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.

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!

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.

Many of you may have received the same E-mail I did.  For those of you who didn't, a public service announcement.  Robin of Tri To End Homelessness is one of ten finalists in the Toyota "Engines of Change" contest.  As many of you may already know, Robin and her sister spent 2007 raising funds for a group that supports the homeless.  In conjunction with that fundraising, they trained for and completed an Olympic distance race with the goal of improving their PRs.

In 2008, Robin will be raising even more money as she trains for her first half-Ironman event.  Much like the recent raceAthlete contest, this one will be decided by an Internet vote.  And in this contest, we not only have a voice, we can be loud.  In otherwords, you can vote once per day.

You can go here to read the stories of each finalist, as well as vote.

While at the Toyota site, I noticed a familiar jersey.  Without taking anything away from Robin, I would be remiss if I failed to mention a member of Team D3 Multisport is also a finalist.  Julia Purrington is a successful triathlete and active mom.  She recently started a group called Tri Moms focused on healthy families.  Like so many others, she tries to share her love of triathlon.  All while raising a family and training.

Much of my own volunteer work is dedicated to sharing active lifestyle opportunities with young members of the community, so Julia's efforts strike a chord with me.

Congratulations to both Robin and Julia.  And remember, you can vote once per day, so you can support both of them, or others with whom you feel a connection.

Alright!  The voting for the raceAthlete Best Endurance Blog contest will be coming to an end, this weekend.  That leaves only a few short days for people to stop by and vote for three of their favorite blogs.  Well, at least three of those listed.  If you want an idea of some of my favorite blogs, just stop by my Tri Blog Community page.  There are a lot of good blogs out there.  Many of them made the top ten of the contest.  Go!  Vote!  For me!

I've been trying to keep up on the posts the other candidates have been putting up in the attempt to garner a podium finish.  Nytro can always be counted on to shock your socks off.  Then, Steve in a Speedo comes out of nowhere regaling us with the story of frostbitten body parts and euphemisms for said appendage.  Baboo and Misty proved that what happens in Vegas can sometimes be shared with the outside world?  And who doesn't want to see them in Elvis outfits?

All the others can also be counted on for great posts, whether directly related to triathlon, or just sharing about themselves and their lives.  And outside of the top ten listed on raceAthlete are dozens of other great blogs.

Which brings us to the main point.  It is time for a tremendous comeback by Iron Pol.  A quick check, last night, shows I have maintained a solid lock on last place.  Now that the rest of the field is confident that I have hit the wall and bonked hard, it's time for a serious sprint to the finish!

Of course, the picture at the left says it all.  Anyone paying attention to the feet will note two things.  First, both feet are off the ground, so I am running.  But the tell-tale glow from various parts of the shoes give indication of just how dark it was getting when I crossed the finish line in Louisville.  While I might be good at "strong finishes," they have yet to be finishes anywhere near the front of the pack.

That's okay, someone has to finish "last."  And this contest is no different than an Ironman.  Being in the race was more than I ever expected.  Finishing strong is a bonus.

So if you haven't voted, make sure you stop by and pick your favorite blogs from those listed.  And then, stop by some of the other great blogs that are just as deserving of recognition.  Because in the end, we're all part of the tri blog community and, deep down, we're all "hit" and "comment" whores.

First, a word of warning.  If you are using tabs in Internet Explorer AND trying to get used to a new laptop keyboard, I strongly advise creating your post in something that will save regularly.  Things have the potential to get quite frustrating if you accidentally click when your mouse isn't quite where you expect it to be.  Theoretically.  I mean, I have a friend...

Now, on to the verklempt part.  It was quite an honor when I saw my blog listed on the raceAthlete Best Blog post.  Mostly because I couldn't figure out how to nominate anyone.  So to everyone who DID figure it out, my hat is off to you.  And given the group of sites listed there, it was really humbling to see this site included.

Today, an E-mail came stating that the Iron Pol site was included in the Top Ten list.  If you haven't seen the list, give it a read.  There are some amazing sites listed, most of whom are on my "to read" list.  From serious to zany to informational, this list has some big hitters.  Regardless of the outcome of the voting, it's an honor to be put in the same group.

When you are checking the list out, be sure to cast a vote for your favorite blog.  Rather than pressure you to vote for me, I'll point out that you get to pick your top three.  And if I happen to be included in that top three, I'll be honored, again.  Of course, when you see the list, you may have a tough choice.  There are some "pee-your-pants-funny" sites.  The best I've ever had said was a reference to spitting food all over the place.  Spit-take funny is good.  But it struggles against pee-your-pants funny.

So, take some time to check out all the blogs if you aren't already familiar with them.  You'll consider the time well spent.  And thanks, again, to everyone, for reading.

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Okay, so Iron Wil has set up a winter challenge.  The details are available at her site, and the image at left links to the "Commit" post.  In addition to being a cool way to motivate positive training through the tough winter months (at least for those hale enough to live where there are seasons), it uses Buckeye Outdoors for tracking.  I'm sure there are lots of workout tracking sites out there, and this is the one being used for this contest.

Since I signed up (free) for the purpose of the contest, I will be using this as a means of tracking my training.  I have an Excel file I use, but it's a bit much for posting here.  For now, you can find those numbers on the Training and Racing tab.  I have yet to decide how much of my long-term race plan will be posted on here.  (If you have suggestions, let me know.  I'm willing to post weekly or monthly details if readers are interested in using if for their own planning.)

If you are participating in Wil's contest, keep in mind that the "30 swims in 30 days" challenge is an opportunity to put some big numbers up in her contest.  The first five people to commit and complete this challenge will receive four energy gels.  In the event there are fewer than five participants, the case of gels will be split as evenly as possible among those who do participate.

So, in the attempt to win "the gold" in Iron Wil's contest, you can score a few energy gels AND improve your swim skills for the coming race season.

Before anything else in this post, I want to thank Mr. Iron Wil for the picture at the left, as well as a couple of the images in the current header of this site.  Every time I see him at a race, he is everywhere taking pictures.  And while his main obective is to get pictures of his wife, he does an amazing job catching incredible shots of others.  This is one of several he sent from the Spirit of Racine Triathlon.

This race is very interesting because the swim is essentially a straight line point-to-point swim.  Other than short legs from and back to shore, participants can see exactly what a 1.2 mile swim looks like, because it is basically the distance they walk to get to the swim start.  Oddly enough, I would rather see the course that way than try to conceptualize the distance as lengths in a pool or laps in a race.

While swimming a a mile or two in the pool might be less demanding in terms of conditions, I would much rather be able to stare the distance in the face and prepare for the challenge.  Though waves, water clarity, other swimmers, and current can all add up to one tough swim, it is easier than trying to visualize a "point" in space when swimming the same distance in the pool.

I got to relearn that lesson, this morning, on the second day of my first real week of training since I completed Ironman Louisville.  After nearly two years of training (18 months of real training), swimming 1000 yards is old hat.  But after a summer of racing in big water venues, long pool swims are especially challenging.  Apparently, part of the recovery process is regaining a "love" of the pool.  Tough, since I never really HAD a love of the pool.

Those of you looking to regain your "1000 yard stare" in the pool, feel free to join me in November as I once again undertake the "30 Day Swim Challenge."  As I learned, last year, it is far easier to make huge gains swimming every day for a month than swimming 3-4 times a week for three months.  To make things interesting, the first five people to join me AND confirm they completed the swims will receive a four pack of energy gels, one for each week of training (your choice Power Gel or Gu).  It's not much, but it's better than a poke in the eye.  And to be reasonable, we'll allow for four missed sessions, since I'm unlikely to make EVERY day, myself.

If desired, I'll figure out some way to post some generic swim workouts that can be adjusted based on ability.  That way, we can all work off the same program.  And after one month of swim training, I am confident that we'll all be better swimmers.