Abdominal - Pedal Pusher

Now I have never been a real R&B kind of guy but I do try and keep an open mind. I would like to share with you a song that may make riding around in spandex so much COOLER.

From Toronto, On. Abdominal - Pedal Pusher.

Click on The Photo.

May take a few seconds.

Enjoy!

Tough Day In Paradise

Well the Honolulu ITU did not turn out the way I hoped it would. I feel that all the hard work leading into the first race of the season was not represented well in my results. Here's how the cookie crumbled:

Swim Course

Well due to my ranking of 28th I was forced to pick a spot on the far Left. With a shorter run into the water I was swimming while others were able to run longer into the water. I spent the entire first 750m, on my own, bridging up to Andy Potts and Brian Fleischmann. The entire second half of the 1500 Andy was really trying to get rid of us but I held on for the remainder of the swim. Exiting the water 2nd on Potts feet was so exciting Unfortunately, due to a poor transition I left in 3rd, 5m behind Fleischmann. Potts was trying to solo it, Fleischmann was chasing after his wheel and I was head down trying to get back on. I felt helpless as they slowly lengthened the gap.

Looking behind me, I could not see anyone so I began to Time Trial but I was swallowed up by a pack of 20 guys, 4km down the road. The course was flat as a pancake. There was just no power in my legs. My new lightweight bike felt like a thousand pounds. I just thought well perhaps they will come around. Because, that's what often happens in a race. Sometimes you have lulls.

Off the bike into Transition two I struggled to find my spot losing valuable time. For the first mile or so of the run, I moved from 12th to 11th then 10th and then it happened. Bang, I hit the wall so hard. I tried to muscle my way through it, keeping the pressure on hoping I would have a second wind but it just didn't come.

Umph

Well there are many lessons I can take from this experience in Honolulu. It is my second Olympic distance ITU triathlon, my first race of the season. That first Transition is going to be critical for me. I'll never know if I could have rode with Potts and Fleischmann, but if I miss them it can be a long wait for the next pack. So 19th at the USA Nationals...not what I was hoping for. I know it is a dangerous thing going into a race with expectations but I know I have more in me then that. I look forward now 2 weeks. 2 weeks till my first World Cup in Vancouver. I will learn from this race, park it and move on.

Well ciao for now,

Andrew McCartney

Todays Top 5

Top 5 soundtrack Tracks you need to listen to RIGHT NOW:

1. From Napoleon Dynamite: When in Rome - The Promise (I am not baseing this on the Video...I promise)


2. From Stranger Than Fiction: Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide world (Will Ferrell plays it well but you must see the original.)


3. From Nacho Libre: Mr. Loco - Religious Man (I just find this is a good motivational song)


4. From The Bourne Supremacy: Moby - Extreme Ways (Classic - one that will pass the test of time)


5. From Stranger Than Fiction: Spoon - The Way We Get By (Feel like dancing?)

Aloha from Hawaii

Aloha!

Well here I stand on the door step of the racing season. The first race of the season. The Honolulu ITU Triathlon has thus been an amazing experience. Traveling with AP and Dano has been a blast and they were kind enough to share their room with me. The rooms are actually only designed for two people but I have made a very comfortable bed in the corner of the room using the padding from our bike boxes. Works very well. Only down side is waking up with a bit of chain grease on me but nothing a shower can't fix. Could be a lot worse, I could be sleeping in the bath tub.(Not a fond Memory)

Andrew and AP

-More Photo's on Dano's Blog Spot - Click Here

So the bike is back together and running very smooth. With two sleeps away tonight's is the most important. Besides training, there is much to be done before I put my toe on the line. Shave the legs, lube the bike and HYDRATE!! (but don't over hydrate) It is also a time to reflect look back on the key workouts of the past weeks and see all the hard work that has been done. Such as:

Last Tuesday was a solid set on the Galloping Goose:
40min warm up
2km:
6.15
1km's:
1) 3.05
2) 3.08
3) 3.05
4) 3.08
5) 3.02
10min warm down

I have also grown to love the Waddling Dog Loop. We usually do motor-pacing here which is SO much fun!! It also gives you the confidence, I call it the "EYE OPENER FOR CYCLING."

An Eye opener for running would have to be a set we did on the treadmill:

20 mins WU 15km/hr (9.3miles/hr)
20 mins build 16km/hr (9.9miles/hr)
20 mins solid 17km/hr (10.5miles/hr)
10 mins easy
(Thanks Dano for the Conversions from km to Miles)

Now here in Honolulu I had the concern that my body would be quite tight but today's training has been quite encouraging. We began the day with a run along the beautiful beaches! Started out a tad sluggish but built into a comfortable stride. Next was a swim on the race course. We had to do this before noon because I was told by the locals that "Tony the Tiger Shark" comes out after noon. We then did the cycling course which was interesting due to the traffic. WOW. Managed to get some accelerations in and I got a "hang loose" signal from a guy in a truck when I tried to race it. A slight down pour out of the blue and I pinned it home.

I know the quote below has already been posted earlier on my December 10th 2006 post, but it I feel that I need to refresh it. It makes the race very simple if you think about it. So here it is again:

"I think that existentialism can be a great motivator in times like these. I use an existential perspective when ever I feel limitations bearing down on me- we often create invisible barriers when we become nervous, when in fact these are all manifestations of the imagination. Instead, I am completely free in every moment, and with this freedom I am completely free to choose what I do with that moment. Remember that life is only a series of moments, thus each moment dangles in time completely separate from past and future- the feeling that past/future depend on you is just a creation of your mind. Anyways, you've done all your training, right? You’ve put all the hours in? Of course, so all you can do now is live each moment to it's fullest from here on out." -Jenny McCartney

Thanks Jenny I still have this in my most valued e-mails.
Ciao for now,
Andrew McCartney

I was thinking I would stick with the Hawaii topic for today's top 5.

Today's Top 5

Top 5 songs that make me think of Hawaii:

1. Jack Johnson - Better Together (or anything on the "In between dreams" Album)
2. Cut Copy - Saturday's (Reprise is good too)
3. Beat Happening - Bad Seeds
4. Morton Stevens - Hawaii Five-O theme song
5. The Beach Boys - Kokomo
   
   

Also this \/ is what happens when you get bored on a Flight.

Enjoy

Andrew(On the Piano) and Jimmy Stewart

In Good Company

How are YA!!

So “soon” is here at last. Back to the now old news, training has increased exponentially in the past month and a half! Craig Taylor will be returning to Ontario to take on the prestigious job of Ontario’s Provincial Development Coach. I believe I speak for everyone when I say best of luck to you Craig! You will be missed.

(Thats the guy there --> Fearlessly standing on the edge of the great Pacific Ocean)

So I have been moved up to a new training squad, with Joel Filiol as the coach of this hard core group of athletes. The training is tough, tough, tough! For the first week and a half I was struggling quite a bit with the jump in both volume and effort that I would walk around like a Zombie. Then it just clicked! All of a sudden I could handle it. I could smash (Work Hard) one workout and a few hours later smash another. My recovery skills have improved quite a bit…well they had to or else I would probably be sick 75% of the time or bonking every other workout.

As for my other news I still get giddy any time I walk past it. I am talking about my new steed for the season, my new stallion, the bike which will carry me through every race this season! Thanks to Fort St. Cycle and Cervelo I will be riding the new Cervelo Soloist Carbon! Of course you must name it… Andrew R. helped me with this decision with the perfect name, “La dolce Vita” (“The sweet life” in Italian) It is a blast to ride!

Beauty and the Beast

So I am in the final preparations for the Honolulu ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup which is also the USA National Championships. This will be my first chance to race along side Andy Potts. (Hopefully) What an opportunity! I hope to exit the water with him and from then on…well it is impossible to predict the outcome. This year will be a year of first times and many, many lessons.

Let the learning begin!!
Ciao for now,
Andrew McCartney

A Very Clever video for an amazing song. British Sea Power - "Remember me"



Today’s Top 5

Top 5 changes I have made to recover faster!

1. Whey Protein Powder in a VERY Tasty Shake After Workouts
2. Dips in the Ocean and Hot Tubs with Scotty
3. Massage at Least Once a Week
4. Chocolate Milk
5. Siestas