Go for the Gusto!

Hello All,

Congratulations everyone for getting into the Spudman! I have to say that I am very excited, despite the fact that my training has really dropped off the past few months. I am ready to once again put in the early morning jogs, starting riding my bike to work, and get movin! To raise our spirits and to help us "Go for the Gusto" I have posted up a video by Ashley, Sadie, and Megan, which they created last fall. Enjoy.

Mike

Focus and Priorities!

Dear family,

It has come abundantly to my attention that there seems to be a lack of faith in our several and varied abilities. How can we truly look ourselves in the mirror, and admit that we have given up the fight, when the game is still in the first quarter!? Is an Olympic-length triathlon something that we thought would be easy!? Sure we've gotten a few blisters. Sure some of us get out of breath after only a few hundred yards. Sure some of us swim like a jellyfish rather than a marlin. Sure we all have bad joints, bad training habits, and bad attitudes. Sure some of us are too cheap or too lazy to get decent equipment. But at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, why are we doing this? Are we planning to win? No. Are we planning to do well? No, not really. Would we like to finish? Yes. Is it conceivable to finish? Again, yes. Do we want to finish last? Certainly not. Could we still have a good time, even if we did finish last? Unquestionably, but at least only one of us would really be last. Would we still be able to wear snazzy "Do it for Karl" apparel and accessories? Oh yes! So again, I ask, why are we doing this?

If your goal is to do well and place somewhere in the top percent of competitors, then kudos, bravo, and make sure you cheer for the rest of us when we eventually cross the finish line. If you fully intend to float in the river at the back of the pack, take a break during your “transitions” if needed, coast during the bike ride, and walk during the run, however, then you’re more than welcome to participate in the Eric party-of-one. Having a good time and finishing the race have been my two goals from the start. Just finishing. Anything above and beyond that is just icing on the cake. I would definitely like to get in better shape; I would certainly like to be able to hold my head up high and laugh when I say that “those last 20 miles were a doozy;” and I would unquestionably like to see Alan in a racing jersey 4 sizes too small.

If we take a step back and evaluate what our real goals are, and then take a look at what we’ve already accomplished, we’ve made some great strides. Granted, some of the strides are much greater than others, but you have to take what you can get. Both Mike and Kristy have already competed in Sprint Triathlons, something that neither one of them would have been able to do just a few short months ago. I’ve lost about 15 pounds, and based on the recent shots of Mike, I’d say he’s done just as well if not better. Alan found yet another random thing to spend his lack of money on. And Jary has discovered a long-buried passion for spandex. If all of that isn’t motivation enough, just think of the laughs, the memories, and the teasing we’ll be able to do for years to come. How can you NOT compete?

I admit, that my training has been somewhat lax, but it was honestly mostly due to business plan season, and the fact that I was in the office during most daylight hours. I’m now back on week two of my recovery plan, and I only missed one day last week because I had an early meeting. While my 1000 meters on Wednesday at the pool were stilted, slow, and marked my extended breaks, it was still 1000 meters. Do I think I could swim 1000 meters out in the open water right now? Not a snowball’s chance! But do I think I could survive a downstream doggie paddle for 25 minutes of so? I say bring on the floaties!

In my opinion, getting signed up for the race is likely going to be one of the toughest obstacles we face. Assuming we get signed up successfully, you had all better watch out for Eric the Eel! So fear not Mike, I’m in for the long haul. All of it.

Do it for pride! Do it for the memories! Do it for Karl!

Sincerely yours,

Eric


P.S. The picture is hole #14 at Waterwood National Golf Club. Alan and I played there over the 4th of July when he came down to visit. This is one of the shots he took from the tee box looking out over the water to the green. It was a sweet course, and one that I took advantage of a few weeks later when Jen was out of town. I went with a bunch of my buddies and we played from 8 till 8. We only got in 45 holes, but it was a pretty phenomenal way to spend a day. I highly recommend adding it to your training regiment.

Emmett's Most Excellent Triathlon

I would first like to update everyone on my experience at the City of Emmett's Most Excellent Triathlon, and then I will respond to Kristy's post. Before I go any further, though, I must say that I have no idea why they gave the triathlon such a cheesy name. It sounds like something out of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: "Most excellent, dude!" Despite the cheesy name, I am really glad I did it and I hope that I can give you all some hope and inspiration and maybe even convince you that, yes, you too can do a triathlon.

The night before the triathlon, I was very nervous and felt that I was in over my head. Although I had been training for the past few months, there was still so much about triathlons that were a big unknown for me. What would the swim really be like? Would I be kicked in the face and be helplessly floundering in the water? Would I mess up during my transitions and fall off my bike? Would everyone else there be world-class triathletes and leave me in the dust? Is a race belt all that important? What in the world is a race belt?

The triathlon took place at Black Canyon Reservoir

Eventually Saturday morning came and I arrived at the triathlon 2 hours early just make sure I got all of my equipment set up with plenty of time to spare. The triathlon was starting at Black Canyon Reservoir at a small park on the shore. Buses were taking the participants to the start of the race as the parking was limited near the park. I actually really enjoyed riding the bus as it gave me a chance to talk with a few other participants. It gave me a lot more confidence to learn that I was not the only one doing a triathlon for the first time and most others had perhaps done one other. One man had just done his first triathlon two weeks earlier at the Spudman (more on him later).

Notice how happy I am in this picture compared with the one below

The triathlon started in two waves, with the first wave being all the adult men. I got into the water about 90 seconds before the gun just so I didn't have to tread water for very long before the start. The swimming went pretty well as I tried to stay on the outside of the mass of people swimming. There were a couple of times I bumped into other swimmers, but for the most part it went smooth. However, I must admit that I was much more tired at the end of the swim than I expected. In fact, my "run" to the transition area from the water was more like a slow jog intermixed with some walking.

Eventually I made it over to my bike, put on my bike stuff, and started the bike phase. I found that riding a bike is the perfect event to have right after swimming as it gives you a chance to catch your breath. It probably also helped that the first part of the ride was downhill :). The bike ride passed without incident and I felt that I had done a good job keeping up a fast pace. As I did my transition from bike to run, however, all of my happy feelings went away. I knew within a few feet after starting my run that I was in trouble. I felt almost completely drained of energy and I could barely get my legs to move forward. A feeling of dread came over me as I realized that the next three miles were going to be very, very long.

To make a long story short, I somehow "willed" myself through the run and finished the race. However, I had to run about a 10 minute per mile pace and in the mean time was passed by what seemed like a hundred people. Still, it felt great to finish. I had accomplished my goal of doing a triathlon this summer and while not a stellar running performance, I felt pretty good about the swim and bike portions. I had a fun time doing it and I can't wait to do another one to see how much I can improve my time.

Finishing the race utterly exhausted

Now to address Kristy's post. I wholeheartedly agree that at least some some good equipment is required to make the training experience more enjoyable. I agree that good running shoes will keep you from getting injured and I can't say enough about having a decent pair of swim jammers or at least something a little tighter than swim trunks. Even upgrading your swim goggles can do wonders for visibility and keeping the water out of your eyes (good swim goggles are about $15). I have been afraid up to this point to make a comment about bikes because that is where it can get very expensive. I bought a great bike and have no regrets about it. However, a basic bike would work just fine, especially if the goal is to just have fun and finish the triathlon.


Regarding whether we should split roles or do the triathlon individually, I am planning on doing it individually, and I hope that there is at least one of you who will do it as well. However, I totally understand that it may not be realistic for all of us to do it. Having said that, I must relate the story of the man I talked to on my little bus ride to the triathlon. He had done the Spudman two weeks earlier having only swum once and run a maximum of 3 miles on a treadmill in his garage. He did not comment about his bike training, but I can imagine it did not amount to more than a few short rides on some old bike he hadn't touched for years. He said that his goal was just to finish and not be last. He said that the swim portion of the race was very easy as you can basically float down the river. He said it took him 23 minutes, which really surprised me. He also said he took his time in the transitions and walked for part of the time on the run portion. Although I think it is crazy that anyone would do an Olympic triathlon so ill-prepared, I feel confident in saying that any of you could do it, especially given that you will most likely train a little more than he did.


Whether we do the triathlon all as individuals or as a combination of individuals and teams, I think it will be a fun endeavor and will be all worth it. Let's do it!

Kind of, Sort of, an issue...

I don't think the equipment issue Eric has is as big of a problem as the 200 yards and out of breath issue is. But, I'll give it to you that the equipment is definitely hampering you. I think you should at least allow yourself a new pair of GOOD running shoes and running socks. To prove the point- I went running in my old worn out shoes (well, not intentionally- I was actually sprinting after Jack on his bike trying to catch him before he killed himself going down the small, barely noticeable decline in front of our house.) My point being, my legs we killing me after only a short distance and my knee ached for the rest of the night. Whereas, I went running today in my good shoes and didn't notice a thing. After conducting my own small scale experiment I definitely proved what every other intelligent runner has said forever- "Good equipment makes all the difference."
I seriously think we need to take a vote on who's doing what in the spudman. I'll give it to Mike to be able to pull it out on his own. But, so far the rest of us are not going to be anywhere close to where we need to be to enter as individuals. I admire everyone's valiant heart and "can do" attitude, but unfortunately, reality is a little further away. I'm sure you've all acquired great finger strength and stamina from your long hours typing, but other than helping you hold onto the handle bars I'm not sure what else we've built. So, are we at the mental point where we can split up roles or are we still going for the gusto?

Welcome Back Mr. Sissy Fat!

I'm back! Not in the physical sense, although I was up in Colorado for the last week, but in the mental sense! My “temporary” once a week workout schedule that I started back in May due to business plan has somehow stretched into August, but I’m drawing the line in the sand today with my renewed resolution to get in shape. I went to the gym this morning and spent some time on both the treadmill and the stationary bike, doing what some of us triathletes like to call a “brick.” Fortunately for me, bricks come in all shapes and sizes, so I chose one of the small, squishy ones. It’s not much in the way of foundation-building material, but it will have to do for now.

Although I didn’t work out while I was in Colorado, I did come to a very important conclusion. Altitude is a HUGE factor! I would get out of breath just walking along the side of the road or going up slight inclines to look at rocks. It was ridiculous. I didn’t think altitude would affect me as dramatically as it did since I grew up in the mountains of Utah, but the change was incredible. We have nice thick air down here with lots of oxygen for out of shape Joes like me, but this Spudman deal takes place at an elevation slightly lower than that of Everest. How do you even train for that? I can run a mile or two down here if I really push it, but I would get winded in Colorado after a 200 yard walk up a slight hill. Seriously! Can you get oxygen tanks for your bike instead of water bottles? Beware you Ohioans! You’re not much better off than I am.

Along the lines of the theme of today's post, let me tell you about a couple of other problems I've been thinking about. Most importantly, I have no equipment. The shoes I have been running in are circa 1998, the shorts I wear are old basketball shorts, the "under gear" I sport does little to prevent riding and chaffing, and my swimsuit is the same one I’ve used for the past decade, complete with a broken waistband and inflatable pockets. I don’t own a bike; I don’t own fancy biking shoes (which, admittedly, would be silly without the bike); I don’t own a single article of spandex clothing (which some people would commend); I don’t have snazzy running shoes; and the only physical activity I have done outdoors in the past 6 years results in either a shorter lawn or a tan line on my left hand. It’s not a pretty outlook, but as I mentioned earlier, I’m recommitting myself regardless. Well, at least until Wednesday. I’ll let you know where my mental fortitude stands after my first swim in over 3 months.

TTFN,

1 Week To Go - Emmett Triathlon

So I only have a week before I participate in the Emmett (sprint) Triathlon. I am excited, but I have to admit that I got a dose of reality yesterday as I did an open water swim for the first time. I went to a state park near our house called Eagle Island. It's basically a pond with a small beach. When I first went out, my plan was to go around the large island in the middle of the pond. However, after swimming for a couple of minutes I became disoriented (or so I thought) and ended up going around a smaller island and returned back to the shore having only swum for about 5 minutes. I was amazed, though, how tired I was after only doing perhaps half the distance that I will be doing in the triathlon. Because I could not see anything under the water, it was very difficult to pace myself, not to mention that it was hard to see where I was going. Anyways, I was determined to do it again, but this time go around the larger island and hopefully get closer to 500 yards. This time I decided to go around the opposite side of the island, and thus avoid accidently going around the smaller one. The second time out started much better. I was able to pace myself and keep better track of where I was going. As I made my way around the back of the island, I kept expecting to soon be far enough around to see the shore again. However, as I continued to swim, something else came into view that was not the shore. It was a dead end! This was no island I was swimming around. It was a peninsula. Words cannot describe the feeling that came over me at this point. I thought I was on the home stretch. But now I realized I was only half way through, for I would have to turn back around and swim the entire distance back. To make a long story short, I was able to make it back around the pensinsula and return to shore. As I got out of the water, I told Jenny, in-between my gasping breaths, "That is not an island!" She of course laughed and laughed. I could not help but do the same. Cheers!

P.S. Do not hit CTRL-P while typing your blog, or it will post the blog before you are done typing :(

Spandex Take Two

I decided that since Jary was so willing to show off his spandex, I ought to do the same. This particular picture is of me mountain biking near Zion National Park. We were at a family reunion and I was able to borrow my brother-in-law Nyall's bike for the ride. If you can't tell, I am utterly exhausted! Mountain biking was one of the most tiring things I have ever done. Of course, my brothers-in-law who were biking with me showed no signs of being tired. Here I was, the guy who was supposed to be in shape, training for a triathlon, and I was by far the slowest. A humiliating experience to say the least.

I have to say that I fared much better on my road bike a week later. I rode in the Bob Lebow Bike Tour in Nampa, Idaho. There were five different courses, ranging from 3 miles to 100 miles. I decided to try the 35 mile course. I loved it! The scenery was beautiful and I didn't get any where near as tired as I did mountain biking. The course had two rest stops that broke up the ride into approx. 12 mile segments. Here are a couple of pictures from the beginning of the tour.