Welcome Sherry and Advocare to the Shawn's Ironman Team

As my training got harder and longer, I realized that I was going to need to start looking for both, pre-workout, in-race, and post-workout recovery supplements that not only worked, but was approved by my wife, who is a registered dietitian, and my coach.

Nutritional supplementation is not necessary for general health, but a few key nutritional supplements can provide benefits for athletic performance and weight loss that no real-food alternative can match.

Based on extensive research, it is recommended to regularly use the following nutritional supplements for the following benefits:

1.         A post-workout carb-protein recovery drink for rapid muscle recovery;

2.         A creatine supplement to enhance the muscle strength and power benefits I get from resistance training and high-intensity intervals;

3.         A beta-alanine supplement to enhance my muscles’ ability to buffer acid production during high-intensity exercise;

4.         An Amino acid supplement to enhance joint tissue repair between workouts;

5.         A glucosamine/chondroitin supplement for the same purpose, and

6.         A fish oil for cell membrane health and anti-inflammatory prostaglandins  

Of course you can drive all over town to find this in your local nutrition and health food stores, but I found somewhere that not only could I get it all in one place, but I also get the special care and attention from Sherry Boudreaux who is an independent distributer for Advocare Products. 

Since 1993, AdvoCare has been a world-class nutrition company specializing in health and wellness, weight management, vibrant energy, and sports performance. As I looked through their sight, I noticed all the information about the cutting-edge nutritional supplements and skincare products. Advocare products are formulated by an elite Scientific and Medical Advisory Board with over 200 years combined experience in pharmacology, toxicology, nutrition, sports performance and pediatrics.

The best part about Advocare by far for me is Sherry herself. She listened to my needs and recommended the products that she felt would benefit me during my training process. Here are some of the things that she recommended to me: 

Spark – AdvoCare Spark® Energy Drink mix is a unique multi-nutrient system that's designed to provide nutritionally advanced, long-lasting energy and enhanced mental focus. Its 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients work synergistically to give you healthy, balanced energy without making you jittery like other caffeinated beverages.

Spark's unique combination of ingredients gives you fast-acting energy and B-vitamins enhance your body's natural energy-sustaining processes.

For mental focus and clarity, the neuroactive amino acids in Spark help sharpen your mental focus and alertness by supporting your brain's ability to efficiently transmit messages within the nervous system. With five refreshing flavors and only 45 calories per serving, Spark gives you a lift that lasts for hours.

Rehydrate- Rehydrate Electrolyte Replacement Drink does more than replenish lost fluids, minerals and electrolytes. It sustains energy and muscle endurance with carbohydrates and amino acids. It also contains antioxidants to neutralize the free radicals your body produces during physical activity. Unlike other similar drinks, Rehydrate contains a 1:1 ratio of potassium and sodium - the two most vital electrolytes lost through sweat. And it helps prevent cramping with calcium, magnesium and L-glutamine to support the contraction and relaxation phases of the muscles. 

O2 Gold-Enhanced oxygen transmission equals more energy. This unique blend of proteins and adaptogens enhances the body's use of oxygen to help your systems adapt to stress and help prolong aerobic exercise. O2 Gold™ supplement is specially designed to enhance daily physical activities by optimizing the body's use of oxygen. Its powerful ingredients facilitate oxygen transport and help increase resistance to chemical, mental and physical stress. Finally, the antioxidant activity in O2 Gold helps the body destroy free radicals in the cells. The result is more strength, endurance and energy. 

Catalyst- Catalyst™ Amino Acid Supplement is a blend of essential branched-chain amino acids and L-glutamine that supplies your body with muscle-building components and sustains your muscles during exercise and reduced calorie intake. Whether you're trying to lose weight or gain muscle, Catalyst helps repair and protect muscles. And it works great in conjunction with other AdvoCare® products like Spark™ Energy Drink and one of the Metabolic Nutrition Systems (MNS®). Other amino acids in Catalyst like L-arginine, taurine and betaine help fuel and maintain your muscles to support endurance and strength. Combined with a healthy diet and exercise, Catalyst helps you retain muscle and reduce fat for a more toned and better defined look.

Post-Workout Recovery-  Post-Workout Recovery Sports Drink contains more than 30 vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that support the muscles' metabolic processes in recovery and helps minimize occasional soreness after workouts. Post-Workout Recovery combines the muscle-supporting nutrition used by hundreds of professional and world-class athletes across the United States. Post-Workout Recovery helps enhance physical performance and endurance while supplying essential components for muscle repair and gain during and after physical activity. The unique blend of high-quality protein combined with glucose polymers and other carbohydrates, gives the body energy and structural support.

Post-Workout Recovery also contains branched-chain amino acids to support muscle recovery, growth and endurance. Finally, the antioxidants present in this advanced sports drink help the body ward off free radicals that are commonly produced as a result of exercise

Muscle Fuel- AdvoCare® Muscle Fuel is a unique, single-product solution that supports multiple muscle metabolic processes and helps maintain and restore energy during and after physical activity.  Its 28 vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other energy-producing intermediates synergistically enhance physical performance and endurance. It also supplies essential muscle-gaining components during and after physical activity, helps reduce oxidative stress, facilitates workout recovery, maximizes training benefits, and helps you take your workout to the next level. And it contains essential nutrients to fight age-related muscle atrophy.

Nighttime Recovery- To enhance the benefit of your body's natural processes, Nighttime Recovery supplement incorporates a unique combination of adaptogens and other nutrients from around the world to allow your body to more effectively respond to the demands of physical activity.  It naturally supports the production of growth-related hormones, and it enhances energy production, helping the body sustain higher workloads before the onset of fatigue. The adaptogens in Nighttime Recovery support the body's ability to respond to stress such as physical training. Nighttime Recovery is most effective when used as part of the Performance Elite system. While other products in the line provide pre-workout support and immediate post-workout recovery, Nighttime Recovery provides enhanced muscle growth and supports muscle repair while you sleep. It is equally beneficial for non-athletes wanting to nourish and support their muscles.

I can't tell you how much it has helped me when it comes to recovery and performance. I have seen dramatic increases in speed in all three sports, but most of all, my recovery between workouts is much quicker. Very rarely do I feel the soreness and tightness that I felt when I first started this training process. I am so happy to have her support and encouragement, and I recommend you contact her specifically about your nutritional needs if you a looking to lose a few pounds or trying to become another Shawn’s Ironman.  Keep an eye out for the twitter feeds, she will be letting me know when she plans on doing special deals for Shawn's Ironman followers where a part of the profits will go to the Texas Children's Hospital Shawn's Ironman Fund.

Thanks Sherry for all of your help and support.

The Rollercoaster and the Dueling Banjos

This week has been very trying for me for so many reasons, but is has also been so great as well...

About mid last week my boss wanted to speak to me. He mentioned they would be downsizing in the office. The economy has not been great to the fire protection business in the past couple of years, and we have seen it in our volume of work. Unfortunately my job is heavily related to the amount of work that we have come into the office, so he wanted to give me a courtesy and an advance notice to start looking for another position. Of course this really upset me for so many reasons. Since this industry (fire protection) found me, I have only been with Western States Fire Protection. I love my boss and all of the people that I work with, so I was not prepared to leave.

Sometimes God takes something away from you when you start to feel comfortable so you will move on your own, and I felt this was one of those times. My manager came back to me later that week and stated that he really did not want to lose me, but my position was going to be terminated, therefore, he wanted me to take over another position. I felt honored that he wanted to keep me, but the new position would compromise my family time and was not an advancement toward my future goals. I just felt like there was something better out there for me. It did not take long to find out that my next position would be with our sister company, VFP Fire Systems.

I truly feel like that I am leaving WSFP to advance my career, and as sad as it is to go, this is probably the best thing that can happen to me. I am looking forward to starting my new position as Estimator/Project Manager at VFP, and working under the direction of Mark Stein and his team. Western States has been my family for the past three years, and I will miss that, but I can assure you that I will not forget about the great memories I have had at WSFP.

Good Friday was not so good for the family. As first it was great because it was a half day at work, so I decided to take Shawn with me. We were having so much fun and it all started with the commute to work. We were singing and dancing in our seats. Shawn has recently started to pick up every word that you say, and I love it. He is finally saying his name, and that makes Rachel and I smile every time we watch the video. I guess I did not realize how much the small things in life would make me so happy like hearing my son say his name for the first time. It is just magical:



Once we got to work, I set Shawn up with his toys and Baby Einstein DVD, and he was so content. I was actually able to get a lot of work done before the weekend. We took some breaks together, and he acted like Daddy sitting in my chair, playing on the computer, talking on the phone. It was really fun for both of us.

As I was packing up and getting ready to leave, I receive a phone call from my alarm company that my alarm was going off. Normally that does not upset me, because the cats can sometimes set off the motion detectors in the house, but this time was different. This time the alarm was coming from the back door, and I immediately knew that something was wrong. At first I was hoping that the back door blew open because we forgot to lock it and the wind was really bad, but I called my neighbor to go check just in case. She called me back a few minutes later stating that she had seen two black men running from my house but it did not look like they had taken anything. Of course, I immediately rushed home to see what had happened. As soon as got there, I notice that the glass in our back window as broken and the door was open. I walked into find that my TV, XBox, Wii, and Computer were stolen, so I called the police to file a report. Fortunately some of my neighbors were able to help the police out by give a great description of the suspects and the get away car. In reality it is just "stuff", and we have insurance; but you still do feel violated when it happens to you. I believe the scariest thing was that we were about to head out of town for the weekend to meet YaYa for Easter. We decided to clean up the glass, board up the door, set the alarm, and pray that the buglers would not come back to finish the job. Praise be to God, but they didn't do so. In reality, I hope that they buglers get caught and I get the chance to meet them. I don't want revenge, but I want to let them know that I forgive them and I would love a chance to pray with them.

Fairfield, TX is such a neat little town about half way between Houston and Dallas. We find it to be a great place to meet my mother (YaYa) to pick and drop off Shawn, and/or stay the night and enjoy the Fairfield State Park nearby. I decided to take advance of the change of scenery to get a bike ride and run in the hills of East Texas. Of course I knew the hills were going to be a challenge, but I did not realize that there would be a sustaining winds of 20 mph with gusts of 30 mph all weekend. It was not fun trying to keep the bike on the road on Saturday. To top it all off, the final miles of the ride were mostly uphill and directly into the wind. At one time I found myself going 7 mph and giving it all I had. I was glad to see that 65 mile ride done.

For Easter Sunday, I had planned on leaving the hotel early and heading out for a run before I met up with the family. I found a route of country roads that would eventually lead me to Fairfield State Park. At first the run was going great through the quaint county seat, but as I left the security of the city, the roads started to change and I became a victim of inaccurate information from Google Maps.

The paved road became a gravel road, then a dirt road, then just a trail, and eventually ended at a dry creek bed. I was really upset considering that I was about 6 miles into my run and knew that if I turned around that I would never make it to the park on time, so I decided to turn into Bear Grylls and follow the dry creek bed with my trusty GPS on my iPhone in hand. I was not far from the main road that led me into the State Park, so I figured that the creek would eventually get me to where I needed to go. Of course as I was running/walking through the creek bed, I could not help but get the "Dueling Banjos" song stuck in the back of my head from the movie "Deliverance,"!

I wondered if I was going to be shot at for potentially trespassing or be stopped by someone because I had a "Pretty Mouth". I never did, and I finally made it back to the main road, or what I thought was the main road.

The road was paved again and had traffic on it. That is all that mattered to me, until I came up to another portion of unpaved road, and my heart dropped. I was clearly lost, my battery was going down on my phone, and there was not any service. I kept on going down the dirt road, and I am glad I did. I eventually made it to an open and picturesque pasture where the cattle started running beside and the deer were grazing in the distance. It really made the time get away from me. Eventually I found myself coming up to a main road. I looked to my right and I could see the entrance to Fairfield State Park. I was there at nearly perfect timing. Rachel, Shawn, and YaYa had just made it, and they were setting up the picnic and Easter Egg Hunt for Shawn.

It is hard to believe that we are only 20 days away from my first Ironman 70.3 event. As I sit here now typing this, I feel completely recovered and ready to run/swim/bike again. I could not have told you that just a few short months ago. I know that I will not be competitive on near a podium finish in Florida, but I do have the confidence that I will finish those 70.3 miles. I have to give a lot of credit to my coach, Dana Lyons, and Sherry with Advocare. I truly believe that the nutritional supplements that I have have been taking since the Kemah Triathlon, has really made the biggest difference in my performance and recovery. I never tire out anymore and I recover so fast because to the Advocare products. I will be posting later this week more about Advocare and what it has done for me.

Starting May 1st, I ask that you please dig down deep and give what you can to Texas Children's Hospital. My goal was to be half way to our $10,000 goal by the time the Rhoto Ironman 70.3 Florida got here, and we are currently sitting at $70. You don't have to give a lot. Even if you sacrificed that one cup of Starbucks Coffee this week and gave the money you would have spent on that it would make a huge difference in a child's life like Shawn's.

I can also assure you that none of the money that you donate goes to us. It all goes to Texas Children's Hospital Urological Research in honor of the Shawn's Ironman Project. Don't say to yourself, "There will be enough donations," or "I will donate later!" Later rarely ever comes.

DONATE NOW

Training Cajun Style..

What a week...

After an amazing race weekend at Kemah, I was not sure how I could top the experience, but somehow it just seems to get better and better.

The week of training was the best of times and the worst of times. Since I was still recovering from the race, Coach Lyons had me do some active recovery workouts. It did not take long, but the soreness that I had in my muscles went away by the end of my Tuesday workout, and I felt like I was back to 100% and was feeling great. Wednesday was a different story. My time was taken up by work and school, and I was not able to do my swim workout. I HATE missing workouts and especially swimming workouts.

After the Kemah race, I have started to get a little concerned about my swimming. I feel that I am a good enough swimmer, and I have improved a lot since my last frustrations, but now I am concerned that my speed can get me into danger. Don’t get me wrong, I am Michael Phelps or anything but I am able to put together a 100 yard split in less than 2 minutes and for me that is fast. Believe it or not, that would get me out of the water faster than most in my age group, but that is if and only if I don’t run into a problem literally. My focus from now until Florida is sighting at least every third breath so make sure that I am staying on line and avoiding slower swimmers. It is harder than you think because every time you lift your head your feet fall and you sink. It will take practice, but hopefully I will get it before the ½ Ironman.

Thursday was also upsetting for me because I had one of the best runs of my life. I was going to head home and get in a 35 mile bike ride when Rachel called and told me that the battery was down on the Cherokee. Fortunately our nanny was able to get to Rachel before I did, so all I had to do was pick her up and head out to give it a jump. The battery was not only dead, but it was so dead that it would drain all the energy out of the alternator that it would not keep the engine running without keeping the RPMs high. I was able to limp it over to the auto parts and got a new battery, but I had to sacrifice my bike ride to do so.

Friday started to get a lot better. I was able to get in a good swim that included some sighting practice, before I met with the owner of Prosper Apparel. He is the great guy that was able to get my race suit ready for the Kemah Triathlon. He was telling me about his group on Facebook called Tri Houston. I was able to go check it out later and I love it. It is a great place where people can post their photos of their triathlon season, pick up training partners or join others on a planned rides and workouts, and where you can get tips from fellow triathletes all for free as long as you hit the like button.

Saturday morning my wife and I traveled to New Iberia, LA to attend her cousins wedding at Rip Van Winkle Gardens. Before I got dressed for the weeding, I was able to get in what was the longest run without stopping I have ever ran, a 12.57 mile run. I had gone 20 miles before, but not all at the same time without stopping to cool off at a local tri store before finishing. This was a milestone and the best part of the run was the scenery. I really think I would have had faster min/mile times, but I kept getting distracted by the amazing Southern Louisiana scenery. I could not help snap pictures on my iPhone.

The wedding was such a beautiful setting and a chance for all of Rachel’s family to get together for the first time since I can remember. I wish Jonathan and Ellie the best, and I pray for a happy and long marriage. I can’t wait to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The reception was pretty fun and Shawn really enjoyed the live band. He was watching in awe until one of the lead singers picked him up and started singing with him in her arms. He was star struck for sure. Because of the run, I knew that I was in need of a good night’s sleep before my long bike ride on Sunday, so Shawn and I went back to the hotel early to get some shuteye.

I woke up the next morning and geared up for a 55 mile bike ride. I was a little concerned in the middle of the week that I did not know the area very well, so I reached out to the local triathlon community in New Iberia. Paul emailed me back and said that he and his friend Suzanne would be more than happy to ride with me on Sunday morning. I was running a little behind to meet them and ended up leaving my credit card at the hotel, so I did not have any way of getting any water or anything for my ride. I was a little upset about that because all I had was my Advocare Rehydrate in one of my bottles, and I knew that it was going to be humid. A generous man overheard that I did not have any money on me and came up and gave me a 10 dollar bill. He told me to get some water since I would need it. I was so appreciative and shocked when I asked his name. He responded, "My name is Mr. Mercy". I am pretty sure that he was an angel from heaven. Mr. Mercy, I pray that you will be blessed beyond measure for your generosity. Thanks again, that water saved my life!

We took off for our ride, and I was amazed by the scenery again, but this time I did not break out the iPhone, but had my GoPro camera on my helmet. So I was able to get some great footage including an interview with Suzanne who will be attempting her first triathlon, the New Orleans Ironman 70.3 next week and then eventually the Ironman Florida in November. I wish her the best of luck and will be following her all the way. I also found out Paul was preparing for the Tour du Rouge. I pretty much thought he was as crazy as his beard when he told me that, but I am pretty sure that he feels that way about me and my quest for Ironman. Either way, I wish him all the best on his 7 day run from Houston to New Orleans.

Paul and Suzanne were such great hosts to a traveling triathlete, and although my 55 mile bike ride actually was closer to 65 miles and the wind and humidity was unbelievable, I had the greatest time with my new friends. Look for video footage coming soon of the ride and interview.

By the time I got back to the hotel, I was pretty exhausted and was starting to doubt that I would ever be ready for the even the ½ Ironman in Florida. When I walked into the lobby I only had about 15 minutes to take a shower, pack up, and check out of the hotel. I knew I was not going to make it, so I decided to call down and see if, by some miracle, the on-duty manager would let us get a later check out time. I was blessed to talk to Becky whom had seen me leave early that morning and showed some Southern hospitality by extending the courtesy of checking out later than normal. I was also able to get to know her as we were walking out and confirmed why she was such a great person. She gave us a wave and a smile as we left that kept our day bright all the way home. FYI, if you are in the New Iberia, LA and looking for a place to stay, look no further than the La Quinta Inn and Suites off of US 90. Tell Becky I said, “Hi”!

I did not realize when I started this journey that I was going to meet so many great people along the way. It really excites me that I will meet so many more. I am sure each of them will give me a lot of reasons to talk about them…

Kemah International Triathlon (Olympic Distance) 4/3/2011

Compared to the last Olympic distance triathlon, this was a major victory. Although I set a personal record for Olympic Distance Triathlons, I could have done better if I did not have an incident during the swim. I was going pretty well until I came up on a slower swimmer and was kicked in the forehead. I immediately saw stars and I started to black out a little. It was pretty scary at the time, but that is the risk of racing in triathlons. Fortunately I was wearing a wetsuit which made me more buoyant in the water and I regained conscienceness pretty quickly and turned over on my back. It took me a minute or two to compose myself, but I did so and kept going.

Getting out of the water and getting undressed by a stripper was an interesting experience as well. Don't get excited, it is not that kind of stripper. In triathlons, a stripper is volunteer that waits at the end of swim to help you get your wetsuit off during transition. It is always a pretty busy and exciting area. These strippers were top notch by not only being fast taking off my Profile Design Wahoo wetsuit, but they were also very encouraging. They made me forget my swimming experience pretty fast.

I got to transition, and was slowed down a little because my race belt was pretty much stripped off too, so I had to fix it, but was soon on my way to the bike course.

This bike course event was much different from the last Olympic distance event, but only because I was more prepared for it. I was able to watch my cadence and keep it under the wind which was an issue much like the September race. My race speed was much faster (19.0 mph) than the last race (18.0 mph), but most importantly I was able to save my energy by watching my heart rate and saving myself for the run. Of course this was not your typical run...

The run started by having a nice stroll around the Kemah neighborhoods, then under the Kemah Wooden Roller coaster, around the Kemah Boardwalk, and finally over and back THE MONSTER, the Kemah Bridge. It was quite an experience, and I have to admit, it took all my energy to get over it back and to the finish, but I did it, and I never had to stop running. Final Results:

Age Group 64 Overall 316

Swim 56 34:46.2

T1 237 4:07.3 Very bad transition

Bike 27 1:18:35.6 19.0mph

T2 260 1:28.0

Run 63 1:00:54.5 9:49 min/mile

Total 2:59:51.7

I can't take any credit for setting my personal record. All I really did was put in the training time, but the credit goes to my coach, Dana Lyons, and I can't thank him enough. Although, the race was hard, and only half of what the Rhoto Ironman 70.3 Florida and 1/4 of the full Ironman, I gained a lot of confidence in Coach Dana, and know that he will prepare me for each of those races. I have a feeling that I will setting a lot more personal records and always able to "Finish Strong".

After the triathlon, Rachel, Shawn and I went home and took a nap, but we all woke up just in time to get ready to go to dinner with our new friend and pro/elite triathlete Jasmine Oeinck and her homestay to our favorite Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston, Ninfa's on Navigation. While setting up an interview with Jaz for the Shawn's Ironman Project, we found out that we were both foodies, so I knew while she was in town, I would invite her to Ninfa's. It was amazing food and conversation. I also have to congratulate her on her 4th place finish at Kemah today. Of course our family has now become JFFL's (Jaz Fans For Life) and wish her the best. Jaz, if I make it Kona, I hope that you will make it your first experience as well with Ironman, and you will come watch us complete the Shawn's Ironman Journey.

So now the Kemah Triathlon is in the books and it is time to start preparing for the Rhoto Ironman 70.3 in Florida. This will be my first Ironman event, and I can't be more excited about it. We are going to be able to spend time with the Lathrops, Enjoy Walt Disney World and Orlando, and visit our friends and family in Jacksonville. It should be fun, exciting, and exhausting all at the same time.

For all those that I met at the triathlon, it was great talking to you (including another Murph), and I appreciate all your support that you are giving me and your commitment to donate Shawn's Ironman . It means a lot to me, but most importantly, it means a lot to Texas Children's Hospital Urological Research.

There is of course no time to relax. The Rhoto Ironman 70.3 Florida is only 6 weeks away. I take one day off and then it is back to training as usual.

The week before Kemah Triathlon

This week has been a great and crazy week for me. I have seen some amazing training sessions this week which really encourages me for the Kemah Triathlon this weekend. Of course there are so many reasons for my excitement, but my main reason is the fact that I am taking the next step up for the season and completing an Olympic/International Distance...

Of course an Olympic/International distance is only half of what I will be doing at the Rhoto Ironman 70.3 Florida, but it is definitely a step in right direction.

I can't believe that it was only a year ago that I was nervous about my first 5K at the MD Anderson S.C.O.P.E. Race. Little did I know was I would be where I am today as 3 time triathlon finisher and current Ironman Triathlete in training. If you would have told me that I would be here today before I started I the S.C.O.P.E. 5K, I would have thought you were crazy. Now that I am here, I don't ever want to look back unless it is to reminisce...

This weekend's race in Kemah means so much to me. As my coach, Dana Lyons, would say, this a "C" rated race for my training, but since it is in my backyard, it is an "A" in excitement and for several good reasons: First, I have had friend and followers of the Shawn's Ironman Project contact me to tell me they were going to be coming to race to cheer me on. Second, I am interviewing some of the top professional triathletes of today including, Torenzo Bozzone, Chris Lieto, Tim Deboom, Brian Fleischmann, Hall of Famer-Karen Smyers, Angela Naeth, and Jasmine Oeinck. Third, I will sporting my new sponsorship triathlon suit that was specially made for the Kemah Triathlon.

I want to thank Dean of Prosper Apparel for being able to get my trisuit ready in such a short time, and to top it off, he is such a great guy. Of course, I plan on spending more time talking about him in a later blog, but I could not help to show my gratitude for all of his help and encouragement. Thanks again Dean! I will try not to go so fast that all of the logos fly off my suit on Sunday...lol

Okay, now for all of you that have been waiting by the computer for the big news that I have teasing this week...

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Have a great night, I will tell you soon. Don't worry, it will not be much longer. ;) Hope to see all of you this Sunday in Kemah.