Why Average Matt???

I've gotten a few questions about my blog title "Average Matt the Triathlete." Some asked, Average? Why not Ironman Matt or IronMatt. Both catchy, and tempting... But truth is. I'm just an average guy that happened to do two Ironman races (so far).

Maybe I have a different definition of average than some people. But to me... Average means something that everyone can do. And I believe that anyone can do Ironman. Many have no desire, some have commitments and time constraints that won't allow them to do the training. But if someone has the desire and the dedication to training they will be able to do the Iron distance triathlon. It may take a few years of conditioning, a few attempts at the race, but I believe it can be done. Don't get me wrong... Ironman is NOT easy.

So... I went from being an artsy kid in high school, never playing many sports after about the sixth grade or so. To joining the military after my first year of college. I used to hate running, then started running with Dalia in Germany. Now she was a runner, I just tried to keep up. Once I left Active Duty, I sat on my ass a whole lot. Enjoyed time not working and bellied up to the bar on a regular basis. Work, eat, drink, hangout with friends, sleep... All very typical activities that I think define me as an average, regular, everyday kinda guy.

Then one 4th of July, shortly after I moved to DC, my friend Mr. Parker told me of this race he was planning to do. It was the Urbanathlon in New York City. This was a 6 ish mile run that started in Central Park, ran down the west side of Manhattan, had a 52-story stair climb, and finished by leaping over a taxi, climbing an 8 foot wall and crossing the finish line in Battery Park. So anyway.... My friend Cody said he was signing up for this race. It planted the seed in my head, which somehow grew despite the amount of beer consumed that morning, afternoon, and evening. I got home, and the next day I looked up the race on the website. They had something like a 60-day training plan on the website. I did the math, and it was 60 days exactly between when I was reading the plan, and race day. So I signed up.

Cody and I trained throughout the summer, and we did the race in September. Sometime that cold morning in the pre-dawn hours in Central Park, I got bitten by the racing bug and I've been doing races ever since.

Sorry, I went off on a tangent...

So my point is... I'm an average guy that is now addicted to running and races. I somehow manage to squeeze in time to train amidst school, work, Army training, and some remnance of a social life. I do not have a natural ability at any of the three disciplines, I try to train equally in all of them. Though I'm going to try this year to buckle down on my diet, and ramp up the training a bit more. There's nothing I'm doing, that someone else couldn't do. That's why I chose Average Matt the Triathlete for the name of my blog. Cause in my mind... I'm just like everyone else. :)

Triathlon is Awesome!!!

So.... I'm not new to triathlon, been doing it for about two years and finished two Ironman competitions within the past year. A year ago I spectated at my first Ironman, and two days ago I saw my friend Jackie cross the finish line (and at random spots along the course) at her first Ironman.

It is an amazing sport, and I love the Ironman distance. Maybe not so much doing the run after 112 miles. It just hurts! But the sport as a whole is amazing. Sprints for me seem too short. But that may be because I didn't do my first sprint until the weekend after my first Ironman.

Now I'm approaching the off season and compiling a training/race plan for next year. I amd trying to approach the season in a more methodical manner; instead of signing up for all the races, I am planning my training first, and then identifying races that coincide with my training plan. The exception is signing up for the Ironman Kona Lottery. I hope to qualify for the race one day, but couldn't pass up the opportunity.

So... As I enter into my second recovery week I know that the next year will be busy. My focus is to slim down, focus on Olympic distance in the Spring, and get into IMAZ for 2011.

My goal is to use the blog to talk about my training, diet, races, and any tips and tricks I learn along the way. We'll see how it goes. With any luck it'll be more successful than my diet log. :-/