2 SOLID weeks in the bag....

The past 2 weeks have been awesome in terms of training.  I have logged some big hours and I am feeling strong...perhaps stronger then ever. All of my training is aerobic in an effort to develop my base fitness, which has been lacking the past few years. This easy training is keeping my motivation high and allowing me to log consistent hours week after week. This consistency is also something that has been lacking over the years. I have found that my training was always a touch too hard, which left me feeling tired a lot and really not motivated. So, this new found approach is really working and I am enjoying the whole process.

It really helps to have the right people around you too. I have been training a lot with Lesley and since we are on the same page it works out really well. The days just seem to fly by...we are logging workout after workout, day after day and it is obvious that we are both getting stronger and really enjoying the hours. I have an awesome crew at Rehab United to training with. They all push me and I can honestly say I have a blast working out with them every week. The workouts are BRUTAL but the sessions seem manageable since we are all there suffering together.

Perhaps more then ever I am excited about my training and upcoming races. I think it has a lot to do with the new training stresses and approach to the daily routine. I know I am doing the right things, I am having fun b/c of it, and I am seeing results.

So, the plan is to keep the hours high and remain consistent heading into Christmas, then a little rest and travel, and then back home to get back to it.  When I am not training I am super busy with Skinfit. Trying to wrap up the year with a strong holiday season and looking toward 2011. I have a lot on my plate right now but, most importantly, I am happy with the way things are going so I am just going to keep plugging away.

Kind of a boring post without any pics or major adventures to share. Truth be told, my life has been pretty steady as of late and I couldn't be happier about it. I travel a lot most of the year so to be home for a while putting in some good work on all fronts has been really satisfying. More of the same this week. I will try to snap some pics to bring some life to these posts!

Enjoy the week!

Going slow and loving it!

I have been back at training for a few weeks now and I have already seen some big improvements. We pinpointed a while back that my aerobic system is massively underdeveloped and the testing in AZ proved this. So, the goal for the past few weeks has been to go slow, keeping everything (I mean everything) aerobic, and to get my body utilizing more fat as a fuel source by being specific with my diet. Even in the pool at masters I am holding back and just swimming steady aerobic instead of ripping off fast intervals with the group. The crazy thing is that my body is already adapting and I am noticing some big changes taking place. I am lucky in that my body responds very quickly to the training stress it's getting so in just a short time I am seeing the benefits of the new plan. This has also given me a lot of motivation and I can honestly say I am enjoying training more than I ever have. It's a comforting feeling knowing that there aren't any races in the near future and I have plenty of time to just focus on my weaknesses. I am waking up excited to get out the door to train and, truthfully, I haven't felt this for a long time.
I am also 100% healthy which is more then motivating, it's inspiring passion, desire, and happiness. In some ways it feels a bit early to be out there logging the miles but, like I said before, my aerobic system is way underdeveloped so I need a lot of time to go slow and develop it. Plus, I am really enjoying the whole process of improvement so I am just rolling with it and not thinking too far ahead.

I am also very focused on strength since this is also a weakness of mine. So, I, along with a good crew, am putting in some serious sessions at Rehab United. The stuff we are doing is soooooo good...we are developing sport specific strength but also doing a lot to help prevent injury. There is no doubt that we are all getting stronger and build a good foundation for 2011.

So, that's the news from here. A few more days in S.D. and then we are up to SLO for 5 days to celebrate Thanksgiving. Can't wait to get up there to enjoy some training on my favorite roads/trails and to do some wine tasting, eating, etc with friends and family. Oh, and maybe some more super secret brewery tours at firestone where we can taste the foam =)

I leave you with this....

Cool pics from our adventures in Big Sur

Trips and training

-A glimpse into life in Big Sur

The trip to the Big Sur backcountry was awesome as usual. We got a little rain on Sunday but it just made for some fun driving back down the mountain. Overall, just what I wanted....time away from the "world" relaxing with good friends.

On Sunday I dropped Jess off at the airport in Monterey and then drove down to SLO to meet Slater. We pulled the plug on the Monterey stay and opted for SLO instead since the weather was not looking good up north. I think it was the right call. We have a comfy place to stay everyday and the training here is epic. The pool is at the bottom of the hill, the roads are free of traffic, the scenery is unrivaled, there tons of climbing, and the trails bring a smile to your face. A recipe for a perfect training camp if you ask me.
It has been great training with Slater. He is getting ready for Ultraman (totally crazy!) and it is inspiring to see him put in the work. It's so nice to have someone out there to log the hours with. Can't wait to see what he does in Hawaii!
On Monday we logged 5:20 on the bike. We headed out to the Wildflower course from Atascadero but the wind was pretty ugly so we turnaround and got the extra miles on the twisty vineyard roads. Then we jumped off and did a 5 mile t-run. Was one of the first runs I have done after a long ride so the legs were in some shock for the first bit but they actually came around and I felt good as the run went on.  Today we woke up and knocked out some meters in the pool and then went down to the coast for a run on one of the best trails in the world! The dirt was perfect and the views just breathtaking. If you don't feel good after a run on this trail in Montana De Oro you have some serious issues! =)
Amazingly, I feel pretty good. The shift to true aerobic training doesn't wreck me so I can log the miles day after day. Sure, the hours can be exhausting but my legs aren't trashed.  I am really respecting the zones and I can already see the benefits. The testing I did in AZ was really good for me and I am glad I did it. I am headed in a new direction and I think it will bring about positive results. In addition to the different training stress I am also focusing a lot on my diet. It's not that I don't eat healthy b/c I certainly do but I need my body to use more fat as fuel (as opposed to carbs) and this takes some training. So, things are good and I am pumped about the training ahead of me!

We have a couple more days in SLO. The weather is nice and Slater and I have a massive day planned tomorrow....all three sports and a lot of miles =) Can't wait.

Quick Update

Haven't been blogging much b/c I have been super busy.
Skinfit is rocking, I have been on the road a lot, and Ironman training has officially begun. So, you can image how crazy it has been around here. The good news is everything is really coming together and I am happy about where I am at on all fronts.
I normally take November off from training but since I didn't race the last half of the season and I am lacking base fitness the plan for 2011 has taken flight. Of course, everything is super mellow but I am training and developing my aerobic base. I did some testing while I was in Arizona and we got some good baseline figures to go off of. It was quite obvious that I need to increase my aerobic capacity. I can go hard for sure but I shift over to carbs as my main fuel source far too soon. So, the diet has changed and the focus is on longer aerobic work in an effort to improve my weaknesses. I am excited about the work ahead and about the 2011 season.
Now, while the training has started up, it doesn't mean I am not staying flexible and having fun with friends. The really serious training is still on the horizon so I have some fun trips planned. For starters, Jess, me and some great friends are going way off the grid into the Big Sur backcountry this weekend. It is a time for us to disconnect (literally), do some soul searching, and relax with some of our closest friends. I am really excited about this trip...being way out there really sets me straight and reminds me what's important in life.
Then next week Slater and I have a big few days planned. He is getting ready for Ultraman and I have wanted to do the Monterey to SLO ride for a while now (It has been years since I have done it and it's one of the best in the world). So, we are riding from Monterey to SLO on Monday, Tuesday we are training in SLO, Wednesday we are riding back up to Monterey, and then Thursday we will do a little training in Monterey before hitting the road back to Socal. Should be an epic few days and I can't wait to show Slater the terrain!
Alright, I gotta go...we are hitting the road for SLO now.
Have fun out there. Peace

Oh, and our camera broke so sorry for the lack of pics. I do have a new Flip HD and we broke out the older camera so I should have some good footage from the Big Sur and out training camp.

Long overdue post...

Well, it has been a busy month to say the least, which is the reason for the lack of blogging. In fact, it has been a crazy year with plenty of exciting times, successes, and even some failures. In terms of Skinfit it has been a HUGE year. Record sales, lots of travel and networking done, and we are positioned well to have a great 2011.  In terms of training and racing it has been a challenging year. I had big goals and high expectations for myself heading into the year since I had missed all of 2009 b/c of injury. Sadly, I didn't achieve any of those goals b/c I was again dealing with injury and just couldn't seem to get my fitness back to the level it has been in the past. The reality is that I just haven't had enough time to build up my base fitness after my year off.  Plus, when your trying to race you have to do hard workouts and my body never seemed to really absorb these and the workouts always felt like a struggle.
I started back with training in January and races started up in May. Not much time when you have been unable to train for an entire year prior. I thought it would just come back but it never really did. Deep down I knew I wasn't ready to race but I wanted to be out there. I missed the Xterra scene, the other athletes, the competition, etc. so I traveled and gave it my best shot. I can honestly say I raced to the best of my abilities given where I was at in terms of fitness. I could handle shorter events but when it came to sustained race efforts or 2+ hrs I just couldn't manage it.
I have never been big on racing when your not fully ready...it just doesn't work well for me. Racing takes a lot out of you mentally and physically so when your not ready it just beats you down. That's kind of how I felt at the end of June, beat down and tired from trying to force everything. I just needed to take a step back, get back to enjoying the training, get healthy, and stay consistent. Starting in August I finally felt healthy without any injuries. So, for the past 2 1/2 months I have been logging base miles and I am actually starting to feel good. I know though that I am still not ready to race, which is why I skipped Nationals and I have decided to skip Worlds. I was planning on going to Maui but, I think at this point, I have to be realistic with myself and accept that I just don't have the fitness to be competitive. I am really bummed but it is a lot of money to get over there and I would rather save the cash and put it toward next season. 
I am in a good place right now with plenty of time to get ready for next year. I can stay consistent and build up slowly. If I can stay injury free going into races next season I will be happy and no doubt ready to give my best. I would just love to get in one year of racing when I am mentally and physically ready to give it 100%. It has been a while since I have felt this way and I long to feel fit and fast.
I am doing IM St George next year and I think this will do great things for my Xterra racing. I have a lot of fast twitch muscle fibers so developing my endurance and aerobic systems will really help me overall. I have learned a lot about myself this year and I have realized I need a different approach to training....more emphasis on slower, longer workouts and strength. My speed is there, I just need to develop the other components like strength and endurance.
So, that's where I am right now..focused on Skinfit and preparing for next season.  I am doing everything I can to stay healthy and get strong. Lots of time at Rehab United doing functional strength classes, running and riding hills to develop sport specific strength, and, of course, enjoying extra time with friends and family (since it is October afterall).Also been working with a Rolfer every week...crazy what he is doing to get my body in balance. Awesome stuff and he is keeping me healthy, which I am pumped about.  Ironman training officially kicks off Nov 1st and it will be game on.
Off to a training camp in Arizona on Friday. It will be a chance to market and sell Skinfit to the campers and I will be doing some testing and video analysis in all three sports with Adam Zucco and Joe Friel. Should be a great week hopefully without any rain=)
Thanks for reading!

My first Cyclocross race and Mission Bay Tri

I did my first cyclocross race this Saturday. It was cut short by a flat but what I did do was fun and really hard! I look forward to more of these in the near future! It was fun to watch James and Ryan tear it up...nice job guys! Also, big props out to Slater for the sweet pics and video!

I followed it up with a 2nd place overall at the Mission Bay Triathlon on Sunday. The race was literally in my backyard so I couldn't pass it up. It was a fast race and a good tune up for Xterra Worlds. I can't tell you how good it feels to finally be healthy and back racing. I could certainly use another 4-6 weeks prep before World's but things are coming together and I am enjoying the road back to fitness.
It was a fun weekend of racing and now I am packing up for a week in Kona. Busy, busy!

Checkout a video that Slater got from the race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CEU50o3nE

Nicest suit I have ever worn by far!!!

I wish I had the time to update this blog more often.  I am so slammed with Skinfit work heading into Kona and I am trying to get fit for World's in Maui. October is packed with travel and events and will no doubt fly by!

Here are some pics from a fun tri I did last weekend.  It was nice to stay local (literally 10 min from my house) and race with some great friends.

I am getting into shape and I am looking forward to the race in Maui. I am really enjoying the training right now and it feels great to be healthy (finally!!!). Gotta go...thanks for reading.

Reflections...

Just about all of us at some point take a step back, look at life, and realize how cool it really is. I have been doing a lot of this lately b/c, honestly, my life is pretty awesome! I am lucky enough to be pursuing my passions and my dreams, I have amazing friends and family, I am married to my best friend, my dog ROCKS, I live in sunny San Diego, and the list goes on. I have been training a lot lately and been growing the Skinfit business by leaps and bounds. On the training front, I am just pumped to be healthy and logging the miles. Its been a while since I have been on a steady progression and it feels really great! It is quite motivating and this is something I have been longing for. Plus, I have been training a lot with Lesley and a good crew. The sessions have been challenging but the company makes everything go by quicker and we have a great time putting in the work.

There are days that are more challenging then other but that's life and I just accept them for what they are and roll right into the next day. I will risk sounding cheesy here and say that life has been really good to me and I have really been enjoying the "journey." I used to get so caught up and focused on where I am headed, what the future holds, and how I am going to accomplish everything. Perhaps it's age but I have found real enjoyment in savoring every moment and making the most of everyday. I am lucky to have some really special people in my life that continue to inspire me to do so and my hats off to them! Sure, I want to plan for the future but I also believe that if you stay true to yourself, you work hard, your nice to other people,and you stay positive, good things will happen. With this said, I have started to realize that the future will sort itself out and I don't want to ignore all the days between now and the distant future b/c each one brings about a new, cool experience that will no doubt shape who you are and create the memories that you will cherish until the day you die.

So, in a nutshell, life has been great! Taking everyday as it comes, getting fit, selling Skinfit, learning a lot about myself, going to weddings/parties, spending time with friends and family, and, of course, planning some exciting things for the future (so that no day is lost of course!).

I am home for another week before heading off to Interbike in Vegas. More of the same this coming week...hard work on all fronts and plenty of good times! Have fun out there and thanks for reading.

Oh, and my tickets are purchased for Kona and Maui...those Hawaiian islands are going to see plenty of me in October!!

Busy but all good...

I have been seriously busy with travel, Skinfit, and training. I am happy to report that EVERYTHING is coming together and the past couple of weeks have been perfect.
In terms of training, I am finally feeling healthy (Thanks to George the Rolfing GOD out in Chicago...amazing work!)and have been logging some big, consistent miles in all three sports. I really need consistency to find good form and this is exactly what I have achieved for nearly 3 weeks. It has allowed me to really enjoy my training and I am seeing some fitness return. I am still skipping Nationals and my sights are set on Worlds. I think if I can stay healthy and consistent for the next 8 weeks I can put together a solid race.

--Rolling in style to and from the airport in Chicago...thanks Adam and Lindsay!

I got back from Chicago on Monday. It was an awesome trip! I had been meaning to get out there for months to visit Adam Zucco and Joe Lotus...both have become good friends and are helping me really grow Skinfit out there. Chicago is a huge market for us and these two guys are blowing it up. We exceeded our biggest sales month by 65% in August so I think it is safe to say we are on the right track! We had several appointments with teams and had product showings at various locations...all were successful.

--Not a bad view from the casa in Chicago...thanks Joe!

When we weren't selling Skinfit it was full on training mode. We got in a TON of quality training and I even managed to log my longest ride ever at 126 miles. Yeah, yeah sounds like I am training for Ironman or something :) Well kind of since I will be doing St. George in May and Adam is ramping up for Kona. So, I tagged along for long rides, runs and a tough swim sets. Overall, I came away from the week stoked about Skinfit and where my training is headed. Plus, I traded Adam bikes and now am the proud owner of a Trek TTX, which is by far the best TT bike I have ever ridden. It is so solid and fast...it handles like a road bike. I love it!

I am slated to be home for the next few weeks and, honestly, I couldn't be happier about it. I have done a lot of travel this summer and I need a break. I plan to stay local to log some massive training hours and push Skinfit at some S.D. events. Plus, I am excited to be home with Jess and the mut so we can get out and enjoy the last part of summer together. I am planning to race S.D. Classic and Mission Bay Tri for fun and to get tuned up for worlds. I am looking forward to some local events and some head-to-head racing.

Got a wedding and some training on tap this weekend so there will no doubt be good times in my future. Then next week it is more of the same...consistent training and Skinfit. Stay tuned as this adventure continues!

Awesome week!

--At the Del Mar races...just couldn't pass it up!

It has been one of those weeks that make you very happy and excited. Everything seemed to fall into place. Jess and I celebrated 5 yrs of marriage, Jess got promoted, training is going well and I am feeling stronger, Skinfit sales continue resulting in our best month ever (and it's not over!), and I had some great times with friends.  I am a lucky guy for sure!

I am off to Chicago tomorrow for my first ever Skinfit sales trip outside of California. It should be a great week filled with meetings, networking events, and training. I am excited to finally get out there...it has been a long time coming since Chicago is one of our biggest markets.  So, if you live in Chicago drop me a line b/c I will have tons of Skinfit gear with me.

On the training front things have been going really well. I am in total base/strength mode and I have seen some good results. Feels good to be healthy and logging some consistent training. I will continue this base/strength phase for another week and then when I get back from Chicago I will start to dial it up a bit with more specific workouts tailored toward the Xterra Worlds course. I mentioned in my last post that I am planning to race Nationals but this week I decided against it. I need a little more time to prepare for racing. In order for me to race well at altitude I need to acclimate at altitude for 2-3 weeks before the race...this requires a lot of time, travel, and money. Since I know I can't be in great shape for Nationals I just can't justify the time and money. Plus, by not going to Nationals I secure myself a couple extra weeks of prep for worlds. If I go to nationals I will have an easy week before the race and will need the next week to travel home, settle in, recoup from the race and time at altitude. So, I figure I will lose about 12-14 days of quality training. Quite frankly, I need every day I can get to be ready for worlds and I really don't want to rush anything. All I have done this year is rush, deal with injury, and race when I was far from race fit and healthy. I would love to finish out the year with a couple months of consistent, quality training and a good go in Maui. It has been a tough decision b/c I do want to race Nationals but at the end of the day I really hate racing when I am not ready physically and mentally. Some people can do this but I just don't really respond well to it so I have made my decision.  My ticket to Maui has been purchased, my sights are set on that race, and I am excited for the day.

So, that's the news from here. Wouldn't mind having another week like the one we just had. It will certainly be a fun adventure out east and I will no doubt have some stories to share. Thanks for reading and have fun out there!

Busy so no blogging...

Life has been insane the past month and obviously the blogging has slowed.  I have traveled the state of CA several times over this summer and trying to juggle Skinfit, training/racing, and a social life is no easy task.  It has been nice to be in S.D. for the past week.  I head to Chicago Monday but the two week stint at the beach has certainly been nice. I have fallen back into a routine and I have logged some consistent training.
I wasn't entirely sure I would go to Xterra Nationals but I think I will give it a go.  It is fast approaching (5 weeks) and while my focus will remain worlds I think I can be in decent shape for the race in Utah.  I have been able to run consistently which is a huge change from earlier in the year.  Sure will be nice (assuming no injuries) to go into a race with some actual run fitness.  I have been doing a lot of long rides with low cadence strength work.  These types of sessions work really well for me and I already feel stronger overall. I am also going to Rehab United twice a week and getting absolutely beat down by the crew there.  These workouts are so important for me and really help to keep me healthy and strong.  It will be tough to juggle them when the intensity goes up but they are so important for me that they need to stay a part of my routine. I am lacking some major fitness in the water which sucks but after Richmond I really didn't swim for a month so it isn't a big shocker that I am slow.  I am trying to work on my weakness by swimming longer sets so we will see how this shapes up over the next 5 weeks.

I did put on some weight during my month of uncertainty and good times so it has been a bit of a struggle to get it off.  It is starting to shed so just need to keep logging the training and hopefully I will be down to race weight by Nationals. Pretty certain it will happen but it is always a bad situation when you are trying to lose weight and train a lot.  This was proven yesterday when I had an absolute meltdown on my ride and run.  So, I will have to be a little more careful moving forward so I can maximize my training but still drop the lbs in a reasonable manner.

On another note, Skinfit is cranking!  Things have been going really well and this month will be our biggest sales month ever!  It is so nice to see the hardwork paying off, especially since I am gone all the time and barely see my wife.  She has been so supportive but it is tough to be away so much.

So, life is good and we just keep rolling along.  Should be a hectic couple of months as I ramp up training, Skinfit continues to blow up, we go to weddings, parties, etc.  I would have it no other way though because everyday shapes up to be a good one.

--a family wedding in mission beach this past weekend...nice to have to close to home

--One of the many events I have been to over the past 4 weeks

Back to work I go.  Have a good one and thanks for reading.

The past week....

Well, finally made in back to S.D.! Feels good to be home but I am hardly settled b/c I will be hitting the road again next Wednesday.  I am headed back to Northern CA first for a bachelor party, then a few Skinfit events and some team meetings.  I will be up there for about 10 days in total.  Lots of work and some good training will be on the agenda but it is always hard to leave Jess.  She has been a good sport but it is hard to always be leaving.  Seems I am living out of a suitcase lately...even at home I don't really unpack b/c I know I just have to get on the road again soon.
Since getting back I have managed to get in some good training.  I have really been enjoying the workouts and I feel motivation coming back.  I even have a bit of a desire to race and go hard, which is a welcome feeling.  It really is all about finding that "happy place" with training.  I have been able to get out there with Lesley, which is really nice.  She is a great motivator and we always have fun training together.  You always needs someone on the same page to help with the daily grind and to put things into perspective.  We share very similar views on training/racing so I think we are able to help eachother excel and really find the joys in the whole process.

My focus is on strength right now.  A couple bike sessions per week doing low cadence work, longer intervals in the pool, and hilly runs.  Strength is a weakness of mine and I am determined to work on it.  I love strength work on the bike....it works, plain and simple.  I can literally feel a difference the next day after I do these types of workouts.  My weakness in the water is my lack of swimming hard, longer intervals.  I can swim fast for short distances but I need to swim a fast 1500 so my focus is on swimming distance sets hard.  Honestly, I have never really done this (b/c I hate it) so I am curious to see how I improve with this change.  My leg feels good (cross your fingers) and my running is progressing.  I am just running, nothing hard or structured.  I am building slowly and will be up to 3 hrs total (per week) next week.  Doesn't sound like much but being able to do this and stay healthy is VERY motivating for me.  I have gone virtually the entire race season without running and I know if I can stay healthy and get in the key workouts I can post a decent run split.  Knowing I couldn't prepare for the run was really hard for me and actually sapped a lot of energy...I mean, if I can't run I am missing out on 1/3 of the sport of triathlon...kind of a big deal =)
I have quite a bit of travel coming up as I already mentioned.  The good thing is that my travel takes me to some AWESOME training grounds.  Between Monterey and the Santa Cruz mountains I will get in some great work.  Then at the end of August I will be in Chicago for a week to do some Skinfit networking and I will be able to log plenty of hours with Adam Zucco...a great training partner.
Overall, I feel good and I am excited to see my motivation returning.  Taking a step back for me was a great thing and has brought back some fire.  I can't say with certainty that I will race nationals and worlds but it is looking like I will.  If I keep on the path I am on I think I will be fit physically and mentally.
Got a good weekend on tap...long ride and swim on saturday with James and Beth and it's Jessica's Bday on Sunday so we will have a fun filled day.
Have a good weekend everyone. Thanks for reading!

Just roll with it....

Since Richmond I have honestly lacked a lot of motivation to train and up until this week I really haven't done much of anything except for some fun casual rides and runs.  It has just been a roller-coaster ride all year with injuries and I have been frustrated that I can't get in consistent training and I have yet to see any fitness close to what I had before my big crash a couple years ago.  In a way, I am just tired of trying to force everything so I took a step back to figure out what I want and to get back to enjoying the sport of triathlon.
I needed the break both physically and mentally but more mentally.  I would be lying if I said I didn't question what I was doing trying to race, if I even have "it" anymore, and if I even have the motivation to chase my personal dreams and aspirations in the sport of triathlon. Let's face it, it is a lot of work (and money) to train and race triathlon and I think the weight of this coupled with my injuries and inability to log consistent training put a lot of stress into my daily life.  When I step back from it all, I just think what's it all worth?
I have obviously done a lot of thinking and I realize the sacrifices I make are worth it in the long run b/c I want to look back at my racing life and be proud that I gave it my best shot.  Whatever results come it is second to knowing that I honestly gave it a shot and tried my best.  I can tell you with certainty that I will not be racing after next season (aside from the occassional fun, local event just to stay fit and active).  Actually, the jury is still out that I will race next year but my gut tells me I will give it a go for one more year.  Then, I am shifting gears to focus more on work and my family life with Jess.  I love triathlon but you can only pour your heart and soul into something for so long before you reach a point of saturation...I am not far off from this point.  Don't get me wrong, I think I still have some good racing left in me but I know it won't go past another full season. To race well you need that fire and killer attitude but we only have so much of this in us during our lifetime....once this is gone I don't really see the point in racing, it becomes about participation rather then winning. For some people this is enough but, for me, it's not and it will be time to pull the plug when the "fire" is out.

Last week I was in Tahoe with good friends and it was really great to be outside riding bikes, running, laughing, and truly enjoying living an active lifestyle.  No thoughts of training and racing, just good fun with great friends.  It gave me some perspective. 

This week my buddy Tom joined me in Monterey and we got in some "real" training.  I wanted to see how I felt with a bit more structure and some longer hours.  I honestly felt good and I enjoyed the training.  I feel motivation coming back and I think my head is in the right place having taken some of the seriousness and rigidity out of it. So, I am going to build back up. My running is going to progress very slowly in an effort to not get hurt and I will start up with lots of strength work on the bike and long swim sets. In the coming weeks I will see if I want to give Xterra World's a go and, if I feel fit as Nationals approaches, I will toe the line in Utah. Nothing is certain but, in my mind, this is the plan. Most importantly, I am getting back to doing the sport because I love it. Fitness will come but I need it to be shared with happiness and passion.

Here are some pics from Tahoe...

--My buddy Matt swore I could ride through the creek...not so much

--Great to see some snow way up top above the lake

--Trying to jump over the log was a bad idea =)

The lack of blogging has been the result of a lot of thinking. I will be more regular about my posts from here on out. Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!

---Make the right choices.....

Richmond RR

I am finally back home to San Diego after what seemed like a long time in the east! I had a lot of fun on the trip but it is always nice to be back home.

After Bama I was pretty bummed out. My flat and lack of fitness just got to me mentally and I really thought hard about calling it quits and flying home early. I am glad I stayed for a lot of reasons...I ended up having a decent race and I had a GREAT time with my family and friends. I tried to focus on enjoying the whole experience and can honestly say I had a blast on raceday.

The swim with pretty interesting as I pretty much swam solo from the start. The leaders had an instant gap and I came out well down on them. I got onto the bike pretty quickly and found my legs a lot faster then in previous races, which I am happy about. I wasn't able to stay with Will when he went by but Cody caught me and we rode most of the course together until I screwed up a technical section and he flowed through it. The trail network is a ton of fun in Richmond and I always love racing there...the new course is even faster and going fast on single-track is just plain fun!

I set off on the run kind of unsure of how it would go since I haven't been running much and it was hot out. In the last 2 months the only hard running I have done has been in the last 3 xterra races and I only started back with consistent running the week of Bama. So, I knew it would be a hard 10k but I wasn't sure if I would blow up. I felt pretty good the first 2 miles but I was a little scared I would run out of gas. I ended up catching Cody before the finish (he was having some stomach cramps) and I could see Will and Brandon right in front of me. Craig was right in front of them and took 5th. So, 5th-9th place were all pretty close. The shorter race distance made the race really exciting and, like I said, I really had fun. I finished 8th and jumped up to 6th in the national series.

Now it is time for me to get back to base building and strength work. I am excited to log some bigger, consistent hours and focus on staying healthy. My leg seems to be good and we are increasing my running gradually. The focus now will be on worlds in Maui. I plan to go to Nationals too but the focus will be worlds b/c it gives me more time to build up and hopefully stay injury free.

I have a lot of travel on tap over the next month...lots of Skinfit events to go to. So, I will be busy, busy but it is all good b/c it is all stuff I love.
Have a good week out there and stay tuned!