Carving Pumpkins

Carving pumpkins is one of my favorite, once-a-year holiday traditions.  Actually, it might be my favorite.  No, by no means am I great at it, but I always try to something on my own, without a stencil.  This year, I did an owl for Sarah and a Sugar Skull for myself.  We let the girls pick out what they got on their pumpkins and Maya picked out a Hello Kitty and Delaney chose a kitty-cat.  We started carving them mid morning on Wednesday.  I decided that we would keep the pumpkin seeds this year and roast them to for a new healthy snack for the girls and I.  The recipe, if you call it that, was super simple and the seeds turned out great.  We washed all the seeds in the sink and then boiled them in salt water for 10 minutes and then roasted them at 400* until the seeds are golden brown.    We made 5 total pumpkins this year, one for each of us, plus one for "baby Kohl."  It is kind of ironic/fitting that the M-dot was on baby Kohl's pumpkin, since they were both bartered for this past year.  Below are the pumpkins - and you were foolish if you seriously thought I wasn't going to make an M-dot pumpkin.

A family of carved pumpkins

Maya's Hello Kitty

Baby Kohl's M-dot

Delaney's Kitty-Cat

Sarah's Owl

My Sugar Skull

Saying No-No to Na-Ni

It has been a while, about 2-3 weeks since I last did a general update for the myself and the family, so here we go.  Since Maya's birthday weekend things have been pretty much back to normal for our family.  We have settled back into our old routine, as opposed to the IM training routine we lived under for the past year.  It honestly feels good.  I won't sit here and make this another IM post about where I want to go with my racing or where I have already been, since I have just about beaten that to death (just see Operation Kona and/or Taking a Step Back).  I will simply say, I am happy where I am in life and wouldn't change a thing for the world.  I am happy with myself and my accomplishments, which, I seem to often forget about because I am so focused on what's next.  I am also happy with what I have been able to provide for my family over the past month.  Although, I will completely admit, I have a long way to go to be the provider that Sarah is.  For example, when I am off from work I am responsible for getting Maya to her preschool class.  Since, it has started, I have brought her there 3 times now, including today.  The first time, I biked her and Delaney to class and had her there about 20 minutes too early.  In my second attempt, I forgot her backpack, but had her there right on time, unfortunately I was 10 minutes late in picking her up.  Today, I thought her class started at 12:45 as opposed to the real time of 12:30.  Good thing I was early and had her there at 12:40.  I felt terrible.  I am just not nearly the parent Sarah is, and I think I have taken that for granted too.  But anyway, things are going well for us.

So long nani!

This past weekend, Sarah and I officially decided to make the commitment to forcing Delaney to give up her nani (ie nuk, plug, pacifier, nu-nu, etc).  The past couple weeks we stopped giving it to her unless she was in her crib or sleeping.  But, now it was time to make the leap to going 100% nani free 24 hours a day.  In order to accomplish this, we figured we would make Delaney feel like she was giving it up.  To make that happen, we took a trip to Build-A-Bear in the mall.  We allowed Delaney to keep her nani in her pocket on our trip there and she was allowed to pick out any animal she wanted.  She chose the German Shepard and as a cop, I'll admit I had a little smile on my face when she picked it over a kitty, pony, bear, or other girly animal.  Then, when it came time to stuffing her new dog, "Woof Woof," she placed the nani into Woof Woof all by herself.  Granted, she had no idea, exactly what she was committing to at the time.  But, none-the-less, she did it and she was proud.  That night, it hit her, she gave up her nani!  We thought that she would cuddle Woof Woof and be able to calm herself, but ironically, she wanted NOTHING to do with Woof Woof, she despised Woof Woof.  Almost as though Woof Woof stole her nani.  I thought I would walk in there and she would have Woof Woof ripped open and sleeping with her nani in her mouth.  Lucky for us, though, the realization that she no longer had her nani lasted less then a week and each night got progressively better.  She has since grown to adore Woof Woof and bring it everywhere and also is completely nani free and happy.

Maya continues to make us forget that she is only 4 years old.  Most of the time she is acting as if she was 8 or 9.  Sarah brought her to the doctor for her 4 year old check up and her height is now completely off the charts for a 4 year old.  Her weight puts her in the 98 percentile for her age, but she is actually on the lighter side when you take into consideration for her height.  Evidently, we grow 'em tall in the Kohl family.  After 3 attempts she has finally passed her swim lessons and has now graduated to "Pike."  I honestly think the week in Mexico had a lot to do with her comfort in the water along with her ability to swim.  I guess swimming for 6 hours a day for 5 straight days will turn your kid into a swimming machine, who knew?

She put the majority of the puzzle together without help!

As Halloween approaches, Sarah has been taking the girls to just about every single trick-or-treating event in the area.  The girls have now taken them to a trick-or-treating at an area hotel, Sweet Street in Green Bay,  Zoo-loween in Oshkosh, and Zoo-Boo in Green Bay.  We have one massive bucket of candy already and it ain't even Halloween.  This year, the Maya has been going as Merida from Disney's Brave and Delaney, a cute and cuddly monster.

Just one of the girls' trick-or-treat outtings

After the YMCA's Freaky 5k this past weekend, I entered Maya into a photo costume contest put on by Fleet Feet of the Fox Valley.  I posted a picture of Maya and I after the kid's fun run, of her in her Merida Costume for a chance to win a $50 gift card to their store in Appleton.  I found out last night that we won!  I was excited to tell Maya she had won.  Later today we are stopping out there to see what new running gear we can get Maya.  Hopefully we will be able to find something for her, otherwise the gift card will help get daddy a new pair of shoes.  But, I would much rather allow Maya to enjoy her mini shopping spree.

The photo that won Maya her $50 gift card.

Last night, I picked up a full 2nd shift worth of overtime.  Believe it or not, this was my first ever full 8 hour shift on 2nds since coming off of training.  Working last night sparked the conversation between Sarah and I about the possibility of me making the jump to 2nd shift full time.  At first, it sounds like an obvious jump, I would get to sleep at night, which would lead to a more normal lifestyle, better mood, not so physically worn down, and sleeping with Sarah on a regular basis again.  But, then I start to really think about it and what I would be giving up.  I would be giving up the time at night with Sarah and the girls.  We get to have dinner together nearly every night and I get to put my kids to bed.  I get the mornings to myself, right before I go to bed to get a quick workout in.  I also, enjoy the guys I work with on 3rd shift.  It would be a serious change for us as a family and just as big of a change onto Sarah.  So who really knows what the future will bring, all I know is it will not be an easy decision at all and there will be a lot of give and take.   

YMCA Freaky 5k - Race Report

I have had the YMCA Freaky 5k on my radar pretty much since the start of the year.  This is a race that I have done now for the past 4(?) years and one that I pretty much plan on running no matter what, even if I work the night before.  Plus this year, I thought that Maya was finally old and mature enough to do the kid's fun run before.  Maya has never done an "official" kids run, were I actually had to register her and pay for her.  Yes, she did complete the kid's fun run before the Patriot March 5k a few weeks back, but it was free and nothing organized.  This had a different feel to it.  She got her own bib, and a race t-shirt, along with a goodie bag chock full of stuff, from candy to free coupons.

Training Plan

I haven't really had a formal training plan.  I have been doing what ever I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it.  I do have some structure to it though.  I have been trying to get in 3 runs during a calendar week - a easy 4-6 mile run, a 5-6 mile fartlek run (think unstructured interval work), and a 6-8 mile "long" run.  Between those runs, I have been swimming and biking as I see fit and taking day's off when I feel like taking off.  I have still been getting outside on my bike even though it's starting to get rather chilly, but the roads are clear and I know the snow is coming, so I have been trying to squeeze the most out of the season as I can.  

Day/Night Before

The race was on this past Saturday morning.  It fell directly in the middle of my work rotation.  I had to work Thursday night into Friday morning.  On Friday morning I did a short 2,000 meter swim consisting mostly of drill work.  I got to bed around 10ish and got my usual 7ish hours of sleep.  I then had to work Friday night into Saturday morning and got out from work on time and went directly from work to Pierce Park where the race was held.  

Getting to the Start Line

The kids race didn't start until 8:00 and the 5k at 8:30 and I got to the park around 6:45, so I was plenty early.  Sarah and the girls didn't get to the park until around 7:30.  So while I waited, I picked up everyone's race packets and bibs.  As soon as they got to the park, we got the stroller all set up and got the girls into their costumes and then brought them to the start of the kid's "Mini Monster Dash" fun run.

Kid's Mini Monster Dash 1/4 Mile Fun Run

Maya had been looking forward to this race ever since she did the fun run at the Patriot March 5k.  I was probably just as excited for her as she was, if not more.  It was fun to see the excitement in her eyes when ever she talked about it.  Sarah told me that she woke up all excited on the morning of the race and got herself all dressed and talked about nothing other than running fast like daddy in her race.  The cool part was that she got her first official race bib.  Her cousin (my God Son), Bradyn was in town staying with Sarah's parents for the weekend, so we signed him up for the race as well.  Maya was wearing her Merida costume (from Disney's Brave) and Bradyn was dressed up as Wolverine.  This was Bradyn's first race and Maya's 2nd fun run.  Once they started the race, Bradyn was a little hesitant to start out, but Maya helped him out.  For one reason or another Bradyn didn't want to run right away, but Maya wanted to, so I jogged along side Maya and Sarah's younger brother ran with along side Bradyn.  After they finished the kids got their medal and they were very proud of them.  

3.1 Mile Run

After the kid's run, I had about 15 mins before the start of the race, so I took off to go get warmed up for the 5k.  After a short 5-10 minute warm up (I would have liked about 10-15 full minutes of warming up) I got to the start line just before the National Anthem.  Shortly after that, we were off.  They changed the course this year slightly to make the course like a lollipop where you run out, do a small loop, and come back the way you went out, ultimately finishing were you started.  The course is a great course, but challenging.  You start out going down hill almost immediately and then run back up a similar hill all within the first 3/4 of a mile.  I started the race as I do most other races, a little more reserved than most.  Especially with the hill right at the start, I did not want to over do it within the first 10th of a mile.  By the time we hit the 1st uphill I found myself in 3rd place with a guy pushing a single child stroller behind me.  It was at that exact moment I told myself, "there is no way you're going to let a guy pushing a stroller beat you - especially with how hilly this course is!"  At that time I did my best to hold on, continue to push to try and catch the 2nd place guy, and not get passed by anyone.  After the first mile, I settled into a good 5k pace.  I was still in 3rd place at this time and had built a decent lead over the 4th place guy, but was still about 10-15 seconds behind 2nd place.  That pretty much stayed constant throughout the entire race.  The most difficult part of the race was the final uphill at about mile 3.  The last 10th of a mile in a 5k is the most difficult part, even without a hill at the end.  So forcing your body to push past maximal effort during the last bit of an all out race and go up a steep hill is extremely taxing!  I finished still in 3rd place with a time of 18:21, the guy who took 4th was the dude pushing the single child stroller - totally badass!  

Post Race

Immediately after finishing, I congratulated the guy who was pushing the stroller on a fantastic run, along with the dude who took 2nd place.  I then waited for my dad to come across and then we jogged the course in reverse to walk with Sarah and the girls.  After catching up with Sarah and the girls, Maya and Bradyn wanted to get out of the stroller and I said I would walk with them.  We were right around the 2 mile mark at this point and they wanted to try and run the last bit of the course.  I thought that was the coolest thing ever.  I was so proud and happy that they wanted to do this on their own without any prompting.  I gladly ran along side them.  They ended up running until they got too tired to continue and then when they caught their breath again, they would run.  They continued this walk/run cycle all the way to the finish line.  I was honestly more proud of the way the finished the last mile of the 5k then the fact that they ran nearly the entire kid's fun run.  After the kids finished, I took them each through the post race food area and then we hung around for the awards ceremony.  A short while later, I received a rather large 3rd place trophy.  Maya was so happy and proud of her daddy!  After enjoying the post-race company of my parents and in-laws, I was starting to get tired and needed to get to bed.  It was time to put yet another great Freaky 5k in the books and head home.

Other Notes

I was honestly a little bummed with my time as I kind of hoping to beat my previous PR I set at the Jailbreak 5k of 17:49.  However, once you take into consideration all the hills on the new course, it's tough to say how this time compares to other 5k times.  My time from last years Freaky 5k, were we only ran down and up the hills once, was 18:14, but took 5th overall.  Either way, I am very happy with my finish and my time.  And in no way am I disappointed or upset with my time.

Lessons for Future Events

Really nothing much to take away here, just another 5k in the books!  I do, now know, that Maya is more than old enough to start doing races on her own, which is awesome!  I can't wait to continue to share my passion of racing and endurance sports with her as she gets older.  But, I know right now, I will NOT be one of those parents who pushes their kids to do things and I will not force Maya to do anything.  If she is old enough to run a fun run or whatever, then she is old enough to decide on her own if she wants to participate in those events.  But, based on how much she enjoyed the Freaky 5k, I have a funny feeling she'll be wanting to do more and more of these events.  

What's Next

I have one final race on my schedule for 2013, The Festival Food's Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  I am going to continue to doing what I have been doing for the past month - just doing what I feel like doing wtih some moderate structure.  I'll continue to run 3 times a week and just fill the other 4 days with other fluff to keep my satisfied and happy.  Within the past week, I have also decided that I need to make a change in my eating habits.  Since the IM I have found myself eating anything and everything I see and I have had some of the worst self control I have ever had.  It has been especially bad since we have been getting a ton of Halloween candy from all the festivities Sarah has been bringing the girls to.  This past Monday, I made the firm statement that this is changing today.  Since Monday, I have eaten as clean as I have ever eaten and I am determined to get my weight back down were it should be.  I have said too many times the past year or two that I need to lose the excess weight I have put on since becoming a full time 3rd shift patrol officer.  If you even look back to my Lakefront Marathon Race Report from over a year ago, I made the statement that I need to lose the weight.  I know it's been a focal point of at least 3-4 posts on this very website, but I have never been able to make the commitment to a strict diet.  I have been able to follow a strict diet for about 3-5 days and then I fall right back into the bad habits that got me to where I am now.  So now, I have been eating less, controlling my hunger through a higher fat diet and cutting back calories.  Granted it has only been a week, but in the past week alone, I have felt great, sleeping better, having quality workouts, and been happier in general, all while eating fewer calories, but eating very nutrient rich foods, such as vegetables, healthy fats, dark leafy greens, and drinking a lot of whole leaf teas and water.  I have not been tracking my calories at all and have not laid out a formal diet plan to follow.  My only rule is to eat clean, unprocessed foods and aim to get majority of calories from fats and proteins.  I have eaten nothing but salads, lean proteins (tuna and salmon), fruits, and vegetables.  My goal now is to stay eating like this and continue to do so until I reach my goal weight of 155-160 by my birthday, March 2nd.  So far - so good, if I can continue like this and stay focused, I may just allow a pig out day on Thanksgiving....we'll see  :)

2014 Sponsorship Video

Taking a Step Back

When I first starting blogging over a year ago, I did so to share my life.  I wanted to give others a view into my life.  I am a dedicated endurance athlete, who works a demanding 3rd shift job as a patrol officer, all while trying to raise 2 daughters, with a 3rd on the way!  I want to be completely honest with my posts.  I want people to know what I go through, how I do what I do.  How I balance work, family, kids, training, and my personal life.  I want to inspire others to chose a healthier lifestyle through some for of exercise and/or healthy eating.  With each of my posts I keep those goals in mind.  Now, I am sure most of you have read or at least heard about my "Operation Kona" post from a couple weeks ago.  It resulted in a wide range of thoughts and emotions from a variety of people.  Some people thought I was crazy, some thought it was motivating, while others thought quite the opposite.  In the middle of it all was me, the author.

I was 100% honest with my post, my feelings, and dreams.  I laid it out there for everyone to read.  Yes, it was extremely ambitious, but that's me - I get an idea in my head and I set out to achieve it.  As I said in the post, it may not be 100% realistic or obtainable, but it was my goal, it was my dream.  At the time of posting it, I was riding the heightened emotions from finishing my first Ironman.  Truth is, I never thought about what the cost and effect would be of setting out to actually qualify for Kona. I was putting myself and my dreams before what is truly important in life.  I was not being honest with myself, my wife, or my kids.  The truth is, I live in Wisconsin and work a very demanding 3rd shift job as a patrol officer, am a member of our County SWAT Team, which is an additional commitment outside of my regular work as a patrol officer.  I also decided 5 years ago, that I wanted to start a family, I wanted kids.  We have since added a 2nd and now have a 3rd on the way, which is due in mid-to-late March.  I am not like most Ironman Triathletes.  Truth is, many Ironman Triathletes are either single adults, retired parents, or successful business men and women who have both time and money to devote to the sport.  I am not at all pigeon-holing or being stereotypical, but it is the truth.  Yes, every year, many people who are far more busier than I and have more kids, with more commitments than I have.  But majority of those individual are one-time Ironman-ers.  They do it as a bucket-list item, a one-and-done Ironman.  There is nothing wrong with that at all.

I was heading down a road I really didn't want to go down.  My "Operation Kona Plan" would have had me loosing out on precious time with my kids.  I would not have been a part of their lives like I want to be.  I was completely ignorant to my family and the one's I love and their feelings and their wants and needs.  Truth is I was completely consumed in the world of Ironman Triathlon.  My priorities were completely out of whack.  It's sad that it took an ambitious post to realize it, but I'm glad I did.  This past year, I forced my wife, Sarah, and my two daughters, Maya and Delaney to make large, significant sacrifices.  I depleted our savings accounts to pay for races, gear, supplements, and nutrition for training and racing.  I was away for most of my free time training.  I missed family camping trips, 3 of them to be exact.  During out full week of vacation together, I spent 22+ hours during the week training.  I made Sarah live the life of a single parent, caring for 2 young and demanding children.  It was not easy for her at all.  When I made the declaration that I would spend the next 5 years of my life "devoted to qualifying for the Ironman World Championships," all Sarah could think is that the next 5 years of her life would be away from her husband with no help raising 3 kids.  And honestly, that's probably the truth. 

With all that being said, I am not giving up on my dream of making it to the Big Island of Hawaii for the Ironman World Championships.  I am simply putting it on the back burner for now to devote my time to something a little more meaningful - my family.  I am going to go back to racing half marathons, marathons, shorter triathlons (Sprint and Olympic distance), and a Half Ironman every now and again.  I still want to run a sub 3 hour marathon, become a stronger biker and continue coach and lead by example for those wanting to live a healthier more active lifestyle.  Someday, down the road, when my kids are older and more independent I may revisit my goal of securing a Kona Slot.  But for now, I am going to go back to racing shorter, less demanding races which do not require the extreme commitment and sacrifices that Ironman Triathlons do.  I will try to remain as competitive within my age group, especially now that I will be moving up to the 30-34 AG.  I also plan on remaining as dedicated and committed to being the best I can be, but at the same time keeping my life priorities in check and spending quality time with what is important in life...my family.  After all, I would much rather never race another triathlon or marathon again and have my wife and kids by my side, then cross the finish line at the Ironman World Championships and have no one there at the end to celebrate that moment with me.

Thanks to everyone who believed in me accomplishing my #1 goal, your love and support did not go unnoticed.  But at the same time, an even bigger thank you goes out to those who took the time to bring me back down to reality and remind me of what was truly important in life - you all know who you are!

Using Picasa

So, I recently downloaded Picasa and have been experimenting with what you can do with it.  Among other things, you can edit, enhance, and change photos.  You can also make slide shows/movies.  Below is an example of a couple things I put together, including a video slide show from our trip to Mexico.

Before

After

Operation Kona

This past Saturday October 12th, 2013 was the 35th running of the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.  It is the dream of any ultra endurance triathlete.  It is the Super Bowl of triathlons, the Boston Marathon of triathlons.  It's the pinnacle of Ironman triathlons.  I don't need to sit here and explain my dream of racing the Ironman World Championships some day - it's probably pretty obvious, especially if you've been reading my blog.  I spent a good chunk of my Saturday glued to either my iPhone or our laptop following Ironman's coverage of the World Championships.  I knew a few people who were over there racing and there were a couple of famous people out there racing an Ironman for their first time.  Ex-NFL receiver, Hines Ward and Iron Chef Gordon Ramsey each trained all year for this years Ironman Kona.  I followed their race times on my phone and then later Saturday night I watched the live streaming of the race on our lap top.  I watched the last 1-2 hours of the race.  I was able to watch the top men cross the finish line looking so strong and fast.  Belgium's Frederik Van Lierde finished in 8:12:29.  About an hour later the top female finished.  Mirinda Carfrae, from Australia, finished with a new course record of 8:52:14.  It was inspirational and motivating just watching the athletes enduring the added challenges that The Big Island brings.  Obviously, you can imagine the hot temperatures that racing in Hawaii bring, but there are also challenging cross winds during the bike that come off the ocean.  During the run, you run right past a Natural Energy Lab which increase temperatures at a very undesirable time, right around mile 20 of the marathon.  Not only is it extremely challenging just getting to the Ironman World Championships, it's that much tougher just finishing the race.

Racing the Ironman in Kona has always been a pipe dream of mine, maybe even just a bucket list item.  If you have ever read my bucket list, you'll see that #1 and #7 pertain exactly to this goal.  But, since finishing Ironman Wisconsin about a month ago I have been dead set on getting to Kona.  Why?  First, there is the obvious draw - the race is in Hawaii, the most beautiful state in the US.  There is not a single soul that would turn down a week or two in The Aloha State.  Second, there is the awe of being considered one of the best triathletes in the world.  Lastly, its a new challenge - and extremely difficult challenge.  It will not be easy.  Practically improbable.  But, I am willing to do whatever it takes.  I have never been more determined to accomplish a goal.  For those who know me know how I get when I get a goal in my head.  The same thing happened when I made it known that I wanted to qualify to run the Boston Marathon.  I had just run my second marathon.  I ran the Green Bay Marathon in 2009 with a time of 3:29:03.  The weeks after the marathon I was riding the post marathon high and I began making statements of being able to qualify for the Boston Marathon - even though I still needed to take about 20 minutes off from my time.  I was determined to run a sub 3:10 marathon and qualify.  I did what was necessary and made it happen.  In 2010 I qualified with a 3:09 at the Green Bay Marathon and then a 3:03 a few months later at the Fox Cities Marathon.  Very similar to that story, I am just over a month past finishing my first Ironman and am still riding the emotional high from finishing.  I am making the statement right here, right now, that I WILL QUALIFY FOR KONA!

Is it realistic?  Maybe not, especially since I am now entering the prime age of triathletes.  I am no longer in the 25-29 age group, beginning next year I will be in the 30-34 age group.  When looking at data the 30-34 age group has some of the fastest qualifying times among all age groups.  The chart below shows average times in each age group of athletes that have qualified for the IM World Championships in each IM race.  If you look closely, I would basically need to run a 10 hour race at IMWI (one of the toughest courses) in order to put myself in a decent position to earn a elusive Kona Slot.

In case you forgot, I ran a 11:37:09 in the 2013 IMWI.  Yup, that means I need to shave off a minuscule 1:37:09.  Nothing to it!  Ha!  So, Matt, if it is so damn-near impossible, exactly how are you going to qualify for Kona?  On top of being in one of the most competitive age groups, only 1.8% of all entrants at IMWI are able to earn a Kona slot.  Yup, you read that right, less than 2% of every IM athlete get to say they are a World Championship Qualifier.  That ain't a lot....not a lot at all!  Plus, on top of all those stats saying that it would be damn near impossible just to qualify, the competition is always getting more fierce.  To think that I am the only one sitting here crunching numbers on what I need to do to qualify for Kona is just foolish.  There you have it, every stat I can find say it is highly improbable, if not impossible for a guy like me to straight up qualify for the IM World Championships - But, hey, if were easy, it wouldn't be so prestigious!

Well, let's take a step back and look at this goal realistically.  First, I realize, exactly, the toll training for IMWI took on Sarah.  I wrote all about the added stress I put on our family in "The Truth Behind the Training." - So there's no secret there.  Secondly, not only was the time away from the family hard on Sarah and I, but the financial commitment is often over looked.  For instance, check out this graphic on the right for a rough estimate on the costs of completing an Ironman.  So, what exactly is my plan to get to Kona?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  My plan is simple really.  First and foremost, I need to get Sarah's support.  Part of getting Sarah's support is her agreeing to me doing no more than 2 full Ironman races at one point or another.  Of the two IM races, one is Kona.  So, really she needs to agree to allow me to do one more IMWI - that's it.  I will not ask to do another IM race until I am retired from my job, I promise.  Once I get the stamp of approval, I will begin training and devoting my life to qualifying for the Ironman World Championships.  I will train within and around my life.  I will not fit my family and life around my training, but rather fit training around my family and life.  I will continue to run 1-2 marathons and 1-2 half Ironman traithlons in a season.  I will train my weaknesses and devote my training to turning my body into an efficient triathlon power house.  I know that my weakness is cycling.  It was exploited at IMWI.  Sure, I had a decent bike split of 5:50 (19.2 mph ave) but I worked too hard during the bike, causing my run to suffer.  I need to continue to increase my cycling fitness and grow that fitness much like I have done with my run fitness over the past 5-10 years.  I need to just maintain my swim form and technique over the year and I am sure my swim fitness will increase slightly over the years.  My run fitness is good where it is at, so I will just need to maintain my run fitness.  With some diligent, devoted cycling training, I feel I can do this, I can qualify for Kona.

I will continue to train until I feel as I am ready to run a 10:00 IM.  When looking at my splits from IMWI this past year (1:13//5:50//4:20) and comparing them to my projected splits (1:05//5:50//3:30) I figure that a 10 hour IM is a stretch, but obtainable.  If I am able to become a cycling powerhouse I figure I could put together a 10 hour IM with splits that break down like this: Swim: 1:05, Bike: 5:12 Run: 3:30, along with 10 minutes for transitions.  The projected swim and run splits are the same as what I was shooting for this past year and I still feel those were realistic, it's just my bike split did not match my fitness to allow me to run a 3:30 marathon.  In order to put up a 5:12 bike split, I need to average 21.5mph over the entire 112 miles.  Yup, that's flying!  Over the next 4-5 years (roughly) I will push the limits on my bike and ride more then I have in past years.  I will work in specific workouts such as tempo rides, sprints, and hill work.  I will also include long bricks and even try to do some long rides before marathons to increase my specific bike-to-run fitness.  Then, as soon as I feel I am ready and fit enough to do a 10 hour IM, I will register for IMWI and Operation Kona will be in full effect.  I will then train my ass off and devote that year to qualifying to Kona.  If everything goes well, I can secure a Kona slot and begin planning our trip to the Big Island the following year.  If it doesn't go my way and I don't earn a Kona slot.  I will step back and say I tried, I gave it my all and it wasn't meant to be.  Without questions, I would be crushed.  I am not saying I am a quitter, I hate that word, it's not in my dictionary.  I don't quit, I wouldn't ever give up.  But, I do not have the financial resources or the family dynamics that allow me to complete an IM each and every year until I qualify.  There is just no way for that to happen.  I need to be realistic and honest with myself.  If I were to fail at my qualifying attempt, I would simply rely on the slim chance of being selected in the annual lottery for a Kona slot.  These slots are offered to a very slim few each year.  As a rough estimate, only about 2% of entrants in the Kona Lottery get selected each year.

So there you have it - My extremely ambitious goal of qualifying for Kona.  All laid out in a few simple steps.  Now if only fulfilling my goal were as easy as planning it out.

Never, never, never give up!

Maya's 4th Birthday

I have now been a father for 4 years.  It's still hard for me to wrap my head around that fact.  At times it feels like I've been a parent for way longer than 4 years and others, it feels like it has gone by in the blink of an eye.  Any way you look at it, my oldest daughter is now 4 years old and is her own little person.  For her birthday this year we planned a dual birthday party for both her and her cousin (our godson) Bradyn at a local hotel/water park.  Bradyn's birthday is 2 weeks after Maya's and is his 5th.  They are and always have been best buds when ever they are together.  We had a large party on Saturday afternoon and spent majority of the time in the pools, which the kids absolutely loved.  Later that night we had each Sarah's family and my family over for the last fire of the year.

Sunday was Maya's actually birthday.  We had made plans to go to Meuer Farm in Chilton, WI, during the mid morning- early afternoon.  After sleeping in Sarah bought the girls a special breakfast - doughnuts.  Maya then opened her presents from her Mom and Dad and then we were off to the Farm.

While at Meuer Farm, we did a hay ride through the forest and farm land.  

Did a huge corn maze.

Played with a water pump duck race.

Played on a hay fort.  Saw your typical farm animals.  Played in a corn pit (think sand box with corn kernals).  And Went down an 80' tube slide.

Even though we had a great birthday weekend, it's still hard for me to think that I am the father of a 4 year old.  Now, only a few more months until I turn 30 and officially become and old man.  Also that month I will becoming a dad for the third time, as Sarah is due with our third child in late March.  Undoubtedly, it's going to be another girl.  

Hidden Vegetable Meatloaf

With this new diet (lifestyle), I am in need of some new recipes for dinner.  The kicker is, they have to be low (to zero) carb, taste good, and my kids have to like it.  This recipe met all the above criteria.  It was easy to make, did not take a lot of time to prep, and tasted delicious.  Plus any time you add bacon to a recipe, you know it's gotta be damn good!

Ingredients

• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (can substitute fresh tomatoes)
• 4-6 baby carrots diced, I used 3 regular carrots
• 1/2 large onion diced
• 3 large cloves, crushed and diced
• 1 handful baby spinach, chopped, I used collard greens
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Pinch of dried parsely
• Pinch of dried thyme
• Pinch of dried savory
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1.5 pounds grass fed ground beef
• All natural, grass fed, bacon (cut in half strips)

Directions

1. Place the first 10 ingredients into a pot on stove over medium heat and cook until soft (about 20 minutes)
   
2. Once the carrots and onions are cooked down and soft, place the contents of the pot into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  
   
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and let the vegetable mixture cool for 5-10 minutes and mix the vegetable mixture and the ground beef with your hands.
4. Form the meat mixture into mini loafs and place into a greased 10"x15" baking dish.  As you can tell the mixture might be a little runny, which is ok.
   
5. Top each loaf with a slice of bacon and place into the oven and cook until the bacon appears to be crisp (about 45 minutes).  I needed to drain the excess liquid out before serving, but they were very moist and flavorful.  
   

A Simple Update

Just wanted to get caught up since I last posted about everything.  Not that there is a lot going on, but hey, pictures are always good, right?

Since finishing the apple cleanse this past Monday, my new diet has been a learning experience.  I have never eaten so few carbohydrates.  I have found myself staying satiated longer by eating more protein and fat, but at the same time, I am realizing exactly how much carbohydrate I have eaten in the past.  My goal is to get around 100g-150g of carbs per day, which sounds like a lot, but really, it ain't too much.  Trust me, they add up quickly.  I have cut out pretty much all fruits, grains, and any of my usual staples, such as bars, pastas, yogurts, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Majority of my carbohydrates are coming from avocados (about 10g-15g), carrots, and other vegetables.  My current weight as of Thursday morning is 173.8, not bad, considering I was just 180, but still a ways off from my goal of 155.  With Thursday being my first night off, I am trying to not eat anything other than a cup of BulletProof Coffee, which I had for lunch after waking up from my short nap.  I added a pinch of cocoa powder along with the usual cinnamon, grass fed butter, and coconut oil.  It kept me awake and alert, not to mention, full, until dinner time with the family that night.  I plan on using BulletProof Coffee more often as a way to stay satiated and energized while on this high fat diet.  I'm sure after a 2-3 weeks of following this protocol, I will figure things out and it will eventually become second nature.

I have still been working out sporadically as I see fit.  I did put together a simple training plan to bring me through Thanksgiving for the Turkey Trot 5 mile run.  My plan is simple, really.  I have a 5-6 mile fartlek run on Tuesday, a shorter easy jog ranging from 4-6 on Thursday, and a longer 6-8 mile aerobic paced run on Sunday.  I then sprinkled in some rest days, swim days, and bike days between the runs days.  I realize that a training plan isn't really necessary for an off season, but I need direction and feel at ease when I have everything planned out.  My workouts have been going good, pretty relaxed.  I have found that I feel a little different, not sure if it's the lack of carbohydrates in my system or just the fact that my training volume is a small fraction of what it used to be.  Either way, I'm enjoying the break from the insane high volumes and spending the extra time with my two beautiful daughters.  I can't lie though.  Not an hour goes by where I am not either thinking of my 2014 race season (schedule and goals) or my Ironman race day.  I've tried putting races out of my mind, just for a day, but for what ever reason, I just can't.  I guess there's worse things to be addicted to...

Maya's school has been going really well.  She absolutely LOVES it.  And I love it too.  I love having her come home and telling me all about what she learned about and seeing all her projects, it makes me smile from ear to ear.  Delaney, is still Delaney.  Rambunctious, active, creative, and constantly learning.  She loves coloring and playing with her Little People Princesses with their castle - and frankly, Sarah and I love watching her play.  But if Delaney knows we're watching, she locks up and gets shy.  Maya turns 4 on October 13th, which is crazy in and of itself.  We are having a joint birthday party at an indoor water park close to our home with her nephew (my Godson) Bradyn on Saturday.  She is super excited about getting to play with her cousin, and of course, get a lot of presents.  

Below are some photos from my morning trail runs on the Wiouwash State Trail.

I have waited WAY too long to have some good beer in my IM pint glass!