Wildflower!!

Wildflower is a race unlike any race I have competed in before. I had a great time and know that someday in the near future I will have a breakthrough race there. However this year those dreams of stading up on the podium did not come true, which leaves me as an athlete even more hungry to go back and find where I can improve do achieve my dreams. The race: For some reason I did not feel mentally there, it was as if on race day I was just going through the motions, which in big races like this one needs to be operating on all cylinders and I was not. Getting ready in transition I was trying to get mentally prepared to do what I knew physically I am capable of. I had a descent warm up riding to transiton, and running a bit pre race, then it was time to head down to the swim, I hopped in the water and managed about 15 min of good swimming with some fast sprints in there. Knowing that the gun would be going off in a few minutes I got out of the water and visualized my plan of attack for the swim. Gun goes off and what a chaos it was, swimming with hundreds of others trying to get out to the first buoy as quickly as possible. Normally in the swim I try to tag onto the draft of someone in front of me however, on this day I just missed the opportunity and was hung between two groups. Out of the water in 23minutes, a bit off my time but up near the front of the pack, into T2 I passed a few people. Now onto the bike and within seconds the infamous Lynch Hill climb. Legs were not happy that right off the bat were being asked to hammer up a hill steeper than steep. Nonetheless we made it to the top passing a couple more dudes. Out onto the main section of the bike course I was finding my legs and trying to gain as much time as I could. Some friends yelled out I was in 13th at about mile 20 on the bike. Passed one more dude and then I was passed by another dude who seemed to be shot out of a rocket. Still in 13th heading off the bike and onto the run. This is where I shine and put a lot of hurt into my legs. The first 3k of the 10k run seemed to fly past and I was running just where I wanted to be right around 10.5 minutes for the first 3k. From about 4k to 7k there is a pretty good climb, this is where I was hoping to really hammer out a fast tempo to gain back some time from those ahead of me. However when I tried to go my legs had other plans and really wanted to just keep a steady pace. Usually I find that I can work the hills, however on this day they really worked me. Finally, my form came back during the last 3k of the race, unfortunately for me it was too late to gain a whole lot of time. Running the last 1k of the race is something I will not soon forget how the crowds seem to carry you into the finish. 1000's of people yelling and encouraging you to run fast keeps the mind positive no matter what the race outcome is. I am happy with my finish, and have been an athlete long enough to know that somedays we have it and somedays we dont. I believe that my greatest race is in the future, until then keep on keepin. Thanks for all who showed there support throughout this race and thanks as well for reading. Here is a link to check out some more of the Woodstock of Triathlon, Wildflower. http://www.tricalifornia.com/. Until next time, Neil.

PATIENCE

Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast. This is how Mr. Wikipedia defines it. The past couple of days I have humbly been reminded of such, (Thanks Mom, and Rick). How often do we rush into the unknown or even the known with great expectation of what we want and how we want it to work out, failing to be patient and enjoying the journey? At the same time we forget to be patient in our trials and steadfastly work toward a dream. For example today during a swim Time Trial Rick showed me how effectively patience can work in the form of ENDURANCE, I learned today that in order to go fast one must slow down. As an endurance athlete I have learned that to be good at this sport of Triathlon/Duathlon it takes a long time, (PATIENCE) plays a vital role in this sport not only in the development but also in the training and racing that we take part in each and everyday. So my encouragement is this, to take forth each day with a purpose and patience seeing each ambition to the end. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23)

EPICNESS

This past weekend was filled with amazing weather and meeting new people which led to copius amounts of EPICNESS!! One of the greatest things in this life is coming across new people and getting to know them a bit. This weekend I met and made a few new friends and must say their positive attitudes led me to a new way of thinking and sparked up a passion to get out and live!! Carrying over to my last workout for the weekend, which was to be a long ride. 3+ hours in the saddle and just a hair under 70 miles. Totally a confidence boosting day, as I comfortably became one with my Time Trial Steed, BlueTriad. The ride took me through farmland and sunny country sides of which reminded me of growing up on the prairie in North Idaho. It is good to think back to the simple days ever so often. Ahh EPICNESS!!

Beat Pete!!

A friend recently asked me to do a video interview for the school newspaper (Arbiter) here at BSU, check it out!!

http://vimeo.com/10811841

Triathlon Season Started!!

The past couple of weeks have been a blur. There are times in our lives when it seems that everything goes by way to fast. And then there are times when everything seems to go by way to slow. Like right now sitting in the Library at BSU writing a paper, man why can't I just get done? Well perhaps writing here is not helping. Back to the blur, two weeks ago was spring break. Like most college goers I fled from school at the first opportunity, however unlike most college goers my fleeing did not involve tropical weather and copious amounts of alcohol and headaches. Rather, I headed north to compete in the first race of the season and visit family. The first race was just that, the first race where one has the great opportunity to really test those legs that have been inactive all winter, and blow out a little rust that built up in the four months of non racing. The warm up was over and less than a minute till the gun went off, perfect. That is the way it should be, get done warming up and bam ready to rock. So I did and went through mile one in 5:20 right on que. Needless to say my biking legs were not as ambitious as the running legs and starting the second run of the duathlon I was in third place. The last mile to go and me and another dude battled back and forth for the second spot, with 200 to go I dropped the hammer and beat out my opponent by 5 seconds!! Not a bad way to start off the race season. After a week of frigid temperatures in CDA I was ready to get back to Boise and prepare for my next event the Boise World Championships, also known as the Spring Sprint. This is a serious race here in Boise and Kevin Everett has dominated it for the past I dont know how many years. With a somewhat disappointing swim my aim was to really go for it on the bike and run. Doing so I ended up biking into 7th position, and finally running my way into 5th place where 3rd, 4th, and 5th were separated by less than a minute. I ended up reaching my goal on both the bike and the run, and know that as the season progresses I will be in better shape and ready to take on the races to come. A great way to start the season these past couple of weeks!! I am greatly looking forward to racing Wildflower.

LIFE and IPOD

What does life and an ipod have in common? Well this is what I am about to tell you. You see life is like an ipod in the sense that we can download or upload what we want, just as we can delete what we do not want. In other words we get to choose what it is we want to think about and what it is we want to be influenced by. Just like we choose what it is we download to are niffty little device, so it is in our minds. What do you constantly think about and are those thoughts good? Remember it is what we continually think, that we become. Make sure the stuff you are downloading in your life is good.

Been A Long Time

Seriously it has been awhile since a post from this neck of the woods. Sooo long that I have not the slightest clue as what to say. Perhaps just making a post will enable my frazzled mind the words to speak in for up and coming posts. Until then I hope this will leave you with inspiration to live......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE&feature=youtu.be