2008 National Champions

What a "comeback" season!

After 3.5 years away from the sport, I came back to adventure racing this year with all the pieces in place for success. Little did I know that my team would go undefeated, with 8 consecutive victories, including two expeditions (Baja Travesia and Moab Adventure Xstream). The 8th victory was the sweetest: the 2008 USA Adventure Racing National Championship.

Years of adventure racing experience, lifetime-best fitness, and nearly telepathic communication made Team DART-nuun the most dominant team in the United States in 2008. However, the National Championship victory in the Blue Ridge mountains of NE Georgia did not come easily. We overcame injury, mechanical issues, nonstop bushwacking through rhododendron and branches, and of course foul weather. Adversity just makes victory so much sweeter, don't you think? It feels better to EARN it.

A few quotes came to mind while bush-wacking in 37 degree temperatures, wind and rain:

"Can't quit. Not dead!"

&

"Think clearly and make the necessary adjustments to take your task to completion..." -Mark Allen

Over the weekend of November 15th I will support my miraculously majestic girlfriend Lisa at the 12 hours of Temecula mountain bike race near Vail Lake. I had intended on racing, and perhaps contending for the series title, but alas my bike will be in the Intensive Care Unit at Rock n Road Cyclery. I will leave the dream crushing to my training partners Slater Fletcher and Keevin Blue.

It is definitely time for me to pay back Lisa for all her selfless support during this epic race season. I will be Lisa's mechanic, chef, and ER doc while she completes the 12 hour race with her friends Monique and Melissa.

I told Lisa back in early March that this would be the best year of my life, that I just had a hunch...It has been a comeback in many ways...

Cheers to my friends, teammates, sponsors and competitors. My race schedule for 2009 is evolving and is posted on the right. I will do much more bike racing in 2009, both road and mountain. I will return to some Half Ironman races, perhaps one full Ironman. Xterra is in the mix. Cal Multisports (surfski/bike/run) is in the mix.

I look forward to doing one or two international adventure races, such as WuLong Challenge in China, Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates, Medellin AR in Colombia, Salomon Mountain Games in France/Switzerland or XPD Portugal (World Championships). I can only take so much vacation time, unfortunately! These are the main races on our radar right now, in addition to Primal Quest which will be in the Badlands area of South Dakota...600 miles of pain!

The team is working out our schedule over the next few weeks so I will update the schedule whenever we reach a consensus.

Thanks for tuning in. See you in 2009!

Sean


Official Results and hundreds of photos here:

http://www.usaranationals.com/race_hq.aspx

Sean's 2008 Season Results with Team DART-nuun:

1st Adventure Racing 24 Hour National Champs, Blue Ridge, Georgia
1st Adventure Xstream Expedition (72 Hours), Moab, Utah
1st Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
1st Gorge Games 24 Hour Adventure Race, Hood River, Oregon
1st Desert Winds 26 Hour Adventure Race, Lake Mead, Arizona
1st Baja Travesia Expedition (70 hours), San Felipe, Baja, Mexico
1st Scout Adventure Race, Santa Monica Mountains, California
1st Desert Rage Adventure Race: Vail Lake, Temecula, California

Photos from USARA 24 Hour Nationals

you bring the popcorn, I'll bring the pain

Mandatory Gear List
1. Pain

Forcast

Severe Pain Storm.

Our DART-nuun teammates (Cyril, Aaron M, Aaron R, and Seegs) just took 6th place overall at the Adventure Racing World Championships in Brazil!

This is DART-nuun's 3rd time racing at the EcoMotion Pro in Brazil.

Mari, Glenn and I are off to Georgia for the 24 hour Adventure Racing national championships. We know the following:

We are undefeated this season.
We have momentum on our side.
We have raced like a well-oiled machine.

Can we keep it rolling at Nationals?

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

It has been a near-perfect year for Team DART-nuun.

We have swept and won the CheckpointTracker.com national series.

We have won races in 6 states and 3 countries (so far).

We have chalked up the following Victories this year:

USARA Regional Championship:
Desert Rage 26 hour AR in Lake Mead, AZ; (Sean, Glenn, RVG & Lina)

Gorge Games 24 AR in Hood River, OR; (Sean, Mari, RVG & Glenn)

Big Blue 24 Hour AR in Lake Tahoe, NV; (Sean, Mari & Glenn)

Upstate 24 Hour AR in South Carolina (Glenn, Mari & RVG)

Scout AR in Santa Monica Mtns, CA (Sean and Tessa)

Desert Rage AR in Temecula, CA (Sean and Tessa)

MOMAR AR in British Columbia, Canada (RVG, Seegs)

Moab Adventure XStream Expedition, UT (Sean, Glenn, Mari & Matt)

North American Qualifier for World Championships:
Baja Travesia Expedition AR in Mexico; (Sean, Mari & Glenn)

Of course we also fielded a team at Primal Quest in Montana, where Cyril, Aaron M, Aaron R and the impossibly strong Mari Chandler took an awesome 4th place.

You can watch Team DART-nuun crush dreams at Nationals by clicking on the USARA link here:

http://www.usaranationals.com/teams.aspx

After November, the team will have just one race left for 2008:

Glenn, RVG and Mari are off to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for a desert stage race! Camels - perhaps the world's most spiteful animals - will be involved. That of course precludes my inclusion on the team.

While Mari, Glenn & RVG are tramping across the desert I will be in Florida relaxing by the pool with Lisa and my family, cold drinks in hand! There is only a one letter difference between Desert and Dessert. I choose DESSERT! Key lime pie, please.

Thanks for tuning in.

Enjoy watching online as we suffer this week!

You bring the Popcorn, I'll bring the Pain.

Sean

USARA 24 Hour Nationals this weekend!

Bruce Lee Nunchuck Ping Pong!

killer viral video from nokia...



and of course Bruce vs. Chuck Norris

Runner vs. Rabid Fox

...attacked by a fox, the woman ran a mile to her car with the fox
attached to her arm...

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D948V99O3&show_article=1

Perspective

Finishing the Hawaii Ironman is HARD.

It was devised years ago by several military men in
Hawaii arguing over beers about who are the best
endurance athletes:

marathon runners? cyclists? ocean swimmers?

Of course they could not decide, so they agreed to
combine the 3 and the winner would truly earn the title of
"IRONMAN"...Anyone simply FINISHING this new event in 1978
earned serious bragging rights and respect.

Just finishing the Hawai'i Ironman is HARD.
The course sends you on a suicide mission through
scorching black lava fields, with ground temperatures
over 100 and the punishing sun melting your brain.

To finish the Hawaii Ironman in BOOTS & UTES
makes you a HARD-ASS!

Click on the link below for the photographs of USMC Major Bill Connor
completing the Kona Ironman wearing boots, pants, and kevlar helmet.
This was his way of paying tribute to his fallen brothers (he has completed
3 tours in Iraq), with a nod to the founders of Ironman Triathlon.

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=32523&BIB=1775

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Hawaii Ironman, several Navy
SEALs, including the freakishly strong and unbreakable David Goggins,
parachuted into the ocean right before the start. They ditched their
parachutes, were snatched up in a Zodiac, whisked to shore, and they
started-and finished-the race. Very cool.

********************************************************************
If you would like to make a donation to the Navy SEAL fund, which
assists the families of Navy SEALs who have died while serving our
country, click here: www.sealfund.org

Navy SEAL Warrior Fund

Navy SEAL Warrior Fund is a 501c3 non-profit organization established to raise funds in support of the families of US Navy SEALs who have died while serving our country, or who are presently serving in harm's way in trouble spots around the world. The organization is comprised of volunteers from around the country and has no employees. Funds raised, after expenses, will go solely to improve the education, health and wellness of the spouses and children of deceased and active duty SEALs. Navy SEAL Warrior Fund works in partnership with the Naval Special Warfare Foundation in its fundraising and distribution efforts. As part of this important partnership, four board members of Navy SEAL Warrior Fund are also board members of the Naval Special Warfare Foundation.

Total Quad Meltdown

This is the elevation profile for my "Bread and Butter" ride...combining the Swami's Ride (~39 miles) with an out and back from Encinitas to La Jolla's very steep Mt. Soledad (adds ~32 miles). Looking at the graph one can clearly see the climbs up Torrey Pines Scripps/LaJolla Shores, and of course the Dream-Crushing Mt. Soledad.


Each of the last 2 weekends I have used this anaerobic HammerFest to gauge my late-season fitness heading into next week's 24 Hour Adventure Racing National Championship.

Having violently sadistic and insane training partners like Slater Fletcher, "Uberbiker" Kurt Gensheimer, and Keevin Blue keeps you honest!

Slater, Keevin, Kurt and I took turns "Crushing each others' Dreams"...




Of course after the ride we crushed some Manhole-Sized Blueberry Pancakes at Potato Shack. Let me tell you: these pancakes are Tremendous.




****************************************************************************

On Tuesday night, Slater and I did the Five Fingers of Death ride.

Held at Aliso/Wood Cyn wilderness park across the street from my house, this is my OTHER "bread and butter" ride I use to check my mountain bike climbing fitness and skills. We managed to knock out the "loop" in 2hrs23 minutes.



The ocean views of Catalina Island, Laguna Beach, and the Santa Ana and San Gabriel mountains to the east were phenomenal on this clear night.



From left to right you can see 5 Fingers of Death: Cholla, Lynx, Rock-It, Mathis/Top of the World, and Meadows. To add some perspective, these trails are used by Downhillers to practice for their races.

****************************************************************************


After 15 years in production, Axl Rose/GunsNRoses' Chinese Democracy will FINALLY be released next month...seriously. We have heard that before...almost annually. But it is finally out.

No, really.

Lakers are BACK...

...and I hope they can bring back some of the MAGIC of the Showtime
teams of the 80s...


The Red Hot Chili Peppers, circa 1986

MAGIC JOHNSON


LA Lakers fast break makers
KINGS of the court shake and bake all takers
Back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains...
INTACT

M-a-g-i-c see you on the court
Buck has come to play his way and his way is to thwart
M-a-g-i-c magic of the buck
Other teams pray for dreams
But he dont give a !

Penetrating the lane like a bullet train
Comes the Magic blood a telepathic brain
Knucklehead suckers better duck
When the buck comes through like a truck

Scott stops pops and drops it in
On his way back gets a little skin
From the hand of a man named A.C. GREEN
Slam so hard break your TV screen!

Worthys hot with his tomahawk
Take it to the hole make your mamma talk

I hate to burst your bubble but triple double trouble
Is coming to your town and hes going to make rubble

LA Lakers fast break makers
Kings of the court shake and bake all takers
Back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains in tact

Lakers are the team that I watch on the telly
Cause they got more moves
That a bowl full of jelly

The buck stops here - pops - then cheers
A roar through the forum
That deafens my ears

The one and only know if his kind
Sits in a throne
Not for the records that he holds
But for being bald and bold
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
All time great super super star

I hate to burst your bubble but triple double trouble
Is coming to your town and hes going to make rubble

Does anybody want some Magic Johnson
LA Lakers fast break makers
Kings of the court shake and bake all takers
Back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains in tact!

Off to the Adventure Racing National Championships in 2 weeks!

Our next BIG race is the USARA 24 Hour Nationals in Blue Ridge, Georgia...Nov 6-7.

Glenn, Mari & RVG are just getting back from South Carolina, where they just WON the Upstate 24 hour adventure race this past weekend. With that win, we have ensured that we have swept the Checkpoint Tracker national series and have the 2008 CheckpointTracker.com National Series title wrapped up! We have survived the gauntlet of a very challenging season undefeated!

Hopefully we learned enough along the way to bring home the Stars & Stripes jerseys at the National Championships in 2 weeks.

Training has been going well. The body feels ready for ONE MORE beatdown at Nationals before calling it a season. I have felt very spunky on the Swami's ride down in Encinitas. I finally feel on form following a transition period after winning the 70 hour long Moab Expedition Adventure Race last month.

Non-Sequitar of The Day:

Lisa and I went to Julian over the weekend! We picked apples at an orchard, picked out some pumpkins for Halloween, and even found ourselves in a ridiculously intricate corn maze. It was a blast. Nice balance to a morning of hammering my legs
into oblivion on the Swami's ride AND immediate hammerfest to and from Mt. Soledad with Slater Fletcher.

Photos will be posted soon. None of them very serious.

Consecutive Non-Sequitars?!

Last night I went to Whole Foods in Tustin. Maynard James Keenan was there signing bottles of his Caduceus and Arizona Stronghold wines. I am planning a trip to his vineyard and winery near Sedona around the time of my birthday weekend, December 2nd. A weekend of wine, mountain biking, and Rock and Roll baby! Then we'll come back in time to catch Camp Freddy playing in LA.

NO Talking Man, ALL Action.

VICTORY at Expedition XStream Moab!

Wow. WHAT A RIDE!!!

...Literally...

After starting the Expedition XStream adventure race in Moab at noon on Thursday, Team DART-nuun (Glenn Rogers, Sean Clancy, Mari Chandler, and Matt Hayes) crossed the finish line at after 70 hours of racing at 10:20am on Sunday in 1st place!

This was a truly epic adventure race that saw nearly every other "elite" team drop out or lose teammates due to injury (mountain biking was very technical) or exposure (heat exhaustion/hyperthermia in the desert) or "cold exhaustion/hypothermia".

Yes, withinn hours on the same day we faced 95 degree temps on the slickrock near Moab and 40 degree temperatures-and hail-in the La Sal mountains.

We managed to win this race with flawless navigation, constant teamwork, completely dialed nutrition/hydration (the usual, nuun and Vitargo S2), and our unbelievable support crew who flew into Salt Lake City from Seattle and made the 4 hour drive to Moab with us: Tom and Jill Purcell.

Handlling adversity is always a factor in an adventure race. We had a frozen disk brake, a broken spoke, and a flat...all in the first hour of the first bike section! To give you an idea of how hot it was on the slickrock, on one 8 hour run/hike/ropes section I personally left with 272 ounces of water. It was not nearly enough. Luckily we found a random natural spring leaking water in one of the canyons!

To see how spectacular and challenging this racecourse was, check out this gallery on the link below...it captures much of the spectacular setting of this 280+ mile
course.

http://www.checkpointtracker.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.showDashboard&eventID=147 M

Mari also took dozens of great shots while we were out on the course. I will try to post those on my racing blog when I get home. That's 7 wins in 7 races this year. I'm going to grab a beer and take a nap!

Thanks for tuning in!

Sean Clancy
Team DART-nuun Adventure Racing

www.nuun.com
www.clancymultisport.blogspot.com


http://www.checkpointtracker.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.showDashboard&eventID=147

More to follow! Thanks for the shoutouts during the race!

1st Place at Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race!

Sean, Mari and Glenn at the finish line near Lake Tahoe

Team DART-nuun did it again!

Almost 19 hours after starting with a paddle across Lake Tahoe, Team DART-nuun pulled off another sweet victory at the Big Blue Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race. We fought hard for this victory, and Glenn's perfect navigation in the mountains in the middle of the night made all the difference.

Here's the Report:
http://www.checkpointzero.com/dartnuun/

That's 6 wins in a row so far for me this season with Team DART-nuun...

...and 7 wins in a row going back to last season...Knock on wood!

Competing at this level would be exponentially more difficult without incredibly generous sponsors and unwavering support of loved ones...so thanks to our sponsors and thanks for reading.

________________________________________________________________________________

On Wednesday we are off to Moab for the nasty Adventure X-Stream Expedition Adventure Race!

We will race across the world-renowned mountain bike trails of Moab, through the 12,000' elevation of the La Sal mountains, and the surrounding deserts and canyons.

To add insult to injury, an inline skating section has been added. Hopefully not at the END of the race, when my feet are swollen up from size 11 to 12+.

The race begins Thursday morning around 11, and all top teams are due to finish on Sunday. Awards and celebration is Sunday night at the host hotel in Moab.

If we win, we will have won the 2008 CheckpointTracker Series, and some serious prize money (for adventure racing, at least!).

Although the Checkpoint Tracker website is a month late on the series standings, we are going into this race essentially tied for 1st place with the freakishly strong Colorado team, Boulder Performance Network.

At the Adventure X-Stream, Team DART-nuun will see the most competitive field we have faced this season since the impossibly gnarly Baja Travesia (link) expedition adventure race (North American Championship) we won in March.

We need everything to go right to beat a very strong team from Boulder, not to mention many other very strong teams in the field who are capable of winning.

Your thoughts and prayers would be GREATLY appreciated and are quite necessary for us to pull out a victory.

Live coverage!!! (blog updates and live "Spot" GPS) will be at

http://www.checkpointtracker.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.showTeamProfile&teamID=3520&eventID=147

If you have a second, before or during the race send me a shout-out! There is a 'shout-out' section on the race coverage page:

http://www.checkpointtracker.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.showShoutBox&eventID=147

Thank you!

Sean

Off to Tahoe for the Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race!

Footage from the 2007 Big Blue Adventure Race series...

Quick pre-race update:

Boys & Girls,

Right now I am packing up for this weekend's big race, the Big Blue Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race.

This is all we know about his weekend's 24 hour race...from their site:

Kit Carson 24 Venue
Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park, Spooner Lake: Carson City, Nevada

Spooner Lake is on Highway 28, nine miles south of Sand Harbor and 1/2 mile north of Highway 50. It is approximately a 30 minute drive from South Lake Tahoe and a 20 minute drive from North Lake Tahoe.


Elevation:

7003 Feet


Kit Carson 24 Disciplines


Kayaking:
• 15+ miles Lake Tahoe
• Sandy beach put-in
• Water clarity to 65+ feet
• Beautiful shoreline
• Very high probability of flat and light wind conditions. Or it could be windy with lots of waves.



Mountain Biking:
• 45+ miles
• Single Track
• Double Track
• Fire Trail
• Fast
• Pavement
• A little of everything

• 10,000 feet altitude gain


Foot Travel:
• 15+ miles
• Single Track
• Fire Trail
• Sand
• Pavement

Soooooo, a little bit of everything. We will take some pictures on the course that hopefully will be 'appropriate for posting'...

Hasta Luego,

Sean


Today's song is more than just a song...it's the freakin' MAGNUM P.I. Theme! ...in French?!

Weekend in Solvang: The Hay is in the Barn!

The heaviest weeks of endurance training for my races in Lake Tahoe and Moab are behind me now. So to kick off my Taper appropriately, this weekend Lisa and I are headed up the coast to Santa Barbara and Solvang for a weekend of long rides, naps, runs, naps and wine tasting. I am bringing my miraculous, new waffle maker so all bets are off!

Solvang offers some of the best cycling in the world, bar none. Lance Armstrong has stated that only Girona, Spain offers a better place to train. Many of the top European and domestic cycling teams hold preseason base camps in Solvang in January/February each year.

The forecast says over 100 degrees and little cloud cover...perfect preparation for Moab! I will have to bring extra nuun to handle the extreme heat!

UPDATE 9/10/2008:


Solvang was awesome! Lisa and I did a fun, mellow 50 mile spin on Saturday from Solvang through Buellton, to Lompoc, and back on Santa Rosa Road. Beautiful! On Sunday I rode alone, up and over Mt. Figueroa from the house in Solvang...past Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch...made me ride a bit faster.

The famous "Fig" climb really is a kick in the nuts. One of the more magnificent ascents I have done, including Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Cascade mountains, etc. 9.5 miles averaging 9%...several pitches over 20%. A couple around 25. Yes, I said Twenty. Ri-donk-ulous. The climb starts abruptly with a smack: an 18% grade. "Oh, reallly"...

Rather than shooting for a (quixotic) "fast" split time, I smiply tried to make it up...period. With scorching temperatures of 105 at the bottom of the climb, and high 80s at the top, I did not need to detonate on this day, one week out from a very important race. I did the climb in 1:10:05, going as easy as possible, coasting the few downhills, soft pedaling any flats.

I know Lance has gone low-50s on this climb in training. I am sure someone his size at 400 watts would break 40, race pace. In early november we plan on returning, and I will shoot for a good benchmark at that time, hopefully break the hour mark. Maybe we'll see Lance there! (I for one am stoked that he is coming out of retirement to the Pro ranks for 2009)...



************************************************************

Today I'm suggesting some Jerry Reed, who passed away this week of emphysema.
(If you smoke, you have a miserable death ahead of you. Your lifestyle determines your deathstyle!)

Just who the dickens is Jerry Reed, you ask? If you lived in the bayou, you would know.

But you don't live in the bayou. Do you even have a bayou by you?

All I have to say is I have 5 words for you: Smokey and the freaking Bandit!

...WE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO...AND A SHORT TIME TO GET THERE!

Elvis Presley recorded two of his songs, "U.S. Male'' and "Guitar Man'' (both in 1968).

Primus covered Jerry's song "Amos Moses", which I have included with a Jerry Reed original for good measure. After a listen you will agree that Jerry Reed is awesome.

Enjoy.

Next Stop: Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race

The Top Secret Stealth Ninja Training is underway for the upcoming Kit Carson 24 hour adventure race!

Team DART-nuun hopes to secure the win which will earn us another 100 points in the Checkpoint Tracker Series.

The team will be Sean Clancy, Glenn Rogers, and Mari Chandler. We will fly into Reno late on September 12th, and race from the 13th to the morning of the 14th. You can follow our progress on a LIVE leaderboard at www.checkpointtracker.com

*******************

Did anyone watch the Gorge Games on Fox Sports Net? They did give our team plenty of coverage, which was broadcast to 80 million households. How many of those 80 million were tuning in?

Some of our sponsors got some serious air time!

Our bright-blue Turner Flux bikes were shown prominently, racing towards our 1st place finish. They are hard to miss!

Our blinged-out Rudy Project Helmets and Glasses were on your flatscreen, as well as our Epic carbon wing blade paddles.

Of course, nuun is our NAME and all over our clothing and gear. We did notice that other teams at the race were using nuun throughout the race. It seems to be fairly standard now, as it makes hydration worry-free and very easy to use when training or racing.

Word is still getting out about GenR8 VITARGO, and I was able to answer questions from other teams about my not-so-secret "Jet Fuel".

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Song for today is actually the new VIDEO for Metallica's The Day that Never Comes. The video was directed by acclaimed Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, who, along with Lars von Trier, co-founded the Dogme 95 movement in filmmaking.

According to James Hetfield, "The main [theme of the video] is the human element of forgiveness and someone doing you wrong, you feeling resentment and you being able to see through that in the next situation that might be similar and not take your rage or resentment out on the next person and basically keep spreading the disease of that through life."

Jamie Whitmore needs your prayers

Jamie Whitmore is a TOUGH woman.


Jamie has dominated Xterra triathlon over the last several years. 37 Xterra wins, internationally. 3 world championships! Her toughness has never been in doubt.

She is now in a nasty battle with cancer and needs our prayers.

Right now.

Click on her blog for updates on her condition, and send your prayers and thoughts her way.

http://jamiewhitmore.com/

TOTAL DOMINATION!

Can he, will he get 8?

Click HERE and scroll down a few inches. Make sure you aren't eating or drinking anything, because you will spit it all over your computer.

NBCOlympics.com has the best coverage. Check it out!

On the Olympic cycling front, the Men's TT is tomorrow. This should be interesting since it has quite a bit of climbing for a Time Trial. Will the Cervelo P4C finally be unveiled under Fabian Cancellara? The nailbiting continues...I am willing to bet the P4C will be released at Interbike and show up in Cervelo dealer shops by late October.

August and everything after...

Howzabout an update?

After the Gorge Games DART-nuun victory, I took 10 days mostly off with very light unstructured training. I attended my cousin Conrad's wedding in Chicago with Miss HotWheels, slept more, swam more, gained 4lbs. Good times!

Over the last 10 days, I have recovered from Gorge Games and in fact rebounded very well. I am setting year-best times in my Maximum Aerobic Function running tests, and my climbing on the bike is near year/lifetime bests.

That said, I have to be careful not to peak too soon, as I need to be ready to rock with Team DART-nuun on September 14th at the Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race (near Tahoe). After Kit Carson we're off to Moab, Utah for the Adventure Xstream Expedition Adventure Race. I have never been to Moab, so riding the legendary Mountain Bike tracks and running and trekking in the LaSalle mountains will be perhaps the highlight of the year (since I can't remember too much of what happened at the Baja Travesia...really).

After recovering from Moab, I will do a few Half Ironman races and PERHAPS a fall Ironman. I am signed up for Ironman 70.3 Oceanside in the spring, and will do a full triathlon season in 2009, in addition to raising the roof with DART-nuun. All signs point towards lifetime-best fitness over the next year so I would like to achieve my lifetime goal of competing in the Hawai'i Ironman.

I am the last kid on the block to train with a Power meter, and am getting mine set up soon. When I do so, I will post all my data on my workout LOG. No secrets, just hard/smart/periodized/structured work!

Stay tuned, you naughty little monkeys!



Another Song Methinks You Should Download:

Sequestered in Memphis, by The Hold Steady

Gorge Games Race Report

Check out our Gorge Games race report HERE!


Today's Song You Need to Download:

DART-nuun Gorge Games Photos

At the finish line in Hood River:



Below are links to shots of Team DART-nuun en route to our
1st place finish.

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100517160

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518123

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518155

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518164

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518527

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518571

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518572

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100518573

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100519234

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100519267

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100519266

http://www.pbase.com/elliottschofield/image/100519268

DART-nuun takes 1st Place at Gorge Games!

Ridiculous picture, even funnier since it was taken by Mari while we were running at a good clip!

We managed to get some separation early and maintained our lead throughout this brutal and navigationally challenging race course.

This is two wins in two weekends for me, and 6 adventure racing wins in a row with my
team DART-nuun. I'm taking a break this weekend! Heading to Chicago with HotWheels for my cousin Conrad's wedding.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sean, Glenn, Mari and Ryan say THANK YOU to all of our 2008 sponsors!

This was a course that put our bodies-and our sponsors' products-to the test!

nuun and Vitargo S2 kept me fueled throughout the race, with the occasional Gu for a quick blast. I did not bonk! nuun and Vitargo S2 has kept me "Bonk-Proof" all year long. The new larger nuun tablets are perfect for putting into your hydration pack, such as a Hydrapak or Camelbak. This makes hydration and electrolyte balance a no-brainer. As usual, I carried my Vitargo in two water bottles at all times on my backpack. When we hit a natural spring in the middle of the 9 hour trekking leg, I was able to refill my bottles with the Vitargo I carried in small ziplock bags. Each bottle kept me fueled for 2 hours, and the water and nuun in my Hydrapak bladder in my Gregory racing pack kept me hydrated. Perfect.

Our new Turner Flux mountain bikes, decked out with trick FSA components, Manitou forks with easy lockout, Hayes Disc brakes, Crank Brothers Egg beater pedals, and sticky Michelin tires worked flawlessly on the diverse Pacific Northwest terrain. Hopefully you will see us on our bikes duringthe FOX SPORTS TV coverage of the Gorge Games next month...(air dates coming soon).

Our amazing EPIC carbon wing blade paddles and Northwest Kayaks triple had us lapping most of the field during the opening paddling leg on the Columbia river.

Our VASQUE shoes and Teko socks kept our feet happy and blister free. I don't remember feeling any hotspots during this race. That is a FIRST for me, and my first race wearing the Vasque Aether Tech/Teko sock combination, with SOLE custom footbeds.
Anyone who does trail running or adventure racing knows this is critical.

Our Rudy Project glasses kept our eyes on the trail-and checkpoints. I noticed during this race that the lenses are very scratch-resistant! Several times I was smacked in the face and glasses with branches or flying rocks while running, trekking, or riding. I didn't take a "header" during this race but my Rudy Projet helmet is as good as new, halfway through a packed Adventure Racing and mountain biker racing schedule.

Our Light & Motion STELLA-180 lights were a God-send during the opening bike leg, which took us from 9:30pm to midnight. DART-nuun was the only team to hit every checkpoint AND finish the leg before the midnight cutoff/beginning of the trekking leg. I'd like to think that being able to actually SEE the terrain features and checkpoints helped us out! We also used our L&M Stella lights during the trekking section, using our L&M head straps. What a difference! I will not race with a 'normal' headlamp again during a 24 hour adventure race.

They stayed in transition this time with the warm and dry conditions, but we had our super light and bombproof Arc'teryx jackets and pants ready to go if needed.

Lastly, we could not get home with all of our gear without THULE racks for our cars!

See you at the next race in the CheckPointTracker.com Series race, the Big Blue Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race September 13-14th.

Thanks for tuning in!

Sean
DART-nuun Adventure Racing Team

Next Stop for DART-nuun: Gorge Games!

This weekend will be a major test for Team DART-nuun. We are headed to Hood River, Oregon for the 2008 Gorge Games 24 hour adventure race. Hood River is one of my favorite stops on the adventure racing circuit, nestled on the Columbia River downslope from beautiful Mt. Hood. I have raced here in the past, and have visited many times for training outings when I lived in Seattle. Hood River is truly one of the most unique spots in America, and perhaps the best place to live for a multisport athlete. You have Mt. Hood, the Columbia River (home of the best windsurfing or kite surfing on Earth), endless trail running and mountain biking trails, and most importantly Full Sail Ale brewery!

From the Gorge Game site:

Each July, droves of windsurfers, kayakers, mountain bikers, kiteboarders and adventure seekers of all kinds flock to Hood River to compete in The Gorge Games, a week-long adventure sports festival. Thousands more come to watch the athletes as they kayak over 25 foot waterfalls, mountain bike for 24 hours and launch gravity-defying aerials with their windsurfing boards and kiteboards.

The Gorge Games, which began in 1994, are the Pacific Northwest’s premier outdoor sporting attraction. Every July, the games bring world-class athletes to the Columbia Gorge’s intense rivers, pristine forests and mountain peaks.

This year's Gorge Games adventure race promises to challenge the strongest teams with paddling into extreme wind, brutal climbing on foot and mountain bike from sea level to over 6,000 feet of elevation, and tricky navigation. If we are to keep our win streak intact, we will need a flawless race. We know going into this race that we will have to dig deep, but after our experience at Baja Travesia we know we are capable of handling Epic Suffering. In addition, this year's Gorge Games will be televized on Fox Sports Net, broadcast to up to 84 million households.

We're showing up in peak condition, with the best equipment and sponsors, and the best navigator in the field...

That's right! Glenn Rogers recently won the ROGAINE National Championships in New York. ROGAINEs are 24 hour wilderness orienteering events. Glenn's partner in the race was Matt Hayes, who competes for another top Pacific Northewst adventure racing team, MerGeo.

The squad for Gorge Games, as well as the upcoming Kit Carson Big Blue 24 Hour Adventure Race and the Moab Xstream Expedition Adventure Race will be Sean Clancy, Glenn Rogers, Mari Chandler, and Ryan Van Gorder. We are competing in the Checkpoint Tracker national circuit, hoping to accrue enough points to win the series.

***************************************************************************

We hope to be fresh enough at the Gorge Games finish line to enjoy a nice Full Sail Pale Ail and jump in the river for a swim. Unfortunately, at the Baja Travesia in March that was not the case. Although we won the race, we were, um, shattered at the finish line...

Here are some BEFORE and AFTER photos from the Baja Travesia...you can see how 75 hours of nonstop racing through across the Baja penninsula shattered us. To my knowledge, there are no photos in existence of Mari Chandler ever being shattered, except maybe in her professional running days with the Nike Farm Team. That doesn't count. Ryan Van Gorder was 'shattered' when he was airlifted out of Primal Quest Utah in 2006 with severe heatstroke, but that wasn't a laughing matter. RVG, we need some other embarassing photos of you please. ASAP would be great. Thanks.


BEFORE
(packing the caravan to Mexico in the San Diego Yacht Club parking lot)



AFTER
(Glenn, we're not done yet! We have a 5 mile beach run to the finish in Ensenada)

1st Place at Scout 12 Hour Adventure Race

Team FeedTheMachine.com/DART-nuun along with support crew and Christian's daughter.


We (Team FeedtheMachine.com/DART-nuun) overcame some nav miscues and a broken wheel skewer to cross the finish line in 1st place. Our winning time was approximately 5hrs30 minutes.

The race headquarters was the historic Camp Josepho Boy Scout in the Topanga State Park. We started at 4am on Saturday with a tricky 4-checkpoint orienteering course, then launched into a bike ride up the backbone trail to the "Hub".

From the Hub we put on our running shoes and hit CPs at Trippett, Musch, Eagle Rock, and other Backbone trail spots, taking a few navigation risks. Race organizer Jared did a great job of incorporating some route choices into the course. Go the long way with less climbing? Go the short way up a long, steep hill? It wasn't always obvious.

During this time we traded the lead with friends Team Aetna, as well as a Boy Scout team (apparently very fit!) who live nearby and train exclusively on the course. All three of our teams took different routes to reach CP 5, near Trippet. Interestingly, we all arrived at CP 5 at exactly the same time! The race for 1st was on...

Back to the bikes we left at the Hub, it was a fast and furious ride back to the Finish line, riding in 1st place. We were actually riding sections of the Backbone we had ridden once or twice per week all winter long. It was a nice reward for those cold, often wet Thursday night rides!

With just 2 miles before the finish line, our teammate Jeff Vicario's front skewer snapped, forcing him to carry his bike or run next to it all the way to the finish. Unfortunately, a good portion of the last two miles were some technical and narrow singletrack on tight, rutted switchbacks, which made that difficult. Jeff sucked it up and we were able to reach the finish with some good separation over 2nd place, who we could have sworn was right behind us! Apparently our knowledge of the trail paid off as a few of the turns and CPs were not so obvious.

This race was extremely well designed and thoughtfully organized by a highly motivated all-volunteer staff. The purpose of the Scout Adventure Race is to allow Boy Scouts, under the age of 18, to participate in a logistically and economically feasible real adventure race, mixing it up with adult teams. Some teams compete against the course, just to finish a new type of endurance and navigational challenge. Others have the goal of winning the overall title, beating all the adult teams.

Something as simple as a 12 hour adventure race can be a life-changing experience for many teenagers. When I was growing up, that might have been doing my first triathlon at age 15, running cross country and getting my ass kicked, or maybe getting lost on long bike rides, 2 or 3 hours away from home, without any food or water. Those "oh reallly" moments.


One of my favorite quotes by Mark Allen, the greatest triathlete of all time, is

"We are enriched by life's tough moments. Especially those of our own choosing".


*******

That makes it 5 wins in a row in adventure races for me (knocking on wood), hopefully I can keep that streak going with my teammates at Gorge Games 24hr in Hood River, Oregon next weekend! We'll need a flawless race and some good luck to make that happen. With Mari recovering from Primal Quest and Glenn recovering from a falling rock injury to his quadriceps, we are going to need some serious luck!

Santa Monica Scout Adventure Race

A last-second decision, I am racing this weekend's Santa Monica SCOUT 12 Hour Adventure Race.

Since the race is being held on my "stomping grounds", I couldn't resist. Over the last year Christian, Tessa and I have logged hundreds of hours riding and running nearly every trail on the Backbone system of the Santa Monica mountains, day and night.

One of my original "A" races for 2008 was the ill-fated "Backbone Scramble" a 3 day multisport stage race connecting the Santa Monica Backbone trail from South to the northern tip, along with a 20 mile ocean paddle. Since that race never happened, the Scout race will be my Revenge race. I spent the winter and spring traininge extensively on this trail system, so hopefully some of that knowledge will be helpful in this adventure race.

The team will be ME, Christian Burke, Brazilian Tessa Roorda, and Jeff Vicario. Not sure what we'll call the team, since it's a mixture of DART-nuun and FeedTheMachine.com racers. DART the Machine? Feed nuun to the Machine?

Maybe just "nuun". Team FeedTheMachine.com is also sponsored by nuun. So you know we will be well-hydrated and won't cramp during the race. And it WILL be hot.

This will be a good hit-out before the Gorge Games 24 Hour Adventure Race in Oregon I am doing next weekend with my usual DART-nuun teammates, Glenn Rogers, Ryan Van Gorder, and Mari Chandler. The "hay is in the barn" and I feel supremely ready to help my team to victory in Hood River, Oregon.

The SCOUT race typically draws one of the biggest fields in adventure racing in California. We look forward to a challenging course and a fun day (and night) out on our favorite trails.

Stumbling on Happiness...

5:45am, San Juan Traihead..Sean, Glen Redpath, iMichelle Barton, and Martin Brooks. Fresh as a daisy before running 18 miles and 4,000' of gain up and down the mountain.


Updates and photos to follow, but this epic training week has been a blast.
Long rides and runs with friends local and visiting from afar...Sharing the experience makes it so much more enjoyable and significant. Remember the time...?

I've spoken with the LovelyHotWheels much over the last month about the idea of happiness. She is on a 32 day business trip to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Penang, Malaysia. She has had time to explore the cities, mountains and beaches but realized it was not as much fun alone, missing your loved ones. I recalled the quote from Into the Wild, on how "happiness is only real when shared". Of course, you don't need to move to the Alaskan wilderness and have an epiphany on your deathbed to realize this. Hopefully!

It's true. You can be satisfied with experiencing something fun or wonderful alone (insert inside Xian Burke joke/innuendo here) but compare that to sharing it with friends and loved ones. Personally I am convinced that the holy grail of happiness is sharing the richest experiences.

Stumbling on Happiness is a fantastic book on this topic, as is Dennis Prager's Happiness is a Serious Problem. Fascinating topic!

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL 18 mile run this morning on the San Juan Trail as the sun rose. I ran with Ultramarathon Studs Glen Redpath, Michelle Barton, and Martin Brooks. The San Juan Trail gains approximately 4,000' from the Hot Springs to Bluejay campgrounds. Luckily there is a fountain at BlueJay,so we were able to travel light, two bottles each. I easily could have slammed 4 bottles on the 1:49 to the top...or the 1:23 on the way down. The trail is not *THAT* technical or rocky as some make it out to be. It's my new favorite mountain run in Orange County.

The afternoon was a therapeutic but hard ocean swim with PEGGY aka Mark Matyazic (whose stress fracture is still healing...again), and a surfski paddle around Balboa Island from the Newport Aquatic Center.

Tomorrow morning is the dreaded HENSHAW LOOP ride, 110 miles of pain from Solana Beach inland to Lake Henshaw, past Mt. Palomar, and back. Riding with ubercyclists Loren Shaefer and Kurt Gensheimer. Good times.

Big training volume, big fun.

Happy 4th of July!

Here is one of my favorites...some British troops in Iraq made this video a few
years ago.

When facing challenging circumstances with no end in sight, you've got to maintain your sense of humor and stay tight with your friends. Hopefully you have some good ones. I am lucky in that regard.

My friends fighting or doing executive protection in Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond are some of the funniest guys I know...and they happen to do adventure races and ultramarathons as well. Perfect examples. We would laugh our asses off on 134 mile bike rides around Oahu, long runs at Tantalus, paddles along the Oahu coastline around Koko head, you name it. Piss your pants laughing. Tear ab muscles laughing. I'm sure their sense of humor has come in handy in some very, very dark places.

Thoughts and prayers go out to our brothers and sisters doing some very miserable work for us in the sandbox this 4th of July!

My favorite quote from my friend Ed who is in Iraq frequently:

"When it gets under 100 degrees, I reach for a sweater".

Dang.

Cheers to you Mike! Ed! Take care of yourselves guys, see you at another adventure race in the not-so-distant future.

Go There and Do It...Are you making excuses?

Don't Die Wondering.

DART-nuun 4th Place at Primal Quest!

Although DART-nuun crossed the finish line in 3rd place, behind NIKE and Merrell-Zanfel, the 4th Place team, BONES leapfrogged into 3rd place because they
hit an extra Optional checkpoint during the race, giving them a time credit. They crossed the finish line 20 minutes behind DART-nuun-after 548 miles of nonstop racing-but their 1hr time bonus was enough to secure 3rd.

Details and photos to follow.

Mari Chandler told me she will be ready to rock at the GORGE GAMES 24 hour adventure races in 2 weeks. As all of my readers know, Mari is my favorite teammate and I am almost positive she is an alien-human hybrid like they talked about on X Files. 548 miles of racing HARD, through the mountains, in the snow, above 9,000', and Mari says she feels fine. I'm glad she's on MY team.

4th Place at Primal Quest is a phenomenal result for any team. PQ is the biggest race in the world of adventure racing, our Super Bowl. Obviously the team was disappointed to lose 3rd in this fashion, but we have great respect for Nike, Merrell-Zanfel, and Bones. We will get a chance for a rematch at the World Championships in Brazil this November!

Plenty of videos over at www.ecoprimalquest.com, www.checkpointzero.com

Nike takes 1st, DART-nuun fighting for 3rd

Team NIKE crosses the finish line in 1st Place...again!





Adventure racing homie Donato from Team Dirty Avocados jokingly calls out Race Director and retired SEAL Team 6 counterterrorism commando Don Mann.




Who will it be? DART-nuun or Bones?

Go to www.ecoprimalquest.com and click on "Tracking".

You will get a LIVE GPS location on a Google Earth map
of DART-nuun's location.


Our DART-nuun teammates have been racing neck and neck with Team BONES for over 400 miles. I can only imagine how exhausted they must be as they race towards the finish line. Racing at this elevation, for 520 miles, will destroy your body, lungs and mind...far beyond what most could imagine. DART-nuun and Bones are both very experienced teams & fixtures on the West Coast adventure racing scene.

Send your prayers and good vibes out to both of these teams!

On Saturday, prohibitive favorite Team NIKE ran away with an absolutely dominating win. Merrell-Zanfel is about to finish in 2nd place with a 12hr plus lead on DART-nuun and Bones.

Clearly, the most exciting part of the race is the suicidal pace for 3rd!

This race is adventure racing at its purest. Retired Navy SEAL officer Don Mann, the organizer, took out a 2nd mortgage on his own home to make this race happen (just like he did for the Beast 2000 which was ousted by Eco Challenge...remember?).

Send some shout-outs to the website if you get time. These folks sacrificed and poured their souls into the race with very little outside investment.

Follow DART-nuun LIVE at Primal Quest

Check out the LIVE coverage, with Spot GPS tracking using
Google Earth at

www.ecoprimalquest.com -or-
www.checkpointzero.com

The DART-nuun team racing this year is CYRIL JAY-RAYON, AARON RINN, AARON MATZKE, AND
MARI CHANDLER.

525 miles, 100,000' of elevation gain in the Montana wilderness-this race
is a monster.

DART-nuun has been as high as 1st place today, ahead of Nike and Merrell.

This is the biggest baddest event of the year, and DART-nuun is one of the most
experienced and successful teams in the race. Will this finally be their/our year?

One more week on the road...

Photo this week is one HotWheels took while in Osaka, Japan last month.



This is my last week in Wilmington, Delaware and I am beyond ready to get back to my normal schedule at home in California! There are only 4 weeks to go until the Gorge Games 24 hour adventure race in Hood River, Oregon. Hence, there will have to be some serious volume cramming when I return from Wilmington in order to be fully prepared.

*****

This weekend in Orange County we had temperatures from 90-100+, perfect simulation for the heat we (Team DART-nuun) are sure to face at Gorge Games 24 Hour. On Saturday I managed to fit in a gym session at NAC, hour run at Crystal Cove, mile ocean swim at Corona del Mar, and hill repeats on the mountain bike at Aliso/Wood Canyon. I went through half a tube of nuun, dropping a tab into every other water bottle. I probably drank an average of 48oz per hour, one of the two water bottles always having Vitargo.
That, folks, is my "Bonk Proof" recipe for success!

*****

Now that I have a few more rides on my new Turner Flux, I need to say what a revalation it has been. The way this bike handles, climbs, and descends is unlike any thing I have ever ridden. I am instantly a better rider on this bike. Of course the fit is very important, and this bike in the 21" size is perfect for me (6'3", 33" inseam, long torso). If you are considering a new mountain bike frame, get your hands on a Turner Flux to test-ride before dropping your hard-earned on anything else.

*****

The Michelin tires (black/dry compound) seem to excel in dry conditions. I simply am not spinning out on surfaces where I normally would. These tires are on all the DART-nuun bikes up at Primal Quest in Montana. The Manitou fork I am riding is not just light and unexpectedly stiff, but it's lockout mechanism works like a charm. For long climbs in adventure racing, this is a key feature. The FSA wheelset and components are light, strong, and good-looking. Let's face it: if you're going to drop thousands of dollars on a damn bike, it better look as good as it performs. Right?

*****

On Sunday I joined Christian Burke of Team Feed The Machine for a 4 hour road ride from his house in Hermosa Beach to Pepperdine University in Malibu and back, then an immediate brick run to Manhattan Beach pier and back. The heat was so bad we had to stop at one of the beach showers to try to cool off. Let me tell you-that works! It felt incredible. Highly reccomended!

*****

Songs of the day...I am listening to the new Coldplay and My Morning Jacket albums lately.

Viva la Vida...took probably 6 listens before I 'got it'. Download it if you haven't.

My Morning Jacket's album Evil Urges is a departure from their earlier work but perhaps their creative apex. Worth downloading!

Going back home to the West Coast...

I'ts been a long time, been a long time been a long, lonely lonely lonely
lonely lonely time.

It's been a while since my last update! But I have a good excuse:

This month I am in Wilmington, Delaware during the week, and at home in Orange County
during the weekends. Crazy, right? I am actually in Wilmington studying asthma and pulmonology. Por que? I have recently switched career paths from psychiatry/neurology back to the respiratory division of my company. It's a good thing!

Let me tell you-running in 90 degrees and 90% humidity is quite different than the perfect weather I am used to in Orange County. I have been exploring the local country roads, running through rolling hills, past 250 year old cemeteries...Monday night I was even able to see and hear a loud crackling thunderstorm-something you never get in SoCal.

This weekend the miraculously majestic lovely HotWheels takes off for an extended business trip in SE Asia. 5 weeks! ONE week in Japan was hard, so neither of us are stoked about 5 weeks of separation. On the positive side, I will go into a ROCKY IV type existence of focus on work and training. As the GORGE GAMES 24 HOUR ADVENTURE RACE
approaches, I need to make sure I peak at just the right time if we are going to beat the New Zealand team for 1st place. That's the goal!

If I am not working or sleeping, I will be riding, running, paddling, swimming, or cramming in some Bikram yoga.

So today's song goes out to the lovely and talented HotWheels.

Song of the day is West Coast by Coconut Records/Jason Schwartzman

Hey RACERS...

"There are only two types of human contest: Racing and Warfare".

Read Tom Demerly's editorial this week HERE to find out
if maybe you are... a LIAR. Are you lying to yourself and to others about the races you enter? Do you define yourself as a "Participant" rather than a "Racer"?

"I just did the race for fun, just a catered training day...". If I hear that one more time I'm going to throw up! Of course, I have used that line many, many times. HA! Everyone has, and we were all lying our butts off.

As someone who views every race as a bloody battle, I enjoyed Tom's insight, from the perspective of a bike shop owner and lifelong endurance RACER. The 'casual competitor' is such a misnomer. To say you did a race "just for fun" is a "Lie", for most. Sure you did it for Fun - but when you toe the line you are a Warrior. The butterflies in your stomach, the flashbacks to the blood, sweat and tears put into your training, the sacrifices you have made...all for this moment in time.

Why not just admit that you are at the starting line to THROW DOWN...to find out what you've got under the hood!?

Ironman founder and retired Navy Captain John Collins has called the Hawaii Ironman "the only place you can find out what your soul is made of in a non-lethal environment".

Theodore Roosevelt's famous quote comes to mind:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

So, are you a Racer/Warrior or "Participant"?


Songs of the day:

#1 is is Frontin' by the Neptunes featuring Jay-Z...



#2 is Discipline by Nine Inch Nails



Some guys showed up in Monaco today to RACE:

Must-Do Race: Cal Multisport Vail Lake

The next stop on the racing calendar is the Cal Multisport race at Vail Lake!

This is one of the most exciting races of this year, as it marks a new era of multisport racing in California. To date, California has been a hot-bed of adventure racing talent in the U.S., but solo multisport racing has been conspicuously absent. The launch of the Cal Multisport series this year changes that, in a big way.

The race format at Vail Lake is Bike-Paddle-Run, with a winning time around 3-4 hours. You are allowed to bring any boat you choose: kayak, outrigger canoe, paddleboard, etc. The race will be designed to include as much climbing and singletrack as possible to keep the racers' attention-and heart rates pegged in the Red Zone!

Cal Multisport chose an ideal location in Vail Lake, near Temecula, California. Vail Lake is surrounded by steep mountains criss-crossed with singletrack and fire roads and hosts many mountain bike and adventure races every year. Most importantly, Temecula is a short drive from triathlon mecca San Diego, Orange County, the "inland empire" or Los Angeles.

The course will be marked, so no navigation is required (...hopefully!). Race organizers are my friends and veteran adventure racers Christian Burke of Team Feed the Machine, and Paul Romero and Karen Lundgren from Team SOLE.

This race will likely pit some top Xterra triathletes against Adventure Racers. Who will come out on top? Can the Xterra folks even paddle a kayak?

Although I was planning on racing, I just found out that I will be working in Wilmington, Delaware during the month of June! DOH! Instead of racing I will be
studying things like pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of long-acting beta-2 agonists for 5 weeks.

Check out the WEBSITE for more details.

Song of the Day goes out to "Hot Wheels" who is doing her thing, living it up like a RockStar in Osaka, Japan this week.

A Night of Comedy VI

On Saturday night TheLovelyHotWheels and I attended "A Night of Comedy VI" at the Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills, a benefit for the Childred Affected by AIDS Foundation. Comedians performing were Ray Romano, Bryan Callen, Fred Willard, Sarah Silverman, and Bobby Collins. Ray Romano hosted the event, and predictably his material focused on his wife, kids, babies, and dysfunctional sex life. I am a huge Fred Willard fan, especially of his Christopher Guest movies, so seeing him live was worth the drive up to Beverly Hills. Sarah Silverman was a highlight, funnier live than on TV due to her extreme obscenity and refreshing mockery of political correctness.

Apparently every 15 seconds a child is orphaned due to AIDS and 1500 children die each day due to AIDS. The event raised over $200,000 of which, thanks to sponsors, every cent was donated to the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation.

Song of the day:

Bad Reputation from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, which was covered by Camp Freddy
and Corey Parks so perfectly on Thursday at The Roxy.

Back to The Roxy

We went back! Camp Freddy played last night at The Roxy on the sunset strip in Hollywood. That makes two weeks in a row! Same crew: The Lovely HotWheels, Melizzzza and me. Some hightlights were Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez of Alice in Chains, with Corey from Slipknot ripping through "Them Bones", with Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Matt Sorum (Guns n Roses/The Cult/Camp Freddy) both on drums. Terri Nunn came back to sing Metro and a Siouxie & the Banshees cover.

Click HERE to see a complete history of shows with set lists and guests. Kinda like going to the Rock
and Roll hall of fame. For 20 bucks, it's a no-brainer.

"Week Three of the residency at The Roxy Theater in Los Angeles. Another sold out show. Highlights included Slipknots Corey Taylor bringing the house down with a killer version of Van Halen's 'Aint Talkin Bout Love', Alice In Chains Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez jamming 'Them Bones', and Cypress Hill joining Camp Freddy for an awesome 'Rock Superstar'..."

From the Campfreddy.net website, here is the complete set list:

Bad Reputation, Corey Parks
Rock And Roll Star, Billy Morrison
Metro, Terri Nunn
Christine, Terri Nunn/Budgie
Antmusic, Mark McGrath
Eighties, Mark McGrath
Rock N Roll All Nite, Mark McGrath/Vivian Campbell
Jailbreak, Jerry Cantrell
Aint Talking Bout Love, Corey Taylor
Rock Superstar, Cypress Hill/Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Highway To Hell, Corey Taylor
Them Bones, Corey Taylor/Jerry Cantrell/Mike Inez
All Right Now, Corey Taylor
I Wanna Be Your Dog, Billy Morrison/All

GUESTS: Corey Taylor, Cypress Hill, Chad Smith, Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, Terri Nunn, Budgie, Corey Parks, Billy Duffy, Vivian Campbell.

This weekend starts a massive block of adventure racing training. These last few easy days after winning the Desert Winds Adventure Race have been relaxing! However it's time to start hitting it again if we are going to continue our win streak, which stands at 4 races in a row. 20 hour weeks are the minimum, and now with increased daylight it's easier to get those 3hr rides or runs in after 5pm. Of course having a trick Light & Motion Stella headlamp makes training at night no problem at all. I have to remind myself that I trained during the work week in the dark all winter long, often until midnight in the Santa Monica mountains with my teammates.


Two Song of the day: Them Bones by Alice in Chains- Maynard James Keenan joining Jerry Cantrell on vocals. From the Tsunami benefit in Seattle in February 2005. Poor sound but still nice.