With 2014 coming to a close, I've been faced with a big decision for 2015. Since I'm still not 100% healthy, and am unsure when I'll be able to run without pain, I have been reluctant to commit to racing as a pro again in 2015. I fully expect to be healthy for the start of tri season in March, but this injury has been dragging way more than I ever thought it would! USAT rules are such that I cannot go back and forth between pro and amateur during the year, and basically have to decide before the season starts which way I will go. With the uncertainty of when I will get better, and knowing that if I go the pro route I may put undue pressure on myself to race at a high level as soon as I come back, has helped me decide to race as an amateur next year. Also, I really want to get back to Kona, and that's a lot more feasible as an amateur than as a pro!
Merry Christmas from the Emge family! We have our own church now!
A New Team for 2015
Going back to racing as an amateur means that I won't be racing for Maverick Multisport next year. I had a great time racing for them in 2014, and am thankful to my team director at Maverick and all the wonderful sponsors that we had. I am, however, very excited, to be racing for a nationwide triathlon team that just so happens to be right here in my back yard, the Cobb Mobb! Cobb Cycling started this team last year, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. I've known John and Ginger Cobb for many years now, and they have helped shaped me into the triathlete I am today...not only with their world class bike saddles and tri apparel, but with their personal support too. The spin classes every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the winter may have helped a little bit as well!
Glad to be a part of this team!
My tentative plans for 2015 are to swim and bike as much as possible the next few months, and hope to ease back into running....with a goal of doing the Tri Tyler Half on May 3rd. The next race on my calendar would potentially be the Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon (70.3) in Lubbock on June 28th. My big race for 2015 will be Ironman Boulder on August 2nd....which will hopefully qualify me for the even bigger Ironman World Championships in Kona in October! Of course, my whole 2015 season is still up in the air until I'm fully healed, so the only race I've signed up for to this point is Ironman Boulder, as it is likely to sell out soon.
IM Boulder in 2015!
Training Plans
Having raced Ironman Texas in the middle of May the last several years, I'm excited about pushing my first Ironman race a little further back into August. It seems that my biking is usually pretty strong that time of year, having had several months of Daylight Saving Time training on the bike. And with my good friend/training buddy Seth Cooke making IMTX his A race and potential Kona qualifier for 2015, I figure I'll get some good long rides in the spring, and will continue those throughout the summer to prepare for Boulder. I was able to convince my good friend/training buddy/next-door neighbor, Felipe Garcia, to sign up for Boulder as well, so I'm already looking forward to some hammer-fest/donut eating/time-trial bike long rides with fellow Ironmen once the aforementioned DST switch occurs (the 2nd most wonderful time of the year).
When not on long bike rides, Seth and I like to sneak onto goat ramps
Races and Other Activities I've Done Lately
Just because I've been hurt doesn't mean I haven't been able to compete in a few races and other activities the last few months... I may not be able to run at race pace, but that didn't keep me from running the St. Jude Memphis Marathon with Kimberly and Allie Garcia! (side note: this was an incredibly underrated marathon for an amazing cause, that I would recommend to anyone looking to do a marathon...way better than any marathon I've ever done in Texas). I've also done some cyclocross racing lately, as well as the Grit & Glide (mt bike/road bike duathlon of sorts), and of course, the beer mile! It may have gotten the best of me on my first try, but there will be more attempts at the beer mile in the coming months. Here are some pictures from these recent events:
Running the Memphis Marathon w/ Kimbo and Allie (they both did awesome!)
The Grit & Glide race at Faulkner Park (photo credit: Lesley Lerma)
I hope you readers that have stuck it out this far into my blog had a very merry Christmas! Kimberly did a great job of bringing the Christmas spirit to the Emge household, with her baking and decorating skillz. We also made a trip to Illinois for my grandma's 85th birthday, and had a great time celebrating with relatives up there! Upon returning, we hosted Christmas lunch with Kimberly's family at our house, then went to an annual Christmas party put on by family friends! After this and numerous other Christmas parties and baked goods, the struggle to get back in shape may indeed be real.
Happy and healthy New Year's wishes to all!
Christmas festivities on the best street in Tyler!
John 1: 1-5
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it."
For a sportsperson He is not sure that when will he will be injured..Mental toughness very much required for a sport person to recover from pain with some help of Sports Medicine Doctor Boulder...Looking forward to find out more and acquire further knowledge from here..
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