The End is Near

The cannon for Ironman Cozumel fires in less than 48hrs.

As anyone who has read my blog through the year knows, 2011 has been a up and down year for me from a racing perspective. There have been some highs, but some definite lows as well. Ironman Cozumel will close the books on 2011 and I am looking to do so on a high note.

I have been here since Tuesday and seen much of the course as the ride consists of 3 laps of only 60K and the run is right outside our hotel door. It is flat, but the heat, humidity and wind will CERTAINLY make it a challenge. Maybe an equally grand challenge will be to keep my focus on racing while passing scenery like this:

I mean... come on. Look at that!

But I will do my best to put on the blinders, batten down the hatches and go for it on Sunday.

I want to take a moment to say a big Thank YOU! to all of you who have followed along with my racing and offered such great support all year. It has been a humbling year in many ways, and having been the recipient of so much support from so many has been overwhelming at times.

So Sunday it is. Lets Roll.

Poor Practice

The title of this post is in reference to the lack of new information on this blog. It is indeed, a poor practice.

To recap real quick, upon leaving the Big Island, I flew home to LA for a few quick days, then hit the friendly skies again, landing in Denver and making my way back to Boulder.  I retrieved my car and after a quick 36hrs or so, got out before the snow and spent the next two days driving to Tucson (by way of a night sleeping in my car in a New Mexico parking lot), to begin my training for Ironman Arizona and enjoy the generous hospitality of my friends Chris & Marilyn Mcdonald. That was somewhere around a month ago.

Since that time, some plans have changed. In fact, on my first long ride since Kona, I began to feel the weight of another Ironman looming just four weeks down the road. Chris was due to race on November 5th in South Africa, but the race had been abruptly cancelled, leaving him with a great deal of built up fitness and nowhere to express it. Fortunately, he still had time to register for Ironman Cozumel and his sights were once again set. The thought of an extra week to get ready, the opportunity to travel with a friend, and lets face it, cold blended adult beverages on a tropical beach to end my season all combined to sound pretty good at that point in time. I mean... come on...

Insert frosty beverage above

Since that decision was made I have been absorbed in getting ready for the day with the goal of my best Ironman performance to date in my crosshairs. Save a few minor hiccups in the bounce back from Kona, training has gone well. Having a friend immersed in the same pursuit has made the preparation for a late season Ironman a little easier, and much more fun, so I owe a big THANK YOU to Chris and Marilyn for their hospitality and support.

I must say however, that while I am happy to be heading to Cozumel (never been before), with IM AZ just days away, I find myself just a tad bummed not to be racing. I had a great time racing Arizona last year and was really looking forward to racing it again with so many friends and family racing and spectating.

That said, I will be heading up to Tempe to cheer on some great friends including Zoot and TriSports.com teammate Charisa "CBB" Wernick who will be capping off her great 2011 season with what I am sure will be an awesome day out in Tempe. I am also excited to see fellow Specialized rider and Zooter Jordan Rapp take on the course he dominated in 2009 and hopefully take his title back. Finally, there is a battle brewing between TriSports.com teammate Leanda Cave and the owner of our great sponsor, Seton Claggett. A bet has been made, the terms of which are yet to be revealed, and it should be great fun to watch this battle unfold.

So if you are out in Tempe this Sunday, cheer hard, have fun and say "hi" if you see me bumbling around.