Team Fezzari Bicycles

So, my goal this year was to qualify for Ironman World Championships held in Kona, Hawaii.  I actually won a free entry to Ironman New Zealand, held in March of this year, and figured that was going to be THE race that I would reach my goal. 

So, after I went to the Ironman 70.3  World Championships held in Clearwater, Florida (last November, 2009) I figured I would just keep the ball rolling and train right through to IM New Zealand.  I actually had a terrific winter of training and really enjoyed being so focused and excited for a great adventure.  It was a great adventure!  I loved New Zealand and thought the race was really quite wonderful…all except my knee that disagreed with the run for the last 13 miles.  So, needless to say…I DIDN’T qualify for Kona with a marathon that became a death march.  Also,  needless to say…I was pretty dang bummed about the whole thing.  But, I was still so grateful and lucky that I got to even go to New Zealand and have such a memorable and awesome experience!

Next up….Ironman St. George on May 1st.  After New Zealand, I really wasn’t too excited about doing another Ironman.  My body and, even more importantly, my mind were just plain TIRED.  I was also a bit discouraged and just didn’t feel like getting all intense and focused for IM St. George like I had for IM New Zealand.

IronMan St. George
So…I didn’t!  My training was much less in both intensity and quantity.  I even took extra days off and wasn’t quite as strict with my nutrition.  So, going into Ironman St. George…I was…relaxed, recovered, well stocked in the extra energy stores (that’s a nice way of saying…not super lean)…

The 2.4-Mile Swim
And…I felt GREAT!  I am a decent  swimmer so I came out of the water feeling great.  My bike was absolutely wonderful!  Not only was I SO comfortable on my Fezzari, but it looked SO good!  I remember thinking at mile 70 that I was still comfortable on my bike.  No real discomfort of any kind, great hill climbing, smooth descending, strong through the whole day and a great looking bike to boot?  How much better does it get!  (Oh yeah..and run was fun, too!)

The 112-Mile Bike Leg
I felt NO pressure from myself to do anything more than just enjoy my day and finish with a smile on my face.   I KNEW the course cause I had trained on it for the past  year on my Fezzari, so I was comfortable and familiar with how my bike handled the course.  I also knew what  my gearing needed to be and how I needed to be fit on my Fezzari  for the course. 

The Marathon
The run was an absolute party for me!  I knew SO many  people and had so many athletes on the course (27!) and friends cheering us all on…it was just like a rolling block party!  Before I knew it the finish line was in front of me and I was crossing the timing mat with a big smile on my face. 

YEAH…Mission Accomplished! 
Not only had I finished happy, but (I got a LOT lucky) and qualified for a spot to compete at the Ironman World Championships in Kona!  Whoulda thunk it??

The best part…I got to stay at the finish line and cheer in ALL the rest of my athletes as they crossed the finish line (except for 2 of my speedy men that finished WAY before me)!  It is such an amazing feeling to see someone that you care so much about finish something that they have worked SO hard to accomplish!

In fact..the whole reason that this race in St. George was so unforgettable was because of all the wonderful and awesome friends and athletes that were involved.  Cementing my already firm opinion that triathlon is so awesome and amazing because of the PEOPLE that you get to know and the FRIENDS that you get to make along the way!

Heath Thurston grew up swimming. He earned great accolades during his High School years. After his first blissful year of marriage, Heath had gained 50 pounds and in 2001 started doing triathlons as a way to get back in shape.

By 2004 he won almost every race he entered and decided that he might have found what he was looking for in a career. Although it has not always been easy, Heath has stuck with his dream to pursue triathlons professionally. Heath will enter his third full season as a professional triathlete in 2010. He rides the Fezzari T5 triathlon bicycle and loves how fast and aerodynamic the bike is, but also says it is the most comfortable bike he has ever been on.

Some of his personal bests are 4:14 Austin Half Iron Man and 9:26 Florida Iron Man. He has had his share of ups and downs in races and training but he expects 2010 to be the best season yet. He loves everything about triathlon, his wife teases that once you get him talking about triathlon, you might never get him to stop!

In addition to racing as a professional he also coaches many outstanding athletes and helps businesses achieve employee wellness.

2009 was a season defined but wonderful distractions.

After beginning the year with a 3rd place finish at the always competitive Desert Duathlon Classic in Phoenix, AZ my season looked to be off to a solid start.  Then came the first of three major life events (distractions that I would not change for anything).  This first distraction was graduation, as I finally finished up my Doctorate of Physical Therapy.   It was this fun filled day that should have tipped me off as, despite serious attempts on my behalf to persuade my family otherwise I was told that it was out of the question to miss my graduation in order to race the Lookout Mountain Hill Climb.

Distraction number two (a huge blessing as we look at today’s present economy) came the following Monday as I began my first steps in the real world, starting work as a Physical Therapist.  Two big distractions down one major one to go.

Knowing that we (my wife Bethanie and I)were T-minus 3 months from the expected arrival of my son it was time to race and race often before my wife grounded all out of state flights.  So I did.

While adjusting to the new schedule as a working man I raced as often as I could manage.  Among these races was the all important Apple Duathlon in Sartel, MN where I would punch my ticket as a member of Team USA  to my second World Championships in as many years.

Then 2 1/2 weeks early came my son, Ethan Myles Merrick.  With mom and baby healthy and all of us sleep deprived we spent the next three weeks trying to settle into some semblance of normalcy.

Once settled, I again set my eyes on the goal of winning a National Championship and rectifying last years tore hamstring hobble World Champs.  With the welcomed distraction of Ethan I was slightly behind the training eight ball and was now scrambling to find my fitness and form (ideally found separately) before the WC starter’s gun sounded.

The World Championships, 17th place overall, 6th fastest bike split , and second American.  This is the down a dirty.  It was good race considering my less than ideal preparations and a results that made me realize that 2010 World Champ was not a far fetched goal.  More on the WC race details in a separate post later.

So in review, while not a banner year as far as race results read I would not change it for the world.  For, finishing school, having a job that provides for my family (and attempts to pay off my monster student loans), and my wife and I being blessed with our son Ethan are gifts beyond the exhilaration that any race could provide.  In short, life is messy and messes with your plans but with each bump it becomes richer and richer.