Last Day of 2009!

Well the best Christmas present ever has now been used. It's the Christmas present to me from me: a ticket SOUTH! I'm now at a great training base and a place I like to call home: Solvang, CA. If I could, I'd live down here permanently. I know of only two ways (that are legit):

1) Marry
2) Find an employer that will sponsor me with a work visa.

For now though, triathlon is my job and marriage is not likely in my near future. One must be engaged with the man she loves!

My flight down had no complications or hassles whatsoever (which is entirely new to me as I always seem to have something go wrong. I even had a great conversation with the customs officer about triathlon. He would like to do one someday but he said he has to start running, biking and swimming first! Yes, that would help make the experience somewhat more enjoyable. I said my bike box had a 'frame' in it, along with some shoes. My cunning ploy worked and I didn't have to pay for the bike! I only had to pay $50 for the two other pieces of luggage I carried, but I'll take it! A penny saved is a penny saved...to be used in this year's racing and travels!

I packed a nice lunch of leftovers and ate the entire flight(s)! I can't help myself when turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts and all the fixings, are waiting for me as my mouth waters just thinking about them! :)

Needless to say, eating at home over the last few months has made me realize how much I suck at cooking...and how lazy I am in the kitchen. Thank God for moms! I figured this was my last nice meal for a while and the view from my window seat made it taste that much better. One thing's for sure: I had a great few months at home with my mom's cooking inside me. The scale shows it too.

The new year awaits and I'm very excited to get back into full-mode training! Be sure to keep updated with my training blog. My coaches don't care for me to let every "secret" out of the bag (even though they both claim that "there are no secrets!"). Anyhow I figured it's easier to put it all on one blog rather than add to this one. I'll update my new one regularly in the new year...which in fact begins in t-minus 2.5 hours!

I've have some exciting news that I'll share with you in the next few days. I have been blessed with some great new sponsors and supporters for next year. They each deserve their own introduction and it would imprudent of me to group them all in one fell swoop, but I will throw their names out now because I'm so excited!

SPONSORS:
Rolf Prima Wheels
TYR Wetsuits and Training Gear
AVIA footwear
Standard Process Nutrition Products
Sable Water Optics
Rudy Project Helmets and Sunglasses
Nuu-Muu Dresses

SUPPORTERS:
Terramassage
Cycleops
ISM Saddles
Raw Revolutions
Hammer Gels
Beaker Concept Compression Socks
Larabar
LOLE

I have more exciting news to come but everything isn't set just yet. I'm looking forward to 2010, to show all my supporters and sponsors what I'm capable of! Have a happy New Year everyone!

Looking for help with your training? Triathlete Coach?

Now that I've been coaching a few triathletes over the last year or so, I've realized how important it is to have good communication, a solid (yet flexible) training program, and a coach who works with you personally.

My current coaches, Chuckie V and Brett Sutton, have helped me develop my own coaching style. As an athlete living and breathing the sport, I'm always eager to learn from others and teach those how to reach their own personal fitness goals.

I've learned over the years, you must be able to blend the athlete's lifestyle with the training plan. You can't expect to have a determined age-grouper with a full-time job and kids to train the same as one who works part-time with no children. It's the quality and effort that is put into the training that will be able to produce the results. Mind you, a few "Team TBB secret training methods" doesn't hurt the cause!

With a simple change in one's running program – increasing daily duration and decreasing rest - I've seen great improvements in one of my athlete's PR time for the half-marathon. Including some strength riding and hills, helped improve another athlete's overall bike and run time. It may seem basic but there are proper and improper ways to go about it all. I love helping others achieve the results they were always capable of achieving.

If you're interested in more about how I coach and/or training, feel free to email me anytime: tri3angela (at) yahoo dot com.

Cheers!