2012 training started before 2011 has ended

Here it is and not even December yet and the swim, biking, running has begun to take place to start building for the 2012 season. Most mornings you can find me doing my workouts before 6am most days of the week. This Saturday morning was a 5 AM start at the Tri Shop Performance Studio in Plano, Tx, as me and Liz were one of the first people to put in a good session the computrainers here. My Coach Brent is already up to no good and coming up with ways to kick my butt through tying my feet up, running up hills, and pedaling with hard power. This was a small brick than what I will be accustomed to later but it was still quite a challenge and as I told Liz I rode like a lil' girl. She was offended by that, so I said a girl that is smaller than her. Today's workout was a 3x10 min interval at xxx watts then I went and ran down the road for a little bit.

Trying to ignore the Liz Raz who's always looking for photo opportunities.

In the hurt box pushing xxx watts.

2011 Season Closure and Off Season Adventures

This is to what I hope to be quick update. While I had a decent 2011 season it wasn't near as great as 2010, mostly due to my fault, but we got through it none the less and ended the season with a win at the Oilman Half Iron. I have set some big goals for next season which most were supposed to have been for this season, but I had to reevaulate those goals and give it another shot. I already have my race schedule list pretty much complete for next season. I am already back to training again with a good wattage test done last week, let me know some good stuff. I am still enjoying some fun and working at the Tri Shop. The Tri Shop has only been open over a week and we are having a great time out of here. Here are some photos from the 2011 Off Season so far. 

Hey I think I need a bike fit, you know where I get one? 

Cool People at Skating Rink at White Rock. 

I am never racing NatMer and Liz Raz in skating again, both of'em kicked my butt. I tried to out sprint NatMer on the final turn and crashed. I guess run and bike speed doesn't transfer to skating so well. 

Even at a housing warming party, we still had to ride the bikes CX/Crit kinda style on old school Huffy's. Maybe we should have wore helmets? 

Warming up the house for Lucy and Matt Gore. 

OWWWW! 

@ TRI SHOP grand opening w/ David Lassiter and Jim Conolly. 

Well thanks again for reading! I gotta hurry and get signed up for the TX3 Series by OnUrMark Productions before the sell out. 

Oilman Texas

This past weekend I finished my last triathlon for the season. I made the trip down with Amanda then we met up with Lance and ater my good friends Travis, Mark & Karmen.

I didn't know what to expect for this, as my training hasn't been necessarily the best for this due to some changes and working a lot the past week getting ready for Tri Shop's opening for November 12.

However, I stuck with what works the best and that is to take it step by step and just be smart and organized. I even wrote an itinerary for this.

4AM came super early as I had my normal pre race meal before a 70.3 that did include Wheaties Fuel if you must know. However I didn't plan to leave the room until about 5:30am, I put my legs up on the wall for a little while then I curled up into a ball and fell back asleep.

I warmed up with my good buddy Jason from Shama Cycles in Houston, afterwards I met Angie and she let me borrow her race belt since I forgot mine.(ooops!) I told her I would just stick it in my shorts if she didn't have an extra.

It was a pretty chill start and I never really felt nervous for this. I think the pressure was off to win since Derek Yorek a local pro showed up, but due to some injuries dropped after the swim. The swim start was rough, the 29 and younger division didn’t mess around. My left arm kept hitting somebody’s back and finally I was able to break free and get on some feet, but eventually lost of those then found someone else’s feet towards the second of the swam by me and he would breast stroke every so often to see where he was going but still out swimming me, I got on his feet and was trying hard to stay on until the end. The water was shallow leading into the exit, so I was able to do some dolphin dives to finish the swim in 32:41.

long run to T1

A long transition had me running through the sand, through the pool area and across to transition. All I had to do was buckle my helmet and I was off. I flew up on my bike and nearly miss-mounted landing slightly on the jewels. Ouch!

I was riding steady the first 10 miles around 24-26 mph but then we hit some hard chip seal for 10-15 miles that rattled your bones. Somewhere around mile 15 my bottle of Heed slipped out of my hands and rolled across the street. I looked behind me, crossed the center line to run back and grab my bottle, because I knew it would be a long day without it. When we finally got back on smooth road it was a big relief.

I quickly caught back up to the group that I had just passed only to re pass them again. During the out and back section I was looking for Derek Yorek on a road bike to see how far back I might be from him, but only to never see him. I was thinking I may have missed him and just kept riding as if I were still chasing.

At mile 40-46, the past few years it has always been a very slow section with several false flats. Around mile 42 my chain slipped off going up hill. I must have shifted too much at once. I came to a slow stop and was like uh oh and going no where I quickly get out of the pedals fix the chain, check the road to make sure I was safe and then back in the saddle.

Due to my better pedaling efficiency I was able to keep my energy level up during the bike, but I had no power and was actually a lot slower than I was a couple of years ago. I finished this year in 2:24 this year, compared to 2:18 two years ago and my only 3^rd half.

just 3-4 miles to go caught in the middle of no where by Patrick McClendon.

heading into t2

A very smooth dismount that I have been perfecting since my incident at Texas 70.3 I was flew through t2 in 30 seconds and on the road hitting sub 5:30 pace. I was like whoa slow down, your not there yet as a 24 year old Todd Teren took off like a rocket that I early caught through transition. I let him go knowing that if I was running as fast as I was he was most likely coming back so I took my chances and let him go. I hit 5:55’s consistently for the first 5-6 miles, which I have never been there before in a 70.3 a tleast for the first lap of the 3 looped course.

The second loop was a slowed down to a 6:10-6:15 pace. I caught Todd by after mile 5 and he tried to go with me and through in a surge to see if he could respond after no response the gapped increased from there. I still didn’t know if Derek Yorek was still in the race or not as I never saw him during the run, I figured I would have been able to see him by now.

The third loop was starting to get rough as I slowed down to 6:20s and the last 2-3 miles were getting rough as I was just trying to survive.

The last mile was my gps was telling me I would finish the last mile in 6:28, then 6:29. I kept telling myself do not drop to 6:30.

The finish was mostly a straight away and you could see the finish but then you had make a circle around to the finish, I cruised into the finish pointed to the heavens and with a slight celebration with my hands. A run time finish of 1:26 or so in 4:26.44.

heading out on the run feeling suprisingly pretty good.

back side shot!

executing good form the concentration on my mechanics is paying off.

and I've reached the finish!

During the awards ceremony I was more nervous waiting for my name to be called out than I was waiting to start the race. Maybe peeing in my wetsuit before the race helps calm my nerves? Then I had to give an impromptu speech about the race.

I don’t think I could have had as a good of a race with out keeping my faith strong and the awesome support crew from Amanda, Lance, and Aaron Palian from OnUrLeft Sports being out there cheering me on. Oh yes! And the butt slaps from Michael Barney, that gave me the extra push I needed every time I came around at least. Thanks to the Tri Shop and Brian Lee the most amazing bike mechanic ever who tuned my bike and my gears were shifting sharp and precise, who cleaned my bike too and had it shining like new! A big THANK YOU AMANDA, LANCE, AARON PALIAN, BRIAN LEE, and course BARNEY the one and only

While this season didn’t go as planned by far for 2011 due to a variety of reasons. However I am motivated more than ever f0r 2012 and setting my goals high and won’t settle for anything less.

Of course you have to end the long season off right with a Shiner Bock BBQ burger with onion rings and a side of french fries.

Triple Threat & Tri Shop

This is just a quick update! I finally found a triathlon club in the Northern DFW Metroplex area, now called Triple Threat Tough! I am looking forward to being involved with this organization more in the future. 

Most of you may know by now that I am working at the new triathlon store that is about to open really soon! It's called Tri Shop. You can visit us at www.trishop.com and www.facebook.com/trishopdfw. We are going to have an array of product and services for you to come and spend all day with us. We are expecting to open early November!!! 

Training is going is going well. I skipped out on Try Andys' last weekend but heard it was super fast and the course recored was shattered. I am gearing up for the Oilman half iron in a couple of weeks in Conroe. The Tri Shop crew is off to Austin 70.3 to cheer on athletes racing this weekend!!! Good luck to everyone competing. If you are not racing and want to ride in Austin with me tomorrow let me know. 

Micah Alexander Photography

A month ago I had the opportunity to work with an exceptional photographer. Micah Alexander Photography services did some amazing work, because we know I don't look like this in person. HA! He was a true professional about his passion. These images were shot near his place in Dallas and we emphasized a couple of my sponsors OnUrLeft Sports and Tri It Wear. If you like what you see and want to make an appointment or just want to check his other work out visit his website http://www.micahalexanderphotography.com/ and 

facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Micah-Alexander-Photography/219972978032584

The Bosco Wedding & Stonebridge Ranch

Last weekend was the Stonebridge Ranch triathlon in McKinney. I was looking forward to racing so close by, since I was going to stay in town for my college friend Jeremy Bosco's wedding. S0- Saturday night I left to go to the wedding in plenty of time, it's a good thing too, as I got lost a couple of times and arrived to the wrong wedding. I am pulling up to the street that where the wedding is supposed to be, I see a sign that is for  a wedding. I walk into the backyard and feeling overdressed as most of the guys are decked in wranglers, flannel shirts, and cowboy hats. I was like man, these folks are country. The backyward nice with poolside and a view of a clean cut golf course. I was sitting there wandering why nobody I recognize from college was there and doubting these people had college degrees. I see someone with a card and it had a different name on it. It's 6:58pm and the wedding starts at 7pm. There is no sign of Jeremy. Things started to click I dash out get in my car, race down the street and make it in time to see Jeremy and his wife up there together. My friend Carlos Ruiz was on mexican time and he did the same thing and stopped at the wrong wedding. I didn't feel so bad then. 

Jeremy and Cameron moments before they were pronounced husband and wife. 

Friends from ETBU- Mark Jackson, Duy Nguyen and Carlos Ruiz. Please excuse my sweaty arm pits it was hot outside. 

I arrived at 5:15am to the race site one of the very first people there ready to get set up to rock and roll. Once it finally got daylight we are allowed to warmup for a couple of minutes. Then we got kicked back out of the water again, because some of miscommunication. Then back in the water again for another 2 minutes before we got kicked out.My swim start was rough from the start as immediately water got kicked in my goggles and I was struggling to see. I was trying to make the best of it, by the time we got to the first turn I had to pause for a second and let the water that had filled my goggles up out. After a week off after Vegas and getting back into it, I found it hard to push the intensity like I usually can, plus struggling to swim straight didn't help and the kayakers and jet skis were moving all over the place. I was looking off the bouy several times and a kayaker would be right in front of the bouy you were trying to sight off of. 

Finally, got out of the water in 25:53 and through transition. Once on my bike, I pushed the intensity because I knew had a lot of work to do, coming out 7th or so out of the water in our small 10 man division. We had a decent south wind and uphill start, we did this loop four times. The back side is pretty fast. The last loop or two I was having quite a few calf cramps,  it's been awhile since I had those. Off the bike with a 24.9 bike split and in 5th off the bike. 

I took off to a strong start and realized after a week off I didn't have quite the same zipp. I settled into a little slower pace than I am used to for a 10k run but I held it consistent for 3 miles, until I started having stomach issues at 3 miles. By mile 4, my stomach felt like it wanted puke, by the last mile I was having some light chills. It was very wierd. My 5th mile was 7 min and my last mile was 7:40. I jogged it in for 3rd overall. 

Top  3 guys

Thanks to my amazing God and the people that support me. Justin from Bicycles Plus tuned my bike up that it would put Di2 shifters to shame. This week, I am getting back into some solid training under me. I think I lost my legs in Vegas.  I am looking forward to my next race called Try Andy's in Sugarland. It's going to be a very fast race. 

70.3 World Championships Recap

I want to give big thank you to everyone who supported and believed in me. This would not of course be possible without the Lord for watching overme this year, during our travels, and the race. My parents for there endless love. Brandon McGee my roommate, he let me borrow his 11-28 cassette for the hills and I trained on his computrainer, which is sold now :( . Nathan Villa, my main G right there, for handing me a saddle while mine had fallen apart. My sponsors thatI rep. OnUrLeft Sports, Bicycles Plus, Tri It Wear, and Wheaties Fuel! Bryce and Mr. Fluker for letting me come along this trip and making it a memorable one. Mr. Fluker and Bryce picked me Wednesday morning and we drove to Santa Rosa, New Mexico that night and were greeted by cooler temperatures. Then t

he following day we traveled the through the rest of New Mexico and upward to Northern Arizona where we stopped at the Grand Canyon. Bryce and I did a 30 minute run around

the south rim of the Canyon then hitched a bus ride back. The 30 minute run took us near an hour and half as Bryce wanted to stop every 30 seconds for pictures, haha. The weather had drastically changed on us with high winds and some light rain and we could see lightening in the distance but we made it safely back.

Bryce and I about to start are run along the south rim.

Snapping a wicked photo of the Grand Canyon in the middle of a run.

Bryce and I at the Grand Canyon before we began our "30 min" run. Friday morning we went from the Grand Canyon to the expo in Henderson, NV. We went to the expo and met pro's Linsey Corbin and Michael Weiss. Then for a 20 minute outdoor pool swim and we had the Welcome Dinner that night.

Bryce and I before our departure to Vegas!

Morning View of the Grand Canyon.

W/ Austria's Michael Weiss (4th) and Linsey Corbin (3rd).

Saturday morning was an early start for us as we met my Coach Muddy Waters and some of his other Muddy Buddies at the race site for some pre race day prep exercises. We did a 20 minute swim in Lake Las Vegas, followed by a 30 minute spin along the beginning of the course and back, then an easy 15 minute run.

W/ Shama cycle guys from Houston. Double Andrew and Jason and me repping the Bicycles Plus from Dallas.

With super studes from Dallas, Chris Moody, Travis Thomason, and Ron Tribendis.

Bryce and I after the welcome dinner.

Bryce and I chillin' out pre-race!

suited up and ready to head down to join our wave start.

I didn't bother warming up too much for this race since we were the last wave to go. I just did some dynamic type of stretching with my arms and legs. If I had to do it over again I would start off at the front of the swim to latch on to swim one a bit more faster than me instead, I chose to stay more so in the middle in hopes of that saving some energy and by not getting banged up too much with the size of our wave. I did get to draft on some swimmers but I think I could have went with someone a lot of faster than me. I came out of the water in 34:12, a little slower than usual but this was without wetsuits, but some of my competitors that come out at the same time as me were minutes back.

I ran as fast as I could or fast as you can run after swimming 1.2 miles through the 30o meter transition run and I ran also with my shoes on my feet to our bikes which I normally never do but my coach Muddy Waters reccommended it since we had a curve then a steep uphill there would be no time for putting your shoes on the bike. I heeded his advice and it turned out rather well as blitzed by several other riders still putting on shoes.

Shown here about to mount.

This 56 mile bike was either uphill or down hill. There was no flat sections on this course. Under a roundabout and under a tunnel a water bottle had popped out of my front cage. I stopped to get it but a volunteer stopped me and got it for me, probably losing a minute, at least it felt like it. I rode the first half rather conservatively as it was one hill after another. My adductors were already screaming at me. I started picking it up a bit and going with these other riders that had passed me, then around mile 40-45 my buddy Cam from Lubbock caught me after being 3 minutes back from me on the swim. He was riding well. I tried to go with him and keep him in sight. But I faded back and I struggled the last 10 miles back into Henderson to T2, but I was keeping positive spirits.

Coming into T2.

As I jumped off my bike, I almost hit the ground as my legs were rubbery. I was thinking this ain't good. Once I sat down and got my running shoes on I was up and it and rather surprised how good I was feeling. Hitting a sub 6 minute pace in control, despite it was downhill at the beginning. Make a U turn just after the first mile and that quickly changed, as it was all uphill on the second half of the loop. Regardless, I stayed in control of my run the entire race, despite being on the verge of cramping. The last 3 miles I tried to bust out a nice run split, but my legs were about to cramp. I was like Ok, let just maintain this effort and try again the last mile. I brought it home in a nice fashion under a 6:30 pace at least. I paid the price later as I puked 3x. I finished the run in 1:28+ with a 6:44 pace a total time of 4:41.32 which put me 20th in the 25-29 age group.

Coming into finish the race!

Bryce and I post race!

Awards Banquet that night pool side!

Top 10 Women w/ Australia's Melissa Rollison leading the way.

Top 10 Men w/ Australia's Craig Alexander and 2x 2008,2009 Ironman World Champion and 2006 70.3 World Champion at 38 years of age does it again!

W/the new CEO, Andrew Messick of WTC. Was a super nice guy!

Chunkin' up the deuce w/ 4th place, Austria's Michael Weiss.

The next day after the race it felt like we were hit by a truck and I was walking slower than 66 year old Mr. Fluker. He actually walks quite fast by the way. We went to Vegas to Gallup, NM. We stopped at Walnut Canyon National Monument where Indians once dwelled and they carved out there homes in the Canyon.

Bryce and I at the entrance.

The little holes are the Indian homes.

Here I am inside of an Indian home.

The next day we drove from Gallup, NM to Amarillo, Tx but first we stopped by the El Morro National Monument and Clines Corner, a World Famous Travel Stop. The El Morro monument is contains written messages from people from the 1600-1900s'. It's quite historic if you ever get to check it out.

El Morro!

@ Clines Corner.

From Amarillo, Wednesday morning we made it back safely to The Colony and East Texas.

Bike Course Preview.

My goal for this course next year is to crack the top 5 in my age group as they were all from Belgium and Germany. I only have 3 race left I am doing this year with the next one is this weekend in McKinney, the Stonebridge Ranch triathlon. Thank you again for all your support!