Plain and simple you got to have heart to succeed in sports both figuratively and literally. Without your heart being in it 100% you are not going to get better. You have to be willing to do what it takes. That means paying your dues, putting in the hours and learning as much as you can so you can apply that to your sport. There is however another side to this that many have not embraced or overlooked for one reason or another. And that is actually training your heart. This season I knew I needed to step up my game if I wanted to get to the level I want to, and for me that meant heart rate training.
For many heart rate training is so complicated and painstaking that they skip it and never give it a chance to work for them. The best way to explain it is by using work (which is what endurance sport essential is) as an example. Most of us put in 40 hours a week at our jobs for x amount of salary. Well what if I told you I had a way that you could work just 20 hours a week and make the same amount of money. You would surely take the time to listen and be more than willing to give what ever I said a shot. Well heart rate training is based off the same principle. By training your heart to work better with less effort you are essentially going to be doing less work and getting the same, if not better results than before.
This is my first year being patient enough to really give heart rate training a try and I have been blown away by the results.I started monitoring my heart rate when I ran and biked in early January and since then the numbers don't lie and I have pr'd twice in a month at the half marathon distance. I also have noticed how much easier it is to do the same exact workouts that a year ago a just barreled through hoping for the same results. They say a crazy person is someone who repeatedly tries the same thing all the while expecting different results. I would not go so far as to say I was training crazy but I certainly was not training smart. By using a heart rate monitor and applying it to my workouts I could control virtually every training session. For those of you who know a triathlete or marathoner than you know that control is something we all strive for. Having control over all things workout related teaches you to trust the system and not do something foolish. When we lose control we tend to work harder and push through things like injuries, hoping that harder work will automatically mean results.
So starting in January I read some articles, bought a heart rate training book and consulted with some great athletes who train using heart rate. I had always hated strapping on the heart rate monitor and never felt like It was doing anything. However this time I was committed to the process and I vowed to see it through till my first big race of the season, the Hyannis half marathon. On Dec 18Th I started by strapping on the heart rate monitor for a 7 mile run. I did that run at a 134 beats per minute (bpm) and ran at a 8:48/mi pace. Not bad and definitely a run I have done a thousand times. Well 12 weeks late the same exact run at the same exact heart rate is now a 7:45/mi pace. Twelve weeks and the I am doing the same amount of work (7 mile run) and doing it at the same heart rate and going a minute per mile faster. It is not a fluke and my training numbers have shown a steady decline in my pace vs heart rate.
This is by no means an easy process. It takes patients and a lot of education and help to get it right and use it to your advantage. However it works, without question for everyone. The point of exercise is to train your heart to work more efficiently with the same amount of effort. It is so simple and yet many who run, bike or swim just aren't willing to go that extra mile and give it a try. It is not something I could explain in just a few short paragraphs but it was something I felt that more people need to latch on to. Anyone that asks me for advice about running or triathlons will be getting the same stock answer, give heart rate training a try. If your heart is truly in getting better and being the best athlete you can be, than you owe it to yourself to train your heart.
Here is an article from one of the best ever endurance athletes on how heart rate training works: http://www.markallenonline.com/maoArticles.aspx?AID=2
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Weakness vs Limiters
I was recently talking about triathlon with a friend and they asked me, of the three sports, what I thought my weakness was. Without hesitation I said I had none. I quickly realized how bad that may have sounded so I began to elaborate my statement. So I figured I would try and do the same thing here, while sticking to my statement that I have no weaknesses when it comes to triathlon.
Weakness is defined as "A quality or feature regarded as a disadvantage or fault". The two key words in that definition are disadvantage and fault. Am I a stronger runner than cyclist? yes. Am I a stronger cyclist than swimmer? yes. Is my swim a disadvantage or fault when it comes to a race? no.
Achilles was a mythological greek character whose one weakness was his heel. It was his one vulnerability and one that he could not change. Superman had only one weakness and that was Krptonite. Again it was a weakness that he had no ability to change or become less impervious too. These weakness were things that could not be worked on or improved by these characters and this is what defines a weakness. They are disadvantages or faults in which no amount of training or armor/super powers can overcome. This is exactly why I made the statement that I have no weaknesses.
I have a limiter, and that limiter is swimming. When I first started swimming in 2009 I could not swim more than one length of the pool without stopping. In fact, my log book from that day states that I swam 1000 yds (40 laps) and that I did not swim 2 laps in a row without stopping. I did not log what it took me to swim 100 yds but I would say that it was well north of 2 minutes. Last week I swam 100 yds in 1:24 and I did that two times, then held 1:30's for another 3 and then swam the last 5 100's under the 1:40 mark. So if you had asked me 4 years ago if I had any weaknesses I would have, without a doubt said swimming. But today, with all the hard work I have put in and the hundreds of hours in the pool and the endless laps I will not say that swimming is a weakness. Is my swim time good enough to qualify for Kona? not even close. Does my swim time keep me close enough to pass people on the bike, and bury them on the run? absolutely.
I had the worst case scenario swim in Lake Placid for my first Ironman. I thought on a slow day I could get out of the water in 1 hour 20 minutes. I also knew that a good day could see me closer to 1:15 and in a great postion to reach my target times for the race. I ended up swimming 1:47, puked twice, dry heaved numerous more times and had to swim from lifeguard to lifeguard for the last 45 minutes. Did it kill my goal race time? yes. Did it crush me and unable to complete an Ironman? no. I took that bad swim time and I threw all my energy into my bike ride. I passed 1300 people on that 112 mile bike and got off with a legit shot of still getting under my 12 hour race goal. The run, however had different ideas and I waddled home in 12 hours and 19 minutes. I was elated to have overcome my limiter and fight the rest of the day and finish my first Ironman in what I believe to be a very respectable time.
So next time someone asks you about anything in life and they refer to something as a weakness. Think about it and take your time before you answer. Is it something that you cannot overcome with a little more hard work and determination. I have weaknesses like everyone else, however many people except their weaknesses and making them their strengths. Swimming will always be a limiter for me, but with every lap I swim and every time I answer the alarm to get to the pool I make the decision to not have it be my weakness.
Weakness is defined as "A quality or feature regarded as a disadvantage or fault". The two key words in that definition are disadvantage and fault. Am I a stronger runner than cyclist? yes. Am I a stronger cyclist than swimmer? yes. Is my swim a disadvantage or fault when it comes to a race? no.
Achilles was a mythological greek character whose one weakness was his heel. It was his one vulnerability and one that he could not change. Superman had only one weakness and that was Krptonite. Again it was a weakness that he had no ability to change or become less impervious too. These weakness were things that could not be worked on or improved by these characters and this is what defines a weakness. They are disadvantages or faults in which no amount of training or armor/super powers can overcome. This is exactly why I made the statement that I have no weaknesses.
I have a limiter, and that limiter is swimming. When I first started swimming in 2009 I could not swim more than one length of the pool without stopping. In fact, my log book from that day states that I swam 1000 yds (40 laps) and that I did not swim 2 laps in a row without stopping. I did not log what it took me to swim 100 yds but I would say that it was well north of 2 minutes. Last week I swam 100 yds in 1:24 and I did that two times, then held 1:30's for another 3 and then swam the last 5 100's under the 1:40 mark. So if you had asked me 4 years ago if I had any weaknesses I would have, without a doubt said swimming. But today, with all the hard work I have put in and the hundreds of hours in the pool and the endless laps I will not say that swimming is a weakness. Is my swim time good enough to qualify for Kona? not even close. Does my swim time keep me close enough to pass people on the bike, and bury them on the run? absolutely.
I had the worst case scenario swim in Lake Placid for my first Ironman. I thought on a slow day I could get out of the water in 1 hour 20 minutes. I also knew that a good day could see me closer to 1:15 and in a great postion to reach my target times for the race. I ended up swimming 1:47, puked twice, dry heaved numerous more times and had to swim from lifeguard to lifeguard for the last 45 minutes. Did it kill my goal race time? yes. Did it crush me and unable to complete an Ironman? no. I took that bad swim time and I threw all my energy into my bike ride. I passed 1300 people on that 112 mile bike and got off with a legit shot of still getting under my 12 hour race goal. The run, however had different ideas and I waddled home in 12 hours and 19 minutes. I was elated to have overcome my limiter and fight the rest of the day and finish my first Ironman in what I believe to be a very respectable time.
So next time someone asks you about anything in life and they refer to something as a weakness. Think about it and take your time before you answer. Is it something that you cannot overcome with a little more hard work and determination. I have weaknesses like everyone else, however many people except their weaknesses and making them their strengths. Swimming will always be a limiter for me, but with every lap I swim and every time I answer the alarm to get to the pool I make the decision to not have it be my weakness.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Scary predictions
Many of you in the New England area have heard of QT2 systems. They are a local Triathlon coaching company that has taken off in many years. I am not a member but do follow alot of their athletes via social media. To say they are successful is an understatement. They have some great pro triathletes on their roster and some seriously talented amateurs as well.
The reason I mention them is that although I am not coached by them I have used some of their services in the past. They have a really neat triathlon calculator on their website that can help you come up with a realistic determination of your race times.
http://www.qt2systems.com/calculator-overview/
It is accurate. Scary accurate and those that have used it can vouch for it's accuracy. I recently used it to plug in some of my run times and to predict what I can and should be able to do for a half marathon. It was DEAD ON. The result of the calculations said I should, with the amount of training and experience level, should be able to run 6:48/mi for 13.1 miles. Well true to form this Sunday I went out and ran 6:48/mi for 13.1 miles setting a huge PR and giving a huge boost heading into this race season.
So the reason I bring this up is I wonder how much of our performances can be predicted and how much are we mentally locked into what we believe? I truly don't think I could have run any harder and finished the race in a upright and non-heaving position. But how much did knowing what I could run determine what I did run? So many people rely on Heart rate monitors and Garmin numbers these days that I wonder if it is hurting us or helping us.
Think about it in terms of this....Bill Rodgers won the 1975 Boston marathon in a time of 2:09, and 30 years later the winning time was actually two minutes slower in 2:11. Bill Rodgers did not have compression socks, foam rollers, Garmin files, Gels and sports drinks. He had heart and ability and he used them to run as fast as he possibly could for 26.2 miles. So at the end of the day are we better or worse for having these calculators that tell us what we can and should do? I say a little bit of both. The calculator gave me the confidence to believe that my body was capable of holding that pace for a half marathon. I did not panic when I ran a 6:17 first mile, or when I ran a 7:07 seventh mile. I just settled in knowing that I had some time to give and some time to get back. Not to mention that knowing my splits was made possible by my Garmin 310xt watch. So at the end of the day try not to get too reliant on data and gadgets and use them when they are appropriate. Too many athletes now a days have made themselves into "runbots" in that they are fearful of the unknown and not having the latest greatest device to guide them along the way. Bill Rodgers is quoted as saying "My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble." It is OK to have the data and the gear to back you up and give you the confidence (much like a coach would) that you are capable of great things. However when the watch dies, or conditions aren't exactly as you have planned out, don't throw in the towel and give up. Tighten up your shoelaces, readjust your hat and have confidence in yourself and what you are capable of.
The reason I mention them is that although I am not coached by them I have used some of their services in the past. They have a really neat triathlon calculator on their website that can help you come up with a realistic determination of your race times.
http://www.qt2systems.com/calculator-overview/
It is accurate. Scary accurate and those that have used it can vouch for it's accuracy. I recently used it to plug in some of my run times and to predict what I can and should be able to do for a half marathon. It was DEAD ON. The result of the calculations said I should, with the amount of training and experience level, should be able to run 6:48/mi for 13.1 miles. Well true to form this Sunday I went out and ran 6:48/mi for 13.1 miles setting a huge PR and giving a huge boost heading into this race season.
So the reason I bring this up is I wonder how much of our performances can be predicted and how much are we mentally locked into what we believe? I truly don't think I could have run any harder and finished the race in a upright and non-heaving position. But how much did knowing what I could run determine what I did run? So many people rely on Heart rate monitors and Garmin numbers these days that I wonder if it is hurting us or helping us.
Think about it in terms of this....Bill Rodgers won the 1975 Boston marathon in a time of 2:09, and 30 years later the winning time was actually two minutes slower in 2:11. Bill Rodgers did not have compression socks, foam rollers, Garmin files, Gels and sports drinks. He had heart and ability and he used them to run as fast as he possibly could for 26.2 miles. So at the end of the day are we better or worse for having these calculators that tell us what we can and should do? I say a little bit of both. The calculator gave me the confidence to believe that my body was capable of holding that pace for a half marathon. I did not panic when I ran a 6:17 first mile, or when I ran a 7:07 seventh mile. I just settled in knowing that I had some time to give and some time to get back. Not to mention that knowing my splits was made possible by my Garmin 310xt watch. So at the end of the day try not to get too reliant on data and gadgets and use them when they are appropriate. Too many athletes now a days have made themselves into "runbots" in that they are fearful of the unknown and not having the latest greatest device to guide them along the way. Bill Rodgers is quoted as saying "My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble." It is OK to have the data and the gear to back you up and give you the confidence (much like a coach would) that you are capable of great things. However when the watch dies, or conditions aren't exactly as you have planned out, don't throw in the towel and give up. Tighten up your shoelaces, readjust your hat and have confidence in yourself and what you are capable of.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Goals vs Dreams
Goals are dreams with deadlines. ~Diana Scharf Hunt
This statement says a lot about the discrepancy between the definition between the two and yet also shows how they are very similar. We all have goals and we all have dreams. Knowing the difference and being able to chase each appropriately is a huge factor in success. Goals are measurable, they have something that is very definite about them. They are black and white. They are things that you can control, yet also stretch you and push you too your limit. Everyone who competes in a sport has a goal. That goal may be just to finish or to set a personal best. But without a doubt it is something that you will either do or not do.
Dreams on the other hand are everything that goals are not. Dreams are big, scary goals that seem out of reach to you. They are different from goals in that not only do they stretch you but they have an element of impossible to them. Dreams are the thoughts that come from achieving your goals. Set your goals, achieve your goals and allow yourself to dream of future goals that for now seem impossible.
I am a firm believer in putting both dreams and goals out their for the world to see. The thing that motivates me above all else is having the element of failure hanging over my head. I love nothing more than to have someone doubt me or to think what I am doing seems impossible. This is what gets me in the pool or on the bike when everyone else is sleeping. This is why when it is below freezing I bundle up and head out the door to run for several hours. I have fallen in love with the Ironman distance for this very reason. It seems impossible while at the same time being very doable. You tell people you are training for Ironman and they think it is something they could only dream of. When in reality if they were to make Ironman their goal they would be able to achieve it.
I recently came to the realization that this season I have gone from training to finish the race to training to race the race. Ironman is no longer a dream, it is a measurable goal. Marathons are no longer distances which make me doubt my abilities or that seem out of reach. I now train to go as fast as I possible can over these distances instead of worrying if I will even make it to the finish line. So in order to keep myself honest, drive me to perform and get me out of bed every morning I need to have new dreams and goals. And with these new dreams and goals I need to put them out their for all to see. This way with every goal or dream not reached I can hold my self accountable for not doing the things to make them happen.
I dream of one day being on the start line at the Hawaii Ironman. Statistics state that the chance of this happening is 3%. That is what a dream is. It is something that has a 97% chance of NOT happening. I am not afraid to have a dream that big, and I do believe deep down that I can one day be that 3%.
My goals are to do all the things now, that will get me into that 3% someday. My goals for this season are to try and qualify for the Half Ironman championship, Run under 3:25 for a marathon, and finish in under 11 hours at Ironman Cozumel. All things that I may or may not be able to accomplish. Every day I get up these goals are staring me down, daring me to achieve them so that I can set new, higher goals. And when I reach those new goals then I will be that much closer to my dreams.
This is the treadmill in my basement. And this is my goal for the Ironman marathon in Cozumel. Everytime I step on this treadmill I will run this pace. I will never run slower, because if I do I will not be attempting to reach my goals. And if I don't reach my goals I will never reach my dreams.
This statement says a lot about the discrepancy between the definition between the two and yet also shows how they are very similar. We all have goals and we all have dreams. Knowing the difference and being able to chase each appropriately is a huge factor in success. Goals are measurable, they have something that is very definite about them. They are black and white. They are things that you can control, yet also stretch you and push you too your limit. Everyone who competes in a sport has a goal. That goal may be just to finish or to set a personal best. But without a doubt it is something that you will either do or not do.
Dreams on the other hand are everything that goals are not. Dreams are big, scary goals that seem out of reach to you. They are different from goals in that not only do they stretch you but they have an element of impossible to them. Dreams are the thoughts that come from achieving your goals. Set your goals, achieve your goals and allow yourself to dream of future goals that for now seem impossible.
I am a firm believer in putting both dreams and goals out their for the world to see. The thing that motivates me above all else is having the element of failure hanging over my head. I love nothing more than to have someone doubt me or to think what I am doing seems impossible. This is what gets me in the pool or on the bike when everyone else is sleeping. This is why when it is below freezing I bundle up and head out the door to run for several hours. I have fallen in love with the Ironman distance for this very reason. It seems impossible while at the same time being very doable. You tell people you are training for Ironman and they think it is something they could only dream of. When in reality if they were to make Ironman their goal they would be able to achieve it.
I recently came to the realization that this season I have gone from training to finish the race to training to race the race. Ironman is no longer a dream, it is a measurable goal. Marathons are no longer distances which make me doubt my abilities or that seem out of reach. I now train to go as fast as I possible can over these distances instead of worrying if I will even make it to the finish line. So in order to keep myself honest, drive me to perform and get me out of bed every morning I need to have new dreams and goals. And with these new dreams and goals I need to put them out their for all to see. This way with every goal or dream not reached I can hold my self accountable for not doing the things to make them happen.
I dream of one day being on the start line at the Hawaii Ironman. Statistics state that the chance of this happening is 3%. That is what a dream is. It is something that has a 97% chance of NOT happening. I am not afraid to have a dream that big, and I do believe deep down that I can one day be that 3%.
My goals are to do all the things now, that will get me into that 3% someday. My goals for this season are to try and qualify for the Half Ironman championship, Run under 3:25 for a marathon, and finish in under 11 hours at Ironman Cozumel. All things that I may or may not be able to accomplish. Every day I get up these goals are staring me down, daring me to achieve them so that I can set new, higher goals. And when I reach those new goals then I will be that much closer to my dreams.
This is the treadmill in my basement. And this is my goal for the Ironman marathon in Cozumel. Everytime I step on this treadmill I will run this pace. I will never run slower, because if I do I will not be attempting to reach my goals. And if I don't reach my goals I will never reach my dreams.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Making luck
I finally figured out the key to success? Consistent hard work, day after day, week after week, year after year. No magic bullet. No shortcuts. Seems crazy right? Well it really isn't and here is how I know.
I ran my first ever road race on June 14, 2008. That is roughly 1,311 days ago, give or take (actually it is exact, thanks to google). It was a 5 miler and thanks to Athlinks.com I finished in a not too shabby 37:28. I did this on zero training and just went out and ran as hard as I could for as long as I could. And that worked for a while and I then moved on to some duathlons, and other little races that I thought would be fun. To say I trained for anything specific would be a half truth. Basically I knew what I had coming up and just kinda made sure I could complete the race. That all changed in February of 2009. I was offered a race number for the Boston Marathon. To say it changed the way I trained and looked at endurance sports would be a huge understatement. When you get an opportunity in life or anything for that matter I am a firm believer that if you work hard and put in the time, everything will work out fine. I started training for the marathon on Feb 22, 2009 having never run more than 10 miles. The only reason that I had even had a 10 miler in me was that I was gearing up for the Hyannis marathon the following week.
So there it was, late Feb one week out from my first ever half marathon and I get a call to accept a number for the Boston marathon which was 7 weeks away. I took it knowing full well I may never get another chance to run the holy grail of marathons, especially one that was in my back yard. So for all intensive purposes that is when I started the long, hard journey of making my self the best I could be at sport. Truth be told I had asked for a log book for Christmas because I had planned on getting into sprint triathlons later in the following year. So my journey essentially started on Monday January 5, 2009.
I recently closed out yet another log book for which I admittedly was not very good at utilizing when I first started out. I have however come to see the value of keeping a solid log book and took some time recently to sift through the data and lay it out in front of me. What I found was the key to my success. And even though you hear it all the time that hard work and consistency is the key, I guess I never really stopped believing that I was doing something wrong. It couldn't be that simple right? Maybe I just was not meant to be a top guy, the type of guy who could really go out and have a legitimate shot of getting on a podium. Well what I found was very black and white. The numbers don't lie. I thought it would be cool to really go back and read through each log book and dissect what each had meant. Here is what I found:
2009- 275 hours trained
36 hours of swimming (82,375 yds)
50 hours of biking (939 miles)
145 hours of running (960 miles)
44 hours of strength training
2010- 381 hours trained
77 hours of swimming (197,125 yds)
115 hours of biking (2262 miles)
154 hours of running (1009 miles)
36 hours of strength training
2011- 530 hours trained
102 hours of swimming (281,600 yds)
236 hours of biking (4222 miles)
159 hours of running (1141 miles)
27 hours of strength training
There it is, the key to success, hard work and consistency. Day after day, week after week. The alarm goes off everyday and everyday I put in the work. Sure you need to train smart and learn to do things properly (i.e. swimming). But at the end of the day the harder you work and more consistent you become in your training the better you will become. I have said here many times that I don't know if I will ever be a "Kona" guy, but I do know that to get there I need to train in the 600 to 700 hour range per year. Realistically that may not even be enough. At the end of the day though whether I make it or not, I will know that I did everything the right way. I worked hard and I never took a shortcut to get where I end up.
I choose to do this sport and I choose to give it everything I have. I am a all or nothing type of guy. I get a kick out of people who act like I am miserable having to do long bikes, or runs or get up before the sun to go to a pool. I live for this stuff and hope to be able to do it as long as my body allows. And now that I have the blueprint for success I am even more intrigued at what I can accomplish in the next three years.
I ran my first ever road race on June 14, 2008. That is roughly 1,311 days ago, give or take (actually it is exact, thanks to google). It was a 5 miler and thanks to Athlinks.com I finished in a not too shabby 37:28. I did this on zero training and just went out and ran as hard as I could for as long as I could. And that worked for a while and I then moved on to some duathlons, and other little races that I thought would be fun. To say I trained for anything specific would be a half truth. Basically I knew what I had coming up and just kinda made sure I could complete the race. That all changed in February of 2009. I was offered a race number for the Boston Marathon. To say it changed the way I trained and looked at endurance sports would be a huge understatement. When you get an opportunity in life or anything for that matter I am a firm believer that if you work hard and put in the time, everything will work out fine. I started training for the marathon on Feb 22, 2009 having never run more than 10 miles. The only reason that I had even had a 10 miler in me was that I was gearing up for the Hyannis marathon the following week.
So there it was, late Feb one week out from my first ever half marathon and I get a call to accept a number for the Boston marathon which was 7 weeks away. I took it knowing full well I may never get another chance to run the holy grail of marathons, especially one that was in my back yard. So for all intensive purposes that is when I started the long, hard journey of making my self the best I could be at sport. Truth be told I had asked for a log book for Christmas because I had planned on getting into sprint triathlons later in the following year. So my journey essentially started on Monday January 5, 2009.
I recently closed out yet another log book for which I admittedly was not very good at utilizing when I first started out. I have however come to see the value of keeping a solid log book and took some time recently to sift through the data and lay it out in front of me. What I found was the key to my success. And even though you hear it all the time that hard work and consistency is the key, I guess I never really stopped believing that I was doing something wrong. It couldn't be that simple right? Maybe I just was not meant to be a top guy, the type of guy who could really go out and have a legitimate shot of getting on a podium. Well what I found was very black and white. The numbers don't lie. I thought it would be cool to really go back and read through each log book and dissect what each had meant. Here is what I found:
2009- 275 hours trained
36 hours of swimming (82,375 yds)
50 hours of biking (939 miles)
145 hours of running (960 miles)
44 hours of strength training
2010- 381 hours trained
77 hours of swimming (197,125 yds)
115 hours of biking (2262 miles)
154 hours of running (1009 miles)
36 hours of strength training
2011- 530 hours trained
102 hours of swimming (281,600 yds)
236 hours of biking (4222 miles)
159 hours of running (1141 miles)
27 hours of strength training
There it is, the key to success, hard work and consistency. Day after day, week after week. The alarm goes off everyday and everyday I put in the work. Sure you need to train smart and learn to do things properly (i.e. swimming). But at the end of the day the harder you work and more consistent you become in your training the better you will become. I have said here many times that I don't know if I will ever be a "Kona" guy, but I do know that to get there I need to train in the 600 to 700 hour range per year. Realistically that may not even be enough. At the end of the day though whether I make it or not, I will know that I did everything the right way. I worked hard and I never took a shortcut to get where I end up.
I choose to do this sport and I choose to give it everything I have. I am a all or nothing type of guy. I get a kick out of people who act like I am miserable having to do long bikes, or runs or get up before the sun to go to a pool. I live for this stuff and hope to be able to do it as long as my body allows. And now that I have the blueprint for success I am even more intrigued at what I can accomplish in the next three years.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Live like a dog
As many of you know I got a dog this year. I was never a dog person, grew up with them but never really had any attachment to our family dogs. However the wife wanted a dog and wanting her to be safe when I am not home, we got a dog. Not just any dog. We went with the biggest, baddest, meanest dog known to man. Ok actually he is a big pussy cat but boy does he look mean.So I got to thinking the other day about his traits that make him, well the best thing ever. So I came up with a list of things that dogs do and the way they approach things, that can easily be applied to our daily lives. Here is my top ten list of ways to live like a dog.
#1- Give 110% all the time. Not a day goes by that this dog does not give it everything he has from sun up to sun down. Wether he is sleeping our playing catch, or even trying to get his paws on a wayward shoe. He only has one gear and that gear is known as all out. Do this and you can never go wrong. Don't do anything half assed. You are just wasting your time and your return on investment will not pay off.
#2- Be consistent. If I leave the toilet seat up, and he is in the area he will drink from the toilet. He usually has just come from drinking from his dog bowl but regardless he will taste that water. Certain things he will do everyday no matter what and this is one of them. Consistency pays off, especially when it comes to athletics. You can't swim once a week and become a better swimmer. Swim everyday and you will get some where.
#3- Play hard, rest hard. As hard as he plays he without a doubt rests harder. His life is a cycle of go hard and sleep hard. Like pass out immediately upon going on his bed hard. I fall asleep every night around 10:30 with very little effort. Why? because I bust my ass all day training and working so when I go to bed I am exhausted. People wonder why they have a hard time sleeping, when they don't exercise and sit at a desk all day. Exhaust your body and mind and sleep will come easy.
#4- Wake up everyday like it is the greastest day EVER! Every morning when I come down stairs to let Miles (yes named after the measurement of distance) out he literally jumps up and down, barrels into me and whines like a wounded giraffe. Get up and start everyday as if it is a new day with new possibilites. Yesterdays bad day can be forgotten if you choose not to re-live it.
#5- Get excited about something. When I say the word "park" Miles literally runs around the house and gets so excited he becomes unaware of where he is and runs into walls and couches. When was the last time you did something that got you this excited? Every time I do a race, wether it's a 5k or a Ironman I get crazy excited to the point of nerves. Not because I don't think I can do it because I can't wait to do something so hard and rewarding. It doesn't have to be a race but could be a concert or a hobby, but when was the last time you really were nervous,scared,couldn't sleep for something you were about to do.
#6- Be curious. If I leave any type of food out on the counter or happen to not pick up a sock from the dryer you better believe that he will check it out. For him that means putting it in his mouth and running around until he can safely bring it into his room and really chew/investigate what it is he has. Try different things. Get out of your comfort zone and sign up for something you never in a million years you thought you would do. If that means a race, a cooking class or even take a college class that intersts you. Do something different, learn all about it and give it 110%.
#7- Learn to love a routine. Their is a great book I read (can't think of the name off hand) that said in order to be successfull at something you need to do it consistantly for a long period of time. You very rarely forget to brush your teeth because you have done it everyday for your entire life. Do this with eating healthy or going to the gym and it will be something that becomes part of who you are. Or in Miles case wake up, go the bathroom, lay around for a hour, beg to go out and play, eat breakfast, rest, play some more, eat dinner, rest, repeat....everyday for the rest of your life.
#8- Love to run. Or whatever it is you do, love it. If it becomes a chore you will not succed at it. My wife Amy likes to run, sometimes, she does however love spin class and will always find time to do it. I love working out so when other people roll their eyes about 6 hours on the bike or 3 hour runs I tell them I love it so it is not hard to get out that door. Miles runs/trots everywhere. Sure it helps to have 4 legs instead of two but just try keeping up with him at the park and you soon see that he just likes to move along.
#9- Join a pack. We are Miles pack. I am convinced that he thinks we are tall dogs. We make strange noises we do everything with him and we have a bond that can never be broken. Join a training group or take a class with others that motivate you to be there and get it down. If you isolate yourself and never join a pack then you will go through life not being able to share the good times with anyone else.
#10- If you got a itch, itch it. We are convinced Miles has the first known case of invisible fleas. He goes to town when he itches (see, Gives 110%)and we have yet to figure out why. If there is something you want to try, do it. Don't let the itch linger as it will only get worse. If you want something go get it. If you have been itching to try something knew why wait. If life gets in the way so be it, but don't make excuses because eventually it will eat away at you and become a regret and not a itch. You can't scratch regrets.
#1- Give 110% all the time. Not a day goes by that this dog does not give it everything he has from sun up to sun down. Wether he is sleeping our playing catch, or even trying to get his paws on a wayward shoe. He only has one gear and that gear is known as all out. Do this and you can never go wrong. Don't do anything half assed. You are just wasting your time and your return on investment will not pay off.
#2- Be consistent. If I leave the toilet seat up, and he is in the area he will drink from the toilet. He usually has just come from drinking from his dog bowl but regardless he will taste that water. Certain things he will do everyday no matter what and this is one of them. Consistency pays off, especially when it comes to athletics. You can't swim once a week and become a better swimmer. Swim everyday and you will get some where.
#3- Play hard, rest hard. As hard as he plays he without a doubt rests harder. His life is a cycle of go hard and sleep hard. Like pass out immediately upon going on his bed hard. I fall asleep every night around 10:30 with very little effort. Why? because I bust my ass all day training and working so when I go to bed I am exhausted. People wonder why they have a hard time sleeping, when they don't exercise and sit at a desk all day. Exhaust your body and mind and sleep will come easy.
#4- Wake up everyday like it is the greastest day EVER! Every morning when I come down stairs to let Miles (yes named after the measurement of distance) out he literally jumps up and down, barrels into me and whines like a wounded giraffe. Get up and start everyday as if it is a new day with new possibilites. Yesterdays bad day can be forgotten if you choose not to re-live it.
#5- Get excited about something. When I say the word "park" Miles literally runs around the house and gets so excited he becomes unaware of where he is and runs into walls and couches. When was the last time you did something that got you this excited? Every time I do a race, wether it's a 5k or a Ironman I get crazy excited to the point of nerves. Not because I don't think I can do it because I can't wait to do something so hard and rewarding. It doesn't have to be a race but could be a concert or a hobby, but when was the last time you really were nervous,scared,couldn't sleep for something you were about to do.
#6- Be curious. If I leave any type of food out on the counter or happen to not pick up a sock from the dryer you better believe that he will check it out. For him that means putting it in his mouth and running around until he can safely bring it into his room and really chew/investigate what it is he has. Try different things. Get out of your comfort zone and sign up for something you never in a million years you thought you would do. If that means a race, a cooking class or even take a college class that intersts you. Do something different, learn all about it and give it 110%.
#7- Learn to love a routine. Their is a great book I read (can't think of the name off hand) that said in order to be successfull at something you need to do it consistantly for a long period of time. You very rarely forget to brush your teeth because you have done it everyday for your entire life. Do this with eating healthy or going to the gym and it will be something that becomes part of who you are. Or in Miles case wake up, go the bathroom, lay around for a hour, beg to go out and play, eat breakfast, rest, play some more, eat dinner, rest, repeat....everyday for the rest of your life.
#8- Love to run. Or whatever it is you do, love it. If it becomes a chore you will not succed at it. My wife Amy likes to run, sometimes, she does however love spin class and will always find time to do it. I love working out so when other people roll their eyes about 6 hours on the bike or 3 hour runs I tell them I love it so it is not hard to get out that door. Miles runs/trots everywhere. Sure it helps to have 4 legs instead of two but just try keeping up with him at the park and you soon see that he just likes to move along.
#9- Join a pack. We are Miles pack. I am convinced that he thinks we are tall dogs. We make strange noises we do everything with him and we have a bond that can never be broken. Join a training group or take a class with others that motivate you to be there and get it down. If you isolate yourself and never join a pack then you will go through life not being able to share the good times with anyone else.
#10- If you got a itch, itch it. We are convinced Miles has the first known case of invisible fleas. He goes to town when he itches (see, Gives 110%)and we have yet to figure out why. If there is something you want to try, do it. Don't let the itch linger as it will only get worse. If you want something go get it. If you have been itching to try something knew why wait. If life gets in the way so be it, but don't make excuses because eventually it will eat away at you and become a regret and not a itch. You can't scratch regrets.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Running is Dangerous
Running is Dangerous. I don't know about other people but when I run I am never more vunerable then when I am in the middle of a nice long run. Something happens in the middle of a run that makes you think you can do anything. And I for one hate to argue with myself so I usually just nod my head until I get home. That is when running is it's most lethat, when I get home and get on the computer. That is one google starts to work overtime and I start typing in searches such as ultras in Spring, marathons in New england, double ironmans and even once typed in grand slam of ultras. For those that are not up on ultra running the grand slam is four 100 mile races in eleven weeks. Do I think I can do it? sure. Would I do it if I got into the western states lottery(this is a lottery only race)? You bet you I would.
So all this leads back to the fact that, for me and maybe some of you my craziest ideas come to me when I run long. There is just something about being out there for a couple hours that makes you think you can do anything. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, especially when sometimes they stay just that, dreams. However sometimes you just got to google that dream and make it happen. This is how I found Ironman and every other ultra marathon (3 and counting) I have done. It all started for me by picking up a copy of Competitor magazine and seeing a off road duathlon (run, bike, run) that was 8 weeks away. I was about a month removed from my mixed martial arts debut for which I had trained 3 years for. I went the distance and lost a decision, but I learned far more in that octagon than any school book could teach you. I learned that I was capable of anything. This information in the wrong hands can be deadly. I am the wrong hands.
After completing that first duathlon I jumped on google and decided to ratchet up the training. I did a sprint triathlon, I trained all summer and did an Olympic triathlon, and then I followed that up with 3 half ironmans the following year. Then I signed up for Ironman, and not once did I think I would fail at any of these events. I am not afraid to fail and in fact I a constantly looking for an event that will kick my ass, throw dirt on me and leave me in a heap on the ground not wanting to go any further. I suspect that day will come when I do a 100 mile run or a ultra Iron race. This is what makes me tick. Constantly pushing myself to see what I am made of. I know that failure is possible at anything I set out to do but I feel with the proper training and the right mind set I can do anything I set out to do.
My very first half Ironman race was Rev3 Quassy in CT and it has been called by the best triathletes in the world one of the hardest 70.3 courses in the world. That race without a doubt kicked me square in the face. I physically could not run from miles 2 to 4 and then again from 6 to 8. I loved it. As I ran by Amy at mile 10 I shouted over to her that I had been humbled. Finally a race had given me something that forced me to dig deep and show me that it aint all rainbows and unicorns. I live for challenges like this and for me all these ideas come to me when I run long.
So with every run comes a new, crazier idea and I am sure Amy will tell you that she has learned to tune more than half of them out. She knows by now that when we talk about things like a 100 miler over lunch that she doesn't need to worry. However when it comes up at dinner she knows that it is go time and I am just working out the details in my head. So really I have two options, stop running long or disable google. Neither of these options are very reasonable so for now I will just acknowledge that running is dangerous.
So all this leads back to the fact that, for me and maybe some of you my craziest ideas come to me when I run long. There is just something about being out there for a couple hours that makes you think you can do anything. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, especially when sometimes they stay just that, dreams. However sometimes you just got to google that dream and make it happen. This is how I found Ironman and every other ultra marathon (3 and counting) I have done. It all started for me by picking up a copy of Competitor magazine and seeing a off road duathlon (run, bike, run) that was 8 weeks away. I was about a month removed from my mixed martial arts debut for which I had trained 3 years for. I went the distance and lost a decision, but I learned far more in that octagon than any school book could teach you. I learned that I was capable of anything. This information in the wrong hands can be deadly. I am the wrong hands.
After completing that first duathlon I jumped on google and decided to ratchet up the training. I did a sprint triathlon, I trained all summer and did an Olympic triathlon, and then I followed that up with 3 half ironmans the following year. Then I signed up for Ironman, and not once did I think I would fail at any of these events. I am not afraid to fail and in fact I a constantly looking for an event that will kick my ass, throw dirt on me and leave me in a heap on the ground not wanting to go any further. I suspect that day will come when I do a 100 mile run or a ultra Iron race. This is what makes me tick. Constantly pushing myself to see what I am made of. I know that failure is possible at anything I set out to do but I feel with the proper training and the right mind set I can do anything I set out to do.
My very first half Ironman race was Rev3 Quassy in CT and it has been called by the best triathletes in the world one of the hardest 70.3 courses in the world. That race without a doubt kicked me square in the face. I physically could not run from miles 2 to 4 and then again from 6 to 8. I loved it. As I ran by Amy at mile 10 I shouted over to her that I had been humbled. Finally a race had given me something that forced me to dig deep and show me that it aint all rainbows and unicorns. I live for challenges like this and for me all these ideas come to me when I run long.
So with every run comes a new, crazier idea and I am sure Amy will tell you that she has learned to tune more than half of them out. She knows by now that when we talk about things like a 100 miler over lunch that she doesn't need to worry. However when it comes up at dinner she knows that it is go time and I am just working out the details in my head. So really I have two options, stop running long or disable google. Neither of these options are very reasonable so for now I will just acknowledge that running is dangerous.
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