The Bold & The Beautiful

Well sportsfans... quick week recap... nothing bad to report here again, or certainly nothing ugly, so we forgo (is that a word?) the usual The Good, The Bad & The Ugly for everything that was bold and beautiful in my week...

For starters, I got a recovery week out of Coach Karyn. A glimpse of triathlon future perhaps?

loved.it.

About 6 hours of training, which amounted to a one hour walk, 1500 yards in the pool, 5 miles of runnin', and about 50 miles of ridin'... the last 34 miles, or about 2:20'ish as you are about to discover, were with blogger extraordinaire, local celebrity something visiting Denver, and my most beautiful friend Stronger. As you can see from the two pictures above, we went for a ride that was best described as a LIVESTRONGer.

As you all know, I'm just a party waiting to happen, and as you all know, video is more compelling... so, here's a glimpse of the party! for all of you who didn't respond to the invitation!:



Oh! And when I say "didn't respond to the invitation"... I don't want to hear excuse s like I live in Utah. Please. So beneath me. Apparently I'm a much better interviewer, and I know which way to hold the camera properly, only when I'm under the influence of several margaritas. But, if you just want to see Stronger's hawt new hair -- then thankfully there's Yo Beyotch!


Bold Out!

Napa Half Ironman -- race report

Well sportsfans, as promised, I'm going to bang out a race report here. Least I'm banging something. Bah dum bum. Thanks, you're a great audience, I'll be here all week!

Anyhoo.

As with great fanfare, I turned my back on Wildflower stating a combination of my uberness, 44ishness, and well been-there-done-that'ish-ness. But, truthfully, the Napa Half Ironman was the choice and recommendation of my most excellent coach from Vision Quest -- Coach Karyn!

I start this race report off with a discussion of Coach Karyn, because this was to be my first race under the training plan she has devised for me under the banner of 'sub-fun'. As a reminder, after two years of slaving to go sub-something -- well, sub-12 if you want to be precise -- I have decided to do my last Ironman as sub-fun. Which means have fun through the whole race, but, you know, pour it on a little at the end, so the experience and effort was almost all fun, but, you just sneak in under the wire at just below fun, or 'sub-fun' TM.



And, if you check out my Vision Quest Training Peaks Training plan you would of course be able to do the simple math of 145 hours over 16 weeks for an average of 145/16 = 9 hours a week. It should be noted of course, that my guidance from Coach Karyn was that I could sub downhill skiing/X-country skiing for long runs every other week. Which of course I instantly abused, but to be conservative let's just say there was 16 hours of skiing in there, for an average of tri training of just 8 hours a week.

Exactly what I had agreed to. Oh, and important note, I'm only swimming once a week as opposed to the two or three times a week last year.

So, for those of you who are younger (highly possible), better looking (if possible), training more (more possible), and getting less out of your efforts -- TRY COACH KARYN!

PRE-RACE

OK, this is about logistics, and I loved this part of the race. I flew into San Francisco Friday morning, rented an SUV with a GPS system for my humungo bike box and cause I have no directional sense whatsover. Had lunch at Fisherman's Warf, and then drove to Napa. Walked around, shot some photos in a vineyard like this, this, and that, had a great dinner in downtown Napa, built my bike, loaded up the car, and went to bed in a beautiful hotel on a river.

Got up the next morning at 6'ish, drank four Boost High Cal chocolate for about 1200 cals, and drove the 55 mins to the race site at Lake Berryessa on beautiful winding roads. Checked in, laid out transition, checked out the swimcourse, put on my wetsuit, walked down to the swim start, walked over the timing mat, and I was racing.

OVERALL 6:19:17.1 (M40-44 29/42, Overall 146/349)

SWIM 33:01.3, 1:34/100 yards (M 40-44 32/41, Overall 168/246) PR!

The water was like glass. Umm, cold glass actually as the water was stated to be between 60-64F. I had minimal contact through the whole race, as of the ~300 participants, they started us out in three waves of 100. I just stayed efficient, long and lovely doing my thing. These were the best conditions I've ever swam in, and I sighted like a champ, and PR'd the swim by 5 minutes over my best time of 38.

Pretty good start to the day, and as you can see I was smiling getting out of the water -- SUB-FUN!!!

T1

15 individuals out of 350 got no time for T1, I was one of the 15, I got nothin' as an explanation. I exited the swim and mounted my bike in front of volunteers. I haven't mentioned that this was the smallest race I've ever been in with 350 peeps racing. VERY informal.

BIKE 3:38:13.7, 15.37 mph (M40-44 36/42, Overall 189/255)

Yah, I got passed a lot. But, I stuck with the plan from Coach Karyn. The bike course was stunning. All you can ask for in a bike course. Most beautiful you've ever seen, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Winding country roads around Lake Berryessa, vineyards, farms, and countrside -- outstanding!

T2

Got a chip time. Whatever.

RUN 2:03:48.9, 9:27 min/mile (M40-44 23/41, Overall 115/251)

This was my kinda course, you run up something, you run down something. An out-and-back, up on the way out, down on the way back. The way life is supposed to be!

Bold Out!

grow

happy b-day to me.


bold Out!

The Bold & The Beautiful

Well sportsfans... back from the Napa Half Ironman... nothing much to complain about on this fine Monday, so, we will skip my beloved The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, and just claim everything as bold and beautiful...

Quick recap of the long weekend trip, flew into San Fran on Friday morning, lunch at Fisherman's Warf, drove to Napa, nice dinner in town, Saturday was race day, stop at a winery and Ben & Jerry's post-race, and then drove back to San Fran for dinner in Chinatown. Sunday was brunch in North Beach, Ghiradelli Square for some chocolate, Golden Gate Park for some active recovery, and then jet back to Colorado late Sunday night.

Tri went as planned, it's a real informal event, but my official times were a 6:19, with a 33'ish swim, 3:38 bike, and 2:04 run. It was all sub-fun. I'm thinking I should get out a race report hopefully, but, to answer the question -- was it harder than Wildflower? Well, the hardest race, is always the one you just done.

Take a look at the pictures above -- clearly, I suffered...

Bold Out!

Paleolithically speaking -- a year later

Well my peoples, I was asked to give an update on my adventure with The Paleo Diet for Athletes, it's been about a year and a half since I started The Paleo Diet for Athletes, so, here I am...

As a recap, the essential dietary principles for The Paleo Diet for Athletes are straightforward: 'You can eat as much lean meat, poultry, seafood, fresh fruit, and veggies as you like. Foods that are not part of the modern-day Paleolithic fare include cereal grains, dairy products, high-glycemic fruits and vegetables, legumes, alcohol, salty foods, fatty meats, refined sugars, and nearly all processed foods.'

Remember, this is not The Paleo Diet, this is The Paleo Diet for Athletes where you can supplement The Paleo Diet by adding non-Paleolithic carbs -- before, during, and after your training.

Anyhoo.

I thought about giving blogland an update when I made the meal as pictured above. It's a typical meal for me, and where I am at in The Paleo Diet for Athletes. What I referred to previously as Phase III -- a good ratio of vegetables to lean proteins. I thought a visual would help describe the typical paleo meals I make.

I would now describe myself as being in Phase IV. Where I'm not as strict on cereals, dairy, high-glycemic fruits and vegetables, and refined sugars. But, I am still strict about highly processed foods. I think when you eat clean unprocessed foods, you just don't have any cravings for a quick trip to McDonald's or Burger King -- it's just too much of a leap...

When I'm just hungry, I will satiate my hunger with protein. This is key if you want to be ablicious...

Before a long workout, during, and after -- I load on the carbs. Boost/Ensure are staples, as well as Clif Bloks, sports drinks and sodas.

When I go out with friends, I generally just eat like they do -- the secret has always been what I do alone in the privacy of my own home... when no one is looking. It could be your secret too, and may make the difference...

Net result: over the year I've put on 5 lbs of lean muscle which gives me a higher body weight, and about the same amount of proportional body fat around 15%... you're all caught up...

Bold Out!

The Bolder Report

Well sportsfans, it's been a while since I've banged out an edition of The Bolder Report. Pronounced 'rahpour' as an homage to my year of Colbert Therapy... today's edition of the rahpour is a follow-on from my Kona report, where I highlighted that Boulder, CO remains official tri-mecca with residents dominating the top 10 in Kona with a #1, #2, #4 and #9 showing.

This is my third season training for triathlon in Boulder. And, I don't know if it's because I'm doing my earliest triathlon, but this season has been the hardest to train in Boulder. I was riding on Sunday, when suddenly I realized something was VERY WRONG.

I felt like I had 'no chain'. But, it was still there. I checked my powertap: watts, HR all normal. The relentless grades were still there, the air-thinning altitude was still there...

So, what was it? What was SO WRONG? Well, I wasn't riding my nth hour in a make-you-weep headwind. I felt like I was cheating or something!

Anyhoo.

Enough about me. Another Boulder resident confirms Boulder is the place to be. Undisputed Triathlon-Mecca.

NOTE. I said be. Live. Many of the pros abandoned Boulder's nastiest winter parts for warmer places to train. It's only the age groupers that had to stick it out. But, Boulder resident Matt Reed will be representing his adopted country (he's a New Zealand native) and his adopted hometown (he's lived in Boulder since 2002) at the Olympic games in Beijing.

He's not hard to miss in Boulder, as he is 6'5" and has literally smashed the stereotype of what a triathlete should look like. Given that he is supah fit, most people would think he's a professional basketball player. And, he upset the more vertically-challenged-non-Boulder residents Andy Potts and Hunter Kemper in the U.S. Olympic triathlon trials in Alabama last week.

He's got some interesting background in this medal bid as well, if you want to follow along. He actually qualified for the US team in 2004, but chose not to compete because he wasn't a citizen yet. He could have 'fast-pathed' the process, but chose to sit out the Olys for the US and like everything else in his life, do it 'the normal way'.

Some triathletes choose to train alone, Reed brings his family with him. When he's hurting, he thinks of his kids on the sidelines cheering, and 'that makes me go faster'.

Finally, he was recently diagnosed with asthma, after doctors discovered that he was utilizing only 40 percent of his total lung capacity! And, what does he think of the Beijing air as compared to the rarified mountain air of Boulder:

'It's disgusting. After about 10 minutes outside, you blow your nose and it's all black. You feel like taking a shower about five times a day. But everybody will be racing in it. It will be the same for everyone.'

Well, everyone under 6'5".

Bold Out!

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Well my peoples, here again is my weekly review again of work, skiing -- the season is not over yet damnit!, friends, dating, photography, triathlon, and The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!

Not too much to report on from last week... all eyes are on my first tri of the season this coming weekend... the Napa Half-Ironman. On my way to Wildflower last year, we ran into a bunch of pros at the airport that had just finished Napa, and said it was harder than Wildflower. Coach Karyn sticks to that assertion as well -- I'll let you know in my race report!

Here are last week's nums!:

Overall: 9hrs (on a plan of 9, GO ME!)
Swim: 2500 yds
Bike: 71.31 mi
Run: 19.08 mi
Downhill skiing: 0 hours


THE GOOD

Pretty much executed the plan. Good news was that I felt strong in ALL of my workouts, generally added a little 'extra credit' to many of them, and for the first time am starting to feel Iron fit.


THE BAD

Well, if you saw me on my training ride on Sunday, see picture at right to actually prove that I was out there, then you probably passed me. You may have remembered my legendary post 'Attack from the Rear'. In that post, I shared with you the 'It was SOOO Oneth' aspect of the Triathlete Formerly Known as Bold. Now, I just get passed.

Before, here in Boulder, I was just middle of the pack, even though I was trainin' my ass off. Now, that I am less than just mortal in Boulder, all day long I just get passed. Which of course, is quite humbling.

At my previous training levels, I would race at 20mph, and run at sub-10. From a swimming perspective, I've always been used to getting lapped. But, now, I get excited when I ride above 20mph, and below 10.

My triathlon this weekend will be sobering. I'm living the life I've always wanted to live. But, I'm going to learn about what "sub-fun" really means!


THE UGLY

Well, I've continued shedding a layer of skin like a snake all week long. Lovely. I did publish my PSA on proper tri top sunblock protocol. But, in a phone call with Stronger, that too bad we don't tape and publish like me and Nytro do in 'Yo Beyotch', because we always end up having some serious laughs... Stronger pointed out that I did not talk to the tri-top tramp stamp.

You know, the one you'll get when your tri top creeps up on you, exposing a sensitive area between tri top and tri shorts -- generally present in an aero-type position, put also if you wear your tri outfit on a road bike, and spend some time in the drops, which I like to do.

So, I've gone back and edited last week's post with this:

#7 tramp stamp -- if you don't want one, and you are wearing a two piecer, please apply some sunblock to your lower back, because that 12" wide strip stays there forevah!

So, as my final PSA on tri top protocol. I've reminded you of the dreaded lobsterish-red tramp stamp. You've seen the pictures. Don't let this be you! It really does stay there forevah! Which as you all know is appropriate for me, but, probably not for you...


Bold Out!