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Must be getting to be that time of year. The wind is howling in Boulder County. The number of cyclists out on the roads is up, as is the number of people swimming laps in the pools I frequent. The number of mile repeats I am doing now is also up, as well as the number of seconds I spend standing, mashing my 53*12 on the trainer and wincing in lactic acid flooded pain. The number of miles in the long runs is up along with girl scout cookie consumption in my house. What is down is the pace at which I run those mile repeats, my checking account from registering for a summer’s worth of events and my patience with the Jack Black movies I watch while on my bike trainer. My stretching routine has gotten sloppy. I need to get with it as I know this has much to do with my year as the training. Overall feeling real good. Definitely the fittest I have ever been in February.

Other random notes:
-I went last week to listen to Mark Allen talk about his new book. I haven’t started reading it yet but I will soon.
-I am currently listening to John Updike audiobooks on my iPod during my weekend outside rides. He delivered the commencement address at my first UMass graduation and will certainly be missed by me. Listening to novels is definitely a good way to make sure you don’t ride too hard.
-I think the 2009 schedule on the right side is pretty much set now. I decided I just couldn’t swing the April trip to Boston for the marathon, so instead I will try to head south for a bunch of days in Tucson, AZ with a local bike group.
-I survived my first few days moving over to the next swim lane at Master’s. One more step and I get to get crushed by some seriously fast mo-fos, then I suppose I can call myself a swimmer…

Both of my daughters have been swimming almost as much as I have recently. I made a deal with my 6 year old to that I would let her pick her own new swim cap if she could swim a full lap unassisted. She took it on as a mission and had it done in the first 5 minutes of her next trip to the pool. I was watching 20 yards away behind a glassed wall, half cheering, half wanting to jump in and help her the last few yards. The picture is her cap of choice, cute isn’t it?

Later in the class the instructor had them working on the backstroke and the butterfly kick. I can’t do the butterfly! Perhaps I’ll ask her to teach me when she figures it out; I certainly can’t - just a big wave, tired arms and not a lot of propulsion to show for it.
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This week I signed up for this epic mountain bike race in Gunnison, CO and am very excited about it. It covers 64 miles, a lot of single track, 8K climbing, “SOME SECTIONS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE DOWNRIGHT SKETCHBALLS BY GOOD RIDERS", and all at or above 7,800′. It should take me about 7 hours to complete. Sweet! I didn’t ride my mountain bike on a trail at all in 2008, so this will bring me back to my biking roots. They also have a 25K trail run in town the day before. hmmm… The Bolder Boulder gets bumped from the schedule and the annual Trail Ridge Road Ascent will have to be rescheduled.
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Yesterday was my first pinned-on-number-event of the year, the Frozen Foot 5K run - (3.27 miles, said the Garmin). It was a hilly course that meandered through the University of Colorado campus. I felt good and think I am starting to like these short races. Just when you start thinking your heart may explode through your shirt, there is the finish line…

From Facebook…"Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you.”

1. I have 3 beautiful blonde females in my life: 4, 6 and 30-something years old.

2. as well as 2 female pets. I often take solace in the garage with the male Chinchilla and talk to him about power-tools. My mother is smiling in Florida as she had 3 boys.

3. I graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a bunch of latin words on my diploma. Later I decided I hadn’t quite lost enough sleep so I went back and did it again.

4. I think television is the root of all evil… well much of it, anyway. The Yankees are a close second.

5. …but I do like to watch movies. My favorites are Forrest Gump, The Usual Suspects and The Village (really).

6. I have 2 regrets in my life: not playing basketball in high school and not joining the Marines after it, as I gave serious thought to.

7. …there won’t be any more.

8. There are currently 10 bicycles, a tandem and a unicycle in my garage. I can’t yet ride the unicycle - learning hurts too much down there.

9. I have participated in 5 marathons, 4 ultra-distance mountain bike races, 3 24hour races, 3 Iron distance triathlons and 150+ smaller events that involve a pinned on number, lycra and sweat. My current diversion is training for my 4th Ironman. If you are reading this on my blog, you know this.

10. I once lined up at the start of a bike race alongside Lance Armstrong. He beat me. By a lot.

11. I plan to avenge that by beating his 2008 Boston Marathon finishing time next year.

12. I am typing this on my 8th anniversary (see #1). I think August 11th, the day I proposed to her in front of 100+ people, is the more important day. She disagrees.

13. Most of the music I want to listen to comes from Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Sheryl Crowe, or John Lennon. Paul McCartney is overrated.

14. I was a middle and high school history and social studies teacher before doing what I do now. I work half as much now and earn more than twice as much. Teachers get a raw deal.

15. I think I am the most inflexible person I know. See my profile picture? that’s about as close as I get to touching my toes and my big backyard trampoline helped with that one. I need to work on this.

16. …yet I am the reigning Twister champion. …of my house.

17. My favorite quote: “May you be so busy trying to improve yourself that you have no time to find fault in others".

18. I have an unhealthy addiction to magazines. The floor next to my bed is littered with them (and no, not that kind).

19. If I had to do it all over again I would study architecture.

20. I have a white water canoe in my shed and a shelf of Mountaineering equipment in my basement. Both will see lots of use when I’m done with this Ironman thingy.

21. I have met a lot of famous people in my life. When I ask myself who I would most want to meet now, the answer I come up with is Paul Stanley of the rock band Kiss. …big fan growing up. Seems like a cool guy.

22. I think Jonathan Papelbon is a stud. The one piece of pro sports clothing I own has his mug on it. Long time Red Sox fan. My cell phone rings to “Sweet Caroline” when my wife calls.

23. coolest experience I have had is sky-diving. Everyone should do this at least once.

25. I don’t count so good.

Consider yourself “tagged".

It is that time of year again, time to send out lots of checks to get signed up for lots of events. This year the Triple Bypass, which takes place in July, filled up registration in 2 days. I lost out on my chance to ride it for the 12th time in my 13 years living in Colorado. Seeing what a mess it was last year I am not too disappointed. Otherwise, this is what my year will look like:

-Feb 8 - Frozen Foot 5k, CU
-March 29 - Koppenberg Circuit Road Bike Race
-April 20 - Boston Marathon (tentative)
-May 3 - Rabbit Mountain TT
-May 16 - Sunshine Hill Climb (tentative)
-May 23 - Sage Burner 25K trail run, Gunnison
-May 24 - The Original Growler MTB, Gunnison
-May 30 - Hugo Road Race (tentative)
-June 7 - Mooseman half iron triathlon, NH
-June 20 Mike Horgan Hill Climb
-June 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Aug 6 Boulder Stroke and Stride,
-July 12 - Boulder Peak Triathlon
-Aug 1 Laramie Enduro 111K mtb
-Aug 30 - Ironman Canada **

Epic weather (for January) on tap for the weekend …