big 3 paranoia

I just did some MAJOR restructuring of my triathlon schedule. I'm canceling my first A race of the year, the trisports.com Dessert Classic duathlon & another mid season race -can't reveal which one just in case your reading this & are one of the big 3, that is one of the three Clydesdale Open Division athletes that are at this point in time faster than me, & all together likely to prevent me from taking top 3 Clydesdales this year. I'm also changing my A race from the February 22nd trisport.com dessert classic duathlon to a race in June. Can't tell ya which one in June will be my new A race just in case you are one of the big 3;)

This restructuring of my schedule gives me longer to build a bigger peak to really crush my A race and all competitors. By not travelling to AZ later this month it also helps my wife & I recover a bit in the pocket book. Which at this point is badly needed.

I'm really excited about my Multisport season this year. I've always enjoyed sprint distances most. I'm not only much faster the shorter the race is, but there's something exhilarating to me about going out & moving really fast, pushing as hard as possible for as long as the race is, not allowing myself to slow no matter how much my legs & lungs burn. Why would I want to monitor my heart rate and pace myself when I could hear a woosh-woosh as I pass stationary objects on the side of the road or pass other triathletes like they are a stationary objects!!!!!!!!

Another reason I'm excited is because I have more & stronger competition in my division (Clydesdale Open also called the Clydesdale 39 & under) this year than I have ever faced. I call these guys the big 3.

In 4 years I've never had a Clydesdale 39 & under beat me on the run portion of a Multisport race. Now there are 2 Clydes who can out run me George Ferland & David McDonald (he's a fellow follower of Christ! Praise the Lord!). There is also the big bad cyclist Jason McClure. He's the most dominant cyclist in the Clydesdale open division. In December Jason McClure beat me by 8 minutes in a sprint race! 8 minutes! Ouch. I have my work cut out for me this year, & I wouldn't have it any other way. This is awakening my competitive side. Not only has this week been my best week of training since Sept, but I've not gone into an emotional eating frenzy since the last week of 2008!!! That's 5 weeks people!!! The last time I had a streak last this long ended in May of last year!!!! If I continue to lose weight at this rate I'll be down to my dream racing weight of 200 by mid April. That will give me a couple weeks leeway for the Atomicman duathlon April 26th! I may of lost 8 minutes on my 5k this winter, but now that I'm this focused I'll get it back that lost speed as quick, if not quicker than I had lost it. If your competing in the Clydesdale Open Division be afraid, very very afraid.

Now that being said I must say God puts things in our laps for reasons we may never understand. God suddenly put the love of triathlon in David McDonalds heart. He then put David in contact with me. It's my love for Christ and my desire to follow Gods words when he says to love my fellow man like I love myself that had me send every piece of triathlon info and resource I have to David who is my 2nd most dangerous competition in my division. Everything from articles, my USAT coaching certification books & paperwork, Joe Friels "the triathlon training bible", offered to take him with me to any out of town races I go to, told him which is the best race in the series for clydes to get a 10 point finish for the series, & have even offered to let him use my race wheels at a few multisport races. I must say, it sounds like I'm a good person doesn't it. I'm not. It's God who's good, He changes my heart & convinces me to show the fruit on my tree. As always I must give ALL the glory to God, because I am a wretch of a man who has been shown the light and the goodness of Gods ways.

stupid M-dot tattoo & my weekly weight

On to other not so good news. I got an Ironman tattoo on the back of my calf the day after IMAZ. A few days later it had scabbed up well, & I went on a swim. I was in the water long enough that the scab became very soft from being water logged. After I got out of the water I squatted down to pick up my swim gear from the pool deck. Apparently a water logged scab from a tattoo is very fragile. When I squatted down my swim suit rubbed the scab & a good portion of the skin below off. It didn't hurt at all & I keep my tattoo's hygienic, so it's not like there was pain or a serious risk of infection Now that a few days has passed I see somehow ripping off the scab had taken most of the color from my tat. So instead of a red M-dot, it's now a pink one. I called my tattoo guy & he said I couldn't get it recolored until it was fully healed. That would be approximately 5 weeks. Most winters that wouldn't be a problem because I would not be wearing shorts. But on Dec 13th I have the Polar Bear which I'll be wearing a one piece tri suit & my new pink Ironman tattoo will be clearly visible to all 300 fellow competitors & their families, race support crews etc. Uugg. I can't believe this. Make bad to worse people will assume bad things because I live in Santa Fe. Oh man. The things that happen to me. I'd laugh if I wasn't horrified.

I weighed in at 221 this morning. 26 pounds until my goal weight. No problem. Last year I had 61 pounds to lose to get to that same weight. I learned much about my body last year. It should be pretty easy to get to 195 by my next A race, The Trisport.com dessert classic duathlon in Phoenix Az on Feb 22nd 2009.

An Ironman is a major accomplishment for any athlete. But I saw something at Ironman Arizona that straight blew my mind. There was a guy there who did the entire bike leg on a BMX single speed! He was #417. He finished the bike leg in 8:28 minutes & the entire race in 16:27 minutes. I felt that guy needed props.