Week-in-Review: Week 1 - Jan 16-22

This post is coming a bit late, and "unrefined" no pictures, just text, otherwise it is going to get too late to post it, so here goes.

The time has come to get serious about my 2012 seasons.  The holidays are over, the snacks are gone, the weight is not, and anticipation is building every day for what this season has in store.  I will be starting up my weekly reviews again to summarize the week in training, life, and happenings.

Let me start by saying I have a number of product reviews in the works.  I had an influx of them all at once, which was very welcome, but also a little daunting.  Keep an eye out over the coming weeks.  I will have the following:

• H20 Audio Waterproof Case/Headphones Product Review
• Brooks Pure Flow Product Review
• Yurbuds Headphone Product Review
• Finis SwiMp3 Product Review
• and more...

Workouts:
Week 1 of my training plan.  This is the start to a 16 week program leading me into REV3 Knoxville.  You may remember my race-recap from last year and if not, just click the link.  I am thrilled to have this race on my schedule again this year.  It was a great venue and very well run.  It had a big race feel, without being chaotic.  The course was AMAZING!  I really would love to get my hands on a good HD Video Camera and record the route to play while I am stuck on the trainer, but I digress.

I am writing my own plans by incorporating a few different plans and process that have been adapted to my goals. So what does a typically week look like?  Great question!

Swims: I am feeling good in the water recently, not super speedy, but good.  I have some work to rebuild my endurance at speed.  In contrast, last year I swam 3x a week.  I have upped the volume some this year and have included a fourth workout.  I have given myself some flexibility on the 4th workout to float since I mostly swim over lunch during the week.

Bike: Build build build build. I think Chris Lieto could tell you the best that a strong bike does not always translate to overall results, but I realize that I have room to grow on the bike.  I have not hit my limit where returns start to diminish significantly.  After my accident last year, my break took its toll on my leg endurance.  I am getting it back, but I am sticking to my guns on bike workouts this year.  They will include 3 specific sessions to build during the week, and a longer ride on the weekend.

Run: All things considered, I feel pretty good about where I am at for my run.  I am not going to go out and drop a 20 minute 5k in the next month, I would be stretched to hit 21 flat I think.  I have been dabbling with the BarryP running theology from Slowtwitch and it has been good to me so far.  This includes 6 runs a week.  The concept is easy to understand when you fully "get it" but trying to explain it always causes me troubles.  You have 3 runs a week (3 recovery, 2 harder, 1 long) These runs vary in distance based on the length of your short runs(1:2:3).  IE Your short runs may be 20 minutes, the hard runs are 40 minutes, and the long run is 60.)

The goal is to get more running done in a week, without the added stress of bigger mile days.

So my week looks like this:

Monday

• Morning Recovery Run
• Lunch Swim
• Evening Bike

Tuesday

• Lunch Swim
• Evening Hard Run

Wednesday

• Morning Recovery Run
• Lunch Swim
• Evening Bike

Thursday

• Lunch Swim
• Evening Hard Run

Friday

• Morning Recovery Run
• Lunch Swim
• Evening Bike

Saturday

• Long Run

Sunday

• Long Ride

Add in daily core workouts (not recorded, just doing it daily)

Week 1 Totals:
Swim: 5500 Yards, 1 Hour 40 Minutes
Bike: 69 Miles, 4 Hours 2 Minutes
Run: 24 Miles, 3 Hours 29 Minutes
Total: 9 Hours 10 Minutes

2012 Revolutions

I have always been hesitant to use the term resolution mostly because I associated it with not being happy and wanting to change.  What better time for a resolution than the new year... a new start... a fresh slate... The only problem is the reset button on the scale does not take away the countless trips past the snacks on the counter, grabbing one delectable treat each time.  I do have weight-loss as one of my "resolutions", which I will get to in a while, but there are a number of things I just would like to see happen in 2012, so rather than calling them resolutions, I am calling them Revolutions 

Although one definition of resolution is:

" the act of resolving or determining upon an action or courseof action, method, procedure, etc."  

I do prefer this definition to what it is in my head, but I have decided to take 2012 in the direction of revolution:

"a sudden, complete or marked change in something"

I am in the progress of making a Vision Board for 2012.  Sure some may call it corny, but it motivates me to do things, reminds me of my goals, and what drives me... without my negative connotation of resolutions.  I am very happy with life right now, I have an amazing wife and two baby boys that can make the worst day at work seem insignificant. Working with the Miracle Kids Triathlons in Minneapolis as well as the partnership that Rev3 has with Ulman Cancer Fund, I know that I am lucky to worry about when I will get my next workout in.  It puts things into perspective when you know there are others out there who just wonder if they will be around tomorrow.

It is no secret that my 2011 racing season was cut short.  That just drives me to make 2012 even better and enjoy it even more.

So without further delay, here are some of my 2012 Revolutions - 

Personal 

• Spend some time each day reading a devotional and bible verses, reflecting on what they mean to me
• Be the best dad I can to Carter and Caleb
• Cleaner eating - less sugar and sweets, more fruits and veggies
• Limit eating out to no more than one meal a week
• Smarter choices when I do eat out
• Stay injury free!!!

Triathlon

• Race weight by REV3 Knoxville 160-163 lbs (Jan 1 - 185 lbs)
•   REV3 Knoxville Olympic - 2:15
•        REV3 Wisconsin Dells - 2:15
•         REV3 Cedar Point - Sub 5  

Exercise

• I recently read on Joel's Blog that he wanted to swim 250,000 yards in 2012.  That number seems large, but when broken down, only amounts to 4800 a week.  Did you know that a quarter million yards is over 10,000 laps in my pool?  It comes out to over 142 miles.. just over the distance of an Ironman race.  I am adding this to my to do list for 2012.
• I also saw a lot of chatter about people doing a swim set: 100x100s.  Yep 10,000 Yards in one workout.  Yep... 5.68 miles!  Add that to the list as well.
• Increase FTP on the bike - 260 is the target
• Maintain sub 7s on a 10k
• More sub 20 minute 5ks!

REV3 Run Across America

I am going to preface this post by saying how I am continuously amazed by the REV3 organization.  I am grateful to have gotten in with Team Trakkers in 2011, which has now turned into Team REV3.  One reason I keep interested in the sport is because I have passion behind what I do, and being able to surround myself with people with a similar passion is contagious.  It was recently announced that REV3 will be running across America!

The Details:
Starting Monday, March 26, some of the REV3 staff as well as some of the Age Group Team members will start their journey to run across North America from Oceanside, California to Washington, D.C., over 3000 miles, in only 21 days.

The run is to raise awareness and $100,000 for The Ulman Cancer Fund.  Take a look at the page, read some of the stories, and be inspired!  I know everyone out there has their own situation and may only be able to donate a few dollars and a few others who could afford to add a few zeros.  Do not think for one minute that your contribution is too small.  Just as 3000 miles in 21 days is a large task, the only way to do it is in smaller segments.


If you have been around long enough, or poked at my history, you will see how I got started in endurance sports... by setting a goal, something that seemed so far that it was almost out of reach.  This is a heck of a feat, and at first mention, I wanted to be a part!  Unfortunately I will not be able to join the team doing the actual run, but many of the AG team have vowed to run "along side" the team.  We will be logging our daily miles and encourage others to do the same.

I challenge anyone reading this to make a pledge to run with the team during these 21 days.  Do you have a resolution to run your first 5k, first triathlon or marathon, or a seasoned veteran?  Challenge yourself during this period to run each day, even if it is only for a mile, you will feel much more tied to the cause.

I have pledged to donate $10 for every missed normal workout starting today until they finish.
I also pledge to run at least 1 mile each day that they are running with a $10 dollar donation for any day missed.

Feel free to click the following banner to make a donation and support this great cause!

Here are a few quick links to keep up to date with fundraising progress, Ulman Fund, and Rev3:

Ulman Cancer Fund

• website – www.ulmanfund.org
• facebook – www.facebook.com/ulmancancerfund
• twitter – twitter.com/ulmancancerfnd
• youtube – www.youtube.com/user/ulmancancerfund

REV3 Triathlon

• website – www.rev3tri.com
• facebook – www.facebook.com/revolution3.triathlon
• twitter – twitter.com/rev3tri
• youtube – www.youtube.com/rev3tri

The Old, The New, The Good, The Bad

It seems it is that time of year again where blog posts talk about 2011 in review or plans for 2012, so why would I not participate? 

2011

The year started off on a great note, having just returned from a mission trip to Africa.  I went straight into training for my first year on Team Trakkers.

I was posting weekly summaries of workouts and putting up some content on my blog. 2011 looked strong!  I got my new ride.

I compiled a list of Trakkers Favorites to workout to: Trakkers Music and reviewed some products:

My training progressed and before I knew it, it was race season!  The Kestrel Airfoil Pro was ready to roll:



The first race of the season ended up with a 1st in AG(due to the first 2 getting top 3 overall) Then it was off to Knoxville… All I can say, is daym!  I was in pretty solid shape and have some work to do!



Knoxville was my first REV3 Race… and I was very impressed with how well things were run.  A+++++ Organization!

I had a disappointing race in New Brighton, but bounced back with an Overall win in Mason City Iowa.  Then the big news…. We found out my wife was expecting! Twins was just the added bonus! 
It never seems to fail that with good comes bad.  July came around and smacked me hard.  Leaving me with a broken collar bone and multiple surgeries to repair.



After the crash… everything went downhill quickly.  A much longer than expected recovery period took its toll on me, and I was mentally crushed. 

The good news, our twin boys were on the way, and growing well.  After a million doctors appointments, the boys were born on November 29, 2011. Both boys were healthy and after two weeks in the NICU, they got to come home and join the family. 

2012

I have a number of goals/resolutions/plans for 2012.  First and foremost is to be the best dad I can to Carter and Caleb.  I love watching them grow every day.  They are truly a blessing in my life and I  could not imagine it any other way. 

I am excited to be ‘back’ on Team REV3 for 2012.  The returning members are what got me through my injuries last year, and looking forward to good things this year. 
My race schedule is far from set in stone, but here are my thoughts for events, peppered with a few local races as well.

• REV3 Knoxville Olympic – May 6
• Mason City Triathlon
• Camp Courageous Triathlon – August 5 – Possibly
• REV3 Wisconsin Dells Olympic – August 12
• REV3 Cedar Point Half – September 9

Since 2011 added some pounds, I am also aiming on being back to race weight for Knoxville!  I have my work cut out for me.  But a goal is a goal!  I will post some more specific goals in the coming weeks.
I am very excited to see what else 2012 has in store! Until then… Go Hawks! 

December Ramblings

I am going to do my best to keep this post to a reasonable length, but it has been a while since I have posted anything... So much for posting more often! Life is busy... What else is new. As many of you know, my wife was put on bed rest at 30 weeks which lasted for 5 weeks exactly. On November 29, 2011 we welcomed two members to our family in the form of twin boys, Carter & Caleb. They spent the first two weeks in the NICU, so we spent a lot of time back and forth between the hospital and home, scrambling to get things in order. Luckily both boys were healthy, what they call boring babies there. Boring is good!!!!! On top of that, in the same week as the babies were born, I found out that the new job I just hired into and transitioned to, was eliminated. How about that roller coaster of events in the same week?!?! Luckily, I was able to find something so it was not a big impact, more-so just a wave of emotions. I have been fairly diligent at squeezing in workouts when possible. I figure 30 minutes of running is better than 0. Hopefully I can use some of the time around the holidays to get into my new routine to find what works best. As the holiday season is around us, I cannot miss thinking about what a great year it has been. Some highlights include: - Finding out we were pregnant - Finding out and having our twin boys! - Making the Rev3 Team for 2012 - First Olympic Distance Triathlon - First place overall at Mason City Tri - Bike accident - broken clavicle - 2 surgeries for repairs Some people may look at that last one and say... What? How's that good? Well, you see, it did make me miss the whole second half of the season, but it makes me all the more excited for 2012! I am grateful for everyone that has been put in my life, friends, family, co-workers. I believe that everything happens for a reason and I fully trust that regardless of the situation, there is a bigger plan out there. Last night we had our first Christmas with some family. Since we moved into a house in March, we were ale to host, not to mention having two week-olds gives some pull so we did not have to travel. After hosting, it started to lightly snow, and a bit later after things settled down at the house, we had carolers from the neighborhood. This is one of the first years since being out of college that I felt like our Christmas was in a home, and not just our house. I am very excited for the next few weeks, and all that 2012 has to bring. Welcome to all of the new Team Rev3 members. I am excited to get to know everyone in the coming months. PS Pictures to come.

Great deal on Penzeyes spices with coupons

I just got my new Penzeye's catalog in the mail this week and was quite excited.  While I only live about 1/3 of a mile away from the store, I found this amazing deal for online folks to combine their current free sample codes, with smart choices to result in a bunch of free product.

For those that do not know what Penzeyes is... it is a spice store.  What good is a spice store you may ask?  Well at prices fairly reasonable when compared to supermarkets, you are getting much higher quality.  I have been using their spices for a few years.  I am slowly getting rid of all the old spices and plan on using only stuff from Penzeyes in the future.

As a note for those who think it is more expensive, take a look at the 4oz "bags" and the empty jars to make the most of your money. Once you have the jar, you can just order the bigger bags and replenish your stash.  It is typically close to the same cost for the bulk bag plus an empty jar as the same jar that is pre-filled.  

So without further delay, here are the steps to take advantage of the amazing free Penzeyes coupon codes.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/advancedsearch.html

Enter Kind Heart in the search

change qty to 1 on the free one, click add

Click search again

Enter: 95107 (empty jar w shaker lid) - Teacher Pack requires a purchase

Change qty to 1, click add

Click Search again

Enter forward, click search

Click on the link under: the 5.39 Forward jar that says "Click to redeem your coupon"

In the new area that comes up, Enter coupon code: 15958C to add the Free Forward 

Enter another code: 83018C to add the Teacher Gift Pack

When done, click to check out and setup an account if you do not have one.  On the checkout page, under the Shipping Info tab, you can change from Regular shipping 4.95, to Slow 3.95 to save a dollar, bringing the grand total to $5.66 for all of that stuff, not too shabby!

What type of runner are you?

Not long after I laced up my first pair of running shoes did I realize I needed something to get me out running.  I needed something to make me still go run if it was cold and rainy or if it was 100 and humid.  Over the past few weeks as I have been getting back into running after my bike accident, I have really spent some time thinking about why I run, which lead me to this post.  Without generalizing too much, and without stereotyping, I have come up with a few groups that tend to define what motivates us to run.

*Disclaimer* While this is article is written from the running perspective, I see it holding true in the triathlon realm as well.  Over time, I have met people that fall into each of these three categories, some even find themselves in multiple categories.

To Runners:

This group of runners has a purpose, often motivated by a goal.  When I started running, I set a goal to run a marathon.  Every run had purpose, to get me more prepared for that goal.  Everyone in this group has a different threshold for motivation.  For me, running to stay in shape was not enough to keep me motivated.  For some people, setting a goal to run their first 5k is what it takes to drive them to consistently put in the time to accomplish that goal.  From my experience, this as one of the largest categories, and I believe that the increasing numbers each year seen at races are a direct result of this mentality.

Goals:

-          Distance (5k, Half Marathon, Marathon, Ironman, Ultra, etc)
-          Time for a distance (Sub 30-Minute 5k, 5 hour marathon, etc)
-          Weightloss (10 pounds by summer, back to pre-pregnancy weight,…)
-          Placing or Podium (Top of Age Group, Overall winner, finishing ahead of someone you know)

Every time someone hits a goal, they have to re-evaluate, even if subconsciously.  Is the motivation to continue training there now that I have passed this event?  Well for some, the answer is a clear yes due to missing a goal.  They may bounce back and try to reach their goal again, but some get discouraged if they do not make the mark.  Some hit the goal, are completely satisfied and stop activities afterwards, never making another goal to pursue.  

Finally, there is the section that sees what their work has done, and looks for the next challenge. 

This group shows a progression from a 5k, to a half marathon, to a full marathon.  Always building distance or setting a faster time to pursue.  It may be competition or it may be the sense of accomplishment that drives them, but they have a burning feeling inside to explore their limits.

From Runners:

This group of runners may or may not admit or even know they are in this group.  They are often running from something… We all have skeletons in our closet, and some people use it as motivation to run.  Some of the common things people run from:

-          Addictions (Drug, alcohol, etc)
-          Issues at home
-          Obesity
-          The past – Anything that they want to get far away from (Turning a new leaf)
-          Stress

While many of the above are fairly self-explanatory, they are commonly related in the fact that it is something that is causing a void and needs to be filled.  The one that sticks out for me in this group is stress.  While it does not necessarily leave a void, it can be a catalyst to other issues.  Some may say people run TO relieve stress, but I categorize it in the FROM category, because of the downstream impacts if the stress is not dealt with.

There are no shortages of stories of people at rock bottom who see a commercial, magazine, someone running, or some other trigger that makes them do a re-evaluation of their current situation and want to make a drastic change.  These people have something they want to get away from quickly.  While running is not the “fastest” way to get away (sure you could drive), it sure gives a physical feeling to “running away from your problems or heading in the other direction”

I have heard a number of stories from people who may not necessarily be classified as an addict, but had many bad habits.  Once they started running, they realized that the two did not play nicely together, and something had to go.  Hopefully it was the activity that hindered running.  In no way I am I saying you cannot enjoy a beer and running both, but to go out drinking many nights a week and still run is somewhat counterproductive depending on your goals. 

For Runners:

This is a group of people who run for something.  Often it is a cause (Think Breast Cancer 5ks, ALS races, and other like events) but not limited to a specific race.  Sure there are people who do events to raise money for a specific cause, but there are also others who dedicate their training to one cause.  I have done 5ks for a number of causes, and the MS150 bike ride, so my “for” events are spread out.  Some people choose to do events to raise money across multiple events for one cause.  While these examples are often an extreme event, such as running across the US, or something that seems completely unattainable, it pushes the person to do the unattainable because they are thinking about the good that will be done for their “for.”  In no way am I saying you have to run across the US to be in this category, simply setting a goal to raise money for a cause, regardless of the event distance puts you in this category.

This is a group that I think many people revisit throughout their running “career.”  These events can grow to be very large, and serve as a great way for people to get involved and contribute to a cause.  It may spark interest in future events.  While some people will stick with the FOR cause, many do continue to run for other reasons, and then someday circle back to being a FOR runner when they no longer to keep setting goals, and want to still have purpose in their running. 

Regardless of the type of runner you may be, do what drives you.  Whatever it takes to keep you motivated, keep with it.  If you start losing motivation, look at how you could change your attitude or outlook on running, it can provide a much different perspective.  Although races are filling up at record rates as more people get involved, remember you are in a small percentage of people who are out and doing something, regardless of your reasons.  Find what works for you, and keep going!