Just wanted to put in a real quick update while I have a few minutes of downtime. I was truly shocked and humbled at the outpouring of support after the article was published in the Lubbock AJ last Thursday. Here is a link to the story and video in case any of you haven't seen it:
http://lubbockonline.com/sports/2012-06-20/triathlon-offered-path-healthier-future-lubbock-racer#.T-XLuI597FI
Thanks again Nick and Zach from the AJ. You guys were great!
The real hope that we had from the article is that it would get some folks to look at their health in a little different way. The years ahead aren't free and now is the time, no matter your age, to fight for those years! Even if they are cut short at least do what you can to let your loved ones know they matter enough to you that you want to fight to be with them.
Now on to training and racing. I would love to say that I am feeling great and ready to roll, but I promised that I would always stay honest in how I represented what it is like to be a normal age grouper living the triathlon lifestyle (whatever that is). I am actually feeling the fatigue from the last few weeks, and was even wondering if Coach Tim had thought the race was farther off than this weekend :) One thing I have learned this far is that a coach does see things that you don't about yourself and your abilities.
The best thing the day before a race probably was not to stand around outside in the heat, but it was for a very good reason. It was my youngest girls birthday. Allie has been so excited about turning four, and her birthday pool party at TEGA was perfect. It might not have been ideal for a race, but seeing your little girl so happy is worth anything!
Those of us average people that do this sport have to remember that this isn't our life, but instead only a part of it. We can get so caught up into the race that we forget that many of us do this to be around and enjoy the other things in life. As Tim has reminded me many times no matter all that we do to prepare for a race we "draw a card" on that day, and your race just is what it is. Much like life you get knocked down, and you either stay down or you adapt and keep going. No matter how tomorrow turns out I am just blessed to be able to start a race.
Before I forgot I want to make sure that I thank Tim Key with TK Profitness, http://tktri.com/, he has gotten me to a level of fitness that I really never thought I could have achieved at 18 or an elderly 37 :) He has been one of the people that has been right there with me after my Dad died and I knew that I had to make sure my lifestyle change was something that stuck. Not to mention he has keep me leveled out on all of the ups and downs over the last few years, and one of the big reasons I have been without a serious injury for a long while. Thanks Tim!
Time to go get one more bike and run in so good luck to everyone racing tomorrow !
Keebler
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
New Wheels for Lucille and Other Cool Stuff
Just wanted to get in a short update before the crazy weekend consisting of Allie's birthday and the ever looming Buffalo Springs 70.3. Training has been good and consistent except for one missed bike session this week. I am still feeling tired, but I am responding well during my workouts. I am just ready to get to the race and see what happens.
Jurgen got Lucille (the bike) all cleaned up and some great new wheels on her. I got to try them out tonight after work and was really happy with them. Plus they are made by a new company called Flo cycling, but the thing I like the most is that the name Flo is big and displayed on the wheels and rolling with me. Those of you that knew Susan's Grandma Flo would know how much she would get a kick out of that. So now I have my Dad's initials on Lucille and Flo on the wheels that has got to be some good mojo for race day!
The coolest thing that happened out of a day, that by all estimates was going to be a crappy day, happened after work today. Mike Greer turned my name over to a sports reporter from the AJ, Nick Kosmider, that is covering the Buffalo Springs 70.3 this weekend. Nick and I set up to meet after work at my house before I went out for my bike and run session.
Nick and one of the AJ photographers, Zach Long, showed up around 5:30. I was really glad right off I had agreed to meet for the interview, because in the least it would provide an opportunity to help inspire others to look at their health in a different way. It really was an added bonus that they were a couple of cool guys that wanted to know the why behind this crazy sport, and another added bonus is that Zach was doing some training for triathlons. Maybe we will see him at Buffalo soon! Anyway it was a really cool opportunity to get a healthy message out about making your health part of your life.
Nick had a lot of great questions and one in particular has really got me thinking, but I will add more on that in a later post. After the interview they took several shots with Lucille and I in the street, and I do expect Damon and Jerred to be making fun of me on twitter soon after they see them. Also, they were able to get some film of me going on my training ride this evening. Hopefully, I might be able to get copies of some of the stuff from tonight to share on here. It was great meeting both of the guys and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.
Time to end this for tonight, and check the AJ tomorrow for the story.
Keebler
(Yes I know this ended up being a long update, Oh well)
Jurgen got Lucille (the bike) all cleaned up and some great new wheels on her. I got to try them out tonight after work and was really happy with them. Plus they are made by a new company called Flo cycling, but the thing I like the most is that the name Flo is big and displayed on the wheels and rolling with me. Those of you that knew Susan's Grandma Flo would know how much she would get a kick out of that. So now I have my Dad's initials on Lucille and Flo on the wheels that has got to be some good mojo for race day!
The coolest thing that happened out of a day, that by all estimates was going to be a crappy day, happened after work today. Mike Greer turned my name over to a sports reporter from the AJ, Nick Kosmider, that is covering the Buffalo Springs 70.3 this weekend. Nick and I set up to meet after work at my house before I went out for my bike and run session.
Nick and one of the AJ photographers, Zach Long, showed up around 5:30. I was really glad right off I had agreed to meet for the interview, because in the least it would provide an opportunity to help inspire others to look at their health in a different way. It really was an added bonus that they were a couple of cool guys that wanted to know the why behind this crazy sport, and another added bonus is that Zach was doing some training for triathlons. Maybe we will see him at Buffalo soon! Anyway it was a really cool opportunity to get a healthy message out about making your health part of your life.
Nick had a lot of great questions and one in particular has really got me thinking, but I will add more on that in a later post. After the interview they took several shots with Lucille and I in the street, and I do expect Damon and Jerred to be making fun of me on twitter soon after they see them. Also, they were able to get some film of me going on my training ride this evening. Hopefully, I might be able to get copies of some of the stuff from tonight to share on here. It was great meeting both of the guys and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.
Time to end this for tonight, and check the AJ tomorrow for the story.
Keebler
(Yes I know this ended up being a long update, Oh well)
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Happy Father's Day
Today is always one of those days that for me is a bittersweet blessing. Over the last three years there has been very few days, if any, that I haven’t thought about my Dad, and many of those days I had tears in my eyes. I never really realized how much my Dad affected my life until he was gone. As a son without knowing or admitting it you want to have your Dad’s approval, and when that is gone it’s hard to know where you stand. What I have come to realize is that Pops just wanted the best for me, and wanted me to be the best person I could. Neither of those statements have anything to do with money or stuff, but instead with trying to be a good person in all parts of my life. The most important of those parts of my life is being a Dad. At different times other things move in front of that, but it always comes back to my being a Dad. Every decision and every action is about being the type of person that makes my wife and girls proud to call me Dad. I am glad that the most important job I will ever have is being a Dad. So Happy Father's Day to all of you dad's!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Fort Worth and CapTexTri Weekend
Going from one race to the next, training, family, and keeping food on the table has made it hard to update the blog the last couple of weeks. Lot of good things have been going on, but just no time to sit down to update.
Let’s start back with our trip to Fort Worth and Austin. The day before we left we found out that my Mom had fallen off of her friends porch. At first it didn’t sound too bad. When we finally got there to see my Mom on Friday I knew after looking at her swollen knee and ankle that she was staying home. She was adamant that she would be fine and meet us in Fort Worth on Saturday for the wedding. When we called in that evening we found out that my Mom had broken her right knee cap, torn ligament in her left ankle, and a sprained wrist. Thankfully, Susan talked her into staying home and getting as much of the swelling down over the weekend. She hated missing my cousin’s wedding, because we so rarely are able to get together with our extended family. Sometimes life just has a different agenda for what we are going to do, and we just have to roll with it. In my Mom’s case it just happened to be in a wheelchair. We missed her, but it was still a great wedding and our girls just loved getting to see it, and of course they loved the dancing and cake at the Stockyards. Now for a few quick highlights of the rest of the Fort Worth part of the weekend:
- found out borrowed race wheels had a flat - luckily found a bike shop within walking distance
- had a 40 minute run that made me feel like I was running in a wet blanket
- got to see some friends and family
- (almost forgot) - stupid valet from Marriot Courtyard in Downtown Fort Worth stole money from our car. I thought I was being sneaky where I hid it, but turns out he was sneakier! I hope he had a massive hangover the next day.
I won’t bore you with the details from all the race, but this race was really a perfect example of where I was fitness wise 4 year ago to where I am now. It was the kind of race that makes you forgot all of the sacrifices, hard work, and times that I want to go back to old me. We came to this race in 2008 with the Hurst’s, and were once again racing here with them as well. We are all a little older, another kid per family, but still all trying to live healthier lifestyles and still have fun. One extra addition to the group this year was my good friend Steve. Who I was really glad to see, and another great example of someone that is really trying everything he can to stay healthy. The funny thing was that when I saw him standing by Susan and the girls I was wondering who the bearded dude was hangin out with my wife and kids (I just figured that Susan had decided I was going to croak and had already replaced me). When I did this race 4 years ago I had only been doing tri’s for a couple of years, and this was the longest and biggest race I had ever encountered. I remember most of all how the heat and humidity just killed me at the end, and it felt like a death march. Even though I knew I was in much better shape this time I was still worried that it was going to have the same thing happen again. It turned out to be the exact opposite.
Let’s start back with our trip to Fort Worth and Austin. The day before we left we found out that my Mom had fallen off of her friends porch. At first it didn’t sound too bad. When we finally got there to see my Mom on Friday I knew after looking at her swollen knee and ankle that she was staying home. She was adamant that she would be fine and meet us in Fort Worth on Saturday for the wedding. When we called in that evening we found out that my Mom had broken her right knee cap, torn ligament in her left ankle, and a sprained wrist. Thankfully, Susan talked her into staying home and getting as much of the swelling down over the weekend. She hated missing my cousin’s wedding, because we so rarely are able to get together with our extended family. Sometimes life just has a different agenda for what we are going to do, and we just have to roll with it. In my Mom’s case it just happened to be in a wheelchair. We missed her, but it was still a great wedding and our girls just loved getting to see it, and of course they loved the dancing and cake at the Stockyards. Now for a few quick highlights of the rest of the Fort Worth part of the weekend:
- found out borrowed race wheels had a flat - luckily found a bike shop within walking distance
- had a 40 minute run that made me feel like I was running in a wet blanket
- got to see some friends and family
- (almost forgot) - stupid valet from Marriot Courtyard in Downtown Fort Worth stole money from our car. I thought I was being sneaky where I hid it, but turns out he was sneakier! I hope he had a massive hangover the next day.
I won’t bore you with the details from all the race, but this race was really a perfect example of where I was fitness wise 4 year ago to where I am now. It was the kind of race that makes you forgot all of the sacrifices, hard work, and times that I want to go back to old me. We came to this race in 2008 with the Hurst’s, and were once again racing here with them as well. We are all a little older, another kid per family, but still all trying to live healthier lifestyles and still have fun. One extra addition to the group this year was my good friend Steve. Who I was really glad to see, and another great example of someone that is really trying everything he can to stay healthy. The funny thing was that when I saw him standing by Susan and the girls I was wondering who the bearded dude was hangin out with my wife and kids (I just figured that Susan had decided I was going to croak and had already replaced me). When I did this race 4 years ago I had only been doing tri’s for a couple of years, and this was the longest and biggest race I had ever encountered. I remember most of all how the heat and humidity just killed me at the end, and it felt like a death march. Even though I knew I was in much better shape this time I was still worried that it was going to have the same thing happen again. It turned out to be the exact opposite.
In 2008 I finished in 3:07:28 and barely made it, but this year I finished in 2:27:55 and felt great. Not only that I was 15th in my AG out of 108th and 96th out of around a 1000 folks. I never imagined I would have been able to finish like that in a race that large. Everything went as planned and I was even able to outrun this goober at the end that had been half stepping me for most of the run.
The best part of the whole weekend was that we were able to spend some family and friend time (even if it was rushed), and I hope that we can soon slow down enough to see some more friends and family it really helps to recharge. After all it isn’t about racing for me, but really about staying healthy so that I can be around to do these things with those we care about.
Lot’s of great news coming over the next few posts about things to come. Remember everyday just keep trying to do something to keep moving.
Next stop Buffalo Springs 70.3!
Keebler
The best part of the whole weekend was that we were able to spend some family and friend time (even if it was rushed), and I hope that we can soon slow down enough to see some more friends and family it really helps to recharge. After all it isn’t about racing for me, but really about staying healthy so that I can be around to do these things with those we care about.
Lot’s of great news coming over the next few posts about things to come. Remember everyday just keep trying to do something to keep moving.
Next stop Buffalo Springs 70.3!
Keebler
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)