8 Things I've Learned in 2011

Yearly recaps are a very popular blog topic this time of year.  Not wanting to be left out, I too have been thinking about 2011. I've learned a ton this year.  Having completed my first full year in endurance sports, I've seen myself grow as an athlete, a competitor, and hopefully, as a person.  Here's a list of the top 8 things I've learned from my training and racing in 2011!

8:  Consistency!  I saw the best gains from my training this year when I was consistent.  I don't mean doing the same workouts repeatedly, or at the same time and place each day.  I mean doing SOMETHING each and every day. Training on a daily basis, and sometimes multiple times each day, can yield amazing results, but you really need to make it a priority to be consistent each week and month.  There were certainly times I would miss or skip a workout, and try to make it up later in the week. Sometimes this works, but mostly, it just tired me out the next week.  I would end up loading up the last half of the week, and would need an extra rest day after the long weekend volume.  Staying consistent in your rest/recovery and nutrition are also vital to making gains, and both are something I am continually working on. 

JCCC Indoor Tri

7:  Eating!  This is definitely something I've learned a lot about this year, in both racing and daily life.  What and how much you eat affects everything you do.  I like to eat.  I like to eat large volumes of food ( ie Thanksgiving). As I trained throughout the year, it was easy to have an extra helping at dinner or dessert, thinking, "hey, I just burned 1400 calories with that Brick workout.  I think I earned this extra 4 pieces of pizza..."  The problem for me is that this is usually a daily conversation I have with myself.  I am actually 5 pounds under my weight at this time last year, but I still think I need to re-evaluate my eating habits. This is going to be a goal for me in 2012, and something I will be addressing in the future.

I ate half of this...

I also learned that as you train and race, you need to have energy to keep you moving.  I never knew what "bonking" or "hitting the wall" was, until I did it one day.  Good Lord, it sucked... I quickly learned that I needed to bring a gel with me on longer runs, or sip some electrolyte drink on hot days.  Eating before and after workouts is also incredibly important! Getting my nutrition dialed in has helped me during training, as well as recovery from hard workouts.

6.  Plan your Season!  I never imagined that I would become instantly hooked on triathlons and endurance sports.  Honestly, I was never a fan of any of the disciplines, I just wanted a challenge.  As the year went on, I kept adding races, and really didn't plan my racing or training well.  Now is the time to get your next year planned!  Sign up for races early!  You get cheaper pricing, are able to train and taper correctly, and will have better results because of it!

5.  Stay Flexible!  Not only your body, but your life!  Stuff comes up, and unfortunately for 99% of athletes, triathlon is not your #1 priority.  Don't be afraid of a missed workout. For me, this was something that I really learned this year.  I really love the sport and enjoy the training, but I had to maintain a difficult balance between my work, school load, family time, and friends.  Sometimes, there was more than enough time to make everything work.  But usually, I had to really budget my time well.  Getting up in the morning to get a swim in sucks, but if it frees up your afternoon so you can spend some time with your girlfriend and doggie, then do it.  Just remember, there's always someone else out there that has more on their plate, and they are training right now....

Or convince your family to race with you!

4.  Cash MONEY$$$! Triathlon is not cheap.  Seriously.  It's probably one of the most expensive sports I can think of.  But, there are ways to make it more affordable.  Because I started this year, I had to purchase basically everything from scratch.  I bought a bike used on craigslist, rented my first wetsuit (now I own it :), bought my shoes on cheaper websites online, bought slightly used tri clothes on forums, and made due with the rest.   As the year went on, the race fees alone were expensive enough.  But over the course of the year, I had every basic need met!  

Love/Hate Relationship with this beast...

Some tips for making triathlon more affordable:  Buy used if possible, volunteer at races for cheaper race fees, shop online for the best deals, check out Groupons for bike service repairs, use holidays to ask for the more expensive options, and lastly, ask yourself "do I really need this?"  Yes, race wheels and aero helmets are bad ass, but you really don't NEED them.  Safe yourself some cash, put in the time during training, and "upgrade your engine".

3.  Triathletes are capable of amazing things!  FYI this has nothing to do with me.  But as I watched others at races, you see some pretty amazing feats of bravery and strength.  Whether it be the wheelchair participants at the Topeka Tinman in June, the 13 year old boy that beat me at Shawnee Mission Park, or Chrissie Wellington's amazing comeback to win at Kona, the sport continues to amaze and inspire.  It has opened new doors for me, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead!

2nd in AG @ SMP.  Pretty amazing...

2.  Support!  Triathlon is an incredibly individualized sport.  It's probably one of the main reasons I love it so much.  It's just me out there on the roads or in the water.  I am the one pushing myself.  But I also have an amazing amount of support when I get home or cross the finish line.  To be honest, it's one of the reasons I do it!  There is no way I could do this without the help and support of my family, friends, Rach, and fellow bloggers/athletes!  

Me and Mom post Tinman

1.  Triathlon is for everyone!  This sport is for everyone.  Every age, skill level, weight, height, etc etc. Before my first race, I was scared $h!tless... It must have been pretty obvious, because everyone around me helped calm me down, get me set up, and gave me advice for the day.  It was all helpful.  During the race, the competitive drive was evident in most, but I never experienced any rude behavior.  With New Years being tomorrow, and resolutions are getting set in stone, I can't suggest enough signing up for a triathlon and committing yourself to the goal.  There are multiple distances to choose from, not just an "ironman".  There truly is a distance for everyone.  Make a commitment, push yourself hard, and prepare yourself for one of the greatest accomplishments of your life!

2011 has been an amazing year, full of lots of changes.  I am so grateful to have found such a passion in Triathlon, something that I can challenge myself to limits I never knew were possible.  I am also grateful for my family, growing closer to Rach, and the opportunities that have come my way.  I truly cannot wait to see what 2012 has in store for me.

I wish everyone a happy and safe New Year!

Thanks for reading!

My Christmas Haul

This year, 90% of the gifts I asked for and received were Triathlon-related.  Shocker. And judging from the amount I received, I once again realized a few things:

• Being "a good boy" all year long pays off
• Guilting people into gifts also works quite well
• I am absolutely blessed to have such wonderful people in my life

Here are a few things I was gracious enough to get!

2XU Wetsuit from Rach!

Race Goggles from my Sis!

New ISM Adamo race seat!

Aerobottle!

And finally....

IMKS race fee! Thanks Mom and Dad!

In 2012, I will be venturing out to the Half Ironman distance.  This will be my "A" race for next year, one that I am very excited for.  This was the first triathlon I ever saw, and can't believe I'm about to do it! From what I have heard and read, the swim can be very tough (last year, due to wind), the bike course is brutal, and the run is through the entire campsite!  

All in all, I had a good and busy holiday, and again am truly blessed by my families. 

I hope your holidays were full of family time, good food, and fun!  Thanks for reading!

Just spreading some Christmas Cheer...

Just want to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas, a great New Year, and happy Holidays (etc etc)

Yup Tacky Holiday Sweater!

Offseason Crosstraining

Happy holiday season to ALL!!!  I got home (Topeka) today to spend some time with the fam!  Yesterday, I was off work and finally got all my holiday shopping and gift wrapping done.  Nothing like 2 days before Christmas!  And it was CRAZY out!  

Friday called for a strength training or yoga, but before my trip home, I had the lucky opportunity to join some friends on a visit to the College Basketball Experience, located right next to the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City.

I had never been before, and had a great time!  It is a must do if you live anywhere near KC, or plan on visiting.  There are several different skills stations, including free throw contests, dunking stations with different sized goals, a three point contest, last second shots for a WIN, measuring your vertical and wingspan, and hosting your own segment of Sportscenter.

Three Point Shooting

Getting our dunk on! 

SPORTSCENTER!

I really had a great time, and found the place extremely family friendly.  There were kids everywhere!  

However, the trip was an eye opening experience for me.  Mainly because:

• My vertical has apparently decreased by almost 10 inches since my senior year of high school (damn you gravity!)
• My ever increasing endurance doesn't pertain to basketball (I was sucking air when playing 2 on 2)
• I may not be able to hang with 17 year olds anymore (at least not easily...)
• My shot is gone.  Absolutely gone.

Regardless, I didn't get blocked once (lie), and I could do some sick dunks on a 9 foot goal.  OFF THE BACKBOARD 2 HANDED WINDMILL!!!

It was also a pretty good and fun crosstraining workout.  I feel really sore today!  That's a good sign!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, and all the good boys and girls get a visit from Kriz Kringlez!

Thanks for reading!

Training Rollercoaster

Last week was an up and down week on the training front.  Normally, I'm used to this.  Some days are good, some days are not so good, but all in all, I get through them.  Last week, I hit the extremes.

My current training block has me focusing on increasing power and strength on the bike, and speed and leg turnover on the run.  I am currently doing no swims, and am strength training 2 days a week.  The bulk of my interval training spans Tuesdays through Thursdays (back-to-back-to-back interval days), with a "rest day" on Friday consisting of strength training.  The weekends are somewhat usual, with a longer bike and transition run on Saturday, and a long run on Sunday.

Weekly Volume from last week.  Only 21 miles short on Saturday...

My Tuesday workouts I have been destroying.  I push hard and usually have a great workout.  Wednesdays I'm usually still on it, and have a great run.  But by Thursdays, I'm dragging.  This is where last week fell apart.

I took an extra day off,  on Thursday, and pushed my zone 5 interval ride to Friday.  It went well, and at the time, I was really glad I took the extra rest. In fact, the Friday ride was one of my better sessions to date!  I was feeling great, and was looking forward to my long ride and brick run on Saturday!

Saturday rolled around, and I was feeling pretty good.  I got on the saddle and started going, and immediately knew my legs were toast from the previous day.  I had multiple intervals of 15 minutes to get done, but knew my legs didn't have the strength.  After failing to reach zone 3 in my first interval set (ZONE 3 is basically a somewhat easy, sustained pace), I was done.  And pissed.  Deciding to skip the bike, I quickly threw on my run stuff and ran out the door in a huff for a short zone 3 transition run.  Again, I struggled to get to and maintain my zone 3 heart rate.  By the time I got back, I was fuming.

I RARELY cut workouts short, and when I do, it's usually due to an outside conflict.  Saturday was a bad day for me, and I truly don't think I've been that upset after a workout before.  It was all I could think about the rest of the day.  I was just frustrated and disappointed in myself.  Before going to bed, I told myself to let it go, because it is DECEMBER!  I had a longer run planned for Sunday, and told myself I was going to go out and kill it.

And that's exactly what I did!  It was my longest run since the KC Half Marathon in October.  I got 9 miles in, with 2 sets of 2 mile repeats at a 7:15 pace!  It was a great day, great weather, I saw a huge hawk/falcon, and finally got over my poor effort from Saturday.  I felt awesome!!!

mmmmBirdie! 

I still consider myself a new triathlete, but I am learning that you only have so much energy "in the tank."  I shouldn't be discouraged if I need to cut a workout short, or if my legs are feeling tired.  It happens, and is more than likely due to the previous workout and recovery.  Training has ups and downs, and you just have to roll with them.  After a crappy workout, take some time to rest, eat some food, and destroy your next workout!!!

I'm sure everyone out there has had similar times, whether it be with endurance training, work, school, kids, etc. etc.  Just get through the day, and come out fighting tomorrow!

I'd like to thank Steve in a Speedo for the shout-out/twitter love!

Thanks for reading!

Kansas Beef Endurance Team 2012

2012 is shaping up to be a very good year!  Along with Sugoi and First Endurance, I will also be representing the Kansas Beef Council, as a member of the Kansas Beef Endurance Team!

I will be racing in a few stand alone runs during the spring and summer months, and will have the opportunity to race with a team of runners throughout the state of Kansas!  I'm very excited!

For those of you that know me well, you probably know I am quite the carnivore.  I love eating meat (in general), and really try to incorporate it into my diet as much as possible.  Since I started taking up endurance training, I have made it a priority to consume more lean cuts of beef, as well.  I have low levels of iron naturally, and choose not to take iron supplements because of the potential long-term damaging effects it could have on my body.  Beef has naturally high levels of iron, as well as zinc and protein.  And I love steaks....

For those of you that choose to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, that's awesome.  I'm not about to push you into giving that up and chowin' down on some fine cutlets... It's just something I incorporate into my diet!

I think it's great that the Kansas Beef Council is able to support athletes throughout the state.  Currently, the team has over 50 athletes that are supported in races throughout the year.  Keep your eye out for the team jersey at your next race, because it might be me!!!

My Dawg (Max) and I are fueled by BEEF!

I am hoping to write up a few posts in the future about how exactly I use beef in my diet, how it helps fuel my workouts, and some easy recipes for the short-on-time triathlete!

Thanks for reading!

Stretching: Let's Do IT!!! and say we didn't....

Do you ever have times where someone is trying to help you out with something, usually someone older than you and MUCH wiser, and is imparting on you some type of advice they "learned from the hard way"?  For some reason, lately I feel I have been realizing all these old things and habits are coming to fruition. At the time, I never really take the person seriously. I'm the oldest of 3 kids, so I never had anyone's mistakes to learn from (other than my own. Thankfully I make lots...).  I'm not one to turn down advice, but sometimes things just don't "click" for me.

The main example for me has been stretching.  Not yoga or anything hardcore, but just stretching before and after workouts.  Since high school, I have been continually told of the benefits of stretching.  It helps prevent injury, makes you more limber, yada yada yada.  I never really understood the point.  "It's a safe way of warming up".  Starting whatever activity you are about to do is another way to warm up.  "It's supposed to cool you down."  Oh really?  So does not stretching (Boom, lawyered...).  I always hated doing it, mainly because I thought it made me look like a weakling.  Even at college, I never once stretched after I lifted weights or played basketball.  I never made the time.

I call on top....

After the KC Half Marathon and training through various foot and leg ailments in October/November, I decided to try out stretching more with workouts.  I work with A LOT of Physical Therapists that continually stress the importance of maintaining a proper balance in your body, and use various types of stretches to create this physical equilibrium (among MANY, many other things). I started out with basic stretches, the ones I learned and used in high school, and started doing them.

I would just stretch after runs, and immediately noticed how insanely tight my calves were.  Again, I never, ever stretch.  I also noticed tight quads, hamstrings, and HIPS!!! Oh my hips... So tight... I quickly learned that I was probably going to be fighting an oncoming injury.  This is basically the last thing I want next year, so I used (and am continuing to use) the rest of 2011 to develop and stick to a stretching routine.

This stretch helps with bike power and SWEET ASS LEG KICKS!

I've got it down to about 15 minutes, and I do it after every single workout as a way to PROPERLY cool down.    Since I mainly abuse my legs with training, I try to hit each major muscle group twice, and hold each static stretch for 30 seconds.  That means 2 for the calves, hamstrings, quads, Hip Abductors, Hip Adductors, Hip flexors and extensors.  My hips have been the hardest/most painful because I have neglected them the most.  But I am noticing some improved flexibility, which I'm assuming is good. Although not surprising, I am also now injury-free.  I have no more pain in my feet, which I think may have been due to some improper fitting shoes AND TIGHT CALVES! Shocking....

The main reason I am now making time to stretch is because of the improved recovery I have noticed.  I am not as sore the day after workouts as I used to be.  And I have changed nothing, other than stretching.  Maybe some pain with stretching (ego pain) equals less pain (physical pain) post exercise. I will take ego pain over physical pain any day!

You won't see me doing the splits anytime soon, nor bragging about how I stretched for a couple hours last week, but the importance of stretching has finally "clicked" for me.

The Capital of Thailand is???  That's right... Van Damme.

Thanks for reading!

Travel Trac Fluid + Trainer Review

Back in late August, I made my first "indoor" workout purchase in preparation for the brutal and unpredictable winters Kansas usually has to offer.  I purchased an indoor fluid trainer for my bike workouts.  I chose to go with the Travel Trac Fluid + Trainer.

 I ended up choosing this particular trainer for a variety of reasons:

• It had great reviews, and was recommended as a superb "starter" trainer.
• The price was right, and because it was Summertime, Performance Bike was offering a sweet discount.
• It was a fluid-type trainer (as opposed to magnetic or wind), which seemed to be the best fit for me.
• Performance Bike offered a 60 day return policy, and also had a 2 year warranty.

I am here to give a unbiased, accurate view of my experiences using this trainer.  I, in no way, was treated any differently by the Performance Bike staff in purchasing this trainer, and was offered the same discounts and rebates every customer was given at the time.  With that, let's get to it!

Setup:
The box containing the trainer was a bit larger than I originally expected, and weighed a bit more, as well.  The UPS guy was nice enough to drop it off at my front door, so I only had about a 10 inch walk to get the trainer inside.

After immediately tearing into the box and opening approximately 45 plastic bags, I had the trainer unpacked and ready to rock!!!

Dog chew toys come separately.

Set up was practically non-existent.  Everything was just covered in plastic bags.  Once you tear those off, all you need to do is adjust the tension on the axle that holds the rear tire on the resistance thread.

After the tension is adjusted to your liking, all that's left to do is basically set your rear tire on the resistance thread, and lock the rear axle on the trainer.  With this trainer being my first, I was unaware at how quick this process actually is!  It takes literally 5 seconds to put your bike on, get it locked in place, and ready to ride.

Slide the rear wheel on the thread, and lock in place!  Simple!

Rear axle locked in place.

The final resting place for the bike this winter!

Features:  
The Travel Trac Fluid + Trainer has many features that I feel separates it from other trainers on the market, while making it an incredibly versatile piece of equipment.  I will just focus on a few main things:  Fluid resistance, Progressive resistance, and the shift lever.

The fluid resistance of this trainer really mimics road riding well, but it's definitely not 100% the same. Although I have limited experience using different types of trainers, I really think it's as close to road cycling as I can get inside.  This coincides with basically every review I have read on fluid trainers in general, with inertia trainers also doing a great job, too (Inertia was way out of my budget).  What I like about the fluid resistance is the effect it creates as you increase your speed.  The faster you go, the more difficult it is to maintain that speed, JUST LIKE OUTSIDE!  Crazy!

The progressive resistance this trainer offers was the final selling point for me.  I was contemplating buying the Fluid + Trainer, or the cheaper Travel Trac Fluid Trainer.  There was about a $35 difference between the two trainers.  The standard Fluid Trainer didn't offer the progressive resistance, and after reading some reviews on the trainer itself, many people recommended more resistance.  In the end, I chose the more expensive option because of the ability to add a little more resistance, and I'm glad I did.

The Progressive Resistance can be added in 5 different increments.  Right now, I am doing some leg strength workouts on the bike with intervals set at 5/5 resistance, and I have to tell you it is tough.  Like... close to the hardest hills I have ever gone up.  I love being able to simulate hills, or add a bit more resistance to longer rides to break up the monotony.  I would have been disappointed if I hadn't gotten the progressive resistance.  While I love the fluid resistance, I tend to "run out of gears" on my bike when trying to get to specific heart rate training zones.  There have been times where I can sustain 30 mph on the trainer, and still not break out of zone 3.  With the added resistance, I can easily get to z5 in a hurry.  I love it!

One thing I will mention about the progressive resistance that I have noticed is the increments don't seem equal to me.  The only time I notice a distinct change in resistance is going from 1 to 3, or 3 to 5.  And the difference is big.  I spend most of my time at a resistance level of 3 because I feel like that should help simulate wind resistance and the friction of road riding.  But when I jump from 3 to 5, there is a massive increase in resistance, almost like getting a flat and trying to ride through it.  I just wish the progression was a bit smoother, but maybe I'm just nit-picking.

Going along with the progressive resistance is the Shift Lever.  Although not wireless, the trainer comes equipped with a separate shift lever to increase or decrease the resistance.  The lever comes with some sort of attachment option that allows you to attach the lever to your handlebars or aerobars.  The lever attaches to a long wire that runs to the resistance mechanism of the trainer.  The wire is about 6 feet long, which gives you plenty of slack to attach it anywhere.  Although a wireless option would be convenient, I find the wired option plenty useful.

5 levels of resistance

Attached to the aerobars

Noise/Sound Levels:
Again, although I have experience on only a few trainers/stationary bikes, I will say that the trainer is fairly quiet.  If anything, my bike/fan makes way more noise than the actual trainer does.  Although probably a given, the faster you go or the more resistance you have applied to your back wheel, the louder the trainer is.  But I have used much worse.  After viewing sound videos for Computrainers and Cycleops Fluid trainers, I think this trainer is much quieter.  This is nice because it allows me to keep my TV/Music volume a bit lower, which makes for happy neighbors/Girlfriend!

Watching some TV a while back.
Also demonstrating proper helmet use.

Workouts:
While I have yet to tackle any workouts longer than 1.5 hours on the trainer (not complaining...), I have been KNOCKING OUT INTERVALS!  Since I started out with EnduraLabs Coaching, I have done exactly 18 workouts on my trainer, ranging from 1 hour to 1.5 hour interval sets based on HR.  These consist of z3-5 work, as well as time trials for calculating LTHR and "race pacing".  The progressive resistance gives me the control and versatility I need to quickly crank up the intensity, or decrease resistance to recover for the next set.  While I love the trainer and the control it gives me during my workouts, I have noticed a few things:

• The trainer's resistance unit gets hot.  REALLY hot.  Like to the point of melting my tires and dissolving the glue holding the rubber on.  My plan this winter was to use my old tires for my "trainer" tires, and save my newer ones for 2012.  Well, turns out the old ones can't handle this trainer's heat. 

Eventually, 1/3 of the tire tread was off of the tire.

• Like all trainers, this one goes through tires fairly quickly.  I anticipated this, and have decided to put my newer kevlar tires on the trainer.  The tread is quickly rubbing off, especially when the resistance is set at 5/5.

Tire residue...

• When you move your trainer and don't have anything under it to catch your tire residue, it will appear as though you were doing weird burnouts or skidmarks on your carpet:

I'm hoping this vacuums up easily...

• Get a towel or rug to place under your bike.  The amount of spray sweat is disgusting... A solid fan is a must, as well!

Summary:
As of today, I have logged over 500 miles on this trainer, and can truly say it's still going as strong as the day I got it!  I haven't noticed any changes to the smooth fluid resistance, and think the progressive resistance is just as hard as when it was new.  This is one thing I will be watching in the future, as I've read that fluid trainers in general have the tendency to lose some of their "fluid-ness" after thousands of miles.

I know there are plenty of more expensive fluid trainers on the market today that may be just as good as the Fluid + trainer (or even better), but I really feel that the Fluid + trainer is unbeatable at the price.  Currently on Performance Bike's website, the trainer is listed for $219.99, with 20% off available. This compares to the Cycleops Fluid 2 trainer for $305.99, and $329.99 for the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine.  If you are looking to get a new trainer this winter, are wanting to try out a fluid trainer, or just need ideas for Santa, I highly recommend this trainer!

If you have any questions on the use of the the trainer, how it's holding up, or anything else, let me know!  Thanks for reading!

Mark's Christmas List!

For about the last month, I've been trying to figure out what I want for Christmas and put together a Christmas List (You're welcome, Mom).  Normally, I just try to find something kinda big that I sorta want or might see myself using in the future.  Examples from past years include: a Suit (classy), a heavy Peacoat (douchy), and a lifesize inflatable T-Rex (awesome). With this being my first Triathlon Christmas, I have PLENTY of ideas for my family and blog-readers!  Definitely a first for me!  Well, not really... Sidenote:  If anyone has an extra lifesize inflatable T-Rex you aren't using, I am interested.

This is how the last one popped... Oh Rex, I miss you...

The last few months, I have been keeping a list of things I need, as well as prioritizing the need for new things (New bike is needed, but NOT GOING TO BE HAPPENING this year.  Upgrading the "engine" instead).  Here is my up-to-date list for Christmas!  Please pass it along to Santa!

Wetsuit:  Last year, I rented a wetsuit for my first race, but ended up just going without one after.  There were some colder races that were wetsuit legal, but I just didn't use one.  This year, I am planning on up-ing my distances, as well as early season races, so I want to be sure I get a wetsuit for the added warmth and buoyancy.  I'm still trying to figure out whether I want a full sleeve or sleeveless. I am open for suggestions! Please help!

Goggles:  As I mentioned HERE, I am in need of some new goggles!  I am looking at getting a pair specifically for races, that have more of a tint then my "training" pair.  I kinda learned this the hard way last year, and staring into the rising sun made sighting a little bit difficult come race day.  Plus, it will be cool to have some more race-specific stuff!

Compression Sleeves: Although somewhat hesitant because of varying amounts of research and use, I am still anxious to try out a pair of compression sleeves for my calves!  My calves have been pretty sore after runs lately.  I am looking at mainly just using them after long runs to aid in recovery and delayed onset muscle soreness.  Most of the evidence I have read about encourages the use of compression garments to aid in recovery POST workout.  So that's what I'm planning on doing!  I have my eye on a pair from Sugoi, and can't wait to review them! 

Sugoi's Pison 200 Calf Sleeves

Race Entry Fees:  Self explanatory for a triathlete!!! And now is the time to buy, with most of the races for next year in Early Bird pricing!  The early bird gets the cheapest race!  I have already booked several races for next year (schedule will be announced oh so soon...), but I REALLY have my eyes set on one race I still need to register for, in particular.  I hope I get it, I'm kinda structuring my season on it...!

2012 Teaser?

New Saddle:  I have been hitting the trainer/bike hard the last month, which has brought one important detail to the surface of my mind.  Well, actually the surface of my ass:  My seat sucks.  I have a rigid aluminum bike frame, which makes every bump and crack in the road noticeable in my "areas".  On the trainer, I am also really starting to notice a distinct "numbness" in the aforementioned "areas".  Not good.  Especially for 2 hours.  My solution is a new saddle!  I have been scouring reviews and personal suggestions, and have settled on the ISM Adamo Race saddle.  And boy, does it look different!  But I have heard only great things, and can't wait to try it!  Regardless, I am 100% sure it will be an upgrade!

Aerobar Hydration Bottle:  Now that I have some aerobars, I figure I can also get a water bottle that goes right between them!  My thinking is if I have to stare at the bottle, I'm probably going to hydrate, which is a good thing!  I have done some research on the wind tunnel testing for a few different bottles and straws, and have learned that the long straw hanging out isn't exactly aerodynamic.  So, I am looking at one with a shorter straw! It's made by Torhans, and is a bit more expensive, but has much less drag!  

Made by Torhans, short straw = more aero!

Bike Fit: I am somewhat hesitant to put this in here, but it is something I need and will be getting regardless.  Next year, I want to have an injury free race season.  I also want to be as powerful and comfortable as possible on my wreck bike.  As I transition to some longer races, I know fit and comfort are going to be incredibly important to race day experience and results.  I am looking at making sure I have my aerobars and seat in the correct position for me, and will hope to get some measurements for a new/dream bike.  Ahhh someday...

Well, that's it!!!  Not TOO bad.  I mean, I could have mentioned the new Quintana Roo Illicito with Shimano Di2 components, but that wouldn't be practical.  Or possible... 

If I sold my car...

Regardless, whether I get any of these wonderful things or not, I will still be making due next year and racing my ass off!  I can't wait!  Now all I have to do is be a really good boy till December 25!  Do-able? Sure!!!

Classes end this week for me, with a final project due next week (Boo Statistical Regression). I am planning a few product reviews that I will get out in the coming weeks.  And I have added another sponsor for 2012!!!  Check back soon for info!!! It's a good one... I guarantee you've heard of them...

Thanks for reading!