My First Ironman
It’s becoming increasingly clear, as I associate more with experienced triathletes and see them signing up for IM races, that unless I choose a non-M-dot race, which IM I do for my first will be a result of which one I can get into. IM Lake Placid opened for registration a few weeks ago and sold out in 10 minutes. 10 Minutes. Only 800 spots were open for online registration because so many people signed up at the event.
That’s the other option for signing up, go to one of the events and register on-site. That would actually be a lot of fun, but wouldn’t be quite as feasible to do during my thesis year. Although, IM Wisconsin is being held during my nebulous period between when I finish in Boulder and when I start back at UC. It’s also only about 8 hours from Cincinnati and would mean I could meet up with some of the Tri-Scoopers. I’d also get less time with the family, but I probably ought to get back sooner to work on my thesis anyhow. I’ll have to investigate further, particularly cost issues. I’m not even sure I can afford to register for an IM at this point.
The other option for getting into an IM is to take a ‘Community’ Spot. Basically it costs you an extra ~$500 to register with the extra money going to sports charities for kids. You’re not guaranteed of getting one of these spots, there’s an application process of some sort, but they don’t sell out quite as quickly (understandably so). With a Community spot you also get $200-300 worth of ‘Free’ stuff and a special starting area right near the pros. The added cost is also technically a donation and is tax deductible. You can also do fundraising to offset or supplement that part of the cost. i.e., you could fundraise to pay that portion of the cost or you could go to your employer and say “I’m giving/raising $500 to this charity, can you match?”
Base Training Plan
Time to get back to Base-ics!
I’m working on developing a base training plan for the remainder of this year based off of a combination of sources. I started with information from the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, incorporated a bit of Joe Friel’s Going Long and some input from Mike Ricci and the folks at Triscoop.
Swim – 5-7 times per week. I’m going to start with 30 days straight of swimming per a MR suggestion.
Bike – 3 times per week, plus commuting
Run – 3-4 times per week
Lift – 2-3 times per week. I’m not sure yet whether to emphasize low weights with high reps or high weight with low reps to build power. I may alternate weeks or just do the high weight on my legs.
Mondays – Rec. Swim
Tuesday – Swim drills, End./Tempo Run, Lift
Wednesday – Masters Swim, Rec. Bike
Thursday – Swim Drills, End. Bike, Lift
Friday – Swim Drills and OD Long swim
Saturday – Swim Drills, OD Bike, Rec. Run
Sunday – Swim Drills, OD Run, Lift
Links & Thoughts
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/08/exercise-regrow.html
So exercise, particularly endurance exercise, tends to result in increased neurogenesis (re-growth of brain cells), at a rate of 200-300% of normal. Granted, normal for humans should consistent of continued exercise, our levels of modern inactivity are quite simply, unnatural.
Not a terribly surprising thing to find out. People who are physically active tend to have lower incidences of Alzheimers and onset also tends to be later in life.
Just one more reason to never retire.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/08/20/a_running_debate/?p1=MEWell_Pos4
Then you’ve got more coverage on the great debate… running with headphones.
On race day, Heather Petricca, a 37-year-old accountant from Ashland, has Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" loaded on her MP3 player. "That tracks me at a 10-minute mile, so I'll keep that on repeat," she says. "It takes your mind off what you're doing."
It takes your mind off what you’re doing… and where you are and who’s around you and what’s happening. Shutting out the world… good call.
A Pearl Izumi promotion labels anyone who runs with an MP3 player a jogger, not a runner. "Runners dig music," goes its ad, "but they know that it makes them lose touch with their environment, and lose kinesthetic awareness of their bodies, and that is something they simply cannot have."
Hard to argue with that.
"I couldn't run 100 feet without headphones," he says. "I'd get bored."
Sorry to hear you find running so boring, perhaps you should find a new hobby.
Simply put, running with headphones is, at it’s most basic, a safety issue. Runners wearing headphones are far less aware of what they’re doing and what’s going on around them than runners who can actually hear what’s going on. Deaf runners run with warnings on their back that say “Deaf Runner” and many race with guides or assistants.
Every time the safety issue is brought up, runners who train and race in headphones do their best to ignore it. When they do finally face it, they insist they can hear just fine, that they’re not a hazard to other runners., yet al too often, accidents involve runners with headphones in. How many bad or dangerous drivers truly believe that they are dangerous? How many people drive while yakking on the cell phone and doing other stuff at the same time when their full attention should be on the road? I doubt they think they are a hazard to other drivers, even though they certainly are.
People are, in general, atrocious at assessing their own status as safe or unsafe in relation to others because we are largely selfish, self-absorbed and inconsiderate.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/08/20/israel_says_darfur_refugees_will_be_turned_away/
Israel Turns Away Darfur Refugees
There’s something ironic about Israel turning away refuges fleeing genocide and mass murder, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is…
