My First Triathlon

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.

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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!

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WOW!! How far we've come

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

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....

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

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

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.