Never Give Up - Wise Words from Mark Allen

Six-Time Ironman Winner Mark Allen

"One of the most precious pieces of tough love Ironman wisdom I was ever given came in 1984 during my third race in that amazing place. I had what seemed to be an insurmountable lead off the bike (about 12 minutes). I ran the first miles through town with the stride of an invincible champion. But from the bottom of Palani Hill to the top on my way out of town it all changed...horribly so. I had extremely misjudged my nutrition and my pace, and in my excitement thinking how wonderful the win was going to feel 20 miles down the road, I had not taken in enough calories to fend off the dredged bonk. It was too late to reverse the damage. I tried, boy did I try, but there is just no way to speed up the sluggish conveyor belt that is delivering that precious carb cargo to your working muscles.

I slowed, and then walked. Dave Scott eventually passed me well before I could even consider sniffing the scent of the finish line. And then I had a choice: did I just give up and quit or keep going? And if I decided to continue on, my dream of winning completely demolished, what would be my reason for trying?

I made the commitment. I was going to finish and I was going to salvage what I could from the day by giving it every ounce of what I had left in me even when I was walking. I could either walk slowly or I could walk as fast as I possibly could. The second option had an appeal. If I could do that, then when I did get to the finish, I would at least be able to hold my head high knowing that I had given it everything I had on that day, even if that was far from enough to be the one giving the victory speech the next night.

So I walked, as fast as I could. Then I ran slowly, but still as fast as I could until I could do that no longer, and then I would walk again. I crossed the line in fifth place, which in 1984 was the final place that would be brought up on the podium the next night. Had I given it a partial effort I would have been passed by a fast closing John Howard, the champion in 1981, and would have watched the entire awards from my seat in the audience. It was a small victory that only I knew the significance of. I saw how important it was, no matter how impossible the big goal might look, to give it everything you have because out of that there will certainly be something that you can be proud of. This lesson was part of what propelled me forward in 1995 when I came off the bike in my final Ironman 13:30 down on the leader, Thomas Hellriegel, with no basis to think that a win was possible. But as you likely know it was.

I invite each of you to look back on this past season. Where are the hidden nuggets that you were given that might be the invisible gas that will fill your empty tank the next time you are without hope? What take home personal triumph are you just now seeing as perhaps your finest moment in an otherwise disastrous race? Stash those away. They might be part of your bigger victories in the near future."

Courtesy of Mark Allen Online

Beautiful Salt Lake City

No Desire To Swim, Bike or Run

However skiing sounds nice!

I Am NOT My Hair

Because if I was, my hair would be strong, healthy, thick, lustrous, blunt ended and fabulous.  That's what I WANT it to be anyway.  Alas, I was blessed with thin, chlorine tained, mousy, naturally-nappy hair of a lifelong swimmer.  It isn't pretty.  You might recognize my hair from this:

However, I have found a solution.  J was describing her new Brazilian Blowout on our run the other day.  She IS blessed with strikingly beautiful locks.  And her hair has never looked so good.  I knew I must! I must! find out more about this great new treatment.

When I called my girl Hillary of Our Beauty Mark fame, she told me that she had a similar trick up her sleeve, but for far less money than the Brazilian's $350 ticket, and also without cancer causing formaldehyde in the product.  Welcome to my world Keritan Complex Smoothing Therapy.  

Holy soft, manageable, straight-from-the-blowdryer-looking-pretty-decent hair!  My hair feels like it has taken a long overdue soak in a vat of the most luxurious conditioner on the planet.  No more frizz, no more weird funky ends sticking out every which way.  I am in heaven.  

As an active chica who rarely spends the time or money needed on proper skin or hair beautification -- I thought this treatment was worth every penny of its $100 price tag.

If you're in the market for a little self maintenance, call Hillary and get in for a Keratin Complex blowout as a 2011 treat.  Or ask your stylist about it next time you go in.  The treatment should last about six weeks if you're not too generous on your shampoo usage.  And soon your hair will become a soft happy friend, instead of a battling enemy.  

Happy day and hallelujah!

Buy This Not That - Bondi Bands

Consumer alert!  Just call me Oprah, 'cause I've got a new FAVORITE THING!

This week was the first annual Runnin' Ladies holiday breakfast.  We each brought a yummy something and after our morning run we had a mini morning feast and exchanged individual gifts.

Too much chit chat.  Not enough direction....

But one cheater mama gave something to everyone.  And boy am I glad she did.  Twisted up tightly and bound with ribbon was a solid color Bondi Band for each of us.  I wonder if she realized I put mine on at breakfast and wore it for the rest of the day?

These headbands are made from a perfect lightweight material.  They are stretchy and wide but not too tight.  Just amazingly comfortable.  And they hide/cover/disguise the cotton candy bedhead I have in the pre-dawn hours when I run.  Who am I kidding, my hair is unruly 24/7.  But more on that tomorrow....

For some reason, maybe my head is miniscule or bulbously large,  those normal hair tie headbands you can buy at the grocery store (or Under Armour makes a fancy version) just seem to slide right off my head.  You know the ones, they look like large hair ties.  These Bondi Bands were the bomb.  What a great find.  And just another reason to get out there are run! Thanks J!

Smiling for the camera...some of us wearing our new Bondi Bands!  

Speed Or Distance - Which Comes First?

When ultramarathoner Perry Edinger spoke recently at Endurance Rehab, I was front and center in the audience.  His topic: "What comes first, speed or distance?"

As a competitor of races like the Wasatch 100, the Western States 100, and the Badwater 135 miler, Edinger knows his stuff.   After all,  Edinger needs speed to keep on pace when he has to meet his posse at designated aid and recovery stations on his brutal courses.

He answered the compelling question right off the bat -- first establish endurance.  Go long.  Run your base miles.  Push yourself to go farther.  And THEN, speed it up.  How do you do that? -- intervals at the track? speedwork on a flat course?

Nope.  Hills.

Edinger believes it's the hills that make a good distance runner better.  The natural body position while climbing -- forward lean, smaller strides,  tall running form and level chin -- is what gets a runner up and over a mountain.  But it's those same techniques that translate into speed over the entire course.

When a runner can maintain proper form for hours and hours, he is going to far outrun a competitor with poor running form.  Edinger recommends hill repeats as an alternative to hitting the track.  He also suggests taking one trail run a week to gain ankle strength and stability.

So don't avoid the hills on a distance run.  Go for it.   Ditch the Garmin and quit worrying about maintaining a specific pace according to your training plan.  Let the hills dictate the pace.  Steady up, then quick down.  And while you're at it, turn off road and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Who knows? Someday, you'll might want to try the Wasatch 100, too.

Validation

If you've got 16 minutes, this video is worth watching.  Nothing to do with triathlons today, but in the spirit of the season, Validation is awesome.