kypdurran

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Well it's been quite awhile since I've posted anything on the blog.   Lot's of things have happened since November, the last time I've posted.   Most notably I was featured in my local newspaper, the Baton Rouge Advocate (http://www.2theadvocate.com/features/37395329.html) with a 2 page story recounting my success with weight loss and my triathlon journey to Ironman and an article in Triathlete Magazine (http://triathlon.competitor.com/features/after-losing-262-pounds-a-triathlete-lives-his-dream.html).   I also made it to the final 25 candidates for Gatorade's "Quest for G" reality show which was kinda neat and portions of my audition video ended up in the first episode.  (http://www.missiong.com/video/Ep-2-The-Search-is-On)   My uncut audition video is at (http://www.chadsoileau.com/g/chad.wmv)

Other than that, my life has been consumed by training.   Last Sunday I completed my first Ironman sanctioned event, the New Orleans Ironman 70.3, a half-Ironman distance race, in New Orleans, LA.   It was quite an experience and completion of the race allowed me to cross off another goal from my goal list.   It's been close to a year since I've been able to cross any new goals off so it was nice to be able to do that for a change.    My full race report is up at http://www.team464.com/imno2009/

Best of luck on  your journey!

Chad
www.team464.com


"ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU JUST TRI!"

Not many things in this world actually live up to the hype.   For me, Ironman Florida EXCEEDED what I was expecting.   I've raced in 20 different triathlons this year, a marathon, a half marathon, three 10Ks and a few 5Ks.   I've done both large and small events and I must say that NOTHING compared to the organization and the professionalism of this race.   It was truly amazing, start to finish, and I'm glad I got to be a small part of it.   

I got a little choked up as I heard Mike Reilly announce, "At the end of the day today you will all be Ironman" moments before the cannon boomed and the swarms of 2000 swimmers entered the Gulf of Mexico to start their 140.6 mile journey.   I also got choked up when I saw the last 100 yards to the finish line.   WOW!   I've seen that scene in my mind, it seems like thousands of times, when I train.  Seeing it in person was amazing to say the least.   I want that!  I will have that!

I volunteered at a penalty tent earlier in the day for a few hours but my first real "hands-on" experience volunteering was as a 'catcher' at the finish line from 6 - 10PM.   The drama that was unfolding as these guys were crossing the finish line was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life.   I was truly honored to be the first person to interact with the athletes as they crossed over.  The majority of them were first time Ironmen.   They genuinely appreciated my presence, and most importantly, my shoulder after such a long grueling day as I guided them to get their much deserved medal, finishers t-shirt and finishers hat.   
I'm enjoying my last couple weeks of my 'offseason' doing very light training just to keep up my fitness level.  I have a half-marathon that I will do next month but I'm not going for a PR.   Just gonna do it as a long run that I'm paying for.   I want to do more right now but my tri-coach insists that I just chill for the next couple weeks after the racing season I did this year.   Training for my first half-Ironman race, the New Orleans Ironman 70.3 starts on the 17th.   

This has been a helluva year, one of the greatest years of my life, and I'm glad I got to share it with you guys as it played out.   I've got my fingers crossed for Kona and I'm officially registered to race next year in Florida.   I'll be proud to call myself an Ironman at least once over by this time next year.   :)

2008 U of L, Lafayette Triathlon (200 m swim / 8.5 mile bike / 2.5 mile run)
27 seconds...  27 seconds away from a podium finish in the MALE division this time.  :)

Click here for the race report

2008 Pumkinman Triathlon (1500m swim / 30 mile bike / 10K run)
The Pumpkinman triathlon in Boulder City, Nevada (right ouside Vegas) was hands down my most challenging race of the year.   The course was amazingly beautiful but brutal throughout.  

Click here for the race report

2008 Heritage Eagleman Triathlon (1/3 mile swim / 16.5 mile bike / 5K run)
The Eagleman Tri was a first annual race just outside Hattiesburg, MS.   I got my first podium finish which had a pretty significant catch to it.   Check out the full race report for the details.  

Click here for the race report

2008 Beach Blast Triathlon (1500m swim / 25 mile bike / 10K run)
I won't lie and say it was my best race of the year because it wasn't.   I was penalized on the bike, ran an extra 2 miles on the run and spent 15 minutes in "Transition 3".   It was racing though and any race is better than no race at all!

Click here for the race report

2008 Meat Pie Triathlon  (1/2 mile swim / 20 mile bike / 5K run)
After all the cancellations due to hurricanes over the past month it was nice to be out racing.  How could I pass up a triathlon that was named after two of my favorite foods - meat and and pie!     The Meat Pie triathlon was also the site of the USAT State Club Championship which my tri club, Baton Rouge Tri, took home with an extremely strong showing.

Click here for the race report

First, I am so very sorry for the people that lost their lives, property and homes from the recent storms in Louisiana and Texas.  I am so VERY fortunate that I was only inconvenienced with minor damage to my vehicle and loss of power for close to 2 weeks.   

Hurricanes suck golden, deep fried, gargantuan, oderous, vampirelike, poisonous, monkey ballz!   Life is JUST starting to get back to normal here in south Louisiana.   

- No more waiting in long lines for gas.
- No more empty shelves at the grocery stores. 
- No more generators. 
- ELECTRICITY!  YAY!

My training was also just starting to get back on track.  I've even parted from my diet of Ho Ho's, Twinkies, Ravioli and MREs.  (The MREs actually hooked me up with an expensive trip to the emergency room because I thought I had twisted my bowels again!   FUNTASTIC!)

So I get a message yesterday from the race director of the Holy Toledo Triathlon.   He tried as best he could but could not get the support needed for the race on the 28th of this month.  This was my 'big' race of the year.   1 mile swim, 40 mile bike and 10 mile run.   Many of my experienced buddies in my tri club that have done multiple half and full distance Ironman races ranked this race up at the top as far as challenge and difficulty.   I was SO looking forward to it.   While the other race cancellations bothered me I shrugged them off because, "Hey, I still have Holy Toledo right?"   Well, Holy Toledo is no more.  :(

Holy Toledo makes race number FIVE (5) that has been cancelled due to Hurricane's Fay, Gustav and Ike.   H.T. was actually number 4 but I'm guessing that the Hi-Fi tri in Galveston is at the end of October is also going to be cancelled too since Galveston Island didn't fair so well after Ike.  I'm scrambling to find a replacement for H.T. now.  I found a full Half Ironman distance race in Knoxville that I'm looking at.    Knoxville, or more specifically Oak Ridge, is in the mountainous region of Tennesee so I'm sure it will be challenging.   I also found another Oly distance race north of Dallas that sounds like fun as well. 

They didn't cancel the Meatpie Tri so at least I'm racing this weekend.   The 1/2 mile swim / 20 mile bike and a 5K run will definitely be fun but it's hardly going to challenge me like Holy Toledo would have.   

Well Hurricane Gustav came and went but not before laying down some 100+ mph winds on my hometown of Baton Rouge. I was hunkered down with the family (a blue and gold macaw parrot, a nanday conure parrot, a hahn's macaw parrot and a miniature pincher) through the storm. Everyone came out safe but my truck took a direct hit from a huge pecan tree that fell from a neighbor's yard. My blue and gold knew something was up as he was yelling 'help' throughout. :)



Baton Rouge is a mess right now but I'm doing my best to clean up and get on with life. Thus is the nature of living in Hurricane Alley.

The video...

Chad Soileau's TEAM 464 spot on CNN