Catching up on Memories of 2010

Be ready for a long read.......................

Trying to recall all this from memory

I might forget some things

Let me know if I do.....

So let's Get Caught up this Year!

As January came around, the family came off of a great holiday. It was really hard to get back to the swing of things after my Ironman and the holidays. During December I was playing with the decision of getting a new bike. I talked it over with Mindy and we decided that if I could sell my bike we should do it. I posted my bike on Craig's list and a week later I get an email asking if this was David Garza's bike and if it was the one on the cover of Austin Fit Magazine. I first laughed then replied yes to both, two weeks later that person bought the bike. So there I was left with no bike for a couple of weeks, (I know the horror!!!) but thanks to Jack and the Jack and Adams Bike Shop team they had helped me get on this new AMAZING machine! There was one thing that blew me away. When I went to buy the bike some anonymous donor/group had put a large amount down on the bike. Jack wouldn't tell me who it was, just told me it was the "David Garza Fan Club". Still don't know but who ever it was, I cried when I found out. The gesture was very overwhelming. Thank you!

I feel in love with it at first sight! Then rode it, HOLY COW! I know have a better chance at getting one of my goals this year, hitting 30 mph on the South Mopac Time Trials, yes it's going to take some work but I ready for it!

Jan 10Th me and Lindsey decided to run the Runtex 20 miler, with a high of 30 it was a chilly run, so much a friend that said they were going to run didn't, Christa!! Had a great run a decided that Lindsey was not the person to do the movie quote game with. Last year Matt (who is still in overseas, and who I am wearing a camo wristband for) ran it and had a great time. This year I ran it for him. We finished feeling well and was excited for the 3m Half Marathon later that month. Work got really really busy for me with the start of a new boot camp, and coming up with a triathlon training group AND getting more personal training clients and getting a few more classes to teach. Finding time for myself and my family was really really hard, and yet I still was asked for more from work and my family. I knew I would be busy but damn! There were days when 13 hour days were considered a short day for me, then I would go home and find the energy to be a dad and a husband. Lucky I have a very understanding family.

3m Half marathon, now its my turn to run, I LOVE THIS RACE! Even though there were a lot of people from the gym running and I saw my friend Beaux, this was my race to go fast. So Me, Lateef, Tearson, Britney, and Lindsey all piled into Lateefs car and drove to the start. We laughed all the way up to the start. So the whole decision, sunglasses or no sunglasses. I decided that since we were starting early this year we would finish before the sun got too bright. Well, thanks to an almost hour delay due to strong winds, yes winds. The sun was bright and now I will never live that down now. I didn't think Mindy would be there at the finish line because Troy was having his first soccer practice that same morning. True to being the best wife and mom, there they were when I finished. We hurried and I was able to watch my son play soccer for the first time, Thanks Mindy I wont ever forget that!

January me and Lindsey put on a benefit ride for Team Livestrong. This year I have joined up with them to raise money for them for the Austin Marathon and the Austin Triathlon. I am very excited to join such a great cause. This year I wanted to raise at least $2,000 with the two events, I am halfway there. Me and Lindsey did a 2 hour benefit ride with help from Jack and Adams, Hill Country Running, Tasty Healthy Meals, Lululemon, Pure Sport and several others as well as Team Livestrong.

The ride went awesome, I thought. With all the planing me and Lindsey did, I guess we still didn't do enough. For all the work we did, we got such negative feedback from other people. I mean really, REALLY?? I was very upset at this fact, I felt this event had more impact that just a ride. I guess sometimes I expect too much out of some people who I considered as support crew but life lesson learned. Thanks to all who supported Team Livestrong!

Feb 14th, Austin Marathon. I went to pick up my packet as noticed Lululemon there so I hung out with them, especially since they had my picture up in the booth. I also picked up my packet and felt like a rock star because I went behind the curtain to pick up my number. This was the first year that Team Livestrong was in the Austin Marathon and my first year to run for a charity. I went to the Team Livestrong dinner the night before and heard an unbelievable speech, once again I was inspired to be strong, Livestrong! This year I was going to run with my so called adopted daughter Ashley. I didn't think that Mindy would be out there as she had in the past few years that we did the race. Yet once again my amazing wife showed me how amazing she is and meet us several times on the course and dealing with both my kids the whole time, she got a message afterwards since I think she did more work than I did running the race. I love you Mindy! Ashley's goal was to try to finish under 4 hours, and I was going to pace her for her goal. I was honored that she asked me to run with her since this was her first marathon, she trained her and I was already proud of her, this just topped it off. We finished in 3:55, what she didn't know is that was the same time I finished my first marathon. We crossed the finish line hand in hand, simply amazing.

As March came around, mine and Mindy's 5 year anniversary came around. Yeah 5 years, on the same date Mindy changed my life forever (for better), I decided to get my Ironman tattoo (ask I'll show you and explain it). And yes I nearly passed out. Mindy was cracking up since I couldn't even handle and tattoo but endured and Ironman. I laughed as well. The song on the radio was "what a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong, How fitting!

April 15, I didn't get a lottery slot to Kona, I was really bummed but a teammate of mine did (and she totally rocked it!) Tri season started with the new 70.3 Herman Memorial Tri (formerly Lonestar). I decided to try some race wheel (SRAM 60's) for the race. Oh man the swim was HARD!! The day before they cancelled the swim for the Olympic and sprint distance. GREAT. I finished the swim, got on the bike AND RIPPED THAT COURSE A NEW ONE! I averaged 22mph going out and 24mph coming back, Hell Yeah!! Run felt good holding close to 8 min miles and just missed breaking the 5 hour mark at 5:04, yeah a PR to start off the year!

So the biggest thing that happened to me was the teaming up with Team Livestrong, and having them use my image for there national campaign for Team Livestrong. WOW!! I could not believe that was on the same page with cancer survivors! Just blew me away, and still does. As I was training I came across Antonio De Silva Neto (Toni). This was the just who won my age group in Ironman Cozumel, another WOW what a chance for me to train with him. One of the best training weekends I had was with him.

Me and Toni decided to do the Shiner ride at the last min and I am so glad I did. We made our way to the front, whistle blew and we were off. Me and Toni lead the ride till mile 70 for me (hit a pot hole and double flatted =( ). That ride was the most amazing ride effver!!! the ride was close to 90 miles and with the flats I finished in 3:45. People who rode with us were just amazed at our strenght on the bike, YEAHYAH!! The next day we swam 2.4 miles in an open water swim. My awesome swim coach swam with us as well. My swim coach, Coach Craig won, and Toni took second, amazing!

May, The Rookie, oh what a race. This year I decided to get my tri training group to race this race in particular. It was so great to train with an awesome set of people, some doing their first tri others wanted to go faster. I got Toni in the race before he left back to Brazil. I had a good race (Using my brand new SRAM 60's race wheel set, oh yeah) bike was faster, swim and run were the same but I finally got 2nd in my age group, right behind Toni. Dint mind getting second to him, who BTW went to Kona this year and got 12 in the age group. WAY TO GO TONI!!

Also this was the last race where my friend and hero was out of the country. Matt Harmatuk finally came back into our lives safe and sound. Thank you God!! He brought back a flag that was flown in a mission over seas, I cried for hours. Thanks Matt!! Cap Tex Tri came around and I got the opportunity to race it with a real good friend. Chris and I took on the cap tex this year. Like always the race was freakin hot!!! I didn't have a good race but I got to wear my livestrong top to spread the word and that was all that mattered. Later in May me and Lindsey did the Real Ale Ride in Blanco, oh man. This race got the best of me. Wind, hills, and an upset stomach made for a long ride. Still did the ride but was worse for the wear afterwards. Thank God for my loving wife who watched the kids while I laid on the couch for the rest of the weekend, Love you Mindy!

June, what a June. At first I tried out for a tv show, got called back for a second interview but no call back after that :(, BUT a trainer from my gym did get the part, which made me happy. This turned out to be best for me since Father's Day meant the Varsity Tri with Red Licorice events, I team up with them this year as well. What a great bunch of athletes I was able to join. The kids race was first and I volunteered there to help the kids, such a great time. The Varsity tri was just amazing. I trained a few people to do the race and had a few more come out there to watch. The race was in Taylor quit a drive. My nemesis Adam who was in my age group this year was racing (even though he was tired =P). He killed me in the swim, I caught him on the bike at the turn around. DUDE I WAS LEADING A RACE!!! What a feeling it felt to have all my athletes who I trained pass and see that I was in first place! Got off the bike and felt great holding sub 7 min miles to secure my FIRST WIN AT A TRI!!! And crossed the finish line with my daughter. Best fathers day! That next weekend was the twilight 5k. I was on the poster of this one as well. So funny cause my sister and her family was in town. she watched troy as I raced, didn't think I would push it during the race but things felt good. Adam was in the lead on the second lap two turns to make I passed him and took the lead, and won the race. Funny thing was my sister took my son to the bathroom as I finished, good story!! Even better was that me and Adam didn't put on our timing chip, nothing official, the third place guy complained so we passed up the award and he recieved. That was fine since I was late to my soccer game that my wife was at :), we lost the game bummer.

July, The Couples tri, honestly I have never had a great race out there. This one was another struggle. First finding a partner was a struggle. I really wanted to do this race with my wife but she said no. Lindsey who did the race last year with me decided to do the race again this year. The course was muddy on the run but still fun. I got to see some people I hadn't seen in a while which made the race for me.

August, me and my friend, Jeff, decided to go back to where it all began. My first triathlon, the IRP Woolman Capital Tri. The Olympic distance where I finished dead last out of the water! Race started and me and my friend swam the entire mile together. BEST EXPERIENCE!! I was gonna tear the bike up BUT I decided to race with my brakes locked on my back wheel during the race (oh yeah so much fun!!!) Ran a good run at the end and PR'ed on that course, kinda funny now that I think about it. Jacks Generic, I wanted to do better than last years race finishing 7th in my age group and did. I finished 3rd in age group! I was so thrilled because I didn't expect it, so happy to get that. Also not sure which month it was but I signed up for the first Ironman race in Texas, occurring in the woodlands ON MY BDAY!!!! I was so excited when Mindy gave me the ok to go and do the race, plus first Ironman in Texas by my home town on my bday, it was a no brainer! Also held my fundraiser for Livestrong/Ironman on Aug 15th. What a great turn out at Carlos and Charlies! Thanks Gary!! Had a great silent auction and giveaway and even better was the who could do the best impression of me teaching a class. Truly blown away with all the support!! Even better were the shirts that people ordered to show there support of me.

Spetember, OH MAN. My wife was taking a trip to Italy for 9 days, in which I would watch the kids during that time. Oh not only that but the big race for Team Livestrong was on Spet 6th. What a challenge!! I was so lucky to have great support from Felicia and Joefish (thats what my son calls him). With out there help I would not have gotten through that time. The Austin Tri was a great race. I raced with fellow Team Livestrong teammates! I was able to be top 3 fundraisers for the team, and also got a PR during the race. The race was more than just a race for me this year. I had several people who I was racing for one didn't win the battle with cancer few still battling and other who kicked it ASS!! I crossed the finish line and all the emotions rolled out of me, thanks all for your inspiring story and keep up the fight!

October, kicked it off with a 3 hour indoor ride on 10/2 at Life Time South Austin. We had around 330 people ride in honor/memory of someone, and also had a few survivors. We had such great support from my sponsors and several local sponsors/members of the gym. Have to give a big thanks to Erica who helped out soooo much! The event was great and even had Lateef teach his first class! Really funny stuff!! That next week me and Matt decided to ride for 6.5 hours. We had found riding on the toll road was some great training (esp for me changing flat tires). We ended up riding 118 miles and I ran for 20 min afterwards, wow that felt good!!!

Wanted to end this on my current time frame to get me ready for blogging about my Ironman in Florida in a few weeks. I am so excited for this race as there will be a lot of my friends doing the race: Matt, Lilly, Tracy, and Lindsey. I cant wait to see them finish! I know a few of you are headed out there as well to support us, I send our thanks to you all!! I also send a big thanks to all who have supported me in my dreams and aspirations. I could not do this with out your help. Biggest thanks to my soul mate Mindy. With you I can accomplish anything. My kids for always being my inspiration to be better. I love you guys!

Finally, the last note. My son caught his first fish this weekend in Dallas. He was so excited and I always want to remember that moment, its the moments in life that make it all worth it!