I just wanted to wish all my teammates good luck at the California 70.3 this weekend.  If for some reason the race doesn’t go well, keep the excuses handy:

Bike companies all have their own reputations. Trek has always been known for its outstanding customer support. I realized this week that its not just their main office, but also the Trek franchise stores.

I planned my trip to Florida with the Trek in mind. I wanted to get the new bike on the road before racing Oceanside. Well, since I ordered an Equinox WSD and not a TTX, my frame came in a little bit late. I got the call that the bike was ready to ship on Friday, after already arriving in Florida. I knew I needed to have the bike shipped here so I could still ride it, but how on earth was I going to fit this bike, which is a different size and shape than the one I was already riding??? On a whim, I walked up to the Trek store and asked for some information. I figured all I really NEEDED was a trainer to set up the bike and maybe I could fumble my way through the fitting if I could have the Cervelo set up next to it. They gave me the email address of the owner, so I sent him a quick email to see if I could use their shop after the bike arrived. I am not exaggerating- I got a reply 2 minutes later! Not only could I fit my bike in their shop, but he had me set up an appointment with their best fitter.

Yesterday, less than a day after receiving the bike I spent 4 hours at the shop going through every aspect of the fit of the Trek. We had to swap out the stem, cut the bars, and make dozens of minute adjustments. I picked up my bike today and spent 32 miles tucked in the aero position of the new bike, enjoying every second of it!

Here is the Beautiful Little Miss Bigwheels, fresh off the press!

And here are the wonderful people who helped me- Joesph Du Bois and Alex Saputo of Trek Naples/Estero Thanks so much, guys! You’re the best. If anyone out there finds their way to South Florida, stop by their shop and say hi!

And the obligatory riding pics

I love my new bike!

:-)

It has been almost 4 months since my last race and it has been a long time.  The hardest part of training the last few months has been the steady day-in and day-out training without and immediate race goals.  All that changes next Saturday at Ironman California 70.3.  My 2009 race season officially kicks it off in Oceanside and I am getting excited.  The last 4 months of training have been solid and I think that I can count the number of days off on one…(maybe one and a half)…hands.  I have never begun my season feeling this fit and never been able to bounce back from tough workouts this quickly.  I attribute this to my attention on the daily “details” of recovery and focusing on the foundation of health and fitness.  I have made sure to get enough sleep, wear  compression socks during and after tough workouts, take ice baths, daily use of Trigger Point Technology products, proper and balanced nutrition include the daily use of  Base Performance Nutrition product line.  In fact I have not been sick or had any illness that has limited my training in the last 4 months.  Focusing on the little daily details to make sure I am healthy and ready to do the hard training is the most important piece of the puzzle.  Next week in Oceanside I will kick off the 2009 season and see just how much the last 4 months have paid off.  

Middlebury, CT – Timex, a leader in outdoor and sports performance timepieces, today announced its continued support and title sponsorship of the 2009 Timex® Multisport Team.

Comprised of both amateur and professional athletes, the 2009 Timex Multisport Team is a dynamic group of 46 well-rounded and committed athletes from the U.S, Ukraine, Portugal, Mexico, Czech Republic, Canada and the United Kingdom who serve as brand ambassadors for Timex and associated sponsors at hundreds of events around the world.

As the industry leader in precision training devices for elite athletes, fitness enthusiasts and wellness shoppers, Timex is committed to supporting the sports favored by many of our athlete customers,” said Keith Meyer, Timex’s Event Marketing and Sponsorship Manager. “We rely on the expertise and feedback of each and every Timex Multisport Team athlete to constantly refine and improve our technology, based on their product experiences in the heat of world-class competition.”

The 2009 Timex Multisport Team will compete in a variety of events including Ironman and Xterra races. For the first time in team history, two pure runners join the field of outstanding Timex Multisport athletes. Daniel and Shaun McGrath, brothers from Las Vegas, will compete as Timex athletes in a wide range of running events, including the ING New York City Marathon.

Additions to this year’s men’s roster include top pro athletes Matt Boobar, Eric Bean, Will Kelsey, James Cotter, Shaun McGrath, Daniel McGrath, and Will Smith. The women benefit from the addition of Lindsey Jerdonek, Lisa Mensink, Janelle Morrison, and Mary Beth Ellis. The team has also included a new dimension to the multisport theme by adding top amateurs Mike Lavery, Barry Siff, Dirk Aschmoneit, AC Morgan, Dennis Meeker, Jackie Arendt, Jodi Thomson, Trista Francis, Phaedra Cote, and Christine Anderson.
The Ironman Oceanside 70.3 in Oceanside, California on April 4th will be the first major event to kick off the 2009 season. Following the race, the entire team of athletes, staff, and sponsors will gather in nearby Carlsbad, CA, for the 6th annual Timex Team training camp.

Last year’s performances set a high standard for years to come. Major highlights from 2008 include Richie Cunningham’s 1st place finish at the Longhorn 70.3, his 3rd place finish at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Tamara Kozulina’s 2nd place finish at Ironman Florida, Sergio Marques’ 3rd place finish at Ironman Louisville, and Joe Gambles’ 1st place finish at the European Long Course Championships.

Building on the momentum of 2008, the Timex Multisport Team will strive to make 2009 the best year to date.

Complete Team Roster

Pro Men
Alex McDonald    Durham, NC
Andrew Hodges    Huntsville, AL
Blake Becker    Madison, WI
Dave Harju    Ottowa, ON
Kyle Marcotte    Calgary, AB
Sergio Marques    Lisbon Portugal
Toby Radcliffe    London, UK
Roger Thompson    Spokane, WA
Matt Boobar    Stratton Mountain, VT
Will Kelsay    Boulder, CO
James Cotter    Austin, TX
Will Smith    Madison, WI
Eric Bean    Milwaukee, WI
Pro Women
Gabriela Loskotova    Czech Republic
Laura Tingle    Louisville, CO
Tamara Kozulina    Ukraine
Lindsey Jerdonek    Washington, DC
Lisa Mensink     Calgary, AB
Erin Kummer    Boulder, CO
Carole Sharpless    Boulder, CO
Janelle Morrison    Calgary, AB
Mary Beth Ellis    Boulder, CO
Amateur Men
Adam Wilk    Plano, TX
Brian Schaning    Boulder, CO
Bruce Gennari    Nashville, TN
Chris Thomas    Easton, CT
Ian Ray    Easton, CT
Luis Alvarez    Mexico City
Mike Lavery    Madison, WI
Tim Hola    Highlands Ranch, CO
Barry Siff    Boulder, CO
Dirk Aschmoneit    Carlsbad, CA
AC Morgan    Darien, CT
Dennis Meeker    Louisville, CO
Amateur Women
Cindi Bannink    Madison, WI
Emily Herndon    Bozeman, MT
Juli Fiocca    Austin, TX
Rachel Ross    Honolulu, HI
Jackie Arendt    Madison, WI
Jodi Thomson    Cleveland, OH
Trista Francis    Highlands Ranch, CO
Phaedra Cote    Spokane, WA
Christine Anderson    Chicago, IL
Timex Runners
Daniel McGrath    Las Vegas, NV
Shaun McGrath    Las Vegas, NV
Kim Hager    The Woodlands, TX

Exciting new sponsors for 2009 include: Sugoi – Race, training and casual apparel/ compression sock; Aqua Sphere – Wetsuits, speed suits and goggles; ARX – Muscle recovery and performance supplements; POWERbreathe – Inspiratory muscle trainers; Training Peaks – Training and nutrition software

Proud returning sponsors of the 2009 team include: Trek – Bicycles; Nathan – Hydration/nutrition belts and accessories; Bontrager – Wheels and tires, shoes and accessories; Gaiam – Lifestyle & wellness products; nuun – Hydration; LifeSport Coaching – Endurance coaching, TriBike Transport – Bike transportation services; Saris/PowerTap – Cycling power meters; ART (Active Release Techniques) – Performance care; Trigger Point Technologies – Performance therapy product; PowerBar – Energy bars, gels and nutrition; Headsweats – Moisture wicking accessories; Rudy Project – Helmets and eyewear.
The team is managed by Team Sports Inc. www.teamsportsinc.com

Today was my first day in Florida for the second phase of camp (I call it, the anaerobic phase…) with Lanny and the crew. I knew that I was going to be super nervous for the match so we filled up the morning with some amazing training. The morning ride wasn’t exactly what I had planned, as Lanny said it would be an “easy” 22mph ride. On the way out I said to Lanny- I don’t know if it’s my nerves or my fitness, but this ain’t easy! He assured me it was my nerves. The fact that the roads were soaking wet and I was getting pelted with rocks in the face from the tire in front of me didn’t help…

Then on the way home I figured it would get easier since it wasn’t against the wind. Then I realized that I was clicking into bigger and bigger gears until I was maxed out. And cars weren’t really whizzing by us as fast as they had been. I asked Lanny how fast we were going (which is a fun feat when your heart rate is 178. We were traveling at 28.5 mph. On the freaking flat. This went on for about 15 miles. I almost died. Seriously. And TOMORROW is the hard ride. Lovely.

Anywhoo, I didn’t die, but we all did get absolutely COATED in grime. Sometimes getting dirty can be fun

:-)

This is me after the ride, posing how I felt- as though I had been run over by a truck

Lanny:

My friend Anita, who hosted me on her boat at Steelhead last year:

Lanny and I, posing in our matching, grime covered jerseys

Then after the ride we went to the pool for 3000 meters (again, to keep my mind off the match..) I felt really bad on the ride, but felt like a million bucks in the pool. Every once in awhile there is a day where it just feels like I’m flying over the water instead of in it. That was today. A former collegiate swimmer was in the pool and told me that I have a great stroke. What a compliment!

Unfortunately the swim had to end and I had to do the inevitable. Wait for the match results. We counted down the minutes to noon waiting for the big email (my whole class was sitting in a big room celebrating together). At noon, no email. 12:05 no email. Classmates were excitedly posting on facebook their match results. Still nothing. So my great friend and former roommate Matt walked over to the big room where they have their ceremony to find out where I”ll be spending the next 4 years of my life and gave me a call….

DENVER!!!!!

I was so excited and relieved I can’t even really explain it. It was such a tough decision for me. I changed my rank list twice in the last week before the deadline and ended up ranking Denver first. There are a multitude of reasons, but here are a few:

One of my very best friends and former roommate of 4 years, Colleen and her most amazing husband Eric. Colleen will be my colleague once again as she is blazing a trail as an intern in Emergency at Denver General right now. She was an amazing mentor and support person throughout this craziness

My brother and his family. We aren’t related by blood but we grew up together just the same. He and his family have been in Denver for years and years and I can’t WAIT to spend more time with them!

Fast Will and Stephanie are up in Denver. Just awesome people

Big Will (on the right of the picture) and his family are also up in Boulder. I haven’t seen him in years and hope to be able to pop up there to visit the crew.

And rounding out the Boulder gang (although I think about half of Team Timex is up there and I’ll soon have even more semi-local peeps!) is MarkyV, self proclaimed king of the camera self-portrait. But of course, I’m posting a pic that he actually DIDN’T take of himself!

So all in all, I am completely thrilled with the day and the match. Lanny bought a nice bottle of Champagne and we are having a dinner party in a couple hours. Then of course, that “hard” ride tomorrow. yippeee…..