Good Advice Can Come from Anyone

I wrote this a couple weeks ago and have been sticking with this leg strengthening plan.  I still haven’t been running much at all, but I sense something good going on in my body thanks to this tidbit from a guy I never expected to offer advice.

I have to admit, when I go watch a triathlon, I put a little too much thought into what I’m going to wear.  When I went to Music City Triathlon, my first thought was to wear Ironman Wisconsin Finisher’s shirt, but I opted for NashVegas as a reminder of the time I almost died.

You want the attention and praise you “deserve,” after an Ironman, I guess, but about 5 minutes after I got there, an animated gentleman excitedly asked, “You doing NashVegas this year?!?  It’s a great race!”

I regretfully said, no because I’m doing Ironman Louisville a few weeks before and that’s when he launched into his triathlon history.

“I’ve been at this for forty years… did this … and that… and this and that….”

My first inclination was to walk away, but I think there’s always something to learn…

He rambled on about his training regimen and how they do a lot with weight training…

“Look at my calves,” he said, pulling up his shorts further than necessary.

It reminded me of my Achilles and Plantar Fasciitis problems, so . . . I brought it up.

“Oh…….,” he said, throwing his foot onto a nearby curb.

“Do these calf raises… and do this… and do that… and do four sets… light weights… It’s not worth anything until you do four sets.”

In mid-thought, he turned his back, and ran toward the race course, hopping up and down in circles, yelling out, “You’re looking great!” to the runners.

Then, he was back in front of me . . . “You need to join a triathlon club.”

Honestly, I thought he was a little off his rocker, but it was mildly entertaining.

“Yeah, and do these for your upper body, and . . . did I show you my calves?”

“Um, yeah.”

“For every exercise, you need to do the opposite . . . do these for your shins,” he said as he curled his toe upward.

“I have thick shins.  Never had a problem.  Of course I’m old, and don’t go fast, but I do 100 yard repeats . . . 30 of em.”

Wow . . . I wasn’t saying anything, but with age comes wisdom and I was listening selectively.

It was the four sets of light repetitions and the counterbalance exercises . . . and the repeats.

He ran back to celebrate, shouting exuberant “You got it, girls!” as I slowly tiptoed away.

Sometimes what you learn is clarification of something you know.  You hear it from a different perspective can open your subconsciousness to the opportunities.

That afternoon I was laying around on my yoga mat and my brain suddenly realized the REAL value of calf and ankle strengthening.  Injury stems from imbalance and I have always suspected that to be my main problem.

I took it slow, but spent the next hour “waking up” my ankles.  Standing on one leg at time for 5, 10, 15, 25 seconds.  I did this progression over and over and eventually, what was nearly impossible on my left leg, became manageable.  This morning I did the same and there was already marked improvement.  In less than 24 hours I have more confidence in my left ankle where the Achilles issues nest.  I’m looking forward to see where the next 24 days take me.

Post script: Like I mentioned, I haven’t been running much at all lately, but definitely feel a sense of balance in my body.  This applies to the pool and bike as well.  I feel like my work is more “overall body” than powering through with my dominant side.  I’m accepting the flow and that is the mentality I am taking with me to Louisville.

I'm Number One!

Well, I’m actually number One . . . Hundred and Eighty Nine. . . but it’s a start.

I think these rankings for Ironman are a new thing, and for the U.S. in my age group I show up at 189 out of 2907, which I am both happy with and quite motivated by.

Here’s an explanation of the Ironman point system.

I’m planning to do a little more damage next year.  For one, I’ll be adding an additional race.  For two, I know what it takes and have already started working on the little things that will make a big difference.

I went to a physical therapist yesterday for a check up and he confirmed everything I suspected, which is . . . I’m out of balance.

I’ve had a bum knee, a weak achilles, a sore heel, and wank shoulder.  The shoulder has been screwed up for years thanks to a football game at work.  It really only limits my swim range.  The other stuff came from running.

My left leg and ankle are much weaker than my right side counterparts, so I over compensate and the result is more weakness . . . and pain.  This off season will be about symmetry.  Strengthening my left leg so I don’t have to baby it on the long runs while forcing my right leg to pick up the slack.  This is not going to be easy, however, because I’m kind of impatient with this stuff.  It took me an entire lifetime to build this ghastly inequity and it won’t correct itself overnight.

I could give you a long list of plans for box-step-ups and yoga moves, but it’s not the actual process as much as the mental motivation to do things that “feel” insignificant.  It’s hard enough to psych yourself up for workouts . . . but adding another 15 minutes before and after for shit that seems straight out of a senior citizen post-lunch/pre-nap conditioning hour?

“Grab those soup cans and hold ’em high!”

Anyway, now is the toughest time of the year for triathletes and it’s more important than ever to keep your head straight.  For me it starts with diet, hydration, and rest.  And while I do mean recovery/rest, I’m more concerned with actual sleep after strategic workouts because I’m still convinced a good attitude starts with sleep.

I was just talking with my coach, Robbie, over lunch and the last thing we covered was Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000 hour theory,” which exerts that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert.  I think Robbie and I agreed that his theory is full of holes because you can do the same insignificant workouts for 20,000 hours and improve less than if you did intensely focused and more productive work for 5,000.  Hell, Navy SEALS claim they can master nearly anything in 24 hours.  There’s also David Epstein’s book, “The Sports Gene,” that questions Gladwell’s theory from an entirely different perspective.

So what’s my point?  (Besides the fact that I am 189th in the US in my age group?)  I have no idea.  Besides, it’s only a damn blog.