Iron Pol

During Iron Wil's winter weight loss challenge, I made a well-timed comment about one of my training runs.  I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of ten participants in a contest putting Drymax socks through the paces.  The goal, abuse the socks and comment on how they perform.  Once I received the socks, I added them to the pile with my other socks.

My initial impression of the socks was that they were a bit heavy.  Compared with all of my other socks, they are thicker and just a bit heavier weight.  I was concerned how that might affect running and moisture transfer.  Three pair were provided.  A lightweight and medium weight running sock, as well as a heavier trail sock.  Let me say that I am glad I ignored those first impressions and started testing the socks with an open mind.

Long before the contest officially started, I had been using all three versions of the socks in just about every outdoor activity.  Whether I was shovelling snow, downhill skiing, playing with my kids, or actually running, I wore my Drymax socks.  And allow me to say that Drymax is in no way exaggerating when they say these socks will keep your feet dry in just about any situation.

I went downhill skiing and wore their trail sock under regular cotton socks.  At the end of the night, my feet and trail socks were dry, but the cotton socks were wet.  As this was before I really comprehended how these socks worked, I figured it was just some snow that had gotten into the boot.  I now know that it was the socks doing exactly what is advertised.  Any bit of moisture at my foot was wicked away and into the outer layer of the sock.  From there, it was absorbed into the cotton sock.

The second real test was on a mid-February training run during a warm spell here in Wisconsin.  We had a lot of ice on the sidewalks and puddles in the road.  Given the poor conditions on the sidewalk, I opted to run in the road and brave the puddles.  At the start of the run, standard marathoner thinking governed.  You know, keep your feet dry at all cost.  I wasn't really thinking about the socks until about 30 minutes into the run.

Traffic conditions resulted in forcing me to run through a fairly significant (pronounced DEEP) while getting splashed by the wheels of a passing car.  I was doing the "runner quick step" trying to somehow walk on water.  I could sense the water going into my shoes, and I questioned whether I was going to have to cut the run short.

But I noticed my feet didn't feel wet.  I could sense the chill of the water, but the squishy sensation that normally follows a good soaking was missing.  That got me to thinking about the socks, again.  For the next few miles, I didn't worry about getting forced into other puddles.  And by the time I got to the last several miles, I made no effort to avoid them.  In fact, I was actively seeking them out and splashing through them.  Like a kid after the rain, I would do anything I could to get my feet wet.

By the time I got home, my shoes, running tights, and shirts were completely soaked.  But my feet were dry.  In fact, only the outer layer of the socks showed any signs of dampness.  While I still question the exact nature of HOW the socks work, they DO work.  I went in a skeptic.  With no exaggeration, I am 100% sold on these socks.  While discussing the contest with members of my tri club, I pointed out that the only non-Drymax socks I see myself purchasing in the future are those of our club.  And I suggested they look into custom orders from Drymax.

We haven't had the kind of rainy weather I hoped for and the video in my head will have to stay there.  The other idea I had for testing the socks was already used by another contestant, and rather than "steal" his idea, I'm just going to support him as brilliant.  If you question how effective these are, and want to see for yourself, take a peek at the video made by Jeff Wrigley.  Jeff really came up with an awesome video showing several different "tests" he conducted on the socks.  When it comes to voting, it's quite likely I'll be supporting him.

And regardless of the outcome of this contest, I will continue to use Drymax socks.

The "morning after" can be a lot of things.  One thing it will always be is a relief.  The final voting for Team Evotri ended last night, and the only thing to do now is offer my thanks.  I can't say enough how much it means that so many people visited this site.  Much as I'd like to make the team, the voting is secondary.  My greatest hope is that people found something worthwhile in stopping here.

And hopefully the recurring "vote now" hasn't driven too many people nuts.  I know it's been a bit much.  Thanks for bearing with that, too.

As I've said before, a lot of good will come of this process, regardless of the outcome.  The "worst case" scenario is that I've "only" gotten a lot of ideas out of it.  There is a lot of new potential out there thanks to the energy of a lot of people.  That energy will go to good use, moving forward.

We should know the outcome soon enough.  Thanks for all the support!  It really does mean a lot.

Last week, we were down to the wire.  Then, we learned someone sneaky moved the wire.  And if total hits are in any way correllated to votes, everyone has been going above and beyond in their efforts to help out.  Thank you to everyone who has stopped by, regardless of vote!

Now, it's the eleventh hour.  I promise that we will return to our normally scheduled programming, tomorrow.  For today, it's the KISS principal (that's keep it simple, stupid for anyone who's never heard it).  And this is as simple as I can make it.

If, like me, you are using an Internet based E-mail program (G-Mail, Yahoo, etc), it's slightly more complex.  Send an E-mail to vote@evotri.com with www.ironpol.com/blog.html in the subject.

Tomorrow, as soon as the results are known, they'll be posted, here.  I imagine they'll be posted on Evotri before that.  Thanks for coming along on this roller coaster of a ride!

George Schweitzer has an ongoing series of posts describing some of the benefits he sees in the endurance lifestyle.  They are often based on a unique perspective, and are almost always funny.  I've learned a lot from George over the past two years, and like to post my own experiences when they fall into the "benefit" category.

Last weekend, we needed to have my wife's car looked at because of a "check engine" light.  I dropped the car off, and they said they would need it for about one hour.  Since I had completed a 16 mile run earlier, and hadn't had the chance to eat lunch, I figured that was a good option.  The rep at the dealership offered to call the courtesy van for a ride, and I turned him down.  Just a short distance down the road from the dealer is an outlet mall with a restaurant.

I headed that way, only to find out that the restaurant was closed.  I kept walking with the intention of eating at the first place I could find.  Barring anything else, I knew of a Hardee's I could hit.  And, of course, there wasn't anything before that Hardee's.  When I got there, I saw an Arby's a short distance further, and decided a wrap from there would beat about anything from Hardee's.

I ate lunch and headed back to the dealer.  As I walked onto their lot, they called to let me know they were done.  The round trip was about 3.5 miles.  Including lunch, it took me about one hour to complete.

Many people would have taken the courtesy van.

Another benefit of triathlon training shows itself at work.  We have a Health and Wellness program that provides incentives (very small ones) for documenting a variety of "healthy lifestyle" items such as training, physicals, dental visits, etc.  This year, they are doing a "Survivor" program that will also entail a "Five a Day" challenge of eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Each year of this program I've achieved the highest level possible.  That success has little to do with changes in my lifestyle.  It's all the result of things I already do.  Train four times a week for 30 minutes or more.  Participate in "community runs," including any races.  Complete an annual physical.

This year, I will participate in their "Survivor" challenge, because the only change I have to make is checking a little box each day when I finish my fifth serving of fruits and veggies.  That usually happens around noon.  The best part is that the winner gets a $500 gift certificate to a local bike shop.

So, I'm in it for my wife, this year.  I'll work hard at every aspect of the program.  And if I'm lucky enough to win the grand prize, I'll be able to buy my wife a new road bike, courtesy of my employer.  Of course, there are a lot of others who will be taking part.  A few are even people who have never participated in the program, so that's a huge plus.

There are lots of benefits to the endurance lifestyle.  Many are well known and easy to see.  In the background, there are lots of benefits we often fail to notice.  But they are there, helping us in all we do.  The only thing required of us is to continue doing what we love.

I'd like to take this time to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been through the site in the past week and a half.  The recent hit counts have been way above average, and it means a lot.  I hope there has been something helpful for everyone stopping by.  I am working at getting by the sites of those who have blogs, and will try to get everyone's links up as quickly as possible.  If there is a blog that needs to be added to the Tri Blog Community, please let me know.

I particularly want to thank those regular readers and anyone else who has thrown their support behind my effort to be the next sponsored member of Team Evotri.  As we start the final push toward the end of the voting cycle, I started thinking about the question I would put forward to any candidate for any office.  Why do you want to be in this position, and what makes you qualified to be there?

As I think about that question, lots of answers float through my head.  Some are lofty goals aimed at others.  And some are much more grounded and self-centered.  So, a sort of "Top 10" reasons being on this team means so much to me.  To keep things honest, I'll start with five personal benefits to being on the team.

1.  The "stuff" - Every single person trying to become a sponsored member has to acknowledge the promised equipment is a big factor in their decision.  For myself, everything being offered is way above what I can provide for myself.  World class coaching, world class equipment, world class support.

2.  The platform - Pay attention, because you'll see this one, again.  Being a sponsored member of the team will provide opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

3.  The people - I spent the past year getting to know Iron Wil, Stu, and Rural Girl.  I met Bolder, and look forward to getting to know him better.  Chris Sweet was moving so fast at IM Wisconsin, I was barely able to get pictures, let alone the chance to talk.  I look forward to another year of meeting bloggers, triathletes and coaches, as well as their families.

4.  Steelhead - The team race at Steelhead offers to things.  First, the chance to actually race with the entire team.  After following the team at IM Wisconsin, last year, the chance to race as part of the team is exciting.  Second, it's the chance to race a new Ironman 70.3 course.

5.  The pride - I'm only aware of a handful of the people I am sure are involved in this competition.  And the task of selecting the next sponsored member isn't something for which I envy the team.  There are a lot of great triathletes and bloggers out there.  Making the final three would be a huge source of pride.  Being selected as the next team member would probably do something many consider impossible.  Leave me speechless.

I wanted to get those up first to be completely honest with myself and with everyone reading.  There ARE purely selfish reasons for wanting to be on the team.  I hope that each is understandable.

Those reasons are not, however, the driving force behind the desire to be on the team.  Here are the top five things that led me to submit an entry.

1.  My "kids" - I put that in parantheses because I'm referring to the youth I lead instead of my own children.  I want nothing more than to be in a position to share the love of triathlon with the youth in our community.  We have a fledgling program that would benefit greatly from the opportunities presented by Evotri.  That is why I am involved, regardless of the sponsorship.  Being a sponsored member provides that little bit more exposure.

2.  The platform - Deja vu, eh?  I've used my blog to share a bit about our youth triathlon program.  Evotri has the stated goal of growing beyond that and finding ways to grow programs to which its members commit.  As stated above, being a sponsored member helps in that effort.

3.  Community programs - As part of this process, Evotri has asked candidates to consider new events or opportunities that can be developed.  This has forced me to put more than thought into future plans.  Entering the race has led to new ideas.  Becoming a sponsored member will raise the bar and push me to put these and other plans into action.

4.  Long term commitments - One big change in the development of Evotri is the acknowledgement that this is a long term committment.  They are seeking people interested in promoting life-long change and enduring programs.  Triathlon is a part of who I am, and this is an opportunity to be on a team of like-minded individuals.

5.  Role models - I strive to be a role model to my "kids" as well as my family.  I consider every member of Team Evotri as a role model.  Wil and Rural Girl are amazing moms who are also Ironman triathletes.  Stu has an amazing energy that he shares with everyone.  Despite his on-line demeanor, Bolder is an incredibly giving person who is always there for anyone travelling through his area.  And Chris is an amazing athlete who qualified for Kona while becoming a father.  I haven't met Charlie, and trust he is cut from the same cloth as that is what the others have indicated.  I would be honored to be a part of a team of this caliber.  (Note, this could also go in the first group, as well)

There you have it.  Ten reasons I want to be on this team.  As for the "qualifications," I would almost have to go to my friends and family for that.  I live for sharing the endurance lifestyle with anyone that is interested.  Those are really their stories.

Now, the request.  If you can think of anyone who hasn't heard my story, please share it with them.  Ask them if they will consider voting for me.  E-mail the link to my site to your friends and family and ask them to vote.  If you haven't voted already, know that your vote will be greatly appreciated.

And if you don't vote (or vote for someone else), know that your visit is appreciated, as well.  I value every person who stops by and checks out what I have to say.  Thank you for your support!  In a few days, we'll know the outcome of the past two weeks.

One of the on-going debates in triathlon is the flip turn.  There are a great many triathletes who support doing flip turns in the pool.  It seems a lot of them are former swimmers.  There are just as many who prefer open turns and argue that flip turns are pointless as there are no walls in the lake, river, or ocean.  These are quite often people without a competitive swimming background.

Perhaps the most sensible argument I've seen either way was on the Swim Smooth video, where a lifeguard and experienced open water swimmer demonstrates an efficient method of navigating turn markers.  And if you've never seen the video of Olympic gold medalist Bill Kirby, check it out.  It is a great visualization tool.

Mike Ricci, who coached me to my first successful Ironman, is a firm believer in the flip turn.  He counters the "no walls in the open water" argument by pointing out that the lack of walls for flip turns makes it quite difficult to grab the wall and rest at the end of each lap.  And those of us who do open turns have to be honest with ourselves.  I know that my turn time gets longer and longer the further I swim.

Mike knows that mastering flip turns takes work.  To help, he created and posted a video showing some drills to help in the learning process.  It goes through several steps beginning at "do sommersaults in the lane" to the final product.  Again, just having the video to help with visualizing a good flip turn is a huge plus.

This morning, I decided to start putting effort into flip turns.  And it's not for any of the reasons commonly used to support them.  It's really just because they look cool.  In keeping with my abilities in the other disciplines of triathlon, I will never be an elite swimmer.  I'm happy just to pull out anything less than 2:15/100 yds for anything over 3000 yards.

But I can LOOK fast.  And how can I look fast?  By doing flip turns.  Face it, when you're at the pool and see someone doing flip turns, you KNOW they are a good swimmer.  If you take two people swimming at roughly the same pace, the one doing flip turns MUST be the better swimmer.  The facts don't matter.  Only perception.  So, I'm going to master flip turns so I can LOOK faster.  Maybe if I fake it enough, I'll start to live up to the perception.

And just to prove that I do occassionally learn something useful, here's a little tidbit I picked up, today.  Coach Mike's first step is to do sommersaults in the shallow end, just to get the feel of flipping in the water.  As a rank amateur, I can confirm that is more difficult than it looks.  One of the dolphins with whom I often swim was doing some aquajogging and made a very helpful suggestion.  Move to the deep end and use kickboards to help with the flip.

The trick is to use two kickboards to support your hands.  By pushing down on the kickboards, you can flip around them.  It helps keep the torso aligned and the hands in the right general area.  I really struggled with sommersaults in the shallow end.  Using the kickboards in the deep end felt more natural.  Using Coach Mike's progression, I was then able to do a few sommersaults (again, with the kickboards), and land my feet on the wall.

Happy swimming!  Just don't flip, too much.

Last year, George Schweitzer made a rather non-descript comment in a blog about his training.  It is something that stuck in my mind, though I never really thought about it too much.  He said that he was going to start doing leg strength workouts before his runs.  The goal?  Start the training run on tired legs to prepare for running off the bike.

This morning, I decided to give it a try.  Generally, I add strength workouts into whatever time I have available after running.  Today, I did a full strength session then ran during the remaining time.  My leg sets included single leg press, double leg squats, and hamstring curls.  I also did my normal sets including standing lat pulldowns, seated rows, and core exercises.  You can see the full strength workout on my training page.

Anyone wanting the benefits of a bike/run brick without having to juggle bike and strength workouts should consider this minor change to their routine.  For me, the challenge is finding a way to balance the workouts desired in the time available.  I know the value of bricks, and often struggle to find a way to add more of them.  This allows me to complete a strength workout and still run on tired legs.  And after this morning, I can confirm that a solid leg workout is comparable to a pretty good ride on the bike.

Just heading up the stairs from the weight room to the track gave me a good idea of what the run might be like.  Completing the run showed me the value of shifting the order of workouts.  While I won't put a strength session in front of every run, I will be adding this to my routine on a weekly basis.  I doubt it will get me "comfortable" with running on tired legs, but it will keep me in tune with the feeling of those first few miles after a long bike.

It's a simple irony, really.  Write a post about "the wire" and then find out things are shifting just a bit.  It's sort of like finding out on Christmas Eve that Christmas will now be celebrated on January 2nd.  Or, in triathlon terms, learning the night before your "A" race that unforeseen circumstances have resulted in a one week delay of that event.

Due to some issues in the Evotri voting process, they have extended the voting deadline by one week.  Though a shock to the system at this point, it seems a vital necessity.  To ensure a level playing field, the team has opted to continue the vote for another week.  As this impacts everyone in the same way, it is a reasonable precaution against any concern about "voting irregularities."

It also gives anyone who hasn't voted the chance to cast a vote, preferably a vote for me.  And in this case, if you are from Michigan or Florida, there are no questions about whether your delegation will be seated.  One person, one vote, one vote counted.

For those of you who have already voted, please think about anyone you know who would be willing to stop by and cast a vote for me.  Every vote is greatly appreciated, as is all of the help you have already provided.

If you were stopping by to see the results of this stage of the team building process, check back again, next week.  This will be the first stop when I know any outcomes.

I remember getting down to the wire at Ironman Louisville.  Most notable was the walk down the steps and up the riverwalk to hit transition.  It was surreal because so much work had gone into getting there.  And I was surrounded by people who had faced the same challenges.

At Ironman Wisconsin, the feeling was the same.  I hit transition a bit earlier than planned.  In fact, support crews were just putting up the lights when I got there just before 4:30.  My goal for the day was to take as many pictures of team mates as possible.  Some of the best shots I got happened there at body marking.  The tension was the same as I had felt in Louisville.  This time, the tension was for others about to embark on the final leg of their most recent IM journey.

Slowly, various members of various teams started arriving.  I was caught in the middle.  While part of the team, I was an outsider.  Intimately familiar with what they were experiencing, I was only an observer.  But I kept clicking away trying to capture the moment.

The time there in transition prior to the race really is the "down to the wire" time.  All the training is done.  All the worrying is over.  Triathletes wander around doing things that must be done, almost on autopilot.  They are quite aware of what is going on and very tuned into the moment.  But they are also focused inward.  The feelings I had in the final hours leading up to the start of IM Louisville were unlike any other race I've ever done.

Now, I find myself facing another wire.  Soon, the voting for the next sponsored member of Team Evotri will be over.  And like Ironman, none of us knows what the final outcome will be.  Are we running the perfect race that will put us near the front of the pack?  Or did our preparation leave us struggling on the course?

We're all in it, together.  That's another similarity to Ironman.  In Wisconsin, as the day wore on, I shifted from photographer to cheerleader to support crew.  Near the end of what turned out to be an extraordinarily long day I found myself running stride for stride with one participant and wondering about so many others.  That's where I find myself, today.  Everyone in this contest is already a part of the team.  We are all running together trying to get to the finish.  And whether we come in "Kona Bound" as one of the top vote getters, or bring up the rear and continue on in a "supporting role," we're all trying to better the team, the sport, and ourselves.

It's getting down to the wire.  And that's when things get exciting and surreal.  Because once the gun goes off, it's all business.

There are people in this world with an amazing ability to patiently allow things to develop.  They start something in motion, then sit and watch as it changes into something bigger, better, or more impressive over time.  Often, that time is years, if not decades.  Then there are people like me.

Not that I'm impatient as a rule.  Come hang out with me at 3 a.m. sometime and you'll get to see patience in action as I give up sleep because of a child that has some "urgent" need of daddy.  But when it comes to plans and personal goals, I'm more of a "right now" kind of person.

That was a key factor behind the path I took to Ironman.  Race a sprint against my better judgment.  Complete an Olympic distance to prove the first wasn't a fluke.  Run a second sprint the week after the Olympic race.  Then sign up for Ironman.  Why take years to do what can be compressed into 18 months?

Luckily, I'm able to suppress that instinct when looking at improving times.  It took nearly seven years to get from that first 5:30 marathon to the four hour mark.  And both options for qualifying for Boston involve a lot more time.  Continue to train and shave another 35 minutes of my marathon time.  Or wait until I age up enough for the qualifying time to be more attainable.  They let 75 year olds run Boston, right?

This instinct is something I strive to keep in check.  As I work to develop a youth tri team, my "now" side wants to see 20 or 30 kids signing up and completing the program.  Each time I schedule a meeting, I want more and more people to attend.  Thirty this year, 50 next year.  Of course, at that rate of increase, the entire Fox Valley will soon run out of kids who haven't completed a triathlon.

Unreasonable as that sounds, I struggle with the notion that most tri clubs start with a few people, take years to attract more than a couple hundred, and much longer than that to reach a point where more than a few dozen members participate in a given event.  Somehow, "average" and "normal" aren't enough for myself.  That's another struggle.  Accepting that the leaders can only do so much motivating.  At some point, the kids have to find the desire inside themselves.

At our first meeting, last night, I had one youth and two parents.  One of the parents was there as his daughter was unable to attend.  Two of the guys from last year already said they will return, and the younger brother of one of them is also participating.  That makes five.

PUt into the proper perspective, one more participant will double the size of the club.  It also represents four youth who will train for and race their first triathlon.  And whether one, ten, or twenty, we'll be there for the team.  I'll overcome any sense of frustration at my own perception that the club is growing "too slowly."

In fact, as I wrote the last paragraph, I thought about gremlins.  Perhaps this is just a gremlin I've never faced, before.  I've faced and overcome many gremlins in the journey from sloth to marathoner to triathlete to Ironman.  They've always been focused on athletic performance.  Open water swims, injuries, pace concerns, etc.  Perhaps this one is just trying to derail the effort to share the love of triathlon with others.

Bring it on, gremlins!  You always provide motivation for improvement.  And you always lose.