Cliff Scherb - Coach, Triathlete, Diabetic and GREAT Guy

We at True-Motion are big fans of NYC Elite Age Grouper Triathlete Cliff Sherb. Many of you may know Cliff from his stellar performances over the past few years. Any race he enters, he manages to surface to the top of his age group. It's a combination of dedication, passion, and sheer raw talent. Founder and head coach of TriStar Athletes (a coaching program for runners, cyclists and triathletes), here are some things about Cliff you may not know. Enjoy!



1. What sports did you play growing up?

Baseball, basketball, soccer, waterpolo, swimming, track. Anything I could do to be active and help my fidgeting while sitting still.

2. I'm sure when people see you and read your racing stats, they would never know that you are a challenged athlete in some ways.you live each and every day with diabetes. What type of diabetes do you have? (explain)

I have Type 1 insulin dependent diabetes, (A genetic disease where my body no longer makes insulin for glucose metabolism. I wear an insulin pump that helps regulate and control my blood sugars. I test my blood on average 12-15times per day)

I guess I have never thought of myself as "challenged" and for many years I raced without letting many others know that I was a Type 1 diabetic. I did this because I wanted to be respected for my racing and not let anyone think that I had a bad race due to being diabetic.

Athletically it has taken me 8 of my last 10 Ironman races to learn how to pin my blood sugars with racing and training accuracy. I will say there were several major bumps in the road that were hard learning through "crash and burn" style nutrition and training but it helped me craft how I manage my blood sugars for my sport. Ironman Hawaii in 2005 was the hardest learning experience I have had in this sport. My high blood sugars forced me to walk 26.2 agonizing miles of the run.

As a coach and athlete I have always recognized the importance of recovery. Uncontrolled diabetes for me is a major issue as an athlete because it slows recovery time. What I have learned through racing, training, especially nutrition has helped me to train my athletes and help them to have break through races.

3. Have Dr's advised you against racing Ironman? (As if that would stop you)

Surprisingly not in the past 5yrs but years ago they were more skeptical. But at this point in my career they also want to know how deep the rabbit hole goes! Most Dr's don't know what to tell me when it comes to this sport; rather I tell them how I do it and they give me feedback. I am encouraged by them and they are motivated by me to help me become the fastest type 1 diabetic. My goal is to break the unofficial course record at Ironman Western Australia after Hawaii this year. (This would mean a
record sub 8hr50min Ironman)

4. What sort of compromises do you have to make in training/racing?

I don't think there are any compromises for me. I live, train, and coach they way I
want. Its great when you're the boss : )

5. You founded TriStar Athletes - a personal coaching service for multisport athletes. Tell us why you jumped from your day job in corporate America to personal coaching. (other than to "live the dream" of course)

It was actually quite simple, I loved working with people and training. I was way into triathlon and wanted to give others the opportunity to unlock their race potential. At the end of my corporate sales career I was wearing my tri top and bottom under my suit and going from lunch in the pool back to Dr's offices before heading back to the park for an evening run. I decided to take a leap of faith and do what I love and I have never looked back since.

6. How many athletes do you coach presently? Is it as rewarding as you had hoped?

Coaching is very rewarding because each time I work with an individual they learn something that will either help them race faster or be healthier. I enjoy understanding each athlete and how to help them improve. I try to only work with 15 coached athletes as I find this is the optimal number for me to give the best attention to. Any more than this as a coach and its like trying to land too many planes at a major airport! I lose sleep at night worrying about their training, therefore so I can sleep and they can race well I keep the numbers close to 15 : ) Our other three coaches work in the same way and we refer to one another when an athlete wants to be a TriStar.

7. Ok.now let's shift to your ever-improving racing career to date.It took a few tries, but you finally did it. You qualified for Kona in Ironman AZ in 2008. How did that feel?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words..i would say this photo is worth 10,000.


8. Having a great ironman race (I believe) requires proper physical and mental preparation, as well as a little bit of luck.

Let's talk mental preparation. You finished Ironman USA in 10:07 in 2006. It was a time that would have clearly gotten you a slot to Kona in that race years prior. Were
those demons in your head going into last year's Ironman Florida? What were your expectations?

Well, I have had so many close races to qualify and each one I knew going in my training was where I needed to be but the wild card has always been my blood sugar control. Lake Placid in 2007 was particularly brutal, I gave it 110% and the end of the marathon was really grueling for me. I was on the bubble with no roll down. In one sense it just makes you want it more. The best part about coming so close is that you tweak things each time and get better. I have taken my training plans and reworked them so that they are very specific. I am focused on specific strength and speed 12 weeks and less to an Ironman. As for demons none to speak of, but it did take some self reflection to get up and go after three bad Ironman races back to back
to back. It was at this point that I made a major overall to my nutrition and diabetes regimen and kept the faith that one day I would achieve my goal. I have always been motivated to do something that no one else has ever done before and racing for the spot as "fastest type 1 Ironman" continues to drive me.

9. So now you've made it to the dance, and we'll see you at the start line in Hawaii this year. Do you carry that thought into every training swim/ride/run?

Yep! Each workout I try to think about how it will help me for that particular race. This kind of focus is the best way to be physically and mentally prepared for a race that has the best of the best that will be at their best! My last trip to the big island was a long day over 14hrs. This year, armed with better training strategies and diabetes control the question is how fast?!

10. Have you thought about your post race meal? lease share.we are obsessed with food at True-Motion.

Im already drooling for my post race Hawaiian pineapple cheeseburger.. I crave beef only one day per year and it is always right after an Ironman. That and some local Hawaiian brew and I will be way ahead on recovery. Ha.

11. IF you see a shark during the swim, what will you do?

I think I would say hi if he or she was a friendly shark. Otherwise I would punch im in the nose. Its bad karma to mess with any Kona island creatures as it can bring bad luck for many triathlon years to come.


12. Lastly, for those who read this and have never met you, we need to let them know that you are, quite possibly, the most upbeat person we know. Does ANYTHING upset you? (example: people who don't flush public toilets, someone failing to use their directional signal, woman in front of you in Starbucks who takes a cell phone call in the middle of her order and causes the line
to jam up)..something..

Thanks : ) It's a better way to be, glass half full type of thing. It must be the way I was raised? Being happy isn't always easy but putting a smile on when others are sad or upset makes you stand out. Who would I rather spend time with someone who is a debby downer or a smiling TriStarAthlete :)

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Mimi chats with Jordan Rapp about his upcoming season

After a successsful 2008 with 2 Third place finishes in both Ironman Arizona races and a new bike course record, we thought it was time to catch up with Jordan as he kicks off the 2009 season. True-Motion's Mimi Boyle fired a few questions at him...



Give it up...what bike will you be riding this year???

Unfortunately, it's not a secret. Right now, I'm still riding last year's bike. I don't have a deal with any company at the moment. I'm hoping that I will have a different answer to that question some time this year, but if not, that's okay too.

On that note, let's talk sponsors. Who will you be supporting (or who's
supporting you) this year?

Most of the companies are the same as last year - TargeTraining, Zipp, Kiwami, SRAM, Saris (PowerTap), and, of course, True Motion. New this year are PersonalBestNutrtion.com and First Endurance. This is probably not the best year to be hunting for sponsors, so I'm thankful for the ones I do have.

Give us some background on your new coach. How is he working out? Is it
an online relationship, or will he come to the states to meet you?

I'll start formally with Michael Kruger after Oceanside. I'd set up a schedule through that race early in the year, so he's using this time to get feedback and see how I train. Right now, it's just online. I may make a trip over to Denmark this summer to spend time with him, or if he gets stateside for one of the bigger races then I'll try to meet him then. I'm looking forward to seeing how the relationship develops. As much as I didn't want to switch coaches, I think that there will be great opportunities that come out of this. I'll probably have a better answer to this question in a couple months.

What kind of weekly volume are you putting in right now?

Right now, with getting ready for the races, it's not all that much. Prior to this, I did a big run block, and I was putting in about 25 hours a week, with a lot of running. But somewhere between 20-25 hours has been typical this year, as I've been running more and biking less, so the overall time of training has been a bit lower. Running tires you out!

Do you get massages often to speed recovery, or are you sleeping in epsom
salt bathes?

I don't get massage often enough, but if I can get one every couple of weeks that's pretty good. Once a week is ideal, but it just hasn't been in the cards this year. I haven't done an epsom salt bath in a while, but I did do regular ice baths when I was running a lot. Ice baths are the most important thing for me. I find they really help my recovery. I've nicknamed my iPod the "icePod" since a lot of times I'll only use it as a distraction when I'm sitting in the tub.

So you've chosen Cali Half to kick off the season. Other than the
suffering to stay warm in that deathly cold water, do you feel this will be
a challenging event for you? Have you thought of any strategy for the race?
(most of us just try to finish our season opener...)

I know the cold water will be a challenge in Oceanside. What to wear on the bike seems to be the biggest challenge. My regular race suit dries really fast, so I think that might be enough if it's a sunny day. If it's cool, then I'll have to reconsider what I wear. Perhaps the fashion faux pas of trisuit and arm warmers. In terms of strategy, I've been running a lot this year, so I'm hoping to have a good run. The winds will probably determine some of how the bike course goes. I'd like to have a pretty good complete race. If I can swim and run well, I'll be happy since that's really been my focus so far this year. But considering the last time I tried to do Oceanside, I had a 103F fever the Wednesday before the race (that was a DNS), I think this has got to be better than that. I was really glad to find the Superseal Olympic in Coronado the week before, since the prospect of having a race as competitive as Oceanside be my first of the season was pretty daunting. Besides, who doesn't want to swim twice in the Pacific in March!

What does the rest of the year look like? I hear you're dabbling in a few
Ironmans (again) in 2009?

I'll race Superseal and Oceanside, then Wildflower, which will be my first time there as well. After that, I'm racing the new Rev3 triathlon in Connecticut; with a great venue (I've raced in Middlebury before) and big prize money, that's shaping up to be a fantastic race in it's first year. From there I'll do the short rest gig into Boise 70.3 again. Then it'll be big training for Ironman Canada with a brief interlude at NYC to kee the race legs sharp. After Canada, I'll take some down time before doing the Toyota US Open in Dallas, the Rosehall Triathlon in Jamaica - both Olympic distance races. And then it's yet another grand finale at Ironman Arizona; hoping that third time is the charm!

Have you ever dabbled in bike racing to compliment your cycling
training?

I haven't, but I'm going to try to do the Devil's Punchbowl Road Race out by Slowtwitch HQ. It's a very small, very hilly race, so it seems like the perfect way to get into it. I'm not much of a bike handler, so a big field would really scare me. As long as the field is small enough to basically mimic a group ride I think I'll be ok. Plus, this is supposedly a race of will and attrition, so I think that might be good. [I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the race, so I don't know if you want to include this one. As an alternative, you can put what I write after this.] I'd really like to do some road time trials. Maybe something like the ITT in Solvange before the ToC next year, where they let folks ride the course before the pros. Or maybe one of the bigger state championships. Time trialing just seems like more, er, "fun" as bizarre as that sounds.

With all this training on the horizon, how will you have time to plan
your wedding? Note to Jordan: Do NOT show up to the altar in your wetsuit.
You'll need to go shopping for a real one. Have you set a date?

Jill and I haven't done much planning. We said it will be after the season ends, so I think I'm currently putting it off until that period of recovery after Ironman Canada. I will make sure to buy a NEW wetsuit before the wedding! ;) Actually, I already have my suit. I inherited from my soon-to-be brother-in-law (Jill's sister's husband). He's got tremendous style, and he gave me a really nice cream colored suit from Italy that he didn't wear anymore. We're almost exactly the same size, so a quick trip to the tailor later and voila. It's probably the nicest piece of clothing I've ever owned.

Do you think Lance has a real shot at a comeback if his collarbone heals
well and he gets back on track with training?

I think after the career he's had, you'd be foolish to ever bet against Lance. The man came back from the dead (well, almost). How hard can it be to come back from a broken collarbone?

Do you shave your legs all year long, or pretty much just in racing
season?

Once it gets close to race season, shaving them the week before the race seems to work ok in terms of carrying me over for a few weeks. I always shave them the week before the race, usually wednesday or thursday, and then if I think they are getting unruly then I might shave them. I shaved at the end of February, which was the first time since Ironman in November since I just got tired of my bike shorts pulling on the hair. But generally, I think shaving is like caffeine. It makes you extra fast if you don't do it all the time.

(Not sure if you saw The Wrestler, but if you did) Did you feel Mickey Rourke deserved the best actor oscar over Sean Penn? (sorry, I am still kind of pissed about that choice. Thought they robbed him)

As an aside, Mickey was born in the same town as my mother in upstate New York. I didn't see either movie, but based on my max attention-span viewing, Mickey Rourke deserved it. Generally, I think if you watch the previews of each, that tells you pretty much all you need to know, and the previews for "The Wrestler" were much better. Besides, I just like Mickey Rourke a lot more than I like Sean Penn. I mean, honestly, "9 1/2 Weeks" vs. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"? No comparison. I do think Mickey needs to not dress like such a wacko, though. I really do feel the need to see "The Wrestler." That and "Watchmen." "Milk" looked very missable. Besides, I think it's much easier to capture a real charismatic character than to create one.

Seasons Greetings!

Jordan Rapp breaks Bike course record and places 3rd at Ironman Arizona

Mimi Boyle caught up with Jordan Rapp after his record breaking bike and 3rd place finish at the November edition of Ironman Arizona. Scroll down to read the interview...



Did being at the Olympics this summer cheering on your favorite athletes
inspire your training throughout October?

It did. The Olympics really drove home why it is that I do what I do. It's all about the competition. Truthfully, I've always enjoyed training more than racing. But I think the Olympics made me realize how special competing truly is. Especially to watch someone that you train with all the time put it together on the race course. I knew what Simon (Whitfield) had put into the preparation for Beijing, so to see how he then used that in the race was incredible. So really more than anything, I think Beijing inspired my racing. It made me see the race as a reward for training in a way that I never had before. Knowing that I'd get that reward also inspired my training, since I did more visualization of racing while I was training than I had in the past. I imagined winning. I imagined leading. And a lot of that imagination was inspired by what I saw in Beijing, with the men's triathlon really being the thing that stuck with me during all those miles, almost all of which I logged alone, as opposed to in our group, as I had done up until Beijing, since the Olympics were, obviously, the culmination of their season.


what made you switch to running shorts and top in t2 this time?

I prefer to ride in a one-piece, because it doesn't pinch at all around your waist. But I prefer to run in a separate top and bottom, because it doesn't pull at all on your shoulders. If I had it to do again, I think I might have stayed in my one piece, since the fabric of that suit is so light. But I also liked the freedom of the short and top. I went with a t-shirt because I find that over a marathon, any sort of seam close to my body bothers me. I'm always pulling on it. So the shirt was very free. The shorts were okay, but as always, when you are soaked with salt, sweat, gatorade, coke, and gel, nothing is great. To a certain extent, though I'd never do it, I can see why guys raced in speedos. It's nice to run "free." The only way to know what feels best is to try it. Nothing can really prepare you for what it will feel like after seven hours of racing. But now, after three races, I think I've got a better handle on what I like. I'm definitely set through T2, and hopefully I'll be set for the marathon as well next time, though I'm sure I'll overthink that decision plenty of times before the next one.


How did it feel to be LEADING an Ironman?

Depends on when you were asking. There were stretches where it was incredible, where I kept telling myself that not only could I win, that I was going to win. Then there were the low points where I knew I was going to get caught, when my legs just started to go. Mostly I would say it was lonely, but in a sort of strange way. You have, at times, cameras and motorcycles following you, but there is no one up ahead to chase. You know that everyone is chasing you. You can't see someone up ahead and feel like you are closing on them. There are no splits, except someone occasionally telling you how far behind someone chasing you is. It was a bit different as well on a loop course, since while I was leading, I was also passing people, which is sort of odd. I imagine that it'd be different in a single-loop race where you are all alone. I'm glad I did it, because it was so different than any other race I've done, even races where I've led or won. A marathon is daunting enough without also being a target, so that was something that I could never have prepared for. It was definitely memorable. I'd love to do it again, only without the whole "getting passed" part.


Do you feel you've earned the respect of other Pro's and are considered a
serious threat?

Ha. I dunno. I suppose when you start thinking that way is about the time you get yourself into trouble. Honestly, when you count up the number of guys who been on an Ironman podium, it's a lot. When you count up the number of guys who have won one, it's a smaller number. For me, I think you have to win one, at least one, to really earn respect. That being said, I was pretty nervous to be racing with Andreas Raelert, regardless of the fact that it was his first Ironman. Some guys have instant credibility. I am keeping my fingers crossed, for example, that Simon Whitfield never decides to do Ironman. Personally, I think Ironman will be my proving ground, but until I win one, I wouldn't even consider myself a threat. Even then, I'm not sure I'd want to be known as a threat. I'd like to be known as a guy who races smart, races hard, and races with integrity. Whatever I get beyond that is a bonus. Sometimes people tell me that I'm not goal-oriented enough in that sense, but I guess that's who I am. I used to set a lot of goals like that when I was rowing, and most of them I didn't meet. But even as I didn't achieve one thing, I often achieved another totally different thing. I wrote on my blog that my journey to triathlon has been a journey of failures. Every decision I've made has been because I failed at something, at least it was a failure if you look at a specific goal. But I wouldn't give up that journey for anything. So I think that's helped me become more process oriented. Simon (Whitfield) talks about that a lot. He's won two medals racing that way and came 11th when he raced only to win, so that's colored my perspective a great deal. Do I want to win? Of course. But I want to win being myself. I'd never trade who I am for a win. So maybe that means I'll never be a threat in the minds of other athletes, and I'm okay with that.


Will there be a 3rd visit to Arizona next spring?

I think it'll actually be next fall. No more spring Ironmans from NASports. The new November date for Arizona is a permanent change. But yes, I'm currently planning to go back. I like the course, and, more importantly, I feel very confident racing in Tempe. I know where to stay, flying in and out is easy, I know where to eat, where to buy groceries, where to swim, bike, and run, how to get around. All those little things that make it easier to focus on racing. I don't know that I'd ever want to live in Tempe, but I do think of it as a very comfortable place to race, which I think is probably much more of an advantage than any "experience" I might have with the actual race course.


How much time off will you take?

I took one week totally off. I didn't do anything except for walking on the treadmill reading a newspaper. I was that guy in workout gear walking at 2.5mph with his face in the NYTimes. I felt like the ultimate poseur. But it was good. The second week, I swam three times and ran four times for 30 minutes. This week, week three, I'm back to training everyday, though nothing of serious substance. I'm in the weight room four days a week, which is a good change. I hadn't done weights in a while, and I think I got a bit unbalanced this year with the bigger mileage, so I'm back trying to make sure I'm all connected. I'm also running and swimming regularly, but just short workouts, mostly 30min runs and 2,000-3,000m in the pool. I got my mountain bike tuned up and today I'll take that out for a spin. I'll only ride what I refer to as my "dirty wheels" until January. I love my MTB, but I'm also afraid of it during the season. It's a hardtail, which keeps me off the really technical stuff, but I enjoy the style of riding a lot. It's so different, but I think it makes you a better cyclist. Training is such a huge part of my life and my routine. After a week, I really needed to do something, and after two weeks, I really needed to be on a routine.


What is your hands-down favorite Christmas movie?

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Isn't that everyone's?

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True-Motion President Paul Bashforth introduces his son Tom to the world...

Hoodies to keep you toasty