Nationals race recap

We had to rack our bikes and check them in the night before the race so we were able to sleep in a little longer on Saturday morning. We were on the road by 5am after getting up at 4:45 am. The race site was 35 minutes away and we were pretty quiet as a group the whole drive to the parking lot. We jumped on the bus and were off to the race site. Setting up transition was very smooth and I was off to see the start of Barry and others before I went off with my wave. The National Anthem was great and the first few waves were off in 4 minute delays. I then headed up to the tent were I had stashed my transition bag and stuff for the day. I went on a trail run for warm up and was pretty sweaty when I came back to put on my wet suit. I took my time and walked down the ramp to the water which was really low this year and staged myself with the rest of the blue swim caps.

We were ushered out on to the boat doc and lined up with someone yelling 90 seconds. At 1 minute we were allowed to jump in the water and hang on to the edge. The blow horn went off and the race was on. We only had 45 guys in our wave and so not much water fighting was going on for position. I started out strong with a medium build to race pace. I found some feet to follow for a while until my pace increased and I made a pass. I did have someone on my feet the whole race, he even let me know by slapping my toes about 50 times. I have never had someone draft off of me so I thought it was kind of cool. The swim was fast for me I came out of the water in 23:54 which was a PR. I felt good running up the swim ramp to T1 and had a smooth transition. I was on my bike and settled in for the 2 loop course that has very little flat areas. I fought hard to get up to pace and effort as soon as I could. I had a few guy from my age group pass me and I found one to jump onto and hang with the whole time. I was a better climber and he was a little stronger and pushed pass me on the flats before the next climb. I think we played cat and mouse a little too much and if you pull my results you will see a 2:00 penalty. The guy I was racing with was also hit with a 2min penalty. I am pretty sure that we worked it a little too much. I was able to see Sonja, Jenna, and a few other on the bike course and it was fun to yell some words of encouragement. The guys that I was racing with at this invite only race were great, I was moving at a good pace both up and down on my bike and I was getting passed by others often. I was impressed because I turned in a good bike time and still I was getting rocked. I finished the 2 laps not remembering to pull my feet out of my shoes. I had a very short window to pull them out and get ready for T2 and was glad that I made it. My bike time ended up a 1:08:51 which was 21.7 MPH. Again the course was not flat and so I would say that my bike was a huge PR. T2 was slow for me, I decided to open a water bottle and take a swig before I headed out onto the run.

We had a climb right at the start of the run and so I took it pretty slow. The run course was an out and back with 4 good hills to climb each way. At mile one I was feeling good and by mile 2 I pushed my pace up. I was strong on the climb up the hills and was sitting forward on the downhills. At the turn around I had not been passed by anyone in my age group for awhile and I was feeling really good. I climbed to the top of the hill which was mile 4 and then turned it up a notch again. I was really proud that I was able to push a little faster and just past mile 5 Sonja passed me. She was flying and so I settled down and jumped on to her pace. It took me a while to get the speed up but I was able to keep her in sight most of the last mile. The last 800 meters was a turn back to the Transition and the finish shoot. We had a pretty good downhill and as I make another turn at 600 meters I was passed by someone in my age group really flying. I did not want to be passed by him so I jumped on and held stride with him 3 steps back. We had to make a right turn to the finish shoot which was 200 meters to the finish line. I decided that I would make my move at that last turn and kick it all the way to the finish line. He heard me coming and by the time I passed him he was in a full kick with me. We crossed the line right at the same time and the results show us at a tie if I did not get my penalty. I blew up the last 50 feet and just about passed out at the end. I was able to get to a chair and calm down and a few minutes later I was able to get up and go and cheer the rest of the group in. I finished my run in 47:02 and was very pleased with the race. My official time was 2:24:23 and if you take the 2min penalty off I was a 2:22:23 which is a huge PR for me. I was really pleased with the day and left everything I had on the course. I could have not given any more and really felt happy.

Thanks so much Steve and Andrea from PC and the rest of the group for helping me make my first Nationals such a great race. I really love the sport and can even say I am looking forward to next year. I am thankful to my family for letting me go and I hope some day we can afford to have you all come watch. For those that qualified for Worlds great job I am proud to say that I train with you.
I look forward to the off season and the opportunity to build a better, faster Tyler. Now on to the off season where we build strength, make changes and spend much needed time with the family. I am looking forward to this time and wish everyone good luck.

Love you Anne,

T

Pics have been provided by the best in the business Eric Willis. Thanks for making the weekend one we will remember forever.

Nationals in Portland OR. Let the game begin!!!!!!

I am in my final hours before I leave for Portland for my first ever "A" race. It was in July that I raced last and I am really ready to go. This is the first year that I have been given speed work on my schedule and I have had a great time with it. I feel good, I feel fast and most of all I feel ready. I am excited to step on the line and let the cards fall where they may.

We have a great group going and I am very excited to see how everyone will do. I even believe that we will see some PC kids get an invite to Worlds in Australia next year and that would be awesome.

I have worked hard and my family has supported me all along the way. I will be thinking of them a lot as I am away and really look forward to having good results.

Lets the game begin,

BOOO YAAAA

Love you Anne,

T

Family day at the Miller Farm

A flyer came in the mail that caught Anne's eye and she held it aside to talk to me about. Miller farms in Longmont has ride, bike tractors, mazes, food, and wagon rides to the crops where you are allowed to pick your own. We both liked the idea and decided that we would go on the weekend.

When we arrived after a short 1 hour drive from Denver we were impressed with what we saw. We paid and the kids were off in all different directions. After playing for an hour or so we jumped on the trailer full of hay to sit on and took off with about 20 other people. The first stop was to Corn on the cob, broccoli, turnips, string beans and cabbage. We took about 30 minutes at the first stop and for the first time my kids picked real food. Not from the veggie section at King Soopers but from the earth where you are bound to get a little dirty. The next stop was for potato's, peppers, pumpkins, Basil, and tomatoes. The last stop was for carrots, onions, Indian corn and eggplant.

By the time we arrived back we were dirty, sun burned and full of good food to eat. The kids had a great time as did Anne and I. We ended the day by hitting Cracker Barrel for dinner for some breakfast for dinner. It took all day but was really fun and I was glad that we were able to go. I would recommend this to anyone.

Fun,

Love you Anne,

T

The summer ends with a splash

By the time 8pm rolled around I wondered why I was even going at all. We had made plans to head to Lake Powell as a family at 5pm and Anne was running late at work. By the time 8pm had arrived I was ready to stay home for the weekend. Then she walked through the door and the look on her face of “get me the heck out of here” told me to jump up and get rolling. We were loaded and in the car in 15 minutes (I had done most of the packing between 5-8pm) and were off. Lake Powell is a 7.5 hour drive from Denver and we were on the road excited for the trip and the much needed break. It took us a few minutes to relax and get into trip mode but we did and the real trip started around Vail pass. The kids were sleeping and I was able to spend a few hours talking to my best friend while I drive. I love to talk and drive for the fact that I am able to do something and still focus on the conversation, we can talk for hours on end and I love it.

After a good nights rest in Grand Junction we pulled into the Bullfrog valley just before noon on Thursday. We had the boat unpacked and were swimming within the hour. Jackson and Josh both were happy to go off the slide on the boat and Lexi was just as excited to jump in the water and be held by her dad. Time at the lake seems to slow way down and you really get 2 hours of fun for every real hour on the clock. The sun was hot and the day just seemed to slow down to the pace where your batteries get charged. Later in the day the heat started to cool off and we were excited for the arrival of Tyler and Liz. They left SLC around Noon and so we expected to see them around 6-7pm. I had a 6 mile run with a few speed miles in the mix and I headed out around 6pm. I wanted to run where I never had before so I stared to head for the road that leads out of Bullfrog. I saw 8 vehicles the entire run and every one of them gave me plenty of room. I really enjoyed the hour run and cool down and chasing the sunset home.

The next morning we took of on the boat for a long ride into some canyon away from people, we spent most of the day on the boat or in the water and by the time the night came we were tired. I realized that day how much I love this place. I have been going to Lake Powell with my family since I can remember and I am thrilled that I am able to take my family and have such a great place to stay. I am very thankful to my parents for allowing us to use the houseboat and ski boat, it makes it possible to afford such a fun trip.

Saturday was much of the same, we went on the boat and pulled the tube and banana. This year Josh and Jackson went on the kneeboard for the first time and Liz skied for the first time. Anne and I wake boarded and skied and by the time the day ended we were tired and sore. Sunday marked the day of departure and so after a morning on the beach we started to make our way home. The entire trip home all of us were wishing that we could have stayed a few more days.
Lake Powell is a magical spot, everyone who had been there knows what I mean. It seems to mend and fix what is broken, maybe it’s in the water or the sun. Or maybe it’s in the smile on the faces of my kids letting me know that life could not get any better. I am not really sure nor do I really care, I just love Lake Powell. To those that have been I would recommend getting back soon and for those who have been deprived find a way to make it to this magical spot, I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

5:58

I missed the window to tell at length about our weekend. We are moving in such a fast pace of life right now that I am having a hard time catching up.

Highlights:

We had a night out with Chelsea and Sara watching our kids. What a needed break and I am very thankful for the time away even though we stayed less than 4 miles from our home. Do I still get credit being that close?

Sunday Anne did the group ride and made it to the school house with no problem (14 miles of climbing with some pretty good incline). Anne kept going and went down to 285 before she found out the group was doing a 5 hour ride so she climbed back out and down to the car. It took me 3 trys to get to the school house.

Anne and I are trying to get some Dwell projects done before we take off to Lake Powell with her sister Liz and family tomorrow. To make matters tougher she fired the GC on Saturday morning and has been at the home non-stop for the last 2 days and will finish just in time for us to leave tomorrow at 5pm.

I had a conference call that came up last minute and missed most of track tonight. By the time that I did make it Steve told me to warm up and do the last set which happened to be a 1600(mile). He casually mentioned that he wanted it to be faster than the mile I did last month which happened to be the fastest mile to date. I did not have a watch and I saw that Sonja and John M were running together and that if I held on to Sonja I would for sure make a faster mile than 6:12 my best up until today. Steve mentioned that he wanted the pace to be even as the three of us started. First 400 felt good and fast, I did not have a watch and so I just held on to John and Sonja. Second 400 felt faster because we caught traffic and they surged to keep up the pace. Steve yelled at the end of 800 to pick it up to Sonja so I had no choice but to hold on for dear life. BOOO YAAAA we are haulin some mighty fast tail. 1200 Steve tells Sonja again to pick it up and so she did. In my mind I thought it was going to be even pace. I held on to the very end and gave it all I had on the straight away to the end. Sonja crossed a few steps ahead of me and I found out that she did the 1600 in 5:56 and so I am saying I did it in 5:58. The first time in the sub 6/mile club. Feels good, now I am off to help Anne at the remodel by taking her dinner (I am not really allowed to pick up her tools and use them). Then home and packing for tomorrow. I really just wanted to lock in this run, it felt really good. The whole weekend did, I am sorry not to spend more time writing.

PS. Their is a fun buzz at track tonight as we do our final count down to Nationals. Kind of really fun, so Catch the pulse and get it on......

Love you Anne,

Look forward to LP with you and the kids.

T