Happy New Year!

We're off. Two Thousand & Six. And I hope everybody is recovering out there. We've got a lot coming our way this year in terms of sport. I'd say we have at least 2 more months of trudging through the cold and snow here in the Northeast. Realistically, more like 3 months, and that last month is sure to include damp, wet and windy weather - making outdoor training a far cry from desirable. Then there's the pre-season, where we'll be looking for some early sprint efforts like the Shamrock Duathlon in Connecticut and the Saratoga Duathlon up in the Springs to test the legs out a bit. It won't be too long before my first A-race, the Tupper Lake 70.6.

During the mid-season, you'll be able to find me at some of the local sprint races, which I'll use to continue building speed and power throughout the core of the season. This, of course, will all flow into my biggest event of the year (a AA-race, if you will), the Timberman 70.6 in New Hampshire. The Timberman is a 70.6 World's qualifier, as many of you probably know. Sitting here by the warmth of a fire with deep cup of Dark Roast, it's easy to fantasize about qualifying... Will I?

After the Timberman, it's all fun and games, with some middle-distance races throughout Upstate, NY and a repeat running of the Mohawk Hudson Riverfront Marathon. The MHR Marathon is a Boston qualifier, and that may just be another hidden goal of mine.

Closing it up in late October, we'll be focused on one thing, and one thing only: Ironman USA in 2007. I hope you'll be there too.

So, welcome aboard folks. The boat for the 2006 season has officially left it's dock and we're setting into some deep waters. With that, I think perhaps it's best to finish this first post of the new year with a resolution. I could, of course, go on and on about resolutions in all the aspects of my life - but this is a blog about triathlon training and racing (right?), so we're going to keep the scope narrowed to just that.

My big resolution this year stems from the fact that I started this whole endurance sport lifestyle as a pure cyclist. When I was racing on the road, I applied the same ethic to training on the bike as I do to all three sports nowadays. To all the roadies out there: you know what I'm talking about. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow shall keep you inside. No weather is too foul to ride, no conditions are too uncomfortable to tough out. I know this is making some of you, my dear friends, narrow your eyes and twitch your mouths a little bit... But yes, my resolution this year is to get back in touch with my roots from my pure-cycling days and find again that single-sport focus and perseverance that got me to where I am today to begin with. It's become too easy to substitute a run or a swim for that bike ride that has you high atop a wind-swept ridge in February...But not anymore. Cycling is the foundation of triathlon (sorry folks: search your feelings and do the math, for you know it to be true), and toughing out the elements and the challenges associated with training on the bike is all part of it.

Now. Put your noise makers and your sequined hats away. It's time to get back to The Daily Grind.