Time Off

Lets chat about taking time off of training.... 

I just did take time off...
A LOT...
More time then I have ever taken in the last 9 years...
Why you may ask?

Because after training at such a high level for so long I simply needed a break. In my case I needed a mental break from training/racing as well as physically break.  There was no big thing or event or breakdown that told me I needed a break, I just simply did not have the normal drive. Well as the triathlon Gods would have it, the drive is back and I am ready to get after it! I will be looking over my 2014 year over the next few weeks as well as looking forward to my 2015 plans. 

What did I do during my time off? Nothing physical, other then run a couple beer miles haha. During that time I also put on a really fun fundraiser for RACC, the Fall Beer Mile which we raised a total of $1700!! As I write this I am seeing snow fall for the first time of the year. The only reason I am excited about that is because that mean SNOW SHOE RUNNING is upon us!!! 

Till next time... Cheers!

CONTINUING ON

Dedicated to continue learning, continue training and continue reaching for my long term goals. 

The start of my 2014 triathlon racing season may not have gone the way I would have liked, but I sure have been enjoying the ride. (No pun intended)  Balancing my new work and coaching commitments has put an interesting new twist to my training, which I have just about gotten untangled.  I have a whole new meaning for balancing schedules.  Luckily no one can judge you for trying your best and never giving up.  Still have many months for some consistent quality training to enjoy. 

My Racing
The year so far.... A finish at 70.3 NOLA and 70.3 Raleigh... The year ahead for racing 70.3 Muncie, 70.3 Steelhead, Ironman Wisconsin and Ironman Chattanooga. 

Coaching
The year so far.... Ironman Texas Finish, a 50k Finish a Olympic Distance Finish. Numerous other goals reached.  
The year Ahead... Few more Ironman Finishes, Few more 70.3 Finishes some Mountain Biking, Marathons and a whole lot of FUN!!

Race Day Events
The year so far.... Helped put on more successful events/races in the last few months span then I could have ever imagined.
The year Ahead.... More events and .......... BIG NEWS coming SOON!!! 

2013 REVIEW (ENJOYING THE PROCESS)

2014 is here! Time for a quick review of 2013 and my first season racing as a professional triathlete. Initial goals for the year where to learn how to train like a professional, race like a professional and position myself for long term success in the sport.  As for results I was hoping to simply "be in the race" at a majority of the races.  With the help of my support team, overall I would say all the above goals where reached and then surpassed! 

The year started with a bulk of training that took me by surprise. I quickly learned that everything was going to be different in order to reach my goals.  Food was now viewed as fuel for the next workout, sleep was critical, training turned habitual and I learned how much I loved the PROCESS. Enjoying the process got me through the first challenging, butt-kicking professional race at 70.3 Galveston TX. Instead of discouraging me, it fueled my passion for the sport! After that race I knew I had made the right decision, to make the jump into the professional ranks.  

Following 70.3 Texas I continued enjoying the PROCESS building my fitness for the rest of the season. After being side lined with a shoulder injury for a bit I was on the verge of not racing 70.3 Raleigh.  Boy am I glad that I decided to do the race, which looking back, I consider my 'breakthrough' race of 2013.  The hard work was paying off and I made it into "The Race" which means, (I put myself into the position that I needed for the results I was seeking.)  Swam into the main pack, rode with the group, broke away at the half way point and ran another down for a 2nd overall. The result, my FIRST of hopefully many podium finishes at Ironman 70.3 Races.

Next up where a few littler races which I trained through; Pleasant Prairie Olympic distance and Pewaukee Sprint. I was fortunate enough to race and beat out USA Triathlons 2012 Rookie of the Year Lukas Zerzbicas for the Win at Pleasant Prairie and a 3rd at Pewaukee Sprint which taught me the importance of double checking your bike before a race.

Put on a fun RACC Fundraiser leading into the power packed 70.3 Racine.  With the help of many people we raised a total of $1,505 to defeat Childhood Cancer in its tracks!!!! THANK YOU!!  As for the race, lets say I always LOVE racing close to home with so many friendly and familiar faces on the course. The last 70.3 race of the season was 70.3 Steelhead which brought me another pay check and a 4th place finish.  During this race I learned a lot about race tactics which is very valuable knowledge going into the future. 

A mid-season break brought me to about a month until Ironman Wisconsin (My favorite race ever) which until this point was not a planned race for the year.  My coach and I decided to do a big training block for a few weeks and decide from there if Wisconsin could be a possible go or not.  We gave it the "go ahead" and before I knew it, I was back at the starting line to the race that brought me into the sport back in 2009.  With the little amount of race specific prep leading into this race we knew that I was ether going to be a real humdinger race or a challenging learning day. The day ended up being FILLED with lots of learning, challenges, fun and pain.  Walked away with my 3rd Ironman finish at the age of 22 and a piggy bank of newly learned knowledge.

From there I was going to race another later season half but ended up calling it quits for my '2013 Racing Season.' The rest of the year was filled with lots of work with Race Day Events, my sister's wedding and moving out of the parents house "Finally haha."  I could not be more happy with my rookie season as a professional and beyond excited for what the future holds.  Till the first race of 2014 I am back to Enjoying the Process. 

2013 Results
-70.3 Galveston Texas: 21st Professional (4hr 12min)
-70.3 Raleigh North Carolina: 2nd Overall (4hr 4min)
-Pleasant Prairie Triathlon (Olympic): 1st Overall
-Pewaukee Sprint Triathlon (Sprint): 3rd Overall
-70.3 Racine: 11th Professional (4hr 6min)
-70.3 Steelhead: 4th Professional (4hr 0min)
-Ironman Wisconsin: 16th Professional (9hr 50min)

My 2013 season would never have been possible without my support team!
-My 3 F's; Friends, family and Fans
-Team RACC "Racers Against Childhood Cancer"
-Endurance House Middleton
-Peak Performance Massage Madison
-Powerbar Team Elite
-CycleOps Power