vega jars

Push off and the race is on. What can I say . . . Racing is just plain fun.

Nice one Mike!

Today we found a use for the old Vega Jars.


4 more swim styl'n days & we're off to the Mainland for some Christmas feasting.

Rest well.

Horses . . .

6 days into the swim camp spectacular, and tomorrow we have TT numbero uno.

Word has it that Mix Master Mike Neil will be swimming. You know how the sailing story goes. When there's two boats in the water, it's always a race!

Check out the hull on this beauty:



She looks fast on paper, but wait 'till you see the horses we'll have strapped to 'er this summer.

Rest well.

Learning is fun.

Double swim, double nap, night ride, and a super cool reflecto vest.

I have discovered the night ride. We used to roller ski in the dark all through the fall, so with 6 sleeps until this years Winter Solstice, I'm back to the night ride.

Rollers are awesome, trainers are great, but night rides are the ultimate. They're especially ultimate when it's raining. The ultimate factor grows even more when you throw in single leg drills, big ring, up hill in both directions.

That was yesterday.

Today I learned something in the pool. It's the catch and roll.

I've always heard of the catch, and perhaps even experienced it on occasion. It took me a while to learn which way to roll. Now that one's clear.

Today I realized that as you catch, you begin to roll! (I think)

It sounds simple, but honestly I've been thinking about the two separately.

"Start your catch earlier! You're missing all that water!"

"Roll more! You're swimming flat!"

Ok. Catch . . . (then?) . . . (and?) . . . Roll.

I must have been told this a thousand times by very patient pairs of concerned coaching eyes. But as with everything, it takes a subjective understanding to drift through cerebellum, and settle to the cerebrum.

As you catch, begin your roll.

Those beeps are pretty far apart. What shall I do with my arms during all this time?

Did those beeps spontaneously come closer together? Still beating on 1:00.

Funny how the beeps seem closer when there's more to do.

Learning is fun.

Rest well.

tic . . . talk

Tic, Tic, Tic . . . The neon yellow numbers are turning over as I swing the legs. A purple sleeping bag, draped over a Holstein suit holds a layer of warm air close around the body, relaxed and ready to race.

This time it's a pairs start time trial. The plan is to go faster than fast the first K, & drop my partner. I know I race well on my own.

Tic, Tic, Tic . . . Although it's a partner start, for the next 15K, the tic is all that matters.

Each tic is only there for that tic. By the time you've thought of that tic, it's passed. It's left the present behind, evaporated into the past, leaving room for a future tic to talk.

. . . 24, 25, 26, beep, beep, beep, go.

Today this is the only tic, where the sunrise will talk this toc.

In this moment, it's easy to watch a clock stop.

Rest well.

Cloudy with a chance of . . .

Crisp, clean, clear WATER!

Can you believe it falls from the sky?

Thank you Sky for giving us delicious water.

Thank you for the water which nourishes our body & soul.

Thank you for the water which keeps the trees happy and healthy.

Thank you for the water which makes dirty, wet, delicious mud.

Thank you for the mud which makes cross riding fun.

Thank you for cross riding which makes off season riding fun.

Thank you for off season riding which makes on season racing fast.

Thank you for crisp, clean, clear water which falls from the sky.


Rest well.

It becomes a mission

Young Grasshopper, this is your mission:

Go forth, and make it so!

Rest well.

Souper Day

A special thanks to all the great coaches, All your hours of hard work make this truly a team effort. Thanks You!

There are two mugs to start the day. One is named Fall Mug, and the other is named Pirate Mug.

When Pirate Mug comes close to a coffee in the morning, you know it's going to be a special day. Today was a Pirate Mug coffee day, and as usual, she lived up to her standard.

Her Mug Shot:

Soup or Swim? Swim
Soup or Run? Run
Soup or Rest? Rest
Soup or Work? Work
Soup or sauce? Apple sauce.
Soup or . . . Soup? It's souper time.

1st the Stock, then the soup.

Allow me to introduce:

And the standard,

the Roastedness,

the Mix,

And a splash of lemon juice . . .

Souper Soup

Rest well.