Crushing Iron

March 18, 2013

How Much Ironman Training Do We Need?

Our coach sent a text last Monday and told us our training schedule was posted for the following week. He said something like, “and you might wanna check it cause it’s rough.”

I took a deep breath and clicked on the workout schedule. Other than a short message, it was blank. He’s basically given us the week off, which couldn’t have come at a better time. I was running into a wall.

And so it begins.

He said we’ve been working very hard and are ahead of schedule. We should take a week to regroup and mentally prepare for what’s ahead. Walk the dog, go hiking, sleep in . . . whatever it takes to get our mind right for the grueling road that lies in front of us.

We also have our first triathlon of the year next weekend. It’s a short Sprint in Murfreesboro, TN and the Fab 5 +1 will all be racing.

The ADP is a 300 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and 5k. Even though it’s short, I’m getting a little anxious about the race. Not because of the distance, but that for the first time I will actually be attempting to “sprint” much of this distance. There doesn’t appear to be much room for error and I have set my goal at 1 hour and ten minutes. (I’m hoping my previously discussed transition prowess bodes well in the Boro).

Anyway, there’s a good chance I may be blogging more than ever this week and the topics could take a great departure from the almighty Ironman. Gardening, hammock hanging, above ground pools . . . nothing’s off limits. So, please sit back and enjoy this prescribed week of laziness with me.

March 17, 2013

March Madness and Ironman Training

While a few of my training partners were out tackling Natchez Trace again, I was nestled in bed watching my Badgers take down the Hoosiers in the Big 10 basketball tournament. It was the 12th straight time Wisconsin has beaten Indiana.

I absolutely love Wisconsin Basketball and Football and for a while now I have been trying to figure out why. Why do I (or anyone for that matter) get so wrapped up in a sports team? It seems a little silly, but for years I have tried to loosen the connection and can’t do it.

It must have something to do with allegiance and living vicariously through what the team represents. I can definitely relate with the Badgers’ identity. They are typically referred to is scrappy, over-achievers and I am perfectly comfortable with that tag, especially when it comes to Ironman.

In sports, I think it’s important to focus on the task at hand and not get intimidated. Like in the movie Hoosiers, when Gene Hackman took a tape measure to the rim and free throw line to remind his team that the basket was the same height on the big stage as it is in their little gym back in Hinkley. The field and conditions are the same for everyone.

The other day a friend texted me in the first half of the Wisconsin/Michigan game saying, “The Badgers look terrible.” I responded with, “Yeah, until they win the game.”

Wisconsin was losing 20-17 at the half. A terrible offensive exhibition, but scored 51 in the 2nd half and won 68-59.

They key is to stick with your plan.

Swimming is swimming, biking is biking, and running is running. We do it all the time. Sure, the courses vary, but the body movements are the same. It doesn’t matter if there’s an Ironman logo on the fences and buoys, it comes down to performing. What’s in our body and mind.

The Badgers play their game no matter who they play. They work on the little things in practice, then execute them during the “race.” Are they the best team in the country, no, but they are arguably one of the most consistent over the last 10 years.

They believe in their strengths, they work on their weaknesses, and they push all the way to the finish line. It doesn’t always translate to a win, but they never go down easily.

Consider this quote from a former Michigan State player who made it to the NBA:

“People ask me what was one of the best things about going to the NBA, I laugh and joke and say I don’t have to play Wisconsin again. It’s a chess match with them. They are going to play their style. They are not deterred from what they like to do. So it’s always tough to play them. They don’t back down. They are always strong and tough and they play well together. They play within themselves. That’s what makes them a tough out whenever you see them.”
– Mateen Cleaves

Not only does that make me proud to be a Badger fan, I think there’s a great lesson there about staying true to who you are. Play within yourself, don’t back down, and you’ll be a tough out.

March 17, 2013

My New Claim To Fame

Training for an Ironman can really take a bite out of your social experience, so I guess this is how I spend my Saturday nights these days. I’ve been sitting here doing calculations for how fast I need to go to make certain times in races I have planned this year and I made an interesting discovery about my first (and only) Olympic triathlon.

The story of the race is not a pretty one, but I was trying to figure out how and where I can improve my times. My swim was absolutely horrid, 41 minutes for 1,500 meters, but the good news is, most of the swim times were 29 minutes and up, so I don’t feel quite as bad in retrospect. It really was a rough swim. Cold, rainy, and very choppy.

My bike was actually pretty strong considering it was raining the whole time and I was using cages instead of clip pedals. Time was one hour and twenty minutes for 25 miles. That’s close 19 m.p.h. I’m pretty happy with that, but think there’s a little room for improvement.

The run was very soft, but I know I can likely cut 8 minutes off of the 56 minute 10k fairly easily if I’m not such a pussy next time.

Okay, so I know you’re dying to hear the good news and why I am now thinking about giving triathlon lessons in one small, but very important niche.

As I was combing through the results for the Nashvegas triathlon, I started sorting by individual disciplines to see what the fastest times were in swim, bike, and run. That’s when it dawned on me . . . you can even sort by transition time. As I was looking at the fastest T2’s I noticed that I had the fastest transition of the day from bike to run. Thirty one seconds!

My T1 time from swim to bike was only 1:39 and it would have been much faster if I didn’t forget where my bike was.

That’s just over two minutes of transition time and if I could have just knocked a minute off that total I would have finished under 3 hours.

Note to self: let’s work on that transition, oh, and the swim and run.

Anyway, the point here is, I had a pretty crappy race, but there is a glimmer of hope in my triathlon future. And for now, I am the reigning Transition 2 King of Nashvegas Triathlon!

March 15, 2013

Thumbs Up for Daniel!

I’m kinda busy today, but every time I post something about Daniel and he shares it, I get a lot of views on my blog. So, here’s a little summary of the year to date and how great it is to have him as a teammate and a social media juggernaut.

We’ll start with one of my favorite running pictures ever. This is Daniel racing through one of Tennessee’s State Parks and I just love the fact that that guy behind him cannot believe he’s getting beat by a guy in a suit.

Below is Daniel with the rest of the crew at the X3 Christmas Party. That hair wouldn’t last much longer.This is a still shot from his first interview for Crushing Iron, a documentary. This wasn’t long after we all signed up for Ironman Wisconsin and his enthusiasm was palpable.

And just like that, his hair went away to raise over 3,000 bucks to feed people who are hungry. His sleek new look.

Here he is working out for one of the first times with his new haircut. He said he had trouble adjusting to his head being cold. This is actually Jim eating a hot dog, but I really like the shot. Below is Daniel doing an interview on the same day Jim ate that hot dog. And finally, here he is en route to setting a Fab 5 Half Marathon record of 1:33:30 at the Tom King Classic.

Thumbs up for Daniel!

March 14, 2013

Introducing the Fab . . . 6?

Well, yesterday, I noticed a cryptic post on our Crushing Iron Facebook page from our coach that simply said, “Totally forgot to mention that Coach is doing this race with you guys. Sorry. Totally slipped my mind.” Since it was so random I assumed he meant the sprint triathlon we’re doing next Sunday. Nope. All of this time, he was holding in a secret. Coach Robbie will be racing with us at Ironman Wisconsin!

My head spun a bit, then I had three reactions:

1. This dude can keep a secret!
2. Who will give me guidance and encouragement on the course?
3. I guess I will have to publicly humiliate my own coach

We’ve known all along that he would be in Madison on that fateful day as the Fab 5 scurries through the water in Lake Monona, but I’d always assumed he’d be stripping my wet suit and dishing out GU. Registration was full months ago, how could he hold that in? How will he bounce back from Ironman Louisville and tackle the farmlands of Wisconsin in two weeks? And I thought Racer K was enigmatic.

I didn’t really expect much coaching while on the course, and, if I don’t know what to do by race day, a Sergeant Carter type scream will do nothing for this lycra clad Gomer Pyle. Now, I picture his coaching on September 8th will be something along the lines of “Good luck, boys. I’ll catch you later,” as his shark-like swim techniques leave us in wake of seaweed.

Yes, he will be coming off an Ironman on August 25th and rebounding with another couple weeks of tapering. Does this make him ripe for picking off? Highly doubtful, but I know him well enough to know he’s throwing it out there as a challenge and one I will gladly accept. I’ll take anything that helps push me to my goal, which is . . . well, I’m not quite ready to reveal that one yet, but I don’t expect coach Robbie to lose any sleep.

The bottom line in all of this is . . . awesomeness. The more the merrier and I am looking forward to this experience more than ever. Our +1 Allison will be there as well, but if she surprises us with phantom entry to IMWI, I will be totally shocked. Say it’s true, Allison!

Our coach’s work will be done. It’s time for the players to execute. I anticipate dozens of people we know along the route and an entire army of cyber based Fab 6 supporters to push us up the hills and down State Street with energy we’ve never experienced. Good luck, coach. We’ll be gunning for you.

March 14, 2013

Ironman Inspiration, Kona Style

Last night after swimming, I got on the trainer for an hour or so and watched Ironman Kona 2011. It’s always an inspiration, but no matter how good training is going, watching professional triathletes collapse can knock you back a bit.

Not only is 140.6 miles an enormous challenge, it’s all relative. The pros talk about keeping fuel in reserve and it may be one of the most difficult things to do, especially if you’re feeling great.

I am still around 6 months out and I’m already trying to slow down. The swim has me especially perplexed.

When I start running too fast, it’s easy to slow down. When you’re in a murky lake in the middle of 3,000 other swimmers, keeping my heart rate under control will be no picnic. I guess the only way to combat that is to swim a boatload before the race. And that’s what I plan to do.

I sometimes get a kick out of friends or family that sort of “write off” the bike as the easy part. I even used to do it a little, but when you think about 112 miles on the bike, and racing those miles, it’s a game changer. Not only that, you have to save fuel for the run, which is ultimately the stage that will make or break your race.

On September 8th at 7 am, when the cannon sounds to start Ironman Wisconsin, I will have never run a marathon. But later that day, after swimming 2.4 miles, and biking 112, I will run 26.2 miles. For some reason, this seems logical.

To be honest, running a marathon scares me a little. Not that I don’t think I can make it, but the risk of injury seems too great. I’m sure I’ll be trained up to 18 or so, but I hear those miles after 20 are the killers.

If you don’t feel like watching the entire video above, this truncated version takes you through the end of Ironman Kona. Joy and elation from some, but excruciating pain for others. The scene at 3:00 highlights a remarkable struggle to complete this daunting dream.

Tonight, I prepared for the inevitable pain by skipping the scheduled East Nasty run tackling the signature “Nasty” route on my own. Six miles of hills, and I had a side stitch from the moment I started.

I tried to talk myself into quitting a dozen times, but used the pain as a testing ground for that inevitable moment when I’ll need the practice. The pain was relentless, but so was I. I hammered each hill and tried to recover on the backside. Still a pain that would have knocked me over 5 months ago, gnawed at my gut. I knew it had to leave eventually, and just as I hit mile 5, it did. I picked up steam and finished the six miles, ready for more. The whole time, Kona played in my head.

March 13, 2013

This Ironman Training Takes A Lot of Time

Not only are we riding 2 – 3 hours a day on the weekend and plowing down awful tacos, we’re finding time to do interviews and soul search for the Crushing Iron Documentary. It’s not easy to manage and I just noticed for the first time that my calendar clicked over to 5 months until race time. Here we go.

Take it or leave it — This is me wondering how I got in front of the camera

Here are some more scenes from today’s footage:

March 11, 2013

Mondays Can Kiss My . . .

For as long as I can remember, I have been trying to change my perception of Monday. It never fails . . . Friday night relief, Saturday relax, Sunday peace . . . turned anxiety. What is that? It’s surely no way to live. And then I see stuff like this posted and am reminded that so many of us live our lives that way.

Somewhere along the lines we fell into this trap and believed that “doing the right thing” essentially meant doing “the wrong thing.” We always hear that life’s not easy and it takes hard work and we have to suffer to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Well, I’m here to tell myself I think that’s a load of BS.

When Loveboy first screamed “Everybody’s Working for the Weekend” I took a step back and said, “Damn, they are right!” I didn’t understand it then, and I certainly don’t understand it now. But we get trapped. We confuse life with work. We focus on getting more stuff so life will be easier, but that stuff often makes everything more complicated.

How will I buy this, or that, or buy my dream house?

In 2005 I bought a BMW and have more or less regretted it ever since. I didn’t buy it for me, I bought it because I thought my dad would think I was a big shot. We often talked about my future “success” and for some reason that car entered the conversation a lot. I literally walked into the dealership one day and made impulse buy at BMW.

What did it do for me?

Well, it tied up my finances for the next 6 years. I was constantly worried about scratches, dents and repairs. And, a good portion of the time, it has made me feel like a prick. But now I’m at a point where I have a dependable car and no payment. For some reason I feel better about driving it now.

It has taken me many years, but I’m finally getting a grip on “living within my means.” For years I lived for the weekend and it did nothing but overrun my life with financial and emotional pressure. Dying five days to live two makes no sense.

I am nowhere near cured of this generationally transmitted disease, but I am more aware. More aware of what’s important, and certainly more aware of what doesn’t matter. I have spent many years accumulating stuff I don’t need, pouring my energy into empty pursuits, and neglecting my true passions. My perspective is changing and it starts with paying attention to what’s really important.

I have blindly raced after everything society threw in my face, and worse, instigated those desires in others by selling fear, success and self-confidence in a bottle. It doesn’t happen that way.

There is nothing more potent than a gut feeling. For years I have ignored mine, but it has never been wrong. It steers me toward truth, and now, with the help of training and positive influence, I am trusting those instincts. I am once again, believing that Monday should be just like Saturday.

March 11, 2013

Crushing Iron – A Documentary

As you may or may not know, we are shooting video of our training for Ironman Wisconsin and plan to release a documentary sometime after the race around November or December. It’s five “average” guys and their quest for personal glory. Tonight, we had another interview session, and I would like to offer a short glimpse into the riveting storyline that has developed. Notice the pain, fear, and glory in this clip.

March 10, 2013

Natchez Trace on the Bike

Natchez Trace on a motorcycle is a beautiful ride, but today Jim, Racer K, and I got all “triathlon” with this mysterious road. Beauty turns to pain when you clip your shoes and pedal into the wilderness of Natchez Trace, but I can’t think of a stronger way to start with outdoor training.

It’s usually pretty windy and crossing the bridge near Leiper’s Fork is a white knuckler. The Parkway bridge is fifteen hundred feet long, 145 feet high and loaded with close calls.

We parked at the legendary Loveless Cafe and from there it was a straight climb for the first 3 miles or so. Then, you descend over this damn bridge that scares the crap out of me on a normal day, not to mention when there are 30-40 m.p.h. winds and even your tough-guy-coach sends you a warning text about conditions.

The climbing on this section is relentless, and I’m not sure the map I just linked does it justice. I found myself begging to be back on the trainer where I could imagine how tough these hills were rather than feeling my thighs burn and eyes water as we powered one ascent after another. The plan was to ride for two hours, and about 15 miles in we hit a rest stop where I promptly fell on my hip because I forgot to unlock my shoes from the pedals. I knew it was going to happen eventually, and now I’m hoping it’s out of the way.

The trip back was a little easier with the wind seemingly on our backs. None-the-less, I was ready for this ride to be over. Racer K tore off into the distance while Jim and I plowed ahead and watched our leader disappear into the horizon. Two hours into the ride, we curled down the exit ramp and coasted through the Loveless parking lot. Racer K was leaning suggestively against his car, already in jeans and sport coat.

It was a good ride and that gives me two 30-ish mile rides in two days. I’m definitely feeling it in my hamstrings and think I am going to bag on today’s swim. That is, unless this nap brings me back.