Ironman Texas 70.3 (Half Ironman)

Well, I finished.  Not in the time or way I had envisioned, but I crossed the finish line and learned some valuable lessons along the way.

The weekend in Galveston was great.  Everything had pretty much gone as planned and come race morning everything was looking good. We had a great turnout for the pre-race prayer and as I pulled on my wetsuit and approached the pier I was calm and looking forward to a good day.  As the national anthem played the guy next to us lost it.  There's no crying in baseball, but there is in triathlon.

 

The 1.2 mile swim was pretty uneventful and went as expected.  The only surprise came when I found myself under a buoy.  Good news is I was swimming on line.  Bad news is you can't breathe under a huge inflatable. I managed to get out from under it, compose myself, and swim the rest of the way.  No matter how long the swim, it always feels good to get back on dry ground.  David informed me I was a few minutes off my goal time, but not by much.  Kyle had a smokin' fast time and had lengthened the five minute head start he had on me.  A quick fresh water rinse and off to the bike.

Despite strong headwind the trip westward over the San Luis pass was pretty uneventful. The most exciting part was witnessing Chris Lieto (see last post) fly by in the opposite direction with a huge lead over the professional pack.  Things quickly changed after the turnaround.  The tail wind was great and effortlessly my speed increased from 20mph to 25 mph. Unfortunately, just three miles after the turnaround my legs began to cramp.  My legs had never cramped in training, but I knew this was a possibility; I just never thought it would come on the bike!  I worked them out, but I knew another 25 miles on the bike and then running a half marathon was going to tough.  I felt good as I approached the bridge connecting the mainland and Galveston Island.  It's smooth, long, and had a strong tailwind.  I hit the day’s top speed of 27.1 mph when the rider just a few meters in front of me went down.  My first thought was I was going to hit him, but somehow I missed him, his bike, and the sprawling debris.  As I passed, his body was still sliding across the road.  The closest thing I can compare it to is witnessing a traffic accident that you barely diverted.  I was told by guys that came after he was evacuated by life flight.  Still praying for his recovery.  I informed the sheriff at the end of the bridge and did what I could to press on.  My heart rate was way over where it should be, the cramps were coming back, and the finish line was still 33.1 miles away.  

This is where I lost it and found it.  I knew my goal of 5:30 was impossible, every muscle group in my legs was cramping, and there was a half marathon waiting. It's pretty hard to cry while competing in triathlon, but I came close. It was in that moment I was reminded that in my weakness, Christ is strong.  There I gave the race to God in a new way and laid the outcome in His hands.  I drew strength from the thoughts of my children.  Neither they nor God cared if or when I finished and their love for me was certainly not dependent on the outcome.  Run with endurance the race set before you.  The scripture was on my jersey, but now I realized the race set before me was not the one I had previously envisioned.  I lowered my wattage which in turn lowered my heart rate in hopes of clearing some of the cramp causing lactic acid.  As riders began to pass I was able to encourage them and many reciprocated.  

As I returned to the Moody Gardens complex I was faced with an almost comical dilemma.  My legs were still cramping all over with just the short motion of a pedal stroke and now I had to lift a leg entirely over the bike to dismount.  I did some pretty silly looking stretches, but they worked and I made it in to T2.  At this point I had no idea how I was going to cover the next 13.1 miles, but I started with an easy jog.  Almost immediately the cramps returned, but now I had pickle juice- yep, straight from the pickle jar.  I drank about an ounce and it worked as promised.  As the cramps subsided I began an easy jog and even increased my pace to a decent run.        

As I exited transition I was met by my team mates and family.  I gave my kids a kiss took off.  I was walking before long, but David was there to encourage and allow me to talk some things out.  He informed me that Kyle was having similar issues and was a few minutes ahead of me.  I took off (slowly) after the rabbit.  As I made each lap the gap to Kyle closed and at the end of the third lap I caught him.  It only took 67 miles to do so.  Together we walked and ran as we could.  We stayed together a ways and once I knew he would make it I took off to make the final lap.  

Crossing the finish line was uneventful.  The announcer called my name, I gave a little fist pump and then acknowledged the God who had seen me through those long and many miles.  Once again I kissed my family and shortly thereafter we were joined by Kyle.  Chris Lieto had crossed that line a few hours before and won the race.

I finished in 5:49:49.  Twenty minutes off my goal, but still pretty close; 6% longer than I had hoped.  Sure I could have saved a few seconds not kissing my kids or walking with Kyle, but those were the most productive seconds of my race.  That was the race set before me.  I ran it well and am proud of it.  In retrospect I am also proud of my finishing time.  Twenty minutes long seemed to be the norm for the day, even among experienced long course racers.

Every time I reflect on the race I learn something new.  It's typically hardest during any trial to extract the lesson to be gained, but that day I learned I can push my body far beyond my preconceived limits.  I learned that my support runs deep and I can draw from you in a tangible way. I learned that victory is not always achieving your goals.  I also learned things like swim a little harder and don't pass so much early on the ride when there's a 25mph head wind!

So what now?  I bank all these lessons to be drawn on during Ironman, now seven months away.  Over the weekend professional triathlete Linsey Corbin also had a mediocre race and offered the following; 1. It's part of the sport 2. Did you give it your best? 3. Focus on what did work 4. Don't train your brains out 5. Onto the next.  So that's what I'm doing- focusing on what worked, taking my family on a weekend getaway, taking a week off from training, and setting my sights on the Sylvan Beach tri and Ironman Florida

214 Days to go

214 Days to go, but the number on my mind today is 5.  I am five days away from my first 70.3 mile race at Ironman Texas70.3.  I am experiencing the expected mix of confidence, doubt, and excitement.  I have spent the past twelve weeks completing daily workouts geared to this one day.  I have dropped 10 pounds and am in the best shape of my life.  I have completed each of the race distances as well as the race rehearsals.  My swim, bike wattage, and run paces are all dialed in.  My equipment is also in top shape and anxious to race.  Even as I write I am trying to convince myself of these things. 

Galveston is the U.S. Professional Championship, so I'll be chasing many top prefessionals including Chris Lieto, Matt Lieto, Terenzo Bozzone, Andy Potts, and Jessica Jacobs who will be competing for a $75,000 purse.  It is also a very spectator friendly race, so if you've ever wondered what Ironman is all about come see these super-human athletes.

Race rehearsals were completed two and four weeks out from race day.  Friday was a 2200 meter swim.  The first I did in the pool and the second in open water with the wetsuit.  I felt great on both.  Saturday was a 56 mile bike ride at race pace followed by an hour run also at race pace.  The first was completed on the race course along the Galveston seawall, over the San Luis pass and looping back.  Despite the high winds it was a great ride followed by a strong run.  I didn't make it back to the island for the second ride and got started a little later in the day.  Despite more wind I felt good and even shaved two minutes off my previous time.  I struggled on the run though.  It was 2:00 when I started the run and the sun was in full force.  It didn't take long to begin to overheat and my pace suffered.  The good thing is I finished strong.  Bad news is Sunday could be a warm day with lots of sun.

The poor race rehearsal, forecast, wind, and the fact that I have a very long race ahead of me have increased my stress, but I thank God for those supporting me in this.  Last night I received some advice from someone who knows what he is talking about.  Tri4Him had the incredible opportunity to spend the evening with the top American Ironman.  Chris Lieto is a past Ironman champion, runner up at the 2009 Ironman World Championship, and known as the fastest cyclist among professional triathletes.  After a time of worship, Chris began to share about his experiences on triathlon's biggest stage.  Despite there being around 50 people in the room his message spoke directly to me.  He reminded us that regardless of our performance we are loved unconditionally by our God.  Nothing we can do can increase or decrease His affection for us, especially a race.  Chris described resting in that peace prior to the chaotic swim start in Kona known as the "washing machine".  He shared insight from the 2009 Ironman World Championship where despite having the lead with just two miles to go he began to shut down.  Despite being passed by one of the fastest runners on circuit he heard God telling him he would win.  He continued to hear that even after Craig Alexander crossed the finish line and it wasn't until later that Chris realized that despite finishing second in the championship, he won the race that God had called him to run.  So that is what I resolve to do- run the race that God has called me to run; Sunday and everyday.  If I finish within my time I will be thrilled, if not, the sun will still rise Monday morning.  I'll take what I learned and move on; remembering Ironman Florida is the year's A race.

Somehow each blog ends up bragging on my coach and this is no exception.  Each week of this training cycle I have received emails from Boo counting down the weeks and include tips, strategies, reminders, ect.  This week's included a list of 6 things to remember during race week.  You'll have to pay for his services to learn the other five, but I will share #6.

  "6.  Lastly, and most importantly, SHINE FOR HIM!  Let your light shine for Jesus on race day and in all the surrounding days.  When I built your training plan, I prayed specifically for you.  I prayed that if it was His will you'd stay healthy and injury free.  I prayed that you'd make dramatic improvements in your performance level.  I prayed that you'd grow physically and spiritually during this experience.  And I prayed that God would give you the opportunity and desire to be a blessing to others through your training and competition.  You've got literally hundreds of Tri4Him teammates who join me in this prayer for you.  We'll all be with you in the Spirit on race day.

So shine for the God that made you!  Honor Him with your perseverance and determination on the race course.  Glorify Him through your sportsmanship and encouraging words to others.  Run your race fixing your eyes on Jesus who died for you because He loved you so much!  Do not be ashamed or afraid.  Let there be no doubt about the reason for the joy and hope that is inside you.  Let there be no doubt about who you tri 4!"

This is the reason that Coach Boo's training plans are unlike any other.  This is a dynamic that has as much value as any workout or instruction a coach could provide.  This is why I have confidence in my training despite my own doubts.  This is why I appreciate Jeff Booher as much as I do. It is true that despite being an individual sport, I have a team behind me.  We are a solid network of believers who support each other in sport and in life.  I am privileged to be a part of this group.

This past week triathlon season kicked off with a great race in Kemah and with racing so much it was great to just go observe.  There was an impressive field of professionals including two Tri4Him professional/ elite athletes.  Top Ironman triathletes Terenzo Bozzone and Chris Lieto placed 2nd and 3rd respectively, but the day went to 21 year old Andrew Yoder.  It was also a big day for Chad Stevens who completed his first olympic distance triathlon with his boys crossing the finish line with him.  It definitely got me excited for the season to come.

My family continues to be the inspiration and support system I could not do this without.  Nicole's photography is taking off very quickly from all the referral business she's been getting.  She does first class on site photography at a very affordable price.  She does it because she loves it and wants to provide family's with lasting memories.  Check it out at www.capturedbynicole.net.  Jacob started t-ball last Saturday and he is quickly becoming one of the better players on the team.  Claire continues to amaze us with her performance in school and Bella continually amazes us with the ways she comes up with to make us laugh.  These are the ones I love and cherish more than anything.  Our new church, Neartown Church, had its public launch two weeks ago.  This is a body of believers meeting downtown to proclaim the truth of the bible and minister the gospel to those we come into contact on a daily basis.  Information is available at www.neartownchurch.org

Next month- Redemption at Sylvan Beach

243 Days to go

I was recently invigorated by reading a race report from last year’s Florida Ironman.  The writer mentioned that once registered, the thought of Ironman was never more than one or two thoughts removed from mind.  I have found this to be true.  One of my training partners recently wondered what really makes you an Ironman....doing an Ironman or waking up every day, month after month, early in the morning to get in a ride, run or swim when all you want to do is hit the snooze button?  He gets up a lot earlier than I do, but we are all learning that Ironman is much more than a race.  We knew it would be, but now we are living out that dream- even when it does cut our dream time!


Our God continues to be mercifully good to us.  Recently while training for Ironman Texas a member was involved in an accident that left her with a separated shoulder.  That’s bad news when you are scheduled to swim 2.4 miles in just over two months.  After a few days and a visit to a renowned shoulder surgeon who happens to be an Ironman and member of Multisport Ministries, she was given the ok to run and cycle and most importantly the nod to race the Ironman.  Her story is at http://www.kellyryanroadtoironman.blogspot.com/.  Since the last post Kyle’s injuries have healed and David’s most recent MRI shows no stress fracture and he is able to begin running again.  A little over a year ago I had surgery to repair a hernia, but over the past few weeks it started bothering me again.  Medically speaking there is nothing short of surgery to remedy this, but I am compelled to tell that after sincere prayer I am no longer in pain and able to continue my training.  This is why we Tri4Him; because we could not without Him      


Triathlon season is almost upon us.  My focus has been slightly distracted from Ironman by my approaching half Ironman race.  This weekend will be my first race rehearsal which includes a 2200 meter swim on Friday then Saturday is a 61 mile ride followed by a one hour run on the seawall.  It is a “dress rehearsal” where we will test our race gear as well as the paces and nutrition guidelines provided to us from our coach.  As locals we are fortunate to be able to test the actual course on Galveston Island that runs from the Moody Gardens complex and heads west over the San Luis pass then back.  We will make adjustments and do the rehearsal again in two weeks in final preparation for the race on April 10.  It is a great spectator race and would love to have as many supporters as possible.  Lots of Tri4Him members will be racing and those that aren’t will have our tent set up, so please come join us.  Info is available at http://ironmanlonestar.com/


My current training plan will end with the race in Galveston and after a few days off I will start a short out season speed building program before my four month Ironman program begins.  The speed building is perfectly timed for the shorter sprint and olympic distance races I have on the schedule.  Last year I had third and fourth place finishes in sprint races, but one of my goals for this season is to place at one of the olympic distance races.  It may be a bit lofty, but I will be gunning for an age group win at the sprint distance races.  Upon completing the eight races I have planned I will have swam 6.8miles, cycled 278.4 miles, and ran 65.6 miles.  Lord willing my schedule is as follows-

4/10	Ironman Texas 70.3
6/12	Sylvan Beach sprint
6/26	Y Freedom sprint
7/24	TriWaco olympic
8/27	Clear Lake International olympic
9/4	Summertime Blues sprint
10/16	Try Andy's Tri sprint
11/5	Ironman Florida

Yesterday was Jacob’s fifth birthday and I could not be more proud of who he is.  He is the most the generous and thoughtful person I have ever known.  I hope he never changes.  Claire turns six next week and she was recently selected to be tested for Friendswood’s gifted and talented program.  I was recently privileged to remove the training wheels from their bikes and I am proud to report that they both inherited my cycling skills.  Jacob even has my magnetism to parked cars! Bella thought she was ready to ride on two wheels, but quickly changed her mind despite early success.  She will be riding soon too. 


I am also very proud of my wife and her new business venture.  Earlier this year she started www.capturedbynicole.net and is taking some wonderful pictures.  She is already booked for weeks, doing family portraits, senior pictures, babies, pets, weddings, ect.  Her prices are very affordable and a portion of the fee goes to help support Neartown Church.  Please check out her site and keep her in mind-


As a family we are excited to see rapid development of Neartown Church.  Despite having met just five times on Sunday mornings we are already experiencing the forging of relationships, sharing of blessings and mourning, and relevant teaching of God’s word.  Our children love and anticipate Neartown Kids.  We are looking forward to next weekend’s retreat then the official launch on March 27.  See what we’re about at http://www.neartownchurch.org/       

269 days to go

The year is starting to pick up speed.  Over the last few weeks I completed the first cycle of my 12 week 70.3 race prep plan.  This week is recovery/ assessment and it is welcomed.  Yesterday I completed my swim time trial and shaved another forty seconds off last month's time.  I also achieved my goal of 800 meters in less than fourteen minutes (I had five seconds to spare).  This hurdle means that my swim stroke is now at least proficient and I can begin working on improving swim fitness.  Being so cold outside has led me to spend lots of time on the bike trainer, so I am curious to see how that works out.  I haven't ridden on the road in almost a month, so I feel like I may have lost some fitness, but lots of people smarter than me swear by trainer workouts.  If the wind ever calms down and temperatures warm up enough I'll test it out.  I'm also curious to see how my run time trial will be.  I made nice improvements each cycle up to now, but with the new plan the focus has switched from speed building to endurance building.

The Houston half marathon was a success and now all focus shifts to the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas 70.3.  This is a half ironman distance race (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) in Galveston on April 10.  Everything centers around Moody Gardens with the swim leaving from Palm Beach and coming out at the paddleboat dock.  The ride is along the seawall over the San Luis pass and back, and the run is a four loop course around the Moody Gardens complex.  This race is also the US Pro championship, so there should be a good turnout of professional triathletes.  There will be a few firsts for me in this race.  In addition to being my first 70.3, it will be my first race to be fully trained and tapered under one of Coach Boo's custom race prep plans.  It will also be my first race dictated by Coach Boo's pace guidelines.  I am confident that these will combine for my best race to date.  I am excited that Kyle will be joining me for this race, but unfortunately David is still sidelined with an injury.  The triathlon world will have to await his race debut.

You may have noticed a recurring theme throughout these posts.  Obviously I am a big fan of Coach Boo's training methods.  When I submitted my last set of assessments he replied with the following: "Here are your increases during the past 8 weeks...
Swim - 7 TriDots or 2:21 on 800m TT
Bike - 7 TriDots or 1:49 on 15-mile TT
Run - 2 (almost 3) TriDots or 2:34 on 10k TT
Very strong and disciplined work!  Thanks for the effort.  I hope those stats find their way to your blog.  Pretty impressive progress".  Well here they are coach- with no intention of bragging, but testifying to the validity of the TLET system.  I am not just a fan of the training system, but I am a big fan of Coach Boo.  In addition to his day job/ husband/ father of three responsibilities, he coaches 62 athletes including 7 elite/ professionals.  He recently started a junior triathlete program as well.  As the founder of Tri4Him, he continues to provide a growing infrastructure for over 250 triathletes to glorify Christ through sport.  It is apparent that he is a man led by the Spirit for the increase of Christ's fame.  In the village required to make an Ironman, we are very fortunate to have Jeff Booher as mayor.

A few weeks ago my family and I joined the launch team of Neartown Church.  Neartown is a newly formed body "inviting busy people to experience the peace of life with Jesus Christ" meeting in downtown Houston.  This was not an easy decision for us to make, but we realized it was far less a decision and far more an act of submission and obedience.  Like most of Neartown, we left a church that we loved and had no desire to leave.  That being said, we are very excited about the future.  We have a highly skilled pastor and membership I look forward to building and increasing relationships with.

Jacob is starting tee ball and the girls are enjoying gymnastics.  Claire is excelling in school and Jacob was awarded the "character award", for which I could not be more proud.  Bella continues to fulfill our parent's prophecy of "someday you'll have a child that...".  Nicole is the steadfast tie that binds the household together and does a wonderful job doing so.  These are my reason and my purpose

Race Report #1

1/30/11 Houston Half Marathon

Result 1:52:37

I registered for this race over half a year ago- sort of.  I registered for the Houston Marathon Lottery way back in the hot and humid days of July.  Myself and six others won the grand price; an entry spot into the 26.2 mile Houston Marathon (after we paid the entry fee).  Months later after registering for Ironman and not particularly enjoying the San Antonio Half Marathon Coach Boo advised against running the marathon and I was easily persuaded.  As I was no longer content to just be a marathoner, the risk of injury and fatigue that come with marathon training were not worth the associated rewards, so I dropped to the half marathon (and paid another fee).  With focus on Ironman preparation I began a speed building training plan that never had me running over one hour, but come race day I was confident the increased distance wouldn’t be a problem.  Race week forecast looked ideal; temperatures in the forties and no chance of rain.  Race day was completely different, but quintessential Houston ; unseasonably warm and muggy with a good chance of rain. 

Tri4Him was well represented by runners and supporters as we gathered for our pre-race prayer.  It was still dark and just starting to rain as we made our way to the start.  I was feeling good and hoping for a solid negative split, averaging somewhere around 8:15 per mile.  After some confusion I started at the back of the first wave and immediately hit a wall of humanity crossing the Elysian Viaduct.  It was like being in a hurry in gridlock traffic.  As hard as I tried I could not get around the crowds and took almost ten minutes to complete the first mile.  At times the pace slowed to a walk.  My goal pace for the first 5k had been 8:25.  I knew the time was lost and would only hurt myself if I tried to make it up.  Over the next few miles I ran on medians, sidewalks, around spectators, water stands, and police to try to make my way to the front.  My 5k time was 27:43 at a pace of 8:56.  The next 5k improved as we ran through The Heights.  The crowd had thinned some and the sun had come up.  I completed the first 10k in 54:53 at a pace of 8:51.  As the route turned to the south down Montrose I could see the front of the pack that had completed the U-turn and had the roads to themselves.  As I finally caught the pack running closer to my desired pace it started to rain.  I finished the 15k in 1:21:43 at a pace of 8:47.  I knew the Tri4Him tent was waiting around mile 11, just outside downtown.  At this point I finally settled into my pace, enjoyed the rain, and looked forward to a personal record, even though it was not what I had hoped for.  Downtown greeted us with strong headwinds being funneled between the buildings.  For a brief moment I appreciated all the wind I had been training over the past few months.  I crossed the 20k mark in 1:47:23 at a pace of 8:39.  Feeling great I picked up the pace and finished in 1:52:37 at an average pace of 8:36, beating my Austin time and setting a PR by 5:15.

Of the six lucky lottery winners, only one other crossed the finish line that day.  Three had injuries that sidelined them, two of which are my Ironman partners.  Fortunately they are healing and will be back soon.  This was my fourth half marathon and I can say despite the weather and pacing issues I enjoyed it the most.  I set a PR, recovered quickly, and even had my picture posted on the ABC13 website! http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/gallery?section=news&id=7929006&photo=26

My next 13.1 mile race will be in Galveston after a 1.2 mile swim and 56 mile cycle and I’m really looking forward to it-    

305 Days to go

Happy New Year!  Even though we are two months into the year long preparation for Ironman Florida, the year in which it will occur is upon us.  I was born in 1979, ‘98 I graduated high school, ’01 engaged, ’02 married, ‘03 graduated college, ’04 started my banking career ’05,’06, and ’07 my children were born, ‘09 we moved to Friendswood.  2011 will be defined by the Ironman. 

My training plan prescribes workouts everyday; therefore I am provided daily opportunity for reflection and a few recurring thoughts help pass the miles.  I think about race day.  I am most frequently reminded of this when my body hurts or the external conditions are less than favorable.  I am reminded that I will hurt and we are not guaranteed flat seas or low humidity on race day.  It’s hard to accept in the moment, but training in all the wind we’ve had lately is a good thing.  I think of those who support me.  It’s rare I go out for a long run or ride without a familiar face waving or honking.  I often think about my wife and children and how lucky I am to have them.  I hope the result of all this is a better husband and father for them.  I hope they learn the value of fitness and chasing lofty goals.  I am daily reminded of the glory of God.  Ironman is a challenge of the human mind, body, and spirit; each of which was designed, created, and given life by God.  Each week as paces quicken and distances lengthen I am surprised by what this body is capable of.  God’s glory is also displayed in creation.  Sometimes it is in my favor, sometimes not.  I love running on a crisp day or into a bright orange sunset.  Other times it’s riding into a 25mph head wind or being caught in the rain.  All display the power and ability that is so much greater than my own.

Resolve to lose weight this year?  I rang in the 2007 new year at 220 pounds.  Fortunately that day a new 24hr Fitness opened near by and I was there almost daily for the next three months where I lost 30 pounds.  Over the next few months I got down to my healthy weight and have maintained it since.  In addition to working out regularly I quit drinking 48+ ounces of Dr. Pepper a day and adopted healthier and sustainable eating habits.  Without those changes, none of this would be possible.

Training is progressing well.  According to dailymile.com I just logged mile 1,000.  Cycling and running time trials have quickened and I am gaining technique and fitness on the swim.  I am in good health besides the IT band that keeps getting irritated and tightening.  I will take that over the shin splits that plagued my previous year’s training.  I have a few weeks left in outseason base training and then I will begin a race prep training for the Lonestar Half Ironman in April.  That race is at Moody Gardens in Galveston and great showing of professional and amateur athletes.  January will conclude will the Houston half marathon.  My original ambition was to run my first marathon, but I was easily persuaded that marathon and Ironman training may not be beneficial.  Watching the Ironman World Championship last month was a big boost.  It is saved on the DVR and played when I’m having a hard time getting off the couch.  I survived the holidays without putting on too much weight, but will focus on getting down to my “race weight” over the next few months.  Tri4Him is starting regular team workouts again and that is always a great time of work and fellowship.  As I logged onto the blog I read over Tobey's entries from this time last year http://www.teamstevenstri.blogspot.com/.  I was reminded of how much work is ahead, how quickly it will pass, and what an adventure it will be.  I am so glad to have all of you along for the ride- It’s going to be a good year!      

Shout out to the Hagans reading all the way from Angola Africa- thanks for taking my blog international!

333 days to go

Two statements have struck me as of late.  One is inspirational, the other is a reminder.  The first is from President Kennedy and gives props to my Longhorns.

But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win-

All who aspire to race the Ironman are asked why.  Why choose this as our goal? This is one of those "other things".  Like going to the moon, climbing Everest, flying the Atlantic, or the Owls playing the Longhorns, some things are worth doing because they are hard; because they require dedication, investment, faith, and imagination; because they require us to lean on those around us to make us better; because we cannot go at it alone; because the goal of the Ironman will measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one we are willing to accept, and now unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.

Rice has only beat Texas twice in the 48 years since that 1962 quote, but about a month later they tied 14-14.

The other has been cited from coming from Bear Grylls' mom.  Not sure if that is accurate, but Bear has done some pretty cool stuff, so I'll go with that.

Commitment is doing the things you said you would do, long after the mood you said it in has left you.

We've been back about a month from Florida and the awe of being at that finish line has diminished.  You might say the mood I was in the morning of on-site registration has left me.  That mood has been replaced by early mornings, cold temperatures, and lonely workouts.  Though the mood has left, the commitment remains.  This is where Ironman is making me a better man.  I've been left by many moods in my life.  Rarely have I ever been in the same mood as I was at my wedding, or the delivery of my children, or acceptance of my job, yet my commitments to wife, children, and career are more resolved than ever.  Nothing compares to the season of salvation where sinner becomes friend of God, but my commitment to faith is steadfast.  The race is 333 days away, but I will learn from the important things in my life to see me through this.

Since the last post I completed the San Antonio half marathon in 1:59:02, making my goal of finishing in less than two hours.  Coach Boo has advised high risk and low reward for training and racing the Houston marathon, so I have decided to run another 13.1.  My training has switched to an out-season endurance and speed building plan which I am really enjoying.  The cool weather has even convinced me on occasion that I enjoy running.  Shins splints haven't been a problem and I am feeling good.  I've dropped a few pounds and hope to lose a few more to get the ideal composition of 12% body fat. (Christmas parties are slowing the efforts)  I had a great run into a beautiful sunset this evening.  Knee is a little sore, but some ice will fix that.  Next up- Houston half marathon 1/31/11

Be sure to catch the Ironman World Championships from Kona airing on NBC Sunday at 3:00.  Keep an eye out for T4H members Cindy & Clay http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYYwBan8blk