Moving Forward

For those of you following this blog, I am happy to say I have finally given my website a much needed facelift.  My blog posts will now be accessible via my site at www.bradseng.com  I do not plan on writing too much within this blog.

Thanks for reading & keep it smooth...

Brad

Running the Good Race

Tomorrow morning approximately 1,900 athletes will converge on the Boulder Reservoir for the Boulder 70.3 triathlon (1.2 mile swim~56 mile bike~13.1 mile run).  It is a popular race on the half Ironman circuit with the Rocky Mountains as a scenic back-drop.

With a disappointing outcome in my previous four races I am excited to get back in the mix with a hometown tilt.  My training block leading up to this event has been solid as I have been working through a nagging foot injury.  I have simply strived to persevere with eyes of faith. 

Life can get messy: relationships, work, training, finances, health concerns, etc.  It is through these challenging moments we can all benefit from running the good race.  We might fall, we might get hurt, we might experience a taste of disappointment, but we will never be given more than we can handle.  Phil 4:13 - "In Him who is my source of strength, I have strength for anything."  Christ came not to take away our suffering, but fill it with His presence. 

When the gun goes at 6:30am, it's game on.  May we all have the courage to be our best in running the greatest race of all...LIFE!

Keep it smooth,
Brad

Tasmanian House Guest

The last few weeks I have had an elite runner from Tasmania staying with me.  Dave is a humble guy and by his standards does not really think his running is "elite" just yet.  He posts a 29 and change 10k, so I think that is pretty darn fast.  It's been great hosting a single sport athlete and I can really appreciate the simplicity of not having to balance three different disciplines.  It has been interesting to learn about his self-coached training program and consistency with his daily double runs.  Additionally, the guy is all about herbs and natural supplements.  He recently spent a day in Denver seeking out some of these mythical elixirs.  He returned with a brown bag full of stuff from a Chinese medicine shop...dried herbs and various roots/tree barks.  Covered from head-to-toe with tats and having a shaved head with a couple of long dread locks you might not think the guy has a passion for running.  When he's not running, Dave likes to chill out with his herb books and walk into town to check out the local book stores.  I reckon he walks just about everywhere.  He used my road bike for a couple of trips, but didn't seem to care for the saddle too much.

Keep it smooth,
Brad   

Reposting: Call to Greatness

Reposting from June 2010:

Call to Greatness


In celebration of Father's Day this Sunday, I'd like to share a few thoughts on the importance of fathers.

Both men and women are called to greatness by God, each having a unique role to play. With respect to men, I believe our natural instinct is to be protectors and not predators. Okay ladies, please don't roll your eyes thinking, "Oh gosh what a load of male chauvinistic-ideological-mumbo-jumbo." Be patient as I think you will find my humble thoughts worthy of consideration.

Fathers, like mothers, have a significant impact on the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual health of their children. Recent research suggests the presence and voice of a caring, loving father plays a huge role in shaping the mind and values of his children. Fatherless children are statistically more likely to commit violent crimes, drop out of school and commit suicide.

It is quite likely the picture painted by pop culture is creating a lot of confusion as to what manhood is really supposed to look like. Our current hyper-sexed society would have us fall for the selfishness of thinking it's the norm to use people and love things, when in reality we are called to love people, unconditionally, and use things. Many men struggle with this as their idea of what manhood is all about gets twisted and distorted by the unhealthy lure of pornography. At it's core the porn industry robs us of our manhood (and womanhood). It creates a "users" mentality. Certainly fatherhood, as it is written on our hearts, is much stronger than what we see on television or the big screen.

I am blessed to have three men in my life who have truly set the standard for me on the signficance of fatherhood and all things "man":

William J. Seng, my dad, who continues to be a source of encouragement and perseverance. He always found time for our soccer games and swim meets while working fifty+ hours a week. Growing up in a small southern Indiana town, he has instilled in me and my siblings the joy of pursuing our dreams.

Frank H. Seng, Jr, my grandfather (father's side), who worked tirelessly as a cabinet maker and general factory laborer. His trademark teasing in calling us little monkies while proclaiming he could out-swim, out-run, out-kick or out-throw us even into his 90s always brings a smile to my face on race day.

Albert E. Ingraham, my grandfather (mother's side), who was commited to providing for his wife and family as a dairy farmer and jack of all trades. His Maine humor and work ethic is a daily reminder for me to get my bum out the door and do the job right.

Wishing all dads a very happy Father's Day and encourage you to lead your families to greatness...William Wallace style (think Mel Gibson in Braveheart)!

Keep it smooth...
Brad

RFR Pics

A few random pics from the relay with my bros...

 Tom brining it home strong with newphew Jack

 Kate & Graham pushing the finish

 it's all about speed in transition with the chip exchange

the crew pre-race (note my bro's board shorts for the swim -nice)

Racing for Recovery Sprint Triathlon: A Family Affair

This past weekend I ventured back to the Motor City to race a charity event with my brothers (Brian & Tom) called the Racing for Recovery Sprint Triathlon. My sister-in-law (Kate), who I coach, was also doing the sprint so it would be a family affair at beautiful Sterling State Park in Monroe, MI just south of Detroit. This is a fantastic race featuring the sprint and half Ironman distances with proceeds supporting a drug & alcohol recovery program. I hold the course record for the half and have won it the past two years. I was really looking forward to mixing things up this year and doing the sprint as a relay with my brothers as they have never done a triathlon. It had a special meaning for me with my older brother now being 14 years sober!


We of course had some fun rivalry and smack talk going on in the days leading up to the big race. Would my younger brother be able to eke out a faster swim time than his wife? How much time would I be able to put into her on the bike to aid my older brother’s efforts on the run? I was quite confident she would do well and keep us honest on the course.

Sans wetsuit & sporting his baggy board shorts Brian hit the waters of Lake Erie while I patiently waited for his arrival in T1. As many athletes, including Kate, flooded into transition, I continued to peer on the horizon for my bro. With what appeared to be some “sea” legs he made his way from the beach for our chip exchange to the cheers of my parents and nephews. My focus for the bike was to stay on the gas from the get-go and I was able to make good work of the flat 12 mile course. If I didn’t come off the bike appearing to have left it on the course I would for sure hear it from my brothers! Into T2 Tom and I were able to make a quick exchange and he was off for the 3.6 mile run. Looking around I asked, “Where’s Brian?” My Mom pointed over to a small tree where he was still lying down in the shade and apparently not feeling too spry from his 500m swim. I think he soon realized he was a bit “undertrained” with only one practice swim as his preparation. Tom covered the hot & humid course in good form ensuring us a 2nd place finish in the relay division, but more importantly, a narrow margin of victory over Kate.

It was a great way for our family to spend a Sunday morning (at least in my mind :) and I am quite certain my brothers now have a working understanding of what I experience on race day. Kate had a super race finishing 2nd in her age group and 12th overall. Racing for a cause in support of a charity always makes for a rewarding experience. While I am not sure my brothers are inspired to hit up another triathlon anytime soon, I think they did enjoy the day and I am downright proud of them for getting outside their comfort zone.

Pics to follow soon…

Keep it smooth,

Brad

IMTX Race Report

 hanging at the expo with Skin Strong

early in the run under some cloud cover



I'd like to say this was a great day of racing, but it was the exact opposite.  Other than the swim, my race was in the tank!  I had a great build for this event and was confident with my fitness.  My run prep was slightly limited with some plantar fasciitis which developed two weeks out from race day, but I think the biggest influence on my poor run was the heat & humidity.  I typically perform well in these conditions, but I guess my body was simply not ready for it with the cold spring we have seen in Boulder.

Swim (58:41) - I positioned myself towards the front and had a decent start, but was not able to match the speed of some of the guys around me.  I swam the first 1200m just behind a small group which included Petr Vabrousek (Chezch Republic & doing his 100th+ Ironman), my buddies Patrick Evoe (USA) & Raul Furtado (Brazil), Mike Neill (Canada), Joanna Lawn (New Zealand) and a few others. I was able to bridge up to them approaching the first turn buoy at 1400m and would complete the final 2400m comfortably with this group.  The last 1000m of the swim was down a narrow canal with spectators on both sides which was kind of cool.

Bike (4:52) - Exiting T1 I expected to be in the midst of the same guys with whom I finished the swim.  Damn, where did they go?  Raul went passed me shortly into the bike and I made a tactical error in not trying to ride with him.  What was I thinking!?!  My legs felt decent but I rode too conservatively over the first part of this fast course and was never able to get myself into "go" mode.  We had lots of cloud cover and some rain which was refreshing as the temps and humidity continued to rise.  Over the final 10 miles I was caught by several riders and mentally a bit dejected.  "C'mon Brad, get with it!" I said to myself.

Run (3:19) - Within the first few strides of the run I could tell it was going to be a tough go with this marathon.  As the sun emerged my focus was trying to maintain some kind of leg turnover and keeping my core cool.  Through the first loop I was able to catch a few athletes, but was seriously considering pulling the plug as I struggled in the conditions.  I wanted to give up, but figured there would be some carnage over the final two laps and if I could keep things together I might be able to crack the top 15 for some valuable Kona points.  Unfortunately  I became part of the carnage as my pace slowed to a crawl.  I have not felt this bad in a race since Kona 2009 and was trying to use every jedi mind trick and prayer I know to get things rolling. 

Crossing the line in a sluggish 9:14 I had a smile on my face simply to be done with this race!   

The volunteers and crowd support throughout the day were top-notch and I was grateful for their encouragement!  I also enjoyed the pre-race expo and hanging with my sponsor, SkinStrong, at their booth.  A HUGE thanks to my parents for their support on this rough day as well as my sponsors.  I have enjoyed my recovery week of being lazy and allowing the body to rest/heal.   As my last three races have been rather disappointing, I am inspired by Galatians 6:9 - "Let us not grow weary of doing good; if we do not relax our efforts, in due time we shall reap our harvest." May we all persevere with eyes of faith in being our best.  Next up...the Racing for Recovery Sprint Triathlon relay with my brothers on June 5th!

Keep it smooth,
Brad