The week of New Year is always that time when one sees many top 10 lists. So I decided to have my top 10 moments for 2006. So without any further due here is the list.
10. Swimming with Steve Moe. Steve is a good friend that I sometimes swim with, but I can hardly stay with him in long sets. He is always in good shape. Since we are about the same age I always use him as my barometer. I swam with him a few weeks before Kona and I was right there with him on a long set. I was really excited about that.
9. Riding with Cameron Brown. Once I got to Kona with about a week to go before Ironman 2006. I rode out of my condo and passed a couple of guys. They eventually passed me back and that was when I noticed one was Cameron Brown. I rode with him for about 20 miles in the rain. I felt effortless and was having fun like a little kid.
8. No cramps and a strong bike ride. After some bad and mediocre performances in some early season races I traveled to Utah for the echo Olympic distance triathlon and after my usual strong swim I was not letting people pass me (even young guys) and I ran strong. I ended second in the age group as I got passed with about a mile to go on the run. But I was pleased as there was no cramping and I raced hard the entire way. That is when I felt I was finally getting in shape.
7. Daddy is not working. My son loves construction equipment and we used to walk near construction sites to have him take a look. We always referred to the scene as “guys working”. So one night as I was working on the computer Camilo was all over me and would not let me work. That is when mommy picked him up and told him to leave dad alone. “Daddy is working” mom said. That is when Camilo replied “Daddy is not working, guys out there are working.” We got a huge laugh out of that one.
6. Doing my gnarly ride. When I was younger and faster I used to do this one ride in Boulder. It is only about 100 miles but the climbs are relentless with over 7000 feet of climbing. I had not done it in over 10 years so it was nice to do it again. I did it twice in 2006.
5. Riding from Winter Park to Boulder. This ride was not particularly tough but the whole idea of going from my new house to my old house with over 100 miles of riding and over the Continental divide at over 11000 feet of elevation sounds cool. I rode with Kelly one of our team members and a couple of her friends. She ended up taking second place in her age group in Kona. She was dictating the pace on the climbs, which was just a sign of things to come for her.
4. My 3 hour run. I wish I would have done some more of these long runs but I could only get one in without risking injury. It was neither pretty nor fun. But I finished with tough downhill running for about three miles. That hurts, but when I was done I was glad. The tough late running paid off as my last 6 miles in Kona were my fastest.
3. Meeting Mark Allen at the Kona finish line. Since my wife and family could not make it to Kona for the Ironman who better to meet me at the finish line than Mark Allen. After I cross the line and congratulated our team member Mindy. I then took a few steps and he was right there with his smiling face. That was cool; he hung with me the rest of the evening and help me convince the doc to give me an IV. That helped my recovery a great deal.
2. The swim start of the Hawaii Ironman. Many people love the finish and that has his allure of course. But for me the start is just as great if not better. All 1700 bodies in the water and the cannon goes off. Of course I love swimming and can do well so that helps me like it. But it also signifies the end of all the training, tapering and preparation. You made it to the start. Getting to that point is not that easy and a lot of things have to come together.
1. Don’t tell me show me. If you read my first blog post you will read how the best way to teach someone is not to tell them but to show them. I hope I did a little of that with my athletes. But I think I did that with my kids. My son loves to play soccer, swim, run, bike, ski, and tumble. One day he was running laps around the living room. He has some athletic genes and a little drive. My daughter has some talent I think but she would rather hang out, hug her dad and watch. Maybe she is a late bloomer. Every time they are enjoying themselves with exercise and activities it is a great moment for me.