Injury, Race Recaps, and a New Training Block

The high school basketball season has officially wrapped up which has freed up a lot of my time to focus more on training and racing. The weather is also starting to get nice, which has me looking forward to outdoor rides and running in shorts and a t-shirt. 

Hip Injury

In mid-January I started a 10k Nike training program focused on increasing my speed. The program included 2 days of speed work each week along with a long run on the weekend. Things started out very well and I was very pleased with my progress over the first month of training. In fact, I credit this program for my great race performances in February. Late in February, I started dealing with a lot of discomfort in my right hip, and not just when running. Additionally, I developed a sinus infection during the first week of March that completely drained my energy. I broke down and scheduled a doctor appointment on March 13th where I came away with antibiotics for the sinus infection and a diagnosis of Bursitis in my right hip, caused by overuse. 

The combination of anti-inflammatory meds, stretching, and limiting my running milage has led to my hip feeling much better after only a week. I've taken some time to reflect on the injury and have identified 3 things that I could have/should have done differently. 

1. I hadn't been making strength training a priority for several months. Consistent work on strength and mobility is a big key for me staying injury free
2. I tried out a new high intensity training program without a willingness to give up my run streak. My body got further and further behind on recovery as the weeks went on
3. This was my first training cycle of 2025, and my focus on increasing speed without building a base was a mistake. I should have spent December and early January on building a fitness base before starting such an ambitious program

I've already started to increase my strength and mobility work and will be slowly easing my way back into higher milage training in the next couple of weeks. 

Race Recaps

The timing of both the sinus infection and hip injury were unfortunate as I had back-to-back races scheduled for March 15th and March 16th. Even though my doctor suggested taking a week off of running, he also said to just focus on not doing anything that made it hurt. With no intentions to end my running streak, I decided that I would run the first mile of each race at a very slow pace and decide what to do based on how I felt. I also changed my registration from the 10K to the 5K for the Time to Paddy race on Sunday. 

St. Paddy's Day 5K

This is my 3rd time participating in the St. Paddy's Day races in downtown Des Moines. The race has really grown over the years. I positioned myself at the very back to start to ensure that I wasn't tempted to go out faster than I should. I slowly made my way through the streets of downtown before crossing the river and heading south towards Principal Park. I hit the 1 mile mark in a time of 13:10 and was feeling really good so decided to keep going. My hip was still feeling fine at the half way turn around so decided to keep going. I came through mile 2 in a time of 12:58 and decided that I was feeling well enough to run the whole race. I finished the race with an official time of 40:06, but more importantly, without any hip pain at all. 

Time to Paddy 5K

I was disappointed to not be racing the 10K as originally planned, but was still happy to be racing. I decided to use the same strategy that I had used on Saturday since it worked out so well. It was extremely windy and much colder on Sunday morning so I dressed warmer than normal with a jacket over my normal sweatshirt. Just like on Saturday, my hip felt great so I ran the whole way. I did feel a little discomfort in the last half mile but nothing that rose to the level of pain and it went away immediately after the race. The last 1/4 mile was directly into a brisk wind that made it hard to breathe and caused a coughing fit at the finish line. 

I definitely pushed harder in this race, but still didn't put forth an all out 5K effort. My final time was 39:03, which was good enough for 3rd in my age group, and I was happy with that. 

New Training Block

Returning from an injury is never fun. It takes a lot of conscious effort to not come back too fast and to build back confidence and fitness that has been lost. Tomorrow I start my next 8 week training block leading up to my first outdoor triathlon of the year at the Des Moines Corporate Games Triathlon on May 18th. I'll be using a familiar training plan that I used in 2018, 2019, and 2023 with a lot of success. My hope is that the focus on training across all 3 disciplines (and adding in consistent strength and mobility training) will allow my hip to fully recover. 

Thinking about triathlon is really getting me fired up and I'm excited to make a comeback after a disappointing season last year. I have a lot of work to to, but I'm ready to get after it! 

February Updates and Race Recaps

My 2025 racing season has gotten off to a great start! I've already completed 4 races this year and my planned racing schedule for the year is starting to take shape. In this post I will walk you through the races I've completed so far, discuss my schedule, and provide some training updates. 

Race Recaps

Time Travel 5k

On January 12th, I headed to Altoona for the Time Travel 5k. It was an extremely cold and windy Sunday morning but I bundled up and got ready to run. The race was an out and back and started with a quarter mile down hill, meaning that it ended with a quarter mile up hill. I didn't have any really ambitious goals for the race but was hoping to finish in under 40 minutes. My race belt started slipping down about a half mile into the race so I walked while trying to adjust it before finally giving it up and shoving everything into the pouch of my sweatshirt. Things went better after that and I was able to keep a consistent pace throughout the race. I was especially happy with how well I handled the hill at the end and passed several racers walking. My final time was 38:51 (12:28/mi) and I was happy with my performance. 

Tri for a Cause

On January 26th I headed to the Walnut Creek YMCA to participate for the 3rd time in the Tri for a Cause Indoor Triathlon. This race is a fundraiser for Girls on the Run. The race consists of a 400 yard pool swim, 7 mile ride on a spin bike, and 2 mile treadmill run. I was in the first swim wave at 7:00am and was very excited to get started. I kicked things off with a great swim time of 9:59 (2:30/100 yd). After drying off and changing in the locker room, I hoped on the spin bike where I turned out 7 miles in 18:53 (22.2mph). I'm happy with that time, but realized after the race that I could have pushed a lot harder. After a good bike, I was the 2nd one onto a treadmill. I intentionally started off slowly and gradually increased speed, finishing the 2 miles in 24:48 (12:24/mi). My overall time was 53:40. A few minutes slower than last year, most of that in the run. I was happy with my performance in this race as well and it felt great to race a triathlon this early in the year. 

Couple Shuffle 5k

I headed for Gray's Lake on February 2nd. It was an extremely foggy morning, which took some of the enjoyment out of the race. I got to the parking lot about an hour early and hung out with my friend, Adam, until race time. Just like at Tri for a Cause, I started conservatively. After feeling good through the first mile and having the field stretch out, I picked up the pace a bit. The course was just a little long, at 3.14 miles, but I ended with a time of 37:37 (11:59/mi) which was good enough for 3rd place in my age group. I was extremely happy, and a little surprised, with my time. I cut nearly 30 seconds per mile off my pace from the Time Travel 5k just 3 weeks earlier. 

So much fog, you can't see the lake

Cupid's Chase 5k

I picked up Adam just before 9:00am and headed for Principal Park on February 8th. The race start time was 10:00am, a little later than most races but thankfully the ice and snow that was forecasted held off. It was a windy morning, but with temperatures just below freezing, it didn't feel too bad once we started running. Unlike the last 2 weeks, I pushed hard from the start. The course was a very flat and fast out-and-back with the turn around on the Gray's Lake bridge. I was able to hold my fast pace the whole race and consistently passed other racers after the turn around. The course was a little short, at 3.04 miles, but I was able to cross the finish line in 35:16 (11:37/mi) finishing 1st in my age group. That was more than 20 seconds per mile faster than at the Couple Shuffle just 6 days earlier. I am still in awe at what I was able to do in this race. I've been running with so much confidence the last couple of weeks and it just feels so good to be progressing like this so early in the season. 

2025 Race Schedule

I've progressed on putting a schedule together for the year, although I'm keeping things pretty fluid. Coming into the year, I was at 78 races since starting in 2014. I decided that it would be cool if I could make it to 100 this year, so my goal became to race 22 races this year. I've also decided that I want to wrap up my racing season (for the most part) before deer season opens in October. Below are the races to which I'm currently signed up for:

• Des Moines St. Paddy's Day 5k - March 15
• Time to Paddy 10k - March 16
• Beer & Bagel 4M Run - April 12
• DoNot Stop 5k - April 13
• DSM Corporate Games Sprint Triathlon - May 18
• Clear Lake Sprint Triathlon - May 24
• Hometown Half Marathon 10k - May 25
• Ames Triathlon - June 22

There are several other races that I'm planning to sign up for, but either registration isn't open or I'm waiting on family schedules to be sorted out:

• MS Moments/Governor's Day 5k - June 7
• Quad Cities Triathlon - June 14
• Trestle Hustle 5k - June 21
• Fire Cracker 4M - June 29
• DSM Corporate Games 5k - July TBD
• Johnston Mayor's Run for the Trails - August TBD
• Summer Sizzler 5k - August 18
• Black Hawk YMCA Sprint Triathlon - September 6
• John Deere DSM Area Employee 5k - September TBD
• Gateway Challenge Sprint Triathlon - September TBD
• TBD Turkey Trot - November 27

Training Updates

I decided to join Erin in doing the "Lazy Y Tri" at the Waukee YMCA with the intention of getting myself to log some miles swimming and biking at a time of the year that I struggle to do both. The challenge includes completing all of the distances of an Ironman Triathlon, 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking, and 26.2 miles running, between January 20 - February 20. I was able to complete the challenge in 16 days and really enjoyed doing it.

January was a very productive month of training. I ran every day for a total of 69 miles, 17 bike rides for over 238 miles, and 3 swims for 1.28 miles and I've already gotten off to a great start in February. I'm 3 weeks into an 8 week 10k training program targeting the Time to Paddy 10k in March. So far the weather has allowed me to complete most of my runs outside and I hoping that trend continues for the rest of winter. 

While I'm very hesitant to count my chickens before they hatch (especially after last year) things are really starting out well for me this year. My overall goal is to just continue to progress and gradually improve my fitness throughout the entire year. 

2024 in Review and Ironman on Hold

Ironman on Hold

I'll start off with the disappointing news first. After a lot of thought and conversations at home, I've decided to alter my plan for 2025. While there were several things that I took into consideration, the deciding factor was lack of available time to train this winter/spring due to family commitments. Additionally, my wife, Erin, is currently going back to school and will be entering her final year next fall. I really want her to be able to travel with me to the race and that may not be possible with her schedule. 

Thy good news is that I have a plan! Instead-  of 2025, I am planning to delay 1 year to fall 2026. With the change in plans, my 2025 racing schedule has been reset and I'm currently working through what the year will look like. More to come on that soon. 

2024 in Review

2024 was an extremely challenging year and did not go as I expected. Even with the unexpected challenges and disappointments, there were a lot of highlights as well. Below are some of the defining moments of 2024 for me.

• Great start to the year - I went into 2024 in really good shape and started off strong at the Tri for a Cause at the end of January. I made huge strides and finished significantly faster than in 2023
  
  
  
  
  
• The end of an epic run streak - On February 4th, my run streak came to an unexpected end after 727 days. I'm still in awe of what I was able to accomplish. What started as a way to get me back into running took on a life of its own making it even harder when it ended.
• Kidney stone and 2 surgeries - The reason that my streak ran turned into a life altering experience. I have not been the same physically, mentally, or emotionally since last February. So many impacts from such a small stone. 
  
  
  
• Racing 4 days post surgery - Cleared by my doctors (although they thought I was crazy) I raced a 5k a mere 4 days after my 2nd surgery. After a month with limited exercise I was out of shape but still remember how great it felt to run the Time to Paddy 5k on March 3rd. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Ankle sprain - In the early morning hours of April 8th, I stepped on a rock, twisted my ankle, and fell while half way through a 1 hour run. It turned out to be a 2nd degree sprain and forced me to the sidelines (mostly) through the end of June.
  
  
  
  
  
• Market-to-Market Relay - It was probably a dumb choice, but I opted to follow through on running the Market-to-Market Relay in May even with a sprained ankle. This had been a bucket list race and I was so excited to finally have a team to race. I fought through the pain and we had a fantastic day!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• DSM Corporate Games - I missed the triathlon in May, but was able to race in the Cross Country Race and the 5k road race in July. After 3 months of very little running (and feeling sorry for myself) I was extremely out of shape but still gave it everything I had. 
  
• A new run streak begins - On July 31st I officially started a new run streak. I'm officially 166 days in with a long way to go to get back to 727, but taking it 1 day at a time. 
• Tri the Illini - In September, I loaded up my bike and headed for Champaign, IL for my only outdoor triathlon of the year. It stormed all night and rained for the entire race, making for miserable conditions. I was happy to stay upright on the bike and felt amazing as I crossed the finish line. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Fall Improvement - I ran several 5k races throughout the late summer and fall gradually improving my fitness and speed along the way. My best post-injury race was the Turkey Trails 5k on November 17th, running a time of 37:33. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 14 Races - Even with nearly 4 months of the year lost to injury, I was able to complete 14 races in 2024. 

1. Tri for a Cause Indoor Triathlon - 1/28
2. Wellmark YMCA Red Flannel Run 5k (Walked) - 2/17
3. Time to Paddy 5k - 3/2
4. Des Moines St. Paddy's Day 5k - 3/16
5. Market-to-Market Relay - 5/11
6. DSM Corporate Games Cross Country 4.2k - 7/13
7. DSM Corporate Games Road Race 5k - 7/20
8. Johnston Mayor's Run for the Trails 5k - 8/10
9. HyVee Half Marathon Series 5k - 9/15
10. Tri the Illini Sprint Triathlon - 9/22
11. John Deere Des Moines Area 5k - 9/28
12. Hillbilly Hike 5k - 11/2
13. Turkey Trails 5k - 11/17
14. Waukee Turkey Trot 5k - 11/28

I'm ready to turn the page on 2024 and completed my first race of 2025 this morning. Thank you to everyone for the words of encouragement throughout last year. Part of my goals for 2025 are to get back to blogging regularly again. Check back often for updates. 

The Beginning of an Epic Journey

The Intro

In 2016, I completed my first triathlon. After crossing that finish line, I set a personal goal to complete an Ironman. I'm here to share that the time has come, and I am committing to realizing that goal. This fall, I am setting out on a grueling journey to train for what will certainly be the hardest race of my life. 140.6 miles broken into a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run to cross the finish line that I've been chasing for almost a decade. 

The Background

What I left out of the intro is that this goal included a deadline of completing the race before I turned 40. I turned 40 just a couple of weeks ago and the fact that I haven't yet attempted a full Ironman has been eating at my all year. In 2019, I completed my 2nd half Ironman race at the Door County Triathlon. While I checked off a lot of goals and had a very successful racing season, I also burned out hard by the end of the year. I decided to take 2020 off of serious training and racing in preparation for a full Ironman in 2021. At this point, it is well documented that did not pan out as I had planned. 

I have learned a lot from training and racing over the last 11 years, but this race is a whole different level. At this point, both the swim and bike portion are longer than I've ever gone in a single activity. I was humbled by my first half Ironman race in 2017 as well as my first full marathon in 2019. The one thing that I am certain of is that I will not be going into this training plan or race overly confident. 

The Race

I've gone back and forth on which Ironman race I want to target, but I have finally settled on Ironman Wisconsin in early September. In the end, the deciding factors were the proximity to home and the time of year. A fall race gives me the best chance at maximizing the outdoor training that I can do. This also schedules most of my dedicated training outside of basketball season.

As a warm up to Ironman Wisconsin, I am planning to race Ironman 70.3 Des Moines in June. The timing falls almost perfectly in my training cycle and it gives me a chance to compete in another goal race in the same year. For those in the Des Moines area, it would be awesome to have a cheering section for this race. I will post more details when it gets closer.

The Disclaimer

With my current fitness level, I have a long ways to go to even begin training for a full Ironman. My formal training will start in February and I am in the process of setting benchmark goals for myself for the next 4 months. If I reach those benchmark goals, I will sign up for the Des Moines 70.3 and begin training. Based on how the base building phase of training goes, I will then sign up for Ironman Wisconsin. These races not only take A LOT of time to train for, they are extremely expensive. I want to be sure that I'm able to confidently toe the starting line before making that level of investment. 

Although I'm very confident in my commitment and abilities to do this, the past year has shown me that there are things in life that I cannot control. If, for some reason, I'm not ready in 2025, my back up plan will be targeting the same races in 2026. 

The Reality

Triathlon may be an individual sport, but I can't do this on my own. I have sat down with Erin and the girls to ensure that they are onboard and we all understand the sacrifices that I'm asking them to make. I have some very encouraging training buddies in Adam and Kyle that I know are going to help me along the way. For everyone else, I am asking for your support as well as your patience, grace, and understanding throughout 2025. 

The Conclusion

I am extremely excited to take on this challenge over the next year, but also a little uneasy and scared. This is something that I have to do for myself. There is a good chance that I will fall short, but trying and failing would be better than carrying around the regret of not trying at all. 

 “You can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week, or you can quit and your mind will hurt for a lifetime.” - Mark Allen.

September Race Recaps and New Run Streak

After a disappointing race in August I was excited to redeem myself with 3 opportunities in September on sequential weekends beginning on the 15th. 

HyVee Half Marathon Series 5k

It was a nice cool morning as I headed downtown on the 15th. I was able to get a parking spot 3 blocks from the start line which gave me plenty of time to pick up my packet and walk back to my truck to drop off my race packet. I found Adam, who was running the half marathon, shortly before it was time to line up. The half, 10k, and 5k all started at the same time so I lined up as far back as I could. 

As the race started, I felt pretty good. My goal for the race was to try and break 40 minutes. I settled in behind a few different runners which really helped me keep an even pace. The problem with that ended up being when we hit the 5k turn around and everyone I was running with continued on. With a gap over 100 yards to the next runner, I just kept myself focused on them and slowly began closing the gap. Before I knew it I was past Principal park and heading back to Court Avenue. 

I looked at my watch for the first time with about a half mile to go and was pleasantly surprised to see that I would easily break 40 minutes. I gave it all I had the last quarter mile and ended up finishing in 38:41. 

I stuck around to watch Adam finish his half marathon (in just over an hour and a half) before heading to meet the girls at church. This race was exactly what I needed to bounce back from my bad race in Johnston in August. I was able to cut off almost 4 minutes from that time. 

Tri the Illini

After a week of vacation, I loaded up the truck with all of my triathlon gear and headed for Champaign, IL on September 21. The 5 hour 30 minute drive felt like it took FOREVER, but I finally arrived around 2pm. I located the parking lot that would be transition and drove the bike route before heading to packet pickup and checking into my hotel. One of my coworkers, recently turned employee, lives in Champaign so he picked me up and we went out for some bbq for dinner. 

It stormed overnight, and while the thunderstorms ended around 6:30am, the rain continued throughout the morning. I sat in my truck pondering my interest in completing the race in such miserable conditions but ultimately decided to do it. Not only had I driven over 5 hours to the race, this was also my last and only opportunity to complete an outdoor triathlon in 2024. 

I set up my transition in the pouring rain. All of my stuff was wet including my cycling shoes, running shoes, socks, and both towels. I then headed into the rec center to await instructions and the start of the race. 

The race consisted of a 300 meter swim in their outdoor 50 meter pool, a 14.4 mile out-and-back bike ride, and a 5k run through campus. We were self-seeded based on swim time and took us out to the pool 50 people at a time. I was very impressed at how well run the race was as they managed to get everyone started within about 40 minutes (over 400 racers). I was happy with my swim and really enjoyed the 50 meter pool. My time was 9:33, but that included about 150-200 meter run out of the pool to transition. 

I was EXTREMELY nervous heading out on the bike and did not go nearly as hard as I would normally go. The streets were wet, and in some cases had standing water, and it was still raining. I slowed down a lot for turns and managed to stay upright the whole time. I was very thankful for the closed bike course. Usually the bike ride gives me a chance to dry out after the swim, but the combo of the rain and my back tire splashing water on me the whole way made me even wetter than when I started. Either way, I was happy to make it back to transition in a time of 53:22. 

I took some extra time in transition to take in a GU gel and drink some water. It felt so gross putting my wet running shoes onto my soaking wet socks. As I headed out of transition I could tell that my legs were very tired and the run was going to be difficult. I took several walking breaks throughout the run and was thankful for a flat course. As I crossed the finish line, in a time of 1:50, I was just happy to be done. I quickly headed to transition to pack up all of my wet stuff before heading to the truck and driving to my in-law's in the Quad Cities. 

Even though the race was miserable and I was not really in race-ready shape, it felt great to get a triathlon into the schedule before the end of the year. 

John Deere Des Moines Area 5k

It was a beautiful morning on Saturday, September 28. With a 9:00 am start time, I was able to sleep in before picking up my friend, Kyle, on the way to John Deere Des Moines Works in Ankeny. Both Kyle and Adam were running too but Adam was running a 5k at DMACC before the John Deere 5k (he is kind of crazy sometimes). After picking up our packets we made the rounds and talked to various coworkers that were also doing the race. 

There was a short kids race before the 5k started, but before I knew it, we were off. The field felt much smaller than last year and it didn't take long for me to be running with nobody around me. The course was very flat as we weaved in and out of the various buildings at Des Moines Works. I tried my best to keep a consistent pace and with about 3/4 mile to go I started to push a little harder. As I crossed the finish line I was a little disappointed as I felt like I had a lot left in the tank and should have kicked a little sooner. 

My final time was 39:01, almost an identical pace to the HyVee 5k less than 2 weeks prior. I was happy with the result and hung out with Adam and Kyle as we waited for the awards. 

New Run Streak

After getting cleared to start running at the end of June, I was struggling to build consistency in my training. As the end of July approached, I decided to start a new run streak and did that on July 31st. As of today, that run streak is at 61 days and counting. In those 61 days, I have run 119 miles. The best part has been seeing consistent and incremental improvement in my running again. Just like last time, I have a long way to go but am taking it 1 day at a time. 

Up Next

So what's next? That's a great question. At this point I am not signed up for any more races in 2024, however I'm looking at a few more 5k races in November and will probably sign up this week. It's hard to believe that the racing season is winding down. It was such a difficult year for me and I have caught myself thinking of what should have been far too often. Even though I wasn't able to accomplish most of my goals for the year I'm still proud of myself for sticking with it and working to overcome the adversity that I faced.

Stay tuned, because I hear there is a BIG announcement coming to my blog very soon!