Training Update: A New Chapter on the Road to Chattanooga 70.3

Another week of training is officially in the books as I continue preparing for the Chattanooga Ironman 70.3. This year’s journey feels especially meaningful—and interesting—for a couple of big reasons. Since the last time I crossed a finish line at the Gulf Coast Ironman 70.3, my life and training have gone through some major changes. I’ve had a hip replacement, and I’ve also transitioned to a vegetarian diet. Both have forced me to rethink how I train, recover, and fuel my body.

The hip replacement was a major milestone, both physically and mentally. Returning to endurance training after surgery requires patience, discipline, and a lot of listening to your body. Every week that I can train consistently, pain-free, feels like a win. Layer on top of that a significant dietary shift, and this season already feels like uncharted territory.

For most of this year I have had a plant forward diet with only eating a small amount of chicken once a week or every other week and no red meat at all. Now, Thanksgiving marked the last time I ate meat, and I’ve chosen to fully embrace a vegetarian lifestyle. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that plant-based diets can enhance athletic performance and recovery. Meat—especially red meat—is known to promote inflammation in the body, while many fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Reduced inflammation can mean faster recovery, better joint health, and more consistent training, all of which are critical when preparing for a 70.3.

While it’s still early, I’m already noticing positive changes. Over the past few weeks, I’ve felt stronger and more energized during my workouts. This past weekend was a great example. On Saturday, I completed an 8-mile run at a faster pace than I’ve been holding recently, and I finished feeling controlled rather than depleted. Then on Sunday, I followed it up with a 32-mile bike ride, again averaging a faster speed than I have been in previous weeks. Most importantly, I recovered well and felt ready to train again.

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how this approach holds up as training volume increases and as travel adds another layer of challenge. Planning vegetarian meals on the road will require some creativity and preparation. Still, there are countless examples of elite, world-record–setting vegan and plant-based athletes proving that high performance is absolutely possible.

For now, the focus remains simple: stay consistent, trust the process, and keep building—one week at a time. Chattanooga is getting closer, and I’m excited to see where this new chapter takes me.