One Bike Ride, One Swim, One Run

Hi my name is Brady. I've been a multi-sport athlete for 18 months. Before that, I dabbled in competitive running for about three years. Until recently, I was able to get by. Lately, the pressures of a demanding work schedule with expected overtime is making me go a little silly. Workouts have became my coping relief-valve. Swimming at 6:00AM. Weights over lunch. Running to and from work. Trainer afterwards.

Then when the weather started warming up, I really hit the bike hard. Sometimes I'd ride with groups. Other times, alone. Solo time trials. Trainer rides after hours. Many times, I'd even spin before work or over the lunch hour. It's sad when you have to spin alone.

The insanity at work continued. The intensity picked up. I was losing sleep and a nagging injury was holding me back from training. Then I started hearing George Thorogood in my head. At this point, I was on the verge of losing it...

Wanna tell you a story about the multi sport blues
I run home from work Friday
Told the woman about my job.
She said that don't confront me
long as I get my house cleaned each Friday.
Now next Friday come I didn't get the house cleaned
and out the door I went

So I go down the streets, down to Fredcube's house
I said "Look man I'm outdoors you know,
can I stay with you maybe a couple days?"
He said "Let me go and ask my wife"
He come out of the house, I could see it in his face
I know that was no
He said "I don't know man, ah she kinda funny, you know"
I said "I know, everybody funny, now you funny too"
So I go back home
I tell Ms Katherine I'll cope with the job, I'm gonna clean the house
She said "Yeah?" I said "Oh yeah"
And then she was so nice,
loh' she was lovy-dovy
So I go downstairs, pack up the saddle bag,
I slip on out the back door and down the streets I go
So I stop in the local bike shop you know people,
I go to the shop, I rack my bike, I call Newell
Said "Look Matt, come down here, son"
So what you want?

One bike ride, one swim, one run.
Well I ain't seen my baby since I don't know when,
I've been spinning on Ol' Yeller with a big stupid grin
Gonna mash the high gear man I'm gonna get loose,
need me a triple shot of that juice
Don't wanna get punked at the starting line gun
I want one ride, one swim, one run.
One bike ride, one swim, one run.

But I'm spinning on Ol' Yeller,
Gatorades' all drunk, I'm feelin' mellow
I'm mashing the 53, I'm turning the big ring, I'm in high gear
Looked down the road, here comes Munson
I said "Look Mike, come here Mitmon
So what you want?

One bike ride, one swim, one run.

No I ain't seen my baby since the night before last,
gotta get a ride man ain't gonna get passed
Gonna mash the high gear I ain't had enough,
need me a triple shot of that stuff
Don't want Brendan punking me at the starting line gun
I want one ride, one swim, one run.
One bike ride, one swim, one run.

Now by this time I'm endorphin high,
you know when your mouth a-getting dry you're plenty high
Looked down the handlebars I say to Redemske,
I said "Look man, come down here", he got down there
So what you want this time?
I said "Look man, a-what time is it?"
Bryan said "cyclocomputer say three o'clock
Last call for Algomaha, so what you need?"

One bike ride, one swim, one run.
No I ain't seen my baby since a nigh' and a week,
Don't mind getting dropped man when I barely can speak
Gonna spin the high gear man listen to me,
one hour ain't enough Murphini, better make it three
Don't wanna get punked I'm gonna make it real clear,
I want a long ride in my high gear...

One long ride, on Ol' Yeller, in high gear...

Thank you! Thank you!

Attaining The Next Level

As the competitive racing season looms around the corner, athletes should now be focusing on the primary race of the season.

Thankfully, you've got Coach Brady to help you out.

Now hypothetically let's say that you're an elite athlete named Bryan who desires to make his mark on this season's calendar. You know, have the break-out year and such. And let's say that you've diligently gone through all of the necessary homework of planning out your race calendar: selecting one or two "A" priority races, a handful of B competitions and a bunch of C events. You've put in the time over the off-season and have sharpened your skills like a master craftsman to a lathe. Each day, you place a red "X" after completing your grueling workout. You've kept an eye on your diet and have given yourself days off when needed. Considering your workload, it's deserved more than earned. Days, weeks and months go by with this solitary goal in mind.

Finally, at the dawn of the new season, you're as ready as any human could be. But then it happens.

You hear the gurgling in your tummy.

The gurgling turns into stomach cramps, cramps into nausea, and nausea into chills, diarrhea and vomiting.

Here's my advice: Don't panic. You've spent the past six months rebuilding your body better than they could have ever put old Steve Austin back together; a 36 hour bout of the stomach flu won't stop you now.

You see, among the International Federation of Competitive Eaters (IFOCE), spontaneous vomiting after the base phase of training is commonplace. By forcing large amounts of fluids to expand the stomach, you're simply stretching your gut muscles to their limits. It's like the water balloon that you overfilled in the fifth grade and simply couldn't tie the knot. A mess is inevitable. That's all there is to it. And besides, nearly all IFOCE athletes go through bouts of spontaneous stomach cramping, resulting in ralphing your brains out.

So heed my advice: you'll be fine. Rest a couple of days and slowly build up that fluid intake.

By the time July 4th comes along, you'll be tossing down 50+ of Nathan's best hot dogs and buns and grunting it out with Kobayashi and Chestnut for your 15 seconds of fame. I assure you, this little bump along the way will be long forgotten.

So there you have it. Happy eating!

Seriously Bryan, you'll be fine.

Merry Thanksgiving!

Who among you have stopped long enough to take an account of what holiday we just breezed through?

How about just taking a pause long enough to eat dinner that didn't amount to stuffing your face in less than five minutes?

I'd be happy to hear about the one who sat down and did absolutely nothing for a minute.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm as guilty as the next guy.

Simply put, there are lots of us that could just take a week or two off to do nothing but watch time go by s l o w l y. Take my neighbor: today he wished me a Happy Thanksgiving after we passed on the street while walking our dogs. It took him 10 seconds to stumble through the holidays to finally nail, "Happy Easter!" with gusto a few houses later.

When I related this story to Ms. Katherine, she was able to top it. She said that someone wished her a Merry Christmas immediately after walking out of Easter Sunday service this morning. Christmas? Thanksgiving? Do I hear a call for Festivus?

Ho hum.

So here's what I decided. I need to apply my influence and implore you to take a five minute vacation from life. You have my permission. It only has to be a solitary effort -- an attempt at taking an account for where you are now, on this planet during this millennium. To sweeten the deal, I'll even throw in a crisp George Washington to the first among you who responds with how you slowed down to catch up.

If this task is too daunting to know where to begin, here's a little meditation exercise that may help you focus on nothingness. I'm serious here. It goes like this:
1) Sit down and shut your eyes.
2) Inhale while slowly counting to four.
3) Hold your breath for a slow four-count.
4) Exhale while slowly counting to four.
5) Repeat five times.
While doing this, try not to think of anything at all. Just wipe the slate clean.

I'm always amazed it how much better I feel afterwards. In fact, it makes me feel like skipping.

So c'mon, give it a try. Happy Easter!

Corn Hole

As of stated previously, I am no longer just a runner. This whole triathlon training thing has changed my focus from simply training runs to multi-sport.

So it follows that I also have switched my race calendar. For example, over the past three years I've run the Omaha running club's 5K Blarney Stone. It's been a good base measure of my running fitness early in the season, but this time I decided to skip it.

It's probably a wise choice because the increased cycling mileage was perhaps too aggressive, inflaming the hamstring tendon in my left leg. That's my theory at least. So if I pushed it by racing yesterday, I could have aggravated that more.

I did go easier this past week by omitting the hellaciously-long weekend ride. I missed it. A lot. Instead, I did a cycling time trial. In itself this could have been risky but with the reduced cycling mileage (volume) and a vow to not push it too hard, I managed just fine. In fact, the good news is that the hamstring is definitely on the mend.

Less running, more cycling & swimming. Keep the long term focus. Don't forget to rest. These have been some of my mantras.

Oh yeah...Corn Hole? You'll have to ask Fredcube about that one. You see, my boy entered (and ran!) last year's Blarney Stone 5K --it was his first competitive foot race in years, possible ever. Anyway, when I pulled up a chair to get a post-race debriefing, Fred was engrossed in a heady conversation about the rules and etiquette of the game known as Corn Hole. Go figure. He then brushed me aside and curtly said to google it to find out more about it. He didn't have time for an amateur corn-holer. Well, I haven't followed his suggestion, so you'll have to google it or try to seek the advice from Corn Holer Hinsley yourself. Kissing the Blarney Stone will give you good luck!

Time Trial Test

Yesterday I headed out on the P2sL for a time trial on the airport service road. Had a nice 15 mph tailwind on the first portion, but was quite a battle into the headwind after the turnaround.

The highlight was a 737 that flew directly above me at about 100 feet on its final approach. I'm sure dozens of people on the plane we're thinking, "There's Brady on the p2Sl -- look at that fella go!"

I watched the heart rate monitor throughout the ride, keeping it between 165 - 172 bpm until the last quarter mile. During the tailwind portion, I was not having any serious effort going 29mph, but coming back was a struggle to maintain 19 without going redline.

Anyway, here were the results:
Distance: 9.36 miles
Time: 24:37
Avg mph: 22.81
Max heartrate: 185
Avg heartrate: 168

Sigh. While it was 8 seconds faster than the same effort last November, I've got work to do here.