does not experience both. In my life this phrase proves true in
triathlon, family, work, sense of value, and every other way that I
exist in this crazy world. In my opinion, the challenge is to climb up
from the valley as strong as you can. Life is going to dish it out my
friends, it is up to us to rise to the occasion EVERY time and rise to
our peaks.
My personal family life experienced of very low valley this past month.
Without going into much detail, my wife, Ramsey and I have taken my 11
year old Brother into our home. Evan Peterson has been through more
than ANY child should ever bear. So, two weeks ago Evan hopped a flight
from New Jersey and is with us in the warm California sun.
Our family of three has become a family of four in an instant. My
schedule has had a makeover, I now wake up most mornings at 4am to
train in order to assist with getting an 11 year old out of bed and
into the classroom. I also come straight home from work to greet him at
dismissal. This provides Clara, a Saint, to be able to do her training
in the afternoon. After homework is completed, Evan joins some of his
MANY new friends for fun and games as I head off for my evening swim.
This is just one small adjustment that has had to be made. We are
constantly seeking advice on raising young adolescent! We have just
started to get our bearings on Ramsey (1yr old). So, a lot of our
adjustments, schedule shifts, emotional wear and tear can be viewed as
valleys that we have fallen into. That outlook will get us nowhere!
When we believe that things are tough, they will be! Workouts will be
missed, feelings could be hurt, and this beautiful gift of another
healthy boy would not be recognized. Now we are on a peak. Evan is
AMAZING with Ramsey. He is going to be an excellent role model, FREE
babysitter, and an outstanding human being. His resilience and demeanor
have provided me with a new prospective on life. If life gets tough, I
think about my young brother. That is what gets me out of my valleys. That and a coffee machine that is working overtime!
Also, the tremendous outpouring of goodwill from friends, co-workers,
distant relatives, and beyond has opened my eyes to the real heart that
exists in this world. Thank you all.
My life changes have shifted my schedule slightly. My race plans are
being reconfigured now but it looks as if I will race the San Jose
International Triathlon in June, as well as 70.3 Buffalo Springs. After
that, Vineman 70.3. The goal is to continue improving on the swim and
bike in order to really compete with the big boys in the pro field
saking it up.
Race Reports
First pro races:
Vineman Showdown at Sundown (Sprint Tri)
1st Place Overall
I won this race by a good margin that I built with a 16:20 5k run split.
It was fun doing a local race right down the road. My family and
friends came out to support and a good time was had by all as I won the
Extra Large bottle of Wine. This was a great way to get a hard effort
in and have some fun. The local crowd was large and fired up. There
were many high five to be had on the way back in on the run.
Thanks to the Vineman crew for one of the many great events they put
on. Also, thanks to Zoot for the ongoing support. I am always impressed
and so were the many in attendance, especially with the compressRx!
(Warming up with Ramsey)
("Podium" with son and son-sized bottle of wine)
Escape from Alcatraz, May 2
18th Overall
Racing with the big boys....
The night before the race I attended the pro athlete meeting in
preparation for the race. I was looking very "pro" in all my new Zoot
gear, including the coolest pair of shoes ever in a new Zoot prototype
- coming fall of 2010. I usually like to keep to myself at these things
but I could not resist taking a picture with Chris "Macca" McCormack.
Chris was one of the first triathletes that I had ever heard of when I
was young and had mild interest in this sport, which I thought only
took place in Hawaii. So, flash forward 8 years later and I am shoulder
to shoulder with him about to race as a pro! Very cool and very
humbling.
(Macca and me)
After sleeping in my own bed, a big perk about this race, I was off to
the race. I prepped for the race, had a jog in my Zoot knickers, and
was off to the ferry. This is where the nerves usually set in and the
only thing I was nervous about was the unfamiliar. I have never
participated in this race, nor had I raced with such world-class
competition in a triathlon. I
I found some familiar faces on the boat. I ran into my brother in-law,
my close friend Erik's Dad, a neighbor! This gave me a lot of comfort.
I was ready to go and had an easy race strategy, to stay in contact on
the swim/bike and run FAST!
(Pro Start, second from the right. Note the cooler wetsuits on the right...Zoot Zenith is amazing)
The race was off with a dive start into the chilly SF Bay. As my plan
went, I followed some fast feet and hung on for a while. Unfortunately,
I selected some feet that swam point to point (Smart swimmers swim an
"L" to get the advantage of the current). This forced me to swim longer
than most athletes and I actually had to swim back against the current
upon the exit. Big bummer! When I came out of the water and saw how
many athletes had swam faster, just off better navigation, it was a
real gut check. Do I throw in the towel now that top 10 aspirations
are out the window? OR, race hard and give this race and all
competitors my utmost respect? Of course, I chose to race hard and had
one of the fastest T1 transitions.
Bike: Not too pleased with the outcome but I think under the
circumstances and training time lost with life changes, I rode as hard
as I could that day.
As I transitioned to the run I did not know where I was going to
finish. My goal was top ten but that wasn't happening even if I
summoned some of the old miler's speed. At this point I just wanted to
run hard and catch as many athletes as possible. I did just that. Great
run that left me feeling excited about a summer full of racing.
(Running up the Sand Ladder mid-run)
Alcatraz left me wanting more. Wildflower long course was the same
weekend and it probably suited my strenghts more, but this was a fun
event. It was great to have my family and friends there to support me,
especially my brother who has become a source of strength for me. I want
to do well for him, Clara and Ramsey. Next up is San Jose International.
Thank you to all of my sponsors:
Zoot - Provides me with the gear to look and feel like a pro. Very grateful for their tremendous support.
GU - Gives me the fuel to train, race, and live.
DeBoom Sports Mecca and Endurance Conspiracy - Coach Tony keeps my head
on straight, and that is no easy task. Thanks Tony! Check out the
conspiracy at www.enduranceconspiracy.com - My favorite shirt is
"Lurking Monster".
Orbea/Zipp = No faster way to get from T1 to T2
Echelon Multipsort - If you are coming into town for Vineman 70.3,
check these guys out. It's rare to find a shop that can do as much as
they can - Cycling and Triathlon under one roof. It rocks and Kevin
(the owner) carries tons of Zoot!
Quarq - Looking forward to the support of Quarq and their power system.
Hopefully it will help me get to the run more quickly than I have.
Suunto - Stylin' on the course and at work with their wrist wear.
Alcis - Keeps my "ow"ies from becoming injuries.
And, again Thank You to my friends and family for your support at this time. I could never do what I do without you.
Keep climbing to your peaks!!!
Check me out on RunRamsey.Com and Wholeathlete.com
JP
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