I love Vermont!  Ok let me change that, I love Vermont when it is sunny and warm!  Now that there is no more snow and it’s getting warmer the past few weeks I have been able to get in some great training, however, as with spring comes rain and mud season here in good old VT.  Let me share a recent experience with spring…

I was out for an 18 mile run (~29km for our Canadians and Europeans friends!) and having a short attention spam I decided to do one big loop, instead of several smaller loops/routes thrown together.  Now I also tend to take random turns and make up the loop as I go (the beauty of the Timex body link is I can always know exactly how far I have gone and where I went once I upload the workout the my computer!).   I was running along at about when, on a whim, I decided to take a turn and run about 3 miles on dirt trail alongside a river and some farms, normally a very scenic route.

About 2 miles in, the trail began to get a little muddy…no worries I’m tough.  Shortly after there was about a ten foot section of trail which was covered in about 6 inches of water, no problem, I’m water proof.  I continued to run along, now with the lovely sound and sensation of water squishing in my shoes.

I turn another corner and the river had totally flooded into the adjacent farm field, no problem, I can wash my shoes later.  I decided to run around the edge of the water through the field, however, the farmer must have recently fertilized…it didn’t smell very good and now the mud up over my ankles, Ummmm this was getting to be a problem.  I had thought about turning around, but I knew the trail ended and I could get back on the pavement in less that half a mile, so I continued to  trudge (it wasn’t so much running anymore) through the mud and…agricultural fertilizer, no problem, I’ll just shower really well after this run.    

I began to think this trail run may not have been a good idea.  On this little adventure the best was definitely saved for last.  I could see the end of the trail and pavement ahead, however, between it and me was what is normally a little trickle of a stream, only it had become a river!!  I’m serious, normally I could clear the stream in one small stride, however, this time I had to wade across about 10 feet (9 meters) with very cold water above my knee, normally I wouldn’t have cored too much, but that agricultural fertilizer smell was a little too strong for my comfort!  Houston, I think we have a problem!!

I made it home and considered burning my clothes and shoes, but decided to just take a shower first!  I have since decided that I need a new pair of shoes because my fiancé has made me leave them outside due to a rather unpleasant smell. 

Ahhhh! Spring in Vermont!  I figure as long as I don’t get into too many problems I should be ok!  Oh and for those who are interested as side from the above mentioned snafu’s it was a great run!! J

Swim Fast. Bike Strong. Run Hard.

-Alex

“Finally!” and “It’s all about the run”

October 29, 2006 Maui, HI

1st place M30-34 (World Champion), 2nd Amateur Overall, 1st Amateur American, 24th overall

Coverage & Results: click here.
For Local Truckee News Coverage: click here.

This is the fifth time I’ve come to Maui to race the Xterra World Championship. Before this weekend, my best finish was 4th in my age group in 2000 and I haven’t been able to crack out of the top 5 since then. I’ve consistently finished the bike in great position; several times the top amateur, but always lost my position during the run. This time would be different.

Preparation
Since I had such a great spring, I was ready to finish the season with a strong result. I was convinced that I was near peak fitness for Nationals, but just hadn’t quite been ready. Therefore, I put myself through a training cram session for the 3 weekends between Nationals and Worlds to top off my preparation. Work kept me quite busy during the week, with time for only 1 run early in each week, so I was ensured adequate recovery time. On the weekends, I rounded up some friends and logged a few epic rides and runs around my Truckee home. Then I coordinated some informal masters-style pool sessions, where I brought out some tough workouts provided by my friend Kurt to ensure I suffered through some pain.

Back Pain
After trying to sleep as much as possible in a convoluted position on my flights from Oklahoma City to Denver to SFO to LA to Maui, I had some pretty sore muscles in my back. As race day approached, I went for a few short sessions to brush the dust off. While my legs felt good, I couldn’t get my back to loosen up. With two days to go before the race, I spent an evening on the foam roller and in yoga stretches and twists. As I got ready for bed that night, I realized something was very wrong; my muscle soreness was now complimented by a misaligned spine, limiting my range of motion.

The next morning, I called my friend Scott Williams, a PT in Truckee who’s worked on me many times. He explained that due to my muscle imbalances, I had popped two vertebrae out of alignment by rolling on the foam roller. Luckily for me, my friend and teammate Danelle Kabush was traveling with Heather King, a physiotherapist from Vancouver. After a brief exam, Heather laid me down on the floor and with a quick pop, adjusted my back. My muscles were still sore but at least I could move, so I took a strong dose of Advil and hoped for the best. As she predicted, I was sore that entire day before the race, but was amazed and thankful when I woke up on race day completely pain free!!

Swim Start – the perfect starting position
A small reef immediately off the beach caused the swim lineup to be a little different than normal. The most direct position was immediately next to the reef. The start line extended down the beach, gradually increasing the distance to the first buoy. I assumed the most direct line would be the roughest spot where the top swimmers jostled for position, so I moved down the beach. With a few minutes to go, I noticed that I was in the middle of a huge group. I realized I wasn’t the only one with this idea and jogged back to the best position, where the lead swimmers were lined up, with very few other racers behind them. I placed myself behind the leaders, and as soon as the gun went off, swam around the reef and put myself on the inside edge of the group. This strategy worked perfectly, and I was able to put myself into clear water all the way to the first buoy, allowing me to manage my effort and not go too hard too fast, a common mistake. I finished the swim in my usual position, but feeling stronger than usual.

No Problems on the Bike
The bike leg went well. I passed many competitors early on and put myself clear of “traffic” congestion. As a friend of mine (pro) passed me near the beginning, he gave me a few words of encouragement and advice that I would practice to the end of the race. He said “Don’t let anyone ride away from you,” so whenever anyone passed me, I did my best to stay with them as long as I could.

My tire pressure was at 30 lbs, which at first I thought was 2-4 lbs too high, as I had to struggle to keep my rear tire from breaking loose on the steep loose climbs. I rode my new Giant Anthem, with an awesome suspension design that remains active for climbing while minimizing pedaling feedback. I choose Michelin Dry2 tires, which have very low rolling resistance, many tiny knobs for grip, and a thicker casing to help prevent flats. When I began slamming into the sharp lava rocks on the descent, I realized that my tire pressure was probably just about right (this was later confirmed by my friend Chris Legh, who cracked a rim on a descent). I finished the bike in first place in my age group (2nd amateur) and headed out on the run fighting off cramp twinges in my quads.

It’s All About the Run
I kept my pace steady as I headed out on the run. I thought about the strategy Danelle had suggested the day before: 1) focus only on the immediate next objective (hill, etc) and 2) keep my eyes on the runner in front of me or even better, the runner in front of him. With that in mind, I focused on keeping my cadence high, and on attacking the immediate objective in front of me. Once that was accomplished, I charged into the next section. In previous years, I’ve always lost my position during the run. I’ve suffered problems with dehydration, energy and motivation. This year, I stayed focused and strong the whole run.

FINALLY!!!
Ignoring the pain in my feet (blood blisters under my toenails), managing my cramping quads, and maintaining my focus led me all the way to the finish line, where I was met by my beautiful, supportive wife Lisa. She was so happy for me that she almost couldn’t tell me what I already knew; that I’d finally won the World Champion jersey that had eluded me for so long.

Special Thanks
Special thanks for the best finish of my career go to:

• My wife Lisa for putting up with my training program. In the weeks leading up to the race, I have been focused almost 100% on my work and on training and preparation.
• Heather King for fixing my back the day before. I was not only in pain, but I had limited motion. With a few quick moves, Heather had me good to go and pain free for race day.
• Danelle for providing me with the running/mental tips. Her tips helped me maintain my focus and hold onto my lead until the finish
• Cyclepaths bike shop and Giant for my new Anthem frame
• SRAM, for completely outfitting my new Anthem with a Reba Worldcup, XO drivetrain and Avid Carbon brakes (and congrats to Adam and Lisa on their engagement)
• Clif Bar, for the Fast Freddie Espresso Clif Shot, giving me the juice to the finish
• Timex, and the Multisport team for ridiculous support: equipment, tires, etc

“Don’t forget to smile and wave at your friends!”

October 1, 2006 Lake Tahoe, NV
5th place M30-34

Results: click here for results
Photos: click here for photos
News: click here for news

After an awesome spring race season, with age group wins at Escape from Alcatraz, Xterra Granite Bay and Xterra Western Regional Championship, a 3rd place at Sea Otter mtb singlespeed and a 2nd place (singlespeed) at the Cascade Cream Puff, I took a much needed break for 3 months- June through August. I maintained a base level of fitness, swimming and running about once a week, and cycling up to twice a week.

I was planning to allow myself enough time to get ready for Nationals and Worlds, but somehow time and motivation got away from me. I ramped up my training, but not quite early enough to be ready for Tahoe. Knowing this, I tried to set my expectations low, but found myself still hoping for a solid finish. My best result was 3rd in 2003, and I’ve been 4th or 5th 3 times. I couldn’t help but think of how much I wanted first place, and the much-elusive National Champion jersey!

This race is one of my favorites. It’s practically in my backyard, so I definitely have a home-court advantage, plus a huge cheering section! It’s also fun since we host a few friends, making it a social weekend as well: Rich Blanco (Sycip Cycles), Danelle Kabush (Timex) and Adam Feltz (SRAM). We held a dinner at our house on Friday night, and 35 people showed up, including several friends from across the country in town for the race, and another Timex teammate Erin Ford, and her husband Dave.

The weather was perfect for race day, unfortunately no sign of the foul weather we had last year, where I excel. The water was calm and cold (60 degrees or so), and the air temp was cold in the morning but warmed up to about 65 degrees. The swim seemed rougher than usual- I found myself caught between two converging packs- one to my left and one to my right. I thought of my friend Kurt Oeler, a professional swimmer who after experiencing a few triathlons, sent me this note:

“Why you triathletes are so obsessed with being ‘rough and tumble’ at the beginning of open water is beyond me. Swim races generally aren’t like that; swimmers know that it’s better to draft behind people, not climb over them.”

I couldn’t agree more, but found myself “fighting” more than once, which frustrates me, as it’s such a colossal waste of energy. I came out of the water in about the same place as normal, but a little more tired than typical, partly due to the physicality, but more a simple factor of my lower fitness level, which I’d pay for soon!

As I headed out on the bike, I enjoyed a nice pull by my local friend Justin Thomas (Haverty Cycles/Saucony) to the bottom of the climb, where I bid him good luck as he climbed ahead up the hill ahead of me at a pace I couldn’t maintain. I rode strong for about the first half of the hour long climb before I ran out of fitness. When I reached the second half, I found that I couldn’t maintain the pace, and had to slow down to avoid popping. I was passed by 3 racers in my age group before reaching the top of the descent, which has never happened before, especially on this course! I was able to catch back up with to one right before transition, but he immediately passed me again as we began the run.

I suffered through one lap on the run, then decided to focus on having a good time and smiled and waved at the supporters along the course. I turned my grimace into a smile- it didn’t slow me down at all- and plugged away to the finish. One more competitor passed me during the run, so I ended up in 5th place in my age group. I’m not overjoyed with the finish, but not disappointed since it matches my preparation, and after all, it IS the national championship!

Next up, I’m busy preparing for the World Championship race in Maui on October 29th.

One of the highlights of the race was being featured on the national ad featured in Triathlete Magazine, City Sports, and other local publications.

This weekend was the final race tune-up before Ironman Wisconsin at the Steelhead 70.3 in St. Joseph Michigan. If I could travel directly across lake michigan (from home in Sheboygan) it would probably be only about 50 miles away give or take, but instead it is a 6 hour drive through the great cities of Chicago IL and Gary IN, where you get to look at nothing but the bumper of the car in front of you at 10mph on the freeway or the smokestacks billowing smoke into the air. But at least I was traveling with my training buddy Jeff Fleig and his wife (who had already traveled across the state from Onalaska) which made the trip much more enjoyable. Well, at least Jeff and I were able to shoot the breeze about tri stuff the whole time, (sorr Robin).

But anyway, onto the race. For those of you who didn’t read the previous update (its right below this one so you should do so), I had a bad bike crash this week so my spirits were a little dampened about my chances of a good finish. None the less, I was still hoping to break the top 10 and have a shot at scoring a spot for the world championships in Clearwater later this year. The morning swim started off with a jump off of the pier in St. Joseph, and a swim parallel to the shore to rack up a total of 1.2 miles. Every time I have swam in Lake Michigan it has looked fairly flat, but no matter how flat it looks there are still some waves and swells that make it more challenging. I started off with a good rhythym and had to swim through a lot of the wave ahead of me. I came out of the water in a strong 26 minutes. The strong swim did not carry over to the bike though. I knew at mile 5 that my legs felt “empty” and it would be a long day. The bike by no means was pancake flat as I was expecting as some climbs I used the little ring (well maybe it was just my weak legs), but I came off the bike with an avg. of just below 25mph. So I thought I could still salvage something of the race if I could not fall apart on the run. Mentally I was telling myself that my legs could turn around and theres still a lot that can happen. Plugging away on the run I was holding under 7min miles, but not up to the sub 6:30 that I am capable of. So I knew I would not be running anyone down, but merely trying to hold my position. At about mile 11.5 I really started to feel sluggish and the leg turnover really slowed down and my stomach was not feeling so well at this point. The last mile was then a struggle to the end but I made it across the line in 4:18:31. I still maganged to grab a slot for Clearwater by placing 2nd in my age group and 12th overall.

Congratulations: Timex teammates Josh Ritchie and Tom Schuler on their great finishes

Special Thanks: Ben Harper the Timex Magager for getting wheels to me in time for the race, Jeff Fleig for all the help and travels, and Chris Miller of Wigwam for being a great host, I couldn’t do it without you guys.