Near Year - New Gear

This could also be titled "Another Year, New Gear" since I'll never not need new gear. Some year's is less than others, let's hope it slows down a little :)

For the typical triathlete there is probably a never ending list of stuff that they want

• Training food
• Power meter
• Training watch
• Home trainer
• Transition bag
• Wetsuit
• Speed suit
• Tri suit
• Bike shoes
• Bike hydration system
• Racing food
• Helmet
• Bike
• Running shoes
• Running hydration system
• Recovery clothing
• Recovery food

And then just toss "better" on the front of all those and go through it again

Not Going Nuts

The plan this year was to not go nuts. I needed a new helmet, and I needed a once over for my bike due to the accident last year. So that was the plan, and my wife was helping out. She made an appointment, and took my bike in. And then she caught the bike bug. A little more than a week later

New sweet ride

Old hotness (sans clip-on areo bars) (with trainer tire)

Going out for my first ride! Just kidding. There's ice on the roads - I'm still healing from the last fall ;)

As my wife put it "If I don't make this a priority, you'll never get a new bike!" She's right, I'd just ride the old Giant till it couldn't be ridden anymore. I'd think about buying a new bike, and when it came down to it I'd "yeah, but the bike shop is WAY over THERE and I want to ride instead of drive..." She's a keeper :)

Buying With Power

I bought my bike from Gear West bikes, no offense to my really local local-bike-shop, but I wouldn't even take my kid's bikes in to them, let alone buy a bike from them. Plus Gear West contributes a ton to the local community. Also, if you go there you have the chance to rub elbows with some local pros. None other than recently decided pro-triathlete Dan Hedgecock works there, and helped me pick out my bike and fit me on it. He's a good guy, I told him I read his blog, I didn't mention that sort of recently I suggested he earns money using less than traditional means.

@dpalmertri @d_hedgecock who knows what they taught him in FL this winter. Install a stripper pole and see what happen #obvioussolution
— Jeremy Solt (@couchtowhatever) April 8, 2013

After I bought the bike I sent out a tweet that he favorited, hopefully he doesn't put two-and-two together, I don't get a lot of tweets favorited.

Fun day! Worked with pro @d_hedgecock at @gearwestbike to get my first @feltbicycles tri bike. Great guy, great shop, great bike.
— Jeremy Solt (@couchtowhatever) April 13, 2013

Running Joke

There's a sort of running joke in the house and in my family. The joke is that I need tons of ribbing and gentle nudging to get faster. So after I get the bike, my wife said something to the effect of "maybe now you'll podium more often and going to races will be fun for me again." and my sister says (actual quote) "I will be expecting great things (in the form of speedier bike splits) from you."

It's all in good fun. Again this year I'm hoping to do some races with my family. I really do enjoy waiting at the finish line for them.