2009...

Well, in a few days I will officially close the 2009 chapter to my book of life. 09 was a significant year in my life in many ways. I became engaged, ran my first marathon, completed my first Ironman, and battled through an extremely difficult time at work which saw some close friends and mentors leave via lay offs. One year ago I was not confident that 2009 was going to be quite this successful, or even managable, on many different levels. Was it easy, hell no. Not a single day of it. Well I take that back, the days immediately after the marathon and Ironman were amazingly easy (think lounging and beer!).

As I look to what 2010 will bring, I can't help but be optimistic! Why? Well, for starters, I'm getting married!! And to my "otter half!" I can't say enough about Meg. She has been amazing this past year. Not only putting up with my ridiculous amounts of training, but encouraging me all the way! On top of that, I'm racing Ironman Canada the week before our wedding! Totally awesome. Ironman Canada has such a special place in my heart that it's difficult to put into words. My Dad raced there five times. I was there for everyone of them. Canada is my A race this year. With his help, we plan to have a great race...we have set some lofty goals. I so cannot wait!! What a great week that is going to be! Ironman and then wedding. Awesome.

Beyond that, there are countless other adventures that we will undertake. My biggest undertaking will once again be to properly manage my time this year. Work is continually exhausting with high stress and long hours. Add wedding planning and the thought of cramming in 20 to 25 hour training weeks seems impossible. But as the commercial states....Impossible is nothing. I do believe this. Bring it on 2010! I took everything you could throw at me in 09 and came out smelling like a Rose...GO DUCKS!! Thanks for reading,

-T

First Ride...

Well, my first decent ride post IMAZ is complete. A buddy and I went out this past Saturday for a little over 2 hours. It was great, except it was pretty cold, and a fair amount of hills! I felt pretty good except my asthma was still an issue. My lungs were burning, especially on the climbs. It was somewhat miserable. Getting a sinus infection post IMAZ definitely put my lung recovery on hold. That being said, my legs felt great which is a very nice sign. I was happy to get out and happy to have such good company. Thanks Jer!

I'm running a few times per week, nothing over 45 minutes yet. I'm not swimming too much at this point, but will start to incorporate more swimming post New Years. As I was telling someone the other day, swimming is the hardest thing for me to get back into during the off season as I have a really difficult time getting up early enough to make practice. This time of year I'm all about getting caught up on sleep and not braving the morning cold to jump into a pool. Soon that will have to change. Until then...thanks for reading!

-T

Christmas Time...

Already?!? Crazy how quickly the year has gone. Just one week left until Christmas! I love this time of year. It's an interesting time of year for me as there is no formal training. The rest of the year I'm focused on working my training into my work and social life, or when Ironman training really kicks into gear, just into my work life because there is no social life for a while :) Instead this time of year is just about hanging out and I love it. Especially the holidays! Eventually I start to crave the structure of training schedules, intense work outs, etc...but not yet!


This Christmas should be great with some quality family time. It will be great to celebrate a wonderful year with family and friends. Hopefully we won't have a massive snow storm that derails the state for days like last year. I love snow, but that was too much last year! I remember last year was such a fiasco to even get to my family's house due to the large amount of snow that fell! Pops was shoveling the darn hill we live on for days just to make it out of the house.

Best part of Christmas? Ping Pong tournament baby! Yep, we get pretty darn competitive in the yates' household and this time of year that means hours of high quality table tennis!! Too much fun...can't wait! As always, thanks for reading,

-T

Post Ironman Thoughts...

No matter how much I try, I can't stop thinking about my race in Tempe last month. All the time the race is on my mind. At least once a day I catch myself recollecting about the race. Analyzing moves made, moves not made, nutrition, hydration, pace, heart rate, etc. All of this analysis has left me with some definite conclusions to my race.

I've read that the race doesn't really start until 2/3 of the way through the marathon...or mile 18 to 20. I would agree with this. If I hadn't had the airway issues I did early on in the run I feel I would have been able to keep shuffling between 8-9 minute miles...until about mile 18 to 19. I'll get to that moment in a minute. As far as the asthma issue goes, I think I did the right thing in trying to manage the problem as opposed to push through it and hope it got better. By proactively keeping my HR down, and thus my energy output, I was able to keep going...albeit at a walk at times.

In retrospect, I will push at this point next time. I know when to stop if things get serious, but they weren't serious yet. Would they have gotten serious? Possibly. Probably? Hard to tell. I believe I was acting extremely cautiously because it was my first Ironman and I had ended up in the medical tent a few too many times this year already! Chris McCormack said their are points during a race when you have to take a risk, and you have to be able to pay the ultimate price if that risk doesn't work. In hindsight I don't think I was completely ready to take that risk at that point. Although, because of what I did I was able to make it to mile 18 and my airway was ok enough that running was no longer an issue.

Mile 18, this was right after entering the third loop of the race. At this point my entire body was screaming at me. On top of that I was having issues staying focused. Well turns out I had devoted so much time to the asthma issue that I hadn't taken any calories in during the run. After 1.5 miles of walking or so I reloaded with calories and was running within .25 miles. I ran the rest of the way in...pretty much. There was a point when I was getting those few hundred calories that I thought maybe I would just walk the last 7 miles in. I was feeling sorry for myself. This is when I dug. I was prepared to dig deep, but my first Ironman taught me what it is really like to dig that deep. It is indescribable. Here is a great pic of Macca digging deep in Hawaii!!

So, short version? I feel like I was prepared to go about 45 minutes faster, maybe a little more. I lost it on the run. I left for the run at about 6hr 20min into the race...a 4:00 marathon still put me under 10:30, actually closer to 10:15. Yet, this is why we race. I learned a ton from this race and am confident that I will use the lessons learned to better prepare and execute in Canada! I have some ambitous goals set for 2010 and I can't wait to start reaching for them! Thanks for reading,

-T

First run...

Well, I got my first run in post Ironman tonight. On a treadmill...all 30 minutes of it! I felt really sluggish at first, but after about 10 minutes kind of got into it. I was just concentrating on working on my form so no intensity. It felt good to be sweating again and to be well...running! Hopefully if it starts to warm up soon I will get a run in outside this weekend. I have my first outdoor ride scheduled for this Sunday, can't wait!!

Still working out some race planning for this upcoming year. It's exciting to think about this upcoming season. Some of the things I'm going to concentrate on this winter are: my swim - I've never been good about getting to the pool in the winter; bike fitness, I want to keep up a certain bike mileage during the next 3 to 4 months of base while incorporating some speed to keep the legs solid; run toughness - I need to get tougher on the run with some road races this winter and early spring. Right now though it's all about planning...planning for the wedding and for the race season! The more planning done now...the easier life will be months from now! Thanks for reading,
-T

Brrr...

Well, I had everything packed to go to swim practice this morning. It would have been my first workout since Ironman, just over two weeks ago. I am getting over a sinus infection, but figured I had been lazy enough and wanted some exercise. Although I was still feeling pretty bad, the idea of getting some exercise in was too good to pass up. Then I saw the weather forecast. It got down to 12 degrees last night in Eugene. Well, 12 is pretty cold for us in Eugene. And to top it off...we swim outdoors year round!! This time of year at Echo Hollow pool.


As much as I was looking forward to working out again...the idea of staying in bed, and in turn staying healthy, was too good to pass up! My bed was warm, and hell, it was 12 degrees outside! Thanks, but no thanks. So, another day passes. No exercise. I'm starting to go kind of crazy! I will say the time off has been nice though! I'm getting really excited for next season. I have some big goals for this upcoming season and look forward to putting in the work necessary to achieve those goals. Hope everyone is well and staying warm. Thanks for reading,

-T

Rose Bowl...

So every football season, I dream of the Ducks over achieving. I hope that they will play tough every game and ultimately end up in a big time bowl game. Entering this season there were lots of questions about the Ducks team this year, but they did look good on paper. And then Boise State happened. We all know about "the punch" at Boise State. The better story is how the Ducks have rebounded since then and put themselves into position for the Rose Bowl entering Thursday night's Civil War game with our arch rival Oregon State!! It was winner take all, with all being a berth to the Rose Bowl.

We had a great time at the game. And what a game it was!! The Ducks pulled it out in the end and we all celebrated a return to the Rose Bowl, 15 years removed from our last appearance!! It was a fitting end to this season and this year. The past few weeks have been amazing with Ironman Arizona, Thanksgiving, and now the Ducks heading off to the Rose Bowl. I'm one happy guy right now! As far as triathlon goes? I'm into my 12th consecutive day off. I have done nothing. I'm fighting off a cold so that has actually helped to keep me inactive...which is good. I'm still trying to hammer out my race schedule for 2010 and will get that up once I have it established. Until then...GO DUCKS!!! Thanks for reading,

-T

Proper nutrition? Not now...

Yes, that is a fried chicken on top of a waffle!! Heck yeah, that's what I ate for breakfast on Sunday!! Well, not the whole thing, I definitely needed a doggy bag, but still...I love the off season! I figured I've earned a few of these types of meals :)

All remains well in the off season front. Nothing new to report which is good news. I'm looking forward to Christmas and New Years...they will be here before I know it. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy sleeping in and contemplate going for a swim in the next few days. Thanks for reading,

-T

Off Season...

So I'm almost done with my first week of the off season. Meg and I hung out in AZ for a few days to enjoy the sunshine and pools. It was great! We flew back Tuesday night and I was almost walking normal again by Wednesday. Thursday was Turkey Day and I had a great day. My focus currently is strictly on rest and recovery. I've been sleeping anywhere from 9 to 11 hours per night which has been wonderful. I've definitely been eating way too much as well as enjoying the occassional adult beverage. I figure one week a year I get to forget about calories, fat intake, garbage food, etc...and this week is my week! It's been great.


I thought about swimming this morning just to do something, but that thought easily vacated my mind as I rolled over in bed. I've read a lot about post Ironman depression and I can see where it comes from, yet I haven't come anywhere close to it. I believe this is for multiple reasons. 1) I had a good race. Sure it could have been better, but I broke 11 hours on my first try. 2) I already have Ironman Canada in my sights. 9 months away... 3) I have the best fiance and family. They have and always are so great. So supportive, so full of love.


All and all, the journey to Ironman Arizona was an amazing. This next year will provide all new adventures and obstacles. This next year will include a lot of change for me. Most importantly I will be getting married the week after Ironman Canada, so it will be a very eventful summer!! In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy extra sleep, an improper diet, and a beer or two. I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Thanks for reading,

-T

Ironman Arizona Race Report....

First off, I must thank everyone that helped get me to the start line. Most importantly, the love of my life who put up with my crazy training schedule. She is amazing and I owe this race to her love and support of me! This race would have never happened if I hadn’t decided to go for that run. It was 3 years ago Friday. I had eaten too much at Thanksgiving dinner the night before and decided I would go for a jog to burn off the calories…I made it less than ½ mile before I nearly collapsed. Here I was, a former elite level swimmer, 40 pounds overweight and unable to run half a mile. I decided then I would change my life. I slowly got into triathlon doing my first Olympic distance triathlon 7 months later.

Fast forward to Sunday morning: 5:55am Lake Tempe, AZ. Here I was in the bike transition area of Ironman Arizona getting body marked. I had spent the better part of the last 18 months preparing for this day. Last season I did my first half Iron and this season included a marathon in May. The rest of the summer had been spent building and preparing for the day that now was here. Surprisingly I was not nervous…I was ready. The volunteer writing my race number on me talked with me about the big Duck victory the night before (which of course I stayed up late to watch). I spent some time with Meghan and slowly put on my wetsuit. One final check of the watch…6:30, time to get ready to rock!! I made my way (slowly) to the lake.

I had 5 goals going into my first Ironman:

1)Finish

2)No medical tent

3)Break 11 hours and finish before it was dark (sunset was around 5:40 local time, but it didn’t really get dark until 6pm)

4)Smile as much as possible and enjoy the experience

5)Thank every volunteer I came across

Swim: 55:07

I sat there in the lake treading water watching the pros start…10 minutes to go until we (the age groupers) started. I am a good swimmer so I quickly got right to the front where the kayakers were holding a start line. We listened to the national anthem and I cried. I cried because I realized I was about to start the race I had been dreaming of completing for so long. I cried because I knew I was ready. I cried because of how far I had come in 3 years. And then…BOOM. The cannon went off to start Ironman Arizona!!

I sprinted out of my spot, instantly ditching most of those around me. The water was pretty murky so I had to sight to see anything happening in front of me. Luckily, there wasn’t much. One or two guys took right off, on a different day I would have gone with them, but this was my first Ironman and all I wanted to do was come in around 55 minutes for the swim portion. I easily made my way into a lead pack of 5 to 8. I sat near the back catching a nice draft, concentrating on my stroke. Before I knew it we were making the one turn at the half way mark. The sun was rising before me as I approached the turn buoy, it was awesome.

The way home on the swim went according to plan. The pace was easy and I thought about breaking away, but again, I knew it was a long day and I better pace myself. Plus, nobody was passing us, in fact we were passing some pros (who started 10 minutes before us) so I knew I was swimming well. Final turn at the end of the swim to make our way to the ladders to get out and before I knew it a very strong volunteer was lifting me out of the water.

T1: 3:41

I got my wetsuit stripped off quickly and ran towards my gear bag and the changing tent. The runway was filled with spectators, 3 to 4 deep at time. All going bananas and screaming wildly!! I had to purposely slow my run as to not get too excited. I sat in transition for a moment, put my race belt on, my sunglasses and was off to my bike.

Bike: 5:19:23

The bike at IMAZ is a 3 loop affair. Fairly flat with false front and minor elevation gain on the way out with a headwind was what everyone described. They were correct. Heading out on the first loop I was amazed at how windy it was out on BeeLine hwy despite being only 8:30am. At times I was slowed down to 14 mph. My main goal on the bike was to control my Heart Rate and hydrate. That first lap I let a lot of people go by that I would normally ride with, but my HR was right where I wanted it so no problem…have a great ride boys!

I made the turn to start the second loop and tried to spot my family. Instantly I spotted my dad out of the crowd. He had made me promise I would provide him with a hand signal to indicate how I was doing; thumbs down for terrible, flat hand for ok, thumbs up for good, and a fist pump for “I’m having a great day”. I gave him a fist pump. Despite the aero helmed I had on and the hundreds of spectators around me, I actually heard him yell, “All right!!” I started that second lap feeling great indeed.

The good feelings slowly left as the wind was still nasty. I was slowly making my way up to the turnaround when I got passed by a pace line. Yes you read that correct. A pace line is what you might see in the Tour de France, it is basically a line of people taking turns breaking the wind while those in back get a huge advantage by sitting in the draft zone. In Ironman (non draft triathlon events as a whole) this is illegal. I was so pissed. I couldn’t believe these people. What losers. They weren’t racing, they were cheating. Then I saw it, the motorcycle came up on my shoulder with the race official on it!! He slowly made his way up the pace line writing down the numbers of the cheaters! I saw about 15 of them in the penalty tent after I made my turn…I guess the world is fair after all. Of course, yours truly was completely legal and rode right by them laughing at how pathetic they are. Pathetic. You guys are a black eye on my beloved sport.

Ok, I digress, back to the race! The third lap was my strongest lap. Besides some back pain, I was feeling great and was well hydrated. My third lap was just a little slower than my first so I knew I was riding strong still. I started to pass people as they slowed. I knew I was going to come in around 5:20 for my bike split, right were I wanted it. I was so proud of myself for riding smart and not letting my HR creep up! Everything was coming together.

T2: 2:18

I was in and out of T2 so fast my family didn’t even have time to position themselves to see me run out. It just happened that my buddy Glen caught sight of me and yelled at me. I gave him the fist pump.

Run: 4:33:24

The run started well. I stopped at the first aid station to fill up two of my fuel belt bottles with water. I had decided that I would carry the two 8oz bottles with me and make sure I was hydrated. Actually, pops had insisted on it and you know…Dr’s orders and all. Despite stopping there and then again a mile later to use the bathroom (I was definitely doing a good job hydrating!) I was running right at 8 min miles. Just under actually. My secret goal going into the event was that I was going to run a sub 3:45 marathon. I was fit enough and was prepared.

About mile 4 my airway really tightened up on me. I’m a chronic asthmatic for those that aren’t aware and have had a bad history of my asthma reacting badly to endurance events (hence the goal to not end up in medical again). I used my inhaler for the umpteenth time of the day and tried to smile, “just 21 more miles to go Yates” I told myself. I saw Meg, Mom and Dad towards the end of that first loop and for the first time that day, I didn’t give a fist pump. Dad instantly ran with me and started talking to me.

“how you feeling?”

“airway is trashed”

“you going to be ok?”

“yes, it is just going to very painful”

He slapped me on the back and I took off. I was walking 2 miles later. The second lap was a blur. When I was running I was still holding 8:30s, but I was forced to walk a lot. My airway was a mess. I passed my family to enter the final loop (the run is 3 loops as well) and I guess I had “the look” on my face. “The look” is basically the total glazed over, expressionless, when will this fu*king race be over – look. And I had it. My family was worried.

I made it another .5 miles and then took to a walk. I was stumbling and had blurred vision. Damn, I hadn’t been drinking Gatorade or taking my gu’s to get calories in. Damn Yates, what are you doing? I couldn’t breathe. This was going downhill fast. And then suddenly, this guy I had met earlier on the run who had recognized the bike shop that sponsors me on my race top pulled up next to me and started walking with me. We walked together for probably a mile, maybe mile and a half. His name was Brian and he was from Eugene. He saved my race. We went through an aid station together and I hammered down some cookies and coke. Within 5 minutes I was feeling better. He was on his second loop and I was on my third and now itching to finish. I looked at Brian and told him I had made a promise to my fiancé that I would finish in daylight and so I better get to running again. I had 6.5 miles left. Brian, if you are reading this, you really did save my race and I hope to find you in Eugene to buy you lunch in the near future.

I was running again. The loop course is a figure eight and so I got to pass my family one more time before a final 5 miles or so. I was now feeling really strong. The calories had helped and my airway was slightly better. I swapped out my visor for my Duck hat with my mom (I had to wear a Duck hat across the finish line) and gave my Dad another fist pump. He ran with me and yelled in my ear, “Single Digits Bud, Single Digits!!!!!!!” We had discussed pre race that making it to single digits left to go in the run of the Ironman was so important mentally.

The next few miles were awesome. I knew I was going to make it. I knew I was going to be an Ironman shortly. I kept checking my watch. I knew I was also going to make it to the finish line in under 11 hours.

At mile 24 my friend Morgan came roaring by, running somewhere around 7 minute miles. He looked awesome!!! I made it over the final bridge I had to cross and descended. I now had the mile 25 marker in my sight. Glory was just over a mile away. I was running well and saw the turn for the finish line ahead. I made the turn left and took a peek behind me to see if I was going to have the finish chute to myself. No such luck, there were 5 to 6 people behind me. I picked up the pace and made the turn to the chute.

I started pumping my fist. Maybe both. I really don’t remember. I saw my family to the left of me. I gave them one last fist pump for good measure immediately before crossing the finish line…about the same time at which I heard the words I had been waiting so long to hear, “Trevor Yates, you are an Ironman!” I was having a tough time controlling the smile on my face as the volunteer “catcher” caught me after crossing the finish line.

I made it through the finish line area where they take your timing chip, your picture, give you your medal, hat and shirt and found my family. I gave Meghan the best hug in the world. Then my mom and then my Dad. I think in that order? My Dad kept asking me if I was ok, knowing that we had spent some quality time in medical tents together recently. I was crying (again, I know I’m such a weenie!) and looked at him. I gave him a huge smile and then a huge high five!! “Dad, I’m fine!!!” I had made a promise to him when I first told him that I was going to do Ironman that I would train and race smart, and would do it “right.” I had done this and he knew it.

Total Finish time: 10hr 53min

To recap the goals:

1)Finish - Done

2)No medical tent - Done

3)Break 11 hours and finish before it was dark (sunset was around 5:40 local time, but it didn’t really get dark until 6pm) - Done

4)Smile – Most of the race, besides “the look”

5)Thank every volunteer I came across - Done

I realize the race report is long and I apologize for it. There was much more I could have put in it, but the nuts and bolts are there. It was a very emotional day for me as well as for Meg and my family. I am thrilled and humbled to say I’m an Ironman. Over the next few weeks I will figure out how to address the asthma issues better (I already know a few mistakes I made a few weeks prior to the race that probably didn’t help) as well as start to formulate my schedule for next year. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy some time off from work and some much needed chill time with family and friends. It was a very long year, but was SO worth it. I will forever savior this day. Thank you to everyone that has been along for the ride. And as always…thanks for reading,

-T

IMAZ race report

Hey everyone. I'm still enjoying some Arizona sunshine...hence the delay on putting up a race report. It was an amazing day out there. So hard to put in words and describe all the emotions, but I will try. I wanted to take a second to thank everyone that has offered such tremendous support over the past year. You have all been amazing and when I was really digging deep out there, I thought of all of you!! Race report soon...I promise. Thanks for reading,

-T
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

The day has arrived...

So, the bike is racked, the bags are checked, everything is ready for tomorrow. The big day is finally here and I'm stoked to get it on in the morning. I'm headed back to the hotel to chill and catch a nap. Ducks are on at 5pm in a huge game tonight so I'll enjoy that with Meg and my parents and then off to bed for the early departure. Thanks to everyone that has continued to offer me such great support in this endeavor...most of all, my wife to be. Everyone has been awesome, but Meg especially has had to deal with a lot for me to make it to the start line tomorrow. I love you honey!!

Bib # is 394 for those that are interested in tracking on Ironman.com tomorrow. Thanks for reading,

-T

AZ, here I come...

Well, the day is almost here! Thursday Meg and I leave for Arizona. It is so nice to finally have this race in sight! Everything seems to be going according to plan at this point. My bike has been shipped, so hopefully it IS waiting for me next to transition when I get there Friday. The weather forecast is looking very nice, please keep your fingers crossed!! And I'm really feeling quite good. My asthma and overall health seems to be fine which is a relief. Physically, my legs are feeling great and my swim has been very smooth and strong the last few weeks.

I have everything packed at this point and am looking forward to getting another night of good sleep tonight. I'm so excited to just get to the start line. It will be a long day out there, but I'm very satisfied with the work I have put in and feel confident that I have done what I need to do to have a good race on Sunday. I have my nutrition and race plan nailed down which is good, because I have spent plenty of time stressing about that stuff in half Irons before!

For those interested, you can follow me online on race day at Ironman.com. My race number is 394. As always, thanks for reading.

-T

One Week...

Well, every Sunday I've been counting down the weeks left until Ironman Arizona. 2 or 3 months ago I couldn't help but think how far away the race was still. My season has been long and at times exhausting. Continuing to put in 18 to 20+ hour weeks of training on top of my, more than full time job, was a tough pill to swallow a few months ago. Yet each week I had something else that I cherished with my training or racing. Sometimes it was something small, other times it was a major accomplishment. All these small and large items were sent to my memory, as well as muscle, banks for use later. To me triathlon, and especially long distance triathlon, is mostly about mental preparation and focus. Sure, you can't not train and expect to torch an Ironman course. Simply won't happen. They don't call it the toughest single day endurance event for fun. Yet, you take two equally fit individuals and put them on the same course...the athlete that is stronger mentally will win.

So today I had my last "long run" scheduled. Since I'm in the last day of my taper, this workout was 50% of the volume I would normally do but at no intensity. I was going to take a little more than 50% off the volume on this run as I've been averaging over 40+ miles a week running for a while so it was time to get the legs a break! This meant that I had to basically jog for 70 minutes. I couldn't allow my heart rate to get above 140 beats per minute. This is all done to help keep the volume somewhat up, but still allow the muscles and my body to rebuild and recover. During this run (jog!) I reflected on some of the season...

Long rides: I will never forget going for a century ride two weeks after the Eugene Marathon. My legs were mush! Yet I held together well for the first half of the ride. We then rode hard for about 20 miles and I was in serious "maintenance mode". Shotgun Creek ride will always have a special place in my heart. What a nightmare. I had 3 centuries that I did on my trainer...hope to never have to do another one!! And I'll always cherish the last long ride (112 miles) with a 7 mile run off the bike...I knew I was ready for Ironman after that workout. I remember yelling (in celebration) at nobody in particular as I ran back into my neighborhood...I was so happy.

Races: Eugene Marathon was epic. I didn't have the race I wanted due to illness, but I proposed to my soul mate at the finish line...the race didn't matter!! PCT half Iron. Apparently my airway was still recovering from EUG so it decided to shutdown and forced me to walk the entire half marathon course. That forced me to take some time off to recover. I was back at it a little over a month later at Hagg Lake. I had a great swim and led the race until midway through the bike. I ended up third overall, not in as fast of a time as I wanted, but very proud for rebounding after the debacle at PCT.

Despite all these happy episodes and found memories, the stuff that is so hard about training for long course triathlon is time away from loved ones. I will be thinking about all of you in one week. When I'm hurting really bad I will focus on the training and racing of this year to pull me through. When I'm hurting really, really bad...I'll focus on your love and support. Thanks for reading...the day is almost here!!

-T

Last brick...

Well, the last decent length brick of the season is in the bags! It included about half what I would normally do on my Saturdays...50 mile bike and 2.5 mile run. All was done at limited intensity. I felt great!! I know I'm ready to race Ironman next week due to the fact I wanted more today. I wanted to pedal harder, run faster and go twice as long. My body and mind are totally ready for this race. Just 8 more days to go. With that, I'm off to the Duck game! Go Ducks! Thanks for reading,

-T

Inching closer...

Well, the race continues to draw near. I am full flung into my taper. It was going really well except I have noticed that my asthma was just not quite right. I was still managing to get my workouts in without much problem until I had a little 3 mile run yesterday morning. My asthma was definitely acting up so I went to bed early last night, slept in this am, and saw my asthma specialist today. We went through a battery of tests and luckily it appears my airway has not been comprised. We are taking some precautionary measures with some different medicines, so hopefully everything will be just fine a week from now.

Besides that, I feel unreal. I am itching to exercise...all the time! I'm looking forward to getting my workouts in this weekend and then it will be race week! I have a pretty rehearsed plan for race week which includes plenty of rest, very limited volume, but what little volume is included is done at intensity. This helps me wake my muscles as well as remind me of what it's like to go fast and elevate my heart rate. One of the more challenging parts of my taper is the last week because I just want to keep cruising alone once I get up to tempo, it's hard to shut it down. But I know what I save these last two weeks will remain in the "gas" tank come November 22nd!!

So, I'm going to really enjoy my last weekend before Ironman by sleeping a ton and keeping my feet up! REST, REST, REST baby! I'm so excited for this day to get here it's tough to explain. One last thought...please do your happy weather dance for me for the 22nd! As of now the forecast is calling for 74 degrees and sun which would be absolutely perfect!!!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me please! Thanks for reading,

-T

Packing...

Yes, I'm still over a week away from departing for Tempe, but already packing! I'm kind of a planning freak so the thought of putting any of this off to the last minute is not an option! Also, I'm having Tri Bike transport transfer my bike and therefore have to drop the machine and my gear bag off in the coming days. So, it only makes sense to pack as much as possible now right? Ok, I get it, I'm OCD with this, but what do you expect? I mean it's my first Ironman and it's several thousand miles away from here!! :)

On my drive home today I was reflecting on some memories of my childhood. Our annual trip to Penticton or Hawaii (pops raced in 7 Ironman back in the day) where always the best as a child. Penticton was awesome because it was a long van ride up there and we stayed right on Okanagan lake. Hawaii was awesome...well I don't have to tell you why Hawaii was awesome! It's Hawaii! But some of my favorite memories are from proudly wearing my Ironman shirt around all the time. When people would ask me what the "M" dot on my shirt was back then, I would light up! A huge smile would cross my face and expose my missing teeth and I would go on and on about this undertaking called Ironman where you swim, bike, and run these ridiculous distances...all in one day! I would then brag about how my Dad was a total stud because he did them...and kicked some butt in the process.

In twelve days I will have another Ironman shirt to proudly wear. And my Dad will be there; this time cheering me on. And I'm guessing we will both have huge smiles on our faces. Thanks for reading,

-T

2 weeks...

Well, here we go. I woke up this morning after a good 10.5 hours of sleep. Taper has officially started. I woke up refreshed and excited that I'm two weeks away from the big dance. I slept great and look forward to the next two weeks. We have a solid taper program that works for me, all I have to do is execute it properly and make sure I get plenty of rest! So today is all about relaxing and doing nothing!

Yesterday was my last decent size training day. It originally was going to be more intense, but we were confident with where my fitness is so we backed it down some and focused more on rest. The weather man was forecasting some serious rain for Saturday so I woke up and set up the trainer. My day called for 4 hours on the bike and then a five mile tempo run at just faster than marathon pace. I got in the 4 hours just fine, felt pretty strong actually. I quickly changed into some warm clothes and headed out for the run. I'll be honest...I've run in some pretty poor conditions, but this was crazy!! I have a one mile loop I do and I had to constantly go up side streets to avoid enormous puddles! I ran for just under 4 miles and was soaked to the bone so I called it an early day. I was happy with how my legs felt; very light and quick. I was ticking up some 7 minute miles with ease.


So back to today...Meg is making some yummy soup, I'm catching up on some football and napping, and we have a ton of movies to watch and just hang out! The cat is happy to have us at home as you can see :) Thanks for reading,

-T

Weather Gods...

Just checked the 10 day forecast for Tempe. Wish I hadn't! Tomorrow's high is expected to be 92 degrees. Holy cow! I almost fell out of my chair!! Luckily, tomorrow appears to be an anomaly, as the rest of the week starts to cool and return to highs in the low 80s. Typically, race day (November 22nd) has a high in the upper 70s, sometimes low to mid 80s. I'm definitely helping the weather gods help me out with some 70s type weather in 2.5 weeks! I'm doing what I can to prepare, including training with extra layers of clothes on to simulate hotter conditions, but it's just really hard to simulate real heat.

So, if you have a rain dance...well, I guess I wouldn't want rain, but you get the point! Everything else is set up. I have my bike transport all scheduled, plane tickets, hotel arrangements, rental car, etc. The only thing left to do is execute the upcoming taper as best as I can. I've been told that I can be a little hard to be around come taper time, so let me apologize in advance :) The race is getting very close at this point. Luckily work has been very busy which has been a nice distraction. Yet, my mind still wanders back to what I'm about to attempt and what it's taken to get here. Soon this chapter of my life will be closing, or depending on how you look at it, beginning. And I can't wait for the conclusion. Thanks for reading,

-T

Mondays...

Man, I love Mondays. Yes, I just said I love Mondays. Why? Why would someone like the start of the work week so much?? Well, it's my one day off each week...from training that is! haha! Seriously though, this Monday was different than most. Probably because the race is getting closer and closer and I'm feeling good. I had a very tough week of training yet woke up refreshed and ready to tackle everything in front of me Monday. I will say about 2pm though I was ready for a nap!

This past weekend was great. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. I was able to get plenty of sleep which is my number one priority right now as far as Ironman is considered. Proper rest is crucial to me executing my taper. Speaking of tapers...I start mine in a few days!!! Saturday will be my last big workout...and it won't be hard, just a good solid effort. The hay is in the barn. No need to push anything at this point. I've worked so hard to get here, I now need to concentrate on all the little things that will make race day more enjoyable...ummm, tolerable! Just plenty of rest, sleep, avoidance of illness and positive thinking.

And as far as positive thinking goes...I'm thinking very positively about my Oregon Ducks right now!! What a dominant performance they put on the USC Trojans Saturday! Just can't say enough about them. Now the question becomes...I normally always wear a visor during races, but Meg got me a sweet dry fit Oregon running hat for my bday!! Should I wear that instead?? Help please! Thanks for reading,

-T

3 weeks...

The time left until IMAZ. 3 weeks from today. I can't wait! I'm getting extremely pumped for this day to get here. Of course I'm all kinds of nervous and anxious and everything else, but I'm content with my preparation and just really excited to get out there and test myself. This past week was my peak of training. I ended up with 13.5k in the pool, 240 on the bike, and 42 running. This past week also included some key indicator workouts for me. Basically, challenging workouts that would help prove to me that I'm ready for this event.



Thursday was the first of these workouts. I had tough doubles both Tuesday and Wednesday, but the key swim workout this week was a 3k for time on Thursday morning. I woke up extra early Thursday morning (just after 5am) excited to see where my swim was. I felt like I had been swimming well, but a 3k time trial would clarify that for me. There were a few of us from the team doing it with 2 coaches catching and recording splits. Unfortunately I didn't have anyone to really swim with that was similar pace so I had to focus on trying to keep my pace up by myself. It was a true time trial. I lost a little focus about the 2k mark, but picked it up towards the end. I finished in 37:45, which is just over 1:15 per hundred. My goal going in was under 38 considering all the heaving training already this week. OK, indicator workout 1...Check.



Friday I took off from work so I could get in my second indicator workout it. Saturday was the duck game so I didn't want to be out exercising for 7 to 8 hours and then trying to rush over to the game. So, I slept in a little and then slowly made my way onto my bike for a 112 mile hard effort. The clouds were out that day and it looked like rain so I picked a 10 mile loop course not more than an hour from my house. I did this course 8 times in a row. Stopping once to refuel with more Gatorade. I nailed my nutrition which was the main goal, kept my HR exactly where I wanted, and really had a great ride. I clocked a 5:40 split, which is just under 20mph. Not bad considering there are two hills in the loop course, the road surface is not ideal in spots, and the split included travel out and back into town. I quickly changed into my running gear and went out for a 6 mile transition run. I felt messed up when I first was heading out. My stride felt terrible. I kept thinking, "I need to pick the tempo up, I'm barely moving." Then I passed the first mile marker and saw my split. Indicator workout number 2...Check.



Saturday I slept in extra long. I got a good 9.5 hours of sleep. I was very careful to drink plenty of fluids the night before, yes some of those fluids did consist of water, as I had my final big workout Saturday morning. My last 20 mile run was before me. My dad had said if I felt like crap due to the work load this week to just bag it and do the run tomorrow. Thing was, I didn't feel terrible. I wasn't that tired, my legs were a little sore, but that was about it. So I filled up my water bottles and headed out. The first 7.5 miles were easy, the next 7.5 miles kind of sucked, and the last 5 miles were not bad as I just kept focusing on my upcoming race. I kept it really easy per the Big Guy's orders and came in at a 7:47/mile average for the 20 mile effort. The 3rd indicator workout was over...Check.



Now that all that triathlon crap was over with for the week, it was time to have some fun!!! Because, no matter how much I get excited about this race or how much time I spend training, studying, talking, dreaming of triathlon, I promised myself I would never stop having fun! Meg and I changed into our blackout gear for the big game...Ducks vs. Trojans. In case you have been living under a rock for the past day or so...WE KICKED THEIR BUTTS!!!! Total domination!! Now, enjoy some pictures! Thanks to everyone for all the support lately...I love all you guys! And as always, thanks for reading.



-T

Gettin' ready to head out. Go Life Cycle!!

See what I mean about the clouds!!

Meg and I getting ready for a Trojan beating!!

Autzen during player warm ups...

Autzen post Trojan stomping!!! GO DUCKS!

Indicator workouts...

So as Ironman Arizona continues to get closer and closer, the peak of my training begins to close as well. I have just over a week left of hard training. The week will be very intense. I'm extremely excited about these workouts actually! I'm feeling good and look forward to testing my fitness, yet making sure not to expend too much as the big dance is 3.5 weeks away. Anyways, short post. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all the support lately. I'll try and continue with frequent posts as the day continues to near. I need to get to bed as I have an early 3k time trial in the pool. Thanks for reading,

-T

Peaking...

Well, it's about that time. I'm 4 weeks away today from Ironman Arizona! I just finished week 2 of an intense 4 week build prior to a two week taper leading into the event. This week included 12k in the pool, just over 200 miles on the bike, and 42 miles of running. I'm feeling great! I really feel like my body has taken in all these weeks and months of training properly and I'm peaking at the right time.

Saturday I pushed off early in the cold, brisk fall air to tackle a 6 hour ride. I had the benefit this week of riding with a friend. I wanted to head out to Multnomah Falls as the ride has about 20 miles each way of flat terrain with heavy wind (similar to Arizona) and includes somewhere around 5 to 6k of climbing. I took my TT bike to continue to get accustomed to riding hours on end on it.

We started out of town pumping. Andrew seemed like he was in a hurry to get our 6 hour ride finished with! Oh well, it was good to push myself early in the ride and see how I responded. We ended up having a great ride. As we were heading back down to Marine Drive to make the trip home I was actually hoping for a headwind for the 15 to 20 mile section. I was feeling great. I dropped Andrew off after 5:15 and went out for another 45 minutes of time trial at just faster than Ironman pace to finish the 6 hours. I then quickly changed into run gear and got in a quick 5 mile run...again felt great.

Today started with me sleeping in. We went out last night to celebrate our birthdays (Andrew and me). Interesting fact, we share the same birth date. Actual birth day folks. Weird. So anyways, 2 beers and some fajitas called for an extra hour of sleep. My schedule called for a 15 mile run. I hit up my favorite trail for this. My legs were fairly tired after a difficult week of training, but I was actually feeling pretty good. I negative split the run with an overall average of 7:43 per mile. My last 3 miles went 7:12, 7:13, 6:48.

So, another week of training is over with. Every week has has different challenges. This past week I really worked on my mental training for the event. I'm very happy with the progress I've made and can't wait for Ironman!! And again, thanks to Meg, my friends, and family that continue to be so supportive of my racing and training. I can't thank you all enough!! Thanks for reading,

-T

Staying healthy...

It appears that everyone in the Willamette Valley is coming down with the flu, or some version of it. It's kind of scary. Knowing that if I get sick, especially with something as bad as the flu, my airway won't hold up for the big dance in a little over a month I'm being extra cautious. I received my seasonal flu shot on Friday and am actually carrying hand sanitizer around with me...everywhere I go!!

I'm making sure I get plenty of sleep and stay up on my vitamins. So far, so good, but there is plenty of time. I'm just trying to be as proactive as possible to avoid potential infection. On a bright note, I did get my flu shot and am taking all these precautions.

On a training front, I'm starting to feel really good. I'm nailing my workouts and recovering well from them. A friend recommended trigger point products to help with my IT band issue I had a while ago, I must say it has been one of the best triathlon related purchases I have ever made. I'm able to recover better than before, especially after punishing run and bike workouts. So, thanks Erich, and anyone reading should check out Trigger Point's products!

Well, time to get ready for bed and do it all over again tomorrow. Thanks for reading,

-T

5 weeks...

Saturday started with a lot of uncertainty. The weather didn't look terrible, but did I really want to venture out for 5.5 hours in suspect weather? The other option would be to spend the time on my bike trainer. After second guessing myself multiple times I settled on the trainer as I could put on some extra clothes to help simulate the heat I will likely encounter in Tempe next month. It was one of the harder rides I have ever done. Not because of anything other than I was just tired and didn't have a ton of motivation. I made it a little under 5 hours and then went for a quick 4 mile transition run. I felt amazing on the run!

The picture to the right is the line for the haunted corn maze we went to later that night out at Lone Pine farms! It was a blast actually :) Great fun all around.

We went to bed kind of late that night so I easily ignored the alarm clock in the morning. I rolled back over for another hour of sleep but then remembered that I needed to knock out the 20 mile run that was on tap for the day early so I could catch the Vikings game which was on at 10am. I was out the door by 9:20, and luckily had DVR'd the game...Thanks baby!

The run. Summed up in one word. Solid. I went out right around 8 min mile pace just taking it easy and keeping my HR in check. I turned it up on the second half, averaging just under 7:30 min miles. My last two miles were both at 7:15 or under. I felt great.

I got home and quickly caught up on the Vikings game. What a great game, especially that fourth quarter! Meg and I then headed back to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkin.

So, here we are 5 weeks from IMAZ. I'm feeling very strong and am ready and excited for this race. I have 3 more intense weeks and then an aggressive 2 week taper. This past week included 14k in the pool, 200 miles in the saddle and 40 miles on the run. The next 3 weeks will look similar with some weeks having higher run vs bike or vice versa.

This week is now in the books. I'm feeling great and wanted to make sure I made mention of how incredible Meg has been during this process. I would not be heading to Arizona in this kind of shape without her at my side. You are the best honey!! Thanks for reading,

-T

Early night...

I didn't get hardly any sleep last night and the day included a full day at work (when aren't they full) combined with a tough morning swim practice and a 10 mile "recovery" run (whatever that means!) at night. I'm officially pooped. I was trying to fall asleep a few minutes ago, but my cat (the one with the fleas lately) is trying to snuggle in bed. Not cool Teton. Sleep somewhere else amigo.

Alright, off to bed then. Another double tomorrow and then another huge weekend of training after that. Saturday's long ride my be interesting with the weather forecasts I'm still seeing. Keeping my figures crossed. My legs are starting to feel unreal. My swim is feeling better, just need a few more solid 5k efforts and I'll be back. Less than 40 days. Thanks for reading,

-T

VO2 Max Testing...

Another tough double today that included a VO2 max test on the treadmill, courtesy of the UO Exercise and physiology department!! I've wanted to get my VO2 max tested for the past year, but it is not cheap. VO2 max is the maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental exercise, indicating cardiovascular efficiency...aka fitness.

I knew I was going into the test in good shape although I've had a difficult last few weeks getting over a recent sinus infection. That being said, I started to feel like myself again this past weekend so I was looking forward to the test. Being a chronic asthmatic, I was a little unsure how much of a limiter that would be as well. A lot of questions that would be answered within about 15 minutes on a treadmill. This is not me below, but gives you an idea of what the test looks like.

For those of you that haven't had this test or have no idea what it entails, you hop on a treadmill and after warming up the director of the test loads his computer with interval increments based on your top end type speed. Example, they wanted to know what my fastest 10k time was, my marathon time, and what a hard tempo run of 4 miles would be at. The goal is to increase the speed slightly each minute for 8 minutes until you are at what would be considered a very hard effort (5k or 10k) and then all the further minute adjustments are done with incline instead of speed.

So...we decided they would take me down to 6:45 pace for my top speed. I have started to consider myself a runner as of this last year after knocking out some respectable times, but I definitely lack speed so 6:45 pace is fast for me (especially on a treadmill as I hate treadmills and have a difficult time running fast on them). Ok, cut to the chase Yates, I know, I know. I made it to the stage right before we started inclines and was feeling like a million bucks!! The students there (it was part of a class) were getting excited and shouting encouragement. First incline came...piece of cake! 2nd came, ok...a little harder but still hanging in there! 3rd incline came (now at 6% grade) HOLY SH#T this is getting hard! I promised myself I would make it through this stage and into the 4th...I didn't know if it was going to happen but then I heard one of the guys start to count down to the next incline adjustment and I knew I was going to make it to 8%.

I now had these 10 students really cheering for me and I was determined to keep pushing. But I was getting to the point that I really did feel I was basically maxed out. I was having trouble getting enough oxygen in and was worried about pushing too hard with the big race less than 6 weeks ago. I shut it down and called it a day. The students quickly started going over the numbers and one of the girls yelled, "holy crap!" Ok, now I was excited to see what the results said. So the number that you might hear athletes compare against each other is a reflection of the oxygen consumption as a percentage of your body weight. My score ended up at a 63. The prof told me that a world class runner or cyclist would normally come somewhere around 70. Lance Armstrong, aka freak of nature, once measured an astounding 85! So, I will take my 63! I think with continued training I could reach that 70 mark, but a higher VO2 max score doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to race faster or slower in triathlon...it's more of an indicator of my cardiovascular engine and what is possible.

So anyways, if you are still reading...sorry for the drawn out story! It was quite the experience today. I had a great time (despite the torture) and am looking forward to doing this test again and pushing that 70 mark. Of to bed, early swim is staring me down. Thanks for reading,

-T

Anniversaries...

November 22, 2009 represents the date I will tackle my first Ironman. I'm feeling more and more prepared as the days and weeks go on and am excited for the day to come! I've been racing triathlon for a few years now and have developed a solid base over the years. This past weekend was very successful, training wise. I got in my 6 hour ride on Saturday, my 15 mile run Sunday, and 3500 yards in the pool Sunday night. I feel back on track after recovering from the recent sinus infection I suffered.

I rode by myself on Saturday. Which I'm actually happy for. It gave me the opportunity to deal with something that I haven't really dealt with on a long ride in a few weeks, yet will have to deal with at Arizona...Wind. I was pedaling into a strong headwind for the first 2.5 hours. And I mean strong headwind. As I was pumping away, trying to stay focused and motivated I started thinking about why I started triathlon. And that's where the title of this entry comes from.

November 22nd will be almost 3 years to the day. It will be 3 years since I decided to go for a run. You see my family was in town for Thanksgiving and my sister and father went out for a long hike. I was over weight, out of shape, and lazy. I had decided that I would go for a quick jog to show the family that I still had it. I made it just over a quarter mile until I almost collapsed. I couldn't breath. My muscles burned. My heart was about to jump out of my chest. I actually felt like I might die.

I decided then and there that I was going to get in shape. 6 months later I finished my first triathlon, in the top 7% of the field as well! I had lost 35 pounds and felt great. The next year I lost the rest of the weight I needed to (about 10 or 15 lbs) and became much more competitive within the sport. That same year I finished my first half Ironman. I felt even better and decided I was going to sign up for Ironman Arizona. I signed up last November, took all of December off, and then started training for my first marathon which I completed in May.

So during my ride, I again asked myself, "why am I doing this?" Well, ultimately I compete in triathlon for me. I do it because I love trying to push my body and my mind to new limits. I love the challenge of trying to race competitively for hours at a time. And damn it, I love to go fast on the bike!! Seriously though each workout I think about different motivators, and it helps. I think of my amazingly brilliant and beautiful fiance and how she deals with my obsession. I think about my incredibly successful sister who has been living with type 1 diabetes since she was 2. I think of my mom, whom determined working 60 hours a week as a clinical manager wasn't enough so she went back and got her MBA, while still working full time...and then decided she needed a PHD!! I think of my dad, and everything he has done professionally and athletically (7 time Ironman finisher himself). And then I think about the finish line in Arizona. And seeing you all there.

There are many more people that I think about during these tough workouts, and you all have a part in helping me get through them...even if you don't know it. So on November 22nd I will not only celebrate the start (and hopefully successful conclusion) of my first Ironman, but I will celebrate my re birth to a more happy and healthy individual. I will celebrate this with the people that helped make it happen. Thanks for reading,

-T

World Champs cont...

What a day! For me as well as the Ironman World Championships in Kona. I went out for a long ride early so I could get back to watch the ducks as well as the World Champs. I went out for 4.5 hours in some of the windiest conditions I have ever ridden in! I went up to the gorge and ended up at Crown Pt. I did have a tailwind on the way back which was awesome. I got back just in time for kick off and then put in another 1.5 hours on my trainer to get to my 6 hours for the day. Felt awesome.

As I settled in watching the Ducks I kept getting distracted by Kona. I had it going on my laptop next to me. I was so happy to see my man Chris Lieto pull away half way through the bike. He had about a 5 minute leading heading out on the marathon. And he had spent all this time over the summer working on his running! I was really pulling for this guy. But Craig Alexander (reigning champ) had other designs and eventually made a pass of Lieto at mile 22. Hats off to Crowie, he is the champ and a great guy. But on this day Lieto was my hero. What a gutsy move to take it to the field and hold on for 22 miles of the run. Chin up Chris!

To top of the great race in Kona, the Ducks won...AGAIN! Go Ducks. And now it's time for me to go. I have a 15 mile run to attack in the crisp fall air of the Northwest. Then off to the pool to get some yards in. Thanks for reading!

-T

World Championships...

So today is the big day. Not for me mind you, but for 2,000 plus athletes that have qualified...today is KONA. The world championships for Triathlon, at least at the Ironman Distance. It's the pinnacle of our sport, at least in my mind. Qualifying for the race can change your life, if you are a pro, winning the race puts you into a different conversation among peers and press.

So who is going to win? That's always the question. The tough thing to predict is that it's an Ironman! So many things can, and will, go wrong. Could be mechanical, nutritional, sickness, etc. Sounds like everyone is healthy heading into the cannon start this am so it should be on like Donkey Kong!!

My quick predictions...
* Chris McCormack - Won the race in 2007. Mechanical last year when he was having an off race to begin with. He looks solid and has shown good speed. He is probably the best runner in the field.
* Chris Alexander - First Ironman in 2007 he finished second to Macca. Last year he won by concentrating on his strength...the run.
* Normann Stadler - He showed last year that he is still a player. Cramps on the run due to a poor bike fit have been addressed. If he has a decent swim I look for him to attack on the bike and try and ride away like 04 and to some degree 06.
* Chris Lieto - Many say Chris doesn't have what it takes to win the big dance. He obviously has the swim and bike but has struggled on the run. So he spent a month training with Ryan Hall and Josh Cox. Unreal. Like Stadler, look for him to attack the bike and develop a lead. They might let him get too much due to his run history...
* Terenzo Bozzone - Lieto is my dark horse to some degree, that make Terenzo my unlikely pick. Young kid with tons of upside who took Macca, Marr, and others on and beat them in hot conditions in the phillipines 6 weeks ago 1/2 Iron length. He is a stud and can bring it.

Well, I have plenty of other thoughts on the rest, but must hit the bike for a century ride. Should be a fun day for me as well as all the athletes competiting in Kona! Congratulations and best of luck everyone!

-T

49 days...

49 days. The amount of time until I toe the line at Ironman Arizona!! Crazy. I must say it's coming together pretty well. I have completely recovered from the sinus infection/flu that I had. I had an eventful week this past week culminating in serious amount of work stress at the end of the week. Hopefully the stress will be rewarded soon...

So this weekend consisted of a long ride on Saturday and a long run on Sunday. I woke up Saturday after a very long week to temperatures barely above 40 and some dark clouds. I was still worried that I wasn't completely recovered from the recent sickness so I made the call to ride indoors where I would stay warmer and could regulate my HR better. So I did my century ride indoors. Yes, the whole thing. Well, kind of. I went for 5 hours instead of 5.5 so I'm guessing I was around 90 miles, but close enough right? I probably would have kept going, but we had a game to get to!!! Quick shower and we were off to watch the ducks rip apart the Washington State Cougars!

Yes, we had the band come and play at our tailgate...pretty awesome huh?? Well, it's not the normal band, I guess it's their alumni marching band, but cool enough! Meg requested Duck Tales for me, but we had to settle for a few other classics! Awesome. The food on tap consisted of pasta salad, potato salad, Sliders, and plenty of veggies!! Oh, and a few cold ones. Not a bad way to reward yourself for 5 hours on a bike trainer!

So, we watched the Ducks completely dominate the Cougs for the first half and called it a day. 42-0 was enough for us! Got a good night of sleep and woke up to even colder weather than Saturday and rain. WOW. So, my 20 mile scheduled run now sounded terrible. I ate breakfast and jumped back in bed for 30 minutes in hopes it would warm up a little outside. I know wishful thinking!

Finally I put on a long sleeve shirt, a vest over that, threw the runners on and headed out. It turned out to be a great run. I kept it at a moderate effort to not push it to hard considering I was still somewhat recovering from the recent illness. I averaged my 8/mile throughout and felt great! I finished the last 4 miles strong as I've been working on finishing my long runs strong this year. Mission accomplished!

So, I'm feeling very happy that we are 49 days out right now. I'm feeling fit and somewhat refreshed by being forced to take a little time off. I'm excited for next 7 weeks of training and looking forward to continuing the fitness gains as I prepare to tackle this goal. It's hard to explain in words how excited I am to have this all coming together. Now I must get back to my beloved fiance and our couch! Oh, so I have a 110+ mile ride scheduled for this next weekend...should I invite DUCK VADER to ride with me? Think I could hang on his wheel? How rad is this guy??? Thanks for reading,

-T

Back at it...

So after a ton of sleep, antibiotics, tylenol, did I mention sleep...I'm finally starting to feel better. The bad news is that I got Meg really sick! Dangit! Well, I must say it sucks to be sick. It had been a while since I had been sick and it definitely is not fun. I just need to keep drinking water and getting rest so I can continue to recover from it.

On a training front, I got in two hours on the trainer today. It would be nice to still be riding after work, but fall is upon us!! It was stormy and rainy today, not to mention that it get's dark now at like 7pm. That is the one bad part about Arizona. The last two months make it pretty tough to get the cycling in. The running and swimming isn't too bad, although it's much more tough to wake up for a swim practice when it's raining and dark out as opposed to sunny and warm. But, that is enough belly aching for one post. I need to hit the sack so I can get in a good day of work and training tomorrow!! I'm praying for decent weather this weekend, it's going to be a long training weekend so rain would suck! Thanks for reading,

-T

Home sick...

Well, the sinus infection is slowly leaving my body. FINALLY! I'm at the point where everything is clearing out...gross! The nice thing though is that my energy level has remained high. I got on the bike trainer for 30 miles yesterday just to get some miles in and not go crazy. Energy wise I felt great. Today will be much of the same. Probably get in an hour or two of very easy riding on the bike just to feel like I did something and then catch up on some couch time.

Ironman is 8 weeks away today. Crazy. I'm busy working with coach to alter my training plan slightly due to this infection. We have come up with a great plan that will allow me to hit Arizona in full stride!! I can't wait for the day to come. It's been a long season this year starting with the EUG marathon training in January. Congrats to Erich, Quigs, and Jer who all had great races within the past week. You guys rock!! Ok, back to being lazy...I'm going to enjoy it while I can! Thanks for reading,

-T

Be flexible...

So I enter this weekend fighting a sinus infection. Luckily I got on it right away and have been getting plenty of rest and started on antibiotics early. I'm feeling much better. I spent a lot of time talking with my "advisor" and we decided to change up weeks slightly so I will be continuing the resting and recovery theme for this weekend. I will be taking it extremely easy this weekend and get plenty of sleep. This will allow me to follow attack my final build up for Arizona.

I am 8 weeks away come Sunday. I'm happy that I'm going through this illness now and not later. It's been challenging, but I'm backing off from training appropriately to allow my body to recover. At the same time, the rest is allowing my body to absorb all the tough training of the past month...so it's not the worst thing in the world. For the first time in a while, I can say I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow! Thanks for reading,

-T

Rest...

Rest and recovery has been the name of the game the past few days. I'm definitely getting over some kind of virus. Starting to feel better, so that is good. I'll keep it light intensity wise the next few days but will still be pretty high on volume as long as I'm getting enough rest.

This weekend is shaping up to be a good training weekend. Century ride on Saturday and 20 mile run on Sunday. We also have a wedding and meeting with a photographer scheduled in there as well. Could be hectic! Lots of balls in the air right now. Kinds of makes it fun, but also crazy at the same time. I feel like my swimming has suffered lately. I had a good swim at Hagg Lake race the other week but making it to the pool since has been challenging especially this past week. Oh well, it's all part of the game right? Ok, better get to bed to get some of that much needed rest!

-T

Best wife ever...

Recent evidence that Meg is the best "wife to-be" ever. I wake up Sunday with a 5 hr, century length ride staring me in the face. Back it up. The day before...this woman went extra early to Autzen to set up the tailgate and encouraged me to run there while she did all the hard work so I could get my long run. I show up at the tailgate, get changed in the car and am fed gatorade and brats. Unbelievable!! Then, later in the day I'm starting to wear down and mention that I would like to go to bed early. I was hoping for 10pm, we were in bed by 9:30. Awesome!

I woke up Sunday morning feeling fresh for the first time in a few days. The only problem was it was still really cold outside. Think 42 degrees. No problem, Meg is still sleeping so I figure I can start my workout on the trainer. 90 minutes later Meg comes out and sits down on the couch. I ask her what she wants to watch since she has to put up with me riding the darn bike right next to her. She looks at me and asks, "isn't there football on? Aren't the Vikings playing?" I have yet to admit this to her, but somehow she looked even more beautiful than normal in that moment.

Back to training, I make it through the first 2 hours and the weather starts to look really nice outside. I decide to spend the next few hours outside. My legs were actually feeling pretty good considering I had put in a 15 mile effort the day before at marathon pace. It was all about the rest, I'm totally a believer in rest and recovery after training for this race. After a few hours outside I figured I had done enough and made for home. I think I ended up somewhere around 80 miles. Coach had said since I had been feeling so broken down that if I wanted to ride on Sunday I could but I had to do it at 110 hr or below. I averaged 109. Perfect.

Back to the best wife ever...I'm sitting on the couch unwinding getting ready for our favorite show "Mad Men" to start. Next thing I know she is bringing me our favorite drink (kind of our routine for the Sunday night show) a Manhattan!!! One lucky man I am. And I digress, back to training. Oh who cares... lots of swimming, cycling and running last week :) Check out this picture of the McKenzie from my ride on Sunday! Thanks for reading,

-T