"Don't Stop Believing" Journey to Ironman

Free Swim Clinic eBook from Endurance Nation

Here's a great offer from my Endurance Nation coaches. I am a devotee of this e-book. It's very clear in its instruction on improving technique, and even includes videos of the drills prescribed. Tons of workouts too, from endurance sets to sprints. I print the the workouts and drill instructions and bring them with me to the pool. The book is free for only a limited time, be sure to download it soon. Happy laps!

From Endurance Nation coach Rich Strauss:

We've decided to make the Endurance Nation Swim Clinic eBook free for a limited time. Please forward the blog post below to all of your friends, training partners, tri club members, etc, and have them do the same. FREE: Endurance Nation Swim Clinic eBook

Steve Cunningham, Bodywork Revolution--A Cut Above the Rest

I just came back from a 90-minute session with my bodyworker Steve Cunningham, owner of Bodywork Revolution. Every single time I go I leave amazed at the experience. Having been in this training game for many years, I have seen every manner of massage therapist, ART practitioner, chiropractor, etc. No one, no one even comes close to Steve.

I just want to do a shout out to Steve because his work is so far superior to anyone I have ever used. Not only does he keep me injury free, but it's an entire mind, body, spirit experience with him. His work is so outstanding--well, let me put it this way... My boys still living at home--ages 18, 16, and 14--don't miss his neuro-stretch class. When have you heard of teenage boys willingly going to a stretching class with their parents? When he can fit it in--and borrow a car--even my college son drives up for the class on Tuesday evenings. We joke that if we ever win the lottery, we will simply "buy" Steve.

There's a lot of snakeoil out there, and many ways to waste your time and money on things of questionable quality. So thanks, Steve, for being so skilled, genuine, and generous. Everyone in this family is very grateful you are in our lives, and in our lives you will stay.

Bodywork Revolution

MIT Wind Tunnel Testing Reveals Secrets to Faster Cycling

I've got my geek on today, so let's talk cycling efficiency. I see so many of my friends spending gazillions of dollars on anything that they think will make them faster. Here's some actual science that will help with just that, and it just might save you a bundle.

The synopsis of the MIT wind tunnel testing came from Tim Richmond at Max Performance. I happily re-post it for your viewing pleasure. Here's a link to the original article on bicycling.com.

Based on the MIT research:
Can you pass the following aero-test?

• What produces more drag- your wheels or your helmet?
• True or False- 75% of how fast you go is determined by your body positioning?
• Does water bottle placement drastically affect aerodynamics?

Here are the answers to these questions and some additional rules of thumb for all triathletes. Here's how to increase bike speed without spending big bucks.

Want to increase your bike speed and spend money wisely?

• Any speed above 12 MPH makes it worth being in an aero position on aero bars
• A non-aero helmet creates 4x the drag of a nonaero wheelset
• Roughly 2/3 of drag is created by the cyclist
• Cable routing actually affects aerodynamics materially
• A water bottle on your seat tube is much more aero than one on your down tube
• Making your race number fit flatter drastically affects aerodynamics
• Your bike accounts for about 15-25% of your overall drag

The MIT ranking of value in terms of cost/second saved for practical triathletes is:

• Detailed factors, e.g. cable routing, race #, etc.
• Helmet
• Position
• Frame
• Wheels

Note - the water bottle shape was actually considered 2nd most important but was tested using a MIT custom designed one not available to the public.

There are trade-offs though, between body positioning aerodynamics and power output efficiency. It's not effective if you are super aerodynamic but losing lots of pedal power because of your positioning. Proper bike fit will help you in this regard since it determines a comfortable and aerodynamic position on the bike.

Final Takeaways:

So, you now have more information on whether to spend $2,000 on a wheelset or $200 on a helmet. Aerodynamics is critical since a 5% improvement can mean big time savings. Every rider is different too, so there is no single right answer for everyone. Are shaved legs faster than hairy ones? And just how geeky will I look in that aero-helmet?

Where's The Real Food?

I wish I could walk into a regular grocery or convenience store and find only "real" food. By "real" food I mean foods made with whole grains, proper fats, no additives or artificial colorings, and with healthy levels of sodium and sugar. I wish for aisles full of food that's actually good for us that we could just pluck off the shelf with confidence and peace of mind--without the specialty food price tags! When I go shopping these days I feel as if I'm picking around, over, and under the selections thrust at me to find the "real" food. Or I'm spending a fortune at the organic market for food that should be the norm and readily available.

Ever look at the ingredients in a jar of mass-marketed peanut butter? Touted as a healthy spread, most of the regular brands like Skippy, Jiff, et al are loaded with hydrogenated oils. Those oils are, um, not good for you to say the least. Sure, the Teddie Natural peanut butter takes a little stirring, but there's nothing but peanuts and a little salt in the jar. Take a look at the amount of sugar in your mass-marketed yogurt. It's up there, making most yogurts high in calories for the amount of real nutrition you actually get.

Today I had to go into a gas station convenience store, which I rarely do. I took a moment to look around at what was for sale, and I thought, "most of this isn't even food." Save for some milk and cheese, the "food" choices were just fat-, salt-, sugar-and additive-laden processed junk.  I could not find one loaf of 100% whole wheat bread, but there was plenty of Wonder.

Sometimes I am stunned at how many of us don't even know what "real" food is anymore. Don't even get me started about our kids. It's so sad, and so bad for us as individuals, our community, and our planet.

How Do You Handle Down Time? It's A Struggle Here...

After 16 weeks of great off-season training which resulted in satisfying gains in power on the bike, and drops in times on the run, I'm in "transition." Transition is a period of time that we all need to regroup and recharge after a concentrated block of training before gearing up for the next goal. For me, this transition phase should last about 3-4 weeks. I'm in week three.

Trouble is, I have trouble with transition--mentally and physically. With each week that goes by I feel like doing less and less, and feel more and more unmotivated. When I do get in a short workout, I feel sluggish, heavy, and slow. What happened to the sprightly, strong me that showed up every day for 16 weeks?

With the sluggish, slow feeling starts to come the worry that "I've lost it all." Even with (kinda) following the EN coaching plan for this phase, I wonder if am I doing too little or too much? Will the motivation and good feelings ever come back? I know that's terribly silly, and that the best thing I can do for my body and my mind is to take this down time. I have a long way to go until November 1. Still...

As dedicated athletes, I know we have trouble dropping back and chilling out. (There's more than a little type-A in most of us.) My training buddy Gina who is in the same training cycle, talked me down yesterday with the description of her own current slug-fest. The conversation got me wondering....What do you do during your training down times? Are they easy for you? Do you struggle with it too? Any tips on learning to actually enjoy these phases and letting go for a while?

I'll begin gearing up for half Ironman training on March 1. Part of me also realizes I'll be pining for these days when the training gets rough. Damned if you do...

The Slow Treadmill

I found a new favorite treadmill at the gym. I call it the "slow treadmill" because when I've run on it the past few times doing my interval work, I've run at speeds I have not been able to maintain for that length of time in many, many years. That treadmill became my friend. My ego stroker. My I-don't-have-to-hide-the-numbers running machine. I mean, it had to be slow, right? I couldn't be running that fast...

Well, today it's an ice/snow/slush fest outside and as a result, the gym was packed. My "slow treadmill" was taken, as were most of the others. I had to run on a "stranger" :). Surely, I'd be back to my old paces. I think you can see where this is going....

It isn't the flippin' treadmill, IT'S ME! Sixteen weeks of hard interval work--which resulted in a 2-minute drop in my 10K time, BTW--and I still didn't believe in the gains I made. Did I think the improvement would just disappear? That the 10K TT was a fluke? That I was too old, and not talented enough to really make any lasting gains? The answers to those questions are yes, yes, and yes. And the lesson here is to change, change, change that mindset. Enough of that already!

I've had some fun today taking the time to laugh at myself a bit for hanging on to these old, worn out, tired thought patterns. I also let myself revel in the payoff of the hard work I've done. The reason I never made gains like this in the past 7 years is that I haven't worked this hard, with this level of dedication, and motivation. In times past I *told myself I was training effectively, but I wasn't. I wanted the improvement to magically appear, I guess. It doesn't, let me assure you of that!

Most importantly, these little discoveries take you steps closer to shedding negative views of oneself that create obstacles where none exist. You tell me--how much better will my training progress if I see myself as capable, and owning my improvements, as opposed to always thinking "I can't," "I'll never"? The words and thoughts we use in training surely mirror how we consider ourselves in other areas of our lives. Like attracts like, and I'd rather live in the glow that attracts more of that heady, positive training energy, than in the dark hole of "I can't."

Coincidence? I Think Not

Some people say there are no accidents or coincidences. I must say, that when I think about how I came to the Endurance Nation (EN) training program, and how it has all worked out I know that something larger than me was at work to draw it into my life.

I had a bike crash in September that left me with a separated shoulder. Swimming was off the table for a while, and when I was cleared to go back to the pool I know I was pushing that injury too far too fast. I was afraid to lose the swimming fitness I had built up over the summer, and foolishly I was putting my shoulder at risk--with an Ironman in the offing no less. At about the time, however, this new endeavor called Endurance Nation came to my attention with a cool off-season program (OS). The price was right, the training was what I was looking for, so I signed up.

Lo and behold, I found myself in the middle of a new training paradigm that DE-emphasized the swim during the off-season. Take the whole off-season off from swimming was actually recommended. (It's about return on investment in terms of gains on the bike and run, which all panned out BTW.) So not only did I make great gains on the bike and run, but my shoulder got better. Now that I'm back in the pool a bit more, I see that my shoulder no longer hurts. I could have ended up in a program that said "work on your weakest sport for the next 4 months," which would have meant I'd have been pushing that shoulder to the edge. Instead, I ended up right where I needed to be. My bike and run are so much better, my swimming lost very, very little in terms of speed and endurance, and my shoulder healed. Coincidence? I think not.

The OS program ended last week. EN works in 16-week blocks. Complete a training block, do a cool event, then go into transition mode. I now have 3-4 weeks of easy work, do what feels good, and get out of the training-schedule mentality. Not only does my brain need it, but the timing directly coincides with the height of my boys' swim season. Last weekend and next weekend are filled with meets, morning and afternoon. There is little time to train, and what time there is has to be squeezed in between swim sessions. But guess what? I'm in transition! I don't have to be concerned about missing workouts, or falling behind in my goals. Trust me, I did not calculate the completion of the OS program with the apex of the kids' swimming demands. I somehow attracted that EN program into my life, and the timing was perfect in this way as well. Coincidence? I think not.

I think it's important to take moments to recognize how the LOA works in ways large and small. When you land the big job, or have a major event happen that you've visualized and attracted into your life, it's easier to see the LOA at work. But it's also important to be mindful of more subtle ways that you attract what you need. In this particular instance for me, it was a confluence of training philosophy, injury, healing, and dates on the calendar that reminded me this was no accident.

Hydrating With Acai--One Powerful Antioxidant

Sometimes I get so darn sick of plain water. I'm always looking around for ways to add a little flavor, preferably without artificial sweetners or sugar. Packages of Emergen-C in different flavors is a good option, but I happened upon the following idea and it's working really well.

Part of my vision for myself includes kicking the sugar addiction, and making sure I have a full complement of proper nutrients. I've done a lot of research on the kinds and amounts of supplements the body needs to fuel what we ask of it. I especially want to be sure to have the proper antioxidants in the proper amounts.

I have been researching how Acai berries/juice (pronounced a-sigh-ee) have more antioxidant power than blueberries, red wine grapes, etc. It also supposedly helps with energy and focus. I decided to try a bottle of the juice, and I really like it. You need only an ounce of the juice for a theraputic dose of antioxidants, so I spike at least one water bottle/day spiked with Acai. Very few calories, it's not very sweet, and it's just enough flavor. I know I'm getting a good antioxidant hit, and I know I'm drinking more. I will admit, I think my focus at work has been a little better. I tried this one, but there a lots to choose from. Sure is better than soda!

The Sugar Addiction and What's Really Going On

Unconciously, I've been using the Law of Attraction (LOA) all of my life to my betterment and my detriment. The past few years I've been actively seeking to employ its power and the freedom it offers to my advantage. (Duh, that's the better choice.) It's sure better to live the concious life than the unconscious, right?

So what's with me, the sugar addiction, and not getting a handle on it? That's what I need to explore, and my buddy Paula's comment to my first post on this subject got me thinking, and the thinking took me waaaay back...

As a kid, sugar was always the reward, as it was for many of us. One of the only activities as a kid I'd do with my dad was go to the corner drugstore for a coffee frappe. I loved those outings. Nice time with dad = ice cream. I didn't have much supervision as a kid in the morning, so many a day breakfast was Yodels, or a piece of cake, and a glass of milk. No one knew I was doing this, but then again no one asked either. Ergo, meals = sweets, particularly sweets with frosting. Every day after school there was the stop at the corner store for the 5-cent Oh Henry candy bar. You get the picture.

Watching my weight as a 20-something came to mean keeping the calorie count in check by sacrificing the nutritious food for the sweet food. Calories are calories, and if you eat 1500/day of salad or Ring Dings, you stay slim. We don't even have to discuss which is the better choice. (Not the ones I made, believe me.)

After my boys were born, and I started working out again to get back in shape, there was a subconscious yet instant correlation in my mind. Working out meant a license for sweets. By then, I was eating better overall, but still. I told myself if I worked out I could lose the baby weight, and STILL eat candy. When I started competing, the equation became even more firmly cemented. Intervals and long runs meant bigger burns. Big calorie burns meant bigger latitudes on what I could consume, right? And, by golly, it worked. I lost the weight and ate pretty much whatever I wanted. But I didn't want to eat that way, and beat myself up daily about making bad food choices. Think about it--30+ years of eating bad, then feeling bad, eating bad, then feeling bad. What a waste of energy.

So now, at the tender age of 50, I see how long those tapes have been playing and replaying in my head. These thought patterns belong in the garbage can. I know as sure as I breathe, however, that the Law of Attraction has been at work here big time--and I have been using its power and energy to my detriment. The more I stay focused on the negative, the lack of discipline, the displeasure with my habits, the more I am destined to repeat them. What is in my life re this sugar issue comes squarely from where my focus has been. If I keep saying "I'm weak, I have no willpower, I'm addicted," then guess what? I'll stay, weak, and powerless, and addicted. A new script has to be written, and I think it's this...

Instead of focusing on what my behavior is lacking and the unceasing undertow of negative tensions, I need to sync into a new vision of myself. The vision will not be of a person deprived (trust me, I still plan on enjoying a Snickers from time to time), but of me fed full of health, vitality, and wellness. The vision needs to be of who I really believe I am--a lean, strong athlete powering up hills on the bike and run fueled by greens and grains and proteins. I need to feel it, breathe it, see it, focus on it, intend it, want it. I KNOW it will support my training and help me achieve my goals. I need to envision it and take it in on a cellular level every day until the patterns in my brain get redesigned.

That's the thing about "getting" the LOA. It's a tool that works without fail if you draw it into your hopes and dreams. Think about what I've been doing for the past several decades trying to battle this sugar thing. As Dr. Phi would ask, "How's that been workin' for ya?" (It's the only thing Dr. Phil ever said that doesn't make me want to punch his lights out.) It will take work to reframe my focus, and it will involve some falling off the wagon. But this is who I feel I REALLY am, and that's aspect of myself I no longer want to deny.

Big thanks to Paula for making me revisit this through her comment. This was on my mind, but formed and unfocused. I'm feeling much better now!

My Sugar Habit

All of my life I've battled a sugar habit. It's been especially bad the past few weeks. Too many sweets. Too many empty calories that crowd out more nutritious foods. And I can't seem to get a handle on it.

I firmly believe that sugar is an addictive substance. I swear that trying to break the sugar habit has made me MUCH more empathetic towards those trying to get out from under pain killers, alcohol, other drugs, or nicotine. I'm talking cupcakes here, and I feel like my body gets taken over by the addition monster and I can barely resist. I cannot even imagine the fortitude it takes to get clean and turn off from the real bad stuff. Thank goodness I didn't go down any of those paths, because given the problem I'm having with York Peppermint Patties, I'm quite sure a smack habit would have done me in. I can be tough as nails in other area, but this one is a Waterloo.

I've been trying to use some energy tricks to work with this issue because I really want to cut back on the sugar intake. All that sugar doesn't do my training any good. Every morning I've been waking up and getting a good vibe going before getting out of bed--doing some affirmations, being grateful for my family and something else in my life, envisioning a good day, envisioning a great workout, AND seeing myself eating healthily. What a great way to get up and tackle the new day. BUT I must have some block in the eating area, some negative undercurrent that still attracts the bad behaviors. During the course of the day, I envision myself doing eating one thing, then deliberately reach for the HoHos.

There's some kind of negative block here, and I'm going to keep using the energy flow to envision the overall strong, healthy, vital person I want to be nutritionally. I'm almost there, but for this sweet tooth. I'll keep posting on this as I keep working on attracting better eating habits to my life. But what, what, what are the negatives getting in the way????