BSLT 70.3 Race Report

Another fun road trip down to Lubbock for the BSLT 70.3 last weekend. The drive down to west Texas with my buddy Michael was fairly uneventful with the usual conversation...life after 40 (for him...I'm still MANY weeks away), training, women (or lack of in my current situation), where to stop for a "safe" meal, coaching...

This will be a relatively brief re-cap.

Swim (30:33) - What the hell?!? Well, at least the ridiculous running which took place the last two years at the start of the swim was non-existant(apparently two ladies were the only ones to violate the "no running" rule - shame on you ;) Not sure if the course was a bit long this year or if the course was short the last few years. I had a clean start and quickly found the feet of American Patrick Bless. We swam together and on the back stretch were joined by Argentinian Mario DeElias who seemed to be swimming solo noticeably wide. I felt very comfortable in my blueseventy point zero skin suit and was quite surprised to see my swim split close to four minutes on the south end of the last couple of year's.

Bike (2:27) - Legs felt very good throughout the ride as I rode within my target power range. Riding into and up the first canyon I was caught by my buddy Pat who reminded me this was the same spot he caught me last year. True, only last year I did a better job of maintaining closer contact with him. On this day he rode away from me with little response from said blogger. Mistake, big mistake, mental mistake, tactical mistake...you get the picture. I rode the remainder of the hilly & windy and at times rainy bike with Bless. Fueling was spot on and legs felt ready to roll as I approached T2.

Run (1:17) - Slipping on my comfy Spira Stingers I made my way onto the challenging run course. Within the first mile I put a move on Bless and was able to get away from him. Legs felt the best they have on this course and I focused the effort on hydrating and maintaining a swift rhythm in an effort to close the Grand Canyon-like gap between me and the guys up the road. I ran well through the long out & back section of the course (aka Energy Lab II as it is an exposed 1.5 out & back with a powerplant towering alongside). Shortly after entering the park I caught Kiwi Jamie Whyte and was working hard to catch the young Argentinian DeElias. Approaching the final stretch he took a couple of looks over his shoulder as I was digging deep and held me off with a six second spread.

Crossing in 4:18 I was grateful for another day of racing. It was great seeing so many friends from Boulder on the course and meeting new friends from the FCA-E team. I was honored to be invited to speak at the IronPrayer service Saturday before the race and look forward to being part of the service in Lake Placid for IMUSA.

Congrats to Paul Matthews & Amy Marsh for their wins as well as my teammate Ben Hoffman (6th overall).

Thanks to my support team of sponsors, friends & family.

May God bless you with a healthy, safe & fun holiday weekend!

Keep it smooth...

Nails Still Intact

On the tail end of a 70 mile run week I notice my feet are looking a bit worn...my friend Kelly told me I need a peticure...yeah right...a soak in the creek, yes, peticure, hell no!

RFR Half IM, High School Graduation, Bachelor Party, Stanley Cup Playoffs & More...

standing proud with my niece Arial after her commencement ceremony

post race with one of my stellar athletes, killer Kenny

my support crew - Dad, Mom, Pat & Don (my Godparents & good family friends)

Sport Beans...loud & proud baby!

Okay, so I've been quite lazy with any updates...truth is life has been crazy busy, but in a very good way of course :) Last weekend I made a quick visit back to the Motor City/Hockeytown for one my niece's graduation and to race a half Ironman event called Racing for Recovery. It supported a fantastic cause with the healthy message of sobriety! It also gave me the opportunity to get together with one of my athletes for the pre-race training and give an informal Q&A on triathlon with his training group in Clarkston, Michigan. Quick race recap:

Swim (30 & change) - You might be thinking this was a non-wetsuit swim in seeing the time. Nope, just your typical open water swim in Lake Erie's (one of the Great Lakes) surf. Standing on the beach it looked more like the ocean. I swam off the front for the majority of the 1.2 mile swim until another guy caught be within the final 50 meters.

Bike (2:21) - Flat course with three loops, head, tail & cross winds and lots of water in the road from the storms that rolled through delaying the start of the race. Passing the athlete who led out of the water within the first mile, I pressed the pace and focused on fueling knowing the young guns behind me would be giving chase. Shortly after the first loop I was passed by another athlete and worked to maintain contact. Legs came around and I was feeling good as the ride unfolded. Towards the end of the 3rd loop I made a move to pass the leader. I suspected he would not be content with me leading the way which was confirmed as he made a surge to once again take the lead. I worked to cover his move and we entered T2 together.

Run (1:13) - Exiting T2 I was running in second place about 25 meters back from the leader. I had been feeling really good with my run in recent weeks so I decided to get to business. Around the first mile marker I made my move and ran past the leader. I was able to hold a good rhthym throughout the run as we twisted our way around a few small lagoons and varied running surfaces of paved road, bike paths and trails.

I secured my first overall win crossing the line in 4:08.

After the race I had a chance to make a quick visit to Toledo, Ohio and catch up with my aunt and cousin who is rehabing from a nasty bike accident. Tuesday morning following the Sunday race I had an 8am radio interview with Michgan Catholic radio to discuss my racing, speaking & faith. It was a hoot! Later on Tuesday was my niece's graduation. This was no small affair with close to 600 graduating seniors! I was very proud and grateful to watch Arial walk across the stage.

Arriving back in Boulder on Wednesday afternoon I was able to get in an easy recovery swim just as some nasty thunder boomers rolled down from the mountains. The weather in these parts has been quite strange with lots of storms & rain. Later that evening I was off to Denver's ESPN Zone with a crew of 12 others to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of our buddy Lara & Billy.

My recovery from last weekend's race has gone well and I am looking forward to the final push for IMUSA.

Tomorrow night you can be assured I will be kicking back and taking in the lively game 7 action of the Stanley Cup finals as the Red Wings look to hoist Lord Stanley once again!

Thanks for reading & keep it smooth...

Brad

Columbine Elementary Marathon Mile

Last Friday I had the priviledge of participating in a kids' fun run at a local elementary school. It is an annual event held at Columbine Elementary School here in Boulder with all K-5 grades completing the run as a healthy year-end activity. All the kids wore race bibs and custom t-shrits for the run. It was an incredibly cool scene and I was humbled to be in the presence of so many outstanding athletes from various sports. Only in Boulder would you be able to assemble the cast of atheltes pictured above for a 9am kids' fun run which included many current and past Olympians, world champions, world record holders and hall of famers (Fernando Cabada - '08 US Marathon Champion, Jorge & Edwardo Torres - Olympians, Uda Pippig - marathon champion, Mark Plaatjes - 1993 marathon World Champion, Benji Durden - marathon champion & Colorado Running Hall of Fame, Cameron Widoff - professional Ironman triathlete, Barry Siff - competitive triathlete Team Timex & owner of 5430 Sports, Adam Chase - ultra endurance runner & Marcelo Balboa - former US World Cup soccer team along with many others!) Most notably though was the charitable spirit & encouragement each athlete brought to share with the kidos.

I lined myself up with an eager group of first graders. It was a hoot to see them explode from the start line and continue their sprint/walk/sprint mode over the one mile course as it looped through the neighborhood streets surrounding their school. The kids were all smiles as they made their way towards the finish line and received their medals.

Here is a link to a video posted on YouTube from the event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ZehzAjhPw

On a personal note it was truly a pleasure to be a small part of this celebration. I was stoked to meet Marcelo Balboa as I saw him score one of the most incredible bicycle kick goals during a 1994 World Cup match being played in Detroit in which the US downed Switzerland.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Rest & Recovery

As a competitive athlete it is often difficult to listen to one's body and back off things as training volume & intensity begin to accumulate. Over the years Coach Zane has done an exceptional job of analyzing my training data, giving me the proper balance of volume/intensity & knowing when I need a break from training. It has been over three weeks since my last complete day off from training and my body & mind were ready for a break. Having a meeting & speaking engagement early in the day triathlon was off my radar as I enjoyed a late afternoon matinee showing of The Soloist. It is an excellent film depicting the true story of a one-time Julliard school of music student turned homeless on the streets of L.A.

Training has been going extremely well with a good dosing of consistent quality and increased volume. I find taking a complete day off from the sport is very refreshing on many levels. This is not to say I never train when fatigued...heck don't we always feel tired!?! All too often athletes push themselves beyond the fine line of fatigue & overtraining. Listen to your body and be sure proper rest & recovery are part of your training plan.

Keep it smooth...
Brad

Littlefoot Triathlon

Sprint triathlons hurt...sprint triathlons at altitude hurt even more...With some recent changes to my race schedule I opted to stay at home this weekend to train and race a sprint called the Littlefoot Triathlon (750 meter swim, 15 mile bike, 4 mile run). After a solid week of training and putting together a very good swim & long run on Saturday I was looking forward to testing my body and racing through the fatigue.

Sean Wendt and his crew put on a great event...very low key and a grass-roots atmosphere. Bear Lake State Park was a beautiful venue with the chilly 55 degree swim, rolling bike course with plenty of twists & turns and flat run along the lake. I think the run was shy of 4 miles in looking at the splits...

Swim (11:01) - The pro wave was set to go 20'' after the last age group wave which gave me plenty of time to get in and warm-up. Just as the starter was about to count us down a boat moved in to adjust the first turn buoy which had blown off course from the stiff winds. After a couple of minutes and some laughs it was time to go! I found myself on the feet of Matt Balzer and the leaders for about 50 meters before my heart told me to back the bump off. For the remainder of the swim I tried to calm my breathing which was way out of control and swim with a small group of three. With a short run to the bike rack I began to fumble with my wetsuit and lost some precious time in T1 with a transition just over 1:00 - yikes!

Bike (39:41) - One of my goals was to simply hurt through this bike and boy did it hurt! The lactic acid quickly pooled in my quads as my heart continued its pounding. The two loop bike course was a hoot with lots of technical sections and couple of hills. During the first loop I came into one of the turns a little too hot and overshot it going right through a section of cones (had there been a barrier or bales of hay I would have been up & over :) Getting back on course I continued to work and try and bridge up to the guys ahead of me. I rode through the first loop in around 20'' and I wanted to get the bike under 40''. Not missing any turns on the second loop I caught a guy near the end of the bike coming in just under the forty minute mark.

Run (19:22) - Onto the run and my focus was all about finding some leg speed! Joe Gambles and the guys from the Riptide Multisport Team were pushing things well up front. As the run progressed I was gaining a little ground on the guys up the road, but in a sprint you have to be with the group from the get-go.

9th place overall in 1:11:54. It was an entertaining way to spend my Sunday morning and I think my breath is finally coming back to me :)

Congrats to Joe for his solid win and all the athletes for a competitive, fair & fun race!

Keep it smooth...

Wildflower Triathlon

This was my second go at the challenging course served up by the good people at TriCalifornia and it certainly lived up to expectations! I rank this course as one of my top three and look forward to returning to scenic Lake San Antonio State Park next year. Huge thanks to Terri Davis & his crew for putting on another stellar event. In particular I'd like to thank Dixie who organized the housing & logistics for the professionals as well as the voices of Wildflower - Sean, Nick & Julie for their energy & enthusiasm throughout the weekend. It was a great race weekend traveling with several friends from Boulder including Billy, Kirk, Shane (one of my athletes) and Christiana (one of Kirk's athletes). We shared a beautiful house with four other athletes on an adjacent lake and it was loads of fun! I met several great people throughout the weekend and enjoyed seeing so many of my friends from FCA-E and spending some time at their booth post the race. At our race briefing TriCal had some swag for give-aways and I earned some goodies for being the oldest male pro. In reality I wasn't as Scott Young (43) was racing but did not attend the meeting. It made for some good laughs back at the house. We were blessed with very good weather on race day and I felt ready to roll.

Swim (27:22) - With close to 60 pro men entered it made for a rather cramped swim start on the edge of the lake. I lined myself up to the left next to Kirk as we had our tradtional lunch on the line for fastest swim. Getting caught up in the masses I failed to have a solid start and soon found myself being gapped by the main chase pack along with Kirk, Rutger Beke, Trevor Wurtle and a couple of other athletes. The pace was very comfortable and at times I thought about making a move to swim around the leaders of our small group. Not seeing anyone in sight to whom I could bridge up to I made the decision to conserve some energy and sit in. Kirk & I swam side-by-side for the majority of the swim and as we neared the exit I picked it up just bit in hoped of at least earning a free lunch. I nipped Kirk out of the water and as we ran up the steep boat ramp to T1 he looked at me and said, "Nice swim Bradley." He ran a bit faster than I up the ramp as he remembered the timing mat for the swim was at the top not at the bottom where I was thinking it was placed. We both eneded up with the exact same swim split so I guess lunch is a wash on this one.

Bike (2:37) - My goal for the bike was to be patient over the first portion while maintaining a stead effort to avoid blowing out my legs. I felt very comfortable spinning up the steep one mile
Beech Hill climb and over the rollers leading out of the park. I dropped my chain on one of the first rollers inside the park and had to stop & dismount to get it working. I figure it cost me about :30-:45 and stayed calm with things. I had a good chuckle making the left turn onto Jolon Road with the two Cal Poly volunteers completely sleeping in their chairs holding signs with an arrow indicating our turn. Nice party the night before boys?! Focusing on my target power range I rode up on a small group of guys including Victor Plata. We rode together legally within the stagger rules for a good portion of the ride attracting the attention of a race official who stayed with us. Around the 35 mile mark one of the guys was told to stand down for an apparent penalty. I then took the lead and readied myself mentally for the upcoming hills. At the base of Nasty Grade Victor and I were together and exchanged a few words. He encouraged me to continue my effort and I felt really good climbing both Nasty Grade & Heart Rate Hill. I was able to ride away from Victor on the climbs and maintained a good work rate over the final five miles. Entering the park I caught Rutger Beke and near transition rode past Chris Stehula and Hector Llanos. My mind began to shift to the run as I entered transition.

Run (1:18) - Heading out on the run was fun with the spectators, energy and mountain bike athletes completing their run portion. I had to weave in, around & past a lot of these athletes as I worked to find my running legs. The first five miles were tough as my legs really began to cramp. I was soon in pure manage-the-damn-cramping-mode and had to let up on the gas to avoid a complete shuffle. I caught several athletes within the first few miles and even though I could not see any athletes up the trail I kept reminding myself to continue working the effort. Through the aid stations I was all about hydrating and taking in my Endurolytes. As mile six rolled around I finally started feeling good and was able to press the pace a bit. The Cal Poly volunteers and spectators along the course were great. I love this run with the isolation of the trails and boisterous crowds within the campgrounds. Entering the "pit" (1 mile out & back section of the run) I was able to take stock of my position and focused on catching whoever was within range. The final two miles were tough with the uphill out of the pit and the final steep downhill on Lynch Beach Road. Crossing the finish line I was grateful for another day of racing!

My finishing time of 4:25 placed me in the middle of the deep pro field at 23 out of 56. In talking with several guys who raced last year it appears it was a slower day on both the swim & bike for many. I felt much better with my effort than I did in Oceanside and look forward to my build for IMUSA.

Congrats to all those who made it to the line including my FCA-E teammates, the two brothers from the Biggest Loser and the TriCal training camp team of Reed & Eileen Swanson. Big props to my teammates Alexis Smith (8th overall), Ben Hoffman (8th overall) and Jeff Piland for their efforts and of course a big thanks to my sponsors (Team Sport Beans/NTTC, Champion Systems, Rudy Project, blueseventy, Mix1, Spira, Flexpower Sports Cream).

Thanks for reading!

Keep it smooth...
Brad

CatholicTV

Here is a link to an inteview I did this morning for a progam out of Boston called This Is the Day - CatholicTV.

Hope you have a blessed weekend and good luck to all my friends throwing down at St. Anthony's in Tampa, FL!!

Keep it smooth...
Brad

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Spring Melt

I snapped this pic with my phone today during a recovery interval between hill repeats up on of our beautiful canyons. It was a stellar day for climbing with a backdrop of deep blue skies, sunshine, evergreens and snow melt creating numerous waterfalls along the canyon. Boulder Creek will again be an ideal place for soaking the legs post workouts :)

To the individual(s) who scattered scrap metal on both shoulders along 36 heading out of Boulder...get a life!

Keep it smooth...
Brad

37 & Rain

As I look out the sliding glass door there is a steady rain with temp of 37 degrees F. Moisture on the front range is a good thing, right?!? Well the rain will moisten the land and melt yesterday's snow :) Today's plan a moderately long trainer ride w/intervals and run off the bike.

On a more exciting note, the Wings are in action later today in Game 2 of their quest for Lord Stanley. Those of you reading this who don't follow hockey...shame on you. I grew up playing pond hockey on the frozen lakes near my home. I was never a super star skater or puck handler, but mixing it up with my buddies on the weekend for some "old time hockey" (that's a quote from Slapshot - perhaps the funniest hockey movie ever) was always a hoot.

"Let's Go Red Wings" will be echoing through Joe Louis Arena this evening!

Good luck to my friends Pat & Dennis racing IM China & 70.3 this weekend!!

Keep it smooth...
Brad

For Sale: 52cm Felt B2 carbon frame

52cm Felt B2 carbon frame (excellent condition - no dings, scratches, etc.) bought frame in July 2007. Dura Ace brake set, Dura Ace front & rear derailleur, Dura Ace bar end shifters. Vision Tech aero bar with s-bend carbon extensions, Ergomo carbon cranks - $1,500 plus shipping.

Ergomo power meter currently hooked up to frame, but only giving speed & distance. I believe a couple of the wires need to be soldered for unit to work properly. Basically it functions as a bike computer at the moment. Ergomo given for free to interested buyer of frame.

Cali 70.3

It was an incredibly fun race weekend staying with my friend Caroline in Del Mar. She also had another friend, Jenny, who was in for the race so we had loads of laughs throughout the weekend. Friday before the race I was invited to speak at the IronPrayer service being held on the beach. It was such a blessing to meet other athletes & volunteers and hear some motivating words & music. I have spoken at several of these events and the Oceanside gathering wasy very cool with the sun setting & ocean waves as a back drop. A special thanks to Robin & Troy Soares for getting it organized & hooking me up with a ride from San Diego up to Oceanside so I could register, attend my pre-race briefing and participate in the IronPrayer service. If you are ever looking for a special way to jump start your race weekend check out the IronPrayer at your next race. The weather was fantastic on race day and the four days I was in San Diego. It was great to see many of my friends racing and get things rolling for '09.

Swim (26:30) - Upon entering the water in my new blueseventy helix I felt calm & relaxed. I had a decent warm-up and did not feel too cold unlike previous years. I lined myself at the front sandwiched between Michael & a few guys I did not know. I had a fairly clean start, but took a good whack to my face which knocked my goggles. After about 300m I had to stop & adjust my goggles as they were beginning to fill with cold, salty Pacific water. I could see a gap had developed between me and the main pack, but I was able to secure a draft and swim the entire distance with Trevor Wurtle & Sergio Marques. It seems like Sergio & I often swim together and as we exited the water he was probably thinking, "Oh that guy again" just as I was. The three of us exited T1 together and were off on the challenging 56 mile bike course.

Bike (2:34) - Early in the bike course I hit some rough patches of road which caused my seat post to drop down. I could tell my position was off, but figured if things got bad I would be able to find some kind of tech support up the road or borrow some tools from a spectating cyclist. As the bike progressed Sergio & Trevor faded away in the distance and I seemed to be moving backwards. I just could not generate the necessary power and at times felt like a circus clown in my new "position". As my legs fatigued through the middle portion of the bike I started debating whether or not I should simply stop and wait for tech to make some much needed adjustments. I continued to ride and found myself coming off the bike dead last!

Run (1:16) - Needless to say I was quite happy to get my bum onto the run course. After donning my new red racing flats from Spira I was determined to put together a solid run & salvage this day. It took a good four miles for my legs to come around and I felt stronger as the run progressed. I caught my teammate, Jeff Piland, shortly after making the first turn-around and we exchanged a few encouraging words for one another. Through the second loop I was feeling pretty good and kept the focus on staying relaxed with my form while trying to press the pace. I caught a couple of the Timex fellas within the last mile and was happy to hold things together despite the frustrations with things on the bike crossing the line in 4:22 and 33rd overall.

A big congrats to Matt Reed for his overall win & all my friends on their finishes. I really appreciated the cheers & words of encouragement from folks along the course. Thanks as well to my sponsors for their continued support: Team Sport Beans/NTTC, Champion Systems, blueseventy, Rudy Project, Spira, Mix1, Flex Power & Adrenaline Tri-Sport.

Keep it smooth,
Brad

Snow Day

And it kept snowing and snowing and snowing...

PHF

Patience, humility, fortitude...as stated by Gordo in a recent article on xtri these are a few virtues which endurance training & racing demands. Interestingly these same virtues may be applied to life which is perhaps the greatest race of all with its many twists, turns, surprises, challenges, etc. As a professional athlete I often find myself needing a subtle reminder (aka God slapping me upside my head) of the big picture with respect to training. Over the years I have become incredibly more patient with my progressions in sport and things in life. That is not to say I am so relaxed and simply kick back and just wait for some magical gains to be made. Like most athletes, I take pride in having a focused work ethic and being consistent with day-to-day training & living. Humility is certainly something I respect in others and strive to achieve in my own life. The past several days I have been at battle with a cold & sinus congestion which has not derailed me from my training, but at times slowed me down. Athletes don't like to go slow and I have eaten some humble pie in a couple of sessions the last two days. Just yesterday Matt & Kirk toyed with me during our bike intervals. These guys are exceptional athletes and I am glad to have them as friends and training partners. Fortunately God has given me the grace to be cool with these opportunities to grow in humility :) It seems athletes, or more importantly inviduals, who walk with humility possess a hearty dose of self-confidence which in turn allows them to display fortitude. While I am not a walking dictionary or thesaurus I reckon this is simply about persevering through all sport & life has to offer in a consistent fashion. As I scribble this entry we are getting dumped on with snow. While it would appear to be a great day to watch a movie and relax, I see it as even better opportunity from God to practice PHF.

As I often like to remind myself...God's gift to us is our potential, what we decide to do with it is our gift to God.

Thanks for reading!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Random Team Sport Beans/NTTC Camp Pics

Thanks to Alexis for these candid shots...

Let the games begin at our essence tasting

Group pic before 1st winery tour - kudos to Stephanie (far right) for hooking us up

Greg, aka "wine guy", imparting his wine wisdom


Team Director, Mark Wendley, educates Jelly Belly marketing staffer Andrew on the finer points of triathlon

Leah testing her skills at essence tasting

Nice smile ladies!

Yours truly getting "bean boozeled" - note the smirk on Lauren's face

Ben & I sharing a few laughs between photo shoots

Jessica & Lauren in a heated sword fight

All smiles during team orientation

As one can tell the good peeps at Jelly Belly made sure we enjoyed our annual team camp! A big kudos to my teammate Daniel Brestcher who was selected as USAT's Male Professional Rookie of the Year...nice work Daniel!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Team Sport Beans/NTTC Team Camp 2009

I returned this evening from our team camp hosted by Jelly Belly at their world headquarters in Fairfield, CA. It was a stellar weekend filled with team orientation, distribution of 2009 training/racing apparel, media stuff, swim/bike/run sessions, Napa winery tours, incredible meals, fun schwag and of course loads of laughter. My roommate for the weekend was Ben Hoffman (Durango, CO & about 15 years my junior) which was great since we both enjoyed the NCAA conference tourneys that were being played.

Tammie, Stephanie & Rob from Jelly Belly along with our team Director Mark once again rolled out the red carpet for us in serving up top shelf attention to detail, a shopping spree at the Jelly Belly store (I won't tell you which teammate's tally was close to $500), winery tours in Napa and gourmet meals! In addition to the administrative items and team orientation we were able to get in some fun group training sessions. The power of the Sport Bean was working it's magic in getting us unlimited, free access to the 24 Hour fitness center a stone's throw from our hotel.

The pictures are from the tour we did Saturday afternoon visiting two different wineries. It was a hoot and one of them included an essence tasting. Basically, the wine guy had several bottles for us to sample along with about 14 different items with varied scents ranging from fruits to spices. The trick was trying to dertermine which aroma one could smell in each wine sample. It was quite interesting and in the process I was "bean boozeled" by a few teammates. Ladies, just know that I can be quite sly with my paybacks! More pics to follow as others forward me their shots.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Heading West

Tomorrow morning I depart for our annual Team Sport Beans/NTTC team camp being held in Fairfield, CA - home of Jelly Belly's World Headquarters. It promises to be a fun-filled weekend with team meetings, media jazz, training and most importantly some hearty team meals and a Napa winery tour. The timing is perfect as Coach Z structured this week as active recovery. It's always refreshing to have some time to get caught up on the more basic things in life (laundry, cleaning, mail, emails, etc.). Monday was a complete day off from the training scene. I took advantage of the opportunity and after completing a few of the more mundane tasks around the casa I've been neglecting, I hopped on the bus to Denver and spent a few hours downtown visiting a couple of coffe shops. Denver is a pretty sweet city and has a pleasant urban vibe to it.

At the moment I am staring at my new PowerTap Elite (training) and PowerTap SL+ (racing) power meters (gracias to Marky V for venturing to FedEx in south Denver & picking them up). As slick as they look in their boxes, I'm thinking they will look even better on some new wheels!

Hope you enjoy a healthy, safe & blessed weekend of training, family & friends!

Thanks for reading & keep it smooth...

Brad

Sponsor Highlight: Team Sport Beans/NTTC

While enjoying the 70 degree weather on a recent easy ride I did some brainstorming about my blog and decided to add a new feature of highlighting a sponsor each month. Note to reader - this is not meant to be a shameless marketing tool which my sponsors have requested. I simply wanted to share some info on the great people who are helping me be my best!

To kick things off for 2009 it made sense to start with Jelly Belly's Sport Beans since Jelly Belly is the title sponsor for my team, Team Sport Beans/NTTC. You may have read one of the recent press releases from our top shelf team director, Mark Wendley, about this year's squad. I am stoked to have Alexis Smith & Lauren Jensen return on the women's side as well as Jeff Piland on the men's. First-year team members Jessica Jacobs, Leah Daugherty, Daniel Bretscher & Ben Hoffman are certain to add some excitement to the mix!

Team Sport Beans/NTTC was originally founded in 1992 by current team director Mark Wendley who at the time was racing professionally. The early years saw the likes of Mike Pigg sporting the NTTC colors. After a 11 year hiatus, the team returned with a new title sponsor in Jelly Belly, makers of the Sport Bean. There has been some rumblings about the legitimacy of a candy company getting into the sports nutrition biz, and quite honestly the Sport Beans brand has exceeded initial expectations. With four original flavors of Berry Blue, Lime, Orange, Fruit Punch and two newer caffeinated flavors of Watermelon & Cherry, Jelly Belly is able to offer endurance athletes & active people some serious portable power! My favorite flavs are orange, lime and the watermelon when I want a little extra giddy-up. Each packet of Sport Beans contains 100 calories, 80mg sodium, 40mg potassium, 25g carbs and 19g sugar. The caffeinated packets are the same with 50mg caffeine. There is no HIGH fructose corn syrup in the beans.

Keep it smooth...
Brad

What Happened to February?!?

Whew, February was a bit of a blur with quite a bit of travel, training & speaking engagements. Earlier in the week I made a quick trip to Toledo, OH to celebrate the life of my uncle. It was great to see my extended family and share great memories of my uncle. He died from complications with lung cancer and was yet another reminder for me to be grateful for the gift of good health! My uncle was a loving husband & father. If you saw the movie Gran Torino my unlce was very close in nature to the character played by Eastwood.

On the training front I am in the midst of a big two week block and absorbing the demands - sometimes like a sponge, other times like a brick. The weather has been decent and I am hoping it continues to improve as we March forward (yes, a bad joke :) I am stoked to be getting on my new ride in a couple of weeks and back to power with my new PowerTap. We have our Team Sport Beans/NTTC camp in mid March then off to San Diego in early April for Ford California 70.3.

Thanks for reading!

Keept it smooth...
Brad

Florida Great Escape

Getting back to my roots I raced my first sprint triathlon in over five years this morning at the Florida Great Escape (1m swim/18m bike/5m run) in Clermont, FL. I was 6th overall in 1:30 something and splits unavialble at time of this post. My goal was to simply go hard and see if I could find a few extra gears. It was a super fun affair with several of my friends from Boulder and two of my teammates from Team Sport Beans/NTTC toeing the line. Great to see my friend Carole Sharpless getting back in the mix after a two year hiatus...way to go Sharpie!Congrats to Kevin Collington & JZ for their overall wins!

My accommodations for the quick trip south included a homestay with Dave McFarland. He has been running a triathlete hostel of sorts for numerous years and it was a great time. We had a good number of athletes in the house including: Dave - owner, Filip - Slovakia (been here training for 4 months and finished 4th overall today), Rob - D.C. area (here for a training camp hosted by the National Training Center & 4th in his age group), Josh - Ontario, Canada (escaping the frozen north for a solid 10 day training block), Leah (Sport Beans/NTTC teammate & 4th overall woman) & her buddy Kevin (completed his first triathlon today in fine fashion). It was a hoot preparing & sharing a few meals with the other athletes. The location & casual atmosphere of the house is sweet and very conducive to focused training. If you are looking for a winter training camp Clermont is a great place with plenty of good riding, running & the National Training Center. Dave runs a pleasant homestay operation ($25 bucks/night for short visits) and can be reached at trihomestay@cfl.rr.com.

It was a hard 1:3x effort and I really enjoyed the late start time (9:00am v 6:45am) and being done with my race by 10:30am. A few of the more simple pleasures from this race included: not having to pack a boatload of race day nutrition, no separate gear & special needs bags and being able to run with no socks! Each of my big toes is sporting a blister on the tip from the no-sock deal, but c'mon it's a sprint right!?!

Heading back to Boulder tonight.

Keep it smooth...
Brad

Going Short

Next Sunday I will be racing my first sprint triathlon since...well...ummm...oh gosh....uhhh...a long freakin' time! To test the fast-twitch waters I included a local 5k as part of my long run this morning, affectionally called the Frozen Foot 5k. It is a benefit for the local CU Triathlon Team and typically has several fast cats. With a start time of 9:00am I was able to enjoy a solid night's rest and awake with no alarm. After downing a tasty PB&J, coffee and water I put on my cold weather running gear and did a solid round of movement prep before heading out the door. It was a leisurely 2.5 mile run to the campus and race registration. The low-key atmosphere was refreshing and I enjoyed chatting with several friends before completing my warm-up and a few strides just for giggles & kicks. The last 5k I ran was two years ago and I recall the burning of lactic acid as I went out way too fast. Today would be different and I simply settled in with the lead group of guys. Just past the one mile mark our lead group of seven dwindled to four (Jake Timm, Tim O'Donnel, Robert Thayer and me). The course was a mini-adventure twisting & turning throughout the CU campus and included enough short hills to keep things honest. With about a half mile to go Tim & Jake put in a little surge that I could not cover and shortly thereafter Robert cruised by me. He is an excellent runner having just completed his career at CU specializing as a miler. As he went by all I could do was say, "Way to go dude." He eventually ran down Jake & Tim in the final stretch taking the overall win in 16:57. I was fourth in 17:18. As you can see not a blazing fast course, but a super fun morning. Congrats to Robert and Uli for their overall respective wins and all my friends who were in the mix! It was great seeing so many of my friends toeing the line.

Keep it smooth...
Brad

Sedona's Goodwill Ambassador

If you have ever traveled to Sedona, AZ you might have crossed paths with Gator, Sedona's self-proclaimed goodwill ambassador. More on this character in a moment.

Along with my teammate Leah Daugherty, I traveled to Sedona for a Sport Beans photo shoot on Monday. Sedona is an incredibly beautiful place and it is on top of my list for a camping, hiking and backpacking trip. The red rock canyons are absolutely stunning. The photo shoot team was comprised of Rob (Jelly Belly's director of marketing), Kelly (co-owner of Nice Advertising), John Segesta (rock star photographer - if you read Triathlete Magazine or Inside Tri, then you've seen his work) and John #2 (John's partner/assistant). At 7:30am we gathered in the lobby of our comfy accommodations at the Sedona Hilton Spa & Resort and then ventured out for the morning shoot. Below are some pics of the location with Leah & I having fun between set-ups. This area was incredible with plenty of scenic trails to run and hike.

The afternoon shots were done up one of the other canyons outside Sedona. We had to drive about six miles up one of the most rough roads I have ever traversed, but it was well worth it. Similar to the morning shots we did more "rock runs" and I got to play around on a mountain bike. The effect of the natural lighting as the sun set in and around the canyon was pretty sweet and I was ready for a hot shower and some hearty eats as we wrapped things up around 5:45pm. I was really blown away by God's incredible creation in such stunning scenery.

It was a quick trip with an early morning flight Tuesday departing Flagstaff at 7:30am. Back to my buddy Gator. He was the driver arranged to shuttle me and Leah to the airport. He greeted us at 6:00am in his pimped out Lincoln fully equipped with a set of steer horns on the front. I was pretty certain this would be an entertaining ride for the 40 minute drive back up to Flagstaff and Gator did not disappoint. He shared with us his 17 year carrer in the rodeo riding buck horses and finishing up his career as a rodeo clown. There are two types of rodeo clowns - the ones who pop up and down in the barrels to entertain the crowd and the ones who look after the riders. Gator was the latter clown. He was an original cowboy alright and proceeded to tell us the guys wearing helmets and kevlar vests are, well to put it politely, just a bunch of pansies!

This cowpoke is in need of some sleep.

Keep it smooth....

Brad

Tucson Pics

gotta love Chipolte
coming down Phoneline Trail in Sabino Canyon

cactus everywhere, including my shin

Terrific in Tucson

Pictured at right is the view from Windy Point up Mt. Lemmon (14 mile mark & approx. 6,400 ft). This past weekend was fantastic in being part of the 4th annual ICTN training camp. God is simply amazing! I was part of the pro panel which included Jamie Whitmore, Kirk Nelson & John Shelp. This was my first time at the camp it was an incredible opportunity for personal growth physically, emotionally, intellecutally & most importantly spiritually. We had athletes from Canada and throughout the United States in attendance with a wide range of experience & ability. The camp structure included big group sessions, smaller break out sessions and several training sessions. I spoke on the topics of mental toughness - traithlon's fourth discipline and going long - 140.6 opportunities to glorify God. The group training sessions were great and I really enjoyed swimming, biking and running with the other athletes. I found the messages given by the pastoral team to be freakin' awesome. For those of you reading this who are not Christian, understand this camp is not about sitting around and singing kumbaya for three days, but rather coming together for fellowship, sport-specific seminars on various topics and some group training. It was incredible to see the transparency of others in the sport sharing their strugges and experiences from sport and life. My calendar is marked for next year's camp and I highly recommend making it part of your winter base training in 2009!

Kirk and I entertained the group at times as we threw zingers at one another in jest with our smack talk. We capped a wonderful weekend with a competitive round of min-golf with Jamie, her husband Courtney & Brian Grasky who was one of the camp's organizer. I took home the cup with a solid round of 46.

Our friend Kathryn has been a wonderful host. She is a Cat 1 cyclist who I first met a few years ago in Boulder and we were teammates for a couple of years on Team Sport Beans/NTTC. She is super witty and a damn good cyclist. Check out her regular column titled "So You Want to Be an Olympian at ESPN. Just type her name "Kathryn Bertine" in the search engine. At the moment she and Kirk are engaging in a bit of smack talk of their own which is pure entertainment for me...Kirk just doesn't know when to quit...more brawn than brains.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Road Kill Seasons

As I was enjoying a super ride today in the surprisingly still winds I noticed a lot of road kill of the shishka-bunny variety. Having been educated on wildlife behavior via an annual subscription to Ranger Rick from my grandmother when I was a kid, here's my highly trained observation on seasonal road kill in Boulder:

Spring - prarie dogs
Summer - snakes
Fall/Winter - rabbit

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I am hooking up with my brother this weekend for some fun in the mountains. He has one of those cushy orthopaedic "medical conferences" in Vail...should be fun times with a bit of cross training in the mix.

Next week I am heading down to Tucson for a week of training and the ICTN annual camp. This is my first go with this training camp and I am excited to be part of it. I will be giving two presentations on mental toughness and 70.3/IM training & racing in addition to leading a few training sessions. My buddy Kirk & I will get in a couple of days training on our own pre & post the weekend camp. I have never trained in Tucson and I am looking forward to it!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

People of Influence

While riding today I saw a cow knawing on a plastic bottle and another enjoying the fine taste of some black plastic construction tarp. Hmm, what gives?? Well, I started thinking why would those cows be eating such unflavorable items when they could be grazing on lip-licking greens of the vast pasture?!? Did something or someone influence their decision...a lame attempt at some kind of intro to this post...

The other day I was thinking about all the incredible people in my life who have had some kind of positive influence. Perhaps you too have pondered such thoughts. Here are a few who came to my mind:

God - He has been smacking me upside my head for quite some time and I trust He will continue to be with me even when I stumble or choose not to listen :)

Mrs. Reutnik - my kindergarten teacher; she had the coolest toys in her class

Lona & Albert Ingraham - my grandparents on my mom's side of the family; Maine dairy farmers who had a work ethic like nobody's business; Granddad had a typical New Englander sense of humor and Grandmother could make a wicked tasting molasses cookie (along with so many other things - she was a freaking incredible cook :)

Maggie Zidar - 9th grade English teacher; she was one of my favorite high school teachers, inspired me to eventually teach high school English & she was a runner (still running as far as I know)

Tim Kring - kid on my high school soccer team; hearing impaired but that did not limit his ability to be one hell of a soccer player

Rob Mackle - he was summer swim team stud when I was knee-high to a grasshopper; saw him on tv one day racing IM and thought, damn I want to do that!

Barry Sanders - being a Detroit Lions' fan, Barry was pure entertainment when he would make opposing players look silly trying to tackle him; most importantly though I admired his humility and the way he carried himself on the field; the guy scored boat loads of td's and never once did you see him pound his chest, dance, etc. he would simply hand the ref the ball

Just a few of the folks who have left a mark with me.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Happy New Year

2009 New Year Resolutions

Get my bum down to Denver (via bus as it adds to the adventure & eco-friendly:) more often to visit museums, art galleries, clubs for live music & out-of-the-way eateries.

Take a cooking class or experiment in my own kitchen using variety of unfamiliar ingredients, foods, etc.

Make a three to four day retreat at St. Benedict's Trappist Monastery in Snowmass, CO to "hone my chi".

Organize a training weekend at altitude and out of the Boulder "bubble".

Go camping, fishing & horseback riding. (not at the same time :)

Answer my phone when it rings while I am eating supper.

Continue to strive to be a good person and all that personal growth mumbo-jumbo.

May you enjoy a healthy happy & peaceful 2009!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Random Questions

While finishing up my ride today with Kurt (thanks dude) and to distract my mind from the numbness setting in on mi bones I began to ponder a few random questions I have been asked recently. In no particular order:

1. Brad, why don't you have a girlfriend? Do you play for the other team? No, I do not play for the "other team" and do not judge those who do. I have been in several wonderful relationships and know what is to love and to be loved. Am I open to a relationship? Absolutely, but not for the sake of simply being in a relationship. Do I have commitment issues? No. Do I find women attractive? Yes.

2. Brad, are you a devout Catholic? Hmmm...I am Catholic and continue to grow in my faith. Since moving to Colorado I have been challenged on many levels...physically/mentally thru sport, emotionally in taking some risk in leaving friends, job, etc. to pursue triathlon and spiritually in not compromising who I am for the sake of gaining approval. I am not a choir boy nor was I ever an altar boy. I went to Catholic grade school for 1st through 3rd grade before moving to the public school ranks. We are all imperfect and I find myself stubbling quite often in this race of life. I know a few Bible verses and live by a simple motto which I learned from Gilbert Tuhabonye: love God, love people.

3. Brad, what are you using for a powermeter this year? Still sorting that one out and will roll with either SRM or PowerTap. My Ergomo is simply a glorified bike computer at the moment as it only gives me speed, hr and distance.

4. Brad, do you still live with Pete? This is a funny one because another athlete asked me this at 70.3 World Championship who I have not spoken to in probably two or three years and she is the one who connected me with Pete. Long story short, Pete was looking for a roommate and I was looking for cheap housing when I first moved to Boulder. Initially, I was thinking alright cool dude, quiet, clean, comfortable place. It will work for a while until I get to know Boulder. Four years later my parents frequently ask me if I am going to ever remove my belongings from their home. Pete's place is as close to FAC as one can be and our balcony is within spitting distance of the pool. I'm actually thinking it would be fun to launch water balloons from it some time. One word sums up why my bum has not moved out of here...convenience baby...oh I guess that's two words. I have been looking for my own place on and off and will continue to keep my ears to the ground.

So there you have it - a small glimpse into my psyche. My nickname in high school was Psycho, so maybe you don't really want that glimpse.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Merry Christmas & All That Jazz!

Wishing all my family, friends and you the best this Christmas season! A wonderful Christmas eve spent at the Reeds' with many of my Boulder friends (loved the ginger bread cookies) and hitting midnight Mass in a couple of hours (yes, it really starts at midnight :) The excitement of the kids was so cool and reminded me how crazy me, my brothers and sister used to get at Christmas. It would be like a 24 hour storm whipping through my grandparents' house in either Maine or Indiana. Good times for sure! My family is scattered throughout the country this Christmas and we actually had our big family Christmas celebration over the Thanksgiving weekend back in Michigan.

Enjoyed a great swim this morning followed by a ride outside this afternoon with some big gear work. Tomorrow will be pretty chill with an easy run or snow shoe outing and easy spin. Hooking up with friends later in the day for a very casual Christmas dinner.

Thanks for reading and sending you Christmas blessings!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Armstrong or Phelps?

A few nights ago I was out with the guys for some ginger ales (as famed Red Wing broadcaster Micky Redmond would say) and the topic of conversation at one point focused on the question - Who's a better athlete, Lance Armstrong or Michael Phelps? This sparked some heated debate and I think in the end we really did not come to a consensus. However, when phrased as "Who has more mental toughness?" it seemed Phelps was the winner. No doubt Lance is incredibly focused and mentally tough as nails. However, it was argued that Phelps' ability to overcome the hype/pressure during the Olympics in addition to the fact the guy has stared at a black line on the bottom of a pool for thousands and thousands of meters gives him the edge mentally.

As far as the greatest athlete, I would throw out a decathalete as he/she has to excell in ten different athletic events. Just my HOP.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Gettin' Back Up

With plenty of early morning sunshine, blue skies and the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains I ventured outdoors for my morning run. It was a tad windy but I found myself really enjoying the run and crisp December air. Through my warm-up I began to reflect on the many blessings in my life (family, friends, good health, beautiful place to live & train, etc.) and how often I take these things for granted. Earlier in the week my cousin sent me this clip from YouTube which certainly grabbed my attention. After watching it I realized how often I complain when the weather does not seem ideal for training or the times I get frustrated when the computer is having a "moment". It is so easy to get distracted and waste energy on the little things in life, especially when they do not seem to be so rosy.

Nick's passion for life is infectous and has inspired me to persevere, keep working and get back up when I stumble (and I will stumble!)

Keep it smooth,

Brad

Winter Training

Things have been rolling along pretty well since my return to training. I really enjoy the base work done this time of year with the inclusion of yoga, strength training, snowshoeing and skate skiing. Between the two snow storms we've had the weather has been quite "balmy" with temps in the upper 40s and lower 50s. The blue sky, loads of sunshine and backdrop of snow-capped mountains makes for scenic training. I know there are some boo-nasty cold days on the horizon, but for now I am eager to get my bum out the door.

As the holidays get closer it seems like time goes faster. My roommate and I are hosting our 3rd annual "Yeah, I Look Good In a Speedo" party this weekend. The last couple of years have been quite entertaining and I surmise this year will bring more good cheer. The highlight of the evening will be a visit from Santa for the white elephant gift exchange. I wonder if Santa is going to do any Jell-o shots this year???

Thanks for reading!

Keep it smooth,

Brad

To Turkey Trot or Not To Turkey Trot

With my break from training I will not be partaking any of this year's turkey day ramblings. The past couple of weeks have been great with a few hikes, soaks in the hot tub, foosball matches and numerous speaking engagements in Colorado, Michigan & Ohio. I did make a return to swimming with a very easy swim yesterday at the local Y here in Michigan. Hitting the Piston's game tonight with some family & friends and the Red Wing's game on Friday before heading back to Boulder on Monday.

I am sorting out my race schedule for 2009 and look forward to meeting my new Team Sport Beans/NTTC teammates Jessica Jacobs & Daniel Bretscher at our upcoming team camp.

Hope you and your's enjoy a healthy, safe & blessed Thanksgiving holiday!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

IM 70.3 World Championship Race Report

After a snappy recovery from the Ford Ironman World Championship I found myself heading south to the white sand beaches of Clearwater, Florida for the Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 World Championship. I was looking forward to a fun race weekend with several of my friends also competing.

Swim - 26:04
As the sun began to rise with very little wind and calm Gulf waters I knew it was going to be a cracker of a day for racing. I found the beach start quite civilized compared to the pre-race jostling, inching forward and chatter that was going on in Kona this year. The cannon blew and we were off. Having a lunch bet on the line with my Team Sport Beans/NTTC teammate Kirk Nelson for first out of the water there was a little bit of extra incentive for a fast start. I had a clean start with a good line and found myself swimming well with a small group. About 800 meters into things the group splintered and I was giving a ride to a couple of guys. I simply kept up the effort and felt good in the water. Upon exiting the water I really did not know if I beat Kirk out, but while sorting things out in the change tent I spotted him coming into the tent after me. Turns out Kirk beat by 30 seconds and got hung up trying to locate his gear bag, thus I was in the tent just ahead of him. I honored our bet with lunch at the Denver International Airport while we waited for the bus to take us back to Boulder on our return.

Bike - 2:13
I was forewarned to be speedy in transition in order to get a jump on the bike. I was also told to not be surprised about groups forming. Early into the bike I found myself in a group of 10 athletes. I am almost embarrassed to reference the fact I was in a "group" as I do not believe this is how a non-drafting, world championship event is to be raced. We had a marshal with us for the majority of the ride and I did not witness anyone full-on drafting, but it certainly made for an interesting 56 mile ride. At times I was frustrated as there was no room to safely get around and pass another athlete and I was forced to actually sit up and coast or soft pedal to avoid a serious draft. The course is virtually flat aside from the short climb up and over the causeway leading away from Clearwater Beach.

Run - 1:16
Throughout the first four miles of the run my dogs were barking. It seemed like it took a long time to get my form rolling. The crowds along the course were very supportive and I actually recognized two spectators who had stayed at the same condo complex as I did in Kona. As I approached the finish line I was pretty stoked to wrap up the 2008 season with a solid effort finishing 36th overall in 3:59.

A huge congrats to my friends JZ (Women's Champion) and Brooke (amateur Women's Champion) for their World Championship titles.

I would like to thank all of my sponsors for their support throughout the race season. I am very grateful to be part of the Team Sport Beans/NTTC family and really appreciate the efforts of Team Director Mark and Stephanie with Jelly Belly. A big thanks to blueseventy, Spira footwear and Mix1 for their support in keeping me swift in the water and on land. I am now enjoying three weeks away from swim-bike-run before getting back to work in preparation for 2009.

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Pics from Clearwater...

Turtles adorn the beach showers

Team Hoyt - a true inspiration

Rick & Dick Hoyt making their way onto the run

Looking to find my run form

A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That...

Since returning to Boulder life has been busy with numerous speaking engagements, catching up on emails, etc. and training. The weather has been super nice which has made for some fun sessions. You got to like fall weather filled with blue skies, schads of sunshine and temps in the 60s & 70s! My recovery from Kona has been spot on allowing me to enjoy my current fitness in preparation for one final go for 2008. I am really looking forward to racing at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater. Several of my friends, including Team Sport Beans/NTTC teammate Kirk Nelson, will be racing as well. With the smooth recovery from Kona I have been able to hit things with a bit of spice in all three disciplines. Coach Z has kept the sessions fairly simple with some tempo & threshold work without the typical volume.

Big props to one of my athletes, Shane Niemeyer, for his PR of 9:37 and overall 3rd place finish at last weekend's Great Floridian IM.

I am sending good thoughts to my friends racing IMFL this weekend!

Keep it smooth...

Ford IM World Championship Report

After relaxing for a few days on the beach and taking in some of the local sights I figured it would be a good time to post a race report.

Swim (59:17 - Kona swim PR) I placed myself towards the middle right closer to the pier and had what felt like my best start at this race. I quickly found some feet and was in the middle of a decent sized group which allowed me to limit my sighting. We were swimming right along the buoy line out to the turn around and it was feeling quite comfortable. At times I thought the pace was too comfortable, but did not want to push things and end up swimming solo as I have in the past. My swim fitness has definitely improved, but with a more aggressive start and working things early on I think I can place myself with a faster group. It was good to exit the water with fifteen or so other athelets than one or two as I had in previous years.

Bike (5:17) Immediately out of transition the effort felt really hard and looking down at my front wheel I saw my brake was off center and rubbing. Fortunately it was an easy fix as I was able to reach down and open the brake lever. Riding along the Queen K I was comfortable and focused on my race plan. About an hour into the ride my container of Endurolytes flew out of my side pocket and spilled all over the highway, leaving me with no salt until I reached my special needs bag after the turn around in Hawi. Riding up to Hawi the winds were gaining strength, but I felt stronger than I have in other years. I really began to struggle once back on the Queen K heading back to town with some cramping in my hamstrings. While my body was not responding as I had hoped, I was able to stay strong mentally and complete the ride with my focus shifting to the run. Note to self...do not use aero helmet on the big island as any gains are minimal with the added wind, heat and humidity.

Run (2:49 - IM run PR) With the cramping I felt during the bike I was very uncertain how my legs would feel once on the run. Exiting T2 and finding my way through the cheers of the crowd gathered at the hot corner my legs felt good. Running along Ali'i Drive to the first turn around I felt relaxed, smooth and fluid. My focus was on fueling, hydrating and keeping cool through each aid station while running down as many athletes as I could. It was like a giant game of Pac-Man. The temps really seemed to soar once out on the Queen K and into the Natural Energy Lab. Unlike last year though where I began to break down at this point, I found myself feeling stronger as the run progressed. Over the final four miles I was able to run down several more guys and was very happy to make the final turn on Ali'i Drive and run towards the boisterous finish chute and familiar voice of Mike Reilly.

Total time 9:12 & 48th overall

Congrats to everyone who was racing in Kona and the Colorado contingency - Uli, Glen, Jeff, Tim, Brandon, Justin, Wil & Michael...great work!

Despite a slow bike this was my best performance in Kona and I am pleased with the result. Recovery is going well and I am excited about my final race on November 8th at the Foster Grant 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater, FL.

A huge MAHALO to my support team of sponsors (Team Sport Beans/NTTC Racing, TYR, Champion Systems, Rudy Project, blueseventy, Blackwell Research and Mix 1), family & friends. A special thanks to my coach Zane Castro for getting me to the line in good form. I am very grateful for the opportunity to share this experience with all of you. The support and encouragement has been huge in allowing me to be my best.

Keep it smooth...

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Random Race Notes:

Swim - need to continue to work on speed development and mechanics; train body to swim stronger towards the end of key sessions

Bike - power and strength development through more big gear work and climbing; increased awareness of cadence & gearing relationship relative to conditions

Run - focus on maintaining better form over final portion of longer runs

Kona Update

Are we "in training" or "training"?!?
View from scenic overlook along the Queen K

I have been a bit lacking with any updates in a while...things were a bit hectic prior to my Kona departure with training, speaking engagements and the pre-travel hub-ub of things to do. The trip over to the big island went as planned with my arrival last Monday. Training has been going as planned and the legs are coming around. The scene has definitely picked up since last week with more and more atheltes arriving each day. I have enjoyed a wonderful homestay and move into the condo tomorrow. Joanne has opened her home to me the last two visits here and it has been very relaxing. She lives on the mountainside out by the airport so it is nice and chill. I have endulged in her homemade banana & macadamia nut bread and over the weekend she served up a tasty meal of lamb, garlic potatoes and spinach salad :)

My body and mind are in a good place and I am very eager to race on Saturday. Workouts have felt good and the downtime between sessions has been consumed with putting up the legs, relaxing on the lanai, watching tv (I had many laughs taking in the Bad News Bears yesterday :), eating and sleeping.

I will be sure to drop an update post race.

Thanks for reading & keep it smooth...

Harvest Moon Half IM

I am not too certain of the origins of the name of this race which takes place east of the Rocky Mountains in Aurora, CO. Perhaps it has something to do with the rolling hills of the rural country & farm roads on which the bike course traverses. Having never raced this event I was not too sure of what to expect from the course and it was a bit more challenging than what I anticipated.

Props to Ben Hoffman (Durango, CO - 1st overall), Tim Hola (Highlands Ranch, CO - 2nd overall) and my buddy Billy Edwards (Boulder, CO - 3rd overall) for their efforts. I was 4th overall, although not within spitting range of these guys. With the temps hovering around 50 degrees, some wind and lots of cloud cover it was a chilly day of racing! I exited the water a couple minutes down from the leader, Tim Hola, and about one minute behind two other athletes. With a decent swim I was hoping to get things rolling on the bike and bridge the gap to these guys. Apparently my legs did not get the memo that it was a race as these guys opened up their lead on me. About eight or ten miles into the ride Billy came by me and politely informed me I had dropped a bottle or two. I was well aware two of my Sport Bean bottles had launched early in the race altering my fueling plan a bit. Billy rode away from me like I was standing still. Is my brake rubbing? Do I have a flat? Damn you legs! I completed the remainder of the bike with some postive self-talk and hoping the sun would come out to warm my frozen body. Onto the run I felt fairly smooth, but lacked any serious "oomph" to be a threat to the guys ahead of me. I did catch one guy early in the run who ended up with a DNF. The run course was a tricky affair as it sent us weaving, twisting and turning along a combination of trail and mostly concrete walking/bike path around the Aurora Reservoir. I found it difficult to really get into a fluid run rhythm and was glad to finally lose the "concrete" blocks attached to my legs about four miles into it. I completed my day with a 1:23 run.

A big thanks to Billy's fiance, Lara, who was our driver, cheerleader and sherpa for the race. Darrin and the crew at Racing Underground put on some very fun events with a relaxed atmosphere. They served up one of the better post-race spreads I have seen in quite some time with a hearty offerring of bar-b-q and all the fixins!

Thanks for reading and keep it smooth...

Sputter, Sputter

That was the sound echoing from the engine of my trusty 1996 Jeep as I proceeded down the mountain late Sunday afternoon. Coach Z wanted me to complete my long run over hilly terrain and at altitude so I ventured up the canyon to scenic Magnolia Road (well-known among endurance athletes for its challenging terrain & high altitude). Shortly after parking my car and taking a quick leak, my Jeep's radiator took a leak of its own. Hmmm, what are my options...bag run and call for tow service (fortunatley I was in a pocket of good cell phone coverage) or complete run as if nothing happened. I chose the latter. I figured the engine needed to cool down a bit so I might as well get in the work I was there to do. Upon finishing the run I was hoping I could at least get down the canyon and possibly to the shop before blowing the engine. I used all the tricks I knew to keep the engine as cool as possible including blasting the heater to draw heat from the engine & coasting with the car in neutral. As I rolled closer to the outskirts of Boulder the temperature gauge kept moving to the right until it could move no further...it was buried & finally the engine sputtered to a stall. Fastforward to today and I am awaiting the diagnosis, prognosis or some kind of "nosis" from the shop. This has been a great vehicle with 216,000 miles and very few problems outside of the general maintenance.

The work for Kona continues to go well as I enter the final push. As the weather swings towards fall-like temps in Boulder I am hopeful it will hold out for a couple more weeks. The focus will be on quality, rest, recovery, nutrition & staying healthy over the next several weeks. I will have one more hard race effort this Sunday at the Harvest Moon Half IM in Aurora, CO.

Keep it smooth...