The Support Network

My wife started this magnetic support system in my Ironman kitchen (yep, our full prep kitchen has been converted and is now set up entirely for powders, potions, GU, gels, nutritional supplements, shake makers, Gatorade G2, etc. The kitchen also has a dishwasher customized to handle all the plastic bike bottles and hydration systems so that none of the caps slip through the grates and get melted in the drying cycle! Of course, the most important part of the kitchen is the Nespresso machine which I absolutely swear by, love and am the world's biggest proponent...they are brilliantly designed and absolutely trouble free for the perfect Espresso with no hassle whatsoever. http://www.nespresso.com/)

The magnetic sign was important because every day I walk by the back prep kitchen on the way to and from the garage, I would see those words of encouragement. My wife had found and arranged those letters to get that sign started and I could feel her support every day.

The importance of a support network cannot be overstated.

The pursuit of the Ironman dream can take an incredible toll not just on the athlete, but also on his or her family, friends and work associates.

I often think of this pursuit as a very selfish endeavor. The time commitment away from one's family is enormous.

Five to Eight-hour workouts on the weekends are now the norm. Plus the time to prepare the bike, nutrition, the actual plan of where I am going, then to upload all the power data, HR data, etc. can take an additional 1 - 2 hours.

Naturally, once the data is input, the research and analytical side kicks-in and I want to study how I did, if I am improving, etc.

My wife has fluctuated from being: amazed, amused, accepting, supportive and understanding. Connor has been terrific and it feels great to have a 15-year old son who is so proud that his Dad is accomplishing these endurance events. There have been many, many times when I have just been way too tired for various workouts, only to have my wife rib me, pressure me or use some kind of reverse-psychology to get me out the door.

Sometimes she'll say, "Yeah, don't work out. You don't need to. You know you are ready." Which of course is effective sarcasm that gets me out the door pronto! Other times she'll say, "Go on. Come on, just get out there and get going." Somehow, she can read me well enough to know which buttons to push.

Connor saved me the night before my first 70.3 in Hawaii. I will never forget it.

I was up at 3:00am pacing the hotel room. I was most worried about the swim. Connor just sensed that I was worried and he got up and came to me and gave me a huge hug (he's now taller than me!) and he said, "Don't worry Dad. You've got this. You've got it!"

Having my son support me like that was priceless.

Another support mechanism is my coach, David Warden. David is one of the world's leading experts on the science behind Triathlon and the world's most effective training methods. He only works with seven people, so I am extremely lucky and grateful to have him on my team! There is this subtle self-created pressure that I do not want to let David down, and I do not want to report that I did not complete all my workouts as scheduled. Knowing that David reviews every workout and all my power and HR data, is enough to get out the door on some days.

My business partner Kevin has been incredibly supportive. I am either arriving late or leaving early, especially during daylight savings time. The extra work often falls onto him, and he never complains. He is also the voice of reason when I tell him how close I was to coming to blows with a crazy driver or a wheel sucker.

When pursuing the Ironman dream, many people must pull together to support you, especially if you are married, have a family or are working full time. The time to get everything done has to come at the expense of something. It's as simple as that. Where do you find an extra 15 - 20 hours a week? You surely cannot cut back on your sleep, as when you are working out this much, you must have the sleep for your body to repair and rebuild.

The time for these workouts comes at the expense of relationships, work, keeping up the house, other hobbies, television or other past times, etc. In my case, the time has come from work, from the elimination of essentially all TV, and in keeping up on things in general.

The pursuit requires one to be exceptionally-well organized and to have systems in place to ensure that things don't start slipping through the cracks, because believe me, they will if you are not careful! That's where your support network can really come in and help.

This pursuit can stress work, family and outside friendships. If your critical relationships are not solid and in good standing prior to starting your Ironman training, I would suggest that you really shore-up those relationships and have a candid discussion about the toll your training will likely take on others.

The toll?

• You will be going to bed a lot earlier (I go to bed at 9:00pm; it used to be midnight).
• You will be cranky and possibly short-tempered, especially during your long weeks.
• If you have a short temper before you start this endeavor, it could be magnified by your training.
• You will be sore a lot of the time. You will likely complain about it. At first you will get sympathy, but that won't last long. Too much complaining can begin to grate on people.
• You will likely be going to see the doctor more frequently, and usually to some sort of specialist. I have been to see doctors more in the past 12-months than in the past 20 years combined. (Broken ankle, hip problems that required four visits to an orthopeadic surgeon for x-rays an MRI and evaluations totally over $7,000, knee problems that required thousands of dollars of additional x-rays and evaluations, hernia, IT band problems, knotted up trigger points called 'myofascial pain syndrome' in my upper trapezoid area from the crouched aero position on my TT bike, black toenails, toenails falling off, massively-huge and very deep blisters, a year-long plantar wart problem that required Podiatrist action, plantar fasciitis, hemorrhoids (from bike?), pre-cancerous growths from sun exposure, etc)
• You will be tired and may not be as fun to be around at times.
• You will be pre-occupied and not always "present" or able to give your full and complete attention to your spouse, children, work associates and friends.
• You will definitely be spending a lot of money on equipment, a coach, bikes, travel, race fees, nutritional supplements, bike repairs, race uniforms, books, power meters, HR monitors, body fat scale, GPS watch, an Endless Pool perhaps!, gym fees, association dues, equipment bags, wetsuit, aero helmet, road helmet, custom bike fitting (a must!), race day souvenirs and the list goes on and on. When you spend this much money, one can't really get on a spouse about their spending habits...even if they already have 137 pairs of shoes!
• The list goes on...

So I find that support is very important. Sure I could still finish the full IM without this support because I am just so determined to do so. But I know for an absolute fact that I will finish healthier, faster and happier, knowing that I have so many people who love me and who are pulling for me and have supported me throughout this incredible journey!

Endless Pool: One Year In-Service Review

I have always wanted a pool. Always.

My great friend and cousin in-law, Chris, had a lap pool growing up and for over 30 years I have been talking about that pool! But the problem with a backyard lap pool for a Triathlete is that it is very difficult to build one long enough (25 meters) to get a satisfactory workout.

Then along comes Endless Pools.

Imagine an adjustable flow of water coming straight at you, just like a salmon swimming upstream. The company calls them a "swimming machine" and another way to look at them is sort of like a treadmill, but for swimming. All this in a compact 10' x 7' footprint. Takes up little space, you determine the speed of the water flow, no lines at the local pools or gyms. What could be more perfect!

The only problem is that these pools are extremely expensive. There is no way that I could ever 'cost justify' the incredible extravagance. Sort of like Warren Buffet who calls his Gulfstream IV-SP jet "The Indefensible."

The cost of a basic Endless Pool is listed at about $20K - $25K, but let's talk real numbers, not the advertising hoopla.

In addition to the basic pool package which is assembled on site, either above or below ground, you'll certainly want to add some extras. The electric pool cover alone can be as much as $4,500. But it doesn't stop there. How about a swim mirror to check on your stroke? Got it. How about lights? Yep need those too for swimming late nights and pre-dawn. What about a swim meter to tell you how fast you are going and to record your workout distance? That's a must, and that's extra. Want a swim step so someone can get out of the pool? You'll need to order that as well. How about four hydro-massage jets for a Jacuzzi-like experience? You bet, especially after a long bike ride! I could go on and on regarding the extras.

In my case, I thought I was getting the deal of a lifetime because I was able to locate a pre-owned pool from a private party and verified all the data with Endless Pools. It came with a custom-made $5,000 cover and most of the parts. All this for about $12,000. I saved well over half and was elated.

But let's just look at the REAL numbers:

$12,000 The initial cost of the Pool
$9,000 Installation cost (I got ripped off here; big time!)
$2,000 Prep and pour a new concrete slab
$1,500 Upgraded electrical service to power the massive hydraulic pump
$5,000 New gas pool heater to save on energy costs (My first electric bill was $2,000!!)
$2,500 Build a deck around the pool for a platform and easier access.
$2,000 Cultured stones to face the outside of the pool structure
$1,500 Labor to install the stones
$2,250 Extra parts, new parts, service call on the cover, service call on the electrical
$300 Landscaping around the deck

The total cost is about $38,000 and I am certain that I have left out a lot of things.

Endless pools will never quote you how much it is going to cost for everything, but friends, these are the real numbers. Nothing extravagant or unusual here either.

OK, enough about the costs, what about the performance and value?

I love the pool. It has been a great tool and I am a much better swimmer because of this pool. It has operated flawlessly for about one year now. I have not had a single issue or problem and I am very happy and proud of that pool.

It does take a little adjustment to get used to the pool's current. As the current comes from the front of the unit in a smooth, waveless motion, it is also sucked back and down into a grate at the back of the pool; this is the return. So the water is returned to the front where there is a huge propeller safely housed in a solid stainless steel compartment. Totally, 100% safe to be sure. But the thing is that your feet are drawn down a bit by the power of the returning current. The faster the current, the stronger the draw and downward pulling motion on the lower legs. You'll get used to it, and one cool thing is that when you get back into the lake, ocean or community pool, you will not believe how much faster you are going without that pull on your legs; it's an amazing difference. You feel like you are just gliding right along the surface.

I am the first to recognize that it was a crazy and unjustifiable extravagance. Had I known that it would cost about $40,000, I never would have considered it. Never. For that price I could get a lifetime membership to the finest health clubs in the world. But it's done, and I don't regret it at this point.

I am very happy with the pool. I also like the hydro-jets which I can focus on parts of my back that get trashed from riding in the aero position on my Time Trial bike. But the really great thing about the pool is both the convenience as well as the ability to practice at exact pacing. If I want to complete my 2.4 mile Ironman swim leg in 1 hour and 20 minutes, then I know that I have to just set my pace meter to 1.80 mph and that will be the exact pace I will have to swim in the event. I can adjust the speed to whatever I like, although it gets to the point where it is just too fast!

The Endless Pool has also been used as a family hot tub from time to time. We upgraded the heater to an actual swimming pool heater (thus the $5,000 cost!). That allows me to superheat the water in about 2 hours from about 88-degrees where I typically swim, to 101-degrees for a hot tub experience.

The pool holds about 2,500 gallons of water and it is very easy to maintain. Endless Pools sells a kit of some minerals that you install into the filter and replace every six months. This product alone takes care of everything you'll need to do, except for chlorine. I use bromine tablets in a floater for when I am out of town and this has worked perfect to maintain an excellent balance. Caring for the pool is nearly effortless, but whatever effort is required is actually quite fun.

The pool can be installed indoors, outdoors, above ground or below ground. Below ground installations are quite expensive. At the same time, if you just install this 4.5 foot tall "box" on top of an elevated slab, it can be unsightly.

What we did was to pour a solid concrete pad, then build a deck around the front and side of the pool. that allowed for easier access with two stair steps. Then in front of the elevated deck, we planted flowering bushes to soften the whole look. So you see the lawn, then the flowering bushes, then the deck, then just two feet of the stone facing of the pool. This method allowed us to really break-up the massive box and really soften the overall look. I just love the way it all turned out.

The pool is definitely an excellent training device. I won't go as far as to say that it is a must, but it sure is a very convenient, fun and practical piece of exercise equipment that could possibly last a lifetime. And if you move, you simply have an installer come out, unbolt the pool and reassemble it later. All you'll need to do is to buy a replacement liner, which by the way are very attractive.

If you are really interested, I would be happy to send you photos or talk to you about the process and just give you the straight scoop here.

Disaster Strikes!

Due to a series of conference calls, I had to reschedule my morning bike ride to the afternoon. But to save time, I loaded my best bike onto the roof racks of my new BMW 5-series and headed off to work.

The plan was to leave work a bit early and get 2 - 2.5 hours on the Riverbed and be home for dinner by 6:30pm.

All was well and I was feeling good, so after the ride I stopped by my local butcher shop that makes these incredible, citrus-marinated chicken breasts perfect for the BBQ. I was still in my cycling gear and we got talking a great story about fitness, etc. As a lifelong butcher, he enjoys his product to what appears to be an unhealthy level and was very interested in some ideas to improve his health.

As I was thinking about ideas for him on my way back home I was apparently distracted because I drove right into my garage with my most-prized bike still attached to the roof.

The damage was absolutely incredible!

The rack, which had been very firmly attached to the roof, was ripped right off. In the process, however, it gorged massive dents at three points where the rack was attached. As the rack scraped across the roof, metal on metal, the roof was scratched and deeply indented.

The garage door was knocked right off the tracks and was completely inoperable.

The 100% carbon fiber bicycle, thankfully, appears to be OK. The impact was at the handlebars and they took full blow as they were the only contact point on the concrete wall above the garage.

All I can say about those bars is that Zipp makes an incredibly strong handlebar and fantastic wheelsets! The bar is fine, and it appears the bike is fine. However, I do not intend to ride the bike again until it is fully checked out by the shop.

At downhill speeds of over 40 MPH one must be certain that the frame retains full integrity.

In the meantime, I will be getting back on my Cervelo P3C Time Trial bike for the balance of my riding prior to the Full Ironman in Tempe in November 2008. Only about sixty-days now remain until this event!

Now I need to go find a good body shop. It looks like it may be $5,000 - $7,500 worth of damage, but the first estimate was only $1,600. It was so low that I am extremely suspect and will get a few others when I have time.

And while this may be an over-reaction, I am actually considering buying a different kind of car that can accommodate my bicycles and gear in a truck or fold down hatchback type area. I was thinking of the Honda Element which appears to be designed for this kind of activity, although I am not thrilled with the low power or quirky shape.

Lesson learned: If you put a bike on the roof of your car, ALWAYS, 100% of the time, take your garage door opener and put it in your trunk! If you have a door opener integrated into your car's electronics, put a small Post-It over the button to remind yourself!

Carpinteria to Solvang

My mission for the day was to secure the prized Solvang Kringle the moment the bakery opened. The problem was that the bakery opened about 7:00am, and I was about 45 miles away on the other side of the mountain pass.

Well before sunrise, I mounted the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL and headed north to the tiny Hamlet of Solvang, CA. This would be a challenging ride of just over 90 miles, three hours of which would be in total darkness.

I started slow and easy in order tow warm up and to adjust my night vision. Even though I was wearing three layers of cycling shirts and two pairs of gloves, I was still cold as I climbed up over the coastal mountain pass and through the clouds.

Ever driven your car, at night, through very dense coastal fog? You know what it's like when your high beams hit that fog and you are blinded? Well that was the challenge I faced riding up and over the mountain pass. It was unsettling as I made my ascent, as there is no shoulder for cyclists in many of these steep stretches, and with the fog blinding motorists, I was a bit concerned.

I made it up through the clouds and it was a bright starry night at the top. But then I had to descend back through the clouds again as I moved from Santa Barbara toward Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez wine country.

Descending through those clouds, at night, in cold weather was extremely cold. The cold, wet air and the low temperature conspired with my accelerating downhill speed to give me ice cream headaches all the way down (about 4 - 5 miles).

The sun began to rise as I hit the lake and headed the 20 additional miles to Solvang. My mission for the day was to secure the prized Solvang Kringle the moment the bakery opened.

Kringle are hand-rolled from Danish pastry dough that has been rested overnight before preparing and baking. Many layers of the flaky dough are layered, then shaped roughly like a pretzel. Solvang is world famous for this particular pastry and I was going to bring one home as "proof" that I actually made to Solvang despite urgings from some not to attempt the trip due to the lack of a cycling shoulder on the mountain pass.

Well they packaged up that Kringle in 4 large plastic bags, sealed them all and I stuffed this pizza-sized pastry in the front of my jersey. To avoid crushing the delicate puff pastry, I suspended the packaged item with medical tape from the straps of my cycling straps on the long johns. It worked great.

The trip back was much faster because I had plenty of light so I was not so tentative. I was also pushed a bit by a few guys from one of the cycling teams. Solvang was the home city for the Discovery Cycling team for many years and the area is full of cycling lore about Lance Armstrong and his amazing exploits.

I would do this trip again, but next time will continue through the Central Coast wine country, and return via Buellton and the 101 freeway heading south back to Carpinteria.

My First 100+ Mile Bike Workout

This morning I got up very early and headed up the San Gabriel River Trail. I started at the beach and ended up at the snow line in the mountains above Glendora. At mile #52, I was high up in the mountains in the pines, oaks and a wild rushing river. It was fantastic.

The total ride took 6 hours and 45 minutes, including a couple of stops for more water. On the return trip it was so windy that I had to pedal hard even on the downhill sections of the mountain pass because I was riding straight into a ferocious headwind!

I fueled correctly, hydrated consistently and took plenty of Electolytes; I had no issues, no problems and in reality, this ride was not as tough as many others where I was not as fully prepared.

I have a bike race coming up in a few weeks (The 104-mile Tour de Poway in the San Diego area), so this ride today was a good primer.

This was my longest ride ever on a bike, and while I was only averaging about 15 miles per hour, I am happy with the results and still find it hard to imagine that I actually completed over 100 miles on my bike and still got home in time for lunch! That was cool!

50K ULTRA MARATHON REPORT

I completed the 50K (31 mile) Bulldog Ultra marathon run on 8/23/08. I crossed the finish line in 7:29.53. In no way did this seem or feel like 7.5 hours on the trail. The day went by very quickly and it only seemed like a 3-hour run.

This was the most extreme test of endurance and will power that I have ever experienced.

The Bulldog Ultra marathon course winds through the mountains between Malibu and Agoura, with a combination of hiking trails, dirt paths and fire roads. There are two stream crossings, but we were able to hop on rocks and avoid getting our shoes wet.

The two-loop course had extreme elevation gains (about 9,000 feet) in total and we were well above the clouds when we reached the summit of Bulldog mountain. That was pretty amazing to have such a huge elevation gain so quickly, running through and then above the clouds!

The hardest part of this event was not the distance at all- - -in fact, I could have gone much further if it were on level ground! The hardest parts of the day were the impossibly-steep descents.

One might think that running down the face of mountains would be a lot easier, some might say 'effortless' just letting gravity do its work. But the painful reality is that when the road gets too steep, every step is a painful, toe-jamming, knee grinding torture test... At least for me.

The extreme decent in elevation was very difficult. By far, maybe a measure of two to three times, this was much more difficult than the Ironman 70.3 events. It wasn't even close.

This was not a test of endurance, but rather a test of willpower and smart hydration, electrolyte intake and fueling. As the temperature was in the mid 90s, the heat had a major impact. But most challenging for me were the extreme descents.

The constant jamming and pounding of the downhill run was just too much on these old knees. It is also high risk for slipping on loose dirt/gravel as well as the dreaded "black toenail" from the toes repeatedly slamming the front of the shoes.

Despite my ample study and preparedness, I was not expecting so much pain from the downhills. I was well prepared and had every conceivable potentiality covered. As an Eagle Scout, I am always prepared, but in this case, perhaps too prepared. I was quickly spotted as a 'newbie' due to the size of my hydration pack which was bulging with my "eleven essentials," a 2-Liter hydration pack, a full medical kit, full nutrition kit, Electrolyte capsules, extra hat, poison oak remedy, sunscreen, toiletries, etc. I was fully prepared for everything. Everything except the steep downhills!

I will not do this race again due to the extreme physical toll the descents took on my knees, toes and especially my quads. The 31-mile distance was not the issue, it was the steep declines.

I am far more likely to do a 50-mile race than to repeat the Bulldog 50K. So now my goals are fixed solidly on finding a 50-mile race to complete sometime after the Tempe Full Ironman in November 2008.

I really enjoy these ultra marathons and "extreme" endurance events, but in the future I will be much more careful about selecting events that do not involve such steep downhills; I would much prefer uphill courses or rolling hills. Another lesson learned is that I must get the weight of my hydration pack down a bit. Perhaps carry more water on a waist belt system and only carry the bare essentials on my back. The constant jostling of about 10 - 12 pound on my back over 7.5 hours took a toll on my shoulders.

While I cannot compete with younger men and women in terms of speed, it seems that these ultra marathon and ultra endurance events are a great equalizer because speed does not play as vital a role as does endurance, hydration and on-the-trail nutrition.

As long as I can stay injury-free, I think that these ultra marathons and extreme endurance events are going to be my focus. I really do enjoy these crazy events that seem impossible to contemplate.

The more extreme, the more interesting and exciting they are to me. Also, I have noticed that the extreme events do not attract as many people as the Ironman 70.3. In the Bulldog 50K there were only about 150 or so participants. People were friendly and helpful. These events are not about extreme competition, but rather, a brotherhood of mutual respect and sincere appreciation for just finishing.

In these extreme endurance events, anyone who just manages to finish is a winner. I think I've found my niche.

RACE REPORT: The Vineman Ironman 70.3 Triathlon

Well I did it.

My second Ironman 70.3 Triathlon is now complete and it was fantastic! But if you aren't interested in wine, vineyards and detailed race reports, you may want to skip this report.
First things first. I beat my Hawaii Ironman 70.3 time by 45 minutes and I am extremely happy with that result. Elated.

When I finished in Kona, I felt great, actually not that tired at all. That's because I played it safe. I was holding back not knowing what to expect on my first 70.3. Now that I knew what to expect and had completed the event, I was ready to push things a bit harder in the California Wine Country.

I arrived two days prior to the event to settle in and to review the course. That was a good idea, as it was a very technical bike course and I felt better knowing what to expect on the narrow, winding and rolling roads coursing through these beautiful vineyards.

Race day morning I rose at 3:45 am with three separate alarms (2 watches and my cell phone alarm). This was a wetsuit-legal race as the water was less than 78-degrees. An up and back route in the shallow river was much easier than the open-water melee of the Hawaii Ironman start. I had plenty of clean water (meaning, no one swimming in front of me or crawling on top of me).

Swimming up the current was no big deal at all compared to my Endless Pool workouts at home, but the return trip with the flow of the water seemed effortless. One really crazy thing is that I got hit with a giant catfish during the swim! The fish was so big, and hit me with such speed and force that it nearly knocked the wind out of me. It was pretty scary because the water was so dark green that I could not see the fish hit me and was not expecting it. The surprise of the hit, combined with the powerful "thud" when it collided with me, really shook me up!

Despite the run-in with the giant fish, I finished the swim about 5 minutes faster than the Hawaii event. The transition from the swim to the bike took four minutes and the bike leg went well. I pushed the bike harder than I had planned, and I broke somewhat from my race plan. I let my ego push me a bit as I tried to average 19.5 MPH. I finished the bike about 20 minutes faster than Hawaii.

The hard effort on the bike really took its toll on the run; I paid the price to be sure, but that was OK.

One interesting note was that my toes were nearly frozen on the bike. It was cold and I was not wearing socks. So when I transitioned in T2 and started running, the exact feeling was that of running with my feet frozen inside of two blocks of ice. I literally had no feeling at all and I really thought that someone could have hammered nails or spikes into my feet and I may not have felt them at all. It felt as if my feet were going to shatter. Literally.

On the 13.1 mile run, I seemed to average just under a 10 minute mile, but was surprised by how many hills there were. I walked many of them. I also made it a point to walk the aid stations. Since Gatorade really makes me cough, I stuck mostly to water. I picked up the pace toward the end of the run and literally passed dozens and dozens of people in the last mile. That tells me that I probably did not push hard enough during the middle of the run.

I was very, very happy with my race results. No shoulder pain, no trigger point pain in the aero position and no hip pain. I just ran out of wind on the run and my legs were pretty much shot from the harder than normal bike. But with all of that, I still recorded a very great time, shaving about 45 minutes from my first 70.3 Ironman which was only about 50 days before this race.

My confidence has skyrocketed based on these results.

BULLDOG 50K ULTRA RUN

Next weekend I will be attempting a 50K (30 mile) Ultra run through the Santa Monica mountains above Malibu and Agoura Hills, CA.

I have run-walked as far as 20 miles on a flat riverbed course. However, this will be the first time I will attempt any distance over 20 miles. This should be a terrific confidence booster if I finish the race because it is not only 4 miles longer than the full Marathon I will face in November with the Tempe Ironman, but it will also involve as much as 8,000 feet of elevation gain.

The good news is that the course is two, 15-mile loops. So if I come crawling back on the first loop, if need be, I can just walk off the course and be done with it. Naturally, I have every intention of finishing the full 50K distance.

I will be carrying Electrolyte capsules and plenty of fuel in addition to a 2 liter hydration pack. In addition to the hills, it is pretty much guaranteed to be very hot, some years, it has been in the low 100s.

I have no idea how I will do or if I will make it.

My plans are to use the Galloway method of run-walks, probably trying to average 12-minute miles on the course for 5 minute spurts, then walking at any comfortable pace for exactly one minute. Then repeating for about 8 consecutive hours.

I will be walking down all hills, regardless of where I am in my cycle because of my hip problem. The jarring motion would really wipe me out if I ran down those very steep hills.

The course follows a lot of firetrails up the mountains and along the ridge. For many years, I have watched those fire trails from seat 2A and always wondered what it would be like to run those.

There is a 9 hour cut-off time for the entire race; we are required to complete the first 15.3 miles in 4 hours, or they take us off the course. The longest period that we will have to go without an aid station is 5.6 miles. I will have enough water, food and electrolytes to go at least twice that distance because I am planning on a very hot day in the mountains.

I am extremely excited about this event and wish to thank the race director for making a special exception to allow me to run. She was impressed by my progress (she read this blog) and decided to take a big risk with me, carefully warning me that this is a very tough course.

Doing the Bulldog Ultra run means that I am not going to be doing the Santa Barbara Long Course Triathlon that was part of my race plan. However, at this point in my training, it is probably more important to build up my confidence by doing a really long run.

MRI for the Ongoing Hip Problem

Ongoing hip problems forced me to slow down a bit and see a specialist; an MRI was the only way to really learn what was going on deep inside my hip joint. Asked to relax and stay still, they quickly whipped out a roll of medical tape and made numerous wraps around my feet. Once my feet and legs were immobilized, they tied me to the platform and slid me into a giant MRI machine. WOW that thing was loud!

With the photos in hand, I went to see my Orthopedic Surgeon. Turns out that a chronic case of bursitis in my hip was swelling against a major nerve, essentially taking me out of any serious training. But the good news is that surgery is not needed.

I can no longer do my high-speed track workouts at an all-out pace. Nor can I continue with Fartlek, high tempo runs or running down hills. I need to throttle-back and stay focused on a slower pace which will result in far less jarring. We will try this approach for thirty-days and see if there is improvement.

I am going to be using Voltaren twice a day to try and keep the swelling down. In the worst case, I do have the option of Cortisone shots, but only if this hip pain returns.

I have been completely cleared to continue all training activities, but must eliminate all speed work until further notice.

Long, slow distance with walking intervals is now the key workout. Using the Galloway running method, I will likely be running 5 – 7 minutes, then walking exactly 1 minute, then repeating this process with all long runs.

From Seat 2A to IRONMAN

Building and running a consulting and training company has taken me around the country and the globe. Usually in First Class.

My favorite seat is 2A.

Sometimes I'd get quite irritable when crammed into the very small seats in the commuter jets that are the only way to get to certain clients. And why wouldn't I? I was a very big guy. I didn't need a seat belt extender...but I was getting pretty close on some of those planes.

So whenever possible, I always tried to secure the extra space available in First Class, seat 2A. A window seat where no one would be stepping over me. It was roomy and of course there was all the free beer and salty snacks I desired.

I learned that the beer always gave me a headache. But by the time I took my return trip, it seems that I always forgot how bad the headache was on the flight over. "Coors Light, Please, I'm watching my carbs."

For me, "Seat 2A" is synonymous with the fast-paced, soft lifestyle I was enjoying.

Great food and plenty of it. Desert? Sure! But who has time for working out?

Naturally gifted in running and soccer in high school, I really didn't start gaining weight until my late 30s. Following high school, I really did nothing consistently for a period of at least 25 years. But as my metabolism changed and my business prospered the weight piled on quickly.

It's pretty easy to hide those extra pounds in a suit. In fact, it is REMARKABLY easy to hide the weight. Keep that jacket buttoned, and no one has a clue that your waist has grown by 6 - 10 inches.

But the face does not lie.

The face, cheeks, jowls are a sure give-away if you are gaining weight.

And my face had gradually blown-up like a balloon. Literally! Take a look at those BEFORE side photos!

So what caused me to stop and suddenly make this lifestyle change?

As I have posted before, I literally tried every crazy scheme, every diet, every pill, every Internet program, no carbs, etc.

I was impatient and wanted quick results. I got quick results in terms of losing water weight. I skipped meals and lost a lot of muscle, exacerbating my problem as my metabolism slowed to a crawl. I stupidly believed that skipping meals meant fewer calories, and I actually thought that was the way to lose weight.

I enjoyed watching The Biggest Loser tv show and found that very motivating. For the first time I saw how hard work, along with diet, was having amazing, dramatic results. Just unbelievable. I think that show is just amazing. Of course, I really hate that artificial suspense but I suffered through each show monitoring their progress.

That was a start on this path.

But for me, it was all about committing to something and being held accountable by friends and others. So I signed up for a triathlon and interviewed a lot of triathlon coaches to work with me.
The accountability of a coach made all the difference in the world.

I tried working on my own, but that was far too easy to skip a workout and there were no consequences.

So From 2A to Ironman is my way of referencing the journey from corporate excess and sloth to a disciplined and consistent program leading to my goal of completing a full Ironman Triathlon in Tempe Arizona in November 2008.

Hard Work, without Discipline, spells Disaster!

The other morning I was running on the beautiful Cal State Long Beach 400 meter composite oval track. It was so early that I had the track completely to myself in the final pre-dawn minutes.

I had ridden my fixed gear bike to the track in the dark and after a solid warm up, I was feeling pretty good.

This morning was set aside for 6-minute repeats where the workout called for me to build up to heart rate zone 3, but not slip into zone 4; that requires careful monitoring and pacing to be pulled off correctly.

But as I’m doing my first repeat, I am feeling so good and fresh (legs felt very light, strong and springy) that I made the decision on the fly to try and set a new record for a mile.

Granted, the workout called for 6-minute repeats and to build to HR zone 3, which in my case means to keep a 1 minute pace for every 200 meters (an 8 minute mile pace). I normally check my HR monitor every 200 meters to see that I am on pace and the HR is within range.

But not today.

After the first lap, I just decided to go for it and not look at the monitor, just max out at a full-on sprint and instead of running the typical 3 laps, go for the full mile at full tilt.

S-T-U-P-I-D!!

As I was running in the pre-dawn I am thinking of Peter Reid’s comment in that documentary on his triathlon training. He was so proud of riding his bike in the snow because he knew that “nobody else was working this hard, so I am gaining fitness over them!”

Sometimes we mistake hard work for effectiveness. Especially Triathletes.

Working hard without Discipline, is a recipe for disaster. Just pushing harder and harder, without the discipline of rest, diet, stretching, hydration, fueling/nutrition and staying within our abilities or our prescribed HR zones can lead to huge problems, including serious injuries, bonking on rides, a plateau in our improvements or even a trip to the hospital in the case of serious hydration deficiencies.

We must have the discipline to stay within our abilities and the discipline to tell ourselves “NO” especially when coming up with some hair-brained idea in the middle of the workout.

Examples? Sure, I have plenty!!

-Trying to set a new mile record on the track without being warmed up, pulling a calf muscle and having to end the entire next three days of workouts;

-Not picking up a water bottle or nutrition if it drops on the road and either bonking or suffering from dehydration;

-Deciding that it might be interesting to ride the 112 miles from Long Beach to Santa Barbara (on a whim) without the proper cycling base and in the middle of a horrible winter windstorm. Not turning around when it really got cold and extremely windy because that would be “admitting defeat.”

-While on a recovery day, getting into a heated race with a cyclist who passed me on Pacific Coast Highway and chasing him down to Laguna Canyon, only to find myself totally spent and barely able to make the return ride home;

-Trying to set a new record during my weight lifting session and pulling so hard, so quickly, that I threw out my back and had to be helped off of the machine by others in the gym!

-Trying to ride to the top of a mountain just to be able to point and say I conquered that peak, even when I was unprepared and woefully under-trained for the extreme grade;

-Thinking that it would really be great bragging rights to say that I ran from Carpinteria to Ventura (16 miles) when my longest run prior to that was only about 6 miles. (This idiotic move cost dearly: I lost 4 toenails and developed plantar fasciitis; setting me back at least a month!).

I could go on and on.

Point is that we need to be disciplined about our training; hard work alone, is not the answer

We must be disciplined to say “NO” to the fun and exciting diversions or “tests” if they are not part of our overall training plan and strategy. Sometimes, that is really hard to do because you will have a lot of extra energy and feel totally capable to do more, to ride further, to lift more weights, to run faster, etc. But any of these could lead to the unanticipated injury which could really set your training back by days or even weeks or months.

We all work hard. But champions, I believe, have that extra bit of discipline to hold back despite the strong desire to push even harder. Champions understand that training is a process, not a single event.

Champions are patient, disciplined and they work hard when that’s what their workout calls for. It’s my belief that you really need all three.
Hard work without the discipline to hold back can only lead to disappointment, and ultimately, injury.

What about the Time Commitment?

Sometimes the time commitment required to complete all the training workouts can really be a drag.

Fifteen hours a week may not seem like that much on paper, but believe me, by the time you fill up your water bottles, prep your bike, get your heart rate monitor set up, plan your route, get all of your gear together, etc., you really need to add as much as 15 additional minutes per workout.

Of course, you also need to add in the "procrastination factor" which is the little internal debate about whether it is:

-Too Cold
-Too Early
-Too Dark
-Too much Rain
-Too Hot
-Too Late
-Too Close to Dinner
-Too Windy
-Etc.

The "procrastination factor" is just one more thing you have to fight off to get yourself moving.
Depending on the day, this factor can add another 5 minutes to several hours (especially if you have a more exciting project to work on!)

I wouldn't double the time commitment, but I might say it could be another 1/3rd more when you add-in all these other things. So a 15-hour workout week is actually about 20 hours. And as I write this, I am silently nodding, thinking, "Yep. That really does sound about right, and maybe even a little bit light when you factor-in additional stretching, special meal and shake preparation, etc."

OK, so a 20-hour commitment may not see all that much, but when you consider that to train properly, you really must get a minimum of 7 - 8 hours of sleep each night, that only leaves about 16 hours each day for everything else. After work, personal hygiene, meals, commutes, family time, etc., there is really very little else that one can do other than these workouts.

Here we are at the beach house on vacation. I brought all kinds of reading and some great triathlon and biking magazines to read, plus I have every intention of watching the Tour de France.

But none of this will get done because my workouts, and all related preparation, must take priority.

As I have posted before, if I don't do the workouts first thing, the day will quickly fill with other things and I will have no opportunity to fit them in.

So now I must pull myself away from this computer having already exhausted 10 minutes toward my "procrastination factor" this morning!

Plus, there is a big fire raging in Goleta, just 20 miles up the coast, and it's really overcast today, so maybe......