Resurrection, Easter & IMAZ Taper

While celebrating the Easter holiday over the weekend I noted the intertwined paths of my faith and sport. Now, I am no theologian nor am I a choir boy. My faith however, is a huge part of my pursuits in triathlon. Being Catholic, Easter is one of the holiest feasts within the Church celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Listening to the words of a priest describing this holiday as a time to celebrate the joy, peace and a rebirth from the pain and sufferring Jesus endured during the crucifixion it dawned on me I am in the midst of something similar within triathlon. No, I am not comparing myself or my efforts to Jesus. He walked on water...I simply try to swim on/in water :) Over the past several weeks I have endured physical and mental challenges and at times I was sufferring. Lactic acid flooding my legs during bike intervals...wind, snow and rain posing a challenge to training...persevering despite the presence of fatigue. As I approach my taper I realize my body and mind will be renewed and strengthed from the demands of my preparation. I often remind myself I will never be given more than I can handle in sport or life.

Keep it smooth...

Climbing A Mountain

I am one lucky son-of-a-bisquit to live in a giant playground. The beauty of the Rocky Mountains never ceases to amaze me. While I am in the midst of my preparation for IMAZ, my buddy Dave is training to climb his ninth 14'er. For those unfamiliar with that term it references a mountain climb of at least 14,000 feet. It has been fun to exchange training sessions and how we are preparing for our respective events. I am very impressed with Dave's training. Similar to my approach in triathlon, he applies a methodical, progressive training methodology with his climbing. Over the last couple of months he has completed training climbs of various distances and adding extra weight to his 6'7'', 250 lb. frame each outing. He carries bags of biodegradable peatmoss which he discards at the top of the trails after each of his training "runs". Yes, he does not simply hike at a leisurely pace for his climbing, but runs up the fricking mountains. Between these intense climbs he incorporates a balanced dose of triathlon training to maintain his fitness.

We all have mountains to climb...some large, some small. They are not just limited to the physical demands of our sport/hobbies, but encompass the mental & emotional "mountains" of life. Each one presents an opportunity for personal growth. As an athlete many of my "mountains" are physical challenges in which I make the best effort to extend myself. Some days I am successful at reaching the top, other days not so much. I make a conscious effort to avoid defining myself as an athlete (and more importantly as a person) by my most recent training session or race. For me it is simply about putting myself out there, doing the work and trying to be my best. Today I was faced with the mountain of a 100 mile ride with a variety of hefty intervals followed by a 7.5 mile run with the first four miles at my open marathon pace. The hearty wind made it even more challening at times, but I was able to go to the well and push myself out of the comfort zone.

Me thinks it's time to climb into bed!

Keep it smooth...

Team Sport Beans/NTTC

2008 Team Sport Beans/NTTC

Pictured from left to right: Lauren Jensen, Moi, Kathryn Bertine, Jeff Piland, Erin Ford, Mark Wendley (Team Director and former professional), Kim Dunker, Kirk Nelson and Alexis Smith (formerly Waddel). To learn more about the 2008 team and sponsors check out the press release at Triathlete Magazine: http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/News/2008/NTTC_News.htm

Keep it smooth...

Welcome Mix1

I am super stoked about my new partner Mix1! It is a young company with grass roots development here in Boulder who make a whey protein antioxidant smoothie. The Mix1 team has put a huge amount of work in offering a very healthy, nutritious and tasty drink which comes in five great flavors. I'm still not decided on my favorite flav, but leaning towards Blueberry or Tangerine :) Mix1 is sold nationwide at Wholefoods and Kroger as well as many of your local gyms and bakeries/cafes. Check their website for a store locator to find a retailer near you. As my training ramps up in preparation for IMAZ you can be sure Mix1 will be a staple part of my nutrition and recovery plan in addition to the portable power of Sport Beans.

Keep it smooth...

Fueling for Performance, Fueling for Life

I love to eat. Heck, one of my favorite things about training is enjoying the mass amounts of food I get to pack away. Many people have asked me about my nutrition and if I have a "special" diet. My simple response of "No" seems to catch some by surprise. Now before you think, "Yeah, right dude. Get real." it is true I don't down packages of Twinkies and Ding-Dongs. My whole approach is to eat a balanced dose of lean meats, veggies, fruits and healthy carbs & fats while limiting my consumption of processed foods. I definitely enjoy my treats and as my grandmother always said, "Everything in moderation."

Having coached girls high school soccer and swimming I have seen the presence of disordered eating and training in athletes. For endurance athletes, there seems to be a very fine line between maintaining optimal race weight and being unhealthy. I don't count calories and for most athletes I think that is excessive. Obviously it is important to dial in the necessary caloric intake while training and racing, but if someone were to ask me how many calories I consume on a daily basis I would respond with, "Enough to keep me fueled and recovered." This is not to sound arrogant, but I have seen too many athletes risk injury through overtraining and depletion of muscle mass, calcium, iron and other vital nutrients in an effort to attain what they perceive to be "a lean, mean, racing machine."

Too many athletes equate being super lean & fit with being fast. While there is definitely a correlation between them, it should be kept in relation to each individual athlete. I am a firm believer in being proud of one's body type and the importance of loving oneself. This would include maintaining a balanced, healthy nutrition and exercise program. I recall a few instances where I have been out having dinner with other athletes and ordered cheese with my burger. From the look on some of their faces you'd thik I was a heathen for wanting cheese. It has often been said triathlon is a lifestyle. I agree, it promotes very healthy habbits and over time these habbits become a lifestyle. Just be certain these habbits are truly giving you a boost in body, mind and spirit!

Keep it smooth...

Chocolate Covered Anything, Please

Things have been a bit hectic this week upon returning from our team camp Sunday night, but that's a good thing, right?!? The camp was fantastic and props to Mark, Stephanie, Mike, Rob, Jim and the great peeps at Jelly Belly for making it happen. They really know how to spoil us and I almost feel guilty about it. This weekend I travel to Pagosa Springs, CO for a speaking engagement Sunday afternoon. They have been hammered with snow the past few weeks and I'm hoping for a drive over there that is clean & green. I'm looking forward to it as I have never been to this part of Colorado.

Training is rolling along with some doses of threshold and tempo work in the bike and run. This morning I enjoyed some hill repeats up NCAR in the snow. My focus over the next couple of weeks as I begin my prep for IMAZ is to get re-acclimated to altitude within the training. The lungs have felt the burn with some of the upper-end work.

My current read is Following the Flame by Greg Lautenslager which tells the story of a kid chasing an Olympic dream in running. It is freaking hillarious :)

Well, I wish I had more intersting news to share...I mean it is Valentine's Day...hope you were the recipient of some V-Day love.

Keep it smooth...

Team Camp

I depart early Thursday morning for our team camp at the Jelly Belly World Headquarters in Fairfield, CA. It promises to be a busy and entertaining weekend packed with team orientation, photo shoots, team meals, tour of Jelly Belly plant - yes I get to make either Sport Beans or Jelly Belly candies! and of course a bit of training. It will be great to see our team director, Mark, the peeps at Jelly Belly and meet the new team members Erin Ford and Kim Dunker. This year's Team Sport Beans/NTTC is comprised of 5 female athletes and 3 male athletes - Alexis Waddel, Erin Ford, Kathryn Bertine, Kim Dunker, Lauren Jensen, Jeff Piland, Kirk Nelson and moi.

Keep it smooth...

Our Greatest Natural Resource

Yeah, so the subject line sounds a bit corny, but I really believe today's youth are invaluable to the growth and preservation of our society. Last night I was invited to speak at a Boys & Girls Club in Denver. The kids were great and very enthusiastic. No surprise though as what high school kid isn't thinking about sex?!? My approach is to encourage kids to choose abstinence as the healthiest option and recognize while not all of their actions will have immediate outcomes, they will have outcomes. I will be speaking at five more branches throughout Denver and several schools in Boulder this month. Sandwiched between these talks is my team camp at the Jelly Belly World Headquarters next week in Fairfield, California.

For a glimpse into the daily life of a professional cyclist, check out my buddy Matt Seagrave's blog. Matt is a super talented rider and currently training in California where he recently signed with a new team. I keep telling him if he would start using supplements he could own the Tour d'France.

Keep it smooth...

Runnin' with the Kenyans

On this beautiful Sunday morning close to 5,000 runners gathered in north Austin for the point-to-point start of the 3M Half Marathon. Having done my first threshold interval session of the season just this past Wednesday with my buddy Pat, I was not quite sure how the legs would respond to a hard 13 mile effort. Awaking at 5:00 am I was excited to get a snap shot of my run fitness as it would provide good insight as to what areas I need to foucs for my upcoming IMAZ prep. Several of my friends would be running and the weather was mild enough to make a go at it with no extra layers. After a decent warm-up I made sure to position myself at the front as this has been a mistake I have made in the past with a slow start. My mind was ready for the suffering and I was ready to roll in my Spira Stingers, Team Sport Beans/NTTC lime green Coolmax tee and Jelly Belly visor. Looking around pre the gun I noticed several Kenyans who were part of Spira's elite running team. It was cool to see each of us sporting our black and yellow kicks. My goal time for the race was sub 1:10, but more importantly I wanted to run hard enough at the start to put myself in a good position. The horn sounded and we were off. A fast group quickly formed at the front as I found myself in a small chase pack. I knew it was going to hurt, but I had to drop back as I could not sustain the pace of these guys. Through the first 5K I ran 15:47...can I hold this pace?? As the race progressed I found some rhythm and settled in a bit. The first part of the course was mostly flat as it twisted through the north Austin neighborhoods. One of my goals was to make tactical decisions as needed. Shortly after the halfway mark, one of the professional men came up on my shoulder and we stayed together for about a mile. He was able to gap me on a downhill going into a turn and I thought, "Okay, time to be tactcial and respond." I shifted my focus to a quicker cadence and over the next couple of miles I noticed I was bridging the gap. By about the 9.5 mile marker I had successfully caught and dropped him. I knew there was a group working hard behind me and continued to press the pace. Approaching a set of small rollers my legs really began to feel the effects as my pace slowed. By the 10 mile mark I was beginning to hear what I already suspected: the lead professional women. I soon found myself running shoulder to shoulder between two Kenyans, both of whom are Spira sponsored athletes. We worked hard as a group of three with one or two just behind us as our Stingers danced along the road. Even though I was running stride for stride with some strong runners my ego flared up a bit as I thought, "Oh no, I don't want to get chicked." I made a little surge and brought one of the ladies with me, Jacquline Nyetipe. We stayed together over the final two miles and she was kind enough to apologize for bumping me on a turn. As we approached the finish line I backed down a bit so she could enjoy a "clean" finish. All said and done I was pleased with my effort of 1:09:40.

The crowd support was great and the race featured quite a bit of entertainment to keep us moving. It has given both me and Zane a good idea of my strengths and weaknesses with respect to my run at the moment.

Keep it smooth...

Bomb Run

For years I have heard about the famed "Bomb Run" in Austin headed up by running icon Gilbert Tuhabonye. It is a weekly run featuring some of Austin's top runners and triathletes. The distance and terrain vary from week to week and today's run was a 10 miler over paved roads and portions of Town Lake Trail. With the rain and cold temps only six of us gathered for the 6:00 am start. I can understand the need to get this run rolling as the summer months bring heat & humidity, but why such an early start in the darkness of a January morning!?! My goal was to be patient, wise and leave my ego in bed. Upon meeting Gilbert and the group at RunTex in downtown Austin I knew I was in good company. My buddy and fellow triathlete Pat Evoe was in attendance along with four other capable runners. Gilbert has a humorous nature about him as he proceeded to tell me he would be toeing the line at IM Arizona with a goal time of 8:45 or 9:00 as it was an early season race. He has an incredible story, so be sure to check out his website.

We made our way into the quiet early morning darkness with good chatter at a comfortable 7:30ish pace. This was a great way to warm the body in anticpation of the "bomb" to come later. Our pace gradually increased to 6:45-6:15 through mile 5. Gilbert advised us to "drop the bomb" over the final 4-5 miles. Not knowing exactly where we were I was content to sit on the heels of Pat and two other guys. At the 6 mile mark, one guy proceeded to go off the front while our pace made a significant change. Said "bomb" was being dropped. The lead runner was 100-150 meters in front as I decided to up my effort and keep him within that distance. I figured I would really have to find another gear to bridge up to him and I suspect at the time we were clipping off 5:40-5:45 miles. The final two miles continued with me in that position and it was a good indication my run fitness is coming around. All said and done, it was a great run and excellent way to get in a solid 10 miler when most folks were just diving into a cup of coffee. I think I will now dive into bed for a nap!

Keep it smooth...

Swimming Under the Lights

Thought I'd drop a brief note from Austin. Weather was beautiful on my Monday arrival and decent yesterday. It's great to be able to train sans all the extra layers with the mild temps. I had a sweet set of hill repeats yesterday up Mt. Bonnell and a swim at Old Stacey outdoor pool in the early evening. It was cool swimming under their lights in the 33 and change yard pool. This morning was 6:30 am masters at UT which is always a treat to swim in their facility. A bit of downtime before getting in a nice run and ride. Terra and Zane are such great friends and a pleasure to hang with.

Thanks for checking in & keep it smooth...

Winter Riding Part II

Awaking to a vast blue sky with plenty of sunshine and what seemed to be calm winds I decided it would be a splendid day to ride OUTSIDE! After a leisurely breakfast I walked over to the gym to get in my preventive PT exercises. This would allow the mercury to creep into the upper 30s. I opted for the full booties and it was a good choice with the winds a tad stronger than what my protected balcony view revealed. Riding out of town along the rolling hills of 36 I was surprised to not see more cyclists out on the road. Did they all get out before me or were they warming themselves at Amante? Despite the steady headwind I enjoyed the solitude of this brisk winter morning. I kept thinking "Oh man it will be sweet to get a tailwind once I make my turn away from the mountains." Upon making said turn I found yet another headwind. Niiiice.

As I pack for my training camp in Austin I reluctantly include the cold weather crap as history tells me I might just need the extra warmth. I'm hoping to keep it all buried in my Rudy Project roller bag for the duration of my visit. Coach Zane tells me the fellas are already talking smack. Can't wait to get in the mix.

Keep it smooth...

Winter Riding

Sitting in a meeting this morning I was thinking how great it would be to ride OUTSIDE later in the day. After lunch I dusted off my trusty road bike and donned the appropriate gear for the comfortable 40 degree weather. Pshh...not too long into my ride a few flakes began to fall as the snow clouds rolled down from the mountains. I soon found myself riding in the midst of a snow squall. Sweet! I can't decide what hurts more on the face: rain, hail or driving snow. It felt like tiny needles against my cheeks. Needless to say it took a mug of hot chocolate and soak in the hot tub to get back the warmth. Well at least I should not have to contend with this next week down in Austin!

DITCH FITCH! That's my thought as I read an article detailing A&F's newest t-shirt slogans for kids, "Make love, not babies" and "Awkward mornings beat boring nights". I'm no fuddy-duddy but I do believe this sends an unhealthy message to young people. Not surprising though as A&F is known for its controversial ad campaigns.

Keep it smooth...

Research v Reality

Most of my friends know outside of triathlon I visit various schools and church youth groups promoting the message of abstinence. I am currently the only approved abstinence presenter for the Boulder Valley School District. This afternoon I was in the gym and my friend Joanna asked my thoughts about a front-page article in Boulder's Sunday paper revealing the State of Colorado has declined federal funding for any abstinence-only education. She was curious as to my take on this. The article in our Daily Camera referenced a study indicating the ineffectiveness of abstinence-only education. While I find research and statistics to be of value, they can easily be manipulated for a specific agenda. While some stand firm abstinence-only education does not work based upon a particular study, there are others who will argue it does waving the results of a different study in their hands. As a former director of a crisis pregnancy center, a middle school & high school coach and teacher and someone who has interacted with teens across the country from my speaking this much I know: Today's young people deserve a better kind of love than Jerry Springer has to offer.

Our teens and young adults are the ones most impacted by those making public policy and if you were to ask a middle or high school student what message they prefer you might just be surprised. I believe abstinence is the healthiest option as it offers protection for the complete person: physically, emotionally and socially. If comprehensive health education is going to be taught, as it is within the Boulder Valley School District, all components should be addressed equally. Abstinence eduation should be presented along with contracepion. Unfortunately, many "comprehensive" health education models are left to the discretion of the individual teacher and it is quite likely abstinence is not given due discussion.

Interestingly, over the past several years the Center for Disease Control has changed its language on their website and what was once called "safe sex" is now referred to as "safer sex". This comes on the heels of an abundance of research on the effectiveness of condoms. I am not going to throw out a bunch of stats or reference any studies. I simply know there is no condom, jam, jelly, pill, plug or drug to protect a young person's heart. We live in a sex-saturated society that is constantly hitting our teens over their heads with a sexual sledge hammer. While some argue kids are simply going to "do it" (as evidenced by the Portland Maine school board's recent decision to provide contraception to middle school kids as young as 11 without parental consent/notification) I believe our young people have the ability and skills to practice abstinence. They do have more self-control than the family pet, don't they? I do not tell kids to repress their sexuality and bury it into the ground. It is a gift which should be guarded, treasured and protected. Ultimately, parents are the primary educators and I often encourage them to keep up on current trends, especially with STIs (also known as STDs; seems as it is more politically correct to reference STIs) as we are in the midst of an epidemic. It's a different game being played today than perhaps when you were in school with over 25 different sexually transmitted diseases. Many of these, like HPV, have multiple strains. If I had a young daughter or son I'd be damn open with my discussion on sex. Too much damange can be done if simply left to MTV or an over-burdened teacher to be the main source of information.

Abstinence education is not about squashing a person's sexuality, but rather preserving it for the future.

Warm & Windy

After several weeks of cold weather and snow, we had a brief reprieve the last couple of days with temps reaching into the mid to upper 50s. Of course, there was plenty of wind with that warm weather (yesterday gusting 35-40mph) and I opted to continue the love affair with my CompuTrainer despite the warmer temps. My body is responding well to the extended base phase and strength training, although the early season race schedule is still pending. I am looking forward to my annual pilgrimage to Austin for a couple of weeks leaving on 1/14. They have been having some stellar weather and I'm hoping it holds through the end of January. It will be great to train with the crew in Austin and spend time with Coach Z and Terra. As I glance out the window it is once again snowing...just in time for outdoor swim practice!

May 2008 bring you good health & happiness!

Keep it smooth...

Holiday Shuffle

After a stellar week celebrating the Christmas holiday with family & friends in Michigan I returned to snowy Boulder late Wednesday evening. I had a hoot with my nieces and nephews, catching up with friends and feasting on some of my mom's tasty eats. Oh yeah, I did manage to get in a few good swims and runs.

As much as I enjoy seeing my family, it is always refreshing to return home (yes, I do refer to Boulder as home) and get back into the training, etc. Seeing several friendly faces around the gym has been great and this morning I doned my YakTrax for a sweet hill workout with a few folks. Amanda & Michael dished up a spicy little session and while my lungs were burning from the 11 degree temp, the snow covered mountains and blue sky provided some excellent scenery.

2008 is just around the corner and I am looking forward to what it brings! One of my goals is to learn how to salsa, hip-hop or ballroom dance. Wish me luck ;)

Keep it smooth...

Back in Motown

Motown, Hockeytown, the Motor City...all nicknames for Detroit. My flight arrived with no glitches Wednesday evening and it's great to be back. My family is gathering for our Christmas gig Saturday afternoon with the Christmas cheer lasting until the last little kid is standing :) Planning to go to one of my niece's soccer tournaments Saturday morning, sledding, snow ball fighting or bowling with the band of kiddos during the day then meeting up at my parents house late afternoon. Catching up with friends tonight at a Chritmas party hosted by my friend smokin' Joe Deighan. It will be great to see the crew from BD's Mongo Multisport Team.

Training has included a couple of swims and plan to run & hit the gym today. I had a fun social swim with my buddy Dennis at the local Y yesterday and this morning a solid session with my Dad at his swim club. I am super proud of my Dad for starting his swim program and he is rocking it after just four weeks. Like most of us he has his routine and it was fun to be part of it this morning.

Keep it smooth...

Triathlon Training 101

Upon reading Chuckie V's article at xtri this morning I was motivated to relfect on my training and what I deem a productive training model. I will premise my thoughts by stating I do not have any formal education on training principles and no degrees in kinesiology or human biomechanics. My training philosophies, if you will, have grown from the past eight years I have spent chasing a dream and the 15 years or so I spent chasing a soccer ball.

My foundational belief on how to be successful in and outside of sport is simplicity. I see and hear of far too many athletes who spend countless hours scrutinizing training data found on the web and magazines. (Some spend too much time scrutinizing other things on different kinds of websites and magazines, but I'll save that for another post). As Chuckie expresses in his article, debating about heart rate (HR) monitor versus power or how to utilize both is simply "icing on the cake". As a professional triathlete I have invested in these tools and do find value with them in my development. However, when it comes down to it I simply need to do the work - with or without my Ergomo and HR monitor. Gordo and his "good guys" group affectionally call it JFT.

Running is my strength within the three disciplines of triathlon. Having posted a 1:13 half IM run split and 2:53 marathon in Kona several folks have asked me about my running. It seems as though they are thinking I might share a special workout or secret tip. The reality is I simply try to be as consistent as possible with my training which includes taking care of the little things (recovery, fueling, rest, stretching, massage therapy, etc.). This past year when limited to water running I put in the work (which included a 2 hour deep water run) to help maintain my "feel" for running. It is also quite likely my years of playing soccer as a kid through college provdided a foundation for running. I have never received any formal run training. Actually, I used to think to myself when I saw someone jogging, "What a moron."

Boulder is certainly a unique place to live & train...the town oozes of athleticism, creativity, beauty...With this is the reality athletes often look at what so and so is doing and compare it to their training. It should not matter if I choose to swim with a masters group or on my own. It should not matter if Lilly does speed work with a group or bikes long on Tuesdays. What matters is each of us simply gets our arses out the door and trains.

There is an African proverb which reads: Every morning in Africa a gazelle awakes knowing it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be eaten. Every morning in Africa a lion awakes knowing it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve. Whether you are a gazelle or a lion, when the sun comes up you better be running.

Keep it smooth...

The Giving Season or Silly Season

So here we are with yet another Christmas/holiday season upon us. Holiday parties, lights, parades, office parties and beer miles dot the calendar and consume our weekends. I'm all for the festive mood, but embark upon it with the goal of keeping it sane. For many people this time of year triggers a whirl of emotions, both healthy & unhealthy. One of my goals in closing out the year is to walk with humility and avoid getting caught up in the "loudness" of the season. Don't get me wrong, I am all for spreading good cheer. As a matter of fact my roommate and I are doing just that in a couple of weeks. (Any of you reading who have not RSVPd please do so :) I will spend Christmas with my family back in Michigan which is always a hoot and I look forward to mixing it up with my eleven nieces and nephews. Beyond the commercialism of the next few weeks, I find the connection with family and friends to be the crux of it all.

Keep it smooth...

Called Out

In fulfilling my obligations of being tagged, I am sorry to admit I committed a blogging foul. It appears my friend Kurt (www.stageracer.blogspot.com) has called me out on the sandbagging of the beer mile. Was it a true sandbagging....hmmm....my last quarter was clocked at 1:21 by Matt Reed acting as a non-partisan observer. My drinking splits were most likely triple that...at least!

So, in lieu of this I will retract my sandbagging revelation for this sparsely known fact: I was on the homecoming court my senior year in college (Albion College - home of the Britons).

Meeting up with a few of the fellas for a "conversational-paced" run in north Boulder.

Keep it smooth...