2013 Season Finale and Thank You’s

December 8th, 2013

Having a bad dad at 4:10 isn't too bad for a Half.

Now that the race season has come to a close, I’d like to thank everyone involved in making this year successful.  I finished off the triathlon race season at Ironman 70.3 Austin. Besides racing, it gave Heather and I a chance to visit her family and look for a new apartment to move to from Clermont,FL.  The race itself was a fun experience, even though I did not produce any major results.

Exiting the Swim

The race was different than any of my other races, given that is was not hot, the temperature was below 80. A quick recap of the race: the swim wasn’t too bad; I came out in the second swim pack. Starting out on the bike, I dropped a water bottle when I mounted and had to stop and retrieve it so that I wouldn’t get a penalty.  The bike course is where I lost the majority of my time; I biked almost 15 minutes slower than the top pros. I felt fine out there, which is a good indicator that I was either not pushing myself enough or I just did not have the strength or bike fitness to match everyone else’s speed.  I know it was not hydration or nutrition because I have this calculated perfectly.  Especially since I started using the natural sports drink Coco Hydro by Big Tree Farms and continue to use Amrita bars.  Once on the run, I tried to make up as much time as possible and salvage a decent overall place.  However, the bike put me far enough behind that I finished in a time of 4:10:00 and 22nd overall.  The bright side is the time was a PR for the course, even if it was only by 1 min. I think it is important to see the positives in every race.  Also, Jack and Adam’s Bikes did a great job of producing the race and making sure everyone had a safe and fun experience.

Making up as much time up on the run as I can

Now onto the more important part: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU!!!

I have been so fortunate this year to be allowed such a wonderful opportunity to excel, improve and grow as an athlete and as a person.  My season highlight was winning overall at the Armed Forces National Championships. All of this was made possible with the use of superior products, unyielding support, and wisdom from the following organizations: Sable Water Optics, Amrita Plant-Based Nutrition, Big Tree Farms, Serotta Cycles, Jack & Adams Bicycles, Vasa and Total Immersion Swimming. Also I was very proud to be a part of and represent Team Red, White & Blue and the Global Healthy Living Foundation through my racing and lifestyle.  Thanks to coach Tim Crowley, Louis Tharp, and Heather Cox for their personal support and guidance.  And finally, none of this would have been possible without the support of the U.S. Army and my unit, 1-44th ADA BN.

Please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any training and racing questions, or would like to become a part of team Sterghos.  Please stay tuned for next years seasons.  There are a lot of new things in the works. Thanks again for your all your support.