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Chelanman Olympic Triathlon Race Report: 6/16/11

2011-07-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

A slight chill and a beautiful sunrise greeted my wife, Kendra, and I as we hopped in the car for the drive north to Chelan. The day before, we made the trip over to check my bike in and get my registration packet. Given the magnitude of the Chelanman multisport weekend, triathletes need to leave bikes overnight. I was suffering from separation anxiety as we drove away, but I was comforted by the close proximity of a few more expensive bikes. A big shout out to Trek for the pricing of their top-tier Speed Concept.

We left in time to make it into Lakeside Park, the race venue, about an hour before the transition zone would close for my race, 15min before the 7:30am race start. I raced here two years ago, and remembered that it would be a busy morning. I found my bike snuggled beneath the all-weather blanket that I'd left to protect it, and immediately set about setting up my transition zone.

Here's a shot of the swim start taken from when I raced this event two years prior.

I've been commuting by bike each morning, and during the week prior to the race, I set up my race shoes on my bike with rubber bands as practice for race day. I'd worked out all the kinks and hurried to get everything adjusted before heading to the swim start. All other pre-race rituals went smoothly. Not to make things too personal, but using the restroom prior to a race is an art form, and I've just about mastered it (hubris like this would get me in trouble during the race, when I would make amateurish mistakes during the bike that would cost me some time).

Heading over to the swim start, I found my way over the first timing mat (important!) and was getting my goggles adjusted when my Mom found me. My wonderful parents had driven over from western WA to watch the race, and my Dad would even be rocking the 10km run that started about half-way into my event. He was currently helping my wife find parking, a daunting task at this event that I strongly suggest you scout out the day before.

She had the anti-fog that my Dad had brought and also produced a Dr. Pepper when I asked if she had something to quench my thirst. The pre-race hydration tables either weren't set-up or I missed them, and I happily took a few swigs, swishing it around to release the carbonation before swallowing.

Looking out at the swim course, it seemed quite long. I've learned that if a course seems long, it's probably accurate, and if it seems about right, then it's short (this is something I've observed and also learned from Roger Thompson ). At the very least, it didn't seem the 0.3mi shorter than the half-iron course with which it shared most all of the buoys. A long swim, if it was one, would usually be cause for celebration, but my lack of swim prep in the previous season of training meant that I wouldn't be as competitive. Regardless, Lake Chelan remained the best open water I've ever had the privilege to dip into. Chilly but not cold and bottled-water clear.

The countdown for my wave, the first one, was on and I dove into the water. Seeded at the front of the field , I took a direct line to the buoy to try to pick up the line that connected one. This would make for effortless sighting, and I found it mid-way along the out section. Steeped in luxury, I would sight along the orange cord as I finished the swim.

My mind did its best to order my body to enact the form that I've studied and tried to drill into myself. I knew that one guy got away fast and another went by on an outside line, so I figured I was sitting in about 3rd place. There was a slight bit of chop and a few swells from distant boat traffic, but the swim was gentle as we took a loop out and wrapped around the park to the other side to come out along the beach.

During the last 200 yards or so, another swimmer suddenly pulled up alongside me. I'd had the presence of mind during the swim to surge randomly and then stop kicking (to eliminate bubbles), in an effort to drop anyone who might be catching a ride in my wake. I wasn't going to swerve away from the buoy line, though, so I focused on swimming my own race.

My new friend and I had two things in common: we each apparently appreciated the effortless style of a sleeveless-wetsuit, and we weren't afraid to get physical as each wanted to occupy the space over the beloved buoy line while traveling the same speed. We brought it in to the shore at the same time, but a better-timed exit from the water had me out and into transition first.

My wife is infamous for hilariously unintentional backwards-compliments, once remarking in complete honesty that I'm, "more attractive in dim light." She told me after the race that she took pictures of me during the swim (the ones posted just above while I was in the water), but didn't think it was me because the guys' arms (mine) were too big...

Goggles and swim cap off immediately, I'd start peeling off the top of my wetsuit as I ran to my transition spot.

Strip off suit, glasses on, helmet on, GO!!!

I run off with my bike as a relay competitor looks on nonplussed

Running through the transition zone and up a short, somewhat steep grass embankment, I mounted my bike and took off.

Unfortunately, I chose the flying-mount style in the heat of the moment and dislodged my flat kit, which has insufficiently taped to the bracket I mounted to my saddle rails. It caught on the velcro strap that I'd cinched on as a back-up, so I decided to risk it and take off as it seemed like it would hold. Unfortunately, it didn't and came off a few miles into the ride. I heard the sound, swore once, looped back, picked it up and hammered off. After holding it dumbly for a minute or two, I put it in my tri-suit pocket. In the future I'll have it better secured.

I like the bike course because it's fair, with a middle hilly section that will keep everyone honest. I knew that the hills would slow down my average pace, so I tried to keep it fast at the start but didn't press the uphills. I was going by a number of half-iron athletes (and rightly so, they had a very tough ride ahead of them), which prompted my one criticism of this race. With an out-and-back course on roads open to traffic, there was again congestion near the turnaround point that had me squeezing between a line of cars on my left and half-iron triathletes to my right. Not an ideal scenario, and the responsible thing would've been to hang behind the cars and take the hit to my time but I wasn't about to slow down when there was space to progress with a modicum of safety.

The bike course aid-station is situated on top of the largest hill. I had an expert hand-off from a volunteer to grab some Gatorade, of which I chugged as much as I could and then tossed towards the big trash crate. It skipped off the rim and I was able to yell back and thank the volunteer that chased after it as I kept speeding along (I try to thank each volunteer that I see, even if only a wave during the run, as they really make the race happen. The volunteers at this race were phenomenal, and I was very flattered to receive a lot of cheers as I raced along in 3rd place).

My nutrition for the race, with the exception of my pre-swim Dr. Pepper, was all taken on the bike. I had a gatorade laced with a Hammer Nutrition Endurolyte fizz tablet and a Hammer Energy Gel that I grabbed at the aid station on the return trip (great hand off again by one of the awesome volunteers). I also had a big pull of Gatorade from the bottle that I grabbed coming into the aid station.

Going into the turnaround, I signaled to cyclists behind me that I was turning, shifted into an easier gear to accelerate out of the turn, and made the sharp bend. An Olympic distance racer (second overall) was making the turn immediately in front of me but he went quite wide so I made it through ahead. Once past, I heard an unfortunate clunk of a mishift and an expletive to signal that he hadn't shifted before going into the turn. He would more then compensate, though, motoring past me on the subsequent uphills. I would pass back (going wide, no drafting!) on the downhills and flats, though, and we ended up coming into transition right near each other.

Weight on your left leg, flag your right foot out, brake, hop off and RUN!!!

My flat kit jumps ship again (!), leaping from my pocket and causing me to stop, reverse, and grab it. I cursed myself out for making such amateurish moves (although, I'm not a professional so I guess it's fitting) and ran through transition.

Rack bike, helmet off, slide on pre-rolled socks, slip-on shoes, grab number belt and GO!!!

Running off the bike is a strange sensation. I felt like I had a great stride, but I definitely felt the bike leg in my muscles. I focused on a good turnover as I ran around the park and out onto the run course, which was an out-and-back along the same lakeside road as the bike.

Heading out onto the run, I knew that I was in third place after my 'riding buddy' and I were passed in the final two miles. Given that there was a wave start, I wouldn't know what my final, overall position would be, but it was exciting to be racing in third and to have all of the spectators and fellow athletes (the 10km and half-marathon runners were coming in on the same course) cheering me along and congratulating me. I was really enjoying the support and thanks to everyone who was out there if you end up reading this.

Either way, I was racing to keep my current position. I set about maintaining a solid pace to the turnaround point and then, after making the turn and throwing in the surge, ran only about 100 yards before I saw a chain of fast guys absolutely flying towards me. The situation was serious and I knew I was in jeopardy so I kicked it into high gear, ratcheting up the discomfort in an attempt to hold off my chasers.

Coming back towards transition, there's short uphill, a left turn, a slight bend, and then a long straightaway to the finish. Coming into the final mile and straight section, my mind flashed to the book I was reading, The Perfect Mile, which chronicles Roger Bannister and John Landy's attempts to break the 4-minute mile. Bannister trained while in medical school and is a big inspiration for me, so I drew on that to push myself harder as I surged towards the finish.

As the road reaches Lakeside Park, it becomes a short, steep uphill that is brutal at this stage of the race. Once you crest it, though, it's a short, steep, downhill finishing straight. I knew that if I could reach the top without getting passed, I could use my leg turnover to fly down the hill and make it in to the finish as the third finisher. About a quarter mile out from the hill, I chanced a glance behind me... and saw another triathlete flying along in pursuit. I was up against it now, but I was going to bury myself before I was going to get passed this late in the race. Throwing myself forward, I reached the hill still ahead and went deep into anaerobic energy reserves to make it to the top. Still having no clue where the racer was behind me, I hurtled forward grimacing and sprinted towards the finish.

Exhausted, I stumbled across the tape and promptly sat in the grass. Kind volunteers handed me a gatorade and my finisher's medal as the announcer rang out that I was the third olympic racer to finish. Though I greatly enjoyed racing in third, my net place, I would soon find out, was 10th overall of the 500 racers out competing. 10th may not be 3rd, but I was thrilled with the result and quite happy to take first in my age group.

Group photo with my amazing wife (wrapped in my Dad's jacket) and wonderful parents. Congrats to my Dad for a big PR in the 10km!

With my legs stiffening, I walked down to the water for my absolute favorite post-race tradition. The sun would come out and I simply sat there, totally content with my race and enraptured by the view.

Thanks to Chelanman's awesome organizers for the excellent, logo-emblazoned metal water bottle prize.

A perfect finish to the race was a trip to the nearby Tsillan Cellar's Sorrento's Ristorante, with a gourmet lunch on their beautiful grounds a sampling of their fine, award-winning wines. They even had a 10% discount for Chelanman racers!

The view inside, the wine tasting bar is left of the image.

This bathroom easily podium'd as one of the best bathrooms I've been in. I was impressed.

The race wasn't all that the weekend had in store, 'active recovery' took on a new meaning as Kendra and I met up with one of my best friends from college, Joel, his beautiful girlfriend, Rebeccah, and Joel's awesome family. Country Boy's BBQ in Cashmere, WA (the ribs were insane) was also a highlight.

As was a great porter at Icicle Brewing Company in Leavenworth courtesy of my great friend.

Pro Tip: Rosalyn Rombauer "Run Intervals"

2011-07-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have the good fortune of being able to ride with friend and pro-triathlete Rosalyn Rombauer when I make it over to Western Washington. The newly-minted TriNW Champion routinely incorporates intervals on the track, and this recently served her quite well in a dominating victory at the inaugural TriRock Seattle olympic distance race (where she Chrissie'd the field and chicked just about everyone). We were talking about ways to improve my training, and with honest self-reflection, I realized that I was running all too often at a moderate or easy tempo. "In order to race fast, you have to train fast," she counciled me, "you need to run intervals."

With my history - albeit a lackluster one - in middle-distance track and cross country, I was quite familiar with the ways of the interval and happily took her advice.

After a couple recovery days following last weekend's Chelanman olympic-distance triathlon, I headed over to my Alma Mater's track for some interval work. After a 20min warm-up run around the beautiful campus and through the surrounding woods, I jogged down to the track for some light stretching and a few drills (eg. skipping, butt-kicks, high-knees, strides). At Chelanman, I was pleased to hold 6:35min/mi pace during the 10km run, so I set the pace for today's intervals at a modest 6:00min/mi. I ran that pace for the following intervals, with 400-600 yards of active recovery between each (active recovery is the cool way of saying I was jogging around the track between each interval). The simple set was 400-600-800-200, then 200 at a faster pace and a 100 "all-out" sprint. The set took just 20min and I was off to the pool for an easy swim.

My next interval set will likely be in the same pyramid fashion, but more extensive, such as 400-600-800-1000-1200-800-200-200. Remember that these are intense workouts, and they are best incorporated somewhat gradually, allowing for their placement in the week to permit sufficient recovery.

Overall it was a very rewarding session and a great addition to the current week's focus of threshold training before I taper for my next race (the Troika half-iron).

To learn more about Ros' racing exploits, check out her awesome blog, at http://bosalynbombauer.blogspot.com/ .

How To Carry Water Bottles On The Bike For Triathlon

2011-07-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

The bike leg of a triathlon is a time trial in every sense except one. While in both disciplines the rider rides solo against the wind and the clock, trying to maximize every aerodynamic advantage, in a triathlon the race doesn't stop at the end of the bike leg. This imposes upon the triathlete the requirement of bringing nutrition and a flat kit (Time trialists don't need a flat kit as, if they puncture, they either: a) wait impatiently for the team mechanic to swap out the wheel, or b) swear loudly in a European language, gesticulate wildly, and quit the race). Having to bring luggage along in a triathlon is complicated, however, as less is more when it comes to cluttering one's bike and maintaining optimal aerodynamics.

The answer to this dilemma, I have found, is decidedly simple. One only needs a front-mounted hydration system, an aerobottle on the main triangle, and a conveniently hidden flat kit (eg. tucked away in the bento box or taped to the saddle rails). The general consensus is that in races from Sprint to Ironman, you don't need to carry more than two bottles on your frame. For an Ironman, simply refill your front-mounted bottle (or aero hydration system) with what's provided on course and keep a concentrated nutrition mixture (*cough* Infinit *cough*) in the aerobottle.

In the above picture, Chris Lieto has tucked away a third bottle tightly against the saddle rails. Notice how the bottle's orientation is nearly parallel to the ground. The traditional behind the seat racks, for example Profile Design's Aqua Rack, have the bottles situated upright. This disrupts the smooth river of air flowing down your back and acts almost like towing along a tiny parachute. Lieto's arrangement for this third bottle is actually how I carry my flat kit (described below). Previously I had taped it there, but removing the tape took longer than it would take me to fix a flat. Having everything tucked in a bottle works well for me.

The only question you really need to ask yourself is do you want to have a horizontal-mounted, standard water bottle, or, an aerodynamic-bottle w/straw up front. Each as its own merits and drawbacks.

Chris McCormack proselytized many by rocking the horizontal-mounted standard bottle on his way to victory at Kona 2010. You can see that the flat front of the bottle can be easily exposed to the wind, though.

The beauty of the horizontal-mounted standard bottle lies in its simplicity. A cheap bottle cage, some zip ties, and you're good to go. Refilling on the course is as easy as swapping out bottles, no period of slowly rolling along and refilling required (as is the case with the 'strawed' variety). The main detriment is that, unless concealed by your forearms, you're pushing a flat disk into the wind. Apparently it's not as detrimental as you would think- see the graph posted below- and it's important to note that his method has currently taken off like wildfire among the Pros.

I like Torhans' product for its very thoughtful design. From it's true-aero shape (as opposed to the rather bulbous, relatively-aero shapes of it's competitors) and NACA-profiled straw.

The aerobottle with straw option is also enticing. These are aerodynamic bottles which you drink from through a straw and are refilled on-the-go in a race. Not all of them are created equal, however, and I would strongly endorse the new Torhans system. Trisports.com did a thorough review of the current options here and it's definitely worth a look if you're interested. These systems are criticized for having a straw constantly flag-poling about in the wind, so it's important to keep your straw as short as possible (for example, you may lose around 1 Watt of power for every inch or so of straw that is exposed). Although, if you have a road bike or a triathlon bike with a round headtube, the aerodynamic shape of the bottle will hit the wind first, instead of your less-aerodynamic headtube, and provide a nice, aero benefit.

Here is an interesting graph courtesy of Torhans' wind-tunnel testing (click on the image to enlarge) that compares the drag (the lower, the better) of different systems currently available:

I was debating the merits of Torhans vs. the horizontal-mounted standard bottle myself when I switched my bike computer over from my road bike to my tri bike. The decision became a lot easier when I looked at my new front end.

With my silver bike-computer sticking up into the wind, I knew that the horizontal-mounted aero bottle could now conceal both the faceplate of my stem and the computer itself, partially negating the aerodynamic disadvantage of this system. So I literally 'ran' errands and picked up a pack of twenty 8in black zip ties for 77 cents and relocated my seat-tube mounted bottle cage (which I'd initially picked knowing that I would likely swing this way. It's stiff, but adjustable by bending and allows for easy access to the bottle while in the aero position).

Here is a shot of my bike before adding the bottle up front.

And here it is with the cage zip-tied to the aerobars. I used eight of the thin zip ties, two at each spot. I simply looped them through the holes in the bottle cage intended for the bolts to mount it to the frame.

And here it is with a standard, large water bottle in the cage. Though it looks like a tight fit, the bottle is extremely easy to remove and replace.

And here with a shorter water bottle.

The view straight on. Notice how the bottle has eclipsed the faceplate of the stem and my bike computer perfectly. No additional tinkering required, it just naturally landed in this position. The whole process took just minutes, making products like this $40 "Torpedo Mount" from XLAB seem shameful and ridiculous.

No offence intended if you have one.

Having successfully mounted my front bottle, the next step would be to use an aerobottle mounted on the downtube for my secondary bottle filled with concentrated Infinit (for longer races such as my upcoming half-iron or next year's IM CdA). But until Christmas rolls around, I will be using the behind-the-seat bottle holder that I purchased and mounted in reverse, to keep my second bottle tucked up behind the saddle Lieto-style. This bottle will either hold my flat kit or, as mentioned, function as my second hydration bottle if needed in a longer race.

First I purchased the Minoura Single-cage rear holder through Speedy Reedy. They were, per the usual, extremely helpful, and the part was soon waiting in the shop. Using a product in place of possibly using zip ties is somewhat hypocritical given my critique of the XLab system, but I hadn't yet fiddled with zip ties to see if they would work. The stiff Minoura holder is a convenient solution and quite affordable anyway at $10.

You can't tell from these photos, but the Minoura holder has some very impressive machining (i.e. it looks nice) and is very sturdy. It is, as all things should be, matte black.

Here it is mounted to the rails of the saddle. The product is intended to be mounted in the opposite direction (such that the cage holder would be parallel to the seat-post), but I trickily flipped it to keep it tucked away from the wind.

Though not very aesthetically appealing, the standard, metal bottle cage that I elected to use is faithful (it won't snap like the over-priced, under-performing Karbon Kage that I had from Profile Design), and can be bent slightly to keep a tight hold on the bottle.

Now with a water bottle.

Another perspective...

The frontal profile of the bottle+cage is fairly minimal, I'm quite pleased with how it worked out. Also, when and if I get an aerobottle for the frame, my pump from Topeak can be mounted to the bottle-cage holder and my flat kit affixed to it in a ziploc, making the whole assembly both very secure and more aerodynamic than is even seen here.

There you have it! My thoughts on how to carry nutrition and a flat-kit during a triathlon. This system will work beautifully for training and on race-day without breaking the bank. Or even a $20 bill. But of course the most important thing is finding a system that works well for you, I simply wanted to share what I ended up with.

Spokane's Riverside State Park

2011-07-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Spokane was recently named #2 city for Trail Running in the nation by Outside Magazine (Bend, OR came in first). I recently went on some trail runs in Spokane's beautiful and extensive Riverside State Park and took a few photos along the way. The terrain was steep and the area where I was running a bit rocky, but the beautiful forest and vistas I encountered more than made up for any difficulties.

I started at the "9-Mile" area trail-head and simply ran on trails with the intention of getting somewhat lost. I would head south on single-track trails and loop up the steep side of the plateau.

When the going gets tough, the tough secretly walk because nobody's around

Reaching the plateau's edge provided sweeping views and little meadows replete with purple, yellow, and white wildflowers

Riverside State Park is aptly named, and the ability to find forest close to the city that feels remote is quite a gift

Rounding a switchback on a descent back towards the trail-head, I happened upon two hikers chatting with a a wildlife photographer. The latter had been camped out for the past week filming a large eagle's nest with two fledgling eagles that was framed beautifully by the pine trees. In the above shot, I zoomed in with my simple camera to get a shot that is, admittedly, quite terrible. The images from the photographer were splendid, though.

Imagine a road free of cars that meanders through tranquil wilderness. Up steep hills, through long flat sections, and past towering rock structures and cliffs. You're imagining the Centennial trail, one of my very favorite places to ride here in Spokane.

My First Giving page: Ironman for SIGN

2011-07-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Previously I wrote about First Giving, a wonderful website that facilitates fund-raising for altruistic events or causes. Having registered for next year's Ironman Couer d'Alene, I knew that I could use the race as a platform to generate financial support for the Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN). SIGN says it better than I can on their homepage:

"Severe fractures occur daily throughout the developing world as a result of road traffic accidents, violence, and disasters. Many victims are too poor to afford surgical implants. Local surgeons often have only traction or casting available to treat complex fractures. They watch in frustration as their patients lay in traction for months, often with poor results.

SIGN’s mission is to support surgeons in the developing nations by providing them with training and modern equipment so they can provide immediate surgical treatment to their patients. As a result, surgeons can treat more patients in a timely manner, and patients are soon able to walk and return to work to feed and care for their families."

This young Ethiopian woman recently had her mobility restored, and in many ways her life saved, by SIGN. You can read her story and those of many others here.

A perfect union between my desire to participate in medical mission work and my interest in Orthopaedics, SIGN was an easy target for my efforts. Having the ability to easily, securely, and efficiently develop and maintain a means to try and generate that support, however, would have been quite a challenge. Fortunately, First Giving had taken care of that for me.

I took some screen shots of the process and can direct you to my personal fundraising page. I would of course love to receive your support, but more importantly, I'd simply like to make you aware of First Giving's excellent service, so that you could also embark upon supporting the organization of your choice. I also wanted to introduce those reading this blog to SIGN and the inspiring work they are performing throughout the world. I hope that you will join me in supporting them in whatever way that you can. Now, onto the development process:

The entire process was so convenient that it only took a few minutes.

First, I simply went to the home page and clicked on 'Create a Page' (the green button in the above screenshot)

I then followed the very simple instructions and searched for my chosen organization, SIGN, by typing their name in the search bar

Finding them right away, I clicked on 'Start Fundraising.'

I selected the 'Triathlon' option for my fundraising event and was taken to my own personal page, where I filled in all of the requested details, wrote my short description of the fundraiser, and was done!

If you'd like, you can check out my completed page at Ironman for SIGN. On the page, you can see my brief bio and a description of the project. First Giving makes establishing and maintaining your fundraiser effortless, I strongly encourage you to give it a try, you never know what might happen.

Cycling in Spokane: Images From Today's Ride - Part Deux

2011-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

In a previous post, I uploaded photos that I took during a beautiful ride north of Spokane. I just now finished a beautiful ride west of Spokane and thought I would do the same. Low-traffic, smooth chip-seal roads are again heavily featured, as is gorgeous scenery on a day with perfect weather. I went out through the 'Pleasant Prairie' area and rode through foothills and across a few open plains. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, even if they can't attest to the symphony of birds and sensation of a warm breeze that also accompanied the ride.

Though without a shoulder, the roads are made safer by the very low traffic level and high visibility. I'm able to monitor cars as they approach and ensure that I've been noticed.

My view to the left....

And my view to the right...

Agriculture made for low population density and ensured expansive views with lots of greenery.

This picture isn't spectacular, but it does represent the feeling of being able to open up and just hammer in the aero position out alone on open roads. I thought back to the endless hours spent studying on the bike trainer over the winter and smiled.

The start of a long, fast descent

My favorite photo from the ride, some of the scenery was simply stunning.

"Should I buy a triathlon bike?"

2011-06-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

I made the below flow chart to answer that most important of questions, "Should I buy a triathlon bike?"

If you found this blog entry in search of the answer to this question, simply click on the flow chart below to view a larger version and let it guide you to the truth.

Start with the beginning phrase, "I want a Triathlon bike" and then follow the black lines to the most relevant of the first three options. Then keep following the black lines. Good luck!

Moses Lake Family Triathlon Race Report- 6/11/11

2011-06-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."

-Roger Bannister

The alarm went off at 4:10 and I jumped up to turn it off. I groggily checked the weather report and smiled at the news: 76 and clear skies. The torrential downpour that had awoken me at 2:45am wouldn't be affecting the race in Moses Lake. I grabbed my pre-made PB&J tortilla, bag of dry cereal, and coffee and headed out from Spokane with my wife now sleeping in the passenger seat. Beautiful pastel colors lit up the sky with sunrise as the rolling hills of the Palouse, turned green by the recent rainfall, were surveyed by Red-Tailed Hawks. I focused on visualizing each component of the race as I drove the 2 hours to the park.

The National Anthem before the race

The quasi Olympic-distance race takes place at the beautiful Blue Heron Park, just off I-90 as it passes through Moses Lake. There was ample, convenient parking and I got a spot right up front. Packet pick-up was effortless as I had my Bib #, photo ID, and USAT card right at hand. After signing a quick waiver, I grabbed my bike and transition bag from the car and walked down to the transition zone.

Lying in the parking lot just above the boat-ramp-turned-Swim-Start, the transition zone was fenced in with orange, plastic safety fencing and had a spacious array of nice metal racks, 8 bikes to a rack. The excellent organization extended further with consecutive bib numbers assigned to specific racks. Being the first person into transition, I was hoping to have my choice of spots (right next to the bike out/in), but my capitalistic ways were denied me and I made my peace with the egalitarian arrangement by racking my bike at the first position on my assigned rack.

Other racers soon showed up to get their transition zone settled. As I told my wife later, races are basically a 'make new friends' convention for me, as I find good-natured people with the similar interests at each event. This was definitely the case and I enjoyed getting to know the racers around me as I got everything ready.

After warming-up on the bike trainer, I left my bike in a solid gear to get started and grabbed my wetsuit to warm up in the water. I brought vaseline to protect my neckline from friction against my wetsuit, but decided to use the small packet of Udderly Smooth Udder Cream that was included in our pre-race packet. The thick white lotion performed it's job admirably and I would have no irritation develop during or after the event.

The water was measured to be an agreeable 65F. Though cold on the arms, I warmed up quickly as I felt the strange sensation of the chill from water seeping into my wetsuit. The shoreline was also pleasantly free of duckweed or other aquatic plants that have hindered other open water events that I've been to.

Goggles are never attractive and these AquaSphere ones are no exception, but they combine goggle-performance with mask visibility, making them an excellent choice for open water swimming. The tint helps with sighting in bright conditions.

The first wave was sent off, with a group of Women and Men 30-39 heading out to the first turn buoy. There was then a quick, 5-minute wait until my wave was sent off. I knew Josh Hadway, an up-and-coming young pro and all-around great guy, would tear up the race so I seeded myself next to him to try and keep him in sight or possibly draft during the swim.

Above is my elementary attempt to paint the swim course

I slapped my arms and wiggled them about to keep warm as I waited at the front of the field. This attractive sneer was caught just as the race was about to start.

As I waited for the start to be announced, I heard two guys next to me make some remarks about another swimmer:

"Geez, that guys shoulders are the size of my quads!"

"Yeah, that'd be a nice draft... bet he'll blitz the swim."

"Hah, but you'll see him again on the run."

I chuckled a bit inside and continued fiddling with my now-fogging goggles, to the lasting frustration of my wife-turned-gorgeous-personal--photographer, who was trying quite unsuccessfully to get a pre-race shot of my face.

Sorry, sweetie.

There was the countdown and bam-we-were-off. My goal of starting at the front to catch onto Josh had mixed results as people swam furiously alongside me at what was probably 300% faster than their race pace. I caught onto some bubbles and let them lead me to the first turn buoy, thrilled by both the tenacity of a triathlon swim start and the fact that I didn't get kicked in the face.

I'm not sighting, just simply trying to keep from getting kicked in the face.

Having caught them successfully, I head out towards clear water.

This swim leg would be an exercise in skills-retention as I've done a lot of open water swimming previously but I have been removed from it for two seasons, with the past year of school, time spent in Asia, and then previous winter precluding me from practice. I was ~~extremely surprised~~ very glad to find my sighting effortless and my swimming straight as I made my two clockwise laps around the buoys. With very limited swimming done throughout the last school year, I'd amplified my mileage during the past 6 weeks of freedom and had hoped that it would be enough to bring at least my technique back up to form. I focused on maintaining the best form I could for as long as I could, and surprisingly found myself swimming the strongest as I rounded the second turn-buoy for the second time and made straight towards the exit ramp.

You can see by the proximity of the reeds that I really tried to cut it as tight as possible.

Coming out of the water, I didn't know what time or placing to expect. I mentioned above that this race is quasi Olympic Distance, in that the swim is slightly long at 1mi (as opposed to 0.9mi or 1500m) and the bike is short, at 22mi (instead of the standard 24.8mi). I came out of the water in 19:39 and was, according to my cheering wife, one of the first blue caps out of the water (the first wave men had white caps). I sprinted up the short and somewhat steep boat ramp to reach the transition zone.

I ran to my bright-pink, polka-dotted transition towel (read: easy to spot. And stylish) with my cap and goggles off and my wetsuit around my waist. The plan was to speedily strip off the remainder ITU-style, but the Fog of War, that dazed, disorentied feeling you have returning to land after the swim, left my world spinning and I resorted to using the transition rack to keep me upright as I stripped the suit off my feet. I elected to put my shoes on in transition, as I hadn't practiced rubber bands enough recently to make it an efficient (and safe) tactic. This was just as well given how dazed I was. I took off out of T1 after 1min, 12 seconds.

Notice the Mount Bike sign. Apparently a lot of my competition didn't. As reported by my wife, many mounted early and dismounted late. This included the bike leader who scooted all of the way up to transition. If he happens to be reading, I ride with a great Optometrist in Spokane, maybe he can hook you up with some sport-specific glasses.

I headed out of transition right alongside a guy on a very nice Trek Speed Concept. Speed Concept shot off but I kept him in sight through the opening miles as we made a few turns then headed out on the straight, out-and-back course over rolling hills parallel to I-90. The 'hills' were mostly quite gentle inclines and declines that fluctuated in a gentle sin wave that would continue through most of the course, with a few solid flat sections interspersed. As Speed Concept slowly inched his way closer towards the horizon, I focused on setting a good rhythm and keeping my pace fast but reigned in for the following run. I had a single bottle filled with HEED on my seat-tube and would take big sips once about every ten minutes during the bike. I elected for positioning the bottle here as my aerobars are spread enough that it wouldn't be concealed by my hands and I could still grab the bottle from the seat-tube and drink while maintaining the aero position.

I caught my first guy fairly early, then my second about a mile later. Each pass was great motivation to press forward, as was my shadow cast in front of me by the now risen sun behind us. I love the bike leg and am thrilled to be riding my new machine- I wanted to put it to good use against my fast-looking and well-equipped competition. The one hill of consequence slowed me down a bit, but I stayed in the aero position mostly for appearances sake as I caught another competitor who was sitting up on the bullhorns for the climb.

Riding without a bike computer, I had no objective sense of distance or pace as the race progressed. I would catch another 4 riders on the remaining out section. Heading into the turnaround, I counted riders heading back the other direction. The bike leader had a fast position and was riding angry, with lots of open real-estate behind his P3C.

The road surface of the course would best be described as rough chip-seal. I was riding Bontrager tires, a RaceLite in the front and RaceXLite in the back. As my dedicated race tires, they were both in excellent shape but it didn't keep me from intermittently praying, "Please don't flat, Please don't flat," as I rode the course. Despite the rough surface, the road was in good shape, with my only objection coming from a section covered in small gravel that the RD had at attempted unsuccessfully to get swept. I rode in the section of the road that was made smooth by the right tires of car traffic and this really mitigated the vibration. The high pressure in my tires probably didn't help. Police guarded all of the intersections, and I thanked them each time I shot through. I also did my best to shout an encouraging 'Good job!' to the athletes who were heading out on the bike as I was coming back in.

There was a great view of the remainder of the bike course as I crested the one real hill and shot down the back side. It was steep enough that even pedaling in my 53x11 was relatively ineffectual, but that didn't stop a guy on a Cannondale Slice from shooting by me. I kept him at least 7 bike lengths in front of me (I had zero interest in drafting or in giving any race officials any room for interpretation) and then he pulled away a bit as we made out way back into T2.

I was surprised to find my legs tightening up a little bit in the final 2 miles of the ride so I backed off the pace slightly. I also stretched and shook my legs out a little bit. Making the turn back into Blue Heron Park, I unclipped from my shoes and rode on each as a platform. Coming down the decline into transition, I swung my right leg over the bike and coasted in standing on the left shoe, ready to glide in and make a smooth run through transition and out onto the run course.

I elected to run in socks as I ended up with both shoes bloody when I didn't in my previous race. I had them rolled up ready to go and quickly slipped them on, slid into my pre-tied race shoes (no need for elastic laces), then grabbed my race number belt and knee strap as I took off onto the course. My T2 time was 35.6sec.

I was happy to see lots of empty racks in transition as I focused on trying to catch the athletes ahead of me on the run, not typically my strongsuit.

Coming out of transition, we would run a 10km out-and-back course that follows the lakeshore along a bike path and through a lakeside neighborhood. The first and last 150yrds or so are on grass within the park, and I quickly caught and passed the Slice cyclist as I made my way out at a pace that was fast for me but hopefully sustainable. Right away I was able to mark another runner about 60 yrds ahead and just focused on pulling him in. "Pump your arms, Pump your arms," I repeated to myself, in the hope that driving my elbows back would increase my leg turnover and make my stride more efficient. My high-school cross-country coach, an Olympic caliber runner in her past, attributed a 10sec/mi bonus in pace to this technique. A couple squads of cheerleaders took up residence on a few of the turns and at aid stations- great job ladies (!), thanks for the support.

Despite the warm temps, clear skies, and shadeless course, I didn't feel warm as I made my way through the first mile aid station. I doused my hair with water to cool myself down. I don't tolerate drinking on the run well in races so I focus on getting most all of my nutrition in on the bike and so far the bottle of HEED was doing quite well. Even though I felt alright, it was slightly ominous how quickly the water evaporated within a quarter-mile of the aid station. It was a warning to keep from blowing myself up during the run.

"He looks like a gazelle!" I disparagingly observed about the runner that I was slowly reeling in. Despite the guy's strong stride, I soon had him within 10 yards and then made a concerted push to try and drive by him and 'snap the elastic.' About this time I saw Josh Hadway leading the race in and managed a, "Great job Josh!" to which he replied very enthusiastically in turn. Apparently he wasn't winded by the 34:06 10km he was putting in.

Coming along the straightaway to the turnaround, I caught a string of 3 runners and put in a surge after the 180 degree turnaround. The runner that I'd tracked down was still with me, and despite the few surges I put in as he ran alongside, he was able to break free. He did serve as a great pacer, though, and helped bring me in towards the final section of bike path. The long straightaways on concrete were warm but also fast, and I did my best to push hard as another runner was maintaining a position close behind me.

With about a half-mile left, the runner behind me put in a hard effort on a short, steep downhill and broke past me then caught my impromptu pacer. The quote from Roger Bannister at the very top of this page kept running through my mind and I did my best to put myself in pain. I wasn't able to reel them in, unfortunately, but I did learn after the race that I held off some runners behind that were pushing hard to try and pull me in. Making it to the final 150 yard sprint to the finish, I did my best to run hard over the soft grass surface and soon threw myself across the line to finish the 10km run leg in 42:01 / 6:47 min per mile, and cap my race off in 2:04:28.

You can tell from my expression that I am a very special kind of tired here at the end of the race.

The focus on the park background demonstrates that this is a very attractive venue for the race.

Subtracting 5min from the overall time due to my delayed 2nd wave start left me with a 2:04:28 finish.

Having to put in a final hard effort over the soft grass was rough, and I walked off the exertion. I headed over to a group of three guys, including the two who finished just ahead of me, and we talked about the race. I love the race atmosphere and the ability to spend time with so many like-minded people. We talked about our race and what races we have planned next, with a couple guys slated to race Ironman Couer d'Alene in just two weeks time. Wandering over to the awesome post-race spread, I made an open-faced turkey sandwich and snagged a couple 1/4ths of some Costco Muffins to keep it company (you can't beat the Apple Cinnamon). There was also some excellent fare from race sponsor Sara Lee.

I would hang around and receive my award for 3rd place in my age group. The design had bike chain wrapped around the edge which I thought was clever. My wife also admired the hand made ceramic finisher's medal complete with twine. I was also happy to see that I qualified for the USAT Age-Group National Championships to take place this next August in Burlington, Virginia. While I'm not sure I'll be competing, it's always nice to say that I qualified.

About to leave the race, we were able to get a very nice gentleman to snap our picture. I'm wearing the race t-shirt and, at the request of our volunteer photographer, am holding out the two muffin wedges that I took to go. Not the best post-race nutrition (they're practically cake), but they tasted great.

After some more friendly conversation, cleaning up my transition zone, and a final muffin wedge, my wife and I were back on the road and off to Spokane for some well-deserved rest. A big kudos to everyone who raced, especially those who first tried their hand at triathlon in the short Family Event. This race had a great freshwater swim venue with clean water and perfect temperature, a fast but fair bike course of rolling hills, and a fast run course. While the scenery on the bike and run wasn't particularly inspiring, the event had great management, an excellent venue for the registration/transition area, and a delicious post-race spread.

Keeping Up Appearances

2011-06-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

As Triathletes, our motus operandi should be to take the best of our three parent sports and cultivate the resulting blend into one sexy, endurance triumvirate. Unfortunately, we often miss the bus and are left with some of the dregs of swimming, cycling, and running's collective fashion barrel. In the interest of giving our single-sport brethren less ammunition when it comes to who can make fun of who better, here are a few tips for staying stylish, because after all, it's not about how fast you are, it's how good you look that matters most.

Rule 1: Never, Ever Wear a Speedo.

One of the very last triathlon Speedos in existence, as rocked by Faris al Sultan (photo courtesy of the venerable Timothy Carlson)

Suffering from the inclination to rock the mankini come raceday? Don't. The notorious budgie smuggler , as it's known to Aussie triathletes down South, should've died out like the dinosaurs when the comet of Common Sense hit triathlon in the late-90s. The notorious and hilariously-satirical Underwear Run prior to Ironman Hawaii began as a statement against the ~~German~~ European triathletes flagrantly wearing Speedos about town during the week of the race. Speedos are triathlon's version of the mullet, only without being awesome. Don't wear one.

Rule 2: Sleeveless Jerseys are Senseless

No offense to those of you that wear them, but sleeveless jerseys should not exist. You might as well tie your jersey into a knot and hike it up to bare your midriff. I would even contend that if all triathletes and recreational cyclists would abolish the wearing of sleeveless jerseys, racing road cyclists might finally ease the tension in their bib-shorts and unpucker a little. If you are wearing your racing top in preparation for battle while on your tri bike, that's another matter. But if you get too warm during your training camp in Tucson, try rocking a tight-fitting, race-cut jersey from Castelli with one of their skin-cooling fabrics.

Rule 3: Pretend Your Helmet Bursts Into Flames Any Time You Step Off The Bike

Cycling is a beautiful and noble sport, but step off from your steed and leave your helmet on and you'll look either like an impotent mushroom or spandex-clad alien depending on the style of your lid. Now, just as in racing, make sure to put your helmet on before you mount and dismount before removing it, but don't let the removing be delayed too long after the dismounting. Upon removing your helmet, strap it stylishly to your bike as demonstrated in this photo, with the straps of the helmet clipped either under or around the stem:

Rule 4: The Only Acceptable Racing Apparel for a Running Race is a Singlet with Running Shorts

I like to joke, when people ask me why I like cycling/triathlon, that I do it because it's the only socially acceptable way that I can wear spandex in public. That being said, it's really not socially acceptable, especially among runners who race. Just like how you should wear a triathlon suit in a triathlon, in running you should wear what the top runners wear, your being accustomed to compression garments be damned. For example, if you're running the Seattle Marathon in the winter in preparation for Ironman Couer d'Alene the following June, don't rock your tri race kit. You'll look like, well, a weird guy/gal in spandex among a bunch of people in normal clothes. Like the feeling of compression on your legs? Wear black spandex shorts underneath your running shorts. But don't give runners any reason to justifiably call us weird- that's like a toddler calling you immature.

Rule 5: Walk Your Bike By Gently Holding The Saddle

In the above images, Macca and Chrissie both lovingly guide their machines with one hand. Yes, you're reading that right- walk your bike one-handed by the saddle and you have a guaranteed, 100% chance to win Kona at least twice!

Accustomed to walking your bike by the handlebars, the front-end hampered by your over-bearing grip and twitching about over the grass of the transition zone? Leaving T1 in a daze, leaning over your ride and running along with both arms on the basebars of your bike as though you were pushing some empty, overly-expensive stroller? Yes, me too. At least at one point. Then I woke up and embraced that which is the greatest form of movement- walking casually as you guide your bike with one arm gently, almost callously, resting on the saddle. Your machine returns the trust that you place in it through playfully bouncing over rough ground in a seemingly miraculous straight line, as others gaze upon you and are practically sunburned by the sheer confidence you exude. Come your transitions, you run at nearly a full sprint while your bike bounds along beside you, as though you are racing each other to the mount line or back to your station. There really is no other way to conduct a bicycle when it's not powered by your feet.

There you have it- 5 easy steps to feeling and, more importantly, looking, fabulously stylish and stylishly fabulous in training and at the races.

Either that, or more importantly, race like Chrissie and do whatever-the-hell-you-want while smiling. Crush the rest of your gender by half-an-hour in a race and, rather than following arbitrary style guidelines, whatever you do becomes the standard. But seriously- and that was totally serious- the most stylish thing you can do out there is simply have fun and race hard.

North Olympic Discovery Half-Marathon Race Report- June 5th, 2011

2011-06-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

"In every race there is a crucial moment when the body wants to quit. Then it needs imagination and mental tenacity to survive the crisis. Otherwise the penalty is defeat."

-Derek Ibbotson (T. O'Connor, 1960)

This last Sunday I opened up the running season with a beautiful race on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. The North Olympic Discovery Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 10km take place on a beautiful, hard-surface path from Sequim to Port Angeles. The events are each point-to-point, picking up along the trail however many miles from the shared finish line. This would be my second time participating in the half-marathon but my first time running it. In 2007, I was battling ITB impingement and on that day it got the best of me, forcing me to run the last 8 miles literally on one leg.

Race morning of 2011, however, would find the sky blue and myself injury free as I packed into the car with my father (also running) and support crew of wife, brother, and mom to drive north towards Sequim.

My amazing wife also gets credit for the photography (other than this shot, of course, taken near the half-marathon start)

In the couple days prior to the race, I switched from my regular diet where I try to emphasize low energy-density, high-fiber foods like carrots with readily digested, processed foods like white pasta and cereal. Some of the same reasons as to why one would want to avoid excessive amounts of the latter foods in their normal diet make them a good option to eat in the days leading up to a race. They'll provide you with carbohydrates without making a long-term occupation of your GI tract (read: ambush on race-day). So there I sat in the car on the drive up to the race contentedly munching on Reese's Puffs cereal and a banana. I also had a tall glass of dark chocolate Almond milk before we left and brought along a cup of coffee.

Arriving at Agnew Soccer Field, where the race begins, I first stopped by the last of a wonderfully long-row of porta-potties before heading over to registration to grab my number and timing chip. My brother kindly held the clothespins as I crumpled up the race number (this allows it to better conform to you body as you run). He liked to remind me that he set the family record for this race in 2007 with a solid 1:41 time that earned him 2nd in our age group. I'd jokingly asked him a few days prior, "What does your half-marathon record have in common with the milk in my fridge?" (Answer: they both expire this Sunday).

Part of the gorgeous view from the starting area is seen behind my Dad and I as we pose for a quick photo before the race start.

I've been training pretty heavily lately and had developed some phantom soreness in my right knee. Even though I hadn't felt any pain while running, I was quite intent on keeping it that way and set about a gentle warm-up. Tim Noakes, in his book Lore of Running, recommends a brief warm-up with some stretching and race pace efforts before starting and that's just what I set about doing, along with a few leg swings and other drills (butt kicks, high knees, and strides) to loosen up. We'd arrived at the starting area one hour before the 9am start time, which was a very comfortable buffer to get checked in, use the facilities and warm up.

Speaking of warming up, sweats were unnecessary as the day climbed towards it's anticipated 70 degree temperature. As Noakes writes:

"... as you amble nervously over to the horde of gathered runners, you need to take the "starting-line test." This test, first described by Osler (1978), states that if while standing at the start in your skimpy running clothes you do not feel cold, then the weather for that day is too hot for you to run your best marathon. That being the case, remember the running axiom, 'in the cold you run for time, in the heat you run for a place,' and set your pace accordingly.... the novice who is too ambitious in the heat will suffer the ultimate indignity of turning to pulp and being passed by experienced runners like myself who know that the heat is the great equalizer."

Standing at the start line in my lightweight singlet and running shorts (both by Zoot, and those are my favorite shorts), I felt comfortable if slightly warm so I knew to hedge my fluid intake and pace accordingly. I seeded myself a little back of my anticipated pace, in the expectation that others would start too quickly, and shook my legs out as the announcer called down, "10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..." and we were off!

The race start. In case you're wondering, and I know you're wondering, the race official in the foreground is on a Specialized Tarmac.

The first couple hundred yards of the race are flat and take place on smooth, chip-seal roads. After a 180 out-and-back, the race joins up with the Olympic Discovery Trail which it follows to the finish at the picturesque Port Angeles shore-front. I felt very comfortable starting out and the first few miles rolled by painlessly as we ran through countryside worthy of a painting, framed by the alps of the Olympic Peninsula.

Around the 4 mile mark, the first phase of the race through the gentle countryside ends and the next phase, that of slightly rolling and winding terrain through the forest, begins. There are a couple very short, very steep hills peppered throughout the course, and the first occurs just before you enter the forest and has lots of crowd support.

Now several miles into the race, the field started to spread itself out even further. I was happy to be among the front of the race as we ran through the deceptively warm shade provided by the serene forest. With each little uphill that we faced, it seemed that I would give up around 1 meter to those I was running near, but with each downhill I focused on really opening up my stride and more than made it back.

The race continues through the forest with aid stations every 1-2 miles. I haven't been tolerating liquids very well recently on runs, but the warmer weather forced me to change my plans when I battled a crash in energy at mile 6. I then modified my strategy at each aid station, grabbing a glass of water and Gatorade. I slowed my pace just enough to down the glass of Gatorade and poured the water over my head but then leaned forward, allowing the excess to drip off rather than weigh down my singlet. Proceeding in that manner I was quite refreshed and re-committed myself to making the best time I could to the next aid station. I always try to thank or at least acknowledge volunteers out on the course, and special thanks goes out to the band of musicians playing wood instruments that set up shop in the forest.

Around the 8 mile mark, the trail emerges from the forest and hits a long, fairly steep downhill that parallels the highway. I did my best to let my legs fly free and allow gravity to do the work as I tried to hold off a very fast looking runner in a yellow singlet that read, "we roll like Supinators!" After a short stretch on a wooden boardwalk, we hit a looong, gentle downhill nicely in the shade of tall forest and I really did my best to push the pace. I pushed the pace perhaps too hard, unfortunately, as I came out from the forest and the pace pushed me right back when I reached the final section- an approximately 4 mile stretch along the waterfront to the finish. You can actually see the finish from this point and it's either encouraging or quite dispiriting, depending on your energy level. My plan was to hit this part of the course and really open up, passing all those who had taken it out too hard. Unfortunately this goal didn't really materialize. I've had great bike volume the past 9 months as I studied for my courses, but such are the time constraints of medical school that I could only get in 1-3 runs a week. Recently that increased to 4-5, but it may have been a case of too little, too late as I had neither the consistency in running or foundation in mileage to maintain my desired pace over the last few miles. Instead, I found myself just working on maintaining the best pace that I could as I hit a tempo towards the finish.

My right knee, which I'd been concerned about, had remained totally quiescent throughout the race and would fortunately continue to do so. But only to leave me surprised by the completely unanticipated rebellion of my left, which began to hurt suddenly and fairly severely at a strategic point in the last 2 miles of the race. After a short deliberation, I stopped and quickly strapped on the patella strap that I'd been carrying and the result was almost miraculous- an immediate reduction in pain to get me back towards running instead of the pained shuffle I would have been otherwise forced into. In this fashion I was led to the finish, and came in with a time of 1:37:31, good enough for first place in my 20-24 age group and 31st overall.

Picking up a very nice plaque at the awards ceremony

Overall, I would very highly recommend this race for it's gorgeous scenery, excellent execution, and phenomenal post-race food/atmosphere/location. Though the hard surface of the bike path can beat up on your joints, it really is an inspiring run through some beautiful countryside and I had a lot of fun racing.

Tri, Swim, Bike, Run: The Difference Between the Sports

2011-05-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

A runner, a swimmer, a cyclist, and a triathlete all show up at a coffee shop. The runner ran there, the swimmer drove a car (a cheap one), but the cyclist and triathlete both rode there. The cyclist arrived after "a lovely group ride up north for a couple hours," adding the terms 'col' and 'souplesse' unnecessarily within their description of the ride. The triathlete arrived after a 32.6138 mile solo ride averaging 163 Watts.

Approaching the counter, each decides to get a snack. The cyclist orders a croissant, the triathlete has an energy bar, and the swimmer orders the left half of the pastry display. The runner asks for a cup of water. "Wait," the runner elaborates, "I'm light enough- I'll splurge." She orders a cup of water with ice.

When it comes time to order their drinks, the cyclist elects to order, after careful consideration, an espresso with a ristretto pull. The swimmer orders a Venti frappuccino and is noticeably saddened when she sees that the caramel drizzle was forgotten on the whip cream. The triathlete orders a protein shake. After confirming that the barista will blend in a salt-electrolyte tablet, the triathlete produces one from seemingly nowhere. In the background, the runner mournfully crunches on a cube of ice.

Receiving their beverages, they each go to sit in some plush chairs. The cyclist joins another group of roadies sitting in chairs arranged in an inward facing circle. During their animated conversation, they will occasionally pause and glance at the triathlete, scorning. The word 'Fred' is often overheard after several of the glances.

The swimmer, after an intense period of anxiety, spots a group of swimmers and joins them. Swimmers only socialize with other swimmers (swimcest). The runner sits alone. Because runners are weird.

(Don't shoot the messenger, you all know it's true).

Finally the triathlete surveys the seating arrangement. Having been divorced by his spouse, who took the children when the he took out a second mortage to finance his bike, he decides to sit near the runner and they strike up a conversation about pacing marathons. They set up a run workout together and agree to meet at the coffee shop the next day.

Cycling in Spokane: Images from Today's Ride

2011-05-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

It's Spring in Spokane, and in celebration of my first ride where I didn't have to deliberate whether or not to wear a ski mask, I took off riding on country roads north of the city. 70 degrees with little wind marked perfect conditions for a ride.

This sign, and it's challenge of 15mph, marks the beginning of a fairly long, gentle climb out of the pine trees up towards open country. Smooth chip-seal roads in excellent condition were washed clear of winter gravel by recent Spring rains and only a handful of cars went by during the ride.

A pack of turkey's ran up the hill to the right as I took this (not shown). Hawks, vultures, and all other sorts of birds were also out enjoying the weather.

Climbing up out of the heavily-forested areas, you get a glimpse of Mt. Spokane. An ex-Pro tour rider has said that the 15 mile climb up the 4,000 foot mountain is Grand Tour level in difficulty. It's a must-do if you're in town, just make sure that your brakes are adjusted for the descent.

Open road.

The scenery inspired me to take a shot of my new '10 Felt B12. I've become a big advocate of using a rear 'blinky,' small flashing lights affixed to the back of the bike (attached behind the saddle). Other than that, a flat-kit carried in my jersey kept the machine looking clean.

After the long descent down from the more open country roads, I detoured on the return trip to head up this beautiful monster. It's fairly short at just a couple hundred yards but quite steep. I've recently taken to riding up it in the aerobars as a solid time trial interval.

A picturesque promontory marks the end of the ride.

Tips from today:

-Before leaving, I noticed that two of the screws on one cleat were quite loose. If they hadn't rattled when I grabbed my shoes, my foot could have easily skated off the pedals on a hard out-of-the-saddle effort and I might have ended up like this (click orange text for link). Be very ~~paranoid~~ cautious about ensuring all components of your bike are in working order before each ride, even obscure ones like pedal-cleat screws. It could save you from a very bad day.

-Before leaving, I also went through my drive train with a fine-toothed comb (actually, a toothbrush) and thoroughly cleaned my drive train. I like to clean my drive train at least once a week when riding heavily.

Wawawai 20km Time Trial Race Report

2011-04-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

Out-of-the-saddle, getting up to speed at the start. Orange cones and the white-pant clad race official mark the race start.

I recently tested my early season form at the Wawawai 20km Time Trial just outside Pullman, WA in the Snake River Canyon. It was an excellent race in a gorgeous setting.

A shot of the Snake River Canyon

Driving over the snow-blanketed prairie lands to reach the long-descent into the canyon, we were pleasantly surprised to find temperatures increasing a pleasant 10 degrees F. as we drove down the short road. This was also a scouting section of the drive for Alan, a close friend and riding buddy who would be participating in both the time trial and the mass-start uphill climb held afterward.

We parked at a park, as redundant as that sounds, and met Ted Chauvin, the event director who has done an excellent job with the race. Guided through a smooth sign-in process, we grabbed our packet and headed down to the time-trial specific staging area along the water.

The time trial staging area was very conveniently located in a parking lot on the opposite side of the above hut, with the starting line set just about where the trees are located in the photo. The time trial takes you down 8 km of baby-smooth, flat asphalt to 2km of good-condition chipseal. This was actually pleasant in that, on the return trip, I had the combination of going with the river, a tailwind, and a return to smooth asphalt to all but catapult me back towards the finish line.

We'd been watching the weather all week and it finally looked promising. Some thunderclouds threatened to defeat the hopes of fair weather cyclists, but just as Ted promised, the micro-climate of the canyon made for great race weather and beautiful sun despite the fact that it was snowing in Spokane as I loaded up my bike and left early that morning.

I was set to start in 8th position, as many minutes after 10am. We got out our bikes, made final adjustments, and set about warming up on the trainers in the sun.

While getting ready, Alan unleashed a novel new product developed by a riding buddy- the Tritenda.

Attaching to the car by powerful magnets, the Tritenda affords one the privacy of changing without forcing you to squinch around in the front seat of a car or in the tainted confines of a porta-pottie. If you've had difficulty with this process at a race, I would definitely look into it.

Speaking of porta potties, the restroom situation at the race was nothing short of beautiful. It was really sheer magic. Porta-potties practically outnumbered the racers, and I was afforded the luxury of having any number immediately available. Bravo, Ted!

With a minute to go until my start time, I bid the guys what I hoped would be goodbye (Alan was starting after me, after all) and made my way to the line. I was riding my brand new 2010 Felt B12, which I am in love with. I literally could not love a human baby as much as I love this bike. In an attempt to avoid neutralizing the bike's aerodynamics, I was wearing a layer of spandex beneath my tri suit in what worked out to be a good clothing decision for the relatively modest temps.

The race official counted down from ten and I was off! In retrospect, I had wished that I'd done a trackstand at the line as I didn't clip in terribly quickly. Alan caught a picture (the first one of this entry) as I got up to speed and I immediately commenced hitting the race as hard as I could. Being a medical student, I have spent seemingly countless hours over the winter studying on the bike trainer, but only at an intensity conducive to learning, so this race would be an exercise in the application of base miles.

Right away I knew that my warm-up had been too hesitant as my legs started to load up with lactic acid. Racing without a bike computer, heart rate monitor, or power, I went purely off of perceived exertion. I would learn later that a fairly solid headwind would oppose our progress outbound and then push us home, and this is just what I experienced.

Two days before the race, I'd looked at photos from the previous year's event and felt the competitive urges kicking in. I was highly motivated after over a year away from racing (having lived and trained in Thailand for 6 months before school started), and lots of pent up energy came out.

I was flattered after the race when Alan, starting 7 positions behind me, said that he began counting returning riders, expecting to find me in 8th given my 10:08 start time. As he said it, "I counted the first rider.... 2nd... 3rd... 4th... Derek?" as I rode by on the return having passed a few riders. To qualify that statement, however, Alan put in an excellent ride, coming in 1:30 faster, and high-praise also goes to Nic Carey, a University of Idaho rider who won the Men's 4/5 with a 29:10 that I'm told was completed on a road bike. Solid work.

Either way, I was happy to be moving through the field out on the course. On the return trip, I simultaneously came back into the sunlight just as the gorgeous asphalt surface returned and, propelled by the tailwind and ever-so-slight decline consistent with traveling in the same direction as the river, motored towards the finish. I began pushing my legs to unsustainable levels as I neared the finish, and with the 1km sign behind me, did my best to leave it all out there.

I came through the finish line in a time of 30:39, good for an average of 24.3 miles per hour. That time was good for 4th in the Men's 4/5, but interestingly would've had me 3rd in Cat 3 and second in Cat 1/2. I'm pleased with the result, given that it was only my third time riding outside and on the new bike this year, having ridden only at easy intensity on the trainer. I'm excited to make it under 30minutes this season and potentially under 60 for the 40km distance.

I was left to study Microbiology as a solid field went about a brutal uphill bike race. Either of these races, or, for the hardmen/women, both, are excellent early season opportunities to get outside and put in a good effort. Thank you very much to Ted Chauvin and all of the race officials and volunteers who made it happen. If you live within driving distance, especially Eastern WA, and want to race an early-season time trial or test your climbing fitness, I highly recommend this event. The post-race food and generous prizes were icing on the cake!

Focusing on Technique and Core Work

2011-03-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Browsing the interwebs on a study break, I came across the website of Kiwi pro-triathlete Terenzo Bozzone. A 5x World Champion, Bozzone just recently finished 2nd at Ironman New Zealand and is set to defend his title at the Half-Iron US PRO Championship in Galveston, TX.

There is a tremendous amount of knowledge that age-group triathletes can gleam from the professionals of our sport, and the well-spoken Bozzone is no exception. Here is a quote from the first page of his site, terenzo.com , where he preaches the importance of hard work as focused by the use of proper technique, with the combination serving as the foundation for proper training:

".... there is nothing wrong with training hard, and yes you will have to give up certain things to get to the top, but there is more than just training hard to achieve in your sport.

There is another aspect that many people say they know about, understand, and work on, but do they really? I am talking about technique.

Lets get more specific. In Ironman, you have the swim, bike and run. Each of which is sport in itself. If you can master the technique of these different sports, so that you swim like a swimmer, ride like a cyclist, and run like a runner, and put it together, then surely your room to improve with hard work is greater. You become more efficient, and faster."

Bozzone continues writing on his site (which I encourage you to check out), but this entry got me thinking. I've recently been priding myself on the religious execution of a difficult core/strength workout within my training program. Abs, upper body, and important secondary muscles (such as hip abductors) are all stressed by the routine. But just as core strength is a vital addition to any triathlon training plan, so too should time be dedicated to technique work. I've always included a thorough session in swim workouts and I have been doing Single-Led Drills on just about every bike training session. But I've now resolved myself to add a session of technique drills to each run workout. Just a few minutes before a threshold run could reap incredible dividends further along the trail.

Given the inherent time constraints of multi-sport training, I'll begin by adding a few drills to the beginning of tonight's run, and then have a focus element that I will emphasize throughout each workout for the next 3 weeks (a carryover from technique work I've used in swimming). For example, after a quick warm-up, I will do short sets of high-knee skipping (effeminate? maybe. Effective? Definitely), butt-kicks, and strides. Then, during the workout, I will focus on leaning forward into my stride and trying to land properly on my midfoot.

With my first running race of the season set to take place at a half-marathon in June, I'll look to be out on the course running like a runner, with an efficient, and faster, stride.

5 Seconds of Triathlon Humor: a joke and a cartoon

2011-02-07T14:54:00.001-08:00

Joke:

Q: "How can you tell if a triathlete's at a party?"

A: "You don't. He'll tell you."

Cartoon:

caption: "The small town never forgot the day a space alien walked into town, bought a bicycle-tire repair kit, and left."

Tip of the Day: Tape over the CPSC sticker in your helmet

2011-02-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

Santa proved his passion for aerodynamics this Christmas with delivery of a Giro Advantage II. His knowledge of fluid dynamics must be how he manages to pull off so much traveling during the Christmas season. If you look at your own helmet, you'll hopefully notice a CPSC sticker which proves that it has met the legally required safety standards. There are some race officials out there (*cough* Eagleman *cough*) that I have heard have DQ'd race participants on the grounds that their helmet did not have the CPSC sticker inside it. Do yourself a favor, as I did, and take some clear packing tape and cover these stickers. It could keep you from a gnarly race-morning surprise from an over-zealous race official with an inferiority complex.

Norseman 2010 Video

2010-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

As penance for my extended absence from writing on this blog, please check out this phenomenal video about the Norseman triathlon, something that should be on every long-course triathletes bucket list:

Principles of Training: Working to Quota

2010-12-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

In studying for a final exam in Systems of Human Behavior, I came across an interesting principle of therapy that can be readily applied to triathlon training. Here's a quote from Dr. Seitz's advanced text, Behavioral Medicine made ridiculously simple:

"When physical activity is involved, the therapeutic concept of working to quota is important. After determining an exercise baseline (e.g. five sit-ups a session), the ~~patient~~ triathlete is then required to start slightly below this baseline and exercise each day until he reaches this target or quota, rather than stopping when he feels pain (i.e. working to tolerance). The quota is then raised gradually. Working only to tolerance keeps a ~~patient~~ triathlete a slave to his "pain bell" (i.e. when pain occurs, activity stops). In contrast, working to quota shapes him to higher levels of physical performance (and less pain)."

A beautiful, and painful, example of this principle can be found in my treadmill running. Recently, I discovered a Woodway Treadmill at our local YMCA and it was love at first sight (you can check them out here, they're phenomenal. I have no connection to the company, I just love that treadmill). Many readers may be familiar with the concepts of aerobic and anaerobic threshold. Somewhere between my aerobic and anaerobic threshold lies a 'pain threshold' up to which the pain I feel while running incrementally increases until plateauing. One day recently I was running with a friend who was on an adjacent treadmill, and I found myself pushing through quite a bit of pain to put in a fast time. Checking my heart rate, I expected it to be quite elevated, maybe 170 bpm. Imagine my surprise when it was 147. In that moment I'd learned (or re-learned, at least) that there is a difference between what I can run comfortably and what I can run, and one of the greatest assets a fast runner can have is a pronounced ability to tolerate pain.

The connection between this scenario and the ''working to quota'' concept is simple. Perceived exertion can be an excellent tool to determine workout intensity, but it isn't always the best metric for designing a workout. If you compete in triathlons for fun, then by all means hop on the treadmill and set it to a comfortable pace. But if you're aiming to get faster, take that dial, crank it up until you hit the pain level and then break the switch off and just hold on. Just like you need to be a little bit hungry to lose weight, you need to push yourself to get faster, and pushing yourself needs to extend beyond the realm of 'comfortable.' Rather than using the pain bell as an alarm that it's time to dial back, maybe just for some workouts, the pain bell should be a sign that you're just getting started.

Today's Run: The Road to Chong Fah Waterfall

2010-06-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

While doing some focused training in Thailand, I came upon a beautiful, winding road comprised of gentle rollers meandering through groves, orchards, and jungles. I brought along a camera on today's run and thought I would share some photos:

The run starts out level before moving into the jungle-clad hills

Pam trees and power lines serve as an apt metaphor for Thailand's juxtaposition of rampant development and natural beauty

One of the many orchard-lined sections during the run.

Little buckets for collecting tapped rubber hang from the trees (not visible in this photo)

Some lilies in blossom with purple flowers complement two buildings associated with one of the larger estates

I saw four cars on the 12km/7.4mi run. Must've been rush hour on the very low-traffic road.

The orchards give way to dense jungle as the road climbs gently into the hills

The view to my left

The view to my right

When I first ran this road and saw the concrete give way to dirt, you should've seen the smile on my face

With the more remote dirt road comes some excellent views

Dirt roads lead to some of the best places

The jungle asserts itself

A beautiful outlook just before the turn-around point

Perspective shot

The road offers up a return to asphalt and I very begrudgingly accept

Want to Achieve / Maintain Race Weight: Go Green

2010-06-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

It's a secret Ancient Chinese triathletes have held for centuries- Green Tea.

A couple years ago, my house mate and I were on our first grocery run before our final year of college. We were making scrambled eggs and fruit smoothies each morning, and as we were headed towards the cereal aisle, something caught Brian's eye-

"Hey, we should get some green tea. What do you think?"

"Brian," I replied, my voice dripping with disdain for the beverage, "when was the last time you licked a leaf and thought to yourself, 'Hmm, if only this taste could be harnessed in a beverage...' "

Soon the gauntlet of calorie-bombs that we call the 'Holiday Season' was upon me, however, and I was looking for something to replace / punish those dessert cravings. As an experiment, I'd implemented a diet strategy that I called, 'Operation: Dessert Storm,' where I would eat nothing 'unnecessary,' meaning, I would abstain from anything like desserts or soda and eat reasonable portions of healthy food. The project was a success, and substituting a cup of green tea for, say, a tempting Mtn Dew up for grabs in the fridge, was a great way to keep my intake healthy and keep off those unwanted holiday pounds.

The widely-held but often unproven health benefits of green tea were seen by me as something of a potential bonus. Given the knowledge that I've acquired within physiology, I knew that green tea consumption was not likely going to 'spike my fat burning metabolism,' or, 'specifically reduce stomach fat.' Recent research even indicates that substantial intake of antioxidants doesn't benefit the endurance athlete as the by-products of exercise -including free radicals - are necessary to induce the physiological repair that leads to greater fitness. Given the articles on popular 'health' websites, though, one would think that green tea can not only fight free radicals and burn fat, but can also cure cancer, clean up the oil spill tragedy in the Gulf, and divert asteroids headed towards Earth. There are some well-supported health benefits of green tea that you can read about here, and that's right, it's a Wikipedia article.

A Green Tea Crème Frappuccino. Not the kind of green tea you should regularly incorporate into your diet

Not convinced and in need of a basic example of the benefit of incorporating green tea into your diet? Let's target soda. If you have one sugary soda about every three days, you'll have had 20 in two months and have added about 1 pound in bodyweight (~3,400 calories) and an incredible amount of sugar to your diet. 'But I drink diet soda,' you contend, which is zero calories and no sugar, it says right on the can. It's also filled with chemicals that have no place in a triathlete's body, including artificial sweeteners that may alter one's neurochemistry and increase the desire for sugar-laden foods, compelling you to dominate that nearby cupcake (here's an entry examining diet soda). If you look at soda and don't solely feel pure disdain, and have desires to be competitive in triathlon, I would challenge you to incorporate green tea into your daily regimen.

The previous statement doesn't apply to root beer, which is delicious.

If you find yourself too frequently indulging in calorie dense treats, drinking sugary beverages, or even eating surplus amounts of healthy food, I would challenge you to incorporate green tea as a healthy, or at the very least, health-neutral, replacement.

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Final aside: The Green Tea Frappuccino - or, to be proper, the Tazo Green Tea Crème Frappuccino - at Starbucks is ironically chock full of calories, with a Grande, made with non-fat milk and without whip cream, registering at 290 calories. Apparently the Green Tea Crème is a little bit too heavy on the latter, and probably with good reason. With the six bitter cups I drank today as evidence, it takes that much cream to make green tea taste good. I may drink it as a purportedly healthy addition to my diet, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Introducing the ITU

2010-06-10T23:46:00.000-07:00

The International Triathlon Union is not only the global governing body for the sport of draft-legal triathlon, it's also an endless source of incredible entertainment.

Draft-legal racing is wonderful to some and an abomination to others. The former view it as thrilling and spectator friendly, with road cycling pack tactics adding strategy and a whole new dimension to the swim/bike/run dynamic. The latter view it as an insult to the 'man vs. clock' time-trial nature upon which triathlon was founded, which pits individual competitors against each other without drafting during the bike leg (unless your race is in Florida).

Simon Whitfield takes a 'jump-off-the-couch-screaming-at-the-screen' intense sprint finish and $200,000 first place prize at the 2009 Hy-Vee ITU Elite Men's Race World Cup Event

photo courtesty of the ITU, source

I skipped the dilemna altogether by loving each. The ITU orchestrates World Cups and a World Championship Series each year, where the best olympic-distance athletes from each country battle it out in incredibly intense races to see who will take the top step on the podium. If I could wax poetic for a moment, I would summarize ITU racing as combining the beauty and strategy of road cycling with the intensity and adventure of triathlon. As a prime example, check out the video recap from one of the most recent events, the Elite Men's race from the World Cup in Seoul, South Korea. If this video doesn't get you excited to train, I don't know what will.

My hope is that, after you linked to that video, you became instantly engrossed and are now returning to this post 72 glorious hours later. Many a winter ride on the trainer has been spent with a book propped up on my aerobars so I could use my mouse to scroll from video to video of various World Cup events.

Much writing could be dedicated to ITU-racing, but I'll summarize the basics. Since drafting facilitates the formation of packs during the bike leg, a brutally fast swim is required for success in the discipline. Following the energy-sapping surges implicit in road cycling, with myriad sprints, turns, and efforts at quelling a potential break adding to the difficulty, those racing set off on 10 kilometers of blistering fast running, with top run splits regularly in the 30-minute range on accurately measured courses.

I find it to be incredibly exciting and definitely hope it also helps motivate you to get out the door and step it up a notch during your next workout.

"Excuses Don't Get Results"

2010-06-10T22:42:00.000-07:00

It was a cold, rainy Sunday and I'd just arrived at the high-school track with Dan, a lifelong best friend to the point where we regard each other as a brother. The purpose of venturing out into the abysmal weather was for Dan to time me on some 400-yard repeats as I prepared for a PR in the mile during Track season.

We'd thought to bring along my family's three dogs to get them some fresh, if not overly moist, air. We didn't exercise much forsight, however, as we had to tie them up to a nearby fence. Though it was in their best interest- they'd invariably exhaust themselves in an attempt to join me on each interval - I still felt guilty with each plaintive bark I heard as they objected to their confinement.

After a short warm-up I ran the first 400. I was on goal time, but was wholly unmotivated. The rain was coming down at a steep angle... I was cold, wet ... the dogs were barking and I had the added guilt of making Dan endure the same conditions. Jogging over during what should have been a 100-yard recovery jaunt before the next interval, I told him I just wasn't feeling it, and relayed the aforementioned reasons that I was disinclined to continue.

Dan just looked at me, and said, "Excuses don't get results."

Just that statement, that was enough to flip that internal switch to 'on,' and after giving some quick attention to the dogs I set about completing the workout. I later went on to obtain that elusive PR in my target race, but the lesson I learned that day was much more important.

It's a simple truth. Excuses don't get results. There are reasons for a bad race, and then there are excuses. The difference is that one can learn from the former.

I had a bad race at an open water swim in Seattle a few years back. There was practically nothing to sight off of- that could be an excuse for my uncharacteristically poor showing. But in actuality, it was a universal factor that affected everyone and allowed those who'd refined their sighting, ability to swim straight, and prepared with goggles lined with anti-fog and confirmed not to leak (note: always bring a spare) to literally separate themselves from the pack. Rather than writing it off as a 'poorly designed course,' I learned from my mistakes and am a better open water swimmer as a result.

Avoiding the temptation to make excuses is not only an admirable quality, it allows us to learn from our mistakes and improve ourselves as a result. I'm not perfect in implementing the perspective, but I am trying.

Another bad race was at a Thanksgiving 10km, and potential excuses for my slow time abounded, from the steep hills to congestion from those walking the event. Ultimately, my extended stay out on the course was principally due to an unexpected resurfacing of my pain in my knee. An excuse? Or, is it a simple lesson in the rules of engagement. If you're recovering from an overuse injury and have only been running on trails, don't sign up for a 10km on asphalt. Take away lessons- increase rehabilitative efforts, incorporate running on roads into training if an upcoming race is on cement, add technique drills to improve biomechanical efficiency, and skip the traditional post-Thanksgiving dinner marrionberry cobbler a la mode to get lighter to ease the strain on joints while running on less forgiving surfaces. I'm very happy to say that I have, to varying degrees for different amounts of time, implemented each of those, and am running better as a result.

I'm not, as Dan will quickly tell you, anything near perfect at implementing this perspective, however. But the wise words he uttered that day have at least resurfaced frequently enough throughout the last decade to help keep me on track.

Final note- if you can't, learn how to change a flat tire quickly. I have embraced the perspective that any cyclist, unless detached from bike wrenching because their soigneur has the team mechanic take care of it, should be able to change a flat in just a couple minutes at most. A flat tire, though a very unfortunate event, is never an excuse, and if anything, is just an involuntary time to rest so you can ride faster and run harder.

Escape From Alcatraz Swim Advice

2010-04-19T03:52:00.000-07:00

The Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon is an unforgettable race and totally unique within the sport of triathlon. With a tough swim, bike, and run course you have a difficult quasi-Olympic distance race that's an adventure to complete and a challenge to excel at. I've had the good fortune to race the Escape in its entirety once and complete the bike leg as part of a relay twice, so I thought I might offer up some advice to those interested in or about to attempt an Escape From Alcatraz.

Dawn breaks over Alcatraz

Pre-Swim
Don't do this race if you're not a morning person. Racers are well served to arrive at the transition area early to get final preparations in order and catch a bus to the pier to load up on the ferry that takes you to the island. You can leave your personal effects in a bag on the boat, with bags being returned to the finish area, so feel free to bring any extra effects (Body Glide, extra goggles, anti-fog, even a cell-phone to coordinate with family members) but of course its inadvisable to bring anything you'd be heartbroken over losing.

You're coordinated by age group within different zones established in the boat, and mine happened to be alongside the Pros (Pros dive off first, age groupers follow about a minute later). It gets quite warm and after reaching the island, circling it for a tour and then positioning the boat alongside I found myself anticipating a dip into the cold water.

The Pros leap into the bay

The Swim: the cold, current, chop, and ~~sharks~~
The cold water, heavy chop, and strong current make a lot of racers anxious, but in my opinion these fears aren't totally founded. I do need to qualify that, though. I live and swim in the Puget Sound of western Washington State, so after regularly training in the Narrows I found the swim from Alcatraz to be relatively tame (the first words that entered my mind when I dove in were "ooh, that feels nice"). That probably doesn't assist you if you don't have rough, cold open water available to you for training, though.

Generally, I've observed that people who are confident enjoy the swim, and those who approach it with trepidation tend to struggle. I wore a sleeveless wet suit and was fine, but others who have trouble in cold water may want to go for a neoprene cap or even booties in addition to a full suit.

The year I swam a heavy fog rolled in while we were swimming and in just 20 minutes it enshrouded the skyline. I, and everyone else, was fine but be prepared for adverse events like this.

Another issue is the current. The current, in general, pulls you parallel to the shore, so in order to not over or undershoot the swim exit you need to swim angled slightly against it. Or so I thought. The Pros took a very aggressive line straight towards the swim exit, whereas my impression was that we should compensate and aim upstream of the swim exit, letting the current nudge us towards the right spot. Every other age-grouper and their brother, however, blindly took off on the same line the Pro wave took. They turned out, in either their pure ignorance or brilliance, to have the right idea and I ended up actually having to swim along the shore for a bit. In general, if you're worried about sighting, stay in the middle of the group (it's a pretty wide expanse of swimmers) and you'll be fine. The race has excellent advisors that tell you how the currents will be and what you should sight off of. There's also a small army of kayakers ready to assist you and keep you tracking towards shore.

Some individuals take the time to float and take in the scenery, even bringing a waterproof camera to take a seals-eye view of the San Fran skyline. My father took this route, I chose to swim straight through. I have no regrets and enjoyed the view from the boat and my father greatly values the shots he took and didn't mind sacrificing the 30 seconds. To each his/her own.

After the race, when asked how the swim was, I described it as being akin to "doing push ups in a bath tub filled with cold water and each time you come up someone hits you in the face with a wet pillow." What I was describing was the chop. It varies each year but you can expect it to be rough, so modify your breathing pattern and stroke accordingly. You'll be swimming along like normal and all of a sudden when you turn to breathe there will just be water (a little swell just temporarily washed over you). No bother- hold your breath and catch the next opportunity, or breath to the other side on the next stroke. Adapt to the conditions and embrace the adventure of it.

That being said, I have only one fear in the entire world. I can take whatever heights, snakes, spiders, clowns or anything else you can think of to throw at me, but I do not do great white sharks. I enjoy researching them, greatly support their conservation and don't buy into the pathetic myth that they're mindless killing machines, but that doesn't change the fact that they're terrifying. That being said you shouldn't be afraid. Yes, outside the Golden Gate is the red triangle and, especially at certain times of the year, a relatively high concentration of great white sharks. But they rarely venture into the bay and even if they did and upon investigation should take the unlikely course of action as to attack someone, they have their pick of 2,000+ swimmers and kayakers around you. Just do your best to look like less of a seal than the guy or gal next to you and you should be fine. If anything, since they'll more than likely take someone else, and hopefully someone in your age group, think of the sharks as a friend.

So there we have it. A pretty basic reflection on my swim at Alcatraz, and nothing I mentioned should be surprising or too intimidating. Yes there's cold water, but you were warm on the boat anyway. Yes there's chop, but you didn't sign up for this event cause you thought'd be easy. Sure there's a current, but it's pushing you towards the swim exit, and hey, there might be a shark down there but he's searching for the guy one step higher on the AG podium. Enjoy the swim from Alcatraz- it's a great accomplishment and one that you'll hopefully reflect back on for quite some time.

Aero Helmets: Function over Fashion

2010-04-16T01:51:00.000-07:00

Keeping with the current topic of aerodynamic upgrades, I set about looking into the benefits of properly selecting and incorporating an aero helmet into one's riding. I actually found two sites that have done the leg work for me.

Just a few of the options

1) Follow this link, and you'll find an insightful article by Andrew Beck, of the Boise Triathlon Examiner, entitled, "Is the aero helmet advantage real?"

(by follow the link I meant click on the linked article title above)

One addition to the article that I feel I must make is that the 15 minute reduction in time during an Ironman-distance race is theoretical. A more accurate figure is in the range of 4.5 minutes, which can be substantial savings when you're racing for a Kona Slot or simply a PR.

2) Follow this link, and you'll find an excellent product analysis of available aero helmets performed by Tom Demerly et al. of the now defunct Bikesport Michigan triathlon store. Click here to read "Speed for Sale"

Here pro-triathlete Jordan Rapp, renowned for his precise and analytical approach to triathlon equipment, demonstrates perfect use of the aero helmet.

The linked articles provide some solid insight into the justification for purchasing an aero helmet and how to make a proper selection for your personal characteristics.

Here are some additional comments I would like to make on the subject, to both be redundant and to elaborate further:

-An aerodynamic helmet, by streamlining the laminar flow of air around your prominently positioned head and shoulders, will make you faster and/or more efficient to some extent.

-When buying an aero helmet, first make sure that you're properly positioned on your bike (a F.I.S.T. certified shop can help you along here), then make a selection of the model that best fits your needs and is most compatible with your position. Getting set up on a trainer at a shop with multiple models will give you a good opportunity to make the best choice.

-After selecting a model, try it out for a bit. For example, is the Giro Advantage 2 comfortable at first but you find that your ears are too compressed about 10 minutes in? Maybe you should try a Rudy Project Syton.

-Practice putting the damn thing on and off before taking it into a race. Models with ear flaps can at times be problematic, and the mental cloud that you have from racing through the swim certainly won't help.

Case in point- Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack. Widely considered on of the most talented (and 'outspoken') triathletes to ever grace the sport, Macca struggled with his helmet in T1 during Kona 2007. Don't let this be you:

-While we're on the subject of practice, I'm going to make myself quite clear- Do not use an aero helmet in a race and spend half the bike leg looking down. You might as well attach a parachute to your head. The helmet should turn you into a missile, smoothly merging your head into and over your shrugged shoulders.

Maintaining this position can be difficult, however, so make sure you train yourself for it at home. You want to achieve a position often called "The Turtle" where your head and chin are tucked down and into your upper chest, hovering above your bike stem, with the tail of the helmet resting medially along your upper back.

A good way to practice this is hopping on a trainer and setting up something to watch (be it TV or a movie) in front of you that forces you to maintain the proper position for an extended period. It's especially important to acclimate yourself in this way with the longer distance races.

-Finally, the only real detrimental characteristic of aero helmets is that, with their reduced ventilation capacity, they trap heat. Having vents is counterproductive on an aero helmet, but wearing an aero helmet and overheating yourself is even more counterproductive. Try and train with the helmet in race-like conditions and see how you do. Some people are sweltering, others are nicely cool. It depends on both the person and the model. If you find you don't need the vents, you can close or cover them by either using what's included with the model or simply taping over the vents with packing tape. One nice feature is found on the relatively new Lazer Tardiz, which has a top port and channel system within which you can poor cool water during a race. Overall, use common sense- if you find that you overheat easily, don't buy a black helmet with minimal venting for Ironman Arizona.

Properly fit on the right bike, the alien would probably easily outsplit the Predator

I don't know what's worse, the actual resemblance, or the fact that I seriously went and just did that in MS Paint

When used intelligently, an aero helmet can be a great addition to your training. Sure, your spouse or significant other may no longer find you attractive, but hey, that will just leave you with more energy for racing...

Buying an Aerodynamic Front Wheel

2010-04-14T02:42:00.000-07:00

One of my closest friends is a very gifted road cyclist that races prominently and may be working towards a career as a pro. He recently wrote to me about purchasing an aerodynamic wheelset and asked me my opinion about the products available. Below is my response to him, slightly modified to be a more fitting blog entry.

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In regards to wheels, here's my synopsis of the available options.

Aero wheels can, for all intensive purposes, be divided into two categories: toroidal and non-toroidal. The toroidal cross-sectional shape, a special kind of bulge, is protected by a patent shared by Zipp and HED. Zipp in turn shares it with its Flashpoint subsidiary and SRAM affiliate, while HED produces rims for Bontrager. It's widely accepted now that the toroidal cross section is the most optimal shape for an aero wheel, and it basically operates by filling the low pressure gap formed by the air splashing around the leading edge of the tire. This generally leaves wheels like Mavic, Shimano, and Reynolds, which have a standard V-shape trailing edge, behind in terms of aero performance. Reynolds has made some strong claims about achieving comparable performance with their new rims, basically by making them extremely narrow, but there claims to my knowledge have not yet been independently affirmed, and to me would seem to only really apply to very low yaw angles (like when riding into a headwind). This high-performance at low yaw-angles could correspond to a loss of performance in cross-winds. Check out this image showing results from an independent lab comparing a wide range of wheels in the wind tunnel.

Aero Wheel Drag Data circa 2007. Click to enlarge.

For more information regarding cross-sectional shape and aerodynamic wheel performance, check out this article.

The venerated Zipp 404 clincher uses Zipp's 505 rim. Though it's 58mm depth puts it in the same range as the wheels yet to be discussed, its $945 retail price puts it in another, much higher price point

So if we look at toroidal wheels, we have Zipp, HED, Flashpoint, and SRAM. Zipp is the 'no-holds-barred-top-of-the-line performance' brand, but doesn't really (since 2007) offer a tangible performance benefit over HED or Flashpoint worth the markup. So we look at HED and Flashpoint. Both companies offer an excellent product and I know of innumerable tales of HED's excellent customer service. Given the comparable price points and performance, I would consider it a wash between these two. A review from testrider.com (now Peleton Magazine) is no longer available but spoke very favorably of the Flashpoint 60 wheelset.

The Flash Point 60

And check out HED's website to read about their wheels, specifically the HED Jet 6 C2. HED's website is extremely informative and I love this page, Aerodynamics , where you can compare the aero performance of their wheels at different yaw angles (for readers not up to date on yaw angles, here's an example, although HED's website has an interactive yaw angle tool as well. 0 deg yaw would correspond, say, to riding directly into a headwind. Riding at, let's say, 25mph into a light cross wind would be 5 deg, stronger cross wind would result in 10 or 15 deg, etc...)

The HED Jet 6 C2

The SRAM wheels are slightly different. Whereas the HED Jet C2s are basically an aluminum clincher with a carbon fairing, the SRAM wheels are a carbon wheel with an aluminum rim affixed to it. I personally like the HED system, as, for me, there's a lot more ease of mind in case you hit a pothole, but the SRAM system could offer some performance advantages (like stiffness or vibration dampening) that carbon fiber is touted as having. Slowtwitch has a huge forum and aero wheels are often discussed. By looking them up I found nothing but good things about people's experiences with SRAM wheels. The basic synopsis is that they're heavier than HED, with lower quality but still quite nice bearings, hubs, and spokes.

SRAM S60, also available in an attractive gray/black color scheme

Along with Flashpoint, SRAM wheels were reviewed favorably in all of the independent analyses that I found on-line (eg. the previously mentioned testrider.com reviewed them and were impressed).

The toroidal shape of the SRAM S40

'Aero trumps weight' is a die-hard mantra of triathletes (especially considering our mostly flat or gentle courses at a constant tempo). Weight among wheels at comparable price points can still be a valid consideration, however. Whereas the front HED Jet 6 C2 comes in at 774g, and the front Flash Point 60 at 854g, the front wheel of the SRAM S60 runs 835g. This puts it well in the same range as the more expensive wheels, but almost 10% heavier than the HEDs. There are two perspectives on wheel weight. One contends that, since it is rotational, not translational, weight, a 60g reduction in wheel weight will mean a lot more than a 60g reduction in static frame weight. It could mean, some contend, that slight bit of extra energy to make the last wheel after a split or break in the race, or allow you the extra energy after an hour long crit to pull off the win in the final sprint. I wouldn't be able to tell you whether or not it's worth ~$200, though, to jump from the SRAM S60 to the HED Jet 6 C2 or FP60.

The opposing view on wheel weight, however, is that the weight of aerodynamic wheels is not a significant metric for consideration. Given the exponential nature of drag increasing with speed, the greater aerodynamics of a wheel made heavier by it's slippery shape more than compensates for the added mass. There's some very valid math to back it up, as well. Check out this editorial from Slowtwitch on the subject, Why Wheel Aerodynamics Can Outweigh Wheel Weight and Inertia.

Finally, regarding comparing the above options, the one reference I can make is to groupsets. SRAM wheels are like Rival- they offer pretty much the same performance as Red at a fraction of the cost, they're just heavier and by far the best value. HED is like Ultegra SL, which I consider to be the best combination of value and high-performance, and Zipp is like Record, which may be the very best but is also obscenely expensive.

If it were me, I would buy the SRAM S60 or S80 front wheel and keep my wheelcover over my Ksyrium Elite rear wheel. But I won't be penalized by the extra weight the way you may be.

The best option? Don't buy an aero wheel and instead buy a powertap hub on a handbuilt box rim wheel, like this $660 option from excelsports.com

A Powertap hub and monitor/computer

That would probably be of greater benefit to your cycling than any aero wheel (same for me), but it's not as sexy.

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And there we have it. The synopsis regarding buying an aero front wheel concludes, rather abruptly, with the answer of 'don't' and instead buy a handbuilt wheel with a powertap hub. Should you already be training with power, or are disinterested in putting the effort into using a powermeter to its best effect, then by all means grab one of these excellent wheels.

Quick Disclaimer:

1) It seems redundant to say, given that it's on a blog, but the above entry is just my opinion, 2) Any information or phenomena presented as facts are up to the reader to verify rather than blatantly accept as truth, 3) Prominent brands, like Bontrager, Easton, EDGE Composites, and Shimano, in addition to less well-known brands like Gray or Neuvation, aren't thoroughly considered purely due to my lack of familiarity with them, 4) Since he's a road cyclist, this entry is purely a consideration of appropriate aero wheels in the 50mm-60mm range of rim depth. These are all also the most versatile front wheel for the triathlete as well so the conversation is quite relevant to the time trial and triathlon cyclist. I could greatly expand on many of the above subjects, and likely will in future entries, but will keep this entry as a synopsis for someone new to aero wheel purchasing.

Triathlon Racing: The Importance of the Swim Leg

2010-04-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

The importance of the swim portion of a triathlon is often characterized by the expression, "you can't win it on the swim, but you can lose it." Despite this, triathlon's most under-appreciated discipline has tactical and practical importance.

The inception of the Ironman triathlon is directly attributed to the result of a feud between the Waikiki Swim Club and the Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club, as pertaining to which athletes were more fit. The resulting competition, however, certainly doesn't favor the skillset of the former group of athletes. If we look at the times of professional triathletes in Ironman-distance racing, a typical winning time will likely include the following splits: a 52 minute swim, a 4:35 minute bike, and a 2:55 run. Of the resulting 8 hrs and 22 minutes of racing, swimming only comprises about 10% of the time involved. Yet, the strategic placement of the swim as the first event, and the inherent difficulty of moving through liquid as opposed to air, allocates greater importance to swimming than the numbers suggest.

5 out of 8 matches believe you should've joined a Master's Swim Club

Another common expression among triathletes alludes to a collection of matches. "You have only so many matches to burn," it says, with the metaphorical matches representing hard efforts during the race. Use too many during the swim, and you could find yourself miserable and dejected on the run, even after a well-executed bike leg. Energy conservation thereby serves as the first pillar upon which the importance of swimming is built. Spiking your heart rate during the swim and unnecessarily depleting metabolic energy reserves is an excellent way to destroy a race. You can't have a stable house if you built it without a foundation, and you can't have a good bike-run if you spent twice-as-long as you should have swallowing half the river and exhausting your legs in a desperate attempt to reach T1. The very nature of swimming makes energy conservation difficult, however, as moving through a liquid medium, as opposed to air, provides all sorts of challenges.

There are very few objects, save maybe an open cardboard box or a parachute, that are less hydrodynamic than a human. Though somewhat commendable on land, we fail miserably in the water. Arms and legs jut out from a central trunk and require a fairly complex motion to even approach efficient forward movement during a front-crawl stroke. Understanding your enemy is key, however, and the enemy is drag. Moving efficiently through the water is a two-pronged approach- one must seek to both eliminate resistive forces (for example, form drag and frictional drag) while maximizing propulsive forces (as in optimizing the pull phase of your stroke). For example, I address this dual-nature of the sport by thoughtfully completing specific drills in each workout aimed at refining my stroke (reducing drag) before beginning a hard interval workout (maximizing propulsion). I first set about learning to swim well by studying the act itself. I used Swimming Fastest, by Ernest Maglischo and highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to become a student of the sport.

Faris was strong across all three disciplines in 2005, but an early lead in the swim set him on the path to victory. (photo courtesy of 3athlon.de)

So energy conservation may be the first pillar of swimming, but the wet-side of triathlon extends far beyond just going through the motions. For those who are or aspire to be competitive in the sport, swimming has many important tactical considerations as well. This is most evident in ITU-style racing, where making the lead swim pack can itself make or break your race. It's even been a powerful factor in Ironman racing, with Faris Al-Sultan's early break to his Ironman Hawaii victor in 2005 serving as a noteworthy example. The resistance that water offers as opposed to air compounds the importance of how you position yourself relative to others (i.e. drafting) and makes getting dropped by a momentary surge both a constant threat and devastating thing to recover from.

Coming out of the water in my first half-iron race in 2005. Sadly, this reminds me to do an entry on bonking during the run.

There's also the role swimming plays in the overall race. I remember the final race, a sprint-distance, from my first season in the sport six years ago. I was 200 yards out from the run turnaround when a guy coming into it about my age shouted 'what age are you?' Stupidly, or perhaps brazenly, I replied truthfully- and immediately regretted it. Whereas the heavier build I had acquired lifting weights throughout high-school was good for opening pickle jars, it was nothing doing for my run splits. My new young friend, however, had the very thin look of an experienced runner. The extra motivation led me to run a 5km time in the 18min range, faster, quite interestingly, than any standalone 5km effort throughout cross-country in high school, and I was able to finish ahead and win my age group. In meeting the young man, Elliot, after the race, I learned that his run split was equally faster than mine as my swim split was over his, letting a slightly faster bike on my part give me the deciding edge. Clearly all three sports played a role, but my strength in the swim allowed me to counter his strength in the run.

Finally, the swim adds an element to triathlon that's difficult to qualify. The adventure of setting off in open water, be it a leap into chilly San Francisco Bay just off Alcatraz or a slow, reverent walk into the warm waters of Kona's Kailua Bay, the swim adds an element to triathlon that truly separates it from other endeavors (except, obviously, open water swimming). Much like a hike in a forest inhabited by grizzlies, even if nothing exciting happens, triathlon is more exciting for having open water swimming as part of the sport. It's also a truly unique skill, even an art form when one considers the required coordination. Standing on the beach adjusting my goggles, smelling the neoprene and looking out over the expanse of a lake or ocean and then wading into the still, cold water to warm-up for the race is one of the most beautiful and exciting moments in our sport.

Oh, and there's one last thing. Swimming develops the upper body. For all of the degrading comments triathletes receive from runners and road cyclists, at least we don't have the upper bodies of pre-teen asian girls.

Swimming....

...keeps triathletes looking like this (Pro-triathletes Michael and Amanda Lovato)....

.... and not like this (disgraced professional cyclist Michael Rasmussen)....

... or like this- the wraith like lead pack [though Ryan Hall (left) is a stud] at the Boston marathon.

Thai Trail Run: Khao Lak Lam-Ru National Park

2010-03-02T00:31:00.000-08:00

Located just two minutes from the main strip of Khao Lak (which, actually, is pretty much all of Khao Lak) is the beautiful Khao Lak Lam-Ru National Park. The park, which contains a beautiful cliffside restaurant elevated into the jungle canopy overlooking the Andaman Sea, is solid rainforest pressed up against the tropical coastline.

On our first visit to the restaurant early in our time here in Thailand, I saw a trailhead sign near the restaurant indicating a 1.5km trail leading to a remote cove beach in the small park's interior. I'd looked forward to making the short trek ever since seeing it and finally the day came. After running laps around the same running track for the last three weeks, I was ready for some new scenery. My plan was to make the walk down to the beach with my wife, get all set up, and then run repeats of the trail section.

It was- for reasons very soon to be mentioned- not fully accomplished.

My wife Kendra along the trail

I was carrying the pack and after parking the car nearby, we headed down the path. I stopped about 10 feet in to grab the camera out of the side mesh pocket of my trusty backpack. Kendra continued walking and as I reached behind I maintained my gaze forward, distracted by the beautiful jungle scenery. The glint of sunlight off a spider web caught my eye and I followed it to the web's center where

holy-hell-there's-a-spider-the-size-of-my-face!

I just stood there and stared at it.

I suffer no ill will towards spiders, mind you, and have nothing near a phobia of anything save an irrational fear of sharks, but it was all I could do to just keep standing there staring at it. Kendra, further along the trail that quite inconveniently passes directly beneath the beast, senses I'm not behind her and turns around. She sees me just standing there staring and, immediately concerned, asks what wrong. Speechless, I just look down at her and then back at the spider. It would be indecent for me to repeat the words she then used.

Anyway, I overcame my initial surprise and managed to walk under the thing. We maintain a blog about our trip and I posted a picture there which I'll now link just in case the arachnophobic triathletes viewing this entry would prefer not to be involuntarily accosted by its image. It was, by our estimate, 8 inches in total length, with a body about 3 or 4inches long (very similar to or larger than the size of my thumb) and you can see it here . Turns out it's a Golden Web Orb Spider (turns out our 8in estimate was right on), and given its intimidating nature and position at the start of the trail, we would name it "The Gatekeeper."

Turns out, the Gatekeeper wasn't alone and we would encounter 5 more along the trail. In the interest of self-preservation, Kendra had me lead the length of trail to the beach so I had the privilege of discovering each of them. After the third, I just stopped telling her as it's simply easier to pass by them without knowing. It's safe to say that the plethora of giant spiders with a propensity to span the trail significantly dampened my previously unbridled enthusiasm to get in a trail run. Nevertheless, I was able to do laps of the sections that were proven safe. Here are some pictures along with some shots of the beautiful beach we found at the trail's end.

A scenic, rocky viewpoint early on in the short hike

Running one of the 'safe' sections. When it comes to giant spiders, there are no safe sections.

Mitigating factors notwithstanding, the jungle was a beautiful, shady place to run.

The hike in, though short at just below a mile, had enough ups and downs and rugged patches to make reaching the beach feel like a pleasant reward. The warm water and small schools of fish made swimming around a pleasant way to cool off coming out of the humid jungle.

Playing with shadows on the powder-soft sand

Pictures from the running track in Thailand

2010-03-01T05:44:00.000-08:00

Becoming Better: Skills Acquisition

2010-02-27T02:41:00.000-08:00

My current favorite author is Atul Gawande. A general surgeon in Massachusetts, Gawande's writing style is both highly engaging- he frequently incorporates narratives of dramatic experiences accrued throughout his medical education- and quite authoritative- through a liberal citation of research studies. Two of the books he has authored that I have purchased, Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, and, Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, accompanied me to Thailand and I continue to learn from them as I re-read them.

In one part of Complications, Gawande depicts the necessity of tenacity and determination in regards to the successful acquisition of a skill; be it surgery, playing the violin, or professional athletics. Gawande cites the conclusion of researchers who examined the disparity between top performers in many fields (mathematics, music, chess, etc...) and lesser performers. The difference did not lie in innate skill, but in, "the cumulative amount of deliberate practice they've had" [1]. The potential limit imposed by one's genetics upon their VO2 max is an oft-cited claim for prowess in triathlon, but maybe this is just a minor part of the story. Gawande cites the conclusion of cognitive psychologist K. Anders Ericsson when he writes that Ericcson notes, "that the most important way in which innate factors play a role may be in one's willingness to engage in sustained training" [1].

My experience with swimming certainly supports this line of thinking. Starting my freshman year of college, I began to swim in the university pool. I pursued swimming more intelligently than passionately, forcing myself to hop in the cold water and repeat stroke drills to improve my speed and efficiency. In the pool, I met Alan Jacob, a much better swimmer and very prolific cyclists (and now very good friend). Alan routinely swam daily and would clock +20 hours of riding each week regardless of the season.

When I first started swimming with Alan, I would finish maybe half of the set's 200-yard interval before he touched the wall. I remember once playing around with a warm-up by swimming with fins and thinking to myself how nice, but seemingly impossible, it would be to swim this quickly. Then Alan passed me in the adjacent lane. Swimming so slowly was frustrating.

But I kept with it. My weekly yardage held constant during the busy school year and, come summer break, I would build it up further. With each year of college, my average weekly yardage would increase and my interval splits would drop proportionally. Now, of course, it was the increase in yardage, guidance from Alan, and improved stroke mechanics that made me a better swimmer. But it was a continued willingness to go to the pool and repeatedly throw myself at a task wherein I improved very frustratingly slowly that facilitated these changes.

Leading the swim in a super-sprint triathlon held at the college during Sophomore year. I'm the closest swimmer and Alan is in the adjacent lane. I'd actually lead the race into T1, but only because Alan elected to wear bike shorts and had to keep pulling them up as he swam. He beat me by 5 minutes on the 12-mile bike leg anyway...

I remember one set Junior year. Alan and I were doing a workout we called the 400 medley, which was a continuous 400 consisting of '100 at moderate pace, 50 breast stroke, 100 build (slow to med to fast pace), 50 kick, then 100 build to a sprint. We were coming up to the wall just before the final 100 of the last 400 yard set. I was, for once, right alongside Alan. Feeling confident, I said, with a cocky edge to my voice, "I'm still here, Alan," while still staring at the wall of the pool inching closer. Alan turned his head ever so slightly and just gave me a look.

I got absolutely smoked on that last 100. Yet even though I lost the battle, in my mind I'd won the war. I was improving. In our workouts Senior year, Alan would come in slightly ahead of me on each interval just as often as we would glide into the wall together. But that improvement wasn't made from just the laps, the drill work , or the core workouts we did afterwards. It was made at 8:00 at night while staring out the window to pouring rain and a mile-long walk in the dark to the pool.

In one of our last swim workouts together after I graduated from college, I came across Alan doing some repeats with Kevin Wang, one of my school's best swimmers and now coach of the team (and the local Master's club that I swam with. Kevin was also a great source of guidance and inspiration). I hopped in and after a quick warm-up gave it a go. Kevin destroyed us both, but I glided into the wall in second place.

"Wow, you're really fast," Alan told me during the rest before the next set.

Elated at the compliment, I just smiled, dropped under the water, and kicked off the wall to start the next 200-yard interval.

*Gawande is a MacArthur Fellow, a general surgeon at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, a staff writer for The New York Times, and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He's also, I've found, an excellent writer.

Sources:
[1]. Gawande, Atul. "Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science." p.20 . Picador Publishing, U.S.A. 2002

Today's Run

2010-02-15T23:39:00.000-08:00

Upon arriving at the Step Ahead Khao Lak center, I was relieved to find a great place to run just 200 yards up the road. A widespread disregard for traffic safety makes running or riding along the road more dangerous than petting great white sharks and almost as dangerous as cycling in Texas.

The loop is approximately 1 kilometer long and circumnavigates a large pond (pictured above) in a D shape. The circuit is completely flat, but that just means I'll need to be creative. Various fartleks (or, speed play) runs will comprise a lion's share of my outings. Example farleks include surging the straight section (the backbone of the D), accelerating each time I round a corner (the path isn't curved, but segmented, so that would make for about 6 surges each lap), or varying my pace with the tempo of the song I'm listening to on my iPod Shuffle.

The sunrises and sunsets I catch from the little pond loop are extraordinary and I'll photograph and post them soon. Also, the loop appears to be a public park, and several locals walk laps each morning. I'm always greeted by warm smiles as I run the loop and do my best to exchange a cheery 'su wut dee krap,' or, 'hello' ( 'krap' in Thai is a word that makes a statement polite).

The Thai Diet

2010-02-15T23:20:00.000-08:00

Sunset view over the Andaman sea from my new favorite restaurant

In his excellent book, Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance, Matt Fitzgerald outlines virtually everything the serious endurance athlete could care to know about optimizing body composition. Though I'll post a thorough review of the book later, it should suffice to say that I certainly recommend it if one needs to seriously address this issue in their training and racing.

Though the book has many benefits, one of them is assisting the reader in developing a proper diet strategy based off knowledge gleamed from diet journaling. Fitzgerald adds a quote to the effect of, "A measured quantity is a managed quantity," and while I'm not measuring my food on a scale a la Armstrong, I am addressing the fueling of my body with great focus.

In doing so, I have determined that, though I was eating very healthy foods, I was also eating more of these foods than was metabolically necessary. I was quite literally having too much of a good thing.

Enter the Thai diet.

For the 6 month period before I begin medical school in early September, my wife and I will be doing volunteer work in Khao Lak, Thailand. We are working with Step Ahead, a Christian organization that works towards local community development by assisting women and children at risk, teaching English and German, and many other special projects (such as developing sustainable agriculture in a nearby impoverished village, a project that I'm excited to be working on now). Should the urge strike you, you can read about our adventures on our trip's blog at yrockmovement.blogspot.com.

Part of being in Thailand means I have the good fortune of having unprecedented access to Thai food. It's actually cheaper here to eat out than it is to make your own meal, as only 30 baht per dish makes each dining experience $1 USD. The portions, however, are certainly Thai-sized, and with meals just rolling around three times a day, I am probably eating in the neighborhood of 60% of the volume of my American diet. Combined with daily runs timed at sunrise and sunset, I have an excellent chance of making my way to my optimal race weight and a significant improvement in performance.

I'll measure my outcome by my performance in a penultimate running event, either the Phuket Marathon, half-marathon, or 10km on June 13th, in addition to measuring my body composition (lean mass and body fat % relative to my desired body weight). I'm excited to track this transition on these pages and look forward to faster running splits once I return to the States.

I can't say that I'm too excited to return, however, cause even though we spend quite a bit of time working, we have very easy access to paradise (and, as it turns out, vacant beach resort chairs near the beach). Please note the European-tourist in the background. It's like Kona in October over here- all of the Europeans are in Speedo-style swimsuits and none of them appear to have ever heard of skin cancer. I guess I'll add sunscreen advocacy among tourists to Step Ahead's agenda.

Examining Diet Soda

2010-01-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

Drinking diet soda instead of regular soda is like smoking cigarettes to avoid taking meth. It doesn't make sense. At least, that's how I feel now. After buying a few Coke Zeros recently, I thought I would research the health implications of diet sodas and was surprised by what I found.

More Diet Soda = More Obesity. And Diabetes.

Sharon Fowler, MPH, and her colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio collected data on consumers of diet soda for 8 years and presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego. The surprise finding was that those drinking only diet sodas had a much higher prevalence of obesity than those who drank the sugary versions of the soda. As Fowler tells WebMD, "There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day" [Source 1]. Concerning diabetes, in a study performed by the Journal of American Medicine, the daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 67% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The authors of the study did note that diet soda consumption wasn't likely the primary cause of the weight gain. But not only does diet soda have this high degree of correlation to obesity, it can also be unhealthy itself and lead to poor dietary decisions. To understand this, we should take a closer look at the main ingredient of diet drinks- Aspartame.

Aspartame: what is it?

Two forms of Aspartame

Aspartame, the main sweetener in U.S. diet drinks, is distributed under several trade names- such as NutraSweet® and Equal® -and is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. So little of it is necessary to achieve a sweet taste within a beverage that it's caloric contribution is negligible. Upon ingestion, aspartame is catabolized into smaller molecular components, principally aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Whereas phenylalanine and aspartic acid are both commonly encountered naturally in the body (the former is an essential amino acid in mammals), methanol is toxic and only 10mL of it will cause blindness while 100mL can cause death. Is the concentration of methanol resulting from aspartame metabolism unhealthy? Very likely not, but methanol is there, and that's a health concern to be aware of.

In a survey of U.S. consumers performed by the FDA, the average aspartame intake was found to be approximately 200mg per day, or, 7% of the ADI (with ADI essentially being the recommended maximum daily consumption allowed to avoid health risk). A widespread controversy surrounding aspartame is that it's linked to an increased risk of various cancers. In a study published in 2006, however, the National Cancer Institute compared individuals who consumed aspartame-containing beverages to those who didn't. They found that increasing levels of aspartame consumption were not correlated with any risk of lymphomas, leukemias, or brain tumors in men or women.

My conclusions on aspartame- it seems like a perfectly acceptable artificial sweetener except for the fact that it's metabolized into methanol. Even though the quantity of methanol would likely be negligible, it's a toxic chemical that I want no part in voluntarily consuming.

So, despite my aversion to methanol consumption, the trial of diet soda seems to pass the aspartame test. But what about the affect of diet drinks on one's dietary choices.

Diet Soda: same great soda taste, but, well, even more calories. Just in a different form.

The main point of this entire blog entry is to reveal the hypocritical nature of diet soda consumption. There's a documented "Sweet Tooth" Syndrome induced by diet soda consumption wherein a person is more inclined to desire and consume sugary foods following diet coke consumption. Though the Diet Coke in your hand may have zero calories, the cookie likely to follow it has quite a few.

In a paper published by Behavioral Neuroscience, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were given a differential experience in terms of foods provided with varying sweetness and caloric content. Here's the quote:

"We found that reducing the correlation between sweet taste and the caloric content of foods using artificial sweeteners in rats resulted in increased caloric intake, increased body weight, and increased adiposity, as well as diminished caloric compensation and blunted thermic responses to sweet-tasting diets. These results suggest that consumption of products containing artificial sweeteners may lead to increased body weight and obesity by interfering with fundamental homeostatic, physiological processes."

The effect is similar in humans. In a study performed by the University of California- San Diego, 12 women were scanned by functional MRI while sipping water sweetened with either real sugar (sucralose) or artificial sweetener (sucralose). Though the women's palates couldn't tell the difference (sucrose and sucralose are registered the same by taste buds) the brain could register a difference. In the study, the sugar activated the pleasure-related regions of the brain more intensely than Splenda. To paraphrase, the artificial sweeteners got the brain all excited, but didn't deliver the goods. Another study by the researchers found a similar effect, where rats fed yogurt with real sugar and artificially-sweetened sugar consumed much more of the latter. They suspect that the sweeteners inhibit the brain's ability to regulate its caloric consumption.

In addition, as anyone who regularly consumes diet soda will tell you, they're highly addictive. A fairly high concentration of caffeine combined with the seductive claim of being a zero-calorie indulgence can lead individuals to consume several daily. A study was performed where rats were fed artificial sweeteners in order to elucidate the addictive nature of the sweeteners. Not only did the rodents gain weight to the point of obesity, when given the option of consuming cocaine or diet soda, they preferred the... diet sodas!

Finally, though diet soda may replace regular soda in the diet, it is itself replacing actually healthy beverages like water. Try obtaining your caffeine fix from healthier sources, like coffee or tea, and stay away from diet soda.

Sources:

[1] Denoon, Daniel J. "Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight?" http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight . WebMD.com

[2] Better Health: Smart Health Commentary. "Do Diet Sodas Make You Fat?" http://getbetterhealth.com/do-diet-sodas-make-you-fat/2009.12.21#more-13550

[3] Scientific American. "Artificial Sweeteners Confound the Brain- May Lead to Diet Disaster." http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=artificial-sweeteners-confound-the-brain

The Complete Triathlete: A Quiz

2009-12-31T13:59:00.000-08:00

A significant portion of triathlon's appeal lies in the attempt of mastering a sport that itself consists of three quite separate disciplines. If you've ever seen a runner try to swim, you've witnesed firsthand the challenge that triathlon presents to the athlete. But I've found that rather than embracing the subtle nuances of the sport, most triathletes- myself included -are often quite unfortunately content to swim, bike, and run lots then hope for the best on race day.

To address this problem, I devised a list which I made into a quick yes or no quiz. It's by no means comprehensive, but by taking it and analyzing the results, you can determine places you may be able to improve within each sport, your lifestyle, or triathlon as a whole.

I'll be doing my best to better address each of the questions listed below. I'd suggest embracing a couple, several, or all of them as New Year's Resolutions, but everyone knows, as demonstrated by gym attendance, that Resolutions only last until February.

SWIM
1. Do you swim with a Master's Swim Team
2. Have you had your stroke videotaped and analyzed by a qualified individual?
3. Do you not only perform drills each workout, but drills specifically addressing deficiencies in your stroke?
4. Do you practice strokes other than crawl/free-style? (For example, by swimming a small percentage of your weekly yardage backstroke, you can develop muscles that are neglected by crawl stroke and make your muscular development more balanced and your body stronger overall + less prone to injury).
5. Do you flip turn? If so, do you flip turn well?

BIKE
1. Have you been professionally fit? For example, by a F.I.S.T. certified individual, Serotta Fit Institute Certified individual, or by a service like Retul . If not, have you put continued effort into studying and improving your position?
2. Do you train intelligently with a power meter?
3. If you train with a power meter, do you leave the numbers alone once in awhile and just go for a perceived-effort ride?
4. Do you perform a majority (about 80%) of your rides at a low-to-moderate intensity and have the remaining amount dedicated to high-intensity training (ex: tempo workouts, hill sets, sprint sets)?
5. Do you ride with a local club or team?
6. What color is your bike? Black is the fastest color, and white is even faster.
(that's a joke, but it's also probably true)
7. Have you analyzed the relative performance of each leg with a basic or advanced exertion test?
8. Do you perform bike-specific drills like single-leg pedalling, riding a fixed gear, or riding on rollers?

RUN
1. Are you more than 10% heavier than your optimal race weight (if you know it, or over 10% above what you would expect your optimal race weight to be)?
2. Do you train for and race running events in addition to triathlon training? For example, a local 5km, 10km, or half-marathon?
3. Do you regularly perform running-specific drills each week? Ex: Before each run, do you warm-up, stretch easy, do drills, strides, then your workout?
4. Do you do a regularly core workout program which emphasizes the muscles that get under-worked compared to the running-specific ones? Ex: exercising the hip adductors and abductors?
5. Do you run consistently, have a decent variety of workouts, and have a longer run each weekend?
6. Do you only increase your mileage by about 10% each week when building up?
7. Do you get a new pair of shoes every 300-500 miles?
8. Do you make a consistent effort to run on soft substrate?

RECOVERY
1. Have you tried regularly icing, massaging, elevating, or compressing (i.e. compression apparel) your muscles to see if they improve your recovery?
2. Do you get an optimal amount of sleep (likely +7-8 hours) consistently?
3. Do you address impending injuries rapidly and diligently or try to train through unusual soreness/pain?
4. Do you have a post-workout (within 15min) recovery snack like a protein bar or fruit smoothie to replenish your glycogen stores?
5. If you've been injured in the past, have you kept up on preventative measures to keep from becoming injured again? Ex: you had ITB impingement and used a hip roller to recover and now use a massage stick daily.

NUTRITION
1. Do you eat many 'nutritionally-empty' foods?
2. Do you eat smaller, healthy meals at regular intervals during the day?
3. Do you consistently measure (as in, once a month) your body weight/composition? (A quote I picked up from Matt Fitzgerald's Racing Weight, which I'll write up a review of in the near future, spoke to the effect of "A known quantity is a managed quantity")
4. Does your weight during the off-season (usually the Thanksgiving-Christsmas desert fest) inflate beyond 10% above your training weight? For example, the weight you achieved before your taper for the previous season's A race?

LIFESTYLE
1. Are you regularly negatively-stressed? Have you identified what's causing the stress and worked towards reducing it?
2. Do you manage your time well?

The 3 Most Necessary Holiday Bike Component Upgrades

2009-12-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

You've spent more time with your bike than your children and tended to it more lovingly than your wife. In return, it has supported you more faithfully than a well-trained dog. A well-trained dog made of carbon fiber.

Here are the four essential bike component upgrades that your life has been incomplete without. Even if you didn't know it.

3. Titanium Bolts

Ti may be losing the war against carbon fiber, but it's hard to argue against its incredible strength, durability, and lust worthiness. It's practically chemically inert in it's alloyed form, resisting as many sweaty trainer sessions as you can throw at it. In addition, it's the strongest metal for its weight, as strong as many common steels but 45% lighter (1), and has the highly touted argument of a high fatigue limit. Whereas metals like aluminum will fatigue to the point of failure over time, Titanium is immune to any stresses below the force of it's fatigue limit. Will bolts on your bike experience this limit? My guess is almost certainly not, but it's holiday bike upgrade time and practicality is not your concern. Besides, there are some aluminum bolts thrown into the above kit to bring the weight down (Al wins in the weight-weenie battle), and the bolts are of course anodized a beautiful deep red. Check out the above kit from Specialty Racing Products and ask your spouse if eliminating the omnipresent threat of bolt failure isn't worth a paltry $150. Plus, you stand to lose at least 5 grams in the process.

2. Nokon Cables

Anyone can run regular cables, but it takes an individual with true hatred of their money to run Nokon Cables. Beyond being the undisputed 'patented cable system of the future,' Nokon cables offer the benefits of: resisting kinks, managing tighter corners, provide a compressionless housing, and most importantly, come in pretty colors. Also, they mention that the Aluminum housing won't rust, but as far as I know, the standard rubber housing on cables won't rust either, so... wait, never mind, that would be a practical consideration. And you can't lord practicality over your riding buddies every Saturday morning. For only approximately $99, you could upgrade your cables this holiday season. Think of how many more cups of Egg Nog you could have to compensate for the weight savings. It's at least 3. Maybe even 4.

1. Ceramic Bearings

Ceramic bearings are widely heralded as the choice of bearings for top-tier wheelsets. The argument lies in their diminished rolling resistance and heightened durability as compared to standard steel bearings. If my memory is correct, you could be losing at least 5 watts if you're not on ceramic. And that's just the wheels. The general consensus is that if you're not on ceramic bearings, you shouldn't even bother riding. Upgrading to ceramics if often compared to providing a performance benefit comparable to moving from an uninflated to an inflated front tire, or, during a 40km TT, similar to moving from facing backwards to forwards while riding. Don't forget derailleur pulleys and bottom brackets need the upgrade too. If your spouse disputes the necessity of having every bearing be ceramic, tell him/her that to not upgrade the others would be unfair, and that's not the person he/she fell in love with. Regarding the price, well, the adage of 'if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it' may be in effect, but look to spend about $400 if you go for these $90 derailleur pulleys from VCRC along with their $150 ceramic bottom bracket and a $150 set for your Mavic Wheels.

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You may have noticed an increasingly sarcastic tone within the above entry, but each upgrade is to some degree a legitimate suggestion. If your bike is fit properly, maintained flawlessly (as in, you're cleaning the drivetrain while reading this), and has top of the line components, and you hate saving money, then any of these could be for you. There are of course better uses for your money, like a powermeter, computrainer, aero helmet, or Master's swim teach membership, but if you have those bases covered, then enjoy!

Sources:
1. ^ ^a ^b ^c Barksdale 1968, p. 738

Product Review: AlCis

2009-12-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

Just the essentials: AlCis and Avery the guinea pig

Just a quick look at the AlCis website reveals exactly why I had no real interest in using their product. With marketing statements like, " a uniquely luxurious cream base was invented. Infused with nourishing botanicals and anti-oxidants it also re-hydrates the skin throughout the relief process. So soothing, so effective that it now lives on in a new line of ALCiS body care products," I'd think I was rubbing shampoo on myself.

It gets worse. " And so it goes: a premise, a solution, a desire to develop a non-invasive, medical solutions to everyday health concerns. That is ALCiS… "

That... is exactly why I didn't use their product for two years. After receiving free samples in my Escape From Alcatraz swag bag, I passed them along to family because I thought it was just a gimmick. Apparently, I was mistaken.

I do just about 100% of my running on trails, and recommend that everyone else do so (I don't care if it's not possible- make it happen). The sudden transition to racing the Turkey Trot 10km all on pavement, unsurprisingly, left my knee in a slight state of disrepair. Back at home for Thanksgiving, my Mom, who had received one of the aforementioned samples, ran to get some all the while espousing its virtues. I consented to try it, and am very glad I did so.

As a topical analgesic, it's a pain relieving lotion applied directly to the area causing trouble. This localized application of pain relief is a nice advantage when compared to pills that are inherently generalized, distributing their effect throughout the body. There are also no apparent side effects. For example, if you're taking ibuprofen to reduce exercise-related pain, you risk upsetting your stomach or damaging your liver*.With AlCis, if you apply it wrong, well, then there's no help for you because it's pretty simple.

After applying a generous amount to both knees, I went to bed. Upon waking, I felt a strong degree of Delayed Muscle Soreness throughout my lower body, except in the areas where I applied the cream. Walking downstairs, rather than inciting minor pain or tightness as it had the day before, was incident free, and an easy 20 minute recovery run on some local singletrack trail was pleasantly devoid of pain or tightness as well.

I'm now an advocate of AlCis and have a tube of my own. While it won't combat the cause of inflammation, it will reduce the symptoms- allowing you a very enjoyable reduction in soreness or pain. If, of course, you do feel pain or tightness, rather than treating the symptoms, pursue the cause aggressively and make sure you're fully healthy before continuing training. But following a race, hard workout, or just a long day on your feet, I can personally attest to the benefits of AlCis.

One other thing I'd like to mention, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, if you sift through the marketing hyperbole on the homepage, the Alcis website reveals that they have a very nice list of teams, organizations, and races they sponsor, including Yale's Cycling team, USC's Tri Team, MS Waves to Wine, and the Lupus Foundation of Mid and Northern New York. I always like supporting companies that in turn sponsor developing athletes and disease advocacy organizations.

And, yes, I am forced to admit that it was creamy and luxurious.

If you're regularly feeling sore or would like to reduce the symptoms of an injury that you're treating, try purchasing AlCis from one of any number of retail outlets (listed on the website).

Note: Along with every other product that I've reviewed, I have no connection to the company or financial incentive to review the product. I'm just sharing my experience as a consumer.

*I'm not- yet -qualified to deliver medical advice. Before acting on anything I or anyone else writes, please independently affirm it's accuracy, or, if health-related, consult a medical professional.

Race Report: Turkey Trot 10km

2009-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Stretching with just minutes until race start

With every race I do my best to internalize a new lesson that I can take to improve my performance at my next event. I learned several at this local 10km, but above all the most important was to not sleep somewhere comfortable. I woke up to darkness and heavy rain at 6:30am while completely ensconsed in the comfort only a flannel-wrapped memory foam mattress covered by a heavy blanket could provide. It was almost impossible to get out of bed. Next race, it's a plywood board and a space blanket.

Against all odds, I was up and out of bed ~~shortly~~ 20 minutes after my alarm went off to grab a quick, very light breakfast and make my way down to race check in. My father, whose mostly responsible for getting me into triathlon (he signed us up as a relay for the Escape From Alcatraz triathlon, which we made a tradition) proved to be a champion as he not only drove me down at 7am, but returned to take pre-race photos and gather up my warm-up clothes.

Being larger in stature than the average endurance athlete, I may still run modest splits but I'm at least warm doing so. Despite making for a damp warm-up, I was relatively immune to the cold compared to my competition and felt that the weather offered the comfort of a shower despite the pain of actually racing.

After picking up my race T-shirt and dropping off my cans of food for the local food bank, I headed down to the race start area for a quick warm-up. It was there that I met Rhys, who, in addition to his rugged good looks, is a very serious neo-pro cyclist and one of my closest friends. Rhys was running the 5km race with his dad, and their company kept me in good spirits despite the poor weather.

Rhys and his father proving it's not how fast you are, it's how good you look that matters most.

As the pre-race countdown moved inexorably towards zero, the rain-jacket clad huddled masses emerged from the quaint downtown Gig Harbor surroundings to converge on the starting line. My Dad would later say that, when the 10km gun went off, approximately 50 of the 1,800 gathered took off, the remaining individuals choosing instead to celebrate thanksgiving with the 5km race.

After standing in the poor weather longer than I would've liked, the race finally began.

Here I'm the red-shoed, blue blur just right of center. Unfortunately, this is the only time during the race that I would appear as a blur, as apparently my pacing strategy was to start off slow and then taper off.

The course would circumnavigate the picturesque harbor before doing a quick turnaround on the peninsula which forms the opposite shore. Growing up in such a quiet town, the only thing to really do was either drink or run high-mileage, and fortunately, I chose the latter. Subsequently I had just about every road in the harbor memorized and could recall every foot of it, except, unfortunately, for the uphills I forgot.

The course started out with an approximately 200 yard incline leading to a long decline and the rolling remainder of the course. My goal was a sub-40 minute time, nothing terribly quick for this point in the year with the winter emphasis on accumulating base miles.

I held a pretty good position within the field, about 10th, through the first 2 miles until we hit the most significant hill leading out of a valley past city park. Not wanting to overload my legs early on, I took it pretty easy and let a group ahead of me get away. The rolling hills continued to the out and back, with short but surprisingly steep ascents and descents making it difficult to hold a steady pace.

After circling back on the peninsula, we made our way back to the little valley by city park and up the other side to where the 5km race turnaround was situated. The race organizers impressed me with two water stations on the course, but I wasn't feeling either of them. I did feel a little frustration of having to dodge my way through the mass of individuals walking the 5km, with errant dogs on leashes and unleashed small children making it more of an obstacle course than I would expect. But at the modest pace I was running I can't complain about others holding me up, and I soon found myself with just a half-mile to the finish.

At this point, another younger runner (high-school age) pulled up alongside me and, in a great gesture of friendliness and sportsmanship, proclaimed, "Almost there!" I said something that now sounds lame, but to the effect of, "Let's do this!" and we both put the hammer down. Only, we weren't running too quickly, so it was more of a ball-peen hammer than an actual, you know, mallet.

Soaking wet, but happy, at the finish

Nevertheless, we maintained a solid pace to the finish, overtook another runner or two, and made it in with a solid time.

As I ran towards the finish chute I saw my dad right there. He'd spent the intermittent time serving as a volunteer, which is a strong testament to his character. I also got to catch up with a great friend from high school and cool off in the light rain.

I was surprised at how closely my finishing time mirrored my splits from the Oly tri's this summer. At just a minute faster, that means I ran those races well or this one poorly (likely a combination of both), but this race gives me a solid baseline against which I can judge my progress throughout the year as I focus on running.

I also need to post the race's logo again because it's just that awesome.

Compression: Does it enhance recovery?

2009-11-24T18:03:00.000-08:00

Zoot CompressRx Compression

As I 'gear up', both literally and figuratively, for the current holiday season, I decided to take a strong look at compression apparel. Beyond an unmatched ability to mask the results of how much I love eggnog, compression has been highly touted in the triathlon world recently for its ability to enhance recovery (and 'improve performance', but we'll take one claim at a time).

These glasses are apparently specifically made for eggnog.

Eggnog, however, is a specialty best taken straight from the carton.

I have a personal interest in researching equipment that can improve recovery. My job requires me to stand quite a bit during the day, and I have been surprised by how much soreness I feel as a result. This soreness can then be compounded by my run-focused training regimen and make me more predisposed to injury while also inhibiting a quality training session.

I decided to focus on Zoot's CompressoRx line as I was impressed (so was Jordan Rapp ) by the apparent R&D that went into the product. As Rapp writes, Zoot even went so far as to publish a white paper on their product and make it available on their website. You can read it here on the CompressRx page of Zoot's website. Also, you can check out this video Zoot published on Youtube. It provides some excellent insight into the CompressRx line and the company behind it.

So Zoot appears to be an excellent choice for compression clothing, but is purchasing compression clothing a good decision? I decided to look at independent research from established medical journals that will shed greater insight on the value of compression on enhancing recovery (for the benefits of compression during activity, I'll have to write another blog entry).

Here I've listed a few primary journals that I found on the subject along with a short synopsis:

1) Compression Garments and Recovery from Eccentric Exercise

Michael I. Trenell, Kieron B. Rooney , Carolyn M. Sue and Campbell H. Thompson

from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2006)

Source 1: http://www.jssm.org/vol5/n1/12/v5n1-12pdf.pdf

-Synopsis: Eccentric muscular contractions, according to our good friend wikipedia, "normally occur as a braking force, in opposition to a concentric contraction, to protect joints from damage." Running, by this definition, could then easily be categorized as an eccentric exercise. By measuring perception of muscle soreness and the concentration of hydrogen ions (pH) and other metabolic byproducts of exercise, the study found that, "Compression garments may alter potential indices of the repair processes accompanying structural damage to the skeletal muscle following eccentric exercise allowing a faster cellular repair" (Source 1).

2) The Effects of Compression Garments on Recovery of Muscle Performance Following High-Intensity Sprint and Plyometric Exercise

Rob Duffield, Jack Cannon and Monique King

from the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport

Source: Science Direct

-Synopsis: This study looked at the effect of compression garments on individuals following a 10 minute exercise protocol consisting of a 20 meter sprint and 10 plyometric bounds each minute. Before each test, and then 2 hours and 24 hours following each test, the muscles were analyzed for pretty much everything we would want to know ( muscle performance assessments and assays of metabolic byproducts were performed, or in the words of the study, "evoked twitch properties of the knee extensors, peak concentric knee extension and flexion force were assessed, with blood samples drawn to measure lactate [La⁻], pH, creatine kinase (CK), aspartate transaminase (AST) and c-reactive protein (C-RP)" ). Also, Heart rate, exertion (RPE) and muscle soreness (MS) measures were obtained pre- and post-exercise.

What did they find? " In conclusion the effects of compression garments on voluntary performance and recovery were minimal; however, reduced levels of perceived MS were reported following recovery in the garments."

My personal conclusions tend to mirror those above. I could, however, apply the above bold statement perfectly to ice baths, massage, and stretching. At this moment, I'm inclined to perform an 'N=1' study by purchasing a CompressRx recovery garment and testing it out for myself. If I do I'll certainly write about my experience.

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As a bonus, below I've listed a study that analyzed the performance benefits of compression socks. They found that "stockings with constant compression over the calf muscle significantly improved running performance at different metabolic thresholds."

Effect of Compression Stockings on Running Performance in Men Runners

Kemmler, Wolfgang; Stengel, Simon von; Köckritz, Christina; Mayhew, Jerry; Wassermann, Alfred; Zapf, Jürgen
from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Source: http://journals.lww.com/nscajscr/Abstract/2009/01000/Effect_of_Compression_Stockings_on_Running.16.aspx

10km: You should train for one

2009-11-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

If you don't know about Bruce Fordyce, and you consider yourself a serious runner, you should be ashamed of yourself. He has won the infamous Comrades Marathon in South Africa eight times and the London-to-Brighton race three times. Dr. Timothy Noakes, whose opinion on running I respect more than anyone's, writes of Fordyce, "Never before had the Comrades seen such poetic running, such effortless mastery, and such athletic perfection- indeed, such complete excellence" (Lore of Running, Noakes, 332). Coming from the man who literally wrote the book on running, that's quite a statement.

In his book, Dr. Noakes outlines some of the principles that Fordyce trained by to achieve his unprecedented success in ultradistance running. Of the 9 points, which you should purchase the book to learn, #8 is to Gauge Your Fitness by Performance in Short-Distance Races and Speed Sessions. Noakes writes, "Bruce wrote that when he can run 8km in close to 25:00 (at altitude), he is ready for the Comrades (Fordyce, 1984). American marathoners Frank Shorter and Alberto Salazar have said essentially the same for the standard marathon (Noakes, 339)."

This principle is fundamental to swim, bike, and run training. Simply put, by pursuing speed work, the athlete can raise their 'cruising speed' for longer distance races. As an extreme example, take the course record setting 6hr 32min finishing time at the most recent White River 50 Mile Trail Running Championships. Anton Krupicka, a by-all-appearances incredibly humble and likable elite ultrarunner, ran the final 6.6 miles, over very technical single-track trail, averaging 6:49 min/mile (after running the previous downhill segment averaging 5:45 min/mile). You can bet that having a background racing 5km's certainly supported Krupicka's phenomenal performance. In his blog report of the race, he cites a marathon PR of 2:42 and a PR of 2:21 for second place finisher and defending White River champion Mike Wardian.

Krupicka on the White River 50 Course, Photo credit to Glenn Tachiyama

If you're reading this blog, you're most likely training for an Olympic distance race or an Ironman. Having the speed derived from 10km training will be invaluable when you come across the 'race to T2' warriors halfway through the marathon of your next Ironman.

I have the a Turkey Trot 10km on November 26th. I'm excited for the race and as I've mentioned previously, it has helped get me out the door when it's dark, rainy, and 40 degrees outside. My goal is to continue to train for a 10km race each year, as this will both help me track my progress in running and also prepare me for longer distance races.

But more than that, I'll get a T-shirt with this logo on it:

The best race logo in the world

Jonnyo's Cervelo P4 Commercial

2009-11-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

The Cervelo P4. No other bike, save maybe the very first one, has ever been as heavily anticipated. Given the phenomenal success of the brand's P2C and P3C frames, the latter of which was and still is considered the industry standard for aerodynamics, the P4 was set to take the throne of ultimate time trial machine even before it's release.

While awaiting that moment myself, I remember coming across a commercial that professional triathlete Jonathan Caron made in anticipation of the machine. I believe that it is brilliant, and until I figure out how to embed video, you can watch it here.

You can find Jonathan's website at http://www.jonathancaron.com/ and read his highly entertaining blog, Jonnyo World, here.

Nutrition: Nutritiondata.com

2009-11-17T13:25:00.000-08:00

Nutritiondata.com is a site that I came across quite some time ago and it's quite an excellent resource. I don't know if you saw this coming, but the site provides nutrition information on an ever expanding list of food items. Rather than reading about it, check it out for yourself. Here's Spinach:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2626/2

As you can see, each food entry has several main components:

-the Nutrition Facts Label (which can be adjusted by serving size)

-a Nutritional Target Map, which graphically represents how nutritious and filling the food item is

-a Caloric Ratio Pyramid, which shows what percentage fat, carb, or protein the food item is

-a quick assessment by Nutritiondata

-a Nutrient Balance graph, along with the corresponding 'completeness score'

-a Protein Quality Graph, which depicts the amino acid profile of the food item

image courtesty of http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/food/review2.php

One of my most common lunches now is a Spinach salad (with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, sunflower seeds, celery, some cranberries if I'm lucky, and light shredded mozarella cheese to top it off). I recommend it highly.

A good friend and previous housemate of mine, who has muscular definition beyond description, would eat a massive bowl of spinach (just spinach, nothing else) before bed and have a big bowl of spinach mid-day. He practically ate his bodyweight in Spinach daily, and given the nutrition facts posted at the link and his personal results, it appears that Spinach is the way to go. Nutritiondata can help you find other excellent food choices as well. For example, I was surprised to learn how highly pickles score (http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3013/2 ).

Here's another real world example that demonstrates the benefit of sites like Nutritiondata.

"You're in Starbucks. You just had an excellent morning session at Master's and, as a reward for moving up a lane and cementing yourself in the elite class of the buoy-line enforced hierarchy, decide to purchase a tasty beverage. A frappuccino catches your attention, and your mind rapidly decided, you realize that there could be no other. Suddenly, you spot the Starbucks logo and realize you never really looked at it before.

"That mermaid is topless," you say to yourself, and your mind wonders as you contemplate why it appears to have two tales.

The cheerful cry of a distant barista brings you back to attention. It's nearly time to order. Having settled on a delicious frappuccino, you know that you need to try and mitigate the damages. You pull out your trusty iphone (given how many people have these things it's likely that you do) and pull up nutritiondata.com. You know that only a caramel frappuccino will satisfy your perverse desire to undo the the benefits of exercise that you worked so hard for. Searching for 'caramel frappuccino' you find this-http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/foods-from-starbucks/9603/2 - and learn that a Grande will run you 260 calories and 45 g of sugar. But you remember that beneath the Caramel Frappuccino on the search listing was a Light option. You pull it up - http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/foods-from-starbucks/9623/2 - and learn that a Grande Light will only entail consuming 167 calories and a paltry 25g of sugar."

As clearly demonstrated in the above true-to-life scenario, websites like nutritiondata.com can be useful assets to optimize your diet to truly take advantage of your training. The site has quite a few more features than those I've mentioned, you should give them a look.

Obligatory note: other than using the site, I have no relationship with nutritiondata.com

Time Management

2009-10-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

Just this last week I was absolutely thrilled to learn that I have been accepted to the University of Washington School of Medicine. After four years of effort in college, thousands spent on the application cycle, and months of anxiety and even occasional self-doubt, I am extremely excited, grateful, and humble to be a future member of the class of 2014. This turn of events will have a significant impact on my triathlon training, however, as the time constraints of a medical education will be substantial. Fortunately, this man has provided me with no excuses:

Training as a medical student on just one-hour per day lunch breaks, Bannister was the first man to record a time beneath the 4-minute mile barrier. This moment, captured in the epic photograph above, was monumental in running history and will certainly serve as inspiration for me in the years ahead.

The mastery of 3 disciplines, implicit within the pursuit of mastering triathlon, is extremely time consuming and would appear to be mutually exclusive with medical school, a demanding job, or raising children. But with proper time management and the devoted execution of an intelligently structured program, it's certainly possible.

My simple plan, as of this moment, is to have a morning workout, alternating swimming and running, along with an evening ride on the trainer while studying with my notes propped up on the aerobars. By varying my workout intensity in running and emphasizing technique work in swimming, I believe I will be able to continually improve my fitness while regularly completing 10-hour training weeks and, more importantly, keeping a healthy marriage.

If you find yourself not currently training to the extent you would like, analyze the manner in which you spend your time. Could you commute by bike? Join a Masters Swim Team to keep yourself accountable? Have your spouse bike along with you as you go for a run? Any number of options are available, it just takes a little creativity and effort.

Best Triathlon Ad Ever

2009-10-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Background:

Italian saddle maker fi'zi:k printed a provocative ad in Triathlete Magazine about a year ago featuring top female pro triathlete Sam McGlone. The ad, understandably, demonstrated quite a stir and became very recognizable. I believe it's very well done and certainly grabs your attention. Well, now it's been surpassed.

The Best Triathlon Ad Ever:
Take two of my favorite things- trisports.com, an excellent tri shop that provides brilliant customer service, and Andy Potts, a widely renowned ex-college swimmer turned Olympian triathlete and top Kona finisher who is renowned for both his happy disposition and powerful competitive spirit- and combine them. I give you the Andy Potts Trisports.com ad recently featured in Triathlete Magazine:

Instantly recognizing the McGlone ad format, I actually laughed out loud. I appreciate the humor of this ad so much that I am going to buy something from Trisports.com just because they made it. But in all seriousness, they're an excellent company that I've had great interactions with in the past. And Potts, whose sense of humor is photographically proven above, seems by all means to be one of our sports greatest champions both on and off the course. Bravo.

Nutrition: Caffeine and Triathlon Part 1- Pain Reduction

2009-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

I decided to investigate the specific interaction between caffeine and the physiology of the endurance athlete. With supplements containing caffeine gaining an increasing foothold, I wanted to know specifically how and why caffeine may enhance or inhibit my performance. From GU including 35mg (about half to one-third the amount in a 7oz cup of brewed coffee), to Chris McCormack placing Red Bull in his special needs bag early in the run at Kona at the advice of Peter Reid, caffeine is starting to be a widely advocated supplement. The International Olympic Committee even recently removed it from its list of banned substances. But, beyond the benefits purported by advertisements or hearsay (be it from a world champion or not), I wanted to know the science behind the buzz caffeine provides. Though I'll refrain from referring to caffeine as 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, I did reference primary sources from research journals and here is what I found:

Background:

From a past research project on caffeine, I knew that the compound is a competitive antagonist of adenosine. This means that caffeine binds to adenosine receptors in the brain, blocking the binding of adenosine. As adenosine is a neurotransmitter with an inhibitory effect (it promotes a calming response, such as promoting sleep and inhibiting excitement), the blocking of adenosine results in the excitatory response we so frequently associate with caffeine. For a visual representation of this phenomenon, please refer to the figure below:

More than allowing you to terrorize the Japanese, the ingestion of caffeine results in physiological changes that a triathlete would find beneficial. Journal articles repeatedly refer to caffeine as an 'ergogenic aid', which is the way individuals with PhDs say 'performance enhancing.' Motl et al hypothesized that, given Adenosine's role in nociception and pain processing, the inhibition of adenosine by caffeine could play a role in inhibiting the processing and perception of pain stimulus. In a study published in the Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, they found that quadricep pain induced by cycling was reduced with caffeine consumption in both habitual coffee drinkers and those who rarey consume caffeine. Though they did not elucidate the specific physiological mechanism, accroding to Motl, ""We've shown that caffeine reduces pain reliably, consistently during cycling, across different intensities, across different people, different characteristics. (1)"

Race Report: Spokane Monster Dash 5km Fun Run

2009-10-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

The day dawned cold, and fittingly so. For when one signs up for an event as punishing as a 'fun run', the specter of future pain looms over the horizon like a terrifying phantasm.

These ducks may seem happy, but they're actually frozen in place

Pressing on heroically despite these inhuman conditions, I endured the short drive to the beautiful South Hill District of Spokane, where, within the gorgeous Manito Park, a Monstrous Dash of epic proportions awaited.

The 5km Fun Run was to begin at 9am and would circumnavigate the beautiful, if not unreasonably cold, park. Numerous participants could be seen in clever costumes, from the outrageous neon colors one would expect runners to adorn to the more creative, such as one couple dressed as the Incredibles, to Pirates, Cheerleaders, and a myriad of other characters.

I arrived to cheering faces- which, given the temperatures was either an incredible display of the human spirit or, much like the ducks, they had simply frozen that way- at the Pre-Registration booth. I hadn't ordered a shirt (which, it turns out, were pretty cool and a sweet deal at $10) so I picked up my race number (254) and applied it to the front of my shirt. Quick tip: Always crumple your number up beforehand. It allows it to better conform to your body during the race.

My clothing was not up to the task of standing around in the cold, so I gladly took to previewing the course as my warm-up. As I had difficulty locating the start, I simply ran through the finish chute and set about previewing the course backwards. Having this knowledge of the last stages of the course would serve me well late in the race.

After about 20 minutes of easy running, I reported back to the Registration area and learned where the start was. Pleasantly, it would be a fast, gentle decline leading to a sharp left turn. As we waited for the final individuals to line up, I did a few strides (sprints emphasizing technique) to better prepare my circulatory system for the impending effort and to keep warm, as many other participants were relegated to simply standing there shivering.

The very fit woman at the far left is, very understandably, extremely cold.

Also, a baby is ominously raised in the background.

As we were about to start, the announcer took a few liberties with his position to make a few jokes and then counted down.

"10-9-8-4-3-2-1", that's literally what I heard, and we were off!

Three of us lead the sprint out. Fit Woman (middle), likely in a desperate attempt to become warm, Charlie (left), humorously dressed as a female member of the Spokane Swifts Running Club (who generously put on the event), and myself (254). I thought I had fairly good running form, but it looks like I'm striking my heel pretty hard here. Something to look into...

Charlie, from up above, assumed the lead, and I happily found myself running close behind in 2nd/3rd place for the first mile. I had been training in the range of 5:58 - 7:00 pace for my tempo work and my goal was to break 20 minutes for the race, as my goal is to break 40min at the 10km race on November 25.

The course took us along the streets lined and covered by beautiful autumn leaves. We were chasing a lead bicycle manned by a Spokane Swift dressed as a Pink Superhero, her bright pink wig easy to spot 50 yards ahead. The streets wove up, down, and around which provided for a very engaging race. After these twists and turns, with the accompanying minor elevation gains and losses, we were led to a long out and back. This section sent us down a tree lined street with an incline on the out section and a decline on the return stretch. I knew that if I maintained a solid pace going out, I could really stretch it out on the decline, which I knew from my preview continued into the finish. Coming back down the decline I was right with another runner who stayed with me through two surges. There were a few curves ahead, however, and one leading right into the short straightaway before the finish, and I knew that if I could get a gap before the curve it would stick. I threw in a final surge and held it, sprinting in for a strong finish.

Entering the finish chute

I took my time decelerating and tore off the tag from my number, giving it to a volunteer. My incredibly supportive wife, having braved the elements to provide these photos, was there to meet me. I was happy with my effort and the pace that I held. My pace was right around the 20-minute mark (I didn't expect that the race would not be timed, but should have brought a watch myself), which I hope will put me in a solid position to break the 40-minute barrier in my 10km in one month.

Some excellent post race treats were available, and I grabbed some apple slices and a berry flavored FRS.

I highly recommend the Monster Dash as an enjoyable fun run racing experience, and would definitely challenge you to sign up for a race in your area.

Product Review: Patagonia Houdini

2009-10-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have a severe case of brand loyalty. I will only purchase equipment from specific brands. For example, if Montrail went to war, I would fight for them. I am, for better or worse, a very discerning consumer and a company must have an excellent product, image, and a very high level of involvement within racing or charitable efforts.

One of the companies for which I am an advocate is Patagonia, an apparel company that I was introduced to through my background in climbing and fell in love with for their style, excellent materials, and conservation efforts.

I do not consider them by any stretch a fitness related company, but do believe some of their products can make the crossover nicely. After all, if a jacket is designed to be carried up K6, it can probably handle your early morning run.

K6 in the Karakoram. I believe Steve House used the Houdini in a super fast, alpine style ascent

This happens to be the motus operandi of the Houdini, Patagonia's ultra-lightweight shell. Though I love the jacket, I do so much like one would a family member- in recognition of and despite its flaws. The Houdini is somewhat apathetic in its repulsion of water, and after a long run, the forearm section of the sleeves can be quite wet due to a lack of breathability. But these drawbacks come with some excellent benefits.

The Patagonia Houdini

The weight. Oh my, the weight. 4 oz of goodness- including the hood- wrap around your upper torso. There are also elastic cords within the hood and around the waist to make sure the Houdini cinches down tight. I also really like that the hood isn't removable. All I do is simply tuck it down the back of the neck and I'm good to go, able to pull it back out on the fly should threatening skies end up backing up the promise of rain. The fit is also excellent for me and I run completely unencumbered. Finally, the style is something I love. The burnt orange color and understated dark grey patagonia logo on my jacket are perfect, in my eyes, and I find myself excited to put the jacket on for a run.

As an ultralight jacket, the Houdini comes up short. But as a stylish, ultralight, water-resistant windshirt, it performs exceptionally. Would I buy another one? In a heartbeat, although I would certainly check out the products offered by some of my other favored brands in the multi-sport world. I don't think I'll need to, though, as after years of regular use, the Houdini appears brand new. Given it's ultralight weight, that level of durability is a testament to the quality of Patagonia and the Houdini.

Run: Running- something to do during winter

2009-10-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

For something so simple, running can be surprisingly complicated. Though that's not one of the most intelligent sentences I've ever written, a runner would certainly nod along knowingly. One of the great mysteries of running lies in its attraction.

Be it for the pain, the release, the fitness, or any combination of these, running has an unmistakable appeal. This appeal, however, is completely incomprehensible to the non-running populace and only apparent to the runner after about three weeks of continuous training. But once the motivation and even desire to run is reached, it can be a powerful drive towards new fitness.

After neglecting my running for the chlorinated and wheel-assisted disciplines, I've come full circle and readily embraced it. My base training phase will be dedicated to running, in fact, and I'm maintaining the motivation to train despite the deteriorating weather by signing up to race. In late September, I registered for the Halloween Monster Dash 5km on Oct. 25th and the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 10km on November 26th. In preparing for these events, I'll have a great push to get out the door and also greatly improve my triathlon racing.

Racing within the individual sports is one of the most enjoyable elements of multi-sport, ironically, and I would highly recommend finding a local event or two to place on the calendar to keep you motivated in the coming months. Ontherunevents.com and a Google search for local running clubs/stores are two great resources to get you started.

Nutrition: Making Race Weight with Healthy Desert Alternatives

2009-10-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

The wife and I were shopping at the local grocery store (wait, it gets better) and were in search of ice cream. The usual suspects- Breyers, Dreyers, and those overpriced b*stards Ben & Jerry's were all well represented groups within the frozen desert populace, but something new caught our eye. Something delicious.

Umpqua Dairy is Oregon's largest, and their delicious ice cream is made, apparently, with only the finest ingredients. I believe them. We took 'Chocolate Peanut Butter' and blended it with a little milk to make a very thick milkshake. The peanut butter chunks blended into tiny bits adding a perfect texture complemented by the ribbons of peanut butter and delicious chocolate flavor. All for just $2.50 a half-gallon.

The siren song of this milkshake is difficult to resist. But that guy who just passed you in your next race? Yeah, he didn't have one.

Each milkshake required an 1/8th of a gallon, however, and was comprised of 18g of fat, 21g of sugar, and 315 calories (though there are 7g of muscle building protein....). That delicious experience calorically neutralized a 30 minute tempo run. In my view, the 10 minutes of pleasure a desert affords the consumer isn't worth the guilt and calories. Unless it's made with Umpqua- that was a damn fine milkshake.

There are much more nutritious and comparably delicious alternatives available. One of my personal favorites- mixed berries with whip cream. The cream will satisfy your lust for dairy should you crave ice cream and the berries will serve up some quality nutrition. Rather than suffering the burden of the aforementioned milkshake, you'll receive only a paltry 20 calories, 1g of sugar, and 1.5g of fat if you use 2 tablespoons of Grade A Whipped Light Cream found in the spray cans at your local grocer. You could also go big and make your own whip cream. Try out this recipe that I found here at bonappetit.com

Photo by Leo Gong, courtesy of bonappetit.com

Bike: Working while working out

2009-10-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

My current endeavors require that I study for at least an hour or two each day. At the same time, I also need to put time in on the saddle, and the colder temperatures are making a push towards increasing riding time spent indoors. Unlike many triathletes, I enjoy indoor riding because it facilitates one of my most highly favored activities: studying while on the bike trainer.

I simply prop my study materials on my aerobars and go to town. Though not conducive with more difficult interval workouts, studying on the trainer works perfectly for a steady tempo ride or a recovery ride. The only negative is that it's harder to focus while one is pedaling away. A highly quantitative study I performed revealed that study time on the trainer is equivalent to about 1/2 to 2/3 the time spent studying in a normal fashion.

If you haven't tried this and are reading a book or going over some expense reports, give it a go. Just make sure to place your fan off to the side to cool you off without blowing your material around.

Bike Spotlight: rmcboy's Cervelo P3C

2009-09-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

The excellent component selection and attention to aesthetics have easily warranted Slowtwitch forum member rmcboy's Cervelo P3C the attention of a bike spotlight post.

This machine is majestic. I would describe this bike the same as I would a 100 foot tall supermodel: beautiful and terrifying.

Though the sum of this P3C's parts is greater than the whole, I'll mention just a few highlights of what is, for all intensive purposes, a perfect machine.

The Frame:

Cervelo's venerable P3C is the standard by which all other triathlon bikes are compared. That might even be an understatement.

The Cockpit:

Easton has been underrepresented in the aerobar market and undeservedly so. Their excellent products present a minimalist aesthetic appeal and excellent performance. As an example of the attention to detail demonstrated on the Easton Delta CNT Carbon Base Bar (pictured here), the resin of the carbon fiber is impregnated with nanotubes which strengthen the matrix. Is there a notable performance advantage? Who cares! They're ****ing nanotubes!

A bike isn't sexy unless it's ridden properly, however, and the extremely low front end is just one indication of how the position afforded by this bike has been refined for aerodynamics.

The Fork:

Blackwell research helped pioneer a technology by which a central channel within the fork redirects oncoming air away from the turbulent air created by the spinning motion of the wheel. And it's sexy.

The Wheelset:

The only faster wheel combination than a HED 3-spoke and a rear disk is, well, there isn't one. And the aesthetic appeal is so far through the roof that the building is no longer visible.

The Crank:

The crankset is often neglected in regards to aerodynamics. Generating both rotational and translational drag, inappropriate crank selection could have a surprisingly significant detrimental impact on an otherwise excellent machine. That is certainly not the case here, as the excellent FSA SL-K carbon crank is outfitted with an aerodynamic outer chain ring, offering up both enhanced aero performance and undeniable visual appeal.

The Saddle:

The perfect bike has to address one fundamental consideration- it must make you comfortable, so that you can remain in the aerodynamic position and generate the optimal amount of power. Here rmcboy has equipped his ride with an ISM Adamo saddle. For those unfamiliar, this saddle is essentially a seat with a central cutout and no nose, forcing the rider to bear weight on the sit bones and not on the sensitive perineum. A bike isn't sexy if it keeps you from performing sexually, and this P3C certainly doesn't stand in the way of any post-race activities.

Honorable mention goes to the rear bottle cage retrofitted to the seatpost head. Rather than having a heavy rear attachment (often referrred to quite correctly as 'bottle launchers'), rmcboy has affixed a lightweight cage.

From the gorgeous and flawlessly performing component spec, to the overall presentation of one of the most intimidating and beautiful machines I've ever seen, rmcboy has hit a home run with this P3C. The additional details such as the low-front end, rear bottle cage attachment, and overall presentation of the bike make it a grand slam. I wouldn't be surprised if I am a faster cyclist just for having seen it.

Race for a Cause: Your Cause

2009-09-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Do you have a particular cause that you'd like to raise money for but don't have or want to join an affiliated organization? Sign up to use the service provided by firstgiving's website. Check out an example of a page here. This page is the gateway to triathlete Daniel Trott's effort to raise money for World Vision. Please feel free to support him with a donation as well.

I personally plan on using firstgiving in the future. Triathlon is an inherently selfish activity, requiring a significant investment of time and money. Give back to the sport and others through establishing a page here.

(Note: I have no connection whatsoever with firstgiving, I just think it's a great service)