MATT CHECKS IN...

Catching up with Team Minnesota's Matt Payne, 2009 Most Improved nominee:

I made a conscious decision this season to take it a little easier in May to hopefully race better later on into the summer. I think I may have come out of the gate a little too hard last year and suffered a bit for it into July and August. I'll be going to AG nationals this year so I want to still be going strong into September.

I'll be kicking off my season on the 23rd at Albert Lea, with Buffalo and Trinona being my next two races after that. I've been checking your blog daily and seeing race results and reports coming in really has me itching to get back out there.

Training has been gong well, my various limbs are all still in one piece and nothing hurts too bad. I spent a ton of time in the pool over the winter, raced at a couple of Masters meets and made a ton of progress. If my open water times track with my pool times I should be 2-3 minutes faster for 1500m than I was last season. I think I'm a tad bit stronger on the bike than I was at this time last year and right about the same on the run, but not having cycled or run in race conditions since last September I can't really quantify anything. I'll find out on the 23rd I suppose.

Hope all is well on your end!

Matt