Author: Crushing Iron

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How Elton John's Lyrics Impacted My Training

*Note: I wrote this sometime last Summer and have no idea why I didn’t post it.  Probably over- thinking as usual.  Which is ironic considering the message here.

I moved to Nashville in 2003 and have (by accident) met a lot of people in the music business.  I’ve run into Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman at breakfast, met Marty Stuart in a dark alley, and even got to hang out with Lou Reed in his dressing room.  Everywhere you turn in this town you’re liable to run into someone, but I kept waiting for a chance meeting with the one person that genuinely impacted my passions in life.

Bernie Taupin is Elton John’s lyricist, and legitimately one of the few people (living or dead) I would want to join for dinner.  His words have moved me since I was 10 years old.  Back in college, my good friend Tim and I would would listen to Elton John until 5 in the morning while exchanging off-balanced high fives and screaming, “Taupin!” after a great lyric.

I’ve never technically pursued writing as a career, but it’s deep in my bones.  I’m quite sure lyrics like these have a lot to do with that:

He was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas day
When the New York Times said God is dead
And the wars begun
Alvin Tostig has a son today
(from Levon)

and from Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me . . .

I can’t light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I’m growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life

Taupin paints a picture.  He creates a feeling.  And somehow his words are universal.  He is a brilliant example of someone who understands the human condition and I think there is a lesson there for athletes.

Connect with your mind and body, then let it flow.

So many athletes I know, including me, get trapped in the past, or the potential pain of the future instead of embracing the energy in the moment.  It’s one thing to have a target, quite another to be consumed with the end and forget what it takes to get there.

Yesterday, I finally met Bernie Taupin and I was a bumbling idiot.  He was in town in support of his painting exhibit and I had a zillion questions, but couldn’t come up with one.  He was thinking about today and I was consumed with the past.  It made for a rather awkward exchange and I feel like my confusion was symbolic of what often happens during training . . . or life for that matter.

I’m sure Bernie’s best lyrics (and paintings) come when he is in a zone.  Writing without letting his mind get in the way of progress.  He was probably the guy scribbling in his notepad while the teacher rambled on about stuff that didn’t matter.  To Taupin, what mattered was writing, so he wrote.

The best artists don’t get caught in premature optimization, they get to work.  They spend countless hours on their craft and trust that preparation will pay off when it matters.  Athletes should look at training the same way.  You can only do so much “planning” for the actual race.  What happens on race day, is a direct result of what you do today.

———————

Here I am on the right with our reporter Stephanie Langston in the middle and the legendary Bernie Taupin with his art.

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Running with Music

A lot of people I know can’t run without listening to music and I feel lucky to have started without it.  Most running races will let you get away with it, but Ironman will chop off your dick if you try to sneak in ear buds or even have your phone on the bike.  So . . . I normally don’t run with music, but lately it has really helped get me motivated for New Orleans, and maybe even . . . Louisville.

And now to the answer you’ve all been waiting for . . . what does Mike listen to while he’s running?

In the past it has been a mixed playlist, but the last few times I have gone specific to the best band most of you have never heard of, The Pimps.  Occasionally also known as “The Goodyear Pimps,” they are guys I sort of knew when I lived back in Rockford, Illinois and they have a really interesting story (which I don’t totally know but will paraphrase).maxresdefaultThey started playing music together as kids, a true childhood rock n roll dream, and have more or less been a band ever since.  They had marginal success stories until they “hit is big” when Hollywood records signed them to a two record deal and bought the rights to an album the band had already recorded in Rockford.  Some dollars exchanged hands and the next thing they knew, they were on the road opening for Insane Clown Posse.

Evidently those early shows were lathered with hatred, slurs, and flying objects, but eventually the Pimps figured out the audience and “won over” some very loyal ICP fans.  This tour gave them a lot of exposure, which the band promptly parlayed into a string of medium-sized shows in a continuous loop around Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Our favorite rockers were flying high and did what most bands do when they get a big chunk of money . . . bought a brick fourplex in one of Rockford’s worst neighborhoods.  They had a little practice space in the basement and habitually rolled out of bed in the afternoon to work on their chops.

My introduction to their music was by, Jimmy “The Johnson” Johnson who owned Rockford’s only recording studio at the time.  The “Noise Chamber” was a jewel and often used by “Cheap Trick” as a pre-production house before they went off to LA or NY to record the final product.

I had just moved back to Rockford and stopped to say “Hi” to Jimmy.  When I was leaving he casually handed me a record he’d just produced.  I started unwrapping as I walked and put it into my CD player for the ride home.  To say I was blown away is an understatement.  I listened to the whole record, then sat in front of my house and listened again before I went inside.  To a Cool Person, Stay That Way was the album Hollywood Records eventually bought and it made a big mark on my musical tastes that day.

Shortly after signing the deal, the Pimps recorded “Rocket Science” which landed as the 5th track on the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack that included cuts from Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Chris Cornell, Rob Zombie, Tori Amos, and the Butthole Surfers. Hollywood Records was anxious to get the Pimps to LA and record the second of the two-record deal, but the Pimps were never about the glam of Los Angeles.

“Just Give Us the Grammy Now,” the second Pimps recording for Hollywood Records, was tracked, mixed, and mastered in Rockford.  Evidently the executives weren’t too pleased with this move and it was the beginning of the end of the relationship between the the Pimps and the LA suits, but the band has never looked back.

I now live in Nashville, so I don’t use these words lightly, but I can honestly say The Pimps are one of the best live bands I have ever witnessed.  They were a single conscience and audiences were either sent to hysteric places or captivated by the seductive dynamics.

I try to keep up, but the Pimps are true rock-n-roll rebels and masters of what I like to call “the takeaway” which means they do what they want when they want; including making their music or merchandise un-available through traditional sources.  I think is one of the main reasons I like running with the Pimps in my ear.  Their music is raw, energized, catchy, rebellious, hilarious, and super tight.  Perfect for losing yourself on a long run.

The Pimps are the band you will never hear of, unless you check them out on your own.

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Country Music Marathon – New Course

The organizers of Country Music Marathon in Nashville have changed their course for this year’s race.  It used to start at Centennial Park and avalanche its way toward the Honky Tonks on Lower Broadway, but now it will start downtown.  There will no longer be that wonderful downhill that inspires and captivates runners as they spill into Music City and not everyone is happy about it, but I think it’s a good move.

Thousands come from out of town for this race and it will make logistics way easier for those staying downtown.  It will also make it easier for me, and that’s kinda the real point.

BUT, I think they can still make this race a lot better.

I’ve done the half marathon twice but really have no interest in the full, mainly because of the course.  It’s almost like they locked themselves in a room until they created the perfect first half, then, a few days later said, “Oh shit, we need 13 more miles!”

The first half (the half) is great, but after that, the luster quickly fades.  I know there are a million road complications, but I feel like this marathon could spend way more time in downtown, giving better exposure to the awesomeness that is Music City AND spectators could see their favorite runners more often.

For example, instead of torturing runners with that Metro Center stretch, the course could utilize more of Germantown which is loaded with cool homes, shops and soon, a sweet new baseball stadium.  Just wind the route in and out of the neighborhood known for crepes, hotdogs, and beer, then sit back watch the festivities unfold.

That would be around mile 15 or so and I’d imagine it would thin out enough to roll it back into town on the bike path along the river into downtown.  Then bring the runners back up 1st avenue and over Shelby into East Nashville.

And there is certainly more they could do with East Nashville, other than make you run out and back on Davidson Street, which is arguably the ugliest section of town.  Take them out Woodland and cut down Eastland toward Family Wash, then back down Riverside into Shelby.  Way more awesome than an out and back into the park.

Then circle around in the park a bit and come back down Davidson… better yet, screw Davidson and figure out how to come back through East Nashville.  Maybe even Shelby Avenue.  So many awesome little neighborhoods and hills.  Ohhh… not hills.  Yes, hills.  Do it . . . make the CMM legit.

The more I run these kinds of races the more I wish they were laid out better for scenery and spectators.  I just think the whole Davidson/Metro Center thing is a cop out.  I run these streets all the time and nobody wants to run in those places.

Obviously participants don’t care that much because 30,000 people pay a lot of money to run — but in a world where everyone is trying to squeeze out more profit, it would be nice if Competitor went above and beyond to deliver something truly memorable.  And while they’re at it, maybe talk with someone at LP field this year so you can let runners into the concourse if it rains.

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Running With Momentum

A friend of mine called the other day and relayed some bad news.

He’s a triathlete and was looking forward to this season, but the pain wasn’t going away.  Finally he went for an MRI and they said his knee is shot.  No more running.

No more running?  Two years ago I may have welcomed that news, but now that I have realized its joys, that sounded like a crushing blow.

He was fairly upbeat and said he could probably do one triathlon this year, but he shouldn’t train by running.  Just let it all hang out and deal with the pain later.

Then, of course, he said he could get a new knee.

A new knee?

I always hold out hope that the body can repair itself when treated right, but he didn’t seem so sure.  He’ll get some “silicone like” injections that will help his joints move better, but in the end he doesn’t think he’ll be able to rebuild the cartilage he’s lost.

But we did talk about running style and how it can lessen the impact on your joints.  Mainly by changing your gate.

It’s not easy, but it’s pretty simple.

Pounding your joints and bones for a long time will cause more damage and I have really thought about this hard since I’ve started running.  I have focused on a soft stride on the ball of my foot and a quick lift.  The weight of your body will destroy itself over time and the best way to combat that is to reduce impact.

How?

Shorter and more frequent strides.  Pick em up and put them down.  It just makes sense.  The less time your ankle is on the ground the less impact it will absorb.

I remember when I started running as a kid.  I had these long ass strides and taxed the crap out of my muscles to run.  It was hard to run like that because you’re not using momentum.  Now, I think about momentum all the time.  Swim, bike, run.  What’s harder to stop than momentum?

So much of being able to use momentum is trusting it.  In running it is that feeling of “falling forward” that seems intimidating.  It’s more about “catching yourself” than pushing off.

Sure, that’s pretty simplistic, but the reality is using momentum makes any sport 50% easier.  Momentum is an unspoken force of physics that’s undeniable but runners rarely use it.  They tend to land on their heels instead of hinting themselves forward.  I’ve heard a 200 lb man landing on his heels actually is like catching 800 lbs.  Over time, you can see how this would do damage.

Last summer we were doing one mile intervals around a track.  We started slow, then picked up to our half marathon pace.  For the last mile I kept pace but decided to run the last two laps as fast as I could.  I was hot, spent, and ready to be done.  But as hard as those last two laps were on my breathing, I really noticed how much easier it was on my legs.  I was picking them up and putting them down.  I was trusting the momentum of the run.  It was almost literally like I was flying.  I didn’t feel the pain of the steps like I had for the previous 10 miles.  I was floating on air.

I was also in pretty good shape, but it makes you wonder.  The less you pound, the less it will hurt.  Are you trusting the momentum?

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Snow and Running with the Kenyans

I live in Nashville and my morning run plan was canceled by snow.  It wasn’t so much the running as it was the driving to the other side of town.

I’ve actually never run with “K” (no relation to Racer K) and this time we were going to make it happen.  We actually made PLANS to meet at Percy Warner park at 9am and run the 5.8 mile loop.

I was really looking forward to it because K has been a runner for years and I’ve always loved his story about running the first Country Music Marathon in Nashville.  He was a pretty good runner, so his projected time landed him in the first corral.

Back then, the race welcomed and paid elite runners, so K found himself loosening up with the Kenyans.  It’s so funny to hear him tell the story because he is really humble,  observant, and a tad bit paranoid.

“So, I’m this tall lanky white guy with a shaved head standing there in New Balance shoes and all these Kenyans are looking at me like, “who the fuck is this guy?”  They are whispering to each other and giving me the stink eye as I do my stretches and run in place and I’m really thinking they are out to get me, but I have no idea why I’m in the first corral and certainly no challenge to the Kenyans.  So I get nervous because I think these guys are gonna take me out on the run.  But seriously, I am just gonna run this race and have no intention on trying to stay with the Kenyans.  So, dude, I’m standing on the starting line with these guys and looking over at them and they’re looking at me and I think, man, what am I doing here, I just like to run.  My TOE is ON the starting line in the first corral and there are TV news cameras on us and I know people at home are saying the same thing, “Who the fuck is THAT guy?”  I was really thinking about going back to the second corral, but I couldn’t move.  I was pushed to the front and then I was afraid I’d get a false start and get disqualified or hold up the race.  I was just trying to keep my balance and getting a little dizzy just standing there.  Then they counted down to the gun and when it shot, the Kenyans left me in the dust and everything was cool then, you know?  I just ran.”

Damn, I love hearing that story and was looking forward to it again today, but we’re gonna try again tomorrow.

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A Swimming Breakthrough and Jodie Swallow #IMLOU

Yeah, so I was looking around at some YouTube videos on how to get faster and stumbled onto this one featuring the badassness of pro triathlete Jodie Swallow.  Now, my disclaimer here is that Jodie could probably talk me into swimming with sponges on my feet, but this video was pretty simple and made perfect sense.  Just move your arms faster.

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I went to the pool, armed with my Swallow security blanket and took off like a bat out of hell for the promise land.  And it worked . . . for about two laps.

I was totally gassed.

I realize you actually have to be in shape to swim like this, but is three laps asking too much?  Apparently.

Five minutes into my session I was swallowing pride at the end of my lane and halfheartedly listening to the same damn stories from the same damn guy who keeps forgetting who I am.

“I shouldn’t say this,” he says, “But I’m secretly racing you in the next lane.”

“How’s that goin’ for ya?,” I say again.

“Well, I’m coming off surgery, so I need motivation.”

“I hear that, bro.”

Then, as the conversation hits that awkward lull and there’s nothing left, he always, every time, looks at me like a little kid and says, “Wanna race?”

And always, every time, I say, “Yes.”

I exploded from the wall in Jodie Swallow mode and promptly roasted my soar-shouldered-friend for 50 meters before collapsing onto the ledge.  I’m simply out of shape.

But, the more I swam fast, the more I started to notice I was getting a nice extension and roll without hesitating in front.  A fluid churn with a solid cadence.  Much like you want from your bike and run.

I wasn’t thinking “fast” as much as I was thinking consistent.  Trust the roll and don’t pause or extend your glide.  Just circle the arms and keep your body from turning over too far.  It was one of those moments when something clicked.

It felt much more like I was swimming instead of trying to stay afloat.  A consistent, powerful, and controlled rotation that didn’t wear me out.  Of course I was pretty beat up when I discovered this, so I’m not sure it’s really true.  We’ll find out tomorrow.

Until then, if you’re reading, Jodie, feel free to tell me I’m wrong before I do something stupid in Louisville.

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So My Buddy Said . . . #IMLOU

Something happened to me yesterday and my buddy, C*, noticed.  We’re texting back and forth and I’m all engaged about the races we have scheduled and he simply said, “You are on a roll today, Mike**.  Welcome back.”

First of all, I was glad he noticed.  Secondly, he is sort of right.

Things I did yesterday that seem to be pointing in the right direction:

1.  Renewed my USAT card2.  Signed up for REV3 Knoxville
3.  Booked a hotel for REV3
4.  Booked a hotel for Chattanooga (this was actually Wednesday and for spectating IMCHATT, but still)
5.  Changed my Facebook header to a scene from IM Louisville.
6.  Thought seriously about signing up for the Chattanooga Waterfront Tri.
7.  Thought about signing up for the ADPI sprint in Murfreesboro.

I should have pulled the trigger on #IMLOU.  I don’t know what I’m waiting for, but something is telling me to wait.  Maybe it’s because I’ve dropped 500 bucks in two days and don’t even have a kit to wear this season.

Since yesterday, there is now a total of 6 people I know, J, C,***, W, M, K, and me, are all signed up for Rev 3 Knoxville.  Last year it was a beast and I’m hoping the weather is even rougher this time because it really made me tough.  But obviously not tough enough to sign up for Louisville . . . yet.

* A lot of weirdos have been sniffing around my blog lately, so I’m protecting the names of my friends.

** I’m not hiding, however.

*** Not the real JC, but technically they are related.

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Ironman Wisconsin Run Course Thoughts #IMWI

I was looking at the “search terms” people used to find my blog and one was “Ironman Wisconsin Run Course Tips,” so I thought I’d weigh in with a few “non scientific” thoughts.  I’m gonna do it by “feel” and a sketchy memory, so don’t take it too seriously.

It’s a 13.1 mile loop that starts with a short and slow climb from the top floor of the awesome Helix transition.  You go straight at, then around the majestic capitol, before tearing down State Street where “I Run for the Party” has real meaning.

My advice here is watch your speed. There are TONS of people cheering, and it’s mostly downhill, so it’s easy to get caught up in the moment.  Thankfully my legs didn’t bend the first two miles so I didn’t have a choice.

When you leave State Street it flattens out for a while and you head toward one of the coolest college football stadiums in the country.  I feel like it’s a little over 2 miles before you meet Camp Randall, home of the Badgers, and a short little staircase climb that caught the attention of my calves.  Then you descend onto the football field, and while I am arguably the  number one fan Badger fan living in SEC country, I didn’t really feel much like looking around.  What I liked most was the soft turf surface that gives your knees temporary reprieve.

After you emerge from the stadium, you hit a small downhill then flat section that eventually  takes you under a bridge for a short “out and back” which I hated.  I loathe out and backs for some reason, and even though this was only a few hundred yards it got in my head a little.

Then it’s back into “somewhere” before you are dumped onto a trail that rolls between a bunch of University buildings along the lake.  It’s kinda cool because there are students milling about and most of them look at you like you’ve been working out for over 8 hours.

Then it’s time for first of two substantial (by Ironman standards) hills.  There’s and aid station at the bottom and I highly suggest you regroup before the climb.  A ton of people walk these hills and I did for a short spell on the second loop, but they are not awful unless you are from Florida, and in that case, I recommend quitting.

After that, you wind to the right and close in on your second taste of State Street where people are five deep and scream some of the happiest sounds you’ll ever hear.  In retrospect, this is probably where I felt the best on the entire run.  It’s right around mile 6 and I suggest soaking it in.  You’re about halfway into the loop and it’s loaded with electricity, which is good because the worst part of the run awaits.

When you hit the trail again you have a 10k left in your loop.  It’s nice and shaded for a while, but when you leave the dirt path it turns into blacktop and the bikeway takes you out a mile before you turn around to come back.  It’s desolate and I really started hallucinating on this section.  It’s a two mile trek that seems like it will never end and the one section I wanted to walk most.

After that, you have about 3.5 miles before paydirt (or the painful turn around).  Slowly but surely spectators come back into your life and you will need their support.  The support, by the way, is excellent.  Aid stations are loaded like a buffet and on my second loop I hit the chicken broth hard on that turnaround.

You wind back past the stadium (and go down the little flight of stairs, which is painful in a different way) then back through the neighborhoods before hitting your last little climb up State Street.  The party is rockin’ now and the hill is not an issue.  At the top you stare at the massive capitol, turn left for a block, right for another, then right for a half block before turning left to finish.

The finishing part is great, but if this is the end of your first loop be prepared for a major mind f&ck.  They lead you well into the Finisher’s Chute before sending you back out to battle.  All you can really do is laugh.

Ironman Wisconsin was my only marathon to date, and I am pretty sure it will always be one of my favorite courses.  It’s challenging but not unfair.  It’s urban with a great taste of wilderness.  And you get to see some of the finer sections of one of the greatest cities there is, Madison, Wisconsin.

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What I Think About When I Swim

A while back a friend of mine marveled at the fact that I was routinely swimming 40 laps or more during Ironman training.  One day he asked what I think about when I’m in the water for that long.  I had to think for a minute. 

He told me he was up to 10 or 15 laps and he thinks about all kinds of things while he’s swimming and comes up with some of his best ideas.  After a few minutes I told him I “think” I used to be that way, but now most of my thoughts are usually focused on breathing. In fact, I almost HAVE to keep my focus there or I will lose momentum and form goes to hell.  

Today, though, I have to admit New Orleans crossed my mind a few times.  It’s coming up quickly and I need to make serious love to the pool for the next couple months.  It’s not about making the swim as much as coming out of the water fresh and I am not even close. 

I swam about 20 laps and it wasn’t awful considering my last attempt in the pool. I didn’t feel wiped out, but I could tell my body was saying, “What the hell was that BS you just put me through?!?” 

It’s amazing how quickly you lose your swim shape.  My arms felt a little weak, so I really focused on using my core.  I know just enough about swimming to be dangerous, but it reminded me that the core is king.  Not only in swimming, but bike and run. 

When you are throwing and pulling your arms with your back and core it is a lot easier on your arms and breathing.  I don’t really see my natural swim getting much faster than a 1:50/100 meters, so I want to figure out the most efficient way to hit that number. 

The plan from here is simply to spend a lot of time in the pool.  So much of swimming is feeling comfortable and that’s the easy goal. 

So, yeah, I guess I understand letting your mind wander while you swim, but it has never worked for me.  It becomes more of a meditation where I clear the mind rather than put stuff in.  I do this on the bike and run, too, which I think ultimately makes me a better racer. 

I’m actually really curious to know what, if anything, you think about in the pool.