One of the things that I was aspiring to, when I started this triathlon season way back in January, was to eat a better diet that was specifically purposed for an athlete. I had done some research, and after I came across Steve Kamb’s article on Barefoot Running, I was introduced to the Paleo Diet for Athletes. Yeah, we’ve been here before.
I did it for a few days, then my will dropped off the planet. It wasn’t until Steve started his 30 day challenge that I picked it back up. Daphne was also starting a 30 day Paleo challenge with some of her work-mates as well, so I took both of them up at the same time to help keep me on top of it. Having the direct support with members of the swim team was also very helpful.
This ain't your lizard!
Let me start off by saying – it’s so easy that an evolved hominid could do it, but sans the easy. I tried starting the Paleo for Athletes diet back in January with mixed results. According to Sam Hutchinson, paleo is one of the easiest diets to cheat on:
Paleo diet offers many positive benefits, but this diet’s cheating rate is extremely high, especially in the first few weeks. And, cheating all too often will result in complete abandonment of this healthy diet.
Let’s face it …Paleo meals are boring! A quick glance at the Paleo diet food list is enough to let you know how bland this dietary regimen can be…
Foremost, there are grains and soy lecithins in everything – just like there’s corn syrup in everything. I started Steve’s challenge off on a rocky road, but I was resolved to keep with the diet. My only cheat the first week was an oatmeal raisin cookie. But they were absolutely right: the diet is boring.
The book gives you some bland recipes, but it’s a starting point. The first two weeks, I ate primarily chicken breast or steak for dinner- 1/3 meat and 2/3 veggie matter, which was a mix of broccoli and carrots. If it was after an intense workout, I’d have a sweet potato, you know, one of those monstrosities in a plastic wrapper that can be microwaved easily. (Hey, I can’t wait for an hour for a potato to cook in a half-non-functioning oven.)
The week that I started, Coach Aimee told me that Bob Seebohar (former nutritionist for the OTC, current nutritionist for the Olympic Triathlon Team) has a diet plan for his athletes that is similar, if not based on, the paleolithic eating style.
As much as I fought with it, I kept my resolve. I started experimenting more with herbs. I also figured out I could poach plums in the microwave. (Add a small bit of Agave nectar and spoon it over pork chops… YUM!) Then something started happening: my weight started melting away. I started Steve’s challenge at 217 pounds, and at the end of March, I was sitting at 198 pounds. Not only was I down 19 pounds, but people noticed. I was constantly being asked if I had lost weight, and people were saying how good I looked. Since I trimmed up, I decided that I would wear a regular speedo this year at COMSA rather than a jammer – perhaps that was just out of vanity…
I also went from 10.3% body fat to 9.1% in the first 26 days!
The comments helped me stay on track. Aimee seemed happy with the results, but said we will keep track of it so I didn’t get too thin. In that same vein, my brother in law talked to my mother after seeing me for the first time in a few months and told her I looked too thin. Aimee said that family members are used to seeing me with more weight, not the athletic version of myself. I’m sure mom is going to have a cow when she comes down next weekend. (Hi mom!)
The only thing that I had an issue with (other than the occasional cookie) was some minor GI distress. The first two weeks I felt like crap and I got frequent cramps. After that, my energy levels stayed more consistent throughout the whole day, and I find that my recovery times come down quite a bit. (I had a sandwich after the challenge was over, and the glutens in the normal bread caused me some sore muscles the next day.) I still have some GI issues with the diet, the worst of which is a sudden urge to go – but that equates to nothing more than a bit of gas.
Over COMSA weekend, I threw some high-chain carbs back in the mix: I would have brown rice at dinner and oatmeal for breakfast. I found that this solved some of my GI issues, and also gave me energy through the whole weekend. On the down side of it, I picked up a few pounds and retained some water weight. On Monday morning, I was feeling a little sluggish. Right now, it’s about finding the right balance of Paleo and Carbs.
Well, swimming season is officially over and now it’s time to go full bore into triathlon. Not that swimming’s completely out, per se, but it’s not the main focus as it has been over the last two or so months. Now, I get to get back on the bike and work some hills (or throw on the shoes and work those runs.) I am a month away from the first A race of the season, but it doesn’t go without looking back on the swim season this year.
I only got back into swimming three years ago, so this should be my third COMSA masters champs since I started back in 2008. I will dissect this all down the best I can.
1000 Free
I first swam the 1000 free for masters in 2008, and I came in at 13:01 from a seed time of 14 and some change. (Lesson here is never to come to a time trial hung over when you’re trying to figure out your entry times.) The Tenderfoot triathlon also did 1000 for the swim, in which I entered the time of 13:01 for seeding. I came out of the water here at 14 minutes for the sake of conserving energy for the rest of the race.
This year, I entered a seed time of 13:01, and I finished the race at 12:17.57, which is a personal best overall.
The swim felt pretty straining and exhausting overall. I notice that I predominately breathe on my right side, which causes my left arm to cut through the water a little odd. (This was noticed by several of my coaches…) I was achy for the rest of the day, and I still had the 1650 to go. Thankfully, my friend Bryce was on hand to count for me, so he went and got some lunch while we waited between events.
This weekend, I went off the Paleo diet as of Thursday night and started carbo loading with brown rice and oats. I also put on five pounds. (Back to the two hundreds… GAH!)
1650 Freestyle
This is the first year that I’ve done the 1650 in a competition. 1650 yards is roughly a mile, and this year – because of IMAZ – I was concentrating on my distance events over my sprints. I entered a seed time of 26:09.00 – which is based off of an open water swim I did last year.
I’m proud to say I got a time of 20:34.52! The reason for the wide difference in time is because in the 1650, I was doing flip-turns and pushing off the wall, which gives me a little rest and a boost through the race. During the pull-out, I was doing three dolphin kicks off the wall, which helped quite a lot. I have my eyes on a 22 or 23 minute open water mile, which would put me at 44 minutes for a 2 mile. If I can get down to 20, I’ll be set. Then again, there are a lot of little factors in open water swimming that slow you down – especially when you’re prone to getting kicked in the face by other swimmers.
During this swim, I just relaxed and had a good time with it. I stretched out the stroke and went from a 6 to a 2 beat kick. I talked to the guy who runs the channel swimming group, and he said that my turns looked great, and I was staying right at mid-lane. The referee also congratulated me on a great race, since I came in first in my heat.
Coach Roger kept my splits, which were averaging about 1:12 per 100 yards, aside the last 200 which picked up a bit, and a little dip in the middle.
50 Freestyle
The first event of Saturday was the 50 free, which is always a quick, down and dirty all out sprint. I wasn’t expecting to lose much time on these sprints, since my focus has changed. I entered a time of 25.51, and got a 25.97. Less than a half a second loss isn’t all that bad.
100 IM
Next up was the hundred individual medley. I’m not the greatest short-axis swimmer in the world, by any means, and I love doing the fly just about as much as I love to run. I seeded at 1:04 even, and came out at 1:04.47. Again, another half second loss that I wasn’t too disappointed in.
50 Backstroke
I messed up my start on this one, as well as the turn. I’ve never really been able to do backstroke starts, other than when we were able to do a standing deck start back in high school. When the start was called, I dove in way too deep. Although I can kick off the wall a fair ways, it wasn’t really good that I was looking up at the competitor in the other lane. I seeded at 29.54, and came in at 31.25.
500 Freestyle
Rounding out my distance events, and starting Sunday off with a smile, was the 500 freestyle. This is an event that I’ve done all throughout my swimming life, as I’d always been able to hold a steady cadence over longer swims. This year, something just felt different about it. It’s kind of the same thing as running – a mile is only another number. In this case, the 20 lengths seemed to come and go fairly quickly.
I think I went out a little too quick on the front half of the event, although I was able to keep fairly consistent on the last part of it. I seeded at 6:22 even – I’ve been hovering right around the mid-sixes the past few years in competitions. I seriously thought, over the race, that I was going to gain time – but I actually came out in the fives! My time was 5:51.37, and it’s the first time since high school that I’ve been able to get back into that bracket. Even though it doesn’t mean anything in the scheme of things, it’s always fun coming in first in a heat, especially when you get the starting pistol on the last lap.
My triathlon coach, Aimee, was there for the 500. It was cool that she was finally able to see me swim, since we’ve been over everything else. Again, the flaw in the left arm came out because of my unilateral breathing habits on longer swims, and I wasn’t kicking off the wall as much as well as I should have. Again, Roger stated I was very consistent, and negative split the end half.
50 Breast
The breast was another event that proved somewhat problematic in my open turns. Again, I’m not a great short-axis swimmer. I also learned that you need to pay attention to which heat you’re in while waiting on deck. I was distracted, talking to another Arizona IronMan racer for this year. When heat seven came up, I asked him if he was up, and he said he was in eight. I looked at the board, saw my name, said “oh $#@&” and hopped up just as they were saying ‘take your mark’. I almost scratched, but the dive in and the actual swimming part felt pretty good, if not a little goofy from my lucky blunder.
I seeded at 34 even, and came in at 33.47. Half a second drop ain’t bad!
100 Freestyle
This was, by far, my most impressive time drop of all time! In the history of the world! I dropped a whopping 1/100th of a second! Yeah, that’s right! I was, literally, a blink of an eye quicker than I was last year! Seeded at 57.01, and came in at 57 even. Next year, maybe I can break into the high 56’s! LET’S GO 56.99!
50 Fly
Ah, my favorite stroke: well, as much as one can compare the experience of a root canal to a delicious bowl of paleo-safe frozen custard made from Almond milk. All things considered, it was okay. I got tired the last quarter of the sprint, which is only half a length of the pool. I’m not the right shape for this stroke. I did manage to knock some time off of the top, though. Seeding at 28 even, I came in with 27.76.
Relays
I did do two relays this weekend, the first was swimming the backstroke leg of the 200 Medley Relay. Again, with the sucky starts. My back split here was 31.12, which was a little faster than my actual race time. With the 200 free relay, my split was also marginally lower than my 50 Free time. The swim felt really good, too. I got 25.93 for my split, which is 5/100ths faster than my race time. My relay teams both got fourth place for their assigned age group.
The further into this triathlon season that I get, the more exotic the location my brain travels to for it’s vacation. It has fully separated from my body, grown ganglia, and left my poor brain-dead body to fend for itself. If you have seen my brain in the wild, please call animal control. It get’s lonely and needs attention.
So, if you’re wondering what’s up with the title, there it is… When I sat down to start writing the details of my training minutiae, I noticed that I was being poked in the elbow by something sharp. Turns out it was a rather large crumb from a stale blueberry scone or something.
This week, despite being physically and mentally exhausted, I’m feeling great and making great strides in my training. The ankle is back to 100%, which is great because I’m running in my very first running race this weekend; the RunDenver Super Bowl 5K. This week, I noticed that I am increasing speed within my Z2 heart rate zone, and at a leisurely 139-148 beats per minute, I’m running an eight and a half minute mile. Very little fatigue, no joint pain. It doesn’t sound like much, but Zone 2 is low heart-rate, and considering my run at last years 5430 half IM was in the 10 minutes per mile range (due to that pain in the ass ACL issue), I think I’m off to a great start.
I asked my coach where I should be at, as far as zone or pace or whatever – and she told me to race wherever I was comfortable. It sounded like she wanted me to break out and really hoof it. She suggested that I might be good in the upper areas of Zone 4, just under anaerobic. For the first time in my life, I’m really starting to look forward to running and racing. Like, after work, I can’t wait to go and run. Also, this is the first time since I started training that I’m actually running more than I’m swimming – which is saying a lot.
Other than the gains in running, I’m also making small gains in my cycling. I’m finding that it’s easier to maintain higher speeds (+ 2-3 MPH), and also my pedal stroke is getting slightly more efficient. All of these little improvements on land are really exciting to me, as I’ve always been a water creature.
Last week, on my first run since my ankle thing, a seem on the big toe of my Vibrams came undone. Sufficed, I was tickled pink at how Vibram and REI both handled it, and the shoes were replaced with brand new ones. I didn’t think that REI would do anything, since I didn’t have the receipt or the box, so I emailed Vibram. They told me to take them to REI, because they have a 90 day warranty. Also, REI has a very liberal return policy. The guy at REI looked up the purchase on my REI card, and gave me store credit to get another pair. My only complaint:
From my journal
The replacement Vibrams that I got from REI were a little snug and tough in the sole, which caused a little calf pain, not to mention the outside front pad of my left foot was a little sore. (At least I wasn’t running on the inside pad, last time I did that, I got a blood blister on my big toe.) I guess this just means that my old KSO’s were broken in well.
Next weekend, I’m heading to Salt Lake City for a swim team gathering and snowshoe expedition. I didn’t want to ski this year for fear of injuring myself and the beginning of what I am, so far, considering a great training season. I will post an update on my results here, soon.
Sorry, I wish my life was more interesting right now.
Coming soon: A repository of barefoot and POSE running information, an article on Heart Rate training, and a review of the Tria Home Laser Hair removal system. Why hair removal? Because I’m too damn lazy to shave my legs every other day. Take that, society!
The last few weeks have been exhausting! I’d like to apologize for the lack of updates lately, especially since I said I’d post video updates on my progress. My time has been little.
First of all, I’d like to throw a shout-out to my friend Daphne! She just posted her first blog entry on IronDaph.com. Daphne has done the 2007 IronMan Australia, and crossed the finish line with a fracture in her foot just under 14 hours. This time around, she’s determined to finish with a much better time. If you recall, Daphne and I went to Arizona back in November to volunteer for IMAZ so we could get our spots for next year.
So, last Saturday, I had a stellar run. Saturdays are my distance days for running, and I did a seven mile zone 2 run with absolutely no calve pain. I could feel that my stride is lengthening a bit, the balls of my feet are getting stronger, the run is getting more efficient, and my heels are finally coming up under my hips where they need to be. There was hardly any fatigue in the run at all. Other than the sloshing through mud-puddles and slush, it was great.
Saturday night, I decided to go out with some friends, so we went to a club. Somehow, I screwed up my ankle dancing. I thought it was an eversion sprain on my right inner ankle. I was able to do my run on Monday with relatively few issues. I saw Dr. Dan Tuesday night, and he said I had jammed up my Talus somehow, then adjusted my ankles, knees and hips. He told me to ice it regularly.
Coach Aimee got back to me a day or two later, and told me that I should probably keep off it while it hurts. I hit swimming on Wednesday, even though the swelling hadn’t gone down by that point, and ended up pulling the majority of the set.
I’ve been using this time to get some things around the house cleaned up. Today, I need to attack the living room and the bathroom. Perhaps get the car cleaned out, and even pick up some Argos landmines in the back yard. The time off is driving me nuts, because I know I need to be out training, but even while off my feet, I’m still exhausted from all the training I’ve been doing.
I have a good feeling about it all, and I think I might pick up a 5K race at Washington Park on Super Bowl Sunday. Thankfully, next week is recovery week, then we get into base week 2:1. The distance will be amped up a bit.
The other issue on my mind is that I really need to find a new home for my dog. I’m training now about as much as I was training in the height of my last season, and as it is, I have very little time. It’s not fair for my roommate to have to look after him all the time, and it’s not fair that Argos has to be in his kennel so much because nobody’s there. He really deserves better. I love the dog to death, but I’ve come to an impasse with this one. The lady who we did obedience training with is looking into a lady who has agility dogs, to see if she would be interested. I hope it works out, or else I’m going to have to call the rescue operation I got him from.
Other than that, things have been uneventful and full of cleaning goodness. I have to keep things cleaned up so I can just freshen things up when I have some spare time. I asked the coach about it, and she said when she started, her and her husband got a maid to help clean the house. I really wish it was an option, but in my current financial state, it’s a no-go.
I have my final list of races for this season.
Super Bowl 5K (February 7)
COMSA SCY Swimming Championships (April 9-11)
(A) Denver Colfax Marathon (May 16)
Boulder Boulder (May 31)
Tri the Creek (June 5)
Triple Bypass (July 10)
BAM Barebones Swim (July 18?)
(A) Boulder IronMan 70.3 (August
Horsetooth 10K Swim (August 15)
Tour de Cure (August 21)
Tenderfoot Triathlon (September 5)
Gorilla Run (October 30)
(A) Arizona IronMan (November 21)
Yeah, I’ve got a 6 mile swim in there. Where indicated by (A), those are my focus races for the season. I know there will be a few other races peppered in there for good measure.
Diet-wise, I’ve been having some issues jumping onto the Paleo bandwagon. Red meat still bothers my stomach, and it’s hard to completely kick cereal grains. I’ve sort of made a diet that combines features from the Blood Type diet and the Paleo diet both. I am trimming down quite a bit, but there are times when I need a bowl of oatmeal, damn it!
Well, I have to get home and clean. I will try to be better about updating my status and whatnot. That was my update, and I kinda moosed myself.
Every year in January, gyms surge with new members trying to shed weight and get into better shape. At the core of this phenomenon is every New Years resolution ever made. By February, the numbers start thinning out, by March, many are left holding a club membership card they don’t even intend to use. In fact, people make excuses – I’m too busy, I don’t have the time, etc…
Steve over at Nerd Fitness posted this article on resolutions which seemed to hit the nail on the head. Basically, he says that one shouldn’t set open-ended goals, but instead, should quantify the steps within the goals for each and every resolution. Admittedly, I do have a list of resolutions, but they are more of a road map of goals that I need to finish this year, rather than a promisary note to myself.
Successful resolutions take planning and also involve taking that first step. As Lao-tzu once said:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
So often, when I talk of Triathlon with friends who aren’t into the sport, many of them call me crazy and say they couldn’t do it. Many say they are too set in their ways, or when it comes to diet, they like [insert random junk food item here] too much to give it up.
Bullshit.
One of the best things I ever did was get into Triathlon. I have to thank my good friend Kel for this one, as he convinced me I should do a tri after I bought a pair of running shoes to supplement my dry-land training, and to lose more weight. Best of all, I feel great, I look great, and I’m in the best shape of my life. The catalyst for it was easy: it’s easier to get into shape when you’re younger and maintain that physical fitness rather than wait until you’re metabolism has slowed down, you’re overweight with numerous health issues, and it’s hard to even move.
Something that I’ve heard a lot, while watching a triathlon or an IronMan on TV – people have a tendency to say, “I bet I could do that.” (Some say “I wish…” instead.) Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in the US right now. Some people sign up for it just to try it – to say that they did a triathlon. Some people use it as a springboard for better health. Others are just plain masochistic. (Why else would the IronMan exist?)
The call to arms!
Here is my challenge to you – yes, YOU!
I don’t care how out of shape you are. I don’t care if you just got over smoking, an ex-girl/boyfriend, the swine flu. I don’t care what your excuse is!! I want to challenge you to enter into a running race, a cycling race / tour, OR a triathlon. I can hear the collective moan right now, and I don’t want to hear your excuses.
Think you can do it? As they say in the biz… it’s time to put up or shut up.
Now, here’s how to do it.
First, let’s set some groundwork:
Your first-race goal should be to finish. Chances are, you won’t place. If you do, congratulations! Just don’t go into a race expecting that you’re going to win your age group, or that you’re going to hand a pro/elite their ass.
Don’t go out and buy expensive equipment… yet. Triathlon is an expensive sport, but you should do a few races before you go out and start buying things. The exception to this: you will want a good pair of running shoes. (Not from Wal*Mart – you will hurt yourself. Go to a running store and have someone watch your stride, and fit you for a shoe that works for you and your style.) As far as a bike, use what you’ve got. A mountain bike, an old road bike – hell, you can borrow a friend’s bike or rent one from a shop. Just remember that you will need something to train on, even if it is that bitchin’ beach cruiser.
Don’t go into battle under or over-prepared. Yes, you can over-train. Set up a training schedule and stick to it the best you can. If you miss a workout, it’s gone. Don’t try to make it up. Just hit the next one, and keep going. Get a triathlon training book with your distance listed, or a running / cycling book with workouts in it. There are also tons of websites out there.
Bring along a friend! Friends are great for moral support. If you enter the same race, and keep on each other about workouts, you will probably be more successful than if you go it alone. Not to mention, it’s always good to have someone there to push you. Also, joining a swim team, cycling club, running group, or Triathlon club is a good idea. There are people there who can help you develop your technique.
Don’t… DON’T get in over your head. Your first race shouldn’t be a long-distance triathlon, an IronMan, a marathon, or even a century ride. You will want a few races or events under your belt before you do these, and you will really want to build yourself up to it. Start with a sprint triathlon, or a 5K running race, or a bike race that’s between 10 and 40 miles. Without having that experience, you could hurt yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Are you healthy enough to race? Please check in with your doctor to make sure you’re not going to put your life in danger if you race.
One of the best ways that I’ve found to do a triathlon and stick with it:
Find an event that you can finish. Research it, talk to people who’ve done it, and decide on one that you would enjoy doing.
Register for the event. Do it right then. Don’t wait, unless the registration isn’t open or you need that next paycheck to roll around.
Once registered: you have this event hanging over your head. You’ve paid good money for it. Now, set a schedule. Pick up a copy of the Triathlete’s Training Bible, or use an online workout plan.
Set up an account with OnTri, TrainingPeaks, Beginner Triathlete, or any of the other numerous workout tracking websites. A lot of them will also give you access to free workouts and scheduling features. USE THEM to your advantage.
Tell everyone you’re doing a triathlon. Build a support base. Now that you’re telling people you’re determined to do this triathlon, you’re not only holding yourself accountable, everyone you tell about it is holding you accountable.
Ask Questions. There’s a big sports community out there. Pick their brains!!
Do your event.
Bask in the glory and the sun-shiny feeling that you’ve accomplished your goal. If you bonked your race, at least you tried and you’ve learned what you’ll need to do differently next time. If you cross that finish line, which is one of those happy moments in life that you really need to experience at least once, you have earned the official title of triathlete / runner / cyclist.
Use your bragging rights accordingly. If you’ve been bitten by the triathlon bug, (or whatever sport you’re doing) plan for your next race, and how you can improve the next time around.
There is no ten. Just go out and do it.
It’s time to find your inner animal. Can you do it? Are YOU up to the challenge to better yourself?
No, this is not some odd advertisement for glow-in-the-dark prophylactics or something… But, with that said, today’s topic is, again, safety. With the dark months of winter here, training becomes more difficult due to the temperatures outside, and the fact that it gets plenty dark plenty quick. Why, here in Colorado, by the time 5:00 rolls around, it’s already dark outside. That makes it hard for the 9-to-5′er to get out there and do their thing.
Training is a way of life for some of us – especially those hard-core triathletes that have to train because of a race early in the season, or for those of us who are a little apprehensive about packing on the holiday pounds.
A Dancer in the Dark
One of the first things I was told when I started getting into Triathlon was that as a pedestrian, weather cycling, running, or doing anything outdoors, you need to make yourself visible to traffic. Usually, my runs in the winter take place in the dark, since being I have to hit the trail before or after work. (If it’s too cold, I’ll hit the track at the rec center.)
There are a myriad of lights and accessories you can get for your bike, and there are oodles of reflective fashions that are totally in style this year. (Think: Paris and Milan, Dahlink!) These are the basic foundations of making yourself visible to other trafic.
I recently discovered two products from RoadID. The first one was the RoadID Firefly SuperNova. This little bugger packs quite a punch, and the light that it emits can be seen up to a mile away. (That’s 1.6 Kilometers, for all you metric types out there.) So what’s the first thing I did when I got them?
I'll be Bach! (Or Beethoven...)
You got it. I pulled a terminator and wore it like a monacle. This isn’t the way RoadID prescribes that one wears their product, but it was fun nonetheless. Usually, I wear mine on my Zoot Race Number Belt while I’m running – one on the front and the back – or I’ll clip it onto the pocket of my bike jersey. They come with cool clips so you can attach them to just about anything.
They also come in an assortment of colors; red, green, clear, and blue are available. My suggestion is this: avoid the red or green ones if the blue lights are legal in your area. (I know some police officers get a little iffy about flashing blue lights attached to anything but their cop cars, but I haven’t had an issue with this yet.)
The reason you’d want to stay away from red is fairly simple, and there are multiple reasons. First off, red is the lowest color on the color spectrum, and is therefore the hardest for the human eye to see. Mix that with the fact that there are red lights everywhere, and when a driver is on auto-pilot, a red light is a red light. When the battery dies, they are a little harder to spot because of this.
Green has the same sort of auto-pilot issues: it’s common enough on the street that it’s often overlooked, but it’s better than the red option for sure.
Blue is the brightest color on the color/light spectrum, and is easier seen than red. Also, since it’s used on emergency vehicles, it seems to me that it would be more easily noticed by drivers since it’s not a normal part of the traffic lighting system in the US.
I’m not saying any one particular color is wrong: they all help increase your visibility while on the road. I just wanted to put this out there for your consideration. As much as I hate to say it, triathletes and those of us who train on or near public roads are always at a higher risk for accidents. It’s just the nature of what we do. One of my biggest pet peeves is (almost not) seeing a cyclist on the road with no reflectors who’s wearing all black – especially those with no helmets!
Who are you, really?
RoadID
Here’s another sound investment to put your mom’s mind at ease: the RoadID flagship product – the RoadID. These little bracelets (or anklets) are good incase you’re prone to careening of the side of a mountain or crashing into random stationary objects. Been to the hospital after a wreck? You really need one of these!
Lance Armstrong is proof that crashing is inevitable for all cyclists. It’s not if, it’s when. Trust me, you will eventually eat asphalt if you’re on a bike. If you never have in your life, and you never do in the future, go buy yourself a lotto ticket, because you’re one of the luckiest people on the planet. Even for runners, you can have a heat stroke or, heaven forbid, you can get hit by a car.
There are too many applications for this product to be listed, but for this training year, while I’m outside, this is one thing that you won’t ever not see on my wrist.
What’s so special about it? Well, you get several lines to put whatever information you wish. It’s laser engraved and permanent. I put my name, my birth year, two emergency contact numbers, “NKA, NO MHX” (No known allergies, no medical history), and a quip that reads “The m00se is l00se!” There is also an interactive version that has an 800 number and a website listed after a personalized serial number – that way you can update your information if you move. (Personally, I like my information to be right there. I don’t want to add another step for a first responder.)
You may be saying to yourself, “But I always carry my wallet with me,” or “I keep my ID in my seat bag or back pocket.” Thing is, a lot of times, a paramedic won’t have access to your seat bag, and if you’re laying on your bike jersey, chances are you won’t be able to get at your ID. All sorts of things can happen to your wallet and cards. With RoadID, it’s strapped to your wrist, and unless you lose a limb, it’s very visible to first responders.
There are tons of testimonials on their website that you can read. There are also tons of nightmare stories out there as well. Seems like there isn’t a month that goes by that you don’t hear about something bad happening to a runner, cyclist, triathlete, or pedestrian.
Just remember to be safe out there, and STAY VISIBLE!
It’s hard to quantify my feelings right now. Everything seems so out of joint and scattered that it’s been hard to find any semblance of center. I only have a few days until the new year, and when this rolls around, I have to do more than hit the ground running. It’s time to fly.
There’s been something at the back of my head that’s scaring me. It’s a little bit like being overwhelmed, and I know it’s only going to be a matter of time before I have to overcome it. I can’t live with this for the better part of a year without it affecting my performance over time.
Then, something magical happened when I talked to Mom on the phone. Seems we both had a hard day focusing, but she told me that she was tickled pink that I’ve grown to be so athletic, and how much I’ve grown up over the last few years. I think that’s just what I needed to hear, because it settled my mind a lot.
There it was: the excitement of a new adventure. That little monster known as “mental game”, which must be closely related to the Motivation Monster.
A few times today I’ve thought, “God, what the hell am I doing to myself?”
I think it’s that I’m coming to a realization of the scope of 2010, and what it’s going to do to me physically, mentally, and emotionally. Part of it is that I don’t think in terms of taking one step at a time, I think about the bigger picture, and the bigger picture is, indeed, intimidating.
So, now it’s time to come back down to earth and settle in for a while. Refocus and do what I need to do. I just hope that I’m able to chronicle this journey well enough so that others can get some use out of it… or some sort of entertainment.
Yeah, I’m almost thirty, and I still act a goofball from time to time. Last night, packed in with my copy of Zinn and the Art of Triathlon Bikes, I got my set of Moose Antlers.
Come to think of it, I will probably need to get the Zinn road bike repair book as well, since it seems that it’s more in-depth. The triathlon book seems to be more about aero fitting and how to pack, reassemble, and fix triathlon bikes and their specific components.
ANYway, I wanted to touch base on my least favorite part of a triathlon – the running portion. Well, I wanted to touch on POSE, Garmin, and the Vibrams more specifically.
The past few weeks, I’ve been working a bit on some pre-base training. Quite a bit of cavorting through the underbrush, so to speak. My first priority has been to get the hang of this technique for the POSE method. While my first instincts are to run on the front part of my foot while wearing the Vibrams, I’m still a ways away from getting to the actual core portion of the technique.
My head still bobs a bit – I can feel it and see it in my shadow when I run past a light source. I also know that I’m not getting my ankles up under my hips where they need to be. This is where one of the training belts might come in a little handy.
I’ve been reading over the POSE for Triathletes book, and I’ve got to say that it reads like a dry psychology textbook. There’s a lot of information on running physio, gravity, and science in there before you even get into the drills or technique sections. Then again, who picks up books like this and actually reads the first few chapters, anyway?
The reason I am doing it is fairly simple: I’ve never really been a good runner at all, so this is the first time I’ll actually be learning a full running form technique from the ground up. I also want to completely understand the principles behind it because I really want to become a level 1 POSE coach after I get my ACSM Personal Training certs. A clear understanding of the method is paramount.
But I will credit the technique for one thing right away – those annoying ACL issues I was having over the summer (aching knees, tight hammys, etc…) haven’t come back at all. I’m WAY less fatigued that I would be running normally, and since I’m so tall, using gravity to my advantage isn’t all that hard.
The first few runs killed my calves, though. I still feel them get a little tight after a mile or so, but the recovery time has diminished greatly. (Last Monday, I ran and I was only sore for two or three days. I went last night, and today, I’m not even sore at all.) I guess it goes to show you that the more you condition your calves, the more it works in your favor. I have also been stretching a lot more before and after runs, as well as doing calf-presses and leg lifts at the gym. I’m hoping that this running style will really help my cycling, as well.
The Vibrams… oh, the Vibrams. My goofy little shoes…
They feel like you’re running in socks or slippers, like they aren’t even there at all. They are really comfortable to run in (if fitted to your foot right), and path-based trail running is pretty nice. Once in a while, I will step a small, sharp rock – you feel it, but it doesn’t hurt like it would if you stepped on it barefoot. It just feels like you’re stepping on a small rock. I have yet to bruise my foot in them, but as summer gets closer, and I start taking to the trail runs, I’m probably going to switch over to the KSO Treks, which have a thicker sole. The group I run with often goes over some pretty rough trails.
I would recommend them to anyone, really. Well, as long as you’re willing to adapt your running technique. I can’t imagine it would feel good to heel-strike in them. Actually, after talking to me and asking scads of questions, a lot of my friends are getting or have gotten Vibrams, and the results seem very positive.
One friend had to get a different style of POSE shoe due to a hammer-toe issue. He really likes the POSE method, but the Vibrams just don’t work right for him. This is why the fit is so important. Each toe needs to fit in each little sleeve for them to work right, and unfortunately hammer toes and webbed toes won’t fit right into the shoe.
One concession here, however. Having big hooves, I have long toes. My second and third toe from the hallux (big toe) are a bit syndactyl-ish – but only webbed to the first bend or set of metatarsal phalangeal joints (toe knuckles). The divides in the vibrams shoes doesn’t go all the way to the crooks of my toes, so they sit comfortably against the crook in toe three and four. If you have syndactyly in your toes, the best way to know if the Vibrams will fit is to find a retailer and try them on. If your feet are webbed like mine, then they might work fine for you.
REI is one of the major outlets that carry them in stock, if you’d like to try them on. They are gaining major popularity, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them start showing up in other places, or to even see a few knock-offs on the market. (I’ve spotted people at the gym and in the park wearing them.)
Training with the Garmin is a lot of fun. It gives me an excuse to go out and run, and when you use the built in training mode, it’s almost like playing a game. I can’t wait to increase my anaerobic threshold, though – when I’m doing a Zone 1-2-1 workout, even while at a brisk walk, the Garmin beeps at me, and the screen reads “SLOW DOWN!” like it’s the end of the world, and I’m careening at high speeds toward a brick wall to my own doom.
Hey, walking is dangerous.
Just go home, strap on my RoadID and Firefly lights, and hit the trail. (I look like an airplane taxiing on the tarmac!) But I always look forward to going home and uploading my data to TrainingPeaks. It’s fun to see altitude charts, heart rate and speed data as well as the maps. Sometimes, I’ll randomly cross the park, zig-zag, and turn around. (My goal is to write out “moose” in cursive in the middle of Washington Park using the GPS map. Heh.)
Now, if I could just stick to this damned diet!
PS – If you look to your address bar, you may have noticed that Mooselegs.net has changed to blog.getmoosed.com. In the coming weeks, a new layout and some fun video blogs will be appearing here.
Okay, so this has next to nothing to do with the purpose of my blog. I got a new Kodak Zi8 with the intention of using it for Vlogs and getting footage mounted on the bike, being able to make a video for my Grandparrents, who might not be able to make it to Arizona for IronMan, etc… (So, maybe a little bit…)
For some reason, the first thing I did with it was tested it with a homemade SnorriCam mount that I have kicking around. (Hey, I work in the film industry… What did you expect?) I wanted to see how it handled the movement. Here’s what I posted to my FaceBook profile. I’m sure I’ll have all sorts of other footage to show, but for now, I decided to show how this footage looks for those of you looking for a neat little HD pocket camcorder for under $200.
