Despite the fact that it's pretty normal, I feel obliged to warn everyone anyway. I have something to tell all of you. I don't mean this in a confessional sort of way. I mean it more in the sense of, "Listen, I'm sorry that you may have done things different before, but this is how you're gonna start doing things now." I think this tends to be the way I normally speak, since while other people may believe they are correct, I *KNOW* I am correct. And here is what I'm about to school all of you non-knowers on - undershirts.

No, I'm not talking about the cheapo three-pack of A-shirts (aka "wife-beaters," to the uncouth among us). I'm talking about a proper cycling base layer. Remember those wonderful old AmEx ads - "don't leave home without it"? That's the category to which a wicking base layer belongs. If you are lucky enough to still be able to find snug-sleeved jerseys (American cyclists have destroyed this cut for the rest of us, including those of us who are American but have European-sized biceps), then a sleeveless base layer is preferred. If you have the jerseys where you need to size down one size and still feel like you need do a lot more preacher curls to fill out the sleeves, then I recommend a sleeved base layer. I have a particular affinity for the Specialized 1st Layer , thought the Tech Layer is a bit more "meshy" (I know that's not a word, but I am making it one) and is a bit better as the mercury rises. As much as I try to stay away from advertorial, I just know that many of you are so unknowing of base layers that I feel compelled to give you a starting point. 

The undershirt is ideally designed to work with bibs. If you wear shorts - and not bibs - then please go away. Or I will taunt you a second time. An undershirt helps prevent the bib straps from rubbing and provides an on-skin wicking layer that is much more effective than a jersey alone. A jersey - especially when worn with bibs - tends not to contact the skin directly, which is not ideal if you wish to wick sweat away from the skin. In case you weren't aware of it, this is what you wish. This is the definition of "wicking," and it is a wonderful thing avail yourself of.

The confusing part of this is that you are wearing more clothes in order to be more cool. More clothes equals less heat. And that is a baffling thing to many people. If you are baffled, fear not. It is the miracle of wicking fabrics. Wool was the original wicking fabric and that's why early cycling kit was made from wool, despite being seemingly "hotter" than something like cotton. Silk is also very nice, but should be reserved for sheets in Las Vegas penthouse suites. I think. I don't know. Yet. But I am still young. 

So, all of you undershirt neophytes, get thee to a undershirtery. And let the wicking commence.

As some of you may know, I was involved in a hit-and-run accident on March 23, 2010 while riding my bike. I spent 18 days in the hospital, but I'm now out and on the mend and expecting to make a full recovery. One of the most important lessons I learned is that whenever a vehicle is involved in an accident, your auto insurance is responsible for covering you. Your health insurance is also responsible, but your auto insurance is your primary insurer in the event of an accident involving a car, even if you are on your bicycle. I know this is the case in both California and New York, unfortunately due to firsthand experience. You can - and should - call your insurer to discuss with them whether or not they are liable in your home state. From speaking with other cyclists, it seems to be the norm in most - if not all - states. There are also important questions to be asked of your insurance about what happens if you travel abroad (AAA, for example, offers excellent travel insurance) and get in an accident. The best advice I can give is to know what is - and what is not - covered. 

I don't think there was much - if anything - I could have done to prevent the accident I was in, except for not riding a bike, which is definitely not an option. But thankfully I had prepared myself adequately from an insurance perspective. I have since increased my policy coverage because I know how lucky I was and how much worse the accident could have been and how quickly the coverage you do have can run out. I am also investigating alternative insurance for when I do travel abroad - such as my trip to Abu Dhabi - and also for additional insurance to cover the accidents that can happen riding your bike that don't involve a car. "Accident" insurance is probably important when you are going as fast as a car, but without the safety of seatbelts and airbags.

I hope this doesn't come across as paranoid or fear-mongering, though I am sure I am slightly more paranoid than I was on Mar 22nd. I just want all of you to stay safe, and - since our safety is often affected by people other than us - I want you all to be prepared in case something does happen. Since I can't ride as much as I used to, for at least a few more days, I have more time to worry about this stuff. But hopefully my experiences and my worry can help provide someone else with peace of mind and also with protection they didn't even know they could have.

Stay safe out there. And have fun. I know that when I am allowed back on the roads by my doctors that I'll do it with some added confidence knowing that I've protected myself and my family against that worst case scenario.

45min. Not many watts. Felt awesome. And I got to be outside while riding my bike while still obeying doctors orders. :D

Probably the nicest bike ever, too, for riding without moving. I think with those particular 404 Firecrest prototypes, it's about 14.5lbs. The advantages of not needing to put on a saddle bag with spares and only having one small bottle full.

This felt like a real start too. When I first got clearance to exercise - about a week after getting out of the hospital - I think it was largely about proving to myself that I "could." There was some denial in it. I did the stairmaster because, of course, it wasn't going to be long before I was back in the pool doing, well, something, and certainly back running. But then reality started to hit. It was going to be a while before I could do things they way I could on March 22. Running has been delayed at least three more weeks. I've been to the pool, and I can kick, though even holding the board can be a bit of a challenge. And now I'm riding my bike. And I know it may be a long time before "I'm back." Or it may not be that long. I'm okay with either. I think. At least I believe I'm in a better place about the road back, exercise, training, and my future than I was. I'm in a more honest place. And I'm ready to be patient, to struggle, and to build back step by step - or stroke by stroke or pedal by pedal as the case may be.

I'm already looking forward to riding again tomorrow so much that I thought about riding again today. And that's the best feeling I could ask for.

With the recent announcement of the new Specialized triathlon team, some folks have raised the logical question, "Team? What team? Triathlon is an individual sport." To many people, the new triathlon team may seem simply like a group bound together by nothing more than a common sponsor with no sense of cohesion or commonality. Nothing could be further from the truth. Far from being a "bigger billboard" or a "shotgun approach to marketing," the Specialized triathlon team has some very definitive elements that show it's something much more than a bunch of random athletes collected under a single marquee. 

What I won't attempt to say is that the athletes on the Specialized triathlon team are all best friends who'd give the shirt off their back to a teammate. Some of us are, but that was the case before this team was ever formed. What I want to answer is what it really means to have a team in a sport where individual success is what is rewarded. What is the value of a team when only one person can win a race? That is the question I hope I can answer. I have my own ideas, some of which may be foolish, naive, etc. And you are free to disregard them as such. They are simply my opinions. However, as a part of the team, I hope that I can offer an insiders perspective on the project and share my own thoughts on what I think it means to the company, the athletes, and to the sport as a whole. 

This real value of the team was most eloquently summarized in this great article which is about *countries* making a commitment to winning: http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/high-performance-sports-systems-the-non-system-system/  which Coach Paulo Sousa, coach of the Specialized Team's own Simon Whitfield, initially passed along to me (and others). The article parallels exactly the purpose of the triathlon team. It is NOT a "high performance system." The Specialized triathlon team is about winning races. And if you understand what is required to win races, then you will understand the purpose of the team. If you don't understand what is required to win races - if you are an "audit bunny" - then you won't get it. But simply put, at the end of the day, it is winning races that is the purpose of the team. And if you wish to win races, then you need to do what is required to win. And what is required to win is to create a culture where winning is everything. And that's how the triathlon team - like the mountain bike team before it - was born.

Walk into Specialized HQ in Morgan Hill and there is a banner celebrating the World Championships that Specialized bikes have won. That is what matters to this company. And the team is about creating a culture that is about winning. Because a team is more than one person. A team is more than "let's hire this guy because he wins races." A team is about supporting what is required to win. It's about taking risks to build better bikes. It's about the creativity required to gain any advantage you can. Ultimately, in order to win consistently as an athlete, you need to do the same things that are required to win as a business. And that is where the Specialized team comes from. It is the manifestation of a corporate culture of winning applied to athletics and vice versa. Athletes that win help make better products. And business that win can help make better athletes. But that's a vision. And a risk. And I don't know if it will work. But I believe in what underpins it. I believe in winning. I believe in high-performance. And that is why I believe in vision of what the Specialized triathlon team aims to be. Because I think that they view athletic success as the pathway to corporate success, and I think that's a valid and proven model, and it's one that I'm excited to be a part of. I'm happy to be a cog in a machine when that machine has a singular purpose - victory.

As much as you might read the title and expect that this is going to be a compelling (or fluff) piece on why you must buy a Specialized Tarmac SL3, that is not actually the case. Though, in the words of Ferris Bueller, "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." No, this is simply about why you - the regular triathlete - needs *a* road bike. Before we get into why you need a road bike, there are some of you who do not need one. If you are this person, you can stop reading right now. If you never ride more than an hour and if you never ride less than 25mph (40kph for you sensible metric folks) and if you view your bike simply as a necessary evil to get from swim to run, then you are 1) very atypical in the triathlon world, 2) probably an ex-swimmer or ex-XC runner, and 3) not the kind of person that needs a road bike. There are a few of these folks in the world. They are not the norm.

Assuming you are still reading along, I will assume that you are not one of those types of people. There are two primary reasons to own a road bike. The first is simple - if you ride with other people, it is not optimal to have your brakes and your shifters in separate places. It's also very much not optimal, unless you are participating in a Team Time Trial, to ride in your aerobars in close proximity to other people. Now, you may have an easy answer (in your own mind) to this "problem." You will just ride in the "pursuit position," which means with your hands on the brake hoods. And this is what brings us to the really real reason that you need a road bike.

Whenever you are NOT in your aerobars, you would better off on a road bike.

The reason for this has to do entirely with biomechanics. People who primarily ride their tribikes use the following argument, "I race on my tribike, so I should train on my tribike." While this is true, most people do (or at least should, assuming they have been properly fitted to their bike and their saddle) race in their aerobars. If you do not race primarily - 90%+ of the bike portion of your race - in the aerobars, then you need a fitting on your tribike, in addition to needing a road bike. But let's assume that you do have a good position on your tri bike and you do race in your aerobars. That's a big assumption, but we will make it, especially since I spent the last two posts encouraging you to get the right saddle. The position that you are fitted to when you go in for a tribike fit is your aerobar fit. It doesn't matter, really, how comfortable your pursuit position is. It just has to be "good enough." There is only ONE position on a tribike, and that is the one in the aerobars. Everything is a compromise position. The reason is that the body angles (specifically the angle of your hips relative to your torso) change a LOT when you are not in the aerobars.

The position of your hips - your hip angle - in this position:

Is very, very different than in this position:

And that is why you need a road bike. Because the latter position - the correct position - is much more similar to this position:

It's quite easy to see when you look at the pictures.

Road bikes have three positions. Hands on the hoods (Fabian in yellow), hands in the drops, and hands on the tops. In all cases, your hip angle remains largely constant, because you will slide back in the saddle when your hands are on the tops and forward when your hands are in the drops. Furthermore, you can also bend your elbows to create the appropriate hip angle. Technically, you can also bend your elbows on a tribike, but this puts a LOT of weight on your hands, which ends up being a very uncomfortable (untenably so) position, and you still aren't likely to get nearly as low as you would if you were on your aerobars.

So what this means is that every time you come up out of your aerobars, you are training in a position that is VERY different from the one you want to race in. And, ironically, in these moments, were you riding a road bike, it would be your position on that bike that would be most similar to the position you aim to race your tribike in. This is the position that will allow you to generate the most power, recruit the most musculature, and be the most comfortable. But you need to train in this position. Especially on a steep seat angle position, riding a tribike in the pursuits/hoods is really much more like this:

than like this:

It's this versatility of positions - all of which allow you to preserve a common hip angle - whether you are climbing, descending, sprinting, pack riding, or just out training that make a road bike so useful. You can train in the same position you will race in, only without needing to put your weight up on the nose of the saddle, crane your neck to see the cars and traffic lights up the road, or do any of the other things that make a tribike less than ideal for doing anything other than riding hard against the clock. And any road bike will do this for you. You can spend less than 1000. You can get entry level parts. You can even have (gasp) a triple! It doesn't matter. The most budget, non-carbon, simple roadbike is going to be the best training tool that you can buy. And it'll make you feel that much faster (because you'll actually be faster) when you do take your tribike out for the kind of ride it was designed for - a hard and fast one. Of course, a really, really, really nice road bike also works well too! But it's the positions that it offers you which make it so useful. So if you want to end up like this, well then you need to train that way, which means you need a road bike...

In my last piece - The Importance of What's Between Your Legs - I talked about the importance of the saddle as a point of contact on the bike. And I encouraged all of you to push forward in your quest to find the correct saddle. But I realized that - in some ways - that was an incomplete task that I had saddled you all with. I hadn't given you much insight into HOW to choose a new saddle. If you have a new saddle - or saddles - to test, how do you go about doing that. Well obviously you need to ride them. But it's what goes on before all that happens that is what I'm concerned with here.

When you position a saddle on your bike, you have three primary measurements you need to concern yourself with - saddle setback from the bottom bracket, saddle height, and saddle pitch. Unfortunately, all three measurements are intertwined, so it's hard to set one and then move onto the next. It's more of an iterative process. If you have a bike with a round post, you should also center the saddle (it's okay to tilt it very slightly left or right, but again, do this cautiously, if at all). Check the bike from the front (looking backwards) to make sure the saddle is in line with the stem. You can buy a laser-line level (I have one) if you are really particular (I am), but it's amazing how accurate your eyeballs are. If you have a TT bike - or road bike - with dedicated aero seatpost, you should still check this. Make sure the clamp hardware is inline with the frame - if it's not, you should speak with your bike shop about that. And also check the saddle - if the saddle does not sit inline, you may need a new saddle, as rails are not always perfectly straight either. But most modern bikes are built quite well, and most - if not all - of you should have no problems here. Once that is done, we can move onto the actually positioning of the saddle.

Saddle pitch should be set first, since it is unaffected by height and setback, but it does influence them. I use a digital level. You can buy one from Sears, but for those of you with an iPhone or iPod Touch or an Android phone, there are numerous applications you can buy that take advantage of the built in inclinometer in each device. These apps a few dollars, which beats the $50 or so that it costs for a dedicated digital level. I use a hardcover book to span the length of the saddle, and then I rest my level on top of that. For road saddles, I span the full length of the saddle, and set that perfectly level (or even ever so slightly nose up). I just put a Romin SL - a "swoopy" saddle - on my road bike, and this is how I set it up. This is how saddles are designed to be ridden (in most cases), because this is what keeps weight off your hands and on your seat. If you get numb hands when you ride, check your saddle pitch. A saddle that is properly leveled can fix all kinds of hand, back, and neck pain, because it rests your weight where it's nice to sit - on your butt. 

Axiom #1: If you can't get comfortable on a saddle when it's level, throw it away (or trade it to a friend). It's not right for you. 

For tribikes, you can level the first 2/3 of the saddle, because that is where people sit. I am currently test riding a Toupe on my Transition, and I set the first 2/3 of this saddle level (it's got a very slight hammock due to the shell flex). This makes it easier to roll your pelvis when you are sitting where you actually sit when you ride a TT bike, which is nowhere near the rear of the saddle. 

Axiom #2: if you sit on the back of the saddle when riding your TT bike, throw it (your saddle) away. It's not right for you.

Once you get your saddle pitch set, now it's time to adjust height and setback. You may need to double check pitch again at the end, because you will be loosening and tightening the bolts that hold the saddle in place. Figuring you know about where on the seatpost your old saddle was, first check the setback. You can use a plumb bob for this, but I usually just measure from the steam clamp to the saddle nose. If you have a saddle with a very long nose or no nose at all, this can change all that. In those cases, it's a tougher job to set it up, and I'd recommend evaluating these saddles by comparing the saddles rails to a "normal" saddle to evaluate where the nose *should* (or *would*) be and measuring setback to that point (or simply add or subtract to your measurement of the nose). Adjust your new saddle until it's about the same as your old saddle, which brings up another axiom.

Axiom #3: have a record of your saddle height and setback that you can repeatably recreate. Don't just copy down what a fitter or bike shop sent you. Have a record of how YOU measure these things. And know where it is. I carry it around on my wallet, but I keep a copy in "the cloud" on Slowtwitch.com, where you can archive your fit coordinates for free if you are a registered forum member (also free).

Once you have the setback set, check the height. I always measure through the same point on the seatpost. I do not try to measure through the center of the saddle because this changes. On something like the Specialized post, I just measure through the center of the single binder bolt. It's easy and repeatable, and that is what matters. You can balance a quarter on top of the saddle to help make sure you are checking height by looking across the saddle rather than slightly up or slightly down on it. Practice this a few times before you take your old saddle off. Using the quarter trick, you should be able to see the side of the quarter, but not the face. If you see the face, you are looking down. And if you don't see the full side, you are looking up at it. It makes sense when you do it, I promise. Once you set the height, double check the setback. You'll probably need to tweak and repeat this cycle a few times to make sure you have both of them dialed in. If you are working with a bike with a round post, also check the saddle rotation at the end, since often you need to twist the post to move it up or down.

Once everything is set, get out your torque wrench. Using your torque wrench, tighten everything to the appropriate degree. You are now ready to properly evaluate your new saddle.

Axiom #4: buy a torque wrench and know how to use it and know what the torque specs for the bolts on your bike are.

Good luck! I know some stuff in here may seem confusing, so you can always get in touch with me via my other blog - http://blog.rappstar.com and the contact form on there.

Bike fit is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. But there is something that pre-empts bike fit in terms of importance to a bike rider, and that is saddle selection. That's because you can have a bad fit on a good saddle, but you can't have a good fit on a bad saddle. If your saddle is wrong, bad things will happen. The number of injuries that started from improper saddle selection is legion. And the number of athletes that have made "miraculous" recoveries once they got on the correct saddle is also remarkable. There are very few problems, it seems, that saddles can neither cause nor correct.

However, saddles present some complications. With bike fit, folks generally fall within a relatively narrow range of body angles. You can - and people do - follow totally impersonal fit systems based off nothing but a bunch of measurements. While these methods of bike fitting are not ideal, they often do a serviceable job. But you can't do the same thing with saddles. Even as you measure someone's sitbone width, which thankfully helps offer some guidance with saddle selection, there's no way to predict if someone will like a firm saddle or a softer saddle or if a certain saddle with just rub someone the wrong way. Saddles are, unfortunately, unique. What this means is that if you don't like your saddle, try another one. Just because your buddy recommended it because he loves it, that doesn't mean it'll work for you. Many stores offer saddle rentals and/or generous return policies. And there are plenty of folks who sell lightly used saddles that just didn't work for them. So get in touch with your inner bargain hunter, whip out your tape measure and allen keys (make sure to keep your fit the same - saddle setback: nose to stem clamp & saddle height must remain the same!), and start testing!

There are two other topics that attend any discussion of saddles. The first is chamois creme. If you are not comfortable on your saddle, and you don't use chamois creme, that is the first change I'd make. There are now seemingly as many different versions of chamois creme as there are saddles. Some come "Euro-style" with the party-in-your-pants sensation that some folks really like. Others do not. I like both, depending on my mood for the day. I'm a big believer in experimentation, so whenever I use up one tube, I like to try a new brand. But if you are less of a walking version of Consumer Reports than I, feel free to stick with one if you find it works for you.

The other topic is bike shorts. Good bike shorts are one of the best investments you can make in your training. And good tri shorts (if you're a triathlete) are probably the single biggest speed gain you can make - way more than a disc wheel or new frame - because staying in your aerobars is the fastest way to get to the finish line. When I first started riding a bike, I did not have bike shorts. My first ride over an hour, I immediately bought a pair, that is once I was able to walk normally. And then I got a "nice" pair. And now I'm a bike short snob. If you haven't treated yourself to a pair of premium shorts, to quote Feris Bueller, "they're very choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking a pair up."

Saddles, shorts, and chamois creme. If you are going to invest your money in riding your bike, this is where you should start. A good fitter can help guide you, but don't be afraid - for once - to trust the judgment of what's between your legs.

There's a show on SyFy (the not-so-clever new name for the Sci-Fi channel) called "Ghost Hunters." I don't actually watch it, because I don't believe in ghosts in the traditional sense. But I get the gist. Bunch of guys wander around old houses and film the whole thing on cameras equipped with night vision. I've been recreating my own version of the show on the climbs of the Santa Monica Mountains. I'm not chasing ghosts, though, in the plural. I'm chasing one ghost in particular. And he's not actually dead. He's just moved to Taos, NM and has become someone of no consequence. And I don't use a camera or night vision during my quest. I only use my SL3. And my new Joule. Tools of the trade, to be sure, but not quite up to snuff with the Proton Pack of "Ghostbusters" fame or even an Air Ion Counter, which I found for sale at the GhostHunterStore.com.

Andrew McNaughton s a name probably unfamiliar to many of you. If it's not, your name is probably Brad Kearns. If you know who Andrew is and your name isn't Brad Kearns, then you probably know Andrew as the guy who won Wildflower a whole bunch of times back in the early days of triathlon. If you are Brad Kearns, you probably know Andrew as the neon-wearing maniac who made you ride from Conejo Valley to Antelope Valley for "fun." To me, Andrew is the guy who set the times to beat on pretty much every climb in the Santa Monica Mountains. Yerba Buena. Stunt. Piuma. And Rock Store, the object of my current quest.

Rock Store gas pumps to fire hydrant. Seems simple enough. It's about 4km including the run in from the pumps until it then kicks up at about 7% grade. Eleven minutes and thirty five seconds. That's the target. And it remains a target. I'd like to blame it on the wind. Or leaving my extra heavy saddle bag on. Or slow rolling training tires. But the truth is that the ghost is just really fast. And that makes it all the more fun to chase. And that's what keeps me going up and up those climbs.

For my first contribution to the I.Am.Specialized site, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about how I came to be contributing to this blog in the first place. I guess I should spend a little bit of time talking about why I think Specialized wanted me, but that’s mostly guesses. And then I’ll talk about what I know for certain, which is why I wanted to become a part of the Specialized family – why I think that I.Am.Specialized.

So let’s start with a little bit of background about me, Why did Specialized offer me a place on the triathlon team? You’d have to ask them to be certain, but I’ve got my theories. Basically, I know what I told them that I offered, and I’m writing this, so I’ll go out on a limb and say that I tricked them well enough. The interesting part of my life started in college, where I actually started to grow up and figure out what I wanted out of life. Before that, I was just a regular kid who liked sports, didn’t like school, and was at the epicenter of the occasional not-so-dramatic bit of drama. In college, I discovered two things that I became very passionate about. The first was rowing, which was my introduction to endurance racing and which was my primary interest for my four years at Princeton University in New Jersey. The second passion, which I only came to be truly passionate about after I graduated was engineering.

A year behind a desk after college was enough for me, and after discovering triathlon in early 2003, I decided that I’d see if I could make a career out of it, without really knowing what that meant. Over the next six years, I spent all of my time either training, racing, or thinking about training and racing. I didn’t come to the sport from a swim, bike, or run background. The extent of what I knew about endurance sport came from rowing, which basically means that I knew how to suffer and how to work hard, both of which would serve me well. It also became apparent that triathlon is a technology heavy sport. So I figured I could “think” my way to an advantage. I made a lot of mistakes in the process – what seems to make sense and the truth are not always the same thing. But it seemed that there were plenty of problems in triathlon that you could solve by thinking harder. At the very least, I knew that with limited experience, I needed to get the most of the training that I was doing, both by maximizing the training and by maximizing my speed for given effort in racing.

It was that approach, which defined my existence day after day, week after week, and month after month, finally paid off in a big way when I won my first Ironman in Penticton, British Columbia at the end of August 2009. It was after that win that I felt  I had the results to really lend credibility to the technical approach I take to training and racing. And that’s what I felt I brought to Specialized.

But what was it that made me think that Specialized was the right fit for my approach? I think there are a few companies that follow a technical approach to building bikes. Specialized is one of them. The Shiv. The SL3. The Transition. These bikes are all works of engineering beauty. But Specialized extends that same focus to all the other products they make. I actually first started using Specialized shoes and helmets in 2008, simply because I thought they were the best available.  The equipment is first rate, but it’s really the processes that lead to these products that I believe in. Process is what matters to me. Process allows you to recreate success over and over and over.

There are also a few companies that really value bike fit. But no other bike company does it to the extent that Specialized does, with SBCU. As one of the co-instructors of the Slowtwitch FIST triathlon bike fit workshops, bike fit is like a religion to me. And it’s the same way at Specialized. The bikes are made to fit. And there is a system in place to make sure that riders who end up on a Specialized fit aboard it in an optimal way. A great bike is only really great if the rider fits aboard it optimally.  And Specialized is committed to that. And that is a commitment we share.

Ultimately, I felt like Specialized offered me a home. They have a long history of forging lasting relationships with athletes – Peter Reid, one of my true heroes in the sport, still is involved with Specialized, the same company whose bikes he rode to an Ironman World Championship.  I hope I can have an equally successful and lasting relationship. I.Am.Specialized. And hope I will be for a long time to come.