Arizona Preparations and Becoming a True Professional in the Sport: Wrapping Up My Rookie Pro Season

I leave today to race my final of the 2015 season.  During the race in Chattanooga I swore off the idea of doing another Ironman in 2015, but as usual - that changed.  I am pretty excited to get there and see what I can do.  I think that I did my best to hold onto fitness in the month and a half since IMChoo.

I guess we will see in a few days.


Ironman Arizona Prep:  Minimal

- I have NOT been on a bike outside ONCE since being in Chattanooga - all work has been on a trainer.

- My longest ride since Chattanooga has been a two hour trainer ride.

- My longest run has been 13.5 miles - on a treadmill.

- 95% of my runs have been on a treadmill.

- My swim has been below what I wanted.  Usually 7k per week.  I am guessing that I will be similar swim strength to Chattanooga, but it'll be in a wetsuit.  I have historically swam poorly in a wetsuit, so this will be a test.


Future Plans: I told my wife last year that my goal was to simply earn/qualify a pro card from USA Triathlon, then to race and have fun in the pro field.  I'm changing those plans up a bit.

I am going to be turning my energy into making a living as a professional in the sport of triathlon.  I want to turn my focus towards coaching and racing more full time to see what I can do and where I can go.  I am also opening myself up to move towards the product side.  I really want to see how I can earn a living one way or another.  If racing simply becomes a resume builder and first hand experience to pass along knowledge of race strategies or products, then that's what my career as an athlete will have to be.  My time to race as a pro athlete is very limited - I am going to enjoy it along the way.

I am not ever going to bank on making many paychecks racing.  I am also not going to base my success in triathlon on wins.  Though I do plan on making a little money from prize checks, I am looking long-term.  This sport is what I love to do.  I love endurance sports and I am truly determined to become a pro within triathlon one way or the other.

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I finish this post with a  picture (below) of myself almost 5 years ago to the day.  It was two days before IM Florida, my first.  I was scared shitless of the distance and the race.  It ended up being the hardest experience of my life.  I got done and said that I was never going to do another.  Fast forward 5 years and I'm about to tackle my 11th Ironman distance race.  I am happy with the transformations that have happened since Nov. 6th 2010.