Since this website has been up for about 6 months i figure I ought to make my first attempt at "blogging". Not being much of a computer guy, this is going to be more difficult than going for a run that would last as long as it takes to write whatever it is I eventually write. First, I want to provide a brief history as to who i am, why i am, and how i am like any other person out their making choices that ultimately determines each day we live. In the upcoming days, weeks, and months I will update my progress in training, racing, and provide insight to what i do as a professional triathlete, trainer, and coach.
Living an active lifestyle blesses my life greatly to this day. I thank my parents for never allowing video games or cable television into our house and stressing a healthy life: physically, spiritually, and mentally. Growing up, we always seemed to have a number kids over, playing driveway basketball, backyard football and baseball, or sledding across the street (which required a lot of hill climbing), and when it got dark we grabbed some flashlights for midnight tag. I'm not sure what has happened to unsupervised and unorganized athletics today, but it was great. When Sunday morning rolled around though, my dad as annoying as it was, would drag us all to church. It was there that I first learned that life is not all about me, as much as I still struggle with this today. However, building a relationship with Jesus Christ grounded me, and yet exalted my spirit more than I can imagine or grasp. It encourages me to do my best as well as encourage others, while keeping in perspective that winning is not the ultimate prize, but rather having joy when you crossing the finish line. Our family trips revolved around activity, and it often felt like we needed a vacation when we returned home. We usually traveled once in the summer to a family beach house (built by my great grand father on the Jersey Shore) and once in the winter to a Rocky Mountain ski resort. Everyday was usually filled with running on the boardwalk, then spending way too many hours in the sun, riding waves and swimming in the ocean until out lips and toes turned blue. The only sunbathing and laying out that occurred was when we fell asleep on the beach from exhaustion. Winter ski trips had a similar theme. Waking up early to catch the first chair lift to the top of the mountain, and not returning until we had skied down the final run as the resort closed for the night. The only drawback to these trips was that we often missed a week of school and my parents required that each night we finished the homework our teachers had given us in order to keep up with class before we could go out and ski the next day. The mental discipline of delaying gratification and appreciating the reward of hard work were great gifts my parents bestowed me. Little did i know, that these aspects of "just" growing up would one day lay a foundation to become a professional triathlete. Thank you both.
Living an active lifestyle blesses my life greatly to this day. I thank my parents for never allowing video games or cable television into our house and stressing a healthy life: physically, spiritually, and mentally. Growing up, we always seemed to have a number kids over, playing driveway basketball, backyard football and baseball, or sledding across the street (which required a lot of hill climbing), and when it got dark we grabbed some flashlights for midnight tag. I'm not sure what has happened to unsupervised and unorganized athletics today, but it was great. When Sunday morning rolled around though, my dad as annoying as it was, would drag us all to church. It was there that I first learned that life is not all about me, as much as I still struggle with this today. However, building a relationship with Jesus Christ grounded me, and yet exalted my spirit more than I can imagine or grasp. It encourages me to do my best as well as encourage others, while keeping in perspective that winning is not the ultimate prize, but rather having joy when you crossing the finish line. Our family trips revolved around activity, and it often felt like we needed a vacation when we returned home. We usually traveled once in the summer to a family beach house (built by my great grand father on the Jersey Shore) and once in the winter to a Rocky Mountain ski resort. Everyday was usually filled with running on the boardwalk, then spending way too many hours in the sun, riding waves and swimming in the ocean until out lips and toes turned blue. The only sunbathing and laying out that occurred was when we fell asleep on the beach from exhaustion. Winter ski trips had a similar theme. Waking up early to catch the first chair lift to the top of the mountain, and not returning until we had skied down the final run as the resort closed for the night. The only drawback to these trips was that we often missed a week of school and my parents required that each night we finished the homework our teachers had given us in order to keep up with class before we could go out and ski the next day. The mental discipline of delaying gratification and appreciating the reward of hard work were great gifts my parents bestowed me. Little did i know, that these aspects of "just" growing up would one day lay a foundation to become a professional triathlete. Thank you both.
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