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.

T- 3 weeks and counting

So, here I am attempting to be in great shape. My training has definitely been more consistent than Eric's, not that it's that hard to be further along than Eric, but we've all got to be able to beat someone...right? Unfortunately, I'm not sure it's going to keep me in the motivational mind set I need to be with just a few weeks away from my big day.
I went for a swim today during mid-morning/summer camp hours at our local YMCA and it was mass chaos! The lap swim lanes were sandwiched by the slide and some sort of water relay/football thing, and the "little tykes" swim lessons on the other. I had to share a lane with little miss Won Ton who knew nothing other than the slow motion butterfly. Who knew a tiny little thing could have the wing span of a manta ray. As I tried to dodge the flailing limbs and getting annoyed by all the ruckus it occurs to me that a triathlon swim will actually much worse than my little Won Ton beside me!!! What am I to do!?! This is not good, this is not right! maybe I'm not cut out for this thing...Then my training buddy told me next time we go she will do me the favor of going in front of me and kicking like crazy so I can't see where I'm going. Then, she'll swim right beside me and bump into me and pull my arms to help her get ahead. REALLY!?! Is this what "friends" do for each other all in the name of "triathlons"? This is no good...this is no good! What am I doing? What are you all doing?
Your soon to be ex-triathlete sister,
kristy

Atrophy, Sweet Atrophy!

So I'm now on week four (or was it five…) of my strike from any form of exercise. I wasn’t terribly good about working out every day before, but I’ve been amazingly consistent when it comes to missing days. If I just manage my expectations, omit little details here and there, and get a little bit creative with my goals, I think I may just be able to pull off some impressive accomplishments. “Wow! I just went 27 days in a row! That’s pretty awesome. Way to go self! You deserve a pretzel.” The funny thing, in a not so “ha ha” sort of way, is that I’ve actually lost a couple of pounds over the last month. The only thing I can figure is that I’m still burning obscene amounts of calories simply through the overuse of my brain. I’ve averaged about a 70 hour week here at the office since the onset of the dreaded business plan season, and the vast majority of that time is spent sitting in front of this very computer monitor, and typing furiously or wiggling my mouse in asymmetric patterns. The wrong parts of me are starting to look bigger again, and the wrong parts are starting to look weak again, and yet the scale tells me I’m still dropping weight. I would consider marketing this amazing new diet, but I really doubt anyone would want to participate. Allow me to illustrate through a simple role play. “Hey, have you heard about the amazing new diet where you sit in one place for endless hours, you don’t get to see your family, you get even more out of shape, and you can develop a sweet case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!?” “Wow! Where do I sign up!?” Yeah, not a successful formula for becoming an instant millionaire.

On the upside, I’ve been taking a little bit longer to get out of the house in the mornings lately because I hang out with Matthew. He’s super happy in the mornings, so it’s fun to play with him and let Jen sleep for an extra three minutes before we get too noisy. He’s still debating whether he wants to waste his efforts and energy learning to crawl (after all, the “army scooch” is remarkably effective) or just going straight to walking. If he holds onto your fingers, he can make his way across the room. He’s officially 20+ pounds now, he’s definitely teething, and he’s had 5 haircuts. Very eventful.

Since I don’t have anything else to say about working out, and won’t for a couple more weeks, I’ll let you in on a little list I’ve mentally started putting together. It’s going to be titled something like, “The Top 50 Things I want to Do In My Life.” It’s going to be a lovely list when it’s completed, and it will likely contain some of the things I’ve already done, but it will take some time to refine. Here’s a potential portion of the travel section in the event any of you are interested in starting to plan your next vacation:

· Egypt (Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, sand, camels)
· Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Onion Domes, etc.)
· Rome (Coliseum, Vatican City, Pantheon, etc.)
· Australia (Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef, Boomerangs, Kangaroos, etc.)
· Jerusalem (Gethsemane, Golgotha, Dead Sea,… everything)
· England (Big Ben (for Jenny), Stonehenge, a double decker bus, etc.)

· Antarctica (Why the heck not!?)
· Houston (No other reason necessary)

Oh, Hello, I Didn't See You There...But Yes I will Pose

This was a candid I got of Kristy after one of her "Bricks." For those of you not down with the Triathlon lingo a "Brick" is when you train for two events in the same day. Kristy has been doing Bricks a couple of times a week. Her most impressive to date was a 12 mile bike followed by a 3 mile run. In her races she always crosses the finish line first. Go Kris!

Spandex! All Spandex!

So I am officially a cyclist, except for the fact that I ride really slow, and I don't go that far...but I do look like a cyclist, at least as far as I can tell.

The trick about training for this triathlon is the fact that I have three different events that should divide my training time, each with varying degrees of fun. So how is the triathlon training going for me? Great, except for the run and the swim. I spend literally all of my exercise time on the bike. I really enjoy it. I have been biking between 12-17 miles a day. It usually takes me between 45-60 minutes. It is the perfect amount of time to get out and break a sweat. On Friday I did a 20 mile ride. That got a lot less fun around mile 16. I think I pushed myself a little too much. I am still nowhere near close to Kristy's level of fitness as she continually pushes herself for her first triathlon in June. It is really fun to watch her speeds and distances in each event increase almost by the day. But then I look at myself and say, hey at least I have the bike. I can be 1/3 the man my wife is...I mean, wait...

A Little Thing Called Business Plan

Greetings from Texas! Congrats on the first 5K Mike! It always makes me feel a bit warm and fuzzy knowing that somewhere across the country, a crazy brother, sister, or in-law could potentially be exercising and in excruciating agony at any given moment. Jordan (the guy I work out with) ran his first 5K a week ago. I was on baby-sitting duty, and although it was a tremendously convenient excuse, I really don’t think I was ready for something as massive as a 5K. As sarcastic as I’m sure that sounds, the sad part is that I’m being totally serious. I’ve done 3 miles a couple of times now in my workouts, but that’s combined mileage when I’m doing interval training, not a straight-up 3 mile run. When I do the interval thing, I start with a 0.2 mile walk at 4.0 mph, then run 1 mile at 6.5 mph, walk for 0.2, run 0.8 at 7.0, walk… and so on. I ratchet up the speed by 0.5 mph as I cut off 0.2 miles off the distance until I finish with a 0.2 mile at 8.5 mph. I don’t know which leg is the toughest, but I have to say that you feel pretty cool when somebody walks by at the end and they see you bookin’ at 8.5 mph and the total mileage is up around 3.5 miles. I have no problems with deception. I’m perfectly comfortable letting them wonder how somebody in my physical condition could possibly run that far at that pace. You have to take the small victories in life.

As far as my recent workouts go, I’ve been pretty hit-and-miss for the last several weeks. I’ve gotten into the dreaded 70+ hour weeks of business plan, and the extra time it takes to work out in the morning are hours that ultimately take away from work or spending time with Jen and Matthew. As I was sitting here (at work) Friday evening of last week, I realized I literally had not seen Matthew since Monday night. Not cool. I did get to hang out with him yesterday for several hours in between meetings and while Jen napped, so that was great. He learned how to “kiss” me on the cheek last night. It was more of an open mouth, remora-esque “latching on” than it was a kiss, but he did it three times when I told him to give me a kiss. It was awesome! Once you wiped off your cheek that is. He also played peek-a-boo with me the other day for probably 10 minutes straight. He would cover his own face with his blanket, and when I would say, “where’s Matthew?” he would uncover his face and smile at me. I’d then say, “there he is!” he would laugh, and then cover up his face again. It’s hilarious how entertained WE are with the inane repetitive things they do. I can see myself enjoying it with Alan for a minute or two, but ten minutes is way out of the question. Regardless, it’s fun to watch them grow up and see the learning process.

The most “athletic” thing I’ve done over the past four weeks is play 90 holes of golf over the Friday and Saturday that my brother-in-law Jared was in town. It rocked! I took the day off that Friday just to play golf, and I have to say, that’s a pretty sweet way to spend a vacation day. His wife bought him a ticket to come to Houston to golf for his birthday, and even though she missed the idea of coming down on his birthday (not two months after) to capitalize on the free golf, it was still an excellent weekend. It seemed to be a fitting farewell to freedom for the next couple of months. If any of you decide that you need a golf vacation around your birthdays, let me know. I’m sure we can squeeze in a few rounds.

My First 5K

Wow it's been a while since anyone has posted a blog. I guess I'll try to get things going again. Last Saturday I participated in my first 5K. The official title of the race was Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Apparently they hold these all around the country to raise money for breast cancer research. It was amazing how many people were there. I got there about 20 minutes before the race and had to squeeze my way through the huge mass of people to get closer to the starting line. I didn't make much progress. There were at least a thousand people ahead of me it seemed. After the race started and I crossed the starting line, I patiently waited for the pace to start to pick up. After a minute or so I realized that most of the people around me had no intention of running. They were all walking at a very leisurely pace. I then noticed that those who did want to run had to run up on the sidewalks and dodge through all of the spectators to try to get ahead of the walkers. Suffice it to say, I finally made it around the walking crowd and got up to the runners. I took it pretty slow most of the race. 3 miles was about the max that I have run in my workouts, so I didn't want to pass out in my first race. Although there was a large clock at the end of the race that showed the number of minutes and seconds that had transpired since the start, it was hard to say how well I did given that it took so long just to get started. From my best guess, however, I ran the race in about 28 or 29 minutes, which was pretty typical from my workouts. Not great, but I did feel good about doing the whole race without stopping or walking.

The Miracle of Oatmeal

I didn't swim this week, so I can't give you any great swimming stories. From the sounds of things, I may need to be saving my energy for Saturday morning when Kristy has all of us scheduled to do a private lesson with Mike the Marlin. I have several mixed emotions on that one. First, the male ego tells me that I'm making progress just fine and I don't need help. Next, the more rational side of me jumps in and says, "are you kidding? You're the worst swimmer on the planet and anything would be an improvement." Then the lazy side passively comments that it would sure be nice to sleep in instead. The good husband side says, Jen could probably use a break from watching Matthew for the last four days, so you should probably stay home and help out. The lazy side cheers... sort of. The sissy side notes that drowning is definitely a possibility, the weather inside the bubble may be a bit nasty, and that it would certainly be embarrassing if my little sister were already a better swimmer. The social side comments in a very quiet voice that maybe I should spend that time with family, but then it gets confused because family will be in both places and shuts up again. Penultimately, the practical side of me interrupts the conversation by noting that a lot needs to be done on Saturday morning in preparation for the main event, and that I shouldn't take the time to go play in a pool. And last but not least, the humorous side of me desperately wants to be there to witness Jary's first "swim." That side may win.

As for the comment in the title about the oatmeal, my biggest success of the week is that I’m currently wearing a pair of pants that I haven’t been able to fit into since the first few months of coming to Houston. Comfortably I might add. The wonders of oatmeal every morning, combined with routine self-inflicted near-death experiences at the gym, does wonders for the body. All in all, I think I’m officially down 10 pounds since February. Not too shabby.

I’ll see you all on Saturday.

Swimming Grandma

I'm thinking I should go swimming. It sounds so fun. Do they give swimming lessons to 125 year old grandmas? At least I could be a deterent to the rest of you. You would be laughing so hard, gasping for air, you probably couldn't keep up with me. Even without fins.

A Cool Thousand

I don't know why I always feel the need to update you on my swimming progress before anything else. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's my poorest event, and, therefore, provides a much richer store of entertaining and awkward moments. Regardless, I have have two swimming experiences this past week that are somewhat notable.

The first experience was this past Wednesday (our typical swim day). Keep in mind that the first time I had successfully swam more than 50 M without a significant pause was the week before. With that in mind, I set out to do my first 100, knowing now that I was capable of swimming that distance without drowning. When I hit the 100 M mark, I thought, I may just have enough in me to go another 50. So I did. I then paused for breath, and was surprised to find that I actually felt pretty good. After my pulse had slowed down again, I was ready to give it another try. Somewhere out beyond the stratosphere, some planets must have aligned, because I then swam a full 300 M. Then I swam another 300 M. Then, just to be able to say I actually swam a 1000 meters in a single morning, I knocked out another 250 M. Bear in mind that Matthew can do his army crawl faster than I was swimming, so it's not as impressive as it initially sounds, but it's the first time I actually thought I might have a shot at surviving the swim portion of a triathlon.

Then Saturday came.

All jazzed up from my experience on Wednesday, I made it to the gym Saturday morning to give the pool another go. My goal was to swim another 1000. I didn't. Not even close. The problem was that they had a children's swim class, and all the rest of us were quarantined to a single lane for “circle swimming” – a devious nautical term meaning, “torture through peer-pressure.” We started out with three of us, Jordan, an old dude with a broken foot, and me. Knowing that I was likely the weakest swimmer of the bunch, I generously offered to let the other two start out and I would follow. I did just fine for the first 25 M, but then started falling behind. I figured that was ok, because there were only three of us and we had plenty of lane to work with, but I picked up the pace a little bit so Jordan wouldn’t lap me. That was when I realized that I don’t actually have another pace. In trying to go just a little bit faster, I immediately found my heart rate racing, my breath becoming more laborious, and my muscles burning like crazy. I had to pull out of the loop and stop after just 100 M or so to try to catch my breath. In the mean time, another guy joined us, bringing our merry band to four. I jumped back into the rotation, but the reduced cushion of space was evident, and I felt even more pressure to maintain the pace. I stopped again, and another guy jumped in. His name was “Mr. Mega-Macho Olympia Has-Been in a Jack Black Body,” but we’ll call him Mr. Olympia for short. He was a decade or two older than me, and appeared even less fit (if possible), but had evidently swum quite a bit in his past life and immediately began gouging out monstrous strokes as he warmed up with the butterfly. Nice. So with five of us in one lane, I jumped back into the rotation and tried again. The combination of the increased pace and the waves created by Mr. Olympia were more than my feeble abilities could handle, and once again, I found myself on the sidelines watching as Mr. Olympia rotated through a variety of different strokes. The great part was that he apparently decided that all of us were too slow, so he started going up and down the middle of the lane, forcing the rest of us to swim around him. Eventually, Jordan and the broken foot dude stopped too, and Jordan coached me a bit on my “technique.” He decided that I needed some kickboard work, which turns out to be an even more devious form of aquatic torture. I found myself amazed that it was, in fact, physically possible to swim slower than my normal pace, and seven minutes later when I reached the other side of the pool, I had the pleasure of turning around and going back. By the end, Jordan made the astute observation that my “kick wasn’t very good.” I got some advice from one of the guards, tried a little bit more with the cursed kickboard, tried another 100 M on my own, and then threw in the towel for the day. Maybe someday I’ll be able to look back on it and laugh. Maybe.

As far as running is concerned, my biggest issue has been breathing. I don’t feel like my body is wearing out or can’t go any further, but for some reason I haven’t been able to get my breathing, and consequently my heart, under control. I’ve been running as a warm-up to my workout a couple of times a week, but it’s generally only about a mile at a 6.5 mph pace. The success side of this story, is that I was able to go 1.5 miles this morning and actually felt like I could have kept going (which is a first since starting to go to the gym again). I don’t know what the difference was, but it sure was a nice change of pace. Another nice change of pace is that I’ve gone down one belt loop. Boo-yah!

In closing, Jordan and I are actually to the point that we’re selecting different triathlons that we want to compete in. I think our first sprint triathlon will be in Austin the last Saturday in June – the “ATS Super Sprint.” It’s only a 300 M swim, a 9.2 mile bike, and a 2 mile run, so it's a good one for rookies. I actually think I could finish it now, but it certainly wouldn’t be a pretty sight. Hopefully, by June I’ll be able to keep moving the whole time and won’t have to walk during the run or hop along the bottom of the pool during the swim. If any of you happen to be down in Texas during that time, you are more than welcome to join us. If not, I'll let you know how it goes and I'll be sure to take several photos as proof.

P.S. - By way of an officially documented apology, it's possible that I may have used some artistic liberties when quoting Jen's comment about my love handles. She really was giving me a compliment, but I thought it sounded much funnier the way I said it. I still do.

Out of my league?

So I'm sittin here debating the idea of goin to the gym or doin a little reading and bachelor watching and suffice it to say its a losing battle heavily weighing towards a lack of physical activity. During this time I've allowed myself to contemplate the motivational forces behind my efforts thus far and realize I am definitely out of my league with the early rising old lady combatants in the field, as well as those seaking a fabulous ride for the big event. I recall a statement to the effect of saving up for a couple months to get the uber titanium reinforced alkaloid-esque road warrior 8000 bike, and couldn't help wonder how I'll pull this off. You see my few year advantage in age has somehow been compressed into a highly stressful period of life in which I'll definitely need to step it up just to keep up with the pack! I have been attending the gym on a less than frequent basis and enjoy the sensation of a good solid charley horse attacking my calves midway through a run, or the numb tingly feeling accompanying a good ride on the two by four seated bike. Yep i'm out of shape and busy and slightly less financially stable than some of you rich boys out there with few expenses like homes, cars, kids... Oh... Well... Hmmm... Yeah you guys are impressive! Seriously well done on the progress thus far, I have inspiration from you guys and will definitely be working on my schedule of regular gym time or else my slogan may well change to "don't drown for karl!" Oh yes we shall do this! and if by chance anyone does find a sweet deal on a slighlty more affordable bike that can fit in a stellar budget let me know. Thanks for the tips and training advice thus far!

The Snail and the Sloth

Last week marked yet another week of either slow motion swimming or high-speed treading in my pursuit of learning how to swim like Mike. I can't be too tough on myself, as this is only the fourth time I've gotten into the water to make the attempt, but I do have to recognize my mortality, especially since I am confronted with it every time I gasp for breath and inhale obscene amounts of water. As I calmly listened to my thundering 400+ bpm heart rate during one of my twenty minute rest periods between laps, I pondered Mike's experience with the infamous "fin swimmer." The reason the experience came to mind, is that a 125 year-old lady was swimming in the lane next to me. The difference? She didn’t stop. Ever! She was frail enough that it’s possible she was just allowing the waves from the other swimmers to propel her, but it was hard to tell for certain. When I was actually moving, I did manage to swim notably faster than her (sort of like a snail and a sloth), but there’s no doubt in my mind that she swam further than I did overall. On the upside, however, I did manage to get in 800 M, and I did it in 100 M increments. Unquestionably my best swim day so far, and rather than get out of the pool exhausted and defeated, I was actually just exhausted. Progress is being made.

My other notable aquatic performance this past week came on the golf course. I played in a golf tournament on Friday afternoon, and other than the first two holes, it rained the entire time. Hard. I was one of the coordinators for the tournament, and as such, I felt obligated to finish the round. Our team ended up placing second and getting some nifty prizes, but considering only 5 of the 12 teams finished all 18 holes, it’s not as impressive as it initially sounds. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun, but my BIG lesson learned is to always carry a rain jacket when golfing in Houston.

As for Mike’s research on finding a good “entry-level” bike, the only problem is that the $800-$1000 price range is approximately $700-$900 more than I was planning on spending. My training on the bike currently consists of sitting on a stationary bike at the gym with a seat as comfortable as a 2x4 and peddling for 20 minutes or so. I figure about anything is a step up. With that in mind, I guess I was just thinking that Craig’s list would be the way to go, but now that I have to keep up with the Jones’, I’m not sure what my approach will be.

As a closing thought, I think I’ve lost ten pounds since starting this adventure. Jen gave me my first compliment yesterday by saying something along the lines of “your love handles aren’t quite as big.” As far as compliments go, I’ve heard better, but in my current jaw-dropping physical state, I’ll take it. Yes, my friends, progress is indeed being made.

Triathlon Tips from REI and Jerry

While searching for some good triathlon clothing and gear on the Internet, I found that REI has a couple of good articles about preparing for a triathlon. The URL is http://www.rei.com/triathlon. I have also added this link to the "Links" section to the right. When you go to this URL, scroll down to the "Expert Advice" section. There are some links to articles that give some helpful tips about training and what equipment you need.

Jenny and I also went to the Bountiful Bicycle Shop this weekend to learn more about what to look for in a good road bike. A very nice man named Jerry helped us out. Basically he told us that you can get a pretty good "entry level" road bike between $800 and $1000. Hmmm....a little more than I am willing to spend at the moment. I'll have to save up the next couple of months. Anyway, Jerry said that carbon fiber is the big thing now-a-days because it it much more shock-absorbent than other materials like aluminum. The only probem is that it is very expensive. He did say, however, that even basic road bikes will always come with a carbon fiber fork, and carbon fiber seat post. If you want to shell out more money, you can also get bikes where parts of the frame are carbon fiber.

Another thing to look for is the manufacturer of the components on the bike, such as the brakes, gear shift, pedals, gears, etc. Shimano apparently is a very high quality brand, and has different levels of components depending on your needs (and how much money you're willing to spend). For road bikes, Sora is the lowest quality of Shimano components, followed by Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, and if you really have money to burn, Dura-Ace. Many of the bikes that we looked at that were in the entry level price range had either Tiagra or 105 components. Of course, he also said that you can always upgrade components later if you need.

One of the things he stressed the most with us was that you have the bike professionally fitted and adjusted to your body size. Because you sit on a road bike most of the time you are riding it, a good fit is crucial. He also said that Bountiful Bike Shop will re-adjust your bike, or swap components of a different size for free for the first year. I am hoping that other Bike shops have similar deals.

For pedals he said that I should start with just some basic ones, but that later I would want to upgrade to ones that have locks that will attach to special bike shoes. These allow you to increase the efficieny of your pedalling because you can continually be either pushing down or pulling up on the pedals throughout each rotation. For helmets, he said to just find one that you like and fits well. For the most part the difference in price is just brand and style. He said that the $40 helmets are just as safe as the $200 ones.

Third Time's the Charm

Last week, my biggest accomplishment was that I managed to get to the gym five days in a row. I would have made it on Saturday too, but Jen was like that little voice on my shoulder on Friday night, saying, "you should just sleep in tomorrow. You need your sleep." It's amazing how fast I caved. She had some good reasons, and I did have a lot of activities going on, but I should have stuck to my guns. If nothing else, the 18 holes of golf I played were great. I think the temperatures were in the low 70's, just a slight breeze, blue skies... sounds a lot like Ohio and Idaho right now. Have I mentioned that I also golfed on New Year's Day and on the weekend of February 14th? Houston certainly has its advantages.

My second biggest accomplishment was swimming 400M in roughly 20 minutes. I didn't have a lot of time, and I wanted to get in 400M, so I did what I could. Again, it got a bit easier toward the end as I found a little bit of a rhythm, but I'm still fairly Volkswagon-esque. I'm looking forward to Wednesday of this week where I'm hoping to go a bit further and work on some of the things I'm learning.

My final accomplishment of the week happened today during a phone call with a work-sponsored health advisor who told me I wasn't that overweight compared to some people she works with. Comforting.

Mike's Update

So I must admit that Eric's machismo blog inspired me to write about my own machismo moment. It was my first attempt at swimming in who knows how many years. I got to the gym around 6:30am last Tuesday, put on my trunks and swim goggles and headed to the pool. I found an open lane and noticed a man swimming in the lane next to me. I will refer to this man in the remainder of my blog as "the machine." I watched the machine for a few moments as he effortlessly glided through the water and completed lap after lap. I felt a great need to also show off my swimming skills. I got into the water and began swimming freestyle. I felt pretty good the first two laps or so and then began to tire quickly. I stopped at the end of the pool and looked over at the machine. He continued to swim just as effortlessly as before. Of course, this meant that I had to do the same. I swam another lap or two and by this point really did have to stop for a few seconds to get a breather. The machine kept going. I must not stop, I told myself. So again, another lap. Then another. The machine continued to swim and was even lapping me. Again another lap. Finally I stopped ready to pass out. I decided at that moment that I had pushed myself too hard. The machine had won. Then I noticed that the machine stopped. He stood up near the end of the pool where I was and took something off his feet. Fins! I was competing against a guy wearing fins! Utterly exhausted (and disgusted) I pulled myself out of the pool and barely made it to the locker room where I had to sit on a bench for a few minutes just to catch my breath. After gathering enough strength to get out to my car and drive home, I then collapsed on my bed where Jenny was still asleep. I vowed that I would never be so foolish again and never compete against a guy wearing fins.

By the way, due to popular demand, here is a link to my "before" picture. I posted it on my first blog, but I took it down thinking it was a little too weird. Enjoy.

Ohio Update...

Jary and I are off to an amazing beginning. If it ever actually stops raining/snowing and if the temp. ever gets above freezing we can go out for a jog. We're up to about 3 1/2 or 4 miles--but we have yet to even attempt swimming or biking. I did go to a twins sale this last weekend and purchased a bike trailer, so I guess we're committed. We'll just have to work on the actual bike idea...

Vacation, vacation...

So last week, we took a mini vacation up to Cannon Beach to spend a few days with some friends. Other than the weather, the trip was great. It seriously rained the entire time with the exception of maybe 30-40 seconds. We were able to play a lot of games, and still saw a lot of the sites, but the weather certainly put a damper (pardon the pun) on flying kites, building sandcastles, walking along the beach, strolling through town, and other outdoor activities. From a training standpoint, the good news is that I still made it to the weight room a couple of times up there. The bad news is that the workouts weren't great and I somehow torqued my back. I think the way-too-soft bed was the primary culprit, but I may have done something while lifting in an effort to get a decent workout out of a cheap exercise machine. The other bad news is that I must have put back on all the weight I've managed to lose so far. Between the vacation mentality, being stuck indoors issue, and purchasing way more food than we could possibly eat in 3 days, my belt is now as snug as ever. Wonderful.

And thus it begins...

This officially stands as the first time I've ever posted a blog. "Posted a blog...?" That sounds more like some sort of medieval Scottish ritual than it does a 21st century technological wonder. "Did ye post th’ blog Shamus?" "Aye, that I did William. It do be postin' up somat fierce, but it do be posted."

As far as medieval Scottish rituals go, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the modern-day triathlon originated from some twisted form of torture. “Shamus! Toss th’ bloomin’ Anglish en th’ moat fer a nasty bit o’ a swim. And when they do be done, make em’ run fer a day or so. Ifn’ any o’ them do survive, farce em’ to post a blog!”

Since I was already conjecturing about the history of the triathlon, I thought I would do some quick research on the actual history as posted on BeginnerTriathlete.com. It’s not nearly as glamorous as my idea, but apparently “factual” rates pretty highly among some people. Whatever. Most of this is somewhat true.

History of the Triathlon

Triathlon’s roots can be traced back to 1974, Mission Bay, Southern California where a group of friends began training together. Amongst them were runners, swimmers and cyclists and before long training sessions turned into informal races. Directed and conceived by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan the first Mission Bay Triathlon was held on September 25th 1974 and welcomed 46 athletes. Triathlon’s foundations had been set!

In Hawaii, 1978, an argument arose regarding which of the three disciplines required the greatest endurance. At that time Hawaii hosted The Waikiki Rough Water Swim (2.4 miles), The Oahu Bike Race (112 miles) and The Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles). Originally events in themselves, they were rolled into one to become the ‘Hawaii Ironman Triathlon.’

The event attracted 15 athletes and of them only 12 crossed the finish line. By 1982 the Hawaii Ironman gained extensive coverage on ABC World Wide Sport and participation levels had increased to 580 competitors. Last year over 3000 athletes completed the grueling challenge. The fastest women finish the course in just under nine hours and the fastest men finishing in little over eight hours! The slowest competitors often die painful and ignominious deaths.

As far as my own training goes, I officially started going to the gym about a month ago (early February). My initial focus was on an overall workout – cardio a couple of days a week, with 3 or 4 days of lifting mixed in. For the first day back, I went with a friend (Jordan) who is much, much stronger than I am. We’ll see if that ends up being a stupid decision in the long-term. What I do know, is that it was, in fact, a stupid decision in the short-term. Even having gone through the “first day lifting stupidity” phase a number of times, and knowing that I would full-heartedly regret it for the next several days, the 2% machismo factor quickly overtook the remainder of my brain, and I found myself lifting “all out” in order to not be as embarrassed. I even remember thinking, “you know, even though it’s been six years since I’ve even touched weights, I’m still in decent shape all things considered.” In a result as predictable as any chick flick, I experienced new levels of excruciating muscle soreness. To give you an idea, for the next week, it was all I could do just to put on deodorant, and I had to come up with creative ways to change my shirt. Usually, it takes me about 2 weeks to get back up to the weight I lifted the first day, and from there I progress pretty steadily. It’s been a month. I’m still not even close. Jordan, on the other hand, is comfortably benching approximately twice what I can. It does wonders for the self-esteem to have the entire gym pause to watch the skinny guy struggle to lift off the plates that his buddy was just benching with ease. Sweet experience. Every time.

As far as the cardio goes, I’m now able to “run” a mile without walking, and could probably do more if it weren’t for that darned endurance thing. I ran a mile this morning, walked for 2/10ths, and then ran another half mile. The half mile section wasn’t really all that bad, so that’s encouraging. I read that you’re only supposed to increase about 10% a week when you’re working on your endurance to avoid hurting yourself, so I’m trying to learn from my weightlifting experience and ramp-up slowly.

As for the swimming, my first attempt was Wednesday, Feb. 20th. I say “attempt,” because I think it officially ranks as one of the most exhausting and humbling experiences of my life. After a grueling 40 minutes of swimming as gracefully as a Volkswagen, I finally finished 400 M. I could only do the first 250 M freestyle, but was determined to finish 400 M, so I threw in some breaststroke (a mistake), sidestroke (better), and finally, backstroke (there’s the ticket). If only I could see where I was going on my back… I followed it up one week later with my second attempt, and managed to swim 500 M in about 35 minutes - all freestyle this time. Similar to the run, the last few 50’s were actually starting to get a little easier. I’ve come to the realization that swimming is going to be more of a technique battle than an endurance event for me. We’ll see how it goes on round 3.

Scottish For Beginners

1 Week Later

Hi all! So I have officially gone out for a jog, swum a few laps at the gym and gotten fitted for running shoes. I am on my way to becoming a Spudman! I really hope that Spring comes soon, though. My first jog was in 32 degree weather. I also took measurements tonight - weight, waist, biceps, thighs, calves, chest, fanny, the whole works. My plan is to take these measurements every three months to see what has changed. What was shocking to me is that my waist measurement is the same as Jenny's, and she's 18 weeks pregnant! Well that's it for now. Let me know how things are going for you guys.