The Making of a 5k PR

After completing the Race for Hope 5k on May 17, I set a goal of setting a new 5k PR before the end of the year. I completed that race in 33:02 (3.17 miles at 10:26/mi) which showed a huge improvement for the season but was a long ways from the 27:50 that I would need for a new PR.

Reviewing My Previous 5k PR

27:51 was the 5k time to beat. That was the time that I ran in the Kickoff 5k in Kansas City on February 3, 2019. It was an amazing start to what turned out to be an incredible 2019 racing season and often gets overshadowed by all of my other accomplishments that year. 

I was in really great shape in 2019 but was training for longer races when I ran the Kickoff 5k. The race was a bit of anomaly that year as looking through my list of fastest 5k times, prior to 2025, most of them come from 2016 and 2017. It was also the only time that I recorded a sub-9:00/mi pace for a 5k. 

Creating a Plan

In my 12 years of racing, this is the first time that I've really focused on the 5k. I've historically used some pretty simple training plans from Hal Higdon but I knew that my goal was very ambitious and that would require a new way of training. While I set the goal in May, I was already in the middle of a triathlon training block that took me through the end of June. I used that time to research and plan a schedule of target races. With 8-ish week training blocks and not wanting to attempt a PR too late in the year to avoid unpredictable winter weather, I identified the Turkey Trails 5k in late November.

With a target race identified, I did some research and settled on using the Boston Athletic Association 5k Level 3 training plan. The 8 week training plan is a time-based training plan built around a goal pace. Each week followed a similar pattern:

• Monday - Rest day (I'm in the middle of a run streak, so just added an easy run here)
• Tuesday - Workout with 5k pace intervals
• Wednesday - Easy run
• Thursday - Tempo run followed by hard strides
• Friday - Easy run
• Saturday - Workout with longer 10k pace or half marathon pace intervals
• Sunday - Long run

Looking at the race calendar, I identified 2 additional races to use as a benchmark for my progress. The first one was the Summer Sizzler 5k on August 16th. Working backwards, that meant my first training block would start on June 23rd. The 2nd race was the Spooky Sprint 5k on October 4th. That gave me 8 weeks to train for the first race, 7 weeks for the 2nd, and then 7 more weeks until my target race.

Training Block #1

My first time through the training plan I didn't really know what to expect. I wanted to set reasonable goals along the way to ensure that I was progressing but also building confidence. My goal for the Summer Sizzler 5k was to break 30 minutes, meaning I would need to average at least 9:39/mi. I added all of my workouts to Garmin Connect with the following target paces:

• 9:40/mi 5k pace
• 10:05/mi 10k pace
• 10:30/mi half marathon pace

From the very start, the program was extremely challenging. During the first 3 weeks I struggled to hit any of my interval paces, and when I did it was on the high end of the 15 second buffer that I built in. On July 13th I ran the Cubbie Bear 5k in 32:17 (10:17/mi pace), my fastest of the season. That built some confidence that the plan was working and the workouts got better after that. The following weekend, at the DSM Corporate Games 5k, I ran 31:05 (10:00/mi pace) another confidence builder. 

During the last few weeks heading into the Summer Sizzler, I had really noticed how great I felt on my Saturday workouts with the longer 10k or half marathon pace intervals. I was going into the Summer Sizzler with a lot of confidence and feeling great, until I managed to tweak my lower back working at the cabin the day before the race.

Luckily my back felt fine during the race, and I ended up 30:18. Just over my goal of sub-30:00 but the course was a little long so I actually averaged 9:37/mi which was better than my goal pace and another huge season's best. 

Training Block #2

After a successful first training block, I was ready to get started again and keep getting better. With 7 weeks until my next target race, the Spooky Sprint 5k, I started with the 2nd week of the training plan. This time around I knew what to expect with the plan, which also meant I knew which workouts to dread and which to look forward to. With a focus on continuing to improve, I set the following target paces for this training block:

• 9:15/mi 5k pace
• 9:40/mi 10k pace
• 10:05/mi half marathon pace

The hardest workouts of the training block are the Tuesday workout on both weeks 3 and 4. The workout includes 3 x (4 x 2:00) @ 5k pace. The work is absolutely brutal, but the best part of doing it 2 weeks in a row is that it provides and opportunity to see progress. The first time I completed the workout I managed to hit my target window on 5 of 12 intervals with just 1 below my 9:15/mi target pace. Just a week later, I was able to hit 10 of 12 with 6 below my 9:15/mi target. 

During this training block I competed in the Hero Hustle Sprint Triathlon and the Black Hawk County YMCA Sprint Triathlon. In both races I performed extremely well, especially on the run where I averaged 10:21/mi and 10:05/mi. 2 week before the Spooky Sprint, I raced in the John Deere DSM Area Employee 5k. I opted to NOT skip any training and intentionally go into the race on tired legs. I moved my Saturday workout to Friday morning and completed a 25 mile bike ride that afternoon. Even on tired legs, I raced extremely well finishing the 3.14 mile course in 29:17 (9:19/mi average). Another huge confidence builder and the 3rd fastest 5k of my adult life. 

The last 2 weeks of the training block went pretty well and I put in solid efforts. Confidence was high going into the Spooky Sprint 5k but I knew that it would be a challenge. Unlike the John Deere 5k, which was entirely flat, this race course was more rolling. When race morning arrived, I wasn't feeling it. I had a gut feeling that it just wasn't my day, but I had put in the work and was going to give it everything that I had. I was a little ahead of pace at mile 1, but things fell apart when I hit the hill and I wasn't able to recover. I finished the 3.18 mile course in 29:55, a 9:24/mi average and was a bit disappointed. 

Training Block #3

I would be lying if I told you that my performance at the Spooky Sprint wasn't a little demoralizing. Everyone has bad days and everyone has bad races, but that one stung, especially after showing consistent progress several races in a row. I started sandbagging a little going into my 3rd training block. I even went as far as to have conversations with Adam about not hitting my goal. I mean, I progressed so much throughout the year, there would be some sort of moral victory in there right?

I again had 7 weeks until my next target race, the Turkey Trails 5k on November 23 and again I started with week 2 of the same BAA 5k training program. This time around, I set the following target paces:

• 8:50/mi 5k pace
• 9:15/mi 10k pace
• 9:40/ mi half marathon pace

Just looking at those numbers seems absolutely insane. The target 10k pace was faster than the goal I had just missed and the half marathon pace matched my target 5k pace from Training Block 1. I was convinced there was absolutely no way that I could do this. The goal was too ambitious, and I was running out of time. Even with all the negative thoughts, I took the most important step and I began. 

I worked really hard, but the first couple of weeks made it seem impossible. In the first workout I was only able to hit my pace, and the very high end of it, on a single interval and I vented my frustrations on Garmin Connect. I was quickly reminded why it is so important to have a good support network. 

After a couple more less-than-stellar workouts, I decided to take a different approach. Instead of focusing on the target paces I wasn't hitting, I started comparing them to the same workout from the previous training cycle. It quickly became apparent that even though I was struggling, I was still progressing and getting faster. On the hard workout that I described in the last section, I actually improved A LOT over the previous training block

This new lens was just what I needed to keep going. I continued to put in the work and a couple weeks into the training block I had a bit of a breakthrough and really started to stack up some great workouts. I raced the IMT Des Moines Marathon 5k on October 19 with no intentions of running hard. I treated it like a training run and ran 3.17 miles in 30:11, a 9:31/mi pace. All 3 workouts the following week were absolutely amazing capped off with 3 x 9:00 @ half marathon pace on Saturday. I absolutely nailed all 3 intervals and my legs felt amazing. 

My next race was on November 1st in Carlisle at the Hillbilly Hike 5k. My tempo run on October 30th was possibly the best training run that I've had all year. I averaged a 10:00/mi pace for 40 minutes and it felt REALLY good. As I wrapped up that run, a fleeting thought ran through my head that maybe, just maybe, I could PR at the race on Saturday. 

Hillbilly Hike 5k

It was a rainy and windy morning when I hoped in the truck to head for Carlisle. My truck was loaded down with hunting gear as I was heading to the cabin for a hunting trip following the race. My friend, Adam, was running the half marathon but it is a point to point race and he was already on a bus to Indianola and his start line by the time I arrived. I parked at the high school and made my way to packet pickup before going back to the truck. There was some light rain and I chose to stay warm in the truck as long as I could. At about 7:30, an hour before race time, I headed to the Carlisle HS track for my mile warm up. My legs were feeling really good. I took off my warm up gear, changed into my New Balance super shoes, and headed for the start line. 

The 5k was a simple out and back on the Summerset bike trail. I did some strides on the bike trail and retied my shoes. Thankfully the rain had stopped, but the wind was cold and I was eager to start. With good intentions, I did something that I normally don't do and lined up near the front. I planned to run fast and didn't want to risk getting stuck behind walkers on the narrow bike path. 

I came off the line very fast. I knew that to have a chance, I would have to run a fast first mile and then do whatever I could to hold that pace the whole time. Again, this is very different from my normal race strategy of going out conservatively and pushing for negative splits. It sounds silly, but a 5k race is short that having a first mile be just 10-15 seconds slow could be very hard to make up later. I felt really good during the first mile and could tell that I was running fast. 

I came through mile 1 in 8:45, well ahead of the 8:57 I needed and even faster than I expected. I held on through the turn around and tried my best to not lose too much time or momentum on the 180 degree turn. I came through mile 2 in 8:56, slower but still ahead of pace. The last mile was brutal as my breathing was heavy and my legs were burning. I focused on keeping my cadence high and my eyes looking down the trail. The nice part of a flat out-and-back course is the ability to see the finish line from a long ways out. I hit mile 3 in 8:55 and gave it everything I had left as I watched the clock tick closer and closer to 27:50. The remaining 0.14 miles (the course was a little long) I covered at an 8:10/mi pace. My average pace for the race was 8:50/mi even, exactly matching my target 5k pace for the last training block!

My official time was 27:46, a new PR by 5 seconds and 3 weeks ahead of schedule! According to Garmin, since the course was a few hundredths long, my 5k time was 27:29. To say I was overjoyed is an understatement. The feeling that I experienced in those moments after crossing the finish line are indescribable. 

That rainy day in Carlisle was more than a 5k PR, it is one of the first times that I actually inspired myself. Something that began as a dream 6 months earlier. A goal that, at times, seemed impossible, had just been reached. The hard work, consistency, and dedication paid off in a big way. I ran the same race last year on November 2nd in 38:25. That means I cut 10:39 off my time from last year. 

Wrap Up

So what's next? I'm finishing up my current training block and have 3 races left this year, all 5ks. I did give myself permission to skip a couple workouts in the last week while deer hunting. It gave both my body and mind a well deserved break. After this training block ends, I will be taking a month off structured training, from Thanksgiving week through Christmas week. After that I will be embarking on a journey to tackle my next big goal, a full Ironman in September 2026. A goal that seems impossible now, but if there is one thing I've learned on this journey it is that with the right amount of work and dedication, I can make things that seem impossible possible. 

October 2025 Race Recaps

I cannot believe that we are entering the final week of October. This month marked the end of a training block and the start of my final block for the year. I raced 2 times this month, but largely the month was focused on training hard. 

Spooky Sprint 5k

This race was the culmination of a 7 week training block. My goal was to average 9:15/mi marking another step on my road to a new 5k PR. Adam picked me up and we headed to Big Creek plenty early to get our packets and warm up. I started the race really well and came through mile 1 in 9:12. I slowed down a bit heading up the hill on mile 2 and just couldn't pick it back up after that. After hitting the turn around and coming back down the hill my mile 2 split was 9:23. A little off pace and I wanted to be hopeful that I could get that time back in mile 3 but I knew that my legs didn't have it. Mile 3 was a disappointing 9:37 and I finished the race (3.18 miles according to my watch) in 29:55. I was disappointed as it just wasn't my day. 

To put things in perspective, this tied for my 4th fastest 5k since I began racing in 2014. I may not have hit my goal, but I continue to progress and get faster. I ran this same course for the Time to Paddy 5k in March and finished that one in a time of 39:03, meaning that I cut 9:08 off my 5k time in the last 7 months. I didn't have a lot of take aways but I really felt like I just wasn't able to recover after the mile 2 hill so maybe I need to include some more hills in my training.

IMT Des Moines Marathon Local 5 5k

It is always a good time racing at the IMT Des Moines Marathon, no matter what race I'm doing (and I've done them all). This year, I chose to race the 5k as I continue to focus on reducing my 5k time. The timing for this race was not ideal for me as it was week 2 of my 7 week training block, so I didn't expect much going in. 

Abigail and her friend signed up to volunteer at the race and would be handing out medals for 4 hours. I had 2 friends racing the half marathon and decided that I would take them down with me and just stick around until they were done. We got downtown about 40 minutes before the race and parked on the street about 7 blocks from the start line. After getting the girls checked in, I went to line up in the starting coral. The 5k was scheduled to start at 8:15, right after the full and half marathon but they ended up holding us until 8:45, which was a bit frustrating. I had done my warm up at home and it was very windy and cold while waiting. 

I came off the start line much faster than I normally do but quickly settled into a steady pace. I started near the front so I didn't have to weave around many people, which was very nice. Even with that advantage I came through mile 1 in a very disappointing 9:33. The 2nd mile included capital hill and even though I felt good with how I handled it, that split was 9:54. I pushed a little harder on the last mile going 9:16 but with a course that was a little long I wasn't able to keep it under 30 minutes. My official time was 30:11. 

After the race I hung around cheering on the other athletes, including Adam and another friend, Jake. I also saw a ton of other people that I know. Even though the race was a bit disappointing for me, I still enjoyed myself. 

Wrap Up

Even though my results in October were a little disappointing, I still feel like I'm heading in the right direction. In September I logged 124.15 miles running, 2nd most of all time and this month I'm on track to run even more. This is my 3rd consecutive training block using the Boston Athletic Association 5k program and I have so much confidence in it after all of the success I've seen this year. I'm not sure if I will reach my goal of setting a new 5k PR this year but I'm committed to doing everything that I can to give it my best effort. 

September 2025 Race Recaps + Bonus 2026 Preview

September brought a lot of changes to life as school is in full swing for both girls and Erin. With school comes more activities for both kids which in turn limits the time I have to commit to training. Abigail needs to be at school at 6:45am for marching band. To give myself enough time to fit in training before work, I've been getting up between 4:30-4:45am each day. Losing those 15-30 minutes of sleep has been having an impact and I'm still working to adjust. Both girls are in several evening activities as well, Abigail is helping with the fall musical and has off season strength training after school a couple of days. Bridget has joined Mock Trial, with 2 evening practices, and still has her youth chorus practice each Monday. Both girls have class at church on Wednesday evenings. I've gotten really good at fitting quick workouts around their activities but it has limited my ability to get to the pool or outside on the bike. 

Even with the busy schedules, I was able to race 3 times in September and it is clear that my fitness continues to improve. I feel that my success demonstrates 2 things really well:

1. The time is there if you look for it, even when life gets really busy
2. Being consistent over a long period of time will eventually lead to results if you are patient

Black Hawk County YMCA Triathlon

On September 6th I competed in a sprint triathlon at George Wyth State Park in Waterloo. The race consisted of a 500 meter swim, 16.5 mile bike, and 5k run. While not exactly the same, the route was very similar to the Accel Triathlon that I raced there in 2017. I came into the race with a lot of confidence after racing well at the Hero Hustle Triathlon 2 weeks prior. 

I arrived on Friday afternoon to pick up my packet and have dinner with my parents. They were camping for the weekend but I stayed at their house and got a great night of sleep. It was already light out as I headed for the park. It was a late start time of 9:00am and I was one of the first into transition. It was a cool morning with temperatures starting below 50 degrees and a WNW wind around 10mph. I took my time getting transition ready and did some walking to keep warm before the race. With unseasonably cold temperatures leading up to the race and the cold air on race morning, I opted to wear my wetsuit for the first time this year. It felt like I waited around for an eternity, but finally we were lined up, the national anthem played, and the race started with a time trial start. 

Even with the time trial start, they got everyone into the water very quickly, which was much appreciated due to the cold. I didn't really have a goal for the swim, but I swam hard from the start. I quickly remembered how restrictive my wetsuit is across my chest so I had to work hard to slow my breathing. I made it out of the water and into transition in 13:51 (57/100). I was very please with my 2:16 time in T1, especially with having to get out of my wetsuit.

For the first time this year, I decided to race with my QR PR3 time trial bike. I've spent a lot of time with the bike this year on the trainer in the basement so I was very confident as I headed out on the bike course. Once on the bike, I absolutely flew through the bike course. The course ended up being a little short, at just over 16 miles but it was very flat and even the wind didn't seem to slow me down. I finished the bike course in 49:02, a 19.7mph average which ties for my fastest pace ever on the bike during a triathlon. That time was also the 11th fastest of everyone racing that day. 

Unclipping at the turn around

As I arrived back at transition, for a split second, something didn't seem right as there was less than 20 bikes back in transition before me. I had passed 42 people on the bike course, of course there wouldn't be many bikes yet, they were all behind me still. I quickly racked my bike, changed my shoes, and headed out on the bike course. I got through T2 in 1:10, a very solid time. As I headed out on the run course, I prepared myself to be passed back by a lot of those racers that I had passed on the bike, but the miles started passing and it never happened. I was only passed by a few people and was keeping a very consistent pace throughout the entire run. I finished the run in 31:25 (10:08/mi).

I placed 31/100 overall, one of my best triathlon finishes ever and one of my best all around performances ever. What an amazing way to close out my 2025 multisport season. 

John Deere Des Moines Area Employee 5k

September 20 brought another opportunity to race a 5k on my journey to a new 5k PR. This was my 3rd year racing in this United Way fundraiser held at John Deere Des Moines Works in Ankeny. I caught a ride with Adam on race morning and we got there plenty early to pick up our packets and get warmed up. After an easy 1 mile warm up, I put on my carbon plated race shoes and did some strides. After cheering on the kids races, it was our time to run. 

My legs were feeling  a bit tired after coming off a great, but full, week of training. With 2 weeks remaining in my current training block, this wasn't a target race but I was still planning to run hard. I pushed from the start and never let up. The race took us through one of the factory buildings before looping around the entire campus and returning back to where we started. I came through mile 1 in 9:17 and mile 2 in 9:18. I was trying to hang on to an older gentleman in front of me but both of us slowed down a bit on mile 3 as I came through in 9:31. I kicked hard for the finish and ran the 3.14 mile course in 29:17 (9:19/mi). and was extremely happy with that performance. This was my 3rd fastest 5k since I started racing back in 2014. My goal for the Spooky Sprint 5k on October 4 is 9:15/mi, and that seems very attainable at this point. 

I really like the photo above. It is unquestionable that my fitness has been improving, but I struggle a lot with self image and I feel that this photo has captured my slimmed down appearance well. 

Iowa Trail Run Series - Jester Park 5k

This morning I raced my 3rd trail race of the year. This time I was back at Jester Park, and although the course was not identical to the Beer & Bagel Trail Run course, it overlapped quite a bit. It was nice to go into a race with 0 expectations and just focus on having fun and running hard. 

I picked up Adam around 7:30 and we headed to the park for packet pickup and to warm up. Temperatures were forecast to climb into the 80s, but at race time it was sunny and pleasant in the upper 50s. Due to the natural of having to run on narrow trails, they start us in waves of ~20 people. I went in the 4th wave and quickly fell to the back before slowly moving up and passing people. The first mile included a fairly steep switchback hill. After the hill, the course took us in and out of the woods with both rolling hills and flat sections. I did well keeping my legs driving forward on the up hill sections and impressed myself a bit with how well I ran the more technical down hill sections. 

I finished the race in 29:40, which seems extremely impressive, but the course was a little short. In reality, I averaged 10:27/mi for the 2.84 mile course which may be less impressive than originally presented but is head and shoulders better than the 13:12/mi pace that I managed for the Beer & Bagel Run back in April. 

Looking Ahead

Currently I have 2 races on the calendar in October. The Spooky Sprint 5k on October 4 and the IMT Des Moines Marathon 5k on October 19. With the remainder of the season, I will be shifting 100% of my focus towards accomplishing my goal to set a new 5k PR. I've been racing well and training even better throughout the last month and I'm excited to see what I can do. 

2026 Preview

I officially announced earlier this month my big plans for 2026 when I shared with the world my intentions to race my first full Ironman Triathlon in Madison, WI on September 13, 2026. My official 30 week training block will begin in February 2026, but preparations are starting already as I plan out my offseason focus. I will share my full 2026 schedule in a future post, there are a few high level details that I'm prepared to share now. 

As part of the preparation for the Ironman race I have a series of other triathlons already circled on the calendar. 

• Kansas City Triathlon - May 17
• Omaha Ironman 70.3 - June 7
• Door County Triathlon - July 12
• Ironman Wisconsin - September 13

I'm also looking to add 1 more Olympic distance triathlon to my schedule but will make the decision on when race dates are announced. I am also pondering some late season ideas to leverage the fitness I gain from Ironman training in some other races. More to come!

August 2025 Race Recaps

My racing season slowed down a bit in August with only 2 races on the schedule. Even with the lighter schedule, I've continued to train hard and improve my fitness. 

Summer Sizzler 5k

At the end of May, I decided to focus my season on breaking my 5k PR of 27:51. In late June I took the first step towards this goal by beginning a 5k training block, with a new program, focused on getting faster. I had a couple of chances in July, during the 8 week training block, to see where I was at and I did well both times. While the progress what apparent, I had my focus on August 16th and the Summer Sizzler. My goal was clear, a sub-30:00 5k requiring a pace of 9:39/mi. 

Even with an early start time of 7:00am, the race lived up to it's name with a temperature of 75 degrees at the start and extremely high humidity to go with it. In addition, I had tweaked my lower back while working at the cabin the day before and it was very stiff and sore when I woke up. I arrived at Gray's Lake plenty early to pick up my packet and ensure that I got a close parking spot. I did a half mile warm up before changing into my brand new New Balance FuelCell Supercomp Elite V4 racing shoes and getting in a few strides. 

   

I lined up closer to the start line then normal to avoid as much congestion as possible to start the race. I knew that I could not hold anything back, and I had no intentions of using my hurt back as an excuse after training so hard the past 8 weeks. I took off fast right when the race started and really pushed the pace. For the first half mile, I had to navigate through other racers but eventually the field got strung out a bit. Luckily my back wasn't bothering me at all and I just focused on my form and breathing. I came through mile 1 in 9:36 and was overjoyed to be ahead of pace. I kept pushing hard as the race headed around the west side of the lake and into an out-and-back section towards MLK. My split for mile 2 was 9:37, still ahead of pace! I could feel my legs getting tired but with just over a mile to go I kept pushing. Mile 3 was a little slower at 9:47 but I had a great kick and managed to finish with a 9:37/mi average. The race was a little long, at 3.15 miles, so I didn't quite make it under 30 minutes, finishing in 30:18. 

Hero Hustle Sprint Triathlon

Even though my focus is on a 5k PR, when Adam proposed a trip to Manchester to race the Hero Hustle I just couldn't pass it up. I raced the Hero Hustle Triathlon in 2023, and that year it was a bit of a break through race for me. Going into the race I had to acknowledge that I've only been focused on running so I tried to keep my expectations in check. Even without dedicated training, I thought there was a good chance to race well due to my drastically improved fitness. 

Adam and I headed for Manchester after lunch on Saturday. After settling into our hotel, we headed out on a very windy bike ride to stretch our legs a bit. We rode to Schram park to check out the race venue before riding a few miles of the bike route. After the ride and a shower it was off to dinner and driving the whole bike route before an early bedtime. 

Other than the wind, I don't think I've ever raced in nicer weather. We woke up to temperatures in the low 50s and low humidity on Sunday morning. The race didn't start until 9am, so we checked out of the hotel and headed for the park around 7:00. With plenty of time before the race, we took a stroll around the pond and I double and triple checked my transition set up. 

The triathlon started with a time trial format and I lined up towards the back, in fact there were only 6 people behind me at the start. The swim was 400 yards, but then there was an additional 100 yards to transition. I swam hard and felt pretty good in the water. It wasn't very fast, but I managed to finish in 12:35. I passed several people during the swim, but there weren't many bikes left in transition when I got there. I managed to get through T1 in an impressive 1:30 before heading out on the bike course. The NW wind was at my back for the 8 miles out and I took advantage of it passing a lot of people on the way out. The turn around was at the bottom of a hill and headed back into a wind. The next 2 climbs into the wind were quite challenging, but I just kept my legs moving until things flattened out for the last 4 miles. I passed around 50 people on the bike course, so I knew that everyone was struggling with the wind a little. I finished the 16 mile bike course in 51:53 good enough for the 38th fastest time in the field!

I got through T2 in less than a minute. My legs felt a bit heavy heading out onto the run, but I took a GU and downed some water and everything loosened up about 3/4 mile in. I came through mile 1 in 10:51 but was feeling really good. I picked it up quite a bit for the 2nd mile going 10:14. As I turned onto  the road into the park, with less than a mile to go, Adam was waiting for me and ran with me for about a quarter mile. He told me that I was looking really good and that gave me a boost of confidence. Mile 3 was 10:02 and I finished the 5k course in 31:21. I finished 68/137, a very rare top 50% triathlon finish for me. I also managed to beat my 2023 time by 2:43. It is no surprise that my run was the highlight of the race. 

Wrap Up

I'm very pleased with how well I've raced over the last couple of months. My fitness continues to improve and I'm starting to look forward to fall races. Next up on the race calendar is the Black Hawk YMCA Sprint Triathlon in Waterloo on September 6th followed by a 5k road race and 5k trail run later in the month. My next target race is the Spooky Sprint 5k the first weekend of October. I'm currently on week 2 of a 7 week training block with a focus to average 9:15/mi at the Spooky Sprint. 

July 2025 Race Recaps and Running 100 Races

After a very busy race schedule in June, I slowed down a bit in July. Early in the month I completed my Ironman in a week challenge but otherwise I've been hyper focused on my current 5k training block. I ended up racing 3 times during July, 2 5k races and the Bix 7. That brings me to 22 races this year and the Bix marked my 100th race since starting back in 2014. 

Cubbie Bear 5k

A Sunday morning race in downtown Des Moines at Principal Park. Training had been going very well and I was excited to see what I could do. I rode with Adam to the race and we arrived plenty early to pick up our packets and ensure we got close parking. The temperature started off in the 60s, but the sun was intense and the race didn't start until 9:00am so it got hotter quickly. 

The starting line chute was pretty narrow and I started off way too far back. I tried hard to push from the start but had to weave in and out of people for the first half mile before we got onto a road and things widened out. I was disappointed when I came through mile 1 in 10:18 but kept the peddle on the gas. I was very surprised when mile 2 was slower at 10:21. I gave it everything I had for the rest of the course and pushed hard as I ran around the warning track inside Principal Park heading to the finish line. I crossed the finish line in 32:17, about 45 seconds slower than I had hoped. 

Even though I feel that I should have run faster, I couldn't be too disappointed with the time. This was my fastest 5k of the year and fastest since 2019. 

DSM Corporate Games 5k

The race was run with the Clive Running Festival 5k on Saturday, July 19 at Campbell Park in Clive. The course was changed from past years due to the construction and bike path closure for the current Interstate 35/80 construction. I woke up to severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning that kept me from leaving the house to pick up Adam. Eventually the warning ended and I headed to pick up Adam. When we arrived at Campbell park it started pouring rain. They ended up delaying the race for 30 minutes to let the storms pass. 

The race started going straight up hill, but it was on the road so there was plenty of room to space out. At the top of the hill we turned onto a side street before connecting with the bike trail that took us through the park and onto an out and back section. There was a lot of puddles to dodge and late in the race the sun came out raising the humidity a lot. Similar to the previous week, I pushed hard from the start coming through mile 1 in 10:12. I was extremely happy with that split given the uphill start. Navigating the water station at the turn around slowed me a bit but I came through the 2nd mile shortly after with a split of 10:07. I turned on the jets for the last mile running my first sub-10:00 mile of the year in 9:47. I crossed the finish line in 31:05, averaging 10:00/mi. 

This was the performance that I had hoped for a week prior at the Cubbie Bear 5k and I was ecstatic at how well I raced. 

Bix 7 and Race #100

When I started running back in 2014 I would never have predicted that I'd complete 100 races or that I would still be doing it 11 years later, but here we are. On July 26, 2014 I officially completed my first race at the Bix 7. I was just a few months into running and extremely overweight, but I was determined to run it. That race was hard, REALLY hard, but I kept putting 1 foot in front of the other and eventually I reached the finish line in a time of 1:47:47. I was very proud of that accomplishment and still am today. 

I had no plans to run the Bix this year, but a few months ago when my mother-in-law Mary asked if I would be there to run it, I took a look at my schedule and quickly realized that it would be my 100th race. I just couldn't turn down the chance at a story like that. My 1st race was the Bix 7, and my 100th race would be at the Bix 7 exactly 11 years later, to the day 

The forecast for Saturday morning did not look good. Storms and rain overnight continued into the morning. For the first time in 51 years, they decided to delay the start of the race by an hour. While the chances of thunderstorms cleared out, the rain did not. Mary's sister, Lisa, was also going to be walking the Bix so the 3 of us piled into Mary's car and headed for the race. We stayed in the car as long as possible before walking through the rain and dodging puddles to get to the starting corrals. 

After a short wait, we heard the horn and we were off and headed up the Brady Street hill. I've raced this course enough times to know how challenging it is, but knowing doesn't make it easier. I took it easy going up the hill to both conserve energy and not fall on the wet pavement. After turning off Brady, the road essentially turned into a flowing river from all the rain and my feet were soaked immediately. My mile splits were slower than I had hoped, but my legs felt good through the 3.5 mile turnaround until about mile 4. After 4 miles, I struggled to find any extra effort to push so I just tried to keep a consistent effort for the last 3 miles. I came into the race hoping to average around 10:45/mi and finish under 15 minutes but I ended up finishing in 1:17:41, a few minutes short of my goal but still my 2nd fastest Bix in 4 attempts of running it and over 30 minutes faster than the first. 

After the race I endured a huge downpour while waiting for Lisa and Mary to finish. Once we reached the car, it felt so good to get the wet shoes off of my feet and a dry shirt on. I've had some time to reflect since the race and have become more pleased with how I performed. While I didn't hit my goal, my current reality is that I'm in the middle of a 5k training block. This race was the farthest I've run since early April 2024, before I injured my ankle. I haven't been training a lot of hills, but I still handled them quite well during the race.

Wrap Up

Things slow down a bit in August as I only have 2 races on the calendar. I'm nearing the end of my 5k training block and am excited to see what I can do at the Summer Sizzler 5k on August 16th. My goal for that race is to run sub-30:00 on my way to a 5k PR attempt this fall. For now, I'm continuing to train hard and work towards that goal getting a little better every day. 

Ironman in a Week

A full Ironman triathlon is 140.6 total miles, consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. Earlier this year, I participated in the Lazy Y Tri at the Waukee YMCA which involved completing these distances over the course of a month. I was able to complete the challenge in 16 days, but I knew that I could do better. Erin and both girls were gone at various camps last week so I decided to use the extra time to try the challenge over and complete it in a week. 

Day 1: Sunday, July 6

I woke up at 6:00am to cloud cover and extremely humid conditions with no wind as I headed out the door for a run. Since it was a Sunday morning, I knew traffic would be light, so I decided to head east across Hwy 141 on a route that I haven't taken in a long time. I was scheduled for a 1 hour easy run and logged 5.24 miles to kick off the challenge. 

After dropping Abigail off at Y Camp, I headed to Dallas Center to meet Adam for a bike ride. It was a little warm but the winds were light and my legs were feeling really good. Even while keeping an easy effort, we rode 24.91 miles in 1:23:02 for an 18mph average. It was a really good first day, but I still had a lot of miles ahead of me. 

Day 2: Monday, July 7

I was very torn when I woke up Monday morning. I needed to get some laps in at the pool, but I knew a morning swim would mean doing my run workout in the heat later in the day. I took the chance and headed for the pool. I was pleasantly surprised by how few people were there when I arrived just before 5:30. I easily got a lane and was able to knock out 30 laps/1,500 yards in 38:24. 

After a long day at work, I got home and changed into my running clothes and headed out into the 86 degree heat with no wind for a speed workout. My workout consisted of 3 sets of 4 x 2:00 at 5k pace. I knew it was going to be a tough workout when my visor was dripping with sweat by the end of my warm up. I struggled through the workout without being able to hit many of my speed interval paces but managed to complete 5.67 miles in 1:07:31. It felt so good to get back into the air conditioning but I was completely wiped for the rest of the evening. 

Day 3: Tuesday, July 8

Without a run workout on the schedule, I opted for a brick workout in the morning. I started off with a 20 mile indoor ride on the trainer, completed in 51:07, before heading outside for a 2.21 mile run in 23:40. I had recovered well from running in the heat on Monday and felt really good throughout the entire brick. 

I decided to try something new on Tuesday evening. I braved rush hour traffic through the Hickman construction zone to head for Valley View Aquatic Center in West Des Moines. I arrived a little before lap swim hours started at 5:30. It may sound silly, but I'm a routine oriented person and don't normally feel comfortable trying out new things but in this case I'm glad I did. The water was cool and the sun was bright. I had a very enjoyable swim and completed another 30 laps/1,500 yards in 37:29. 

Day 4: Wednesday, July 9

Another run workout, but this time in the morning with temperatures 20 degrees cooler than my Monday afternoon workout. 35 minutes moderate pace with 10 x 15 second hard strides. I completed 3.94 miles in 44:16. 

Wednesday turned out to be another hot one. I met Adam and Kyle in Madrid for a ride on the High Trestle Trail. We headed East from the trail head, but instead of turning South in Slater, we connected to the Heart of Iowa Trail and made our way out to Huxley. It was a new trail for all of us and I'd like to explore it more in the future. We ended up riding 25.09 miles in 1:31:54 and it turned out to be a very beautiful evening in spite of the heat.

Day 5: Thursday, July 10

I woke up Thursday morning to thunderstorms. I had originally planned to run in the morning and go for an outdoor ride again after work. With so many miles left, I knew that I couldn't take the morning off so opted to jump on the indoor trainer again for a long ride. I rode 30.01 miles in 1:11:41, a fast ride even on the indoor trainer. I headed to work with tired legs but was starting to heave the end in sight. 

A morning ride meant that I had to run in the afternoon heat again. It was 88 degrees but there was a nice wind. I kept and easy pace for the shorter 2.28 mile run, which I completed in 26:01. I took the rest of the evening off and was super tired so decided to head to bed early. Mother nature didn't care how tired I was and non-stop storms overnight kept me from sleeping much at all. 

Day 6: Friday, July 11

The rain stopped early morning so after almost no sleep, I drug myself out of bed and headed out the door for another run workout. The workout consisted of 3 x 8:00 at half marathon pace. I ran extremely well given I was operating on almost no sleep. I ran 4.86 miles in 54:01 but could barely keep my eyes open when I got home. I decided to call into work to take off the morning and crashed on the couch until around 10:00 am.

I had originally planned to swim over lunch, so I decided to head to the Y and fit in the last few miles on the bike before logging into work for the afternoon. When I arrived at the pool I was surprised to see how busy it was. I had to wait about 15 minutes for a lane, but then made quick work of the 25 laps/1,250 yards completing them in 31:14. With this swim, I officially hit 2.4 miles for the week.

When I got home, I quickly changed into my cycling gear and hoped on the indoor trainer again. I completed my final 12 miles in 28:49, and just like that, my 112 miles of cycling was complete too. 

Day 7: Saturday, July 12

With a race on the schedule for Sunday, I moved my long run to Saturday morning. It was a beautiful morning to run and even though I only needed about 2 miles to complete the challenge, I ended up logging 6.08 in 1:10:00. And just like that, the challenge was complete. 

Conclusion

This challenge turned out to be really fun and gave me a glimpse into the higher mileage training that awaits me next year. It gave me the chance to build up my heat acclimation, an opportunity to check out a new bike trail, and most importantly got be back in the pool. Even with the added mileage and training time this week my body held up extremely well. I'm feeling strong and am looking forward to the races during my current training block. Below are my overall stats for the week. 

Swim:

• 3 swims
• 2.41 miles
• 85 laps
• 1:47:07
• 2:31/100 yards average

Bike:

• 5 rides
• 112.03 miles
• 5:26:32
• 20.6 mph average

Run:

• 7 runs
• 30.28
• 5:45:29
• 11:25/mi average

June 2025 Race Recaps

June was a very busy and productive month of racing and I had a blast. For the 2nd month in a row, I saw a significant improvement in my fitness and performance as the month progressed. Below is a recap of each race. 

Quad Cities Triathlon (June 16)

On June 14th I participated in the very LAST Quad Cities Triathlon. This was my 4th time at the race and I'm very bummed that it is coming to an end. Not only was it convenient because I'm able to stay with my in-laws for the race, West Lake Park served as a fantastic venue for a race. We stopped at the park on our way to the Quad Cities on Friday evening to pick up my packet and then continued on to spend the night with Erin's parents. Erin rode with me to the race to cheer me on, but it made for an extremely early morning for both of us with a 4:15am wake up time. We arrived at the park just before they opened the gates and managed to get a parking spot right outside of transition. 

Setting up transition

Before I knew it, transition was closed and we all headed for the beach. I'm not a fast swimmer even when I train a lot but going into this race I have not been swimming at all. With that in mind, I stayed towards the back when lining up for the race. I finished the 600 yard swim in 17:15, which is bad even for me. I kept a short memory as I came out of the water and ran up the hill into transition. 

LET'S GOOOOO

Out of the water and headed for T1

I was very efficient in T1, getting through in 3:16. I then headed out onto the bike course. Unlike 2023, I was able to see people in front of me when I got on the bike and consistently passed people throughout the entire course. The WNW wind was higher than expected making the last 5 miles of the bike course a challenge, but I pushed through and finished the 15 mile course in 51:10. 

Headed back into transition

I was feeling good after getting off the bike and got through T2 in 1:25. As I headed out on the run course I took it easy through the grass and gravel until we got out onto the main road. I tried to keep a consistent pace but when I hit mile 1 and saw a time of 11:54, I was not happy. I pushed harder from there and finished the 5k run in 35:21 with negative splits. My instant reaction when crossing the finish line was that I should have pushed a lot harder on the run. Even though I raced well, I could have done a lot better. 

Headed out onto the run course

Finishing strong

Proud finisher

After the race, I took a quick shower before loading up our bags, leaving the kids behind, and heading for a short trip in Dubuque with just Erin and I to celebrate our 18th anniversary. 

Trestle Hustle 5k (June 21)

The first race in a 3 race weekend. There was a heat advisory in place the entire weekend and it was already too hot to run when Adam picked me up to head for Madrid and the High Trestle Trail head. Adam was racing the Duathlon but I opted for the 5k. The Duathlon had a different start & finish line than the 5k & 10k race, so after starting the Duathlon the race director walked us all across Highway 17 to start our race. 

Even though it wasn't a huge race field, it was pretty crowded at the start line and I did something I rarely do and lined up towards the front. I took off fast and tried hard to hold that pace through the 5k turnaround. Even though there was high winds, the trees along the trail blocked most of it and it was angling to our back after the finish line. I was dripping with sweat more than normal. I slowed down quite a bit on mile 3, and the course was a little long at 3.25 miles. My official time was 35:37, which I was very happy with given the weather conditions. As a bonus, I managed to finish 3rd in my age group. 

Done with race #1 of the weekend

Iowa Trail Run Series: A Midsummer Night's Run 5k (June 21)

I loaded up my truck for both the Saturday evening and Sunday morning races and headed for McFarland Park north of Ames. Temperatures were in the 90s but with the breeze and sun starting to get lower on the horizon, it really didn't feel that bad when the race started around 7:45pm. This was only my 2nd trail run ever so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. They sent us off in waves of about 20 people to make sure the course, run on 2 track and 1 track paths, didn't get too crowded. I started off running hard but pulled back at the half way point and jogged out the rest of the race to conserve some energy for the morning. 

There was a long out and back stretch with runners going in both directions, some technical portions of trail, and a couple of good sized hills on the course. This was my first time at this park and it was absolutely beautiful! I may need to go back and explore more in the future. I finished in a time of 38:38 with legs that still felt relatively fresh. I quickly made my way to the truck to get into the air conditioning, picked up some Jimmy John's for dinner, and then headed to my friends, Kelly and Susan's, house to stay the night before the Ames Triathlon the next morning. 

A beautiful sunset at the finish

Race #2 of the weekend is complete

Ames Triathlon (June 22)

I awoke early on Sunday morning, but not nearly as early as if I had slept at home. I drove the 2 miles to Ada Hayden Park and arrived just as packet pickup and transition opened. I took my time getting everything set up. It was already hot and windy, but the wind was forecast to pick up even more. I made sure that my transition was set up so that nothing would blow away once it did. I found Adam and we hung out until it was time for me to line up for the swim and him to head for the Duathlon start. 

Beautiful sunrise on a very hot and windy day

Even though the water was cold enough to be wetsuit legal for the race, I opted to go without the wetsuit because of how warm the air temperature was. Getting into the water felt great and I kept a very steady pace throughout the swim. Just as with the Quad Cities Triathlon a week earlier, I didn't expect much from the swim. I came out of the water completing the 750 meter swim in 24:21 which was faster than my time in 2023. I got through T1 in 2:06, also faster than 2023, and headed out onto a VERY windy bike course. With the wind blowing >20mph, I wasn't expecting much on the bike. I ended up finishing the 15.5 mile bike course in 55:06, more than 4 minutes faster than 2023 (which was also windy). Even though I struggled a bit on the bike, I still managed to have the 94th fastest bike split out of 225 racers. 

Heading out onto the bike course

I got through T2 in 1:36, again faster than 2023, and headed out onto the run course with very tired legs. By this time, the sun was getting fairly high in the sky and the course offered little shade. I was dripping with sweat and very uncomfortable, but just kept putting 1 foot in front of the other. I finished the run in 39:48, which was slower than 2023 but I had banked enough time that my overall time of 2:02:57 was still faster than 2023. Even though my run was slow, it was the most consistent 1 mile splits that I have ever managed in a race. 

Happy to be finished with race #3 of the weekend

Storm the Park 5k (June 28)

No heat advisories this weekend, but it was still plenty hot and humid to make things uncomfortable. I picked up Adam early enough to arrive when the gate opened around 6:30am. We picked up our packets and walked part of the race course before eventually heading into the park to the start line. The race as limited to 300 participants and 288 of those showed up on race day. The course started with a short loop through the entrance of the park before leaving the park for the first mile. We then returned to the park running south to the waterpark and then looping back past rollercoasters before finishing where we started. 

Cruising through the park

I started off fast and kept my foot on the gas for the whole race. The course turned out to be about 0.2 short, at 2.92 miles, and I finished in a time of 30:50 with an average pace of 10:33 and good enough for 97/288 overall. I was a little disappointed that the course was short but was very happy with how well I ran. 

Proud finisher

All American 4 Mile (June 29)

On Sunday morning Erin and I headed for Terra Park in Johnston for my 2nd race of the weekend. Erin decided at the last minute to sign up for the race and walk it while I ran the race. Adam was running as well. It was another hot and humid morning but I was thankful for the cloud cover. I got a 30 minute walk in to warm up my legs before lining up for the race. 

4 miles is a bit of an odd distance so I decided to pace it similar to a 5k. Similar to Storm the Park, I ran fast from the start and came through the turn around in 21:08. I tried my best to push hard through the last 2 miles but ended up slowing down significantly on mile 4 finishing in a time of 42:38. Slower than I had hoped but still good enough to finish 1st place in my age group. 

Proud of another podium finish

Adam easily won the 4 mile race. After grabbing some Kona Ice, we walked the course back until we met Erin and then tried our best to keep up with her as she cruised at an extremely fast walk through the finish line. 

It felt great to do a race with Erin again

June Wrap Up

I raced 6 times in June, brining my total races for the year to 19, already 4 more races then I've ever done in a year and I still have 6 months to go. In addition to the races, my fitness continues to improve at a fantastic rate throughout the month of June. Last week I started a new training block with a focus on reducing my 5k time. I've set a goal of running a 5k PR by the end of the year and set an interim goal of running a sub-30:00 5k at the Summer Sizzler in August. As long as I stay healthy I'm confident that I will meet that goal. 

I've taken next weekend off of racing but will return to action the week after with the Cubbie Bear 5k. I will also be racing the DSM Corporate Games 5k and the Bix 7 during the month of July.