cruising the bike path

this time it was up Vail Pass from Copper Mtn


the climb up Fremont Pass which descends down to Copper Mtn


the view on the right hand side of road riding towards Leadville


from earlier in the day at Tennessee Pass


first climb was up and over Battle Mountain outside of Minturn before crossing this bridge!

Go Nugs!

Billboard outside of our Denver studio on Larmimer / Broadway tagged by a local artist.

Res back in session

Yesterday morning was the first day of swimming back at The Res for me. I've been a bit under the weather so missed opening day on Tuesday. Convinced James (http://hadmeistergeneral.blogspot.com) to join me, and I was shocked when he rolled down the stairs for the 6:15 departure. He still needs work though as Em was out the door by 5:45 for her 6 o'clock practice at Flatirons and I had been up drinking coffee since six too.

Fast forward to The Res. A handful of swimmers were already in the water and swimming around the 800-meter loop the BAM (Boulder Aquatic Masters) volunteers set up. This crew is headed by Jane Scott who is one of the best coaches out there. She is feisty, writes tough workouts, but always shares a laugh with everyone at the pool. It is so cool that she has opened up this opportunity and gets a handful of kayak volunteers to help out every session! This open water swimming wouldn't be an option without them!

I noticed two of the swimmers already in the water and looping around were Justin "The Predator" Daerr and Chris "Big Sexy" McDonald. I started just as they were coming in from their first lap and got a nice warm up lap in on the first lap. James waited for Michael Lovato to come around and started with him. On my second lap, around the second buoy I ran into James, who had emerged out of nowhere. I later learned he did not see the first buoy and had been skipping it altogether. He righted his wrong on the third lap when Lovato and I yelled at him for cutting:) I ended up swimming four loops (3k) and James swam 3.5 total (albeit quite a bit faster!).

I'm going out to watch and video tape the time trial on the Morgul Bismarck course in Superior tonight. I won't be racing due to this lingering cold and will probably just be racing in Sunday's Koppenberg Circuit race. Will still be a good weekend of riding though.

Cheers,
LF

Steve Larsen passes away

News is already spreading about the passing of Steve Larsen. He collapsed during a track workout yesterday in Bend, OR and suffered an apparent heart attack.* He leaves behind his wife, five children, and brother Michael (who recently moved from Boulder out to Bend to be closer to Steve's family).

We recognize Steve as one of the most dominant endurance athletes of our time. Recently, he began racing competitively again after taking a few years off to develop his successful real estate business. He also recently started a new triathlon business called WorldTri.com.

I'm sure other triathletes feel the same way, that Steve was an inspiration for anyone looking to live life to it's fullest.

Here is a link to Slowtwitch.com which is closely following this most unfortunate news: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Very_sad_news_about_Steve_Larsen_P2338019/

* Velo News reported today Steve did not have a heart attack but possibly viral problems. www.velonews.com

like a dog...

i can't say i remember the last time i dipped into the well this deep. took an easy 2 hour spin with Em before the crit on Sunday. felt a bit of a sore throat creeping up before the crit, but decided to give it a go anyways. but, after a lackluster showing at the north boulder crit, i have come down with a sore throat and head cold. i hate these. i don't get sick very often, but i am a miserable person to be around when it happens. if you see Emily around town this week, be nice to her, cause she is being very patient dealing with her whiny husband.

i'm hoping to bounce back with enough energy to race the koppenburg circuit race in town this sunday. i do think i'll have to sit out for the time-trial and crit on friday and saturday though.

good news is, i finally have an excuse to hoard all the orange juice in our fridge for myself!

out,
lars

where are the fashion police?

wonder where i can pick up one of these peace-themed sweater vests?

Sunshine Hill Climb

Bucked up and paid for an annual ACA license earlier this week so I'm entering a few additional bike races this season. Cycling is a great way to get hard efforts and specific training in for longer triathlons, so I like hopping into a few of these each year.

We've got a good weekend of racing here in town this week with the Sunshine Hill Climb today and the North Boulder Park Crit.

Today was the Sunshine Hill Climb, a 9.1-mile climb from Sanitas Park in Boulder up to the outskirts of Gold Hill. The first six miles are pavement and the final three are dirt. The average gradient of the climb is 7.6% with steep sections of 23%.

This climb is an annual staple on the racing schedule, but I haven't raced it since 2005 when it was a stage in the Boulder Stage Race. Today was a cool one, with temperatures in the 40's both at race start and up higher on the mountain. It meant two things; it would be a quick pace up to the top and it would be a chilly descent back down to the bottom.

The Cat 3 race started out with a neutral roll out from the Boulder Center of Sports Medicine parking lot but quickly started once we passed the Sanitas Park trail head. For the first two miles, the pace was a good tempo but not high enough to put forth too hard an effort. The first major split in the group came at the first switchback leading up towards mile 3 where a young 5280 Chipotle rider, Yannick Eckmann, went to the front and started putting in hard efforts. The 50-strong group split into a lead group of six. I had my Velo News teammate, Fred Dreier, in there and I knew he would put in some strong efforts for as long as he could.



The next split happened at the 5 mile mark when Eckmann again put in a surge on a short but steep pitch of road and split the group up for good. I found myself alone in third place with second dangling about 50 meters up the road and the lead rider putting more distance on the rest of the field.

The real test is when the dirt starts and it was just a matter of finding a good tempo and concentrating on ticking the legs over. After a series of switchbacks, the 4th and 5th place riders caught up to me and I road with them over the last few miles until the final 200m. I wasn't able to react to the sprint to the line and crossed the finish in 5th. I finished at 8:53AM (we started at 8:07) which means I finished the climb somewhere between 46 and 47 minutes (edit: 46:47).

Now to climb into the Norma Tec MVP "puffy pants" to get in some recovery for the crit tomorrow afternoon.

LF

Pic of VN teammate Fred Dreier suffering down the final "straight" 200-meters

Good laugh

********************* -THE OFFICIAL EURO CYCLIST CODE OF CONDUCT- ********************

Created by Dom Guiver and Mike Flavell

1. Image and style shall be the primary concerns of the Euro Cyclist. When suffering, one must focus first on maintaining a cool, even composure and second on performance. Winning races is an added talent, and only counts if said Euro Cyclist wins with appropriate style.

2. Training shall be based solely on feel, while racing shall be guided by sensations and instinct: that is to say, “soul.” The Euro Cyclist will never accept tried or tested scientific training methods.

3. The Euro Cyclist shall NEVER, under any circumstances, wear plain black spandex bibs (shorts, regardless of colour are BANNED) or ANY team kit
containing non-prominent logos. Shorts will extend approximately 2/3rds of the way down the upper leg and will contain a compression band at the bottom (distinct in colour). In NO CONDITION shall they extend any further!

4. Legs shall be SHAVED year-round. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS. Certain hair removal creams are endorsed only on a case-by-case basis. One shall never show up to a race (be it large or small) with ANY amount of stubble visible on one’s legs.

5. A prominent line where one’s kit ends and where one’s deep tan begins is essential to one's image. Artificial tanning is BANNED. The tan shall reflect the level of training commitment.

6. The socks of the Euro Cyclist shall extend to within two (2) cm. of the main bulge of the calf muscle, and shall never extend further than one (1) cm. past said primary calf muscle bulge. All socks SHALL BE WHITE in colour with prominent logo placement.

7. Cycling shoes shall contain at least 80% white!
The following exceptions apply:
i) Colour combinations such as world cup stripes or Olympic gold for which the title has been EARNED.
ii) Shoes which are custom-made for specific riders by companies endorsed by this group. These shoes shall be accessible to the particular cyclist only, and shall follow the preceding rules.

8. If white cycling shoes are not available where the Euro Cyclist resides, white booties (or “shoe covers”) with prominent logos shall ALWAYS be worn. When booties are worn, socks shall protrude approximately seven (7) cm. above the ankle, and shall always protrude at a minimum one (1) cm. from any booties worn.

9. One’s bike frame shall contain between two (2) and four (4) colours IN ADDITION TO WHITE. All colours are acceptable as long as they combine tastefully and elegantly. In addition, wheel selection must also match frame and fork.

10. One shall race only on Campagnolo Boras or Lightweights. Fulcrum Racing One, Corima Aero+ or Zipp (404 or 202) wheelsets are considered stylish enough to be used as training wheels ONLY. Irregardless, ceramic bearings shall be used at ALL TIMES on both training and race bikes.

11. ALL wheels shall be equipped with tubulars, regardless of one’s ability in gluing them.

12. Ridiculously stylish eyewear (see endorsed products list) is to be worn AT ALL TIMES without exception. Glasses are to be worn over helmet straps at all times.

13. Hair shall be kept neatly short, and matching helmet shall be worn (again with prominent logo placement). The helmet shall be predominantly white. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall a clashing helmet colour be worn with one’s euro kit. Helmets are not to be worn when venturing indoors AT ANY TIME. It is, however, acceptable to wear one’s helmet while outdoors on a patio (see rule 34).

14. In certain RARE cases, it shall be deemed acceptable to have long hair. In this event, hair shall be neatly slicked back in a severely euro style, and helmet SHALL NOT be worn. It is IMPERATIVE that rule 12 is followed in these special instances.

15. When riding, sans helmet (with short hair), a team issue cycling cap (white in colour), shall be worn. The bill shall remain in the downward position at all times. The cycling cap may be worn forwards or backwards to coincide with the specifics of one’s current hairstyle. During spring training, cycling toques shall be worn at all times in place of caps.

16. Kits must always be freshly washed, and one shall ALWAYS have applied a subtle quantity of eau de toilette (or “cologne”). It is, AT ALL TIMES FORBIDDEN to ride in an unwashed kit. This is severely detrimental to one’s image.

17. Saddles shall be white in colour ONLY and shall be manufactured in Italy or France. Exceptions may be made in the following cases:
i) Saddles containing World Cup Stripes or Olympic Gold when it is EARNED
ii) Italian flag colour combo when rider is ITALIAN (born in Italy)

18. Handlebar tape is required to be cork as well as WHITE IN COLOUR. Bar tape shall be kept in pristine white condition. This state shall be achieved either through daily cleansing or through frequent replacement. These jobs must NEVER be performed by the cyclist as one must maintain one’s image.

19. All stems must be a minimum of 120mm long and of a rise no higher than -10 degrees. Stems shall be positioned no more than 0.5cm above the top of the headtube. ALL stems shall ALWAYS be oversized, made out of ALUMINUM, and airbrushed in kit/frame colours. In certain cases (Mario Cipollini) it is advised that one airbrush a buxom young woman onto the top of one’s stem.

20. The Euro Cyclist shall ALWAYS have liniment applied to his legs before appearing in public.

21. Facial hair shall be restricted to (at a maximum) a goatee, and even this is discouraged. Moustaches, beards, and any combination thereof are EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED in all instances. Stubble is, however, advisable in virtually ALL euro-situations. It is important to note that this DOES NOT apply to the legs.

22. Campagnolo shall be THE ONLY acceptable component and it is hereby deemed superior to ANY Shimano product in ALL circumstances and situations. The Euro Cyclist is expected to have nothing less than an ENTIRE campy grouppo. Crank substitutions are NOT permitted. There is, however, a case by case exception for SRAM Red.

23. One shall NEVER, under any circumstances, acknowledge the presence of a cyclist riding a bike costing less than 2000€ in ANY public place. This may be severely detrimental to one’s image. If such a situation cannot be helped, it is CRITICAL that the Euro Cyclist regard his “acquaintance” with a patrician mixture of disdain and SEVERE condescension.

24. One shall NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, associate with triathletes. This cannot be overemphasized! It is FORBIDDEN to have any number inked onto one’s body before a race.

25. Any physical activity other than cycling is STRONGLY FROWNED UPON. This includes any form of running or swimming and their derivatives (this includes walking). The ONLY TWO other sports with a recognized degree of euro are: cross-country skiing and long track speed skating.

26. Mountain bike gloves are FORBIDDEN in all instances. Cycling gloves shall be slick, white (in accordance with kit), and have minimal padding. Padding will be beige or white in colour. Wearing NO GLOVES is entirely acceptable and encouraged. In the case of a Euro Cyclist wearing a leader’s jersey special gloves shall be made to match the colour of the jersey while simultaneously blending the colours of the team kit.

27. In a circumstance where any cyclist (or TRIATHLETE) ever displays aggression or disrespect towards a Euro Cyclist, he is required to ride up uncomfortably close to his foe and slap them in the face with his team issue gloves.

28. In the event a motorist disturbs one’s ride: one shall proceed to ride up beside the car, form a clenched fist and bang the boot of the car while doing one’s best to sound irritated in Italian. Wild arm and head movements (“Gesticulation”) are strongly encouraged to enhance the apparent rage.

29. One shall NEVER rearrange one’s package while riding. Adjustments regarding seating/hanging comfort are to be done in private in order to preserve image.

30. ABSOLUTELY NO FORM of seatbag, frame pump, mud guard or mirror shall come within two (2) metres of one’s bike.

31. Gearing shall be restricted to a titanium Campy Record 11-23 cassette with a ABSOLUTE MINIMUM of 42-53 up front. One must never be seen pedaling at a cadence greater than 90 rpm in order not to detract from one’s calm/smooth factor, or “Suplesse.” The use of 25-toothed cog is acceptable for severely mountainous training situations.

32. ALL BIKES shall feature personalized nameplates next to one’s home country’s flag, located on the top-tube within ten (10) cm. of the seat-tube ON THE DRIVE SIDE ONLY.

33. Pedals MUST be either Look or Time. No other pedals are to be considered. As always, ANY form of Shimano product is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

34. Coffee is a NECESSITY and as such it must be consumed STRONG (e.g. espresso) on a patio in Italy in full kit; it shall be drunk BLACK. Sugar is STRONGLY FROWNED UPON. The only milk present shall appear frothed on top (if at all). The euro cyclist shall, if possible, develop a fondness for the triple ristretto.

35. All podium shots (“pictures”) shall be taken while wearing one’s team kit and appropriately matching casual euro shoes (such as Pumas). Socks shall remain within the guidelines above. One is expected to display an appropriate degree of bulge while receiving kisses/trophies. The bulge may vary according to the outlandishness/impracticality of the victory prize (e.g. livestock and/or enormous cheese wheels).

36. All pre- and post-race activity SHALL be conducted under a gazebo (this includes massages, interviews, seductions, and looking fantastic) leaving one in reasonable distance of the Euro-sun to top up one’s enviable tanlines and pose for photos.

37. Post-race, one shall be tied to one's mobile phone, receiving endless calls from:
i. One’s attractive girlfriend, or
ii. Important ad executives concerning modeling contracts. This shall be done under the protection of the post race gazebo.

38. Team bikes will be built up so that they violate the UCI weight limit in order that weights might be attached to the frame to demonstrate its superiority and lightness.

39. Motivational music during training shall consist of late 90s trance or progressive house, hereby known as 'euro beats.' NO EXCEPTIONS.

40. Water Bottles shall be referred to solely as "Bidons" and shall have a volume NOT EXCEEDING 500ml. Bidons shall always match team/kit colours. It is NOT ACCEPTABLE in ANY CIRCUMSTANCE to leave one’s bidons on the bike for more than ten (10) minutes post-ride OR while transporting bikes via bike rack.

41. Naked black ALL CARBON water bottle cages (manufactured by ELITE CAGES) shall be used on ALL BIKES. Exceptions include:
i) Special edition 24k gold cages, acceptable in certain cases such as photo shoots, prologues or where colour coordination dictates (e.g. gold cage with Olympic gold/white team kit).

42. A gold pendant on a very long, thin chain bearing some form of religious icon is STRONGLY recommended for mountain races.

43. While soloing in for a victory, one shall ensure that one’s jersey is FULLY ZIPPED and ALIGNED so that all title sponsors are clearly visible. One shall then smile and flex one’s arms while pointing sky-wards. The projection of one’s fatigue is EXPLICITLY FORBIDDEN IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

44. When appearing in a photo spread for a sponsor’s products, the Euro Cyclist has the option of appearing fully nude, in team kit, or in a full Brioni three-piece suit (nothing else). Smiling is PROHIBITED in these instances.

45. When appearing in documentaries, one must be seen walking around the hotel in one’s kit at all times. It is also recommended that one constantly be eating something in front of the cameras.

46. When asked "how are you?" while riding one must proceed with one of the following...
i. Complain about coming off a sickness
ii. Explain that one is peaking for bigger races later in the season
iii. Mention that this is a "recovery ride"
iv. Explain that one is at the tail end of one’s daily six (6) hour training ride

47. If one feels the urge to relieve oneself during a race, one shall gracefully meander to the back of the pack, seat oneself sideways on the saddle, and pee into the sunflowers. It is the DUTY of the Euro Cyclist to ensure that no camera crew catches the act, for it could be severely detrimental to one’s image. Under no circumstances shall one dismount from his bike in order to urinate.

48. When climbing anything with a gradient above twenty (20) percent OR lasting greater than four (4) kilometers, the Euro Cyclist shall fully unzip his jersey and let it flutter freely in the wind.

49. When dropping out of a race, one shall avoid the embarrassment of entering the official broomwagon and shall instead wait for the team vehicle. When asked the reason for dropping out, one shall cite mechanical problems or oncoming sickness in order to avoid any negative speculation in regards to one’s fitness.

50. If in doubt, the euro cyclist shall mention in an interview that his pollen allergies are acting up, and that he’s not sure that he’ll win the Giro this year. In this situation he must note that the sensations are otherwise good, and that he will eventually win a beautiful stage.

51. Team-building motivational camps shall be held annually in the off-season. These are to place team members in as ridiculous a setting as possible. Photos shall be widely reproduced to demonstrate team cohesion.

52. During the pre-race medical checks, star riders of each team are strongly advised to play doctor with each other while shirtless. Photos taken must strive to be as HOMO-EROTIC AS POSSIBLE.

53. In order to avoid the harsh European winter, one shall:
i. Flee to the warmer climates of Mallorca/South Africa/Canary Islands/etc.
ii. “Train the mind, body and soul” with Kreitler-brand rollers

54. In the event of a crash, regardless of the gravity of an injury the Euro Cyclist shall mummify himself in fishnet gauze. The act of gauzing oneself (in order to continue racing while injured) is looked upon with respect by other Euro Cyclists as a statement of commitment and of strength of character. One shall use white gauze to bandage injuries; however, world cup striped gauze and/or national colors may be used in addition to white in select circumstances.

55. No form of large or obtrusive tattoo shall be printed onto the skin anywhere on the body. Small, discreet tattoos of the Virgin Mary or Olympic rings (assuming one has participated in Olympic games) no larger than three (3) cm. by three cm. shall be considered tasteful if AND ONLY IF located out of sight while one wears regular kit.

56. If a rider’s sponsors do not make quality parts, then the rider shall buy better parts and superimpose his sponsor’s stickers over them (e.g. Quickstep's past rebranding of Time products as Specialized).

57. No rider shall wear any shorts with any type of hole showing skin below unless said hole and or opening was from a recent crash DURING that training session and/or race. Wearing ripped shorts is allowed ONLY while one is struggling to the finish and/or to the correct place to wait for the team car to take one out of the race.

58. When cresting the summit of a climb the Euro Cyclist will sit up, zip his jersey, and reach into his pocket for a snack while simultaneously looking back to see who will be accompanying him on the descent. Note that while coasting to allow another rider to catch up (in order to work together on the way down) is allowed, coasting in order to rest is FORBIDDEN.

59. The Euro Cyclist shall own a sizeable parrot and will ensure that he is seen walking around photo shoots with it perched either upon his casually outstretched index finger or upon his shoulder. Hair should be slicked back for maximal effect. The parrot should either be white or it should contain three (3) or more colors found within the World cup stripes. One must always smile when pictured with the parrot. The parrot should speak fluent Italian. In certain cases it is deemed advisable that the Euro Cyclist possess, in place of a parrot, SEVERAL young pumas.

60. The Euro Cyclist shall never ride deep carbon wheels with aluminum braking surfaces, with the exceptions of Mavic wheels and the Ghibli disc. Aluminum braking surfaces detract from the seamless transition of black carbon to black tire that makes the Euro cyclist look so devilish upon his race wheels. Deep carbon wheels shall have prominent decals upon them UNLESS they originate from Carbonsports in Germany.

61. When the Euro Cyclist wins a race or a grand tour he shall stylishly uncork the bottle of champagne and spray it around the podium. If the rider is ravenous, slightly overweight and German he shall place the opening of the champagne bottle close to his mouth and drink (heavily) with puffed out cheeks and a smile. If the rider is truly Euro he will take the ENTIRE bottle of champagne in his arms and parade about the finish area with it. Champagne bottles must be COMICALLY OVERSIZED. One should spray the podium girls. Especially if they are dressed in white.

62. At the finish of a Grand Tour the Euro cyclist shall celebrate by cycling around the finish area decked out in team kit and proper Euro casual footwear. If married, the Euro cyclist shall have his child in his arms. The toddler may rest upon his handlebars, or in the event that the Euro cyclist achieves a podium spot, accompany the rider onto the podium. The child should have its own victory salute that will be used in conjunction with that of his/her father. In some cases the child is permitted to wear an entirely-too-large team jersey. This rule shall be upheld by ALL riders save for Mario Cipollini, who would be unable to comply due to the sheer number of offspring he has fathered courting supermodels over the past two decades.

What's that smell?

I've been getting a lot of heat from the ever-lovely Emily and Thor's voracious nose. They are strongly hinting they are not too happy with my new body wash, Axe's Brazilian Heat Fever. I've been quite happy with some of Axe's previous scents, however I'm not feeling the love from their newest product. Consider this your warning as I've learned the hard way.

Interview with our summer roomate: James Hadley

This interview was conducted by Laura Tingle but I wanted to introduce you to our roommate for the summer...Britain's most eligible bachelor, James Hadley.

James Hadley: Pretty face, popular bachelor, serenader with an accent…but wait, there is more. This British triathlete placed in the top ten at St. Croix, Muskoka and Timberman in 2007. Recently, Hadley finished 6th overall at the Laguna Phuket Triathlon.

LT: Let’s get the most important question out of the way first, while in Boulder, did you ever run over a prairie dog with your bike?

JH: No I have never ran over a prairie dog. They are really cute.

LT: What is more important when it comes to being a “ladies man” aftershave, or skin tight shirts?

JH: I think the most important thing to being a ladies man is the skin tight shirts. If a guy wears a shirt it has to be fitted to the body shape, and if he wears a t-shirt it has to be body hugging and not blue in colour. Black is the best. Although a good aftershave is almost equally important.

LT: Do you follow the “no swimming with in 30 minutes of eating” rule?

JH: No I don’t follow the “no swimming within 30 minutes of eating” rule. I often swim with a bloated full stomach. So now I have tried the protein shake before I swim with a red bull. That works way better.

LT: You were recently in Thailand…anything you would like to share?

JH: Haha. Yes I was in Thailand. What are you thinking I would like to share???
The women are hot, and the people were extremely friendly. I think it was the best race I have ever been to. Sorry there isn’t any more. I hope you weren’t wanting some seedy gossip! haha.

LT: What is the worst nickname you have ever been give?

JH: My worst nickname??? I don’t think I have had a bad one. I suppose being called “Badboy” or “player” doesn’t seem to go down too well with the women, but I have been fortunate that if people have had bad nicknames for me, they have done well to hide it from me.

LT: On a scale from 1-10, how bummed are you that the Island 80 triathlon won’t happen this year?

JH: I wasn’t aware that Island 80 isn’t on anymore…I am well bummed about it though, as I was planning on racing it! So a 10 for that!

Do James a favor and visit his new blog at: http://hadmeistergeneral.blogspot.com

Out,
LF

WF recap

real quick update as i just pulled into Xantusia after driving all afternoon back from Wildflower, which is in the middle of California!

it was a solid day out there for me, but nothing noteworthy or special. i had a slower swim than i had anticipated as i was dropped by both the second pack where i usually find myself and another swimmer who passed me with around 1/4-mile left.

the bike here at WF is really tough and i like that. i wanted to make up the time lost during the swim but had been warned this week by the WF sages Mark Montgomery and Dan Empfield not to attack the course too early unless i was willing to suffer later on. i let a few perky riders blow themselves up during the five miles of climbers leading out of the San Antonio park and then started to turn on the jets. i worked through the race and hit the 3-mile climb up Nasty Grade with Ain Alar Juhanson (the big friendly triathlete, and the tallest pro man in the sport, and probably the nicest) and Rutger Beke and then opened up the gas on the climb. i think those two were sitting on their power meters and biding their time for the tough half-marathon and let me go and have my fun.

if the bike course is tough, the run course is a torture session. it is 60% rough trails and 40% pavement with LOTS of hills. i picked off a few blown athletes early in the run and wasn't passed until mile 8 when Scott Curry, Nick Thompson and Ain all caught up and passed me. i was able to run off Ain's shoulder and we joked around a bit how it was a rough course for big, slow movers like the two of us (Andy Potts, also a big guy blew out that equation by winning the race by 4-minutes today!). for the first time in over a dozen races, i didn't have to pull down my tri suit top in attempt to cool down. i took Jordan's advice and wore the Kiwami Amphibian which is so light you can pour water over yourself and it still wicks instantly. the only drawback is i am now sporting some funky tan lines that resemble Em's swim suit lines!

a few other runners caught and passed me on the final descent to mile 11 and the climb back up to mile 12 then no more changes. i ended up finishing in 18th or 19th with a run time four minutes faster than last year. Nick Thompson, who beat me last year to win the elite amateur race, passed me at mile 4 last year and not until mile 8 this year. so, i was aiming for improvement and i think i accomplished that (unless, of course, he had a bad race today, which i don't think he did since he finished 10th or 11th overall).

tomorrow i pack up the bike and ship it back to CO via UPS and then drive down to LAX and fly out. can't wait to see Emmy and the pups again. it was a long week away from them.

a quick shout out to Bjorn and Rappstar who had the two fastest bike splits of the day. that was a good showing for the Slowtwitch crowd! and Rappstar finished 4th overall in his first WF. also, nice going Joe Gambles for a close 5th place finish and proving he has indeed improved nicely on his swim this year, exiting with the first pack. he will be tearing up 70.3 race courses this season.

out,
LF