First Ironman With AAA Stent Graft, La Poutine And A Chip Butty

First Ironman With AAA Stent Graft, La Poutine And A Chip Butty

Life is brief, so celebrate your successes. Yesterday I finished the Lake Placid Ironman for the fifth time. This may be the first Ironman completion for a person with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) stent graft (Cook Zenith). I had one of my worst race times, almost three hours slower than last year, due to being under-trained as a consequence of missed training in the Fall whilst recovering from the AAA-surgery, ... Read more

Your Competition May Not Be As Tough As They Look

  Hi folks, Life is full of surprises, so don't let your competition psyche you out (it's not over 'till its over). When I was a youngster I joined a judo club. After only a few months of training our group of 15 to 16-year-old boys was asked to participate in a martial arts demonstration in a large auditorium in the center of town. We didn't know much, but then our role was to act as a backdrop for the ... Read more

Simple Pleasures And The Fluid Nature Of Memory

  Hi folks, A life well lived is a balanced life. As I think back over my life so far, I remember some simple pleasures that cost little but left an indelible memory. The earliest is playing the ancient game of five stones as a kid in the street outside of our house in Bristol, England in the late 1940s. You find five nice small stones, just right to both throw in the air and pick up, and away you go. It ... Read more

Training As A Journey Of Self-Discovery: How Much Is Too Much?

  Hi folks, The real art to training safely comes down to knowing what to do and becoming aware of how much is too much. Too much what, you might ask? Let's consider a few key variables. Impact: Recently I sent out a tweet, via Twuffer to Twitter (brave new world), providing a Chez Ollie in the TheRollaDailyNews.com website concerning the value of exercise for Baby Boomers. There was a statement in this ... Read more

Count Down To Ironman Lake Placid: Race Packet

  Hi folks, As you can see, the place is becoming busier. The tents are up around the transition area, and this is when you can pick up your race packet and really start to enjoy the excitement of the race. The most tense time, for me at least, during an Ironman  is organizing the gear bags that come with the race packet. Five bags are provided, but I only use three, swim-to-bike, bike-to-run and ... Read more

Preparing For An Ironman Race, The Week Preceding

  Hi folks, As Chez Ollie during World War II, "He who fails to plan is planning to fail." The 'bulldog' with the sharp wit also said, "Those who plan do better than those who do not plan, even though they rarely stick to their plan." Boy, is this an important issue in endurance sports? After following a training plan for the previous year, the pressure mounts as you attempt to ensure that all ... Read more

Dial In Your Nutrient Flavor For The Race

  Hi folks, Victor doesn't believe in race wheels, and nor do I. The best approach is to train as you race. For instance, my new Guru has Zip Wheels that really catch the wind, and if I didn't train with them on windy days I might be in trouble during heavy gusts on race day. This thinking is best applied to every aspect of your training, I suspect, including nutrition. I bonked a number of times in ... Read more

Musings Of A Neophyte Social Networker And Must Read Book Series, Everlost

  Hi folks, Twitter is a strange world that it takes time to negotiate. I have found that this networking tool can direct a lot of traffic your way, or not, depending how you use it. There is a mountain of advice out there on the use of Twitter, but the three things that I have learned so far, that might be important, are: Don't just automate your tweets through your blog and/or Twuffer (or similar), ... Read more

Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.