Sometimes, it's as simple as asking!
I am so excited to announce my newest sponsorship with X-1 Audio! X-1 is a company I became familiar with last year when they offered Team REFUEL a free sample of their sweatproof and weatherproof in-ear momentum headphones. A year later, I fill out a short application, and BOOM, I'm on Team X-1
X-1 is becoming very well known for the WATERPROOF headphones. Yes, that's right, completely waterproof. I know what you're thinking..."what's the point in water proof headphones if my music playing device is not waterproof?" Guess what...they make a WATERPROOF case for that too!
Water proof case + water proof headphones = MUSIC WHILE I SWIM! Seriously! How awesome is this! Check out the X-1 Interval 4g Waterproof headphone system for swimmers! And yes, I get one of these with my sponsorship!!
Stay tuned for updates and product review of my favorite X-1 products!
January 26, 2014
January 11, 2014
What is Luck?
For Colts fans gearing up for the big game today, you probably think I'm referring to Andrew Luck! And while I type this with my #12 jersey on, that's not what's on my mind. In fact, the rest of this post will have nothing to do with sports, running, biking, or swimming (I know, right?)
Seneca once said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity". I couldn't agree more.
I've said for years, "I'm one of the lucky ones". But as luck would have it, I spend more time stressing over things that are out of my control than I do counting my blessings for the things I'm lucky enough to have.
So how lucky am I? Well, have you seen my wife?!! But aside from that, I've never won the lottery. Oprah never gave me a car. I never spun the big wheel or placed a bid in the showcase showdown. F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "Nothing is as obnoxious as other people's luck". I don't fully agree with that given that I've never survived a near death experience or escaped a burning building in the nick of time. Those that have had that kind of luck need to look to a higher power instead of counting their lucky stars.
Perhaps my luck is what some would call "dumb luck", and I choose to believe as Douglas MacArthur said, "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself".
So I share all of that to reveal this.
For the last 6 months I've been in ongoing talks with leaders in my firm to "go home". Literally, I was born and raised in Connersville, Indiana. An Edward Jones office has been in that town for my entire life, and this year, the long time financial advisor in that office will retire. The office itself has played host to a legend in our firm, our own Managing Partner, James Weddle. Jim was my grandfather's advisor and when he left, the current advisor came in and has been there nearly 30 years since! I'm flattered to have this opportunity!
It's been over 20 years since I've lived in Connersville and it's not the same community it once was. A declining manufacturing town with high unemployment and low socioeconomic undertones. Yet, I'm proud. Proud to be from Connersville, and proud to be a Spartan. So when the opportunity came along to follow in the footsteps of many great advisors, I was more than tempted, I was ready to go!
Molly and I began our debate of pros and cons and she quickly informed me that she had no interest in living in Connersville, and I agreed. The only way I could do this would be to commute...65 minutes one way...every day! Ugh! But for the right opportunity I would still consider it.
Molly and I have lived here in Yorktown for 11 years now. We are both deeply rooted in this community. It is quickly becoming what we may forever call "home". Ever had that conversation with your spouse about "when we die, where will be buried?" yeah, me either, but when we do, I've got to believe that it could very well be right here in Yorktown. I was a Spartan. She was a Golden Bear. 3 children in 3 different school buildings, all on their way to graduating as Tigers. How do we pick them up and walk away? Away from our friends, their friends, and this community?
At the end of the day, every one has a price and, after 6 months of negotiations, I've decided my price is pretty high. If they want me to move and take responsibility for this branch, I need a significant step up from my current situation. I have an amazing job. 2.4 miles from my front door. I can come and go as I please. I can help my wife with unexpected mid day problems because I'm right here. I can attend my children's school functions during the school day and after school. I can take the day off and play golf or I can burn the midnight oil working late...and get compensated for the extra work I put in. It's not an amazing job...it's an amazing CAREER! And you can't put a price on the freedoms that come with the position.
Those freedoms didn't come easy. I worked hard to get to this point in my career. What I've built here in the last 12 years is not something I'm willing to walk away from easily. It goes far beyond money. It runs much deeper. The relationships that I've built with clients. The trust that they've put in me to help them. I've watched clients move from a stage of loyalty to a point of dependency when they look to me for advice. That's an amazing feeling. A huge responsibility, and not one that I take lightly. It didn't happen by accident, and it certainly wasn't luck. It was hard work. Dedication. Discipline. Commitment.
So at the end of the day, yesterday, I've made the decision to officially remove my name from consideration for the branch office in Connersville. I've made the decision to stay in Yorktown. Indefinitely. This is where I belong. And I'm thankful to have gone through this decision making process to realize that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.
Garrison Keillor said "Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which, once you have got it, you may be smart enough to see it's what you would have wanted had you known."
Yep, I'm still one of the lucky ones!
Seneca once said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity". I couldn't agree more.
I've said for years, "I'm one of the lucky ones". But as luck would have it, I spend more time stressing over things that are out of my control than I do counting my blessings for the things I'm lucky enough to have.
So how lucky am I? Well, have you seen my wife?!! But aside from that, I've never won the lottery. Oprah never gave me a car. I never spun the big wheel or placed a bid in the showcase showdown. F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "Nothing is as obnoxious as other people's luck". I don't fully agree with that given that I've never survived a near death experience or escaped a burning building in the nick of time. Those that have had that kind of luck need to look to a higher power instead of counting their lucky stars.
Perhaps my luck is what some would call "dumb luck", and I choose to believe as Douglas MacArthur said, "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself".
So I share all of that to reveal this.
For the last 6 months I've been in ongoing talks with leaders in my firm to "go home". Literally, I was born and raised in Connersville, Indiana. An Edward Jones office has been in that town for my entire life, and this year, the long time financial advisor in that office will retire. The office itself has played host to a legend in our firm, our own Managing Partner, James Weddle. Jim was my grandfather's advisor and when he left, the current advisor came in and has been there nearly 30 years since! I'm flattered to have this opportunity!
It's been over 20 years since I've lived in Connersville and it's not the same community it once was. A declining manufacturing town with high unemployment and low socioeconomic undertones. Yet, I'm proud. Proud to be from Connersville, and proud to be a Spartan. So when the opportunity came along to follow in the footsteps of many great advisors, I was more than tempted, I was ready to go!
Molly and I began our debate of pros and cons and she quickly informed me that she had no interest in living in Connersville, and I agreed. The only way I could do this would be to commute...65 minutes one way...every day! Ugh! But for the right opportunity I would still consider it.
Molly and I have lived here in Yorktown for 11 years now. We are both deeply rooted in this community. It is quickly becoming what we may forever call "home". Ever had that conversation with your spouse about "when we die, where will be buried?" yeah, me either, but when we do, I've got to believe that it could very well be right here in Yorktown. I was a Spartan. She was a Golden Bear. 3 children in 3 different school buildings, all on their way to graduating as Tigers. How do we pick them up and walk away? Away from our friends, their friends, and this community?
At the end of the day, every one has a price and, after 6 months of negotiations, I've decided my price is pretty high. If they want me to move and take responsibility for this branch, I need a significant step up from my current situation. I have an amazing job. 2.4 miles from my front door. I can come and go as I please. I can help my wife with unexpected mid day problems because I'm right here. I can attend my children's school functions during the school day and after school. I can take the day off and play golf or I can burn the midnight oil working late...and get compensated for the extra work I put in. It's not an amazing job...it's an amazing CAREER! And you can't put a price on the freedoms that come with the position.
Those freedoms didn't come easy. I worked hard to get to this point in my career. What I've built here in the last 12 years is not something I'm willing to walk away from easily. It goes far beyond money. It runs much deeper. The relationships that I've built with clients. The trust that they've put in me to help them. I've watched clients move from a stage of loyalty to a point of dependency when they look to me for advice. That's an amazing feeling. A huge responsibility, and not one that I take lightly. It didn't happen by accident, and it certainly wasn't luck. It was hard work. Dedication. Discipline. Commitment.
So at the end of the day, yesterday, I've made the decision to officially remove my name from consideration for the branch office in Connersville. I've made the decision to stay in Yorktown. Indefinitely. This is where I belong. And I'm thankful to have gone through this decision making process to realize that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.
Garrison Keillor said "Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which, once you have got it, you may be smart enough to see it's what you would have wanted had you known."
Yep, I'm still one of the lucky ones!
December 30, 2013
2013 Recap + 2014 Goals
2014 is just around the corner. Someone can walk on a wire across the Grand Canyon, but we're still waiting on flying cars!? I'll assume that someone else is making that their resolution, but I'm focusing on other things this year.
1/1/13 - I posted on New Year's Day my recap of 2012 with no mention of a resolution, but I was already in week 3 of marathon training for the Carmel Marathon, so I suppose I was already focused.
1/1/12 - I did post a resolution for 2012. It was simple from the standpoint of training over 2012 miles, and I crushed that by going almost 2800 miles. However, part 2 of the goal was to race Muncie 70.3 at 200 pounds and I missed that goal by 3 pounds! (Spoiler Alert Hint)
1/1/11- I truly made specific resolutions and was perhaps my most focused resolution, and I crushed every one of those!
So, what should I do this year? How should I spend my time and what will I focus on? I mean, once you've completed an Ironman, you kinda have that "I've done it all" attitude and ultimately the drive can easily disappear; especially when dealing with injuries like I have the past year. Despite, that pain, it was an awfully good year. Here is a recap of the recaps...
March 23 - Sam Costa Half Marathon - 2:05:46
April 6 - Henry County Half Marathon - 2:04:09
April 13 - First Choice for Women 5k - 25:25
April 20 - Carmel Marathon -5:02:20 (PR)
April 27 -Nashville Rock n Roll Country Music Half Marathon- 2:21:59
May 11 - Muncie Olympic Triathlon - 3:10:46
June 8 - Muncie Olympic Triathlon - 2:56:50 (PR)
July 4 - Chesterfield 5k - 26:17
July 13 - Ironman 70.3 Muncie - 6:16:10 (PR)
August 25 - Ironman Louisville - 15:15:23 (PR)
September 28 - Chase Charlie 5k - 37:07 (paced my daughter Morgan to her new PR)
October 27 - St Louis Rock n Roll Half Marathon - 2:17:12
November 16 - Full Beaver Moon 5k - 26:08
November 28 - Drumstick Dash - 39:29 (PR)
For the data geeks (like myself) - here are the totals for the year!
Run - 819.25 miles
Bike - 1557.4 miles
Swim - 46.46 miles
TOTAL - 2424.74 miles
267 hours, 39 min, 12 seconds
over 217,000 calories burned!
And every one of those totals is LOWER than 2012! Now, this may sound strange to many of you, but the first goal for 2014, is to continue that pattern. I want to run, bike, swim, and in general workout LESS! But at the same time, I want to lose weight! Specifically, I want to weigh less than 200 pounds before Ironman Muncie 70.3!
I only have two races that I want to FOCUS and TRAIN for this year. And the focus is on two very specific goals. The first goal is to PR my 70.3 time over last year's Muncie 70.3. I will do this by spending the first two months of the year focusing on weight loss, coupled with increased strength and flexibility. I will spend some time on the trainer, and in the pool as well as on the treadmill and lifting weights. This will all be complimentary to my real focus of losing weight. My mistake last year was gaining too much weight in the off season, and I can sense that pattern beginning already as I am a good 15 pounds heavier now than I was when I finished Ironman Louisville at the end of August. The training plan for me officially begins Feb 24 based largely around the 20 week plan found here. Spring break will be a challenging week at the end of March, but once we return, there should be very little to stop me.
The second race I will be focusing on is the Indianapolis Marathon, October 18. The goal is simple...under 5 hours! I missed this goal by less than 3 minutes in 2013, and firmly believe it was a lack of consistent long runs. I believe I can commit the time to this in the months of August and September and be well positioned to PR this race. I chose this race by total accident when I stumbled into a great pricing deal for it. Only one thing can change this goal...THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON?!? The bucket list race that for the third year in a row I have entered the lottery. If I'm fortunate enough to get into this race, I will simply offset the training plan two weeks later and make it work. I am intrigued by Hal Higdon's 30 week Personal Best training plan. And while 30 weeks would have me starting on the return from my Spring Break week; those first 12 weeks are primarily increased speed and base building weeks. The plan does not cross the half marathon distance until after Muncie 70.3, so I can use this as a cross reference on run days as I build my run miles to 13+ for the Half Ironman and then continue with long runs which includes two 20 milers in September.
Any other racing that I do will be purely for fun or as part of the training plan. In particular if I'm lucky enough to grab a couple free sponsor entries in the RnR series thanks to my continuation on Team Refuel as an Ambassador for the Got Chocolate Milk campaign! And so, I've marked those races as *applied for. If things play out the way I hope, I should pick up 5 RnR races and grab Rock Star status with several "heavy medals"! The schedule will be adjusted depending on if I'm picked for NYC or not.
$=confirmed
*=applied for
* Rock n Roll Nashville April 26 (I enjoyed this very much last year and want to return)
Indy Mini May 3 (Undecided, but if I do this it will be both the 5k and the mini back to back)
Hoosier Park 8k - May 24 (this is just for fun, but fits well with both plans)
Muncie June Olympic Triathlon June 7 (need this one to set me up for 70.3)
$ Ironman Muncie 70.3 July 12 (This is my "A" tri race for the year)
* Rock n Roll Chicago July 20 (Training plan calls for a 12 miler, perfect fit)
* Rock n Roll Virginia Beach Aug 31 (doesn't fit plan, but could be a fun family Labor Day weekend)
* Rock n Roll Philadelphia Sept 21 (I will do this if I don't get NYC it would hit between the 20s)
* Rock n Roll Cleveland Oct 11 (I will do this only if I'm in for NYC it would hit between the 20s)
$ Indianapolis Marathon Oct 18 (This is my "A" run race for the year)
* New York City Marathon Nov 2 (I'm in the lottery, drawing is in mid spring)
* Rock n Roll Las Vegas Nov 16 (This could be a great way to celebrate a great year)
So that's it. That's the plan! I'm confident I can stick to it...IF...I can stay healthy!
What about you?!? What are your goals for 2014? Set a goal, write it down, share it with a friend, and then make it happen!! Let me know if I can help in any way! Make it a great year friends!
1/1/13 - I posted on New Year's Day my recap of 2012 with no mention of a resolution, but I was already in week 3 of marathon training for the Carmel Marathon, so I suppose I was already focused.
1/1/12 - I did post a resolution for 2012. It was simple from the standpoint of training over 2012 miles, and I crushed that by going almost 2800 miles. However, part 2 of the goal was to race Muncie 70.3 at 200 pounds and I missed that goal by 3 pounds! (Spoiler Alert Hint)
1/1/11- I truly made specific resolutions and was perhaps my most focused resolution, and I crushed every one of those!
So, what should I do this year? How should I spend my time and what will I focus on? I mean, once you've completed an Ironman, you kinda have that "I've done it all" attitude and ultimately the drive can easily disappear; especially when dealing with injuries like I have the past year. Despite, that pain, it was an awfully good year. Here is a recap of the recaps...March 23 - Sam Costa Half Marathon - 2:05:46
April 6 - Henry County Half Marathon - 2:04:09
April 13 - First Choice for Women 5k - 25:25
April 20 - Carmel Marathon -5:02:20 (PR)
April 27 -Nashville Rock n Roll Country Music Half Marathon- 2:21:59
May 11 - Muncie Olympic Triathlon - 3:10:46
June 8 - Muncie Olympic Triathlon - 2:56:50 (PR)
July 4 - Chesterfield 5k - 26:17
July 13 - Ironman 70.3 Muncie - 6:16:10 (PR)
August 25 - Ironman Louisville - 15:15:23 (PR)
September 28 - Chase Charlie 5k - 37:07 (paced my daughter Morgan to her new PR)
October 27 - St Louis Rock n Roll Half Marathon - 2:17:12
November 16 - Full Beaver Moon 5k - 26:08
November 28 - Drumstick Dash - 39:29 (PR)
For the data geeks (like myself) - here are the totals for the year!
Run - 819.25 miles
Bike - 1557.4 miles
Swim - 46.46 miles
TOTAL - 2424.74 miles
267 hours, 39 min, 12 seconds
over 217,000 calories burned!
And every one of those totals is LOWER than 2012! Now, this may sound strange to many of you, but the first goal for 2014, is to continue that pattern. I want to run, bike, swim, and in general workout LESS! But at the same time, I want to lose weight! Specifically, I want to weigh less than 200 pounds before Ironman Muncie 70.3!
I only have two races that I want to FOCUS and TRAIN for this year. And the focus is on two very specific goals. The first goal is to PR my 70.3 time over last year's Muncie 70.3. I will do this by spending the first two months of the year focusing on weight loss, coupled with increased strength and flexibility. I will spend some time on the trainer, and in the pool as well as on the treadmill and lifting weights. This will all be complimentary to my real focus of losing weight. My mistake last year was gaining too much weight in the off season, and I can sense that pattern beginning already as I am a good 15 pounds heavier now than I was when I finished Ironman Louisville at the end of August. The training plan for me officially begins Feb 24 based largely around the 20 week plan found here. Spring break will be a challenging week at the end of March, but once we return, there should be very little to stop me.
The second race I will be focusing on is the Indianapolis Marathon, October 18. The goal is simple...under 5 hours! I missed this goal by less than 3 minutes in 2013, and firmly believe it was a lack of consistent long runs. I believe I can commit the time to this in the months of August and September and be well positioned to PR this race. I chose this race by total accident when I stumbled into a great pricing deal for it. Only one thing can change this goal...THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON?!? The bucket list race that for the third year in a row I have entered the lottery. If I'm fortunate enough to get into this race, I will simply offset the training plan two weeks later and make it work. I am intrigued by Hal Higdon's 30 week Personal Best training plan. And while 30 weeks would have me starting on the return from my Spring Break week; those first 12 weeks are primarily increased speed and base building weeks. The plan does not cross the half marathon distance until after Muncie 70.3, so I can use this as a cross reference on run days as I build my run miles to 13+ for the Half Ironman and then continue with long runs which includes two 20 milers in September.
Any other racing that I do will be purely for fun or as part of the training plan. In particular if I'm lucky enough to grab a couple free sponsor entries in the RnR series thanks to my continuation on Team Refuel as an Ambassador for the Got Chocolate Milk campaign! And so, I've marked those races as *applied for. If things play out the way I hope, I should pick up 5 RnR races and grab Rock Star status with several "heavy medals"! The schedule will be adjusted depending on if I'm picked for NYC or not.
$=confirmed
*=applied for
* Rock n Roll Nashville April 26 (I enjoyed this very much last year and want to return)
Indy Mini May 3 (Undecided, but if I do this it will be both the 5k and the mini back to back)
Hoosier Park 8k - May 24 (this is just for fun, but fits well with both plans)
Muncie June Olympic Triathlon June 7 (need this one to set me up for 70.3)
$ Ironman Muncie 70.3 July 12 (This is my "A" tri race for the year)
* Rock n Roll Chicago July 20 (Training plan calls for a 12 miler, perfect fit)
* Rock n Roll Virginia Beach Aug 31 (doesn't fit plan, but could be a fun family Labor Day weekend)
* Rock n Roll Philadelphia Sept 21 (I will do this if I don't get NYC it would hit between the 20s)
* Rock n Roll Cleveland Oct 11 (I will do this only if I'm in for NYC it would hit between the 20s)
$ Indianapolis Marathon Oct 18 (This is my "A" run race for the year)
* New York City Marathon Nov 2 (I'm in the lottery, drawing is in mid spring)
* Rock n Roll Las Vegas Nov 16 (This could be a great way to celebrate a great year)
So that's it. That's the plan! I'm confident I can stick to it...IF...I can stay healthy!
What about you?!? What are your goals for 2014? Set a goal, write it down, share it with a friend, and then make it happen!! Let me know if I can help in any way! Make it a great year friends!
December 23, 2013
365 "Days" of 2013
2013 was an unforgettable year for our family. I threw this together this weekend playing with the iMovie app on my phone! What a fun way to reflect on the ups and downs of a year filled with so many memories! Admittedly, it's most meaningful to me and my family, but I share it with you because so many of you were there, sharing these moments with us! They weren't all "Beautiful Day"s, but from vacations to surgeries, through victories and defeat, with weddings and funerals, tears of joy and pain, we "Carry On", blessed to have each other, and share this life with you! Enjoy!
P.S. Full screen distorts the picture (sorry)
If the video does not appear, follow the link HERE
May not be available on mobile devices
December 1, 2013
Drum Stick Dash Race Report
I'm a couple days late with this report, but I had to do a recap.
If you're new to following my blog, or have not heard about our experience at last year's Drumstick Dash race, you'll want to read last year's race report first.
So with 5 VIP entries, I signed up Morgan, Molly and myself to compete and treated Chuck Alfrey and Jess Smith to the other two. Jess because she and her family hung out with us after the race last year to see us off okay including taking my kids to lunch while we waited on the police and loaning us $20 so we could get enough gas in the car to get home (remember we had no cash or credit cards, as EVERYTHING was stolen). And Chuck, because for Christmas last year, he gave the kids his old iPad to replace the one that got stolen, and he was such an inspiration to me this year during Ironman training. It's not nearly thanks enough, but it was a simple gesture that they both appreciated.
With VIP parking, we cruised right into the parking pass only lot at Broad Ripple Park, and walked less than one block to the HEATED VIP tent! 22 degrees this morning, and the heated tent was perfect for Molly, Emma and Carter to hang out in while we ran. VIP food included Einstein Bagels and breakfast sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, OJ, coffee and water. The mayor of Indianapolis and local media were the only recognizable faces, but many public safety officials (mostly firefighters) were heavily present. Quick stop to our own private port-a-pots and Chuck and I take our position with the "fast turkeys". Molly opted to sit out and gave her bib to Emma Tillman, who was an old friend from our days staffing with the Winchester band 16 years ago. Emma had come with Jess who walked the 2.5 mile with Morgan.
I was feeling good and ready to give it a go for a PR but with my loss of speed this year in trying to go farther in 2013 I wasn't overly confident that I could get it done. The good news is I had my secret weapon at my side in Chuck, and he was willing to stick with me and pull me along. Last year I was 39:53 with nearly perfect 8:30 pacing. I knew if we could hold it under 8:30 mile by mile we'd be in good shape. I'll spare you the details of the mile by mile because honestly all I did was keep my head up and focused on one mile at a time. Here is the mile by mile comparison over the 4.65 mile course from last year to this year...
2012 2013
A 23 second PR is a perfect way for me to wrap up the year!
We made our way back to the VIP tent (only thing missing was chocolate milk) and found the family enjoying themselves. Took some pics and shared some war stories. Morgan was able to finish her race with a 12:20 pace and now it was Emma and Carter's turn.
The Lil' Gobblers run, is literally a 20 yard dash for kids 10 and under. Every kid gets a medal and a small bag of candy. This is the highlight of the event for these kids, and the best part...it's COMPLETELY FREE!
I love this race, and I love this distance. It's just short enough that I can go FAST, but just long enough that you must use disciplined pacing to meet your goal. And with over 17,000 participants it is now the 3rd largest race in Indiana (Indy Mini, Race for the Cure), and 6th largest Thanksgiving day race in the country! The Wheeler Mission is a wonderful organization, and the race director went above and beyond to make sure we came back and had a great day!
So that wraps up racing for 2013, unless I opt in to something else last minute. I'll put together my2014 race plan soon while my waist line fights through the difficult "eating season" (Thanksgiving - New Years)! Stay healthy friends!
If you're new to following my blog, or have not heard about our experience at last year's Drumstick Dash race, you'll want to read last year's race report first.
So with 5 VIP entries, I signed up Morgan, Molly and myself to compete and treated Chuck Alfrey and Jess Smith to the other two. Jess because she and her family hung out with us after the race last year to see us off okay including taking my kids to lunch while we waited on the police and loaning us $20 so we could get enough gas in the car to get home (remember we had no cash or credit cards, as EVERYTHING was stolen). And Chuck, because for Christmas last year, he gave the kids his old iPad to replace the one that got stolen, and he was such an inspiration to me this year during Ironman training. It's not nearly thanks enough, but it was a simple gesture that they both appreciated.
With VIP parking, we cruised right into the parking pass only lot at Broad Ripple Park, and walked less than one block to the HEATED VIP tent! 22 degrees this morning, and the heated tent was perfect for Molly, Emma and Carter to hang out in while we ran. VIP food included Einstein Bagels and breakfast sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, OJ, coffee and water. The mayor of Indianapolis and local media were the only recognizable faces, but many public safety officials (mostly firefighters) were heavily present. Quick stop to our own private port-a-pots and Chuck and I take our position with the "fast turkeys". Molly opted to sit out and gave her bib to Emma Tillman, who was an old friend from our days staffing with the Winchester band 16 years ago. Emma had come with Jess who walked the 2.5 mile with Morgan.I was feeling good and ready to give it a go for a PR but with my loss of speed this year in trying to go farther in 2013 I wasn't overly confident that I could get it done. The good news is I had my secret weapon at my side in Chuck, and he was willing to stick with me and pull me along. Last year I was 39:53 with nearly perfect 8:30 pacing. I knew if we could hold it under 8:30 mile by mile we'd be in good shape. I'll spare you the details of the mile by mile because honestly all I did was keep my head up and focused on one mile at a time. Here is the mile by mile comparison over the 4.65 mile course from last year to this year...
2012 2013
| 8:30 | 8:15 |
| 8:24 | 8:16 |
| 8:30 | 8:19 |
| 8:38 | 8:31 |
| 5:51 | 6:09 |
| 39:53 | 39:30 |
A 23 second PR is a perfect way for me to wrap up the year!
We made our way back to the VIP tent (only thing missing was chocolate milk) and found the family enjoying themselves. Took some pics and shared some war stories. Morgan was able to finish her race with a 12:20 pace and now it was Emma and Carter's turn.
The Lil' Gobblers run, is literally a 20 yard dash for kids 10 and under. Every kid gets a medal and a small bag of candy. This is the highlight of the event for these kids, and the best part...it's COMPLETELY FREE! I love this race, and I love this distance. It's just short enough that I can go FAST, but just long enough that you must use disciplined pacing to meet your goal. And with over 17,000 participants it is now the 3rd largest race in Indiana (Indy Mini, Race for the Cure), and 6th largest Thanksgiving day race in the country! The Wheeler Mission is a wonderful organization, and the race director went above and beyond to make sure we came back and had a great day!
So that wraps up racing for 2013, unless I opt in to something else last minute. I'll put together my2014 race plan soon while my waist line fights through the difficult "eating season" (Thanksgiving - New Years)! Stay healthy friends!
November 16, 2013
Full Beaver Moon 5k recap
Really was planning to be in Las Vegas today. This weekend is the RnR Las Vegas Half and Full marathons. I had a free entry for the race, but after Molly's surgery, I decided it was wise to abandon the travel plans and stay home to save money.Ironman friend TJ Tryon is the race director of a new race in Noblesville, and when he threw out a $10 off coupon I couldn't resist signing up for a race with the name FULL BEAVER in the title (yes, I'm that immature) Actually, it was just one more chance to race with my Ironman buddy, Chuck Alfrey. The icing on the cake was being joined by my weight loss successor, Mark Culp, who is well on his way to losing more weight than I did and is finding a joy for running.
It was a cloudy afternoon, so the full moon was not visible, but the temps were in the high 50s and the winds were gusting over 20 mph. Potter's Bridge park is a small area along the White river, and the bridge itself is a beautiful landmark to hold the race. The athletes walked to the other end of the bridge to start the race and the first 0.1 of the race comes through the bridge before you begin the 1.5 mile out and back. The 8 foot wide trail proved to be plenty wide to maneuver through the competition, and the hills were mild enough for my legs.
I ran hard on Alfrey's heels for the first mile at a sub-8 minute pace, but when I hit the turn-around I knew it wasn't going to hold. Dropped mile 2 to around 8:30 and struggled to hold 8:45 for mile 3. Final time was 26:08. 4th in my age group and 30 seconds slower than the First Choice 5k in April, and a full 2:30 slower than my PR from a year ago at Chase Charlie.
All in all a good fun race which is what I wanted. Great to see friends and try to go fast one more time. Yeah, I wish I was in Vegas this weekend. It was a year ago that we were there for The Strip at Night and I shot my video at the expo that ultimately landed me my sponsorship with Team Refuel and Got Chocolate Milk. Since we didn't make the trip, we decided to hold Carter's birthday party tomorrow. Bowling with a dozen 6 year olds could be just as entertaining as the Vegas strip?!? Okay, maybe not, but seeing my son smiling with all his friends is really all that matters!
November 3, 2013
An extra hour of sleep or an extra hour to RUN?
I walked outside this morning in prep for my morning run and saw my neighbor standing in his front lawn with a bottle of black shoe polish in one hand, and his penis in the other. As I got closer, I realized that he was applying the black shoe polish all over his penis turning it a very dark black. I screamed out to him, "Sir, what are you doing?" He looked back at me with an innocent glance and said, "I'm just doing what you reminded me to do yesterday!" "No, no, no sir, that's not what I said. What I said was 'Don't forget to turn your CLOCKS BACK!!!"OK, so maybe that didn't happen, but what did happen, was Max and I set out for a GREAT 8 mile run. The pup kept up with great pacing and I enjoyed 80 minutes together with man's best friend. Much of my inspiration this morning comes from the 43rd running of the NYC marathon where my running friend Ted Johnson is realizing one of his dreams that was delayed for him last year by hurricane Sandy. The NYC marathon is a bucket list race for me, and I've entered the lottery each of the last two years with no luck. Emma told me this morning that the "third time's a charm". I hope she's right!
Changing the clocks is a pretty big deal for me. Most of you that have followed me for quite some time remember my post from March 2010 when we changed our clocks and I made the commitment to change my life. Days like this give me a moment to reflect on how far I've come. Certainly the weight loss is the most proud accomplishment, but that is kind of a thing of the past now. I've maintained the weight loss for over a year (within 5%), and continue to work hard to keep it off. I continue to add races to my resume, and while I enjoy every second of it, this was a year of very few PRs! I added another marathon (which I did PR) for a total of 4, and added 4 half marathons (No PRs) for a total of 15! My 5k and 10k PRs were both set last year as well. So, am I getting slower? Perhaps! But...my triathlon accomplishments have come around. I did PR my Half Ironman distance at Ironman 70.3 Muncie in July. And I did PR my Olympic distance in June. And, oh yeah, I did complete this little race called Ironman Louisville, which I'm just a little proud of (I guess we can call that a PR too).
And so the story continues. Still not sure what the next chapter looks like. There's still so much I want to do! Continue with triathlon? Refocus on running? Set a new low on the scale? Or maybe, just maybe, it's time to "fall back" and give my body a well deserved rest...maybe? ;)
October 28, 2013
St Louis Rock n Roll Race Weekend Recap and Race Report
"...and the Cardinals are in the World Series"
When this announcement was made, I was anxiously awaiting the release of the schedule and to my delight, game 3 was scheduled for Saturday night after the expo! More on that soon.
I arrived into St Louis in near record time on Saturday afternoon and headed straight to the expo at the America's Center which is on the back side of the Edward Jones Dome (shouldn't I get VIP parking here?) The expo was fairly impressive, in particular the Brooks display up front where everyone was given a "Passport" with a chance to win a free pair of Brooks running shoes (I won a tee shirt). You could ride the Brooks shoe like a bull, or run in place to send your mountain climber up the side of the volcano. All very interactive and enjoyable!
Checked out many other fun booths too including spending some time with Frank Shorter who talked me through the course giving lots of great suggestions for race day strategy. Then it was time to meet up with the REFUEL team. Decided to shoot a new video and take my chances at qualifying as a November finalist for another round of voting (stay tuned) It was great to see Tom again (we met in Nashville and connect regularly on social media) and his wife. Also met a CAF wheelchair athlete and reconnected with my contact for the weekend, Lindsey, who was with me in both Nashville and Louisville! Besides complimentary entry, the best perk of being on the team - V I P !!!
When we were done with the expo, we split up and I headed off on my own to Busch Stadium. It's only 6 blocks or so and it was a P - A - R - T - A - Y like no other. A sea of red in every direction and the town was decked out in red everywhere you looked. As I neared the stadium, a large crowd was gathering and I just happened upon the Budweiser Clydesdales rolling out to parade around the stadium! Super Cool!
Worked my way through the parking lot where several stages were working like live concerts. ESPN, Fox Sports Midwest, and local radio stations were quite entertaining to the crowd, most of which probably did not have a ticket to the game (like myself) - of course I had to inquire, and the cheapest ticket I could find anywhere was nearly $400! Yeah, that's not in the budget!
I needed dinner, and was tired of being on my feet, so I made my way back to the car only to discover a newer casino just blocks away. I hit up Lumiere Place and found a great sports bar to take in the Mizzou game and carb load on some pizza (yes, I probably didn't need to eat the whole thing, but I did)! Then it occurred to me - I'm in a casino, and I need $400. Let's see what we can do. Found my way to the poker room, and went to work. Up a few, down a few, but just wasn't getting the cards to make a run. Enjoyed myself, but needed to call it a day so headed off to my family accommodations in Kirkwood for the evening where I fell asleep in the 7th inning!
Alarm was set for 5:15 in order to meet up with the REFUEL team in the VIP tent by 6:30. Got parked fine and bundled up for the cold wait for the 7:00 start. Got some great pics with teammates and enjoyed the celebrity-like treatment. Seriously, my teammates are great! Left to right are Tom (aka Ron Burgundy), George Melichar (who is a true celebrity on the RnR circuit), myself, and Shannyn. Click the links to learn more about them... seriously, do it, they are AMAZING people!
Once the formalities were over, it was into the corrals and time to get down to business. The scenery was amazing as the sun was coming up from behind the arch while the National Anthem was being sung. The 7 a.m. start for corral 1 was a 7:11 start for myself in corral 9 which made the 7:22 sunrise gorgeous to run into during that first mile. Fresh legs and feeling good, the first mile takes you right by Busch Stadium where I stood 12 hours earlier in a sea of humanity before game 3 of the World Series, and yet there was still a buzz around the place as they prepped for game 4 to be played Sunday night. Miles 2, 3, and 4 are all downtown in familiar areas to me and even miles 5 and 6 took me by the Fox Theater that I last visited some 15 years ago! (I love this city).
We ran through the St Louis University Campus, across the metrolink and over I-64. The next several miles brought some hills that took my 10:00 pace average down to 10:15 average as I struggled to keep every mile under 11:00. I latched onto Laura from Topeka, KS. This was her first RnR event, and her goal was 2:15, but she'd be happy with anything under 2:20. We traded stories about life and family, but ultimately I let her go as I struggled up a hill at mile 9. (The weak hamstring still kills me on hills)
I seriously debated walking many times, but with each mile I continued to count down, and knew that it was a mental battle at this point. I FORCED myself to keep the running/jogging stride going and stuck with the plan. Water only at every aid station, and a gel at 3.5, 7, and my last at 10.5. This one came with the biggest and best downhill of the course which felt awesome, but just like every downhill on this course it was followed immediately by a steep uphill, in this case up and over the last incline brought us on to Market Street as we make the final right hand turn and enjoy the last mile, almost completely downhill with the arch in the distance to the finish line!
The victory for me today was running every step of the race! My body has not fully recovered from Ironman Louisville nearly as quick as I had hoped, and most of my speed from this time last year has been lost (a year ago this weekend I went under 2 hours at this distance for the first time at the 2012 Muncie Mini) - No shame though, my overall place of 3710/7442 has me just barely in the top half of the field, and I feel very good about that!
As always, I finish my race by refueling with delicious low-fat chocolate milk. I actually skipped the Gatorade and had 3 cartons of chocolate milk! And even though, my body thanked me for it, I've decided that this will mark the end of the long races for 2013. I'm choosing to miss Las Vegas to refocus on my family and my training. I look forward to recovering for a bit and then getting back to some speed work this winter!
When this announcement was made, I was anxiously awaiting the release of the schedule and to my delight, game 3 was scheduled for Saturday night after the expo! More on that soon.
I arrived into St Louis in near record time on Saturday afternoon and headed straight to the expo at the America's Center which is on the back side of the Edward Jones Dome (shouldn't I get VIP parking here?) The expo was fairly impressive, in particular the Brooks display up front where everyone was given a "Passport" with a chance to win a free pair of Brooks running shoes (I won a tee shirt). You could ride the Brooks shoe like a bull, or run in place to send your mountain climber up the side of the volcano. All very interactive and enjoyable!
Checked out many other fun booths too including spending some time with Frank Shorter who talked me through the course giving lots of great suggestions for race day strategy. Then it was time to meet up with the REFUEL team. Decided to shoot a new video and take my chances at qualifying as a November finalist for another round of voting (stay tuned) It was great to see Tom again (we met in Nashville and connect regularly on social media) and his wife. Also met a CAF wheelchair athlete and reconnected with my contact for the weekend, Lindsey, who was with me in both Nashville and Louisville! Besides complimentary entry, the best perk of being on the team - V I P !!! 
When we were done with the expo, we split up and I headed off on my own to Busch Stadium. It's only 6 blocks or so and it was a P - A - R - T - A - Y like no other. A sea of red in every direction and the town was decked out in red everywhere you looked. As I neared the stadium, a large crowd was gathering and I just happened upon the Budweiser Clydesdales rolling out to parade around the stadium! Super Cool!
Worked my way through the parking lot where several stages were working like live concerts. ESPN, Fox Sports Midwest, and local radio stations were quite entertaining to the crowd, most of which probably did not have a ticket to the game (like myself) - of course I had to inquire, and the cheapest ticket I could find anywhere was nearly $400! Yeah, that's not in the budget!
I needed dinner, and was tired of being on my feet, so I made my way back to the car only to discover a newer casino just blocks away. I hit up Lumiere Place and found a great sports bar to take in the Mizzou game and carb load on some pizza (yes, I probably didn't need to eat the whole thing, but I did)! Then it occurred to me - I'm in a casino, and I need $400. Let's see what we can do. Found my way to the poker room, and went to work. Up a few, down a few, but just wasn't getting the cards to make a run. Enjoyed myself, but needed to call it a day so headed off to my family accommodations in Kirkwood for the evening where I fell asleep in the 7th inning!
Alarm was set for 5:15 in order to meet up with the REFUEL team in the VIP tent by 6:30. Got parked fine and bundled up for the cold wait for the 7:00 start. Got some great pics with teammates and enjoyed the celebrity-like treatment. Seriously, my teammates are great! Left to right are Tom (aka Ron Burgundy), George Melichar (who is a true celebrity on the RnR circuit), myself, and Shannyn. Click the links to learn more about them... seriously, do it, they are AMAZING people!
Once the formalities were over, it was into the corrals and time to get down to business. The scenery was amazing as the sun was coming up from behind the arch while the National Anthem was being sung. The 7 a.m. start for corral 1 was a 7:11 start for myself in corral 9 which made the 7:22 sunrise gorgeous to run into during that first mile. Fresh legs and feeling good, the first mile takes you right by Busch Stadium where I stood 12 hours earlier in a sea of humanity before game 3 of the World Series, and yet there was still a buzz around the place as they prepped for game 4 to be played Sunday night. Miles 2, 3, and 4 are all downtown in familiar areas to me and even miles 5 and 6 took me by the Fox Theater that I last visited some 15 years ago! (I love this city).
I seriously debated walking many times, but with each mile I continued to count down, and knew that it was a mental battle at this point. I FORCED myself to keep the running/jogging stride going and stuck with the plan. Water only at every aid station, and a gel at 3.5, 7, and my last at 10.5. This one came with the biggest and best downhill of the course which felt awesome, but just like every downhill on this course it was followed immediately by a steep uphill, in this case up and over the last incline brought us on to Market Street as we make the final right hand turn and enjoy the last mile, almost completely downhill with the arch in the distance to the finish line!
The victory for me today was running every step of the race! My body has not fully recovered from Ironman Louisville nearly as quick as I had hoped, and most of my speed from this time last year has been lost (a year ago this weekend I went under 2 hours at this distance for the first time at the 2012 Muncie Mini) - No shame though, my overall place of 3710/7442 has me just barely in the top half of the field, and I feel very good about that!
As always, I finish my race by refueling with delicious low-fat chocolate milk. I actually skipped the Gatorade and had 3 cartons of chocolate milk! And even though, my body thanked me for it, I've decided that this will mark the end of the long races for 2013. I'm choosing to miss Las Vegas to refocus on my family and my training. I look forward to recovering for a bit and then getting back to some speed work this winter!
Did I mention how much I love being VIP at these races?!?
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| LOVE the medal! Captures the city beautifully! |
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