Into every life some rain must fall. Never has that old adage held more true than it did last week.
As many of you probably know, my computer fried itself into oblivion last week when all I was trying to do was fiddle around with its innards to make it better, stronger, faster (I was attempting to make the world's first Bionic computer). That's gratitude for ya!
Luckily, I was able to access the internet to receive orders and respond to emails, but my order processing, inventory tracking and accounting software was all kaplooey (don't worry, it's backed up; I just couldn't access it).
Then the Pear Tree Pen Company had one of the busiest sales weeks in its history, with orders seemingly coming in every few minutes. It got so bad at one point I had to leave the office, because I couldn't take the hearing the little "beep" that signals a new order anymore! On any other week, that wouldn't be so bad, but not being able to process the orders as quickly as they were coming in was making me nuts!
Finally, the piece de resistance (sorry, I can't do accents) - my long-awaited order of Diamine arrived! I received about a hundred pounds of ink on Friday, and the second wave is on the truck scheduled to be delivered later today. So now I get to clear out that long back-log of orders from my ill-fated "Buy-One-Get-One Free Sale."
Let's just say that my weekend was a little busier than normal. I am pleased to say, however, that I did clear out about 80% of those back-orders, and the rest will be going out in the next few days, while at the same time, keeping other orders moving through the system - albeit at a reduced pace.
But the good news is that my new PC is slated to arrive tomorrow (thanks, Dell, for expediting my order!) and I should be up and running at full strength again by Wednesday or Thursday.
Just in time for my "one-year anniversary" sale! Stay tuned . . .
Monday, January 29, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Lamy Price Increase on the Horizon
We recently received word from FiloFax USA that a general price increase will become effective on January 25, 2007. This price hike affects Lamy fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints, (including the extremely popular Al-Star and Safari) as well as Lamy refills and fountain pen ink. Other brands FiloFax USA distributes will also be affected, such as Yard-o-Led, Lett's of London and Filofax.
If you've ever been interested in buying any of these quality pens or inks but have hesitated for some reason, you might want to get your order in now to lock in the lowest possible price.
We will ship out all Lamy products in stock on a first-come, first-served basis, and will take pre-orders as long as possible. But orders must be placed soon, so please act quickly if you'd like to take advantage of this before the higher prices take effect.
While we don't have any Yard-O-Led writing instruments in stock, we'll happily place a special order before the price increase takes effect.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
New Ink On the Block: Colfer's Imperial InksTM
For the past few weeks, I've been messing around with a couple of inks from the veritable "new kid on the block," Colfer'’s Imperial InksTM Having first learned about this start-up venture on the Fountain Pen Network, I contacted Sean Colfer, the inventor, to inquire about becoming a guinea pig and he promptly obliged me with samples of four different colors.
Colfer's Imperial InksTM are billed as the "World's Only Adjustable Ink." What this means is that these inks will be available as concentrates - permitting the user to adjust the color density and other attributes by adding more or less distilled water to the concentrate. The concentrates will be sold in varying sizes, including the one-ounce eyedropper bottle, an "EZ-UzeTM" package, that makes 2-ounces of ink, and an "EZ-TravTM" vial, which will yield 1/2 ounce of ink.
Don't have the necessary supplies to mix ink concentrates? Sean has thought of that, so Colfer's Imperial InksTM will also be sold in a complete kit, with everything you need to mix your ink - except distilled water, of course. The inks will also be available already mixed in a 2-ounce Redi-2-UzeTM package. (Sean seems to really enjoy using cute-sy spellings coupled with the TM symbol, such as "EZ-TravTM" and "Redi-2-UzeTM," to identify his products - he must have an intellectual property lawyer in the family). As for me, it's getting to be a pain in the posterior to keep coding the superscript, so I think I'll stop now. But to all you would-be trademark infringers out there - you've been put on notice!
As for me, I've got a lot of things on my plate at the moment and I didn't want to fool around with mixing inks so I asked Sean if he'd just send me the pre-mixed inks. This also gave me the opportunity to see the inks as envisioned by their creator.
The inks arrived shortly after Thanksgiving. I received four different colors: Blue Spruce, NY Central Jade, Cotes de Nuit and Sovereign Blue. I've had a chance to put the Blue Spruce and NY Central Jade through their paces, so to speak, but have only dip-tested the other two.
The executive summary is that I've been very pleased and impressed with the ink. So pleased, in fact, that I decided become an authorized retailer of Colfer's Imperial Inks.TM Not that has anything to do with my review; rather, the opposite is true - it was my review of the inks that spurred my interest in becoming a seller.
Surprisingly, my personal favorite turned out the be the NY Central Jade. I filled my Hero 616 with it and the ink started flowing without a hitch (typical of that pen, I have to say). The color is a nice true green, bright without being garish. I wish I could make a good scan, but my cheap HP scanner is notoriously unreliable when it comes to color reproduction. And the color chart I posted on my website seems lighter the ink displays when you're up close and personal. Of course, monitors vary, and you may see it as it really is. The ratio of concentrate to water that Sean used may also explain the variance. In any event, the ink I used was considerably closer to J. Herbin's Lierre Sauvage than to Diamine Woodland Green, if that helps anyone visualize the color.
I tried the ink on several different papers, ranging from good quality to garbage, and it behaved well in every situation. It dried quickly and there was no feathering or bleed-through. It did smear a little when wet, but then again, it's not billed as a waterproof ink.
The next ink I used was the Blue Spruce. I was really hoping to love this color - the Blue Spruce is one of my favorite trees. Confession time: I haven't used this ink in a fountain pen. Instead, I filled my Monteverde Mega Ink Ball with it. The "nib" on the Mega writes a fine-to-medium line, and although the ink flowed really well, the color just didn't grab me at first. In fact, I was downright disappointed. I have to admit, however, that after using it consistently for the past few weeks, it's really starting to grow on me. I still like the Jade better, but I think in a pen with a broader nib, it'll be really nice.
One noteworthy thing: To address mailing labels, I have been alternating using this pen and ink combination with a Pelikan 140 filled with Diamine Woodland Green (my current favorite green ink, by the way). I was astonished to see how badly the Diamine feathered on the Avery labels in comparison to the Colfer's. And Diamine didn't feather all that badly - but feathering was virtually non-existent with the Colfer's.
I have dip-tested two other inks that Sean sent and I'm eager to try these out, too. The Cotes de Nuit is a perfect match for a burgundy pen and appears close to Herbin Pousierre de Lune.
I dipped my Waterman Liaison with a broad nib into the Sovereign Blue and it was an extremely dark blue - not at all what I expected. But I used it on the most inexpensive of papers so it is likely not truly representative of what the ink will look like in actual use. And again, diluting the concentration with more distilled water would likely yield a lighter blue.
I hope to write a review of those inks after I've had a chance to use them more extensively.
Visit the Colfer's section of my website to view the Colfer's color chart. And, if you're so inclined, feel free to pre-order these inks, in any of their various incarnations, at a special pre-introductory price.
Thanks for stopping by!
Colfer's Imperial InksTM are billed as the "World's Only Adjustable Ink." What this means is that these inks will be available as concentrates - permitting the user to adjust the color density and other attributes by adding more or less distilled water to the concentrate. The concentrates will be sold in varying sizes, including the one-ounce eyedropper bottle, an "EZ-UzeTM" package, that makes 2-ounces of ink, and an "EZ-TravTM" vial, which will yield 1/2 ounce of ink.
Don't have the necessary supplies to mix ink concentrates? Sean has thought of that, so Colfer's Imperial InksTM will also be sold in a complete kit, with everything you need to mix your ink - except distilled water, of course. The inks will also be available already mixed in a 2-ounce Redi-2-UzeTM package. (Sean seems to really enjoy using cute-sy spellings coupled with the TM symbol, such as "EZ-TravTM" and "Redi-2-UzeTM," to identify his products - he must have an intellectual property lawyer in the family). As for me, it's getting to be a pain in the posterior to keep coding the superscript, so I think I'll stop now. But to all you would-be trademark infringers out there - you've been put on notice!
As for me, I've got a lot of things on my plate at the moment and I didn't want to fool around with mixing inks so I asked Sean if he'd just send me the pre-mixed inks. This also gave me the opportunity to see the inks as envisioned by their creator.
The inks arrived shortly after Thanksgiving. I received four different colors: Blue Spruce, NY Central Jade, Cotes de Nuit and Sovereign Blue. I've had a chance to put the Blue Spruce and NY Central Jade through their paces, so to speak, but have only dip-tested the other two.
The executive summary is that I've been very pleased and impressed with the ink. So pleased, in fact, that I decided become an authorized retailer of Colfer's Imperial Inks.TM Not that has anything to do with my review; rather, the opposite is true - it was my review of the inks that spurred my interest in becoming a seller.
Surprisingly, my personal favorite turned out the be the NY Central Jade. I filled my Hero 616 with it and the ink started flowing without a hitch (typical of that pen, I have to say). The color is a nice true green, bright without being garish. I wish I could make a good scan, but my cheap HP scanner is notoriously unreliable when it comes to color reproduction. And the color chart I posted on my website seems lighter the ink displays when you're up close and personal. Of course, monitors vary, and you may see it as it really is. The ratio of concentrate to water that Sean used may also explain the variance. In any event, the ink I used was considerably closer to J. Herbin's Lierre Sauvage than to Diamine Woodland Green, if that helps anyone visualize the color.
I tried the ink on several different papers, ranging from good quality to garbage, and it behaved well in every situation. It dried quickly and there was no feathering or bleed-through. It did smear a little when wet, but then again, it's not billed as a waterproof ink.
The next ink I used was the Blue Spruce. I was really hoping to love this color - the Blue Spruce is one of my favorite trees. Confession time: I haven't used this ink in a fountain pen. Instead, I filled my Monteverde Mega Ink Ball with it. The "nib" on the Mega writes a fine-to-medium line, and although the ink flowed really well, the color just didn't grab me at first. In fact, I was downright disappointed. I have to admit, however, that after using it consistently for the past few weeks, it's really starting to grow on me. I still like the Jade better, but I think in a pen with a broader nib, it'll be really nice.
One noteworthy thing: To address mailing labels, I have been alternating using this pen and ink combination with a Pelikan 140 filled with Diamine Woodland Green (my current favorite green ink, by the way). I was astonished to see how badly the Diamine feathered on the Avery labels in comparison to the Colfer's. And Diamine didn't feather all that badly - but feathering was virtually non-existent with the Colfer's.
I have dip-tested two other inks that Sean sent and I'm eager to try these out, too. The Cotes de Nuit is a perfect match for a burgundy pen and appears close to Herbin Pousierre de Lune.
I dipped my Waterman Liaison with a broad nib into the Sovereign Blue and it was an extremely dark blue - not at all what I expected. But I used it on the most inexpensive of papers so it is likely not truly representative of what the ink will look like in actual use. And again, diluting the concentration with more distilled water would likely yield a lighter blue.
I hope to write a review of those inks after I've had a chance to use them more extensively.
Visit the Colfer's section of my website to view the Colfer's color chart. And, if you're so inclined, feel free to pre-order these inks, in any of their various incarnations, at a special pre-introductory price.
Thanks for stopping by!
Friday, November 24, 2006
Buy One Get One Free?
To celebrate the holiday season, the Pear Tree Pen Company would like to offer its customers something special - something rarely seen in the world of online pen retailing. So, it (come on, who are we kidding? I) decided to offer select items at an unheard of "Buy one, Get One Free" price."
The problem is, I have so many wonderful things in stock that I can't decide what to offer at this price! Sure, I'd love to be able to do that for all the items in my store, but I have a family to feed, too!
So I've decided to let YOU choose the items from my inventory to make available at this unbelievable discount.
So - here's how it's gonna work: Each week from now until the week before Christmas, one item from my inventory will be offered on a "2 for 1" basis. All I ask is that you all let me know what you'd like me to put on sale. I'll select the winning item from the votes received, either online or via email, at 2Fer@PearTreePens.com. (All sales prices will be based on MSRP, by the way.)
You would be well-justified in asking, "Is this some sort of marketing gimmick?" Of course it is! But I'm flush with Thanskgiving turkey and a whole lot of liquid lubrication and my otherwise sound judgment may be slightly impaired. But I still think it's a pretty good deal, and the ultimate winner will be you!
So, let's get the ball rolling - visit my website and let me know which of the items I have available you'd like me to put on sale. Beginning Monday, November 27, 2006, the item with the most votes that week will be listed for sale on my website.
While you're poking around the site, check out what else I have to offer - this could be the best time to buy that ink, journal or pen you've always wanted - for a limited time all orders over $100 get free shipping and you can take an additional 10% off all orders over $25 (see my homepage for details).
And don't forget to tell your friends to vote and look around the site. Click here to visit the Pear Tree Pen Company website.
The problem is, I have so many wonderful things in stock that I can't decide what to offer at this price! Sure, I'd love to be able to do that for all the items in my store, but I have a family to feed, too!
So I've decided to let YOU choose the items from my inventory to make available at this unbelievable discount.
So - here's how it's gonna work: Each week from now until the week before Christmas, one item from my inventory will be offered on a "2 for 1" basis. All I ask is that you all let me know what you'd like me to put on sale. I'll select the winning item from the votes received, either online or via email, at 2Fer@PearTreePens.com. (All sales prices will be based on MSRP, by the way.)
You would be well-justified in asking, "Is this some sort of marketing gimmick?" Of course it is! But I'm flush with Thanskgiving turkey and a whole lot of liquid lubrication and my otherwise sound judgment may be slightly impaired. But I still think it's a pretty good deal, and the ultimate winner will be you!
So, let's get the ball rolling - visit my website and let me know which of the items I have available you'd like me to put on sale. Beginning Monday, November 27, 2006, the item with the most votes that week will be listed for sale on my website.
While you're poking around the site, check out what else I have to offer - this could be the best time to buy that ink, journal or pen you've always wanted - for a limited time all orders over $100 get free shipping and you can take an additional 10% off all orders over $25 (see my homepage for details).
And don't forget to tell your friends to vote and look around the site. Click here to visit the Pear Tree Pen Company website.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Waiting for Columbus*
Tomorrow I leave for the Ohio Pen Show, which is billed as the 4th largest pen show in the nation. The show is held in the belly of the beast - at least as far as University of Michigan fans go -– Columbus, Ohio. Yet I remain undeterred.
In fact, I a’m actually pretty excited, as this will be the first time the Pear Tree Pen Company will be exhibiting at the show. I’'ve been making preparations for weeks now, yet believe it or not, much remains to be done. Taking the management concept of "Just in Time Delivery" to dizzying new heights, some of the new products I'’ve ordered still haven'’t arrived - which is causing me some degree of stress, as you might imagine. And, although I a’m resigned to the fact that some of the things I had hoped to accomplish will most likely not be done, I still think I'm in pretty good shape overall.
For starters, my staff and I will have new shirts embroidered with our fancy-schmancy new logo, which should make us pretty easy to spot - on the concourse and off. We also just received our new promotional ink blotters, imprinted with contact information as well as the "Partridge in a Pear Tree" logo. Come by and pick one up.
I've also made sure we ordered new inventory so there will be plenty of pens, paper and inks to sell. Making their debut at the Pear Tree Pen Company will be new pens and inks from Pelikan, including some of the unusual Pelikan Level 5 fountain pens, as well as Pelikan'’s new 364 Epoch "Wood Nut" fountain pens, which are made from hand-polished walnut wood. If all goes according to plan, we hope to have a large selection of Pelikan student pens available for the young attendees and, of course, the cliched "Young at Heart." As one of the newest Authorized Platinum Pen dealers in North America, The Pear Tee Pen Company will also be displaying for the first time its new assortment of Platinum fountain pens, which will be available in a variety of colors and nib sizes.
Lamy pens continue to be well-represented among our products, and we will have a large array of Al-Stars, Safaris and Vistas, as well as some of the pens a little higher up in Lamy's line, like the Brilliant Accent and the 2000. We'll also have the Lamy Studio, which has just added a cool new blue color to their line-up.
In response to many of your suggestions, The Pear Tree Pen Company has also partnered with Greg Minuskin, an extremely talented nib "guru" and one of the rising stars in the field, to bring you several pens with custom-ground stub and cursive italic nibs. Greg has performed his magic on a select group of Sailors, Bexleys and Lamys, and these pens will be available to try and to buy only at the Pear Tree Pen Company.
So, if you a’re in Columbus this weekend, please come by our table and visit. And if you're not in Columbus this weekend, please understand why I won't be responding to your emails and orders with my typical alacrity. Shipping will resume once I recover early next week.
Thanks, and I hope see you at the show.
James P.
* My apologies to Little Feat for stealing the title to one of the greatest live albums of all time.
In fact, I a’m actually pretty excited, as this will be the first time the Pear Tree Pen Company will be exhibiting at the show. I’'ve been making preparations for weeks now, yet believe it or not, much remains to be done. Taking the management concept of "Just in Time Delivery" to dizzying new heights, some of the new products I'’ve ordered still haven'’t arrived - which is causing me some degree of stress, as you might imagine. And, although I a’m resigned to the fact that some of the things I had hoped to accomplish will most likely not be done, I still think I'm in pretty good shape overall.
For starters, my staff and I will have new shirts embroidered with our fancy-schmancy new logo, which should make us pretty easy to spot - on the concourse and off. We also just received our new promotional ink blotters, imprinted with contact information as well as the "Partridge in a Pear Tree" logo. Come by and pick one up.
I've also made sure we ordered new inventory so there will be plenty of pens, paper and inks to sell. Making their debut at the Pear Tree Pen Company will be new pens and inks from Pelikan, including some of the unusual Pelikan Level 5 fountain pens, as well as Pelikan'’s new 364 Epoch "Wood Nut" fountain pens, which are made from hand-polished walnut wood. If all goes according to plan, we hope to have a large selection of Pelikan student pens available for the young attendees and, of course, the cliched "Young at Heart." As one of the newest Authorized Platinum Pen dealers in North America, The Pear Tee Pen Company will also be displaying for the first time its new assortment of Platinum fountain pens, which will be available in a variety of colors and nib sizes.
Lamy pens continue to be well-represented among our products, and we will have a large array of Al-Stars, Safaris and Vistas, as well as some of the pens a little higher up in Lamy's line, like the Brilliant Accent and the 2000. We'll also have the Lamy Studio, which has just added a cool new blue color to their line-up.
In response to many of your suggestions, The Pear Tree Pen Company has also partnered with Greg Minuskin, an extremely talented nib "guru" and one of the rising stars in the field, to bring you several pens with custom-ground stub and cursive italic nibs. Greg has performed his magic on a select group of Sailors, Bexleys and Lamys, and these pens will be available to try and to buy only at the Pear Tree Pen Company.
So, if you a’re in Columbus this weekend, please come by our table and visit. And if you're not in Columbus this weekend, please understand why I won't be responding to your emails and orders with my typical alacrity. Shipping will resume once I recover early next week.
Thanks, and I hope see you at the show.
James P.
* My apologies to Little Feat for stealing the title to one of the greatest live albums of all time.
Friday, October 27, 2006
More Ways to Take Your Money
You learn something new every day, and today I learned all about secure socket layers and internet payment processing gateways - stuff that'll curdle milk and put most sane people to sleep in moments.
I've put all that learning to good use, too. I have been working diligently to configure the Pear Tree Pen Company's shopping cart to accept credit cards - securely - and I finally got it working, so I'm a bit excited.
So - to make things more convenient and more secure for you, my dear reader and potential customer, the Pear Tree Pen Company is proud to announce it now accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover - all online and all through the convenience of its web shopping cart. PayPal is good - but choice is better!
Now that I've made it easy for ya - Go Buy Something!
Thanks for stopping by!
James
I've put all that learning to good use, too. I have been working diligently to configure the Pear Tree Pen Company's shopping cart to accept credit cards - securely - and I finally got it working, so I'm a bit excited.
So - to make things more convenient and more secure for you, my dear reader and potential customer, the Pear Tree Pen Company is proud to announce it now accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover - all online and all through the convenience of its web shopping cart. PayPal is good - but choice is better!
Now that I've made it easy for ya - Go Buy Something!
Thanks for stopping by!
James
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
It's Not About Winning - It's About Trying
I lifted this post from a report I received from Ryan Levinson, a truly incredible athlete who competes at the top level of his sport despite being challenged by a form of Muscular Dystrophy known as FSHD or "Facio-Scapular Humeral Dystrophy." Ryan inspires me. I hope he inspires you, too.
Thanks for stopping by!
James P.
_______
Late Season Results:
New York City Triathlon (USAT PC National Championships)- 2nd
Solana Beach Triathlon- 1st
Nautica Malibu Triathlon- 2nd
Xterra Tahoe US Championships- 1st
Late Season Media:
Max Sports and Fitness Magazine- 1/2 page article with 3 photos (including contents page and a full page spread).
KUSI Television- Athlete profile. (It ran during evening, prime time, and morning newscasts over labor day weekend).
KUSI Television- “San Diego People”, interview (ran on Sunday morning).
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon- Co-hosted and was interviewed.
Report:
The blood on my shoulder and legs had dried, there wasn’t really that much, and most of the mud had fallen off my body as I approached the log crossing in the final mile of the Xterra USA Championship. To win now all I had to do was finish, but I was nearly an hour past when I had estimated I would finish and I was in survival mode…
We started the swim with the pros and regional champions. The water was clear and cold. It was a unique experience to be swimming with a helicopter hovering overhead and SCUBA divers filming from below. Within the first ten minutes I realized I had way misjudged the impact of the altitude. Some people were panicking because it was so difficult to breath. A few people were pulled out for hypothermia, but my Zootsuit and neoprene cap kept me warm. By the second lap of the swim I could feel my face again and exited the water with a near PR for the distance.
The bike was harder than I anticipated. I reached the 8700’ summit, after two hours, three stream crossings, and 2000’ vertical feet of climbing on sandy switchbacks. The only real break from the climbing was a surreal four-mile section of singletrack called the Flume trail. Imagine a sheer rock cliff rising on your left (sometimes curving over your head), three feet of trail, and a hundred foot drop on you right. There were rescue people standing around with climbing gear ready to help people who flew off the cliff. Framing it all was an incredible view of lake Tahoe, now a thousand feet below.
By the time I reached the summit my pre-race nutrition and pace strategies were out the window. I had estimated about two and a half hours for the ride and was already at two hours ten minutes. My first crash was about 10 minutes later during the descent on a technical boulder strewn section of trail. I had just passed a woman lying semi-conscious near the trail, with medics working to stabilize her, when I had to lay my bike down to avoid slamming into a large boulder.
After the crash I looked at that section and could not figure out how the heck people rode through. A guy sitting off-trail next to a broken bike asked if I was ok. That’s what is unique about Xterra -- loosing focus during a road triathlon will make you slow, during an Xterra it can make you bleed. My Specialized Epic is a dream machine and helped saved my ass on that descent.
By the time I started the run my life consisted of pain, forcing down gels, and focusing on avoiding injuries. I had been here before, Xterra Temecula kicked my ass too, but this time I had to finish for more than personal satisfaction. If I failed, there would be no challenged athlete on the podium to represent the challenged division in the first year Xterra included the division. When I crossed that final log during the run I was overwhelmed with emotion. I was going to be the 2006 Xterra US Champion for my division, but that was only a small piece of the puzzle.
For me, over the past five years, competition has evolved to be more about the process than the result. Of course the final result is important, but this season I’ve learned, through some measure of desperate pain and tearful exhilaration, that there is no lasting fulfillment solely from standing on a podium, be it at a local race or a world championship. The search for meaning in triathlon is a much deeper pursuit, yet it all boils down to striving to swim, bike, and run to the limits of your ability.
So why compete? Besides social benefits, the value of competition comes from providing a standard by which to measure your athletic success. Sure there is satisfaction in placing in the top three and discovering that you are better than your peers, but that pales in comparison to the satisfaction that comes from realizing, regardless of your place, you have improved as an athlete. Placing mid-field after the race of your life can be more deeply rewarding than finishing first after a sub-maximal effort.
But if the primary reward from triathlon comes from improving yourself as an athlete, why not just time yourself, download your powermeter, record your heart rates and pursue life as a robot striving for faster programming? Computers and stopwatches can help measure athletic ability, but finishing higher in your division, from one year to the next can be a more meaningful measure of improvement than simply seeing faster times on a screen.
This is why divisions in the sport of triathlon are so valuable. Divisions allow you to be measured against your peers. It is more meaningful to determine athletic progress relative to peers rather than a stopwatch. There is no doubt that the very essence and value of competition is the ability it provides you to measure yourself against others, but more importantly, against yourself.
But what if you have no peers? What if you are young, but like an aging athlete, you have reached a threshold where your times will almost certainly decrease regardless of effort? If satisfaction in competition stems from the ability to measure yourself against your peers, can there still be satisfaction in competing if you are the only one in your division?
The answer is yes, but you have to embrace the fact that at times you will be racing with lonely desperation so that in the future people like you will have a division of peers, or at least a relevant standard, to measure themselves against. Because of the efforts of challenged athletes before me, the New York City Triathlon this year hosted more physically challenged athletes than pros.
At New York, after a disgusting swim in the Hudson and a PR on the bike, I started the run with a comfortable lead over my friend and fellow USAT PC National Team member, David Kyle, a man I beat at the World Championships last year by about two minutes. The race was mine to loose and I ran conservatively figuring there was no way David would catch me. But he did, with one mile to go, and we ran side by side until about 200 meters to go. David kicked, but I matched it and we went into the twisting finish shoot like two crit riders fighting for the final sprint. He kicked again but this time I couldn’t match. I jogged the final stretch and watched David win by a few seconds.
I came home with a sick feeling in my stomach. Only later did I realize that it was largely because I had lost focus about why I race. I had begun racing more for place than performance. When I thought I had New York won I pulled back. When David caught, and then dropped, me in the final 100 meters, I realized I was not going to win and I jogged in rather than continuing at max effort. Despite posting an Olympic distance PR, and placing second at USAT Nationals, I had essentially quit.
Then two more pivotal things happened. First, I began another stage of relatively rapid muscle loss (my disease tends to progress in stages), but this time I was loosing key cycling muscles. It is increasingly more difficult to hit target wattages during low cadence force-related efforts. Second, I tried out for San Diego City lifeguards, but despite two attempts I was not fast enough. Working as a first responder can be incredibly rewarding, and I enjoy working as an EMT, but my heart is in the water and serving as a lifeguard has been a long time goal.
These two events were significant because they represent the first time in a few years that, despite my efforts, my physical ability took a big hit. I was like the aging athlete posting slower times despite increased fitness. This realization, combined with my experience at New York, threw me into my lowest point of my season.
But then, thanks largely to feedback from my coach Kevin Purcell, I decided to approach racing from the perspective that what matters most is ensuring that I finish each race having given maximum effort, leaving everything on the course. Kevin’s mantra during races is, “what are you saving it for?” I used to tell Kevin I was going to crush skulls, but he helped me realize that to find satisfaction in racing, the main skull I need to crush is my own.
With this in mind I entered the Solana Beach triathlon and blazed to a PR in the swim (per hundred meters) and a season PR for the run (per mile). I won the division, but more importantly I pushed harder, longer, and with more conviction than ever. It felt good. I wanted more, and got it a month later at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon.
The Malibu Triathlon was the final event on the USAT PC National Team’s schedule. This was going to be my first chance to race against David Kyle, current national champion, since New York. I had been sick in the weeks leading up to the race, but entered the race with the calm confidence that comes from knowing that during the race pain will kick your ass but you’re going to give it the fight of its life.
I had an ok swim and finished near the front of the PC field. After a good transition, I rode solid and steady, did not blow any minds, but made up for weak climbing with a bonsai approach to the twisting sections and with an aero advantage on the downhills. By T2 I was in first with just over a minute on David. Regardless of my final place I was determined to run harder than ever before. By the halfway point David had not caught me and I was on a PR pace.
The pain was good, a familiar place you only briefly visit but never forget. I pushed harder, increased my pace, one mile to go, still not caught, was at my limit but holding the effort, saw the finish, felt a twinge… I might win. Then, with a few hundred meters to go, David caught and passed me. But this time I didn’t hesitate, I kept it nailed, flat out, max effort, crossed the line in second place spent, but satisfied knowing I had given a max effort.
A month later I was again at my limit, running across that final log in Tahoe, overwhelmed because not only had I raced to my potential, but because Xterra had, for the first time, opened a division for challenged athletes and by finishing I was about to ensure that the new division was represented by at least one athlete. I am deeply grateful to the challenged athletes that raced before me in other events so that I may now race with peers, and it is an honor to be a part of that ongoing process. I’m not the first challenged athlete to complete a full Xterra, there are a number of incredible athletes including guys like Willie Stewart, Matt Henderson, and Mike Hicks. I’m just the first to complete an Xterra championship in the new challenged athlete division. Hopefully in future years there will be a stacked field of PC athletes toeing the line.
This is how my season ended and this is why I race.
-----------------------------------------------------
Special Thanks (in no particular order):
To the athletes who came before me, especially guys like Dan Rock who were a part of the birth of triathlon and who still warmly welcomes countless people into the sport, and guys like Jon Beeson who work tirelessly to ensure that athletes with disabilities will continue to have a place in triathlon.
And…
B&L Bike and Sports for believing in me from the start. Coach Kevin Purcell for keeping me in line and guiding me to new limits. Zoot Sports for the fastest, most comfortable, best looking wetsuits and clothing available. Limar helmets rock. Light, comfortable, fast, if you have not tried one on you are missing out. InfinIT Nutrition- Its funny watching people mix all kinds of concoctions when they can just go to InfinITnutrition.com and get it custom made how they like. Vittoria tires, the first tires I raced on in the early 90s and still my favorite. Zipp Weaponry wheels speak for themselves. Nothing faster. Profile Design bars, especially the T2+, love ‘em. Rudy Project Sunglasses are now more versatile than ever with all the new lenses and frames. Challenged Athletes Foundation for advocating for a place where we belong and providing the support for us to get there. USAT for encouraging events to include PC athletes and for providing national team support for those that accept the challenge. Mizuno Shoes- who epitomizes ‘athlete’ more than the Rouses? Mizuno epitomizes the best in running gear. They are a perfect fit (pun intended). Specialized Bicycles continue to blow my mind. How is it possible for one company to make such a diverse line of incredible cycling gear? From their bikes to their shoes to their MTB tires and even gloves, Specialized gear is an integral part of my efforts. Pear Tree Pen Company provided my good luck pen, a Kurt Kinetic Trainer, but more importantly, is owned by another athlete with Muscular Dystrophy who cared enough to contribute to the tribe. West Coast Kiteboarding for continuing the dream and providing web space. And to my friends, family, and the many other people who have shared their love and support, especially Nicole Lippert (soon to be Levinson), she is everything.
www.ryanlevinson.com
Thanks for stopping by!
James P.
_______
Late Season Results:
New York City Triathlon (USAT PC National Championships)- 2nd
Solana Beach Triathlon- 1st
Nautica Malibu Triathlon- 2nd
Xterra Tahoe US Championships- 1st
Late Season Media:
Max Sports and Fitness Magazine- 1/2 page article with 3 photos (including contents page and a full page spread).
KUSI Television- Athlete profile. (It ran during evening, prime time, and morning newscasts over labor day weekend).
KUSI Television- “San Diego People”, interview (ran on Sunday morning).
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon- Co-hosted and was interviewed.
Report:
The blood on my shoulder and legs had dried, there wasn’t really that much, and most of the mud had fallen off my body as I approached the log crossing in the final mile of the Xterra USA Championship. To win now all I had to do was finish, but I was nearly an hour past when I had estimated I would finish and I was in survival mode…
We started the swim with the pros and regional champions. The water was clear and cold. It was a unique experience to be swimming with a helicopter hovering overhead and SCUBA divers filming from below. Within the first ten minutes I realized I had way misjudged the impact of the altitude. Some people were panicking because it was so difficult to breath. A few people were pulled out for hypothermia, but my Zootsuit and neoprene cap kept me warm. By the second lap of the swim I could feel my face again and exited the water with a near PR for the distance.
The bike was harder than I anticipated. I reached the 8700’ summit, after two hours, three stream crossings, and 2000’ vertical feet of climbing on sandy switchbacks. The only real break from the climbing was a surreal four-mile section of singletrack called the Flume trail. Imagine a sheer rock cliff rising on your left (sometimes curving over your head), three feet of trail, and a hundred foot drop on you right. There were rescue people standing around with climbing gear ready to help people who flew off the cliff. Framing it all was an incredible view of lake Tahoe, now a thousand feet below.
By the time I reached the summit my pre-race nutrition and pace strategies were out the window. I had estimated about two and a half hours for the ride and was already at two hours ten minutes. My first crash was about 10 minutes later during the descent on a technical boulder strewn section of trail. I had just passed a woman lying semi-conscious near the trail, with medics working to stabilize her, when I had to lay my bike down to avoid slamming into a large boulder.
After the crash I looked at that section and could not figure out how the heck people rode through. A guy sitting off-trail next to a broken bike asked if I was ok. That’s what is unique about Xterra -- loosing focus during a road triathlon will make you slow, during an Xterra it can make you bleed. My Specialized Epic is a dream machine and helped saved my ass on that descent.
By the time I started the run my life consisted of pain, forcing down gels, and focusing on avoiding injuries. I had been here before, Xterra Temecula kicked my ass too, but this time I had to finish for more than personal satisfaction. If I failed, there would be no challenged athlete on the podium to represent the challenged division in the first year Xterra included the division. When I crossed that final log during the run I was overwhelmed with emotion. I was going to be the 2006 Xterra US Champion for my division, but that was only a small piece of the puzzle.
For me, over the past five years, competition has evolved to be more about the process than the result. Of course the final result is important, but this season I’ve learned, through some measure of desperate pain and tearful exhilaration, that there is no lasting fulfillment solely from standing on a podium, be it at a local race or a world championship. The search for meaning in triathlon is a much deeper pursuit, yet it all boils down to striving to swim, bike, and run to the limits of your ability.
So why compete? Besides social benefits, the value of competition comes from providing a standard by which to measure your athletic success. Sure there is satisfaction in placing in the top three and discovering that you are better than your peers, but that pales in comparison to the satisfaction that comes from realizing, regardless of your place, you have improved as an athlete. Placing mid-field after the race of your life can be more deeply rewarding than finishing first after a sub-maximal effort.
But if the primary reward from triathlon comes from improving yourself as an athlete, why not just time yourself, download your powermeter, record your heart rates and pursue life as a robot striving for faster programming? Computers and stopwatches can help measure athletic ability, but finishing higher in your division, from one year to the next can be a more meaningful measure of improvement than simply seeing faster times on a screen.
This is why divisions in the sport of triathlon are so valuable. Divisions allow you to be measured against your peers. It is more meaningful to determine athletic progress relative to peers rather than a stopwatch. There is no doubt that the very essence and value of competition is the ability it provides you to measure yourself against others, but more importantly, against yourself.
But what if you have no peers? What if you are young, but like an aging athlete, you have reached a threshold where your times will almost certainly decrease regardless of effort? If satisfaction in competition stems from the ability to measure yourself against your peers, can there still be satisfaction in competing if you are the only one in your division?
The answer is yes, but you have to embrace the fact that at times you will be racing with lonely desperation so that in the future people like you will have a division of peers, or at least a relevant standard, to measure themselves against. Because of the efforts of challenged athletes before me, the New York City Triathlon this year hosted more physically challenged athletes than pros.
At New York, after a disgusting swim in the Hudson and a PR on the bike, I started the run with a comfortable lead over my friend and fellow USAT PC National Team member, David Kyle, a man I beat at the World Championships last year by about two minutes. The race was mine to loose and I ran conservatively figuring there was no way David would catch me. But he did, with one mile to go, and we ran side by side until about 200 meters to go. David kicked, but I matched it and we went into the twisting finish shoot like two crit riders fighting for the final sprint. He kicked again but this time I couldn’t match. I jogged the final stretch and watched David win by a few seconds.
I came home with a sick feeling in my stomach. Only later did I realize that it was largely because I had lost focus about why I race. I had begun racing more for place than performance. When I thought I had New York won I pulled back. When David caught, and then dropped, me in the final 100 meters, I realized I was not going to win and I jogged in rather than continuing at max effort. Despite posting an Olympic distance PR, and placing second at USAT Nationals, I had essentially quit.
Then two more pivotal things happened. First, I began another stage of relatively rapid muscle loss (my disease tends to progress in stages), but this time I was loosing key cycling muscles. It is increasingly more difficult to hit target wattages during low cadence force-related efforts. Second, I tried out for San Diego City lifeguards, but despite two attempts I was not fast enough. Working as a first responder can be incredibly rewarding, and I enjoy working as an EMT, but my heart is in the water and serving as a lifeguard has been a long time goal.
These two events were significant because they represent the first time in a few years that, despite my efforts, my physical ability took a big hit. I was like the aging athlete posting slower times despite increased fitness. This realization, combined with my experience at New York, threw me into my lowest point of my season.
But then, thanks largely to feedback from my coach Kevin Purcell, I decided to approach racing from the perspective that what matters most is ensuring that I finish each race having given maximum effort, leaving everything on the course. Kevin’s mantra during races is, “what are you saving it for?” I used to tell Kevin I was going to crush skulls, but he helped me realize that to find satisfaction in racing, the main skull I need to crush is my own.
With this in mind I entered the Solana Beach triathlon and blazed to a PR in the swim (per hundred meters) and a season PR for the run (per mile). I won the division, but more importantly I pushed harder, longer, and with more conviction than ever. It felt good. I wanted more, and got it a month later at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon.
The Malibu Triathlon was the final event on the USAT PC National Team’s schedule. This was going to be my first chance to race against David Kyle, current national champion, since New York. I had been sick in the weeks leading up to the race, but entered the race with the calm confidence that comes from knowing that during the race pain will kick your ass but you’re going to give it the fight of its life.
I had an ok swim and finished near the front of the PC field. After a good transition, I rode solid and steady, did not blow any minds, but made up for weak climbing with a bonsai approach to the twisting sections and with an aero advantage on the downhills. By T2 I was in first with just over a minute on David. Regardless of my final place I was determined to run harder than ever before. By the halfway point David had not caught me and I was on a PR pace.
The pain was good, a familiar place you only briefly visit but never forget. I pushed harder, increased my pace, one mile to go, still not caught, was at my limit but holding the effort, saw the finish, felt a twinge… I might win. Then, with a few hundred meters to go, David caught and passed me. But this time I didn’t hesitate, I kept it nailed, flat out, max effort, crossed the line in second place spent, but satisfied knowing I had given a max effort.
A month later I was again at my limit, running across that final log in Tahoe, overwhelmed because not only had I raced to my potential, but because Xterra had, for the first time, opened a division for challenged athletes and by finishing I was about to ensure that the new division was represented by at least one athlete. I am deeply grateful to the challenged athletes that raced before me in other events so that I may now race with peers, and it is an honor to be a part of that ongoing process. I’m not the first challenged athlete to complete a full Xterra, there are a number of incredible athletes including guys like Willie Stewart, Matt Henderson, and Mike Hicks. I’m just the first to complete an Xterra championship in the new challenged athlete division. Hopefully in future years there will be a stacked field of PC athletes toeing the line.
This is how my season ended and this is why I race.
-----------------------------------------------------
Special Thanks (in no particular order):
To the athletes who came before me, especially guys like Dan Rock who were a part of the birth of triathlon and who still warmly welcomes countless people into the sport, and guys like Jon Beeson who work tirelessly to ensure that athletes with disabilities will continue to have a place in triathlon.
And…
B&L Bike and Sports for believing in me from the start. Coach Kevin Purcell for keeping me in line and guiding me to new limits. Zoot Sports for the fastest, most comfortable, best looking wetsuits and clothing available. Limar helmets rock. Light, comfortable, fast, if you have not tried one on you are missing out. InfinIT Nutrition- Its funny watching people mix all kinds of concoctions when they can just go to InfinITnutrition.com and get it custom made how they like. Vittoria tires, the first tires I raced on in the early 90s and still my favorite. Zipp Weaponry wheels speak for themselves. Nothing faster. Profile Design bars, especially the T2+, love ‘em. Rudy Project Sunglasses are now more versatile than ever with all the new lenses and frames. Challenged Athletes Foundation for advocating for a place where we belong and providing the support for us to get there. USAT for encouraging events to include PC athletes and for providing national team support for those that accept the challenge. Mizuno Shoes- who epitomizes ‘athlete’ more than the Rouses? Mizuno epitomizes the best in running gear. They are a perfect fit (pun intended). Specialized Bicycles continue to blow my mind. How is it possible for one company to make such a diverse line of incredible cycling gear? From their bikes to their shoes to their MTB tires and even gloves, Specialized gear is an integral part of my efforts. Pear Tree Pen Company provided my good luck pen, a Kurt Kinetic Trainer, but more importantly, is owned by another athlete with Muscular Dystrophy who cared enough to contribute to the tribe. West Coast Kiteboarding for continuing the dream and providing web space. And to my friends, family, and the many other people who have shared their love and support, especially Nicole Lippert (soon to be Levinson), she is everything.
www.ryanlevinson.com
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