Tips for Quality Run Training Train no faster than one pace quicker than the race you are training for. For example, 5k pace is good for an Olympic-distance race, while half-marathon pace suffices...
Improve Your Healing with DIY Sports Massage
Easy Exercises to Keep You Active
Of course, you know you should eat right and exercise. Most everyone understands the importance of fitness for health. Why is it so hard to stay motivated then? Consider the things that inspire you toward fitness. You may enjoy a particular healthy recipe or be a fan of a certain professional athlete. You might have a goal of running a race or participating in a certain sporting event.
The primary benefit of sports massage is to improve blood to the muscles. Sports massage is a highly effective healing technique also moves oxygen and nutrients to muscles. After you exercise, lactic acid builds up in the muscles. Sports massage can eliminate lactic acid buildup. You can decrease your recovery time by simply eliminating lactic acid buildup and improving the flow of lymphatic fluids. This process promotes the healing process (http://www.howtobefit.com/massage-for-runners.htm).
Consider these tips and methods of sports massage from the Pro academy of New York golf course, Shenandoah:
Frozen Water Bottle – Most athletes are familiar with the concept of rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE). A frozen water bottle is an affordable way to ice the muscles and massage them at the same time. The ice will reduce the swelling and soothe your extremities as you roll your muscle with the water bottle. Consider this low-cost at-home massage remedy after your workout.
Tennis Ball – If you don’t need the ice, try a tennis ball to massage your muscles. Tennis balls can also be used on the back and legs also. This method is effective for working out the knots in the foot. You can roll the feet over the tennis ball from toe to heel for the most effective results.
Soup Cans – Soup cans are also used to massage the feet and legs. Consider rolling your feet over cans or rolling the cans over your legs to relieve tension and pain. As the pain dissipates from the area of the body
where the soup cans are applied, recovery will begin. This will prepare you for your next workout session.
PVC Pipe – this is an inexpensive alternative to foam rollers. 10″ pipe is best and it is easy obtained from your local Home Depot or Loews. If a little cushion is needed the pipe can be wrapped in several layers of contact paper and secured with duct tape. You can then use it to massage your calves, hamstrings and even you lower and upper back just by rolling on it. It will easily break up the toxins that are located within the muscle and allow them to pass through the membrane and out through the endocrine system.
Training is Better With Sports Massage
There is nothing better than a nice sports massage to start the healing process. Most athletes have made the massage a part of marathon training. Certainly, the benefits of these massages have been proven. Consider sports massage for less painful and more effective training. A healthy life is easy with simple changes. Take baby steps. Remember that moderation is key in all things. Indulge from time to time, but treat the body as the precious temple that it is. When setting your health goal start small. Choose a goal
that is attainable and reasonable.
(This was written by Michelle Pino with some added content by the IronGoof specifically for IronGoof.Com)
A New Year, A New Goof
Ragnar Relay Finish |
Happy New year from the IronGoof. I hope everyone had a relaxing and pleasant holiday season. I took some time away from the Social Media stage for awhile which of course, coincided with my off-season and the holidays. Oh, I checked in from time-to-time, so I wasn’t completely away, but for the most part the last couple of weeks was pretty much spending time with family for the holidays, working a little and of course just this last weekend; Ragnar Relay: Miami-Key West. More on that later.
I want to mention my opinions on New Year’s Resolutions. Personally, to RESOLVE to make changes leaves a lot of room for disappointment, but to decide to make positive changes in your life or set goals allows for a journey. It is a trail to blaze and a challenge to conquer, not just an idea that might take shape. I always thought the best way to start a new year is to document what is to be accomplished in the coming year. What makes this blog kinda cool is that now I can publish it and be accountable to everyone. So here they are:
Personal:
1. Get over my fear of leaving my day job and get my business off the ground.
2. Reduce debt by minimally 50%
3. Re-commit to a financial plan and budget
3. Complete my Certified Personal Trainer, USAT Level 1 coach and USATF Level 1 and minimally begin my Certified Nutrition Professional.
4. Blog at least 5 times a week
Sports & Fitness:
1. 2 Ironman Triathlons: IM Louisville, IM Florida
2. IM FL in less than 12 hours
3. Running average pace at 7:30 min/mile at RPE 2
4. Biking average pace at 22 mph at RPE 2
5. Swim at 1:45 per 100m at RPE 3
6. Start CrossFit as strength training
7. 1 half-marathon at 1:35 or less
A little aggressive? Absolutely, but isn’t that what life is all about? As my friend Casey would say, “Go big or Go home!”. The secret goal I have, which obviously will not be so secret anymore is to take on the motto: “Always be doing something that matters.” For example, watching the boob tube means nothing and does nothing for anyone. Does that mean I am going to stop watching TV? Heck no, but this year it will not be the only thing I am doing. If the TV is on, then I need to be doing something else as well. Blogging, training on the bike trainer or the treadmill, foam rolling, stretching, something besides just being a spectator.
That is the plan for my year. What are your goals?
I have so much to write about. I have reviews to blog about, race reports to write. Be prepared to be seeing a little more activity than normal from the Goof.
Brandon Half Marathon |
Coming up:
Brandon Half Marathon Race Recap
Nexus 7 tablet review
Hydro Flask Review
Just Say No 10k Race Recap
Samsung 18 megapixel Camera review
Ragnar Relay Recap
I might be doing all this in just a couple of posts, so it may be long, or will it. I may have another way of getting you the information. Just wait and see.
Here’s a new tag line I am adopting to keep all of you motivated this year from my friend Summer Bailey:
Catching back up with the Goof
My intention for re-starting this blog was to write more often, but the more I want to write, the more I find I have less to write about. I have been reading a lot of blogs lately. I enjoy reading them when I have the time, the only problem I am having is I am having way too many “A-HA” moments. I read a great post and think to myself, “I should have written about that”, or “that was a great idea”, or the famous “I was going to write about that too.” The issue I am having is being original and unique. What does this mean exactly (as you may be scratching your head going, ok Goof, get on with it already)? It means I have two choices. As I peruse the new group I have been welcomed into, The Tampa Bay Bloggers, I notice two distinct kinds of blogs, the knowledge based, and the journal. While both can provide very interesting information, I find that the latter can become a little monotonous. Now for me, it doesn’t matter because I know, or am getting to know, most of the journal type bloggers and I enjoy reading those, but if I wasn’t associated with them, would I really want to read them? I am not quite sure.
My struggle is that I want my posts to be creatively amusing while being interesting in a way where one of three things comes out of each post for each reader. 1) You laugh (or at least smile), 2) learn something, or at least remember that you learned it, or 3) you are emotional moved to some sort of action. I don’t care if you end up being incredibly angry or even angry at me, if you are moved in some way I think I may have accomplished my goal. Now is this too much to ask?
Susan & friend at WHM 2012 |
Regressing back to the title of this blog “Catching back up with the Goof”, let me give you the latest chronological items.
I was ecstatic to see my friends run the Women’s Half Marathon the weekend before Thanksgiving. I had the opportunity to go out and cheer once again for a certain group of running and tri peeps and then being surprised to find even more women I knew that were running. Kudos go out to Kat from Sneakers n’ Fingerpaints, Beka from Rebecca Roams, Anderson, Sarah, Jessica from Jet City Espresso, Elisa, Caitlin from Live, Sweat, Sleep, Repeat, Susan, and all the others out there I am probably missing. It was a race that was a pleasure to watch and not just because there were a lot of fit and hot looking women in spandex(get your mind out of the gutter), but because the energy was higher than really a ton of races I have been a part of. Maybe there is something to this “Girl Power” thing. Can we harness it as a natural resource? Can we use it in our cars? (Hey – get your mind out of the gutter I said.)
At least my sister, Millie was happy to see me. I think. |
Thanksgiving was very uneventful. Thursday I worked out and hung out by myself for a while and then had dinner at Amy & Erik Eck’s home (my friend and coach). I had the honor of hanging with a lot of great people to include the little new Godsend, Bennett Erik Eck whom is now just a couple of weeks old. He is getting to be pretty adorable, if I do say so myself, and I am not being biased because I happened to (almost) be there at his birth. That may be a whole other post I may need to write. (Note to self – see paragraph 1.) There was plenty of delicious Paleo based food and a few dishes that were not so much, but everything was amazing. After a long walk to help the digestion process I headed home and to bed due to my departure from Tampa Bay International Airport on the 6am flight to Chicago and my family’s belated Thanksgiving. Needless to say Friday, family came over, there was conversation, there was food, there was more conversation, everyone went home, and I went to sleep. The End.
Sunday, I was privileged to hang out at Moretti’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant with a very good friend from my high school years whom my influence had/has steadily increased his appetite for triathlon(patting myself on the back). We have been continuing to keep in touch through email, phone and text, sharing information on races, plans and techniques. He started swimming last year at this time right after the Chicago Marathon and last March/April timeframe competed in his first indoor sprint triathlon, followed by a couple more and finishing with his first Olympic in September. Needless to say I was pretty proud of Big Guy last year. Yes, his nick name was, and still is “Big Guy”. Mine was “Bagelman”…go figure. (Pause for laughter) Anyway, it was great to hang out eat a little pizza, watch the Bears kick some royal Viking butt and talk triathlon.
That left getting up at 3:30am on Monday for a 6am flight home to be able to put in a full days work. I really didn’t think we had to leave as early as we did, but I was totally 100% wrong. I made to the gate with barely 5 minutes to grab some McDonald’s coffee and ascend the jetway before taking off. Security on Monday was brutal, but the flight was uneventful. Thank you Southwest Airlines.
That is all I have for today. I do have ideas vetted out for future posts and maybe some new developments in my coaching career that are starting to take shape. All that and more to come.
The Nutty No-Excuse Goof
The line to register for IMFL 2013 |
To coin a bad phrase; “Oops, I did it again.” I signed up for Ironman Florida for 2013. The energy of Ironman is intoxicating and if you have any ambitions of competing in one you have to go and either spectate or volunteer. You will either be so overwhelmed that you end up scared out of your mind, or you become so energized you sign up the next day. I again had no intention of signing up. I was planning on doing another Ironman, but I was thinking another location like Arizona, but between Pete, Jaime, Kat, Stan, Tom, Ken, Chuck, Todd, (and probably a few others I am missing), I couldn’t help but think how much fun it would be. I basically trained mostly on my own for my Ironman in 2011, but this time it will probably be a lot more fun.
Anne, Marai and I after they both crossed the Finish Line |
What also helped was volunteering the day before and getting to be right there for my friends and watch them compete. Anne, Marai, Eve, Summer, Kat, David, Rick, Iron Rick, Mary-Ellen, Carola and Jessica all did amazing. A few of them with PRs if not for the IM distance but for this course. I was so honored to be able to sneak in and put Anne’s Medal around her neck. It seemed to mean a lot to her, and it meant a great deal for me as well. It also helped to be there when Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae ran past me and I cheered for her through the bull horn I was yelling through for gear bag numbers. To be so close to someone with her talent is so inspiring. She took 2nd and locked up her spot for Kona 2013, so I imagine her off-season will be nice and relaxing now that she is engaged.
Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae as she zipped by me |
Being that last year my goal was to do an Ironman, and I accomplished it. This year, I may have to up the ante by adding Ironman Louisville to the list to make this the year of two Ironman distance races. I am still not quite decided yet as there are logistics that have to be worked out, but I have heard good things about Louisville and because it is in the heat of August and is not the most popular Ironman, the registration stays open longer. This allows me a little bit of time. (Of course, I just put out a chunk of money for both the IMFL race and the deposit on the rental for next year, so I need a couple more weeks to save to pay for it.)
I feel like I am stronger than last year and I am definitely faster on the bike and run. The swim still has a lot to be desired, so my focus on the off season will be a lot more swimming. I am setting up my goals for next year.
The Goals
The Three of us…again. |
Swim: 90 minutes or less (Aim: 1:15) – 1:15 – 1:30
Bike: Avg 20 mph or higher (Aim 21.5 mph) – 5:15 – 5:40
Run: Avg 9 min/miiles or less (Aim: 8:00) – 3:45 – 4:00
Transitions: 5 min or less – 10:00
Total: 10:40 – 11:20
The Plan:
Swim: 3x Week (Drills + Intervals, Tempo, Long)
Bike: 3x Week (Intervals, Tempo, Long)
Run: 3x Week (Speed, Tempo, Long)
The Periodization Cycle:Strength: 3x Week (Heavy, Supersets, Endurance)
Yoga/Stretch: 2x per week (possibly more in Recovery Weeks)
To include A LOT of BRICKS!!!
2 Week – Base (Low Intensity, High Duration)
2 Week – Build (Med Intensity, Med Duration)
1 Week – Peak (High Intensity, Low Duration)
1 Week – Recovery (Low Intensity, Low Duration)
I decided last night to put my own plan together with the help of a bunch of resources to include what worked for me over the last year. I will definitely be building in weekend workouts with the A-Train and speed workouts with Progressive, but besides that, if anyone wants to work out with me during the week, you are more than welcome.
The Goof’ On-Duty |
I wanted to put this out there to not only give a glimpse into what goes on inside a goofy brain like mine but also to make myself accountable. I hope to continue to blog about this new journey and while I am learning and experiencing I may be able to bring an ounce of motivational inspiration to anyone whom thought doing an Ironman was beyond their reach, because let’s face it; if I can do it, anyone can do it.
(Seize the Way! or Seize the Road)
Albeit Augusta Part 2
I made it to the front of the dock where handlers had signs up with our ages and waves on them. I found my wave with ease and merged in the rest of the 40-44 males whom had last names that started with the letters I – Q. Now is when the nerves started to build up in my stomach and all the insecurities started to show their pretty little selves. “Did I train enough?” “Why didn’t I do more swim workouts?” “Why can’t I use a pull buoy?” “Should I really use a wet suit?” and the most famous insecurity that comes up before a race; “What makes you think you belong here with all these athletes?” I never can shake that one. (Read my “About” page to find out why.)
Starting out on the bike |
Starting the run |
Before I knew it I was at mile 3 wondering where the miles went, especially when my watch had me doing under 9 minute miles. Of course I expected that to change as my body became a little more tired and I started to walk through the aid stations. The run in Augusta is two loops around the center of town around Broad street. It was loaded with spectators and I enjoy it. Sometimes there is even some great signs that people make. I have seen some funny ones, like “Toe Nails are for sissies” and “Chuck Norris never did an Ironman”, but my favorite to this day is still “If triathlon was easy they would call it football.” That one always cracks me up. Not that it is true. Take it from someone who has attempted both American football the other football we call soccer, they both have there different definitions of tough. Triathlon is just the endurance tough because it doesn’t stop for numerous hours, where in the other kinds of football they usually only last 2-3 hours and they have these things called “timeouts”. In triathlon we don’t have timeouts, the clock doesn’t stop because you have a foul or a penalty. It just keeps going.
The last mile (took off my hat and sunglasses for the picture…LOL) |
The crowds seemed to have grown on my second loop and I kept my eye out for Jessica who was sporting her bright yellow tank top and green hair. It was supposed to be yellow as well, but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way. I never did see her the whole run, but nevertheless the crowd cheered everyone on. A couple of little kids were on the side holding their hands out and cheering hoping we would run by and give them a high five. There were families out just hoping to get a glimpse of their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, mothers or fathers. As I was running, my photographer’s eye kept seeing Norman Rockwell, paintings. This really was a very clean, forthright city with an old soul. I couldn’t help but smile a lot of the time, at least until mile nine. I couldn’t believe it, the plan was working just fine but at that point, cramp, side stretch…ouch. I forced myself to run until the mile 10 aid station where I walked and grabbed water and a cup of coke while breathing as deep as I could. When the pain subsided a little, I started to run only to be struck down again by the pain. I grabbed a gel packet and a salt tab hoping they would help and they did, for a short while until I arrived at the mile eleven aid station and ate an orange. At this point, I didn’t care. I had 2.1 miles left and I wasn’t stopping. If I had to leave my intestines on the sidewalk and pick them up later that’s what I was going to to. I picked up my pace, blocked out everything and headed for the finish line. I didn’t even see the mile twelve marker, but I felt the vibration of my watch which told me now I had just a little over a mile to go. I kept looking down at my watch, 12.1, 12.24, 12.35. I felt like this was the longest mile of my life, but I was wrong. I finally made it to the split. Left for the first lap and right to the finish and I was going right. Here is what turned out to be the longest stretch of the run. I had no idea that a quarter mile could feel like an eternity and when I finally did see the finish, I felt like I was in the movie; “The Shining”, when the little kid is looking down the hall and it keeps getting longer and longer? That exactly what it felt like. I looked down at my watch and noticed what it said 19:54. Crud! I wasn’t going to make it. I lifted my legs and increased my cadence just hoping I could get one little ounce of speed and I got it, but just a little too late.
Best race of my life! |
After receiving my medal, taking a couple of pictures and having my timing chipped removed from my ankle I headed over to the refreshment tent a can of coke from this pool of ice and ran in to Russ. He told me that he finished around 4:28. This kid is a machine and that just proved it. We congratulated each other and I went over and got a massage, but not before disposing of the first coke and grabbing a second. While waiting I finished that can and by the time I finished up with Caroline, the LMT who took care of me, I felt like a million dollars. With exception of a twinge in my back, which for me is normal due to my injury, I really felt good. No pain, no soreness and due to the adrenaline still pumping from having such an awesome performance I felt like a rockstar, and I never really felt that way before.
Beth and I |
As it turned out we all had a good race. Celeste PR’d, Chris finished under 6 hours, Bruce beat me by one second, and as it turned out Russ actually took first place in his age group and was on his way to Las Vegas, but the story of the weekend was Beth. Beth had gone through a lot just to get to the race. Besides this being her first 70.3, she never biked really prior to this year, she had an injury that kept her from running for over 3 months, so she was very freaked coming into this. Wouldn’t you know it, after having a goal of just finishing under 6:30:00, her official time was 5:47:16. We were all really proud of her. You can read all about her experiences on her blog Discom-BOB-ulated Running.