EverymanTri.com

10 Reasons Why Bowling is better than Triathlon

The other day I went bowling for the first time in about 10 years and I was amazed at how the sport has changed. If you have not gone bowling in a few years you want to give it a fresh try.

So it is with a bit of sadness that today I’m announcing that I have official changed sports. I have seen the light and that light shines down with a soft shimmer onto the gleaming polished floors of your neighborhood bowling alley. Bowling is much better than triathlon and here’s why:

10) Bowling Babes. It used to be that bowling had the image of being…let’s say…for the endurance challenged. We’ll not anymore. Today’s new generations of bowlers are not only hip and fit, but also scantly glad. Forgot those skimpy triathlon shorts and tops that some gals like to wear when they race. The bowling bikini is in, and it makes triathlon wear look almost prudish by comparison.

9) Beer. What do you get after an extremely long day on your local Iron Distance course? A bottle of water and a kick in the ass to get out of the finish line area as soon as possible. Not with bowling. You don’t have to swim/bike/run some 140 plus miles to get a lousy beer.

At your local bowling alley the beer is just a short stumble from the field of competition. In fact, beer flows so freely that many of today’s top competitors start drinking long before the competition ever starts.

8) Early Mornings. I’m getting a wee bit tired of all these predawn workouts. I find myself stumbling out of bed, just to dive into a chilly swimming pool, just to be able get out in a hurry, just so I can make it to work on time.

Do you have any idea at what time your local bowling alley opens? No, well neither do I, but I have a strong suspicion that it opens sometime around lunchtime. And unlike triathlon there really not much training you can do without an open bowling alley. I could be wrong about that as you you can certainly do 12-ounce curls at home. Bowling just keeps getting better.

7) Equipment. There’s just soooo much stuff you need to be a triathlete. The bike gear along can run into several thousands of dollars. Now add in all the run and swim stuff, plus coaching, plus books and video tapes on this and that, and you have just reached your average credit card limit. On the other hand a perfectly fine bowling ball runs about $50. And that still leaves lots of cash for beer.

6) Food. Let’s face it, most of us secretly love a big heaping plate of nachos with steak, beans, and sour cream, or how about a healthy pile of lightly browned crispy fries with a side of tangy catchup. Have you ever tried eating nachos on the bike or fries on the run? Well I have, and I can tell you they get really cold really fast.

5) Weather. The weather in your typical bowling alley is a constant and totally comfortable temperature that encourages your typical bowling babe. There is no wind, rain, cold, ice, snow, mean dogs, and crazy drivers. Ok, there may be crazy drivers but their cars are in the parking lot and their car keys are safely in their pockets.

4) Sports Injuries. It is very difficult to hurt yourself bowling. You could always drop the ball on your foot, but this I have been well informed, is something that rarely happens.

Better yet, unlike triathlon were those seat mounted bottle rockets (water bottles mounted behind the seat and that that come flying out at the first bump and get caught in my wheels) are becoming the norm, most bowling competitors rarely bowl the wrong way.

2) Fashion. We all know that bowling shoes and shirts are in vogue right now. Some of the world’s top fashion houses have styled beautiful shoes and clothes that are considered bowling alley chic from New York to Paris.

On the other hand you won’t turn many heads with your old sweaty and stinky Nike sweats. You will turn heads with your low cut Speedos but in a “man look at that hairy European dad” sort of way.

2) Training. For the most part training is totally pointless in bowling, which of course saves countless hours for more productive activity like watching television. If you do feel the need to train, bowling requires only one arm. Thus your training regiment can be completely exclusive to your bowling arm. I suggest 12-ounce curls or 24-ounce curls for the more advance competitors.

Well that’s why I’ve decided to switch to bowling. I hope to see you around at the local bowling alley.

1) Did I mention the Bowling Babes? They not only seem to love the sport but also each other.

Viva la Bowling!

Tour De France Versus Coverage Review

In respect for (and in the best past tradition of ) a Mr. Cranky Movie review I'm giving this year's TDF Versus TV coverage a bundle of dynamite:

"So godawful that it ruptured the very fabric of space and time with the sheer overpowering force of its mediocrity."

Can you finish this sentence, "For the perfect balance of fuel efficiency and power...."?

Only if you can finish this sentence can you call yourself a true TDF fan. And that would be anybody who watched at least 7 minutes of this year's tour since Versus ran this Saab Commercial so many times that by Stage Two of the TDF I was ready to stick a pointy screw driver in my ear and give it a violent shove every time I turned on the tour.

And speaking of Versus commercials, I must confess that after watching the TDF, I really want to go for a quick bull ride, followed by blasting a few hapless ducks out of the air, before I go take on the extreme  cage in a quick and violent fight to the death.

To be less erudite (and even less polite) I'm really wondering why Versus even carries the TDF.  It seems to be a bit like the cartoon network airing the uncut version of the Sopranos. Sure, the word "sport" can appear in conjunction with duck hunting, cage fighting, bull riding and cycling, but you would have to drink enough beer to pass out in your comfy chair to actually sit through any coverage that combines the first three with the last.

And speaking of beer, do women and minorities drink it as well? Because last time I checked not only do women and minorities drink beer, but I suspect that they also watch the TDF.

BTW: That's a freebie to you guys at Versus central.

However, you'd never suspect this fact by the all macho, all male, all white, all pre-pubescent boy  coverage of the TDF. I know that the producers of the TDF might actually have to look around a bit to find a women or even a non-white guy, but last time I checked (that would be this weekend) I saw plenty of women who ride as well as even a minority or two.

But than again if you actually had a women in front of the camera you'd have a hard time making all of those "funny" pre-coverage jokes and bets that the boys in the booth like to make before the day's coverage starts.

I know for instance that last's year's "winner" of the tour has been legally implicated in the Spanish investigation of doping in cycling. And I'm sure that even Versus must be aware that his team was banned from this year's tour because the entire team was, and still is, under a cloud of deep suspicion by Spanish authorities and the TDF organizers. Yet somehow doing a serious report on these facts seems to escape the ability of the Versus producers. (You'll note that I took a page from the Versus book of tour coverage and left out all of the relevant facts from above  just to keep it "real" for you)

I suspect this is because it is much easier and certainly less controversial to just sit on the sidelines and wave the pompoms while praising the valor and incredible courage of the riders as they (yawn) piss on the local French shrubbery, or (yawn) ride the down the highway trying not to crash into each other.

Some of you may think that I'm being a bit unfair to the Versus coverage, but I ask you, have you seen anything but cheer leading or boyish admiration for the top riders? Have you even seen any hard hitting coverage that really gets to the question as to why so many riders cheat?

I saw a lot "inside" coverage of the team cars with lot's of great insights like the team leader yelling on the team radio to the riders, "You are doing great" and "keep it up tiger" and "tear it up" over, and over, and over again.

But I did not see one story between the cage fighting, Saab hawking, bull riding and duck killing, commercials that dealt with doping in cycling in any real or substantive manner. Yet doping is the one fact that has defined the tour the most over the last two years.

And that's a shame because between the all-boys jolly cheer leading club and the insipid commercialism of both the tour and Versus there is a real drama playing out in cycling today. The future of the sport of cycling hangs in the balance. For it takes real courage (I suspect more than climbing an Alp Stage) to say no to the drugs and complete on an honest level in this truly magnificent sport. 

There are real heroes and villains in the sport of cycling, but it would take courage and some hard work and investigative reporting to dig them out. They are hiding in plain view on the road and in the team hotels.

The villains are especially easy to find as they have been pointed out by a few brave riders who have gone on the record to document a systematic approach to cheating in cycling. Yet these riders are cast out by the sport and the UCI for "pissing the soup."

There is real drama in the sport, but you would never know it by watching Versus.

Instead, Versus gives us bobble heads, endless nausea inducing Saab commercials, mindless team car coverage, well worn cycling cliches and a reporting and commentary team that looks like something from a "Leave It to Beaver" episode.

Than again I could be completely wrong and just a bit Cranky today as I miss the tour. But come to think of it, the only reason I could even watch the race was because my Tivo let me skip all of the crap, and there was lots of it, and go right to the good parts.

I know how Versus could make more money. Just run a Tivo commercial that goes," For the perfect balance of live coverage and our crap...buy a Tivo!"

Medals 4 Mettle

Editor's Note (That would be me): What seems like decades ago now I had a bit-o-fun with a post where I came up with some...uhhh...creative ideas to do with all of the race schwag that I had accumulated over the years.

You can read all bout it HERE.

Well it seems that a nose and throat doc came up with a much better idea for what to do with all of your race medals. But I'll let Danielle explain in this email that she sent me:

Good morning, Roman,

My name is Danielle and I am a fellow triathlete who reads your everymantri blog regularly.  I really enjoy your posts and wanted to thank you for sharing all your thoughts, wisdom, and sense of humor with everyone!

I was waiting in line to retrieve my bike from the NYC Tri transition area this past weekend and started talking to the folks next to me.  A man near me said that he didn't know what to do with all his old race medals, so he often threw them out.  The first thing I thought of was your dog bling idea ("What to do with all that stuff" entry) - which is a hilarious post by the way.  Another man next to me had a great idea I thought I'd pass along, because I know how many medals you have by now and you may only have one dog! (kidding - I know your dog isn't walking around your hood all blinged out). 

The man next to me said there's a great charity - midwest based (Chicago/Indianapolis) - that collects race medals from individuals and donates them to children in hospitals.  It's called Medals4Mettle.  Here's the web page in case you're interested: http://medals4mettle.org  It seems like a really easy way to get more miles out of those medals piling up in all our homes - and a way to make a race more meaningful.  Many of us race because we can, but there are plenty of people who wish they could race with us but are unable to do so.  For many, just living is a marathon, and everyday those people display the same mettle, or courage, as athletes during competition.  The donated medals encourage recipients to keep fighting and honors their every day accomplishments.  They should almost have drop boxes at the end of races so we can leave the medals there after a photo or two! I'm going to email them now and suggest this!

Sometimes a race doesn't go as well as planned - but many times we finish anyway and end up with some medal we aren't thrilled about wearing or don't feel like we deserve.  That medal can make a big difference to someone else so why not donate it - or donate one you are really proud about and include the story with it as well?  (they provide a form you can submit with the race story if you'd like).

Anyway - thanks for reading if you got this far!  Keep up the good work and keep smiling!

All the best,
Danielle

Race Review: Ironman Wisconsin

Ironman Wisconsin (North American Sports race organaizer)
http://www.ironmanwisconsin.com

EveryMan Rating: 1 Brewskis

Rating Scale (based on the amount of beer needed after race)
• 4 Brewskis So excruciatingly painful and lame you’ll need a full year of recovery just to forget this race
• 3 Brewskis The best thing said and remembered about race is; I finished
• 2 Brewskis Challenging race in a masochistic I’d could do it again sort-of-way given enough time and Ibuprofen.
• 1 Brewski Good solid race that exceeds your expectations
• No Brewski A must-do annual event for both friends and family

The Race:

This race (over the past three years), unlike any other North American Ironman in recent history, has been defined by the weather.

Finding Happiness and Health in Little Challenge

Editor's Note: Since the beginning of the year dozens of athletes have taken on the B-Fit B-Day Challenge.
These are a just few of their stories:

Dave:

This was a blast! The BFit BDay Challenge pushed me to tackle distances I’d never even approached before – a four-mile swim!!! Whoa!

First, the details:
Age: 42
Swim: 4 Miles in 2h 25m 49s (62 seconds per 50 yard lap)
Bike: 42 Miles in 2h 26m 51s (17 mph)
Run: 2 Miles in 16m 56s (8:28 minute miles)

Total Time: 5 hours 9 minutes 36 seconds

The swim was the real challenge for me. Swimming has always been my toughest discipline and this year a respiratory infection wiped out my training for the entire month of June! I came into the BDay Challenge sorely under-trained and I turned the race into three training sessions. I made great strides during the weekend. My mile split times fell steadily. I was happy to finish without drowning and thrilled with my progress!

The Bike portion I split into two stages: a 17 mile ride on Friday morning followed by a 25 mile ride to historic Walden Pond on Saturday. Unlike Thoreau, I didn’t stay … my quest was the ride!

I completed the 2 mile run Sunday morning. The overcast skies left the air warm and heavy. My two mile loop starts with a short decline and ends with the same meaningful rise while the rest of the course is fairly flat. Given my limited training, I was right on pace with my expectations.

So with the BFit BDay Challenge under my belt, I plan to tri it again in three months on my quarter birthday to see if I am getting better with age!

RunnerGirl:

I have lost 35 lbs, found happiness and health in this challenge. Who would have thought that one little challenge would have such a huge impact in someone's life? Certainly not I. I went from fearing swimming 3 miles in a week to honestly considering swimming 3 miles in 24 hours. I am not so sure I can do it - but you know what? I am going to tri! ;)

I feel stronger with each workout. I feel happiness pouring from me after each minute spent moving forward. I have taken this challenge personally. If not now, when? If nott his, what? My vices used to control me... not any more. My new addiction is health. Living with a purpose. True happiness in being me.

This challenge is not about a killer finishing time... it is about have a killer time finishing!

Syd Trefiak

Well, it was my wife's birthday, so I talked her into some training. She turned 27, so that meant 2 miles, 7 miles, and 27 miles.

She couldn't make the ride so I still finished it for her!

My totals:
3miles' swimming, 1:10
10miles running 1:25
and a 3hr trainer ride (roughly 50miles)


A little bit of an overachiever, but the fear of Ironman looms large, so I guess that is what you do!

KT:

I have a confession. Sadly, I didn't take many pictures. I'll explain as I go.

My birthday is July 3rd, 1980. It fell on a Thursday this year and if you do the math correctly, I turned 28. I have never taken my birthday off work but this year was different. I took Thursday off, had Friday off for the holiday and then of course Saturday and Sunday. It was a whole birthday weekend. Mr KT was on mission trip with the youth from our church and our "boarder" went home for the long weekend and so I had the house to myself.

Swim: 2 miles
I woke up bright and early on Thursday and headed out to do a double masters workout. 2 swimming miles is apparently 3300 yds. Perfect. I had wanted to take my picture from the back putting on my goggles with the pool ahead of me but about 50 or 60 swimmers who were in town for the Olympic swim trials were there that morning and that just seemed too weird. The masters set included

600 pks warm up
4x150 free getting faster within the 150 RI:10
16x25 IM order RI:05
4x200 (2 pull, 2 kick) RI:05

Then I was told to warm down. Um... I need at least 900 more yds coach. She was a rookie (not my usual coach) and didn't have anything else planned for me and just then two guys jumped in my lane for the next practice. They started their 600 warm up and so I just added myself to their circle swim and swam a 900. Why not? Felt good, did the first 700 at race pace and the last 200 as a warm down.
Total time for practice and the extra 900 - 1:20

T1: 4 hrs 10 min
I had a buddy coming in from out of town to ride and run with me. So I took some time during T1 to have some breakfast, calibrate my ipod, run to Target and the bookstore and play my guitar.

Bike: 28.05 miles
E and I rode south on the Keystone Trail with the wind. That meant that at our self proclaimed turn around we had the wind in our faces. I ate every 30 minutes, drank Gatorade every 15 and sipped on water from my Camelbak throughout but my legs were still tired from Sunday's longish brick and it was a somewhat challenging ride. I wore my local team's sleeveless triathlon jersey and the pockets are minimal so no room for the camera.
Bike time - 1:40
Pace: 16.3

T2: 10 minutes maybe?
Enough time to change into running clothes and grab a visor for me and a hat for E.

Run: 8.2 hot, sweaty, thirsty miles
We headed out with no water bottles or fuel belts. I tried to pick a fairly shaded route but its hot and humid in Nebraska in the summer no matter where you run. We were about 3.5 miles in and I could tell E was not feeling awesome. He is in great shape but hadn't had lunch. We ran the back half of the loop and then came back around looking for a water fountain. At this point I accidentally reset my Nike ipod+. Totally annoying. We figured out how much further it was and headed out on the sun baked Keystone trail for a mile and a half or so. We finally turned around and headed back home. I never run in just a sports bra but I was so hot and miserable I peeled off the tank top. I'm not proud of it but it felt good to be free of that sweaty shirt. I had to walk for about 200 yds as we headed home due to cramps in my pelvis and low back, not sure what that was all about. Ran the giant hill up to my house and it was over.
Run time: 1:15
Pace: 9:08 min/mile

So no pics (may post some soon) but got the job done!
Happy birthday to me.

Note:
On Thursday I did this little event and then on the following Saturday (2 days later) I did a 53 mile bike/12 mile run brick and felt great. 2 weeks from the day after that I will compete in my first ever HIM! Perfect training. Couldn't have timed it better if I had tried.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (part 6)

Something familiar,
Something peculiar,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!

Something appealing,
Something appalling,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!

Nothing with kings, nothing with crowns;
Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns!

Old situations,
New complications,
Nothing portentous or polite;
Tragedy tomorrow,
comedy tonight!

PS. Click on the highlighted words for your Easter egg surprise.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery

We here at Everymantri headquarters knew it would happen, but no one dared to believe that it would happen so fast.

It has only been just about 72 hours hours since we introduced our revolutionary new Super High Intensity Training program and already we have S.H.I.T competitors and unauthorized S.H.I.T coaches making up their own S.H.I.T programs.

pH Balance for a Healthy Body

Editor's Note: This week I'm thrilled to feature the very first recipe I've ever posted on this site. And no it is not for beer, brats, or beer battered brats. Instead it is for a yummy smoothie that has no beer, brats, or breading what-so-ever in it.

The smoothie recipe and the article below is brought to you by Liz Stein (our holistic nutrition partner). Liz is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Please visit her web site www.appetiteforhelthyliving.com for some great nutritional programs for triathletes.

Just as our bodies try to maintain an average temperature of 98.6, our bodies also try to maintain a neutral pH. pH is measured on a scale ranging from 1 to 14, with a good neutral pH at 7.35.  The Standard American Diet (refined sugars, white flour, excess protein, etc) combined with high intensity exercise leaves our bodies in an acidic state. It is not possible to be truly healthy when the body is acidic.

In the short term, an acidic environment will lead to weight gain, stress, bad sleeping patterns, fatigue, muscle cramping and more. While long term acidity can lead to serious illness and disease.  Cancer for example can only thrive in an acidic environment. If the body is alkaline it will not survive.

pH has also been shown to play a role in bone health. Studies show that it is not a lack of calcium that leads to osteoporosis and deteriorating bones but rather acid forming foods. When we are constantly consuming acidic foods the body must pull from our own reserves to try and neutralize the blood. It does so by pulling the mineral calcium (the most alkaline mineral) from the bones. Therefore, athletes need to pay the most attention to the acid/alkaline balance. With constant strenuous activity building acid in the body plus the need of strong bones for daily activity, its particularity important to try and maintain a neutral pH.

In order to maintain a neutral pH try to incorporate more alkaline foods such as whole grains, greens, fruits and nuts and less acid producing foods (see chart below). Chlorophyll rich foods in particular have a significant effect on raising pH levels. These greens not only cleanse the body by removing toxins but also improve the oxygen transport in the body (a key function for peak performance).  Here is a great smoothie recipe to incorporate in your daily routine that will boost your alkaline levels and taste great too. Don’t be turned off by the green color!!

More Acidic:
Fats
Eggs
Nuts
Rice
Roots
Fruits
Allergenic Foods
Fried Foods
Sweets
Seeds
Millet
Squashes
Greens

More Alkaline:
Organ Meats
Refined Flour
Milk
Beans
Buckwheat
Other Vegetables
Herbs
Hydrogenated Fats
Meats
Baked Goods
Oats
Potatoes
Water
Wheat

 Good Morning Smoothie
1 Apple
1 Pear
1/2 Avocado
10 Kale Leaves
1 Lemon
1 1⁄2 cup water
3 tbsp grated ginger

Blend all ingredients together in blender. Makes about 2 servings

Super High Intensity Training

I don't mean to brag, but I will. In fact I have to!

I'm so proud of my entire everyman team that I just must let you know all about it today, this minute, right now.

Consider yourself very lucky indeed as you are getting a sneak preview of something that will change the way that the world trains for long distance endurance sports.

I promise that today's announcement will be even bigger news than the new iPhone...at least in the world of endurance sports!

Vitamin or Painkiller

During the peak of the Dot-com bubble (read the 1998-2000) I was lucky enough to get to know a very energetic entrepreneur. Donna August, along with several partners, started a company called FreshWater Software. The company had a NASA like control center here in Boulder, Colorado.

It was a pretty wild room with dozens of massive monitors, tons of computers, and lots of very serious people doing what looked like mission critical work in a highly cooled and I'm certain redundantly backed-up mission control center.

I'm sure that NASA would have been proud of what Donna and her partners had built in a non-descriptive and unassuming office building on Arapahoe Avenue.

At this point you must be wondering what any of this has to do with vitamins, painkillers, or even triathlon. Personally, if I were you, I'd be more curious about what Donna and her partners were up to in their control center.

I'll start at the end of this story and work my way forward. Donna ended up selling her company for tens of millions of dollars (or perhaps more), as was the way in those heady Dot-com days. She retired very young and last I heard was working on a foundation who's goal was to bring Gospel music to Africa.  Or perhaps the foundation was going to bring African Gospel music to America.  I must confess that I have forgotten the exact details.

She made all this money by providing a painkiller (her word) to her corporate clients. You see the control center monitored the health and wellness of hundreds of big name web sites around the world. The technicians who worked at FreshWater Software would make sure that if you happened to operate a mission critical web site (think Amazon, eBay, Pets.com, Homes.com, GayTurtlesRus.com, SellmySmellySandlasNow.com ) or any of the other hundreds of new web sites that were popping-up everyday during those early internet days, your site would be up and running all of the time.

FreshWater would monitor your web site 24/7 and would ping it from around the world to make sure it was responding in a fast and furious manner.  And if by some unlucky bug, malicious attack, or fluke of nature your mission critical web site crashed, they had access to web based tools that could and would bring it back-up and get the orders rolling out of the door again.

Because if your entire business model depended upon Gay turtles or selling smelly sandals online, it would not impress your VC backers to have a broken web site.

I asked Donna how she came to creating her company and she simple said that one day she and her partners were sitting around a table discussing business ideas. First and foremost they all agreed that their new company should be a painkiller and not a vitamin.

In her mind a vitamin business was a company that provided discretionary sales and service tools. You know things and services that increase a company's bottom line by improving performance, or cutting cost, such as marketing or sales tools.

On the other hand a painkiller is a business model that the client company can not do without because it would directly cost money and/or directly derail sales and perhaps even the business.

To put it into a more endurance athlete friendly context, a bike mechanic is a painkiller because if you break your bike, and you don't know how to fix a bike yourself, you won't be riding or racing without his or her services. While an areo (Time Trial) bike helmet is a vitamin because you don't really need one as you can use a regular helmet to ride or race.

With that in mind here's a list of some other Vitamins and Painkillers that you may not have considered as such when racing. I do not include the obvious gear such as a swim suit, running shoes or even a bike because you know what basics you need to race. But with gas prices at an all time high, and the economy sputtering and stalling, I though this list of preferred vitamins and painkillers might help make the most of your race day budget.

PainKillers: 

BodyGlide: This a figurative and literal painkiller. Nothing wrecks my day more than forgetting my BodyGlide Anti-Chafing Skin Protectant Stick at home on race day, because without it I know I'm in for a painful wetsuit hickey, chaffed nipples, among other sore body parts. Plus I use BodyGlide on my wrist and ankles to help speed up the wetsuit removal dance. Some athletes prefer Pam to help remove the wetsuit, but I personally don't like to smell like an spinach egg omelet during a race.

Butt Butter: Once again as an age group athlete I consider any race or ride that does not involve bleeding or chaffing a success. I hate it when I have to go to work the next day with bloody or sore body parts from forgetting something as essential as chamois cream for a long bike ride.

Bicycle Pump: It's all fun and games until you blow a tire in the transition area. I can't tell you how many tires I've heard the frightening bang of a blown tire right before a race.  HERE is an interesting discussion as to why tires blow in transition. This is a huge painkiller tip that is well worth remembering.

Salt Tablets: When it is hot and certainly when racing any distance at/or beyond a 70.3 these are worth their weight in gold. I've had the misfortune of almost passing out during my FIRST half Iron distance race from dehydration, and I can tell you that it all stops being fun when you start to get tunnel vision.

Vitamins:

Areo (Time Trial) Helmet: I have to admit that I really love my Rudy Project TT helmet. Does it make me faster? I'm sure that it is a faster helmet when worn by the pro's on the TDF. When worn by yours truly the answer is not so clear, but once again it makes me feel faster and for us everyman age-group athletes that's just as important.

Transition Bag: You can of course use a regular backpack or gym bag to get all of your gear to and from transition. But I have to admit that I wouldn't go race without my transition gear bag anymore if you put a gun to my head. I love the special pocket for my water bottles and helmet. I can't help but believe that sometimes feeling professional makes me race professionally.

Disk Wheels:  My friend Marc rented a set of Zipp 808 for his recent Ironman. Was it worth the $140 he spent to get a set of Zipp 808 for his race? Read all about it HERE.

If you have a second please use the comments section to add your list of favorite vitamins and painkillers. This old dog is always eager to learn a new trick.

Why the Swim is First

Have you ever spoken with a friend or acquaintance that has no knowledge of triathlon? I have and I’m always amazed that they just assume that the swim is last. It does seem logical that after all the biking, running and sweating that swimming would be a great way to end the race.

The funny thing is that the history of triathlon proves that your friends are correct to put the swim last. This is from the USA Triathlon web site:

“1904 - An event in the Olympic Games was called triathlon, consisting of the long jump, shot put and 100-yard dash.

September 4, 1921 – The Petit Perillon swim club in Marseilles, France, held an event called Course Des Trois Sports: The Race of Three Sports. The race consisted of a bicycle leg of about 7K, a run of 5K, and finished with a 200 m out-and-back swim, and was won by Lulu Helmet.

1972 - David Pain, celebrating his 50th birthday, held a run-bike biathlon in San Diego, Calif., the first known multi-sport event in the United States.

September 1974 – While advertising its new race, the San Diego Track Club Newsletter headline read, “Run, Cycle, Swim – Triathlon set for 25th,” using the word “triathlon” for the first time in the modern sense.

January 1977 – John Collins challenged those gathered at the Oahu Perimeter Relay Run awards ceremony to compete in the first Iron Man Triathlon, a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.

February 18, 1978 – Fifteen men started and 12 men finished the first Iron Man Triathlon, won by Gordon Haller in 11 hours 46 minutes 58 seconds.”

You’ll notice that it wasn’t until the first Ironman in 1977 that swim was first. I suspect the reason for this is that in such a long race there would be a much higher rate of drowning if you put the swim last. Even in a wetsuit it would be hard to walk the swim.

There are some other interesting facts about the history of triathlon that jump out at me. Can you guess what they are?

#1) The modern sport of triathlon really began at the Iron Distance. You would think that it would the Olympic distance that started it all but it was the Iron Distance that really caught on first. So why is there no Iron Distance race in the Olympics and why is the International Long Course distance (4 kilometer swim, 120 kilometer bike and 30 kilometer run) different from the iron Distance?

Why are these so many different race distances? There are at least 6:

1) Sprint
2) Olympic
3) Half Iron (70.3)
4) International Long Course (now defunct)
5) Iron Distance (The Ironman)
6) Ultra Distance (The Ironman times 2)

Most other Olympic sports have one or two distances that are considered the standard.

In running it would be the 100 yard/meter dash and the marathon.

In swimming it would be the 50 yard/meter freestyle sprint and perhaps the 200 IM.

In biking it is the Tour De France and don’t ask me why. I suspect the French are somehow to blame. They did put on the first triathlon after all.

But in triathlon we have at least a half a dozen different distances that are considered to be a sprint. It’s all very confusing to us who and follow the sport let along the average Joe.

#2) The next interesting fact that the history of triathlon shows is that it was an all boys sport and I bet I know why. Most women are usually too busy and responsible to be sitting around Hawaii discussing which athletes are the most fit. “Is it a swimmer, a biker or a runner? Hard to say gentlemen, so let’s find out by putting on a race that combines all three sports and let’s make it...shall we say...a tad over 140 miles long.”

There are several true and funny stories from the beginning years of the Ironman. The first few years some of the racers would stop at a local restaurant, sit down, and order a nice meal during the race. Indeed one guy showed up with his bike loaded with food and camping equipment as he assumed it was a multi-day event.

#3) The most interesting fact is that triathlon is still a very young sport. For me that’s what makes it so great. The Pros don’t yet make crazy amounts of money. It has not been commercialized, popularized, materialized, and sanitized. It is still a citizen’s sport where you can hit the water next to some of the best in the world.

But most importantly, there’s a small and rabid group of athletes who race and follow the sport while the rest of the world wonders why we do such crazy things as swim, bike and run in one race. Shhhh, let’s keep in our little secret. There’s no need to explain too much….and yes ;-) the swim is last and that’s why all your friends should consider the much safer sport of golf.

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Have you ever felt that sometimes you just need to race? I mean you are really hungry to put yourself to the test against the clock and the field.

I really needed to cross a finish line after my DNF at the inaugural 70.3 in Kansas a few weeks back

So it was a pleasant surprise when I not only crossed the finish line feeling strong at this past weekend's Lake to Lake Olympic distance triathlon, but actual placed on the podium in my age and weight group.

FYI: I went just under three hours.

I missed out on 1st place by about 3 minutes. Had I known I was so close to winning my race I would have suffered a bit more and pushed the pace. But unlike the professionals, we age group athletes never really know how we are doing until the results are posted. This usually means that we really don't know how hard to push the pace.

I had an interesting talk over lunch the other day with my friend coach Luis from Mark Allen Online about pain and age-group athletes.

Not the kind of pain that comes from (or leads to) an injury, but the how much an endurance athlete should suffer (read push the pace) during a race. Keep in mind that a 1 on the pain scale below is about equal to an easy recovery workout and 10 on the pain scale would be going all out during a track workout. In other words, running your fastest lap around the track.

Sprint Triathlon=9

Olympic Distance Triathlon=7

70.3=5

Ironman=2

What's really interesting is that during an Ironman you should not be suffering at all, but instead feel just a little bit above an easy recovery workout. By that point your work should be done, and you should be cruising the race.

Yea, that's a good one Luis ;-)

Anyway, I blame this weekend's podium finish on my new running and racing shoes. The fine folks at Spira Footwear sent me their latest training and racing shoes to try out recently.

You may recall that Spira, a small Texas Shoe Company, was best known for a one million dollar offer at the Boston Marathon a few years ago. The shoes that I'm wearing in the photo above were were banned by USATF because they have springs in them. Spira decided to become a bit of an outlaw company in the best Texas tradition by offering any athlete one million dollars if they won the Boston Marathon in their illegal shoes.

FYI: A number of very fast runner's took up the challenge, but none succeeded.

So I bet you are wondering if the springs in the shoes really work?

I suppose my results speak for themselves. I was just a few minutes from the podium position in my new racing shoes.

To tell you the truth I'm really not qualified to evaluate running shoes. But than again:

1) I suppose you already knew that and

2) Neither are any of the running or triathlon magazines.

When it the last time that you read anything negative about a shoe in any running/triathlete magazine evaluations? These "evaluations" are basically paid advertisements for the running shoes and shoe companies so I suppose my opinion is perhaps worth more...as at least I'm always honest with my readers.

I can report that the Stinger racing flats are super light. These bad boys weight something like 2 ounces each. OK, maybe a bit more, but the springs certainly don't add much weight.

I can also report that they are extremely comfy and loud(loud as in very bright and colorful). I like loud and comfy when I race. They don't offer much support, but no racing flat does.

And of course now for the one million dollar question...do the springs in the shoes really work and make you run faster?

I can't really say if the shoes are faster, but they certainly make me feel faster, and that's pretty much the same thing in my book.