How long is this going to take anyways?

So as I'm getting back into the workout routine, I'm starting to wonder a a about a few things.  Lately I've been wondering how long is it going to take me to complete a sprint triathlon? Since my goal is to finish the triathlon without stopping during any of the legs, I'm trying to figure out how long I need to keep moving.  In training, I figure that I should be able to keep up some sort of activity for at least as long as I think it will take. Does that make sense to anyone except me?

So what do I need to prepare for? Am I going to be out there for an hour, two or maybe 4?   I mean, at this point, I'm out running for 50 minutes and I'm pretty much spent.  I don't have much left in me.  I know I'm training and all and I plan on working on my performance, but come on really, what's realistic?

I'm definitely going to have to do some trial and error work here.  I haven't had the chance to test the swim and bike yet. I know I can run a 5K in less than 30 minutes, so that's a start. Although, that is a fresh 5K - not after swimming and biking.  I'm guessing the bike will probably be close to double that. That assumes I can ride at 13 mph average. And what a out the swim. 15 minutes maybe?  So what's that get me to, an hour and 45 minutes?  Does it make sense to plan my training around these times?

Here is how I plan on estimating my split times. Its a pretty basic approach to the whole thing.  Nothing technical here.

1.  Complete each individual distance and see how long it takes me to do it fresh.  This should give me a pretty basic idea of the time required for each split.
2.  Practice completing the full individual distances as often as I can.  This shouldn't be too difficult considering I'm only training for a sprint at this point. Plus this is a confidence builder.  It will be a big boost to my confidence to know that none of the splits by themselves will be enough to bring me down.
3.  Once I'm proficient at each distance, I will start combining them. For example, swim then bike, or bike then run.  This will give me some idea as to how much the combined affects of the splits will impact my individual times. Again another confidence builder.
4.  Eventually, I should be able to complete all three back-to-back-to-back.  And this will be the ultimate test to verify that I'm ready.  I don't think that the triathlon should be the first time I complete the full distance.
That's it.  Like I said, no rocket science here. Take baby steps and build my confidence as I go.

As I currently have it planned in my insane schedule, I intend on doing the full distance several times in the weeks prior to the triathlon.

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit.  Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." - Muhammad Ali

Scheduling Insanity

My schedule is kind of crazy...but who's isn't Right?  Between work, family and working out, I don't have a lot of free time.  I'm a pretty early riser during the week - mostly because I have to be.  My carpool for work leaves for work at 5:00AM.  And by the time I get home its almost 5:00 PM.  Once home, its the kids homework, sports, girl scouts and on and on.  Somewhere in there my wife squeezes in her workout.  (She is currently rocking P90X).  By the time 9:00 rolls around the kids are heading off to bed (hopefully) and I'm usually online again for another hour of catching up on work emails. 

But wait a minute, I didn't even talk about my workouts.  That's because I squeeze them in when I can.  I typically wake up at 3:50AM and am out the door by 4:00 for a morning run or ride.  Until recently, that has been it for working out, except on the weekends.  But with summer coming up, and the triathlon looming in the not to distant future, I really need to step it up.

Thankfully, my wife has been very supportive of my triathlon endeavors.  During the summer, I'm planning on riding two nights a week after work as well.  It will be nice because I have recruited one of my coworkers to ride with me as a training buddy.  He is not training for anything in particular, he just likes to ride.  On the other nights, (weather permitting), we will be at the pool.  We belong to a local community swim club.  Our club has a lap pool as well as a general pool.  So when the kids are playing, hopefully I can start cranking out some swim workouts. 

So, Over the last several days, I have been working on putting together a workout schedule.  It's easy to say, I'll run 30 minutes this day and I'll bike 60 that day and so on.  But until you really lay it out on a schedule, you have no idea how that will really impact your daily life.  With an increase in frequency of my workouts, and my wife has her workouts to get in and all the kids activities, finding time to make everything work can be a challenge.  Heck, its been hard enough to find time just to put together the workout schedule. 

I like to use Google Calendars for my planning.  I find that it is a great tool for this purpose.  We already have a family calendar where we keep track of all our goings on.  It's nice to have that synced up to our phones as well so we can each see the calendar wherever we are.  For the workouts I simply created a separate workout calendar that I can overlay on the family calendar to see how well things align.  And its all right there at one time.  When things come up that need us to change plans, we can see everything that is impacted at once and adjust accordingly.  It is very convenient. 

It does take bit of work to set up, but when its all done, I find it motivating to have the schedule in front of me.  I know exactly whats expected on any particular day.  I know what workouts I'm planning on doing and when.  I will post a copy of the schedule somewhere on this blog, if I can figure out how to do it.

We all have a lot of things going on in our lives.  So, how do you make your schedule work?

My First Triathlon

So, I'm registered for my first race.  In August I'm headed to Erie, Pennsylvania to compete in the Presque Isle Triathlon.  It looks to be be a relatively easy course as far as triathlons go.  It's a very flat.  In August, the water should be comfortably warm.  I'm pretty stoked about the whole event.  At this time, I have a little more than 90 days to get ready.  Check out the cool little countdown timer I've added to the sidebar showing days do go to the race (25 August 2012).  Seems so far away now, but I know that in no time it will be here.  Awesome!
 
My whole family will be in town which is also  incredibly awesome.  I'm pretty stoked that I could convince my brother and sister to participate.  And it's great to see everyone working out and getting healthy.  And it will be great to see everyone all together (we haven't been able to pull that off in a long time).

So have you registered for a race yet?  Share with us when and where. 

Getting Back At It

Back to work - Finally!!

Even though it has only been four weeks since the surgery, it feels like its been months.  I have been a good boy and listened to the Doctor's orders.  No running for at least four weeks.  It's weird, I never thought I'd be the one saying "man I miss running"..  But I really do.  I've been successful in not gaining any weight since the surgery.  Actually I've lost seven pounds!  All in all, things are going pretty well.  It looks like things are actually starting to come together.  I finally got my heart rate monitor, (more on that later).  Big Red is at the bike shop getting a new rear cassette, a chain and tires.  She should be ready to ride in a couple days.

And to top it off, I have a cool scar just under my belly button.

Online Triathlon Resources

Looking for some information on triathlons?  Or perhaps some good workouts for just running or swimming?  Or maybe some advice on some good bike equipment.  Where is the first place most of us look.  Cyberspace of course!  Below, I have listed some of my favorite online resources.  These are all sites that I frequent for advice and motivation with my triathlon training.


www.runkeeper.com
This is a great site for tracking your activity.  Plus if you have an iPhone or Android, they have an App that will integrate your phone to the site.  This will allow you to use the GPS in your phone to track your progress automatically.  I really like the online route mapping feature that helps you plan your routes and gives you a map with total distance calculated.  You can set up your own 5K training run around your neighborhood and have it all mapped out.  The same App can be used to track your movement via GPS for other things like biking, skiing and so on.  It also allows you to manually enter your data when GPS is not available (treadmill, swimming, elliptical....)  The App comes in a free version that has all the basic tools or a paid version which provides more detail analysis of your activities.  Additionally, you can get a heart rate monitor that will sync your heart rate data to the App as well. 

www.trinewbies.com
Trinewbies is an excellent workout resource.  If you are looking for a workout plan to either get started with a triathlon or to work on a specific sport, check them out.  The site has complete Couch-to-Triathlon programs as well as individual event workouts. 

www.beginnertriathlete.com
Beginnertirathlete also has a lot of resources available.  I like reading many of the motivational and first triathlon stories.  BT also has has a pay option that allows members access to even more information, and resources.

www.usatriathlon.org
USTA has more training tips and logs.  Plus if you sign up you can get discounts on a bunch of stuff.  If you are running a USTA sanctioned event, it helps to already be a member.  Also - You gotta know the rules.


www.sheldonbrown.com
A completely awesome site for cycling.  There is so much bicycle information available on this site, it's purely amazing.  I've spent a lot of time on this site researching repairs for my bike - Big Red.

How to find a Race:
www.active.com
Race Finder

What blogs and sights to you use?  Comment and let me know. 

Big Red

So my bike has been a pretty big source of aggravation for me lately.  Since I have never done a triathlon before, I have been planning on using my old GT Outpost Trail mountain bike (Bid Red).


I know that doing a road race on a mountain bike is not ideal and not very comfortable. But she has been a solid bike for me in the past - well built, sturdy and best of all - Free!! - (at least for this race)

Free? - Yeah right!
I figured I would take Big Red to the local bike shop, have her tuned up and I'd be on my way.  Over the course of the next couple of months I plan on making some minor upgrades. For example, at some point I was planning on fitting her with some smoother, more road friendly tires.

Anyways, that all went out the window pretty quick. $150 later and all I got done was a tune up, some new break pads and hand grips. The one thing that I was hoping they would fix wasn't even touched.  I've been noticing that my chain is slipping off my rear gears when I'm pedaling hard. This is happening on the lower portion of the cassette usually on the sixth sprocket. Their assessment was that I should replace the entire drive train. So that's at least another hundred dollars. And that still doesn't include the new tires or any other upgrades I may want to add later. - But I only paid $350 for Big Red when she was brand new some 15 or so years ago.

Now what?
So, do I repair Big Red and continue or find a new bike? I'm still not convinced that I want to drop a lot of money to get a new bike. Especially one that will be good for racing racing.  I have been doing some searching for used bikes, but it seems that the value of a bike does not depreciate much. People are asking pretty near new bike prices for their old bikes.

I think for now I'll just fix the old ride. I haven't been on a bike in a long time anyways. So any time in the saddle is good, right? I have to keep reminding myself that I've never done this before.  My number one goal is just to finish.  If my bike leg is slow, so what? As long as I don't have to stop, I'll be happy in the end.

I'll keep an eye our though. Maybe I'll get lucky and stumble onto a good deal.

Heart Rate Monitors

What is a heart rate monitor? 

A heart rate monitor is an electronic device that can be used to measure your heart rate.  They come in a wide variety of styles and with a wide variety of options.  HRM's can be used to do everything from a basic measure of BPM, to recording lap times, to calculating position changes via GPS to providing a detailed fitness report including calories burned.  I'm sure if you looked hard enough you would be able to find one that will cook you breakfast and drive you to work too.  It's amazing how much some of these things can do!

Do I need a heart rate monitor? 

Well no, not really.  An HRM can be a neat little tech gadget, or it can be a very useful tool.  That depends on who is using it and why.  People have been training and exercising since the beginning of time without monitoring their heart rate.  Understanding how your body feels - and reacting to that is very important.  You can certainly continue to work out without knowing your exact heart rate.  

 But Knowledge is power my friend!

So why all the fuss about Heart Rate?  Knowing your heart rate can really help you get the most out of your workout.  The instantaneous feedback allows you adjust intensity level up or down depending on your condition and workout goals.  How? - I discuss the importance of knowing your heart rate in more detail in this post: Is Heart Rate Important for the Triathlete.

So how do I use one?

There are two main types of heart rate monitors available, chest strap monitors and fingertip sensor monitors.  Chest strap monitors consist of a sensor that is worn across the chest and a wrist band that resembles a watch.  The sensor monitors your heart rate and transmits the data to the wrist unit via wireless signal.  Fingertip sensors require that you hold your fingertip on a sensor or the sensor clamps to your fingertip.  They only provide status while you are testing. 
Chest Strap 
Pros:
Accuracy.  Chest strap monitors tend to be more accurate due to the location of the sensors and the fact that they are always in contact with your skin.
Real time feedback - These monitors provide real time feedback so you can check you status without stopping your workout.
Cons:
You have to wear a chest strap.  This may be uncomfortable for some people, or difficult to find one that fits particularly if you are a large person.
The batteries are not replaceable in some models.
Having many settings can make use difficult for some people. 
Finger Sensor
Pros
Some of these models can be less expensive.
There is less gear that you need to carry or worry about breaking/losing.
They are good for doing quick status checks.
Cons
Lack of real time status (you have to stop to check).
It may be hard to get accurate data if you are sweating. 

What functionality do I need from my heart rate monitor?

At this point, (for me), all I need is a relatively basic model.  I came up with the list below in searching for a heart rate monitor that I think will suit my needs.  At this point I am not interested in GPS tracking or altitude monitoring or some of the other high end bells and whistles.  I put this list together in order of importance to help my searching
 
My Key Heart Rate Monitor requirements:
Comfort
Battery replacement capability
Back lit for night time use
Waterproof

Zone Tracking and limit indicator
Recovery timer
Calorie Tracker

For now, I think all I need are the basics.  I found several models that meet these requirements.  I have decided to go with a Timex IronMan Road Trainer model.  It is receiving good reviews and is selling for a reasonable cost. 

Ill provide an update after I use the monitor for a while and let you know what I think of it. 

Hernia Post Op Check Up

Update on the hernia. 

Post operation plus 1.5 weeks

So the doctor says my incision is healing nicely.  I'm basically having no pain.  Just localized pain where the incision is.  The doctor still says that I need to wait at least 2 more weeks before I can start working out. And a full six before I do any heavy straining. Well I guess thats a lot better than his initial prognosis - but not much. I still have the itch tough. I still wan't to get out and run.

Is heart rate important for the triathlete?

 Heart Rate (What is it?)

Heart Rate is defined as the number of times your heart beats in one minute (BPM).  Generally, in healthy individuals the lower the BPM the more efficiently your heart is working.  Your heat rate can be measured to help determine your workout efficiency and tailor your workout to meet your particular goals.

Where do you start?

First you need to determine your Max Heart Rate (MHR).  Your MHR is maximum BPM your heart can output when your are working your absolute hardest (for example: sprinting top speed up a hill).  MHR can only be sustained for a very short period of time before your body is overcome with exhaustion and you are required to slow down or stop.  The American heart Association defines your maximum heart rate using a very simple calculation. 220 - Your Age.  This is a good approximation for most people.

Example: I am 35, so my recommended maximum heart rate is (220-35) = 185. 

If you are and experienced athlete or under the care of a doctor there are are several ways to determine a more precise MHR.  But for most people, the calculation is a good place to start. Later on I will discuss how to tweak the numbers if you feel the need.

What do you do with this information?

Once your know your MHR you can use this to determine target training zones depending on your fitness goals.  Target heart rate zones are determined as a percentage of MHR.  These zones let you focus your workout on a particular level to establish a particular goal (Aerobic fitness, Fat burning, etc.)  When working out you can adjust your level of intensity based on your measured BPM and the target heart rate.
Broadly, your exercising target hart rate zone is between 60%-85% of MHR.  So for me, that means that I should set my target to be somewhere between 111 and 157 BPM.

Low Intensity Workouts 50%-60% (Beginners or warm up)
If you are new to fitness, overweight/obese or have other limiting health problems this is probably the zone that you should consider as your target.  Remember activities that get  you moving and elevate your heart rate even slightly can still be beneficial to your health.  Do not be discourage if you are not able to go beyond this level at first.  For more active people this will be the warm up zone - a brisk walk and some light stretching to get things started.

Moderate Intensity 60%-75% (Fat loss, fitness or Endurance)
This is the standard workout range.  In the lower ends of this range you will be able to maintain the sustained effort for longer.  This will allow you to burn more calories and increase your bodies fat burning capability.  As your workout becomes more intense and your heart rate moves to the higher end of this zone your start endurance capability. 


High Intensity to Max (75%-85%) (anaerobic workout)

High intensity workouts include things like heavy strength training, sprint interval training, intense full body workouts.  If you are going to attempt to train withing this zone on any kind of regularity, you will need to already have the basic fitness level required.  Intermittent training at this level of can be helpful in increasing your V02max and bringing up the level of intensity your are able to sustain at the moderate level.  It is not a good idea to focus your workouts at this high of a level all of the time. 

Max intensity (85-%100%)

Don't go here.  At least do not try to go here for extended periods of time.  Your body wont allow you to anyways.  Unless you are an experienced athlete under the watchful eye of trainers and medical staff, save this area for your emergency situation adrenaline rush mode. 

So how do I measure it?

Take your pulse
There are several ways to take your pulse.  Two of the most common ways to measure your pulse manually are on the inside of the wrist and the side of the neck.  Once you feel your heart beat in either location, measure how many times you feel the beats over a period of time.  The longer you can measure the more accurate your measurement will be.  The problems with this method are:
1. It is difficult to do while you are still exercising, so getting real time data is nearly impossible.
2. Holding your hands on your wrist or neck while exercising is awkward.
3. Once you heart begins beating faster it can be harder to count the number of beats accurately
4. It is possible to feel the heartbeat in your fingertips, as well as in your neck or wrist, thus providing a double count and leading you to incorrect data.
 
Get a heart rate monitor
A heart rate monitor is an electronic device that can be used to measure your heart rate.  They come in a wide variety of styles and with a wide variety of options. Heart rate monitors can be used to provide real time information to make quick changes if necessary.  They range in price and functionality from the most basic fingertip sensor to chest straps to units that include GPS tracking and Bluetooth synchronization to your smart phone.

Tweaking the numbers

Every person is different so measurements that rely on the reactions of the "Average" person may not be applicable in every case.  Heart rate is affected by everything from height, weight, age, gender, medication, health, weather, - you name it, it probably has an impact on heart rate.  None-the-less, the calculated targets are a good place to start, especially if you have never measured before and have no reference point.  Once you become experienced with measuring heart rate and how much your workouts affect it, you can begin to tweak or customize your zones.  Perhaps you discover that no matter how hard you work you never reach your calculated MHR.  Or Perhaps you realize that you are can consistently work out in your 60-70 zone for hours - maybe you need to adjust your levels up a bit to get more out of your workout.

What a pain in the ...hip

So not long after I started running in earnest, I started getting pain I'm my right hip. Every time I would start running the pain would come. A stabbing pain that felt it was coming from deep inside my hip joint. My first assumption was that I must have strained a muscle or maybe I was developing some sort of tendinitis. I gave myself a week off from running and concentrated on stretching that area. After a week the hip was feeling great back at it and ready to run.

Here we go again
About a quarter mile into my first run since the rest, the hip pain started creeping back again. What the heck?!  It was feeling so good only a few minutes ago. I thought maybe it's just a little stiff from my time off so I finished my run. The pain subsided part way through so finishing wasn't too bad. Next time out - there it was again. Right away this time. My next genius thought was maybe it's because I'm always running on the same side of the road. Since the road has a slight crown, and my right leg is always on the outside, it has further to go to make contact with the ground this has to be it. I'm just consistently over extending my stride and jarring my hip. So that's what I need to do - alternate sides of the street when I run. Turns out I was almost right.
The one thing it didn't take me too long to figure out is that it doesn't really matter what side of the street I run on. This pain in my hip was just not going to go away.  It was about this time that I happened upon an article in Men's Health where they were discussing some of the common problems cause by poor running form.

I didn't know that running has a form. I thought running was just running. After reading that article I started researching running form. I captured what I have learned in Running Form 101.

It turns out that My pain was most likely caused by me jamming my hip joint when I was running. But this wasn't caused by running on the wrong side of the road. It was caused by running wrong. With some relatively minor tweaks I started noticing a better more comfortable run almost right away. And the pain in my hip - gone in a week!

And another plus - I got FASTER! Just like that I cut about 15 seconds a mile off my pace.

Running Form 101

Everyone Has a Say
Running form seems to be a topic that can generate lots and lots of conversation. From the shoes on your feet to how you swing your arms to what you think about, it seems as though everyone has a say in running form.
I titled this post Running Form 101, even though it's basically all I know about running.  Someday, as I progress in skill, I will probably have more to add.  I am by no means an experienced runner. I mean, I can run. I ran hurdles on the track team in high school (albeit not very well). And after high school it was nearly 20 years before I ran in any kind of race again.  

That being said, I have been running alot lately. And as I have discovered, there is a vast amount of information out there on how to run. I have been reading many articles and watching many videos out there that claim to be the complete guide to good running form.

From what I can gather, there are some basic points that most people seem to agree on when it comes to running.  I have incorporated these basic points into my running style and have seen some pretty good results.  Here is what I have learned:

Basic Running Technique
1. Land mid-soul. Basically land on the middle of your foot when you are running. This does several things to improve your run. It softens the impact to your joints (knees hips spine). Landing heel first forces all your weight to be concentrated on your heel and then transferred directly through your skeletal system .  This potentially smashes your bones together at your joints. This seems to be what was happening in my hip.
A mid foot strike allows your legs to act as more of a spring softening the blow and allowing you to bound forward. A mid foot strike can even be practiced while walking. Just think about the balls of your feet as you walk. Not walking on your toes just concentrate in the balls of your feet and you will naturally start to develop this technique.

2. Pick up the pace. Taking more steps is ok (actually its preferred). With the change in your foot strike, you may notice that your stride is not as long as it used to be. Thats ok. With less pounding on your body you should be able to cycle your legs faster.  This takes some getting used to, especially if you have been running the same way for along time. 

3. Keep your head up. Keeping your head up and looking towards the distance forces your body to keep a more upright posture. This reduces stain in your neck and lower back. Additionally, it helps you keep balanced. If you are looking down towards your feet you are more prone to tripping because you are shifting your center of gravity too far forward over your toes to the point where even the slightest misstep or stumble can send you to the pavement - face first.  Unless you are running on trails where you can't seen far enough ahead, the risk of tripping on something is relatively low. 

4. Relax your arms. Keep your hands open and allow your arms and shoulders to relax as you are running. Increased tension of closes fists and flexed arms makes you tired and sore and promotes cramping. Some people debate about how you should swing your arms (straigt back and forth or across your body).  To this I say, if that's your biggest worry, you are well beyond my experience level.  One thing at a time -  I'll worry about that later

Here are some great articles regarding running form.  There are some excellent articles and Videos.
Runners World - Running Form

If you are experiencing pain when running, check out these pointers from Men's Health.  This is what lead me to start thinking I may have a problem with my form.

Why I Started Triathablog

To be truly honest one if the main reasons why I started this blog is to keep myself motivated. I'm currently in recovery mode and will be for the next several weeks. I need to keep myself motivated during this down time or I will never get back at it. Two days ago I underwent surgery to repair an umbilical hernia.
I have a what?
If you don't know what an umbilical hernia is, you are not alone. I had no clue until a couple of weeks ago. I started having pain in my abdomen. At first I just thought it was cramps or gas. Then I noticed that my belly button was turning from an outy to an inny. This kind of freaked me out. So what did I do, the same thing any person does.... I started playing Internet doctor and diagnosing myself. After a couple of hours of research I had it narrowed down to anything from appendicitis to colon cancer. Of course my wife was saying i think you have this umbilical hernia thing. Either way I was kind of freaked out and decided to call the doctor.
After maybe a two minute exam the doctor had it pinpointed - umbilical hernia - my wife was right, of course.
Next step surgery
Next thing I know I'm scheduled to talk to a surgeon about getting fixed. A little poking and prodding in my navel from this doctor and he says the same thing. Yup it's a hernia alright. A quick outpatient surgery and you'll be on your way. Sweet that doesn't sound too bad. So I ask "Hey Doc, what kind of recovery time are we talking about here? I'm training for a triathlon."
Six weeks
Six weeks - six weeks. I can't believe it. I'm sidelined for six weeks because of my stupid belly button. What the heck am I going to do now? I've been working so hard to get where I am today. I can't lose my motivation. I'm going to have to be ready to hit the training hard once I'm cleared.
Enter Triathablog
So part of what I'm doing is documenting it all here. I'm using this blog in a couple of ways. One is to keep talking about triathlons. I need to keep that conversation going so I don't lose track of my ultimate goal. Also, I plan on using this blog to record and organize my thoughts plans an ideas about triathlons. And if anyone actually reads this, maybe I'll meet some new people. Maybe I'll inspire someone to start training. Who knows?

Take A Look Back

Another lesson I have learned throughout this process of training for a triathlon is: every once in a while you need to pause and take a look back at the progress you have made.  This is especially true when things are seeming to move slowly. 

So the other day I looked back at the progress I've made in the couple months that I have been actually training. 

Here is what I found out:
Four months ago I weighted 20 pounds more than I do today.
Four months ago I was running a mile in about 15 minutes (and I could barely finish one) - today I can run a 5K in 28 minutes.

When I look at the progress I've made, I find it very motivating to keep moving forward and keep improving. 

What kind of progress have you made?

Tell Everyone That You Are Doing a Triathlon

One of the biggest motivators for me has been telling everyone I know that I going to do a triathlon.  In doing this I am not only reassuring myself that I am actually going to do this, but I am also creating an expectation with lots of people of what I'm going to do.  It's a basic guilt thing.  I don't want to have to go back to everyone I know with a lame excuse about being too busy, too tired, too out of shape or whatever to do a triathlon.  I said I was committed and I am.

Why is this important?  Basically because it is keeping me honest.  There are certainly days that I wake up and don't feel like donning my running shoes and hitting the pavement.  But when I think about letting myself down and having to explain to all those people, who will eventually ask how it went, it gives me the motivation to get out the door. 

Another thing I've noticed is that the more people I tell, the more people want to get involved.  I have had several people tell me that the will do the triathlon with me and I think that's Awesome.  And if that doesn't motivate you to keep working then what will.  Who wants to be the person who convinces their friends to sign up for an event then backs out at the last minute.  Not me, that for sure!

So pass this on, tell your friends what your are doing and when.  You never know they might just join in too. 

The Basics of Triathlon

Why? - Why not
Why would anyone want to do a triathlon?  Well I cannot answer that question for anyone except myself.  And I shouldn't answer for anyone else.  Come up with your own reasons why you do it.    I can say this about why I'm doing it - Because it sounds Awesome!  I like the idea that I will be able to say that I was able to complete three separate events back-to-back-to-back.  I like that I will be able to call myself a triathlete.  I’m doing it as awesome motivation to lose weight.  I have set the goal to finish a race and I'm using that as motivation to work out more.  I’m using it as a motivation to eat better.   I’m using the fact that I am committed to this event, to gain the commitment of others to compete along with me.  In gaining the commitment of family and friends to run, I am helping improve the overall health of the people around me.  - Awesome!

The events
So.. What are the three events of a (tri)athlon?  Traditionally they are swimming, biking and running.  What else is there to say.  You swim for a distance, then bike for a distance and then run for a distance.   Distances vary from race to race, depending on the overall objective competition level and limitations of the course venue.

Typical distances

Sprint
This is the shortest of all the distances.  Contrary to its name, its not likely that you will sprint the whole way through.  Typical sprint distances would be in the range of
Swim    500-700 Yards
Bike    12-15 Miles
Run    3-5 Miles


Olympic (Standard)
Swim    1.5K
Bike    40K
Run    10K


Ironman (AKA Ultra Triathlon)
Swim    2.2 Miles
Bike    212 Miles
Run    26.2 Miles

Gear
On the most basic level, there isn't much you need to complete a triathlon.  Great gear can be an advantage but it is not a necessity for the enjoyment of the sport.  There is an amazing amount of information out there on all sorts of awesome gear.  But from the start all you really need is:
1. Something to swim in (Swimsuit, cap is usually provided)
2. Something to Ride (Bicycle and Helmet)
3. Something to run in (Shorts, T-Shirt, Shoes)

That’s pretty much it.

Why The Heck Would I do a Triathlon

I am starting this blog to document my progress towards my first triathlon. 

Why would I want to to a triathlon you may ask?  Well why wouldn't I?  How many reasons do you need.  It's a great way to get and stay healthy. I can check this off of my bucket list.  And besides I think it would be awesome to say "Hi, my name is Russ, and I am a triathlete".

So I have set a goal for myself to complete a sprint triathlon without taking any breaks in 2012.  This is something that I have wanted to accomplish for a long time.  I remember as a kid watching coverage of the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii and thinking to myself, "These people are amazing!"  The strength and endurance these people have is truly awesome!

While the Sprint distance is more my level versus an Ironman, it is still an awesome event.  I have to admit that there are some ulterior motives in play here.  The goal of completing a triathlon is not the only reason that I am competing.  I am also using this event as a motivator for weight loss.  Along with that, I'm trying to use the event to help inspire those close to me to get healthy as well.  How awesome would that be?