CREW'D THOUGHTS

The Road Ahead

2008-08-21T18:55:00.001-07:00

I really like this picture. While the nice curvy roads are fun in an enduro kind of way, there's nothing like getting out on the open road and just going. No thoughts, no worries. Just moving forward. I've enjoyed finding this moment during my last few runs when I can just zone out and concentrate on my breathing and on the sound of my feet. There's a peace there that's absent in the rest of my life right now. Like this picture, I'm looking ahead. There's nothing around me. No distractions. No phone calls. No emails. Just road.

I'm pacing. I'm pressing. I have a calling. It's to move.

Sparks 5K of Fury

2008-08-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

A few months ago a couple of guys that I work with and I decided to challenge ourselves in a 5K trial. We all have different running back grounds and abilities. One guy is 36, 6'3" and weighs around 220. Slimish, but definitely not in shape. He started running last year for the first time and ran his first 5K in 28:10. The other guy is a natural athlete. He's quick but doesn't have strong endurance. He's completed 4 triathlons to date all at the sprint distance level. His 5K PR was 23:45. You know my story. Up to this point my 5K PR was 20:33. We decided to start training to better our times. The goal was to set a date and on that date we would meet up and try to beat our 5K PR. But that's not all, there was a catch. If you failed to best your PR, there was a catch. The first time we did it, we all bested our PRs. The first guy ran a 27:58. The second guy ran a 22:48 smashing his old PR, and I ran a 20:24. The penalty that time would have been to wear this funky purple shirt to the office. I was glad to see that one go by.

Yesterday we held the competition again. Same rules, but this time the penalty was to drink a Sparks Energy Lager directly following the run. Now, if you've never heard of a Sparks, let me tell you it's absolutely nasty. It's 16 ounces of pure foamy hell. It's 6% alcohol which I still haven't figured out why they add it to an energy drink. There was one little caveat. If you didn't puke after drinking the Sparks you had to run a lap of shame in hopes that this would encourage the reversal of said Sparks.

Everyone was nervous come race day. For weeks I've been at the track running 400s, 800s, and mile repeats. I knew where I had to keep my pace. I felt good about my chances, but you never know how it's going to go. The time I ran 20:24, I felt that I'd run my best. Luckily, yesterday I ran better. The track work paid off. I ran a 19:50. My first time official or not to go under 20 minutes. I dogged the last .1 so as not to ruin my chances of betting my time next go around. My fellow triathlete finished a few minutes behind me with a scream as he strained across the line. He'd beaten his time by 2 seconds. He was elated. Now for the big guy. I'd seen him walking a bit, but that was normal. He crossed the line at 28:09. He didn't beat his time. Sparks was in his future. We sat around him giggling like school girls while he downed the vile concoction. His belches and grimaces told the whole story. He downed all 16 ounces without puking, so there was only one thing left. The lap of shame. He said the Sparks was beginning to grow in his belly and it felt like a ton of bricks, but he ran the lap no less. He handled it like a man.

So what's up next? Well, the date hasn't been set, but the decision was made today that the next event will be called the Budweiser Clamato 5K of Fury. Yeah, Budweiser in all their wisdom has come up with a Beer with clam juice and tomato juice. I get shaky just thinking about it. I'm glad I dogged the last bit of that run because there's no way in hell I'm drinking that stuff.

Tailwinds....

I Have A Confession

2008-08-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

First, man it's been a long time since I've posted. It hasn't been a planned hiatus, but I will admit content has been lacking. Maybe it stems from being a bit disenfranchised with triathlons. For a while, I couldn't read enough about racing, gear, and nutrition. I never missed a tri mag issue or a tri-related Internet article. Currently, I haven't read an article or listened to a tri-pod cast in over a month. I haven't had the desire. As for training, it's still limited to 5 hours a week. I've really missed not being able to compete in the usual races this year. I've refused to go out and put in a bad performance or one that I'm not at my best. 5 hours isn't enough. So what have I been doing? Other than working my butt off and traveling a good bit, I'm still in the pool, I'm still on my bike (some), and I'm still getting the miles in. Just not as much.
It's been a bit disappointing, but honestly the reason things are the way they are has been absolutely worth it. Lauren and I are still working on starting a family so that takes priority. Maybe more on that in the future.
I need to report though that my good friend Gary completed his first triathlon last month. It ws a sprint race just north of here. It was his second attempt to complete a triathlon as his first race ended prematurely with a flat tire. He put in a great time and had a blast. I don't think he's stopped smiling yet.
My confession? I raced too. It was a small enough race far enough away from home that I felt comfortable giving it a go. I hadn't put in many bricks so I had no idea how I'd do off the bike. My fears proved to be correct. Although, I had my best swim ever and was in 11th place OA coming off of the bike, I collapsed on the run. I finished up 22nd. Just a sign of not having enough training. The race was too heavy on the run side. I needed a few more miles on the bike to put more distance between myself and those that can just run faster than I could. It was fun, but it was such a reminder of how much I've lost.
So for now, I'll continue to train as I am able. I may pick up a few running races here and there, but nothing longer than a 10k. I hope every one's summer is going well. I look forward to catching up on your blogs and your season.

Tail winds....

Big Ole Nuthin

2008-07-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

That's about all I've had to write about for the last few weeks. I've just been cruising along with workouts and work. Work, oh work has been horrendous. I won't bore you with the details nor will I give my mind a chance to rethink all the decisions made and projects not yet completed. I made a quick trip to Toronto which was nice, but I ate like a pig and drank a few Canadian ales. Alexander Keith's is top notch by the way.
I've spent the last month of Wednesdays going to the track to do some speed work. I've had days where I've felt good and some where I've struggled to finish. Over all, I am seeing improvement in my run splits which always makes it all feel worth while.
This past weekend, LKD and I headed to the beach for the 4th. I was able to get a run, a ride, and a DU in over the 4 day weekend. I took my TT bike this time and found it hard getting used to being in the aero position again. Guess, I've spent too much time being just a roadie. The homemade Du was short and intense. The plan was a 10 mile all out TT, a fast transition, then an all out 3 mile run. Beach riding is all about which way the wind is blowing. I conserved on the first half knowing the wind was at my back so by the time I made the turn, my extra effort to keep speed didn't hurt so bad. The run absolutely rocked. I felt strong and negative split the return. Guess that speed work is paying off.
Oh, can't believe I almost forgot! It's Tour season baby. I've been absolutely glued to the TV watching the Tour over the weekend. I'm recording them all so my lunches will be filled listening to Phil Ligget and Bob Roll and watch Team Columbia and Team Garmin Chipotle kick some French ass! Much like everyone else does, cause the French suck (despite their stage 3 performance).
Any way, off to bed, cause I'm friggin tired.
Tailwinds and Viva La Tour!

Tagged By A Noodle

2008-06-19T18:58:00.001-07:00

Well, I've been tagged by a Noodle, a Tough Noodle at that. So check out her blog and read below the results of my five questions.
1- How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
Well, that would make me 23 and more interested in drinking beer and Disco Hell night than running. I really didn't get into running until I found myself having to go buy a pair of 36 inch waist pants. (I wear a size 31 now) That was enough to scare me into getting back into shape. Being stocky and possessing a severe case of cankles, running wasn't always quick, but my competitive side is a nasty one so improvement came quickly. Then as every other red-blooded insecure boy would do, I hit the weight room. I wanted to be thick and lift as much weight as necessary to impress the lady-folk. The result, a body that wasn't conducive to running, especially not triathlon. I quickly changed my focus and goals after seeing the results of dropping a few pounds. I started racing just below the clydesdale level (although I had hit a peak of 208 pounds). This past year I raced at 158. Right now I'm carrying a few more pounds, but I'm very happy where I am. Running has become a ritual and a much enjoyed aspect of my life. It enables me to clear my mind and helps me to go into the day a bit more focused already having felt like I've accomplished something.
2-What is your best and worst run/race experience?
This is and easy one. I've had some pretty bad runs which quickly come to mind. We won't touch on the ones which include the sudden need to go boom boom. That's another post. We'll focus on the ones where everything just fell apart. In 2006, I was racing the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon in Philadelphia, MS in JULY, in MISSISSIPPI. In JULY! Needless to say it was hot, and I was feeling every bit of the 95+ degree heat and 100% humidity. Both hamstrings started cramping just after the one mile mark. With 6 more miles to go, the rest would be a death march. I've never wanted to quit a race before in my life until that day. My wife followed me along to track my progress. The shame of having her see me struggle was killing me. I limped in, but thanks to the worst run of my life I posted my slowest time of the 4 years I'd competed in the race.
The best? Same race, 2007. I'd marked this day on my calendar that day I made it back home from the race in 2006. I went in better prepared and fully juiced on electrolytes. In 2006, I completed the 7 miles in 1:13:24. In 2007, I did it in 47:54 and finished third in my age group. It was a much better day.
3- Why do you run?
Well, some days it's because it's the only thing that will get me to the finish line of a triathlon. But mainly, it's because I have to. Don't read that to mean that I regret having to run. What I mean is that I have to run in the same way that I have to breathe. I love my wife not because she's beautiful or because of the things she does for me. I love her because my heart tells me I have no choice. It loves her for what she is. I run for everything that it is. It's a gift.
4- What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?
Best - To race fast, you have to train fast. Don't show up on race day expecting to find some special adrenalin based speed. You gotta pay for speed. It only comes with training.
5- Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
I read anything and everything I can get my hands on about Ancient Rome.
I sing in the shower, enjoy playing shooter style video games, and running makes me fart. That's why I run alone.

So let's tag some folks. Everyone racing CDA this weekend gets a break. So let's hear from my favorite Chattanoogan, Molly (who needs to break away from facebook), Dr. Tri Jack, and the newly crowned Ironman David. Let's hear it.

Tailwinds....

Changing Up the Game Plan (a bit)

2008-06-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

You know that orange in the back of your fridge? You know, the one you've been saving. You can't wait to slice it up and suck down the juices, but there it sits. You know it's there. You still want it, but still it stays in there. Couped up. Slowly deteriorating. The once ripe luscious fruit will soon become a chilled moldy turd. That's how I feel right now. I'm wasting away.

Not being able to throw down the training hours that I'm used to has greatly put a cramp in my fitness. Since I have a cap of 5 hours of exercise per week, my workouts have been uninspired and unfocused. Yes, there is something to be said for taking it easy, relaxing, and enjoying the experience, BUT nothing trumps the competitive side that says "if you aren't improving, you're wasting your time." So with that said, I've decided to add some focus to my workouts with putting some set goals for each discipline. What I've done is to focus on my favorite distance race, the intermediate/Olympic , and set speed goals for each leg. To do so, I will be turning up the intensity of my work outs a bit and include periodical time trials to test my progress.

Here's how a typical week will look:

Monday - 1 hour run - 7 miles

Tuesday - Swim 4x500 at race pace - core exercises to follow

Wednesday - Track work - mix of 400s and 800s

Thursday - Swim - 10 x 50, 5 x 100, sprints on 1:00

Friday - Swim 45 minutes - easy - core exercises to follow

Saturday - 30 mile time trial on bike, brick 6 mile run.

Sunday - rest

So far the week has gone well. Tonight will be my third week of completing track work, and I've enjoyed seeing the improvements in my runs. Track work totally sucks, but it really pays off.

Hope every one's season is going well. A bit fist pump to everyone racing this weekend in CDA (Blink, Big-Un, Tac, Al, Tri-Guy,Momo). I look forward to tracking your race on Sunday.

Tailwinds.....

Weary

2008-06-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

Over the last week, I've witnessed a couple of instances of people struggling with some really tough times and some simply struggling with the cards life has dealt them. For instance, there is a girl at our church who has been crippled with MS since birth. She's able to get around with a walker, but it leaves her exhausted. Getting dressed to go somewhere is a two hour ordeal. She lives a life that would leave most of us bent and in tears if we had to endure just one day of it.

Lauren and I visited a shelter for the homeless this weekend. Eighty plus homeless men and a handful of women crowded into an old fire house to get their one meal for the weekend. These are the real social rejects. No one looks them in the eye or much less offers a hello or a smile. They've long since felt human. They deal daily with the results of whatever led them to this path. (I myself recognize that we've all taken the wrong path in life, but some of us are lucky enough to have avoided any real consequences with lifelong implications).

Lastly, a friend lost her husband nearly one week ago today. He was in his mid 30's and died due to an epileptic seizure. She was there and tried to save him by performing mouth to mouth on him. I can't imagine the pain of watching a loved one die in your hands, nor the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring. There are so many questions.

This world, this life, that we are in is a broken mess. We're in a constant battle. There will always be pain, hurt, misunderstandings, and loss. Why does it have to be like this? When will there be rest?
I ran across this last night, and I wanted to share it with you. It reminds us of the promise of the peace that awaits us. You can find rest in this.

From the Gadsby Hymnal:

Weary of earth, myself, and sin
Dear Jesus, set me free,
And to Thy glory take me in,
For there I long to be.

Let a poor laborer here below,
When from his toil set free;
To rest and peace eternal go;
For there I long to be.

Burdened, dejected and oppressed,
Ah! Whither shall I flee,
But to Thy arms for peace and rest?
For there I long to be.

Let a poor laborer here below,
When from his toil set free;
To rest and peace eternal go;
For there I long to be.

Empty, polluted, dark and vain,
Is all this world to me;
May I the better world obtain;
For there I long to be.

Let a poor laborer here below,
When from his toil set free;
To rest and peace eternal go;
For there I long to be.

XTERRA SOUTHEAST CHAMPIONSHIP

2008-06-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend Xterra came to town and took over Oak Mtn State Park. I haven't picked up a mtn bike since discovering road racing so this was a bit of bitter sweet feeling watching some very talented riders do their thing out on the course. The weather was absolutely coooooking but gorgeous all in one.

In attendance were the two reigning world champions, Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid. I had a chance to talk to Stoltz for a bit and help him out with his X'd out logoe'd zoot skin suit. He said Zoot wasn't sponsoring him anymore so he wasn't advertising. Big mistake Zoot. Big mistake.

There were only around 150 participants in the race which is a huge disappointment because all I hear are rave reviews for our trails. Stoltz commented that this was one of his favorite venues. Nonetheless, once the gun went off the water was on fire as the participants of the mass start took off for the two lap swim.

After watching the pros come out of the water, we headed up to the infamous Blood Rock which is an extremely technical descent that tends to claim a few riders each year sending them home early. Watching the pros handle Blood Rock was just a reminder why their pros. It was like poetry. While watching, one rider did succumb to the Rock, but after a looksie with the paramedics he was back on his way.

Leaving T2, Stoltz was in 2nd and McQuaid was in the lead for the women. It was all working out as everyone thought it would. BUT, don't discount the Alabama heat! We heard a report that Dan Hugo was just seconds behind Stoltz with a kilometer to go. Wow. But Stoltz is a champion and turned it on and beat Hugo by 16 seconds across the line. During an interview with Hugo, he let everyone know that Stoltz wasn't just 16 seconds faster than him. He admitted that while on the course Stoltz had flatted, changed his tire and caught him. Wow. That must have cost him 3-4 minutes.

As for the woman's race, it wasn't Mel's day. Shonny Vanlandingham took the win in an amazing performance. McQuaid fought hard, but evidently had some troubles on the run and finished 7th. I hate that for her, but I am stoked that some other wonderful athletes were able to share in the spotlight.

Our fellow blogger, Jameson, was the first amateur to cross. The dude's an animal and nice guy. He had no reason to talk to me after the race as he was probably looking for the food tent, but he was an easy going guy that was willing to share in his excitement.

Big fist pump to the owner of our local bike shop, Faris Malki, for taking home 1st place in the duathlon. AND, there was a Tri Jack sighting! DV was doing his daily spin while tearing it up on the sport course.

All in all, great day. I loved being out there and watching it all. Even if it was off-road.

Tailwinds.

Helloooo Humidity!

2008-06-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Spring is officially over in Birmingham. It was so short, I hardly even remember what it was like. The days of the 78 degree high are a thing of the past. Oh, times they are a changing. The past few weeks have been laced with intermittent thunder boomers and hard rains that have brought back our good ole friend Humidity to our fair town. It seems that with this onslaught any whisper that could be considered a breeze has left town on the first available bus. I know, I know, if I don't like it, move right? No chance.
The past few weeks have been good to me though. I've found a new route to run through town or at least rediscovered an old route to run. It's a 6 mile route that takes me along the ridge of Red Mtn with plenty of ups and downs. It's a little more intense of a run than what I've been running, but by doing it I hope to continue to work on my leg strength. As a result, I can already tell a big difference in my cycling. I took out for a 32 mile ride this weekend on the same loop that made me weep at my poor performance just a couple of months ago. This time, I could really feel a difference in my legs and the speed showed. My climbing isn't quite up to par, but I don't consider myself an embarrassment to the sport any more. Despite getting absolutely poured for about 10 minutes it was a great ride. My goal was to push the speed the entire time. The legs were there, and I loved it.
This weekend, I'm taking a few friends with me to Oak Mtn to do a little practice tri for Buster Britton. For BB, I'll be body marking and acting as a sherpa for my friend who is doing his first tri ever. I'm really excited about seeing him cross the finish line as this will more or less be a celebration of his transformation from a 230 pound couch potato to a 165 pound machine. Can't wait to post about his race and show you before and after pictures.
Take care everyone and tailwinds to all!

Taunting

2008-05-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

About a month ago due to some shifting around the office, I lucked out and was promoted to an office with a window. Woo hoo! Instead of having just the life sucking halogen lights, I now have a full wall of natural light streaming in. Have you seen Joe vs. the Volcano where Joe describes the lighting at his job in the prosthetics clinic? It wasn't that bad, but I do feel like everything is in color now.

So this glorious window that I now have is attached to a building sitting in Homewood, AL which just so happens to be the cycling and endurance sport headquarters of our great city of Birmingham. All epic rides and runs leave from Homewood. This window just so happens to sit about 30 feet from a popular route taken by cyclist and runners heading out. At first, I thought this was kind of cool. I've seen different cycling teams heading out all geeked out in their matching outfits. I've watched Birmingham's top runner along with countless others doing hill repeats on this road. For a while, I enjoyed it, but now... now I think they are taunting me.

I mean, I'm sitting here working (for the most part) and they're 1. not working! 2. doing the very thing that I love to do and 3. shoving it in my face! What the heck? I mean what kind of job do these folks have that enable them to take off for a ride at 10 am on a Thursday? And where can I get an application? Seriously, let me in on your secret.

But this morning, my hopes are up because I'm heading to the beach today. I'm taking my bike and my running shoes. And there's no animosity for the cyclists that just flew past my window. I wish them well because it just started raining. hee hee hee.

Let's Talk Aerodynamics

2008-05-15T06:15:00.001-07:00

I just finished listening to this great Podcast of an interview with some guys over at MIT regarding bikes and aerodynamics. What they had to say floored me. I knew that being aero mattered, but if you had asked me prior to listening to this I would have told you that power was more important if you wanted to be fast. Not so.

They said the typical triathlete creates about 6 lbs of drag on the bike. By using a wind tunnel they were able to look at different things that might help reduce this drag. High on my list would have been the ever coveted disk wheels. They are the sexiest item that you can add to your bike and you would probably be faster just for having them right? Well, they stated that having an aero helmet decreases drag 2 to 4 times as much as having disk wheels. What? So for a $200 investment I could be faster than using a $1800 wheel set? That's right mon frere. An aero helmet will reduce your drag coefficient by 1/2 a pound. That's nearly 10%. So over the course of a 40K (24.8 miles) the average triathlete will save 30 seconds to a full minute. I'm sold.

What about the aero drink? I think most people know this but the cylinder is the biggest enemy of aerodynamics. Having a bottle mounted on your down tube greatly increases the amount of drag you produce. Switching to a bottle mounted in your aero bars is not only an improvement, it's actually better than having nothing there at all. The bottle actually breaks up the wind and decreases the turbulence around the head stem thus reducing your drag. Who woulda thunk it?

They also discussed the straw coming out of the bottle. If you reduce the length of the straw by 10cm you can reduce the amount of drag on the straw by 1/10 of a pound.

How about the bent-o-box? It's been given the same kudos as the aero drink. It's actually a benefit to have a bent-o-box breaking up the wind coming off the stem of the bike as opposed to having nothing at all.

Lastly, body position. A lot of people try to improve their aerodynamics by buying a sleeker bike, but the bike only accounts for 15%-25% of wind drag. The rest is the triathlete's body. Spending a couple of hundred dollars on a bike fit will benefit you 3 times over what you could get out of spending a few thousand on the latest TT bike. You need a fit that is aero, but also comfortable so you are not having to get out of the aero position to stretch or relax your back. Staying in an aerodynamic position for the ride is key in reducing drag.

So stop eating beans and rice trying to save for the latest Zipp wheels. Go frugal and buy yourself a decent aero helmet and scorch the competition this season.

Tailwinds...

Bike Commuting

2008-05-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

Alright, so everyone knows this is National Bike Month right? Which off the bat begs the question, when is National Swim or Run Month? Equal rights for all sports is what I say. Given that during National Bike Month people are urged to commute to work instead of driving, I'll pass on having National Swim Month for the simple fact there are no major or minor waterways close to my house or work. So this week, I was able to commute to work twice via the almighty Madone, including this morning. It hasn't been that difficult to do considering the distance from my front door to my office door is 2.16 miles. Yeah, I'm spoiled. I admit it, but it's the thought that counts right? I've designated these bike days as being swim days at the pool since I can just about see my gym's pool from my office window. I should probably just walk right, but alas that's less time on the bike.

So Wednesday on my way home from work, this dude pulls up beside me on his cross bike all decked out in appropriate riding gear while I'm dorking it up in dress pants, golf shirt and leather shoes. We talk for a bit, and I find out he's riding 26 miles to work each day. Every day. Suddenly, my 2.16 mile commute didn't seem that green and gas conscious after all. I applaud the guy, cause I couldn't do it. It's pretty easy in May, but come July and August it's gonna be down right nasty hot here.

So whatever your situation, give commuting on your bike a shot. Even if it's just one time or just down the street. I've enjoyed the heck out of it.

Why Do I always have to think of a title?

2008-05-04T22:09:00.001-07:00

First things first, thanks for all of the kind words of encouragement and support. It's really cool to see how people who don't know each other can support one another. So, thanks.
Now, remember, I'm not dead so here's what I did this week. I've decided that I'm going to be the best gosh darned swimmer that I possibly can this year. I'm still only swimming three times a week, but they will be more focused swims. Monday will be a 1000 yard time trial, with easy swimming afterwards. Wednesday is drill and sprint day. Friday is long distance day. I swam 2 miles this past friday and I plan to add .1 mile each week until I'm swimming 3 miles each friday. It's all part of the Bfitbday.com challenge I have set up for November. If you haven't signed up for it, click on the icon to the right.
Running notes: I ran my fastest 5K ever Wednesday night at 20:24. I still can't seem to get under 20, but I'm going to be working on that. I've got a goal of two months to burn 25 seconds off my time. We'll see how that goes. Saturday was a solid 10.5 miler with a buddy of mine. It was absolutely gorgeous out.
And yes, I did find my way onto the bike today (Sunday). I soooo mourn the loss of my cycling abilities. It's so sad to suck wind on a course that I used to burn it up on. Oh well, it was good to get out.
And tonight, OMG, was the Josh Ritter concert at Bottletree. This guy is way too big of a name to play at such a small venue, but I'm so glad that he did. Bottletree isn't much bigger than most people's garage. It fits maybe 150 people in it jammed packed. Ritter absolutely brought it tonight. It was a great way to end a great week. Now, off to bed to dream of Zipp wheels, powerbars, and wetsuits.
Bullet sends tailwinds to you all...

A Word of Honesty and Hope

2008-04-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here in Perdido Key, FL where my wife and I have bolted away for a weekend at the beach. This place is a bit of a retreat for us as we shrug off our responsibilities back home, forget about work, and focus on family and relaxation. It's during this time that I typically get some dedicated training in whether it's a long ride or run or both even. Not this weekend, not now. Those weekends are usually followed by a lot of reading by the pool. This weekend I have brought with me the latest addition of Triathlete Magazine to read and some pod casts to listen to, but this weekend, I can't force myself to really get into to either. I think this weekend more than any I've had to really come to terms with what I've known to be inevitable all year. It hasn't really hurt up until this week because it hasn't really seemed a reality until now. I'm having to face the reality that I probably won't be racing this year. It's seems odd to even write that because I know that the season is long and anything is possible, but reality says otherwise.

The truth is that my wife and I have been trying to get pregnant for about a year now. All signs point to there being no real known reason as to why it hasn't happened. It just hasn't. We've met with a specialist who assures us that all of our 'levels" are fine, both mine and hers. My body is doing what it's supposed to as well is Lauren's. That's the mystery. There's nothing that we can't point to and say this is the reason. In speaking to the specialist about my training, we've asked her what she thought about me being on the bike and participating in my typical level of training. She advised that one and a half hours on the bike a week is acceptable as is no more than 5 hours of intense training per week. She said that while all of my levels are in the "good" range, studies have shown that spandex shorts and extensive training can result in a decreased count and viability for men due to heat and endorphin release. Please understand that I'm keeping this as "PG" rated as possible so information will be limited. So given this advice, we've decided to close all doors on what-ifs and error on the side of caution by following the doctor's advice. It wasn't a hard decision to make, but being limited to 5 hours of training per week doesn't exactly put me in a position to be in any type of shape for racing this year. For the most part, I'm just maintaining. I ride for fun rather than for speed. I run to keep the legs fresh rather than to hit a certain goal. The one thing I can do is swim as much as I want.

I am constantly struggling with this though. It kills me to read race reports and know that there's a local race that I'm going to have to miss. I look at my body and know that I'm not in prime condition and that I could do so much more. If you are a triathlete, you know the desire to push and to excel. It absolutely eats you up inside. So much of my enjoyment of this sport comes from the intensity of it all. People who know me keep asking when the next race will be. "I don't know", I tell them, "I haven't put anything on the calendar." I say this all the while knowing that just a 15 minute drive from where I am there's an Olympic distance race going on in Pensacola right now. Next week, the Alabama Gulf Coast HIM race is ten minutes down the road in the opposite direction. I should be there. I should be testing myself against the clock and my peers, but there are bigger things in life and things much more important than racing. It doesn't ease the pain though.

I can't complain too much as this whole procedure has been more taxing on my wife that it will ever be on me. I can't even start to go through the list of things that she's doing to improve our chances. She's changed her diet, given up caffeine, stopped working out, made countless visits to the doctor, read countless books and articles, and basically has given up her own goals for the sake of this one for our family. All I've got to do is give up racing, big wup. She's been the hero in this story. Our desire more than anything is to have a child. This is so much more important than any race or training schedule. I know this, and it's an easy decision to make, but I still struggle with this. I struggle with this daily.

We are a family of faith, or at least we attempt to be. We know that God has taken care of us in every aspect of life. We have no needs, and barely any wants. God will not abandon us in this area either. Faith is easier some days than others. We're not always strong, but we rest in the fact that God is faithful for us in spite of ourselves.

Thanks for reading this post. It's something I've wanted to write for sometime, but haven't been able to bring myself to do so as it's a very personal subject. But this is more of a way for me to come to terms with this and to get a few things off my chest.

Endurance Races in Dixie

2008-04-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

This week is a huge week for the South in the world of endurance sports. While sometimes it feels as though the south gets overlooked for major races and events, we have the opportunity this week to showcase our cities to the endurance world. This past weekend in my very own state of Alabama, Olympic hopefuls made the trip to Tuscaloosa for 1 of 3 trials to determine who will represent the U.S. this year in Beijing. The course which closely mimics the course in Beijing for it's elevation changes and weather was a perfect spot for athletes to prove their medal. Matt Reed led the men's group while Julie Ertel brought home the gold in the women's group. Andy Pott's and Hunter Kemper who are both expected to make the team finished second and third to earn points as well.

Secondly, the world of cycling looks to Georgia this week as the Tour de Georgia begins it's trek from Tybee Island to Atlanta. The Tour will see the likes of Team CSC, Slipstream, Astana, High Road and the controversial Rock Racing team. In particular it will be interesting to see how the aging Tyler Hamilton will do in his first year with a pro team after his time off for bad behavior.

As for this endurance athlete, he'll be sitting by his phone waiting for Team High Road to call in case Big George Hincappie goes down and the team needs a replacement. Put me in coach! I'm ready to play!

Update on a Good Week

2008-04-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

This week has been work focused if nothing else, but I have stayed true to my second love (Don't worry Lauren, you are my first) and kept my training strong and consistent. The highlight of the week so far has been my swimming. Things are really starting to come together for me in the pool. I don't know if it's the new goggles, the saline pool, or the warmer weather. Cause it sho nuff ain't the athlete. For whatever reason, I'm faster and my endurance has never been better. I knocked out a mile today in 28 minutes which I'm still thumping my chest about. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not that far, but considering my 1.2 miler in my two previous HIMs hovered around 40 minutes, I'm pretty freaking pleased with myself. I will have to give a bit of credit to the Blinkster for his innovative breathing pattern he mentioned. My endurance and speed have shot up considerable since getting more O2 in the system. Check out his blog which is linked on the right to read more about it.

A buddy of mine and I have started throwing around the idea of running an Ultra Relay this fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We'd have a team of 6 complete a 208 mile course from Grayson County, VA to Asheville, NC. We'll basically run a 10k segment, rest for 3 or 4 hours, then run another 10K. We'll each run 6 segments all around the 10k distance. Looking over the elevation changes in the route leaves me feeling a bit weak in the knees. It's crazy hilly. I'm mean like mountain goat hilly. Needless to say, if we choose to do it, tri's may have to take a back seat which will absolutely suck. Stay tuned for more on that.

Just for FUN: Let's take a quick test in learning to heed warnings. Don't look at this. You'll thank me.

Retreat to Guntersville State Park

2008-04-13T18:27:00.001-07:00

Me lady and I took off to beautiful Lake Guntersville State Park this weekend for a leadership retreat with our church. The plan for the weekend was some good time spent with some peeps from the church and some time spent enjoying to great outdoors. So, of course I took my bike. I've spent a good bit of time riding in the Guntersville area for the AL state sprint championships and some other small local races, but I was looking forward to finding some new places to ride rather than the courses that I knew. I spun around the park for a while before I found this:

Sorry for the quality, but I don't have access to all the cool charts and graphs that grace these bloggy pages. This little ditty starts at 602 feet and climbs to 1134 feet in just over 2 miles. It's absolutely horrendous. I would like to tell you that I spent the better part of the afternoon doing hill repeats on this mutha but alas, I only ventured it once. And that was enough. I did do the back side descent, but that doesn't really count now does it. I exited the park for some sweet lake view rides through the tree covered back roads around the lake. It was a beautiful weekend and a beautiful ride.

Tailwinds.....

Keeping Austin Weird

2008-04-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

This week I found myself in Austin, TX for work. It's my first trip to Austin, and I hope it's not my last. I have to thank Tri To Be Funny for her insight on a cool place to run down town. Austin has a lake (that looks like a river) that runs through downtown and has the coolest running trail along beside it. Thursday morning I took off for an early morning run down the trail with intentions on just enjoying the views and being outside. There were tons of people out running which in my eyes makes Austin that much cooler. I headed down a side trail and saw what appeared to be a guy urinating just off the trail. As I got closer, he wasn't urinating at all. He was "having relations" with a girl. Right there on the trail! WTH! I ran by quickly busting out laughing as the young couple quickly gathered up their clothes and sped off in their Firebird. It was 7:00 in the morning by the way. They were doing their best to keep Austin weird indeed.
The rest of the run was not as eventful, but itwas very enjoyable. I ran most of the trail and saw some wonderful sights. Looking to get out again today.
Tail winds....

XXXXXX BIKE PORN!!!!!!!!!!! XXXXXX

2008-03-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

My site is going X rated for today and maybe for the next week. Here she is!

I picked up my new Trek Madone 5.2 Pro yesterday from Cahaba Cycles and believe it or not, it's freaking sweet! For the longest time I've wanted a regular road bike so I can try my hand at some road races so I've jumped in with both feet. I'm still keeping the Cervelo for Tri's so don't kick me out of the club just yet.

I put in my first ride on it this morning at the Vulcan Tri Club training race for the Powerman Du in a few weeks. Given that the course has some extended climbs I knew I wouldn't lose too much on not being aero. I was amazed at how well it handled. There's a big difference in turning on a tri bike and a roadie. Secondly, OMG it's freaking light. It weighs in at about 17lbs without water bottles and saddle bag. Given that, it climbs like a champ. Alberto Contador is a little less impressive to me now. Just kidding Albie. Here's the draw back though, since it's so light it doesn't descend that well. On my heavier Cervelo, I can usually push 44 on Cemetery Hill on the course. Today, it was all I could do to hit 39.5. It also felt like I needed one bigger gear for the down hill. My legs seemed to be on the verge of spinning out on the descent. Not so on the Cervelo. It always has plenty of pedal left. This doesn't concern me too much though as it'll more than make up for it on the climbs. I put in a much better bike time on the course this year than I did last which is surprising as my time on the bike has been limited so far this year. Overall, I really pleased with the bike. It's a gorgeous speed machine. I'm a lucky lucky boy.

Tail Winds.....

I'm So Freaking Slow!

2008-03-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

I guess my focus the last few months has been more on getting the laps in rather than making sure that I kept up any resemblance of speed. My lap time in the pool right now is Pathetic. That's right, a capital "P." This morning I warmed up with a easy 500 then followed that with some breathing exercises. Then, I tried my hand at doing 50's on 1 minute. Last year, the goal was to keep my 50's under 35 seconds. This year, I'm struggling to keep them under 40. Oh, and they sucked too. I've gotta say though, I'm still loving the pool despite my slow times. This is totally different from my relationship with the pool last year. I've actually enjoyed it. Maybe it's because we're spending more time with each other now. Or maybe, it's because I haven't been working on speed like I should so it's been too easy. Probably a little of both.

Don't forget, big HUGE news coming in the next day or so. This blog is about to get X rated! Hint hint! (no, this doesn't mean I'm signing up for the Serbian Nude Sprint Triathlon)

Crewd Thoughts on a Tuesday

2008-03-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of weeks the weather has been just absolutely gorgeous. Visually, it's still nice to look at, but for some reason the temps have dropped back down into the 50's with lows in the 30's. It's not what we'd call a typical Alabama March. I'm ready for some humidity already.
Training has been going quite well. The only problem is nutrition keeps getting in the way. I'll call that the Easter fat boy blues. Just like clock work, when family gets together, the over indulging begins. We spent the weekend in beautiful Mobile with LKD's family for Easter. I played a little golf and drank a lot of beer. Good beer mind you. The healthy kind right? God love it all. But the most disheartening thing of it all was the terrible urge to keep feeding my pie hole. Over and over all weekend. So this week my hopes are to return to a bit of normalcy with proper nutrition and limited beers.
Yesterday was a strength training session at the gym. I still notice a stark difference in strength in my left leg vs my right. Don't know if I've favored my right leg over the years, but it's considerably stronger. My hope over all is to continue with light weight and high weight sets to focus more on endurance strength rather than bulk strength.
This morning I made it to the pool to find that one of the heaters was out thus leaving the pool at a cool 78 degrees. I managed to throw down 3000 yards in a slow 53:36. Not race pace, but I just wanted to feel the distance and continue to build endurance.
This weekend is a training race for Powerman Alabama (8K run, 50K bike, 8K run). I'm looking forward to putting my training to the test a bit on a non-stressful event.
There's some big news coming down the pipeline in the next few days. More to come.

Tailwinds....

That First 10 Minutes

2008-03-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

This morning I took off from the gym to run through the Tiny Kingdom just before 6 am. The plan was to do a slow(ish) run just to shake out the legs and log some miles. The gym sits midway up a small hill, so the first quarter mile is down hill. At the base of the hill you run along side the city Zoo for a bit before getting into the village and a residential area. Running in the dark allows your mind to create monsters in the shadows and every weird sound is an escaped baboon or spider monkey coming out to jump on you.
But it also allows you to focus more on how you're feeling and what your body is telling you. It's odd how the first 10 minutes of any exercise is usually the toughest for me. My body is waking up and sending out protests and propaganda to my brain trying to get me to stop. It's during this time that I am constantly fighting off thoughts of "you don't really want to do this, you don't need to do this, why don't you just turn around now, this is gonna suck!" I've found that if I can just get past these first 10 minutes my body will settle into a rhythm and my mind will start telling me how good this feels and how this is going to be a good day. Endorphins maybe?
True to form, around mile 2 this morning I found myself cruising along and enjoying the morning. Seeing the sun slowing rise through the trees is absolutely amazing. I finished the run wanting more, but needing to stop because of time. Everyone has to face work eventually.

Tailwinds....

Mid Week Update

2008-03-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

Just a few numbers to throw at you. Monday was a recovery day of sorts after Sunday's long brick. Just a little time on elliptical machine and some weights. Tuesday was spent in the pool with a new PR for the mile in ~30 minutes. I'm slowing but surely trying to ramp up the distance and speed. I can still feel fatigue setting in during the last part of that swim. Wednesday started out just awful. I had a limited amount of time in the gym before work so I decided to get on the elliptical and keep the HR around 140 bpm. After 20 minutes I still couldn't get into my zone. My HR was still too low. I tried ramping up the speed and resistance, but at that point it was worthless. Still pissed off about the morning's workout, I took off after work for a 5 mile run and hit my second PR of the week with a 33:48. Maybe I am getting my speed back after all.
This morning I met Daniel at the Y at 5 am for a swim analysis. We video tapped our swim strokes so hopefully we can analyze it and see where we need to make the changes. We did a quick 1000 meters in 17:57 followed by 5 sets of 50 sprints and 3,5,7,5,3 breathing sets on 50's. It's short in yardage but a great workout.
I'm loving this time change by the way. It's now light until around 7! Bring on Spring!

Snow! In Birmingham?

2008-03-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Just for a quick second everyone, let's go back to my post from this past weekend. You know the one where I was at the beach, laying out at the pool, catching some rays, yada yada yada. It was awesome. Temps were in the 70's and you really couldn't have asked for a prettier day.
Well fast forward to this weekend back in Birmingham. The weekend was supposed to have started off with little local 5K that I do every year in hopes of setting a PR and defending my age group for the 3rd straight year (gotta love small races!). But instead, I woke to find that apparently all the planets aligned over night to allow for it to actually snow over night. Snow! In Birmingham! Now, please, let's take a step back and have a reality check. What we consider snow in Birmingham is not really what everyone may consider getting snow. There was enough to cover the ground mostly, but not really enough to build a snow man unless you recruited the snow from neighboring yards. The best part of getting any type of snow in Birmingham is that everything is closed and canceled and everyone goes a little crazy. The newscasters reportedly stayed up all night to report the storm's progress through the state. They had cameras on several interstates showing wrecks and slowed traffic due to the "terrible winter conditions." It's all pretty laughable. But this worst part is that my little local 5K was canceled by the police to avoid any injuries. Oh well. I crawled back into bed a talked Lauren into walking into downtown Homewood for breakfast. A much easier way to start the day.
I did get a good 7.5 mile run in later that day and followed it up with 20 minutes of swimming. The sun did poke it's head out so it actually turn out to be a beautiful day, but it was still a little frigid.
Today my training buddy, Daniel, and I met up for a ride and run. The wind gusts were fierce, but undeterred we put in a pretty descent ride of 30+ miles included some long steep climbs which really taxed out my quads. We followed that up with a 5 mile run through some fairly rolling neighborhoods which really put the hurt on my quads. We did our best to sprint the hills as we're both trying to regain that lost leg strength. A great workout and a great time. I know I'm going to feel it tomorrow.
Tailwinds...

I WILL.... (The Nutritional Version)

2008-03-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

1. Swear off french fries, potato chips, other foods that come in a bag or from a restraunt with a mascot.

2. Eat protein and a healthy carb 30 minutes after my morning workout.

3. Drink 32 ounces of water before noon.

4. Swear off cokes and sweet tea except on the weekends (understand that in Southern lingo, "coke" means soda or pop, and also that giving up sweet tea is down right sacrilegious)

5. Stop eating when I've had enough rather than when I'm stuffed.

6. Start eating more salads for lunch.

7. Substitute more chicken and pork for beef.

8. Swear off all white bread.

9. Drink more during long rides and runs.

10. Continue to find ways to eat smarter.

A Quick Trip To The Beach

2008-03-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

Well, this post is coming from the sunny beaches of Perdido Key, Florida. I'm lucky enough to have in-laws with a condo that sits just west of the IM Florida locale. Lauren and I took Friday off to make it down here in time to enjoy a longer weekend. The condo is just 4 hours south, but every second counts when you're losing valuable beach time.
Before we left town though, I wanted to make the most of my day off so I took the opportunity to get a small ride and a swim in. Coming home on the bike it was so nice to pass all of the bleary eyed coffee infused people heading in to the office. Man, work sooo gets in the way of good times out on the road. I cleaned up and headed over to a big moving sale the best little bike shop in the world was having. They had a lot of 07 stuff and winter gear marked 30-60% off so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Boy did it pay off. I picked up an Ultegra rear cassette and a new odometer for 1/2 off, but the biggest deal of the day was a set of Dura Ace pedals for 60% off. I was stoked. Can't wait to bust them out.
We quickly left town there after and made it down to Perdido Key. Lunch was this awful trip to Arby's. I felt like crap the rest of the day which is just a reminder why I don't eat fast food. After ditching our digs, we headed down to the pool to enjoy a little sun and a view of Old River. Lauren and I have often pondered just how long we could live off of our savings and equity in our house if we were to move down here and become beach bums. It'd be fun giving it a shot.
This morning was absolutely gorgeous out. We were by the pool by 9:30, and I indulged in the sun by ditching my shirt for a little tanning. One hour later, I'm peering into the mirror and realizing that my once pasty white skin was now a distasteful pink. It's all a work in progress.
As always, I brought my running shoes so I did a quick 8 miler along beach road. It's so nice running of flat terrain! I will throw out a quick plug for some of our more popular bloggers out there who have started podcasting. I've started taking their podcasts with me on runs or while I'm at the gym. It's so much better than music for me right now. They do a great job, and best of all it's free. So check them out and give them a shot.
We spent lunch at our favorite little dive, Tacky Jacks, eating crawfish and grouper sandwiches. This little place is on the water so it gets a fierce wind blowing in which made it quite chilly since we were sitting in the shade. No worries, I'd rather be here than behind my desk.
After lunch we borrowed some bikes from a family friend and took off for a spin. My bike had to be a Walmart special. It was a Raleigh M-30 mountain bike with a seat that was as wide as my butt. It had shimano components, but none I'd never heard of. It had to have weighed 50 lbs. Nonetheless, it was great to ride along beside Lauren and enjoy the day. We took an excursion over to the exclusive Ono Island to see how the other half lives. On the way back, we stopped and took a stroll along the beach for a while. If we'd had some chairs I so could've taken a nap. The temps have stayed in the high 60's and low 70's so far. Spring is so close and I can't wait to enjoy more times like these.
We head home tomorrow. Back to life. Back to reality, or so the song goes. But not yet, not now. I'm going to relax here for a little while longer before heading down to watch the sunset.

New Moniker

2008-02-26T06:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve been mulling this decision over in my head for the last few weeks. Maybe it’s the peer pressure of wanting to be just like the rest of you anonymous goofs out there, or it could be that I do become something outside of myself when I lace up for a race. Whatever the reason, I have decided to say good-bye to “Matt” and put him back in his place. From now on I will do my posts under the tag “Bullet.” I believe the moniker more aptly defines me as a triathlete rather than this Matt who so nicely blends in with society.

I’d like to give you a little comparison of Bullet and Matt so you can see why. Matt goes to work from 8-5, wears pressed shirts, and smiles when passing coworkers in the hall. Bullet gets up at 5 am to go work out, wears Pearl Izumi tri shorts, and smiles when passing the competition in a race. Matt shaves his face and keeps himself groomed. Bullet shaves his legs and grooms his bike. Matt is pleased at the end of the day if profits are up and customers are happy. Bullet is pleased at the end of the day if his times have dropped and the competition is crying. As you can see these two cannot co-exist on the same blog. Just like George Costanza flipping out over the mixing of Independent George and Relationship George, it’s time we separated the two. “A George divided against itself, Cannot Stand! “

So don’t be weirded out if you see the new name making comments on your posts. I’ll leave the big butt naked statue of Vulcan as my pic to help you make the connection. Matt still may show up from time to time as a guest to post on matters of faith or when something gets in his crawl about social justice or general bad behavior from the public.
But for the most part, this blog is about the pursuit of that finish line and will attempt to stay on that subject.

Thanks for reading and to all, Bullet sends tailwinds.

First Real Brick of 2008

2008-02-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

My Bro Daniel, who needs a Tri nickname by the way, met me this morning just outside the Tiny Kingdom for a little early morning brickwork. The past two days have been just miserably rainy, and today was supposed to be dry and partly cloudy. Well, they got the cloudy part of that right. It was more along the lines of partly dry and cloudy. Oh, and it was freaking cold. The temperature when the Red Dragon rolled away from mi casa was a balmy 35 degrees. When I pulled into the parking lot, there were no lie, 10 or so other bikers and a larger number of runners getting ready to head out. It was a beautiful sight to see. It's so cool to see a community so into the sport.
Like a real man, Daniel was standing there helmet on without any leggings on. Looking around the parking lot you could see everyone bundled up like snowmen, but not Daniel. He's much tougher than I. At least he had on a thick pair of "hair pants" to help break the wind. Both of us had recognized that neither one of us were in shape enough to kill it on this ride so for the most part we took it easy and just got used to suffering again. So much of endurance has to do with being able to shut your mind off and suffer long enough to make it over a climb. And suffer we would. Both of our odometers are on the blink so there were no records kept of average speed which is probably a good thing.
There's nothing like being back on the bike again. The exhilaration of cresting a hill or spinning through neighborhoods really gets my blood going. I'm really looking forward to the time changing and the after work rides that provide challenging speeds and great camaraderie.
After the 30 mile loop, we had probably the slowest T time ever, but we put on some dry clothes for a 7 mile run. Both of our feet were frozen from the ride so it took a bit of jog hobbling before the feet felt normal again. I was really happy with the way my legs responded to the brick. They felt strong and didn't feel too awkward like they usually do for that first brick of the year. All in all, it was a great morning. Tonight, I'm celebrating with some boys in a little beer tasting event. We're all chipping in some new and different beers for everyone to try out. I'll give a good report if any of them tickle my fancy.
Tail winds....

Best News of 2008 Yet

2008-02-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

Almost 2 years ago now, a good friend of mine decided to take control of his health and weight. "GJ" is about my age. At the time, he weighed in around 220 on a 5'9" frame. Growing up he always struggled with his weight. This left him feeling more like a wallflower than a player in the game. Knowing GJ has been one of the greatest pleasures in life. He is and always will be like a brother to me. He can be very animated and headstrong when he's passionate about something. This has lead to many successes in life, but also some very hilarious moments when he gets upset enough to write a scathing letter to ABC for interupting "The Mole" with Presidential election updates.
Back to the story.... so 2 years ago, GJ decided to start a work out program. He started with simply running on the weekends with the goal of completing his first 5K in the future. GJ completed his first 5K in 33 minutes. He set small goals including small rewards for reaching those goals. Slowly but surely his weight started dropping. In his next 5K he dropped 2 minutes off his time and kept getting closer to his goal of getting under 200 lbs. About the time that he hit that goal he hired a training to help him work on building muscle to replace the fat. Being a fan that prides himself in his style, GJ found himself having to treat himself to a new set of suits for work. He donated the others of course knowing that he'd never be big enough to wear them again.
GJ and I have met once a week for a chance to talk about God and faith as well as keep tabs on each others lives. It seemed each week he was coming in giving me a new weight goal that he'd hit. 190 was surpassed. 180 came and GJ was sure that he'd hit what would be his lowest point. The new trainer had him doing hill repeats and weights like a mad man. The weight was falling off him so quick and his body was actually showing some signs of a muscular build! He kept up with his running with a goal to get under 30 minutes. This past fall he finished in 27 and some change. GJ kept working and is now sitting at a svelt 165. Two weeks ago, GJ set out to hit a new PR on a 5k and tore off a 24:45! I was there to see him cross the finish line and was so proud to see him sprinting at the end to finish strong.
Now for the good part. While over coffee, GJ and I have discussed my training for triathlons over the last 4 years. So I felt like this was the oppropriate time and place for me to pitch my idea to him for competing in his first tri. He thought the idea was absurd at first. You could tell that he still saw himself as the 220 lb wallflower, but the more and more that I reminded him of what he'd already accomplished he became a little more confident and gave me a promise to think about it. The next day GJ confirmed via the almighty text message that he was on board and would compete in his first tri this June. Words can't say how excited I am for him. He's going to do a race that I normally do, but I have decided to drop it and instead run support for him and cheer him on. GJ has worked so hard to get to where he is today, and I am so happy to announce to the triathlon world that we have a new athlete amoung us. I can't wait until race day!

The Forge

2008-02-18T06:05:00.000-08:00

This week, more than ever, I feel like I'm starting to put the pieces together for a strong season. Slowing but surely, I'm begining to chip away at the dross that this winter's off-season has left me with and create what I hope to be a finely tuned machine. While I'm still struggling to show any kind of speed in any of the 3 sports, I feel like the steps I'm taking are in the right direction. Overall I plan to go in with a stronger core and legs. If I learned anything while training for the marathon, it was the need to take better care of my body. That includes stretching, nutrition, and rest. I was telling a friend just yesterday that while training, I never experienced so many aches and pains in training for a Half Iron as I did training for a marathon. Considering the Half Iron takes me 2 hours longer to complete, that seems a bit off, but running can be really tough on the entire body.

This week, I'm going to be working on putting a little more speed into my game. My legs are too accustomed to running at a Mary pace, so things are going to have to change. This can only mean it's time for the dreaded hill repeats and sprint sessions. Neither of which I'm very fond of. Luckily, I live in a town full of great medium sized hills not too far from the house. The bad news is there are too many houses along the route which may lead to a few spectators seeing me lose my lunch after a few sprints. Lance Armstrong is notorious for being able to keep a stoic face on the toughest of climbs therefore not allowing his competition to tell whether or not he's struggling. I haven't quite developed that ability. My pain is usually clearly marked on my face with bright lights and neon arrows pointing at the tears and drool pouring down my chin.

No races are on the calendar just yet, just possibilities. So stayed tuned as the season unfolds.

Tail winds!

Swimming and an Award to Give Out

2008-02-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

There’s definitely more spring in my step this week than in weeks past. Not that I’ve ever been a “the glass is half empty” kind of guy, but this week I can definitely tell that my mood has changed for the better. I can only attribute this to finally being able to focus on triathlons and training for the upcoming season.
In my last post, I discussed my shameful experience on the bike where I realized just how far I’ve dropped off since last season. So now let’s talk about the first leg of the sport. I’m talking about none other than my arch nemesis from last year, swimming. Maybe it was the long lay off or maybe it is that my interests have changed, but for whatever reason the hate that I felt toward knocking out the laps has been cast aside with yesterday’s news. Back are the feelings of true love come anew. Well, let’s not go that far. I still suck at it so we’re not all that cool with each other right now. Anyway, Monday morning I joined in with a Master’s class over at the Y at 5:30 in a.m. The workout of the day included a 300 warm up, 3 sets of 75 yards with a kick board, pyramid sets of 175, 250, 325, 400, then back down again, and finally 4 sets of 50 yard sprints. Yikes. This was way more yards than I was planning on doing, but oh, what a great work out! I can’t say that I ever really got after it like this on my own. I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to join this group for every work out, but finding a group like this would be a great benefit to my swimming.
Today, I was back in the pool for a little lunch time dip. I decided that today I would work on form. I keep reading that swim speed is 80% form and 20% strength and endurance. Form is definitely my biggest weakness right now and the area that could stand the most development. My head continues to stay too high in the water causing my legs to sink too deep. And as for my legs, my kicking blows chunks too. I can’t say that I exactly perfected my form today, but strides were taken. I even found time to work on the elusive flip turn that could very well elevate me out of the “noob” status in the pool.

As for the Award, Blink has been awarded the Endurance Performance of the Week Award(hence forth known as the E-POWA) for his outstanding showing at the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler in Texas this past weekend. Blink set a new record for his age group finishing 5th over all and finishing in 7:23:06. That's not 5th over all out of 25, that's 5th overall out of 142. The dude's a stud and an endurance inspiration to us all. Check out his race report. It's well worth reading. Great job Blink, and for your efforts I'm shipping you my Mercedes Marathon T from this weekend's race. I can't seem to allow myself to wear it since I didn't race.

That's all for now. Train hard, eat right.

The Race That Wasn't

2008-02-12T06:20:00.000-08:00

Well, this past weekend was the Mercedes Marathon in B'ham. It would have been my first Mary, but due to a small family emergency I was unable to make it to the starting line. Instead, we spent the morning at the hospital seeing a family member. Big picture-everyone is ok, well, and good, and that's all that matters. Family is so much more important than any race so there was really no decision to be made at all regarding the race. On another good note, I didn't have to suffer for 3 plus hours. Woo hoo!

So where does that leave me now? Oh snap, right where I want to be. I'm so ready to become a Triathlete again. Training for the Mary was fun, but I just love the thrill of doing all three sports. So we're back to talking about triathlon stuff again.

So on that note, I did make it out mid day on Sunday for a ride. I needed to burn all these carbs I stored up for the race. It'd be a shame to let all that pure energy go to waste! The ride was the normal Tuesday night loop around town. It was absolutely gorgeous out with sunny skies and temps in the low to mid 60's. Where'd that come from? As for the ride, I'll revert back to my numerous excuses for a poor preformance such as a brake pad was rubbing, I had a head wind the whole time, or I had two flat tires. Whatever the reason, I sucked it up. The hills that I used to sprint to the top of left me sucking air and slobbering on myself. What happened to the cyclist from last year? Oh, he's hiding behind the extra sausage balls at Christmas and the late night runs to TCBY. (God bless TCBY) Yeah, so I've got my work cut out for me. It wouldn't be fun if it was easy right?

So this morning, I spent a little time in the weight room doing some cycling specific leg work outs that I've collected from my stack of endurance sport magazines. It wasn't pretty, but I'm on track.

And as for swimming? That was yesterday, but I'll save that for another post.

Tail winds!

Ash Wednesday

2008-02-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

Today is Ash Wednesday so I'll take this chance to tell about my first experience with the religious holiday. It's one story, I'll never live down.

I grew up in small town Alabama where you were either a Baptist or a Methodist. The only diversity found in our town was between the Ford enthusiasts and the Chevy enthusiasts. There was no in between. As for me, I was too involved in baseball to care. So needless to say when I moved to Birmingham for college, the extent of my sheltered life was revealed on a daily basis.

I started working the front desk at the local YMCA during the school year to earn some extra money. One day in particular, a lady came in to the Y, and I greeted her while wearing my awful hot pick YMCA issued polo shirt. I noticed that she had some kind of smudge on her forehead. Knowing she was going into the locker room and not wanting to embarrass her, I didn't mention the smudge. I figured she would see it once she looked in the mirror. Ten minutes later another person came in with a smudge on their forehead. Again, I didn't mention it, but I was like "what the heck?" I thought something must be hanging down from the ceiling hitting people in the forehead! We've gotta put a stop to it! So I proceeded to tell the Y manager and all those around what I had discovered and my fears for others coming through the door.

I will tell you that my co-workers were kind in informing me of Ash Wednesday and the simple crosses Catholics and others wore to commemorate the day. It's a cool rite, and I think of this story on this day every year. If nothing else, it reminds me that I still don't know it all.

Open Letter to the &*%$ Who Brought Cake to the Office

2008-02-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Insensitive Bastard who Brought Cake to the Office:

You're probably feeling pretty smug right now. Sitting there in your cubbie thinking you're the toast of the town. You think you've done your good deed for the day. For whatever reason, you stepped it up this weekend and decided to make a double chocolate cake to the office for everyone to enjoy. You insensitive piece of garbage. What were you thinking? Don't you know this is RACE week?? Don't you know that chocolate cake is not found anywhere on this week's diet plan? As a reknowned connoisseur of fine chocolate cakes and fine eats, I take high offense to your blatant disregard for my cravings and desires. I liken you to the types of individuals who sip margaritas while spectating an AA meeting. You probably would fit right in with those smug tanned triathletes living in San Diego as they talk about their chilly training rides in the 50's. Brrrrrrrrr! You'd probably find it easy to get along with the Paris Hilton's of the world, "Oh, damn, my diamond studded shoes are too tight." Get a grip Betty Crocker!

A Fortnight To Go

2008-01-27T19:39:00.000-08:00

Ah, time is winding down, and the day for the big race is coming soon. We're T minus 2 weeks and counting before the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham, AL. Yesterday, I went a little outside of my training regime and went a little bit longer than I was supposed to. My program had me scheduled for 16 miles, but it had been so long since I had gone 20 miles that I felt that I needed to get it in just to see how it felt. I decided against doing a big loop around town and either carrying with me or finding drinks and gels along the way. Instead, I chose a rolling five mile loop from my house. This enabled me to come to house, use the restroom, fuel up, and change a shirt from time to time instead. It worked beautifully. It felt so good to put on a dry shirt every five miles. It felt so good in fact, I've talked Lauren into meeting me every five miles or so of the race to give me a new shirt. Sounds silly, but mentally it does wonders for you. It's kind of like a transition of sorts.

Well, the 20 mile run went really well. I actually completed 20.4 after mapping it out in a time of 2:33 which is right on pace. Now whether or not I'll be able to keep the same pace up for the last 6 miles remains to be seen as I was struggling the last few miles. It's going to be a fight, but we'll see how it goes.

So now it's two weeks of easy tapering and healthy eating. My eating plan so far has gone well. I've cut down on carbs at night and am eating a little more protein to help my muscles recover.

Off subject a bit, but if you haven't already seen it, "Dan In Real Life" with Steve Carrel is AWESOME. Take your wife, girlfriend, whoever to go see this movie. Hilarious, but also feel good and cry a little too. I didn't cry of course as triathletes don't cry, but my wife did. So go see it and thank me later.

I'm out!

G.I. Distress

2008-01-23T06:10:00.000-08:00

I've been a little off this week as it seems I've developed a bit of a stomach issue. Normally, I have an iron stomach that rarely seems any flashes of trouble this side of extra spicy hotwings or extra greasy food. This week for some reason, things just aren't right.
Good news though, it had zero effect on my 2nd swim of the year yesterday. Contrary to my former posts where I spewed forth my loathing of the pool, I've actually really enjoyed just getting in the pool and putting in some work. I can't tell you how far I went or what my average pace was. It didn't matter. All I wanted to do was get in and go. I loved ever minute of it. Sometimes it takes a little time off from something for you to realize how much you miss it.
This weekend, if all goes well, I have one final long'ish run before the marathon. Hopefully, with some stomach friendly foods over the next couple of days, I'll actually feel up to completing it.

Called Out

2008-01-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know. It's been like a million years since I've posted. For those that are still checking in, I apologize. There are a million excuses, none of which matter a hill of beans when it comes down to it. Thanks to Crash for calling me out and getting my butt in gear.
I have recognized one thing about blogging, especially Tri-blogging. It's a bit like an accountability group. I don't feel like I've been on top of my game as of late as it seems all of my local tri friends have settled in for the winter. I take that back. My good friend Daniel is keeping it strong. Again my apologies. So until the local yocals get their act together, I'm posting my victories and defeats in training on line for the world (all 4 of you) to see.
So what the heck has been going on eh? Work fo sho! Work has been sucking every bit of life out of me during the day. Luckily, I've been doing my workouts before work. My mornings start at 5:30 am for a trip over to the Y for a little pre-work exercise. I've drastically cut down the miles I'm running during the week to give my body some rest for my long run on the weekends. I'm currently 19 days out from my first Marathon on Feb 10th. I have just two long runs left then it's race time! I'm looking forward to it, but a little nervous at the same time. My original pace goal is out the window. It's going to be a bit slower I fear, but no worries. I'm in it for the experience.
During these last couple of weeks, I'm really starting to watch my nutrition a bit more and concentrate on being at race weight come Feb 10th. I have a little work today as the holidays were definitely celebrated here in B'ham.
More posts to come. I promise. Take care.

Marathon Preparation

2007-12-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Good gosh almighty it’s getting close to Christmas time. Lauren has the house all decked out and ready for Santa to come and deliver my new Zipp Wheels and Zoot Wetsuit. Yeah, probably won’t see either of those underneath the tree this year. In fact, I think the only thing Tri related that I put on my list was a Nike + attachment for my ipod. Where are my priorities? Either that, or I’ve spent way too much money on acquiring Tri junk that I couldn’t possibly fit anymore in my closet. Never! There’s always room for more Tri junk!
You know, with more and more Christmas parties moving toward the Dirty Santa gift idea, it’d be kinda cool to do something like that with all this extra Tri junk that I’ve accumulated. Water bottles, bottle cages, half empty (or half full for the optimists out there) canisters of Perpetuem powder, Jerseys, E-Z laces, tire pumps, etc… Wow, they seemed so needed at the time. Now, not so much.
It’s been another good week of running in preparation for the Mercedes Marathon in February. This past weekend’s 21 miler left me hurting for a few days, but I was back at it this week. Per Paul’s (err Recovering Runner) request, here’s what my typical week looks like.

Sunday – recover (off to a good start eh?)
Monday – cross train – core exercises, light weights
Tuesday – track work – ½ mile sprints at 2:50 pace
Wednesday – Easy 6-7 miler – nice and slow on a treadmill to force a slow pace
Thursday – Tempo Run – 7-8 miler – try to keep a 7:00 pace
Friday – rest and recovery
Saturday – Long run – this week is only 16 woo hoo! Race pace is the goal – 7:17

My schedule has my long runs looking like this in the coming weeks: 16, 18, 22, 16, 18, 22, 14, 10, Race!

That’s all for now. Peace on Earth. Good Will and all that stuff.

Tell Me You've Seen This! OMG

2007-12-12T06:15:00.001-08:00

This is featured in your blogger login page. Coolest thing I've seen since learning to gleak. It's long but worth it. Wait till the guitar solo!

What have I been doing with myself?

2007-12-07T20:05:00.002-08:00

Yeah well, I stepped away from blogger for a bit. Believe me, it's not due to any love lost for you fine folks, but rather for the lack of anything worth posting going on. How do you write about the monotony of pounding out mile after mile in training for a marathon? God bless all who have the ability to eek out a few post worthy words from daily running. There are some that do it quite well and we're all thankful.

As it typical for any and all this time of year, life has gotten a little busier. Lauren and I are both being careful not to schedule too much of our week so that we're feeling too stressed or pulled in too many directions. Throughout the holiday season, it has gotten a little harder to find time to get my runs in. I'm mixing up my runs between morning runs and after work runs. It usually depends on my mood or the temp in the morning. Morning temps have been in and around the 30's as of late, but this weekend was in the high 40's with highs in the afternoon around 70. Weird. I did experience a really cool run the other night after work. As you can see below, I put on my reflective wear and headlamp and went for a run through the Tiny Kingdom.

Probably one of the coolest runs I've had to date. Running in the pitch black made the 8 mile run go by so quickly. It was a total blast, but a little tougher on the body due to the unexpected dips and changes in the road. Taking unexpected jars worked me a little harder than I would have liked but it was totally worth it.

Saturday I scheduled my longest run to date, a 21 miler. The goal today was to not set any records but to just get the distance in. I felt great for the first 17 or so, then I could feel my shoulders start to slump a little and my body started to wear down. After a while it felt like someone was pushing down on me the whole time. But the good news is that I finished and finished strong at that. 6.2 miles to go to the goal. Thankfully, next week's long run is a few miles shorter. Will work on speed then.

That's all for now. Hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday season. As cliche' as it's become, don't forget the Reason for the season and remember those serving our country who won't be able to see their families this Christmas. Take care and thanks for reading.

Christmas vacation

2007-12-07T20:05:00.001-08:00

Probably my favorite moment from this tireless classic. Definitely top 5 movie rants of all time. Merry Christmas to all!

In Keeping with the Movie Theme - Rocky

2007-11-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

Mickey: Why do you have to wear that stinkin' sweat suit?

Rocky Balboa: It brings me luck, you know?

Mickey: Brings you luck. I'll tell you what it brings - it brings FLIES! Now here's what I want you to do - I want you to chase this little chicken.

Rocky Balboa: Hey yo, Mick, what do I got to chase a chicken for?

Mickey: First, because I said so. And second, is because chicken-chasing is how we used to train back in the old days. If you can catch this thing, you can catch greased lighting.

Rocky Balboa: Well, I'll do it if you say so, but it ain't very mature.

Mickey: Yeah, well NEITHER ARE YOU, very mature!

You can never get enough of Rocky, admit it. Despite the over dramatic scenes and seemingly predictable endings (What? You mean Rocky pulled it out again in the end?), the Rocky series provides tons, I mean tons, of good motivational quotes. Not to mention the funny ones aimed to point out that The Rock may have taken a few too many to the head.

Gazo: How's about investing in condominiums? It's safe.

Rocky Balboa: Condominiums?

Gazo: Yeah, condominiums.

Rocky Balboa: I never use 'em.

But what we see in the first quote is Mick attempting to get Rocky in shape for his fight. Both have their own unconventional beliefs about what works. Rocky has his lucky sweat suit while Mick has his old fashioned chicken chasing workout. Both believe strongly in them because they are reliable, a little off but reliable.

I’ve gone down both roads. I’ve worn clothes and shoes out until there are holes in both, and now I noticed that in all of my tri pics I have the same hat on. Go ahead and look up at my header. All the same hat. It's blue and fits the noggin perfectly. I’ve got to give it it’s due. It’s been a good hat. It’s made by Sweatvac and does a pretty good job at living up to it’s name, but it’s time for a change. I recently picked up a new Zoot Sports visor that I’ll sport as long as the weather is nice. It’s going to take some breaking in, but I’m sure it’ll do nicely. It may even smell a little better. You never know.

As for the second part of the quote, I’ve run the same route through the neighborhood so many times that I think that I could do it blindly. There are a couple of established routes throughout town that are hot spots for runners throughout the week, and I’ve used them both way too much. It’s gotten a little old chasing the same chicken. It’s time for a change. It's time for a new chicken. With as much running as I’ve been doing it’s merely a matter of keeping my sanity and fighting off the monotony. So with this, I sign off and head over to mapmyrun.com to look for a few more routes. Thanks for reading!

Marathon Training Update for the week of Nov 5 - 11
Mon – Core and strength
Tues – Track work – 3 miles total
Wed – 5 easy (40 min)
Thurs – 7 tempo (7:10)
Fri – Core and strength
Sat – Rest
Sun – 14.5 miles – 1:46:20 (7:20 pace)
Total miles – 29.5

"Run Forrest! Run!"

2007-11-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

"That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going." Forrest Gump

And that’s how it feels sometimes. I’m in my 2nd full week of training for the Mercedes Marathon and things are going quite well. It’s seems a little easy to be truthful. It’s certainly less time consuming than trying to work on three disciplines. My body has responded well to doing less work even though the work that I am doing is a little more stressful on the knees and joints. There are no aches or pains to speak of so far which I can only attribute to keeping the weekly miles in check. I can’t say enough about my shoes either. My Brooks Racer ST’s are fantastic. They are light weight flats with plenty of support and comfort for the long runs.

Mentally, things are good. I worried coming into this that I’d get too bored to finish 26.2 miles. At least with Tri’s, I get to feed my ADD tendencies by changing sports twice during the race. I do though break the rules of “A True Runner” by staying plugged in on my ipod. There are some diehards that are against it, but for me it gives me an option of either getting lost in Johnny Cash or my own thoughts by turning it off. There is of course something to be said about listening to your own footfalls and breathing on a chilly morning.

This weekend, Lauren and I are headed down to the beach for a quick weekend trip. This is the first time in a while that I haven’t taken my bike with me. Sadly, it’s had to take a back seat for a while. NOT FOR LONG THOUGH! It still calls me daily. Take care and thanks for reading.

"Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running! "

What Do You See Here?

2007-10-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a little concerned about this logo. It's for a group in the UK that strives to ensure that disabled individuals are able to have access to fitness equipment. It's a noble cause through and through. No one's doubting that. I do take issue though with their logo. I took me a minute to figure out what it was actually supposed to be rather than what it appears to be. So my suggestion to the logo designer: add legs (plural). Proper form dictates that the individual have his or her feet shoulder width apart. That is unless the individual only has one leg, which in this cause is very possible.

As for training, yes training! I've been pounding the pavement this week in efforts to ramp up my mileage and speed. This weekend I'm doing 14 miles just a bit slower than race pace. We'll see how it goes.

After that Lauren and I are headed up to Lake Guntersville to go camping with my folks. Should be fun as the temps are getting into the 50's. Take care and thanks for reading.

And Let it Begin....Again

2007-10-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Well, the off season was fun. Now it's time to get back to work. I've targeted the Mercedes Marathon here in Birmingham on Feb. 10th to be my first attempt at the distance. It's hard to believe because February seems so far away, but it's only 16 weeks out. I've got my work cut out for me as I'm going to need to work on speed a bit. I know, I know it's a marathon, but I've got a goal. The pace I trained at for the 1/2 IM is a bit slower than what I want to push for the mary. So needless to say, it's back to the track for a little speed work.

Here's some good news to go along with that. I have a new "running" partner. I say "running" because I'm the only one running while she is riding this:

Last week, we bought Lauren a bike to cruise around the neighborhood on. It's a Trek 7100 and it's perfect. So far, we've only logged 11 miles together, but it's a great way to spend time with the wife while getting some exercise in. She looks totally cute wearing the bike helmet too, so that's a plus.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

Caesar's Big Day

2007-10-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is Caesar Augustus. He's 8 years old, but believes he's still 2. After yesterday, I'm going to bet that he's feeling his age today. Caesar had quite the adventurous day. Yesterday for lunch, I decided to give the fat boy a little exercise. Typically, Caesar's exercise consists of walks after work, but today I decided to take him on a run instead. As is typical, upon hearing the jingling of the leash Caesar began his springing up and down routine in excitement. Oh, if he only knew. Once I wrestled with him enough to get the leash attached, we took off. Caesar was doing his best greyhound chasing the rabbit impersonation, while I pulled back on the reins like I was Wyatt Earp driving a stage coach. This lasted for the first mile which we did in about 7 minutes. Then old man hit a wall. He was cooked. Fat tongue and all, Caesar slowed to a walking pace. I tried to encourage him to keep going, but the run was looking more like a drag now. I tried to encourage him on, but he just kept shooting me side glances that said it all. We made it back to the house completing the two mile loop in 18 minutes. I patted him on the head, gave him some fresh water, and told him that we'd have to improve upon that preformance so rest up. He thankfully watched me put the leash up and head out to finish the run on my own.

That night, I came home to not one but two dogs in my back yard. A neighbor's 6 month old dog, Scout, had dug a hole under our fence and made his way over for a visit. Caesar, seemingly totally recovered from his 2 mile run, chased Scout around the yard, throwing the pine straw from my flower beds everywhere, and humping poor Scout when advantage could be won. It's a show of dominance, nothing more. If you'll recall this post, you'll know why.

Later than night Caesar received visit from another friend's dog. This dog was a bit bigger and not so easily won over. After a couple of hours together, I thought for sure Caesar was done for the night. Not so.

I woke up this morning to find my back gate open and no dog. It was 6:15 in the morning, and I was headed to the gym. This would have to wait. After a few whistles and no dog, I drove around the neighborhood. No luck. This is never a good feeling. I could see Caesar being hauled away by the dog catcher which only results in me having to bail him out for $50. This has happened before. To my surprise, after a few calls, Caesar came lumbering down the street. A big smile on his face like he'd been living it up. I'm sure he had. No doubt cats had been chased, dogs behind fences had been taunted, and yards had been violated. I did a quick search to see if any of my neighbors' trash had been Caesarized, but we were good. I escorted the escapee back behind the fence and double checked the gate. He looked thoroughly pleased with himself after a very eventful 24 hours. Maybe now he'll get some sleep.

Growing Hair

2007-10-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

That's about all I'm doing right now; in more ways than one. I promised Lauren that as soon as the season was over that I'd let the hair on my legs grow back out. Fine by me! I hated shaving them anyway. I'm not on the bike as much so no need to keep the legs nice and slick. Problem is, I'm two weeks in and you can barely tell a difference. I'm just not a hairy guy.

Which brings me to my second situation. Now this can only occur in an office of young guys who are just immature enough to want to do this. We've been talking about it for a month now. It is now just possible for us to pull it off. We're done for a while meeting with clients, and there are no speaking engagements on the horizon. So we have this window of opportunity. We're having a mustache growing competition. Now, go back up to the first paragraph and read, "I'm just not a hairy guy." Can you guess how my stache is progressing after four days? There are freshman in high school with more of a mustache than me right now. We have just over 2 weeks to grow the most ridiculous Magnum P.I. that we can come up with. Judging will be based on style, presentation, and showmanship. Thankfully, it's not on thickness. I'll be sure to post a pick once the competition is over. I have no doubt that I'll bring sexy back to the mustache!

Off Season Update

2007-10-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hello all, I writing to you today from my home town of Birmingham, AL for the first time in a month. I'm also heavily entrenched in the post-season and loving it. I've been out of town twice since my 1/2 on Sept 30th so I'm looking forward to enjoying a bit of normalcy to my schedule and life. The good news about traveling so much, I've had killed a number of hours in the hotel room, at the airport, and on an airplane reading to my heart's content.

I've managed just a couple of runs in the last two weeks due to traveling, but during each run I've had to turn it down a notch due to some pain in my calf. Don't know what that's all about, but it must be some lingering effects from the half. I'm looking forward to getting into a consistent work out routine during the fall and winter though. No doubt my workouts will be less focused and intense, but they won't be without cause. Hopefully, if all goes well I'll complete my first Marathon sometime in January or February. I'm excited about the prospect and will be making an attempt to qualify for Boston if not in this race then later in the year. We'll see how long I can keep that dream alive before I realize it's futility. You can dream right? I'm going to give it a go though.

On another note, it was 49 degrees this morning! Wow, is it time for the arm warmers yet?

SC Half Ironman - The Long Version

2007-10-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Lauren and I left for Greenwood, SC on Saturday which was the day before the race. Greenwood, so I've learned is becoming quite a hotbed for Triathlons. It hosts no fewer than 5 events a year. That night we happened upon what I believe to be the only Italian joint in town, because as soon as I walked in, there were more shaved legs than you'd find at a Miss America pageant. Every table in the joint was dotted with racers wearing their favorite race tees and talking about gear and the Ironman. I'd come to the right place.

Race morning started at 4:15. I had oatmeal and a PB & J sandwich. It's been my breakfast of choice before my long bricks so I wasn't going to waver now. I stepped outside the hotel to find that the temp had dropped to 54 degrees during the night. What the heck? They expected me to swim in this? Lauren just about revolted at that point. Before we left, we picked up a stranded racer at the hotel for a helping of good race kharma. With that under my belt, I knew it'd be a good day.

During my transition area set-up, I had a weird calm about me. Usually before a race, I have this nervous anticipation. This time there was no sense of urgency, no fears of what if this happens. There was just calm. It did bother me a bit because I knew I would need adrenalin at some point to keep me going. But, I took it as a good sign that I would be able to pace myself and make good decisions.

The Swim: Luckily the water turned out to be warmer than the outside air. It was 76 degrees which meant wetsuits would be legal which meant nothing to me. I didn't have one. Everyone else seemingly had come prepared and took full advantage. I swore that if I ever do one of these again, I want one. It's a huge advantage, and I need all the help I can get. Why is that? Oh yeah, it's because I absolutely suck in open water swims. It's not that I get tired or off course. It's more that I get distracted and keep looking to see how far I have to go. Time after time, I put up decent times in the pool, only to come out and put up a 42 minute swim. And that's how I started. It didn't bother me though, because that was the hard part. All I had to do now was ride and run.

T1: Nothing fancy, but a long run from the beach and trouble with my bike shirt put me getting out of T1 in just over 2 minutes. Not great.

The Bike: As usual, here's where I make up my time. I spent the first two miles making myself hoarse from yelling "on your left!" All of the racers who could swim faster than me struggled to find their land legs and peddle their bikes. Don't know how many I passed, but it just rang home the truth about how slow I swim.
I had decided early on that I wasn't going to kill it on the bike this time. During my last 1/2, I burned way too many matches on the bike. This time, I planned on keeping a 20.5 mph average. I had some early alarms go off during miles 5-12 when I was barely keeping my pace above 19 mph. It was then that I remembered looking at an elevation chart of the course and knew that this was a tough stretch. I also recalled that the road flattens out a bit and that better roads lay ahead. By mile 15 I'd pushed my speed up to where I wanted it. Also at mile fifteen, I'd decided I would take in a energy bar. I'd chosen a Hammer Bar because the package was easy to tear open. Note to self, taste the bar before using it in a race. The taste wasn't so bad, it was the consistency that made me want to hurl. I felt like I was 7 years old again and my mom was feeding me corn beef hash. I managed to get one bite down, but that was all I could do. I couldn't take another bite. I knew this would put me in calorie deficiency so I relied on the powergels I had with me.
Throughout the rest of the ride, I continued to pass a lot and get passed by a few. My legs felt nice and strong until about mile 45 when all I wanted was to get off the bike. Because it was at that point that we made one last turn that put us riding into a stiff wind all the way up to the park's entrance. I felt like I was going backwards. It totally zapped whatever momentum I was feeling as I ended my bike. Final time was 2:45.

T2: Left my shoes on the bike. Helmet off, visor and running shoes on and I'm gone. 1:09.

The Run: I looked at my watch. It read a total time of 3:31. My goal was to finish in 5:30 so I knew all I had to do was to put up a two hour half. I was going to try and get under that if at all possible. I felt like I had the energy to do it too. The run consisted of a two loop course. It made it difficult to tell who was in which portion of the race. I decided not to worry about it and just run my race. The first few miles were perfect. I averaged an 8:30 pace up until mile four. I made sure to take in plenty of fluids and a gel when I could. I could feel the legs were starting to tire. I made my first lap at 4:27. I had 6.6 miles to go and I had an hour to do it. My first urge to walk hit just after mile 7. I gave in for a second, but found that a slow jog felt just as good and was twice as fast. At mile 8 I decided to see what I could do, but I found that it wasn't much. I put up a 9 minute mile and realized that I was going down hill quickly. The body was wearing down the legs were exhausted.
I made it to mile 12 and knew I was close (1. to finishing and 2. to collapsing). After what seemed like an eternity, a volunteer said, "good job! only .6 left to go!" I just about quit. I'd run the entire last mile and after 7 minutes she was telling me .6 miles still lay ahead of me??? There were people of ahead of me on either side of the course so I kept going out of pride. I followed the markers another 300 feet or so when I looked to my left and up this steep incline was the finish line, 30 feet away. .6 miles my ass!!! What was she thinking? I stumbled my way up the hill and crossed the line feeling like I'd cheated the course. I felt like at any moment someone was going to tell me I had another loop to do. But alas, I was done and I finished under 5:30 by 30 seconds. Whew!

Three days later, I still a little sore. Sunday night and Monday were rough, but already I feeling the desire to strap on the running shoes and head out for a while. The season is over, and it's been a good one. I've come a long way since last October when I decided to start actually training for Triathlons. Through the help of Transitions Multi Sport, I had a great season and set a PR at every distance for each race I entered. I've met some incredible people in person and on-line. My wife said it best this weekend, when she said commented that the people at races are so nice. She said we all have this common bond we enjoy and want to share this happiness with each other.

I'm not done with training for the year, though you will find me spending more Saturday mornings with my wife and eating chocolate cake and ice cream a little more often. Thanks for reading.

South Carolina Half Ironman

2007-09-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Just a short version of the race report for now. I'll try to get a full one up a bit later.

I will point out that being well feed prior to and during the race today made the difference between this race the my prior 1/2 back in June. The result was being able to finish the run this time without walking the majority of the race. Today's result was a 5:29:30 finish which I'm pretty happy with. Back in June I posted a 5:49 due to a total meltdown on the run. This year I was a little smarter, and a lot more relaxed. I'm hurting a lot worse right now, but it was well worth it.

Lauren and I drove over to Charleston, SC for a few days to celebrate our TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY (which is Oct 1st). So, if time permits, I'll get a full report up later. Take care and thanks for reading.

Traveling Man

2007-09-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 4:44 pm. (The phone rings and interrupts Matt from tweaking his fantasy team)
Matt: Hello
Client: Can you go to Sacramento?
Matt: (in head -SHEEEEEEEET!) Sure, what's going on?
Client: We need you to put on the superman cape. Do you still have it?
Matt: I think I have it, but it's a little loose. You see, I've been training for this Half IM this weekend and I've lost a little weight.
Client: So, can you be there tonight?
Matt: (SHEEEEEEEET!)
Client: Hello? Matt?
Matt: Yes, I'll get there as soon as possible.

Yeah, after being going to Chicago all of last week, I find myself flying the friendly skies again. Sacramento, CA on the eve of my final race for the year. Loving it. At least, Sacramento is a cool town. I had a little time this afternoon to check out the downtown area and found it quite attractive. I stumbled upon two bike shops which I give both two thumbs DOWN for not carrying 1 Tri bike. Not 1! Granted this is mainly a fat tire town so I can understand a little, but not 1? Come on.

Taper week has been good. Dedicated as always and fastidious in my nutrition plan for the week. Protein day sounds really cool, but it blows mad donkey chunks. I struggle with protein day, but I believe in the science and believe in the plan. The body has felt good all week. I was a little sore after Sunday's brick, but body feels loose and ready.

4 more days till the victory lap.

1 Week To Go

2007-09-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

I've been just about as absent from blogger for the past few weeks as Auburn's offense has been during the first few games of this young college football season. The only excuse I can offer for myself is that I've been fairly busy. This past week I visited the great city of Chicago for a work convention. I'd never spent much time in the city, especially not in the downtown area, and I can honestly say I was quite impressed. I heard several friends comment on just how clean everything looked. I had to agree. I went out for a run early one morning and found a sweet bike and running trail along the shore of the Great Lake. There were tons of runners and cyclists out getting their exercise in. For the most part, the bikes were beaters and only used as commuters, but I did see a few equipped with aero bars and racing wheels. I had to laugh at a few coming by with arm warmers on. It was no where near chilly enough for that. Maybe they were just a little over anxious for the coming fall weather?
I was lucky enough to stay in the beautiful Chicago Hilton. Other than being close to a the running trail, the Hilton's most impressive feature was their 3 lane swimming pool. Thank you! It's so rare to find one in a hotel so I took full advantage when I had time.
Now, I'm back in Birmingham with my feet propped up watching football. I have 1 week to go until the season ending Half Iron in SC. Tomorrow is my last long day on the bike and on the run. I'll go 3 hrs on the bike followed by a ten mile run. After that, it should be an easy week of staying loose and eating right.
Check back for the game plan.

I Still Remember 9/11

2007-09-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

God bless the families who lost loved ones 6 years ago today. God bless those who have lost friends and family members serving our country. May God bless our continued efforts to find a resolution to the war in Iraq. May God grant us the courage to endure the labor pains of freedom. May we look to God for direction in making decisions and trust in His soveriegnty. Thank you God for my freedom and those who have fought and died for this right.

3 WEEKS TO GO

2007-09-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend marked 3 weeks to go until my Half IM at the end of the month. If this past weekend's weather is any indication of how it'll be for the race, I'd be ecstatic. For the first time in many months, we had a cool, well let's back up a bit, a non-hot breeze blow through Birmingham. A buddy of mine and I headed out around 6 am on Saturday for a 50 mile ride feeling fairly energized by the crispness in the air. All good things must come to an end though. The 75 degree pleasure soon gave way to 95 degrees of pain.

Given that our ride was 50 miles we had a chance to hit all the usually hot spots for cycling; Old Leeds, Powerman Course, Rex Lake, Ruffner etc. There were tons of cyclists out which is always nice to see. After the ride, we hit the road again for a 13 mile run. We did it in a two loops with a stop by a service station in the middle so we could stay hydrated. Again, tons of runners out. The parking lot we chose to start from was absolutely packed at 5:50 am of runners and cyclists heading out. It was crazy.

Both the bike and the run went really well. I had written out a nutrition plan for both and stuck to it. 13 miles is a lot easier when you have the necessary calories in the tank. I'm getting better at managing to steer and eat an endurance bar while on the bike. It's not pretty, but I'm getting it down. Overall, I was very encouraged by this weekend's results. Now I'm on for a taper. Going to enjoy the ride. Best wishes to all.

Currently Reading: The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell and The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen.
Currently Listening to: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter and Back to Black by Amy Winehouse.

Wanted: MOJO

2007-09-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

So I've been a little awol from blogger for the better part of a week. Not a hiatus by any stretch of the imagination, but nonetheless, it's definitely been a break. Also missing have been my research on anything tri related, my constant planning for my next big brick, or my concerns for nutrition. It seems that I've lost of little bit of my drive, my excitement, or as super secret agent Austin Powers might say, Mojo.
I've got one race left to go, a half IM at the end of this month. The days are counting down quickly, although it still seems like forever away. My workouts have been fairly consistent but a little lackluster. It seems that everything that went right earlier this summer has suddenly decided to flip flop on me. Two flat tubes, 1 bent wheel, 1 cut tire, two blistered ankles, a cyclometer on the fritz, 1 infected ear (again!), and two tired legs. I know tired legs is common, but they just seem to be extra tired these days. In response, I've taken a few days off here and there to rest up. It seems to do the trick as my long training days after a rest day are always much stronger.
Along with these mechanical and physical issues, my desire just isn't what it used to be. It's coming down to the end of the season and to tell you the truth I'm ready for it. I'm ready to ride and run for the enjoyment of it. (Notice I didn't include swimming - although I sincerely doubt that I'll give it up over the off season).
BUT!, what I'm not ready to do is to put in a lackluster effort for my half IM. I'm still looking to score a PR so my training continues. I just need a little pick me up. A little Mojo. I'm on the hunt. Thanks for reading.

Update and Product Of the Month

2007-08-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

For a while now, there’s been a definite every Monday that I could count on. It’s not the dread of having to face another work week although I’ve certainly felt that at times. It’s not knowledge that it’s yet another Monday night that I’m not going to be able to watch one of the best shows to air in a long time, HEROES! That time is coming to an end soon thankfully. No, what it is though, it’s the after effects of a long weekend of training. For me that comes in the way of tired and sore legs. It’s been a Monday morning norm for the better part of this year. It’s the kind of tired that you can feel just sitting in your chair. The kind that makes you walk just a little funny or take a little extra time in getting out of your car, and I’m feeling it today.

Overall I had a good training weekend. Due to some work constraints I had a couple of days off toward the middle of last week so I felt fairly good going into the weekend. Saturday, I was up at the crack of dawn for my scheduled 2000 yard swim out at Oak Mtn. After that I rushed over to meet a group leaving for a ride from one of the local bike shops. This is a “no one gets dropped” ride, but it typically turns out to be fairly fast paced and difficult. About 13 miles into the ride, I was leading the pack and started to slow down for a turn. The guy behind was turned around looking back and didn’t see me slow down. Our wheels met and a clash of spokes and skewer knobs ensued. We both stayed up right, but our ride was over. Both of our wheels were warped due to the bent spokes. We both laughed it off thankful that we were ok, but down deep inside, I was truly thankful that my ride was over and that I could go eat. A bacon egg and cheese sandwich was on my mind after that. After a pick up and quick visit to the bike shop, we were both good as new.

Sunday started with a 45 mile ride. A small storm rolled in plenty of clouds and humidity, but no real rain. The clouds made for nice cover from the normal blistering sun. Following the ride, I made a quick change and knocked out 10.5 miles. Legs felt great, endurance felt great. I can attribute Sunday’s success to two things, fresh legs and nutrition. One day it’ll hit home how important nutrition is and that I need to practice it every time I train. It makes such a difference.

With that, I give you my Product Of the Month – The Gatorade Energy Bar. They carry 260 calories and 46 grams of carbs. These stats are great, but the reason I picked this bar as my P.O.M. is the ease at which I can open the wrapper while on the bike and that the bar itself is easy to chew. I’ve struggled mightily with opening sun-warmed Powerbars only to find out that the biggest struggle would come in chewing it up enough to get it down my gullet. Nothing gets me out of breath quicker than trying to chew and swallow something while on the bike. The Gatorade Energy Bar’s consistency is like that of a rice crispy cake, but watch out, an errant piece of rice crispy can get stuck in your throat causing worse problems. Solution.... flush with your favorite beverage. That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.

New CD and Update City

2007-08-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Currently listening to Josh Ritter's new CD - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. His prior records are phenomenal, and I'm so stoked to have this new one to pour over. I'll attempt to get some sound bites up if possible.
Update, update: still focused on one more 1/2 Iron on Sept 30th. The workouts are a little more focused and a little more intense. I'm currently nursing some tired legs. I'm looking forward to a day off tomorrow. Tonight was the regular Tuesday night group ride and it was pretty obvious I was a little tired. I kept falling off the back and having to fight my way back up. It's embarrassing, but just the way it goes sometimes.
For the last year or so, drivers and cyclists have been in a small war here in The Ham. Cyclists are fighting for their rights to share the road while drivers are writing into the local papers to complain about cyclists taking over the road, blocking traffic, and failing to obey stop signs. Cyclists are writing in as well complaining about careless drivers endangering their lives. Tonight I was able to see examples of both. It's ugly and scary at the same time. Near misses and could've beens are too close for me. I'd love to see our city designate some funds for bike lanes along less traveled roads. Believe me, in Alabama, we have 'em.
With major apologies to my summer loving wife, I think I'm ready for some cooler weather. I do recognize that this undoubtedly means that I'll have to face the torture of my Lauren's cold toes in bed each night, but it'd be worth it to feel a bit of a chill in the air. Until this past Friday, The Ham had seen 10 consecutive days of 100+ degrees temps. I don't want to hear anyone chime in from AZ about their temps. You choose to live in the desert, and you get some mountains and the grand canyon. So no complaining. It's not supposed to be like that here. There's no reason for it to be hotter than what sweet tea can cure. It's the South. That's just the way that it is.
Until later, my best to you all. Thanks for reading.

TAGGED

2007-08-20T06:13:00.001-07:00

Well, I've been putting it off, but since Molly and Paul both tagged me, I guess I'd better get to work. Here goes:

Job's I've Held: Cook at KFC, Nursing Assist in an ER, Runner for a law firm, YMCA, Dental Assistant, Insurance Agent (current)

Movies I can Watch Over & Over: Snatch, All Tom Hanks movies, Gladiator, Old School.

Guilty Pleasures: TCBY, beer, hotdogs, hot wings

Places I Have Lived: I've pretty much stayed in the Birmingam, AL metro area (that sounds so boring)

Shows I Enjoy: Lost, Heroes, Survivorman, Dirty Jobs, History Channel, The Office

Vacation Spots: Glacier National Park, Banff N.P., Perdido Key Beach, Appalachian Mtns.

Favorite Foods: Did I mention TCBY?, Chicken and Dumplings, Pork Chops, Real Mashed Potatoes, Coffee (it's a food item right?)

Websites I Visit Daily: SI.com, Tri-fuel, Raceathlete, all of the blogs on the right, Forbes.com

Body Parts I have Injured: Broken Arm, busted eardrum (current)

Awards I've Won: A few podium finishes this year, perfect attendance award in 8th Grade, that's about it.

Nicknames I've Been Called: D, Big D, Ronald Mc Denton, (My full name is Ronald Matthew Denton)

Look closely - I don't remember this guy

2007-08-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

Today I received an email from Brightroom Photography that the pics from the Mountain Lakes Tri are up for viewing and purchase. (Sorry Brightroom, I just ripped off one of your photos). Well, I'm scanning the pics and as usual none of them are worth buying as I usually have an odd look on my face, but I did happen to notice something in this pic.

I don't remember this guy. Not the bumble bee behind me. The next guy. The weird naked guy behind him. I don't remember seeing him on the run. Maybe that's what all the cheering was about.

Thoughts During Training

2007-08-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

After this past Saturday's sprint finale, my workouts will now be decidedly longer and more focused on the 1/2 at the end of September. This plan started early on Sunday with a 10 mile run and has continued each day with extended sessions in the pool and on the bike. It's during these longer sessions that I have the chance to actually think and chew on things that I haven't been able to do during more speed oriented sessions.
When my training has been more focused on sprint distance races, my mind is usually focused on the burning in my legs or my lungs. I'm focused on making it to the next light pole on a sprint or staying under a certain time in the pool. My mind goes numb to conserve energy that my legs might need you might say. It kind of shuts down, and that's good to some extent. But now, since distance is more of the focus rather than speed, my mind has woken up and has started stretching it's "legs" again.
Lance Armstrong, who one might say was one of the fiercest competitors in cycling, was asked what he thought about during those long training rides. He replied, "Well, I think about the bike and my ride." That's not me.
Given the right road conditions, the bike is the last thing that's on my mind. Now I do have my days where I just relax and listen to the easy hum of my cadence or my foot falls, but mostly I'm hashing out conflicts, thoughts, or unresolved issues. I've come up with few blog topics along the way as well. Some have been published, and some were better kept to myself.
After sinking myself deeply into training for the last year, I have learned that I'm able to be a better husband after my workouts. Be it for feeling like I've accomplished something for the day, or because I've been able to clear up my head. It seems to take the edge off a bit. Whatever the reason, training has become a psychiatrist's couch for me. Thoughts, feelings, heartache, the good and the bad all find their way to the table. Training has been good for the heart (and gut) as well as the soul.
Now, I have been lucky in that there are very few "issues" that have come my way. For the most part, my life and my marriage have been fairly charmed. I praise God for that. That's His doing not mine. So as of late, my thoughts have generally fairly light hearted.
So, I'm really interested to hear what the general consensus says about where their mind is during training. Are you solely thinking about the task at hand or are you pondering the latest twist on last season's Lost? Are you focused on pace and cadence or are you bouncing around ideas on relationships or matters of faith? Give me a few words if you feel comfortable or just answer the poll on the right. As always, thanks for reading.

Right Now, This Doesn't Sound Like Fun At All

2007-08-14T10:03:00.001-07:00

Here's a typical training schedule for Justin Daerr, an age-group triathlete. In the 2004 Hawaii Ironman he was the first American amateur in only his third Ironman-distance race. See if you could hang with his program.

Throughout the triathlon season my training schedule is continually changing. During the early part of the year my coach, Joe Friel, and I focus more on strength training and skills. I still spend a fair amount of time on the road, on the trails and in the pool, but the overall intensity of the sessions is low. After a solid strength foundation has been established I begin to ramp up the volume of my training along with the intensity. During this Base period of training I am swimming, biking and running nearly twice as much as in the previous Prep period. Strength training is no longer the primary focus, but is instead put into a maintenance mode. Aerobic volume has now become the number one priority. The Base period of my training ended this year before I headed off to Boulder, Colo. on Memorial Day weekend. Throughout this summer I have been incorporating more challenging sessions that revolve around race-specific intensity. No week looks identical to the last, but the following weekly schedule is fairly close to what you might see me doing during the 2005 summer in Boulder.
Monday: Today is a longer aerobic day, but the intensity doesn't generally leave me feeling wiped. I start with a 4-5K session in the 50-meter pool followed by a 45-60 minute aerobic run. After eating and possibly napping I head out for a 3-4 hour ride in the Boulder flats.
Tuesday: This day's main goal is some faster running on the track. I do some sessions that involve much faster running than I would ever see in an Ironman, but it helps my overall run economy. I also swim 4-5K afterwards, but it usually involves some easier sets. I end this day with strength training.
Wednesday: My favorite day: 5K in the pool with some harder efforts, followed by a 5-6 hour ride in the mountains. Lots of climbing and plenty of beautiful scenery.
Thursday: Lighter day. Normal swimming, easy two-hour ride and an easy 45-60 minute run. Friday: I tend to do my longest swim and run of the week today: 5-6K in the pool with harder efforts and a two-hour run in the hills in the afternoon.
Saturday: Very, very little. The main purpose of today is to recover.
Sunday: A two-hour ride with 90 minutes of higher intensity riding followed by a 30 minute tempo run off the bike. In the afternoon I may do an easy swim before doing it all over again on Monday.

Amateur? When does he work?

Mountain Lakes Sprint - Race Report

2007-08-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the Mountain Lakes Triathlon in Guntersville, AL. It's the AL State Sprint Championship so all of the big boys show up to see how they compare. This is the second year I've competed in this race. Earlier this year, I reconned this course in the Marshall County Du held in the same location so I felt pretty comfortable with the layout of the race.

The morning began at 4:00 am. Lauren and I stay with my parents 30 minutes north of the race site in a camper on Lake Guntersville. Nothing says comfort like a pull out sleeper sofa in a camper. I made it over to the race site a little early to ease some of the stress. There were 896 participants signed up for this race so I wanted to get there early to get a good parking spot and get set up. I had plenty of friends in this race so it was cool to be able to see them before the start without feeling rushed. I didn't feel the nervous anticipation with this race that I usually feel. For some reason, it was hard to really get excited about doing it, but this is the only race my parents will get to see me compete in so it's easy decision to compete.

The Swim - 600yds - I was # 204 so with a 5 second interval start for each competitor, I was a good 17 minutes behind the 1st guy in the water. The swim was fairly easy overall. I sighted well and only tired in the final 150 yards. I kept looking for some bubbly toes to stick on, but they were never there. I did however have some guy drafting on me the whole way. Overall, I'm not a great swimmer, and my time showed it. 10:36. (2006 - 11:10)

T1 - There's a 100 yard run up to T1 from the beach. The wet grass served well in getting the sand and debris off of my feet. I went with only a helmet, shades, and shoes on the bike. No time for a shirt. I was set up in the front of T1 so after a long run out the back I was out of T1 in 1:38. (2006 -2:22)

The Bike: As always, this is where I'm the most comfortable and where I make up the time I lost on the swim. The course is fairly flat or rolling. My plan was to stick to a certain speed and keep it there. There was no reason to be a hero. Save some for the run I kept telling myself. I made a point to encourage those that I passed on the bike that appeared to be struggling. They all smiled kept fighting just reinforcing my belief that triathletes are some of the nicest and least prideful people you'll meet.

My plan on the bike worked perfectly. I felt great coming into T2 and still put up a new PR for avg mph in a race. Just over 23 mph - 42:08. (2006 - 43:56)

T2 - Flying dismount with the shoes and a sprint to my spot. Helmet off. Shoes on and I'm gone. - 49 seconds. (2006 -1:44)

The Run - 3 easy miles. I could tell for the first time that the sun was having some effect. I started my race at 8:00 which is incredibly late. Out of T2 I grabbed a cup of water and threw in on my chest. The chill of the water let me know just how hot I'd gotten. Legs felt ok, but I was sucking wind. Don't know why to tell you the truth. 1st mile was 6:52, 2nd was 7:15. I was slowing down, and I don't think I really cared. Over the last mile, I toyed with the idea of turning it on for a strong finish. I felt like I could have, but just couldn't muster up the will. I was sucking wind and didn't want any more. I finished the last mile in 7:12 for an over time of 21:24. (2006 - 24:55)

Final time - 1:16:38. (2006 - 1:24:10) Not great, but about where I thought I'd be. My swim was slower than expected and I should have been a little faster on the run. Not a bad performance at all, but not one to tell the kids about. I was 11th in my AG and 69th overall. (2006 - 36th/359th)

Despite not being really excited about this race, I had a great time. Like I said, I had lots of friends there to see and chew the fat with. I even met the one and only Trisonq (Patrick). He's a very likeable guy and a great athlete. Zbuck was there and threw down on the race as well. He bested last year's time by 11 minutes. Congrats buddy!

So where to now? I'm looking forward to not racing for a little while. I'm going to enjoy being in town for a while and dedicating some weekends to training for the So Carolina Half at the end of Sept, but I'm also going to get some much needed things done around my house. Being out of town 3 out of 4 weekends will leaves quite a few honeydoes left undone around the casa. So, thanks for reading, I've got work to do.

BIKE PORN!!!!!!

2007-08-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

Go ahead, indulge yourselves you sickos.

Two Tough Days

2007-08-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, could it get any hotter here? The last two days have been oppressively hot. Hot as in full on humidity and 98 degrees hot. I was out last night installing my new bike rack and the temp on my truck said 99. I'm not sure if that's accurate as it was about 8:30 at night, but you get the picture.
Monday, I do believe I was possessed by someone else for my swim. I made it over to the gym at lunch and knocked out 2000 consecutive yards at race pace. Don't know how or why I did it, but it felt great. As I mentioned to some of you in the past, I've been at war with swimming this year. I've hated it like the Middle East hates peace. Now I love it like a fat kid loves cake. Going back after it today for some intervals.
Tuesday started out with an easy hour run and ended with the Tuesday night group ride from Homewood. There was nothing easy about this ride. Somehow I missed the group and ended up riding with another Age Grouper who's preparing for IMKY. The dude was a beast. He was easily 42 or so and kicking my tail on the bike. It was impressive to watch. After the long run and hard ride, my legs were toast and ready to rest. Powerbar's recovery drink and an ice bath did wonders to aid my recovery.
Despite all of that, my highlight of the day was meeting up with ZBuck for lunch. We met over at DREAMLAND for some 'healthy' ribs and sweet tea. It's always good to hang with that guy.
This weekend is Alabama's USAT Sprint Championship in Guntersville. The race sells out each year with about 890 participants and all the big boys show up. Should be a fun event, but it's going to be freaking hot! This is my last sprint of the year so looking forward to going out hard.
Thanks for reading.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2007-08-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

As previously posted, Lauren and I spent the weekend down at the beach. I say "beach" meaning that I'm actually there at the beach, but truth be told I haven't touched the sand of the beach in any of my trips down this year. The Condo sits on the riverside of the tiny strip of land splitting the gulf and Old River. The beach is just a couple of hundred yards away, but I'd rather sit by the pool and watch the oversized boats sail by on the river. Some people's egos are more prominently displayed than others. The size of these boats scream, "look at me!, but I'm just fine with my borrowed raft.

For the most part, I treat the mornings down at the beach like a mini training camp. I'm usually up and out the door fairly early so as to beat the day's heat. Lots of swimming, biking, and running filled the menu until 9:00 am or so, then it was strickly relaxation time. I cued Lauren in on my formula for recovering, "Why run when you can walk? Why walk when you can sit? Why sit when you can lay down? Since you're laying down, you might as well sleep." And that's what we did.

Lauren completed her goal of finishing the final book in the Harry Potter series while soaking up the sun as well. I would have completed Soul Survivor by Phillip Yancey, but Jack Welch's "Winning" got in the way. Well that and those darned naps.

Overall a good weekend. We both feel refreshed, but are desparately hungry for another trip down. Now, it's back to work and back to life. (This is the point where Molly would break out in that "Back to Life, Back to Reality" song)

HEADED TO THE BEACH!

2007-08-02T14:25:00.001-07:00

Lauren and I are headed to the beach tonight for a little R&R. Of course I'll be taking my swimmies, bike, and running shoes. Gotta work on that odd cyclist's tan you know? But I'll also be taking along a couple of books and a strict napping schedule. Tonight I'll be dining on the Gulf Coast's finest (grilled of course). Much love to all who are racing, recovering, or training.

Questions Questions

2007-08-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

If we're the evolved ones, why are monkeys so much stronger than we are?

Would you rather be exceptionally smart or exceptionally athletic?

Do you prefer a long gradual hill or a short "oh my gosh" steep hill? (Going up of course)

Why does my dry fit/wicking shirt always get drenched with sweat and weigh 10 pounds after each run?

Why are cyclists typically stuck up and triathletes the nicest people you'll find?

When will professional cycling clean up their act for good?

Why does something called "Chamois Butt'r" not go on my butt?

A New Race on the Horizon

2007-07-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the year, I completed my first Half Ironman. Despite my best efforts, I didn’t have the kind of performance that I was hoping for. I can attribute it to several things. All were within control and my own fault. After searching around for a while and discussing it with the wife, I’ve found another Half that will give me a chance to redeem myself. It’s the South Carolina Half Ironman on September 30th in Greenwood, SC.
This excites me to no end. While the time to hang up the aero bars for the season is just around the corner, I’ll be going out in style. I have two full months to prepare with only one little speed bump (a sprint) in the middle. These next two months will be focused on one distance and one distance only. It’s going to be beautiful.
I'm a little off on my training this week due to the race this past week, but I'm looking forward to getting back on track. I've only managed 1 swim, 1 run, and 2 rides. I have two long bricks this weekend. The plan for these is endurance and form, not speed. Hope all is well. Thanks for reading.

The Neshoba County Fair

2007-07-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in prior posts, this weekend’s race was in connection to the Neshoba County Fair in Philadephia, Miss. This Fair has occurred annually at the same spot since 1889. The grounds themselves are like something I’d never witness before. Surrounding the grand stands and horse track sits a neighborhood of 200 or so rustic 2 and sometimes 3 story cabins. The cabins, which hardly ever come up for sale, consist of a front porch, a kitchen and common area, with one big room upstairs for bunk beds. All have electricity and running water, and most have A/C. Many of these cabins have been updated or rebuilt throughout the years and have become quite a show piece. Families from both sides of the tracks converge and become neighbors in the week and a half long event. Archie Manning and his two sons (Peyton and Eli) were at the fair this year as usual. Their cabin is right behind the one where we were visiting. Local politicians walk from porch to porch handing out fans and vying for support (this is an election year you know!). Kids run wild during the day. Parents simply “tag” their kids by writing their cabin number on their leg in magic marker in case they get in trouble.
The attractions include local’s preserve competitions, an art show, mule pulls, horse races, nightly concerts, the usual fair rides, cake walks, and pretty much anything you could want fried and on a stick. Although, Neshoba County is a dry county you wouldn’t know it by the large coolers and glassy eyed Fair goers. The days are somewhat tame, but the night time is when the partying starts. So I hear.
There is an unspoiled feeling you get at the fair though. You see life the way it was 50 years ago before Google, blackberrys, and the café mocha latte. Life is simpler and a little slower. Without the distraction of TVs, people actually sit around,talk, laugh ,and enjoy each other. A beautiful life in its most simplest form. Enjoy the pics.

And the best part?? Spending the weekend with my wonderful wife!

Heart O' Dixie Triathlon

2007-07-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the 28th Annual Heart O' Dixie Triathlon in Philadelphia, Miss. It's one of the oldest Tri's in America and may be the oldest race without any changes to the course. It's unique in that it's a point to point race starting in Louisville, Miss and ending at the Neshoba County Fairgrounds in Philadelphia, Miss. It's an Intermediate distance race set at .5 mile swim, 27.5 mile ride, and a 7 mile run.

This was the first triathlon that I competed in, but it's also the first race that I ever came really close to quitting. This is the fourth year that I've competed in this race so as I mentioned before, this has a bit of a homecoming feeling for me.

Race preparation started with proper nutrition as early as Monday of this past week. I wanted to be fueled properly and well hydrated. It's never a fun week, but it's worth it.

At 3:30 am on Saturday, I was up and eating my pre-race meal. On this morning it was oatmeal and a powerbar. I worked on a gatorade on the drive up to Louisville and cleared my head. We arrived just after 5. It'd rained the night before and lingering clouds kept the morning dark until just before 6. I scored a great rack spot for my bike and began my pre-race warm-up. Our bike to run transition bag was boxed up and shipped down the road 27.5 miles in Philly to await our arrival. I minimized my transition area down to bike, shoes, and a helmet. I didn't want any distractions.

The swim - at 6:30 the gun went off. I was #38 in line for the 5 second interval start. This type of start makes it so much easier to get into a rhythm without having to fight for position too much. From the start, I focused on not doing all the things I'd done wrong in my last open water swim. The biggest key to this swim for me was taking three strokes before I took a breath. When I get tired I tend to breathe on one side every other stroke. I end up going off course and wearing myself out. Prior to the race I went through a series of breathing drills to help expand my lungs. I'm a believer in this warm up routine, and it seems to help. As for this swim, everything went really well. I spotted well and stayed calm. Both are struggles for me. I made it out of the water in 14:37.

T1 - As I mentioned. I had a great bike rack, and I kept it simple. Fastest T time ever - 36 seconds.

The bike - here's what I'd been waiting on. The course consisted of rolling hills with a net loss of about 50 feet over the course. The hills on the course are loaded on the front half of the course when you are your strongest. I never pushed myself too hard, but kept my speed up just enough to hurt. I made sure to power down the hills, but I also forced myself to make up distance on whoever was in front of me on the climbs. It worked beautifully. I caught more than came near me throughout the ride. In the end, I surprised myself with a 23 mph average and a time of just under 1 hour and 12 minutes.

T2 - Probably the worst thing I did all day. I decided coming into transition that I would wear socks for the run. I just didn't know how my feet for the 7 mile run without them. I do it all the time, so I don't know why it was important to me at that moment to have them. This cost me 30 seconds. As I was making my move to leave, I knocked over my bike, twice. This cost me another 30 seconds. Luckily, a volunteer helped secure my bike for me, and I was off. A poor 1:27 transition time.

The Run - This run has always been a death march for me. I've notoriously lost it on this run. Walking has become a habit. It's hot and it's hilly. Last year I cramped up pretty bad and nearly pulled out, but went on to post a 1:13:04 time which is a 10:30 pace. This year I felt incredible. So I went with it. I started mowing the miles down. I couldn't believe they were going by so quickly. Could they be mismarked? I watched my splits and was shocked at the pace. At the end of the 7 miles, I had a big grin on my face and posted a 47:51 time. A 6:51 pace.

The last half mile of the run consists of a lap around the horse track at the Fairgrounds. After the rain the night before, the Southern red clay had become Southern red mud which caked my shoes until they felt like bricks. As I viewed the finish line, I could have been pulling the mule cart for all that I cared. I was ecstatic. I clapped my hands and fist pumped the air a few times in the final yards. Mission complete.

My total time was 2:16:30. A PR for this course by nearly 25 minutes. I finished 30th overall and 3rd in my A/G. A rare podium finish.
David Gottlieb, who rocked the course in his first time in the H.O.D., asked me the other night what my favorite race had been so far this year. I told him I didn't really have one. I can look back at a few races and see that I did well in some areas, but overall hadn't put a good race together until this one. Months of training and planning all came together at the Heart O' Dixie. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the entire race from start to finish. The race is run like a well oiled machine, and you can't beat the atmosphere the Neshoba County Fair brings. If you're in the area, put this one on your calendar for 08.

Also, a big congrats to those who made the trip from Birmingham. The top two males, the first and third female winners were all from Birmingham. At the end of the awards ceremony, thirteen athletes from Birmingham would finish on the podium. Look out Boulder, CO!

Great Brick and a New Helmet

2007-07-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

Let's start off with the stats. With the Heart of Dixie one week away today was my last big workout to test my endurance for the race. I planned two race simulations this weekend. I did the swim and bike portion yesterday out at Oak Mtn. My plan for that was to just feel out the distance on the swim and just stretch the legs on the bike. The swim came out just as planned. 900 yards in 15 minutes.

Today was the bike and run portion. I found a road close by that I could do 27.5 miles on without interruption of stop lights and intersections. I also wanted to be able to come off the bike and start running as quickly as possible. For those in Birmingham, I chose Rex Lake Rd and started at the Chevron in Leeds. The goal was to push the speed just like I would in a race. I started off the morning with my race day nutrition and downed a few acid zappers. The morning had been over cast so I waited until around 11 am so I'd be able to feel the heat of the day.

Both the bike and the run went really well. I finished both within my planned time frame. The 27.5 mile bike averaged out at 22 mph and the 7 mile run averaged out at 7:35 per mile. I was shocked there. As I mentioned in the past, the last three times I've done this race I've had to walk a good portion. Sad but true. Thanks Transitions! We've made some improvements.

Good news #2. I took a step out of dorkville this weekend and bought a new helmet. I've been riding with an 03 Giro Eclipse which basically looks like a mushroom on top of my head. See here (obviously not a fast transition time):

So, I stepped it up and bought a LAS Squalo. It's super tight and very comfortable. Believe it or not, I could tell a big difference today in the heat. The vents worked really well to keep my noggin cool. The best part is that I don't resemble a mushroom any more.

Also, as you can see, it's really aggressive and fast!

The Jogging Bike Mount Revisited

2007-07-12T14:49:00.001-07:00

Yesterday afternoon was spent tracking up and down Smyer Road, my personal but much smaller version of Alp D'Huez, for the weekly hill repeats. Afterwards, while sitting in the parking lot, I decided to make good use of the large flat surface to work on my mount and dismount for transitions. Note: a vacant parking lot is a much more preferred location over the road in front of my house for the simple fact that my neighbors aren't around to poke fun and ask questions. I do my best not to be THAT guy that does weird stuff in front of his house. I'm already THAT guy that wears spandex and sweats a lot.
The parking lot was great. Long flat surface provided plenty of room to practice. I've got the dismount down. Velco straps off. Feet on top. Right leg over the bike. Dismount on the run. Easy. Now getting on the bike. A different story.
I should mention that I don't have "Tri" specific shoes. This means that I have 3 individual straps and no loop on the back of the shoe. So for a while I practiced starting off with my feet on top of my shoes then getting in to the shoes and getting them strapped. Easy. Now how do I get to this point?
I got off the bike, left my shoes in the clips, and jogged with it for a bit waiting for the best chance to jump on. I felt like a kid that's standing on top of the highest diving board at the city pool yet he can't find the nerve to jump. That was me. I kept looking at the seat and thinking, "I can't get up there! I'm only wearing a thin layer of padded spandex on the boys. They could get crushed!" I can't do this now while no one is watching how am I going to do this when I'm wet and in a race? So, I tried. I misjudged the jump and landed a bit awkwardly on my stomach. Don't ask. It wasn't pretty. It was anything but athletic or cool. I pretty much lost my nerve after that. But after writing this, I realized that I was being a big ole sissy and that I'm going to have to go try again tonight. Stay tuned.

Black and Blue signing off....

Thinking and Preparing

2007-07-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

The days are winding down to my next event, an Intermediate distance tri in Philadelphia, MS. It's called the Heart of Dixie Triathlon, but I wouldn't be much of an Alabamian if I didn't take offense to this state to the west of us borrowing our nickname. But I'll let it pass as I'm pretty fond of this event, and I believe that it truly encompasses the Southern experience. The race kicks off the famed Neshoba County Fair, a week long gathering of folks to watch mule pulls, preserve competitions, and eat most everything that you can think of fried. More on that later, but not today. I've got the race on my mind.

With just under 2 weeks to go I've started to evaluate my condition. My swims have been horrid. I feel like this David Gray song I'm listening to this very moment. Fittingly it's called "Dead in the Water." Wow, thanks Dave for the words to describe my futile attempts in the pool. The swim is just .5 mile. An easy distance as far as "Olys" go, but one that I'm not going to set any records on. My goal is to push for a 14-15 minute finish time. I don't want to over do it as the real struggle comes in the next two stages, the 27.5 mile bike and the 7 mile run. This race is definitely weighted on these two legs, but that's fine. This is where I can make up time.

I've put in several bricks over the last few weeks. Long rides followed by a long run. Leg strength has been good throughout the run and the endurance is there as well. The race is in my head a bit though. This will be the fourth year that I've competed in this race, but only the first time I've been properly trained. This race is somewhat of a Homecoming for me as this was the first triathlon I ever competed in. It's sort of bitter sweet as well as its also the only race I've really ever felt like quitting. Last year, I came in way under trained and under nourished. Leg cramps wreaked havoc on me in the 95+ degree heat. Mississippi can be harsh in July. It was an embarrassing finish, my slowest of my two prior finishes. So this year, I've put in a little extra work in preparing for this race. In a race that I've historically had to walk as much as I ran during the 7 mile leg, I'm determined to run my heart out and nail this run. Lately, I've been delaying workouts until the middle of the day to practice race day hydration and electrolyte balance. It hasn't been fun, but it's helped.

So, the body feels good. I'm weighing in just above my race weight right now, so over the next week or so I'll drop it down a few pounds. Cutting out my TCBY consumption and Zucchini bread snacks will be key. (Sorry Lauren, no TCBY until after the race!) So here we are. It's game on for the next couple of weeks. It's time to really focus and work toward exercising some demons that have haunted me for the last year. For all of the Friends watchers out there, it's time to go "Red Ross!" Thanks for reading.

I've changed my mind ZBuck

2007-07-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

I'll have to admit, at first when I read this, I was disappointed, but supportive. My good friend Zbuck made a very heartfelt and tough decision this past week. I trust that he weighed his options completely and didn't make the decision lightly. If you knew Zbuck, you'd find that he is one of the most like able guys you'll ever meet. Easy going, but passionate. You might even be able to get past that he pulls for this team:

So, through the exchange of a few emails, I felt like I got a pretty good idea of where Buck was coming from when he decided to focus more on golf and less on triathlons. Buck promised me that he was still going to train hard so as to complete his goal of kicking ass at Mtn Lakes this year. I believe him too. Once he reaches his goal at Southeast Sprint Championship, he transitions for the last time into the pleated shorts wearing, golf cart riding, manners watching Joe Golfer. You know to tell you the truth, I'm fine with that.

But there is something I'm not ok with, and it just recently hit me. I'll explain. Thursday, I found myself at the golf course for the first time in I don't know how long. My in-laws are coming in town and my father in law and I are playing golf on Saturday. I haven't picked up the sticks in a while since my training has increased so I decided to go out and knock the dust off the old clubs. After finishing off a medium sized bucket and being fairly confident that I'd made the right decision to stick with Triathlons, I surveyed the greens and rows of golfers. I sized them up. All shapes, sizes, and physical abilities. Men and women of all ages. I didn't like what I saw, and then it hit me. Zbuck, what are you thinking? Now ladies, Zbuck is a single man. Single as they come. A genuine guy that's going somewhere. If I knew any single women in Northern Alabama, I'd do my best to point them in the right direction. But I don't, and now that he's made this decision about Triathlons he's shooting himself in the foot. You gotta think about meeting girls and what the each sport offers! We all know there are some beautiful girls inside and out in the triathlon scene, but I'm really worried about what he'll find at the 19th hole. So here's my call out. Buck! Come to your senses!

Are you willing to exchange this:

For this?!?!

The decision is yours my friend. Happy Friday.

Happy 4th

2007-07-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th to all. First of all, God bless the U.S. of A. and our troops. Big thanks to those that are serving, who have served, and to those who have lost loved ones while fighting for our freedom. Thank you for your sacrifice.
It's been a great week so far. Work has been boring as hell, and the only thing I can think about is getting out and training. Now don't get me wrong, I've had plenty to do around the office (daddy's still got get paid you know?), but my heart hasn't been in it. Having 15 hours of day light calling your name all day doesn't help either. Am I alone here?
I switched up my training schedule a bit this week. Usually, I'll run for an hour on Tuesdays in the morning, then catch up with a group ride at night. The last few weeks that I've done this, my legs have been cashed out and I've gotten dropped like a hot potato. So I moved my run to Monday morning and swam at lunch. So I was interested to see how I'd do on Tuesday. Now the Tuesday night rides are not for the beginner cyclists. These guys are the real deal. The heavy hitters are cat 2 - cat 3 cyclists. Then there are guys like me who doesn't even like cats much less have a ranking. The pace is fast and competitive. Well, I went out with fresh legs on Tuesday night, and they answered the call. While I never saw the front of the peleton, I was never dropped and finished up strong with gas still in the tank. A proud moment for the Crew'd one if I say so myself.
I saw two guys take a spill during this ride. One was a fluke accident, the other was a guy being too aggressive by trying to pass on the right shoulder of the road. Cocky. Cocky.
Today, being the 4th, I had the day off. Even though I rode hard last night, I couldn't give up a free day and not put a brick together. So I headed out around 6 am on the bike. Man, the temp was perfect. Mid to low 70's. I put in 34 miles at a 19.5 clip. Saw some friends on the way, including Coach himself putting in some Ironman training. Coach, you're looking strong, but remember I'm on your tail. I'm still coming after you!
After the ride, I put in a quick 3 miles at a 7 minute pace. Legs felt great. Energy level was there along with leg strength. I'm really working on keeping fueled with enough calories during training. I need to nail down my nutrition before my next race. I believe I may have found something that works. More on that later. Take care and thanks for reading. I'm off for a beer and some grilling.

NECTAR? I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HER!

2007-07-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Afternoon to all. Let me give you a recap on the weekend that was and also give you some thoughts on this coming week.
Saturday started off early with a trip out to Oak Mtn to meet up with Mary Rebecca (who’s promised to start a blog soon) and my boy Daniel for a swim and a bike ride. Both are gifted athletes and couldn’t be any nicer. After Saturday’s swim, I had a bit of a revelation. During most swim portions of a race, I tend to freak out a bit and get off my rhythm. I never get comfortable. I don’t know how fast I’m going or how to gage my progress. Overall, I swam ok, but I spent too much time worrying about my pace than I did relaxing and finding my groove. If you’re not relaxed, then you’re just fighting and expending too much energy. I definitely need more practice time in the open water.

Saturday afternoon, Lauren and I met my parents up at a different lake for a little grillin and relaxing, which is not always possible with my 3 year old nephew but we had a good time. Every time we head up to this particular lake, we go through the little town of Nectar, Al. It’s almost as big as my left big toe so you have to be careful or you’ll miss it.

Sunday is always yellow jersey day. On my Sunday rides I sport my replica Discovery Malliot Jaune in honor of the Kid from Austin, TX with 7 Tour wins under his belt. I’ve been doing so for the last couple of weeks as I’m getting ready to watch the 2nd biggest sporting event of the year. I’m speaking of none other than the Tour De France which starts this Saturday. (note: College Football will always remain number 1).

I’m really stoked about this year’s Tour. There are just a few Americans with a chance of finding themselves on the podium after the 3 week event. They all ride for great teams with a lot of experience. There are a few contenders out of Spain and Kazakhstan that would love to put an end to America’s 8 consecutive win streak. They both have wait it takes to make that happen. Can’t wait!

So this week should be a good one. Lot’s of training on the table as I get ready for my next race toward the end of this month. I’m concentrating on finishing my runs hard and not blowing it all on my bike. Congrats to Paul in CA for his 11th OA and 5th AG finish in the San Diego International. Dude’s a stud.

Two Encouraging Things I've Noticed

2007-06-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

It’s Wednesday and the skies are clear and blue. That could only mean one thing here in Alabama, it’s hot! There’s no cloud cover and no rain in sight. Due to the current drought, there’s no watering on Wednesdays in my area either. Sorry grass, sorry flowers, so green shrub that I’ve yet to identify. There’s no water for you until tomorrow.

Yeah, it’s hot here. We had a 10 minute shower if you can call it that last night that only served to make it very humid on my ride. I need to invest in some good riding gloves. My hands were so sweaty that they kept slipping on my handlebars. Not good while riding in a pack.

Last night during the ride I passed on some good will to a fellow rider who’d left without a tube. I gave him my tube and pump as I was in the same situation this past weekend before the race. My buddy Brent gave me his extra tube when I discovered I had a flat before the race started. Somehow, I left Birmingham without mine. So given the chance to return the favor to a fellow rider I jumped at the chance. Last thing I needed was having bad karma on my side. Bad thing is due to helping the guy out I got dropped by the group. No worries, I was able to go aero riding on my own and picked off several riders who’d gotten dropped for not being able to keep up. I always get evil stares from the true roadies as I pass them on my TT bike. For some reason triathletes aren’t quite accepted in certain cycling circles. These guys wouldn’t know what to do without a pace line to hide behind.

Back on topic. So, here’s what I noticed today. I made it over to the local Y for a swim during lunch. The pool was packed with youngsters and mamas. They only had 3 lanes open for laps so I spent the better part of my time sharing a lane. No worries. 12X100 in 1:30 or less with 30 second breaks in between then 10X50 in 36-40 seconds with 24-20 second breaks in between. Yeah, I know Coach you want to see me averaging 35, but dang I was spent! But here’s what I noticed – I didn’t hate the swim session today. I didn’t hate it on Monday either. What? Has my love-hate relationship with swimming taking a turn for the better? Maybe. For the last month or so I’ve struggled in the pool. I’ve struggled with motivation and drive. Maybe that’s back now. Who knows?

Here’s the second thing I noticed, and this didn’t strike me until later. While I was changing in the locker which I next to the pool, two little boys came in and used the restroom. They couldn’t have been more than 4. Four years old! And they took the time to get out of the pool to go to the restroom! Wow. That’s so encouraging. Most of the time I just accept the fact that I’m swimming in some kids pee while at the “Y”. Now, I have hope. Now if we can only get the adults to do the same!

Racing Flats

2007-06-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

I've recently been introduced to the world of racing flats. Apparently, serious runners train in one shoe, but race in another. This is a strange concept for someone like me who used to show up for a race in the same shoes he wore to school. Well times have changed. I'm currently training and racing in Asics' 2120s. I've been pretty happy with these shoes except for the fact that they are a little narrow for my fat foot. Two callouses on each foot later, I now run in them without pain or discomfort. Yeah, I know, it's not a great way to approach shoes, but I was stuck with them so I made due. Now that I've put my 300+ miles on them, it's time to start considering a new pair.

After talking to a few "people in the know", I was introduced to flats. The ones in particular I'm looking at are the new Brooks Racer ST's. They run around 8.8 ounces, compared to 11.3 ounces you'll get with the Asics. Not a big amount, but in terms of shoes that's a 22% difference. Just think if you could make your bike 22% lighter? For me, that'd take buying some Zipps and losing half of my ass. I'm not that desperate yet. The skinny is that after pounding it out on the bike, any weight I can take off my feet is a bonus. So my question to my fellow Tri folk and expert runners is if you've had any experience with racing flats and are they worth it? What's your take?

Marshall Cty Duathlon Race Report

2007-06-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Alright, today I met up with Huntsville's own Zbuck and his pal Russ in Guntersville, AL for a little Duathlon on the infamous Mountain Lakes Triathlon course. Buck and I picked this race for the very purpose of doing a little reconnaissance on the course so come Aug 11th we'd have a leg up on the competition. Speaking of competition, I knew that this would be a small event so I was really unsure about what kind of talent would show up for the race. It took all of five minutes while I was changing out a bad tube on my bike to see a couple of guys roll by that I knew would be bringing the heat. Both are talented athletes, but one inparticular has been a force in my age group. I knew I had my work cut out for me.
The race was as follows: 5K run/ 16.2 mile bike / 1 mi run. The gun went off as scheduled at 7:30. The temps were already rising, but luckily the run path was fairly shaded. I'd decided to keep my pace around a 6:30 - 6:45 pace. The elites would be running their 5:45 pace, and there was nothing I could do but run my race. I stayed between 4th and 5th place for most of the run. I felt fine overall. My pace, breathing, and form all felt in tune. With about 200 yards to go, a kid comes sprint by me so I jumped on his heels and let him know I was there. I would let him finish in front of me on the run, but the bike portion was next. I knew I could get him there. I finished the 5k in 20:28.
The takeover happened quickly as we headed out of the transition area. He had a small lead on me, but there was a small hill which would do him in just after the start. I've always heard when you pass someone to do it with authority. Do it at a speed that breaks their spirit. I was dying on the inside, but I put on my meanest grimace and sped past him. He dropped pretty quickly. I spent the next 3 miles getting control of my breathing and trying to find a good rhythm. It was about this time that I started noticing something. There was no one around me. I could see any of the other guys in front of me, and there was absolutely no one behind me. I was riding strong, but I realized that there was little chance of me catching anyone in front. I knew without a doubt that no one was going to catch me from behind. So after 3 miles into the bike portion I knew exactly where I would finish in the race. If you haven't been keeping, then that means 5th place. I was only racing against myself at this point.
The one thing I love about this course is that it's fairly flat. It has some rolling hills, but they're manageable. Toward the end of the ride, I got within 250 yards of the next guy. I closed the gap to about 150 yards, but I couldn't get any closer. 16.2 miles went quickly. I finish in just over 42 minutes averaging 23 mph.
The only thing left was the 1 mile run. The guy in front had just enough of a lead on me that I knew I wouldn't be able to catch him. There was still no one close to catching me coming off the bike so this last mile run would be easy. So I thought. My legs felt like they were going to explode. It didn't feel like it, but I did the last mile in 6:43. I could have swore I was running an 8 minute pace. As expected, I finished 5th overall in 1:12:40.
Despite an early potty break and some cramping due to the hot temps, Zbuck put in a solid performance. Admittedly he's taken some time off from training, but don't let him fool you. He's still strong.
We finished up the day with the lunch of champions, burgers and beer, at Boondocks. It wasn't the best burger, but one of the best times I've had post race. A good race, great friends, and cold beer.

Interesting Quote

2007-06-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us..... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Nelson Mandela

Bathroom Rant

2007-06-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

So, it's like this: I don't have too much to update you on right now as far as "Tri-Land" goes. Things are going well. Nothing crazy or out of the ordinary worth putting in print, err on screen. Anyway, just lots of swimming, biking, and running. There's a small Du this weekend that I'm doing, but I'll get to that after the race.

BUT! What I do have to rant about is a little thing I like to call bathroom etiquette. This is a message to all those anonymous guys in my office who obvious don't quite get it when it comes to communal bathrooms and cleanliness. Here are a few rules:

First things first - Wash your freaking hands! - Nothing more to be said.

Second - What's up with all that grunting and sighing? Give it a break before you blow a gasket.

Third - Don't try to have a meaningful conversation with me while I'm in the bathroom. Let's just say "how's it going?" while we're washing our hands (see #1) and go on our merry way. I can't hear you anyway over all of the grunting and sighing.

Fourth - Quit lingering! Wash your hands and get out. Don't hang out. It's just weird.

Fifth and maybe the most important:

This is NOT a urinal!

This is a urinal!

This is NOT your target!

This is your target!

I'm out.

Wasp Stings

2007-06-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

This is for anyone who's ever been stung by a wasp. And please God please don't let the people in this last video be from Alabama.

Lip Sting

Rednecks getting what they deserve

The Weekend that Was

2007-06-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the weekend started off perfectly as Friday right about 5:30 we received some much needed rain. B'ham is about 20 inches below the norm in rain fall this year. We've had water restrictions for the better part of a month now, so the small storm that came through was a perfect start to the weekend. Please send more!
We went to see Oceans 13 that night with some friends. I'll have to say it was definitely worth going to see, but it wasn't nearly as good as the first two. It had plenty of funny moments, but lacked realistic opportunities and abilities by the "thieves." I can't describe it any better than a buddy of put it. "It was a lot of cool actors, doing a lot of cool things. That's what everybody wanted to see and that's what they were given."
Training:
Saturday morning, I met "Team Transitions" for a front end brick, a 20 minute swim followed by a 31 mile bike ride.
Sunday - back end brick - 37 mile bike ride then a 5 mile run.
Congrats to Christophe Moreau for winning the Dauphine Libre today. My boy Levi Leipenheimer was robbed of a stage win by a freak crash with a km to go. Hopefully, there's no damage done, and he'll be back in form for Le Tour coming up in just a couple of weeks.

Training & Goals Update

2007-06-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

Training and Goals Update –
After Saturday’s race, I found myself back at it with a few small goals in mind. Short Term goal: On the 23rd of this month, I’m heading up to Guntersville, Al to compete in a short Du (3mi/16.2/1mi) on the ever popular Mountain Lakes Course. This is a fast course, so hopefully with a little practice I’ll be able to make it a little faster. The Du ends with a 1 mile run, so my goal is to be able to get off the bike with strong enough legs to finish out on a sprint. During my last two races, I haven’t felt as strong coming off the bike. Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to be concentrating on this.
Just one month later is the ever popular Heart of Dixie Oly in Philadelphia, MS. The run is a 7 mile death march, and I’m looking to make it go by quickly. Building on my short term goal I hope to be able to complete this run for once. I’ve historically had to walk a good portion of the time during this run. Not this time.
Finally, long term goal – I’ve found another ½ Iron to do before the year’s end. If every thing works out ok, then on Sept. 30th I’ll be in Greenwood, SC busting my “ars” to redeem my performance at the Rock N’ Rollman two weeks ago.
As for Training, this week has been productive so far. Yesterday I surprised myself and actually completed an hour run on the dreadmill. Inspired by TriJack completing a 20 MILE RUN on the machine, I thought I’d give it a try. The result was 8.08 miles at a 7:25 pace. I can’t imagine doing 20. Jack, you’re still the man in my book.
Also yesterday, I made it over to Homewood Cycles for the regular Tuesday night ride. We had @ 30 cyclists show up for this terribly hot 29 mile ride. Two other cyclists and I successfully completed a breakaway last night from the peloton for the 8.2 mile section of Ruffner and John Rodgers. I had a blast and learned a lot from the two guys I rode with.
Overall, I’m feeling really good and fairly strong. I still have a lot to work on, but that’s what makes it fun. Hope all is well.

Buster Britton Sprint - Race Report

2007-06-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

This morning was Birmingham's own Buster Britton Sprint Triathlon. It takes place during the weekend of the Southeast Regional Xterra Championship at Oak Mtn. St. Park. The Park will see a thousand triathletes come through the gates this weekend so it's an exciting time.

As usual, at 4:30 this morning the alarm goes off. Oatmeal and coffee are the meal of choice. This is just a meal that I'm comfortable with and that brings results. No real stresses this morning. I'm well familiar with this course and won't need a lot of equipment to complete the sprint distance.

I rocked out to U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" on the short drive to the park. People were pointing and starring as I played the air drums going doing the highway. I'm oblivious to all.

The organizers made a few changes to the course, so after setting up my transition area, I made myself familiar with the changes. The biggest change was the location of the transition area. Just like last week's race, there would be a long run from the swim to my bike. What's up with that?

The second change was the run portion would be a bit different than before. No biggee right? Wrong. More on that later.

Alright let's go. Here are the distances: S 400yd, B 13 mi, R 3 mi.

Swim: I hit hard from the start. I wasn't going to be intimidated by other swimmers this time. This time I was the one swimming over people, bumping, and grabbing. I felt great throughout. Spotting was good. Form was great. Out of the water in 6:08. My goal was 6:10.

T1: Man I was breathing hard. The hard swim had pushed me to the limit. I needed every bit of the long run to my bike to catch my breath. No shirt and no socks doesn't gain me entrance to Denny's but it gets me on my bike and on the road. Time 2:34

Bike: I was still breathing hard once I made it on to the bike, but I managed to find my groove and start hitting it hard. I started knocking off the fast swimmers one by one. The hills at Oak Mtn are always ways challenging, but I had experience on my side. I knew when to push it and when to recover, but still the hills were keeping my speed down below my goal. I was avg'ing 20 and I needed 21. I hit the turn around and knew that profile back lost elevation and I would have my chance to make up time. I did just that. I came into T2 with an average of 21.3. Bike time 36:43.

T2 - I took my shoes off on the bike so I ran barefooted to my rack. Helmet off, shoes on. Let's go. Time: 56 seconds. booyah!

Run - Oh snap, this wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. Where were my legs? Where was the energy? The oomph? I ran nonetheless. There was no one in front of me at all. Crazy. I started seeing the pros coming in from their run about a half mile into mine. They were flying! Now for this all important change to the course. This year they included a little used side road back in the woods that had a steep incline before the turn around. What? Oh this sucked. It was killing me. With about a half mile to go, I kicked it in. I wish that I had started the push a little sooner as I think that I may have been able to sustain it, but you live and you learn. Only 3 guys passed me on the run so that was an improvement. I passed one, so I was negative two for the run portion. Run time 22:24 (I think?)

Into the race shoot for a total time of 1:09:03. I finished 46/400 or so overall. No idea about my age group.

Big Picture: Good training race. I was glad to get the monkey off my back after last week's performance. I need to work on speed on the bike if I'm going be able to play with the big boys. I'm back in the saddle again tomorrow for more work. Thanks for reading.

The Way Politics Are Handled in Bama

2007-06-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, as much as I like to squelch the nationwide perception that Alabama is a backward state, I can't help but pass this along. First of all, it's just funny. Secondly, this jackass needs the recognition he deserves. Here's one of Alabama's Senators taking policy making into his own hands... err fists. Cue the banjo.

Tough Decision

2007-06-06T22:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was faced with a tough decision. One that I think if you ponder it, could actually decide how I see myself or how I want others to think of me. I was in CVS yesterday because I needed some shampoo and conditioner. Suave is a great brand: 1. because it's cheap 2. it gets the job done. 3. because it's cheap. (you see Al, other people can be a cheapo too). So the decision came up. Should I buy Cucumber Melon, Ocean Breeze, or Waterfall Mist? Tough decision. Right off the bat, I know I'm not the cucumber type. I like them on a salad, but not in my hair. So, I'm left with the beach or the mountains? Let's cut to the chase, just like my beer decisions, I head for the mountains. So now, my nappy hair is a little softer these days. Now if I can just work on this graying problem.
As for training, it's been pretty light this week. Lots of pool work, which has been good. To simulate an open water swim, I've been swimming with my eyes closed until I come up for air. I'm a little more confident with my swim now. The race this Saturday is just a 400 yard swim, so how off course could I get? The legs are still a little sore and a little weaker than I would like. I rode today, and they still aren't where I'd like them to be. I felt like they were fatiguing quickly. I have 2 more days to work the kinks out.
Hope all is well. Much love to all.

Rock 'N Rollman Half Iron Triathlon Report

2007-06-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

"Ouch. Oh. My. God." - Lance Armstrong on finishing the 2006 NY Marathon.

This weekend, Lauren and I went to Macon, Ga for the Rock & Roll Half Ironman. This would be my first race at this distance and my 2nd official race of the year.
The morning started at 4:30 am. Oatmeal and a powerbar for breakfast, then a quick hop back in bed where I literally drank a cup of hotel coffee with my eyes closed.
The short drive to the race sight was in the dark and done so through a light rain. This is the 4th year of the race and the organizers have done an amazing job of putting this race together and making it flow. There were ample volunteers ready to help and point us in the right direction. Kudos to the organizers.
Given that this was my first Half, I expected to be nervous and anxious, but that just didn’t happen for some reason. It didn’t ever become this surreal moment that I thought it would. I was calm and relaxed.
The Swim started in several waves with my wave “34 years and younger” being of course the largest. Great. As you can imagine there was kicking, grabbing, all the good stuff. I stroked along a bit until I got a clear lane. I found it difficult to get into a rhythm, and I started breathing only on my left side. Bad idea. You see, when you do so your right side becomes your strong side, therefore pushing you off to the left. I kept finding myself swimming way off course and having to fight to get back into the group. If I was thinking rationally, I would have realized what I was doing, but I was so afraid of getting off track that it never occurred to me that I was being counter productive. It wasn’t until about ½ way into the swim that I realized this and made the switch. It took a while to get my breath, but after I did it was like I was back in the pool and I started swimming fairly straight and passing people. It was too late to undo the damage. I was at 41:40 coming out of the water. 5 minutes slower than projected, but no worries. I was just glad to be out of the water. Swim rank 194/311 - poor
T1 – From the water, the transition area was about a ¼ mile run up a hill. It was impossibly far. It wasn’t the best situation, but you deal with it. After the run up the hill, I was actually in and out of the transition area fairly quickly although the time doesn’t show it. 3:41. Thanks to the run.
Bike – here’s what I was waiting on. While I don’t claim to be the best swimmer, I’ve actually become quite the cyclist. I was ruthless in the way I started picking people off. Nice $7000 bike, now get out of my way. Oh, those look like the new 808 rims! See ya!
I wish I’d counted everyone that I passed on the bike. I did count the # that pasted me. Two. I felt good about that. Two people over 56 miles is pretty good. The course itself was hillier than expected. I’d studied the profile, but it didn’t do it justice. I was glad that I had been training in Birmingham rather than a flat area. I averaged just less than 21 mph for the course. I think it was 20.86 or something. Total time for 56.67 miles – 2:43. That’s right, I don’t know where the .67 miles came from, but it’s accurate. Bike rank 59/311
T2 – Nothing crazy here, just a quick and out. If the transition area wasn’t so big, it would have been quicker. 1:17.
Run – I could feel the effects of my ride in my calves, but nothing too bad. The first ¼ miles felt ok. I needed to get used to running again. Then it hit. A sharp stick in my side. I tried to run it off, but I couldn’t expand my chest to breathe. Oh it hurt. It hurt bad. Many times while running, I’ve had a similar stitch, but I’ve always been able to just let it pass. Not this time. This had my full attention. I tried to run, but had to stop because I had to clench my abs so hard to keep my chest from moving. I kept moving as I actually contemplated calling it a day. There was no way I could withstand this pain for 12 more miles. I decided I would just start walking briskly until it went away. There was nothing to do but keep moving. I began wondering if I had ingested too much water, but my stomach felt fine. My legs felt strong. I had good energy, but just couldn’t breathe. I was furious as I saw my time adding up and only ending in a disappointing time. Finally at mile 4, yes mile 4, my side felt good enough that I could jog a little, but the stitch was still there.
At this time, I really believe I had been defeated mentally and that translated to my body and energy level. It was odd as I still felt the motivation to finish, but couldn’t muster the will nor the energy to finish strong. The heat started becoming oppressive. Runners started falling out left and right. For the rest of the run, the sound of the heavy breathing and the shuffling feet would be drowned out by ambulances and fire trucks flying by.
Embarrassingly enough, it was all that I could do to keep my miles close to a 10-11 min per mile pace. My PR for a ½ Marathon by itself is a 7:19 pace, so as you can imagine I was beating myself up pretty bad for sucking it up so bad. I knew I was better than this, but I couldn’t answer the call. I finished the race with a 1/2 marathon time of 2:18 (rank 160/311) and total time of 5:49:35 (rank 115/311). Not where I wanted to be. Not where I had trained to be.

The majority of this post was written on the ride home from Macon. Since then, I’ve had some more time to think about the race and my feelings about it. Sunday, I was thinking that I never wanted to do another ½ again. I was miserable during the swim and the run. Was I even cut out for it? Now, just 24 hours later, I know that I’m going to do another ½. I’m going to try to find another one this year. I can’t let this race define my season or leave a black mark on my attitude about distance races.
What do I need to do differently? For starters, I don’t think I took in enough calories to get me through the run. By the time, I realized that I needed something in the gut, it was too late. I couldn’t stomach anything other than fluids on the run. Knowing the amount of calories that I need will just take some time and experience. Secondly, I need to practice more open water swims. Staying focused and on course was a struggle on Sunday. Lastly, I think that I would do some more workouts lasting longer than 4 hours. To date, my longest workout has taken @ 3 hours and 45 minutes. I’d like to add longer bricks. This would give me a chance to work on nutrition and fluid in take.
So where’s my head now? Right now, I’m focusing on a sprint distance race this Saturday. Luckily, I’m not too sore from yesterday. It’s amazing how a 13.1 mile stroll will ease the effects of a 56 mile ride. I’m ready to prove myself again this Saturday.
Thanks for reading.

The 30 Minute Window

2007-05-31T06:01:00.000-07:00

I'm on the eve of my first HIM. Most of my packing will be completed tonight, but for the most part I'm ready. My race day nutrition has already been set aside. By itself on the kitchen counter, it doesn't look like much. Oatmeal, powders, a few pills, and some gels. The bike has been cleaned and greased. I have a new rear tire, one that allows for more psi thus leaving a smaller print on the road (=faster). I've added a saddle bag for my tube and CO2 cartridge. All equipment is dialed in as much as it can be. The engine is getting some much needed rest this week as well. I've refined it's fuel so it'll be performing at max capacity come Sunday. The engine has never felt better.
The only thing weighing on my mind right now is this thirty minute window. I'm referring to the time on the clock as I stroll across the finish line on Sunday. I've narrowed down my finishing times from best case scenario to worst case scenario, and they fit inside this thirty minute window. I know what I can do each discipline in, but how will I do come race day? I've pushed myself enough this year to know how I react to certain conditions and distances, but there's always the unknown. Now don't get me wrong, this thought isn't controlling my mindset right now, and I'm not stressing over it. My head is surprisingly clear. But, if you know me, which you probably don't, you'd know that I'm very goal oriented and competitive. Just finishing is not enough. A lack luster effort is unacceptable. I'm going to enjoy every second of this race on Sunday, but know that if I'm enjoying too much then I'm going to be disappointed when I cross that line.
I've got one more ride to do this afternoon before I call it quits on training for this race. My work is done. Due some great coaching, I have full confidence in my training and preparation. It's time for a victory lap. It's time to enjoy what I've worked so hard for. I'm ready.
Comments are turned off on this one. Thanks for reading. Race report coming.

Memorial Day Weekend

2007-05-27T09:53:00.001-07:00

Lauren and I left out of Bham on Friday morning to meet up with her folks down in Perdido Key for the weekend. It's interesting, pretty much the whole way down we could smell the smoke coming over from Georgia from the forest fires in the southern portion of the state. It's eerie and just a testament of our dire need for some rain here in the South. These fires have been burning for several weeks now.
So far this weekend has been very productive training wise, but at the same time very relaxing. Saturday I met up with some cyclists from Mobile I've only met once before. I stumbled onto their Yahoo groups page and invited them over for a ride. It's amazing how communal cyclists are and how it brings people together. We did a 43 mile loop from Perdido Key down to Fort Morgan. The rest of the day was spent "recovering" by the pool and carefully hydrating with a mix of gatorade and beer.
We treated her family that night by cooking some fresh Talipia over orzo with squash and zucchini. Yum.
Sunday morning, big day. It was my last big brick before my first HIM next weekend. 35 miles on bike followed by an 11 mile run. I did the bike fairly easily. In typical fashion though, the first half of the ride is always fast and easy. The gulf produces and strong tailwind going west that enabled me to keep my speed around 24 the whole time. I wasn't encouraged though. I knew the numbers were inflated. I knew what awaited me at the turn around. It's just a characteristic of the beach that I've learned to live with. Booom! I made the turn and headed back into the wind that had been my friend for the first half. I struggled to keep my speed around 19 as searched for better aero positions which only proved to keep me from focusing on cadence. Nonetheless, it was over and time to run. I had completed this exact same brick two weeks ago down here, and I suffered due to lack of fluids and electrolytes. This time before heading out I took few electrolyte tablets and recruited Lauren to bring some fluids to me down the road. The result was running the 11 miles 5 minutes quicker than last time. Total time - 1:40 on the bike 35 miles and 1:30 on the run, 11 miles an 8:14 pace. Again, as before I really suffered the last couple of miles, but so much better than last time. Hopefully I can keep that pace next weekend.
So the rest of the day = lots of rest for me. Tomorrow is a much needed off day. So tonight, you can find me staying up a little later than normal. I'll be on the dock hoping to catch a few trout. Hope all is well. Happy Memorial Day weekend. Remember our Troops!

Favorite Product of the Month Award

2007-05-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

From time to time I realize how much I appreciate a certain product. In the past, I’ve listed a few of my favorite things about triathlons, and at some point I need to make a list just of my favorite products. The product that is the recipient of this outpouring of love is none other than my Headsweats headband.

I know my wife has a smile on her face right at this very moment as she’s reading this because the story of me and this headband wasn’t always one filled with such amorous affection. You see I first met the Headsweats headband Christmas morning. Lauren had lovingly put one in my stocking. Being the loving and grateful husband that I am, I scoffed at the headband thinking I’d never need it or use it. Headband? Who wears a headband? Those went out of style with John McEnroe and leg warmers. With permission, I returned the headband to the bike shop.
Fast forward 4 months. – It’s hot. I’m a sweater. I find myself constantly having to wipe the sweat off of my face and my shades. My Tifosi’s become useless with sweat streaming down the lenses. It’s such a pain. Sometimes, I would just go without shades because the sweat was so bad. So I broke down and bought the headband again, and you know what? It worked like a charm. No more sweat in the eyes. No more stopping to clean my shades. I may look like a dork (which who actually looks cool in a cycling helmet?), but I can see. So my product of the month award goes to Headsweats headband. Oh and as for my wife, she was more than kind after she found out I bought another headband. She only told me ‘I told you so’ twice.

Thoughts and Perspective

2007-05-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

The morning started out with an early morning ride in Irondale. Afterwards, I made my way over to the Y for a shower before going into the office. If you’re a gym regular, especially a regular in the morning, you end up seeing the same guys each morning in the locker room going through the same routine. I’ve discussed the weird habits and cultures of the men’s locker room so I’m not going to revisit that for now. That’s another post altogether. Well, after a few months of getting dressed within 5 feet of each other, you end up making friends or at least acquaintances with some of these guys. There is one regular in particular who’s well known in the running community. He’s probably 48 or so. He mentors runners new to the sport, teaches spin class (a hell of a spin class), and holds an annual 10K. He and his wife have already completed 3 or 4 marathons this year. The picture I’m trying to paint here is that running and fitness is a huge part of his life. We always have plenty to talk about, but it’s usually just bad mouthing others who leave their wet towels around or leave the area around the sinks in total disarray. Today, he was telling me about his recent trip to the doctor regarding his knee pain. As with any runner, especially an old one, this is a huge concern.
It turns out that with about a month off, whatever was causing the pain will have repaired itself enabling him to continue on. It’s a fairly happy ending, but for the last month or so, he’s had to face the possibility of having to hang up the running shoes. Forever. Forever.
That’s pretty mind numbing and life altering.
So, here’s the hypothetical situation: If you’re a fan of the show “Lost”, you’ll remember back to season two where a heart monitor was supposedly inserted into Sawyer’s chest by the “Others.” If Sawyer’s heart rate went up a brisk walking pace, then the monitor would cause Sawyer to have a heart attack. This was meant to keep Sawyer from trying to escape. Brilliant. Let’s say this is the situation so as to keep any of you with vivid imaginations from getting around this inability to exercise.
So what do you do? This life style that we’ve all come to enjoy has totally been taken away from us. While most of us may only train say 10 or so hours a week, we’re probably thinking about training or racing another 10 or 15 hours in a given week. We spend a lot, I know, a lot of our hard earned money funding our training and traveling to races. To say that Triathlons or running for others is a big part of our lives is probably a bit of an understatement. How would you react if it was all taken away? This is a sad and terrible situation, but a situation a lot of people face daily. What if one major part of your life was totally taken away from you? Do you react graciously by volunteering at future races or by helping others in the sport? Do you become a recluse and shut yourself off from this cruel cruel world? Now, I’m picking on Triathlons because in the grand scheme of things it’s a lot easier than say losing a job or a loved one, but you get the picture.
I started asking myself this question this morning. What would I do? I can’t answer that right now. I know without a doubt that I would be very angry and would feel like a total victim for a while. Most people would. Luckily, I know ultimately (and I hope that I would remember this, but if I didn’t I know my wife would remind me) that my life is not defined by my sport. It’s not why I’m here. My hope is not in this world or my accomplishments here. Praise God for that.
So I leave you with this thought: While given the chance, burn on and enjoy every minute of this life that God has given you, but don’t lose perspective of what really matters.

CarbonMan 2007 Race Report

2007-05-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

The morning of the inaugural CarbonMan Triathlon started at 5:15 am. I kept my eyes closed as I ate two packets of Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal. It's important to keep the eyes closed if you plan on going back to bed which I did. I had little to pack and prepare for since I took the time to do so last night. I finally got up for good at 6:30. Took my acid zapper and went over my transition bag.

Lauren and I met Brent and his wife over at Oak Mountain Park at 7:30. It was sunny out, but the temp was still just below 60 degrees. I began to worry a bit about the temp of the water, but a quick check proved that it would be just fine. I set the race up to be a 400 meter swim, a 12.3 mile bike and a 3 mile run. If you're familiar with the Buster Britton race, we used the same course. Very short, but it would give me a chance to work on transition times and pushing myself in each leg without doing to much damage. Also, Brent has never competed in a Tri before, so this was a chance for him to get a small taste.

Swim: - Spotting was key in this section. There are some yellow pipes floating the length of the beach out in the water that I tried to stay close to but due to their arc I had to keep spotting ahead to stay on course. Say good-bye to those wonderful black stripes in the pool. They don't put them in the lake. Also, the distance for the swim ended up being 300 yards. Either that or I'm fast. I finished in 4:33. Things to work on: spotting, keeping my head down when not spotting, and finding a rhythm out of the gate rather than trying to sprint the entire distance.

T1: A short run from the beach to the parking lot was easy enough. Threw on the helmet, shades, and shoes. Crap! Forgot the sweatband. Start over. - I'd made the decision to put my shoes on then get on the bike as I don't have tri shoes and I'm not that swift on jumping on my bike on the go. It may not be as fast, but at least I kept the rubber side down. Total time: 1:40. Way too slow.

Bike: I was out of the gate full blast. Breathing was heavy, but legs felt good, for now. I hit the hills of Oak Mtn and I felt like I weighed 400 pounds. I just couldn't keep up my speed on the bike. This leg of the ride really wore me out. With about a mile to go before the turn around, I wondered if my back break was rubbing. I reached back and released my back brake just in case. I discovered later that it hadn't been rubbing,but mentally, it worked for me. I found my strength and took off. The aero position felt great. Despite a bad start, I finished the 12.3 miles in 34:57. A 21 mph average. Good, but not great. Things to work on - learning to drink from my aero bottle.

T2: I did go ahead and slip out of my shoes as I was riding in. Throw the leg over the bike and I was off and headed to the transition area. Threw on my shoes with the Yanks shoes strings and my trusty visor, and I was gone. Total time - 27 seconds. Booyah. Things to work on: 27 seconds are you kidding me? I couldn't have done it better.

Run: This was my best leg. I'm notorious for suffering through this portion. No today. I felt great the entire run. It was gorgeous out and I was feeling great. 3 miles in 20:27. A 6:48 pace. Wow.

Total time: 1:02:05.

So for me, today's race was incredibly beneficial in that it gave me a chance to throw the hammer down without all the worry and stress of an actual race. After about 2 seconds on pondering the question, I decided that there will indeed be a CarbonMan 2008. So set your calendars.

Looking forward to reading your race reports. I'll post a link to them on Monday. Thanks to everyone who participated.

DON'T BUY THE SHIRT!!!

2007-05-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

Oh man! I hope I don't owe too many of you an apology or a refund. If you haven't bought it already, don't buy the CarbonMan T-shirt! I just received mine today and boy did I ever mess up. The logo is just about the size of the shirt itself! Oh man is it hideous. If you did buy it, I will be happy to pay you for this mistake. I'm going to cancel the link to the shirt. I guess I owe a big apology to all the race directors who I've knocked in the past for their t-shirts. It's harder than I thought. Maybe I should have spent a little more time on making shirt the logo wasn't astronomically huge! Anyway, big huge apology! I don't even know if I'll try again. Very embarrassing.

Now, what to do with this mistake of a shirt. Anyone need a rag for the car wash bucket?

Disappointed at 'Triathlete' Mag

2007-05-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I just picked up this month's issue of Triathlete Magazine. Before I purchased it though, I sat there at the news rack contemplating my purchase. I didn't know if I could bring myself to buy this month's issue. I love, LOVE, the magazine. In fact, I love reading anything and everything I can about triathlons (thus the reason why I read so many of your wonderful blogs). But! This month's cover caused me to pause. If you haven't seen it, the cover is of a very attractive female triathlete, Maxine Brahns, in a swimsuit. While it's not an overly skimpy swimsuit, it puts me in the position of looking like a real perv when I go to purchase the magazine. At the very least they could do would be to include a bike in the picture! I decided against posting the cover on my blog, but if you must see it, here's a link.
Inside Triathlon's cover is even worse. When I heard about it initially, I was looking forward to buying it as I'm a fan of this particular athlete. After seeing it, I changed my mind. I never thought that it'd be quite as revealing as it turned out. Maybe it's due to the summer month's approaching, but it seems both magazines decided to do a swimsuit/sex issue. Come on, I don't want to read about that in a triathlon magazine. If I wanted to buy a magazine about swimsuits and sex, I'd buy the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue or an issue of Maxim Magazine.
Now, I've read some comments about this in "letters to the editor" in prior issues. I feel like I've heard both sides of the story, but for me, I don't buy magazines to see women in bathing suits. As it stands with this issue, I'll read the magazine from cover to cover as usual, but it won't be one of the ones that I proudly display on my coffee table. It sends the wrong message about who I am. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't live my life scared of what other people think of me, but I know how I want to be represented.
My suggestion to 'Triathlete' is to stick to the sport. Give us cutting edge info, nutrition suggestions, training plans, and race info, but leave the swimsuit and sex discussions to the other mags.

CarbonMan T-shirts Are Here!

2007-05-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

Finally, finally, finally. Sorry, it's taken me so long to get this posted, but I have to admit, I'm not the most computer savvy. I've shopped my design to a few websites and finally found one that works out. It's not entirely the way I wanted it, but it's close, and I think it's pretty cool. Here's a sneak peek.

So, if you want to order one, click here. Feel free to choose a different type of shirt or color. Have fun with it. If you need to search for it on the site you can search for it in the public shops under "CarbonMan".

As for the weekend, it was incredible. I won't bore you with the details of all the delicious fish I ate or the time I spent basking in the Florida sun. I will tell you that I am 100% ready for my Half Ironman on June 3rd. Today, I suffered through 35 miles on the bike (avg 21 mph) and ran 11 miles (8:43 per mile - YUCK!). I write off my avg mile on the run to poor nutrition and lack of hydration. I carried a 20oz Gatorade with me on the run, and it wasn't enough. I found a few fountains in resorts along the way to dunk my head in to cool me off. So, June 3rd is only 3 weeks away, and I can't wait. I'm ready to be 1/2 an Ironman.

You're Going to Hate Me for This and an Update on Floyd

2007-05-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

First off, I'm headed to the beach AGAIN this weekend. I must be living right huh? The opportunity presented itself so I'm off. Who can pass up a chance to train along the shores of the prettiest beaches in the States? (Continental States that is - sorry Crash) I've had a great week of training. Over the last three days I've put in 5300 yards in the pool, and my shoulders are feeling it. I'm out of the water until tomorrow. This morning was a 7 mile run which I completed in a quick 48:35. Don't know where that came from, but it was encouraging as my last few runs have all been after a ride in which my legs have felt so heavy. I was beginning to lose faith in my running. Let's hope I can build on this.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Here's an update on our boy Floyd Landis:

From CNNSI -

Floyd Landis claims the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's lead attorney approached his lawyer offering "the shortest suspension they'd ever given an athlete" if Landis provided information that implicated Lance Armstrong for doping.
Landis said he made the Armstrong allegations public Thursday not because he planned to use it as evidence when testimony begins Monday in his arbitration hearing, but to show the lengths USADA will go to in prosecuting athletes.
"It was offensive at best," Landis said during a teleconference from Los Angeles. "It speaks to the character of the prosecution."
The 2006 Tour de France champion said USADA general counsel Travis Tygart approached his attorney, Howard Jacobs, with a deal shortly after learning of Landis' positive doping test during the Tour.
He said Jacobs characterized the conversation as one in which USADA would offer a deal if Landis passed on information about seven-time Tour champion Armstrong "or information about someone more important than me."
Over the years, Armstrong has fought doping allegations that have never been proven.
As for what he told Jacobs when the attorney passed on the information: "I don't think that offer justified a response," Landis said.
Jacobs did not immediately return messages left at his office by The Associated Press, and Tygart held to USADA's restriction on commenting about ongoing cases.
"If Mr. Landis will waive the rule and allow me to comment, then I'll be happy to address his nonsense," Tygart said.
USADA has a history of reducing penalties for athletes who provide evidence of doping violations by other athletes, though asking for information about specific athletes is not allowed. Landis faces a two-year suspension and forfeiture of his title if his positive test is upheld.
Armstrong and Landis are former teammates who went through an unfriendly split in 2004, but Armstrong has publicly supported Landis and been an outspoken critic of the way anti-doping agencies do business.
"I believe in Floyd, I believe he hasn't had a fair shake," Armstrong said recently.
The Armstrong revelation was the latest in a string of allegations Landis has levied against USADA and anti-doping authorities as he puts the final touches on his defense.
Over the past several months, he has toured the country to drum up support and money for his defense. He says the leak of the positive doping test last July damaged his reputation, and he's not even sure a victory in arbitration will repair all that.

Looking for Clarity

2007-05-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

*Religious post disclaimer - nothing tri-relation. Just me and my Crewd Thoughts*

There's a mountain in Alaska called Fairweather Mountain. To call it such is a cruel joke. The truth is the weather there is terrible. Throughout most of the year the peak cannot be seen due to fog, clouds, you name it. In fact, there are only 20 days out of the year that there's a clear view of the top. A total of 20 days of clarity a year. I feel that way a lot of times about several aspects of my life. I feel like there are only about 20 days out of the year in which my life, future, etc. are fairly clear. Now, in speaking of marriage, I have no doubts. Lauren has been an incredible addition to my life. I don't like to say "addition" because she's not being added to my life, but rather we've started a brand new life. Kind of a 1+1=1 type of situation.
In speaking of faith, I believe with all my heart that there is one God and that he sent his Son to redeem this world through His death. I believe he's revealed Himself through the bible, but I also believe that he reveals himself through His creation, us. I have no doubt that God loves me and has a plan for me. Example #1 - my wife. Where I struggle is in seeing this plan and having faith that it will see it's way through. I struggle with going to God with my problems. For the most part, I feel that I'm a self made man. I work hard, and I succeed at the office. I train hard, and I get faster. Actions = results. What I seem to acknowledge is God's hand in all of this. I'm quick to lose focus on why I'm here. A good example is a man who sees his role as being the one that pursues a career. Not so. A man's role is to provide for his family. Not a big difference in what he actually does, but in how he approaches his job. Now take this back to me. I could say that my role is to work hard, go to church, put food on the table. But I'd rather see my role as a servant to my God where I live my life as one who is forgiven therefore loving my wife, completing my work as requested, being forgiving, and loving others all in a way that brings glory to Him. But, I fail miserably at this. This clarity that I crave would make things so much easier. With clarity, I would see just how futile my best efforts are. With clarity, I would see just how much I need God daily rather than on Sunday's or Thursday morning bible studies. With clarity, I would actually believe and live like God is in control. So tonight, I pray for clarity and that God will help my unbelief.

Getty Up

2007-05-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well, long time no post. Nothing too crazy to report. For the most part, I’ve been staying the course with my training. My distances are getting longer and longer. The really cool part about it all is that I can really tell a difference in my speed. This morning, as I promised I would, I set out to ride the Powerman course before work. As you will recall, the Powerman course is a hilly section of town. The course wore me out in the Duathlon earlier this year. Since posting a 19.4 mph avg during the race, I swore that I would ride the course at least once a month so I’d be better prepared for next year. Since then, I’ve ridden the course three times. I’ve been on it a lot more than due to incorporating it into other rides. So the first ride after the duathlon I avg 19.8. The second was 20.2. This morning, I killed it with a 20.6. I felt like it could have been a bit higher if traffic hadn’t stopped me 3 times, but I’ll take 20.6. Now, understand I didn’t have to run 5 miles first like I did in the race, but this is progress. I’ve found a few attack zones that aren’t as daunting as they may appear to the rider. Now I see why Lance rode so many sections of the Tour over and over during training.
Don’t forget!! May 19th is the Carbon Man Sprint Triathlon. I’m having to work out some kinks with the T-shirt design, but it’ll be up soon for ordering.
I’m back in the pool today for lunch. Gotta work on that tan you know?

Two Zappers and a good week

2007-05-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s been another good week. Its good being an optimist isn’t it? It’s easy when it’s sunny out and not oppressively hot. The mosquitoes still haven’t emerged (not much anyway) so the back yard is still enjoyable. I keep threatening to my wife that this year is the year that I buy a bug zapper. She’s putting up a monstrous fight right now in hopes that we won’t live up the redneck stereo-type by having one on our deck. Despite its ability to reduce the population of those biting S.O.B.s, she won’t back down. I’m still hopeful.
This week has been productive. Good mileage on the road (bike and by foot) and quality swims in the pool. Tuesday night was the first time that I was able to keep up with the “A” riders on the weekly ride. They usually lose me on the flats, but not this week. Coach has me on Acid Zapper, and it’s the bomb. No more lactic acid burn during the rides. I’ve been able to push it a bit harder when it matter and maintain higher speeds. Now, I won’t credit it all to the Zapper because I’ve been working my butt off as well, but it has helped.
So today’s pre-work exercise consisted of high intensity intervals on a spin bike. Bloody hell, these wore me out! My quads are still feeling it. At lunch, I was back over at the gym in the pool for 8 x 100’s and 10 x 50’s. I was able to keep my 100’s around 1:31 and my 50’s around 38 seconds. Still no Michael Phelps, but I’m coming around. One thing of note regarding this pool, it’s an outside pool. Therefore the water bakes in the sun all morning. By the time lunch time rolls around it’s become quite hot. The water had to be around 90 degrees. As I was leaving, one poor soul had to do his laps in a wetsuit to practice for AL Gulf Coast in two weeks. You couldn’t have paid me to swim laps in that suit.
This weekend should be interesting. I’m bricking a swim/bike on Saturday and a bike/run on Sunday. My distances aren't as crazy as Zbuck's thankfully, but I’m still going to suffer. Big congrats to everyone on their times at the Country Music ½ Marathon. I’ve really enjoyed your reports and pics. Keep it up.