Update time!

Hi one reader!  Tac thought he would update his blog for posterity.  He has enjoyed the months of non-training, beer and watching Trimama refine her smoky hotness as Ironman Arizona approaches.  Bigun and I should be putting the final touches on our latest episode.  I enjoy our guest in this one because out of the three of us he's the only one who actually gets triathlon. :)

Career change.  Yeah.  I really can't go into too much detail at this point.  Only to say that I am temporarily helping a good friend with an invention.  Depending on some market feedback I may find myself with a new profession. I head out to Dallas this week on my first official 'business trip'. Pray that the people we need to connect with don't get turned off by Tac's nose picking.

Talk soon
Tac

Tac's not a Stripper...He's a Professional Stripper.

According to Madison Nightly News Tac Boy is more then just a Stripper...

Posted Sunday, September 7, 2008 --- 1:45pm

I'm sure we've all heard that time is money.

So what keeps Ironman **volunteers** coming back?

As N-B-C 15's Barclay Pollak reports -- it may not be what they get but more so what other people lose.

You could say that Brian Holmes of Minneapolis is a professional stripper.

He says, " We can probably get somebody stripped in about 20-seconds."

For four years Holmes, a small business owner, has helped people take off their wet suits at the first transition in Madison's Ironman competition.

He says he has one of the most popular positions at the race.

Holmes says, " It's a popular position because you get to strip people."

"According to Holmes it's not as easy as it looks taking off peoples clothes. Actually he says there's a very specific technique that he uses."

He says, "The key is to get their zipper down first and then we get their arms off as fast as we can with out our fingernails digging into them too bad. Then we peel off their arms and then we have them sit down and we call it the yank. Two of us on each side of their hip grab them and just rip it."

According to race organizers the competition couldn't happen without Holmes and the other volunteers working as hard as they do.

Ed Koehl the Ironman's Volunteer Organizer says, " You know really there's just a lot of people in the area that want to help make this event work."

You can bet your bottom dollar that Holmes will be back next year helping athletes slip out of their wet suits.

Koehl also says about 25-hundred athletes participated in this years Ironman and about 35-hundred people volunteered.

TacBoy is sure there was video of this whole interview, but he can't seem to find it on the website.  

Congratulations to Tri Thunder Kraut, my training partner, who not only finished IMMoo but beat Tac's time.  Great race buddy!

Tacky

The Blue Period

Episode 13 is up! We called it the Picasso episode because we are feeling a bit blue.

I think we still managed a fairly good show(I hope).

Enjoy.

Tacky

Click on my side bar to go to iTunes or search for Tacboy n Bigun.

Hey O

Once again Taconite Boy finds himself with a blog and no entries. So here a list of random thoughts from said superhero.

1. Changing careers is much further away then it appears in a mirror. Proceed carefully and with much prayer and support.

2. Facebook rocks. If you have not started a facebook page then why are you still reading this. Ask me to be your friend (brian holmes) it makes me feel really teenage like(voice cracking giggle).

Truthfully I spend much more time at FB because everything can be kept to a short quip and I swear uploading pictures is easier then Blogger. It also does not hurt that I have this...

FB for the Steve Jobs modern wonder is really sweet. Easy to catch up on friends, upload pictures instantly ect. (I also love posting pics of the iPhone to drive Bigun nuts)

3. Training for 3-1/2 Ironman's and 2-Full Ironman's in one year tends to leave you preatty burnt.

4. Feeling burnt tends towards a hatred all things lactate threshold inducing.

5. That leads to getting lazy. I like it here.

6. Watching your son suit up for Football for the first time is really cool. Seeing your son take down the kid who is always taking him down...even better.

7 Teenager is not an age, its a disorder

8 The painting profession has become increasingly difficult to produce a fair profit when the wages have been stagnent for over 8 years. Thank you Sanctuary City policies of Mpls/St. Paul.

9 Living a safe Christianity is unacceptable for Trimama and I.

10 Waking up scared out of our minds goes with number 9.

11 Finding Peace is important after 10

12 I love Fat Tire Beer. No, I mean really love it. Thank you Fort Collins, Colorado!!

13 I drank Trappist beer for the first time last week. Did you know it is made by real Monks? Think full bodied microbrew but you strain with your teeth. Thank you Belgium!

14 I wonder if the whole Tribe could just go and become Monks?

15 Escaping Holy pruning is an oxymoron.

16 Simplify Media.com Tac forgot about this. You must check this out. It allows you to share YOUR ENTIRE DIGITAL MUSIC LIBRARY with your friends. You may ask how many friends TacBoy? Thanks for asking, UP TO 30! As long as you have an internet connection you can listen to all of your friend(s) music. Very cool. Oh and by the way for you Jobs whores. Simplify media will STREAM ALL OF IT TO YOUR iPHONE (regardless of connection (wifi/3g/edge)

17 Number 16 proves Im a total geek.

18 I really love the tri-blogs. Great people, good friends and life long connections.

19 Except for Bigun

20 Number 19 shows that I have more pruning needed.

21 I really enjoy podcasting...with Bigun. He is truly a good friend.

22 Madison, September 7th, 2008. Nuff said.

23 I'm looking forward seeing Tri-Thunder Kraught become an Ironman (my training partner)

24 I think the Packers made a big mistake.

25 I think the Vikings are going to be average again.


Thats all for now. Hope your training is going well and check out our newest episode coming out this week!

Tacky

18 years ago...Monday

Happy Anniversary Baby!

Tacky

I liked this podcast

M-dot bigun and I just wrapped up episode 12 of the podcast. I really liked this one. Its that feeling after taking a long time off from triathlon and realizing you actually do like training again.

Which leads me to the episode 13 topic...Iron weary.

Hope you enjoy this one...Tac did :) We have a great interview with Supalinds. talk for a short time with Kahuna and of course try something new...the Tac Boy and Bigun Game Show. I need some fake tri commercial sponsors, your ideas would be much appreciated.

Happy training out there.

Where's the kid?

The tribe, Trimama and I were at a local sporting goods store when we came upon this box.

"Yes honey lets go riding.  Do you know where the baby is?  I thinks she's in her 'Fun Run Sports Stroller'.  Its really to bad that doesnt work with our bicycles.  Yeah...maybe we should have thought about that before we bought it....Oh well...Hope she enjoys that nookie!"

Columbia Sports Marketing Division MIGHT need to rethink that box.

All is well in the Tmama/Tacboy house.  We just completed our first 1/2 Iron together on Sunday.  It is always a good day when I spend most of my time behind Trimama :)))

Preatty busy month coming up here.  Tac will be training with his buddy Tri-ThunderKraugt as he prepares for IMWisconsin in September.  We have a 4000 yd swim/100 mile bike to do this Saturday.  Taking the girls (Soap and Hypen to Millwacky, WI to check out that city with my Sister and her new Bo.  Im also preatty stoked to see one of my favorite bands in Downtown Mpls this month 'needtobreathe'.  Hypen, Mama and swinging girl will be in attendence for that one.  

Bigun and I are recording episode 12 as we speak.  Quick interview with Suplinds and few other ditties.  Should be fun.

Happy racing and training out there!

Tacky

Episode 11 is Up

Well we finally finished our Ironman Couer d' Alene post race podcast.  Hope you enjoy...

Being the iPhone freak that I am....

I stupidly sold my iphone today...aaannnd forgot to check if ALL the Apple stores had sold out of the new 3G models.

Dang it.

Back to the 1 dollar ebay phone until they get in stock. :( Bwahhh

Till then Ill just watch this very funny video...



Tacky

Ironman Coeur D Alene Race Report - The Swim

Wow. Just to busy to really keep the posting up. According to MDot Bigun I have been sucked into the posting hell vortex. Not true, just posting alot less until I feel more inspired to do so. It's funny the obligation I feel towards blogging that I don't need to have. It's my blog...I'll post when I can...BIGUN!

Speaking of annoying but loveable big guys, Tac and BigMeister are in the middle of recording THE post Ironman podcast and he suddenly jumps town for a week. Therefore, no podcast for at least 2 more weeks. I do promise it will be fun to listen to though.

Race report.

I was far under-trained for this Ironman compared to Wisconsin last year. Getting sick in Early April took 3 weeks off my training and I came to Wildflower very under-trained, especially for the run. The good news was that I had dropped 25 pounds since competing in Wildflower the year before. No question that helped as I PR'd by over 20 minutes.

I think it really hit me when I got back from Wildflower that 140.6 miles was staring at me. This being the second one, I think I was too comfortable with the distance knowing that I had done it once before. That seemed to fade as I got within 6 weeks of the race. Suddenly every workout was focusing on June 22nd. Every thought about nutrition was based around what I would do on Sunday.

Coming up to Couer D Alene I had really only done 2 long runs (15 and 17) of which the first one was horrible and the second one was strong. As I flew out on Thursday for Spokane, I felt fine about the swim, strong on the bike and quite worried about my run.

The meet o peeps over the weekend were awesome. It was so good to meet people I had read, interviewed or just heard about. As Bigun pointed out to me, I was quite subdued and focused on Saturday at one of our meet ups near the swim course. I just wanted to start the race, I was tired of waiting for the inevitable.





Its funny how race morning felt just like Wisconsin all over again. Nervous, excited and totally ready to get it on. Ironically Bigun and I ran into each other at the porta potties. He, Greyhound, Blink and I suited up at 630 and headed down to the beach. Eminem started playing, all of the sudden everything became like a blur to the water. I observed nervous faces, people being coached with last second tips, and lots of jumping up and down. We waited on the beach and then suddenly...Bang. I swear I never even thought about the water temp when we dove in. The cool water was the least of my concerns as the swim became increasingly crowded as we approached the first buoy. IMWI was not even close to this crowded on the first loop. Holy crap...it was pure neoprene avoidance drills for the first 10 minutes. Once we came around the mid point the group started to disperse slightly. I was feeling fine. Probably more worried about the heavy cloud cover that came over us during the second loop, wondering what waited for us on the bike.

Exited the water at 1:24: something. Slightly dissappointed with this time. I was hoping for sub 1:20, but no biggie. I was done with the Ironman Swim I DO NOT HAVE TO SWIM ONE MORE STROKE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, unless I want too. :)

Headed into T1. Or should I say a woman headed into my chin in full stride when I turned to look for a wet suit stripper. She apologized, but I swear I could not open my mouth for the first 20 minutes of the bike. Hey It's Ironman what ya gonna do!

Bike and Run to come.

But first, from the production studios of Hypen Girl Inc. Comes 'My Dad did another Ironman and all we got was this vacation' video. Actually she brought me to tears by making this for me, it was awesome. Thanks Baby!



Tacky

Home at last...

Tac just arrrived back into the cave mere hours ago.

What a freaking mess...

The house gets this way when your entire clan head west for Iron. I am still collecting my thoughts over the entire IMCDA experience and will share more later with pics.

Bigun and I are recording the infamous post Ironman podast this week so stay tuned this weekend for the show (hopefully)

But for now I leave you with a gift Triboomer gave me....(you rock man)

Dialed up...

How did this happen again! :0. I swear Tac just put one of these wrist straps on a mere 9 1/2 months ago. How do I get myself into these things?

Ahh the wonder of Ironman. It's motivates, excites, inspires and when you come down to the day before the race...it scares the pants out of ya!

Tac is feeling ready though. I think the area I'm looking forward to least is that second loop of rollers. Once I get past that I should be fine (when I say fine, I mean survival fine).

Blink, Bigun, Greyhound and I rode the course by car yesterday. The roller sections are very similar to Wisconsin, just not as long. More like 15-18 miles of rollers. They are plenty challenging though. We rode a few climbs that go up and then up and then a little more up. Some screaming down hills too!

Trimama and the tribe arrived last night. Tacky was very happy to put his hands around the Mama and see the kiddos.




We had a MEET O PEEPS evening Thursday that was great. It was really cool to finally meet Spokane Al, Suplinds, TEA, Momo, The Big Jay and of course it's always good to see this guy...




Tac finds that he needs to place a square around Bigun's face to talk with him, being that the last 6 months he has seen his face, but only in a Skype monitor on our computers. Di and the Bigun are a riot as usual. Tac does struggle to get Blink and Bigun's attention away from all the tri Hotties to focus on race discussion though... Oh well.



This pic is obviously of the swim course. Yes, the water is cold. Yes the water is colder then ANYTHING Tac swam in Minnesota. To best describe the feeling when you put your face in the water is your college dorm buddy walking up to you and slapping you in the face over and over. Fun. Yet the nerves numb in about 5 minutes and I actually had a quite nice swim the rest of the way.

This Ironman feels so different then last year. I'm already an Ironman so this race is about taking on a very sobering challenge and watching my peeps complete their first. So...Tac's goals for this race.

1. Finish
2. Finish faster then Wisconsin
3. Cheer peeps and party hard after!
4. Kiss Trimama when I see her on the course!
5. Worship in the beauty of the country side.

Thats enough for now.

See you on the other side of Ironman Coeur D Alene...

Tacky

Suddenly Alone...

Wow. That was weird. The Tribe and Trimama just packed up the car and headed off for Tribe Summer Vacation 2008 (say it in a loud booming voice for full effect). Tac's bike just headed out with them as well...gulp.

Im nervous, but nothing like I was last year at IMWI. I think knowing the distance takes the edge off, but by no means makes Sunday less challenging.

Im really excited to meet lots o peeps. Looking forward to those meet ups.

BTW Episode 10 is up of tjhe Tacboy and Bigun Podcast. We talk CDA, CDa and then touch on some IMCDA.

Enjoy.

Tacky

Update...3 weeks out to IMCDA

150 miles biking, 8000 yards swimming (1/2 open water!) and 28 miles running in the last 7 days.

Feeling good. No injuries. Ready for the taper! Thank God.

Got up early Sunday to sherpa Trimama in her first Olympic. Besides being smoking hot, she raced preatty hot too. Well except for the wardrobe/wetsuit malfunction, but I'll let you read that for itself.

I just went to the water temperature guage at IMCDA. Yes Tac obsesses much. Crap that water is going to be cold. But Hey, Ironman races always have something. Wisconsin is the course and the weather, Arizona the wind and heat, Florida usually the cold and wind ect. I take the Iron Jenny approach, it's just another day, keep moving because 70 year old nun's do this!

Bigun and Tac have found very little time to Podcast. Were hoping to get one more episode out before the race.

Early summer is here in Minnesota. Beautiful temps... and big storms with Hail! Holy cow. The whole house was shaking after this one....






Some Pics of Mama at her Oly...





Have a good week!

Tacky

Blogging is getting tough.

If you are reading this (all 2 of you) I have been so freaking busy that blogging is just not going to happen. The best way to update my life right now is through...

The Tac Boy and Bigun Podcast!!!

Episode 9 is up. We go over the wildflower race report and how were doing considering Ironman CDA is only 4 FREAKING WEEKS AWAY. We also interview Bolder, who if your not aware...is from Boulder. (listen to the podcast for that joke)
I do want to thank Kahuna for all his hospitality in the OC. It was awesome. He made our weekend totally cool. My time getting to hang with Curly Su (who is no longer racing IMCDA sniff sniff) and Greyhound was awesome too!


Some pics..




That last one is Greyhounds bike not quite touching the ground. He's compact and 58 minute pr ready!

Well as usual busy time to go..long ride with Trimama in the morning.

Bike ride.


Tacky

Wildflower race report....well not yet.

Business to run.

Kids to hug.

Jobs to finish.

Money to raise (Team Ortho)

Will get into a detailed report soon.

20 minutes PR!

Overall very good race compared to last year! Yea!

Tacky

No swearing this time.

Arrived in the OC on thursday afternoon. Kahuna and Mrs. K were awesome hosts. Good coversation, great food and a beautiful drive at sunset. We were up early Friday and arrived at Wildflower around 10:30. Gave us lots of time to swim, check in and contemplate our challenging day ahead.

Ok So Tac had a little language issue last year when he tackled the Wildflower 70.3 course. He'd never seen hills like that and was not ready. Trimama will sadly attest to this when she heard me get off the bike in transition.

This year's different.

Curly Su, Greyhound and Tacky drove the hills today(Why do they always seem much bigger then I remembered). My goals tomorrow at Wildflower

1. Finish

2. Try to finish faster????

3. Time the bottom of nasty grade all they way to the top by hitting my lap button. Tac promised Iron JenJen he would do that.

4. Find more creative phases on the back half of the bike like, "gee this hill is long" or "wow, I'm suprised how much this hurts". Last year Tac was keeping the phrases to the more brief four letter varieties.

5. Relax on the swim.

6. Soak in the beauty and worship

7. Survive the run :)

Big list, but I'm sure it will get done.

Tac

Happy Birthday Trimama!

My Love turns 40 today.

Happy Birthday!

Tacky

Dialed in to Wildflower

Well, ready or not here we go. The chills from my month long flu are still slightly around, but Im taking it quite easy this week in preparation for Saturday.

Then I saw this forcast





OMG....24 mph sustained up to 40 mph gusts

I hope that wind prediction settles down. I looked at a few other sites (weather underground/weather bug) they do not predict winds that high. I'm mentally preparing for the middle ground 18 mph head wind. This would be in the first 20 miles of the race like last year.

If your not familiar with Wildflower its the woodstock of Triathlon. About 4000 participants in 4 races over 2 days. Many of racers camp (we did our hard time last year camping...never again). The long course or 70.3 is considered one of the toughest in the world. Lots of climbing on the bike and the run is just plain ridiculous. 1/2 trail 1/2 road tons of big hills.

Tac heads in with 24 less pounds and better gearing for his bike. He's rested, thats for sure.

Looking forward to seeing Kahuna, Greyhound and Curly Su.

If anyone else is going this weekend please email us so we can meet up!

Try to post from CA as well

Tacky

UPDATE: Tacky just razor shaved his legs.....Ohh la la....now he's really feeling dialed in.

Episode 8 is Up

Hopefully our banter is'nt getting to old. If it is, you can listen to our three rockin guests. Trisaratops, Momo and Lana. They were all awesome. Thanks girls for lowering your standards. :)

Bigun says he had some problems with the m4a version of the show. I did not. Let us know if it does not play properly. That is the version that has pictures and chapters and only plays on ipods.

Don't sweat with out...THE TACBOY N BIGUN PODCAST!

Tacky