It only seems right that at this holiday time of the year I take stock and give thanks---from a endurance athlete’s point of view.
I’m thankful for Chlorine!
Now that I spend countless hours at the local pool, swimming back and forth like some caged and deranged zoo animal, I give thanks to modern chemistry. For without it the local youngsters would quickly turn my beloved Rec. center pool into what the ancient Greeks called the Urinarium.
I’m thankful for Lycra!
This wonderful modern stretchy fabric allows all athletes (men and women) to wear comfortable yet snug and tight fitting clothes over raced tuned bodies.
I’m thankful for Sunglasses!
Not only do they shade my eyes from the sun, but they allow all athletes to anonymously observe the wonders of tight fitting Lycra over race tuned bodies.
I’m thankful for Carbon Fiber!
My old biking buddy in high school used to like to say that bike racing is not about the chassis but about the engine…as he kicked my butt on the way back home. Well Mark, thanks to the wonders of carbon fiber it’s now all about the chassis. After all, it is so much easier for my bike to shed a few pounds than for me to do the same.
I’m thankful for Pull Buoys!
Or as I like to call them during an especially rigors masters workout in the pool: the poor man’s wetsuit. They provide all the buoyancy at just a fraction of the cost.
I’m thankful for Big Boys and Girls on Mountain Bikes!
They keep me honest, grounded, and in touch with what’s real and what’s not. Just when I think that I’m the next Lance, one of these athletes will fly by me like I’m standing still and give me big helping of reality.
I’m thankful for healthy Fast Food!
There’s nothing better than a happy healthy meal after an especial hard and long workout. Training for a race not only makes you fit, but also it makes for pure guilt free fast food dinning enjoyment.
I’m thankful for the new Gels!
Not only are they a great quick and fast energy food boost supplement, but they also provides that added hand stickiness that makes for superior bike handling through better handlebar grip.
I’m thankful for OLN and the Fox Sports Network!
OLN and Fox Sports now broadcast the Tour de France, many Ironman races, as well as many of the more famous marathons and half marathons from across the country. Thankfully, much of the time the production values of these broadcast are so small that their goofy race coverage will certainly keep endurance sports a small and well-hidden treasure.
I’m thankful for the Finish Line!
For anyone who’s swum, cycled, or run a race this summer, this must seem self-evident.
I’m thankful for Body Glide!
If I need to explain this one, you are probably reading the wrong story. I would kindly suggest one of the countless other non endurance sports web sites just a click away.
I’m thankful for Beer, Burgers, Pizza and Ice Cream!
You pick your favorite post race recovery food, and I’m willing to bet it includes one, or perhaps, all of the above.
During a triathlon---I’m thankful for the Swim!
It keeps the run weasels honest.
I’m thankful for the Run!
It keeps the swim weasels honest.
I’m thankful for the Bike!
It’s a great way to dry off before the run.
I’m thankful for Boulder, and the wonderful community of athletes that make this town an endurance Mecca. I know of no other place in the world where the everyman athlete like myself can routinely share roads, runs, and swim lanes with the best endurance athletes in the word.
Admittedly, I mostly see their backside, but there’s certainly no shame in being passed by a world-class athlete on sunny cool and crisp November day before a huge turkey and ham Thanksgiving.
But mostly I'm thankful for you!
Thanks for growing this website to over 10,000 visitors a month and thanks for reading my goofy prose for all of these years.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Train Safe and Race Hard,
Roman