The season in numbers…Hmmm. I really don’t have too many numbers yet. It’s really been more about the season and events and things I see along the way.

After Jessi and I carefully merge our calendars every Sunday (which just might be my favorite time of the week…and it has nothing to do with the calendar merging but the conversation) the training takes shape. I feel a bit like a hamster, but that’s okay. I might get up in the morning and put a little time on the Computrainer. I eventually get bored after a bit and then I watch what local news there is before Emma gets up and Jessi and I start our morning routines. She makes the lunches and I make breakfast and coffee…normally. I have been known to drop the ball completely from time to time, but I usually pull my weight.

A couple days a week my afternoons find me at Oz splashing around. Michelle, the Oz general manager, has set some time aside for “Master Swimming.” Though it is not officially Master Swimming, it is an opportunity for people to lap swim without people with flotation dumbbells thrashing around in a lane…not that I am against that, just not while I am swimming if at all avoidable. I know swimming alone is not ideal to improve fitness, but it does offer me the opportunity to get in a few yards and get the feel for the water back. The Oz pool is quite warm, so it will be a bit of a shock in Oceanside when the water is in the upper 50’s. Eeek!

Another swimming activity I have been taking part in is watching Emma’s swim practice. I know, you can’t get better by watching a sport…but I disagree. I watch these coaches give their feedback with these kids and I take note as well. It’s kind of like watching tapes of a game to know what you do right and wrong. It’s also a time that Jessi and I often hang out and admire Emma’s pure joy of swimming. It blows us away. She will be late for everything. But not swimming. It normally takes her 20 minutes to put on her shoes, but she can go from a dead sleep, with clothes on, and be swim ready in 30 seconds and be yelling at you to hurry up and get in the car. You give her the option not to swim, and she won’t take it. I don’t know too many people with her drive and the smile that goes along with it. Who knows how long she will swim for, but right now she loves it and loves her coaches.

Next word…treadmill. There, I said it. Treadmill. How many people have stopped reading now? I tell ya, up until this year I would laugh at those that chose to run indoors…laugh I say! Because there is never a reason not to run outside. You tell me one reason you can’t, and I will come up with 10 reasons you can. BUT, this year we purchased a used treadmill for $100 from a friend so that Jessi can get some workouts in while pregnant and not slip on ice and when the baby is here, is able to sneak in a run or two. Well, I just so happened to have injured myself in November. I screwed up my calf and knew the journey back would be a slow one. So I started with walking on the treadmill in mid December. That walk, weeks later, turned into an easy jog. That easy jog turned into a longer easy jog…and that’s where I feel like I am now. Maybe a bit more than easy jog though.

One part of training that I have always been a believer in is documenting your training. We all know that it’s important, but we often fall victim to time. But I figured if I started to see the little I was doing, it would eventually add up to more than a little. I have been using TrainingPeaks. It’s free and does more than 99.99% of people will ever use it for. I am a data guy and am always trying to make a 10 minute mile look like a 5 minute mile. I have not been able to do that, but I have been able to see trends and things that show that there has been some progress. And really, that’s all we ever want.

Through training it’s always nice to have a few toys that keep your interest. There is no doubt that the one thing that puts a little pop in all our step is music. I have to say that I train almost all the time with something in my ears. No, not swimming…yet. I can listen to the same 5 songs over and over. I don’t think I really listen though. It’s just background noise. I really enjoy listening to podcasts too. Three of my favorites are The Competitors, Packfiller, and IM Talk. All of them have their own variety. I had the opportunity to meet Bob Babbit from Competitor Radio at the TIMEX Multisport camp a few weeks ago. I have been listening to him for the past 3 years. It was amazing to sit and chat with him for hours about sport related stuff…and some not so sport related. What an amazing person.

Another couple items that I have entertained me along the way, and given me data as well, are my Timex Global Trainer and the new Race Trainer Pro. If you want to see a little video of the new Race Trainer Pro, click here. It will be available late March 2011. Both these devices download to TrainingPeaks where I can see everything I need to. The Global Trainer shows everything from pace, map, distance, speed, cadence, power, etc, etc, etc. It’s crazy. The Race Trainer Pro is super for all your heart race needs and quickly and easily uploads to TrainingPeaks as well. I like gadgets…these both make my training go by a tad faster.

Even with the best laid out plans, things happen that kick our asses. Since December I have been sick on 2 different occasions. That pretty much wipes out 1 week per illness at least. But, I have found since my cycling days when I was a mere 13 years old, that when you are sick your training should be to get healthy. The sooner you are back on top, the sooner you can resume regular workouts. So I feel that the 2 weeks I lost was okay…not ideal…but okay. I was super fortunate to have a supportive family that eventually told me to stop whining like a baby. So I did, and got up and got going again.

So though training has been okay, and I have been getting over the occasional hurdle, the big event is yet to come. That being May 15^th when our little boy is supposed to make his debut. When that day comes, though we’d like to think that the world will stop for a day or two, it won’t but we will. Emma is so excited and trying to figure out what he will be like and what he will want to do for fun. Jessi and are just wondering what new changes will be made. Kind of fun, and crazy, when you have no control over things that you know are coming. I think that’s good.

Count Chocula, Races, and Trainers

Hmmm...where to start. It has been a very slow start to the season for me this year after being hit by a car on my bike last season. The biggest hurdle is figuring out if my shoulder can handle swimming again. So the slow return ensued. It started with minimal effort and minimal yardage. Even then, I knew I was asking more from my shoulder than it wanted to give. But after working with Brian Mather, I trusted that what he said was 'okay,' truly was. Many people have asked, "How is your riding and running." To be straight, I have not focused too much on those since everything hinged on the variable of my ability to swim. If you can't swim, it's hard to make it to the bike and the run. So first things first.

Through a very slow build process, and a lot of muscle stimulation and isolated muscle work, I can say that swimming seems to be coming along at the moment. That is not to say that I don't find myself rubbing my shoulder from time to time, or rotating it around and around trying to alleviate some soreness...but all in all I think I am making ground on where I was after the accident. I think that is all you can ask for. I have not really had too many set backs in swimming, so that's good. My swim endurance is coming along, but speed still needs some work.

So with that off the table, training can slowly resume in the form of running and riding. Yikes. I ran outside last week and I think it took me a week to recover...seriously. I am bummed that our weather has not been cooperating either for outdoor rides. Last year, I don't think I had to ride on the trainer at all. This year, it looks like it will be necessary. Yawn...you want to make time completely stop, I can do that if you put me on a trainer :) Mark Hodgson said recently on a the Packfiller podcast that if he was only give on year to live, he would spend it on a bike trainer
because it would seem like time would stand still. 1 year would seem like 20. I thought that was a very good point.

So what does this year look like in terms of races? Tough call right now. Jessi and I sat down a bit ago and looked at many things coming down the road. The first and foremost, is our son being born ~May 15th. We decided that anything after that was a tad 'up in the air.' But before that monumental date, we could schedule. After that, we looked at when Emma had big swim meets and made sure that we were there for those. Then we looked at some races for me that I would be interested in doing. Since they would have to be before May (though that does not fit in my current fitness progression), I would probably need to travel to them. I like to keep travel time and stress to a minimum, so I decided on 2 of my favorite races...Oceanside 70.3 and Wildflower. Not only are they some of the most competitive, they are on the west coast and fairly easy to travel to. I have raced them multiple times in past, so being familiar with a course and its surroundings are important to me.

Both races provide an opportunity to race in a World Championship later in the year which appeals to me at this point. Wildflower is offering some slots to ITU Long Course World Champs in November (the 5th I think), and Oceanside has the traditional 70.3 World Champs that will be in Vegas this year; moving from Clearwater (finally) on September 11th (my birthday). Since Jessi is intimately involved with the REV3 races, I know we will be going over to Portland for that event on July 10th. I have heard rumor that this is a tough bike course and VERY technical...I'm in if it works out for the family. Beyond that, who knows. So, in short, I have 3 races. Maybe 5 if things go well. I have a few other things in the hopper, but those will not be decided upon until our new little boy is born. For a boy name, I am pushing for Count Chocula.

Caffeine in English

I read this and thought that is put things in easy to understand language. This article can be found at: http://www.powerbar.com/articles/218/caffeine-and-athletic-performance.aspx

Caffeine is the kick in your coffee. It gets you up and going in the morning, and helps keep you going when you start dragging. The benefit of a caffeine lift is not lost on athletes. In fact, among some of the world’s best endurance athletes — Ironman triathlon competitors — almost three-fourths reported using caffeine to improve athletic performance. And yet many of these same top athletes confess to being unsure about how much caffeine they need for a performance boost, not to mention the caffeine content of common foods and beverages.

Caffeine 101
1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, aka caffeine, is the world’s most consumed natural pharmacologic agent. Found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans (and therefore chocolate), and kola nuts, caffeine consumption is almost unavoidable. Roughly 9 out of every 10 adults in the US consume caffeine, averaging 238 mg every day — the equivalent of 2–3 cups of coffee. Upwards of 20–30% of us consume a whopping 600 mg of caffeine daily. About 71% of our caffeine comes from coffee, 16% from tea, and 12% from soft drinks and energy drinks. And we are not alone. Coffee, which is chock-full of caffeine, is the beverage of choice around the globe.

Why all the fuss about caffeine? It’s all about the buzz. Caffeine functions as a mild stimulant: It helps wake us up, and it keeps us going when we might otherwise throw in the towel. No surprise — athletes are very interested in using those qualities to their advantage

Effects vary by sport
The data are pretty convincing that caffeine is effective at improving athletic performance across a number of different sports. It’s been shown to improve endurance and time trial performance in cyclists, increase endurance in runners, and improve performance times and boost power in rowers. It’s also been shown to improve performance in cycling and running events lasting approximately 5 minutes, and to increase peak power output, speed, and isokinetic strength in sprint and power events lasting less than 10 seconds. Researchers studying tennis players found that caffeine increased hitting accuracy, speed and agility, and overall playing success on the court. And players reported feeling more energy late in their matches.

While the evidence supports a performance-boosting effect of caffeine for a number of sports and events, it doesn’t help in all cases. Specifically, caffeine has been shown to have no effect, and may even be a negative factor, in sprint and power events lasting anywhere from 15 seconds to 3 minutes.

How it works
Caffeine has a wide range of effects on the human body; it affects hormonal, metabolic, muscular, cardiovascular, kidney, and respiratory functions. It also influences the central nervous system, where it acts as a stimulant by interfering with the binding of the brain chemical adenosine to its receptors. Adenosine affects nerve cell activity, and it works opposite to caffeine. Where adenosine has a calming effect because it slows the activity of nerve cells, caffeine speeds up the activity of these cells. Thus, caffeine reduces tiredness, increases alertness, improves mood, confers a sense of being energized, enhances concentration, and helps to speed reaction time. Exactly how the hormonal, metabolic, physiologic, and central nervous system effects of caffeine work together to improve athletic performance remains a matter of study. However, one performance benefit in particular stands out: For many athletes, caffeine lowers the perception of the intensity or difficulty of exercise. So, you’re able to compete or train at a higher intensity for longer, without actually feeling like you are working harder.

But is it legal?
Because of its ergogenic effects, caffeine at high doses used to be on the list of banned substances for Olympic athletes. But because caffeine confers performance benefits in relatively small amounts and its use is so widespread, the ban was lifted in 2004.

Caffeine sensitivity
That same stimulant effect that helps propel you through the last few miles of a marathon may actually impair performance for someone who is sensitive to caffeine. For example, in some individuals, almost any amount of caffeine seems to interfere with sleep patterns. This can spell disaster before an important competition, and can also undermine training. Also, if you’re caffeine-sensitive, the accompanying jitteriness and anxiety may compound the pre-game jitters you already feel. Headaches, dizziness, and stomachaches are other possible caffeine-related side effects for those who are sensitive to it. So, if you fall into this camp, take a pass on caffeine.

How much caffeine is effective?
Athletes interested in the potential performance-boosting benefits of caffeine are often uncertain about how much caffeine to consume and when to consume it in relation to exercise.

A moderate dose of caffeine is all that’s needed. Higher doses are more likely to cause unwanted side effects, and there’s no evidence that more caffeine provides greater performance benefits.

The recommended amount of caffeine for performance improvement is in the range of 0.45–1.36 mg caffeine per lb body weight (1–3 mg per kg). For a 150-lb (68-kg) athlete, that equates to a dose of 68–204 mg of caffeine. It’s a good idea to use the lowest amount that’s effective for you, because, again, more does not mean better. When caffeine intake gets too high, there is an increase in side effects like jitteriness, nervousness, insomnia, headache, dizziness, and gastrointestinal distress, all of which can impair your athletic performance.

Timing of intake in relation to exercise
Caffeine is readily absorbed by your digestive tract. In fact, caffeine concentration in the bloodstream peaks 30–60 minutes after ingestion and stays high for 3–4 hours. On average, about half of it is gone within 4–6 hours, and 75% is cleared within 6–7 hours. So, as a general rule, consuming caffeine about an hour before your event will help to ensure that blood levels are high when you begin competing; your window of opportunity for obtaining a performance benefit from caffeine is probably about 4 hours from the time you consume it.

That being said, you don’t need to consume all your caffeine before exercise, especially for longer endurance events. Studies have compared taking a full dose of caffeine an hour before exercise to taking half the dose an hour before and the other half 45 minutes into exercise. Both regimens improved performance times similarly in comparison to a control group. Another study compared taking the full amount of caffeine an hour before exercise to taking the caffeine in divided doses every half hour during exercise. Here again, both regimens improved performance times similarly.

Putting this into practice, if you weigh 150 lbs (68 kg) and require 0.90 mg caffeine per lb body weight (2 mg per kg) for a 3-hour event, the 136 mg of caffeine can be taken all at once about an hour before competing, or it can be taken in divided doses prior to and during the competition.

Tolerance, withdrawal, and your caffeine usage strategy
There’s more to the caffeine story than dosage and timing. Caffeine tolerance and withdrawal symptoms need to be considered.

If you’re new to caffeine, you’ll probably experience a noticeable buzz or jolt the first time you consume a moderate dose. But if you consume that same amount of caffeine every day, after about 5 or 6 days, the stimulant effects are much less obvious. This is because you develop a tolerance or diminished response to caffeine with repeated doses.

The other side of the tolerance coin is withdrawal. Once you grow used to a certain daily intake of caffeine, stopping abruptly can lead to withdrawal symptoms, most commonly, a bad headache. Withdrawal also can have a less obvious, but detrimental, impact on athletic performance. Withdrawal symptoms peak in a day or two, and are usually completely gone within 4–7 days. If you resume caffeine intake in the midst of withdrawal, the symptoms, including headache, usually disappear pretty quickly.

Take caffeine tolerance and withdrawal into consideration when you formulate your caffeine usage strategy:

• If you are a caffeine novice, you can use caffeine to get you through 3 or 4 days of intense workouts, as you gear up for a competition. Do this by starting with a low dose of 0.45–0.9 mg caffeine per lb (1–2 mg per kg) body weight, and then increase the dosage a bit each day to achieve the same effect.
• If you’ve got a well-established caffeine habit, beware of the unintended withdrawal. For example, this can occur when you’re on your way to a competition, stuck in a remote airport with absolutely no coffee to be had anywhere. Unintended withdrawal can also occur when training in hot weather. You’ll probably notice the telltale pounding headache. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can impair your ability to perform during a competition, so be sure to plan ahead and have a caffeine source handy if your usual fix is in short supply.
• If you’re a regular caffeine user and you want to optimize the benefits of caffeine ingestion for an important competition, first wean yourself off caffeine gradually over 3–4 days to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Do this about a week before the competition, so you’re completely free of any withdrawal effects. Then, once you’re off caffeine, resume a moderate intake of 0.45–1.36 mg caffeine per lb (1–3 mg per kg) body weight on the day of your competition. You’ll get the desired stimulant effects again, just like a caffeine novice would experience.
• Finally, if the mere thought of tapering your caffeine intake before a competition leaves you dysfunctional, stick with your current regimen, but consume some extra caffeine before and during your event to get an extra kick.

Caffeine sources
Although coffee is the most widely consumed caffeine source, it may not be the best source for improving athletic performance. One reason is that you can never quite be sure what amount of caffeine you’re getting in that fresh-brewed cup of java, because of the inherent variability in coffee sources and differences in preparation methods. Another reason is that there may be other factors in coffee that antagonize or impair the performance-boosting effects of caffeine. In a study of treadmill runners, endurance times were improved when athletes were given a standardized dose of caffeine, but not when given that same dose in the form of coffee.

An advantage of the caffeinated energy gels and cola drinks that are often available at aid stations during running events and triathlons is that their caffeine dosages are more uniform and dependable. This can be helpful in ensuring that you get the caffeine dose you know from training to be effective.

The table below provides some idea of the caffeine amounts in typical caffeine sources that athletes rely upon. Beverages are often the most concentrated caffeine sources, but levels can vary considerably from one beverage to the next. Complicating matters is the fact that manufacturers are not required to list on the label the quantity of caffeine in their products. So, if you have a favorite caffeine fix, but aren’t too sure how much it’s packing, do some searching on the Internet to try to nail down the dosage you are getting.

POWERBAR GEL energy gels and POWERBAR GEL BLASTS energy chews are available with or without caffeine. These energy gels and energy chews can be used to help meet your caffeine load in the hour before exercise, or during an event, when you need that extra kick to push you through to the finish.

Practical application
If you’d like to know if caffeine might help to boost your athletic performance, follow these guidelines:

• Don’t begin experimenting with caffeine at an important event or competition. Test the impact of caffeine on your performance during a few race-pace training sessions.
• Use the lowest possible amount that is effective for you. More is not necessarily better.
• Keep in mind that you will develop a tolerance to your usual caffeine intake, and there are symptoms associated with sudden caffeine withdrawal. Both of these issues need to be factored into your caffeine usage strategy.
• Remember that caffeine can produce side effects. If you feel uncomfortably jittery, anxious, hyper, or if your heart is racing, dial back your dosage. And if you can’t seem to find a caffeine level that leaves you feeling comfortable, skip it entirely. Caffeine doesn’t work for everyone.

References:
Desbrow B. Leveritt M. Well-trained endurance athletes’ knowledge, insight, and experience of caffeine use. Int J Sports Nutr Exerc Metab 2007;17:328–339.

Sokmen B, Armstrong LE, Kraemer WJ, Casa DJ, Dias JC, Judelson DA, Maresh CM. Caffeine use in sports: considerations for the athlete. J Strength Conditioning Res 2008;22:978–986.

Armstrong LE, Casa DJ, Maresh CM, Ganio MS. Caffeine, fluid-electrolyte balance, temperature regulation, and exercise-heat tolerance. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2007;35:135–140.

Burke L, Cort M, Cox G, Crawford R, Desbrow B, Farthing L, Minehan M, Shaw N, Warnes O. Supplements and sports foods. In: Burke L, Deakin V. Clinical Sports Nutrition. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, 2006;485–581.

Website resource: http://wilstar.com/caffeine.htm

New PowerBar Perform Sports Drink

This is what will be used at Ironman Events

Recently I had the opportunity to use the new PowerBar drink in training. Originally I only had it in the premixed bottles which sure was nice...but took up some space. But it does come in a powder form which is a bit easier for when you have time to mix it up.

Probably the most important thing for me in a sports drink is if I will drink it. There are many out there that are simply too sweet for me and it ends up sitting in my bottles for me to dump out at the end of a ride. So that is the first marker. Because if a drink it 'perfect' in every way, but does not taste good, you don't tend to drink it. I like the flavor of the new PowerBar drink and its mild sweetness.

The next step is looking at the electrolyte make up and the rest of the nutritional information. For those of you that NEED to know EXACTLY what is in it, here you go.

Carbon Seat Posts. Lube it right...torque it right

Many people have been having trouble with carbon seat posts slipping. I have seen all kinds of solutions which I always say, "It may work for a bit, but that is not designed to do that." So, there is a right way, and then there are other ways. The other ways people seem to think work range from loads of tape, cleaning off the post and cleaning out the frame so it's bone dry, and then also using traditional grease. Those ways are not recommended. Instead, use a carbon specific grease and tighten your bolts to recommended torque specifications. Here is a step by step method that Morgan, from Fitness Fanatics, demonstrates.

Finishline Fiber Grip

Get a portion of it on your finger...

and rub it up and down the post...about 3-4" from the bottom.

Insert the post back into the frame...

Torque to appropriate load. Most seatpost require anywhere from 4 to 6 Nm, and they normally say what the Nm they require on the seatpost cuff.

If you don't have a torque wrench, and you have a bike with many carbon parts, I strongly suggest you invest in this tool. Frame manufacturers are not warrantying bikes that are cracked because of owners over tightening bolts. And one of the most common bolt that is over tightened is the seat post because people use the wrong grease. Horrible cycle.

Group Riding Etiquette

After riding in many groups, I started to come up with a list of suggestions. After searching around a bit for some pics, I stumbled upon some other 'lists' and now I will post them here.

Group riding can be a lot of fun when people all are 'speaking the same language.' As triathletes, we often train alone and therefore really only pay attention to what we need. But change that solo ride into a group (4+) and the dynamics change quite a bit. What we think is common sense, we soon realize isn't so common afterall.

Although cycling has its benefits and is relaxing and fun, it’s always more pleasurable to ride with someone than to ride alone. However, riding with someone or riding in a group requires adherence to certain rules. It also requires skills that may take a little practice before mixing it up with the local club. No one likes a squirrel in the pack so I thought I’d outline several common sense "rules" of etiquette to follow when we are out there enjoying the scenery with a group of friends. These "rules" will increase your enjoyment and safety whether you are just putzing along or if you are hammering in a fast paced training ride. You surely don’t want to peel yourself off the pavement or cause someone else to be seriously injured by displaying poor riding habits.
Be Predictable—This may be the most important rule (even for solo riding) and it involves every aspect of riding from changing positions in the group to following the traffic rules. You might say that all the other rules support this one. Smooth predictable riding isn’t just a matter of style. If unpredictability is the only predictable part of your riding style, you are a hazard to yourself and everyone else who has the misfortune to ride with you. Have you ever been on a ride where the group stops at an intersection and people scatter all over the lane? Some going through on the wrong side of the road and others turning left from the right side? Some running the stop sign and others doing it right? It’s confusing and irritating to drivers of vehicles as they approach a situation where cyclists are going in all different directions or just blowing through stops. Part of being predictable is riding within the rules of the road as a vehicle. Groups should maintain integrity when approaching intersections. That means staying in the correct lane, stopping together, and starting together as traffic allows. It goes without saying that if we demand the right to ride on the road, then we must be willing to ride responsibly...especially as a group.


Don’t Overlap Wheels—This habit will get you in real trouble. This is a good way to test your ability to do cartwheels if you don't adhere to this rule. Some people do it from lack of concentration, others may just not know any better, but sooner or later they'll crash. There is no recovery from a front wheel deflection. All it takes is for the person in front to move sideways a few inches...if someone is overlapping his wheel, that someone will go down along with practically everyone who is behind him. Many times the person in front can recover, but not the people behind.


Be Steady—This includes speed and line. If the person behind you fails to adhere to #2, you will contribute to a crash if you wallow around all over the road. When everyone is working for the group, maintain a steady speed as you go to the front. Ever notice how easy it is to ride behind some folks? If you take note of their riding style you’ll probably notice they don’t yo-yo around in the pack. They are rock steady. When they take the lead, they don't accelerate. If they are strong enough to accelerate the group, they do it after the previous pull has rejoined the rear of the group and then only gradually so as to not string out the pack. When they are leading, they ride a straight line and their speed will be constant with the conditions. What a joy to ride with someone like this. Sometimes steady doesn’t just mean speed. It means steady pressure on the pedals…uphill or downhill, headwind or tailwind. When you are following someone like this, life is good! When they are following, they don’t make sudden moves or they know how to control their spacing by using their body position instead of using the brakes. Sudden braking will set off general alarms from everyone in the rear and make you very unpopular. If you do use the brakes, feather the front brake only and keep pedaling against the resistance. This allows you to moderate your speed without disturbing trailing riders.



Announce Hazards—When you are in the lead, you are responsible for the safety of everyone behind you. You will become very unpopular very quickly if people behind you keep bouncing off of potholes, running over rocks, or reacting to unsafe traffic situations that you fail to point out. You need to be very vocal when approaching intersections, slowing, stopping, or turning and all actions should be smooth and deliberate. Sudden, unannounced actions will throw terror into any peloton. Riders in the pack should relay these warnings to the rear. When you are following, announce oncoming traffic from the rear…in this case others should relay this info toward the front.

Signal—Signaling lets everyone (vehicles and riders) know your intentions…remember #1? This makes you predictable. Also, it’s a good idea to make eye contact with oncoming traffic at intersections. One note here, use your right arm straight out to signal a right turn. It’s uncool to stick out your left bent arm to signal a right turn; more importantly, it’s impracticable and ineffective. In a big group combine this with a loud vocal warning of your intentions.

Don’t Fixate—If you are staring at something (i.e., the wheel in front of you), eventually you’ll hit it! When you walk in a crowd, you don’t stare at the back of the person in front of you…so you shouldn’t ride like that either. Learn to be comfortable looking around or through the riders ahead of you. This will allow you to see things that are developing in front of the group. With a little practice you will be able to "sense" how far you are off the wheel in front of you.

Stay Off Aero Bars—This shouldn’t require much discussion. They are much too unstable to be used in a group ride. Plus, you don't need to be on aero bars if you are in a pack as you will receive more aerodynamic effect from the other riders anyway. Maybe...one exception…when you are at the front pulling you can get away with it, but never, never, never when you are within the group or following a wheel. I know there are some people, usually triathletes, who are more comfortable on the bars. But, sooner or later, steering with your elbows in a group will add new meaning to the term "lunch on the road." Use aero bars for what they are meant for...solo fast riding.

Don’t Leave Stragglers— If you get separated at intersections, as a matter of courtesy, the lead group should soft pedal until the rest have rejoined. Another note here is that if you are the one who will be caught by the light, don't run the red light to maintain contact. If they don't wait for you to catch up, you may not want to be riding with them anyway. Also as a courtesy to those who may not be able to stay with the group, the pack should wait at certain points along the route to regroup. Especially, at turn points and if the stragglers don’t know the route. No one should be left alone on a group ride. If you don't adhere to this rule, your "group" will get smaller each week until you're riding solo.

Know Your Limitations—If you’re not strong enough or too tired to take a turn at the front, stay near the back and let the stronger cyclists pull in front of you instead of making them go to the back of the line. Unless they are a complete...well you know...they will appreciate that more than having to get past you to get back to the front. Plus, it strokes the animal's ego as you admit that he/she is the stronger rider. Another point here, don’t pull at the front faster and longer than you have energy to get back in at the rear (Remember, your "pull" isn't over until you do). I've seen this scenario many times, it comes "biker wannabe's" time to take his/her pull and the pace is getting up there. The thoughts running through his/her mind is, "I need to show these guys that I can pull 2 mph faster than everyone else has been pulling." They go to the front and hammer. Legs begin to burn after a monumental pull...now it's time to pull over and let some "lesser" rider take a turn. Well, the "lesser" biker is all refreshed after tagging on a wheel and is ready to punch it up another notch. It's bye-bye to the first rider as he/she gets blown off the back...toast! Testosterone and ego is a volatile mix and it can get you dropped in a heartbeat.

Change Positions Correctly—A common beginner faux pas is to stop pedaling just before pulling off the front. This creates an accordion effect toward the rear. Keep a steady pressure on the pedals until you have cleared the front. After pulling off, soft pedal and let the group pull through. As the last couple riders are passing through, begin to apply more pressure to smoothly take your position at the rear. If you don’t time it correctly, you’ll create a gap and have to sprint to get back on. A technique used to reenter the line is to move your bike sideways first then your body. Try it. It will feel awkward at first, but it is the safest way to move within a group. It's just a small subtle move not an exaggerated one. If you lean your body first and misjudge the speed or the person in front of you slows down, you’ll touch wheels and be leaning the wrong way…bad situation! If you move the bike first, you will have a chance to pull it back.

Climbing—Ever been behind someone when they stood up going up hill and all of a sudden you were all over them? If you need to stand, shift up a gear to compensate for the slower cadence and stand up smoothly keeping a steady pressure on the pedals. This will keep you from moving backward relative to the rider behind you. Apply the opposite technique when changing to a sitting position. Downshift and keep a steady pressure on the pedals to avoid abrupt changes in speed. It takes a little practice, but your riding buddies will be glad you spent the time learning how to do it right.

Descending—The leader must overcome a much greater wind resistance as the speed increases. If you are leading, keep pedaling. If you don’t, everyone behind you will eat your lunch. Riders to the rear will accelerate faster downhill as drafting becomes more effective at the higher speeds. If you are following, back off a couple of bike lengths to compensate for the greater affects of drafting. If you are closing on the rider in front, sit up and let the wind slow you or use light braking to maintain spacing, but in both cases you should keep pedaling against the resistance. Keeping your legs moving not only makes it easier to keep the spacing, but also helps the legs get rid of the acid build up from the previous climb.

Relax—This one is really important. It will allow you to be smooth and responsive. You can bet that if you see someone who is riding a straight line and is very steady, he/she is relaxed on the bike. It not only saves energy, but it makes bike handling much more effective. Anytime you are riding in close proximity of other riders there's always the chance that you may come into contact. If you have tense arms and get bumped from the side, the shock will go directly to the front wheel and you will swerve, possibly lose control, and possibly cause a massive pile up. If you are relaxed, it's much easier to absorb the bump without losing control. A good exercise is to go to a grassy field (which is softer than pavement if you fall) with a friend and ride slowly side by side. Relax your arms and lightly bump each other using your relaxed elbows to absorb the (light) impact. You will become familiar with how to safely recover from that type of contact. It may save you some road rash someday.

I Love this Time of Year

This is the time of year that you just don't care about training. You go back to the roots of enjoying a run, ride, or even a swim. You workout with people you have not been able to because a ride is just that...a ride. You indulge in food that you normally would not on a ride and learn that it just may have helped. Swims at the pool are not about 'time' but about enjoying the feel of the water. Runs are not about splits, and how fast you were able to run a loop compared to last week...they are full of conversation, stops, and views. This is the time of year when you enjoy your surroundings...people, nature, yourself. This is the time when you start to again realize why you supposedly like to train/workout. It's not always about what race is next.

Then there are also those days that you simply do nothing. And that feels just as good.

Happy October people. Enjoy the lazy months while you can. Well, except those of you racing IM AZ and Clearwater :)

A Better Story

One happy...and proud...family

For the month of August it seems that Emma has been doing a lot more racing than any of us. She wanted to race the Hot Summer Nights 5k series (3 races). So, like any 7 year old, she wanted to pre run the course a few days prior. So we, as a family, decided we would. I told Emma that since the course goes right by our house, we could join the course there and do 1 loop. She said that would not work. Emma said that we needed to drive to the start and do it the "right" way. Sooo, we loaded up and headed to Twigs.

We got out and ran the course. Emma did a great job pacing herself and getting an idea as to how the course went. She remembered a lot of it from the race last year (she ran it 4 times). Afterward, I was thinking that she may rethink running it, or setting too lofty of a goal. Nope. She wanted to run faster than she did last year where her fastest time was a 34:50. If you know Emma, then you will know that when she sets goals, so will bleed through the eyes to meet them.

She ran her first race in 31:40. Holy cow! I thought a sub 33 would be great for her this year. The conditions were really good on that day so to repeat would be tough the following week. Emma did not seem to take race #2 as serious, but somehow she pulled out a 30:20. She really worked hard. She collapsed at the finish and was so excited. The last week was much hotter and conditions just did not seem the best for a PR. Jessi and I both ran with her and cheered her along. I was getting hot, so I knew her little body must be miserable. But she kept it steady and finished strong. Her goal was to beat last week's time, but her super secret goal was to go sub 30. Sub 30 was a steep goal given the conditions. But we cruised along and I knew Emma was working so hard. She was heading into the last 400 meters and we could tell she was picking it up. But she knew to make time was not about a sprint...a steady effort makes up time. So as she was approaching the final 100 she was clipping long well and when she could see the clock, she raised her hands as if winning the whole race.

Emma seeing the clock

You can almost 'feel' the excitement

Emma high 5'ing Uncle Mark

On the clock read 28:04. She was so excited to cross that line. She annihilated her super secret goal. She fell grass and was almost in tears. She did it! She set goals each week and worked to meet them. Along the way, she beat over half the women who raced...wow.