Armchair Triathlete

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2007-08-01T14:03:00.000-06:00

Exercise and the First Law of Motion

2007-06-28T09:10:00.001-06:00

Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state
of motion unless an external force is applied to it. -- Newton's First
Law of Motion

I guess it shouldn't be a surprise me that once I get moving I want to
keep moving. But I am always happily surprised each time I start working
out again. It gets easier the next day to continue. Once you've
experienced this you start to understand that exercise doesn't make you
more tired, it makes you more energetic.

I ran another 2 miles today and played game of tennis with a neighbor
the other night. I would have never played tennis at 9:00 at night had I
not already been in the groove of active motion during week. I would
have been too tired.

The trick to all of this, I guess, is to keep the external forces out of
your life that stop you. Remove the roadblocks. There are mental ones
and physical ones.

Has it really been 8 days?

2007-06-26T08:53:00.001-06:00

I see that my last post was 8 days ago. Has it really been that long
since I exercised? It feels that way, but I do remember squeezing in a
bike ride and some push ups and sit-up since then.

Yesterday was such a crappy day energy wise that I was committed to
starting out today with a morning run.

I got in 2 miles. :)

Happy Monday

2007-06-18T09:18:00.001-06:00

I was excited that I got to do some kayaking over the weekend. I've been
wanting to try that for a while. I was surprised at how much it worked
my abs. I figured that my shoulders and arms would be sore but they feel
fine. My abs however, had a good work out and feel a little sore.

Today I did 20 minutes of spinning on the bicycle.

L630
A845

Is that really food?

2007-06-12T09:45:00.001-06:00

Last night I ate at Wienerschnitzel. I ate a beef chili dog and grease
sticks... err fries. I went to bed regretting it. I love hot dogs and
probably eat too many of them but I don't like anything about the chili
dogs they serve. YUCK. This morning however I felt great. I was looking
forward to running and even did some strength training afterwords. On
fire.

Was it the Wienerschnitzel? I hope not. I can't stand that stuff.

Monday

2007-06-11T10:52:00.001-06:00

Tired. Hungry. Uninspired. I did it anyway. I think this is what
builds the foundation.

Spinning 20 minutes - Orem Rec Center

I got to work by 8:25 AM. Slowly but surely I'll make that elusive 8:00
AM

Golf

2007-06-08T12:55:00.000-06:00

Since I'm using this blog to log my excercise, I wonder if I should note that I golfed today. Actually I just went to the driving range. I need a lot of work to improve my swing.

15 minute spin

2007-06-07T10:22:00.001-06:00

I did some spinning on a Lemond RevMaster this morning. I'm glad the
gym has a couple of these out in the general use area. I don't much care
for the reclining bikes that have become so popular. It might be good
for fitness but I can't believe it would translate as well to real
riding. It takes me a while to get conditioned with an efficient stroke.
This spin bike lets me adjust about everything so it feels really close
to my bike at home. I've noticed my hip along with the outside of by
calves were getting fatigued quickly today.

My Hamster Cage

2007-06-06T15:17:00.001-06:00

If "The World is Flat" as Thomas L. Freidman states in his book by the same name, then I live in a big round bubble. A plastic bubble that spins as I run inside it. Freidman discusses in his book the beauty of the internet connected world and how it allows people to work remotely, from home, India or even Indiana. Workers can log on to a teleconference, view and work on co-worker's projects or take calls from half a world away.

Yet I drive to work every day, to send those same emails, type those same instant messages, and take those same calls. Why do I drive so far to plug into the super highway? Just the other day I instant messaged a co-worker 2 cubicles away. Why can't I do that from home. I suspect many others are in the same figurative spinning wheel. Why?

If technology makes the world flat, politics keeps it round and siloed. I drive to work each day because it's expected by my employer. That's just the way we do it around here. How I wish it would change.

The reason for my rant is two fold. I've been listening to the audio book "The World is Flat" on my commute and I happened to be listening to it yesterday when I had to turn around a quarter of the way into the drive. I forgot my "office clothes" and had to go back home to get them. I was already in my "gym clothes" because of my new plan to get ready for work at the gym to save time. The delay aggravated me and the book's topic only escalated my disgust. Why was I driving anyway?

Today was a bit better. I remembered all my clothes and I made it to the gym. The rain however made traffic worse than usual though so I decided to only upper-body weight lifting to compensate for the lost time on the road.

Better luck tomorrow.

Today's work out

2007-06-04T10:17:00.001-06:00

Ok. I haven't been using BuckeyeOutdoors.com to log my work outs. In
fact, much of the updates on my sidebar where planned workouts, with no
actual time logged. I need to go delete those. I think I will continue
to use BuckeyeOutdoors.com for races and PRs. I really do like the
widgets for that.

Since, I like the idea of keeping track of what I did for motivation,
I'll just email my workouts to this blog. That's what I'm doing now. It
seems easier, since I'm on email all day anyway. The only thing it
won't have is reporting. I'm not sure what to do about that.

Anyway, today I ran 1.5 miles before work. I'm trying to get in the
habit of driving to the gym in Provo, working out and then get ready at
the gym for work. I figure I can save some time there. Time saved by
both decreased shower time and decreased commute time because I leave
earlier in the morning without really waking up any earlier.

Ogden Marathon - Five K - Can I make it?

2007-03-25T12:03:00.000-06:00

I started this blog over 2 years ago. Since then I have done a few 5ks, a triathlon, learned to swim and completed a half marathon. I also started weight training, yoga (better stretching really), trail running and hiking.

It's amazing progress really. But as evidenced by my posts on this blog, I'm flaking a bit, I haven't done much in the excercise world since last August. I have two excuses. Having a baby and finishing my basement. The baby is doing great and the basement is done (sort of) and I am left to start over again with fitness. I can't run a mile right now at least not easily anyway.

At work we have a chart that we color in for every 30 minutes of excercise we do. It's a good motivator. Just seeing those spaces next to my name prompts me to walk at lunch.

I know from past experience that a good 5k foot race is a great motivator as well. I've been thinking about doing the Ogden Marathon - Five K for a while now and I'm just under 8 weeks from the starting line. Can I make it?

Here are some details form the site.

Ogden Marathon - Five K

"Date and Time: Saturday, May 19, 2007 – 7:00 a.m.

If your GOAL is to compete in a 5K run, this is the race for you. Participants receive a technical t-shirt, race goody bag, an invitation to the Ogden Marathon Expo and downtown pre-race pasta dinners on Historic 25th Street, and finish line festivities at the Ogden Municipal Park.

Entry Fee
Before April 30th: $25
May 1 - 15th: $35

Start Line
The 5K start is near the Timbermine Restaurant at 1701 Park Blvd. on the Ogden River Parkway. Baby joggers will be allowed, but for safety purposes, they must begin their run at the back of the 5k start line.
Finish Line:
The finish line is at 25th and Grant Ave. at the Ogden Municipal Gardens.
Transportation:"

Utah Triathlon Calendar, TriHive.com

2007-02-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Tri-Hive, a local rag has put together a pretty decent calander of events in Utah. Utah Triathlon Calendar, TriHive.com

Home Improvement Excuses

2007-01-19T16:40:00.001-07:00

I didn't log anything for the last two days. I did some yoga poses on Wednesday night. I didn't log it because it it was late at night and it didn't take long so it hardly counts as a workout. I didn't do anything last night because I spent most of it at The Home Depot getting ready to lay tile at my house. I can't wait for my home improvement project to end! It's been rewarding to see my hands make something but it has been a VERY long project. It needs to end.

I'm not all excuses though. I worked out today. I did the 12X12 strength exercises. I like those, it has been a long time since I spent time with weights. It feels pretty good. That lasted about 20 minutes. I finished up with some walking on the treadmill. I put the treadmill on the steepest hill setting possible. I think that is a good simulation for hiking. It feels more natural then the stair machines. The incline of your foot plant really works the calves. Stepping flat on the stair steppers seems to focus the thighs more.

Workout Log

2007-01-16T14:17:00.001-07:00

So I thought I would try posting my workouts here as a bit of
motivation. I'll use email to post to make it easier to do. I wish there
was a way I could hook it into Buckeye Outdoors. Oh Well.

Here is what I did today:

Went to the gym. I went into the weight room first to do the 12X12
circuit. I forgot what all 12 exercises where so I did the best I could.
After that, I did a mile on the treadmill. It was a good workout. I need
to go more often.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Exercises: Lat Pull Downs, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Bench Press, Leg
Press, Calf Raise, Dumbell Pullover, Biceps curl, running

2007 Intentions

2007-01-12T16:45:00.001-07:00

I want to write these goals/dreams down now to give a little extra push in getting some of them to happen.

January - Get to the gym
February - Go skiing once
March - Hike Ensign Peak
April - Hike in Zion National Park
May - Grouse Creek King of the Mountain MTB Race
June - Hike Thurston Peak
July - 10K Trail Running Race

Just a quick stab at the things I would love to do this year. I'm not sure if I will do them all as I've got a new baby coming soon and that always takes some time, not to mention sleep!

Whatever I feel like! Gosh!

2006-12-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

I'm giving myself permission to do whatever the heck I want. So I started a new blog.

Take a look at http://geosports.blogspot.com/ It's a work in progress and it will surely change over time. I'm trying to learn CSS and XHTML and I want to practice over there. I'm also finding a lot of info on the net about outdoors stuff and I wanted a place to collect it all. Those things didn't seem to fit the theme here so I started a new one.

I haven't decided the fate of this blog. I'm sure I will post here when I do another race or something similar. Trust me, I will do more races. They're fun!

As for this little blog, I started it as way to learn what blogging was all about and as a way to motivate myself to get fit and do something big. It did a little bit of that I think that is what I am doing with geosports, just in a different way.

After the Race

2006-09-23T11:26:00.000-06:00

Now for the rest of the story. I haven't run once since my half-marathon race. It's been over a month! I'll be honest it took a lot out of me. I was pretty sore afterward and the training took a lot of time. Time that I promised myself I would devote to some other projects when I was done. Like finish my basement. I haven't been a total sloth. I've ridden my bike , walked a lot, started a strength program and today I went for a 3 mile hike. I'm ready to get back into a routine. I think for the winter it will be a mellow routine focusing on keeping a base fitness for when I amp up again next year's spring races. I will likely run the local Thanksgiving Day 5k.

Today's hike was really a geocaching hunt. Again, I went with a friend and we found 3 caches. It was a beautiful morning after a week of constant rain. It feels good to get on a mountain in the morning. I also learned about a new widget for my blog. It's a counter that show how many geocaches I have found. (look right).

Race Report: Great Salt Lake Half Marathon 2006

2006-08-28T21:13:00.000-06:00

I woke up at 5:15 AM to register for a half marathon that started at 6:30 AM. I was glad I lived so closely so I didn’t have to go even earlier. It’s cool and dark that early. I was impressed that the volunteers at the registration pavilion were so cheerful and helpful.

This was my first half marathon. 13.1 miles is the furthest I've ever run. 2 hours and 21 minutes is the fastest (and slowest) time I've ever finished the distance. I'll admit I was pretty geeked up about doing it. I had hoped to finish around 2 hours 15 minutes but would have only been disappointed had I finished over 2:30.

My favorite part of the race was the last 3 miles. A 5k race after a 10 mile jog. When I write that, I wonder how that could ever be considered fun. But it was. Believe me.

To get to the 5K race I started with a group of 127 individuals. By the time I ran the 10 miles to the final 5K, there were only 2 of us starting. The rest were either far ahead or well behind. For the 10 mile “commute”, my friend and I ran an easy pace, clocking in at just above 10 minute miles. I think I talked way too much along the way but I needed to. I was scared that if I didn’t , the time would drag along and I would think about the pains in my knees and think about how far 13 miles really is. Since I run with a Camelback fanny pack I stuffed my camera in it. It allowed me to take pictures to ease the time as well. I took one photo of my friend and I had him take one of me. Action shots for the blog! For several miles we watched our shadows on the pavement and a guy just ahead of us. I took a picture of that too.

When the talking died down, after about an hour, I listened to a local radio station’s podcast called “The Outdoors Show.” The show is familiar company as I listened to it on many of my long training runs in the preceding weeks. Hip-Hip-Hooray for the iPod!

When we approached the orange cone marked to say 10 miles, we stopped short and walked towards it. To me, I was preparing to start again. I had to do this because frankly, I was tired and I needed some motivation. I switched from “talk radio” to my favorite music playlist. The affects were immediate. I “sprinted” forward fueled by my speed-tunes. The first song ended and so did I. I was spent. My friend caught back up to me and I am sure he thought I was crazy for trying. Even so, our overall speed quickened and I finished the next song renewed. When the 3rd song started it was John Mayer’s 3X5. This is easily my favorite song. I powered on hoping to finish strong. I did finish strong and I finished with nothing left in the tank. I set a goal and I completed it. YAY!

John Mayer 3X5

I'm writing you to catch you up on places I've been
You held this letter probably got excited,
but there's nothing else inside it

didn't have a camera by my side this time
hoping I would see the world with both my eyes
maybe I will tell you all about it
when I'm in the mood
to lose my way with words

Today skies are painted colors of a cowboy's cliche'
And strange how clouds that look like mountains
in the sky are next to mountains anyway

Didn't have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world with both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it
when I'm in the mood
to lose my way but let me say

You should have seen
that sunrise with your own eyes
it brought me back to life
You'll be with me next time I go outside
just no more 3x5's

Guess you had to be there
Guess you had to be with me
Today I finally overcame
tryin' to fit the world inside a picture frame
Maybe I will tell you all about it
when I'm in the mood
to lose my way but let me say

You should have seen that sunrise
with your own eyes
it brought me back to life
You'll be with me next time I go outside
just no more 3x5's
no more 3x5's

GeoRunning

2006-07-30T11:24:00.000-06:00

Running: (v) To move swiftly on foot so that both feet leave the ground during each stride.

Geocaching: (n) A type of scavenger hunt for containers bearing treasure using the containers' exact geographic coordinates and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices

GeoRunning: (n) My little made up word that means running to and from a hidden geocache. An activity I used to motivate me and in the process have a lot of fun. Another similar word: geocycling. Although, I have yet to try it.

Nearly a year ago, I read an article in Runner's World about 56 ways to motivate your run. One tip that stuck out in my mind was picking up pennies. Someone suggested pre-scattering coins along your running route and then running back along the route to collect them all. That's a lot of work for a penny. I've got a better idea. Run to a geocache. That's what I did yesterday for my weekly long run. Initially, I wasn't all that motivated to do a long run. In fact, I was a bit scared to do one because I hadn't run all week. Work and other crud got in the way so up until Saturday I had logged zero miles. The thought of running 8 miles with no base miles during the week made me fear the bonk monster. So I decided to play a common mind trick. Only run 4 miles. That is... run to a point 4 miles away from my house. Of course, I would need to run the 4 miles back totaling 8, but telling myself I was only going to run 4 miles was much more appealing on this particular morning.

The chosen 4 mile destination was a geocache called Son of the Evil Nano Spawner. It is a micro-cache. Which means it is super tiny and difficult to find. I suppose. I'm new to this game and I've never tried finding a micro-cache. I don't even know what it looks like. In geocaching you never know what you are looking for until you find it. I needed to try finding the micro on my own because my usual geocaching partners like to find the bigger containers that are full of toys.

Off I went. I strapped my Garmin Foretrex GPS to my wrist and watched for the waypoint to appear on the little screen. The cache was hidden next to a long stretch of empty road to nowhere. Perfect for running. The coordinates led me to a lone telephone pole and ditch. When I look for a geocache, I try to be discrete so non-geocachers (muggles) don't suspect that I am up to trouble or worse suspect the cache is some sort of danger. Our local TV news did a report earlier this year on a supposed bomb-threat near the interstate. It turned out to be a ammo-can geocache. Harmless. Regardless, tromping around, ducking and searching under things looks a little goofy to the passer-by. If I feel I am being watched, I cut the hunt short and come back another day. I didn't have to worry much on this road though. It was so empty. This day, it didn't matter. I might as well had all day to look for it. I couldn't find the darn thing. I looked and looked. I circled the pole for 10 minutes. Nothing. No wonder it was named EVIL. Finally a cyclist appeared down the road. It was my chance to save my ego and stop looking. Of course, I didn't want him to suspect me of any wrong doing. I just had to leave. I turned to walk and then ran off. He peddled one way and I ran the other. I finished my run and hurried to a computer to check geocaching.com for some extra hints to help me find the cache the next time I'm near it. I found out that some guy's six year old son found it. With ease. I need to try again. I've got another long run next weekend. I think I will swing by. I can't wait.

LibraryThing

2006-07-23T18:46:00.000-06:00

The idea behind the Armchair Triathlete moniker is that while I enjoy staying active and participating in races and other endurance activities like the 3 triathlon sports, I also enjoy reading. It's the armchair side of Armchair Triathlete. I especially enjoy reading about people and their pursuits. I've read about fascinating athletes like Lynne Cox, Dean Karnazes, Lance Armstrong, Micheal Jordan, Greg Lemond, Roger Bannister and many more. I've also read the words of great thinkers like Jim Collins, Stephen R. Covey and David Allen. Other biographies by John McCain, Scott O'Grady, Steve Jobs, Jack Welch and Scott Turow have also influenced my thinking.

In part, I am what I read. For a long time I have wanted to compile a list of all the books I have read or listened to. You know, so one day, my kids could know a bit more about me. It seems like a good idea anyway. I borrow most books from the local library so no one will be able to physically look at my personal library in my massive study. Oh wait, I don't have a massive study. That's not the point. The point is that I've tried keeping a list of the books I read but looking at a list of books is boring if not painful. Keeping the list isn't any better. LibraryThing.com on the other hand is kind of fun. In a matter of minutes I compiled a list of 30 books that I either own or have borrowed from the library. Adding a book is a point and click process that gives all of the bibliographic information as well as a picture of the book, giving that browsing through a massive study full of books feel. I haven't added all the books to my "library". I can't remember them all. (I should have kept a list) I did however, remember a bunch I forgot about using the related and recommended books feature. If by chance I do remember all my books, I can only add 200 with my free account. I wonder if I have even read 200 books. I don't know. I should have kept a list. :)

Another cool feature of the web site is the blog widget. I can add, and I did, a random sampling of the books in my library to my blog. Very cool. So if your interested in my library take a look here. Otherwise, enjoy the pretty book pictures in my sidebar.

Introducing Buckeye Outdoors: The Best Online Training Log

2006-07-08T20:46:00.000-06:00

I've added a new feature to my blog thanks to BuckeyeOutdoors.com. What a cool site. It's a place for me to log my training and it publishes to my blog's sidebar via a java applet. (Look left.) Supercool. It also has a way for me to put a training plan and peg my future races on the board. The site is fairly new and the site administrator "superheroben" is super responsive to requests and talented to boot. Great site.

So in a sense my blog activity will increase, not as posts, but in the sidebar.

On another note, I am hooked on the Tour de France. I think I am finally starting to get what it is all about. The strategy, teams, the doping. OK not doping. Overall it's fun stuff. Here are my favorite sites.

http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/livefullpage_mtc129673.shtml
This link is great for listening live when you get in to work. It's usually over by 9 or 10 AM MDT

http://www.cycling.tv
Cool video clips of the race

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/tour-de-france-goes-3d-with-google.html
See the tour in 3-D. I love google earth. Be sure to use the tilt feature

Camping

2006-07-04T17:52:00.000-06:00

Spending a night in a tent with two little boys makes me wonder if camping ought to be an endurance sport. A week ago, the boys and I headed up on a Friday night after work to our church's annual Father and Son's campout. I don't like sleeping on the ground but air mattresses make it tolerable so I made sure I picked up a couple at Target during my lunch break. We arrived at the campground around 8:00. Setting up camp was easy and since we ate pizza before we left we just spent the rest of the evening goofing around. It was a lot of fun. Around 10:30 it started to rain which sent many to bed early including us. Unfortunatly, most of the teenagers stayed up and played night games. It never really got quiet until about 1:00. By that time, one of the three airbeds was flat and the second was well on its way. No matter. My mattress stayed tall and morning came quickly. We enjoyed the morning, went on a mini hike, floated home-made boats in the stream and played in the dirt. We left for home tired and satisfied. It was a great time.

Riverdale Old Glory Days 5k

2006-07-04T15:23:00.000-06:00

This was a great free 4th of July 5k race. I ran it with my good friend Andy. My main goal was to show up early enough to get a free shirt and I did that. Too bad it says Wal-Mart on the back. Running on the 4th of July is a tradition I really enjoy. I did much better than I anticipated in the race. I took 4th place in my age group. I think the layoff from training last week helped a lot. I didn't plan on the taper but I am glad I did it.

My unofficial time was 25:06.

Mountain Bike ...Meet Dirt

2006-06-29T22:19:00.000-06:00

It has been years since I've actually ridden single track. I think my mountain bike resembles a SUV at soccer practice more than a jeep in Moab. I've been wanting to get back on the trail for awhile but haven't made the time. Finally a friend convinced me to stop talking and start doing. The ride was on a Friday before work. I needed to leave my house at 5:00am in order to get to the canyon by 6:00am. I know a lot of triathletes out there routinely wake up at 5:00am to fit in their work-outs but I still struggle at that early hour. Once on the mountain though I was glad I dragged myself out of bed. It was a beautiful ride. 6 miles of single track is also a great workout. I made sure I strapped on my heart rate monitor so I wouldn't blow up trying to impress my friend Gabe. My heart rate was great. It was my lungs that were fried. I couldn't understand why I was panting so hard after our first long climb yet my heart rate was in the low 160s. Gabe reminded me that we were over 7,000 feet above sea level. Wow. It has been awhile. It took some work to get my downhill moxie back as well. My first descent was timid at best. Gabe has a soft-tail bike and was very familiar with the trail so he took off like a bullet. However, I grabbed the brakes on my hard tail and rattled down the hill and hoped I wouldn't get lost. Before the second and longer decent I remembered that lowering your seat allows for better handling. I lowered it and felt much better. I attacked. The ride had 2 descents and 3 climbs so we finished going uphill. 200 yards before reaching the car. My chain snapped in half. I finished the ride walking which was just as well because I was spent. What a great time. It won't be long before I drag myself out of bed early again to do this ride. I just need to get that chain fixed.

Gasp! I like to swim!

2006-06-19T19:56:00.000-06:00

I didn't think I would ever say the words "I like to swim". But I'm saying it with confidence and a straight face. Here is what I wrote of swimming nearly two years ago in my first armchair triathlete blog post.

I can't swim. In fact, hydrophobia is very real to me. The only stroke I know is the "survival stroke." But there was that few months I worked out at a gym with a pool doing water drills. Things like [water-]running, water-aerobics and even a few [thrashing]laps. That wasn't all that bad. Maybe I could learn to swim after all. So I did what I usually do...I went to the library and borrowed a book about swimming, read it and made index cards of drills I would practice if I ever actually went to a pool. Once again 80% knowledge 20% behavior. I have to figure out how to turn that around.

I've come a long way. I believe I did figure out a way to turn it around. It has been a great life lesson for me and I like to hope, a good example for my children. If you currently can't do something, that doesn't mean you will never be able to do it. Unless of course you believe that you can't and you won't. I chose to believe that I could learn to swim. I chose to believe that if others could learn to swim so could I. I chose to conquer my fear. It hasn't been easy and I do have more to learn but I've reached a new level from practice, persistence and learning. A level of confidence, endurance and skill. What a thrill.

My Next Goal: Great Salt Lake Half Marathon

2006-05-30T19:59:00.000-06:00

At the risk of calling out the digital demons and the curse of the blog, I am putting another stake in the ground and declaring the Great Salt Lake Half Marathon as my next racing goal. I've declared this before. Here is an entry posted on April 17, 2005:

Great Salt Lake Half Marathon - August 20th I drive portions of this race course every day. I consider it my hometown race, yet I have never done it. This year I have a soft commitment to it as I am not sure I have that distance in my legs with all the swimming I need to do to prepare for my triathlon.

Well it isn't a soft commitment anymore. I have every intention of finishing this in '06. I have crossed off some short events like a 5k, 10k, mini-sprint triathlon and I want to make the 13.1 miles a part of that list. With a half under my belt I will feel that much closer to a marathon and longer distance tri's.

I'm proud of my achievements, however small or spread-out they may be. To some they may seem insignificant. Subscribing to magazines, listening to podcasts and reading internet blogs on running and triathlon can be motivating but can also add a sense of failure to a regular Joe like me. In the hyped up endurance world, running one race a year or "only a 5k" can seem soft or unworthy of any praise. After all, an Ironman completes these distances in an off week. But then I look at the larger percentage of America and feel proud that I exercise, set and achieve goals and provide a good example to my children. One day I may finishing a marathon, cycling century, or Ironman but I bet then even as now I will be proud of my first 5k, my first 10k, my first sprint tri and soon my first half marathon.

How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off

2006-05-08T19:02:00.000-06:00

I'm surprised at how well the concept Steve Pavlina describes in his article How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off works. Many of Steve's suggestions for personal productivity are pretty intense and I pass them off as "not for me" suggestions. Practicing getting up to the sound of your alarm during the day while wide awake is something I never thought of, but made total sense and promised to help me in one of my weakest area. Pavlov proved the concept with his dogs and I proved it with the alarm clock.

I have been known to set my alarm for up to an hour before my intended wake up time because I knew that I would hit the snooze button 4 or 5 times before I realized that I should be getting up. The extra minutes sleeping wasn't restful or beneficial because it was interrupted ever 9 minutes. But I couldn't seem to stop it. I've tried dozens of tricks. Putting the alarm across the room didn't work. Setting the clock forward by 10, 15, even 30 minutes to trick myself into thinking it was later than it was didn't work either. I've never won the battle of the mattress.

Until now.

It seems a little goofy to practice what you will do when your alarm goes off but it totally worked for me. Practicing takes the task from your conscious mind and gives it to your subconscious. I spent a few minutes each evening for a couple nights practicing the routine I wanted to follow and each morning I did exactly what I practiced! I actually couldn't not do it. I was so bent on getting out of bed like the night before that I really didn't have a choice. I haven't been able to snooze past the initial alarm for a week and a half. Thanks Steve! I have no doubt that I have won the battle of the mattress forever.

If you have any problems with waking up in the morning then you must read this article and try it out.
How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes Off

First Triathlon Experience

2006-04-25T16:26:00.000-06:00

I finished my first novice sprint triathlon in second place.

Here are my times.

200 yard swim 6:29 (slow but the swim was my biggest hurdle so I'm proud)
T1 4:03 (T1 was outside-the pool was inside)
4.5 mile bike 16:55 (on a mountain bike with slicks)
T2 57 seconds
1.5 mile run 12:39

Here is how it started.

Two days before I made a long list of everything I didn't want to forget. Things like my bike helmet, gps, camera (for the blog of course), cliff bars, socks, towel, sunglasses, bike shoes. I spread it all out in the basement and practiced the 2 transitions (T1 and T2) to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. I really had no idea what to expect so I prepared for everything based upon the books, magazines and blogs I've read not to mention the podcasts. In retrospect, I had too much stuff, but it was comforting to have it. It all fit in my Ogio bag (which works great as a tri-bag) so why not pack it?

The night before the race, I practiced T1 and T2 again. I also penciled out when I should leave for the race calculating backwards from race time. That would include drive time, eating time transition area setup time, registration time etc.. I calculated that I should get up at 5:00. It turns out that I woke up at 5:45 and arrived 20 minutes before race time. This would freak out some people but it is kind of my style. I really had plenty of time to rush around and feel completely lost.

The pre-race announcements were at 6:50. I heard all of the instructions but didn't understand many of them. I asked a few fellow racers for some clarifications and they were great to help me. My favorite was an older man (in his 70's?) who told me of one of his first triathlons at this pool years ago where he exit the pool through the women's dressing room on accident. His suggestion not to repeat his mistake was the best advice I received all morning.

The starting gun sounded at 7:00. I was the last to start and the last novice out of the pool. I hit my head really hard on the wall at yard 150. I was doing the backstroke and failed to watch for the end. Even though I was very slow on the swim I was so proud that I did the whole swim without stopping. I noticed many others walked in the water for a length or two. I was light headed when I got out of the pool but by the time I got outside I was fine.

I was cold in the first part of the bike segment. I'm not sure why that surprised me. I was wet. I was super tentative as well. I was fearful of growing tired, even though I wasn't. At the end of lap one, I realized they shortened the course due to construction. I think they said this in the pre-race meeting but I missed the detail. I was bummed I wouldn't get the whole distance I planned for, especially since I was feeling good that the swim was over. I debated going the 6 laps required of the regular entrants instead of the 3 laps for the novices. But I didn't know if that would some how disqualify me. I stayed with the plan. 3 laps went quickly and I cruised into T2.

The run felt normal but I never got fully into it by the time it was over. I decided during the run that I entered for the experience of triathlon this time not the race or performance. Finishing was the only goal.

I watched the other racers finish. After the final finisher the prizes were awarded. I was surprised that such a small race had trophies. 1 for the overall male winner and the other for the overall woman. I got a red ribbon for my efforts. The group seemed tight knit. You could tell that they raced together a lot. A guy named Randy made sure I felt welcomed though. That was cool. You hear so much about how welcoming triathletes are. Not all of them are. But enough of them are to make it a true statement.

It was a great experience and I want to do another. Next time I'll work on my times. I did get second, but I'm afraid there were only two of us in the novice division. Better luck next time.

A Week Away

2006-04-15T17:10:00.000-06:00

I mailed off my registration to next week's Bountiful triathlon. I am so excited. It has been a lot of fun training for this in the last few weeks. I really enjoy the variety of this sport.

Springtime is such a great time of year for getting outside. It was particularly enjoyable last week when I went to Legoland in Carlsbad, CA for a family vacation. Carlsbad was overflowing with runners. I couldn't believe how many people were running around the city. On or around the beach was particularly busy with jogging. I rarely see a runner in my neighborhood, so to see so many folks out excercising was quite motivating. I thought about trying a run on the beach but a jaunt to the bathrooms was my only attempt. There was however a really neat trail near our hotel that I used. The track was made of the same compacted sand found along the ocean. The mid 60's weather with an ocean breeze was a dream. I had fun exploring around with my trusty Garmin GPS keeping tabs on my whereabouts. I was surpised at how many cottontail rabbits were running about. One particular rabbit startled me when it darted out in front of me. What a hoot.

Getting in a workout for the other two sports required a bit more effort though. I knew the hotel had a pool so I figured I could get in my swimming laps. Well, the pool was only 10 yards long. That's a lot of turning around. I didn't spend a lot of time trying to get laps in but any time spent in the water is a good thing. With my scarce swimming background getting used to the water is a form of practice. My kids love to swim so they made sure we went swiming every chance we got. The hotel had a stationary bike but it was a recumbent. Again something is better than nothing so a put my time in on the clunky beast. Only once.

I never thought that I would enjoy excercising on a vacation but it really added some flavor. The triathlon life tends to do that.

Bountiful, Utah Triathlon Schedules

2006-03-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

I love this site. http://www.utahrunnertriathlete.com/

Please visit the site for more information.

I only copy some information from it to here as a personal reminder of some races I might like to do.

April 22
The Bountiful Perfect Triathlon/Duathlon #2. 7 a.m. At the Bountiful Bubble east off the 400 North I-15 Exit. Each triathlete is asked to provide a non-mandatory volunteer to count laps, help at aid stations, and process results. Divisions include Mt. Bike, Novice, swim-bike duathletes, bike-run duathletes and heavyweight as well as age groups. 400-meter swim (200 for novices); /9.6-mile bike ride (7 miles for novices)/2.4-mile run/. $30 Pre-reg. one week before race day postmarked, $35 to everyone after pre-reg. deadline. Includes t-shirt, apres race fruit, and Random prizes. Teams and family team divisions: $25 per person pre-registration, $30 one week before race day. Send entries to PO Box 58344, SLC, 84158. 467-4203. You can also register through Thursday noon race week on-line at www.utahrunnertriathlete.com An Intermountain Triathlon Series event with prizes provided by the House of Bread.

May 20
The Howling Wolf Triathlon/Duathlon At the Bountiful Bubble east off the 400 North I-15 Exit. Each triathlete is asked to provide a non-mandatory volunteer to count laps, help at aid stations, and process results. Divisions include Mt. Bike, Novice, swim-bike duathletes, bike-run duathletes and heavyweight as well as age groups. 400-meter swim (200 for novices); /9.6-mile bike ride (7 miles for novices)/2.4-mile run/. $30 Pre-reg. one week before race day postmarked, $35 to everyone after pre-reg. deadline. Includes t-shirt, apres race fruit, and Random prizes. Teams and family team divisions: $25 per person pre-registration, $30 one week before race day. Send entries to PO Box 58344, SLC, 84158. 467-4203. You can also register through Thursday noon race week on-line at www.utahrunnertriathlete.com An Intermountain Triathlon Series event with prizes provided by the House of Bread.

June 10
The Howling Wolf Triathlon/Duathlon At the Bountiful Bubble east off the 400 North I-15 Exit. Each triathlete is asked to provide a non-mandatory volunteer to count laps, help at aid stations, and process results. Divisions include Mt. Bike, Novice, swim-bike duathletes, bike-run duathletes and heavyweight as well as age groups. 400-meter swim (200 for novices); /9.6-mile bike ride (7 miles for novices)/2.4-mile run/. $30 Pre-reg. one week before race day postmarked, $35 to everyone after pre-reg. deadline. Includes t-shirt, apres race fruit, and Random prizes. Teams and family team divisions: $25 per person pre-registration, $30 one week before race day. Send entries to PO Box 58344, SLC, 84158. 467-4203. You can also register through Thursday noon race week on-line at www.utahrunnertriathlete.com An Intermountain Triathlon Series event with prizes provided by the House of Bread.

A special thanks to Richard Barnum-Reece for keeping this site updated.

The Curse of the Blog

2006-03-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

Within days of posting about not being sick this year, I did just that. I got sick. Hurling is a great abs workout though so at least I was able to check off strength training on my weekly plan. Really, last week was a total bust but this week was good. I bounced back well. At this point, I am going to knock very loud and long on wood to ward off any blog jinxes that are still lurking. I took the first part of this week slow and I think it was a good move to be patient as I feel strong again.

I am starting to get stoked about racing in April. I have listened to so many podcasts in the last little while that I feel like a drug addict. Maybe I need to slow down on the motivational crack candy. The podcast induced energy encourages going hard and fast but I know that will lead to bad things this time of year like injury and sickness. At any rate, the enthusiasm is contagious and fun. I have noticed the spread of the triathlon bug at the gym as well. It seemed that at least a third of the people in the locker room where I swim were talking about doing a tri. All shapes and sizes. All talent levels as well.

Welcome to the club.

How slow am I really going?

2006-03-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

Even though I am happy with my Garmin Foretrex, I do have one regret. I occasionally want to know what my pace is for running. The Garmin Forerunner provides this information automatically but the Foretrex shows only mph. Thanks to the WWW, a conversion table is easily found. Check out FitSense - Speed Pace Tables. Very cool.

Speaking of going slow, a year ago today, I wrote about being sick a lot in Sick Again - Will It Ever End? A Flu Season Report . This year, knock on wood, I haven't gotten the flu once. I attribute it to a change in philosopy. Training in late winter and now early spring I have concentrated heavily on aerobic base building and have trained mostly in Zone 1. Zone 1 is a heart rate zone that is 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. I do go slower but I have been able to stay more consistant because I am not suffering the setbacks of going too fast and too hard and then crashing with the flu because my body is fatigued and stressed. I am convinced that working at this level has helped strenghthened my immmune system as well. Having a strong aerobic base will help me later in the year as well. So keep that spring fever at bay for another month and go slow. You will be glad you did.

More Podcasts Please

2006-02-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

I recently took a new job and my commute is over an hour each way. Not bad for LA but way to far in Utah. I pass the time with my iPod and a slew of podcasts. My favorites are:

The Dave Ramsey Show - Advise on becoming debt free and thousands of listener's experiences doing so.

Zen and the Art of Triathlon - My virutal triathlete buddy talk.

Endurance Radio - Interviews of hundreds of different endurance athletes.

Michigan Cycling Podcast - An NPR style look at cycling - lotsof info.

Yogamazing - Not a show I can listen to on the road. But I consider the videos a permanent part of my fitness plan.

iRunning Radio - All running talk.

I have posted about most of the podcasts I listen to previously but I haven't said much about iRunning radio. I made a note to post about it this week after listening to the podcast about running with partners. It really struck a chord about the why we really run at all. Bonnie and Jim, the shows originators, talk with Kathy, one of Bonnie's long time running partners, about the joys of running with a partner and what to look for when "picking" one. The show talked about running with partners but the message was so clearly about why we run at all. Running is such a great form of expression and release. Running with a friend has the ability to connect your soul. Running alone can be great for relaxing and detatching. Either way, running enhances and magnifies the connnecting or detaching effort because it forces you to focus on the moment. Sometimes we just want to get away from it all. The stress, the to do lists and the piles of things to do. But just driving somewhere like the store or flopping on the couch in front of the TV rarely gets you far enough away from the worries. Your mind is still hanging on. Running forces you away as you focus only on breathing and moving. What a great release. Running with a friend creates a new stage for communicating. It seems, and the show talked about it, that there is this great anonymity and freshness to chatting on the run. You can talk and listen with a clean slate because you are so focused on the moment. Running forces that.

Get out and run.

Subscribe to iRunningRadio podcast at http://www.irunningradio.com/podcast.

In Training Spring Triathlon?

2006-02-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

I was browsing around the Actvie.com directory of events this morning and this event caught my eye. It seems to be in the very early stages of planning. They don't have location yet. The cost is $35.

In Training Spring Triathlon

Saturday, April 22, 2006 9:00 AM (10 weeks away)
Location TBA
Davis County , UT

Brief Description: Welcome to the second of three events in the 2006 In Training Sprint Pool Triathlon series. These early season adult and kids' events are a great way to get your competitive spirit going again after the long cold winter! The adult sprint road triathlon consists of a 400 meter pool swim, 10 mile bike, and 5K run. Relay teams are welcome. The Kids Tri consists of a 50 meter swim/5 mile bike/1 mile run and takes place following the adult race.
Fees: Register early! Prices increase on April 5th
Online Reg. Closes: April 19, 2006 11:00 PM Pacific Time

The In Training Spring Triathlon is a USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned event. For more information on In Training, visit their website at http://www.intraining.biz
Registration is limited to 500 athletes. Note that registration will close when this limit is reached and may be prior to the "online registration close" date listed above.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit a local swim team and the Transition Triathlon Club.

Wetsuits are NOT allowed (pool temperature is 84 F).

Awards will be given to the Top 3 overall and Top 3 in each age group. Electronic chip timing will be provided by Milliseconds.com.

Visit http://www.triutah.com for more information

Geocaching isn't for the birds

2006-02-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

My kids are great. I love being a dad. As I write this my youngest is snuggled against me on a Sunday morning while I sit in in an easy chair with the laptop on my lap. Sometimes it is scary to think of how like me my kids may become. I take it seriously, so I keep a watch out for things I do and don't do that might be copied. I am glad I exercise. That's a good thing to pass on. They see me read books and I read to and with them. Both good. We play games. They already "get" the computer thing. We discovered another activity last weekend that brings us together, keeps us physically active, gets us outdoors and is a heckuva lot of fun. Geocaching.

For my birthday I bought a Garmin Foretrex 101 GPS. I debated long and hard between this and the other wrist-mounted model, the very popular Forerunner 101. I gave up the virtual running buddy and fitness log on the Forerunner for 400 more waypoints and the ability to store up to 20 routes on the Foretrex. Although I have read that the Forerunner does allow for geocaching and other traditional GPS functionality, I wanted to get the unit that would be as useful on a camping trip as long run. The size of this unit makes it super-fun to take. I am a gadget guy but there comes a time when you just don't want to pocket all of your gadgets. The wrist strap solves this problem.

Back to geocaching. According to Geocaching.com there are over 235,000 active caches in 220 countries. My boys and I have found 4 of them. What a great way for us to spend time with each other! The rules of the game are this:

1. Take something from the cache
2. Leave something in the cache
3. Write about it in the logbook

Items in a cache could be: Maps, books, software, hardware, CD's, videos, pictures, money, jewelry, tickets, antiques, tools, games, etc. So far we have found that a toy is in nearly everyone of them. This is the part my kids like. They feel like pirates finding a hidden treasure of toys.

Yesterday we went to a cache hunt that required about a mile walk (read exercise is good for kids). On the way to one cache we stopped at the Farmington Bay and watched some bald eagles that migrate to Utah between November and March. About 900 eagles come each year. It was very cool to see over 20 eagles in one tree. Beautiful birds.

This picture was taken by my brother the week before my visit. The eagles were still there.

Podcast Review: Zen and the Art of Triathlon

2006-01-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

Zen and the Art of Triathlon. What a name. I saw this blog title a couple of times about 6 months ago, but never really grabbed on to it. Then I stumbled on the podcast version on iTunes and gave it a try. Apparently, I am more open to opinion on the "radio" then in my web surfing. I have more free time in my car. After just one listen I was hooked. Brett, I think that is his name, sounds like a regular guy. It appears the whole Zen thing is more about being real about triathlon than being a freaked out fitness fanatic. Almost all of his audio is in the field. He takes his lapel microphone on runs, rides, walks and anywhere else he can. Because of this, the audio isn't great (lots of wind and deep breathing) but it in the end it adds a nice flavor. I've enjoyed listening to a wide variety of topics in a varied terrain. Listening to him talk about friends who ride road bikes with aero bars while actually riding with them down a 4 lane highway, with rumbling diesel trucks passing by, is a surprisingly visual experience. Each workout sucks me in. Which is a good thing because it is still pretty cold and snowy in my neck of the woods and I'm not getting out much.

Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes here. It's free.

Someday I will run with the antelope

2006-01-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

I've always loved Antelope Island, the largest island in Utah's Great Salt Lake, so I was excited to see the newest trail race in Utah is the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 25K and 50K. When I decide it is time to try a long distance trail run this will be my first choice.

Some excerpts from the race site @ http://www.buffalorun.org:

Cutoffs The race starts at 8am sharp. We may have an early start option. We'll let you know on the website here. The race ends at 4pm. We have to have cutoffs (not to wear silly) so we can go home eventually, so, there's an 8 hour time limit for either race and a 4 hour cutoff for the first loop of the 50k. That should be plenty of time since it's an easy course (of course).

Schwag We hope to have some good schwag for everyone. Everyone who enters and starts the race will get a T-shirt (were looking at possibly a technical type shirt rather than cotton) and whatever other stuff we can get companies to give us or sell to us cheap. We're going to try and get both men's and women's style shirts rather than a one type for everybody. Your entry also gets you a pass to the island for your car and everyone in it (normally $8) for anytime after 3pm Friday and all day Saturday. 25k finishers will get a baseball type runner's hat, the 50k finishers will get a long sleeve technical shirt.

Aid There will be two refreshment stops, the start/finish area and a place called ?lone tree?, you'll understand when you see it. After you start, lone tree is at about 3.5 miles, then again at 8 miles, then the start area at 15 miles, repeat for the 50k, so carry sufficient water or your liquid of choice to get you through 7 miles. These stops will be stocked with the usual assortment of ultrafood and beverages.

Watching the race The course is a wide open trail, no cover, and in certain areas, you can see for several miles. Friends and family are welcome to hike the trail, bring your horse along, bring the kids, dogs (must be on a leash at all times). Bring the binoculars too. There are numerous places from which family, friends, and anyone who's interested can watch your progress, or lack thereof. We'll have some maps available pointing out the best places to watch and cheer your runner (or slogger) on.

Other Activities We're going to try and have one of the park rangers put on some children's activities (buffalo chip toss anyone?). There's also a wonderful visitor's center and the Fielding Garr Ranch at the south end of the island.

Yoga-riffic

2006-01-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

Almost 6 years ago, I hosed up my back in Vancouver, Canada. ("Hosed" seems appropriate for a Canadian injury.) I remember the date well, because I was deeply entrenched in preparations for the Y2K end-of-the-world-I-gotta-pay-thousands-of-dollars-for-a-consultant-to-make-my-computer-system-work frenzy. I was the consultant. I also had a serious case of the flu and for whatever reason I couldn't find any decent drugs. So I went to work everyday in a horribly achy way. Each day I would walk about an quarter of a mile to the office from my hotel. On the walk, I would carry on my shoulder my laptop bag. A laptop bag that was so full of computer junk and papers that I would lean way over to the left to carry it. It was so cold and I was so sick that by the end of the week I had developed a permanent Charlie-horse between my shoulder blade and spine. I am guessing here, but that muscle cramp eventually altered my spine into a wavy s-shape. I know because I saw the X-Rays a year later at the chiropractor. The chiropractor did some nice adjustments and I eventually felt fine and stopped going but traveling and poor bag carrying techniques have eventually re-produced the problem. Since chiropractors typically hold office hours for 5 hours a week (so it seems) I have looked for other ways to strengthen my back and keep it aligned. Enter yoga and the video iPod. I loaded episode 1 of the YOGAmazing podcast to my 30 gig two-weeks ago and with every session my back feels stronger and straighter. I love it. Watching yoga on my iPod (and then blogging about it) is more trendy then I care to admit, but I have to say it is a really effective way to watch an exercise video. If you have ever watched an exercise video you know that 90 percent of the time your head and therefore your eyes are engaged in what your body is trying to do and you are unable to actually look at the TV. With the iPod you can hold the "TV" and move it to exactly where you need it. Like put it on the floor in front of you as you are trying that down dog thing. The other advantage was that I could do it in my room. Alone. With no one watching. I tried yoga in the family room once and my 3 year old thought it was an open invitation to ride the horsey and repeatedly jumped up on my back. We still play horsey but I don't need an instructional video for that.

Mr Element, will you be my friend?

2005-12-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

I took a test drive today of the new Honda Element. OK, it was a virtual drive but fun none- the-less. You can too here. The virtual spin is more of a game that searches for and "talks" to different animals that in turn relate to the Elements many features. The burro relates as a beast of burden hauling things around. The chameleon relates to the color options. The crab relates to the beach boy surf wagon image. The platypus relates to the ugly juxtaposition of different body styles slammed together. You get the picture. The Element is truly an either/or vehicle. Either you love it or you hate it. There doesn't seem to be much in between. I love it. My wife hates it. I have to admit I didn't like it AT ALL when I first saw it a couple of years back but it has really grown on me. I remember a joke we had with a co-worker that the the salesman has to look at his feet the whole time he is selling it to you so that you don't see him laughing. If it came as a hybrid I would really consider buying one as I could drive it in the HOV lane to and from work. The extra time saved in my commute would then translate to more free time to recreate. If I have time to recreate then of course I could justify a recreation vehicle like the Element. A perfect plan! By the way, my sister-in-law claims that the only people that own elements are metro-sexual tree-huggers. I am neither. Maybe I could put gun-racks in the back window just to be sure.

Addendum: After posting I searched around the web a bit more and found this site. hondaelement.org. It has forums and pics and all sorts of geeky Element lover stuff.

Ironman Explorer

2005-12-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Interesting site about the Ironman championship in Kona. Even though it is a advertising ploy for the new Ford Explorer, I still enjoyed the article about whether or not Lance Armstrong could win the Ironman. There were plenty of profiles of all the top athletes. I will be sure to read up on those while I'm wasting time in front of the computer this weekend.

It has been super cold as of late. Each time I look at the thermometer it is registering in the teens. We had some heavy snow on Tuesday so I counted shoveling the sidewalks at the church as one of my workouts. It took me a full 45 minutes. I didn't make it to the gym this week to do some swimming because I have been so busy at work but I was able to get on my bicycle trainer this morning. I am tracking well considering it is middle of holiday chaos and winter.

Speaking of holiday chaos, what is with the sold out iPods? It's pretty hard to find them at any of the big box retailers I have seen a frenzy for a specific gift since Cabbage Patch kids and Tickle Me Elmo. I don't know anyone that doesn't want one. I did find plenty of then at the new Apple Store at the Gateway. The store is very cool and apparently a hot destination this year. I guess I should have bought some stock last year. The stock has more then doubled.

Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week

2005-12-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

This is the time of the year hard-core athletes take a break from a year of racing and uber-training. I am just the opposite. This is the time of year that I crave activity and energy. The days are shorter and colder and it drives me nuts. Nothing shakes the winter blues like a heart-pumping run, steady bike ride or refreshing swim. But like I said it's cold and dark outside. So I'm stuck with a treadmill and cycle trainer. BORING! To psych myself up for a more disciplined approach I am re-reading Eric Harr's book Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week This is the book that started me on the triathlon pursuit nearly 2 years ago. It's a motivating book with a very readable format and a personality that not only makes you feel like you can achieve anything but that you already belong in the ranks of triathletes. I decided to follow the 6 week plan ending in January to get me through the winter and to give me something to celebrate on my 34th birthday.

Thou Shalt Not Covet

2005-11-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

At Thanksgiving dinner my sister-in-law reminded me that she intends on buying a road bike and doing a century (100 mile ride) next year. She's never been a cyclist and doesn't know much about bikes, so the thought of her having a newer and better bike turns me a little green. I've been wanting to make the jump to a road bike anyway so I did a little on-line window shopping today and found this beauty. I really don't know a thing about it other than the snippet on a local bike shop's website.

The Transition Multi is a great choice for aspiring triathletes, distance riders and hammerheads. It features Specialized's lively A1-Aluminum frameset and a 27-speed Shimano/Specialized drivetrain for easy climbing. Plus, it boasts aero clip-on bars, aero wheels and a ride so nice you won't want to stop pedaling.

The Specialized site says this:

Equally at home on a Tuesday morning training ride, Saturday's 100km club race, or next month's triathlon, the Multi-Sport is specifically designed for someone that wants one bike to do it all. A triathlon / road training parts mix paired with cutting edge materials and manufacturing methods creates a super light, extremely efficient bike.

I feel faster and more fit already! The price is WAY out of my range, but it will be fun to go "try it on" at my favorite bike shops.

Turkeys Sleep In

2005-11-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

Even though I am an accountant by profession, I'm not very good at remembering numbers. I guess I see so many of those little digits that they start to look the same after a while. How else would you explain my thinking the Syracuse Turkey Trot started at 7:30 AM. I was a full hour and a half early! My 5 year old son and I opted to do the one mile walk as his first introduction to recreational racing and we headed out the door at 7:20 AM. I was surprised by his excitement and willingness to pop out of bed on a cold Saturday morning. When I told him that we were too early after I talked to the race organizers who were setting up the timing clock and finish line banners, he suggested we just wait in the car. We live less then three minutes away so that wasn't an appealing option to me. I thought about heading to McDonald's but figured mom would start to worry if it took us 2 hours to do a one mile walk. So we went back to the house and waited. By the time 8:30 rolled around my 2 year old had also gotten out of bed and wanted to race too. The three of us left at 8:35 even though registration closed at 8:45. Race time was 9:00. In my mind, that was plenty of time but I forget how long 2 and 5 year olds take to do ANYTHING.
At the race, I was surprised at the bureaucracy in registration for a free race. There were 6 different divisions with corresponding lines for each . Since I was in a different division than my two boys, I had to stand in two different lines. Even though I was the only one in ANY line at the time. It reminded me of the scene in Meet The Parents where Ben Stiller had to wait for his row to be called for seating on an airplane that was completely empty. Turns out, the registration process would be the fastest part of the whole event. Once we got our race numbers, I asked a guy to take our picture to commemorate or first father-son race. Too cool!

After the starting siren, it was a fight for the sidewalk. The family behind...er...in front...wait... behind again kept changing their mind on whether or not to ride in, around or behind the stroller. My kids didn't help any by dropping gloves, sprinting then stopping and other spastic moves. We finally settled into a slow and comfortable last place and walked the remaining 7/8ths of a mile to the finish. Final time 22 minutes 32 seconds. A family record!

Turkey Trot Anyone?

2005-11-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

For any of the local readers, Syracuse is sponsoring a 5k run and 1 mile walk to benefit the Utah Food Bank. (I think anyway, I am going of my memory of reading about it in the latest city newsletter. I wrote down the date but not the cause) The event takes place on Saturday November 19th at 7:30 AM. The starting line is at the city offices. There isn't an entry fee just bring 1 or more canned items instead. It think it will be a good reason to get out of bed a bit early and do myself and some food-less folks a favor. Now that I think of it, I will need to get out of bed a few more times than race day to get prepared. I think I will mention the race to some of my friends to see if there is any interest. If I can get a few running buddies, I'll be more motivated to do it. My other motivation trick is getting a perfect running playlist for my new ipod. Anyone got any ideas?

BTW...Periodically I check active.com for other local races or events. It looks like I'm not the only one with turkey trots on my mind. Search for your own here.

A Trail Runner's Blog: Dean Karnazes Talks About His 350 Mile Run (Interview)

2005-10-25T21:43:00.000-06:00

I thought I would link to this blog entry by Scott Dunlap just because of the freak factor.

A Trail Runner's Blog: Dean Karnazes Talks About His 350 Mile Run (Interview)

Don't get me wrong. I have a lot of respect for Dean and his accomplishments. I even bought his book and really enjoyed reading it. But good gravy, running for 3 days straight starts to mess with you mind. Doesn't it?

My favorite quote:
" But that third night without sleep got fairly psychotic. I started swerving and veering across the road, which got pretty scary. The last ten miles were as close to an out-of-body experience as anything I’ve ever experienced before. My mind seemed disassociated from my body, and I just floated along. There was no sensation of pain, no feeling at all really, just floating. Weird. It was late and it was a beautiful cloudless night, the moon was full, stars were shooting; the whole thing was all very surreal."

Triathlon goes "soft" - (Active.com)

2005-10-03T21:08:00.000-06:00

I read this article in the Wall Street Journal a while back. Actually, a co-worker gave it to me. He said it reminded him of me. I put it in my blog ideas folder and was glad to find it on Active.com so I could just link to it. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about the soft triathlete reference or just accept the fact that I do resemble the remark.

If a doing a sprint triathlon is "soft" I will take it. There are millions of American's that could only dream of running 3+ miles let alone preceded by a healthy swim and bike ride. Consider these statistics on the fitness.gov site.

Nearly half of American adults (4 in 10) report that they are not active at all; 7 in 10 are not moderately active for the recommended 30 minutes a day, 5 or more days a week.

Obesity continues to climb among American adults. Nearly 60 million Americans are obese. More than 108 million adults are either obese or overweight. That means roughly 3 out of 5 Americans carry an unhealthy amount of excess weight. The cost of obesity (direct and indirect medical costs) is $117 billion per year.

The percentage of adults in the United States who were overweight or obese (body mass index greater than or equal to 25) in 1999-2002 was 65 percent. Overweight and obesity cuts across all ages, racial and ethnic groups, and both genders. A new study in the Netherlands found that excess weight cuts years off your life.

Triathletes, Ironman or Sprint, hardcore or "soft", are still a healthy bunch comparatively.

Count me in.

Running Retreat

2005-09-17T09:18:00.000-06:00

I packed my running shoes and camera for a retreat my wife and I took to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. The picture above was taken at the Snowbasin ski resort just before breakfast. It may sound odd, but I love to take my digital camera with me and prop it on a stump, rock or bush and take a picture of the beautiful surroundings I happen to find myself in. Using the 10 second timer function I can usually streak through the picture to get an action shot. They don't always work out. The one posted above left me a little blurry because the early morning sun was still blocked by the towering peaks. Or was I just really fast? I don't spend too much time taking pictures. A good idea is to do it after a short warm up and stretch and before starting out on the real run. Either way it is a fun way to look forward to a new run. Capturing a new run in pictures makes for a motivating way to start the adventure and a great way to remember it.

Look for ways to make your runs more enjoyable. Run in a mountain setting with a camera, jog through a suburban neighborhood with a friend or sprint on a high school track with a new set of tunes. Making a run more fun with a few tricks has helped me to run more often. When I run more often, I feel great.

Trifecta Perfecta

2005-09-02T13:55:00.000-06:00

I just finished off my planned work-outs for the week. It feels great
to accomplish what you set out to do. Winning isn't reserved to
competitions with others. It can be as simple as keeping your
commitments with yourself. Some things I re-learned this week.

Starting is the hardest part

When your body is focused on breathing and moving, anxiety about work is
ERASED.

Finishing feels great

A recent memory of a great finish makes it easier to start the next time

I also had a great morale boost in swimming. I decided to count the
strokes of a man in the pool as he did his laps. He looked like a
competent swimmer and I've never felt like one. I was bolstered and
surprised to find that my stroke count was the same as his! I'm not a
beginner anymore!

I'm Still Here

2005-08-29T22:17:00.000-06:00

Just some random thoughts and links to prove that I am still here.

I picked up my first copy of TrialRunner magazine last week. I enjoyed reading every article, especially this month's cover story "Courages Comebacks" I had no idea someone could could run in a halo!

Here is an good reference site for locals. http://www.utahrunnertriathlete.com/ . Here you will find listings of a ton of events including some pretty small ones.

Here is the text of the event that lead me here:

September 17 2005
The Bountiful Fall Triathlon/Biathlon. 7 a.m. This is a non-competitive fun triathlon designed for novice and intermediate triathletes and as a training event for experienced triathletes. Times will be given as each athletes passes the finish line. Each triathlete is asked to provide a non-mandatory volunteer to count laps, help at aid stations, and process results. An Intermountain Triathlon Series event. Prizes from The House of Bread, and DeBoer's Running Store. 150 W. 600 N. Take 400 North exit off I-15 East and look for the Bountiful Recreation Center on your left. 400 Meter swim (200 for novices)/9.6 mile bike ride/2.4 mile run. $30 non-refundable pre-reg. postmarked one week before the race, $35 thereafter, includes t-shirt, fruit, and random prizes. Teams and family team divisions: $25 per person pre-registration, $30 one week before race day. Send entries to PO Box 58344, SLC, 84158. You can also register through Thursday noon race week on-line at www.utahrunnertriathlete.com 467-4203.

Net Zero Time

2005-08-06T07:46:00.000-06:00

I've made time for some swimming and biking lately and it seems the time spent was actually time returned.

Let me explain. I had an exceedingly long day at work this week followed by a normally long commute. When I got home, I just new it was shaping up to be a long dreadful evening with the attitude I was throwing around. Fortunately, when I got home no one was there to hear my complaints or to field my selfish requests. Without any reason not to, I put on my shorts filled my water bottle and jumped on my Trek 7000. Immediately my mood began to change. I rode hard and fast towards a rural road with little traffic. My heart pounded and sweat came easily. The average temperature has been in the high 90's the past two weeks and it has been easy to opt out of a ride because of the heat. Not today. The sweat was washing away my tension. The pounding blood was flushing my brain. The wind was blowing my bad mood. I returned exhausted but alive. My family was home now and this time I was ready to be. The time spent was really saved. My evening was enjoyable and focused on my wife and kids. I've got to do this more often.

Inside with Harry Potter

2005-07-25T21:34:00.000-06:00

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I haven't been working out regularly. Here is my latest trick to get me jump started

Harry Potter mania is back and I think I will use it to my advantage. I've heard nothing but positive about the latest J.K. Rowling book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . Sadly, I can't read it yet. I never started the 5th book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Frankly, not everyone I talked to liked the 5th book, so I never took the time to read it. I knew I eventually would tackle it if only to finish the 7 book series, so tonight I started book 5 so I could finish book 6. The first 4 books taught me that starting a Harry Potter book is not something to be taken lightly. Late nights and neglected friends and family are standard fair while under the spell of these tomes. As a side note, I hate it when my wife reads one because the bedside lamp burns past 1:00 AM until it is done. Knowing the addictive nature of these books, I decided to use books 5 and 6 as a reward and a reason for cycling. Let me explain. I brought my bike back indoors and put it on the Minoura Mag 850 bike trainer, attached the Blackburn Speedreader to the handle bars, clipped in and read while I peddled. Real triathletes will scoff that I need to read to trick myself into getting in a workout, but I never said I was a real triathlete. The Armchair Triathlete likes to read so what of it?

But I like to cycle too. It feels good to do some exercise after a long layoff. In fact, it felt great tonight. I just moved with the sprockets and wondered why I let myself be distracted from riding by work, family and life when I know it makes me feel great during and after.

A great feeling and a great trick. Thanks Harry.

Physical Comfort - Get Your Own

2005-07-20T18:01:00.000-06:00

I just went in for my first physical in a LOOOONG time. I was prompted to do so by a recent heart attack my dad had along with perceived chest pains of my own. My gut said it was a bit psychological (sympathy pains) and anxiety related but to be safe I made an appointment to get checked anyway. I am glad I did. As an active person all my life, I have ignored the admonition to check with a doctor before starting any exercise program. I never really started an exercise program, I've always been in an exercise program of some sort.

The comfort of a recent physical does a lot for your psyche. Today's physical was painless. I had my weight checked, pee-ed in a cup, had some blood taken and because I mentioned my concerns of heart troubles, I had an EKG test. The doctor was unconcerned because everything checked out ok. I will call in and check my blood and urine work tomorrow to cap it all off. If I still have concerns, pains or problems I can sign up to get an ultrasound for additional comfort.

Even if you are fit, you may consider getting a checkup as I did. At a minimum, it will get it off your mind and be one less thing to stress about.

For more on this topic check out the The American Heart Association website and Questions To Ask Your Healthcare Professional from the same site.

Swim Bike Run

2005-07-13T21:52:00.000-06:00

I haven't been working out much lately. No excuses, I just need to get back on track. I figured posting a few of the better pictures I took at the Ogden Off-Road Triathlon a couple of weeks back would remind me of my goals.

Swimming at Pineview Resevoir

Mountain Biking up Wheeler Canyon to Snowbasin Ski Resort

Running to the Finish Line

Xterra Ogden Off-Road Triathlon

2005-07-05T22:32:00.000-06:00

I found a cool video clip of the Xterra Ogden Off-Road Triathlon held on June 25. With over 300 participants it was announced as the biggest Xterra event yet.

See it here KSL.com

I will likely post some of my own pictures soon. I didn't participate but I enjoyed watching a friend compete will I cheered and drooled over a perfect event.

My Secret Trail Running

2005-06-21T20:36:00.000-06:00

I have a secret. A secret I keep from myself.

I don't know what it is, but I can rarely successfully schedule my workouts. It is as if a scheduling gremlin who really doesn't want me to have ANY fun is watching my calendar and handheld computer to see if I have anything fun going on. If he does find something, then he does everything possible to sabotage it. This is why I now keep my workouts a secret. In my last post I discussed the possibility of writing potential workouts in a check list rather then put them in a calendar. I tried it for a week and I actually had more workouts in one week than the previous three weeks combined. I just spring them on me.

One of my favorite new runs is on a trail just 5 minutes off the interstate on my nightly commute. The surprise is that by combining my run with my commute, it takes less time and planning than a seperate effort of going to the gym or breaking away from the house once I get home.

My Secret Running Spot

The trail begins at the East Mountain Wilderness Park in Kaysville, Utah. I first ran the trail one evening after taking a self imposed detour from sitting in grid-lock for nearly 45 minutes. I usually have running gear in the trunk of my car for my once-scheduled gym workouts, so I knew that I could quickly change and get a run in before getting home. The result was 20 minutes of heart and leg pounding delight.

A view of the first leg of the trail that eventually leads to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail

I actually took these pictures on a previous hike with my boys. After the hike I knew I needed to try to run it.

Since my discovery of mid-commute trail running, I have run four different routes, visited 2 waterfalls and discovered that running in Dockers pants (because I forgot my shorts) isn't that bad considering the alternative of sitting on my seat stuck in traffic.

The GTD Triathlete

2005-06-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

Triathletes strike me as an organized group of people. To be able to train 4 to 15 hours a week on top of all other obligations, like work and family, seems heroic in the time management sense. To many, the driving force is as simple as a strong vision with detailed goals. Others, attribute the energy and drive to a deeper purpose and meaning. But at times, neither a strong vision or deeper purpose gets the daily training done.

For me, I have constantly struggled with finding the time or focus to keep up with my increasingly demanding goals and projects. Thankfully,I just read a book by David Allen titled Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Viking; 2001). I have to tell you, I will be joining the throngs of fans preaching the simplicity and power of GTD (see the official word on what is GTD at David Allen's website.) Since strictly applying the basic common-sense techniques I have noticed a huge surge of energy and productivity.

How does this apply to training? First a quote from Davidco.com.

Implementing GTD alleviates the feeling of overwhelm, instills confidence, and releases a flood of creative energy. It provides structure without constraint, managing details with maximum flexibility. The system rigorously adheres to the core principles of productivity, while allowing tremendous freedom in the “how.” The only “right” way to do GTD is getting meaningful things done with truly the least amount of invested attention and energy.

I have always struggled with the convention of putting a training program on a typical calendar. It seems restrictive, idealistic and in most cases destined for failure.
For example, let's say may calendar has the following:

Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Swim
Wednesday: Bike 15 miles

What happens when your wife calls you up and "reminds" you of a birthday party on Wednesday? Do you skip the bike ride or reschedule? Stuff like this happens to me, and I bet many others, all the time. Stuff happens and unfortunately since I don't get paid to train, I often have to de-prioritize it when that "stuff" conflicts. Mentally, this can be a huge blow. One week into a six week training program I typically miss or reschedule 2 or 3 workouts. I need to start a goal with confidence up front. Early setbacks tend to haunt me through the whole program and I end up competing in an event second guessing my preparation.

Here is where I am thinking of applying the "Next Actions" lists approach. "Next Actions" lists aren't tied to a specific date or even priority. It is simply a list of the very next physical actions that need to be done. Often these next actions are a subset of a series actions which in David's terms is a project. With these lists, the only categorization that occurs is by context. Things like "At the Computer" "On Errands" and "Calls" all have their own lists. I have categorized a set of next actions as "At Exercise". On it is a list of key work-outs that I want to do to achieve my goal (project). Clearly I need to work on these next actions as often as possible, even daily, to achieve my goal but if I miss one day I don't have the psychological setback of "missing it" or rescheduling. I simply see the list as it is and know that I will do the actions as soon as possible.

I am still playing around with the specifics, but I am excited at the prospects and highly recommend the book to anyone who is looking for a way to finally get things done.

Staged Mountain Running with a Camera

2005-06-02T21:59:00.000-06:00

A month or more ago, I posted a few pictures and an account of one my bicycle rides. (Cycling the Great Salt Lake.) Since then I have been scheming to do another adventure for my blog. It takes a bit of planning to remember a camera and run or bike in an interesting place but I find that it adds some excitement and fun to otherwise routine training. The following is my latest, but not last, adventure.

First, I will give you some background. As a kid, my parents would load my brothers and I into a pick-up truck and drive 3 hours to a small ranching community to work on restoring a then 85 year old house that would serve as the family cabin. I didn't spend much time helping, unless you count being out of the way help. Rather, I would hike the hills surrounding us with my ranch-residing cousins. We'd walk for hours searching for rocks for our collections and looking for other interesting artifacts, like old bottles and other pioneer trash. The thing I most remember though, was a sandstone tower with countless initials and dates carved into the soft and weathered sides. Now years later, this was the destination I wanted to return to. Only I wasn't sure how to get there. I knew the general direction but was unsure of the distance. A long way as a boy doesn't necessarily translate the same to an adult.

This last Memorial Day weekend, my family visited the cabin and I mentioned to my brother Steve my interest in finding the rock tower and my goal to make it a trail-run/picture-taking adventure. Fortunately, he was a bit more familiar with the area and took me on a quick ATV ride to the area where I thought the sandstone to be. We found the rock tower but it was a bit different then I remembered so I wasn't sure it was the same one I remembered as a kid but he at least gave me some confidence in the direction I was headed and some comfort that I wouldn't be running more then a couple of miles. I'd run it in the morning

The next morning was rainy and cold. So I mentally decided to give up on the idea and just hang out with my own kids. When I mentioned it out loud, I caught some serious flack so I decided to suck it up and run. I'm glad I did.

Running from the rock to the camera resting atop some sagebrush. (I love timer delays)

The run turned out to be only 2-3 miles and I spent a lot of time taking pictures. I hope you enjoy.

An old etching in sandstone.

Could this be my initial from my childhood? It's doubtful, but what the heck, it's mine now.

May is a great time of the year to visit the high desert. Even the sagebrush is picturesque.

The sky was filled with hawks on this particular morning. I stopped and took nearly 10 pictures. They were soaring so closely to me. Maybe I should have taken the preceding hill a little slower so I wouldn't have looked (and smelled) so "dead."

A look at the cabin from atop the first hill I huffed and puffed up.

The Perfect Amateurs? Roger Bannister, John Landy, Wes Santee

2005-05-24T23:51:00.000-06:00

I recently read the The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It by Niel Bascomb and was very impressed by the character of Roger Bannister, John Landy and Wes Santee. In a world where sports have become equated with corporate sponsorship, doping and full-time careers, it is nice to be reminded of why I enjoy sports. The simple pursuit of excellence, competition and balance. Neal Bascomb's book does a great job of illustrating the essence of the amateur athlete. He details Olympic experiences, club and college track competitions and relentless training paralleled with the opposing regular every-day lives filled with work, exams, dating, family life and financial worries.

I was most impressed with Roger Bannister, the first to break the 4-minute mile, because he did it with his own concoction of unconventional training methods (at the time, it is called interval training today) while he juggled medical school, residency work and a post graduate research project on the "physiological effects of running.' Whew.

It's a good read and Bascomb does well in identifying and portraying the heart and soul of an athlete.

As a side note. Google Print, a beta site focused on making the content of books searchable on the web, is a very cool thing. My link above shows most of the books pages in a searchable image (non copy-able) format. Since the book I read was borrowed from a library and I have since returned it, I was unable to reference the actual book for this post. However, with Google Print, I was able to re-read sections of the books on the internet to refresh my memory.

Willpower is Not Enough

2005-05-17T19:55:00.000-06:00

Mental willpower is not enough. Your heart needs to be in it. There are times where my heart just isn't in it when it comes to triathlon training. Don't get me wrong I love "tri-ing" and feel that I am getting closer each week to my goal of completing a triathlon and surviving. For example, when I began swimming, it petrified me. There was no way there was enough air for me in that split second I was thrashing my head out of the water to gasp before ducking back down to keep forward momentum. After a lot of practice though, I actually feel comfortable in the water. I still have a long way to go, but without question I am progressing. But even with the notable progression, sometimes my heart just isn't in it. My heart is the only thing I can see that is keeping me from hitting all of my planned work-outs.

The difference between heart and mind.
Ever notice when you are doing something you love, time and effort doesn't seem to be an issue? When my son was in the hospital, I had no problem with 3 or less hours of sleep a night, bad food and a job to boot. But faced with little sleep and a hungry stomach early in the morning in my own home, watch out! The difference, of course, is at the hospital my heart was so focused on the welfare of my little boy, that I didn't need to tell myself to get up early or work just a little bit harder. It just happened. However without the buy-in of my emotions, no amount of telling myself to get up early and work harder works.

Leading with the heart.
I've decided that to effectively train for any event, my reasons have to be very clear and powerful. Otherwise, I just won't do it. I've discovered that, for the most part, an event every 8 weeks is the maximum I can do. The reason: I typically suffer through a post-event let down period. It is a period after an event where my emotions just say "Whew, I am glad that is over with. I need a rest." I am not trying to say it is a traumatic situation to compete in event but often times the climax is followed by a crash. I am ok with that. I also believe that I can work with the let down period and simply schedule my events far enough apart to account for the aftermath.

I've also noticed that my emotional intensity and subsequent physical intensity doesn't really kick in until about 4 weeks before an event. Is it procrastination or do I inherently know that it is all I can really handle before the next adrenaline crash? I suspect my threshold would vacillate a bit according to the size of the event. If I were training for an Ironman, for example, I would likely begin sooner and last longer with my intensity.

What is my point?
The point is this. If you are struggling through your training program and can't seem to find the time to work out. If no amount of self-talk and grit-your-teeth effort sustains you to the end, then maybe you should find an event or a reason with a little more emotion. Many people have run races for a loved one, a special cause or even tied it to a family vacation. Maybe you should recruit a friend and add a little competition. Dropping an event for another with more appeal may help you in your training efforts and consistancy. This is what I am doing with my next scheduled event the Cycle Salt Lake Century. I am mentally canceling it. It just didn't have the power to draw me in and I am, as a result, ill-prepared. Rather then beat myself up over it I will focus on the Cache Valley Biathlon - June 11th. I was very disappointed I couldn't participate last year due to a knee injury and completing it will mean a lot to me. I am also excited because Cache Valley is a beautiful part of Utah and one of the things I like most about training is enjoying the outdoors.

Swimming to Antarctica is a beautiful book

2005-05-03T20:49:00.000-06:00

I don't use the word beautiful very often, but the word came to mind chapter after chapter as I read Lynn Cox's Swimming to Antarctica Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer. Although swimming a mile to Antarctica was her latest great achievement, the book describes over 10 mind blowing swims around the world. Among them:

California's Catalina Channel
The English Channel
The Nile River
Cook Strait, New Zealand
The Strait of Magellan
Glacier Bay
Around the Cape of Good Hope
The Bering Strait

Many of these swims set world records in time and distance. Her English Channel swim set a record for both men and women at only age 15. The account of the Cook Straight swim drew me in a she told of swimming with a school of tuxedo dolphins. In Alaska's Glacier Bay, she dodged translucent blue glaciers and chopped through pan ice to reach the shore.

Lynne's efforts in swimming are exceeded only by her desires to bring people and nations together. Her Bering Strait swim was more than a decade in planning and coordinating during the height of the Cold War. In fact, I was amazed to learn that President Gorbachev mentioned Lynne by name in a toast after signing of the INF Missle Treaty with President Reagan. Her efforts have brought together nations and helped dissolve political borders.

Lynne has written an inspirational biography and I've recommended this book to swimmers and non-swimmers athletes and non-athletes. It has broad appeal and is definitely worth the read.

Her website is http://www.lynnecox.org/

Salt Lake City 5k - Race Report

2005-04-26T21:23:00.000-06:00

This was the second year for the Salt Lake City 5k. Held in conjunction with the Salt Lake City Marathon it fielded nearly 4000 runners making it one of the state's biggest races. The weather was absolutely perfect, about 55°F, at the 7:30 AM start time. The 3.1 mile run started at Liberty Park and ended at the Gateway shopping district.

The starting line at Liberty Park

Waiting in line for one of the shuttle buses

Having the start and finish line at different points posed some logistical problems though. The picture above shows the line for the shuttle buses only 15 minutes before the official start of the race. Many participants didn't make it in time. My group made it in time however.

I'm on the right

The 5k course is considered "fast" as most of it is slightly down-hill or flat. But with the volume of people in attendance, the first mile was anything but fast. I clocked nearly 9 minutes at the first mile marker. Fortunately, the crowd thinned and I was able to run as fast as my legs would carry me for the rest of the race. My time was 24:55 beating my recent best by 5 seconds. I was much faster in my younger years, but this was my best time of the decade.

Running towards the city capitol building

2005 Race and Event Schedule

2005-04-17T17:35:00.000-06:00

I've set my eye on a few events in which I would like to participate. The criteria of choosing them is not very scientific. Ease of entry seems to be a common characteristic followed closely by familiarity with the event or the venue. I also tried to pick only one event per month.

Salt Lake City Marathon 5k - April 23rd - In only its second year it already has the greatest familiarity amongst locals due in part to the aggressive ad campains and its position as one of the first races of the season. I plan on participating in the 5k. Next year I will likely choose to the 25 mile bike tour instead and may consider doing both. If the timing works out it would be a great "brick"

Cycle Salt Lake Century 2005 - May 21st From what I read this looks like a super friendly bike tour for families. Since I am new to touring events, I thought this event would be the least intimidating. It consists of 3 loops of 31, 67 and 100 miles on a route of mostly flat terrain. I will do the 31 miler.

Cache Valley Biathlon - June 11th This is a 5 mile run followed by a 20 mile run. I don't know much about this event other than I have wanted to do it for nearly 5 years but have never made it.

Mountain Challenge Trail Run - July 16th Until recently I have never considered a trail running event, but this one seemed so inviting. There is a 5k and a 10k loop. For my first attempt I will likely choose the 5k.

Great Salt Lake Half Marathon - August 20th I drive portions of this race course every day. I consider it my hometown race, yet I have never done it. This year I have a soft commitment to it as I am not sure I have that distance in my legs with all the swimming I need to do to prepare for my triathlon.

Ogden Valley Triathlon - September 17th I feel pressured to include this race because of my blog title. Pressure is good! This could be my first ever triathlon. I need to get my swimming ready. An open water swim is not something I can mentally take lightly. All the reading, preparing and training should come to a pinnacle this fall.

Think and Grow Fit

2005-04-09T10:37:00.000-06:00

Napolean Hill penned "Think and Grow Rich" and asserted that thoughts are powerful things in building wealth. Thoughts are powerful things in become fit as well.

It may appear that the terms armchair and triathlete is a contradiction. I think we all have moments of struggle between the two physical states of sedentary and active. But a sedentary body can be a productive one. Mental preparedness is crucial in solid performance, whether athletic or not. Taking the time to contemplate, think, plan and dream are essential elements to any training program or pursuit. Don’t favor training over thinking and certainly don’t neglect thinking in your training. It is the wonderful balance of the two, the yin and the yang, that will make you successful.

I don’t speak of the success of winning every race or contest, but certainly the success of a fulfilled and enjoyable lifestyle.

So go on think, do, learn, go, teach, read, write, all of it, and you will find you grow more then following a cookie cutter plan found in your favorite magazine or article on the web.

Will you over-train by following your own thoughts Maybe. Under-train? Maybe. Will you be satisfied that you finally listened to your heart and did something about it. Yes!

Don’t get me wrong you can’t get away with just sitting in your armchair and daydreaming about what might be. Doing is required. Nor should you try to recreate the wheel in training research. Reading, learning and even coaching is all essential. The key is to sit and think and internalize all these messages and inputs around you and then apply those thoughts. Have you never quite understood how exactly a low-carb diet and high endurance training is going to leave you feeling energetic? Maybe you need more armchair time and re-think the concept. Are you not sure why your heart rate rockets through the roof when you put on your heart rate monitor? Maybe you just need more training time to build your aerobic base.

The point here is the armchair triathlete isn’t really an oxymoron at all, it is an harmonic being. It is an insightful exercise of the physical body and mind. So on your next scheduled rest day don’t rest your mind. Plop into your armchair and study your plan or read some inspirational books. Discover why and how you want to be fit. When you internalize it you will become successful.

Cycling the Great Salt Lake

2005-04-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

A ribbon of asphalt parts the brine filled waters of the Great Salt Lake. I explore it by clipping my feet into pedals and riding the 7 miles from shore to island shore.

The causeway to Antelope Island is owned by Davis County and the island itself is an Utah State Park. As such, there is a four dollar fee for me and my bike. The entrance gate attendant informs me that for only 40 dollars, I can have a one year pass that will not only allow me to break even in 10 cycling trips but will also allow me to bring a friend on a bike for free. That's only 20 bucks a piece if I share the cost. I am not committed to coming back as this is this is my first attempt, so I pay only the four dollars.

Riding along the shores of a sea is not easily taken for granted by a landlocked desert dweller. The humid breeze is one benefit. Watching migratory canadian geese, mallard ducks, white-faced ibis, long-billed curlew, snowy plover is another.

In my two hour ride about 20 cyclists passed me. Most of them were in an organized group ride. One, like me, was solo on a mountain bike. I had renewed thoughts about the annual buddy pass for $40 so that I could draft behind another through the breeze and keep up with the group pace. Today the wind is relativly calm but that is rare in the spring. Today I make a full 20 miles round trip but over 50 miles could be traveled by including the paved roads of Antelope Island. I decide that I should lay down some more base training before I do that. Maybe the annual pass will be a good idea.

Ogio Bags for Endurance Sports

2005-03-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite bag for triathlon training. Ogio's Concourse is a great bag with great features. The most notable, and my favorite part, is the huge bottom zippered wet/dry compartment. It is plenty big for your swim gear and locker room flip flops and since it zips open like a flip top lid it is easy to do a wipe down and dry it when you get home. At 13"h x 22"w x 10"d it is big enough to hold my other work out gear too.

Other features inculde:
Large U-shaped opening Interior zippered mesh pocket
Front drop-in audio pocket with headphone exit port
Plastic molded interlocking handle
Adjustable padded shoulder strap
Multiple grab handles

Ogio International is best known for ground breaking technology in golf bags and action sports gear. Some of my other favorite bags include the Turbulence, All Terrain and the Metro

Go check out the 2005 product line.

My Favorite Endurance Magazines are Blogs

2005-03-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

I just read another article on Scott Dunlap's A Trail Runner's Blog and I realized that some of my favorite fitness reading isn't coming from a traditional magazine. It comes in the form of blogs. Sure, I still love reading Runner's World or Bicycling when it comes in the mail but Scott entertains me once a week. A few weeks ago he interviewed Monica Scholz, a legendary endurance athlete. This week's entry was a report on the Rucky Chucky 50k in California. He gave a great report that only a participant could. I like his work and hope to emulate his work in my own blog. will spectate and report on the world of triathlon and endurance sport by participating, attending and even volunteering at as many events as I can. In the upcoming months as the season unfolds in Utah I will post articles and create what I hope to be a site that is as informative and entertaining as Scott Dunlap's.

My upcoming events hope to include:

Salt Lake City Marathon, 5K - April 23rd
Cycle Salt Lake Century 2005 - May 21st
Cache Valley Biathlon - June
Ogden Off-Road Triathlon - a Nissan Xterra Points Series Race, June 25th

Multi Sport Talk Radio!

2005-03-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

Somewhere around age 30, I started listening to more AM radio than FM radio. Sports, politics, finance and even gardening flood my ears each day as I ride to and from work. When that grows old, I borrow books-on-tape from my local library. My thirst for this mass media style of information has yet to be quenched. In fact, recently I thought it would be really cool to have a talk show dedicated to my other new found passion of running, swimming, cycling and other endurance sport activities. Enter EnduranceRadio.com. It was love at first sight/(listen)! From the website, I've listened to interviews of Dean Karnazes, Jeff Galloway and even a representative of an Alaskan triathlon club. All of this for free in either mp3 stream, windows media, real player or downloadable mp3. There is even a link for a podcast to download to your ipod.
I couldn't be happier with this new discovery on the always amazing world wide web and with a new show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it will be very easy to add this to my weekly routine. And I'll add one more item to my list of reasons to buy an iPod.

Sick Again - Will It Ever End? A Flu Season Report

2005-03-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

In my personal training, I had a nice little pre-spring streak going. 5 days of training after a lay-off of nearly 3 weeks. The days are getting longer and the weather is full of endorphin raising sunshine. So why stop a good thing? Flu season is why. It isn't over yet. Reports from the Centers for Disease Contol and Prevention indicated that although influenza activity has declined this week by 21%, the proportion of patient visits to sentinel providers for influenza-like illness (ILI) has been above the national baseline for seven consecutive weeks. How does this compare to last year? Let's compare the two.

2004

2005

Graphics from www.cdc.gov

It appears that we are in a lengthened season this year. I know that I have felt the effects. Thanks to BeginnerTriathlete.com I found an article that gives a good rule of thumb for exercising during this bitter-sweet time of year. A Triathlete's Guide to Cold and Flu Season

Wish me luck.

My Training Log at Beginner Triathlete

2005-02-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

Feel free to take a look. I often write my training ramblings in my training log and use blogspot for bigger thoughts and posts.

Training Log at Beginner Triathlete.com

BeginnerTriathlete.com is the best fitness oriented site I've ever used. The forums are super friendly and helpful. The training logging software is very robust with multi-sport logging (not just swim, bike and run). You can log your heart rate and pace information, equipment usage and even nutrition and weight details. Those stats combined with a free form notes section make it very easy and inviting to use and review. The whole log can be shared with other site users giving an extra motivation to keep on top of your goals because you never know who is watching. For the more private individuals this last feature can be turned off.

My Next Race - Salt Lake City Marathon & 5k

2005-02-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

I am going to participate in the next Salt Lake City marathon 5k. My goal is to finish with 8 minute miles. I am following this training plan that I adapted from Runner's World. I have been sick lately so I am easing back slow from a winter of illness and inactivity.

Look for a report on April 24th!

Interview: The Armchair Triathlete

2005-02-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are my own answers to my interview questions. I would still love to hear from you. Drop me an email and I may post your answers on my blog.

Why did you first run ? bike? swim?

I started running competitively in in junior high school. My coaches helped me realized that I was better at endurance than speed so I ran the 1600 event. I think my motivation was more social than anything at the time. That is probably why I didn't run much in high school as it didn't fit in with my social needs. It wasn't until I was in college that I came to love running for it's mental and physical benefits.

On the bike, seeing how far and hard I could ride my bicycle was a common weekend experience in high school. I loved riding to a trail and getting off-road. I still enjoy riding as often as occasion permits.

Do you have a sports background?

I've always participated in team sports. Basketball, baseball/softball and soccer are sports that I enjoy.

What was your worst injury?

I tore up my knee pretty bad skiing last year. I didn't have health insurance at the time so I never got it checked out. It feels strong now though. I have worked really hard on do-it-yourself physical therapy. Thank goodness for the internet. I got a lot of information on knee injuries and rehabilitation.

What does your family think of this?

My family keeps me pretty busy. My wife is supportive but I find I often de-prioritize workouts for family events and their needs.

What is your dream race?

I would love to do the Xterra World Championships in Hawaii. The off-road triathlon really appeals to me. It seems so raw.

How long will you do this?

I'm committed to exercise for the rest of my life. I can't think of a better way to enhance my physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Why do you continue?

I will be honest, the thrill of an event or race is a huge motivator. I get excited preparing for and visualizing my self in a big event.

What is your most memorable event?

My first 5k race was euphoric. It was the Salt Lake City Classic and I couldn't believe how fun it was to finish with the clock and the race number and the cheering crowds. I felt like a champion.

What is the worst thing about training?

Finding time to do it. I'm not morning person and my evenings fill up so quickly.

Are you in a club/ support group??

No, but I used to have a consistent running partner until he started training in the mornings. I just could match his schedule anymore.

Do you like solitude?

Sometimes that is the best thing about a workout. Just getting out and running or riding off the day's stress.

This is an individual sport - do you agree?

For me it is. If only because I have never met anyone with the same ability level. They are either much faster or slower or stronger or weaker. You tend to break off just to meet your own training needs.

What is your favorite gear?

I am in love with my Minoura Mag trainer for my bike. It has made breaking away for a quick bike ride so easy. Especially since I usually do it after dark.

What intimidates you about the sport?

All of the expensive gear. I can't help but feel that I am less of a participant if I don't have the latest greatest stuff. That is ntil I actually start doing it and then I realize that the most important gear is your body and I feel that I have a pretty good version.

What is Your Swim, Bike, Run Story?

2005-02-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

I am fascinated by the stories of regular people who can accomplish anything extraordinary in life while managing a job or family or while overcoming adversity. A triathlon is extraordinary no matter the distance. In my next blog entry I will "interview" myself with some of the following questions. See it here

Email me and with your own answers. Whether your are a runner, cyclist or swimmer or all three.

Why did you first run ? bike? swim?
At what age?
Do you have a sports background?
What was your worst injury?
What does your family think of this?
What is your dream race?
How long will you do this?
Why do you continue?
What is your most memorable event?
What is the worst thing about training?
Are you in a club?
Support group?
Do you like solitude?
This is an individual sport - do you agree?
What is your favorite gear?
What intimidates you about the sport?

Xterra -Ogden Offroad Triathlon

2005-01-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

Ogden Offroad Triathlon

I took this picture on the old Snowbasin Road while a friend and I were spectating at the first annual Ogden Offroad Triathlon. What a beautiful venue. This is the same resort that hosted portions of the 2002 Winter Olympics. I hope to be a participant this year.

The event is world class. As a spectator, I took opportunity to talk with many of the volunteers and found out that many were the same volunteers that helped with the Winter Olympics. As a result, the event was well run and and will likely grow in popularity each year.

I was actually surprised with the number of participants. I am told that set a record as the largest debut of any of Xterra event.

Superman Strut

2005-01-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

I had the pool at the rec center to myself today. It was so empty I thought I might be trespassing when the life guard followed me to the pool side. But she was just on duty and took her place on the tower.

Today's blue warmth was more inviting then the outdoor surf and swim experience last fall. It has been 6 months since I last tried to swim. I started out with breathing exercises I read in my book. But I forgot which side I like to breath on and I ended up thrashing my head about searching for air.
But I found my groove - not my swim grove - but my exercise groove and I love it. Energized, I finished my workout with a superman strut back to the office. It was a good lunch.

Road Bike vs Tri Bike vs MY bike

2005-01-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

To quote the first part of an article written by Tom Demeryly on Xtri.com "You already own a standard road geometry bike with a 73-degree seat angle, a longish top tube and 700c wheels. Can you convert this bike to a triathlon geometry frame specifically for riding in the aero position? If you need a one-word answer to the question "Can I make my road bike a triathlon bike?" the answer is: ‘No!’" From XTRI.com xtri.com bike tech april 2000

With this thinking, my bike is all wrong. But I don't think so. It's a 1986 Schwinn High Sierra mountain bike with road slicks. Embarrassing right? Who cares? I love my bike. It has taken me to many destinations since I first saw it under the Christmas tree in junior high. It follows then that it is my sentimental favorite to take me to my next destination - my first triathlon. Maybe as I progress in the sport I can justify a big brother to my Schwinn but I'll never get rid of it. I read a tip in Bicycling Magazine "Never get rid of your first bike." I knew at once he was right. Within a week of reading this timely advice I recovered my first mountain bike. I had given it to my dad because he wished his 19" frame was a 17" frame like mine. I thought I was moving on from the ghost of a bike accident I had on a single track near Snowbasin ski resort. (It must have been lack of shocks, I thought.) My dad thought it was a good time to move on from a wreck he had on his Schwinn Mirada. Turns out neither one of us really wanted to lose our old bikes. He rode my bike only a handful of times and my new Trek 7000 was perfect on single track (shock and all) but it didn't have the zest I needed for around town pavement riding. As I got older, I realized that pavement riding was mostly what I do. The high gears of my High Sierra give me some speed and its history reminds me to ride like a kid who doesn't even know what a heart rate monitor or training log is. For now, I choose MY bike.

Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes

2005-01-14T23:07:00.000-07:00

This guy is amazing. Although he doesn't fit my usual requirement of being a normal person pursuing and achieving moderate fitness goals, he is definitely a specimen worthy of respect. In a recent article in Runners World magazine he is described as a family man who schedules his runs in the middle of the night so he doesn't detract from his family. I look forward to his book "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner," coming out on March 17, 2005.
From Ultramarathonman.com: Among his many accomplishments, he has run 262 miles (10 marathons nonstop), swam across the San Francisco Bay, run a marathon to the South Pole, mountain-biked for 24-hours straight, surfed the gigantic breakers off Northern California and Maui, and run 146 miles across Death Valley in the middle of summer to the top of Mt. Whitney. On one occasion, Karnazes ran 100 miles all-night to the start of the Napa Valley Marathon, and then completed the marathon in 3:15.Read More @ Ultramarathon Man :. Dean Karnazes

What motivates me

2005-01-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about what motives me to exercise, to ride my bike or to get out and run. It is often very simple. Here is a list of a few of those things.

.cancer survivors (like Lance)
.mothers who compete in triathlons
.training logs - I've started several
.a good book
.a great article
.runners world magazine
.my blog
.the sunshine
.fathers who compete in triathlons
.spring time races
.my fear of a bad mid-life crisis
.middle of the pack athletes
.slow but steady finishers

What motivates you? Tell me and I may publish it.

Take the Bicycling Live online bicycling survey

2005-01-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

From Bicycling Life:
Your Input is NEEDED
In 1997 one of the most successful surveys of cycling was
completed on the Internet.
The results are still available on our website.
Now we have developed a follow-up
study and invite you to participate
in our online CYCLIST SURVEY.
Please Visit:
www.BicyclingLife.com
Bicycling Life is a nonprofit website promote bicycling by demonstrating that legal
cycling on streets, roads, and highways is safe, clean, healthy, enjoyable, economical,
and beneficial to society.
Bicycling Live Survey

Slow Fat Triathlete website

2004-12-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a cool link to glean some motivation from. Slow Fat Triathlete I am not fat but I am slow. I think I could get into this book because I rather liked reading the book excerpts. So far I haven't made it to a Barnes & Noble to buy the book, but I am planning on it since I got a gift card for christmas.

Mind, Body and Spirit

2004-12-07T22:53:00.000-07:00

Discipline is thought control……then thought controls the body. The spirit demands discipline. You don’t discipline your spirit.

You nourish it.

Icebike

2004-11-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Dave McElwaine takes the HAKKAPELIITTA 300 studded tires for a run on the single track.
Photo credit Colt McElwaine.(www.icebike.org)

WOW. You can excercise in the winter. I wonder what it does to bike maintenance? Icebike Home Page

Bicycling Life

2004-11-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

I found this site intriguing. I'm constantly on the lookout for information that motivates and doesn't intimidate. Although I haven't read much of the site, it appears welcoming. Bicycling Life Home Page

Winter Exercise

2004-11-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

It is natural and recommended to take time away from training each year. Many athletes find that the holiday season is a perfect time for the down time. Not me. I need exercise in the winter and during the holiday's more then ever. When the days get shorter and the evenings darker, I find that a quick run revs me up for an otherwise sleepy evening.

Perfection, Periodization and Priorities

2004-09-10T22:34:00.000-06:00

Periodization is a training principle that allows for and maximizes the body and mind's natural cycles through out the year. Training at high intensity for an entire year is impossible and will lead to burn-out or injury. Timing your peaks and valleys with specific races or goals in the course of a year allows you to more effectively train and perform.

Understanding what is too much training or too much rest is difficult for a beginner triathlete. It is difficult to pull back on training for recovery reasons and still maintain a feeling of motivation and commitment. Often during a down cycle other priorities jump to the front of the line without hesitation. Without extreme care these priorities will make a new home at the front of the line and threaten to not let exercise back in.

When these other priorities fall into place and refuse to budge there is a natural tendency to become frustrated or worse quit. It is at this point you need to remind yourself why you started on the journey of becoming a triathlete. If that memory is a bit foggy, talking with a buddy or a motivational read may due the trick. Remember though, that you can't start where you left off. You need to start slow and work back into the higher intensities and a disciplined pace. Your mind will remember how fast you ran 3 miles a month ago but your body won't. Cut yourself some slack and ease into the next period of the year. Don't be afraid or ashamed to re-start the beginners program you found in a training magazine. Just because you left the training cycle as an intermediate you won't necessarily return as one.

The key is to realize there are ups and downs EVERY YEAR, even every month. Embrace the concept. You will be glad you did.

The Armchair Strikes Back

2004-09-05T20:20:00.000-06:00

Another ten week plan bites the dust. No excuses, not even a stinking injury is to blame for my latest lame attempt of becoming a triathlete. I thought for weeks about the plan and it's death was much like it's birth mostly thought and very little action.

Stay tuned for the next silver bullet of training and self-improvement. I think I will start at the library.

Slow Fat Triathlete

2004-08-30T22:52:00.000-06:00

Amazon.com: Books: Slow Fat Triathlete: Live Your Athletic Dreams in the Body You Have Now
Triathlon and endurance sports are not just for the skinny, the fast, and the young. They’re for you. You’re not too slow, fat, old, or klutzy. You’re just fine. Start today. If you think that the only people who have any place in a triathlon are zero-body-fat elite athletes, reconsider right now. Triathlon and other endurance sports are a lot more accessible than you think. Jayne Williams, self-proclaimed "Slow Fat Triathlete," is living proof, and she wants you to join the fun. After years of obesity, poor health, and self-doubt, Jayne mustered up the will to exercise and worked her way from walking around the block to competing in her first triathlon in 2002. She got hooked on the rush of the race, and as a Slow Fat Triathlete, laughs at humiliation, embraces her foibles, and accomplishes impressive goals. Slow Fat Triathlete is for anyone who may be out of shape, undisciplined, or otherwise unprepared to enter a triathlon but is curious to try. With its singular mix of practical advice (do what it takes to avoid chafing), screwball anecdotes (meet the hula dudes from the Big Kahuna Half-Ironman), and off-kilter observations (your wetsuit can make you feel like a superhero), Slow Fat Triathlete proves that you don’t have to lose weight, get your life in order, or have all the right equipment to pursue your athletic dreams. Just get off the couch, start moving, and have fun. You can do great things.

Finding Time to Train

2004-08-19T20:52:00.000-06:00

To quote Mitch Thrower of Triathletemag.com, "For me, the last few months have been filled with anything but training and racing. I’m sure there are like-minded readers who are now immersed in another area of their lives—work, family, school, travel ...You will always be pulled in different directions, but the time you spend alone through your commitment to triathlon will consistently act like a bungee cord, pulling you back at varying speeds toward yourself and the reality of who you are. Make the time to find your swimsuit, biking shorts or running clothes. Make the time to go find you."more

It doesn't sound like I am alone in being an armchair triathlete, with more "talk" than walk" at times. But each run, bike or swim reminds me of the joy of the pursuit and why I don't mind the juggling act of an active life.

A Friend Will Help

2004-08-12T21:56:00.000-06:00

The only two workouts I accomplished during week three are the ones in which I arranged to meet a friend. I road about 10 miles with a mountain biking friend and I was at the pool for 45 minutes with another friend who gave me a few tips on swimming.

I am still excited about this program but I find that I'm still struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. I am in the middle of week four and I haven't hit a single workout. I had a sick little boy that kept the family up most of the night for a couple of nights and that translated to some super sleepy mornings. Now that he is feeling better I am anxious to get back in the groove of things. I have to admit, I would be tempted to scrap the 10 week test if it wasn't for this stupid blog.

This Guy Gets It

2004-08-02T19:57:00.000-06:00

I found this article while browsing around Triathlete.com's website. Triathlete.com - Fit For Life I like his approach to triathlon as a way to get fit, motivated and in the end have a bit of fun. Once again, a triathlete doesn't have to be a ultra-athlete.

Flexibility keeps me going

2004-07-31T15:15:00.000-06:00

I finished my 3 scheduled workouts this week. Although I didn't follow my workout plan precisely. I ran on Monday, biked on Wednesday and swam on Saturday. Flexibility on the days of my workout preserved my goal of doing my workouts only in the morning.

My swim workout this week was a lot better because I re-read the swimming chapter in Eric Harr's book. The swim tips really helped out. I think after a few weeks I should feel more comfortable in the water.

My beginner tip of the week: Blow exclusively out your nose while your face is in the water. Is is the best way to keep you from filling your nose and sinuses with water. I also read that if you inhale and exhale with pursed lips like you are sucking on a straw you can cut down on water intake.

Week 1 Success - Week 2 Pain

2004-07-26T17:33:00.000-06:00

Week 1 was a success. I completed each of my scheduled workouts in the morning hours. . My being on vacation helped tremendously. Week 2 is where the rubber meets the road for me. I am back to work. The test phase is behind me. I made today’s work out, but I am dragging along at work. I’m thrilled to know that I can do it though. Making a workout in the morning is huge success for me. Each morning victory erases the pile of failures behind me.

I did it!

2004-07-23T10:06:00.000-06:00

Week 1 is almost done and I have cleared my biggest hurdle. I swam this morning. Maybe swimming is too generous of a word. I thrashed in a pool for 30 minutes. I've never had so much water in my nose and I rediscovered that water has a great way of getting in the way of oxygen but I did it. To me the big goal and concern is getting out of bed and to the pool early enough and fast enough to get to work on time. I'm on vacation this week, so this was a practice run for what I hope to be a twice a week occurance. Waking up, getting to the pool, getting in the pool, showering and dressing for work at the pool take some preparation and practice. I will spare the details but I am elated that I did it!

The Bigger Goal

2004-07-22T22:47:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for a triathlon is my pursuit of discipline and fitness. It's also a lot of fun.

Rule Number 1 - All training will be morning workouts. I want to transform into a morning person. This goal will facilitate that.

Rule Number 2 - This is my race so it is my pace. I'm in no hurry, I just want to enjoy working out and learning more about the sport. My focus will be to have no overtraining injuries and to not neglect my family or career.

stay tuned :)

Workout Plan

2004-07-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

My focus point to drive me to train for the next 10 weeks is a yearly triathlon held near my hometown. I hesitate to call it a goal but I will call it a landmark on my map to self mastery and fitness. This is my particular map: (Schedule adapted from Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week)

Week 1
SUN Rest
MON Swim 30 Minutes
TUE Run 30 Minutes
WED Rest
THUR Rest
FRI Bike 45 Minutes
SAT Rest

Week 2
SUN Rest
MON Run 30 Minutes
TUE Swim 30 Minutes
WED Rest
THUR Rest
FRI Bike 45 Minutes
SAT Rest

Week 3
SUN Rest
MON Run 35 Minutes
TUE Swim 20 Minutes
WED Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Bike 45 Minutes
SAT Swim 15 Minutes

Week 4
SUN Rest
MON Swim 20 Minutes
TUE Run 35 Minutes
WED Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Bike 45 Minutes
SAT Swim 15 Minutes

Week 5
SUN Rest
MON Run 35 Minutes
TUE Swim 20 Minutes
WED Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Bike 45 Minutes
SAT Swim 15 Minutes

Week 6
SUN Rest
MON Swim 30 Minutes
TUE Bike 30 Minutes/Run 30 Minutes
WED Swim 20 Minutes/Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Brick: Bike 20 Minutes/Run 15 Minutes
SAT Strength Train 20 Minutes

Week 7
SUN Rest
MON Swim 30 Minutes
TUE Bike 45 Minutes/Run 30 Minutes
WED Swim 20 Minutes/Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Brick: Bike 30 Minutes/Run 20 Minutes
SAT Strength Train 20 Minutes

Week 8
SUN Rest
MON Swim 30 Minutes
TUE Bike 45 Minutes/Run 30 Minutes
WED Swim 20 Minutes/Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Brick: Bike 30 Minutes/Run 20 Minutes
SAT Strength Train 20 Minutes

Week 9
SUN Rest
MON Swim 30 Minutes
TUE Bike 45 Minutes/Run 30 Minutes
WED Swim 20 Minutes/Strength Train 20 Minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Brick: Bike 40 Minutes/Run 20 Minutes
SAT Strength Train 20 Minutes

Week 10
SUN Rest
MON Bike 30 Minutes
TUE Swim 15 Minutes
WED Run 15 minutes
THUR Rest
FRI Swim 10 Minutes Bike 10 Minutes
SAT RACE!

Trinewbies.com - Tales From the Midpack

2004-07-20T23:29:00.000-06:00

Tales from the Midpack

This is a great site that shares my perspective of triathlon. The articles are written by Dale Weirnan in his own blog style. I especially like the posts about the 21 day challenge.

Moving Forward

2004-07-20T18:52:00.000-06:00

I've updated my initial Armchair Triathlete post at least 10 times. Each time I think of a new thought or change a thought or change my approach all together, I found myself updating my post. I need to move on. The purpose of my blog isn't to have single perfect post. It is to put into words and explore my triathlon goals. It is easy to see that my blog experience mirrors my triathlon experience. Several false starts and a nit picky obsession with getting it right.

I need to move forward. Just as my vision of this blog is more then a few posts, my vision as a triathlete is more then a few workouts. Moving on in this blog will allow me to discover, see and accomplish more. I will move past the current stage.

So to that end, my posts will be fresh, new, raw and most important...plural. Let's hope my workouts and triathlon events are the same.

Armchair Triathlete

2004-07-10T23:14:00.000-06:00

I love to bike. I like to run. I have raced in a few 5k and 10k running events and count it as one of the most positive and rewarding things I have ever done. Because bicycling is something I enjoy doing more then running I have always wanted to race or ride in a bike race or tour. But I don't have a good road bike. I am blaming this on the fact that I am cheap. Way cheap. I squeak when I walk cheap. OK that isn't the real reason. I have a mountain bike. A $900 mountain bike. The last splurge before a wife, 2 kids and a mortgage hit me. So it isn't really that I am naturally cheap it is just that I kind of got forced into the cheap thing in recent years. So being cheap doesn't preclude a road bike but having too much month at the end of the money does. And I would be embarrassed, not to mention exhausted, to ride a mountain bike in any sort of road bicycling tour or race. (Most are 50 miles or more) So my mind turned to other events that I could participate in with a mountain bike. An actual trail ride is fun and relaxing but it appears that the mountain bike races and events gone extreme. Frankly, I am too old and brittle for extreme. What else could there be?

I stumbled on a book. "Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week" by Eric Harr is a wonderfully motivating book. I was convinced. A sprint distance triathlon seemed to be the ticket to my competitive bicycling yearnings and my desire to accomplish something outside of my family and business roles. 12 miles on a bike (the average distance of the bike portion of a sprint triathlon seemed very do-able. But as the name implies a triathlon is more then a bike ride followed by a run.

Swimming.

I can't swim. In fact, hydrophobia is very real to me. The only stroke I know is the "survival stroke." But there was that few months I worked out at a gym with a pool doing water drills. Things like running, water-aerobics and even a few laps. That wasn't all that bad. Maybe I could learn to swim after all. So I did what I usually do...I went to the library and borrowed a book about swimming, read it and made index cards of drills I would practice if I ever actually went to a pool. Once again 80% knowledge 20% behavior. I have to figure our how to turn that around.

Cycling

Even though I love to ride a bike, I feel that this is were I can really embarrass myself, at least amongst the ranks of the dedicated cyclists. I ride bikes, I am not a cyclist. I just can't bring myself to participate in cycling the way Bicycling magazine or the Tour de France folks show. I don't have the time and my bike isn't slick. I am not slick. I'm not bedecked in spandex or bright colors. It's not that I dislike nice bikes or the style or even people who embrace them. Maybe with a different body type and a fatter wallet, I would. But for now I just want to ride. Ride in my Old Navy painter shorts and cotton t-shirt. I love to ride fast and I love the way gliding on a bike feels so graceful. But my rides normally go 3 to 5 miles and rarely over 10. I'm just not a 'cyclist'. For now, I am just a bicycle rider. Like a kid.

Running

This I can do. At least I have done. I have completed a few 5k's and and one 10k. I have trained for and accomplished goals in running. In a manner that I would like to do for a triathlon. I don't want to "race" but rather complete races and perhaps compete with myself but I don't "race". To me racing is out of my league. My league is being a dad and a business geek not a racing athlete. Running and sports is a hobby for me. A way to stay in shape, relax and even find a sense of accomplishment. John "The Penguin" Bingham finds the same sort of meaning in his book "No Need for Speed". This is the attitude I carry into the sport of Triathlon.

So there it is. I might be an armchair triathlete now, with more book knowledge and desires then miles and laps, but at least I have the goal.

Armchair Triathlete - Product Reviews

2000-01-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

A list of posts about products I have used or want.

Armchair Triathlete - Book Club

2000-01-01T12:00:00.003-07:00

A list of posts reviewing and discussing books. Most of the books will have an endurance sports theme, but not all. If you have any suggestions or thoughts, comment away!

Swimming to Antarctica - Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer byLynne Cox
The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It by Niel Bascomb
Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
Triathlon Triaining in Four Hours a Week by Eric Harr

Since I'm not as good as I would like to be in keeping this up, check out LibraryThing for a better list of my books.

Armchair Triathlete - Opinion

2000-01-01T12:00:00.002-07:00

A list of posts that may or may not have anything to do with endurance sports or triathlon.