Here Today, Gone Fishing

Next weeks starts the big push towards Ironman Florida. So today after a little get together at the park with some friends and their kids, I am going fishing. Its the first time in about two years which is much to long.

I love fishing as much as I love running. I have fished extensively throughout the south Pacific, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana. Oh good Lord, to fish again in Montana! I own more poles than running shoes.

I am going up with a good friend and his son, just to get the lines wet most likely. In any regards, its a catch and release day for me, if I happen to catch anything.

Race Schedule 2005-2007

		2005	Event	Distance
X	#1	March 8, 2005	Mayo Clinic Run	8k
X	#2	March 13, 2005	Valley Of The Sun	13.1 miles
X	#3	March 20, 2005	Scottsdale Triathlon	300m/12m/3m
X	#4	May 15, 2005	Cheetah Run	5k
dns	#5	May 28, 2005	ARR Summer Series	5k-pinched nerve
X		June 4-5, 2005	Princess Resort	Vacation
dns	#6	June 11, 2005	Fat Tire Triathlon 2	Swim to long
X	#7	June 18, 2005	ARR Summer Series	5k
X	#8	July 4, 2005	ARR Summer Series	5k
	#9	July 20-25, 2005	Fishing Trip Yosemite	Vacation
	#10	August 6, 2005	ARR Summer Series	5k
	#11	October 22, 2005	Tour de Farm	30 miles cycling
	#12	October 30, 2005	Soma Triathlon	1/2 IM or 1/4 IM
	#13	November 13, 2005	New Times	10K
		2006	Event	Distance
	#1	January 15, 2006	PF Chang Marathon	26.2 miles
	#2	March 2006	Valley Of The Sun	26.2 mile
	#3	March 2006	Scottsdale Triathlon	300m/12m/3m
		April to Ocober	Training IM Florida
	#4	May 6, 2006	Wildflower Triathlon	1/2 IM
	#5	November 2006	Ironman Florida	2.4 mile swim 112 mile bike 26.2 mile run
		2007	Event	Distance
	#1	January 2007	PF Chang Marathon	26.2 miles
	#2	March 2007	Scottsdale Triathlon	300m/12m/3m
	#3	April 2007	Ironman Arizona	2.4 mile swim 112 mile bike 26.2 mile run
	Races subject to change based on wife, son,life, injury, illness, taper, unforseen events
	May substitute race with other event as they become available

Big News Coming Friday!!!

Tomorrow morning bright and early I will be posting my Official Racing Schedule for the foreseeable future.

Birds will sing, trumphets will blow, a choir of angels will appear, gold chariots will drive by with cherubic children tossing holly and rose petals. A glorious event to behold.

A little poll- Please Respond

I have had the pleasure, if you would call it that, of not having to worry about food intake the last week or so. When I am sick, I deny myself nothing, why worry about food when I can't taste it and my eating schedule is screwed up anyway?

So I thought to myself, when I am healthy: what is the most common healthy lunch I eat and what is the most common cheat lunch I eat. So here is what I discovered..

HEALTHY: teriyaki bowl with brown rice, white chicken meat and broccoli.
CHEAT: #4 Taco Bell Combo Meal-Mexican pizza with two taco supremes and maybe another taco.

So please answer with these caveats~
1) Only lunches because dinners are a whole other deal.
2) If either meal is homemade that's fine.
3) These answers should be what you are actually eating on a regular basis not what your ideal meal would be if you could have it.

The Mighty Mo, now 2 yo, enjoys short naps, belly laughs, learning sign language, good goldfish and watering the flower garden each morning. 

Attention to details

BONUS WED'S POST: Preventing A Pulled Hammy

I know that when my back is tight (which is daily) or really messed up (right now) that my glutes and hammy's are fired up and part of the problem. Know I don't really stretch much, I do some corrective stretchs but always felt too much stretching was counter productive to working out, and now leading scientists may be proving me right, but I digress...

While in PT with Dr. Billingham, hereafter known simply as Simon, today, I asked him to check the hammys to see if loosening those up would help my back. The test was with me on my back and him moving each leg to 90 degrees. Right leg about 80 and the left 70. So not bad but then he turns into Torquemada and begand to stretch me out using Active-Isolation-Resistance or some type of caca-rocka mumbo jumbo and BAM did that hurt. After a few sets I felt much looser and better for it but I sometimes wonder why I opened my big mouth. BTW I love e-stim (electrical stimulation) I always get it just a bit too high in the beginning because I get used to the pain. Otherwise I don't get that Umph all the way through the 15 minute session.

Natural My Ass

I am not what you call a natural athlete. Oh I have had my success and I am competitive, but my exercise has much more to do with structure and results than kicking the crap out of the guy I am playing or racing against. It takes me practice and time and repetition to be as good as natural athletes.

I take pride in the fact that I may not be a fast runner, but I am a long runner. I work with ex-football players that still run high 4's in the forty, where I am closer to low 7's (well I don't actually know that as I haven't tested it in years, I mean really...why?) So I take pride in the fact that even though I may not be fast, I am willing to enter races, some long, some short, but I compete in events and I finish them.

I have never DNF'd a race. I started a marathon with a conservative 3:45 goal, thinking that a 3:30 was very possible. I bonked hard and finished at 4:55. Then had to get IV'd for dehydration. Had I stopped the race I wouldn't have had that problem but I read a saying that sums it up nicely. "Failure weighs but an ounce, regret weighs a pound."

I play a little racquetball and love it, but I am not very good. I can win a few games but if I get whipped I don't take it personally like some of guys who curse and hit their rackets against the wall if the ball doesn't go exactly how they want, even if they scored the point.

What really gets me though is natural athletes, non-commodore's if you will. I know that when I resume running this week (hopefully) that it will take me three weeks to get back to a solid base. That and I promised to run the Cheetah 5k at the Phoenix Zoo on May 15. So I have to be able to represent.

I have a friend, Mike from Scottsdale Running Company, who just ran Boston in 3:30. The amazing thing is that since the Chicago Marathon in 04, he has only run once to prepare for Boston and that was a 20 miler, just to see how his legs felt. That's a natural runner!

Another example is a hike up a fairly steep hill called Camelback here in Phoenix. The first time most people go up it takes 40 minutes to climb the 1.25 mile, 1500 feet climb. After a few runs, where you can remember where to push and when to relax, a reasonable time is closer to 30 minutes. I once did it in 28 minutes after climbing it twice a week for two months. One co-worker, who is not an exceptional athlete, on his first attempt reached the top in 29 minutes. And I consider myself an experienced hiker.

I take all this in stride though. I know that the one quality I have is persistence, or what I prefer to call an 'iron will'. I don't get there fast, but I take the challenge and I get there. Which I think is better than most who suffer from Common Man Syndrome (CMS) who only dream but never move or natural's who take their gift for granted.

Triathlons Ain't Easy Chapter 35

"Looking at yourself in the mirror for the first time in your new Speedo." (or "Is it ever as flattering as you thought?")


T.A.E. explained.

Commonalities

I have had some time to find new triathlete blogs and follow leads from other tri-blogs to where ever they can inevitably lead. What makes tri-blogs so fascinating is that they are bent to the that persons strength. Not neccesarily through what their training program is but how they do it.

For example, Brian at Confessions of a Flabby Ironman has an obvious cycling bent. Rett at White Salamander has a swimming bent. Shelley, racking up a year any pro athlete would envy over at Ironm4n and I lean towards running. Now if you read Wil at throughthewall she stays pretty balanced discussing all three disciplines, though with the marathons shes running shortly its been long miles for her.

All of us follow a training program that revolves around triathlons but the way we approach the training says a lot about us and our strengths. I read about Retts awesome swimming and I am awed. I read about Brian's or Flatman's cycling exploits and I just wish my butt could handle doing all those miles. I read about Shelley finishing Boston and going to Kona and I just shake my head wondering how I could train to be as natually talented as she must be.

The point is, what each of us individually writes about ourselves in our little blog has great impact on everyone else who reads it, at least it does to me. Some make me want to be a better swimmer, some give me hope that I can improve my cycling. Others just flat our motivate me. So all of you keep doing what your doing, as will I, and I will read between the lines of your training to see what your strengths and weaknesses are and learn from your training how to be better than I am.

Minor Setback

I uncharactisticly slept in late yesterday, along with a pathetic cough, cotton mouth and a feeling of lethargy was enough for Mistress to force my hand and go see a doctor. Luckily my medical center is a seven day a week place. I guess I really didn't mind going as this thing has hung around for its third week now and I don't feel any closer to resuming a full workout schedule.

My doctor told me I have walking pneumonia and prescribed the usual antibiotics and robotusin with codeine for at night, plus an Albuterol inhaler to clear out my lungs. Said I could start working out when I feel like it, though I probably won't feel like it for about a week.

So this puts endurance training in a hover pattern for a few days at least. Till then I will just fix my back with a couple more trips to the chiropractor and do some light circuit training with corrective stretches. Maybe some easy pedaling on a lifecycle.

Wish the rest of you a great training week and I will be reading all your blogs for the latest and greatest on your performance. In the meantime I will try to find some interesting topics to keep you all entertained until I can report back on a successful swim, bike or run workout.

Hunter Kemper Wins Mazatlan ITU 2005

So far only the rankings have been listed for ITU Mazatlan, not a story about the race but Hunter Kemper came in first with a time of 1:50:32 in the Olympic distance event. My good buddy Joe Umphenour came in 16th with a time of 1:52:35.

Vanesa Fernandez of Portugal came in first for the women elites with a time of 2:01:56.

A big birthday for a special boy

Today is the Mighty Mo’s second birthday and it is a miracle that he has made it. He was born with asthma, allergies and a low immune system. Just moments after his birth, he wheezed before he cried. All those complications have caused him much suffering. In his short life he has been through more medical testing, operations and procedures than almost every adult I know. There have been many days that I was not sure if he would be around to see his this day.

Doctors and nurses are amazed at how positive and happy he is while enduring such painful things. Medical personnel who have not met him wonder why we say the symptoms we do when visually he looks just fine, however after just a basic cursory exam they wonder how he can even stand, let alone smile and laugh and flirt.

Now he has a battery of doctors and nurses who know his issues well and have really gone extra steps to bring his little life along. He can now do most everything any other child can except one; he can’t spend time in groups of kids because his immune system will fail from a common cold or runny nose. Without fail at least once per month he develops a virus from church daycare and that’s pretty much the only unknown group he is with during the week.

He loves being around other kids and other kids love him, people stop us and remark about how well behaved and beautiful he is when we go out, but he spends much of the week alone at his grandparents. On Fridays he goes to a ‘safe house’ where a friend watches a few children that are all sympathetic to his condition and he can play without much cause for concern.

He is my reason for living. He is the bravest little boy I know. He has shown me more about acceptance and courage and forgiveness and more about having a good attitude in crappy situations than I have ever learned on my own. Maybe the worst is over, maybe not, doctors are not sure, he is still a little guy and his body has much growing and maturing to do. My little buddy-wuddy has been an inspiration to lots of people but none more so than to his proud parents on a day we sometimes feared would be celebrated in a much more somber way.

Whats going on

This has just been a nuts day and I am glad its over. I woke up with my back completely out of wack and could not stand upright very well, and when I did my right shoulder was aligned over my belly button, so I wasn't upright even when upright.

But it's my sons two year birthday tomorrow and we had planned a trip to the zoo with friends so after a dose of advil off we went. Ugh that hurt. Luckily I was able to get an appointment with my chiropactor and after a rub, crack and some e-stim I felt moderately better before I had to make my next appointment which was help a friend buy his first computer and then set it up for him.

It only took three stops to find what worked for him and a quick set up at his place but I was an hour late to my son's birthday party with my parents. I had only had three flapjacks and two bottles of water all day so I inhaled three enchiladas and a big piece of chocolate cake, now my stomach is throwing a fit.

Now my back is still out, haven't stopped moving since 0900 and my stomach is telling me its leaving. Unfortunately no training for the third weekend in a row and I need to wait till after Mondays chiro appointment to make sure this back thing doesn't get worse from road pounding. My plan is my first run back in training on Tuesday morning.

I think all of Wil's Mojo has left me in a state ofBad Juju.

Finally Lucille is ready for our next chapter together. Lucille is a 1998 Softride Roadwing that was a twin to my wife’s. We got them to take her triathlons to the next level as she had used a very old hand-me-down Trek.

I was training for Triathlons then too, only work got in the way, then we moved to Arizona and everything got in the way. I learned how to ride a bike on Lucille. (A long story for another day).

In a moment of weakness I sold it to a friend doing tri's in 2002. To read about how Lucille came back into my life read this.

It was providence that she is back in my life and with perfect timing. I will be finalizing my racing schedule this weekend, I have to get all my print outs and paper scraps together to hammer it out.
 

The day has come..Lucille

Lucille is ready to be picked up today. I went by Thursday and took some pictures and gently whispered sweet nothings into her handlebars. Unfortunately blogger was down to long and I couldn't post the photo and now I am having problems at home grabbing from e-mail.

Please come back around 0815 Arizona time and my post will be up. This afternoon I will be going to Tribe to get a custom fitting for max performance and bring Lucille home..

Many thanks to Kevin and Dave at Tribe MultiSport in Scottsdale. Their immeasurable care and assistance in bring Lucille back to racing form is much appreciated and respected. BTW, they did an amazing job helping triathletes pack and process their bike for shipping to and from IM AZ.

Waiting for a notary...

Well all the talk between Mistress and I is coming to a close. We have discussed money, we have discussed time, we have discussed responsibilities, we have each pleaded our cases before each other and have hammered out an iron clad agreement about my training plan for the upcoming year (or more, wink wink).

Now that she has me nailed against the wall do I have to the fortitude to back it up? I think yes but today have my doubts. I have over analyzed my positions, I have dared to assess failure as an option, I have laid my pysche bare and prostrated before my spouse as well as capitalized on her weaknesses. All for what? The pain, suffering and sacrifice of testing my human endurance. Of 3:30 a.m. workouts, of bricks, of sacrificing afternoons on the couch for hours on a ride, of driving myself crazy with numbers, numbers, numbers.

I have been really sick the last week and have not trained one iota. My eating habits, when hungry for those few precious seconds a day, have consisted of a diet to make any sufferer of Common Man Syndrome proud. I have enjoyed all this extra time with my boy, I have caught up on with Must See TV, who knew CSI was such a good show?

These are the last remaining days of feeling like I am dozing under my favorite blanket. I have become ensconced, in my flu induced CMS, with complacency and laziness. I look forward to long, hard workouts that will transform my body and sharpen my mind, but today part of me is happy to have retreated to someone normal, someone comfortable with using illness as an excuse to not exercise.

But change nevertheless is in the air, and the inevitable return to physical vitality and sweet bliss of a structured and regular menu will renew my spirit and my heart will be healed. The beast within will be releashed, The Zone will be tapped and incredible energies will propel my business, my body and my relationship with my wife and son to a whole nother level.

Sieze the Day, and throttle it- Calvin and Hobbes

Hash Runs

While over at Soccerdads blog I posted a comment in passing on joining a hash house group for their fun runs. Now when I bring up hash runs I get two responses from non-runners, disbelief or flat out denial. I assure you that hash runs do exist and by some are considered the closest thing to finding the pot of gold at the bottom of a rainbow.

The world wide organization of Hash House Harriers, here, is a loose organization revolving around running and drinking in a non-competitive way (the running, not the drinking). As a former hash runner (hound) let me describe the joy of the hunt.

When you join a hash group, you generally meet once or twice a month, at random locations around the city the group is located in, each organization has it owns rules. The finish line is then stated, either a bar or as you get more bawldy and adult some patch of grass unseen by normal people in the wood for example. Generally speaking the hares are fast runners who start about ten minutes before everyone else and they are fast. They carry bags of powdered chalk or colored powder and at (hopefully) regular intervals drop little piles of it to mark their path.

The goal is simple-catch the hare or reach the finish line before the last guy. Oh but the hares are tricky, they plant false trails. Remember they are fast and will play a false trail out a half mile or more and then you have to run back and around and try to figure it out. Silly rabbits. At the end of the runs which vary from 3-10 miles., is the traditional kegger or beerfest, with glorious toasting to virgin runners, or people wearing the best outfit or no outfit, whatever reason there is to toast.

Hash Groups range from family to XXX. Most are PG-13, meaning the party's over when you leave and the songs are repeatable to....say you, without me blushing.

My hash run experience was overseas and in double canopy jungle (though some in cites) . We ran over downed trees, through rivers and streams, underneath brush. It was R rated mostly which meant unrepeatable nicknames and songs that made me blush. There was some nudity, sometimes for show, mostly from clothes being ripped to shreds in the jungle but then a lot of clothes were deemed unfit for party wear at the kegger and were removed post run.

The last hound to make the kegger had to strip nude, climb a palm tree and retrieve a coconut.

The Wimbledon of Road Racing

This is probably the best article I have found on how elites race.

A longish account of the 109th Boston Marathon run yesterday.

Honolulu Triathlon and BIG SPOILER ALERT

An update on ITU racing. Joe Umphenour, a professional triathlete, good friend and triathlon mentor came in 18th place at the 2005 Honolulu Triathlon. Though it may seem far off, the winner was only two minutes ahead, 10th place only thirty seconds off. Good Job Joe and good luck this weekend at ITU Mazatlan.

I will finally put out some big news, no longer a secret about Jessi Stensland, Tri-geek dreams Tri-diva 2005. The rumor is that she broke her wrist two weeks ago in a bike accident. I have recieved this information from multiple sources close to Jessi, plus she failed to compete in ITU Honolulu which is a pretty big bell going off in peoples heads that something is a miss. I wish her only the speediest of recoverys.

Below Base Level

This has been a brutal weekend for me physically. I am very run down and didn't even leave the house over the weekend. It looks like a trip to the doctor today to get this chest thing taken care of. Throat is better but stomach is now giving my issues.

Going to spend the next three days stretching and doing some core exercises in the gym rather than risk a swim or run. Both bikes are in the shop getting tune ups.

In advance I appreciate all of you who wish me well and I am envious of your training.

An Unexpected Gift..Or Shrewd Ploy By The Racer?

Some big changes afoot at the bargining table. The case by Mistress was suddenly rocked with an unexpected phone call from Long Lost Friend (LLF) that swings negotiating into my favor. Hah Hah!

A big road block in my race planning revolved around a road bike. Mistress wanted good-faith on my part by participating in more triathlons this year before releasing funds for a new road bike. I, Racer, firmly councilled that I must have a road bike to train with specificity. Mistress wants me to use my mountain bike. We have both been intractable.

Then a bolt from the blue. LLF calls and says she ran into mutual friends and found out I did a triathlon last month and have more planned. She calls me up and says, "Hey I was thinking of you and wanted to know if you wanted your Softride back, make me an offer." Guh! (to quote Wil)

I don't think science has a name for the speediness in which I returned that call. Apparantly LLF is six months pregnant and no longer has the competitive spirit in her for cycling events. After a short 'what-have-you-been-up-to-this-is what-I-have-been-up-to", I made her a reasonable offer at lower than she paid for it and she counter-offered at a much lower price, saying this bike should be with me. Guh! Again. I am getting this bike back for almost nothing.

The price technically fell under the pre-stipulated clause with Mistress in what we can each spend without spousal approval, but I called her anyway and she was very happy, so I picked it up. (Side note: Come on people, all of you married bloggers have a pre-set price with your spouse for the amount of money you can spend without asking-whether you know it or not. A wife goes shopping and knows there is a set limit to amount of clothes she can buy without getting the lifted eyebrow and a guy knows that if he goes golfing the holes better not cost more than a certain amount, or there will be some splannin' to do.)

I immediately took the bike to Kevin at Tribe Multisport and after his initial, "Whoah talk about time warp" comments because the bike is originally spec'ed for 1998, we drooled and plotted and schemed on the upgrades.

Kevin acknowledged the bike is in excellent condition. LLF put a thick gel seat on her that just must go, so I am upgrading to a Serfas Tri seat. Then switching over to Speedplay clipless pedals with Shimano Vector shoes. The compo group is a very dated Shimano RX 100/105 set up (no longer sold but on par with Tiagra) but in very good shape so we are keeping that for now. So that and a top quality tune up and body rub, some new decals and the bike will be ready mid week.

This just goes to show that affirmations and prayer work. I was not praying for this bike back but a road bike for triathlons. It was beyond dreams that this bike would come back into my life. I learned how to ride on this bike. I consider it the first bike I ever bought. I bought this bike with an identical one for Mistress for her tri's that she did. Its like a long lost family member coming home.

By the way, the day I bought her is the day I named her... Lucille.

Paula Radcliffe won the London Marathon, Sunday April 17, 2005 with an unofficial course record, pending. She just recently won the NY marathon after a DNF at the 2004 Olympics where she was the favorite.

Ugh, I'mba ick, cough, cough

This past week I have been hobbled by a chest cold and a really nasty one at that. The final nail in the coffin was a swim workout that only lasted 350 yards.

We all know the symptoms; junk in the lungs that won't stay down, scratchy sore throat only abated by Ricola and hot tea, absolutely zero energy, chills. This makes the second weekend in a row I have not logged a long workout and it vexes me. I am very, very vexed.

So thank you all who leave feedback or not for letting me whine a bit about being sick

A Pyrrhic Victory?

Well the negotiations continue but I have overcome two big hurdles.

First, I have received unconditional support for up to 25 hours per week of training, with no more than 10 hours occurring on consecutive Saturdays and Sundays. I also must abide by our current agreement on pick ups and drop offs with my son. Also, as per her request, I must sleep in two times per week so we wake up together.

Second, household responsibilities and family obligations. Mistress will prepare a list of 'You-Will-Do's" on a daily basis. (There is no HoneyDo's in this Casa) I will have until 9:00pm the following night to complete the list or I will receive a two hour training penalty on the up coming weekend.

The money allotment is a very dicey thing right now. Believe me she is a master debater and she is cleaning my clock right now. I am on the ropes. I think that I can pull through with some well played hands but I think this is going to end up as a performance bonus program. Meaning if my commitment to my training program meets the minimum level of my goals than money is allocated for gear. Boy she knows me well.

So only a few more days and all will be well. There is one little thing though, that is that I haven't told Mistress the races I want to do. All this negotiation is done blind on her part. What we are agreeing to in terms of give and take has nothing to do with the actual events. If we focus on the actual races that detracts from the really important issues, time, money, family, commitment. If we can focus on the top 20% of the things that matter then the race schedule will take care of itself or be resolved in dialogue.

Fixed...Maybe?

Please give feedback if you are using explorer. I made an adjustment to my archiving days to remove a large frame photo and it seemed to do the trick. The trick being an adjustment to my sidebar bringing everything back up to the top.

So, if your using explorer, is my smiling face and profile at the top of the page?

And are my Goggle Ad's which you are all clicking on, triathlon related?

Everything seems to work fine with FireFox, which is free people.. and a much better browsing program. Its at Mozilla.

Hypernatermia= Death by water overdose

The New York Times came out with a piece on the dangers of drinking too much water. The first half is scare tactics and cross thought idealism until it gets to quotes from Dr. Tim Noakes who pretty much says, prove it. Dr Noakes is a legend in the running community. If you think The Tri Training bible is big try The Lore of Running by Noakes coming in at 944 pages and its as tall as it is wide..

The condition of Hyponatremia is an excess of water in the system, which is also depleted of electrolytes and specifically sodium. The over-abundance of water causes a failure in the bodies organs which can lead to death. It is further compounded by having symptoms similar to dehydration and when medical personnel treat a hyponatremia patient they use IV saline drips which continue to oversaturate.

This condition by the way has only been witnessed in endurance athletes and only in women who are slight of build or below normal body proportions and participate in events longer than 3.5 hours. Because runners and triathletes dehydrate themselves in vigorous exercise they reach for water as replenishment and 'neglect' sport drinks which scientists lead to Hyponatremia.

I think this NY Times piece is a joke, it doesn't even name Hyponatermia until half way through, but it is a good object lesson to replenish your electrolytes. Here is a better read.

Help Please

I jumped on a cpu at another location and looked up my blog through explorer and realized I have the same problem that Wil had with her blog page..the sidebars start about half way down the page. I only use FireFox at home and everything looks fine.

If anyone could give me some pointers I would really appreciate it.

Have Your People Call My People

Mistress Carol and I are in deep negotiations for my upcoming racing season, which includes wild-ass ambitions down to local 5k's. I have shown good faith already by already completing three races this year, 1, 2, 3, after a six month rehab assignment but now is when the rubber meets the road, so to speak.

We have a son, the Mighty Mo, who has some immune system issues that could throw everything in the waste basket if he goes sideways again and make all the pain and suffering a mute point. But in my offensive arsenal, and Mistress knows this, he has been doing very well the last few months and my parents moved here to help take care of him because he can't be in general daycare because of his system. So the 3-7 hour workouts on weekends could be back on the table and in play. Then again I could also get injuried again like last year.

Mistress is completely supportive of my endurance pursuits, more than most spouses, but still there are sacrifices that we, well any family really, must make for endurance racing. Sacrifices of time, money, emotional detachment, shifting of household responsibilities, we even discuss at what times I will get up or go to bed so as to not disrupt the house and, well, her. Believe me for every big ticket event I pitch she comes back with a big ticket sacrifice I have to make and I'm not talkin' more back rubs.

Its still going to take a week or so of robust dialogue to get this deal (my schedule) down where I have complete buy in and unconditional support from her on my training and races and I know what it's going to cost me in terms of...well she hasn't really told me all that yet. I'll keep you posted.

Sweet Release To Common Man Syndrome

Well it don't get much better than yesterday for a relapse of CMS and I didn't mind one bit. I woke up with a sore throat and scratchy voice. Now the Mighty Mo has been coughing and sneezing on me for a week but its all allegeries and asthma, so I am not thinking to much about it, I am pretty healthy after all. Cold-Eeze helps, I swear this stuff is the best I have ever used and I have got a half dozen others convinced as well.

But still, I didn't work out. I was dragging most of the day in a general malaze though because I have some weighty issues on the mind. However the complete submission to CMS came with the evening when Mistress Carol and I met two friends for the Jimmy Buffet concert. Yes Parrotheads rejoice, Jimmy was in town and the concert was great. I am not the biggest fan but Mistress is and so was Fitness Babe who met us there with her husband Super-Brain.

Oh yes there was the congested drive and I saw many car's decorated Parrothead style. We were a bit late for the tailgating but walked around for 15 minutes befor going in. There were the 40 year old fat men in coconut bras and hula skirts. There were mothers, wifes and girlfriends wearing ugly Hawaiian shirts and parrothead hats. Yes there was much margarita's consumed and hamburgers eaten (though not by me, the drink is to sugary and its a Tuesday for petes sake I have to workout today ya know), I stuck to water. For the record I wore cargo shorts and a Hawaiian shirt Mistress is embarrassed to been seen with me in-of course every male loves it. It was a long night but worth it.

It was a welcome release but glad to be back on track today.

I grabbed this from Ironmanlive.com, this is the last post of the in-race updates. I suggest reading the entire site, its actually really nice.

A great debut event ...

The folks here in Tempe didn’t really know what was coming at them this weekend.

The Starbucks just down the road from the race site ran out of coffee today. The Quizno’s ran out of bread to make sandwiches.

While the spectators might have gone short on coffee and subs, the athletes weren’t shorted anything. Of the 1,830 athletes who entered the water this morning, almost 1,700 of them finished. A lot endured what seemed like a lot more flats than usual. A few, tragically, missed the last loop of the bike course. Everyone had to face some really stiff winds, that the champion, Faris Al-Sultan, described as “every-bit as tough as Hawaii.”

In the end, we got to see all the great things we’ve come to expect, and love, here at Ironman races. There was the incredible Frank Farrar, a 76-year-old who was told more than a decade ago that he had a few months to live. He’s managed to stack a few Ironman finishes into those few months, doc!

There was Faris Al-Sultan, who decimated this tough men’s field on the way to winning his first Ironman Championship.

There was Kate Major, who gutted out another Ironman win, and Desiree Ficker, who kept fighting right to the very end.

There was the inevitable proposal – and yes, she said yes!

Then, as is always a fun part of the night, there was a huge party at the finish line, with athletes finishing right up to the midnight deadline!

Tempe didn’t know what was coming … but all of us Ironman fans sure did!

Thanks for joining us!

Clarification of Lubricants, Come On Now!

To clarify my illustration from my post the other day, I do not use vaseline as a lubricant on body parts. I use Two Tom's Blister Shield. It is a roll-on stick that is super super slick. I also use body glide but only for home based exercises, again as a wax base it will not last long in a hot car.

The point of that part of the story is that in Arizona there is a trial and error adjustment to training. It is so hot here that if it can melt it will melt, if it could melt it will melt. For example, I love Power Bars but they 'melt' and we all know what that means, so I have switched to oat based bars to carry in the ol' bag.

Using lip Vaseline on chaffed body parts is just gross but sometimes endurance athletes have to do gross things to accomplish their goals.

Like my Uncle Murphy always says, "If its stupid and it works, its not stupid."

Bonus Post: Triathlons Ain't Easy Chapter 21

Thinking there is a rock in your shoe and finding out a toenail came off.

T.A.E. explained.

Lost in the confusion

With all the doings around the Arizona Ironman I failed to mention that I had a great workout on Friday. One hour run, which could have easily been two hours and a 600 yard swim.

I know, I know, ya'll do 600 yards for warm ups. But for me it was good. I have been taken to task by Mistress Carol about my form and by the time I get through my required drills I am in neuro-muscular failure. I got through everything fine and didn't do the breast stroke once or the dreaded 'survival stroke'. I did incorporate a mid-stroke push off on the wall which really helped, instead of my normal "touch wall-stop swimming-turn around-push off wall". I guess its in between an ugly flip turn and what I just mentioned. The Mistress did not see that yet so that might be exnayed on our next "date".

So back to my strength, the run. It was about 90 degrees, luckily I ditched a liter of H2O a mile out because it was hot and I needed it on the turn around. Two problems that I am kicking myself for. One, I noticed the battery light was flashing on my arm radio so I tucked a AAA in my water belt, it eventually went out and I smuggly retrieved the AAA only to realize upon opening the the case-it takes two AAA. Well I hotseat an old battery with the new and each time the radio died I just kept switching out the older battery. Second, I did not bring Vaseline for my lips and they got mucho chappo. "Why not carry Chapstick, instead of greasy Vaseline, you think?" Good Question. The answer is that chapstick is a wax base and melts when it sits in a gym bag in a car that reaches 175 degrees. Vaseline though greasy and gets more greasy when hot will not ruin my bag or belt. Plus in emergancy's makes a great anti-chaff for hot spots that pop up during runs. Ever try rubbing chapstick on your inner thigh? Vaseline works much better and in a more sanitary way. Its multi-purpose. But still I did not have any on the run and that s-u-c-k-e-d.

Most Movitivating Picture I Took At AZ IM

As Rett and I were leaving around 10:00 a.m., I had to stop and pull the camera out to capture to me the most motivating picture of the day. This triathlete in the yellow circle spent 2hrs. 45min. in the water completing the swim. That technically was a DNF as he missed the cut off but what superhuman effort. I think I would also be pulling in late in the swim and I have nothing but respect for this person. Posted by Hello

Great picture of age grouper starting the bike course. For those unknowing, triathletes are not allowed to ride through T1 (Transition 1:Bikes) The time on the clock is 1:26:16, figure 5-8 minutes in transition with wetsuit peel, sunscreen, helmet, hydrate etc, these guys swam pretty darn fast. Some of these guys beat the Pro Division triathletes out of the water. 

#31 Tom Evans came out of T1 super fast. He was trading off first place through mile 80 of the bike and started to slip a bit. Finished 6th overall. Good Job  

Live coverage Arizona Ironman

As I have sat at my desk and written my posts, I have been watching a live video stream with commentary from the race. Also there is a posted update on the leaders every few minutes. You may need to juggle a couple of stream lines and switch screens from time to time but really cool.

Click here to get to the main site and then 'watch other video' in top left for live feed.

A Bystanders Account of Arizona Ironman 2005

Rett and I met bright and early to get to the first ironman held in Arizona, the first in the United States this year and only the third of the entire year in the world (Australia and New Zealand were held in March).

There was more triathletes than spectators which was a bit disappointing. I was personally expecting, and hoping for a large crowd. This event is being held in a huge city after all. At least it was easy to get a good position for the swim start. Most people had the thought that it was going to take place off the pier in front of the triathletes as they lined up near the water. Rett, had the foreknowledge that it was a deep water start so we went up on the bridge and posted good locations before the crowd showed. He also took many pictures and is posting them from his blog.

I was fortunate enough to know one of the pro competitors, Lance Muzslay, who is a good friend and my running mentor. Fortunate in that I had someone to root for. While their were several ironman veterans and up and comers racing, my ears picked up when they announced that Robyn Benincasa had come out of the water. She is considered to be the best female adventure racer in the world and before that a podium finisher in many ironmans. I had the distinct pleasure of having her blow by me on a 15-miler like I was standing still a few years ago. I should have expected a woman of her fierce competitive spirit to be a part of this race in her hometown.

I stationed myself at the exit to T1 and tried to get good photos of triathletes preparing for the 112 mile bike. Man are those people fast! I will post those photos tomorrow.

Well after 95% of the bikes were out of T1, I punched up my good friend Joe Umphenour on the phone. Joe is in town cheering on his girlfriend who is doing her first ironman. Joe is one of the best ITU triathletes in the world. He and Mistress Carol were on the same Jr. High swim team way back when. Tomorrow he leaves for Honolulu for the ITU World Championships, quickly followed by races in Mazatlan and Japan. Wish him luck.

Here we are with Joe "TriTigger" on the left.

As he burns 1 million calories a day, he isn't called TriTigger for nothing,

he bounced off to find some food and then check in with his girlfriends bike progress. Before he left the three of us did spend some time checking out the names of competing Pro's that Joe knew using the Alpha List, and with each one he recognized he gave a small anticdote on their longevity or how they competed against each other.

I asked about some of the favorite racers I watch and he gave me some very disappointing news about one in particular. Very disappointing. But I won't say who or what until I see if its okay to talk about it.

With the bike well underway Rett and I rode our mountain bikes back to our cars. It would be at least three hours until the marathon portion of the race. As we passed the triathletes hammering through their bike laps we gave them motivational cheers and Huzzahs.

It is unbelievable that I will continue on with my dreary day while these amazing athletes continue to move their bodies forward to the inevitable finish line 140 miles from where they started.

Oh and tomorrow I will post the most inspirational picture that I took all day.

Beginning of the swim for Arizona Ironman 2005. It was a deep water start so there was plenty of room for everyone. Did not see any mishaps with flying body parts. Though did see one brave soul perform the swim in only a pair of bike shorts. Ironman indeed! 

The Pro/Elite Men and Womens division taking their first strokes in a 2.2 mile swim in Tempe Towne Lake. A balmy 61 degrees. 

Arizona Ironman 2005- 1800 lucky and well trained souls line up ten minutes prior to the open water start. They are standing in what will become in a short 48 minutes the entrance to T1/Bike Transistion

T2-Arizona Ironman 2005

The Smell of success

Had lunch at the Centerpoint Center, which is one of the main vendor/food sponsor areas for the AZ Ironman. Lots of triathletes walking about and enjoying the afternoon, having a sensible bite here or there.

Looking at all the bikes being brought to check-in was making me salivate. I was pointing out to co-workers how those Zipp rims are $1200, that Felt bike is set up around $3500. Lots of Cervelo's, a few Treks and Giants, even two SoftRide Tri bikes. Mostly Cervelos. We drove the bridge above the Transition area and it was a sea of bikes below.

Tomorrow is going to be great spectating.

Notes from the field

First let me say I usually feel pretty confident about walking into a room and feeling like I am in better shape than those around me. Not this afternoon. The AZ IM village was not packed it had a good vibe going. Lots of people bringing in their unbelievably tricked out bikes for check in. I saw some things I never knew you could do to or buy for a bike. Of course everyone was wearing their nascar inspired jersey tops. I had caught a glimpse of this throughout the day as the turn around point on the laps is just a 100 yards from my parking spot, so lots of riders where cycling past my area.

A large daytime JumboTron played the 2004 Kona Ironman for people to watch while they took a break from all the booths and the heat. It ninety-fricken-five degrees outside with 6% humidity for cryin' out loud!

Other than registration areas, where I wistfully thought about, but humbly declined entering- thinking it not befitting to enter an area that I am not qualifed to enter, maybe another year, I partook of many venders. Gatorade was sampling their new endurance drink which I think tastes great. I tried the new lemonade and it was so-so. I use the Recovery powder constantly which is in the same line as the endurance drink, its great stuff.

Two large tents covered the goodie areas. I picked up a new ChampionChip Strap for my timing chip, a new water bottle which I have a bad habit of collecting, but it was only $2.99 and a Ironman logo dryfit hat. I also picked up a new pair of DeFeet Air-E-Ator socks commemorating the race. I would have loved to have bought a shirt but couldn't find any that would signify the race but not racing. I don't like to wear shirts from races I didn't do.

Side note: I think DeFeet Air-E-Ators are great socks. The only pair I have found to be better are Nike Dri-Fits, but both run between $8-10 a pair. I was at Walmart last weekend and found that Starter sells the exact same sock as the Nike but at a price of 2 for $3.50. While researching a hyperlink for this sock, I found that Nike bought Starter Brand to sell Nike clothes at a non-swoosh bargain rate at Walmarts. Good to know.

Cervelo had a side area of about 1,000 feet selling their bikes and parts and doing quick tune ups. I heard that they cut a deal with Ironman to be their bike sponsor. I saw the suped up brother to the BP I used for the Scottsdale Triathlon last month, obviously on loan from Tribe MultiSport for their booth. It was on its way to Ralphs Triathlon the same weekend so I was unable to use it.

One of those fancy smancy swim tubs was on display. Wow. I watched a dozen or so athletes slip in and swim in place for several strokes. You can adjust the water flow based on your strength level. I see these in magazines going for about twenty grand.

The transition area is massive, at least a full football field. It is just feet from the water exit. The finish area in the photo below is a few hundred yards away from that. There are some bleachers but could not hold more than three hundred people.

I am going to go down for the start and beginning of the bike portion. As it stands Rett, aka White Salamander and I are going to hook up and mountain bike down to the village from my office for the start. We both should be able to get some great pictures and posts up the same day. Right now the forecast is for mid-80's but with 20mph wind. I pray that the wind comes after the swim.

The Inagural Arizona Ironman (2005) comes to Tempe Arizona 

The finish line. The hill behind the grain mill is 'A' Mountain on the ASU campus or as I refer to lately- Redemption Run Mountain. 

MOST of the 2005 Arizona Ironman Swim Course- it goes a bit past the bridge in the foreground 

The world slows down

As I have eluded to in earlier posts, my two year old, Mighty Mo, has a low immune system along with terrible allergies and asthma. The last two he got from Mistress Carol genetically as she was a 'girl-in-a-bubble' for several years at a childrens hospital before she dragged herself into an indoor pool and became PAC10 swim goddess. A story in and of itself. Well the marvels of medical science help the A & A quite a bit.

Back to Mighty Mo. If he gets anywhere near a sick kid, like say at church daycare, he can turn really quick. (side note: how Christian is it to bring a kid with green coming out of the nose and raspy cough to church daycare?) Well a small cough at 0700 yesterday turned into a four puke per hour for four hour couch fest with Mistress Carol by 10 a.m..

I was told I was releashed to train as long as I wanted, what good am I at home, but all I had was swim trunks. Got in a good swim workout (my ass still sinks though) and a little extra business before coming home for the couch hand off.

A tricky up and down night left me with nothing in the tank this morning. But I am bringing Black Bart to work and will get in some riding with the highlight being a stop at the Athletes Village for the Arizona Ironman here in a couple days. Will bring the camera for fun.

Come back this afternoon for a BONUS POST with photos from a really exciting location.

2 days, 2 continents, 3marathons

Pam Reed, who just ran 300 miles without sleep last week, is now attempting another big feat. She and fellow ultra-marathon woman Laura Yasso, here, will run in the London Marathon on April 17, 2005 and then fly to Massachusetts. Precisely 3.5 hours before the first corral is released at noon for the Boston Marathon these two dynamo's will run the course in reverse, reach the start line just before noon, take a drink of water, turn around and run it again this time with the rest of the field in a scheduled 3.5 hour finish.

Talk about beating the body up. I have heard of people getting thrombosis and dying from sitting in airplane seats will crossing the atlantic, could you imagine the cramping you or I would have and then running 52.4 miles?

Quadriplegic to 'peddle' 26.2 mile

An amazing news story of transending limitations and raising capacity. Jack Shadduck , 15, is a quadriplegic from the neck down until recently participating in an experimental medical program. His condition is from Transverse Myeletis a type of disease that affects the spinal cord with inflammation.

PSA: Training in HOT weather

Yesterdays run got me thinking about proper education to training in inclimate weather. This week is forecasted to hit 90 degress with less than 10% humidity. By next month it will be 100, then soon after it will be over 100 days of 100+ degrees with less than 5% humidity. There have been weeks at a time when daytime temps. stay above 110 and even hit 120 degrees.

However, training can and does continue throughout the summer for many people. I routinely run at lunch time when its well over 110 degrees. However to do this takes smarts and a lack of ego. Soon as it begins to get hot where ever you are, here is a reminder of how to train smart when its hot.

I will preface this by saying that I have suffered from several hospital visits due to heat injury. I once spent a weekend in a hospital for heat stroke, was in a coma for a very short period of time, got kidney failure from it and took 18 liters of I.V. over the first ten hours (you try getting 4.5 gallons of water in you that fast). Since then I suffered heat exhaustion and dehydration many times. In fact when I finished the Rock n' Roll Arizona marathon in 2004, I vomited all over the inside of my truck just before getting home, suffering from heat exhaustion. The temperature that day in January was 75 degrees. It can hit at any time.

1. Water System. Notice I did not say just 'water'. Its not enough to take a small bottle with you. If you plan on running or biking in the heat you need a water belt or even better a Camelback system. Ground temperature can easily reach 150 degress in Phoenix. I have melted shoes standing in a parking lot. While running the moisture is literally sucked from your body. While riding, there is the added exposure to blistering hot wind. For an hour of training a minimum of 40 ounces and closer to 70 ounces is needed.

2. Sunscreen and UV protection. Its not enough, here at least, to just wear a 30 spf. Long sleeve performance tops and anti-glare glasses are a must. While the water will literally save your life out there, sunscreen and eye wear allow you to train year round (i.e. don't get burned). Look for your preference; some perfer creams, others pumps, they even have aerosol sprays. Plus don't forget lip protection, doesn't that drive you nuts to train with chapped, dry lips?. Don't be fooled by anything over 30 spf as a sunscreen as the difference is only in thickness not protection.

3. Time of Day. It is professionally recommended to train outside early in the morning or later at night. Well when it dosen't drop below 90 degrees at midnight, does it really matter? My time tested results say as long as you are acclimatizing to the heat by being in it the main concern only becomes UV not sun and dehydration.

4. F.I.T.T. Principle. This stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type, here. When going outside for a run or ride here at 105 degrees, or 85 degrees with high humidity where you are, be prepared to shorten your session as heat and humidity affect your bodies conditioning. Just as yesterday the wind made my run more dificult by creating force, the heat and humidity can affect the body. Most of us can recognize the concept its the application that gets us in trouble. It might be that a morning bike session took too much energy from you and instead of an afternoon run, apply that time to a gym session in the air conditioning to work on strength and core movements.

5. Identification. Always carry some I.D. on you. A drivers lisence or better yet a Road ID tag for your shoe. Not only do I use that but I used a label maker and put my name, blood type and wifes cell phone number on the dog tags I wear.

Personal note here. I swear by road ID. I have my name and blood type, wifes name and cell phone, a "prior heat casulty' notification and a personal saying, FINISH-never quit. Yes the quote is directly below the notification, I never said I was smart. At least the EMT's will get a kick out of it when they pick me up unconscious on the side of the road.

6. Communication. Always tell someone where your going, what your doing and when you will be back, especially if your training during work or after. See people at work don't understand the madness that occurs if you miss a session, plus they will think your nuts which can work for you as well. Really the reason is that adverse conditions can cause unexpected delays in your return, like say a trip to the E.R. for heat exhaustion. The ultimate communication is a cell phone tucked into your pack. Yes I said cell phone, remember I wrote earlier to leave your ego at the door? Well if you need a camelback backpack to carry phone, sunscreen, wallet, lip balm, then do it. A Murphy's Law states, "If it's stupid and it works, it's not stupid."

7. Pool Workouts. I have a backyard pool, with a diving board no less. So I can just hop out of my chair after my favorite t.v. show or even during a commerical break and get in some laps. But don't think the pool is any safer. While being in the water sounds nice, my outdoor backyard pool regularly is above 90 degrees, plus the UV glare is harsher in the water environment than anywhere. Pro's and con's. In a couple of months I will post a picture of how to lap swim in backyard pool.

So its not necessary in desert conditions to stop training but no matter where you live train with thorough knowledge of whats waiting for you outside the door.

Monday Bonus Blog: Ugh Wind!

Well got a bit behind at work and instead of my longer run I ended up picking between a flat fast 30 min. or a hilly, rough terrain 30 min. Deciding to beat myself for the mental lapse I choose the hills.

But I hadn't been outside all day and no one mentioned that the freaking wind is knocking down trees! I just checked the weather when I got back and its 80 degrees and 25-29 mph winds. I actually felt like it was going to be a cake run when the wind was at my back, then as I turned onto the lake trail (Tempe Town Lake, were the AZ Ironman is this weekend) I about got knocked on my ass. As the trail is really a utility road, the wind was pushing the dirt in waves of dust caps and it pelted me mercilessly.

This is payback for bike this morning. It got a bit better as the trail turns into a parking area. I really hope it dies down for the AZ IM, I would drown if I had to swim 2 miles in that chop, how could you make any headway against 25 mph winds?

Oh the tree, on the way out from the office I heard a large crash behind a fence, I knew it was a part of tree falling, but when I looked I didn't see a crew working on it (which is pretty normal out here). Then as I was in the last 100 yards, with the wind finally to my back, I heard another big crash and watched a huge tree topple across the street in a park.

Bonuse Monday Post: Triathlon's Ain't Easy Chapter 25

"Experience is directly proportional to the amount of equipment ruined."

Body 1, MInd 0

Got up actually later than I normally would to train, staying inside to ride the spinning bike. I had planned a thirty minute ride but my mind crapped out on me. After a grateful and restive weekend my first training session of the week falls victim to mental weakness only twenty minutes into the ride.

You all know the reasons, back, arms, crotch, butt were hurting. Really it comes down to the fact I am not a big fan of riding spinning bikes and my mind capitalized on that. I could have easily finished another ten minutes but I gave up.

Well I still have my lunch run, I will make it up there.

Down side of Up energy

I would like to believe I am catching up on my rest over the weekend. However all the gains from SaturDAY are lost on Saturday NIGHT. I tiredly went to bed at 10 pm to be awakened at 12:30 am and unable to go back to sleep. So it has been the last four hours catching up on the last three months of my check register. Can there be any more pathetic thing to do?

I consider myself a decent athlete and when an athlete has time off it should be to rest, but I and many others, I am not in this alone, end up with sleepless nights from energy that was not burned off through daily activity.

Everyone enjoy Sunday, a day of rest.

Forced Recovery

This weekend I am forced to be a couch potato. I spent many years in the infantry and mostly got around on my LPC's (Leather Personnel Carriers, i.e. Boots). As any grunt will tell you the feet take a beating seldom seen my normal people. Hamburger is a common reference. That was many years ago but those injuries and issues still exsist.

So every few weeks or months I go to the doctor for a check up and if need be a tune up. Well the tune up has left me unable to swim, bike or run till at least Monday. Mistress Carol is used to seeing me hobble around like an old man and deal with the treatment and the pain and is very sympathetic. So yesterday was spent mostly on the couch and today as well.

I love movies and will go see Sin City today instead of the 12 miler I was considering. I love movies as much as I love fitness. I have a book that I write down every movie I watch with the date I watched it. I have had it for years. Doesn't matter if its cinema, dvd or tv. Before my son was born I averaged one movie a day. Yeah I workout too, I just don't sleep much.

But there is always a serious drought in movies between January and May and then again in September and October. Plus I forgo movies for fitness, come on I have my priorities straight.

So this weekend, a movie, a couch, the Triathlon Training Bible, some Crystal Light Pink Lemonade, family time and rejuvenation, I can't wait. To bad I had to have doctors orders to do it.

Triathlons Ain't Easy

My buddies and I have this tradition of starting a funny story about sales, with a certain tag line. Since we hope to eventually be writing a book with that tag line I won't use it but I am bringing the same concept to my blog. Chapter titles are random so don't look for a numerical order.

'Triathlons Ain't Easy' are blog posts that would describe the chapter title in a book about how hard/funny/sad/etc it is to live a triathlon lifestyle. This is in the same vein of You Might Be A Redneck If.. except 'Triathlons Ain't Easy is more situational than observational.

The only thing I will be posting is the chapter title. Hopefully from the gist of the title you will get the point of what the story would be. The comments you provide, hopefully, will flesh out my point.

Triathlons Ain't Easy Chapter 8

Not knowing how to attach your new CO2 pump to the tire stem.

No Dream Succeeds Without A Plan

This is my third and final installment in creating a race plan. The first went over recognizing your support system and the second on capturing your dream to make it a reality. The final steps are listed below.

Lets say your dream is to finish a triathlon. Why would I think that?

I already said to thank the support team you have because your long and erratic training plan affects them in ways you didn't even understand. Then I blogged that you have to have a dream bigger than you and must have an iron will to stay focused and plugged into your 'Dream Matrix'. The next step in your reaching your dreams is to have a plan.

I am not saying there is only one plan. I am not even saying that you have to follow someone elses plan. You just need to have one and understand the basics of dream building. Most of the time I take exsisting plans and pare them together to my training style and obstacles I forsee. Remember when I posted that the difference between a runner and a jogger was a blank entry form? To enter a race, there is usually some planning occuring to peak correctly, make arrangements for eating and hydrating, scheduling time off if out of town. The point is a jogger has no destination, a runner knows where their going.

Step 1. Keep the end in mind. What is the Dream event? What is your racing position-to have fun? To finish? To P.R.? Never forgot the big, hunkin' goal you have set in front of you.

Step 2. Back Plan. Once you have your race date, start your back dating from there. From the moment you leave to the staging area on race day all the way back to the moment you create your plan. If out of town you need to get time off, then acclimatize, drive the route. If local the same could apply. What will you take with you? What do you need now to support training (road bike, swim gear, a pool to use).

This takes a lot of time, but if your dreaming enough about it, well then you are already thinking about most of this stuff just get it on paper and prioritize it by timeline. I would suggest reading books or even better surfing the internet for personal stories of people doing what your wanting to do. Then take that information and apply it to your situation.

Back Plans are not training plans but your realistic timeline to complete your dream. Important: A dream must be bigger than you but can't be bigger than your capacity. Can you do a half ironman in three months if you haven't swum regularly, don't currently own a bike and can't run two miles? Probably not. But given enough time absolutely.

Step 3. Increase Your Capacity (i.e. sport specific training) To phsycially finish a triathlon the majority of excercise is not going to take place in the weight room. To become proficient you have to swim, you have to bike and you have to run and you should spend time in core training all the while following proper nutrition and supplementation. Most people can naturally do each triathlon event but never underestimate the ability of a coach, trainer or group setting to accelerate your skill set. If possible seek guidance, watch video, read books, subscribe to magazines.

I increase my mental capacity by writing out a vision statement of exactly, specificly, how I see myself during the race. I write out what I am wearing, how my legs feel during events, that nagging body parts do not hurt. Everything is written in the positive, (i.e. My knees have no pain, I see myself moving effortlessly past other cyclists). Every day read how your entire event will play out and when obstacles present themselves in training you write those in, (if shin splints suddenly appear in training, write in, I feel no pain in my shins as I run). Use positive affirmations, biblical verses, whatever to strengthen your resolve and reinforce the dream.

Step 4. Tell everyone. By telling family, friends and co-workers what your dream is, it expands your support system and commits you to not back out. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have worked out simply because I told someone I was and knew they would ask me later how it went. Accountability does not guarantee success but it does give you outside motivation which is signifcant.

I am by no means an expert in this. I am sure in the talk back section many of you will have steps that I left out or important points that need clarificaton. Please do. But for the majority of people who have never dared to reach for their dream, this should give you hope and a loose plan.

Dare to be great and to cite the greatest comic strip of all time, this quote:

Seize the Day; and throttle it- Calvin & Hobbes