Her first Tri

Aimee and I have a friend (Rachael) who works for a company that really promotes health and fitness. So when the opportunity arose to participate in the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon (hint hint that who she works for) she jumped at the chance. She started running about 1.5 years ago and has enjoyed it. This is her race report.

I actually thought it was harder than I anticipated. Although I practiced in the open water I truly wasn't prepared. I guess it had been raining in Philly the month of June up until the Friday before the race on Saturday. The river was even red lined up until midnight before. The river did clear but the current was stronger than normal. I had to swim in a square path which meant going against current in 3 of 4 legs. As I started, I panicked a bit then my legs were cramping. Believe me I was not happy. I didn't train all this time and involve so many people, spend mine and others money...to quit a tenth of a mile into the swim. I did not want to quit. I did the only thing I could do which was turn over on my back and do the back
stroke the rest of the way. It worked. I was tired though.

Once thru the swim, the rest was cake. I finished a lot slower than I hoped but I finished. And considering I almost gave up I was very proud of myself.

I plan to practice more in open water since that did me in.

Talk about pushing the mind. This type of race report gets me stoked up. Rachael is "very proud of myself" as well she should be.

Rachael gets the "Game On Award" for her first tri.

The mind.....

is a terrible thing to waste. Yeah is sounds very cliche but I do have a point to make.

Yesterdays post had been brewing in my mind for a couple of days as I completed my training for the Double Mussel in two weeks. The Fourth of July weekend presented some final training days that provided some important feedback on my readiness for the race.

Friday I rode a brick with the high school girls Aimee, Sara and I are working with. I followed that up with a fantastic 2 hour hill ride that left my legs tired.

Saturday Aimee and I ran in the Medina YWCA Twin Sizzler 10k. Despite my tired legs I had a great run breaking 40 minutes for the first time in 5 years.

But it was more than just my physical fitness that is in top form.

Mentally I am at a level that I have not been before. Six years in the making I have reached a mental awareness and toughness that is helping me push further and deeper than before.

Two thoughts keep running through my mind:

"I can do anything for 20 minutes." Mark Durno

"Push the Mind, and the Body Will Follow" Eric Banks.

These I have learned from two great friends and will be with me at every race or training day.


Professional and world class athletes develop this early on or just have this mental capacity from the beginning. For others it takes longer to develop due to many circumstances that a average person must deal with day to day. Some people never find it....and that is when it becomes a terrible waste.

During and after the 10k on Saturday, especially after I crossed the finish line and tried not to puke or pass out, I realized what a powerful entity the mind it. My mind has helped me accomplish some great things this year. I may be six years older than when I started to seriously train for triathlon, but I sure don't feel any older.

Game On

How do you know.....

when you are ready? After all of the training and hours spent preparing for a single event.....how do you know you are ready.

First we look at our training logs.......

• Swimming....drills, intervals, yardage back and forth in the pool, open water swims wearing a wetsuit.
• Biking....seemingly endless miles, for hours are a time, climbing hills, eating gu's and drinking "calories", feeling your toes, ass and crotch grow numb, riding indoor during the cold early season days.
• Running....in rain and snow and heat, 6 miles here......14 miles there, off the bike, up the hill, on trails and streets and treadmills, buying new shoes at the same time as getting an oil change (3 months or 3000/300 miles), chafing, blisters, black toenails, tight sore legs.

Second we look at the key milestones during training......

• The half marathon training race. Letting everyone else go when you needed to follow the "plan"....steady pace, practice nutrition, it's not really a race...for you.
• The practice tri to make sure you have it down pat and remember what transitions feel like....and possibly how much it sucked ass when you got pummeled in the water or flatted on the bike or bonked 3 miles from the finish line.
• The time trial bike race where you felt the bike fitness was at it's peak only to be passed by not 1 or 2 but three riders who started at minute intervals behind you.....while your legs are burning and lungs are screaming for air.

Third we remember the lessons learned from all the cumulative days of training/racing....

• The pre-race meal that fueled you just right and helped the next day.
• How to keep your swim stroke fluid even when tired.
• What a certain pace feels like.
• How to get the dropped chain back on without stopping.
• Knowing you can pee on the bike....without stopping.
• Gu makes you puke.....Hammergel fuels the body.
• You can cover the distances.....plus some more.

We have completed a lot during training. We have become stronger; physically and mentally. We have lost weight. We have gained weight. We have become sick. We have recovered. We get depressed. We celebrate milestones.

The muscles have many miles and yards in them. Our eyes have seen nothing but a black line for hours at a time, but they have also seen nature and the world around us during the journey. Our legs have spun in a circle millions of times and our feet have moved us forward many miles.

Our mind has become razor sharp as we feel the changes. These changes register in the mind of a triathlete, or any other athlete. These changes allow the mind to answer....

"Yes.....you are ready."

Game On.

Lance's new training partner

This video is great. What an experience for this little guy.

Tour de France Stage 20: Final Training Video -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Push the mind.....

....and the body will follow. (PTMATBWF)

My tri buddy Eric B. sent me that message as I drove down to southern Ohio for the Triple T. It served me well on the last day during the half marathon. When I returned home I sent him a message asking where he found this saying.

His very modest answer, "I did." I did a google search of the phrase and sure enough, there were several hits of topics close to the phrase but none exact. Eric's phrasing is perfect in my opinion.

I pushed him further as to where the phrase came from. He had been reading a book about the Navy SEALS when it came to him. To be a good soldier, especially at that level, one must be prepared to go above and beyond. To be a great soldier (armed forces special forces like Delta, Rangers and SEALs) may require a soldier to push so hard that the outcome is one of two: completion of the mission or die trying.

Okay, I know this is a little extreme for triathlon or any other sport but let's take it in perspective. Many athletic events are all about pushing ones self to the limits or reaching personal goals. No where is this more evident than triathlon and running.

Look at these two pictures....stern concentration and determination on their faces.





I'll also include cycling because I have a personal bias towards it even though it does not receive the mainstream recognition since Lance Armstrong retired. But there is something to be said about riding 100 miles in one day, especially when most people can't imagine driving that far in a car.

Even in professional sports I can appreciate the talent the top athletes display and they do push themselves damn hard, but the industry is so tainted with drugs and thugs that I can barely stand watching any of that shit. There is something to be said for real athletes who push themselves to the edge for pride and honor instead of the big paycheck. "Pay me mo' money because I am that good" F' you all you spoiled little prissy boys....make..me..sick.

Give me an age grouper who pukes his guts out after an Olympic triathlon on Sunday then goes to his office job on Monday with nothing but a pat on the back and a sense of fulfillment in his heart. I will also cheer louder for the back of the pack runner who is completing their first 5k, 10k, half or full marathon. They have won over my respect.

Okay.....time to pull it back now. Just had to get that out a little......damn pretty boy Favre needs to STAY retired......bit so that I can get back to writing about.......and tell Manny to grow up, damn finger nail biting, dread lock wearing Marley wanna be who actually looks like a Predator.....pushing the mind.

So a couple of weeks ago Aimee and I attended an event where Ray Zahab spoke. Ray was one of the runners in Running the Sahara. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but he was an excellent speaker. At first I thought he was just going to tell us about his wild and crazy adventures, but he tied everything together with a purpose and lessons learned.

I realized, "Well duh.....you try running across the Sahara or Antarctica and see if you can't learn something about yourself or the others around you." Talk about pushing your mind. This guy had to fight two occurrences of dysentery, sand storms, blisters, high heat and dehydration with no rest days. Across the Sahara they were out there for 100 days......running.....every.day.

Push that!

Now hang onto your pants....I'm finally going to tie it all together myself with the help of Ray.

His most memorable quote...........

"Running is 90% mental, the rest is all in your head."

Push the mind....and the body will follow.

The mind is a powerful tool. You take it with you where ever you go. Do not listen or believe what you body or anyone else is telling you, especially if the word "can't" is involved.

Thanks to Cyndi and Eric for "pushing" me to write this post. Sometimes I just need a little help from my friends.

Game On.

Just a typical weekend

Around our house summer weekends involve training, especially when it will eventually benefit racing a Half IM triathlon. Next on our schedule is The Dam Tri and then Musselman Half. The big race is Musselman. The Dam Tri is a training day.

So this weekend I used as an overload weekend. Friday was to be a morning run followed by a brick workout with the EvoTri teens with my best tri chicka TriSaraTops. Unfortunately the morning rain was not helping the matter and we had to cancel.

I did manage to get a run in after work. I went to Findley State Park and ran the 8 mile mountain bike trail. It was a great end to the week and allowed me to clear my head. I also came up with an idea for my next big endurance event. Lot's of options so I had, and still have, time to figure it out completely.

Being a late day run I knew my legs would be tired come Saturday morning, brick day. But the Cleveland weather wasn't playing nice again. Rain was falling at a steady pace and riding outside was not an option. So Aimee and I set up the trainers in the garage and picked a good workout.

2 hours on the bike consisting of:

4 x 8 minutes at 90 - 100 RPM - good intensity followed by 7 minutes off.

6 x 2 minutes big gears standing....climbing - 3 minutes off.

After 1:45 of riding I got off and went out for a ride on my road bike. The rain had stopped and I could do my final hour on the road. Back at home I finished with a 3 mile run. It was a good 3.5 hour brick.

As much as we didn't want to ride on the trainer I am glad we did. Having a specific goal in mind and executing it can reap more benefit that just going out for a ride unless you have the discipline to do the workout on the road.

After the brick we showered and ate lunch. Aimee was making goodies for fathers day picnic as her dad's house. I fell asleep on the couch....HARD. I was out like a light.

When I woke up it was Aimee's turn to nap and I put some laundry away and did some miscellaneous things around the house.

After dinner we got our crap together for Sundays events.
Aimee:

• Half marathon run
• Post run breakfast
• Dads day picnic at her dads

Me:

• Half Marathon Run
• Golf with my dad and son
• Dads day cook-out at our house.

The Half Marathon was an opportunity to run some great miles with friends and be fully supported by a local race director. I ran with Jason, Liz and Larry. We had a great time with fn conversation. We were almost having too much fun. Jason and I crossed the finish line with the clock showing just over 1:50. We both wanted to run some slower miles and after the Friday/Saturday combo my legs weren't going to carry me much faster.

The most enjoyable moment of the day was watching our friend Kim complete her first half marathon. She was putting in the time and each time I saw her she looked like she was enjoying herself. After the race we were talking and I told her how proud I was of her.

Kim unfortunately was laid off several weeks ago. It's been rough for her dealing with it as I could only imagine. She told me that running has helped her deal with the feelings of anxiety that accompanies stress like this.

I was glad to hear that her running was helping so much. I know I feel better after a good workout.

For the rest of the day I had a great time with my dad and son golfing. It was my first time out for the year and I played okay. Back at my house I prepped the burgers for the cook-out and waited for my parents and brother to arrive. We had a great time eating, drinking and talking.

As tired as I am it has been a great weekend.

Recovery day tomorrow includes a visit to the witch doctor for some accupuncture.

Game On.

Friday at Last

Yeah, it's been one of those weeks and reading through my bloglines I see others have had hard weeks as well. But somehow they found some time to post something.

Me? I got nothing. I mean I have stuff I want to post about......I just don't have it in me to post about it.

Some of my tri-buddies rocked it at the Racing for Recovery half IM in Munroe, MI last weekend. EB and MD had good solid races.

PTMATBWF - EB knows what this is all about and I do want to dedicate a post to it.

Last night Aimee and I listened to Ray Zahab talk. He is one of the runners from Running the Sahara. Going into this speaking event indifferent, meaning I didn't care if we went or not, I came out of it with a better attitude. He is a great speaker and has great purpose to his life. Something for people to think about at many levels. That deserves a post of it's own.

What's coming up....Andrew graduating from Ohio University Saturday...father's day....The Dam Tri.....Musselman Double Mussel. Just all sorts of fun summer shit.

Maybe this little brain dump has helped, hard to say.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Send some love to Tri Diesel. He's gonna get his Game On at the Wendy's International Sprint tri. It's his first. I'm excited for him and can't wait to hear about his experience.

Another triathlete is born out of the blood, sweat and tears of personal sacrifice and effort.

ROCK IT BIG DADDY!!!!!