mike's posts http://mjljr.posterous.com Most recent posts at mike's posts posterous.com Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:51:41 -0700 A quick note about Ironman Cabo http://mjljr.posterous.com/a-quick-note-about-ironman-cabo http://mjljr.posterous.com/a-quick-note-about-ironman-cabo

On Sunday March 17th, Brigit and I did Ironman Los Cabos.  It was hard.  Of about 1400 starters, I finished 748th in 15:21.  I assume there were a lot of DNF's.

Here's a bit about my race for those who care, and a little advice for those seeking to do it in the future.

5 minutes before the race I got stepped on and cut open my heel/achilles on my left foot.  It's pretty gross looking right now, considering I had napkins and electrical tape holding it all together for a couple of days.

Once the gun went off, the swim was crazy immediately.  We got hit hard with two very large swells in the first minute, so that made a cluster ever more clustery. A good bit of chop made the last 1700 seem like 2500, and my 1:05 reflected that.  I'm sure yacking 3 times didn't help my swim time either.

On the bike ride, things got interesting from the start.  It's a lot of rollers on the way down to Cabo San Lucas, and a bit of wind the first time around.  Coming back and then heading out to the airport is when the fun really starts.  Prepare for a brutally hot 3-4 mile climb followed by a descent that will make your organs rattle.  The second loop is when the sun, heat and wind really become a factor.  Certain points felt like a broiler, some felt like a wind tunnel. That second loop was the first time that it was easier to ride up a hill going out than to ride down it coming back.  Good stuff.

The run course was awesome.  It was incredibly well supported with Aid Stations everywhere, tons of locals screaming "Vamonos Vamonos!", and nicely laid out.  Had I personally had the energy and stomach to run, it could have been a really good run split for me.  The first 9.5 were a slow run, but then my busted up heel was just too much to deal with so I started walking.  And then I kept walking.  Finally, after 21 miles, I sat down with Brigit's mom and waited there for a while for Brigit to catch up.  She was in the same pain I was, so we walked the last 5.2 together and finished hand in hand.  That was the best part of the day for me.

Advice.  Figure out how to train in really hot conditions, even if that means jacking up the thermostat in your house to 80.  Go for a swim in the local indoor wave pool.  And lastly, don't ride a single flat section on your trainer.

If you are looking for a late winter race that will knock your socks off, this is it.  It's beautiful and challenging.  The best part is the margarita afterwards. Salud!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:18:39 -0800 Two Legs http://mjljr.posterous.com/two-legs http://mjljr.posterous.com/two-legs

Today while I was out running, I had this weird sensation come over me.

I'm really happy that I have two legs that are all there and functional.

Not everyone can say that.  Some have part of one missing below the knee, some are missing one altogether, some have none whatsoever.  Whatever the reason for their misfortune, there's a good chance they'll never again feel what I felt today.

My two legs might not run like Mo Farah, pedal like Fabian Cancellara's, or kick like David Beckham's, but they're still attached and working.  They get me from race to race, the ground to my apartment on the second floor, and the bed to my shower.

Chew on that.

Then go thank a Veteran for putting his two legs in harm's way so you can safely use yours every single day.

Happy Veteran's Day to all that serve past and present. Thank you.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Mon, 14 May 2012 13:37:00 -0700 Stealing back a stolen bike. Check. http://mjljr.posterous.com/stealing-back-a-stolen-bike-check http://mjljr.posterous.com/stealing-back-a-stolen-bike-check

Last Friday was a cool day for me.  The plan was simple for Brigit and I, get our stuff done by noon and dash out of the city up to Madison, WI to ride a couple loops of the IM Wisconsin bike course, then go out for a couple beers in Madison and crash.  Cool, right?

In order for this story to make a bit more sense, let's back up a couple months.  I think it was the middle of March when we went to The Villages to visit Brigit's parents.  One of the awesome things we did was go to this flea market in Ocala, FL.  Culturing experience, to say the least.  We did, however, buy some sunglasses.  $8/pair for some great Oakly M-Frames without the Oakley logo.  Let's not get into that, just know they were great.  

Last month we raced in New Orleans and Brigit dropped her bike on the lens of hers and wrecked them.  Not a big deal since they were cheap, but she was out a pair of shades to run in.  So, my plan was to head out to Swap-o-Rama near O'hare Friday morning and surprise her with some new ones.  I thought that since we had bought them at a flea market originally, that this one would have them too.  Naive.  They did not.  Mission failed.  Time to leave.

Not so fast.

On my way out, I saw this older gentleman walking a bike in the opposite direction of me.  It was a white Giant road bike.  A white Giant OCR1-W with grey trim.  Just like the bike Brigit had up until last summer when it was stolen from a bike rack in front of the Sears Tower where she works.

I stopped the man and played dumb.

"Hey man, cool bike!  Can I take a look at it?"  I was looking for details I knew were on her bike.  Shimano SPD pedals? Check. 50/39/30 Compact Triple? Check. Shimano 105? Check.  Everything I looked for was there.  It was her bike.

"Whatchoo think bro? You like?"

"Yeah I do!  This would be a perfect bike for my girlfriend.  How much do you want for it?

"Oh, I pay 180, so how bout 220 cash and it's yours?"

"How about zero and I don't tell anyone that you stole this bike from the bike rack across the street from Sears Tower last summer?  We'll call it even."

"Oh. Its yours man."

Before I even finished he was handing me the bike.  I made a beeline for the car and zoomed out of there as quickly as I could. Did he have friends following me? I didn't want to find out, even with my newfound confidence and highly held chin.

Yesterday we dropped it off at Element Multisport to have it cleaned up and tuned.  Brigit will be back riding her road bike on Wednesday afternoon.

What are the chances of me showing up to a flea market the day this gentleman is trying to sell a stolen bicycle, almost a year after he originally stole it?  Doesn't matter.  We win.

Bucket List:

47. Steal back a stolen bike.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:13:00 -0800 Running Like a Moron http://mjljr.posterous.com/running-like-a-moron http://mjljr.posterous.com/running-like-a-moron

This morning I was out visiting a potential account/friend of mine, Eric Ott.  Eric is a killer runner and triathlete, but also the owner of Geneva Running Outfitters.  If you're ever out that way, stop in.  Great shop, great people, and some seriously smart employees too.

Anyway, it's no secret I've been crabbing about my knee a lot lately.  I don't know what the cause was, but after today I have a good feeling it goes back to the bike crash I had over Labor Day.  I was talking with Eric about my bum knee and he suggested I get on the treadmill and look at my stride.  

Here's what we learned: my left leg from hip to knee is operating at less than the ROM of my right leg.  What I mean is that my knee is bending less when my foot comes through, and my hip doesn't drive my femur/knee as far forward as my right side does.  Makes sense, considering I smashed the pavement on my left side.  Basically, this was causing my knee to be almost locked out on impact, which gives a better chance of my knee guts grinding together uncomfortably.  You'd think I'd feel something as dopey as this, but I didn't.  Woops.

How am I going to fix it?  Flexibility, strength, and practice.  Here's the problem though.  Yoga is the best way for me to increase flexibility, but because of this damn crash, my shoulder may or may not be able to do a downie dog.  We shall see.  Regardless, I'll get this thing figured out.

Long story short is this: If you're running with pain, chances are you're running like a moron.  Go see someone who knows how to run properly, and figure out what you're doing wrong.  Then fix it.

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:36:00 -0800 Quick Update http://mjljr.posterous.com/quick-update http://mjljr.posterous.com/quick-update

Wowzers.  Forgot I had this little "blog."  Here's a quick update of what's been going on over the past 6 months since I had to whip ass on the Red Line P90X style.

We've done some traveling.  We went to Kona again for the IM world champs in October.  Spent Thanksgiving in Cabo again.  I was in Scottsdale and Florida over Christmas.  We've been stuck every weekend since.  Hopefully a quick trip to Bonaire is in order, a CA visit and maybe Europe in the spring.  I love United!

I finally got my act together and applied to business school.  I have apps in to Indiana (Kelley), Notre Dame (Mendoza), Georgetown (McDonough) and Colorado (Leeds).  I've interviewed at all but Colorado at this point, so that's a good sign.  Hopefully I have some decisions to make in about a month.  But, bottom line is that I most likely won't be in Chicago as of summer's end. 

I didn't race at all last year.  Had some untimely injuries, a slew of weddings and bachelor parties, and very few free weekends.  I was all set to race the 70.3 in Cancun when I had a bad crash on Sheridan Road just before the race.  The crash happened on Labor Day and 5 months later, I'm still not 100%.  I am Debbie Downer on that front.

This season though, I am for sure racing Ironman Wisconsin.  First of that distance.  I'm nervous already.  We're also planning on some 70.3's around the country to mix with some long vacation weekends.  Nothing is set in stone just yet.

I'm also happy to say I'll be racing for the Wattie Ink Elite Team.  I don't know my teammates yet, at least not personally, but we're all good internet friends.  You'll see a lot of #rocktheW on Twitter out of all of us, but I'll do my best to keep things manageable on that front.  Wattie himself has lined up some huge sponsors for us: K-Swiss, Blue Seventy, Kestrel Bicycles, Speedfill, FuelBelt, Kask Helmets, and a whole slew of others.

I'll also make an effort to write more....that is for all 6 of you that may read this!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:20:24 -0700 P90X: How it helped me NOT get mugged http://mjljr.posterous.com/p90x-how-it-helped-me-not-get-mugged http://mjljr.posterous.com/p90x-how-it-helped-me-not-get-mugged

Last week, I started doing P90X in addition to the swimming, cycling and running I do.  I went through a 12 week training block for an Olympic distance triathlon, and just wasn’t feeling like I had gained any speed in any of the three sports, so I felt like I needed to change something up.  2 summers ago, while working an insane month of nights, I haphazardly ordered the P90X DVD’s.  Soon after, I lent them to my friend Dean so he could get in ripped shape for his wedding.  I don’t think he ever took them out of the box.  After 2 years, I finally got them back and did my first set of workouts last week.  I chose the “Lean” version because in the past I’ve packed on muscle quickly and easily when doing weight lifting programs, something I want to avoid if I’m going to race.

On Saturday, I had my first Kenpo X workout.  Kenpo is a form of Karate developed in Hawaii, according the manual with the DVD’s.  To me, it was a Taebo or Cardio Kickboxing type of thing for an hour.  I had never done one of those workouts, and for the first 20 minutes, I looked like an uncoordinated circus clown flailing my arms and legs in the air uncontrollably.  By the end, I was into the “punch, block, kick forward, kick backward” rhythm Mr. Horton was roaring at us from the TV.  When it was all over, I was an air punching machine!

Later that afternoon, I was on the Red Line to go swimming at Lincoln Park Athletic Club.  As always, I had my headphones on, listening to Pandora through my Blackberry.  Between Addison and Belmont, I saw someone out of the corner of my eye sitting in a crowded train, hawk a huge pile of spit in the middle of the floor.  I looked over to see what was going on and then went back to jamming away and reading Twitter.  The next thing I know, said spitter is shoving me into a corner by the exit doors and attempting to rip my Blackberry out of my hand.  In a split second, I couldn’t figure out if it was a man or a woman, and just said to hell with it, knocked away their right arm with a Kenpo style low block with my left arm, and immediately threw a right hook into their throat.  Ba-boom.  Spitter fell back into the opposite doors on the ground holding their throat, without my BB in their hand any longer.  Within seconds, we pulled into the Belmont station and I exited the train.  I couldn’t tell you what happened after I left, but I just kept walking, fists clenched, anticipating an attack from behind.  Nothing happened, and I went on my merry way to the gym***.

Summary:

I haven’t punched anyone in years.  It’s not really in my nature (anymore) to be a fighter, and I try to avoid it.  But, I’m wholly convinced that my Kenpo workout that morning played a role in my defense style.  I don’t know what I would have done otherwise.   So, thanks to P90X and Tony Horton for preventing another Twitter headline about a Red Line mugging.  I hope that it doesn’t happen to me again, and I really hope that it doesn’t happen to any of you who read this.  Stay safe out there.  But, if anyone threatens you physically, know that a hook to the throat works wonders.

***I ended up not going swimming.  I was too worked up and asked Brigit to go to Old Town Art Fair with me to have a beer instead. 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Wed, 05 Jan 2011 07:18:18 -0800 Gym Etiquette for Everyone http://mjljr.posterous.com/gym-etiquette-for-everyone http://mjljr.posterous.com/gym-etiquette-for-everyone

This is the beginning of ‘crowded gym’ season.  Honestly, I don’t mind all the new people coming to MY gym.  I’m really happy for them.  I’m happy they’re trying to better themselves and make for a healthier life.  I only have one problem with new people coming; call it naivety, call it ignorance, call it what you want, but most new people to a gym just don’t know proper gym etiquette.  Totally understandable, but let’s get some education out in the open.

Weight Room:

1.       Breaking a sweat is great, just don’t leave it on the bench.  Wipe it up!

2.       Think of the dumbbell racks like your silverware drawer.  When you grab a 40 pounder, put it back with the 40 pounders.

3.       If someone is on a machine you’d like to use, politely ask “Do you mind if I work in with you?”  If they oblige (which they should), return the weights and settings to what they were when you’re done with your set and get up for your trade off.

4.       Please don’t scream, grunt, growl, or make any other loud or strange noise when doing your workouts.

5.       Breathing like you’re in labor is also weird.  Let’s refrain from that.

6.       No need to slam the dumbbells together, or throw them on the floor. 

Cardio Area

1.       See #1 above

2.       If it’s crowded and no machines are available, figure out where people are waiting and get in line.  Sorry, this happens.

3.       Please, don’t ever put the treadmill so fast you fall off the back.  You don’t want that attention.

4.       Unless you’re walking on an incline, keep your walking on the treadmill to a minimum.

5.       I promise, the elliptical is not the equivalent of running.

Clothing

1.       If Richard Simmons wears it, you should not.

2.       Tight spandex should only be worn by those built like fitness store mannequins.

3.       Under no circumstance is it ever appropriate to take your shirt off, unless your name is Heidi Klum.

4.       Denim is unacceptable.

5.       Flip flops at the gym is like wearing white to a funeral.

6.       You don’t need a weight belt unless you’re entering World’s Strongest Man.

7.       Girls, go easy on the makeup and perfume before entering.  Guys, easy on the cologne.  In fact, skip it altogether.

Locker Room

1.       You are not there alone, keep your naked walking to a minimum.

2.       Treat the locker room like your own bathroom. Clean up after yourself.  Throw your towel in the hamper.

3.       It’s a somewhat crowded place, keep your belongings close to you.

4.       “Excuse Me” is a good habit.

5.       Use a lock on your locker.  People will take your iPod.

6.       Shaving in the steam room is unacceptable.

7.       Wear a towel in the steam room.

Not so hard, right?  What’s missing?  Am I overboard?  Let me know your thoughts.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:20:26 -0800 Treadmill Workouts! http://mjljr.posterous.com/treadmill-workouts http://mjljr.posterous.com/treadmill-workouts

It’s December 14th and unless you’re a total whack job, running outside is probably out of the question for the next few months.  As with most runners and triathletes, I tend to stay away from the treadmill if I can run outside.  Lately, I’ve passed out treadmill workouts to people when they ask, but figured I’d share them with anyone who chooses to read this post.

Note:  If you enjoy running at the same speed, same flat incline, in place, for hours on end, then stop reading here and close this browser window.

Note 2:  If you live somewhere that is perpetually warm, F&^% Off and don’t read this.  Go run outside.

Workout 1:

This one is kind of a speed workout, but call it what you want.  I hope that you know what your 10K pace is.  This is the pace that you can hold for exactly 6.2 miles.  If the race were 7 miles, you wouldn’t make it.  Figure out what that pace is.  Also, I highly recommend a heart rate monitor.  Most treadmills nowadays ‘sense’ all the major brands out there and will display your info on the dashboard.  Here’s how it goes:

Do a 5 minute warm up jog, then start the treadmill over with a new workout.  Get the pace up to your 10K pace immediately.  Let’s say that’s 9.0.  you’re going to run 1.0 miles at this pace.  At 1.0, bring your speed down to a walk, like 4.0 and bring your heart rate back to 140.  As soon as you’re at 140 (usually a minute or two), bump the speed back up to 9.1 and run .9 miles.  Recover at a walk till 140 BPM, and then 9.2 and .8 miles.  Continue this pattern of bumping up .1 MPH for every .1 miles you decrease your distance until you’re doing your last .1 mile at 9.9.  Finish by a slow jog for a couple minutes into a walk for a few minutes.  Time and distance of this workout, completely depend on your base speed and recovery times, but figure in the neighborhood of 6.5-7.0 miles and 1 hour to complete.

Workout 2:

This one is definitely a hill workout.  Again, know your 10K pace.  Let’s say it’s 9.0 again.  Do your 5 minute warm up and start the treadmill over.  Bring the speed up to .5 MPH less than your 10K pace, in this case we’ll say it’s 8.5.  You’re going to start at 5:00 at 8.5 at 1% incline, this is set #1.  After the 5 minutes, bring it down to 0% incline for 1 minute.  After 1 minute, bring the incline up to 2.0% and go for 4 minutes.  Bring the incline down to 0% for 2 minutes.  Then 3 minutes at 3%, 3 minutes at 0%.  2 minutes at 4%, 4 minutes at 0%, 1 minute at 5%, 5 minutes at 0%.  After your last 5 minutes on flat ground, begin a 5 minute cool down that ends in a slow walk.  You’ll be gassed, I hope.

I hope you figured out the pattern on increasing incline, and decreasing time at incline while increasing flat time.  Adjust interval lengths and inclines to your comfort level, but this should be a challenging workout.

Workout 3:

Nothing really fancy here.  This is good for establishing your HR and thresholds.  Think of this as a 5 mile test.  Say your 10K pace comes out to 9.0 MPH, i.e. 41:20 is your 10K time.  Do your 5 minute warm up, and start over with a fresh workout.  Run 1 mile at 8.6, noting your average HR.  After a mile, bump it up to 8.8 and do another mile, noting your heart rate.  For mile 3, bump it up to 9.1, so a little faster than you’d normally run a 10K, and note your heart rate.  For mile 4, come back to 8.8, and mile 5 back to 8.6, noting your HR on each mile coming back down.  Keep a record of these numbers if you like, but see how the corresponding miles compare in HR.  As you get progressively stronger, this workout will do a couple of things.  You’ll see yourself able to go faster at a certain HR, and also you’ll see your trailing HR’s more closely match the beginning miles.  As always, end with a 5 minute cool down.

Workout 4:

This is my favorite one just because it’s so easy to track in my mind what I’ve done in the past.  The mental challenge is the best part, at least for me, because treadmills are so easy to control.  Forget your heart rate monitor here, it’s just unhealthy.  Start with your 5 minute warm up, and then start the treadmill over.  Again, using 9.0 as a base 10K pace for this example, start at 1.0 MPH under, so 8.0.  Run at 8.0 for a minute and bump it up to 8.1.  With each successive minute, bump your speed up .1 MPH.  You hear about going till failure in weight lifting all the time, so now it’s time to introduce it to the treadmill.  Keep adding pace every minute until you can’t go anymore.  I’m talking to the point of “Holy crap I’m going to pass out if I run any faster or any longer.”  I applaud you if you can make this one last for 20 minutes, you’re an insane human if you can go 25.  Any longer than 25 and your base pace is out of whack and you need to re-evaluate that pace.  End this with a 5 minute cool down jog and walk.

There you go.  Four different workouts to help you pass the time on the treadmill.  Get creative with them.  Alter times, intervals, distances, etc.  Do you have any you like to do?  For God’s sake, SHARE THEM!!!  We all hate passing the time on a treadmill!  Good luck this winter.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:39:55 -0800 Raising Our Kids With Exercise http://mjljr.posterous.com/raising-our-kids-with-exercise http://mjljr.posterous.com/raising-our-kids-with-exercise

I’m pretty active, and always have been.  I grew up playing mostly soccer and swimming, but also did baseball, basketball, cross country, track, and even tried my hand at football.  When I wasn’t at formal practice, you could usually find me in any one of our neighbors’ yards playing sports, kick the can, ghosts in the graveyard, etc.  That’s just how all of us were 15-20 years ago.  Apparently today is different.  Kids just aren’t getting the same exercise that they used to when I (we) was (were) growing up. 

Here’s some evidence of that last statement from MSNBC.

I know I’m going to have kids in the future.  I like to think I have too good of genes not to reproduce. (my attempt at comedic relief) Recently, I was with my best friend and her husband at a shopping mall and we were talking about the birth of their first child this coming March.  Somehow we got to the topic of what we thought the child’s interests may be, whether it’s art, music, numbers, sports, etc.  We came to a simple conclusion about how we’d each raise our children and it boils down to one statement.

“My kids can do whatever they want, or be interested in whatever they like, as soon as they get home from swim practice and soccer practice.”

We think that exercise, fitness, competing, and general sports are too important.  We think that if we show them early on that this is just a regular part of life then it will be generally accepted by them as second nature.  All three of us grew up playing soccer and swimming, among other things, and truly believe that those experiences shaped us better than anything else we could have done with our time.

What are your thoughts?  What about the article’s findings?  How can we be better?

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Fri, 03 Dec 2010 07:44:39 -0800 Going Veg... http://mjljr.posterous.com/going-veg http://mjljr.posterous.com/going-veg

As my girlfriend constantly tells me, “You TRON a lot.”  That’s her way of saying I’m always on the internet.  Whether it’s on Twitter, reading the news, reading blogs, etc.  she thinks I’m constantly connected.  She’s probably right.

A lot of my readings are focused towards sports, specifically triathlon, running, cycling and other endurance sports.  I don’t know that it’s a trend, but a lot of elite athletes have written the gospel of going “Veg.”  I’ve decided I want to drop some weight and get in some super shape for next race season, so I figure one of the best ways to do that is to clean up my diet.  The question I keep getting is “Are you going VEGan or VEGetarian?”  Answer: “I don’t know.” 

I don’t know the rules of going either, but here’s where I’m at.  I haven’t eaten a piece of meat (red, poultry, fish) since last Saturday.  I’ve switched out my regular yogurt for soy yogurt.  It’s alright, but definitely doesn’t taste the same.  Most of my protein is coming from nuts, nut butter (insert bad dirty joke here), beans and high protein grains.  I still get my fair share of Mexican food, just like I always have.  I switched from the regular shredded beef EVOL burritos to the few that don’t have meat.  They’re great, and I still eat them with a ton of salsa.  Let’s put it this way, I eat a jar of salsa a week, just on my burritos.

I don’t really feel any different at this point.  I still like burgers and hot dogs and chicken quesadillas, but have decided to give them up for a while.  Am I going to go full on vegan?  Or 100% raw?  I don’t know.  We’ll see how this goes.  Has my weight changed at all?  Yeah, I’ve dropped a couple pounds in the past week.  I don’t know what to attribute it to.  But if it continues it’s probably due to a diet change.

Needless to say, I’m 100% confident I’m getting all my fruits and veggies each day and the Food Pyramid Gods would be quite happy with me.

Have you made this change in your diet?  Why?  How did it go?  Did you stick with it?  Any advice?

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:58:58 -0800 Obsessions http://mjljr.posterous.com/obsessions http://mjljr.posterous.com/obsessions

I think I have informal OCD.  I go in streaks of what I’m obsessed with.  Here’s a few of them right now.

EVOL Burritos :  I eat one for lunch every day, and have for a few months now.  Every single day.  Don’t ask me what my favorite is.  I love all of them equally.  Seriously.

Frontera Salsa:  Heard of Rick Bayless?  Yeah, Top Chef Masters Rick Bayless. Frontera Grill Rick Bayless.  He makes a line of salsa that can be bought at Whole Foods.  I go through a jar or two each week.  Amazing on the burritos mentioned above.  Or just with a spoon.

K-Swiss Blade Lights: These are the best shoes I’ve ever run in.  I hear they’re supposed to be a racing flat, but the cushion and stability in these are second to none.  3 oz. lighter than other shoes on the market, i.e. they weigh almost 30% less than other shoes.  It’s really noticeable. 

The Fame Game: My buddy, DJ Ryan Pullano, just dropped his best mix yet.  An hour and 20 minutes of awesome beats sure to get you through a day typing on the computer or through a long run.  It’s on repeat right now, and has been for a few days now.

Many others, but not all of them need to be shared.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:48:24 -0700 The Business of Triathlon http://mjljr.posterous.com/the-business-of-triathlon http://mjljr.posterous.com/the-business-of-triathlon

Over the past few years, the growth of triathlon in America has been huge.  Need some proof?  Take a look at this article in the New York Times that states participation in triathlon is up 51% since 2007, and also gives a small glimpse into the triathlon life.  World Triathlon Corporation is the parent of the Ironman brand and is now owned by a private equity firm, Providence Equity Partners.  As with anything owned by PE firms, the underlying goal is to maximize return on investment.  How is WTC going about this now?  Let’s take a look at a few things in particular.

Race Fees:

In 2007, an Ironman cost $450 to register for, now it costs $700 for 2011.  In 2007, a 70.3 cost $165, now it costs $275 for 2011.

5150 Series:

The Ironman brand has now added 13 Olympic distance races as part of a new series.  Let’s just guess and say the price of entry is $150 per person, and there’s a field limit of 5,000 per race.  That’s an added revenue of almost $10MM ($9.75MM to be exact).

Ironman Access:

Introduced today, a person can register as a member for $1000 to gain access to pre-registration to Ironman branded events.  Some of these events sell out in as little as 15 minutes when they’re opened to the public.

Now, let’s summarize what has happened over the past 4 years, neglecting Ironman Access.

2007 – Ironman (21 races, 1800 each, $450/person):                        $17.01MM in revenue

2007 – Ironman 70.3 (21 races, 1800 each, $165/person):               $6.24MM in revenue

2007 – TOTAL:                                                                                                    $23.25MM in revenue

2011 – Ironman (25 races, 1800 each, $700/person):                        $31.50MM in revenue

2011 – Ironman 70.3 (49 races, 1800 each, $275/person):               $24.26MM in revenue

2011 – Ironman 5150 (13 races, 5000 each, $150/person):              $9.75MM in revenue

2011 – TOTAL:                                                                                                    $65.51MM in revenue

Triathlon participation is up 51% in the last 4 years, and expected revenues (based solely on race participation) of the main corporation putting on races are up 282% for the same time period.  Without getting into too much discussion of cost of doing business, profits, etc., I wonder how much of the increase in expected revenue is driven by demand of its consumers.  What is the breaking point for WTC?  At what point do the athletes say that the cost of participation is too much? 

What do you think?  Hit me on here, @ me on Twitter or whatever you like.

Facts and figures are based on my own research.  Any inaccuracies are unintentional.  Any content contained here can and will be removed if I am asked.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:07:46 -0700 Obesity, Economics and my Two Cents http://mjljr.posterous.com/obesity-economics-and-my-two-cents http://mjljr.posterous.com/obesity-economics-and-my-two-cents

If you’re not aware, you’ve been under a rock for some time now, but our country has a huge problem with obesity.  Finally, someone has put an economic figure on that problem.  From an article featured in Men’s Health magazine, we learn that the most recent studies show that 1 in 6 dollars spent on healthcare is rooted in obesity.  Further discussions on this topic can be found in an article from USA Today.  In summary, most recent studies conclude that obesity costs us an average of almost $2,800 annually in medical bills.

Well, that sucks.  At least in my opinion it does.  That’s a ridiculous amount of money to spend each year because of an overweight lifestyle.  I can think of a number  of ways to spend that money in a better way that can help each of us put that money to better use and also mitigate obesity-related health problem.  Let’s assume we’re in Chicago, where I live.

In a given year, a novice runner/gym rat will go through 3 pairs of good running shoes.  Let’s assume they’re each $100.  That’s $300 right there.  Let’s also say that you’re starting with nothing to work out in.  I’ll be generous and set aside $500 for some good workout clothing; tech shirts, shorts, long sleeves, sports bras for girls, etc.  That should be good enough for now.  We’re down to $2000 left from a $2800 ‘budget.’  Let’s say you join Equinox, a high end gym here, and skip out on the initiation fee.  $100/month.  So now we’re down to $800 left from our ‘budget.’  I’ll be the first to admit that it costs a bit more to eat healthy foods than it does to eat the processed foods that have made our country overweight.  Let’s make it simple and use the rest to buy healthier options in our diets.  Here’s an easy breakdown

Running shoes - $300

Workout clothes - $500

Gym membership - $1,200

Healthier food - $800

TOTAL - $2,800

So, rather than spend that money on healthcare to maintain an obese lifestyle, spend it in a way that helps you mitigate that lifestyle.  As always, hit me on here, @ me on Twitter or whatever you like, to voice your thoughts and opinions.  These are just my thoughts and opinions, nothing scientific about it.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:15:16 -0700 Kona Time! http://mjljr.posterous.com/kona-time http://mjljr.posterous.com/kona-time

You want to talk about lucky?  I’ll tell you about lucky.  I have a wonderful girlfriend who shares my passion for triathlon, heck she’s probably even crazier than I am considering she’s now an Ironman.  On top of that, she has an awesome job at United Airlines.  Do you know what that means?  Yep, we get to just hop on airplanes whenever and to where ever without a fee of any sort.  It’s awesome.

That being said, we decided a couple weeks ago that we wanted to go see the Ironman World Championships in Kailua Kona, HI.  Well, the time is almost upon us.  We’re leaving tomorrow night or Thursday morning with the intention of coming back Sunday.  Our traveling is always by the seat of our pants because we fly standby, so we’ll see when we actually get there and what airports we actually go through to get there.

The big race is Saturday, and will pretty much last the entire day.  To be precise, 17 hours.  17 hours of watching people leave their hearts and souls out on the lava fields to hear Mike Reilly tell them they are an Ironman as they cruise down Ali’i Drive.  Aside from all the age groupers that are competing, every (long distance) pro you could think of will be there.  Who’s going to win the women’s race?  Chrissie Wellington, Mirinda Carfrae, Julie Dibens, or a dark horse?  What about the men?  Talk about a loaded field.  Can Chris Lieto finally pull through and knock Craig Alexander off his throne?  Don’t forget about Chris McCormack.  Or what about Terenzo Bozzone?  Andy Potts is taking Ironman by storm, he’s definitely someone to worry about.  Heck, he has the ability to lead from start to finish if all goes well.

I’m getting all sorts of excited just writing this, but I write for a different purpose.  Do YOU have friends racing?  What are their bib numbers?  I’m going to be snapping pictures right and left with the intent of taking well over a zillion photos of my experience.  If there are certain people or situations you’d like to see, let me know and I’ll do my best to get some shots for you.  Once we’re back, I’ll load everything into a flickr gallery or something.

Until then, check out www.ironmanlive.com for full, live race coverage all day long.  If I remember correctly, it gets started about 12:00 PM CST.  Hopefully Ironman took a few notes from the Rev3 Tri Series this past year and will be doing some much better coverage than they have in years past.

Lastly, to those racing this weekend, GOOD LUCK!!!!  Some may be racing in Kona, some may be running the Chicago Marathon.  I hope you all crush your goals, stay healthy through your race, and love every second you’re out there.

(I do not own rights to any photos published.  If you are viewing and have rights to any of these and would like them removed, please email me and I’ll gladly take them down)

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:57:51 -0700 You Know You're an Ironman When...... http://mjljr.posterous.com/you-know-youre-an-ironman-when http://mjljr.posterous.com/you-know-youre-an-ironman-when

This past weekend my incredible girlfriend did her first Ironman triathlon in Madison, WI.  Obviously, as a huge Tri Geek I went to the race with her for the weekend and was race support and caretaker for her.  As a follow up to last week’s post, I wanted to write another one that is just as aptly titled.  Here goes:  You know you’re an Ironman when….

1.       The pain of an M-dot tattoo pales in comparison to the pain you felt at mile 104.

2.       You hear a gunshot and dive under water, not for cover.

3.       You know that a “special needs bag” is not for the mentally challenged.

4.       You are able to consume a Subway footlong while riding a bike.

5.       You see someone else ran a marathon and think, “Oh, that’s cute.”

6.       You watched a House marathon on USA while on the trainer.

7.       You grab the leash and your dog hides under the kitchen table.

8.       You’re the first one in and last one out at Master’s practice.

9.       Speed work on the track is 4 mile repeats.

10.   You have dreams about the Queen K.

11.   You have dreams about Ali’i Drive.

12.   You dressed as 1989 Mark Allen for Halloween.  Your TG friends thought Mark Allen was actually at the party.

13.   The cashier at Costco says to you, “Didn’t you buy that tub of peanut butter last week?”

14.   Your RHR is well under 50.

15.   Your long rides consistently take you across time zones and state lines.

16.   You put more miles on your bike than your car during peak training.

17.   The muscle definition in your legs rivals that of artistic depictions in medical books.

18.   Your runner friends think you’re slow with your hour and a half 5K time.  Until you tell them you swam it.  In the ocean.

19.   Your training race is just over 70 miles long.

20.   You routinely find gels in the laundry. (thanks Bridget McCrea for that one)

21.   You ride your bike to the start of a marathon….100 miles away.  Just for training.

22.   You wear out running shoes in a month.

23.   You can eat 8,000 calories in a day and still lose weight.

24.   You fit every one of these stereotypes too.

25.   You shed a tear when you hear Mike Reilly say “YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!”

There you have it.  A list I think fits every Ironman out there.  I admire every one of them.  They are truly inspirational, motivated, and in most cases, total whack jobs too!  Add to the list if you like here, @ me on twitter or whatever you like.  Happy training to all!

****Disclaimer**** I am not an Ironman.  I prefer to go balls out for a couple hours in Olympic Distance events, eat and then go have beers in the afternoon.  Pacing is not my thing.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:49:25 -0700 You Know You're a Tri Geek and Run Nerd When..... http://mjljr.posterous.com/you-know-youre-a-tri-geek-and-run-nerd-when http://mjljr.posterous.com/you-know-youre-a-tri-geek-and-run-nerd-when

I get it a lot.  If you’re in the same boat as me, you probably do too.  My friends (non-TG and RN’s) think I’m a whack job when I do certain things.

You know you’re a Tri Geek (TG) and Run Nerd (RN) when…..

1.       Drinking a beer out of a glass bottle becomes difficult because it doesn’t squeeze or tilt like a bike bottle.

2.       No matter where you’re traveling to, you bring a swim kit, bike kit and run kit….just in case.

3.       You have at least one drawer full of old tech shirts from races.

4.       Your favorite suit is a one piece made of high end Japanese rubber and neoprene.

5.       You have just as many running shoes as dress shoes.  Men and women alike.

6.       Guys, your legs are smoother than your girlfriend’s or wife’s.

7.       Girls, your right leg has more scars than your boyfriend’s or husband’s.

8.       At any given moment, you could race strictly with the contents of your car’s trunk

9.       You sleep in Monday through Friday…..till 5:30 am.

10.   You are asleep before your grandparents on Friday night.

11.   You’re frustrated with the lack of aid stations when running through the city on a Tuesday night.

12.   You wear compression tights under your suit to work.

13.   You take a long lunch, only to shovel down food at your desk when you return from a long run.

14.   Your Garmin replaces your AmEx as the thing you never leave home without.

15.   You consider a Chocolate Brownie ClifBar a dessert.

16.   You plan vacations around destination races.  I’ll be in Kona 10/7-10/11.

17.   Come August, you have 3 distinct sets of tan lines.

18.   You have multiple Road ID’s.  Need to match the kit, naturally.

19.   You watch a season of 24 in a weekend while doing your long ride and long run in January.

20.   The biggest drawer in your kitchen is for ‘nutrition.’

21.   Most of the wall decorations in your house are shadowboxes of medals, bibs and photos.

22.   You own a massage table.

23.   You plan your wedding for the offseason so as not to affect training.

24.   You can change a flat faster than Jimmy Johnson’s pit crew.

25.   You’re the Foursquare mayor of a bike shop, running store and swimming pool.

26.   You consider gels a food group.

27.   You take an early flight for a bachelor/bachelorette party weekend in Vegas so you can get a long run in on the strip.

28.   You use ‘on your left’ when passing carts in the grocery store.

29.   You go to the track to gamble with other TG’s and RN’s.  There are no horses or dogs at the track.

30.   You fuel up at a gas station without getting any gas.

31.   Your parents ask “How was your race?” before “How was your weekend?”

32.   You think 12:00 pm is spelled N-U-U-N.

33.   You ride your bike to the start of the 5K in the suburbs to make it a legit workout.

34.   The numbers 53, 39, 11, 25 mean something to you.

35.   Summer hours at work translates to “long run on Friday afternoon.”

36.   You hear the words “Iron” and “Man” and Robert Downey Jr. doesn’t even cross your mind.

37.   You know the location of multiple 24 hour Starbucks.

38.   You think Isaac Newton is a shoe god.

39.   You hear the word “Pre” and think “Fontaine” while normal people think “Game.”

40.   You carry a work bag, gym bag and food bag to work every day.

41.   You think fanny packs were the pre-cursor to Fuel Belts.

42.   You use a race as an excuse to raise thousands of dollars for worthy charities.

43.   You’re pumped to turn 30.  That means moving up to the most competitive age group.

44.   Catching your wave does not involve a surfboard.

45.   You hear the words “Split” and “Banana” and immediately think mile 17, not dessert.

46.   You DVR Versus for three weeks straight during the month of July.

47.   Your carbon wheels are more expensive than chrome 22’s.

48.   Whatever your religion, Boston and Kona are your mecca.

49.   You do masters swimming just to stay in shape in the offseason.

50.   Your friends make fun of and secretly admire you for being a Tri Geek and Run Nerd.

There you go, a list of 50 things that make you a Tri Geek and/or Run Nerd.  Post yours in the comments, re-blog the list, @ reply to me on twitter, whatever you like.  Happy training, geeking and nerding!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:47:29 -0700 Chicago Triathlon Report! http://mjljr.posterous.com/chicago-triathlon-report http://mjljr.posterous.com/chicago-triathlon-report

Yesterday was the Chicago Triathlon.  For those that know me well, I’m not one to train by a schedule, for a certain race, distance, etc.  8 days ago, I was busy riding 90 miles on the IM Wisconsin bike course……not exactly in the taper plan for an Olympic distance race.  Anyway, I thought I was in pretty good shape for this distance coming in, just not properly trained or tapered.

A little more background.  I never wear a wetsuit when training open water, only a speedo/dragsuit combo.  I never ride a TT bike, never ride deep carbon wheels, never wear a TT helmet either.  I never train in my Zoot racing flats.  So, when race day comes, all this stuff is like cheating for me.

Swim:  I’m lucky, I qualify elite at every Olympic distance I do, assuming they have that wave.  Therefore, my wave went off at 7:32 am yesterday.  We were the second elite wave; about 150 in each from what I was told.  The guys and girls in these waves are the ones that are trying to go pro, so the start is a freaking shit show.  I’m a pretty good swimmer, but have no ambition to stick my nose into a motor boat propeller, so I hung back the first few minutes.  Once we got going after the first 200M or so, I got into a good groove (with a wetsuit!) and just let it go.  I didn’t work too hard during the swim.  The water was 73, the air was 80, and I didn’t want to heat up before the real race started. I cruised in about halfway through the pack, slower than I was a couple years ago, but whatever.  After a couple minutes of running up to transition, I was all but stripped of my wetsuit.  I think I was 26 something, pretty slow, but I guess that’s what I get for not really trying.

T1:  I have a Speedfill bottle on my bike, so no cages for bottles.  I left a bike bottle of water at my bag in transition for big swigs after the swim and after the bike.  Someone stole it, so I had nothing but the Nuun in my speedfill.  I knew this was going to haunt me.  I need the water to help my stomach after swimming before riding. 

Bike: I rode a Kuota K-Factor, HED Jet 50 wheels and my Giro TT helmet.  I now believe in technology.  I used to be the guy who just said push the pedals harder.  Anyway, I got going and was super thirsty as I crossed the bridge on Lakeshore.  With the wind at my back, I decided to just get in a relatively easy gear, get some fluids in me and relax the first lap.  It was really nice having most of the course wide open at this point.  I rode with a girl who was next to me in transition for the first lap.  My legs felt good going into the second lap, so that’s when I decided to put the hammer down.  I don’t ride with a computer, or anything like that, so I can’t tell you how much more power I was generating, but I can tell you I dropped that girl quickly on the second lap and started passing age groupers on their first lap like it was my job.  At the last turn at Foster, I started feeling sick.  All the liquid I was putting in my body was just sitting in my stomach, like it was corked at the bottom.  I took one more sip…..well that was one sip too many.  Thankfully, I was over to the right, and let it fly over my right shoulder.  I’m pretty sure I barfed about half my Speedfill.  I told myself, “Whatever, 7ish miles left, just keeping pounding, get into transition and figure out the liquids on the run.”  So I did just that.  I got down the exit at Randolph, slipped out of my shoes and ran like hell to my transition.  I finished the bike in 1:06ish. 

T2:  Shit, I really needed that water right then.  To swish out my breath, to pour on my head, to drink, everything.  “If I find that prick who took my bottle, they’re getting a Speedplay cleat to the teeth.” 

Run: I swear, as soon as I got off my bike, the temperature rose 10 degrees.  I started the run, and just wanted to make it down to the Planetarium (past all the big crowds) looking like I was in good spirits.  I did, made it around and into a shady area and barfed again.  At this point, I was sweating like mad, not holding fluids, the thought of a gel made me sick, and was just flaming mad I didn’t have my water to drink an hour and a half ago.  I’d ‘run’ to each aid station, and take exactly one minute to walk through and drink water.  It wasn’t until the second or third mile that I started to rehydrate.  In the first mile, my girl bike buddy passed me.  I caught her at the turn and ran with her all the way to close to the finish.  Not sure what happened then, or who finished before the other.  My wonderful girlfriend/caretaker, Brigit, was at the finish taking pictures of me coming down the chute.  Only afterwards did I find out she thought I “looked like hell.”  I finished, took three steps, and started to wobble.  Figured I’d ought to hit the med tent.  Oddly enough, I was seated next to my bike/run buddy.  We chatted while taking oxygen and getting our stuff checked.  Her name is Kattie Carpeter-Rossa.  Really nice girl.  We both thanked each other for pushing the whole way.  I didn’t even want to see my run split, as I know my total was 2:25ish.  Turned out I was 48 something.  Pissed, because I’ve run 40 flat off the bike.  Crappy time, but whatever, it’s not like I trained or tapered correctly.

Afterwards, I stuck around and watched, cheered, and ran with friends as they passed by, gave them advice about the rest of the run course and met them all at the finish.  I stuck around for the hurtfest, known as the pro race, and saw some of the most insane athletes I’ve ever seen.  I was lucky enough to meet Laurel (@laurelwassner) and Becca (@becwassner) Wassner at the expo on Saturday.  They’re twins, and pros that are wicked fast.  I screamed at both of them on the run and they waved and said hello, so very cool of them.  I also watched a couple of my old swimming friends growing up, Jenny Garrison and Jocelyn Petrella, as they both are pros now.  Super cool to see them.  All in all, an okay day of racing for me, a ton of fun cheering, and a killer atmosphere.  Oh yeah, I also got most of my tan lines worked out…….one of the tough things about being a triathlete!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 06:48:03 -0700 Triathlon Questions http://mjljr.posterous.com/triathlon-questions http://mjljr.posterous.com/triathlon-questions

If you follow me, you know I do a lot of triathlons.  Last night, while at the pool, I spent most of my 45 minutes in the water giving advice to a group of newbie triathletes. It made me want to answer some of the most common questions I get in a public way. I’ll attempt to answer some of them here

1.       What do you do to train for a triathlon?

Well, I swim, I bike and I run.  I try to do one hard workout in each discipline each week and also one brick.  A brick is a hard bike followed by a run.  I also try to do one easy(er) workout in each discipline each week.  In total, I swim 2-4x/wk, bike 3-5x/wk and run 2-5x/wk.

2.       Okay, I can ride a bike, do I need a special one for triathlon?

No, as long as the bike you have has air in the tires, the gears shift and it’s a real bicycle, then you’re good to go.  I’ve seen people do triathlons on mountain bikes, commuters, hybrids, road bikes and even a beach cruiser!

3.       I have some money to spend, what should I buy?

Let’s break this up into sports and what’s absolutely required and what’s optional:

Swimming: You need a swimsuit, goggles and cap.  If you can stomach $200-$400, a wetsuit for open water swimming will be super helpful.

Cycling: You need a bike and helmet.  A good entry level road bike can be bought for $1200.  I emphasize ‘good’ because there are crappy road bikes you can buy for a few hundred that will break and cause problems.  Bike shoes and associated pedals are a huge difference maker.  You can buy both for $200.  Cycling shorts are great too.  Get some with a good Chamois (the crotch pad) for about $50.

Running: Running shoes.  Go to a reputable running store and have them ‘fit’ you for a pair.  They’ll watch the way you run on a treadmill, video it and assess your feet, running style and recommend a few pairs that work for you.  Try them all on and buy the ones that are the most comfortable for you.  DO NOT buy shoes based on colors!

4.       I’m freakin loaded and can drop $30K on gear without thinking twice, what should I want?

I’m envious of you and already have my “$30K List” made up for when that day comes.  Here’s a short version

Swimming: Wetsuit - $600 Blue Seventy.  Orca skinsuit, for those days when wetsuits aren’t legal.

Cycling: Carbon road bike (I want a Kuota KOM), Shimano Dura Ace group, Mavic Kysrium training wheels, Garmin 705.  Carbon Tri Bike (I want a Kuota Kueen K), Shimano Dura Ace group, Mavic training wheels, Garmin 705.  Also need the HED Jet 6, 9 and Disc wheel sets for races of varying conditions.  This should run about $20K

Running: Road trainers, trail trainers, Zoot Ultra race flats for racing only.

Clothing: Castelli cycling kits (bibshorts and jerseys), Orca race kits, Oakley shades.  Multiple colors and styles, of course.

5.       What do you eat?  What do you not eat?

I don’t eat fast food, except Egg McMuffins.  They’re surprisingly good for you.  I eat a ton of fruits and vegetables, usually a serving or two at every meal.  My diet is surprisingly simple and repetitive.  Yogurt/granola/fruit for breakfast, fruit and nuts a couple times between meals, sandwich for lunch, lean protein for dinner, and usually some sort of chocolate after.  I do my best to avoid processed foods, but Powerbars are essential on long training days.  My favorite thing to eat after a 3+ hour workout is Qdoba.  During peak training, I typically burn about 1000 cal/hour, so by the time a long workout is done, I’m in caloric debt and need to replenish quickly, and also need to get a lot of salt and vitamins back in.  I go for the fajita burrito, no sour cream or guac, load up on salsa and corn pico, and stuff my face. 

6.       What is T1 and T2?  I see them talked about a lot, but have no idea.

T1 and T2 are transition 1 and transition 2.  T1 is where you change from swimming to biking, T2 from biking to running.  Depending on your level of competition, each of these transitions can last as little as 20 seconds, or as long as 20 minutes.  The goal is to get yourself in proper attire to go from one discipline to the next.  As soon as the swim portion is done and I’m running to T1, I’m stripping off my wetsuit or speedsuit, already having my race kit on underneath.  By the time I’m in transition, I just need to strip it off from the waist down, put on my helmet and sunglasses, grab the bike and go.  You have to walk/run your bike to a specific area before you’re allowed to get on it for safety reasons.  I prefer to have my shoes clipped into my pedals beforehand, to save time, but most will choose to run in their bike shoes out of transition and then clip into their pedals.  Coming into T2, the goal is to get out of bike shoes, helmet and into running shoes.  I keep my shoes clipped into my pedals and just take my feet out approaching the dismount line.  I prefer to run without socks, so I just jump into my shoes, take off my helmet and grab my hat/race belt and get out on the run.  T3 is where we finish and drink beers afterwards.  No need for speed there.

7.       What do you drink and/or eat while training?  Racing?

I always drink Nuun while on the bike.  It’s an alka-seltzer like tablet I put in a bike bottle that is an electrolyte drink.  I like it because it’s not as heavy as Gatorade is.   On the run, I tend to stick to water when I feel thirsty.  I don’t eat anything unless the race is longer than an Olympic distance, and only then I have a Clif bar and a banana.  Don’t wait till you’re thirsty to drink, drink more than you think you should, especially on the bike, once you’re on the run, you don’t have time to get the right amount of liquid back into your body.  If you don’t, well, welcome to Bonkville.

8.       What one tip would you give to a new triathlete for race day?

Use Aquaphor.  It’s Vaseline on steroids. Anywhere you think you might chafe (nipps, neck, crotch, areas of seams), rub some on your skin there.  It’s been a life saver for me countless times in countless areas.

9.       What one tip would you give to a new triathlete for race day?  Not related to performance

The last mile or so of the run is when/where spectators start gathering for the finish.  Talk to your fanbase before the race and tell them where to watch you.  Seeing people you know at the end of a balls out race is a feeling you never forget.  They’re very proud of you and can’t wait to hear all about it.  Most likely, they’ll have a camera with them, so muster up a smile for them even if you feel like concrete is pumping through your veins.  Be proud of yourself.  For God’s sake, you’re a f*&^ing TRIATHLETE now!!!  Relish that moment in the finishing chute, congratulate the others finishing around you, thank the guy you chased the last couple miles, take advantage of the free food and beers in the finisher’s area.  Also thank the Volunteers for making your day possible.  Sorry, that’s a few tips…..

10.   I did one and loved it, where do I find out more about the sport and get more involved?

Google ‘triathlon club’ in your city.  Unless you live in BUFU, there’s a local tri club.  Join the club.  Meet people that are just as interested and passionate about the sport as you are.  Who knows, maybe you’ll make some great friends, learn a ton of new stuff, or even meet your future wife.  At the least, you’ll find people to train with and hang out with at races.  Triathlon may be an individual base, but it sure helps to know others in it.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:07:00 -0700 Winter Training http://mjljr.posterous.com/winter-training http://mjljr.posterous.com/winter-training

Yeah yeah yeah, I know it’s summer right now.  But, what comes with summer are the high energy songs of the year; the ones that last all through the winter and jam on your ipod when you’re on the treadmill dreaming of the sun, sand and outdoor workouts. 

I like my bike a lot, that’s no secret, but I hate riding the trainer and looking out the window at nothing.  A couple years ago I devised a way to pass the time and get some killer workouts on the bike trainer. 

Other than my love for my bike, I love loud, high energy music, clubs with flashing lights, and people that want to rock out with me.  So, I started combining these two loves into one.  Why can’t I shut off all the lights in my family room and blast Cascada with a glow stick spinning on my rear wheel?  Why can’t I have some friends over to join me on their trainers too? 

You may ask, “why not just go to spin class?”  Spin class blows. The bikes’ geometry is closer to a Huffy tricycle than a real bike.  And who wants to pretend riding up a hill?  And if I were to ride up a hill, I sure as hell would change gears so that my RPM’s were above 15.  And seriously, most of the time the teachers don’t know a damn thing about riding a real bike.

I’ll be moving in the next month or two, but part of my needs in a new place will be an area I can set up half a dozen trainers and just rip it with friends.  I’m thinking a couple nights per week for an hour, hour and a half.  I promise awesome music and real cycling workouts that will tear your legs off.  If you have a bike, a trainer, and are interested let me know; email, twitter, or commenting here.  Here’s a quick sampling of tunes to come:

Spiderwebs – No Doubt

Callabria – Enur and Natasja

Here in Your Bedroom – Goldfinger

What Hurts the Most – Cascada

You Are My Diamond – Tiesto

11_SpiderWebs.m4a Listen on Posterous

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael -
Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:13:25 -0700 Is There An App For That? http://mjljr.posterous.com/is-there-an-app-for-that-1 http://mjljr.posterous.com/is-there-an-app-for-that-1

I don’t have an iPhone, although I’m very intrigued by them and all of their capabilities.  I do, however, have a Blackberry.  Between, Twitter, Foursquare and GoWalla, I am fairly “connected” in real time to the outside world.  The United States has roughly 300 million people living here, and only a small fraction (5-6 million) are registered Twitter users, with just a fraction of that being on Foursquare and GoWalla.

For those who don’t know, Foursquare and GoWalla use GPS to determine your location and let users accumulate points and such through check-ins at registered venues.  This is a great idea if you have a solid network of people that are your “friends” on such networks.  For example, its Friday afternoon and you want to know where your friends are for happy hour.  Rather than call 7 of them, see where they’ve all checked in to and just meet them there.  That 4 seconds just saved you 7 phone calls or 7 text messages or 7 emails.

Well, how about this?  Say a restaurant has a capacity of 200 people, and Foursquare tells you that there are 3 people checked in there on a Friday night.  How are you supposed to know if there are actually 197 more people eating there, another 40 outside waiting, or if there are just 100 people there and you could be seated immediately.  Sure, you could call the place and ask, but what if you’re looking at a number of different places?  Or they don’t pick up the phone (standard on Friday)? 

This is where a new app would be nice, or businesses use the existing services to better connect with customers.  I “follow” a number of bars and restaurants on Twitter and am connected to a few on Foursquare.  All we ever see from them are specials, promotions, features, etc.  How about posting an update on wait times?  Or the ability to tweet a reservation, or the equivalent?  An app detailing a business’s status in real time would be great.  How many times have we all walked up to the door of a bar, restaurant, store (Apple!) etc. only to find it absolutely slammed? 

I bring this whole thing up because I dreamt of an app that used real time satellite video streamed to my phone.  In my dream I was deciding between going to Hub 51, Rockit, Bull and Bear, and English one random summer night.  I pulled each of their locations up on my satellite video app and decided that Rockit had no line to wait in.  It was a pretty great dream, and got me thinking about why this is isn’t developed yet.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/610668/jack.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5AkZ9JzhUSLT Michael Michael