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...

*****************************************************
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...

Back In Boulder

Views from hotel balcony...pretty sweet!
That's a lot of bikes!
They're off...

Unfortunately my photography skills are a bit lacking as I was unable to capture my friends in action...damn! I really enjoyed the time in Penticton and watching the race unfold. It was a fantastic race weekend and my friends put on a good show with their gutsy efforts. I was able to get in some decent training around our schedule including a five hour ride and two hour run. We met up with some super cool peeps from the Seattle area for a swim Friday morning. As one of them initially tried putting her wetsuit on backwards I thought, "What a hack!" Well, not really but it was pretty funny. We shared schads of good cheer and laughs with Sean, Amy, Erin & Stephanie throughout the weekend over meals and a few drinks.

It was refreshing to get out of my normal training environment and meet new people. Boulder is a beautiful place and I always appreciate this giant playground upon my return. I am stoked about the final build leading up to Kona and hopeful the weather will be kind :)

Keep it smooth...

~If you feel so inclined please consider supporting my fundraising efforts in Kona by clicking here...thanks!!

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