Dreams and Reality

For me I have seen the most success in my life when I can simultaneously accept the reality of a situation while still believing that I can conquer that reality and Improve. In working with others I have noticed that the Dreamers usually fail because they do not accept the reality, they just focus only on their belief. The Realists fail because they focus on the dire situation of reality and aren’t inspired by what could be. I believe that to achieve a high level of success in any endeavor you must max out both your realist side and you dreamer side. I don’t think that the word “balance” is any good in describing the relationship between these two concepts. Balance denotes giving up a little bit of one thing to “balance” the other. Just do both of these things to your best ability. Max out your belief while embracing your life’s reality. I was thinking about this concept on my flight to the Ironman World Championships. I was really bored so I wrote this poem to describe how I feel about the dynamic between Dreams and Reality

Two truths I present to you
Radically different in their view
First: Our universe has laws by which its run
Nothing goes faster than the light of the sun
I can’t flap my arms and fly
Never, no matter how hard I try
Second: Dreams inspire and lift us higher
They make impossible an ugly liar
Using broken laws to fuel dreams fire
Overcoming the Universe by Pure Desire
But what happens when Dreams and Reality collide
When Laws face off against our believing side
Just embrace and accept the laws present state
Still believing in your dreams triumphal fate
Because reality is law but can be bent a bit
We can twist and mold it to make dreams fit
But where’s the line tween laws failure and dreams glory?
............. You decide, ......... this is your lifes story

Kona's Call

Kona's calling us to its fight
Whispering its song day and night
Listen to its pide piper tune
Leading us back it's coming soon
Hopes and dreams will either rise or fall
As we march to the beat of Konas call

I leave tomorrow for the Ironman world championships in Kona Hawaii. I hope my "hopes and dreams" will rise not fall.

Utah Half Race Report

I decided to do the Utah Half at the last minute. Kona is only six weeks after the Utah Half so I chose to just train through this race and not taper, as this is the prime time to put in the big training weeks for Kona. I was surprised that I felt great the whole day. I felt really good and never had a time in the race where I felt crappy. (Maybe I should not taper anymore). Heath Thurston and I started 2 minutes apart. He was in the Elite wave and I was in the first Age Group wave. (Heath was not allowed to wear a wetsuit but I was, not very fair to Heath). Someone told me that I was 9 minutes behind Heath after the swim. At the time I thought we started 5 minutes after them so I was stoked. (I later learned it was only 2 minutes, I have great time perception), Heath had a very fast bike ride and I came in around 2 or 3 minutes behind him. I ate into his lead slightly on the run and at the halfway point, I picked up my pace and was running between a 5:55 and 6:25 pace most of the last half of the run. Heath slowed the last few miles and I passed him at an Aid Station. I was able to win the race in 3:58. Heath is such an awesome guy, He has been very generous helping me develop over the last two years, it’s ironic but I probably would not have won if he hadn’t been helping me to get better. I wish B.J. Christensen would have done the race, he very well could have beat me but I would like to have seen how close it would be. Great job to everyone who participated, It was a hot day and I saw a lot of folks who really pushed themselves. My most wonderful wife Megan brought our 3 kids to watch the race and it was really awesome to give them all fives as I finished. Having my kids be proud of me was the biggest highlight of the race. They kept saying “Dad you won”.

Lisa Forsey's Flame

My neighbor Lisa Forsey passed away yesterday. She was a wonderful lady who battled brain cancer. She left a great family including two teenage children. I thought about her all day today. She was very kind and loving. She was a good friend to my wife and I remember her being so pleasant to be around. She was and is a great example to me of how to live your life. I started writing this poem years ago and have changed it from time to time but the poem summarizes my thoughts of her life. This season is over for her and she moves on toward a never ending Spring. She has a bonfire of a flame that continues to burn bright, powerful, confident, strong and true.

The flickering flame burns small but bright
Its little glow surrounded by autumns night
The flame must either die or grow
Which it will do we don’t yet know
The winds will attempt to blow it out
And rain will try to drench it with doubt
Its fate is uncertain but in its control
If it wishes it will grow strong and full
It can burn as a bonfire in the deep, dead of night
Not a flickering flame but powerful strong and bright
Your flame may be small but it’s up to you
To flicker out or to burn strong and true
As you pass through this tough season
Remember we're all here for a reason
Build up your own personal inner light
Keep it strong through the dark of night
Feed your flame with positive thought
Press forward and give life all you’ve got
And when this short season fades away
The warmth of the fire will always stay
In a never ending spring it will be with you
Burning powerful confident strong and true.

Struggling for the big breakthrough

Green Grass

I need to reap the harvest of that great green grass
But it’s on the other side and need to bridge that pass
In the end it’s what you sow that you’ll reap
So I have been putting in the effort but I keep
Waiting for that breakthrough that hasn’t come
Like the freezing grass hoping for the morning sun
That touches grass like skin by a surgeon’s knife
Turns it a deep shade of green and brings new life
Wanting to see performance jump through the roof
But so far I can’t find a whole lot of proof
That would lead me to belief that I’ve got it in me
Keeping faith in the harvest though I can’t yet see
The reaping of green grass, and the improvement that follows
Swinging for the fences, feels like I’m swinging from gallows
Faith and hope make me think that I’ll make it
But the facts are facts and dreaming can’t fake it
Believing I can do it won’t bring it to pass
Reality can be a total pain in the grass
Cause it’s always greener on the other side
And from here to there the gap’s pretty wide

I need to have a big breakthrough soon or I am going to be really sad

Ironman 70.3 Boise Race Report

I had the best swim of my life, a disappointing Bike, A disappointing first half of my run and then a good second half of my run.

Coming into this race I had a lot of really fast swim workouts so I thought I would have a good swim. I was lucky as I drafted off of the same guy the whole swim. I touched his toes one to many times and he did a quick turn to yell at me so I was careful not to touch his toes after that. Thanks whoever you are for helping me have a good swim. Sorry for touching your toes so much. I swam 31:10

After looking at my ASI photo's for IM St. George I thought that my bike position was pretty non-aero so I changed it for this race. I dropped my elbows down about 1 1/4 inch. I thought this would help me get faster, in reality I think it slowed me down, I guess the added aero benefit did not outweigh the loss of power due to the more aggressive position. I pushed it hard on the bike but I felt I should have been faster than the 2:15 I got. I don't know why I was slower than what I thought I should do, but I think my new position may have something to do with it. I’m going back to the old position.

I came into t2 first in my age group but was passed in the first 50 meters of the run. The dude was flying. I did not feel great and tried to keep him in my view but he kept pulling away. About halfway through the run I started to feel better and I really started pushing it. At the turn around with a little over 3 miles left I saw that I had gained on him, I kept my pace really fast and I got close to him just after mile 12. I decided to increase my speed and pass him as fast as I could so he would not try to stay with me, I ran past him at a sub 6:00 minute mile pace and he did not try to respond. I ended up beating him by 50 seconds. I talked to him afterwards and he told me what I thought, that he saw how fast I passed him and he thought there was no way of going with me. By passing this guy I won my age group. It was nice to run someone down at the end of a race rather than being on the receiving end like I have in the past. I ran 1:27:something.

So I had a great beginning to my race, a disappointing middle and a happy ending.

Triathageek Rap

You are the pinnacle in endurance perfection
A three sport dork with a mental disconnection
Swim bike run, your Macca’s witness
Worshiping the idol of trifecta fitness
You are the One! The Only! The Triathageek!
Swim smooth , run fast and yo watts aint weak!
You wear spandex cuz you’re oh so fit
The ladies love it yeah every little itty bit
You shave your legs and unzip that chest
Cuz for ASI photo, gotta look your best
So far your midlife crisis is going just great
Don’t eat no treats gotta watch that weight
Cuz you’re the Tan the Titan the Triathageek
Swim smooth, run fast and yo watts aint weak!
You ride with deep dish rims, they’re pretty sick
You won’t settle for Hed, You’ll only roll ZIPP
You’ll blow a few G’s for 10 grams of drag
Yeah, your bike is phat, don’t mean to brag
You just don’t care, burn your money for time
Raid your kids college fund yeah they’ll be fine
You are The Pious! The Prudent! The Triathageek!
Swim smooth , run fast and yo watts aint weak!
Your wife’s so very lucky to have you for a mate
Been over two years since she’s gone on a date
The whole wide world just revolves around you
How you crushed the competition and P.R.’d to
Your massive midlife crisis is going just great
Not tonight, in bed early, got masters, can’t be late
You are The Soft! The Selfless! The Triathageek!
Swim smooth , run fast and yo watts aint weak!
You’ve got an ailment, An endurance addiction
Going big to fulfill your performance prediction
The sickness pushes you to the very edge
Give 100 percent right on thresholds ledge
It’s a major case of slow twitch Tunnel vision
A three trick killa, on a Kona collision
The top of the podium is what you seek
You got it brotha.... cuz you’re the Triathageek

I hope I did not offend anyone with this poem, I'm not mocking anyone but myself. I have to laugh at some of our triathlete culture. I love Triathlon and at the same time I have to be careful to keep perspective on what is most important.