Did they just call my name...?

Grab a coffee, beer, glass of wine or your favorite beverage of choice, a nice blanket and find a comfy spot because this is going to be a long one. 

This started on Friday. I packed up all my goods, bike, and clothes and headed to Sea Isle to stay with some friends. This way I could wake up and take my time getting my bike over to transition and I wouldn't be rushed. I hate the feeling of being rushed and it was something I did not want to do at all this weekend. I got down there and basically passed out right away. The next day I woke up and had some breakfast. Went to pick up coffees and some wheat grass for myself. 

Yes it is strange but it's actually quite tasty!

I enjoyed my wheat grass, coffee and some breakfast. I decided it was time to get ready to head over to Atlantic City. I was going to go for a ride but I had to get my bike to transition and go to my meeting all by 1pm so again...didn't want to rush. Grabbed a shower and I was off. 

The welcome center on the AC expressway.  

When I arrived to AC I went straight to my hotel. I figured since I forgot my parking pass for the field I could just park my car at my hotel and then walk my bike over. Well the hotel had a different plan. There was no parking garage so I was required to valet my car. Not happy but no big deal. I walked over to the field just in time for the meeting, which was silly because all the info covered at the meeting, was in the packet I already read...

After the meeting I went into the expo and picked up my packet and all my race goodies. My bike and bags were all waiting with the bell hop because my room wasn't ready so I knew I had to go back to check on that. When I turned my car in they also told me that I was nuts for trying to get out of the city later for dinner with the miss America parade. What I decided to do was put my bags upstairs and drive my bike over, then just leave from the field. It worked perfect...silly bell hop. 

Sand sculpture inside the expo. 

I went and had dinner with my parents and some friends to carb load and what do you know....made it back into the city just fine. When I got back in I was tired but couldn't settle down. I think I unpacked and repacked my transition bag half a dozen times. My roomie was laughing at me so I decided it was time to turn it in. Alarm was set for 4am and out I went. 

I about jumped out of my skin when the thing went off and was up and ready to go in a matter of minutes. I was buzzing around like a bee with excitement and all kinds of other emotions. I gathered all my things and it was off to transition. 

When I got there I found my bike just as I had left it the day before. I unpacked my things, laid out my towel and dug into my protein pancakes. They were a little cold but I had to get something into my stomach. I stood there, head phones on, just trying to get into the zone. 

It was getting close to 6:30 so I went to the bathroom and came back to start stretching out. As I was stretching, the sun started coming up over all the casinos and it was absolutely perfect. 

I then heard the guy come over the loud speaker....transition was closing. Time to pile into the swim stage area...as I stood there a calm came over my body. I'm not sure where it came from but I just became comfortable with what was about to happen next. I looked over and saw my parents, my friend and his mom who had all coke to support. I ran over quick and hugged them and then headed out. 

We worked our way closer and closer to the swim start before I knew it my race buddy and I were down the ramp and boom into the water. The water was a beautiful 75 degrees and it felt amazing on this chilly morning. As I started I told myself that it was just the same as Wednesday night club swims. 4 strokes, mark, head down and keep swimming. Before I knew it I was around the green buoys and headed back to the dock. As I was going back my goggles began to fog. By the time I got half way back I could barely spot the mark but they were so big I could keep and eye on them. As I took a stroke I felt something wrong, round and squishy...I knew exactly what it was and I don't think I have ever swam as fast as I did the last 25 yds or so. 

Up the ladder I went and on to the dock. I ripped my goggles off and ran up the mat into T1. 

I ripped off my swim cap, glasses on, helmet on, shoes on and I was out. Over to the mount line and I was on my bike before I knew it. We had to go through sand and gravel, which was a bit of a challenge but if you took your time you were good. 

Half way down the expressway I realized my garmin got messed up and it thought I was on my run, not my bike. It still had the time running though so I was pacing myself off of that. My goal was 1:15:ish. I looked down and at the bike turn around I was somewhere around 30 min. I knew if I could make it back to transition and onto my run in 45 min I would hit my goal. My goal was 1:15 based on times turned in from last year and I really wanted to make top 10 for my age group. I finished my bike, dismounted and came into T2. Bikes shoes off, belt on, sneakers on and gel. I was out of T2 and headed for the boardwalk run. As I started my run I made the mistake of hitting lap on my watch which ended the activity. I simply started it over again really quick and figured I could just have a different log for my run. As I approached the boards I found this guy who I decided to pace with. He was a few strides a head of me the whole way out. I slurped down my Powerbar gel and grabbed a cup of water from the station. When I looked up I could tell this guy picked up his pace a little bit, so I had to do the same as not to lose him. I kept checking my pace on the Garmin and it said 7:49. I assumed it was acting screwy because I messed it up and didn't think anything of it. 

I came down the boards and got to the base of the bridge. Although the hill was small I had to dig deep to hold pace with this guy. As I hit the peak I could see the finish line. I was going to do it...I was going to make it!!

I came down the finish chute and my body was filled with emotion. I could hear my cheering section going wild and it only made me run faster. I did it, I did it, I DID IT!!!!!!  They handed me my finisher medal and a bottle of water and I went over to see my family and friends. They all said that I was flying. The time said 1:35 min. I was bummed because I didn't want to go longer than 1:30 but I knew I didn't start 10-15 after the first swimmer.

 

From there I cheered for my race buddy and another friend who was doing the race. We all gathered together and took some pictures and went to stretch. 

Now time to hit the results tent. I went to pull up my name but there was nothing there. My dad had already seen my time but I told him I wanted to see it myself. So I was bummed...he some how pulled it up and I took a deep breath. 

1:05:50!!! I absolutely crushed my time that I had in my head and pulled of a 7th in my age group. I was beside myself at this point. I had hit both goals that I set out to do and surpassed them. 

I went back into transition and packed up all my stuff to take to the car. Everyone decided to head into the seafood festival. I was ok with it because even though it was 10am I needed a beer. So we hung around for awhile.  They started the awards and one of my friends joked about me getting one. We knew I wasn't though and my folks were ready to go. Plus I had to go clean up all my stuff in the room so we started to walk back to the car. We could still hear the PA system and my friends mom looked at me and said, "they just said your name!" I thought she was kidding...I said no way, must be a different guy. She swore on it however so I texted someone still inside and sure enough they did!  I went back in and went up to the stage. Apparently the results I saw were wrong and instead of 7th in my age group I took 5th!!!!! I was freaking out. 

There are so many thank you's that I owe but I will try to keep it on the shorter side. First of all, Jimbo, you're the man. You started this train rolling and I know you won't take the credit but just enjoy it. You were at every transition today and yelling the loudest the whole way. I can't thank you enough for everything...especially the post race stretch. Thanks again brother!

Next, Meg, can't tell you how proud of you I am for sticking with this. I know you were equally as nervous as me but you stuck with it, you came out and you killed it. Amazing! Congrats again on 2nd in your age group. 

Last but not least, Penny, you're awesome and amazing and I can't thank you enough. You offered advise and calming words of wisdom when they were needed most. You were very supportive the whole way and I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything from you. Congrats on your top 10 AG finish and crushing your times :)

Brandon wasn't there but he's helped me more than I could have ever imagined and I truly thank you as well, you're the man and good luck in Augusta!!

Ron, thank you so much for everything with the bike as well. Without your help I would have never had a bike!

I'm sure I forgot people and I am sorry but I swear your support is sooo appreciated. Thank you to everyone who texted me or messaged. Anyone who gave me the slightest bit of love, it helped believe me. Thank you to everyone on Instagram, so of you I have never even met but you sent so much love!!

Last but not least thank you for all of the people who told me I couldn't or I wouldn't. You gave me the strength I needed to get through the race. I couldn't have done this without any of you. 

Ok no more...

All for now,

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Excuse me...Who are you...?

Who are you? Who have you become? What makes you and what defines who you are?


As I find myself standing in front of the mirror of the hotel room...all my things laid out in front of me for tomorrow, I find myself asking these questions.  In a way I do not recognize the person standing there looking back at me.  I am half the person I used to be, but I'm double the person I used to be at the same time.  I don't recognize some new things that I see but at the same time I love it.

All my things for transitions are laid out and ready to go.  My bag is here, towels shoes, everything.  My bike is on the rack as we speak and it is race time.  I picked up my packet, I got marked (which is starting to come off already and I'm not sure how that will go over tomorrow).  The only thing left to do now is go out and race.  There are so many things from the expo that I want to talk about but I will save that for my post on the race.  My nerves are through the roof right now but at the same time I have calmed down throughout the day.  I have an amazing support system with me through this journey.

The amount of support that I have received already is over whelming.  I have received awesome texts and messages that have been awesome.  It feels incredible knowing you have that many people behind you.  I need to end this post before I say more that I want to save for my post race write up.


I will say thank you for the support and the next time I post, god willing, I WILL be a triathlete.


Much love,
Keep FSU
-Do It For Yourself

One week...ONE WEEK!

It's Sunday, September the 8th and in exactly 7 days I will embark on the biggest journey of my entire life. Yesterday I woke up and and was just ecstatic, absolutely beside myself with excitement. I can't wait for next weekend. 

Last weekend when I was at the beach I had two great rides down there and I was super stoked on both of them. I can back on Monday and was ready to take on the week. Wednesday was open swim night with the Tri club. My last open water experience didn't go so hot and this time I was around a bunch of people from the club. I got there, blew up my buoys and waiting for the other coach to arrive. She got there, we went down the the waters edge and she swam the first mark out. She came back and and told me I needed to check the knot just to make sure... I slapped on my cap and goggles and started walking into the water. I took some deep breaths and tried to stay as calm as possible. I jumped off the bottom and took my first few strokes. I WAS DOING IT!! I was swimming like I was in the pool...nothing different. It was so awesome. 

We had such a great practice and I helped a few of the athletes with some starts and sprints and I was having such a great time. When I left I had such a boost in my confidence...the boost I needed for this weekend. 

When it comes to chasing your dreams there are times when you sometimes need to make sacrifices, you need to give things up or do things you don't want to do. When there is something that you want so bad, more than anything, you're going to have to do something you don't want to, I guarantee it. I am not going to sugar coat it, you just gotta suck it up and focus on what you could and will have at the end. Just keep that in your pocket. ;)

Just this past weekend all my friends got together. I was exhausted from training and had more training the next day. I knew if I went to have a drink with them, I wouldn't get up to train and I could afford that. So instead I sat at home. Finding this balance has been tough for me, I don't always choose to stay in, I do go out, I'm not a lame....well not totally at least. 

This is going to be the longest week ever and I can't wait for Friday afternoon to get here. I can't wait to get to my hotel, I can't wait to race and I can't wait to see everyone who comes to support me along the way. I wish that I could have every one of my readers there, every one of my followers and one person in particular who said they would be there....I have a feeling they won't be there though and that sucks. But I don't know that for sure...maybe they will, I will find out on race day. 

I am in the works of submitting my video for got chocolate milk team and I will need your help when I do. I will need every vote that I can get to help boost my video and spread the change that I want everyone to have!

Other than that I have a taper this week. My bike is in the shop getting tuned. I found out that it is actually a little too small. I need a longer stem but a workout from the race isn't the time to start messing with that. I have one last swim on Wednesday, maybe a light easy run on Thursday and sprinkle some transition practice in there when I get my bike back! Thank you all for your continued support, you're amazing quite frankly and I wouldn't be able to do it without you. Next post will be from Atlantic City NJ!!!!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Summer is officially out....

The weather has changed, temps are cooling off. Before longhairs will change color, the days will get shorter and I will inevitably trade my iced coffees for pumpkin flavored hot lates(not that, that's a complaint).  I will trade my afternoon rides in the sun to indoor trainer rides. 

With the season change comes more change in training. Next summer I am stepping my distance up to the Olympic distance as my goal. Ultimately I would like to complete a 70.3(preferably the Miami!). On top of training changing I no longer have to get up and drive to West Chester anymore(again not a complaint in anyway!). 

My race is exactly two weeks out and I am getting super excited. The hotel is booked, bike will be tuned and fitted this week, the only thing left will be to get out there and kick some butt!! After a taper next week of course....

After my pull-up adventure on Tuesday I decided to do it everyday since then just because I could. When we were getting ready to change classes last week a student said to me "hey are you athletic? You look like you're athletic." I told him I was pretty athletic I guess. I wasn't really sure how to respond to that.  For years I was never considered athletic. Now my students look up to me and tell me that I look athletic, to me as a teacher of health and physical education that is the ultimate reward!  If you are a regular reader you may remember the post from a friend who told me that I would inspire my students and this would further my passion.... Well she hit the nail on the head and I saw it here first hand. 

I was so excited about the pull-up extravaganza that I complete forgot to include my little story from last Sunday. I was leaving the club and one of the maintenance guys was freshening up the locker room. I stopped to chat with him because I haven't seen him for awhile. We were catching up just shooting the breeze when he stopped and said "hey man I gotta ask ya something...that is if you don't mind." Naturally I didn't care in the least bit. He wanted to know how much weight I had lost and etc. He proceeded to hit me with something I was not ready for. 

"You know man, they have all these hot women in that magazine, forget that, they should put you in there! You're an employee...somebody real!"

I would have never thought anything about it but he was the third person who said the club should do this...that's pretty crazy that three people who don't work in the same department all feel the same way. It made me smile. 

As for this weekend, I packed the buildup and headed to the beach. I went for a beautiful ride this morning and this post is being brought to you from the sand of Sea Isle City, NJ. It is bittersweet, one I will be back in two weeks for my race, but it is the official end of summer. When I was driving down it was late at night and I had my windows down and the music up. I thought man I am going in to miss these days in a few weeks. But will fall comes changes and I am excited to see where things end up...where I end up. 

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend whether it be with family or friends, new or old. I thank you, as always, for your continued support. Until next time...

All for now. 

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Life is moving fast...

Life as you know it can change drastically, either for good or for bad, right in front of your eyes. If you blink or close your eyes for even a second, you could miss it or be completely off guard when you open your eyes. 

Today is August 27th...my birthday has come and gone right in front of my face. Things are speeding up by the month, day, even minute....

I have worked myself out of the rut I was in last week. I am not back to where I was but I am enjoying my workouts once again as opposed to dreading them. My turning point was last Friday. I worked a long week and a long day but I knew I needed to hit the weights because I skipped on Monday. It was hard and there were times where I wanted to quit but I forged on and felt 100 times better when I finished. Maybe I should just listen to my own advice every once and awhile huh?

Since then I've jumped in the pool and gone for a run, both of which felt great. My race is literally right around the corner and the anxiety is building by the day. I am excited, without a doubt and I can't wait to feel as I did on the day of Broad Street. This race will be much different though. It will have its own challenges, just as the run in May. The transitions, the possibility of a windy bike and of course the dreaded open water swim. I have accepted these challenges though and I can't wait to take them on!

Today I got to school early and there was no one in the gym. My school brings back dreaded memories of middle school, the warm up exercises we were forced to perform, etc. I looked around to survey the gym. I put my bag and cooler down and everything was quiet, I had a minute to myself to reflect and take it all in. I looked over and saw the pull-up bar. Something so small and so simple, yet something that has haunted me for years and years. As I glanced at the pull-up bar again all the memories of Presidential Fitness testing rushed into my immediate memory. The haunting fleeing of classmates laughing at me, the teacher shaking their head in disgust...everything. I glanced at the bar as I started in its direction. I stood under it, gazing up at it haunting me and I said to myself, not today. I jumped up and grabbed onto the bar. I closed my eyes and just hung for a second. Taking it all in and acknowledging the challenge that I was about to accept. I opened my eyes and pulled upward with all me might. Before I knew it, my eyes were level with the bar and then they gradually made their way above the bar....above the challenge. This may seem small, it may seem petty but to me it was so much more. I overcame something that had haunted me for years. In one moment, maybe 10 seconds at length, I summed up and entire year of hard work. It was such a small step and yet such a large one all in the same breath. 

Tonight I go to sleep conquering one  challenge and being prepared for the next. That of which will occur tomorrow when I take on an open water swim. I am anxious, but again, excited to take this on. This attitude is much different than that of before. In previous situations I would run and avoid these challenges at all costs, yet today I find myself taking them head on. This has taken months and months of hard work. It isn't something that has happened overnight, however this time around, I want it and I will stop at nothing. 

As always I thank everyone for reading, for the continuous support and love that you give me. I wouldn't be able to do this without any of it. I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend and did something that truly makes them happy. What's life if you aren't smiling?  Goodnight world and thank you. 

All for now.  

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

Where have the days gone?

There was a time not long ago where I was so sure of everything. I knew where I was going what I was doing and why I was doing it. As I round the corner and see the finish line however the questions have begun to arise and my feet get colder by the day. 

Some times when something gets so close that you've wanted for so long, you start to find yourself questioning things. My race is right around the corner, I am about to start the fastest semester of my life and yet it feels like things are not right. Well in fact I know they are not right. 

There's been a number of things going on, pushing, pushing, pushing me right up against the wall. I can't exactly pin point what started it(that's a complete lie, I know preciously the who what when where why and how...down to the min) I am just not ready to come to grips with the fact that it actually happened...twice...  For whatever reason though it has me questioning the big things in my life right now. 

Is this tri, this race, this thing I've wanted for so long the right thing? Am I going to finish or will I freak out in the swim and not even come close? Will I let everyone down, including myself? Will I finish top 10 or will I just look like an idiot. Not only that but I've lost interest in training. I have to force myself into every session and I dread it. 

Along with losing interest in my race so rapidly I have lost interest in teaching. I now dread student teaching, something for which I've looked forward to. I am questioning if this is something I really want to do for the rest of my life. Am I going to be good at it? Will my students like me and enjoy class? 

I would challenge any of you reading this that training for a triathlon or any type of endurance race is 10% physical training and almost 90% mental. This training is taking a huge toll on me mentally and I really need to fight it and get back with it here soon. With student teaching starting next week I will not be able to train in the afternoon or middle of the day as I freely could before. I will have some very early mornings and some very long weekends. It's time to dig deep now, really deep and find out if this is what I really want. Along side training I need to dig deep and bust my tail during student teaching and get every ounce out of it that I can. Friends family and mentors are going to be an even bigger part now.  More than they ever were before. Wish me luck!

All for now

Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself

It's not always rainbows and butterflies...

I find myself reflecting as I lay down here in bed.  I find myself going back in time, far back in time.  Not just weeks or months but a few years back.  A time where things were very different, I was very different.  I didn't have a care in the world, about anything.  I was a teenager, I enjoyed simple things and I loved life.  I was so naive about life, love and the pursuit.....

As I lay here I wish I could go back in time and talk to that person I was.  Tell them(OK maybe scream in my face) that there are bad people in the world, bad things do in fact happen to very good people and yes you can and WILL get screwed.  People are going to talk about you, people are going to look on and judge like they know you when they probably don't.  There are more bad people than good and there are going to be times where it feels like there is a rain cloud stuck right over your head.  There will be times where it feels like the world is crashing down on your shoulders.  There will be times where it feels like no one understands. There will be times where it feels like people treat you like dirt and you just won't understand how they can do that.  It was a time where I thought I was on top of the world and nothing could ever possibly happen.  I was very wrong and I think  had I gone in knowing that these things could happen, it would have been different.  Maybe things wouldn't have gotten so out of control so fast, maybe things would be different.  Then again if if's and but's were candy and nuts, everyday would be Christmas right....The person I was is not the person who I have become however...

Things are very different now that is for sure.  I am certainly different than I was both inside and out.  I wouldn't change things for the world.  I have come so far and learned so much over the past year.  Things are turning around and beginning to become different, but it is a good different.  I find myself getting excited about things I would have only dreamed of in the old me.  If I have learned one thing that would sum it all up it would be that nothing is going to be handed to you.  If you want something, you are going to have to go out and get it.  If you sit around and wait for things to happen, it won't, bottom line.  When you work for something so hard though and you get to where you want to be it is quite possibly the most rewarding feeling in the entire world.  The last thing I learned is that there are going to be people who come and go in your life.  There will be people who come though and never go.  Those people will be there day in and day out.  Those are the people who will ALWAYS be there.  The trick is finding who those people are and hanging on to them for dear life.

If you are reading this, you probably found it via twitter, facebook, or instagram.  We also probably share some of the same interest, from swimming, biking, running, or all three.  Eating healthy or working out to better yourself.  Regardless of why you are reading this I would like to say thank you for one.  People like you are the reason that I can keep going.  Support from people who read and like my posts means everything in the world.  The second and last thing I want to say is that everything isn't always going to be rainbows and butterflies.  Although I would like it to be, as I am sure you would to, its not.  When things get tough, you have two options, you can throw your hands up in the air, quit, walk away and say screw this I am not doing it anymore.  OR you can step up to the plate, bat in hand and give it your best swing.  If you never try though, you'll never know whether you could do it or not.  So why not step up and try?  No it is not going to be easy, yes there will be times that suck more than anything, but it's a fight and when you win that fight you'll be so happy!  On top of that, you'll be ready for your next fight and whatever that may be. 

I thank you all for reading and if you are in a place right now where you don't know if you want to fight or flight, I highly urge you to fight on.  Things will get better and that sun will come up to push that rain cloud away I can promise that.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and have a productive week!

All for now.
Keep FSU and Do It For Yourself