natbikes.com

Overall I think that Vegas training has gone really well.  The weather forcast for the upcoming week in Hawaii (with humidity factored in) is slightly cooler than the past 3 weeks have been here.  I e-mailed Mr Salt Stick and we went over and tweaked my nutrition plan, and my salt intake for Kona.

My swimming is where it was before Wisconsin.  My bike is going faster.  My run, well I have no experience running a marathon, let alone off the bike in Kona.  Macca took 7 attempts to get it, but McGlone and Wellington both did OK on their first go.  Personally I think I’m as ready as I can be, and am looking forward to the racing.

I’ve started cutting my hair down, and will shave my legs on Wednesday (tradition) as some of the final preparations for the race.

Otherwise I am getting Chirped on the Slow Twitch Forum.  (Mother, Chirping= the process of talking smack.) The irony is that I am being chirped for chirping on the IM Wisconsin coverage.  It hasn’t been shown down in the US (Nov 30th on Versus), so I haven’t seen it.  BUT… I remember being really fired up and excited at the time.  When I got my first time split at 40 miles saying that I was leading the race overall a chill went down my spine.

Can you imagine getting off the bike in your first ever Ironman race, in your first season of racing Tri’s and you are in FIRST PLACE.  The TV camera has been pulled back from the pro leader to follow you because you’re IN Front of him.

Yeah, it was really exciting, and I can only wish that all of you guys get the chance to enter an completely empty transition zone/ rack at some point in your competition careers.  So I was fired up, and have no idea what I said.  If I said nothing, or that I would be dropping out in a few KMs maybe I would be on the cutting room floor and not divide Nat Faulkner by zero and you will in fact get one….one bad-ass dream crusher that is!

From all the PR, I will now be naming my bike Dream Crusher (oh wait already did that) ha ha.

Otherwise if you’re ever in Vegas, and the riding, and running are really good here.  Reasonable accommodation can be found.  Talk to Danny Cam over at Nu Vision Cyclery and he’ll draw you ride maps, let you know when the groop rides leave, and if you’re into starting your rides around 7am he’ll show you some things you’ve never seen done on a road bike.  Word is if you’re going out on the town he knows about that too, but I can’t vouch for that personally.

Lastly K-Man gave me a haircut (I was babysitting) the other day.  Putting tape ‘guide lines’ on seemed like a good idea until taking them off.

Oh, and 2 days later he’s quiet for a little while, and turns out he’s been cutting his own hair, atta boy, with mixed results.

Nat Norris

PS slow twitchers, it’s gonna hurt like hell, but I’ll try to crush all those other guys dreams on your behalves.

PPS the dream crusher line came from Barney Williams commentary of the Canadian Mens 8 boat at the Olympics.  I can’t find the video on line anymore otherwise I’d link it.

PPS while you’re here check out my sponsors and they can help you crush dreams too.