The Professional Procrastinator

I've been a professional procrastinator these last couple of months. I can't figure out where all the time goes, but when I look back and see the date of my last blog entry, November 25th, I know it's gone somewhere.

Since Worlds (and that last lonely blog entry) I decided to move south, to somewhere a bit more arid than allegedly "sunny" Solvang. Last year in the Central Coast of California, I had hoped that the weather would've been favorable for training. It was anything but. Though the plants may have felt it favorable, the athlete--this athlete--felt it miserable. To make a short story shorter, the rain and cold winds put a big damper on training. So it was time for a change. I'd never been to Arizona before, except on the short, scenic stretch of I-70 between Mesquite, Nevada and Saint George, Utah, but that really doesn't count. And anyway, I'd seen enough of Mount Figueroa and wanted to ride the legendary Mt. Lemmon.

And that I have. My coach loves climbing on a bike, as do I. It's almost a spiritual feeling when I'm in the mountains and the workout, no matter how hard, comes a lot easier when in them. So we make the painfully long drive across Tucson at least once a week so we can both get our fix!

The views on Lemmon are nothing short of spectacular. Cacti stand proud on the rugged landscape like stern overseers. But then they slowly disappear as small, scraggly oaks take over. The oaks then give way to the majestic pines, as you climb from 2,500 feet to over 8,200 feet. They say that riding up Mount Lemmon is like going from Mexico to Canada in just twenty miles, ecologically speaking. I like the thought, but the top is NOTHING like Canada! Still, Lemmon is worth multiple climbs and it beats being in Canada during this time of year. I've had enough indoor riding for this lifetime.

Speaking of my home and native land, I returned there over the holidays to see my family. It was a short-lived visit but I was happy to escape the desert for a week, and of course to see my parents and my siblings. Prince George has a peacefulness about it that Tucson could never replicate and, despite the blizzard-like conditions, I had debated staying for a bit longer. But, with the 2011 race season rapidly approaching, I knew it was time to return to more favorable training conditions.

Training has gone well but there's always more work to do. My run progression is a lesson in patience and all I can say about my swimming is that I haven't drowned yet. The bike riding has gone well and my numbers all reveal what I hoped they would. I race in just under three weeks, in Abu Dhabi, in the United Emirates, and I'm growing more and more nervous as race day approaches. My coach says that that's a good sign. If I can survive the swim and then ride like I know I'm capable of, well, I shouldn't be seeing too much of the countryside!

With the new season, I've signed on with new backers, all of whom deserve their own write-up (which I hope will come, when the training load lessens…if the training load lessens!) and all of whom I'm excited to be aligned with. Perhaps most exciting, at least to me, is my partnership with Pearl Izumi. Quite honestly, I can't think of a single cycling apparel company that can compare, and I can only hope that this is a relationship that will last throughout my career and beyond.

A few weeks back, I flew up to Denver/Boulder to meet with some of Pearl's designers, and the attire they're coming up with is phenomenal. I think their partnership with Tim DeBoom is paying big dividends and has helped them learn a few things about a triathlete's needs. Pearl Izumi also recently signed Caitlin Snow and both she and I will be sharing whatever input we can, as per our contracts. How cool is that?! I never thought I'd be designing clothes! Watch out Liz Claiborne!

Other new sponsors for 2011 include: BH bikes (more about BH in due time, but gosh is it nice being on such a sweet ride!), Shimano PRO (I have to say, Di-2 almost seems unfair!), BioCompression Systems (a secret weapon in the physical therapy world, combining pneumatic compression and cold therapy at once), Tri-Sports (I've never been to a triathlon store with so much love for the lifestyle; use the code "NAETH-S" if you want to save 10%), Spartan Group (Thanks Ernie!), GU Energy (keeping my training going and my dentist busy!), Energizer ('Still going' is my race mantra, even when I'm barely going at all), Kreitler rollers (who have forced me to learn how to ride in a straight line!) and SLS (makers of the nicest compression socks I've worn).

The sponsors with whom I could never part, and who continue to back me are, Standard Process (food-based nutritional supplements), TYR, ISM Saddles, Rudy Project, CycleOps, Larabar, Scape skin products, Raw Revolution, Victoria Sports Physiotherapy, Polar, Punk Rock Racing, and Sunken Island Multisport.

Honestly, I couldn't ask for a better support network!

Now it's my turn to repay the favor.