First I would like to thank God for getting me through training and Finishing the Longhorn Ironman. My only goal when I decided to attempt the race was to finish and I did just that. This year marked my 30th birthday which was only a week before the race. Earlier in the year I decided since I was turning 30 I was going to be in the best shape of my life and what better way to achieve that goal then to complete a half Ironman. I would also like to thank Jeff and Darrick for the assistance with swimming. Without their help my swim would not have gone as well.

The swim went great. I finished in under 40 minutes without expending much energy and exited the water feeling great! Turns out the swim was my strongest ability out of the three. The bike was good and I stayed well hydrated. Austin definitely has a few hills! I knew I was not as strong on the bike as I would have liked to be so I took my time and tried not to wear myself out. The most prominent memory in my mind is around mile 12 approaching an aid station I hear a women's voice in front of me yelling "GO TRI4HIM!! WAHOO!" At the time I had no idea who this person was but it made me feel great. Everyone told me I would receive praise and encouragement for wearing my Tri4Him colors. That person still stands out in my mind. After the bike transition that same person went out of her way to come over to the T2 area and ask how I was doing and how I was feeling. My answer was "awesome!" At the time I was feeling pretty good. I hadn't pushed to hard on the bike and it took longer than I had wanted, but it was done and I was on to the run. It would be another 6 miles before I saw her again and she continued to give me support. I saw several Tri4Him members along the way who also passed along praise. The run would turn out to be the most difficult part. Unfortunately I had to do more walking than what I wanted. But ultimately I had a wonderful time and I finished! I learned a lot about myself and I will be better prepared for the next race.

My wife and some close friends were there for support as well and I am truly great full to have such a wonderful support group around me that have supported me throughout training. My completion of the Ironman has inspired my friends and family to become more active in their lives and that is a blessing in itself.

I believe the person yelling at me was Cindy Reeves from Houston. I didn't get to actually meet her after the race but I remember her face and saw her picture on the Tri4Him website. I would like to say thank you for your encouragement along the way! It really meant a lot!