Monday, November 30, 2009

Skinfit athlete wins IM Cozumel!



Our very own Skinfit athlete, Yvonne Van Vlerken won IM Cozumel in stunning fashion yesterday! She CRUSHED the field! Congrats Yvonne...way to rock Skinfit on your way to your first IM win!

Checkout this article....

Sunday, November 29, 2009

San Luis Obispo Training Camp....with Jim Vance and TrainingBible Coaching

This is going to be a great camp. I will be there training with the crew. If your looking to get away, ride some amazing roads, become a better, faster athlete you should do this. It is a great value and will be a blast!

Register here.


TrainingBible Coaching California Triathlon Camp - March 2010
TrainingBible Coaching California Triathlon Camp
March 11th-14th, 2010, (Thursday – Sunday)
San Luis Obispo/Atascadero, California

The Perfect Training Camp for Wildflower, St. George, or Oceanside!

Camp Features:
• All workouts are coach-led, by a TrainingBible Coach, for swim, bike and run!
• Training on Wildflower Triathlon bike course and surrounding areas
• Coach on-deck for pool sessions
• Fully-sagged rides
• Underwater swim video technique assessment for each athlete, ($100 value!)
• Run video technique assessment for each athlete, ($100 value!)
• 3 classroom sessions, for learning, Q&A, discussion and individual learning, totaling 4 hours in length!
• Free airport shuttle to those flying via San Luis Obispo Airport to/from camp hotel
• 16-25 hours of training in 4 days! (Swim 6 hrs, Bike 7-13 hrs, Run 3-6 hrs)
• Hotel discounted rate (Athletes are responsible for food, lodging and travel to San Luis Obispo.)


The camp will feature training totals of:
Swim - 6 hours
Bike - 7-13 hours
Run - 3-6 hours
Total Training - 16-25 hours in 4 days!

Costs:
March 11th – 14th Camp (Thursday-Sunday): $499 ($449 for TrainingBible Athletes!)

Extended Camp Opportunity March 8th – 14th (Monday – Sunday): $799 ($749 for TrainingBible Athletes!) ****Extended camp opportunity is for those who want to extend the experience and enjoy a full week of training with the TrainingBible Coaching athletes and staff****

Register at Active.com

Camp Hotel – Best Western Colony Inn, Atascadero
Hotel Features:
• Free continental breakfast
• Free internet
• Pool access, (Kennedy Club)
• Special rate of $99-$105/night (Based on occupancy)
• Amenities include refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker

Send any questions to the Camp Coordinator, Orlanda Vance, at ovance at trainingbible dot com.

Hope to see you there!

Coach Vance

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Rolling along...

Since my most recent PRP therapy on my knee I have been taking it easy...well, maybe it is better to say I haven't done once ounce of exercise since the procedure 12 days ago. The doctor said if I can mentally handle not doing anything it is best to rest it and let my body repair itself. At this point, what is the benefit of doing anything other then resting?! I have been out for about 7 months now so who really cares about a few weeks of inactivity. Sure, I hate not being out enjoy the weather on my bike or in my running shoes but I would rather be 100% come Jan 1st then still battling this injury. I do struggle with the lack of exercise and gaining weight but I have actually become pretty good at turning my brain off and just focusing on the here and now.

After all, why sit around and feel bad for myself...there are so many cool things to do and so much fun to be had outside of this small triathlon/athletic bubble we live in. Am I eating, drinking, "celebrating" too much? Yes, but I am having a lot of fun with family and friends at the moment so who cares?! I am sure there are some people out there that think I am being overindulgent and excessive but these people are likely the ones that need to actually step back, put some fun into their lives, stop chasing workout after workout, laugh more, and live a more balanced lifestyle.

Truthfully, I start to hate how one-dimensional us as triathletes/athletes are...we become so fixated on training and racing that we forget how much else is out there. I certainly think there is a balance and to be great you have to sacrifice but you don't have to be so one-dimensional and short-sighted when you do it. I have actually felt this way for a while but only now when I have been forced to sit on the sidelines do I realize how prevalent it is and how important it is to open your eyes and see what else the world has to offer. The fact of the matter is that I have hungout with a lot of professional triathletes/athletes and they are ALWAYS the ones that cut loose the most and have a lot of fun during all of their adventures. Perhaps some of the hardcore amateurs should take a page from their book? I am a 100% certain that if you live a more balanced life and stop being so anal you will be a faster athlete. Okay, I will stop rambling but I think it needs to be said b/c I see this attitude in San Diego more then anywhere else I have lived/traveled and I think it is detrimental to ones health and happiness.

Shifting gears, I can't believe it is Thanksgiving already! The year has gone so fast. Jess and I moved down here 1 year ago...crazy! It has been a roller-coaster ride but I think things are stabilizing and I am happy about this. This past year, I learned a lot about myself and how strong Jess and I are individually and as a couple. I am really thankful for all that we have...we don't really need anything more. We had money, company cars, a nice house, etc. and we walked away from it all one year ago. Why? B/c life is all about happiness, adventure, and risk. We were comfortable in our past life but comfortable isn't how we want to live so we took a chance, broke from practical and safe, and set out on a journey to find out what we are made of, what makes us laugh/smile, and to discover a life that will inspire others to chase their dreams. I don't regret for one minute leaving all those material things behind. Was life easy with the high paying job, expense account, great insurance, yadda, yadda? Could I have retired early with all the material things so many people chase everyday? Yes, but then I would have looked back on my working life and wondered what the hell I spent 50 years chasing and why I didn't try to have more fun. It pains me to see people work for 40 or 50 years so they can "live" when they retire. I would rather work until the day I die and have enough fun for two lifetimes along the way.


That's it from here. Enjoy the holiday and remember to have fun out there!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Skinfit makes the perfect Christmas gift!


Don't forget to place your Skinfit HOLIDAY orders! I know Thanksgiving comes first but keep us in mind for Christmas! Our winter gear and baselayers make perfect gifts!!!
Email orders to skinfit.usa@skinfit.eu or just go on the web and place your order (www.skinfit.eu, USA tab).

Keep living the Skinfit lifestyle!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

My week in pictures....

Tons of fun up north...good times with good friends in SLO to kick it off. A very painful PRP procedure on my knee just before a great party in Los Gatos. Then a quick Big Sur trip, Radiers game (and some amazing chicken and waffles!) , another Big Sur trip and back home. Action packed to say the least!

















My life is good and I wouldn't trade it with anyone!!!!!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

What's going on?

Sorry for the delay in the blogging but things have been a little hectic.

First of all, everyone in San Diego needs to come to the new triathlon strength class at Rehab United in Sorrento Valley...the class is Monday and Thursday from 6-7. It is going to be an awesome class and it starts this Monday! You will get to see what Lesley Paterson and I are doing in terms of strength training this year.

I have been getting ART 3 times a week for my knee and I think we are making progress...really digging in there and finding trouble areas. I would love to be back training 100% by Jan 1 but we will see if I can hit that goal.

Yesterday, I left San Diego and drove up to San Luis Obispo. SLO is my favorite place in the world and happens to be the perfect distance between S.D. and Los Gatos where I am heading on Friday. I am going to get in a couple rides and swims here on the central coast before heading up north for Reto's going away party. I am also scheduled to get PRP (platelet rich plasma)treatment this friday. Basically, they are going to take some blood from me, spin it to isolate the platelets, and then inject them into the area of my knee that hurts. In theory, this should spark a healing process and hopefully get me back to health in 6 weeks or so. I am told it is pretty painful for up to 10 days after so not stoked about that but at this point who cares about a little pain.

That is the update from here. Pretty boring post I know but figured I would share what's happening. I should have more to report from the weekend as I am sure it will be a blast. We even have a Raiders game on tap this Sunday...some great seats and great friends!

Monday, November 2, 2009

My experiments

Last week was all about getting the knee to act up so I could get an injection to numb everything deep inside to see if my issue has to do with cartilage damage, etc.
So, I rode and ran hard on Tuesday and then ran hard again on Wednesday to get it flared up. It hurt a bit when I went into the Dr. (the knee actually tolerated the harder training better I though)and after the injection it still hurt, which indicates that it is a soft tissue injury (we think). So, I will keep going with the ART, PT and strengthening. I have been getting my quad worked hard and my issues has shown some great improvements. I think we are slowly getting this thing figured out. I remain a bit skeptical but I am fully committed to getting it sorted out so I can get to training full on come December. This month is my "Health" month so it is all about getting my knee strong and back to normal.
I am going to do some different things this year that are a shift from what I have done over my 13 years of racing. I know they are all going to make me stronger and faster so I am stoked to incorporate them. Everything from my workouts to my training equipment will likely change and evolve throughout the season. Good stuff that will no doubt bring about good form for the Xterra Series. It is rumored that Xterra has pulled together some title sponsors and there may even be a so-cal event again so it should be an exciting year. We will see but if it shapes up the way I hope there is a very strong chance that I will bag IM St. George to focus exclusively on the Xterra Cup Series. Xterra is my thing and having had it taken away from me for the last year and half makes me want it even more and I want to be 100% focused on it. This is all speculation but you get a sense of what is going through my head.
So, that is whats happening around here. Stay tuned as my road to recovery continues. I have some exciting things happening and I will share them as they come to fruition.
Take care and have fun out there!