timothyodonnell.com

June 2015

Breaking 8 hours...Prepare and then Roll With It

Preparation is a cornerstone to triathlon. We prepare by training, by planning, and controlling the controllables. But not everything can go according to plan and when that happens, the most important thing is our reaction to it.

On my way to IRONMAN Brazil last week, my TREK Speed Concept was held up in customs. It required time and attention from a number of people to have it released and the delay altered some of my race week training plans. We got it resolved, and I quickly shifted my thinking back to race day. I was able to put together a sub-8 hour race performance at what proved to be a very competitive event.

When you hit the bumps in the road, reach out to others, get resourceful, find solutions, and then get back on track as quickly as possible. Know that while we don't have a choice about whether we encounter bumps in the road, we have a choice about our reaction to them.

Thank you to all who helped get my bike released, and to my sponsors, supporters, family, and wife Rinny, who help me through the daily bumps of life!

Stay humble, stay hungry!

T.O.

IRONMAN Brazil Latin American Championship

2nd - 7:55:56

with Marino Vanhoenacker (1st) and Brent McMahon (3rd)

photo: Wagner Araujo

2nd fastest run split of the day - 2:45:52

photo: Wagner Araujo

IM 70.3 Brazil Latin American Championship

2nd - 3:42:40

With Tyler Butterfield (3rd) and Tim Don (1st)

2015 Race Results and Schedule

(schedule subject to change)

RACE	FINISH PLACE	FINISH TIME	DATE	LOCATION	DISTANCE
Subaru Mooloolaba 5i50 Triathlon	1st	1:55:13	March 14	Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Australia	5150
IM 70.3 Brazil IM 70.3 Latin American Championship	2nd	3:42:40	April 5	Brasilia, Brazil	70.3
IM Brazil IM Latin American Championship	2nd	7:55:56	May 31	Florianopolis, Brazil	140.6
TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon			June 28	Philadelphia, PA	5150
IM 70.3 Muskoka			July 5	Muskoka, Ontario, Canada	70.3
IM 70.3 Timberman			August 16	Gilford, NH	70.3
IM World Championship			October 10	Kona, HI	140.6

Balancing life one beer at a time -
Omission and my training

Triathlon is a tough sport and to have a long career you need some balance in your life.

Having a casual drink with friends at the end of a hard training day, or as a celebration after a race helps me keep the sport in perspective, appreciate what I get to do for a living and helps contribute to that balanced life. Recovery is crucial in a long career too, and that is more than physical... it's also mental. Being able to get into recovery boots, have a beer, watch the playoffs and zone out allows me to step away from triathlon, so when I get back to training the next day I am ready to wrap my head around it all again.

Of course on the physical side, with big training comes big caloric needs and a beer at night actually helps replenish those glycogen stores! At the end of the day a balanced life definitely places me in a positive state of mind. Training and racing while being happy in life correlates to success and for me that comes from enjoying training, life, loved ones and a great beer!

Before discovering I had a gluten sensitivity, I loved all things wheat: beer, donuts, cakes, pasta...all of it! Even before I knew of my gluten issue I knew that something in beer wasn't agreeing with me. I began shying away from beer because of how it made me feel afterward, and instead I would have a glass of wine in social settings.

It is nice to be able to bring beer back into the mix with Omission. I don't remember where I was or who I was with when I had my first Omission beer (my "O Moment") but I do distinctly remember the feelings of joy and excitement when I realized I could have real beer again. I no longer had to settle for a lackluster Gluten-Free beer-like alternative!

A Gluten-Free diet can often mean eating products with processed ingredients used to imitate their gluten-filled counterparts. With Omission beer, it's great to have a Gluten-Free product that is made from the real stuff and not substitutes. As a professional athlete, you need to pay attention to the details. You need to be aware of the details of the products you depend on for racing, training, nutrition and hydration... whether it's bike and shoe technology or the number of calories or ounces of water in your nutrition plan. I appreciate Omission's attention to detail as well. Each bottle is labeled with it's batch number and on their website you can look up the exact ppm of gluten for the particular bottle in your hand. You can rest assured your drink is what it says it is and enjoy beer again too!

I know what you are thinking" "T.O. you don't even remember what good beer tastes like...if it's a beer for the gluten intolerant then I'm sure it doesn't taste that good and I'm sure it doesn't taste like real beer!" Well, I put that statement to the test myself. My massage therapist Josh was at the house a few weeks ago working on me and I cracked open an Omission Pale Ale for him. Josh knows (and loves) his beer and doesn't have any gluten issues... he was the perfect test! He looked at the bottle, took a sip, his eyes lit up, looked at the bottle again and said "man, are you sure this is gluten free?!" It's always fun to be part of someone's "O Moment"!

The owner and brewmaster for Omission both were diagnosed with Celiac's while they were working at Widmer Brewing so they were determined to figure out how to make a real (and really good) beer that was Gluten-Free. They weren't trying to develop a product for am emerging Gluten-Free market, they were trying to create a beer they could drink and enjoy. Their product is driven by their passion, as my racing is fueled by mine. I'm proud to say part of my fuel, part of my life's balance comes from enjoying Omission beer.

You can find out where to buy Omission's Lager, Pale Ale and IPA at omissionbeer.com Enjoy your first "O Moment"!

What do I take on long runs?

By Steve Godwin for Triathlete.com

May 28, 2015