Coming off a long base build from January thru March I was looking forward to this event as a glimpse into my overall run fitness.  I heard about the toughness of this course and Saturday evening finally took a gander at the course profile.  Noting the serious climb up Monster Mountain out of the gate I figured I would ease into this bad boy and be patient through the first five miles.  I ran smart and comfortable keeping several guys in range and was sitting in 10th or 11th place through five miles.  The downhills were tough on the quads and I was able to keep the gaps consistent.  Through seven miles I was getting into a good rhythm and slowly started to reel in a couple of guys.  The pace was quick, but not over-the-top fast as we pressed onward to the final push into a moderate headwind.  The last four miles were mentally tough after battling the hills and now running into a headwind.  I continued to focus on my form and keep up my work rate.  Within the final .5 mile I caught a strong runner who I had been chasing from the top of Bingham Hill.  Heading towards the finish and New Belgium Brewery (gotta love a race ending outside a Brewery) I made a surge and we ended up crossing the line with exact same time of 1:16 and change.

The volunteers, crowd support and post-race party hosted by New Belgium Brewery were top-notch.  All in all a great start t0 2012!

Keep it smooth,

Brad

For the past five years I have spoken in numerous Boulder Valley Schools as a guest speaker on the topic of abstinence as a healthy option for teens to consider when making the very important decision of whether or not they want to be sexually active.  Boulder Valley School District teaches comprehensive health education which includes presenting contraception and abstinence as options.

Within the medical community there are various “ideals”…A diet consisting of healthy fats, carbs & protein is considered “ideal” to keep cholesterol in check.  Exercise, drinking in moderation and not smoking is considered “ideal” for overall wellness.  Delaying sexual activity, limiting the number of partners and entering into a long-term, committed, monogamous relationship is considered the “ideal” for sexual health.  Science stands behind all of these “ideals”.  Will every person choose to strive for these ideals?  Absolutely not.  Does that mean we should not encourage people to strive for them?  Absolutely not.

Regarding the content of any public school presentation I have done, NEVER have I presented abstinence on the basis of religion.  I have never equated sexual activity with being bad or dirty.  Quite the opposite.  Sex is a powerful, natural and pleasurable way for two people to be intimate with one another.  My message is rooted in the facts on a medical level – engaging in casual sex has potential risks both emotionally and physically.  Because teen girls have an “open” and immature reproductive system, meaning the cells lining the cervix are not fully mature, that makes them more susceptible to picking up bacteria and viruses.  As reported from the Center for Disease Control 1 out 4 sexually active teen girls currently has an STI or STD.  This does not mean boys are not at risk.  Oral HPV, commonly transmitted via oral sex, has now surpassed tobacco and alcohol as the #1 precursor to mouth cancer in adults.  The face of oral cancer used to be someone in their 50s, 60s or 70s who was a heavy smoker or drinker.  Today it is a young adult in her or his 30s.  This is the information I share with teens regarding their sexual health surrounding the visual demonstration in question.  Abstinence education is not about squashing a person’s sexuality, but rather lifting it up for the future, when he or she may enjoy & share it within the medical “ideal” of a long-term, committed relationship.

Parents are the primary educators and I always encourage the students to seek a trusted source when faced with challenges.

Keep it smooth,

Brad

Keep it smooth,

Brad

As athletes it is quite difficult at times to let go of a specific training session or back-off when our bodies need rest as we perceive everyone else is killing it day-in and day-out.  Gotta keep up with so-and-so.  It is an incredibly long race season and we are best served to include active recovery days and complete rest days within our training plans.  I am quite certain I did good by my body, mind and spirit with a mid-day nap and recovery session in the NormaTec boots at All Sports Recovery Lounge.  Looking forward to getting after things tomorrow!

Keep it smooth…

Brad

I am in the midst of a 12 week block with the goal of establishing a rock solid foundation both structurally/muscularly and aerobically.  The training has been rooted in various percentages of my current max HR on both the bike & run.  As the block unfolds I have expanded that percentage to allow for a gradual increase in intensity & volume.  It has been very refreshing to ease into things coming off the holidays and allow my body to absorb the workload in good health.  Admittedly it has demanded a certain degree of discipline to stay within the ranges at times.  Aside from a few group swims, the bikes and runs have been solo just to keep things in check.  It is a long race season and I will have plenty of opportunity to get in the mix with the fellas for some rides and runs.  While this methodical approach may seem simple and lacking panache I am finding it to be quite effective and look forward to the continued process.

Keep it smooth,

Brad

Come, Holy Spirit,

Replace the tension within me with a holy relaxation,

Replace the turbulence within me with a sacred calm,

Replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence,

Replace the fear within me with a strong faith,

Replace the bitterness within me with the sweetness of grace,

Replace the coldness within me with your radiant dawn.

Straighten my crookedness,

Fill my empitness,

Dull the edge of my pride,

Sharpen the edge of my humility,

Light the fire of my love,

Quench the flame of my lust,

Let me see myself as you see me,

That I may know you as you know yourself

And be blessed according to your words…

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”

Keep it smooth,

Brad

Swim (56:45) – I positioned myself towards the inside of the pro start next to a few guys with whom I have swam in other races.  The start was pretty chill with little contact other than one slight kick to the face.  I was able to settle  into a good rhythm and position myself within a small group of four.  Towards the end of the first loop we bridged up to two of the pro women and would remain a group of six for the remainder of the swim.  Being in the confines of a group made it a lot easier to navigate through the sea of slower swimmers who were completing their first loop.  My swim was about three minutes faster last year, but it’s always tough to compare ocean swims from year-to-year with changes in the current & water chop.

Bike (4:48) – Within the first few miles of the bike I passed a couple of guys and was unable to match the pace of a few guys who passed me.  This would set my bike up for a lonely ride as I completed the 112 mile flat & windy course solo.  Mentally I had to stay strong & maintain a present focus as at times it was very isolating.  I felt much better on the bike this year compared to last year and was able to maintain a steady effort.  My mom & dad were out on the bike course & splits I received from them & a spotter were telling me I was not losing any time to the main chase group from 40 thru 112 miles.  I lost close to 12 minutes in the first 40 miles which tells me I did not ride aggressive enough over the early stages of the bike.  This was my fastest bike split to date and I rode within my target power ranges.

Run (3:14) – My plan for the run was to establish a steady pace through the first six miles then press the pace over the middle portion of the marathon.  Within the first four miles my lower back locked and I developed hot spots on the bottom of both feet.  I stopped to adjust my laces as they had come loose which was causing the blisters to form.  With my back being so tight I could barely bend over.  From here things did not get any better as my back continued to stay tight and then my right hip flexor locked up on me.  I was completely bound up and unable to establish a flow.  Having run consistently in the 2:50 range I became very frustrated.  It would have been easy to pull the plug, but I decided to gut it out and encourage others on the course  knowing my race was done.  I shuffled to the line in 20th position overall…far from my desired spot.

I am extremely blessed to have the support of my family, friends & sponsors who have encouraged me through what has been a nightmare of a season.  Looking forward to enjoying a relaxing off-season!

Keep it smooth,

Brad

The race weekend was great featuring a stellar course, beautiful weather and the support of my parents.  My racing has been rough this year and I was glad to have a solid performance north of the border.  It was the first race this year where I felt like I was actually in the mix.  The steep hills leading up to transition set the tone on this challenging course!  Coming out of the water in 11th I rode most of the bike in contact with Shannon Stallard (New Zealand).  We worked together in a effort to close the gap to the guys up the road, but he was able to get away from me over the final 10k.  I came off the bike in 9th and used the third fastest run of the day to push myself through the field and by 12 miles had my eyes set on Stallard who was running 5th for the final money spot.  With about 1k to go I made the pass.  Stallard was able to run back up on my shoulder as we crested the final hill and with 400m to go we both began to surge for a sprint finish.  The lactic acid flooded my body and I immediately began to dry heave.  At this point I came to a standstill and Stallard was able to run across the line 20” ahead of me.

As always I am grateful for the gift of good health and  the support of my sponsors, family & friends.  Next up will be Rev3 Anderson which is shaping up to be one heck of a race!

Keep it smooth,

Brad