"Make yourself comfortable."
I heard this from the sidelines last year while in transition at the 1st 1/2 and thought, "Are you kidding me? This is a race! There's no time to be comfortable!" Ahhh . . . yet still a young grasshopper.
This weekend, as we came down the Spanish Banks hill, each of us mentally preparing for our seaside stroll I thought to myself, "Make yourself comfortable."
Although Kelly mentioned bringing a toothbrush into transition, (I always feel more comfortable after brushing my teeth), this weekend "Make yourself comfortable," was about mindset and rewards.
We're driving through the Okanogan and it's a blistering 33 degrees. Shirts off, sweat slides through every crevasse, collecting in a puddle at the back of the seat. Face is warm, feet a little puffy, and skin is sticky. Mouth becomes a little dry, and then the baked post race feeling . . .
"Dude, this is awesome! I love the summer. Windows down, wind in the face, fresh Okanogan nectarines cleans the palate . . . "I would walk 500 miles . . . da dada lada!"
Our reward is a stop in the Similkameen river. Drive on.
Riding around UBC, seat on the seat, feet on the pedals, legs roll'n round, it looks like the race is taking place up ahead. Ok, hatch a plan. . .
Make yourself comfortable, then dig in for 5 - 10.
And the reward, a cool drink from the bottle. Ride on.
Great racing this weekend. Shout out to LifeSport crew for hosting the event, Steve King for the everpresent "getchago'n" broadcast, and perhaps the most important contributor, Spanish Banks.
Next go . . . 2nd full.
Rest well.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Q & A
What is the best way to do this? What's the most efficient? How can I maximize this time? What else can I be doing right now? Wander in circles . . .
Even during recovery . . . What else could I be doing? I could massage the legs? Wait, maybe legs up the wall. Do I make some tea? Do I watch some TV? Do I epsome the legs? Or, maybe I could ice?
And sometimes during training sessions . . . How will I descend this swim set? What's my strategy on these bike intervals? If I'm running this hard, when do I pick it up?
These are all great questions, that is, if we allow ourselves to hear the answer. In fact, if for just one moment we slow down enough to listen, the answer is ready and waiting.
Sometimes these questions, like most other things of a reasoning nature, grow an essence of their own. They speed up, and before long start whirling out of control. As this happens, a change in focus occurs.
We begin to focus on the questions themselves instead of just simply knowing the answer.
Hear the question, acknowledge the question, pause, listen to the answer, gently return to biking and breathing.
Ride the set. Ride the set on the roads.
Set complete. Cool down. Return to the world of talking. Return home for recovery where the easiest & perhaps most effective method is simply becoming quiet.
Quiet body allows the physical to recover. Quiet mind allows the mental to recover.
Thanks for a great transition weekend to the long stuff.
Rest well.
Even during recovery . . . What else could I be doing? I could massage the legs? Wait, maybe legs up the wall. Do I make some tea? Do I watch some TV? Do I epsome the legs? Or, maybe I could ice?
And sometimes during training sessions . . . How will I descend this swim set? What's my strategy on these bike intervals? If I'm running this hard, when do I pick it up?
These are all great questions, that is, if we allow ourselves to hear the answer. In fact, if for just one moment we slow down enough to listen, the answer is ready and waiting.
Sometimes these questions, like most other things of a reasoning nature, grow an essence of their own. They speed up, and before long start whirling out of control. As this happens, a change in focus occurs.
We begin to focus on the questions themselves instead of just simply knowing the answer.
Hear the question, acknowledge the question, pause, listen to the answer, gently return to biking and breathing.
Ride the set. Ride the set on the roads.
Set complete. Cool down. Return to the world of talking. Return home for recovery where the easiest & perhaps most effective method is simply becoming quiet.
Quiet body allows the physical to recover. Quiet mind allows the mental to recover.
Thanks for a great transition weekend to the long stuff.
Rest well.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
steelcut+coffee
It's Saturday, and today we have the luxury of riding a little later than normal.
So, in this extra morning hour I would like to take a moment to thank the bees for keep'n the world buzz'n. You guys & gals are probably the most enlightened of us all.
Now to appreciate the rest of this hour, it's time to enjoy the slow cooked taste of steel cut oats instead of the weekday quick cooking variety. . . Perhaps time for one more mug of coffee too ;)
I like slow cook'n.
Rest well.
So, in this extra morning hour I would like to take a moment to thank the bees for keep'n the world buzz'n. You guys & gals are probably the most enlightened of us all.
Now to appreciate the rest of this hour, it's time to enjoy the slow cooked taste of steel cut oats instead of the weekday quick cooking variety. . . Perhaps time for one more mug of coffee too ;)
I like slow cook'n.Rest well.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Grasshopp'n
For a week in advance we heard, "I can hardly believe you guys are talking right now."
A glance exchanged, a lighthearted smirk because somehow this one's different.
Training continues, we load & unload, cyclically cycling, practice to practice, day to day throughout the week. Just as always, we're swimming, we're chatting, we're riding, we're running.
Loop after loop of Beacon Hill, a pair of coaching shoes, training mates, and a grasshopp'n hat keep the practice light.
Occasionally a question or concern from the grasshopp'n hat emerges. The shoes pick it up and kick into coaching mode.
Grasshopp'n hat now calmed, we're back to the run and training mates.
Good run. Good fun.
A thought on race'n, and a smirk exchanged as strategy's considered.
Most of all, I'm looking forward to racing, just for the race of it.
Race ready, the start line drifts South West, both of us thinking, "I'm going where you're going."
We're off, a few things happen, and before long we've been here before, somewhere North of the city.
Steady riding, steady pacing, the coaching shoes have a clear view of their grasshopp'n hat.
This is cool. Oops, Coaching shoes definitely saw the cadence drop up that hill.
A few more things happen and we're onto my favourite part of the day. It looked a little something like this:
We've definitely been here before, in fact it was just 7 days ago, only this time the hat is racing the shoes.
Holding pace for 6 or so with the shoes, the grasshopp'n hat watches his mentor make the move. "Hang on hat! Hold onto those shoes as long as you can!"
Wow that was fun. Thanks dude man.
A glance exchanged, a lighthearted smirk because somehow this one's different.
Training continues, we load & unload, cyclically cycling, practice to practice, day to day throughout the week. Just as always, we're swimming, we're chatting, we're riding, we're running.
Loop after loop of Beacon Hill, a pair of coaching shoes, training mates, and a grasshopp'n hat keep the practice light.
Occasionally a question or concern from the grasshopp'n hat emerges. The shoes pick it up and kick into coaching mode.
Grasshopp'n hat now calmed, we're back to the run and training mates.
Good run. Good fun.
A thought on race'n, and a smirk exchanged as strategy's considered.
Most of all, I'm looking forward to racing, just for the race of it.
Race ready, the start line drifts South West, both of us thinking, "I'm going where you're going."
We're off, a few things happen, and before long we've been here before, somewhere North of the city.
Steady riding, steady pacing, the coaching shoes have a clear view of their grasshopp'n hat.
This is cool. Oops, Coaching shoes definitely saw the cadence drop up that hill.
A few more things happen and we're onto my favourite part of the day. It looked a little something like this:
After Bike T2 After T2
2 2:43:04 1 0:39 1 2:43:43
1 2:43:03 2 0:41 2 2:43:43
2 2:43:04 1 0:39 1 2:43:43
1 2:43:03 2 0:41 2 2:43:43
We've definitely been here before, in fact it was just 7 days ago, only this time the hat is racing the shoes.
Holding pace for 6 or so with the shoes, the grasshopp'n hat watches his mentor make the move. "Hang on hat! Hold onto those shoes as long as you can!"
Wow that was fun. Thanks dude man.
Rest well.
Monday, June 8, 2009
again
Finished and thought, "That was fun, let's do it again!"
It could be a race, ride, swim, run, song, dance, or day. Let's do it again!
We know that feeling, that feeling which happens only in the mirror.
It's that feeling looking back at us. It stares straight through our eyes, past the mind, and into our hearts.
We feel the feeling only on a pause, somewhere in between tic and toc.
We feel the feeling simultaneously, instantaneously, and immediately it reflects back and fourth, between us and our reflection.
This is fun. Let's do it again!
Rest well.
It could be a race, ride, swim, run, song, dance, or day. Let's do it again!
We know that feeling, that feeling which happens only in the mirror.
It's that feeling looking back at us. It stares straight through our eyes, past the mind, and into our hearts.
We feel the feeling only on a pause, somewhere in between tic and toc.
We feel the feeling simultaneously, instantaneously, and immediately it reflects back and fourth, between us and our reflection.
This is fun. Let's do it again!
Rest well.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
overtones
Listen.
Listen carefully.
Listen to the overtones.
Play.
Play carefully.
Play to the overtones.
Listen carefully.
Understand the song.
Play carefully.
Play to hear the song.
Listen carefully.
Listen to the song.
***
Back to the build.
Rest well.
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