The hotter the heat, the stronger the iron. We have certainly had our fair share of heat available and I am confident it has translated to strength. It has been a record setting year with at least 40 days exceeding 100 degrees and a 24 consecutive day stretch of triple digit temps. There was almost too much heat and almost no rain to speak of in August when I exceed a century for the first time logging 108 running miles. Just over a week ago we set a new record high of 107 degrees, but we have been blessed this week with lows in the 60s! I couldn’t remember the last time I looked forward to a workout as much as I did this morning’s run and it did not disappoint. A side effect of all this heat has been an onset of Exercise Induced Asthma. I had never had any asthmatic symptoms until about two months ago, but as the heat and duration of workouts have increased, so have the effects. There’s an easy cure for exercise induced asthma (stop inducing exercise), but that’s not an option. I am optimistic that cooler weather will alleviate the problem. Fortunately Ironman Florida is forecasted for pleasantly cool temperatures.
Late summer brings back to back racing. First was the Clear Lake Int’l triathlon. We had a great turnout of 58 Tri4Him athletes competing in the spring and Olympic distances. I was more comfortable in the water than any race prior despite getting some cuts on my hands and feet from some barnacles around the bulkhead. After climbing a 6ft ladder out of the water, the bike course was fast! (except climbing the Kemah bridge twice). I set personal records on the swim and bike, but the increased effort and temperatures caught up to me on the run. The aforementioned asthma limited my runs to just a few hundred yards at a time. That increased slightly when a team mate caught me and shared her inhaler with me! Rik caught me and despite my attempts, the paparazzi caught us walking. Even though I had a strong swim and bike I was disappointed in the day, especially since it cost me the long ride scheduled on my training plan. I am learning more and more that we race and train triathlon; not three individual disciplines!
I resolved to a methodical week of training which included a 14 mile run on Wednesday and a 95 mile ride on Saturday. That evening I felt great, so we packed up the family and headed to Freeport for the Summertime Blues race. We again had a great showing of T4H triathletes, including many who were competing for the first time. Temperatures were much more comfortable, but at the cost of 20mph winds. This made swimming straight a little difficult and riding a disc wheel a little nerve racking! Learning from the previous week I intentionally backed off a little on the bike, especially crossing the huge bridge! Despite taking it easy I still turned in the fastest bike split in the age group by over two minutes. Feeling great off the bike I started the run at an aggressive pace. There was no one within sight behind and those ahead of me were likely out of range. I resolved to maintain my pace, but as I approached mile 2 (of 3) an age grouper closed the gap. I pushed to hang with him to the finish, but in the final surge he pulled ahead and won by 2 seconds. At the end of the day I had my best race to date and took home a 2nd place finish for the 2nd time this year. My secondary goals of a sprint win and Olympic podium spot will have to wait for next season. The race schedule is complete, now all focus is on the primary goal of the Ironman!We are currently half way through our 16 week training plan and enjoying a recovery week with reduced intensities and load. Of the four headed to IMFL I am pleased to announce that despite minor injuries we are all strong and healthy (for guys training for Ironman). Despite all the hard work we’ve put in, I find it hard to believe we start tapering for the race in just 6 weeks. Some doubt and fear is already beginning to creep in, but we resolve to look to our coach, our peers, our families, and our God to see us through.
Anything of significance requires sacrifice and Ironman is no exception. To date I have managed quite well, but as race day approaches and training load increases it is becoming more difficult. Perhaps of greatest cost will be missing some of Jacob’s football games. He is a few weeks in to flag football and I could not be more proud of his progress. He is smallest in stature on the team of 5 and 6 year olds, but he has already earned the name Mighty Mouse for his tenacity and determination. As a CS Lewis fan, I prefer Reepicheep. I have committed to be at all of his practices, but unfortunately all the games are on Saturday morning, the time when my most important and longest workouts are held. When possible, I will alter my route to be at the game, but instead of sitting in the stands I will be on my trainer spinning away. 
This morning Nicole and I dropped off our youngest to her first day of pre-school. Bella has the same teacher as her brother and sister ahead of her. We warned her not to expect the same mild mannered child she came to know with our first two! The older two are now two weeks into their school year at the same school I attended over 25 years ago. We stick with what works, so Jacob is in the same class Claire was last year. Mrs. Vermeer is a great teacher and we are privileged to be able to have again. Nicole is getting her first taste of freedom during the day, but photo sessions are keeping her busy. She has really done some great stuff lately and her network of clients is rapidly expanding. Her portfolio and prices reflect her love of working with children and families. Check out her work at www.capturedbynicole.net. Up next month, a 6.5 hour workout on my birthday and the promise of no more race reports until I am an Ironman!
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