Gulf Coast Triathlon 2010

The are a lot of times in life when we return to the same spot year after year after year.

I think it is really cool to look back sometimes and see where we have been.

I did my 1st ever 1/2 Ironman race in 2002 at the Gulf Coast Triathlon.

This was a BIG DEAL to me and I remember being REALLY nervous going into the event.

I also remember VERY distinctly the day I signed up for this race and also for Ironman Florida that same year. I was in Germany for a business trip and I had been talking with my good friend Cecil Cauley about doing a full Ironman - actually - he was talking and I was listening.

We decided to do Ironman Florida in 2002 together and to get ready we thought it would be a good idea to do the 1/2 - it was exactly 6 months before the full and it would give us a good idea of what the full would be like.

So, after walking up this HUGE hill in Germany to the condo where I was staying, I was thinking WTF? I could barely climb this hill and I was all out of breath and not at all in shape - I was drinking and smoking at the time and NOT a half Ironman athlete at all - but hey - this was November and I had 6 months to get ready :)

We did the race in 2002 and it was 102 degrees on the run - CRAZY hot. Almost quit a few times but I finished in 5:28:57 and it was NOT pretty.

We both joked if they had refund table available for the full in November we both would have asked for our money back :)


The short story is - I got hooked...the course had broken me - it kicked my a$$ and I wanted to get back at it...this was the slippery slope.


Some 22 Half Ironman's later and 4 trips back to Gulf Coast I am sure that course still owns me...

But in the process it has provided a chance for me and my family to be born (Bone), grow up (Shane and Josh), learn a few things and maybe score a little bling along the way.


2003 Gulf Coast Triathlon
5:00:29 missed 5 hours by just this much :)











2004 Gulf Coast Triathlon
5:00:06 - missed 5 hours AGAIN!!!











2005 Gulf Coast Triathlon
4:46:06 - it was cold this year and I got under 5 :)











2010 Gulf Coast Triathlon
4:38:20 - 2nd place Masters and 14th Overall - scored bling :)







I am 100% sure this course still owns me :)



Bone, Drew and I made it to awards and it was really cool.







Cecil and I started and finished this race in 2002 and went on to finish the full in November of that year - our first Ironman.

I think it is funny how life comes full circle like this as he and I spent many nights at Spinaker and La Vela - drunk as skunks in flight school some 15 years earlier never even considering going for a run in the morning :)

Here is quick race recap if you are interested and yes it still owns me :)