Crossfit 4th Annual Sprint Triathlon - Oskaloosa, IA- Saturday, August 13, 2016

I found this outdoor triathlon and it was only 80 minutes away. The best part is it was in Oskaloosa, Iowa.  A great smaller town in Iowa.  It happens to be a town where some relatives of Amy's live.  Her Uncle Joe and Aunt Amy Larkin.  The best part of his triathlon is the swim is done in an outdoor pool!

Amy and I did our best considering the heat of a typical August day.  We placed 1st and 2nd in our age group and there were more than 2 in our age group.  After the race we went to lunch with Uncle Joe and Aunt Amy!  The bad part about this race is I lost a contact in the pool.  Weird and not sure how it happened, but when I took off my goggles after the swim it was gone, so it was probably stuck in my goggles, but I never found it.

Before the race began.

Not a great picture of my Garmin at the end of the race.  I actually swam with it.  This was for 500 meters in an outdoor pool, 12 mile bike and a 5K.  My final time was 1:35:24.  Not bad for a Sprint distance triathlon.

Right after Amy finished.  I was still beat red.  I had ran back to find her after I finished.

The race wanted a picture of everyone who placed. 

A finishing picture after getting cleaned up with our new shirts on!

Aunt Amy, Uncle Joe and Amy Larkin!

Backroads Half Marathon - Amana, IA- Saturday, August 6, 2016

Not a race you want to do on a hot day, but oh well we did anyway.  This was Amy's very first half marathon.  She trained for several weeks.  I picked this one because of 3 reasons
1.  It had lots of hills
2.  It wouldn't matter if we walked a lot because then her 2nd half marathon she would PR for sure
3.  It advertised a nice finishing medal.

I can't seem to find the actual results, but our times were right around 3 hours.  We finished together.  It was a super hot day and we walked about 1/4th of it.  No shame in walking in a half marathon.

Would I do this one again?  Maybe, but only if the day wasn't so hot.  The course was extremely hard full of hills and gravel.  So I might do it to better my time.

Just finished

Amy feeling awesome for finishing her first half marathon.

Close up of the medal.

Solon Beef Days 5K-Solon, IA- Saturday, July 16, 2016

A beautiful morning for a short race.  Amy and I biked from home to Solon which was about 15 miles, completed the 5K, then biked 65 more miles.  For July the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  It was warm but not terrible.  It was 63 degrees with 5 mph winds, but 100% humidity.  I had great results for a day with high humidity.  They were:  A time of 28:52 and placed 10th of 19 in my age group.  Not too shabby.  Amy PRed again for a 5K.  Her time was 32:17.  Full results are here: Results  After the race we biked  on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.  A super nice trail that I didn't even know existed until that day.

A great picture of Amy and I taken before the race.

Amy finishing strong in humidity.

The LONG bike ride.

About 30 miles from home we stopped for a late lunch here.  Our meals were fabulous.

Week 33 through 42

Week 33
Friday :  Rest, walked .5 miles
Saturday :  Ran 13.77 miles, Biked 12.20 miles, Swam 500 meters=547 yards
Sunday :Swam 547 yards then swam 2112 yards, walked 1 mile
Monday:Sculpt, walked .5 mile
Tuesday : Sculpt, walked .5 mile
Wednesday :Sculpt,  ran 3.45 miles, swam 1300 yards, walked .5 mile
Thursday :Sculpt, Ran 4 miles, walked .5 mile

Totals for week 33
Ran 21.22 miles
Biked 12.20 miles
Swam 4506 yards
Sculpt classes 4
Walked 3.5 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 797.14 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1153.45 miles Outdoors
Swam:  96,486 Yards = 54.82 miles
Sculpt classes:  122 classes
Walking: 123.5 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 34
Friday: Rest, walked 1 mile
Saturday : Rest, walked 1 mile
Sunday : Ran 26.45 miles
Monday : Rest
Tuesday: Sculpt, walked .5
Wednesday : Sculpt, walked .5
Thursday : Sculpt, Biked 11.59 miles
Walked .5

Totals for week 34
Ran 26.45
3 Sculpt
Biked 11.59 miles
Walked 3.5 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 823.59 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1165.04 miles Outdoors
Swam:  96,486 Yards = 54.82 miles
Sculpt classes:  125 classes
Walking: 127 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 35
Friday:Rest, walked . 5
Saturday :  Ran 10 miles, walked 1 mile
Sunday : Rest, walked .5
Monday: Swam 1550 yards, ran 3.03 miles, walked .5 Sculpt
Tuesday : Ran 3.10 miles, Sculpt, walked .5
Wednesday : Ran 2 miles, sculpt, walked .5
Thursday: Sculpt, walked .5

Totals for week 35
Ran 18.13
Swam 1550 yards
Walked 4 miles
Sculpt 4 classes

Total for 2016
Ran: 841.72 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1165.04 miles Outdoors
Swam:  98,036 Yards = 55.70 miles
Sculpt classes:  129 classes
Walking: 131 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 36
Friday: Ran 5 miles, walked .5 miles
Saturday: Biked 21.43 miles, Swam 750 yards
Sunday: Ran 13.11 miles, walked 1 mile
Monday:Rest
Tuesday Sculpt, walked .5 mile
Wednesday Sculpt, walked .5 mile
Thursday Sculpt, Ran 1 mile, walked .5 mile

Totals for week 36
Ran 19.11 miles
Biked 21.43 miles
3 Sculpt classes
Swam 750 yards
Walked 3 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 860.83 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1186.47 miles Outdoors
Swam:  98,786 Yards = 56.13 miles
Sculpt classes:  132 classes
Walking: 134 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 37
Friday Swam 1550 yards, walked .5
Saturday: Ran 17 miles, walked .5
Sunday: Ran 5.09 miles, Swam1000 yards
Monday: Sculpt, walked.5
Tuesday: Sculpt, Swam 1000 yards, Ran 2.65 miles, walked .5
Wednesday:Sculpt,  Ran 4.28 miles, walked .5
Thursday: Sculpt,  ran 1.56 miles, walked .5

Totals for week 37
Ran 30.58
Biked
Swam 3550 yards
Sculpt classes 4
Walked 3

Total for 2016
Ran: 891.41
Biked: 709 minutes indoors 
Biked: 1186.47 miles Outdoors
Swam:  102,336 Yards = 58.15 miles
Sculpt classes:  136 classes
Walking: 137 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes 

Week 38
Friday: Ran 3.25 miles, walked .5
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Swam 1550 yards, Biked26.40 miles, Ran 6.2 miles, walked 1 mile
Monday: Sculpt, walked . 5
Tuesday: Sculpt , Swam 1000 yards ,  Ran 2.65 miles, walked . 5
Wednesday:Sculpt , ran 4.28 miles,walked .5
Thursday Sculpt ,  Ran 1.56 miles, Walked . 5

Totals for week 38
Ran 17.94
Biked 26.40 miles
Swam 2550 yards
Sculpt 4 classes
Walked 3.5 miles


Total for 2016
Ran: 909.35
Biked: 709 minutes indoors 
Biked: 1212.87 miles Outdoors
Swam:  104,886 Yards = 59.59 miles
Sculpt classes:  140 classes
Walking: 140.5 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes 

Week 39
Friday: Rest, walked . 5
Saturday:  Ran 3.1 miles, walked 1 mile
Sunday:Ran 13.25 miles, walked 1 mile
Monday: Sculpt,  Swam 600 yards, Walked . 5
Tuesday: Sculpt, Walked . 5
Wednesday: Sculpt,  Ran 4 miles, Swam 1700 yards, walked .5
Thursday: Sculpt,  Ran 4.12 miles, walked .5

Totals for week 39
Ran 24.47
Biked
Swam 2300 yards
Sculpt 4 classes
Walked 4.5 miles

Total for 2016

Ran: 933.82
Biked: 709 minutes indoors 
Biked: 1212.87 miles Outdoors
Swam:  107,186 Yards = 60.9 miles
Sculpt classes:  144 classes
Walking: 145 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes 

Week 40
Friday:Walked 2 miles
Saturday:Ran 23.02 miles, walked .5
Sunday:Swam 1500 yards
Monday: Swam 2000 yards, Sculpt, walked .5
Tuesday: Sculpt, walked .5
Wednesday:Ran 5 miles,  Sculpt, walked .5
Thursday: Sculpt, walked .5

Totals for week 40
Ran 28.02 miles
Swam 3500 yards
Sculpt classes 4
Walked 4.5 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 961.84
Biked: 709 minutes indoors 
Biked: 1212.87 miles Outdoors
Swam:  110,686 Yards = 62.89 miles
Sculpt classes:  148 classes
Walking: 149.5 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes 

Week 41
Friday:  Ran 6.30 miles, walked .5
Saturday:Swam 1200 yards
Sunday:Ran 3.15 miles, walked .5
Monday: Ran 4 miles, walked .5
Tuesday:Sculpt, walked .5
Wednesday: Ran 2.13 miles, Swam 1100 yards, walked .5
Thursday: Swam 1000 yards, Sculpt, Walked . 5

Totals for Week 41
Ran 15.58
Swam 3300 yards
Sculpt  classes 3
Walked 3 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 977.42
Biked: 709 minutes indoors 
Biked: 1212.87 miles Outdoors
Swam:  113,986 Yards = 64.76 miles
Sculpt classes:  151 classes
Walking: 152.5 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes 

Week 42
Friday:walked 3.5 miles
Saturday: Ran 26.38 miles, walked 2 miles
Sunday: Ran 13.36 miles, walked 2 miles
Monday: Sculpt,  Swam 1000 yards
Tuesday: Sculpt
Wednesday: Sculpt
Thursday: Sculpt, Swam 800 yards, ran 1.10 miles

Totals for Week 42
Ran 40.84 miles
4 Sculpt classes
Walked 9.5 miles
Swam 1800 yards

Total for 2016
Ran: 1018.26
Biked: 709 minutes indoors 
Biked: 1212.87 miles Outdoors
Swam:  115,786 Yards = 65.79 miles
Sculpt classes:  155 classes
Walking: 162 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes 

Week 26-32 of Training

Week 26
Friday : Swam 1300 yards, walked .5 miles
Saturday : Ran 26.36 miles, Swam 650 yards
Sunday : Biked 5.80 miles
Monday: Biked 33 miles, Sculpt class, walked .5 miles
Tuesday : Ran 3.1 miles, Sculpt, walked .5 miles
Wednesday :Walked 2.5 miles, Sculpt
Thursday : Sculpt, walked .5 miles

Totals for week 26:
Swam 1950 yards
4 Sculpt classes
Biked 38.80 miles
Ran 29.46
Walked 4.5 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 690.59  plus
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 406.90 miles Outdoors
Swam:  71,650 Yards = 40.71 miles
Sculpt classes:  98 classes
Walking: 90.5 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 27
Friday:  Swam 2000, Ran 4.15 miles, Biked 5.5 miles, walked .5 miles
Saturday:  Biked 56.50 miles
Sunday:  Swam 330 Yards, Biked 5.5 miles, Ran 2 miles, Walked 3.5 miles
Monday:Biked 52 miles, walked .5 miles
Tuesday:Sculpt, walked .5 miles
Wednesday:Sculpt, Ran 3.26 miles, Swam 1100 Yards, walked .5
Thursday :Sculpt, Swam 1100 Yards, Ran .5 miles, walked .5 miles

Totals for week 27:
Swam 4530 yards
Ran 9.91 miles
Biked 119.50
4 Sculpt classes
Walked 5.5 miles


Total for 2016
Ran: 700.50 
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 526.40 miles Outdoors
Swam:  76,180 Yards = 43.28 miles
Sculpt classes:  102 classes
Walking: 96 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 28
Friday :Ran 4.01 miles, Swam 1600 Yards
Saturday: Biked 35.37 miles, Ran 9.45 miles, walked 2 miles
Sunday : Swam 1900 yards
Monday: Sculpt, Walked 2.5 miles, Ran .5 miles
Tuesday: Sculpt, Ran 3.5 miles
Wednesday:Swam 1800 Yards, Walked 1.5 miles, Sculpt, biked 15.66 miles
Thursday: Ran 5.06 miles, Sculpt

Total for Week 28
Ran 22.52 miles
Swam 5300 yards
Biked 51.03
Walked 6 miles
Sculpt 4 classes

Total for 2016
Ran: 723.02
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 577.43 miles Outdoors
Swam:  81,480 Yards = 46.30 miles
Sculpt classes:  106 classes
Walking: 102 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes


Week 29
Friday : Swam 1500 yards, walked .5 miles
Saturday : Biked 80.30 miles, Ran 3.1 miles, walked 2 miles
Sunday : Rested a lot
Monday: Sculpt, ran 3.1 miles ,swam 1000 yards, biked .75 miles, walked .5 miles
Tuesday : Sculpt, walked .5 miles
Wednesday : Ran 20 miles, Sculpt, walked .5 miles
Thursday :Sculpt, walked .5 miles

Total for Week 29
Ran 26.2 miles
Biked 81.05 miles
Swam 2500 yards
4 Sculpt
Walked 4.5 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 749.22 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 658.48 miles Outdoors
Swam:  83,980 Yards = 47.72 miles
Sculpt classes:  110 classes
Walking: 106.5 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 30
Friday: Swam 2300 Yards, walked .5 miles
Saturday : Swam 500 yards, walked 1 mile, biked 4 miles
Sunday : Biked 51.65 miles, walked .5 miles
Monday : Biked 77.05 miles, swam 300, walked 1 mile
Tuesday : Biked 62.67 miles, walked 1 mile
Wednesday : Biked 100.50 miles, walked 1 mile
Thursday : Biked 52.71 miles, walked 1 mile

Totals for week 30
Ran zero miles-Ragbrai week
Swam 3100 yards
Biked 348.58 miles
O Sculpt classes
Walked 5.5


Total for 2016
Ran: 749.22 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1007.06 miles Outdoors
Swam:  87,080 Yards = 49.48 miles
Sculpt classes:  110 classes
Walking: 112 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 31
Friday : Biked 71.39 miles, walked 1 mile
Saturday : Biked 53.80 miles, walked 1 mile
Sunday : Rest
Monday : Swam 1000 yards, Sculpt, walked .5 miles
Tuesday : Sculpt, walked .5 miles
Wednesday : Sculpt, Ran 1 mile, walked .5 miles
Thursday : Sculpt, walked .5 miles

Totals for week 31
Ran Ran 1 mile
Biked 125.19 miles
Swam 1000 yards
Sculpt 4 classes
Walked 4 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 750.22 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1132.25 miles Outdoors
Swam:  88,080 Yards = 50.05 miles
Sculpt classes:  114 classes
Walking: 116 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Week 32
Friday : Rest, walked .5 miles
Saturday : Ran 13.34 miles, walked 1 mile
Sunday: Swam 2000 yards, walked .5 miles
Monday:Sculpt, ran 3.6 miles, walked .5 miles
Tuesday:Sculpt, ran 3.35, swam 700 yards, walked .5 miles
Wednesday :Biked 9 miles, Sculpt , walked .5 miles
Thursday : Swam 1200 yards, ran 5.41 miles,  Sculpt ,  walked .5 miles

Totals for week 32
Ran 25.70
Biked 9 miles
Swam 3900 yards
Sculpt  4 classes
Walked 4 miles

Total for 2016
Ran: 775.92 miles
Biked: 709 minutes indoors
Biked: 1141.25 miles Outdoors
Swam:  91,980 Yards = 52.26 miles
Sculpt classes:  118 classes
Walking: 120 miles
Body Flow Classes:  10
Rowing machine 17 minutes

Midnight Madness - Saturday, July 9, 2016 - Ames, Iowa

Midnight Madness is a race in Ames, IA that is run in the evening in July. Usually it's super hot. This night wasn't so bad.

 I wanted Amy to sign up because she needed to run 9 miles as a training run for her half marathon training, and this was 9.3 miles, Perfect. The race is a 15K split into 2 races. First a 5K race, then a 10K race. You can do either one or both. The 10K is just a double loop of the 5K course, so if you do the entire 15K you see the same spectators 3 times.

 We started out great. Amy actually PRed her 5K distance. The 10K was a different story. Amy was tired by 7 total miles in (mile 4 of the 10K) which was the 2nd loop of the 10K, she didn't want to run anymore. We did a lot of walking that 2nd loop of the 10K, but got it done!

We might have been tired because we did a long bike ride earlier that day.

Results are here:  The RESULTS

Started the day with a long bike ride with all these ladies.

A picture before midnight madness started with Russell, James,Amy and I!

Tri in July - Super Sprint Triathlon - Sigourney, IA - Sunday, July 3, 2016

There is no way you could ever have more perfect weather in July for a triathlon. Today was just amazing. It started at around 58 degrees and just stayed in the low 60's with low humidity the entire race, with a nice breeze.

This race is a super sprint triathlon in a small town.  A fun race that you can sprint all out for the entire thing.  Only 300 yards swimminginan outdoor pool, so no openwater! Then almost 6 miles biking and a 2 mile run.  Perfect for a first time triathlete.

I talked my friend Chris into doing her first Tri.  She did great.

The shirt

A picture before the triathlon began.

My garmin time.  I beat my last time 4 years ago by 3 1/2 minutes.

Chris finishing her first triathlon.

The three of us after the Tri.  We all did great and were happy.

Chris placed in her age group!

By some miracle I also placed in my age group.

Water bottle in race packet.

Close up of my medal!!!

Run4troops Marathon - Dubuque, IA- Saturday, June 25, 2016

This race starts in Dyersville and you run on the flat, crushed limestone trail all the way to Dubuque.  It was the hottest day of the entire summer and James Anderson and I still chose to run this marathon. You never know what you're going to get weather wise when you sign up.  So you just do your best with the conditions you are given.

This was my first repeat state for a marathon.  I was helping my friend James complete his first ever marathon.

We started out at a nice 11 minute mile pace and figured that as the morning went on that I could hold that pace.  Wrong.  It was too hot to walk outside let alone run.  We were burning up by mile 13.

The only thing that saved us was our friends on the Cocky Rooster Race team.  They showed up all over the course to give us water, grapes, electrolyte pills, squirt us with water guns and give us bags of ice.  I really don't feel that we could have completed this race without them.  My friend Amy showed up too to cheer me on and offer support.

In the last 4 miles we walked a lot.  Every part of us was burning up.  I was so glad to see the finish line.

Many pictures are below, not necessarily in the right order:

Sunrise

Our friends on our race team.

A picture of us taken just after we started.

Medal,bib and results

After getting cleaned up with my new race shirt on.

The finish line

My race time on my Garmin.

After the race posing with our medals.

Amy and I later that day.

Quad Cities Triathlon 2016 - Saturday June 18, 2016- Davenport, IA

An absolutely perfect morning for a triathlon. Couldn't ask for a better day. Tyler, Amy and I all stayed in the same hotel room to save money and because the hotel had only one room left with a King bed we all shared it.

 Yes, three people in the same bed.  Nice that the bed was massive.  None of us touched all night.  I got the middle so I was happy.

We woke extremely early, body glided everything,  dressed, loaded our bikes and left.

This was Amy and Tyler's first outdoor triathlon so they were a bit nervous.   I was nervous because I always freak out in the water portion of the race.  I very much dislike open water swimming.

The race went well for all of us.  I didn't go as fast on the bike as I thought I had so I was disappointed with my bike time. But I didn't panic at all in the swim and that's huge for me.  Amy who just learned to swim in January completed the entire triathlon and was happy.  Tyler did excellent for his first time out with really fast times in all three sports.

Results are Here  if you care.

Me, Amy, Tyler

My bike spot

Our feet pre race

Us three showing off our race tattoos

The sunrise that morning. 

Driftless Discovery Trail Run - Decorah, IA - Saturday, June 4, 2016

Funny thing about this race is I was told it was flat. Amy said we were doing a race on this brand new flat running trail in Decorah.

Well she was wrong about the location and it ended up being a trail race in the woods that was super difficult.

It wasn't the worst thing I've ever ran, but it was hard.  An experience I won't forget.

Would I do it again?  Maybe, but only after some trail run training  for it'scompletely different from road racing.

It had 1383 feet of climbing and was 6.3 miles long.
My time was long to me- 1:41:01, but given how hard it was and that it was my first 10K trail race, it was fine.  I ended up being 2nd out of 4 in my age group so that's pretty good.

I ran with Amy for just over 5 miles then split off and ran ahead, she wanted to walk at that point and I wanted out of the woods.

Front of shirt

The back of the shirt

Amy andI right before the race started.