Link Love

"Link Love" is a weekly series where I repost interesting blogs from the week.

Tri Training
Oriflamme 50K - My First Ultramarathon
Rachel at Diary of an Amateur Triathlete wrote a captivating race report about her recent 50K. I don't think it's possible to read this report without getting the itch to do a nice long run through nature!

The New Sport Of Kings: A Conversation With Jeff Henderson, Pt. I
Ever wonder what happens to all those race registration fees? Mark at Journey's of a Triathlete Father of Five interviews a race director to find out exactly where the money goes.

General Health and Nutrition
A Sweet Problem: Princeton Researcher's find that high fructose corn syrup prompts considerable more weight gain
Step away from the soda! In case you weren't convinced yet, another study showing the dangerous results of eating a diet high in high fructose corn syrup.

Randomness
Win Some Sweet Schwagg from Road ID, Ryders and Gu
Carol at Triathlon Training Blog is doing an awesome giveaway with Gu, Road ID and sunglasses. Personally I'm really wishing for a new pair of shades.

Speed Demon!

{source}

As you might recall my biggest goal for the off-season was to improve my run. When I started the season I was averaging about 10 minute miles. You all gave me some great feedback about how to improve running. Many of you said that I should focus on just getting out there and doing it - no need for speed sessions or form drills - just run. So that's what I've done. I've been running 3-4 times a week with 3 shorter runs (3-4 miles) and one longer run (6-7 miles) and I've worked my way up to about 18 miles per week.

Another challenge I faced last year was that all my runs were the same speed - I didn't have a race pace, tempo pace, long run pace, etc. I was either walking, running or sprinting. As my speed as increased over the winter I've been afraid of doing slower runs. I wanted every run to be faster than the last. I was scared that if I ran slow, on purpose, that I would get slower. I know this isn't true but I was still scared to slow it down.

Last week I was so sore from my spin workout that I finally let myself have a slow recovery run. I told myself I would try to stay around a 10 minute mile (30 seconds slower than my usual runs) and I ended up running 11 minute miles!

Today my goal was to do a fast/tempo run. It was hard but I just kept telling myself: "This is the hardest and the fastest you have to run all week. Don't stop and don't let up. " Well my determination paid off! Check out these splits:

Mile 1: 9:00

Mile 2: 8:56

Mile 3: 8:57

Mile 4: 8:47

All 9 minutes and under! My fastest run yet! And, I did a quick check and 8:47 is my fastest mile I've logged since getting my Garmin which means it is probably the fastest mile ever!

Core Moves: Push Up into Plank

You all know how I feel about core strength. It has made a big difference in improving all disciplines but especially my running. Every Wednesday night after my spin workout we spend 10 minutes doing core moves. Typically this includes crunches, bicycle kicks, flutter kicks, obliques, bridges and planks.

A few weeks ago the coach introduced a new move and I love it! It is really challenging and a great way to mix things up a bit. It is a bit difficult to explain so I did a photo demonstration :)

1. Start in a push up position with arms straight


2. Move your right leg to the side, tap your toe and immediately return to center.

3. As soon as your right leg returns move your left leg out, tap your toe and return to center.

4. Complete 10 reps (tap each foot 10 times). Then immediately enter into a plank position. Hold for 15-30 seconds.

5. Return to push-up position, complete 10 sets of foot taps.

6. Go immediately into a side plank and hold 15-30 seconds.

7. Return to push-up position & complete 10 sets of foot taps

8. Go immediately into a side plank (opposite side) and hold 15-30 seconds.

9. Collapse on the floor and swear off core exercise forever.

Another Successful Training Weekend

I took Friday off to let my body rest and recover. My hamstrings were still super tight from my indoor bike workout on Wednesday night. I’ve been trying to swim on Friday mornings but things have been a bit crazy – in training and in life – and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I really need that rest day to let myself recover. I still might swim on the occasional Friday, especially when I know that I won’t get a chance to swim on the weekend, but I won’t kill myself to make it happen.

After our Malt-O-Meal it was off to the gym for a long weight lifting and core session. The weather was absolutely gorgeous so I couldn’t wait to get outside for a long run. I ended up running right around 12:30pm and it was HOT – it must have been in the mid 70’s. I was running in shorts and a sleeveless shirt and I was actually wondering how we run outside in the summer! It’s supposed to dip back down to 50’s this week so it looks like I won’t be hot again anytime soon.

I tried to keep a steady and even pace on my run. Most of my splits averaged around 9:30. My shins were really hurting in the beginning but after about 1.5 miles they stopped hurting. After the run I ran across the street to the deli to get a couple bags of ice and took a short but painful ice bath. Even though I was really only in for about 5 minutes I think it helped my shins and hamstrings.

We went out with a friend on Saturday night and after indulging in hush puppies, Cajun crab cakes, mac and cheese, collard greens and a few beers I was beat. We crawled into bed at 11pm and when the alarm was blasting at 5:45 for our morning swim practice my whole body hurt.

I was the designated leader in my lane for practice and two other guys were drafting off me. Knowing I had two people right on my toes kept me pushing the pace. It took me about 500 meters to warm up and then I started to feel okay. It had been about 2 weeks since I was in the pool though and I felt a bit sloppy for the whole practice. I don’t need a lot of swim workouts but I should aim for at least once a week (ideally two!).

Swim Workout (50 meter pool)
Warm Up
4 x 50 alternate swim, drill, swim, drill
200 swim
200 pull
5 x 100’s – decreasing times

Main Set
2 x 400’s – moderate effort (30 second rest)
4 x 200’s – increasing effort (20 second rest)
6 x 100’s – hard effort (15 second rest)

Cool Down
300 swim

We only have an hour so I made it through the 200’s for a total distance of 2800 meters. After the swim we drove home, picked up our bikes, drove back into Manhattan and dropped them off for service. The bike shop was so busy that they won’t be ready until Monday, March 29th! Then we stopped by our favorite store and Sam bought a new TYR transition bag. It is pretty cool and has a ton of pockets and compartments. The only downside is it is really big. Sam is about 6’1” and this is what it looks like on him:
I think he could also use this as a weapon on the subway for when someone is crowding his space. Just turn around and the bag will take them right out.

After he repacked his new gear bag we were on our way back to Asphalt Green for a Sunday afternoon spin workout. It was an 80 minute workout and it completely kicked my butt! (The coach is a member of the team and he has been to Kona twice!)

All in all it was very productive training weekend. We have a lot on our plates between travel and work over the next few weeks so it’s unlikely we’ll get another weekend like that until late April!

Link Love

"Link Love" is a weekly series where I repost interesting blogs from the week.

Tri Training

Is caffeine bad for triathletes? (Everyman Tri)
An interesting perspective on caffeine and triathlon training. I don't consume a ton of caffeine but I do have a daily cup of coffee (or two). I think that I enjoy the taste and ritual of a daily cup of coffee more than the actual caffeine content. Perhaps I should try decaf. What is your take on caffeine?

Five steps to start a beginner triathlon training program (EverymanTri)
A great post for those who are planning to do their first tri this year.

Let's Talk Recovery (SwiCycloRun)
Jon posted about his strategies for a speedy recovery. Recovery is an important and often overlooked component of tri training. He includes a link for a chocolate banana protein shake that sounds delicious!


General Health & Nutrition

75 Ways Going Vegetarian Has Made My Life Better (No Meat Athlete)
Matt posted the 75 ways that becoming a vegetarian has improved his life. If you're considering going veg check out this post for some great inspiration.


The Simple Way to Stick to a Meal Plan (Zen Habits)
Tri season is just around the corner and you might be thinking about trying to drop those five pounds you gained in winter hibernation. Leo's tips for sticking to a meal plan are a great way to organize your diet and attain your goal wait.


Randomness

Deliciously Dangerous Clif Builder's Bars: Review And Giveaway (Journey's of a Triathlon Father of Five)
Mark is giving away three boxes of Clif Builder's Bars. Check out the blog post to learn the four ways to enter!

Feed Me!

I like food. A lot. I like food so much that I rarely go without eating for more than 3 hours. Everyday I pack food for a morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. On Mondays and Wednesdays I add a pre-workout "meal" and on Monday's and the occasional Friday I also pack breakfast because I go to work straight from the gym. If you're still reading you'll notice this means on Monday's I carry enough food to feed an army - breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, pre-workout meal! Phew. Makes me tired just writing it.

I really try to focus on eating real, whole foods. Even better if it's local and/or organic. Lately my biggest food dilemma is related to evening workouts. On Monday's and Wednesdays I do workouts with the club around 8pm. For the last few months I've been eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich around 6pm. Yesterday I mixed it up and had a sandwich with almond butter and a half banana - Yum! Then, when I get home around 10 or 10:30 I eat something quick and simple like oatmeal or a bowl of cereal and head straight to bed.

Scott Jurek mentioned in his presentation that one go-to food for him is Amy's frozen burritos. Sometimes he eats them during his ultra marathons. I checked them out at the store last time and even though I try to stay away from anything processed/frozen I decided to give them a try. Last night when I got home from the spin-workout-from-hell (it was like weight lifting on the bike) I inhaled this:

Amy's Bean & Rice Burrito

Stats: Calories: 300, Fat: 9g (saturated fat: 2.5g), Carbs: 43g (fiber: 6g), Protein: 11g

Ingredients: No MSG/ No Preservatives. Organic pinto beans, organic whole wheat and wheat flour, filtered water, organic brown rice, organic tomatoes, cheddar and jack cheeses, expeller pressed high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, organic onions, organic bell peppers, organic sweet rice flour, seat salt, spices, organic garlic.

Not only can I pronounce those ingredients I can even spell them! The burrito was delicious and filling enough for a late night snack. I don't think it would be a good substitute for a regular dinner but it was great for a dinner-part-II and I wasn't even too hungry when I woke up this morning!

What do you eat before or after your workouts? If you workout in the evenings how do you handle pre and post fueling? I love learning about what others eat!

Reunited And It Feels So Good!

We went to Connecticut this past weekend to retrieve our bikes. They've been in storage since Thanksgiving and I'm so happy to have them back. This weekend they are off to the bike doctor for a spring check-up and then hopefully we can get them out on the open road not long after that!

Have you had your first spring ride yet or are you one of those crazy ones that rides outside in the snow? Or are you a smart one who chooses to live somewhere that it never snows?!

Multisport World Conference & Expo - DC, NYC & BOS

Registration is now open for the Multisport World Conference & Expo. The expo is FREE and the first 500 registrants get a swag bag!

Cambridge, MA - March 20th

Bethesda, MD - March 7th

New York, NY - April 18th

More information about the NYC expo:

In partnership with the Northeast region of USAT and the Jewish Community
Center (JCC) Manhattan, Multisport World comes to the Big Apple on April
18, 2010. Hosted by the JCC Manahttan at 334 Amsterdam Avenue in NYC, you're
invited to attend expert-led seminars, participate in training clinics, and
walk a vendor expo featuring retailers and manufacturers of products, gear and
nutritional products... certified coaches... race directors... and much more.
Whether you've been doing triathlons for 10 years or you're thinking about doing
your first one, this is an event you won't want to miss.

Keynoting the event will be Coach Troy Jacobson. Coach Troy is widely recognized as one of the top coaches in the United States for single sport and multisport alike. He is founder of the best-selling Spinervals DVD workout series and currently serves as the National Director of Endurance Sports Training for Lifetime Fitness. Admission to the expo floor and seminars is FREE. Be among the first 500 registered attendees and you will receive a swag bag featuring a Spinervals DVD ($30 value), product samples, money-saving coupons and more. All registered attendees are eligible to win valuable prizes. CLICK HERE to register now -- its quick, easy and FREE.

Link Love

I've been wanting to start a weekly "Link Love" series where I repost interesting blog links from the week. I haven't started doing it because I'm afraid that a) you all don't care, b) you already read the same blogs so it would be repetitive, c) I won't do it every week and then I would be a failure. Well those are all stupid reasons so I figured I would give it a try.

Tri Training

Core Strength (Joe Friel's Blog)
As if you didn't know already - core strength is soooo important. I noticed that improved core strength has made a big impact in my running. Joe posted some great photos that visibly show how poor core strength shows in running.

A lazy runner's way to strength train (No Meat Athlete)
A lift that focuses on full-body movements instead of your typical isolation moves. The "Curtis P's" include a hang-squat clean, a right lunge, a left lunge, and a push press. Repeat 100 times, resting as needed. I found this really intriguing and I'm thinking of finding a way to include this in my strength training sessions (I would need a lot of rest!).

General Health

The Sunday Sampler - Health: Flax Seeds (I Tri To Be Me by Aimee)
A great overview of the benefits of incorporating flax seed into your diet!


Randomness

4 Deadly Mistakes You Must Avoid When Pursuing Your Dreams (WiseBread)
This is the post that prompted me to right this blog. It's good advice for all dreams, including triathlon.


What's the Best Way to (and Why Should I) Create a Home Inventory? (lifehacker)
We all own a lot of stuff and it's likely that in addition to all your regular stuff you probably own some expensive tri stuff too. This is a great way to create and store your home inventory.

Road ID Review

Spring is coming! The past weekend was gorgeous and the weather has stayed mild through the week. I've been running outside in shorts the past few days and it feels absolutely wonderful! It's still a bit on the cool side for shorts but you know once you try it's hard to go back. Spring is perfect for running!

In addition to shorts I've got another new running accessory. A Road ID! As you might remember I won a free Road ID on Steve in a Speedo's blog last month. I quickly ordered my Wrist ID Elite and it arrived after just a few days.

I included my name, year of birth, location, home phone number, Sam's cell phone number, penicillin allergy, blood type (A+) and organ donor.

I really love having the Road ID. Originally I was looking at the Shoe ID, a version that attaches to your shoe instead of on your wrist, because I was worried that I would be bothered by having something on my wrist. But, ultimately I went with the Wrist ID because I wanted to be able to wear it when I'm running and when I'm biking. I've just had too many close calls on the bike when cars would fly by and leave little room or roll through stop signs without looking.

The wrist band is very comfortable and can be adjusted to fit each user perfectly. I took the opportunity to order one for Sam too - instead of one free it was like two half-priced. I went with yellow and he choose red. (Whenever I see red and yellow together I think of ketchup and mustard... Is that strange?)

I hope you've all had a chance to enjoy the spring weather! If you don't have a Road ID yet I would highly recommend one. It was easy to order and quite affordable given the peace of mind it provides. If you act fast you can use this coupon code from Steve in a Speedo - good until March 17th!

Meeting Scott Jurek

You never know how strong you are until
being strong is the only choice you have.
~Anonymous~

It was awesome getting a chance to listen to Scott Jurek speak about his races, his training and his diet! I took some notes while he spoke so I could share all the details with you!

Race Highlights
- When he ran and won the Hardrock Hundred Mile race with a sprained ankle (which happened playing soccer with some local kids a few days before the race)

- When racing Badwater Ultramarathon (135 miles) he would stop and take ice baths in a giant cooler. He also wore special white pants in this race which actually made a huge difference in keeping him cool.

- He has participated in several 24 hour races including the North Coast 24 Hour. In this race you have a one mile loop that you run as many times as you can in 24 hours. Can you imagine?!

Training Points

Even when training for the 130 mile races his longest training run ever was only 50 miles. However, he does do "back to backs" where he will run 35 miles on Saturday and then another 35 miles on Sunday.

He recommends the following key points for training:

- Specificity (train for the race you want to do)

- Periodization (two steps forward, one step back; great article on tri periodization)

- Volume/Intensity (intervals, tempo, recovery runs, etc.)

In addition to running he also incorporates:
- Strength Training*

- Flexibility
- Yoga

- Commuting by Bicycle (he lives in Seattle and has not owned a car in 7 years)

*The priority here should be core work. He does 15 minutes of core exercises every day. He advises against standard crunches (just beach muscles) and recommends core activities which require engaging the whole core such as planks, bosu ball and one legged squats. If you are looking for more core exercises I highly recommend this series:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1685

He has even seen Olympic snowboarders stand with just one leg on a stability ball. I tried to find a picture but this was the closest I could get. Imagine with just one leg?!


Nutrition

Scott has been a vegan since 1999. He eats about 90% organic and focuses on eating whole foods. He spends his time in the produce aisle (or farmers market) and at the bulk food section.

In races he has had to eat a lot of random things including a bean burrito and rice balls in a race in Japan.

Scott eats 3 gels per hour in an endurance race (he weights 165-170lbs). Sometimes he eats whole food like bananas but he does eat gels and other sport nutrition. I asked him specifically what he uses and he said he is a fan of Clif Gels and Shot Blocks (me too!) because they have mostly organic and natural ingredients.

He endorses Udo's Oil and Green Foods.

Bare Foot Running

Scott's popularity in the main stream running community with the recent publication of Born to Run. I have not read the book yet so some of the discussion on this topic was hard for me to follow. My understanding is that the book focuses on the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon (47 miles) in Mexico. This canyon is larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon and is the home of the Tarahumaran people. They have a long history of long distance running and they run in sandals that are made from recycled tire treads. These sandals have minimal cushion (obviously - they're tire treads) and the Tarahumaran people have very little evidence of overuse injuries. This sparked a resurgence of the concept of bare foot running in developed countries.

Scott indicated that he does not promote a complete transfer to bare foot running. While it can help with form and technique it can also be dangerous when it is not done properly or done too quickly. He also told us that the Tarahumaran people tried the Vibram Five Fingers and they had no interest in them. My understanding was that their opinion was if you can have more cushion why would you choose to go without?

Scott is such a down-to-earth guy and you can tell he is just a simple guy who loves to run! If you want to learn more about Scott Runner's World published a feature article about him in the most recent issue (not yet available online).

Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek

I'm headed back to the spa tonight for my deep tissue massage after my appointment was canceled last week due to snow. I can't wait! My body is in need of some serious work!

After the massage I'm heading uptown to hear Scott Jurek speak tonight as part of the winter information sessions for my tri club. Scott Jurek is an accomplished ultramarathoner and he competes in about 8-10 ultramarathons each year! His list of achievements is unbelievable long. Most notably, he is the only North American to ever win the Spartathlon in Greece - a 153 mile race! In 2008 he finished 1st place in 22 hours and 20 minutes.

I was reading his bio on his website and it turns out he actually grew up in the Northern Minnesota - just like me! It doesn't surprise me though - I don't know how anyone could live there and not be inspired by the beautiful lakes, forests and trails!

It turns out that Scott is also a vegan! On his website its says this about his plant based diet:

On his own journey towards optimal health, Scott began transitioning to a vegetarian whole foods diet in 1997, while competing in several ultra trail races per year. In 1999, he adopted a vegan diet out of further health and environmental concerns. Scott continues to fuel his body on a vegan diet while competing in 8-10 ultramarathons per year in addition to his rigorous training schedule. All seven of his consecutive wins at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run were performed on vegan fuel.

As you probably know I'm a vegetarian too so I'm really looking forward to hearing Scott's perspective! I'll be back with a full report this weekend. I might even manage to snap a few secret shots with my iPhone!

*Photo Source

NYC Randomness

On my way from the pool to the office this morning I saw this.


If you can't tell, it's a phone booth with a jar of pickles (no juice) and a jar of marinera sauce (half empty) on top. Makes me wonder how they are related...

Westchester Tri 2010

We registered for the Westchester Triathlon yesterday. I knew the race filled up quickly so I set up a reminder in my email at work so I wouldn't miss it. The system was so overloaded that every time I tried to register I would receive a notice that the site had a high volume of users and was currently unavailable. After 25 minutes I finally managed get in my contact information and my credit card. With a few more clicks and $199 poorer I get to race with 1000 other triathlete on September 26th. I checked again today and the individual race spots are sold out but you can still register in the charity division or the pro if you're really good ;)

Speaking of charity, the Westchester Triathlon is a non-profit organization and registration fees are tax-deductible. Last year they donated $80,000 to charity and raised another $750,000 through athlete sponsorships! It's always good to know when you can do the sport you love and help others at the same time!

I found these great pictures from the swim start last year on the Rye Record website.

Race season is just around the corner. We plan to register for the rest of our races this weekend. Have you registered yet? When is your first tri?

Uninspired Winter Doldrums

I think I'm getting a bit tired of winter. I have just been very uninspired to blog lately. I had planned to go swimming on Friday morning but when I woke up to another 10+ inches of fresh snow I reset the alarm and crawled back in bed. I knew that the lane would be empty but it just wasn't worth the long walk through un-shoveled sidewalks... What is the off-season for if not to sleep in every once in awhile? When I left for work at 7:30 the sidewalks still had not been shoveled...

Total accumulation for this storm was close to 20 inches! On Friday evening I was supposed to be cashing in my Christmas gift certificate from my mother-in-law for a hour long deep tissue massage but the spa closed early because of the snow.

The last time I ran outside was 10 days ago so my last five runs have been on the dreadmill. After the storm the sidewalks have been too snowy/slushy/icy for running. On Saturday I ran 7 miles (the longest ever indoors). I knew it was going to be hard to stay on for that long so I tried to run in a lower HR zone and a slower speed. I did most of the run at 5.5 mph (an 11/minute mile) and it took me 1 hour and 16 minutes! The last half mile I cranked it up to 6mph because I just wanted it to be over. Even at a painfully slow pace of 11 minute/miles I was still in low zone 4...

I am hoping to get a short recovery run outside tomorrow but the forecast is calling for more freezing rain/snow so I'm not getting my hopes up...

How much longer until spring?