90 Days and counting…

A lot can be accomplished in 90 days, through proper training, an athlete can reach peak fitness in this amount of time if proper base work has been completed and the training principles have been adhered to. Periodization is key. After all, Tony Horton, the founder of “PX 90” has made millions on this physiological concept, “We will transform your body in 90 days”… So says the infomercial!

Here in New England our seasons run about 90 day cycles (except for this winter, it seems to be never ending), Spring will arrive March to May, and Summer will start in June and end in August. I typically race the late Spring and Summer seasons like many other Triathletes, that’s when the local races are in abundance, this year however, I kicked it up a notch. I entered an early season Ironman (Utah in May) in order to jump start my season.

St. George Utah is tough! New to the Ironman venue it’s now considered one of the most challenging courses in the country. The 2.4 mile swim is held in a lake of winter snow melt, water temperatures will be high 50’s low 60’s at best.The 112 mile bike starts at about 2000 ft. above sea level and climbs to over 6500 feet, twice. By comparison, this would be like climbing Mt. Washington then turning around and doing it again. The 26.2 mile run to follow is even less forgiving, this run course sends you wright back to the mountains. The Boston Marathon is a canal walk compared to this course, I will be doing “Heart Break Hill” eight times at a much steeper gradient before ever reaching mile 20. The wide open course is notorious for high winds, there are no trees to speak of in the desert flats or the red rock mountains, I plan on no reprieve from head winds, fortunately, for every up there's a down, and every head wind has a tail.

I now have 90 days to complete my first goal of this new year, simply stated, my goal for Ironman Utah will be to finish. On a deeper level I have a few things internally that need to be rectified. I use a simple method while laying out schedules for personal achievements, whether it be endurance events or job seeking, the “Smart Goals” acronym has served me well.

SMART goals.

Those familiar with personal development will no doubt be familiar with the SMART acronym, i.e. that goals should be:

• Specific
• Measureable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

The closer I get to race day, the more anxiety builds. 90 days is still a lot of time to build on, it’s like training all summer long! Fortunately for me, I have huge support at home… With that said, What could go wrong?

Change… Maybe tomorrow!

Recently, while talking with my six year old daughter, she shared a story of her friend who no longer has a mother. When Megan asked if she missed not having a mommy, the girl replied “I don’t know, I never met her”. That was sad to hear, but not knowing this little girl or her family I instantly I began to think of how unfortunate her situation is instead of visioning multiple “Moms” with family and friends all gathering together to nurture and care for the child, each with their own unique qualities and abilities to show love and affection. I then realized, it’s probably due to my own life experiences that I’m so quick to form opinions about situations. I was quick to turn it around in my own mind, but I couldn’t help but think about the things that could be missed if never experienced, and the many things I choose not to experience.

Life is made up of small moments, I don't remember everything I've done over the course of the last forty five years, but I do have memories of minutes and hours. These small moments in time, the little twists and turns of fate, are the result of decisions I made. One bad decision years ago landed me on a bike, then I met a triathlete who introduced me to the sport, as a result, I got hooked on Triathlons. For the past nine years it has become a huge lifestyle change, it’s now part of who I am, yet if I never had experienced that first event I would never hav made the decision to change. The results are many due to the situation I had created and decisions (both mine and others) that were made. I suddenly became proactive in my life instead of standing around like a spectator watching and complaining as life passed by. In order for me to change one thing, I had to become willing to change everything!

I find running to be calming, mentally it slows everything down and I’m able to put things in perspective, the sound of my feet hitting the pavement keeping rhythm with my heart beat while fresh air flows thru my lungs… Priceless! Training for me has become more of a child like obsession to be playing outside. Swimming, bike rides, running, it sounds more like summer camp than the dreaded “workout”. Change is a good thing. I have a love for endurance sports, it’s a relationship I have nurtured for years, It’s a “love-hate” relationship but I wouldn’t appreciate it any other way. Unlike Megan’s little friend, I had a choice as to how I was going to live my life, we all do! Should I just sit and watch as things happen or should I step up, take a chance, and become willing to change direction?

Everything can change in a second!

I heard the car accelerate quickly, then the eerie crunch of carbon fiber, aluminum, and the thump of my body. I saw my bike explode underneath me, I felt the impact of the windshield then the course pavement across exposed skin on my face, hands and legs. The body parts identified themselves one at a time; The head strikes the pavement, the face slides, the knees grind across the tarmac, my back and hips twist as I flipped again still attached to the bike frame, my arms never had time to react, the hands still gripped the bars as if I continued to control the bike through the air. I gazed through the scratched lenses of my Oakley's to see water bottles and gel packs strewn across the street, I laid there in shock for a moment, what just happened? “Oh my God”, I thought for a moment! I just got hit by a car!!

I have read plenty of articles written by accident victims and just as many written by the family or friends the cyclists have left behind. Most of the avid bike riders I know realize the dangers of the road bike, we strap our helmets on like soldiers preparing for battle, the route we intend to ride is discussed with family along with a time frame. The phone is packed in the pocket for emergency response, bracelets and identification bands are fastened to the body, the brightest and most vivid colored jerseys are worn as to be noticed from afar, we kiss our families good bye and head out. What should be a peaceful, relaxing form of exercise starts off with a routine similar to that of a Firefighter or Police Officer reporting for duty. Like many others, I go through this process because I love where the bike takes me, I love the journey, therefore I prepare for the battle. Unfortunately all the preparation in the world can not protect me from the actions of others.

I’m lucky to be alive today. I was hit by a speeding motorist who never seen me until I was on her windshield. There were no cell phones, coffee, or kids creating a distraction, just a driver caught up in her moment. The decision she made at that moment could have changed the lives of my wife and children forever. The decision I made that morning to prepare for battle changed the outcome of what could have been the cliché ”He died doing what he loved”.

Worst Enemy or Best Friend?

Training is well underway for the members of Fitness First of Cape Cod, although everybody is well motivated and energetic, we all seem to be confronted with the same hurdle… Time! Everybody only has 24 hours in a day, there's no such thing as “making time for a workout”, we schedule the best we can and life happens. Putting yourself first will always reap the biggest reward (energy, positive attitude, self esteem, etc.) but it’s the most difficult thing to do when your main focus is your family.

There's an Old English Proverb “You may find your worst enemy or your best friend within yourself”, no statement could be more true when trying to schedule “Me Time”. You know how good a workout makes you feel, you know the benefits of a proper meal, you also understand how counter productive that leisure time in front of the computer can be, yet we get overwhelmed and usually fall back to familiar territory. It’s that proverbial voice in your head saying “not now, not today, there’s way to much that still needs to be done”. That's that voice of the enemy!

A new lifestyle takes time, it’s unfamiliar ground and needs to be attacked aggressively, not treaded lightly. Motivation is the first to come and the first to leave. We need to keep the connection with our new “Best Friend”, the voice that say’s “Do this for me, I want this and I deserve this”. It’s hard work, change always is, that's why many people avoid it. Nothing worth while usually comes easy, but the rewards of that early morning run will always feel better than that extra hour sleep in.

A Fresh Start

Fitness First of Cape Cod has officially taken off! All new training logs have been set up and I’m fortunate enough to have three eager people that are excited about our fresh start. Together I’m sure we will share some encouraging stories as the weeks turn into months.

It’s been a good Summer, not much beach time, but good quality Family time and a nice balance of Home, Work, and Personal Training. I’ve been able to get in a nice two month base phase of training after a solid month of preparation focusing on form and technique. After the two previous Ironman events, I’ve learned the importance of specificity and repeatability. These are all day events, there’s no need for speed work, endurance training is unique in the fact that by training slow and building steady, you eventually “become” faster. Sort of like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race (ok, that was hugely simplified).

With “Ironman Mexico” 90 days out, there’s a lot to look forward to the next few months, not only my training but that of three others as well. There’s no certainty to anything, life's full of little surprises. All I can do is give it all my best and hope they do the same. Positive results reinforce hard work and attaining goals make it all worth while. Not to sound cliché but, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the Journey”!