No Tri for Me

So, I've decided not to do the tri this weekend.  Turns out our house will be in shambles with the remodel starting.  I'm truly excited for this, but they will be there late saturday and then starting right up again on Monday.  While I would love the experience of an introduction to a tri, which is exactly what Danskin offers, I need to be there for the kitchen remodel.  We've simply gone too long without anything, and I deserve it to be perfect and traveling out of town while this is occuring is simply not in my long-term best interest right now.

But, even though I'm not participating, I hope that the comments/training plan that I've outlined has been of interest to others.  If nothing else, maybe you can see yourself doing a tri now.  Its not quite as initimidating as I once thought...so maybe next time I'll give it a go!

What, What You Say to Me!

Today, I introduce a guest blogger. Bob Schwartz has authored the book "I Run, Therefore I Am – NUTS!” which I know is a subject that we all can relate to!  He has a new book coming out this year, but until thats out, you can certainly enjoy his humor at his new blog called  Running Laughs.  He really does hope that more people than just his wife know that it exists, so check it out!  And now...onto Bob...and an excerpt from his new book below.

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One of the differences between running and many other sports is its individualistic nature. How successfully you perform depends on you alone, and how hard you’re willing to go outside of your comfort zone is self-regulated. Our internal voice tells us when to push it harder, and sometimes an undermining voice arises and tells us to go back to sleep when the alarm clock goes off or to cut a run short. My internal voice often employs reverse psychology by appealing to my nuts running gene and asking, “What would a sane person do?”

But now we have other voices coming at us through what we wear on our wrist. Years ago running watches didn’t have much more than a stopwatch function. Want to know how far you went? Get in your car, retrace your route, and track it the old-fashioned odometer way. A little more difficult to measure those narrow single-track trail runs. Eventually, GPS technology emerged and we not only had our distance staring us in the face from our running watch, but our pace as well. But why stop there? We can now get the number of calories burned, elevation chart for our route, and the temperature. We can get our heart rate, mile splits, cadence, and step count. A vibration alarm signals when we’ve gone off pace. Heck, eventually our watches will probably be able to tell us how many more strides before we should re-hydrate or pop an energy gel packet.

 I certainly welcome all the magic that running watches can provide. However, there’s one addition I can do without. Most of us don’t have a reality show with a personal trainer shouting words of encouragement. Nor do we have, on a daily basis, race spectators shouting phrases like “You’re looking good.” But now we can. Sort of. Running watches have come along containing messages that attempt to put us on a pedestal after our runs. The wizards of watch technology offer words of praise like “Atta boy,” or “Job well done,” or “Way to go.” I recognize that some runners enjoy those accolades from their wrist. Personally, I’m leaning toward the opinion that if I need compliments from a chronometer or tributes from my timepiece, well, I may have other issues.

Does any other aspect of my life provide unsolicited words of praise? Heck, no. What’s next? My computer saying, “Nice sentence, Bob! Way to string those humorous metaphors. You da man, Shakespeare!” Or does my car tell me, “That was a heck of a parallel parking job! Nobody does that better than you.” I can’t imagine my stove top saying, “Nice omelet flip there, Chef Incredible! And the coffee this morning smelled divine.”

The last things I’m looking for after a particularly bad run are flattering yet fallacious words, which are about as welcome at that point as learning a course was mismeasured after you’d set a PR. It’s like the queen and her mirror in Snow White:
            “My watch, my watch, on my hand. Who’s the fastest in the land?”
           “You, my runner, are fastest of them all.”
I wouldn’t bet on it.

What I need are the words of legendary coach Bill Bowerman when my alarm clock goes off as a chilly rain pounds on my roof and I contemplate going back to sleep. I could use a bright flashing neon sign plastered across my bedroom ceiling with Bill’s words “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.” And feel free to toss in for good measure “So get your lazy hiney out of bed there you weak little man. Now!” I also could use, in the latter stages of a race, my watch to feed me a double dose of Winston Churchill, such as “Never, never, never give up” and “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” I don’t need pearls of drivel like “Wow, you’ve just gone 20 miles. Amazing! You’re the greatest. The wall may be coming soon. Feel free to jog it in from here or, better yet, just take the sweep bus to the finish.”

Running watches also come with an artificial runner that lays down the gauntlet to challenge us to a race. That’s more like it: a healthy dose of virtual competition. Add in some trash talking and all the better! Let my watch berate me with “Is that all you got, Wonder Boy?” or “Feel free to pick up the pace anytime now.”

What I could also use before a race is to glance down at my watch to see words of wisdom from Steve Prefontaine. Such as “I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more. Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” That’ll get my heart pumping. I don’t need flattering bouquets like “I just love the way your singlet matches your shorts.”

Feel free to give me a watch that will tell me after a run, “That wasn’t good enough, twinkle toes. Better be ready to push it tomorrow!” It was Prefontaine who also said, “You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.” Or by having your watch do the patting for that matter. Or your computer, car, or stove top.

RRCA Certified Coach....Yeah Baby Yeah!

I can now proudly display this logo on my site!  As you may recall, I took the 2-day, 16-hour course back in March.  Later that month, I took the certification exam and scored well over 90%.  In April, I earned by First Aid certification.  And this month, I earned my in-class CPR certification.  Yep, thats right.  All requirements are now complete, with just a few days to spare.

Looking back, I know that I earned this certification just for me.  I love learning facts and understanding concepts, and this is no different when it comes to running.  I have a strong NEED to understand why I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.  Just having someone tell me what I need to do simply isn't sufficient.  Then again, I find a lot of confidence from learning the process, and I do hope to share it with others some day.

Sure, I have no interest/time to become a devoted coach to others.  But, I love being available to answer questions, you know?  I love being able to cheer people on and motivate them to do more than they ever thought they could.  Therefore, this certification falls completely in line with this part of my personality.

I hope to share some of this knowledge that I have gained.  Some may be new to you.  Some may be something you've always read and did.  Some may motivate you.  Either way, I hope I can inspire you.

Words of Wisdom: Mark Will-Weber

Running is real and relatively simple…but it ain't easy.
--Mark Will-Weber


So true.  Its such a simple thing that everybody thinks they can do it, so when they decide to become a runner, they often only make it to the end of their block (if that!).  There is a lot more to it than just putting one foot in front of the other.  The mental game to running is quite under-rated!

Sprint Triathlon Training Plan - Week 8

Taper week!  Now, overall effort reduces by 50% ....give your body a chance to recover from any overuse that you have not realized yet, and again this is not the time to risk any injury...your body should be taking it easy now.

Give Away: Running with the Mind of Meditation Book!

A new book out....definitely worth a read.  I never realized before how similar meditation and running are!  They both go through similar phases in obtaining a goal.  They both go through a similar mindset when reaching the once-considered-unreachable goal.  Whether you are running marathons or have just started walking for health, this is a good reference book.  There are so many similarities to both this ultra physical activity and the ultra solitude/quiet that is associated with meditation.  And, the face that we ALL know that running is more of a mental sport than a physical sport surely has been experienced by anyone that has run farther than a 5k!  It takes focus to develop and retain that endurance.

a Rafflecopter giveaway As I've said before, the idea of meditation, while insanely simple to comprehend, has always been a bit hard for me to embrace.  While simple in concept, there are a lot of obstacles in the way to attaining the meditative state and as a result, the entire process has intimidated me.  But this book breaks it down into such simple and concrete steps....and even if you do not "meditate" you will come to realize that running in and of itself is a form of meditation (or at least completely the opposite that they actually have a lot in common!).  You are so in touch with your body, every motion that you focus is on the physical...and in doing so, you free your mind of any deep thoughts.  You are focusing on your every movement.  As Sakyong puts it "Movement is good for the body; stillness is good for the mind."  To do one well, you need the other.  That whole ying-yang approach to a sport is so essential.  Think of the way we design a training plan...we have those rest days for a reason other than to rest your bones/muscles.  With the rest days, our strength actually improves!  This is a metabolic fact....muscle strength occurs during the rebuild phase, eg rest days.

Breathing and movement are essential for a well-balanced and healthy life (both physical and mental).  Check it out...or better yet, enter to win your own copy by completing the form above!  Good luck!

Allied Medal Displays...for the kiddies too!

There are a ton of things we buy our kids.  My boy loves his legos, and there is never a lack of legos on his lego table, aka dining room table.  My girl...she loves writing stories and drawing pictures to go along with those stories.  Even given these preferences, there is never a lack of things that they 'want' and the wish list is endless!

Even then, the idea of buying something for my 5 and 6-year old now that will last them into adulthood is rare.  What other single purchase is appropriate at this age as well as 20 years from now? What other item will be appreciated and still be in pristine condition now and then?  What item is durable enough to withstand their constant touching?  These kids have already earned medals from participating on a soccer team as well as a variety of kids races.  Currently, they are hung on their bedposts.  That may be fine for some, but I rather like the idea of displaying them properly...by giving them a special place, pride of those medals soon follow.  It should be a symbol of pride to them every day that they look at them.....throughout their childhood.  I want to encourage that.  After all, thats why I wanted one for mine...to encourage me to move forward in athletics!

So, no, a medal display is not just for us adults that want to hold our fabulous bling.  I took a lot of care in specifying which display is appropriate for them...it had to be timeless and not sport-specific (who knows what they will be playing in the future!) but also it had to be inspiring!  Some may chose a bible verse, some may chose a simple word such as "BELIEVE" and some may chose their name.  I wanted something inspirational for my kiddies "Always Earned...Never Given")...something that would be appropriate now and in their future to propel them forward, whether it be a sport or an academic decathalon!  Even legos are not as good as this gift.

Oh and yes, my son's 5th birthday was this past week...and he absolutely glowed when he saw it!  He held it up to Mommy's and just beamed with excitement having one so similar to mine!

Allied Medal Displays for the best bling holders around!  Use discount/promotion code CMOTR for a 10% discount (should at least cover your S&H).

My Fitness Pal

So, I mentioned that I was going to be strict with myself.  I was always a die-hard mydailyplate fan, but this time around, I'm counting my calories with MyFitnessPal.com.  Why?  Well, first and foremost its free (even the smart phone app) AND I don't typically need to search for items when listing them on their interface. 

I just grabbed a 1/4 cup fo peanuts and did I have to search to log them?  No!!!  I just scanned the barcode.  This is great!  Perfect for those people addicted to their smart phones, like me.  You can easily add everything from your phone, but if you need to see the whole picture, just log onto their website and check our your summary detail.  For example, on the mobile version, I can see total calorie count and remaining calories....but I cannot readily see total protein for the day.  But, I pop on over to the regular web version and everything is in front of me.

So, again, why is this so great?  So many times I will search for a food item to log.  By scanning this, I'm saving my time and experiencing less frustration because I no longer have to weigh two similar entries in the database that appear almost identical.  Time savings, accuracy and easier entry....what more could you ask for! 

So far, this one is two thumbs up!







Why race?

Someone asked me if I could explain why I race in 100 words or less.  Of course, I'm more verbose than that, but I did manage to do it in under 200 words!

I’m always filled with anxiety when prepping for a race.  Am I up to the challenge? Will I feel insecure while being surrounded by hardbodies?  Will I hit a wall?  And yet, once I arrive there, that anxiety washes away.  I see people just like me.  I feel a kindred spirit with these other athletes.  I realize that I will be slower than some, and faster than others.  I am running my own race, against myself, against my past times and the current conditions.  I’m there in the moment ready to go.  I take a final deep breath and when that shotgun is heard I focus only on the task at hand, and run.  Whether it’s a good time or a bad time, I will run.  I will finish the race.  I will be proud that I overcame that anxiety.  I will be proud to be a finisher and get that bling….after all, that bling was earned!

100 Days of No Kitchen

This has got to have been the most insane/busy/crazy/chaotic 4 months of my life.  I managed to lose quite a bit of weight last year, and I was keeping it off in the beginning of this calendar year while I was running so much, but then eventually this whole "eating out every single meal of the day/week/month" has caught up with me and its gotta stop.  We've been kitchenless for now an entire 100 days and a good chunk of that has been in my "no running" period.  So, why the impetus now?

I still don't have a kitchen.

I feel like a porker.

I don't like the look of my body now.

I don't like this lack of stamina that the ITBS injury resurrected.

I'm tired every evening, much more than when I was running.

My clothes are getting tighter on me!

I still do not have a kitchen....and I still need to eat out for every meal.

This...quite simply...sucks.

Now, I know i need to turn this around quick before I gain ALL the weight back.  I can handle getting rid of the 10 pounds that I have gained...but it cannot become more than 10!  I have to promise myself that.  In reality, I haven't stepped foot onto a scale since this whole kitchen fire fiasco began, so I'm estimating the 10...for fear its more and I would simply cry in shame at seeing a bigger number. But, I digress....it feels like its 10 pounds, so thats what I need to focus on.

I had my run where I realized that I need to do some work....it was a hard realization, but honestly it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!  So, now the rebuild begins.  I'll be focusing on mileage/frequency more so than diet.  Even if you order healthy options, you still put on more calories than you would eating the same exact meal at home.  Whether its because of the quality of the ingredients or the hidden portion sizes or the fact that you are not actively MAKING dinner and instead sitting on your ass while someone else works for you....well, lets just say I can't control most of the food intake until i get my kitchen back.  So, the goals are activity-focused:

• Monday night, I will run a 5k.  I will not go for time (as I know I'm slow still), but I will go for distance.  
• Tuesday night we have plans, so I don't think I'll be able to get out for a run that evening, but if there is no alcohol involved, I will definitely try, even if its a measly 2 miles.
• Wednesday night, Joe has baseball.  If it gets cancelled, I will go for a 5k.  If it doesn't, I will go on the elliptical for two 15-minute sessions...or just take this as a rest day.
• Thursday, I will run a 5k in the morning.
• Friday, I will run a 5k in the morning, or take it as a rest day.
• Saturday, I will run 4 miles in the morning.
• Sunday, my first "long" run will be a total of 4.5 miles.

Yep, thats the plan for the first week back.  Hopefully I can accomplish more than 75% of it, but its doable if I don't get distracted too much...tons of short runs to ensure my stamina is built sufficiently.  Fortunately, I'm not starting over completely.  My bones have a solid year of strength building and while the last 5-6 weeks has not helped, my bone strength is pretty much where I left them off.  Therefore, I CAN run every day...so if you are new to running, please do NOT try this same protocol!  I have no idea how much muscle strength I have lost, but at least my cardio strength should get considerably better by this weekend at least.

I just need to ensure that I do not compare myself to where I was a few months back. Its pretty close to summer down here, and I need to go slower, so speed should not be an issue. I want to get to a comfortable 6-mile long run within 2 weeks.  Then, a 9-mile long run within 2 months.