Dress Rehearsals

Just wanted to give a little update on what life's been looking like lately. Things are going well and I'm still in one piece, thankfully. The past few weeks have been big in terms of mileage and hours, but soon the training will shift to focus more on rest, recovery, and maintenance of the gains that have been made. This week I'll have my first of two "race rehearsals." Friday I'll swim 2.4 miles in the pool. Saturday I'll ride 117 miles and follow it up with a one hour run. The goal is to match everything as close to race-day conditions as possible. Down to what I'll be eating this week. The primary focus will be on pacing and my nutrition during the race so that when I get to Florida there won't be any surprises. I'm looking forward to these dress rehearsals, but honestly, a little nervous too.

Others warned me about the mental side of this. I was told to be ready for the battle that begins as ironman nears. Although I hoped that I'd be different...turns out I'm not! My biggest challenges, at this point, are not the physical demands but the demands centered above the neck. Doubt, mental fatigue, even fear at times. All natural, I think, when we take risks or overreach. But you can't let it paralyze you. So I'll walk the tight rope. Recognizing the risk and knowing where I'm vulnerable but also trusting. My training, my support, and most of all, my God, who got me here and continues to amaze me with His plan.

Thank you again, for all of the support, interest, and well-wishes. It means a great deal to me and often fuels me when I'm having "one of those days." And don't forget, there's still plenty of time to donate to this year's cause. Just click the "firstgiving" link on your right. We've already raised over $3000, but are a loooong way from the goal. Surprise me!

Have a great week.

Thoughts on Ironman

I hope that you've all had a great Labor Day weekend. Just a little update and some thoughts on the big day that is rapidly approaching. I'm nursing a few minor injuries but that's to be expected at this point. Thankfully, things have been going pretty well as of late though. In fact, this weekend we hit a few milestones. Saturday I had my first ride of more than 100 miles and this morning Joe and I ventured down to the beach for my first Gulf swim (Note to self: Check weather next time). I grew up 10 minutes from that water and it's only taken me 34 years to muster up enough courage to brave it. Mother nature made it a humbling and challenging workout (see pic) but certainly a valuable experience.

As November 6th gets closer, so does the number of times I hear the question, "Are you ready?" Funny, that's what I keep asking myself. My answer..."I don't know." Can you be? I do know that I'll be prepared. I have incredible support, a coach that I trust, priceless mentors, and a solid game plan . If I do my part I will be prepared but "ready" is a whole different thing. At some point everyone reaches that moment where their body is ready to shut down. The point at which quitting sounds more appealing than continuing. In an Ironman, that's usually the last third or so of the marathon. Maybe it's a lot sooner than that for me, maybe a little later. Who knows? But whenever that moment arrives, late or early, the trick is to have your brain convince the rest of you that "we're ok!" Easier said than done, I'm sure. I've never had to do it but I'll have to in Florida. That's the part that I'm not quite convinced that you can be "ready" for. The good news is that I'm racing for more than just the finish line and that this process has been as much about spiritual endurance and growth as it has been about athletic benchmarks. So while I don't know if I can really be ready for what's to come, I know that the one who got me here is. The one who strengthens me will be racing right along side of me that day, just like every other day, and when my "moment" presents itself, I will lean fully on Him. I don't think I can go wrong with that game plan.

Sometimes we find ourselves in uncharted waters and sometimes God asks us to do things that aren't exactly comfortable for us. While you may not be ready for it, He is and He wouldn't have put you there if He wasn't planning on providing a way for you to get through it. So lets continue to prepare ourselves as best we can knowing that when we reach the edge of what we thought possible, He'll be there to blaze the trail ahead.

Have a great week.

The Final Push

It's hard to believe that we're less than twelve weeks away from Ironman Florida. Many hours of training, many miles logged, many dollars raised for a great cause. What a journey it's been. Life changing to say the least, but it's been so much more.

This sort of thing doesn't just happen without an incredible amount of support. I thank all of you who've played a role at some point along the way. Several times a day I'm asked, "how's the training coming along?" or "how many miles did you ride Saturday?" So many interested folks offering encouragement. Not to mention the donations that many have made to Wears Valley Ranch. I'm humbled by your generosity. With three months to go we've raised $3000!

I don't do much sitting around on weekends anymore, but I look forward to them more than ever. When the sun comes up on Saturday morning, I know there will be an army of Tri4Him teammates ready to saddle up and and spend the day riding, enjoying the fellowship, pushing one another, and encouraging one another. Many who aren't gearing up for an Ironman ride extra, just because they know I have to. Tri4Him and the Houston chapter, specifically, are doing such great things. I'm proud to be a part of it and very thankful for all of them.

My Wednesday long-runs have gone from "just another work out" to a valuable time of prayer and personal reflection. Hard to explain really, but two or three hours alone out enjoying God's creation is a great time to clear your head and focus on what's really important.

We've come a long way since early 2009. My life, my spirit, and my body were taken down to the foundation and have now been rebuilt. Stronger, better. It was difficult at the start, but I wouldn't give those days back. Were it not for them, I might have missed what was happening. These good times wouldn't mean nearly as much without the struggles early on.

So here we are. The final push. I'm more motivated than ever and honored to be able to go out and race for the one who made all of this possible. I hope you come along to see what happens. We're almost home. Don't quit on me now.

www.firstgiving.com/teamstevenstri

Race Report-Small Texan Triathlon

We found out this weekend that the "small" in Small Texan Triathlon does not refer to the hills encountered on the course! This was a challenging olympic distance race and a good test of will and problem solving skills as it turned out. The elevation changes were comparable to Lubbock but instead of a 56 mile bike ride, the hills were crammed into a 28 mile course. That left us with little time for recovery between climbs and jelly legs once we got to the run.

The swim was not my best, by far. I struggled to get out of the pack and seemed to be caught up in the churn of other competitors for most of the 1500 meters. That combined with difficulties seeing the directional buoys led to the slower time. One of those swims that you just have to get through. The bike portion was tough (see above!) all the way around. Pretty much max effort for the majority of the course. I was happy with my time in the end but I had to work for it, for sure. That made for a difficult 6.2 mile run which also featured some unpleasant changes in elevation. I was happy to keep it together, even though I had to slow my pace a bit to make it through. My heart rate hit some numbers that I've never seen before. Racing or training. In the end I finished at 3:15:32. Good enough for 11th in an age-group with 24 competitors. Not bad considering my swim was 21st (out of 24). OUCH!

Hope all of you had a good weekend. For now, back to the training grindstone. Clear Lake International is right around the corner. Another olympic race but this time flat and in our own back yard. Clear Lake will also be the first time that Tri4Him-Houston will compete as a team against several local tri groups. Hope some of you will be able to make it out to watch.

Race Week-Small Texan Triathlon

It's time to race again folks. This weekend we're off to Boerne, Texas for The Small Texan Triathlon. A challenging olympic distance race (1.5K/45K/10K) that will offer another nice change of scenery and, once again, hills. Really looking forward to this one. It'll only be my second race at this distance, giving me a chance to see where (or if) I've improved. Also, a step down in distance, which is nice mentally. This race and Clear Lake, next month, will serve mostly to keep me motivated and having fun heading into the final few months before Ironman Florida...yes, it's just a few months away! Scary thought, but good scary. Three other Houston Tri4Himers will also be making the trip to race. Always a plus to have team support, encouragement, and mutual motivation on race day. Don't know a whole lot going into this one, but I'm sure it'll be a fun day.

Interestingly, we've got a pretty good race going between my training mileage and our WVR donations progress. This week, the 2000 mile mark was eclipsed and the current fundraising is at $1900. Don't let me log more miles than that dollar amount! Kidding aside, your contributions to this point are awesome and much appreciated. By the way, I just looked at WVR's current "wish list," and they've got a minivan listed as a need. What they're needing will range from $8000-$10,000. How great would it be to raise enough to get them in one or real close to it? If you haven't checked them out, I'd encourage you to do so by clicking the Wears Valley Ranch link on this page. Lots of information there including some testimonials from kids whose lives they touched. Inspiring stuff. If you haven't yet and would like to help out, just click the "firstgiving" link over on the right-hand side of this page. There you can make your donation in any amount, big or small. You know you want that mini van!

Once again, thanks for all of the support and interest you've shown. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers this weekend and I'll be sure to let you know what happens when I get back.

Race Report-Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake

Dad and I made it back into town today after a long road trip and a tough race. I'm moving a bit slower than usual but I'm happy to be home after a great weekend. As expected it was hot, windy, and the fabled hills of Lubbock did not disappoint. Buffalo Springs was an interesting set up. Essentially a 70.3 Ironman event set around a lake, a large campsite, and the plains outside of Lubbock.

We were up early Sunday morning and got to the race site around 4:30AM. After getting a lay of the land and setting up in transition, I donned the wetsuit and got in a brief warm up. The water temperature was comfortable and because the lake was basically down in a hole, it was protected from the wind. That offered nice, calm water. A welcomed change from Kemah and Galveston. Fortunately those conditions and a good game plan led to my best swim time yet, 39:06. Not fast, but much improved. I exited the water feeling good about my start and ready to face the elements on the bike course. As I mentioned, Buffalo Springs didn't disappoint. Immediately after leaving transition, on the bike, we had a tough climb to get out of that hole. And once we got back to level ground the winds came into play. The entire bike course was a series of flat, windy stretches along farm roads mixed with several challenging hills. As in, 6-8 M.P.H. going up and 30+ M.P.H. going down. That got my attention! Not something I deal with riding in Houston, for sure. I was amazed at how fast some of the competitors would descend past as I was climbing up. We're talking a pebble or a flat tire away from being road kill at those speeds. Needless to say, I wasn't quite as aggressive. I had my fun but I also need to replace my brake pads this week! It was a fun and challenging ride. I was happy to walk away from it in one piece with my 3:14:19 bike leg. I figured some of the same hills were waiting for me on the run and I was right. Once again, the run took us back out of the hole and onto the farm roads. There was nowhere to hide from the sun at that point. No trees. No buildings. Just long stretches of black top and hills. The hills were obviously no fun on the run but I felt well conditioned for the heat. Relative to the usual Houston humidity I'm accustomed to, the heat in Lubbock actually felt good at times. Especially when we got a little breeze. Never thought I'd be thankful for humidity, but on Sunday I certainly was. Despite the heat and the climbs, I was lucky enough to turn in a 2:05:33 half-marathon.

All in all, it was a great weekend. My official time was 6:04:51 which is a slight improvement over Galveston. A good boost of confidence heading into the summer months. From here on out, it'll be steady training sprinkled with a few shorter distance races, mostly for fun and a little distraction. IM Florida is just four months away.

Race Week-Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake

After a two month hiatus, it's finally time to race again. When I first started doing these things, my mentors would tell me that the races are the fun part. The training is what'll kill you. That made no sense to me last year but I assure you it does now. The last several weeks have delivered a pretty steady diet of increasing distance and amount of time spent training. The mornings have gotten earlier, the weather has gotten hotter, and I'm now very familiar with the massage place around the corner. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying every bit of it, but I'm also looking forward to this week of recovery leading up to Lubbock. And I'm really looking forward to being back out there.

This race will be much different than Galveston. First, I've never done this one. Things will be unfamiliar and no other Houston Tri4Himers will be there to grind it out along side me. The crew this weekend is me and dad, who will serve as co-pilot, room mate, sports psychiatrist, race-day support, equipment manager, and most importantly dad. I'm glad to have him along for the experience. He's getting pretty seasoned at watching races and is in full on training for IM Florida spectating. Lubbock will also offer some new terrains, with a hilly landscape for both the bike and run portions of this race. A bit intimidating when you look at the map, but I'm looking forward to this new challenge. It's hard to train for elevation changes here in Houston. I'm counting on the past several months of work and grit to get me through it. Interestingly, the swim will be wetsuit legal (i.e. less than 78F) despite the hot climate. It takes place in Buffalo Springs Lake, which is a natural, spring fed lake, making it cool. Notably, the only cool portion of this race with predicted temperatures of around 100F by the end of the run. Good times!

As always, I am incredibly thankful that the Lord has sustained me through all of the mental and physical pounding required of this endeavor. I've been blessed to be injury free and in good health to keep up with the training. I'm also thankful for all of you. Your support mentally, spiritually, and emotionally has continued to fuel my fire and your financial contributions to Wears Valley Ranch have served to motivate me, even further, along the way. Thank you, again. If you've not jumped on board with that, this race would be a great excuse to do so. Likewise, if you've already "joined the race," why not use this event to play add on? I set our goal of $10,000 pretty high, but have no doubt that we can reach that and know that those funds will serve to help out a Godly organization with a worthy cause. Our total is $1700 as of today. Let's kick it up a notch! Just click the "firstgiving" logo over on the right. It's fast, easy, and feels really good!

I'll keep you posted on what takes place this weekend. If you've got a second to give us a thought or say a quick prayer Sunday morning, I'd appreciate it. I'll be out there working from 6:45 to 1ish. My fellow competitors and I could use all the help we can get. If you've got a little extra time...try praying for a cold front!

Thanks again.