Tag: Ironman

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Chasing A Swimmer's Dream – Guest Blog

By Robbie Bruce – Lead Performance Specialist at RX Endurance

I could list all the wonderful things my mom has done for me but I believe signing me up for “swim lessons” before I could walk was one of her greatest gifts.  I have loved the water ever since.

I feel more comfortable in the water than with my feet on land, actually.  Mom also told me that no matter what, always do what makes you happy and do not be afraid to fail.  Ever since I could swim I’ve dreamt of wearing a USA parka and standing on the podium listening to our anthem being played, and crying like a baby with tears of joy.  I think representing your country is the greatest honor in sports.rev3-knoxville2013-free-dsc_0384smaller

I swam 6 days a week for my entire life until I was about 14.  I broke a lot of records and swimming was my life for a very long time. I actually remember the day I quit.  I was in the middle of a kick set (probably why I hate kicking so much now ;)) and I was kicking as hard as I could, yet, I could not feel a thing.  No pain.  No nothing.  I actually did 4×50’s crying.  Trying to kick so hard with no feeling.  No mental pain and my legs did not hurt.  I felt nothing because I had nothing.  Swimming was no longer fun for me.  I did not want to be at practice nor did I want to race.  As good as I was and as “promising” as people told me I was.  I got out of the pool that day, walked up to my favorite coach and told him I was done then called home to break  the news to my parents.

I never swam year-round again but I did choose to swim summer league for my club.  It is much more laid back and fun.  Every Tuesday in the summer I would line up against old teammates still dedicating their lives to swimming.  I would hop on the blocks with baggy swim trunks (dude, I’m about 16 right now and Speedos are frightening) while everyone else wore skimpy Speedos.  I still had guys that were “rivals” and have always been competitive so I always wanted to win.  We would race and some of my proudest moments were dusting them with my board shorts on.  I even remember swimming next to them on purpose until then end before I floored it for the win.  Swimming was fun for me then.  It was laid back and I wanted to be good because it was in my heart and not because it was on the schedule on the fridge.

Fast forward pretty much 1/2 my life and the past few weeks I have had the itch to go after my dream again.  I did not train very well swim wise but cranked off a 55:00 and obviously came in under prepared for Swim the Suck but managed 20th against some Olympians and All-Americans.  Kind of dawned on me after that race when the Olympic gold medalist and race winner walked up to me and said, “Have you been ninja training?  Because if you haven’t and ever decide to train we will all have to work harder.”  I took it as a nice “aw shucks” compliment at first but as the weeks have progressed it’s changed.  Is 33 to old?  It might be.  I think its worth finding out.

Swimming for me now is different.  It is not the black line at the bottom of the pool, it is the open water and the freedom it gives me.  Hell, swimming with our training team 3 days a week at the lake has taught me more about swimming than the 10 years I swam year-round.  I love it.  I know that some people think I am some awesome swimmer but I am not.  I have the ability yes.  But I have not performed, trained, or ever 100% focused on it before in my life.  Couple that with wanting to and having a passion for it I believe I finally have the recipe I have always needed.  Too late?  Maybe.  It’s time we see.robbie profile

I love the sport of triathlon and everything about it.  I will compete and participate in triathlons as long as I can.   I also love open water swimming and believe I owe it to myself to finally find out.  Find out if I have what it takes to make the US Open Water National Team.  Wear the Red. The White. And the Blue.  Am I behind the 8-ball when it comes to training and likely age?  Hell yes I am.  I’m okay with that.  I think it favors me actually. It is fresh and new.  I have the heart now and I truly believe I have the talent.  I admittedly have always slacked on my swim training because it came so easy. Shame on me.  I know. Wont happen again, I promise.

For 2014, I have decided to focus 100% on trying to qualify for the US Open Water National Team.  I will likely still do a few shorter triathlons but no Ironman races for me which was tough to swallow. You know I want to go back and dominate the IML course (and I will). In a very appropriate twist of fate. My qualification race is the day before IML next year so their is no way to try and do both.  So, I am going with where my heart is.  I can assure and promise you I will still be totally immersed in the sport of triathlon, the training it takes, training improvements, coaching, etc.  So please do not worry. In fact, I think this year might make me the best coach I have ever been.  I liken it to working in a restaurant for a long time and just not enjoying eating the food.  My training will be fresh and my coaching will be better.

imageMy venture wont likely lead to me lining up for the open water event in 2016 at the Olympics in Rio for the chance to win a gold.  Will it lead to me being named to the US National Team?  I feel like I have a shot. Weather I end this journey with a gold or some red/white/blue attire, if I merely find out I just did not have what it takes to get there.  Either way I will go to bed knowing I went after a dream and at least know it wasn’t in the cards, OR I will go to bed every night knowing I made that  dream a reality just by taking a chance.  So if you need me tomorrow and I don’t answer your call, text, or email  immediately, I will respond within at least 1.5hrs.  I will be busy in the pool working on a dream I had almost a 1/4 of a century ago with the same joy and vigor  I had when I dreamt it.  Dreams never die.  It is your desire and belief to go for those dreams that fade first.  Don’t let your dreams die one second before you do. Go all in.

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Bob Babbitt Inspired #IMKona

From that day I watched my first Ironman race in Louisville, I was hooked.  But it seemed so strange —  3,000 people putting themselves through what seemed like torture.  There must be something more.  Why?  What was going on here?

The deeper I got into my own training for Ironman, I began to realize the stranglehold it can have on you.  It literally changes your life and dozens of friends have told me what I was doing motivated them to start running or get a bike or get back in the pool.  The lifestyle is contagious.

And Ya know, sometimes you just get the feeling you should be doing more with your life.

This morning I woke up way before the alarm and got out of bed naturally.  The first thing I laid my eyes on was Twitter where I saw a link to a story about Bob Babbitt who has been involved with Ironman for 35 years.  They had me at hello.

Babbitt grew up in Chicago as an outdoor lover, got tired of the winters and moved to San Diego.  He started a gym class in one of the local schools, and became good friends with Tom Warren, who won the second Ironman in 1979.  Babbitt decided to compete the next year and essentially dedicated the rest of his life to bringing triathlon to the average guy.   Along the way he also co-founded the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which he says is, “his proudest accomplishment.”

He also was the co-founder of Competitor Magazine.

When I read stories like this, it touches a place far deeper than I can explain.  It’s about purpose and passion, not simply going from point A to point B.  Babbitt spent many of those early years around Ironman covering local races for free, but he got far more than money can ever deliver.

It’s more than times and racing up and down roads, it’s a vibrant approach to living.  It reminds me of the feeling I had when I started Creative Pig Minds.  I had a dream and nothing would get in my way.  I “worked” 15 hours a day and was completely engaged.  It was hard work, but incredibly Zen, “in the moment” kind of stuff.

That is exactly how I would describe my first Ironman experience.  Completely in the moment for 11 hours and 58 minutes.  I was flooded with purpose.  I knew exactly what I was doing and literally lost myself in time.  To me, that is the epitome of living.

When we trudge through life with jumbled thoughts we are bound to be unhappy.  Our subconscious doesn’t like to be thinking one thing and wishing it were doing another.  It’s a recipe for conflict and a perpetual flight mode.

Babbitt went with his heart and created a lifestyle he couldn’t resist.  He embraced a direction that was engaged and filled with purpose.  It sounds simple, but going where you really want to be takes a lot of courage because most people, including yourself, don’t want you to leave.

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My Ironman Kona Race Report

This past Saturday, I sat in a hotel room in Huntsville, Alabama and watched the live stream of Kona on my computer, and let me tell you, it felt like I was there!

Well, not really.  But it did get me pumped for the Goosepond 1/2 triathlon I was doing Sunday.

Didn’t really do that either, but it was kinda cool being in Rocket City.  Umm . . .

Yeah, so, it was me, Robbie, Corey and Wasky in two hotel rooms running back and forth with the latest gossip on the pros at Kona  all while throwing in a bit of Gordon Ramsay and Hines Ward snark for good measure.*

“Holy crap, Starykowicz is on pace to break the bike course record.”

“He’s the dude that beat us in Muncie.”

“He’ll never hold it.”

“Hines would crush you, Wasky”

“Whatever.”

“Where’s Kienle?”

“He’s around.”

I kept throwing out Ben Hoffman splits, but nobody seemed to care.  They’ll learn.

“Is that Chris McDonald commentating?”

“Yeah… he tweeted with me the other day about Spyoptic.”

Freshmen gushing at the varsity.
——————-
Robbie was basking in the sore-arm-glow of “Swimming the Suck” earlier that day.  Ten miles of open water on 5 Days notice.

Me, Corey, and Wasky were digging for energy and motivation to race Goosepond the next day.

“What’s the run course like?”

“I’m telling you, it’s PANCAKE FLAT!”

“You sure?”

“Book it.”

“I haven’t done shit since Wisconsin.”

“Join the club, brotha.”

I was NOT ready for a half triathlon but suspected Wasky and Corey, who did Louisville, were in better form.
———————-
We lounged with our laptops and watched as Frederik Van Lierde blew through the tape in 8:12:28 for his first Ironman World Championship.  That’s close to 4 hours faster than I did Wisconsin and damn near as fast as I’d do Goosepond the next day.

Well, sort of.  I did 5:35 ish.

Van Lierde’s bike was 4:25 for 112 miles.  My bike split at Goosepond was 2:36 (actually 2:40 because I got a 4:00 penalty, which I’m still steaming about . . . not really, but you can read about it here).  That 2:36 was about all I had and it felt like I was re-writing the record books.  IF I could have done that for another 56 miles (which is more than highly doubtful) I would have dismounted after 5:12, a pretty f-ing amazing time, but dude rocked a 4:25 in the crosswinds before running at 2:51 marathon?  Who are these freaks?

Then, there’s Mirinda Carfrae, who got off the bike around 10 minutes back and casually threw down a 2:50 marathon?  I’m sitting there on that comfortable ass bed in Huntsville, Alabama watching her float on air at mile 25 thinking . . . that’s the babe that tweeted at me about Brittany Spears tickets a few weeks ago.  Small damn world.

Then we gathered the backpacks and went into Goosepond for our ass-kicking.

CMWkona*  Just getting into the race is an accomplishment. Each year, more than 80,000 athletes vie for a shot to be on the starting line, but only 1,900 men and women make it.  (Source, and crappy article by the LA Times about Ramsay’s Ironman that anyone in the world with a computer could have written)

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Epic Ironman in Lake Tahoe

Edit:  If you took (or know who took) this photo, please let me know and I will give you credit.

It is an absolutely gorgeous day in Nashville.  I just rode my “other bike” a 2008 Triumph Bonneville around for a while, now I’m at the coffee shop writing on my new Chrome Book tracking Ironman Lake Tahoe (which is sure to go down in history as one of the most memorable) on my phone.

I was watching the weather leading up to this and the forecasts were brutal.  31 degrees at cannon time?  Seriously?  Unbelievable.  And so AWESOME.  Look at this Swim Start photo!  image

I just can’t imagine what was going through their minds at this moment.  Well, on some level I can.  There is a switch that must be flipped or you’re doomed.  This sport is very mental and this kind of day will stretch your capacity to the limits.

I have to admit, even though I know most racers must have been pissed or downright frightened by the cold, there was a big part of me that really wanted to be in the race because it will surely go down in the IM annals as epic.

Aside from the awesomeness of the freakish swim, I’m tracking the bike and there is a section of the course where the PROS are averaging 8 mph.  Must be a brutal hill because the next splits are in the mid-30s.  Here’s Chris McDonald’s @IronTrac about halfway through the run.  Image-1

I guarantee you that, no matter how much they’re hating it right now, everyone that finishes this race will look back as one of the most prideful moments of their life.  Racing Ironman is “survival enough” without having frozen feet for most of the race.  I just hope there’s a nice fireplace in the ski lodge to enjoy a hot coco with friends and family when they’re done.

To all the new Ironmen that sucked it up to scrape and claw your way to the Finish Line today, congratulations . . . we are watching in envy, respect, and awe.

Edit:  I just realized that Maik TWELSIEK, who won IMWI took 2nd at Tahoe just two weeks later.  Nice work, man.  I am seriously impressed.  I remember seeing Maik on the run and while we didn’t really exchange high fives or anything, I could tell he was thinking, “Man, Mike needs to work on his running form in 2014.”  You got it, man!

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Friday Morning In The Lake

I just looked in the mirror and can’t be sure I recognize the person staring back at me.  Just over a year ago (and for all of my life, really) I would have gone out of my way to avoid getting up at 5:30 in the morning.  Today, although I did hit snooze and almost overslept, I was actually excited to grab my wet suit and drive 20 minutes to a lake in the middle of nowhere.  What happened next, changed a little bit more of my fiber. 

I was about 10 minutes late for open water swim (can’t change everything overnight) but I slid into my wet suit and joined the rest of the crew for a few mass floating starts and drafting.  Fortunately, for me, I missed the in and out of the lake transition practice, which was probably the toughest, but I swam a little extra at the end.

Today was my 3rd time in open water in the two weeks and the progress is just remarkable.  I “almost” felt like a little kid again back at Turtle Lake in Delavan, Wisconsin.  I’d spend hours in that seaweed infested water, hoping to end the day with a kiss from one of the Chicago girls in for the weekend.  Never really happened, but I did love me some water. 

The swim was over at 7, but I had to make up being late, so I swam another 4 or 5 hundred by myself.  I got to the last buoy and started walking out of the water.  It was so gorgeous and peaceful, I didn’t want to leave.  I just wanted to float around and swim the morning away.  But this job thing can kinda cramp your style.

When I got back to my car, Ironman Louisville aspirant, Wasky, was dressed for a run and asked if I wanted to join.  After some careful deliberation, I said, yes.  We knocked out about 7 miles and I stood near my car smelling like a sweaty-lake-skank trying to decide if and where I could get a shower.  It was about 8:30 and work was calling, so I put on some fresh shorts and hit the highway. 

When I parked at work, the wind shifted and I got a big whiff of my own aroma and realized I smelled like a fish.  This was confirmed when a pack of stray cats followed me to the front door.

The good news is, nobody is coming in my office. 

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Sending the Kids Off to Gulf Coast

Hopefully they are sleeping as I write this, but some of my training buddies and our coach will soon be running into the Gulf of Mexico waves to begin their 70.3 mile trek around Panama City.  I really wish I was there for support, but work and races the last two weeks have my body craving a couple days of relaxation.

Are you really asking that?
Are you really asking that?

Jim is the one who got me into running and subsequently triathlon.  He was incredibly patient at the start.  Showing up night after night to drag me along as I trained for my first 5k.  He then sacrificed his time by pacing me in that first race.  It took me a long time to realize how important his attention was, but eventually I realized I owe him for helping me turn around my life.

This isn’t his first time at Gulf Coast, but he’s been struggling with a foot injury and as of Wednesday night he was a little uneasy about this race.  His best event is running and he just hasn’t been able to put in the time.  But, we have trained an awful lot since January and there is no doubt in my mind he is ready.  He’s a competitor.  He’s a gamer.  When the gun goes off, he will lose himself in the moment and I predict swim and bike will be just what the doctor ordered for that foot.  By the time he hits the run his adrenaline will be full on and his legs nice and warm for the run.  He loves this race and it will love him back.

I met Robbie at the Calypso Cafe in East Nashville.  He was sitting at the table alone and I was Robbie Still 2the first of the Fab 5 to show up.   I sat across from him and felt a little strange making small talk about Ironman.  Truth was, I didn’t know shit about shit, but I have always had confidence in my athletic ability and Robbie sensed that.

He has pushed me beyond anything I could have imagined.  His workout schedule in the beginning was far more than I was ready for, but I honestly believed (or hoped) he was just testing our limits.

He has answered 100’s of questions in the last 5 months and there may be 1000 more by the time we get to Wisconsin.  He has been patient, tough, and inspiring at once.

He came with me to Rev 3 in Knoxville last weekend and having that time with a coach who has been in the thick of triathlon so long is invaluable.  He stood in the rain for 3 hours and I’m pretty sure he spent a good chunk of it thinking about his strategy for Gulf Coast.

I’m not sure what he expected from me that day, but his coaching and my work showed up.  In some way I was hoping my performance inspired him and would in turn give him a little boost for his race.  He’s an athlete and a competitor whose toed the line many times and I sense a new intensity about to bust out.  I want success for my coach as much as he wants it for me.

+1
+1

Allison was there with Jim and I when I started my Couch to 5k program.  It was obvious she loved to run and often did in pain.  She had a toughness about her that I recognized immediately.

When the Fab 5 started talking Ironman last year, she started talking Half.  She did a sprint, and that was the end of it until we started training in January.  She was right there with us on our 4 hour spins and jumping off the bike to join us for the runs.  She was doing our full training in preparation for her half.  I kept thinking she might back it down, but she never did.

In about 7 hours, she will find jump in the water and swim in her beloved ocean.  I know there is a good chance she is awake as I write this.  Tossing and turning much like I did before my race last weekend.  Questioning whether or not she is ready.  But she is, and the other day, I sent her this note:

Hey…. I’ve been thinking about you and your race. I think it’s important for you to realize that you’re ready. It is very hard to recognize when you are so close to it, but you have come a LONG ways since we first met. You have put in the work. This race is now all in your mind. You have to believe in yourself and let go of the doubt. Your biggest goal for this race is to relax. A relaxed athlete is a stronger athlete. Spin your arms in the water. Spin your legs on the bike and run. Don’t resist. Just let it flow. Your endurance is there. Your strength is there. The allergies will not bother you once you start moving. Plus, you will be in your comfort zone. The ocean. It is a place you love and want to be. By far the biggest thing I have to work on is “letting the race happen.” This doesn’t mean you aren’t racing… it just means you can’t finish until you get to the end. The rest is just movement. Being focused and in the moment. Not worrying about what could go wrong, but being focused on what is going right. Be mentally tough, but don’t let your mind take control of your soul. Trust that you will know what to do when you face decisions on the course. Play the race through in your head, but always successfully. Stay calm, stay focused, and enjoy one of the most amazing experiences you can have.

Allison is ready.  Jim’s Ready.  Robbie’s ready.  The hard part is over, now it’s time to let those long hours in the pool, on the bike, and in running shoes pay off.  I will be watching closely from a distance and likely be more nervous than them.  It’s hard watching your kids grow up, but sometimes you have to let them swim in the deep end by themselves.

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This Is Absurd

I knew there was a chance of rain for this Sunday’s Rev 3 Triathlon in Knoxville, but 100% is a little ridiculous. To make matters worse, the other guys I’m training with (who are not going) have been making weekend party plans all day!

I got absolutely drenched last weekend in the Country Music Marathon.  My first tri of the year was soaked and freezing.  Now this.  But, I’m looking forward to the challenge and a test of will that can only help me in the long run, right?  Heading out at 7 in the morning.

Image

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Losing Weight By Listening to Your Body

A fellow blogger/triathlete just made an intriguing post about weight loss and it got me thinking.  One of his theories is that he may (at times) need to eat more calories to lose weight because of the amount of training he does.  I think he’s right on the money. 

There are so many weight loss theories out there, but like everything else, nothing good comes easily.  If you’re restricting your calories while doing heavy training, you’re doing yourself a disservice.  The body needs fuel, and if it’s not there, it will start chewing away at your soul.

I honestly think there are three keys to genuine and lasting weight loss:

1.  Exercise often
2.  Slowly change your diet
3.  Get enough sleep

If you think about it, exercise is an ongoing series of pushing your body harder than normal, followed by recovering.  The workout will burn calories, then you need to refuel by putting them back.  I am not a nutritionist by any stretch, but I feel like I am very in tune with my body, and when I listen, it tells me what I need.

Last January I weight about 200 pounds.  Today I’m at 175.  Rarely, if ever, did I “force” myself to change what I eat.  My body told me what it wanted and I ate it.  This wasn’t always good stuff, but I think drastic changes in nutrition are just as bad as dramatic changes in workouts.  They may seem like a good plan, but eventually your body gets confused and starts fighting back. 

Learning happens in small steps, but it’s really hard to be patient these days.  If you want to teach your body to be a good swimmer, cyclist, or runner, go slow when raising your levels of intensity.  The same goes with food. 

If you’re eating junk and fast food all the time, that’s what your body knows.  Pouring tons of broccoli and fruit into your system is like walking into a Mormon church and screaming “Islam is the only way!”  It won’t work. 

I work in a fast food neighborhood and used to inhale combos 4 or 5 times a week.  I still eat that crap, but only about once a week and I NEVER feel guilty.  It’s only been a year and my body still remembers the greasy days, so occasionally we reminisce.

The final key is sleep.  If you’re not getting good rest and restoring broken down muscles, your body starts storing fat as energy.  It’s really simple.  We need good rest.  I’ve even had a friend tell me he thinks consistent meditation helped him lose a ton of weight, and I have no reason to doubt that.  Meditation helps you slow down the body and mind, which is essentially letting it recover from what it perceives as more demands.  

Most of us who need to lose weight dug our own holes.  We can’t expect years of unhealthy “teaching” to go away in a few days.  It takes consistency and conditioning for your body to learn (or re-learn) healthy living. 

My feeling is, if you crave a greasy cheeseburger and fries, do it, but then listen to your body.  Pay attention and learn from how it feels.  Are you bloated?  Sluggish?  Consciously put that into your brain.  Over time, you’ll naturally start rejecting things that don’t work.  You’ll hit more and more tipping points only to find better fuel more enjoyable.  Like most things in life, it’s better to pace yourself.