Well, if you’ve been following me on Twitter over the past two weeks, you know I’ve spent most of my down time watching the Olympics. From day one’s freestyle skiing gold medal to today’s hockey game, I’ve been emotionally invested and borderline-obsessed with these games.
Part of that is definitely due to my love for all things sport but part of it has a deeper meaning. There’s something special about athletes dedicating their lives to a sport and working towards one single competition, one single moment. You can’t help but invest yourself emotionally when you hear stories of these often-unknown individuals accomplishing their dreams to reach the pinnacle of their sports.
Hell, I’ll admit it - I look up to these competitors. Not because I dream of wearing a gold medal or competing at that level some day but because of the dedication, the dream, the passion, and the commitment.
The Olympics is two weeks of nonstop Super Bowls and World Cups. It’s an emotional drain but a motivational shot in the arm. It’s Lindsey Vonn’s dedication to her training and Bode Miller’s redemption and passion for skiing on the edge. It’s Shaun White’s pioneering and so many other athletes’ unprecedented and unpredictable victories.
This is exactly what I want in my life. Whether it’s channeling my inner Vonn during training or pushing my limits further like White, I want all of it. This is why I got into endurance racing and this is why I love the Winter Olympics. It’s a competitor’s overload and a set of challenges I once never thought I could do.
So after I take some time away from the television and NBC’s website, you better believe my ever-expanding list of life goals is about to grow just a little bit more. I won’t spoil everything because I expect to merge the future of this blog into a discussion of those new challenges, but I’ll at least tell you that I intend to spend my future triathlon off-seasons up in the mountains and snow.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Cherry Blossom Ten Mile
In what seems to be a common trend for me this year, I’m yet again adding to my pre-IM race schedule. First, it was the Cloud Snapple Half Marathon that might have been a bad decision thanks to my plantar fasciitis and now it’s the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in DC.
For those not from DC, Cherry Blossom season is a must-see. The combination of way too many tourists flocking to the city and a great scenic backdrop with the monuments makes for a special start to tourist season. Normally I stay away from the chaos to avoid the fanny-packs and cameras, only making a couple treks to get a glimpse of the trees when I know the tidal basin won’t be packed, but this year I’ll be soaking up the scenery during one of cooler events of that week.
The Cherry Blossom Ten-Mile is a 15,000 person race that takes you by most of the great sites of DC. It’s long enough to loop around most of the famous monuments but short enough to cut out the overlap and repetition of other races. The race is always in high demand and each year thousands get turned away after the lottery. Thankfully though, I have a great boss who had an extra spot on her team and asked me to join. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
So now I’m signed up for one of the must-compete-in races on my life checklist (I might divulge that list in a later post; for now it’s top secret). I don’t foresee it being a race I’ll PR in given the massive participant size, but I’m definitely going to use it as a big training day while enjoying the sites of the course.
For those not from DC, Cherry Blossom season is a must-see. The combination of way too many tourists flocking to the city and a great scenic backdrop with the monuments makes for a special start to tourist season. Normally I stay away from the chaos to avoid the fanny-packs and cameras, only making a couple treks to get a glimpse of the trees when I know the tidal basin won’t be packed, but this year I’ll be soaking up the scenery during one of cooler events of that week.
The Cherry Blossom Ten-Mile is a 15,000 person race that takes you by most of the great sites of DC. It’s long enough to loop around most of the famous monuments but short enough to cut out the overlap and repetition of other races. The race is always in high demand and each year thousands get turned away after the lottery. Thankfully though, I have a great boss who had an extra spot on her team and asked me to join. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
So now I’m signed up for one of the must-compete-in races on my life checklist (I might divulge that list in a later post; for now it’s top secret). I don’t foresee it being a race I’ll PR in given the massive participant size, but I’m definitely going to use it as a big training day while enjoying the sites of the course.
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Good with The Bad
It’s been a weird couple of days recently. Ups and downs, more ups and more downs. Nothing too terrible though. The weird part is just that with all these swings I have no idea how to feel.
Remember that pain in my left foot I mentioned a couple weeks ago in my half marathon race report? Well it hasn’t really gone away like I hoped. It’s never more than an occasional ache or moderate discomfort, but I found out that I’m dealing with a mild case of plantar fasciitis. At first I was pretty upset about this thanks to the horror stories from my friends who’ve dealt with it before but now I’m just bummed. The wise folks in the DC Tri Club gave me some great advice and exercises to help with the pain and I’m ahead enough in my run endurance that it won’t set me back. Thankfully, I can afford 7-10 days off my feet and it’s just more frustration than anything else.
So with my current inability to lace up my shoes and hit the roads, I’ve had more time to test my fitness in the pool and on the bike. And here lies the up thanks to the down.
Friday night, I made my triumphant return to the water; and triumphant it was indeed. Because of the never-ending snowfall in DC and my strategically timed laziness the week before, it had been over 13 days since I did a serious swim workout. Before all you readers start spending all day worrying about my lack of swim workouts, I’ll calm your nerves. The water is the one place I feel the most confident. That’s not to say I’m Michael Phelps or anything like that, but I’m at least above average in my races. Now that we’ve got that covered, onto the workout. Friday nights are always the best at the pool because I get a lane to myself and I took full advantage of it. It started out with a couple intensity sets to get my rhythm back. Then it turned into more of an aerobic set. Then I just kept going. After all was said in done, I left that pool at closing time feeling like a million bucks. My arms weren’t tired at all and I just completed my second-longest session ever. Way ahead of where I need to be during this build period. Needless to say, I went to bed very happy Friday night.
Then came Saturday. Naturally, I slept in an extra hour because of another late night binging on the Olympics but once I was up and moving, I immediately hopped on the bike. My intention was to push myself and see what my legs could hold, knowing that my weakest discipline is the bike and I have plenty of work to do, and that’s exactly what I did. I pushed a killer pace thanks to some Olympic and BC basketball inspiration and hopped off the bike after a very sweaty 4+ hour session.
All in all, it was a successful weekend. Despite my annoying foot pain, I’m ahead of schedule for my build period and ready to ramp things up come springtime. Let’s just hope these tips for my foot and my time off allow me to get back outside next week just as the snow finally melts away.
Remember that pain in my left foot I mentioned a couple weeks ago in my half marathon race report? Well it hasn’t really gone away like I hoped. It’s never more than an occasional ache or moderate discomfort, but I found out that I’m dealing with a mild case of plantar fasciitis. At first I was pretty upset about this thanks to the horror stories from my friends who’ve dealt with it before but now I’m just bummed. The wise folks in the DC Tri Club gave me some great advice and exercises to help with the pain and I’m ahead enough in my run endurance that it won’t set me back. Thankfully, I can afford 7-10 days off my feet and it’s just more frustration than anything else.
So with my current inability to lace up my shoes and hit the roads, I’ve had more time to test my fitness in the pool and on the bike. And here lies the up thanks to the down.
Friday night, I made my triumphant return to the water; and triumphant it was indeed. Because of the never-ending snowfall in DC and my strategically timed laziness the week before, it had been over 13 days since I did a serious swim workout. Before all you readers start spending all day worrying about my lack of swim workouts, I’ll calm your nerves. The water is the one place I feel the most confident. That’s not to say I’m Michael Phelps or anything like that, but I’m at least above average in my races. Now that we’ve got that covered, onto the workout. Friday nights are always the best at the pool because I get a lane to myself and I took full advantage of it. It started out with a couple intensity sets to get my rhythm back. Then it turned into more of an aerobic set. Then I just kept going. After all was said in done, I left that pool at closing time feeling like a million bucks. My arms weren’t tired at all and I just completed my second-longest session ever. Way ahead of where I need to be during this build period. Needless to say, I went to bed very happy Friday night.
Then came Saturday. Naturally, I slept in an extra hour because of another late night binging on the Olympics but once I was up and moving, I immediately hopped on the bike. My intention was to push myself and see what my legs could hold, knowing that my weakest discipline is the bike and I have plenty of work to do, and that’s exactly what I did. I pushed a killer pace thanks to some Olympic and BC basketball inspiration and hopped off the bike after a very sweaty 4+ hour session.
All in all, it was a successful weekend. Despite my annoying foot pain, I’m ahead of schedule for my build period and ready to ramp things up come springtime. Let’s just hope these tips for my foot and my time off allow me to get back outside next week just as the snow finally melts away.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Ebbs and Flows of Motivation
When it comes to sticking with my training program, motivation is always a big variable. Some weeks I’ll want to get out there and hammer more than I’m supposed to, and others I just want to get by with the bare minimum. For example, last week’s snowmaggedon was a major drain on my training motivation but this week I feel like a million bucks and I’m on pace for a 15 hour week.
I recognize that part of these swings are situational - last week I was glued to a couch day and night because of the storm and this week I’ve just come back from a rejuvenating three days with my family. But I also realize the need to be more intentional about motivating myself during those tough weeks and forcing myself to get out there.
So far, I’ve found that my family and YouTube are my two biggest allies on this front. The countless Ironman and extreme sports videos online are always a sure-fire way to get me out the door, or at least make me feel like a bum, and spending time with or talking to my family gives me the push I need to suck it up. Unfortunately, they aren’t around all the time and I’m slowly becoming more intentional about getting out the door and training hard regardless of my state of mind.
Whether it’s a group ride and run or just adopting the mantra of “turn off your mind and just do work” (courtesy of Matty Reed), I’m finding ways to keep my mind focused on the goal ahead. I know that when it comes to race day, I’ll only have myself to answer to when I’m out there on those long stretches of empty, lonely road.
With that said, peer pressure will always be the spark for my biggest weakness and best asset. I always seem to train harder when a friend challenges me or when I hear about a fellow triathlete’s latest training set. Yes, there’s a strong part of that which inspires me, but the underlying theme is competition. While I may not always be proud of the negative effects, I’m a competitor at heart and my #1 motivation will always be the drive to be better and do more than even I can imagine.
I recognize that part of these swings are situational - last week I was glued to a couch day and night because of the storm and this week I’ve just come back from a rejuvenating three days with my family. But I also realize the need to be more intentional about motivating myself during those tough weeks and forcing myself to get out there.
So far, I’ve found that my family and YouTube are my two biggest allies on this front. The countless Ironman and extreme sports videos online are always a sure-fire way to get me out the door, or at least make me feel like a bum, and spending time with or talking to my family gives me the push I need to suck it up. Unfortunately, they aren’t around all the time and I’m slowly becoming more intentional about getting out the door and training hard regardless of my state of mind.
Whether it’s a group ride and run or just adopting the mantra of “turn off your mind and just do work” (courtesy of Matty Reed), I’m finding ways to keep my mind focused on the goal ahead. I know that when it comes to race day, I’ll only have myself to answer to when I’m out there on those long stretches of empty, lonely road.
With that said, peer pressure will always be the spark for my biggest weakness and best asset. I always seem to train harder when a friend challenges me or when I hear about a fellow triathlete’s latest training set. Yes, there’s a strong part of that which inspires me, but the underlying theme is competition. While I may not always be proud of the negative effects, I’m a competitor at heart and my #1 motivation will always be the drive to be better and do more than even I can imagine.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Finding Your Love
I sat down with the idea that I would write an honest, blunt post about Valentine’s Day and my spin on the love of my life – training. But when it came to putting pen to paper, I realized this is just not my thing. I don’t do public sappiness and I definitely don’t do emo. That’s why I have so many great friends that can make up for my cold-heartedness tenfold.
I’ll be the first to admit it - having a significant other to share life with is by far the greatest feeling. That may come as a surprise to hear for those who know me well but even I can’t deny it.
With that said though, I only have one love in my life and it’s a pretty selfish one. Whether it’s training for the Ironman or finding a new passion in rock climbing, I love the independence and ability to set new goals and go after them whenever I want. Call it runner’s high or chalk it up to the endorphins from being outside and challenging myself but whatever it is, it’s quickly becoming my significant other. Each and every week, I find myself falling more and more in love with this freedom and reaching for a happiness that rivals that of a relationship.
I know I’m expected to knock love and relationships but after attending one of my best friend’s wedding and seeing such a perfect couple, I find myself sitting in between the two worlds. I recognize how amazing the love of someone is but for the foreseeable future (or even ever at all), that’s not my cup of tea.
I’ve found something else that everyone should strive for at some point in their lives. Set goals, get outside, and pump as many endorphins into your body as possible. Watch crazy sports videos and picture yourself doing each of those, then live independently and see how far you can go. Pick the one thing you never thought you would do and challenge yourself.
I can’t promise it will feel as good as a relationship but it’ll be pretty damn close.
I’ll be the first to admit it - having a significant other to share life with is by far the greatest feeling. That may come as a surprise to hear for those who know me well but even I can’t deny it.
With that said though, I only have one love in my life and it’s a pretty selfish one. Whether it’s training for the Ironman or finding a new passion in rock climbing, I love the independence and ability to set new goals and go after them whenever I want. Call it runner’s high or chalk it up to the endorphins from being outside and challenging myself but whatever it is, it’s quickly becoming my significant other. Each and every week, I find myself falling more and more in love with this freedom and reaching for a happiness that rivals that of a relationship.
I know I’m expected to knock love and relationships but after attending one of my best friend’s wedding and seeing such a perfect couple, I find myself sitting in between the two worlds. I recognize how amazing the love of someone is but for the foreseeable future (or even ever at all), that’s not my cup of tea.
I’ve found something else that everyone should strive for at some point in their lives. Set goals, get outside, and pump as many endorphins into your body as possible. Watch crazy sports videos and picture yourself doing each of those, then live independently and see how far you can go. Pick the one thing you never thought you would do and challenge yourself.
I can’t promise it will feel as good as a relationship but it’ll be pretty damn close.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Blizzards and Cabin Fever
First, I must apologize for the lack of posts recently. You would think that because I’ve been snowed in I would be able to write more. On the contrary. The past five days have been a combination of insanity, cabin fever, weak attempts at training, and just plain weirdness.
Time spent training – 5 hours
Time spent shoveling snow – 4 hours
Originally, I was excited for this week. I love snow and being from North Carolina has made me enjoy the idea of massive accumulation. What’s that? Another foot on top of two feet from a couple days ago? Yes, please! Or so I thought…
The first two snow days were great. It was the weekend and I got in a long run and a strong bike ride. And even when I wasn’t training, I was walking around taking pictures or trekking downtown for a night out. The snow wasn’t going to hold me back.
Then came the weekdays. I’m all for working from home and I enjoy conference calls in a t-shirt and sweats as much as the next person, but I started to lose it after the first day. By midday on Tuesday I needed to get out. I was basically sitting on a couch, staring at a laptop and listening to conference calls for ten hours a day. I had no motivation to move and no desire to be active. Unless it was to respond to client emails and calls or change the channel to yet another episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, I didn’t lift a finger. Simply put, I hit rock bottom of laziness.
Fortunately though, it’s Thursday and the snow recovery has begun. My lunch break was spent shoveling the alley with my neighbors and I’m almost caught up on all my work projects. Hell, I might even make it to the pool tonight before I pick up my college roommate from the airport.
So while five days of blinding snow, seven-foot drifts and unending hours on a couch may have bested me, I’ll be back on the grind this weekend. What better way to beat extreme laziness than a refreshing four-day weekend back home in North Carolina to see my family and watch my best friend from home get married.
Time spent training – 5 hours
Time spent shoveling snow – 4 hours
Originally, I was excited for this week. I love snow and being from North Carolina has made me enjoy the idea of massive accumulation. What’s that? Another foot on top of two feet from a couple days ago? Yes, please! Or so I thought…
The first two snow days were great. It was the weekend and I got in a long run and a strong bike ride. And even when I wasn’t training, I was walking around taking pictures or trekking downtown for a night out. The snow wasn’t going to hold me back.
Then came the weekdays. I’m all for working from home and I enjoy conference calls in a t-shirt and sweats as much as the next person, but I started to lose it after the first day. By midday on Tuesday I needed to get out. I was basically sitting on a couch, staring at a laptop and listening to conference calls for ten hours a day. I had no motivation to move and no desire to be active. Unless it was to respond to client emails and calls or change the channel to yet another episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, I didn’t lift a finger. Simply put, I hit rock bottom of laziness.
Fortunately though, it’s Thursday and the snow recovery has begun. My lunch break was spent shoveling the alley with my neighbors and I’m almost caught up on all my work projects. Hell, I might even make it to the pool tonight before I pick up my college roommate from the airport.
So while five days of blinding snow, seven-foot drifts and unending hours on a couch may have bested me, I’ll be back on the grind this weekend. What better way to beat extreme laziness than a refreshing four-day weekend back home in North Carolina to see my family and watch my best friend from home get married.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Snowmageddon
As Washington prepares for yet another epic snowfall (predicting between 16 and 26 inches), I'm left scrambling to squeeze my workouts in so I don't miss an entire three days worth of training. Running isn't that much of a problem because I'm willing to trek outside in my trail shoes and rack up some strong miles. There is something very peaceful about running in DC when there's no one around and the monuments are covered in fresh snow. Biking also isn't bad. Yes, just like everyone, I despise spinning on the trainer for hours on end but it's the only option on these frigid days and I'll finally catch up on LOST and Friday Night Lights. As for swimming, that's a big problem. I've already neglected the pool for a few days this week and it's looking like that streak is going to extend past the weekend. The only hope I have is if one of the DC public pools to stay open. I give that a 10% chance at best.
Needless to say it will be an interesting weekend. I'll try to bring a camera with me on Saturday to document the run and all the monuments buried in snow so I can post them over the weekend and give you something better to look at beyond my boring ramblings.
Also, if you're in DC and haven't run in these snow storms before, I highly recommend it and would love the company. I promise you won't regret it.
DC Weather Report
Needless to say it will be an interesting weekend. I'll try to bring a camera with me on Saturday to document the run and all the monuments buried in snow so I can post them over the weekend and give you something better to look at beyond my boring ramblings.
Also, if you're in DC and haven't run in these snow storms before, I highly recommend it and would love the company. I promise you won't regret it.
DC Weather Report
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