Crushing Iron

July 6, 2013

One Week From Muncie

I woke up and immediately looked at my phone like everyone else in the world. What did I miss? Was it still raining? Where are all the cool people checking in this morning?

The first thing I saw was a text from my coach that included next Saturday’s forecast for Muncie, Indiana:

If this holds it’s about as close to perfect as it gets for a race in July. Last year they shortened the course due to heat, now it’s bordering on a wetsuit race.

In sort of a twisted way, I have mixed emotions about the cool temperatures and the potential of a wetsuit legal race. We’ve been doing some intense workouts in blistering heat to prepare, and while I realize that will only make for better races, part of me was looking forward to the struggle. Don’t get me wrong, if this happens at Wisconsin, I’ll be jacked, but frankly my Rev 3 race was cold and rainy, and I was ready for the challenge of a pressure cooker.

Aside from the potential of wetsuits, this cool spell will produce a major benefit starting today. We will build a better hydration base without even trying. Not that our scheduled workouts are overly intense this week, but July in Nashville normally produces buckets of sweat.

But, I guess it’s all relative. If the cool temps hold, we’ll likely push a little harder and see faster times across the board. And, in the big scheme of things, this is probably better for long term confidence as we continue to focus on the gorilla at the end of the road.

July 6, 2013

Crushing Iron: What it Means to Me

When I was contemplating this blog and what I would call it, my first choice for a name was “Chasing Iron,” but it was already in use. I was a little bummed, but thankfully Crushing Iron popped in my head. At first I thought was a little cocky, but Jim assured me it was “confident.” I usually trust Jim’s opinion, so the rest is sorta history.

I had a few things in mind when I started this blog.

1. I wanted a blog that lasted more than 10-15 entries like many in my past. To date I’ve published 222 posts. This was the first.

2. I believed that writing out my thoughts would help me focus and better understand the nuances of training. I think this is without a doubt the most underestimated benefit.

3. The blog would serve as an outline for the documentary. By the time we get to the race I will have averaged nearly a post a day and I think the words will be valuable memories.

4. I believe you have to be confident to succeed and “Crushing Iron” in the purest definition is empowering. But, it means whatever you want it to mean. I’m still not sure what “crushing” Ironman would mean to me. Some days crushing it would mean to simply finish. Other days, I dream about the perfect race that moves me through the finish line in under 12 hours. Some days even less.

I have started a zillion projects in my life and Crushing Iron is certainly one of the most “successful” simply because I am still writing, dreaming, and training. The blog and the brand began in selfish roots, but so many people have reached out and claimed they’ve been inspired that my mindset has shifted. It’s truly a lesson that everything is better when shared. I’m fortunate to have met tons of great people, both in person and online, and I hope that everyone of them gets a little something from the blog.

Crushing Iron has become a lifestyle. In many ways it has taken over my life and some of the changes have been difficult. In order to change you have to be willing to come apart, and on many occasions I have. I broke a very destructive habit of going to the local Pub more often than not after work. I have “lost” many friends on this path because I simply don’t see them. I have turned down a social lifestyle for the often isolated journey of searching on the inside.

But the nature of my challenges is changing. Going to the Pub doesn’t even cross my mind now and I’m not sure I could ever see that coming. I haven’t “quit” drinking, but I don’t use it as a crutch, and I’m not sure you can put a price on that victory, especially after 30 years of practice.

Crushing Iron started as a catchy name for training, but it has been the impetus for change. I can literally feel the sludge seeping out of my joints and a resurgence of youth that is undeniable. Hopefully you’re crushing a little iron yourself.

July 6, 2013

Swimming With the Pull Buoy

Since I’m a new-ish triathlete, I’m still digging around to answer a million little questions and this article couldn’t have come a moment too soon. It’s a piece from the Ironman website by Sergio Borges and the first paragraph summed up the feeling I’ve been having for a couple weeks.

The pull buoy—that funny little piece of foam you stick between your legs when swimming—is a common point of contention among triathletes. Have you ever been told that swimming with one is addictive and bad for your swim? I’ve heard this far too often, from both athletes and swim coaches.

I was actually getting very concerned about this because swimming with the pull buoy has been much easier for the last month or two. On several occasions I’d swim without it just to make sure I was on pace and I was gassed after two or three laps. What gives?

This is what I think was happening:

Many athletes feel addicted to the buoy because of the better body position it creates, which leads to better glide in the water. When you glide, however, you reduce your stroke rate. A reduced stroke rate combined with a poorly honed body position won’t help you much in a race.

So, Wednesday night, after 1,000 meters WITH the buoy, I said enough is enough. I’m swimming the next 1,000 without it.

I was actually kinda pissed in my competitive sort of way and fought through the first few hundred meters, then suddenly, I found the groove I needed. I settled into a meditative state and suddenly, it was felt right again.

Fast forward to tonight after work.

I was excited to get back in the water and test this stroke. Sure enough, it felt great (other than the fact that I’m a little fatigued). Then, I decided to reverse the test and swim the back side WITH the buoy after 1,000 without. That’s when it got interesting.

With the better body position created by the buoys, the athlete can experience a proper catch not pulling water down first and also reducing many shoulder injuries.

Now, swimming with the buoy seemed harder! I concentrated on using the long stroke, the catch, and the pull. I could really feel it in my arms and my laps felt slower. It was actually a huge relief because I think it tells me, I was getting into a bad stroke while using it so much.

All of this is new and my opinion could easily change tomorrow, but for now I’m gonna believe that things are going as they should. We don’t use pull buoys at open water swims and I don’t seem to have a problem there, so like most stages of this training, I am simply gonna trust the process . . . and the coach.

July 5, 2013

Dr. Oz Responds to My Blog

I certainly didn’t need more proof that Dr. Oz is legit, but recent actions have firmly cemented his place in my Rational Celebrity Hall of Fame. He started by delivering a 6 am 5K in Las Vegas, which was an iron clad excuse for me to escape Casino karma, then followed all of that by responding to my race summary:

Oz here to commend you on forcing me to risk my life in an effort to hunt you down in the blistering heat. I am proud that my pulse came back so quickly after the ferocious race, but have foresworn egg white omelets after reading your piece. Plus the yolk has all the biotin to give my hair more shine and body anyway.

Now, let me tell you why this is a big deal. I work in marketing for a local television station and half the time I can’t get a reporter to answer my email. And here’s Dr. Oz, a legend of daytime television taking time out of a busy life to respond to a hackneyed blogger who lives with his mom. (Well, not really, but she is coming to visit on Sunday with a block of 10-year-old Wisconsin Cheddar, which I am not sure would be on Dr. Oz’s preferred list, but mom says it’s fine as long as I don’t shovel it down like I used to do with her beef stroganoff, which shouldn’t be a problem because I pretty much eat tuna from a can).

Even though I had fun with the Las Vegas 5K race summary, I really did get the impression that Oz is a good and level-headed guy. Other than his jewel crested massage table, he was every man’s man. And judging by the attention he got from women, I can easily confirm he has no problem with the ladies either.

If you didn’t know better, Oz was just a normal dude out barnstorming his way through the streets of Vegas while late night gamblers staggered their way back to nowhere. Race logistics are no joke and he rolled with all the punches, including the sketch PA system someone lined up for the awards ceremony. He even followed it up with a blog post of his own that includes a few stellar pictures of his new 5K rival.

So, in between celebrity interviews and the pressures of helping turn lives around, Dr. Oz takes time to acknowledge the Fab 5 on the Crushing Iron blog. Pretty cool. And now, let me be the first to acknowledge that his hair was indeed full of shine and body.

July 3, 2013

I'm No Dietary Expert, but . . .

If you say anything with confidence, people are more likely to believe your message. Driving back from lunch today, I heard a radio commercial for a weight loss product that said “People have reported losing 11 pounds in the first 7 days!” My first thought was, wow, they’re letting concentration camps advertise on the radio now.

Okay . . . all you have to do is add this product to water and watch the fat burn away.

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert, but this sounds like a recipe for disaster. I’ve lost about 25 pounds since January, 2012. It has been a very slow burn. Two to three pounds a month, and the kicker is, I haven’t made one conscious effort at changing my diet. I’m not suggesting that’s the plan either, but it’s pretty sweet to be able to eat what you want and lose weight. The only catch? Working your ass off in the pool, on the bike, and on the run.

My diet is morphing naturally. I don’t avoid foods because I “should,” I avoid them because I’m more in touch with my body. Slowly, but surely cravings have fallen away. I still get trapped in the time crunch on occasion and swing across the street for a drive thru experience. An example . . . my “lunch” today was at Wendy’s. But I used to do that 2 or 3 times a week. Somehow, some way, it just stopped happening.

But, who am I to know? Maybe there is a much easier solution and dropping “Be Skinny” into your water works.

July 3, 2013

The Power of Isolation

Occasionally I try to figure out why I’m putting so many hours into training, most in isolation. Even the group rides are replete with time for contemplation. I think the simple answer is . . . I like it that way.

My dad was a very social guy when I was growing up. We lived in a small town and he seemed to know everyone. There was always a party in progress or about to happen when my dad showed up.

I loved it when he would take me along to the cookout. The kids would run around or play baseball in the back, while the parents got drunk in the kitchen. Everyone was relaxed and free.

But the sun always sets on a party and it’s tough to see in the dark.

I’d go down to my bedroom in the basement and stare at a ceiling that wasn’t there. I’ve always had trouble falling asleep and think it’s largely because I can’t get out of my head. Eventually I figured out there’s no better place to fuel this addiction than long hours in the pool, on a bike, or a run.

When I’m at my best, I embrace the art of meditation in motion. I am completely in the moment. Focused on the next stroke, pedal, or step. I’m at one with my breath and let that take over. There is no watch, no conversation, and no finish line. I just am.

I have always been a fascinated by the power of meditation. The ability to look inward for peace is extremely powerful and the key to staying centered. But, it’s difficult to stay on course with an endless flow of distraction.

Phones fill voids like a crack pipe. We cling and hope the next message delivers the perfect high. If we’re not looking at the phone it’s the television or the tablet. We’re always “looking” . . . but for what?

I think that’s the irony of endurance training.

We go to extreme lengths to find something we can’t describe. A consistent, manageable, and peaceful state. But what we do when we find it is the real challenge. Do we accept it or climb higher for another level of stimulation? How high is high enough?

On the most elemental level, I think humans are searching for ways to feel better, but how we do that is baffling.

What part of staying inside an office for 10 hours a day while staring at numbers on a computer screen resembles natural behavior? It’s a real challenge because we have crafted a world that is driven by “more is better.” More money, more power, more fame, more sex, more highs, more stuff.

So this all comes back to basics. What do we need to be satisfied? For me, it’s typically nothing.

The most serene moments of my life are those times when I’m focused on my breath. I don’t “need” anything when I’m “awake.” Life gets more complicated when I am forced to squeeze into a box created by humans who think they’re doing what’s best for me, for us. We get dragged around the block when all we really want is to chill in the backyard.

I love to immerse myself in other people’s quest for genuine satisfaction. What does it take to be content? Where do we go off the rails?

I spend a lot of time listening and observing. I think it’s because I truly have no clue what life is all about. Then, sometimes, I genuinely think THAT is what it’s all about. Listening, learning, loving.

So many of us are tripped up by the lure of the next high. The first thought after I make a million dollars is, how can I make two million? And the list goes on. It’s never enough. But all we really want is to be comfortable, content, and free. More often than not, I find that space on long swims, bikes, and runs. The challenge is handling the rest of the day.

July 2, 2013

Muncie 70.3 is Next – New Video

In eleven days, four of the Fab 5, our coach, along with +1 and +2 will head to Muncie for an Ironman 70.3. Everyone in that group has finished a Half, except me.

We’ve been training since January, so I feel like I’m ready, but every time I raise the bar I get a little anxious. Any of the three events, the 1.2 mile swim, the 56 mile bike, or the 13.1 mile run would be no problem on their own, but combining them for the first time at my level of expectation will be a challenge.

One of the things we’ve focused on in preparation is the likelihood of a very hot day. Last year they shortened the course, so the last workout I had before my week of debauchery in Las Vegas was a 13 mile run on a high school track.

Our coach’s goal was to simulate the time of our run (roughly 10 am) and the very sunny run course by offering no shade. We set up fluids and would stop every mile to rehydrate, but each mile we ran was faster than the last to practice negative splits. It was about 90 degrees at the time. Here’s a trippy little video I put together from that day.

Now, of course, we’re checking the forecast for the 13th in Muncie and it looks absolutely delicious from afar. We’ll see if this holds up. Hopefully it does, because it’s much different from my Olympic in Knoxville, which would be nice.

Knoxville forecast for my Rev 3 Olympic in May. The race was Sunday, and the forecast was dead on.

July 2, 2013

67 Days Until Ironman Wisconsin

I signed up 364 days before the race and nearly 300 have passed. I’m tied to the tracks and Ironman Wisconsin is pounding the rails in my direction.

For months it seemed like a mirage. I’d look at “swim start” pictures from Lake Monona and get goose bumps imagining the sound of the cannon. I still get excited, but it manifests in more of a reality because my feet are nearly wet.

I will be attempting a full Ironman in just over two months and I’ve yet to race a half. That will come in 12 days at the Muncie 70.3.

In some ways IMWI is the ultimate test of trust and patience. My training has certainly prepared me for a half, but doubling that output will take extreme faith and confidence. It’s especially crazy to me considering at this point last year I’d never even completed a sprint.

What I have learned in this relatively short period of time is that you should never doubt your potential. I have transformed from a couch potato into a spirit that believes he can complete 140.6 miles of swim, bike, and run in one day. If that’s possible, what isn’t?

And that’s what remains to be seen. Where can I take this momentum? Will I wake up that morning and Madison, Wisconsin a new man, or a nervous child? I hope it’s a little of both.

Throughout this process I have been chipping away layers of numb. I had been living in a shell, honestly dead to the world in many ways. The passion smoldered below, but I wanted a fire. I wanted to burn the masquerade. I wanted to ignite a flame that would force change.

Hitting “send” and transferring $650 into the hands of Ironman was a major step toward re-discovering myself, but this journey is just beginning. The intensity of our workouts and the relentless support of everyone training with me has pushed my limits further than I ever dreamed.

None of this has been comfortable, but that’s what I wanted. I wanted to feel the pain. The highs, the lows. I wanted to swing open the doors that were nailed shut. I wanted to push my boundaries off the map. I wanted to explore living by coming apart at the seams to find genuine purpose in this life. It’s still not clear, but I’m paying close attention and knowing that two of my close friends and training buddies just finished Ironman Coeur d’Alene inspires me to forget the bad swim I had tonight and go back for more in the morning.

July 2, 2013

The New "Crushing Iron" Trailer

I dropped this in the Dr. Oz post, but it was easy to miss.

July 1, 2013June 26, 2018

My 5K Face Off With Dr. Oz

Going to Las Vegas in the middle of Ironman training has its pitfalls. Asking for directions to the nearest lap pool gets a lot of strange reactions, and most suggested I opt for a lap dance.*

I was knee deep in debauchery. I was searching for a sign from above, guidance in the form of a supreme being . . . and on day 3 of the trip, my prayers were answered by Dr. Oz.

I was in Vegas for work as part of a television conference. Syndicated programming stars, like Oz, often show up to build a connection with marketing directors of local TV stations so we’ll drop loads of promotion for their shows. Some stand on a stage and talk, but our favorite TV doctor dove head-first in the murky mix by hosting a 5K. A rare opportunity fell to my lap in the form of a showdown with one of the most important television personalities of our time, and I was not about to lose.

A lot of people questioned whether or not Oz would actually “be” at his race, but those doubts were quickly erased when he emerged from the smoke of a fog machine on a custom massage table. This was more than a little intimidating, but I anticipated he’d face countless pre-race distractions to get him off his game . . . and I was right.I sat peacefully in lotus position near the “Wheel of Fortune” slot machines while he navigated countless interviews. Then, as the throng of runners (nearly 100) made their way down the escalator, I made my move. I was quite sure nothing would throw him off his game like a quick “selfy” with a strange man in black glasses.

But my tactic had zero effect on the unflappable purveyor of good health.

Oz shot off the starting line like a Vegas’ debtor running from the Mob. Suddenly I was out of my element. It was 90 degrees at 6 am and my late night did not mix well with the heat or the onslaught of television cameras. Oz defied the odds by setting a blistering pace while navigating the Las Vegas strip with the familiarity of an MGM concierge.

We darted up a flight of stairs, into a hotel, over a bridge, then down two stories of steps back to the boulevard. He was cooking with gas, but I kept him in my sights. When he reached the next corner, I saw confusion in his eyes as he contemplated the next move. There was a major obstacle right in the middle of the race course: A murder scene.

Oz gathered his bearings and swung the route to the right as naturally as baking an egg white omelet. I closed the gap, and by the time we hit a red light, I was right on his heels. We waited patiently while staring at the home stretch. For one brief moment we made eye contact. Sweat dripped from our brows, and we shared an undeniable reciprocation of tenacity. Only a tattered sidewalk and sweltering heat stood between me and a victory over Oz.

The light turned green and he left a trail of dust on fellow racers. The mood was now clear, Oz was here for one thing . . . victory.

Two other ambitious runners joined as the four of us crushed the final turn and headed toward the red tape. Oz made a hard right and turned on the jets. His arms pumped in flawless cadence and I was suddenly struck by the moment. All the fame, fortune, and accolades meant nothing. Oz was a competitor and was not going to lose to some hungover filmmaker from Nashville.

I chased with all I had, but it was not meant to be. Two other guys and Oz crossed the line while I staggered in defeated. But Oz was not there for prizes and deferred to officially declare me the 3rd Place winner. He was clearly intrigued by my unwavering passion and graciously offered this post-race interview.

AND . . . here is a video I put together that includes highlights from the race, including my internal struggle as I realized Dr. Oz meant business.

AND FINALLY . . . here is the trailer for the inspiring Crushing Iron documentary I’m working on that documents the quest of me and four other normal guys changing their lives by training for Ironman Wisconsin.

* Thanks to Frank Green for this line. And no, I did not partake . . . as far as you know.

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