Off to Budapest for the World Championships

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Well it's been a long road but tomorrow I finally leave for Team USA and the World Championships in Budapest. I'll be blogging daily unless I just don't have time. Some pics some video and hopefully some great stories. I want to thank a few people before anything else and while this little accomplishment pales in comparison to so many things so many people must endure, it's been tough and required some sacrifice. I'd often thought I'd have taken the opportunity to be a professional athlete if ever given the chance but honestly, I have learned that it takes an incredible amount of dedication and an obsession. I only train maybe 15 hours a week. I think I had a couple of 20 hour weeks throughout the past year but that's extreme for me. And that 15 hours, many times less, has required me to be selfish at times and forgo other activities at the expense of friends, family, and occasionally my employer.

SO, a huge thank you to my wife Jen who has never questioned my desire and always supported my goals. Even through countless Saturday and Sunday mornings. My son Ben who also missed out on some dad time and the rest of the family Mom, Tim, Sue, who always ask.

My boss Jon has also been extremely cool, and my coworkers have also been very supportive. Although lunchtime runs in my compression tights have been the object a few jokes.

Coach Marty has been great with putting together workouts and building the Santa Cruz Endurance team up to over 40 members from nothing. And for getting me into the local paper:

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/ci_15980913

For those of you that don't know, (assuming someone other than Jen reads this) I recently spent five days in the hospital and two plus weeks completely out of it recovering. I had a kidney infarct that was fairly devastating and am now on blood thinners for life. So I'm just happy to be walking around. I've bounced back pretty well and feel like I'm ready to compete. I don't think I will be where I could have been without three weeks of hell, but I do think I'm close to being back to where I was and if nothing else, I won't be embarrassed.

My goal as always is to win my Age Group and we'll see. I think had I stayed healthy, I would have had as good a shot as anyone. Now I just don't know. Either way you go, and you leave it all on the course, and everything else is out of your control.

Here are some links if anyone would like more info about the event:

Main web site http://budapest.triathlon.org/

Course maps http://budapest.triathlon.org/en/athlete_info/age_group/courses/

My group Start list http://budapest.triathlon.org/start_lists/program/5082/

I heard there would be live coverage on ESPN Ocho. But somehow I doubt even they would bother. :)