IM AZ & The Brothers Pearson

I will be off to AZ tomorrow morning. My second year in a row heading out to watch Ironman Arizona. Last year Ryan (one part of the Brothers Pearson) & I went out to cheer on my buddy Brandon Mills as he lost his Ironman "V card". This year Brandon is coming along to see things from the spectator side.

On my way to masters this morning my buddy Jason said to me how stoked we are we aren't doing the race (he recently pulled out as well due to legitimate work issues). As I told him, I am SUPER stoked Dirk (coach) talked me out of racing AZ. After Kona I was READY for some down time and would not have been up for resuming training right away to get ready for AZ. I guess that's one of the reasons one gets a coach huh?

This time round, it will be the Brothers Pearson that will be losing their respective Ironman V-cards. We initially all signed to race this together. I was already signed up for IM CdA but still wanted to race it with them. There is still a little part of me that wishes I was racing this weekend to experience it with them, but that part is small and its voice is weak.

The Brothers have done all the training, put in the work, and now its their chance to see what it takes. I am confident in both. For the past year Ryan has gotten the better of Chris in most races (older brothers always win... sucks!!). But you know what they say, "this is Ironman, anything can happen." Ryan could go too hard on the bike, blow up and be left walking as Chris jogs by grinning all the way. (You read that Ryan?) Or vice versa. Cough, cough... Chris. Hahahaha. So who knows, it could end up being a Brothers Pearson battle to the finish. I, being a red-blooded Amercian sports fan, would obviously love to see that. But no matter what, I am confident post race will look something like this:

Chris, Ryan & I after Cal. 70.3. They will earn those Margarita pitchers on Sunday

Off Season

Check.

That was nice. I enjoyed it. It was short-lived, but nice.

With the decision I made, there is no time to waste, so back on track I go. Granted the first few weeks will be spent easing into it, but I think coach has some rather BIG plans set for me. Lets put it this way, he thinks a solid base is a great asset. And a really BIG solid base is an even better one. Well I think you know what that means. I could have a few more of these weekends in my not-so-distant future.

For now, the weekends are looking much smaller and tonight I will be partaking in a little happy hour(s?) with friends. (OK, so maybe off season isn't totally "off" just yet). This could give me a good excuse to sit on the couch and watch what I think could be an exciting Clearwater race tomorrow. Hard to bet against Reed I say. But here's hoping its exciting.

Mima & Poppa

For my entire life my grandparents on my Mom's side have been called Mima & Poppa. Even the adults call them that. Hell, they even called each other that. Its funny cause I have never even been told why my Grandma, Ethel, was given the tag Mima. But I think it was one of those, "So & So couldn't say "Grandma" when he/she was little and it just came out "Mima." However it came about, "Mima & Poppa" stuck.

Yesterday would have been Poppa Bill's 82nd birthday. Unfortunately, this August, cancer took what was one of the greatest men I have ever been privileged to know.

At Poppa's funeral, a family member spoke of how "Bill loved a party. Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, golf scores, whatever. Hell, if he was here today he'd want to have a party just cause its Thursday!" Well yesterday would have been a day he wanted to party. I am sure he did just that, and it probably looked like this. When I called Mima, she was understandably emotional, and it brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. But I reflected on that quote, and how true it is. Soon enough we were laughing and speaking of his great qualities. Talking about all the great memories they had amassed in 62years of marriage. We talked about all he had accomplished in his life, how they had been married when he was 19 and she 18, and how he could not of possibly envisioned the life that lay before him at that time.

During our conversation, I was again struck by how incredible my grandma has been throughout this process. When cancer began to take its hold, she steadfastly stuck to her instincts and kept him home, with his family. She stayed by his side, and remained as strong, beautiful and composed as one could possibly imagine. It was her commtment to her instincts that allowed for him to spend his final days like this.

Before we hung up, she told me her evening plans: "We're gonna take some of Poppa's ashes and spread them in the Great Pacific. I baked a birthday cake." She is Awesome.

2010 - Taking the Leap

I figured since the folks at the World Triathlon Corporation have made their big "professional announcement" for 2010, that I might as well jump on that ship and make mine.

After some deliberation, I have decided to apply for my "Ironman Pro Membership Card" for the 2010 season. It wasn't what I would call an easy decision. But I feel it is the correct one.

Since I began this sport the quest to get faster has been constant. That quest led me to start training with a friend, to join a running club, to a weekly group ride, to forming a triathlon club, and to get a coach. While definitely not saying I have achieved all there is to achieve as an age grouper, nor discounting the level of competition to be found in the age group ranks, I feel the competition level I will encounter amongst the pros will present the ultimate challenge and only aid in my quest to be the best I can be. I love this sport. It has given me something in my life that I never knew I was missing, but that I needed so bad. Some of the most challenging, rewarding and exhilarating experiences of my life have come through this sport. It is not glory, status and certainly not money, but rather the desire to keep those experiences coming that motivates my decision to seek my pro membership.

I am certain the move up will come with more than its fair share of "bumps in the road", less than stellar results, and discouraging moments, but it is these elements that will make me push even harder to reach my full potential (whatever it may be). Thankfully, I won't be going it alone as I will have my fellow CoachingBIO teammate, Charisa, making the move right along with me.

So here's to the 2010 season being my most challenging and rewarding yet.

2 weekends, 2 Holdidays, 2 Costumes

The last 2 weekends I have been down in Carlsbad. I am sure those of you who read this blog (Thanks Mom) are shocked! The first trip southward was propelled by a desire to celebrate the close of the 2009 triathlon season and our Kona results, with those who I had spent SOO much time preparing for it all with. Well, as this is a festive crew, who was not going to miss the opportunity to celebrate in style (at least in the off season), a Beer Mile was chosen as the only appropriate event with which to commemorate the 2009 season. Unfortunately, soccer and pop Warner Football seasons conflicted with the beer mile scheduling, and all local tracks were in use. But this being a determined and resourceful group, a new course was mapped and measured. We had to use a local trail system that turned out to be just over a mile, but the 1st Annual X-Terra Beer Mile was set to go. Of course one cannot participate in a beer mile without donning the appropriate attire.

Charisa, getting her Game Face on!

1st Annual X-Terra Beer 1.2 Mile Crew

Good times were had by all. I took second to a seasoned veteran in my first attempt at the BM and was pretty happy with it. I have some plans up my sleeve for my next race... stay tuned.

This last weekend was yet another excuse to costume up and the Wernick Casa played host to a dinner party/rock band fiesta complete with some disgusting looking, but great tasting deserts!!

I flew in for the festivities.

You know its a party when ShamWow's Vince shows up!

A slightly pale and trimmed down Arnold a-la the "Running Man" and his wife the Garden Gnome

Ray Finkle, Superman, and the Ewok... Coming soon to a stage near you

Our Ends

More Kona (in photos)

This was taken on Kuakini Hwy just before climbing up Palani. That was probably the last time I felt good in the race until right about here.
From then on it was pretty much all smiles. Especially once I knew Charisa and Kevin had tamed the beast as well.
For some reason I always feel goofy when they ask us to put our awards over our heads. I feel like Ben Afleck's character in "Dazed and Confused". Like I am being set up and somebody is about to dump paint all over my head.
With the awkwardness over the flood gates were open for the real fun, and fittingly the fastest (and happiest) Hawaiian was there to open em.
My parents are great fans and unbelievable supporters. they had a great time as well, despite the fact that my Dad looks like he just saw a ghost and is scared out of his shorts.
One of the things I miss most about Kona is the crazy little Geckos that provided endless amounts of entertainment. My mom was Hilary Biscay's teacher's aid in like 3rd grade and we were talking to her and her BF, Maik Twelsiek (12th pro) after the race. Apparently he was even more enthused by these guys than me as mid conversation he excitedly exclaimed: "LOOK, LOOK! Green Animal!"
I am definitely missing views like this everyday. Alot of people around here have been begging for cold, wet, whether of late. I just flat out don't want it. This is my off season. The last 2 days my alarm has gone off to get up and go ride/run/swim and I have laughed and gone back to sleep. I want nice whether, I want to go out and enjoy days like this while not clipped into a bike for 5-7hrs. I want to swim in the ocean without any purpose other than to enjoy it. Its gotta be warm for that. On the other hand, "since off season" is rapidly coming to a close, I wouldn't mind if winter came and went within the next 3 weeks!
I said "aloha" to the big island with, at the request of its grantor, a toss of a lei into the Pacific and a quiet request to one day return to the island to compete again. Only a couple weeks back, and I already know that competing or not, I wanna be back for 2010!

When in Rome...

Well, I haven't been to Hawaii on all too many occasions, but apparently the locals like to run around the streets in their undergarments. Who am I to go against tradition?

Charisa, Kevin and I before the gun went off!

My entire Brazilian fan base

K-Swiss came out looking strong... except for Rousey!!

We went out at a comfortable pace but really picked it up after the King Kam Hotel

The Zoot Crew basking in the glory of our victory

Moms was SO proud!