I got a rude awakening this week when someone pointed out that IM FL 140.6 was only a mere 155 days away.  I swear it was just yesterday that I had about 50 weeks to go and the counter on the home page of this site says I still have about 19 weeks .... For some reason the 155 hit me funny.  So with this revelation, I took a look at my training calendar and plan so far and realized that I have a ways to go in the training department to get to the end of this journey. 

As you all know, my original stance about this venture was to not let it interfere with Stephanie and Kyle's time.  That is something that I am adament about as I do not want to take away from them since they are the reason I get to do this stuff in the first place.  However, Stephanie who is the logical and smart of the two of us pointed out that I am going to have to increase my rides and runs eventually and that means its going to have to be on a weekend day which is something I have been opposed too. 

So now with this slight adjustment, I am going to be able to do a very early long ride on the weekends which will have me back home in time for Saturday chores in the yard and then plug in an extra swim or run workout during the week where the bike rides were.  While I am not 100% for this change (I loathe change), I do see Stephanie's logic in it and recognize that she is always right, although I rarely admit it .....

So the time has come to tweek the plan and get serious about the food and nutrition.  While I still can't get my head around the eating everyday, I know that it is something that I have to do and will get the job done somehow.  I know Stephanie and Kyle will help me out!

It's time ............

This week included the first race of my 2013 tri season at IronMan FL 70.3 in Haines City, FL.  This week's blog entry will recap Sunday's race and the events around it!

Saturday afternoon, Stephanie, Kyle, and I checked in around 4:30pm and dropped my bike off in the transition area.  Check in went smooth and it was nice running into a couple of friends who work for IM and some of the volunteers I worked with last year in the check in tent.  With bike secured and swag bag in tow, we met our good friends for an early dinner.  Chris and I were Troopers together and this was his first 70.3 event, as having excelled in the shorter distances.  Stephanie, Kyle, and I enjoyed spending the evening with Chris and Alice - always nice catching up and laughing about the good 'ole days.

Since it was BRUTALLY hot at IM on Saturday, Stephanie knew that Kyle would not be able to handle 7 hours in the sun without combusting.  So luckily for us Aunt Kimmie to the rescue who agreed to take Kyle off our hands Sunday so that I could race and Stephanie could enjoy the day at IM.  Every dad reading this knows just how nice it is to compete in peace knowing that the family is well and cared for.  Thanks again Kim!

Sunday morning came early as my fellow triathlete and neighbor Will volunteered to take me to IM at 4:45am so that Stephanie could come later in the day.  Upon arrival you could feel the excitement in the air, but no breeze.  For a local like me, that only means one thing - its going to be a hot day in the Sunshine State.  While standing in the sand waiting for my wave to dive in the water, I secretly set my goal at 7 hours for this event.  I was basing this on the fact that I finished IM MIami 70.3 last October in 6:30 and I figured that I might need another 30 minutes to take into accout for the hills on the bike and the heat.  Did I mention that it was hot already?

With the cannon's boom, I dove in and immediately was swam over and under, dunked deeper into the swampy water of Lake Eva than I had wanted, and swallowed about 2 gallons of nasty green sludge.  Once I surfaced and choaked the water up, the panic attack set in and I began to question why I do these things and more importantly, I decided to not go to IM FL 140.6 in November.  Right then and there I retired from triathlons.  My thought was that if this was going to pose so much difficulty in a still lake in central FL, the Gulf of Mexico with 2000 swimmers would kill me.  Shortly after this decision, I thought about all of the US Military oversees that would LOVE to be in Lake Eva with me and then I thought about all their spouses and kids that would LOVE to be standing on the shore of Lake Eva today.  I was ashamed of myself and rolled over, put my face back in the water, got into a little breathing groove, and finished the 1.2 miles in the water.

Out of transition and on the bike, I set out on a fast 56 miles through the rolling hills of Polk County.  Having been a State Trooper in that area of FL for years, I was familiar with the terrain and recognized 75% of the Haines City Police Officers, Lake Wales Police Officers, Lake Hamilton Police Officers, and the Polk County Sheriff's Deputies who were protecting the course for us.  It was like having my own little cheering squads along the way, although 90% of them did not recognize me as I zoomed by.  It was a good course for the most part and for every FL Mountain that I climbed slowing me down to 10 miles per hour, I was able to fly down at 30+ miles per hour, so that was fun, and scary at the same time.  The highlight of the day so far was coming back into the transition area and seeing Stephanie waving.  Its like a wave of peace washes over me seeing her there.

With run shoes on and sun screen slathering my sweaty body, I set out on the 3 loop run of 13.1 miles - or a half marathon which sounds cooler!  About 100 yards into the run it dawned on me just how dang hot it was.  No longer was I enjoying an average pace of 19.5 miles per hour on the bike creating a little breeze, but instead I was making contact in every step with the hot pavement.  A nearby thermomter confirmed it was 98 degrees - oh boy.  Every step was difficult and the aid stations were like a mirage in the desert.  More and more athletes were slowing down and walking, while taking on liquids and ice at every offering.  During these times it was nice to talk to other triathletes who were experiencing the same heat issues that I was.  Mother Nature snuck up on us all that day - even claiming some of the pro/elites and other age groupers who were not able to fight off the heat.

At the end of the run, I came though the finish line with the official time of 7:05 .... 5 whole minutes off my goal, but I was still upright, so that was a bonus.

Looking back, I was not as sore as in the past when I completed such a long event, so that tells me that I am improving in that aspect.  And truthfully, had I ran a little more here and there instead of slowing down to cool off and chat with others, I might have made the 7 hour cut off like I wanted.  All in all it was a great day, a blessing that I get to do this stuff, and nice to know that Stephanie was there waiting for me and Kyle was in great hands with Aunt Kimmie!

Special thanks to the TheTriShop.com and for being apart fo the 2013 TheTriShop.com Triathlon Team!!

2013 IM FL 70.3 is in the books!

Our week started on Monther's Day in Oveido, FL where Stephanie ran in honor of her mom at the 5th annual Teal Ribbon Run for Ovarian Cancer.  This is a great little 5K with a surprisingly huge attendance that we attend annually.  I was the 1st place winner in my age group 2 years ago, so its a fun place for me to go to as well.  But I have to tell you, the feeling is sureal there.  Teal is the color for the Ovarian Cancer cause and the place is covered in Teal.  Then there are the obvious patients that are there running, and like Stephanie's mom, they are all smiling and so appreciative that you are there.  Past the signs and pictures of those who have lost the fight (and we post our Angels picture up every year too) there is a group of ladies that all are wearing sashes that denote them as a survivor of this wretched disease.  While we are so happy for them and know the joy and relief their families feel, I get so upset seeing them because we basically got gipped.  Everyone reading this that has lost someone knows the feeling.  Anywho, Stephanie ran the race and Kyle and I cheered her on!  In fact, instead of yelling "Go mom Happy Mother's Day" (like we had planned), Kyle ran to Stephanie at the half way point and yelled "Happy Thanksgiving Mommy"!  All the runners around her got a big kick out of that and after we thought about it, we realized that we are thankful for each other daily, so it was Thanksgiving Day.

I took a breather from training this week because this coming Sunday, May 19, 2013, is my first Tri of the season at Ironman FL 70.3!  With the bike and gear ready, I was able to rest and hydrate all week, tried to dial in the eating some more, and focus on the race.  You'll hear all about it next week for sure!

Friday was our 10th wedding anniversary and we celebrated as a family at the Sea Dog Brewery and Restaurant!  This was not Stephanie's choice place at all, but mine, as I am a fan of the Sea Dog Blueberry Ale.  While the attmosphere wasn't romantic, more along the lines of College Party Grunge, our party of 6 enjoyed the fun, the food was great, and the experience of Kyle and our neice and nephew fighting over ipads, potty breaks, and the last chicken wing made us realize that it was Thanksgiving again.

Happy Anniversay Stephanie.  Thank you for putting up with my hobbies, craziness, and restaurant picks!

Today marks 25 weeks to go until Ironman Florida 140.6.  Seems like just yesterday it was a year away.  Where has time gone?

This week started with Stephanie and I as a team in the Expedition Everest Challenge at Disney's Animal Kingdom.  This was a 5K with obstacles followed by another 2 1/2 miles of running through the park figuring out clues that sent us to other parts of the park until all of the clues were gathered and off to the finish line.  We had a great time running together and gave new meaning to the term "date night"!  Afterwards, we enjoyed the after party, rode some rides, and then headed to bed around 1:30am.  This made for a long day for us both, and a long week for Stephanie who was doing all this on the tale of the flu!  I look forward to more team events with her!!

Business travels took me to Tennessee this week where I was very pleased to run in cool air all week through the beautiful town of Gatlinburg.  The miles were a challenge since I am not used to mountains - but it was a good workout no doubt.  I think the thing I enjoy best about running on business travels is that the miles seem easy as the new terrain and sights keep appearing taking my mind off the task at hand.  I think that I need to find new and interesting places for my training rides and runs to help me get ready for Ironman.  Its a chore staying focused some days and keeping the finish line in sight.

While its a nice place to visit, I am always glad to be home with Stephanie and Kyle.  This Sunday, Kyle and I will cheer Stephanie on at the Ovarian Cancer 5K in Orlando, FL where she will run in honor of her mom Sharon.  I know her mom is proud of her, but nobody will cheer more loudly for her Sunday than Kyle and I.  We are her biggest fans!

We love you Stephanie - Happy Mother's Day!!

Stephanie and I, along with Mickey and Minnie at the 2nd mile marker

Our week has been eventful and stressed to say the least.

Stephanie came down with the flu which is rare this time of the year, but not unheard of.  She layed on the couch all weekend and wasn’t able to move at all Monday morning.  She is the busiest lady I know, so for her to miss meetings at work means she is deathly ill.  A quick trip to the doctor revealed the flu bug had bit her and medicine and rest in order.  She has to be good as new since her and I are running in the Disney Expedition Everest Challenge as a team in 6 days!

Monday afternoon Kyle’s allergies were so bad that I had to pick him up from school early and head to his doctor.  Erring on the side of caution, the doctor performed the necessary tests to rule out flu, strep, etc. and came to the conclusion that the Spring air was the culprit.  New eye drops and nose spray was in order and I am happy to say he was a new man in a matter of minutes.

Still nursing the wounds from last week’s crash, my workouts were running and swimming only.  The Trek dealer made the necessary adjustments to the bike and replaced the cockpit tape, but the swollen rear and strained glute had me a little gun shy to climb back on the saddle just yet.  The runs were fine and the swim was good, just not a lot of time with work meetings and getting ready for an extended out of state business trip next week.

Each year I am the Master of Ceremonies for the Florida Mothers Against Drunk Driving annual law enforcement ceremony and symposium.  This year’s event was extra special in that I also had the privilege to introduce the key note speaker, Kari Miller.  Kari is a member of the US Military who served tours in the mid-East and other war raged regions of the globe.  While home on leave in the US, the car she was a passenger in was hit by a drunk driver, leaving her companion dead and her with no legs.  She went on to become a member of the US Para-Olympic team – a real American hero!  Her story is not only emotional but up lifting.  Through adversity, she flourished into a world class athlete, doing more with less every day.  As a triathlete, I learned from her to never give up, keep reaching for the stars, and cross every finish line with a smile.  I needed to hear that.

US Army Sgt Kari Miller

Triathletes all recognize that there are four disciplines in Triathlon; Swim, Bike, Run, and Nutrition. Well today, I finally put my finger on what I think is the fifth discipline, and that is Perspective.

Lately I've been reading fellow triathletes blogs and sites outlining their intense training schedules and regimens. I have to tell ya, some of them have scared the tar out of me as I am no where near a lot of them in regards to the level of training. This has really gotten me down and second guessing the whole pursuit of ironman this November, especially how today started out.

This morning I set out for a bike workout. While entering the 8th mile and clipping along at 23 miles per hour, for reasons still beyond my knowledge, I wiped out. This was the very first time in over 3 years that I crashed ...... and burned! I quickly picked up my bike and after a quick chain repair, I rode back to my starting point. Upon arrival back at the house, I began to triage my road rash, that COVERED my entire left side. Man am I sore! This really got me down as this very first injury has me sitting out of training for a few days.

Then after dropping my bike off at the Trek dealer, I began to have an uneasy feeling as the mechanic on duty began to make copious notes on the needed adjustments, etc. that he was observing. I can only imagine what this is going to cost, as I signed the service form and limped out of the store. This tidbit, coupled with the fact that I am in excruciating pain, just left me depressed.

About an hour later I learned that a Deputy Sheriff I worked the streets with for many years when Ii was a State Trooper, was killed in the line of duty today. He left behind a wife and five children, not to mention over two thousand coworkers in our county and the hundreds of other cops with the state and city agencies that worked side by side with him everyday.

Perspective. I quickly realized that my day was great, my problems are minimal, and I'll be getting up to run Monday morning since God created this machine and I must do it justice by cranking out the miles while I can, since today is simply a gift.

Keep it in perspective everyone ...

Rest in Peace Deputy Robbins

Monday was a numb day in our household, as it was for most Americans. Stephanie was supposed to have run the Iron Girl half marathon this past Sunday, but was forced to skip it when a stomach bug reared its ugly head on Friday morning.  She was so disappointed and I was upset for her, but it was the right thing to do.  Monday morning came with Kyle waking up with a fever which resulted in a trip to the doctor’s office and he and I settling in on the couch for a day of Disney movies!  Luckily I had plenty of work to do in the office that I was able to do from home, so it wasn’t a wasted day at all.  I was actually excited to watch the live stream of the Boston Marathon for a change instead of catching the clips later in the evening.

Not only was Monday Tax Day in the USA, it also marked the anniversary of the Titanic sinking, the day President Lincoln died after being shot the evening before in Ford’s Theater, and it was my 42^nd Birthday.  So what else could go wrong?  Sadly, we all watched as the bombs began to explode just over 4 hours into the Boston Marathon.  If she could, I know the Statue of Liberty would have bowed her head in New York Harbor and cried; for once again a cowardly terrorist hurt and killed the innocent on our soil.

Tragedies like this hit me differently than most folks.  With twenty years in law enforcement, like most cops, we build up a force field to cope with this kind of event differently than normal people.  We have to – or we’d all be in the funny farm sedated and restrained.  Cops see and hear the absolute worst things you can imagine.  Our dreams at night are painted in hell and we all have something that haunts us from the streets – I know I do.  So when stuff like this happens, it saddens me that the world my son is growing up in is not as nice as I’d like it to be, but I just can’t muster the fear and tears like that of my fellow Americans.  Cops know what I am talking about.  Our internal mechanisms that are there to preserve our psyche forces us to look past the bad and go right into an investigative mode, and be glad the law enforcement officers in Massachusetts are cut from the same pattern as the rest of us cops!

In less than 3 days, the master minds at the FBI sifted through thousands upon thousands of still shots from security cameras and were able to locate two needles in a hay stack.  Sadly, as I write this, their work lead to a colleague being killed, but we now know who is responsible for this heinous act.  Having worked in this business long enough, I can tell you, they have done a phenomenal job in such a short amount of time.  Between Kyle’s fever, a quick business trip, and sifting through the internet non-stop looking at the Boston news and putting my cop mind to work, I have neglected my training a little this week.  But, like this resilient country of ours and the wonderful city of Boston, a place Stephanie and I call our second home at times,  I will run again ….  and swim …. and bike …… tomorrow!

Memorial at the site of the Boston Marathon Finish Line

Like the song says, Time Keeps On Ticking Ticking Ticking ....., and becomes more evident each and every day.  This week was an eventful one in our household that just goes to prove the song right some more.

My nephew Doug got married this past Saturday to his beautiful Bride Ashley and Kyle was the Ringbearer, or Ring Security as we like to call it around a cop's house!  While I stood there in the back of the botanical gardens watching Kyle scoot down the aisle, I got teary eyed thinking back to how it feels like just yesterday Doug was born, some 23 years ago, and now he was getting married and starting his very own family.  Then I think about Kyle and just how fast this fatherhood thing is moving along.  I can't wait to see what plans God has for Kyle, but at the same time I am trying to slow things down a bit too.  Its just not working out real well for me.

Another example about time not standing still is my Ironman Florida count down clock on this website's home page.  29 weeks to go and quite frankly, I do not feel like I am ready for the Big Show in just 29 weeks.  My swims are getting longer in distance and I have incorporated longer bricks into my training days, but I just don't feel ready yet.  Maybe I won't ever feel totally ready, and thats okay.  We'll keep hammering on one discipline at a time until the big day.  By then I am sure that Stephanie will have to sedate me .... or worse.

You faithful followers and fans of this blog has helped it reach the 500 hit mark this week - another milestone or symbol of time not standing still.  I appreciate the continued interest, well wishes, and prayers! 

He will be the groom one day very soon ........

As many of you know, I started this journey for many reasons, and I set out on this path training and preparing for Ironman FL 140.6 basically alone.  From the start, I made the committment to Stephanie and Kyle that all of my training would be before the sun comes up and that it would never interfere with our weekends.  So far, so good.  With that, I realized that my training for the most part would not jive with any local runs and rides since they mainly meet on Saturday and Sunday.  That also prevented me joining the local Tri club since thier meetings, gatherings, and training all conflicted with my original promise to the family.

Along this journey I was blessed to come across TheTriShop.com who not only showed me that they had the best customer service of any running and tri shop I had done business with, but also gave this guy a chance at one of the fifty spots on the 2013 TheTriShop.com Triathlon Team.  While I know I have talked about them before in past blogs and sung their praises here and on their website, I quickly realized that while this was not a traditional team as we know it, this virtual team began to quickly take on legs so to speak and the communication, training advice, and comaraderie took on an almost cult like following among my family and friends. 

So instead of getting to run with my team at a work out, I enjoy hearing about the terrain Nancy Ovitt in VT worked out in, and usually I thank the heavens that I wasn't in snow like she was!  Wisconsin's Matt Kohl turned out to be a fellow law enforcement officer and I've enjoyed passing along his recipes to Stephanie who has made everyone of them.  David Gates in St Louis and I could talk for hours about ACC football since he is a Georgia Tech grad and I am alumni from Florida State.  Instead, I've been happy to see that I am not the only guy who has had set backs due to illness this season.  On that subject, I'd be remise to leave out Meg Nitka from Iowa who hasn't let her other sport's injuries keep her down too much!  Her momentum has been inspiring - just like if we'd trained together.  This is just a tiny example of 4 great people on this team.  The other 46 rock too!

The moral of the story is that no matter how you train and gather information, being a part of a team, whether traditional or virtual, is very important to share ideas, learn new tricks, collect tri related recipes, and gain motivation.  I said it once and I'll say it again, I've been blessed to be part of this national team of people who share my passion and enthusiasm for this sport.

Nothing greets me better after a hard workout than a bottle of a cold recovery beverage in my cup holder!

Well we just got back from a week in the Caribbean on a much needed family vacation away from the rat race.  Those who know us know that we love our cruises and are blessed to be able to have so many ports just a short drive from our home.  This trip was going to be different for me though.  Unlike cruises in the past where I fell victim to the old cruiser's tale that "Sea air makes your clothes shrink", I silently made a resolution to eat better and work out EVERY day this time.  Anyone who has been on a cruise ship can tell you that the abundance of food and drink is an under statement, so this was no easy task.

I opted for the heart healthy and vegetarian meals this time, although I did partake of a few goodies here and there, it was nothing like the gluttenous characteristics of the past.  I also took full advantage of the gym each day logging in over 20 kilometers of running and about 40 miles of cycling, all on a ship that was bouncing up and down in the ocean!  While the motion of the ocean wasn't the best, I was pleased that my eating choices and activity in the gym was helping me to stay focused on my goal that is just thirty-one weeks away .... just around the corner really!

Even though the month's training miles and hours have been met on paper, I have to admit that it hasn't been easy eating right with the Easter goodies in the house.  While I know all well that will power has to come into play when it comes to things like this, I still struggle.  Maybe I wont be so hard on myself once the TRUE spring weather gets here that will keep me from skipping workouts based on the cold air and water or the pollen in the early morning air.  Either way, this Ironman isn't going to do itself (Stephanie reminds me of that daily .... have I mentioned lately that my wife and son are my biggest supporters and coaches?)

The training grounds in the middle of the Caribbean Sea