Interview with a Zen Buddhist

We talk a lot about Zen on this show, but what is it really? Well, we have a real Zen Buddhist practitioner in our midst and she offered us an interview from beautiful Hawaii! Julia tells us what it's all about as I ask her lots of the questions you've always wanted answered. Check out the show notes below for details!

• Julia (Mangohead on Triscoop.com) tells us her athletic background.


• She swam Bay to Breakers in San Francisco


• Keeps tearing her miniscus, but rehabs by swimming and cycling.


• How did Julia become a Zen Buddhist? By teaching English in Japan.


• She ended up in Boston, decided the cold weather sucked and moved to Hawaii to study Japanese studies with a focus on Zen Buddhism.


• A lot of Americans get into Zen through books first.


• The three sects of Zen - Rinzai (they practice Koans), Soto (simply sitting and focusing on breath), Obaku , and then Julia's. What was julias?


• How does a typical Japanese triathlete incorporate Zen into her daily life in comparison to a Western Christian?


• Just like Westerners, a Zen Buddhist may never go to temple, go once a month, once a week, or even almost every day. It depends on the person.


• What attracts Westerners to Zen?


• Would Americans like Zen so much if they had to practice all the structure that really comes with it?


• Julia describes seeing a Catholic nun bowing to a Buddha statue and hearing Zen being Americanized into hymns.


• Julia finds Zen has taught her to really listen to people and be aware of her surroundings.


• You can have Zen moments while open water swimming and rock climbing.


• I describe Zen's versions of Heaven and Hell and how I answered my own Koan, "If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?" Yes it does. Well, for me anyway, at least on that day.


• We talk about the Japanese barefoot running monks. They run a marathon a day over and over again. Zen has a history of focus on breathing and paying attention to the moment. Great for practicing proper triathlon training technique.


• Julia and I trade stories on how meditation is like long distance training and vice versa.


• Julia describes how breathing excercises in the pool help relax her.


• How to play Sharks and Minnows.


• Check out Urban Dharma. He has a cool podcast.


• Julia talks about the differences between American and Japanese culture.


• Don't read so much about Zen. Just do it!


• Try being more "in the moment" by leaving your iPod at home on your next run.


• How to give without expectations.


• Examples of removing yourself from your normal environment and going on a pilgramige. It's more common than you think!


• Julia recommends Robert Aitkin's books "Taking the Path" and "The Chi of Running".

Base Training Music

Howdy, Tri-folks! This episode is a collection of music played from past episodes. This is the slower-paced stuff, perfect for hitting the road for a 100 mile bike ride or that 20 mile weekend run. Put these tunes on your MP3 player and enjoy the base training you need for the New Year!

Songs (most can be found at music.podshow.com):

1. "Bikeride" by SCANLAN


2. "I am not Afraid" by Majek Fashek


3. "Pendulum" by The Toasters


4. "Babylon System" by Soul Captian remixed by The Powersteppers


5. "Like a Magnet" by Amplifico


6. "Buddha Bill (Smashing Dandelions Mix)" Submitted by a listener/artist Gordon from the Isle of Tiree, Scotland.


7. "Pent Up" by CBA


8. "Gates of Dub" by the Powersteppers


9. "I'm Neil Young" by The New Autonomous Folk Singers


10. "The Secrecy of Science" by Kalahari Surfers


11. "Monsters" by Goat (from the Halloween 2006 episode)


12. "Search for Zen" by Mangomad


13. "Dangermouse" by Dangerdoom


14. "Latin Song" by Psifi


15. "Rogue was in the Piano" by Aegis


16. "The Swimming Song" by Blue Dew


17. "Baja Taxi" by Brain Buckit (classic show intro and outro)

Holistic Health for the Triathlete

Howdy, folks! This show is an interview with Christine Lynch, a Holistic Health Counselor from NYC. Christine teaches us how to listen to our bodies, eat better foods, and what suppliments are worth your money. This show is ESSENTIAL if you want to become healthier, lose weight, have better memory, and just plain enjoy life a whole lot more. I'm going to use some of her tips and do a follow up phone interview with her in a couple of weeks. You can email her at christinelynch.hhc at gmail.com or check out her website at www.LiveAndEatBetter.com

Better yet, go to the thread about this interview on Triscoop.com and follow the conversation as Christine posts recipies and we try to follow her advice. I've tried a few things she's mentioned and they worked!

• I get a little background on her experience.


• Christine interviews me like I'm a client.


• You have two types of food: Primary and Secondary.


• How to shop for groceries better and cook together as a family.


• Tricks to quit a habit. Could be used for coffee or lots of other things.


• Poor memory is often due to dehydration. You should drink more water and less caffeine and steer clear of refined products.


• Which is better for you, beer or wine? Listen and find out!


• A vegetarian diet can still be a junk food diet.


• What suppliments should you take? MSM, chromium, glucosamine and condroitin... Are they worth it?


• The best thing for you that you probably aren't taking is Cod Liver Oil.


• Rainbow Lite is a very good natural vitamin brand.


• Acai Extreme is a good energy drink.


• Creatine isn't really necessary and can actually be harmful if you take too much. It also swells your muscles up with water. Do you want to be lugging all that water while running?


• Dairy can be a huge problem for asthmatics. And so can wheat and sugar.


• Buying healthier food may cost a little more, but you actually save lots of money in the long run.

NekkidCast!

Howdy, Tri-studs and studettes! Emily and I kick off this podcast in the buff but wearing protection before I continue the show by taking you biking for 50 miles and then swimming in 40 degree water at the local lake. Join in and listen to the craziness as we talk about making Nuun-Cranberry-Vodkas, I get chased by a dog, play two really great songs, and nearly freeze my ass off in the coldest water I've ever experienced. Click HERE to listen.
Don't forget about the Trivantage contest and I need questions to ask next week's interviewee!

SHOW NOTES -

• Voicemail from Mangohead in Hawaii.


• NEKKIDCAST! Brett and Emily in bed with our cycling helmets on.


• We just got back from a Xmas party across the street.


• I tried a Vodka Cranberry with Nuun!


• A girl at the party thought I had fake eyes 'cuz they are so damn sexy.


• Emily doesn't believe my dog story.


• Next week's show will be an interview with a holistic guru. She's going to rearrange our minds.


• Do you know the difference between naked and nekkid?


• Emily's going to try to run 10 miles tomorrow.


• Check out The Sword's album.


• "Car Chase" by Big Money Grip on music.podshow.com


• I'm out on the bike, riding 50 miles in the cold.


• Ride just a little too warm to keep your core body temp from dropping the rest of the day.


• Ironman training has begun!


• Learning to use Training Peaks online training software. Coach wants me in zone two right now. 124-137 bpm.


• I'm biking on a 70 mph highway with no shoulder.


• Mike with D3 wants our workout logs public. - Mine's at http://www.trainingpeaks.com/texafornia


• Training Peaks nutrition log kicked my ass. Made me realize I'm eating too much.


• I hit a rock so hard it knocks my hands off the handlebars.


• I've been going to the gym and lifting weights with manly men. More strength = better form.


• Three things will make you faster in triathlon: 1. Aerobars 2. Coaching 3. I can't remember.


• 2XU wetsuit fitting drama. Enter Mooseknuckle.


• A dog chases me at 35 mph.


• James Kim passed away.


• Need more entries for the Multisport Lab testing contest. If you can be in Houston 3 times this spring and you're doing IM Wisconsin, send your funny stories to texafornia at gmail.com with the word "rabbit" somewhere in the email.


• The BMC bikes should be shipped very soon!


• Tim Troha is one cool dude.


• If I have a choice, I want Continental Gatorskins on my new bike.


• Aegis Bikes breaks new ground on Triscoop.com


• Review of Hop Devil Ale made by Victory Beers. It gave me nightmares.


• Christine Lynch will be our next interview. She's a holistic health counselor!


• I shove a Clif Bar down my pie-hole.


• Vultures!


• Zipp has a decent podcast series at http://zipp.com/AboutZipp/Zippgallery/tabid/153/Default.aspx


• I reveal how I got into IM Wisconsin, thrown out, back in, and dealt with miserable customer service.


• Two cool music podcasts - Tartancast and Dave's Lounge.


• "What Time it is" by Fruitcake Superbeing.


• Cav calls from Australia to rag on the entire northern hemisphere.

• I go swimming in 40 degree water to test out my 2XU Elite wetsuit. There's a limit, dudes. Seriously.


• Check out CindyJo's A.D.D. Triathlete Blog!

Trip with the Zipp

Wassup, Rockstars? I lure my beautiful triathlete wife on the show for an interview about how she's training with other women for the 3M Half Marathon in Austin in January. I also go trail running in the park while pushing a baby jogger and biking in the hills around Noonday, TX. I drag along the Gear Bag from Zipp as I travel across Tex-ass to test out it's usefulness, toting along biking, running, and baby-changing gear. It's a true age-grouper gear test! Click HERE to listen and check out the show notes below!

• Going trail running with Kai.


• Got the Gear Bag from Zipp. Reviewing by podcast is cool!


• Letting air out of baby jogger tires for better ride.


• Riding on the Bike around my neighborhood.


• Kids on motorized mini-cars instead of on bikes is the End of Times.


• I should interview Emily more often.


• I burned 1759 calories on the bike.


• Emily calls out Garmin for bad calorie calculations. (Emily is wrong, of course).


• Emily and I go for a run in Tyler, TX.


• Comment on the blog with how many calories a 195 lb. person burns while running or biking.


• I play Emily's "sexy intro" from long ago.


• Emily's running the 3M Half Marathon in Austin and describes her training methods.


• Emily says her training includes pillow fighting and making out with other chicks.


• Mike Ricci of D3 says people should train for their first marathon but then only race a half.


• Emily's pregnant!


• No she's not.


• Jetpack got picked as the next raceAthlete!


• Emily gets all hippy and loves the colors of nature, then give us a new sexy intro.


• I go biking around Noonday, TX


• I go offroading on my QR Kilo.

• Took a picture of a field of scarecrows.


• I've modded my bike with a compact crankset and other junk.


• I get chased by angry dog. He's obviously upset about something.


• There's a horse grazing in somebody's front yard.


• I've been reading a book called "The Golden Age of Zen". It makes a great effort at explaining what Zen is and how it compares to Christianity.


• I demonstrate a Zen moment as I climb a hill.


• What's it like for the woman to keep her last name when she gets married?


• I talk about Zen and Taoism and other things I don't really understand.


• The Zipp gear bag was an awesome bag for traveling with triathlon gear. Very organized.