Hi folks, Exercise has a significant mental component, which is considerable for endurance training. As my Ironman (IM) race appointments approach, my mind starts to go over mistakes and lessons of the past. It is easy to forget those lessons and repeat the mistakes. During one race several years ago it was clear that my mind lost confidence. I was riding the last 20 miles of the bike course, ... Read more
Luck, Chance, Or Sensitivity To Initial Conditions?
Hi folks, An important aspect of endurance races is the fact that you really cannot predict what will happen out there. You can weight the dice in your favor by training, amassing good equipment, and developing the best mental attitude. The problem is that things happen. A hard hit to a critical muscle by one of those crazy people in the swim, equipment failure on the bike, or muscle cramps on the run? ... Read more
One Of The Greatest Achievements Of My Life, To Overcome Racism And Ageism
How I Overcame Racism And Ageism One of the greatest achievements of my life! I'd listen to the podcast, if I were you, that old blog post is a bit of a messy narrative. Your call, FitOldDog I should really fix up this old narrative. I will, one day, but it's time to ride the bike! My life has taught me, in many ways, that it is not a good idea to give up too soon in any endeavor that you really care ... Read more
Mr. Bones Takes A Ride, And That’s What It’s All About
Hi folks, We have a number of major sub-systems holding our bodies together, which in order of depth from the surface include the integument (essentially skin and nails), fascia, muscles and tendons, and bones and ligaments. These structural components are nourished in a number of ways by the gastrointestinal, respiratory, vascular, lymphatic, nervous (central, sympathetic, and parasympathetic), and endocrine ... Read more
You Are Responsible For Your Own Education On Over Training
Hi folks, From time to time I receive articles from friends about over training. I cannot imagine how Ironman training could lead to too much exercise, can you? My approach to this issue is pretty simple, and here are my rules: If my morning pulse is up by more than 5-10 beats, I may be over trained and should back off simply because more is not necessarily better. A note to people, such as myself, with an ... Read more
Monday Anchor Post: Be Aware Of Your Shoulders And Arms During Triathlon Training
Hi folks, I recently read an article on the Inkling Media blogsite, which proposed that when blogging one should consider including a regular 'anchor post,' just to keep the blogging on track and the readership happy. I thought, "why not give it a try?" so here we are. My anchor is training, stented or not. Today I want to talk briefly about the importance of arm and shoulder position in swimming, biking and ... Read more
Comparisons: Nickel versus Johnny’s, Marathon versus Ironman
Hi folks, Exercise Tip: Allow sufficient recovery time after really long races or workouts. My lovely little dog, Nickel, passed away a few days ago. She lived for 16 good years and had a happy life, dying quietly of old age, wagging her tail for treats up until near the end - may I do as well. Then a few days later I had to deal with another unpleasant transition. I had nipped across the road to enjoy ... Read more
Zen and the Art of Body Maintenance Revisited
Hi folks, Training Tip: How to address an injury close to a planned race. In a previous post, I referred to that important book, 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' by Robert Pirsig, which addresses the issue of quality, using motorcycle maintenance as a metaphor. This is how I remember his story, which I read about 30 years ago. Robert Pirsig presents the relationship between two couples, who ... Read more
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