Interview with Jessi Stensland about the new Core Performance Endurance book. Neal Henderson talks about Lactate Threshold testing. This guy rocks. Also meet the newest RaceAthlete - Chris. Reminder that the SimplyStu WorldWide Triathlon will be March 23rd - 25th, 2006! Registration is the 1st week of 2007.

Stu's Lactate Test Results:

Also check out Jamie Whitmore doing some BASE training as it should be done! She rocks and does it right. Click on the picture of Jamie to visit her website. Listen the to postcast for details.

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?

38,000 Feet! United flight 609.

Ok, it is only December. WOW. Winter is just starting and I have this dream. YES its a dream. It's a dream I have already lived. Maybe 100 times, maybe more. It's the dream of a warm sunny Wisconsin day where I pack my water bottles and get ready to ride. I pick what triathlon top I will wear. I pick my favorite bike shorts. Come on, you all know that on the special rides you have your favorite jersey, socks, shorts and glasses. I'm getting all excited thinking about it. You get in the car, drive to the starting location. You unpack the bike, get the bottles in place, pull the pump out of the truck. The tires get inflated to the perfect psi (110 for me). I check nutrition. Sun screen is always next. Yep, SPF 50+. Next are the glasses. On they go. Are they clean? Yep. Perfect. On this day, I will finish the bike ride and take a nice 5 mile run on the path. I get the running shoes ready. Set! Perfect! I talk smack with my buddies. This might be the best part of the day. They ask to use my pump. Fine. They ask to use my sunscreen. Fine. I ask if they need anything else from my took kit that I ALWAYS have in my trunk. Every tool you might need. Perfect! I ask if anyone wants to try a new flavor of GU. I have takers. Awesome! Everyone ready? Yep! And so the day starts. The first mile is always social. How are the kids? Wife? School? Work? Isn't life grand! My knees crack in the 1st 10 rotations. I'm ready now. I check my watch. Working. Heart rate? 120. GPS? Yep, we are going 16mph and on main street! Seems right to me. Helmet is on a bit croaked. Adjust a bit. Ahhhhh, much bettter. Legs feel good. 42 miles to go. Bummer. I wish we had 112. Oh well. Easy day. What? Do you remember the day when you got your first road bike and 40 miles seemed like eternity? Ok, back in line. The sky. Blue! Clouds? None! Wind. None. Wow, I'm glad we took off work today. I wonder what is going on at work? Yeah right. Smile. Mile 2. Aero position. Hills. Hey look at the cows. I love cows. I see sweat. Yep.

"This is your captain speaking. Will will be landing in Chicago in about 20 minutes. I wanted to thank you for flying United Airlines today and hope you enjoyed your flight. Current temperature in Chicago is 14 degrees. Winds are out of the North at 15-20mph. I hope you enjoy your stay in Chicago or wherever your travels take you. Flight attendants prepare for landing."

The dream ends but not without a smile. You see, I live in a dream world. I live for the moment I look down and see my new RaceAthlete jersey! I live for this nutty sport they call Triathlon.

If you want a team jersey they will be available around the 15th of January. They are at the printer (full sublimation). How cool is that!!!!!! Tri tops are coming as well. Once I get the final look, I will post that as well. The jerseys are 2XU. Very nice!

So what is RaceAthlete.  What do you get by being a member?  What is it all about?

The idea started a long time again ago.  The idea was to see what it would be like for age groupers to "Train Like a Pro."  At the simplest of explanations that is what it is all about. But than the question is -  what about the others that do not get sponsored?  To that I answer with a story.

Several months before Ironman Wisconsin,  I met a young lady named Ironwil.  I did not know much about her.  She had a blog.  She had a podcast.  That's about all I did know. I started to E-Mail her and get to know her over the internet.  Over a few months, we talked more and more and I asked if I could follow her at the race.  Her husband and I followed her every move.  It was an amzing journey.  It was as if I was doing the race.  I felt pain, I felt happy, I felt all the emotions she put out that day.  

A few months later I got to know a guy named Greg.  He had a blog.  He seemed cool.  He seemed to have this triathlon thing worked out.  I had talked more and more to him over time.  A few days before the race I called his cell phone and left him a message.  It was a message of good luck.  I was really wishing I could be at his journey as I was with Ironwil.  At that time I did not have a cool new BMC bike or the sponsorship.  It was just a me.  Just me in my truest form.  It was just me "feeling part" of a journey.  It was just me feeling part of the Ironwil journey.  It was me feeling part of the Greg journey.

So now it is my turn. This year, I get to train.  I get to sweat.  I get to run.  I get finish.  I get to be the one (along with MANY others) that people follow.  I'm so excited.  It's not about the sponsorship as much as it is about the journey.  Last year I followed, dreamed, wished, hoped, and walked next to so many that raced.  This year I feel honored to have you help me out. I already feel it with Wildflower.  I feel it with the excitement of WIBA.  I dream daily about the journey.  I dream about a 5 hour ride followed by a run in the heat.  I dream about a 20 mile run.  I dream about the longest workout day of the year.  I dream about meeting new people.  I dream about "that day."  I dream about the start.  I dream about the finish.  I dream about being on the "other" side this year.  I love to watch people race.  I love to support people.  I love it all.  When all is said and done, what I love the most is to toe the line.   So for the next 9 months, I'm the one training right next to you.  You might be the one that watches the race, but I can promise you this.  Next year, I will not be doing Ironman Wisconsin.  I will not being doing an Ironman.  I will be back where I was last year.  I will be watching and supporting you. I will stand once again by your side. You know why? Loyalty.   I'm loyal becuase I believe in you.  I just hope you believe in me!  

So what do you get?  At its simplest form - you get to be part of a journey.  Come on, let's get going! It's Time.

 

Mal sent me this picture from Iraq! I can't believe that he took the time to take this for me. Check out the SimplyStu WorldWide Triathlon T-Shirt in the picture. He also sent me the picture below with the following E-Mail:

"Finally I get to wear my Simply Stu T shirt in a place for a bizarre picture, taken this morning in Ramadi IRAQ , as you can see the running surface sucks , either three inches of dust or pot holes made by tanks as in the background. Still never one to shir 'c' t a training run , managed a quick three miler in cold temps of the desert and in a war zone."

You can track his blog and read about the cool job Mal has in Iraq at http://point1of1percent.blogspot.com/