Embrace the TREADMILL...

Let me preface this with the fact that I used to HATE the treadmill. It was the dreadmill. I would do anything NOT to go on the treadmill. I would run in rain, sleet, snow, icy sidewalks, just about killing myself to make it out the door. I am tough, right? In the winter, I would throw on my yak traks, and run through anything. I remember running on sheer ice, 2 feet of snow (yes, it was up past my knees- I use the term 'run' pretty loosely in this instance), and rainy downpour in the cold and dark. I would go to an indoor track before even thinking about stepping on a gerbil wheel. I would run around in circles smelling that odor of recycled tires that is only reminiscent of the horror days of P.E The only time I went on a treadmill was when I got paid to do it. Literally.

Last winter I started using the treadmill out of sheer pragmatics. It was quicker, and I got the time in that I needed to. It worked, but I still didn't like it. It was meerly time in the bank.

This week, I realized what has happened since the cold, dark, days of winter has set in... I have fallen in love with treadmill running.


The treadmill has offered me something that I could never get outside... THE PERFECT WORKOUT.

I write this after completing my long run after I got into town from Madison and traveling/ interviewing all day. I headed to the trusty north town YMCA, walk past all of the 12 year olds playing guitar hero in the lounge (sitting on a couch, mind you, I give them a negative 100 in style points) and set up my 'home' for the next 100 minutes. Water, heart rate, towel, tunes, TV, fans, MPH, calories, time, lap spits- its all there. I proceed to perfectly execute my run for the evening. Everything was timed down to the second- warm up, main run/ workout (8x10m M pace), cool down. Flawless. Pace was spot on. No fading, no excuses. No ice to say you slowed down for, no traffic lights to give you those unplanned rest breaks, no exhaust fumes to breathe. The treadmill does not lie. It is the cold, hard, facts staring you right back in your face. Just saying 'I dare you.' During my last push to the end, I knew that I had met my goal for the preceeding 100 minutes. I know for a fact that I am running faster, longer, and at a lower heart rate than I ever have before.

And I have this all to thank to, my reconciled friend, the treadmill.

Home again...

Back in good 'ol 'sconny for a few days. Interviewing for jobs in Madison, training, seeing friends, and finishing up my Christmas shopping are about the only things that I need to worry about. Life is good.

I am all done with my Christmas shopping except for finding my brother's christmas gift. A long time ago, we started finding gifts for each other that were borderline mean, but still useable. Think disgusting foodstuffs that you need to eat out of courtesy, a coffee mug that has cheap refills at a gas station, but I don't live anywhere near those gas stations to get any benefit out of the mug, etc. I think it may have started when he 'gave' me a toy one year, and then proceeded to run away with it and play with it himself. (if you are interested, it was the 'Real Power Tool Shop'- one of those 9v battery operated saws that one can cut all kinds of shapes in balsa wood- it was actually pretty sweet- I believe it was circa early 90s), I'd like to say that he was the one that chose this path of doom for our Christmas gifts to each other.

So anyways, I am trying to top the bright red 'Hawaiian Punch' flavored bundt cake that I got him last year. After checking the junk areas at the truck stops that I stopped at during my travels resulted in nothing. I naturally travel to a local gas station to find the finest in foods that will remain completely fresh until Christmas (2008). Nothing of worthiness. Not even a pickled polish sausage to be seen. I was thinking Chuck E. Cheese tokens, so that he NEEDS to take his kids there and watch robots play styrofoam guitars, but that might be too mean. The search continues...

Some thoughts on mediocrity...

A lot on my mind lately. This being one of them. Nothing novel, just thoughts. Likely influenced by being on break and the clearing of the academic clutter from my mind coupled with much time on the trainer, treadmill, and driving solo in the car.

Athleticly, What makes the great people great, the ordinary people extraordinary? Does it hurt just as much for everyone to run an 8 minute mile, and the fast ones can just HTFU and bear the pain better to manage 6 min miles. Or, is it true that 'it doesn't get any easier, you just get faster.' Am I just a wuss? Possibly. I guess Dr. J. Daniels, has a few thoughts on what we are given genetically and what we do with it:

He divides people up into:
AA - Those with great genes and great commitment
AB - Those with great genes and less commitment
BA - Those without the great genes and great comitment

BA can defeat AB in a race. But BA cannot defeat AA.

An interesting point, and gives us "BA" people hope. A recent occurance (or maybe this retrospection is all in the spirit of all of the 'year in review' shows that are yet to come) had me going through past race results and realized that I have made dismal gains in my performance over the past three years. Not a fun thing to realize, but it is unfortunately the truth. After my initial journey from couch to athlete, and the exponential increase that one sees when proceeding with such a change, things have leveled off, and I have been in a solid comfort zone of being a mediocre mid-pack triathlete. One with the masses. My accomplishments and talents in the past three years include perfecting the following:
- training that is perfectly consistent and sporatic at the same time (yes, it can be done)
-dialing in on the best gray zone possible and increasing the volume there over many seasons (yes, I can race any distance that I want in my gray zone)
- figuring out how to get away with 90%
- getting sick
- catastrophic mechanical failures
- having a heck of a lot of fun (to give myself a little credit)

These accomplishments equate to the following:
- I am a mediocre triathlete
- i am a mediocre bike racer
- I am a mediocre runner
- I am a mediocre swimmer


Clearly, based upon the N=1 in my experiment called 'training.' There is no difference from year to year with what I am doing.

Chinese proverb:
"Insanity is dong the same thing over-and-over and expecting a different outcome."

Extraordinarily profound. Nobody wants to be insane. Things have changed and they are changing. It is just refreshing to remind myself exactly why I need a paradigm shift and why change is needed. The new experiment has started. Step by step.

1. figure out how to get well and stay well (almost done, getting over my latest nasty cold)
2. every workout has a purpose and a goal, and it will be met
3. faster= better w/kg (ie: lost weight= instant improvement without even working for it)
4. pay attention to nutrition and hydration in training (break my habit of trying get away with riding until an empty tank= crappy ride)
5. figure out IF and how #3 and #4 can coexist
6. sleep more, and don't feel guilty for it
7. give form and efficiency the time that they need
8. keep my love for swimming (I'm pretty sure my swimming mojo is back after it decided to go on sabbatical )
9. have a heck of a lot of fun
10. it will be harder, it will be tougher, but I am in control and things will get better. Progress happens in small steps.

There it is- the recipe. Let the madness continue.