Aloha !!!

It is finally here and I am REALLY excited but more about that in a few…


Welcome to the new additions!!!

Rich and Erica had Jillian Leigh on Friday night / Saturday morning she is doing great…Congrats!!!



Paul and Amy had Luke a few weeks ago and he is doing great…Congrats!!!



Look for Paul, Amy and Rich’s return to racing next year and I would bet Erika will be teaching Yoghurt again (yes – Yoga hurts to me:)) in no time…



Results Results Results – we got ‘em.


Fast out of the start house and first across the finish is how the big man of the shaved leg tough guys does it.



Jeff Kopp dominated the dojo and took 1st place in the Pro 1, 2 division of the NC State Time Trial Championship. He drove 7 hours each way to race and if your going to go that far – it better be worth it. Finishing right at 52 minutes for a 40K which is around 28.67MPH average…that is INCREDIBLE!!! That is so fast that he is really approaching the domestic pro level – watch out next year!!! Jeff is done for the season and taking a much needed break from his training (smart people do this) so that he is physically ready and mentally prepared for next year. Congrats on the all the great results and enjoy the down time!!!



Karel and Curtis hit the woods (Curtis quite literally) and had a great day at the Mountain Bike race in Fernandina last weekend. Karel was on the podium with a 2nd place finish and some bangs and bruises. Curtis went down hard and got up to continue racing and while checking himself out took out a tree with his head. Laying on the trail seeing stars he decided that his day was done.



We’ll have to wait and see but I think this may be the last race of the season for the Lindner boys…a season that is RACING from February to October – man that is long. Congrats on all the success for the year – you guys did the work and your results show it…I could not be more proud of your accomplishments!!!


Off the bike and into the world of the Trigeeks…

Danny Domingo and Greg Carr, local pros, friends and training partners when we need to suffer… (these guys are too fast too furious)…headed up to the ½ Ironman in SC 2 weeks ago and had some FAST TIMES. Greg finished 2nd Overall Male with a 4:10 running a 1:23:30 off a 2:19 bike – that is FLYIN’. Double D was 5th with a 4:19 and change. Way to go speedsters!!!

David Mariotti had a great race at Disney Olympic last weekend (PR) and finished 13th in his age group – way to go David!!!

VMS Client #1 and our west coastie Paul Cantin got to race a “local” race in the Orange County triathlon last weekend. These are the same roads that Paul gets to train on and they are NOT FLAT and local knowledge is key!!! I have ridden with him out there a few times and the Canyon is exactly that – a canyon. Paul had a PR swim, great bike and flying run for a TOP 10 age group finish. Congrats Paul – he has Clearwater 70.3 in a few weeks.

I think that is it unless I missed someone…if I did…it was not intentional…


LOTS of racing this weekend and next …

Out West – Sean Crichton is at the National’s for xTerra – good luck Sean!!!

Chicago Marathon – Sue Briers, Michael Mohseni and Steve Goodfriend – good luck all!!!

In Amelia – the Iron Buttz – Saswata, Hercules, Kellie, JC, Joy, Juan, Lyndon, Vann, Michael, Matt and I am sure I am missing some are all doing the Atlantic ½ or Olympic – 56 in the morning – light winds and a high of 80 – PR’s all around!!!

I think that wraps it up for racing – OMG – I almost forgot!!!

My sister – the text messaging soccer mom turned Lycra loving triathlete is kickin’ it old school with the ORIGINAL US TRIATHLON.

No joke – this is the 1st triathlon race ever held. It is the MB3 – Mission Bay Triathlon and this is where the sport was born.

Miah should do very well – she has been training her a$$ off and is probably ready for Kona versus a sprint but hey – she likes her training partners – what can I cay…



Good luck Miah – Go Team Fed EX – Kia Kaha!!!


No rants this week – ok…maybe just one…and some rambling raves :)


I will write more about this next week I am sure, but I really want to say a public thank you for the support to my family, friends, coach, training partners, coworkers and coffee clerks that I might have been short with over the past 3 months.

I really try to be nice to everyone all the time but I have been pretty focused on getting ready for 2 Ironman races in 3 weeks and add to that a pretty active family, a demanding job, coaching, travel and the rest that life brings – I can get a bit short and grumpy at times and for those instances – I apologize.

This actually came to light on Sunday morning with a short but dramatic encounter with a no so happy woman out walking two little drop kick dogs on 1st street in South Jax beach.

I ran by her and it was “maybe” 5:45am – I had 20 miles to do so let’s just say it was REALLY early and there was NO ONE else awake or around at the time.

Of course – I say – “Good Morning”…

No response…

I run on…go another ¼ to ½ mile and turn around and head back North towards the Turtle.

I see her again and again I say “Good Morning” a little loader but not yelling – just being friendly and this time we are about 10 feet apart and she is looking right at me and says NOTHING.

No head nod – no hand wave – no good morning – NADA!!!

What happened next I can only attribute to 22 hours of training that week, low blood sugar and the early hour of the day but I lost my inner voice and this actually came out – really – shouted out…as I was about ½ a block away.

“What…what is the matter? You can’t say good morning? You know I am talking to you!!! There is NOT A SOUL awake except us and I am running right by you and I say good morning twice and you don’t say anything. It’s not a lot to ask – JUST SAY GOOD MORNING – IT’S NICE – PEOPLE LIKE IT…”

At this point I am 1 block away but I hear a faint voice…

She says, “good morning”

It really took me 2 or 3 more blocks to realize I had said this out load to a complete stranger at 5:40 in the morning…I need a Gel bad…but I was also laughing my a$$ off :)


This week was a little lighter than usual with the race tomorrow and Kona next week so I am a little less involved with the process and have a bit more perspective so I can feel a change in my personality from the previous weeks.

I am relaxed…I am rested and I have to admit it – pretty fit :)

Alan Couzens is my coach and he has done a fantastic job of getting me ready for AZ and this last build has been really great.

He is analytical and I like that…he is tough and he holds me accountable. If it’s on my schedule I do it – pretty simple. Sometimes it’s hard – sometimes it’s easy but I just do what he says and I trust him.

Speaking of hard…I was cussing him out BIGTIME on Wednesday morning and actually goggled names of the Devil to call him when I talked to him next as the last key workout I had was BRUTAL. 3 hours descending bike with a 5 mile tempo t-run with the last 2 sub 6:30 – YIKES – the dude was trying to kill this old man…I did it but he now Alan is affectionately known at Coach Beelzebub :)


Ok – I got side tracked…

Raves…

I amazed at how much technology can help in sports…big props to 2XU and their national sale manager Chris… Thanks for the hook up on where to find my size for the new 2XU Velocity Wetsuit.



No joke – I have had ALL of the highest end wetsuits over the past 3-4 years – some of them before they were actually released to the market and I think I am a good judge of what makes a wetsuit fast – 2XU has it all.

I have often said that being a swimmer - I am not sure these things should be legal – hell – my heals were dry as my feet where sticking out of the water it floats so well.

The suit has all of the latest tech and it stretches and feels like you are not wearing anything on your arms.

This has been one of my pet peeves for years with long sleeve suits – sure they are fast but the fatigue of moving all that neoprene over your shoulder for 60+ minutes is bad…

NOT with the 2XU.

It stretches and actually feels like it supports your shoulder without limiting arm length reach.

BIG PROPS – YOU GUYS SCORED WITH THIS ONE – watch out 14 and under 100 freestyler’s I can keep up now (girls that is) :) !!!


Last but definitely not least.

Thanks to my angels for the gifts…not very often am I caught on my heals – nicely done Ladies!!!



To Shawn and Lisa for the pix and everyone who signed it – very cool – very creative and definitely makes the office wall.





Thanks to Susan and the Hammerheads for the shirts and C-bone for all the hugs and smiles.






KONA PLAN-

If you log into Ironmanlive.com you can follow all of us there...

My athlete number is 814, Susan is 412, Kevin T is 379 and Kevin Neal is 651.

Just for the record – if your wondering what happened to me after the swim and I am moving “backwards” through the field – don’t worry – that is EXACTLY what I plan on doing.

I have my goals from Alan – Finish, Don’t Bonk, ride easy and save your legs on the run then 3 weeks later – smack the a$$ out of Florida…

I hope to really enjoy myself immensely – that is my plan.

I will eat my entry fee back at the parties and aid stations and smile my A$$ off at the finish.

I already have the Ironman Ash Tray thanks to Freddy B but I will get everything else they sell with a logo…

AND…Unless the change the rules or limit it somehow – C-bone – my Ironman finish line partner…will be pulling me across the line again…he digs it more that I do and that is a LOT.


Thanks again to all my family, friends, co-workers and the lady with the dogs – I will be thinking about you from miles 20-26…

Remember to say “Good Morning” or better yet...ALOHA :)