and then that happened

well I'm home.

and seeing Pippa launch herself at me for a hug when I arrived with "daddy daddy" was priceless. I wished I could just hit rewind over and over again, to see her reaction and to hear Jennie say "ahhhhhhh, Pippa misses daddy".

Life rolls on.

After the good races and the bad. I kept that perspective all week after the debacle in Washington, "so that happened". It happened and I moved on. I sought council to which I have access to some of the best advice out there and I sought refuge in talking and texting with Jennie as much as possible. She told me about the park, and the beach, and the playground, and the tantrums, and the laughs and finally about Pippa just wanting to run everywhere, from tree to tree all the way to the park.

After Washington I took 2 days completely off, regrouped, listened to Iron and Wine and Bon Iver when I wasnt texting/talking to Jennie. I flew into Des Moines on wednesday after a delayed flight because of the crazy storms on tuesday night and just rolled with it. Delayed flight "whatever", bike doesn;t show up "oh well", just rolled with it. My first run in three days was wednesday morning, 20mins of :30sec on/:30 off (thanks to Paulo for that piece of wisdom on gmail) "fight the temptation to just go for an easy run eh, get out there and punch the cobwebs out no matter how you feel". So I ran along the grass under the power lines in Minni (by the mall of America) and even though I felt like crap at first I just "punched the cobwebs" out with 20x:30 secs.

When I arrived in Des Moines the National Team Coach Phillippe Bertand took me to the lake as I hadn't swum in 3 days and put me through a moderate but effective session and gave me a great stroke cue to focus on, "simon da rhythm, find dha rhythm, think about McCartney's stroke" (in his fun english) and I did. I just thought about that fantastic rhythm Andrew has and instead of trying to over power the water I just settled into my "andrew rhythm" and felt much much better.

The next couple days were good, slept a lot, relaxed, didn't think once about Washington, I didn't search for confidence from one workout or another, just immersed myself in the process of getting ready and put one foot in front of the other.

And I arrived on the start line without any expectation, fear or excitement. I made a particularly smart tactical move when picking my swim spot (if I do say so myself) and took a deep breath before the gun went off and we were away.


I didn't feel great in the swim, it was harder then it usually is and I just tried to focus on AMAC rhythm, who ended up winning the swim and the $5000 that went with it. Out of the water I was side by side with Brent and Kyle. We rolled through transition together and out onto the bike. Again I didn't feel great, rolled through a couple times, got up the front then had to regroup. I just didn't have any zip, my calf was starting to hurt and that voice in the back of my head was trying to place doubts "you're just not ready to race" "somethings wrong, just drop out". I didn't ignore it, I heard it, I just didn't listen. I just kept moving along, up the front, in the pack, at the back and tried to look for something positive. Again on the run I really didn't feel great, I just thought I'd run along at a steady pace and see what unfolded. Brad, Frodo and Gemmel ran away from me straight away and I just kept running my pace. Eventually Jarrod and Javier passed me, still no energy to respond. When Brent passed me I gave him some encouragement and just kept the same pace.

And they started coming back, it seemed like 'two steps forward, one step back', I'd almost catch them, someone would surge and I'm be off again. I just kept thinking about form and breathing, ignored my position and simply paced myself back up to them only to be dropped again. Finally on the last lap, about 1/4 of the way through after Gomez had made his play and the pace had settled then slowed I actually made it back on for good. We settled into an uneasy "who will go first" pace and the pace was timid. I actually thought Brent who was charging after us might just catch us and blow right by.

Two Canadians to worry about.

We positioned ourselves into the final 180, Brad accelerated to the first right hand turn where I'm sure he wanted to get to first but Kris ducked in on the inside and I followed, through the next right Kris pushed the pace and strung us out into a line but I had managed to grab second through the turns and as Kris drifted wide right towards the finishing shoot I took off without hesitation or thought aside from the exact same thought I had in Beijing "jolly O here we go". I actually felt them coming up on all sides, I could sense someone on my left (Frodo) and my right (Brad), I held my line past the barrier where Frodo lost a step getting around it and drove as hard as I could to the finish. I felt this absolute determination that I wasn't losing this damn sprint, after two second place finishes at $200,000 races and one second place finish in a sprint finish I've played over and over again in my mind..... I celebrated.

and that's what happened.

S

so that happened.......

i'm smashed. race report coming. really proud of team canada. from the young guys at their first world cup to Lauren mixing it with the Emma's and Brent almost chasing down the field.

Pippa is getting a crooked playhouse (google it, basically if Jazz designed a play house that's what it would look like).

I kept thinking, "run for the crooked playhouse!!"

bed.

S

im spending my day learning this trick.

I need to learn some good goggle tricks.

WHATS UP HOCKEY WORLD. Now that's a coaching staff.

The executive director of Canada's men's Olympic team, Steve Yzerman, officially announced Mike Babcock as the head coach at a Thursday morning news conference, along with three associate coaches, Ken Hitchcock, Lindy Ruff and Jacques Lemaire.

why would we do this to ourselves

this explains why I went to bed hungry last night instead of eating at Denny's (the only option near my hotel here in Minneapolis where I'm delayed getting to Des Moines).

I'm reading Michael Pollans book 'in defence of food'.

With the brilliant yet simple advice/

EAT FOOD, NOT TOO MUCH. MOSTLY PLANTS.

Pollan goes on to define food as that which was not created by food scientists, basically short labels with words you recognize. He advocates eating red meat as a side dish and always of the best quality (know the source - 100% grass fed if possible). And figure out whether you can tolerate gluten and dairy.

I was talking recently with a sports med doc about this and he said "that's nutrition, athletes need to start with sound nutrition. Eat foods that supply real nutrients. Then FUEL, athletes need fuel and can get in the form of gels, quality bars, quality protein, etc but only after they had a base of solid nutrition".

As simple as that is, Nutrition and Fuel being different, nutrition coming first, I hadn't heard such a simple way to express it.


I'm off for a run (on a clif bar.... traveling makes for poor options), then finally catching my delayed flight to DM.

s

another good link.

http://www.themeatrix.com/

so that happened race report

"So that happened"

in the movie 'state and main', Alec Baldwin flips his car when he hits the one pot hole in town. It's 2am and everyone rushes out into the street to find his car upside down with an unconscious and much younger female passenger. He crawls out of the car, smiles at all the on lookers and just walks away as he says....

"so that happened".

and that's how I felt dnf'ing in DC. I've had a couple of those races over the years, just felt extremely flat all week and carried that into the race. Endurance sport is hard, whether it's your first year or 14th. I had a great training block coming in and expected to be in the thick of it. I wasn't, I struggled to even be on the fringe of it . So I'm taking a couple days off, building back into training wednesday, thursday, friday in hot and humid Des Moines then putting my race suit back on and getting back after it on saturday (and sunday).

so that happened.

stupid time zones (again)

it's 6:39am but my computer says 3:39. I think I'm somewhere in between. I have no trouble getting up at 6:30am at home but this morning I wanted to stay in bed 'just a bit longer'. I remember back in boarding school I'd lie there are 4:45am thinking "I'll just close my eyes for a second"..... never a good idea. Actually I always seemed to make it to swimming in high school partly because if you stayed at the boarding house breakfast was cold cereal and an orange juice but if you trudged off to swimming, 5:15am in the water, the school cafeteria ladies thought the swimmers were so epic getting up that early that they make eggs, bacon and sausage for breakfast with a nougat bar for snacks.

This morning no such incentive awaited, in fact I just had Koala Crisp Envirokids cereal with lukewarm almond milk out of a stolen wholefoods container, just like at home minus the heaping spoonful of oil I always add (and a normal bowl).

We're up early because unlike most ITU World Cup/Series races the men go first tomorrow and we race at 9:10am. It's quite a spectacular course and yesterday we had a police escort for our lap tour. It was actually more like a half police/ half crazy bike dude escort as one of the very brave race directors threw his bike and body into intersections to stop traffic by virtue of daring them to run us over and all 75 of us proceeded to use him as a human shield and move along to the alternating intersections where the one police office was leap frogging to.

Safe, not safe, safe, not safe.

Drivers were remarkably patient, even after the official written warning we recieved from the race committee.

5a. drivers in the United States are NOT used to bicycles on the road. Please note you will be riding at your own risk.

Yes apparently these two wheeled fancy contraptions just made it to America. I hope it catches on.

The Mayor actually joined us for the ride, decked out in some serious cycling gear he had apparently already heard of "bikes" and looked like a local pro. The race loops past all the big monuments, they had originally planned to ride right through the Oval office, I guess the cleaning staff at the big house just didn't like that idea. With transition right on Penn Ave. the swim in the Potomac and a quick visit up to Capital Hill each lap it's a pretty amazing course and I downtown DC seems alive and busy enough that we should hopefully have some good crowds on sunday morning to complete the atmosphere.

The ITU production team sat Jan, Bevan and I down yesterday to watch and discuss the final sprint in Beijing. It was the first time the three of us had been together since Beijing, aside from hearing about Jans exploits post games and Bevans 2 day wedding in NZ it was a great experience to sit there on the couch and re live such the final 400 meters. To hear their perspectives and high five that the only thing Javier can't do is sprint!!! "Oli"

The ITU will run clips from that interview in their show but as I was seated last on the couch and got the final word in I'll say it again, it was really an honour to be part of that moment. Out on the course ride today Jan, Bevan, Javier and I rode side by side for a bit laughing and sightseeing and I couldn't help but feel very fortunate to be part of that sprint finish..... even if the big ugly German beat me.

Off to ride. Coffee first. Then were taking a group photo on the steps of the US Capital building. I might even show them my fancy two wheeled machine that the rest of the world rides on the road and calls "a bicycle".

S

"often ridiculous"....... but this is very funny.

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 21 May 2009 10.16am
To: Helen Bailey
Subject: Pets in the building

Dear Helen,

Thankyou for your letter concerning pets in my apartment. I understand that having dogs in the apartment is a violation of the agreement due to the comfort and wellbeing of my neighbours and I am currently soundproofing my apartment with egg cartons as I realise my dogs can cause quite a bit of noise. Especially during feeding time when I release live rabbits.

Regards, David.



From: Helen Bailey
Date: Thursday 21 May 2009 11.18am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Pets in the building

Hello David

I have received your email and wish to remind you that the strata agreement states that no animals are allowed in the building regardless of if your apartment is soundproof. How many dogs do you have at the premises?

Helen



From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 21 May 2009 1.52pm
To: Helen Bailey
Subject: Re: Re: Pets in the building

Dear Helen,

Currently I only have eight dogs but one is expecting puppies and I am very excited by this. I am hoping for a litter of at least ten as this is the number required to participate in dog sled racing. I have read every Jack London novel in preparation and have constructed my own sled from timber I borrowed from the construction site across the road during the night. I have devised a plan which I feel will ensure me taking first place in the next national dog sled championships. For the first year of the puppies life I intend to say the word mush then chase them violently around the apartment while yelling and hitting saucepan lids together. I have estimated that the soundproofing of my apartment should block out at least sixty percent of the noise and the dogs will learn to associate the word mush with great fear so when I yell it on race day, the panic and released adrenaline will spur them on to being winners. I am so confident of this being a foolproof plan that I intend to sell all my furniture the day before the race and bet the proceeds on coming first place.

Regards, David.



From: Helen Bailey
Date: Friday 22 May 2009 9.43am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

David, I am unsure what to make of your email. Do you have pets in the apartment or not?

Helen



From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 22 May 2009 11.27am
To: Helen Bailey
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

Dear Helen,

No. I have a goldfish but due to the air conditioner in my apartment being stuck on a constant two degrees celcius, the water in its bowl is iced over and he has not moved for a while so I do not think he is capable of disturbing the neighbours. The ducks in the bathroom are not mine. The noise which my neighbours possibly mistook for a dog in the apartment is just the looping tape I have of dogs barking which I play at high volume while I am at work to deter potential burglars from breaking in and stealing my tupperware. I need it to keep food fresh. Once I ate leftover chinese that had been kept in an unsealed container and I experienced complete awareness. The next night I tried eating it again but only experienced chest pains and diarrhoea.

Regards, David.



From: Helen Bailey
Date: Friday 22 May 2009 1.46pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

Hello David

You cannot play sounds of dogs or any noise at a volume that disturbs others. I am sure you can appreciate that these rules are for the benefit of all residents of the building. Fish are fine. You cannot have ducks in the apartment though. If it was small birds that would be ok.

Helen



From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 22 May 2009 2.18pm
To: Helen Bailey
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

Dear Helen,

They are very small ducks.

Regards, David.



From: Helen Bailey
Date: Friday 22 May 2009 4.06pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

David, under section 4 of the strata residency agreement it states that you cannot have pets. You agreed to these rules when you signed the forms. These rules are set out to benefit everyone in the building including yourself. Do you have a telephone number I can call you on to discuss?

Helen



From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 22 May 2009 5.02pm
To: Helen Bailey
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

Dear Helen,

The ducks will no doubt be flying south for the winter soon so it will not be an issue. It is probably for the best as they are not getting along very well with my seventeen cats anyway. .

Regards, David.



From: Helen Bailey
Date: Monday 25 May 2009 9.22am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pets in the building

David, I am just going to write on the forms that we have investigated and you do not have any pets.

Helen

from USAT.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 15, 2009) -- As a competitive age group triathlete, your racing schedule is probably pretty packed this summer. But if you approach the new few months as a fan, you can experience some high-level competition by some of the top elite triathletes in the world...and in a format not seen much in the U.S.

Four draft-legal events will be held in the U.S. between now and late August, each perfectly located to draw in spectators from around the country. Check out the race nearest you. Here's the breakdown:

June 21
ITU World Championship Series
Washington, D.C.

June 27-28
ITU Hy-Vee World Cup and Team World Championship
Des Moines, Iowa

July 11
ITU Pan American Cup at the San Francisco Triathlon
San Francisco, Calif.

August 22
ITU Pan American Cup/USA Triathlon Elite Nationals
Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The races in Des Moines, San Francisco and Tuscaloosa are part of the USA Triathlon Twenty-12 Elite Race Series.

Don't know much about draft-legal racing? Well, it's the style raced by elite triathletes on the world cup circuit, and it's what you see every four years at the Olympic Games as the world's best hammer it out over a 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run course.

What you get is a spectator-friendly event with lots of action, multiple-loop courses, pack riding on the bike, and runs that often come down to sprint finishes.

Want to know more about the intricacies and skills needed to race this style? We caught up with four of the top U.S. elite triathletes to give us their take on what draws them to the sport.

Here is our panel: Sarah Haskins (St. Louis, Mo. / Colorado Springs, Colo.), 2008 Olympian and 2008 ITU Worlds silver medalist, Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J. / Colorado Springs, Colo.), 2004 Olympian and 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Matt Chrabot (Virginia Beach, Va.), 2008 ITU Pan American Triathlon Confederation Champion, and Ethan Brown (Lowell, Mass.), 2007 and 2008 USAT U23 National Champion.

What do you enjoy most about racing ITU-style events?
Matt Chrabot
The level of competition is unmatched in triathlon. ITU style is typically much more spectator friendly so my family and friends find it more entertaining.

Ethan Brown
I enjoy the fast-pace and unpredictability of ITU racing. Every race is unique and anything can happen on any given day. I also like ITU racing because you can race frequently. If you have a bad race one week, you don't have to wait long to redeem yourself.

Sarah Haskins
I enjoy the speed and the head-to-head racing. I also like the fact that the races are more spectator-friendly, so the fans can watch most of the action.

How does a draft-legal race affect you differently physically than a non-drafting race?
Matt Chrabot
I average about the same amount of power on the bike. But in draft legal, I find it's much more explosive. Off the bike, running with a group of 20 guys is much tougher than by yourself.

Ethan Brown
In a draft-legal race, the swim and run tend to be more painful and competitive than a non-drafting race. In non-drafting racing, you go at or close to threshold the whole time, but in ITU racing you're constantly spiking your heart rate and effort level, and while sometimes you don't have to bike "as hard," covering attacks and sprinting on the bike can drain your legs much quicker than a 40k TT effort.

Sarah Haskins
In the swim, bike and run there is much more surges and changes of pace (especially in the bike). Time trial racing is all about rhythm and staying in your zone. Often times in a draft legal race you have to redline

to respond to an attack, and then settle back down below your race pace. Both types of racing are difficult, but in different ways.

What are the biggest mental challenges you are faced with when racing ITU style?
Ethan Brown
The biggest mental challenges you face in ITU racing are preparing for that swim start and first few kilometers on the bike. Those are the most critical points in the race when the lead pack is forming -- if you want to be in it, then you have to prepare yourself to go max effort to get there at those two points.

Sarah Haskins
Making sure you have your transition nailed down. If you have a poor transition, it can cost you a race, so I try and mentally rehearse the transition area. Also, if you come out of the swim just 10 seconds back from the leaders, you mentally have to stay in the game and try catch up to the pack on the bike. Heading out on the run in T2, athletes are going very fast and you can't let people 100 yards ahead of you let you down mentally, but stay within yourself.

Andy Potts
You are constantly strategizing as the race moves along. You have to plan for every possible scenario to be successful.

How much is mental and technique and how much is physical when it comes to ITU style racing?
Matt Chrabot
90 mental/10 physical. You have to know how to play the game.

Ethan Brown
Trying to break down the mental, technique-based, and physical aspects of ITU racing into percentages is difficult, if not impossible. Each course presents its own challenge, different competitors can change the way the race plays out, and sometimes sheer luck is involved. All of these things can have a bearing on how much mental prep, pure technique, or fitness is needed to prevail on that day.

Sarah Haskins
Much of racing is mental, period. You are physically swimming, biking and running, but everything in between is a mental game, especially in draft-legal racing. Transitions are very skilled as well as bike handling (cornering, turns, downhills).

Andy Potts
There is a bigger mental component to ITU style racing than non-drafting. In non-drafting races you can put your head down and just push. In ITU style racing you have to have your head up and be aware of everything and everyone around you.

How key is it to get in that lead group coming out of the swim?
Matt Chrabot
It's huge. Looking at the last three of the last four major races, Ishigaki and Mooloolaba World Cups and Madrid WCS, if you weren't in the first bunch out of the water, there was no chance of winning.

Ethan Brown
Being in the lead swim pack is extremely critical for having a successful race. The odds are stacked way against you if you have a bad swim, but once again, anything can happen and you can’t rule out anybody until the race is over.

Sarah Haskins
Very key, otherwise you have to work very hard on the bike/run to catch up.

What do you say to people who say the bike leg is not as important in ITU style racing?
Ethan Brown
The critics who say the bike leg in ITU doesn't matter don't fully understand how much short-term power ITU athletes need to have to be successful. ITU races play out more like bike races instead of time trials, and having the power to cover attacks, bridge up, and break away is of the utmost importance. A male athlete who does not have a max power output of at least 400 watts for 5 minutes would find themselves occasionally getting dropped.

Sarah Haskins
Come try it out! It is very similar to a bike race (like the Tour...but much shorter). The change of pace can be just as taxing (if not more) on your legs than a TT ride.

Andy Potts
It is different and hard to put into words. Sometimes the bike can be easy and other races it can be very demanding. It depends on the course and the competition.

What is the difference in the bike leg between the two styles?
Matt Chrabot
ITU is much more explosive. You also have to have the ability to work cohesively with others. If you can't rotate through, and are uncomfortable riding in the pack, you waste a ton of energy.

Ethan Brown
I would say the indicator to success in ITU racing would be having the highest 5 minute power output, while non-drafting would require more of a focus on 1 hour max power output. Developing each of these skills requires two different types of training.

Sarah Haskins
Answered above, but to add in -- you have to be very aware of what is going on in a ITU race (packs, attacks, surges, etc), otherwise you could get dropped from a group or crash out. In a non-draft race it is much more internal; you have to set the pace and keep the hurt going.

Andy Potts
The bike in non-drafting races will always be demanding. In ITU racing you don't know what you are going to get until the race is on.

What are key tactics involved in the bike leg? How does a pack work together? What are the challenges of riding in a group?
Ethan Brown
The tactics involved in an ITU bike leg depend on how many guys are in the group, whether or not the pace is high, and whether or not you suspect someone will attack (or if you plan to attack). All of these scenarios would affect the effort level I would put into the bike. Working in a group can be rewarding but also extremely frustrating. Ideally you want a pace-line where each athlete is rotating through taking short pulls, however, sometimes an athlete will skip their pull or refuse to work, and this causes conflicts, shouting, and slows the group down.

Sarah Haskins
If you have a group of 8 or less, it is important to pace line and take turns with pulling to stay away from the group. Hills or corners are a great place to attack a group and to try and get away from a pack. Teammates can help athletes stay away from a pack by sitting at the front of the group and riding slower. You have to be aware of riders who are not comfortable on the bike and make sure to try to avoid crashing.

Andy Potts
Sometimes the pack works together and other times there is no cooperation at all. It can be frustrating and exhilarating at the same time.

How do you decide when to attack on the bike?
Matt Chrabot
When you know the entire field is hurting the most. When everyone is already red lining, it's time.

Ethan Brown
Attacking on the bike is a decision you have to fully commit to or you will easily be caught. I tend to attack frequently going into transition in order to avoid the chaos of T2, especially if there is a large group. Attacking early in the bike leg maximizes the chance that you will be in a breakaway and open up time on the rest of the field for the whole 40k. Also, there may be a certain point on the course that is especially difficult where you may decide it is worthwhile to attack, not to drop everybody, but to weed out the weaker cyclists.

Andy Potts
Need to read the pack and then take your chances. Reading the pack takes time and experience.

How key are transitions in ITU style?
Matt Chrabot
In a big pack, the difference between the first guy and last guy in could be 20 seconds.

Ethan Brown
Transitions in ITU racing can literally make or break your race. An extra few seconds can be the time it takes to miss that lead pack. Someone from every race has a story about how they “were right there!” but a slow transition ruined their day.

Andy Potts
They are important, but like the swim, no one has ever won a triathlon with just fast transitions.

Does your training differ depending on which style of race you have coming up that week?
Ethan Brown
My training doesn't vary much the week of a race, regardless of whether it is draft-legal or not. The week of a race I'm focusing on doing shorter, more intense efforts to build speed and feel fast for that weekend.

Sarah Haskins
Not too much, but I will be training on a road bike verses a TT bike when I have a draft-legal race approaching.

Looking back at your first ITU style race, how did the event turn out for you?
Matt Chrabot
It was horrible. 2005 nationals. I nearly finished dead last. In ITU style, the best guys are very solid at all three disciplines. I thought I was a good swimmer, but got annihilated from the start. Plus racing late in the afternoon was something I was definitely not used to.

Ethan Brown
In my first ITU race (2006 U.S. Nationals in Long Beach, Calif.) I feared for my life during the swim. I’d never been in a field with so many good swimmers, and I was beat up pretty bad. When I finally made it to the bike, I had already missed the top 2 or 3 packs, and I ended up riding 30k of the bike with just one other guy, only to get caught by a giant pack with 10k to go. In retrospect, I simply should’ve waited for that pack and conserved my energy instead of working hard with just 1 other guy.

Sarah Haskins
Yes, many mistakes. I had a slow first transition and missed the first bike pack (I was not used to getting on the bike with my shoes already on the pedals). I also ran out of T2 with my helmet on! I was also not too great technically on the bike and had to catch up to wheels after all the corners.

Andy Potts
I made some mistakes but it was a great experience and very exciting.

How long did it take you before you felt comfortable racing ITU style?
Matt Chrabot
It took 3 years. I'm a slow learner!

Ethan Brown
I would say it took me 3 seasons of racing, up until 2008, to really find my groove in ITU racing and start having good results. To this day I'm still working on my swim as I don't always make the front pack.

Sarah Haskins
A couple of years... and still working on it! I think one of my biggest weaknesses is technical skills on the bike, so focus on the weaknesses, but don't forget to train my strengths.

Andy Potts
I was comfortable right away -- I was always in the thick of things and love the challenge of it.

What advice do you have for someone approaching their first ITU style race?
Matt Chrabot
It looks like we are beating ourselves up in the swim but we aren't! Try to keep your hands and arms in if you want to make it out of the swim in 1 piece. If you want to race on the biggest stage in all of sports in triathlon, ITU is the only path to the Olympics.

Ethan Brown
To someone about to do their first ITU race I would advise them to race aggressively and keep their head in the race no matter how it goes. People tend to get destroyed in their first ITU race -- the thing to remember is that it’s the experience that counts. You learn something new every race and you have to go into them prepared to suffer, but also with a calm state of mind prepared to learn.

Sarah Haskins
Have fun, stay calm, mentally go over the course (especially the transitions). Practice riding with road cyclists on group rides and get comfortable riding close to people, practice pace lining and cornering.

Andy Potts
Be ready for anything and get really comfortable riding in groups.

the best still doing the hard yards. and having fun.

weatheronthepass.AVI -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Man he looks like he has fun, what a legend. I'm jealous, love to be out riding over the passes with Jazz, Kyle, Kelly, Adam, J. Armstrong, Colin, Jordan, Dano, Brent, Yoder and and and ..... etc. etc. Kirsten, Lauren and the womens, you can come too!

thank you Mr. HelpDesk

Mr. helpdesk, you are almost as cool as this little dude.

still finding the best and training with them

great couple days of training, big swim set yesterday at Thetis lake went well, rolling along with the squad. We've gone from no coaches on deck to two (National Team head coach Philippe and former Olympic team coach Lance Watson). It's meant some great feedback and a fun atmosphere, with early summer in full swing and everybody super motivated we feel very fortunate to be calling this a "job".

This morning we organized to run with British marathon legend Jon Brown, 2:09 marathon pb. 2:09, amazing (4th at the Olympic Marathon, TWICE!). Lance was out on the mtb bike giving his running cues (to which he's second to none) as Brent, Andrew Yoder and I hung on for dear life. We ran 30mins as 3mins at 1/2 marathon pace, 6mins @ 10km pace repeating. Jon sets a torrid pace yet he's fluid, percise and relentless. I tapped out at 30mins and Jon went on to run another 15!!!

Brent and I finished with some overspeed 150meter strides and jogged home. As we crossed the rail bridge Lance commented that we should be proud that we were still eager and driven enough to seek out and train with the best.

And honestly I am very proud of that. I learned so much from following Benno and Peter around for years, asking too many questions, stealing their training logs and getting it handed to me everyday. Now 3 Olympics later I'm still asking questions.

swim, bike, run day tomorrow, some sprints on monday or tuesday and I'm off to Washington to see how this all converts......

Some Tuscany pics from the little camera + beach time!

Jamie Whitmore

I've never met Jamie but this is a humbling story.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Features/Jamie_Whitmore_s_greatest_victory__855.html

does this logic work?

me: you know jasper blake eh

Paulo: yeah

me: when he played tennis at UW

he took a set off a guy who took a set off melvin washington

who made it to the final at the us open

and took a set off pete sampras (I'm not actually sure if that's true....)

so technically....

Paulo: haha

technically he was a shitty player, Simon

me: NO

he could technically take a set off anyone pete sampras took a set off!!!!

Paulo: LOLOLOL

what-EVER

me: I played tennis with jazz once

and he hit it into the net

which meant I won a point

which of course means?

Paulo: haha

me: yes

i could take a point off sampras

i rule

Paulo: you can take a point off Sampras

yes

you do

but stick to tris

please feel free to vote in the comments section.

a) is this logic not not flawed?

b) do you not agree that Jasper is a living legend and should be set in bronze like Hans Solo.


and/or contribute your own "I beat ____ once in a ___ and ____ and __ beat ___ so technically I can ______"

BAM

quite a remarkable story

Did you see that?

A blind B.C. skier who does ‘ridiculous’ stuff has people gasping

On a warm spring day, a small crew of skiers meets at the bottom of the Wizard chair on Blackcomb Mountain. One of the skiers is Donovan Tildesley, 24, Canada’s flag-bearer at the Beijing Paralympics and a world-record-holding swimmer. Wearing a black and orange vest with “Blind Skier” printed on it, he jokes about his other problem, dyslexia. “I was born with one of the poorest senses of direction you could have. Friends tell me I walk around like an old man.”

Tildesley, who was born without retinas, learned to ski at age three on Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver. He skied backwards the first year because it felt easier that way. “Yeah, it’s not like I can see where I’m going.”

His guide at Whistler this day is James Peters. To pass certification, guides for the disabled must learn to ski blindfolded. On the mountain, Peters will trail Tildesley, calling out directions with a minimalist’s touch. He avoids using “left” and “right.” “I’ll just say turn and turn and that’s a lot easier than having to think about left and right.” The last time Tildesley skied Whistler, a guide got confused and said left instead of right. “Boom. I was in the air and then in knee-deep powder,” he says. “I fell off a cliff.” “Oh, a cliff’s a bit of an exaggeration,” teases Mark Lyttle, a volunteer guide who saw it happen and who now jumps into the conversation.

“Well, what would you call it, a gully?” asks Tildesley. “He just went off the edge of a little lip,” says Lyttle, smiling. “A little six-foot drop. And just for the record, I wasn’t the guide who did it. Everyone’s looking at me!”

Peters reaches for Tildesley’s forearm and the two glide side by side down a gentle incline, just as a metal chairlift banks a corner and scoops them airborne like an eagle with a fish. Peters pulls down the safety bar on the swaying chair, and starts in with the plan for the morning. They’ll do a warm-up run off Jersey Cream, then head over to Crystal chair where they’ll get into some “ridiculous stuff.” Ridiculous stuff? “We’re going to hike into the back bowls up Spanky’s Ladder,” says Peters. “There’s probably only about one or two per cent of the people who come to this mountain who actually ski back there.”

There are rumours around Whistler that some blind guy can ski the Blowhole. The way an Australian ski instructor tells it, it sounds fishy. The instructor doesn’t know the guy’s name. He hasn’t witnessed it himself. But he knows the Blowhole: a chute so steep and narrow, from the top it looks like the rabbit hole Alice fell down. Tildesley clarifies things: “I’ve only skied the Blowhole once, and, actually, I think Spanky’s Ladder is the tougher terrain.”

Tildesley nails the warm-up run, which turns out to be a steep mogul field not marked on the trail map and nicknamed “The Wall.” Next, he readies himself at the top of the start gate for a practice run through a series of gates set up for a giant slalom race. At the bottom Tildesley asks what people thought of his performance and then admits, “I was scared, to be honest. I’m freaked out by the gates.” He’s toying with the idea of becoming a serious racer but doubts nag him. “If ski racing was a wide open double black diamond, I’d totally go for that. But one of the things holding me back from racing is the gates. What if I hit one? I don’t like surprises. I hit a gate and pretty soon I’ve popped out of both my bindings and I’m doing a yard sale.” In his first big race last year on Whistler, “I came out of the starting gate and veered too much to the right and crashed into the starting clock. It’s a good thing there was no microphone to catch what I had to say.”

On Crystal chair, far above the treetops, Peters says, “I think we should start doing trees,” meaning skiing the gladed runs. Tildesley laughs. “I don’t know,” he jokes. “My name’s not Sonny Bono.” Now they’re both laughing as Tildesley sings “I’ve Got You Tree” to the tune of Sonny and Cher’s I’ve Got You Babe.

“A lot of people when they meet a blind person are a tad uncomfortable, but if I can crack a blind joke, it loosens them up. I love to rub it in. If I’m skiing and I run into somebody I’ll say, ‘Oh sorry. I didn’t see you.’ Or if I smash into the wall swimming, I’ll stand and say ‘I can see! I can see!’ ” What makes him cringe are politically correct people who ask if he listens to TV. “You watch TV. That’s the socially accepted term, you watch TV. Or if someone says ‘I’ll hear you later’ I think, ahhh, you don’t need to do that.”

For the climb up Spanky’s Ladder, Lyttle carries Tildesley’s skis and poles. It’s a heart-accelerating hike up and over the ridge into the back bowls of the glacier. “Climbing Spanky’s Ladder is a full-body experience,” says Tildesley. “As it gets steeper, I move onto all fours, using both hands to find purchase.” The work is paid off in spades by the epic slope on the other side. “People are astounded,” says Lyttle. “They watch. It’s all rated expert skier. There’s no easy way out of there.”

At the bottom of the bowl, a stranger can’t believe what he’s just seen. He skis up to Tildesley, his mouth agape. “Did you just ski that and you’re blind?!” Lyttle leans in and whispers, “That happens all the time.”

Last year, Peters and Tildesley dropped a 10-foot cornice. The picture is on Tildesley’s Facebook. “That’s probably the craziest thing we’ve done together,” says Peters. “People look at me and think this is somehow out of this world, but it’s not for me,” says Tildesley. “I love to ski. I’m a young guy. I have lots of energy. I just happen to be blind.”

sqwitter

I need more rest then I used to.

I know I know, I'm getting older...... yes Kyle I'm 34 and you're 24 and bounce back every time. It's not actually the workouts as much as the rest of my life, that and allergy season just makes you feel tired and lethargic , enough to scratch your eyes out and could I please stop having to blow my nose.

Oh and I hate sneezing, I hate it when other people do it and I REALLY hate it when I do. This makes allergies hell on so many levels.

I started the day with a sneeze, then off to the lake for a cracker of a swimmer practice. 1500wu, 6x400 hard and 900 cool down. MacCartney was smashing it on the front as per usual with Andrew Yoder, who's a super nice guy and heck of an athlete, who was going head to head with AMac at the front while Brent, Kyle, ARuss and I fought for feet. A very solid practice.

Discovery Channel was on hand to capture the action, which meant for some embarrassing running around in my Zerod swimmers (thanks for the mulit coloured flash dance version Pierre....). Discovery was there to shoot a piece on "the science of recovery" and they used our squad as the subjects. Little did we know this would entail Kyle and Lauren showering... I mean, Kyle and Lauren using the hot/cold facilities at PISE (Cold bath - Hot shower).

I showed off our fancy compression machine while Kyle and Lauren did a hot/cold contrast session with science nerd Ben explaining why.

And now I'm off to a meeting. Hopefully I sneeze on all their paper work.....

S

Check it out Jordan "west coast coffee"

pippa's day

sqwitter (lazy posting).

I forgot about sqwitter. my excuse to be really lazy when posting.

What are you doing? (asks mr. www.sqwitter.com)
thanks for asking, training is going well, sore from hard hilly long run/hilly/tempo. smashed myself, ran the last 2mins straight uphill because;

and I quote myself speaking out loud to myself "brownlee would do it" (I really did mumble that, 33mins into my 2nd 35min hilly tempo piece),

that hurt, I kinda regretted doing it.

swam well this morning, big set.

calf is rolling, nice to not have to worry about that.

Squad is brilliant, Paula Finley has been coming to some swims, she's a great swimmer and I just love her 'head down and train' attitude. doc Jones, mr mcmahon and Grovez are working bloody hard! the new national team coach, coach Phil arrives today, looking forward to seeing him on deck and out of the road.

Big day today, resting now before a 2.5hr hilly bike and a 60min run off the bike with 10mins hard. then ice with the gang, check in with pippa and sleep!

long sqwitter.

thanks for asking.