I had a fun swim yesterday. I'm swimming with David's swim team, and the coach creatively designs an individual workout for me. I'm still convinced that my swim coaches, past and present, set up IM and butterfly sets for me just for their amusement. I don't do butterfly... it's more of a bumblebee (if a bumblebee is not supposed to be able to fly due to its aerodynamics...). Anyway, after a 10 x 100 IM set, I had to sprint kick 25's. Now, the term "sprint kick" is an oxymoron in my world. And I was going to ask if I could use fins, but decided against it, since I knew the answer would be laughter and a "No." But I was actually excited that I was able to sprint kick a 25 between 22-25 seconds. Before any of you belittle that time, you have to understand that I was barely able to get forward propulsion when I first started kicking back when I was just starting to swim for triathlons.
So after doing a set of 25's my legs were a bit thrashed. And then the last part? Ashley said, "One last thing before you get out of the pool: swim an 800." Excuse me? I repeated that as a question. And yup, that was the answer. And so back and forth I went. And you know what? It didn't kill me; the lifeguards didn't have to save me; and I got it done. As I was finishing the last few laps, I thought that something like that is really good for me. Considering that a sprint tri is usually a 1/2 mile swim, it made me realize that I SHOULD be swimming faster during a race. After all, if I can swim an 800 at the end of a workout, swimming hard during a triathlon should be reasonable.
The funniest part of this was when I told my family about my workout while we were eating dinner. I guess some of David's teammates were complaining about having to finish their workout with 4 x 100. His response: "Would you rather do this or would you rather do what my Dad is doing? He has to swim an 800." I guess I might have earned a little bit of respect from his team yesterday.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Something about Newtons
Today is a double-header. Actually the entry just before this was written yesterday. I wasn't sure whether I was going to keep it or delete it, and then I figured that this was my blog and I can do whatever I want.
Today's thoughts are less esoteric and more along the lines of what this blog was intended for: running and triathlons. I ran yesterday in my Newtons. It has been a few weeks since I ran in them, since I'm still trying to like the K-Swiss Kwicky's that I got last year. Because of this, I've been running primarily in them; the other admission is that I haven't been running much at all in the past few weeks. Truth be told, I haven't been enjoying running recently. Coincidentally (or maybe not), most if not all of my runs have been with the Kwickys. My feet have hurt a bit more, my legs have not felt as "snappy," and my body has ached a bit more the following day. Since the weather has been wet recently, I decided to use my Newton Momentums, which were more likely to keep my feet drier. The Kwickys have drain holes in the sole, which not only let water out, but also let water in, so not the best choice when there are puddles around.
But... the weather was cool and dry, the roads were dry, and the trails were mostly dry. I ran from the hospital after work because I had a meeting until 5:00. As I started on my run, my legs felt pretty good, better than they've felt in a few weeks. And my entire run felt good and, while not effortless, seemed less of a slog than it has been. It again had me wondering: what is it about Newtons that seems to fit my running style so well? Most of the time that I run in them, I feel better than when running in other shoes. At first, I thought it was a placebo effect, but it has been pretty repeatable. I have switched off shoes since the early 80's when I worked in a running shoe store. And I have always used two different kinds (and usually brands) of shoes. The first reason is that this is supposed to increase shoe life; of course, that's more the case if you are running every day. The second reason (and the reason I use different models/brands) is to keep from developing a repetitive stress injury. Changing the models/brands causes you to run slightly differently, and, theoretically, decreases risk of injury.
Anyway, by doing this, along with justifying the inner Imelda Marcos in me, I do learn which shoes work better for me. What I've found over the past several years is that Newtons work for me. Obviously, they're not for everyone, but I like them. I'll probably keep alternating shoes, but I think the idea that the Newtons make it easier for me to enjoy running is real. And I may retire the Kwickys early.
(I am not sponsored by, nor do I have any affiliation with Newton Running... not yet at least!)
Today's thoughts are less esoteric and more along the lines of what this blog was intended for: running and triathlons. I ran yesterday in my Newtons. It has been a few weeks since I ran in them, since I'm still trying to like the K-Swiss Kwicky's that I got last year. Because of this, I've been running primarily in them; the other admission is that I haven't been running much at all in the past few weeks. Truth be told, I haven't been enjoying running recently. Coincidentally (or maybe not), most if not all of my runs have been with the Kwickys. My feet have hurt a bit more, my legs have not felt as "snappy," and my body has ached a bit more the following day. Since the weather has been wet recently, I decided to use my Newton Momentums, which were more likely to keep my feet drier. The Kwickys have drain holes in the sole, which not only let water out, but also let water in, so not the best choice when there are puddles around.
But... the weather was cool and dry, the roads were dry, and the trails were mostly dry. I ran from the hospital after work because I had a meeting until 5:00. As I started on my run, my legs felt pretty good, better than they've felt in a few weeks. And my entire run felt good and, while not effortless, seemed less of a slog than it has been. It again had me wondering: what is it about Newtons that seems to fit my running style so well? Most of the time that I run in them, I feel better than when running in other shoes. At first, I thought it was a placebo effect, but it has been pretty repeatable. I have switched off shoes since the early 80's when I worked in a running shoe store. And I have always used two different kinds (and usually brands) of shoes. The first reason is that this is supposed to increase shoe life; of course, that's more the case if you are running every day. The second reason (and the reason I use different models/brands) is to keep from developing a repetitive stress injury. Changing the models/brands causes you to run slightly differently, and, theoretically, decreases risk of injury.
Anyway, by doing this, along with justifying the inner Imelda Marcos in me, I do learn which shoes work better for me. What I've found over the past several years is that Newtons work for me. Obviously, they're not for everyone, but I like them. I'll probably keep alternating shoes, but I think the idea that the Newtons make it easier for me to enjoy running is real. And I may retire the Kwickys early.
(I am not sponsored by, nor do I have any affiliation with Newton Running... not yet at least!)
Random thoughts
"Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss." This is the line from "Wall Street" that Hal Holbrook's character says to Charlie Sheen just before Sheen is arrested, and was likely paraphrased from Friedrich Nietzsche. And it seems fitting to apply to Tyler Hamilton, based upon his book that I just read. What does that have to do with me? The choices that professional athletes make are hard ones. They are being paid to perform, and, if they don't perform, they don't get paid. While that doesn't justify the cheating that goes on, it does help to explain it to some extent.
I am an amateur MOP-triathlete. I enjoy my avocation, and can look upon it with a purity that a pro has long since lost. Why? I don't have the talent to be come close to a pro, but, thankfully, my ability to put a roof over my family's head or food on the table is not dependent on my athletic ability. Rather, it is dependent on my intellect, which, I assume since I've been doing my job for 20+ years, IS reasonably good. So, I can enjoy my athletic endeavors, and the only pressure to perform is that which I put on myself. It doesn't mean that I try any less hard. It just means that I can try (tri?) my hardest, and if I get beat by someone, it's because they were better than me on that day, and I can live with that. I can also look myself in the eye and be satisfied that I have not done anything that I would be ashamed of admitting.
Our culture deifies those that have the talent to do things that we cannot ourselves do. That's why we pay our performers (actors, musicians, athletes) enormous amounts of money to entertain us. And yet, I'm much happier being an anonymous member of society who does things, which, while being compensated not nearly as well as a performer, are just as important for the health and well-being of society.
I am an amateur MOP-triathlete. I enjoy my avocation, and can look upon it with a purity that a pro has long since lost. Why? I don't have the talent to be come close to a pro, but, thankfully, my ability to put a roof over my family's head or food on the table is not dependent on my athletic ability. Rather, it is dependent on my intellect, which, I assume since I've been doing my job for 20+ years, IS reasonably good. So, I can enjoy my athletic endeavors, and the only pressure to perform is that which I put on myself. It doesn't mean that I try any less hard. It just means that I can try (tri?) my hardest, and if I get beat by someone, it's because they were better than me on that day, and I can live with that. I can also look myself in the eye and be satisfied that I have not done anything that I would be ashamed of admitting.
Our culture deifies those that have the talent to do things that we cannot ourselves do. That's why we pay our performers (actors, musicians, athletes) enormous amounts of money to entertain us. And yet, I'm much happier being an anonymous member of society who does things, which, while being compensated not nearly as well as a performer, are just as important for the health and well-being of society.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Back to MacGyver units!
I'm watching MacGyver again. Yes, that means I'm back on my trainer, and it's the off-season. I decided to give Trainerroad.com another chance, especially because I'm still in the transition phase of my season. In truth, I'm still in vacation mode after Boards. I have to recertify for Internal Medicine every 10 years, and this was the year. I spent the past couple of months studying fairly hard and took Boards just under 2 weeks ago. Since the last time I took a really meaningful test was 10 years ago, my study habits and ability to concentrate for long periods of time are pretty poor. And the test was harder than I expected. 10 years ago, it seemed like the test was pretty easy. This time, there were a lot of tough questions. Well, hopefully, I passed.
Now that it's over, I seem to have a lot of free time. Maybe it's the combination of extra time, and relief that I no longer have to feel like "I should be studying." I've spent the past week enjoying down time, watching some TV guilt-free. And of course, now that I can golf, ride my bike and run, the rainy season has started. That's why I'm back to MacGyver. Just sitting on my bike pedaling and mindlessly watching MacGyver escape from the brink of danger (usually Cold War oriented) is therapeutic, even if I'm not pushing myself very hard. Last Saturday was a 1.5 MacGyver unit ride, and was pretty low intensity. But MacGyver saved a cruise ship, so the universe is orderly once again.
I'm now reading Tyler Hamilton's book, "The Secret Race." Before all of the doping surfaced, I respected Tyler Hamilton as a rider. He seemed down-to-Earth, humble, and not a megalomaniac. Then, the whole "twin" thing came about after he got busted, and I lost all respect for him. After watching the "60 Minutes" interview, I had a little bit of respect for him again, as he admitted quite a lot. As I read his book, with all of the Lance brouhaha in the background, he is earning my respect again.
I never believed that cyclists were clean, but I never realized the extent of the doping. Today, I took a look at the TdF list of podium finishers, and there isn't a "clean name" from 1996-2005. Everyone on the podium has been implicated in doping. In 1994, I had the opportunity to ride with Graeme Obree, and he mentioned that 70% of the pro peloton was on drugs. At that time, we all kind of nodded and said, "Yeah, right." In retrospect, he was wrong; the number was certainly higher than 70%.
When contemplating which road one is going to take, the biggest decision really "should" be whether your chosen path will allow you to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
Now that it's over, I seem to have a lot of free time. Maybe it's the combination of extra time, and relief that I no longer have to feel like "I should be studying." I've spent the past week enjoying down time, watching some TV guilt-free. And of course, now that I can golf, ride my bike and run, the rainy season has started. That's why I'm back to MacGyver. Just sitting on my bike pedaling and mindlessly watching MacGyver escape from the brink of danger (usually Cold War oriented) is therapeutic, even if I'm not pushing myself very hard. Last Saturday was a 1.5 MacGyver unit ride, and was pretty low intensity. But MacGyver saved a cruise ship, so the universe is orderly once again.
I'm now reading Tyler Hamilton's book, "The Secret Race." Before all of the doping surfaced, I respected Tyler Hamilton as a rider. He seemed down-to-Earth, humble, and not a megalomaniac. Then, the whole "twin" thing came about after he got busted, and I lost all respect for him. After watching the "60 Minutes" interview, I had a little bit of respect for him again, as he admitted quite a lot. As I read his book, with all of the Lance brouhaha in the background, he is earning my respect again.
I never believed that cyclists were clean, but I never realized the extent of the doping. Today, I took a look at the TdF list of podium finishers, and there isn't a "clean name" from 1996-2005. Everyone on the podium has been implicated in doping. In 1994, I had the opportunity to ride with Graeme Obree, and he mentioned that 70% of the pro peloton was on drugs. At that time, we all kind of nodded and said, "Yeah, right." In retrospect, he was wrong; the number was certainly higher than 70%.
When contemplating which road one is going to take, the biggest decision really "should" be whether your chosen path will allow you to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The other day... I met a bear
Went out on a bike ride yesterday. It was a beautiful Fall afternoon, and, after studying for too many hours, the unbelievable weather that we've been having called me to enjoy it. I got on my road bike for the first time in who knows how long. It has been 2 weeks since I got on a bike at all, and I've been spending all of my time on my tri-bike. While I enjoy riding my tri-bike, there's something special about how my road bike feels that always brings a smile to my face. In 17 years, I've had 3 different tri-bikes, and the same road bike.
I decided to go for a gentle ride on Fort Lewis. With Train buzzing in my ears, and sunshine on my face, it was hard to not be loving life. Mount Rainier was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. After passing through the gate on my way home, I turned left to head past the pet cemetery. I saw a black object lumbering down the road about 1/4 mile in front of me, and I knew it was a black bear. I slowed down, and thought about pulling out my phone to snap a quick picture, but realized that if it got spooked and decided to chase me, I'd be SOL. And as I got closer, I wondered if Momma Bear was somewhere close and decided that skipping the Kodak (would that be a Kodiak?) moment was a smart decision. I freewheeled to make sure the little bear heard me. When he turned and saw me, he jumped and bolted for the fence line, crashing head first into the fence. I turned right away from the cemetery and bear and rode home. As I looked back one final time, the bear was sitting up, looking directly at me; made me grin even more. On Fort Lewis, I saw one car and one bear. A pretty good ratio, I think.
I decided to go for a gentle ride on Fort Lewis. With Train buzzing in my ears, and sunshine on my face, it was hard to not be loving life. Mount Rainier was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. After passing through the gate on my way home, I turned left to head past the pet cemetery. I saw a black object lumbering down the road about 1/4 mile in front of me, and I knew it was a black bear. I slowed down, and thought about pulling out my phone to snap a quick picture, but realized that if it got spooked and decided to chase me, I'd be SOL. And as I got closer, I wondered if Momma Bear was somewhere close and decided that skipping the Kodak (would that be a Kodiak?) moment was a smart decision. I freewheeled to make sure the little bear heard me. When he turned and saw me, he jumped and bolted for the fence line, crashing head first into the fence. I turned right away from the cemetery and bear and rode home. As I looked back one final time, the bear was sitting up, looking directly at me; made me grin even more. On Fort Lewis, I saw one car and one bear. A pretty good ratio, I think.
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