I’m not quit sure how Old Man Sellers pulled an interview like this. I think it really shows the clout that Motor Tabs and Greg have in the endurance industry. Michellie Jones is one of the greatest triathletes to ever live and I’ve respected her for years. Here 2006 Kona win was unreal. Enjoy the interview, it’s a great read.
MOTOR TABS: What would you say to the person preparing for their very first triathlon?
Michellie Jones: Find a partner to train with that way you have no excuses for not showing up to a workout. Race according to how you train, get to know the transition entry, exits and rack position, check and double check your gear, take just what you really need into transition, and most importantly, smile when you cross the finish so you get a great photo. Frame it with your race number for a great memento, it will not be your only Triathlon as it is a very addictive sport and you will be searching for your next event before you know it.
Click here to read the rest of the interview with Michellie.
Greg may have great athletes on his team but they won’t be there to help him when I’m lapping him at out first cyclocross race of the season on September 21.
“The Mother of all Relays” is by far the Nike Hood-to-Coast. This brute of race starts from the top of Mount Hood and ends at Seaside, OR. This is 197 miles of running.
Team Bramley consist of myself, Andy, Anjum, Ashish, Cole, Craig, Dan, Jamie, Julie, Kendra, Karen, Kevin and Pat. Our team was the dream team of runners. Jamie is a track star, Dan and Karen were destroyers, Ashish was a stud, Craig was the mentor, Anjum was Miss Consistent, Julie was brought there for her skills on the hills and comedy, Kevin was the local boy, Andy was Mr. Cool, Kendra was bringing up the rear with a mouth full of gum, Cole the Team Manager and Alex “quick out the gates” Omel.
Needless to say, this was the toughest race that any of us has run. We started the race at the top of Mount Hood at 4pm on Friday, August 22nd. I ran the third leg of the relay. My first leg was 3.98 miles downhill and I came out of the gates fast. I finished my first leg in just over 25 minutes.
This is where the race gets harder. Each of us started at different times, I started my first leg at 5:00pm on Friday. The 12th leg started at 12:00am on Saturday. After each of us finished our first leg we each had to wait roughly 6-7 hours to run again. This is why it is called the “Mother of all Relays”. Your body gets cold, your legs get stiff and you are trying to get as much sleep as you can before the next leg of the race in the back of a minivan.
My second leg was at 2:30am and it was the worst run of my life. 7.98 miles uphill. It took me forever to get my legs. Running in the middle of the night was not fun.
My third leg I was fired up, I wanted to run my heart out. My final leg was 6.54 miles of rolling hills. I ran hard but it was a very tough run because my legs were tired and I was ready for bed by this point.
Kendra ran the final leg of the race cross the finish line for Team Bramley in 26:33:28.
Team Bramley killed it! We averaged 8:05 miles for 197 miles.
Overall this race was the most difficult race I have ever run. The stopping and starting, running at 2:30am in the dark, no sleep for 26 hours takes its toll. This was the most grueling and most enjoyable race I have ever run. If you are a runner this race should be on the top of your list.
Built in 1901 to serve as a way to get workers and materials across the Chorro falls in Spain, El Camino Del Rey is now a trail of the ghosts of both these workers and the adventurers who’ve tried to cross since – four tourists died in 1999 and 2000 alone. It has since closed, as you’ll see why in the clip. If this video doesn’t get your blood racing I’m not sure what will.
Eric Barone trying to break his own speed record riding down a volcano in Nicaragua when his modified bike splits in half. He actually got the world record on this attempt when he hit 107mph.
A love note to Matt Ford, I would love to be a ginny pig for this…please, please, please,
In other Rock N Road news it sounds like the 2009 Specialized Roubaix road bikes are in stock. In terms of things I love it would go Julie, Carter/Landon, my Roubaix road bike, my mom, my friends, etc. Sheek and Old Man Sellers make the list but are toward the bottom.
Happy riding, running, hiking, camping, swimming and more this week!
September 1, 2008 “I am pleased to announce that the Specialized and Team Saxo Bank will join forces starting with the 2009 racing season,” said Mike Sinyard, President and Founder of Specialized. “Bjarne (Riis) and I have been talking about working together for years. It is a natural relationship based on parallel visions and values. Both Specialized and Team Saxo Bank are extremely driven and aim to be the best in our respective fields. Our cooperation will enable each of us to achieve more than ever before.”
Click here to read more and to see photos of the new team bike and shoes.
I’m curious what happened with the relationship between Cervelo Bikes and Saxo Bank. Probably just money.
Between meetings, prepping for meetings, and following up on meetings it has been a struggle to find energy and time to get the workouts in.
Scott Tinley’s Extreme Mountain Bike Tri is nearing a month from game time. If you haven’t signed up yet you should seriously consider it. There are a bunch of fun races for all of us (”King of the Hill”- Sprint & Extreme Mountain Bike Hill Climb On-Road Triathlons - International Distance* or Sprint Distance Off-Road Triathlons - Sprint Distance Tri-Cal Kids Triathlons) and the Tri-California crew - that brings us Wildflower is polished and able to provide a much more personal event. So I propose that those of us that won’t be at Incline Village, NV that first weekend in October meet-up in San Luis Obispo and have Tinley with the Eternal Timing System decide who is fastest.
Last year I went 2:01. A PR, being that it was my first race at that distance. This past week I have been slipping the training in and I’m mighty glad considering that I am now on for the Big Surf Half Marathon. My wife registered in the last two weeks with a bunch of her friends and has been trying to coax me into it. Tinley’s races are on October 4 and 5 and with Big Surf 1/2 on November 9 I have added another date onto my racing schedule.
Having gone to Cal Poly and spent hours driving miles across the coastal roads of the Central Coast looking for surf and camp spots I have added motivation for these races. I love being up there. Lake Lopez used by Tri-California for the race is where my Aunt windsurfs when the wind is up and where I fell back in love with triathlons last year. Big Sur has always been a place mentioned with reverence.
I started racing tri’s in junior high and had some good age group finishes throughout early high school before I burned out on it. Not sure if it was the speedo jokes from the guys I played beach volleyball with or the 30-year-old bike nerds that spent $6,000 on a bike and would fly past me age 14 after I had left them in the ocean. Either way, road tri’s weren’t for me. That has been the joy with mountain bike tri’s. A good swim, a challenging course requiring more than some training and a big budget, and a off-road run that takes everything.
Tomorrow we will be booking our hotel room in Pacific Grove for November 8 and 9 as the rooms must be almost gone. Everything I have heard pegs this as an amazing Fall race in Monterey. I am looking forward to running along Cannery Row and then staring off to sea and Monterey Bay. The 1/2 Marathon is nearing 70% capacity so don’t wait long to register.
My buddy Todd Saunders just reminded me that next weekend is the FLATWATER 200m sprints in Long Beach, CA. Joe Bark will be providing boards in the stock classes so feel free to come on down and checkout paddleboarding for the very first time.
FLATWATER 200m PaddleBoard Sprints
SEPT 7th, Long Beach Marine Stadium
DIVISIONS: Junior Lifeguard, Men, Women, and Stand Up divisions
BOARDS PROVIDED in stock classes, BYOBoards for Unlimited board divisions
$25 JG, $45 Adult
7AM check in, 8AM race start.
A few weeks ago I came across a Subaru parked in San Bernardino County with this Web site across the back: bigbearoutdooractivities.com/. Needless to say it covered the entire back window. Being a devoted Outback fan I asked the driver about the site. It’s a group of people that use the site to do outdoor activities together up in Big Bear. The site could use a more frequent update but it is a great resource to check before you head up the mountain. If it can be done in Big Bear before the snow comes - this group is on it.
Carter (pushing him in the jogger) and I will be defending our 3rd place age group title at the Rancho Santa Margarita 5k on Labor Day.
Date: September 1, 2008
Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Community Center
Start time: 7:30 am Click here fore more info.
I’m curious how I’ll do living on 4 hours of sleep a night for the last week. I’ve got a few people who’s names I won’t drop here to punish through weight loss bets and this little race will get me started very nicely. Watch out suckers!
Since October of last year thousands have taken part in the XTERRA U.S. Trail Run Series and through the trials of these 50 races, spanning 15 states from coast-to-coast, some of the country’s top trail runners have emerged and are headed to Bend to race for the XTERRA Trail Running National Championship.
Having been called “America’s Best Trail Running Town” by the editors of Outside Magazine, Bend is certainly worthy of hosting the nation’s top harriers.
The main event is an off-road half-marathon (13.1 mile/21km) that starts in the historic Old Mill District. While the Series best runners have already proven their worth in rollicking races around the nation, one-and-all are welcome to take them on and race for the championship as no qualification is necessary.
This is something to consider and its for a great cause. It starts in Huntington (the place I put the hurt on Old Man Sellers last time we rode) and ends in San Diego.
Formerly called the MS 150 or MS Bike Tour, the Bike MS event is a charity bike tour benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society that offers three different route options:
- NEW IN 2008! a one-day 30-mile route starting and finishing in Carlsbad,
- or a two-day 100- or 150-mile route starting in Irvine, Ca. (Orange County) and finishing in San Diego, Ca. with an overnight stay and festival in Carlsbad.
Registration is limited and has sold out the last four years! You can bike to finish MS by registering today!
The guys over at Bonk Breaker make the best energy bar on the planet. These little bars have saved me countless times on the trial and work perfect as a pre-ride/run snack. I’m not kidding, I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t call it their favorite bar.
Recently they released a brand new website with the ability to buy the bars directly from them.
Please welcome to the Brazelton family, Landon Brooks Brazelton. I can already tell the boy was built to ride bikes. Jonathan Vaughters of Team Garmin/Chipotle and I have already been in talks about his contract for the 2022 Tour de France. It sounds like Rock Racing wants him really bad though so I’m working on a bidding war between the two teams.
The stats:
August 24, 2008
12:46 am
7 pounds 11 ounces
20 inches
Incredible VO2 Max and resting heart rate
*He comes from a lineage of elite athletes. Not me, my wife
To have Landon born on the 24th is a big deal for the Brazelton family. He is the 4th generation of Brazelton’s to be born in order.
Kim Brazelton (My Aunt) - August 21
Andy Brazelton (Me) - August 22
Grandpa Brazelton (Grandpa) - August 23
Landon Brazelton (My son) - August 24
Julie and I haven’t slept much and Carter already thinks Landon is one and wants to wrestle. Julie looks and feels incredible. She’s such a stud! Her first marathon is in June 2009 and I fully expect her to blow my first marathon’s time out of the water.
Got a great message from BM in OC asking for some more details as to how to go about a Sierra extended weekend hike. Here is my complete pack list to start off with. We make lots of subtractions at game time.
Share the weight with everyone. Bring less than I do. More posts to follow.
Backpack:
Lowe Alpine Kanga Himal 80+10L, Lowe day pack
Tent:
Sierra Designs Tiros Guide CD
Sleeping bag:
REI Kilo Plus
Sleeping pad:
Thermarest ProLite 3
Boots:
Ecco Xplorer Schreckhorn Mid GTX
Stove/fuel:
MSR Whisperlite, large and small bottle filled with white gas
Cooking gear:
small pot, metal insulated cup, titanium spork, scrub brush, folding knife
Water bottle:
Nalgene
Water filter:
SweetWater Purifier Water Filter
Toiletries:
roll of tp inside ziplock bag with hand sanitizer and orange shovel, advil, earplugs, cotton balls for ear aches when windy and wet, bio-soap, tooth-brush/paste, rei hand towel, mosquito repellant, vertra sunblock
Light:
Petzl Tikka Headlamp
Vices:
Cigars, Central Coast Cabernet (screwtop)
Documentation:
Moleskine squared notebook, Lamy pico, Canon Digital point-and-shoot
Wear:
Patagonia: capilene top, capilene bottoms, classic boxer, m’s synchilla vest, capilene top midweight, down jacket, standup shorts, beanie; Smartwool: mountaineering xhvy mid-calf, liners, prAna pants, hat, Polarized sunglasses, fleece gloves for sun protection
That’s right friends. The scientists over at Fluid Recovery Products have formulated their next perfect concoction, Berry Treasure. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Our first lengthy break was at 10:35 when we encountered our first of many green, flowery meadows. We crossed a creek at 11:10 with crystal clear water and a fallen log bridge or a rock-to-rock alternative. At 12:05, we stopped for lunch just after another stream crossing. Beside the stream it was nicely shaded. Beef jerky, Odwalla bars, crackers, Velveeta “cheese”, peanut butter and trail mix. (We didn’t laugh at the cheese. It keeps well at high altitude and in the heat.) We lunched for about 45 minutes, then Mark said he wanted to take a nap since none of us really had slept on the six-hour drive. The nap was the best I ever had in the Sierra. We were on our way again, refreshed, after about an hour. We hiked another hour before a break at 1:45. Matt totally surprised us with a quarter each of a delicious fresh peach.
We left the national forest, entered the Golden Trout Wilderness Area, and after a while the John Muir Wilderness. We all seemed to be tiring, and Marvin seemed to know exactly when to stop, rest, and often to take in the beauty. We inspected the topo map many times to check our progress and where we had to go. Cirque Lake lost out as our destination when we heard there were three parties already camping there. Muir Lake was considered, but it was over 1,000 feet higher than we were. Finally we settled on South Fork Lake. We saw light at the top of a ridge which indicated a possible lake. It was indeed a lake at the head of a large meadow which eventually will replace the lake. We got there at 5:30 and we were at 10,300 feet, ready to crash. A small steam led out of the lake about 75 feet from our selected campsite. Water was filtered to refill our bottles and we began heating water for dinner.
Marvin’s menu included sweet and sour shrimp casserole, navy bean soup, dark chocolate, and trail mix, accompanied by another of Matt’s surprises, a nice Cabernet. Delicious!
After dinner, there was a cleaning-up period, more visiting, and appreciation of a moonless sky which made stargazing much more rewarding. It was a mild night, windless, and mostly free of mosquitoes. The forecast was for a minimum temperature of 50 degrees. We thought that was accurate. Marvin produced a bottle of brandy to induce or assist sleep.
