For nearly three decades, I have raced against the clock—on foot, on a bicycle, and on a motorcycle. This page traces that journey in reverse, starting with the most recent chapter, and reveals the training and preparation behind the results. It is not just a highlight reel. The crashes, flat tires, and missed starts are here too, because failure is often where the most valuable lessons begin.
Milestones first, then the story. Yellow marks motorcycle racing and blue marks triathlon throughout.
Seven world championship finisher medals: three from Kona, and the 70.3 World Championships of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Each one is a reminder of the people who got me to the start line.
Newest first. Motorcycle racing on the left, triathlon on the right. Each year pins to the centre as you scroll.
Track day at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California on September 13, a circuit I first raced in the AFM in 2005. The onboard camera shows 160 mph on the main straight, heart rate 159 bpm and 2.9 g.
Corner photos: Dito, GotBlueMilk. Track map: Race-Graphics.com, shared by AFM.
At The Ridge in Washington on August 18, I ran 1:53.7 on the AMA/MotoAmerica chicane layout, my best there. Heart rate was 152 bpm through a slow corner. A 2026 Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1100, race-prepared by Warhorse HSBK Racing, has joined the garage.
A track day on September 2 on the number 689 Aprilia.
Photos: G. Powers.
TrackTime day with Ken Hill at The Ridge on August 15: 1:54.079 on the AMA/MotoAmerica chicane layout, about 2.5 seconds quicker than in 2021.
The Ridge, August 15. Photo: G. Powers.
MotoVixens trackday on September 2: 1:47.504 without the chicane (82.7 mph average), slightly quicker than my 2019 race lap of 1:47.778.
The Ridge, September 2.
Logger data from July 30: under hard braking the rear wheel ran 7 mph slower than the front, a stoppie.
MotoVixens trackday on August 9: 1:56.559 on the AMA/MotoAmerica chicane layout, the first chicane lap in my notes.
MotoAmerica round at Sonoma Raceway: 17th in Open Superstock, best lap 1:46.710 on my 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF.
Photos: Brian J. Nelson.
Paddock on Friday evening, July 12, before USBA Round 3 at UMC West. Results: 6th in Formula 40, 8th in Open Superstock, 12th in King of the Mountain, best lap 1:36.220.
MotoAmerica round at Utah Motorsports Campus, East course: 16th in Open Superstock, best lap 1:39.086. After a standing-start lap of 1:42.5, the remaining 13 laps of the 14-lap race fell between 1:39.1 and 1:40.5.
Consistency: after the standing start (1:42.534), all 13 remaining laps of the 14-lap pro race were within 1.39% of my fastest lap, a range of 1.375 s from 1:39.114 to 1:40.489.
Photos: Steve Midgley Photography and Brian J. Nelson.
Two more MotoAmerica rounds, Utah and Sonoma, alongside the club schedule, and 3rd in Formula 40 at the September USBA round.
About five weeks after my pro debut at Utah, MotoAmerica mailed a check for my prize money.
Won Formula 40 at the USBA West round in June, then made my first official professional race start at the MotoAmerica national at Utah in July and finished 14th, scoring points and prize money. A magazine caption from that weekend shows me leading Manny Segura, Greg Arnold, Felipe MacLean and Roi Holster in the Stock 1000 race.
Photos: Steve Midgley Photography and official race photography.
RaceHero timing from my USBA race at UMC West on June 16–17: seven laps in 12:35 at an 81.18 mph average, first overall with the fastest lap, 1:36.657. All seven laps were within 1.9 seconds. I also won Formula 40 that weekend.
Five rounds with a top-ten finish in every start, and a season standing in the top seven in all four classes: Formula 40, Open Superstock, Open Superbike and King of the Mountain.
Training note. Career-best lap at UMC West that year: 1:35.794.
Photo: official race photography.
In June 2016 I took part in qualifying at the MotoAmerica round at Utah Motorsports Campus. I did not get to race the class I qualified in, but I raced a MotoAmerica support class (F1) that weekend and finished 17th, best lap 1:59.797.
Utah club rounds, a MotoAmerica support-class F1 race, and a switch to a 2015 Yamaha R1 for the last round. Triathlon racing ended the year before.
Senior Superbike win at the WERA round in Las Vegas in May, plus 3rd in A Superstock and 4th in A Superbike. Fastest lap there: 1:22.731, my quickest in four seasons at that circuit.
Training note. About 50 hours of planned dirt-track and moto blocks sat alongside a full triathlon year.
Ironman 70.3 Arizona in Tempe: Jami was 2nd in her age group in 5:18:44, wearing an All World Athlete bib.
September 20 at Lake Tahoe: I finished Ironman Lake Tahoe in 11:15:28, 18th in my age group, and Jami won her age group at Ironman 70.3 Lake Tahoe in 5:25:24. We both wore All World Athlete bibs in 2015.
Jami’s finish and her age-group win on the podium.
Ironman 70.3 World Championship at Zell am See–Kaprun: Jami was 12th in her age group and I finished in 5:16:16. Jami ended the year 2nd in the US and 3rd in the world in the WTC 70.3 Gold ranking, with five podiums and two wins. It was my last triathlon season.
Photos: official race photography.
Ironman 70.3 Boise in June: I rode my P4 to 4:57:30 and 9th in my age group. Jami won hers in 5:15:22 and was pictured in the next morning’s Idaho Statesman.
Race photo: official race photography. Newspaper page: Idaho Statesman, June 14, 2015.
Jami on the Boise podium.
Photo: official race photography.
Wins in Boise and Lake Tahoe 70.3 in the age group, 2nd at Muskoka, Steelhead and Arizona.
3rd in A Superstock and 4th in both Senior Superbike and A Superbike in the WERA West championship, plus two 2nd places in Las Vegas in November.
WERA Las Vegas Classic, November 1–2: 2nd, 2nd and 3rd.
Training note. The same season as my strongest aerobic test numbers in triathlon.
Photo: official race photography.
The village before the race, and the show in the athletes’ tent.
My fastest 70.3 Worlds time, 4:49:46, and Jami’s, 5:15:57, at Mont-Tremblant. Ironman Lake Tahoe was cancelled two weeks later.
Training note. The strongest aerobic test numbers of the whole log: 187 W for me and 149 W for Jami on the same day, with 22 weeks planned at 15 hours or more.
Boise in June (my 5:00:50, 7th in my age group), Timberman in August (my 4:50:48; Jami 2nd in her age group in 5:17:54 and qualified for the 2015 Worlds) and Austin in October (my 4:54:20, 10th in my age group).
Timberman finish and run (bib 110), Austin bike (bib 988), and the Boise course loaded on the CompuTrainer three weeks before the race.
A season split across Chuckwalla, Las Vegas and Utah. Best finishes: 5th in Senior Superbike and A Superbike. One round ended with a mechanical problem.
Under the umbrella at the CVMA Chuckwalla round, March 31.
In September I finished Ironman Lake Tahoe in 11:46:10 and Jami in 12:54:16. The 2013 All World Athlete sticker is still on my P4 frame.
Ironman Lake Tahoe, September 22, 2013, bib 2370: swim exit, bike and run. Last photo: my local athlete profile in the 2013 Spectator Guide.
Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Henderson, Nevada: I finished in 5:13:17 and Jami in 5:34:21.
Jami at the finish and with her medal.
We both raced Ironman 70.3 Timberman. I finished in 4:49:45, 11th in my age group, and Jami won hers in 4:59:34.
Photos: official race photography.
On the P4 at three races, including Timberman (bib 604) and Lake Tahoe (bib 2370) in 2013.
Ironman 70.3 Italy: Jami was 2nd in her age group in 5:25:17, and I was 9th in mine in 5:05:37.
My ride, Jami’s finish, and the awards stage that evening.
Bike boxes and bags packed for racing in Europe.
Photo: official race photography.
Ironman 70.3 St. Croix: I finished in 5:26:20, 8th in my age group, and Jami was 5th in hers in 5:44:01.
Swim finish, the run through town, and two volunteers helping me through the finish.
Won Formula 40 at Willow Springs in January and Buttonwillow in July, plus 3rd in Open Superbike at Buttonwillow.
On the Aprilia at Willow Springs with WSMC.
WERA Las Vegas, November 4: 1st for Best Bike and 3rd for Best Pit.
Training note. About 53 planned hours of dirt-track practice and moto blocks that year, a core part of the written plan.
A written training philosophy, MAF tests every six weeks and recurring benchmark sessions. Jami was 2nd in her age group at Calgary 70.3 and the Donner Lake Olympic. We both raced the World Championship in Henderson, Nevada.
Training rides: Jami in Utah, and me after a wet climb up Brockway Summit.
Jami’s qualification letter for the 70.3 World Championship, from Calgary on July 29.
Ironman 70.3 St. Croix: Jami was 9th in her age group in 5:34:33. I did not finish because of food poisoning.
Jami’s swim, ride and finish, then the warm-up, swim start and transition.
At the Willow Springs WSMC round in January I won both BOTT and Open Twins and was 2nd in Formula 40. A mechanical problem ended a spring round.
WSMC trophies from Willow Springs, including the January 2011 double win.
We both set Ironman bests at Austria: 9:52:21 and 10:23:01. Jami raced two world championships that season, 70.3 in Henderson and the Ironman in Kona. My 70.3 Worlds streak began.
Training note. Tempo pace at a fixed heart rate had improved for two straight years: my average went from 8:30 to 8:12 per mile.
Klagenfurt in 2011, in our Mark Allen Online team jackets.
BOTT win at Willow Springs in January, an Open Twins win in March, and 2nd in the Open Twins California State Championship.
In November I trained at Rich Oliver’s Mystery School, a dirt-track school I have gone back to every year for over twenty years.
Rich Oliver’s Mystery School, November 17.
A 16th-place age-group finish at 70.3 Austin qualified me for the 2011 World Championship. Jami won her age group at Auburn’s World’s Toughest half.
5th in my age group at the Santa Barbara Triathlon on August 28 in 3:27:09.
After Austin 70.3, and the run at Santa Barbara.
In early November 2009, Jami and I had portraits made of the Team JaS Ducati at Thunderhill Raceway Park with Dito of GotBlueMilk. My next race was Willow Springs on November 14–15, where I finished 5th in Open Twins.
Photos: Dito, GotBlueMilk.
3rd in Open Twins and 3rd in Formula 40, racing at Willow Springs, Buttonwillow and Infineon.
California International Marathon in 2:59:02, a 1st age-group at the Presidio 10, and 1st in my age group at Escape from the Rock (Alcatraz XXIX) on September 13 in 1:20:28. Jami was 2nd overall at the Granite Bay Duathlon.
Jami on the Granite Bay Duathlon podium, April 18.
Age-group win plaque from Alcatraz XXIX.
Training note. Our regular test battery began: ramp test, aerobic time trial, power test and CompuTrainer course.
Ironman Austria in Klagenfurt: I finished in 10:06:20 and Jami in 11:26:32, 10th in her age group.
The swim start, the bike course profile and some expo gear, then the two of us on the bike and my run.
9th in the AFM Open Twins championship and 5th in Formula 40. My best Infineon lap, 1:44.210, was about four seconds quicker than in 2005.
Onboard at Sonoma with the AFM.
My first professional appearance was at the AMA round at Road Atlanta. I did not qualify to race.
Ironman Coeur d’Alene for both of us, and a Big Sur half-marathon in 1:23:51. Jami placed 2nd overall at the Granite Bay Duathlon.
10th in the AFM Open Twins championship. Buttonwillow lap time improved from 2:05.387 in 2006 to 1:54.932.
Jami won the Skyline Ridge half-marathon outright and had five age-group podiums. I won my age group at Angels Camp and was 2nd overall at Skyline Ridge. A shoulder injury kept me out of Escape from the Rock.
Santa Barbara Triathlon, August 25: Jami 4th in her age group in 3:37:51, me 8th in 3:22:11.
Training note. No Ironman that year. Our fixed-heart-rate run test improved about 10% for me and 7% for Jami.
16th in the AFM Open Twins championship, with two rounds missed.
Ironman New Zealand’s half-distance duathlon, the Big Sur marathon and Ironman Coeur d’Alene, with modest results.
The Lake Taupo waterfront, February 2006.
11th in the AFM Open Twins championship. My first Infineon lap times were near 1:53.
Training note. That year a driver hit us on our bicycles during our Honu taper.
A driver hit both of us on our bicycles with his car while we were tapering for the Honu Half-Ironman, so we did not start. Two flat tires ended Auburn. Jami did not finish Ironman Canada (dehydration); I finished in 10:51:19.
The Quintana Roo after the crash, June 7, two days after Honu, with the top and down tubes buckled behind the head tube. The frame was bought from Susan Williams, who raced for the USA at the 2004 Athens Olympics and won bronze in the women’s triathlon (2:05:08.92: swim 19:02, bike 1:08:58, run 37:08).
Training note. The highest planned load of 2003–07 came in a season of setbacks beyond training.
Ironman Canada finish, August 28, bib 668.
Jami won the Bakersfield Olympic outright. I placed 3rd in my age group there.
At the Windman Triathlon in Los Banos, Jami and I both won overall. At Ironman Canada I finished in 10:15:39 and Jami in 11:57:40. It was our first season on our own plan workbook.
Ironman Canada finish, August 24, bib 751.
Jami qualified at Ironman Lake Placid and raced Kona (11:27:12). At the California Half-Ironman we both set our best half-distance times: 4:36:34 and 4:48:30.
Training note. Coached season. Our one-hour swim test improved for Jami (3,885 to 4,075 yd) and held steady for me.
Jami finishing Kona in 11:27:12.
Swim start at the Big Kahuna in Santa Cruz, September 8. I was 8th in my age group in 4:44:08.
Ironman New Zealand in March, Ironman Lake Placid in July (10:37:14 for me, 11:04:23 for Jami) and a half-Ironman age-group win in Sacramento. We followed a written coached plan that began in late November 2000.
We finished the Ironman World Championship together, 13:02:24 and 13:02:23. I took too much salt and was vomiting from the end of the bike through the run, and Jami caught up to me at Henry St. Earlier that year Jami raced the Olympic-distance World Championship in Perth, and I qualified at Ironman New Zealand.
The Kona swim start, and the two of us finishing together after dark.
Requalified at Ironman Canada (10:25:05) and improved at the World Championship to 10:42:16.
Kona finish, 1999, bib 701.
Qualified at Ironman Canada and started the Ironman World Championship in Kona, finishing in 11:02:04, 116th in my age group. USAT All-American.
Kona finish, 1998, bib 1484.
Twelve races, a long-course age-group win at Santa Barbara, 2nd in my age group at Pacific Grove, and Escape from Alcatraz in 2:27:04.
Twelve races from sprints to Olympic distance, with a best finish of 3rd in my age group.
My first triathlon was the Shawnee Mission Medical Center Triathlon in Overland Park, Kansas on July 9, 1995. I won the short course in 48:38. The local paper’s headline was “Local triathletes rule in Overland Park.”
Clipping: Lawrence Journal-World, July 10, 1995.
New to the sport? The triathlon hub explains it step by step, with breadcrumbs and a Home button on every page.
The timeline is the story. These pages hold the detail, each with breadcrumbs and a Home button so you never get lost.
Weekly plans, test sessions and benchmark logs from 2001 to 2015: who coached each era, six things the logs show, and the charts behind them.
Open Tri trainingThe coaching eras, six findings, and planned volume and podiums by season.To Jami, my training partner and motivation to be my best through all of it, from the early morning swims, to the altitude brick workouts through the crashes and hospital stays and the shared finish lines.
To the coaches whose plans started the journey and kept it going, including Mark Allen and Rich Oliver (both mentors and legends), Ken Hill and Craig Muirhead (who helped me focus what was between the ears), and to everyone who made the racing possible: the organizers, volunteers, corner workers, mechanics and the fellow racers who made me faster through competition.
I am grateful for every start line, and the challenges that made me the person I am today.
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