Kona 2014

I figure I'll make it official with a blog post.  After a lot of consideration and conversation with family, I am making qualifying for Kona a goal for 2014.  It might seem odd that I'm blogging about something that so many triathletes strive for year after year, but for me it's a big decision.  The time and financial commitment to working toward this goal are such that I will need the support from many people around me, most especially my wife, Laura.  With two young boys, the responsibility of watching the boys falls to her when I'm out training.  Thank you Laura!

I've already made some important investments that will help me tremendously.  I've decided to get a coach for the first time in my tri "career."  I will be working with Coach Chad Multisport, LLC .  I have known Chad for several years now and have raced with him on the Ballou Skies Tri Team for two years.  I have great respect for the things Chad has accomplished in the sport of triathlon and am confident his expertise will help me improve.

In addition to a coach, I've invested in a couple pieces of equipment.  The Garmin 910 XT multisport watch and a Quarq Power Meter for my bike. I'm excited to have these pieces of equipment as they will provide important data for training and racing.  Thanks Gram and Mom & Dad!  I've also applied for the PowerBar Team Elite sponsorship in hopes of having PowerBar's support throughout my journey.  As any athlete knows, nutrition is absolutely critical, and PowerBar provides so many great products for endurance athletes.

This week is the first week of training with Coach Chad.  The first few weeks will include a series of field tests in each of the three sports so that we can collect data and analyze my current fitness.  Coach Chad and I have also started discussing which races will be my "A" races and give me the chance to qualify for Kona.  Presently, I am registered for Eagleman 70.3 on June 8th in Cambridge, MD.  This is a race I've done many times and is the only 70.3 with Kona qualifying spots.  Stay tuned for additional races added to my schedule.

I'm excited for the journey ahead and will be blogging more frequently through the ups and downs on my way to Kona 2014.