As you've hopefully seen, the MaccaX community we've created is just crushing it!  Our first product, "MX12", has been mind boggling successful!  We're already working on a series of other new products that we'll be partnering with races, etc on.  And the MaccaX community is equally surprising, way surpassing what we'd hoped for.  The loyalty and eagerness to join/learn/participate has been amazing.  Macca is meeting members and going on rides each time he's in a new city, etc.  We had our first live SpreeCast and it had people from 23 countries on live!  Some waking up in the middle of the night to participate.  It's been fantastic and the best thing we've ever done for his brand and his sponsors.  We've been giving away sunglasses, his book, aero-bars, speedplay pedals, etc, etc to the members as thank you's and a way of getting members excited about "their community".  The requests are pouring in for a Team MaccaX kit.  We're working on having that done now so that our members around the world can race and train in Team MaccaX gear.  We want to get Specialized on those kits and I want to talk to you about that as well later.  As Macca is wearing the Specialized cycling kit in about 90% of MX12 videos and obviously on his Specialized you guys are all over the place.  It's been wonderful for the Specialized brand and our partnership with you.  So I want to talk to you about the kits more but for now I want to ask for your participation in Macca's Christmas give away.

We are going to do the biggest, coolest and most high profile give-away in the history of Triathlon.  We're going to have a competition, all promoted on his FaceBook (over 52,000 fans), on his Twitter (over 150,000 fans), etc.  It's looking like the timing will be right and we're even going to take an ad out in Triathlete magazine for it!   We want to give away a Specialized Shiv!  It'll be listed as "The bike World Champions Macca, Crowie and Fabian ride!".  We'd like to ask you for that Shiv frame and we'll have it outfitted with Sram and Zipp (unless you want the bike to be 100% Specialized parts which we can do).  This will be HIGHLY promoted globally as "Specialized Shiv" over and over and over and over!  This will be THEE prize!  It will be promoted, tweeted, talked about on interviews, etc for the next 40 days!  Then on Christmas Eve in Sydney, Macca with his entire family will draw the winning name... live on the Internet!  Using SpreeCast, everyone will be able to tune in and watch it live!

Over the next 40 days he'll be doing blogs, spreecasts, pod casts, other interviews, obviously tweeting about it to his hundreds of thousands of fans, etc.  So Specialized Shiv will be spoken about over and over!  Pictures of the bike will be tweeted, posted, etc.  Our goal obviously is to get more members with this competition by promoting a Specialized Shiv -- the award of a life time!  With each referral when someone signs up for the MaccaX community they get a 'raffle ticket' with their name on it.  There is no limit, so some people will have their name entered multiple times.  We will literally have a big bag filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of names.  Making sure it's a fun, family and fair contest, Macca's two year old son will then draw a name live on the internet on Christmas Eve in Australia (so 7am on Sunday the 23rd in California, 10am on the East Coast, 4pm in Europe that night).  So Christmas Even in Australia and Sunday day/night everywhere else in the world so that most people will be home.  We want to hype this like crazy!  Have Specialized promote it as well.  Make this HUGE!!!  And if you're not live online when he draws your name, you don't win!  This will make sure everyone is watching live and also gives people the impression of a potential 'second chance' to win!  That way the winner is there live on the internet (on SpreeCasts) and everyone can see their face when they win.  We'll then get them the correct size bike, pictures with them and their bike eventually to later promote.  It'll be an massive promotion that will go on for the next 40 days and then again once they receive it, we'll promote it again!

We're going to have lesser prizes like a month supply of Clif Bars, an Under Armour gift bag, an entry into any Challenge race they want, an entry into Escape from Alcatraz, etc.  But the only prize that will be promoted and damn sure the evenings crowning jewel will be the Specialized Shiv!  Obviously we recognize this is a self serving request, that we're asking a favor.  But as you can see, it'll be all about Specialized as each person learns of it, tells their friends, gets their friends to sign up - who then hopefully get their friends, etc.  But the world Specialized Shiv will be said, written, tweeted, posted over and over.  We want the global triathlon community to know about this and watching live on Dec 23rd.  No one has ever done anything like this!  We want Tri Clubs, individuals, companies, races, etc participating.  


Win an exact copy of Macca's Specialized Shiv! Including Zipp 808's, SRAM Red group set and much much more!! This Bike is stacked and ready to race!! www.winashiv.com

We've just locked up a deal with Walmart to have the iconic Macca Wheaties box be isolated and have its own display - middle of the isle on it's own pallet, in each and every Walmart across the country!

We've also just learned that Starbucks, nationally, will be carrying Macca's upcoming book! Needless to say, we can't begin to express how huge this is!  Plus, Walmart will also be carrying the book which is available May 29th, though it can be pre-odered now on Amazon.com.

It's great to see two of the worlds largest companies backing, promoting and displaying all things Macca!

Plus, Macca doing what he does best, won another race over the weekend smashing the field.  The Four Seasons Resort Nevis down in the caribbean was the host site and what a truly amazing venue!  Macca lead the race from start to finish with Frenchman, two-time Olympian Marceau, hot on his heels for most of the day.  Macca was able to create a good size gap on the bike and hold the field off on the run.  He's coming into form at the right time just as he always does.

TriStar 111 - Nevis West Indies - Top 5:
1 - AUS - McCormack
2 - SUI - Marceau
3 - CAN - Guembel
4 - GBR - Lidbury
5 - USA - Greenfiled

Well after the disappointment of getting sick at Ironman China, I have to say that my past few days in Singapore have brought a real smile to my face. I arrived in Singapore on Monday straight in from Haikou China, and was still very much off color. I had picked up a stomach but 4 days prior in China and had really felt rundown. It put a stop on me finishing the Ironman as I got only 50km into the bike ride before having to retire from the race. I had no energy, was seriously dehydrated and despite being in 2nd place, decided it best to head back to the hotel and sleep. I was empty and had nothing to give. I had a bug in my system that was ripping my energy from me and keeping me very close to a toilet at all times. I was upset I could not finish as I had come so far.

I was planning on coming to Singapore with an Ironman in my legs and spending my week here raising money and awareness for my MaccaNow foundation, that is focused on raising money for Breast Cancer and its related illnesses. The aim of MaccaNow is to raise 1 962 800 dollars for our cause. This number represents 100 dollars a day for every day my mother was alive. I lost my mother to the disease in 1999 at the age of 53. My family was a family of 4 boys, and our mother was our life. This disease stole her from us in the prime of her life, and as a man I wanted to do something. Breast Cancer may be a disease that directly effects women, but as men it takes our wives, daughters, mothers, sisters and friends from our lives. I wanted to do something and with the birth of my two daughters my desire became even bigger. I set myself the goal of setting up my foundation after I won the Ironman World Championships in October of 2007, and gave myself the target of raising the 1 962 800 dollars as a celebration of my mothers life. I had achieved so much in my career, and my mother had missed so many of the big events I had won. We had talked about me winning world titles, World Cup races, Ironman titles and European events when she was alive. She was my biggest supporter and believed in me when I didn't. I had represented Australia in 10 Teams since, and my mother saw none of this. She watched me win my first World title in 1997, and knew I was on my way, but crossing the line in Kona the year I had won, I was elated and empty all in one emotion. My mother would have been so proud, the icing on a career that has seen me win every major title in our sport. she had always told me I could do it and when I crossed that line in Kona, the last title on my list of races I wanted to win in my career, I missed my mum.

It was at this time that I decided the rest of my career would not just be about winning events but racing with a higher purpose. I wanted to set myself a target outside the sport that would see me go to events and raise money and awareness for this disease. The MaccaNow Foundation was born with the motto "No opportunities Wasted," and I began slowly chasing my goal of raising money. I met some amazing people who have some incredible foundations and began working with them. The Talbert Family Foundation was one such organization, and the snowball began. I had never done anything like this in my life, and when I opened myself up to help, I met some of the most amazing human beings in the world, all with their own stories. I was empowered myself and my desire to do more snowballed.

Since 2007 we have raised 287 000 dollars for selected charities and in Singapore on Tuesday night we added another 12005 dollars to our cause. Our MaccaNow Website is currently under construction and will allow people to follow our progress and donate and help us achieve this goal. My vision is to empower other athletes to set the same goals and use our Foundation to help them achieve the same goals for charities that have a purpose to them.

At Fitness First Singapore on Tuesday 15th March 2010, we held our first "Spin for Life" Charity ride to raise money for Breast Cancer Singapore. We sold off the spin bikes in the class for a minimum price and had 59 bikes to sell. Our only limitation was the amount of bikes, and they were sold out in less than 4 days. The demand was just awesome and The Breast Cancer Foundation of Singapore was super supportive of the evening. We could have sold the night out 4 times over, which really made me happy. I turned up to a room full of energy, many women who were Breast cancer survivors themselves, and a buzz like no other. We had a set 90 minute session planned and it was an awesome evening.

I cant say enough about how happy I was with the night and how much fun I had. After the disappointment of my race in China and getting sick, my evening in Singapore really lifted my spirits. Perspective is an amazing thing, and the 2 hours I spent here in Singapore on Friday night with our Spin for Life group was so much fun. Thanks everyone for turning up and supporting MaccaNow. I will achieve my goal and your support is a big part of this. Please check past our MaccaNow website in a couple of weeks to see some video and photos from the night, and see our schedule of events that are growing each week. You will also be able to donate to our Foundation and we will have a list of Charities that ALL our money goes to. Also if you are on facebook and want to help, one of my sponsors has agreed to pay 50 000 dollars to The Power in Pink Foundation if I can reach 50000 fans on my http://www.facebook.com/maccalive fan page by June. We are getting close so please help out by joining or getting your friends to join. It costs nothing and will be a big chunk of money to donate to a great charity.

My race season will kick off next week in Hawaii when I compete in the Olympic distance classic Lavaman on the big island of Hawaii. I am still a little weak today but am hoping to get back on the bike and running again this week. I have given myself a good week of relaxation to give my system time to recover. I am very much looking forward to hitting Hawaii, and then back to the USA for my 2010 racing season. This year will be a big one and I am pumped to pull on my race numbers again.

Enjoy your Journey,

Macca

Ok, so this is not really a flat out blog. As with my last blog I have cheated a little bit and uploaded a magazine piece I recently wrote for one of the major Triathlon magazines in the USA. I was asked where my competitive drive came from and why I was so vocal about what I wanted to achieve in this sport. When speaking with the editor of the magazine they actually said, "Macca, to be honest your probably the most colorful interview we ever do with an athlete, you are a interviewers dream as you never know quite what your going to get. I mean that in a positive way, but where does this fire come from."

Its funny as I never mean to come off as arrogant or cocky. I really don't, and for those people who know me I am totally not that type of person. This being said, I am a very competitive person and enjoy my journey and my time in a sport that I grew up in. My career has given me the opportunity to travel, to remain fit and meet some amazing people and friends over the entire globe. It has given me my life and i am indebted to the sport for it.

Anyway I wrote this magazine piece about where I came from and what makes me tick for the magazine and have uploaded it here as well. I better write an actual blog tonight to catch up on everything that has been happening here. If you are on twitter you can follow most of what we do at www.twitter.com/chrisjmacca. Hope you like the piece.

ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY

People talk talent and genetics like they are the only key to success in sports. I don’t deny, that obviously natural ability must pave the way for success to some levels, but to assume that this is what splits a race down the middle is too simplistic a view. The performance puzzle is a product of so many different variables. Many of these variables you cannot quantify, but that does not make them any less important. I started out in this sport with one desire. All I ever wanted as a kid was to be a triathlete.

As a 15 year old, I could tell you all about the brutality of the Kona lava fields. I knew about the freezing cold waters of San Francisco that the Athletes faced at Escape from Alcatraz. I could look you in the eye and tell you with absolute conviction that Ironman Europe in Roth was the toughest Ironman to win because the Europeans raced well at home. I knew all the winners of the famous Wildflower Triathlon, the bike record times on the Chicago course, and the fact that the big four really should have been, a big 5, with the inclusion of the great Mike Pigg. There was nothing about this sport I didn’t know, and I had a thirst for information like nothing else. I was a triathlon geek, and no sport in the world meant more to me.

But I had never raced any of these events, nor been anywhere near a race of this magnitude in my life. I had never even left Australia, and the closest I had ever got to Mark Allen was when I lined up for 45 minutes to get his autograph at a race in Australia. I was still at high school and only knew about these events, because I watched them on VHS video. I read and re read every triathlon magazine that ever hit a newsstand and listened to the older guys who had raced in these events. It was passion that kept me interested, and triathlon idols that kept me thirsty for any news I could find regarding the sport of swim, bike and run.

As 16-year-old boys, my best mate Sean Maroney and I, sat down, and wrote out a list of all the races that we would one day like to compete in. Every race we could think of that had some significance to us made the list. We wrote them all down and laughed and argued and talked about the day we would finally make our triathlon pilgrimage together and race abroad. The day we would start chasing our list of races. After college and a stint in the workplace, I sold everything I had and flew up to Europe alone to chase this dream. Scared, uneasy and apprehensive I began my life as a professional triathlete. A long way from home, I was now racing to eat. You quickly learn that the glamour is something for the magazines and this was a very tough way to make a living. For many of the young aussies that were in Europe at this time, many went home to never be seen again. Without desire and passion for the sport, no amount of genetics will keep you on the circuit. It was hard living, but I loved it. It was all I ever wanted to do.

Over the years, I would go on to win many races in the cities we read about as boys. I got to know many of the idols we watched on TV and trained in those cool places like Boulder, Nice and San Diego. To try to explain the excitement of winning a World title at 23 years of age against the best athletes on the planet, when all those athletes are still your idols is impossible. Sean and I, sat in my hotel room in absolute disbelief the night I did. Chris McCormack, ITU World Champion and World Cup Champion. Incredible!! ITU World Cup wins, National Championships, Escape from Alcatraz wins, Chicago, Wildflower, San Jose and San Diego’s. It was our time to shine, and we lived it as it happened. Every title I brought home we admired and appreciated, because of the history that stood behind every one of those events. It was happening, and now it was our time. We just loved it and lived it, and chased titles out of desire and respect. Never a heart rate monitor or power meter. We trained and laughed and it really was that simple.

But I also spent my time around the sport scientists and guru coaches, who poked and prodded me and told me what my limitations were. Setting training parameters and discussing my weaknesses, was always the key topic for them. Desire was never brought up. Sean and I always felt, that it took more than numbers, heart rates and thresholds to determined performance. But who was I to argue? I never had the piece of paper to justify my opinions. I was simply a talent and would never understand where my performances came from. Just listen and let the experts guide you was the mantra for the time.

I talked of my list and my dreams of Hawaii to many sport scientists, and was constantly told that this was a pipedream.

“Macca the difference between dreams and reality are just that, one is a dream and the other is reality. Your just not built to carry the fuel in a race like Kona. You’re a speed demon, a power athlete. Just too big to ever do anything in that heat and humidity”

.How could you argue with them? With every year I failed in Kona their case grew stronger and their words echoed in my head. I was the best short course athlete in the World when I went across to Ironman. I had a body built for speed, and performance for a long period of time in humidity was just not in my genetic makeup.

Sean would never see me compete in Kona, and our childhood pact to race our first Hawaii together ended 3 months before my first race in Hawaii, when Sean was tragically killed in an accident, ironically in Hawaii. From the day Sean died, my entire focus was our list. Completing our dream was all I cared about. The only race that was left for me to win was Ironman Hawaii and despite everything the scientists told me, it was the path I was taking. I would do it in the same way that we had won every other event on our list. By remaining true to myself, and believing it was possible. Love the race first and appreciate what it is. Train with that mindset, and train hard.

I completed our dream in October 2007, after 5 years of trying. The scientists were right, my body was not designed for the heat in Kona and of all the races in my career that I had won, this was the most difficult for me. But I won, when they told me I never would! As I crossed the line in Kona, I looked to the sky, pointed a finger up to my mate, and said aloud, “Our time to shine” This was our mantra for years. And now more than ever it had never sounded so good. Mission accomplished, 15 years on and our list completed. Every race I ever wanted to win, I now owned.

My career was guided by a piece of paper, a friendship, belief and a dream. In a sport that is obsessed with power metres, heart rates, thresholds and training zones I often wonder how I ever got to where I did. I can be honest and say many of these tools, I have never owned and never felt the need to. If I had relied on natural ability or a course set out for me by someone else, then I would never have crossed that line in Kona first and never have completed our dream. I would still have my list and it would be incomplete. I may have won lots of races and who knows where my triathlon path would have taken me. But my desire and aim in this sport was never about winning races. It was never to make money and never to be the best short course triathlete on earth. My passion for this sport was born out of trying to emulate my childhood heros, and to experience those races that they did. Our list kept me true to that dream and I am happy that it did.

Enjoy Your Journey,

Macca

Triathlon is infectious! It really is that simple. Actually I think what is infectious about our sport, is positive energy and just plane positivity. The word, lifestyle, gets tossed around a fair bit nowadays as people are looking for other ways to get the most out of their lives while they have it, but Triathlon is positive lifestyle. The lifestyle that encapsulates triathlon really is worthy. Triathlon as a sport is a real challenge to everyone that attempts it, and the feeling of fulfillment after an event is pretty tough to beat. Being a destination sport, makes it even more attractive and events are popping up all over the globe. You can race a triathlon event now on every continent on earth. How cool is that!

I was drawn to this sport as a young teenager and inspired by the superhuman efforts of a few pioneers of this sport. In its infancy, people who did triathlon were seen as a little crazy, fitness freaks, set on killing themselves with exercise. Growing up in Australia, Triathlon was thrown onto our TV sets in the form of these crazy events, held in Hawaii and California, Europe and even New Zealand, done by these super fit, super human athletes who were looking for endurance challenges to not only test themselves but really to test the endurance boundaries of human beings. Even the TV commentators who followed these events sounded a little freaked out by what these crazy people were doing. I remember in my household, we looked at these people in awe and disbelief, as we watched the challenges they faced and some of the distances they were competing at. Names like Mark Allen and Dave Scott are now synonymous with the sport, but I remember the other unsung legends, such as Ken Glah, Jeff Devlin, Wolfgang Dietrich, Pauli Kuiri, Scott Molina, Mike Pigg, Emilio Desoto, and Scott Tinley, just to name a few. These pioneers jumped into a sport when it was in its infancy and took on these challenges in an era that is much different to what we enjoy today. They were super heroes to me, and I dreamed and wished that one day I could be brave enough to take on these challenges like they were.

As a very young and impressionable teenager, these guys inspired me to dream and inspired me to want to test myself more than the conventional sports of swimming, cycling and running. It was these super human athletes that as a youngster I watched and ultimately wanted to emulate.

I have told this story so many times, but as we approach the end of this decade and I reflect on the last 10 years it makes me smile. For me, my life has changed a lot since the end of 2000 until now. I am now 10 years older, married with two wonderful children of my own, and instead of looking forward at a career that is set before me, I am looking back at some of the races and goals I set and achieved. It is during these times of reflection that you often go deeper and ask yourself where you drew that inspiration. Where did the fire come from? Why the push towards my own personal perfection? The answer in my life is simple. The phrase, Chase your dreams! This phrase stemmed from three words my mother would say to my brothers, and me before bed every night. Dream, Believe, Succeed. I started this past decade losing my mother to breast cancer, but her mothering words guided me for the entire decade and continue to do so.

As I got into this sport and was inspired by these great pioneers of Triathlon to take up the challenge of this sport, I always subconsciously had these three words running through my head. My desire to emulate my hero’s was where my passion stem from and my belief that it was possible was my motivation. My dream was to be like Mark Allen and Scott Molina and win races all around the globe and at all distances. I wanted to win like Mike Pigg and dominate the big races like Alcatraz and Wildflower in the same way he did. I wanted to ride through the European streets of Roth and break 8 hours for the Ironman on those magical German streets like Pauli Kuri. I wanted my name on the ITU World Cup trophy next to Brad Beven and I wanted my name on that Ironman Hawaii bowl next to those pioneers I worshipped as a boy. And in the past decade I did!! I realized those dreams and made them a reality.

I sit here with my two girls playing in our backyard pool, in Sydney Australia and I still reflect and love this sport. I enjoy the people in it, the lifestyle we lead and moving into this next decade I move forward with the same mindset and focus that I did 10 years earlier. In those 3 words my mother would say to my brothers and I each night before bed, Dream, Believe, Succeed. To the people who come to this sport for the first time this year, I hope you enjoy your journey with us. This sport is amazing. For the rest of us who have tasted a triathlon finish line, I hope to see you on a start line sometime this year and I hope that this following decade is to you what this past one has been to me, full of surprises and challenges but a fulfillment of your own personal dreams. Dream, Believe, succeed. It does not get any simpler than that.

Enjoy Your Journey

Macca

Chris McCormack

World Champion Triathlete

Again I find myself saying, where did the last month go. With school holidays here in Australia, myself back training, our house renovations coming to an end, the past month has been a real blur. I can finally say with some peace in my mind that, we are finally back into some sort of routine in our home, and my season 2010 has begun. Training is going well and being home with my girls is just awesome. I completed our first MaccaX camp this year in Australia and we have our second camp next week in Singapore, so it has been very busy. For all those patient people who have been waiting for our launch of MaccaX training platform, I can say now with some sort of certainty that our site will go live in about 12 weeks. With sponsor clashes and building issues, I never thought such a positive thing could have so many behind the scene headaches. With them completed and gone, we can push forward with construction, which is happening now.

My daughter asked me yesterday, "Dad, did you go to school?"

My immediate answer was,

"Yes darling of course I went to school and I loved it. I studied hard , always did what the teacher told me to do and was friendly to everyone in the playground. If you study hard at school when you grow up you can be anything you want to be. You can be a doctor or a lawyer, a teacher, anything. You just need to work hard and listen to the teacher."

I felt great with that response, looked at my daughter who took in everything I said, and thought to myself, great parenting Chris. Good job.

I was blown away with her response after I had hit her with that. Our conversation went like this.

Tahlia: "Were you not good at school then, dad?'

Me: "No I was very good at school darling. I studied very hard and got great grades."

Tahlia: "Then why do you do triathlon for your job then? You don't have to be smart to do that. You always tell me sport is for fun. You don’t have to be smart to have fun!. I love school dad and I am going to be a doctor when I grow up. A doctor or maybe a teacher"

I was completely lost for words. How do you answer that question. She is right, you don't exactly have to be a rocket scientist to do our sport, and to be honest; sometimes I wonder if all of us have a brain at all to put ourselves through what we do. My 6-year-old daughter had me stumped and made me think. I told her that daddy did triathlon for a job because he was very good at it, but when it was all over I was going to go back and teach people about being healthy and how to look after themselves. I was going to show people how to get better and to get fit and look after their bodies and be healthy, just like a doctor does. I thought she would like that.

Her answer back to me again made me realize that the little girl we used to drag around the world was finding her balance. She was starting to settle and grow up, and more importantly she was starting to problem solve, dream and think. Being settled at school had given her the balance and stability in her life to dream.

'Dad your not a doctor. You have to learn everything at school to be a doctor. Doctors are smart dad. I want to be a doctor."

She had me, and I knew then and their I was fighting an unwinnable battle trying to justify my intelligence with a 6 year old. I also smiled to myself and was so happy that my daughter was finding her feet. After a life on the road, she was finally settling down. I felt good.

Emma and I had considered many options a couple of years ago, and our family’s stability was always the most important. My girls had been brought up on the road, living out of suitcases and being flown all around the world. It sounds like a glamorous life, and sure many people will say with young kids it is a great educational experience, but what we noticed with our girls was that they were missing a social connection with kids their own age. They were not like bike boxes that you can just pack up and pull apart, and drag all over the world. They had their own social needs that were imperative to their social development. Being book smart is one thing, but at a young age children need interaction with other kids to grow the confidence and social skills that will allow them to develop. Life on the road severely limits this, and over time distorts things. When Emma and I decided to have children we made that decision together as a family, and once that decision was made, we always new it would be family first in all our decision making processes.

Life on the road was tough on them, and our decision to move them home, and give them stability and a social network, has been the best decision we have ever made. People suggested home schooling while I raced, or other educational options via the internet, but it wasn't about the education as much as it was about the allowing our girls to have and create a network of friends that they could grow up with. We are so happy with our decision, and our girls have blossomed for it. The difference we see in Sienna our youngest compared to Tahlia our oldest, shows us that our decision is the right one.

My girls are 6 and 4. They are settled and happy. Yes I travel away to work and come back and forwards during a season and people say, wow Macca you travel a lot. Isn't that hard? The answer is yes it is hard, but when you see the changes in my girls I know it is for the best. I know many people out their have a similar time to me, having to travel for work, but when you have that moment with your kids, that makes you realize that your parenting decisions were the right ones, it makes that time away feel that little bit easier. My daughter asked me a simple question the other day and out of this small conversation I was happy to see how far she had come, from the girl we brought home 2 years ago.

I head up to Singapore in a few days for another MaccaX camp and then in 5 weeks to China for the Ironman. The season is upon me soon, and with my family settled I look at 2010 as another year of success and another year of purpose.

Safe training everyone,

Macca

I am writing this note for all the people who were interested in my RESET/Detox program that I do at the end of every season. After posting on my twitter today, the response was quite extraordinary so as promised I would jot down for all those interested, what my system is, what I do and for how long. I am sure there are hundreds of Detox systems available and I am not here to claim any one is better than the other. I actually think that if you do a body "Reset" as we like to call it, every year, you feel better for it. I am sure there are lots on the market and lots of different views. My opinion is that the body thanks you for doing it, and the only thing worse than any particular system is not doing one in the first place. This is my view, and it works for me. I am happy with it and have just finished Day 1 today. I am not here to claim anything and am happy if people don’t care for what I do or think there is a better system out there. This is mine, I am very happy with it and will continue to follow it. I know how I feel after it, have done it before and do not want to take too many risks with new systems when I am straight back into hard work in January. Some people don't believe in these at all, and if that is the case with you, then more power to you. I write this note for those of you who asked all those questions on my twitter and sent me emails via facebook asking for more specifics. I got bombarded with questions so this was the easiest way to explain. I hope this answers them for you all.

I use Genesis Pure products all year round. For my body RESETS I use the Liquid Cleanse, GoYin, Cell Water and Nutrition by Genesis Pure to support my food cleanse, that is outlined below.

Check them out here if interested:

Core 4 Products by Genesis Pure:

http://tinyurl.com/ybp63r9

All Genesis Pure Products:

http://tinyurl.com/y8z7djg .

This company does not sponsor me at all. I chose their products last year after being put onto them by my friend who loves this sort of stuff. I liked the stuff and have used them ever since. I recently signed up to be a part of their program so as to buy the product cheaper.

My RESET Program then follows the following pattern and we have done it this way taking into consideration that I will continue to exercise during this period, but not heavily. My RESET is only 14 days duration and not very aggressive. I think the support of the Genesis Pure helps with detox and the avoidance of heavy foods on the digestive system allows my body to rest and liver and kidneys a little break. I still eat, unlike many other programs out there.

Day 1-7 Cleanse and Reset

The first 7 days of my Reset I go totally Organic and eat fruit and Vegetables only. I tend to eat a lot of salads and soups and remain very Alkaline in my food choices. I drink only purified water and use the Liquid Cleanse, Nutrition and Cell Water 3 times per day as a supplement to the eating program. I find this first 7 days very easy and enjoy eating fruits. I eat small quantities and always Organic. I find that I really flush a lot through the kidneys during this period and go to the bathroom quite extensively. In the later stages of this first week you can feel a little hungry but I honestly find that this goes away relatively quickly.

Day 8-14 Stabilize-Rebuild

This is where I introduce the GoYin and the Energy to the supplements I take and will introduce Wheat Free bread to my palate. I slowly bring in Organic Wheat Free Bread and eat Sandwiches at lunch. Still Organic Lentil soups, Fruit, Vegetables and now Bread make up most of my diet. I have GoYin with Fresh squeeze Juice as an additional hydration source now. Hydration is still primarily water. I find my body really starts to feel happy this second week and my body really feels stable. My hunger desires are gone and my skin feels very soft. I use the Energy product late in the week to give me a boost for my training sessions as I start to ramp up training. I am not a vegetarian but during this RESET I don’t eat meat at all. I will have my first hormone free meat meal for dinner on the 14 day, and will then begin to introduce other foods back into my diet.

It sounds like this is hard to do this program but it really isn’t. I like t, it is not too much and too difficult and I feel the build post this RESET is very quick. I have friends who have done longer programs, but coming back into training post these has been difficult.

This is my program. For those that want to give it a go, please feel free to and drop me a line and tell me what you think. I started Day 1 today on the 16th December 2009, so as to be finished for New Years Day to begin my build for Ironman China in March. For many of you, give it a go after the festive season and fill me in on how you guys went. Would love to hear about it. Hope I have been some help to those interested. Thanks for being a part of my Face book site. It is great staying connected with everyone.

Enjoy,

Macca

Chris McCormack

World Champion Triathlete

Well I was hoping to get a blog in prior to the race in Kona, but those last few days before the big dance is always tough. I apoligise and thank everyone who sent messages of support through my email, twitter and facebook accounts. I was bombarded and touched. I write this blog from Australia. I am finally home with my girls and have to say life does not get any better than this. I have uploaded some photos from the race to my site here and will throw some more video up over the next few days. We have so much foootage it is crazy. I will throw it all up today, as we start to plan our season for 2010.

Ironman Hawaii 2009 is over and it was a tough day at the office. These Ironman races whether they be in Australia, Germany, Hawaii or anywhere in the world are character building. There really is no other sport that alllows someone to really look deep inside themselves for such a long period of time and assess what their real desires and motivations are. You just cant fake it. If you are racing for the wrong reasons, it quickly bubbles to the surface in an Ironman. You cant hide from yourself, and I think this is why these events are so emotionally draining aswell as physically. These events build character like nothing else, and my race on the weekend did exactly that. If I was assessing my race on a performance or outcome point of view, then I could be mistaken for saying that my race was a failure. But when you are honest with yourself, and look deep inside yourself I am over the moon with my performance. The race was a huge mixed bags of emotions for me. Ironman never runs smoothly but this years event was extra tough. I have won 12 of these races around the world, and tasted the finish line on another 6 occassions. Some of the races I have won have felt easy, some have hurt, but my 2009 Ironman Hawaii was my most satisfying.

I exited the swim 2 minutes down on where I expected to be. My swim in Ironman has always been a relative strength, and I have never not been able to sit comfortably in the front group. This year in Ironman Germany I missed the front group by 3 minutes, and honestly thought this was an isolated incident. When something happens once you can assume that it is an isolated thing, but now here I was again in Kona 2 minutes down on the front group. This is obviously a problem and something that I need to rectify immediately for next year. You can imagine the panic I was in post swim. My mind was all over the place and I knew I had to get my emotions under control. I told myself, "ok this is not ideal. This is not what we had plannned. But get it together."

Out of the water I was on the back foot immediately. I knew the pace up front would be fast, but after watching the event last year from the tech van, I knew the real power in this race would start to be asserted at the turn around point in Havi. I knew I had been putting out great numbers in training on the bike, I just had to not panick and allow the race to unfold. In the first 30km of the bike ride we had riden the bike group back to 1 minute and could have almost got onto the back of the group. I was feeling very good and was looking for some help upfront to help close this gap quickly. I thought, this is my chance and really tried to get the guys in my group to help. I have to say Cameron Brown had the same mindset as me and knew how easy it would be if we could just make contact with the front group prior to the Scenic Lookout at 45km into the race. The German Commerze Bank Team were all with us but sat back and didnt see the urgency in this aggressive move to make up for our lost time. I yelled a few times at these guys but they were happy to relax and watch as the group started to take the time back away from us on the long descent towards Waiakoloa. I knew then it was over for the early chase and now it was time to focus on a long more sustained ride through this 112 miles.

I felt magic on the bike and when Norman joined me at about 60km into the bike ride, he gave me the thumbs up to keep the pace solid. We were losing time to the front group rapidly but I knew as that group started to dissintegrate up towards Havi, that we would eat into their lead on the return journey home. What tends to occur in the front group, is that a lot of the excited new guys do the lions share of the work early on the bike because they feel so good. This enables you to sit in and get carried by the pace. They chase the early swim leaders and the pace is fast. Then you get the second push out towards Waikoloa as the athletes try to win the bike prime that is set up at Waikoloa Village turn off. This section from Scenic Lookout (40km) until Waiakoloa (65km) is really fast as they push to catch the swim leaders and all the guys try and grab the 5000 dollar prime on offer. The contenders for the title get to sit in and enjoy the free pace setting as the guys do all the heavy lifting for you. The climbs to Kaiwahiee come next and this softens the legs of the pretenders who have done all the work. It is here that these guys tend to realise just how far this race is. It is also the point where the side winds start and the heat turns up. It is no longer early morning, and the sun really beats down. By the time you get to Havi, half these athlletes will be dropped and the pace in the front group will drop right off. This is where the strong bikers will make their move and pull lots of time on the group in the second half of the bike course. In years past Torbjorn Sindablle made his move here, Norman Stadler, Faris, Hellriegal, Zach and this year it was Lieto. The pace setting is then left up to the runners and the group always loses big time in the return journey home to the bikers. It was also my game plan this year, and what I had trained to do. Even though we were down on the bike I intended to follow this same principle and bite my time. My bike has always been a weapon, and I allowed it to drop off to develop my run to ultimately win this race. I worked on my bike and it is back to being a huge weapon again. All season I knew this was going to be my trump card, and I was going to blow the guys away with this new approach.No one would expect this. Obviously, the improved bike strength has come at an expense to my swim but this gives me a focus for next year. I would really like to win this race the same way I have won many Ironmans. From the front. This is what I aim to do. Anyway back to the race....

We turned at Havi 4 minutes down on the group. Myself, Norman and Miak Twelsaik really pushed the climb to Havi and my group blew apart. The first casualty was Bert Jammer, then Cameron Brown. I was feeling really strong and after the Special needs at Havi, I put my head down and committed to the chase. We took 2 minutes out of the group in the next 30km and then in sight of Waikoloa I caught my first glimpse of the group on one of the long straights. I was starting to get a few little cramps in my legs here on the bike and was smashing down the salt to keep them at bay. I have a tendency to cramp in these humid races and have found that salt is my key weapon in fighting these off. I was not expecting these cramps so early but they were controllable. I caught the group at scenic lookout and it had all the guys in it. I saw Pete Jacobs and we had a little chat. Pete is a great guy and a young kid with lots of potential. He had a laugh and told me I need to come swim traininig with him next year. I had a chuckle myself and decided to sit in for a little. I was shocked at how slow these guys were moving and thought to myself, - I am out of here. On the climb up to Scenic Lookout I moved through the group to see if anyone would respond. I rode off the front and only Norman joined me. We rode away and I was feeling amazing. Just as I had planned in the race, I was off the front and trailing Chris Lieto but in striking distance. At this point this race was mine. Who could out run me when I am feeling this good, and if those guys back in the group were feeling any good they would have responded to my move. In the next 40km ride home I pushed to open up 3 minutes on the group and to hold Lieto at 7 minutes. This race was mine. Thats what I was thinking anyway.....

I was concerned at my cramping that was starting to become more pronounced. I always cramp in my internal abductors and on the Sartorious muscle (sorry for the spelling) but it is the inside of my quads. The last 20km of the bike was frustrating. I had run out of salt and was now relying on the Gatorade for my salt and just punching my legs to try and release the spasms. It was a little frustrating but I was feeling great and I knew that I had new salt reserves in transition 2. The last 15 km of the bike i really couldnt push as hard as I wanted to. I think we had another couple of minutes in us, but Norman was not coming around and my legs were in and out of spasms. My mindset here was, dont panic, ride out the storm stay controlled and unleash on the run. My last 6 Ironman runs have all been under 2:45. Catch me if you can boys. No need to squeeze any extra time. Stay in control and hold these cramps off with Gatorade. As a bigger guy, cramps in these hot races continue to plague me. My physiology and tests in the labs, have shown me that I am always on diminshing returns. What all my times in the labs have taught me is how to deal with them. This is something I didnt know when I first came to Kona. Turn up the humidty and you turn up my problems. Today was super hot and my problems were coming earlier than expected.

I jumped off the bike with Norman and we had a chat. He was in a bad way and I tried to encourage him to push on. We have had our differences in the past, but he has calmed over the past few years and we have started to chat a lot more. In the tent I was really trying to motivate him to push on, but I could see his fire was out. I ran out of the tent, dumped some salt tablets and will be honest with everyone here, I thought I was running to my 2nd title. Good luck catching me.. 7 minutes down on Lieto, 3 minutes up on Crowie, Henning and Raelert (my main concerns pre race). I was going to win. Everything was now going to plan. I forgot about my bad swim and focused now on holding 6 minute miles. It was hot, really hot, and the first few miles I could not open up on the run as these cramps were still bothering me a little. I turned at mile marker 5 feeling great. I had cut 3 minutes from Lietos lead and was holding the pack behind at bay. I was starting to feel a little sick from all the gatorade I had consumed in the last portion of the bike course, but overall I felt alert, focused and was in a good place physically and mentally. I got to mile marker 8 and my first big cramp hit me. It pulled me up a llittle as I ran down the hill towards Lu Lu's. I changed my running gate a little, dumped some more salt and once I hit the flatter section it went away. I took a mental note, dont stride out on the down hills. Keep the strides short, and the rythm high and take the salt in. This was the first time I started to get a little concerned. It was the first cramp that had really pulled me up.

The run up Palani hill is a key section of the race. It is at mile 10 and you then run out into the lava fields. I was 2minutes 45 seconds up on the chasers Crowie and Raelert and 5 minutes down on Lieto. In training camp, Terenzo and I had run this 16 mile section twice weekly. This was where you win Ironman Hawaii. The run to the energy lab and out. I crested Palani Hill and BANG cramps hit me again. I pulled up a little but with the 1 mile downhill run here it was a real struggle. I was really trying to hold together but the cramps were really bad. I just didnt want to walk. Walking would end my chances at the title and the guys would eat into my lead. In the next mile I lost 2 minutes to both the leader and the guys behind and at exactly halfway thhrough the run, Crowie and Raelert ran by me. Crowie gave me the thumbs up and told me to run with him. It was not a mattter of desire it was simply I could not stride out. I watched these guys run off into the distance and at this point my morale was at its lowest.

I really started to think to myself, how am I going to get through another 13 miles like this. It was agony. I was drinking lots of coke and my stomach was really starting to rebel. I knew I had over compensated on the salt and the gatorade and simply had to ride out this storm while my body absorbed the electrolytes I had consumed and sent them to the rebelling muscles. Faris ran past me a little later, and that hurt. We have had our differences and he had a smile from ear to ear as he watched me walking and throwing up . In the space of two miles I had lost 4 minutes. I remember thinking to myself of all the sacrifices I had made with my family this year. I had travelled back and forward to Australia 7 times this season and been away from my kids for a total of 22 weeks out of 52 in the year. I was so sad and just didnt want to let them down. I was getting to this finish line no matter what, but I was not going to just stroll in. I was going to push myself to get their as fast as possible. This race this year was more than just about me. It was personal. Nothing is more personal than having to talk to your kids on a computer screen from training camps. They had sacrificed with me this year so not pushing on was letting them down aswell. I was in a real bad way for a few miles here. I walked a lot, vomitted a lot and was cramping really badly. It was one of the toughest sections of an Ironman I have ever been in before. It was absolute agony. I thought my muscles were going to be ripped from the bone but continued to shuffle and walk and vomit. In that order.

Rasmus Henning and Terenzo where the next guys to catch me. I had thrown up a lot and my stomach was feeling a little better. As we approached the energy lab I knew my run for the title was over, but my race wasn't. I ran with Rasmus for a short period and really started to feel the cramps subside. The electrolytes were absorbed and I was feeling better.My dark period was coming to an end and that sick feeling was gone. I was now 7 minutes from the lead and with 10 miles to run was back in the game. I immediately pushed into the energy lab and went past Rasmus and Terenzo. I remember thinking "Wow" I am back. I went after Faris and by the bottom of the Lab had caught him. I was back in 4th position and was going after Lieto. I was running sub 6 minute miles again and remember seeing the boys at the bottom of the energy lab take a double take at me. I was running again and looking and feeling good. My mindset now was to cross that line and catch as many people infront of me as possible and not let a single person past me. I had just endured 4 miles of hell, where finishing was my mindset. Now i was back, i was going to get to the ine as fast as possible and catch as many guys as possible.

I ran the last 9 miles of the race quicker than anybody in the field, and crossed the line in 4th place. I was absolutely ecstatic. I had no idea who had won the race, and when I crossed the line I embraced Crowie and congratulated him. I saw Raelert and gave him a hug. We have had so many wars in our life it was a smile of respect from both of us. I had beaten Andreas in Germany this year by 24 seconds, and he had just beaten me in Kona by 40 seconds. We hugged and laughed and both congratulated eachother. Andreas and I have raced eachother since World Cup days in the 90's. He is a great guy. I thought Chris Lieto had won the race to be honest and when I saw him, I went over and shook his hand. My wife Emma was their to greet me and my friends from Las Vegas, LA, Scotty Fairchild my Agent, MG, The Under Armour crew, Biestmilch Gang and the Maso family all embraced me. I was actually doing pretty well. I could tell they were sad for me, and I told them all I could not be happier with my race. I might not have won which was what the focus was, but I have probably not ever raced a better Ironman in my life.

If you assess Ironman as a series of highs and lows, then I touched every spectrum in this race and came out the other end 5 minutes from the win and in 4th place overall. This race to be honest was one of my best considering. I was calm, focused and driven alll day and was beaten by guys who simply put together better races on the day than me. I will be back next year again am excited about going to war with them and winning my second title. This Ironman Hawaii race has become the single event in my career that I have grown the most in. I have won World Cup races, World Cup series, World Championships, Goodwill Games, Alcatraz's, Widlflowers, National titles, European Championships and the list goes on. I guess as you get older you reflect more from a deeper place on events and look back at where you draw your motivation from. In my short course days I guess I was driven by the excitment and the love of competition and travel. It was so exciting and new and just being in a sport that allowed you to meet your competitive desires and that you absolutely loved was your motivation. I never reflected. I just wanted to win and then think of the next goal and win that. I sometimes think about some of the early World Cup races I won and what I was feeling, and I cant remember. It was race, win and them move onto the next goal. When I moved to Ironman in 2002 I had the same mindset. I just wanted to win. My failings at Ironman Hawaii in my early years really made me slow down and think. It made me go into the labs and learn about myself. This race became my project and an event, that although not suited to my physiology is the race I have enjoyed the most in my career.My family has grown up with this race and more than anything they have become my motivation and drive. I will be back to Hawaii again and again, to endure again what I experienced on the lava fields this year. My family always comes first and we begin our planning now for next year. Tahlia loves school here in Australia, Sienna starts school next year and who knows our family may grow. This being said, as a family we chose this sport and this is what I do. We will plan next season the same way we did this year, as a family and my motivation will continue to be them. I have never been stronger mentally in my life, and I know it is because of them that I can do what I do.

Post race I spoke with my girls on the phone and to hear their voices was great. Its funny how sometimes a child can put everything into perspective for you. I had only been finished for 20 minues, was sore and tired and my youngest daughter Sienna said to me, "Daddy how many sleeps until you come home. I want to kiss you." I smiled and told her I would be home in 2 days. Here I am back in Australia and I just tucked my daughters into bed. Life doesnt get any better than this. The excitement on my girls face to see me is better than any finish line in the world. Being back with my kids is everything to me. It is the sacrifices and the time away from them that drove me to the finish line this year in Kona and it is embracing these moments with them that puts everything into perspective.

Safe training everyone. I look forward to seeing you all on a start line sometime next year.

Macca

I have to say, preparing for an Ironman is sometimes easier than the commitments you have post Ironman Hawaii each year. It has been much longer than I anticipated between this blog and my last blog so I do apoligize. I will keep this one relatively short, as my Kona wrap up was much longer than I thought.

Since Kona, I returned to Australia with my family and then after 12 days, jumped back on that Qantas flight 11 for the 14 hour flight back to LA. This time of year is very busy in the USA as most of my Sponsors are shooting their commercial shoots for the coming year. Coordinating with them and balancing shoots all over the USA means living out of a suitcase for about a month, and traveling quite extensively. This next month is crazy but catching up with sponsors and seeing their visions and plans for the upcoming years is great. I very much enjoy this.

This year however, I flew back a little earlier as I wanted to be a part of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, biggest day. The San Diego Triathlon Challenge in La Jolla is an annual event that the CAF has to raise awareness and money for the cause. It begins with the Qualcomme Million Dollar Challenge, and then ends with the Triathlon on the Sunday. It is a weekend festival and a great cause. The CAF is a Foundation that I have been closely attached to for a few years through my good friend Bob Babbitt who is one of the founding members of the Foundation. I have always wanted to be a part of this huge day for them. Last year I couldn't make it, but this year I contacted Bob and told him to lock me in for the day. I was not going to miss this event this year.

The CAF event in San Diego is the greatest day in our sport. I often think what brought me to the sport of Triathlon in the first place. I was inspired by the great champions of the past to get on my bike and start swimming and to venture down this multi-sport path that lead me to where I am today. Being inspired is what nurtures passion and only with passion can you be real to your goals. It is passion that has kept me honest with myself and has driven me to be the best I can be - To emulate what my sporting hero's did in the past. I guess this has always been my focus and given me my love for this sport.

What I experienced in San Diego with the CAF was the most inspiring day of my life. To be a part of what this amazing Foundation does and how they change lives for people was so motivating, It gave me a purpose. I was inspired, and wanted to do more. Many people know Sarah Reinertsen, Paul Martin or Rudy Garcia-Tolson, for their amazing athletic exploits in events all around the world. These three athletes are incredible and I look forward to racing you guys again very soon. Paul gave me a hard time in the CAF clinics on the Saturday and Rudy is racing in Ironman Arizona after Ironman Hawaii this year. Sarah is a super star who continues to do amazing things.

But young Brendon Driscoll, or the bubbling energy ball, Cody McCasland are my new sporting hero's. These two boys inspired me to be more involved with CAF and kept me laughing all day. Spending the day with both of you inspired me like my sporting heros did, when I was a boy, and like these guys did for me, you have given me my purpose and my passion again to do everything I can to help all the CAF athletes experience our sport and life like both of you do. To hang out with both of you was cool, and watching you both racing was a real buzz. check out some of the stories at: http://www.challengedathletes.org/athletes_stories/

My trip back to the USA is busy, but what I will take from my post Kona 2009 is that I was inspired again by an event and by the people involved in an amazing organisation and as I said to everyone after the race, You have found an Ambassador for life, and I will be focusing my attention, my energy and my time, to do everything I possibly can to help you do even more for a cause that is so close to my heart. I will be involving my family and growing together with you all to continue to do what you do and hopefully inspire more people to raise awareness and assist in the amazing job you do.

And to Brenden and Cody - Keep smiling and racing and loving what you do. You guys are super hero's. If you get the chance check out the CAF website and come and check out the event next year in San Diego. If your not inspired like I was, I will be amazed. Well done CAF for what you do. Amazing.

Train safe and I promise to write much more from the road and keep my blogs a little shorter,

Macca

I first want to thank everyone who sent messages of support through calling me, email, twitter and facebook accounts. I was bombarded and truly touched. I write this from Australia and am finally home with my girls and have to say life does not get any better than this.

Ironman Hawaii 2009 is over and it was a tough day at the office. These Ironman races whether they be in Australia, Germany, Hawaii or anywhere in the world are character building. There really is no other sport that allows someone to really look deep inside themselves for such a long period of time and assess what their real desires and motivations are. You just cant fake it. If you are racing for the wrong reasons, it quickly bubbles to the surface in an Ironman. You cant hide from yourself, and I think this is why these events are so emotionally draining as well as physically. These events build character like nothing else, and my race on the weekend did exactly that. If I was assessing my race on a performance or outcome point of view, then I could be mistaken for saying that my race was a failure. But when you are honest with yourself, and look deep inside yourself I am over the moon with my performance. The race was a huge mixed bags of emotions for me. Ironman never runs smoothly but this years event was extra tough. I have won 12 Ironman's around the world, and tasted the finish line on another 6 occasions. Some of the races I have won have felt easy, some have hurt, but my 2009 Ironman Hawaii was my most satisfying.

I exited the swim over 2 minutes down on where I expected to be. My swim in Ironman has always been a relative strength, and I have always been able to sit comfortably in the front group. This year in Ironman Germany I missed the front group by 3 minutes, and honestly thought this was an isolated incident. When something happens once you can assume that it is an isolated thing, but now here I was again in Kona 2 minutes down on the front group. This is obviously a problem and something that I need to rectify immediately for next year. You can imagine the panic I was in post swim. My mind was all over the place and I knew I had to get my emotions under control. I told myself, "ok this is not ideal. This is not what we had planned. But get it together."

Out of the water I was on the back foot immediately. I knew the pace up front would be fast, but after watching the event last year from the tech van, I knew the real power in this race would start to be asserted at the turn around point in Havi. I knew I had been putting out great numbers in training on the bike, I just had to not panic and allow the race to unfold. In the first 30km of the bike ride we had ridden the bike group back to 1 minute and could have almost got onto the back of the group. I was feeling very good and was looking for some help upfront to help close this gap quickly. I thought, this is my chance and really tried to get the guys in my group to help. I have to say Cameron Brown had the same mindset as me and knew how easy it would be if we could just make contact with the front group prior to the Scenic Lookout at 45km into the race. The German Commerze Bank Team were all with us but sat back and didnt see the urgency in this aggressive move to make up for our lost time. I yelled a few times at these guys but they were happy to relax and watch as the group started to take the time back away from us on the long descent towards Waikoloa. I knew then it was over for the early chase and now it was time to focus on a long more sustained ride through this 112 miles.

I felt magic on the bike and when Normann Stadler joined me at about 60km into the bike ride, he gave me the thumbs up to keep the pace solid. We were losing time to the front group rapidly but I knew as that group started to disintegrate up towards Havi, that we would eat into their lead on the return journey home. What tends to occur in the front group, is that a lot of the excited new guys do the lions share of the work early on the bike because they feel so good. This enables you to sit in and get carried by the pace. They chase the early swim leaders and the pace is fast. Then you get the second push out towards Waikoloa as the athletes try to win the bike prime that is set up at Waikoloa Village turn off. This section from Scenic Lookout (40km) until Waiakoloa (65km) is really fast as they push to catch the swim leaders and all the guys try and grab the 5000 dollar prime on offer. The contenders for the title get to sit in and enjoy the free pace setting as the guys do all the heavy lifting for you. The climbs to Kaiwahiee come next and this softens the legs of the pretenders who have done all the work. It is here that these guys tend to realize just how far this race is. It is also the point where the side winds start and the heat turns up. It is no longer early morning, and the sun really beats down. By the time you get to Havi, half these athlletes will be dropped and the pace in the front group will drop right off. This is where the strong bikers will make their move and pull lots of time on the group in the second half of the bike course. In years past Torbjorn Sindablle made his move here, Normann Stadler, Faris, Hellriegal, Zach and this year it was Lieto. The pace setting is then left up to the runners and the group always loses big time in the return journey home to the bikers. It was also my game plan this year, and what I had trained to do. Even though we were down on the bike I intended to follow this same principle and bite my time. My bike has always been a weapon, and I allowed it to drop off to develop my run to ultimately win this race. I worked on my bike and it is back to being a huge weapon again. All season I knew this was going to be my trump card, and I was going to blow the guys away with this new approach.No one would expect this. Obviously, the improved bike strength has come at an expense to my swim but this gives me a focus for next year. I would really like to win this race the same way I have won many Ironmans. From the front. This is what I aim to do. Anyway back to the race....

We turned at Havi 4 minutes down on the group. Myself, Norman and Miak Twelsaik really pushed the climb to Havi and my group blew apart. The first casualty was Bert Jammer, then Cameron Brown. I was feeling really strong and after the Special needs at Havi, I put my head down and committed to the chase. We took 2 minutes out of the group in the next 30km and then in sight of Waikoloa I caught my first glimpse of the group on one of the long straights. I was starting to get a few little cramps in my legs here on the bike and was smashing down the salt to keep them at bay. I have a tendency to cramp in these humid races and have found that salt is my key weapon in fighting these off. I was not expecting these cramps so early but they were controllable. I caught the group at scenic lookout and it had all the guys in it. I saw Pete Jacobs and we had a little chat. Pete is a great guy and a young kid with lots of potential. He had a laugh and told me I need to come swim traininig with him next year. I had a chuckle myself and decided to sit in for a little. I was shocked at how slow these guys were moving and thought to myself, - I am out of here. On the climb up to Scenic Lookout I moved through the group to see if anyone would respond. I rode off the front and only Normann joined me. We rode away and I was feeling amazing. Just as I had planned in the race, I was off the front and trailing Chris Lieto but in striking distance. At this point this race was mine. Who could out run me when I am feeling this good, and if those guys back in the group were feeling any good they would have responded to my move. In the next 40km ride home I pushed to open up 3 minutes on the group and to hold Lieto at 7 minutes. This race was mine. Thats what I was thinking anyway.....

I was concerned at my cramping that was starting to become more pronounced. I always cramp in my internal abductors and on the sartorious muscle but it is the inside of my quads. The last 20km of the bike was frustrating. I had run out of salt and was now forced to rely on just Gatorade (all they have on the course) for my salt and just punching my legs to try and release the spasms. It was a little frustrating but I was feeling great and I knew that I had new salt reserves in transition 2. The last 15 km of the bike I really couldn't push as hard as I wanted to. I think we had another couple of minutes in us, but Norman was not coming around and my legs were in and out of spasms. My mindset here was, don't panic, ride out the storm stay controlled and unleash on the run. My last 6 Ironman runs have all been under 2:45. Catch me if you can boys. No need to squeeze any extra time. Stay in control and hold these cramps off with Gatorade. As a bigger guy, cramps in these hot races continue to plague me. My physiology and tests in the labs, have shown me that I am always on diminshing returns. What all my times in the labs have taught me is how to deal with them. This is something I didnt know when I first came to Kona. Turn up the humidty and you turn up my problems. Today was super hot and my problems were coming earlier than expected.

I jumped off the bike with Normann and we had a chat. He was in a bad way and I tried to encourage him to push on. We have had our differences in the past, but he has calmed over the past few years and we have started to chat a lot more. In the tent I was really trying to motivate him to push on, but I could see his fire was out. I ran out of the tent, dumped some salt tablets and will be honest with everyone here, I thought I was running to my 2nd title. Good luck catching me. 7 minutes down on Lieto, 3 minutes up on Crowie, Henning and Raelert (my main concerns pre race). I was going to win. Everything was now going to plan. I forgot about my bad swim and focused now on holding 6 minute miles for the marathon. It was hot, really hot, and the first few miles I could not open up on the run as these cramps were still bothering me a little. I turned at mile marker 5 feeling great. I had cut 3 minutes from Lieto's lead and was holding the pack behind at bay. I was starting to feel a little sick from all the gatorade I had consumed in the last portion of the bike course, but overall I felt alert, focused and was in a good place physically and mentally. I got to mile marker 8 and my first big cramp hit me. It pulled me up a llittle as I ran down the hill towards LuLu's. I changed my running gate a little, dumped some more salt and once I hit the flatter section it went away. I took a mental note, don't stride out on the down hills. Keep the strides short, and the rhythm high and take the salt in. This was the first time I started to get a little concerned. It was the first cramp that had really pulled me up.

The run up Palani hill is a key section of the race. It is at mile 10 and you then run out into the lava fields. I was 2 minutes 45 seconds up on the chasers Crowie and Raelert and 5 minutes down on Lieto. In training camp, Terenzo and I had run this 16 mile section twice weekly. This was where you win Ironman Hawaii. The run to the energy lab and out. I crested Palani Hill and BANG cramps hit me again. I pulled up a little but with the 1 mile downhill run here it was a real struggle. I was really trying to hold together but the cramps were really bad. I just didnt want to walk. Walking would end my chances at the title and the guys would eat into my lead. In the next mile I lost 2 minutes to both the leader and the guys behind and at exactly halfway through the run, Crowie and Raelert ran by me. Crowie gave me the thumbs up and told me to run with him. It was not a matter of desire it was simply I could not stride out. I watched these guys run off into the distance and at this point my morale was at its lowest.

I really started to think to myself, how am I going to get through another 13 miles like this. It was agony. I was drinking lots of coke and my stomach was really starting to rebel. I knew I had over compensated on the salt and the gatorade and simply had to ride out this storm while my body absorbed the electrolytes I had consumed and sent them to the rebelling muscles. Faris ran past me a little later, and that hurt. We have had our differences and he had a smile from ear to ear as he watched me walking and throwing up . In the space of two miles I had lost 4 minutes. I remember thinking to myself of all the sacrifices I had made with my family this year. I had travelled back and forward to Australia 7 times this season and been away from my kids for a total of 22 weeks out of 52 in the year. I was so sad and just didnt want to let them down. I was getting to this finish line no matter what, but I was not going to just stroll in. I was going to push myself to get their as fast as possible. This race this year was more than just about me. It was personal. Nothing is more personal than having to talk to your kids on a computer screen from training camps. They had sacrificed with me this year so not pushing on was letting them down aswell. I was in a real bad way for a few miles here. I walked a lot, vomitted a lot and was cramping really badly. It was one of the toughest sections of an Ironman I have ever been in before. It was absolute agony. I thought my muscles were going to be ripped from the bone but continued to shuffle and walk and vomit. In that order.

Rasmus Henning and Terenzo where the next guys to catch me. I had thrown up a lot and my stomach was feeling a little better. As we approached the energy lab I knew my run for the title was over, but my race wasn't. I ran with Rasmus for a short period and really started to feel the cramps subside. The electrolytes were absorbed and I was feeling better.My dark period was coming to an end and that sick feeling was gone. I was now 7 minutes from the lead and with 10 miles to run was back in the game. I immediately pushed into the energy lab and went past Rasmus and Terenzo. I remember thinking "Wow" I am back. I went after Faris and by the bottom of the Lab had caught him. I was back in 4th position and was going after Lieto. I was running sub 6 minute miles again and remember seeing the boys at the bottom of the energy lab take a double take at me. I was running again and looking and feeling good. My mindset now was to cross that line and catch as many people infront of me as possible and not let a single person past me. I had just endured 4 miles of hell, where finishing was my mindset. Now I was back, I was going to get to the line as fast as possible and catch as many guys as possible.

I ran the last 9 miles of the race quicker than anybody in the field, and crossed the line in 4th place. I was absolutely ecstatic. I had no idea who had won the race, and when I crossed the line I embraced Crowie and congratulated him. I saw Raelert and gave him a hug. We have had so many wars in our life it was a smile of respect from both of us. I had beaten Andreas in Germany this year by 24 seconds, and he had just beaten me in Kona by 40 seconds. We hugged and laughed and both congratulated each other. Andreas and I have raced each other since World Cup days in the 90's. He is a great guy. I thought Chris Lieto had won the race to be honest and when I saw him, I went over and shook his hand. My wife Emma was there to greet me and my friends from Las Vegas, LA, Scotty Fairchild my Agent, MG, the Under Armour crew, Dylan, Biestmilch Gang and the Maso family all embraced me. I was actually doing pretty well. I could tell they were sad for me, and I told them all I could not be happier with my race. I might not have won which was what the focus was, but I have probably not ever raced a better Ironman in my life.

If you assess Ironman as a series of highs and lows, then I touched every spectrum in this race and came out the other end just 5 minutes from the win and in 4th place overall. This race to be honest was one of my best considering. I was calm, focused and driven all day and was beaten by guys who simply put together better races on the day than me. I will be back next year again am excited about going to war with them and winning my third World Title. This Ironman Hawaii race has become the single event in my career that I have grown the most in. I have won World Cup races, World Cup series, World Championships, Goodwill Games, Alcatraz's, Widlflowers, National Titles, European Championships and the list goes on and on. I guess as you get older you reflect more from a deeper place on events and look back at where you draw your motivation from. In my short course days I guess I was driven by the excitement and the love of competition and travel. It was so exciting and new and just being in a sport that allowed you to meet your competitive desires and that you absolutely loved was your motivation. I never reflected. I just wanted to win and then think of the next goal and win that. I sometimes think about some of the early World Cup races I won and what I was feeling, and I cant remember. It was race, win and them move onto the next goal. When I moved to Ironman in 2002 I had the same mindset. I just wanted to win. My failings at Ironman Hawaii in my early years really made me slow down and think. It made me go into the labs and learn about myself. This race became my project and an event, that although not suited to my physiology is the race I have enjoyed the most in my career.My family has grown up with this race and more than anything they have become my motivation and drive. I will be back to Hawaii again and again, to endure again what I experienced on the lava fields this year. My family always comes first and we begin our planning now for next year. Tahlia loves school here in Australia, Sienna starts school next year and who knows our family may grow. This being said, as a family we chose this sport and this is what I do. We will plan next season the same way we did this year, as a family and my motivation will continue to be them. I have never been stronger mentally in my life, and I know it is because of them that I can do what I do.

Post race I spoke with my girls on the phone and to hear their voices was great. Its funny how sometimes a child can put everything into perspective for you. I had only been finished for 20 minutes, was sore and tired and my youngest daughter Sienna said to me, "Daddy how many sleeps until you come home. I want to kiss you." I smiled and told her I would be home in 2 days. Here I am back in Australia and I just tucked my daughters into bed. Life doesn't get any better than this. The excitement on my girls face to see me is better than any finish line in the world. Being back with my kids is everything to me. It is the sacrifices and the time away from them that drove me to the finish line this year in Kona and it is embracing these moments with them that puts everything into perspective.

Safe training everyone. I look forward to seeing you all on a start line soon.

Macca

California and Malibu Beach lived up to its reputation of perfect weather, beautiful people and an amazing setting. With an early start of 5am the skies were still dark but with some of Hollywood's brightest stars arriving, the venue lit up as athletes, celebrities, fans and the media poured onto the beautiful and world famous Malibu Beach.

The now 23rd annual Nautica Malibu Triathlon continued its great tradition of raising funds for the Childrens Hospital here in Los Angeles. McCormack, the defending champion, was back to help raise funds for what he described as "simply an amazing charity" and to "flush out his legs" after a massive three-week training block on the big island of Hawaii.

With over 4,000 athletes racing, well over a hundred celebrities, professionals from three different continents and of course the infamous paparazzi covering every move, it provided a unique atmosphere to say the least.

A former ITU Short Course World Cup and World Champion, McCormack is now best known for his long distance racing and Ironman World Title. "Sprint races aren't my specialty anymore but this is an event and cause that I support annually and it also provides me with a great hit-out so close to Kona," stated McCormack. This is one of my favorite events of the year. It's just so unique with all the celebrities racing and the massive clubs like LA Tri Club and the Disney Tri Club taking part. It's an old-school type Triathlon where it's just so relaxed and everyone is here to enjoy the day and raise money for a great cause. I love it!"

Desperate Housewives Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman raced as well as My Name is Earl’s Jason Lee. Mario Lopez, Two and Half Men’s Jon Cryer and super agent 'Ari Gold' from HBO's Entourage, Jeremy Piven, also toed the line. And what would Malibu Beach be without David Hasselhoff giving it a go. These were just a few of the many celebs taking part to help raise money.

Normally Malibu provides some larger waves and cooler water temperatures but the ocean was calm and the water temperature a nice 69 degrees. The professionals hit the water first and were back out and in Transition before you knew it. Australia’s Greg Bennett and Chris McCormack, along with American Chris Lieto exited the water together and after blazing transitions, started the bike leg together as well. The rolling 18-mile bike course takes you along the world famous Pacific Coast Highway and offers breath taking views of both the ocean and the mansions that dot the coastline.

The three riders came back into Transition with Lieto leading by 22 seconds. McCormack was in second with Bennett only a few seconds further back. After lightening transitions, both McCormack and Bennett were now only 8 seconds back of Lieto heading out onto the 4-mile run course. It’s here that Bennett, an ITU short course specialist and Olympian, did what he does best… sprint! “I took off as fast as I could,” said Bennett after the race. “I wanted to make sure I got an immediate gap on McCormack.” As expected, he would go onto win the race with McCormack and Lieto rounding out the days podium.

Over the next two hours, the celebrities and other athletes continued to cross the finish line – everyone with a smile and with much needed money being raised for a wonderful cause.

“I’ll be back next year. 100%,” said McCormack.

The police numbered the crowds at over 325,000 people; and though it was in the heart of Germany, ‘Macca’ was the name you heard all day and clearly the fan favorite once again.

Outside of Kona, Ironman Frankfurt, held in the center of Germany’s banking district, is by far the world’s biggest Ironman race. Live on German TV with its massive crowds and a midnight light show that you’ll never forget, you can see why people from all over the world travel to compete and watch this amazing event. With sections of the bike course called ‘Das Beast’ and ‘Heartbreak Hill’ it is a very difficult course that sets you up for arguably the best fan friendly run course in the world along the picturesque Main River.

Defending Champion, Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack, has already had six victories in 2009 including wins in France, Germany, Austria, China, Hawaii and California. Heading into Ironman Germany, McCormack was however a bit unsure of his endurance, stating, “I’m rather fit and certainly racing well, but I’m haven’t don’t the volume I’ve normally done this time of year to finish off an Ironman.”

Race morning the weather was a perfect with a light breeze and partly cloudy skies. The water however was another story. “I still can’t believe they allowed wetsuits for the swim. It was like a heated pool”, stated McCormack after the race.

The race went off as scheduled at 6:45am, starting with a 2.4-mile swim. “I hit the first swim turn in 4th position with the front group of about 7 guys”, said McCormack. “It was here that I really started to notice the heat of the water. At the next swim buoy I actually stopped and let some water into my suit. I could not believe how hot I was! About half way through, I actually let the lead group go as I was more concerned about over-heating all together. I ended up stopping 5 times in the swim to let water into my suit, it was crazy.”

New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone emerged first from the water with Spain’s Eneko Llanos and Germany’s Andreas Raelert on his heels. Hecht, Al Sultan, and Hektor Llanos (Eneko’s brother) rounded out the lead group of six.

McCormack, now in the following pack, exited the water just over 3 minutes down on the front group. “It was my worst swim in any Triathlon I’ve ever done and I really got angry with myself”, stated the Aussie.

Heading onto the 112-mile bike course, the lead group of six stayed together, working well with one another to push the pace in hopes of staying ahead of the defending Champion McCormack, now over three minutes back. Last year’s runner-up to McCormack, Eneko Llanos, was quick to take the lead on the bike and was the driving force for the group. Realizing their opportunity with McCormack in the unusual position of chasing, Llanos and the other five riders attacked hard early on the bike on the first of the two-lap course.

At 25 miles into the bike, McCormack and the ‘07 champion Timo Bracht were still just under three minutes back. “Early in the bike I knew I was riding really well”, said McCormack. “Timo and the others seemed rather content to just follow me for the first 30K as I went out on an assault after the front bunch. I knew the race was up front and it was critical I got across to them by the end of the bike or else I had a serious day ahead of me.”

McCormack’s efforts closed the gap a bit, down to just 2:25 back, but then let it slip back to over three minutes just prior to heading out on the second lap. Early into the second lap however, the pace set by Llanos in the lead group had begun to take its toll on Faris Al Sultan, Terenzo Bozzone and the others in the lead group.

When asked of his thoughts on the bike, McCormack stated, “At the end of the first lap, we were still 3 minutes back but the pack up front was starting to split with the torrid pace. I decided to attack my group on the cobble section and go on the hunt after Eneko and Andreas. It was really a critical decision in the race, as I came here to win and giving these guys anymore time would be costly.”

As Llanos pulled away from the lead pack, McCormack also pulled away from his chasers, eventually riding right through what was once the lead group. Faris Al Sultan had blown-up on the bike and could not keep in touch with Llanos or the now hard charging McCormack who blew right by him.

At 85 miles into the bike, McCormack was now in third place, behind only Llanos and Raelert, who were still working together and holding onto a lead of just over 3 minutes. However, when Llanos entered into T2, he had a 2 minute lead over the quickly fading Raelert. McCormack and Bracht were next to arrive at 3:10 and 3:20 behind Llanos.

What has to be the best run-course in the world for spectators, the athletes leave T2, which is buried in the middle of ‘Old Town’ Frankfurt and loops around the Main River. The river has 6 different bridges, allowing for spectators to run back and forth seeing their favorite athletes eight different times during the four-loop run course.

Almost immediately into the run Raelert was passed by the fast charging McCormack and Bracht. Llanos however, held onto his lead step for step.

I felt great running out of the tent”, stated McCormack. “We ran down Andreas pretty easily. At the days start, I had pictured myself running with Llanos up front with Bracht chasing us, just like the previous year. But now I was on the hunt. The pace was just insane. After the first lap we had run 37 minutes and we were still 3 minutes back of Llanos. Bracht seemed very controlled, he was keying his race off me and I didn’t want to wait around. It was obvious that Llanos was committed to go for the win and had set out at a marathon pace in the high 2:30’s. It was very hot and I knew it would be ugly in the last 15K of the race at this speed, but I decided 'stuff it’, I am going for the win! It was the key moment of the race.”

Early into the second lap, McCormack dropped Bracht rather quickly clearly deciding to chase down Llanos. McCormack put 30 seconds into Llanos within just two miles and four miles later had caught Llanos altogether. Now in their third lap, running step for step, side by side, McCormack and Llanos looked poised to duel it out once again, just like the previous year.

Asked of his tactics, McCormack said, “I consciously made the decision to go after Llanos. I was thinking, this guy runs low 2:43 marathon pace and he is a tempo runner. The closer he gets to home with a lead the tougher he would be to catch. I had to start to make an impression on him or else his confidence would grow and he would start to really believe the win was possible.

Half way through the marathon, it had taken McCormack just 78 minutes to cover the distance. Now on their third lap and tied for the lead, McCormack and Llanos were holding on well; however, previously dropped Bracht was coming on strong and just a minute back.

“My concern was hitting the proverbial ‘Wall’ as I would have to pay for this pace in this heat”, said McCormack. “It was just a matter of when. My hope was that Llanos would have to pay also and maybe in the war of attrition I would come up trumps. I caught him at 31K and he was moving pretty well. We are quite good mates, but said nothing to each other as we still had a full lap to run. We were 2 minutes ahead of Bracht and now it was simply a matter of racing it off for the win.”

With both the crowds and the now blazing sun out in full force, McCormack and Llanos had a quickly approaching chaser with just five miles to go. Bracht had been slowly closing the gap on the two leaders. After riding alone for 112 miles and then charging to close the three-minute gap on Llanos, McCormack finally hit the wall he was worried about and began to cramp.

Asked of what happened, McCormack said “I didn’t want to show any sign of weakness to Llanos, so I slowed through the aid station so it looked like I was getting fluids and thus my change in pace. I could tell that he was also gone and we were really slowing down. I walked for a bit and then just willed myself to push on, to continue to fight.”

As McCormack dropped back, so did Llanos, as the now energized hometown German passed them both taking the lead. The pass was a move that made it clear the race was over with just a couple of miles to go. Bracht quickly put a gap of 30 seconds on Llanos and McCormack and with it took home the first place prize with a marathon time of 2:43:06.

“Timo flew by me with just 6K to go and I could do nothing except watch”, stated McCormack. ”I was empty and absolutely gone. I was even starting to question whether I would make it to the finish at all. I had hit the wall badly and was losing time fast. The last 6K of the race were horrible and I walked a few aid stations trying to get any bit of sugar or fuel that would carry me home. I pushed it in and crossed the line in 8:03.”

“I was a disappointed to not win”, said McCormack, “but to be honest I was proud of my day. I gave it my all, riding alone for 112 miles and I left nothing to chance. Though I came up a little short, I’m proud I went for the win.”

Ironman European Championships

Frankfurt, Germany / July 5, 2009

2.4 Mile Swim / 112 Mile Bike / 26.2 Mile Run

Top 10 men:

1. Timo Bracht (GER) 7:59:15

2. Eneko Llanos (ESP) 8:00:05

3. Chris McCormack (AUS) 8:02:49

4. Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:03:13

5. Mathias Hecht (SUI) 8:11:40

6. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:20:09

7. Frank Vytrisal (GER) 8:25:04

8. Nils Goerke (GER) 8:29:24

9. Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 8:29:24

10. Hans Mühlbauer (AUT) 8:34:13

Well Europe is going great and my racing has kicked off well. After leaving USA I flew in late to to Vienna and had a great race at the Ironman 70.3 race in St Polten Austria. I am starting to find some solid form and my run has really come along well. I worked early season on developing my bike strength and now as my race weight has come down my run has really picked up some intensity. It is great. I put together a really solid 71 minute run on a tough course after a very hard bike ride. The run was superb and I was able to outrun one of the best runners in the sport in Marino Voenhaker for the title. It was a great race.

I have now set up my base in the small town of Niederbronn Les Bain which is in the Alsace region of France, about 1 hour drive south of luxembourg and 2 hours west of Frankfurt. It is a great spot for training and I spent a little time here last year so am familiar with the region. I am preparing for Ironman Germany in 5 weeks time and this central position in Europe as a training base gives me access to a wide variety of events and quick travel to Frankfurt for the big race.

Anyway I have uploaded a video we put together of our arrival and race in Austria. I am pretty isolated here but hope to have some photos and stuff to upload of this training camp in a few days.

www.youtube.com

Safe Training and enjoy,

Macca

The news hit me on Wednesday like a tidal wave. Steve Larsen had died in Bend Oregon, close to his home, during a track session the night prior. I was flying out to Europe only a few hours later to compete and was stunned with the news. I spoke with my wife Emma Jane and spoke to both my girls. It was sad, sad news, and my immediate thoughts were with Steve's wife Carrie and their 5 beautiful children. I am still shaken by the news and I ache for his family. Words are never enough and I wish I was more articulate, but you could not meet a more genuine human being. A wonderful guy, a fierce competitor and a driven focused individual who had his priorities in the right place. A friend, a training partner and a loving father who at 39 years of age had died doing something he loved - working out. 

I had lived in Bend in 2005, and Steve was one of my main training partners during my 5 months in the beautiful town. The tuesday track session was a weekly set session, and I pictured Steve running with the Cascade Mountains as the backdrop, the night prior. I had done this session so many times with Steve, Kerry and Conrad.  I had moved from San Diego to Bend to change my training around and access some of the incredible riding and running that the region has. My close friend Kerry Classen was living in the area and I also knew that super cyclists, Steve Larsen and Chris Horner were also living in Bend. Conrad Stoltz was keen to make the move north and it was full speed ahead. It was the perfect mix with a great swimmer, and some of the worlds best cyclists to work out with. I moved my family north and set up home less than a mile from Steve and his family.

Steve was a great training partner and immediately made myself and my family feel very welcome. It was during this time I got to see the Steve Larsen off the race course, and he was an impressive man. I had only known Steve through racing and he was a fierce competitor with a huge desire to be at the top of triathlon in the same way he was in cycling. We had met in Wildflower in 2001 and had raced many times together. We got on very well as we had very similar personalities. It was an enjoyable time and we learned a lot from each other. The real impression he made on me was not anything athletically. It was more his friendly giving nature and his family first priorities. It was an enjoyable time and along with Conrad Stoltz we spent lots of time together, doing what we love - hurting each other on the bike. Steve loved to belt the bike, hard and put us all in the hurt box and we returned the favor every afternoon running the trails around the back of his home and pushing each other to the limits. It was great times and kicking back at his house, post tough workouts, was always a real buzz, and something I looked forward to. He had some great stories to tell.

When I received a phone call on Wednesday, as I was packing my bags, my heart just sank. I pictured his family and hurt all over. I am sitting here in Austria and I had a little run this morning. I ran a little slower than normal and returned to my room and rang my family.

It has taken me back and given me some perspective in a season that is so very focused. You just never know. To my girls at home, I love you all so very much. 

When I look at this picture I see Steve at his best. Not winning triathlons or bike races, or enjoying hurting us on the bike. Not belting through the running trails around his home or riding his mountain bike along trails faster than most people in the world.  I see Steve smiling with the most important people in his life. This is how i will remember Steve Larsen. A great family man who is gone way before his time. 

Chris McCormack

World Champion Triathlete

Well training has been pretty low key since China and I have settled rather nicely at home. I have taken some extra time off and really allowed my body to recover from a very hectic kick off to my 2009 season. It was a lot of travel but some beautiful racing. I have not forgotten to try and and put some photos up from China but trying to get photos that express what the day was like is tough. We have lots of social photos but no real key race day shots. I have put out a call to a few of the photographers from race day. When they arrive I will upload them.

For those of you interested make sure you pop past the MaccaX site and register your interest. You will be very happy that you did as we are set to launch in a few weeks and those who register first will go into the draw to win some great prizes. It only takes a a few seconds and the new site is going to be a huge asset to many people out there who are interested in the things we do and some of the key workouts we use. I am really excited about our site and after years of getting feedback from thousands of athletes and what they are looking for, I am stoked to have a team around me that has the know how to build a site that will meet this huge demand without the extensive costs of some of the other information or coaching platforms.

Hope you enjoy.

cheers,

Macca

Well I am finally back home and cannot be happier about it. The past 5 weeks have been really hectic with a lot of early season racing over some really tough races. The focus for us early in the season was to sort out these hot humid races and get some tough test sets done in a racing environment so we can carry this information across into our World Championships build for Kona.

My first race of the season was a hot and humid 70.3 event in Singapore where I grabbed a solid second place finish. I flew directly to Hawaii from Singapore for a tough Olympic distance race called Lavamanon the big Island and started to find my legs a little for the season winning my first race of the year and breaking the course record. 

From Hawaii I flew directly to New Olreans for my 3rd race in as many weeks and another tough Ironman70.3 event. I was actually feeling a little jaded after two heavy weeks of racing and training and fell apart late in this race to finish second again. I was a little disappointed as I had the win in the bag, but in the hot humid conditions, the fatigue from a heavy few weeks or racing and travel came through and I lost the event in the last few miles of the run.

From the first 3 races of the season we got what we were looking for. Hot events, high humidity and lots of data. I was able to come back to Australia and have 10 easier days before getting on the plane to fly up to China for another Ironman 70.3 event in Haikou. This would be the end of a planned 4 heavy races in 5 weeks and I was looking forward to this last tough race. My form was good and a last hit out in the heat, after a week off racing seemed good to me.

The flight from Australia to China was pretty simple and the time change is only 2 hours. I arrived at the event on Friday before the Sunday race after about 13 hours of total travel time. The weather was good and I had a good look at the course. I was happy to be at this event as one of my main competitors for this years Ironman World Championships in Kona, Rasmus Henning, was racing in the full Ironman race, and I figured I would be able to get a good opportunity to watch how he raced. The Ironman started at 7:00am and the half Ironman guys were set to leave at 9:00am

Race day dawned and the weather was set to be a scorcher. By Ironman race start time the weather was 30 degrees Celsius (90 degrees) and the humidity was oppressive at a very uncomfortable 85%. I watched the Ironman guys complete the swim and then started getting my head around the tough day I was about to face. I had 2 main guys to really contest with in the event. Ironman Japan and Malaysia champion Luke Mackenzie from Australia and Aussie flyer Paul Mathews. Both were brought up by their sponsor and race event sponsor Kswiss, to win this event. 

By race start for us the heat was incredible. The course was quite simple and flat but their was no shade anywhere and the wind was picking up and very hot. We kicked off the event and I immediately jumped on the feet of Paul Matthews who lead most of the swim. By halfway through the swim event, Paul had used the tricky current to his advantage and had gaped both Luke and myself to lead out by about a minute. The water was dark and muddy and very warm.

By the time I ran from the water to my bike, a distance of about 200 meters, I was cooking. The heat was just incredible and the Ironman guys were well and truly on the bike course. We were about to start our 90km bike lap.

I put the hammer down and rode across to Paul Matthews and Luke had tagged me on the bike. We came together as a threesome about 5 miles into the bike race. I assumed that it would stay like this for most of the bike ride as it was a course that was difficult to get away on because of the flat profile and the tricky winds. By 20 miles, Paul began to struggle big time in the heat and dropped off. I immediately put the hammer down and then it was left to Luke and myself. Luke started struggling in the heat around 40 miles and I attacked him and got a gap out to about a minute very quickly. I was feeling good, but my only focus was hydration and being careful. The heat was unbelievable. I cannot describe it. I was watching ambulance after ambulance on the course putting Ironman competitors who could not get through the bike course and were collapsing into the back of them. It was like a war zone.

I got off the bike feeling very controlled. I knew I had been in the sun a long time and was feeling very exposed but I only had a 13 mile run to get through and I would win the event. That was my mindset. I had no idea at this stage my lead on Mackenzie or Matthews and was relieved when I got to the 1 mile marker of the run to see Luke come in. I knew I had a little over 5 minutes at that stage. I was trying to be cautious out their as the mercury was now well over 42 degrees (110) and the ambient temperature from the road was even higher. I was really starting to cook up but my mindset was about keeping a tempo. By 3 miles into the run this entire mindset was gone. It became a simple run for survival. The aid stations were spaced about 2km apart and the heat had melted all the ice. I saw Luke and Paul at about8km mark and they were in a bad way. I knew that for me I had the race won, but I had to finish. It was o hot that by mile 4 I was honestly thinking that it might not be possible. I wish I could describe this heat. I wish I had better words. It was incredible. 

I was walking every aid station and taking the time to drink. I was covering myself in water and carrying as many sponges as I could possibly hold. I would then put my head down and focus on getting to the next aid station which was about 8 minutes of running away each time. Every time I left and aid station I questioned whether I would make it to the next one. It was that big a struggle. I stayed in this mindset and was able to run my way to win this event. I crossed the line in 4:04 which was a real buzz for me. I have never been so happy to see the end of a race in my life. The last 2 miles was really ugly but the huge crowds in the town and the young kids running alongside me got me to the end. I crossed the line so relieved to have finished and my first words to the organizers were, concern for those behind me. I told them they needed to send people out with more aid to help people. I went straight to the medical tent and covered myself in ice and water and tried to cool my body down. The temperature in the shade at the finish line read 44 degrees (120) and the humidity was close to 90 %. I waited for Luke to finish. He was about 22 minutes behind and together we watched others cross the line. In my race only 60 percent of the field finished. It was that tough.

I have raced for 13 years as a professional and almost 20 years in the sport of triathlon. This was without question the toughest triathlon event I have ever done for so many reasons. It was probably one of the hottest days I have ever been in, let alone had to race in. I had great intentions after my event to go and watch the guys finish and complete the Ironman. This went out the door. It was just too hot. I traveledacross with 5 mates and only 2 of us made the finish line. To the Ironman guys who raced, you are my new hero's. Rasmus Henning went on to win this race, in the slowest run time to ever win an Ironman.Don't let that fool you. Anybody who got to the finish line of that event is a champion and three of the toughest blokes I know never got to the end. It was a race of survival and trying to deal with an incredible day. I know that different physiology's handle this heat differently and to those that never made it, hold your head up high. This will be an event you can talk about forever. It was in my books the toughest triathlon conditions our sport has ever seen.

I will post in the next few days some photos from the event to give people a view of the day. sorry for the long post but I needed to get something up. Thanks for all the emails I have received from people. I really appreciate it.

Safe training.

Macca 

The Lavaman Triathlon was the main purpose of my visit to Hawaii. i like to get to the Island at least once a year prior to the World championships to remind myself of the tough conditions and get a hit out over the course.

I usually do the Ironman 70.3 Race in Hawaii in June and have won this event the past 3 years, but this year I am committed to doing the Ironman 70.3 event in St Polten Austria which is on the same day. I decided that this fast Olympic distance race in late March would be a good supplement and allow me my Big Island Hawaii fix for the season.

The course this year was super windy and it was a tough day. The heat was not too bad but the wind was some of the worst I have ever seen in Kona. It was brutal. I really wanted to set a tough pace and have a great solid performance. My good friend and Olympic Champion Simon Whitfield held the course record for the event (which he probably could have gone faster I am sure as he won the event quite easily) and I decided that this would be my target for the event.

I had a solid day and was in control from the beginning of the race. I felt very strong on the bike which has been my focus these past 9 weeks and my run was sound. I ended up winning the event in record time and felt that my race was sound, after a tough Ironman 70.3 event 7 days earlier in Singapore. For my second race of the season things are good. My run is not where it will be in late June and is still a little vulnerable in hot conditions, but we were expecting this as our focus is about my bike position and building solid bike power early in the year. Our formula for building my run is a quick fix and I know within a few weeks we can be right on the money with the correct run training. I ran well and put together a very solid race here in Lavaman to break the course record by more than 3 minutes and to win my first event of 2009, but I felt the vulnerability of my run in the hot conditions.

I am happy with the event, but dreading now the long haul flight across the Pacific to my 3rd race in 3 weeks in New Orleans. I am committed to racing the Ironman 70.3 race in New Orleans in 7 days, which will be my 3rd hot weather race in as many weeks. Its a tough schedule but always great to kick the season off in tough races. It sets the tone for the rest of the year.

Thanks to Tim Marr and his great crew of mates for hooking us up in Hawaii. It was great hanging out mate and I will see you in China in a few weeks.

Safe Training,

Macca

It is now early February and training is going great. My season schedule is locked in and my training camps have been set in stone. It is full speed ahead now for the season and I am so excited about racing again this year. Bring it on!

I want to have a special season this year and will be going out of my way to target athletes and race them on their home soil to get a feel for them. People race differently when they are at home and tend to be much stronger so it is always great to put yourself in a position to race people under these conditions. I have added a few new events to my schedule this year and will spend some good time this year in Europe prior to Ironman Germany. After the disappointment of a mechanical limiting my chances of defending my World championship title in Hawaii, this year it is my only focus. I was in spectacular form last year which indicates that my training was exceptional and the planning was spot on. We will continue to build from here and add some more speed to the mix with victory in Hawaii the primary focus.

All athletes attack Hawaii with this mindset, but for me it is everything this year. Last year winning the European Title in Germany in another sub 8 hour performance was a real highlight, but not being able to unleash 15 weeks worth of build into a Hawaii campiagn was devastating. I just cant wait to get back on the Island and attack that race course. Its all I think about. We have some selected camp dates set on the Island this year that will be very focused and course orientated with a drive like we have never done before. My aim is to really set up a solid bike ride in Kona and put together another run under 2:43. If you cant run under this time in Kona in 2009, you will not be winning this race. Times under 2:40 are more likely this season. I know it has been our primary focus and speaking with a few of the European guys they have the same mindset. The race has really evolved with a much bigger pack on the bike giving the chance for weaker cyclists to still be in the mix late in the race. Many of these cyclists in races like Germany would be expelled because the packs are not as big, but Hawaii has really set itself up into being a race that gives these faster smaller guys a chance to hang in the mix and then put together runs that can get them right up in the front few. This was not the case a few years back and has seen a change in specific training focus for many athletes. The big bikers had a chance. This will bring a fast run into play and if your not ready for that then you are missing a big string in your bow. I am not denying that the bike can still be a huge weapon if the winds are up, but the solo breakaways are gone if you want to win this event. The future of the bike racer in Kona will be to take smaller groups away of 2 or 3 athletes and share the workload off the front. Mentally this is easier and physically also. I am definately an athlete who can do this, and my specific bike work will be centred around this style of racing, then executing a dynamic run. My strength is my ability to run faster than anyone else in the world if the bike is tough. The damage is done along Alhi Drive on the run in the first 10 miles. Weak cyclsits struggle along here and then may find their legs later in the run if anything is left. Our focus will be to make Alhi Drive stupidly fast. We did it a few years ago and will do it again in 2009. I love the attention to detail my team gives to facets of this event. It really is enjoyable working with them and I draw huge confidence from them when we plan in this way and watch the videos of how races evolve. It is obvious to see your competitors weaknesses and then plan your attack around these.

My race season looks like this:

March 22 Singapore Ironman 70.3

March 28 Lavaman Olympic Distance Race Hawaii

April 5 New Orleans Ironman 70.3

April 18 China Ironman 70.3

May 24 Austria Ironman 70.3 St Polten

June 7 Challenge France - Niederbronn 70.3

June 14 Challenge Germany - Kraichgau 70.3

July 5 Ironman Germany - European Championships

August 23 Timberman Ironman 70.3

October 10 Hawaii Ironman World Championships Kona

These are the key events to my season with a specific focus on Ironman Germany and Ironman Hawaii. I have now won 12 Ironman titles including a World title and really want to continue my winning streak in these Ironman events. I thoroughly enjoy them and enjoy the process. My marathon has become a key weapon and the workloads we have put in this early season have set a solid foundation for a bigger platform of marathon strength in 2009. Watch my marathon times this year. This is a specific focus of ours and running sub 2:40 times is the key. I have been 4 times under 2:43 in the marathon including a 2:40:04 marathon pb off the bike, but it is the sub 2:40 times that are all I am focused on now. It is a key to our season plan this year.

My new site will have lots of photos and video from some of our training camps this season in Switzerland, Utah and Hawaii so stay tuned. I hope to introduce you to many of the people in my team who have worked with me for the past 10 years. This year looks set to be one of our most successful and everyone is pumped with the plan, the schedule and the training volumes. It is now up to me to deliver my end of the bargain. Bring it on!

Happy training everyone,

Macca