This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my life as an endurance athlete. Last year on this date, I ran the Lake Hodges 50K, stepping into the unknown with only an 18-mile training run under my belt. The events of the last calendar year yield a similar pattern of redefining my limits, chronicled here within this blog and embodied in my young adult life.

My journey has lead me to the summit of what I thought was previously possible only to be afforded a fleeting glimpse of higher mountain tops and greater challenges. First it was the 50K that presented the challenge, then came the 50-Mile distance that  broke me until I achieved success. I'm currently preparing for a 100-mile run in June and already registered for a 140.6-mile triathlon in November. Then what..?

"What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

To celebrate my passion for endurance, I participated in my first official triathlon, the Ford Ironman 70.3 California at Oceanside on Saturday. The race itself is a classic—season opener for the sport of triathlon. The field was stacked with Pros in both the men's and women's divisions. It was cool to hear all the hype before the race but I was there to push myself for a killer training session—all to build my body and mind for the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run on 6/7-6/8.

I like to set the bar high so it leaves me with more to be desired—this way, I remain motivated at all times. I projected my finish in less than 5 hours and a PR in the half marathon. I didn't reach either of these goals (haha) but I sure had a blast along the way!

The swim was nice and warm (60-degrees) in the protected Oceanside Harbor. No swell to battle, just a bunch of flailing bodies. I was surprised to see the different color swim caps (yes, mine was pink) during the swim--I must have caught up to at least two waves that started before my age group. I knew my swim was solid and projected 32-minutes which was pretty much spot-on as I was out of the water and into T1 in 33-minutes.

The bike portion began with a mistake within the first half-mile that would cost me later on. I somehow managed to drop my electrolytes on the ground, never to be seen again.

"Punishment = Glory"

Right?

In the meantime, I enjoyed pushing myself on the bike, which remains my weakest link in the trio. I've only been riding a road bike since August and my longest ride was done in the Anza-Borrego Desert with the Triathlon Club of San Diego (TCSD). We covered 60-miles that day in 106-degree dry desert air so 56-miles through the rolling hills of Camp Pendleton seemed easy, so I pushed harder.

Towards the end of the bike, my lack of electrolytes began to creep up on me in the form of cramps in my quads so I switch to Gatorade at the aid stations. I finished the bike portion in under 3-hours, averaging 19-miles per hour. My bike dismount into T2 was greeted by a full contraction of my hamstring when lifting my leg over the top-tube of my ride--foreshadowing the first portion of my half-marathon run. My right foot was numb for at least 4 miles and my legs were heavy and the impact of each step was loud—not my typical efficient running stride. The temporary discomfort was quality punishment training

The run remained the highlight of my day. I train alone so often that I was absolutely blown away by the volunteers, fans and spectator support--it was beautiful. I was proudly wearing TCSD apparel and encouraged by familiar faces and countless supporters along the 13.1-mile run course.

I appreciate you all joining me on this adventure--stay tuned for another year!