Reflecting Back on 25 Ironmans: #3 Vineman
My first Ironman, Ironman Canada, was about finishing. The race was an unknown quantity. I was fairly confident that I could finish the event because I had done the proper training but I had no idea what to expect. My second Ironman, Great Floridian Triathlon, was about recapturing the ecstasy of the finish. I wanted the finish line “high” that I felt at Canada. Vineman Full in 1998 was different. I wanted to go faster. At the time, the Vineman Full was still a Hawaii Ironman Qualifier – there were 25 precious slots to be given away to the top athletes in each group. ...
Read MoreGet Your Rear in Gear: Goal-Setting for the New Year
With the start of the New Year and early beginning of the triathlon season, now is an excellent time to think about goals for this year – and not just triathlon goals. Last week I sat down with my friend and life coach, Lee Knight, the Overachiever Coach. Lee’s niche, not surprising, is working with overachievers. In my experience, most triathletes tend to be overachievers – folks who are accomplished and successful in what they’ve done, but perhaps, like me, overwhelmed with opportunities and not sure what the next goal or milestone should be. What surprise is that...
Read MoreElite Bicycles: 7 Hour Fit to Individual Perfection
At 4:45 PM, I was more than four hours into my bike fit at Elite Bicycles in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon and I had not even climbed on my bike yet. I was what Elite Bicycles Founder and Fitter David Greenfield called an “advanced fit.” I’ve raced well as a triathlete on my current bike and my current bike fit. I set an 8:51 PR at the Quelle Challenge 2007 with a 4:45 bike split over the 112-mile bike course. I’ve had three different bike fits done on this bike in the past and felt “fairly well” dialed in. Why get a bike fit? I always thought in the...
Read MoreTaoist Wisdom: We’ll See
We’ll See… My good friend and fellow cyclist, Peter Springer, shared this story to his friends in his “Goodbye” email that he sent out to announce his move from Richmond, VA to Charlotte, NC. I used to ride with Peter when I worked for Capital One. We would ride in the dark late after work or early before work to avoid traffic. We once spent a Sunday biking 167 miles from Capital One in McLean to Capital One in Richmond in 100F heat. This Taoist story resonates with me as an athlete who has been dealing with hip and hamstring issues, as a homeowner whose mortgage...
Read MoreThe Beyer Project: Bill’s Quest for Kona
Happy New Year! How much would you give to earn a qualifying spot to the Ironman World Championships? Over the holidays, I moved out of my townhouse temporarily – I’m renting it out – and moved in with my friend and coaching client, Bill Beyer. Bill’s dream is to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman at Ironman Canada in August and I’m going to coach him towards that goal. Bill is a 47 year old age group triathlete who’s done a half dozen Ironman triathlons but has never qualified. In January 2008, he underwent foot surgery that sidelined him from running and...
Read MoreExercising Outdoors in Colder Weather
Training in the winter brings two additional challenges – colder temperatures and shorter days. Both can drive an athlete to bike inside on a trainer and run inside on a treadmill, but this does not necessarily need to be the case all of the time. Exercising outdoors in cold weather can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. At the very least, the trails will not be crowded and the scenery will change. Plus, training in colder weather will help toughen you up mentally. Here are some suggestions to better prepare for training outdoors in cold weather: Layer clothing: Use synthetic...
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