I hope everyone had a nice holiday this week. I spent a few days in Crested Butte with my family before heading back to Boulder on the 26th. I was fortunate enough to miss the heavy snow on the way home, but I did see a number of folks off the road and I hope everyone managed to make it home safely; even if their car did not.

While I was in CB I was rummaging through a drawer of photos and memorabilia when I came across my training journals from 2002. They contained notes and stats jotted down in those black and white composition books which I often associate with high school science class (Chemistry, I think) more than anything else.

The interesting aspect of the first journal is that it came from my first summer in Boulder in 2002. My venture to Boulder that summer was not for training, but for an internship with Inside Communication Inc. (Inside Triathlon, Velonews, Velopress, Velogear, etc) in the editorial department. I don’t think that they, or I, knew exactly what I was originally coming there to do, but I eventually found myself working primarily with Charles Pelkey, and secondarily with Cam Elford (Cam is with Triathlete last I saw. Pelkey still writes for VELO). My primary duties pretty much involved content update on the website, some editing, press release posting and an occasional race report/story/summary written by myself (though that was quite seldom). I occasionally did some stuff on the VELO site as well, but my understanding of bike racing was rather limited at the time (its better today, but there is so much to follow its hard to say that I’m on top of it).

At the time I was heading into my senior in college (at Texas A&M) and I normally spent my entire summers working at Camp Longhorn near Austin, Texas. My decision to not return that summer was a very difficult and emotional one for me. I had been working there since I was 17 and it was more than a job to me since some of my closest friends (to this day) worked alongside me. That, and I loved the job. However, triathlon had a growing presence in my life and I thought that perhaps I could find a career that was related to it. Racing professionally was not on my mind at all at the time, but a job involving sport, I believed, could be.

The internship itself went well, but the entire experience of Boulder was probably the most educational aspect of the summer. I was renting a tiny basement room in North Boulder that had nothing more than a mattress on the floor and my radio. The house did not have cable or Internet either so I had little option other than working or riding my bike. It was fun to look back in the journal this past weekend and read some of the comments and stats I provided. I recalled getting absolutely crushed at my first Master’s session, unclipping on some climbs, freezing my butt off in Ward, and totally burying myself on a long mountain ride with Kevin Reinsch (which I still recall as being the most tired I’ve ever been on one single day).

I still keep a training journal, but its not quite as exciting as the early days. These days they are online (trainingpeaks.com) and involve more numbers and stats so that my coach and I can track progression more closely. They don’t include jokes I heard that day on a ride or a line I thought of from the Simpsons when I was bumming around the Boulder county roads. Its just the results of the day now.

I encourage all of you, especially those starting out, to keep a training journal. Its certainly great to look back on your past performances and training numbers (especially when comparing to today), but its even better when they help you relive some memories that you might have otherwise forgotten.

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Additionally, I wanted to mention that I recently did another photo shoot for EAS a week before Christmas down in Denver. The shot is one of me running and I assume it should be out some time this Spring where you normally see the ads run. I think it came out really well and hopefully everyone else felt that same way.

For those that are interested, the company behind the EAS ads is called Mighty Karma www.mightykarma.com.

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See you in 2008,

JD

I hope everyone out there is having a great holiday. Enjoy the reaminder of 2007.

jd

I wish I could have followed up more quickly on my commentary related to the Millennium Generation, but the Barnett Bicycle Institute (more below) in Co Springs had me slammed for two straight weeks.

However, I should mention a few things.

I got a number of emails and feedback from friends about my blog. In several cases, my buddies gave me specific examples of their own feelings/needs in the working world as well as the vocal opinions of their older colleagues. In addition to that I received a number of emails that asked whether or not I was trying to pass myself off as being “lazy.”

First off, anything that I consider to be an achievement in my life has taken a lot of work. In fact, I imagine that anything that came to me easily probably doesn’t even make my list of accomplishments. I’m not saying I’m lazy, but I am saying that my outlook on life and goals differ from tradition (as I see it).

Now, that aside; most emails asked whether or not I believe that the “laziness” of my generation will ultimately be met by the reality of the “real world.” I suppose most of us believe that idealism is slowly whithered away by the realities of the real world.

Here is what I probably did not quite get across in my last blog. I_believe_that the underlying theme amongst this generation is the pursuit of happiness. Youngsters today are deciding to be more happy than their parents as opposed to just having more “stuff” than them. Its their way of defining a “better life” than their parents’.

Personally, I actually believe that if people can stick to this ideal then they might actually be more financially successful as well. That’s an irony that the cynical will not allow as they often believe that money and security work inversely with happiness (in my opinion).

I’m generally an optimist so I’m going to keep believing that our generation will change (the world) for the better by reorganizing their priorities.

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I spent the past two weeks attending a course called Bicycle Repair and Overhaul which was hosted by the Barnett Bicycle Institute in Colorado Springs. The majority of the class was made up of folks who work on bikes, or folks who plan to work on bikes, for a living. I was the only one there who desired this knowledge to try to get the most out of my equipment for training and racing purposes.

Triathlon has always stimulated my need for knowledge when it comes to training, physiology, etc., but I have never been particularly turned on by “the gear.” When I started triathlon I had little money for fancy gear, but I had time to train so I felt that investing time in the knowledge of my body (and training that body) was the number one priority. I figured that there was always time for fancy gear, but the engine had to come first.

I still believe this. Good nutrition, massage, etc are always budgeted before investments in gear. Gear will always be replaced.

Nevertheless, the time has come where small percentages of improvements add up to big gains on race day.

And so I spent over 100 hours in two weeks working on bikes. I gained knowledge and respect for the machines that propel me (and for the folks that have worked on them for me over the years).

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Its a week before Xmas.

I think half of the US is covered in snow right now and I doubt many of you are feeling entirely motivated for many more reasons than just that. I found myself at the Manitou Springs pool the other day and the the aqua aerobics class was rocking out to Kenny G’s Christmas album.

This is hardly the environment to get wicked fit in.

And that’s ok. We all need some down time every now and then, but it is important to keep moving despite all the distractions, adverse weather conditions, etc. I was exceptionally busy for the past six weeks and the only goal I made was to average one hour of aerobic exercise per day per week amidst all the commotion. I managed to meet that goal and even slightly exceed it on a couple occasions. That is only 25% (or less) of my “normal” training load and yet I was totally satisfied.

What I find interesting is that if I trained 8 hours/week when I wanted to train 30 then I would certainly see myself as a failure (in a microcosmic sense). However, training 8 hours when I wanted 7 makes me a success and makes me feel that progress was made.

Its important that we take into account what we can and cannot achieve at any given moment within a day, week, month or season. Its also important that we do what we can with what we have. It should never be assumed that a few minutes of training (or anything else) is ineffective because its so minuscule in comparison to what we want.

It all matters. Every single footstep, pedal stroke, and swim stroke matter.

Move More.

JD

This is a picture of a flag (obviously) from Halmstad, Sweden. I took a trip there with Brooke and my mother over the Thanksgiving holiday and I simply wanted to point out the fact that Halmstad is old. 700 years old this year to be exact.

Plenty happened on my trip overseas, but one consistent conversation addressed the Millennium generation which I may, or may not, be a part of depending on where you are reading about it. Some folks use 1976 as the starting point, while others begin as late as 1980-1982 (I was born in 1981). In any case, I am pretty close to the end of one generation (Generation X) and the beginning of another (Millennium generation).

Generation X was originally touted as the apathetic generation that had a rather pessimistic outlook on like (think grunge music), but obviously things change as these Xers grow old(er) and are no longer in the spotlight. Their priorities, in effect, change for the better it seems. However, I really want to speak about the Millennium generation.

The Millennium generation (MILL G) is starting to really enter the workforce and I think this is the first time that the world is starting to take notice of a generation that is exceptionally different from folks in our past.

The MILL G expects to be: paid more, promoted frequently (and within their first year of work), get more vacation, and have major flexibility when they are actually working. Additionally, and above all else, they want to be happy.

If you are well into your own career you might laugh and say “these guys and gals need to get real.” You might well say that every day about everything depending on your level of cynicism. However, if enough people want something then who will be the one who’s line of thinking is off?

I should add that this is what our new work force expects, not what they will get.

I really think the more important question is “why they expect this?” What makes them think that they can be happy, healthy and working 15 hours a week whenever the mood strikes?

I cannot answer that, but I can make my own observations.

Service is the major commodity in the U.S. No one is planning to work in a factory for 30 years with the same security that was provided some 30-50 years ago. Nor do they assume that they can have the same quality of life their parents provided them by doing the same things their parents did. The only way (they believe) to give their children the same life their parents provided them is to seek out more education, work more hours, and ultimately make more sacrifices.

I don’t know that this is what will ultimately be required of everyone, but I do think it is a safe bet to assume that the status quo for most folks requires more input despite a static output. This leads most to start thinking primarily of themselves and less of everyone else. In other words, they can keep_their_quality of life so long as they avoid kids, wives/husbands, families, etc (especially if they love debt like most people in the generation seem to). Its the ME generation if nothing else. You are going to hear a lot of “What’s in it for me?” questions for the next ten years. Relationships will ultimately be dependent on what “the other person is doing for me” instead what “I can do for them.”

Triathlon does not only consume a lot of my time through training (and training prep time), it consumes all my time since my training is ultimately affected by how well I recover when not training. Essentially I am the peak of the ME generation.

Fortunately I’m fairly self-aware.

I figure that my own success generally relies on stopping myself from ever thinking that life is dependent on how fast I go (which is ironic in some ways). That can honestly be hard at times because it always clouds my mind no matter how far I try to separate myself from those thoughts. If I have to constantly worry about me, then its hard for me to give to others that need my support. Instead, I need to constantly ask myself how I can make my relationships better with my family, girlfriend, friends, employer, and sponsors. “What can I do for them?” instead of wondering what “they do for me.”

Ultimately the people who are close to me in my life are what really matter. That is true even if it sounds painfully trite (and cheesy as far as I’m concerned).

I want to be happy like all the other MILL Gers and fortunately I found a line of work that brings me happiness even when its hard. Perhaps this is the compromise that will come about amongst the MILL Gers. A happy worker will be a hard worker. All human resource folks should take note. We could be the greatest thing to ever happen to the U.S. (and international) economy.

Or maybe we’ll be the reason that the U.S. economy collapses. Whatever.

JD

Yesterday more than a thousand people gathered in East Jordan, Michigan to say good bye to Ryan Shay. Some wore their emtions on their sleeves while others likely found it hard to hold them back. For myself, it was a chance to show my respect to someone I merely crossed paths with in my own life. I felt compelled to travel across the country to say farewell.

We all sat for over three hours listening to his coaches, families, friends, and preachers genuinely speak about such a wonderful athlete and person.

The common theme seemed to address his tenacity, focus, and compassion. He loved what he did and he loved the people in his life.

I don’t really know how to correctly put it, but I felt a sense of “satisfaction” (or ease?) at hearing all of these people speak of him. I don’t know that many of us can look back upon our own lives and know that our direction was always towards the goals we laid out before ourselves. For Ryan though; it really seemed to be the case. He never wasted a moment on the wrong path.

Here are some things from yesterday that you all should know:

*More than one thousand people showed up to a funeral in upstate Michigan. This was not a funeral where people “made a showing.” It was their destination.

*The State of Michigan recognized Ryan and a State Legislator came to the funeral to present his family with a seal from the state.

*The US Olympic Team delivered an OLY flag to Ryan’s family.

*Ryan is survived by his wife, Alicia; his mother and father; and seven siblings (4 brothers and 3 sisters).

*The Ryan Shay Memorial fund has been created and I will provide more information about it shortly.

-JD

Gordo’s last blog talked about doing small acts that can collectively make a difference. His difference-making act comes from picking up five pieces of trash/day.

Since I was in first grade I have always turned off the water while brushing my teeth (and while shaving, but only since I was in high school). It might not seem like a big deal, but that’s a lot of water conserved when you look back over the last twenty years. I imagine Gordo has a similar big-impact-by-a-little-act idea in mind. I encourage you all to do the same. Your actions are important and will not go unnoticed.

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Less than three weeks remain before Ironman Florida and its probably for the best as the seasonal weather changes are trying to force me indoors. I had to laugh when I went out for a ride yesterday. I put a number of layers of clothing on in order to generate lots of heat to simulate_potential_conditions in Florida. Well, I got out riding and realized that I had actually put on the appropriate amount of clothes and that anything less would have me feeling a little chilly!

Nevertheless, I’ll be continuing my Bennett-training until race day.

Huh?

I saw Greg Bennett running all summer long in his sweats, gloves, and beanie (even when it was damn toasty out). I don’t know if that gave him the edge on his way to earning nearly 500,000 U.S. dollars this summer, but it certainly didn’t hurt.

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Another sign of the season ending is the lack of training partners available. Most triathletes are finished with racing and all the cyclists have switched to the their cyclocross gear. I already exploited all my buddies who were training for Hawaii. Fortunately I still have some ITU ladies that will happily hand it to me for the few remaining days of my season.

I’m pretty pleased with all my training since Canada. I don’t think there is much more I could have done with these 10 weeks and I can confidently say that I’m as fit as I’m going to get in 2007. Just need a little more tweaking and resting to bring it all together.

Until next week,

jd