Train like you mean it.

Off season, in season, doesn't matter.  Train like you mean it.  Mind, body, soul.  You have a limited amount of time, make it count.

In whatever you do, it never hurts to identify your weaknesses and strengths to work on them (life and sport).  What will you do today to make your weaknesses your strengths and make your strengths even better.  Identify the weakness, come up with solutions or drills, implement the solution, evaluate (is it working), revise.

Same with the strengths; you fall behind when you stop advancing forward, this is where we fail, always strive to be better.  Look forward, learn from the past without living there and then do it better.  If you always want to stay ahead, never stop moving forward.

When things go wrong do you A, run like a Ginger or B, come out swinging.  There are people, events, or what ever that will try to hold you back, make them a motivator not a barrier.  Identify the problem and fix it, beat it.  You are your only limiting factor. Only you can make yourself great.  Make things happen or get out of the way.  Just step on my toes and see what happens.

Lets call this a life lesson you can use in sport.  Will you face your future and make it happen, choice is yours.  Go be great today.

This is Ginger, he runs from his shadow.

Say It!

Politically Correct, I'm in favor.  United States of America, I'd like it on Facebook.  Kindness, I'd tweet it. Watching out for your fellow human, sounds good. Treat others like you want to be treated, ok.  Being excellent or great, all for it.  Speaking your mind, wait, that is what I'm doing, but I better be careful not to upset anybody.  Please do not let my words offend you, but I speak from the heart and write what I feel.  It is not personal, nor should it be.  Let the world know, but be careful of your wording, your words may upset somebody.  This is crap, last time I checked I still lived in The Country of the Free.

Really, if you don't like it, don't read it.  If you don't want to hear it, don't listen.  If you want to live in a cave, I'll find one for you.  Stop asking everybody to be like everybody else, our differences make life exciting.  Don't take things out of context, again we are an imperfect race.  Don't ask for a public apology, for actions or words, they probably didn't mean it, and if they did, it's their life and their opinion.  Some people have a switch on their conscience, I'm still looking for mine.  You have to live with your actions or opinions.  I'm not saying, blurt out everything you're thinking, God love us, but be thoughtful and respectful.

In today's world, you have more to worry about then what Beyonce is wearing, or what Brad Pitt is saying, even though I would much rather look at Beyonce then listen to Brad, just saying. Think about yourself and what you are doing, not what everybody else is doing.  Work on making yourself and the people around you better, sorry, the best or excellent.  Start worrying about your own actions and words, trust me, it will make this world a better place. Live your life, not somebody elses.  Be Great Today.

Pick your Poison

Yeah thats right, pick your poison.  Get off your computer and be great today, wait read all my blogs first.

What do you call it?  Exercise, workout, etc.  The label is not important, getting healthy does matter.  Stop putting on 1-2 3-4 lbs /year and start losing weight and gaining muscle.

A walk with your mate.  If you associate your activity with something you enjoy, you are more likely to do it and enjoy it.  If you associate your activity with something you don't enjoy, you are beating yourself before you get started.  Call it play, time away from the screaming kids, picking up my dog's s*&t, doesn't matter as long as you are moving.

What gives you joy?  Time alone, gaining strength, being healthy.

Call it a gift to myself;  I want to see my kids have kids, don't beat yourself for not moving, go have some fun today, play soccer, ride a bike.  Start moving, be healthy, get ready to start living life, you can't do that from you coach.  Enjoy the pleasures of this planet, as long as you significant other approves.

Make a commitment to yourself to be healthy, get busy living, be healthy, be great today.

Moving Forward

My guess, the Lance thing is just starting to snowball.  What should we do and how do we move forward.  We put our heroes on a pedestal and wait for them to fall.  We are an imperfect race, what can you say.  What should happen to all the athletes that are testifying and admitting to years of doping?  What about all the other athletes they have effected?  How do you clean up sport, because it is not just cycling.

I have heard more about Lance this morning then the two puppets debating last night.  What does that say about all of us.  Our economy is crap, Lance could probably write out a check to cover the National debt (well, could have 5 years ago).  Why do we look to pull people down instead of building, building a future for sport. Yesterday one of my clients, simply put, our founding fathers would be disappointed in what our country has become.  As people we are fat, and our government fat, it is all related.  Let's stop blaming everyone else for our problems and start fixing them.  Lance is not the problem, fix the system.  

As one you are weak, together we are strong.  Team, ever heard of it.  Powerful, sport, family, or government, work as a team.  Build something great, together.  Encourage your fellow man , stop looking to tear them down.

Solution, not sure.  In business you hear teamwork, how many of us really know what that means.  You live or die for your team mate (YOU HAVE HIS BACK).  Together we can accomplish great things, you succeed, we succeed. 

Put into play, as a team, identify the problem, identify alternatives to fix the problem, evaluate alternative, implement best alternative, evaluate and make changes if necessary.  Let's fix sport not kill it.  Be great today.

Team Time Trial, 2012 Tour of Utah

We had to finish 5 riders not one, Teamwork.

Lance

Everyone else has weighed in, why not me.  I would apologize for my words, but I think we still live in the great USA and we are free to speak our minds, at least for now.

6 months, are you kidding me.  You gave them a 6 month suspension, this is crap.  Wait through the winter so they don't miss any races, this is BS (http://stevetilford.com/?p=22105).  Anybody else and it's 2 years, then life.  I started racing on the road in the spring of 2001, and after 11 years finally got picked up by a pro team (at the age of 37).  What would have been the difference with a level playing field. I do not regret a thing, but there is definitely the what if.

6 months, what is the precedent you are setting.  Ohhh it's ok to dope as long as we bring Lance down.  Leave him alone, I'm not saying it's ok to dope, but  Lance is one of the best athletes to ever walk this earth.  He may be an ass, or if you like, donkey, it does not change what he has done for our sport.  He has inspired people, beat cancer, won the hardest cycling race in the world, etc, give him some credit doped or not.

6 months, so these guys doped for years, and reaped the benefits of a harder exercise regimen than anybody else could stand.  I guess we will call it good right there.  How does a 37 year old train, answer, everyday.  Eat sleep and breathe the bike, just ask my wife.  If she is still lives at our house.

Some may say I have all the answers, I'll ask my wife.  I don't know what is right or wrong here, but there is allot of poop flying around.  What to do with all these guys, Lance included, jury of their peers? not some decision from the powers that be.  Witch hunt or not, there needs to be a level playing field, not just in cycling, but in sport.  How do we change and make this something positive?  Where do we go from here?  Stop looking back and look to the future.

Inspire, Lead, Achieve, Motivate, Triumph.

Obesity, with this subject hitting the media so hard last week, I could not help but take this shot and share it with the world.

The picture speaks for itself, but let me add, these are two teen age girls are morbidly obese.    To whomever thinks this is not a problem, look at the Lucky Charms and whole milk.  I understand PCness, but America, stop tippy-toeing around this, you are teaching this to your kids.  It needs to be said out loud, we are fat.  We need to change the culture.  You don't think these girls are showing signs  of diabetes.  Insurance companies, get out now, because in ten years when these kids hit the system, you will be broke,  and I don't want to pay for them.  Let's make a change, Today.  Let's start eating to live , and not live to eat.

One Day Closer?

Yes, One day closer.  You never know what life will throw at you, so you are one day closer, to what, I do not know, that is for you to answer.  I am one day closer to a half marathon.  After my 7.7 mile run today up Monte Sano, I am that much closer to being able to run 13.1 miles in November.

We also are one day closer to windows in our house, meet with Champion today, dicussed windows and removel of lead on the exsisting windows.  I look forward to the new windows and getting rid of the windows in my house that do not work.

I am one day closer to be employed or unemployed.  No word from On The Rivet Management my employer from last year.  I hope my contract is coming soon, I'm not ready to give up my day job, as a Pro Cyclist.

One day closer, loaded.  Yes, what did you do today to make this world a better place.  I broke my cat's heart by locking the cat door and not letting him into the house, of course, he had a dead animal in his jowels. No way does this effect my feelings or actions toward animals or human life.

I hope my actions today, tomorrow and in the future help and inspire the people I am in contact with, if I know it or not.  Be humble and enjoy life.  trainhard4life.

half ironman and running

You always need to get the first post out of the way.

I have friends doing a half ironman today, and I can't even convince myself to run a half marathon.  It is hard to get motivated with out any goals.  My 2013 season is in flux, I guess I need to get off my butt, stop weeping and gett'r done. Maybe a mtn bike ride in the rain then a short run.  Well whatever, it will be a great day.