Category: Community & Lifestyle

A Pretty Big Run with a Pretty Important Meaning

3

There has to be more to life than going to work, spending money, and complaining about the weather. At least, I certainly hope there is. Life must mean something–or even a whole lot of somethings. The actions we take and the paths we make have to contribute to some greater good, whether that is through supporting others, improving social justice, or just simply being a positive influence. Endurance sport adds considerable meaning to my life. But, the significance of running and triathlon goes well beyond the physical acts of training and racing. Sure, the human body is pretty amazing, and I’ve learned …

Oh, baby, I got the post Ironman blues

17

There I was, in the middle of my run, just bee-bopping along and the thought occurred to me: triathlon season was coming to an end for me. The best season of my triathlon career. Over. And, then it hit me. The “it” being the post Ironman blues, or in my case, the post-best-triathlon-season-ever blues. Since then, I’ve been feeling a little sad, agitated, bored, unmotivated, and annoyed. All at once. Being the curious sort that I am, I wondered if there was an explanation for the post Ironman blues. I’ve had this feeling after almost every Ironman or “big” race I’ve …

What’s Next? The Hail Mary Pass, Of Course

20

So, what’s next? After my close call with a Kona qualifying slot at Ironman Lake Placid (race report here), I’ve asked myself this question quite a bit, as have my family and friends. I didn’t make any plans for races after Lake Placid. I poured every ounce of mental energy I had into that race, so when I came up short, I had no idea what the answer would be to this question. The day of the roll down at IMLP, our friend Eric texted John to find out if I nabbed a slot. When he got the news, he …

I have a secret… I love to taper

12

That’s right. You read that headline correctly. I. LOVE. TO. TAPER. In fact, I think it’s pretty darn taper-ific. I realize this taper-love makes me something of an endurance-weirdo. I read the tweets, Facebook statuses, and articles that attest to how much people hate to taper, or find the taper as something that must be tolerated, not loved. Sure, I understand the taper-tantrums. The first time I did a “real” taper was before my first marathon. I didn’t like it so much that first time. But, on race day, I was able to run so well, on such fresh legs …

Off the Plan: Does spontaneous dancing count as cross training?

2

Sunday morning I woke up and was all ready to knock out my scheduled training plan for the day. First, I was all like:   Then, I was all like: Normally, after a long day of training, John and I stick to a pretty set plan of the 3 R’s: refuel, recover, and rack out on the couch. Yet, by the end of the day on Sunday, we were all like: What happened, right? With just under 4 weeks to go until Ironman Lake Placid for me, and just under 3 weeks to the Vermont 100 for him, this type of …

Instant Gratification & Endurance Sport

20

As a culture, we’ve become increasingly absorbed by products, services and experiences that promise instant gratification. In the world of endurance sport, maybe this translates to taking supplements (legal or illegal) to lose weight quickly, to build strength quickly, to boost endurance overnight, to eliminate fatigue. Maybe it means we expect unrealistic results, before we’ve put the time in, before we’ve done the work we need to do in order to achieve the goals that are worth achieving. Maybe it means we compare ourselves to others, thinking if we do exactly what they have done, we’ll have the same results. …

Life Cycles

20

During the second week of June, 2012, my mother began what would be the last week of her life here with us. Of course, at that time, we didn’t know that. My family and I went about the routine we had established in the previous 7 months, caring for her as the cancer, which began in her pancreas, was tearing through her body like a school of ravenous piranha. My sister, brother and I went about our usual routine, which typically included us bossing her around — a fact which she was quick to share with the hospice nurses. “Mom, …

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: A Triathlon Gear Geek’s Must Have List

8

I didn’t used to think of myself as a triathlon gear geek. But, one look around my house and my garage will quickly call that assumption into question. When I first started in triathlon, I had just the basics: a used bike that was 2 sizes too big for me, $20 bike shorts (ouch!), a grocery bag for my transition bag, and I was just learning about the value of some type of butt butter. I had no idea was Zipp was, nor did I own a single pair of compression socks. How on earth did I ever finish those …

(Not) Just Like the First Time: The Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course

8

As we drove north to Lake Placid last weekend, and the one-dimensional terrain of southern New Jersey gave way to the peaks of the Adirondacks, I could feel the flapping of those butterfly wings in my belly. It was a mixture of both excitement and anxiety as we returned to what I consider to be my “home” Ironman course. We were heading to Lake Placid for a long training weekend. John would be running Mt. Marcy in preparation for the VT100 on July 20. I would be joining the Fireman Ironman training camp for a swim-bike-run of the course in anticipation …

We will always run

6

On the afternoon of the Boston Marathon, I had planned to publish a post about how to qualify for Boston. For me, qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon several years ago was a triumph, a celebration of hard work. I wanted to help others experience that same joy, that same extraordinary experience. Instead, just as I was preparing the final touches on the post, I heard the news. Stolen was the triumph. Unfulfilled was the celebration. The extraordinary joy of Boston became a violent tragedy in just one moment. Since the bombings, I’ve struggled with what to write about …