By Dan Empfield: Are Genetics Overrated?? Great article!

Dan E. has written an article I agree with, having raced triathlons for 23 years and running races for 38 yrs. As you age, genetics play a smaller and smaller role in who wins. It comes down to who is willing to work for it and who wants it most. Check it out.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Genetics_is_Overrated_6697.html

New Year's Resolution - One Lady's First Week At The Gym Diary. Funny Stuff....

Dear Diary, 
For Christmas this year, my husband purchased a week of personal training at the local health club. 
Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try. 
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. 
Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress. 
________________________________ 
MONDAY: 
Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god-- with blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!! 
Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines... I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! 
Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!! 
________________________________ 
TUESDAY: 
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It's a whole new life for me. 😜 🙌
_______________________________ 
WEDNESDAY: 
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. 
Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members.. His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. 
My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster. Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other crap too. 
_______________________________ 
THURSDAY: 
Butt hole was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late-- it took me that long to tie my shoes. 
He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny witch to find me. 
Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine-- which I sank. 😆
_________________________________
FRIDAY: 
I hate that jackass Christo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.
Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the darn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. 
The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director? 
________________________________ 
SATURDAY: 
😈 Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.. 
________________________________ 
SUNDAY: 
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun-- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with chocolate & diamonds!!!

One Workout Can Help You???

You don't have to workout for days/weeks to get a benefit. Amazing! Check out this article:
http://www.newsrepublic.net/detail/06F844467E10100001_us?pid=24&referrer=200620&showall=1&mcc=311
For more help check out the resources at www.lincolnmurdoch.com

Good Article on Signs You're Overstressed

Check it out. Don't stress...
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/9-signs-youre-overstressed-dont-know/?c=stress
For more helpful info sign up for my "One Thing" free tip of the month on my website,
www.lincolnmurdoch.com

A New Blahhh-g Post – Five Positive Actions To Blast The Winter Blahs

The sun now sets here in Omaha before 5pm and by 5:30pm it’s DARK. I feel like getting in bed each evening by 7:30pm. Sun doesn’t come up til about 7:30am. There are holiday snacks everywhere. I'll be honest - my willpower seems to be pretty low. I’m giving in far too much. Weight gain is happening and I’m discouraged. It’s that dreaded time when my lifestyle plan (what I purpose to do) and my actual choices, clash. 

My next important race isn’t for almost four months. I argue with myself…part of me saying that I’ve got plenty of time to start eating better and lose some weight and the other part telling me I’m really going to regret these bad choices.

What do we need to do to break out of the winter blahs?

One – Well, we’re doing it. Reading this blahhhh-g! Of course!

Two – Let’s plan on doing some “C” races. You know, a Santa Trot 5k or New Year’s Eve/Day 10K. Something. That way, we’ve got a race to train for. Same for January and February. That motivates.

Three – Watch movies, sports, shows, programs that pump us up. Just today I watched the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon on NBC. It helped. Better yet, watch something like that WHILE you workout.

Four – Get accountable. Workout with others or be accountable to a friend or coach that you can send your workouts to and/or your weight once a week. That can help sometimes.

Five – Let’s remember that we make a dozen decisions every day that will collectively effect who we are down the road. Respect THAT person. Have a clear picture of who you want that guy or gal to be, feel like, look like, etc.

We might not make great choices 100% of the time but let's think, yes think about our choices. 

Well, there you go. The info above is what I’m trying to wrap my brain around. I needed to write this as much as anyone needs to read it. Keep pressing on through the darkness and cold. I know that the couch, a blanket and the TV clicker have a powerful magnetic pull this time of year. Let the magnet of who you want to be next May be the stronger magnet. For more input, sign up for my free "One Thing" tip of the month - One thing you must do to be successful! www.lincolnmurdoch.com

No More "Only." Arise Sprint / Olympic Distance Triathletes!!

Imagine the global media covering the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Track and Field competition announcing they would give, only if time allowed, very minimal coverage of the 100m, 200m and 400m....but, they would give quite a bit of coverage to the 800m and 1,500m and give massive coverage to the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon. "Hmmm, that would be strange," you say.

Then, imagine the International Olympic Committee announcing they would be giving only gold medals to the shorter distance races. No silver or bronze...that the awards would only go one deep for all races shorter than 800m.  You're thinking, "Now, that's really weird!"

Finally, imagine a TV reporter interviewing Usain Bolt (yes, I know he's retired) before the competition begins, asking him what distance he was going to race. The fastest man in the world then hangs his head a little and says, "Well, I'm only doing the 100m and 200m." Nope, would never happen...but does it??

All this sound kind of strange?  What if we applied all of this to the Olympic swimming competition? What if it was announced that the 50 free and 100 and 200 free, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly events were all going to be cancelled. But, there would be full-on coverage of the 1,500m and 10K open water races...

The reason for all of this? Those distances are short. Just about anyone can jog those distances (or swim them.)  So, we'll not treat them like the longer distances which are obviously much harder.

All this seem pretty off-the-wall? Like, really crazy?? You're right. I've been competing in triathlons for 23 years and completed multiple races at all four basic distances, racing in World Championships in three of them. I've observed triathletes at races that offer both sprint and olympic distances, when asked which race they're doing, apologetically and sheepishly saying, "Well, I'm only doing the sprint."  Same is true if they offer an olympic and 70.3. Or, at races that offer three distances. Again, "I'm only doing the _____."

Somehow the triathlon world, which I love and am an integral part of, gives the message that the sprint distance is a beginners only distance, kind of the ugly step-sister of the other distances. The message is sent that...the longer you race, the more of an authentic triathlete you are.

Many of my friends who have not done an Ironman tri, but lots of other shorter distance races are asked, as soon as someone hears they do triathlons, "Have you done an Ironman?" And though the athlete may be a phenomenal short course triathlete, they state they have not and immediately feel the sting of their answer.

The sprint seems to be looked down upon the most. Yet, in track and field and swimming, the short races are some of THE most exciting from a spectator perspective. Yes, a percentage of ITU races are now sprint distance and there is/was even some talk of having the sprint be the distance for the 2020 Olympic tri. Super-sprint relay tri is going to be part of the next Olympics which is going to be great! If you've ever watched one of those you know how exciting they are.

But, quite often, from posted pre-race information to the awards ceremony, the sprint doesn't get the respect of the others. Fewer spots on the podium and fewer awards often given out, often last, after the longer race awards are done.

I always feel bad when that triathlete, at race registration or on race morning shyly states that they'll ONLY be doing the _____ distance. I always tell them, "Don't ever say 'only.' You are racing a triathlon for Pete's sake! You're amazing. Good for you! It's just as important and valid as any other distance."

In some ways, a case could be made from a pain perspective, that sprints hurt the most if raced all out. A good sprint distance triathlete is on the red-line for over an hour - on the very edge of exploding due to the maximum effort it takes. I realize each distance has it's own unique pain, but the all-out sprints I do hurt more than the other three distances which I've done multiple times. It's been easier for me to do a 70.3 than trying to go sub 1:05:00 in a sprint. Now that hurts!! I'm in no way putting down longer distance races. They're awesome and take unique preparation and real endurance.

Just like in track and field, over time, a triathlete will discover the distance the are most gifted to race. When younger, a track competitor will learn if they're a sprinter, middle-distance runner or long distance specialist. Same with triathlon. I'm a short course guy and particularly specializing at fast sprint races. I've done multiple Ironmans and ultramarathons and even a 172 mile bike race so I know what going long is all about. But, I'm most competitive at races just over an hour and so are many others.

So, short-course triathletes out there...never and I mean NEVER, say you're ONLY doing the _____ race. Proudly put your shoulders back and announce that you are going kill that short distance tri. Pretend you're Usain Bolt and be proud you're a sprinter!