www.FelipeBastos.com

Race Season Prep

2012-02-16T08:36:00.001-06:00

I know, I know. It's been a long time since I last posted. I've been bad and promise to update more often this season.

Now that most of my sponsor ships for the new year are ironed out, I am finally able to focus on the race calendar. While I don't have a complete idea of what the year will look like, I will be kicking off the season at the HITS Half Distance in Ocala, FL on March 25, and I am certainly looking forward to it.

I have not raced the Half distance in several years. The last time I opened a season with one was in 2007 at the Kinetic Half, where I was 5th (losing 2 spots in the final miles). This time, my hopes are that the preparation ensures I don't crumble right at the end. That being said, expectations are not very high. The main goal is to have a good hit out to set me up for the rest of the race season.

Training is coming along well, particularly swimming and running. The bike is slightly behind due to living in a big city and the difficulties of just getting a good ride right out the door. On the weekends, Jessica and I have been driving to San Antonio to enjoy the hills. She just bought a QR Seduza from Cycle Therapy (it was quite a good deal) and we are planning on heading to Ocala to see the bike course this weekend.

I've enjoyed seeing her progression from runner to triathlete quite a bit. She has an engine in her, and coaching her to race her first ever triathlon, an Olympic distance also part of the HITS Series on March 24 has been a blast. Needless to say (but I will say it just the same) the rest of the race season will be even better once we have this first one out of the way.

I promise to update more often in 2012.

Felipe

I'm back!

2011-07-29T22:32:00.002-05:00

The bar exam is done. My diploma arrived today. It's all done.

So, naturally, I celebrated with some long overdue training. After a morning strength session, in the afternoon I headed over to Alafia State Park for a good outing on the Scott Spark RC.

While there are several levels of trails ( from Easy to Extremely Difficult), I wisely chose to warm up on the River loop, one of the easiest ones. So far, so good. A few bridges, some twisty turns, but I was managing just fine. And my confidence kept rising. Fast.

After I felt sufficiently warmed up, I decided to enter the hardest mountain bike course I have ever seen. In hindsight, this was a mistake. Below is an image of one of the many "speed bumps". I saw at least 3 of these guys, as well as deer, bunnies and a baby armadillo. Cute little bugger.

Sadly, the images do not do this course justice. I am no professional mountain biker, but found myself forced to dismount over 30 times in just a few miles ( both up and downhill), and had plenty of near misses.

I am not sure if it is the lack of time spent on a mountain bike (or any other bike, for that matter) over the past few months while Law School graduation and the bar exam consumed my days, but my skills certainly were far behind my eagerness.

I am proud to say, however, that I only had one (minor) tumble. I braked hard to avoid a fall, and rolled to the right. There was a ditch, and I rolled (gently) down it, ending upside down and without any way to support my self back up, so I was upside down for a good few seconds until I finally propped myself back up. Nothing to worry about, really, but it made me extra careful the rest of the lap.

Alafia State Park is only 45 minutes from downtown Tampa, but it feels a world away. The easy course is a lot of fun, and if you have some serious skills, the Moonscape and Roller Coaster courses will treat you just fine. Maybe.

Back to FL

2011-06-24T00:41:00.000-05:00

It's been a very long time since I last wrote, but better late than never. Since last February a lot has happened.

I have graduated law school and will be sitting for the Florida bar exam in a few short weeks. Scared out of my mind, I've been putting in solid studying hours. keep your fingers crossed.

I have also relocated to Tampa, FL. I am absolutely loving it here - the coast, the ocean breeze, the proximity to some of the world's best beaches all make being here a great experience.

On the training front, I have been running a lot given the lack of real time to swim and ride. The fitness is not where it used to be, but it is coming back. I plan on doing a few local running races to get the racing legs back, and as the fitness returns, the triathlon and off-road racing will resume as well.

I have a new Scott Spark RC, courtesy of Cycle Therapy. I also have Enve Composites on it which make it the lightest MTB I've ever touched by far even though it is a full suspension. It has motivated me to do an 8 hour off road event, which I should tackle around October. Pic below.

I will try to keep this updated more often. The past few months have been absolutely crazy, but things are falling in place again and I can tend to my duties better.

Be good,

Felipe

Long Overdue Update

2011-02-05T11:32:00.000-06:00

Okay, I will admit that it has been far too long since I last updated my blog. At some point, too much happened and I kept postponing the update. Well, the time has come.

I spend a couple of weeks in Queensland, Australia during the month of December. It was an outstanding trip altogether. Getting used to the lack of ocean swimming took a little while (saltwater crocodiles, sharks and deadly marine stingers kept everyone out of the areas not fenced in), as did getting used to the heat and humidity. It’s usually not a problem when I slowly get acclimated, but jumping from near freezing temps in the States to close to 100F everyday in Cairns took the better part of a week.

The visits to the Tablelands (the gateway to the outback), the Great Barrier Reef, the downtown Cairns Esplanade and the other local attractions were all incredible. I could easily get used to spending winter break Down Under yearly – the only issue is the super long flight.

When I returned I spent 5 days in Tampa before heading back to Alabama. I just wasn't ready to brave the wintry weather yet, and the weather, as well as the company in Tampa were too good to pass up.

Since being back, I have been trying to not spread myself too thin between working at a couple of law firms, taking the last few credits before I add J.D. after my name, and professional sports training. I have been doing most of it at night after work, and adapting to this schedule has been tough to say the least. The much-colder-than-usual winter

I have posted an album with Australia images on my facebook, if you have an interest in seeing them. I also did the majority of the updating on twitter if you wanna see a play by play of the trip.

I am currently working on a race schedule, and will share it once it becomes available. I promise it will not be as long until I update next time.

Felipe

Navigator Triathlon

2010-10-19T18:41:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I once again visited the lovely town of Rome, GA. Last time I was in town was back in March, and another visit was overdue. Once again Trey Smith of Cycle Therapy organized my entire visit and could not have been happier. As per my request I stayed at the Hawthorn, a local hotel that is built on an old warehouse.

I have spent probably 2 years of my life in hotels, and the Hawthorn is my favorite. I can't really pinpoint one quality that does it for me, but I just feel at home and relaxes there. I always sleep well, I love the quaint atmosphere.

Now, back to the reason I was there: the Navigator Triathlon. This year on a new course at the Darlington Upper School, and featuring an afternoon time trial start, I knew that I would have to push it from the gun. I am no fan of time trial starts as I like my competition close, but I managed to start off well and push the pace on the bike. That gave me a sizable lead o the run, and I was able to keep it under control for the 5k mixed course and win the 44th race of my career.

For an October event the weather was extremely warm, and I was fortunate to play my lead on the run and not finish too dehydrated. Many of the other athletes were not as fortunate and finished under much warmer temps later in the day.

The race organizers did a phenomenal job putting everything together and I will certainly be back next year.

Florida Campaign Recap

2010-08-23T22:12:00.000-05:00

I ended up spending 6 weeks in FL rather than the 7 I originally had planned. I wanted to come home early, spend some time with my fiancée, and catch some rest before heading to my last 8 months in law school. Time flies!

I ended up undefeated while in Florida, which was absolutely amazing to me. I really seemed to have found my bike legs once again. it's nice to be able to ride at 26-27 mph once again. it had been a couple of years since I'd been able to do that. And in fairness, a large part of that comes from the super fast Scott Plasma 2 I am riding this season, courtesy of Cycle Therapy. I've got some Profile-Design bars on it, and custom Edge Composites wheels, and a Quarq powermeter. It is a sick fast machine, and the help I got in January from Todd Kenyon at TTBikeFit and Coach Al made all the difference!

I first won the Crystal River Triathlon. The last time I had won this event was the year before I left FL and moved to Alabama, so it was a great feeling. Kevin Grogan and I swam and rode together, but I pushed hard on the run to win by almost 90 seconds.

The following day I raced the Gainesville Melon Run 5k, an incredibly competitive event held yearly on the 4th of July. This year the course changed and was slightly slower than in previous years, but it made me go right by my fiancé's parent's house, where I was so graciously hosted- a I always am. I am happy that come December they'll officially be my parents in law. I ended up 6th, running in the mid 16's for a hilly, somewhat off road course.

The following week we traveled down to Inverness for their 5k Cross Country event. I pushed harder on this day, once again facing the pure runners, and ended up with a 5th place. I was pretty pleased to make the podium and see how my form was already coming along nicely.

Next was the Jacksonville Triathlon. I really wanted to break the course record, but the strong trade winds on the bike, as well as the oppressive heat and humidity on the run course got me 40 seconds short of my goal. Fortunately, I'd have a crack at it once more in a few weeks.

With 2 wins under my belt, I knew my form was coming along. So I raced the Twilight Triathlon going all out from the gun. The effort would yield me a bike course record, averaging close to 26 mph, and a 3rd victory in a row, making me plenty nervous to end my campaign in Florida undefeated.

On my last day down there, I won the Amelia Island Triathlon, breaking the course record and setting a new bike course record. I arrived in T2 over a minute ahead of everyone else, so my work was mostly done by the time I hit the 5k run course.

Back in Alabama, I've been struggling to really absorb it all. My body seems to be destroyed from what I put it through. As a result, I am not making any crazy commitments for the time being. I do plan t be back down there for the AmeliaMan Half in October as well as MiamiMan in November. I just love racing in Florida!

Xp Multisport put out a newsletter, and you can see it here: http://drcsports.com/XPMultisport.pdf

Back to Back

2010-07-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

I am pretty excited to have won 3 triathlons in a row here in Florida. The training seems to be falling into pace despite the long days in the office during the week.

This weekend I won, for the 2nd time, the Nature Coast Twilight Triathlon. The last time I raced this even was in 2006, and prior to the event I had serious doubts as to my ability to repeat the win - 4 years is a lot of time.

Knowing I'd have serious threats from the local sprint specialists, I decided to attack the course from the gun and solo at the front. My strategy worked well as I exited the swim with a small lead, but long enough that I had a 5 second gap at the beginning of the bike. I used it to my advantage, putting my head down and riding 29-30 mph for the first 4 miles in order to build a comfortable margin.

The strategy worked. At the bike turnaround I had a 40 second gap to 2nd and 3rd place (working together to catch me). I increased that lead to nearly a minute at the end of the bike ride, and ran alone to finish with a 50-second margin at the finish line, beating my time from 4 years ago by 30 seconds, and beating the winner from the past 3 years in the process. I also broke the existing bike course record averaging near 26 mph.

I will race next at the Amelia Island Triathlon on August 7, my last weekend in Florida before heading back to Alabama to resume my last year in law school. I certainly hope to win again and leave Florida undefeated. So far I have won the Crystal River Triathlon, the Jacksonville Triathlon and the Twilight Triathlon. I also finished in the Melon Run 5k and 5th in the Inverness Cross Country 5k. It's been a very rewarding summer so far!

FL 7 week-trip - Update 1

2010-07-09T08:10:00.001-05:00

The first 2 of 7 weeks I'll be spending in FL have gone by quite fast. Last weekend I raced the Crystal River Triathlon on saturday and on Sunday I raced the Melon Run 5k, a very competitive local run race.

I am very pleased to say I won the Crystal River Triathlon. I had not been to that event since I moved away from FL in mid-2007 and was thrilled to be back. I had plenty of competition to keep me honest and was unsure about my chances to pull off a win until well into the run. I just love how competitive these FL races are!

Still sore from the race I ran a local 5k the next morning, finishing 6th. I ran with the lead group for the better part of the first mile, but they were simply going too fast for my tired legs. I got dropped on the first hill (winner averaged 4:545/mile) so I had to settle for running alone between the 1st and 2nd groups. I blew up a bit at the end, and ended up running a 16:49. Given how tired I was from the previous day, I can't say I was too unhappy with it.

Tomorrow, I'll race another 5k, and next week, I'll be racing again. Just not sure where. There are so many races in FL in the summer!

Disappointing Day

2010-06-06T14:40:00.000-05:00

I have been somewhat injured since December of last year. That's no news. But the injury has really not prevented me from performing (most) of the required training I had in mind this season, aside form some of the faster speed sessions.

Usually, my body recovers well by itself whenever I have an injury. Rarely do I need to resort to drastic measures such as anti-inflammatory meds, and I erroneously thought this injury to be one of those.

But when it forced me to pull out of the Rock N'Roll Half yesterday near the mile 3 mark of the run, while in striking distance of the podium, I realized it had gone on long enough. I am now trying to find an ART specialist that I can work with in order to solve the problem. After the end of my race I had one of the therapists work on it and it feels much, much better. I was already able to do intervals this morning so, needless to say, I will be making use of the ART technique to hopefully get rid of the injury to my left semitendinous muscle once and for all.

I'm off to Florida in 3 weeks, and will be spending 7 consecutive weeks there - working at a law firm and training. I am hopeful that by the end of that period I'll be healed.

Talladega 21000

2010-04-11T22:13:00.001-05:00

This season I have been using running races to reach better form in the early season. This plan culminated today with the unique Talladega 2100 Half Marathon benefitting prostate cancer education and research. I finished fourth overall, first in the 25-29 age group. The 13.1 mile course started and finished on the famous Talladega Superspeedway and was followed by a post-race party in the pit garage.

Though I really wanted to place top three, as a result of reduced mileage and intensity while nursing an injuryan injury, my wheels completely came off at mile 9. In the end, I was still very pleased to finish fourth in a true running race.”

The venue itself was unreal. The starting line was at the base of turn four of the legendary Nascar track and the finish line was in front of the main grand stands. I couldn’t get over the sheer size of the place!

Next up will be first triathlon of the season at the Peachtree International Triathlon in Peachtree City, GA, on May 15.

Spring Update

2010-03-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

This past week I was in Gainesville, FL for a training camp, and on March 21, I was set to race the Gator Half Ironman in Sarasota, FL. I once again stayed at the Black household fr the entire week, and could not have possibly felt more at home. They are so sweet to me.

On March 12, on the way down to the Sunshine State, I stopped at Cycle Therapy in Rome, GA for a clinic. On Saturday morning we did a group ride and a run, where I showed everyone some drills to work on. it was a great experience and we will likely have another one in the summer, probably over the whole weekend. Updates will be up shortly.

Unfortunately, upon arriving in Florida, my left ankle flared up big time. It hurt swimming, riding AND running. So much so that riding home one day I had to unclip the left leg and only use the right leg. It was bad. After a course of anti-inflammatory medicine (oral and topic) , it seems as though it is mostly gone. Not totally yet, but I can once again do hard sessions pain-free. As a result, I was forced to miss what I had hoped to be my season opener.

As of right now, it looks like my first multisport even of the season will be the Making Tracks Duathlon in Anniston, AL on Apr 3. I am usually not keen on Duathlons ( they hurt a lot!), but I'm looking forward to it.

On different news, my custom cycling kit is ready. It is, as everything else this season, Brazilian inspired. Pyro Apparel did an outstanding job, had an incredibly quick turn around, and I was able to wear it when training in Florida.

I will update again in a couple of weeks.

Ciao,

Felipe

Running Races

2010-02-20T22:44:00.000-06:00

The running form is finally coming around, it seems. This morning I raced a local 5K and was pleased to average 3:25/km ( just under 5:30/mile). It is still above what my goal for the event was, but it is better early-season form than I have had in years past. Winning was just icing on the cake.

The course was not nearly as flat as I had previously thought but it went by my local running grounds so it was fun to race through areas where I usually only use in training.

I will be racing another one in a week, so I am hopeful for a faster time, and hopefully meet my goal of 3:20/k pace.

I will also be doing a photo shoot tomorrow, and will post a link to photos as they become available.

Ciao,

Felipe

Weekend in Rhode island with TTBikeFit

2010-01-27T14:52:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I traveled to Rhode Island to have my bike fit and my run form and biomechanics looked at by 2 of the best in the sport: Todd Kenyon ( TTBikeFit.com) and Coach Al (Coach-Al.com).

The weather was actually pretty nice, especially considering it is the middle of winter in New England. Todd & the TT Bike Fit crew have an amazing set up that I highly recommend visiting, and not only if you live near Providence. I went up there from Alabama just to work with them, which should explain just how much I trust their evaluations. If you cannot travel up there though, they do video analysis as well.

My bike position was actually not too bad ( Todd had already worked with me on it via video), but my running immensely benefited from the visit. I left with a great deal of excitement about the next few weeks' working on my run form. it was also very nice to have confirmation that the bike position was powerful and comfortable.

Before the fit on Saturday I got to do a 2 hour group indoor ride and it was a blast. We did some virtual riding in the back roads of Lake Placid, NY ( not on the Ironman course), and also some rollers across the Canadian border. It was absolutely awesome. Group indoor riding makes time fly by!

On the way back Delta/United/Northwest/KLM/Pinnacle Airlines managed to temporarily lose my Scott Plasma, but it has since been recovered. If you follow me on Twitter (@felipebastos1) you may have seen a post of 1,296 about it. If so, rest easy, it is now safely in my possession.

I was already excited about 2010, working with such knowledgeable guys only makes me even more eager to begin racing!

Ciao,

Felipe

More Scott Plasma

2010-01-16T01:11:00.000-06:00

I know, I know....it's all I have been posting about lately. I can't help myself. Besides, I have't posted an image of the new ride with the race wheelset yet. I will alternate between the rear disc and the rear 68mm, but always running the 68mm up front. Edge Composites laced them with a low spoke count to DT Swiss 190 Ceramic hubs, so I am confident it will be a speedy combination on the asphalt. I apologize for the low quality photo, but my iPhone's camera is not a Nikon (yet).

A week from now I will be in Providence, RI, getting a bike position fit, as well as my running gait and motion videotaped and improved by Todd Kenyon of TTBikeFit.com. I am pretty excited about it and I am sure it will be a tremendous help in making 2010 the kind of season I want it to be.

My race plans are nearly finalized, also, with a few exceptions. I know for certain I will return to the Coliseum Rock N' Roll Half Ironman for the 5th or 6th year in a row. I also decided that I will be using running races as a pre-season race regimen and am hopeful it will be the difference I want it to make.

Soon I will be revealing my 2010 partners and sponsors. Some old names, some new ones, but I am excited about all of them. The new season is shaping up to be a great one and I am looking forward to giving it my best once again.

I will hopefully have some video to add shortly as well.

Finally Ready

2010-01-09T01:21:00.000-06:00

Well, it took 2 days, help from a pro mechanic and a good friend to get the Scott Plasma fully built, but it is done. It is shown below with an Edge composites clincher training wheel set.

I will post soon images of it with the racing wheel set, also by Edge Composites.I will probably post a video shortly as well.

It's now 2 am EST, my Subaru Outback is packed ( to the brim!) to make the 7-hour drive back to Alabama.

Law classes start early Monday morning, but fortunately, the following Monday is MLK day so I get a nice break to absorb the initial shock from reality.

Scott Plasma Limited Update

2010-01-02T20:41:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago I received a photo of the completed Scott Plasma. Toby at Hot Tubes did such an amazing job I wanted to post it here, although I still plan on posting a photo of the finished product. Needless to say, I can barely wait to receive it here on Thursday and begin putting it together. I have hopes to have it finished by Friday and ride it then.

Florida

2009-12-13T21:27:00.002-06:00

I arrived in Florida yesterday. When I left my home in Alabama, it was 28F and sleeting. Today I rode in 80F weather. It is quite amazing to be able to do my pre-season here.

I rode close to 4 hours today, and it was an eye-opened of how much fitness I have lost this off season. I have a lot of work to do.

What I will ride in 2010

2009-11-27T16:19:00.004-06:00

Through a partnership with Rome, Ga.'s Cycle Therapy, Shirley, Mass.'s Hot Tubes and Sun Valley, Id.'s SCOTT USA, I am proud to announce I will be atop one of the fastest bikes in the world for 2010 - a SCOTT Plasma 2 Limited. I will also be riding SCOTT footwear.

For most, that would be enough. But the bike will be custom painted in a design based upon the Brazilian flag, and will have customized matching brakes from TRP Brakes, custom decals on Edge 1-68 wheels, and I will also sport matching kits from Kiwami and eyewear from Rudy Project. Below is an image of the winning design.

Thursday

2009-10-25T15:39:00.002-05:00

This past Thursday I had the standard mile repeats. After averaging a solid 5:21 for the first few, I definitely mis-paced the last one, ending in 5:01. Now, that alone would have been enough to fry my body, I thought.

That evening, I decided to run a half marathon on the treadmill. 13.1 miles and go nowhere. I started easy and kept increasing the pace as the miles clocked in, and ended the last one with a solid 5:20. My treadmill goes to 12mph ( 5 min/mile), so it made for some fun sprints in the middle of the entire run.

Unfortunately, the 20 miles for the day really overcooked my body, and now I have a bit of a cold. Hoping that by tomorrow my body will be ready to rock and roll once again.

South Carolina Half IM

2009-09-30T23:37:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow morning I head out from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Ninety Six, South Carolina, for what *might* be my last race of the season. I say might bcause I may just attempt to have my fitness carry over into November, and try to win MiamiMan one more time. What's 4 more weeks trying to stay in race shape, right?

Well, my body is tired. Juggling law school with professional sports is no easy task. I have tried to do both to the best of my abilities, but I need to knwo when to listen to my tiring body. I am still undecided, however, and won't make a final decision until probably 3-4 days after I return from the beautiful state of South Carolina.

I'm excited to be potentially ending the season with such an amazing event. I know the guys at Set-Up Events well and they always do an amazing job putting on world class events.

I will write more after the race.

Pumpkinman Half Ironman - Maine

2009-09-14T16:37:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I flew to Maine for the state’s only Half Ironman distance triathlon. I had never been to either Maine or New Hampshire (where we stayed), and was impressed with the area’s natural beauty. Despite all of the rain we had from the moment we arrived, race day turned out to be beautiful, sunny and breezy.

I barely slept the night before. The race drew the very best of New England’s athletes and my body decided the night before the race would be a good time to freak out about facing those guys. I did not fall asleep until 3:15 am, and with a 4:20 wake up alarm, that kid not make for very restful shut-eye.

The early morning fog made for humid conditions early on, and I felt just like home. The temperature was in the high 60F’s so I knew that would be a non-issue. I had brought gloves and arm warmers just in case, but was very pleased not to have to wear them.

The swim was a 2-loop affair, and I swam reasonably well, coming out of the water about 40 seconds down from eventual race winner, and former Ironman Lake Placid winner Tony Delogne. A large pack followed another 40 or so seconds down.

I rode the 2 loop bike course well within myself. I wanted to ensure I’d be fresh for the half marathon, but in hindsight I should have been somewhat more focus on maintaining power output on the downhill section of the rollers. I rode a 2:20, just short of 24 mph average.

Onto the run I was in 5^th, and decided not to take any chances early on and run a conservative race. I was clocking 6:15 min/miles early on , and not concerned about losing time to those behind me – and I knew I was not gaining on the ones ahead either.

I received a split early on and local athlete Jesse Kropelnicki was about 2 minutes down. At the next turn around I noticed he was slowly, but steadily, eating into my advantage. Rather than change my strategy, I decided to let the cushion continue to diminish in case we got into a long side-by-side duel to the line, and I’d be more rested that way.

At mile 10, the gap was down to just over a minute. I hit a bad patch and at mile 12, I was only 18 seconds ahead. By then I was able to start pushing the pace, and with a long uphill before the downhill finish, I was able to turn on the afterburners and guarantee a 5^th place and podium spot among the Elites, avoiding an all out sprint for the line. Jesse definitely had me running scared for a good portion of the run!

Huge thanks go out to Kat Donatello, the race director, who put on an outstanding event, to Matthew McCabe and his girlfriend Marlene, who played the role of homestay hosts extraordinaire for the entire weekend, and to Leland for being so crafty in maneuvering the race course to snap shots that would rival Tim Moxey and Graham Watson’s.

A little Swine Flu Update

2009-08-26T14:48:00.007-05:00

Upon returning from what was a successful training camp in beautiful Gainesville, FL, in which I managed to ride 5 hours for three consecutive days and invoke the wrath of my crotch, I found myself with a slightly compromised immunological system. Aside from the heavy training load, I also lost a little weight and with it, the ability to ward off viruses and other nasty bugs that thrive on weak defense systems. Many thanks go to the Black family for being wonderful hosts ( yet once again) during my stay there. My trips to FL would simply not be the same if not for them.

On Monday, I felt slightly off. On Tuesday, fever had set in and I was unable to move much. Leland picked me up from school ( I was already unable to drive) and took me home. My body temperature was 102F for a while, and I was diagnosed with swine flu.

I usually don’t get sick. When I do, I fight it off rather quickly, or at least, quicker than most. Not this time. Today, over a week after showing the symptoms, was the first day I am even sort of back to a normal routine. It was a nasty bug.

While I am upset to have lost these past 8 days of training which I really needed to do well at PumpkinMan, I am only left with the option of doing what I can, with what I have. I am not changing any plans regarding the event and plan on fighting as hard as I absolutely can come race day.

After that, I will most likely be racing the Chesapeake Man Ironman distance event on Sept. 26. Once again, another event I would have appreciated the extra 8 days of training, but another event I will fight as hard as I can, with what I have.

Onward.

Heart O' Dixie Triathlon

2009-08-03T17:38:00.002-05:00

Despite a 31 mph ( ~ 50kph) crash at mile 23, I was able to win the 30th edition of this great Southern Classic.

I had a good swim, exiting the water first. I led for a few miles and then got caught and paced 20 meters back until a crack in the asphalt brought me down. I must know how to fall, because I have very little road rash to speak of. Even my awesome Kiwami Kameleon suit is not torn! I was bleeding a little on the run, but was able to hold 5:38's on the 7 mile run to win by 26 seconds.

Here is an article: http://www.meridianstar.com/sports/local_story_206234215.html?keyword=secondarystory

It is very exciting to add my name to the winner's list of such a classic event. Next on the schedule is PumpkinMan in Maine in Mid september. Prior to that I will have a 2 week training camp in Florida, where I have been for the past couple of days.

I am at my fiancee's parent's lovely home. It is absolutely awesome being here, and I could not ask for better future parent's in law.

Will post an update from the camp in a couple of days.

Peavine Falls 4th of July Run

2009-07-05T10:27:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I decided to mix it up with the road runners at the Peavine Falls 8.2 mile Run. The race has a rolling first mile, then a 2.5 mile climb to the top of Peavine Falls, a 2.5 mile downhill run, and a 1.2 mile single track to the finish line.

I had a good start with a group of about 15 other runners. At the 1/2 mile mark I realized the pace was a bit too quick ( 2:37 at 1/2 mile) so I slowed it down, as the pack ahead started to get strung out. My decision proved smart as slowly the group started to thin out. Although I was passed by a couple of runners in the next mile, the looooong uphill to Peavine gave me plenty of opportunity to get them back, plus some others.

I was running strong up the climbs and pushing the downhills, so right after the turn around I was in 11th place, with 10th within 16 seconds. I tried and tried to get him back, but we seemed to be running nearly the same speed. In the last mile, after a long surge, I was able to get within 3 seconds of 10th, but as soon as he saw me, he turned on his jets and sprinted out of sight. I crossed the line in 11th, in 49:54, averaging 6:05 min/mile, in one of the toughest run courses around, and surely the toughest one I've ever done. This same time would have put me in 3rd place last year. It was a very competitive field.

I will definitely be back next year to try to break the top 10 and the 6 min/mile barrier.

Leland's dad was there as well, and ran a super strong 1:05, averaging under 8 minute miles. he has been on a awesome running grove lately and it showed in the race. Leland and her mom and sister were there also, but had a slow start and missed my finish, arriving just in time to see David's strong finish.

Afterwards, we went for a short swim, and I rode my bike home. When we got home, we grilled out. It was a great wa\y to celebrate America's birthday, as well as our independence and freedom.

Alabama State Games - 2x Gold Medalist

2009-06-21T12:55:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I celebrated my 34th overall career win ( second this season) in successfully defending my title at the Alabama State Games. It was a brutally hot day with index temperatures reaching over 102ºF but much better to race in an oven-of-a-day like today than in monsoon like conditions when I raced the Buster Britton Triathlon (finishing 7th) last week. After such a disappointing result, it was nice to redeem myself and be on top once again.

After exiting the water in 4th place a few seconds behind the lead group of 3, I had a fast first transition and by the half mile mark on the bike I had the lead. I am fairly familiar with the 21k rolling bike course, and played it to my advantage to start the bike with a 2 1/2 minute advantage.

Onto the run I started off fast but quickly realized the heat would take the best out of my legs on the day. I was able to play around with my lead, and even slightly increase it as everyone else also succumbed to the scorching heat. I am now a 2x State Games Gold Medalist!!!

Next on my calendar will be a 7 week long "training camp" at my own home, focusing on the upcoming 1/2 Ironman events I am currently scheduling for the summer. I am still unsure which exact races I will attend, but should have decisions soon.

Twitting...

2009-04-25T13:24:00.003-05:00

I decided to finally give in to the wave of the future and get a twitter account. Now you can follow my racing, training, career, injuries, ups and downs on my website, blow, and Twitter! Wow, it may just be a little too much Felipe Bastos for one to handle.
:-)

www.twitter.com/felipebastos1

Some news:

I just got a pair of Profile Design's CX3 yesterday for the race bike. Will install it this week. This will get me lower and int a tighter cockpit - hopefully resulting in faster times.

Also got a shipment of Brooks running shoes, bags, hats, etc... Very nice stuff, and my feet are thankful. I even got a pair of XC running flats for the off road events I plan on doing this year ( first one done, and a surprising win).

The Beast of the East Half is only a few weeks away. I feel underprepared, but I felt the same way before the Brookside Off Road Duathlon and somehow pulled off a win. Will keep my fingers crossed for the same.

I am 2 1/2 weeks away from being done with my 1L year at Alabama Law. Word is that is really levels out from here. I can't wait. This semester has killed me. So kuch so that I have already schedukd 2 training camps for this summer. One in Alabama, the other in Florida. Can you handle the heat? :-)

Kiwami race kits should be here within the week. Can't wait. Their stuff is out of this world. Check them out at www.kiwami.fr.

'Til next time,

Felipe

First Race, First Win

2009-04-06T12:56:00.005-05:00

This weekend I was finally able to remove all of the cobwebs from my racing legs for the season.

It was a day of many firsts for me: first overall, first ever off-road race, first race of the season, and first win in a Duathlon. The race consisted of a 5k trail run, a 9.6 mile MTB ride through muddy trails, followed by another 5k run. I went back and forth between 1st and 3rd place through the entire race, but through the adversity of my competitors ( one crashed out, and another went off course), I was able to clench my first win of the season, as well as my first win in an off-road event and a Duathlon.

The Brookside Off-Road Duathlon was my first ever race in a mountain bike, and at times it showed through my lack of skills clearing obstacles, riding through creeks, or waist deep puddles. I was able to overcome that with pure power of the road or the packed dirt sections.I started the 2nd run a full minute off the lead, but was able to run a first of 2 laps in 7:45, and begin the last lap with a 5 sec lead, which eventually grew to a 35 second winning margin, crossing in 1:23:50.

I will be racing a local Aquathlon in 2 weeks, and then the Scenic City Triathlon on April 26.

Race Fitness

2009-03-25T19:46:00.002-05:00

My body usually takes a while to reach 'race fitness' each season. I usually end up doing events in early March that turn out being reality checks for me.

This season has been particularly bad in regards to reaching race fitness. It is important to distinguish fit from race fit - and know I am fit, for many recent individual sessions tell me so.

However, putting it all together from a number of sessions into one successful event is more difficult. As an example: recently, I did a workout that consisted of a bike warm up, a steady aerobic session, then 15 x 1k running, on the road. I use a 1k, not flat, stretch of road inside my neighborhood. do a km out, then a km back. It starts right from my house, goes downhill a little, turns right, slight uphill, turn right, uphill slightly, then downhill slightly, left turn, then flat the remainder of the 500m. the average rest was 30 seconds, and each k was just under 3:30 average. Nothing earth shattering, but an ok pace for a half ironman.

The first race of the season should happen shortly though, so I can see where the fitness currently stands putting all 3 sports together.

Spring is here

2009-03-22T12:16:00.002-05:00

The past few days have been nothing short of gorgeous. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, the sun is shining. But every year around the same time I get taken over by the pollen in the air. I am terribly allergic and suffer with the amount of these particles in the air. I am sneezy, my eyes and nose itch, and I feel a bit lethargic.

But I will take the warm weathr over the cold anytime, so I am very much looking forward to training in the heat - I do far better in warmer races, even hot ones, than the ones where the temps dip below 50F. I guess being Brazilian my body is just more used to hot, humid, more tropical conditions.

Long time no update!

2009-03-08T19:40:00.002-05:00

I know it has been quite some time since I last updated. I am usually good about posting, but life has been so hectic that I've been stretched thin since the beggining of the year amd the end of my first training camp of the year.

Everything is going quite well. I am only a few short weeks from being done with my 1L year at Alabama Law. I antecipate the next 2 years being far less difficult and time consuming, which means I will once again be able to devote a reasonable amount of hours of my week to training.

Because of this change, I have adapted my training to take less time. As such, I had to up the intensity quite a bit, and it has been rough to recover from many of the sessions. As an example, on Thurday I went out for a 8 x 3 min hard/2min spin, followed immediately by ( running) 2 min hard/ 30 sec. walk. Afterwards, I rode home. I just did the repeats on a flat, out and back section of road 10 miles from my apartment in Tuscaloosa ( where I spend my week days), and did the run intervals on the dirt roads nearby. It really reminded me of my long gone ITU days - I just put my running flats on my Hydrotail and off I was. This is definitely a session I will be doing weekly.

This Saturday ( Mar 14) I will race my first event of the season - the Camp Partlow Duathlon. I have only done a few Duathlons in my life - they hurt a lot! - and am quietly looking forward to pushing myself over a run/bike/run event once again.

I will update soon about it. Don't want this first post back to get too long!

FB

Not exactly 'better'

2009-01-25T13:09:00.003-06:00

Although I have gotten better from whatever Super-virus that got ahold of my cells, I am still not healthy. The cough is still very much with me, as well as other symptoms I will not list here - for your benefit.

I have only managed a few days of okay training in the past 2 weeks trying to fight the little bug off, but he is still resisiting.

I am hopeful that upon resuming normal training with today's 'long' run I will cook it inside me. :-)

I will keep you posted.

Sick, now better

2009-01-21T14:09:00.003-06:00

After returning from a great, 3-week long Training camp in Florida, I got a cold. I did not get sick even once in 2008, so I sort of knew my streak was running out. It must have been a super strain, because I was out of commission for 5 days, when it usually takes me 48 to 72 hours to be back in gear.

I am now slowly getting back to the rhythm of things, and had a good, short swim session this morning. The weather in Tuscaloosa has been much colder than usual, so I have been riding indoors far more often.

I have a Kurt Kinetic Rock N' Roll Trainer and really enjoy it. It has a very road like feel, and makes time riding indoors almost bearable. I am actually thinking fo doing most of my early year riding indoors, which is something I have not done in the past. Hopefully it will work.

Only a few days left in Florida

2009-01-07T21:40:00.002-06:00

Week 2 of the training camp is in the books. This past Sunday was the last day of the big push. I rode 121 miles ( crossing the FL-GA border) and then had a 5 mile run afterwards. All in all, just shy of a 7 hour training day. While most people were enjoying the weekend, for me it was just another working day.

Being down here makes it far easier to get the mileage done. The weather is gorgeous, the roads are smooth and the shoulders wide. Also, since I am not at home it forces me to focus on the reasons I came down: to train, get fitter, faster, and lay down the foundation for a successful season ahead.

The camp ends this weekend, coinciding nicely with the Gainesville International Triathlon.

I am far from race shape, so it should be an interesting way to jump start my body. I will then make the drive back to Birmingham, and pack to Tuscaloosa, where I have to be for 9 am Constitutional law classes beggining Monday, Jan 12th.

The miles aren't going to do themselves

2008-12-29T21:22:00.002-06:00

I have been logging pretty consistent hours the past week or so. Yesterday I rode 170k, almost to the Georgia State line ( from Gainesville). I really wanted to cross the state line. but knew it I'd be getting back too late after nightfall if I had kept ongoing. turns out I turned around 6 miles from the border. Bummer. I will likely make another attempt this week.

While I would like to brag about doing it all alone, with zero drafting, I must admit that I appreciated the old lady who was going 30mph for over a mile after making a right turn. Made for a nice break from the steady winds that accompanied me all day.

Last week saw a total of 620k of saddle time. This week's should be a little lower, with a tad more speed work. A great way to end 2008 and welcome the new year, if you ask me.

Ichetucknee Open Water Swim

2008-12-26T17:27:00.003-06:00

North Central Florida is known for some amazing springs. One of them is the Ichetucknee Springs. The water is always 72F. I had a terrific swim there this afternoon after a great 2-hour ride. I am feeling pretty beat up from the training load, but once I get going I actually feel better.

Gainesville, FL is a terrific choice for a winter training camp. There are thousands of possible routes, and the large majority with shoulders nearly half as wide as the road. The weather is perfect - the past few days have been 81F with a low of 58F. Hard to beat for 'winter'.

Below is a photo of what Ichetucknee looks like. The current is pretty strong, so you have to move at 1:25 or better/100m. in order to make any forward progress at all. In some areas, to make progress, the swimmer is required to swim 1:15/100m or faster, though only for a few short meters. To swim 800m up it takes about 21minutes. It takes less than 8 to swim down the same distance. I guess that's what Michael Phelps feels like when he is swimming!

Hours-wise this week will likely yield 26 hs. I am hoping next week will be near 30, and that my knees can handle the pressure after being on a treadmill for most of the past semester. Law School had me crunched for time so I did a lot of training indoors. This semester I have a far better schedule since the dean allowed me to choose my classes and times, so it will be far better, and much more conducive to triathlon training.

Training Camp well underway

2008-12-24T08:49:00.002-06:00

The training camp here in Florida is well underway. I have been here for 4 days and have had a couple of 5 and 6 hour days that have really been great. The weather is cooperating. The roads are great. All is going according to plan.

Aside from that, not a lot to report.

Merry Christmas!

Gastrocnemius strain

2008-12-19T00:37:00.004-06:00

Since ramping up training again in preparation for the '09 season, I have had a minor setback in the form of a gastrocnemius strain on my right calf.

Also known as 'tennis leg', this minor injury had prevented me from logging as many running miles as I should be, but since its initial flare up on Sunday, it has come a long way. I am now at 75%, and hoping it will be 100% by Sunday. On the 19th I begin the annual training camp in Florida, where I'll stay until Jan 11.

I will update more often when I am down there. I have been swamped these days trying to get organized for the 3-week long camp.

2009 Promotional Video

2008-11-30T00:33:00.002-06:00

The 2009 Promo video is finally ready. Editing certainly took a lot of hours, but it was worth it.

You can see it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiFmWuWUv4Q

For best viewing, click the " Watch it in High Quality" link immediately below the image.

Ciao,

FB

'Off' Season

2008-11-20T22:23:00.002-06:00

I am trying some new this year: no real down time. My schedule with Law School was a little crazy this semester, so I took the opportunity to try something different and new.

I usually took 2-3 weeks completely off during this time of the year, then slowly built back up. This time I will instead train through, Greg Welch style. I won't be doing a typical slow, base period. I will maintain interval work as part of my schedule, and am also trying something else new. Weights. I have been against them in the past, but after doing some research I found out it is a vital part of many top end guys ( namely Crowie), and if it worked for him ( hey, you cannot argue with an Ironman World Championship) it may work for myself as well.

So there you have it. if I am burned out by May, you will know why! :-) I am of course just kidding ( sort of), as i will make other adaptations so as to not be a January star: burning bright early on, but dull in the summer, when things really heat up so to speak.

I have also scheduled a training camp in sunny, beautiful, warm Florida for Dec. 19 - Jan 11, which will likely end with an Olympic Distance race, on the very last day of the trip.

2008

2008-10-14T20:49:00.003-05:00

2008 was a great year for me, both professionally and personally. My fiancée and I really settled into our new home in the suburbs of Birmingham, AL, and I got accepted into the University Of Alabama School Of Law, where I currently attend Law classes and hope to earn a J.D. by 2011 ( or 2012 f it gets in the way of training/racing), while maintaining a career as a professional triathlete.

My initial thoughts were that Law School would slow me down some, but I have found the opposite. It made me streamline my life, simplify things, and as a result, I ended up getting faster. I hope to be able to keep the trend through 2009.

Here is a quick recap of the year:

January:
Florida Training Camp
March:
Miami International Triathlon – DNF (flat tire on km 4)
Training Camp in El Paso, TX
April:
Dallas, TX Half Ironman – 5th
May:
Alabama State Champion
Tri-America New Orleans (Course Record) – 2nd
Rock 'N Roll Man – South East Long Course Championship – 2nd
June:
Buster Britton Triathlon – 2nd
Alabama State Games – Gold (new course record)
July:
Riverboat Triathlon – 1st (new course record)
August:
Lake Chaparral Olympic Triathlon (Canada) – 2nd
Callaway Gardens Triathlon – 1st
September:
Weiss Lake Triathlon – 1st (new course record)

Totals:

Wins: 4
Podiums (Top 5): 10
Pieces of luggage lost/delayed: 2
Miles traveled to and from events: 19,000+
Injuries: 0
Times sick: 0
Rides with former Tour de France winners: 1

Solid Day

2008-10-05T18:37:00.003-05:00

Although I should have spent at least some time catching up on my contracts class, I spent the day training with the 'Bama Triathletes.

After a solid mid day long run on Saturday ( gotta get acclimatized) that took me through the heart of Tuscaloosa on game day, I woke up today feeling ready to tackle the long day we had planned.

5 of us did about 40 minutes of open water swimming right down from the dam at the Black Warrior River. Then 3 of us then jumped on our bikes for 110k through the rolling hills of Tuscaloosa and Pickens County. Once off the bike, we did a transition run with some speed thrown in to keep ourselves honest.

All in all, a very solid Sunday.

Lake Weiss Triathlon Race Report

2008-10-01T00:53:00.008-05:00

I was excited to race this event again this year after winning it last year while preparing for Ironman Florida. I really wanted to use the event as a gauge of my 2008 fitness vs. 2007, and was pleased at the end when I stopped the clock at 1:10:20, over 90 seconds than the course record I set last year.

Thanks goes to Morgan Ramey who showed up and kept me honest all day. He started in the wave behind mine, and was in the virtual lead ( I was actually at the front, but he lead as he begun the race in a wave 2 minutes down from mine) for a good portion of the race.

He is quite a speedy rider and his bike split was nearly 2 minutes faster than mine on the rolling hills of Northern Alabama/Georgia. Luckily my swim and run were faster than his, and with a couple of miles at ~5:30 I was able to secure the win and set a new course record.

Overall, I had a great time. The RD's were so kind to put me up in a very nice cabin, right on the water. I wish I had stayed longer.

Riding with Floyd

2008-09-27T14:32:00.003-05:00

I had the chance to ride with Floyed Landis recently. Dude is really down to earth, very easy to talk to, and told a lot of very interesting stories about training and racing in the pro peloton.

In 2006, Floyd won the inaugural Tour of California, the Paris-Nice stage race, the Tour de Georgia.

The ride was social in nature, but he turned on the jets a couple of times just to let us experience the speed. It was quite outstanding. I was behind him on a small hill and really was within less than 10 seconds of a blow up when we crested and thankfully, he let up.

9/11

2008-09-11T08:43:00.001-05:00

I would like to ask we all take a moment this morning to acknowledge the fallen victims of the attack on our nation on 9-11-01.

We can never forget.

Groove

2008-09-10T15:31:00.002-05:00

After what has been one of the busiest summers of my life, I am finally settling into a nice groove again. Law School is still taking up considerable amounts of time and energy. However, I have come up with a training plan that still allows me to improve while putting in a high academic workload and learning the law.

Maintaining a career as a pro athlete and law student at the same time is tough, but I am enjoying the challenge. For me, it’s only fun if it is challenging!

I only have one class on Fridays, so I get to drive home and stay there until Monday morning. It’s a bit crazy having 2 homes and spending time equally each week at both, but it is the set up I found that will best allow me to maintain both edges of the knife as sharp as possible. It’s working thus far, so I plan on staying with it.

Callaway Gardens Triathlon

2008-09-01T11:17:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I my celebrated 31st overall career win at the nationally acclaimed Callaway Gardens Triathlon, America’s oldest ongoing continental triathlon. The event, held over Labor Day weekend, is older than I am - it has been going on since 1980! The Callaway Gardens Triathlon has been one of the “Top Ten Races” to do in the USA multiple times over the past 28 years, and I wanted to race it and pay my dues at one of the nation’s oldest triathlon.

Crossing the finish line in a time of 1:29:50, I led the race from start to finish, eventually stopping the race clock 28 seconds ahead of my nearest competitor. The race temperature never got above 82°F and a light breeze made the 30k bike course and 8k run course easier on myself and all of the other 290 athletes on the race course.

This has certainly been a great season – this is my 4th win and 7th Top 3 podium – and I still have a couple more races before I shut down the season, so I am going to try to get 10 podiums, which would be a first for me. With the help of some of my sponsors, I have changed my diet this year, and it really shows in the results. I always pushed the envelope and that often meant weakening my immune system, but I have not been sick this year at all, which is also a first for me.

My fiancee was there getting some video footage for the 2009 promo video, and it was nice to get footage of the finish line celebration to add to it.

Ciao,

Felipe

Lake Chaparral Triathlon - Calgary, Canada

2008-08-19T15:04:00.004-05:00

In what turned out to be more like a day in a Caribbean island than in The Great White North, I ended up 2nd at the Lake Chaparral Triathlon in Calgary, Canada this past Sunday.

I had a below par swim and bike. The 5-lap course turned out to be quite crowded and even a little bit dangerous, and my decision to play it safe made me lose at least 2 minutes in the downhills and turns, especially when behind more novice athletes. I wanted to make sure I was not going to meet asphalt, so I was extra careful when around others.

My run was great, though, and in a course that was actually 11km I ended up with one of the fastest splits.

The race went well, and although my swim and bike were sub par for me, I had a great run and was able to make up the lost ground on the previous 2 legs. It surprised me that Calgary can be so hot and windy, it felt more like a race in the tropics than in the land of frozen tundra. I was quite pleased that my body did so well in the 92F ( 33C) heat, and it really let me know my preparation is on track to finish the season as strongly as I started it.

I brought my Edge 1-68 tubulars and they turned out to be the perfect choice for the 5-lap course. it was windy and had a long, but not too steep climb, and my Edges definitely helped me finish at the pointy end of the race.

I am now preparing for the Callaway Gardens Triathlon ( where I spend 4 days earlier this summer training), and the the Weiss Lake Triathlon, which I won last year. I am hoping for both another win and to break my own course record.

Calgary is a very nice place

2008-08-16T20:49:00.004-05:00

I've been here in the heart of the new west since Friday evening. Luckily my bag made it here today after being lost. This was the first tkime my luggage was lost, so I was getting aprehensive, but now I am all set to race.

Alberta itself is gorgeous, and Calgary is such an active city. People exercising everywhere, riding, canoeing, running, you name it. Definitely a place I'd live if it was 50 degrees warmer in the winter!

Jeol from Niklas Group and his wife have a lovely home, very modern, and that is where I am staying. You can find out more about their business on http://www.niklasgroup.com/.

The race start is at 9 am local time. I will update from the airport if I can get a connection, or from home when I arrive ( 12 pm local time - Calgary is pretty far west!)

Calgary

2008-08-15T10:56:00.003-05:00

I am off to Calgary this weekend to race the Lake Chaparral Triathlon. Currently I am stuck in Chicago's O'Hare airport, but if all goes well I should make it to Calgary mid afternoon. I will update once I am actually there.

Felipe

Vellum

2008-07-26T10:39:00.004-05:00

My bike sponsor in 2008, Vellum, is based in Asia. They are quickly setting up distributorships worldwide, and have recently done so here in the USA. This means that their suberb bikes will now be available to everyone.

I have been aboard their TT/Tri bike, the Uno, since early in the year, and train on their Elemente road frame. The stiffness on the road frame is something I value a lot, and this frame delivers. So far aboard the Uno I have had 7 Top 5 finishes, 3 of those being victories with new course records. Needless to say, the Uno has a lot to do with my increased performance this season even though my training load has diminished somewhat due to the rigors of law school. Below, the Uno:

In any case, below is a link where you may get a frame directly from the new Vellum distributor in the USA ( based in California):

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZaa6zi

You can check out their website at: http://www.vellumcycles.com/.

There is also a video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZAYRpH2VA4

I highly recommend the brand!

Riverboat Triathlon

2008-07-22T16:36:00.008-05:00

This past weekend I raced the innaugural Riverboat Triathlon. Leland and I decided to drive up race morning and watch Batman on Friday evening. It was a lot of fun!

We got to the race, I got my packet and begun to warm up. I wasn't feeling especially frisky ( I did not taper and was quite sore, to be honest), so I took the swim a bit slower than usual. I had a small lead at the turnaround, and worked a bit harder on the way back to increase it a bit so I'd start the ride alone. I got out first and sprinted through transition as quickly as I could.

Onto the bike, I started out fast, but eventually settled into a more manageable pace, especially toward the end of the 20 mile ride as my sore legs begun to complain. I wanted to save something for the run, especially as the Alabama heat was starting to get to me. I had forgotten how quickly 95F and 90% humidity can slow someone down. :-)

My plan for the run was to start at a manageable pace, and build into a stronger rhythm. Coming from a short course background I always have a hard time doing this, but I was able to run about 25 seconds faster on the 2-mile stretch back toward the finish. I was pleased by that. It means that if I had to keep pushing a hard pace, I would be able to do so.

I crossed the line in 1:21 and change, and was glad to be done. After the race, held at the Alabama Belle, some of us went to the pool and hang out waiting for awards. It felt nice as the temps were soaring! I then held a quick Q&A, gave away some PowerBar nutrition Cds and got some good bbq chicken sandwiches, before driving back. In the end, I am glad to have been a part of the event - it was a really nice local race, and I definitely hope to be back next year!

Another race weekend ahead

2008-07-16T20:23:00.002-05:00

I know it's been nearly 3 weeks since I last wrote anything up here. I hzve been trying hard to manage life as a student of law and as a professional athlete. Needless to say, both activities are quite time consuming. When you mix both, it becomes a recipe for busy times and little desire/energy for much else. Hence the lack of updates.

This weekend I am off to the Riverboat Triathlon. It is a first year race in the heart of Dixie Country, and being a good Southern boy, I am very much looking forward to it - will do my best to write something here quickly after the race is over.

I am not tapering much for this race. To be honest, tonight's run had a 1 hour set at 1/2 marathon pace in rolling terrain. I am sure I will still be feeling my quads come race morning, but I have a few bigger races coming up, so as part of the preparation, I will be doing the riverboat triathlon on little to no taper.

Alabama State Games: Gold Medal!

2008-06-27T14:02:00.003-05:00

This is my first ever State Games title and I am thrilled! It's one I have wanted and chased for quite some time. Following last week's 14 second loss at the Buster Britton Triathlon ( in the pouring rain) this time the sun was high, and the temps as well. I took advantage of this and really put the hurt down.

I ended up cracking the hour barrier ( which had never been done at the Games before) and setting a new course record as well as the fastest time in all 3 disciplines. the run was 2 laps in the woods, totally XTerra like, and it really was an advantage as gteh trails were very similar to the conditions I train under at home - lots of ups and downs, roots, etc...

The race happened at a summer camp YMCA, so after the awards ceremony and some grilled burgers, we all went into the lake and played on the water trampolin, rock climbking icebern with slide as well as other amazing water toys. I am defintiely coming back next year!

I will now have a few weeks focusing on regaining fitness ( racing means a lot of tapering and less training than normal) to prepare for the Fall races.

Buster Britton Triathlon

2008-06-27T13:56:00.004-05:00

Under pouring rain conditions for the swim and bike, as well as a 30+ minute delay due to lightining, the Buster Britton Triathlon got underway. I had an ok swim, but knowing the bike course I made sure I took the twisty turns safely.

While I was behind Omar ( a local stud and former NCAA swimmer) early in the race, he took the turn (way) too fast and crashed badly right in front of me - the lead motorcycle almost hit him. It took me some time to go around the motorcycle, and then go around his bike, and them around him. After the race I realized that those 20-something seconds cost me the race.

Tennessee's Bruce Gennari ended up first. While I hate being second, it's ok that the guy in front of me was him. he is super strong, and an all around nice guy. When we stepped onto the podium together we just chatted for a few minutes while the awards were presented. That's how easy to get along with Bruce is.

With the Black Warrior Triathlon cancelled, and my summer scheduled completely messed up due to Law School starting in the summer for me, my race schedule is being re-arranged. I'll post more details after this weekend's State Games.

Rock&RollMan Southeast Long Course Championship

2008-05-31T21:27:00.006-05:00

Exactly six days after winning the TriAmerica New Orleans event, I found myself lining aup against the Deep South's very best at today's Rock&RollMan.

This is my 4th time at the event, and I really wanted to finish better than 3rd, which is what I have gotten in year's past. I was feeling "on" this morning, and after leading the swim, I started the bike strong to hold off Dan Moss, a friend and fellow pro who has won this race the past 3 years, all of them with a killer bike ride. I led the race to mile 11, when he passed me. I followed him for a couple of minutes and decided to repass him. He is clearly a stronger cyclist than I am, and my only goal in doing this was to break his spirit. He followed me for about a minute and then really passed me. Within 3 miles, he was 45 seconds up the road.

I ended the hilly and windy bike ride in 4th place, 2:35 down from 2nd and 3rd. I started the run on a mission and found myself in 3rd place by mile 5. Before mile 8, I was in 2nd.

From then onward, my main focus became to maintain my gap and to survive the remainder of the blazin' hot run, the remainder of the scalding hot 13.1 mile run. Right before the line I reached for my brazilian flag, but had too little energy to wave it, and only carried it over the line. I was in a deep hole. 2 IV's layter and I was functional again.

I ended up 4:50 down from first which is the closest I have ever been to the winner. I was only 54 seconds ahead of Chris Olson's 3rd place finish, a tight finsih. He had a terrific race this year and really made me fight hard for 2nd. I am looking forward t a little break this coming week, as my body is pretty nuked from the past week's efforts.

RESULTS:http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_results&id=938

Win in New Orleans!

2008-05-25T19:06:00.004-05:00

I am just back from New Orleans and am ecstatic I was able to hve such a great day. I exited the water with a sizeable lead and pushed the pace to entend my lead to nearly 28 min at the end of the day. The 2k/60k/15k distance really suits me, but the heat at the end took its tool on all the athletes I think.

I finished in 3:00:42, and while I tried to break 3 hours, at the end I was just glad to be done and cross the line in one piece.

Results can be found here: http://www.championchiptiming.com/images/files/static/238Male.htm

I will post the press release soon. Pretty tired right now. i just realized the hole I dug during the race was my own grave. I am nuked!

Snakes and open water swimming

2008-05-13T23:02:00.004-05:00

As part of preparing for the Tri-America New Orleans ( as well as Kansas Ironman 70.3), I swim in open water. I like being prepared, so ever since I started swimming at the Oak Mountain Double Oak Lake I have researched what animals may live there. After living in Florida for 7+ years - where any large bodies of wate rmay have alligators or sharks - it's a nice change to be in water where I may be the largest animal.

Well, so I thought. I found out a while back that water moccassin snakes ( also known as cottonmouths) live in the area. There is only one venomous water snake in North America, and the aforementioned snake is it. Unfortunately, it is also one of the very few aggressive reptiles that will stand its ground or even approach an intruder! Their bite is highly hemotoxic.

Today, right before getting in the water, I saw one. It was my first sighting of a snake in the water ( I have seen countless while trail running, including coral snakes and timber rattlesnakes, also highly poisonous.) This particular snake was about 3 ft. long, and it was right there in the usual spot I use to enter the lake. It was clear that we both knew of each other's presence, as she was staring right at me, and would move anytime I moved closer. Now I know that is not a very large snake, but I am sure it is large enough to do some damage, especially if I am to get bitten in the middle of the lake.

As I walked closer and closer ( fascinated and scared!) she decided she had had enough and left, hiding in the rock wall. I decided to make a lot of noise while entering the water ( using an alternate location) to warn other animals around of my presence and my size. I also made sure I stayed in the middle of the lake, where, contrary to my instincts, that's where I am least likely to encounter another one.

Even though I was wearing my Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit, making me feel a bit more protected against other snakes, it was still an adrenaline-packed 70+ minutes. Sometimes swimming can be scarier than riding on SUV infested roads!

Alabama State Championships

2008-05-05T22:19:00.005-05:00

I just got back from the Alabama Coastal "Triathlon", which served at the State Championships for the State of Alabama. After chasing the title of Alabama State Champion last year and losing it in the run, I decided I would go back this year for a shot at it.

Race morning came, and my alarm did not go off. I woke up 30 minutes late and got to the race site with only 30 minutes to get my gear ready and warm up. While getting set up, I heard the Race Director state the swim would be cancelled due to rough ocean waves and currents. personally, I believe that it being a State Championship, the race management should have let those in contention for the prize purse or state championship do the 1,000 yd. ocean swim. Instead, we were instructed to ready for a 1 mile run instead, thus effectively turning the race into a Duathlon ( 1 mile run/ 19.5 mile bike /4.5 miles run).

The swim is where I can separate myself from the majority of my competition, so I was upset, but only for a second. I knew there was nothing I could do but to begin preparing to the race start.

The first run started slow for me ( I am not a great runner unless I am running off the bike), so I was in 5th place. I had a very speedy T1 and got onto the bike in 2nd place, only seconds away from first. I had a worse than normal bike ride and lost a few too many positions, but got stronger near the end and picked off some of those who had passed me early on. With a 4.5 mile run to go, I was in 2nd for the State Champs. I was running sub 6min/miles early on, but decided to turn on the afterburners at miles 2 and 3 in order to take 4th overall, but first in the State Champ title by 20 seconds.

After the race I went out for a 2 mile jog and to cheer on those who were still tackling the course. I a now back home and will enjoy an easy evening before I begin preparing for the Tri-America New Orleans race. I really want to do well there, so I will be putting the hammer down starting tomorrow.

University of Alabama Law

2008-04-30T09:23:00.002-05:00

I'm in. Class of 2011.

Play Tri Half Ironman: Irving, TX - Race Report

2008-04-21T08:50:00.013-05:00

It had been quite a long while since I did a Half Ironman, so I was very much looking forward to this race. I felt like I had forgotten the intensity at which to race a Half IM, so I was very fearful of blowing up too early. The weather forecast was calling for 25 mph winds and 38F at the start. Awesome! Fortunately, though, the temp was in the low 50's, which was much more manageable. The winds, however, were beginning to howl.

I exited the water in 4th place after what felt like an easy swim, most of it done with a small group of 3 others. At the turnaround they put on a surge and I was dropped. I definitely need to work on my "snappiness" in the water. I exited 2 min down on the leaders, and 40 seconds on the group I swam with. Unusual for me to be so far behind, but I was more focused on doing my race than on being in the mix, so 4th was ok by me. I had gloves and a jacket by my bike, but skipped it all and just went out as quickly as possible. I was cold for the first 10 minutes, but warmed up pretty quickly.

I rode alone for about 30 minutes, when Justin Daerr passed me. I tried going with him, but within a couple of minutes I realized I was pushing 15% higher watts to keep up with him, so I backed off. He went on to have the day's best ride - he was on fire! I stayed in 5th place for the remainder of the bike, riding alone.

The winds REALLY picked up on the second loop of this truly urban race course. It was difficult at times to be on the aerobars.

On the run, I lost my gels when leaving transition ( flask fell and broke) so I had to count on the on-course nutrition - unfortunately, not all aid stations had gels, and my 38-someting minutes first lap was all in vain, as the pace crumbled for the second lap. With 4 miles to go I saw that was securely in 5th pace, and just jogged home to save myself for the week of training ahead.

I think the quick pace of the first lap was too much on my body as have been having a foot problem all week. I can barely walk on it, and am hoping it will go away quickly.

My many thanks go out to my super supportive sponsors, without whom I would not be able to race for a living. I'd also like to thanks RaceShots.net for the photos provided for this blog and for my website - they really know how to place themselves in the race course for some amazing shots. And also thanks to the Clines family who so graciously made me very very much at home for the short time I spent in the Dallas Metroplex.

It was a good start of the year for me, and I am looking forward to the next races: The Alabama Coastal Triathlon (May3) and the Tri-America New Orleans race (May 24).

Maine Natural Health

2008-04-16T13:20:00.003-05:00

Maine Natural Health specializes in products for healthy living. Making products for humans and pets, you can see at the forefront of their line of products two lines:

1) Whey Protein: In various flavors as well as various mixes, including a formula developed for Endurance athletes ( a whey protein supplement that contains high doses of ribose), one for weight control, and one for powersports.

2) Omega 3 Fish Oils: Also in various flavors (natural, lemon, mint, vanilla or tangerine), MNH make sthe highest quality and highest potency pharmaceutical grade natural oils in the market.

Ever since I begun working with them, I have increased my whey protein consumption slowly, and am up to 4-5 servings a day. My favorite recipe is a miz of almond and hazelnut milks with 1 scoop of the Post Workout formula and one scoop of the CaveMan Formula. In the morning, before a workout, I use the Pre Workout Formula.

Check them out for yourself: http://www.mainenaturalhealth.com/

Niklas Group

2008-04-16T13:17:00.004-05:00

Niklas Group is the newest one of my sponsors. The company, based in Calgary, Canada, specializes in building high quality homes that are modern, and yet, very comfortable.

Since 2000, Niklas Group has been active in the building and development of sleek, modern, urban oriented homes. Niklas Group strives to exceed client expectations by focusing on quality, style, location, and unique features in each and every one of our developments.

You can find out more at http://www.niklasgroup.com/

GHC (Global Healing Center)

2008-04-16T10:02:00.002-05:00

I begun working with Dr. Group mid 2007. Using his expert advice and a combination of products GHC makes ( including the famous Oxy-Powder), I have been healthier this season than ever before.

Dr. Group is incredibly knowledgeable about the human body and has helped me open my eyes to healthier ways of living that can make me a better athlete and a healthier person overall.

GHC has a vast line of products available, and I would highly recommend any of the products that are available on the website. I have tried a number of them, and there is nothing I dislike about any of them.

To find out more, please visit: http://www.ghchealth.com/

Yankz!

2008-04-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

The surest way to speed out of transition, Yankz! come in a vast array of colors. I have been a fan and a loyal user since 2001, both of my training shoes and my runners.

You can find out more about Yankz! here: www.yankz.com

AquaVee

2008-04-16T09:52:00.002-05:00

AquaVee is a product that allows athletes to swim in virtually any pool. In less than a minute, and using the plugs that attached to the border tiles of the pool, you can be ready to perform a swim workout in a pool where you ordinarily wouldn't be able to train in.

I like mine so much, sometimes I set it up even though I have a perfectly good 50m. pool at my disposal. I love the strength workout it allows you to get, as there is no forward movement, thus increasing the resistance through the fluid medium.

The suction cups are strong enough to hold on to the tile and will simply not come off while you swim.

Whether you are a frequent traveler, have a small pool at home, or are simply looking to get in shape, this is a product you should definitely look into: http://www.aquaveeonline.com/

Northwave

2008-04-16T00:25:00.002-05:00

Northwave makes a very nice line of cycling and triathlon shoes. My choice is their Tribal Carbon for Triathlons, the Vertigo Carbon for road, and the Raptor Carbon for MTB ( which I am slowly improving at).

Their Spring line of cycling gear is also terrific - you can see all of it at www.Northwave.com

Edge Composites

2008-04-07T17:37:00.004-05:00

Edge Composites makes tremendous wheels. I have been incredibly satisfied with the stiffness and aerodynamics of their 68mm tubulars, and I also have a front 38mm in case the winds kick up too much.

Later in the year, there are plans for a 110mm, as well as a disc. Given how great the 68mms ride, I can barely wait to get my hands on that set.

You can find more info on Edge Composites here: http://www.edgecomposites.com/

Pyro Apparel

2008-04-07T17:28:00.005-05:00

Pyro apparel makes custom sublimated cycling ( and now triathlon) clothing. Below is a shot of my custom cycling uniform for 2008. All of my sponsors are featured on it, so it's a great way to always make sure they are visible whenever I am on my bike.

Also, this year we did a runing top as well, and the intent was the same sponsor visibility near 100% of the time.

To find out more about Pyro Apparel, please visit: www.pyroapparel.com

Amazon Thunder

2008-04-07T14:42:00.003-05:00

Amazon Thunder has a vast line of acai berry products that are 100% organic, unrefined, pure and natural. I have been a huge fan of acai for over a decade, but only recently this amazing little berry made its way into the USA.

Since I begun working with Amazon Thunder earlier in the year, I have been taking in some acai on a daily basis, and definitely believe it has made me a stronger, healthier athlete. I have even noticed I have not gotten sick as much this year, which is so common amongst endurance athletes. If you are serious about your health and your performance, I highly recommend you give it a try. It makes for a delicious smoothie!

You can find out more about Amazon Thunder at: www.AmazonThunder.com

Shave Secret

2008-04-03T11:56:00.003-05:00

Shave Secret makes a shaving oil that is perfect for triathletes. It dramatically reduces dry skin, rashes, nicks, cuts, ingrown hairs and shaving bumps, for the smoothest shave ever!

It is mde of natural ingredients only, with a hint on menthol. Shaving with it lasts considerably longer than with a standard shaving cream, and it is far smoother. After shaving with it, my legs feel like the outside of a cucumber. :-)

They have different size packages so you can have small ones to pack to races, and a larger one at home.

For more info on Shave Secret, visit: http://www.shavesecret.com/

Spin Skins

2008-04-01T12:27:00.002-05:00

I have been (nearly) flat free for quite a few years now. Every once in a while a larger-than-life piece of metal will ruin my streak, but aside from that, I can practically ride without a spare tube kit since I so rarely flat. This can only be said due to Warwick Mill's amazing Spin Skins. Their lightweight, yet strong tire liners do a tremendous job in protecting riders from being stranded on the side of the road.

In fact, I have been on a ride with other guys and everyone went through a pothole, and I was the only one not to flat, even though I was second in line. They make that much of a difference, and I highly recommend it: not only to avoid losing precious time in races, but also in training, and avoiding the headaches that come with flats.

You can find out more about them here: www.SpinSkins.com

Cahaba Cycles

2008-04-01T12:23:00.002-05:00

The Malki family has done a tremendous job promoting cycling, health and fitness in the state of Alabama. They just opened their 4th store in Trussville, and their managers, employees and mechanics are incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. They are also all around great guys to hang out with. I always have a blast when I am there.

I am truly lucky to have their support and would highly recommend Cahaba Cycles if you are looking to buy a new bike, some cool bike gear, or if you need your bike tune up by some folks who really know their way around a bicycle.

You can find out more about them here: www.CahabaCycles.com

Kiwami

2008-04-01T09:48:00.004-05:00

Based out of Montardon, France, Craig Watson's Kiwami is the most amazing triathlon clothing I have ever worn. I have been with the company for 3 or 4 seasons now, and each year I am more delighted to see the advancements and developments made in the racing line.

If you watch closely, the majority of the athletes in an ITU race are wearing a Kiwami suit, regardless of who their actual clothing sponsor is.

For 2008, my entire race kit will be red,black and white, and the Kiwami race kit is no exception. You can check back in the future and see for yourself on the photos I post.

You can find out more about Kiwami here: www.Kiwami.fr

Vellum

2008-03-28T23:34:00.003-05:00

My bicycle sponsor for 2008. Although I have only raced on the Uno once, and flatted at km4, I am ecstatic about this bike. It's beautiful, it's sleek, it's stiff, and it's fast.

I can barely wait for my Elemente to arrive. You can see a poster of it on the left. More photos will come as I race more on it.

For more information, visit: www.vellumcycles.com

NRage

2008-03-23T22:37:00.002-05:00

Nrage makes a caffeinated strip that is perfect for triathletes on the go. The taste is great ( very minty) and the caffeine jolt is nearly instantaneous. I have really been enjoying it on those early morning when my body is still half asleep.

To find out more about Nrage: www.NrageUSA.com

Schwalbe Tires

2008-03-23T22:30:00.003-05:00

This is my first season working with Schwalbe and I am incredibly happy thus far. Schwalbe has an extensive line of terrific training and racing tires and tubes ( in some awesome colors!).

For racing, the Ultremo and Stelvio tubular are my favorites. For training, I like the Stelvio.

To find out more, visit www.SchwalbeTires.com

Skins

2008-03-23T22:25:00.003-05:00

2008 is only my first season working with Skins, and I could not possibly be happier. I am a huge fan of literally their entire line of clothing, and my training has clearly benefited from making use of their half tights and powersox ( my personal favorites!).

You can find out about skins at www.skins.net

BlueSeventy

2008-03-13T22:27:00.002-05:00

The 2008 season will mark my second year with BlueSeventy. I am a huge fan of their Helix wetsuit. I had a chance to wear it at Ironman Florida last year ( most other races were non wetsuit), and I was very pleased at how flexible it was, especially around the shoulder area. Swimming in a wetsuit usually requires a whole new stroke, but that is not so with the Blue Seventy Helix - and that is a good thing.

I will also be racing on their PointZero3 in 2008.

You can find out more about their complete line at: www.blueseventy.com

TrainingPeaks.com

2008-03-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

I have over 7 years of training carefully logged on TrainingPeaks.com, starting with the first day I moved to the USA ( it was TraningBible back then). Having access to all this information has been a tremendous aid in getting me race fit. I see enormous value in being able to use this tool in my development as an athlete, and intent to continue using it for as long as I am an athlete.

www.TrainingPeaks.com

Sole

2008-03-08T16:00:00.003-06:00

Sole guaranteers my feet will remain in the best possible shape - their customizable insoles ( hat molded) are a sure way to provide a soft and supportive bed for one's feet. I never knew I needed insoles until I first got my hands on a pair of their footbeds.

www.YourSole.com

PowerBar

2008-03-04T09:11:00.003-06:00

I begun working with PowerBar in early 2006, and have just committed to the end of 2009. Owned by Nestle, PowerBar is an enormous company, but their sponsorship system is terrific. Everything is done online, and the availability of products is great. I am a big fan of the Raspberry Cream Power Gel during events, and for afterwards, their new Recovery shake is amazing. No need to mix anything, just pop it open and chug. It tastes just like chocolate milk - I love it!

Ergomo

2008-02-26T18:59:00.003-06:00

I have been training and racing with an Ergomo powermeter ( aside from a short stint with a different brand, very short lived) since 2003. After using it for 6 months, I learned more about myself as a cyclist than I had in the previous 7 years as a triathlete. With the help of proper coaching and a close eye on my power numbers I have been able to ride a half IM in 2:11, and a 40k ( in a triathlon) in 54:09. having the Ergomo Pro certainly played a vital role in me achieving those results. I am very proud to be working with them again in 2008, and especially since Jason Goldberg of FitMulstisports.org has become involved in the distribution of the powermeters in the USA.
You can find out more about it at: www.Ergomo.net

Higher Peak

2008-02-24T21:14:00.002-06:00

Continuing the presentation of my full roster of 2008 sponsors, I'd like to present you Higher Peak.

I began using the "sleep high, train low" technique in my training on January 4th. I started at a flimsy 4,500ft. It is now 8 weeks later, and my fiancee and i are sleeping at over 10,000 ft. I first thought convincing her would be a tough sell, as I don't believe it the thought of sleeping in a tent every single night is appealing to anyone. But surprisingly, she really doesn't mind. In fact, Leland often tells me she likes it. Besides the fact that she is getting stronger, I think she likes the cozy factor! (-:

I am very happy I am working with Higher peak. i can clearly see that sleeping in a hypoxic environment has made changes in my body that allow me to go harder for longer periods of time. Although i have not yet gotten a hematocrit, I plan on doing it within 2 weeks.

You can find out more about the company here: www.HigherPeak.com

2008 Sponsorship

2008-02-21T22:37:00.003-06:00

I am very lucky, and very proud, to have built some amazing relationships with the best companies in the multisport world since I turned pro almost 9 years ago. This year, I will be introducing them all, one by one, here. Every 2 or 3 days, I will post about one of my sponsors.

To start things up, I will start with my longest sponsor: Rudy Project. We have been together since February of 2001, which makes it 7 years and counting.

Rudy Project, through Rudy Project USA ( North American distributor) makes the world's coolest and most technologically advanced eyewear. They also make some tremendous helmets, so I can say they help me both look cool and go faster.

In fact, in this year's cover of USA triathlon's first ever yearbook, I am seen sporting their Syton Supercomp helmet and their Ekynox SX sunglasses. You can see it here:
http://www.usatriathlon.org/sitecore/content/News/2008/January/010908_Yearbook_Preorder.aspx

You can see their 2008 line at www.RudyProjectUSA.com
For info on where to purchase them, you may go to www.e-rudy.com

Stay tuned over the next few weeks, as I will be unveiling my complete roster of sponsors.

Ciao,

Felipe bastos

In Loving Memory

2008-01-28T13:05:00.000-06:00

of A JuJuBe Jubelee...

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die...

-Anonymous

Snow in Alabama

2008-01-19T15:23:00.000-06:00

I have been settling into a groove training back home. The weather has been far from perfect, but still manageable. This morning it snowed. That's right, in Alabama. I don't mean flurries, but at last a couple on inches on the ground. Made for an interesting run, as I had never done it in snow. My old, boring routes were completely different, quite a sight. I took some photos and might post them later.

On a different note, I know I promised a roster of sponsors, but not everything is inked, and I will refrain from posting all of them until everything is signed. Should be soon.

Leaving Florida (soon)

2008-01-02T12:12:00.000-06:00

Well, Leland and I were set to leave Florida on Thursday morning. Seeing as how a very cold front has taken over most of the States, we will be delaying our trip back home until Friday morning, effectively giving me another day to train in warmer temperatures ( even though it is only in the 40's here today).

The bike camp is finally over. I am quite glad to be honest, I was getting pretty sick of riding my bike for hours on end, alone, every single day. I would much rather mix it up with swimming and running. That's why I chose triathlon in the first place. I think I get bored easily with a single sport.

Aside from that, Happy New Year- I hope that Oh Eight brings you nothing but the best.

Riding, Riding, and some more riding

2007-12-28T09:19:00.000-06:00

My bike training camp is over on Sunday. I can't wait. I am getting really tired of not feeling my legs, or when I do, they ache. Same with my butt.

I will be close to 1,500km in the time I have been in Florida, and although it is nice and flat, it is also windy at times. Since I am doing all the riding alone, and some of the roads go straight for hours, literally, it can be rough on the body.

I got a profile from the elevation, but I figured I'd save the time from putting it here. To give you an idea, it was very similar to this:

_________________________________________________________

It is going up to 80F here today. In the dead of winter. I had forgotten what "winter" here was like. Nice, I must say.

Winter Training Camp

2007-12-26T10:14:00.000-06:00

I spent over 20 hours on my bicycle last week. Needless to say, my body is not happy about how acquainted I've gotten with my saddle.

Riding in Florida has been really nice. Although every mile has been done alone, it sure beats the cold weather back home in Alabama. This week's training has been a little tougher to get done. I am tired, I am sore, it's Christmas, it always seems like there is always a good excuse to stay indoors. Yesterday it was Christmas. After opening some gifts in the morning, left and spend 4 hours riding in the flatlands of Alachua, Levy and Marion Counties. It seemed I was the only one out there: very little cars or cyclists out. I got home just before it got dark.

The goal for this week is to repeat what I did the past 7 days, plus 10%. It sure is going to be a tough goal, but so far I am on track.

Gotta go to the pool now.

Ciao,

Felipe

Update

2007-12-10T14:36:00.000-06:00

Training is going well. I have managed a solid first week back, and although I am tired, I am not destroyed. It is a good sign.

There is a loop I do that goes into a town called Pea Ridge. It's a tough climb up there, and I did it twice, for the first time, today.This is what it looks like:

I will be using this route often in my training throughout 2008. Ever since I moved to Florida in 2001, my once good climbing abilities went down the drain. Now living in Alabama, there are some hilly routes I can use that have barely any traffic at all. It's a lot more fun, too, to go up and down then to remain on the same 30 ft. window of altitude for a 4 hour ride.

Enjoy your training,

Felipe

2007-12-04T00:10:00.000-06:00

2008 for me started today. It was the first "official" day of training for the upcoming season. It was a short day, only 2 1/2 hours, but after a month of doing basically nothing, it took a toll on my body. I am sure I will adapt quickly, though, no worries.

I am to do 2 weeks of solid work here in Alabama before heading to Gainesville for a self imposed Bike Training Camp. I want to try to get 1,000k in my legs in a week, on top of running and swimming. It also gives me the opportunity to spend Christmas and New Year's with Leland's family - they are always a fun bunch.

Soon I will have out the roster of 2008 sponsors. I am working with some tremendous people and companies this year and am very excited to make it public, so stay tuned.

And for those of you who have started thinking about your New Year's resolution, i leave you with this:

The Resolution shall not be televised: http://www.ironguides.net/news/31/65.html

Ciao,

Felipe

IM Lou on TV

2007-11-21T13:44:00.000-06:00

Ironman Louisville was shown last sunday and will be again today at 4 EST on VS. Make sure to check it out, as I hear I am on for a little while. I haven't seen it yet, but am hoping to catch today's showing.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the States, so I'm doing a lot of preparation for family coming into town. Leland and I have been going crazy trying to get things ready. I will write more later.

Ciao,

Felipe

Pre IMFL update

2007-11-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

I am just over 40 hours away from the end of my season. It feels like it was years ago when I toed the line for the first race of this season back in early March. It's been a long season!

Lots happened in my life this year:

- I graduated from the University of Florida

- I got into and passed on going to Law Scholl ( postponed until Fall '08)

- I moved from my adopted hometown of Gainesville, Fl to the outskirts of Birmingham, Al

- Bought a home with my significant other

- Rehired, and partnered with Marc becker at ironGuides.net to consult my fitness and training

- Signed on with 2 major sponsors whose products I truly use and love

- Was able to finish my first Ironman after a failed first attempt

... and on Saturday, i get the chance to make peace with myself on the very same IM race that I took on as my debut in the distance back in '05.

There were times this year when I had to put triathlon on the side for a little while, so my fitness suffered. Now that all of the above has been put behind me, I am ready to tackle 2008. After a quick break post IMFl, I will begin preparing for the upcoming season. I will head back to Gainesville during December for some solid winter training and to celebrate Christmas with Leland's family.

I will write more after the race this weekend.

Felipe

Long overdue update

2007-10-01T22:12:00.000-05:00

I must start this update by apologizing for the full month of no updates. My goal has always been to update every 2 weeks at least, but sometimes life gets in the way.

Without further delay, here are some of the updates from the month of September:

I have inked a 1 year sponsorship deal with Maine Natural Health. This company has been a sponsor of mine since early in the year, and they are taking the opportunity to grab the title sponsorship spot I offer. If you are into endurance sports, you should definitely check out their products at MaineNaturalHealth.com. use coupon code BASTOS at checkout for 10% OFF, which should at least cover shipping charges. I have been using their CaveMan Whey protein daily ( sometimes twice daily) and have seen tremendous results in my recovery times.

Sharing the responsibilities of title sponsorship will be Aquavee
( www.aquaveeonline.com). They make a phenomenal swimming tool that allows anyone to turn any pool into an Olympic sized pool ( or open water!)

If like me you travel extensively, this should be mandatory gear. I can't count how many hotels have " Olympic sized pools" and when you see it, they actually meant a 12 yd. amoeba shaped pool. Well, AquaVee allows you to get your workout in without any problems.

I will also be working with Cahaba Cycles for the remainder of 2007, and hopefully 2008 as well. I should host a Nutrition clinic over at the Homewood store early winter as well. You can see their website at www.cahabacycles.com.

Look for both brands to do very well in the world of endurance sports.

On the racing side of things, I spent most of the month of September doing short course training, which I would not recommend to anyone after an Ironman! I had every intention on racing the Tinley's Adventures triathlon in California, but things don't often go as planned and I chose to race close to home instead, and then immediately commence training for Ironman Florida.

On the last Saturday of September I won the Weiss Lake Triathlon, setting a course record overall, as well as the bike and run course. It was a very nice race that has a lot of potential for growth. The bike course is one of the best ones I have ever done - I will likely return in '08.

That should be enough updates for a couple of weeks. I will write more then.

Ciao,

Felipe Bastos

Ironman Louisville Race Report

2007-08-29T11:15:00.000-05:00

Pre-race:

The race report from this event begins almost two years ago when I crumbled and withdrew from Ironman Florida, while in 20^th place, at mile 16.5 of the marathon. It was my first attempt at the IM distance coming from a short course background, and like so many, I was unable to control my fire inside. I was able to hold back, but around 60mi. on the bike, I started getting too eager and the going got too fast for an Ironman distance race.

It took me almost 22 months to do another Ironman, and the inaugural Louisville, KY race was my pick. Entering the event with less than 4 weeks of specific training was maybe not the best plan, but my fiancée and I recently purchased a home, moved to a different state, both graduated from the University of Florida, applying to law school, getting accepted into law school, deciding to wait a year to go to law school, and my mother spent 17 days visiting from Brazil immediately after we moved. All of those things played an important factor in my preparation. Fortunately, I knew about all of them in advance. No surprises.

Luckily, my coach (Marc Becker, www.IronGuides.net) is not afraid of a challenge and his help was crucial to getting me not only to the starting line healthy, but to the finish line in one piece. We both knew I would have to be very conservative throughout the race to make it to the line in one piece. More importantly, I would have to control myself the entire time.

The weather in Alabama in the weeks leading to the event were in the triple digits for over three weeks, and I used it to my advantage, training in the heat and getting my body acclimatized and prepared to run in temperatures that most people set their Jacuzzis to.

Race morning:

I was both nervous and excited that the day had finally come. After a quick breakfast, I was off to the race start, and quickly the gun went off. Marc wanted me to swim very, very easy, and that I did. Many times during the swim I thought about increasing the pedestrian pace it felt I was moving at, but I held back. I exited the water fresh, in 7^th place amongst the pros, who started a few minutes ahead of the 2100 amateurs.

Starting the bike with Petr Vabrousek, Alex Taubert, amongst other very fast guys was a tough blow to my ego. As per Marc’s plan, I was to keep my speed average at 33 kph (20.5 mph). This would yield a bike split some 35 minutes slower than what I posted at Ironman Florida, but I didn’t argue with his knowledge and expertise (too much). I let them go early on, as well as those who passed me throughout the bike. I just focused on my nutrition and staying smooth on the bike. I ended up missing the special needs as the amateurs were on their first lap while we were doing the second lap, and some 350 kcal I had in there were sure missed. I ended up having a bad patch from miles 90-110 due to that missed bag, and in hindsight, I should have stopped to get it. I was on top of my hydration as I peed 3 times by the end of the bike, but should have ingested a few more calories.

At the 4 hour mark, my power meter stopped reading anything. No HR, no wattage, no speed, no nothing. Just plain ol’ perceived effort. My coach is very big on knowing one’s body well, in relying in what lies within, so it really did not phase me much, if at all. To be honest, I had quit looking at it for a little while, and may have noticed it went black several minutes after it actually happened. I was quite comfortable pacing myself without any outside support.

When I handed my bike in and got my T2 bag, I realized I had forgotten my socks to run in. I chose to ride sock less (I am used to it), but running the marathon, in an Ironman, with no socks, ouch!

I began the run, and immediately realized I had to find some Vaseline for my feet and crotch. I also forgot Vaseline/chamois cream, as well as sunscreen. What can I say, I am forgetful. Maybe I would benefit from one of those pre race checklists J

In any case, I put some Vaseline on my feet by mile 3, in the first aid station I found any sort of lube at. It improved my condition some, but I could tell I would be hurting later on. Since IM is all about the here and now, I forgot about it and kept on going.

At mile 3.5, after a quick break to throw up, I started clocking in some 7:30-45 miles, which lasted through mile 18. I had now passed the collapse point of IMFL, and knew I would cross the line no matter what happened. I had seen the Kentucky Derby inspired horse shoe finisher’s medal, and I had to have one. So I powered through, even as the pace slowed to a shuffle at mile 21.

Physically I felt OK, pretty good actually, but my quads were super tight and I could knock on my It Band it was so hard. I chose to walk a bit to relieve the pressure. It helped, as within a couple of miles I was feeling much better, and in a blink of an eye, I saw the finish line. Both my crotch and feet were thankful when my eyes relayed the message that it would be over soon.

There were thousands of people in that last mile, and I reckon I ran a 5:30 pace for the few minutes. The energy of the finish was so invigorating, I even held off a few people who were trying to lift their pace to catch me before the line.

When I heard the words: “Felipe Bastos, you are an Ironman” I must admit a few tears rolled down my eyes. In 12 years in this sport, and some 26 career wins, nothing has compared to this feeling of completing 140.6 miles in a day. “It hurts so much”, I told my fiancée at the finish line, but quietly thought to myself “This was awesome – gotta do another one”.

10:15:37 as the finish time, and the splits:

Swim: 52:39

Bike: 05:29:15

Run: 03:45:16

20th Professional

Win ( and course record) in Mississippi

2007-08-04T21:44:00.001-05:00

I got back early this afternoon from what I think may be the best small triathlon in America. Bryan Cooper from the Tupelo Multisport team and his gang put on an amazing event. The swim, bike and run are incredibly well marked. i am famous for getting lost on race courses, and this one was my dream come true. No way to get lost. At one point, there was a fire truck closing the road ahead so that the athletes would see the right turn where they were supposed to go.

The post race food was amazing. No cheap Sam's Club stuff. Real soft drinks and pizza from a great local restaurant. Very well manned, plenty of cheerful volunteers, and a 8:30 start so you don't have to get up too early. All of those things are big pluses for me.

Now on to the race report. I was 2nd out of the water to a former collegiate swimmer, 39 sec down. With a speedy transition, I was within 15 sec before I had done 100 revolutions on my bike. We went back and forth, passing one another, until i decided to put the hammer down and came into T2 with a 40 sec lead, just a few seconds shy of the bike course record.

The run was 3.6 miles and I was hurting, and not moving very fast. All of the miles I have been putting in certainly made me tired, especially at the end. But I ended up with the win and a new course record in 1:28 and change.
After the race, both FOX and WCBI news wanted interviews, so I guess all of the TV time lately has been improving my interviewing skills. i was also interviewed by the local newspaper

Next weekend, I will be at the Mountain Lakes Triathlon, if all goes to plan this week.

Ciao,

Felipe
coached by Marc Becker at IronGuides.net

Catch me on TV

2007-07-30T23:40:00.000-05:00

The Publix FFW Triathlon will be televised on Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) on the following dates:

Tuesday 7/31 @ 4 p.m.

Monday 8/6 @ 5 p.m.

Sunday 8/12 @ 11:30 p.m.

Tune in for some great racing - and no making fun of my interview skills! :-)

Ciao,

Felipe
coached by Marc Becker at IronGuides.net

Headed to Wisconsin

2007-07-19T20:36:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow morning Leland and I, alongside with our dog Joey, will be making the 12 hr. drive to Wisconsin where USD$25,000 will be on the line at the Spirit of Racine Half IronMan.

The race is put on by the HFP Racing guys, one of the best in the business. I have been meaning to do this event for years now, and am glad to finally have a chance to toe the line at this great mid season event.

I recently made some changes to the front end of my Velovie Veloce which raised my position a bit. I was as low as possible ( no spacers, short head tube, adjustable stem all the way down), which was perfect for the flat, straight roads of Florida, but here in the rolling to hilly Central Alabama setting, that low position meant a lot of power lost.

I am still discovering the running trails around our new home, and am quite happy with them. though not long, there are tons of dirt paths around to choose from, something I really enjoy when doing my run training.

Also, I have secured a new sponsor for the remainder of the 2007 season. will post details when the contract is inked, but I can say now I am very excited to be working with a company that will undoubtedly make me faster as an athlete and healthier as a person.

I will write more after this weekend's race.

Ciao,

Felipe
coached by Marc Becker at IronGuides.ne

Settling in Alabama

2007-07-12T15:50:00.000-05:00

I am finally getting settled in our new home near Birmingham, AL. Luckily, the home we bought is near some good riding roads, but training on the roads here is much riskier than what I was accustomed to in Florida. the climbs sure are nice, but there are no bike lanes, and some drivers in the suburbs sure seem to always be in a hurry.

In just over a week I will be heading over to Wisconsin for the Spirit of Racine triathlon. I have been meaning to do this event for over 3 years now, and this season it finally fit into my calendar, so I am excited about the chance to do it and use it as a gauge of my fitness coming into IM Louisville.

I have been doing a lot of chores around the house, so I have had barely enough energy to update, hence the lack of news from my end lately. This should change as things settle down.

Ciao,

Felipe
coached by Marc Becker at IronGuides.net

Rock&Roll Half Ironman

2007-06-04T17:04:00.000-05:00

I just got back from the Long Course Championships. It was an incredibly tough race, and I am proud I ended up 4th at the end. I came into this event with less fitness than usual so I really had to rely on my strategy for the race, and it paid off.

Surprisingly, I also got called to the award area for my swim split. Bass Pro Shops was giving an award for the best swim split and I got it. I have a nifty trophy to show for it now :-)

This race qualified me for the American Long Course Championships in Missouri in September, which I will race if I do not qualify for the Ironman World Championships.

Also, I am very proud to say I will be working with Marc Becker from IronGuides (www.IronGuides.net) once again. He is one of the, if not the most, knowledgeable coaches in the world, and when I worked with him in the past, I accomplished great things and learned a ton. I am very excited to be working with him again.

If you find yourself looking for more in the endurance department, I highly suggest you get ahold of this guy. You can't go wrong.