Range of Motions- what is it?

I have been doing weekly sessions with Nick at Range of Motions now for a solid 3 months. It has been a huge addition to my arsenal. A lot of people have asked me what it is we do. Well, Nick has written a blog giving a great description. Here it is.

Virginia Duathlon

Had a pretty solid start to the multi-sport season today. 3rd overall at the Virginia Duathlon. Above are a couple of pictures and a short flip video my wonderful wife took. Wasn't my best race and made a few mistakes, but not bad considering how early in the year it is. It's a good 10 weeks until Eagleman so lots of time to get where I need to be. Congrats to Sam for taking the win today. He's about as good of an age group duathlete in the country there is. He's definitely been hitting it hard on the bike and run front this winter. Will be fun competing against Sam for years to come. Joel had a good race too coming 5th. Thanks to Janda, super coach. The guy is by far the best coach I've come in contact with. Nick at Range of Motions is keeping me injury free and stronger/more flexible each week. David, with Balance Massage has it going on. I haven't seen a better massage group in the area yet. The therapists there are awesome. Last shout out goes to Jim and Dani at Final Kick. It's a privilege to represent FK. I must say the FK crew definitely handed it to people today with Sam winning and Joel coming 5th as well. Stop and check out Final Kick...they have everything you need for triathlon/running.

Ryan Hall

Very good article about Ryan Hall...go here to check it out.

Range of Motions

A lot of people have been asking me what I do when I go to my weekly session with Nick at Range of Motions. Well, here is a video that gives a glimpse into what we do there. Some of the exercises may look a bit odd, but Nick can explain everyone in detail and it's purpose. I have gotten a lot stronger and more flexible since starting to work with Nick. It is translating well to my swim, bike, run training too!

Triathlon History- Non draft Short Course

I'm always interested in the history of triathlon. Here is a cool blog that Greg Remaly posted recently. It's a good one!

Rachel's Birthday

Well, Rachel turned 24 this past week. We celebrated by going out to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. This is one of our favorite places to eat in Virginia Beach and also the first place we went on a date when I first came out to visit Rachel here before we were married. Basically, you go there and eat...but the meal is really just something to pass the time until the cheescake menu is brought out:) It's worth every bite!

Great weekend of training. The weather here is getting better by the day. Felt so good to ride and run outside.

A part of the message at church this morning really hit home..."What is your school bus?" Sounds kind of odd, but there was a story about Nick Saban's (head football coach at Alabama) youth years that went along with it. His father bought a school bus and picked up the local boys for pop warner football practice every afternoon and also for the games. Had Nick's dad not bought that bus there would have been no football for Nick Saban...one of the best coaches out there today.

Everyone has different opportunities put before them in life. Don't be afraid to seize those opportunities and make something of them. Often times these opportunities involve more than just yourself.

One other part that was emphasized today was to not worry about the "stuff." We get caught up with what we have...possessions. At the end of the day do they really matter and make you happy? I'm as guilty as anyone of this. We should really be concerned with things like what's inside of you and how are you impacting others for good. As Rachel sees day in and day out, life on earth can be over so quick and unexpected. It's not worth it to dread all the silly little things. Focus on people and relationships.

That's big time Hunter

Hunter Kemper is the man...awesome videos on his site. This one in particular tells a lot about him as a person. Here is another one.

Landice Treadmill blog contributor

Landice Treadmills have some of the best treadmills out there. I am going to be periodically contributing articles their blog . There is some excellent information on this blog talking about training, racing, nutrition, etc. Hopefully you get a chance to check it out as it's really a great resource for endurance athletes.

March Already?

Hard to believe it's March already. Triathlon season is right around the corner with races in the U.S. happening I think as early as next week (Miami Olympic). I am excited to do my first triathlon of the year (May 8th), but first up I have a couple of duathlons to get after. One the end of this month and then Duathlon Nationals the end of April. Duathlons are a lot of fun, but boy do they hurt!

I did my first outdoor ride of the year today. The last couple of years I've ridden at least a few times during the winter, but because of the poor weather we've had and the fact that I don't mind the trainer and have seen good results from that work it wasn't too disheartening to prolong the outdoor riding. It is time, though, to start getting outside a few times a week in addition to a staple trainer session each week. I was probably a bit ambitious on today's ride going with just water, but because it was just all long, fairly easy riding I figured I'd be good to go. I was fine, but I was super hungry when I got home...nothing a little eggs and bacon couldn't take care of upon my return:)

Speaking of cycling, I did my 2nd power test of the year this past Friday. Joel, Brian, and I met up in Brian's garage and we all pounded it out together. It's a nice bit of extra motivation that can go a long way in helping you get the best out of your testing. Janda actually had the majority of his athletes test this weekend and there were some awesome results. A minimum of 5% power increases for just about everyone (in 6 weeks), with several people close to 10% or above. Bottom line is...the cycling we do works. I was not expecting much since I have been focusing more on my running and only riding about 3-4 hours a week. Those hours were highly structured, but to make the jump I did was not expected at all. My ceiling has definitely been raised...now it's time to start working on raising my lower zones closer and closer to that ceiling. I'm lucky to be working as both an athlete and assistant coach under JRM. The guy is steadily rising to the top as one of the best coaches in the U.S. I really think the work I'm doing at Range of Motions and Balance Massage are working wonders too. It pays to take proper care of your body.

Yesterday, I attended a swim clinic put on by swim guru Juliet Adams. She owns a company called Stroke Focus and does a great job teaching proper swim mechanics. It's always good to refresh yourself on how you're "supposed to" swim. I always learn something new from Juliet...even if it's just a little cue to think about when doing this or that drill.

Spring is right around the corner now as it's looking to be at least 50 if not 60 degrees for the next 10 days...now we're talking. It just brings a sense of life to everything. Lots of people are outside walking, jogging, or riding their bikes. Kids are playing outside. It's not dark when I finish my first workout or BEFORE I start my second one of the day. All good stuff.

Talking about spring, the amount of people on the trails yesterday was awesome. If you ever come to Virginia Beach and are around on the weekend...you should definitely try to swing by Final Kick for a run at 7:30AM on Saturdays. There are groups of all ability levels and the people are all very friendly. There will be people running anywhere from 20+ miles to as little as a couple of miles.

Well, I should have my new Orbea Ordu coming in a week or two. The Zoot team has helped us get the ball rolling with some equipment for the upcoming season and it's exciting to be involved with some great companies. The 3 guys in charge of the team have been very helpful. I just can't wait to get on the Ordu and see what it can do.

Last, but not least, you have to love March if not for anything else that March Madness is here. There is nothing better than the excitement of the tournament basketball games. I'm hoping Michigan State can pull things together in a similar fashion to last year. Kentucky is who I like to win the whole thing. John Wall is ridiculous!

Ok...this is really the last thing...I'm going to try to post a youtube clip to most blogs now. This week's one is a song by Need to Breath. I'm hoping these can inspire at least one person. If it does that it's worth it. There are a lot of people struggling in this world today. If how you've lived your life isn't working all that well...why not try to get a little help from the man upstairs. He's a pretty good dude once you get to know him.

Williamsburg half marathon

Well, today started my 2010 season. I raced a half marathon in Williamsburg, VA. I wanted to do a different race that I haven't done yet and I have heard good things about this race. The course was definitely challenging, but I enjoyed it. I needed to see exactly where my fitness was and the work I've been doing on the run front is paying off. From what I've heard...this course equates to a good 2-3 minutes faster for almost everyone who goes and does the Shamrock 1/2 marathon in VA beach here in a few weeks. Here is my garmin file: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/25788843 . It was a bit long (about .16), so 5:57 pace I think is about a 1:18 flat. Things are looking good for the season and particularly Eagleman, which will be my first key race of the year.

The first picture is of Joel and I. He had a great race too and set a nice PR for him. The finish chute was located inside William and Mary Hall. Rachel got a short video clip of me finishing.

I also wanted to share the song I had running through my head during the race. We heard it at church this morning and it really inspired me. It's amazing how much strength your faith can give you when you draw on it.

Lastly, big ups to Balance Massage and Range of Motions. These two companies have been vital in my early season prep and I'm very thankful for what they've done for me. One of the best things about this sport is the people you meet along the way.

Thanks for reading.