So far the 2013 Para-Cycling season is going great. I have competed in three races to date. My favorite of course the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Every year I look forward to participating in the Classic  because its pretty much the only time my family and friends actually get to watch me race. I’m also the Para cycling tech director, so I attend all of the RBC planning meetings, as well the technical meetings. I would like the thank the RBC Committee members for the continued inclusion and support of Para-Cycling in the past and well into the future. For those who haven’t heard I finished in second place in the TT as well as the Road race. I would call that a success sine the week before the race I had an incident that bent the frame of my hand cycle (OUCH). I put in my order for my new frame but there was no way it was going to be built and ready in time for the race. My only option was to go over to my good friend Mike Box who is a welder/wheelchair builder to repair my bent frame. Mike did a great job and got me back on the road.

Next I was off to Greenville, South Carolina to compete in my first P1 event. I was looking forward to finally racing some international competition to see how I stack up with riders from other countries. To my disappointment  the day of the TT I woke up with a headache and backache I just wasn’t feeling normal. I decided to ignore it because there was no way I wasn’t going to race since I had travelled across the country to do so. So I just told my self that I was going to ignore the pain and race. To my surprise I ended up finishing in 3rd place. After the race was over I was feeling ten times worse than when I started. Knowing that I only had about 24 hours till the Road Race I found the nearest hospital and went to the ER. Come to find out I had a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). The doctor who herself was an avid cyclist  strongly recommended that I withdraw from the road race because of my condition. I took the doctors advise and just rested. I wanted to race so badly but I also knew that I was knew that I would be flying out to Canada to compete the following week. This was the first time I had to withdraw from a race. So I started taking the medicine the doctor prescribed and hydrating to get ready for my next competition.

The third race I competed in was the Defi Sportif in Quebec Canada. This was also a P1 event. I had limited training time due to the recovery from the UTI I got the week before but I felt good. The course for this event had the appearance of a  race car track. It was like riding on glass being its was so smooth. The weather was also great, it was a little sunny will a very cool breeze. As a quadriplegic I couldn’t have prayed for better conditions. I felt very fast in the TT. Turns out it wasn’t just a feeling after the conclusion of the TT I checked my average speed. It was 15.7 mph. This is the fastest I have ever ridden for 12 miles in competition. Mind you I was on antibiotics and riding on a welded frame. I can’t wait to ride that same course at 100 percent!!! The time I posted was good enough for second place in the H1 class and a 12th place finish overall. The next day I competed in the Road Race which was 21 miles. Again I got second in my class with an average speed of 14.7 mph. (I need to work on that).

So as of today I’m ranked second in the H1 class in the world. Yaaaaaah!!! Oh and that frame I ordered is being assembled as we speak… So stay tuned folks . Ill let you know how the rest of the 2013 season goes as it happens.

Del

The 11th Annual PossAbilities Triathlon was a total success! My running went pretty well, specially because the terrain was mostly flat, and I nailed my first win in my category!!! 1hour and 20min was my total time, that also gave me an overall placing of 179th.
There was a great turnout at the event: over 1000 athletes from what I heard, a lot of spectators as well, your great Loma Linda weather, awesome organization by PossAbilities for an event this big and there you have it! Great success!
It’s such a classic weekend, you get there on Saturday, then you see people you only see like once a year. Everyone’s waiting for their packets, because you can only get them after the sunset. The reason being Saturday is the seventh day. They are Adventists, so from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown they rest. It’s pretty neat, one doesn’t see that very often.
Thank you PossAbilities for putting one such a great event! I hope to see everyone there next year again:)

Hey there, here I am already training for the 11th Annual PossAbilities Triathlon , coming up on April 28th!
Kendra’s Race went well, I finished in 2 hours. Swimming and cycling went smooth and running was a struggle, it killed my timing! Trail running with steep hills, ouch! Beautiful scenery, but tough for me. I’ll have to keep training…
It’s pretty cool training for an event, you train with a purpose. You set mini goals that you have to achieve each day. I wish I only had to train and compete, without having to work! But gotta pay my bills:)
My good friend, mentor and sponsor Isaac Osborne at Motion Unlimited told me something really good, about how important it is to participate on these events with “able-body-people”, because they humble you down. No matter how hard I train, and how good I’m feeling on race day, there will be some professional athletes (with TWO strong legs) that will “smoke” me in the course!
So this is my advice (for myself), keep training and keep humble.
See you guys on the 28th at Loma Linda = 3,1 miles run, 11 miles bike and 150 yards swim!

I want to thank Team PossAbilities
for the generous grant of a canoe and travel racks.

It has given me the ability to race in every race this season.
All previous seasons, I had to beg and borrow a canoe to run in.
The freedom to train and race on my schedule is invaluable.

But, as one season ends another begins.
Six man training has already begun and I will post on those adventures.

Of course I still have my National Team goals on the horizon.
Stand By!!!!

I love this sport!!!!

Some March photos to share:
Our little man Chase
dressed for St. Patty’s Day!!!!

Alright, here we go again, on to our next adventure! This one might look easy but it’s a great challenge for me… I’m running 5km on the Catalina Marathon!
This one was Karina’s idea, to celebrate her 30th Birthday, AND the 2-year-Anniversary for my accident! It feels great to be alive, I’ll tell you that much:)
The Running Leg, known as The Blade, has been a tough one to get used to, but in time, I’m growing more confident and getting better at it = meaning, falling less and making it look a lil more natural!
Saturday it’s on, I’m going to put 5K under my feet, and then I’ll let you guys know how it went! Thanks for reading!

The Lanakila race was a challenging water course to navigate.

I had an excellent race but just could not close out over some of my stiffer competition.

I look forward to competing with them again in Dana Point at our next race

this weekend.

(Thank You Colonel)

I am determined to rededicate myself to FOCUSING on the task at hand;

eyes on the prize, IN:

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NOW!