The New Year Brings New Goals!

2012Resolutions5K — Resolutions 5k Run kicks off 2012

As we begin flying through the new 2012 calendar and say “whew” after running my first event of the new year, it is time to outline my goals for the year. Instead of doing a half dozen events, I feel like 2012 should be the year of simple and calculated performance. Let’s focus on one or two larger goals and let the rest fall in as they come.

Choose Your Distance!

Recognizing the diversity of the triathlon sport, 2012 will be the year to step up. First, I will complete my first “long” course triathlon. This means swimming a mile in the ocean (really?), biking fives time longer than a sprint, and running more than 3x’s the distance. But, that’s how we roll and continually improve our performance.

The event of choice for my first long course triathlon is none other than my home town event, the Santa Barbara Triathlon on August 25th. Why travel when you can roll out of bed 45 minutes before start and still wait for horn? To read more about the daunting 1-mile swim, 34-mile bike, and 10-mile run ahead, check out the course description.

After surviving my first long course, I thought it would be an excellent recovery opportunity to finish the Carpinteria Triathlon Sprint in the fastest time possible on September 30th. After going long, the shorter distances are going to be a breeze (I say that now!). The Carp Tri is my favorite and I can’t think of any better way to end the season with a solid showing on a course that I love so much.

Host Your Own Event When You Can’t Find It

But, my biggest goal yet, which is not necessarily directly related to training, but is fitness oriented, is going to be awesomer. I am directing the Goleta Duathlon, held on May 20, 2012 in the “Good Land” of Goleta, California. The best part about a duathlon (run-bike-run) is the lack of swimming with the sharks! I am still in the process of obtaining permits, I can’t wait to share a bit of California’s Central Coast with other athletes and allow them to share in this memorable event. From now to May 21st, life is going to be interesting.

Cooking Paleo, Cover to Cover

Of course, an individual needs their “fun” goals as well. Life can’t be all training and race directing. This year I decided to get back in the kitchen and cook! The goal is to make every recipe (minus recipes with allergies) in a paleo cookbook from cover to cover.

The book for 2012 is Paleo Comfort Food by the Mayfields. I’ve owned this book for a while, but haven’t had a chance to really dive into the scrumptious recipes inside. By the end of this year, though, I will be a paleo comfort food master!

Wish me luck! I set the bar extremely high, but I know I can achieve!

What are your goals for 2012?

Reflecting: What an Awesome Year 2011 Was!

On this New Year’s Eve, I can’t help but reflect on how much I’ve grown in 2011 and how awesome the year was. While 2009 was the year of firsts and 2010 was the year of obsessive burnout, 2011 was the year of balance. Here are some of my best, and not so best, moments.

September 2011 – Carpinteria Triathlon Sprint

The Carpinteria Triathlon is my favorite triathlon. Period. It was very fitting that this year was the first year that I swam the entire ocean swim freestyle. No more side stroke and kicking with my legs. This translated to more energy and a much improved run time. While still not a PR, my finish time proved that swimming efficiently has a great impact on the other two sports! Read my race report here.

Camarillo Duathlon – August 2011

The Camarillo Duathlon was the event that I’ve been eying since I set my goal to complete my first triathlon a few years ago. Whether it was cancellations or my travel schedule, I was never able to make it to the event. Feeling the need to reconnect with myself, I got myself down to Camarillo and had a great time. Even though I did the sprint, this event drove home how much I love competing and no matter how busy the schedule gets, I must make time to compete and keep up with my training. Read my race report here.

Santa Barbara Triathlon – August 2011

The home town event was a wake up call. Having come off the Camarillo Duathlon, it was time to get back in the water and finish my first tri of the season. At the Santa Barbara Triathlon, wasn’t prepared for the embarrassment, a product of my lack of training (particularly ocean swims), poor dietary choices, and busy schedule. Seeing the pictures of me with a farmer’s tan wearing a race jersey two sizes too small is highly motivating to get back to my 2009 level of fitness. Read my race report here.

Next Generation Fitness Analytics: TrainingMetrix, LLC

2011 was also the year that I turned my passion for data, analytics, and fitness into a reality. By forming an LLC dedicated to helping athletes of all types leverage workout data with analytics, I found my calling. TrainingMetrix is the product of what I couldn’t find. Over the past few years I had struggled to find an analytic solution that worked for me, so I built one using Excel. I am now in the process of turning this into a marketable Excel template and web app. Check out TrainingMetrix.

2012 and Beyond

I am looking toward 2012 with great inspiration. I see the next year as a blank slate for some pretty awesome things to happen on. From expanding TrainingMetrix to completing my first long course triathlon (yep, I am going long!), to even holding my own duathlon as race director, I am planning to reach high and never look back.

I hope all of my readers can look back on 2011 and come away with some awesome moments. If you have some less than awesome moments you can’t shake, leverage them for the better and look forward.

Happy New Year to all! Let’s make 2012 the best year ever!

Keeping It Real During the Holidays

The off season provides time to relax and let the body recover from the strenuous racing season. As triathletes, we live a lifestyle full of activity, healthy food and awesome friends & family.

But, during the winter when the weather is cold, wet and dreary, we tend to focus our activities indoors at the gym and around the house. To add another layer of complexity, the holidays tease us with a variety of scrumptious foods like pumpkin pie, egg nog, turkey, sweet potatoes, ham and cranberry jelly. The holidays usually come and go with an increased waist line.

But, you can keep it real during the off season and actually get a head start on the new racing season with a few simple tips:

Pack bands and other small home gym equipment when you travel. With a body weight workout supplemented by a few bands, you would be surprised how good of a workout you can get in within the hotel or guest room.
Pack warm clothing and run when it is sunny. Early morning runs can be breathtaking during sunrise. By wearing thermal gear and layering, those early morning runs don’t have to be cold too.
At dinner, eat the sweets in moderation and have a larger helping of vegetables.
Enjoy every moment you can with your friends and family. Let go of your goals, the coming season and training. Spending time with those important to you now will pay off dividends during the new season.

From Aric In Training, Happy Holidays. I hope everyone has a safe, fun, and memorable holiday season!

Tips for Ocean Swimming

Swimming in the ocean is a really difficult thing for a lot of people. As a triathlete, it is my least favorite sport to do and something I’ve struggled with for many years. Fear of death, discomfort in cold water, and nausea from rolling waves, it all adds up to a nightmare.

This weekend’s Carpinteria Triathlon represents a milestone in my journey of ocean swimming. This weekend’s event was the first event where I swam freestyle for 99% of the course. In celebration of my milestone, I thought I would share a few tips for ocean swimming that I’ve picked up over my journey:

Relax! Sure there are sea monsters that might eat you and you might actually get caught in seaweed and drowned, but you are far more likely to get run over by a truck crossing the street. Take a deep breathe and visualize calming thoughts and focus.
Time you entry with the waves! If you can, time your entry just after a large wave. Waves come in cycles with a few smaller ones and one big one. If you wait until just after the big one to enter, you can clear the wave break before the next big one hits.
Focus on your stroke! Feel the water move around your body, watch your arms move in front and below you. Make sure to rotate fully on each side.
Reach wide for stability! I learned this from a swim clinic I took a while back, in rough water, instead of reaching your hand to the center of the body line, let the hand reach out from the shoulder. The wider stroke will help stabilize.
Sight frequently! Especially if you are new to this. I tend to swim in circles, so I need to make sure I am heading in the right direction. Sighting frequently (every dozen strokes or so) allows me to correct.
Roll to your back! If you need a break for a moment to refocus or catch your breathe, its okay, do it! Rolling to your back and taking a moment to regroup is much better than panicking and dropping out of the race.
It’s okay to hit someone (accidentally)! Swimming in a triathlon, particularly in a group can mean full contact. You will be punched and you will punch someone by mistake. Don’t panic, just refocus and keep going.
Bi-lateral breathing is best! Breathing strictly to one side can be problematic if waves are crashing into your face, so learn to breathe on both sides so you can adjust. Bi-lateral breathing will also help you fully rotate and help you swim straighter.
Swim as long as you can before standing up! Many people tend to stand up in water that is waist high or so when exiting the water. It is far more efficient to swim onto your belly, so get as close to shore as you can before standing up.

With these tips you will be swimming better than ever in the ocean and you might actually look forward to it. Relaxing, focusing, and breathing will help you get through your next oceanic adventure!

< for more swimming tips, checkout my other swimming posts >

2011 Santa Barbara Triathlon: Awesomely Done!

2011 Santa Barbara Triathlon Sprint Finished!

1:07:29 – 22 of 24 <results available here>

Given my crazy training year and the lack of ocean swimming practice I’ll take it! It was just fun to get out there on a beautiful Santa Barbara morning and race, support friends, and enjoy the wonderful sport of triathlon.

IMAG0519 — I wasn't last. Thank goodness! (unofficial results)

The swim was longer than last year (again!), the bike was more competitive, but the run felt consistently slow. I feel like I am progressing, but at a slow rate. Can’t wait to see what happens when I can put in a full 6 to 8 weeks of training before.

Capture-201108240_1508 — Line represents my split times

More coming later and a full race report!

Survey: Triathlon Training Solutions

One thing that is near and dear to my heart is analytics. The second thing that is near and dear to my heart is triathlon. What happens when you put the two together? Triathlon analytics that can be applied to race results, triathlon training and nutrition.

It is such a fascinating topic to me that I recently created a solution called TrainingMetrix, which is still under development. One of the goals of TrainingMetrix is to produce the best triathlon training analysis solution that gives you the feedback to perform. I call it focused performance.

If you currently track workouts and nutrition via a 3rd party online solution, Excel, or just a simple notebook, please take the following survey (via SurveyMonkey): Triathlon Workout Tracking Survey. The information will help me create the next generation solution that will help you perform your best.

Cheers!

Workout Update – Life’s Obligations

5056260400_c47727aba2_b — Sunset at Butterfly Beach

It has been quiet around here lately and that means life is in full swing. So a few quick updates from my realm of the triathlon universe:

Shoulders and neck continue to be sore. A few weeks back, moving furniture I pulled a muscle in my back and shoulder that is causing discomfort throughout my upper back, neck and arms. It is gradually getting better, but is still quite bothersome. Maybe I am just getting old?
Workouts themselves have been light lately as I let my shoulders recover. I’ve mainly been focusing on Yoga, foam rolling, and stretches, but did get back to the gym for a workout.
Today’s gym workout was pretty cool with a combination of jump rope, squat and press, and push-ups. The shoulders are a little more sore than they were before, unfortunately.
The Paleo/Primal diet has taken a bit of a back seat lately. This week bagels and bread seemed to creep back in, as did Oreos (Oh no!). Focus this next week is to get back to a diet with far less processed foods.
My hope of competing in the Greeley Triathlon in June were dashed as life prevents me from leaving Santa Barbara at that time. I am feeling a bit bummed about it, but I will find other events to do at more opportune times.
I am continuing my own custom fitness tracking solution that I’ve been calling TrainingMetrix. Help me out and take a look at the blog or the forums.

While I still struggle to return back down to my racing weight and let my shoulders mend, I keep reflecting back on my awesome 2009 season. Using 2009 as my inspiration for 2011, that little thing called life keeps reminding me of how complex things can get. Still, triathlons are awesome and they will always be in my daydreams.

So, what strategies do you use to balance triathlon with the rest of life’s obligations?