How bad do you want it!??

 

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT!??

Slowing down to go faster, eventually.

Well we are back to the work week after the long Holiday weekend my friend sent me a text and said she wanted to run.  She is getting back into running, so we didn't go to far.  I had a short warm up, but it was morning so I still felt a little stiff.  We met at the park, and took off.  My pace is a little bit faster than her's as I have been running a bit more consistently than she has, so I slowed down to match her pace.  It was slow, then more normal, then slow again.  So I just stayed with her didn't push it to much.  We were only doing about 3 miles anyway so no serious distance at all.  But as I was running a bit slower I remembered and realized something all at the same time.  I realized that I felt so good, I wanted to do another lap or two.  I mean I was going slow, why shouldn't I feel good right.  It was a pretty leisurely pace for a little while.  But I noticed that I felt really loose, warmed up and ready to go.  Unfortunately I didn't want to be rude and ditch my friend so I figured I would get a good long run home.  I literally felt like I could run 10 miles and my normal training hasn't put me there yet!  But the thing that I remembered at the same time was probably even more important.

When I lived in Atlanta, back in the mid 90's there was a pretty good triathlon group that I would ride and run with.  I tried to keep up with what was in the news, who was on top, what the pro's were doing.  At that time it was Mark Allen, Dave Scott, Scott Tinley, to name a few.  ( you may have heard of them).  Anyway, Mark Allen at the time was working with this Doctor, Phil Maffetone.  If you remember the 40,30,30 Bars, the original ones.  He was the guy behind that.  And he was also behind the training of Mark Allen.  He came to Atlanta to give a seminar and I went.  He was fascinating, a genius doctor but had a way of talking about the science without it being to over our heads.  Most of us there were athletes, not doctors so we had to understand it without having a PhD.  But listening to him lecture about the muscles and typical injuries and nutrition was really enjoyable. I think Mark Allen was actually there too and of course, he talked about how he was training Mark, what they were doing, using the heart-rate monitor to measure your fitness, keep track of your results etc... He wrote a book about it and again something easy  to comprehend and so aptly called, 'The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing'.  Nothing difficult to understand about that title.  I would recommend it.  It's fascinating, enlightening and full of information that you can apply yourself, without him having to coach you personally, I think anyway.  You could have Mark Allen train you now, the link to his site is on my 'Links-Tips' page. (click the pic)  I remember thinking he was awesome back then and still think that way.  I've seen him a few other times here in Boulder, still a strong force in the triathlon world. 

So anyway, I left this seminar with more information than I knew what to do with honestly.  But I used my heart-rate monitor more than I had before and after some time I did see a difference.  I had known about one of his training methods before I went to see him speak.   His 180 Formula.  I am honestly not going to try to explain his scientific method on this as it is very involved.  But suffice it to say, for myself and many of my friends it did makes us more efficient in our training, able to train longer, over time with less fatigue, injury.  We also would keep track, as he suggests, of rides or runs we would do in the beginning of the process and notice that at the end of say three months we would do the same ride/run in much less time and feel physically better than we had when we started.  I actually remember another pro triathlete at the time, Mike Pigg, he came to speak and race with our club and talked about this training that he had been doing as well.  I remember he said he thought it was a bunch of 'hogwash', if you will, at first and didn't think it was going to work.  But a friend, fellow triathlete bet him that he would beat him on this long ride they used to do.  So he took the bet, trained with Dr. Maffetone's training regimen, kept up with his training log and did the ride.  To his surprise he did the ride faster than he had ever done, even after years of riding this with his friend and I think he won.

But the long and short of it, was on this 3 mile run yesterday, I suddenly remembered all of this, from literally 14 years ago.   I have to admit, I have two heart rate monitors, whose batteries are dead and need fixing.  I think I am going to go get that done, but until they are ready I am going to do the next best thing.  I am going to try to slow down more on my warm ups, make them a bit longer than I have been.  I was a sprinter in high school and college and turned into a distance runner and do notice that I run much much better when I am very warm and limber.  Not rocket science there, I think most of us are.  But I don't think we really give ourselves a good 15 minutes of just running without it being 'training'.  I almost need to tell myself the first 2 miles I should be able to hold a conversation with someone without getting out of breath.  I know I have heard that before.  I run with myself more often than not, so that might be a problem, as I run the risk of being thought of as the crazy runner lady who talks to herself while working out.  ha!

So there is my very UN-scientific break down of a very scientific formula developed by a very smart man about 30 years ago now.  You might be thinking, there are new and better ways of training.  Yes, maybe, but maybe not.  But I will say if you are at all curious, I would go back and look at Mark Allen's records.  Not to take away from many of his fellow triathletes, but he was amazing.  If you do get to read the book, Dr. Maffetone breaks it all down and the stats are mind boggling, at least to me.  He had such a long career too, he did his last Ironman at 37.  I know Craig Alexander won in Kona in 2011 at 38 and he is amazing too!  I think he is trained by Dave Scott, so the guys now still listen to the originators of the sport, that's got to say something on how they got there.

So if you are at all curious, I would suggest some light reading, maybe on a snow day.  He is a genius and that's what Mark Allen said about him, so I figure, I'm just an Age Group triathlete working on getting back in, don't have a ton of time, etc...etc...just like the rest of us.  So if someone has a plan that allows me to work smarter but not always harder and it will make me just as fast or faster and even more fit, well then I'll check it out.  I'd like a few more PR's!

I would post some excerpts from the book, but they are quite long so I will just say again, check out the book , 'The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing'.   I promise you will get some great information, whether you try it out for yourself is up to you.  Don't shoot the messenger!

Until next time.  Slow down a little, maybe.
Caroline / Triathleta

Holiday Necessities for the Triathlete! My 'must-have' list.

I have been reading a few 'Discussions' on LinkedIn lately and see a few posts about 'How to train', and 'What kind of bike should I get' so I thought since the Holidays are pretty much here, (it's Thanksgiving today, and I have finally made time to get back on my blog) I thought it would be a good time to write some tips on what I call the 'Must-Have's' for the Triathletes arsenal!

To begin with, you need to ask yourself a few pertinent questions.   Things like, what is my budget, what are my immediate and future race objectives, am I going to do just one race or am I in this for the long haul or as I have said before, 'I've been bitten by the bug and I am in it for good'!  Only you can answer these questions for yourself and when you do, you can make more accurate evaluations on how to proceed.  

So since the Triathlon begins with the Swim, so will I.

• At the risk of stating the obvious, item numero uno, 'The bathing suit'!  For the ladies, the one piece, racer back suit is the standard but anything that is not restricting in movement, doesn't 'ride up' too much when you first try it on.  Note that when you are wet it stretches a bit so you will break it in, so to speak.  For the guys, it used to be the standard Speedo.  Now there are the more 'brief style' suits that have a little bit more material and then there are the 'bike shorts' style or 'jammers', without the pad, of course.  Race Tri-shorts do have a pad, but it's smaller and thinner than a typical 'bike short'. When it gets closer to your race, it is a good idea to train with your 'uniform' and get used to the feeling of swimming with a padded short.  It will feel different and you never want to do anything for the first time on the day of a race.  Always test it out in training first!  So it's just a matter of how much of an exhibitionist to you feel like being.  Letting your inner 'Madonna' or 'Lady Gaga' out and reveal while your working out in the pool.  (A little humor there).   One thing many athletes do, that may come from a swimming background, will be to actually where two bathing suits, one over the other, in order to create more 'drag' when they train in an effort to make it harder to go through the water.  More work, more opportunity to become stronger and then faster when they are in 'race swim attire'.  But to start with, one is enough.  Supportive, proper fit and comfortable.  Some brands that have great suits are TYR, Speedo to just name a couple off the top.  
• Goggles:  I have to say I sometimes have a hard time finding a pair that fit well, so ask to take them out of the box when you are at the store, if buying in person and see if they fit well.  Most of the adult models fit, but some just feel better than others.   When you get to the pool, get them wet before you put them on to get a good, tight fit.  And this is going to sound sort of disgusting, but what I was taught, was to 'spit' in the inside of the goggles and mix it up so to keep them from fogging up.  It does work, but it's gross!  Anyway...
• Swim Cap:  Ladies, if you have long hair and you want to avoid difficulty getting the cap on/off, put a little conditioner on your hair, just run it through with your fingers enough to get it a little slick so the cap goes on easier, a little trick I learned.  Guys, if your hair is short enough, for training you don't have to.  If you have blonde hair, you may want to as the chlorine is not as kind to blondes, I have been told.  Darker hair isn't affected, from a color standpoint, by the chlorine but it will make your hair dryer, so use a good shampoo.  You will get many, many swim caps when you start racing, they are pretty much in every race bag as you have to wear a cap to race so you don't really need to invest in a pricey swim cap.  They do rip, even the good ones. 
• Pull-Buoy:  These go by different names, but this is what all my triathlete friends called it.  The 'float' like hourglass shaped Styrofoam item you put between your legs so you can concentrate on just your upper body and not worry about your kick.  I have to say, when I started swimming for triathlons, this was an essential item for me.  I could swim, but never did laps before so getting the arms, elbows, hand position, pull, role of the shoulders and hips, breathing down was enough to work on.  After I got the hang of all of those things, then I started adding in the kick.  I had a pretty good coach, I think anyway.  I was happy I had a good place to start and worked my way up as I felt more comfortable in the water.  I did kick drills too but this pull-buoy was a big part of my training.
• Kick Board:  Sometimes you can use a board at the pool you are at and you don't need to buy your own, but you will need to use a kick board for the kick portion of your swim workouts.  If it's a busy pool, it may be first come first serve and if you don't have your own, you'll have to wait or ask someone to share.  Great way to make new friends anyway!  
• Swim Fins:  TYR makes a 'split fin' and another brand is 'Zoomer'.  You will need a pair of fins to work on your kick, hip movement, help you feel like a fish so when you don't have them on, you can work on trying to mimic that feeling with just your legs/feet.  Good luck!  You fly with your fins on.  It's such a cool feeling swimming with them.  Makes me jealous of a shark!  ha

Phase II - The Bike

• This is a 'must-have' list, so you're going to need a bike.  Again, reference the first paragraph.  Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced racer.  I started racing before they had 'triathlon geometry' bikes on the mass market for purchase, so I still have my old road bike that I had fit to me and added 'aerobars' to make the bike better accommodating for the triathlon.  If you know you are 'all-in' and you're a 'lifer' then I would very honestly say to invest in a triathlon specific frameset/bike.  Riding a road geometry bike and a tri-bike do feel different and if you train on a road bike and then only get on your tri-bike for racing, it may hinder your results.  I would say what I hear the most is that on a tri-bike your 'bike handling' skills will be put to the test when cornering, u-turns etc...  Your body is more forward and upright than on a road bike and this helps with opening up your hips more so when you start running it is not as much of a shock to the body to be fully upright.  Both road bikes and tri-bikes are expensive these days so if you are in this to race triathlons, I would say get a tri bike.  If you are buying online, from my site, for example, there are charts to refer to for the S,M.L frames because they don't always use the typical CM measurements that road bikes use.  There are also charts for you to add your measurements to and submit to my suppliers so that they can work with you,  one on one, over the phone to get you in the proper frame and then get you set up with crank length, stem length etc... that you need.  Proper fit is key for your comfort on the bike and the next semi-must-have item for the bike I would have to say is a proper fitting saddle.  Ask anyone who has been riding for a bit, and being on a saddle that is too 'this way' or to 'that way', you'll wish you spent some time testing out saddles.  If you don't like the saddle that a bike comes with, in many cases, you have to pay extra for what you want, it is not just a 'switch this one for that one' item.  As I have found anyway.  On my site you can pick your saddle ahead of time, if you don't like it, you can switch it.  One last thing I will say about a tri-geometry bike and I learned this while watching the Ironman Championships this year.  You will save 24 minutes in an Ironman distance race when using a tri-bike as opposed to a standard road bike.  The pro's call this 'Free Speed' and I have to say, almost a full half hour of time saved is nothing to 'snuff at', if you know what I mean.  That's a big advantage. 
• Road Bike Shoes / Tri Bike Shoes:  What you train in you don't really want to race in.  Road bike shoes are great when you have time to buckle and click your foot in your shoes and wear socks.  On race day, you want in, one velcro closure and vents in the bottom so that your foot gets air, dries out and fits well in for the long road ahead.  Tri bike shoes are also made to be worn without socks so the material on the inside is different than a road shoe and there is usually a 'finger pull' on the heal of the shoe which is there so when you jump on your bike and your shoes are already in the pedal clips, you ride a few pedal strokes to get going and then slide your foot in easily while reaching down, grabbing that nifty 'finger pull' on the back and you're in.  It makes a huge difference and again, I think a 'must-have' if you're going to race tri's.  I like the Louis Garneau shoes, they are not crazy expensive, are light weight, have that one velcro closure and fit well.  This is not a sport wear you can skimp on proper fit and comfort when it comes to your feet.  Get something good to start with, it will be an investment you will be happy  you made.
• Water bottles/cages:  This has come along way over the years.  So many cool, tricked out bikes with water bottle apparatus type components built into the bike, front, horizontal water bottle cages, cages mounted to your saddle.  I have found a new one recently.  It is quite pricey so I am going to watch it and see where it goes.  It is called 'My Wedgie'.  It looks like this...

It mounts between the frame and has been wind tunnel tested.  Whatever you choose, just make sure you have a few.  Hydration is a whole other post, but getting dehydrated during a race stinks.  Better  to stop and relieve yourself than bonk from lack of fluids.  You will get many water bottles at races, just like the swim caps, so stock up when you can.  The standard cages work well and if you have been riding for some time, you will already be accustomed to how and where the cages are typically mounted.  Adding cages for longer races is always an option.

• Helmet:  Protect your noggin', my Dad always used to say!  So invest in something good.  I have known a few friends who kiss their helmet after a crash because had they not had it on, they're head would be pretty banged up, to say the least.  There are many types, some triathletes like to race with the more 'aero' style and can make a difference but it's personal preference and if you're looking to take a few more minutes off the bike having an aero helmet will make you feel like your flying.  I have a thing about color, if your training and you sometimes ride alone, having a bright or lighter colored helmet, in my mind anyway, makes me think people will notice me more.  So I go white or with a bright color.  I have white/black on my site and they are both aero helmets.  I've been waiting for the pink one to come, but haven't been given a time frame.  I am working on it.
• Bike utility bag/spare goodies:  You need spare tube(s), CO2 cartridge, CO2 adapter, tire levers, patch kit and anything you personally like to carry.  If you don't know how to use these items, check out your local bike shop and they should help you with it.  Some shops have nights where they have tire changing clinics etc... to help new folks just getting into biking.  Go to them.  You'll have fun, get tons of great info and even meet some new people.  They are fun, make it a night out with your buddies or girlfriends.  Never leave home without your repair kit.  As soon as you do, you'll need it.
• Bike Attire:  As a newbie, you definitely want a good pair of real bike shorts.  A good chamois will make a big difference in comfort and your ability to ride more than around the block.  Do not wear undergarments under your bike shorts, they are not made for that.  It will add to the chances you have chaffing issues.  Look at the sizing charts, measure your body and get the right size.  They should be snug fitting, they should have 'grippers' around the leg edge to keep them in place which adds to comfort.  Road bike shorts have a larger chamois than tri bike shorts, so get both and wear the tri shorts a few times before racing.  No first time race day experiments, remember.  Some favorite brands are the Synergy that I have on my site, they are quite comfortable,  Pearl Izumi, K-Swiss gets great reviews, Louis Garneau makes great cycling clothes just to name a few.  Bike jerseys, pockets in the back to hold extra tubes, Fig Newton's, GU, Clif Bar, whatever your poison to get some extra 'gg's' while on that long ride.  Make sure material is 'wicking', not cotton.  There are some really cool new materials that can minimize your body temperature, but are definitely on the higher expense scale.  Look for things that offer UV protection with super breathable fabrics, Aqua Phobic fabrics, flatlock stitching, multi-functional pockets,  zipper in front to get extra air when needed.  Again, I will shamefully plug my site as I have a few jerseys.  At the moment more for men than women's styles, but have two new suppliers who are new lines, one will be added in the next week or so and the other will launch in Feb. 2013, so Ladies, check back for early spring riding.  They are fashion forward and do the job, finally, we don't have to look like the guys, we can actually have some style while still kicking some bootie!

• Sunglasses:  This seems to go without saying, but a good pair of UVA/UVB protection, sports performance and fitting sunglasses will make racing more comfortable.  Having your glasses slip off your nose while riding or running is just a pain and you don't need to be distracted while trying to get a PR.  

Phase III- The Run 

• Running Shoes:  I differentiate these the same way I do the bike shoes.  Training run shoes are different than race running shoes.  Buy a pair of running shoes that you will use to train in.  Get fit at a run shop if you have never been.  I actually did this myself recently because I had it in my head that I wanted a certain shoe.  I was near a shop and thought I would take a look and a sales man asked me when I had been fit properly last.  I didn't remember, but didn't like the shoes I had been using.  My 'fit' resulted in me realizing I needed a AA shoe not the normal width I had been wearing for years.  A harder to find shoe, something you may need to try on.  You can buy online but if they don't feel right, you'll be able to send them back.  But if you have a similar issue, get a fit done.  For the race day, running shoes that you don't need to wear socks with are key and again, you need to test them out.  I know many athletes who prefer running sockless, but you have to get used to it.  Zoot was the pioneer in this, they have many, many choices.  You can also use your training shoes and switch out the laces to the elastic laces with the lace-lock to adjust and get them set so all you have to do is slide them on and go.  But again, some of the real tri shoes are made of different material and actually hug your foot/skin, so doing the same thing in a standard running shoe will feel quite different.  Test it out.

• Race Belt:  Something to pin your race number to and/or a race belt that has the bottles you can fill with your liquid/food of choice.  For longer races these can be necessities.

Depending on your level as I stated in the beginning, you may also need a wetsuit, scull cap for the cold water swims, a tri-suit to wear under the wetsuit, these are usually one piece with the chamois in the shorts.  Some compression gear for during and after your workouts and racing if you need it.  There are a few plus other items you can and will get as you build your race calendar up, but this list is the 'must-have' so I am not going to name them all.  

I hope this is of some help this Holiday season when you are buying your significant other some goodies to help out Santa.  I know I got my letter from Santa already, (you know he knows the retailers and makes requests to us to put things on sale)  just an FYI if you didn't know.  Anyway, I have everything on my site on sale this week through Sat.  Small Business Saturday is this weekend.  So get your gear, apparel, wheels, framesets all for 20%  OFF.  Stock up on the 'must-have's' for you and your training friends, the small stuff makes great stocking stuffer's and again, Santa appreciates the help.  He's so busy, you know! 

I hope you all had a great morning 'Turkey Trot' run if you did one.  They are fun and a great way to start the day.  I ran at the one here.  It's a race that is more for fun than for time, for most people anyway.  Since it's a Holiday, it's just about the community and being with family and friends, so I hope you had a great run.  Of course, the rest of the day is also about family, friends and some hopefully, healthy food to go with the pumpkin pie!  Happy Thanksgiving to you all.  Be careful if you are going shopping at the malls tomorrow, Black Friday!  It can get crazy out there!  Enjoy the long weekend.  Stop by my site.

I appreciate your business and hope the tips I provided will help you sort through what you need and be you'll be able to get some things here.  Until next time...
Happy Holidays!
Caroline/ Triathleta

Working through 'bugs'...

Well it's been a couple of days since I have written on my blog thanks to the 'bug' I apparently attracted on Thursday.  It locked onto my stomach and is been very diligently hanging on and making me sick.  Thankfully I hope anyway, I am over the worst!  But whoa! I felt like I was a magnet and another magnet was trying to pull the bones out of my body through my skin.  I was in pain!  Needless to say I didn't have a ton of energy or brain power to get online and write or do any workouts.  Walking to the kitchen to get something to drink was an effort.  On Sat. I felt a bit better and did get some time to spend online, but was more to search than anything else.  So I am going to share some of the new places and articles I found that can help those triathletes out there, who may be reading.  I am also going to pass on some helpful 'healthy' tips from my Chiropractor's email cuz he is also and Ironman triathlete and a great doctor to boot.  Hope you get the most out of it. 
Click the images...they take you somewhere!                  (i love this picture)                                                   

Oh yeah, one thing I forgot.  The new bike from GRAY, Storm TT2, that is on my site soon!  Say Hello!

To your good health.  I hope no one else gets my 'bug'.  He wasn't nice! 
Triathleta

So you've found your love...

So when I began this blog, not to long ago I shared with you a bit of what it will be about.  Triathlons and training and how I got into the sport and I think, most important, where I want my life to go in the sport and in the community of triathletes. 
When I was working in design I loved it.  I still love it.  It was never a job for me, especially when I was really busy and immersed in the design, space planning and full creation of a project.  I could 'work' for hours and hours and never wonder what time it was or even worry about stopping for food or drink.  I was lucky enough to be very young and know what I was good at and was able to put effort into pursuing a career in that.  But after almost 20 years working in design and architecture I have learned that as much as I love it, the profession and the powers that be, i.e. the bosses of the companies I have worked for, are not as loyal to their employees as the employees are loyal to the industry, and in my case, a profession and a 'job' that I loved doing.  So I have had to take a long hard look, at my bank account, scary sight sometimes,  and at how I want to move forward in being able to sustain myself.  What do I want to do now that jobs in design are hard to find for people with experience, as I have found, more jobs for the 'interns' than those who don't need hand holding.  I am working trying to find my own clients but have realized that this love of triathlons could be more than how I stay in shape and keep my sanity while working in my chosen profession.  Maybe I can create a sustainable living doing something with the triathlon industry.  This is what I realized about a year ago and when I read a book, applied what I learned and built a website of triathlon specific products for other triathletes like myself, who had a hard time finding tri-gear at your typical sports store.  This idea became Triathleta.com.

It is a website where you can find everything you need to compete in your 1st to your 100th triathlon.  It is a growing site, there are a stack of catalogs on my desk of the companies I have built relationships with that I want to add to the site but it takes having a larger bank account than I currently have so it is a work in progress.  It's a love and passion in progress too.  As much as I am predominately a 'right brain' type person, I am diligently working to increase my 'left brain' side and learn about business, finances, marketing, e-marketing specifically, which is like taking a crash college course.  It's a bit overwhelming at times.  I know enough to know that I don't know much, but know enough to ask for help!  Internet marketing, SEO, email lists etc...is not complicated, you just have to have a few good tips/teachers showing you how and if you're tenacious, as I am, you have to put what you've learned to use and work it.   I have a ton of ideas, most of which I have been told by business professionals are great ideas, now it's just getting them implemented to really get the website more visible, more traffic, more sales and then in the final 'goal' to build a brick and mortar store. 
Triathlon for me when I started in 1993 was so much fun.  It was my social life, it was part of my relationship as the guy who introduced me to it was my boyfriend at the time.  I was new to the city where I lived at the time so it was a way of making new friends, becoming a part of a community, it was pretty much Everything to me.  So even though I worked at becoming a triathlete, it was never work, I loved every minute of the sweat, the muscle aches, the heart pounding rides and runs I did with my friends.  It is, by far, the best thing that ever happened to me.  It changed my life, allowed me to do and see things I would have never seen had I not been introduced to the sport.  Quite honestly, more than anything, I want to rub off all this passion and excitement off on other people and the best way I know how to do that is to make my idea into a reality, build a store that becomes part of the triathlon/running/cycling community where I live and let it resonate with everyone who participates so that they can then pass on that passion to those in their lives.  It is the ultimate, 'Pay it Forward' concept for me.  I swear I get so emotional about it, I want to change the world with my little, silly triathlon community ideas.  But what better way to keep us all moving, keep us healthy and happy than to participate in an activity that we love, we can share with our spouses/significant others, our kids, our grand-kids.  Make it a part of your church.  Do a triathlon with members of your congregation.  Company teams, police/fireman teams, doctor/nurse teams, literally whatever you can think of, it can touch all of us.  Our society has become too sedentary.  I don't want to go into that whole subject on this post, but in a nut shell, we have to get moving again, we have to learn about how to be healthy, how to eat healthy or we are going to be in big trouble.  I love this sport, I love what it does to the people who get involved in it.  People become so proud of themselves to say they are a 'triathlete'.  It's an accomplishment, it's hard work, it's time consuming, it takes dedication, you can't cross the finish line without doing the work, no one but yourself is going to get you there, there is no 'free lunch', you've got to do the work.  But oh how fun the work is! 
So I've found my love...come join me.  Stop by my site, sign up for the email newsletter, send me an email and let me know what you want if it's not there.  If you're a club, a race director, a magazine please contact me about working together.  I want and need to get the word out more about my site and I need your help, your knowledge and your passion about triathlons to help me do that.  I know this is a shameless plug, but I am part of the growing entrepreneurs in America who have passions and ideas about how they want to participate and contribute to the society in which we live.  If our previous jobs have become obsolete or we are just having a heck of a time finding a good job then we are trying to do something outside of our usual box and in turn help ourselves as we help others.  So help me pay it forward, send me your thoughts.  Like I said, I am a work in progress and am open to tips on the work and the progress.
Triathleta

 p.s.  I get Fast Company emails every day and I saw this article today that I want to attach.  It actually gave me my idea for today's post.  I know we all have passions we all have jobs.  But are they congruent? 
http://www.fastcompany.com/3002168/8-signs-youve-found-your-lifes-work 
Maybe this will help you figure out if you are doing what you love.  Enjoy!

Election Day!

The time change that we had on Sat. night was nice, but for the last few days my sleeping patterns have been a bit off.  I am sure I'm not alone.  I know waking up at 3:30 in the morning and not going back to sleep can mess up your workout during the day for many of us.  I had a light workout today, definitely not what I wanted, but sleep for me is critical, so I hope I get some zzzz's tonight.  I definitely hope I get more than the political junkies and reporters working the election.  Colorado, my home, seems to be keeping things up in the air, possibly, but I'll catch up in the morning.  Seems 'POTUS' will remain.  I hope you made the effort to express your choice as it is an important part of what makes our country a great place to live.  We have issues, but being in the good ole' US of A is better than many alternatives.  In my humble opinion anyway.  So here's to another day with opportunity to excel, and a good night's sleep.

Triathleta

Creature of Habit or The Change-up

So when I got into triathlons, one of the things I loved about it was the variety.  Three sports along with some gym time and yoga too meant I wouldn't get bored doing the same thing.  I am a bit of a mix in that I am a creature of habit, I like structure and routine but I don't like when the routine is exactly the same.  I know, it's an oxymoron sort of statement but it's true and those elements of my 'personality' are beginning to reveal themselves in my workouts again. 
Since this is considered my 'off season', more training and getting down to the nitty-gritty of fine tuning my body, form in the pool, cardio work etc... I am mixing up my workouts more than I ever have.  I bought the P90X workouts awhile ago and then stepped it up, (because of course I got bored with the same routines) and up'd the anty and got 'Insanity' and also have all the goods from my tri-coach which of course is much more tri specific.  I have no reason to get bored now, thankfully.  As a result I am sore in places I forgot I used when I worked out.  That is a good thing! 
I did the Insanity workout today and I can say that the first 15 minutes of what is considered the 'warm up' is more than what some full fledged workouts are.  It's insane, really!  The interval training does really get the entire body moving and you feel it in those specific areas before you're even done the workout.  I have never done a triceps exercise while at the exact same time have it be an ab/crunch exercise, it's crazy good.  So if you are like me and you want more than the three workouts that typical triathletes do, then mix it up this 'off season'. 
If you don't want to invest in the workouts I have mentioned then check out http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/10/18/day-4-train-from-the-heart-workout/.  It's a site I found the other day, and they have some 15 minute interval workouts that are pretty good and they are free.  You can just click  and work out with them.  Make sure you use your discretion when doing the workouts as I honestly don't know if they are certified trainers etc...  It's nice to have the ability to mix things up so it's there if you want to do some. 

What's that saying...'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results'.   No dig on the Insanity workouts as they are just insanely good at kicking your butt.  But change is good, test yourself and see what you can do to mix it up.  You might be surprised that you like it too!  Enjoy the diversity, it's what makes the world go round.

Oh and don't forget to VOTE!!! 
Triathleta

Yoga and Training

#4 - Eagle Pose

So I think I mentioned somewhere that I got into yoga a few plus years ago.  Bikram yoga to be more specific.  I practiced for years about 6 days a week, loved it, but wasn't really training for triathlons at that time.  So now that I am more in training mode, I feel like yoga actually seems easier.   Even though I sometimes feel sore and tight in many places, it all flows better.  One of the instructors last night made a comment in class that I actually heard.  Sometimes I zone out.  He said when we do sports we break down our bodies, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, in my humble opinion.  As we know in order to build muscle we have to 'work' it, push it to a limit without overdue use to become stronger, build larger muscles, etc... But in yoga, it's more like therapy in motion.  So all of a sudden in class I felt like I was putting myself through my own massage session.  Although a massage is definitely better!   As athletes we beat up our bodies often and then we go about our day, work, kids, demands that require our attention so in yoga, you get to be kind to yourself, let yourself be there for 60/90 minutes of just you.  I know it is probably hard to squeeze that much additional time out of the day when you already spend a fair amount training, but since the cooler temperatures are on the way, for much of the country anyway, maybe now is a good time to taper down and try to incorporate some yoga.  You may find what I do, that it does help.  Body, mind and spirit.  I found someone who is a bit of an expert on the subject, written a few books, has video's with many great tips that I thought I would share.  If you can't go to a class, doing some of the postures in a quite place at home can be the next best thing.  Namaste

http://sagerountree.com/media/books/the-athletes-guide-to-yoga/

26 Bikram Yoga Postures - Done in order, each 2x's

Triathleta

Endurance of a different kind.

Home for me is New England, specifically Massachusetts.  I sent a text to family and friends on Monday asking if everyone was ok.  I said it looked like there was a ton of water from what the TV was showing.  Thankfully my family didn't get too much more than rain and some wind, but nothing like what happened in NY and NJ.  So I have been thinking a lot lately about all the people back East dealing with the aftermath of the Frankenstorm Sandy that was so much less than kind and happy over the Halloween Holiday.

There is going to be, as there is now probably, a lesson, whether needed or not, to be learned about endurance.  Endurance of a different kind.  Not the kind that many athletes are used to but more in the area of just putting your head down, picking up everything and figuring out a way to start over!  I watch the news shows covering all of it, talking with people, showing all the destruction and all I can think to do in the moment is to send out a prayer to all of them, for strength, perseverance, patience, and for the ability to dig deep and find the endurance to push through.  The clean up is going to take a long time, people have absolutely nothing left.  The Holidays are in are midst and it's going to be really hard with so much lost to even think about shopping, cooking Thanksgiving dinner or decorating the tree.  But people on the East coast are tough, they have the tenacity of warriors, they never give up.

When I first moved away from home, I would sometimes here people say of people that lived in the North East that they were mean, rude or bitchy.  Well in defense of my fellow NorEastr's, I beg to differ.  I have lived down South, out West, all the way to Cali and there is a difference in demeanor, yes, but so is the lifestyle and the environment.  You can't be a 'woos' and complain that it's cold, or too hot and humid.  It's not all sunshine and surfing.  No, we don't get earth quakes as often as the West Coast, but life in the east is different and you have to be strong.  There's also that old saying about NY, something about making it there, you can make it anywhere.  I think there is a good reason that song is considered an 'anthem'.  So go easy on folks, if you have friends who are from up/over there.  They may have family, friends and loved ones who are in the middle of the worst event, other than 9/11 that they will probably ever go through.  They need support, they need stuff!  When people say they lost everything, it's really Everything.  Going to the Red Cross, bringing anything you have that you could do without because you know somewhere on the East coast, someone needs it more than you do.  Gift cards to Target to buy underwear, socks, necessities and that's just the small stuff.  They'll need a home.  If there is anything positive about this, I hope there are people who have been out of jobs who are in the construction industry who can go out and help rebuild these communities.  I know its hard to think that anything positive can come from such destruction, but if we don't look for the Light in everything then we miss it, we miss a lesson.

So think of something you can do.  If you don't have anything to give then give positive thoughts, send out your own strength and endurance.  When you think you can't run or ride or swim another mile, push a little more because you know somewhere there is someone walking through match sticks that once was there house and they need a little more strength to get through the day.  They don't have time to train anymore, no money going to any races anytime soon.  It's kids clothes and food and finding an apartment to live in until they can figure out their next move.  So say a prayer, light a candle and send out some love.  We take care of each other, that's what we do when the chips are down.  So help where and how you can, because there is someone who needs it and will most definitely appreciate it.  Be safe!
Triathleta

Love 

(Kabbalah)

p.s.  http://www.rockcenterNBC.com has quite a few links on ways you can help. Check it out.