Getting Ready for the Showdown in Kona

Hey guys, I have been busy training like a machine to get ready for Kona that is about 5 weeks away now–lots of stuff happening here in Boulder.  Here is just a brief update to go along with the video above:

The Fit is King

I received an awesome Retul fit from Mat here at the Retul fit studios in Boulder.  I had been having some lower back pain for a few months now and didn’t know what it was from.  Finally I got into the Retul studio and they set me up properly on my bike.  Wow, the before and after photos are unreal.  I am going to post those shortly.  My back has been feeling great since the change in position–this is an investment that is seriously worth it–just get so much more power out of my legs now–which is going to help me out on the Queen K on October 9th.

Cover Shoot

I had a cool photoshoot for Triathlete Magazine for their Kona issue.  Check it out–will be on the shelves soon.

My Near Death Experience

I have been training like a mad man here in Boulder–been enjoying being with the group here and sharing the pain.  We have had many epic rides out here together.  I have been in shock since yesterday–when my back tire blew out as I was going 70k an hour, nearly crashed into oncoming traffic.  Needless to say, I know somebody out there is looking out for me and I managed to stay on the bike–and I am thankful to be alive–pretty humbling and motivating for me.

MovementU

I have been working with the extraordinary Jessi Stensland who lives out here in Boulder now.  She is a good friend and knowledgeable guide when it comes to core strength and endurance performance.  She has been working with me on ways to strengthen my core muscles to help support me during the race–especially during the run.  You guys should check out MovementU to get in on one of her workshops around the country.  She is changing lives out there–one muscle at a time.  On a side note, she also let me use her stand-up-paddle board when we were out at the res the other day–very cool.  I posted some pics on my Flickr page for you guys.  I did forget my board shorts so opted for a euro-friendly speedo–been catching some slack for that one.

SRM Kona Telemetry

Last week I made a trip down to SRM headquarters in Colorado Springs to discuss the cool stuff they are doing for Kona this year.  They were having a go away party for one of their colleagues–and I have to say that I don’t know why anyone would ever want to leave this company–they seem to have a really good time at the office!  We had a nice BBQ and I joined the USAT team for a swim at the Olympic Training Center out there.  As SRM did for the Tour de France riders, they are going to be broadcasting my live data over the internet and keeping you informed about my watts and speed during the race–it is going to be very cool– and you will be able to see all of my live data right here on Live & Let Tri!

Kona Bike Setup

I am expecting my new Ceepo bike any day now!  The new Climax frame looks amazing to say the least.  Everything in integrated into the frame–including the Shimano Di2 electronic shifters that comes standard on this one–this frame is definitely for serious triathletes.  The prototype made it’s debut at eurobike a few days ago–with rave reviews.  Check out Slowtwitch for more info about the frame.  I am still dreaming about the Climax frame–but for production reasons this bike will probably only be available for 2011.  For this reason, I have chosen to ride the Ceepo Katana for Kona this year.  This frame is super stiff and has less area for wind resistance than the Viper, so this is why I have chosen it to be my speed machine on October 9th.  It also looks pretty fast–which is always a plus.

Once my bike arrives in a few days, I am trusting the one and only Nick Legan over at The Service Course to marry my Shimano group set with the Ceepo Katana frame.  I had him work on my Viper earlier this month and he did a great job.  I can honestly say that my bike has never looked this clean and perfectly setup before in my life.  The Service Course provides an excellent service–they came and picked up my bike and then had it tweaked and in perfect shape in less than 24 hours–delivering it back to my door.  Seriously, I didn’t think this was even possible!  In the world of bike mechanics–they get an A+ (which means a lot coming from me–as you guys know I tend to have very high standards when it comes to bikes).

Kona Threads

Last but not least, I want to update you guys on how all is going with my Kona kit design.  K-Swiss has been working to create the sweetest Kona kit imaginable.  I am going to be completely decked out in Luxembourgish pride on race day–thanks to the designers out in the K-Swiss offices in California.  Hats off to the the team there–they are making it very easy for me to look cool these days–I am particularly loving my new K-Swiss Vintage CA kicks -they are pure California cool–and every Luxembourger needs a bit of California cool.