"Boldly Going Where No Man (Well, At Least THIS Man) Has Gone Before" A 172 Mile Bike Race?

It's been a very long time since I raced a distance that was so long that I'd not gone that far before. I did my longest triathlon back in '97, repeating the Ironman distance two more times. I did my first 50 mile ultra marathon back in '80, doing three more ultras after that. I swam 3 miles once back during the summer of (about) '98 in a lake in Minnesota. Longest bike ride ever was a training ride of about 120 miles for the '97 Ironman.

Everything since then has been just trying to race faster, not longer...until now. My wife, who is a Realtor for Landmark Group, www.landmarkomaha.com here in Omaha came home one day to tell that the company was going to put on a 172 mile bike race that covered three states - Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. The route goes from Omaha to Rock Port, Missouri and back. Yes, there is a 2 person relay division and a 4 person division, but...time for a new challenge I think. Check it out at www.Omaharacetorecycle.com

How do you train for a 172 mile bike race? I don't know. Ride your bike a lot I guess. How do you pace yourself for such a long race? I don't know. Go real easy the first 120 miles I guess. What kind of nutritional plan should you use? I'll stick to 300 calories/hour of Hammer Nutrition products which has always worked in other races. What about saddle sores? www.skinstrong.com offers "Slather" which works great for that potential problem.

Biggest challenge for me (besides the distance which is ridiculous, and questions about pacing) is the lack of time to train for such a race. I'll no doubt be under trained. It's May 14 but I'm out of town for a week in March so no riding, and then, two weeks in April, I'm out of the country, so no riding then. That leaves less than 8 weeks! Man, wish I had about 4 months, but I don't. So, what will I do?

I'll try to get in as many long rides on my days off, as I possibly can. I might be able to get my longest ride up to 110 miles which, seems woefully short of what is needed. But, all I can do is to do what I can, then, try to be really smart on race day. If you ride a bike but are not interested in the solo 172 or the two person relay, get three friends and do the 4 person relay - 43 miles each. Or, if that's a bit too much, do the Family Ride of 17 miles. There will be an expo and some cool stuff going on that day besides the races at Midtown Crossing which is the start and finish line for all races. So, check out the website and join in the fun if you live in eastern Nebraska or western Iowa.

Climbing The Mountains Of Life

Last weekend I was in sunny, warm Tucson, AZ for the ICTN (www.ICTriNet.com) annual camp/retreat. Besides seeing old friends, making new ones, listening to some great speakers and attending fantastic triathlon workshops, there is the annual Mt. Lemmon bike climb for those who want to tackle it. Mt. Lemmon is a 27 mile climb taking you from about 2,000 ft. above sea level where it starts, up to over 8,000 ft. It's pretty much relentless with very few reprieves from the grinding ascent.

This was the 6th year for the camp and the 3rd it's been held in Tucson. Two years ago, I approached the mountain with little respect for it. I had NEVER climbed a mountain of any type. Omaha and Phoenix, where I've lived the last 29 years, have hills, yes, but no mountains. Still, I figured, how tough can this really be? Ok, so, it was tough enough to wipe me out after 14 miles of climbing both previous years, just halfway up it. Why? Bad mindsets, bad pacing and a bad nutritional plan. Last year I took the first 8 miles WAY too fast and bonked at about 11 miles, barely hanging on up to 14 where I called it quits.

So, I was zero for two going into the climb this year. I'd had 365 days to think about this. I decided I'd climb slowly but steadily. Didn't care if anyone passed me...even an elderly women on a recumbent bike - I'd just let her go. I would ride my pace, stay very hydrated and fueled up, and know it would take me awhile so patience had to prevail.

We start up the mountain and, sure nuf, some folks started to come around me as I made my way up the first half. I was tempted to go with a couple of them but..."Don't do that," I told myself...so I didn't. 27 miles of climbing at about 9 mph means...well, you do the math. My only goal was to get to the summit, not to get there quickly. My hydration was good and by using Hammer Nutrition's products, I never had a major energy let down - emphasis on "major."

On we rode with snow on the sides of the road when, a couple of miles from the top a few buddies passed me, coming down. Man, those guys can ride. John Shelp, who I was riding with, and I keep moving upward feeling worse and worse the closer we got to the top. There is a small community at the 25 mile point called Summerhaven and we pulled in there thinking we'd grab a cookie and coffee at the shop there...but...then...John said, let's keep going. Seriously? I really didn't think I could go up two more miles to the ski lift. I was completely spent. But, the summit beckoned us, so, we made the turn and headed further up the mountain.

We made it! 27 miles of mountain climbing. Did I respect that mountain now? Yep. And, I'd climbed on a bike with gearing perfect for flatland racing, not geared to climb, which, made it even tougher, but also more satisfying. We went into a shop and ordered blueberry pie with ice cream and coffee. Man, did that taste good! Then, we bundled up cause it was cold up there and headed down. An hour or so later, after screaming down that hill, we hit the bottom and headed the last 6 miles back to the host hotel, completely exhausted and spent, but very happy.

We all face mountains in our lives. Financial, vocational, physical, relational...there are many and each season of life seems to bring new ones. We can choose to look at the mountain and not take it seriously, only to have it kick our fanny. We can try to overcome it without the necessary "nutrition" that we'll need to fuel us on our journey. Or, we can start up it with the right mindset and supplies. That ride only made me stronger after I recovered. The mountains of life can be looked at from a positive point of view.

David of the Old Testament said, "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." Psalms 121:1.
God is the One who knows best how to deal with the mountains of life. Focusing on Him, we draw the help we need to make it up and over every mountain we face, or, just watch Him move it. What mountain is confronting you currently? How are you dealing with it? God is right there. He knows the way up and over. Look to Him.

Bear Grylls on "Dreams"

Bear Grylls said, "Dreams are great, but they have a price. Dreams are made possible in those dark hours...the unsung hours behind the scenes and if you want them, you have to pay that price." He said this after paragliding higher than any man - up to Mt. Everest breaking the world record by over 5,000 ft. He also raised $1.7 million for charity through his Everest effort. What dreams do you have? Are you willing to pay the price?

This was something I just posted on my facebook page. I just watched a one hour special on Bear's attemt to fly as high or higher than Mt. Everest with a retangular parachute / sail and a motor strapped to his back for power. Pretty amazing story. It was a dream that he and his buddy carried in their hearts for months and months. In 58 minutes I saw the dream fulfilled. I didn't see all those "dark hours." I didn't see those unsung hours of preparation, trial and error and training in freezing conditions to ready themselves. Bear hit the nail on the head. Dreams are made possible by all the behind the scenes stuff that...no one sees. Champions are made when no one is watching them train and practice. People watch and applaud the end result...but no one is applauding during the unsung hours.

Dream fulfillers are those who only need the dream, not the applause to move them forward. That picture of their prefered future motivates them, not man. What dream do you carry? Are you willing to pay the price to see it through the dark hours? I love that Bear raised over a million and a half dollars for charity through this event.

Bear, good for you and for all those who benefitted from your amazing effort and world record. To those reading...dream...pay the price...do something to benefit others...learn from Bear.

Fear Of Failure

Portland, Oregon - 1997. USA Triathlon National Championships. What... in... the... world was I doing there?? I'm the guy who never played a varsity sport in high school. I got crushed in my one 8th grade wrestling match in Jr. High. I scored 1 point the entire year on the 8th grade basketball team. I got in about 5 plays my entire ninth grade football season. So, again, what was I doing there?

I had done pretty well in local races in the Phoenix area, but talk about taking it up a notch! Needless to say I was pretty scared to book the tickets to fly up there. Why? Fear of failure. I needed to be in the top 16 to make Team USA and race in Germany 8 weeks later at the World Championships. Jen was going to go with me to Portland, and then my folks said they were going to fly in from Omaha to watch the race! Pressure? Yes. But much more than that...fear of failure! On steroids - the fear that is, not me. I lined up on the beach along with 60-70 of the best triathletes in my age group from around the nation. Fear of failure closed in on me. Some of these guys had been pros back in the day. One had been a great swimmer for the University of Michigan. One had won the Atlanta marathon five times! Fear of failure. For a moment, I wanted to just forget this and go home. Why? Fear of failure.

Is there anything in your life that you shrink back from attempting? Something you've always wanted to try but that you think you'd fail if you did? Got anything in that "bucket list?" Or, perhaps you did try that "something" but failed at? I once heard of a book that was titled, "Failure - The Backdoor To Success." Never read the book but always remembered the title.

Life is short. Live it to the fullest! Scripture says that God gave us all things freely to enjoy, 1 Timothy 6:17. He's given us gifts, talents, abilities and interests. We should develop them, explore them and use them. If you fail in your attempts...so what? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. You've heard this stuff before but what are you doing with it? Go for it. Superstar Michael Jordon did. Yet, check out his quote: “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” So, go ahead, take that shot!

Portland - I came out of the water almost 2 minutes slower than I had hoped for. Lousy start. The bike/run course was super hilly - monsters! I'd trained very hard on hills and hammered that course. Later that day, with no advanced results being posted, they announced the top 10. I just wanted to be 16th. Was very scared of failing... They announced the top 10 who got to go up to the stage and recieve an award. 10th place was called out, then 9th place, then my name! Shocked. Overjoyed.

If fear had kept me from going to Portland, I would have never made it to Worlds in Germany where, by God's grace and through His strength, I finished 20th out of 99 men from almost 30 nations.

Don't fear failure. Instead, be afraid of living a dull life, imprisoned by fear, bound by being worried about something that may never happen! Be a difference maker. You'll have to risk and get out on a limb but, man, is it worth it!

So, You're An Endurance Athlete...and...Your Spouse Isn't - What To Do?

So, I've asked Jen for her input here. I've been a runner for the last 30 yrs. doing races up to 50 miles long. Been competing in triathlons for 18 yrs. Jen is one of the most amazing, talented people on the planet. She's selfless, generous and kind and I love her...but...she is not an endurance athlete.

Over the years she has put up with water bottles all around the kitchen sink drying out, sweaty running and cycling clothes laying around, my bike IN the living room for a few years (no time for that story now), listening to my woes about injuries, aches and pains, not to mention splits, pacing, race reports and how I should have beaten so and so. I once even burned a hole in the family room carpet cycling indoors (no time for that story either.)

She had been incredibly supportive of my training and racing and they've never been a sore spot in our marriage. How have things worked out this way when, the divorce rate for triathletes is much higher than that national average, which, is about 50%? Here are a few things we came up with:
1. Jen just informed me that the reason this has worked is because I'm married to an amazing women who has the patience of Job. OK. Agreed...for sure! Jen, you rock!
2. She said I was good to not let my training and racing get in the way of our children when they lived at home.
3. Based on # 2 - I've tried to always train when it doesn't effect the things in life that are really important = faith, marriage, children, work, etc.
4. I've worked hard at becoming really good at time management. I don't waste time and I multi-task whenever possible. Like doing core work on the floor while watching the news with Jen on TV (this is where her patience comes in.) OK...she's laughing right now as I just read this to her.
5. Jen understands that this is a gift and a passion that God has given me. Just as I support her in what she is "into" like real estate, so she supports me in my endeavors. I believe in her and she believes in me. We're each other's biggest fans - a mutually supportive relationship.

6. Jen just said that she thinks that due to my priorities, I'm willing to train far less than other guys that race at the same level as me. If I put in the hours some triathletes do...well...things might not be going so smoothly on the home front.
7. Jen just said that she knows that if something comes up or she needs me, I'm there - planned workout or not. I'll drop a workout in a heartbeat if she needs me - that sends an important message to her for sure.

We've been married 33 yrs. and they've not all been smooth sailing. Don't want to give that impression. Marriage is hard work. Being married to an endurance athlete...makes it even harder. But, every married person must send the genuine message that their spouse is the most important person in the world. When that message is sent...and received...training and racing can work quite well.

Finally, when Jen comes to a race I'm in, I tell her that I race faster, feeling like I'm back in high school, trying to impress my girlfriend. I think she likes that. OK, she's now telling me to get off the computer and grill some Little Red Barn Beef steaks. My response? "As you wish." (A great line guys - happy wife, happy life :)

Injuries Stink...What To Do...?

Injuries are part of sports and particularly endurance sport due to the same motions/movements taking place thousands of times. Injuries stink because they take you out of your normal training routines, which effects your racing, which messes with your mind even bringing on mild depression. If the injury is severe or long-term or reoccuring, it can take some people into more serious depression and a loss of identity.

Food for thought about injuries from a guy who's had 'em all and is now dealing with heel pain that's gone on for 9 months.
1. Let injuries help you to remember what REALLY matters in life. Running, triathlon, cycling, etc. are hobbies for 99% of us. Let's not take ourselves too seriously.
2. If an injury won't let you run, then put in extra time in the pool. If it won't let you do this...do that. Focus on some other stuff while you heal up. Volunteer at a race instead of competing.
3. If it hurts to do it...probably shouldn't do it - let it heal
4. No athletic activity or performance defines anyone. Your value isn't found in your performance even though our society says it does. Your ultimate value is found in the fact that God created you and loves you.
5. Study your injury and the best treatment for it. EASE back into things. Often, ice, ice and more ice can be a great, free therapy along with The Stick - see list on left side of blog.

Hang in there. Very few injuries last more than a few weeks or a month or two. Injuries do stink, but they can be a valuable part of our life-learning experience and can develop a gratitude for the health we do enjoy.