Be a Joiner

I just joined a local trail running / ultra running group called the Brazos Valley Trail Runners.  I also officially signed up with the Brazos Splash swim team a couple of months ago.

Honestly, I don't need to be part of these clubs.  I can train all I need on my own.  And I'm a coach myself, for cripe's sake!  And you should also be careful when signing up for anything.  Lots of stuff can be both a time-suck and a wallet-drain. 

But the upside of being part of clubs is sometimes worth it.  I know plenty of coaches that have coaches themselves, if for nothing else than the social aspect and to keep them on a schedule.

Here's some indicators of a group with some potential to serve you well:

• Scheduling.  Groups have predicable workout schedules that you can count on.  Also helps to make excuses.  "Honey, I can't wash the car tonight.  It's Time Trials Wednesday!"
• Exposure.  One of the best ways to get faster is to find people faster than you and ape them.  Figure out how much they work out and what gear they use.
• Good price. If it's expensive, make sure there is a really good reason why.
• Discounts. Teams and clubs can get good discounts on gear and race entries.  Just check over the list and make sure that it is stuff you actually want to use or do.
• Locations.  Hang out with the right crowds and soon you'll learn of some new and great training locations.

Here's some pitfalls beware of:

• You don't have to do every workout with them.  Show some independence!
• You don't have to go their same pace.  That's a great way to undertrain or get injured.
• Unfriendliness or Cliques.  These situations usually end up in clubs fracturing and breaking up.  Don't waste your time.  Go find something better.
• Thinking you have to be part of just one group.  I participate in at least three different clubs' events and email lists.  Just find some balance.

Podcast - Death by Triathlete

Click HERE to listen!

 

I interview pro triathlete John Hirsch and then try to get myself killed while trail running in the Sam Houston National Forest.

John Hirsch is a pro triathlete, part-time lawyer, and ex-punk rock singer.  His interview is great stuff and he's agreed to be on more shows, giving us tips on how to train like the best.

I also went to the local wilderness and got lost, trying to drink my own sweat to stay hydrated.  The photo above is of a skunk I came across while trekking.

The show covers various other topics:

• Cool 70's cyclocross photos in Cyclocross Magazine.
• The Paleo diet.
• Setting an alarm at night to help get to bed so you get up early the next day.
• How your asthma could just be allergies and how to get it fixed.
• A laptop trick to be more productive.
• Show donations!

Don't forget that I'll be giving a talk on Fear in San Diego/La Jolla on Sunday, July 12th at 3 PM.  At the park on the cliffs above where you get in to swim should be nice.  Immediately afterwards, we'll hop in and swim across the cove and back.  That's a great opportunity to apply some of that fear training, right?

See you there!

Click HERE to listen

New Plan - Run Forever

Ok, so if I run an hour every day, and then two hours one day a week, I'm getting in nearly 50 miles per week.

Mix in push ups and pull ups in about five or six of those runs and you're a beast.  All this lays the foundation for a kick ass race, then add the swimming and biking on top of that.

I can go run right out my front door, making the "run an hour every day" plan very possible.

See you all on the other side of Crazy.  :)

Podcast - Eating Mindfully

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

HolisticGuru joins us again to fix more bad nutrition habits.  This time, she gives us eight tips on how to eat mindfully.

Eating mindfully deals with the fact that most of us simply shovel calories down without thinking about quality or quantity.  Ever sit in front of the TV and make a bag of chips disappear?  Yeah, now you know what we're talking about.

My interview with her is after a short bit where I take you with me on a bike ride.  I talk a little about time trials, hitting 38.4 mph with my kid on the back of the bike, and the Paleo diet.  It's good stuff.  Especially because I get chased by a dog.

Next week's show has an interview with pro triathlete John Hirsch.  Stay tuned!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Asthma = Allergies

I've been undergoing allergy testing lately and it's a real eye-opener.  I break out into a rash after long bike rides and my eyes get itchy on occasion, but that was OK. 

It's when my lungs tried to shut down when doing sprints on the bike that I figured I needed to get checked out.  After some Googling about "exercise induced asthma" I found out something interesting - Asthma is often just allergies, showing up in the lungs. Now I'm no doctor and there's also asthma being a result of the shock of cold air, so don't go diagnosing yourself on what I write here.  Go talk to your own doctor.

I went in for tests and I'm essentially a walking allergy bomb.  I'm severely allergic to lots of stuff, mostly grass and trees.  I finally got an opportunity to ask the doctor the real question: "But is this what's causing my asthma attacks on the bike?"

The answer is yes.  Just like your skin breaks out in a rash, your lungs react as well.  Asthma is an allergic reaction to what's in the air.

So, I'm on some meds to help with the asthma and now on shots to try to kill off the allergies for good.  We'll see how things progress over the next few years and I'll run some self-tests to see if I'm cured.  Good times!  It's always nice to know what is going on in your own body.