Tag Archives: fitness

Triathlon Training, the Ultimate Race to Give, and the Next Strides Group

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There has been so much going on as of late, that I haven’t been keeping up on my blog!  There never seems to be enough time to do everything that you want to do.  When you add work and other commitments into the mix, the day fills up rather quickly.  I will start this entry in no particular order, with exception to the first part…

A huge shout out and congratulations to my dear friend and training partner Kara, who just completed her first open-water sprint triathlon at the Iowa Games this past Sunday.  Kara did amazing, and it sounds like she is already planning on the next one.  So very proud of her!  Here is a picture of Kara running strong to the finish line: 

 
She is an amazing woman, and I am honored to call her my dear friend.  Love you to the moon and back Kara!

The other day, Fleet Feet Sports (my favorite running store) had a social run where you get to try on a certain brand of shoes for a demo run.  This is not the normal “run on a treadmill” type of run, but rather a run outdoors with hills and such!  What a cool idea, to “try before you buy”.  This week, the shoe sponsor was Altra, which I am the stores “ambassador” for.  So I was pretty sure I had better show up for this run.  

I decided that I would wear my Altra shirt that was given to me (with a pair of ProVision 2 shoes) when I became ambassador.  I got there and there were several styles of shoes to choose from, in various sizes, and also watermelon for after the run.  Andy, the owner of Fleet Feet, introduced me to the Altra rep and started to say that I was the store ambassador for Altra, when the Altra rep quickly said “I knew that right away. That’s the only way to get that shirt.”  Good thing I decided to wear it!

I decided on a pair of Torin zero drop shoes for my run.  The difference in the ProVision 2 and the Torin is in the amount of arch support.  Some days I want it, and I wear the ProVision 2’s.  But it’s when I don’t want that much arch support that I have an issue.  Well not any longer; the Torin will be the next shoe style I purchase.  They were very comfortable for the 3.5 mile run, which inculded a lap around Capital hill.  They felt great the whole time, and is the style that I want to add to my running shoe group. 

 
The Ultimate Race to Give is underway, and I am at $450 of my $1000 goal!  Not too bad, almost halfway there!  The coaches at Zoom Performance have been sending daily training schedules, and thankfully I am allowed to switch them around to suit my daily life (today is a rest day, but I have today off.  So I went on a 24 mile bike ride to work on endurance… I finished the ride with an average MPH of 17.7).  If you have donated to my cause, thank you.  If you haven’t donated, there is still time, and here is the link: http://www.gofundme.com/x3qhtg

Please share this with everyone you know.  I am raising money for the Animal Lifeline of Iowa, a no-kill special needs shelter in Des Moines.  They are such a wonderful group, and do an amazing job caring for all the animals that come to the shelter.    Murphy, our Great Dane, came from the Animal Lifeline.

  
Training has been going well, but there never seems to be enough time to get in all the workouts that you want to.  Swimming in a wetsuit has went amazingly well.  I actually swam 1.2 miles non-stop in a wetsuit!  But there was an issue we were overlooking: what if a race is not wetsuit legal? If the water temperature is above a certain degree, then wetsuits are not allowed.  So we are beginning to work on swimming in open water without the aid of a wetsuit.  It’s hard, but in the end we will be ready, no matter what.

The Next Strides group I mentor on Tuesdays and Saturdays are improving in leaps in bounds.  It is incredible to watch these people transform into seasoned runners.  This Saturday was the halfway point in the training program, so most of them were signed up to run the Midnight Madness 5k in Ames, Iowa that night.  I could not go, as I had a wedding to attend, so I came to the morning group run to see who would show up.  Did I mention it had been raining for hours, with no sign of letting up?

Sure enough, two brave souls showed up to run 6 miles.  I gave them the option: run in the rain, or run in the parking ramp.  They chose the rain, and I am glad they did.  These are the types of runs where memories are made, and this one was no exception.  We selected our route and took off, only to find that The Color Run 5k was setting up.  As we ran past we laughed that surely they wouldn’t run the race in the rain.  Who else is crazy enough to run in the rain?  So we laughed and chatted and went on.

As we ran, we were getting soaked by the rain.  We didn’t care though, and we actually seemed to enjoy the coolness of the rain as we were getting warm from running.  As we headed back, we got a surprise: they actually DID start the Color Run 5k, and now they had the sidewalks blocked with stuff.  The only way to really get through was to join the run, so I said “Wanna crash their party?”, and the three of us ran through the yellow color station. We were the only three not dressed in white, but they threw powder at us anyway.  We had to run through one more station (pink) before turning for home.  Here is what I looked like from just two color stations: 

 
When I posted this on FaceBook, one of my friends commented that I had to be “one of the happiest people that I have ever met.”  That really touched my heart.  I hope that’s what people see in me; a positive, happy, caring individual.  Life is too short to be miserable, so enjoy it (even if it means getting pink powder thrown on you!)

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

The Ultimate Race to Give

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The other day while reading Facebook posts, my friend Eric McGarrah sent me a message about applying for the Ultimate Race to Give, sponsored by BMW of Des Moines and Zoom Performance. What it listed seemed almost too good to be true. If selected, you receive training from a world-class triathlon coach from Zoom Performance, a open-water swim clinic, a transition clinic, running assessment, gear to wear at the event from BMW of Des Moines, paid entry in the Des Moines Triathlon, and a membership in the Des Moines Tri Club (I’m already a member!). You even get the use of a BMW for a weekend! Doesn’t that sound amazing??

Then there’s the “catch”. For my part, other than training is that I have to raise $1000 for the charity of my choice. Wait, what?? I get to choose what charity I raise money for?? That’s incredible! There was no thinking it over, I sent in my request to be considered right away! That evening, I told my wife about entering and she entered too! We laughed on how cute would it be if we both got accepted, then we discussed the charities that we wanted to work for. I chose the Animal Lifeline, a special needs no-kill shelter in Des Moines that Julie and I have donated to for years. We even adopted our Great Dane Murphy from the Animal Lifeline (Maverick the Weimaraner and Max the miniature Dachshund were adopted from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa). Julie selected the Heinz 57 Pet Rescue. So, now that we selected a charity, all we had to do was wait.

It wasn’t long before we received an email asking us to fill out a questionnaire. It asked your athletic accomplishments, who you wanted to raise money for, why did you pick that charity, was I on social media, how would I raise money for my charity, etc. It was rather short, and I was surprised that it didn’t ask a lot more questions. So we both answered the questionnaire and sent it in.  

A few days later, I got the news. I got selected!! I was so pumped, I emailed back thanking them and wanted to know if I could start the fundraising right away. Then I called my wife and told her to check her email…she didn’t get a letter. I told her to look again, and look for the name Cameron Denucce. She said she would look again, but had to get back to work. My heart sunk. I was hoping we could train together.

When she came home, I greeted Julie at the door with “Did you check again?” The look on her face gave it away…she got accepted!! She missed it the first time. We would be training together for a triathlon. I knew I wanted to do the Olympic distance, but what did Julie want to do? Her answer surprised and impressed me: she wanted to train for Olympic distance as well.

This past Friday, BMW of Des Moines invited us to a kickoff celebration. Unfortunately, Julie had to work, but I went and met Cameron and Craig from BMW, Matt and the coaches from Zoom Performance, and the rest of the team that I would be training with. They selected 8 people, and Craig said that they wished that they could have chosen more, but that they were impressed with our accomplishments and our charities that we selected. When Craig said “accomplishments”, it got me wondering. I’ve always set goals: run a half marathon, run a full marathon, run 1000 miles in a year (originally 750, but I had passed that mark before the year was out), things like that. Then it’s on to the next goal. I guess I never really looked at them as an athletic resume of sorts. Then Cameron asked all the athletes to gather for a group photo. I just stood there until Craig said “You better get in there”. They were referring to me?? I never considered myself an athlete, just someone who works out. We gathered for photos, and then a team meeting. It was exciting. 

Before we left, Cameron gave us these awesome BMW gym bags to store our gear in. It can also serve as a huge backpack! It has more pockets than I know what to do with! We also got our entry into the Des Moines Triathlon, and details on the use of the BMW for the weekend. Before you knew it, it was time to head home, but we were told that training started on Monday. I couldn’t wait!

Now, let me tell you a little about the Animal Lifeline of Iowa. One Christmas Eve, we stopped at the Animal Lifeline to drop off food for the dogs and cats. The volunteers asked if we wanted to see the puppies and kitties, and of course we did. There was a blind Bassett Hound that had great hearing and an even better sense of smell, especially when a treat was near! He was scheduled to be adopted, so that was good.

Then we were told that we had to be quiet when entering the next room, as this dog was hit by a car and had pins in her hip. They didn’t want to get her too excited. I imagined a poor dog laying in a cage, all alone and in pain, but what I saw shocked me. There was the poor dog, laying with pins holding her broken hip and leg together, gently wagging her tail. The reason why she was wagging her tail? Because a volunteer was sitting in the kennel next to her reading to her! We found out later that they took shifts staying with her until she was healed. That meant all through Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Years Day that dog was never alone. She was loved and cared for like never before (she was later adopted).

I have a donation page at Gofundme.com Here is the link: 
http://www.gofundme.com/x3qhtg

It is listed under “Ultimate Race to Give”. Please consider a donation to help the Animal Lifeline continue to care for pets until they are adopted. If they are not adopted, they live out their lives at the Lifeline, never at risk of being euthanized because of time of space constraints. You can read more about the Animal Lifeline of Iowa on their website: http://www.animal-lifeline.com

Thank you!

  
Here is a picture of the awesome athletic bag that BMW of Des Moines gave each of us!

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

Copper Creek Triathlon and the Dam to Dam Half Marathon

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So much has gone onn recently, that I see I haven’t been keeping up to date on my blog.  First off, let’s talk about the Dam to Dam half marathon that I ran on May 30.  It was a cold and wet start to the race, and since the porta-pottiy lines were so long, I had to run 1.5 miles until I had to stop.  I lost some time, but I had 2.5 hours to finish the race so I could meet up with the group I mentor in No Boundaries and run their “graduation 5k” with them.  I really wanted to be there with them, and that was the driving force behind my run.  Even with a potty break, I finished in 2:14 and found the group.  I even had a moment to catch my breath before we started out again.  It was a wonderful day! 

 

Sunday, June 14 was the day of the Copper Creek Triathlon.  It’s a sprint triathlon with a 750 meter swim (820 yards), 20k bike ride (12.4 miles), then a 5k (3.1 mile) run.  I’ve been worried about this event, as it was going to be my first open water swim.  I have only done triathlons in a pool, but this was in a lake with waves of swimmers taking off.  It was hard to keep my nerves in check in the days up to the race.

We prepped the bikes and had our bags packed and loaded the night before (my wife competed as well).  All that was left was to relax, watch the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup final (they won and lead 3-2) and go to bed.  But sleep would not come.  I was going over scenarios of what could happen in the lake.  I wasn’t worried about the bike or the run, it was the lake that had my full attention.

Finally the alarm went off: 4:00 a.m.  Time to clean up, eat, and drive to the parking area for the opening of the transition area so we could set up.  You could feel the nervous tension in the truck, as it was my wife’s first open water event as well.  We got parked, and the first problem reared it’s ugly head: I had a broken wheel spoke.

I didn’t have time to remove the spoke, as that would have required taking the tire off.  But I couldn’t leave the broken part dangling, as it could possibly poke a hole in my inner tube and cause a flat tire, ruining my day.  So we improvised: we bent the short part of the spoke untill it rested on the rim, and we used electrical tape to hold it in place.  It was far enough back so it wouldn’t touch the brake area, so I said a prayer and headed to transition to rack my bike.

Once we were set up, we milled around until it was time to get into our wetsuits and line up for the swim.  I was also getting hungry, as I had eaten breakfast at 4:30, and the race started at 8:00.  My heart and mind were racing, thinking about running into that water.  I was in wave 4, and I heard the announcer say “Wave one, in the water”, and I thought we were starting.  But they made wave one wait between two buoys… they were treading water before beginning!  I have trouble treading water even in a wetsuit!  That didn’t help the nerves.

Waves two and three did the same routine; tread water until the cannon blast told them to start.  Suddenly it was wave four’s turn.  I got out to chest deep water when I heard the marshall say “You have three minutes.”  I spoke to a couple of others in my wave, and we decided to stay back until one minute was called.  When the marshall gave that call, we swam out and treaded for 20 seconds until the cannon blast.  We were off!

I tried to stay to the outside of the pack, knowing I would be slower and I didn’t want to get overrun by faster swimmers.  My nerves had my heart rate going, and I was finding it hard to breathe.  I used my inhaler earlier that morning, but this felt like an asthma attack.  I wondered why I thought I could do this, and how could I get out of here.  Then I thought of everyone who has encouraged me, supported me, and helped me on this journey. I could not give up until I reached the first buoy, that much I knew.

It took forever for that buoy to get close, and when I made the turn I could see buoy #2 a short distance away.  I thought that if I quit there, I at least made it half way.  Suddenly, I was halfway!  I started to calm down, I gained control of my breathing, and decided to take my time and finish this thing.

Then in the midst of feeling good about swimming, another problem came up… I was swimming in seagrass.  I used someone else as a spotter, and they were off course.  So I needed to angle over to deeper water and sight buoy #3 for myself.  It took a little effort, but I finally made the turn and was heading for home.

I could see the exit, but it never seemed to get closer.  I thought surely I would touch ground and run out, but this lake was deep where the exit was, and I almost swam up to shore before I stood up.  I had made it!  820 yards with others all around me, and I made it! 

 The time for the swim: 16:11 – pace: 2:10 per 100 yards.

I ran slowly to transition.  I felt as if I was out of gas, but I has to keep moving.  I ripped off my wetsuit, donned my helmet, put on socks and bike shoes, and ate a Huma Gel.  I shoved some Honey Stinger chews in my back pocket (I wore my tri suit under my wetsuit) and ran out of transition.

Time for T1: 4:08

The ride was 12 miles, but I was not expecting as many hills as they had.  We followed USAT rules regarding no drafting and no blocking.  That meant you had to pass within 15 seconds or stay 3 bike lengths behind another rider.  There were marshalls on motorcycles travelling the course and writing out penalties.  We rode out and back, and one steep hill I had conquered would give a fast ride down on the way back.  When I reached that part of the race I remembered: I had a broken spoke to worry about.  If I blew out a tire now, the results would be catastrophic.  So when I hit 31 miles an hour, I started lightly pumping the brakes to keep me from going any faster.  I was happy to see transition for two reasons: one, that worry was behind me, and secondly because my mentor Stephanie and my training partner Kara was there to greet me.  It was an awesome surprise, but hellos would have to wait as I had a 5k to run.

Time for the 20k ride: 44:09

Transition 2 went fast: off went the helmet, gloves, and bike shoes; on went the running shoes and I grabbed my water bottle.

Time for T2: 1:54

The run was an almost steady incline up, followed by a decline and a lap around the lake.  My legs were about done after the ride, but as I rounded the first corner, I saw my friend Jodie and her husband cheering me on.  They had stopped by the transition area before the race to wish me luck, but I didn’t think I would see them on the course, or that they would still be there.  That helped the legs feel a little better.

Before I knew it, the halfway point was in view.  I turned and headed back for the finish.  One long path around the lake, and I saw the finish line.  I heard the announcer say my name.  I made it.  I did it!

Time for the run: 31:11 Pace: 10:04 per mile

Total for the triathlon: 1:37:33 with no penalties.

I went and hugged my friends Kara and Stephanie, and we watched together as Connie McGarrah, a friend whom I admire for all the success she has when training and competing, crossed the finish.  Then my wife Julie crossed the finish line.  Julie was pretty emotional after she crossed the line, and she has a right to be.  Having back issues like she does, and still trains and competes in an event like this is simply amazing!

Now we train until the next one.  The way it sounds, it may be sooner rather than later!

   
       

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

Pieathlon, Triathlon Training, Open Water Swimming, and Prepping for the Dam to Dam Half

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It’s been a fun and hectic week around here.  First up: the YMCA Pieathlon, which is a sprint triathlon (400 yard swim, 10 mile bike, 5k run) where you get pie at the end.  My wife Julie and I both signed up, trained, and was raring to go on race day.  Not to say we weren’t nervous, but that seems totally normal as we feel we never train enough.

We arrived at the YMCA at 5:45 a.m. to set up our transition stations.  Even though this is considered a “fun beginner” event, it never hurts to practice so you’re ready for the bigger, more serious races.  We chatted with friends until 7am, when we were given our instructions and we started to line up at the pool.  The swim is the weakest for me, so I milled toward the back of the line, figuring on a finish of between 9:30-10min.  Since we were in our Des Moines Tri-Club gear, people were teasing us that we should be in the front of the line.  We chatted and watched the faster swimmers, until suddenly I was told to get in the pool.  It was go time!

I started off steady, trying to control my breathing and not going too fast and wearing myself out.  I was fine until 300 yards, when I started to feel tired.  I told myself, “you’ve only got 100 yards left! You can do it”.  I had to let one faster swimmer pass me, but I also passed one swimmer, so that was a draw.  Once I pulled myself out of the pool, I hit my watch to start transition.  8:50 was the swim time!  I was pretty happy about that!

I ran from the pool area to the outside transition area, threw on my bike shoes, helmet, sunglasses, and headed out of transition.  I took off when I was allowed, and was hitting 20-23 mph pretty easily.  The issue was passing people on the trail while others were heading back.  Then at the turnaround, there was a headwind that slowed me way down, that and being tired.  Time on the bike: 32:36 with an 18 mph average.

I ran back to transition, threw off the helmet and bike shoes, and put on my running shoes.  I opted to not put on socks, and that was a big mistake.  By mile two I could feel the blisters forming on my arches, and by the end it was hurting to run.  It also took about a half mile for my legs to feel normal after the bike.  Final for the run: 28:59 with a 9:19 mph pace.

   
I finished in 1:14:03, which is over a minute faster from my previous attempt.  Julie finished at 1:26:23.  She did great for her first transitional triathlon.

I am continuing my triathlon training, between mentoring running groups, and getting long runs in for marathons.  I’m finding it hard to do all the training I need to do in a day.  I wish I could have a job where that’s all I did…train.  But until then, I do the best I can.  We are getting ready for Copper Creek sprint triathlon, which leads to my next topic: my first open water swim.

We started off the Memorial day holiday by going out for a run.  My wife stopped at 4.5 miles, while I opted to get one more long run in before my half marathon on Saturday.  I ran 10 miles, and while it wasn’t the prettiest or fastest, it felt good to be able to just go that distance.  I will need it and then some come Saturday, but I will explain that in a little bit.

After running, we decided to clean up and head to Raccoon River Park and try our hand at open water swimming for the first time.  We walked over to the swim area at the lake, and there was tons of people there (it was Memorial Day after all).  So we donned our wetsuits, and waded in.

Man, was that water cold!!  When I finally dove in, I thought my hands and face would freeze and fall off!  But by the time I reached the first part of the rope where you turn, I was warmed up and ready to go.  The darkness of the water and not being able to see didn’t bother me, I used it as a tool to sight the buoy rope ahead of me.  My wife however, was having issues with the cold and being unable to see.  She did make it around to the other end (375 yards) and we talked about it.  We started to walk back in the water when she decided to try again.  She swam against the current (it was choppy) for a bit and stood up.  I asked her how that felt and she replied “better”.  We decided to swim the last 75 yards to the buoy rope and the decide what to do.  She did that with no problem.  The only issue we had was that we were both starving!  I think next time I will skip the ten-mile run before swimming.  That wore me out.

Saturday is the Dam to Dam, one of the most enjoyable races I have ever run.  Even the packet pickup is a blast; with food, beer, a band … it’s just a big party.  It is also my No Boundaries group’s graduation run.  They will be running the 5k event, while I am signed up for the half marathon.  There is a 2:30 window between the start of the half, and the start of the 5k.  If I can finish quickly enough, I can meet and run with them on their first 5k race!  I have done a half in 2:04, so I think that it’s possible.  I want to run with them so badly.  It will also ramp up my mileage on running an ultra sometime this year.  Yet one more thing to train for.  lol

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

   

Wetsuit Swimming, No Boundaries, and the Run With the Police 5k

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As you have probably read here before, I am in the midst of triathlon training to ready myself for not only an open water sprint in June, but an Olympic distance triathlon later this year.  Swimming is my weakest sport, as I sink like a rock and cannot seem to tread water.  The idea of swimming almost a mile started to seem like a far fetched idea.

But, one should not give up hope.  So to push myself a little harder, my wife and I purchased wetsuits.  I purchased what is considered an entry level Orca S5 suit.  Since the outdoor water temperature is still a little cool, we decided to try them out in the pool at the YMCA.  It wasn’t too bad getting it on for the first time, although I did have trouble getting the pull string to stay out of the way!  I made my way to an open lane, said a little prayer that everything would be ok, and jumped in.

I actually felt a little lighter in the water with it on, but then again I was just standing there.  It’s when I started to swim that I noticed a big difference.  First: I didn’t have to try so hard to beathe, as I was almost on top of the water.  Second: It seemed almost effortless, as if I was gliding along. Third: even with the full sleeves, it never felt cumbersome and I seemed to have a full range of motion.  That’s when I realized that I had swam 400 yards as my warm up!  I had never done that so easily before.  After drills, I decided to just swim laps again, and completed 750 yards non-stop!  That felt amazing, and since my first open water sprint is approximately 820 yards, I feel much better about it.

Then my wife suggested that we swim out to the deep end and and practice treading water.  Now I don’t tread water, I sink.  I don’t know why, but that’s what happens.  So I try to be brave, and swim out to the deep end and stop … and I float!  I barely moved my arms or my legs, and I was floating.  I even went one minute treading water and floating.  It was amazing, and it has me amped up to try open water swimming now!

My No Boundaries group is moving along so well that they will soon be teaching me.  Because of a graduation, only one of my team, Shirley, was there on Saturday.  We partnered with Maria, another mentor, and I asked Shirley what she wanted to do.  She said she wanted to try to run the entire 5k, but slowly and no walk breaks.  So I told her that she would set the pace and off we went.  And she did it!!  Shirley was amazing, and she finished in 34:39 which is a great time!  It has been amazing to run with this group, and between Shirley, Jennifer, Sarah, and Bob, I have learned so much.  They have taught me how to encourage people, to make things fun, to boost spirits, and to love running even more.  I can only hope that they got as much from this program that I have.

After No Boundaries was completed Cathy, another mentor in the group, asked if I was doing the “Run With the Police 5k”.  It was the first year for the race, raising interactions with the police and the community, and raising money for Special Olympics.  I told Cathy that I had not signed up, but would love to run it.  So I ran a half mile to the police station, and they were still accepting applications for the race.  I got my bib, my t-shirt, then ran a half mile back to Fleet Feet Sports.  The race was at 10 am, so we had enough time for a coffee and a pastry before walking to the starting line.  I had already logged in 4 miles, and now going to run a 5k.  I wondered how this would pan out.

The race was wonderful, with 1000 runners at the start.  We took off, and the police were everywhere, cheering us on, high-fiving runners, it was a great time.  I crossed the finish, got a great looking medal, and went through a wall of uniformed police officers all fist bumping us and congratulating us!  It was a great race, one that I will add to my “have to run” list.  I looked at my watch to see the time I finished: 26:30.  Not too bad for running 4 miles beforehand.  I stayed to cheer on Cathy, Brenda, and Cindy on as they headed to the finish.

Here is the medal we received: 

 

Here we are after the finish:

  
After the run, I cleaned up, got out the bicycle, and went with on a 25 mile bike ride.  My wife, my training partner Kara, and her sweetheart Eli were there, and we stopped at Mullets for an early dinner.  It was great to see Kara and Eli again, and I hope we can ride together more often.

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

A New Way To Ride

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I had last Friday off from work, and since I had some spare time I thought it would be a good idea to get a brick workout in (two different workouts back-to-back). I decided on a 35 mile bike ride and then a run. The ride went well, averaging over 17 mph, but some soreness in my left ankle limited me to a 3 mile run. It felt fine the next day, when I had two runs totaling over 7 miles.

But this blog post focuses on the bike ride, or should I say what went with me on the ride. I attached a GoPro camera to my bike helmet, and the following video is the result. You can get an idea of the area and how beautiful it is to ride in Iowa! So let me know what you think of the video, since it is my first attempt at it.  See if you can spot the following:

  • A dog running full speed
  • Marines doing a timed run
  • A wild turkey crossing the road
  • How many golfers are teeing up

 

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

Meeting an Inspiring Person, The Drake Relays, No Boundaries, and Trying for a Personal Best

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This weekend has been one wonderfully filled moment after another.  I got to meet someone that inspires me to keep moving forward and to continue to push myself, I ran my first half-marathon of the year, I tried to meet a goal and have a personal best at the same time, AND I got to watch my group in the No Boundaries reach new heights.  So without further delay, lets get started.

Meeting an Inspiration:  I had the privilege to meet Celeste E. the author of the web blog Confessions of a [former} Fat Girl and her husband Al this weekend.  Celeste and I “met” in a FaceBook fitness group called “From Fat to Finish Line”, and I have shared her blog several times.  She is an amazing person, and her story is incredible!  She inspires me to keep trying my best, to constantly improve, and to enjoy the journey.  If you haven’t checked out her blog, go to http://confessionsofaformerfatgirlblog.com   Celeste and Al were in Des Moines so Celeste could attend the RRCA certification program to become a certified running instructor.  How cool is that!  Celeste and Al also signed up to run the 10k event at the Drake Relays.  I was signed up for the half-marathon, so we decided to meet up after the training class (I work across the street from the hotel where the class was being held), and walk to the packet pickup.

Celeste is an amazing person, and makes you feel at ease right away.  We chatted as we walked, and it felt like, even though we just met in person, that we knew each other.  I guess having similiar fitness goals and each having a history with a lifestyle change unites people.  We waited for Al to find the arena (downtown Des Moines isn’t the easiest to navigate), and the three of us went to the packet pickup and expo.

Al is an incredible person as well.  He is easygoing, soft spoken, and really cares about what you are saying.  He never takes himself too seriously, and that puts you at ease quickly.  Here is Celeste and Al at the expo: 

 

I have to admit I was disappointed with the expo.  We were in and out in less than ten minutes.  There have been bigger and better expos before, but this one was small.  I’m glad Celeste and Al didn’t drive from Minnesota just for this expo.  

We decided that since we had time before my wife was to meet us for dinner, that we would go to Fleet Feet Sports in the East Village.  Celeste mentioned that since I talk about that store so much, that she wanted to see it. Andy Roat and the gang did not disappoint.  Both Celeste and Al wished they had a running store like Fleet Feet near them.  Celeste tried on a pair of Hoka’s while Al and I picked out Huma gels to try.  It was a fun time, and so much better than the expo.

After our visit to Fleet Feet, we headed to Fong’s Pizza.  Al had researched it, and wanted to give it a try.  When we got there however, there was an almost two-hour wait!  That wasn’t going to do, so we went across the street to the Royal Mile, and found a table right away.

My wife joined us at the Royal Mile, and we ordered drinks and dinner.  The dinner was good but the conversation and the company was even better!  Celeste and Al told stories about some of the races they have run, including one in full parkas at -15 degrees!  They said they had run 50 races last year alone if I remember correctly, and that in itself is amazing!  I thought I was doing great at 16 events a year.  This is how the experts do it.

The time flew by quickly, and before you knew it, we had to say goodnight.  Celeste had class and a run in the morning, and I had my No Boundaries group to run and mentor with.  So we headed our separate ways, and decided to meet up after the Relays on Sunday.

No Boundaries:  The No Boundaries group met Saturday morning, and they amaze me each and every week.  My group continues to improve in leaps and bounds.  Saturday was no exception.  They didn’t let a little rain stop them from running outside, and with only a couple walking sections, ran the entire time!  They will easily make the Dam to Dam 5k!  They say they are learning a lot from me, but I think I am learning even more from them.  Andy Roat has given to ok to ramp up the training if they want to, and the group has responded wonderfully.  It’s going to be hard to see them go after the program is over, and I hope we can continue to run socially afterward.  They are such a great group.

Drake Relays half-marathon:  So Sunday morning came and it was time for the half-marathon.  I was a little nervous, because the longest training run I had was one 10-miler, along with a 7-miler and others.  I wanted to not only finish, but finish strong, because this was a gauge for me on how to train for the Dam to Dam.  The No Boundaries group decided that the 5k portion of the Dam to Dam would be their “graduation” run, but I had already committed to the half-marathon.  So I figured, if I could somehow run the half fast enough, I could finish, find the No Boundaries group, and run the 5k with them.  One of the other mentors told me there was a two and a half hour difference between the start of the half, and the start of the 5k.  So if I could finish in 2:15, I would have some time to find them.  Then I thought that I did a half in 2:10, but it was some time ago.  What if I could do the half in under 2 hours?  That would give me plenty of time!  The goal was set: 1:59:59.

So the race started and it felt really good.  It was a beautiful day to run!  It is always a great route and very well organized.  I had lined up in the chute near the two hour pacer.  My hope was to keep him in my sights until near the end.  Then if I had enough energy to push past him I would.  That strategy worked until mile ten, when the hills came into play.

We started with a steady incline up Grand Avenue, several city blocks of nothing but incline.  I could feel the soreness starting to creep into my legs, and even my toes were tingling.  I tried to focus on my breathing, on looking only a few feet in front of me, of just making it to the crest of the hill, because I knew the worst was yet to come.  I finally glanced up, and although I saw the next water stand, the 2 hour pacer was gone!  I quickly refilled my water bottle and took back off, hoping to use the short downhill and flat to make up some lost time.

At the end of the flat I saw the Fleet Feet team.  They were waving and cheering me on, and I knew then that, even though I was tired, I could not stop. I would not let them see me fail.  But I still could not see the pacer.  Once I passed the gang from Fleet Feet, my biggest challenge yet was staring me in the face: Bulldog Hill.

The hill affectionately gained the name Bulldog Hill because it leads you back to Drake University, and to the finish.  The Bulldog is the Drake University mascot.  Runners have other names for this hill, which I cannot repeat here.  It is a half mile of torture, a three tiered monster neatly placed toward the end of the run, and you feel every painful step of that hill.  The race organizers even time you going up the hill, and give out medals for the fastest finishers.  My goal: run up the hill without walking, without letting my friends at Fleet Feet down.

It was slow going, my legs were starting to complain, and my body wondered why I pushed it so much.  But my brain said “move”, and like a good soldier, the body and legs responded by moving forward.  Up the first tier, head down, not trying to look at the crest.  Second tier done, still trying to focus on short points to pass, like a driveway or a bush, or even a crack in the road.  Anything within my field of vision worked.

Then, all at once, the road flattened.  I had made it up the hill!  Now, if I had anything left in me, I needed to push to the finish.  I made it around a couple of turns and looked at my watch.  I was less that a mile to the finish, but time was running out.  I was three tenths (.3) of a mile from the finish when I saw my watch hit the two-hour mark.  My goal was not to be.  However, I could still set a PR (personal record) if I could finish before 2:10.  

When I finally entered the stadium and hit the track, I started to run all out.  Now was the time to empty the tank and push hard.  Another runner, a young woman, started pushing as well, and we ran side by side as fast as we could.  I looked over to her and started encouraging her, saying “Come on, all or nothing! You can do it!  Just keep it up!  Almost there!”  Then suddenly we were across the finish line.  I said to her “Great job!” She looked at me and said “I thought I was going to throw up!”  I patted her on the back and suddenly heard my name.

It was Al and Celeste!  They had stayed to watch me cross the finish line.  Words cannot express how much that meant to me, as they needed to check out of their hotel, and then drive 6+ hours to get home.  Yet they stayed to congratulate me on finishing.  That really made me feel as if I had actually won the race!

Celeste asked how I did, and I looked at my watch: 2:04:38.  I was able to set a PR by shaving off 6 minutes of time from my previous half-marathon.  It wasn’t 1:59:59, but I’ll take it and be happy.  Only four minutes behind the pacer.  Not a bad day at all!  

Celeste, Al, and I took pictures and chatted while we hit the rehydration and food line.  Celeste mentioned that she wanted to finish the 10k in 1:05, but didn’t do it.  When I asked what her time was, she said 1:05:05.  Five seconds.  She did great!  Al did great as well, finishing the 10k in 54:51. 

   

It was a great time, but before you knew it, it was time for them to head home.  We agreed that we need to run together again at a race on their home turf.  I hope for my sake that they pick one during the summer.  I don’t know how well I would do running in a parka!

Here is my split times for the race: 

 

So, I finally met someone face to face that I’ve come to admire from her blog, had an awesome time mentoring, ran a nice half-marathon and set a PR.  As I was running up the first hill, I thought how wonderful it is that I was blessed to be able do this, that I made a liefstyle change for the better, and of all the wonderful things that have come from it.  Who knows what comes next.  I can’t wait to see!

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

Rotunda Runs, Swimming Woes, No Boundaries, and Ramping Up the Miles

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Its been a while since I posted, and where should I begin?  Let’s start with the triathlon training and go from there.  I’ve been having issues with swim training, and it felt as if I was regressing instead of progressing.  At my last tri-training class, I only swam 75 yards before I had to get out of the pool because I couldn’t breathe.  Now, I have asthma from years of smoking, but I have completed the training before without issues.  However, the last couple of sessions had me to the point of throwing in the towel and giving up on the idea of triathlon.  I told the coaches that I would go to another YMCA where the pool room was larger and more open, and see if that changed anything.  If not, I was going to go to the doctor.  The coaches agreed, and thought the problem might be the high level of chlorine smell in the pool area.  The pool area where we train is quite small with a low ceiling and little air movement.

Well I have been to another pool twice, one with higher ceilings and a larger, well ventilated area, and I am happy to say that on the initial warmup swims, I was able to easily swim 250 yards both times!  I then did drills until I had 1200 yards in each time.  I am hoping that it is the issue, but that means that while I can run and bike with the team, I will have to swim train alone.  That’s ok, as long I can keep moving forward, then I’m happy.  I also learned that chlorine does affect my breathing.  I guess it’s something that I will always have to be prepared for.

The No Boundaries group that I am mentoring in is doing very well!  My group is picking up speed quickly, and their distance that they cover from one week to the next is amazing!  I am so honored to be a part of such a wonderful group of people that want to run and improve their lives.  One member has a hurt foot, possibly a broken toe, but she is not letting it stop her!  She is taping it up and still going, even though we have agreed that she should rest it.  She is amazing, but I don’t want her to hurt it worse.

Claire is one of the No Boundaries coaches, and she has been wanting to increase her distance so she can run a half marathon.  We have went on a few runs, and it’s a lot of fun to run with her.  She’s upbeat and funny, and we chat a lot during our runs.  It makes the time fly by.  We even met up for a 5 mile run before our mentors meeting on Friday, and I had a great time.  We even stopped long enough to take a picture of Gray’s Lake.

 

Isn’t that beautiful?  It was a great run and a great evening!  I can’t wait for our next run.

Speaking of runs, after today’s No Boundaries group run, we went on a Run to the Rotunda, where after a two-mile run, we received a tour of the State Capitol.  It was a great morning for a run, and we even ran up the steps to the door of the Capitol.  I want to say thank you to Andy Roat from Fleet Feet Sports Des Moines for setting up the run, the tour, and everything that he does to support the running community.  Here are some photos of the tour:

 

 

  

  

  

 

So now I need to start ramping up my miles, as I have two upcoming half marathons, a full marathon, and I want to run a 50k whether it be in a race or not.  Add to that, cycling and swim training for triathlon, and I have a full schedule … actually a little more than full.  I can’t seem to find the time to do all the training I want to do.  What I need to do is find a company that would like to support an old, slow trainee wanting to swim, bike, and run. 🙂 

Until then, I guess I will keep cramming in all that I can.  It’s hard to believe that a few years ago, I didn’t want to exercise.  Now people are asking me for advice, tips, and techniques.  I still feel like such a newbie, and yet people are telling me how I am helping and inspiring them.  It just warms my heart to hear that, becuase it means that I touched someone, and that’s what life is all about: helping others.

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis

The Leprechaun 10k and Bike Riding in Iowa

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Saturday morning was the date for the Leprechaun 10k, which for me has become an annual event.  The 10k race allows the ladies (lasses) a 5:30 minute head start.  Then, the men (lads) chase after the lasses.  The first gender across the finish line wins not only a free beer for themselves, but also for their gender.  People generally use this run as their first run of the season, and gets people who have hibernated long enough back out on the streets and into their running shoes.

It was also my wife Julie’s first 10k race.  She was a bit nervous about whether she could do it or not, but I assured her that she indeed could run that distance and I was sure she would!  It was pretty chilly that morning, but the race didn’t start until 10am.  It was hard to decide how much to wear, or whether to brave it and wear shorts and a t-shirt.  Finally, we decided to bundle up and not freeze during the run.

We met up with some of our running friends that meet at Fleet Feet Sports when we arrived, and we all tried to stay warm waiting for the start.  Before long, the gun sounded, and the lasses were off!  It didn’t seem like a long wait before the lads were off and running as well.  It felt good to get moving, and before long I was catching up to the lasses.  There was a lot of people in front of me, but I was doing pretty well.  In one section of the race, we had to run down a side street and then back again.  It really gives you a chance to not only see how many are in front of you, but you also get to look for people.  I spotted Julie on that street, and she looked like she was doing well.  So well in fact, I wasn’t sure if I would catch her.



I finally caught her on mile three, just as we entered Gray’s Lake.  julie was doing ok, but getting a little hot as it quickly started to warm up.  We ran together until we reached the lake restrooms, where she turned off to shed a little clothing.  I continued on, and finished in 54:33.  While not my fastest time, it wasn’t bad and I got to run with Julie for a bit.

I was also able to get set up and catch this moment:



Julie crossing the finish of her first 10k!  She averaged a little over 11 minute miles, and was pretty consistant throughout the race.  She is really doing amazingly well in such a short time.

Sunday we met up with friends in Slater Iowa and rode our bikes to the High Trestle Trail.  The wind was brutal that day, and we fought a head and cross wind all the way to the bridge.  It was a fun time, and we got quite a workout, and this time there were no crashes.  It felt like the wind was going to blow us off the road, but we stayed upright the whole time.



Soon, all this area will be lush and green.  It’s great that we can get out so early in the season, and are able to watch the spring season come alive!



It’s going to be a great season!

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis



Triathlon Training, The Sandwich Run, Bike Rides, and Ambassadorship 

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Hi everyone!  It’s been a couple of weeks since my last post, and a lot of things have been going on.  First on the agenda: triathlon training.  The training takes up a lot of my time, as I am either in the pool or on my bike trainer. The swimming is by far the hardest part for me, and it still feels like I am not progressing as I should.  My swim coach says it’ll be ok, but I get impatient with myself.  My swim coach has completely changed my swim stroke in order to maximize efficiency while minimizing effort.  It does feel better, but I haven’t gotten completely used to it and have to think about what I’m doing.  I hope one day it will become second nature, and I can concentrate on what else I’m doing wrong.  

Our group meets on Wednesday nights, and after we get caught up on things, we hit the spin room.  After an hour of spinning (for me, about 23 miles), we hit the track and run fartleks for a mile or so.  Then we stretch, and head to the pool.  We do a warm up for a total of 400 yards, then do drills as the coach watches us.  We did a couple of new things in the last class; we treaded water while tossing a ball, and did a push war.  The push war is where two people hold a long pole with floats and face each other.  At the whistle, they hover and kick as hard as they can, attempting to push the other across the pool.  I enjoyed the push war, but found out I stink at treading water.

I also bought a bike trainer, along with some Sufferfest videos to use while riding.  Sufferfest videos are advanced training videos that will really push you to your limits.  I have yet to try the two hour video, as I am usually exhausted after one hour.  It is my hope that as the weather gets warmer, my riding times will greatly improve.

Saturday consisted of two runs: the Winter Warriors running group and the Sandwich Run.  We met up for the group run at 8 am, and had a great 3 mile run through the East Village and around Principal Ballpark.  Then, after a short wait, we participated in the Sandwich Run.  It was a race where we ran 1.5 miles to the B&B Deli, picked up a “Killer” hoagie, and ran back to the Fleet Feet store, who sponsored the run.  Then you had to eat the sandwich in order to finish the race.  Prizes were awarded for the first man and women to finish the race and eat the sandwich, and for the person who predicts the closest to the time that it would take them to run and finish the sandwich.

We took off, and I started off with a fast group.  Before I knew it, there was three of us and no one else around.  The guy in front was about a block ahead, and then it was a lady, Megan, who was keeping pace with him.  I decided to try to pace with Megan and hope that I could hold that pace.   We reached the store, grabbed a sandwich, posed for a photo, and hit the streets again.  I was hoping the pace would slow, but that was not the case.  It was the same all the way back.  Megan and I crossed the line close to one another, and the gentleman leading was about 1 1/2 blocks ahead.  We grabbed a plate, something to drink, and sat outside to eat our sandwiches.  We cheered others as they finished and then joined us.

Before long, the guy who led the race looked at me and said “I don’t think I can finish the other half of this sandwich”.  Then he looked at my hands, and said “Where’s yours?”  As I ate the last bite I smiled and said “I’m done”, and then went inside and checked in, winning the event.  When everyone was finished, the times were checked, and I missed my total time by 1.5 minutes which was the closest time.  So I ended up winning two gift certificates for more sandwiches.  It was a great time, everyone had fun, and new friends were made.

We are experiencing warm spring weather, so we decided to take the bikes out for a ride.  The bike trails still have sections of ice on them, and that caused some issues as we both crashed on the ice.  I think I got the worst of it, as I have a badly bruised hip.  I am hoping that it is better tomorrow so I can go outside on a run.  But the total ride was nice, it was great to be outside, and the first ride of the season was 42 miles.

Now on to the surprise news.  While waiting to start the sandwich run, the owner of Fleet Feet, Andy Roat, asked me if I had heard of Altra running shoes.  I told him that I had, that I had heard good things about them, and that they seemed to be moving up quickly among the running community.  Andy then mentioned that he knows I run in zero drop shoes, and would I consider trying on the Altra zero drops.  If I liked them, Andy said that I could be the ambassador for Altra Shoes for Fleet Feet Des Moines.  I told him that it would be an honor if the shoes felt good, as I would want to support something that I actually use.  So, I tried on the two styles of zero drops that Andy had, and they both are great!  One shoe feels like a true zero drop, as if you are running barefoot, and the other has better arch and side support, while still being a zero drop shoe.  Andy said that I would be given a pair of shoes for free, so I could pick either one.  It was a hard choice, but I picked the Provision (although I am considering buying the other pair as well).  I never thought I would be offered something like this.  I am not an elite runner, just a guy that loves to run, and loves to help others find the enjoyment in running and in fitness.  Now I am actually representing a shoe company!  It is an amazing feeling!  Many people would say “it’s just a free pair of shoes”, but to me it is something else entirely . . . it is the culmination of the hard work that I put forth from the very start of this journey.  I have went from only being able to run a quarter mile, to running a marathon. I have went from asking questions to mentors to becoming a mentor myself.  It is a wonderful feeling, and now the running store I love going to is asking me to represent their product!  It doesn’t get much better than that!



These are the shoes I will be sporting soon.

Live healthy, be happy!

Travis