend Amy Colquette was participating in her first 5K. I saw a couple of other people I knew but this day was all about supporting Amy because she has always been there to support us in our races. It was great to see her gearing up for her first race because there will only be one first and for many others you could tell they were there to either change their day or possibly change their life by getting healthy. One of the most memorable moments of the day was when man ran by Eric and I and yelled at us, "I'm 77 years old."

Those few words reminded me, it's not about how fast you get finish line but that you're still getting to the starting line.

This morning brought a very early wake up call for volunteer duties at the Rookie triathlon. Never mind the name, this is a super sprint race where a lot of the veteran athletes go and see how fast they can go for this short distance race. But it's the true Rookies at this race that make me realize why I love triathlons. The excitement, nervous energy, and seeing so many familiar faces all make race day very exciting.

The excitement is what lights the fire inside to want to keep doing this sport and I know after a short break and a great vacation to Costa Rica I'll be ready to tackle the next 5+ months of training as I keep my eye on the prize.

Congratulations to all of those who raced this weekend and don't every lose the excitement because I won't.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!!

Chris

Don't try to eat the whole elephant at once......

2010-05-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, while I eat lunch today I thought it was a good time to talk about the hard cold reality I slapped myself with this morning.

When I logged onto Facebook this morning I notice someone had a link to an application to countdown the days to your next big race and post it to your facebook status.

I proceeded to the application and from the drop down of races I selected Ironman Arizona 2010 and plugged in the race date. Hit submit and bam my status was updated, very innocent right?

NO, NO, NO, my status update now said "Chris Garlington is participating in Ironman Arizona on the stated date. 200 days left" HOLY CRAP!!! There it was in black and white and although I just completed my first 70.3, I'm truly scared of what's to come in the next 200 days.

I have great support system, I'll be training with the best triathlon training group around and a lot of my friends and training mates will be experiencing the same highs and lows I will. So I have to keep faith, trust the training program that has worked for so many others before me and not try to eat the whole elephant at one time. Slice it with a sharp training plan and eat it practice by practice, day by day, and week by week. I know life is going throw road blocks and speed bumps my way over the next 6 months and I'll need to put my big boy undies on face them head on.

To my training mates, you will probably get to see sides of me you didn't know were there but we're like a family and families see the good and the bad. Kevin, you've traveled this road before and I know you will slap me upside the head when I get more crazy than I am normally.

Wow, writing this out made me feel better than I thought it would.

Note to self, be careful of Facebook applications, it may be scary when reality slaps you in the face!!

Have a plan, set goals, and never stop believing!!

2010-04-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

If I could rewind time by just one year I would be getting ready to start the T3 swim clinic because I couldn’t get from one end of the pool to the other without being out of breath.

Coming back to just a few days ago, Kevin and I packed up car and headed to Galveston, TX with several of our friends and training buddies for the Memorial Herman Ironman Texas 70.3 (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13.1 mile run). If you haven’t guessed by now I’ve gone from no swimming to attempting a 1.2 mile swim in Galveston Bay. We left Austin with a five car caravan and everyone was in great spirits, lots of nervous energy, and excited to race.

Once we arrived in Galveston we stopped for lunch and then headed over to Moody Gardens which was race central. We cruised through packet pickup, bought a couple of things at the expo and scored big time with a nice pre race massage from the great folks from Memorial Herman. From there we got checked into the house we were sharing with friends Tom Bressie, Jen Walker, and John Jobes and then it was time to go for a practice swim. Have I mentioned that last year this time I wouldn’t go into the deep end of the pool and now I was going to swim in Galveston Bay, my first salt water swim?

The swim went great, I felt comfortable but salt water is yucky in your mouth. Pre race swim check!

Going into the weekend, I had three goals and only one I could control the outcome of so let’s see what happens. After everyone was cleaned up we met up with some other friends at Salt grass for dinner. Great dinner and as I was going to the restroom out comes professional triathlete Andy Potts. I reached out my hand introduced myself and wished him a great race on Sunday, goal one complete!!

Friday night around 3am a wicked rain & wind storm blew into Galveston with 75mph wind gust and we could feel the house moving back and fourth. This did not look good going into the weekend with the Sprint & Olympic distance races set for Saturday morning. I got up around 5:30 and the wind was still blowing pretty hard and then it started raining and lightning. I told John if this was our race morning I would be crying my eyes out.

After a leisure morning we head toward Moody Gardens to see our friends racing on Saturday and traffic was terrible. We tried an alternate route with no luck, and while stuck in traffic what else are you to do but check Facebook. We found out the Sprint & Olympic distance races had their swim cancelled because the water was dangerous and not safe for swimming because the wind was so strong. Later we found out a police boat capsized because of the wind the previous night. I would say with wind that strong it would be unsafe for swimming. This did not make me feel any better about my upcoming 1.2 mile swim. After sitting in traffic about 30 minutes we decided to abandon our attempt to get to Moody Gardens and hopefully our friends would appreciate our efforts. Back to the house we decided it was time for one last bike check ride. All of us dressed in our T3 gear headed out and merged right in with cyclist riding the Olympic race. Everything felt great and back to the house we went. After what turned into a great group lunch, we headed home to chill for couple of hours. Then it was time for bike check in. On the drive to Moody Gardens to check in our bikes is when it truly hit me what I was about to take on. I was having trouble breathing and tears came to my eyes and for a second I had doubt I could do it. I quickly dismissed any negative thought and thought to myself trust your training and “I Can, I Will”.

After a nice dinner at the house we were off to bed because it was almost “Race Day”.

The alarm clock went off at 2:30 and I was up to start my pre-race ritual. Coffee, breakfast and spend some quality time with the Trigger Point set. We were out the door bags and coolers in tow as planned at 4:30. We weren’t the first ones there but of course other teammates pulled up just as we did. Did our Coaches train us to also be the first ones at the race?

After a few pictures, body marking, we were ready to enter transition and that’s when I put the iPod in for some of my favorite pre-race music as I set up my transition area. The activity in transition quickly picked up and you feel the pre race nerves and all of them were positive. This is where goal two comes in; Kevin came over and told me professional triathlete Chris Lieto was coming in. I went over and introduced myself and wished him a good race. Three goals coming into the weekend and one to go, faith had allowed me to meet two of them and now it was all up to me. After setting up my transition area, I greeted many of my friends and training mates and proceeded to cruise around take pictures and soak up the experience.

Around 6:30 the T3 team gathered for a team picture and then it was time to make the march to the water. Once again I’m trying to relax and not think about the magnitude of day and what I about to take on and take it one piece at time. It’s just another 1.2 mile practice swim. After getting our wetsuits on Kevin, Brad, and I realized our wave was already lined up. Oh crap guys we have to go!!

Over in herd like cattle, we have our gear on and we’re ready to jump in. Did I mention I’ve never had a deep water start and just a year ago I was not a swimmer? The count down went much faster than I thought it should have and off the horn went. Oh boy time to swim. The water was super choppy and it’s a great thing that I did Champions Tri and the Lake Travis Open Water Swim to prepare me for this day. I took something before the swim to help keep my stomach settled and it’s a good thing. Waves were slapping me in the face and on my head and I had to struggle to catch a breath sometime. But I had to trust my training. In the back of the crowd where I’m comfortable I started my swim. I’m thinking to myself “stay out of the chaos, and just relax”. Stay out of the way is exactly what I did and then over my right shoulder I see a life guard coming up to me and he blows his whistle, and points me back on course. I was way off course and swimming more distance than I needed. Back on course I felt comfortable enough to get in the mix and I got hit a couple of times. No problem I’m bigger than most so they can’t swim over me. Then I felt my swim cap coming off. Off it came and went in front of me and with this being my first 70.3 swim cap I didn’t want to lose it. I grabbed it when my right hand came over and using a “3-3-3 swim stroke” with my left arm. I kept swimming while I stuffed my swim cap down the front of my wetsuit. Around the first turn it was time for the long straight away, this seemed like it went on forever. Now swimming in a different direction it was time to adjust for the waves. I did and started getting hit more since I was in the mix. So what I thought, just keep swimming because they can’t stop me. I made it to the last turn and thought, “WOW, I’m really going to make this.” Out of the water and up the exit ramp I see Head Coach Maurice and Dr. Chris Sellers. Wetsuit off, rinse the salt off and then head for the bike, was my plan and executed like clock-work. Friends were there cheering and gave them all a high-five. At my bike I focused, take don’t panic and do everything in the order they have been laid out in. I’m out of transition and now in my element on the bike.

After briefly forgetting how to work my watch I got it going and hit the seawall and started picking off other cyclist one by one. I focused on keeping a high cadence so my legs wouldn’t burn out and be conservative. By this time I knew goal three was going to happen, finish what I start and become an Ironman 70.3 finisher. The wind was strong and I looked for a flag to see how it was hitting us. Headwind ok, deal with it for 28 miles and then I can fly back home and make up speed. I see the leader Chris Lieto heading back in and the others are chasing him down. I then see Tom, Kevin and several other training mates. My nutrition is right on target and I get to turn around and briefly stop to switch my bottles around and then I’m off. I quickly think, what the heck, this is supposed to be a tail wind, NOPE!! It’s hitting me from the other side of my face and I think CRAP!! Oh well, I went conservative on the way out so I can push it on the way back and that’s what I did. I held a higher cadence and pushed it back home. The miles counted and at mile 46 I started my end of the ride nutrition plan, water only and settle all the other nutrition down and I started counting down the miles 9, 8, 7etc.

Back into transition, put on running watch and the rest of my running gear and I’m off. Right out of the gate, there was the T3 crew and it was great to see them there. I’m feeling good and I’m going at a sub 9 pace, oh crap that is way to fast so I slow it down and try to settle in. I started seeing other teammates on the course and that really helped because this just now a multiple loop long run with the people I’ve trained with for the past 4 months. I see Kevin and this really boost my spirits and I press on. Loop one done, 3 more to go. It was hot and I was taking water and Gatorade on until my stomach got un-happy. Enough my stomach said, ok ok I get the point. I thought if I don’t walk a little and settle my stomach down this could be very bad. So I did, and things got back on track. Run Chris run, that what I needed to do and that’s what I did. 2 ½ more loops and I met up with Gwen at mile 11. We were both heading to the finish line and we kept each other going. Mile 12, I couldn’t stop smiling, 12.5, the crowds got deep and we picked up the pace. I told Gwen to go on and I then turned on the after burner. There it was the finish line and I wanted it all to myself. I crossed the finish line and jumped in the air. I did it!! I was now an official Ironman 70.3 finisher!!

It’s one of the best feelings ever to know you did something all on your own and no one gave you anything.

Thank you to Kevin for your love and support, my family for never telling me I couldn’t, and thank you to all of my great friends, training partners, and the great T3 family.

Now it’s time for some rest and relaxing training before starting the Ironman journey in June.

IRONMAN ARIZONA OR BUST!!!

HELLO, HELLO, IS THIS THING ON??

2010-04-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

Yes a week before my first Half Ironman race I think it's time to start updating the blog (I'll try to post at least weekly until Ironman in November). I've even updated our race schedule for 2010.

As I sit here looking over the workout schedule for the upcoming week, I reflect on how far my training has come over the past year. If you recall I started swimming almost a year ago after spending a couple of years on duathlon circuit and this time next week Kevin and I will be dropping our bikes off in transition for the Ironman Texas 70.3 on 4/25. This also happens to be Kevin's birthday and he just couldn't think of anything better to do for his birthday.

When I started the swim clinic last year my very long range goal was to be able to finish a 70.3 in the next couple of years but after having my first taste of triathlons at Jack's Generic Triathlon lat August, I was hooked and wanted more. More is exactly what I've gotten since. I've spent many many hours swimming and building up my distance and next week I will put it all to a test.

Stay tuned more to come!!!

Dream big and you never know what might happen...

2009-08-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Another hot day in Austin and we completed our outdoor exercise activities very early to beat the wonderful Texas heat. Kevin's training is going very well and I can feel great things coming his way at the Augusta 70.3 race in September. As for me, today is a day I didn't think was even a possible when I started running and competing in multi-sport races about two years ago.

Last year the Darnd'st Du in San Marcos, TX was my A race and I wanted to go out and kick some butt. The race went pretty good and I felt my times were solid, I placed 2nd in my age group. It was very rewarding to see a payoff at the end of a season of hard work. After the race I reflected on the season, noted the things I wanted to do different in the 2009 season and focused on my marathons. In Nov 08 I joined T3 to help me with my training and hopefully I would see the results in my races.

January rolled around and it was time for my first duathlon of the year and my first race since joining T3. I was surprised how much my times improved and I placed in second in the race. I thought, "hey I think this T3 training is paying off." As the year went on, I did more races than I did last year and my times kept getting better and better and I found myself placing in the top two at every race. So being a person who likes to set the bar high I secretly thought to myself, "if I can do this for a whole year that would be really cool" So I set my sights on going back to the Darnd'st Du and doing better than I did last yer.

So that brings me to today, time to race Darnd'st Du 2009 which happened to be the TX Duathlon Championship. I knew the competition would be tough since it was the state championship but I felt great going into the race. I followed my coaches tapering advice and said stick to the plan and let the day play out.

The clock went off at 3am and I started my normal pre-race routine and by 4:45 I was on my way to the race. Because I'm partly OCD, I like to be one of the first people in transition to get the best possible spot and make sure everything was just right. Everything was lining up perfect, my stuff was set and then I was able to chat with friends and get the pre-race nerves settled.

As the horn went off we took off like a bat out of hell but I knew I couldn't hold such a high pace for long and I backed off because that was not part of my plan. Overall I had a good run not as fast as I would have liked but I knew I could make up some time on the bike. In and out of transition in great time and it was time to settle in and have fun. One by one I was picking off the cyclist in front of me and I was holding a great pace. One thing I decided to try during this race that I hadn't tried before was to flush the legs with a higher cadence to keep them fresh, I figured it couldn't hurt but only help. Just after rounding the 180 degree turn on the course I looked down and realized my computer had fallen off. Oh well what can you do but keep racing right?

Coming to the end of the bike I took my gel as I always do and started visualizing the dismount and getting in and out of T2 as quickly as possible. Great transition time and I was off. I felt pretty good on the second run but this is when I realized I need more speed work but I think this is something we all say. I pushed it as much as I could through the second 5k and left it all on the course and hoped from the best in the standings.

To my surprise I did better overall in this years race by 3 minutes and finished second in my age group. It's a great thing to accomplish something you didn't even think possible a couple of years ago but it's even better to do it while getting healthy and having fun. Thanks to everyone I train with and let's keep pushing each other to keep getting better and thanks to the coaches for the painful and yet great practices.

One more triathlon to close out the multi-sport season and then it's back to back marathon time.

Will it ever end?

2009-08-09T16:31:00.001-07:00

Well as another weekend comes to a close, we saw another 100+ degree day. When will it cool off and when will it rain in Austin?

This weekend we were reminded how great of life we have. We shared many good times with various friends and we were granted the gift to be able to get up both days to do our long ride and run. We know many may not be able to get up and share these simple luxuries so we are thankful for them.

So as we start another week, stop to think, how lucky are you to live the life you have.

My First Triathlon

2009-08-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since we've updated the blog but that doesn't mean our lives have been quiet, it's been anything but quiet.

However, I figured completing my first triathlon was just the occasion write a race report and update the blog at the same time.

Today, I crossed a hurdle and became a triathlete. Up until a couple of years ago I wrote swimming off as something I would never be able to do. This is also the same thing I thought about running after having two knee surgeries and having chronic knee problems running in my family.

Over the past few months I have been focusing on my swimming more than ever all with my sights set "Jack's Generic Triathlon". In the weeks leading up to the race I felt great and even going into race weekend and all I had to do was trust my training and just focus on finishing the race. I continued my normal pre-race routine and got up two hours before I needed to leave the house, just before 3am the alarm went off and my race day was on. I know many think this crazy but it works for me so if it's not broke why fix it?

Another thing different about this race is Kevin was volunteering and not racing, a role reversal from many of our race days in the past.

The pre-race swim went well and I felt great going to the starting line. After 4 waves started it was my turn to go, the horn went off and so were we. I told myself to settle down and just stay calm and this was going well until my left arm got caught by an anchor wire and the guy who was swimming in front of me decided to stop. This caused me to panic and the life guard had to come get me to settle me down. Once I regained my composer I was ready to finish the swim. Kevin, David, Jason, Vanessa, and Bianca circled the lake following me and it was great to see them there every time I took a breath. As I looked up and spotted the swim exit I knew I had the rest of the race in the bag. I exited the water and charged up the hill, it was time to make up lost time and my thoughts went from just finishing the race to not being last in my age group. In and out of T1 in great time and it was game on. I quickly started passing people on the bike and just focused on having fun. I saw several teammates on the bike course and it was great to have them out there experiencing this with me. Rounding the corner going going down the hill to T2 it was time loosen the legs and get ready to run.

After another flawless transition, I blazed out on the run and felt great. Because I had so many supporters out there cheering for my success a guy came up from behind me and said "wow, you sure are popular" I quickly looked at him and said, "I just know people". Out and back for a 3 mile run I turn the last corner and saw the finish line. Just then a guy came up beside me like he was going to pass me and I thought OH NO YOU DON'T!! I'm not sure where the burst of energy came from but I blew by him and 4 others in front of me. I had finished what I set out to do and what I thought I would never "TRI" just a couple of years ago.

Thanks to everyone for your support and very special thank you to my two favorite males, Kevin & Sampson.

This is just the first of many triathlons to come but as I have already been asked, am I done with duathlons? Not no, but heck no!!! I'll just do both.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032491&id=1262473642&l=985f346c23

2009-06-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

Why Ironman?

Many of you may or may not know this, but my journey to become an Ironman started over two years ago while watching the telecast of the 2006 Ironman World Championship. Until then, I had never heard of Ironman, and had only recently learned of the sport of triathlon. It wasn’t until Chris and I moved to Austin four years ago that we became aware of this wonderful sport and lifestyle.

Having just taken up cycling, I was captivated by the Ironman and the challenge it presented to me. I was even more inspired by some of the Ironman Heroes NBC highlighted that year like Jon Blais and Sister Madonna Buder. Jon, who had competed in the 2005 Ironman, was unable to compete in 2006 due to his ALS diagnosis. That year, he cheered from the sidelines in his wheelchair. At age 76, Sister Madonna again became the oldest woman ever to complete the race, finishing the 2006 Ironman with a time of 16:59:03. I was hooked after seeing the Ironman for the first time and it was then that I set a goal to become one myself.

Becoming an Ironman didn’t come easy and didn’t happen overnight. At the time, I couldn’t run more than two miles, had never cycled more than 50 miles and had never swum in open water much less more than a few hundred yards in a pool. That didn’t stop me. Over the course of the next two years, I set small goals (like running a marathon) to ensure I learned how to run long distances. BTW, my first marathon also happened to be my first running race. I also completed the Hotter than Hell 100 ride to ensure I could cycle over 100 miles. Having grown up with a swimming pool, I was less concerned with my swimming abilities but was fortunate to have access to a pool at my gym.

Fall ‘07, while training for the Austin Marathon, I competed in my first sprint triathlon, the Longhorn Triathlon. The following winter, I completed my first run race, the Austin Marathon and was one step closer to my Ironman dream. Upon the recommendation of my running coach, I joined T3 in the spring of ’08 and began the last leg of my Ironman journey. Over the course of the last year, I’ve been so fortunate to train with some of the best people I’ve ever met which has made the LONG training hours more enjoyable. I can’t imagine becoming an Ironman any other way! Go Big Blue!

Pre Race

I was fortunate to have my family and friends travel to CDA with me to cheer me on. Their support was a tremendous help pre and post race. I couldn’t have asked for a better support crew. I truly believe I had the BEST Sherpa team by far. I also had my one of a kind flat Kevin Ironman poster which made me feel like a rock star every time I saw it. I can’t thank Barry, Michelle and Chris enough for creating it for me.

The Swim

The swim was my biggest fear. The two practice days prior to the race only made me more nervous as the waters were very choppy. Race day was just as bad but I did a great job of turning my nerves into excitement. I remember looking around prior to the start and seeing all the facial expressions of the athletes around me. I could tell they were just as nervous as me so I was not alone. I guess I was just so happy to be standing at the starting line that I didn’t have any negative thoughts.

The first lap of the swim course was worse than I could have ever imagined. Nothing Noah said in his previous post could prepare me for the beating I would encounter in the swim. I did my best to keep feet out of my face and others from swimming over me. The worst was trying not to get squeezed in between two swimmers. Sighting was not an issue as I just followed the feet in front of me. The swim back into shore was great as we had the waves at our backs. Upon exiting the first lap, I was amazed at my time of 32 mins. I couldn’t believe my eyes at how fast I completed my first lap. This news made my second lap SO much more manageable. I knew if I could just maintain the same pace, I would beat my swim goal and then the rest of the day would fall into place. The second lap was somewhat less crowded than the first but I still had to fight my way around, over and in between other swimmers. I swam as fast as I could the last several hundred yards and finished with a time of 1:07. This was 3-5mins ahead of my goal.

As the volunteers were stripping off my wetsuit, I made the big mistake of flexing my legs and pulled a muscle in my left calf. It hurt so bad, I couldn’t run to the transition tent. I hobbled to get my bag and then to the tent to change. I tried to remain positive in hopes that I could spin it out on the bike.

The Bike

Upon exiting transition, I was so happy to have completed the swim and now looked forward to a great ride. My calf was still hurting but didn’t hinder my ability to spin my pedals. The first loop of the bike course was awesome. I had the biggest smile on my face the first 20 miles. I was just SO happy to be riding in my first Ironman. It was a beautiful day. I did my best to hold back 5% of my maximum to save it for the run, but at times, that was hard to do. I kept my heart rate where it needed to be for the majority of the ride. The hills were not as bad as I thought the first lap, but boy did they kick my ass the second time around. The best parts of the bike ride for me were seeing all my teammates along the course, riding part of the course with Joe, and riding through town hearing all the cheering fans. I especially loved it when I saw my banner, family and ALL the T3 support crew. You guys rock!

I think what surprised me the most about the bike ride was the amount of times I needed to use the bathroom. It didn’t dawn on me at the time that I wasn’t sweating during the ride, hence the need for all the stops. My nutrition plan worked out perfectly for me and I never got tired of sitting on my saddle. I guess all the bathroom stops helped with that as well. I ended the bike portion in 6:15 which was within my target goal time frame and with a smile on my face. I gave high fives to the volunteers as I entered the basketball court to get my transition bag. I was having a blast!

The Run

And then the fun ended. I made the mistake of changing into my tri top and left my arm warmers in transition. I also didn’t put a long sleeve shirt in my special needs bag so I knew I was doomed once leaving the transition area. In addition to feeling really cold, my stomach was also bloated a little which caused me discomfort on the start of the run. I ran with Booher early on in the run but lost him when I stopped to use the bathroom (one of MANY stops I would make that day during my run).

About mile 7, I discovered two VERY important things that made a huge difference in the rest of my race. I remembered that I had pepto bismol pills in my fuel belt. Taking those magic pills settled my stomach and allowed me to focus on my running. The other thing I discovered was the mystery to why my right side of my face felt different from the left. It was never enough to cause me pain, just a slight discomfort. To my embarrassment, I reached up towards my ear and discovered that I still had my earplug in my right ear from the swim. I guess it’s better to find out at mile 119 in my race than to still have it in my ear for my finishing photo. The funny part of this story, as if it’s not funny enough, is that my little nephew saw it in my ear at mile 3 and tried to get my attention but I didn’t hear him. He told the rest of my family members what he saw, but they didn’t believe him. Thanks Andy for looking out for me.

I continued to take breaks long enough to go to the bathroom and then continued running. I think subconsciously, I was stopping more to warm up than to use the bathroom. Joe caught up with me about mile 10 and we ran together for a while. Running and talking to Joe made the time go by much faster and more enjoyable. I was able to keep my mind off the cold and the rain. I was so happy to find out Joe had a long sleeve shirt in his special needs bag that he said I could wear. Thanks a million Joe. You saved my race! I continued to run with Joe for the next few miles and then my legs felt really good so I picked up the pace a little knowing Joe would catch up with me due to my many bathroom stops.

Sherman Ave, the final stretch, was more than I could have ever imagined. It was more than the last seven blocks of the race. It was the home stretch for a dream I had been working towards for more than two years. All the emotions I had bundled up inside me came gushing out the moment I turned onto Sherman Ave. I remember jumping up and down as I ran pumping my fist in the air and screaming as loud as I could. My pace got faster and faster as I approached the crowd. I was laughing, crying and shouting all at the same time if that’s even possible. I remember seeing my family as I quickly ran under the Ironman logo and then went back and forth through the bleacher section giving high fives to the fans before finally crossing the finish line in 11:48:34 beating my goal by 12 mins!

My first Ironman was truly one of the most exciting, challenging and inspiring experiences in my life. I’m so happy my family and friends were there to experience it with me. I couldn’t have made it without the support of my fellow T3 teammates, you guys ROCK! My body was in top shape due to the help of my coaches (Mo, Chrissie, Logan, Charles and Suzanne) and my medical crew (Dr. Laura, Dr. Phil and Bobby, my masseur). Thanks for taking such great care of me and getting me ready for the big race.

Overall, even with the cold and raining weather on the run, it was a GREAT day. I learned a lot about myself out on the course but the one thing I learned the most is that ANYTHING is possible. I know now, never to doubt my abilities. There’s nothing I can’t do! I’m an Ironman!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028651&id=1262473642&l=0f78695849

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028597&id=1262473642&l=011c1641af

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028514&id=1262473642&l=039832296d

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028413&id=1262473642&l=df7e7c953e

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028366&id=1262473642&l=743ac9f6ba

WOW!! How far we've come

2009-06-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

As I sit here and listening to two great CD's our friend Robyn made for Kevin, it's very reflected of really how far we've come in less than four short years in Austin.

When we decided to relocate to Austin we had no idea what life had in store for us but we were willing to take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to Kevin.

However, if you would have told us in 2005 that within four years each one of us would have completed two marathons, with plans to run many more. Wake up before dawn to train on the bike for up to 100+ miles, have completed numerous multi-sport races, and Kevin was only a week away from becoming an Ironman we would have told you that you had lost your mind.

Good thing you still have your mind because that's exactly where we are, Kevin's big day is now less than a week away.

Next Sunday my wonderful life partner will be an Ironman!! After all the very long training hours, getting over the injuries, and the emotional roller coaster he'll complete this chapter in his life with me ,family, and friends cheering him on the entire way.

While you may not be able to be in Coeur d'Alene in person we know you will be cheering him on in spirit and you can follow him and all the other athletes during the race by one of the three methods:

On race day, you'll be able to keep track of the T3 athletes (and other Austinites) three different ways:
1. On the web at: http://ironplan.net/events/ironman-couer-d-alene-2009/
2. On twitter at: http://twitter.com/austint3im (unless you have an unlimited text plan, I don't recommend receiving text updates from this account. we're estimating about 600 updates on race day)
3. Kevin's #1246 On http://ironmanlive.com/ You need to enter each athlete's name or number to get the info. Go here to see the live video feed of the race and finish line. Kevin estimates he will finish in under 12 hrs so I would suggest you start watching the live feed around 8est/7cst to see him cross the finish line.
Caveats:
- for the first two, we're dependent on ironmanlive posting updates correctly.

Well other than lots of work keeping us busy and another marathon looming for me in 4 months, we are really doing great. Also, while we're in Coeur d'Alene I'll have my laptop for blog and facebook updates so check back often.

Much love to everyone and thank you for putting up with our crazy schedule and lives,

Chris & Kevin

It's Exactly 3 weeks away

2009-05-31T09:56:00.001-07:00

Wow, how times flies when you're having fun training for life changing events. June 2008 Kevin hit the send button and registered for his first Ironman race and in exactly 3 weeks from today we will be with lots of family and friends listening to National Anthem and waiting for the cannon to go off to start Ironman Coeur d'Alene. I get chills thinking about all the emotions I'm going to feel so I can't possibly imagine what he and the other 2000+ athletes will be going through. I'm very proud of him and it still amazes me how far we have come and how different our lives are from when we met on that dance floor in Atlanta over 12 years ago. I couldn't ask for a better life partner to share the journey with.

Training for both of us has been pretty tough the past month. The number of running miles are to many to count especially since I've officially started marathon training for the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C. on October 25th. This will be my 3rd marathon, first outside of TX, I'm focusing my training to break 4hrs, wish me luck and healthy training.

Since the last post we've completed the 100 mile Shiner ride and the very hilly Real Ale Ride, both were tough but awesome and I for sure will be back next year to both. But one of the toughest training highlights of the past month was "Practice Man". This was supposed to be a simulated triathlon put on by T3, but we weren't able to use the pool. So we hoped on our bikes from a transition spot and set out on a 25 - 40 mile bike ride at what we expect our race speed to be. Right off of the ride, we parked our bikes on the transition rack put on our running shoes and set out for a half marathon run. This was the longest run I'd ever had off of a bike ride and my legs definitely let me know they were not happy, but I finished. After the pain was over I felt great and again another hurdle crossed. So for the next few weeks marathon training will continue and while in Coeur d'Alene I will even run the marathon course because I have a 14 mile run to do, but rides will be a little shorter as we prepare for June 21st. My swimming is coming along and I even did an open water swim today, which was scary since I've only ever swam in a pool with a black line at the bottom. I'm determined to master swimming and get ready for my first triathlon in August.

Our work life is going great but busy which is a good thing and both of our families are doing well and we can't wait to spend time with some of them during the race.

That's it for now on our boring lives,

Life, Love, & Happiness

Chris & Kevin

Take your signs when you get them....

2009-05-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

Finally I'm able to update the blog because my ride this morning was a complete BUST!! Before I could make it out of the parking lot for my supposed to be 70 mile ride I had a flat. Quick tube change and off we went. Five miles into the ride pssssst another flat. My rule of thumb is two flats in one ride, call it a day because someone is giving you a sign. Little did I know it was Mother Nature, the skies over Austin have gotten dark and heavy rain is coming. Thank you Mother Nature because you know the only thing worse in my book than a busted ride is a ride in the rain.

Well, how are things in the Kevin & I's world? Can you say CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY!! Work is keeping us both very busy with a couple of road trips thrown in just spice things up a bit. However, I'm not complaining and thankful to have a job.

The Hill Country Ride for AIDS was again great and the weather was perfect, but even though it fell on Kevin's birthday this year he couldn't ride because he came down with a serious stomach bug and spent his birthday running between the bed and the bathroom :-( It was another record breaking year for fundraising, thank you all for your love and support.

To be continued, going to pick up Kevin and others who got caught in the storm.

Mission Accomplished in San Angelo, TX

2009-04-23T04:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went back to a place I first set foot in back in 1992. Let's rewind, in July of 1992 while in the Air Force I started school at Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX. Back then I thought this was the slowest town on earth and I spent every weekend but two in San Antonino getting to know the next city I was going to after San Angelo. Little did I know 17 years later I would willingly return to race my biggest race to date with a very high goal set for myself.

Last August I decided I wanted to qualify for a spot in the Long Course Duathlon World Championship and I set my sights on the Striders Duathlon as my A race for 2009. Is it crazy that I have two marathons this year and neither one of them are my A race? With only days before the race I discovered the ITU decided not to have a long course championship this year, even with this news I was still determined to continue on my mission to crush my competition in my age group.

Kevin, Sampson, and I drove up to San Angelo on Saturday to only to find it warmer than expected with winds gusting in the 20's. Oh boy the race is going to be fun. As Kevin took off for a 21 mile training run Sampson and I checked out the race site & area, grocery store and proceeded to get into race mode.

Sunday arrived with much cooler weather, little wind and overall perfect race conditions. Me being the A-type I am, I was the first racer to arrive so I had plenty of time to myself to prepare.

The race started promptly at 8:05am and I was checking out the competition looking for the others in my age group but could not spot them. The run was on what they call "Dirt road from hell" and I was warned about this road from Adam S. and Michael L. so I was prepared to hold my pace and do the first 5 mile run in 40 - 45 min. 44:28 first milestone CHECK.

As I headed out on the 46 mile bike course I knew I had to pace myself otherwise I would blow up and either die at the end of the ride or severely pay for it on the second run. I held a 19mph pace which I considered good given the wind had picked up, the rolling hills (known as the seven sisters) were tough toward the end and the chip sealed roads really kept speeds in check. I finished the ride in 2:26 well under my 2:30 goal, second milestone CHECK.

By the time I returned from the ride, Kevin being the wonderful partner he is had checked us out of the hotel and gotten in his open water swim.

Heading out on the second and final run I knew I had to hold it together and I felt pretty good. About a mile into the run my legs started to cramp so I had to stop and get them straight. At every water stop going out I took what ever the volunteers were giving to keep my core temperature down and to stay hydrated. By the time I hit the turn around I was feeling good so I had to make up lost time. I pushed it as hard as I could not knowing where the competition was and then I passed by someone who I thought was in my age group, I was crushed and thought my hopes of winning my age group were gone. But keeping with my motto, "Don't look back, you're not headed that way", I did just that and ran my race. 50:48 slower than expected but I left it all on the course. 4:03, Third milestone check, not sure?

To my surprise while checking the race results I found out the other person in my age group dropped out of the race so I WON MY AGE GROUP!!! Mission Accomplished and if there was going to be a championship I would have qualified.

Overall it was great race, well run and I will be back next year to defend my age group title. Hopefully I can convince Kevin and some others in Austin to do it with me. Now it's time rest a little and continue training for whatever comes next.

Be safe and remember, "There's no reason to look back, you're not headed that way"

Chris

Loooooong Overdue Update

2009-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been over a month since I updated the blog especially since so much has been going on.

My marathon recovery went great and I was back to full strength and ready to race the 2009 Blue Norther Duathlon on March 15th with my training mate John. This was my first multi-sport race ever last year so I really wanted to improve my time and have a better race. Well I guess I can say "Mission Accomplished," I improved my time by over 11 min. & won my age group beating a guy 5yrs younger than me. Two multi-sport races to start the season with, one second place and one first place finish. I really like winning :-)

Work continues to keep both Kevin and I very busy, and we can truly say we enjoy what we do and work with some really great people.

Ironman race day is 11 weeks away and Kevin's training is going great. But I have to brag, physically it looks great on him :-). The training hours are getting longer but we still find time to relax enjoy life and spend time with those closest to us. His Ironman support crew has grown and we're so excited one of our best friends Michele will be coming out along with his sisters and two nephews. Michele and I even decided to volunteer the morning of race day to be more of a part of the event.

Last weekend was a milestone in our training as we headed to Galveston to take part in the Lonestar Triathlon Festival. A lot of our teammates and friends participated in the race with us and it made for a fun filled weekend. We drove down on Friday and the winds were very high Friday and Saturday but Mother Nature took pity on us and when we woke up Sunday (race day) it was warm and the winds were pretty calm. As the gun went off after 8:30 Kevin started his second half-iron man and I participated in the half-iron relay with our friends Darcy(swimming) Me(biking) and Tim(running). We all had great races; Kevin finished the race in 4:51, 7th in his age group out of 52 and my relay team finished in 5:19 in 3rd place out of 12 teams, even with me getting a flat tire at mile 36 of the 56 mile bike route. Did I happen to mention I like finishing in the top 3 spots :-)? Three races and three top three finishes, let's hope my streak continues next week.

Kevin & I at the pre-race briefing

Race morning, looking fresh & ready to race

Me and my machine on race day

Many of our great teammates on race day

Speaking of next week, I compete in my premier race of the year, the Striders Duathlon in San Angelo, TX. This race is a 5 mile run, 46 mile bike, 5 mile run and is a qualifier for the Duathlon World Championship. Wish me luck for a successful race.

On the 25th of this month we'll be riding in our 3rd Hill Country Ride for AIDS and Kevin will be celebrating his 42nd birthday. http://www.hillcountryride.org/site/TR/HillCountryRideforAIDS/General?px=1114921&pg=personal&fr_id=1080

And then training continues with a couple more races and long bike rides but we continue to enjoy our life, work, and many other blessings we have. So until the next update, Happy Easter and may you and yours be safe and well.

As the world turns.......

2009-03-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Spring has arrived in Central Texas and we're loving every minute of it (training update below).

Kevin and I are doing great, staying healthy and on Tuesday 3/17, we will be celebrating 12 great years together. Raise you green beer in a toast to us.

Work is keeping both of us very busy, but we are lucky enough to still have work and give thanks everyday for all we have. We have great friends and a wonderful family and we wish everyone life, love, and happiness.

Well the Ironman to be is entering week 9 of the 24 week training plan and it is going very well. The normal aches and pains are there but nothing stretching, massages and occasional rest doesn't fix. Some of our teammates have been sharing tips and things to consider as you go on this journey and even though I'm not training for an Ironman I've picked up tips from their advice and past experience. Like they say "you're never to old to learn and you should strive to learn something everyday."

My training is going great and earlier today I went back to race where I did my first multi-sport race last year hoping to improve. http://www.seguinsunriselions.org/Blue%20Norther%20Duathlon.htm

My gear was totally different than last year so I was prepared to lay it all out. That pretty much what I did and improved in a major way; 1st place Clydesdale age group. This is one of the best race sites I've competed on and the race organizers and volunteers are great. One of my teammates John, carpooled down with me and competed in his road racing multi-sport event. Good job John!! Also, great job to Amy & Brandon Marsh overall male and female winners, Adam Stroobandt & Missy Ruthven for both finishing first in their age groups.

Now it's time to turn the training book page and prepare for Lonestar Half-Ironman on April 5th. Kevin will be competing in his first tri of the season and I will be riding the bike leg of my relay team with Darcy swimming, and Tim running, wish us all luck.

Until next time, be safe and smile a lot the world needs it

Chris & Kevin

Post Marathon Update

2009-02-25T14:32:00.000-08:00

Well the Austin marathon is all but a memory now and what a good but painful memory it is.

After fighting allergies for two weeks, a trip to visit my family in Detroit the weekend before and a three day business trip to Atlanta race day finally arrived. The morning was nice and chilly just like we wanted it to be and I felt pumped to run this race in my home city. Everything started out great and I was ahead of pace through mile 10. The blisters I felt coming on at mile 6 were blocked out of my mind and I was having a great race through mile 15. That's when the fast pace in the beginning started coming back to haunt me in a really bad way and by mile 20 the marathon monster was riding me like nobodies business. The last 6 miles finished with a run/walk approach because that's all I could do to finish the race. But in the last two miles the crowds were getting thick and I knew it was time to turn it on. So at mile 24 1/2 I splashed water on my face to get ready for the cameras and to finish strong and that's what I did. I looked great crossing the finish line but as I have been told and can now say it's never as good as the first time.

Below is a link to some of the pictures from the race.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017822&id=1262473642&l=2308d

Big thanks to Kevin, Darcy, Carlos and all of my other friends who were out there cheering us runners on.

Bring on the Marine Corps Marathon October 25, 2009 in Washington D.C.!!

January Update

2009-01-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

Well, as the last weekend this month starts I figured this would be a great time to update the blog and give you a summary of what's been going on with us.

Not so funny, Sampson has a pulled or strained muscle in his rear right leg and he's not even the one training. I think he is just jealous of us using the foam and trigger point rollers and he wants in on the action. He seems to be in a lot of pain and like many of us know, muscle aches suck. Wish him a speedy recovery.

Work has been keeping both of us very busy and in this economy busy with a job is very good because so many people wish they had a job to be busy at. Hope the world heals soon.

Onto more fun stuff, our training is going great. Were both building our training base for the long training season ahead and so far so good. The aches and pains haven't been to bad and we're still tweaking the things we wanted to improve on from last season.

Our race results for this month were, Runtex 20 Miler 3:40 and Frost Yer Fanny Du a second place age group finish.

Kevin, ran his first stand alone half marathon and finished with a great time of 1:33. I keep telling him he doesn't know just how fast he is. I just can't wait until he earns us a trip to Kona.

The next couple of weeks are going to be very busy on several accounts. I'm going to visit my family in Detroit and then head to Atlanta for business meetings. I say there's nothing like piling it on before a big race right? Then comes another big day, the Austin Marathon February 15th. My goal is to match my San Antonio race time and given the Austin course has more hills that will be a challenge. I like challenges!!

So until the next update be safe and may you and yours live life to the fullest.

2009 is off to a great start!!

2009-01-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

As we start off the first full week of 2009, we look back at 2008 and get excited at all the new and exciting things the new year is going to bring us.

Training for my (Chris) second marathon is peaking and the race is just over a month away. I'm physically ready for the race, but what the coaches did not give me coaching on was how to mentally prepare for two marathons within three months. Needless to say I won't do this to myself again. But I have already signed up for the Marine Corps's Marathon in D.C. in October.

And since I can't turn down a good challenge I will be starting my duathlon season with the Frost Yer Fanny duathlon in three weeks, just as we start the taper for the marathon. I'm hoping to do well in this race, but since it's the first of the season I really want to see where I am against the competition this season, since I did finish last year second in my age group. No I'm really not competitive.

Today 1/6 is the first official training day for Kevin's Coeur d'Alene Ironman and it's cold and rainy. So the choice is to do cycling class and skip track workouts. But the day will soon come when this will not be an option to choose. Over the next 6 mos there will probably be long rides and runs in the rain but I guess that's what you have to go through in order to call yourself an "Ironman". We will be sharing the duties of posting here because I can only give you the supporter view of the road to becoming an Ironman.

Until next time

Happy New Year

Chris, Kevin, & Sampson

The votes have been counted and the winner is??

2008-12-19T04:40:00.001-08:00

Sampson the fawn colored boxer for the best looking dog in the world.

The much delayed update

2008-12-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well since our last update Kevin, Sampson and I have been very busy and just haven't had time to update the blog. We both completed the San Antonio marathon with great success and then enjoyed a long weekend in Tempe, AZ seeing several of our friends race Ironman AZ. While there we shared a condo with our friends Robert (completed Ironman) and Kevin and we had a blast visiting Sedona, Scottsdale, and climbing Camelback mountain. Days after returning home it was time to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with friends prepare for the busy holiday season.

Well here we are in mid-December and as usual this time of year, we're wondering where the year went, trying to decide what party to attend and not stress ourselves out and looking forward to a few days off work. But none the less anytime away from the office is always good.

So with 10 days left until Christmas, we'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, & Happy Happy New Year.

As promised below is our busy race schedule for next year and we hope to see your smiling face there on the sideline.

Jan - Runtex 20 Miler 1/11(Chris), Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon 1/25(Chris), 3M 1/2 marathon 1/25(Kevin)
Feb - Austin Marathon 2/15(Chris), Upside Down Duathlon 2/22 (Chris volunteer)
Mar - Blue Norther' Duathlon 3/8 Seguin TX(Chris), Gonzo Duathlon late March San Antonio TX (Chris)
Apr - Lonestar Triathlon 4/5 Galveston TX(Chris & Kevin), Striders Duathlon 4/19 San Angelo TX(Chris), Hill Country Ride for AIDS 4/25 (Chris & Kevin)
May - Shiner Ride 5/2 90 miles Austin to Shiner(Chris & Kevin), Rookie Triathlon 5/10(Kevin & Chris' first triathlon), Cap Tex Triathlon 5/25(Kevin), Real Ale Ride 5/30 Blanco TX(Chris & Kevin)
Jun - Ironman CDA 6/18 - 6/24 Idaho (Kevin)
Jul - Chris Brown Tulsa Duathlon mid-Jul Tulsa OK (only if I don't qualify in San Angelo)(Chris), Howdy Duathlon early Jul(Chris), Toughest Duathlon late Jul(Chris), Couples Triathlon 7/12(Kevin)
Aug - Jack's Generic Triathlon 8/2(Kevin), Darnds't Duathlon 8/9 San Marcos TX(Chris), Hotter N Hell Ride 8/29 Wichita Falls TX (Chris & Kevin)
Sep - Duathlon Championship 9/26 Concord NC(Chris), Augusta 70.3 Triathlon 9/27 August GA (Kevin)
Oct - Marine Corps Marathon 10/25 Washington DC (Chris yes & Kevin maybe)
Nov - Wurst Ride 11/7(Chris), Rock-N-Roll Marathon 11/15 San Antonio TX (Kevin maybe)

In the beginning .......

2008-11-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

Well here goes nothing....

First we joined Face Book and now we have a blog, what next running marathons and riding on little skinny bike seats for hours upon hours? Wait, we already do that.

Well since several of our friends have asked how they can stay up to date on what we're doing and since Face Book doesn't seem to be the answer, we're here, hope you enjoy and stay in touch.

This upcoming weekend is race weekend, Kevin and I will be running the San Antonio Rock-n-Roll marathon and we are ready. This will be Kevin's second marathon and my first and we are trained and ready to race. Since this is our last race of the year, we're going to take a deserved break and go watch several of our friends and training buddies race Ironman Arizona next weekend.

So until next time when we update you on the marathon and our busy upcoming 2009,

Peace

Chris & Kevin