2015 USAT National Championships - Pre

I have a very detailed memory of a time when I was eleven years old. It was summer time and we were living in Odessa. My mother had taken my brother and I with her to the grocery store and we were walking out with the guy who had bagged our groceries (a practice that is lost these days). The guy, who must have been eighteen at the time and probably preparing for his senior year of high school, asked me what grade I was going into. When I told him sixth grade, his response was simply, "man you have a long way to go." I agreed.

Now nothing seems like a "long way to go." Days come and go at the speed of light and seem to melt together, and I find it increasingly difficult to discern the activities. I work pretty much non-stop while I am in the office and once home, we don't sit down until Jack is asleep. If breathing was not a passively instinctual activity, I wouldn't remember to do it.

"The trouble is, you think you have time." - Buddha

When I signed up for the 2015 USAT National Championship race last December, I had every intention of making it the "A" race for this year. I would ride the course virtually on the bike trainer, run 10k's all year long and swim 1500m 4x/week until it became a warm-up session. I was going to be in the best shape of my life when I landed in Milwaukee. What I failed to calculate was burning myself out on a 70.3 in April and moving twice in early and late July. The trouble absolutely is, you only think you have time. Twenty-four years later and I find I still have a long way to go, it's just the metaphor has changed.

To avoid making excuses before the race even begins, I will say that I am in good enough shape to finish the race. Performances in the last three sprints have placed me in the top 5 of my age group each race. My bike power is elevated and my transitions into running feel much better than they did a year ago. Swim times have declined and no analysis is needed to understand that I spend less time in the water than I should. Nonetheless, I will likely finish in the middle of the pack (I believe there are 200+ men 35-39) hopefully sub 2:20. Leg specific goals are a 30:00 swim split, 1:05 bike split and a 43:00 run split. 2 mins total in transition. Not the times that qualified me for this race, but I am working with what I have right now.

I did take the time to update my race history here:

Travelling for a race is a race in and of itself. There is a logistical component that does not exist when you only race locally...bike had to be dropped off last Saturday, pedals removed and race wheels locked on. It will arrive in Milwaukee on Thursday. Emily and I fly out of Houston on Thursday morning and will head down to the transition area for packet pickup, bike pickup and hotel check-in. Friday morning I will head down to the race site to ride my bike, get a quick swim in and pace off a short run along the lake in an effort to acclimate before the race on Saturday. Then it's off to bike check-in and the athlete briefing, followed by attempts to stay off of my feet and take in fluids and good calories. At some point I will have to remind myself to have fun...I am excited to be sticking around for another day to watch my good friend Sam race the sprint on Sunday. There's a peace I receive from racing, but true fulfillment comes from spectating and cheering on competitors who are out on the course. Sam will do well and we'll be out there to support him to the finish.

In the midst of all of the turmoil I still find myself thankful. Thankful that we were able to move back into town and into a neighborhood where we can plant some roots. Thankful that we are all healthy. Thankful that I continue to enjoy this crazy sport and am able to participate. Eternally thankful for my family and friends who support me on this self-fulfilling journey.

Will report back after returning to Houston.