I’ve been living and training in the great state of Texas for a few months now. I’m quickly adapting to the summer heat. It’s not like NYC in the summer, that’s for sure. NYC is more humid, sticky, stinky and just plain gross, to be perfectly honest. It’s not uncommon to smell steaming dog piss radiating from the side walks. You’re lucky if that’s the worst of the possible biological waste you smell. I traded Rats and Trash for Cows and Bugs. Pools for Lakes and Central Park for miles and miles of quiet back country roads. That being said, it is a little hotter here for longer stretches, with a lot less cloud coverage. This subsequently traded my pale Northeastern skin for a really nice Texas Tan. To adapt to it and to best prepare myself for an Ironman in Texas, I’m doing the majority of my long runs and rides around high noon! At the peak of the Texas Sun! That’s 100 plus degrees for hours on end. This comes with a lot of challenges. You need to stay hydrated of course but you also need to adjust your pace and monitor your body's response to these extreme conditions. Something I’m all too familiar with as I always seek out the worst conditions to train in. Why? So that when it happens and I find myself in a shitty situation, (freezing cold or blazing heat), I will be ready!

This will be my first time doing two Full distance Ironman’s in a single year. I had a third on the books that I decided not to do again (I did Maryland in 2019 and got transfered in to it again this year because of the 2020 cancelations). After a cross country move, a career change, new training climate and new environment all together, my training was again, not optimal. No excuses! I just had to work harder in a shorter time window to get my body and mind ready. The positives are, I’m getting all my swimming done in the open water lakes and I can run and bike outside nearly everyday! I’m definitely enjoying training outside of a city for the first time ever.

Another positive for me is that the race is somewhat local and I can drive there. This is huge because I don’t have to disassemble my bike, travel with all my gear on a plane, rent a car and eat less optimal food. We loaded up all my gear in my new Truck and headed out to Waco, about a 1.5hr drive from Austin, TX. My first race in my home state! This will be fun, or will it?

Race Gear:

Swim: 2XU Wetsuit, Roka Goggles, ROKA TRISUIT

Bike: Cervelo P5 Disc, Zipp 404 wheels

Run: Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% Flyknit shoes(last time ever!), ROKA Sunglasses, rnnr Hat

Fuel: Sfuels Race, Drink & Gel, Life Bar, F-Bomb nut butter, Rick aroo ns, Epic Bars, F-Bomb Bars

Supplements: Onnit (Alpha Brain, Shroomtech, Total Nitric Oxide, Creatine), Kion Aminos, Thorne (Beta Alanine), Heart and Soil.

Prologue

A few things I found out after the fact. Ironman Waco has one of the slowest overall finish times of any full distance Ironman in the circuit. Texas weather is unpredictable and can change in an instant. Not to mention that last year the locals laid tacts on the road so cyclist would get flats! Less than 600 people registered for this race…I now know why.

Accommodations:

I booked the Hilton Waco which was directly in front of the finish line. This was the closest stay I’ve ever had and it makes a big difference. It was worth the extra money. This affords me extra sleep because it only takes a few minutes to get to the transition area first thing in the morning.

Race morning

3:30 am wake up call. I do my morning meditation, have my coffee and start to consume some food. I’m in no rush this time. I check the facebook page to find out if the race is wetsuit legal. It’s been hotter than normal this time of year and if the water is above 76.1 degrees, its consider not wetsuit legal. Now, you can wear one but you wont be eligible for awards. Thankfully the water is around 74 degrees, so I opt to wear it for extra buoyancy and speed.

As I head outside I can already feel the heat starting to augment from the sun that is due to rise only a few hours from now. I get to my bike and setup all my fuel for the upcoming 112 mile bike ride. Then I take the 1mile walk along the Brazos river towards the swim start.

From there I chill out, eat some more fuel and hydrate until about 20 min before the start of the race. In true Texas fashion, a Cowboy fires his shotgun, signaling the start of the race! Let’s do it!

The Swim

The swim takes place in the Brazos River that flows through Waco. It’s calm as we slowly make our way in to the river. I have to swim up river about 1/2 a mile then make a turn to swim back down the river towards the famous suspension bridge, another 2 miles. It gets a little choppy after the first turn and I feel like I’m going against the current now. I feel nice a steady as I make the final turn for the last 2 miles. The sun is rising directly in front of me. It’s my favorite part of the swim because seeing a sunrise from a river or lake is something special and I only get to do a few times a year.

Suddenly, my leg gets pulled! Someone is too close to me so I try to move over. They pull my leg again, like they are drowning, they’re not. They come along side of me and hit my body, then pull my arm. Normally I just try to sooch away but this guy or girl is blind! They do it again to I push back and yell “Da Fuck” underwater of course…I think they got the hint as I finally get clear of them.

This is not uncommon but people typically adjust and get out of your lane right away. A good rule of thumb in any sport you’re competing in, when people are in front of you…You are responsible for the person in front of you! This means, you need to go around or avoid them!

I did 100% of my swim training in the lakes of Texas. This was a first for me and a huge one because I was fully adapted to the open water which brings with it, currents, wind, choppy water and variable temps.

Last time out I got a really bad wetsuit burn on my neck which is chaffing that causes a nice sore/gash on you. So I added some extra body glide (it’s a type of lotion that prevents chaffing. I use this all over my parts ;) for running and biking) around my neck area which worked great! No burns!

Before I know it, I’m under the bridge like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and up the ladder….off to Transition #1.

Time: 1:20:50. 3 min faster than last time and good enough for 17th place in my age group.

T1:

Out of the water I have to run about a 1/4 of a mile up hill along the river then across the street, on to some grass (all barefoot). They had “Wetsuit Strippers” (good name for a band) to help me remove my wetsuit faster. I then run into the changing tents where you have to grab your BIKE GEAR bag which holds your helmet, shoes, gloves, etc…They have chairs to make it easy as you put on all your bike gear and head out of the tent for a short run to your bike. I un-rack my bike and run it over to the mount line. I was messing with my glove and dropped my bike, but it was on grass so no harm no foul. Even at your fastest this will take almost 3 minutes. It took me just under 8 minutes. On my way out, I see my wife and my aunt Ronda holding my big “Greg Head” and cheering me on. This gives me a little boost of happiness as I mount “She Hulk” and off I go into the “Waco hair dryer”…I’ll explain!

The BIKE

Welcome to the hottest, windiest, roughest bike course I’ve ever been on. It’s still a little overcast and I actually think it will last. I’ve quickly learned that in Texas, the weather can change in a heart beat. This weekend was no exception. It’s been in the 90’s all week, it’s October!! Today it will peak at 100 degrees with a hard head wind on the entire 112 miles!

*Fun fact…The next day they hosted the 70.3 IM race and it was 65 deg with heavy rain!

Tho’ this is a flat course with just over 2000ft of elevation gain, don’t be fooled, flat courses are often harder because you never get the break of a nice downhill. You gotta pedal the entire time, no breaks!

I feel good through the first 10 miles, averaging above 20mph. Then I make the first major turn and meet the “Hair Dryer”. The wind is coming right at me and immediately slows me down. It now feels like I’m climbing but I’m on a flat road. The clouds melt away and the sun makes it’s long awaited appearance. Welcome to Texas it says to me, with its stinging rays and glowing smile. To make you feel even more at home, Mr. Sun decides to heat up the air. It now literally feels like someone is holding a hair dryer on full blast and pointing it in my face…for the next 6 plus hours! YeeHaw!

Every 14 miles or so there are aid stations with food, water and other snacks. I grab me a large size water bottle which is nice a cold and squirt it on my face, neck and back. I then grab a second one guzzle it down in nearly one gulp. This all takes place in a space of 50 yards and approximately 25 seconds. You gotta be fast and efficient as you pass through aid stations so you don’t loose any time. I repeat this same method at every aid station for the next 100 miles. This was the only way to stay cool. But after my first loop (56 miles) those chilly, tasty, crisp cold waters…they’re now warm! They ran out of ice, so you get what you get.

There are a lot of turns on this course and every time I would come up on one, I was hoping the direction would also change the direction of the wind. NOPE! It was like the wind was following me, mocking me, trying to make me quit. Which was not going to happen. One thing I can tell you is this. Once you share your dreams or goals publicly, it holds you accountable. People are now watching you. Some want to see you succeed, some watch for inspiration, others want you to fail. I think of all those in my life (family, friends, even strangers on social media) and try to lead by example. Show them what is possible and hope to inspire. Without knowing, they drive me to be better and work even harder. Having family or friends actually there…well that triggers a spark that starts to burn hotter and hotter because they only see my for maybe 1-2 min the whole day. They will wait for 10,12, 14 or more hours for me to cross that finish line. So most importantly for me on this day is, not to let them down. I want them to see me cross that finish line…they need to get their moneys worth!

I digress. I like to share where my mind goes during the worst difficult moments. There was many miles where I even questioned if I was on the right course because I would not see another cyclist for miles. Eventually I got to the final 5 miles as I ride back into to town. To my right I can see other athletes already several miles into the run. Yup, I still got a lot to do.

I finished with a time of 6:52:46 This was possibly my hardest ride ever! The heat and the wind were major contributing factors.

T2:

I zoom in to Transition #2 and hand the volunteers my bike so they can rack it. Then back in to the tent where I strip off my shoes, grab my Run Gear bag and do my final outfit change for the evening. This holds your running shoes, hat, sunglasses, belt, etc…You change, then go out to start your run. I take my time and drink several cups of cold water they have for us and poor a few more all over myself in an attempt to lower my body temp. As I head out I stop to use the toilet then quickly start the run. Right away my legs are heavy and a thought pops into my head “I might need to walk a lot of this”…let’s see.

Time in transition was just over 9 min.

The RUN

It’s a small crowd today. With this heat, many people stay near the tents where there is shade. So when I head out of the transition I can easily spot my wife and aunt again. I had my own private cheering squad of two…and the Head! I’m already soaked from the all the sweat and water I poured on myself during the bike. All the moisture is making its way down my legs and into my shoes which was something I was trying to avoid. Running a marathon in wet socks is not fun.

This was another two loop course that covered all sorts of different terrain. We ran along the river, in a park, on the street, under and over highway over passes and through the campus of Baylor University! I don’t typically like the two loop format because I prefer to see new terrain and sometimes it feels like you’re going backwards. However, during an Ironman it has it’s advantages because you know the terrain the second time around and you can make adjustments as needed.

It’s late October, so the sun has been setting earlier and earlier each day as we quickly approach winter. Which means that I’ll be running in the dark again.

The first 2 miles were a gradual but long uphill. Ironman loves to start the run course going up hill and I’m ok with it. I’m a strong runner and do great going up hill and by the way you have to remember, it’s supposed to be hard! If it was easy then it’s not challenging and what do you learn about yourself in your comfort one? Once I hit the 5k mark I felt good and stuck to my plan of running as long as I can without a break. A break for me is a short but brisk walk through the aid stations.

I cross over the highway and make my way into the park. Off to my right, I can see athletes just coming in from their bike ride. Once I get through the park, it’s a long but fun run along the Brazos river. I’m now back to where it all started only 10hrs ago. There are several restaurants on the waterfront. I can see people sitting on the patios, relaxing, drinking and eating with misters blowing cool, thin, crisp water droplets onto their happy faces as they casually sip a beer or cocktail. Oh the torture! What I wouldn’t do for a beer and burger right now? No time to loose focus! I glance over, take a look and keep chuggin along while they chug beers. They don’t even seem to notice me…

I make a steep climb up a hill that takes me over the main road, back down and then across the street (where there is live traffic and cops directing this traffic. Giving us the signal to cross traffic when it’s safe…). This takes us into the Baylor campus where many college coeds are hanging out and cheering us on.

As I start to make my way back to the start of of loop #2, I see my wife and aunt again. They found a little cheering squad for me and I got a huge roar from the makeshift crowd as I turn the corner towards them. That was cool! I tell them go ahead and eat, I got at least 2 more hours…see you at the finish line! They refuse and tell me, “we’re waiting for you at the finish line…”That is a moment when another mental gear kicks in. When you know people are counting on you and believe in you, You have to deliver and not let them down! Every little bit of motivation helps when you’re going through mental and physical hell. Belief is a power tool. It can make the impossible, Possible. It can change the course of your life. Belief from others is great but belief in yourself is the most powerful tool you can have in your war chest.

As I hit mile 15-16 the sun has left us for the day and gone to bed. It’s the moons turn to shine. I’m now in the park and its near pitch black. This course is very poorly lit. I’m relying on parking lot lights and ambient light from the surrounding buildings…which is not much at all. It’s hard to see the arrows on the ground that are guiding the runners in the right direction. I finally see an unattended aid station with cups of water and several glow stick necklaces! I grab one and stick in my belt so at least cars can see me.

I’m finally back in the Baylor campus and my $300 pair of Carbon Fiber Nike running shoes are making a loud “CLAP” on every step. These same shoes ( I bought a new pair for this race) came apart at mile 23 during my last race. This time the Nike Air portion popped! I basically got a flat tire with 10 miles to run and don’t have a spare. So I decide to call it, and stop. Yeah right! I just keep ruining and pretend it’s always been that way…tho in my mind I’m cursing at Nike and demanding a refund. I’ve since then switched brands.

Now I have about 5 miles left. I get my last scoop of ice and water on my head. I even drank a few shots of Redbull for the first time on a run course. I wanted some caffeine and didn’t have my typical caffeine fuel with me so I decided to try some “clean energy”. It did the trick and I ran the rest of the way. The finish line was pretty awesome. They blocked off the iconic Waco Suspension bridge and laid out the traditional Ironman red carpet. It was a wide open path for me as a cross the finish line for my 4th Full Ironman and 2nd this year!

Run finish time 4:52:17

Final time, 13:22:56

Post Mortem:

This was the hardest course I’ve raced to date. The heat and wind were the biggest challenges this time around. I trained a lot in the blazing Texas heat this year, so I was prepared for it. However, when you throw in the powerful wind, it just slows everything down. We had a very difficult and challenging year. We moved cross country, bought a new home, started a new job and had to adapt to a whole new way of life after spending 11 years living in Manhattan. Training has always been a great outlet for me both physically and mentally. We faced all these challenges the way we always do, with open arms and Head On! We’re now settled and thriving in our new environment. I’m excited to come back bigger, stronger and faster in 2023! Watch out age groupers, I’m coming for you!

-Get stronger on the bike.

-Fix my back injury.

-Bulk up my quads.

-Find my new running shoe.

-More flexibility

-Better recovery options, I’m getting a sauna!

-Upgrade my bike's cockpit…looking at the new Tririg adjustable areo system.

What’s Next?

June-September (undecided)

November 19 2023, Ironman Arizona