2023 Racing Schedule - Just a Little Late

For those that have been following me for awhile, you know that I am a planner. I love to plan out my racing schedule and build out my training cycles for the year. Knowing what is coming keeps me focused and drives me to keep getting better each and every day. As I've started to ease my way back into racing this year I was nervous that just like in 2021 and 2022 I wouldn't follow through on my plans. That is why I forced myself to focus on the year a month at a time and not to over commit and ultimately not share my plans and dreams for the year.

Over the last 3 months my confidence has slowly come back and I can officially say that I am feeling 100% like my old self again. I've reached this point by setting very small goals to create a habit of success and then building on those. This confidence and success has finally brought me to the point that I am willing to share my remaining race schedule for 2023. One big caveat is that some of the schedule is still a bit in flux and can change. 

Recap

I'll start off with a quick recap of the year so far. I kicked off my season on January 29th at the Tri for a Cause indoor triathlon that included a 400 yard swim, 7 mile bike, and 2 mile run. This was my first multisport race since August 2019. A little over a month later I ran in the Time to Paddy 5k at Big Creek State park where I managed to place 2nd in my age group. In April, I upped my game when I ran in the Drake Road Races 10k which is one of my absolute favorite races each year. After the race at Drake, my training and focus shifted to triathlon with just under 2 months to prepare. 

Remaining Schedule

When I started off the year, my goal was to compete in 8 races this year and I thought that I would be a big stretch for me. Now, I'm actually at the point that I'm trying to keep myself from signing up for a race every weekend. 

Quad Cities Sprint Triathlon (June 17)

I've done this race 2 times before, in 2018 and 2019, and am looking forward to it. The race is very friendly to competitors of all experience levels. The swim is a simple out and back 600 yard swim from the beach, the bike is a 15 mile out and back course that is fairly flat, and the 5k run is partially cross country and includes rolling hills. I raced really well on this course in 2019.

Ames Sprint Triathlon (June 25)

This will be a completely new race and course for me which is very exciting. To add to the excitement my buddy, Adam, has signed up to do the duathlon as well. This means I will have company on the trip up and back and we will be there to support each other on race day. This will be my 2nd triathlon in as many weeks. 

Des Moines Corporate Games 8k Cross Country Race (July 8)

That's right! John Deere has entered the Des Moines Corporate Games this year which means more races for me. This race will be held on the Iowa State Cross Country course in Ames. I ran here previously in 2018 but that year I ran the shorter 4k distance. 

Des Moines Corporate Games Sprint Triathlon (July 9)

Races on back-to-back days and my 3rd triathlon in 4 weeks means that I will be putting my fitness level to the test. This is another beginner friendly race that includes a 400 yard swim, 20k flat bike course, and 5k run at Big Creek State Park. I competed here in 2018 and have done a lot of training at Big Creek in the past. The shorter bike means that I will have to rely on my run more to be competitive here. 

Bix 7 (July 29)

A recent addition to my schedule because it just so happens that we are planning a trip to the Quad Cities to pick up the girls from my in-laws after staying at grandma and grandpa's that week. I am very familiar with this course completing the race 5 times previously but not since 2016. Starting in June I will be incorporating a lot of hill intervals to prepare for that Brady Street hill climb.

Adel Sweet Corn Festival 5k (August 12)

Currently a tentative race on my schedule. I ran this race for the first time last year and other than the cobblestone streets, really enjoyed it. It is always a bonus to get to see my sister and her family since they live in Adel as well. I can also stick around afterwards for the parade. 

Rexy Run 5k (August 19)

This is currently a tentative race on my schedule but I'm fairly confident it will happen. We were invited down to Kansas City for a family get together with Erin's family so I figured I might as well find a race to do. A simple text to my uncle Mike revealed he was already planning to run this race in Lawrence on Saturday so I figured I would invite myself to join him. 

IMT Des Moines Half Marathon (October 15)

Another one of my favorite races at my favorite time of the year to race. I've only completed the half marathon course once but it is flat and fast! As a bonus, I'm planning to do this race with Adam who might be completing his first half marathon (if he doesn't end up doing it before then). When the year started out, I had no intentions of building up to a race this long in 2023, but at this point I'm very confident I will be ready for it.

Conclusion

Originally I was looking for a fall triathlon to wrap up my season, but now I'm leaning towards focusing on running once I get past the July races. The 2 month gap between races from August to October is a bit long for my liking so I may look to add a race or 2 in there. The IMT is also a great place to end my season as deer season will be in full swing and basketball season will be right around the corner. 

There are many challenges ahead this year but I feel that I am up to the task. I'm continuing to get better each day and look forward to seeing what I can do come race day. For now, it is time to get focused and put in the hard work. 

Top 10 Favorite Races

Since starting on this journey in 2014 I have competed in over 50 races. Each and every race holds very fond memories and unforgettable moments. Some races mean just a little bit more. In honor of my return to racing in 2023 I wanted to reflect back on some of my most memorable races. Here are my top 10.

10. Davenport YMCA Turkey Trot 5 Mile Run (2015)

This race concluded my 2nd year of racing, however, it was the race day weather conditions that put it on the list. We were in Bettendorf for Thanksgiving and walking this race was a tradition for my mother-in-law. This year, Erin and I decided that we would run the race together. We woke up on Thanksgiving morning to cold and very raining conditions. As we headed to the starting line, Mary decided that she wasn't going to walk in the rain so she patiently waited for Erin and I to finish the race. Another funny memory is that I put her timing chip in my pocket to turn in but forgot about it until I finished, so in the official results it appears that her and I finished in the same time. 

Dry and happy before the race

Not so dry after the race

9. Quad Cities Half Marathon (2015)

This was my first half marathon. Following a trend here, my mother-in-law, Mary, drove me down to the race and followed me around the course. She was also there to greet me and celebrate with me at the finish line. I remember being so unsure of myself during this race but I just kept putting one foot in front of the other. I remember the excitement of seeing the finish line. I also remember how tired my legs were on the walk back to the car. I didn't really know what to expect with this race, but I had hoped that I would be able to finish in under 3 hours and I did just that with a time of 2:57:03. I was so proud of myself.

Just getting started

Mary and Abs with the epic signs

Feeling very accomplished

8. Bluff Creek Sprint Aquabike (2019)

What is an aquabike you ask? It is a multi-sport race, similar to a triathlon, except you just complete the swim and bike portion of the race and not the run. I came into this race so disappointed. I had been having an EPIC year but injured my foot in early August. I was supposed to compete in the Olympic distance triathlon but had to switch to this race due to the injury. Except for the foot injury, I came into the race in pretty good shape but didn't really have high expectations for it. 

I ended up racing extremely well with an average of 2:06/100 yards on the swim. I followed the great swim up with an even better bike split. I completed the 15 mile bike course in 44:19 for an average speed over 20 mph. Because the race is going alongside the triathlon, I couldn't really tell who I was competing against out on the course. After finishing, I headed for the results trailer to see my name as the only aquabike finisher so far. When all was said and done, I had remained on top of the list and was the overall winner of the race. Not just a winner in my age group, but across all competitors of all ages in the race. A race that I thought would be forgettable in an epic racing year for me turned out to be one of the most memorable moments of the year. As a bonus, I had several family members there to cheer me on and share in my excitement.

My sister's family was there to cheer me on

Very proud parents

My first time winning a race

7. Drake Road Races Half Marathon (2017)

This race made the list because it was memorable for two very different reasons. This was meant to be a warm up race at the mid-point of a full marathon training cycle. Training had been going well and I came into the race in pretty good shape for an early season race. The forecast called for wind and rain, but the rain held off and the cool temperatures and clouds actually made for pretty good race conditions. The course was certainly hillier than any race I had done before but I ended up handling the course very well. I ended up finishing the race in 2:16:39 which was a new PR by about 3 minutes. 

The PR came at a huge price. After the race it was very clear that something was wrong with my foot. I ended up going to the doctor and being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. I ended up pausing my training as I fought through the excruciating pain and did some take-home PT exercises to help. Healing took several weeks and I decided to switch to the half marathon instead of the full marathon for the next race which was a big let down. 

 

Half marathon PR, LET'S GO!

6. Drake Road Races 10k (2023)

This race was just a couple of weeks ago but it made the list for some very good reasons. As I've stated in past blog posts, I have been struggling to get back into training and racing for the last couple of years. This race was a big one on that journey because I trained so well and it translated into one of the best races that I've ever run. It may have been my slowest 10k, but relatively to where I am at with my weight and fitness level I ran even better than anticipated. I officially feel like I'm back.

Thrilled with my race!

5. St. Paddy's Day Half Marathon (2019)

By far my best road race, start to finish, ever. Due to flooding downtown, the race director was forced to alter the route the day before the race. My goal for the race was to set a half marathon PR and that is exactly what I did. It was very cold to start the race so everyone was very bundled up. As the sun got higher in the sky, the temperature became more tolerable. I ran my heart out from the start and gradually moved my way up between pacers on the course. In the end, I finished with a time of 2:08:14 which was more than 8 minutes faster than my previous PR.

About 9 miles into the race

Very proud of myself

4. IMT Des Moines Marathon Relay (2017)

This was the 2nd time that I put a team together for the relay and the race was 100% fun. For those not familiar with the race format, we put a team of 5 runners together to trade off running the marathon course. We all pile into a car and drive between the transition zones which adds an additional element of fun. On race day, everyone seems to run better than expected and the car is filled with a lot of encouragement and laughs along the way. Erin led us off on the 1st leg and ran lights out. I ran the 2nd leg of the course which is a 6 miles stretch of rolling hills through some Des Moines neighborhoods. Even with the hills, I was able to crush those 6 miles in a time of 58:06. Another fond memory that I had from this race was helping out at an understaffed water station while we waited at one of the transition zones. Our final time was 4:20:02 and everyone ran so well. 

Helping out at a water station

All ready for another great relay

Proud finishers!

3. Des Moines Triathlon (2016)

The final 3 races on the list just all seem a little more special than the rest. I still have no clue what possessed me to become interested in triathlon, but once I had my heart set on it there was no turning back. This wasn't even supposed to be my 1st triathlon. In July of 2016 I was supposed to race at the Accel Triathlon but the race was cancelled due to weather as we were at the edge of the lake waiting to start. Originally I had signed up for the sprint distance, but after a couple of months of training I decided to make the jump up to the Olympic distance. 

Race day was extra special because several family members came down to cheer me on. I have never been as excited or nervous for a race as I was that day. Everything was new, from swimming and cycling competitively, with a lot of other racers on the course, to learning how transition worked. As soon as I hit the water something in me changed. Everything about this race just felt right. While on course, I caught myself smiling several different times. Looking back, I was clearly such a beginner and made so many mistakes during that first race but it was awesome. I completely fell in love with triathlon and that feeling hasn't left me since. 

My family was there as I came out of the water, cheering like crazy. They were there during the 1st lap of the bike course too, and all of them road a shuttle bus to see me as I finished. As I crossed the finish line I raised both arms in triumph. My final time on the course, 3:09:46, a PR that stands even to today. 

Out of the water and heading to T1

Pushing hard on the bike

All smiles on the run course

Mission accomplished

2. Door County 70.3 Triathlon (2019)

This race was all about redemption. The Legend Ad Adstra 70.3 in 2017 did not turn out the way that I had hoped and that course got the best of me. There was no way that was going to happen again. I focused and trained harder for this race than I had ever trained before, and quite possibly harder than I will ever train again. 16 weeks of grueling workouts and training sessions that left me completely exhausted. Every single training session had a purpose and a goal, and even though they didn't always turn out as planned, I was sure to learn something from each one. 

My confidence was extremely high as Erin and I arrived in Door County the day before the race, and I carried that confidence through to the next morning. The biggest change had nothing to do with fitness, it was my mental preparation. In 2017 I was surprised when adversity struck during the race and didn't handle it well. This time, I was prepared for it and took everything in stride. The swim flew by, as did the bike. I had a plan in place as I headed out on the run, and when my body started to break down mid-way through the half marathon run, I handled it perfectly. I cut almost an hour off my previous 70.3 time from 2017. As I crossed the finish line, I knew that all of that hard work had been worth it. 

The race wasn't the only reason this falls so high in the top 10. Erin and I turned this into a mini vacation for just the 2 of us. With the kids at Grandma and Grandpa Weiler's house, we had the opportunity to tour Door County in the days after the race and just enjoy some time together after completion of such a time-intensive training cycle. 

Waiting for my swim wave to be called

Crushing the bike course

70.3 Miles Complete

We both earned this one

1. Cy-man Sprint Triathlon (2018)

There was never a question in my mind when it came to picking a favorite race. My 2018 racing season provided a lot of adversity. I had gained weight during the off season and it kept going up through the spring and early summer. I was eating horribly and my training was off. It is the only time since 2014 that I was considering quitting racing. To make things worse, at the end of June I managed to injure my back. What happened next is well documented in past blog posts so I won't go into the details here, but led to a major turning point. 

As I rehabbed my back and started to lose weight I actually managed to put together a nice stretch of good races. In fact, I raced well enough to win my age group for the Heart of America Triathlon Series. That win gave me a place in the champions wave at the Cy-man. I was so excited by my progress that I scheduled a party to celebrate and invited friends and family out on race day and then back to the house for a cook out afterward. So many friends, coworkers, and family members came out to support me that day and I will forever be grateful. I always race better with supporters there on race day and this race was no different.  I ended up having a fantastic race and finished it off with a 5k PR during the run. That's right, I ran a 5k PR after swimming and biking. 

After the race, everyone came over to the house and the party continued. It is this race, and this moment in my life that always reminds me that no matter how bad it gets I can always turn things around. I talk a lot about how epic my 2019 racing season was and often 2018 becomes a forgotten season. One thing is true, without the struggles I faced and overcame in 2018 there is no way that 2019 turns out the way it did. Facing and overcoming struggles is what makes me who I am, it drives improvement, and makes me a better person.

 

Ready for the swim to begin

Very smooth on the bike

Strong finish to the race

A great group of friends

My very supportive family

Mom and dad are always so proud

Wrap up

This was a very fun blog post to put together. It gave me a chance to look back through all of my races and relive some very good memories. The truth is, I'm not done yet. While these races will always be special to me, I hope to look back in 5 years and have a whole new list of top 10 favorite races. I'm back into it now and having a lot of fun. I'm very excited to find out what the future holds. 

April 2023 Recap

April was a fantastic training month for me as I was able to hit all of my training goals for the month. I had set 4 primary goals for the month and here is how they turned out.

Goal: Keep my run streak alive!

I was able to successful keep my run streak alive by run all 30 days in the month of April bringing my run streak to 448 days. I've actually been making a lot of progress with my running this month and the results showed when I ran the Drake Road Races 10k on April 23rd. 

I ran a total of 85.58 miles for the month which comes out to an average of 2.85 miles per day and is the most miles I have run in a month since my run streak started. I completed 4 runs that were 6 miles or longer, including my longest of 7 miles on April 9th. I also managed to average a pace of 13:42/mile which makes it the first month that I have averaged less than 14:00/mile since my run streak started. During the Drake Road Races 10k, I was able to break a goal that I had set back in February to run a sub-12:00 minute mile when I ran 11:59 on mile 6. 

I expect my running mileage to decrease in May as I have officially shifted my focus to triathlon and spending more time on the other disciplines. 

Goal: Complete 15 strength training sessions

I don't know why, but strength training is one of my least favorite forms of exercise. That being said, I know that it plays a key role in longevity with both running and triathlon. More importantly though, it is great for weight loss and general health and fitness. I have been working really hard to build good habits around strength training and I'm actually getting there as I was able to accomplish this goal as well. In April I did a great job of building consistency and have really been focusing on the parts of my body that I know are weakest. It is already making a difference. 

Goal: Bike 100 miles

A modest goal for sure, but I was successfully able to accomplish this goal as well. During April, I completed 11 rides totaling 139.59 miles. I was able to average 18.1 mph but admittedly most of these rides were on the trainer in the basement (no wind, no hills, no traffic). I'd like to see that average up around 20mph, but a more important metric to me is average cadence. My average cadence for the month was 65 rpm but I would really like that to be closer to 80 rpm. I certainly have some work to do on the bike, and am hoping for more favorable weather in May to allow me to get outside more often. 

One highlight of the month was getting outside for my 1st bike ride of the year. I was able to put a few miles in on the Chichaqua Trail on April 14th with my friends, Kyle and Adam. We had a blast and Adam even enjoyed it enough to go out and buy a nice bike of his own afterwards. 

Goal: Complete 4 swims

Another seemingly modest goal, and another one that I was able to complete. I actually ended up swimming 5 times for a total of 3.21 miles for the month. My longest swim was 1500 yards on April 17th. I was very consistent, averaging around 2:30/100 yards for each swim although I certainly built up my swimming endurance as things felt a lot better and my stroke was a lot more smooth by the end of the month.

Unlike on the bike, I'm actually happy with where I'm at with my swimming....for now. the longest swim for any race that I have this season is 750 meters, which I will be able to get through no problem. Improving speed and form with swimming is better saved for the off season anyways and with how these sprint triathlons are set up, swimming is such a small portion of the race. The cost vs. reward on spending a lot of time on it just isn't there right now. One thing I will need to do within the next month is get into the open water a bit, of course mother nature will have the biggest say on when that will happen. 

Another lesson that I am quickly learning is how different life is now than it was back in 2019. Both of our girls are in countless activities, some of which I am helping out. Pool hours are fairly hard to come by due to a lifeguard shortage at the YMCAs in the area. Although these things sound like excuses, they are a reality that I have to deal with and it often just means less time in the pool. I was lucky enough to find some times that worked during April that allowed me to swim while Abigail was taking a class at the Y. 2 birds, 1 stone. 

Enjoyed a mid-morning swim on a day off work

Wrap Up

One thing that I haven't done much of is focusing on my weight. This means that I haven't been weighing in regularly but I do try to do it around the beginning of each month to see what progress I have been making. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, I'm sinking a lot of energy into working out and following my training plans consistently. I have found in the past that if I try to take on too much at one time that I will either get burnt out or dejected if things don't go my way. I've let myself, for the most part, keep eating however I want. One good thing is, the more consistent I get at training and working out, the better I tend to eat without even thinking about it.

The second reason is that there are so many things I want to focus on that just aren't weight. I know that losing weight will help me reach my goals but sometimes the weight doesn't go down, or doesn't go down as fast as I would like and I get frustrated. The truth is, each day I'm getting a little faster on the bike, in the pool, or while I run. Each day I get a little stronger when I lift. I want to focus on those more tangible and meaningful things to me, at least for now. 

During May, I am going to work on being more intentional with my eating. I don't have a concrete plan in place yet but I'm hoping to figure something out and take small steps to get there. Just like in 2014, when this all began, I'm in it for the long haul and not just seeking short term gains. I'm also very excited for what is in store this May. I don't have any races on the schedule, but training for a triathlon is very exciting. I am a triathlete at heart, so I'm just out there working hard to feel more like myself each day. 

Drake Road Races 10k 2023

The sun was out and winds were light, and even though it was a little cold, it turned out to be a beautiful morning for a race. The Drake Road Races is one of my favorites each year because of the timing, atmosphere, and variety of races they offer (5k, 10k, and half marathon). With a 5k under my belt back in March, I opted to sign up for the 10k to see what I could do. 

My alarm went off at 5:30, giving me plenty of time to get ready and head down to the Drake campus. My friend, Adam, decided to come to the race with me to cheer me on so I picked him up at 6:30 and we were on our way. I found a parking spot on my favorite neighborhood street that allows for an easy exit after the race and we made it to the starting line with plenty of time to spare. I didn't really feel like doing a warm up run, so we walked around a bit to stay warm in the cold.

All 3 races were sold out this year so the start line was a sight to see. Before I knew it, I heard the starting pistol fire and we were off. I felt really good from the start and successfully weathered the storm of everyone else going out fast. My legs were good and stretched out by the time I reached the 1 mile marker and I managed to keep a fairly consistent pace for the next 4 miles. My legs were tired, but I felt like I had something left so I put the hammer down with about a mile to go and ended up running a sub-12 minute mile for mile 6. I've been trying to reach a sub-12 minute mile for a couple of months now so it felt good to actually get it done. Heading down the hill and into the stadium was very cool, as always, and I gave it one final kick as I headed to the finish line. 

My goal for the race was to finish in under 1:25, but I knew that if I raced really well I might be able to go sub-1:20 and that is exactly what I did. My official time was 1:18:35 and I don't think I could have done much better than that. This was only my 3rd 10k since I started racing back in 2014, but it was my slowest (by far). This race, and training these last 2 months though, has really given me the confidence that I will, in time, get back to where I once was. 

My biggest highlights of this race come from the results themselves. As already stated, I ran some very consistent splits the whole race and I was able to hit that sub-12 minute mile time during the race. Additionally, I was very happy to see that the final 5k of the race was faster than the first. In fact, not only was it faster than the first 5k of this race, it was faster than the 39:07 that I turned in at the St. Paddy's 5k back in early March by 36 seconds! It may not seem like much, but every step I take, no matter how small, gets me 1 step closer to reaching my goals. 

Consistent splits, but how about that mile 6?

Faster coming back than going out

With Drake in the rearview it is time to turn my focus to triathlon. I am planning to race 3 sprint triathlons in 4 weekends beginning June 17th at the Quad Cities Triathlon. With that race nearly 2 months away, I have plenty of time to prepare and may look to add an additional road race to my schedule in May. 

Developing a Support Network

This post could very well apply to any part of life, but my focus will be on developing a good support network for training and racing. A lot of my own time and effort goes into training and preparing to race but none of it would be possible without my support network. I can break down my support network into 4 different roles. I have several people who fit into multiple roles and each role is crucial to my success.

1. Coaches
2. Cheerleaders
3. Managers
4. Teammates

Coaches

I was born a problem solver, and I love to figure stuff out on my own. That being said, early on in life I learned that the best way to learn is to listen to the stories of people that have been where you are and worked through the challenges that you are facing. I've never hired a formal coach for racing (although they do exist) but I have learned a lot from those around me. A few different coworkers at Pioneer really helped me a lot in those early years. 

Robbie, a fellow software developer, was (and still is) an avid runner. He gave me a lot of advice those first few years as I really got into running. He shared different training ideas with me based on his experience. Even as I am diving back into training now, we are still connected on Garmin Connect and keep in touch that way. Robbie is also the person that taught me to appreciate a good new pair of running shoes. 

Mike was another software developer at Pioneer. We were at a similar point in our running journey back in 2015-2018. We shared our training plans with each other and he taught me about time-based training (as opposed to distance based). 

Megan, another software developer at Pioneer, and now working for me at John Deere, was a swimmer. Back in 2016 when I was trying to teach myself to swim freestyle I was constantly bouncing ideas off of her. Megan ended taking up running as well and for a couple of years we would run together before work or over lunch. It helped both of us with accountability and companionship in a sport that could, at times, be very lonely. 

Chris was another coworker at Pioneer. He had gotten into triathlon a couple years before me and we crossed paths often at races. I didn't know many triathletes so it was nice to have someone else with the multi-sport mindset to talk with about training and races. 

Learning from those around me, as well as making those social connections, really had a huge impact in those early years. Without those coaches around me, I'm certain that I would have run into many hurdles that would have changed into complete roadblocks that would have stopped me completely. 

Cheerleaders

To me, a cheerleader is anyone who shows an interest in my racing. There are so many ways to be a cheerleader from reading my blog, liking a Facebook post about a race or accomplishment, asking me about how training is going or if I have a race coming up, or actually showing up on race day to cheer me on. 

I am very lucky to be surrounded by many cheerleaders and I'm certain that I won't be able to mention everyone here. Just know that even if you aren't referenced in this post, I notice and appreciate every single person in my life who has taken an interest in my journey, no matter how small. 

My mother-in-law, Mary, has been one of my biggest cheerleaders from the beginning. Way back in 2014 when I started on this journey my first race was the Bix 7 in Davenport. This is a race that Mary walks every year so we went to the race together and she cheered me on every time we crossed paths on the course. Mary also was there for my first half marathon, my first triathlon, and a number of other races as well. Mary is also an avid reader of my blog posts and often the first person to like any status I post on Facebook.

Mary and I after the Bix 7 - July 2014

My parents, Dan and Shirley, support me in everything that I choose to do in life. When it comes to racing, they are never shy about telling me how proud they are of me. My parents have traveled all over Iowa to watch me race. I can remember one time, in August 2017, when they came down to our house, got up ridiculously early in the morning and rode with me up to the Bluff Creek Triathlon. I was supposed to race the Olympic distance triathlon that morning but things changed when a thunderstorm pushed through. Mom and dad sat in the truck with me waiting out the rain until we were given the all clear, but with the late start, everyone would be racing the sprint distance. 

Mom and Dad with me and Abigail after the
Bluff Creek Triathlon - August 2017

Dad with me before the Des Moines Triathlon -
September 2016

Their are many other examples of family and friends who have, and continue to be my cheerleaders as well. There has been several occasions when my sister, Melissa, and her husband, Mike, have been great cheerleaders for me. Mike went with me to my 2nd half marathon in 2015 to keep me company and cheer me on during the race. Melissa brought her kids up to the Bluff Creek Triathlon several years to cheer me on as I raced. Just last summer, I went out to Adel to run a 5k that my nephew Brycen was also running and received their support and encouragement that day too. Everyone I know has busy lives, but with 3 kids of their own, they are especially busy so it means a lot for them to take time to support me. A whole host of family members came out to support me during the Des Moines Triathlon in 2016 and a large group of family and friends came out to cheer me on at the Cyman Triathlon in 2018. 

Cheering Section at the Des Moines
Triathlon - September 2016

A lot of amazing support at the Bluff Creek Triathlon - 
 August 2017

Family support at the Cyman Triathlon -
 September 2018

Great support from my friends at the Cyman Triathlon -
 September 2018

Of course, I can't end this section without calling out my 3 biggest cheerleaders. My wife, Erin, and daughters, Abigail and Bridget, are always cheering for me. When I return home from a long run or a trip to the gym, I'm often greeted with a "GOOD JOB DADDY!" Whenever they come to a race, they cheer louder than anyone else and give me as many high fives as they can. There are always hugs at the finish line as well. They encourage me on the days that I really don't want to do it anymore, and console me on the days when things are extra hard or don't turn out the way that I want them to. One perfect example of this was when I completely bonked during the run at the Legend Ad Adstra 70.3 Triathlon back in 2017. Erin went with me to the race and supported me the whole day. The race was hard, and it turned out that I was not as prepared as I thought I was. When my calves completely seized up about 8 miles into the run, she walked with me for a couple hundred yards as I cried. She encouraged me to keep going, but I also know she would have thought no less of me if I had stopped. In that moment, she was my strength and got me through the end. 

Bridget excited to see me (and my medal) after
the Des Moines Triathlon - September 2016

 

My #1 cheerleader after the Legend Ad Adstra
Triathlon - September 2017

Mary and Abigail cheering me on during
the Quad Cities Half Marathon - September 2015

There is one last group of cheerleaders that I need to mention. The random strangers that line the race route and the other athletes in the race. Words of encouragement coming from someone that you don't even know, someone who has nothing to gain by building you up, someone that you probably will never see again is just so genuine. There are a lot of reasons that I love to race, but the community around road races and triathlon are just so accepting, positive, and uplifting. I could share many examples for this one, but last year at the Drake Relays Road Races I was amazed and uplifted by all of the sororities and fraternities that were lining the streets of campus cheering on the runners. Certainly up earlier than most college students on a Sunday and dressed in silly outfits.

Managers

Out of all 4 roles in my support network, managers are the most important people. They are the selfless individuals who give up their own time to help me along my journey and often get enough of the credit. Managers are the people who babysit my kids so that I can travel to a race, those who let me sleep on their couch or in their spare bedroom the night before a race, the ones who drive with me to a race or drive me home after so that I can rest. 

My biggest manager, and it should be no surprise, is my wife. I could write several blog posts on all of the work she has done, and sacrifices she has made just so that I can be an amature runner and triathlete. The biggest example of her support came back in 2019, and it was the whole year. We sat down before 2018 even ended and I laid out what I was thinking, she was all in with no reservations. In addition to working a fulltime job, and fitting in family time/events, I averaged about 20 hours a week of training. This meant that I was almost always gone in the mornings so she needed to get the girls out of bed and ready by herself. I was also gone several evenings a week forcing her to take on a bigger role with dinner and bedtime (along with several other things). Erin also brought the girls to several of my races that year to cheer me on along the course. Every hour that I spent training and racing, forced her to take on more of the load and I am so grateful for her willingness to do that. 

Another great example comes from the Legend Ad Adstra 70.3 triathlon in 2017. My in-laws, Kurt and Mary, drove over from Bettendorf to watch the girls while Erin traveled with me to Kansas City early on Saturday. Erin's aunt and uncle, John and Susan, graciously gave us a place to stay that night and fed us dinner. On Sunday, after the race, Erin drove my truck all the way back to Des Moines so that I could rest and sleep in the passenger seat even though she HATES to drive my truck. Just that 1 race took a lot of sacrifice and time from a bunch of people. 

In 2019, Erin's parents once again watched the girls as we headed to Door County Wisconsin for me to race in the Door County Triathlon. I have also raced several times in the Quad Cities:

• Bix 7 2014 and 2016
• Quad Cities Half Marathon 2015 and 2016
• Quad Cities Triathlon 2018 and 2019
• Davenport YMCA Turkey Trot 2015 and 2016
• Dewitt Crossroads Triathlon 2017

Each of those races I was able to stay with my in-laws and was also fed very well by Mary. 

In 2016, on the day of my 1st triathlon, I know that my mom really wanted to come watch me race but instead she sacrificed and stayed at home with the girls so that my dad and Erin could come to the race with me. Similarly, I know that Erin would love to attend more of my races, but with 2 daughters at home she is only able to come to a few of them. 

Teammates

Running and triathlon are, for the most part, individual sports. However, teammates are those people who are in it right along side me. The people who spend time training with me or racing with me. They are a source of motivation and bring a lot of fun to a sport that can be boring and monotonous at times. I have had some excellent teammates over the last several years. 

During my years at Pioneer, I was blessed with a lot of great teammates. As mentioned earlier, for several years, I would go on weekly runs either before work or during lunch with my coworker Megan. On occasion, our coworkers Steve or Brandon would join us as well. It was something I looked forward to each week for both the accountability and the companionship. I was also lucky enough to participate in several Des Moines Corporate Games events with many coworkers. When I got into cycling, I discovered that my coworker, Kyle, loved to bike as well. We took several rides together, including my longest at the time of 72 miles when we completed the Raccoon River Valley trail loop for the first time. 

Beyond training, I also loved the opportunity to race some relays with friends. These were some of my favorite races because of the atmosphere and everyone working together and cheering for one another. I raced the Des Moines Marathon relay 2 times and did a triathlon relay as well. So...much...fun!

Des Moines Marathon Relay Team - October 2016

Des Moines Marathon Relay Team - October 2017

Accel Triathlon Relay Team - July 2019

In addition to the relays, I also had the honor to race with several different people in a variety of races over the year, including with Erin on several occasions. I've mentioned it before, but with 2 young kids at home training was extra difficult, especially when both of us were doing it at the same time. Training and racing with someone builds a special connection, and will cherish those forever.

Grimes Governor's Days 5k with Erin - June 2015 

Davenport YMCA Turkey Trot with Erin - November 2015

Quad Cities Half Marathon with Erin - September 2016

Kickoff 5k with Uncle Mike - February 2019

TriByKnight Triathlon with Justin - May 2019

Virtual Drake Relays Road Races with
Abigail - September 2020

Recently, I have started to rebuild my support network. Even with a 3 year hiatus from training and racing I am extremely lucky to have a lot of these same individuals in my life. In the last couple of months, a group of close friends at work consisting of Kyle, Megan, and Adam have all connected using the Garmin Connect app/website and have been communicating through Slack. We were all interested in beginning or rekindling a fitness journey of some sort and we are using these tools to encourage and challenge one another. We are holding each other accountable and pushing each other to do better and be better. All of us have very different goals but we are accomplishing them at a rate that none of us could do as individuals. It is these 3 that have really relit the fire inside of me and gotten me on the road to dreaming big once again. It is great to have a community of friends to lean on each and every day. 

Conclusion

There are many ways to build a support network, and it will look different for each individual. However, one thing is true for everyone and that is the fact a support network is 100% necessary for me to accomplish my goals.

I purposely kept this post focused on those roles people play in my life that supported me. I did want to mention that if you choose to start on a journey of your own, there will also be people in your life who aren't supportive and who try to tear you down. Be prepared for that, as it may sometimes even be the people that you least expect. I don't know why it happens, maybe it is jealousy, but either way you should not view it as a reflection of you but instead on them. 

The last thing that I will leave you with. My network has no limits and I am always recruiting new people to be min my support network. I'm also always looking to join the networks of others. If you could use some extra support or accountability, if you want to start on a journey of your own but need some help, if you need a cheerleader or someone to watch your kids, be sure to reach out and let me know. We are all in this together!