Week 7 Training...More Support for iHope

Week 7 was a designed recovery week after 2 big weeks in a row.  I did not quite get as much volume as planned due to some things that popped up but I'm not dwelling since the goal of the week was to get rested a bit and allow my body to adapt to a couple really good weeks of training.  I got called from school to pick Owen up sick on Wednesday.  Thursday I stayed home with him all day and found out he had strep throat.  I worked a track meet at our high school on Thursday night and my typical training routine was not in place.  Friday morning my throat was on fire so I knew I probably had gotten strep from Owen so I called the doctor and started a prescription right away.  The highlight of the week was the Easter Egg Scramble 5k on Saturday morning.  This was the first year of the event and thanks to great race organization and sponsorship from Wal-Mart there was a pretty nice cash prize purse for a local 5k.  The top 3 overall would win $1,000.00, $750.00, and $500.00 respectively.  They also had prize money for age groups based every 10 years with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd getting $100.00, $75.00, and $50.00.  I was hoping to get some money for my age group to donate to iHope.  Every little bit makes a difference to a small foundation like we have created.  Due to the lack of training and being out of my normal eating habits I was not feeling fit on race day.  I contemplated just running with Jen to try to help her to a high overall finish in the female race.  There were a few really good females from out of town.  Just before the race I told her I would run the 1st mile with her and than see how things were going and maybe race the rest.  When the gun sounded we took off and it felt really slow.  The course started up a long hill over the first 1/2 mile or so.  Half way up the hill it felt too easy and I decided to start racing at that point.  I had no idea what my pace was but I moved up quickly through the race and got myself into about 10th overall where I would stay for the remainder.  I ended up earning $75.00 for iHope which I was proud of.  My 5k time was 16:48 which I was thrilled about.  Feeling how I did before the race I thought it would take a miracle to break 17:00 over the course with a big hill in it.  The highlight however was Jen finishing in 17:39 to take 2nd in the women's race to pick up a nice $750.00 check which she promptly donated to her sister's wedding fund.  It's been awesome seeing how much her road racing money has helped put this wedding together. 
The other highlights for the week for me were hearing from a couple outstanding local businesses who contributed to iHope.  Happy Joe's donated a really nice gift basket including 12 free pizzas and we auctioned it off at school and it brought in $200.00 for iHope.  Then over the weekend we received a really nice contribution from Russell Construction.  Russell Construction has been a HUGE provider for so many non-profits in the Quad Cities including the birth of Live Uncommon.  Both Happy Joe's and Russell Construction are active in giving back to the QC through volunteering and financial contributions.  I no they are both active in Junior Achievement in our school systems.  It has been amazing getting support from the community for iHope.  You can make a tax deductible contribution by clicking here. 
Anything and everything will help us to provide resources to low-income students who display outstanding character and work ethic traits.  We are going to provide and iHope gift this year thanks to all the amazing support iHope has received!  This week is going to be a big week of training.  I'm super excited to announce that both Jen and I signed up for Beach 2 Battleship full Ironman distance race on October 26th in North Carolina.  Jen has always said she wanted to try an Ironman distance race when she watches mine and she decided since her running season will be over she will take her chances in North Carolina with me.  I'm thrilled to be racing this event because this race gives back to the local YMCA in Wilmington, North Carolina.  They also don't charge near as much as an Ironman branded event.  They were very welcoming and I couldn't have asked for a better event to complete my 2013 season.  It will be awesome seeing Jen out on the course as well!  The website for Beach 2 Battleship is http://www.beach2battleship.com/  If you are looking for an Ironman distance race in 2013 check it out.  It has been rated by Triathlete Magazine as one of the top 5 Ironman distance races in the world!  The weather is starting to turn and my bike is tuned up and ready to go fresh out of the shop at Healthy Habits so I'm excited to spend some time away from the trainer on real roads.  Week 8 will be a good one.  Thanks for reading!  DREAM BIG!!

iHope Support and Weeks 5 and 6

I've been very busy lately working to help build the iHope foundation that seeks to provide low-income students who display outstanding character and work ethic traits with technological resources.  In lieu of obtaining sponsors to help me with my racing I've gone to local businesses in our community seeking support for iHope.  I have laid out various levels of support for the iHope cause.  In return I will race through 2013 representing those businesses that support iHope.  I am also hopeful of getting friends, family, followers, and fans on board to support this cause realizing that an iHope gift could potentially be a life-changing gift for these students.  At times I wondered if all this work is worth the effort.  I know it is.  I am so thrilled to announce that local grocery chain Hy-Vee and local bank First Central State Bank have both contributed to the iHope foundation. 

 
 Hy-Vee and First Central State Bank have always been into giving back to the community and I'm so glad they thought iHope was a worthy cause.  Hy-Vee has invested a lot of money into helping Iowa reach the Governor's goal of becoming the healthiest state.  They are sponsors of countless local road races, they are the main sponsor of triathlon's biggest prize purse race in the world, the Hy-Vee Triathlon which is held annually in Des Moines, Iowa.  In addition Hy-Vee contributes so much more.  I recently noticed Hy-Vee gives an annual scholarship to a Pleasant Valley graduate.  The Hy-Vee that supported iHope is the one on Devils Glen Road.  I worked there from the time I was 16 until I graduated from college and I learned the values of hard work and working as a team during my time there.  Thanks Hy-Vee for supporting my race effort by supporting iHope! 
First Central State Bank is also very committed to making the community a better place.  They have banks in Le Claire, Eldridge, Long Grove, and DeWitt, Iowa.  They have been the title sponsor of the First Central State Bank Crossroads Triathlon since the start of the race nearly 10 years ago.  They are very active in Le Claire in setting up annual Tug Fest events as well as an important part of Chamber of Commerce in our community.  I'll be racing with a First Central State Bank sticker on my helmet this year!  I realize the businesses have chosen to help build the iHope Foundation not because of my racing but because of the good they see in this foundation.  If you are willing and able to help with the foundation I'd be grateful to any amount you can give.  You can click here to make a tax deductible donation.  I have an iHope page at the top of this blog where you can read the story about how iHope was born and learn more about how we aim to make a difference in our community. 
I hope to earn as much money as I can racing this year for iHope.  Weeks 5 and 6 were big steps towards the goals I have.  The mountain that looked so dauntingly big when I began 6 weeks ago is not looking nearly as large any more.  I still have a long way to go but I'm starting to feel pretty fit.  For the first time this year I weighed in under 160 lbs. so I'm getting closer to race weight.  I am glad I'm not racing a triathlon for awhile but I now feel like if I had to race this weekend I could hold my own.  Week 5 was a nice week of 20.5 hours training time with 170 bike miles, 41 run miles, and 12,500 yards swimming.  Week 6 was a huge week with spring break.  My total training time was 26.5 hours.  I biked 235 miles, ran 53 miles, and swam 16,000 yards (all highs for the season).  My swimming has seen big improvements over the past few weeks.  I'm also starting to feel the run fitness come back.  I've been meeting a nice group for Sunday morning runs and this past weekend was my longest this year at 80 minutes.  6 weeks ago my first run was 22 minutes and every minute was tougher than any of the 80 minutes this week on the long run.  I feel stronger and my weights are as high as they were all of last year.  This upcoming weekend I'm going to race a hard effort in a local 5k.  I want to find out where my fitness is at.  I also know the race will serve as a great workout.  I am looking forward to the weather turning so I can begin riding the bike outdoors more often although I do enjoy riding the trainer and will continue to do so for part of my training even when the weather is nice.  I'm waiting to hear back from more businesses and have one tentative right now that I'll wait to announce.  If you know of a business that would be interested in sponsoring me by making an iHope contribution please let me know and I'll get the information sent out.  It's been a lot of fun knowing that getting into great shape is for a much greater cause than just me.  Hopefully by this time in the year you have laid out some fitness goals you would like to achieve this year.  I can tell you it is never to late to begin working for those.  I started so much later than I ever have and I'm realizing already what a good move this was.  I'm feeling extremely fresh, healthy, and most importantly motivated.  Thanks for reading.  DREAM BIG!

The Birth of iHope

I'm more excited than ever to be racing for a great cause in 2013.  The cause is a non-profit foundation called iHope that I helped create in the Pleasant Valley Community School District, the district that I have enjoyed teaching in over the past 11 years.  The story of how iHope was born is here. 
In July of 2009 my grandmother, Evelyn Lehman passed away.  My grandma was an awesome person.  Her and my grandpa gave time, energy, and money to their church, community and to their grandkids who they spoiled.  When my grandma died she left all of her grandchildren some money.  I knew I wanted to use this money in a giving way because that would make my grandma proud.  The first time was when Jen and I were out for dinner at Granite City in the fall of 2010.  This night happened to be the night of Homecoming in my school district.  While we were eating dinner we noticed many of my former 8th grade students enjoying dinner with their friends and classmates.  I remembered reading about a time when former NFL player Kurt Warner was in the Quad Cities eating dinner during a homecoming night and the newspaper wrote a story about how Kurt Warner picked up the tab for a group of students.  How cool is that!  Jen and I decided this was not something that could be done by just an NFL football player but was something we could do as well.  We used some money from "Grandma's Fund" to pick up the tab for a group of 24 students before we left. 
Last spring I had a student that displayed outstanding work habits and character traits.  This particular student came from a low-income family.  They did not let the circumstances affect how they treated people or how hard they worked.  There were no excuses.  This student had been working hard on an extra credit project for my class and when I asked one day if it was finished they pulled it out of their bag fighting back tears telling me how the storm the night before caused it to get all wet in their bedroom.  The project resembled what the student told me.  My heart broke for this student as I realized the situation they were living in.  I went home and told Jen about it and we decided right away we wanted to do something for this student.  We decided to use "Grandma's Fund" to buy the student an iPad along with a heavy duty protective case and some iBook gift cards.  When I presented this gift to the student it was immediately noticable what kind of impact it had.  Along with the gift I gave the student a letter telling why we felt this gift was merited.  I explained that the student's character and work habits were something that made me believe they were going to be successful in life.  I mentioned how I hoped this student would use the iPad to help with school and look to a future beyond high school.  I also encouraged the student to pay it forward some day when the opportunity was there.  The student said it was the best gift they had ever received.  It made a big influence on me as well.  I realized this was something I wanted to be able to do more often...maybe once a year...or more perhaps.  This is when the idea of iHope was born. 
I spoke with our Superintendent and he was very supportive of the iHope idea and helped me set up a foundation through the school district where money would be saved to use for low-income junior high students that display positive work habits and character traits.  We will use the money to purchase technology that will hopefully give these students hope for a bright future.  These are students that statistics would say will not go to college.  They are students that statistics would say will end up living in poverty through the vicious cycle.  They are students that we believe differently about.  They are ones that we believe with a little extra help and hope from us can make it through the cycle of poverty to become whatever they dream of becoming.  We also decided that the iHope fund can be used to provide other things like athletic shoes, school book bags...etc. for students who lack those things.  I started the iHope foundation by donating $500.00 from "Grandma's Fund" today and a pledge to donate any money I win at races in 2013 to the foundation.  I realize keeping this foundation going for the long haul may not happen without outside help.  I would love your help with this investment on the youth in our community.  A donation of ANY amount will help a worthy child.  All children who are presented with iHope gifts will be given a letter telling why they were chosen (by a board set up at our school).  The letter will also encourage the students to set goals and believe in those goals.  Lastly the letter will encourage these students to pay it forward when the opportunity arises.  The students must display positive work habits and character traits...the things we think will help them be successful and things that are very important in our school district.  All donations to iHope are tax deductable.  You may donate a couple different ways.  One way is to click here and you will be able to donate online and will be given an immediate tax deductible receipt.  The other way is to make a check out to iHope Foundation and dropped off or mailed to the Pleasant Valley School District.  Checks should be mailed or dropped off to:
Pleasant Valley Foundation
525 Belmont Road
Bettendorf, IA 52722
Racing in 2013 will be extremely exciting for me.  Knowing I can help make a difference for a child in our community fuels my motivation more than ever.  Even if I can earn just a hundred dollars at a race I know that will make a big difference.  My goal is to earn $1,500 through racing this year.  I'd love to have your support and help.  I cannot stress enough that we'd be thrilled for ANY help you can give...$5.00...$10.00...everything will make a difference.  Together we can help give a student in our community the HOPE to DREAM BIG...the HOPE to change their life...the HOPE to build a better world.  Thanks!!

Weeks 3 and 4...ups and downs

Week 3 was a great week of training.  I continued to build on my first two weeks of training by getting my highest training volume of 2013.  My total training time was 17.5 hours with 36 run miles, 141 bike miles, and 9,200 yards of swimming.  I felt much stronger by the end of the week when I completed my longest run yet of 70 minutes.  On Monday of last week things took a turn for the worse.  I had been experiencing some pain in my lower back and by last Monday it had me walking hunched over.  I couldn't walk pain free let alone think about running.  It had bothered me pushing off the wall swimming on Sunday afternoon so I made the decision to get it taken care of without trying to push through it.  I decided I would get a high volume week on the bike but shut down running, swimming, core work, lifting, plyometrics, and jump rope until things calmed down.  This was a great move.  After two visits to Kaminski Pain and Performance Care for ART sessions and laser treatment I was feeling near 100% by the weekend and ran 6 miles on Friday and 10 on Sunday both pain free.  Although my total training time took a step back at 15 hrs. 45 minutes I did manage to put in 10 hours or 200 miles on the bike.  Dr. Kaminski informed me that my hip flexors and quad muscles were so tight it was causing me to run with a forward lean and this was creating a lot of stress on my lower back and I had a good deal of inflamation around one of the discs in my back.  This is near 100% as I begin week 5.  When I was in on Thursday I decided it was time to do a Body Composition Analysis.  He has a high tech machine where they strap some electrode pads on you and it gives a full body composition analysis.  Last year I had this done 3 times.  The first time was when I began training and I was 18.4% body fat weighing 171 lbs..  I tested about 7 weeks later on Feb. 28 of 2012 and although I had lost 9 lbs. my body fat % was still 16.7%.  This was when I went nuts counting calories and eating 100% healthier than I ever have over the next month.  4 weeks later I tested my lowest ever weighing 151 lbs. with a body fat% of 9.3%.  I have been frustrated by my lack of weight loss through the first three weeks of training.  I knew I was still hovering around 170 lbs. although I felt like I was getting thinner.  I couldn't figure out why I was still weighing so much so I knew it would be good to get tested.  I weighed in at 172 lbs. and my body fat % was 16.4.  This was a good boost of confidence for a few reasons.  The % was actually slightly lower than last February when I weighed 11 lbs. less.  The difference this year is that I had 4 lbs. more fluid in my body which is a sign that I'm better hydrated and I also had 6 lbs. more muscle in my body.  My actual pounds of fat was at 28 compared to 27 when I tested in February of 2012.  This was exciting for a few reasons.  Although I'm weighing more it is not bad weight.  I do believe I have been ridding myself of bad weight while adding muscle early in the training this year.  It also gives me a lot of hope that I can get my body fat % back under 10% by race season.  I tested a slighly lower % of body fat on three weeks of training this year compared to last year in February when I was 10 weeks into training.  It also reminded me of how hard I worked on eating healthy when I saw last year's numbers and realized over the course of 4 weeks I went from carrying 27 lbs. of fat down to 14.1 lbs. of fat when I tested at 9.3%.  This has renewed my focus on eating healthy.  Right now most of my workouts are at a base building intensity which doesn't require me to have a lot of carbohydrates.  At the lower intensity the body uses mainly fat for energy.  Because I don't need a lot of carbohydrates and have a lot of fat to burn I need to be careful not to consume a lot of carbohydrates except for the couple days a week when I do add intensity into the workouts.  I'm a little worried about carrying 6 extra lbs. of muscle but it is so early in the year it probably doesn't hurt to have that now because I know I will cut back the focus on weights as I get closer to race time.  There is a lot of statistics on the report they give after doing a body composition analysis so if you are interested give them a call at Kaminski Pain and Performance Care and schedule your BCA.  Now that I'm a month into training I'm beginning to start getting into higher volumes of training.  I was very careful not to increase too fast too quickly.  In my experience the most common injuries come either when beginning a new training cycle coming off a break or when increasing too quickly.  I've been very cautious through the first month.  Now I'm at a level where the volumes start to look bigger.  We begin spring break on Friday so I'll have 1 extra day without work this week so I'll get a bigger than normal Friday in.  Next week I'm planning to roll the dice a bit and substantially increase my training for my spring break week in what will be a bit of a training camp.  I'll tear myself down pretty good and then take an easier week the following week.  I'm hoping the weather will turn so I don't have to sit on the trainer for all my bike rides.  I don't mind riding 60-90 minutes on the trainer but much more than that gets cumbersome unless the hawkeyes are in a great game in which I can squeeze out 2 hours.  I have my race schedule almost finalized.  I have a busy month in June with 4 races, 2 in July, 3 in August, 1 in September, and 1 in October.  I'm swimming much less right now than I did early in training last year.  My swimming did not progress like I would have hoped with much more time in the water a year ago and i've decided with a full-time job, two children, and a wife at home it is not worth spending all the time in the pool this early.  My plan is to stick to 10,000 yards/week in March, 12,000 in April, and 14,000 in May.  My longest swim day will be about 4,000 yards in March, 4,500 in April, and 5,000 in May.  I'm hoping that will get me close to swimming where I was last year although I'd always like to be faster if I can continue fixing my techinque.  Speaking of that I attended Stacey Zapolski's swim clinic at Augustana College yesterday and it was well worth my investment.  We had a small group and were spoiled to get so much individual stroke feedback.  I have 2 really important things to work on before the next clinic.  Stacey even video-taped us swimming and we broke down the tape which was valuable to see the things she was telling us about our stroke.  If you are interested in attending the next clinic send me an e-mail and I'll get you the details about when it is.  I'm beginning to feel the excitement for training and racing I had lost in the ladder part of 2012.  It's a lot of fun.  I have recently created a non-profit foundation called iHope in my school district.  The mission of iHope is to provide technological resources to low-income students that display positive work habits and outstanding character traits.  I will discuss this more in detail in my next post but if you would like to contribue to iHope and help make a difference to a child in our community click here. Work hard towards your goals and make them happen.  DREAM BIG!

10 day magic...

My high school track and field coach Erik Belby used to tell us about the 10 day rule to getting in shape.  Coach Belby used to tell us it took about 10 days of working out for the body to adapt and actually feel the gains made through the initial days of training.  I've always remembered this and always felt it to be true.  This year is no different.  On day 1 I was slogging my way through a 3 mile run.  By day 10 I had run 50 minutes and it felt easier than the 20 minutes of day 1.  I have felt better in the pool and stronger on the bike.  I'm a true believer in the rule of 10 days.  I worked out with our high school team on Friday running hill repeats with kids who have a lot more speed than I do...they are also half my age now.  I mentioned to Coach Belby who still leads the Spartan distance group (and has won 4 state championships to go along with 2 runner-up showings) how the 10 day rule has always come to fruition for me.  I also told him that the rule should include a disclaimer that it must be 10 solid days of working out.  Maybe 1 day off should be allowed but the rule of 10 days would not apply to an athlete that works out 1 day and then takes the next 2 off...so on and so forth.  Week 2 had me sick half way through the week and feeling down on energy.  I skipped some late night bike rides and opted for the extra sleep leading me to missing my bike goal.  I only biked 75 miles this week but hit my running goal of 33 miles and my swimming goal of 9,000 yards.  I met all my other goals on my weekly checklist.  The one area I need to get more focused is on my eating.  I have not eaten clean and it shows in my weight.  I started training at 171 and today I weighed 172.  I cannot run or bike my best at this weight.  I know running typically gets a lot easier for me when I start training because I get in better shape and combine that with losing weight leading to big gains.  I'm missing the weight part right now so I need to get that under control.  I do feel much stronger as I was able to complete a 60 minute run yesterday for my longest yet this year.  This week will see modest increases again as I remain patient in my training for 2013.  I'm still sifting through all the possible races and deciding what ones I want to do.  I'm looking at not racing until June 8th but I would like to find something in late May to get the cobwebs blown off and get over the initial sorness that comes with the first races because I'm contemplating racing on June 8 and June 9th and that won't be possible if I haven't done any races prior.  I will be so sore from June 8 that I won't be able to race the following day.  Either way I'm excited about the year and the progress I'm making in training.  Thanks for reading...feel free to take the 10 day challenge and let me know how you feel on day 10 compared to day 1.  DREAM BIG!!

Why not you? Week 1

 

On Monday I was half way through my first run of the year.  It was a 3 mile run at 7:10 mile pace.  I was struggling...hurting bad.  My legs were on fire.  I was on the treadmill and was all over the place unable to find anything that resembled rhythm in my stride.  I began to realize how big the mountain is.  I began to realize how far I have to climb.  I also began to wonder...why not you?  If I can do this...starting in the shape I am with goals of going sub 4 hours for a 1/2 Ironman and sub-9 hours for a full Ironman within 8 months why can't you do this also?  I don't remember 3 miles ever being so tough, yet I have no doubts with daily committment to the work that needs to be done I will be able to attain my goals.  Can you do the same?  I have no doubts you can.  My first swim was equally painful.  I made it 2,000 yards and thought I was going to drown even if my arms didn't fall off...which they felt like they were about to.  Why not you?...Why not now?  Maybe your mountain is to run a mile...maybe it's your first 5k...1/2 marathon...marathon...or even an Ironman.  Regardless of what your mountain is and how far away you feel from the top make the committment and believe that it is possible.  I'm right there with you...looking up the mountain from the bottom and although it can be daunting to think about the climb I can tell you it will be well worth it.  I have climbed this mountain in the past.  In November of 2008 I began the climb weighing 186 lbs. with a goal of getting to the top of my mountain which happened to be earning my professional license.  11 months later I reached the top of that mountain.  I actually think I enjoy the process of climbing the mountain more than I do the feeling of reaching the top.  The top only lasts briefly.  You will come down...but the journey to the top is where the memories are made...is what makes the top that much more enjoyable.  Week 1 was a great week although it was difficult.  I started to make my way up the mountain and am looking no further than week 2.  Slowly I'll get there.  I ran 30 miles, biked 115 and swam 8,200 yards.  I met all my weekly goals and was able to put a checkmark next to all of them on my weekly goal checklist.  It was a good start.  Set goals and begin your climb.  Why not?  If I can picture the top at my current condition I know anyone can.  Let's make this climb together.  DREAM BIG!!

The Journey Resumes...2013

On Saturday I wrapped up my first coaching duties since I began training to be a professional triathlete in the fall of 2008.  I enjoyed being back in the rhelm of coaching and it certainly kept my competitive side at bay through the first part of my off-season.  I was really proud of the way our 9th grade girls basketball team progressed through the course of the season.  Early in the year I was not excited about the effort, energy, and intensity we played with at practices and games on a day to day basis.  One day would be great and leave me so excited I could hardly sleep.  The next day would be a huge letdown leaving me frustrated.  Over the past 5 weeks the team showed growth by coming to practice every day ready to work hard.  I'm excited about the future of our girls basketball program.  This coaching position was pefect for me in terms of traithlon preparation.  I poured a relentless amount of time and energy into the position even though it was "just 9th grade girls basketball."  Doing things 100% is what I do.  This position was no different and because I put 100% into this position I put 0% into triathlon training which I think was necessary.  Over 2.5 months away from anything resembling organized and disciplined training is exactly what I needed to do to start my 2013 season.  I believe the lingering injuries I dealt with in 2012 are completely gone.  I believe my body is more rested entering a season than it has been in 3 years.  Last year I was in tremendous shape in April but was fading fast by the big races in July.  This extended break forced me to delay the training and delay the peak fitness I hope to achieve later in the season this year.  With basketball being wrapped up I now turn my focus to my goals for the 2013 season.  I have a new fire burning and hope to achieve more than I have to date.  I'm super excited to get back to that "machine like" feeling that comes with getting into great shape.  I have printed my weekly goal sheets and begun writing in my new training journal.  I can now focus on eating healthy and knowing that every day is a chance to get in better shape than the day before.  I will be sore in a few days.  That comes with beginning any new training cycle.  I am excited about that.  I am working out a race schedule but know a couple races for sure with my peak race already penciled (penned) in for September 8th at Rev. 3 Cedar Point.  That is a full distance triathlon I did last year for the first time and loved.  For now it is time to let the work begin so I can be ready.  I'm racing for a cause in 2013 and hope to let that cause fuel my motivation.  I'll announce that later once I've finished wrapping up the details of what charitable cause I'll be supporting.  I've appreciated all the support from friends, family, and followers through the first couple years of racing professionally.  I hope you'll continue to follow this journey and that it may motivate you to stay healthy, fit, and goal oriented leaving you to DREAM BIG!