Just keep listening...

Since I failed to listen to my body and just take time off last week (and weekend), I'm still battling a bug. 

I've been reading a lot of athlete blogs lately and I can't help but realize that I don't share their enthusiasm for technologies.  If you listen to some, they'll convince you that it's impossible to finish (let alone race quickly) any endurance event without an HRM, GPS, and wireless (it's always gotta be wireless) Power Meter.  Now, I'm not a technophobe (after all, I did spend part of my career working in Intel's Digital Health Group helping promote standards such as Dynastream's ANT technology).  However, I gotta ask...How much is enough?

Why are we spending thousands of dollars to decrease every last gram off a bike and then making the bars/stem look like this?

Maybe I'm just getting cheap (or choosing to spend my money elsewhere), but I just can't get excited about staring at a computer when I workout.  After 8-10 hour days wasting away in an office, the last thing I want is to "zone out."  Rather, I think I'd rather just push my body, listen to it, and then push a bit more (of course, listening would have helped a bit last week).  

Anyway, rant off.  Everyone will pursue personal excellence in their own way.  However, when I'm outside, I want to embrace the moment and let myself go.

For those who are interested, here are my results and associated technologies:

IMUSA 2000--11:44 (no aerobars, no HRM, no other items)

IMC 2001--11:40 (aerobars, but no HRM...It broke at the start line)

IMW 2002--12:25 (aerobars and HRM)

IMCdA 2003--10:33 (road bike, aerobars, disc, HRM for the bike)--103 degrees on course

Kona 2003--11:11 (aerobars and HRM for entire race)

IMCdA 2004--13:xx (sick and didn't listen to my body...HRM, Disc, Aerobars)

IMC 2004--11:20 (aerobars, no HRM)

IM South Africa 2006--12:20 (aerobars, Power Tap, Zipp 404s)

IMCdA 2006--10:55 (aerobars, Power Tap, Zipps)

IMCdA 2007--I can't remember (Slow)...I just carried a camera, stopped to see friends, and had fun all day...(no technology involved)

IMAZ 2008--DNF (Tri Bike, HRM, Disc with Hed3)

24 Hours of Adrenaline (Laguna Seca) 2007--No gadgets except an iPod Shuffle for the first 12 hours...I listened to my body and placed 5th overall.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't see significantly better performances when I use technology.  My best days have occurred when I've really zeroed in on my body's response to the conditions.