Top 10 Memories from 2023

 A year ago, as 2022 was coming to an end, I was sitting in this very chair reflecting on the year that was and envisioning the year that could be in 2023. Even in that moment, I had absolutely no clue how great of a year it was going to be. 

The year started out slowly, but by April, I was really getting after it as the miles and races began to pile up. Here is where I am finishing up the year...

• 15 races completed (most in a year)
• 1,049.42 miles running (most in a year)
• 2,165.57 miles biked (2nd most in a year)
• Over 40 hours of strength training (2nd most in a year)
• 26.04 miles swimming
• Run streak extended to 693 days

While those numbers make me feel very accomplished this year, for me, it is much more about the memories made. Below are my top 10 memories from 2023.

10. Tri for a Cause

January 29th was an extremely cold morning. I woke up early and made my way to the Walnut Creek YMCA for the Tri for a Cause indoor triathlon with a swim wave start of 6:00am. It had been 2,295 days since my last triathlon and I was ready to go. 400 yard pool swim, 7 mile spin bike, and 2 mile run on a treadmill and I did great. I certainly wasn't in the best shape but everything felt good on race day and I was reminded again why I love this sport. This was the race that kick started everything for the year. 

9. Des Moines Corporate Games Cross Country Race - Finishing Last

I was very excited when John Deere signed up for the Corporate Games this year. Free races and a chance to connect with coworkers who share a similar passion. There were a few things in play with this race. For whatever reason, the Cross Country race was held on the same weekend as the triathlon. Even though both races were relatively short, this was still a point in the year while I was building back fitness and a bit unsure of how much I could handle. Also, there are 2 race distances offered, a 7.5k and 4.4k held back to back on the ISU cross country course. I knew that most of the slower runners would opt for the shorter distance and figured there was a chance I could finish last. That is exactly what happened. 

In spite of my last place finish, I received a silver medal in my age group (obviously only 2 racers in the group) to score points for John Deere and I actually raced pretty well. To my knowledge, this is the only time in my life that I finished last in a race.

8. Ames Triathlon

The Ames Triathlon was memorable in several ways, both good and bad. For starters, I got a chance to race along side my friend and training buddy, Adam. This was his first ever multi-sport event as he competed in the duathlon. I also was blessed to have my wife and daughters drive up to support me on race day. 

The conditions for the race were horrible. 20+ mph winds which resulted in slow times on the 750 meter swim and the 15.5 mile bike. However, once I got off the bike and onto the run course, I absolutely flew. I had only logged 2 sub-12:00 miles prior to race day, but at Ames I was able to log 3 consecutive sub-12:00 miles finishing with a 5k time of 36:32 surprising myself and everyone there who was watching. 

Things turned sour quickly after the race when we realized that someone had broken into Erin's car and stolen her purse. Here we are over 6 months later and still dealing with the fallout from that. 

7. IMT Des Moines Half Marathon 

I think I agreed to do this race all the way back in March when trying to convince Adam to do a half marathon. At that point, it was so far away that I may not have fully considered the consequences. Either way, I began training for the race in late summer and for the first time ever, actually continued to drop my average mile time while increasing distance each week. 

As race week approached, I got sick. This has only happened to me a couple of times over the years but for some reason this time really got me down. I had been running so well all summer and fall but knew that I wasn't going to be at my best. I made sure to spend as much time as possible recovering and taking care of myself throughout the week and altered my race plan and expectations for race day. 

I ran really well until the start of mile 13 when the wheels came off a bit. I managed to keep my legs moving and got across the finish line faster than when I ran the race back in 2015. This race was both a reminder at what I'm capable of as well as a reminder that 13.1 miles is a lot longer than it sounds. 

6. Making connections at work

The running and triathlon communities are generally great to be a part of. Training for and completing a race takes a lot of time, effort, and determination no matter what the distance. When I meet someone else who has completed a race it tells me a lot about them and can often be a shortcut to building trust. It just so happens that 2023 not only rekindled my racing career, but it involved a shake up in my professional career at John Deere as well. I took on a new role in May and early on discovered that one of my new coworkers, let's call him Brad (only because that is his real name) is a triathlete as well. We have had many a conversation over lunch or on Teams about training, past races, gear we like, etc. and it has actually helped me get through some very tough days at work. Brad has also become a big cheerleader for me and is always interested in hearing about my most recent race and the next one I have planned. I also made a connection with another coworker, let's call her Kati (again, only because that is her actual name) because Brad happened to share my blog with her. Kati has completed several triathlons and other races in the past that we have chatted about as well. 

Other connections have come through racing directly. One of the engineers on my team took up road racing this year and completed his first half marathon and triathlon. He has enjoyed it so much that he is planning bigger things for next year. We talk about it a lot in our 1x1 meetings. Another engineer on my team has been running for years and we discovered that both of us ran the Bix and Capital Pursuit this year without even knowing it beforehand. The Des Moines Corporate Games and John Deere Employee 5k led to other similar connections as well. 

Corporate Games Triathlon Crew

John Deere Employee 5k

5. Capital Pursuit

A warm up race for the half marathon a few weeks later. A smaller race held in the heart of Des Moines and one that I've thought about doing for several years. Looking at the race results from the past few years I quickly realized there was a good chance I could finish in last place for the 2nd time in a year. I signed up with Adam anyways and was coming off a great 10 mile training run the previous weekend. I set a goal pace of 12:30/mi and as the miles ticked by, I kept track of how far ahead of my goal pace I was. The hills were brutal but I handled them all very well. After Adam finished he tracked back and joined me for my last mile. I ended up crushing my goal and managed to average sub-12:00/mi coming in under 2 hours and avoiding a last place finish. Erin and the girls were at the finish line to cheer me on as I crossed. 

4. Bix 7

A challenging 7 mile course in the heat of the summer. One of the biggest races in Iowa each year and one with which I have a lot of history. I was racing the 7 mile course while my mother-in-law, Mary, Erin, and the girls were set to complete the 2 mile Quick Bix. Erin ended up having a medical procedure the day before and was unable to race but both Abs and The Bridge still did the Quick Bix with Grandma Weiler. 

This race made the list for 2 reasons. The first was the joy of getting to line up and celebrate after the race with my daughters. After the race they both said they want to come back next year and make this race a yearly tradition. The second was how consistent I was throughout the entire course. Even late in the race I was still attacking the hills while those around me walked up them. The race was a huge confidence builder for the rest of my season. 

3. Turkey Trot - Surpassing a stretch goal

It wasn't just the race itself, but all the hard work that went into it during the month of November that made this such a great memory. I stayed consistent with my training while down at the cabin deer hunting in early November and got my running in extra early once basketball practices started in the middle of the month. 

Mary and her sister, Lisa, were walking the 5 mile route, Erin and the girls were walking the 5k, and one of my employees was running the 5 mile route with me. It was a cold morning but the sun was shining and I was ready to go. My goal was simple, I wanted to average sub-11:00/mi for the 5 mile race. I knew that everything had to go perfectly to make that happen but I had been running so well throughout the month of November so confidence was high. 

As the miles started to tick by, it became apparent that I was going to easily reach my goal. The final mile, which included a large downhill, I was able to log my fastest mile of the year at 9:49. I finished with a time of 53:11 which was just over 10:30/mi. 

2. Racing and training with friends

The one probably could have been 1b instead of  2 on the list. My favorite part of this year was all of the time spent with friends. Not just training and racing together, but sharing our goals and celebrating each others successes. I have some of the best friends a guy could ask for and there is no way that this year would have been possible without them. There are probably too many details or examples to go into with a single post so I'll just leave you with some pictures. 

1. Quad Cities Triathlon - The moment I knew

On the surface, this race really doesn't stand out from any of the others this year. It isn't the race itself that made this my number 1 memory for the year but instead the feeling that it gave me. Erin and Mary came out to watch me race and cheer me on. I absolutely love having a cheering section at races and I always race better when I do. The race was hard, and I was not in great shape, but I just kept on going. I felt so much joy throughout the race as I faced each struggle. During the run I made a new observation of myself. Although my physical fitness is nowhere near where I want it to be, I have never been more mentally tough than I was during this race. As I crossed the finish line, for the first time, I knew that I was officially back. This race made me remember who I am and why I do all of this. To this point, I had lived each day in fear that I would stop and it would all go away again but in this moment, I finally felt the confidence that it wasn't going away. 

What an amazing year it was! It wasn't perfect, nothing ever is, but it was the year that I needed. I'm eager and excited for what 2024 has in store and can't wait to get started when I wake up tomorrow. 

2024 Racing Schedule

This is such an exciting time of year! I absolutely love reflecting on the past season to celebrate my successes and to identify ways that I can do better. It is also the time of year where planning for the next season begins. Below is my tentative racing schedule for 2024. 

• January 28 - Tri for a Cause
• An indoor triathlon at the Walnut Creek YMCA as a fundraiser for Girls on the Run
• 400 yard pool swim, 7 mile spin bike, 2 mile treadmill run
• I did this race for the first time in 2023 and love it
• February 17 - YMCA Red Flannel Run 5k
• Put on by the downtown YMCA and run on the streets of downtown Des Moines
• Walk, run, or a little bit of both. I will be doing this race with my wife
• March 2 - Time to Paddy 10k
• The race starts and finishes at Big Creek Creek State Park
• I did the 5k last year and enjoyed the smaller early season race
• March 16 - St. Paddy's Day Half Marathon
• This race is held in downtown Des Moines
• I ran my current Half Marathon PR at this race in 2019 (2:08:14)
• April 13 - Live Healthy Iowa 5k
• Held on the bike trails in Bondurant
• I ran this race in 2021 and enjoyed the flat and fast course
• April 21 - Drake Road Races 10k
• I absolutely love racing at the Drake Road Races, this will be my 7th time racing and my 3rd time racing the 10k (2019, 2023)
• My first primary/A race of the season
• I ran my current 10k PR at this race in 2019 (59:49) and have a goal of setting a new PR this year
• May 11 - Market to Market Relay
• I'm still working on putting a team together, so this one is definitely tentative at the moment
• 75 miles from Jefferson to Des Moines divided between a group of 6 - 8 runners
• May 19 - Des Moines Corporate Games Triathlon
• Held at Big Creek State Park
• Sprint triathlon - 400 yard swim, 20k bike, 5k run
• This will be my 3rd time competing at this race (2018, 2023)
• May 25 - Clear Lake Triathlon
• Held in Clear Lake, I've wanted to do this race for several years
• Olympic Distance - 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run
• My second primary/A race of the year with a goal of setting a new Olympic Triathlon PR (current PR is 3:09:46)
• June 2 - Pigman Triathlon
• Held at Pleasant Creek State Park just north of Cedar Rapids
• Sprint triathlon - 500 meter swim, 25k bike, 5k run
• I competed at this race in 2018 and didn't race well, looking for some redemption
• June 8 - Iowa Trail Run - Ledges
• Held at Ledges State Park, this will be my first ever trail run
• Although there is a 10k available, I think I will be sticking to the 5k course as I'm sure that will be more than enough of a challenge for my first time
• July 13 - Des Moines Corporate Games Cross Country Race
• Held on the Iowa State Cross Country Course in Ames
• This will be my 3rd time competing (2018, 2023)
• I'm unsure if I will run the 8k, 4k, or both!
• July 20 - Des Moines Corporate Games Road Race
• This 5k race is run in conjunction with the Clive Running Festival and is held on the Clive Greenbelt trails
• I also ran this race in 2018
• July 27 - Bix 7
• 7 mile race held in Davenport
• This will be my 6th time running and I will be hoping to improve on my time from 2023 (1:29:44)
• August 10 - Adel Sweet Corn Festival 5k
• Held in Adel
• I also raced here in 2022
• August - Hero Hustle Triathlon
• Held in Manchester
• I raced here in 2023 and absolutely loved the course and the community support
• Sprint triathlon - 400 yard swim, 16 mile bike, 5k run
• September - Gateway Challenge Triathlon
• Held in Marengo, which means I get a chance to visit my friends, Maureen and Nick (along with their adorable girls and dogs)
• I raced here in 2023 on a very foggy morning
• Sprint triathlon - 500 meter swim, 16 mile bike, 5k run
• September 22 - Quad Cities Marathon
• Starts in downtown Moline, but crosses the bridge and includes portions on both the Iowa and Illinois side (including a run through Arsenal Island)
• This will be my third primary/A race of the year
• I have run the half marathon twice before (2015 and 2016)
• My second attempt at the full marathon distance with a goal of setting a new PR (current PR is 5:57:12)
• October 6 - Iowa Trail Runs - Annette Nature Center
• Held at Annette Nature Center in Warren County
• I'm unsure if I will do the 5k or 10k
• This will be my 2nd trail race of the season
• October 20 - IMT Des Moines Half Marathon
• Held in Downtown Des Moines
• This will be my fourth, and final, primary/A race of the year
• I have raced the IMT 6 times previously, 2 of those were at the half marathon distance (2015 and 2023)
• My goal for the race will be to set a new half marathon PR (current PR is 2:08:14)
• November 28 - Turkey Trot
• Location and distance TBD as I'm not yet sure where we will be next Thanksgiving

21 races in 10 months may seem a little ambitious, but I have put a lot of thought and planning into this race schedule. I wanted to continue to build on the success and enjoyment that I found in 2023 but I also wanted to challenge myself. I had 2 primary concerns when planning this schedule. 

1. I didn't want my racing to completely disrupt my family life
2. I wanted to find a good mix races to really challenge me as well as provide the opportunity to race often without worrying about injury or burn out

I was able to accomplish the first by scheduling mostly local races that will allow me to race on either a Saturday or Sunday morning but keep the rest of the weekend for family time or trips to the cabin. Of the 6 races that aren't local 5 are in locations that allow visiting family or friends as part of the trip. The only exception would be the Clear Lake Triathlon which we will probably turn into a mini family vacation for Memorial Day weekend. 

The second was accomplished by scheduling a couple of races each month to keep me engaged and working hard. I have an early half marathon in the schedule to help me get my mileage up early. A fall marathon will keep me busy all summer and by following it up with a half marathon again a few weeks later, I will be taking advantage of the fitness I've already gained. I also added a couple of trail races to the schedule. Nearly everyone that I know who has run a trail race absolutely raves about them. Several have completely switched to trail runs over road races because they enjoy them so much. It will be a good challenge and change of pace throughout my season. 

I also want to touch briefly on what isn't in my schedule. I spent a lot of time thinking about signing up for the Des Moines Ironman 70.3 in June along with a full Ironman in the fall. I still really want to complete a full Ironman at some point. I remember just how grueling the training for the 70.3 in 2017 and 2019 was and my heart just isn't in it enough right now to go through that without risking burn out. I have no doubt that my body would be capable of taking the abuse, but there isn't a point in doing it if I can't mentally commit. 

Now let's talk a little about what IS in my schedule. I learned this year that I love to race a lot and that I can fit frequent shorter races into the training schedules for my longer races without being too disruptive. Just like this year, I want to gradually progress throughout the year so that I'm at my best when those late season races hit. In the spring, I am hoping to set a new PR at the 10k distance as well as the Olympic Triathlon distance. Both are attainable if I continue to work hard and build some speed over the winter. I think the hardest part of these early season goals will be in good enough shape swimming in the open water as well as on the bike. Late season I'm going for some redemption at the full marathon distance. I've got a new training program to use and am confident that I will be able to better my time from 2019. Originally I was going to try for a sub-2:00 half marathon at the IMT in October, but I've changed to going after a new PR instead. If sub-2:00 happens, then I'd be good with that but it seemed just a little too ambitious at the end of a long season. 

I think the hardest stretch of races for me will be May - June when I race on 5 straight weekends. It does seem like a lot, but most of the races are modest distances and due to some family obligations in June, I needed to fit my June races in early. I will have a full week off of training after finishing up that cycle before diving into training for the late summer/fall races. 

I'm super excited to get after it again! In season training starts on Christmas day and I'm looking forward to it. 

Thanks for reading!

Turkey Trot and 2023 Racing Season Recap

YMCA McCarthy Bush Turkey Trot - 5 Mile

Thanksgiving included a family trip to the Quad Cities this year and an opportunity to race in the Davenport YMCA Turkey Trot for the 5th time. It was a family affair this year as Erin, Abigail, and Bridget signed up to walk the 5k while my mother-in-law, Mary, and her sister, Lisa were walking the 5 mile course. Additionally, one of my employees was visiting family in the Quad Cities as well and joined me for the race.

The whole crew ready to go

Austin and I before the race

It was a brisk morning with a cold wind but the sun was shining and there were close to 2,500 runners and walkers. I last raced here in 2016 but haven't done the 5 mile course since 2015. While not as widely known as the Bix 7, this race essentially includes the same famous hill as the Bix, just 1 block over on Main Street instead of Brady Street. The course is mostly an out and back, but after going up the hill, we do get the opportunity to traverse Vander Veer Park before heading back down and to the finish line in front of the YMCA. 

I had been working hard all month at increasing my average speed with the goal of running a sub-11:00/mi average on race day. Training had been going even better than expected so my confidence was very high on race day. The race started off very well and I kept a very stead pace over the 1st mile, which included the Main Street hill, with a time of 11:12. A little behind pace but with the hardest part of the course behind me I picked up the pace and logged times between 10:30/mi - 10:40/mi for the next 3 miles. Just before mile 4, I passed the girls after the 5k turnaround and got some much needed cheers and encouragement. I really used the hill coming back down and my last mile time was 9:49. My fastest, and first sub-10:00 mile of 2023! With those splits, I was able to absolutely crush my goal for the race, finishing with an official time of 53:11. 

Austin was at the finish line cheering me on, then after I finished I waited around to cheer everyone else on as they finished the race. 

Bridget running hard to the finish

Erin and Abigail finishing shortly behind Bridget

Mary and Lisa done with their 5 miles

2023 Racing Season Recap

A racing season that was never meant to be. At some point early in the year, I quietly set a goal of doing 8 races this year. To be honest, I never thought I would actually do 8 races but I really loved the idea of getting back into racing. With the encouragement and accountability of a few friends I got started and my March I was working out and training consistently. For me, getting started was the hardest part and after getting the first couple of races under my belt I just knew that I was back. The joy, confidence, and feeling of accomplishment that I got from each race left me hungry for more. I often found myself dreaming about all of the possibilities now that I was officially back into racing. 

In the end, I ended up completing 15 races in 2023:

1. Tri for a Cause Indoor Triathlon (January 29)
2. Time to Paddy 5k (March 5)
3. Drake Road Races 10k (April 23)
4. Quad Cities Sprint Triathlon (June 17)
5. Ames Sprint Triathlon (June 25)
6. Des Moines Corporate Games Cross Country 7.5k (July 8)
7. Des Moines Corporate Games Sprint Triathlon (July 9)
8. Bix 7 (July 29)
9. Rexy Run 5k (August 19)
10. Hero Hustle Sprint Triathlon (August 27)
11. Gateway Challenge Sprint Triathlon (September 16)
12. Capital Pursuit - 10 Mile (September 24)
13. John Deere Des Moines Area 5k (September 30)
14. IMT Des Moines Half Marathon (October 15)
15. Davenport YMCA McCarthy Bush Turkey Trot - 5 Mile (November 23)

2023 Race Recap Video

Earlier this week I was asked if I had a favorite race this year. I thought very hard about it and can confidently answer that I do not. The year was full of so many great memories that it is impossible to pick a favorite one. My fitness and speed had a consistent progression throughout the year and I was doing my best racing at the end of the year. I just kept signing up for races, setting goals, and crushing them. Below are just a few memories from the year. 

• My friend, Adam, coming with me to the Drake Road Races to cheer me on
• Erin and Mary cheering me on at the Quad Cities Triathlon
• The feeling of calm confidence that I felt during the QC Triathlon 
• My amazing run at the Ames Triathlon
• Competing alongside Adam for the first time at the Ames Triathlon (he did the Duathlon)
• Finishing dead last in the Cross Country race but not caring at all and feeling great about how I raced
• Meeting new coworkers at the Corporate Games Triathlon
• Bridget and Abigail doing the Quick Bix with Mary and finding them at the finish line after I finished the Bix 7
• Getting to race with my Uncle Mike again at the Rexy Run 5k
• Enjoying getting back into triathlon so much that I sought out and found both the Hero Hustle and Gateway Challenge triathlons to do later in the year
• The incredible sense of accomplishment I felt when crossing the finish line in under 2 hours at the Capital Pursuit
• Racing with coworkers again at the John Deere 5k
• The consistency in my splits at the IMT Half Marathon, especially coming off a week of being sick

I wouldn't have probably said this even 2 months ago, but I can say with some level of confidence that 2023 turned out to be the greatest year of racing that I've ever had. I spent a lot of time in past blog posts talking about the comparisons I constantly draw to 2019 and while I wasn't breaking many records this year it truly was a year where I consistently progressed from start to finish and enjoyed it the whole way. By late in 2019, I was burned out and ready to be done. This year, is the opposite as I just want to keep going. I'm already formulating my plans for 2024 and am excited with how my season plans are coming together and can't wait to get started in about a month. 

Thanks for following along this season! The support and encouragement that you all provide means so much to me. 

Training Updates and a New Goal

Training Updates

I'm not quite sure how it is possible, but the month of November is upon us and I am staring down the end of my racing season. Right now I am trying to stay focused as the seasons of my life begin to change. Deer hunting season is upon us which means more time spent at the cabin and fitting in my training runs around my morning and afternoon hunts. Next week will be a true challenge as I will be at the cabin all week and will need to head into town for some of my longer runs. 

Mid-day run around the big field

Running along the river in Ottumwa

In addition to the start of deer hunting season, the weather has been changing as well. Days are much shorter and my morning runs are 100% in the dark again. The temperatures have dropped and I've had to start wearing my running tights and gloves when I head out to run. The trails and sidewalks that were full of morning dog walkers and other runners just a couple of months ago are now mostly vacant. It can be a depressing time of the year, but I actually find joy and peace in the silence and darkness of early mornings. 

Another change that is just around the corner is the start of basketball season. I will once again be coaching high school boys basketball at DCG, but this year I will be working with the sophomore team instead of varsity & JV. My primary motivation for making this move was to keep coaching but have a smaller time commitment. This new role will allow me to continue to train throughout the winter and will also allow me to spend more time with my family. Speaking of my family, Abigail started her first Jr. High basketball season last week. Sophomore practices are mainly in the morning before school which will allow me to attend her basketball games in the evenings (except for when I have games as well). I still have to work on my training schedule for basketball season, but I've been forming a general idea in my head. 

Despite all of the changes that are happening, I have been running extremely well lately. My training run last Sunday was just a little over 10K and I averaged 11:35/mi. My fastest 10K of the year, and it wasn't even close. In fact, I have averaged sub-12:00/mi for every run this week. 

Crushing it this week

I have a very challenging goal of running the 5 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving at a 11:00/mi pace. I think it is attainable, and I'm certainly headed in the right direction but I think I will need a combination of luck and having a good running day to accomplish it. I am up for the challenge. 

A New Goal

It has been no secret that I have an active run streak going. As you can probably assume, along with training for races this year, my mileage has increased as well. On my quest to catch and surpass 2019 Patrick, I continually monitor my progress over time through the reports in Garmin Connect. Last week I made a few observations that made me start to dig a little deeper. It turns out that I ran 123.3 miles in the month of October. Not only was that the most miles that I have run in a month this year, it is my 2nd highest monthly mileage of all time. If that isn't enough, I discovered that I have logged more than 100 miles each of the last 4 months. All 4 months fall in the top 10 for my all time highest mileage months. 

It has been an impressive summer and fall of running

That led me to another observation. As of today, November 1st, I have run 865.8 miles in 2023. Just last week, surpassing the 840.67 miles that I ran in 2019 and pushing me into 2nd most miles in a year all time with 2 months remaining. The only year of my life that I have ran more miles was in 2017 when I ran 1,020.95 miles. 

Now I officially have that record in my sights and have decided that I'm going for it. My new goal is to run more miles in 2023 than I have in any other year of my life. While this goal seems 100% attainable, it won't be easy with the unpredictable Iowa weather, basketball season, and holiday celebrations but with just under 80 miles to cover each month, I'm confident that I'll get it done. 

Thanks for reading!

IMT Des Moines Half Marathon - 2023

Early in the year, maybe late winter or early spring, I started chatting with my friends about signing up to do the Des Moines Half Marathon this year. This was before I had really started training hard, before I knew that I was going to stay committed. Adam committed to doing the race with me as his first half marathon as well. To show you exactly how serious I was at the time, I didn't end up actually signing up for the race until mid-July. 

Race History

I have a very storied history with the IMT Des Moines Marathon races and have really enjoyed them over the years. While the weather has been all over the place, it has never been extremely hot on race weekend and is a great way to wrap up a racing season. I have made some great memories at this race over the years.

Back in 2014, my first year of racing was caped off with the IMT Des Moines Marathon 5k. I don't recall a lot from that race other than running a lot faster than I thought I would finishing with a time of 42:09.

In 2015, I ran my 2nd half marathon at the IMT Des Moines. It was 3 weeks after my first half marathon in the Quad Cities and I absolutely crushed it. I went from a time of 2:57:03 in the Quad Cities to 2:45:48 in Des Moines. My brother-in-law, Mike, came along to that race to cheer me on and my friend, Lacy, was running in that race as well. 

Feeling great after my 2nd half marathon in 3 weeks

In 2016 I put a team together to compete in the Marathon Relay. The relay team consisted of 5 people who each ran a stretch of the full marathon route. Our team consisted of my wife, Erin, friends Joni, Ben, Megan, and myself. It was sort of a foggy and wet day, but we had an absolute blast.

2016 Relay team ready to get after it

2017 was another team relay year, but with a couple different team members. Instead of Ben and Joni, we had May and Justin. Again our team rocked it, and I ran particularly well through the hilly section of the course. I also ended up helping at at an understaffed water station while waiting at one of the exchange zones. 

2017 Relay team excited after the race

2018 was a little different, as I sat the race out so that my wife, Erin, could run the half marathon. It was a bitter cold morning and I took the girls downtown to cheer her on. 

High fives for mommy before the finish line

A new half marathon PR

2019 was the last time that I ran at the IMT, and that year I ran my first ever marathon. It was a great day, and I ran so well through 18 miles, but then hit the wall hard at mile 20. I finished in a time of 5:57:12, much slower than my target time of 5 hours. 

Very glad to be finished

2023 Recap

I was very excited in the lead up to the race this year. My training had been going very well and I was gradually increasing my speed while also increasing distance throughout late summer and early fall. I was feeling great after my 12 mile training run just last Sunday and with how I did at the Capital Pursuit just a few weeks ago. Confidence was very high. That confidence faded quickly when I started feeling under the weather Tuesday evening. I slept horrible for 2 straight nights and stayed home from work on Wednesday. I limited my work outs to just my training runs, drank plenty of fluids, and got to bed early the rest of the week. 

My 3 mile run on Saturday went pretty well, but I was still coughing and dealing with a runny nose. Sunday morning I woke up feeling somewhere around 75%. I headed outside for 15 minute walk to get the blood flowing and wake myself up. After a quick breakfast, I hoped in the truck and headed downtown giving myself about an hour to get parked and walk to the start line. 

I arrived at the start line with plenty of time to spare. The temperatures were in the mid-40s with winds out of the north. I had opted to stick with shorts and a t-shirt knowing I would warm up once I got going. I did wear a thin pair of gloves to keep my hands warm though. I kept walking around to stay warm until they requested racers make their way to the start. I had adjusted my pacing strategy and goal for the race on Saturday knowing that I wouldn't be at 100%. My goal was to beat my time from 2015 and my strategy was to stick between 12:15 - 12:30 for mile 1 - 5, 12:00 - 12:15 for mile 5 - 10, and then give it everything I had left for the last 5k. 

The race started out really well. At mile 4, right before the route split at the back side of Water Works Park, I passed Adam coming the other way and got a high five. I thought about the irony that I had run through Water Works Park so many times, but have never actually been to the park for any other reason. I was feeling very good as we made our way out of Water Works Park and around Grey's Lake. 

As I hit mile 10, I realized how consistent my splits had been, and ahead of pace too, but my body didn't feel like it had a lot left. It surprised me a little bit when I hit mile 11 and that split was slower than the rest. I picked it up for mile 12 but I think that may have been a mistake. About 2/10 of a mile before the marker I started to realize how little my body had left. At mile 12, I took a very short walk break and my legs were shaking. I started a much slower run after a couple minutes but my body just had nothing left. That is when the most amazing thing happened. The racers around me must have noticed I wasn't doing so well. They started talking to me, reminding me how close we were to the end, and giving me any encouragement they could. I managed to keep my legs going and gave it one last surge for the last quarter of a mile into the finish line. 

Surprisingly, after I finished, my legs were no longer shaking and I was able to walk just fine. My body was completely drained though and I was confident that I had given absolutely everything that I had in me. I finished in a time of 2:41:53, beating my time from 2015 by nearly 4 minutes. 

2023 splits on the left, 2015 on the right

Could I have done better if I hadn't gotten sick this week? I probably could have, but Erin has reminded me multiple times that life happens and their are certain things out of my control. I truly believe that I did the best I could with the circumstances that I was given. This was my 8th half marathon, and it won't be my last. 

Proud finisher

Wrap Up

So what's next? As of right now, I have 1 last race on my schedule for the year. I will be running the 5 mile Davenport Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day. Between now and them I will be doing a lot of speed work and focusing on ending this unplanned season on a high note. I'm still hitting the weights and spending a lot of time in the pool and on the bike as well. I've got BIG things in the works for 2024 and am ready to put in the work this off season. It is going to be a challenge balancing work, basketball, family, and training this winter but if anyone is able to do it, I am. Thanks for reading!

John Deere Des Moines Area 5k - 2023

After seeing this race announced on the digital signs at work the last few years, I was excited to actually sign up for it this year. The race is a fundraiser for the United Way campaign and was held at Des Moines Works in Ankeny this year. 

It was my 3rd race in as many weeks, and my 13th race of the year. I've been racing and training really well lately so I decided to set a challenging goal. I've gradually been improving my 5k time throughout the summer but really wanted to break an 11:00/mi pace. My best 5k time of the year had been at the Hero Hustle Sprint Triathlon back in August with a time of 34:44 (11:11/mi) and I had nearly repeated that time at the Gateway Challenge Sprint Triathlon just a couple of weeks ago with a time of 34:50 (11:13/mi) so I was quite confident that the goal was attainable. 

The forecast for race day included record breaking heat, but I was grateful that it didn't come with humidity. I slept in until 6:30 and woke up feeling great. I headed out the door for a 15 minute walk before a quick breakfast consisting of a bagel and banana. On the drive to Ankeny I made sure to sip on a water bottle in preparation for the heat. When I arrived, I checked in and found a couple of my employees that were also racing. We hung out, chatted, and watched the kids races until it was time to line up for the 5k. 

The course was unique as it took us on a winding loop through the Des Moines Works campus, including through one of the factory buildings. After the first 2 miles we headed out onto some crushed gravel trails that meandered through some prairie grass before returning to the parking lot where it all began. The start/finish line included a John Deere sprayer (built at Des Moines works) with one of it's booms extended over the finish line. 

These sprayers are huge

Boom extended over the start/finish line

The field consisted of about 124 racers including runners and walkers. I decided to line up in the middle of the pack and then we were off. My strategy for the race was simple, go as hard from the start and hold it as long as possible. This is very different then my standard race strategy of starting with an easy pace and gradually building with negative splits but I thought it was my best chance to reach my pace goal. 

Mile 1 was 10:21 which banked me a lot of time early. By this time the race field had spread out a lot and my pace eased slightly once we started running north, with the wind at our backs, and it the sun and heat started to become apparent. I grabbed a glass at the single water station 1.5 miles in and then made it back out of the gate towards the prairie. Mile 2 came in at 10:45, slower, but still more time banked. I just needed to hold on for 1 more mile. As I hit the crushed gravel path, my heart sank a bit. The gravel was quite loose and my feet were slipping when I tried to stride out at all, for the next 3/4 of a mile my calves burned as I tried to keep my pace up as best I could. Relief came over me as I made it back to the parking lot and returned to pavement. Mile 3 ended up being 10:59. 

I was elated as I crossed the finish line in a time of 32:18. The course was about 0.08mi short of a 5k, but that still made my pace an average of 10:40/mi with all 3 miles coming in sub-11:00. I had absolutely destroyed the goal I set for myself. Not a PR, but a no-doubter seasons best.

Me, Adam, and Austin after the race

Andreas, me, and Austin representing the Totals Team

I've talked a lot in my blog posts this year about how far I've come, but also how far I still have to go. I often compare my current progress to where I was in 2019, which is well documented as my best year of racing, but this race is proof that we are finally starting to see flashes of the Patrick of old. For the first time I really feel like 2019 Patrick is in my sights and reaching and passing him is actually possible and that is really exciting to dream about. 

I have 2 races left on the schedule this year and am expecting great things out of myself. At the same time we are entering the time of year where my focus starts to shift to deer hunting followed quickly by coaching basketball. The off season is going to be a real test but it is one that I'm ready for. I'm still not quite ready to share my potential plans for next season but I will tell you that no matter what, 2023 will go down as an epic racing season and 2024 has the potential to be my best one yet!

Thanks for reading!

Capital Pursuit 2023

It was a quick turn around from the Gateway Challenge Triathlon last weekend to the Capital Pursuit this weekend, but I was ready to go. The Capital Pursuit is one of the oldest races in the Des Moines metro and is put on by the Capital Striders running club. There was a 10 mile and 5k option for the race and I opted for the 10 mile as it fit nicely in my half marathon training program. 

I set my alarm for 6:30am, which is really late for me, but was awake before it even went off. After getting changed I headed out on a half mile walk to wake myself up and then enjoyed a banana and bagel as a prerace breakfast. Traffic was light as I headed for downtown, and since it was a small race, there was plenty of parking near by so I got a spot just 3 blocks from the starting line. 

I quickly found my friend, Adam, and we hung out until it was time to line up. I had taken time to review the race results from the past several years and knew that I would be one of the last finishers, so I lined up at the back of the pack. After the national anthem played, we were off!

At the 1 mile mark, I was indeed in last place as the sweeper was hanging out just behind me. As happens in most races, everyone went out really fast but I tried to hold back a bit. I managed to pass a few people during mile 2 as we went through Grey's Lake Park. The park was super busy for a Sunday morning. We entered Water Works Park just before mile 3 and the crossed the pedestrian bridge over the river for a run through the woods. With so few racers around me and a lot of other people using the trails, it often felt more like a training run then a race. 

I kept a really good pace through the first 5 miles. My target pace was 12:30, which would give me a finish time of 2:05. I ran 10 miles in 2:07 last weekend so I felt that I may be able to go even faster. My 5 mile time was 58:17 so I was well ahead of pace and feeling pretty good. It is at mile 5 that I decided to see if I could push and beat 2 hours. Mile 6 began just south of Greenwood-Ashworth Park and was almost entirely up hill. It slowed me down a bit but I felt really strong the whole way. 

I've done so many races that the miles spent on Park and Kingman I already know like the back of my hand. The hills heading south on 28th to Grand were a little unexpected but I executed well on them also. As I turned onto Grand, I had just 1 mile remaining and shortly I found Adam who had circled back after finishing to find me. He ran the last 3/4 mile with me and I was grateful to have the company because my legs were really starting to feel it. As the clock at the finish line came into view I got excited to see it just crossing the 1:59 mark. I stepped on the gas for the last 100 yards and crossed with an official time of 1:59:23!

Adam running with me to the finish line

Finishing sub-2 hours

Garmin provided me all the data I could ever want

I was a little disappointed when I crossed the finish line and was told they had just run out of finisher medals. Lucky for them, even though I really like collecting medals for the memories, I'm in it for a lot more than that. Erin and the girls had come downtown after church to see me finish and it was great to see them. I quickly helped myself to Abigail's chair in the shade for a few minutes before taking some pictures and heading for home. 

Trying my hardest to get up

Adam makes me a better runner

My biggest cheerleaders

What a confidence builder this race was going into the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon in a few weeks. I was originally hesitant to sign up but am sure glad that I did. The race was both a physical and mental challenge and I can say that I raced harder than I have all year. My legs had very little left to give after crossing the finish line (I'm sort of dreading my run tomorrow morning). The best part though, I'm starting to see glimmers of my previous self except even better. 

Next up, the John Deere 5k next Saturday at Des Moines Works in Ankeny!

Gateway Challenge Sprint Triathlon 2023

 After work on September 15th, I loaded up the truck and headed for Marengo. I worked hard all summer to get comfortable on my PR3 with the hope that I could ride it in this race. The weather forecast was calling for rain and I wasn't so sure I wanted to risk the time trial bike on wet roads, so I took both bikes with me. Traffic on Interstate 80 was awful so the trip took an extra 15 minutes. Once I arrived I drove downtown to pick up my packet. I then proceeded to drive the bike course and discovered that it was extremely flat which got me even more excited for the race. 

When I signed up for the race, I envisioned having to get a hotel room nearby or staying with friends or family in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City then making the early morning trip back to Marengo. As it turned out, my friends Maureen and Nick lived just a few miles north of town and offered to give me a place to stay. I enjoyed the evening at their house playing with their dogs and children before getting a good nights sleep. 

It was still dark when I woke up the next morning, after putting on my tri suit and filling my water bottles I headed for Gateway park. I was greeted by thick fog with limited visibility and wondered what would happen if the fog didn't lift by race time. I arrived at the park about 5 minutes after transition opened. Even with the fog, the roads were dry and there wasn't any rain on the radar, so I unloaded the PR3 and got it ready to go. I dropped my things off in transition then headed to get marked. After getting things set up I checked out the transition area and swim course before grabbing a banana and waiting for the pre-race meeting. 

You can see the fog in the background

PR3 racked and ready to roll!

During the pre-race meeting the covered the usual stuff, an overview of the course, general rule reminders, etc. but also mentioned that they were going to start the race on time in spite of the fog hoping it would lift quickly once we were underway. As we lined up for the swim start, the fog was still thick enough that I could only see the first 2 sighting buoys. I started out pretty well on the swim and things went pretty well. It was a steep climb up out of the water to transition but I made it without issue. I didn't bother looking at my watch when I hit the button for T1 but didn't much care how long the swim took. 

I had been lined up at the back of the line for the swim so very few bikes were left in transition. Things went so smooth in transition. I used the same method as my last race and instantly sat down to get my socks and shoes on instead of trying to do it standing up. In no time at all my helmet was on and I was running for the bike out. A quick glance at my watch showed a T1 time of 1:26 which is an all time PR for me. 

Here is where the tricky part of the course came in. Transition was setup right along the lake in the grass and the parking area and road into the park was all gravel (and not in the best shape either). The mount line was out on the hard surface road just outside the park entrance. This meant that we had to push our bikes almost 200 yards from transition to the road and this time would count against our bike time. To make things more difficult, I had to do this wearing my cycling shoes (technically I could have done it with bare feet and put my cycling shoes on at the road as well but this seemed even more unpleasant). After making it to the road, I struggled to get clipped in before finally getting on my way. 

The 200 yard push at the start and end of the
bike really cut into my time

The bike course was a big loop that headed north out of town, east to West Amana, south to South Amana, and then back west to Marengo. As mentioned earlier the course was very flat and pretty open. The course was open to traffic but all of the vehicles that past were very kind to give us plenty of space Once out of town I got to work quickly. I had a goal to average > 19mph on the bike and I knew that I was already behind due to the rough start. I managed to track down 18 riders on the bike course and was extremely happy with my 5-10 and 10-15 mile splits. As I made my way through town and back to the park I was feeling pretty good but was also a little disappointed because my bike time wasn't going to be what I had hoped for. I dismounted at the park entrance and pushed the 200 yards back to transition very carefully.

Middle 2 bike splits were fantastic

After a very speedy T2, I was out on the run course. The run was an out and back along a fine crushed gravel path that looped around the lake and headed into town. I somehow managed to get out of transition before the race leader crossed the finish line which is very rare to me. The out and back course resulted in a lot of encouragement from all of the other racers on the course. This is one of my favorite parts of triathlon, the support that everyone has for each other.

My legs felt great but I didn't really push it very hard on the run. I opted to not take my GU gel like I had at the Hero Hustle. Even though it had made a huge difference there I really just felt like I had enough left to push through to the end of the race without it. I quickly drank a cup of Gatorade at the turn around water station and headed back towards the finish line. I pushed hard for the last half mile and felt fantastic as I finished. After receiving my medal, I had 2 other racers track me down to compliment me on how well I had done on the bike. The bike is my strength, and I know that, but all that I could think is how much better I could have and should have done. I probably just need to be better at accepting compliments. 

I quickly packed up in transition and headed for my truck to get home. Overall, it was a great race. While I'm not thrilled with the start and end of the bike, the rest of the course was fantastic and the triathlon was well run. With an open offer from Maureen to stay at their house anytime, I'm guessing that I will be back for this one in future years. 

Proud finisher!

Race Highlights

• 1:26 T1 is an all time PR
• 1:02 T2 is a SB
• 34:50 is my 2nd fastest 5k of the season, only 6 seconds slower than the Hero Hustle
• 38th fastest bike split out of 98 finishers

It is hard to believe it, but my 2023 triathlon season has officially come to an end. In a season that started with an indoor triathlon back in January, and no plans to sign up for another one, I ended racing in 6. I am extremely proud of how far I've come this year and really had a lot of fun along the way. I still have a few road races left for the year but it was very sad washing and packing away all of my triathlon gear this week. I've got a lot of work to do this winter in all 3 disciplines but I think I'm up for the challenge. I'm still not sure what next year will hold, but whatever it is, I'm certain that it will be absolutely epic.