Mentally hard....

I had a really hard time after the Chicago marathon. I trained harder than any other marathon, and was really hoping for a PR. It has been difficult not realizing my goal. In this crazy endurance "lifestyle" there will be bad days, and down right "bonks/blow-ups." I will try to not let it deter me. I have been taking it easy this time of the year with the approaching holidays, and winter weather. I am excited to do a couple of half's this coming summer, and get back into the swing of things. I want to see how the new bike does!

Great KONA video by Mark Allen Online.com

Great to be able to see some of the action.

Halloween

Halloween has come and gone, the year is moving rapidly towards its' end. I was happy to be home and enjoy the good weather, and happy time with my family!

Macca wins in KONA!

Chris McCormack wins the Ironman World Championship! I am very excited to see my favorite kick ass triathlete win the big one. He has won practically everything else, and now this... Also exciting to see that the current 70.3 World Champ for men and women both scored 2nd places respectively! Craig Alexander & Samantha McGlone

My Weekend Part 2.

Last nights Cubs game was sad. Today things will go my way...or so I hoped. I was running the Chicago Marathon for the 5th time, and put in the most training. Today will be my PR. Normally you are freezing at the start, but this year it was warm. I trained all summer in the heat, this would just be another day. My Garmin 350 was keeping my on pace. At mile 9 I was starting to work pretty hard. I think it was mile 11 where I "blew up." Then it was survival mode, running as much as I could and walk breaks. I became one with my bad day pretty quick, let's face it when doing endurance sports you will have bad days. Now I went on to finish the best I could and try to make the best of it. At mile 22 the aid station said the race was cancelled, but the info was skectchy at best. Soon we heard the police over their loud speakers announcing the race is cancelled and we were told to walk to the finish. Crazy heat and humidity made for a hard day. Although that is all relative...many people went to the hospital! One man died, and was later found to have not been caused by the heat. I was upright and "finished", but I did feel bad for the next day or two. Part 2 of my weekend equally sucked. It was a bad time for me, our family was sad.

My Weekend Part 1.

We were very excited to see the CUBS make it to the post-season! Not too happy that the Arizona Diamondbacks won both games in Phoenix. The CUBBIES come back to "the friendly confines" of Wrigley field, and home (best fans ever) crowd. It was rediculous to get tickets, but we lucked out and found some...at face value no less. We had a great dinner with friends and we walked to the ballpark, the atmosphere was great. Excitement was thckened the air...it was crazy! I was taking it as easy as possible because of "My Weekend Part 2." The cerimonial first pitch is throwen out by "Mr. Cubs" Ernie Banks, how fitting! The team is annouced and the crowd is loving it! The first pitch and the Diamondbacks hit a home run...the ballpark went VERY quiet. Things didn't go our way. Any opportunity was not siezed, and any questionable call didn't go our way. The CUBS were "flat" nobody seemed to be fired up. It was a sad night...by the end of the game they were swept, and the season was done just like that. My Weekend Part 1 sucked!

Cubs post-season starts tonight!

The Cubs head to Pheonix to take down the Diamond Backs. Go CUBBIES!

WORLD Champion...pretty cool title.

The 2007 Road World Championships just took place September 26 to 30, in Stuttgart, Germany. Six highly prized rainbow jerseys were contested over two disciplines (time trial and road race) and three categories (elite men and women and espoir men). The 2007 road race champion is the same as the 2006 road race champion Italy's Paolo Bettini(pictured here.) Back to back world champs! I am excited, I think Paolo does a great job bringing the honor and repect the rainbow jersey deserves.

The 2007 Time Trial World Champion is the same as 2006 also! Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara does it again, and beating second place by a surprising 52 seconds! I was sad to see Dave Zabriskie did not improve on last years third place, but instead he fell to 12th place.

Always exciting to see who will sport the rainbow kit for the following year!

Triathletes: Wusses or Bad Ass?

Many of the worlds top triathletes look about 150 pounds wet with rocks in their pockets. Often referred to as "tri-geeks," we are some what nerdy...easily excited about the newest gear. The September issue of "Outside" magazine may change a few options...(maybe not but we can hope). In the article "Swim. Bike. Run. Shoot. Kill." The Navy tells of some of it's difficulties in finding the "right" people to achieve the very sot after position of Navy Seal. Captain Duncan Smith, 48, an adventure racer who joined the SEALs in 1985, served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has headed the Recruiting Directorate since its inception. "Navy recruiting complained that 'We send you good guys and you break them,' " Smith says. "And our answer was, 'Well, you're sending us the wrong guys.' " The seal initial screening to become a seal yous go through "BUDS." "BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training), is a notoriously brutal selector, intentionally designed to disabuse the vast majority of its initiates of their SEAL daydreams." "The graduation rate at BUD/S has historically stood at around 26 percent, which, though low, was enough for the SEALs to maintain their 2,300-man force. But then they became, in a way, victims of their own success." "When Smith started looking behind the numbers at BUD/S and discovered that triathletes were graduating at a rate of better than 40 percent." HEY! We might just be a little bit bad ass... "Smith is convinced that the right guys are endurance fiends like triathletes—wiry all-arounders who tend to be focused, good both on land and in the water, and largely indifferent to physical discomfort. Contrary as it may be to our cinematically sculpted notions of them as neckless linebacker types, typical SEALs are around five foot ten and 175 pounds. "Bigger guys are mostly weeded out," an instructor told me at the BUD/S compound on Coronado Island last spring. "Too much body to haul around."" Maybe we are a bit more gnarly than we appear...just in spandex..."the required uniform."

365ish days later...

The Ironman was an incredible expeirience. I did as well as I thought I could with the time I could find to train. I have nothing but great memories. Last weekend was Ironman Wisconsin 2007. I wasn't there... I was a bit sad... I missed the freaky nerves, the excitment & being in Madison. I miss being in such great shape, or as coach Sue called it "ironman skinny." I hope to do another Ironman.

She did it!

Here we are before her big race. I am excited and proud of the hard work put in to obtain her goal. (see 3 stories down)

Chicago Cubs fans rule!

Cycling needs help not abandonment!

Our sport is in a difficult time. I am confident that eventually we will come out the "other" side bigger and better. It is a time when we need support and guidance, not abandonment...Lance Armstrong & Tailwind Sports (Discovery Channel). I agree strongly with Chris Horner's quote: "Come on, you've made your career in cycling. and now that the sport is trying to clean itself up, you're just walking away?" (race radio, Velonews Spet. 10th). Although difficult to stand out against doping when your team was just "duped" by Ivan Basso and his doping "attempt." If anyone can gain attention (the good kind) and rally people around cleaning up cycling it's Mr. Armstrong. If it's a sport you so strongly care for and love, why not try to help fix it?

P.S. Dopers Suck!

A lofty goal...you say?

This year my wife decided to become a runner. A goal was set. A training program was obtained. The Chicago Half Marathon was the prize. I tried to do what I could to help and provide guidance. Before this my wife "didn't like running." Her new goal helped motivate, her cousin was a training partner on the long runs, and I filled in on some too. A LOT of HARD work was put down...then sickness. About 2 weeks prior she got a cold. I tried to point out that it was good "forced" rest and to have faith in all the hard work already in the training log. A last week filled with some short runs, and the big day was here. We swept through the race expo soaking up everything. Some special Chicago 1/2 Marathon gear was purchased in honor of the big day.

Race morning was filled with quiet calm. At the race we found her cousin & friend, then the usual potty break quest came up before the start. I had a minor GU explosion while trying to put it into my race belt "holster." When all was done we where crossing the start line. There were the usual race ups and downs. We ran the whole thing side by side. She did a GREAT job and I couldn't be prouder!! I am so happy that she now enjoys running! Also, she looks great in all her new running gear!! She is a great lady, and I am delighted to be her husband.

Ad for the guys at Ironman Talk podcast

Discovery no more...

Armstrong and the owners of his former Discovery Channel team said Friday the squad will disband after this season.
"It's a sad day for cycling. Certainly a sad day for American cycling," Armstrong said. "We're proud of our record."
The decision shuts down the sport's only elite professional team based in the United States.

Team General Manager Bill Stapleton
"It's not an environment right now that's conducive to a lot of investment," Stapleton said, adding the team was in talks with several potential sponsors. "This was a difficult decision, not made any easier by our recent Tour de France success."

Armstrong said he believes a sponsor could have been found, but the ownership group decided now was the time to quit.
and team director Johan Bruyneel is retiring.
"The team was a dominant force in cycling for nearly a decade.
Discovery will still ride in this year's Tour of Spain and the Tour of Missouri, but the shutdown means Contador, Leipheimer and the 25 other riders must find new teams for 2008.
"They leave with the Discovery stamp," Bruyneel said. "I'm sure they will be very wanted."

Bruyneel oversaw each of the team's eight Tour victories.
"I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the infighting between the teams. This team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season," he said.

NUUN. Funny name, Great Product

About a month now I've been using NUUN hydration drink. I am really happy with the results! Great flavor, unique packaging, and a very clean after taste! I highly recommend it!

Becoming an Ironman.

Say It Ain't So Vino....

Most in the know picked him as their Tour favorite. Stage 5 we all gasped when Vino crashed and lost time. Hard work lay ahead... The time trail win by 1 minute 14 seconds was awsome! Then the next day was the first day in the Pyrenees he lost almost 29 minutes...all hope was lost for a high position in the General Classification. The next day (Tuesday) he attacks to a solo victory..it was sweet! And now the rest day brings this news...

PAU, France - Tour de France rider Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion after winning last weekend's time trial, prompting his Astana team to pull out of the race, a team spokeswoman said Tuesday.
The positive test of the Kazakh rider, a one-time favorite to win cycling's premier event, dealt a heavy blow to a sport already reeling from a spate of doping scandals.
"Vino has tested positive having to do with a blood transfusion and the team is leaving the Tour," team spokeswoman Corinne Druey said, using the rider's nickname.
The positive test took place after the Kazakh rider's victory in the 13th stage time trial on Saturday, L'Equipe newspaper reported on its website.

Floyd Landis's situation is still unresolved, and now this...I am really sad & mad about the sport I enjoy so much.
In anger I held my own silent protest today running in my "DOPERS SUCK" socks.

Gear Review - Garmin Forerunner 305

I received a new toy for my birthday, a Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS with heart rate monitor. This thing is great! The new antenna is much stronger than my earlier version the Forerunner 201. It acquires satellite signals faster, and has yet to get the "weak gps signal" message. You can "build" speed work workouts on your computer (on the provided program/it's MAC compatible) then upload them to the wrist unit. I have nothing but good things to say about the 305. Also it can plot your course on a map after you upload it, which can be cool to check out after workouts. It also can change to Bike mode, and could take the place of a bike computer. If you do a Goggle search you can find it at a much better price than advertised.

A strong lead out train important for sprinters...can the train be too strong?

"Ghent, Belgium, - Belgian Gert Steegmans won Monday's second stage of the 2007 Tour de France as sprint specialist Tom Boonen allowed his friend and fellow Belgian to cross the finish line first on their home turf.
A photo of the finish was needed to separate the 26-year-old Steegmans from his QuickStep teammate and confirm his first-ever Tour victory. Italian Filippo Pozzato finished third.
Steegmans is usually the so-called pilot fish for Boonen, setting a fast pace and creating a slipstream for Boonen to ride in until he can explode into the open in the final 100 meters."

As I watched the replays on Versus it looked as though Tom Boonen could not out sprint his lead out man. Gert winds it up so much, it apeared that Tom could not generate the speed before the line to come around him. A great Tour so far, as usual!

Tour de France and Airline Baggage...what do they have in common?

Tour de France starts in London!
Prologue 4.9 miles Time 8:50 Speed 33.3 mph

Pardon Fabian Cancellara if he looked a little scruffy on the winner's podium after trading his world champion's time trial rainbow stripes for the maillot jaune.

"I would love to shave but I lost my luggage while flying to London on Wednesday," Cancellara said, sporting a hint of a mustache and scruff on his chin. "I'm happy to be in the yellow jersey, but I'd love to have my luggage back!"

I guess we can't have it all...the yellow jersey and a razor. I'd take scruff and a yellow jersey...obviously the aerodynamic drag wasn't a factor!

Macca wins in Roth and narrowly miss out on world record!

The Ironman distance world record was achieved by Luc van Lierde in 1997 at Roth in Germany with a time of 7:50:27. Chris McCormack raced on June 24, 2007 with his sites set on winning and a new world record. Macca won, but narrowly missed the world record with a time of 7:54:23. That is a FREAKN' fast Ironman! I can't wait to Kona!

The Tour starts Saturday!

It's July and that means the Tour de France is on! I was I could watch it everyday. There is always something happening, good and bad. This year is shrouded under a black cloud of doping. I am torn...I really love the sport of cycling, but hate cheaters! I will watch the Tour with a passion because I enjoy it so much. I really hope we are turning a corner with regard to doping. The teams are taking a strong stance and implamenting very comprehensive anti-doping programs of their own. The UCI's new rule of a fine of one year's salery if found guilty of doping as well as a a ban from the sport for a duration I can't remember. I hope and pray that the sport cleans up so that I may again be 110% excited about a GREAT sport. A sport with great traditions, unwriten rules that are respectful and hold so much honor.

Macca is king!

I have been following Chris McCormack for the last couple of years and how can you not like the guy. He is passionate about Triathlon, and has a great respect for the histroy and future of the sport. He often is seen as "cocky," but I think to reach the highest level you must believe in yourself. Triathlon is mostly an individual sport, yes there are coach and other supprt poeple. When the gun goes off and it's "game on" it's all up to the individual. I just recently heard a great interview on Ironman Talk podcast with Macca, and it's great insight to a guy who has the "big picture" and is putting himself in the position to win at Kona. I believe he will win Kona this year!

My Favorite Cyclists.

I would have to say I have two favorites...Dave Zaberskie and Jens Voigt. I like Dave's strong time trailing, a discipline that fasinates me. How do you get right up to a top effort, and then maintain it thoughout the distance. A fine line of victory and blowing up before the finish. I also like Dave's personality of good humor and quick wit. His wife is pretty hot too. Jen Voigt is so hardcore it's scary. He goes all out for his team, and sometime gets the spotlight for himself. He is a guy late in the stage that gets the order to "attack" and attack he does, usually leaving carnage in his wake.

Another year goes by...

Birthdays...when you are young they are the most exciting things ever! My daughter is 5 and she LOVES her birthday. I love her birthday! It's exciting, a time and sign of accomplishment. We as parents are a bit sad thought to see them grow up so fast. As you get older you start to "enjoy" them less and less. I just had a birthday and now I don't really look forward to them. What can you do...I just know I am well loved by my family and "things" aren't very important.

Great new Web Site!

Athlinks is a web site that logs your race history. It will automatically gather your race results from the internet, and allows you to add results that are not "found." You can pick "friends" and "rivals," track and compare results. Please take the time to check it out and sign up. It's just what us tech, anal, type-a, tri-geeks needed!

www.athlinks.com

A moment of silence...

RIP Jon "Blazeman" Blais August 30, 1971 - May 27, 2007
He Leaves The World A Better Place Because He Was A Part Of It...

We all learned about Jon during the 2005 NBC coverage of the Hawaii Ironman. It is very sad to this day not much has chaged for those diagnosed with ALS. It is great to see all those raising funds, and racing in his memory...and Jon's trend setting roll acrosss the finish line!

Our thoughts are with his family.

Running - Fun for the whole family!

The first "race" is in the books for 2007. It was a family afair... I ran the 10 mile, my wife ran the 5K (she's just starting to run this year), and our dauthger did the 1 mile kids fun run. It was the first year of this race "Seven Bridges Season Starters." They did a great job, good course (majority on forest preseve trails), and great food and drinks post-race.
I was happy to perform better than expected, since my training hasn't been too consistant. I did the 10 miles in 1:15:51, which is a pace of 7:35 per mile...very happy with that.
I have said that I wont be doing any tri's this year, and focus on just running and riding. I'm hoping I can find a tri that will work into our family schedule. The big goal is a best marathon in October here in Chicago.

New Toy!

About a month ago I was lucky enough to add a Tri bike to my collection! I am very excited, and looking forward to seeing if my riding improves on the new machine... I have only been able to ride it once, and was very happy with how comfortable it was! Nothing like a new bike to get you all fired up!

Race Season Re-think...

Last year was quite a year...Ironman Wisconsin was great! The time it takes is crazy, and I did the bear minimum. It is hard on you and your family. There where many family sacrifices last year. This year is payback... My wife wants to just into this adictive exercise world and start running. Her goal this year is the Chicago Half-Marathon, and we are very excited. I am taking the year off triathlon. I will help her get into running and train together, we will run the Chicago Half-Marathon together...every step. I am very excited and proud of her with this new goal. I hope to take some of last years Ironman training and experience to improve on my marathon personal best at the Chicago Marathon. I plan to ride as much as possible with the group, and continue to improve my cycling. I hope next year to do a couple of half ironman events, and help my wife to continue her running. This re-focusing on family is a good thing, and the best thing I could ever do. I am a lucky man.

Goals are helpful.

I am very happy to have figured out my 2007 season. Entering the races, and having that goal helps my training in a big way! I need something to work for...I am very excited to see how this season takes shape.

High Energy in KONA.

I was very excited to watch the 2006 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. My excitment grew when I saw that NBC gave the coverage 2 hours, twice as much as previous years. In my short time as a triathlete this was the most exciting race I've ever seen. It was great! The post event drama is equally interesting/exciting... Here is some brackround:

The day after Stadler won his second Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, holding off a charging McCormack by 71 seconds in the third closest men's race ever, the pair shared the stage briefly at the awards dinner. While they made small talk, McCormack found it “bizarre” that Stadler didn't shake his hand.
Minutes later, a friend handed McCormack his Blackberry. In an interview with Triathlete magazine, Stadler called McCormack a cheater, accusing him of drafting.
“I was livid,” said McCormack, who was not assessed any penalties for drafting.
At a post-banquet party, McCormack approached Stadler.
“You said some things about me,” McCormack recalls saying. “You said I cheat.”
According to Competitor Magazine co-publisher Bob Babbitt, McCormack approached Stadler professionally. Babbitt said Stadler at first denied the accusations, then, after McCormack showed him the quotes, admitted he made the statements.
McCormack said he called Stadler a “coward” for not going to him with the complaint. During an exchange that wound up turning heated, McCormack said he repeatedly told Stadler, “You are just a simple boy. A simple man.”
The next day, in a vitriolic attack on the Triathlete Web site, McCormack said of Stadler, “I'm the best - and you can tell him ... Normann Stadler has to ride full-out because he can't run. And he swims like a dog ... Sure it's easy for Normann to be cocky, but I can sit there and joke about how pathetic he is in Ironmans around the world.”
With three months having passed, time for inflamed emotions to have cooled, McCormack said he respects Stadler and that the best man won last October.
“In the heat of the moment,” said McCormack, “maybe I went off the rail a bit. But they (Stadler and a sponsor) attacked my integrity. They attacked what I stand for.”

At first I was disappointed...these guys are professionals! The more I thought about it, I now think this rivialry is great. I think McCormack & Stadler should have a "mano a mano" head to head competition as was done at Wildflower a few years ago with Tim DeBoom and Peter Reid. What better way to watch these two guys go at it on the course! What do you think?

Boom or Bust....BUST!

The Chicago Bears made it all the way to the Super Bowl XLI! We should be proud, and we are... Unfortunately the game didn't go the way we wanted. We are proud of our Bears. Switching gears....GO CUBBIES!

Great Chicago Bears - You Tube Video

BEARS to the SUPERBOWL!

The city is going crazy! People in and around the "Windy City" are a bit shocked that it's actually happening. It is very exciting!

Winter Training & Gear Review

Winter is a great change to training. I grew up in CA (not into Triathlon at all), now living here outside Chicago with actual seasons, I enjoy the change. It forces you to do different training, and take a break. I really enjoy running in the snow and while snowing, it is very peaceful. This year I have a new peice of gear that is great "YakTrax." They are snow chains for your shoes. This has removed the only downside of snowy running, slippery footing. Now with more "sure footed-ness" I am enjoying the winter running that much more. Now it's time to get serious and get my 2007 race schedule in writing. It will help get me more motivated, for now it's just me and my little running buddy.

BEARS win!!!!

I am wishing, hoping, praying the team will go all the way!!!

Birthdays are still FUN!

When you're FIVE! My daughter just turned five, and kid parties are crazy, loud,chaotic, and pure fun! It's great to see all the kids have fun, eat cake, and go crazy. It's a great time to reflect on the past year and all the wonderful "mile stones" conquered. One thing that made me happy was that when we asked what she wanted she said "nothing." Important fact; her birthday is 3 weeks after Christmas, so it makes a bit more sense. She was just as excited with the cool birthday cards, as the presents. I am so proud of her for being such a great kid! My kid... We are so blessed.
P.S. My wife made a great cake!

"Rocky" repeats! & Travel running.

I travel for a living, and do almost all my running when I'm "on the road." Some cities are great for running, and some just plain suck! I really dislike treadmills, so I always go outside. The great cities are easy...the sucky one take a bit more effort. You need to make up your own small loops and do them 3 or 4 times, and shoot for negative splits! Anything to spice it up! When traveling you don't need to limit yourself to the hotel gym and it's treadmill. So this week I was in Philadelphia with enough time to run, and I was looking forward to seeing what was out there. I made up the "Rocky" repeats! I ran from my hotel to the Philadelphia Muesem of Art and did the "Rocky" stairs 5 times. These stairs made famous from the original "Rocky" movie. I then continued down to "Boathouse Row" and then on to "Fairview Park" where there was a nice running trail. On my return I did the stairs another 5 times, then back to the hotel. If you travel get out there, run and check out the area! First check with the hotel concierge for running route suggestions, and also check if areas should be avoided (not safe). Keep good track of your route to keep from getting lost, write it down maybe, also your cell phone with the hotels number for help. Safety cash may be good for an emergency cab ride back if you get too lost, or are doing a long run.