It’s been a while since my last post, and I just came across something I found worth sharing. This year has been crazy, and the triathlon world has certainly been impacted. With that being said, many races are now starting back up, so I know this won’t last long. But! As of today, I am ranked #1 in the US in the 25-29 age group! I will forever save this screenshot showing that part way through the season, I was on top.
Little disclaimer here, USAT
dropped the requirements to only include 2 races this year instead of 3. So
right now, 2 of my 3 are being counted. I am hoping that my 3rd race will actually boost my
score even more when they add it. But once more races are added for other
athletes, the rankings will shift. Regardless, it’s been fun stalking the
results to see where I stack up. Moving forward, I still have a lot to
accomplish, and I refuse to let cockiness get the better of me in my
preparations.
So what’s next? I’m so glad you asked! Right now, I am focused on maintaining my fitness and keeping my body ready for a high volume block of training after Thanksgiving. Until then, I will: keep all of my runs in Zone 2 (25 mi/week max), limit myself to 1 killer bike workout/week, have a heavy focus on strength training, and swim a ton of yards. For me, a “ton of yards” is hitting 15,000 a week instead of 10,000… Would love to hear how many yards you all swim each week anddd any advice on breaking that 1 hr barrier =) Also, my watch switches from yards to miles after 5,000.
Wasn't sure how many yards I was ending with |
Another piece of exciting news (more exciting than my well timed USAT ranking) is that my dad ran his first marathon! He has put in so much work to get to this point, and I could not be prouder. (I had to Google proud vs. more proud if you were wondering that too). From his first 5k to a freaking marathon, my dad has come an incredibly long way. After tackling these numerous sub goals, he is now ready to take on an Ironman. For me, I am even more driven to take a Kona slot at Ironman Tulsa. If I can get it done this Spring, I can give dad my full support at Madison instead of trying to qualify again. Regardless, 2021 will be an exciting year for my family!
Dad's first marathon complete! |
That’s all for now. Never hesitate to hit me up with questions or if you just want to chat.
Matt