Birthday Thoughts

49 today.

Four good friends and acquaintances passed away in the last year. It's been a bit of a rough stretch on that front. Men all younger than I am. In that context, I feel lucky and grateful to make it to this day. Sorry for kicking this post off on a somber note, but I think of these men often and wonder a lot about the luck and lottery of life.

However, as I lay in bed last night before I fell asleep, I thought of all the wonderful rich experiences that I have had and the many good friends that I have around me. They say, these are the most important, things in our lives, not how much money we have or the job we work at or the material things we own.

I have heard it said a lot recently, that 50, is the new 40. If I look around me at my friends and the people that I know, in particular the really active people and athletes that I know, I would have to agree with this statement. Staying physically active is important at many different levels. It's always been important to me and I hope that I will be able to be this way for years to come.

On that note, 49 is really just one of those passing-through Birthdays. Next year, the 50th is always looked upon as a bit of a landmark and much more of a milestone. I have some special plans for next year, Saturday, April 23, 2011 - please stay tuned. Yes it will involve something physically active and fun.

Centurion Cycling Courses - Some Thoughts

The good news is that they have released the courses and the profiles of the first two Centurion Cycling events. If you have a look at the profiles - that's also the bad news. Both the Colorado and the Wisconsin 100 mile routes put a huge premium on being able to climb well, but two different kinds of climbing. The Colorado route if you have a closer look at the profile, is pretty straight-forward: 25 miles up/25miles down/25miles up/25 miles down! There are only two climbs on the course, but they are both massively long at about 25 miles each topping out at over 9,000 ft. The second issue here in the Rocky Mountains is going to be the altitude. The Madison profile, is the polar opposite in the world of climbing - there is lots of going up, but the climbs are all short and steep and they just keep coming at you over and over and over, for the full 100 miles. The profile looks like a cross-cut saw blade!

Centurion Colorado - Route and Profile

Centurion Wisconsin - Route and Profile

If you live in an area with big climbs, and you are considering either of these events. Consider yourself lucky. Unfortunately I don't, so I am going to have to be a bit creative with the training to get the climbing legs in shape. Fortunate for me, historically, I have fared not too bad on big long climbs like the Centurion Colorado course. I am fairly light. Have a good pedaling rhythm. And know how to dose my effort well, to keep me in there for the long haul. I fare less well with the type of profile in Madison which is more of a power climbers course for those who can just muscle over the darn thing, recover quick, and then get ready for the next one.

It should be interesting to see how the Colorado Centurion unfolds at or near the front. The climbing starts almost right away. They'll be little opportunity to just sit-in the group. I suspect that it will string out, and thin out, in short order, based on who the best pure climbers are. I have been advised, that if you know you will be overwhelmed by the "normal" small gearing of 39-25, you had best opt for a compact crank and chain-ring set-up, that will give you more options at the low end of the gear range for climbing. Having never yet met a climb that I could not handle with a 39-25, I am considering taking the advice to heart for the Colorado Centurion - not so much for the first 25 mile climb, but the second one. By that point, those extra gear options, will be welcome!

Madison, will be a bit different as the brevity of the pure power climbing will allow more people to hang in there for longer in the early going, but I am sure that more than a few will grossly under-estimate the toll, that this will take on them and by 60 miles, they may be completely toasted. Patience will be key in Madison and knowing your limits. Again, the compact crank may come in handy later on, as the legs start to go and you need some lower gears to get you up and over those short steep climbs in the last 25 miles

Training: If you don't live in a mountainous area, or where there are lots of hills, you'll need to work with what you have. Where I live and ride in southern Ontario, we have a reasonable number of hills, but there is nothing like what we'll encounter at Colorado Centurion. It is a bit like what we may find at Centurion Wisconsin. What, I'll be doing is seeking out the hilliest routes that I can when going out for longer rides, and always seeking out hills on every ride for that matter, and every time I am going up a hill I am going to be focused on working as hard as I can to get up it. Once a get a bit fitter, I will start to do some big-gear work - doing climbs in a gear or two bigger than I really should be - this will build extra strength to keep the gear turning over no matter what. For Wisconsin the key will be hard 5 - 10 minute efforts, with a shorter recovery, and then repeat. The indoor trainer, is not a bad option for this sort of thing.

The Centurion Canada route in Collingwood, Ontario is set to be released shortly. This course I will have more confidence in as I live in the area and train on very similar terrain, all the time. Once it is released I will chime in again with some further thoughts.

Picture at the top is me climbing Mt Lemmon in Tucson, AZ - it's about a 25 mile climb, so similar to what we'll see at Centurion Colorado.

Whitfield Chooses Nineteen Wetsuits

Nineteen Wetsuits is pleased to announce a multi-year agreement to supply wetsuits to two time Olympic triathlon medal winner Simon Whitfield. The announcement coincides with the tenth anniversary of Nineteen, and Whitfield’s return to Sydney, Australia for the 2010 ITU World Championship Series opener, nearly ten years after the race that changed everything for Whitfield and the sport of triathlon, when the up-start Canadian won the gold medal in the first ever men’s Olympic triathlon competition at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Simon came through this weekend with a fifth place finish in the Sydney World Championship Series race. Simon exited the swim in the lead pack, which is critical to success in ITU races. Every second counts and ITU athletes take their choice of wetsuit very seriously. Whitfield, in particular, has a reputation for being very selective in choosing equipment providers.

In choosing Nineteen, Whitfield said, “I have known the guys at Nineteen, for a long time. We have kind of grown up in the sport together. They know wetsuits and most simply, they know wetsuit fit, and with wetsuits simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

“Simon Whitfield is one of the few athletes who is well known and respected across the full spectrum of the sport of triathlon. He even transcends the sport itself,” says, Nineteen’s Sales & Marketing Manager, Steve Fleck. “As a Canadian company in particular, we are very happy to have Simon swimming in our wetsuits and fortunate to have him assisting us in developing our next generation Frequency for 2011,” Fleck adds.

Whitfield is fully committed to being at his best for the London Olympic Games in 2012, his fourth Olympic Games appearance, where he feels strongly that he will be a contender for his third Olympic medal. Nineteen Wetsuits is proud to be part of Simon Whitfield’s team.

The Fleck Fire Sale

Time for MissP and I to clear out some stuff. Long list, but please have a close look. Some great deals. Most stuff here has seen light or moderate use with the usual wear and tear, unless otherwise noted, but everything is in great shape and working order. If you have any questions or want pictures of anything, please contact me. Happy shopping!


The Fleck Fire Sale
Ultegra Pedals - $100
Dura Ace Pedals - $150
Fizik Arione Tri Saddle (Used once) - $100
Profile Tri-Stryke Saddle (light use) - $50
Zipp 440 Wheel-Set(650c) + TUFO Tubular Tires $400
FSA SLK- Light Crank-Set, 170mm( with Chain Rings) + BB - $250
Bontrager Giga Pipe Carbon Crank Set 172.5mm(with Chain-rings) - $200 SOLD
Trek WSD Equinox TT Frame (small = 51cm, frame/fork/head-set & aero-carbon seat-post) - $300 SOLD
Sidi Genuis Shoes, size 44( lightly used) - $100
Shimano R215 Shoes size 44 - $75
Vision alu base bar and aero-bar w/ DA shifters & Vison aero brake levers & cable housing - $250
Profile Cobra carbon Base Bar & Aero Extensions + Profile Brake Levers & DA Shifters & Cable Housing - $300 SOLD
- Both sets of Aero bars are “short” and fit person roughly 5’6”
Rudy Project Kontact Helmet (never used) - $100

Sleeved or Sleeve - Less for Wetsuits

Three wetsuit seminars in three weeks and the # one question is? Should I get a full sleeve or sleeveless wetsuit? The quick answer to this question is that you will always be best off, in a well fitted full sleeve wetsuit. The key words in this are well fitted! Swimming in a well fitted full sleeve wetsuit that is the perfect fit for you, should feel like swimming in no wetsuit at all - just warmer and faster!

In a blog I wrote last year I go over the details of great wetsuit fit - It's All About Fit

The sleeveless wetsuit market is driven by following factors:

1. People wanting the absolutely least expensive wetsuit that is being offered. No question that if this is what they want, all of the wetsuit manufacturers offer this in their lines - Nineteen included, with our Pipeline SL.

2. People worrying that they may over-heat in a full sleeve wetsuit. A possible reason, but this would only be for Ironman distance swims( 4 km) in water that is in the high '70'sF. FYI - The temperature cut-off for races is 78F.

3. People who have bought a ill-fitting full sleeve wetsuit as their first wetsuit and have sworn off full sleeve suits forever. This happens frequently. The first time wetsuit shopper does not take the time to find the best fitting wetsuit for themselves. They buy a "deal". They get duped by certain gimmicks or marketing. In the end they have a wetsuit that does not fit them properly and they feel a sleeveless suit will solve all those problems. The better approach is to obviously take the time to find a the best fitting wetsuit the first time and don't be lead astray by deals, gimmicks or marketing( Again, check out the blog I wrote last year on this - link above).

4. Really big men or women - body-builder types who's arms are bigger than most people's legs! I have been doing this for years and I can size this sort of person up right away. I know just looking at them that trying to get them in a full sleeve wetsuit is going to be a struggle. So, I start right in on a sleeveless wetsuit for these folks. These are the only people who, right away should consider a sleeveless suit.

There is no question that a sleeveless wetsuit will make the arms and shoulders more mobile. I would be lying if I said otherwise. However, while the mobility "problem" is solved, this leads to several other issues. The arms and the shoulders may be more mobile, it's now really hard to get a good seal under and around the arms. It might work well for one person, but for another it does not work so well, and you have water channeling into the suit and soon you are dragging around an extra 5 - 10 pounds of water in the suit. Also, I see more neck chaffing issues with sleeveless wetsuits. In a well fitted full-sleeve suit, the collar is anchored down and is stablized because it is attached to the shoulders and the sleeves. In a sleevless suit the collar tends to move independently and more movement means more friction and more chaffing issues. Finally, while it may not seem like a lot, that extra rubber on the sleeves does make you more buoyant and allows you to pull slightly more water per stroke!

When shopping for a wetsuit - take your time. In almost all cases, you will be better off in a well fitting full suit compared to a sleeveless wetsuit. With wetsuits - fit is everything!

It's Coming Back

It's coming back. Not the fitness, but the spin and the stroke. For the first time since getting back on the bike a week and a half ago, I feel like I have got the spin back. The fitness will take much longer.

When I first got on the bike 10 days ago, I felt like I had that classic pedaling-in-squares motion - all hurky-jerky and not really feeling like I was connected to the bike at all - like my legs, my body and the bike were all disconnected and moving in different directions. However, a week of dedicated focus on the spin has resulted in a quick turnaround and now the pedals feel like they are going round!

Over the years people who I have ridden with have always told me that I had a smooth pedal stroke - that I looked good on the bike. For this, I have to thank the wheels of the many really good riders I have sat on over the years. All I was trying to do was copy how they rode. One of those wheels, was the wheel of former 7-11 Pro Team rider and the first North American to wear the Tour de France Yellow Jersey, Alex Stieda( pictured above on the left). When I first moved to Vancouver in the early '90's Alex, then semi retired, rode occasionally, with the group of roadies and triathletes I rode with. Sitting on the wheel of a rider like Alex you see the efficiency, not only of the spin and the stroke, but of the whole body. No matter what he's doing, the pedals keep turning over in that ultra-smooth metronome style - up-hill, downhill, on the flats, reaching for a bottle, shifting gears, fetching something from the pocket of his jersey and so on. It never changes. He looked so comfortable and at ease on the bike.

I was thinking of Alex this week. It was 25 years ago this Spring that, Alex and the 7-11 team made their debut in Professional Cycling - the first American based team made up of almost all American( and a Canadian, Alex) riders. This really was the beginning of the long hard road that led to the greatness and success of Greg Lemond, and subsequently and obviously, Lance Armstrong!

I have ridden with many others as well who have great form and style on the bike. My good friend Vince Beretta is one. He's another one with that buttery smooth pedal stroke. I have sat on his wheel on so many long rides, I have lost count. Vince is former top triathlete who was an uber-cyclist in the sport before we even knew what an uber-cyclist was. Whenever I am riding behind a rider like Vince, I am always trying to visualize, that form in my head and transfer it to what I am doing on the bike.

So, in 10 days and 7 rides, I have focused on form. I have concerned myself little with what gear I am in or how fast I am going or what my heart-rate was, I just focused on turning those pedals over as smoothly and efficiently as I could. This morning, I rode the rollers for about an hour and for the first time since getting back into it, I felt that connection between my legs, the bike and my body. I felt good. Now I have to build the fitness back. That's going to be a longer road!

Tips For Traveling by Air With Your Bike

1. When using Expedia. Hotwire or any other discount online site to order tickets, BEFORE buying the tickets that you want, make sure to check that airlines baggage allowance policies first, on that airlines web site and maybe even with a call to Customer Service to verbally verify that, those are the fees. It can get pretty complicated - so know what you are dealing with. A trend I have noticed is that the airlines that often pop up at the top of Expedia, or Hotwire or other sites listings, with the least expensive airfares for tickets, are the airlines with the most constrained, ridiculous and expensive extra baggage and bike charges. It may be worthwhile in the long-run to pay more up front for a certain airline that has known and reasonable bike fees. For example, Air Canada has a fixed and set fee of $50 each way for bikes.

2. On-line discounted tickets often have connections, sometimes on different airlines. Sometimes you will get hit TWICE with extra baggage charges. Even when you think you are on one airline, sometimes one airline partners up with another outbound and inbound, or again via connections, and again you may get hit twice with the charges. Again, phone customer service and sort all of this out before committing to any ticket purchase. Whenever possible fly direct.

3. Try using a bike box that does not scream, THERE IS A BIKE IN HERE! You might get away with no, or minimal charges. As some know, I use a soft Aerus Bike Bag and this often, even though it's slightly over-size, passes as regular checked luggage. It's light with the bike in it(about 27 pounds), compact and slings over my shoulder so when walking up to the ticket counter, it looks like a regular piece of my luggage. The only charges I have ever paid for my Aerus bag, is as a second bag charge which is $25 - $50.

4. Dress discretely. If you dress like a lot of triathletes I see traveling by plane( You know the kind!!) then, Check-In agents will know RIGHT AWAY what is in the bag/box. Business casual is good, does not give anything away, and seems to work for me.

5. DO NOT overload the bike bag or box. Some airlines fees are cumulative. Thus, you'll pay for the BIKE, you'll pay for an extra bag, you'll pay for over-size AND you'll pay for over-weight!! There were people who I met at Ironman Hawaii last year who paid more to get their bikes to Hawaii than for their own tickets sitting in the plane. I guess the bonus was in the plane they got 3 pretzels and two mouthfuls of Coke for no extra charge! Read Point #1 over again.

6. Finally. Don't make a scene at Check-In. The only thing that works these days is to play really dumb( but a nice and polite dumb, please), and they might take pity on you(But, you have read this - so you should know all there is to know). Harassing Check-In agents will do nothing for you, and will only make you look like a jerk. I have been queued up behind triathletes before at Check-In and the behavior that I have witnessed has been appalling. Don't be THAT triathlete.

Hope this helps.

This was posted on the TriRudy News List