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Showing posts from June, 2008

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report

2008 Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report 10 th Professional 9:26:30 I thought I should write a race report before I forget more of the details from this last weekend. Each Ironman that I race, I find another piece or two to "the puzzle" of having a great race. This time was no exception. Improvement is ALWAYS good and this race was just that. It was my first top 10 professional finish, it was a PR on a tough course and it is the first time that I have qualified to race in Kona as an elite. All week everyone worried about the water temperature being too cold, but when we arrived at the start line on Sunday morning, it was back up to 59*F...perfect temp to me. The swim started off pretty well considering it was a beach start...I don't do well with those. I missed the front group of guys that broke away, but ended up in the second pack about 4:45 behind. There was a wicked current that seemed to push us all over the place, so everyone came out a bit slow. I exited th

The Night Before

Well, everything is done and it is raining outside...I am glad that I covered my bike up and removed the front wheel (the Bontrager wheels have holes around the spokes and can fill up with water). Today I took care of all the usuals and am now just waiting until tomorrow. At least I can follow Ironman Japan which just started. Very excited for tomorrow. Many people have asked about goals and my only goal is to have a good race. Yes there are 5 Kona slots for the men and yes two of the faster guys have their slots, but that means nothing unless I execute. So I will stay in the moment and be patient. Thank you to everyone who supports and believes in me. Family and friends have been awesome, as well as my sponsors. Please check out their links over on the side of the blog. Again, tomorrow the race will be broadcast over on http://www.ironman.com/ and starts at 6:25am Pacific Time. ~BB

One Day Closer...

Well, I have been in CDA since Monday and everything has gone really well. I woke up today and felt "normal" for the first time in a long time. No niggles, no soreness, no tightness, just felt good. The best part is that I have 3 more days to rest. I have just about everything taken care of as far as bike maintenance, errands, etc. I just have to register later today, hit the grocery store again and then finish up a little coaching work. This morning I headed down to the Gatorade Swim and it was pretty entertaining. Usually you see athletes in wetsuits with one logo of whatever brand they are rollin '. But today, because of the water there were people with branding everywhere. Neoprene caps with a logo, wetsuits with a logo, booties with a logo...pretty damn funny actually. The water temp has dropped a bit in the last few days. It has been windy, which has churned up the lake. I also think that the warmer temps have cause more snow to melt and run into the lake. I am not

CDA could be....

...the most beautiful, awesome place in the country. But don't tell anyone. That is what everyone, who lives here, tells me about this place. Ironman has put this place on the map and it is expanding everywhere you look. I am not surprised though. There are million dollar views in every direction and the summer weather here is beautiful right now. 45-55* at night and 70-80* during the day...not too many bugs and no humidity(it is at ~2200ft). I am now settled and have a great homestay right on the run course. A huge thanks to Sue for #1 Picking me up from the airport. #2 Hooking me up with a great homestay . Onto my homestay , I don't think I need to say more than "everything is great." Bill, Rebecca , Jessica and Sam have made me feel right at home. Tonight we are having a Salmon BBQ, with Salmon from the Columbia....I love the salmon...and grilling it, so maybe I'll pick up some tips! The water here is cold, but not bad. No booties needed...just a neop

The Hay Is In The Barn

This last week following the Rockman Half Ironman went very well. I have finished all key workouts and now it is time to put the feet up and stay sharp with shorter workouts with a few hard efforts. I will fly out on Monday to CDA and have a little less than a week to get familiar with the course. I can't wait to get out there. I haven't been this motivated and excited to race in long time. If I get time, I will post again before I fly out. BB

Old Position...New Position

Getting Better - Getting Lower - Old position at California 70.3 http://asiorders.com/view_user_photo.asp?EVENTID=31250&ID=48031866&FROM=photos&BIB=19 - New position going into IM CDA http://www.yoursportingimage.com/Image.asp?catalogID=2023800 - I still think I can get lower...infact I have a new stem that I am going to try after June 22nd.

Wow....great pic!

Image
Sportsmanship

Rockman Race Report

This last weekend I headed down to Rockford, IL for the second straight year for my final tune-up before Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2 weeks. Chip, the race director, is turning this race into one that is going to be around for a long time. It is a very well run event and this year, there was a pro field, as well as a $10,000 prize purse. "The boss," Kurt , and I decided to go into this race with a little less rest than California 70.3 earlier in the year. The idea would be to get a little more quality training in before Ironman Coeur d'Alene in a few weeks. As last week rolled along, I was tired and didn't start to feel better until Friday night before the race. The weather forecast looked sketchy and did not disappoint. Hot temps, humidity and high winds were forecast, along with severe weather. The day before race, there were winds gusting to 60-70mph, humid temps in the high 80's and storms with tornadoes in the area. Our plan was to dial back the watts

Resting???

What's that??? It has been over 6 weeks since I have rested to any degree...today starts the 3 easier days that I get before racing a Half Ironman on Sunday....of course an easy day is all relative...I still have a 3k swim, 2hr ride and short run, but it is a step down from what I am usually doing on Thursday!

Some People Make Me Wonder.....

...what the hell they are thinking. Sorry to all those that are use to the PG13 entries, but today I almost got smoked by a car while running....and it wasn't an accident. I was out for my run this morning and was in the middle of a tempo interval when came to a road crossing. I was on a bike path and decided to make a left hand turn onto the road. The road is wide enough to park on both sides and drive city buses down it in both directions, so you get the picture. There is a section of about 1/4 mile where I have to run on the road, where the cars are normally parked(there weren't any), before the sidewalk begins on my side of the road. So, I am running down the road and there is one car that is coming toward me, with no other cars in sight. All of a sudden, he swerves toward the curb(and me) and starts to gun it. WTF!!!! He is pointing at the sidewalk on the other side of the street, yelling(obviously), and speeding in some beat up old Chevrolet Caprice. He narrowly goes by

Reflection and a 5 Week Summary

I think that after this week of training, I have proven a lot to myself. I will be sharing a few thoughts and reflections after Ironman Coeur d'Alene. I have realized a lot in these last 5 weeks...and not just about triathlon. Here is my week 5 summary, which ended with my best big day and long run of this build. I am excited and looking forward to executing in a few weeks. Total Hours: 27:02 Total Swim - 6:24 - 24,848 yds Total Bike - 13:36 - 269 miles Total Run - 6:12 - 55 miles Total Strength - 1:00