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.

Christmas is the MOST WONDERFUL time of the year!

I love Christmas! I have always been way into the holidays... It is SSSOOOO much better when you have kids! My daughter (will be 5 in 2 weeks) just goes carzy with excitement. It is so wonderful to watch her, and soak up that PURE energy. Watching "The Polar Express" on Christmas Eve, and getting the milk, cookies for Santa, and carrots for the Raindeer. It is the best! Enjoying just being with your family is the GREATEST gift of all! It's a great time to reflect and be thankful for what you have.

"off season"

In this wonderful sport and lifestyle it's hard for us "type-A" personalities to take time off. I highly recommend it! I am fortunate enough to have been married for 10 years. In our society's current state, I am very proud of this accomplishment. We were lucky enough to get some time alone, and we went on our first cruise. It was great! Although I brought gear to do some "light" running...it never came out of my suitcase. I was a bit disappointed, but the more I thought about it I realized it no big deal. It has actually helped! I feel re-energized and ready to continue to work on maintaining a strong "base." If you can take a week off...relax, reflect, be thankful for what is in your life, and thankful you are able to participant in this great sport!

Winter Blows into Chicago

December 1, winter is officially here.... Training in the snow! Great times to run, (as long as it's not slippery) very peaceful. Great for mountain biking too. Good scenery! I look forward to a nice run later today. Happy shoveling!

"Playing Possum" - 112 miles in Madison

So, we are about 60 miles into the bike. I see a guy in front of me about 50 yards on a really nice Cervelo P3 (his number was 69). I see something come out of the woods, and this guy nails it! T-bones it! He hits it, locks up the back brake and rights himself and keeps going! It was a possum, and it probably weighed in at least 25 pounds. The possum lay there for about 5 seconds, and then got up, crossed off into the woods on the other side of the road. I rode extra hard up to him and said, “That was fuckin awesome!” In a French accent he asks me if I saw what happened, and I said, “yea, that was awesome…dude you hit a huge possum.” He asks me “what sort of species is this?” I tell him that it was a possum, and of it’s approximate size. He then tells me that his front Zipp wheel is out of "true" from the impact. That was one of the coolest things ever…to hit a possum at about 20+ MPH (slight downhill) and pull it off!!

I did the tattoo thing...

A few days later I had it done...right calf.

Days after...

I am very proud of the hard work of training and my race accomplishment. I was very happy to not have had any problems. It's a day where many things can go wrong, and thankfully they didn't.
There's was definitely post Ironman depression. I hard a hard time a few weeks after the race...then get this box in the mail. I was one of 3 raffle winners from the Ironman race expo. The nice people at GU sent me a jersey, bid shorts, sox, hat, and water bottles. I was really stoked! This helped to get me out of my funk.
I was also a bit bummed out because I never heard the "“you are an Ironman"” thing in the finishing chute. I had such "tunnel vision" on the finish line. Surprisingly it bothered me that I missed that.

Thanks GU!

Race plan re-examine

I think I had a solid race plan. I broke each part into smaller parts. I think it’s the only way to do it, just focusing on the next piece. The swim was 2 loops. The bike was to Verona, loop 1, loop 2, and from Verona back to Madison. The run was two loops broken down into 4 parts. It’s the only way to mentally attempt such a large undertaking.

The aftermath

All I wanted to do was enjoy being warm. I thought I might be hungry my wife “L” calls her mom back at the hotel and order a pizza. We get back to the room and I get a great big hug from my daughter “S,” it felt great! She asked me to read her a story, and I agreed. About 3 pages into it, my wife offers to take over and I agree. I couldn’t concentrate, I could see the words but I couldn’t really get them out. Strange. Soon after…bed. It felt so good. The next day we saw “K” and his family, and we are both surprised at how good we each feels. We walk to the Ironman Village and pick up our race photos, and buy some more race swag.

I am an IRONMAN!

Post-race

Now I ‘ve got my super space blanket and some WARM soup broth standing in line for a finisher picture since I don’t know if I’ll do this again. Someone starts talking to me, and I feel someone and it’s my wife. She pushed her way through the fence to get to me. She has the best smile; I can almost feel it radiating heat. My heart warmed up to be there together. The picture standing with my medal on trying hard to smile…it’s not too good, but that’s cool. We go to transition changing room and the best part of the day happens…dry, warm clothes. It felt so good I can’t even think of how to describe it!