GymSkinZ Inspirational Post - Tribute to Ironman Canada

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GymSkinZ Triathlon / Multisports PodCast

Time for the questions

Right now you've all entered the taper. Perhaps you've been at this a few
months, perhaps you've been at this a few years. For some of you this is
your first IM, for others, a long-overdue welcome back to a race that few
can match.

You've been following your schedule to the letter. You've been piling on
the mileage, piling up the laundry, and getting a set of tan lines that will
take until November to erase. Long rides were followed by long runs, which both were preceded by long swims, all of which were followed by recovery naps that were longer than you slept for any given night during college.

You ran in the snow.
You rode in the rain.
You ran in the heat.
You ran in the cold.

You went out when others stayed home.
You rode the trainer when others pulled the covers over their heads.

You have survived the Darwinian progression that is an Ironman summer, and now the hardest days are behind you. Like a climber in the Tour de France coming over the summit of the penultimate climb on an alpine stage, you've already covered so much ground...there's just one more climb to go. You shift up, you take a drink, you zip up the jersey; the descent lays before you...and it will be a fast one.

Time that used to be filled with never-ending work will now be filling with
silent muscles, taking their final, well-earned rest. While this taper is
something your body desperately needs, Your mind, cast off to the background for so very long, will start to speak to you.

It won't be pretty.

It will bring up thoughts of doubt, pain, hunger, thirst, failure, and loss.
It will give you reasons why you aren't ready. It will try and make one
last stand to stop you, because your brain doesn't know what the body
already does. Your body knows the truth:

You are ready.

Your brain won't believe it. It will use the taper to convince you that
this is foolish - that there is too much that can go wrong.

You are ready.

Finishing an Ironman is never an accident. It's the result of dedication,
focus, hard work, and belief that all the long runs in January, long rides
in April, and long swims every damn weekend will be worth it.
It comes from getting on the bike, day in, day out.
It comes from long, solo runs. From that first long run where you wondered, "How will I ever be ready?" to the last long run where you smiled to yourself with one mile to go...knowing that you'd found the answer.

It is worth it. Now that you're at the taper, you know it will be worth it.
The workload becomes less. The body winds up and prepares, and you just need to quiet your worried mind. Not easy, but you can do it.

You are ready.

You will walk into the lagoon on August 27th with 2200 other wide-open sets of eyes. You will look upon the sea of humanity, and know that you belong. You'll feel the chill of the water crawl into your wetsuit, and shiver like everyone else, but smile because the day you have waited for, for so VERY long is finally here.

The bagpipers will walk across the beach. Steve King will ask you to sing
along. You will.

You will tear up in your goggles. Everyone does.

The helicopters will roar overhead.
The splashing will surround you.
The starting horn will go off...

You'll stop thinking about Ironman, because you're now racing one.

The swim will be long - it's long for everyone, but you'll make it. You'll
watch as the Penticton Lakeside Hotel grows and grows, and soon you'll hear the end. You'll come up the beach and head for the wetsuit strippers.
Three people will get that sucker off before you know what's happening, then you'll head for the bike.

In the shadows on Main Street you'll spin out of town - the voices, the
cowbells, and the curb-to-curb chalk giving you a hero's sendoff. You won't wipe the smile off your face for miles as you whisk along the lakeside, past fully stocked, silent aid stations for the run to come.

You'll spin up McLean Creak Road. You'll roll down towards Osoyoos, past the vineyards glowing in the morning sun. You'll settle down to your race. The crowds will spread out on the road. You'll soon be on your bike, eating your food on your schedule, controlling your Ironman.

Richter Pass will come. Everyone talks about it, but it's really nothing.
You'll know this halfway up, as you're breathing easy and climbing smoothly. Look to your right. Look how high you're climbing. Look at all the bikes below, still making their way there. You're ahead of them. All of them. You'll climb over Richter, and descend to the valley below. You'll ride the rollers, one at a time. You'll start to feel that morning sun turn to
afternoon sun. It's warmer now. Maybe it's hot. Maybe you're not feeling
so good now. You'll keep riding. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep moving.
After all, this is just a long training day with valet parking and catering,
right?

You'll put the rollers behind you. You'll head into the Cawston out and
back. You'll put on your game face, fighting the urge to feel down as you
ride the wrong way for what seems like hours. 10 miles in, you reach
special needs, fuel up, and head out.

By now it'll be hot. You'll be tired. Doubts will fight for your focus.
Everyone struggles here. You've been on that bike for a few hours, and
stopping would be nice, but you won't - not here. Not today. You'll ride
on leaving Cawston behind you and head for the final showdown at Yellow
Lake.

You'll grind the false flats to the climb. You'll know you're almost there.
You'll fight for every inch of road. You'll make the turn towards the
summit as the valley walls close in for the kill, and put your head down.
The crowd will come back to you here - the cars are always waiting to cross the summit, and you'll soon be surrounded in the glorious noise that is the final climb of Ironman Canada. Let their energy push you. Let them see
your eyes. Smile when they cheer for you

- your body will get just that little bit lighter.

Grind.
Fight.
Suffer.
Persevere.
Summit.

Just like that, you'll be descending. 12 miles to go, and no climbing left.
You'll plunge down the road, swooping from corner to corner, chaining
together the turns, tucking on the straights, letting your legs recover for
the run to come - soon! You'll roll back into town - you'll see people
running out. You'll think to yourself, "Wasn't I just here?" The noise
will grow. The chalk dust will hang in the air - you're back in Penticton,
with only 26.2 miles to go. You'll relax a little bit, knowing that even if
you get a flat tire or something breaks here, you can run the damn bike into
T2.

You'll roll into transition. 100 volunteers will fight for your bike.
You'll give it up and not look back. You'll have your bag handed to you,
and into the tent you'll go. You'll change. You'll load up your pockets,
and open the door to the last long run of your Ironman summer - the one that counts.

You'll take that first step of a thousand...and you'll smile. You'll know
that the bike won't let you down now - the race is down to your own two
feet. The same crowd that cheered for you in the shadows of the morning
will cheer for you in the brilliant sunshine of a Penticton summer Sunday.
High-five people on the way out. Smile. Enjoy it. This is what you've
worked for all year long. That first mile will feel great. So will the second.
By mile 3, you probably won't feel so good.

That's okay. You knew it couldn't all be that easy. You'll settle down
just like you did on the bike, and get down to your pace. You'll see the
leaders coming back the other way. Some will look great - some won't. You might feel great, you might not. No matter how you feel, don't panic - this is the part of the day where whatever you're feeling, you can be sure it
won't last.

You'll keep moving. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep eating. Maybe
you'll be right on plan - maybe you won't. If you're ahead of schedule,
don't worry - believe. If you're behind, don't panic - roll with it.
Everyone comes up with a brilliant race plan for Ironman, and then everyone has to deal with the reality that planning for something like Ironman is like trying to land a man on the moon. By remote control. Blindfolded.

How you react to the changes in your plan will dictate your day. Don't
waste energy worrying about things - just do what you have to when you have to, and keep moving. Keep eating. Keep drinking. Just don't sit down - don't EVER sit down.

You'll make it to halfway at OK Falls. You'll load up on special needs.
Some of what you packed will look good, some won't. Eat what looks good, toss the rest. Keep moving. Start looking for people you know. Cheer for people you don't. You're headed in - they're not. They want to be where you are, just like you wanted to be when you saw all those fast people headed into town. Share some energy - you'll get it right back.

Run if you can.
Walk if you have to.
Just keep moving.

The miles will drag on. The brilliant Penticton sunshine will yawn, and
head for the mountains behind the bike course...behind that last downhill
you flew down all those hours ago. You'll be coming up to those aid
stations you passed when you started the bike...fully alive with people,
music, and chicken soup. TAKE THE SOUP. Keep moving.

You'll soon only have a few miles to go. You'll start to believe that
you're going to make it. You'll start to imagine how good it's going to
feel when you get there. Let those feelings drive you on. When your legs
just don't want to move anymore, think about what it's going to be like when someone catches you...puts a medal over your head...

...all you have to do is get there.

You'll start to hear town. People you can't see in the twilight will cheer
for you. They'll call out your name. Smile and thank them. They were
there when you left on the bike, and when you came back, when you left on
the run, and now when you've come back.

You'll enter town. You'll start to realize that the day is almost over.
You'll be exhausted, wiped out, barely able to run a 10-minute mile (if
you're lucky), but you'll ask yourself, "Where did the whole day go?"
You'll be standing on the edge of two feelings - the desire to finally stop,
and the desire to take these last moments and make them last as long as
possible.

You'll hit mile 25. You'll turn onto Lakeside Drive. Your Ironman Canada
will have 1.2 miles - just 2KM left in it.

You'll run. You'll find your legs. You'll fly. You won't know how, but
you will run. You'll make the turn in front of the Sicamous in the dark,
and head for home. The lights will grow brighter, brighter, and brighter.
Soon you'll be able to hear the music again. This time, it'll be for keeps.

You'll listen for Steve King. Soon they'll see you. Soon, everyone will see you.

You'll run towards the lights, between the fences, and into the nightsun made just for you.

They'll say your name.
You'll keep running.
Nothing will hurt.
The moment will be yours - for one moment, the entire world will be looking at you and only you.

You'll break the tape. The flash will go off.

You'll stop. You'll finally stop. Your legs will wobble their last, and
suddenly...be capable of nothing more.

Someone will catch you.
You'll lean into them.

It will suddenly hit you.
You will be an Ironman.

You are ready.


*Subaru Ironman Canada is the oldest Ironman event in continental North America and will take place for the 24th time in Penticton, B.C. on Sunday, August 27, 2006. Athletes will be competing for 80 qualifying spots to the 2006 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii as well as a $75,000 (Cdn.) pro prize purse. For more information, log onto www.ironman.ca.

Cheating is nothing new in the Tour

Cheating is nothing new in the Tour
gymskinz.com

podcast:
http://www.switchpod.com/p3354.html
iTunes:
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All of the furore surrounding cheating in the Tour de France is nothing new. In the early days, riders were involved in devious practices that make today's Tour stars seem like choirboys. The first winner of the event, Maurice Garin, was disqualified the following year trying to defend his title for catching a train instead of riding his bike. Les Woodland puts the 2006 Landis affair into some sort of historical context.

50 years after the first Tour

There's a historical irony in this Floyd Landis business. He'll be remembered, unless his lawyers can persuade us otherwise, as the biggest cheat in Tour history, the only man to have had his yellow jersey torn from his back.

But history will be wrong. The first big Tour cheat, Maurice Garin, would not only have failed any modern dope test but he also extended the concept of cycle-racing to include catching a train.

Nobody knows for certain that Maurice Garin waited at an out-of-the-way railway platform back in 1904. He wasn't caught with the ticket stubs in his pocket. But a while back I met a man, a gravedigger in Garin's home town of Lens in northern France, who knew him. The gravedigger was just a boy then and Garin an old man, but there was no doubt in the gravedigger's memory that Garin had admitted catching a train to skip round some tricky or boring bits of the course.

"He was amused by it," Maurice Vernaldé told me. "Not embarrassed, not after all those years, and he used to laugh and say 'Well, I was young…' and admit it. Maybe at the time he said he didn't, but when he got older and it no longer mattered so much…."

The first Tour winner

Garin was disqualified from the 1904 Tour, probably for catching a train when he should have been cycling. Why 'probably'? Because the French federation had grown alarmed at the uproar, enthusiasm and even anger that the Tour had created. This was the race, after all, in which riders were knocked off their bikes and even beaten up. Officials weren't going to do anything to make things worse and that included not publishing the findings of their inquiry. Just like what may happen to Floyd Landis in 2006, he was disqualified after the Tour was over.

Maybe the officials intended to say much later about what had happened but in time the filing cabinet full of papers disappeared. The original French federation vanished with the First World War and so, incidentally, did all the Tour's own records. They were placed in a van to be sent south to escape the invading Germans and were never seen again.

Paris-Roubaix winner 1898

Maurice Vernaldé wishes now that he had spent more time talking to Garin. But he was just a child at the time and he wasn't always happy to be sent to buy paraffin at the garage that Garin had on the edge of town. Garin was like many old men and couldn't - in the eyes of a young boy like Vernaldé - be stopped from rambling on and on with his memories.

More than that, Garin in his old age grew increasingly senile and towards the end of his life wandered through Lens reliving the Tours of years before. In the early Tours, riders were given route sheets and were told to sign register books in each big town to prove they had kept to the course. Garin would walk, mumbling, through the streets of Lens, growing ever more distressed, until finally he ended up at the police station to ask for directions for the 'contrôle'. He'd be patiently escorted back home again.

Remembered in 2003

Garin won the 1903 Tour and would have won the next year as well had he and a handful of others not been thrown out. Cheating was nothing novel to anyone in the field because, even if they didn't do it themselves, they were well aware that others were taking short cuts, being towed by cars (a wire fixed to a wing mirror and held between the teeth by a cork was a favourite trick) or even sitting inside them. Taking a train has to be seen in that context. And the fact that the Tour back then wasn't the Tour de France but just a Tour de France, a new race that nobody knew would grow into something special.

The alcohol they downed wasn't for cheating - not 'proper' cheating, anyway - even if it would have them thrown out of any modern Tour and into a modern jail had they been driving a car. Many an early bikie would have looked for the controls in a state as befuddled as Garin's. The only way they had to numb the pain and hunger of long hours in the saddle on unmade roads was to get themselves half-drunk on wine.

Italian-born Garin

When the excitingly-named Hippolyte Aucouturier was described as vulnerable in races, "because he drank too much", it wasn't because he rode with a bidon of water in his hand like Landis in his miracle stage of 2006. It was because he gurgled down more wine than his stomach could handle.

It did make some sense. Wine was the everyday drink of agricultural workers for whom the water supply was less than pure and alcoholism remained a problem in France right into the late 1950s. It was to combat excessive drinking that France led the way in banning sports sponsorship by drinks firms and the reason that teams like St-Raphaël (an apéritif) and Pelforth (beer) vanished so suddenly.

You can see pictures of old-time riders with wine bottles in their racks. In the absence of food stations or team cars, there are pictures of riders breaking into their 10-hour stages by sitting in a restaurant with a plate of food and yet another bottle of plonk. It was just the way it was.

After winning Paris-Brest-Paris

And it was the way it stayed until the 1960s. The Tour's organisers limited the water that riders could accept on the move. Anything they wanted above the limit had to be obtained from village pumps, springs or from helpful spectators. Or it had to be stolen from bars.

The chasse à la canette - the romantic name for jumping off your bike and running into a bar to steal any drink that could be picked up - was a shameful if colourful episode of Tour history that made for good pictures but a poor image. The big stars didn't do it but their domestiques did and they were expected to race back to the bunch to hand out whatever they had plundered.

Maurice Garin
Vin Denson, when he was a domestique for Rik van Looy, spoke English but only elementary Dutch and French. When van Looy bellowed "Denson… café!" in French, Denson knew his leader wanted a drink. Come the next bar, Denson brought van Looy a bidon. Van Looy, puzzled he hadn't been presented with a glass bottle, sniffed the contents and, with a wrinkled nose of contempt, poured the whole lot on the road.

"It was that day", Denson recalled, "that I learned that café meant not only 'coffee' but 'bar'."

If this doesn't inspire you...

...I dunno what will! 17 (!) more days until Ironman Canada so need all the motivation / inspiration I can get!

check it out - the last GymSkinZ Triathlon Training podcast feed on my mySpace! remember to stop the music - or you can get to it from here:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/YouDontHaveToWinYouJustHaveToTri

or for iTunes / iPod users, copy and paste this into your browser:

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cheers!
Tav.

Landis' 'B' test results come out positive

Landis' 'B' test results come out positive

PARIS - The Tour de France no longer calls him champion. His cycling team cut him loose.

About the only chance Floyd Landis has of keeping his prized yellow jersey will now likely be decided by an appeals process that could drag on for months.

Landis was discredited and disowned in short order Saturday when elevated levels of testosterone showed up in his "B" or second doping sample - as it did in the initial "A" sample released last week.

The samples also contained synthetic testosterone, indicating that it came from an outside source.

If stripped of the title, Landis would become the first winner in the 103-year history of cycling's premier race to lose his Tour crown over doping allegations.

Landis again denied cheating.

"I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone," he said in a statement. "I was the strongest man at the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion.

"I will fight these charges with the same determination and intensity that I bring to my training and racing. It is now my goal to clear my name and restore what I worked so hard to achieve."

The International Cycling Union, the sport's governing body, said it would ask USA Cycling to open disciplinary proceedings. Documentation from the positive tests will be forwarded to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which will turn it over to a review panel. USADA will ultimately decide if a penalty - likely a two-year ban - is appropriate. Landis can accept the decision or begin an appeals process, which can take up to six months and involve the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

UCI lawyer Philippe Verbiest said Landis would officially remain Tour champion pending that process. The decision to strip him of his title rests with UCI.

"Until he is found guilty or admits guilt, he will keep the yellow jersey," he said. "This is normal. You are not sanctioned before you are found guilty."

But the Tour itself wasted no time in distancing itself from the American.

"It goes without saying that for us Floyd Landis is no longer the winner of the 2006 Tour de France," race director Christian Prudhomme told The Associated Press.

Prudhomme said runner-up Oscar Pereiro likely would be declared the new winner.

"We can't imagine a different outcome," he said.

Reached in his hometown of Vigo, Spain, Pereiro saw it shaping up that way, too.

"Now I consider myself the winner," he said, while acknowledging that the final decision was up to the UCI and subject to a legal challenge by Landis.

Pereiro said he regretted not being able to celebrate properly - in Paris, wearing the winner's yellow jersey.

"I would have liked to have lived that day, it would have been the best day of my life, as a sportsman," he said.

Pereiro also felt badly for Landis.

"I consider him my friend, it surprised me and hurt me to hear what had happened to him," he said.

The results of the second test come just two weeks after Landis, a 30-year-old former mountain biker, proudly stood atop the winner's podium on the Champs-Elysees, waving to thousands who cheered him on.

Within 45 minutes of the "B" sample announcement, the Swiss-based team Phonak fired its captain for "violating the team's internal Code of Ethics."

Phonak stood by Tyler Hamilton throughout his blood-doping case two years ago; Landis, however, is getting no support.

"This will be his personal affair, and the Phonak team will no longer be involved," a statement said.

Testosterone, a male sex hormone, helps build muscle and improve stamina. The urine tests were done July 20 after Landis' Stage 17 victory during a grueling Alpine leg, when he regained nearly eight minutes against then-leader Pereiro - and went on to win the three-week race.

Both of Landis' "A" and "B" samples turned up a testosterone/epitestosterone ratio of 11:1 - far in excess of the 4:1 limit.

Jacques De Ceaurriz, the Chatenay-Malabray chief, said the synthetic testosterone was found in isotope testing.

"It's foolproof. This analysis tells the difference between endogenous and exogenous," he told the AP. "No error is possible in isotopic readings."

Landis spokesman Michael Henson disputed that, and the cyclist's attorney, Spanish lawyer Jose Maria Buxeda, said, "It doesn't end here."

Landis and his defense team have offered various explanations for the high testosterone reading - including cortisone shots taken for pain in Landis' degenerating hip; drinking beer and whiskey the night before; thyroid medication; and his natural metabolism.

Another theory - dehydration - was rebuffed by anti-doping experts.

"It's incredibly disappointing," three-time Tour winner Greg LeMond said by phone from the starting line at the Pan Mass Challenge in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. "I don't think he has much chance at all to try to prove his innocence.

"When I heard it was synthetic hormone, it is almost impossible to be caused by natural events. It's kind of a downer," said LeMond, the first American to win the Tour. "I feel for Floyd's family. I hope Floyd will come clean on it and help the sport. We need to figure out how to clean the sport up, and we need the help of Floyd."

In Murrieta, California, where Landis lives, an AP reporter was asked by police to leave the gated community when she attempted to approach his house. Several cars were parked in front, and the blinds were drawn.

A man who said he was a friend of the family, but didn't want his name used, answered the phone at the Landis' house and confirmed the cyclist was there.

Despite the latest test results, a sign at a nearby freeway exit said, "Welcome Home Floyd Landis, 2006 Tour de France Winner."

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where Landis was raised in a conservative Mennonite home, neighbors vowed their support.

"All he has accomplished, he has attained through his hard work and discipline. We are very confident he will prove his innocence," said Tammy Martin, a longtime family friend.

Paul and Arlene Landis, who have supported their son since the doping scandal began, were out of town on a previously scheduled vacation.

A sign posted on their front yard said, "God Bless, Went Camping."

Time Flies when you're training for Ironman!

4 weeks out from Ironman Canada 2006 and the unveiling of GymSkinZ Gear at Ironman!

Well I survived the weeklong training camp and even had a swimming break-through to boot! Needless to say, heading into the final 4 weeks and taper phase before Ironman has been EAGERLY awaited for quite some time! It's literally been almost 2 years since this whole "airy-fairy" dream of doing Ironman started - especially since I couldn't swim worth a damn!

In any case, looking forward to keeping in touch with everyone via my website at gymskinz.com and my newly released "You don't have to win, you just have to TRI" podcast! Check it out! - subscribe to it and listen to my follies on your iPod!

Hope everyone is having a great start to their August and I'll catch up with you soon!

Be sure to drop by www.gymskinz.com!

cheers
Tavis

GymSkinZ at Ironman Training Camp

GymSkinZ at Ironman Training Camp!

Hey folks!

So I'm still up here in Penticton at the halfway mark of this training camp. Suffice to say I now know what it's like to be a pro-athlete and have nothing to really worry about except training / eating / recovering / repeating. It's amazing and what your body is capable of doing (concussed or not) when you decide to push it and not have the daily chores (like work and domestic duties) to worry about - at least not as much as "normal".

The camp has consisted of early morning swims in the lake where Ironman Canada is taking place in - not the exact same course due to all the boats and pleasure-craft out there, but a good 1 mile loop incorporating one of the lengths of the actual swim route (more or less). A great way to practice what to sight off of for the race and to get used to where the sun is going to be at that time of morning and figure out what to look at when it's blinding us. Was also nice (I can't believe I'm saying this) to have a really choppy day yesterday just to practice swimming in crappy / windy / choppy conditions.

After each swim session, we've rode various parts of the bike course, discussed key points along the course to consider in terms of where it's good to drop the hammer, and where to hold back to prepare for a nasty climb. I rode about 120km yesterday with one of the other guys and did basically 2/3 of the course whilst the others skipped one of the biggest hill climbs since it wasn't part of the schedule. We're all doing the entire thing as a group and it will be a good test of nutrition and dealing with the heat (95-97 degrees or so).

I also had the pleasure and honour of doing a run with the legendary Steve King who has been the race announcer for Ironman Canada and many other prestigious races for the last 23 years. He has an uncanny ability to remember teeny weeny details of people he's met and he has been such a source of inspiration and motivation for tens of thousands of athletes over the years. He is an accomplished triathlete / and ultra-marathoner and picking up tips from him for this race was an invaluable experience. Unfortunately, he won't be announcing at this year's Ironman as he's decided to step away from this event, but I'm looking forward to him announcing for the Vancouver International Triathlon this fall as he'll likely remember some quirky thing about me and what we talked about during our run - and likely blast it over the PA as I finish that race. He is truly a gentleman and will be sorely missed by all the Ironman participants this year who have come to associate his voice to Ironman Canada for all these years.

Aside from the swim/bike/run sessions, we've had great group meetings / discussions about everything to do with the race - from nutrition, to stretching, to mental training, race strategies when things go sideways, etc etc. With 3 remaining days of the camp, I have to say I've gained a little more confidence with each session - not only on the physical side, but the mental side which is very important in these long course events. I never thought I'd EVER say this - but I'm actually looking forward to the open water swims in the morning and especially the 4km swim we're doing on Sunday. At the start of the race last Sunday, the LAST place I wanted to be was in that very same lake....

In any case, stay tuned for some exciting developments on the business side of GymSkinZ as it relates to some of the stuff I've just talked about. I have some pretty cool things planned for the rest of the year and it's got nothing to do with funny t-shirts ;) (although I like doing those too! =)

Cheers everyone and thanx for tuning in... Catch up with ya soon and please help me spread the word about GymSkinZ!

Thanx!
Tavis

GymSkinZ at Peach Classic Triathlon

GymSkinZ at Peach Classic Triathlon

Hey Folks!

Tav and GymSkinZ reporting from sunny and scorching Penticton BC.

So I participated in the Investors Group Peach Classic Olympic Triathlon today - note how I said "PARTICIPATED" as opposed to "RACED". Here's my report...

So I arrived here yesterday afternoon after a rough week trying to get everything squared away on the home-front, at my real job, and with GymSkinZ stuff - 5 hours of sleep in the last couple nights was definitely not a good way to start the race weekend. Upon arriving, hit the race package pickup and pre-race meeting and I knew the planets weren't in aligment when I got my race number - 333.... Hmmm, so did that mean things were only going to be HALF as evil as they should be? To add more anxiety and undue stress to the day, the first thing Steve King mentioned to start off the meeting was "Do NOT expect to do a PB on this race course!!" Oh great, that's a way to instill confidence in the 400 or so people in the room. I looked down at my race-bib in my hand and thought, well how bad could it be ? Since I usually have a pretty laid-back and positive attitude towards this kind of stuff (after all, racing is supposed to be fun right?) I thought at least the swim is gonna be flat ;)

Well, that's as positive as it got. Suffice to say I ABSOLUTELY sucked the donkey today... and that's being pretty generous. First off, I swim like a brick - I could barely swim 25 meters at this time last year and today I may as well have been towing an anchor. I knew things were gonna be bad as soon as I got in the water this morning - Despite the water conditions being absolutely fantastic, I felt TOTALLY out of my element - and I feel out of my element at the best of times when I'm in a nice warm pool where I can see a line, and I know there's a wall nearby. All I wanted to do was float around on my back and sleep, not have to swim out that little fleck on the horizon which was supposed turnaround buoy... Anyway, starting gun went, and off I went... never got into any comfortable rhymthm and basically did my own thing waaaay off to the side, but at least I made it back and didn't come out of the water last... I did that on my very first olympic tri about a year ago and I vowed I would never do that again (what kind of an idiot-stick does an olympic tri as their first attempt when they can't swim 100M?! oh yah, that was me me July 2005....) Today was damn close to that experience... Once again, noticed the number painted on my arm and realized that the dark lord and all that is evil was going to be my pace-buddy today....

In any event, I dragged my arse out of the water and high-fived my buddy for making it out alive... at least I CAN ride a bike (or so I thought - that's foreshadowing BTW) so I was happy to strap on my helmet and hop on my bike hoping to get into my happy place nice and quick. Well, the bike course may as well have been taken right out of Stage 15 of the Tour de France - just when I got my legs spinning and feeling good, I was faced with this 4km climb which could have been a Category 1 climb and felt like I was ascending from the depths of hell for crying out loud - at least I was passing people but whoever came up with the term "mildly undulating" and applied it to this course needs a good swift kick in the beets as there wasn't ANYTHING resembling a flat spot on this damn course. Things went from bad to worse when I went to take a drink and lo and behold - not my water bottle.... My buddy grabbed the wrong bottle this morning!!! The ride concoction that I use is a combination of Cytomax / Carbo-Power and dissolved E-Caps which is like the nectar of the Gods - I ended up with some watered down Gu2O mixture that I could have used as cleaning solvent for my bike. AGGGHH... So at this point, I decided I was gonna go and chase down my buddy and retrieve my water-bottle (and my buddy was out of the water 12 minutes ahead of me - yes, I am THAT slow in the water). At least I had a focus now, so I dropped the hammer and off I went. I managed to catch up just before the turnaround and as I rode up from behind I said "Hey, you notice something different about your water bottle"..... We made the exchange after some cursing and back to town I went. Of course, at this point, I had gone out WAAAAY too quick to catch up and I didn't exactly back off on the way back into town, so I would definitely pay the price on the run (if I made it.... more fore-shadowing).

Ok, so now it gets interesting.... I managed a pretty half-decent time back to town and I *would have been* in the top 25 or 30 overall for bike splits... BUT.... remember that colossal climb I mentioned at the beginning? well we obviously had to come DOWN that so I came SCREAMING into the stretch leading into transition at some gong-show speed, and as I was coming to the dismount line, I prepared to do my regular "running dismount" where I unclip my right foot, swing my leg over from behind, slow down enough to unclip my left foot at the same time and run off the bike - sound simple right?! I've done it a bazillion times, but since I was riding with the mark of Satan's half brother - it wasn't going to happen today! As I tried to unclip my left foot, my hammy decided to cramp JUST at that moment which didn't allow my foot to turn far enough to unclip, I took that first step with my left foot still attached which resulted in a cirque-du-soleil style cartwheel with a half-twist while driving my head into the 120degree concrete in a spectacular display of splintered carbon fiber and composite materials as my bike pin-wheeled into the crowd and probably killed some poor innocent spectator and his two kids.... Of course, I also took out the poor guy behind me as he didn't expect carnage while he was dismounting and ended up piling into me... As I lay there staring at that bright light which I thought for sure was the portal to heaven (I later realized it was the sun I was staring at), I swore I saw vultures circling above ready to swoop down and start pecking at my jugular, I could also kinda of hear Steve King announcing (and pronouncing my name wrong of course like he always does at every race) - "Rider 333 is down, Tavis Yeung from Vancouver has crashed coming into transition!". I recall a bunch of volunteers gathering and as I got up to assess the damage, at least was coherent enough to ass if the other guy was ok - Thankfully he had already picked himself up and was long gone into transition. My head was throbbing, I was bleeding, and everything was a nice shade of blue (which was kinda cool) and when the spectator wheeled my bike back to me from about 50 yards away, I thought to myself this sure is FUN!! Well, I figured I better suck it up and dragged myself into transition whilst overhearing volunteers and spectators yell "Are you ok?!" and "Hey man, you're bleeding!"

After about 10 minutes in transition trying to figure out how to tie my shoes (which is kinda funny since I have speedlaces), and thinking how nice it would be to just lie on my towel and go to sleep, I told myself to suck it up and headed out onto the run course concussed, bleeding, tired, generally pissed off and feeling as if a small leprechaun was standing on my shoulders with a jack-hammer. When I thought things couldn't get any worse, the run course was just as bad as the bike course - after 2 km of a nice and flat stretch out along the lake, say hello to a 3km climb complete with switchbacks all the way to the turnaround. Did I mention whoever designed this course needs a kick in the beets? Thank God coming back consisted of that downhill but I barely noticed considering my legs were like lead and I did most of the run with my eyes closed since my head was pounding and my vision was blurry and everything being blue was really tripping me out. Perhaps the only saving grace to this whole race was as I was coming down the final stretch, I managed to run down the poor guy I took out coming into transition and as I passed him, apologized again which he probably didn't appreciate too much ;) I knew it was him cuz he was about 7 feet tall and looked like a mutant smurf in blue running gear - oh wait minute, I think that might have been my weird bluish vision...

In any event, chalk this one up to a "character building" race. I now get to look forward to a weeklong training camp for the rest of this week which is gonna be interesting since all I wanna do is crawl under a rock and die.

Anyway, for all those doing Ironman Lake Placid next week, best of luck and keep your head off the pavement!

cheers and catch up with ya'all soon!

Tav@my.head.freakin.hurts.com

GymSkinZ and Tour De France

Le Tour 2006: One of the hardest in years
By Anthony Tan, with additional reporting by Tim Maloney in Paris

GymSkinZ Corp is excited, yet deeply saddened by the developments of the 2006 Tour De France. Regardless, perhaps a couple Gag T-Shirts will lighen the mood. Here's the 2006 route.

Le Tour 2006
Photo: © ASO
On midday Thursday at Paris' Palais des Congres, the official route of the 2006 Tour de France was unveiled. A classic course according to veteran Tour experts, but also one of the hardest in recent years, the 93rd edition of La Grande Boucle follows an anti-clockwise direction around France, the 20 stages covering some 3,600 kilometres including nine flat stages, five mountain stages, four medium mountain stages and two individual time trials. Three mountain-top finishes are on offer (yes, L'Alpe d'Huez is in there!) including 22 Cat. 1, Cat. 2 and hors categorié passes, two rest days and 116 kilometres of individual time trialling.

Beginning on July 1 with a 7 kilometre prologue in Strausbourg on the French-German border, Le Tour 2006 skirts around the northern perimeter of France towards Lorient, side-stepping into Luxembourg, Netherlands and Belgium on the way. The first full-length individual time trial comes on Stage 7, a 52 kilometre race against the clock from Saint-Grégoire to Rennes, and the often controversial team time trial is absent this year.

A transfer to Bordeaux after Stage 8 marks the first rest day, before two difficult, back-to-back Pyréenean stages on Stages 10 and 11: 193 kilometres from Cambo-les-Bains to Pau on July 12, followed on Thursday, July 13 by a 208 kilometre stage from Tarbes to Val d'Aran-Pla-de-Beret. The usual traverse across to the Alps takes up four days including a rest day in Gap, before two brutal Alpine stages that both end in mountain-top finishes - the first finishing atop the legendary L'Alpe d'Huez, and the second a 182 kilometre journey from Bourg d'Oisans to La Toussuire.

After the finish the following day in Morzine, the peloton heads north back to Paris, but before those famous final laps on the Champs-Elysées, what could be a nail-biting time test marks the penultimate stage of the 2006 Tour: a 56 kilometre ITT from Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines.

Total prizemoney: €3.2 million, with €450,000 for the winner. But just who will that be?

“What It Takes” Triathlon Movie

“What It Takes” Triathlon Movie Offers Sneak Preview

GymSkinZ will be seeking ways to distribute this DVD

SEATTLE, June 1, 2006 – Triathlon fans’ wait is almost over. “What It Takes”, the documentary profiling four Ironman triathletes, will debut in the coming months through film festivals and selected distribution partners. Until those arrangements are finalized, the triathlon community can get an early peek at the movie’s first few minutes at http://www.witmovie.com/video.php?clip=teaser and a newly updated trailer at http://www.witmovie.com/video.php?clip=trailer. More clips will be released in coming weeks.

The feature-length documentary stars four elite Ironman triathletes – Peter Reid, Heather Fuhr, Lori Bowden, and Luke Bell – who together have won 6 world championships and dozens of major races. Viewers go behind the scenes in the quest for the 2005 world championship in Kona, Hawaii. Running just over 98 minutes, the movie includes footage of the athletes training, racing, and resting, and also opening up in extensive interviews to share their thoughts and feelings. The audience learns much about the sport of triathlon and the duel for athletic supremacy, but also about the very human issues which confront four athletes in an up-and-down, unpredictable year. “What It Takes” was shot at 24 frames per second on a Panasonic SDX-900, and is presented in 16:9 widescreen format. Its rich cinematic feel and sweeping visual imagery from places around the globe – including Australia, Canada, Dubai, and numerous locations in the United States, including Hawaii – combine with compelling storylines to produce a fascinating narrative about four athletes, four human beings, and one dream, the Ironman world championship.

GymSkinZ supports Project Play 2006

GymSkinZ is proud to support Paige Dunn and her involvement with Project Play 2006.

Here's an excerpt from Paige's website: http://www.paigedunn.com

"Project Play an incredible adventure that I will be part of this November. I will be traveling with four others to Niger to help develop soccer programs throughout this African Nation. Enabling and encouraging participation in sports is something that I am very passionate about and very excited to share with you.

Project Play is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults in African nations through participation in the world's most popular sport - soccer. This collaborative effort will provide educational incentives, promote self-esteem and foster community pride while generating confidence and hope to those in impoverished African nations.

I have wonderful memories of growing up playing soccer and being excited and motivated every season to play and travel with my friends. Soccer provided the opportunity for me to learn the value of teamwork, to bolster my confidence and self-esteem as well as teaching me the value of creating a healthy active lifestyle – clearly something that has stuck with me all of my life. Youth soccer is such an integral part of our lives in the Bay Area that we don’t realize that playing soccer is a privilege that not every child shares.

This privilege is not available to the youth of Niger but “Project Play” can help make a difference. Niger currently has three million people on the verge of starvation. Our group’s purpose is to utilize a soccer project for constructive social purposes and help draw more attention to the needs of the Republic of Niger by working along side the government and in coordination with the nation’s Peace Corps Volunteers.

Along with the Niger Football Association (FENIFOOT) and the Niger Peace Corps, Project Play staff will travel to Niger's seven provincial capitals to implement the program and coordinate with the distribution of soccer balls and manuals to the Peace Corps volunteers. I am proud to be part of this team effort to make a difference.

The cost to deliver our goal of 5,000 soccer balls is $50,000 which includes transportation and administration costs. I am hoping that you will help support this worthwhile endeavor. For only $5 you can pay for the cost of one soccer ball which truly can change an entire village in Niger.

I know there are many many worthwhile groups and causes to support so if Project Play does not resonate with you perhaps you might consider forwarding my letter to someone you know. Any help or support is deeply appreciated.
However, if you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to Project Play, please email me and I will send you more information.

If you would like additional information about “Project Play”, please visit our Web site at www.projectplay.net. Or feel free to email me, paige@xcelsportsgroup.com, and I can tell you more about this exciting adventure . Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,
Paige

www.paigedunn.com"

New Film about Le Tour

"Tour de France Confidential," a new film that features U.S. cycling's top riders and promises to provide an insider perspective on what really happens at the world's most famous bike race.

According to the film promo, riders, coaches and commentators tell stories of the Tour's intense rivalries, feuds and alliances. Revealed are "hidden tricks" from inside the peloton and the event's circus of off-bike diversions -- behind-the-scenes access typically reserved for racers and their closest confidants.

Now who could pass up a chance to see all that?

Oliver Half Iron Triathlon Race Report!

Oliver Half-Iron Triathlon

...well that was fun... kinda sorta!

I am pleased to report I survived my first attempt at the half-iron triathlon distance.... suffice to say it was a *little* different than the sprints / olympic distance stuff that I've done in the past - and when I say *little* different, I mean in the "what? I can't go anaerobic / balls to the wall the ENTIRE time and still finish?". In any case, here's my "so-called race" report from this past weekend.

I can say without hesitation that I still absolutely suck donkey-ass in swimming (who takes 62 minutes to swim 2km? Oh wait, that would be ME!) It was my first open water swim of the year and thankfully shoe-horning myself into my wetsuit wasn't actually part of the race or I would have been dead last from the sound of the gun! Couldn't get into any sort of rhythm at all during the swim and was zig-zagging like some sort of Grand Slalom downhill skiier.... Must have been absolutely PAINFUL for spectators to witness from the beach - "Hey, who's the idiot swimming perpendicular to the swim-course?!" I'm sure the other swimmers were saying the exact same thing as I found myself bouncing off of others left and right like a pinball the whole way, and of course being slower than EVERYONE, people had to swim around me, over me, under me, etc etc. No matter how hard I tried to stay wide of the main traffic, I kept veering right back into it... Note to self, learn how to sight before Ironman... Regardless, I was simply happy to *complete* my first attempt at swimming 2km in open water considering I could barely swim 100m around this time last year without getting my heart-rate up to about 220..... for crying out loud.... Anyway, lot of work to do in the lake over the next 12 weeks cuz if I have this kind of swim up at Ironman, it's going to be a RRRREEEEEAAALLLLY loooooong day.

So next was the bike... I was "instructed" to just treat it as a training day so as I was doing cart-wheels through the transition area since I simply made it out of the water alive, I had to keep reminding myself not to hammer like a mad-man during the ride. Of course that's easier said than done since I was so jacked on the fact I was still upright and breathing, and not lying in the back of the EMS ambulance with a couple paramedics yelling "CLEAAAAR!!" as they attempted to revive my lifeless carcass. Anyway, jumped on my bike and started BLOWING by people which felt fantastic, but not really part of the race plan. Once I settled down and got my heart rate to something respectable, it all worked out to a comfortable 2hr 47minutes on the 92km bike course (was 96th overall for the bike). I think that averaged to around 20 or 20.5 mp/h which was great for the rolling course. Was REALLY nice to get off my bike and actually be able to jog back through transition but I did hang out there for a little longer than I should of - mental note - put my speedlaces back on! In my previous sprint races, my legs were rather twitchy and it took me a while to stop cursing at the thought of still having to run but at least this time, sitting down on the concrete to put my shoes on wasn't an exercise in futility...

So after I jammed my feet into my runners, I started haulin ass to the run course when one of the marshalls near the END of transition was nice enough to point out I forgot my race-belt / number.... After hauling ass BACK to my bike (about 100 meters the opposite direction) to find my number, I was finally out on the run course after a rather long transition, but oh well, what's a minute here or there WASTED from stupidity? So anyway, I don't think I've spent more than 1.5 hours on my feet since the California marathon last December, so I was a little worried what was going to happen. It was nice being able to actually RUN coming off the bike as opposed to shuffle/limp/cramp/stretch/curse/jog/repeat. Still, I literally didn't know if I was going to implode 5km into the run or 15km into the run so I figured I better run purely on heart rate as opposed to trying to keep my normal half-marathon pace (which is normally around 1:30 to 1:35 - but a little easier when you haven't rode for almost 3 hours!). Anyway, first aid station, it felt like I was grocery shopping since I gunned down a bunch of gatorade, a gel shot, a couple slices of oranges and I think a chocolate chip cookie that was crushed in the process of trying to grab everything. Basically just ran until my watch started beeping at me letting me know I was out of my zone1 heart rate which I wanted to stick to for at least the first couple miles. At this point, I noticed my watch wasn't showing any pace - *sigh*.... wasn't going to stop and figure it out so I just kept truckin along and relied on heart-rate. Was a nice and slooooooow pace in order to keep my heart from exploding (around 9:00min/miles), but legs felt great the whole time and as much as I wanted to drop the hammer and push, I stuck to the race plan and literally treated it like a Sunday long training run. No idea what was going to happen so I figure I'd just go at this pace until I knew the end was near and pick it up LATER rather than sooner. For once I actually stuck to the plan! Saw my buddies at various points of the run with signs and doing the wave and cowbells and all sorts of other fun stuff so that was fantastic. The people lining the course were great and everyone at each aid-station was awesome! I remember at one of them I asked for a pillow and a comforter instead of the regular "water/gatorade/gel/or fruit and the gal *almost* took me seriously! Always gotta keep a sense of humour I tell ya....

So all in, finished right at 6hrs feeling fantastic - albeit a little disappointed I panicked like a little baby during the swim and probably could have went a LOT quicker during the run - but I really just wanted to finish strong and boost my confidence for Ironman Canada.

Anyway, thanx to the tremendous support of my buddies who came up to support myself and a bunch of others in our "pre-ironman" warm-up race. If any of you want to send me some "long-course open water anti-panic tips" - that would be greatly appreciated ;)

I'll post some pics as soon as the gang sends them over!

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and look forward to catching up with ya'all soon!!!

Tav!

GymSkinZ off to Oliver Half-Ironman Triathlon!

Where the HELLLL did the year go?!? Suffice to say the last couple months have been an exercise in patience / tolerance / sleep deprivation. So many things going on these days, I'm not even sure where to begin!

I'll be doing the Oliver Half-Iron triathlon this weekend in prep for the "big-one" (Ironman Canada) in August. Training has been rather sporadic lately due to ongoing projects at the office and trying to stay on top of the chaos with GymSkinZ! Big thanx to everyone from around the world who has visited GymSkinZ and left me comments, as well as picked up some gear. Nothing makes me happier to hear from someone who found me because they saw one of my shirts at a race in some foreign country! To date, there have been some notable GymSkinz sitings in Italy, Australia, the UK, Japan, France, all over the US and even a few right here in Canada ;) A couple pro-triathletes are even sporting some GymSkinZ designs so that's very exciting - you may even see my stuff in the next edition of Triathlete magazine! If you're really bored, come and hang out at the GymSkinZ "myspace" - http://www.myspace.com/gymskinz and join my "gymskinz nation" forum where various multisports athletes from around the world are starting to congregate.

In any case, would love to hear from ya'all to see how you're doin. I've been pretty much a prisoner of my own office and the Peak Center for Human performance the last little while, and will continue to be throughout the summer in prep for Ironman, but drop me a note and look forward to catching up. Stay tuned for my Oliver Race report next week!

cheers
Tav.
www.gymskinz.com

V02 Max / Lactate Threshold Training

VO2 Max
Some people have asked where to get V02 Max / Lactate Threshold tests done, how much it is and whether doing one is even worth it.

Well, typically you can ask your local university human kinetics department or physiology department if they offer them. Often grad students will recruit guinea pigs for projects and will test you for free as part of their curriculum. I did both of my run and bike tests at a place called the Peak Center for Human Performance who also offer coaching and personalized programs based on your goals / test results as well as the university of British Columbia Human Kinetics Lab. The cost can vary greatly I suppose, but you can expect it to be anywhere from $125 to $200 - remember you get what you pay for. As you can see in my video for the bike test, it's in a controlled lab environment and obviously requires some special equipment to do the test - think lab rat

Is it worth it? In my opinion, it's a resounding YES. It has helped me train "properly" for endurance sports and provides structure to why and when you need to train slow, and why and when you need to train fast. Most recreational triathletes train purely on RPE (or rate of perceived exertion). Basically, you train as hard as you can, or as long as you can keep up with your training buddies or run group without barfing a lung, you think everything is all good... not usually the case! I train with some of my best friends and as much as I love their company on those long rides or runs, since we're all at different levels, we all have our own specific heart rate zones we need to train at and have to do our own thing although we could probably all alter our mere "speed" to stick together as a group. As much fun as that is, what might be aerobic for one of us is anaerobic for another, or what is a comfortable pace for one, is near race pace for someone else. This is TOTALLY ineffective training if you have a specific goal in mind.

One of the numerous articles about lactate threshold training can be found here: http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/lactatethreshold.html

The most important thing you'll need when you train using these methods is of course a heart rate monitor, and access to a computrainer or power-tap for your bike (for power output in wattage). I ride with guys that can output 200 watts at around 100bpm for crying out loud whilst I'd be sucking wind so hard, a black-hole like vortex would envelop my riding space within 2 bike lenghts in all directions..... well, not really.. but you get the idea of typically every individual is at a different level. Just a few beats per minute either way can equate to a proper zone 1 aerobic workout vs. a zone 2 junk-mile workout - a very important line that you want to establish for yourself if you want your hard hours spent running / biking / swimming to bear fruit and make you quicker!

Hope this makes some sense!

drop me an email if this kinda stuff interest you in anyway, would love to share my data with ya!

cheers
Tav

GymSkinZ Closet Clearance

Hey Everyone!

Just received a bunch of my "Threesome Anyone?" shirts in various colors / styles as well as a bunch of others - gotta clear out some room for my next batch of stuff coming in so drop me a note if you're interested in picking one or three up ;) starting at $14.99 taxes and shipping - drop by www.gymskinz.com/news.html for what's currently available.

For a limited time, I'm also releasing a few more of my highly coveted (and controversial) "F*CK STRONG" shirt, in absolutely NO WAY was this design created to disrespect or dishonor the foundation bearing a similar name with the same number of syllables ;) email me for details!

I have some REALLY COOL tech-fiber stuff being produced right now using "Chitosante Interlock" fabric which feels like butta! Lots of things happening with my little "side project' so stay tuned! Oliver Half Iron is just a couple weeks away so I'm sure that will inspire at least a couple new shirt designs ;)

cheers!
Tav!
www.gymskinz.com

If this doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will...

Part of the Ironman video series - AWESOME.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgS2y3Rkx2I&search=ironman%20addicted%20drug

Gag T-Shirts

Gag T-Shirts have invaded the often oh-so-serious world of Multisports! Welcome to the official blog of GymSkinz Corp. - the home of hillarious Gag T-Shirts relating to multisports and LIFE! In our Blog and upcoming Podcasts, you'll find all sorts of information and news (some useful, some not so useful ;) regarding multisports, the triathlon lifestyle, funny stories, our crazy gag t-shirts and of course stuff about me - Tavis - the guy that started GymSkinZ!

What is GymSkinZ? Our mandate is to simply put some fun (back) into the typically monotonous and often gruelling act of training for triathlons, marathons, or whatever it is you do to get you off your ass and outside to play!

We'll also use this as a way to update people on the PLETHORA of new designs we'll be releasing, featured designs, exciting corporate developments and everything else under the sun.

Get it? Have fun out there folks and look forward to catching up with you soon!

Tav
Ironman Canada 2006
drop me a note anytime!
tav@gymskinz.com

Funny T-Shirts for MultiSports Athletes!

Funny T-Shirts for Multisports Athletes!

Big things are in the works for summer here at GymSkinZ corp. Stay tuned for many new designs and race updates from the Oliver Half Iron, Squamish Triathlon, Peach city Triathlon, and of course the big one - Ironman Canada in August! Gymskinz will gear will be on the backs of a bunch of the participants - hopefully causing a laugh or three during the race ;)

cheers!

Boston Marathon

Whoa, talk about inspiring! Suffice to say GymSkinz will be featuring a few more "inspiring" t-shirt designs as it was an AMAZING experience down at the Boston Marathon this past weekend. To everyone we met out the course, at the expo, in the pubs, etc etc, it was a pleasure and look forward to seeing you again soon! Now I just have to get my ass in gear and actually qualify! First there was ironman, next stop - Boston qualification!

cheers
Tavis

Gag T-Shirts gone to Boston

Gag T-Shirts gone to Boston
GymSkinz Gag T-Shirts and performance apparel are down in Boston MA for the marathon!! We'll be mixing and mingling with the thousands of participants and fans from around the globe. Be sure to check www.gymskinz.com for the upcoming photo-gallery!

A bit about the Boston Marathon:
The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's most prestigious road racing events. The Boston Athletic Association manages this American classic, which is sponsored by John Hancock Financial Services. The Boston Marathon has distinguished itself as the pinnacle event within the sport of road racing by virtue of its traditions, longevity and method of gaining entry into the race (via qualification).

Thanx for your continued support!
T.