mirrored goggles . . .

Pause.

This is what is right now.

When we are in training mode, it is easy to slip into the future with a flurry of fear based questions. The most common concern: "What will be the future implication of this action or reaction?"

A slight tickle in the throat, a twinge here, a twitch there; these are things to be aware of, but only in an awareness sense, and without fear.

"I went 2 seconds longer on that 100m repeat!" "My HR is 3 beats higher for the same effort!"

These are things which as professionals we are aware of. Also as professionals, we are only aware, and not emotionally attached.

It is just as so in racing. We are consciously aware with 100% of our bodies. We act based on both the race around us, and the race within us.

On our race reflection we pause, reflect, and maintain our sense of knowing where we are, right now. Now we further pursue our aspiration through the inner and outer race.

***

Yesterday I was watching Kitten. She is here, & I can feel a give and take.

We will give her some food, water, & a warm place to sleep. I'm sure she would be just fine surviving outside, but she chooses to accept these gifts & stay with us.

I can feel a giving from both sides. She is definitely giving something.

Other than a new pair of tubular tires, mirrored goggles, or a swim suit, what could it be?

She is giving something that feels good, something that could easily fill up the house without taking up any space.

Thanks Kitten.

Rest well.

Pre-Re-Flection

In sport, there are two objective external paths, the success path, & the . . . path.

These paths share both direction, and final destination. Both lead to the progress path.

Onward on the progress path.

Still know and feel the why.

Arizona is awesome. Sun is awesome. Desert is awesome. Dessert is awesome.

Everyone who was a part of this one is awesome. Thanks for a great weekend.

Travel & journal time will be reflection time.

Rest well.

Racing

Why do we train?

Every so often we experience accelerated progression, perhaps stimulated through outer success, or by something inside.

Our progressions lead us to and through intrinsic discoveries, eventually answering the important questions.

We have a why.

The why is multidimensional. It has infinite sides on which we sit and ponder. It has imitless angles on which we can approach and push off.

As we learn the shape of our why, things become clear.

This why answers that why.

Why do we race?

Consider the why, contemplate the why, and remember the why.

18h05 until the race starts.

Thanks to everyone who has been a part of this one. Tomorrow we demonstrate the why.

Rest well.

In Bloom

Be.

It is your fortune.

Know your fortune.

Be comfortable.

Stay comfortable.

Rest well.

Yellow Vetta Helmet

Remember the feeling, "I'm toO ExCIteD tOo SleEp."

The night before our childhood big summer bike trips I would never sleep. Whether it was Pender with the cool pool & marina, Mayne with the pig farm, Saltspring's Ruckle park, Galiano with the since closed delicious burger shack, Grand Forks to Fife on the KVR, or riding up the goose to Leechtown, my eyes were wide open the entire night before.

Right now, the summer after grade three sticks out in my mind. I remember sitting in bed all night; first listning to the final packing downstairs, then reading some Jungle Book. Finally it's time to "Wake up."

Lace the Converse All Stars, throw on the Yellow Vetta helment, saddle up with the Mini Mountaineer (BC liscence plate and all), and head off down Meadow place. First stop would be Matticks Farm. I remember the trees along Shelbourn & the Mt. Doug parkway being especially big.

Next stop was Blackie's Cafe. They made the biggest and therefore best rice crispy squares. The cafe is no longer, but it's right where that dentist sign is along the Pat Bay Highway, just before Island View Road.

Final push along the highway to Swartz Bay and the Gulf Island Ferries. We would ride up and down the Islands, checking out all the cool places along the way, retiring for the night in on of the Provincial Parks, back at it for more for the next few days.

You can clearly see how it would be near impossible for a 9 or10 year old to sleep before a weekend like this.

It's almost time to retire for another evening & tomorrow morning will be the last bit of swim work in Commonwealth Pool before we depart on Wednesday. We'll see if I can sleep. Either way, I have become fairly practiced at pretending.

Rest well.

Fog is awesome

Thanks for another awesome weekend.

This was the final weekend of work before next weekend's 1st full.

Saturday morning we were back to riding the roads in and around the Saanich Peninsula. As much as I love creating lake Kilshaw during our heat acclimatizing sessions, it was awesome to be out on the roads.

With one week to go, the acclimation is right on, and sweat response is now down to 4:15. Time to allow each and every cell an opportunity to fill itself to its hearts content with nourishment.

Open up the heart, let the blood flow, feel the legs finding their rhythm with the road.

Smooth ride. Smooth run. Short smooth stretch out swim.

Homemade potato & dill soup with non-spicy cinnamon bean burritos. Saturday complete.

Run this morning was awesome. The fog rolls in and we're in for some fun. Just like the ride we open the heart, maintain stroke volume, let the blood flow, feel the legs finding their rhythm.

Fog is one of my favourite types of weather. Perhaps it's something to do with the potential for becoming a little lost & maybe even a little adventure.

Thank you fog, for one of my favourite weather type days.
Thank you friends and family for the nourishment & building excitement.

Rest well.

race

"Eat, drink, be merry, and of course go sailing." - PK

The inner race proceeds, while the outer race succeeds. Our outer race has a quantifiable goal. Some day we may reach this goal, and perhaps by this time our outer vision of possibility has grown. We have new goals, new inspirations, and new numbers on which we will succeed.

Our inner race is a process, which through our inner and outer presence, we have all started. The goal is limitless. Some day, according to a time line unbeknown to us, we arrive at new plateaus, a col on which we momentarily rest, consider our path, and continue. Our path continues upward and onward. We continue to aspire. On our path we proceed.

There are times when the inner and outer races seem to join together and become one mission. They are in fact one and the same.

When we sail, there is no traffic of thought, only concentration and focus. We watch the sail and adjust the helm, sheets, and body position accordingly.

At first it is a conscious thought process, where rigging modifications require consideration. Through practice we feel changes in the wind and water without conscious thought. We change position to match. With more time, more practice, we begin to anticipate environmental changes and prepare our boat.

Sailing becomes a meditative stream along which we proceed, choosing and creating our path along the way.

Similarly, sport can be a meeting place for the inner and outer race.

We show up. We race our race.

8 days to Ironman Arizona.

Rest well.

4' 2 breaths

Shorten the strides. Lean forward. Lean from the hips. Lift from the crown to above the sky. Float up the hill. Remain . . . Remain out . . . Remain in.

When the HR climbs, or the mind wanders, just simply thank it. Thanks for that. Now we return to our zone, stronger, together more practiced.

We reach the peak of King George. I see the HR has normalized, remaining zonified. Feel light and feel the lift. Now it's quiet.

I hear 4 feet plus asphalt & 2 breaths breathing. A perfect moment from Sunday's run.

2 official weeks into the taper, and I have noticed the adaptation starting to happen.

Heat sessions are hot and feel normal.

Fast runs are fast and feel easy.

Steady bikes are fast and feel smooth.

Today wetsuit feel arrived & met with swim feel. They are now good friends.

Feel light. Stay light.

Rest well.

Sounds

This morning I woke up to the comfortably familiar sound of rain splashing on the roof. The comfortably comforting sound of rain. . . the anywhere, anytime sound.

A moment later the radio turned on. The first morning story was that today the official Toy Hall of Fame inducted a new member, the stick. This stick or that stick, they were all toys to remember.

Earlier this week during a meditation I heard another anywhere, anytime sound. It was the sound of children laughing and playing. For a moment there was a chain of thoughts. Laughter. Playing. These sounds sound the same anywhere in the world, any time, any day. I could be on the other side of the world, right here or right there, right now, and these sounds would be just the same. Language is irrelevant. Laughter is laughter. Play is play. Just like the comfortably comforting sound of rain.

Today's swim was an awesome one, with a main set of 60 x 50m on 45s. Hold 38s to start & descend to 37s. The awesome thing being focus and form with form the focus. 45 minutes of focus. Only time at the wall to hear a sentence.5 from swim master Harvey.

The heat sessions are becoming easier with the sweat response now down to 5 minutes or less.

Now it sounds like the Lentil Sheppard's Pie is ready.

Rest well

Thermostat

Some days the body feels right on top of it:

Shoulder to elbow to wrist to fingers . . . right on and over the water.
Hips to quads to calves to feet . . . right on and over the pedals.
Head to shoulders to hips to knees to ankles . . . right on and over the pavement.

Feel that feeling so you can remember that feeling. Hold that feeling. Be that feeling.

Today was definitely a Autumn sort of day. Leaves fall on the ground. Mountains break through the clouds. Sun shines in patches. Animals stay warm inside their home, comfortable and content.

Riding out to Lands End we reached the turn off to Willis Pt. and the temperature suddenly drops. Toes chill. Swing the arms and warm the hands. Crispy air. Fresh mulch smell from the fields as farmers have now harvested much of the pumpkin crop. Perfect fall day for riding.

We split the ride up as to complete our last interval inside. As much as I love the Autumn riding, November's peak will require a little heat acclimation.

Crank it up.

Ice bath. Swim. Eat. Butcher. Bakery. Eat. Bed.

Thanks for a great day.
Rest well.

Breakfast Bison Burger

Leftovers are where it is at. The possibilities are limitless, but burgers for breakfast remains one of my favorites.

In fact, last night I woke up at 1:30am and pondered polishing off that last bison burger. It would be pretty tasty. It's sitting right in the fridge waiting to be eaten, although I'm also really warm and comfortable in bed. I'll save it.

On the way back from the pool my mind was on the bison burger track, considering condiments and various sides. Oh so tasty, leftover bison burger for breakfast.

It was a great weekend of training, & by Sunday afternoon the body had processed the chicken curry poisoning out of it's system. It's one thing to feel fine to walk around the house. 5+ hours on the bike with a run off & swim while dumping short chain high GI sugars into the gut is completely different.

Thanks to the beets and carrots who have been keeping the GIT smiling.

Rest well.