Fitness Testing at Trivantage

A few months ago, Alex at Trivantage offered me blood and VO2 Max testing during my buildup to IM Wisconsin. I said sure, but let's hold a contest for a listener as well! By the time it was all said and done, we had pulled in Professor Erich as our third person and videographer. What we have for you today is the compilaton of two days of heart pounding, treadmill and velotron crushing, and sweat producing action as Alex puts us through the wringer.

Much of the audio can be very inspirational. The sounds of the treadmill winding up for increasing stages, heavy breathing through ventilation gear, heart rate monitors beeping, and alarms going off and gear shutting down abruptly when we reach our maximums is incredibly motivating. I urge you to take that motivation and get the same testing for yourself. It is fun, informative, and you can count it as a race in your workout log. What are you waiting for?

Show notes are as follows:

• I introduce the show while hanging out in the Trivantage lounge.


• Prof. Erich and I driving on our way there after eating Chipotle and getting stuck in traffic.


• Ricci said to do the run test on the first day because that's my weakest sport.


• Prof. Erich and I talk about our old BMX bikes.


• We meet Trigreyhound and Lab Director Alex as we tour the facilities.


• Alex makes us sign our lives away.


• Alex measures our body fat as I reveal that the swimmers in Trithlete Magazine are fake.


• Kendall does his submaximal test.


• Alex explains how weightlifting won't help you get faster. It'll do many things, but faster isn't one of them.


• Kendall does his maximal cycling test while listening to Heavy Metal.


• Erich hits the treadmill. Hits 186 in submaximal HR test.


• Erich hits the treadmill again. Hits 199 in the maximal HR test.


• Day two: Trigreyhound gives his max on the treadmill.


• I get my bike test up to 400 watts.


• I wrap up the show while watching www.cycling.tv


• Upcoming episodes: Austin Half Marathon, Drew commutes by bike, interview with Ultra Runner Catra Corbett and more!


• Will you get tested?

Ice Ice Baby!

Buenos Dias, Tri-studs and Studettes! I threw on a mic and went for a run in the ice storm that shut down my part of the country for several days. As I write this, I'm at home because my pool is closed and I can't go to work because my son's school is closed as well. Doesn't keep me from running, though! The show is short and sweet, so just close your eyes and listen to the sounds of running through an ice storm and check out the show notes below.

• Description of what to wear in 15 degree chill factor and still stay warm.


• Commentary on fight between Norman Stadler and Chris McCormack.


• More commentary about other items in Triathlete Magazine.


• Feeling swanky in my new Nike Pegasus TCs!

A Week in the Life (and Suunto T6 Review)

Howdy! I kick off this show by testing out the Suunto T6 on a freezing bike ride, giving a book review, then playing music and audio from my workouts from the rest of the week. The show finishes with Emily and I running at the world-famous Town Lake in Austin, TX.  Make sure you check out the show notes and interactive pictures linked below!

• On the Bike - freezing cold, testing out Suunto T6


• Get a book emailed to you chapter by chapter from www.dailylit.com. I'm reading "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind" by Gustave Le Bon and finding similarities between crowd psychology and podcasting, Web 2.0, and so much more.


• Swim practice - Emily picks me up after swim practice and I talk about how the local swim coach asks how I got my form so good. I tell him about Mike Ricci evaluating my stroke using a video camera. Other swimming tips: how to keep your workout handy, stay warmer in cold water, and make your gear last, and what to eat after practice. Emily also talks about her latest run with our dogs.


• Working on the bike - I switch out pedals on my rest day while musing about past workouts. I ran in near-freezing rain and remember how extreme a sport triathlon really is. Check out my training stats at TrainingPeaks.com.


• How I lost my swimsuit and how to be manly while buying a new Speedo.


• I bought a series of drawers and created a triathlon organization system. It saves tons of time because I can workout instead of wasting time looking for gear. Go here to drift your mouse over the picture and descriptions will pop up.


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• I go running with Cody and talk about how we cooked Fiesta Island Chicken! (Take taco seasoning, yogurt, and cracker crumbs and mix it all together. Rub chicken breasts in this and bake at 350 for one hour with no top. Deee-lish!)


• Apple introduced the iPhone. Check out the demos!


• A good way to discipline your dogs is to take them for runs.


• Mike Ricci's philosophy on how to fit in all your workouts.


• Music - "Return of D" by Slackstring (Podshow Music Network)


• I'm back out on the bike at night doing interval workouts.


• Prof. Erich will be joing me and TriGreyhound at Trivantage next week.


• Check out the Jetpack show!


• Get lights for night biking and get lots of extra time to work out.


• I muse about the change in temperatures for the warmer which makes swimming more fun.


• What do you wear to swim practice in the early morning? Pajamas!


• I find my disease-infested hair brush in the pool parking lot after it had been there for many days.


• I almost have an altercation at the pool with a 62 year-old grandmother.


• Emily brings my shirt to work.


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• Suunto T6 ritual opening. The wheel skewer bike computer is cool! Go here to drift your mouse over the pictures and descriptions will pop up.


• Emily and I go running at Town Lake in Austin during a winter storm warning.


• We watched the Improv Comedy group ColdTowne the night before. They were really cool and some of them met with us after the show.


• Ate breakfast at the famous Magnolia Cafe.


• We witness the speed of average Austin runners.


• Emily uses a HR monitor for the first time.


• Closing music - "Place to Be" by Slackstring.

Apple introduces the iPhone - Say hello to your new Master.

I cruised the Apple site and checked out the demo for the new iPhone today and was blown away by the user interface. Un-freakin'-believable.

I used to have a Tmobile Sidekick, which won all kinds of design awards because it was put together by a team of Apple ex-patriots. That device was slick and the user interface was spectacular. It's the only Apple device that I've even remotely owned and I can see why the company has fans.

Zentri has listeners deep inside Apple HQ (Hi, Mike!) and I know they're reading this when I say "Holy sh*t, that's an awesome phone!" Seriously, good job guys. Even a coworker of mine who strongly dislikes Apple said that the phone is spectacular and will shake the industry at it's core. I can't wait for my current cell contract to expire so I can get one.

Check it out yourself. What do you think?

The Quickening

Happy new year all you Tri-studs and Studettes! On today's show I take you for a bike ride as I begin my training for Ironman Wisconsin and cover a ton of topics. Follow along as training kicks into gear and the pieces start to come together.  Also, I have several announcements, so tune in and check out the show notes below!

• Greyhound won the Trivantage fitness testing contest with a Star Wars-esque audio entry.


• I will be interviewing Catra Corbett soon for the Rocky Raccoon 100 in Huntsville, TX.


• Cav is getting married in Austrailia, sent voicemail ragging on Northern Hemisphere and recommending a book called "Working Out Working Within" by Jerry Lynch.


• Tornados tore up my part of Texas the other day and there was a dude with spurs on in the crapper.
  (link to article)


• I play audio from helping Emily on a run and me on a bike ride recording an unreleased podcast on New Years day.


• Heidi from Seattle reminded me that the meandering bike ride shows are the best.


• Things laying on me is a trend at my house.


• Suunto will be sending me gear to use. Call 512-CRY-DELI and leave me a voicemail saying how you pronounce "Suunto" and I'll play it on the next show.


• Coach Adam gave me a cow for Xmas. He signed me up to sponsor Maverick the Bull at www.farmsanctuary.org. It's all about the IM MOO baby!


• Cows and horses give good interviews.


• Mythbusters trained a fish to do an underwater obstacle course and it remembered it for a month.


• Drew gives us audio from his training lab in Bend, OR.


• Voicemails from Gabe and Dan.


• I actually get disoriented on my bike.


• I skipped a run this week because I felt too fatigued. How did I know?


• The 5th sport of triathlon is Scheduling.


• Follow my training at http://www.trainingpeaks.com/texafornia


• Thanks again for all y'all that listen to the show!