I know you’ve heard this 100 times, but never use new equipment on race day. Furthermore, do not wait till the last second to tune up your bike. I spent 7 hours and one trip to the bike store during the rebuild.

I was lucky that Saturday’s bike rebuild went so well. I just needed to get one new shifting wire. Other than that, I was able to fine to the race bike and launch into 2010 racing season.

The Dooby do Duathlon was the first on the race docket. It was a 2.25 mile run 6.5 mile bike, 2.25 mile run 6.5 mile bike, 2.25 mile run. It’s intense as you are redlined the entire way.

The first run went pretty well. The course was changed a bit from prior years and everyone’s times was about 2-3 min slower than prior years. I kept within myself and didn’t blow up because I knew I had to race the bike hard (twice).

I came into transition tied with first, however; a helmet flaw left me in transition 15 seconds longer both blowing me lead and allowing the chase pack to catch me. I quickly rectified the situation and was off.

At this point I was racing for second place. Roger Bonga a formidable competitor and I swapped spots on the first bike leg. I knew there’d be a 3 mile stretch where we’d battle the wind. In calm air I was easily 25-26 mph, but once we got into the wind (COLD wind 35f) I slowed to 21-22 mph. On Cross wind I was 24-25mph. The comfort of the bike felt so much better. Ken O’day helped me re tool the race bike. If comfort was any indication, I think we nailed it. I also worked with John Sherman and he was able to get me the parts to rebuild my bike.

Here’s where the computrainer paid off this winter. While my bike is a little faster, it was the run that felt amazing. Off the bike, my legs felt like I was running for the first time. It felt like my body just wanted to continue to push faster and faster.

In this formula one style race where there are 5 legs to the event, you want to make sure you pace yourself. I think I did a good job pacing, but what was more important was feeling extremely confident in my running. Biking I didn’t give anything up, but running is what set me apart from the rest of the field.

It’s my hope to continue this trend. I’m very happy with the season opener!!!

Well folks, I had my first run. I’m back from the land of Nyquil, Zepacs, Sudafed, Prednisone, and Lotion Tissues. I’d like to classify this as a 10 year bug. I haven’t been this sick since 2001, and man that was epic. This by far was the most pain I’ve experienced for quite some time. My wife knew I wasn’t messing around when I made her take me to the Urgent Care. Somehow I knew that I needed some antibiotics to kill what was in my systems. It was weird as it was like the Zombie bug…it just kept coming back.

Luckily I’ve been training well enough to keep my fitness going (in between the times of being laid up). I’ve tried not to come on too quickly and I think I’m doing a good job of it.

My first 5k back, I knew would be rough, but I had to do it. I was 100% flat. I knew going into the run that my time would be poor. What’s interesting, I went 17:31, which in many cases would be par for prior years… But not this year. I was a good 40 seconds off pace. The confidence booster here… I’m able to pull off 17:31 without much going for me. So if 17:31 is my worst… the question becomes, what’s my best?

I’ve my first multisport race of the year. Still a few questions… but the big one… How’s my computraining affected my bike performance?

We’ll know soon enough.

Typically, I like to think of life as a series of plates spinning ontop of poles (kind of like the late show acts where a guy would take as many plates as he could, and keep as many of them spinning as long as possible).  Sometimes, if you didn’t pay close enough attention, a couple of the plates would come crashing down… Then add a few circus acts in the background, a couple of barking dogs, phones ringing…etc…etc.   Life is a series of keeping all your plates spinning as best as you can.  At the end, you can only truly focus on those plates important enough to keep spinning.

In my case, I have an interesting life, as I can take on way too many plates and not realize it.  Sometimes (and in rare occurrences), I need to stop, reassess and reset.  I’m sure I’m not alone, however; I diversify way too much into everything.  I feel like my life goes from appointment, to meeting, to chore, to workout, to eat, to sleep and repeat.  Where’s the joy in that?  And when I have that breif moment of Joy, I’m too busy spinning more plates to enjoy it.

At times, I truly can be a jack of all trades, but master of none type guy.  Why is that?

I think for many people, the truth is painful.  Instead of being great in one thing, it’s easier to be lousy in many things.  Michael Jordan was an Amazing basketball player, however; he was mediocre at baseball, husband, coach, etc…  I’m sure if he would have spent the same time honing in on his athletic talent for baseball, he could have been the next <<insert baseball great here>>   Most are afraid to fail.  If everyone was guaranteed success, then everyone would do it… So it goes back to the fact that most people give a minimal effort in one thing, so that they do not need to experience failure and defeat.

The reality is failure= feedback?  Do we really fail? Or are we just getting information that we need to do something different if we are expecting the same result?

For the past 5 years, I’ve had a successful triathlon workout plan that’s helped push me below 2hours (when I’m healthy).  The problem with my workout plans are they are not netting better results.  I’ve become stagnant in the area of improvement.  What’s more interesting, I do the same workouts, just more volume and expecting better results… If that’s not the definition of insanity I don’t know what is? 

Ultimately, my goals in Triathlon (and in life are changing).  What drove me to race and train hard are not the same now (as back then).  I think I’ve got a healthy approach to my motivation in this sport.  I do want to live a healthy balanced lifestyle and I’m no longer interested in keeping as many plates as I can possibly spin…spinning.

Working out needs to be a function of enjoyment and nothing more!  It’s my alone time, my me time.  My time to slay my deamons and become right and normal again.

This past week, an amazing head cold/bronchitis which blocked my lungs and zapped my energy.  This bug immediately TKO’d me… 3, 2, 1,   I was down for the count.  I will have taken a week off of training.  The reality I faced… Life exists outside of working out!  It was truly freeing, not feeling guilty skipping a training or rushing through social events to squeeze in a workout. 

It reminds me that I’ve way to many plates spinning… at the end of the day… Which ones do I keep going?  Simple, the ones I do not care about… Although it’s beyond my nature tough for me to let go.  As I get older and wiser, it does get easier. 

Now… I don’t subscribe to the coach potato way of life, but I think I’m going to be kinder to my body going forward.  Each workout will have a purpose.  Each race will have a purpose.  My free time will be allocated towards things I want to do, not things I have to do.  I’m excited as I know the best in life is yet to come… and I have no idea what that looks like.. I just know it’s coming!!

The lesson this race is always know your course.

I jumped in the Luck of the EMU 5k, I raced this course last year. I remember getting my butt handed to me on the hills. This time I wanted to mentally prepare and know at what point to surge and what point to recover. In a 5k, I typically run the whole course as a warm up. I counted 3.5 tough hills, and planned my race strateejury… Mile one had the first long slug up the hill.. Went through in 5:12. The second mile had the second biggest hill…slugged up that hill and kept a decent pace…didn’t hear footsteps anymore. Mile 2.5 the longest and steepest climb yet… once we crested the top, it was downhill from there. Looking at my watch I knew I was in for a great time. Went 15:59. Now, before y’all get too excited, I always measure each course on USATF web tool to get a benchmark on distance… this one was only 3.00 miles. That’s ok though, it’s on par with the times I’ve been posting lately.

My first overall win since turning 35!!!

So I had an interesting 5k this weekend. I was battling a cold that had seeped into my lungs all week and wasn’t feeling 100%. Sometimes I struggle with rest versus training (especially now given the time of pre-season). I jumped into a local 5k in Ann Arbor as it was close and cheap. Running Fit always does a great job with race management. I’ve been running pretty decent paces in 5k’s lately (5:20 - 5:25) and while I wasn’t expecting a PR, I was thinking I’d do pretty decent. My legs were a little tired and didn’t seem to have that turnover snap, but I still felt decent in my stride, so I thought I’d be fine. The course was a 2.5 loops with about (10) 90-degree turns per loop (city blocks) with a few decent 10% hills. What made this course crazy was the 1500+ runner/walkers. By the second loop we had caught the masses (which was time for dodging, weaving, and hiding). At about mile 1 I was in the top pack with 2 other dudes and I thought I had a chance to win it. I didn’t think I went out that fast. I faded on the hills and by mile 2 went to 4th place, but felt it par for course as I was feeling the effects of the illness. Anyhow, I held onto 4th and crossed the clock at 18:10. Now, I might be sick, but I didn’t think I ran my last two miles at a 6:15/mi pace… A dude with a gps said his watch calc’d 3.3X. I went on the USATF maps and mapped out the course. It was approximately 3.4 miles. Based off the pace chart, that would have put me right where I’d been racing the past couple of months. I always use the USATF maps as a measurement guide to at least have some degree of measurement. More and more I find these courses are not as billed.

Overall, this was a fun race with all the twists and turns and bumping into friends doing the jog thing. I wouldn’t expect a fast time on this course, but to bum around and get a good work out it was great (even if the course was 90 seconds slow). It’s great to see so many people out there in their green outfits!

The good news is I feel completely recovered and now focused and burying Guy in our next Arm Wrastle contest!

For Release Top 15 times:

2/20/10 9am winds calm, temp 29f, course http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=341987

1.  Mike Holik - 16:34 CR

2.  Matt West - 16:39

3.  Brian Gase - 18:19

4.  Eric Swager - 18:30

5.  Andy Ames - 20:11

6.  Ben Buer - 21:30

7.  Tom Phillips - 22:29

8.  Eric Wickenheiser - 24:13

9.  Tom Offerle - 24:33

10.  David Menard - 24:35

11.  Lisa Jordan - 28:44 CR (1) Female

12.  Brittany Almassalkni - 28:45

13.  Laura Cooney - 30:43

14.  Dina Saccone - 30:48

15.  Kathy Ames - 34:34

*CR Course Record

Thanks for all who joined us!  It was a great day & event!!  See you next year 2/19/11 Yikes!

The world championships was an amazing and humbling experience.  While I’ve many thoughts about the world championships and the chance to Guide my friend Aaron Scheidies, the overwhelming feeling I have is thankfulness.  It’s sureal that I was able to hop on a jet, fly around the world, compete in a high level event, and represent our great nation.  Being able to unplug and get back to knowing who I am as a person, was the right calibration I needed.  I’m inspired by many who’ve crossed my path over this journey.

I’ve more reflections, but for now, it’s time to let the recovery process begin!