Photo: 27-mile single-speed ride, 2-mile run, 9 a.m., 34 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 0 yds (ytd 62,850 yds.)
Bike: 135 miles (ytd 4,978 mi.)
Run: 15 miles (ytd 1,375 mi.)

Photo: 42-mile single-speed ride, 2-mile run, 9 a.m., 30 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 0 yds (ytd 62,850 yds.)
Bike: 110 miles (ytd 4,843 mi.)
Run: 32 miles (ytd 1,360 mi.)

The gravel roads of Iowa -- where cyclists conquer... furniture?

Photo: 44-mile single-speed ride, 2-mile run, 9 a.m., 30 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 1,500 yds (ytd 62,850 yds.)
Bike: 114 miles (ytd 4,733 mi.)
Run: 41 miles (ytd 1,328 mi.)

Snowy Saturday morning spin class.

Photo: 25-mile single-speed ride, 2-mile run, 9 a.m., 38 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 0 yds (ytd 61,350 yds.)
Bike: 90 miles (ytd 4,619 mi.)
Run: 37 miles (ytd 1,287 mi.)

Photo: 15-mile run, 15-mile ride, 10 a.m., 60 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 1,000 yds (ytd 61,350 yds.)
Bike: 125 miles (ytd 4,529 mi.)
Run: 31 miles (ytd 1,250 mi.)

15-second fix (a.k.a. 15 seconds fixed)

Photo: 50-mile ride, 2-mile run, 9 a.m., 60 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 0 yds (ytd 60,350 yds.)
Bike: 104 miles (ytd 4,404 mi.)
Run: 27 miles (ytd 1,219 mi.)

Kona Girl nearing the end of her long road.

BONUS POST!

I’ve been hovering around the endurance world for more than a couple decades, so it no longer comes as a surprise when I make new friends during my travels or run into old ones. Not long ago, I stumbled across a childhood sidekick who was making a first try at ‘tri.’ It wasn’t long before the comment, “I want to get faster; everyone tells me I need a new bike.”

Ugh.

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been sucked into the marketing tactics of all the manufacturers. To my family’s dismay, there are now six rigs in the basement; too many parts to count; a spare this and a spare that. But I’m also smart enough to know, none of that equipment buys me a single second if there’s no engine inside my 47-year-old skin. I’ve received awards after plenty of races and I’ve fallen off the back at others because I wasn’t race ready. The bike I was riding never got the credit or the blame.

Of course no one, from newbie to ‘old-bie’ wants to hear that. They just want to roll up to the next race with the priciest cockpit, the latest wheelset, and the trendiest paint scheme. Results? Whatever.

The Burrito Union 10-hour Triathlon has become a personal favorite. Nestled in Northern Wisconsin’s Pattison State Park, the race pits each entrant against cold lake water, a demanding cycling course and a TOUGH trail run… over and over and over, all day long.

What better place to NOT take my Cervelo, but instead a $500 single-speed bicycle… fixed gear to be exact. No aero bars, no disc, no teardrop helmet and no freewheel. My fellow racers and traveling companions thought my choice was idiotic. Maybe they were right, but it was off to the north woods to find out.

Long story short, I covered roughly the same amount of ground (and water) at ‘Burrito’ as I had the year before. Yes, not being able to coast on the descents or turn a huge gear on the flats had me questioning my choice, and repeating the climb into transition, unable to shift-n-spin started to hurt by triathlon lap 4, but I also spent more time thinking about pacing than I would have otherwise, and I always saved a little in the tank to catch up with friends and competitors on the swim and run. I raced smart.

In the end, I got beat by some folks and passed others; solo racers and teams. I missed my age-group podium by a couple slots. I also realized you-know-who was right; it’s NOT about the bike. It’s about the heart, lungs and legs you brought on race day, whether you have one gear or 20.

What I told my old friend was right after all: Clean up the bike that you already own and get on it. You don’t need the latest, you just need your greatest effort. Put down the parts catalog and stop shopping on the Web. Get outside to ride.

See you next year at ‘Burrito’… I’ll be the one on the P3 .

Photo: 1 race, 1 gear, 5 triathlons, all day long, Pattison State Park, Wisconsin

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 4,250 yds (ytd 60,350 yds.)
Bike: 156 miles (ytd 4,300 mi.)
Run: 33 miles (ytd 1,191 mi.)

Between a rock and a hard place.

Photo: 10-mile run, 30-mile ride, 10:00 a.m., 70 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 1,100 yds (ytd 56,100 yds.)
Bike: 174 miles (ytd 4,144 mi.)
Run: 32 miles (ytd 1,158 mi.)

Mooving

Photo: 10-mile run, 7:00 a.m., 45 degrees, Eagan, Minnesota

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 1,200 yds (ytd 55,000 yds.)
Bike: 99 miles (ytd 3,970 mi.)
Run: 33 miles (ytd 1,126 mi.)

Gone runnin'

Photo: 2-mile run, 55-mile ride, 2-mile run, 9:00 a.m., 60 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 4,200 yds (ytd 53,800 yds.)
Bike: 164 miles (ytd 3,871 mi.)
Run: 30 miles (ytd 1,093 mi.)

The Pitbull during his much-needed cankle and bladder break.

Photo: 15-mile ride, 3-mile run, 7:00 a.m., 70 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 3,400 yds (ytd 49,600 yds.)
Bike: 149 miles (ytd 3,707 mi.)
Run: 32 miles (ytd 1,063 mi.)

In a fog.

Photo: 56-mile ride, 9:00 a.m., 80 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 3,200 yds (ytd 46,200 yds.)
Bike: 164 miles (ytd 3,558 mi.)
Run: 25 miles (ytd 1,031 mi.)

Photo: 7-mile run, 11:00 a.m., 75 degrees, Woodbury, Minnesota

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 3,100 yds (ytd 43,000 yds.)
Bike: 153 miles (ytd 3,394 mi.)
Run: 23 miles (ytd 1,006 mi.)

Photo: Cool, cool-down, 10:00 a.m., 60 degrees, SoCal

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 2,000 yds (ytd 39,900 yds.)
Bike: 53 miles (ytd 3,241 mi.)
Run: 23 miles (ytd 983 mi.)

Photo: 6-mile run, 8:00 a.m., 60 degrees, Laguna Beach, California

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 2,400 yds (ytd 37,900 yds.)
Bike: 65 miles (ytd 3,188 mi.)
Run: 25 miles (ytd 960 mi.)

Photo: 15-mile fixie ride, 3-mile run, 8:00 a.m., 60 degrees, Linn County, Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 3,600 yds (ytd 35,500 yds.)
Bike: 166 miles (ytd 3,123 mi.)
Run: 36 miles (ytd 935 mi.)

Conundrum

Photo: 56-mile single-speed ride, 11:00 p.m., 65 degrees, Somewhere in Iowa

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 3,000 yds (ytd 31,900 yds.)
Bike: 145 miles (ytd 2,957 mi.)
Run: 37 miles (ytd 899 mi.)

Daylight ends, the fun begins.

Photo: 15-mile single-speed ride, 6-mile run, 9:00 a.m., 40 degrees, Summit County, CO

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 4,300 yds (ytd 28,900 yds.)
Bike: 108 miles (ytd 2,812 mi.)
Run: 20 miles (ytd 862 mi.)

Photo: 50-mile fixie ride, 2-mile run, 9:00 a.m., 70 degrees, Linn County, IA

Weekly activity log:
Swim: 1,800 yds (ytd 28,900 yds.)
Bike: 142 miles (ytd 2,812 mi.)
Run: 31 miles (ytd 862 mi.)