Kona or Bust Week 4: 25 Days & Counting

The count down has officially turned from weeks to days.  I am less than a month away. In fact, Race Day was a month ago Saturday! It’s hard to believe. I’ve spent the last 15 weeks training with laser focus for ONE race. Granted it is THE race of any triathlete’s career but nevertheless the training is starting to take its toll. The last 15 weeks have been more organized, planned, data dependent than any other race season I have trained for. My body is feeling the effect. It’s not sore it’s just tired. Getting out of bed in the morning is rough. Getting my body over the hump of working out takes a little bit longer than usual. My workouts are still solid and I feel ready but I could snap at any second.

It is commonly seen in athletes that put in A LOT of volume, mental & physical preparation, and time to emotionally start to fray. I spent some time thinking back to when this ride to Kona started. It didn’t start in May when I competed in St. Croix Half Ironman. It started in December of 2013 when I started training. As I’ve already mentioned it was never my intention to go to St. Croix to race for a Kona slot. My plan was to race hard, enjoy the time away, and figure out what I’d do next when I got back. Fate took care of what would come next setting me on a 20 week training plan to get me ready for Kona.

With a collective 39 weeks (if I’ve done my math correctly) of training under my belt I can honestly say I haven’t trained this long or this hard EVER. In fact I haven’t ridden my bike this far into September because of my coaching responsibilities. When I say that I’m emotionally tired I hope that whoever is reading this can wrap their head around what I’ve done and how taxing it is to stay on point this long.

My experience isn’t any different than most putting in the time and volume for an Ironman. There is always a point of breaking and typically it’s emotional. This week was my breaking point. I was riding a high after the 70.3 Worlds but as usual I didn’t take into account just how tired I would be after being away for 5 days, driving 10 hours home, and jumping back into training after only an extra day of rest. I found myself feeling more anxious and irritable than usual. I spent the last two days screaming at idiot drivers who were too busy smoking their cigarette butts or texting to notice I have running or riding on their side of the road. I’m not kidding, I was screaming and waving my hands. If idiot drivers weren’t irking me it was the wind, or the holes & cracks in the road, or the fact my torpedo bottle bounced out of it’s cage twice on my long training ride.

I’ve had more “moments” that are out of character that I can only chalk up to the wear and tear of training. I’m close. So close, that I ship my bike to Kona this coming Saturday. I only have to keep myself going only a few more weeks before the taper begins and I toe the line at the Ironman World Championships. My good friend Steve Roulier, 2013 Ironman World Championship Finisher, gave me some advice after we finished our ride on Sunday. “Reflect back on how far you have come and realize that you’re ready. You’re on the top of the world just waiting to compete on the world’s Ironman stage. Enjoy it! Relax when you can and visualize YOUR race.”

I’m not one to sit still long enough to visualize…or relax but I can reflect back on how far I’ve come since I started training in December. I have enjoyed the journey so far, even with my few temper tantrums and mental moments. I will continue to enjoy the time I have left and savor each moment. Who knows if it will ever happen again!

SK

When you rush through it, it sucks.

I am a person that wakes up on a mission. I make lists and I like to get that list done before the day expires. If I don't complete that list I'm pissed. I evaluate what could I have done differently. Where was I off in my projection? Where did I made extra steps and become less efficient? Another question I regularly ask myself: when does efficiency make you suck?

I look at my productivity to find ways I could be faster, more efficient and crisp. I like the way I do things, but I certainly don't do anything perfectly. Quite frankly, I have never expected too - it doesn't exist. I understand that when doing a task you should do it with integrity, passion, and pride. Making sure that you devote yourself to IT; no matter what IT is. It leaves you with a sense of pride to say I did THAT. 

When I cut grass at the golf course, I wanted the greens to roll crisp and true. When I commercially cleaned carpets, I never left a job site with a spot on that floor. When I made sandwiches at the deli, every piece of lettuce was hand selected and certainly never just tossed on the roll and thrown in a paper. In all the jobs I've had (yes there are a lot more,) I have found it less "work" when I poured in that level of pride and walked away knowing that my job was an extension of what I had to give. 

Lately, I have found myself increasingly irritated with the lack of integrity placed into things by people. From a prepared coffee to a sandwich. The greeter at the storefront to the front desk attendant at a hotel. Waitress to electrician. Comcast Rep to the trash guy. I really don't get it. You're gainfully employed and earning a living. More importantly YOU filled out the application! It's not my fault you're tired or stressed. Or that you're hungry or hung-over. It's your job. Do it well, do it with integrity, and stop making it suck for everyone around you. I have never understood rushing through something to be left with doing nothing. Anyone? 

Rushing through life hoping that by chance at the end of tomorrow it's going to be different. Guess what? It's not! It's what you do right now that writes the script and allows you to find happiness. Oh yeah, It's not anyone else's fault, issue, problem or concern either. It's YOUR issue - OWN IT. That life you are unhappy with, complain about, and rush through everyday like you're going to escape it - you are the one making it suck. Slow down, face it head own, and devote your entire self to it, whatever it is. Trust me, do that and you will find joy in everyday you are given.

~Sully

Not enough time in the day to workout?

Not enough time in the day to workout?

You hear it all the time, "I don't have time for that; I have kids, work, school, etc." You're right, not everyone has time for an hour workout when it takes 10 minutes to get to and from the gym. Add in eating before, changing clothes, traffic; sometimes we're looking at a two hour ordeal to get in that workout that you sometimes don't really even want to do.

First - if you don't have time to go to the gym and truly don't, nobody wants to hear you bitch about it. Do something around the house - garden, clean, go out for a walk with the kids or just a brisk walk by yourself. That's a "functional" workout for you; it doesn't always have to be weights and running. I'd rather see you post a picture of yourself raking the yard as opposed to a picture of you squatting an insignificant amount of weight, with terrible form, while having a stupid duck face. But I'll leave that topic for another day.

Second - back to doing something you don't want to do. Why? I don't like to run, so I don't. Ever. Forcing yourself to the gym to do something you hate to do will make it seem like you have even less time than you really do. Funny how you find time to watch "Game of Thrones", check Facebook or find time to complain about not having time. Do something you actually want to do like hiking, biking, swimming, golf, tennis or anything active that's enjoyable. You'll find time for that.

Third and last - you don't always have to work out for an hour. Do a half hour blast, split your runs up, quick ride on the bike, mobility/Trigger Point session - anything is more effective than sitting on your ass especially if that's what you have to do for your day job. 

Move more, get out, and stay active.

CW

You Want Me to Feel What – Where?!

For most of my training career I have lifted by myself due to a busy life schedule leading to a haphazard training schedule. Recently, I have been lucky enough to begin training with an experienced lifter – and a friend. Entering this new relationship was exciting. I now had access to a trustworthy spot and set of eyes, as well as a lift off whenever I needed it – dreams do come true.

Being solo lifters a majority of the time, we both came in with a high sense of self-regulation as well as the sense that for the most part, we could take care of ourselves. As a creature of habit, I would find myself asking my partner-in-crime “Where’d you feel that?” To my disbelief we usually disagreed, and our foundations of activation as well as cueing were very different.

For example, when completing a lift such as the deadlift, the typical person is thinking about getting this bar up at any cost when at the bottom of the bar – what happens in the middle doesn’t much matter. This training style and belief not only can lead to injuries, but also takes away from why the exercise was prescribed in the first place.

Just now it dawns on me that my buddy is an animal, an absolute beast, a beautiful DISASTER. No one ever took the time to help him get what he truly could out of the exercise with proper cues, and he muscles through weight any way he can. His numbers are impressive, but the movement patterns and pain are not.  

I loved this because I instantly knew we had a lot we could potentially learn from each other. Different points of view are extremely refreshing because no two people will complete the same movement with the same cues as their counterpart. However, the differences in the potential benefits to each exercise and the target areas was concerning. This is a pattern I’ve seen throughout my career, people not paying attention to the exercise and just trying to complete it. No matter the reason, if compensations are sought when completing an exercise, there will be a detrimental effect on the body. That effect can come in the form of decreased athletic performance or injury. Take responsibility of each exercise and be accountable! Get the most out of those early mornings and late nights so you can boast about your awesome glutes – or whatever it is you want! It is achievable; you just have to concentrate on your body. Control the exercise, don’t let the exercise control you!

- Tim

Be Inspired by Them. Motivated for YOU.

We all do it. We have those individuals, or find ourselves in situations, in which we are enamored by someone else. Whether it is their physique, performance, and/or accomplishments - it happens. I myself am guilty of this behavior on a regular basis. I'm a list maker - Type A. Still I feel myself getting wrapped up in the latest of things that I read or see: I want to win the CrossFit Games because I just watched it on ESPN 2, or I want to run a 3:40 marathon because he or she did, or I want to vacation in the Caribbean. Have you seen my skin?! I look like the underbelly of a deep water fish. The Caribbean Sullivan?? But really... is that what I want? Is that what YOU want?

I myself am a slender build and it's difficult for me to put on weight... Ok, now you know I'm bullshitting. I'm quite the opposite. I'm built like wrecking ball with a big ass and legs that make it difficult to buy pants. I work with a number of colleagues, whom I respect immensely, that have very lean builds and body types, muscular arms, and shredded abs. I find myself pushing towards THAT instead of embracing the fact that I might not have a 6-pack but I can squat a house. I find myself caught off guard by these thoughts and obsessing over physical aspects that were never important to me and I never wanted to accomplish in the first place. Why?

Don't get me wrong, I think that having this kind of stimuli in our lives is very important for consistent personal growth. Complacency can be the death of us all! Whether it applies to your health, profession, or relationships, complacency is the beginning of the end. So I welcome these stressors. I welcome these  in my life and these situations that cause me to push to be the best ME. I to need to remind myself constantly of that final point. Be the best ME!

We all fall victim to being caught up in what is popular or trending. I see so many of us waste time & energy, getting stressed and becoming distracted by someone else's accomplishments and/or their "highlight reel ". To borrow a quote from Will Smith: "Too many people spend money they didn't earn, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like". We see another person "happy" and we covet their life becoming jealous rather than inspired. Let's cut the shit. Seriously.

Ask yourself: what is important and motivating to YOU? Set some goals around what YOU want and allow yourself to be happy for others when they get what THEY want. Be inspired, not intimidated. It's amazing to let go. 

~Sully

Activity Avoidance - Deadlifts Don't Bite

Most of the active community work towards their goal of being healthy. A healthy lifestyle 
encompasses many different domains, including exercise. The exercise domain can be broken down into resistance exercises, cardio, agility training, and many more. Without even knowing it, you subconsciously sabotage yourselves on your way towards being a well rounded person by avoiding specific exercises. 

“I HATE RUNNING!”

A statement I have heard so many times. Your body is a master at coping and will prefer the type of exercise that you are good at and your body is built for. In most cases, that exercise type or even specific exercise that you DESPISE, is the one that you need to do the most!

Early in my training career I would avoid deadlifts, sometimes on purpose and sometimes 
subconsciously. This effected the benefits I received from the exercise. A year prior, I had 
sustained an injury that, unbeknownst to me, would limit my hamstring strength on that leg. OF COURSE I liked to squat more, I was better at it! It was easier for me. My body knew that and directed me accordingly. This mechanism is the same way that people get hurt every day, through compensations and avoidance of at risk areas. 

This is an easy fix! Hold yourself accountable for your own health. Have someone asses your workout routine or have them develop a program for you altogether. Put the responsibility into the right hands to make sure that you give your body everything it deserves!

To Roll or Not To Roll?

Most of you know that a good dynamic warm up, foam rolling and some light stretching are beneficial before and after exercising.You all have your own variations on these routines or techniques you apply to your pre/post workout regimen, which is great.However, I’ve noticed lately there are many of you who don’t have a pre or post workout regimen.I have two goals for this blog post. First, I want people that aren't doing any kind of rolling for myofascial release pre/post workout to start adding it in. Second, I would like to get people that have a routine to think outside the box and add some new techniques or focus on some new muscles groups rather than the usual suspects.

 

If you haven’t considered the benefits of rolling, here's the short version. Rolling is very much like a massage, it manipulates the tissues in and around muscles or joints to increase blood flow, increase oxygenation, increase flexibility, break-up muscle tissue (knots), and increase movement. During exercise all these tissues can get tight which is why you need to spend time before and after a workout "working out the kinks". Skipping this step subjects yourself to an increased risk of injury or limiting your ability to get better from an issue that has been a constant problem.

Many of us get stuck repeatedly rolling the same areas, which don't get me wrong isn't a bad thing. If you have a tight IT band then go ahead and roll the crap out of it, but a lot of us don't think to do anything other than the big things (IT band, quads, hamstrings, glutes). Everything is connected, a common statement that you might have heard around CPC before, and it's true. A lot of times that nagging tightness or soreness in your glute isn't coming directly from that area. You can roll the hell out of it, and it will feel better for a while, but may never go away. You need to look to other areas. Look to the lower leg for example. Our feet hit the floor first in the morning and are the last off of it at night (I didn't come up with that I stole it from somewhere). Many of us are constantly on our feet, if they aren't happy then that is going to work it's way right up the line. I want people to start thinking outside of the norm for your routines, in order to treat your ailments. You can roll virtually any muscle, and if you don't know how then ask.  

If you're looking for a more in depth look at rolling, I seriously encourage you to sign up for the Trigger Point workshop we have coming up here at CPC on Sunday, May 18th. It's open to the public, you don't have to be "in the field", and you shouldn't feel intimidated. The workshops are fun, informative and enjoyable. You'll get a lot out of it and most of all you'll probably learn how to fix some of those aches and pains.

- MS