Time Waits for No One

NBCOlympics.com ran a little slide show on how some of the greatest Olympians looked then and now. All I can say is Bruce Jenner is one creepy looking dude.

High Tech Gear

It certainly pays to have athletic talent, but here is an interesting article on the gear that can give you the Olympic edge. Everybody is familiar with the high tech swimsuits, but how about some Nike contact lenses that help you pick up the rotation of a ball. Check it out.

Leadville 100

This just in from the Wanger- Famous marathon runner, Lance Armstrong, finished around 2 minutes back of defending champ, Dave Wiens, in last weekends Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race. Lance was around 1 minute back with 10 miles to go, then crashed and finished 2 minutes behind. Wiens finished with a flat. The Wanger is hanging out in Colorado preparing for next weekend's Leadville 100 mile run. More pictures here.

Tour de Lake

Today was a good day. I successfully defended the yellow jersey of the Tour de Lake. The attacks came early and often. The first came soon after I pulled out of the East Beach parking lot. Team Guy-with-panniers-and-reflective-vest launched a furious attack on Cemetery Hill, the first climb of the day . When he stopped for a smoke near the Biltmore, I put the hammer down and dusted him. Next on Hwy 192, Out-0f-town-tri-girl closed the gap and pushed the pace to the top of Toro Canyon. Fortunately her descending skills weren't quite up to snuff and her attack was denied. I rode hard and steady, my solo break away seemed to be working. Along the coast, Guy-riding-in long-pants-and-no-helmet made a brief challenge. No problem. I was confident as I rounded the Bird Refuge that victory was in hand. As I approached East Beach I caught Family-of-four-riding-a-surrey making a move out of the corner of my eye. I dug deep and snaked them at the line back into the parking lot. Victory was sweet. I must recover now. Tomorrow I will be attempting the arduous San Ysidro Trail climb with the Nerd Herd. I will be doing this without the aid of supplemental oxygen.

Justin!

Meet Justin

My buddy Justin just passed the Bar exam and is Santa Barbara's newest lawyer. Justin has been collecting various graduate degrees over the years but after decades of schooling, he finally says he's done. His lovely wife Melinda is breathing a sigh of relief.


Here is my poor collar bone after getting tangled up with Justin a few years ago on a club ride. Since Justin has been in Law School I haven't seen much of him on the road. My old bones are breathing a sigh of relief!

My Swimming Hole

Los Banos del Mar Pool is my favorite Santa Barbara swimming hole. It's been undergoing a major repair all summer. Check out these demo pictures courtesy of Dean the pool guy. More Here

Someone to Root For

It seem I can't get enough stories about limbless athletes. Here's another one:
In the year 2000, 16 year old South African swimmer, Natalie du Toit, barely missed qualifying for 3 events for the Sydney Olympics. Natalie seemed like a sure bet for the 2004 Athens Olympics but her life took an abrupt turn when in 2001 she was hit by a car and lost her left leg. Now at age 24, Natalie has realized her Olympic dream. In a few days she will be competing in the 10k open water swim in Beijiing. I doubt you will see much coverage of Natalie on NBC. Kobe and LeBron's quest for gold is far more engaging. Root for her anyway.

The Nerd Herd

On Sunday mornings I've been running trails with Scott DeVore and the self proclaimed "Nerd Herd". Scott is a talented athlete but like a fine thoroughbred horse, he has a tendency to injure himself quite easily. Before each run, the group draws straws to see who will put Scott down in case he pulls up lame.

A Couch Potato's Dream

A long day training or pop a pill? The latest development of why hard work may be a thing of the past.

The Most Important Meal of the Day

What's great about this wholesome breakfast meal is it comes with a free pack of cigarettes.

Think Big

Sometimes it doesn't hurt to think big

New York's Finest

Take a look at this video of a Critical Mass cyclist getting blind sided by one of New York's finest.What ever happened to To Protect and Serve?

Another Cycling Record Falls

Another record falls, but the question is, was he doping?

Joe's Toe

My buddy Joe Howell has had a rough year. Earlier this year, Joe had a hard bike crash and fractured his pelvis. His come back has been slow but steady. During last Saturday's Steve's Tri, Joe totally busts his big toe on a rock running up the beach after the swim. Say it's not so, Joe!
PS: If you want to see Joe go off, just mention the name Andrew Duncan.

Pull my Flipper

I figured I would go my entire life without seeing a whale fart. I was wrong. I have to admit, it looks pretty cool. Check it out here.

Steve's Tri

Steve and Fred at Ironman

Steve's Tri is a informal sprint triathlon the SB Tri Club puts on in memory of Steve Issaris. It has been 5 years since the unexpected passing away of my friend Steve and most of the 40 or so participants have never met Steve. Yet it remains a great way to keep Steve's memory alive. I finished right behind Steve's best bud Fred, and was, Cook would be happy to know, the first woman finisher.

Out of the Olympics?

Well, it is already starting. US Olympic qualifying swimmer, Jessica Hardy could lose her Olympic spot after two positive tests for a "stimulant" following Olympic trials. Too much Red Bull??

Nuts to you

Not much to say about this. Obviously a Euro.

Dara Torres

My buddy Mike T. hopes she will fail. I, on the other hand, think this is a great story and am rooting for her. Score one for old people, I say. Find out how Dara does it... it may be not what you think.

5 mile Biathlon

A four mile beach run followed by a one mile ocean swim. The run is a bit too long for land challenged swimmers and you would never see anyone from my Saturday morning running group tackle a one mile ocean swim. That's what makes the 5 mile biathlon special. To do well, you have to be decent in both. It is one of the few races that places equal weight on both events. I've done the biathlon for years, usually finishing right behind the first women finisher. This year, true to form, I finished right behind the 1st place woman, and was, as my friend Cook says, the 2nd place woman.