Tag Archives: Halfmarathon

cycling, first triathlon, funny, humor, Satire, swimming

Triathlete Resolutions vs. Reality

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The new year is a great time for new beginnings. It’s time to break bad habits, and make this the best year ever. As with every facet of life, we have resolutions for our triathlon season as well.  Just like the eager early year gym goer, who gives up by Feb, our best intention-ed resolutions fall away into the road side ditch.

Original_ Buttermilk_Pancakes

Here’s some well meaning resolutions versus reality for most triathletes.

  • Resolution: This year I will do less racing!
  • Reality: I’ll cut out that hot/hilly/expensive race that I didn’t PR. The other ten races were enough.
  • Resolution: I am going to do more swim training! (If I had a nickel for everytime…)
  • Reality: I was getting to the pool way more, until I realized, swimming is only 18% of my race. I can only save like a minute with all of this extra training. I’ll just run more instead. 
  • Resolution: I’m going to train less, and spend more time with the family!
  • Reality: I just saw my training partner’s plan and I need to increase my training 20% to keep up. I can’t let him/her get faster than me. 
  • Resolution: I’m going to clean up my diet!
  • Reality: I’ll only have 6 pancakes after my long run, instead of the IHOP endless stack. (Yumm Pancakes!)
  • Resolution: I’m not going to drink, I’m going on the wagon!
  • Reality: You cross the line at a 5k/10k/HM/Marathon, and the first thing you ask, “Where’s the beer tent?
  • Resolution: I’m going to do more strength and core work!
  • Reality: I don’t want to bulk up, and go over my ideal racing weight.
  • Resolution: I going to stay injury free!
  • Reality: It only hurts when I run fast.
  • Resolution: I’m going to hire a coach!
  • Reality: Do you see how much they charge? I’ll get new race wheels instead, that’ll make me faster.
  • Resolution: I’m going to volunteer for a race!
  • Reality: If I have to get up that early, I’m going to race * Consider keeping this resolution as races always need volunteers, and you will have a great time.

I know these are just generalizations, and none of these will apply to you.

What are your triathlete resolutions, and how do you plan to keep them?

photo credit: michelle@TNS via photopin cc

mantra, motivation

Monday Mantra – Travelling Well

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Happy Monday! Let’s do this! We all could use a bit of motivation to get rolling on Monday. On Mondays, I like to share a Mantra or short inspirational message. If the message resonates with you, use to motivate yourself in training or life. Do you have your own awesome Mantra? Please share it below in the comments.

Travel Well

“It is better to travel well, than arrive” – Buddha

For me, this quote takes “life is a journey” to a new level. If that journey is pursued with the same passion as the goal, then the journey is more important.

If Buddha was an endurance athlete, he would say;

“It is better to train and race well, than PR”

Let’s take a marathon for an example. You train for 20 weeks for a one day event, in hopes of setting a PR. Race day comes and you were sick the week before, the weather sucks, and you don’t PR. Was all of that training for nothing? Not if you trained with purpose, and enjoyed the process. Think back to all of those long runs spend in the fresh air increasing your well being. You persevered when your legs were screaming to stop on the way to a new distance. Every time you head out the door to train with purpose, you are travelling well.

Fitness, running, triathlon

Are You Bored doing Same Run Workouts? Try these Group Run Games.

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Is running that same five mile loop with your friend getting a bit boring? Do your interval workouts become unfocused because there’s no one there to hold you accountable? Is your training just becoming straight up boring?

Do I have the solution for you. Group run games. (Infomercial voice off). Group run workouts offer some healthy competition, while making sure everyone sticks to their training goals. NO more slacking off, because your buddy will take great pleasure in pointing out your lack of effort. If your partner runs like a gazelle, and you run more like elk, don’t worry. These workouts are structured so runners of varying abilities can do them together.

Pipped

Now grab your friend or friends (look at you Mr./Mrs. popular) and try out these workouts.

1. You run, I rest / I run, You rest.

From the title you probably get the idea. Go to the track, or pick a loop course. This works best with distances of 200-800M. Your partner runs a lap while you rest, and while you run your partner rests. You get a varied rest interval based on your partner’s lap. If you are not feeling great, you might give your partner a hard time, hoping they will slow down. If you are feeling frisky, you can speed up and take some of their rest. Overall the goal here to is to keep both runners engaged, get some good work in, all while having fun.

2. Stalk your prey.

This workout is a run (race) handicapped by your predicted finish times. Start with a predetermined course. (3 – 5k is a good distance). Each runner picks their finish times based on past performances. The slow runners starts first, and gets a head start based upon the difference of the finish times.

Example: If I say I will run 25 min, and Frank says he is going to running 21 minutes, I get a 4 minute head start. His goal is to try and chase me down. My goal is to hold him off. To make this work, all runners need to be honest with their times. NO SANDBAGGING. The only prize on the line here is pride. There’s no pride in cheating.

3. Run Golf

The goal in golf is to get a low score. It’s the same in run golf. Pick a one mile course, and place a watch or have a time keeper at the finish. Have each runner  predict their mile finish time. The idea is to come as close to possible to that time without using a watch. How many seconds you are off of that time (fast or slow) is your score for that lap. If I say I will run a 7:28, and I run 7:39 my score is 11. Repeat the laps three times, and the runner with the lowest score wins. Like in golf having a side bet will make this more interesting. (Maybe a round of post workout beers?)

This workout is great to work on pacing. Having to keep pace without the watch, forces you to use perceived effort to keep pace. If you run with a GPS watch most of the time, this workout might be a challenge.

If you give one of these workouts a try, leave a comment to tell us how it went.