When USA Triathlon announced their 2010 Age Group Athletes of the Year last week, we were stoked to see long-time Team CLIF BAR member Barry Lewis take the top spot as Masters Duathlete of the Year. The pride and joy of Philadelphia’s multisport community, Lewis has been on our roster longer than just about anyone. In fact, he precedes my stint here in the Team Clif command center by a few years, and I I’ve been here since the last time the Eagles lost the Super Bowl. Coincidence? Who cares?

In a self-proclaimed “off year” during which Lewis intended to rest a bit after spending last season focusing on his first Ironman (Kona, 12th in his age-group if you must know), the well-rounded athlete put in fewer training miles, but worked hard on his speed. And apparently, it paid off!

In a season so varied even Bo Jackson would have to be impressed, Barry started off by finishing third in the multi-stage Gasparilla Classic running race. Next up was the HAT 50K trail run, where he was the first-placed masters finisher and 5th overall. He then changed gears, literally, and finished 2nd at Duathlon Nationals – on a borrowed bike, no less! 

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It’s been a nice early-season weekend full of good stuff thanks to a number of the Team CLIF BAR athletes.

While Troy & Todd Wells hunker down in Tucson to hone in their foosball skills for the 2011 TCB Foosball Invitational, other athletes were also preparing for the upcoming season. Some, with their seasons already kicked into gear, were even winning things - in January! Crazy, huh?

Friday through Sunday, the TCB Elite Cycling squad gathered down in the south bay for a pre-season camp. Rides, meetings, eating & some team bonding was the gist of it. Four new riders join the mix for 2011, so it was great to get everyone together in one spot and do a little pre-season planning.

Here’s a quick vid that the fellas put together:

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The domestic cyclo-cross season is coming to the pinnacle. With Nationals this weekend in Bend and the final round of the USGP’s in Portland this past weekend, it’s go time! Here’s Team CLIF BAR athlete Troy Wells‘ report leading up to Nationals.

I’ve started to find my legs over the last couple of weeks. After a solid race in Fort Collins resulting in a 6th on Sunday and being awarded SRAM’s most aggressive rider, I had a weekend at home before it was time to travel to Iowa City for Jingle Cross.

Jingle Cross is one of my favorite races all season. It is a 3-day event with two UCI C2s and a UCI C1. Todd went to Jingle Cross 3 years ago and wouldn’t shut up about what a great event they put on in Iowa. The next year I made it to Iowa City and I will say this is an event that I will participate in for as long as I’m racing cross.

The promoter, John Meehan, and his crew do a great job from top to bottom. Saturday and Sunday night they put on gatherings at local bars that a good amount of people come out for. It’s just an all around good time.

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We at Clif Bar & Company love to support great people doing great work. And this particular project is no exception.

Thanks to a ton of hard work and countless hours, we get to enjoy phenomenal footage from some amazing athletes in some outrageous locations; and all the while with a perspective on what it takes to respect and protect the places where we all love to play.

Have a look below at what to expect from All.I.Can, and check the trailer for some stoke on the winter to come.

Big ups to all who are doing their part and enjoying the ride along the way!

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Timmy O’Neill is America’s most outrageous climber. He has set “gob-smacking” speed climbing records from Yosemite to Patagonia. He partners with leading amputee and spinal injury athletes in ascension and technology development, stating, “Seeing my friends overcome their disabilities and achieve the seemingly impossible feeds my soul, forces me to reach even further!”

He is a leading speaker on the adaptive process in climbing and travels the world sharing stories and inspiration. Timmy also enjoys playing rock and roll drums, mountain biking, slack lining, white water kayaking and scarfing CLIF SHOT BLOKS by the handful.

I had my first taste of apple pie moonshine recently. As I tilted the half-full (or was it half-empty) mason jar to my lips, I was expecting an oral inferno of paint thinner injected crab apple juice but instead offered a surprised, “Delicious!” before belting another slug. Katie’s sister made it. This fruity flavored hooch, more hobby than authentic bootlegging, brought to mind our nation’s dip into Prohibition, (piously given the misnomer, The Noble Experiment) but also reminded me that I was still standing and sipping in a ‘dry county’.

I was in Slade, Kentucky, at the Red River Gorge (RRG), the southeast’s preeminent sport climbing paradise, emceeing on behalf of Petzl America at the 10th annual Rocktoberfest, the autumnal celebration of all things climbing.

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