P90X

Yikes! I'm 8 weeks into a new career. A starry-eyed graduate out to conquer the world. I'm really trying to stay balanced.... My bike commuting has dropped off a bit due to some weird hours (I am in manufacturing supporting 3 work shifts) but I'm still getting out a couple times a week.

P90X is all the rage here and I got sucked in. I'm borrowing my manager's copy (pathetic, right?) until I muster the resolve to open my wallet. But it looks legit and I have friends that have gotten great results. After two days, I think the biggest benefit is that I've had Tony (the P90X trainer) sit on my shoulder when I'm trying to justify having another Mountain Dew or skipping the workout. The motto 'just push play' really is powerful... going on autopilot is a beautiful thing.

I've squeezed in the workouts after putting the kids to bed around 9:00pm. Seems to be working out.

Feral dogs, friendly people

We've been out in our new home on the banks of the Mississippi for two weeks now. I am happy as a clam. Commuting into work on my bike on great roads with little traffic. I've noticed something interesting here that is the polar opposite of what I found in Ohio. In Columbus (and thanks to the mayor and E. Gordon Gee they are working on this) people did not take kindly to cyclists. I saw the bird finger and got yelled at plenty of times. But the dogs were tame and I never had a problem.

Here in Missouri, the opposite is true. When I get passed by a farmer out here I almost always get a friendly wave. But the dogs are terrible!!! And they seem to always be sitting at the top of hills, just waiting for a cyclist that has just exerted all his/her energy on the hill. I'm getting a great workout that way. Anyway, its worse on foot (I've been running with a big rock in my hand) but they still like to give chase on the bike.

But I'll take nasty dogs over nasty drivers any day.

Curse you and die, Mike!

I have never been more sore in all my life. And that is saying something because I've done plenty of rigorous athletic activity off the bench will little or no training. But I'm am absolutely fried and that is after maintaining a respectable run/bike regimen.

This guy Mike, who I thought was my friend, had me come over do a CrossFit workout on Tuesday. Like I said, I thought we were friends but he proceeded to take me through 17 minutes of hell (he busted it out in 13). It consisted of 5 sets of 21 thrusters (a squat and shoulder lift combined) and 21 double under jump roping. The name of the game in CrossFit is speed. Everyone does the same workout. I couldn't believe the workout I got in 17 minutes but I believe it now! I'm not a puker but I was seriously feeling the urges. I thought the mascot was over the top but 'Pukie' (pictured above) is the perfect symbol of this workout ideology.

I'm 48 hours removed and I'm limping around the house scrambling for the Icy Hot and begging my wife for a massage. He made me a believer. CrossFit is the best bang for your workout I've ever come across.

You've gotta be kidding me!

Take a good look at this kid. Doesn't this shot remind you of your 7th grade track meet? Kid looks like he couldn't beat his way out of a wet paper bag (as my dad used to say). Guess again. His name is Alistair Brownlee from Leeds, GBR and he's 21 years old.

That smile on his face? That would be because he just finished the 10k in the 2009 ITU World Championship Series in Madrid Spain in 30:30 mins with a total time of 1:51:27.

That is just wrong.

Two great options. I'm torn

I am wrapping up my master's degree in two weeks. I will have a paycheck and a bit more time on my hands (I hope). I have two options for an end-of-summer event. I seriously need some help with this one:

Option 1: The Heart of America Marathon in Columbia, MO on Labor Day. A small race, small entry fee and nice venue. I've never ran a marathon and really want to.

Option 2: This one is way more work, way more money but way more rewarding. It is the Pelotonia Bike Tour for Cancer Research in Columbus, OH at the end of August. Lance is riding. It would be 100 or 180 miles and I would have to raise between $1500 and $2000 dollars. I hate fundraisng. But it is a great cause and... did I mention Lance was riding? Judas!

I just can't decide. I think I might regret biting off more than I can chew with the Pelotonia with starting a new job but it is definitely the more epic of the two options. My sweet wife says she'll support either one and that makes it even harder. Usually she is in integral part of these kinds of decisions.

No such thing as a perfect workout

I'm kind of a workout snob. The conditions have to be just right for me to do it. It can't be too hot or too cold. I have to have ample time to stretch and shower. I have to have the appropriate clothes and playlist. I have to have eaten the right things beforehand...

And then it dawned on me: there is no such thing as a perfect workout. I have lost countless workouts because I am so picky about workout conditions. I could be stronger and faster if I wasn't such a pansy.

Today my plan was to run home from school instead of taking the bus. Why? Because I thought it would be nice weather. Turns out, weather.com deceived me again and it was a nice downpour at about 2:00pm when it was time to run.

It was tempting to wait for the bus... but I didn't. I squinted and sloshed through the puddles. I was soaking wet when I got home but I felt like a champ.

So no more perfect workout condition demands from me. I'm going to fit them in where I can and just get over myself.

Romans 10:15 How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

What you see here is my foot. Ok, so its not as beautiful as Paul said it would be. But pay no attention to that kankle of mine. Is this not the coolest cycling sock you have ever seen?

My family and I are moving to Missouri in June. And I've been complaining to some of my class mates about how I'm going to miss "The Jesus Tri" which is 10 minutes from our new home because I have to be in Ohio for graduation ceremonies.

Well, leave it up to my good buddy Andrew to make everything better... he went and dug these gems up from heaven knows where so I wouldn't feel so bad about not participating in this heavenly event.

I wore them out on a 40k TT today and I swear they made me faster. And I totally would have helped a stranger with a flat tire had I seen one. Thanks, Andrew!

Miami University Triathlon

I was thinking about how I would approach writing about the races themselves that I participate in. I think the most beneficial thing to do for my own sake and maybe for other triathletes is to offer a "lessons learned" debrief. I guess some of my race takeaways will be specific to my goals and racing style but hopefully some triathlete lost in cyberspace will find something useful:

Lessons:

#1 I need to get some Yankz. The guy next to me in the transition area had them and I could save up to a minute in transition not having to tie up my laces.

#2 My strategy for the short course worked really well. That is, I gave everything on the bike. I rode like the only thing waiting for me was the couch. What I found is that a 5k is short enough that no matter how hard I go on the bike, I can grind it out without taking a huge hit on my run time.

#3 Talking trash on the course pays off in mph. I followed this guy out of T1 that looked like a stud. Tricked out bike, aero helmet and an MDot (ironman) tattoo. Given my bike strategy I decided to try to stick with him. He was a lot lighter than I was so he lost me up hills but given my gravity-friendly body type, I would always catch him on the flats and descents. We started talking trash as we would overtake each other. Stuff like, "unhook the plow!" and "take the trailer off, buddy!" It was a lot of fun and translated into a good bike split.

#4 Drafting on the run is legal and it works, if only psychologically. USAT prohibits drafting on the bike. And obviously, the benefits of drafting on the run are much smaller but again I found a strong runner and mentally attached myself to his heels. It was helpful.

#5 My swim still sucks.

Ok, that about does it. It was a fun race and while my chip wasn't working on this race last year, my unofficial time, recorded only by me, was a full 10 minutes slower than this year. New short course PR. Sweet!

Latest tri gear: Cervelo P2 SL

I am the proud owner of a Cervelo P2 SL. You can see pictures if you scroll down to the dorky studio photos I took last week. I came home on my birthday and as the garage door opened, there it was. My beautiful wife pooled the resources of family and friends in the name of my birthday and graduation to get it for me.

But as Lance used to say, it's not about the bike. This is much bigger than a hunk of aluminum, carbon and rubber. My wife has no idea why a bike would cost as much as this one does. She only knows how much it means to me.

To make sure she got the perfect one, she had a friend go with me to the bike shop to test ride bikes and then she even had the guys at the local bike shop play along to keep it a surprise.

I seriously don't deserve this woman.

This is how the pros must feel

I'm going to apologize in advance for what you are about to see. The photography and photographer were amazing... but he had very little to work with. Why was I in a photo studio fully decked out in tri gear, you ask?

Wish I could say it was to push some of my sponsor's latest gear. But the reality was that the family I stayed with in Oxford, Ohio this weekend for the Miami U triathlon has a beautifully furnished studio and is home of the very talented Henry Saas and Just Picture It photography.

So at the risk of nauseating my readers and having you seriously call into question my manhood... enjoy:


Let me be clear. I wouldn't think about posting these if I wasn't married yet. In fact, I will probably be in danger of being unmarried when my wife sees these.



You can't say you weren't warned. This next one is of my buddy Tyler.



And this next one might be the worst of all. Yes, we have matching bikes. We both swear we didn't know the other one was getting that particular model. Seriously, I haven't seen Tyler since the end of last year!



And this may be my personal favorite. When Bryce gets out of med school this is sure to instill confidence in his patients:



A couple things going on in this last one. First, what is Bryce doing? Look closely at the expression on his face. I'm concerned, as you should be. Second, yes, I'm flexing.



Anyway, good times! Certainly the first and last time in photo shoot for me. Thanks, Henry!

Wrath of the traffic gods

Olentangy Bike Trail: Columbus, OH

I learned my lesson the hard way. Once behind the wheel. Once behind the handlebars. All in a matter of one week in March.

First of all, traffic laws in Ohio are ridiculous. No U turns? Seriously? I'm way too cool, busy and important for that one. So I do it. It's illegal. The State of Ohio says it's dangerous. So I got a ticket. I could have paid for two race entries with that money!

That same week I was on a morning ride with a friend on my favorite bike trail. It was 7:30 am and the dew was still heavy. There are a series of bridges on the trail posted with signs reading 'slow: slippery bridge.'

Again, I'm too fast, strong and agile for that. Those signs are made for the lowest common denominator of riders, right? Well, maybe so. But I learned that I am a select member of that group.

My back tire came out from under me on the bridge and all 200 lbs. at 20 mph went down onto my left knee. The pain was excruciating.

So fast forward to today. I've nursed this injury along, not yet seeking professional medical help because I thought it would heal. I haven't been able to ride hard for 4 weeks and my running has deteriorated along with it. I am racing in my first sprint triathlon of the season in two days and instead of crushing my time from last year, I'll be turning in a mediocre performance.

So this is my confession and reconciliation with the traffic gods. I hereby swear to be a more law abiding and consciousness driver and rider. Now can my knee get better?

My blogging bipolarity

The Marginal Triathlete blog has had a very troubled, albeit short history. I have vacillated between keeping it going, keeping it public, keeping it private, and pulling the plug completely. I can barely make time to train. Let alone write about it.

So my blogging bipolarity continues. A friend and co-worker just said to me, "ya know, it would be cool if you blogged about triathlon (this very well might be because he is sick of hearing me talk about triathlon and he wants me to find an alternate outlet)." And that was enough of a nudge to get me back on the tri-blogging bandwagon.

This clip sums up my feelings nicely:

"bike dreams"

I am getting old. Not really. But yesterday was a milestone that made me feel like it. My 4 year old daughter got her first set of wheels. A 16" Huffy Sea Star. Not sure about the components or aerodynamics on this baby but I'm sure they're good for the mileage that she'll be racking up.

I've never seen her so excited. From the minute we picked it up she rode it all day until the sun went down. As I was putting her to bed the last thing she said to me was, "Dad, I think I'm going to have bike dreams."

LOL- Welcome to my world, sweetheart. The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree, apparently.

A plate and 12 screws later...

This is a picture of Lance Armstrong's collarbone. Yikes! If you haven't heard, it happened on 3/23/09 in a race in Spain. I cringed at this picture because I myself have broken my collarbone. Wish I could say it was in a bike race in Spain. Nope, a failed attempt at a backflip on a sled did me in. But I digress. Lance is such a stud. I got to hear him talk a few months ago about livestrong and his cancer initiatives and it was phenomenal. I was so close to getting my helmet signed but someone in his entourage pulled him away when I was two signatures away. Ah!!!!

But back to Lance's collarbone. This is what he had to say: “In 17 years as a pro I have been lucky to avoid one of the most common cycling injuries. The crash has put my upcoming calendar in jeopardy but the most important thing for me right now is to get back home and rest up and begin my rehab.”

Best wishes to Lance and his recovery. He is doing a great job in raising awareness and resources for Cancer.

My point to this post is that if it happened to Lance it could happen to anyone... just a reminder to be safe out on the roads.

I've been following CrossFit

My buddy Mike introduced me to CrossFit about a year ago. It seemed interesting but I didn't give it much thought. But as I continue to talk to him about the workouts, read reviews and follow the infamous 'workout of the day' or WOD I am really thinking that this may be a great supplement to my triathlon training. CrossFit is getting a lot of attention in the triathlon community and testimonials are spuing forth about the virtues of this fitness program. In addition to the main site they have an affiliate site, CrossFit Endurance for triathletes which looks intriguing.

What I like about it:

-The workouts are short, just15-45 minutes each.

-The workouts create strong, dense muscles. Not bulky, weak ones.

-The workouts are always new, never repetitive.

-Did I mention they are short?

Make no mistake; just because they are short doesn't mean they give anything up on the 'kick your butt' meter. These little WODs look so freaking intense. I haven't even dared to attempt one yet. But I'm thinking this might be the next big thing...

The Brick

Oh, the 'brick'

This workout totally sucks but there isn't a better bang for your buck in triathlon training in my opinion. Running right off the bike totally jacks up my running form but I'm starting to get used to it and be one with my fatigue-induced, altered running form.

Based on my own experience with the brick I have dreamed up a new way to incorporate them into my training. My disclaimer here is that this is not based on any science. This is just me doing what works for me:

-One brick workout per week
-First week is long, endurance bike with short, intense run
-Second week is short, intense bike with long, endurance run
-Repeat

My feeling is that this mixes it up just enough to develop all the fast and slow twitch muscles required for the bike and the run. Distances will vary with the events you are training for but this is a great way to 'brick' without spending a ton of time in any given workout.

Marginal gut-check

I put a freeze on the marginaltriathlete for a few weeks. Why? Because my marginal activities were crossing the margins and getting in the way of the things that are really important. Like family. Like spirituality. Like school.

I have taken a few weeks to give myself a 'marginal' gut-check and have decided that now is not a great time to train for the Flying Pig Marathon so I'm pulling the plug. I know. I know. Never give up! You can do it! Frankly, if I did do it, I would nail it. I'm running faster than I ever have and feeling great on long runs. But other things are suffering so its not worth it.

Plus, for religious reasons I don't like to race on Sundays and the Pig was on a Sunday so that also made it an easy choice. But that is a topic for another post.

So I'm sticking to a few short races this season. I'll be graduating this year, moving and starting a new job so a few Sprints and an Olympic race is what I'll probably the best choice even though, left to my vices, I'd love to do more.

First Marathon in May

As part of my sometime-in-the-future goal to finish an Ironman Triathlon I have signed up for the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 3rd. I figure I'll ease myself into the long course by doing one leg at a time over the next couple years. It is like a super-extended training program, I guess. The farthest I have ever ran is about 15 miles in training for my half-ironman two years ago.

I am about 4 weeks into one of Hal Higdon's famous training programs which seems very doable; between 20-30 miles a week for 17 weeks. I am really enjoying my running. I look forward to it. That is weird for me. But I am injury-free and taking on 15 miles at the end of this week.

Only thing is the topography in Columbus where I live and in Cincinnati are a lot different. I have virtually no hills to train on and the Flying Pig is quite hilly from what I understand. Looks like I'll be cranking up the incline on the treadmill. I hate the treadmill.

My latest tri gear

I think I'll make this an ongoing part of the blog whenever I acquire or am considering (when it is very expensive) a new piece of triathlon gear. I'll review it, recommend it or not, and hopefully help a marginal triathlete who may be considering something similar.

So here it is:

I have wanted a trainer for so long. Luckily for me, I have a good friend who hooked me up with this sweet one from CycleOps because of a challenge/bet we had going (thanks, Dave!).

This handy piece of equipment facilitates tri-training at the margins very nicely. For example, you may not have time to get a ride in when the sun is up but you can jump on this trainer, pop in a video and get 'er done anytime.

My first tri... part II

I left off in my last post going to sleep before my first triathlon, Spudman. They say sleep is important for endurance athletes. I can tell you that I have never slept more than 3 hours the night before a race. I'm more of a believer that two nights before the race is when you really need to get the zzzs.

I didn't know what a tri suit or tri shorts were. I jumped in the water with my trusty Adidas Climacool running shorts. I was surrounded by full-body wetsuits and it was a bit intimidating. I was all nerves. The gun went off for the elite athletes and my jaw hit the floor watching them take off down the river. It was beautiful. After what seemed to be an eternity of waiting and trying to stay warm my group was called to the starting line.

I was totally unprepared for the open water experience (even with the downstream current). I zig zaged across the river and was very well hydrated for the bike due to the fact that I sucked in at least a gallon of Snake River. It was (and still always is) such a relief to jump on that bike. The bike portion of the race has always been my strongest suit and it felt good to pass some of the people that had swam over me.

The course was full of rolling hills and I was pushing hard, throwing down about 20 miles per hour (that is fast for a marginal triathlete). This was my big rookie mistake. I emptied the tank on the bike and didn't have much left on the run. I never walked through the 10k but I definitely slowed to about a 10 minute mile in some spots. I sprinted to the finish line like I'd kept that pace all along. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. It was so exhilarating.

Everyone was congratulating each other and sharing stories from the course. My wife and buddies all went to Dennys to celebrate and I pounded a big 'ol sausage breakfast. Divine!
Afterwards, my wife and I went back to the river and floated the river before heading home. It was such a great weekend.

So that is how I got hooked on triathlon. If you haven't done one, do it! You won't regret it.

My first tri... part I

*If you have yet to compete in a triathlon you must know prior to reading this post that swapping stories about first races is a sacred ritual for triathletes. The rookie mistakes we all commit make for great pre and post-race fodder at the water tents. You'll have your special tale too some day. If you are a triathlete, I won't be offended if you skip this because you'll be hearing it, or one similar, on race day.*

I stumbled into my first triathlon in July 2006 with a couple buddies (pictured above, from left to right: me, Nolan, Joe) from work one day on a whim. I hadn't competed in any organized sports since high school (unless co-ed and city league softball counts) and I have never enjoyed anything that had to do with endurance. My excuse was that I just wasn't built for it.

But we decided to do the Spudman olympic distance (1 mile swim, 26 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) triathlon in Burley, Idaho. Back in those days, you didn't have to be waiting by your computer on New Years Eve to sign up for it. That race has become insanely popular and with good reason (I understand they moved to a lottery system this year). It is an excellent race with tons of community support.

Anyway, I didn't have a bike or a wetsuit, much less the fancy gear that I would later realize is part and parcel of the triathlon scene. My birthday was around the corner so I talked my wife into letting me get a road bike. I was blown away by what a new bike would set me back. Entry level road bikes were right around $700!

So I turned to e-bay and found a '98 Specialized M2 with a custom paint job for $400 with a great set of components. I managed to get out for a few rides a week and fell in love with it (I still race on this old war horse). I loosely followed a training program from BeginnerTriathlete but really had no idea what I was doing.

Finally, race day arrived. I was hooked from the moment I picked up my race packet the night before. After a heaping plate of spaghetti at the pre-race banquet I headed to the transition area to set up my bike. I did whatever the guy next to me did as he looked like it wasn't his first rodeo. The energy was through the roof and everyone was so friendly.

One of my buddies had a grandmother who lived in the area so we stayed at her place and clogged her shower drain with the hair from our legs that we ritualistically shaved... As if that was going to make some kind of difference in the water with my horrific swim stroke. I tossed and turned that night with excitement. It might as well have been Christmas Eve.

This seems like a good place to break... I'll write about the actual race day tomorrow.

What I mean by 'marginal'

Like all good wannabe triathletes, I subscribe to a major magazine dedicated to the sport. I also frequent several online forums, blogs and shopping sites for triathletes.

In my opinion, there is one audience that is largely neglected by all of these sources; the marginal triathletes. The men and women like you and me who aren't obsessed with shaving another 30 seconds off their transitions or upgrading their water-bottles because there is a new model that is two ounces lighter.

Don't get me wrong. Going fast is one of the greatest feelings in the world. And the hi-tech gear of triathlon is the coolest around. But we have lives! Husbands, wives, children, jobs, responsibilities in our churches and communities! People and things we cherish. And when we aren't wearing our shiny tight suits with padding in the backside we're ok without constantly plotting when our next workout will be or what sports gel we'll be testing out.

Sure, these big magazines and websites pay lip service to us marginal triathletes. There is always the annual 'beginners guide' and articles for the novice, but the assumption is always that you must want to become an uber-swim-bike-runner, otherwise you wouldn't do it at all.

But if you are ok with the fact that you'll never be on the podium in a big race yet you still want to enjoy this fantastic sport for the long haul, this blog is for you.

And when I say I am a marginal triathlete, I don't mean I won't be training hard and sprinting for the finish line in every race. I just mean that once the workout or race is over, I've got a lot more going for me.