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