Winona, Minnesota United States Trinona 90F / 32C Sunny

Total Time = 4h 12m 53s Overall Rank = 289/293 Age Group = M35-40 Age Group Rank = 42/43

**This report is long but includes WHY I decided to TRI, why I picked this race, and why it was important to me to finish. It’s amazing how honest one can be to a group of strangers.

In January 2011 I went to my doctor for a routine physical and the news was not good. She informed me that my weight placed me in the obese category (6'5" 320lbs), my cholesterol was really high, high enough to warrant medication, and that I was classified pre-diabetic because of my blood sugar levels. I needed a lifestyle change so I started to run. As someone who hated to run I found that I really enjoyed it. I learned how to run, how to pace myself and most importantly that I didn't have to go out and run an 8 minute mile, it was fine to shuffle along because I was doing it. I developed the mantra “For Them”. I was running for my wife and kids, to be healthy for them so I could be here for years to come.

I completed the C25K program and entered a few 5ks, I even signed up for a half marathon in October 2011. The weight started to melt off, by Memorial Day I was down to 290lbs. At the same time I developed a long term plan to keep myself motivated: 2011 = 5k and half marathon, 2012 = Olympic Distance Triathlon, 2013 = Half Ironman, 2014 = Full Ironman. Somewhere in there I would mix in a marathon but had not decided where. I found Beginner Triathlete and was inspired by the stories I read. In May of 2011 I bought a road bike to cross train on and toughen my taco before Tri training started in January 2012. In my search for my first Olympic Distance Triathlon I came across Trinona, Battle for the Bluff. The thought of racing up the bluff, the difficulty of that task appealed to my competitive side. I decided if I was going to do it, I was going all in. This would be my first!

By the end of June 2011 I had finished three separate races and was getting miles in on the bike. I felt really good and knew I was on pace for the Half Marathon and more. Little did I know my best laid plans were about to fall apart.

While on vacation with my wife and kids I got a call from my parents, my Mom said on the phone “If you want to see me alive, you need to come now”. She had been battling COPD due to years of smoking. In February we had placed her in Hospice care, now at the end of June she was starting to take a turn. I flew out to California to be with her for a week. She was not what I would have considered as terminal, and I honestly felt that we would see her during the holidays. However once I got home the stress of daily health updates, being so far from home and not being able to help started to take its toll. I began missing runs and cross training days. I stopped riding and started slipping back into old habits and in August we admitted her into a full time care facility. I managed to piece together a few training runs but hadn’t done any runs over any sort of distance. Time was running out and I was at the point that I needed to decide if I was going to actually pick up my race packet; Turns out that the decision was made for me as Mom died the Friday before the Half Marathon. Instead of racing on Sunday my wife, kids and I boarded an airplane to attend to my Mom’s memorial.

Once back in Iowa I coped the only way I knew how, eating. I had no interest in any sort of activity and very quickly put on the 30lbs I lost, plus another 10. I was an emotional wreck during the Holidays and continued to “cope”. As 2011 drew to a close I knew I had to pull my head out of my arse. After a very long and therapeutic talk with my wife I came to the conclusion that even with the setback there was no reason not to follow the plan I previously laid out.

When the calendar turned 2012 I got back on the training horse and started my journey to Trinona. I joined my YMCA’s triathlon training class which gave me swimming and biking instruction, and I changed my mantra to “For Them/For Her”. “For Her” is obviously for Mom. She taught me that I am responsible for my own successes and failures, if I want something I need to work for it, things aren’t done half-assed, and that there’s no other option than to see things through to completion… one does not quit.
The first month of training was hell, I never actually puked in the pool but I did dry heave a couple of times. My legs and taco hurt from spin class and my shoulders were sore from swimming, but by the end of January I was making progress and on January 30th I paid my registration fee for Trinona. Once I got into a routine the rest was easy. Five more months of training and a sprint tri under my belt I was ready.

I had a difficult time emotionally Saturday morning. I got too focused on who wasn’t here as opposed to what I needed to do. My wife was there for me, cried with me, and helped me redirect my energy. We got to Winona Saturday evening for packet pick-up right as they were packing up for the night. My son had a baseball game Saturday morning that ran long and on the drive up from Iowa we got caught in a random “Safety Check” by the highway patrol which cost us some time. Once we got checked into the hotel and had dinner it was almost 2100. I had planned on driving the bike course, but with the late hour and still needing to put my bike together I decided to forgo the drive and do what I needed to do and get to bed.

I was up at 0515 and very quietly ate breakfast (Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich on wheat, banana, Spark) in the bathroom as to not wake my kids. I said good-bye to my wife and had a quick ride to the transition area. Set up my stuff and walked the transitions. The pre-race meeting was at 0700, with the elite’s going at 0730. My wave wasn’t until 0825 so I watched the Elite International heat go and the first few sprint waves and then met up with my family. As a little extra motivation I had my wife and kids write their names on my arm. At 0815 I moved to the starting area.


None, but in hindsight I should have streched my legs.