Ironman Texas has become the primary focus of my early season since it started in 2011. Each year has been a unique experience and this one was no different. In the spirit of "a picture is worth a thousand words" and all that jazz, let's go through the day.
Last year, while preparing for IMTX in Boulder, I was served up with endless amounts of this:
In 2013, every week from the end of March to the beginning of May saw a snowstorm.
Then when we all showed up to race in the Woodlands, we were greeted with this:
This year was an entirely different story. While we still had plenty of cooler weather, and some snow, in Boulder, it was a much more reasonable spring. Additionally, the weather in Texas stayed away from the extremes. Instead of racing on the surface of the sun, we were greeted with reasonably warm temperatures in the mid 80s and a lake that was even cool enough for wetsuits. Night and day from 2013 and closer to what we experienced in the first couple years.
Every year, Voler Apparel and I design a custom racing kit to use for IMTX. This year I paid tribute to my hometown of Houston by having the city's skyline on my back:
And my gear:
I seem to be lacking any photos from the swim, but it was mostly uneventful. I came out with a fairly large group around the 52-minute mark.
On to the bike:
(Photo Credit: Sherry Daerr)
I spent the first half of the bike with a few other athletes, but shortly after the halfway point things started to break up and the back half was mostly solo. The wind direction at IMTX is typically favorable on the way out and a headwind on the way back. This year was no different, and while not too crazy, the constant breeze in my face was a bit tiring.
I'm not sure of the order, but some shots from the bike:
(Photo credit: Corey Oliver)
(Photo credit: Sherry Daerr)
(Photo Credit: Lars Finanger)
(Photo Credit: Sherry Daerr)
I started the run in 7th place and did not make any position changes until the beginning of the second lap when I moved into 6th. I held this position until somewhere around mile 16 when I moved into 5th and by the end of lap two I was running in 4th. At this time, I was not sure if any more positions could be gained, but in the first three years of the race the following has happened:
2011: Moved from 8th to 7th in the final 10K
2012: Moved from 4th to 3rd inside the final 10K, and from 3rd to 2nd in the final mile.
2013: Went the other direction. Went from 2nd to 3rd in last 10K, and from 3rd to 4th in last 3 miles.
This year was no different. In the final mile of the race I made the move into 3rd and finished just inside the podium. I was very happy to get back on the podium after finishing one spot off of it last year.
(Photo Credit: Corey Oliver)
Small detail of the next photo: I never run with a backwards hat, but we had some gusty winds on the run course that kept blowing it off my head.
(Photo Credit: Corey Oliver)
The following photo was snapped with my wife, Brooke, just as I crossed the finish line.
(Photo Credit: Sherry Daerr)
Last year, Brooke and I began a campaign to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. My father was severely wounded in Vietnam in 1967 and this charity and it's cause mean a lot to me. Last year we raised more than $5000 by the time I raced IMTX. This year we set a goal of raising $7500 by race day. We managed to surpass that goal and made a new goal of $10,000 which we also passed by the time I toed the line. Thank you to everyone who donated and for supporting our wounded veterans and their families.
My father in 1967, at the age of 23:
Our fundraising goal of $10,000 and the final amount:
See you all there next year,
Justin
Photo Credits:
Sherry Daerr www.petportraitsbysherryd.com
Corey Oliver www.brittanilouise.com
Lars Finanger www.valhallasportsgroup.com