So much going on.  New shows (Jordan Rapp), new team news from www.EvoTri.com, and more race announcing from Rev3 (www.Rev3Tri.com).  All this and much much more coming soon.  And yes, the SimplyStu World Wide Triathlon will be back in 2011!!!!!!!

 

What more can I say? I'm totally in love! I will hate to say good-bye to my little yellow friend, but happy to bring in the new. Check out the details here! Ok.  So if that wasn't cool enough, check this out... Super-Grovvy!!!!

Check out the 2010 CycleOps catalog.

Oh yeah - anyone doing the Chicago 1/2 Marathon? If so, come and chat with me. I will be doing the MC work. 

Thanks to everyone that came over during the Madison-Mini Marathon.  I had a great time doing the MC work for that race as well.

I cannot wait to be a part of this race.  Everything is FIRST CLASS.  You have to check out the pro field, the technology, and the race itself.  For the first time in history, it feels like the organizers of this race are thinking about the families of the racers as well.  You have to check this out.  I will be in Connecticut to view it live!!!!  The best part is - you can join in as well with the technology never before seen.  All I can say is wow! Oh yeah, one last thing... check out the Rev3Tri HD video of the bike and run route that I was able to chat with Heather Gollnick (one of my absolute favorite triathletes of all time) about.  Very cool.

I want to ride my bike.  I want to be in the saddle.  I want warmth.  I want an 80 degree day to enjoy a 100 mile ride. 

What did I get?  7 inches of snow. 

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"Look out folks. The weather in Madison is not going to be kind. 30+ MPH winds, heavy snow, and cold temperatures. Welcome to Spring in Wisconsin." So what do I do? I train. I do what I do everyday. This was one of those awesome days of running. It was one of those days that make it all worth while. I got the look from people saying "what is that idiot doing out running on a day like today." The reason? Look at the numbers (my Bike Power Test) and you tell me.

 

November 30th, 2006

5 Min Power = 210

Average HR = 153

*** 20 Min Power = 176

Average HR = 151

FTP = 167

Weight = 156

 

February 19th, 2007

5 Min Power = 273

Average HR = 158

*** 20 Min Power = 192

Average HR = 161

FTP = 182.4

Weight = 156

 

April 10th, 2007

5 Min Power = 270

Average HR = 159

*** 20 Min Power = 206

Average HR = 160

FTP = 195.7

Weight = 153

 

The tree is without leaves. The fog is thick. Just look at the picture. It is almost the perfect setting for the perfect and most amazing day of the year. It is December 22nd. Do you realize this is THE day I look forward to all year? I count down the days as this day gives me the biggest energy boost and hope for the rest of the year. Why? Why this day? This happens every year? Yep. No question about it. Let me tell you why.

Look at the tree in the fog. Look at the road. Perfect! Perfect in every respect. This is the start of training for me. The start of Ironman 2007. Look at the road. You can't see very far. Perfect. I have no idea what the future brings. This road is on the Ironman route. In fact, this tree is at mile 8. Only 8 miles into the race. Not sure what the future will bring. Look at the flip side. It is 8 miles from the end of the bike. A marathon to follow. Perfect. Look at the tree. No leaves. Waiting. The tree is a perfect symbol for training. With a little help, this tree will explode with life. It will grow awesome leaves. It will look so healthy. It will be an amazing view. It will watch us as we pass it early in the day, and just before the finish of the bike. It is waiting now. It is waiting patiently on this first day of Winter. It has the same hope for life as I do. Most of life is controlled by light. Sunlight. The shortest days are behind us. Take advantage of this now. I never wait until Jan 1st. In fact, I've never had a "New Years Resolution." I never understood them. Why? Why wait? Why not today? Why not now? The days are getting longer. Now, not Jan 1st.

How lucky was I to have my camera with me? Why did I take a detour to ride on the route? I'm not really sure. I just thought I would celebrate December 22nd and take a picture for you all to see. Little did I know that I would see this tree. Little did I know that I would see the ultimate symbol for Ironman Wisconsin 2007. This tree IS on the route. This tree IS waiting. It will be there for YOU. When you pass this tree in September it will look far different. It might be wet from rain, or hot from the sun. It might be loud from the wind, it might be quite and peaceful. No matter what the day brings, this tree will be the only tree for about 1 mile (at mile 8) on the left side going out and the right side coming back. You might want to let out "thank you" to this tree. Maybe you can train with the tree in mind. Why? Why a tree? Easy. Just think about your training and all the work you will need to do over the next 8 months. See, I told you it was perfect. 8 months out from the race, 8 mile mark. Perfect! Anyway, just like the tree that will be full of life, full of hope, full of beauty. Embrace the growth. Embrace the race. Enjoy the race. The tree is waiting!

Just for the record, I have a few other "days" I'm looking forward to in 2007:

1) A very special day in January that I tell you all about later. This day is hard to talk about at times, joyful at others, scary one day, and amazing the next.

2) My first Team Race Athlete race in May!

3) The day the Orange barrels go out. Oh Yeah! This one never gets old. I posted about this in Sept of 2006.

4) Watching Chris, Roman, Tyler, Tracy, Brett, Michelle and Greg finish IM Wisconsin!

5) Buying "finisher" gear the next day!

Life is short, why wait?

Come on Team RaceAthlete. I would love to meet you!  Please come out to meet other RaceAthlete members! Many people will be in Boulder late Friday and all day Saturday October 20-21st! Would love to see you all! CYA in Boulder.

"I've done almost 850 miles of training." She said with a hint of pride.

"What" I said?

"Yes, I've done almost 850 miles of training for the 3 Day Walk." This was said as if it was an everyday occurrence.

I sat in my chair and was just amazed. Could this be true? I did the math. Yep, must be right.

A few days later.....

"I did 13 miles today. It was warm, but we had a great time. The next day we did another 8." She said

"What? Really? I'm amazed." I said.

I paused for a minute and said "You are 70 years old."

Without pause, like it was expected, she replied, "Yep."

The conversation continued. She had asked about what I eat and drink, so I told her about NUUN. I love this stuff. It is so amazing. A few days later I got another E-Mail.

"Hey - I tried that NUUN stuff and LOVE it."

"Yeah, it is great stuff." I said.

"I used it on my 2nd bottle, and it made a difference, the taste is so mellow. I just love it." she said like a seasoned athlete.

"What flavor do you like?" I said.

That exchange of E-Mails was not out of the ordinary until you look at who I was talking to. This was a women who at age 40 or even 50 had never walked 5 miles in a row. EVER. All of the sudden she got the bug, started to walk and did the Disney 1/2 Marathon. If I have my facts right, she even won her age group once. Ok, so what's so weird about this? Well, this is a women who now talks as much about running as I do. E-Mails like:

"Hey, I found these new socks, you have to try them." or

"What gels do you use?" or

"Hey, I love this NUUN stuff, but what flavor do you use?"

You get the picture. Before I end this story, lets give you a few more details....

This women has training and finished the 3 Day Walk before. She raised money for Breast Cancer and walked 3 straight days about 20 miles a day. This is awesome for a 50 year old, much less a 70 year old. I can remember she E-Mailed me right before she did it last year. I told her "I bet you sign up again next year. This type of thing just gets in your blood." A few days after the finish, I got the E-Mail. "You are right. I did it again. I signed up."

This year, she is doing it again. She has trained by doing over 850 miles. She is just like me - age means nothing. In fact, if you look at her, ask her, or talk to her, you might guess she is 50 at the most. Just ask the young girls she trains with and have a hard time keeping up.

Oh, one last thing. This young 70 year old women is my Mom! My incredible mom!

Good luck on the the 3-Day this year!

I was in the hall of local movie theater a few months back. It was the usual red carpet with the overpowering smell of buttered popcorn. As I walked toward the movie I saw an advertisement for a Adam Sandler movie called "Click." On the poster was Adam holding a remote control. This particular remote gave him superpowers that included all kinds of cool stuff with one exception. It had a button for exercise. As we stopped in front of the poster everyone made comments about this button.

"Man, that would be great to just click a button and exercise would be done."

"That's what I need."

"Life would be so great without having to bother with exercise."

I was so taken by these comments. "What is wrong with you people?" I do not get it!

This may work for some people, but this is NOT for me. I live to train. I live to run. I live to bike. I live to swim. To me it's not about the race, its about the journey. I look so forward to the day when I can get out and run in the ice, snow, and rain. I love the thought of months and months of training. Months of wet clothes from running. Months of early day workouts. The feeling when you drop into bed and fall asleep instantly. I love everything about training. What is bad about it? What is bad about treating your body like this.

I want to see the people look at me like I'm crazy running in 5 degree weather. I want to smile at someone in a car while I'm soaking wet from the rain. I want someone to see me with steam coming off my head from the speed workout in the middle of Winter. I don't do it to show off. I want people to see the joy I feel when running, biking or swimming. I will be riding a BMC next year in Ironman Wisconsin. I'm so excited about this, but the bike does you no good without putting in hours, days, and months of work in the cold basement over the Winter. I want to see the sweat stains from the hours of riding. I want to see the mud on my shoes from running in the mud and snow. This is not work - this is fun. This is as good as it gets. I get such a rush from all this. I'm not sure why. I'm not sure how long it will last. I'm not sure about much. I'm just 100% sure that right now, I'm ready to start my journey to Ironman Wisconsin. I just want to tell you that I plan to do a few things before that day and LOVE every minute of it. There is NO way that I would use the remote, I don't want to miss this opportunity.

So until that day, I have a few things planned:

1) Run about 1500 miles 


2) Bike about 5000 miles


3) Swim about 200,000 yards

No remote needed. Just give me the joy of the mud, rain, basement, pool, ice, snow, peace, quiet, hail, thunder, gravel, blood, and anything else my 7000 mile journey will bring.

Join Team raceAthlete and Train and Race like a Pro in 2007 

September 26, 2006

You can train and race like a professional in 2007.

Team raceAthlete in conjunction with CycleOps Power, Zipp Speed Weaponry, BMC Bicycles, D3 Multisport, NUUN and 2XU will showcase the improvements that can be achieved through world class equipment and training by sponsoring age-group triathletes.

The chosen triathletes will get state-of-the-art PowerTap SL's by CycleOps Power to help them train and monitor their progress with ultimate power and efficiency.

Swiss based BMC bicycles will provide them with proven bicycle technology-the TTO2 Time Machine which is very similar to the bike ridden at the Tour de France.

Zipp Speed Weaponry will provide world class speed and aerodynamic wheels and components. These are the same wheels ridden by champion Triathletes like Peter Reid.

D3 Multisport will provide comprehensive coaching and training plans for the athletes to help them with expert advice and today's most cutting edge training tools for peak performance.

2XU apparel will provide state of the art training and racing apparel to help propel the athletes to the winner's circle.

NUUN will provide one year's supply of refreshing portable electrolyte hydration.

For complete details, to join the team and to apply to get sponsored Click here.

Please note that if you have already joined Team raceAthlete, or emailed your interest in getting sponsored, you still have to submit a new application by clicking on the link above.

Sponsored triathletes will be chosen by Team raceAthlete and notified by email or phone by October 23, 2006.

We're building a real and virtual team of endurance athletes that will have exclusive access to online coaching, a bike mechanic, product discounts and promotions, and other valuable resources.

Jump in with both feet, the water is warm. We want you on our team in 2007. Click Here to join.

Here's the skinny on the sponsorship opportunities.

This is the first "race like a professional" package will go to somebody registered for IM Wisconsin 2007.

However (the cherry on top) is that we are also seeking other athletes (who don't have to be signed up for IM Wisconsin) to partially sponsors with great products and services from our main sponsors. This means that everybody is eligible.

Also, we'll be selecting another athlete to fully sponsor toward the end of the year. If you fill out the sponsorship form and you are not chosen this time, you'll be in the running for the next "race like a professional" package.

Good luck and thanks for joining us on the exciting new journey.

You have got to check this out!  CycleOPS is putting on this wickely cool dream clinic. Could you imagine riding with Peter Reid during the week? What about Mel? Oh yeah! Would love to see you in Temecula!

IrowWidow is ready to go. I'm still working to get some great graphics, but here is the idea.  IronWidow is the site for all of you that have significant others out training for endurance events. It's time to understand YOUR side of the endurance training story!

When I was 12, my family ran a local golf course. This was a great thing as I was able to play golf 7 days a week. Sometimes I would play 18 and even 36 holes a day. I was always playing with different people. On one particular Summer day, I told my mom that I wanted to play. We were very busy so she told me to join the couple going next on the tee. I smiled, grabbed my clubs and started to walk to the tee. I looked over and saw an older couple that looked to be about 65 each. I turned to my mom and gave her a sour look. How could she put me with these people? I walked over and asked my mom why she put ME with THEM. She smiled and said "you better watch out, she might just beat you today." I laughed, and reluctantly walked over to start.

Mrs. "K" was 90 pounds on a good day, and I'll bet she wasn't even that much. Mr. "K" was a nice gentlemen, that I instantly took a liking too. He was very soft spoken, and had perfect manners. The guys hit, and I walked down to where Mrs. "K" would hit. A few people had gathered to watch and roll their eyes as they looked at Mrs. "K." I could see the pain as they figured Mrs. "K" was going to be horrible and slow everyone down. I continued to walk and stopped next to her. She looked older than Mr. "K" and very skinny. She took a practice swing and lined up to hit the ball. She took a perfect backswing, and hit the ball about 150 yards straight as I have ever seen. Not very far, but perfectly straight. I swallowed hard and that began the lesson I hold near to this day. She made par on the first, second and third hole. I was amazed that EVERY shot she hit was straight. Not far. Just straight. She continued this all day. After 9 holes, she shot 41 and I shot 43.

I made my way up to talk with my mom and just smiled. I was so excited to play the back nine with my new found friends, that I got a candy bar and ran back down. We talked in between each and every shot of that day. She did end up beating me that day. She shot 85, and I shot 87. This friendship continued for many years to come. I loved to play golf with them. I broke 40 for the first time with them. I also broke 80 for the first time with them. So many milestones started with them. I learned to respect and honor so much with them. I also learned the most important lesson. When you look at people, walk in their shoes before you judge. Better yet, walk in their shoes and you might just become friends.

Fast forward to Ironman 2006. As I got out of the car with James (Ironwil's husband) to find Ironwil, I walked across the road to start watching bikes roll past. I noticed a young women that had an orange jersey on. I yelled out "come on, looking great, you rock." Many more people passed, and in the distance I noticed a guy that had running shoes on. No bike cleats, just running shoes. I'm not sure why I noticed this, but I yelled "You rock man! This is your day." Soon after this, I saw Ironwil. She looked great and I screamed and ran next to her for about 20 yards. "You Rock. This is going to be an awesome day." As she passed me, James and I walked back to the car. We drove past Ironwil a few miles and stopped again. I saw the orange jersey and the guy with the running shoes. I screamed. We saw Ironwil again. This process took place about 30 times on the bike. At one point the young women in the orange jersey started to laugh like it was groundhog day. I was amazing how we saw the same group of bikers over and over again. After mile 90, James and I parked the car at the top of the last hill on the route. This was a beast of a hill. A pregnant women had rigged up her car with speakers and played the best music for all. She was dancing and screaming for all the riders. I started to run down the hill, pick a biker, and run with them up the hill screaming "Come on, this is the last hill of the day." This happened to about 100 riders. We knew we had to wait about an hour for the "group" to come, so we helped people get up that last hill. I started to recognized a few riders and I would scream "How are you?" Many would look at me and shake their head. As I ran up the hill, I would say "I would give anything to be in your shoes. This is an honor to have come this far. You are a rock star, come on. This is YOUR day. Remember the prize. You are going to be an Ironman today." I said this over and over and people would smile. A few more riders went past and they would remember me and say "thanks for being there all day for me." I would turn and say "I'm with you until you finish." I was so excited to see these people.

I looked down and saw the orange jersey coming up the hill. I started to scream. "You look awesome. Come on girl! You rock. This is YOUR day." I smiled as she looked over and I said "I will see you on the run." A few minutes later I saw the running shoe guy. "Come on! You are doing it! You are already an Ironman to me. Just go and prove it to yourself." I looked at him and said "I will see you on the run. I'm with you until I see you finish." Not long after that I saw Ironwil and said the same to her! I told her how proud I was to see that she was smiling all day. She looked straight ahead and just kept going. I sat and watched her go.

As the run started and light turned to dark, I had not see the orange jersey or the running shoe guy. I stayed close to Ironwil and watched as she ran mile after mile. At one point of the run, at mile 3 (and 15 if you were on your second loop) I watched as runners ran past and I thought back to Mrs. "K." That was the moment I realized this lesson I had learned. You cannot look at someone and judge what they are, who they are or what their intentions are. At 90 pounds Mrs. "K" could beat most people in golf. She was amazing, but did not look the part. It was the same here at Ironman. People doing the race were young and old, men and women, short and tall. Some did the race "just because", some did the race to heal the pain of losing a spouse. Some did this race to get rid of addiction. Some did this race to support a friend. Some did this race to feel part of something. Some did the race to get healthy. Some did the race to win. Some did the race to finish. Some did the race because people said they could not.

Here is what I learned from the race:

From orange jersey: I wrote down the # for orange jersey women. I sent her an E-mail with a picture that James had taken. I wanted to write this long E-Mail about how I much I enjoyed watching her journey. I never met her and I may never, but I will say that she was a rock star in my book. She wasn't someone like Andrea Fisher. She was just another face in the crowd. I just felt so intrigued to see just what brought her to this journey. What is her story? Why did she do Ironman? I now wonder what her story is. To you “Orange Jersey Woman? - I thank YOU for sharing your journey.

Running shoe guy: He brought back a very important reminder to me. When I first saw him without bike cleats, and riding a bike in running shoes, my first instinct was to say "he will never finish." After seeing him ride past me the 3rd time, I sat on the wet ground and thought about Mrs. "K." You see, running shoe guy forced me to remember the lesson that Mr. "K" taught me. "Walk in their shoes before you judge." He E-Mailed me a few days after the race with his times. He is an Ironman. You rock in my book! As I sit today, I would love to know what his story is. To you “Running Shoe Guy? I would be honored to bike in your running shoes – I thank you too for sharing your journey.

Ironwil: She gave a gift to all of us. She gave each and every person a unique opportunity. She put her running shoes on her doorstep. She put them down and asked a very simply question. "Do you want to walk in my shoes?" Mrs. "K" would be very proud. Lesson learned. She gave so much and asked for nothing. She simply let the world walk in her shoes.

I have no idea where Mrs. "K" is now as she would be almost 100. I just hope she can look down and get the chance to walk in my shoes next year at Ironman Wisconsin. I would love to pay her back for the lesson she taught to me!

Thank you Ironwil, Orange Jersey Women, and Running Shoes Guy!

The 2003 Ironman was a magical race. It was amazing in every way. I trained the best I knew how. I did everything right. I worked hard, never missed a workout, and loved every moment of the training. It was an adventure of a lifetime.

Just a few weeks before the race, the wall came crashing down. It was during my LAST long workout that I had run into problems. Nothing life threatening at all, but I needed to take a trip to the doctor. After just a few minutes with the doctor, I got the bad news that the only chance I had to start the Ironman was to have surgery. I was lucky enough to get in just a few days later. After coming out of surgery, I felt like a million bucks. WOW. This is great. Little did I know that the drugs were still in place and within a few hours, I would feel the pain. The pain came hard. It stayed with me for almost a week. I was flat on my back in bed for almost a week. How horrible was this. There was nothing I could do. I had a hard time walking from the bed to the bathroom. After a week of constant pain medication, I had enough. My family was gone, and I wanted to see if I could run (jog) without falling over. After being in a dark room for a week, I opened the door and felt the heat of a Summer Wisconsin day. I can remember walking in the field behind my house. As I walked, I thought about the race I had trained so hard for. I was determined. With my father passing away just a few weeks back, I HAD to do the race. I stood in the middle of the dry grass, and started to walk until I was jogging. I was ok. I was feeling ok. I looked up and saw my wife drive by in the car. She looked at me like I was crazy. She looked and just shook her head. As she rounded the corner and pulled into the driveway, I can still hear her saying how "crazy" I was and asking "what the heck are you doing." This was just something I had to do. It was just as much for me as for my father.

After that jog, I was convinced I would be able to make it. As I wrote in the "Silent Coach," I did make the race. I started and I finished. I was not able to go all that fast as the surgery and week in bed took its toll, but it felt great. It was an amazing day. It was an amazing race.

As with most people that finish an Ironman, here is the usual scenario. During mile 20 of the marathon, you will tell yourself that "I will NEVER do another Ironman again." When you finish you may even say the same thing. On the drive home you have already changed your mind to "I will do another, but not for a few years." The next day as you shop for finisher gear you tell your buddies, "I can't wait to do another Ironman." This was the basic idea with me. I wanted to do another race, but wanted to wait until 2007 when I turned 40. In 2004, however, I was talked into doing the race again. My buddies that did it in 2003 convinced me that it was time to do it again. I really wanted to wait as it is a big commitment. I was called on the carpet, and decided to do it. I'm extremely loyal to all my friends and just had to do it. The training went well, and I was in much better shape this time around. It was about February of race year, when one of my training buddies dropped from the race. I was so disappointed from this. i felt like my loyalty had been broken. I felt like I had been left at the alter. For whatever reason, I was so upset about all of this. You can't just drop out of training. You can't leave your friends just hanging. You can't do this. You just can't. For those that know me, they will find that I'm loyal to the end of time. From that time until race day I was hurt by this. Can you imagine your training partner leaving in the middle of the journey?

Like the first time, I had trained hard and felt amazing. I was in much better shape this time around. I was ready. I had my nutrition plan. I had a race plan. I had everything except my training buddy that left mid stream.

Race day started well. I swam as slow and easy as I could. I was able to glance at my watch and was thinking as great as I felt, I would exit about 1:10. As it turned out, I did a 1:03 swim and can tell you that my heart rate was never in the yellow or red zone. The bike was great as well. The out loop and first 40 miles where great. I was nailing everything. It was in the 90s already, but things where ok. i turned the corner to start loop #2 and it was like I was a different person. Things went wrong in a hurry. I was getting so thirsty and was out of water. i made a tactical error and went 10 miles in 90+ heat without water. The damage was done. I was at mile 90 and I knew that if I kept going the race would end in an ambulance. My kids and wife have supported me in Ironman as long as I made them a simple deal. They never wanted to see me in the medical tent or in an ambulance. I made the decision to stop. It was so painful to do, but I knew it was right. I thought the hard part of the day was over. I was wrong.

As I came back into the transition area already having to give my timing chip back, I saw my children and wife. This was the worst thing I've ever had to do. To walk up to your family, after training so hard, only to not finish. I had trained for a year. I was in perfect shape. This was NOT how it was scripted. This was not the outcome I had in mind. I continued to walk and saw three smiling faces as well as some other friends that had come to support my day. The smiles where forced, but sincere. The hardest thing is I knew what was coming next. The obligatory "it's ok," or "You have nothing to be ashamed of." All I can say is there are no words that feel right after a year of training that ends before the finish line.

I had survived the worst. Seeing the family. Having to face the pain of not finishing the race. I had seen the smiles, heard the words. The worst was over. WRONG. I turned to my daughter and she pulled a necklace off her neck. It was a "surfer" type that had a pink piece on the end that had a swimmer, biker and runner on it. She smiled and said that they had bought these at Ironman village while they waited for me. She handed it to me. This would be the only "finisher medal" I would get. This was so painful. Here is a 9 year old girl that had battled so hard in a hospital to beat Leukemia. SHE was handing ME a consolation prize. My heart dropped. I turned to my son and he too had the same necklace in a different color. He took it off and handed it to me. I had held up my part of the deal of not going home in the ambulance, but I almost felt like it would have been better if I had.

Over the past year, I looked at those necklaces every day. They are a reminder to me about what is important in life. They are also a reminder of how things do not always go as planned. I have waited for over a year to get back in the race. Day 1 is approaching fast. Day 1 is the day I have been waiting for since I was handed the necklaces from my children. I will wear these a lot over the next year as a reminder. I will also wear them on race day at Ironman Wisconsin 2007. I will wear them with pride. I will wear them as a reminder of a mission. I will wear them with one goal - to take them off at the finish line and give them back to their owner - My children. When I look back, the pain is not that I did not finish. The pain is that I feel I let my family down. They will argue differently, but I want to make sure there is NO question. I know I have finished once, but I need to do it again for one reason. I want my kids to look at me again and say "DAD - you are an Ironman."

Who:
- Allen Lim PhD - Floyd Landis's Training Advisor
- Jamie Cleveland Ironman Florida Champion
- Heather Haviland Pro Triathlete

Cost: Come on.  Are you kidding?  100% Free.  Come join us!

What:
- Training for Triathlon with Power Presented by Simply Stu and CycleOps Power

Where: The Madison Concourse Hotel in the Madison Ballroom.  1 West Dayton St Madison WI

When: Thursday September 7th at 6:00pm for approximately 1.5hrs

How: Roundtable Q&A with all the athletes and Allen Lim Phd moderated by Simply Stu talking about training and fielding questions from the audience.  Stu will show a video.  CycleOps Power will offer prizes to all guests.  Guests must rsvp attendance to stu@simplystu.com

How Many: First 50 people!  Space is almost gone! Hurry.

During the month of June and July I tried something new. I tried to commute on my bike. It was not all that long, only 22 miles each way. It was long enough that if I rode hard, I would get tired. It was short enough that I could do a leisurely ride and not feel winded at all. I loved the days when I rode in nice and easy, ran an hour at lunch and rode a tempo ride home. Even better was to swim at 6am in the Lake do speed work with my buddies at lunch, and hammer on the way home! Life is so good at that point!

With all this commuting, I only filled my tank of gas ONCE in June and twice in July! How cool is that. As you can imagine, I had a lot of time to think on the bike. It was great to clear my mind and think about work, family, the Packers, Triathlons, and just about anything else. As I rode there was one theme that kept coming up. I will call it the Silent Coach.

As a kid, my father was at every swim meet, every golf tournament (yes I grew up playing golf, and at one point had a solid 4 handicap), and every event if he was available. What was weird is he was ALWAYS silent. He rarely cheered, and at times I did not understand this. If I needed help I could always look out of the corner of my eye to see him, but he was not like the average parent that yells and screams during sporting events. This went on all my life.

At my son’s games I find myself the same way. I do not cheer much and often remain silent. I love to see him play. I feel so proud, but don’t feel like I need to show it to anyone. He knows that I will NEVER miss a game of his. He also knows that he will not hear me say much either. When will he understand? It might take years because it was not until a few years back that I figured out the silence.

My father had all but beaten prostrate cancer, but was now faced with cancer of the Esophagus. The battle was going well, the treatment was done, but we all knew that time was not his friend. In July of 2003, just weeks before the Ironman, I went to Florida to see my father in the hospital. The cancer was back in full force. As I sat in the room, my father and I talked as he came in and out of sleep. At one point, as clear as can be, he broke the silence, grabbed my hand, smiled, and said “how is Ironman training going.? The silence was broken.

My father passed away the next day.

A few weeks later I was in the water looking at my fathers wedding ring. I had asked my mom if I could wear it for the Ironman. I looked at the ring and thought I would need the help and inspiration during the day. As the canon went off, my thoughts turned to racing. The swim and the bike went well. At mile 24 or the marathon, I was in pain, and needed something.

I took out a picture I had of my father and looked at it. It was at that time that I figured out the Silent Coach. You see, my father was not silent all those years – he was just being the Silent Coach. He was teaching me how to handle a moment like this. He knew that he would not always be available for me, but his lessons would help me make it past the pain of this race. As I continued to look at the picture, I could hear him say “Put the picture away. This is what I’ve taught you to do. This is about you now.? I put the picture away, and ran the last 2 miles with a huge smile on my face. As I turned the corner towards the finish line, I was amazed how much “coaching? my father did all my life. He prepared me to train. He prepared me to live. He prepared me to hear those words “STU – YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!? Thanks dad!

The best coaches in the world don’t need to say a word to teach you something. The best coaches in the world might just be the Silent Coach sitting right next to you.

As you prepare for the Ironman or think about signing up, you have to understand that we all have awesome Silent Coaches. Maybe it is a father, mother, sister, friend, husband, partner, or wife. They might not say much, but they are the true Silent Coaches we all learn from in life.

I have no regrets with my father. He was a great man, and I respect him like no other person in the world. He taught me so much. He never said much, but in a weird way, he taught me more than the spoken word could ever do.

Ironman is a special race. I think about a new friend of mine – Ironwil from Get Your Geek On Podcast. She has all these Silent Coaches from around the world cheering her on. Maybe she too will find that having a Silent Coach can really help in life and the Ironman too.

This is what Ironman is all about. Good luck to all doing Ironman 2006, and I will see you all at Ironman Wisconsin 2007!

CLICK HERE to visit the Heather Haviland web site. A great chance for 15 lucky women to take part in the Super Pear Team 4!

Listen to Annie talk about www.train2race.com. Also, make sure you check out the sameple program on her web site.

Want to be on the show? Have a review? Want to tell everyone about a race? Want to tell us of you New Year Resolution? Just call the SimplyStu Voicemail at 202-449-5207. Some have already asked why I have a DC VM number. I live in Wisconsin, but Gizmo did not have any Wisconsin numbers, so I picked DC. Come on, give Stu a call.

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What to track your GPS workouts? Very Cool!
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