It took two and a half years, but it finally caught me. I finally caught the Covid-bug. I was starting to think maybe I had some kind of natural immunity, or maybe I had it but without knowing… an asymptomatic case, that may have helped boost my immunity. My primary experience with Covid lasted 2-3 days. I was pretty sick, but I’ve had worse. A few days later, I tested negative and got out of my quarantine status and went on with life. However, there’s a lingering issue – chest congestion and sinuses mainly. Some effects have been welcome – I’ve dropped about 8 pounds, for one. But others are ..read more

What an incredible weekend in Lake Chisago, MN. This is exactly the kind of experience I was hoping to build when I started the Ordinary Marathoner Podcast. A cohesive and caring team with individual goals above and beyond anything they once thought possible. Lake Chisago was host to a great event. As a team, we had a blast – swimming together, riding together, and enjoying our downtime. Individually, these athletes all went out and gave it what they had. And they all had great experiences – conquering goals, but also learning that there are still ways to improve! It makes me feel very satisf ..read more

It’s that time of year again! Ironman Lake Placid week! We have been traveling up to this serene vacation-area almost every year since 2017. I haven’t done the race since 2019, but I have eyes on the 2023 version. That meant that this year’s trip, along with being a spectator and volunteer, gave me an option to do a little recon for next year. I swam the lake and biked the most difficult portion of the course. All to remind myself of what I was about to get myself into by registering for next year’s race. But this weekend wasn’t just about getting ready for 2023. It was also about experiencin ..read more

Running has been the bane of my triathlon existence lately. I just can’t get off the snide – haven’t embraced it as I once did. With lofty goals of 140.6 Miles in Lake Placid next year, it’s time I confronted this issue head-on. How to go about doing so? Easy. Set a Medium-Term goal that emphasizes running and then GO AFTER IT! Enter…. The St. Jude Memphis Marathon. 26.2 miles through the streets of Memphis. Battling the urge to listen to Marc Cohn, and running my way to a solid finish. I can do this… and it fits so well into the overall plan. As I sat back and thought about the sport and my ..read more

Last year I completed IM Mussleman 70.3 despite being a bit unprepared, undertrained, and overweight. Heading up to Geneva, NY this year, I had 3 distinct goals. Improve on the swim, improve on the bike, improve on the run. I am happy to report that I improved on ALL THREE! It was a beautiful day – perfect for racing. Everything came together and I smashed all three goals. Now, it leaves me wondering… just how much can I continue to improve? There’s only one way to find out… keep on training! #TrainingWorks Looking to improve with a triathlon or running coach? Reach out to Coach Scott at coac ..read more

Last week we talked about diet and the importance of not eating like a dick. This week, we bring a little more proof as to why. As I recorded last week’s podcast, I speculated that my 2017 Ironman Lake Placid bike ride was faster than my 2019 bike. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the numbers in front of me at that moment, but the speculation was enough for me to go back and check. And oh my, was I correct. Despite not being as strong or having the endurance I have today, combined with the fact I was completely inexperienced with racing or sustained outdoor climbing, my 2017 Lake Placid time was ..read more

The dreaded yo-yo. That’s the history of my weight gain and loss. Weight goes up, weight goes down. I feel like I have never reached my optimal weight in terms of performance. I start to lose, but the race always beats me to it and then I get content and gain it back. That is no longer an option. I have a lot to prove over the next 13 months to get myself in the best shape of my life for this last full Ironman race. Priority number one… lose the weight. How can I say that I gave it my all if I can’t control myself in the kitchen? Overcoming a poor diet is the easiest way for me to improve. Hi ..read more

This podcast was tougher for me to do than it looks. It took some self-reflection, some self-admission, and changing a long-held outlook I have dealt with for years. Parts of it may seem silly to others, even though it was important to me. It would be a fair assessment to call me naïve and possibly over-dramatic. But this was how my childhood dream unfolded and, ultimately, was crushed. I had a hard time posting this today. I went to bed realizing I left out some details. But I feel like I promised a weekly podcast and this one was in the can… so here it is. Now, I can’t even remember if I to ..read more

Four days into my new training mindset. I was cruising – crushing workout after workout. Feeling great. Until… Waking up with an injured foot in WEEK ONE (of nearly 60 weeks to come) was something I didn’t expect. It threw me for a bit of a loop, and led me to lose focus – especially when it came to diet. I ate… bad things. I lost discipline for one day. And it bothered me. What’s it gonna be? These are the things that happen during training that can cause you to lose focus. But it is precisely these times when focus needs to become extra-vigilant. When you lose that ability to train, you nee ..read more

With Ironman Chattanooga 70.3 now in the rearview, it’s time to look ahead. After much thought, I’ve decided it’s time to think big again. As the years fly by, these big events tend to feel more and more challenging. There’s just no better time than the present. This goal may be familiar… and it may not seem very exciting. But it’s something I must do. I have some unfinished business in the mountains of Lake Placid. It has been three years since I left 56 seconds on the table. And I’m due for another shot at the big one. The commitment it takes to finish this race is immense. I’m ready. When I ..read more