Today was UGLY!

Today started at 4 am with a wake up to get out to the Desert Classic DU. All the rain made setting up a Skinfit booth impossible so I ended up networking, handing out catalogs, and supporting Renata for her race. It was miserable out there...wet and cold. Of course, the one time I don't pack my Skinfit rain gear it is pouring...nothing like a garbage bag though to keep you dry =)

I skipped the race and got my training in later in the day when it wasn't raining ;) Weak maybe but I think it is just smart =) Ice bath done and we are off to dinner. Some training in the morning and then we are head back to sunny San Diego (hopefully!) Have fun out there!

Day 5: Rest

Day 4...some recovery workouts and a much better mtn bike.

Day 4 started with an easy run and a swim workout. Then we had a few hours to rest up and get some work done before ripping some of the best singletrack I have ever ridden. We met up with our good friend Brian and he served as our tour guide.
I really LOVE the trails in Arizona. This training camp has been awesome...it will be an annual thing for sure! I felt much better on the bike today...finally riding more technically sounds and able to go a bit harder. Here are some pics from our ride...all the boys were rocking Skinfit. Makes me so proud =)

Tomorrow we have a run and a ride in prep for our race on Sunday. Have fun out there!

Day 3...a little rough!

Today was a distance swim workout and a long ride. Lets just say I had a HORRIBLE day on the bike. Didn't feel good at all, got a flat, powertap computer came flying off mid ride so had to track that down, stomach pains the entire time (not sure but maybe too much coffee or something I ate), the list goes on.
The only positive things on the ride are seen in the pictures below....tons of sunshine and great views! Tomorrow is another full day and I trust I will feel better after my ice bath =)

And the comments about the beer selection in my last post were appropriate but I must say I had no hand in selecting these and we made due with what we had. The selection of beer in the house has since changed and is more on par with what you guys can appreciate.

Day 2 in AZ

It was a full day today with a morning track workout, 3 hr harder mtn ride with some hill repeats and some short harder efforts, and a swim workout. Tommorrow is another long day of training. Weather has been awesome and it should be warmer tomorrow. Here are some pics from the day...

--Pure recovery baby...ice bath in Tom's pool and a beer to take our minds off the chilly water

--Track essentials

--Amazing ride today...sooooo much fun!

--Tom taking it to the hill

--Renata napping after some hard riding

--Gotta love that the pool is 3 minutes away!

Stay tuned for day 3...gonna be a good one!

The three F's

Today is the first day of my 2010 Arizona training camp.  We got here late last night after a long drive and VERY busy day (Renata Bucher is with me and we are staying with stud mtn biker and good friend Tom).  I no longer have B & L to tend to so I am 100% focused on Skinfit and racing.  It feels good but not sure it has hit me that I now have 7 days a week to focus on my priorities.  I am sure it will hit me this friday when I am training all day =)
The weather is perfect and I am really happy about this.  The trails are in prime condition and we have a great tour guide in Tom.  The whole goal for this week long training camp is to find my three F's...fitness, feel, and finesse.  I have none of these on the bike right now so I am just suffereing through my rides on the mountain bike.  So much time away from riding trails really hurts the fitness and feel.  I would be lying if I wasn't a bit pissed today on our 2:40 climbing fest on the bike.  I feel SOOO slow right now and my technical skills are lacking.  I just tried to remind myself that I have been out of this hardcore training world for a while now and the whole reason I am here is to mind my "mojo!"  It really helps to have good riders to train with b/c I know it will speed up my progression.
We started the day with a 4k swim at the Catus Aquatic Center...it was solid workout.  Then Tom got back from a meeting and we hit the trails for some VERY long climbs....the views were worth every second of my suffereing though.  The riding was pretty technical both uphill and downhill so it was the perfect chance for me to find fitness and work on my handeling skills.
Been knnocking out a little work post ride and now it is time for a 60 min trail run.  Then hit the pool in the backyard to ice the legs (gotta love this! ), the grocery store and some grub!
Tomorrow is big day with some serious intensity...it's crunch time!  Love it!
I will try to post everyday of the camp so stay tuned.  I have the camara with me so I will snap as many pics as possible.
Have fun out there!

Training is hard!

The past week has been fun and full of hard training. Over the weekend a bunch of us did the tri club duathlon and it was tough but fun. Renata Bucher and her boyfriend Simon came out to the race and then we had a bunch of other Skinfit athletes out there tearing it up. The B & L crew was in full-effect. Mike Clinch won his second race in a row...so happy to see him doing well. He is a great athlete and a super nice guy. Brandon Mills was also out there making it look easy. I would be lying if I said I felt anything but horrible. When Jim and I looked back at the last week it wasn't a big surprise. I ran more and harder then I have in nearly 18 months. Running beats you up, no getting around it. I am happy to be putting in the work b/c it will pay huge dividends. I am already feeling much better on the run and I am sure with some rest this will be evident. My knee is feeling great and has been a non-issue, even with the increased running load.

My swim seems to be coming along and I am getting back some of the feel for the water. My fitness will continue to develop and I have no doubt I will be swimming faster then ever before. i am already hitting times that I thought would come a month down the road.

All the rain has made the trails a bit of a mess so I haven't been on the mtn bike for a while. Today Renata and I hit the trails for a few hrs. It was a bit muddy but not too bad. Mtn biking is so challenging but I love it. I can really feel my lack of bike fitness on the mtn bike though. You can't really fake hard, technical climbs! The fitness and the handling skills will all come back with some hard work. I am really loving my training right now. Jim is challenging me and it has been great having him there to push me and evaluate my form and fitness. I am certain that all of the "new" workouts I am doing will get me to the next level.

I will be in Arizona all next week to train with my buddy Tom. The plan is to put in a very focused training camp where there is good weather, perfect trail networks, and great people to train with. Then I am back for a week and then up to San Luis Obispo for another 10 day training camp. Time to buckle down, the training is ramping up! I LOVE IT!

Alright, that is it from here. Have a good one!

Oh, and if you want to make it to the SLO training camp let me know and I will get you the details. It will be a great chance to train hard, get video analysis (swim and run) and get some great one-on-one coaching.

What's up? A lot!

A lot has been going on in my life over the past week. A lot of very promising things to be precise and I am excited about the way things are going.
Skinfit is growing rapidly. The relationships I have forged with individual athletes and teams are paying dividends and I have truly enjoyed working with old and new Skinfit partners. I really do love my "job" and the opportunities it presents. Things will only continue to get better on this front as the year progresses so I am excited about this.
Regarding training, things are coming along nicely. My knee is feeling good and workouts have been getting better. Jim has me training hard and I am really liking the "new" workouts. It has been great having him look after me and he has taught me a lot already. It helps a ton to be able to train with your coach on a regular basis. For instance, Jim and I just finished up a harder run and his guidance throughout the workout was great. We have some good training plans on tap and I have no doubt he will have me ready to roll when it counts. Thanks Jim!
I would be lying if I said I wasn't tired from all the training. However, I know my body is still getting used to the stress of training again (8 months is a long time to take off!) and things will get easier over time. Well, the workouts will get harder I am sure but my ability to handle multiple workouts per day and put together solid weeks and months will come with time.
On another note, I put in my 2 weeks notice at B & L yesterday. I am a bit sad to move on b/c I truly do like the people I work with and I have learned a lot from everyone there. It is a great shop with great people! However, when we moved down here the focus was on two things, Skinfit and racing. Obviously, given my injury, etc. the focus shifted but now that things are moving in the right direction it is time to refocus on what I set out to do. So, I am all in...it is Skinfit and racing full-time and I have no intention of falling short of my goals on either front. I will be traveling a lot for races (personal ones and Skinfit event) so it would be impossible to juggle the bike shop and everything else. I also have a lot in the works for Skinfit, one of which is a showroom, so I will need every minute of everyday to get my work done.
So, I am busy to say the least but I am busy with things I am very passionate about. A lot of risk has been taken in the past year and leaving B & L is one more but, I believe firmly that a life lived without risk is a life lived with regret. I think you all know I refuse to live me life with regret...I made this promise to myself 14 months ago when I left corporate America and I am not about to go back on my promise.
That is it from here. Have fun out there!
 I need to start packing my camera again...the lack of pics is even bothering me ;)