Training Update: Ironman 70.3 Kansas

Hello all--

I'm back....I apologize for the lengthy absence in posting. I hope the two videos I posted on Friday were enough to bring you back. In fact, I thought they were so funny I'm going to include "ab workout" into my Friday training update.

For all of you concerned individuals back in the home state and those around the world that have paid me respect and continue to read my blog, here is my most recent training update.

Friday -- Ab workout, Ride 28 miles
Saturday -- Hike 7,500 foot mountain (wasn't in the training plan, but I loved it!!)
Sunday -- Brick (14 mile bike (due to darkness) and 5 mile run -- I FELT GREAT!
Monday -- Strength training, core training
Tuesday -- 7-8 mile run (:58 min) -- I felt like I was floating -- gotta love runs like that
Wednesday -- 16 mile bike ride (~:45 min) -- felt horrible, legs were heavy, returned to the house early

Tomorrow, I'm back in the pool and going to try the legs again on another run. I'm also looking forward to a nice long ride on Saturday and then an 8K race on Saturday night in downtown Scottsdale.

Friday Funnies

DISCLAIMER: Please do not go out and buy this. It would be a terrible mistake. This video is both funny and somewhat disturbing. For the life of me, I can't understand how anyone could have a productive work day sitting in one of these. There should be a law legalizing the right to kick your colleague out of their chair if they get caught with one of these. And for even more hysterical laughter, please watch Ellen's "testing" of the Hawaii chair.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas -- Training Update

Training has been an all consuming adventure for me lately. I talk about it as if it is the only thing going on in my life. Actually, there is more but I'll save that for another post.

I'm constantly thinking about my next workout. But with each workout, I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. As I was doing some mind numbing laps in the pool today, I had time to think about this extremely lofty goal I've set for myself. I'm having a hard time putting all of my feelings into words because quite frankly, I'm overwhelmed with emotions.

I'm so thankful that the Lord has given me the ability and opportunity to even attempt and train for this type of race. It has been a tremendous experience thus far and I've got less than 2 months to go. I can't thank those 5 guys in Houston (who I'm racing with) enough for their support and gentle kicks to the rear end when I needed them most.

TRAINING UPDATE:

• Wednesday -- Strength training workout, core, 6 mile run


• Thursday -- Swim 1500 yards, core workout

Thankfully, I kept my cool....

...last night was very frustrating. As many of you know, I'm coaching a Little League baseball team this year. My team is not quite as good as the team I had last year that went 15-3. In fact, I think our record will be the reverse of last year's record. Before you go questioning my coaching abilities, let me add that I have 4 kids who had never stepped on a baseball diamond in their life before this year and they are 9 years old. However, I'm not trying to make excuses. We've had a blast and my kids have learned a lot about the game of baseball.

Last night we played the Mets (one of the other TWO teams in our league...yes, I said TWO). We've played them 5 times prior to last night and beat them a couple weeks ago in the final inning. My kids played their hearts out the entire game, but the Mets scored three in the top half of the inning to go ahead by one. We had one more shot. In the most unlikely of scenarios, the Giants triumphantly scored 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning to go up by one -- one would think the game was in the bag because the time limit was creeping up on us. Well, supposedly, they got the last out of the inning seconds before the time limit. BOGUS!! To add icing to the cake, I was accused by the other coach of wanting the same treatment if it was me. I have news for him. I know how to win, but I also know how to lose and would not have done that to his team. My integrity is worth a little more to me than losing it out on a baseball diamond coaching YOUTH baseball. You probably know where this story is going. The Mets came back and scored 4 in the top of the "last" inning and ended up beating us by 1. Arghh...I was so frustrated -- mainly for my kids who played so hard.

Here is my take:

As I said before, my integrity as a person is much more valuable than a Little League baseball game. I'm a very competitive person, but my ultimate goal this season is to teach my kids how to play the game and play it with good sportsmanship. We are not out there to win a world title and last time I checked I'm not sweating a contract extension for millions of dollars at the end of the season. I'd rather lose every game than win under bad sportsmanship.

I was proud of my kids last night. They played as a team and they never quit and that is all that I can ask.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas -- Training Update

I was out of town all weekend and didn't have a chance to post my most recent training updates.

Here they are:

Friday -- REST
Saturday -- 8 mile run (1 hour)
Sunday -- REST
Monday -- Workout, 5 mile run (40 min)
Tuesday -- Swim 1000 yards

Also, I thought I'd drop this little video in to test your awareness. Let's see how good you are.

Softly Call the Muster...

...let commrade answer here. Today, April 21, marks a very special day in the lives of all Aggies around the world. Today is the day that you gather together with fellow Aggies to relive your days on campus and celebrate the memory of Aggies who have passed away during the year. This year, I mustered with Travis and Katy Nichols. Travis and I have been great friends since we were freshman in college. We have celebrated Aggie Muster together for 9 years now -- it's hard to believe time has passed so fast. This year was very special because it was my first time to Muster off campus. We celebrated in Boerne, TX.

Aggie Muster will always hold a special place in my heart. It is a tradition that separates Texas A&M from every other university. It makes us unique. It is a chance for us to remember our roots, the great university we attended, and the many cherished friendships we developed while we were students at one of America's finest institutions.

Today, the Roll Call for the Absent was read in more than 350 locations worldwide including on the battlefields in Iraq and every Aggie's name was called while their commrade answered "Here" in their place.

Softly Call the Muster,

Burke

Friday Funnies

I'm starting a new BLOG TRADITION. Every Friday, I'm going to be posting something funny -- a story or video or something random -- to get your weekend started off right. Check back every week for a good laugh!!

We are starting with this video. If you don't laugh at this, we need to talk. I've seen this video about 10 million times, but still fall out of my chair every time I watch it.

Friends and Aggie Family: It's almost here....

....the weekend that is!! I'm so excited about getting away from the Valley for a nice three day weekend. I'm flying into San Antonio tonight and then driving to Hunt, TX for the GBC Men's Retreat. I'm spending the weekend in the Hill Country and then driving to Boerne, TX for some more R&R and visiting with Travis and Katy. To top it all off, I'm celebrating Aggie Muster on Monday with the Hill Country A&M Club. Travis and I have Mustered together the past 9 years, but this is our first time off campus. It should be a ton of fun!!

TRAINING UPDATE:

• Thursday morning -- 30 minute recovery run
• Thursday afternoon -- 2:00 bike ride (~35 miles in the rolling hills of N. Scottsdale and Cave Creek)

TRAINING UPDATE: Ironman 70.3 Kansas

Swim - 1500 yards during lunch today. I also got some core work in.

I have to say that I've felt really good over the past week. I'm sleeping like a rock and eating well -- really well. One of my co-workers calls me "chipmunk" because I always have something in my mouth (healthy, of course). When you are burning this many calories training its important to replenish your supply, which is why I'm constantly eating. I'm planning on venturing out on a short run tonight followed by a nice bike ride in the morning.

One final note, I registered for the Tempe International Triathlon today. The race is on May 15 and will give me a good guage on where I'm at training wise along with a chance to swim in the open water which I've never done. I'm also going to be testing out my wetsuit -- which reminds me I need to purchase one (a birthday gift to myself in May). The Tempe Tri will be a 1500 meter swim, 40K bike, and 10K run -- approximately half of what I will be taking on in Kansas.

Starting the day off right!!!

Have you tried Starbucks' new Pike Place Roast? I picked me up the grande version with "no room" this morning. Yummy, yummy is Starbucks in Burke's tummy. The question you need to be asking yourself is "how do I get that goodnesss inside me?" (quote taken from Brian Regan stand up)

Seriously, Starbucks' hit this one out of the ballpark. It is a diversion from my normal bold coffee and you can bet I'm going to stay with this smooth daddy for a long time.

Okay...back to enjoying my brew, reading my morning e-mail, and catching up on the news of the day before I dive into my to do list.

TRAINING UPDATE: My alarm did not go off this morning. I'm going to take the pool during my lunch hour. I'll also do a core workout.

Training Update: Ironman 70.3 Kansas

This morning, I went on a nice 6 1/2 mile run and it felt great!! It's been a long time since I've felt that strong on a run. (I bet you didn't think someone could get so excited about running 6 1/2 miles) I took it out slow and picked up the pace throughout the run -- probably running 7:30 -- 7:45 splits during the last 2 miles. Yesterday, I did a 10 min. warm up on the bike, some circuit training, and a great core workout and stretching. Kansas, here I come! I'm still fired up from this weekend.

Red Faced

Note to all of my readers: Never wear the color red after you get sunburned.

Almost every single person I've passed in the hallway this morning has made some comment like "looks like someone was out in the sun" or "oooh...what happened to you."

As mentioned in my previous post, I volunteered out at IMAZ all weekend. I forgot to apply sunscreen on Saturday and paid the price. I am glowing like an emergency light and to top it all off I decided to wear red today which evidently makes me even brighter.

Aloe Vera lotion and Solarcaine were my friends this weekend. And now my once burnt arms and face are turning into a nice tan which is great news for this white boy.

IM AZ

This weekend, I had the privilege of volunteering at Ironman Arizona on Saturday and Sunday. I will not disclose the number of hours I worked because it's not important, but what I will say is that I was rewarded greatly. My reward: stories and a memory that I know will highlight my time in Arizona. It is amazing to me how giving of yourself -- your entire self -- can be so fulfilling. In today's culture that might sound counterintuitive, but it's true. On Saturday, I helped athletes place their T1 and T2 bags in the transition areas, walked them through the course and answered any miscellaneous questions they had. It was so much fun to see their excitement and anxiousness for the day ahead. The next morning bright and early I was there again to answer their questions as they made their morning preparations before the race, but the fun was yet to come.

I worked both transitions (T1 and T2) and got to assist guys, encourage them, and even get to know a few of them. The T1 transition was fast and furious as the athletes were still well hydrated and doing well. T2 was a completely different story. After 5-8 hours on a bike in windy conditions with temps reaching 95, the athletes were drained. The worst part was they still had a marathon to run. My team was there with cold rags, fluids, food, salt tablets, and someone to talk to. This is when I got to know and serve several athletes -- many of them I saw in T1 and T2. Our team was their "pit crew" during transition. To top off the day, I was there at the FINISH line when they crossed and helped them with fluids and food. It was pretty emotional watching them reunite with their families as well.

One guy I met was Andre. He was originally from South Africa and moved to Houston. He was absolutely drained by the time he got off the bike. While he was refueling we got to know each other. The medical staff wanted us to engage them in conversation to gage their alertness since it had been a brutal day out on the bike. About 10 minutes later, I had him set and sent him out on the run. I told him I would be waiting at the finish line. Sure enough...at 9:30 last night, nearly 14:30 hours after starting the race, I watched Andre cross the finish line, grab his medal and T-shirt, and be reunited with his fiancé. We also had some time to sit and chat over food after the race. I told him if I was ever back in Houston that I would look him up.

Those small stories made up my day yesterday. It was a day when I saw men and women push their bodies to the ultimate limit. It was a day when I saw endurance athletes at their best and worst. And the greatest part of it all was that I had the privilege of serving them all day long.

Creature of Habit

I have to admit I'm a creature of habit. I think I realized it for the first time this morning as I ordered my grande bold coffee from Starbucks -- the same drink I always order. Many of you who know me have explained this to me over and over, but I don't think it's ever gotten through my thick skull. My sweet little grandmother always like to remind me, in her own gentle way, that I'll never get married because I'm so "set my ways" and hard headed.

Is this a bad thing? Why do I do things the same way over and over? Is it a product of my environment or of my upbringing or both? Do I like tradition because it gives me a sense of comfort? I'm still trying to figure out the answers to these questions.

I've learned a lot about myself as a person since I moved to Arizona. Just like in all things, my "tradition" or life as I always knew it was interrupted when I moved westward and I had to adjust in a big way. Has it been easy? Nope. Has it been worth it? I'm still trying to figure that out, but I think I will look back on this season in my life and see how the Lord used it to grow me and challenge me to obediently follow Him. I've been challenged to make new friends, find a new church, adjust to a new culture, and learn a new job.

God has used this time in my life to remind me that He is still in control and only He knows what is best for me. In the book of John, Jesus says, "I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly." Jesus promises us an abundant/ fulfilled life if we follow Him. (Notice, he did not say "easy" or "safe" life) With that in mind, I want to chase after Him and not chase after what is comfortable.

On a lighter note, I thought I'd share some of my more humorous idiosyncraices/quirks.

• I clean my entire house (top to bottom) before I leave on vacation/trip -- I know...wierd
• I evenly space my hangers in my closet, button every button on every shirt, and hang all my pants facing the same direction.
• I order my eggs sunny side up and never eat the yoke. I meticulously cut around it. My dad and brother love this because they like to sap it up with bread -- disgusting.
• I have a flight routine/checklist that I go through at the airport. If you ever travel with me, get ready because I mean business and I challenge myself to get through security as quickly as possible.

I could share more, but I'll hold off. Do you have any quirks that when you think about them start laughing at yourself?

Ironman 70.3 Kansas -- Training Update

Today, at lunch, I did a 30-35 minute run. I'm trying to build back up to the staminia I had a few months ago while I was training for the Chicago marathon. I felt much better on this run that I did on the one earlier this week. I'm also planning to workout tonight at the gym after baseball practice. The best part about this week is that I've been encouraged (and mandated by some) to get back on the road and start training. It's been nice to get back to doing something I truly enjoy and that is a great stress reliever.

To my training partners in Houston....I hope you are staying on track as well.

Ryan Hall: More than a workout

Ryan Hall is one of the premier long distance runners in the United States today. In November, he finished first in the U.S. Olymic marathon qualifying race in New York. He is currently preparing for the Flora London Marathon to keep in shape for this summer's Beijing Olympics. I thought I'd share a short documentary he put together. This documentary is about a lot more than just a 24 mile training run. It's about his walk with Christ, why he runs, and how we can use our gifts to glorify Christ in all that we do.

What gifts did He give you that you are using for His glory today? How can I encourage you or pray for you as you seek to use your gifts to bring God glory?



Be encouraged today -- let's run the race together as brothers and sisters in Christ!!

Feeling Encouraged....

Have you ever been "randomly encouraged"? Today, I received two separate e-mails from parents on my baseball team thanking me for being such a positive influence on their kids. I'm not telling you this to toot my horn, but to throw out a challenge. If we/I are/am truly living for Christ, everything we do is for His glory and His glory alone. So when we receive encouragement or a pat on the back, do we harbor it for ourselves or offer it back to God with thanksgiving? My prideful, depraved soul wants to keep it for myself, but I know I must offer it all back to Him (who gave it in the first place).

Back on the Bandwagon

Back in February, I mentioned something about a half Ironman in June that I signed up for back in January. It felt like as soon as I posted that my life went into warp speed. I can't tell you where March went. With a long business trip, Easter, and my parents visiting, I was pretty busy. In addition, I started coaching Little League baseball and continued with YoungLife. Did I mention I also held down a full time job? Suffice to say....I hadn't trained very much and was planning to back out. That was until my 5 friends from Houston got a hold of me. With a little encouragement (which could have been mistaken for coercion), I decided to "saddle up" and jump back on the bandwagon. My goal: FINISH and have fun doing it. I'm going to start posting my training updates to keep my friends informed on how I'm doing as well as you.

TRAINING UPDATE:
Monday -- 45 minute run
Tuesday -- 25 minute swim (20 laps -- down and back)

The ROAD to Kansas begins in Arizona.