Two Weeks In...

I am happy to say that since my "Commitment" post I have maintained what I set out to maintain. I have kept the promises I made to myself and to you!

Since hiring my coach, I have realized what I was missing in my training before. In short, this was consistency, focus, and a plan. Now I will admit that of late (before hiring Zane) I would start out each week of training really solid.... and then by Thursday I would be finding excuses. Having a coach to report to (and to give me work which I "have" to do) has put me in a whole different state of mind. It is no longer a viable option to skip a workout. It is now work that gets done, no matter what.

Also, I have a much better focus on each workout. This is entirely because I am no longer flying by the seat of my pants! I get each workout with specific instructions, and I trust that my coach knows what he is doing so all I have to worry about is sinking my teeth into the work at hand... 

...that was a weirdly carnivorous comment for a rabbit... pretend the "work" is romaine lettuce.

A plan. I realized how poorly I was planning my training while filling out paperwork for Zane. He has done an excellent job of breaking it down for me, letting me know what to expect over the next weeks/months/years and really educating me on training phases. I now realize I never really had a solid base outside of swimming. 

Now I didn't get into too much detail here, a) because I didn't want to bore some of you and b) because I didn't want to give away too much to others of you! For those who were wondering, I am doing everything I said at this point to be my best, which is what I have promised and all I can ask of myself.

This was taken at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge this past weekend. Watching these guys (Like Shaun White) throw down in the pipe was a nice change of pace for me, and it gave me a different perspective. I am sure they all started out as recreational snowboarders, and the whole pro thing just happened out of love for the sport, not unlike my background in triathlon.

However, watching Shaun White fling himself 20+ feet out of a halfpipe that is already 24 feet tall was an interesting way of showing me I have a long ways to take my passion. Until next time, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!

We're on Youtube!

So the Pace Rabbit officially has its own YouTube Channel. That's right folks, we made it to the big screen... or rather, the tiny screen on your internet browser...

Now I say "We" because, if you didn't know, I have probably one of the best marketing crews in the sport of triathlon behind me. Sev is a graphic designer, so is my brother Andrew, and Libbie is a photographer with a background in marketing. In case you were wondering, yes, these people are the ones responsible for this blog, my twitter @pacerabbit, my logo, all the cool photos you've seen (the crappy ones are mine) and the sweet videos you will be seeing soon! Thanks guys!

Any way, the link to my first video is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc5YLjlq2pc&context=C21dceADOEgsToPDskJhj-Hf6IL4DnLDrEvPDGpT

Nothing exciting, just a few clips for my coach to analyze. But, this will make it easier for me to share training videos, or my re-creations of EpicMealTime!

Until next time, Follow the Pace Rabbit!

Commitment

Qualifying for my professional license was a life-changing event for me. I knew that soon, I was going to have to make some choices. I took a good look at my life and determined how much of it I wanted to dedicate to triathlon and making a successful career out of the sport.

I recently found a coach, which is something I have never worked with in triathlon. I have not yet discussed the whole blog thing with him yet, so I will keep his identity private for now. Anyway, part of the reason for me signing a coach was to take my training and racing to the next level. When we first talked, he asked me how I will know if I have been successful in the sport of triathlon. I had never thought of this before. 

What I decided was in however many years it is that I retire, I want to be able to say I did everything I could to be as fast and as competitive as possible. Regardless of how many races I win or how many championships I go to, I want to be able to say I gave it my all, literally.

This means I am going to need to make a few changes.

Diet. I eat pretty well, I feel like, but one of the things I have recently discovered is I am about 5-10 pounds too heavy for a triathlete. Conservatively, for every pound I drop, I will also cut 12 seconds from my 10k time... disgusting, I know.

Dear food,
I will miss you.
Love, Sam.

Girls. Yep, I like them too, but I don't know where they're going to fit in with training 20-30 hours a week, traveling to races, and being constantly tired. Maybe in another life, Sunshine.

Plus, I will have to pretty much give up the college lifestyle I have been living in order to accomplish what I want to accomplish, which will make meeting one pretty difficult. Sure, there's maybe one or two of you, who might be reading this for whom I would make an exception... but I don't think either one of you want anything to do with a triathlete who barely makes minimum wage.

The point isn't giving up girls so much as the lifestyle of a college swimmer. As I write this, I realize that is what I am getting at with this post. I am caught between being a college swimmer and a professional athlete, and I have just decided which one I want to be more. I need to start living the life of a pro triathlete.

Training. More of this... and better organized... and better focused. Dad, I love you, and you got me into this sport pretty much, but you know as well as I do that I need more guidance. Training is what I love to do and what I live for, hiring a coach has just made it so that I won't be flying by the seat of my pants.

I strongly encourage you to comment on this post. I know that a lot of you are my friends and family, and I will need your support and understanding as I make this life change. You all knew me when I was a college swimmer and you still liked me then right? Well then stay with me through this, the only difference is I don't have to pretend to study, and I might even make a little money! 

I need you all now more than I have ever needed ya's, so tell a friend, send me some love, and FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!

Off Season

So, I apologize for the *ahem* hiatus I have had from posting. I spent a couple weeks from training, and I guess that blogging was set aside also.

Now I am sure some of you are wondering how World Champs went... well, my lack of posting on it pretty much sums it up. The distance was longer than I had thought it was, and I found this out about 3 days before. Also, inclement weather and an ankle injury sidelined me a bit in the weeks leading up to the race. What it really boiled down to though was being burnt out after a long season. In the end, I learned a lot from the race, and I think I will stick to shorter races for a while!

Here is a few pictures summing up what I have been doing this off season:

 Eating! This is a blackened salmon at Bobby Flay's restaurant "Mesa Grill." Just a little bit spicy, perfectly rare, amazing. Easily the best piece of fish I've ever had.

Ballin! Sev and I styled out by H&M, posing by a statue of Bacchus outside Caesar's Palace.

Sleeping In.... although this is a photo of a sunrise (We got up early to go skiing!)

Skiing! Actually, I snowboard mostly... This was taken from Keystone. Yes, I do other physical activity besides swimming, biking, and running.

Did I mention eating? This was the Holmes Family creation for Thanksgiving. A pork loin surrounded by duck and pheasant breasts and bacon, and wrapped in a whole de-boned turkey. It actually turned out really good, although I am not much of a meat eater myself. It was great to finally see the new house, and especially cook a few awesome meals in the brand new kitchen!

Well thanks for checkin' in on me! I will do my best to be better about posting from here on. Full disclosure here, I was watching the Victoria's Secret fashion show while writing this, so I apologize if some of it doesn't make sense. I had to wipe the drool off the keyboard... Anyway, until next time follow the Pace Rabbit!

Tim Tebow

Watching the Bronco's win tonight at home against the Jets was as compelling a case for audacity as I have ever seen. Tim Tebow basically seemed to decide to win, and then proceeded to drive down the field 95 yards (the longest touchdown drive for the Bronco's this season) to score a touchdown, leaving the Jets with too much field to cover without enough time to cover it. By sheer tenacity... no, stupidity Tebow pulled a victory out of a game with nothing else to brag about. Youth and vigor beats wisdom and tried and true practices.

Let me get one thing straight, I am not a Bronco's fan, let alone a Tim Tebow fan. All the hype surrounding this dude is more about his Christianity and less about his ability to actually play ball. I believe your denomination should be a private thing, and your actions in your chosen endeavors (in his case, football) should speak loudly enough for themselves.

However, what I do love is what Tebow represents. He shows the world that you can win by simply being to stubborn to lose. He shows us that sometimes intangibles do count more than your comfort in the pocket or the intelligence of your decisions on the field. As a young pro myself now, I hope to have a fraction of the success Tebow has had with nothing more than a searing desire to win. I hope to devour opponents of twice my ability out of sheer audacity, just like Tebow did in the last 5 minutes of the game tonight.

Now, next weekend is just that... another weekend, which may bring a different outcome for youth and vigor. I am sure I am not the only person writing about this right now, so before I get too hyped up about it I will sign off. All I am saying is if Tebow can win like that, we can all win if we simply decide to. FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!

Fueling the Fire

Some days, the fire that burns up training is fueled by happiness. Being in a good mood makes training a breeze, and you can crank out miles and log all kinds of hours with a smile on your face and a song in your heart....

Some days, this whole concept of "happiness" is stupid. The whole world is trying to piss you off, and its working. On days like this, I say let the anger and frustration fuel the fire. In my experience, it is just as effective (and in some cases much more so) as a positive attitude.

Some days, for whatever reason, I am sad. Now granted, with me, this is a pretty rare occasion. I am a pretty happy guy, but it does happen and when it does I don't feel like training. In Psych 1000 Dr. McKibbin taught us that anger is a much more productive emotion than despair, so what do I do when I am sad? You got it, I turn it into anger! If someone has hurt my feelings, I rip open a brick workout until my legs are searing just to spite them.

The point I am getting at here is turn whatever emotion you are feeling into something that you can train off of. If I am feeling lazy, I will often literally set a training goal for myself for the day that I think is somewhat unattainable, just so I can go do it to spite myself. Maybe I've got a chip on my shoulder, but this attitude of "use what you've got" works for me, so try it on for yourself and see if you like it!

Now, real fuel! Here are a few forms of calories/caffeine that I love to burn.

Americanos from Ink! coffee. Now I don't just say this because I work here, we have some of the best espresso I have ever tasted. Look at that crema... if you're americano doesn't look like that, you ordered the wrong drink (or are just at the wrong coffee shop).

Red Wine (full of antioxidants and a great way to indulge occasionally) and sushi (slow-burn carbs and protein, and absolutely delicious when well-made).  Gotta love going on a sibling date with your sister on a Friday! Wow... I'm so cool...

Homemade pizza? Yes please! I am definitely not a purist when it comes to pizza... Load that baby up with weird vegetables and anything but the ordinary sauce. BBQ sauce and Frank's Red Hot? Why not?

Well, I hope this gave y'all some insight into how I fuel my training, both physically and emotionally. Until next time, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!

Vacation

So, obviously I haven't posted in a while... the past couple weeks have been pretty busy, and the blog was put on the back burner. My apologies! Here is the third post from Myrtle Beach. As you may have figured out, I like to do a separate post about my travels completely separate from the races.

I couldn't mention this trip without mentioning the sea. Its raw beauty fascinates me, its power humbles me, and its vastness is completely beyond my comprehension. Coming from the middle of the country, it is always brand new every time I see it.  I can't help but smile upon my arrival, and feel sad when I have to go as if it were an old friend.

 The view from our hotel room. I got to wake up every morning to the sunrise over the waves. Can you see why I didn't want to leave Myrtle Beach, even to go to Charleston?

 Feeling like a pro and getting ready to celebrate in style.

Relaxing poolside with Dad post-race. Again, the sound of the waves never far off!

Dinner at the 86 Queen in Charleston. Pecan crusted catfish, fried green tomatoes, and grits... it is the South after all y'all! This was absolutely delicious. The fish was everything I love about pecan pie mixed with everything I love about fish sticks. My first endeavor with fried green tomatoes did not disappoint, and the grits were the perfect, cheesy base layer I was hoping for.

I am glad I got to share these pictures with y'all and I hope you enjoy them. If you're ever in Charleston, check out, 86 Queen and Hyman's for some dang good seafood, and anytime you are near the sea, take a walk on the beach... its good for you. Until next time, follow the Pace Rabbit!

Myrtle Beach Triathlon

This post will be a little more about the race and how it went down. There are some weird times and results up there, so I will try to clear that up a bit...

Bikers, retired people, and families with fat kids all come together and somehow create this tourist-trap strip of beach with high-rise hotels and buffet-style restaurants featuring giant crabs crawling over their entry way. That being said, I love Myrtle Beach! Every time I have come it has been a blast, and I fully anticipate coming back next year (although this time I will be doing the ITU cup race!)

The amateur race was on Saturday, and it was run in conjunction with USAT Halfmax National Championships. "Halfmax" is a half-Ironman by another (slightly less popular, if more amateur-friendly) name. Per USAT regulations, an amateur, Olympic-distance race run alongside an ITU cup pro-race will be a pro-qualifying race under F-criteria. Basically, top 3 amateurs are qualified for a pro license.

With that in mind, I had chosen to do the International distance, hoping to acquire a pro license, even though I had done the Halfmax last year. I was expecting some stout competition, and was not disappointed.

Last year, the swim was cancelled due to high levels of bacteria in the water. This sucked for me (being a swimmer), but this year the swim was on! The water was pretty murky (I couldn't see my hands at the bottom of my stroke!) but it was warm and I felt good, so at the horn I took off. I broke away from the main group before the first turn, but by the straightaway someone had bridged the gap and was slapping my feet. Your Turn! I literally stopped and cleared my goggles, and then drafted off of them for the rest of the swim... it is nice to have enough confidence in my bike/run now that I can do this...

A picture of my transition... looks pretty straightforward, right? Not a lot of people close by or anything..

... and yet I made a rookie mistake. I didn't check my entry/exit points and got a bit lost... probably added a good 20 seconds. Oh well!

On the bike I felt like a champion. I had rested my legs off of the bike for close to a week, so they felt fresh as daisies! I've gotta give a shout-out to my bike, Sara. She may be pretty, but she is a cold, calculating death machine who eats headwinds for breakfast and $#!+'s them out in fireballs as we pass the competition. We basically made sweet love for 28 miles (one lap of the halfmax course, so a little longer than an olympic) and it was effortless.

T2 went a lot more smoothly. The run was 2 laps of a 5k, and on the first lap I was all alone... but then, close to the turnaround point, I saw the leader! (James Haycraft, who had a helluva bike and was definitely looking better than I felt at this point...)

Its always funny when you see each other at the turnaround point like that... you both obviously know the position the other is in, and so its a semi-friendly stare down to size the other guy up... Today was no different, I tried to smooth my stride and pull on a poker face, but he was a good distance ahead and looked like a Kalahari bushman running down a deer, so I wasn't so sure about catching him.

Coming across the finish line, I asked my mom if I had done it, but I already knew... My legs burned, my mind was exhausted, but I was absolutely buzzing. I thought of the funny ways I could text my friends about my success and laughed out loud. I thought about how far I had come, and about David and cried a little (I hope you're proud buddy, I knew you were out there running alongside me). Then I thought about my future. While this was a great start, it was just that... a start.

This was taken the next day at the professional, ITU cup race. This doesn't even come close to capturing the speed of their transitions, let alone their pace on the bike/run. If you ever get a chance, GO to a professional, draft-legal triathlon and watch. ITU has made great efforts to make this a spectator-friendly sport, and it is. Loud hip-hop music plays, an announcer provides commentary (even bios and human-interest stories of the athletes) and the racers have to make several laps of each discipline, giving the spectator the chance to watch the packs form on the bike and the finish-line-sprint develop on the run.

Watching these guys taught me more about the work I am going to have to do in order to race with them than any person or book could have ever demonstrated. I've got a long road ahead of me, but if I've come this far I know I can go farther. Although, I do feel like the badass 8th grade quarterback who went to watch the varsity boys play right before he starts his freshman year.

Next year, I will be racing here, with these guys, on Sunday, and getting my ass kicked instead of beating up on the amateurs. Keep givin' me love and I'll keep makin' you proud! Follow the PaceRabbit!

Vindication

Now, this is going to be the first of 3 posts about my race in Myrtle Beach this past weekend. I've got a lot to say about it all, so I decided to break it up.

First of all, I got 2nd overall, meaning I qualified for a professional/elite license under USAT's F certification (basically stating that at any race ran in conjunction with an ITU cup race, the top 3 finishers will qualify for an elite card).

An Elite card (or pro card, the terms are used interchangeably) basically means that I can get into pro races (with bigger prize purses and different rules), get into basically any race I want (often at no charge and regardless of whether or not it is sold out to the public), and it helps me to acquire sponsors. Think of it like trying to get a job as a chef without a culinary degree, versus after attending Le Cordon Bleu Institute.

With this comes a great deal of change to my life. Obviously, while this is a huge accomplishment, I see it as just the beginning of something bigger... but more on that later! The focus of this post is to thank YOU! Here is a list of some special people who have helped me more than others in becoming a professional triathlete. Please keep in mind, I am scatterbrained and very caffeinated right now, so sorry if I forget anyone...

Mom and Dad: I don't even know how to begin to thank you. Supporting my decision to turn down dental school, coming to watch me race, helping me out financially when I am carbing up with PB&J's, and listening to me whine about slow-healing stress fractures are just a few of the things you have done for me these past years. Your love and guidance has been more than I could have ever asked for. If I ever have children, I hope to be half the parent that both of you have been to me.

The Tye Family: For getting me a membership to USAT, and for cheering me on, following the Pace Rabbit, and pedaling around with me when I am home. I can't tell you how great of a gift this has been!

To my Friends and Family: You are the base of my fan club, the ones I go to when I need a problem solved, a rock of consistency in my life of questions. If you knew how much you all meant to me, I wouldn't feel so guilty, but that is impossible for me to express.

Libbie and Sev: For getting me started on this blog, twitter, helping me find sponsors, teaching me about branding and image... and also for understanding why I have to leave at 9 PM for a tempo run, why I forgot to do the dishes because I was too tired, why my alarm goes off so damn early, and why I can't cook because I have to go train. You are the best roommates/agents I could ask for!

All my coaches over the years: For turning the chubby 9th grader into a scrawny distance swimmer with a chip on his shoulder. Especially Wyn for showing me that there was a hate-filled competitor inside this mild-mannered country boy.

To USA Triathlon: Especially Barb Lindquist. Your help in turning a swimmer into a multisport athlete has been more than I ever expected or even knew I needed. Thanks!

Well, you know who you are: For dumping me... Yeah, I said it. Had you not, I would be in dental school getting fat and stressed. In the aftermath of what happened, you gave me a new outlook on life, a whole ocean of frustration to fuel my training, and a need for a positive distraction which became triathlon. I am glad we are friends now and can talk about this. I hope I never lose track of you, and a part of me hopes you keep track of me in my endeavors.

To a few special friends for supporting and following me from the beginning: Burke, Cassie, Hogan and Lauren, Nate and Simon, Gibbs, the UWTC, and the UW swim team. When I feel like rolling over in a race, I think about you guys, and I know that I would not be able to face you again if I didn't give it my all. I mean it when I say that, and I wanted you to know.

To YOU!: for reading this! I like to think there are a few of you at least, so thanks for your support. I will continue to do everything I can to make you proud and to have something to write about.

To a couple Haters: Still think I should've chosen dental school? Well, perhaps, but just like the giant red button that says "DO NOT TOUCH," in telling me I made a bad life choice, you are only fueling my fire. Look at me now!

To my competitors: You keep doing what you do, and I'll keep doing what I do. I'll see you out there, and may the best man win on those Sundays... You ever try to catch a rabbit?

Sent to one or two very close friends after the race, I thought I'd share it with y'all now! Gotta love those bro-shades...

FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT! I mean come on, he's a professional...

The Art of Repetition

A lot of athletes, myself included, are always looking for new workouts. New training routes, interval sessions, and gyms to keep things fresh. While it is occasionally a good idea to shock your body and make it adapt to different things, (and ultimately necessary to keep from going insane!) a consistent routine should not be overlooked.

First of all, a lot of this idea comes from accessibility. Living in Denver, I would love to be able to get out to the mountains and pedal around every day. It would be awesome to have a different right for every day of the week. This is just not realistic though, so what do I do? I bike on the trail! It is a lot easier to find time and motivation to just pedal from my front door than to pack up and drive for 30 minutes just for a workout.

Secondly, you learn a huge deal about yourself and your ability to push paces, attack hills, and handle your bike (and your body!) by doing the same routes/workouts and getting really familiar with them. If you know the route and are very comfortable with it, you are much more likely to feed your fast... God knows it's hungry...

Thirdly, by doing the same workouts you have a relatively standardized set of data to track your progress. If you averaged 18 MPH on this ride last week, you can try and average 18.5 this week. If you held 1:00 hundreds last week on this set, go for :59.5 this week. This goes back to my college coach, TJ, always telling us to just get 1% better each day.

This one is a HUGE plus for me since I am pretty much completely self-coached, it allows me to make sure I am on track for my goals in all three disciplines of triathlon simply by jotting down a few metrics and some notes after each workout.

Granted, as I said, you've gotta switch it up every now and again, or you will either a) go crazy from the repetition, b) get bored with your workouts and thus lose motivation, or c) just get flat and stop pushing yourself to your fullest. But, don't forget about the art of repetition!

Aristotle said "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an art, but a habit." Key word here being "repeatedly," people! Thanks for listening to my silly rant again. Next time, I will include a sweet video clip of me juggling chainsaws while pedaling up Loveland Pass......

....On second thought, maybe just a couple pictures... FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!

Por Amor al Arte

Now, for those of you who don't hablar español, the title here is a Spanish saying that roughly translates to "for love of the art." This is exactly what my race this morning in Longmont was all about. Sure, I had gone to the Nebraska/Wyoming football game the night before. Sure, I had finally gotten to bed in a smoking-allowed hotel room (they still exist??) at 1 AM, but I was going to race, and that's all I cared about. When I was out on the course today, I was reminded exactly why I love this sport.

Personally, I feel that too many triathletes get into crunching numbers about hours of sleep, calories, training, heart rate zones, etc. going into a race. Yeah, these are all great guidelines, and if they make you feel better, then go for it. I, however, prefer a much more organic approach. I obviously have to make some sacrifices in order to perform at the level I do, but I am not going to become a slave to triathlon just yet by giving up some of the things I love (like football, barbecue, and beer on a Saturday afternoon) just to feel better about my upcoming race. I quote the Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Amanda Beard in saying "If I am not having fun in life, I am not going to swim fast..."

Basically what I am saying is, don't get so caught up in the technical aspect of training and racing all the time and do what feels right. Ditch the GPS unit and run until your mind is clear, not until the $300 electronic tells you to stop. Screw the protein shake and eat a cookie with a half an inch of frosting on top after a workout because it sounds good. Enter in a triathlon on a whim because you want to feel the adrenaline of the starting horn and 60 sets of thrashing arms around you in the water, not because you want to get a PR. In my experience, if you do all of these things, the results will come... but they will also kind of be an afterthought to the journey getting you there.

I mean if I can do this in the morning...

 Following a night like this....

Then I call that a great weekend.

But who am I to say... after all, I came in 4th overall today, not 1st. Well, I can honestly say this has been my favorite post to write so far, I only hope you all enjoy reading it. Thanks for reading, and until next time, as always, FOLLOW THE PACERABBIT!

The Lonely Sport

It occurred to me just the other day... I was talking to a friend about my training schedule, when she asked me, "don't you get lonely?" 4 hours a day, 6 days a week, and 95% of it by myself. I had honestly never thought of it before this, but yes, triathlon is a lonely sport.

My immediate answer was "NO WAY!! I live a very fulfilling life!!" (cue the montage from 40 Year Old Virgin but instead of Steve Correll doing nerdy things, insert me being swimming, biking, and running)

Now I am not posting this to pout, nor do I feel like a lonely person. In fact, after a 6 hour shift working in a coffee shop (where I am every bit the smiling extrovert my mother raised) I relish the time spent alone. I chose this sport and this lifestyle, and I love it. I truly feel like this is where I am meant to be. The gratitude, even exaltation  I feel after a hard day of training is unlike anything I can get from a social interaction. But, there it still is, only recently brought to my attention... like the stain on your favorite t-shirt that someone finally mentions to you... loneliness.

I don't know why this bothered me hearing it from my friend. It was something I had known about obviously and didn't care about before. Putting it into words made me realize that I had chosen this lonely sport instead of a team sport, or even some other (possibly more sane) pursuit, and that made me wonder what it is about myself that made me this way.

I probably only really feel this coming from my swimming background. Every day I would come to practice knowing I would have my boys there to pick me up if I felt crappy, to hang on for the ride if I was feeling strong. We pushed each other, and along with that comes a deeper camaraderie than simply working together.

I would love a training partner who could really push me, like Eli or Robbie or Brett back in college. I realized this today when doing intervals around Washington Park on my bike (I know, I do this workout a lot.... but it is convenient and relatively standardized) when some guy passed me with one of those bikes with a motor. Essentially, he was cheating, but my competitive instincts took over, and I had to catch him. In doing so, I found that I could go much faster if I had something to chase... a Pace Rabbit of my own, if you will...

I apologize if this got sappy, but I kinda had to get it off my chest so it would stop bothering me. Besides, I feel like I can't tailor this to all of your interests, so I'll write about mine and hope you like them. Again, I am not trying to have a pity party for myself, but rather trying to share some insight into what my life is like as a triathlete. Anyway, thanks for listening to my little rant! Until next time, follow the PaceRabbit!

Motivation

Something we could all use more of, right? Motivation is the catalyst that turns good intentions into great results. For me, this can be a struggle; it's easy to plan a week of training, but when that alarm goes off at 5:30, my memory foam mattress pad has its own intentions. When that happens here are a few tricks I use to spark the Fire and go feed my fast!

A few general guidelines first: 1) Motivation always decreases with time. This means, if you don't wanna go for a run now, you're REALLY not going to want to in an hour. So, JUST DO IT! 2) Don't approach things with an all-or-nothing attitude. If you're really not feeling it today, just say you're going half the distance you normally would. Hey, its better than nothing!

Morning Training:

1- Set my alarm across the room from my bed. That way, I have to actually get up to turn it off. Then, when I'm up, I do 10 jumping jacks. Try going back to sleep with your heart rate up!

2-Get everything ready the night before. This is a double-edged sword. Not only are you much less likely to get going if you have to take 10 minutes to find your shoes and watch, but you're also much less likely to go back to sleep knowing your running shoes are sitting at the foot of your bed, watching you be a lazy ass!

3-Coffee! I know it sounds simple, but trust me, it works. I set my coffee machine on delay brew, so it starts brewing 5 minutes before my alarm goes off. Then, when I wake up, I smell the coffee and can't help but feel the energy for the good fight.

Afternoon Training:

1-Be realistic: If you get off of work at 6, its pretty unlikely that you'll be able to squeeze in a 3 hour bike ride and still keep up your other obligations. Knock it down to an hour and a half, and then do another 90 minutes tomorrow.

2-Set a deadline: I am much more likely to get my training in if I schedule my afternoon around it. For instance, if I set a time to go for a swim, I will plan the rest of my day around the swim, making it seem like a priority, even if its not.

3-Take it one step at a time: This is bolded because it works like a charm. It also works great for the morning sessions. I start by saying "I'm just going to put my shoes on." Then, "I'm just going to pack my bag," and "I'm just going to get in the car and go to the pool," and finally "I'm just going to swim a few laps easy." By the time I am in the water and moving, the Pace Rabbit takes over and I have no choice but to MURDER a threshold workout!

If none of these work, try listening to some pump-up music! My favorite is an electronic group called Coyote Kisses... check them out here http://soundcloud.com/coyotekisses

Or, youtube some sick Under Armor Commercials... These guys know their target audience very well.

Well, I hope I helped you get off your butt and go enjoy this beautiful fall weather! Sorry, I didn't add any pictures this week, and it may have gotten a little wordy for you 3rd grade-level readers out there... :) But I am glad I got my word out. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions about training or anything else at pacerabbit@gmail.com. Until next time, follow the Pace Rabbit!

Estes Park

What's up guys? The other day I needed to get out of the city, much like I do about once a week. I decided to head up to my old stompin' grounds, Estes Park. This is really where I became a triathlete. My passion and drive for triathlon may have been conceived on the country roads of Kearney, and born in Corbett Pool in Laramie, but it grew up in Estes Park.

Now, those of you who know me well understand that there is a lot of emotion attached to this little town for me, growing up and visiting here (always crying as we drove away) and living here for a couple summers have given me an attachment to Estes Park that most people never get. Anyway, I had an absolutely lovely day of training, and a great meal to top it off. Here are the pics.

 On the way up Trail Ridge Road. About a 20 mile climb out of Estes, with about 5,000 feet in elevation gain. These are the kind of views that make you believe in God.

 At the top of Trail Ridge Road! 12,000+ feet of altitude... My legs are wrecked, my teeth are chattering, and the coffee, chocolate milk, and bag of potato chips I just got from the ranger station are the best meal I have ever tasted.

 All downhill from here. This picture captures the raw beauty of the landscape nicely, but fails to grasp the speed of the descent. Looking down at my speedometer, I would simultaneously laugh with giddy joy and shudder with pure terror.

After a 3 and a half hour bike ride (that's 3 hours up, 30 minutes down), a 3k swim, and a 40 minute track workout, I reward myself with a pizza and an adult beverage from Poppy's.  I couldn't mention Estes without talking about Poppy's Pizza and Grill. My favorite place of work, and a dang good place to eat. If you're ever in Estes Park, stop by Poppy's and you'll not be disappointed. This is the #6, a vegetarian's dream with basil pesto, black olives, broccoli, and water chestnuts.

As I have said, I have a lot of memories from Estes Park. Some of them are among the worst I have, the hardest days of my life. Out of this negativity came the person I am today, though, and for that I am forever thankful. However, most of my memories from this charming little town (that is as much of a home to me as Laramie or Kearney or Denver) are among the happiest I can recall, and this lovely day added another to that list.

My next post will be on tips for motivation, something we could all use more of! Thanks for reading this,  it is good to know y'all are out there listening! Until next time, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!

Kangen Water

Sorry its been almost a week since you've heard from me! Today, I am going to inform you all about a product that not only benefits me as an athlete, but could have far-reaching benefits to anyone who drinks water... (yes, I mean everyone)

A lot of people ask me, “Sam, what kind of supplements do you use?” It usually weirds these people out when I answer by showing them an unremarkable gallon jug of what appears to be just water. Today, for my first post that is strictly about a product, I am proud to tell you all about Kangen Water by Enagic.

Recently I have been introduced to Kangen Water. For those of you not familiar, Kangen Water is water that has been ionized and restructured through an Enagic SD501 ionizer. The ionization process makes the water very alkaline (pH 9.5), and turns it into a very powerful antioxidant (far stronger than green tea). It also arranges the water molecule clusters into hexagons, which are actually significantly smaller than the “clumps” that other water usually forms. This is called micro-clustering and it allows Kangen Water to super-hydrate the body at a cellular level. Anyway, the chemistry is a bit over my head even with my chem minor, so I will just give you a run down of the benefits I have noticed.

Recovery: The Water, with its alkaline, antioxidant and micro-clustering properties, has been a huge benefit in shortening my recovery times. I simply don’t get sore or feel residual fatigue anymore. This is actually how I really noticed The Water first. At a race in Denver, I had just finished, and was drinking the tap water offered. Then, one of the sponsors of the race, Max Performance and Health, stepped forward and handed me a glass of Kangen Water. At first I didn’t think much of it, until the next day when I wasn’t sore at all. I had no lactic acidic buildup in my muscles! So, I immediately emailed the company, avs19@mac.com (www.MaxPerformanceAndHealth.com). Now I drink The Water every day.

Hydration: Another great result for me is from the small molecular size of The Water. It absorbs into my cells very quickly as a result of micro-clustering of the molecules. This means I can pretty much chug a liter of the water, and within about a minute it is out of my stomach and moving quickly to hydrate my entire body. This helps a ton during workouts and competition; I can stay hydrated without the annoying sloshing of water in my gut.

Detoxing: The second thing I noticed once on the Kangen Water is how much better I felt in general. This is because of the powerful antioxidant property of the water. I literally went through detox as my body became alkaline as opposed to acidic. I lost about 3 pounds that I didn’t even know I had. Even still, if I go without it for a few days, or eat (or drink...) like crap for a few days, I don’t even realize how crappy I feel until I get some Kangen Water and feel better.

Bottom Line... I can workout longer and harder and recover much quicker now that I drink Kangen Water. This is one of those products that literally speaks for itself, all you have to do is try it and you will see the benefits for yourself. Contact Max Performance and Health and let them know I sent you to find out more! 

Until next time, Follow the Pace Rabbit!!!

Steamboat

Hey guys! This past Sunday I had a race in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Steamboat is definitely one of my favorite places on earth, if not my absolute favorite. I love to snowboard there in the winter... and also to race tri's there in the summertime!

I came in second overall in the race with a new personal best time. Yes, I went faster at 6900 feet of altitude off of no rest than I did the week before off of 4 days of rest and at sea level (in Burlington)... I guess that food poisoning took more out of me than I had thought! That being said, I am verrrrry anxious to see what I can do at my next pro qualifier in Myrtle Beach in October.

I met up with the UW tri club the night before and we camped out together... I think I will do this more often! I love camping, and its obviously way cheaper than a hotel. Christine, you are much more organized as a president than I was!

Check out this spread! We had grilled veggies, spaghetti and meatballs (my traditional pre-race meal), and grilled peaches. Special shout out to Will, Joe, and Mark for cookin!

Just look at this venue... They say that people come to Steamboat for the skiing, and they stay in Steamboat for the summers... I can see what they mean. I would love to one day live in Steamboat Springs, the whole time during the race, I felt at home.

Well thanks for checking this out, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the pics from Steamboat, do yourself a favor and go see it firsthand. Until next time, follow the Pace Rabbit!

Burlington!

What's up my friends? Here, as promised, is my post strictly about Burlington, Vermont. This is where Age Group Nationals took place this past weekend. In my inaugural visit to New England, I was completely charmed. If you ever head up to Vermont, be sure to check out Burlington, or at least Lake Champlain!

I was expecting the quaint red barns and lots of trees and rolling hills, but I was not expecting a Boulder-esque hippie-filled college town! Burlington walked that line nicely. It would have fit in just as easily in Nebraska as it would have in California with its colorful variety of people, shops, restaurants, and homes. A picture speaks a thousand words, so here are just a few pics from Burlington.

A little post-race indulgence... yes, that is bacon on a donut with real Vermont maple frosting...

A quiet beach on Lake Champlain. Hard to believe those mountains on the other side are New York!

This one didn't turn out very well.. but its this street musician who, despite his strange appearance, was amazing! He played the didjeridoo, made percussion with tambourines, drums, and bells, and rapped. It was a combination of Native American music, bluegrass, and hip-hop that I loved! And yes, he is wearing a deer mask.....

Some gorgeous flowers at the Farmer's Market that was going on after the race. The friendly girl behind the counter agreed to let me take a picture as long as I blogged about it since I wasn't buying... Who am I gonna give flowers to, my mom?? Come on!
...Sorry, mom :) Love you!

This was a huge, OLD, beautiful and quiet farm on Lake Champlain. Old being an understatement. That guy on the Quaker Oatmeal box? He was the original owner... Ok I might've made that up.

I meant to get a pic also of Muddy Waters coffee shop. The interior was like a log cabin, and the coffee was delicious! I could picture myself going there on a cold winter morning before a loooong day of skiing. It also helped their cause that the barista girl was absolutely darling... I was too captivated to order for a good 3 seconds... she probably thought I was a weirdo for staring!

I hope you enjoyed these as much as I enjoyed taking them. Please please please if you are ever in Vermont, do yourself a favor and check out Burlington. I'm gonna go get a track workout in. Until next time, follow the Pace Rabbit!

Age Group Nationals

Hey there followers! As promised, here is my de-briefing on Age Group Nationals, which took place this past Saturday in Burlington, Vermont. Now I will try to keep this short, but I am going to warn you its gonna get long... I've got a lot to write about! If you're in a hurry, just read the last couple paragraphs.

I flew into Boston that Wednesday and met my parents. I had been running on very little sleep the past nights for various reasons, so I was maybe a bit grumpy... anyway, we got all settled in and went for an easy jog in Cambridge. I felt like a dumb jock compared to all the brilliant minds at work in Harvard and MIT just around the corner, but it was such a beautiful area to be in. Here is a pic from the run!

That next morning as we were getting ready to go to Burlington (about a 3 hour drive) I realized I felt  terrible. I must've had some bad seafood the night before, because I proceeded to puke my guts out and writhe in agony the whole car trip up. Great way to go into the weekend of the biggest race of my life, but honestly I don't know how much it really affected me come race day.

The day before the race I was feeling considerably better, although my appetite hadn't quite come back all the way yet. Any way, I went for a tune-up run along the beaches of lake Champlain in my new Newton shoes!

Beautiful venue for a triathlon, don't you think??

These are the new kicks. Against my better judgement and the advice of the guy who sold them to me (who turned out to be Brandon Jessup, a track star from my hometown who is now a pro triathlete in Denver... weird coincidence I know, but that is another story in itself) I wore them race day after only a few runs in them. They flew. These shoes do not like to go slow, I felt like I had strapped Wile E. Coyote-style rocket shoes on my feet. But I digress...

Race morning came and I felt great. In retrospect now I would have left the pack on the swim and gone on my own. I am not a pack swimmer, because I have never had to be, so it would've been to my advantage to be alone. The bike I maybe would have pushed a bit more. When I started bonking on the run, it was from the heat, not from my legs giving out. The run was my best split ever by close to 2 minutes. I guess all that track work has paid off... Thanks Mac!

Now, more about the bonk. I was an inch away from totally rolling over at about mile 4.5. I guess the old me would have. But that day, something inside me changed. I felt a defiance in myself that I hope to be able to tap into again when I need it. Something just said "NO!! We are NOT going to quit until this is DONE!" and so I didn't. A good portion of it was you, as I said before. I knew I couldn't address my followers knowing deep down that I had given up on myself. Thanks for keeping me in line!

Here is a picture of my transition area on race day morning. It is a tradition of mine to always take a picture of my transition area and send it to some friends for good luck. Bike shoes in the pedals, helmet on the aero bars, and running shoes to the side, it is set up for speed and simplicity.

Well like I said, I knew that was going to get a little long. I will do a post tomorrow about Burlington the town. It is such a cool little place that I am definitely going to have to go back when its not a business trip! Until then, keep following the Pace Rabbit!

AGN Preliminary

Hey guys! This is just a preliminary post to let y'all know how things are going up in Vermont. I will do a couple follow-up posts once I get back to REAL mountains!

First of all, I did not get my Pro-Card. I had a PR by over 4 minutes, including cutting 2 minutes off of my fastest 10k (yeah, that includes even a flat 10k, no swim/bike before, so this was a huge improvement!) I don't think I need to tell you that I love my new running shoes... For those who want times, my swim was a 19:51, bike was 1:00:15, and run was a 36:33. All together, it was a 1:59:20.

I can't seem to upload photos with this internet connection here, so those will have to wait until I am back home, sorry! Burlington is a lovely, quaint, quirky little town. I could stay here forever if they had real mountains. The venue was great, Lake Champlain is as majestic as you could imagine! Again, I will upload photos ASAP so you won't have to use your imaginations for long.

I want you all to know that I thought of you, on the run portion especially. I had taken it out solid, but at about mile 4 I started feeling the heat, the fatigue, and the immensity of what I had already done weighing down on me. I wanted so badly to roll over and just finish. Then, I thought of you. Yes, YOU as you are reading this. I knew that I would not be able to write this post knowing that I had given up. I gritted my teeth, packed up with a guy, and blew by him with 500 meters to go, all to make YOU proud. The pace rabbit will never give up! Death Before Surrender!

Thanks for checking this out, again, I will make more detailed and photo-embellished posts when I get home. Keep following the Pace Rabbit!

Boulder Stroke n' Stride

Hey Guys! So last Thursday I decided to compete in the Boulder Stroke n' Stride that evening at the Boulder Reservoir. Yes, this was a very last-minute decision, but I knew this race series is pretty low-key so I wasn't too worried.

The Stroke n' Stride is a series of races on Thursday nights in the summertime in Boulder. They consist of either a 750 meter swim option or a 1500 meter swim option and a 5k run. There is also just a 5k run option if you're so inclined. I would definitely recommend this series to someone just wanting to get their feet wet (no pun intended) in multisport. The entry fees are super cheap, it is a great low-key atmosphere, and I mean, look at that venue!

Unfortunately, this was the last of the series for this season. (It makes me sad! Is summer really over?? I say no way!) They start again next June, and you can bet I will be going to a lot of them! I came in second overall out of the 1500 swim/5k run option. I had swam about 3k and biked that morning, so I didn't exactly feel fresh. Out of the gates I was in 4th on the swim, but I eventually passed all but one guy in the water, who I then passed in transition. I had chosen not to wear a wetsuit, which made that transition a lot faster!

On the run, I took it out a little too fast I think. At the one mile marker I looked down and saw 5:40 on my watch... on tired legs at altitude, this was probably a bit... um... over-zealous for me. Eventually I settled into my pace, but a professional did pass me with just over a mile to go.

In any case, this race was a ton of fun, a beautiful day, and a great tune up for Age Group Nationals this week! I will do a post sometime tomorrow about Nationals and the pro-qualifying process because frankly, its kinda confusing! Thanks for stopping by everyone, and until next time, keep following that pace rabbit!

Polar Bottle Winners!

Hey guys! I just did the drawing and here are the winners.
Congratulations to;
Sears McAdams
Knox Martin
Burke Wilson
Jenna Eppley
Breanne Feldman
Tom Tye
Lauren Crow
Logan Ripley/Durban Swarz
Ashley Gammon
Kevin Magyar

You've all won a free Polar Water Bottle which will keep your beverage of choice cool in any activity you do. To receive your water bottle, email me at pacerabbit@gmail.com an address to which I can ship the bottle. If you live in the Denver area, or I otherwise see you often, I will probably hand deliver the bottle.

I just got another testimony from a water-afficionado who has had success with Polar. This is Bobby Boucher before he found Polar Water bottles:

As you can see, he was struggling a bit. But now, like our winners, he has Polar water bottles and always keeps his cool. Look at him now!

As you can see, he went from waterboy, to champion with Polar water bottles, and now you can too. Be sure to keep following the Pace Rabbit for more promos like this one. Congrats again to our winners!

Polar Bottle Reminder

Hey Guys! So I was hanging out with Indiana Jones and his dad today, and some "bad guy" decided to shoot his dad. This was obviously pretty frustrating, but fortunately Indy had his Polar Water Bottle, so we were able to save his dad.

We were pretty upset, until we found out that the "bad guy" was using "the other brand" of water bottle, which ultimately resulted in his demise...

Anyway, I just reminded you guys not to make the same mistake as the bad guys and be sure to use Polar Water Bottles! Follow the Pace Rabbit by tomorrow at noon and you'll be entered for a chance to win one.

Asian Frittata

Ok, now before you scowl in disgust, hear me out. Think of it like egg foo yung, but better, because it has cheese! Here is how I made it... Again, I don't measure, so this is all approximations

-Big Pan; saute 1/4 onion, 1/4 lb baby bella mushrooms, and a bag of broccoli slaw
-I then added some pre-cooked brown rice that had teriyaki sauce in it (yum!)
-I seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger, and let everybody get to know each other over medium heat.
-Then I added 3 eggs and 3 egg whites, whipped really well with a splash of milk
-Spread eggs evenly, but then LEAVE IT ALONE! until the sides start to set up
-Add about 1/4 cup of cheese (yeah, cheese) of your choice to the top
-Put under the broiler for about 2 minutes until eggs are cooked and cheese is brown and delicious

At this point, I figured it couldn't get much weirder, so I served it with some everything-bagel-style-bread-toast (too many hyphens? no way) and some really good cantaloupe. I chased it down with some Kangen Water in a Polar Bottle... and an adult beverage. I am not going to endorse any beer companies, but this is a favorite, and it rhymes with "shmanger IPA" and its made by a brewery that rhymes with "shmew shmelgium."

Let me know if you have any questions on this recipe. My biggest advice with cooking is don't be afraid of it! My mom used to always say "Cooking, like love, must be approached with reckless abandon or not at all." This might be someone more famous's quote, but I heard it from my mama and I completely agree with the sentiment!

Until tomorrow, Follow the Pace Rabbit! And go to bed...

In the saddle

Today I had a really solid training day in all three disciplines, but I am going to focus on the bike. On my ride today, I came up with a few things I should share with my followers, and I have also seen great progress in my cycling lately.

First of all, I have gotten pretty fast. All of those interval workouts at Washington Park are paying off, and I can now sprint like I've never been able to! I play games with myself while on rides... Today there were two big groups of cyclists coming at each other on the trail, and I was behind one of them. Rather than being cautious and slowing down, I did what I do best (meaning be brazen, decisive, and stupid) and shot the gap so to speak. I made it, but I would not recommend trying this... I was going over 25 MPH and had I not been lucky, I could very well be writing this from the hospital.

All of this being said, I might give a word of advice to those who would cross the path in front of me... run FAST, don't stop in the middle to see where I am going, and be aware that I already assume you are an idiot. I only bring this up because it happened about 7 times on my ride today, and each time the "pedestrian" pulled the "deer in the headlights" move and I had to swerve, slam on my brakes, and swear at them under my breath.

I realized I hadn't added a picture of Ruby yet. This is my training bike, a Specialized Roubaix Elite. I call her "Ruby." She is my mistress since Sara is my girlfriend, but I like this view of her best. As you can see from the goose egg on my cyclometer, I was not brassy enough to take this picture while actually riding...

I had a friend today ask me, "how do you do it each day?" The question caught me off guard I guess. Let me give you some insight into my mindset. I don't think of it in terms of "how am I going to go this hard today and still have something left in my legs for tomorrow?" I simply put each training session in front of me as one task at a time. I do it because I hate losing, not because I love winning. I do this because I know it is necessary, I don't even think of it as a choice. I know I can do it simply because I know I can do it. I don't know if this makes me special or different, but it is how I think, and I feel like a lot of athletes would agree with me.

Anyway, I just wanted to update you all since it had been a while and tell you that my cycling is really solid. My pedal strokes are smooth, with a motion similar to scraping mud off of my shoes. My cornering is flawless, with my weight distributed between my outside foot and my inside hand.... (If you were paying attention, that was a brief lesson in bike handling!)

Until I post my recipe in about 20 minutes, follow the Pace Rabbit!

Polar Water Bottle Giveaway!

Hey guys! So, I am an athlete ambassador of Polar Water Bottles, and I received a case of these lovely little bottles in the mail to give away to my loyal fans! Now I did only get a limited supply of these, and I've gotta give one to my mama, and a few other select people, but I've got a plan for the rest of these bottles. Here's a pic of the bottles.

So, here is what I am going to do for you, I am going to give away 10 of these sweet insulated water bottles to my followers! Winners will be announced Friday, August 12th at noon. If you already follow this blog, you automatically have an entry, if you join by Friday the 12, you will get an entry also! Double entries will be given to those who follow me on this blog and on Twitter @PaceRabbit.

These are made in the USA, are BPA-free, dishwasher and freezer safe, and have removable (and replaceable) valves for cleaning. They are bike cage-compatable and VERY well insulated. I went on a 2 hour ride with mine today in 85 degree-weather, and the water stayed refrigerator cold the whole ride! Here is a picture from their website, http://www.polarbottle.com/

They were actually delivered in a block of ice, so hurry and follow the Pace Rabbit before they melt!

....Ok, so that was a complete dramatization.... but still, you should hurry!

Brick Workout/Curry for Breakfast??

What's up guys? So, yesterday I had a really solid brick workout at Washington Park. Now, for those of you who don't know, a brick workout is when a triathlete mimics a race by going from one discipline to the next. In this case, I did a bike to run brick. I found a track at a high school about a block from the park, and so after I warmed up I did 3 laps around the park on the bike (this was with my race bike, Sara!) for about 7 miles total, and then did a mile at race pace (or what I felt like I could hold for a 10k) on the track.

I ran through that 3 times. On the bike I held about 24 to 25 MPH with 90 RPM for a cadence (again, mimicking my race goal) and on the runs I went a 5:44. 5:45, and a 5:40... What can I say, I felt good! I was very pleased with those run times. I guess all that speed work is paying off.

On the way home, Sara flatted out, and since I don't carry a spare kit on her, I had to call Libbie for a ride. Did I mention I love my sister a lot? She is a really nice lady!

Here is a picture of Washington Park, it is always really pretty like this at sunset.

The other day I made one of my favorite breakfasts. It is really simple, but I don't measure anything, so here is the basic rundown...
-Stir fry some veggies (I use frozen, they are cheaper and easier to use) and then add a serving of crumbled tofu.
-To crumble it, I squeeze it in a paper towel to dry it out a bit so it gets crispier.
-Then, I add 2 egg whites and one whole egg and let that scramble up.
-Season the whole pan with salt, pepper, and CURRY POWDER!!!
-Next, add a bit of feta cheese and let that melt.

I like to plate it over a bed of greens with a little asian dressing, and then enjoy with a cup of green tea and some Kangen Water!

Well tomorrow I will post another recipe... some grown-up grilled cheese! Until then, follow that Pace Rabbit. Thanks for reading!

A few pics from Evergreen

Here are a few pictures from my ride up Juniper pass today. Enjoy!

 Squaw pass is about halfway up Juniper Pass. As you can see, I tend to favor the tongue-out pose... what a weirdo!

This is the view from the top of Juniper pass. Again, you just can't capture it in a photo.

This is Echo Lake, about 20 miles from my start point. There is a nice little lodge (it would be to the left of the frame) where I bought a coffee and a snickers bar and chatted with nice lady behind the counter. 

It was a great ride and I wanted to share it with you guys. I came home to a lovely Denver sunset, but that one I saved just for me... Sorry!

Thanks for checkin my stuff out, its kinda flattering that there are actually that many people who care about what I have to say! Until next time, follow the Pace Rabbit!