Wear It

Teammates - 

There is a huge slate of racing going on this weekend - in the 70.3 series, there is Eagleman, Boise, Kansas, and the one nearest and dearest to my heart, Italy.  There is also Escape from Alcatraz, a bucket list staple for many triathletes.  In the bigger triathlon world, most countries have selected their Olympic triathlon teams, with the ITU race in Madrid being the last qualifier for most teams.  As usual, there is some consternation about the selection criteria for some countries.  Most importantly, this past week also marked the anniversary of D-Day, which occurred on June 6, 1944.  To those who served then and who have in the conflicts since, thank you.  

For those who are racing this weekend, best of luck to you all.  And as someone who can still see the remnants of a sunburn suffered at IM Cozumel in 2009, may I suggest ample amounts of sunscreen.  According to recent information released by NOAA and the National Climatic Data Center, this past spring has been the hottest in the US since data was first collected in 1895.  The sun is out and it is hot - make sure you hydrate both going into the race and on the course.  For sunscreen, I would highly recommend Bullfrog's Surfer Formula - it comes in a 36 SPF and works as well as anything I have tried in terms of lasting through the swim.  Due to its waterproofing properties, you may want to get someone else to put it on for you, otherwise you end up with water-repelling hands.  If you are racing a longer event, make sure you get some reapplication on your way out of transition.  

On a personal note, I will be racing at the FINA World Masters Championships swim meet here in Italy.  I would personally like to petition for Team RWB Speedos, though I doubt those would be a big hit with the rest of the team...  Wherever you find yourself racing or supporting this weekend, race well and hard, and make sure to wear the Eagle - and the sunscreen.  

Happy trails.