Time for some winter motivation...

>> Tuesday, February 28, 2012

... and nothing gets me motivated like knowing that I have a race on my calendar.

My next RUNNING race is less than 3 weeks away (the "Human Race 8K" - part of the MDRA Grand Prix series), but I need motivation to get on my bike for TRIATHLON season. So yesterday, I did this:





I WANTED to register for the Sprint Distance in each, but to REALLY make me get my ass in gear, I registered for the Olympic Distance in each!

Oh, and when it asked for an "inspirational story" to share, I added this:





Both of those are super inspirational. And both are true.

For the record, I'm NOT expecting an Oly PR this year. Year-after-year, I kept finding myself getting faster and faster, but that WILL end this year. I first started with an Oly finish time of just under 3 hours in 2006. Then I knocked it down to 2:37 (2008). Then 2:23 (2009). Then 2:15 (2010). And that is NOT getting any lower this year.

First of all, these are not FAST races. They are both good races (I've never raced Trinona, but it's been voted "Race of the Year" a few times and I've ONLY heard good things). But they are NOT fast: there's a MAJOR climb at Trinona, and MPLS Tri is pretty technical.

Secondly, I'm not "training" much right now, I'm just "being fit." I've been running a lot (and a lot of that has been with Henry), but I haven't been getting in great workouts. And I'm not swimming, and I need to be hitting my bike more. This will hopefully be a good year of running, but my multi-sport will suffer a bit. And I'm OK with that.

So, anyway, with these 2 new registrations, it's time for me to get my butt in gear!!! There's a MULTI-SPORT season just around the corner!!

p.s. I'll have Henry with me at Trinona, and Pharmie will NOT be there. So if you'll be there for the race, you can help watch Henry for me! Just let me know! :)

p.p.s. Local Pro Triathlete David Thompson (DKT) gave his "top 10 reasons" to race Trinona after last year's race. Click here to read why he loves that triathlon! I hope I enjoy it as much as he does!


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Hello Bike, Remember Me?

>> Monday, February 27, 2012

August 21st, 2011.
The Lake Marion Triathlon.
Over 6 months ago....

....that's the last day I touched my bike.

So I FINALLY hit the trainer on Saturday night.

I posted what I used for my warm-up on Facebook. This is 100% true:



Here's a photo Pharmie snapped pretty early-on in my workout:


Oh hi there, "vein of approval" on my forehead!

After 30:00 of my "COPS" workout warm-up, I hopped off my bike and started doing lunges, hammy curls on the balance ball, and body-weight squats. I did a "Bike Trainer Strength Workout" that I did last year when I read about it in Triathlete Mag a year ago. Here's a link to when I first did the workout a year ago, and here's the gist of the workout from Triathlete Mag:

20 MINUTE WARM-UP: 20 minutes of gradual building: 5 minutes EASY, 5 minutes building, and then 10 minutes of drills. They recommended some fast spinning 1-legged drills for 30 second intervals.

FIRST 10 MINUTE INTERVAL: Off the bike, do the following (25-30 reps) with as little rest as possible:

- Walking lunge
- Hamstring curl with heels on a balance ball
- Jumping squat
- Eccentric calf raises (meaning focus on long, slow downward motion: 3 secs down, 1 sec up)

Then finish out the 10 minute interval (meaning if the exercises took 4 minutes, you'll have 6 minutes to go) on the bike with HR in low Zone 2, and a cadence of 85-95.

SECOND 10 MINUTE INTERVAL: Same strength exercises off the bike, then finish out the 10 minutes with HR in high Zone 2 and a lower cadence: 75-80.

THIRD 10 MINUTE INTERVAL: Same strength exercises off the bike, then finish out the 10 minutes with HR in Zone 3 with a cadence of 80-85.

10 MINUTE COOL-DOWN: Easy spinning.

My modifications:
- 30 minute "COPS" WU as mentioned above instead of 20 minutes.
- No jumping squats because I'd nail our basement ceiling (REPLACED with body-weight squats).
- No calf raises because of my always injured heel.
- No CD, just some stretching.

So that was a 60:00 workout total, and that was about 15:00 off my bike and 45:00 of spinning. For more details on this workout, CLICK HERE to see my first post about it a year ago.

I had left a sweaty patch on the rubber mat where I laid to do my balance ball hammy curls:



So the verdict is: I still do NOT like biking. You know that dull ache in your legs as your ride? I HATE that feeling. But that lungs-burning, chest-about-to-explode, legs-about-to-die feeling on a long run is something I LOVE! So I'll try to hit the trainer now-and-then (MORE than once every 6 months... sheesh), but I'll just keep up with the running.

I celebrated my first bike workout in 6 months by going out for pizza with my sister's family:


Henry and I reading a quick book while waiting for pizza!

3 HELPFUL LINKS:

- More details on this "bike trainer strength workout."

- Have you entered my "1BandID" giveaway yet? Do it in the next 2 days!

- Did you know you can buy a 55 gallon drum of sex lube on Amazon for $1495? Make sure to read the reviews! Seriously, do this. One of the reviews ends with "They had to use caterpillar bulldozers in order to get enough traction." Don't you want to know how that story starts?...

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Henry's First Swim Lesson!

>> Saturday, February 25, 2012

Henry had his FIRST SWIM LESSON today! We signed up for a few Saturday "Water Babies" group lessons. He had been in the pool once before (around New Year's), but we hadn't been back with him for about 8 weeks.


Changing with Momma in the locker room


Hangin' with Dad in the pool!

He did SO well at the class! He loves being pulled through the water - as we sped up, he got more excited!



He also liked "jumping" in the pool - we would throw him up in the air and let him splash about chest deep in the water.


Getting ready to jump!


Pausing to check out some sweet, sweet ladies. Atta' boy.

The 30 minute workout knocked him out. He passed out for a LONG nap shortly after the swim:



Just another reminder: if you haven't entered the 1BandID giveaway, CLICK HERE (or scroll down a few posts) to enter. Have a great weekend everyone!

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Friday Funny 288: 'Motivational' Running Posters

>> Friday, February 24, 2012

Here are 3 great (true) motivational running posters from Runner's World:







I think I like the first one the best. But the last one is pretty good too... ;)

If you haven't entered the 1BandID giveaway, CLICK HERE (or scroll down a few posts) to enter. Thanks everyone! Happy weekend!

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Friday Funny 287: Truthful Cereal Names




Related:



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Friday Funny 286: Lazy

True laziness is a gift. These people have it.





















That last one is pretty lazy... but the winner is.....



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1BandID Review and GIVEAWAY

>> Wednesday, February 22, 2012

When I first got an e-mail from Joe at 1BandID, I almost brushed it off. "Oh, another 'RoadID-like' product... is that really necessary?..." I thought.


A RoadID
(NOT the 1BandID that I'm about to be talking about)

But I read further. I actually read this part out loud to Pharmie because he made a good point - especially in this second paragraph:

I surely don’t need to give you the hard pitch about training with ID and helping your readers understand that too. However as you probably know, in the past the only things available were separately worn bracelets and dog tags. [...]

I've had other ID bracelets but too often I would forget to put them on before heading out for a run (once is too often). And then it dawned on me – why not design ID differently so it could securely attach and display ID on your watch, GPS or HR monitor wristband...so the wearer doesn't have to think about another thing before he or she heads out the door...so it's unforgettable.

That actually makes a lot of sense. A LOT. Pharmie and I both agreed that it IS different than a RoadID, and that the 1BandID idea of attaching to something you'll ALWAYS be using when you're out is great! Here's a photo from the 1BandID website showing people wearing their ID in different (more PERMANENT) ways:


Secured on a running shoe, attached to the band
of a watch, and placed on a strap of a bike shoe.

He let us both place an order for our own 1BandIDs. Here's what we got:


2 little bags

Unrelated Side Note: The uncropped version of that photo looked like this:



Yep, that's Henry's fingers in the lower right. I had him in the Baby Bjorn yesterday morning as I took that photo.

VERY Unrelated Side Note: Shortly after taking that last photo, we headed outside to shovel the 2 inches of snow we got overnight. Henry was still in the Bjorn under my coat:



Awesome.

OK, back to the 1BandIDs... Here's what they looked like out of the bags:


Pharmie's pink 1BandID and my yellow 1BandID


Showing Pharmie's velcroed together

It looked a little bulky when it was fastened... how would it feel on my watch band? I tried it out:


My "naked" watch without the 1BandID on it


My watch WITH the 1BandID on it


A slightly closer (and slightly hairier) view


PROS:

So as I mentioned right away in this post, this 1BandID is a bit like a RoadID. Yes, I have a RoadID bracelet. But where is it? It might be on my dresser under some junk. It might be in the basement next to my extra running shades. It might be in my workout bag in my car. Seriously, I DON'T know where it is off the top of my head. That's the whole point of the 1BandID! You strap it to something you'll ALWAYS be using, and you'll ALWAYS have identification on you without having to hunt something down pre-workout.

CONS:

There's no CON to working-out with an ID. It's a smart idea. But the one CON I could see is that my watch that you see in those photos above is my watch I wear for everything. Heading out on a workout? I wear that watch. Heading to a fancy-schmancy dinner party? I wear that watch. So, oddly enough, the PRO of always having the 1BandID handy is also it's CON.

(However, I think I'm in the minority here. I do NOT train with a HR monitor or a GPS - I just wear that watch for EVERYTHING. If I were like a "normal" endurance athlete [I say that kind of tongue-in-cheek], I'd have something else that I'd be putting on for JUST my workouts.)

MY THOUGHTS:

It did NOT interfere with wearing my watch "normally" (I did NOT even have to loosen my watch by a hole or 2). It was totally out of the way. There's no way it's going to fall off. It's laser-etched and easy to read. You get to choose from a list of colors, and you get to customize 6 lines of text. You can get a thicker velcro band for larger GPS watches or Nike+ bands. I like it. There's really no issue with wearing it. Being I'm not biking right now, I could see attaching it to my running shoes and just letting it "live" there through the rest of the winter. I love the idea of the 1BandID always being attached to something you'll always be using. Love it.

FINAL WORDS:

I almost feel bad that I keep making RoadID and 1BandID comparisons, but they ARE similar. One isn't better than the other. It just depends on what might work better for you. If you always grab that one piece of gear for your workout (HR watch, GPS, stopwatch, etc), then the 1BandID is a GREAT (and SAFE) idea for you!


ON TO THE GIVEAWAY....

There will be THREE WINNERS in this giveaway! The people at 1BandID have 3 IDs they are giving you guys, so you have a better chance at winning!


HERE’S HOW TO ENTER TO WIN A 1BandID:

All you really need to do is to leave a comment on this post to be entered to win 1 of 3 1BandIDs. But if you fan 1BandID on Facebook and / or follow 1BandID on Twitter, you can get your name in the hat MULTIPLE times, which better you chances at winning.

Follow these steps to enter:

Step 1 (optional): to earn +1 extra entry: follow 1BandID on Twitter and send out this tweet:

ALWAYS have an ID when you workout. Enter @SteveinaSpeedo's giveaway for a @1BandID - http://iwannagetphysical.blogspot.com/

Step 2 (optional): to earn +1 extra entry: head to 1BandID's Facebook page and become a fan! Simple.

Step 3: (optional): to earn +1 extra entry: click the "LIKE" button at the bottom of this post. All it does is post the link to your Facebook wall saying that you "liked a link." It's a way to share the love and to let your friends know about this relatively new company. And it's super easy.

Step 4: comment on this post to be entered and tell me how many entries you "earned!" If you sent out that tweet and / or fanned on Facebook and /or "liked" this post, make sure to tell me that you did in your comment so I can throw your name in the hat 2 or 3 or 4 times. For example: “Hey Steve, this John Smith from Topeka. I followed 1BandID on twitter and sent out the tweet, and I clicked LIKE at the bottom of the post, so put my name in the hat 3 times! Thanks!”

Step 5: check back to see if your a winner! I'll announce the winners in just over a week - sometime around Thursday, March 1st. It's EXTRA important to stop back if you’re not a blogger, because I have no way of contacting you! The contest is open for a week: NOW through midnight (central time) on Wednesday the 29th (yes, it's a leap year). At that point, I'll print out all the entries, give extra numbers to those who earned extra entries, and then choose one at random by a random number generator, drawing numbers out of a hat, or other random selection process.

Pseudo-legal stuff:
- Contest is open to anyone in the WORLD. Sorry Russian cosmonauts on the space station; 1BandID can't ship to you.
- You may comment now (on THIS post) through midnight Central time on Wednesday Feb 29th.
- The winners will be chosen through a random number selection. If you’ve earned multiple entries, you will get multiple numbers, thus bettering your chances at winning.
- Check back sometime around next Thursday (March 1st) to see if you won! (Especially if you don’t have a blogger account because I have no way of contacting you.)
- If I can't get in touch with a winner(s) within 2-3 days, I'll choose a new winner(s). So check back!
- As with all of my reviews/giveaways, 1BandID has NOT asked me for a favorable review. All these opinions are mine.


Thanks 1BandID for the giveaway!!





So comment NOW on THIS POST to be entered! They'll be 3 winners picked next week!

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Roctane Drink and Ryders Giveaway Winners!

>> Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Let me just say these 2 things right now before I even announce the winners: (1) Thanks for entering!! And (2) if you didn't win, don't fret! There's ANOTHER giveaway coming tomorrow! Seriously. Check back for that.

Now, onto the winners of the Roctane Drink and Ryders Shades Giveaway! Remember, there were to be TWO winners: one male and one female. Each would get a handful of "single serve" Roctane Drink packets along with a male or female specific pair of Ryders shades.


Gu "Roctane Drink" Individual Packets


Ryders "Vela" for a dude


Ryders "Hex" for a lady

The giveaway had 122 comments. And being you could earn extra entries, I had a total of 198 "names in the hat" that I had to draw from. Here's a photo of the printed out and numbered entries:



Here's what random.org gave me this time:



THE FEMALE WINNER: amjeso

THE MALE WINNER: Needlerunning (at least I THINK "needlerunning" is a guy - there was a reference to "Andrew" being his/her name on his/her blog)

So a final BIG THANKS to GU Energy Labs and Ryders Eyewear for the giveaway!! And remember to check back TOMORROW FOR ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!! Thanks everyone!

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2 'Henry Runs' in 3 Days

>> Monday, February 20, 2012

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this warm winter?

RUN #1:

Thursday, I picked up Henry from daycare, topped off his tank (fed him a bottle), and we headed out into a nearly 40 degree evening for a quick run. He was all wide-eyed when I loaded him up:



We headed down to River Road (like normal) and ran along the Mississippi. I didn't know if he'd get fussy (because he tends to get fussy that time of night), so I looped around a lot and didn't have all of my normal mile-markers. I picked it up in the middle and turned it into a bit of a tempo run. I covered the middle 3.5 hilly miles at about 6:30 pace with Henry! He was mostly sleeping.

I ended up covering a total of 8.5 miles in 57:56 (6:49 / mile average). Henry woke up as I was walking about 1 block from home. We pulled into the yard and he was making faces at me:



And as soon as we got in the house, he started giggling at Pharmie and I from his car seat! He usually wants to get out and play as soon as we get in the house, but on Thursday he just sat there and laughed:


Direct link: http://youtu.be/y3ZJSc1ZyUg


RUN #2:

Yesterday, it was 45 degrees and Henry and I needed to get in a long run. So we headed out again! He passed out ONE BLOCK INTO OUR RUN!



It was amazing how snow-free everything was! Here's Henry along the "lower trail" right along side of the Mississippi, and usually (because of all the trees), this place is COVERED in snow for a long time:



Henry slept for over 4 miles until I ran into speedy race-buddy Claire Bootsma! Then he heard us talking and woke up and smiled big the whole time we chatted:


Smiley dude!


Me and Claire!
(I'm hat-less and sweaty in shorts on a run IN FEB! I love it!)

Claire told me that SHE JUST GOT HER "PRO DUATHLETE CARD!" She's official! Congrats Claire! It will be fun to watch your season this year!! (You might remember Claire from my Waseca Triathlon race report where I TRIED to track her down but she totally owned me. And you'll remember her from my "Kitten Mile" race report from a few months ago where I FINALLY got her back for beating me at Waseca!)

Henry was now awake for the rest of the run. I wanted to run another 8 miles or so, and I did it without being much more than 2 miles from home in case Henry got too cranky and we had to sprint home. But he was a CHAMP and we got in a total of 12.4 miles! And I didn't mean for it to be fast (I was PLANNING on just a longer, slower run with Henry) but because he was awake, I ran a little harder in case he got cranky and needed to get home. My final 6 miles were all sub 7: 6:37, 6:56, 6:38, 6:46, 6:35, and 6:33. In total, we did 12.4 miles in 1:27:42 (6:59 / mile average).

We got home as Henry was falling asleep again. He woke up a few minutes later and was all smiles again!



Back tomorrow with the results of the Roctane Drink and Ryders Shades giveaway! Have a great week everyone!

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