2018 - Check-in 10 July - #ZENTRIATHLETE

Post event finish - Cache Valley Super Sprint - Astrid, Shane and Juniper (left to right) July 2018

Checkin' IN!!!

So, here I sit again from a chair in the air. Oh my gosh. We are in the process of restoring a portion of our home during an insurance claim and a home warranty claim. Ok, so the repair is done. Now we are in the frustrating stuff that keeps coming up and being fumbled. We have 2 of 3 bathrooms back, but I think they didn't put green board in the DS bathroom. Argh. Soon we will be beyond it all, but man, for now it isn't satisfactory.

On Saturday I participated in a Sprint Triathlon. It was a 500 meter swim, 12 or so mile cycle and a 5k run. It was a fun day. I tried to just keep a simple approach as this was my first actual event of the year. It is a local event. I enjoy the RD and his overall approach to races and events. Is he perfect, not at all. But he is consistent, listens to those he needs to listen to. He makes improvements and changes where and as he can. A solid race production. I'm grateful that Liz let me go ahead an go after this.

huub transition backpack and T1/T2 setup

So, one of my bday gifts was a cool new HUUB triathlon backpack. Very cool. It fit every need I had in this event. I am sure that it will also work for when I move back up to 70.3 and 140.6 distances. It was very, very cool. That being said. I was able to get all things in my T1 and T2 and plenty of room for pre event stuff and even post. So, I was setup to be able to have things I needed and a few extra things I did not want to use. Anyway. I got everything ready the night before by like 1 AM. it was a bit chaotic, and family affairs got in the way a bit.

So Liz and I took the approach, I will ride to the event - approx 3 miles away and if she can get there she would too with the girls. So off to bed we went. Alarm clock goes off and man, I did not want to get up. Grabbed my water bottles, got the last things together and started to bike over. Well, I'm glad I didn't have to wear my NOX 360 flashing vest to be visible. So, on the ride to the venue my attitude completely changed. It was great to be up in the morning, pedaling at a steady pace to get to the race start. I was able to take in the morning and just get slowly geared up. It was nice to pedal up the hill toward center street, to pass main street and then cruise down tot he aquatic center.

Transition setup for me was basic and simple. I was right next to a father and son, and the boy was Dennis age or younger. What a cool thing. I made a simple mention of how cool it was to the dude, and his response was a bit disappointing, but whatever. I hope he understood that I thought
it was cool even if it was unsolicited. The little boy seemed so engaged and wanted to be there with dad, but dad was there to be about business. I was able to run into a few folks new and old. I was grateful to rekindle simple connections. It was nice to catch up a few times, I was grateful to their kindness and respect to me. It was what I feel I needed. So, on to orientation and I cross paths with a 14 year old and his mother. this kid was an animal. He was already 6 ft, lean and a solid and great disposition. I talked to the mom, and they were out here from Michigan scouting out an opportunity to open a bike/triathlon store in Ogden. She mentioned how she much more liked Cache Valley compared to Ogden. We exchanged some pleasantries and tried to help her understand that Utah is a great place and an opportunity if it measures up to her and her family's needs. My hope is she appreciated my approach and kept it positive and let her know where i perceived the gaps in the industry.

Then the surprise, I was able to run into an old friend Neal. It was so cool. Spoiler, he won the overall Olympic, and his daughter came out too. I am encircled by a lot of great people. I can only hope to emulate and be similar at best, is my hope. That being said. The game of self-seeding
was upon us.

So let's be real. Here's my overall approach to the day: I wanted to enjoy this event. I wanted to have my smile. No disappointments. Life has been pretty difficult and hard lately - a lot of blessings for sure, and trying to make sure I manage life with Liz to the best of our capability and in a manner pleasing to us and our moral construct. So for the race, I wanted to swim easy (completely under-trained). I wanted to sit on the bike and have fun. I wanted to enjoy the ride. I got passed by this 25-30 age grouper, and she was just killing herself. I just laid into aero and found my groove. I rode a solid 19.5 - 20 mph avg from 10th west out n back. When I was passing the girl I mentioned, she was like, 'now i follow you and how do you not die out here'. I just kind of smiled, and I said ' I never train enough' - she laughed. I asked her simply, may I offer some advice for what I am seeing. She was like " YES PLEASE". So I shared my advice, for about 2 minutes and helped her. Later on the run she thanked me again in passing and mentioned that she hopes it plays out b/c she felt comfortable finally after making a small change. She was working her upper shoulders like folks do in spin class, she needed to place that down to her hips and her hip flexors. She was wasting a ton of energy on the bike. and yes, she ended up passing me on the run. So, my only goal on the run was to not die. No really, I wanted to use the aid station at mile just past the fence to the river trail out n back, and I wanted to have negative splits. Yes, I did it.

So, lessons learned. I can be patient and disciplined. I can have a great day and not concentrate on the wrong things. I can do a sprint and probably and Olympic fasted and without nutrition - ya crazy. I can eat the wrong things the week before and still have a good day during an event. I still love triathlon. I just enjoy it. I was talking to a fellow named Paul as we were waiting to get in the pool, and we were just we like to suffer and it isn't the daily have to's. Its the I want to dimension of life beyond family happiness. I also was reminded how much Liz supports me and loves me in the crazy things we choose to do. The new to us home has truly consumed us as a family, and well, it was good to have this event since we had to pass on St George HIM this year and also Ragnar in Zions. It was good to have friends on course to encourage and also to be able to encourage too. Many of us are inspired by each other and that is just something cool that I don't often get in work and daily requirements of living outside of my nuclear family. What else?

Oh. ONHILLEVENTS is a great race group to participate with. I am grateful to Jo and his efforts. I am grateful to the chaotic way He chooses to make his events happen. Great job JOe, and the new time keeping platform he's using is pretty sweet. Great Choice.

Lastly, the family dynamic. Our little Juniper turned 3 on July 3rd. Oh my goodness. This little girl, who took so long to join us in our family is such a treat and becoming a terrible 3 year old. She is wonderful. I'm sorry to Dennis that it didn't happen faster. I am grateful that my wife found a way to hold on and not spiral and destroy herself and that we are able to be called her parents. She had the added blessing that Naunie and Grandpa came to visit from California. I know a lot of folks don't understand why we live where we do. To be frank its because it is where Liz and I chose and feel we received confirmation to be for Dennis, Juniper and now Astrid. It's an excellent place to raise a family. The new community is just OUTSTANDING and we are seeing many things we yearned to see in previous aspects of our life and we are seeing many great things all manifest together. We do often feel like we are out on an island alone. We also when we could traveled with Dennis a lot. To see my parents, to get to Liz's parents. To visit my brother in the middle of Utah. And we are just grateful when folks decide to come see us. But Juniper was tickled pink. To spend time with grandparents, show off her little sister and to become 3!!!

Juniper 1 year old and 2 years old

She keeps growing - Juniper

Liz stated in a FB post that I am gearing up for a 70.3 in mid September. Guess I need to get on board. the next few weeks of work life are me flying to NYC, Florida, and NYC lots. I ma in a unique position in my company being asked by the CA of our largest and most prominent US
customer to represent their institution in specific ways. This puts me in a position that is sometimes lonely as I sense and see and witness that it doesn't always make my colleagues especially some upstream happy. So I have begun the discussions to revisit my role to make sure it gets addressed appropriately in compensation and the ability for me to be successful, and not just succesful for someone upstream and only receive uncompensated lip service that isn't always reciprocated when I need to lean into them, but I get leaned into a LOT.

So, overall, things are solid. I finally finished the 1700 sq ft of floor, wait not true, I have my closet left and I have 2 pieces to redo in our pantry. I can do sooooo much better now in that pantry. Liz mentioned it felt like a big burden went away as I finished that but we still have the baseboards and finishing work to do. I think just doing a simple 4-6 inch flat baseboard that is white is good enough.

I guess, I'm seeing life from a different vantage point. I have a great wife. I try to tell her that all the time. Sure I don't always know how to say and compliment her at the right times, but I try to let her know how great she is. From her intellect, demeanor (when she's not hangry), her style, how she tries as an excellent mother. The little things she pays attention to I never see. The way she has befriended me and been patient with my imperfections, my stubbornness and general faults as a male. I am a privileged father to Dennis, Juniper and Astrid. Each is unique and extremely special in their ways. I know I am not perfect, but extremely glad that they call me Dad, especially when I return home from my travels.

approx 2015

19 June 2018

Ok, I think that covers this check in. trying to get in front of nutrition. Time to find the discipline train. Time to board the pathway of consistency. Here's to a solid upcoming few weeks of life. Cheers!