I'm A Runner

Car Wash Confessions

I am a pretty good tipper ... most of the time.  But occasionally, when I don't have singles in my wallet, I fold my dollar over a couple of times, giving the illusion of two or three bucks as I hand my money to the attendant.

Ha!  Who am I kidding?  Those car wash guys know the weight and feel of one dollar as compared to three.  Do I really think I'm getting puttin' one over on 'em?

Go with me here.  I have runner friends who think they are not fast.  I know triathletes who struggle to keep up on the group rides.  And there are plenty of swimmers who make a beeline for the "slow lane" when they come to Masters, then head over to Five Guys for a late lunch.

THEY don't think they are good enough.  They want to slip in and out of their workouts unnoticed because they're not eating right, or pacing right on a tempo run.  And they don't want to race because everyone will know they are SLOW!

Well, I'm here to salute the SLOW today.  The ones who worry that they might finish last in the race.  Those who are scared out of their minds for an open water swim.  The ones who struggle up the inclines and get dropped before the mountain turns upward.  You, my friends are athletes.

This crazy sport called triathlon should bring out the best in all of us.  Unless your last name is Wellington, it's not about winning.  There will always be someone who is faster than you and more fit than you (see Wellington*).  But you are challenging your best self and you are reaching beyond your limits.

Today, celebrate the small victories:  climbing out of bed while it's dark to finish your long run, swimming an additional 200 yards, smoothing out your uphill cadence for a more efficient ride.  You are a triathlete.  Celebrate you!  You are not a fraud.  And you're surely not that measly one dollar being passed off as a ten spot.

The fact is, you're ahead of everyone who doesn't get out of bed to try anything.  And if you think of it that way, look how your race results standings just skyrocketed!  You're working hard to improve yourself.  And as a true athlete, you know that's the real victory anyway.

If You've Only Got An Hour

Triathletes are a busy bunch.  They don't need to perfect ONE sport, they need to perfect three!  With things like work, family, church activites, volunteering in school, and buying groceries on the To-Do list, time sometimes slips away.

That being said, a one hour workout might be just the ticket for the overly scheduled athlete.  Joe Friel has a great one-hour workout I've been borrowing lately for my athletes and myself.  I've tweeked it to my liking.  Here goes:   

Set up your bike on the track or someplace with a measured out-and-back course.  (I set up my trainer inside and run around my neighborhood.)  Warm up on the bike for 30 minutes, elevating heart to Zone 3.  Transition to a 400 meter run at 10K pace.  Transition back to the bike for a 5 minute ride done this way: spin easy 2 minutes, then build HR up to Zone 4-5 for the next 3 minutes.  Transition to an 800 meter run at 5K pace (longer but faster).  Repeat this pattern of five minutes on the bike transitioning to an 800 meter run three more times.  After last one, spin easy on the bike for 10 minutes for cool down.  This workout should take approximately one hour and gives you the benefit of running to the bike like you would after a swim, and running off the bike, like you would in T2. 

Jersey Organization 101

Hoarder, I'm not.  But my collection of dri-wick running tees and cycling jerseys seems to expand in my closet at an inordinately faster speed than I realize -- inching out precious blouse and trouser space and accumulating lots of spandex and stretchywear de Lululemon.

Am I a collector?  Do I need to keep every tech tee I get at a race, because it's...tech?  Is my love of lycra greater than my love of JCrew cotton? And why oh why do I have jerseys that don't fit well, are too short, are not cute in general - still hanging in my closet taking up space?  Maybe I AM a hoarder.

And with that ugly word, I have a solution.  A friend gave me the idea/tip/trick to hang up all my clean clothing with the hook of the hanger flipped toward me, instead of toward the back of the closet.  With this system, when you wear a jersey or tee, you can take it off the hanger and wear it, then rehang the item in it's proper (facing back of closet) way for future use, ensuring that you are actually wearing the clothes that are in your closet and not just looking at them.

This method of organization works over time.  As the year progresses, you can see which items you ARE wearing (they will be hung correctly), and which ones you NEVER WEAR (still flipped the wrong way).  Comprende?  Over a year's time, you can start eliminating those jerseys and tanks that don't get worn and make room for fresh new athletic apparel.  Yeah, Lulu!

Another tip.  After awhile the microfibers in our special tech fabric shirts break down and the stink stays put.  No amount of extra-strength Tide will take that stench out of that jersey.  Carpe diem, I say!  If the shirt stinks when it is fresh out of the washer/dryer, it's time to say farewell.  Toss it in the trash right along with your dryer lint.  Let it go.  Buh bye.  If you have a funk before you ride, you're headed downhill fast.

Eliminate.  Simplify.  De-junk and deodorize.  And honestly, make room for more jerseys and running tees, 'cause blouses and trousers are just not that important anymore.

South Mountain

There are lots of cool thing to do in Arizona.  Running the rollers in South Mountain Park and cycling to the top of its peak are two great ways to spend a winter morning in this state.  Ditch the usual route and give this hidden gem in the city a try.  You'll be glad you did.  

Boston Is Steppin' It Up

The Boston Marathon is taking it to a whole new level.  New qualifying times and "rolling admission" schedules beginning with the fastest qualifiers are part of their plan to make this race exclusive and elite.  Here are the new standards for 2013:

AGE GROUP
                 MEN               WOMEN
18-34 3hrs 05min      3hrs 35min
35-39 3hrs 10min      3hrs 40min
40-44 3hrs 15min      3hrs 45min
45-49 3hrs 25min      3hrs 55min
50-54 3hrs 30min      4hrs 00min
55-59 3hrs 40min      4hrs 10min
60-64 3hrs 55min      4hrs 25min
65-69 4hrs 10min      4hrs 40min
70-74 4hrs 25min      4hrs 55min
75-79 4hrs 40min      5hrs 10min
80 +  4hrs 55min      5hrs 25min
*Unlike previous years, an additional 59 seconds will NOT be accepted for each age group time standard.

For complete information go here: Boston Athletic Association

The Buzz

I don't want you to be the last to know, like I usually am.  So here's my tip o' the day.  Have you tried Honey Stinger products?

If not, you should.

Wednesday is long run day.  We had a 20 on the sched.  I usually stop the night before at my local tri shop and pick up a few PowerBar gels to sustain me through the run.  Yesterday, however, Brock suggested I try something different: the Honey Stinger gels and new Stinger waffles.

A gel is a gel is a gel, right?  I'm partial to PowerBar brand because they are less thick and seem to slurp down a little easier.  But Honey Stinger products are ... ridiculous.  Imagine downing a big squirt of pure, golden, sweet honey instead of some disgusting fake-flavored fruit concoction.  The Honey Stingers were actually good.  I never did the gel gag reflex (you know it, right?), and actually squeezed the package from the bottom to get every little bit of that sweet honey goodness inside me.  And my energy: through the roof.  Really, they're all that.

But the piece de resistance was the Organic Stinger Waffle.  Wow.  I really can't express my deep appreciation for Lance Armstrong's input on these little wondertreats.  As an owner in Honey Stinger, Lance suggested making a small version of the waffles that are sold throughout Europe and eaten by professional cyclists...like these.

Lance's inspiration, a thin filled waffle

Honey Stinger's version

I'm just gonna stop right here and tell you to go buy/try one for yourself.  They are truly the best nutritional product I have eaten...ever.

Congrats, Honey Stinger, for making something delicious, nutritious, packable and convenient.  You're now selling crack for athletes.  I'm addicted.  And the buzz is all about you!