The Huntington Beach Marathon and Half Marathon is this weekend and it is completely sold out. Alex and I are all going down to pick up our packets on Saturday afternoon and the race is Sunday at 7:45 am. Alex and I paid and Bryan and Alison are poaching it in typical Casserly style.
My intention with the half is to feel fatigue in my legs. I ran 5 miles tonight, swimming and running tomorrow and doing a big long ride on Saturday morning. I’m curious how my legs will feel after not taking any rest time. My goal time is 1:55 and I feel confident I can get it but it will be a good measurement of overall fitness level.
Life is pretty good right now. The family is healthy, we aren’t over committed with schedule, work is really good, busy but good and training is solid. I’m getting the frequency I want but not necessarily the total over all weekly time. Oh well, I have a family and that’s my reality.
But I struggle, oh how I struggle when it comes to eating.
Old me:
I would eat whatever I wanted when I wanted and for as long as I wanted. I was fat, happy, and wore big comfy clothes. Then I got tired of being 225 pounds, having my back hurt and my wife got on me about dieing. She can be real fun like that.
New me:
I’m weighing in at 187 pounds but I still feel heavy. My ideal weight would be in the 165 to 170 range. My current eating is much more in line with a healthy lifestyle. I’m off soda (my first love), never eat fast food and don’t ever do desserts. BUT I still cannot control my portions. If it’s on my plate, it will be eaten. This behavior effects me in many ways. Physically because I cannot lose additional weight and emotionally because I feel weird about my body (my hours of reading US magazine is catching up with me). Guys like Dave, Dean, Bryan, Alex, Eric and BMoe are all naturally skinny, ok maybe not BMoe. Then there’s my fat butt!
The me I want:
My body was meant to be 170 pounds and I’m pissed that it’s not but I cannot stop eating. Eating for me is comfort and control. This is really a big deal and I don’t know how to get passed it to move to the next level.
My reality is that if I want to go to the next level with training and racing that I need to drop 17 additional pounds. I think I need external help to get there but I don’t know what that would be…
So my wife is totally using child psychology on me. She has made me a deal that if I hit all 12 of my upcoming 6am swim workouts without skipping one I can get a heart rate monitor watch! Last night at dinner Alison (sister in-law) was over and she said that her and Alex would pitch in to get me an even sweeter one. Now I’m going to hit up my mom and see what she says!
Being treated like a child has huge advantages, I should try it more often…
I still L-0-A-T-H-E swimming but I want a new watch bad!
I’m kind of but not really in the market for a new road bike but I’m clueless on where to start my search. I want a fast, responsive but comfortable bike that I can use for years. 50% of the year it will be set up in tri geometry with clip on tri bars and the rest of the time it will be set-up for road. I’m averaging 100 or so road miles a week.
This is totally nuts. There was an avlanche at Mt. High today that killed 2 and has a 3rd missing. I’m not sure if it was at the resort or in Wrightwood.
This young racer has been to the world championships three different times and this year Chance is again representing the USA in the Mens U23 world championships…
I was able to make it to the pool twice this week. The training felt average but it was the community of athletes that really impacted me. Both occasions in the pool this week my new friends (guys I don’t really know) have stopped their work out to come and help me with my stroke and technique. What?! Take time out of your 6 am workout to help some shmoe next to you. It doesn’t make any sense, but I love it. I would consider myself by nature a “learner” and listening to the wisdom of those better than me hits home.
My big take away today was that I’m working too hard. My friend Mike swam next to me at the same pace. I made it across in 23 strokes and he made it in 11. Hummmmm? Technique is everything in swimming and right now I have the technique equivalent of my 18 month old son Carter.
I love so MUCH to work on but I’m thankful for kind people,
Find something fun to do inside like a spin class. I have ridden the trainer in doors the last two days but riding a spin bike is a lot smoother and you can enjoy the exercise with others.
Now Spinning on Thursday Evenings! 7:00pm Session is the latest addition to our lineup.
Spinning Bikes
Thu. Spin Sessions
Demand is high and we’re adding Sessions as quickly as possible. Thursdays are the latest addition - find out more below:
Thursday Evening - 7:00 p.m.
More Sessions are on the Way!
Come See Why Spinning is so Popular - It’s a Great Workout!
To say we’re overwhelmed at the response to the InsideTrack is an understatement! We understand the demand is high, and we’re expanding as quickly as we can. In the next few weeks, you’ll see more Sessions in the Mornings and Evenings. We’ll also be adding bikes to accomodate the number of you who want to Spin with us!
Continue to check the web site for the latest news!
1. My buddy Adam Hutchinson swimming so fast he had flames coming off his back. He is by far the fastest person in the pool and I lust after his talent.
2. A lady swimming in the lane next to me with head phones on. She swims/rocks to a beat. It’s weird and I wish she didn’t do it.
3. Some strange junk at the bottom of the pool. Leaves, dirt, hair scrunchies, tree limbs and this chunky thing that looked like a snickers bar.
4. My coach smiling at me on deck and thinking to himself, that guy pretty much sucks but I’ll take his money.
5. My personal form get better from a lots of hard work. Not a ton better, but a little.
Bonus: Lot’s of 10 year old kids swimming 800 meters before I get my goggles on my face correctly.
My buddy Fitz Cahall of the Dirt Bag Diaries just posted his newest show titled, “The Year of Big Ideas”. In my opinion Fitz is one of the best story tellers out there and provides that hint of adventure that most of us long for on a daily basis. If you aren’t into podcasting yet that’s ok, just download the MP3 directly from his site. If you are a podcast guy like me, subscribe in iTunes and leave a nice review on his page. Click on his Patagonia banner while you’re on his site. The happier the advertiser, the more Fitz can do what he is good at.
You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things — to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.” - Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary often insisted that while his feats and goals were of historic proportions, he was just a simple man, more comfortable in cover-alls than the high-attire of a British Knight. Aside from an Oscar-Wilde-like-talent for producing witty quotes, Hillary was the embodiment of the everyman – a sort of elder, dirtbag statesman. Defined less by titles and awards and more by his dreams and goals, it was Hillary’s ability to act upon them that secured his place in history books and on Kiwi currency. After his passing earlier this month, I stumbled across this quote, and it got me thinking.
There is nothing more fulfilling than grabbing an idea out of the air, giving it shape and realizing it. Our dreams, hopes and goals give shape to the year’s course and ultimately our lives. Today we bring you the “Year of Big Ideas” – a show all about goals, some big, some small. We’ve interviewed friends, professional athletes, random people on chairlifts, anyone we could rope into contributing. Climb harder. Ski faster. Push deeper into the mountains than ever before. Here’s to dreaming big and going bigger in the New Year.
This is an unreal sale at MooseJaw.com. 25% off your entire order! When checking out you MUST use promo code “250″. They have not set an expiration on the sale yet but I would recommend moving fast.
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It will be screened for only one night on January 24, 2008 in select theaters. It jus so happens that it will be screened in Foothill Ranch by my house at 7:30pm. I’m going!
I am still following my riding routine (training program) for the race season and I am finding it difficult but exciting at the same time. While I hate waking up early to do rides, I love the results I am receiving.
Here is a sample of my weekends:
Friday- Rest day, get off work go home prep bikes, bottles, and clothes for Saturday’s ride. Eat and go to sleep early.
Saturday- Wake up at 4:30am, eat and leave house by 5am. Arrive in San Diego, CA by 6:45am and get ready to ride. 7am start training ride, climbing Palomar Mountain (this is all I will disclose I don’t want the secrets out). By 3pm I am home and have had lunch. 3:30pm Nap. 7pm wake up, eat more food, and look at emails. 9:30pm back in bed.
Sunday- Wake up at 6:30am to Dean and EC calling to do a group ride. They have new road bikes and are all geeked up to ride them. 7am out the door and 8am begin ride. Race pace 40+ mile loop… I thought I was going to die because of the pain from Saturday but I love it! 11pm lunch. 12pm Nap, ETC…
Since it arrived, I’ve only had 2 opportunities to ride with my Light and Motion Stella 180-L but both rides with the light have shown that this is an incredible product.
Benefits:
- Easy to mount
- Excellent battery life
- Extremely light
- Bright enough light
*I’m a technical knuckle head so I need products that are super easy to maintain. I have a feeling that this is how Dave feels about woman.
My first ride was a mountain bike ride through O’Neil Park. I was by myself but the reach of the light allowed me to feel comfortable while flying down the single track. I had never ridden at night but found it to be very enjoyable and relaxing. Dodging deer and rabbits made it fun.
The second ride was to meet some friends in Irvine for Nacho Night. It was a 20 mile ride and I was in the dark for the entire time. While on the ride, I realized that I needed to make an adjustment to the light and place it a little further up the helmet. I found myself cocking my neck in a weird position to push the light out further on the road. All is well now that the adjustment has been made.
If you have ever considered purchasing a light I would encourage you to demo the Stella 180-L. The company is solid and the product is excellent.
I have had this idea of a crazy little project where we take your average weekend warrior who is a triathlon enthusiast and turn them into an iron man length tri competitor. The best part is I think it is going to happen because I am talking with a few coaches that are willing to volunteer their skills, some bike companies to get the racer on their bike, and others to keep the athlete going with supplements.
Andy thought the project was a great idea too because we would track the progress of the person in their training, add some video footage and have a whole section on it titled, “Making the Iron Man.” But, the catch is until this week Andy didn’t know he was the selected individual who will display the pain, emotional ups and downs, feelings of bliss, and success in this adventure.
Look soon for the new section, post, and video of Andy becoming an Iron Man.
