Matt Shryock

Freezer Burn 10 Mile: A Win!

2011-12-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

Just a quick race update:

A few of us faced the blustery, winter conditions at this year's Freezer Burn 10 mile. It's a great race hosted by the students of the HHP department providing some extra funds for research, conference expenses, etc.

Every year the conditions are pretty severe and this year was no different. The morning greeted me with four inches of the fluffy stuff. I enjoy racing on snow. I think it favors a strong-man (aka a triathlete) over the pure runners.

A blast from the starters gun, launched a crowd of spandex-clad runners onto the country roads outside of Frenchtown. I joined two guys at the front, content on breaking wind for the first few mile. We ticked through in 5:30's with slippery snow underfoot. Just before mile three, my shoe came undone (I hadn't raced in a while....forgot to double knot .) I lost a bit of time and few places which I made up over the next few miles.

Then, there were two. At mile seven, my "windbreak" (yeah, I'm a shiesty road racer) started making some painful noises. Sensing weakness, I attacked hard and put a 40 foot gap between us. I worked pretty hard for the next two miles to get to the finish in first!

I was happy with the race. I feel like I'm finding some fitness after four weeks of consistent running. I believe my strength training at Momentum is helping immensely has well.

I guess we're on track for the marathon....not that I know what I'm doing, of course.

Until next time.

Ice

And because every good blog should have a picture:

Here's one of an insulation project I got myself into:

One more? why not?

Here's Jeanne and Pagel performing one of the the most memorable renditions of the country ballad, "El Paso" at their annual Turkey Fest Feast and Talent show:

40 miles

2011-11-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

The Rock 'n Roll Arizona Marathon is exactly 8 weeks away. I've now run for 2 consecutive days and am aiming to run at least 40 miles per week for the next 7 weeks. Ideally, I think more would be better but easing into fitness is probably the smarter plan.

Along with running consistently, I'll start a general strength routine at Momentum. Along this theme, I'm going to visit the PT. No, I'm not injured. I intend to create a plan to prevent injury and identify my weaknesses. Honestly, it makes sense. We get our teeth cleaned, oil changed, sprinklers blown, etc., etc. annually. Why not treat our bodies the same way?

Along with upping my running mileage, it is high-time to hit the pool. Not only is swimming an excellent upper body and core workout, it also provided a great non-weight-bearing recovery session.

Snow is flurrying, I have Nordic skiing on my radar this year as well. I missed the lead group at the Rendezvous by a few minutes last year....this time it'll be different.

Excited for next year's racing with Team MT

Farmgiving

2011-11-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

I admit, the wine was flowing.

This year's Farmgiving was a success! Kristine and I spent most of the day making homemade stuffing with cranberries, sage and toasted pecans, roasting a turkey, glazing a ham, and setting four tables which spanned my dining room and living room. We had 24 guests RSVP and calculated (based on the organizational skills of our friends) that at least 10-12 more would be coming. When the last spoon was polished and set, there were 38 seats...plenty of room, right?

A feast awaits

The beauty of Farmgiving (it's name is derived from my old house "The Farm") is it requires a hand from everyone of your friends. Plates came from several houses, tables and chairs were delivered throughout the day, guests cooked pies, potatoes, salads and sides. And of course, everyone sits at one table.

Kristine made some classy settings

As the hour approached, my house slowly filled with friends. We were warmed by a hot oven and red wine. Slowly, folks made their way to the table filling every seat. Kristine and I carved the turkey as everyone waited to dig in.

Slicing and dicing as Horan sneaks in.

Once the meat hit the table and after a quick word of thanks we attacked the good food before us. Warm chatter, rich aromas and flickering candle light drenched the room. We all ate too much and drank too much, then ate and drank some more....and yet dessert was still to come.

There were pies.

The night ended with swing dancing at the Union Club... Tom Catmull was playing as we threw our engorged bodies across the dance floor

42 people squeezed in.

I think even the camera indulged a bit too much....

A huge thanks to Kristine for masterminding the whole event, I simply helped with the execution. And I can't thank everyone enough for coming. I didn't always have a lot of friends and now I do....for this I am thankful.

New York City

2011-11-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

First of all, New York city is amazing, rich with style, culture, and food. The city itself is powerful and alive, pulsing with energy and life.

My aunt and uncle (thanks Lynne and Kenny!) live right off Central Park in uptown Manhattan, and offered up their tiny floor space free of charge. In the days leading up to the race, we covered the city on foot...eating our way through most of it.

My uncle knew of a little Italian joint by Carnage Hall.
Autentico!

I occupied Wall Street for several minutes.

We got a great view of Lady Lib. from the Stanton Island Ferry.

Sunset in Brooklyn....

Onto the race:

6:30am- Alarm rings, three hours until the gun goes off.
7:00am- Catch the downtown subway to connect with the Stanton Island Ferry. It's packed with racers.
8:15am- Cram onto the ferry, with several thousand other racers.
9:00am- Arrive at start line after a quick bus ride, missing our corral, and crawling through a crowd and under some ropes
9:15am- With thirty minutes until the start, the director neglected to put a porta-potty in the corral....a line develops to pee between two buses.
9:45am- Boom! The gun fires and 50,000 people stampede over the Stanton Island Bridge, destination: Brooklyn!

Just getting to the start is an ordeal, fighting one's way through thousands of over zealous, over paced racers is a challenge as well. I did my best to start slow, knowing full well my training up to this race consisted of a few "cardio" sessions each week. My plan was to rely on my "Iron legs."

Adam and I ran together for the first 13.1, ticking off 6:30's pretty casually. I started to think I might get away with a decent debut marathon. The next ten went swimmingly as well. I enjoyed the enormous New York support and beautiful urban scenery. However, the last three miles made up for the previous 23. I absolutely shut down, 6:30's turned into 7:40's and I limped into the finish, crossing in 2:52.

All in all, I have to be happy with my finish, but I vow to go much faster in the future. I'm signing up for Phoenix in January, I'm dropping 10 minutes. Period.

The race itself was absolutely unforgettable, add it to your bucket-list now.

The Rebirth: 2012 Begins

2011-09-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Photo by Tom Robertson

It happens every year. I fall off the wagon. My training regime ceases abruptly, ripples turn to rolls, and I develop a phobia of water, bicycles and running shoes.

Alas, all that remains is to wait for a day I've named: "The epiphany."

The good news is on Friday, it happened. I woke up, put on my running shoes and went for a run. It was a thoughtless, painless process and now, I'm ready to take on 2012.

I've got a mountain in front of me. Two months of VERY minimal training takes it toll. I have countless miles of running, riding and swimming ahead of me and my flimsy core needs strengthening.

So here's to 2012, a revived training regime and blog!

-M

Ironman CDA

2011-07-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Med Tent

It has taken me a week to think about triathlon again. The memory lingers like the pungent stench of Jose Cuervo after a frivolous evening of drinking, eliciting feelings of nausea and malaise.

I have developed a renewed sense of respect for the Ironman. The race requires a strength and durability my young legs do not possess. It cut me down and reduced me to a crawl, leaving me empty 7 days later.

I can't imagine racing another one again....

Race Report:

-The pro wave dives into the frigid water at 6:25 am. I hang on to faster swimmers for about five minutes, eventually finding Adam and Brendan.

-We exit the water 1 hour and 1 minute later, a bit slower than anticipated but acceptable. My feet have seemingly disappeared. I hobble to my bike on numb and frozen stumps.

-The ride begins decently, however, I fade quickly. By mile 50, I

begin to realized today is not my day. I finish the ride in 5 hours and 5 minutes. Ten minutes slower than last year.

-Onto the run....I find my legs after a few miles and several bathroom stops. Unfortunately, I piss all over my gel flask, I abandon it in the porta-potty.

-I clip off 6:50s for the first 10k, slow to 7:15 for the next 10k, 10:50s

and eventually 14:30s. In other words, I was walking, slowly home.

-I make sure to stop at each aide station, eating cookies and pretzels. Chatting with the Ironfans (AMAZING support, thanks guys!), but even their enthusiasm could not refill my tank.

-10 hours and 17 minutes after the departure cannon fired, I limp down Sherman Ave. with numb legs and a hung head.

-I said later "Bruised and battered, I finished....sometimes that's the best you can do."

Done.

I amazed at what some of these athletes can do. Craig, Maik and Julie had absolutely amazing performances. Adam lit it up as well, finishing 5th overall on a tough, trying day.

I'm finally healing, eager to resume training in a few days. One day, I will race this race again.

Thank you for all the support.

Boise 70.3

2011-06-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

I'm sick. Mucus has made a home in my head, squeezing my brain, clogging my ears and dripping relentlessly out my nose. I've been lethargic for past few days, napping when I can, drinking tea and water, and visualizing a microscopic war developing in my body.

Ironman CDA is stealthy stalking me, aiming to move in while I'm sick and weak. I'm hoping to be near 100% in a few days, ready to put up a decent fight next weekend.

And now for last weekend:

I had planned Boise as a bit of a bonus race. Ironman CDA has been my focus for the last six months and I had fully planned training right on through the race last weekend. Alas, plans rarely go as planned (so I've been told) and so we've adapted...

In race reports I prefer bullets (if you'd like to see a bit more content, in forms of complete sentences, let me know. I'm here to serve you!)

-Race morning began with breakfast: eggs and oatmeal.
-Boise 70.3 begins at noon, thus we dilly-dallied (which included no less than six trips to the bathroom.)
-The swim: with a water temperature of 53 degrees I decided to don two swim caps atop a thermal cap. Stylish? No. Warm? Yes!
-I must thank ZOOT for expediting a sweet Prophet long sleeve wetsuit to Boise! I have had trouble in long sleeve wetsuits in the past (i.e. completing the swim portion in a slug-like 34:00 minutes, OUCH!) However, the freedom in the shoulders, buoyancy, and warmth were absolutely remarkable.
-I swam a 28:50. I was happy.
-I hobbled through transition on frozen stumps. Adam passed me.
-The bike: I have been taking the first 20 miles of the bike in these races nice and easy. And despite my urge to hammer, I let Adam go and rode my own race.
-I biked a 2:16.
-The run: I cramped a bit in T2 but felt decent and then most immediately I began to feel amazing. I left in 15th place and was in 9th by mile 6.
-I ran a 1:16. 3rd fastest split.
-Total time 4:05, Personal Best, and a top 10 finish!
-I spent the next hour in the med-tent, with a sweet nurse mopping my brow with a cold towel. After a cup or two of hot broth, Adam told me to "quit being a P$#!@" and get up. So I did, thanked the folks of the med tent, commented on how the carpet made me dizzy and was ushered to the food station.

Only recently have I begun to believe in myself. This is what it takes to break through. A belief....and a helluva lot of hard work!

Until next time, my friends. I hope to see many of you on the sidelines of CDA. Without IronFans, I don't have a chance.

Good night.

-Iceman

Boise 70.3-Picture Preview

2011-06-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

I'm still recovering from Boise 70.3. I went to a place I'd never been before and surfaced with a personal best and a top 10 finish in a competitive field. Here is a quick picture preview:

Thanks to Tom Robertson for being an awesome sports photographer, have a look!

Warming up with the Zoot crew.

Heading into the 53 degree water.

Terminator staying cool.

Pushing the hills.

Riding solo.

Stuffed full of cold sponges

More to come.....

The Long Run

2011-05-24T13:05:00.001-07:00

Photo by Tom Robertson

The woods are staggeringly still. A light scratch of gravel beneath my feet and a rhythmic breath are all I can hear. A black dog whose fur flashes silver in the breaking sunlight, darts through the thick underbrush to my side. The tall pines frame a choppy stream of images in my periphery, like a silent scene from an antique film reel.

My body moves without thought; running requires no conscious control. Once set in motion, legs find rhythm, the mind relaxes and the trail guides the feet.

It takes time to enjoy running. But the more I run, the more addicted to the sensation I become. Running has begun to feel like flight and as free as a falcon, I will run.

The Struggle to Believe

2011-05-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

Tom Robertson Photography

Often, our largest barriers are those we build for ourselves.

My first year of racing triathlon was abysmal. Initially, the mile swim was a terrifying prospect. Imagine wrestling 300 people submerged in frigid water, each smashed into a suit, which restricts breathing and carves deep burns into the neck and shoulders. My modus operandi was to exit the water with the elderly ladies and young children…safe and slow.

I was perhaps an even weaker cyclist than swimmer. My race attire consisted of a cock-eyed helmet, saggy spandex and an over-sized road bike. To be brief, my bike splits rivaled my racing fashion and both were absolutely atrocious.

Likewise, running came with little ease. My torso stitched itself in knots, causing my breathing to resemble that of a new mother in the throes of childbirth. My legs turned to rubber and like an oxygen starved Gumby, I would wobble to the finish.

I was terrible. Why did I keep racing?

Because I thought I had more to give, I knew I could go faster and that pursuit became an addiction.

Today, I’ve come further than I ever thought. But even two months ago, I doubted if I could ever be a professional athlete. And still, to consider myself a professional is a lofty and unrealistic assumption. However, for the first time since leaping into this crazy endeavor, I believe I could be.

My intent is to tear down the barriers and let myself believe, for the first time, that I can I win an Ironman.

South Bound!

2011-03-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

I began my day without coffee. The world around me was gray and lifeless. My brain was sore and foggy.

Jeff crashed in a gutter nearly taking me with him. A giant raspberry formed on his butt. My rear cassette ripped a chunk of flesh from his triceps.

Then, after a nap in a gravel parking lot while Jeff worked on Adam's front derailleur, I found a Starbucks and drank a 8 oz. double Americano. I smiled and the world was bright and good.

I decided not to wash my hair until I race...perhaps it will be good luck.

We have a clubhouse/FEMA trailer at our campground. There are many things to do...like puzzles, solitaire, and VHS videos.

A Month

2011-03-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

A month has passed. Winter's frigid grip has loosened, allowing the return of spring. The sun is a welcome sight.

A Sunny ride in Missoula

Since my returned from Tucson, I have been smashing myself into the ground. My absence from this blog is surely due to a chronic fatigue that plagues my every step. Stairs are the most challenging; they leave me breathless and aching.

I am pleased to announce that the wonderful people at Zoot have decided to take me under their wing. I'm currently enjoying running in some of the most innovative shoes on the market. In addition, I'm eager to try my new wetsuit on April 2, 2011 for the first race of the season: Oceanside, California 70.3 !

Bryce couldn't wait

Several weeks ago, I raced the West Yellowstone Rendezvous 50K. I grew up Nordic ski racing and attribute much of my endurance to this sport in my younger years. However, my ski training of late consists of no more than a several sessions per season. The race hurt, bad. I ended up in 9th overall. My initial reaction was of disappointment, however, I was six minutes back of the lead and only three out of fifth. Next year, I'm aiming for the podium! (Race Photos)
Thank you to Hammer Nutrition for sending myself and Adam to compete with "real" skiers.

My swimming has continued to improve. I attribute much of it to enhanced strength provided by Kiefer and Rhea at Momentum. Incorporating a strength routine is vital when training upwards of 20 hours per week. Having an enhanced muscle reserve allows for quicker recovery, injury prevention and increased base strength.

Quick weekend recap:

Saturday:

We rode to Drummond and were swallowed by a blizzard. I drank one half of a bottle....nearly died of dehydration. Crashed in a neighbors lawn upon arrival.

A low point

Sunday:

2.25 hour run, recovery spin, 4,000 yards in the pool.

I'm so tired....

The Cycling House: Day 4

2011-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

Another big day of food and fun! Again, little to no report....too damn tired.

Endless, sunny roads

Our awesome hosts: Owen and Anya in line for dinner.

TCH food does not disappoint.

Halpin and Hoffman grinding up Lemmon

Breakfast: Sauteed veggies, tomatillo salsa, brie, avocado on fresh tortillas

The days are slipping by too fast.....

The Cycling House: A Picture Preview

2011-02-16T20:13:00.001-08:00

I am extremely tired right now, this will be brief. However, I want to thank Owen for the awesome accommodations at The Cycling House. We're living the good life.

Today consisted of 100 x 100 yds. in the pool for Linsey's B-day! I'm now arm-less. A 100 mile ride in the hot, windy desert hills and a three mile run on the track. I believe I logged 8.5 hours of training. OUCH!

Wearily, all I can muster is a picture preview with report to follow. Enjoy!

Day 1

Team MT remembering how to ride

Day 3

Angela Neath riding very strong

Day 2

A giant cookie on top of Lemmon

Hoffman doing what he does.

Rear view

Adam purchase natural, organic sunscreen. You can't fight the sun with ginseng and tea-tree oil....artificial chemicals only.

Aero-Adam

Only the best food Chez Owen

I'm getting fit and fast. See you all soon.

-Chedder

Desert Dreaming

2011-02-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

I'm dreaming of the desert.

There are red rocks and cactus plants speckling the rugged hills. The sun burns bright in the morning sky, soaking my translucent skin in pure, sugary sweet sunlight.

Tucson Training Trip: Years Ago

For the past few months, I've felt like J.R.R Tolkien's Gollum: empty, weak and weary, starved of light and sleeping in the viscera of a dark, dingy, dripping cave. The Missoula weather has been dreadful, wedged sloppily between fits of bitter cold and mild mush.

Me in February and March

I plan to remedy my winter blues. I've booked a "cheaper than driving" ticket to Tucson to visit my good friends at The Cycling House ! When cooped up with Owen and the snowbirds, one never knows what to expect, however, I'm sure there will be gourmet food, bottles of wine, loads of training, story time, music time, party time and bed time. I can hardly contain my excitement!

Tucson or Bust!

Training Hard? Recoverite.

2011-02-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

As athletes, we stretch ourselves to our physical limits, often unnaturally so. Thus, it is of the utmost importance to recover correctly. There are many aspects to proper recovery. The first I would like to mention is nutrition.

Physiologically, our body is very efficient while exercising. Our muscles, which normally require a dose of insulin to absorb glucose, have the ability to slurp up sugar directly from the blood stream. This "easy access" to sugar endures up to thirty minutes after exercise.

This brings up two important points:

1) Eat while you exercise. This is the only time where eating simple sugars is a good thing (no insulin required!) With longer training efforts, be sure to incorporate some proteins and fats.

2) Eat directly after exercise. Remember, thirty minutes after exercise our muscles have their "glucose gates" wide open. Take advantage and fill your tank for free. I especially enjoy Hammer Nutrition's Chocolate Recoverite with milk (almond, soy or dairy). This provides glucose to rebuild your muscle and liver glycogen stores, as well as proteins and fats to fuel your body's other anabolic (muscle building) pathways.

Important note: This concoction tastes extraordinarily good if you invest in a "Shaker." The recipe follows...

1) The Supplies: Recoverite, Milk, Shaker +Froth Ball

2) Two scoops + milk

3) Shake your money maker.

4) Enjoy!

Quick Update

2011-01-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

I've been training effectively as of late. Somehow, I've pulled some decent swim sessions out. I just lowered my PR in the 1,000m....Somewhere between 12:20-12:30. Not sure where it came from....

In other news, Kristine and I made some Pho about a week ago. That's right, Pho. Pronounced like "Phock you!" (excuse me, grandma!) It's a delicious Vietnamese soup with an extreme importance on a subtle yet flavorful broth infused with charred ginger, anise, onions and other spices. In our case, we used duck stock from the previous meal. The broth is poured over rice noodles, thinly sliced raw meat and topped with fresh lime, peppers, bean sprouts, basil, cilantro etc. It makes a very light, warm and soothing meal.

Here are some shots (courtesy of Kristine):

All Natural Beef

Pho Toppings

Table set with blanched, lightly salted snow peas

Phocking delicious

Man Barn with a View

2011-01-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'm entering my third week of serious training for Ironman St. George. So far, it has been going well.

It's cold out.

I have a few goals this season, one of them is to incorporate a strength/core routine into my training regime. Kiefer and Rhea have been whipping me into shape at Momentum Athletic Training. Last week, I attended an evening addition of circuits and spent the rest of the week too sore to do even the simplest tasks. I think I've found a good fit.

Working on high cadence.

In addition, I've been hitting the trainer in my new "Man Barn." Frankly, I think this one rivals Linsey's...but who's keeping score, right? Mine may not have a treadmill, TRX, or surround sound; however, it proudly showcases one of the best views in Missoula.

Barn with a view

Having a day off of work, I'm cramming a lot of sessions in. Today featured: Morning circuits at Momentum, a 1.5 easy ride in the "Man Barn, a treadmill track workout (12x 400) and an evening swim with the remaining triathletes in town.

Signing off.

Iceman

Date Night Duck

2011-01-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

Duck a l'Orange

I ran my knife through the thick skin of an orange; its halves rolled like expired tops into a clump of fresh herbs flanking my cutting board. The flesh glistened and its sweet nectar dripped from my blade. I ran a finger along the knife, carefully avoiding its razor edge and pressed the juice to my tongue. It burst like sunshine through a cover of doleful clouds, sweet and heady.

The young duckling lay naked on the stove. I rubbed it in olive oil, cumin and coriander, filled the cavity with sweet oranges and fresh herbs, and trussed the wings and bound the feet. A flare of hot air pressed against my chest and face as I placed the bird on the oven rack.

Polenta, Green Beans and Broccoli Rabe

I had made polenta the night before, a lethal concoction of sage, sun-dried tomatoes, cream and Gorgonzola. It was spread thin on a sheet pan and had become firm and dense.

Port Poached Pears

Kristine poached pears. They bathed in port wine, cinnamon, vanilla bean and anise, their pale meat slowly turning purple, plump and intoxicated with the sugary brew. She turned to the stove, pouring pecans into a syrup of caramelized sugar. Nimbly, she tossed them in the pan and quickly slid them onto a rip a parchment paper laying next to my cutting board. The sugar clung to the nuts, encasing them in a glistening, sugary cocoon.

Taking a gulp of wine, I pushed a mound of mild goat's cheese onto fresh cuts of a crusty baguette and placed them in the oven. We waited for them to crisp and brown.

Poached Pear, Chevre Salad with a Champagne Truffle Vinagrette

Author's note: As a disclaimer, I would like to assure all of you that I am training, not just eating and drinking. Eat well, good night.

Coffee

2010-12-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

Each night, as I throw myself under a down blanket and nestle between my pillows, my mind flickers with anticipation before it plunges into a deep slumber. Tomorrow, just like every morning, I'll have the pleasure of drinking a piping hot, dark, rich cup of coffee.

Am I addicted to coffee? Certainly.

I steer clear of sumptuous sippers festooned with fancy flavors, heaps of whipped cream and globs of caramel topping. Me, I take a strong cup of black coffee from a stove-top perculator or a simple double Americano, 12. 0z please....is that short? I never know.

I see coffee as an analog to wine. "The Breakfast Wine." It enhances the flavors of crispy toast and runny yolks. Without coffee, the salty, savory, crispy bacon would fall from its breakfast throne, tasting much more like a wrinkly skiff of burnt ham.

The aroma is spectacular, the buzz is delightful. The drip of drip makes a house a home and strangers friends. Yes, this world would in dire straights without this bitter brew.

Cheers and stay warm my friends.

A Fool's Endeavor

2010-12-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

Training for an Ironman is a bothersome task: long hours, relentless fatigue, sickness, injury, etc. I often wonder why I pursue this sport; unfortunately, I remain without a concrete answer. In any event, the task at hand is to train for Ironman St. George on May 7, 2011. This will require an Ironman build through the most dismal months Missoula has to offer: darkness, slush, ice, cold and unfaltering gray skies. It's a fool's endeavor but what would life be with out dumb decisions and unattainable goals?

Hopefully, a training build will also result in a blogging build. I'm not promising anything, however.

I imagine I should hit the trainer. A long run, easy trainer ride and a quick swim sums up today. If you've seen any good movies, let me know. I need some indoor riding material. Or interval sets....those are the only two things that make it bearable.

Photo by Tom Robertson

To all of you cyclocross racers, great season! Enjoy some rest, beer and a nice layer of winter fat. I, on the other hand, have had a hearty off-season and am embarking on a long and treacherous journey. I'll see you all down the road. Good luck and a happy new year!

Winter Running

2010-12-14T14:39:00.001-08:00

From the ridge, the entire Missoula valley stretched on below us. I lingered behind Adam and Brendan; my head still throbbing from the night before. With each stride, the snow engulfed my feet, bidding to swallow me beneath the surface.

A coyote stood briefly on the ridge line above us, disappearing as quickly as he appeared...

A little persepective

2010-12-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been a whirlwind. However, in times like these I try to focus on the big things in life: friends, family and happiness.

My friends are awesome. I couldn't design a better support group. They're well rounded, smart, athletic, funny, creative people, poised to protect me (or anyone else) from oncoming fire. Growing up, I didn't have many friends and now I do. For this, I'm thankful.

My family is awesome. My parents refer to themselves as "a soft place to land", a safety net beneath me. They are pillars in my life. Recently, we discovered my dad had prostate cancer. Simply saying those words takes the breath from my lungs. He underwent surgery and has since recovered. Yesterday, we found out the cancer was contained and the prognosis looks excellent. For this, I'm thankful.

Happiness is awesome. I haven't always been happy, but I am truly happy now. Much of it comes from my family and friends, the rest is intangible. For this, I am thankful.

I call everything else in life "small shit." The things that stress, hurt, annoy. The things that occupy our mind all day, grasping tirelessly to our consciousness. I aim to release the small shit and focus on the things that matter.

Happy Holidays.

Go hug your parents and friends and children. See you all soon.

Ice

Turkey Day 8K

2010-11-28T13:37:00.000-08:00

Turkey Day 8K:

I nabbed the win on a snowy, slick run through the woods. Dr. Jensen pulled off third after battle with a cold. Luebke raced well, looking to develop speed on her run next season. I would also like to expose a few cyclists , Josh Tack (who I've seen at every road race I've done) and Jesse Doll both were looking good off the bike.

A Plan (Kind of...)

2010-11-24T10:42:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking profusely about the approaching race season. Once again, I have slipped into the off-season abyss and am only now pulling myself into the light. I very much want to be excellent triathlete, excelling in all three events. In the past, I have been satisfied with a fast bike split or speedy run compensating for a sub-par swim. Unfortunately, the professional field revels in the stench of weakness and heartily enjoys ripping me limb from limb in the water.
Lately, I've been running. This, of course, does not remedy my propensity to swimming like a stone, however, it does make me happy.

I've come to realize I know very little about training. My misguided training escapades often lead to injury, poorly timed fitness, general lack of strength, and absent motivation. I am searching for a coach, mentor etc. Someone to focus, motivate, and teach. In the past, I think I've been hard headed, too proud. Now, I'm ready to listen.

My immediate plan is to develop core strength. I'm incredibly weak, embarrassingly so. Becoming strong is my number one goal of the off season. In addition to core strength, I plan to Telemark and Nordic ski to enhance off season leg strength. A second goal is slowly increase my running mileage. I rarely run more than forty mile per week. I plan to consistently hit sixty or seventy in the winter months.

I haven't had my camera handy, I hate a blog without pictures.....

So I drew one inspired by one of my new favorite blogs: Hyperbole and a half.

Happy Holidays and drive safe.

Ice

Easing Back In

2010-11-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered that I've been fired as an MTcx blogger. Admittedly, I've been dismal at updating....Not sure why.

Here is a shot-gun review of the last month of my life:

-ROLLING THUNDER: huge success...I loved the beer garden, awesome racers, course, and the vuvuzelas. I'll keep it for life.
-Started running consistently, enjoyed the beautiful month of October.
-Purchased a pair of nordic race skis...I'm hitting the circuit this year.
-Swam...twice.
-Started working in a virology lab on campus, saving up some cash for next years race season.
-Signed up for the New York City Marathon Lottery.
...More must of happened, however, I seem to be drawing a blank on the rest.

Alright, now we're up to date. Today, I ran with the Sunday run crew, watched the snow fall, and did some office work with Major.

24 Hours of Moab

2010-10-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

Part II

A plywood sign marked the turn. Propped up by a scraggly cottonwood, it boasted the number "24" in broken, black spray paint. Kiefer's Dodge Sprinter Winnebago wobbled onto the old jeep trail, shuttering and shifting as it mounted the first rise. The RV, like an over-packed mule tipped and tottered over the desert's rocky landscape. An so, like a caravan of weary refugees, we pressed on through the desert, hoping camp would soon appear on the horizon.

I braced myself against the window, watching the La Sal mountain range slowly sink from view. The squeal of an airy horn broke my fragile daydream. A shirtless man with a goofy grin stuttered toward us on a scooter, struggling to remain vertical on the rugged road. He whipped around and in moments, Phil Grove was outside our window. Though, the whining hum of his scooter muffled any attempt at verbal communication. Taking the lead, he shuttled us to camp, giddy with excitement for the days to come.

Pippo

The next day, the morning sun uncovered our provisional home . Camp was nestled below a bluff; an out cropping of rocks provided a boarder to the east and sandy, red hills stretched infinitely to the west. Surrounding us, were countless RVs and tents. Bustling "town folk" fetched water, vendors sold coffee and hundreds of riders perpetually filtered in an out of the make-shift village. I spent the morning cooking wraps filled with scrambled eggs and bell peppers topped with fresh tomatoes, avocado, lime and cilantro: the original breakfast fajita.

Home

The hours clipped by and soon we found ourselves on the side-line. Heidi Rentz (aka "the desert ripper") and Toby toed the line. It was to be a lemond start where the racers were expected to execute a foot race of 300 meters before mounting their bikes. A gun fired and like a stampede of feral pigs, the riders trampled the desert soil, kicking a dusty, red smog into the air. 24 hours of Moab had begun.

The Crew

To be continued....

24 Hours of Moab

2010-10-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

Part I

I stared blankly into the darkness. The distant mountains, whose rock cliffs once burned red from the setting sun, now blended imperceptibly into the night sky. The riders' lights trickled in from the horizon, dripping like lazy stars incapable of clinging to their celestial roosts. A crowd huddled tight to a propane flame which billowed great puffs of steam into the frigid night air.

Morning Breaks

I glanced at my watch, the tiny machine blinked 2:24 am. Nervous energy gurgled in my stomach, Heidi Gaskill should have arrived ten minutes ago. I worried something had gone wrong: a flat tire, a broken bone or bike. I tucked my chin into the collar of my down coat and waited.

Owen Gue skidded into the transition area on his full suspension Turner. A hair-line fracture and dislocated metatarsal had kept him from racing but utterly failed at preventing him from working support with myself and Bryce Daviess. We had been back an forth all night, receiving racers with a warm coat and sending the relief rider into the darkness.

A white jersey throttled down the trail toward the transition tent, "Kent Brothers Racing" glistened from the chest. Heidi was hammering, she looked smooth and strong. Anya Weschler jumped into action. Throwing her coat at Owen, she sprinted to the table. After a brief exchange, Anya disappeared into the desert and Heidi dismounted her bike. "Nice lap" I said. "A bit slower but that's to be expected with the night laps."

"It would have been faster, I stopped to help a guy with a dislocated shoulder. Probably, waited for ten minutes until the EMS arrived." Heidi explained. I scribbled the lap time on a clip-board, she waited for ten minutes and still rode a 1:27. That would have been close to the fastest lap of the day, at night. I thought that was a pretty classy move.

Kiefer Hahn wouldn't be in for another 35 minutes, so we all strode back to camp.

Kent Brothers Camp

I am floored by 24-hour racing. Impressed by the class, strength, humor and enthusiasm of all the racers. I pushed through the night, watching every exchange, cooking, cleaning, recording splits because I was inspired by my team. I couldn't have asked for a better crew to work for. I want to incorporate each racer into my story but the events of Saturday night are no longer linear in my head. There is simply a cauldron, bubbling with images and emotions from 36 straight hours of consciousness. Frankly, I'm finding it impossible to piece back together.

The venue also deserves mention. Moab is beautiful. The rocky, red desert stretches on as far as the eye can see, speckled with scrub brush and junipers. It became a truly stunning arena.

To be continued...

Wednesday Night Report

2010-09-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

Cyclocross is awesome. I attended exclusively as side-line support. With a beer in hand, I watched dust-caked, sweat-soaked, pain grimaced faces scramble, skid and crash around Fort Missoula Wednesday evening.

The men's race sizzled with local talent. The front line featured Toby, Bob P., Jesse D., Horanimal, Mr. MTCX, Kiefer, and Dougie Fresh. The crowd heckled and jeered in the moments before the gun, while collecting a generous $8.75 first lap prime (three of the dollars were in quarters...poor but happy, right?)
J-Doll and Toby rocketed to an early lead. Dougger, Keifer, Shaun, and Bob were scrambling to close the gap from behind.

The first two laps saw no change in the state of affairs. Toby and Jesse continued to pull away, while Doug and Keifer chased. The stage was set, a battle for 1st and a battle for 3rd. It doesn't get more exciting. Soon enough, disaster struck. Toby smashed a wooden barrel at full speed, shattering his front fork. He walked away unscathed. Jesse eased in for the win.

The race for 2nd then began. Doug, hiding pain as well as he hid his kindergarten collection of "adult periodicals", looked miserable. Sweat poured off his face, his chest heaved with great breaths and his mouth twisted upward into a tortuous grin. Keifer lurked furtively behind. Cool and calm, if he was hurting, it was imperceptible. On the back stretch, Doug threw in some blocks throwing himself from side to side. Not having witnessed the final moments, I like to think Kiefer, being half the size of Doug, simply went under him, producing an adequate margin of victory in the final meters.

In the women's race, Linsdy Campbell simply destroyed the balance of the ladies field. She looked light and fit, prancing over barriers and run-ups. I was pleased to see Joey, Sara, Nikki and Heidi throwing it down as well.

I will race SOME cross. Patience my friends, patience

Thunder is coming...

Ps. You might want to be riding around the rattlesnake a 7:00pm tonight. It could be fun...That's all I am at liberty to say.

Rump of Jello

2010-09-28T16:24:00.001-07:00

I found it crumpled in the corner, stuffed between the bookshelf and the wall, utterly forgotten. Dust covered its once shimmering surface. It drooped on the edges, dejected and alone. So, I picked it up, blew off the cobwebs and there it was, my blog, as good as new!

I feel very similar to my blog: droopy and dusty. My training endured an unrecoverable flat spin into the ocean at the end of August, crash and burn. Where abdominal muscles once rippled, bacon and eggs have taken hold. Peanut butter drips from my hips and my legs bend and wiggle like two giant German bratwursts. I've let myself go. And nothing could make this more bitingly obvious than today's assault of Sheep Mountain with Ben Parsons and Sam Schultz.
In short, I was destroyed. Ben and Sam slithered up the mountain, leaving me alone for most of the day. The loneliness wasn't unwelcome. It gave me time to concentrate on my intense chest pressure, shortness of breath and extreme discomfort in my left shoulder and arm. I think my heart exploded.

Day one is complete. A small step towards fitness. I'll train through next August, building to a marathon and hopefully two Ironmans. I have a long way to go, but look forward to the journey.

Take care,

Fatty Ice

Autumn in Missoula

2010-09-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

As the summer sun retreats high into the horizon, past the frosty mountains and leaves us in obscure darkness, my mind wonders to autumn in Missoula. It is a wonderful time. The hard woods burst into color, flaunting their plumage like lustful peacocks. Old chimneys belch sweet wood smoke and the damp smells of earth and rotting leaves linger throughout the trails above town.

However, this year something new is on my mind. I've been commuting on my cross bike for the last two years. The chain is red with rust, the brakes shriek and stutter, and the cranks creek and click with every pedal stroke. I've neglected it. Like a race horse at a dude ranch, it has been deprived the opportunity to compete. It's furious with me.

With luck, I will recruit Bryce to return it to the smooth cross machine it once was. And, mark my words, I will race cross with it!

So I challenge all those wishy-washy racers on the fence about this upcoming cross season. Shine up your steeds and meet me out there. After all, if I can do it....

For all those who have forgotten how to cross race (or never learned...myself included), come join me at the free cross clinic put on by some of the best in town. We'll glide over barriers, mount and dismount like rabbits, and be absolutely covered in mud. What more could you ask for?

Little Matty racing cross

In other news....

For me the triathlon season is over, a disappointing showing at Lake Stevens 70.3 (solid non-wet suit swim, no big ring on the bike, and a painful scramble to the finish sums it up) left me unsatisfied with my year, yet eager to improve over the winter.

I've resumed running. Hoping to build into a winter marathon. Swimming boot-camp is also in full swing. Pray for a break though!

Horrible Blogger, Great Pics

2010-08-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

I'm a horrible blogger...there, I said it. Here is a very cool gallery from the Glacier Loop ride. An enormous THANK YOU to Tom Robertson for being world class with a camera.

CLICK HERE

Picture Preview

2010-08-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have much to write about in the next few days. I wanted to post a few pictures from yesterday's ride around Glacier Park. At the end of the day, we had logged 140 miles, close to 10,000 feet of climbing and some extremely tender undersides. More soon, I promise.

Going to the Sun
Photo by Tom Robertson

Take a Look!

2010-08-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Now, this hardly rivals gracing the cover of Inside Triathlon (great article on Linsey by the way), but it's a step in the right direction. Huge thanks to Tom Robertson for taking really cool pictures and Saucony for all the help. Click HERE to visit Saucony's web-page, there is some awesome fall gear to check out as well!

I will have a race report soon.

Love,

Ice

Camp Cryptic

2010-08-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Having too little or too much to write about often prevents me from writing at all. In this case, it was the latter.

I have difficulty believing the season is drawing to a close. Already, cool, crisp winds are sneaking in from the north. The sun is becoming lazy to rise and prompt to set; a hint of fall is in the air. Yet, I am still eager to race. Last weekend, I finally imbibed the drink of competition. I raced an olympic triathlon in Coeur d'Alene. These shorter races are hardly my forte. A long swim and short run, encumber my strengths. I ended up comfortably in second, Kalen Darling, a pro out of Hawaii, toasted the swim leaving me a six minutes deficit. Unfortunately, I only reclaimed three.

The following day, we headed to Whitefish for the second annual "Camp Cryptic." A mangy mountain bike adventure led by Pippo Grove and Matty B. We met at Echo Lake Cafe near Summers on the North side of Flathead lake. After breakfast we rolled into the mountains for a six hour ride on Alpine Trail 7. Much of the climbing and descending was out of my comfort zone, regardless, I had a tremendous amount of fun. Great company and awesome views.

I have now been sick since Monday. Training has been put on hold. Allegedly, I am to race Lake Stevens this weekend. My bags are still packed and my bike remains ready to race. Here goes nothing.

Missing Duck

2010-08-02T13:45:00.001-07:00

Free Bird! A Khaki Campbell is believed to be on the run (or fly.) Last seen August 1st, 2010. Any information concerning the fugitive fowl would be greatly appreciated.

Reward:
A dinner evening at The Farm, we'll be serving Canard à l'Orange.

Rest: It Does a Body Good

2010-08-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I cracked. After a nap, some pizza, a few laps between the fridge and the couch, I finally decided to set out on a run. An afternoon thunderstorm had moved in, cooling of the Missoula valley, creating an ideal running environment. My legs shuttered for the first five minutes. "Warm up!" I told them, waiting for my stride to smooth and my breath to calm. Soon my phone rang (I was on-call, hence running with phone). It was my brother, recounting an epic day in the woods (The Butte 100, congrats to all who got out of that mess. Sounds BRUTAL!) Upon hanging up, my legs refused to run. With 17 minutes on the clock, I turned around and walked home.

Here's to a rest day! Bake some bread (and bring it over to me), run some errands, nap, bathe, mow the lawn, pet the dog....enjoy Sunday and REST.

Congrats to the Montana contingent in Calgary. It looks like Old Man Dumke gave those young whipper snappers a run for their bacon.

Take rest days or else you'll look like this.

Parasite Training

2010-07-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

After Ironman, my training plan expired. No longer do I have a daily schedule, ripe with track workouts, paces, intervals and specificity. My routine has shifted to a little something I call "Parasite Training." I simply wait with antennae extended and soon enough a miserable trainer ride, set of track intervals, or swim set will inevitably pass by my hidden dwellings. And I, like parasitic botfly, leach on, burrow in and suck the workout dry. It is an exhausting job. I have to choose my prey carefully, too many "big ones" can leave a triathlon tape-worm too exhausted to feed the next day. Life as a parasite requires a bit of discretion and an abundance of hard working prey...uh, I mean friends.

In other news....

Dinner last night was off the Richter (Scale that is), here's how to make it:

Fish Tacos (Shryock Secret Family Recipe)

Mahi Mahi Filets (Costco has an abundance of frozen, wild fish any and all will work)
Limes
Ginger
Cilantro
Garlic
Olive Oil
Jalapeno
S&P

-Combine the above ingredients in a large marinating bowl. I'm not big on measurements, so add more olive oil than lime juice, a hearty handful of cilantro, one large clove of garlic, as much jalapeno as you can handle and double the ginger as garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Be brave, you can't screw this one up.

-Chop veggies. When at the store, look for what is freshest and brightest. Bell peppers, tomatoes, scallions, mangoes, avocados, limes, etc.

-Grate some cheese. Feta, Gorgonzola, monetary jack...

-Steam the Tortillas. Find some fresh whole wheat tortillas, cover the stack with a moist paper towel and pop them in the microwave for 2 minutes.

-Grill the fish. Throw the fish over hot coals. Every time you flip, baste with the marinade. Four flips should do it.

-Assemble. Stack on everything you like. Finish with a squirt of lime and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with fresh melons and blue berries and a Pacifico or Petit Syrah.

What did you do in your MTCX Slammer today?

2010-07-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

I wrenched on my bikes. Unfortunately, there is only one thing the MTCX Slammer can't do: make you a good mechanic. Looks like I'll be swinging by Hellgate Cyclery to get my rigs in order. Get an MTCX slammer ASAP, you wouldn't want to be the only one at Rolling Thunder without one....would you?

Next up: A very hard run.

Next race: Boulder or Calgary? Any suggestions?

-Ice

Team MT Tuesday

2010-07-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

Oof! I've been away from the blogosphere. Hopefully, I'm back for the duration. Last Tuesday, Linsey organized a huge day of training to jump start the mid-season vacation. The report follows:

We converged at the dirt track at around 6:30am. Warm-up, strides, drills and stretching was on the docket. We hopped, lunged, skipped and trotted around the track, catching-up and scheming about future race plans. As the hour hand stuck 7:00am, we were squished into wet suits and debated a swim in the river. We were lucky enough to have Tom Robertson in toe to document our shenanigans. "Someone must of lost a drunk bet" a grisly passer-by grumbled as we plunged in. The sun crested the mountains to the east as we splashed up-river.

The next few hours: Dry off, coffee at Le Petit, breakfast at Hob Nob, homeward, check bike, chamois-up, sun screen, food/water, roll out!

We reconvened at "Casa Corbin," the plan was to rally up Lolo pass with a great group of Montana athletes. It was a scorcher! As we neared the summit, Brendan Halpin attacked from the rear. I was on the front. Naturally, I stood up and mashed pedals as hard as I could for as long as I could. I had about a twenty second gap with 3 miles to go. Owen Gue had bridged with Halpin and the duo held the gap for the next two miles. With the summit in site, Owen closed the gap in seconds, we traded pulls a few times and I was left for dead as Owen claimed the KOM and polka dot jersey for the day. He's still got it. I rolled in a few seconds later.

We hammered home with a quick stop at the Lolo gas station for a coke and ice cream. Fueling is important when a transition run is in the near future.

To finish the day, we changed in shorts and shoes, ran to the river, jumped off the bridge and floated down. After a bit of rest, we hosted a BBQ at the farm. Train hard, eat well.

Breakfast at Hob Nob

Lacking wives, Jeff used me to demonstrated a post-ride wife-carry? "I'm never being the wife again"

Bridge Jump: Probably a good idea

Oops, may be not.

Good Food

Hot Horan

2010-07-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today was hot. Breathing alone was a laborious task, let alone riding a bike or running. I am thankful to have returned to training.

This week I'm training by feel, simply enjoying moving again. I ended up riding out highway 200, the first 15 miles felt horrific. At one point, I dismounted to check if my rear wheel was rubbing my frame...unfortunately, it wasn't. Slowly, I came around. My legs started firing, whirling in smooth circles and I was finally moving forward. I ran into this guy, I've heard he's up to something. I think it is called "closet training."I'm stunned how much water the hot wind leeches from the body. Within the first hour, both of my bottles were sucked dry. Parched, I stopped at a sprinkler oasis to replenish my stores.

Upon returning home, I decided to cancel my run. The sun had smothered me. Training is exhausting.

Coming Home

2010-07-13T23:59:00.001-07:00

The last two weeks have been a dream. Time slips by so quick.

Training begins soon. I've melted into a glob of cheese, two big weeks of training then a few Halfs are on the docket! I hope I have some fitness left.

See you all soon,

-Cheesy Ice

France Update

2010-07-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Time to blog has been hard to come by in Annecy. Though our days have not been rushed and hurried with a stuffed agenda, time slips slowly by, completely unnoticed. It would be an understatement to say we've eaten well. The food is so good here. Everything is fresh, the tastes are different but welcome. The cheese is real, it smells and runs but is undoubtedly the most delicious food in France.

Yesterday could not have been more perfect. We ate a late breakfast with my host family in

Annecy. Catherine (my host-mother) had planned to take us to the Auguille du Midi (Needle of the South), a craiggy rock that rises just below Le Mont Blanc (the highest peak in Europe.)

So after a run through the woods and a quick swim in the lake with Chad (Adam's friend from dental school) we arrived in Chamonix. A tram carried us to the top. It is difficult for me to describe the views from up there. It feels a bit like flying, perhaps the pictures will do it justice.

After a few hours, running around the roof-top of Europe. We descended and returned to Annecy. The sun was setting to we picked up Alfred (my host Father) and headed to a vista above the lake. It just so happens to be a cheese farm as well...lucky us.

Dinner from up there was the best I've ever had. We ate classic regional dishes, Tartiflette and Raclette. Both are rich mixtures of cheese, meat and potatoes.

We finished the long day with ice cream in the old town. It was close to one in the morning. It's hard to get decent sleep in France but impossible to starve!

More later.

Aux Champs Elysee

2010-07-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

Europe has been a whirlwind. After watching the prologue and start of stage 1 of "Le Grand Tour" in Rotterdam. We chased the racers by train to Brussels to catch the finish, we made it with twenty minutes to spare. Unfortunately, a mess of crashes squashed any opportunity for a sprint finish but is was amazing to see the riders (and their entourage) arrive at the finish.

We are now in Paris, staying at my French sister's apartment. Its directly in the old part of Paris, very close to Notre Dame and the Louvre. Yesterday, she led us around Paris on foot. We saw everything in one day. Really, you name it, we saw it. As the sun set, we found ourselves beneath the Eiffle Tower with four bottles of wine, cheese and bread, chocolate and good sausages and ham. We ate and drank as the tower brilliantly glowed in the night sky. It was hard to believe, it still is. C'est un reve!

One more day in Paris, then we're off to the Alps for a mountain stage or two. I have run twice in nine days, I'm really good at recovering.

-Le Ice

Ironfans

2010-07-02T04:05:00.001-07:00

As some of you know, I'm in Europe. I can't complain really. We'll watch the Prologue tomorrow, so updates to follow.

Please read Ryan Payne's report on "Ironfanning." For not being from Montana, he's figuring out how we do it pretty rapidly.

http://ryanalexanderpayne.blogspot.com/

-Ice

Ironman CDA

2010-06-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

The bony protuberances that was once resembled my ankles are now edematous, lumps of pudgy flesh. Walking, if that is indeed what I’m doing, is a jerky, painful endeavor. And stairs are to be descended backwards, on all fours, or simply avoided at all costs. Sleep, unfortunately, remains elusive.

The pain of an Ironman is not complete upon crossing the finish line. Its venom lasts much longer, disguised as oozy sores, throbbing legs, and a profound fatigue. However, I would be remiss to describe the Ironman as anything less than extraordinary.

I was overwhelmed before the race, incapable of understanding the enormity of the event. And still, I find it hard to believe I've completed the journey. Before I plunge into the gory, nitty-gritty of Ironman Coeur d'Alene, I want to thank all of you who helped me get there. Thank you to my friends, whose cheers and support during race day fuel-injected energy into an otherwise empty tank. Thank you to those who've taken me under their wing, been patient and taught me so much. Thanks to my few but generous sponsors: Hammer Nutrition, Saucony, Genuine Innovations and of course, Montanacylcocross.com. And to my wonderful parents, who are always beneath me with a soft place to land. Thank you!

The Race:

The day was to be hot. The morning sun, splashed golden light over the lake and shore as the pros lined up at the waters edge. I placed myself near Adam, hoping to find his feet in the water. As the countdown clicked passed thirty seconds, I nearly soiled my britches. However, I capitalized on this opportunity to remind myself to stay positive and enjoy the day. One hour and six minutes later, I exited the water....perhaps the low point of my day.

I mounted my carbon steed. I had been coached to take it easy for the first hour of the ride, I ate and drank, enjoyed the crowds and the beautiful scenery while I watched an hour tick by on my watch. I slowly built. Throughout the 4:55 that I spent on my bike, friends and family were everywhere, cheering like mad-hatters. At one point, Ben Horan sprinted beside me with a giant, yellow umbrella, offering a moment of shade in an otherwise roasting afternoon; while Shaun yelled splits and encouragement in the other ear. They really are Ironfans.

The run was amazing (at least 20 miles of it.) I threw on my Saucony Kinvaras and took off out of transition. I had loaded a gel flask with two servings of Hammer gel, enduralytes and water. I slowly sipped this potion between aide stations providing me with a constant drip of energy. I think this made a huge difference in my day. For the first thirteen, I felt no pain. The crowds poured life into my legs, I could have run forever....However, sharp knives slowly cut into my quads. I faught back with gels, gatorade, coke and ice. As I neared mile 20, I felt a light touch on my shoulder, Linsey Corbin came around me, she looked like machine. "I'm proud of you, go get what is yours." I said. Soon, she was out of site. I did run the last six miles (though mile splits tell a different story), the pace had slowed substantially but I convinced myself to make it to Sherman Ave. From there, you run on the clouds. As I made a final left turn, a wave of goose bumps covered my body. I made it! I ran like I was flying, it was impossible not to smile. I slapped hands and waved. I spotted Megan Gaskill with a cowboy hat and swapped her for my visor. We spend so little of our time in life in the finishing shoot, it really is an amazing place.

Linsey was hanging out at the finish, I attacked her with a hug. I had never been so happy to be chicked! Nice work Corbin!

Adam was lounging in the med-tent as volunteer guided me around. I am stoked he finally put another Ironman together. Watch out, he is done with school and ready to start training again.

Great work to everyone out there: racers, volunteers, friends and family.

Thanks for reading, it has been a great ride.

Here goes nothing!

2010-06-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

It's the evening before Ironman CDA. Everything is novel from here on out. I wouldn't describe myself as nervous, in fact, I'm extremely excited, oddly optimistic and ready to roll!

I've spent a few days in CDA. Our homestay has been exeptional. Most of the days have been spent napping and eating or tinkering on bikes.

A lot is going through my mind but I'm too anxious to write. I think I'll have a better sense of how I feel tomorrow evening when the dust has settled.

I'm hoping for big things and willing to fight all day. I want to thank everyone from Missoula in advance for coming to watch. You'll be the reason I finish.

Good luck to everyone. We're about to embark on an amazing adventure.

~Ice

A Beaver Freezer

2010-06-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Tapering is going well. This morning, I clipped off a longer run and headed to Beavertail pond for an open water swim with Jen L., Adam J. and Emily H. Great crew! We swam for an hour and I'm feeling great in the water.

The folks at Beavertail are awesome. The nice weather brought fishermen and BBQers to the water's edge. On our second lap, a nice gentleman and his son offered us some hot dogs. On our final lap, we gobbled down the tasty franks. Great service!

The muggy afternoon brought in some huge thunder clouds. I finished the day with a cup of tea in a rocking chair watching the sky puke down acorn-sized hale.

Ironman is less than a week away. My goal is to stay positive throughout the entire day. Stay tuned, there will be Ironman updates everyday this week.

The Countdown

2010-06-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

The countdown to the right of my blog is mocking me. I never thought these days would come. Now that the Ironman is mere days away, I can't seem to imagine life after it.

I'm doing much more resting these days, some open water swimming and some visualization. The legs are coming around.

I'm off to the market, I have to replace some tomatoes. The deer have been hungry.

A Day of Rest

2010-06-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

After working all night, I stumbled home at 11:00am. The sun was blazing but I forced myself to sleep. I awoke abruptly at 8:30pm. It's a horrible feeling to waste a sunny day but I needed rest and recovery. Hopefully that did the trick.

The other day, Tom Robertson shot some photos in the miller creek area. Here are a few more.

Be well, ride safe.

A Thought After Today's Ride

2010-06-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

One would assume that after years of riding a bicycle, one's "business end" would have developed an armored callus impervious to bullets. Alas, the tender bits remain so, and thus chamois cream is still a must.

Tutorial on Darwin

2010-06-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

Epilogue

In response to a few readers, I'm hoping to make clear the intent of my recent race report. This is for those, who have not studied Darwin or the theory of evolution.

I was trying to make the point that during our evolution there existed no categories. Charles Darwin, an evolutionary biologist, coined the term "survival of the fittest." Meaning those who are strongest or best suited for an environment will persist, passing on these aptitudes to their offspring. This is the core of the evolutionary theory. Categorization had no governance in the days of our neolithic ancestors. By racing for Darwin, I meant I will continue to race everyone, not just the Cat 3's, in hopes that I will be the fittest and thus "survive". I think it is a romantic idea. I'm racing to be the strongest on the starting line, not the best Cat 3.

Yesterday, I made a man-pie. It weighed 25 lbs.

Recovery Days

2010-06-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

Today the sun is shining. The next three weeks are looking like loads of easy workouts with a few hard efforts mixed in. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, it feels good to finally rest and feel strong while working out. However, it also means Ironman CDA is fast approaching: 18 days and counting.

The day began with a challenging swim workout thanks to Brendan's coach Chuckie V: countless 25s, followed by two 1,000m efforts (4500 meters.) After a big breakfast of eggs and avocados, I spent an hour trotting around the Rattlesnake. Soon after, I met a few tough ladies for a recovery ride out to Butler Creek. After a bison burger and a mid-day glass of wine (don't worry mom, I don't habitually drink wine at 1:00pm), I took an awesome nap in the yard. I can't say I have much to complain about.

Corbin and Luebke leaving me in the dust.

Cow Country

2010-06-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

Prologue

Dawn breaks. Neolithic man rises from a mossy nest of ferns and branches. The silence is profound. Absent are the blaring radios, honking horns, dripping coffee, or clanking pans. He sniffs the air, crisp and fresh. The beauty of his surroundings is lost on him; a visceral hunger tears from within. This morning, like every morning, he must fight to survive, he must race to survive.

Throughout this valley, there are many like him. Some are older, some are stronger, some are wiser, some are faster...yet they line up, each morning on the same starting line. At first light, the race is on, devoid of categories or age-groups.

But is that fair? Should not the fastest category 4 neolithic man feast on swamp deer or water bison this evening? Why don't we consult Darwin: the answer is no. The weaker man starves, the stronger man persists.

Chapter 1

Yesterday, I raced Cow Country. It's a wonderful race: beautiful and challenging. I hadn't planned on racing my bike this year. I neglected to buy an annual license, so I purchased a one-day and informed the woman at registration that I was a cat 3. At the end of the day, I was disqualified. "One cannot race as a category 3 with a one-day license under USCF regulations, we have to pull you from the results. You did very well, though." Thank you ma'am, I'll be racing for Darwin next time.

Chapter 2

Race Report: I find bullets work best.

-Line-up: nervous energy was everywhere...I was beginning to regret signing up for a bike race.
-Initial 20 miles: Attacks Everywhere! Each acceleration momentarily dropped me, sent knives into my quads and required an "off-the-back TT" to rejoin the group.
-Things were not looking good.
-Someone attacked. Elliot, Procter, and Curry rocketed off the front. They were gone.
-After a few moments Halpin moved to the front.
-17 miles later: Halpin continued to pull.
-Seeing as Halpin and I were both on "Team Hammer," I took over wind duty for five miles or so.
-The Hill: I was on the front and decided to attack. Frykman, Tack, and Herzig (please excuse any spelling errors) followed... Gonzales was a bit behind, along with a few others.
-The next thirty miles, consisted of Frykman inflicting pain. Eventually, Tack and Frykman dropped Hertzig and myself.
-On the home stretch, we picked up an exploding Tack and shattered Bassetti. Neither would hang on the final hills. It was looking like a sprint finish between Herzig and yours truly. I didn't like my chances.
-I ended up in fourth overall. No categories, no age-groups....Fourth over-all and I'm stoked.
-Curry destroyed everyone, he's a strong man. Frykman demonstrated that a big dude can climb, all you need is huge power and Herzig is wily, I didn't stand a chance.

Birthdays, Brews, and Bad Weather

2010-06-02T11:38:00.001-07:00

The last few days have been challenging on the training front. The dreary weather is taking a heavy toll on my motivation. I have resorted to mountain biking to regain some sanity. There is something about riding trail that rejuvenates the spirit....crisp air, earthy smells, green foliage.

In other news, Douglas Dale Shryock turned 27 yesterday. What was intended to be an low-key, mature celebration at Biga Pizza, quickly dissolved into a whiskey shooting, Karaoke singing, beer dumping extravaganza! The night was capped off by dance-off with a rival birthday crew and invigorating round of "Last Man Standing."

On my way home, I "treed" a raccoon and pursued the little creature with my camera phone. I decided to descend before any quarreling broke loose.

The Build

2010-05-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

I'm in the midst of an Ironman build. Having never been here before, I'm stunned by how tired I am. After training all day, all I have the strength to do is eat and nap. This can't persist. Mentally, I'm on the edge of breaking. Physically, I just can't go much harder.

I imagine this will pay off. Somewhere down the line. Until then, I'm essentially useless.

The Demontluzin 6-Pack

2010-05-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Innovation is born on rainy days. Yesterday, while drops pelted the wooden shingles of the bike shop at Fish Creek Farms, a welding torch molded hot metal.

Bryce will soon be in full production. Fabricating Demontluzin custom frames. In the meantime, he has set to work building bike racks. The first prototype is proudly called the "Demontluzin 6-Pack". It's made for a 6-pack yet stout enough for a keg.

Enjoy a few picture from its conception to birth.

I set-up my trainer and whirled away on a recovery spin, watching the dog play in the rain and the turkeys peck the ground. Kipp cooked up a delicious pasta dinner that evening. Yes, life is good.

Welcome Back

2010-05-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

It has been entirely too long. I will forgo the long list of mediocre excuses and ensure that I am back to blogging.

The past two weeks have been a whirl-wind. We moved into the most beautiful house in all of Missoula. We've christened it "Fish Creek Farms" for an old sign we found buried in the garage. It now hangs proudly above the entry. The house is found nestled between Mount Jumbo and Water-works, a quick walk to Ten Spoon Winery and mere feet from every trail-head in the Rattlesnake. Unfortunately, I rarely leave home meaning I'm becoming even more of a hermit.

After a few weeks of marginal training, I absolutely nailed last week. On second thought, last week nailed me (but that's the point, right?) I'm absolutely smashed. The week was stuffed with mile repeats, hill repeats, race-pace efforts, long runs, and intervals. Yesterday, I cracked. Today, I rest.

On the farm front, I built a fence for the garden. It's hardly off to a flying start. A late frost hammered my squash, the carrot-starts dried up, and the damn deer ate all of the tender salad greens. I've waged war with the miserable creatures. After a day of concrete, T-bar, and deer-mesh, they've been banished back to the lawns and flowerpots of my less hostile neighbors. They'll be back though, they always come back.

The weather has been challenging. But spring in Missoula has been casually hinting at those sensual summer evenings. I can't wait.

Here's to hitting the blog. Stay tuned for the next two weeks of Ironman Build. It's rapidly approaching, terrifyingly so.

Team Montana in Action: Wildflower and St. George

2010-05-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a look at Team Montana taking a stab at early season competition.

I've never seen Cinco look so good while running.

Can you believe this guy? Jensen runs a 1:19 on an extremely challenging course!

Megan Gaskill laid down some serious power on her way to a smoking bike splits, putting her first overall in the amateur race. Do I smell another pro-card?
Corbin left her legs in transition but still managed to sneak into the money. Not a bad day's work.
Yours truely, taking off on an extremely lonely bike ride.Graham's performance is hardly summed up in this photo. He place a very respectable 2nd in his age-group.

Anya looking hella pro while tearing up her first Half Ironman. To put it in her words "That was the hardest F@$%ing thing I've ever done!" She placed first in her age group by the way.
Ironman St. George Duo Jen and Brendan had a tough day on a ridiculous course. They didn't end up crossing the line but they sure looked good on their bikes.

Wildflower

2010-05-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

There's no place like home. Despite the vacillating spring weather, Missoula always feels so good.

I spent the day reorganizing, running errands and getting ready to move up the Rattlesnake to the "Farm House." I am eagerly anticipating the move. We have been working diligently on the garden and yard, it's looking beautiful. The folks from Ten Spoon Winery are our new landlords and we expect to be spending quite in the tap room. I can't wait.

(The world champ doesn't seem too concered about his competition.)

On to the race. Wildflower is an adventure. If you haven't been, you should go. Over the Wildflower weekend, stunning Lake San Antonio becomes a temporary home for thousands upon thousands of triathletes and volunteers. I arrived on Thursday and met up with some good company: Adam Jensen and Grahm Meng had flown down from Seattle, while Jeff Cincoski and Megan Gaskill had descended from home-country. The Pickell/Corbin camp was established on the bluff above our camp. The UM triathlon joined us on Friday (it is always interesting seeing triathlon through the eyes of a newbie.)

Race Morning:
-Early morning wake-up, no nerves but still managed a solid (in effort if not in consistency) "pit-stop."
-Transition set-up went swimmingly. I placed my bike between Maik Twelsiek and Conrad Stoltz, chatted bit and tried to look cool.
-Swim: the leaders put 100 meters into me within the first 100 meters....these guys are fast. I spotted Adam in front of me and maintained about a 40 second gap. (Swim=32:00, ouch!)
-Bike: Some of the faster swimming ladies from five minutes back had devoured me in the water like frenzied sharks. Once on the bike, I made quick work of two of them and powered on after the rest of the pro men and Julie Dibens.
-Ten miles in: I received a staggering penalty! I argued with the ref while they put a slash through every number on my body.
-Two minutes later: remounted my bike and try to make up lost time.
-Mile 30: Lost in no-man's land, I decided to quit triathlon. (Bike: 2:31, ouch!)
-Heartbreak Hill: Finally caught some of the pro men, moving myself up a few spots.
-Run: The sun was blazing, left transition feeling hot and tired.
-Cal Poly volunteers doused me with water and I immediately felt better.
-The rest of the run was painless, decided to continue with triathlon. (Run: 1:20)

I am finally happy with a race. There is much I would like to improve (namely, my bike time and swim time) however, I couldn't be more pleased with my run. I ended up in 22nd place, a solid day with a stacked field.

Thank you to Saucony, Gennuine innovations, Smith Optics, Hammer Nutrition, MTcx and Ma and Pa Shryock for their support. I best get to bed. Some enormous training weeks are approaching. Thank you for reading.

Matty

It has been too long.

2010-04-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings loyal readers,

I took a break from the blog, but am glad to be back. I am readying myself for Wildflower. After a few speed bumps, I think I'm on my way. Training has been going well enough. I experienced a motivational dip but am clawing my way back.

Once again, I'm trying not to put pressure on this race. At the beginning of this year, I signed a contract with myself. The bottom line was to not be discouraged regardless of race/training outcomes.

My crank flew off my by bike yesterday. I have installed a new one which is a bit shorter than my previous one. Life is an experiment, I think it will work out just fine.

Swim=done, Track=done, easy ride=on-deck.

I will have a garden update next week....it's looking good.

Good luck to everyone racing.

Weekend Report

2010-04-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend flew by. The weather was superb and I'm rapidly remembering why I endure the boggy and sloppy late Missoula winter.

I feel like things are starting to click. A few days ago, I felt connected to my TT bike, like the carbon stallion had become part of me.

Running is also grooving. Adam and I did a long run on Sunday. I wont bore you with the details, but the final three miles I ran at threshold, covering the distance in just over 16 minutes. I felt like I had much more. I couldn't stop smiling.

The rest of Sunday was dedicated to fun. I watched the UM cycling circuit race. The UM team had some very strong performances. I believe Seth nabbed a close second in the B's. Campbell went out hot, dropped out of the top five then used mean tenacity to will herself into second. Had the course been 100 meters longer, she would have had the top spot. Meg Gaskill and Kara D. also crushed the entire C field. Those women should not be C's.

Spectating

After a nap and a walk with the pups, I topped of the day with a extremely easy mountain bike ride with the crew. I love it here.

The Biped's Dilemma

2010-04-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

I recently finished "Born to Run" by Christopher Mcdougall. It is a truly inspiring book, I recommend it to anyone. One reoccurring theme was the human's beautifully adapted body to running. We are supreme runners over long distances, few creatures in the world can match a humans endurance and speed over 50 to 100 miles. Why then, are we plagued with constant running injuries?

The author came to one conclusion: running shoes.

For the last thirty years, we have developed and "improved" running shoes to help support, cushion, brace and guide our foot. Millions of dollars have been poured into research to design shoes to make us run faster and stay injure free. So the question remains: How did we ever manage without these scientific marvels bound to our feet? It turns out, we did just fine.

Since the arrival of modern man some 200,000 years ago, we have run. Hunting food, escaping danger, travel and play, were all endeavors that required running for hours on end. We were strong and fast, barefoot and fancy free.

Our bodies our built for supreme efficiency. In the brain, when a developing neuron is neglected, it dies. If an arm is placed in a cast and deprived of movement, muscles atrophy and bones weaken. If you don't use it, you lose it. The human body refuses to waste energy on tools it doesn't use. Our feet are no different.

Creating an orthotic to support the arch, designing a shoe to eliminate pronation, injecting air and gel into foam soles to absorb shock, are sure-fire ways to weaken your foot. Think of it this way. If you spent your entire life propped up in a lazy boy arm chair, how fit would you be? The answer is clear. You would be fat, diabetic and bankrupting our healthcare system.

So, don't stick your feet in a lazy-boy!

I'm going to try something. My goal is to start running consistently barefoot. I want to assure everyone I'm not on my way to vegan suppers and hemp underwear. Until yesterday, the earth-muffins traipsing around barefoot sent me into fits of sarcasm and condescension. Though, now I admit they have a point.

I'm starting with walking and foot drills. I've also purchased a pair of the strangest shoes in the world: www.vibramfivefingers.com. Like anything, it takes time to strengthen muscles, but I think this could be the key to a smoother stride and injure-free legs.

I'll keep you all updated. Stay tuned.

One more thing, on my walk this morning I decided that dogs can walk each other. Madie and Maj took each other for a stroll. I'm so damn clever.

The Griz

2010-04-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today was filled with an indisputable calmness. The anxiety that has wriggled inside me over the past few days was purged somewhere between the water, road, and gravel of yesterday's race. My day was decent, I wanted more but remain content with my placement.

A blog can be a narcissistic employment. I see myself pasted across the screen, my name scrawled in bold font. Thus, instead of my race-report, I'm writing a summary of my impressions of others' races. Namely, of those who impressed me the most.

There were four who were truly in a league of their own: Ben Hoffman, Adam Jensen, Matt Seeley and Linsey Corbin.

Beginning with the latter, Linsey absolutely demolished the rest of the woman's field (as well as, the balance of the men's.) Not only did she take home "The Rock" and five hundred in cash, but she also now holds the course record, 1:03! She showed short course power with a solid swim, hot-wheeling bike, and a very fast run on a deceptively challenging course. Also, I was happy to see the return of Megan Gaskill in third. Despite a late exit from the water, she showed that her lethal bike/run combo is back.

Then there were three. Ben showed once again that he is just too fast. Though, Todd Struckman's divinely blessed record still stands (clinging clumsily atop the podium) Ben's showing surely deserves to be held on-par or above that of Todd's. The course has changed, (though, to be the devil's advocate, so has our fancy carbon equipment,) but I digress.
Ben is so strong and will surely turn heads on the grand stage in the coming years.

Adam is very impressive as well. Finishing up dental school, he has still found time to be one of the strongest athletes borne from "Missoula's Triathlon Academy." He lost too much time on the swim, but biked well and ran like he's never run before. He wasn't born a runner, but has molded himself into one. The lesson here, believe it then do it. There are no boundaries.

Matt Seeley is my final mention. We all know he is one of the greatest, but he is getting older. Last year, I was closing in on him at the finish, believing he had lost the strength of his youth. Well, had he? Absolutely not. Calamity Seeley is strong as ever and will be handing it to young whipper snappers for years to come.

I would like to conclude with a congratulations to Jeff Cincoski who has undoubtedly returned to form after a 4-year slide down the triathlon hierarchy. A welcome back to Ryan Payne who had a strong showing in his first Grizzly in five years. Johnny Montana also showed great form, dropping five minutes from his last year's performance. And how could I forget Graham Meng, who always seems to make me hurt to catch him every year.

I had a blast yesterday. A huge thanks to Elliot and Giles, great race! Thanks to Shaun and Joel Brown for announcing/broadcasting this small town race into cyberspace. And to Montanacyclocross.com for the awesome race suit, to Saucony for quick shoes and schwag, Smith Optics for the sweet shades, Hammer nutrition for keeping me well fed and fit, and Genuine Innovations for everything I need to stay rubber-side down and rolling.

The Griz

2010-04-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

To all who challenge me.

That's what I'm racing in. What are you wearing?

Grizzly Pool: Men's Elite Heat

Come watch the carnage!

Newest Family Member

2010-04-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Healing a Hurt Knee

2010-04-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

I've done it. I hurt myself. My hope is that this will not be a nagging injury and I will be back training soon. I felt the pain two days ago. I did my best to ignore it. Pushing through workouts hoping that a good night's rest or an easy jog would loosen it up. Alas, the pain clings like crusty gum stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

My best guess is that I have inflamed the tendon or fibrous sheath of my vastus medialus (medial quadriceps.) Unfortunately, inflammation all too often gets a bad rap. However, inflammation is key to healing, immunity and many other physiologic responses. The bottom line: a little inflammation is good, more than a little can cause damage, pain and discomfort.

The following is a guide to at home injury care:
(*Please be aware I have NO formal clinical training as a PT, MD, PA, RN, NP, etc.)

1) Epsom Salt Bath: Linsey Corbin suggested this to me. For ages, mothers have been prescribing Epsom salt as an anti-inflammatory compress. I'm not going to argue with centuries of mothers' wisdom. If nothing else, a hot bath loosens and relaxes muscles while promoting blood flow (and hence nutrients, oxygen, fibroblasts, etc.) to the site of injury. Heat is not recommended if edema (swelling) is present, this can overstimulate the inflammatory response thus propagating damage.

2) A Good Stretch: stretch slowly while the muscles are still warm. Often a tight muscle is in pain because it is straining to overcome a much stronger opposing muscle. For example, a tight hamstring may be the result of very strong quadriceps; loosing the quad will help ease the tension on the taught hamstring.

3) Roll It Out: Rolling muscles stretches and separated fascia sheaths that may have adhered together. Each muscle is wrapped in a connective tissue sleeve. These sleeves can adhere to one another causing tightness and pain. Rolling (and massage) can separate these problem areas.

4) Massage: gently massage the whole "problem" muscle, tendon and opposing muscle. Massage increased blood flow, stretches and separates, and flushes out muscular waste. Be sure to hydrate well post-massage, flushing out any toxins and solutes released during the treatment.

5) Compression: compression in big in the triathlon world. I enjoy compressing tired or injured muscles. If the injury is edematous, this will reduce the swelling. However, in the case of sore or painful muscles, it offers support and warmth. The body's enzymes are more efficient at higher temperature, thus warmth=faster rebuild (as long as there is no swelling!)

6) Ice and NSAIDs: Reduce excess inflammation. It turns out that no one can tell if you're experiencing the right amount of inflammation. Icing and anti-inflammatory drugs will help keep it under control. I have an ice pack that Velcros anywhere. Put it on before bed and wake up feeling improved.

Please note, I have no citations. I didn't do one lick of research, this is all what I believe. Take it as advice from an under qualified athlete. I believe it works...often belief is all you need.

Highway 200 Ride

2010-04-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

My new bike finally arrived from its transcontinental journey.

Jeff Cincoski was kind enough to help me build it and fit me using some advanced computer technology. Have a look:

I put in a big day of training as well. The morning began with a 4K swim at the Griz pool with Jeff and Linsey.

Eager to try out the new rig. I throttled east on highway 200. I had a long ride on the docket and ended up just outside of Seeley Lake. Unfortunately, a nasty head wind
was my only companion on the way home.

The bike feels awesome, responsive and smooth. It climbs well and is extremely comfortable on rough Montana roads. I am now ready to start throwing down some fast times on the bike. It's been too long.

Bike and Cow

Sit-ups and Spring Semi-Classics

2010-04-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I have little to talk about. However, I've received a few texts requesting an update. Surprisingly, people seem to read what I write. I suspect it has something to do with desk jobs and unrestricted internet access.

Anyway, the past few days have been exceptional. Without fail, returning home to Montana is one of the best feelings in the world. I've been logging some good swim work-outs, my legs are coming around on the run and hopefully, I will have some bike pictures to post this evening. My new rig is almost ready.

In other news, Mr. MTcx (Shaun R.) hooked me on cycling.tv. This time of year, there is some great coverage of the spring classics (and smaller, semi-classics.) I often choose to watch the extended highlights while doing sit-ups, push-up, core work and stretching. The extended highlights last about 20 to 30 minutes and provide the perfect distraction from an otherwise, unpleasant endeavor.

2010-03-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

This morning I was met with a feeling of optimism. It wasn't reserved exclusively to triathlon, but to life in general. I'm doing everything I love, surrounded by the best people in the world, living in the center of the universe.

Oceanside 70.3: Learning on the Fly

2010-03-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Blog Station II

I had a blast. I could write a comprehensive race report, but who really wants to read that? Instead I will include some highlights (and lowlights) of my first Pro race.

Friday night:

-Pro briefing: Imagine sitting in a a room with 20 of the world's best cyclists, football players or track stars. The cream of whatever sport you follow. That's where I was, nestled amongst them, trying to look cool. The downside was that the room was about 100F, I nearly fainted and Brendan fell asleep. The meeting itself was also incredibly boring.

Saturday morning:

-All week I had been hit with spells of incredible nervousness. However, race morning I was surprisingly calm. The pro men started three minutes before the pro women. I almost missed the start due to leaky goggles and a last minute bathroom break. I held on to the tail pack for close to ten minutes then took a 90 degree turn off course. A surfer tapped me on the head and pointed me in the right direction....when all was said and done I exited in 31:00. Sadly, that is my PR for open water....dismal.

-The bike was nice. I hopped on Jeff's bike for the second time ever, it felt good to be on a TT bike. I made up some ground and found Brendan out on the course. The bike was incredible hilly and quite windy. I think it did me in for the rest of the day.

-Onto the run, I had made up about ten spots on the bike and was feeling good. The first loop felt solid, I was on pace for a respectable run split. At mile six, something went terribly wrong. Regardless of the amount of Gatorade, coke, cold sponges or water I shoved in, drank down, or dumped on, I continued to shut down. Eventually, I started leaning forward as far a I could, hoping my legs would respond. They made it to the finish, but not without conceding a number of places to some very fast running ladies. It's early, right?

Well, it appears I've written close to a full race report. Dr. Jensen did very well, placing 15th in a very strong field, he's looking good for CDA. Halpin and Jen had a good day in the middle of a tough build to Ironman St. George and should be proud (Jen also forgot to fill her water bottles, space cadette!) Ben Hoffman was just out of the money in 7th and is showing some solid early season fitness.

All in all, I'm not disappointed. I learned loads and know where I'm weak. I have plenty of work to do and am more motivated than ever to do it. I will see you all soon. Thanks for reading.

~Icy Ice

Friday Update

2010-03-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Everyone!

We're up and running: I've got a triple americano, the sun is blazing and I have a big day of resting in front of me.

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of swimming in the ocean. The water is quite cold (hovering somewhere around 60F) however, after a few minutes, all the sensitive bits went numb and it was remarkably enjoyable. A quick run followed to increase blood flow to the cold regions, then we attacked an enormous breakfast of eggs, bacon, veggies, and cheese.

I (with the supervision of Adam) assembled Jeff Cincoski's bike that he generously loaned me for this race. I dropped the handle bars as far down as they would go and hopped on....it fits like a glove. These expensive fit-jobs everyone is so keen on have never quite clicked with me. I tinker a bit, shift around and find a comfort zone. If my back is flat and my legs aren't stretched, I'm ready to go.

Susie and Brad (Adam's good friends) have been awesome. We had a huge chicken dinner last night and made some puppy chow (chex mix +chocolate+peanut butter+sugar) for dessert. Adam decided to do some pre-pre-race carbo-loading.

On the docket for today:

-Lunch with Adam's sponsors (big timer)
-Purchase last minute race supply's (I seem to have forgotten a few items)
-Pro-meeting (meet up with Brendan, Jen, and Hoffman.)
-Rest and eat, eat and rest.

Tomorrow is a big day. Keep me in your prayers.

~Ice

Thursday Update

2010-03-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

My mountains to ocean voyage ended safely in California last night. As I boarded the plane last night, I realized I didn't really know where I was going. My inkling was that Allegiant Air would take me to LAX and with hope, Adam Jensen would be there to pick me up. It all turned out, Adam was a bit late due to traffic (there must be at least one billion people here), but we made it to Adam's friend's house last night for a quick dinner and a good sleep. Frankly, I still don't know where I am. The region's severe lack of mountains gives me little wit of my bearings but wherever I am, I'm happy.

The next few days will consist of some short training sessions and general race preparation. I took a peek at the start list this morning. I was shocked. The field is stacked! This gives me a great opportunity to compare myself to the best and reveal just how much work is left to do. I'm quite nervous but very excited and will undoubtedly have a blast.

My Blog-station

" I hopped off the plane at the LAX".....you know the rest.

2010-03-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling just a bit like Miley Cyrus. LA here I come!

Miley Cyrus More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Tormenting Triathlon Trance

2010-03-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

www.tomrobertsonphotos.com

The clock read 29 and change. Ripping off my wetsuit, I shot into transition. I had swum well and was ready for a strong bike. At that moment, everything began to unwind. After placing my helmet on my head, I noticed my bike was adorned with a single water-bottle, half-filled with rotting perpetuem. Under further inspection, I had absolutely none of my nutrition. Looks like I would figure it out on the fly. Transition lead up several flights of stairs and through a large, wooden lodge. The tail end of the pro field clambered through the foyer, displacing drowsy guests reading leisurely in front of a large, river rock fireplace.

Then disaster struck, my feet slipped from beneath me, sending me sprawling across the granite floor. As I looked up, the last of the racers were mounting their steeds and powering away from T1. From here, my memory fails me. The next few minutes consisted of an assortment of terrible scenes: sweat stinging my eyes and hot sun drilling me into the asphalt. Finally, I crumbled at the side of the road, paralyzed. The race proceeded, leaving me to drift into darkness....

I woke from a restless sleep. My heart was beating, sweat soaked my hair and pillow. A triathlon nightmare! I could hardly believe it.

Over the past month, triathlon has been a priority. I think this nightmare shows just how much stock I've put into this endeavor and how worried I am about its success. It all begins this Saturday. I will be tested by the best in the world. On the start list, lurks the world champion and world record holder.

I still don't know what bike I will ride. My TT bike is not built up and my race wheels are between here and somewhere else. Regardless, I will give it my best....that's all I have to give.

The race season is upon us. This is an exciting year, I am eager to watch our little town destroy and pillage the surrounding region. Good luck to everyone!

I will not be racing the TTT (I haven't seen any tacos...) I have much to prepare for and a ride/track-workout on the docket.

Matty

Keeping it Green and a Keg Cup Garden

2010-03-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

This morning I ran some errands, cleaned the house, and found an abundance of old food crammed in the corners of our fridge and freezer. I uncovered freezer-burned beef, rotting cucumbers, rank pickles, squishy tomatoes, stale tortillas, sloppy salsa and gangrenous greens. I piled these treasures into a box. In the past, I would have thrown out this abundant harvest with a guilty conscious. These days, I take the food waste to the chickens. Kicking garbage out the door in the evening, brings in a bounty of eggs in the morning. The great circle of food!

Bryce has also charged himself with the upkeep of our garden starts. He used Rolling Thunder keg cups as a new home for the seedlings. We've traded parties for plants. We must be growing up.

A Few Thoughts

2010-03-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting quote today:

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"

Contrastingly, I picked up a book Tom Robertson suggested yesterday called "Talent is Overrated." Essentially (so far at least), it unveils that talent (an innate, God-given predisposition) is not ubiquitous among world-class performers. However, specificity and hard work is. This is referred to as "diligent practice" and is the stuff that hurts! For example: intervals, studying, playing musical scales....it's pushes you and makes you stronger.

I'm only two chapters in, there is much more to learn.

In other news, the second TTTT came and went last night. I'm pissed as usual, I hate losing. I will be back next week, hopefully, clawing my way to the top of an increasingly slippery podium. I'm convinced getting thrashed every Tuesday is making me stronger, mentally and physically, so thank you.

I saw tiny, green buds on a few trees this morning, spring is coming. Hang in there.

Here are a few more pictures from tomrobertsonphoto.com:

Big Weekend: A Picture Preview

2010-03-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am sitting by the fire at my parents' house. A long run is in the bank and I am about to drift off to sleep. I am using all my strength to put together a picture preview.

Linsey C., Jeff C., and myself headed up to Polson to test our early season fitness with a 10k. The course was a hilly two-looper. It was a blast. I logged 32:57, (just under 33, I'll take it!) Corbin came in second over-all (first woman) and Jeffy C. took home fourth. A good day for the Missoula crew. We finished the day with a three hour ride with Old Man Seeley. Tana (the only Seeley to represent in the 10K) and the girls cooked us some awesome soup and homemade bread for after the ride. So good. Thanks Seeleys!

Here's some pics:

Dork Squad Dominates

Back and at 'em

2010-03-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

I'm back training. After two complete days off, I started spinning and jogging. Today, I got in a good chunk of training: A easy morning swim, a longer (extremely windy ride) and a solid five mile run. All in all, I think I'm back!

Tomorrow is my second race of the season: The Polson 10K. I haven't run a 10k in a few years so I am eager to see where I'm at.

Post-ride/run, I decided to fill my glycogen window with some Hammer Recoverite. It's great stuff and should get me back a ready for the race tomorrow.

Weekend report to follow.

Stay classy, Missoula (and other places.)

Sick Days

2010-03-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

The timing of this post is odd. Just days before, a few of my friends warned me of the dangers of training too much: sickness, injury, depletion. I politely dismissed their guidance and carried on with a 8 hour day of training. This was more than Matt Seeley had advised but I couldn't resist. I wanted to soak up every second of the sunny weekend weather.

Monday morning.....

I woke from a restless sleep. My throat was parched and stale. Hot air weezed through my stuffed nostrils and my head throbbed, as if my brain were an oscillating anvil, smashing the walls of my skull as I rose. I had overdone it and I was sick.

For two days, my workouts have consisted of walking the dog. I'm itching to get on my bike or run, I would even swim if I could.

The advice I so confidently ignored: Listen to your body. If you're tired, swallow your pride and rest. Recovery is as important as training. The better you recover, the harder you can train.

Learning lessons sucks.

Here is another one of Tom Robertson's photo's from the Man-Cave. I'm in the hurt locker.

A Great Ride

2010-03-07T13:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's ride was spectacular. Though I missed the start, I had a great day riding the loop in reverse. The balance of the crew, started their morning at Shaun Radley's house at 8:00am, rolling up Highway 200. I on the other hand, left later (due to teaching commitments) and was hammering east toward Drummond.

The night before I downloaded a number of podcasts on my i-pod which made may solo trek into a headwind much more enjoyable. With Josh and Chuck (podcast hosts of NPR's "Stuff You Should Know," give it a listen) as my riding companions, I kicked off at 10:30. The sun was blazing and the sky was the brightest I've ever seen. A magnificent day! A thin skin of snow stretched across the rolling hills, the river, fat with spring runoff lapped the twisting banks, while poplar stands partitioned meadows across the valley floor. I couldn't stop smiling.

Eventually, I found my way to Drummond and up the pass toward Helmville. After a few miles of climbing, I looked up to see Bryce barreling down the pass with Johnny and Jesse on his wheel. I sat up and did "The Pippo Dance," (maybe Phil will record himself and post it to enlighten the un-savvy.) Bryce returned the gesture, I'd found my friends. We all reconvened at the bottom. The group caught me up to speed and we headed west. The rest of the day was spent chatting and riding with a few hill sprints mixed in.

I want to mention that Heidi and Anya, held up very well and are two very tough girls. Nice work ladies!

Upon arriving home, I tied up the Saucony's and headed out for a quick run. Suprisingly, it felt amazing. I filled my glycogen window with chocolate cake and whole milk....I can't think of a better recovery snack.

Later that evening, we all met up for a pot-luck dinner. The perfect end to a perfect day.

The sun is still blazing, GET OUTSIDE AND RIDE!

Love,

Ice

Tomorrow's Adventure

2010-03-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I will be barreling up toward Helmsville to meet up with the 130-mile crew cycling in the opposing direction. I have to teach in the morning and will miss take-off. An adventure it will be, especially because I have no idea where Helmsville is (or how to spell it.)

Today, I popped a rear dereuiller cable. Bryce not only fixed it, but taught me how, I will do it next time. Teach a man to fish....

Those who have seen me remove a cassette know that I am pretty handy around bikes.

A report on tomorrow's adventure to follow. Stay tuned.

California 70.3

2010-03-04T06:59:00.000-08:00

It's official. I just signed up for my first race. March 27, 2010, I will be competing in California 70.3!

The first race of the season is always difficult. My mind is a menage of excitement, doubt, nerves, and anticipation. I'm expecting pre-race hyperventilation, awkward transitions, horrible pacing and a healthy dose of pain. I can't wait.

This year is different in many ways. First, I will be racing as a Pro/Elite, this alone terrifies me. I've joined the big kids and now I have to swim like a shark or be devoured by the sea. Second, I have easily doubled my typical training load this year. Last year, I generally did a little something everyday, either rode or ran...maybe coupled it with a swim or some core work. This year, I'm swimming almost every morning, stacking on track workouts and brick runs, plus interval and long rides....often in the same day. I'm smashing myself and am constantly fatigued. Knowing I am doing all that I can, rattles me slightly. I makes every race I do completely honest. When I toe the start line, there are no excuses. I am the fastest I can be because I have done all I could do. At the end of the day, I'm judged by the clock and I must accept my performance.

When I push the limits of training, give this all I have, I'm wagering everything. All my chips are in, my cards are on the table, all or nothing. It's unnerving to lay it all on the line. I'm calling, what's your bet?

Major also ate my cycling shoe. Somehow, I still love the little bugger.

RE: Taco Tuesday Time Trial

2010-03-02T19:12:00.001-08:00

Matt Shryock is not available for comment.

TTTT

2010-03-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

My bloods pumping, my heart rate is through the roof. I've been nervous since six this morning. This could only mean one thing: Taco Tuesday Time Trial has begun! Come join us. My TT rig is in ruins, I'm hitting it with the road bike...or maybe I could get this thing rolling.

Racing the Bonk

2010-02-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

A vicious beast approaches. Its hot, putrid breath whistles through slobbering fangs. Razor talons claw at your heels. Do not turn your head! Do not look in its eyes, slowing now means undeniable death.

This creature lurks within all of us, welling up and bursting to the surface when we are at our weakest. It is named "The Bonk" and any who have ever fallen prey to this monster know just how horrible it can be.

At then end of a long ride, I feel its presence, I know it's coming. Instead of fading, cracking and letting it devour me, I speed up. I mash my pedals, I cock my head and go cross-eyed. I drop the bonk and leave it defeated on the side of the road, choking on dust and rocks spit up from my tires.

Choose to fight! Race the bonk, get home before you're consumed. It will find you though, it always does, sniffing your trail like a blood-thirsty werewolf.

However, it is better to be nestled into the warm cushions of a couch with a full stomach and heavy eyes, than to be ripped to shreds 15 miles from home when it catches you!

Big Buzz at the Brew House

2010-02-25T21:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight was an extremely special evening, however, I am not at liberty to discuss all the details. The crew descended on the Kettle House Brewery and was (to say the least) impressed with the fellow patrons. Unfortunately, the rest is classified. In place, I will bestow unto thee the only morsel of photographic evidence I obtained.

Using all the magic my Mac Book Pro possesses, this was the best resolution I could manage. If you peer past the grainy truck and just below the glimmer of distant railway lights; a trifling silhouette appears. Put on your spectacles, squint if you must, use whatever means you possess to uncover this unknown.

Until this information becomes unclassified keep your eyes peeled to Lindsy's blog. She was high rolling with the hot stuff and has far better documentation than I.

In other news (perhaps equally exciting), I received a pair of The Cycling House socks. These are SO hot right now. Imagine a pair of sexy calf high TCH socks hugging your ankles as you sprint for victory this spring, power up mountain passes, or simply rock them with Crocks at the farmers market this summer.

Though they have already been released, I believe they haven't been further north than Pheonix. It is a true honor to be the first to sport such a stylish stocking in the mountains of Missoula, MT.

Little Update

2010-02-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

My 18-week build has officially begun. I have chosen to have Matt Seeley coach me through my first Ironman. I am extremely confident in his knowledge of the sport, training, nutrition, etc. He is a bit of a legend in these parts and someone we all look up to.

Unfortunately, today started with a missed workout. I slept through my alarm and didn't make it to swimming. Next, was a 1-hour easy ride and a track workout: 20x200 @ 5:00 mile pace. My legs felt exceptional but my lungs need some work. The cool air and hot pace ripped them to pieces. I will make-up the swim tomorrow and swap it out for core work and resistance training tonight.

I couldn't be more excited about this up-coming year. For the first time, I am stress free and 100% dedicated to triathlon. I'm beginning to believe I can do this.

Enjoy the beautiful evening. Sleep well.

The Perma Loop

2010-02-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning was typical. Groggily, I rose at seven and set to work grinding coffee and boiling water. Once the first pulses of caffeine began to course through my veins, I began to "reboot." Bryce descended from his room upstairs and quietly, we both commenced "Saturday Morning Breakfast."

Every weekend, the early risers: Bryce, Kipp (Emily Kipp, Bryce's lady), Brenda n (when he is here) and myself partake in a breakfast feast. Usually, one of us takes the reins, the others help where they can or simply drink coffee and enjoy this simple morning pleasure. Today, we were making breakfast burritos consisting of fresh peppers, onions, tomatoes, avocado, sharp chedder, bacon, two fried eggs and salsa on hot, fresh homemade tortillas. The tortilla recipe is a Daviess family secret, so good.
Later that day, Pip Grove enticed of few of the Missoula fellas to make a trip north to Hot Springs, MT., for a solid February ride. We packed my minivan and rallied north, meeting the Flathead crew mid-morning at the only gas station in town.

The weather was mild and the sun was shining, we bundled up and rolled out. It was a beautiful ride, plenty of hills to blow out our rusty engines, winding roads and beautiful views to stimulate cabin fevered minds.

I drilled myself into the ground, racing up every hill for KOM points. I often tell myself to go easy up climbs, especially in early February. However, something about climbing mountains makes me mad-hatter crazy and I smash the accelerator to the floor. It felt amazing.

After the ride, we took a quick trip to the Symmes Hotel for a bite to eat. A motorcycle gain had taken it over. They were very nice and we enjoyed a late afternoon lunch with a troop of road-raging, tobacco-chewing, muffle-huffing, motor hogs. Next time, I'm bringing a pair of trunks and soaking in "the second most healing waters in the world" (or so they say.) The whole place reeks of sulfur but the hot springs sure looked enticing.

On a side note, I tried out the Fizik Arion saddle from Missoula Bycicle Works. Frankly, I've never felt so right on my bike. As Bryce put it, "it's so soft and smooth, like a butt. It's like my butt is resting on another butt." Well put Bryce, well put indeed.

Refueling with Beer Brauts

2010-02-18T20:42:00.000-08:00

Hard training requires proper refueling. My advice is simple: eat fresh food with many colors. Dinner tonight is one of my favorites: German bratwurst braised in beer with fresh asparagus and a spinach salad.

To begin, thinly slice a red onion in t rounds, wash asparagus and mince one clove of garlic.

The beer choice is important. I've prepared this meal with anything from PBR to IPA, however Moose Drool possesses a creamy texture and a dark, rich taste that is perfect for a beer reduction. This recipe requires two beers, one for the brats and one for the cook.

Next, caramelize the onions until sweet and brown, remove from the pan. While the skillet is hot, sear the brats until they are crisp on either side, this will seal in the juices and provide a desirable texture.

Once the brats have properly browned, return onions to the pan and dowse with one bottle of beer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan, releasing the very flavorful bits that would otherwise be left behind. Allow this mixture to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt a pad of butter in
another skillet and saute the asparagus with the clove of garlic. Salt liberally. After ten minutes finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon.

.

Serve brats with a grainy German mustard. Spoon the pan reduction over the brats and place caramelized onions on top. A fresh spinach salad with fresh vegetables completes the plate
Enjoy!

Big Birthday Build

2010-02-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's workout goes down in the books. I joined Linsey for her birthday workout: a huge trainer/running day. She started before me, as it was her birthday not mine. When I arrived, she was an 1 hour and forty minutes deep. The overall workout looked a bit like this:

1 hour ride
40 minute run-
1 hour ride
30 minute run
1 hour ride
20 minute run
1 hour ride
10 minute run

Happy birthday indeed. The hour rides were all different, some built wattage, others focused on over-gear and climbing, some were just sustained Ironman-plus wattage. At the end, we were both shot, I'm confident I wouldn't be here today if I'd done the whole thing. Four hours was all I really needed.

Today will be easier, a little run and perhaps an easy spin to loosen up the tired legs.

Stronger everyday.

My New Haircut

2010-02-16T09:25:00.000-08:00

Time to go get jacked and tan.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine. The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni. Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flamia.

...No romantic elements are present in the original early medieval biographies of either of these martyrs.

Here are some images of my Valentines Day:

I went to the gym:

I saw a heart-steak at Albertsons:

My new training plan:

Happy Valentine's Day.

Toasted

2010-02-13T20:54:00.000-08:00

Ironman training has begun. Up to this point I have been prepping to train, trying to develop enough fitness to endure Ironman training. Today it all commenced.

I began the morning with an early walk with the dog. I watched the sun burn off the morning fog and returned before the rest of the house had risen. Breakfast consisted of peppers, spinach, zucchini with fried eggs over-easy and a cup of dark coffee. 9:30 soon rolled around and I was off to the "Man Cave" for a trainer ride with Linsey Corbin and Jeffy Cincoski.

We rode for 3:45. I cannot recall the specifics but I do know there was high cadence, over-gear, Ironman watts, hard efforts, and very little rest. Five water bottles, a few huckleberry gels, and three sweat rags later we had finished. I was pleased with my effort and high-tailed it home to eat and sleep.

Upon rising from a small siesta, I decided I better slap on the Saucony's and hit the road. I ran for 55 minutes and was able to push it decently at the end. Needless to say, I am toast and am off to bed. It just gets harder from here! Can't wait.

Sleep well.

A Lapse in Motivation

2010-02-11T20:53:00.000-08:00

It happens to everyone. The focus disappears, the drive is absent. Today, I dismounted my trainer after an hour of marginal work, I couldn't push, I couldn't hurt. I know, I know, I can hear you all shouting from the peanut gallery. "Maybe the TRAINER is the problem!"

I love the trainer. It has made me strong. I can close my eyes and empty my brain, feel my heart force blood throughout my body, sense my muscles tighten and slack and sweat bead on my back. It helps me understand my body. The trainer is not the problem.

I haven't resolved it but I know this feeling is transient, it will pass. I can feel a small thing deep, down within me. It's a creature that will not die, and not even I can extinguish. It's a belief. A belief that I can do great things and no matter how many times I rationally convince myself I cannot, no matter how many times I doubt, or give up, it rises. And I believe again.

Tomorrow will be better, I will rise stronger, work harder and prove that I am right to believe.

It's easy to believe in others, but nothing more powerful than believing in yourself.

Getting Ready for Sunshine

2010-02-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Today the mail woman brought by an exciting package containing some sweet new shades! Smith Optics is making some classy sunnies both casual and performance. Unfortunately, mid-February in Missoula is hardly a time to be wearing sunglasses. This spring, I will be rocking the PIVLOCK V90 while Major is hitting the beach in ice hot aviators.

In other news, I attended the Ironman nutrition clinic at the university last night. There was some great stuff by Dr. Ruby and Dr. Dumke. Linsey Corbin and Matt Seeley also had good ideas to add from years of experience. I will advertise the next clinic in future, keep your eyes open. Well, my trainer is calling to me. Train safe out there, the roads look nasty.

There is nothing cooler than a pup in shades.

Good Morning

2010-02-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

A busy weekend has come and gone. Ironman training was hardly the focus. My brother, Doug, and his girlfriend, Jamie had come to town. We spent Saturday in the woods, romping around in the snowy mountains. That evening we celebrated with food and drink (and perhaps too much of the latter.) Needless to say, Sunday was slow. Walking the pups and coffee comprised the morning itinerary, while a super bowl party at the Radley's finished it all off.

I resumed training on Monday, a run in the afternoon followed by a quick (and very painful) round of plyos, and a hard trainer ride.

I have joined the club swim team and will be rising much before the sun to get whooped by eighth grade girls. Currently, I am enjoying a cup of Rwandan dark roast coffee and a breakfast scramble (with a swim already in the bank, of course.)

The Ironman build is about to begin, stay tuned.

Good morning.

Weekend Trek: 'Skeeter Peak, A Photo Preview

2010-02-06T14:56:00.000-08:00

In honor of the weekend return of my brother and his lady, we all went treking up Mosquito Peak. The dogs are toast and so are we. Here is a photo preview.

Happy Hens and Garden Greens

2010-02-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

Chickens are odd creatures: plump, moronic, and simple. Their daily routine hardly varies. Mornings spent clucking, pecking and scraping. At night they snuggle close, roosting through the cold winter nights. But something fantastic occurs around 11:00am: an egg appears. This is an extremely impressive feat for such a simple, unappreciated animal. Relatively, an egg is an enormous object. For perspective, imagine creating a small watermelon inside you each night and "delivering it" on your couch each morning. Impressive, indeed.

Our chickens lay about a half-dozen eggs per day. Happy chickens make healthy eggs. We relish them.

To make use of our small yard, we also created a garden last summer. Bryce has already planted the starters: kale, beets, bell peppers, and jalapenos. I can't wait for the summer feast.

2010-02-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

I spent the morning teaching Anatomy & Physiology, filling the heads of clinical professionals of tomorrow. Fulfilled, I returned home to hit the trainer with Lindsey Campbell. She has been training very consistently (under Dr. Dustin Slivka) and am sure she will turn some heads this year, she's looking lean and fit.

I have trained fairly lightly since the OSCR, the effort took a bit more out of me than expected. Tomorrow will be big however, early morning swim, hard run and maybe even a little spin.

Today's Joel picture:

Good night.