Bring it on 2013!

Been a while since I've posted.  A lot has happened since you last heard from me.  Let's see.... it was April that I fell away into oblivion so I'll give you a quick rundown.  I got married to my beautiful (now) wife.  I did continue training and finished my first half marathon in September! I have been back to Colorado to visit family, have finally started figuring out the life of South Dakota, and have managed to take a new position at work that is WAY better than what I was doing before.  I lived through the end of the world, (thank you goes out to the ancient Mayans for keeping the end of the year entertaining), and the biggest news of all... me and my wife are expecting a baby boy in April!  2012 was a year to remember and one that I will always consider a cornerstone in my life.

A little update on where I'm at now...  I ran the half marathon in September and honestly my training leading up to the race fell off a little bit.  I still ran the race and finished with a time of JUST over two hours; two hours and two minutes to be exact.  The month following that was filled with excruciating pain from what I can only assume was an injury from lack of training and preparation. In October I enjoyed ample amounts of couch and beer time, November brought unlimited snacks and turkey, while December quickly followed with lots of travel, fast food, and Grandma's cooking.  Combine all of this with what I'd like to deem as "sympathy weight" gain for my wife being pregnant, I currently tip the scale at 221 lbs.  I am 6'0" tall and from the BMI calculator that I so easily googled, I come in at a 30, or "obese."  Hard to believe that I just ran that race barely three months ago huh?

Well, I want you to know that for 2013, I'll be here.  No more disappearing into oblivion.  I will be here laying it out on the line every step of the way on how I'm going to fix myself.  I have a new baby on the way and he deserves a roll model.  I want to say I'm doing this for him, and in part I am, but number one on the list of who this is for is myself.  I believe that has to be the case in order to be successful.  There will be ups and downs, and hopefully you come with. September 2013 at 6:45am I will be at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, SD to run my first full marathon!

To start... here are my pictures for everyone to see:

   

There's a long way to go but even the David started as an unshapely piece of marble.

Days one and two over in a lifelong journey!

One thing I've noticed about training for something like this, even at this early stage, is how time consuming it is.  The amount of time one needs to spend training can easily take up every spare minute, (even some that aren't spare.)  Fortunately we were graced with creativity and that is an essential tool to getting my workouts in.

My work schedule allows me to have 2 days off after working two and having a three day weekend every other week.  Most of the training schedules I have found have a set order of days that end up being high intensity and some that are "short" days.  The days off will be my long days with 2 workouts each day while working days will be "recovery" days with only one workout.

The past two days have been a great start. Between the two days I have run a total of 1 hr and 45 min at 10.65 miles and 2 hours of biking at 26 miles. I split the bike and runs up with my runs at noon and biking around 5pm.  I had a lot of soreness after yesterday but today have felt pretty good!  Off to a great start. Now it's time to find a pool.....

Time to get back in the game... Ironman 2013 here we come!

To everyone who's been following, I thank you for your support. I owe an apology for my recent lack of posting. It's been a very busy 2012 so far and I have gotten a little off track from where this blog originally started.  We've been planning the wedding which is coming very quickly in May.  It's been really exciting and really fun, but it takes a lot of our time.  If I'm being honest, which is what this is all about, I haven't trained like I had set out to do.  The April race is too close to the wedding to realistically be able to accomplish and the finances of purchasing a bike, entrance fee, etc... don't fall in our budget.

I haven't given up that easily though! Excuses are just that, excuses... If you remember back to one of the first posts I said my ultimate goal is to finish an Ironman race by the time I am 30.  Well, I have upped the ante a little bit on that and have set my sights on early to middle of 2013!! I would love to compete in Wisconsin or St. George and one of those two will be my focus. When it's decided I will keep you updated!

I invite you to come along on this journey with me. It's not about winning, it's not about "just finishing", it's about proving to myself that I can do it. There will be down times, up times, bad times, and good times; all of which I will uncandidly share with you.

For a goal like this, one needs support.  I hope for you to help in that support and enjoy the ride. I know that I will. I started training this week by upping the intensity and distances of all workouts.  During my absence from writing I did not just sit on the couch like a blob so at least I have a good platform to build from.  Once again, thanks to everyone for following and stay tuned for some real entertainment and who knows, maybe one day you'll see me in KONA!

Don't Jump on the No-Motivation Express! - 10 Ways to Stay Motivated to Reach Your Fitness Goals

Gizmo on our walk through the forest
behind our house.  Finding those hidden
treasure spots in your area is a great way to
keep pushing!

We're 10 days into the new year and hopefully still going strong.  One thing to keep in mind as we're trying to reach our goals is motivation.  A lack of motivation will end any hopes of getting where you want to go.

It happens to the best of us.  Wake up in a bad mood, real-life starts to catch up with you, the gym is "too busy" and we don't want to go, maybe we took a couple days off that we shouldn't have, etc...  Whatever the reason, the no-motivation express hits nearly everyone square in the face at one point or another on their way towards achieving their goals.  Hitting it back is what separates success from failure.

I am constantly looking for that edge while at the same time keeping it fun.  I lose motivation fairly quickly so for me this topic is vital to my success.  I always am looking for new ideas and new ways to get through the workouts I need to do.  Some days are easy, but others are damn near impossible...

If you can go to the gym day in and day out and run on that treadmill, or ride on that bike, or lift those weights, all with a constant gung-ho attitude then I applaud you.  Keep it up and revel in your glory.  Unfortunately, if you are one of "those people," you're probably not reading this looking for ways to stay motivated. So, for the other 99% of us, here's a few tips and tricks that I use that always keep me giving it my all.

1. KEEP IT FUN!!

I can't stress this enough. If it's not fun, the simple fact of the matter is you're not going to want to do it.  Training can be monotonous at times but the goal is to enjoy what you're doing.  Find ways to stay interested and look forward to working out and it'll make starting your training a whole heck-of-a-lot easier to do each day.

2. Keep it Different

Don't go to the gym every day and do the same thing each time.  In fact, don't go to the gym every day.  The treadmill can get really boring, really quickly.  If it's nice outside, even in the winter, find somewhere in your local area to go run.  Here in Sioux Falls, I have found a place to get my runs in that take me through a nice forest and along a meandering river.  The whole loop starting at my front door is roughly 3 miles.  Perfect for my pre-season training that I'm currently in.

3.  Explore

When you do take your runs or bike rides outside, venture outside of your local area.  Pick up a trails guide from your local book store and mark out places fairly near to you that you would like to train at and then go do it.  Personally, I'm spending 1-2 hours each day out running or riding a bike.  I want to see some new scenery now and then!

4.  Remember Why it's Your Goal in the First Place

It's easy to start out really excited and do really well and then fade off track and fail.  I think this is because when we start, our reasoning for wanting to accomplish something is fresh in our minds.  Over time, it fades a little bit and so does our motivation. When I'm having a tough time getting out there, I reassess what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and what I need to continue to do to get where I want to go.  

5.  Make Multiple Music Play-lists

Don't train to the same music every day.  It's boring; we get tired of songs; some days we're in the mood for something different. Have a rock playlist for your hardcore "knock this thing out" days.  Use hip-hop songs for your rhythmic workouts such as weight lifting.  Music is a vital component to a successful workout. When I have the right thing playing, I can push myself a little bit harder than if I didn't.

6. Read up on Your Goal

What do people who do what you want to do, do?  Are there professionals?  I know there are in the sport of triathlon.  When I'm not training, I try and read as many articles on the sport as I can.  What's the new gear? Who's at the top of the sport and how did they get there?  What were the results of the past years races that I plan on doing this year?  All of these things, and so much more, are out there and when I'm reading up on it, it just gets me amped to get out there and train.

7. Make a Photo Diary for the Workout

Take pictures while you train.  Take pictures of yourself, your gym, the outdoors, the people you're with, your meals, you getting ready to go, WHATEVER.  Everyone loves pictures, and it's not just for other people.  A picture is worth 1000 words and if you have 1000 pictures of your day, your going to remember it and talk about it and want to do it all over again the next day.

8. Keep a Blog or a Journal

This has probably been the single most motivating thing I have done in my training.  I don't think that without it I would be anywhere near where I am in my training at this point.  Something about it keeps me accountable for my training and is a great way to look back on what I've done to date.  The ability to look back on failures and success is exciting and it makes me want to get out there so I can record what I did that day.

9. Get a Training Buddy

10. Come Up With Something That Motivates You

I can't come up with everything that motivates you. There's a good chance that none of this motivates you.  Everyone is different so at the end of it all, come up with some ideas yourself.  Stay positive, stay real, and get creative. You might just surprise yourself with what you come up with.

The only person that's going to do this for me is me.  The only person that's going to do this for you is you.  We can help each other, and give each other tips and tricks along the way but at the end of the day it comes down to what's inside.  I started my journey towards becoming a triathlete because I was tired of taking the easy way out.  I'm only one month into it and I have already, on multiple occasions found reasons I shouldn't keep going.  Each time, I have had to find a better reason that I should. I am loving how much character my training has instilled in me already and can't wait to see where this takes me.

Find a way to reach your goals and don't give up.  When that train comes through your town hop on the no-motivation express, kick the conductor out the window, and drive that train somewhere else.  You have to find a way to keep it out of your day if your ever going to stay motivated and succeed in all of the improbable madness.

7 Reasons Not to Drink This Year

Since deciding to become a triathlete, I have done more and more thinking about the things I do every day.  Physical fitness and my well-being has come to be more and more critical as the race gets closer.  One thing I have spent a lot of time thinking about is drinking.  I have read articles on the pro's and con's and seen writings from athletes that drink occasionally as well as those that don't at all.  After much debate, I have decided that as of 01/05/2012 I will no longer be a drinker.  A few of the reasons are competition specific, but more importantly, I think it's important to look at a decision like this in a broader scope and how such things affect our lives as a whole.  Some of my reasoning is listed here:

I Just Don't Have Time~  I currently work 40-48 hours per week.  Outside of that I am spending time with my fiance and my dog.  We're currently planning a wedding, honeymoon, and looking to purchase our first house.  Outside of all of that, I am spending at least 8 hours in the gym each week training for my first triathlon.  The simple truth of the matter is I have better things to do than spend my time drinking.

$$$$~ If you're a drinker then you know this one very well.  Go through your bank statement and add up all of the money spent on alcohol or activities that involve drinking in any way.  It's a shock to most people exactly how much money we spend each month on drinking.  Think of everything else that could be spent on.  Savings, bills, retirement, vacation!

The Hangover~ On New Year's Day I saw, "Enjoy your hangover everyone!" plastered all over Facebook.  Why is that a good thing? Is it a social pride thing to feel sick all day and waste a good day lying sick in bed?  There's usually drama during the night of intoxication, most of which would probably be avoided if I were sober.  Personally, I hate how I feel after a "good" night of drinking.

"Because I Can"~ It's common.  "I'm going to try and not drink for a month."  The simple fact that one would have to "try" to not drink for a month means there's some level of dependency, no matter how small it may be.  Taking complete control of our habits can be one of the most rewarding things a person can do.

Weight Loss~ It's well known, the infamous "beer belly."  Lose the beer and you're one step closer to losing the belly.  When we drink, we eat, and generally not well.  Bar nachos and stadium hot dogs. Pizza and more empty calories from booze. Drinking alcohol is a fantastic way to keep all of that unwanted flab!

Dehydration~ Much of what we are feeling when we're hungover after a night of partying are the effects of dehydration.  As a person about to push his physical limits to the extreme, dehydration is the very last thing I need to help cause.

Long Term Health~ Many of us don't think about the long term.  The fact is that while alcohol has been shown to have positive affects in small amounts, large consumption of alcohol can cause severe health problems over many years of use. We aren't given very long to live and I want to be around, in good health, for as long as possible.

I'm not saying drinking is terrible. I'm not even saying it's bad.  In fact, I've had some great times that involved alcohol.  I'm simply giving some of my reasons for making the decision to not drink.  I want to enjoy every minute I have with the ones I love. I don't want to spend that time in a stupor where I'm not myself, may not remember it anyway, and quite possibly am going to feel like I have the flu the next day.  I want to keep my body in peak physical condition and I want to try something new.   I want to find other ways to enjoy the precious little time I have and experience to the fullest all of this improbable madness.

Mental Madness

Staying with my plan to rest on the days I work and train on my days off, I hadn't worked out for the past two days.  I went bike shopping two days ago and got a little overwhelmed.  I don't know how I'm possibly going to afford a bike to have by race day with all that I have going this year.  I may end up renting one for my first race but at this point, I don't know.

This kind of made me push away from wanting to train.  I woke up this morning in a funk.  I had planned on getting up and running when I woke up since it has been record high temperatures here in Sioux Falls this week but I just couldn't find the motivation.  Honestly, I sat around all day and wasted a great day.

I think this is what I do.  I think this is what a lot of people do.  I try to find a reason to not accomplish a goal instead of finding a way to overcome the obstacle.  It's simple to take the easy way out and say, "I can't afford a bike right now, I'll do it next year when I'm not so busy."  Whatever the excuse is, at some point it has to stop.

While sitting around today I thought about this and came to the conclusion that no matter what, I was going to finish this race.  Not only that, I am going to finish in the top 25%.  That's all there is to it. Done. Finished. End of story.  NO MORE EXCUSES!!!

So, after a rough day mentally, we went to the gym tonight and had an AMAZING workout.  I rode the bike as hard as I could for the full distance that will be in the race, 12.5 miles, just to see how fast I could do it.  Here's the results!!  Not bad I figured, considering I still have right at 4 months until race day.

After an intense workout, Carri and I came home and cooked dinner together.  A good mix of salad greens with chicken and home made bacon bits (gotta splurge a little while I can), yellow, red, and orange bell peppers, cucumber, carrots, onion, and tomato. I could eat like that every day.  More than likely, as the race gets closer and closer, it will be a good mix between that and pastas for carbohydrates.

Days like today are going to happen.  99% of us aren't able to set a goal and every single day attack them head on.  We have struggles in life, things happen, we get discouraged.  There's always going to be something; a bike that you can't afford, family coming to town, work getting in the way, etc... Whatever it is, there is a way to overcome it!  If you truly want to achieve a goal, the only thing that can stop you is you.  I am slowly learning that this triathlon is just as much, if not more, mental as it is physical.  At the end of the day, it comes down to asking ourselves, "How much do I want it?"  For me, there's no more excuses to fail in this improbable madness.