10 Ways to Fitness Success in 2011

It's not the one thing you do well, it's the combination of the little things that is going to ensure you are successful in 2011 to reach your fitness goals.

1)  Set a Goal.  I would recommend setting an overall goal for the year, preferably quantitative(measurable), and then quarterly, bi-weekly, and daily goals for how we can achieve that overall goal.  Don't get carried away in setting too many goals as it will becoming overly stressful and daunting.

2)  Make it Fun.  If you don't like to run, then don't run.  Find something you enjoy doing, whether it be an aerobic class, swimming, walking, biking, joining a yoga class.  The possibilities are endless.  Be creative!

3)  Cut out one bad thing from your diet.  Whether it be the morning 20 oz Coke you buy, or the Caramel Latte with Whip Cream.  Cutting out a Coke a day for 5 days will eliminate 1200 calories a week. Do that for 3 weeks and that equates to 1 pound of weight loss.  Do that for a year, and that is 17 lbs. 

4) Get your family/friends involved. The more people that know about your fitness goals, the more likely you will stick to your goal. Family and friends can be your support system and you can lean on them in times of frustration and weakness. They can also help hold you accountable.

5)  Be consistently good.  It's more beneficial to go to the gym 3 days a week for 5 weeks, then go 5 times for 1 week.  Be realistic about how many times you can workout and stick to it.  Include this in your weekly goals from #1.  It's more important

6)  Moderation is key.  Don't forbid yourself that occasional piece of pizza or cake you want.  Allow yourself some leniency, just keep it in check.

7)  Accountability.  The number one thing we need is accountability.  Whether it be a friend that you meet for workouts, or hiring a trainer or coach - if we someone is counting on us to show up, we're not going to let them down.  If we're paying for the service, we definitely will show up!

8) Eat 5 meals a day.  It's that simple - eating 5 smaller meals a day will regulate your insulin levels and, more importantly, boost your metabolism to burn more calories.  Your energy levels will level out and you won't be starving by 11:00, eat a huge lunch, and ready for an afternoon comatose nap by 1:00.

9)  Have a plan.  Having a fitness plan will take the guesswork and thinking out of a workout.  If it is on paper, you know what you need to do and how to do it.  It will also motivate you to actually workout, and not sit around the gym doing bicep curls while looking at yourself in the mirror for 30 minutes :)

10)  Get educated.  Not knowing what I am doing is pretty stressful and makes me feel uneasy.  I overcome this fear by diving in and learning as much as I can.  You can do the same by utilizing the Internets vast array of resources, or getting in contact with friends who works out or a professional.

Base 1 Training

Monday was the official start of my Base I training.  I've set up my schedule a little bit different with 3 base periods, each with a specific emphasis on a discipline.   With that being said, Base I will consist of 4 runs, 3 bike sessions, 3 swims, and 2 weight training sessions.  Base II will have 3 runs, 3 bike sessions, 4 swims, and 2 weight training sessions.  The last Base period will emphasize the bike with 4 sessions.  The reason I did this is to gain some much needed endurance by adding frequency and volume for that particular sport.  I like this setup because with 3 sessions in the other 2 sports I can expect to see significant gains in the 2 disciplines while adding a higher frequency and volume to the sport of emphasis for that period.  I started with the run because I've had a decently high running volume in the past few weeks so it just made sense to continue building on that frequency and volume.  I don't have a concern on the bike and swim because they are pretty easy on the body, the recovery will be quicker,  and they are less likely to cause injury.  Each training block will be 4 weeks long, with 3 'on' weeks, and 1 recovery week.  The recovery week will have the same schedule, just the volume will be reduced 30-40%.

Here's an overview

Base I - 4 runs, 3 swims, 3 bikes, and 2 weight training sessions
Base II - 3 runs, 4 swims, 3 bikes and 2 weight training sessions
Base III - 3 runs, 3 swims, 4 bikes, and 2 weight training sessions.

2011 Race Schedule

I'm less than one week out from Base I training, so I've put together my race schedule for the year.

2/12 - Red Flannel - 5 mile run -  C

4/9 - Loop the Lake - 5 mile run -  C

4/30 - Wildflower Long Course - 70.3 - B

5/15 - Jordan Creek Du - C

6/4 - Dam to Dam - 20K  - C

6/5 - Copper Creek Sprint  - C - very tentative on this one as I may skip it for a long training day

6/26 - IM CDA - 140.3 - A+

7/10 - Lifetime Fitness Oly - B

8/8 - Big Creek Tri - Des Moines - B

9/4 - Hy-Vee tri - Des Moines - A

10/16 - Des Moines Half or Full Marathon - I'll make a decision on this in August based on how I'm feeling physically

10 Things on this Triathlete's Christmas List

We're upon the holiday season, which means it's time to start making our triathlete Christmas list.  I'm pretty confident I won't get anything off this list, but a guy can dream, right?


1. PowerTap Power Meter - Of all the potential accessories you can get for a bike, this is going to give you the best benefit, hands down. With the many variables of outdoor riding a PowerMeter will tell you your wattage and give you a true representation of your effort.

2. Zipp 808 Wheelset - This has to be 2nd on my list because of the added benefit of speed they add, specifically on the courses I will ride this year, Wildflower Long Course and IM CDA.

3. Swim partner - while I enjoy swimming, anything after 2000 yards of laps I tend to lose interest pretty quick. Having someone to swim with would make those laps go by much faster.

4. Forerunner 310TX - This is the ultimate triathletes watch - tracks all the good stuff, and can even connect with your power meter via ANT+.

5. Arms warmers - I will probably need these for my early spring rides and possibly early races. I'm a huge wuss when it comes to cold weather

6. Pre-made meals. A friend of mine, Vince Matteo, is an awesome triathlete and great cook. All his meals are extremely healthy and taste great.

7. A winter home in Southern California. Mountains to your east, ocean to your west, and warm weather. Seriously, can't beat that setup. I don't think the girl's grandparents would ever let us leave though :)

8. New bike trainer, preferably this one. I've got a bike trainer now, but it sounds like a train going through my basement, which forces me to turn up the TV louder, thus angering others in the house. I think that's reason enough, don't you?

9. Garmin Edge 800 - I'll have some long rides this summer and I'm directionally challenged and have known to get lost. The Edge 800 will allow this not to happen.

10. Camps - I'd love to attend a training camp in March/April but I don't think my wife would be to happy leaving her behind with the girls while I'm in warm weather training to my heart's content.

Passion

What is passion?
- Passion surpasses the infatuation
- Passion outlives the new and shiny
- Passion is staying up late, and waking up early
- Passion is seeing the red, but envisioning the black
- Passion is turning the dream into a reality
- Passion is stronger than raw talent
- Passion can see the horizon over the hurdles
- Passion picks you up even when you can't
- Passion embraces the challenges
- Passion burst one's comfort zones
- Passion is the backbone of success

Have you found your passion? 

Off Season Strength Training

As we enter into the off-season, it is important to begin to incorporate weight training into your routine. Strength training will increase your power on the bike and swim. Strength training also reduces your risk of injuries and can mitigate unwanted weight gain during the off-season. Strength training and its benefits to endurance sports is a controversial subject, some people see it as an instrumental part of training, while others disregard it and think it will hinder performance. While you may be a bit slower on the bike and swim initially, be patient. The strength gains will catch up and you’ll definitely notice the positive effects it has on your performance. Some things to consider with weight training.
- Focus on sport specific training – doing biceps curls to impress your significant other won’t transfer over to the sport

- Consider a periodized schedule – in the off-season focus on high reps and lower weight and as you get closer to the season focus on low reps and high weight

- If you have time constraints, choose endurance training over weight training

- Weight training is used to complement to your training, not a replacement for swimming, biking, and running

- Don’t spend more than 30-45 minutes for weight training – anything more is overkill

- Focus a good portion on core exercises – core strength is heavily utilized in all sports



A few exercises to focus on are leg extensions, squats, tricep extensions, leg curl, leg press, and planks

Stengths and Opportunities for Improvement

As the endurance season winds down, now is a great time to evaluate your season and what you consider your opportunities for improvement and what your strengths were the past season.  The off-season is a great time to focus on that weakness while continuing maintenance on your strengths. 

Generally we tend to know our strengths and weaknesses.  From a triathlon perspective, ask a HS swimmer and they'll say the bike and/or run are their weak points or ask a seasoned cyclist and they'll say swim and/or run.  I'm sure you get the idea.  It's pretty easy to be subjective about your weakness, but it's better to look at your race data for the past  year and race courses for which you performed on while keeping in mind your upcoming goals for next  year.

So, let's say an athlete did a Olympic triathlon with a hilly bike course and flat run and had the following results:

12/50 place in age group - swim
45/50 place in age group - bike
9/50 place in age group - run

Based on this data, it's pretty apparent that the weakness here is bike speed, particularly on hills.   The athlete was able to get off the bike and do well on the run so I don't necessarily think it would be an endurance issue.  We'd have to delve into the specifics of the race and the athlete's perspective.  The more data we have, the more specific we can get - i.e. heart rate monitor, powermeter, mile splits, GPS....but that's another topic for another day.  Let's take another example:

same athlete as above but on a half-ironman flat course as above:

10/50 - swim
45/50 - bike
45/50 - swim

Based on the previous race data and the above data, I would say this athlete is lacking endurance and speed on the bike and possible lacking endurance on the run.  Due to the run time being slower compared to the above I would venture to guess the athlete hit a proverbial wall on the bike and it made their run an absolute sufferfest.  In the off-season this athlete would need to build their base on the bike, and work on bike speed and drills.

As always, the data doesn't lie - use it to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses this off-season.  Once you have identified your weakness, spend time working on speed, technique, and base training so you can improve and turn that weakness into a strength.

Prep Phase

As I eluded to in my last post, Getting Back into the Groove, I wanted to walk through each phase of my plan and give a little context as to what they mean.  The first phase that my IM plan takes me through is Prep1 and Prep2.  These phases last 4 weeks each and will probably not have a recovery week built in because generally the volume is low, with a medium frequency, and low intensity.  Essentially these phases are designed to train your body to get ready to train. 

I would compare it to Dead Week in college, or at least what I did during Dead Week.  It's the time where you start to study, but don't do too much of it.  You get your schedule down of when your finals are, plan when you're going to study, and get in the mind frame of cramming all the information into your brain.  Not the best metaphor, but I think you get the idea.

With a family, work, PT and endurance clients, this is the time where I figure out from a scheduling perspective what works and what needs to be re-arranged to find a happy medium.  For me, it's going to be early morning training and later evening training and a heavier dose on the weekends with my 'long' and BT (break through) workouts scheduled at least 2 days apart for efficient recovery. 

Prep time is also the time to get back into the pool, lace up the running shoes, and hop back on the bike.  These training sessions shouldn't be very long or very intense.  Just enough to reacquaint yourself back to each discipline and start to work on building up your base.  This is also an excellent time to work on form.  Spend a lot of time working on swim drills, running form, and biking form so that you can hit the ground running when you begin "official" training.  Prep phase is also a great time to get your nutrition back on track with whole foods, adequate caloric intake, and many smaller meals throughout the day.

Getting Back in the Groove

I unofficially started my Ironman training on Monday, getting re-acclimated to the pool and bike and continuing to build my running volume for the Des Moines Half Marathon in mid October.  My official training won't start until 1 week after the half Mary, but I am getting back into the groove with a routine to make sure it will fit into my family's schedule and so I have some momentum going into training and can handle the training load without being completely wiped out after the first week.  I've already built a skeleton that includes:

Prep1 - 4 weeks
Prep2 - 4 weeks
Base1 - 4 weeks
Base2- 4 weeks
Base3 - 4 weeks
Build1 - 4 weeks
Build2 - 4 weeks
Wildflower 1/2
Recovery - 1 week
Build3 - 4 weeks
Peak - 2 weeks
IM CDA

Each block constitutes 3 weeks on and 1 week recovery with a reduction of volume by 25-35% to allow the body to heal and to rejuvenate yourself for the next block.  As I mentioned above this is a skeleton and will probably change based on how training progresses.  I'll delve into what each of these blocks represent in my next blog.  Thanks for reading

Consistency

When you look at people you admire, whether it be great athletes, inspirational business people, or those at the top of their game, one thing that they have in common is consistency.  They come to work with a proverbial hard hat and lunch pale every day, and in line with their goals, accomplish what they need to get done.  What separates them from the rest of the pack is they consistent every day.

From an athletic perspective, in order to get better you have to be consistent in training.  I'm sure this isn't a shocker that jumps out of the page at you.  Nevertheless, I believe that this is one of the biggest thing that the majority of the novice athletes need to improve.  Understandably, life obligations gets in the way of training due to family, kids, social obligations, and football season :). 

I've got a full plate now with a family, full time job, endurance athletes/personal training clients, and trying to fit in my own training time.  I've prioritized what's important to me and if I want to do well at IM CDA next year, then I'm going to have to be consistent in building up my endurance, improve my weakest link, and maximize my strongest asset.  Ironman training demands consistent training - without it, it's going to make for a long day and a performance that won't leave you satisfied at the end of the day.  In order to be consistent in my training I have get it done early in the morning and late at night.  This works best for me because it doesn't adversely effect family time, work, and my clients.

You need to find what works best for you on a consistent basis.  Here are some tips to get started:

1)  Plan your week ahead of time so you can be proactive in working around things that come up
2)  Create a rough draft of what your average week looks like and find times that make sense for training
3)  Make a schedule for the week and stick to it
4)  If the schedule doesn't work, make adjustements so it makes sense
5)  Prioritize - what is more important, watching 'The Office' or getting your run done for the day
6)  Some train in the morning, others at night - find out what works best for you.

Apply these principles to your goals and you'll get the results you want!

The Value and Importance of Goals

When beginning an new endeavor, project, or training regime it is important to set goals.  Goals are what keep you on track to achieving the desired outcome.  Without goals their in no urgency or external "push" to achieve a milestone.  Often times without goals procrastination takes over, we slip back into old habits, and are reluctant to forge ahead.

When you set goals, it's important to have them visible to you every day, so you know what you have to do that day, and you feel the accomplishment of checking that goal off, and move on to the next one.  If they are hidden in a folder on your computer, then they tend to fall off your radar.

The next step is to actually set goals.  Start BIG - start will your biggest goal - ideally the end goal and work downward.  With your end goal written down, set goals for 6-12 months, goals for the month, goals for each week in that month, and goals for the day.  Each goal should be a step toward reaching the end goal.  As a high-level example:
Daily goals: complete workout prescribed for today
Weekly goals: complete all workouts for the week
Monthly goal: complete workouts and exceed monthly testing by X, Y, Z
6 month goal: achieve X time in X race
12 month goal: PR time from 6 month goal in similar race
End goal:  Qualify for X race

This is obviously very high level and we want to include both qualitative and quantitative goals in order to reach our end goal.  Qualitative are descriptive  - "I want to feel better when I'm running", whereas quantitative goals are measurable - I want to run X miles in Y time.  Again, all of these should be set with the end goal in mind.

Personally I set goals for all areas in my life: family, sport, work, business, financial and personal growth and I look at them every morning and every night,  knowing that if I work every day toward the end goal I will achieve it.  For my daily goals I fill out an index card and keep it in my wallet and check off the goals as I accomplish them.  This keeps me honest and focused on reaching my end goal.

Goals are dreams with deadlines. ~ Diana Scharf Hunt

Body Fat Composition: My Personal Challenge

Last week I had the opportunity to have my fat body percentage taken and it came out to roughly 13% at my current weight of 155lbs.  I was pretty satisfied with it initially, but then I thought to myself, what if I can drop that down to 7% while maintaining the same weight.  Would that improve my performance? 

Current
Present Body Weight: 156.4
Present Lean Body Mass: 134.82
Present Fat Mass: 21.58

Desired
Desired Body Weight: 155
Desired Lean Body Mass: 142.60
Desired Fat Mass: 12.4

So, basically I just need to lose 9 lbs of fat and gain 8 pounds of mucle to accomplish my goal.  In theory this should improve my overall race times and not be detrimental to performance(assuming race specific training is maintained).  I will have enough fat to use as energy in longer distance races (most professionals have body fat between 3-6%) and use the added muscle as a resource.  The key here is to gain that muscle in muscle groups that are utilized in the specific sport (hamstrings, quads, hips, core, lats, and shoulders).

Now, the hard part - accomplishing this goal.  It's really pretty simple on paper, but more difficult to do in reality.  Add in a consistent weight training program(3X a week), maintain endurance training,  add in enough time between weight training and endurance training so the effects of one don't hinder the other, add in more protein to my diet, and limit the 'bad carbs' to a minimum.  I'll report back my findings after the goal is accomplished and next race is complete in early August.

Dam to Dam Advice

With Dam to Dam a few days away I thought I would write up some "words of wisdom".  Well, that may be an overstatement, let's just go with advice that has worked for me and athletes I've trained.

This Week
- you've trained for this race so now it's time to taper, no big runs this week
- cut your training volume down by 50%
- depending on experience, include a few short, high intensity runs
- calorie intake should be lower since training volume is lower

Days Leading Up to the Race
- Thursday should be your last run - make it easy
- If you are going to "carb-load", do it Thursday night, not Friday night
- Friday meals should be on the lighter side
- limit or avoid foods high in fiber and foods high in fat
- begin to carry around a bottle of water and casually sip on water
- keep active on Friday
- the most important night of sleep is Thursday night
- no alcohol leading up to race

Race Day
- eat breakfast 2-3 hours before the race
- don't stray from what you've been doing in training - I can't emphasize this enough
- carry water/sport drink with you on way to race and sip casually
- be sure to go to bathroom before the race

The Race
- race YOUR race, not your competitors
- remember, you trained for this race, now it's time to showcase your training
- be sure to consistently take in water - drink before you're thirsty
- thank the volunteers - they're there for you
- leave it all out on the course, don't hold anything back at the end
- enjoy yourself!

How to Pick a Personal Trainer

I remember when signing up for college classes I would try to pick classes based on what my peers would tell me about a professor they had when they took that class.  Was he/she easy, hard, take class attendance - you know, the important stuff :)

In picking a personal trainer, you have much more leeway, but at the same time it's important to do your research to increase your chances of choosing the right trainer for your needs.  Below are some criteria for choosing a trainer.
1)   Good Connection - This is the one thing that is going to make your experience positive or negative.  A good, positive relationship with your trainer will foster your motivation and drive you to work hard and get the results you want.  Typically you should be offered a consultation in which you can meet with a trainer so you can have a candid conversation about your goals, opportunities for improvement, time constraints, etc.  This will also give the trainer an opportunity to explain their philosophy, specialties, and certifications.
During the conversation, ask yourself these questions:
- Can I see myself working with this person on a weekly basis?
- Was the 1st impression a good one?
- Does this trainer seem to have my best interests in mind?
- Are my goals aligned with what he/she offers?
- Do we have good dialogue?
- Did we have a positive connection, i.e. - did we 'click'?

2) Trust - In my opinion, this is the one of the most important criteria for choosing a trainer.  Can you trust your trainer to prescribe the best program to meet your needs based on your schedule and goals?  You will be able to establish this trust through talking with your potential trainer and through the initial training sessions.

3)  Referral/Testimonials - Ask your friends, relatives if they've used a personal trainer and if they'd recommend one.  Ideally your friends/relatives that have had a positive experience will share their good fortune with you.

4)  Shop Around - I would encourage you to interview a few trainers to find the one that fits your goals/needs the best.  While interviewing them, ask them for references, testimonials, why you should pick them.  After all, you are hiring them, so feel free to ask the questions that you need answered to make your decision.

5)  Certifications - A Personal Trainer needs to have a current certification - end of story

6)  Plan - Does your trainer have a specific plan for you, or does he/she just see you twice a week and give you random exercises that change every 4-6 weeks.  You want a trainer that tailors specific workouts to your needs/limitations and a plan to follow outside of your time together.  This is the way to get you results you want.

These are just some of the criteria you should consider when hiring a Personal Trainer.  Hiring a Trainer is an important decision in reaching your wellness/fitness goals so do your research and make a decision based on what is important to you.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Within the next few weeks I've got a few options for races on the weekend of June 5-6, namely Dam to Dam and Copper Creek Sprint triathlon.  Dam to Dam has two options, either the 20K road race or a 5K race.  Below I've listed my options with the positives and negatives of doing either the 5K and Copper Creek or 20K and Copper Creek.  Now, a few parameters that we need to consider - Hy-Vee Oly is the week after these races, Copper Creek is a 'C' race for me, and I have had some tendinitis in my knee, but I think I'm about 90% now.  I've pretty much made up my mind for what I'm going to do, but I think this will be a valuable nonetheless.

D2D 5K and Copper Creek:

Pros:
Fresh legs for Copper Creek.
Plenty of time for recovery for Hy-Vee
5K is more race specific toward Hy-Vee

Cons:
Run training has been geared toward longer distances
Personal preference is to do 20K and Copper Creek

D2D 30K and Copper Creek

Pros:
Personal preference
race specific training for long course
Most of my training has been focused on longer training sessions (~8 miles)
good endurance benchmark

Cons:
legs will be trashed for Copper Creek
Higher risk for re-aggravating knee
Haven't had enough long runs for D2D (~10-11 miles)
Enough recovery time for Hy-Vee?

Taking a look at the analysis, the smart decision would to just do the 5K and Copper Creek to ensure full recovery, the race specificity of the 5K for Hy-Vee, and mitigate risk of injury to my knee.  Another option is to just do one or the other, but what's the fun in that?

Change Equation

During a discussion with my business coach last week he presented me with an equation he often uses with business owners, and those clients that are stuck in a proverbial rut.  The formula allows you to quantify, and justify making a conscious decision to make a change or choice in your life and it applies directly to beginning or rejuvenating your fitness.

(D x V) + F > R

OK, so what does this mean?  Let's break it down a little bit

D = Dissatisfaction (quantify your level of dissatisfaction with an element in your life)
V = Vision (quantify your vision for how you want your aforementioned element in your life)
F = First step - quantify how well you know what that first step is
R = Resistance - quantify how resistant you are for change

Let's do a practical example and pertain it to fitness:

Dissatisfaction with current weight - 50
Vision of ideal body weight - 50
Confidence in what the first step is - 50
Resistance to making a change - 100

(50x50) + 50 > 100
2550 > 100 - you are clearly ready to make that change!

I encourage you to try this for parts of your life you aren't completely satisfied with, or with a decision you are dreading making.  Having some sort of subjectivity helps with the decision and creates a logical quantification of the factors in play.

Wildflower Long Course Race Report

To start off, Wildflower Long Course is the hardest course I've ever done, hands down.  Many describe it as difficult as doing an Ironman and I believe it.

I arrived at the Wildflower campground on Friday morning with 2 friends and we set up camp and headed down to the lake to pick up our packets.  We knew we didn't want to make the long trek down to packet pickup that night again for food so we picked up some sandwiches at the local general store and headed back up to camp.  The rest of the night was spent talking about the course (read: friends telling me how brutal the course was).

Woke up in the morning for some pre-race breakfast of a banana and PB sandwich.  The race started at 8:00 so we headed down in the morning around 7:00 to set up transition and get ready to race.  I felt really relaxed, well rested, and energized.  I felt like I was ready for this race.

The water temp that morning was a cool 58 degrees - I got in the water to get acclimated to the cool temps and swam around a little bit so I knew what to expect.  The gun went off and off we went.  The course was an 'L' shape with a ~200 m out, then a right turn at the buoy for a long stretch, another right turn for ~200 m and then back.  Thinking back I think I pushed the first 600 pretty hard because I struggled for the rest of the swim.  My breathing was heavy and I couldn't find a good rhythm for the entirety of the swim.  Coming out of the water I walked to transition, which I didn't want to do and tried to get my bearings and get rolling on the bike.

Right out of the gate there is a steep incline that had my HR maxed out and my chain fell off as I was switching gears.  I had to stop, put the chain back on, and start sideways in order to get going again.  The first 40 miles of the bike after that were challenging, but very doable with some of the flats going comfortable at 22 mph.  Great scenery, some hills, and long descents.  One of my reservations coming into the race was my lack of comfort on descents.  On the first long descents I tried to reach for my brakes but my hands cramped up so I just went with it.  After that, I had no issues with the downhills and actually enjoyed going 35-45 mph down the hills.

On mile 41 there is a long hill, followed by 'Nasty Grade', an 8 percent incline, followed by another long hill.  About halfway up Nasty Grade my chain fell off again causing me to stop, put the chain back on, and bike sideways in order to get going again.  I have NEVER faced a hill like that before, and it is one I will never forget.  The remaining 8 miles of the course were a bear and I struggled to get to the end and couldn't wait to get off the bike.

Entering transition I was totally spent and hardly had any energy left.  I began the run and was only able to run about 1/2 mile before I had to stop.  My HR was high and I had no energy.  I set up a new plan to run a minute and walk a minute and even that was a struggle.  As a side note, the run course is harder than the bike course that is 60% trails and 40% road with very little flat stretches.  After struggling through the first 4 miles, I came to the conclusion I wasn't going to make it if I continued to run and succumbed to walking the rest of the course.

It was very hard for me to write this race report because I am really disappointed in my performance, but at the same time, it provides some motivation for the rest of the season and I was able to learn some great lessons:

- I used a 23 cassette which was not smart at all - I should of used a 27
- my base isn't near where it should be - actually, not even close
- need to re-evaluate my nutrition for pre-race and race
- need to pace according to the course terrain
- more dress rehearsal rides
- more brick workouts (didn't have any before this race)
- your back needs sunscreen too

My Story

If you would of told me 5 years ago that I'd be an owner of a fitness company I would of said you were crazy.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd be were I am today.  Thus begins the story, 5 years ago.....

A good friend of mine lost his sister to cancer and asked me to go to a Team in Training meeting and I told him I would be happy, but made no promises to commit.  After listening to the pitch I was sold!  It was a great opportunity to help people with blood cancer disease and get an expenses paid trip for a race.  After pondering my options of doing a marathon, half-marathon, or triathlon, I decided on doing a triathlon.  I think my decision was based on what would be most challenging,  get me out of my comfort zone, and get my competitive juices flowing - triathlon took the cake.  That year I trained on my own and finished the race in 3:25 at 190 pounds.  Not a great time, but I was hooked.

Fast forward to 2007 - this was the year I had my eyes set on doing an Ironman.  My schedule called for a Oly, Half IM, and Ironman.  This was the year I really engulfed myself in learning everything I could about triathlon and fitness in general by reading blogs, forums, etc.  My training was going pretty good for my limited experience and overall knowledge.  This was a point I allowed bad habits to take priority over my training which had negative implications on my training.  In hindsight, if I had to do it over again there would be many things I would of changed.  At the same time, I've learned from those mistakes and became a better person because of it.  I managed to make it through my 70.3 in August, and finished my Ironman.  Finishing an Ironman is truly one of the best feelings in the world - can't explain the range of emotion I went through crossing that finish line.  I can't wait to do it again.

In 2008 I continued my journey in triathlons as well as ramping up my knowledge.  I became a Certified Level 1 Triathlon Coach in late August and that was the first step in chasing my dream.  I completed a few more triathlons that year and met some great people that enriched my learning experience.

In 2009 I began my first year as a triathlon coach and personal trainer at a local health club.  I absolutely loved it and knew that I found what I was meant to do.  What a great opportunity; to help people get healthy, improve their lives, and to share my knowledge and passion for endurance sports and overall health.  During the day I continued my 8-5 in cubeland dreaming about the day when I'd break loose and began training full-time - I made that break in May 2009 and worked at a local club full time for 6 months.  Though I liked working at the local fitness club I have always dreamed of being more of an entrepreneur, so I officially ended my career at the health club in late 2009 and began GettingFitness.

The point that I am driving home is that I went from an overweight, unhappy, lazy person with a lot of negative life issues to a very fit, happy, and healthy person with high aspirations and an abundance of energy.  I attribute my changes to exercise and living a healthy life. My goal is to be able to share my experiences, knowledge, and skills with people.  I want to share my success with others, and a facilitate that opportunity with them.  Nothing makes me happier than seeing my clients succeed and see their excitement when their fitness has a positive impact on their lives.

Getting Started

Getting started in any new endeavor is a challenge because we just don't know how to start, where to start, and what we need to do to get going, whether you're writing a novel, starting a business, or beginning a new workout program.

We often dive into something with a lot of vigor and excitement but that fire burns out within 3-4 weeks once the 'honeymoom' is over.  We come across hurdles, challenges, and the realization of the amount of work it's going to take and begin to have doubts on the likelihood of our success.  Below are some things that will increase your chances of reaching success.

Set Goals - Goals are the pathway to your success.  Set the 'big picture' goals and then milestone goals, and then smaller goals to reach the milestones.   Keep your goals realistic, but set the bar high enough where it's a challenge.  Post these goals on your bathroom mirror and read them every day to keep your focus.

Find a Mentor/Coach - It is so helpful to have someone who has been down the road you want to go to give insight on the path of least resistance and tips and tricks of the trade.  You may have to pay for services, but realize that it is an investment, not an expense.

Enlist Support from Family/Friends - If your support system is behind you and gives you that needed encouragement it will give you that needed boost to make your dream a reality.  Make sure you keep them in the loop of your progress and get them involved.  Someone who has vested interest in your goal is more likley to hold you accountable.

Have a Plan - the reason only 10% succeed is because they have a plan.  A plan helps clear up the unknown and sets you on a path with outlined expectations.  The plan will hold you accountable and is aligned with your goals to keep you in sync with your pre-determined timeline.

Prioritize - the reality of life is there are many things to juggle.  How important is your goal in comparison to other things in your life?  Family takes priority, but what about a night out with the guys vs working on your dream?  These are not easy choices to make, but getting past the instant gratification of a night out and staying in and working on your dream will pay dividends in the future.

If you want your fitness dream to come to fruition and become a reality, contact me.  I will give you the what, where, and the how to reach your goal.

Similarities between Life and Fitness

I've been doing a lot of brainstorming about my new business, GettingFitness, and have come to realize the many similarities between fitness and business. I've listed a few below:

- People that get results are the ones that push themselves beyond what they think they're capable of achieving

- People that show up to win and push through the pain will outlast and outperform those that procrastinate and whine

- Setting S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals will outline the the path for getting things accomplished

- Working with others will allow yourself to push others and others to push you

- A coach/mentor will help filter out the clutter and give guidance to what you want to achieve

- Knowledge is a key asset; use it to your advantage

- If you put in the time/dedication you will reap the benefits when it counts

- You perform how you practice

I see and experience a lot of imbalance between the two - I see people who work hard at work, but fizzle when exercising. I also see people who push the limits and rock in fitness/athletics but coast through work. Pushing ourselves in both arenas will make us better in both worlds.

2010 Race Season

Late last year I laid out a skeleton plan of races I wanted to do that aligned with my goals of improving my Half IM time, and setting a PR by 30-45 minutes. These races include Wildflower, Kansas Half, and Pigman Half. So, with the 'cornerstone' races set, I've added the rest to complete the season. Below is the list with the date, race name, distance, and category(A, B, or C)

2/13 - Red Flannel Run - 5 miles - C
early April - Loop the Lake - 8K - C
late April - Drake 1/2 or 8K - C
5/2 - Wildflower - 70.3 - A
5/16 - Jordan Creek Duathlon - 2K, 20K, 2K - B
6/4 - Kansas Half - 70.3 - A
6/13 - Hy-Vee - Oly - B
8/3 - Big Creek - Oly - A
8/22 - Pigman Half - 70.3 - A

This is what I have mapped out for this year. This year is a little different in that the season will be almost over by the middle of June, wheras in the past that is when the season really gets started. I can tell you that my training thus far this year has surpassed my recent past training as far as quality, volume, and intrinsic motivation.

Improve Your Run

One thing I've always struggled with has been my run, and one of the most common questions I get is, how do I improve my run. There are a number of things we can address, but here I'll look at a few of the most common things we can implement right away.

- Improve your stride - let's say runner X has a stride length of 3.5 feet, and runner Y has a stride length of 3.0 feet, assuming all other things equal, guess who will get to the finish line 1st - Runner X.

- Run more - the more you run, the better and more efficient you will be. There is no magic in this formula, but you should proceed with caution, too much too fast will leave you very susceptible to injury. A rule of thumb is to increase distance 10% from the previous week and limit the speed work to little to none initially.

- Find your weakness - on a typical run focus on your legs and lungs. Which gets fatigue the fastest? If it is your legs, you'll need to focus on developing nueromuscular strength, if it is your lungs, you need to focus on developing your endurance.

For more information on the above, and training plans, contact me at mgetting@efitnessperformance.com