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2010-04-12T13:43:00.001-04:00

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Triangle Swim Series Awards

2010-04-06T21:24:00.002-04:00

In case you need additional motivation to get out and brave the cold waters of Falls Lake this weekend, here is what the age group awards look like.

I had to make sure they work as planned.

The temperature is skyrocketing due to our heat wave, so the water temps will probably be in the mid to high 60s, which is pretty comfy with or without a wetsuit. Hope to see you there!

training this week

2010-04-04T17:38:00.003-04:00

We had a good weekend of training and week in general. On Saturday, myself, Bri and three of our friends did a 3 x 13 mile bike / 2 mile run, with the last round being hardest. Today we did a 15k run followed by a 45 minute easy ride. For the week my trigeek training miles were:

run 32 miles (4 hours)
bike 115 miles (6.5 hours)
swim 8,100 yards (2.5 hours)
kung fu 1 hour

14 hours total

Tassie is watching you.

Business as usual

2010-04-03T16:22:00.002-04:00

Getting away with murder (by proxy)

Fed forced to reveal bad assetedness

Did you leave your dough in the market?

Things are bad! Things are good!

Free Health Care! And Puppies!

But wait, there's more! Maybe it won't be free!

weekend update

2010-04-02T11:07:00.003-04:00

We have skipped right over spring and are basking in the heat of the summer in central NC. It is going to be in the mid to high 80s this weekend so we are going to spend most of it outside. Tomorrow morning Bri, myself and a couple of our buds will join forces for a triple brick (3 x 12 mile bike /2 mile run). These are good for sprint or long distance athletes, ours is short course focused. On Sunday I'm either going to go for a long ride or a long run.

This morning I broke 1:00 on the 100 yards freestyle a couple of times but it was not easy.

I am enjoying an uninterrupted stretch of staying at home on the weekends. This is going to be the first week in a long time where I have very little actual "work" to do on Saturday and Sunday, meaning I can just read a book or worship my wife as she demands. I have a stack of books waiting to be read and there is no end to worshiping the Bri.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of Bri and Tassie (from our 5 year anniversary), since no blog post is complete without a picture.

the weeks

2010-03-30T22:12:00.002-04:00

I have been keeping busy as you may have read over on Bri's blog. She has been doing a better job of providing you a window into our soul lately. I have been busy with coaching and the preparations for the swim series, coming soon. It is always nice to feel needed in some respect.

Training has been going very well. I am not doing a huge amount but what I am doing is good quality. I could run more and bike more and swim more, but there are limits to my superhuman abilities.

I am still keeping track of world economics and all that. My bias is that now is a good time to hang onto cash or low risk bonds. Stock PEs are nearing or in the 20x range which historically is not a good time to invest for the long term. The mortgage fallout is nowhere near done and foreign governments around the world are also faced with high unemployment and a smaller revenue base (hinting at higher taxes everywhere or further defaults). Our stock market looks pumped up on government steroids and the pusher is about to get busted.

Here is a picture of Obama and his evil twin, Sociobama:

skipping races guilt-free

2010-03-27T10:14:00.004-04:00

I opted not to run the Raleigh Rocks half-marathon this morning, primarily because the weather predicted a nice day today and rainy tomorrow (so riding will be nice today and lousy tomorrow), but also because I didn't give a hoot. My motivation and fitness are fine, I decided a long time ago that if I didn't want to do something regarding racing & training, I wouldn't. Instead of racing today, we'll ride close to three hours and then run 10 miles or so easy tomorrow. I feel no guilt, anxiety, etc. Nothing except the urge to tell you, gentle reader, if you feel like skipping an event, do it and don't feel bad about it.

In other news, the Triangle OW Mile Swim Series has picked up a couple of sponsors - Trysports signed on as the title sponsor, and Cabinet Connection of NC has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the Nuclear Swim at Harris Lake. The first race is coming soon - 5280 Swim at Falls Lake on April 10 - so check it out if you want some early season open water racing.

March 23 update 2010

2010-03-23T19:03:00.005-04:00

I have had several requests for a detailed update (well, one really, my wife, but that is the one that counts) of my thoughts and recent travels.

1) Atlantic City can be a lot of fun if you keep control of your pocket book. Check out the Tun Tavern if you're ever in town. My Dad is an excellent poker player and co-won a 1-day tournament on Saturday. I won a bit, lost a bit, and essentially broke even on the weekend. I did get in runs and rides on the boardwalk and the beach.

2) The Health care bill, while noble in spirit and ideals on a few fronts (except for various plots and intrigues), fails to address systemic problems we have with private and public health care. Instead of making things better it will cost much more than advertised, like every other entitlement program that has been enacted in recent decades. Next time you receive your SS statement, check out the total amount you've paid into it. If you don't get one, don't worry, we'll pay for yours, too. While we all pay just a bit of tax towards Medicare each year, making millions of our seniors happy, the program itself runs unsustainable expenses.

3) I am going to enjoy a month of staying in town and getting work/housework done. Traveling can be a lot of fun but it is also stressful and time-consuming.

Todays quote is: "The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes." – Winston Churchill, 1874-1965

That is all.

weekend updates

2010-03-16T09:08:00.003-04:00

Still busy here at OSB central headquarters. I would write more but Bri has been updating you well on what is going on with us lately. I am off on Thursday to meet up with my father in Atlantic City for a weekend of good times and losing money in the casinos. We will grab a nice meal or two along the way. I plan to run the boardwalk a couple of times and ride my mountain bike through the shore towns to Ocean City for some fresh air on Saturday.

If anyone in the South Jersey area is up for a 10 mile run @ 8min pace on the boardwalk starting at the Taj Mahal on Sunday morning around 730AM, drop me a line.

The anti-aging picture process

2010-03-10T08:43:00.005-05:00

Bri and I compete in a lot of running races and triathlons, as most of you reading this already know. One of the many things we get a kick out of is checking out the race pictures after. They can be good or bad and sometimes you get a doozy.

At the Gasparilla 15k a couple weeks ago, I went into the race after riding and swimming a ton in the previous few days. So not at the top of my game. Here is pic #1:

I dunno about you, but if you ever see me looking much worse than this, call a doctor. Gravity and time are having their laughs.

A bit later on I am looking slightly more lively:

As we approach the finish line, the idea that I'll soon be done fills me with great joy, which also apparently makes me younger- and happier- looking:

And at the finish:

Super geeked-out for sure, but I don't appear quite as dead on my feet!

The point of this blog post is simply to fill your vacuum of boredom at work today.

pictures from training camp 2010

2010-03-09T16:52:00.002-05:00

A few pictures from our winter training camp 2010 in Treasure Island/St Pete:

one sided vs bilateral breathing in freestyle

2010-03-09T10:53:00.002-05:00

I have posted a new short article on one-sided or bilateral breathing.

florida travels

2010-03-04T13:48:00.002-05:00

Been visiting family and friends the last couple of days. Spent some time with my sister Anna and my niece Cate on Monday and Tuesday, visited my sister / brother in laws on Tuesday, and about to go back to St Pete to pick up Bri at the airport tonight. The weather here has been less than pleasant, sunny but windy and cold. Still running and swimming. Planning on the Belleair Classic 5k on Saturday morning and swimming and riding with Bri tomorrow (Friday). On Sunday we will head home, hope to catch up a bit with my mother and sister again. March and April will both be busy months. Time flies. I would post pictures but am not smart enough to hook the camera up to my mac laptop. See you somewhere!

Florida camp update

2010-02-27T16:04:00.003-05:00

We have been having a nice time here on Treasure Island. The weather has been on the cool side but all in all very pleasant. This morning we all ran in the Gasparilla 15k (except for Bri who wisely chose the 5k). Afterwards we had a big breakfast at Dave's restaurant and then swam 3,000 to 4,000 at Northshore pool. Tomorrow we have a 50 mile ride and a short run to wrap things up. My camp stats so far:

Tuesday - 40 mile ride, 45 minute (5m) run, swim 3,000
Wednesday - 30 mile ride, swim 3,200, 8 mile cross town run
Thursday - swim 5,000, 40 mile ride, 20 minute run (2.5), swim 2,000
Friday - ride 40, open water swim 40 minutes (2500)
Saturday - run 11 (Gasparilla 15k), swim 4,200

total: run 26.5m, ride 150m, swim 19,500 yards.

I'll post a few pics when I have a bit more free time.

Chilly Willy Duathlon

2010-02-17T18:43:00.002-05:00

I wrote up a Chilly Willy du race report for the TAF running team blog.

busy times

2010-02-15T15:16:00.002-05:00

The past few days have been jam packed with exciting new things people and places. I prepared for and then presented a Powerstroke clinic in Fort Myers for the Island Coast Triathlon club on Saturday morning. That went well and it was nice to meet some new triathletes. On Saturday night I met my mother in law and her fella out for dinner at Jorge's seafood grill in Clearwater. Try the Amberjack, it was good and you don't see Amberjack on the menu too often.

On Sunday I dragged myself out of bed and headed over to Fort Desoto to race in the 6th annual Chilly Willy Duathlon. This is a relatively low key event but it has grown into one of the largest duathlons (if not the largest) in the United States. Fort Desoto is a nice place and the mid-west coast of Florida has a ton of triathletes and runners. They like to get their groove on early in the season. I was pleased with nearly even 5k running splits and a solid bike split on a borrowed bike. Finished 13th overall and 2nd in my age group.

This week will be spent burning DVDs for the past clinic, and preparing for one more Powerstroke clinic this weekend here in Cary. I am debating running a local 5k on Saturday morning but I may opt for a long easy run in the park and then a good breakfast somewhere.

On Sunday I take off for Florida yet again, and our winter training camp starts Tuesday morning. We are all looking forward to a few days on the beach in FL. I am going to hope it warms up slightly as this winter has been quite brutal here in NC as well as for most of the east coast states.

Not much TV or reading lately. I will be blogging only sporadically for the next 3 weeks. Let's all pray for springtime, world peace, financial stability, and a few miracles in Haiti.

Florida racing

2010-02-07T17:11:00.003-05:00

I am headed down to Fort Myers next weekend to run a Powerstroke clinic and am flying into and out of Tampa. My father in law brought to my attention that on Sunday at Fort Desoto in St Petersburg the Chilly Willy Duathlon is taking place. This is a 5k-10 mile bike-5k. I have just enough time to do the race, ride a bit extra, and then get to the airport, so look for me there. Fort Desoto is a nice place to race.

Two weeks after that I'll be running the Gasparilla 15k along the bay in Tampa, and the weekend after that I am running the Belleair Classic 5k.

I am taking a two week break from the cold here in NC, first a week at our winter training camp, and then a week of visiting friends and family all around the state before my FIL's wedding on March 6.

My tour of Florida (starting March 1) will turn out to be something like Sarasota - Orlando - Ormond Beach - Jacksonville - Orlando - St Pete. If you live in one of these towns and would like to set up a swim lesson, give me a shout through osbmultisport.

New Powerstroke freestyle technique article

2010-02-06T14:14:00.002-05:00

I will eventually turn some of the information we present in the Powerstroke DVD into an e-book of some sort, but it is low down on my totem pole of Very Important Things to do at the moment. The big project for this year (besides stellar fitness and racing) is a comprehensive training manual that we'll give to our athletes and sell for a nominal fee on the website. With the articles and tidbits I've written over the years it is already a couple hundred pages, just needs a comprehensive edit and organization.

Anyway, this article on Powerstroke freestyle swim technique - high elbow catch / early vertical forearm with underwater frame shots describes some of the key technique issues I discuss in the Powerstroke DVD.

Powerstroke clinic make up date Feb 20

2010-02-05T14:45:00.002-05:00

Since our clinic was snowed out last weekend weekend we are offering a make up Powerstroke clinic on February 20 here in Cary from 1PM to 7PM. I will run this with as few as five people, so if you are interested sign up.

In other news, the weather here is looking absolutely dismal today and for tomorrow, which unfortunately is the Krispy Kreme Challenge (2 mile run - eat 12 doughnuts - 2 mile run). Bri and I are not particularly interested in running 4 miles in 30 degree weather with freezing rain pelting us while our stomachs groan under the weight of 12 disgusting fat fried doughnuts, so we're opting out of this particular event. Notice how since the weather is bad the doughnuts are now disgusting and horrible. Does that make me a hypocrite or just complicated and deep? Ha ha. Have a nice weekend.

Erie Canal bike tour

2010-02-03T10:21:00.004-05:00

Bri and I are officially signing up for the Erie Canal bike tour in upstate New York in mid-July. This will be our big "summer vacation" for 2010. We both find a lot of joy in going somewhere we've never been, then riding a bike with a group of like-minded explorers through the countryside. At night we check out whichever town we stop in. This particular tour is an eight-day riding tour, but we're going to do just the first six and then head off for the final weekend to do our own thing.

Riding the North Carolina Mountains to Coast bike tour would be a lot of fun as well, but this one falls in late Sep-early Oct, which is not good timing with the various races. Maybe one day.

Powerstroke clinic white out

2010-01-30T12:50:00.003-05:00

We had ten athletes signed up for the 2-day clinic this weekend, but the weather had much different ideas about what we would be able to do. The pool was going out of their way to allow us to use the facility despite closing to the public, however slowly but surely our attendees opted out in order to avoid a questionable drive.

If possible we will have a makeup date soon, if not then the next planned clinic is a one-day clinic on Saturday, April 3.

I have also started finalizing open water clinic dates and sites, and will let you know when and where those are as soon as I do.

Have a nice weekend. We'll be doing a lot of indoor spinning and maybe a short run or two.

Pants on the ground

2010-01-25T21:22:00.002-05:00

As usual I am about 2 weeks behind on pop culture (was there some football on last night?) - most of you have probably already heard and seen Pants on the Ground during American Idol by General Larry Platt - now check out what happens when a real musician takes the ball and runs with it...

Powerstroke weekend

2010-01-22T13:14:00.004-05:00

Bri and I are hosting a Powerstroke clinic at the Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatic Center on Sunday. One of my goals as a business-dude is to expand our reputation for swim clinic excellence beyond our local vicinity and then one day go national and then international and then take over the world. Did I just write that out loud? ;) You get the picture.

We are teaming up with Sarah from the Cool Breeze Cyclery and Kathy Goody of the HFFA to put this one on. It sold out so we will do our best to get another one in there sometime relatively soon.

In other news, if you are a member of USA Triathlon, check out page 40-41 of the USA Triathlon Life winter 2010 edition for an article on wetsuits written by yours truly.

Tomorrow I am hoping to get a nice bike ride in, nice being dependent on the weather.

want to be a swim coach?

2010-01-19T14:06:00.004-05:00

I am looking for someone who would like to be a volunteer (unpaid) masters swim coach on a Tuesday or Thursday morning here in Cary, NC for 2010. The practice time would be 545-700AM. If you live locally and have a swimming / coaching background and are interested please contact me. I would write the workouts for a few weeks until you feel comfortable with the method behind the madness. You would need to have technical proficiency in freestyle and preferably be comfortable with the other strokes as well.

In other news, we have been given a few days of idyllic weather and it is really nice out at the moment. Tassie is refusing to come inside.

Krispy Kreme Challenge & Spring races

2010-01-15T11:02:00.003-05:00

My next A race is the Krispy Kreme Challenge held on NC State campus on February 6th. This is a serious event for elite competitors only. It consists of a 2 mile run - eat 12 doughnuts - 2 mile run. You have to beat an hour or they drag you off the course and feed you to wild boars brought in special from the Appalachians.

After that it will be the Gasparilla 15k on February 27 during our annual Winter triathlon training camp in Florida.

March will be a quieter month as far as racing goes. I was going to run in either the Tobacco Road half marathon or Wrightsville Beach half-marathon on March 21, but have opted instead to take a vacation with my father to Atlantic City.

I will probably make up the half-marathon plan on May 16 with the Inside-Out Sports Classic Half Marathon.

March 27 is the Smithfield Sprint in Virginia, which we are probably going to do.

I am linked out for today. Have a nice weekend!