I'm so glad I don't race Cyclocross...

Yeah, the geek factor appears to be higher then triathlon..

Ok, I'll fess up. I raced "B" once at USGP a few years ago on my old (and now gone) S Works hardtail.. got killed.. Of course I was a month out from no racing and it was an ironman season. Still totally different power profile, I'm just a little diesel, that kind of racing requires big, chunky watts and followed by the steady go hard power until you're finished. Anyway.

Finally, what's up with the fashion and especially the hats?

The first thought I had when I saw the hats was, "did everybody from Seattle decide to race CX down in Oregon" ?? Because, you know, all the hip kids wear their hats askew up there, except in the summer.

Thought provoking..

Science, sports and coaching.

As someone who firmly believes in a "scientific approach" to my own program I found this a good read (see below). That said, if we looked at my running program what you would find is that it hasn't changed much other then volume since the mid-90's.

I learned how to get myself into good shape, get the intensity flowing early to mid-season, keep it there and sharpen, taper and race.

That's not technically scientific because other then my benchmarks at the track, I'm not doing LT testing, not really super concerned with increasing one or the other metrics. What I *can* say is that I know very specifically what training inputs will produce Y racing outputs.

Cycling, more scientific by a long shot and the power meter has made life alot easier with regard to training myself to race properly.

I'm getting there on the swim after a couple of seasons of actual thought applied to it, sad to say the other seasons I didn't even bother thinking about the swim or even really trying to improve mechanics and workout selection.

Here you go..

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2009/10/coaching-and-science-asset-or-liability.html

For my Ivy league and Stanford educated friends..

Enjoy.

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

How I *didn't* manage a 4.30 x 70.3 or did I?

I've been stewing the last few days trying to figure how I only managed a 4.41 down in Tempe at the Soma Half Ironman since I was sure I was on track for a mid 4.30-something.

Swim was an issue, first 1k was ok (17min) next Kilometer my back and shoulder wasn't happy.

At any rate I was just thinking about the swim time after looking at my pics today and it suddenly dawned on me where the time went...

So it was 38minutes when I got back to the stairs where we jumped in the water but I used a wetsuit stripper and that was a mess as usual, I really should have skipped it but I was out of it and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The timing mat was just before I ran into T1 to grab my bike a good ten meters after the wetsuit strippers, so my official swim didn't "end" until I ran across that mat..

That's where all the time went !!!!!!!!!!!

ARRRRGH.

I should have known better then to use one of the volunteers, idiocy on my part !

Now I have to stew until next season !

At anyrate now I know I did a 4.37 which is what I thought I'd done..

Validation.. The swim will come down more as will the other stuff.. Yes, I was due for this as I've been in 4.30 shape for sometime, was it a "good time for me"?

Technically "no" because I've been in great shape and had good form for quite some time.

In a sense the 4.41 is fine with me.. Other folks will look at it and just underestimate me, which I like as I just fly stealth before and during the race.

Here's the little race report I threw together the day of the race when I got into Flagstaff.

_________________________________

I hate to make excuses but since the accident I really haven't been swimming *great* plus have had to do Naproxen for the pain and usually faded pretty badly in longer workouts, so I knew that was an issue and might be a problem today..

I figured I'd make up for it on the bike run.

Anyway after the turnaround buoy at 1k I was tired even though I had clear water.. (If only Lake Stevens had been free and clear, I was swim fit then..) Today, well, I was decently fit, but my upper and lower back felt like it was unhitched from my bum and upper back.. It felt weak..

Next time !

Bike is really no faster then Boise, Troika or Black Diamond (I've ridden all three in races or training) in fact, avg'd 230w here today to do "officially" 2hr 28min so about what I'd have to do anywhere else really, or at least equivalent bike courses.

It had so many turns and 90 degree turn abouts that it scrubbed off all of your speed, it was 3 loops.. at least it was closed to traffic.

Run went well.. I went beserk in the first mile and ran 5.45.. oops.. When I came in off the bike clock read 3.12 so figured all I had to do was run under 1hr 30min..

First Half of the run I was on track to do right around 1.20, although, I was shooting for under that and thought it was possible.

Wound up going 1.27.01 w/pee break.. was darn hot too, got up to nearly 100, so second loop of run was rough.

Oh well..

I shouldn't have been greedy for a *huge* pr and just done Black Diamond in late September..

But, before the accident with the dog I thought if I didn't completely screw up the swim, biked a low 2.20 (only one guy got under that in 2.19 today.. everyone else in the mix was 2.22-2.30.) I could do a 4.20..

Turns out 6th in AG.