Training and Triathlon Blog

60 Minutes...

2010-01-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

Not the show. My first extended run. I did a full 60 minute run with a five minute warm up. I ran about 5.8 miles total.

It's given me some confidence that I can conquer the 10k distance. I did it without joint pain, which was a really good sign. I've been training at the 5k distance and I have been dreading the added distance.

We'll see. I've been working with my trainer Sherri who has encouraged me to slow down a bit and add in the extra miles. She doesn't want me to burn out too early, just get in the miles right now. So far so good.

5K PB

2009-12-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Greetings...

I completed my second official 5K in 28 minutes 37 seconds. The race itself was pretty fun, though the race day organization was a mess.

Either way, I'm thinking about doing a New Year's Eve 5K in Fort Collins if it isn't super cold.

A case of the lazees...

2009-11-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

I've been reading other triathlete bloggers and I realize if I'm ever to graduate beyond a handful of sprints, I need to up my training. I was reading about how folks are starting their training now, for the coming season. I was planning to wait until late winter or spring, though my goal is to drop another 10 to 15 lbs before the next race.

I've been taking it easy, dealing with some personal stress. Ann and I still have a house in Michigan that we rent. The tenants have been good, but we've had some issues lately that has made being a long distance landlord frustrating.

Its hit my motivation button square on the nose. I've only been in the pool once in the last two weeks. We'll see.

The High Cost of Losing Weight

2009-10-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

I've been contemplating the cost of competing in triathlons. It’s not cheap and I’m not a rich man. To date, I’ve gotten by with just rented equipment and few strategic purchases like a pair of quality running shoes. I will admit the cost is becoming a little daunting.

Here is a quick breakdown of the cost by element:

Swim:

Goggles - $20 x 2 = $40
Training Suit - $35 - $65
Wetsuit: $250- $500
or wetsuit rental: $25 per race ($50 - $100 annually)

Total: $125 - $605

The swim is the cheapest of the three elements, but it is not without some cost. The swim suits wear out in the chlorinated pool and need to be replaced regularly. My suit is showing some wear after six months. I have one pair of goggles right now though I’ve read that it is good to have a backup pair in the event that they break on race day.

Bike:

Race bike- $700 - $2,500+
Pedals - $100 - $300
Shoes -$100 - $150
Bike maintenance/supplies: $250+ annually

Total: $1,150+

The bike element is the most expensive. Today's bikes are super high tech and range from low end road bikes to aerodynamic triathlon bikes that can cost as much as $7,500. Some wheels can cost upwards of $1,500 - $2,000.

I’ve gotten by so far by renting bikes from local bike shops but it impairs my training.

Run:

Running shoes: $65 - $120
Training gear, clothes: $100

Additional Expenses:

USAT membership $39 (required for participation)
Race registration - $65 per race - $260 annually (four races)

Based on my calculations, it costs about $2,000+ annually or so, on the low end to compete in triathlons.

I don't want this to be seen as discouraging people. Its easy to do a triathlon on the cheap, but if you are going to get serious, the costs go up.

Slimming and Trimming - The Off Season Plan

2009-10-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

The good news is that my right foot feels better. I'm hoping to get back to doing some running, but I may hold off for another week, I don't want to risk a relapse.

My goal for the winter is to lose another 15-20 pounds which would take me to about 200 pounds. I started at a hefty 241 pounds and have gotten as low as 213 pounds. I suspect my weight has ticked up a bit since I've taken a couple of weeks off from working out.

Here is my planned winter schedule:

Monday - rest day
Tuesday - 1,800 yard interval swim 2 x 400 yards, 2 x 300 yards & 2 x 200 yards
Wednesday - Team workout varies
Thursday - Spin/Run
Friday - Swim 800 yards
Saturday - 2 - 4 mile run
Sunday - Stretching/Hockey

I want to maintain my swim fitness over the winter. I also find getting in the pool a nice respite from the balmy fall weather.

I have a 5k planned for Thanksgiving, so I may work in some additional running depending on how my foot feels.

At some point, I'm going to have to address my diet. I've decided to get back to keeping a food journal. I feel its the only way to keep my honest.

Oktoberfest Spring Tri pics...

2009-09-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the Oktoberfest Sprint Triathlon...still need to work on the gut.

32 minutes later....

Finish!

Triathlon Injuries...

2009-09-24T08:51:00.001-07:00

I've been playing hockey for about ten years now and the worst injury I've had (knock on wood) is a deep bruise from getting hit by a puck.

In five months for triathlon competition, I seperated my shoulder and have a stress fracture in my foot. At this pace, I'm be completely incapacitated by the time I'm ready to do the Lake to Lake in June.

Stress fracture in my right foot

2009-09-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

I've been having some pain in my right foot for a week or so now, and I suspect I may have a stress fracture. All the symptoms seem to fit and the pain is not subsiding.

I took an Advil for the race and I didn't feel any pain. I suspect the adrenaline helped, though the pain has returned.

I thought I had eased into my running workload, but I did a couple of hard runs prior to the race and I ignored the pain. I read that it is about a six to eight week recovery. No running, but I can continue swim and bike. I’m really bummed, I had looked forward to upping my run intensity through the end of the year, but it looks like I might be on the shelf for a while.

Team Trifecta...

2009-09-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

I was scanning active.com for any upcoming races, mostly runs to help my run training and I came a across an indoor winter triathlon series sponsored by Team Trifecta. It’s a local group based out of Fort Collins that offers some individual coaching and team training. I scanned their website and it seems like it could be a good fit. They offer different levels of coaching for beginners and more experienced racers, which was appealing to me.

I popped off a quick email and received a very nice response from Coach Wendy. What I appreciate most about their approach to training is they are sensitive to the fact that I may be time challenged for some of the workouts. This is my biggest issue with training. With two little kids and a full time job, it’s not easy to load up for two hour bike ride or a 90 minute swim. I squeeze in my workouts over my lunch hour as best I can. Ann is home with the kids all day and when I get home, she’s looking for a little break. We get them to bed by 8:00 pm, but working out late in the evening tends to keep me from falling asleep.

Regardless, I was impressed with the enthusiastic response from Coach Wendy and hope to learn more about Team Trifecta.

Tri #2 Complete

2009-09-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

I finished the Oktoberfest Sprint Triathlon yesterday at a slow, but respectably 1 hour 31 minutes and 49 seconds. I should have pictures up soon.

I woke up at 5:00 AM, a bit groggy and tired. I had a night of fitful sleep, it wasn't a good sign. I had my usual breakfast, whole wheat pasta, a banana, and a cup of coffee. Last time I overdid it with the liquids, loading up on water and Gatorade. I thought it was a good strategy until I had to pee halfway through the bike portion, I was hoping to avoid that mistake this time around.

I took a long hot shower to wake up, loaded up my gear and headed out for the race. I stopped for gas, and realized I forgot my bike helmet. Nice...so much for arriving early. It turned out to be a short drive to the race site and fortunately I arrived just as they were closing down the roads for the bike portion. I had to call Ann and give her a heads up, which didn't much matter as she ended up lost when she came later with the kids.

I arrived with plenty of time and pulled into a spot as directed by the race volunteers. As I unloaded the car and my bike, I headed out to get my registration packed and get marked. Marking involves writing my bib number (267) on my left shoulder and left calf and my age on my right calf. It was an embarrassing moment as I had to hold my bike up with one hand, hold my back pack while I pulled off my sweater to gain access to my shoulder for marking. The folks behind me, I could only imagine because I refused to look out of embarrassment, must have been either grumbling at the wait or laughing at my comedic undressing and awkward balancing act. Their final laugh happened when I threw my backpack over my shoulder after putting my sweater back on and having my helmet, which was strapped on to the backpack, swing around and smack me in the back of the head with at thwack.

The bike racks were not the long rows, but rather a small rack that sat on the ground and held a maximum of four bikes with two on each side. I pulled in my rented road bike front wheel first. There was only one other bike on the opposite side of the rack, so I figured I would have plenty of room to set up and relax. Unfortunately, I bumped my bike and because the front wheel was in first, and not the solid back wheel, the bike toppled over jerking the rack sideways and nearly dislodging the bike opposite me. The guy politely said, "you need to rack it with the back wheel." Flush with embarrassment, I switched the bike and went back to checking my gear and getting ready.

I put down my towel pulled out my running shorts and disconnected my helmet from my back pack. I looked around to see if anyone was getting on their wetsuits yet, I didn't want to be first and look any more like a beginner.

I was excited because I had a new toy to play with...my wonderful wife Ann bought me a Timex Ironman wrist-watch. It makes me feel very athletic that I can keep my own time. The guy opposite me also asked for the time, which I gladly provided. The new watch allows me to track my time and my splits, it’s very exciting.

A woman behind me was chatting with another racer about astroglide, a gel stick you apply to your body to ease the removal of your wetsuit. She said her neighbor had come by that week and asked her if she could borrow some Pam non-stick spray, to which she comically replied, "no, but I have astroglide." Ahh...traithlete humor. Pam non-stick spray is used for the same purpose, easing off the wetsuit after the swim. I probably wouldn't have gotten the joke had it not been for my previous race where the competitors around me were spraying themselves with Pam. I choose to avoid lubricants as a matter of principle.

On to the race, I pulled on my wetsuit and waited until the last minute to take off my sweater. It was a cold morning and I didn’t want to freeze. The walk down to the beach was hard on the feet, the transition area was in a parking lot and there were lots of sharp pebbles and stones. You think it would have killed them to have swept the transition area, oh well. The beach wasn’t really a beach, it was just dirt. The funny thing about Colorado is their lack of sand. I guess I always took for granted that beaches had sand. Not in Colorado where most of the bodies of water are manmade reservoirs. The beaches don’t have the benefit of centuries of waves pulverizing stones into nice soft grains of sand. Instead, it’s just mushy stinky dirt. Oh well.

I put my feet in the water and thought this is nice and warm, big mistake. If you want to check the water temperature, wade out a little bit. The first few inches tend to be a lot warmer than the rest of the water. It was selected ignorance, I hate jumping into cold water and the process of acclimating to frigid cold, better to live in denial.

At the pre-race briefing the organizers announced that the exit area on the beach was carpeted to the transition area, which resulted in a loud cheer from the racers. I guess I’m not the only one peeved that they didn’t sweep the area.

I walked back into the water, careful not to get in too deep for fear of realizing how cold the water actually is and waited for my wave. This time around, I was in the second wave, men 34 and older. There were fewer waves that were larger for this race. I was scanning the crowed looking for my pit crew, but they were nowhere to be seen, apparently with the street closures both Ann and my sister and brother in law got lost and couldn’t make the start.

The first wave of racers went off and I eased myself into the icy cold water. Yuck…denial is a bitch. Next time I plan to jump in the water and warm up a little bit. My stomach was feeling unsettled and I was afraid it was going to be a long race. I also had to pee, so much for easing up on the morning liquids. I didn’t have much time to be nervous, my wave was next and I set the watch and waited…one minute warning…thirty second warning…off we went. Triathlon two was under way.

I started into my breaststroke, but realized I could still walk a little bit and get accustomed to the cold water. I popped up and walked, I had chosen to start on the outside to not get caught in mess at the first turn. It didn’t matter, as I hit the first buoy I was thwarted by four exhausted swimmers stopped in front of me. The two racers in front of me were alternating with a back stroke trying to catch their breath and the two racers in front of them were stopped calling for the kayak. I had to go around them which slowed me down considerably and forced me to take a longer line to the first turn.

After hitting the first turn, I realized how long the swim would be, the next buoy seemed a mile away. There were two more swimmers in front of me who were zigzagging back and forth. I’ve practiced keeping my head up to ensure a straight line when I swim, these guys weren’t paying attention and at one point, a racer swam directly in front of me going perpendicular to the course. I thought about yelling to him, but wanted to save my breath, he’d figure it out eventually, hopefully before he hit the beach.

The other racer had a slightly better grasp of geometry but was still cutting angles back and forth, by the next turn he had to swim back to the buoy and come around, which allowed me to catch up and eventually pass him on the final leg. I started with some front crawl and my speed increased considerably, I was on the beach and ready for the first transition.

Swim: 17 minutes and 26 seconds, good for 170 overall. A little slow and disappointing, but I didn’t drown.

The organizers had lied about the carpet through to the transition area. The carpet stopped about ten feet short, and I was tiptoeing over the stones and sharp objects to my bike. When I arrived, I realized that the person who came in next to me made the same mistake and racked their back front tire first. Their bike had fallen sideways into my bike and was in the way, beginners. I choose to wear socks this time around, my right foot had been hurting and I thought a little cushion would help. It cost me about one minute per sock.

Transition #1: 3 minutes 26 seconds, next time no socks

I rented a fancy road bike for the race from 3X Fast, the local triathlon store. It is relatively speaking on the low end of road bikes (only about $1,100 retail), but it was a great deal better than any bike I’ve ever rode before the race. I was hoping for a fast bike, my goal was to average over 20 MPH for the twelve miles. I was confident I could meet that goal with my fancy road bike propelling me to triathlon respectability. I headed out for the first of three laps through a local neighborhood and back down a main road. It was largely flat and fast.

At the entry way, I caught site of Ann and the kids cheering me. They had a tough time finding a place to park and so they missed the start of the race. Ether way, it was nice to see them and Connor, my three year old seemed to be very excited.

About halfway through the first lap, the elite racers sped by and I tried to keep up but they were going much too fast. The overall winner of the triathlon averaged 27.3 MPH. At one point, I thought a car was coming up behind me but it was just a guy on a high tech bike with a closed back wheel, aerodynamic helmet and front handle bars that extended straight out from the bike. The way to tell the difference between a “road” bike and a “triathlon” bike, “triathlon” bikes have gear shifters on both the extended handlebars, and the regular handlebars unlike road bikes which only have gear shifters on the regular handle bars.

I was feeling very good on the bike, and while most of the elite racers had passed me, I was actually starting to catch and pass some riders that had beaten me in the swim and a few of the non-elite riders from the first wave. At the start of the second lap, I started to pass some of the racers from subsequent waves, I was passing racers pretty steadily midway through the second lap, I looked back and realized another rider was drafting off of me. I wondered if he had mistaken me for a competent experienced triathlete.

He passed me at the beginning of the third lap and sensing a challenge I pulled in behind him and began drafting off of him. He kept up a pretty good pace for awhile, but he let me pass midway through the final lap. I finished ahead of him by a minute or so. I missed the final turn coming around the final lap and was scolded by one of the race officials, “bike to the left,” he screamed.

Bike: 37 minutes and 32 seconds, average speed of 19.8 MPH…bummed, I missed my goal by .2 MPH.

On to the second transition, I racked my bike and took off my helmet. The racer who was drafting me during the bike shouted, “great ride,” on the way out. It was a nice bit of encouragement from a fellow competitor

Transition two: One minute 28 seconds

My goal for the run is under 30 minutes. I wasn’t optimistic, my legs felt heavy after the bike and they needed some time to loosen up. The run was a simple out and back on a dirt road. Ann was at the exit of the transition camera in hand snapping away. I tried to stay to the side to take advantage of the softer dirt. My brother in law Dan was parked on the side of the road with my sister in law Claire, my nephew Liam with Connor and Aiden. Dan started filming a video asking me questions, and shouting encouragement. It was a nice break to take my mind off the run.

The run was pretty mundane, though being a slow runner some of the racers that I had passed on the bike were now passing me on run. It added to my running frustrations. The focus of my off season workouts would be running. I need to get better.

I still had to pee, the run was out on a country road and there was a corn field off to the right, I thought about stopping for a leak, but I thought the better off it. Strangely, it helped me keep my mind off the run. There was gentle incline, but nothing too difficult. I rounded the cone and headed back, I was able to see all of the racers still behind me.

When I hit the two mile marker, I decided I wanted to finish the last mile or so less than ten minutes. I picked up the pace and to my surprise, my legs felt better. I caught sight of the finish line and picked up the pace to a steady run, I was almost there. With about 100 yards to go, I heard the announcer yell, “MIKE SCHOLL….LOVELAND, COLORADO.” I noticed Ann and Dan snapping pictures and let out a big smile and raised my arms in victory. Run over, triathlon number two in the books.

Run: 32 minutes even, missed my goal.

Final time, one hour thirty one minutes and forty nine seconds, good for 151st out of 299.

(more thoughts will be forthcoming, but right now I need to go to bed)

Motivationally Challenged....

2009-09-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

I missed my swim workout today. I'm having motivational issues, having amped up for my first triathlon, I'm finding the second one a bit more difficult.

I probably shouldn't have signed up for two so close together. I'm not worried so much, but I need to get my training mojo back. The fear of drowning was a powerful motivator, but since I know I can easily do a half mile swim, I'm not scared.

To team or not to team...

2009-09-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, through sheer coincidence, I realized that my Thursday spinning instructor, who teaches the lunchtime class to video stages of the Tour de France, lives down the street from me. As we chatted about training, he invited me to participate in a 60 mile group bike ride he was leading this Saturday. I'm not going to participate, right now, all I have is an eleven year old hybrid bike with a wobbly back wheel. Though it got me to thinking about the benefits of team training.

I do a team work out on Wednesdays that I enjoy, but it’s a little different. It’s geared toward getting in shape and losing weight, not triathlons. The local triathlon store, 3X Fast has a race team and I’ve inquired a couple of times when I was in the store, but I got the distinct impression that they weren’t that into in me. First, I’m a beginner and second, judging by the pictures online, I’m not sure how good I would look in their skin tight tank top or the one piece tri suit.

Regardless, I sent them an email through their website and I received a polite email in response. They have a general meeting in November and I am encouraged to attend to check it out for myself. I wasn’t exactly overwhelmed. They do offer some clinics on improving riding skills and transitions, which I may check out. Don’t get me wrong, I like the store, but as a beginner, I’m still not one of the cool kids. Que sera.

Having played team sports most of my life, I enjoy the camaraderie and support you get from teammates. I just wish there were a beginner level team or group that I could join. We’ll see. There is another team in Greely that I might look into, but it’s a bit of a hike.

Swim Training....

2009-09-04T19:31:00.000-07:00

I'm finding it hard to get back into training, after 12 weeks of intense workouts, its become difficult to find the motivation. I'm hoping I can find it next week, I want to concentrate on running.

I went to the pool and tried to get in some laps this afternoon. I'm quickly realizing that the rec pool blows for training. They have a giant slide that creates a swirling current in the pool. I feel like I'm swimming in a heavy cross wind. I was trying to work on improving my kicking, but it was near impossible since I would end up nearly sideways.

I was trying to kid myself that its probably good practice for getting used to currents in open water, but it was a joke. It feels like swimming in a swirling toilet bowl. I managed 900 frustrating yards, but I wasn't happy with the intensity.

I need to find a 50 meter pool...

Otters Attack...

2009-09-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is truly odd...Who knew Otters don't like swimmers. Click the link to check out the story...

Otter ATTACK!!!

Running Fast...

2009-09-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

I ran a 5k today in exactly 30 minutes, I've been consistently at a 9:30-45ish mile times. I'm struggling to increase my running speed.

Going to try and do some speed work this weekend. My goal for the Octoberfest Tri is to complete the run in under 30 minutes. We'll see...

Triathlon #1 Complete!

2009-09-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

I had been training for three months for my first triathlon and finally the day was at hand. The night before I packed my bags, and went through my transitions. I was ready to go, and fortunately I was able to relax enough to get some sleep. The race was scheduled for 8:00 AM and I was scheduled to start with the third wave, around 8:10 AM. The weather forecast called for a cold and cloudy morning, bletch...

I had planned to get up at 5:00 AM and have a nice breakfast of whole wheat pasta with a banana. I had read that its good to eat complex carbohydrates about three hours before the race. The alarm malfunctioned, but nervous energy had me awake by 5:15 AM, I figured I was still within my three-hour window.

I arrived at the race right at 6:30 AM thinking I would be first to register. Instead, cars were backed up waiting to park. One thing about triathletes, they are punctual.

At first, I was a little intimidated, everyone seemed to have high tech bikes, new gear and the swagger of a seasoned triathlete. When I racked my bike, I was pleasantly surprised that the two guys on either side of me were also first-timers. In fact, one of the guys had the same experience as me, he was also using the triathlon to lose a few pounds and get in shape.

It was nice to have someone to chat with to keep nerves to a minimum. I had about a 45-minute wait and it was a little boring. However, I was entertained by the two guys across from me who were spraying their bodies with Pam nonstick spray. Apparently, spraying Pam on your body helps you slide out of your wetsuit. While I guess that may be true, I did not want to smell like an empty brownie pan for the balance of the race.

After what seemed like an eternity, they called us down to the beach for a pre-race briefing. By then, part of my support crew and cheering section had arrived, Karla and Daniel. Both are accomplished athletes in their own right, however, they've been slowed by injuries this summer. Daniel was suppposed to compete with me, but was laid up by an unfortunate bike accident. Before heading into the water for the start, Karla offered a helpful tip. She told me to just walk out into the water and ease into my pace. It was helpful advice as I was able to relax and establish my swim pace.

The plan was to go out with a nice, relaxed breast stroke and return with a faster front crawl. My strategy worked to perfection, by the end I was near the front of my group. Swim complete, 15 minutes 26 seconds.

Onto the transition: I had my jammers on underneath my wet suit, so I stepped into my running shorts and shoes, zipped up my bike jersey and put on my helmet and unracked my bike. Since I didn't have clip-on bike pedals and bike shoes, I figured I could wear my running gear on the bike, which would save me time on the second transition. I walked to the mounting area and off I went. Transition one was a respectable 2 minutes and 14 seconds.

I headed out for the first of two laps on the bike course, almost immediately the elite racers came around for their second laps. They flew by at a dizzying pace. I'm still amazed at their speed. The course, a narrow single lane, had rocks, ruts, blind curves and slowpokes like me getting in the way. After separating my shoulder a month before on the same course, I just wanted to finish the bike portion safely. My chain popped off once and while I was bending over to fix it I accidentally dropped my sunglasses and left them behind. I was fortunate in that I didn't need sunglasses because it was an overcast day, but I was still bummed.

I finished the bike in 1 hour 23 minutes and 49 seconds, good for 139th place.

Transition two, racked the bike and snapped off the helmet. A quick gulp of sports drink and I was off for the run. Transition two was a quick 1 minute and 11 seconds.

On to the run...
Arggh...Uphill. My legs felt really heavy and it took a while to work out the lactic acid from the bike ride. I was also a little intimidated. The course description indicated the run was a "gradual ascent." Being a flatlander from Michigan, a "gradual ascent," I thought, is like a normal driveway...gradual. This ascent was straight up the side of a mountain for 2 and half miles. I was beginning to regret not pre-running the course (lesson learned). My legs didn't lighten up until about mile one, but it was still a challenge. At mile two, there was a volunteer at a curve who yelled, "come on, just one small peak left." As I rounded the corner and saw the "small" peak,

I wanted to go back and impolitely correct her characterization, but I didn't want lose any ground. It was another big hill, then another climb on the other side of the ravine. It was starting to suck.
After the second mile, I could see the end in sight and got a burst of energy that carried me up over the final ascent. While I was struggling, the views were spectacular. It seemed as if I could see the entire Fort Collins metropolitan area and the full extent of Horsetooth Reservoir, a long narrow man-made body of water. Once I hit the downhill, my pace picked up considerably though my ankles were getting sore from the dodging rocks on the uneven trail.

After the fourth mile marker, (less than a mile to go!) I hit my runner's high. I felt really silly as I started to reflect on how great it was that I was doing a triathlon, but reality kicked in and I realized I still had to finish. I came off the trail, and it was about a 250 yard run on the dirt road to the finish.

Another competitor in the 40-45 (they wrote your age on your calf) group passed me. He was a tall lean runner, who gave a little encouragement as he passed by. He was about 50 feet in front of me as we were coming around to finish, and another competitor, who had completed the race looked at me and said, "come on, you can catch that guy." With that challenge, I kicked it into high gear and started a dead sprint to the finish. I made up most of the ground, but finished a few second behind.

Run time, a disappointing, 58 minutes and 55 seconds good for 148th. I could have pushed myself harder on the run--my goal was to complete it in under 50 minutes, which clearly didn't happen.

Final time 2 hours, 41 minutes and 35 seconds, good for 148 out of 187 and 19th out of 24 for my age group. Not bad for my first triathlon, but I think I could have done better.

Overall I enjoyed the experience, and so I immediately signed up for another sprint triathlon, the Octoberfest in Longmont, Colorado on Sunday, September 20. This is more of a traditional sprint tri, and it's flat. I'll keep you posted.

The Colorado Way - Triathlon Edition

2009-08-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

After two young children and a year of job stress, my girth expanded as my job in Michigan evaporated and we were forced to move for work. So here I am in uber-fit Colorado weighing a decidedly un-svelte 241 pounds.

For those who don't know, Colorado is one of the fittest states in the union. Exercising here is a strange and pervasive disease. Everyone works out. In fact, I'm convinced the the state motto "Nil sine Numine" actually means "Go workout now!"

Coming from Michigan, where per capita potato chip consumption leads the nation and cheap take-out pizza was pioneered, I felt large and out of place in my new home. Granted, my weight was also becoming a health issue.

At my new job, I mentioned my desire to start working out to a couple of co-workers. I was soon inundated with calls for spinning class and team workouts. I began slowly at first, and after a few months, increased the intensity. Soon, I had lost five pounds and was fully infected with the Colorado exercise disease.

I was invited to join a workout team led by a personal trainer on Wednesdays. If you haven't ever worked out or are looking to get into shape, I would highly recommend a trainer, even if its for one or two sessions. Pre-trainer, I thought my workouts were intense. I was wrong.

Our trainer, Sherri, is a grandmother who bikes 60 miles uphill and climbs 14,000 foot mountain peaks for fun. (I'm not kidding.) She is intense, friendly and supportive, and she kicks my butt every Wednesday. She will scream "COME ON!!" in a guttural voice that scares me into working harder for fear she may drop me off the top of a mountain if I don't actually work harder.

One of our regular workouts was running intervals on the treadmill and I hate running. Well, at least I used to hate running. I always believed it was a form of self-imposed torture. However, one of the benefits of working out with a trainer is that you're forced to do things you wouldn't normally do. Much to my surprise (shock) I actually began to enjoy running.

The problem with losing weight is that it is phenomenally boring. You work out, you weigh yourself...workout...weight yourself...on and on. After about ten pounds, my weight loss plateaued and I started to get bored and frustrated.

On impulse, I decided to step off the scale for a few months and work towards a different goal, a triathlon. Since my fear of running had subsided, I thought that I could give triathlons a go. I scanned active.com, an appropriately named website for workout junkies, to find one that would give me enough time to train, and would be a manageable distance.

I picked the Fat Tire Mountain Triathlon scheduled for August 30. It wasn't ideal, the bike portion is a 12 mile mountain bike run on a single track course and its a 4.8 mile run, unlike most sprints which are 5 kilometers. There just weren't any sprint triathlons in the area that would give me enough time to train. Before I could change my mind, I spent the $65 and registered for the race.

I pulled a twelve week training plan from on online triathlon coaching site (sprint triathlon training.org) and I began working out six days a week, two days each of swimming, biking and running based on the training program. It was also filled with tips and support. I printed the twelve-week guide and tacked it to the wall in my office. I checked off each day as I completed the workout and it became a personal challenge to make every workout.

I have to admit, I was starting to appreciate the crazed Colorado way. Pushing myself harder became fun.

I did have one setback. I rented a mountain bike and rode the triathlon course in preparation for the race. Since it was my first time mountain biking, I should have taken it easy. Instead, I went a little too fast, missed a turn, crashed and separated my shoulder. It set me back a week with the swim, but I was still able to run and bike through the injury.

I also did a practice open water swim run by a local triathlon store. I thought I would be fine, but I hit the 250 yard buoy and was completely spent. Exhausted, I had to call for the kayak to come over allow me to catch my breath. I had made the mistake of doubling up my workouts that day and I paid the price in embarrassment. Though, I told a fellow swimmer what happened and she related a story of her first time when she reached the buoy and had a panic attack. After hearing that, I didn't feel so bad.

So with that in mind, I'm all set to do my first triathlon this Sunday. I have a wet suit, running shoes and a rented mountain bike. I've also lost a total of 25 pounds since I started working out. You gotta love the Colorado way...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBdfW7kjKa0

http://withoutlimitsproductions.weebly.com/fat-tire-triathlon.html