Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon - USAT South Midwest Regional Championship

I kick started this racing season at the Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon - USAT South Midwest Regional Championship in Shreveport, LA hosted by SportsSpectrum this weekend. I stayed with my little brother Larkin, who I now have start referring to as my younger brother has he has finally put on a few more pounds than me. 

                                   

My "little" brother Larkin and I at his apartment

I was eager to see where I was at this weekend as the training with my Coach Michelle LeBlanc has been going very well. I followed the race plan almost to a T. This race featured 3 mile run, 16 mile bike, and  2 mile run on Clyde Fant Parkway. 

We got off to a quick start for the first 3 mile run. A high school kid from Waco Christian Perez and Pro Triathlete from Oklahoma City Dan Tigert jumped out to a quick start. I got right behind Dan. Christian immediately put a big gap on us. I stayed right behind Dan and we were going sub 4:55 pace starting out. Surprisingly, this felt a lot better than it did back in the day when I used to could run this pace for 5k alone. Dan put a surge and caught up to Christian and I followed him. There were a couple other surges Dan put in and I was able to counter them. We both tucked in behind Christian and we were letting the young guy do the work.  We had split the first mile in 5:12.  Just before the turn around for the 3 mile run I pulled away then surged right after the turn. I didn't get a response from either of them so I just kept running. I had split the 2 mile at 10:35. With a mile to go to the finish Dan had caught back up to and pulled in behind me. I slowed down since he caught up to me and started saving myself for the bike, I figured I might need it. We came in together at 15:58. 

The Start of the USAT  South Midwest Regional Championship - Frost Yer Fanny  Du

Quickly became a 3 man race. 

Dan Tigert and I coming into from the first run. 

Coming into T1 I had trouble buckling my helmet with gloves on and Dan was getting away. In hot pursuit I was slowly catching back up to Dan it turns out he can ride, but unfortunately a flat around mile 2 cost him the race. I slowed up for him since it was just me and him at this point to see if was going to be able to fix it. I saw him toss it in the back up of the Sportspectrum truck and I started pressing down again. The course was two loops on Clyde Fant Parkway which had 3 turnarounds. I took it super easy around these since the roads were slick and midway on the bike my calves were cramping resulting in me having to ease up towards the end. My bike split (23.4 mph, 41:01) wasn't the result I was going for but I'll take it for today

Mounting on the Cobb 55 JOF Saddle. 

Heading out on the bike chasing Dan at this point. 

Coming back into T2 went a lot better than T1. The second run was on a little flat running path along side Clyde Fant Parkway a mile out and back. My legs were a little wobbly starting out with a 5:41 mile split, coming back though I found some momentum and split the second mile in 5:24. 

Coming into the finish. 

Cresting over the top of the hill at the end.

My Dad and I cat the finish line. 

My Mom and I at the finish line. 

First of all praise God for a great finish this weekend and allowing me to do what I do. My parents Johnny and Glynis and my wonderful Fiancee Calley Borocz (just over a month away and I can say Beautiful Wife). My Coach Michelle LeBlanc from OutRival Racing who has been training me all winter long and has been finding some new speed and watts in these legs. Also, Extremus, Shama Cycles, and the Cobb Mobb team for standing behind me this year. Thank you so much!

1st OA USAT South Midwest Regional Duathlon Championships - Frost Yer Fanny.

 Thanks again for reading and I'll be racing at the Fresh 15k March 1st. I'm really excited because it's just down the road.

Cheers,

William

2014 Racing Schedule

With the first race right around the corner I thought I better get around to sharing my racing schedule. I can't believe it's that time already. Life has flown by lately. A lot of you already have know but I've already moved back to Tyler, Texas and I'm getting married to my beautiful fiancee, Calley in March. It's been very busy as we have still been getting organized here and keeping up with all the training.  I have been blessed with a recent new opportunity that I am absolutely thrilled and passionate about and will be able to continue to learn more about that I will be starting here soon. 

I am working with a great team of people behind me this year. I consulted with Michelle Leblanc from OutRival racing last year in late November. I was just inquiring if she could help me during the spring once race season came, but she was very proactive and talked me into signing up with her earlier than intended and I haven't regretted it. Probably one of the best decisions I've made. It's the first time ever I have been coached by a woman, not such a bad thing either. She has assembled small pro squad including Liz Baugher, Sarah Hankla, Todd Teren, and Scott Wilkinson and a few others. I've made clear that my goal is to be included with them.   I've already seen remarkable improvements during the off-season with my swim technique has improved tremendously and my swim times are starting to correlate with that, now if I can just transfer that to open water. Also my bike and runs have shown lower heart rate and higher power/decrease pace. 

Shama Cycles, a partner with OutRival Racing helped me adjust my bike fit a few weeks ago. Since then I have found better power numbers and increased cadence. I can stay down in aero position for the whole time I'm riding now.  I'm still jealous I missed Cupcake Friday. 

Once racing season was over last year I talked to Andrew Ha, from Sigma Swimming in Fort Worth. He has been awesome at helping me improve my swim technique. We were meeting about 3 times a month, but since I'm in Tyler that will be limited but I will be looking to reconnect with him here soon once things settle down.

I've been teamed up with Extremus since 2012 a global full-service sports marketing & management company serving an array of star athletes and lifestyle brands who embrace the motto, “There are no limits.” I am thrilled to be in association with some of these exceptional athletes including Kenyan runner Jonathan Kibet and Kim Schwabenbauer the 9th American at the Ironman World Championships last year. 

Finally I was hand picked to represent the Cobb Mobb Elite Team powered by Cobb Cycling which happens to be based in Tyler, Texas. I was living in Fort Worth at the time I applied, Jeremy Brown, the Director who I had never met at the time was giving no hints away who had made it until the last minute. The Mobb includes an array of a couple of pro and elite-amateur triathletes. Most of us are from the Deep South in Texas and Louisiana. I am sure you are going to hear a lot about this. 
If you made it down this far then you are doing good. I try to keep my write-ups as short as possible. With this much support it's hard not too. Outside of these fantastic opporuntities I also have the support of family my parents, Rylan, and soon be Wife in March, Calley. I am really blessed and thank God for these people who are helping me make the most of this sport and the talent and work ethic he has given me. 

I am super excited about my first race of the year right around the corner and I'll so be coming into the new 30 year old age division at most of these. The first race is next weekend the Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon in Shreveport, LA, which is also the "USAT South MidWest Regional Du Championships". It's my second duathlon ever, I don't know if you can even count my first one (Texas Motor Speedway Du 2010) since I ended with a DNF due to a flat tire. I can tell you duathlons are super hard - you run all out, then you bike all out, then you try to run all out with whatever you have left. This should be fun, I'm hoping for sunny and 75 weather ;) 

Here is the rest of my schedule for the year. Thanks for reading this far and I hope to see you out there. . 

2014 Season Schedule

Feb 9: Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon - Shreveport, LA
March 1: Fresh 15K - Tyler, TX
April 13: New Orleans 70.3 - New Orleans, LA
April 27: Wiki Man - Wills Point, TX
May 26: Cap Tex - Austin, TX
June 8: Kansas 70.3 - Lawrence, KS
June 29: Buffalo Springs 70.3 - Lubbock, TX
July 13: Shadow Creek Ranch - Pearl Land, TX
July 20: Kansas 5150 - Lawrence, KS
Sept 14: TriFecta - Possum Kingdom Lake, TX
Sept 20: Augusta 70.3 - Augusta, GA
Oct 26: Austin 70.3 - Austin, TX
Nov 2: Oilman Half Ironman - Lake Conroe, TX