Ironman Canada

I am heading to Penticton, British Columbia this weekend to support a buddy racing Ironman Canada. There are quite a few of my friends racing and I have actually never spectated an Ironman event in person. It will be fun to take in the action and watch the race unfold, all while enjoying the perks of the VIP tent...thanks Michael!

I have heard this part of Canada is stunning & I am looking foward to doing some training in the Canadian Rockies.

Best wishes to everyone racing this weekend!

Keep it smooth...

Modesty: Timeless Style

This morning I completed my long run in the 50 degree rain and I am starting to feel a bit waterlogged from the past few days of training in this inclement weather! Ah well, the moisture is good for the land, or so I keep telling myself. (I also reiterate what I've noted in previous posts - global warming is a total farse and Al Gore is definitely smoking some wacky-tobacky!)

One of the topics I address in speaking to teens, young adults and parent groups is that of modesty. I am in the brainstorming process of organizing a modesty fashion show for teens in Boulder this coming school year. I will admit straight up that as a guy I am not held to the same standards as young ladies & women when comes to having a certain look or style. I believe modesty is not about dressing from the medieval times or looking all drab, boring or frumpy. It is actually quite the opposite. Modest dress reveals the true beauty of a lady in a fun, hip, graceful style that is very intriguing to men. A common question I get from teens and parents revolves around the difficulty in finding a modest swimsuit that is still stylish. I can completely understand their frustrations, especially after seeing some of the hideous styles of "modest" swimwear on the internet. There is hope though thanks to the efforts of a humble and talented actress/model/designer by the name of Jessica Rey who recently launched Rey Swimwear. I applaud Jessica's work in offerring a line of swimwear that is stylish, fun & hip while complimenting the true beauty of a woman. She and her friend also have a blog dedicated to capturing every day styles of modesty called 100 Percent Fad Free.

By no means am I the fashion police...and yes modesty applies to guys as well.

Keep it smooth...

Go USA!

With the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games underway I want to send a shout of support to friends Matt Reed (triathlon) & Sheila Taormina (modern pentathlon) as they look to bring home some hardware! I look forward to following all the Olympic action, even if I have to watch things unfold on my computer.

My beloved Ergomo is dead...I apparently fried the display unit after soldering some wires together on the data transfer cable then plugging the unit into said cable for downloading. No sparks were flying but dang did that little computer get hot! So much for the electrical skills I learned in my 7th grade shop class. So, the question at hand...what do I do about a power meter? Hmmm...as Ergomo has seemingly dropped it's US distributor and securing service is a giant pain in the arse, I will most likely roll with an SRM from the good fellas at Jack & Adam's.

The race scene heats up locally this weekend with the 5430 Kids' Triathlon today and the 5430 Long Course (half IM) on Sunday. This will be the first time I have not raced the 5430 half since moving to Boulder, but I am looking forward to taking in a bit of the action early Sunday morning. Best wishes to all my friends for a great race!

Looking ahead to the Ford Ironman World Championship I have kicked off my Tri for Life fundraising campaign to support a non-profit organization called Mother & Unborn Baby Care. This wonderful organiztion provides support and services to families facing an unplanned pregnancy in the metro Detroit area. If you would like to join me in my efforts please visit my fundraising website.

Keep it smooth...

K2

A college buddy of mine is an uber-climber (this is perhaps an understatement upon reading his summit resume) and is currently in base camp on K2 following the tragic avalanche...and I thought Ironman racing was tough! Check out his blog with updates from the mountain at http://www.k2klinke.blogspot.com/ Chris' motto is "Climb hard. Climb high. Come home."

Keep it smooth...

Rolling with Recovery

It's been a very pleasant recovery since IMUSA with several swims, bikes & runs all aerobic. The body & mind are rested and charged for the upcoming Kona prep. Yesterday I was in the lab for a fuel test which identified some very insightful items with respect to my fat oxidation. It was an interesting protocol measuring blood lactate levels in addition to carbohydrate and fat utilization.

If you are looking for a bit of inspiration for your next race, check out this brief video featuring Rick & Dick Hoyt. http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513.

Boulder is heating up with temps soaring to the upper 90s...gotta love summer!

Keep it smooth...

IMUSA - Post Race

If you were following the race on-line then you know it was a rather wet day in Lake Placid with lots of rain. At times if felt more like a swim-swim-swim than a swim-bike-run. The spectators, volunteers and race organizers were fantastic though in making this one of my favorite IM events. I absolutely dig the course and race atmosphere created in Lake Placid and surrounding villages. How can you not like a venue that once played host to the Winter Olympics and the famed Miracle on Ice?!?

By the numbers: swim - 53:50, bike - 5:15, run - 3:12 (12th overall in 9:25)

Swim: IMUSA is known for its favorable swim with smooth water and a buoy line which runs the entire course limiting one's need for sighting. My goal was to swim sub 54:00. I lined myself up and was focused on an aggressive start to secure a good draft. Putting my head down as the cannon blasted there was the typical bumping and contact with other athletes. I soon found myself in a small group enjoying a very comfortable draft from a couple of bigger guys. I did not know with whom I was swimming until we hit the beach for our quick run around the dock before diving back in for the second loop. I noted I was in good company with Peter Vabrousek (Chech Republic), Dave Harju (Canada), Alison Fitch (Australia) and a couple of others. For the second loop I continued to enjoy the draft from these guys and kept things very comfortable & aerobic.

Negotiating a turn near the end of the first bike loop

Bike: I exited T1 alongside Peter Vabrousek & Sergio Marques. Shortly into the bike Dave Harju came flying by and took Peter with him. Sergio and I seemed both content in staying within our range as these two continued up the road. The hard rain made the 9k descent into Keene a bit sketchy at times with visibility and cornering. Sergio and I rode at a legal distance playing a little game of cat & mouse with me leading the descent into Keene. Sergio passed me as we made our left hand turn onto one of the flatter sections of the course. He looked at me and said, "f-ing cold". I smiled and was on some level enjoying the extreme conditions (kind of like when I was a kid reveling in a muddy soccer match). Through the first loop Sergio and I would continue to ride together and my focus was on fueling. My body was working hard to stay warm and ride steady. Towards the end of the out & back section on the course Mac Brown (USA) and another athlete came by and were riding strong. My buddy Pat Evoe (USA) was next to come by and he was riding strong. I made the decision to stay with Sergio as this trio rode hard up the long climbs back to Lake Placid. I went through a rough spot about halfway through the second loop as my legs began to fatigue. I stayed postive and continued to focus on my fueling even though I knew I was losing time to guys up the road.

Run: Exiting T2 I was not exactly sure what position I held as I was getting different feedback from people on the course. One thing I knew for sure though - I would have to uncork a strong run to get myself into the top 10! Within the first couple of miles my lower back and right IT band were super tight. My form felt very rough and I was unable to get into a fluid running form. I felt tight and more achy than usual for an IM marathon. Needless to say I defintely had a hitch in my giddyup. I was able to pass several guys who were in some trouble and after the first run loop found myself in 11th place. My pace really slowed during the second loop. I could tell Tim Snow (USA) was running well and would soon catch me. When he passed me shortly after the turnaround at mile 21 I used some positive self-talk and just tried to keep moving forward. With about three miles to go I passed an athlete from Belgium. He gave me some good words to continue working as you never know who might be hurting up the road and walking. Nearing the end of the marathon my body was shutting down and getting cold. I was so glad to get to that finish line and into the warmth of the medical tent!

My parents are rock stars for supporting me throughout the day in the pouring rain! I want to thank everyone who was cheering for me along the course and apologize for not giving back any love. I was simply trying to get my bum to the line! I am grateful for the gift of good health and really appreciated the emails, texts, good thoughts and prayers people were sending my way :) The support I have received from my sponsors has been top notch and I am stoked to have an opportunity make another trip to the big island for the Ford Ironman World Championship! At the moment I am enjoying my recovery in Michigan catching up with family & friends. I will get in one more race beofre Kona and hope to have that sorted within the next couple of weeks.

Keep it smooth...

IMUSA - Pre Race

Nestled in the Adriondack mountains IMUSA offers one of the most scenic venues for a race. The swim course takes place in Mirror Lake and the water is very clean! Both the bike and run course provide challening terrain to make for an honest day of racing. The weather has not been as cold as I expected with temps in the low 80s and lots of humidity. Several narly t-storms with wind and lightning rolled through today with isolated storms expected on race day. The pro race meeting was the typical scene with no big issues or drawn out discussions. Great to see some familiar faces and chat a bit. Things have been pretty low key for me as I hone my chi for Sunday!

Keep it smooth...

Mi casa while in Lake Placid - the staff rocks!

Dad giving his "You are an Ironman" pose

Lake Placid through Motown

The bags are packed and I'm ready to roll! Tomorrow I bounce out to the Motor City for a couple of days before heading over to Lake Placid for IMUSA on Sunday. I've heard this is a fantastic race and sweet venue with some honest hills. Looking forward to race week and catching up with some friends.

Keep it smooth...

Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie & Boulder Beer Mile

Several of the athletes eagerly awaiting the official start

This past holiday weekend was filled with barbeques, friends, good times and the 3rd running of the Boulder Beer Mile. A field of nearly 20 athletes gathered at an undisclosed track in north Boulder for the event. For those not familiar with a Beer Mile, it requires both speed and the ability to drink. Each athlete drinks a beer followed by a quarter mile run around the track which is then repeated three times, thus four beers consumed during the swift one mile run. Despite an early charge by Josh, Pete maintained his dominace as reigning champion with a time of 6:42. On the women's side, Laura earned top spot on the podium, although there was some confusion on whether she should have been dq'd for not taking pentaly lap for puking. Full results and story can be found with Barry Siff's coverage of the event at Indside Triathlon.

One of the younger fans showing his support!

Top three men in the drink zone - Terry, Josh & Pete
Beer Mile...80's style
Men's podium - superfly Josh, Pete, Terry
Women's podium - Amber, Laura & Emily

Kurt sporting his famed 80's tri apparel - yes those are Oakley sunglasses!
Men's champion, Pete, enjoys the sweet taste of victory - Bud in a can!

The final big week of training has been great and I'm pumped to roll into my taper for IMUSA. From here forward the focus will be on doses of quality, recovery (resting, refueling, eating, etc.) and prepping the mind for a go at it in Lake Placid! Topped things off today soaking my legs in the creek and a massage on my balcony in the refreshing Rocky Mountain air.

Keep it smooth...

Lots of Laughs In Lubbock

Thursday morning I met up with the guys (Greg, Michael & Kurt) for our road trip down to Lubbock for the BSLT 70.3. As usual we were somewhat delayed with our departure, but soon enough had things stowed in Greg's massive F350 Super Duty diesel truck. He has a sweet system mounted in his truck to store five bikes and loads of gear...perfect for this journey south! The drive itself was quite entertaining with good chatter and plenty of chuckles. To avoid any incrimination I'll skip over the details of our road trip and fast forward to race day...

Race morning brought some unusually cool weather with lots of cloud cover and rain threatening. Instead of parking in the designated grass lots we opted to go with JZ's suggestion of parking our cars just outside the park and riding via the back route. This worked great with an easy spin down to transition. I taped a small flashlight to my helmet since I did not have my headlamp. After the standard routine of bodymarking & getting things sorted in transition I saw coach Z. We chatted briefly before I went about my business and completed a warm-up run. I was set to go and headed down to the beach...

The air was cool and a wetsuit would have felt kind of toasty, but it was a non-wetsuit swim for the pros. I decided to get in and use the time to warm-up in the water. After gathering us on the beach there was an invocation given by a local Native American. Moments later we were instructed to cross the timing mat and then, without any type of countdown, the horn blew. I still had my stinking goggles on my head! This is one of my favorite races, but I must admit this year's "swim start" was a freaking circus...instead of running straight ahead into the water the field ran along the shore line. I found myself running, dolphin diving, running, dolphin diving, running and finally swimming. At one point I heard a spectator shout, "C'mon it's a triathlon!". I concur and this start was comical. I like to run, but trying to run in shallow water with rocks, sticks, debris and who knows what did not make much sense to me. My friends in the following waves said everyone was laughing at us. Apparently all the other waves proceeded with this same backwards-ass start. I honestly had no idea of my positioning once we started swimming, but found my rhythm and seemed to be in the third chase pack. The swim layout was a bit different this year with a diagonal portion before hitting the back stretch and I was feeling pretty good in the water. Upon exiting the water I was not surprised to find myself in T1 alonside my friend AJ Johnson and a few others. It seems like AJ and I always come out of the water together and this race was no different despite the unorthodox start. Swim split - 27:27

With our bikes racked very close to the mount line I opted to put my cycling shoes on in transition. This was a good decision as I was able to make an aggressive move passing a few athletes who were working to get their feet in their shoes before we hit our first steep hill right out of T1. My focus was on fueling and making some contact with the guys up the road. Along the first out and back section my buddy Pat Evoe passed me and I knew I would have to work hard to stay with him. I made a go with it, but he was able to get a good gap on me. With the wind and rain it made for some cautious riding on the technical downhills and I found myself not hydrating as much as I planned. Through a few out & back sections I noted I was closing on a couple of guys, but losing time to many. Bike split - 2:26

AJ caught me just outside T2 and once on my legs after a swift transition I was able to get out just ahead of him in 11th place. My legs felt pretty good early in the run, but around mile 2-2.5 I began to cramp a bit. I've experienced this before and was confident I could manage things and still maintain a decent pace. I knew there were guys up the road who might be within range. I was getting good feedback on the course of my position and simply focused on maintaining a good turnover and fueling through the aid stations. Nearing the run turnaround out in the "Energy Lab II" I found myself in 10th position with Brent Poulson (Canada) and Pat in 9th & 8th respectively. My legs seemed to be feeling better as the run progressed and I noted I was closing the gap on these two. I passed Brent just inside the park and continued to work. With no sun looming over us the conditions were pretty decent for the half marathon. At about the 11 mile mark I caught Pat and we exchanged some words of encouragement. I finished the day with a 1:17 run and overall time of 4:14. Not blistering, but a solid day as I look towards IMUSA in three weeks!

One of my favorite things about BSLT 70.3 is the fact they pretty much give away IVs. It was quite apparent I was dehydrated as it took them four sticks to finally find a good vein that wasn't "collapsed". After getting a good drip I enjoyed watching many of my friends come across the line. Boulder was well-represented at this event and a huge congrats to all on their races! I really appreciated the words of encouragement from Coach Z and others along the race course.

Have a safe, healthy & happy holiday weekend!

Keep it smooth...

Summer Solstice

In many parts of the world, June 21st is a grand day of celebration with the summer solstice. I frequently remind my younger brother, "Dude, you'll never forget your wedding anniversary because it's always going to be your longest day of the year!" As a kid my summer days were filled with swim team, soccer camp, wicked sweet games of kick-the-can with friends, watermellon, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bomb pops, Tiger baseball games on the radio & cruising the neighborhood on my candy apply red Schwinn bike...flashforward twenty years and I'm still cruising on my bike, swimming a bunch, running a lot (just not after a soccer ball or throngs of neighborhood kids), eating schads of seasonal fruit & hanging with friends whenever possible.

This weekend presents a slew of races across the globe...Ironman Japan, Ironman France, Ironman Coeur d'Alene, Philadelphia Triathlon, Bear Lake Xterra, Des Moines/Hy-Vee World Cup and many more. Best of luck to all my friends who will be toeing the line this weekend!

May you enjoy a spendid summer solstice filled with laughter & good cheer!

Keep it smooth...

Brad

Tuesday Tango

An absolutely stellar day for training in the Rocky Mountains with loads of sunshine and endless blue skies! I jump started my day with a solid track session...the last few weeks I've met up with some friends for track, but today went solo and opted to run on an old school crushed gravel track near my house. Comfy two mile warm-up, drills then right into the main set of 10x1K. The allergies have kicked in the last couple of days and after draining mi nose I set about running these efforts smooth, fluid, controlled and consistent with a bit of snap. Easy jog home for cool down and breakfast #2. Next up on the training plan are some hill repeats. Should be fun to play in the mountains today. Fortunately, I have the opportunity for a little downtime between the track and bike session. I'm a huge advocate of spacing one's training whenever possible, although I know it can be quite the balancing act when working a nine-to-fiver! This evening I have a speaking engagement for a group of middle school students so the time between workouts will be put to good use!

Congrats to my friends who turned in some impressive results over the weekend...JZ taking 1st at Eagleman 70.3, Matt Reed's 5th place at the ITU World Championships secured three spots for the US men at the upcoming Olympics, teammates Alexis Smith & Erin Ford were top 10 at Alcatraz and Erin Kummer, Ryan Ignatz & Will Kelsay rocked it in the Alabama Xterra.

Enjoy your day!

Keep it smooth...

Safe Routes to School Rally

Last week I was invited to participate in the Safe Routes to School Rally which is a program encouraging kids to ride their bikes or walk to school. Fun times hamming it up with my sidekicks Bat Man & Rocky (school mascot) in front of over 500 K-5 kids on their last day of school!

Keep it smooth...

Summer Luvin'

Mother Nature has decided to turn up the heat a bit and we've been enjoying some stellar weather with temps in the low to mid 80s :) On a few recent rides and runs I've noted the arrival of Sprummer: purple, yellow, orange & white wildflowers dotting the landscape, green everywhere, rising creek waters and a couple of active bulls looking for a bit of summer love in the fields. This is perhpas my favorite time of year in Boulder with the warm days and cool nights...perfect training/sleeping weather. It's also a great time to take advantage of the snow melt from the mountains and soak tired legs in the creek post a long ride/run. It's darn cold but feels sooo good on the muscles...not so good on other parts.

Last night I had a presentation for a parent group and will be speaking to their middle and high school students over the next couple of weeks. It was engaging to share dialogue with the parents and answer their questions about guiding their teens to a healthy lifestyle. Every two years the federal government and many local counties, including Boulder, perform what is called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The recent YRBS for Boulder indicated 1/5 teens are clinically depressed and admitted to intentionally harming themselves via cutting or burning. Quite disturbing and another indication of the need to provide today's youth with a healthy message for life.

My current training block has been great and I'm stoked for the upcoming BSLT 70.3 event in lovely Lubbock, TX. It promises to be an entertaining road trip with friends and exciting racing. This week is kind of chill as I'm getting some LT testing done at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. I always like the testing process and getting some firm data.

I'm hoping the Wings can earn another Stanley Cup with a win over the pesky Penguins tonight!

Thanks for checking in and keep it smooth...

BS

FL 70.3

Yeah, I know my hat is crooked. It was a great race weekend in Mickey Mouse land with a few extra family members and friends to take in the action.

Race morning brought typical Florida humidity with surprising cloud cover. Leaving the dry climate of Boulder it was actually kind of refreshing to be in the humidity...not my thoughts so much during the run...I had some solid training leading up to this race and my goals were simple: be aggressive, competitive and secure a Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 World Championship slot. Somewhere between the swim start and second loop of the run I think I forgot about my first two goals, but did manage to claim a slot for the November event in Clearwater.

Swim (30:14) - There were a couple of guys with whom I wanted to swim, but it seems I forgot to tell them. As we dove into the warm waters of lake Disney I found myself on someone's feet, but said feet seemed a bit too slow for my liking. Swimming around the athlete I sighted and saw nada. At this point I figured it was going to be another solo swim...and it was...until with about 400 meters to go the trio of Leanda Cave, Nina Kraft and Dede Griesbauer swiftly slipped past me. I simply swam with no intensity and felt flat in the water. Not the start I wanted and I was intent on working the bike in an effort to get myself in the mix.

Bike (2:23) - hurl...that's the sound of me puking...kidding aside I was looking to ride 2:15-2:20 range. Exiting Fort Wilderness and riding down World Drive (highway leading into the park) I had my eyes and mind set on making contact with whomever was riding ahead of me. Approaching the turnaround of this long out & back highway section I could tell I had a lot of work to do to bridge some major gaps. My fueling was on and I actually felt quite comfortable with the pace...in hindsight too comfy. Aside from a few out & back sections I found myself riding alone. I did successfully catch and pass a few of the guys who were out of the water ahead of me.

Run (1:20) - The FL 70.3 run course is flat and spectator-friendly with three loops. My legs did not feel all that great through the first loop, but I was gaining ground on the competition. The humidity was sinking it's teeth into athletes and on the backside of the second loop I saw an age grouper down and out at an aid station, most likely victim to heat stroke/exhaustion. Through the final two loops I actually started to feel stronger and the spectators were great with their encouragement. Crossing the line and seeing 4:17 on the race clock I was surprised to learn I had managed a top 10 placing. I was very grateful to get to the line though!

North America Sports did a fantastic job of running a well-organized and safe event in the heart of Disney Land. Congrats to Paul Amey and Leanda Cave on their wins. A big thanks to my family for enduring the humidity, rain and arse-crack race start (6:20am). I also want to thank Clark Archibald, member of Team Sport Beans/NTTC's club team, for saying hello before the race. I hope to meet more club team members at upcoming races.

Keep it smooth...

Racing, Speaking, The Cure Show & More

Looking at my calendar for the next two weeks things are going to be busy, busy & fun, fun! Next weekend I will be playing with Micky & Goofy at the Florida 70.3 in Orlando. It's been a few years since I've raced this event and I'm looking forward to it as several of my friends will also be toeing the line. A big congrats to my teammates Alexis Smith, Erin Ford and Kirk Nelson for their top 10 finishes at Wildflower and to Kim Dunker who took the win at the Turtle Crawl Triathlon.

On the speaking front, I have several talks at the local middle schools just in time as the school year comes to a close here in the Rocky Mountains. The Boulder Tri Babes have invited me to speak on race day nutrition which will be a lot of fun. I always enjoy sharing some of what I've learned over the years...things like how I used to eat PopTarts, packaged salmon and cottage cheese race morning before realizing it was not a such a good way to fuel my engine. I am super excited about partnering again with The Safe Routes to School Program (encourages kids to ride their bikes to school) which kicks off with a rally on 5/28.

Since moving to Boulder I have told myself I would get to a show at the outdoor music theater called Red Rocks. The past three summers have come and gone without said experience. Well, I am happy to say I will be taking in the Cure upon my return from Orlando. Should be loads of fun with good friends and good cheer :)

I must not forget a shout out to all the Pistons & Wings fans as both teams continue their play-off action this weekend.

If you are looking for a new read, check out This Voice In My Heart by Gilbert Tuhabonye. It is the INCREDIBLE true story of Gilbert's survival of genocide in Burundi. Gilbert is the head running coach of Gilbert's Gazelles in Austin. His perseverance, faith and courage is unbelievable!

Keep it smooth...

Wacky Weather & Weekend Races

Suffice it to say (whatever in the heck that cliche really means) this has been the coldest spring of my brief existence in Boulder. Saturday we experienced all four season within a six hour period - sun & warmth, wind, rain, snow and back to sun & warmth. Ah well, just have to roll with it :)

Boulder was well represented at both St. Anthony's Triathlon and USAT Duathlon Nationals. Matt Reed and Brooke Davidson took top honors in their respective divisions. Matt is firing on all cylinders at the moment and Brooke turned in a stellar performance with an impressive win in the women's elite amateur category. A bit further north in Richmond, VA, Matt Russell and Ryan Ignatz secured the bookends of the podium at the Elite Duathlon Nationals. Jimmy Archer and Billy Edwards both placed in the top 10. Nice work folks!

This coming weekend is another full day of racing with both the St. Croix Half IM and the Wildflower Long Course events taking place. Also on the ticket locally is the Tri 4 Your Cause event in Boulder. Best of luck to my teammates and friends for a fun-filled & strong day of racing!

A shout out for birthday cheer to my Mom, Dad, younger brother Brian and nephew Jack (the big #5) who all celebrate birthdays within the next week!!

Keep it smooth...

Shark Attack

Friday morning a triathlete was attacked by a great white shark 150 yards off the coast in San Diego while doing an open water swim with other athletes. I read about it on the internet and shortly after received an email from my friend Caroline who was swimming in the area when the attack occurred...yikes! From what I know shark attacks are quite rare and I'm thinking the shark mistook the athlete in his wetsuit for a sea lion or seal. Very sad indeed and another reminder of just how fortunate we are to have the gift of good health!

Meeting up with a few of the fellas for a trail run this morning and then watching the Wings take on the evil Avs...GO WINGS!

Good luck to my friends racing St. Anthony's this weekend ;)

Keep it smooth...

Recovery Week

I've been enjoying perhaps my best recovery week post the nine IM races I have completed with a few easy swims, one easy bike and a couple of hikes. Yesterday morning I ventured up the Chataqua Trail to the base of the 1st Flat Iron and watched the rock climbers do their thing. It was super cool and they make it look so easy! The pitch is quite steep and I heard reference to it being a 5.5 or 5.6, whatever that means. One guy went up solo sans any gear or rope...crazy...but he looked like Spiderman as he swiftly scaled up the face of the mountain and out of view. I plan on chatting with coach Z today about several things, including my upcoming race schedule. Coming into the season we talked about opening up the doors a bit and racing more, specifically with three IM events and ideally Kona being the third. I like both the courses at IMCDA and IMUSA and will toe the line at one of them. Sandwiched between the next two IM events will be a few 70.3's.

Stitches come out today :)

Keep it smooth...

April Snow Showers Bring...

a lot of chuckles. Upon returning from the mid to upper 90 degree heat of Tempe I find myself in the midst of a snow storm. All I could do was laugh. My recovery is going very well and the legs are feeling dandy. I was back on the speaking tour with three engagements at the University of Colorado yesterday. My typical audience in recent weeks has been classrooms full of hormone-crazed middle and high schoolers, so it was refreshing to address the CU students.

I am enjoying the downtime with a couple of easy swims which are therapuetic more than anything else. Best wishes to JZ & Matt on securing their Olympic spots this weekend in Alabama...go get 'em!

Keep it smooth...