Knoxville Recap

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting my Rev3 Knoxville recap. I went into the race with the idea of taking it easy and seeing where I am in regards to training. If I honestly look at it, I was under trained for the event, but with the ultimate goal of getting to Louisville healthy and ready, I feel like I am on track. Here is the short version of the race.

Swim

The swim was slower than I wanted, but considering I ran head on to someone in the wave behind me after the turn-around, it was ok. She was swimming outside the buoys heading towards the turn-around, and I was heading towards the finish. It appeared there were several in her group that were doing the same thing, so I wonder if there were others that ran into someone else going the opposite directions? The collision knocked my goggles off and stunned me a bit, but I regrouped. Finished in 30:19, but felt like it took me a couple of minutes to re-goggle and get back into the groove after the collision.

T1

5:38....seems like a long transition time, but considering there was about a 300-500 yard jog from the swim exit to the bike and then another 100 yards to the bike mount line, this isn't as bad as it appears. Probably a little slow, but not as egregious as it appears at first glance.

Bike

Was very conservative here. Finished in 1:18:03 (18.6mph). There were some tough hills and considering, we have zero here to train on., I was happy with the results. Legs were not tired at all, and probably, could have pushed a bit more.

T2

2:01...in-and out. Nothing here to see.

Run. The run started off great. For the first 3 miles, I was trucking along at an 8:30 pace, which is good for me. Then the heat started to get to me and my run pace took a nose dive to over 10:00 pace...and that was with zero walking:) I melted like a popsicle in Nairobi. Finished the run in 58:37 for a total time of 2:54:38. I was hoping to get under 2:50, but I know where I dropped time. Overall, I am ok with the results. By the way, my time at this same race last year....2:54:43....so at least I am consistent:)

I have another Olympic this weekend. Memphis in May is here and it couldn't be any different than Knoxville. It is flat and fast. Last year after doing Knoxville, I recorded my fastest bike time in a race at 21mph...and that was in a torrential downpour, so I am hoping for similar results this year.


A quick update on some of the sponsor used items during Knoxville.

Swiftwick Socks

I went with the Aspire zero's and I can honestly say that I have never worn a more comfortable sock. I like them so much, that I have already purchased an additional 4 pairs. They are thin and airy, but not so thin that you feel uncomfortable in them. They have no seams in the toe that could provide a blister point. The best thing that I can say about them, is that I never noticed them once during the race, and I even spent most of the run dumping water on myself in an attempt to cool off. Even with all the sloshing around in my shoes, I never felt any issues with my feet/socks.

PowerBar

I went with one bottle of PowerBar Perform Lemon-lime drink. 2 scoops of powder. The taste was good from the beginning until the end of the ride. I felt adequately hydrated and ready for the start of the run. I also had some Strawberry Banana Energy Blasts. I feel like in training these give me a little bit of boost when I start to fatigue, and can report that this carried over to the race as well. I will add though, that these things a like crack cocaine. SOOOO GOOD! you think you are eating candy. The taste is amazing. I just ordered another box of these things to last me through the summer.

Pearl Izumi

We received our kits the day before the race. At first, I wasn't sure about racing in something that I had yet to wear, but considering that this was not an A or B race for me, I went with it. The shorts were comfortable as was the top. I did not notice any issues with the kit at any point of the race. The top was long enough in the torso and the pad in the shorts added enough comfort without being noticeable during the run. I look forward to wearing a couple of the bike jerseys that I have ordered during the summer training.

Can't wait to try some of the other offerings from these guys as well as our other great sponsors!


Looking forward to seeing some of you guys at the races this summer!

Racing, studying and hurting.....

First things first. Training is going pretty well so far. I am swimming faster. I have lowered my fastest 100's by over 10 seconds from last year and am hitting 1:35 pretty regularly. Not bad for a self taught swimmer. I also have PR'ed both a Half-marathon and my 5k times. I finally broke 2 hours in the Germantown half-marathon which was an improvement of over 8 minutes. I also PR'ed a recent 5k by over 1 minute and 20's with a time of 23'10. So training and racing in the early season is going pretty well. Rev3 Knoxville is this weekend, so let's hope that the early season success continues.

Studying for the CPA exam is going. I took the first part today and hope to hear back regarding my score in about 2 weeks. I take another part at the end of May and then will schedule the remaining 2 parts later in the year. I am already counting down the days until this is over:)

Lastly, the hurting part. I am having some issues with my left leg. PR's and speed improvements aside, the leg is giving me some problems. It hurts quite regularly from my butt down to the outside of my knee. In addition to this pain, my left calf is quite frequently tight. I am not sure if this is related to the other pain or if it is a result of over compensating to relieve some of the pain. I haven't been properly diagnosed and have never had IT band issues. So for those that have had this issue before, does this sound like IT band issues? If so, what do you do about it?

Thanks for reading...hope to see you at the races:)

More sponsors and race news....

I want to start this blog off welcoming Pearl Izumi and PowerBar as new sponsors to the Rev3 Triathlon team. I can't wait to start using their products. Whether it be the Power Bar Nut Natural Energy Bars or the Power Bar Perform sports drinks, I will be depending on them to get me through my races this year. I am also looking forward to using the Pearl Izumi line on the bike and on the run. Welcome to the team!

In race news, I just completed my first race of the season this past weekend. I am happy to report that I also have my first PR of the season. I finished the Germantown half marathon in 1:57:30. While it is not a blazing speed to some, it is a personal best for me. This is a race that I usually use to kick off my season and to get motivated for the years coming races. Considering the limited training I put into this race, I am extremely happy with the results and hope this continues into the triathlon season. I have 2 Olympic distance races in May. Rev3 Knoxville and Memphis in May triathlon. Before those arrive though, I need to decide if I am going to add in another local half marathon. I am torn on whether or not to enter. On one hand, it is additional run training, of which I need. On the other hand, it is the week before Rev3 Knoxville and I am not sure I want to take the chance in it limiting my potential in that race. What do you guys think? Enter the half marathon or concentrate on Rev3 Knoxville?

New sponsors...

Wanted to add a quick update to give a shoutout to 2 new sponsors. Swiftwick socks (www.swiftwick.com) and Blueseventy  (www.blueseventy.com). I can't wait to give these products a whirl!

In other news, training is starting to kick into gear. I have been focusing on weight training through bootcamp classes and actual weight lifting and am noticing a difference in my running. I am heavier than I was during race season, but feel stronger during my long runs so far. All those lunges and squats must be paying off! I am curious to see how the biking goes once the weather allows me to get outside on the road (for those that don't know, I am a fair weather biker).

I have 2 half marathons coming up in March and April and then kick off my triathlon season at Rev3 Knoxville (http://www.rev3tri.com/). If you have never done a Rev3 race, you should definitely look into it. While I am sponsored by them, I would be doing their races regardless. They put on a great race!

See you at the races!

Beast of burden...

...pack mule, sherpa. All things things are another name for a person that is carrying a large amount of physical burden. Carrying all the families luggage through the airport...you're a sherpa. Bringing in the 200 bags of Target items...you're a pack mule. You get the picture. Well, I have apparently decided to make see how much I can deal with this year. 2012 will be the year of the pack mule for myself. I am not sure if that is an official sign of the Chinese calendar, but it is in my world.

2012 is going to be busy. It will consist/has consisted of:

• Started a new job as the controller of a local bank
• Signed up for Louisville 140.6 (along with about 8 other races)
• Will be studying for/taking the CPA exam

I am not usually a morning workout person, but in order for me to get the studying and training in as well as keep as much of a normal family life together as possible, those am workouts will become a necessity.  I figure I will need to carve out enough time each week to have about 10 hours of study and 10-15 hours of training in addition to work and family time. For those that have kids and both train for 140.6 and are in school or studying for some sort of accreditation, how do you do it? Any tips or tricks will be much appreciated.

On a separate note, I can't wait for Spring to arrive.  Really miss riding outdoors.  See you at the races!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes....

...turn and face the strain!  You know the David Bowie song. Well, that song is the theme of my 2012 season. I have always, in the past, completed my last race of the year in September or October and then proceeded to take off the next 3 months, doing only some light running, some lifting and a few other things to generally keep my body and muscles from atrophying. I then decide in January what races to do for the year and then slowly ease into a training regime that peaks with my year ending race in the September/October time frame. Wash/rinse/repeat. Seems to get me by in the shorter races, but I have struggles in the longer ones.

Last year, I had my first DNF in a race at Louisville. Started vomiting on the bike and then muscles just quit working. I ended up in the med tent with some IV action going on. It sucked, but I am over that. In looking back, I have had issues in all my long races. In 2009 in Louisville, I had similar issues but finished, albeit, walking about 20 of the 26 miles of the run. I decided to analyze my overall training regime. Mind you, I don't train in hopes of winning or placing in any race, I train to challenge myself while still having a good time. I realized in my analysis, that I was taking it easy for the majority of the year and then kicking it in to overdrive around mid-July. Usually about that time, I started dropping a lot of weight in conjunction with the long rides and runs. While this may seem logical and normal to most, I have started wondering if my body never really gets acclimated to race correctly. In the offseason, I usually weigh in around 180lbs. The 140.6 races I have entered, I race at 160-165 lbs. But up until the end of July, I usually tip the scales around 170-175 lbs. Does the 10-15 pound weight loss in the final month seem right? Is that too much in the lead up to my A race and could that be a reason why my results have suffered? I hardly ever have issues during training.

This year I am going to try and change the way I go about training. I am going to up my run mileage over the next couple of months and go ahead and start my healthier (notice I said healthier and not all-inclusive healthy). I am going to get in some longer bike rides earlier in the season and will get into my normal swim routine earlier in the year than I normally would. I also , plan on using more data in training. i want to set some training benchmarks for use in races. While a ton of you guys already do this, this will be a big change to me. All in all, a lot of new and exciting things on tap for 2012.

I have my sights set on revenge in Louisville. Other that that, I am looking to do Rev3 Knoxville (awesome course), Memphis in May, a few local sprints, Germantown Half Marathon and Rev3 SC. If you haven't checked out any of the Rev3 events, do so. Great group that puts on a great race.

Lastly, please go to http://www.rev3tri.com/ and check out the link on their page for charities. They are doing a Run Across America to help raise money for the Ulman Cancer Fund.  If you normally give money to charities during the year, please consider adding them to your donation list this year. If you can't give this year, see if they are running through or near your home city and consider donating your time to run some of the mileage.

Thanks and see you guys at the races!

Holiday Wish Lists...

First I want to say Happy Holidays to all my new Rev3 teammates as well as all the returning guys and gals. I look forward to meeting you at some of the races.

Now on to the time sensitive material....

To help the family with some Christmas/Birthday ideas (since I am a January birthday), what are some of your favorite workout and race products?

Shoes?
Gadgets?
Training Aids?
Etc.?

I need ideas!

Not much else to report. I am working on finalizing my race schedule for 2012 and will be starting a new job the first of the year. Other than that, I am enjoying (aka fattening up:)) the offseason and looking to get myself back in gear January 1. First up is the Germantown half marathon.

Post season lazies...

Not a whole lot to report these days. Now that my season has ended, I am taking some time off and hanging out for a bit before I start my offsesaon program. For next year, I am leaning towards 1-2 halfs and then targeting an August revenge date with Louisville. Other than that, not a whole lot to report.

What do you guys do for offseason programs? Weights? Sport specific training? Looking for tips and possibly looking to outsource the program to someone more qualified than myself.

Not what I had planned....

I'll go ahead and get it out there...I DNF'ed. First time ever and I can report that it sucked! As I sat on the side of the road waiting for the SAG truck, I actually cried. Yep, I cried. Don't really know why, just the emotion of it all hit me. I despise quiting. I walked 20 miles of the marathon of this very race 2 years ago, because of GI issues. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I quit something. But my body decided that Sunday was going to be a first. The night before, I had a few stomach issues, but didn't think much of it and kind of chalked it up to nerves. Looking back, this was probably the first sign of the issues to come.

The swim went ok. I planned on taking it easy and was shooting for a 1:20 swim. I came out of the water with a bruise on my ear from getting punched right around 1:24. Pretty much on schedule. I then had a plan of taking the first 20 miles of the bike easy until I got my legs going. As soon as I got out of the water, I noticed my stomach was already feeling somewhat queasy, but the first 20 of the bike went pretty well. I averaged around 18.5 mph up until the turnaround. This is where it all started to unravel. In Louisville, there is a long downhill at the turnaround where you can hit speed of over 40 mph. Right before this turnaround, is a water hand-off. I had started drinking water only for the first 20 miles, hoping to settle my stomach. I ditched my water bottle and grabbed a hand-off as I started the downhill. After placing the water bottle in the cage between my handle bars, I reached for my nutrition in an effort to start that aspect of the race. As soon as I had my nutrition in hand, I hit a bump and lost not only the water that I had just picked up, but also ended up dropping my nutrition that I was holding. So, now I am without food and water. Not what I had planned!

After making it down the hill, I quickly went into plan B mode. I still had my First Endurance EFS, but it was not sitting well on my increasingly angry stomach. It was as if, I was not digesting anything at all and it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I made it to the next bike aid station and grabbed a water and banana. I was determined to try to get as much nutrition down as my stomach would allow. I continued this plan up until special needs at around mile 70. By this time though, I was feeling very nauseous. At special needs, I took some pepto that I had placed in my bag. Unfortunately, this only stayed down for about 2 minutes. I tried to go to the port-a-john, but nothing was coming out. It had now been about 4 hours since I had peed and I should of had to go by now. My trip in the port-a-john quickly turned from a restroom break into a full on vomit fest (sorry for the gory details). I quit counting at 11, with the last few being dry heaves that resulted in the worst stomach cramps ever. I now had absolutely nothing left in my stomach and still had 42 miles to go. Not good.

I spent about 10 minutes in special needs trying to get some water down and a bit of food in me, but as soon as I got back on my bike, it all came back up again. This is where the cramps in my legs also started. I made it about 5 miles and had to pull over again. At this point, I was an absolute mental wreck. I said I would try to back it way off and see how that went, but every little rise in the road, felt like Alpe de Huez. My legs had nothing in them. I stopped a second time, and had my quads and hip muscles seize up. As I sat on the side of the road, I had my come-to-Jesus moment and decided that today just wasn't meant to be. I was in terrible shape and just getting back the 32 miles I had left was going to be a monumental task, not to mention that little marathon I would still have to tackle. About that time, a bike tech official road by and asked if I needed help. I rehashed the fact that I couldn't keep anything down and was cramping severely. From this info, he radioed the bike SAG and from there I was loaded up and taken back into transition (by the way, the phrase...can you hand me your chip is the worst question ever).

At transition I went to the med tent, where they packed some ice on me and had me lay down. They took my blood pressure (they didn't give me that info though) and asked how I felt. At this juncture, I was still nauseous and cramping a lot. After about 30 minutes in the med tent, I was transferred to the convention center, where the IV ward was located. Once I got there, they hooked me up to a magic IV that also had some nausea medicine in it and took my blood pressure again. At this point, almost 2 hours after I called it quits, my blood pressure was 102/56 which is pretty low for me. The IV started helping pretty quickly. I was up and at em' by 4 and back in the hotel by about 30 minutes later.

I relaxed for a bit, grabbed some dinner with my wife and oldest daughter and then put my big boy panties on and went back down to the finish line to cheer on some folks and to watch my brother finish his first Ironman (way to go Bubs!). All in all, it was not how I had planned, but I realized that plans to always go the way you hope. Yes I DNF'ed. No, I still don't like it. But I will be back to race the 140.6 distance again.

Congrats to my Trakkers teammies Jill and Andree who toughed it out and got their finisher's medal at Louisville and to Trakkers pro's Big Sexy McDonald, who just happened to win the whole she-bang, and Hillary Biscay who crossed the finish line to record her 50th 140.6 distance race.

Good luck to those that have races coming up, I am taking a short break to eat some Doritos and some other junk, before I start getting ready for 2012, the revenge season:) Keep smiling and keep working hard.

Josh

It's show time!

The lists are being checked. The bags are being packed. It is time! IM Louisville is a mere 6 days away and I am making sure everything is in order. EFS cannisters...check. First Endurance Prerace...check. TYR Elite Torque swimskin....check. Helmet....check. And so on and so on. I feel ready for the swim and bike and maybe a tad underprepared for the run, but let's be honest, the chances of me running the whole marathon are pretty slim:) I don't feel too nervous, but instead anxious to start. So let's get this show on the road. Time to rock this thing and have a little fun while doing it!

Good luck to evryone else racing this weekend.

Down goes Frazier!

In an effort to entertain all of those who read this and to laugh at myself a bit, I thought I would share an anecdote from my ride this weekend.  Our normal 100 mile ride to prepare for Louisville is a 56 mile out and back where we add a second loop of about 40 miles to get us right at 100 miles.  The ride is all on two lane roads that are considered rural and considering we leave at 6am, we see very few cars, especially on the first loop.  Along the route, there are a few 2 way stops where our road crosses a more heavily traveled rural highway.  Some of the intersection have limited sight lines, but you can usually hear the cars coming b/c of the light traffic.  Well, this weekend while on the second loop of our ride, my brother and I came up to one of these very intersections. I looked right (very easy to see traffic looking this way) and noted we were clear.  To the left, sighting cars is limited to about 30-40 yards.  From what I could see, there was nothing coming.  I also didn't hear anything. So as I started to pedal out into the intersection, I suddenly hear "CAR LEFT" in a somewhat dire tone.  I quickly grabbed the front brake...so hard in fact that my rear wheel came off the ground.  I managed to get my left foot unclipped, but by the time I did, my balance was a bit off and I began to do the dreaded biker pogo.  You know the move....you start hopping on one foot try to find any way possible to regain your balance and stop the impending tumble.  After a couple of hops, I was feeling confident that I had averted disaster.  That feeling quickly turned to despair on the third and fourth hop.  The fifth and sixth hop became quicker than the previous ones, and I am pretty sure that by the 7th and eighth hop, I was on my way to the asphalt. TIMBER! Of course I had manged to fall on the most jagged and rough section of gravel that I could manage to find. Sliced my knee open, bruised my knee and hand, and I have a sore shoulder to boot.  I am sure, the incident was humorous to the cars that got to witness the extravaganza. Next time I will come to a complete stop, and double check the traffic situation so I won't become the human pogo stick again:)

See you at the races!

Training update...

It is HOT! The heat indexes the past couple of weeks has routinely been in the triple digits and Excessive Heat Warnings have been routine.  Since I am profoundly against dreadmills (would rather barrel roll 5 miles than run on a treadmill for 5 miles), it has been a sufferfest. I am now 7 weeks out from Louisville 140.6 and am feeling overall pretty good.  I will be doing my second 100 miler this weekend and will be getting in a 2-2.5 hour run this week as well. It has been 2 years since I last did a 140.6 , so my memory may be a little fuzzy, but my legs are feeling way better at this point of the game than they did in 2009.  Must be the Recovery Pump and the First Endurance Multi V:)  I do need to get my diet straight in these last few weeks, but other than that, everything seems on track. 

For those others training out in this crazy heat, stay hydrated and safe.  See you guys at the races!

Training unplugged...

This year I am going back to the 140.6 distance at Louisville this year in August.  I did this race 2 years ago and am ready to tackle the course again. This year, though, I will be making a few changes in the training schedule.  Some of the minor ones are swimming only 2 days a week, increasing my run days (not necessarily more long runs, but more runs in general), and only doing 2-3 rides of 100 miles or more (but increasing the rides in the 80 mile range). Hopefully these changes will keep me fresh for the race while not leading to burnout like I had a couple of years ago. 

The bigger change though, is I am training without using a computer, stopwatch or heart rate monitor.  I am going unplugged.  And so far, I like it a lot.  I wanted to go out and train for the race and enjoy it without being tied down to how fast my workout was, or what HR zone I stayed in  or how my cadence compared to other rides.  I just want to go out and swim, bike and run.  If I feel like I can push it some days, I do.  If other days I feel slow, I slow down. So far this season, I seem to be benefiting from it. I have been able to run and bike faster than I have in previous years. I think alot of that comes from the fact that I am enjoying it more and not having those "disappointed days" where I didn't measure up to some metric that I felt like I missed or didn't quite hit.  I am doing it for fun and doing it with a smile on my face.  For those of us that aren't podium material, the race and training should be something we enjoy.  And this year I am enjoying it more than ever!

Keep moving forward and keep smiling! See you at the races.

Short and sweet....

I thought I would use this post to do some a couple of very short but sweet product reviews.

First up is the Avia Stoltz.  I have been using the Avia Bolt III for a couple of months and it was light and FAST!  Being a bit larger triathlete, though, longer runs and racing flats don't usually mix well on my feet.  I completed a half marathon in the Bolts, but that is about my limit in the Bolts or any other race flats for that matter.  About two weeks ago, I received my new Avia Stoltz.  Besides looking great (check them out at www.avia.com), they definitely give me that bit of extra cushion to push past the 13 mile barrier my feet had seem to find in racing flats.  The Stoltz are marketed as mainly an off-road shoe, but through talking with Avia, I found out that they make a great road shoe as well.  First thing I noticed was the extra cushion. Very comfortable shoe and unlike other brands cushioned footwear, the Stoltz weigh in at just 10oz!  That is as light as some other's racing flats.  The shoe also comes with speed laces, a microfiber mesh upper (to keep your feet cool) and a gusseted tongue that stays in place.  If you are looking for a good cushioned shoe that can double as a training shoe or a long distance race shoe, give the Avia Stoltz a look. 

Next up I would like to rave about the TYR Nestpro googles (www.tyr.com).  Best goggle I have ever used...hands down!  These things are light and do not leak.  What more can you ask for in a goggle.  They offer a great range of vision that works well in both the pool and in open water swims.  They also don't leave you with raccoon eyes after long swim sessions!  If it is time to replace your goggle, give the TYR Nestpro's a try...you won't regret it.

Two weeks until Rev3 Knoxville.  I am excited....under trained but excited.  This race has always been on my schedule as a training day as well as a weekend to meet some of my Trakkers teammies.  But with all the rain and severe storms we have had (not to mention the multiple days sprinkled in with no power at the house), I am feeling a little behind on the training.  Regardless, it will be a fun weekend.  Can't wait to see some of you guys there.  Hope everyone else's training is cruising along.  Summer is right around the corner!

I Fartleked in the pool....

Ok, not really, but my juvenile mind thought that sounded really funny:)  I did have a video swim analysis in the pool though.  I recommend it to anyone that is looking to improve their stroke and is more of a visual learner than than an audible learner.  I was doing some major things incorrectly as well as some little things that I wasn't even aware of.

The group that I did the video swim analysis for me was BPC Performance Systems (www.buildpeakcompete.com) out of Memphis.  The instructor that gave my lesson was Dale Sanford.  Excellent teacher and very easy to talk to.  If you are looking to improve your swim, bike, run or all three, and are in the Memphis area, give them some consideration.  Top notch group!

Back to my swim analysis though.  Two of the bigger things that I need to correct in my swim stroke are the fact that I tend to swim uphill (meaning I drop my legs) and my kick is inconsistent and at times very flawed.  Both of these I was aware of subconsciously, but seeing what I was doing wrong, has allowed me to focus on the best ways to correct them.  In reality, the two are tied to each other.  If I improve my kick, it will help to correct my uphill swimming.  I have always had a poor kick.  I am not consistent in the number of beats per stroke and I have some form issues (especially when I rotate to breath).  To combat this, I have been focusing one swim session each week to fin work.  I am starting to see some improvements, but have some work to do.

Some of the smaller things that I was unaware of that BPC pointed out, were that I rotate a bit to much when I breath (I also had been only breathing unilaterally) and that my thumb is the first part of my arm that enters the water.  What is the big deal with this you might ask?  Well, when my thumb enters the water first, it is causing my shoulders to over rotate which then pushes my underwater stroke off to the side instead of straight back.  The over rotating issue I have further exasperates this issue.  I have been using a second swim session each week focusing on pull drills.  In doing so, I have been able to get about 80% comfortable bilateral breathing.  In doing so, it has really helped with my overall swim body balance. I am not quite there, but I am definitely seeing improvement, and that in of itself is enough for me to justify the swim analysis session and allow me to look forward to better swimming in the future.  Good stuff by BPC Performance Systems!

Rev3 Knoxville is only 5 weeks away.  The weather has finally made a turn allowing outside riding to be possible.  Here we go!  Keep smiling and keep training hard...

Swim help is on the way...

I am not a strong swimmer.  I am not a bad one either (at least I don't think so).  I am pretty much middle of the road.  With Louisville coming up later in the year, I have decided that I want to be a bit more effiecient in my swim.  Being faster would be an added bonus, but I definitely want to finish my swims feeling as fresh as possible heading into the bike.  I have found someone locally here that offers video swim analysis and coaching that I am most likely going to try.  Anyone else out there ever had video swim analysis done for the stroke?  How did it work out for you?

On the training front, things are moving along.  The new bike (Kestrel 4000) is AWESOME!  Rides fast and smooth.  I plan on doing a review on it later in the spring, once I have a few more rides under my belt.

Knoxville is 2 months away and closing in fast.  Hopefully, I will see some of you there.  Keep smiling and keep working hard, you never know who you might be inspiration to:)

Knoxville,here I come...

So Rev3 Knoxville is my first triathlon of the season and it is about 3 months away.  In anticipation of the race, check out Rev3's Knoxville site and look over some of the course preview videos from last year.

http://www.rev3tri.com/knoxvilleComingSoon.htm

(the videos are at the bottom of the page).

Enjoy!  Hopefully, I will see some of you guys there!

The new ride is almost here!

New pedals....check.
New seat....check.
New bike to put new pedals and new seat on....almost.

The new Kestrel 4000 is 1-2 weeks away.  And I can't wait!  Not that the weather has been all that cooperative which would have allowed me to ride outside anyways. 

Beside waiting for the new bike, I have been mainly doing some light running in preparation for a March half marathon that I will be doing with my brother and dad.  Today was a slow 8 miler.  Had a little knee pain near the end of the run, but nothing that I am overly concerned about...yet.  Lastly, I hope that old ground hog was right about an early spring, because I can't stand doing workouts inside.  I mean, I really can't stand them.  Running on a treadmill or doing a 5 miler on a .1/mile track is getting really, really old.  Bring on the sunshine!

Keep smiling and enjoy what you are doing, because you might not always be able to do it!

Ever had a race or training question you wanted a Pro to answer...

Well now you have a chance to have a bonafide professional triathlete answer YOUR questions.  Check it out.

http://www.kestrelbicycles.com/Explore/ASK-THE-PROS.aspx

Need training advice?
Curious about that bike question you've been wondering about?
What is the best setup for transitions?

Go to Kestrel's website and ask one of the Pro's in their vast stable your question.  Where else can you get this kind of access to a professional athlete?

Schedule and planning...

So my 2011 season is coming together.  Here is what I have so far:
March - Germantown Half Marathon
May - Rev3 Knoxville Olympic, Memphis in May Olympic
June - Dragonfly Sprint
July - Music City Olympic
August - IM Louisville
October - Rev3 South Carolina (maybe)
November - San Antonio marathon (maybe)
December - Memphis St. Jude marathon

As you can see, my schedule is not totally complete, but I am getting close.  I have a plan to focus on certain segments of certain races in my prep for Louisville, which is going to be my "A" race for the season.  I am going to focus on the bike in Knoxville (prep for Louisville hills), the run at the Germantown Half Marathon, and the swim at Music City (to prepare for the non-wetsuit river swim in Louisville). 

I am really looking forward to this season. I will be on a new bike (hopefully soon since I just sold my current bike).  I have changed up my training plan to hopefully eliminate some of this past season's stomach issues.  And I will be doing most of my races with either my best friend, my brother or both.  What a better way to spend the season! 

Keep training and keep smiling...remember, triathlon is a choice we make...not a burden.