The Coach Buzz ...

The above pic i s from Lake Tekapo, which is about half way be tween Wanaka and Christchurch, New Zealand. The church in the foreground is one of first in the area. In the background yo u have Lake Tekapo, which is a really deep shade of green, and the southern alps behind it. I had to wait a while to get this pic without tourists, but it was worth it. This pic is one of about 500 that I have taken, so look for a few more to be posted in the coming days. - My time away from North American is quickly coming to a close and I have seen and learned a lot. The first 5 weeks were spent with Brett Sutton in the Philippines, then the nex t 8 we r e i n Albury NSW, Australia training with friends and finally the last 2 were racing and training in New Zealand. - The Philippines gave me a first hand look at what it is like to live in a 3rd world Asian country. I didn't particularly enjoy the living situation there, but it definitely gives you good perspective on how most people live in thes

Many of you have looked at my 2009 race schedule and asked if I have a new focus for the coming year. So I thought I would answer this one on my blog. Ironman has been the primary focus of my racing since I have gotten into the sport. The challenge of racing all day and pushing your body over 8, 9 or 10 hours has become a passion of mine. But over the last few years, I have realized that my strength may be elsewhere in the sport...the 70.3 distance, or half ironman . Whether it be physical or physiological, I seem to go the best when racing for 4 hours. I will still be racing Ironman Wisconsin in September, but until then my number one focus will be the half ironman distance. In addition to the half ironman , I will also be taking part in more short local events to help build up my top end. I am very excited for the coming year and will post all the latest news on my blog. you can also visit my website regarding clinics and camps for the coming season. +++++++++++++++++++ On another