WE081210
Last night, while I was taking pictures of all the things that I need to sell on craigslist, I watched "The Happening". It was pretty cool...it made me think. Could nature actually revolt against people? Hmmm...pretty damn scary to think that our planet could actually treat us like a disease some day. It's funny, I was watching the movie and thinking..."wow, Mark Wahlberg looks older than me now". I felt strangely comforted by that thought. Still a good looking man, he's far from the old pop-hop Marky Mark he used to be.
Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I was watching THE HAPPENING. Yeah. That's it. And I was thinking to myself as I considered the name of the movie. There are alot of things HAPPENING in my life right now. So many in fact, that I'm actually feeling a bit apprehensive, even though the things that are happening are (mostly) positive...save for work stuff.
For instance...a friend of mine told me last night that there might be an opportunity for me to have a job as an "official trainer/coach" at a new tri shop that will be opening soon. That would be super awesome. Also, I've gotten more than just a few requests for online and in-person coaching in running, triathlon, and weight training over the past week. I was also offered a partnership in a local gay-owned business to be a coach/facilitator at some boot camp workouts in 2009, as well as a free classified ad on that business's website to promote my training business. Those are all great things, except...they're all just "possibilities" and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about how to go about keeping them in priority order. Getting a job with health insurance is PARAMOUNT. The sooner I can get a job with health coverage, the sooner I can leave this boring, depressing engineering hellhole. Since the layoffs and pay cuts, I have no one in my area...I am, effectively, the only person in my department. We have others "helping"...but no one else, really, with my job title, except myself. To protect my sanity, I want to rush along the job seeking as much as possible so I can change this dismal feeling I have to endure for 9 hours a day.
I want so badly just to send letters to gyms, fitness centers, training studios, ANY BUSINESS that'd hire a personal trainer, but I simply can't until I'm certified. The good thing is, I will be jumping the first hurdle this coming Friday. I will be certified in CPR/AED on Friday afternoon, after my American Red Cross certification class. Once I'm CPR/AED certified, at least I'll really feel like I'm on the road to being a certified fitness trainer. I've read almost the entire ACE Trainer Manual (it's 550 pages) in 3 weeks. I'm on page 461. I have learned more about anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology in the past 3 weeks than I have in 3 years! But it's all so awesome and I'm so excited!!
Also, my move is making me apprehensive. I have so much to do. I am nervous about getting all the big stuff sold on craigslist. I'm sure it will all go, but I want it to be done NOW, so I have less to worry about later. The sooner I can get things sold, the sooner I can get stuff consolidated and ready to either go to Brian's, or go to storage. I'm also getting ready for the yard sale on Saturday and want to make sure I sell all of my unneeded stuff there as well. Hell, I'll give it away if I have to.
SO...this is why I'm so mentally flooded with anxiety right now. It's coming down to the wire and I just want to get everything done so the move goes smoothly. I just want to be less stressed about being able to afford my life.
20081210
20081208
Confessions of an Obsessive-Compulsive Ultrarunner
MO081208
87.5 miles in one week. That's how far I ran between the dates of 29Nov and 6Dec. 32.5 on 29Nov (the 50K was long), a mile each day for 3 days during the week, and 50 miles on 6Dec. I confess...I derive some sort of chemical pleasure from this. During the week, there was no need at all to run. I would probably have done BETTER at Sunmart (not that 15th of 187 overall and 3rd in Age Group is bad) if I'd just have rested between the 50K and the 50 Miler. But something in me told me I had to do it...even if it was just for a mile at a time. There is some sort of running devil residing in my body that makes me feel as though I'm COMPELLED to run, even when I don't need or want to.
This week, I have already taken off yesterday completely from all exercise. Today I will do the same, and I will do it again tomorrow. Wednesday I'll start working out with weights a bit, but will not run. I am fully expecting an almost unbearable amount of running withdrawal by the time Thursday comes around, when I can start running again.
My ankle hurts. I rolled it at Mile 40. My quads and hamstrings are sore. My left big toe is blistered. But I still feel like I'm missing opportunities by not running. I am INSANE.
I think, though, that it's a good thing...since that compulsion will force me to finish that 100 miler in April and forego any and all doubts, even though I know I'll be in pain and want to quit a thousand times over.
Here's my Sunmart race report...it's long but it's full of drama and excitement!
87.5 miles in one week. That's how far I ran between the dates of 29Nov and 6Dec. 32.5 on 29Nov (the 50K was long), a mile each day for 3 days during the week, and 50 miles on 6Dec. I confess...I derive some sort of chemical pleasure from this. During the week, there was no need at all to run. I would probably have done BETTER at Sunmart (not that 15th of 187 overall and 3rd in Age Group is bad) if I'd just have rested between the 50K and the 50 Miler. But something in me told me I had to do it...even if it was just for a mile at a time. There is some sort of running devil residing in my body that makes me feel as though I'm COMPELLED to run, even when I don't need or want to.
This week, I have already taken off yesterday completely from all exercise. Today I will do the same, and I will do it again tomorrow. Wednesday I'll start working out with weights a bit, but will not run. I am fully expecting an almost unbearable amount of running withdrawal by the time Thursday comes around, when I can start running again.
My ankle hurts. I rolled it at Mile 40. My quads and hamstrings are sore. My left big toe is blistered. But I still feel like I'm missing opportunities by not running. I am INSANE.
I think, though, that it's a good thing...since that compulsion will force me to finish that 100 miler in April and forego any and all doubts, even though I know I'll be in pain and want to quit a thousand times over.
Here's my Sunmart race report...it's long but it's full of drama and excitement!
20081202
Winning Feels Weird
TU081202-0905
"Look at these guys. They're awesome. I wonder what it's like to say, 'I win ultramarathons'...wow, I'll never say that". - Me, December 2006, at the Sunmart 50 Mile Endurance Run.
This past weekend I locked up my first ever overall win in a running race. It was the Bartram Forest 50K trail run. It was my second year at this race, last year I came in second by about four minutes. This year, I took the lead at the starting line and never gave it up. I wound up winning by about 17 minutes. But here's the strange part. I'm still not really able to grasp the accomplishment. It just felt like a really long run. Since there really was no competition for me past Mile 2, I never really got the feeling like I was working for something. By Mile 20, I had lapped the second place guy, so I wasn't really sure who was chasing me for most of the race.
It did feel really sweet to win, given the awful course conditions (torrential rain, wind, 12 ascents of a 6% grade, rivulets on the trail, deep mud, and lots of puddles), but those same conditions really thwarted the post-race festivities...last year there was a tape for the winner to break, people clapping along the finish line...none of that this year due to the monsoon that we were experiencing on race day. But the strangest part of all this is, I still feel strange telling people "I won the race". It's like it's coming from someone else's body. I've never won a running race in my 20-year running history. I've come in 2nd overall, I've come in 3rd overall, and I've even won my age group many times, but have never locked up a first place overall. People ask..."how did you do?" and when I answer "I won", they just kinda look at me funny for a second, and then it hits.
Still, even with all the crazy race conditions, the less-than-usually-cheerful finish, and the continued weirdness of saying "I won", I couldn't have hoped for a better first overall win experience. I never want winning to be easy, I never want to take it for granted. When I do win something, I want to have earned it. That's the only way I'll ever be happy to say "I won the race".
Here's a link to my race report on BT if anyone feels compelled to read a long play-by-play of the race.
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=140685
"Look at these guys. They're awesome. I wonder what it's like to say, 'I win ultramarathons'...wow, I'll never say that". - Me, December 2006, at the Sunmart 50 Mile Endurance Run.
This past weekend I locked up my first ever overall win in a running race. It was the Bartram Forest 50K trail run. It was my second year at this race, last year I came in second by about four minutes. This year, I took the lead at the starting line and never gave it up. I wound up winning by about 17 minutes. But here's the strange part. I'm still not really able to grasp the accomplishment. It just felt like a really long run. Since there really was no competition for me past Mile 2, I never really got the feeling like I was working for something. By Mile 20, I had lapped the second place guy, so I wasn't really sure who was chasing me for most of the race.
It did feel really sweet to win, given the awful course conditions (torrential rain, wind, 12 ascents of a 6% grade, rivulets on the trail, deep mud, and lots of puddles), but those same conditions really thwarted the post-race festivities...last year there was a tape for the winner to break, people clapping along the finish line...none of that this year due to the monsoon that we were experiencing on race day. But the strangest part of all this is, I still feel strange telling people "I won the race". It's like it's coming from someone else's body. I've never won a running race in my 20-year running history. I've come in 2nd overall, I've come in 3rd overall, and I've even won my age group many times, but have never locked up a first place overall. People ask..."how did you do?" and when I answer "I won", they just kinda look at me funny for a second, and then it hits.
Still, even with all the crazy race conditions, the less-than-usually-cheerful finish, and the continued weirdness of saying "I won", I couldn't have hoped for a better first overall win experience. I never want winning to be easy, I never want to take it for granted. When I do win something, I want to have earned it. That's the only way I'll ever be happy to say "I won the race".
Here's a link to my race report on BT if anyone feels compelled to read a long play-by-play of the race.
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=140685
20081120
The Role of CrossFit In My Training
081120 - 0800
Many times I've been asked what the physical effects of CrossFit training have been on my triathlon and running (ultra-running) performance. I think it's about time I talk a little about the incredible increases in my performance that I've realized over the past 16 months since becoming a dedicated CrossFitter.
First let me start off by explaining how I found CF. A friend of mine from beginnertriathlete.com was doing these intense workouts that I was noticing in his blog from day to day. He seemed to think they were fun and challenging. At the time I was a mediocre athlete at best. I worked out, I trained, I raced, but I never really had a specific drive or focus. I was able to say "I do triathlons" and "I've done an Ironman" but not with any real pride. Sure it was great that I finished an Ironman, but did I really try my best? Well at the time I thought so, but as I discovered more about my athletic abilities, I realized, NO, I did NOT try my hardest. I still had a long way to go.
As I followed Steve on his CrossFit workout journey I started to become intrigued by the intensity and wondered if maybe I could attempt a workout like that. I asked him to send me a sample of what he was doing. So, on September 9, 2007, Steve Berlin sent me "The Post-Cert Chipper"...and it's been all uphill from there. I took that workout, cut all the reps in half, and went to the gym to try it out. Seven minutes is all it took, but I was DESTROYED. I lay there on the gym floor panting, sweat pouring from every square inch of my body. I was completely spent. But from that moment on, I was hooked on CrossFit.
Every day I'd look at the CrossFit website, find another workout that sounded interesting, and I'd go to the gym to try it out. For the first month or so, I scaled the workouts to a point that I could handle, just so I could at least get the feeling of what I was supposed to do. I watched videos for hours on end, trying to learn all the new moves. I had a history in bodybuilding, so I knew about some of the lifts...deadlifts, bench presses, pullups, pushups, etc. But some of these new CrossFit-specific moves (sumo deadlift high-pull, thruster, etc.) took some learning to get used to. Of course, then there were the Olympic lifts that I had mostly NO idea how to execute. I watched instructional videos over and over to get the feeling right. Then I'd head to the gym to try them out. It took a while to get the form correct, but when I got it correct, I knew it. I fell in love in Olympic lifting moves. The first time I executed a perfect squat clean, I nearly laughed myself silly...I felt great!
Fast forward about three months. I was pretty proficient in most of the CrossFit moves. By this time I'd already brought my FRAN down from 6:45 to 5:04 and was feeling pretty strong, lean, and fast. My bodyfat had been slashed from 14% to about 10% and was still falling. I was addicted to whey protein powder and lean healthy eating. My training was skyrocketing, my attitude was perpetually positive, and I actually started to feel almost arrogant about the shape I was in. People at the gym would ask me "what is that insanity you just did?" and "how the hell are you not falling over dead after that?". Bodybuilders just stood and watched, when it was usually THEY who would be the ones being watched. Here was a little 150-pound dude deadlifting 225 pounds...not once, or twice, or even 10 times, but 55 times over the course of a workout!!
I've started making my own workouts. Super-intense 20-minute mashups, short burts, run-based workouts, etc. I'm studying to be a personal trainer and will use interval training with my clients who want to achieve a high level of leanness, strength, endurance, power, and speed...all at the same time...CrossFit shows it CAN be done. Tabatas anyone?
Now...how does all this relate to triathlon and running? In December 2006, I attempted my first 50-mile run at Sunmart. That race took 11 hours and 36 minutes. I was next to last in age group, and only 5 people finished after me in the entire race. I was destroyed. I couldn't move my right leg. My hip flexors were so fatigued that, going home that night, I had to physically lift my leg into the car with my arms. I thought I'd never do it again. Enter CrossFit...in December 2007, I reattempted the 50-mile distance. 8 hours, 18 minutes. An improvement of 3 hours and 18 minutes!! 3rd in age group. 29th overall. And not only that, I was walking around, feeling fine for hours on end after the race. I even jogged a bit to cool down after I sat around and rehydrated a bit.
Another example. In 2007, I ran the Gasparilla marathon in Tampa (where I currently reside) and I ran a 3:39...I was ecstatic with that time since only a month before I ran a 4:20 at Disney. I felt great but I thought, I'll never qualify for Boston unless I can take another half hour off my best marathon time. At this point I felt this was impossible. I didn't feel like I could have run ANY faster than I had. I trained more that year, but I didn't feel any fitter. Again...enter CrossFit. I did the running workouts as well as the power workouts. I concentrated on making my legs stronger. As the 2008 Gasparilla marathon approached, I was wary of how I was progressing. I had the 2007 Sunmart 50-miler PR under my belt, and had run a 50K at the end of December in 4:17, easily winning the men's race. But those races were both run at paces of above 8:30 per mile! Was I ready to be able to run 26.2 miles at 7:15 pace or below? I was very nervous. Race day came and sure enough, I blew it away. I ran 6:55 pace for the first 19 miles of the race. My last 7 miles were no slower than 7:15. Overall pace wound up being around 7:07 per mile. It was my CrossFit training that allowed me to run through the pain and keep enduring until I reached my goal. I qualified for Boston and will run the marathon there in April 2009.
What about triathlon you ask?
April 2007....Ironman Arizona...on a scale of 1-10, I'd say IMAZ is around a 6 in difficulty. I trained for and finished that race in 12 hours and 24 minutes. That was before CrossFit...
June 2008...Ironman Coeur d'Alene...let me go ahead and give that one an 8 on the difficulty scale. Bigger hills on the bike, more of them, 59 degree water, and some large hills on the run as well. Better nutrition and solid CrossFit training in addition to my IM training brought my time down to 11:14!! And it felt easier than IMAZ! Sure the hills were difficult, but the race overall went smoother. Biggest difference...the run. At IMAZ, I ran a 4:34 marathon with MUCH walking along the way. At CdA, I ran a 3:38, NEVER walked, and only two people passed me on the run...both were girls (Heather Gollnick and the winner of the F25-29 AG).
November 2008...Ironman Florida...a 5 on the difficulty scale. I did almost ZERO training in the months between the two races...save for (you guessed it) CrossFit, and a few long distance runs and bikes. Only two 100-mile bike rides, and no runs greater than 16 miles. I hardly swam at all. My longest swim set was under 3000 yards. Most of my weekday workouts were an hour or less. CrossFit and some general speedwork were my only power workouts. How did I do at IMFL? 10:27. A 3 minute swim PR (1:12), a 33 minute bike PR (5:38), and again...an insane run...3:26, which is 12 minutes better than at CdA. I had stopped my long IM workouts, but kept up the CrossFit...which makes me believe that CF had everything to do with my increases in performance. And if you look back about a month before the race, you'll see that I went thru that 2-week long depression where I pretty much stopped training altogether, including CrossFit. Bit testament to CrossFit's ability to keep one fit during some downtime.
As of this writing I'm down to 150 pounds, 8.2% bodyfat, I have a 4:06 Fran and I'm planning on going for a sub-3 marathon time and a sub-8-hour 50-mile time soon. I'm signed up for and very excited about attempting the Umstead 100-mile trail run in April.
Of course, let me not forget to mention...NUTRITION WAS A HUGE PART OF THIS!!! Let's not forget that the correct meal/nutrition/supplementation plan is crucial to developing a physique and gaining performance. I ate a very clean diet which included lean meats, fat-free milk, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and MOST importantly, whey protein. It was a staple of my diet, I consumed it as much as four times per day, eating 4 additional whole-food meals as well.
Supplements allow the body to use nutrients efficiently, so I never neglected my multi-vitamin and always used a caffeine-based fat burner or energy pill. Fish Oil, another huge proponent of energy production in the body, was always taken in the morning and at night. I used L-Arginine, Beta-Alanine, and Branch Chain Amino Acids as well. These all help with energy/power production and increase muscle torque and endurance. Co-Q10 and Echinacea also help increase the body's capacity for oxygen consumption (VO2 max.).
SO...there you have it. CrossFit's role in my still-waxing athletic career. I'm still, after four years of competition, getting faster, and plan to continue my climb up the podium. Stay tuned, more to come soon!!
Many times I've been asked what the physical effects of CrossFit training have been on my triathlon and running (ultra-running) performance. I think it's about time I talk a little about the incredible increases in my performance that I've realized over the past 16 months since becoming a dedicated CrossFitter.
First let me start off by explaining how I found CF. A friend of mine from beginnertriathlete.com was doing these intense workouts that I was noticing in his blog from day to day. He seemed to think they were fun and challenging. At the time I was a mediocre athlete at best. I worked out, I trained, I raced, but I never really had a specific drive or focus. I was able to say "I do triathlons" and "I've done an Ironman" but not with any real pride. Sure it was great that I finished an Ironman, but did I really try my best? Well at the time I thought so, but as I discovered more about my athletic abilities, I realized, NO, I did NOT try my hardest. I still had a long way to go.
As I followed Steve on his CrossFit workout journey I started to become intrigued by the intensity and wondered if maybe I could attempt a workout like that. I asked him to send me a sample of what he was doing. So, on September 9, 2007, Steve Berlin sent me "The Post-Cert Chipper"...and it's been all uphill from there. I took that workout, cut all the reps in half, and went to the gym to try it out. Seven minutes is all it took, but I was DESTROYED. I lay there on the gym floor panting, sweat pouring from every square inch of my body. I was completely spent. But from that moment on, I was hooked on CrossFit.
Every day I'd look at the CrossFit website, find another workout that sounded interesting, and I'd go to the gym to try it out. For the first month or so, I scaled the workouts to a point that I could handle, just so I could at least get the feeling of what I was supposed to do. I watched videos for hours on end, trying to learn all the new moves. I had a history in bodybuilding, so I knew about some of the lifts...deadlifts, bench presses, pullups, pushups, etc. But some of these new CrossFit-specific moves (sumo deadlift high-pull, thruster, etc.) took some learning to get used to. Of course, then there were the Olympic lifts that I had mostly NO idea how to execute. I watched instructional videos over and over to get the feeling right. Then I'd head to the gym to try them out. It took a while to get the form correct, but when I got it correct, I knew it. I fell in love in Olympic lifting moves. The first time I executed a perfect squat clean, I nearly laughed myself silly...I felt great!
Fast forward about three months. I was pretty proficient in most of the CrossFit moves. By this time I'd already brought my FRAN down from 6:45 to 5:04 and was feeling pretty strong, lean, and fast. My bodyfat had been slashed from 14% to about 10% and was still falling. I was addicted to whey protein powder and lean healthy eating. My training was skyrocketing, my attitude was perpetually positive, and I actually started to feel almost arrogant about the shape I was in. People at the gym would ask me "what is that insanity you just did?" and "how the hell are you not falling over dead after that?". Bodybuilders just stood and watched, when it was usually THEY who would be the ones being watched. Here was a little 150-pound dude deadlifting 225 pounds...not once, or twice, or even 10 times, but 55 times over the course of a workout!!
I've started making my own workouts. Super-intense 20-minute mashups, short burts, run-based workouts, etc. I'm studying to be a personal trainer and will use interval training with my clients who want to achieve a high level of leanness, strength, endurance, power, and speed...all at the same time...CrossFit shows it CAN be done. Tabatas anyone?
Now...how does all this relate to triathlon and running? In December 2006, I attempted my first 50-mile run at Sunmart. That race took 11 hours and 36 minutes. I was next to last in age group, and only 5 people finished after me in the entire race. I was destroyed. I couldn't move my right leg. My hip flexors were so fatigued that, going home that night, I had to physically lift my leg into the car with my arms. I thought I'd never do it again. Enter CrossFit...in December 2007, I reattempted the 50-mile distance. 8 hours, 18 minutes. An improvement of 3 hours and 18 minutes!! 3rd in age group. 29th overall. And not only that, I was walking around, feeling fine for hours on end after the race. I even jogged a bit to cool down after I sat around and rehydrated a bit.
Another example. In 2007, I ran the Gasparilla marathon in Tampa (where I currently reside) and I ran a 3:39...I was ecstatic with that time since only a month before I ran a 4:20 at Disney. I felt great but I thought, I'll never qualify for Boston unless I can take another half hour off my best marathon time. At this point I felt this was impossible. I didn't feel like I could have run ANY faster than I had. I trained more that year, but I didn't feel any fitter. Again...enter CrossFit. I did the running workouts as well as the power workouts. I concentrated on making my legs stronger. As the 2008 Gasparilla marathon approached, I was wary of how I was progressing. I had the 2007 Sunmart 50-miler PR under my belt, and had run a 50K at the end of December in 4:17, easily winning the men's race. But those races were both run at paces of above 8:30 per mile! Was I ready to be able to run 26.2 miles at 7:15 pace or below? I was very nervous. Race day came and sure enough, I blew it away. I ran 6:55 pace for the first 19 miles of the race. My last 7 miles were no slower than 7:15. Overall pace wound up being around 7:07 per mile. It was my CrossFit training that allowed me to run through the pain and keep enduring until I reached my goal. I qualified for Boston and will run the marathon there in April 2009.
What about triathlon you ask?
April 2007....Ironman Arizona...on a scale of 1-10, I'd say IMAZ is around a 6 in difficulty. I trained for and finished that race in 12 hours and 24 minutes. That was before CrossFit...
June 2008...Ironman Coeur d'Alene...let me go ahead and give that one an 8 on the difficulty scale. Bigger hills on the bike, more of them, 59 degree water, and some large hills on the run as well. Better nutrition and solid CrossFit training in addition to my IM training brought my time down to 11:14!! And it felt easier than IMAZ! Sure the hills were difficult, but the race overall went smoother. Biggest difference...the run. At IMAZ, I ran a 4:34 marathon with MUCH walking along the way. At CdA, I ran a 3:38, NEVER walked, and only two people passed me on the run...both were girls (Heather Gollnick and the winner of the F25-29 AG).
November 2008...Ironman Florida...a 5 on the difficulty scale. I did almost ZERO training in the months between the two races...save for (you guessed it) CrossFit, and a few long distance runs and bikes. Only two 100-mile bike rides, and no runs greater than 16 miles. I hardly swam at all. My longest swim set was under 3000 yards. Most of my weekday workouts were an hour or less. CrossFit and some general speedwork were my only power workouts. How did I do at IMFL? 10:27. A 3 minute swim PR (1:12), a 33 minute bike PR (5:38), and again...an insane run...3:26, which is 12 minutes better than at CdA. I had stopped my long IM workouts, but kept up the CrossFit...which makes me believe that CF had everything to do with my increases in performance. And if you look back about a month before the race, you'll see that I went thru that 2-week long depression where I pretty much stopped training altogether, including CrossFit. Bit testament to CrossFit's ability to keep one fit during some downtime.
As of this writing I'm down to 150 pounds, 8.2% bodyfat, I have a 4:06 Fran and I'm planning on going for a sub-3 marathon time and a sub-8-hour 50-mile time soon. I'm signed up for and very excited about attempting the Umstead 100-mile trail run in April.
Of course, let me not forget to mention...NUTRITION WAS A HUGE PART OF THIS!!! Let's not forget that the correct meal/nutrition/supplementation plan is crucial to developing a physique and gaining performance. I ate a very clean diet which included lean meats, fat-free milk, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and MOST importantly, whey protein. It was a staple of my diet, I consumed it as much as four times per day, eating 4 additional whole-food meals as well.
Supplements allow the body to use nutrients efficiently, so I never neglected my multi-vitamin and always used a caffeine-based fat burner or energy pill. Fish Oil, another huge proponent of energy production in the body, was always taken in the morning and at night. I used L-Arginine, Beta-Alanine, and Branch Chain Amino Acids as well. These all help with energy/power production and increase muscle torque and endurance. Co-Q10 and Echinacea also help increase the body's capacity for oxygen consumption (VO2 max.).
SO...there you have it. CrossFit's role in my still-waxing athletic career. I'm still, after four years of competition, getting faster, and plan to continue my climb up the podium. Stay tuned, more to come soon!!
20081113
Back To School Night!
081113 - 1345
Things are underway. I have registered for online personal trainer certification from AFTA. I have registered for a CPR/AED class. I have enrolled in an online ACE-exam review course. I will take lots of tests and learn a lot about myself and exercise science in the next two months. If all is successful, by the end of the year, I will be a certified personal trainer. I will have American Red Cross CPR/AEC certification, ACE personal trainer certification, and AFTA personal trainer certification.
Tonight is my first night of studying...the first night of "school" for me in over 5 years.
My goal is to have a good enough client base AND a good enough part time trainer job with a fitness establishment to be able to leave my dreaded engineering job and either work full time in a gym/fitness center with clients on the side, or full time with clients in my own personal training business. The latter probably won't happen immediately, I'm probably gonna need about a year to establish myself enough. Luckily, because I have the support of my other half, I will be able to keep my fees low enough to be competitive as I build my business.
My next step will be to become a certified running coach with the RRCA (Road Running Coaches Association) and move into professional running.
I am very excited about things on the horizon. It's about time I got a kick in the pants (i.e. my dreaded engineering job cutting my pay by 40%) to do something that I've wanted for a long time but was never forced to do.
Personal training school...here I come!
Things are underway. I have registered for online personal trainer certification from AFTA. I have registered for a CPR/AED class. I have enrolled in an online ACE-exam review course. I will take lots of tests and learn a lot about myself and exercise science in the next two months. If all is successful, by the end of the year, I will be a certified personal trainer. I will have American Red Cross CPR/AEC certification, ACE personal trainer certification, and AFTA personal trainer certification.
Tonight is my first night of studying...the first night of "school" for me in over 5 years.
My goal is to have a good enough client base AND a good enough part time trainer job with a fitness establishment to be able to leave my dreaded engineering job and either work full time in a gym/fitness center with clients on the side, or full time with clients in my own personal training business. The latter probably won't happen immediately, I'm probably gonna need about a year to establish myself enough. Luckily, because I have the support of my other half, I will be able to keep my fees low enough to be competitive as I build my business.
My next step will be to become a certified running coach with the RRCA (Road Running Coaches Association) and move into professional running.
I am very excited about things on the horizon. It's about time I got a kick in the pants (i.e. my dreaded engineering job cutting my pay by 40%) to do something that I've wanted for a long time but was never forced to do.
Personal training school...here I come!
20081106
On The Road To Umstead
081106 - 1400
Well, it's been a few weeks since I've been here and shared thoughts, but I'm happy to say that things are much better. Ironman is over, my stress from training has dropped, and I'm ready to tackle some running!
Unfortunately, job stress has me a bit crazed. Bigtime pay cuts are forcing me to all but cancel my 2009 racing season, other than the races I'm already registered for. But that stuff notwithstanding, I'm ready to give it my all to get ready to conquer the Umstead 100 on 090404.
Next on my list is a 50K run up in Georgia which I almost won last year. I expect that I should be able to come out victorious this year, and I have a chance to break the course record if I try hard enough. We'll see what the conditions bring. No expectations just yet. I'm ready though. I'm excited. And I'm feeling really happy. That's what matters most, even though I'm looking at some pretty hard financial times. Changes there are in the works too.
Well, it's been a few weeks since I've been here and shared thoughts, but I'm happy to say that things are much better. Ironman is over, my stress from training has dropped, and I'm ready to tackle some running!
Unfortunately, job stress has me a bit crazed. Bigtime pay cuts are forcing me to all but cancel my 2009 racing season, other than the races I'm already registered for. But that stuff notwithstanding, I'm ready to give it my all to get ready to conquer the Umstead 100 on 090404.
Next on my list is a 50K run up in Georgia which I almost won last year. I expect that I should be able to come out victorious this year, and I have a chance to break the course record if I try hard enough. We'll see what the conditions bring. No expectations just yet. I'm ready though. I'm excited. And I'm feeling really happy. That's what matters most, even though I'm looking at some pretty hard financial times. Changes there are in the works too.
20081020
The Changes Have Been Made!
MO081020 - 0930
Well, it's been a few weeks, and I'm happy to say that things have really improved. I had to make some changes in my diet, supplement schedule, and general outlook, but things are really much better.
Last weekend, I went up to DC to visit my friend Haley, who I hadn't seen in a long time...more than two years. We had a blast. And I ran the Baltimore Marathon while I was there. It was a tough course, but I ran a 3:10 on almost no training. So it really brought up my confidence level. With that renewed confidence, I was able to get through the final week of Ironman training and now I'm in taper. So now I can relax, do the workouts, I can even do CrossFit this week, and then get to race day on November 1 without going crazy.
I feel so much better. I have to admit though, whether it's psychosomatic or not, going back on the Lipo-6X fat burner and the Vitrix mass-builder really helped me stabilize. The Lipo-6X is supposed to affect the seratonin levels in the brain and act like an anti-depressant and mood-enhancer, so if it does, it's working. I've been more positive and happier ever since day 2 of being back on it. Does that mean I'm physically dependent on it? Well...maybe...but isn't that what I'd be to the prescription anti-depressants? I'd rather take something that helps my bodyfat percentage stay low AND helps me stay happy...without a prescription or doctor to deal with.
Once Ironman is over, I'll have my biggest running season EVER to conquer. THIS, I'm looking foward to. No transitions, no wetsuits, no bike equipment. Just me, my running shoes, and my Marathon Maniacs jersey. Oh...and shorts too...I only run ONE naked 5K per year. :)
It feels good to be back. I hated feeling like the world was dark around me. This is much better.
Well, it's been a few weeks, and I'm happy to say that things have really improved. I had to make some changes in my diet, supplement schedule, and general outlook, but things are really much better.
Last weekend, I went up to DC to visit my friend Haley, who I hadn't seen in a long time...more than two years. We had a blast. And I ran the Baltimore Marathon while I was there. It was a tough course, but I ran a 3:10 on almost no training. So it really brought up my confidence level. With that renewed confidence, I was able to get through the final week of Ironman training and now I'm in taper. So now I can relax, do the workouts, I can even do CrossFit this week, and then get to race day on November 1 without going crazy.
I feel so much better. I have to admit though, whether it's psychosomatic or not, going back on the Lipo-6X fat burner and the Vitrix mass-builder really helped me stabilize. The Lipo-6X is supposed to affect the seratonin levels in the brain and act like an anti-depressant and mood-enhancer, so if it does, it's working. I've been more positive and happier ever since day 2 of being back on it. Does that mean I'm physically dependent on it? Well...maybe...but isn't that what I'd be to the prescription anti-depressants? I'd rather take something that helps my bodyfat percentage stay low AND helps me stay happy...without a prescription or doctor to deal with.
Once Ironman is over, I'll have my biggest running season EVER to conquer. THIS, I'm looking foward to. No transitions, no wetsuits, no bike equipment. Just me, my running shoes, and my Marathon Maniacs jersey. Oh...and shorts too...I only run ONE naked 5K per year. :)
It feels good to be back. I hated feeling like the world was dark around me. This is much better.
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