A Life in Opposition

“The only thing that tastes better than a proper mint julep is the taste of victory.”

It’s hard to believe, but this racing season is on the cusp of wrapping up. It seems that I spent the first half of the season dealing with some small, nagging injuries in order to be in a position to do work, and now that they are mostly under control, and I’ve just started doing work. I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress and garnered a lot of momentum this season that will carry me through the end of this year, the winter and into, what hopefully will be, a hit-the-ground-running, fast spring.
I am in the final push for this season and my sights are set on the L.A. Triathlon on October 3. It is an Olympic distance race and part of the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Series, which simply means, that due to its huge prize purse, it attracts some of the fastest Olympic distance (many of whom are also ITU) racers in the world. While I won’t be racing these speedy folks head to head, we will be racing on the same course, allowing me to see where I am in relation to the big boys of the sport, and unfortunately some of the big girls, too.
I chose to target this race for a number of reasons.

1) I will have the coolest homestay, EVER. Mr. Matthew Johnson, (www.westcoastmatt.blogspot.com), a transplanted Southerner in graduate school in L.A., who “has the city on lockdown”, will be providing lodging, transportation, and motivational support. He has already started to scout the course for cheering (Ironfan, what!?).
2) Allegiant Air, one of the cheapest and sketchiest airlines, provides hilariously inexpensive, nonstop service from Missoula to LAX. “Getting there is half the battle… the other half is getting home.”
3) I will be racing in a separate category called Elite Amateur, which, as cool as it sounds, doesn’t mean anything, except that should I finish in the top 3 of this category, I’ll get stuff. I love stuff. In this case, I’ll get a $500 travel voucher to fly to Dallas the following weekend for the Toyota Cup, which is kind of like the championship of the Lifetime Fitness Series. (I tried to think of a ball-sport analogy for my non-triathlon readers, but I can’t). I’ll get a free entry to the Toyota Cup and a cycling kit. This would be super cool. The competition for this will be ridiculous.
4) This race will provide two different opportunities to get, or get started on, my Pro racing license (an all important step in getting me where I need to be). If I finish within 8% of the winner’s time, this could by the first of three races needed to qualify. The second chance is that given the prize purse is so big, this race falls into a different category altogether, called a Pro Qualifying Race. This means that if I am one of the top 3 amateurs, I’ll automatically qualify for my Pro card. (Coincidentally, this would also get me the aforementioned free stuff!)
5) Mr. Johnson has also promised that I will be able to makeout with Taylor Swift at the finish line. While this claim seems dubious, it is still worth checking out.

So, final push… big race… must go fast… yadda, yadda yadda. Here’s what you don’t know:

My race at Spring Meadow was a huge confirmation that I’m headed in the right direction and within spitting distance of the next big milestone in my triathlon career. During this final push, I will ask more of my body than I ever have. Intervals will be faster, mileage and yardage will be bigger, recovery will be more important, and avoiding injury will be at a huge premium. In order to facilitate this, there will be some small and large changes implemented to carry me through the end of the season.
1) I will be doing lower leg exercises to a previously unprecedented level to prevent the posterior shin splints which have been stalking me this whole season. One of the prices of spending all of my formative athletic years in water rather than land.
2) Stretching will also be a huge part of the next 12 weeks.
3) I will eat at least 16 ounces of Spring Mix or similar green leaves every week. (80 proof mint leaves at the bottom of my julep cup don’t count.) This doesn’t sound like much, but it really is. While this, in and of itself, is probably not hugely impactful, it will force me to plan what I eat and eat at home more, where I can control more precisely what I eat throughout the week.
4) Here’s the real doozy. Two of my favorite things in the world are good cocktails and good workouts, and I love lots of both. I would be the guy whose two lifelong pursuits are in direct opposition. So, after much deliberation with Elliot and consultation with other athletes I have arrived at The Drink Freedom Plan (it was formerly Drink Restriction Plan, but that sounded negative.) Under The Drink Freedom Plan, I am free to enjoy seven adult beverages every week, on the condition that I do my lower leg exercises as prescribed by Elliot. I am free to split them up throughout the week however I want, but they cannot be carried over from week to week. Drinks may not be borrowed from the upcoming week. Cocktails made by Ben Horan count as two (2) drinks. Should I host an out of town guest, I am allowed two (2) drinks per day during their visit. I am free to not drink for the week preceding any race. There will be one wild card day in which The Drink Freedom rules are suspended in addition to the day of the party of Betsy Cincoski’s birthday (as per her request). In the unlikely even that Linsey Corbin decides “to make an evening of it”, I am free to accompany her drink for drink. The benefits of The Drink Freedom Plan include a constant reminder of and, thus, more focus on, my goals at hand. The beverage alcohol is calorie rich and nutrition poor, therefore limiting the calories from alcohol will help me get down to racing weight and increase quality nutrition, a key component to going fast. It will allow for better recovery through higher quality sleep. It will also allow, generally, for higher intensity workouts.

…and now, a gratuitous picture of Elliot sleeping after an XTERRA race, provided by my pal James.