Getting Rolling

Training is back into full swing and with that, comes the obvious thought of when will be my first crack out to see where all the early season training has gotten my fitness. I have been toying around with a few different schedule ideas, and the entire season is by no means set in stone, but I have locked in on a certain race that really piqued my interest. LEADMAN 125!

VEGAS! March 31st, 2012

Like many triathletes I watched with great interest as the inaugural Leadman250 unfolded in Vegas last year. An EPIC indeed.  A distance I will readily admit to being more than just a little apprehensive about! But when I saw that Leadman would be introducing their "half" or "125" distance on the Vegas course, I was greatly intrigued. With a 2.5K(1.5mi) swim, 109.5K (69mi) bike, and 13K (8mi) run the distance is a new one for me. Add to that, that the fact that the swim is in Lake Mead, the ride heads out through the challenging and hilly high desert towards a place called the Valley of Fire, and the run ends in Boulder City near the Hoover Dam, and I was sold. And my season opener was set.

If you aren't racing Oceanside on March 31st, and want to get in on what promises to be an awesome event out in Vegas, come join me! Copy the code Ltftri24 and save yourself 15% and click here to register. 


I'll leave you with a little video I made (please excuse the lack of cinematic professionalism, its my first one) of a training day this weekend enjoying the awesome So Cal weather. Enjoy. 

Talking Shop

I recently did a little interview with the guys from www.firsttimeironman.com. As the name implies, this is a website run by a crew from "Down Under" that is dedicated to providing information and "know how" to those who are just getting into the sport.

If you are interested you can check it out here. Have a surf through their website as there is some good stuff throughout.

In other news, my shoulder is coming along much faster than I (or anyone else) expected. I am pretty much back up to full speed in the pool now and it feels pretty much back to normal. Now the task is just to build back some of that endurance that, if you'll pardon the pun, washed away in my month out of the water.

I'll leave you (as has been my trend of late) with the view I caught on a recent ride enjoying the California "winter."

Heading in the right direction

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. I did, and I think the best gift I received, aside from great time spent with friends and loved ones and some flip flops, came in the form of steady improvement/healing of my shoulder. I am not back to 100% as of yet, but suffice it to say that I am back to riding and running outside without any pain or fear of further injury, and full range of motion and strength has been restored to my shoulder. The latter part I am very stoked about. The primary concern of the doctors has been whether I would have full range of motion and strength. As such, it seems I am "out of the woods" from that perspective.

While the major concerns of range of motion and strength have been quieted, there is still the issue of endurance. Right now, I am good for only 2.5 - 3K of swimming before the muscles in my shoulder tucker out and give up. I guess 3 weeks out of the water took its toll! But I am rehabbing and working on strengthening the shoulder several times a week with a great Physical Therapist and it is improving almost daily. Unfortunately it just hasn't come around quick enough for me to make the first camp with the Triathlon Squad this year. While initially the docs, Paulo, nor myself thought my attendance at the camp would be even a remote possibility, the rapid progression of my recovery sparked some hope in my mind. Thus, not being able to make it was slightly easier to accept. So all is not lost, and I will continue to work, and come the February and all ensuing camps, I will be ready for the whole ball of wax.

Riding and running outside has been great and I will leave you with a few photos from recent workouts.