#117: Finding grace in the balanced life; how sweet the sound.....truly Amazing

This week wrapped up my 3 week January self-investment blitz - where I had the normal hectic pace of my week coupled with a really intense weekend - back to back to back.  The blitz part wasn't 100% planned, it just worked out that way. Normally, my weekends are filled with "Dadding" - which takes about as much time, but doesn't require the same focus and attention as the past 3 weekends.  In the grand scheme, it was a rewarding, but exhausting way to invest in each of the key areas: body + mind + soul + spirit.  

Editorial comment -  For those unfamiliar with the sport of "Dadding" - much like duathlon, it involves three phases, but only two sports (chauffeuring, spectating [often on bleachers], chauffeuring).  If horse racing is the Sport of Kings, "dadding" is the sport of jugglers (or court-jesters at times).

BODY: The "body" portion is usually not a problem for me, but with the compressed weekend, it makes for a LONG session on Sunday, which is a bit ahead of schedule.  Today?  3.5 hours on the bike trainer - another "butt buster" - but what a great workout.  This week followed the last couple - strong on Monday & Tuesday and then trailing off as the week progressed.  I wiggled a short but intense run in on Wed (my normal off day), but Thursday (meetings) and Friday (spirit/soul) training was usurped. 

MIND: Three weeks ago I was in class, two weeks ago I went out to Salt Lake City, UT for a meeting of professionals from my field.....so mind featured prominently over the last 3 weeks.

SOUL/SPIRIT:  The World Health Organization defines health as:  

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, 

Even though I know this, and in general, subscribe to a similar definition, like most, the "social well-being" (which to me includes soul/spirit) is an area of health I probably don't put enough energy into.  However for the second year in a row, I decided to attend a weekend long immersion/meeting (of sorts) with a group of guys from my area - some I knew, some I didn't - to invest a bit more.  It involved some story telling and some searching, both internally (soul) and externally (spirit), plenty of socializing and (too much) good food.  I found it to be a rewarding enough experience last year [thought-provoking, inspiring, etc] to give it a go again this year. 

The good news is, like the professional sessions the two weekends before, this session left me both charged up and run-down - if that's possible.  It was intense and draining from the perspective of pure rest/recovery, but super moving otherwise......which is where the Amazing Grace reference came in.  

As I walked in to eat, someone had put on Pandora and a bagpipe version of the song "Amazing Grace" was playing.  For me, this is a really moving song, done by a really moving instrument.  Some of it's meaning is in reference to my maternal grandmother who's name was Grace - she was awesome; but also because it's an amazingly powerful song about something not everyone believes in, but something we could all use a dose of now and again (a big dose for me please).  It's often played at the funerals of soldiers and other badass warriors.  

I smiled a little bit and thought of my "Grammy".  And then today, as I got on the bike trainer ready for my 3+ hour tour, I thought about that moment and decided to pick "bagpipe radio".  Wouldn't you know it - same song.  I laughed a little, but figured, how many bagpipe songs could pandora really have?  I proceeded with my workout and after each hour, changed to a different pandora station.  At the end of the 3 hours (with only 20 minutes to go) I switched back to bagpipe radio.  I did my 20 minutes and decided that I'd try to slog through another 10 minutes to get to 3:30 even.....at exactly 3 hours and 30 minutes, I clicked my watch and slowed to a stop.......at that very moment, a different version of Amazing Grace came on.

I had a friend tell me yesterday "There are no coincidences" - maybe he was right.

The next several weeks will be an intense focus on the "body" portion......and although I don't expect to be on the trainer for 1000 years, I'll still take some amazing grace if anyone has some extra they want to part with......or at least some wisdom & courage.

Here's to a balanced approach,

Mike E.

ps - if you want a to hear an awesome version - check out this one.

#116: A serving of brain food? My #GS2014 Review

A bunch of hours on a plane followed by a day and 1/2 of meetings followed by a bunch of hours on a plane - do not do wonderful things for triathlon training.....but that's the big story of the week for me....so here goes.

Now, to be fair, I normally I don't spend much time on this blog talking professional shop, but after getting back to NJ and trying to make up some training hours lost, it's where my head is at......and....several hours on a bike trainer give you  plenty of time to think....

I came to realize that although not nearly as physical as I might have hoped, the conversations & relationships definitely help another aspect of training - they keep me inspired and balanced about the other aspects of life - and with that kind of balanced inspiration, good things happen.  So, although a quick training-week review is included - the remainder are the ramblings from my week.

On Thursday, I headed to my (now 4th) annual pilgrimage to one of my profession's "meeting of the minds" - this time in Salt Lake City, UT.  It all started a few years back, during a moment of weakness by the organizers I presume, when they let me into one of these meetings and I had no idea what to expect. To me this year was a really poetic venue, as the famed Sundance film festival was taking place just up the road in Park City.....poetic because as many of the entertainment industry's heavy hitters and stars were making their way Park City, many of my industry's heavy hitters (and somehow me) were assembling nearby - not right in the center of the mayhem, but near it and impacted by it to some degree. 

See, this is something very much akin to the Physical Therapist's role in the current mayhem that is healthcare - not right in the center, but near it.....and DEFINITELY impacted by it.....and that's what supplanted several of my training hours this week.....I don't know how athletes who do a substantial amount of traveling do it.

• Monday and Tuesday were strong workouts, 
• Wed (scheduled day off) I could have crammed another workout in there, but my body was ready for a break. 
• Thursday - travel - no workouts.  
• Friday (all day meetings - and an evening at Sundance - carb-loading), 
• Saturday - pre-session run at elevation (which never ceases to amaze me), 
• Sunday - 3 hour butt-busting bike trainer workout + 40 min run (to salvage the week at nearly 10 hours of total training)

____________________________

#GS2014 Review

I'm willing to fly across the country because I know exactly what to expect - great conversation and thought-provoking commentary by colleagues from around the nation that I hold in high esteem. It's funny how much insight can be gained when you put 150 passionate people all in the same room.  

Not all were super involved - like any profession there were the people who flew across the country to play on their laptop......but those that were engaged contributed significantly when they chose to chime in.  On the other extreme there were folks who were super passionate - happy to chime in.....there was even one guy who screamed his approval during one monologue so loudly that the people next to him jumped (ok, that was me - sorry again Jeff and Laurie) - but that's only 1/2 of the value of these meetings.

The other 1/2, which is my favorite 1/2, are the relationships gained - getting to know people and learn about (or more about in some cases) them in passing or over a few beers.  There was:

Brett from Wisconsin - read my favorite poem to the group (which spurred the yelling) and gave more credence to those of us who "ready...shoot....aim". Effectual.

Jerry from California - there is just something about smart people with a sarcastic sense of humor that I find compelling.  He's sort of like those two cranky muppets in the theater - the one's that are cynical but very funny - an ability to push others out of their comfort zone is an asset for any group.

The other Jerre, from Texas - one of the most thoughtful "big men" I've met in the profession - I'm sure it looks a little like an adult talking to a child when he and I are talking - but I find his thoughts insightful and appreciate them.

Roger, almost from NYC - he's the only person that consistently gets up early to run with me - a conversation I really look forward to - although this year we added a third (our group is growing)

Mike from Iowa - another one of those smart senses of humor that I like - but behind it is a hard worker who is getting things done and I admire.

Dan from Utah - although I had my suspicions going in, after hearing some of the things he does outside of the profession this go around, I'm now convinced he's actually Clark Kent.

The other two of the NJ trifecta (Kathy and Nancy) - I'm pretty sure they meet prior to conspire as to how they're going to say really strong things to counterbalance my babbling and keep NJ looking reasonable.

Rob from Wisconsin - somehow I keep finding myself sharing cabs with this guy.  This time I learned he's got an impressive Endurance-sports resume.  What next?

Stacy (Cali), Paul (Pennsylvania) - I will wear my "Pig Pen" shirt with pride.....in Park City $10 gets you a shot and a shirt - that beats eating the "big 96-er" every time.

Jason from Tennessee - Gave a really strong message that if it weren't for a smooth, southern style, would've been a punch in the gut for more than a few.

And of course - there is the cadre of PT superstars that have been attending since the beginning - all of whom have held (or do hold) formal leadership positions in the organizations that pull this thing together....to them and the thought provoking panelists - thank you for tolerating me again this year.

As I have for the last several years, I feel again this year - PTs change lives.....and I am proud to be a part of such a passionate and honorable profession.

Happy to be home - all charged up,

Mike E.

#115 Get back up on that collie and ride

If a monkey can ride a dog....

  I went into this week with a renewed focus - my semi-annual cold was a thing of the past ("see you in the spring it muttered as it flew out of sight"), and the holiday schedule-blitz was supposed to be over.....life was going to settle and I was going to post big training numbers.  No more monkey-business - time to get back up on that, um, border collie and ride.  
MONDAY - started reasonably, an hour on the bike trainer.  Not as much as I had hoped, but enough.  TUESDAY - was a solid day - an hour in the pool and 60 minutes on the bike.  WEDNESDAY - scheduled "off" day.  THURSDAY - um....unscheduled off day (strike 1).  FRIDAY - I'm beginning to think the collie has bucked me....unscheduled off day 2 (strike 2).  SATURDAY - after a full day in class which caused me to miss the group run, it nearly became unscheduled off day #3, but I dragged myself onto the trainer for a self-induced beating after getting home. 

SUNDAY - time for the first BRICK of the season.
In addition to a building block made of tempered clay (etc), a Brick (in the world of triathlon) is a combined workout - usually bike + run.....and today, it was time to do my first of the season.  The plan was to do 2 hours on the bike and 1 hour of running....it turned out to be 2:15 on the bike and 43 on the run - but whatever....my legs were pretty beat getting off the bike, and my stomach is not yet in brick form (felt sort of like I ate one), but I was reasonably happy with my first 3 hour effort.

WEEKLY STATS SUMMARY - not good enough to report.  The bike was over 100 miles, but the extra 2.5 days off pretty much killed my running and swimming.  The bad news - it's a let down and I have to find a way to get organized enough to fit it all in (very very very hard).  The good news - dwelling on it will do absolutely nothing - tomorrow is another chance to saddle-up and ride.

Oh no Lassie, Mike's training fell down a well.

Now no more monkeying around,

Mike E.

#114 - The party's over, now BACK TO WORK

"Christmas week is over, New Year's week is a thing of the past....and now, well past the start of 2014, it's time to get back to work"......those were my my thoughts when I woke up this morning.....the day after an insanely cold thermometer reading sealed it as an "inside" day (-6 deg is automatic "indoor" workout for this tender athlete).....I took a look at my training plan and realized, the viking lady was in the midst of her crescendo.....that today was the first day of the rest of my season and so, it was time to get refocused on what is going to propel me to a new level of achievement, another big step toward my goals.  

Inventory
Swim - pretty awful - but totally on schedule in that regard.  I got in the water for the first time in months last week and it wasn't super smooth.  Of course, showing up to the local "Y" when the highschool swim team was there was, uh, humbling.....it was good for me to be there and start to build my desire to swim again.

Bike - I've got some more work to do here.....but I'm gaining strength and fitness, which is the goal of this stage of training.  The computrainer continues to be about the biggest help imaginable for me, but I need to keep building my mental endurance (and my butt-toughness) to be on the trainer.  I find my mind wanders pretty consistently at the 60 minute mark.....and I really need to build that up to 3+ hours in the short term.  I'll also begin putting in greater frequency starting this week, so that should help.

Run - So far, the running has been coming along reasonably well and might even be a bright spot at this point.  I've been catching up with a good group that has started running out of BaseCamp31 on Saturdays for their regular 10+ miler (except for yesterday....as....to reiterate, that would be insane) and then trying to get a solid mid-week run in. The group is almost ideal for me at the moment, with several strong runners who can push the pace......which keeps me working hard.

Weekly Training Goals

This week it will be about having a solid step forward in total volume, to support the #1 goal of tolerating the training volume w/o injury. I'll need to keep an eye on flexibility as well....as my hip-flexors are starting to resemble that of a cyclist (short).

1. Bike Miles >175
2. Run Miles >20
3. Swim Meters >6000

Session Objectives
During swim sessions this week, I've got to make sure I'm building up my endurance and keeping an eye on my R shoulder.  It got stiff last year and I didn't address it aggressively enough and it persisted as a nag way too long.

On the bike, it's all about mileage and volume....just get it in.  I'm happy with the progression of my power so far (although still not at goal), but I need to get comfortable putting in longer sessions.

On the run, I need to continue working on the back portion of my stride.  My cadence and strike are reasonable, however I know when I get tired, I'm crumpling up and not getting nearly as much power from the extension part of the stride as I could/should.  It's a good thing to be conscious of.

Other - with the holidays over (thus my sugar consumption starting to wane) and my training volume about to start climbing, I should soon begin to see some body-comp changes in the next few weeks.  The trick for me is to manage it and not let my energy reserves get sapped.  

Hydration continues to be a daily reminder.  I'm not drinking enough, but I'm starting to be more mindful of it, so this will be important this week as well.  

Sleep has been (dare I say it) a bright spot these past weeks.....which is somewhat typical for me.....but that will end shortly....so I've got to be careful here as well.  

Stress has been reasonable, but this is something I need to put extra time into - actively managing it, if nothing else by giving myself true down-time here and there.....that is WAY tougher than it sounds.

Ramping up,

Mike E.