Here, There, and Everywhere.

Well, enough is enough, time to get on writing about oh the last month. First was my trip to NY City, the Jersey Shore, and then on to the half-iron in Connecticut. I stayed in the city with one of my best friends Kyle Westaway, one helluva host, I was there for 3 days. In NY city we went to see a few shows one, Feuzuberta, butchered that, was incredible. The city is not my cup of tea but I have respect for those who live there. Little tough to train there, especially when they want to charge $50 to swim!! I also was able see a dear friend Tiffany Moran, we went to school way back in the day and reconnected this past Xmas, she was a gracious host as well. We went to the Broadway play 9 to 5 and what great times. I then went to the Jersey Shore to train with Scotty, love that guy, we had some great training days, always brings back memories from the college days. Then came the reason I was there, to race my second half. Boy was I in for a treat. One of my dear friends and mentors Jon Lawler and his son Nathaniel were also on hand for the race, as was Kyle and Tiffany who took the train from the city. They had a great time on that train for the entertainment was at a high when we picked them up. As for the race it was my last amateur race, and I wanted to see how I could go at this distance. Plan was to get out and get on some feet in the swim. Well, I got out and no ones feet where there, so for the first time in my life I led a swim start to finish, feeling great about that. The bike I knew I had to keep in check and everyone was talking about how hard it was and well it was the hardest ride of my life I covered the course in 2:26, the leader Matty Reed was a mere 9 min in front, so to say the least the course was tough. I got off the bike and had caught all the women and was running with some guy pros. Plan was to keep it cool for the first 6-7 miles and then let it rip. I had done 10 miles two weeks prior at 5:45 pace so I thought I was ready to go. Well, the run course had a 2 mile climb at 4 miles, another climb at 8.5 to 10, and the last was from 12 to 13. At the turn around which was 6 I knew I was in trouble. One of those days, could not get out of the gear I was in and I was in for a death march. The amateur who won, I was 2nd am and 12th overall, came by me at mile 9 and I had nothing, one of the worst feelings in my life. Really the toughest race or run I have ever done in my life. I did take away some great things from the race, wanted to do better but hey you have days where you run 1:27 and hate life. So after that I came home to Knoxville, where I had some down time and spent one of the weekends on the Lake with some of my oldest friends, Linlee, MJ and Jason and Ashley and Kirk. It was a blast and not often I get down days like that and they all made it a special day. Thanks guys. Pretty soon I think Ashley will be the next great triathlete, based on her swimming abilities with paddles!! Then last weekend drove to Buffalo Springs Texas to watch 70.3, watched Bosch have fun in his first half-iron, and Sydney Cornell have a spectacular day and qualify for Kona. Fun weekend although, on Saturday I rode the course it was 100 degrees and the surface temp was probably 115. I felt Iike I was going to die, and probably came pretty close to it. Now, I am in my first week training here in Boulder. My gracious roommate Laurie Fritts has been kind enough to let me crash at her place. This week I have been keeping everything in check low intensity but keeping volume up. Beautiful place with a lot of different people to train with and now I just have to find the right group. Well, I guess that will do for now, supposed to race first pro race this coming Saturday in San Francisco, a continental cup race, should be exciting. More updates to come. Always Dream Big!!!

A little of this and a little of that.

It’s been a long time since I last wrote, well really since Australia so I will just go down and highlight some of my latest activities. I am in Knoxville and have been since OZ but that will be changing here in the next few weeks, as I am driving out to Boulder on June 12th to spend some time there training. Looking forward to it, for Colorado is one of my favorite states, especially in the summer. Love wearing warm clothes at night and it being super hot during the day. So we shall see what will come of all this. Not moving just going to train.
As for the highlights over the last little bit.
-Race Director for the Dogwood Mile run, great event and will get so much better next year. Different being on that side of things. I also put it on the same weekend as my first race, prob not ideal for I was up till 12 then got up at 4:30 to fly to Florida and race the following day, not the ideal race prep. But great event and had tons of fun and very very thankful for all the people that helped me pull the event off. Look for it to be bigger and better next year.
-Raced at St. Anthony’s, easily one of my favorite venues, but this time didn’t work out so well. Cancelled the swim, which I wanted to see how my work has paid off, started with a bike and I was 3rd one off which means I was solo for 18 miles till the train rolled me up and then I was drafting, yes as was everyone else I was with but I was busted and given a 2 min pen. Such is life, ran a 32:40 which was not bad, finished 3rd but with penalty dropped me down to 7th. I guess you live and learn and control only what you can.
-Have had great training help from Amy Midis, Don Bosch, and Patrick Gildea, these three have been a huge help.
-Went to my Dad’s 40th year anniversary with Dollywood and met Dolly for the 3rd or 4th time but that never gets old.
-Got to see an old friend Linlee, for the first time in like 2-3 years, always fun catching up with someone who you have known for 17 years, brings back memories of great times back at Farragut.
-Went to see Leno only to get called out for what my “job” of being a Triathlete is, he thinks it has to do with porn, far from it Jay.
-Went to Memphis in May with my mom and had fun with Eddie, Lotte, Travis, and Amanda. We all raced one but a couple of us including myself did two tris on back to back days. A first for me. Did a mountain bike tri on Sat which was fun, hard as hell but fun, felt like I was so out of shape. Totally different feeling and system that is being worked, then raced the Olympic Distance Tri on Sun. Came in 1st on Sat 4th overall on Sun and won some money for doing both. Hurt my shoulder somehow before the race Sun and then woke up to a back that was wrecked for 3-4 days heading into this past weekend. Somehow I think MIM is cursed, every time I go there something happens. May need to consider not going next year.
-Busy week, get to sit in on a dear friend’s meeting to really look at following a dream and making a decision to run for Mayor, really honored to be in this group with him and looking forward to it.
-Last, head to NY on Sat to spend some time with Kyle, Tiff, Paul, Winston, train with Scotty and see the Grangers up at my first 70.3 of the season in Conn. on June 7th. Promise I will be updating on a more regular basis. I actually enjoy writing but with my ADD I just have to find time to sit still.
As I was laying on the table getting a massage tonight., I was thinking how lucky and blessed I am. I have started coaching some people recently, which brings me so much joy to see others living there dreams and being apart of it all. There are so many people in my life who help me do what I do and have been placed here for many reasons and I am so thankful for each of the roles people play in my life. YOU all mean so much to me and I Love You and Thank You for all your support. DREAM Big!

p.s. I know it’s a little scattered but that is what is up inside my head.

Little by Little

Well, I have been meaning to write for the last few days and some how just never made the time to do so. This is my last week here, crazy how time flies. When I first arrived, I was wondering how I was going to make it. I was sick, tired, getting my ass handed to me everywhere I turned and was thinking maybe I’m just not cut our for this at this level. Well, time has a way of revealing the information we need as time goes on. I have learned so much while being here: Trusting my coach, knowing I can handle way more than my mind thinks I can, realizing I have been treating this more like a hobby than a job, that my eating habits are pretty bland (I hate veggies, well I have broadened my horizons this trip but still), going to bed every night before ten and most nights before 9 makes you feel so much better at 5 in the morning, (crazy how your body adapts -when first arrived did 24x200 and ave 33 thought my legs were going to fall off, now ave 31-32 and had room still in the tank), that the simple life is really pretty good with me, I can’t do it alone like I have the past 2 years or so, which leads me to needing to relocate to one of two places for the summer-Nashville or Boulder. Knoxville will always be home. I have some of the best friends in the world there. Since I have been gone, it is crazy to realize how much support is there. I am one blessed individual, THANK YOU! My family is there as well, so I will never really leave. I see myself spending training stints in different places over the next few years and I will be HOME often. I have come to realize that to be the best you must surround yourself with the best. I go to swim squad and look around and there are a couple top 10 at Ironman Hawaii, a couple World Champions and Olympians, and plenty of Ironman Champs. I have really enjoyed getting to know a few of my new mates and look forward to seeing them in the states and back over here next year. Also, I realize how lucky I am to have Hillary Biscay as a roomie. She is a model workhorse, she rarely if ever complains, she is always getting the job done-it’s no wonder the girl can do 9 Ironman Races a year, she truly is an Ironwoman. She has been of such great support and encouragement to me over the last 5 weeks. I have struggled at times, usually I get home sick and no I am not really home sick. I do miss my routine and I am a home body so I feel a little out of my element. But, this walkabout has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life that will hopefully catapult me to the places I need to go. As my mate Huck said earlier, little by little may all your dreams come true, one step at a time. I took a big step 5 weeks ago and followed my dream, and now little by little it will unveil itself to me. Never let anyone tell you, you don’t have what it takes. At the end of the day there is only one who can answer that question. As I sit here and the rain comes down, may it rain some days and shine others but never stop DREAMING BIG!

Noosa week 3

Well another week is down which means 12 swims, 5 runs and 2 bikes are in the books. I am starting to get adjusted and enjoying myself, well I mean not getting crazy or anything but getting in to a routine. This week is a week of some firsts. I had a massage on Sat. after our group ride. Toby is the man around here giving massages to all the athletes, a few get 2-3 a week so he is a pretty busy guy. Anyhow, during my massage, he told me I was super tight and he thought magnesium deprived. Less than 15 minutes after he left, my back started to spasm. I mean, I was on the ground in seconds. The kind where you can’t really catch your breath. I ended up swimming a bit that afternoon, very easy I might add. Then the next day things started to get shaken out after our ocean swim which leads me to my next first. Most of you know how much trouble I had the first year of triathlon and overcoming a lot of fears and anxiety. Well the ocean has been a bit of a fun time for me. If I am not swimming alone in the ocean, I feel pretty good about it. This week before swim, Belinda Granger, one of the best at Ironmans, decided to tell me how the beach was closed earlier in the day because SHARKS were in the area. As I looked around, the usual group of 20 or so was down to 5, funny how they all got the message. All went well and I’m here to tell you no sharks were seen but the anxiety was felt for sure. Then there was the cyclone that was rapidly approaching. Monday on my way home from the pool in the pouring rain, the winds were blowing fiercely. So a cyclone is what they call a hurricane here in the Pacific. This cat 5 was as big as Hurricane Katrina. Luckily, it did not make land fall but the effects of it hanging out at sea are still being felt here tonight, as it is still pouring down rain. The good and the bad of this storm, I will give you the bad first. I had to ride today 3 hours, windy the whole ride, and for half it was a torrential down pour. After my accident last fall, I am really apprehensive in the rain. So, it was a pretty tense day to say the least on the bike. Now the cool part was going down to the ocean to see what all was going on. They spend lots of money here 2-3 times a year to put sand over all the rocks. Now I can understand why, for there is no beach right now, just rocks after the storm had washed away the sand. But the coolest part was watching the surfers. This is a huge surf town and they live for times like this. One of the craziest scenes I have ever witnessed. First, they were everywhere. I guess they know the protocol for not killing one another as they hang ten. What I was witnessing was controlled chaos. Then on top of it, the waves were huge and crashing everywhere. You either have to have a few screws loose or just live for the moment. I was scared just watching. But I know what I want to do when my tri career is over, learn how to surf and move somewhere near water where life is lived waiting on the next big wave. Love the attitudes of the local surfers, they wake up and think I will go catch some waves before school or work, I love it. This week has been a tough week on the body, running on like 22 days of 2-3 workouts a day. The mind fails before the body but had a day yesterday where they both were in the tank, not a good day. But as my coach told me in an email, “nothing wrong with cracking as long as you pick things up and put it back together” and that’s what I did today. We all have days like that and we just have to live in the moment. Sometimes hard to do! Well time to hit the bed. But first, want to send my best to Dr. Krisle, my brother’s future father-in-law who had quadruple bypass surgery on Tuesday. Wish him a speedy recovery. And as always, Dream Big! PS Feel free to ask questions on the post a comment section. Sometimes I just don’t know what I should be writing, don’t want to bore with the mundane stuff. DB!

Week 2 in Noosa

Well as I sit here, it was two weeks ago today that I got on a plane for 34 hours and the journey began. As my best friend Andrew Huck said, this is your walkabout, and you will be changed forever. That has happened. The days all seem to run together and I wake most mornings wondering how will I do it today? Well here is a Wednesday for you: 5:30 was ocean swim, this was lots of fun if only I could have run, did a track workout last night and my calves were shredded. So the running back and forth into the ocean swimming out to buoys and back was a bit more taxing than I thought it was going to be, but none the less it was a great workout and hurt a ton. Then home for a bite to eat before we had squad swim at 9:30. I went into this workout smashed and thought I would be lucky to finish, but I finished and actually had a great swim. One thing I am learning is just when my mind wants to give out my body somehow can keep going. Not sure I understand, but seems we let our minds limit us, one thing I will be working on for the rest of my life. So after swim (I have to ride my bike round trip 10 miles every time I swim) I came home, went to café and had lunch as I tried to just relax and get in some air condition. I sweat all day and night for there is no ac and the weather has been brutally hot here of late. Then, I took a nap and got ready to head back to the pool for my last workout of the day, a 3k swim. Barely could get up and down the pool and finally loosened up as I kept trucking. Well that is my Wednesday, I have roughly 19 workouts throughout the week with the shortest one being a 45 min run twice a week. I don’t tell this to brag but to merely give you insight into my time here in Noosa. My confidence at many times has wavered and my ability to think clearly has done the same. I have questioned myself many times, this has not been easy for me. At times I have wanted to quit and just come home, but there is a voice inside that won’t let me quit for now I realize it takes so much more to get to the next level. I also have many people who believe in me, for then I ask myself, why can I not believe in myself? I am exposing myself in my blog in a way for the first time to share my journey for this is no holiday, and I would guess that there are dreams in each of us that are worth fighting for and hard as hell to work through and keep believing in even when it seems as though you just can go at it anymore. Well, as one of my favorite quotes says “When going through hell, keep going!” Lastly, as I sat and watched We Are Marshall the other night, I realized how hard it is build anything. They had to rise up from the ashes and when starting anything that is what we all have to do. The hard part is building the foundation and just getting started maybe the hardest part of all. But once you get started, you can and will rise up! As I always say don’t ever stop DREAMING and then get after it, RISE UP!