We're baaaackk...........

2012 brought lots of fast racing out of the gates. I figure a dozen  race competitions or more already. Big ones too. All of the Los Angeles Triathlon Series, an Xterra in California, Xterra in Nevada, Xterra in Alabama and half Ironman in Texas and then toss in a few other local fast races and well,  that's a lot.
          With a few World Championships coming up in October (oh and the Furnace Creek 508 mile bike race) it is time to start crackin' again. Not that we stopped crackin' but nice to just train aimlessly sometimes as recently have.
          TriEvents just sent us our schwag for 1) both winning the overall title for the Express series. 2) double whammy that we are the first couple. 3) Bigger whammy that we are both in our fifties....... Fifty? So what. I train like I always have these last 27 years. And the race outcomes (and times) thus far are staying close to to the same. Not going to change anything now.....................

         TriEvents asked Jodi and I if we would like to put on a little triathlon clinic prior to their October race. Initially I figured we already had too much going on. But after a few days something again is having me lean towards paying it forward. I have been given huge amounts of good from the sport. Huge. No larger than huge. Going to pay it forward. So keep your eyes for a one of a kind clinic coming up. From a pretty cool couple. Whom have both qualified for a Triathlon World Championship this year. Don't know how many that makes. But I guess we are doing something right. Hope to see you soon...............................................

Carlos and Ryan go prime time!!!

I am not no chef. Nor am I a chief. But I know some chefs. Some chiefs. And lots of champs. That's what it took to get these two awesome individuals together. Just two weeks ago tomorrow they met for the first time. It took a recipe that was baked from scratch. Baked on high real fast. And yet they were on CNN today.  There has got to be a lot of story for one to get on such a broadcast. CNN. That's pretty big. I would like to acknowledge Trievents for allowing them to race under such quick notice. Alex Soto, Carolyn Wolk, you two really stepped up to the plate. How wonderful CNN used this backdrop with the Trievents logo today on live television. And then there is another very important individual whom was a huge part in the success of this exposure. He is one of the most selfless human beings on the planet. He insists on not getting any credit or having his name mentioned. Okay I won't. But he said nothing about using his initials. T.M. was a major factor in this getting to where it did. Just as big as Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Carlos Solis, Ryan Maloney, Alex and Carolyn. And one other but whom like Terry will just be grateful he is able to "pay it forward"....................

Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs this weekend for Jodi!!!

First congratulations to Dillon Nobbs whom qualified for Junior Elite Nationals while competing up in the state of Washington last weekend!!

      Jodi departs for her big race flying out this Friday. We have trained well. Big days climbing on the bike. Long mid day-hot runs. 2500 yard swims. Throw in a half dozen shorter high effort races she has done this season and makes a good recipe for Lubbock. She, like Dillons race last week knows there will be big competition. That just makes it all the better. This is a Kona World Championship qualifier. She has qualified and raced there 5 x's. That does not mean she will qualify this year. But scarey thing is she is now 50 years young. Fitter, faster and stronger than ever. The temperature is expected to be near 100 degree's there this weekend. Nuts. But we train for that : )................good luck and give 'em hell Jodi!!!!!

2012 L.A. Tri Series Final

TriEvents races just keep improving every season. 30 year anniversary. That says heaps. PR manager Alex Soto comes up with great ideas. One was to push Jodi and I to race the entire Express Series and aim to earn the first ever overall series champion titles. As a couple. Married at that. And we are no spring chickens (although Jodi looks like a young chick).
          Jodi had no problem as she won all three races outright. Overall every time. She is swimming like a fish. Cycling like Jan Ullrich (dating myself with that example) and running like: The wind!!!!!
          As for me well swimming like a fish but more like a big Giant Sea Bass than Barracuda-like. But I have layed down some good bike splits entering T2  in 1st place a few times. Stayed there to the finish line one race. And two 3rd overalls. Problem was I had a younger speedster named Heiko (even his name sounds fast) with the same stats. I came into this race with 5 seconds on him. Meant he had to beat by 6 or more seconds to claim the overall Series Champion. He proved in an earlier race he could do so.

         But being a non spring chicken can have it's advantages. At the run turn around I could see Heiko was close. Real close. So I just ran a tad below lactate threshold. At about mile two he came up on me. Surged. I answered. Surged. I answered again. It was one heck of a painful blast to HAVE to run that pace. We were busting sub six minute miles those last few. Step for step. Heiko hit the finish line two steps which I cooly calculated 2 seconds. I narrowly took the title of Overall Series Champion. A big deal? Of course not. Fun, exciting while doing it? Heck yeah.
             Thank you Terry Martin for being out there working your ass off taking several hundred pictures of everyone. Your love is felt. Hope you feel it in return. You are the best. And again congratulations to Ryan and Carlos. The biggest winners of the day. Hands down.

L.A. Tri Series # 3: One special day.

You stick around this sport for over a quarter of a century and  chances are you will see and experience the same old stuff. Or the opposite. I am a lucky one and the latter happens to be the case. A few months ago I get approached by CNN  inquiring if I would be interested in helping one of their chosen 7 in our nation and assist him to be able to complete the Nautica Malibu Triathlon coming up in September. My info on Carlos was short on paper: Non athletic, overweight and diabetic. He was chosen for those reasons. After meeting Carlos on our initial visit I accepted the task because of the man he is. Athlete? Not yet. Good man? Already.

CNN wants Carlos' first entire triathlon to be finished at the highly popular Nautica Malibu. But I felt he needs the experience other than training with just myself near him. So CNN granted him our wish of allowing him to participate in a relay today at the triathlon. I asked Carlos which would he choose to benefit from the experience: Swim, bike, or run? He wanted the experience of several hundred other cyclist's around him. So bike it is.

It would have been easy to shag a swimmer and runner from right here in the local area. But I was pretty strong on feeling another diabetic would add to the worth, the meaning, the message these two (or three) potential team members can share. So I google "Tri-abetes" and "Team Insulin Dependance" and I get this facebook page with a 13 year old kid from Carlsbad whom from the pics looks like one involved little athlete. Swim, bike, run, surf, paddle board racing, his photos were impressive. So I shoot a message to him asking him to share it with his parents. Thinking: Long shot. 

But 13 year old Ryan Maloney rose to the occasion. Huge. His parents Bill and Annette drove the long haul from Carlsbad early this a.m. I met young Ryan for the very first time with both our feet in the water at the start of a triathlon waiting for the gun to off. A triathlon course I have competed well over 100 times. Ryan and Carlos? Never. The two absolutely rocked today. In every manner. The results and splits are up. Ryan out of the swim near the big boys!  With this being Carlos' first ever competition he handled his transition and cycling leg simply awesome entering the run transition as 2nd place relay!!! And then young Ryan Maloney running down the relay leader to take 1st place relay overall! Nothing short of amazing. Diabetic or not, these two guys are awesome. But the fact is they are both diabetic. And they are showing others they can control it and not let it control them.  Incredible examples.  I enjoy being around them.  With their natural public speaking talent (as witnessed today) maybe I will. Watching them from our sofa. They are both talk show material.  Absolute incredible display of sportsmanship, competition, and I'll even throw in the word professionalism. Not one I toss around much.

L.A. Tri Series #3 this Sunday!!

Bill Carlson is a very good friend of mine. Has been for nearly 20 years. He has type 1 diabetes. He is an absolute animal swimming, cycling or running. Most anything for that matter. He controls his diabetes and does not let it control him. This pic is from one of our many nutty endurance escapades. Palm Springs to Las Vegas, 250 miles. Oh and then run the Las Vegas half marathon the next day.  Once was not enough. We have repeated it a few times.

              I coach Carlos Solis for his upcoming Nautica Malibu Triathlon. I am learning more and more about him. And his disease. This Sunday he is teaming up with another diabetic that is barely a teenager named Ryan Maloney coming out from Carlsbad, Ca.. Ryan will swim and run while Carlos will do the cycling portion. Ryan is 13 years old. Diabetic since he was two. Carlos 47 years old and diabetic only a few years. Carlos is a school teacher. Teaches Ryans grade level. The roles will be switched this Sunday with Ryan having much more experience with diabetes AND triathlon, hence he will be the teacher this day. Sunday will also be the first time Ryan and Carlos meet. At a triathlon. On the same team. Sharing a message for the same cause. That's a pretty neat thing. Good luck Ryan and Carlos and most importantly: Have fun!

Blood sugar levels and a new Diabetic division

I have Carlos check his blood sugar before every workout. Then again after the workout. We will be training longer and harder now and I will have him check it during.

 Interesting, three months ago I had Carlos in just "survival" mode for the completion of Nautica Malibu Triathlon. That's changing. Things change when you "continue" to make positive improvements in your lifestyle. Eating right, exercising, rest and recovery. It is a simple equation. But you have to do it.

   I am going to suggest to my Race Director friends the thought of adding a new division category: Diabetic.  Watch some diabetics kick diabetes in the ass. Along with kicking non diabetics in that spot too. My good friend Bill Carlson has been doing just that for over 25 years. Ironman distance triathlons, ultra(100 miles) distance running, and he has been dabbling pretty seriously in bicycle road racing the past few years. In typical BC fashion: Hard and fast................ Carrying his insulin along the whole way.