IMAZ...A New PR

A super-sized congrats to my friend Michael Lovato on his victory in Tempe...what a performance!!

I'm back in Boulder and my legs are feeling good...so IMAZ proved to be another challenging "day at the office". The weather was decent with mild winds and warm temperatures reaching into the upper 80s and a high of 90. I awoke race morning and went about my pre-race breakfast routine feeling confident and prepared. My parents were volunteering as bodymarkers and they did the honors for me at the transition area which was kind of cool. After getting things settled, checking the bike, chatting with some friends, etc. I took some time to get my mind set and listen to my MP3 player.

We had a 15 minute gap from the age group mass start which still provided plenty of athletes to secure a draft with a very large professional field of around 70 athletes. After the cannon I found myself swimming a bit too far right near the wall and was soon able to find the feet of one of my training partners. I felt comfortable throughout the swim and exited the water within my goal time. I stayed calm and relaxed in T1 and made my way to my Trek TT which a bike handler had waiting for me. It took me about 30 miles before my legs started to come around and I really settled into a good rhythm for the final two loops. I found myself riding through some of the field and away from a few guys which gave a good mental boost. Within the final few miles of the bike my left quad and hamstring began to cramp and I knew the run was going to be tough, but was happy to be off the bike in under 5 hours. It appeared I was on track to break 9 hours for the day which was one of my goals. Into T2 I used some postive self-talk as I began to feel the familiar cramping I had experienced in previous races. Throughout the run I never found my true running form and my pacing strategy was revised to more of a survival mode in an effort to manage the cramping. Through a lot of prayers, the helpful volunteers at the aid stations and the folks on the course cheering I was able to keep things fairly steady and run my first sub 3 hour marathon getting me across the line in 8:56 - a new PR!!

I am very humbled to have the gift of good health to train and race at this level. I would also like to thank my family & friends for their support and prayers - it's greatly appreciated! To Zane, my coach, you rock (even though I often curse your name in training!) My efforts are the result of an incredible team and I am very grateful for the support of my partners: Elite Performance Foods, Hammer Nutrition and Rudy Project.

This race has given me motivation to continue my pursuit of excellence and I look forward to getting in the mix at Wildflower on May 5th!

Keep it smooth...

Bring It...

So the work has been done and I find myself packed, locked, loaded and ready to roll in Tempe! I had a very good build for this event despite the bike crash in Austin at the end of February and my taper has been "on". I am excited to race and welcome the challenges Ironman Arizona has to offer. It promises to be a competitive day and the weather is supposed to be quite good for race day. Several of my friends from Boulder are racing...Jimmy, Michael, Alex and Sandra (part-time Boulderite from Germany). I also know quite a few folks coming in from Austin and wish everyone (participants, spectators & volunteers) a safe, healthy and enjoyable day on Sunday!

Keept it smooth...

Bring On the Taper

After a hearty 4 week block of training, I'm enjoying a few days of "active recovery" and getting ready for taper mode...benefitted from a scheduled, and well-deserved I might add, day off yesterday with massage therapy and spending the afternoon on my computer at Amante's coffee shop in north Boulder. Very condusive atmosphere for attending to my doings outside of triathlon and catching up on things. I am quite satisfied with how my body has performed and recovered from the training and crazy weather we've had in Boulder as of late with snow, cold, etc. Now it's pretty much time to find some speed and sharpen the mental game! I am super stoked for IMAZ in three weeks and welcome the challenges it will bring.

FAITH - it's something we all have in one form or another; for some its spiritual or religious, for others a trust or confidence in a person or process. I believe faith is what gets us through the twists and turns of life. It seems as though some individuals choose to take the supersonic expressway at high rates of speed with life simply passing by them. Others take the slower, and at times tougher, rougher side roads. In doing so, they are most likely embracing and experiencing all life has to offer - the good and the bad. I'm probably cruising down both avenues, but strive for the experience the sid roads have to offer.

Keep it smooth...

Oh, That's Gonna Leave a Mark...

Out on an easy spin to flush the legs yesterday, I got tagged by an elderly woman driving her car who didn't see me when she was making a turn. I am very thankful to my Guardian Angel and God for watching over me as I survived with a concussion and some road rash. My bike seems to be in good working order as well. This was my first "serious" accident involving a car and I got my eggs scrambled pretty well, but shouldn't be set back too much by it. It happened in kind of slow motion and I remember thinking at the moment before impact, "Oh shit, this is gonna hurt!" A big kudos to my friends - Kristin, Terra, Zane, Shelly, Joseph and Matt for their concern and help along with my family and friends in Boulder. It's comforting to have such a top notch support group! This was my second visit to the ER room while visting Austin the past two times...hmmmmm....

Keep it smooth....

Well, the time is going fast here in Austin. Having begun my main build for IM Arizona in addition to a few speaking engagements has kept me out of trouble and away from the computer! It's been great hanging with my coach Zane and his wife Terra. My friend Kristin arrived last Thursday and all of us (yes, Zane is back to some training) are enjoying the training, encouragement and sharing some meals. Weather has been a bit cooler than desired, but beats the cold and snow back in Boulder. The days are being consumed with training, eating, training, sleeping, eating, training...you get the picture.

Keep it smooth...

Arrival in Austin...

Ventured from the cold of the Rocky Mountains to the warmth in Austin for a few weeks in preparation for IMAZ. It's been good times staying with my coach, Zane, and his wife Terra. Vatolovato is also here and stayed with us for the first weekend...good laughs! Weather has been decent and things rolling well (minus the cleat incident and getting lost on my bike and in car a few times). It's kind of cool to be able to train at sea level and actually breathe! Beyond the training and I have several speaking engagements on the calendar and looking forward to those. It's a true blessing to have the opportunity to train full-time and talk to young people about God's plan for love in their lives. It's really quite humbling...a tough day of training is always put in perspective after talking with some teens who are struggling with some life issues. Well, need to make this brief as a nap beckons before hitting the Barton Springs "pool".

Keep it smooth...

Back in the saddle....

So, Simon sends out an email encouraging the start-up of the Wednesday/Saturday group rides. Sounds like a good day with the boys on the bike, so I respond with a definitive "IN". Start time for today's effort - 11 am at a conveinent meeting place for all...11 am and three of us - Simon, Richard (Simon's cronie from the UK) and me. Being the first "group" session since the summer, maybe some of the fellas are running late. So we wait, for a good 5-6 minutes...that's pretty generous. I mean, who wants to sit out and wait in the fricking cold for guys with no sense of being prompt. The three of us make our way north of Boulder into the wind towards Carter Lake. Richard was feeling a bit fatigued and had a shorter ride scheduled (those darned ITU guys!) so that left me and Simon...so much for "hiding" in the pack. As we made our way after the back descent of Carter Lake lo and behold we cross paths with the other knuckleheads...Curt, AJ and Michael. Don't get me wrong, they're stand-up lads, but what part didn't they understand of "We will meet at 11 am." Ah, it's all good...they'll be in the mix next go around.

Keep it smooth....

Let it snow...

Awoke to some of the light, fluffy white stuff falling to the ground. Perfect for an indoor CompuTrainer session. Met up with Joanna & Michael for a hearty ride...comfort in numbers! It's always fun riding indoors with no fan, well there was a fan, but it was monopolized by JZ & MS. Oh I didn't mind the fact my cylcing clothes felt like I had just exited the swim...the stench however - not cool!

Upon returning home and downing some food, I ventured outdoors for an easy run in the falling snow. Footing was a bit dicey in some areas, but that makes it interesting. I was pretty toasty with my layers and lobster mittens...after about 1.5 miles, my face was numb to the cold and life was good - no wind!

A good day of winter training and thanks to my friends for the motivation on the bike!

Keep it smooth....