Feeding Like a Pro

In preparation for the double century bike ride I did about a month ago, I spoke with a neighbor of mine about what I should eat.  I've done enough races now that I have a decent knowledge of what works for me and what doesn't, so I can get by.  The problem is that I have traditionally relied on gels and bars that are highly processed and which are not ideal.  Now the gels and bars are designed specifically for racing so they aren't all bad but the long term effects can be negative.  To minimize those negative effects I decided I should look into eating more "real" food while I'm training and racing.  That is where my neighbor Paul was able to help me.

Shot Bloks are delicious!  

Paul is an avid cyclist and has been for years.  To give you an idea of how good he is, this week he and 3 friends are riding 400 miles from Salt Lake down to St. George, all in a single day.  The first time they did it (yes, they've done this before and are doing it again) they finished in 23 hours, with 21 hours of ride time.  Need-less to say, he has a lot of knowledge about the sport of cycling and that is why I went to him for help.

He told me about some of the different foods I could make, and how to package them to make them easy to grab and go.  I found out that his go-to snack is rice cakes with raspberries and blueberries in them as well as all the stuff you want when you're working out.  He also let me borrow a book he has that is littered with useful information and contains a myriad of recipes for athletes.  The book is called "Feed Zone Portables" by Biju Thomas and Allen Lim.  Both of these guys were the nutritionists and chefs for the BMC Racing team, one of the teams that has been competing in the Tour de France for the last several years.

The Tour of Utah 2014, up Little Cottonwood Canyon

Reading through the book I discovered a few things about what my body needs to keep going.  First I learned that our bodies get 50% of its energy from fat when you are going at a 50% effort and drops to 20% of its energy from fat when you are going at a 75% effort.  So the harder you're pushing the more glycogen you'll use which means you'll need to eat more to replenish.  I think it's safe to say that most people would consider that common sense, but what isn't common sense is exactly how much we actually need.  Luckily that's what this book helped me figure out for myself.  Here are my results:

~ 1200 calories stored for lower leg exercise on a moderate carb diet.

~ 2000 calories stored for lower leg exercise on a high carb diet.

~ Eat approximately 1/2 of what you burn from glycogen per hour, each hour.

~ I burn 550 calories per hour cycling.

~ I burn 900 calories per hour running.

This means that if I'm cycling for a longer period of time at a 70% effort, I will need to eat about 206 calories each hour.  Notice that it's not a 1:1 ratio.  I don't need to replace every calorie I burn because of the calories I have stored and because of the energy I burn from fat.  This is why many people will try and "carbo load" in the days and weeks leading up to a race.  The more you have stored, the less you should need to eat.

After learning all of this, I realized that there is a lot more research I can do that will help me stay healthy and get stronger.  If anyone has any suggestions on how I can better understand my own body and how to keep it healthy and efficient, please share.

Sand Hollow Triathlon

       A few weeks ago was my first race of the season, the Sand Hollow Triathlon.  It's the same race that Isaac, Steve, and I first did together in 2011.  For me that race was the beginning of my love for the sport.  Even though it was tough and I was super slow, I was hooked from then on.  This year was my fourth year in a row at this race and I am hoping to keep the tradition going and possibly get the other two to join me.

       My time this year was slower than the last 2 years, which was disappointing, but I didn't prepare as thoroughly and it was a much hotter day than years past.  Overall it was a good day though.  The average finishing time was higher this year and my swim time was my fastest yet.  So all was not lost.

       I had family there to support me and take pictures as well as plenty of people I didn't know.  There were a few members from the Salt Lake Tri Club doing the race as well as a lot of members of the Southern Utah Tri Club.  I got a great deal of shout outs from the club members out on the course.  Encouragement from anyone, even complete strangers, is always appreciated.  Anyone who has done a race and experienced that will know what I'm talking about.

Here is the race in the form of pictures:

I was there before the sun came up!

Getting my transition area all set up

Gearing up for the swim

*Bang!* and they're off!

Emerging from the water

Starting the bike

In the zone

The dismount

Refueling for the run

Warming up the legs

Full stride in the heat

6th place

The traditional post-race picture

Hopefully I learned my lesson from this race and will be more diligent in my training for the rest of the season.  I don't want to lose in October!

Incidental Exercise

A few months back Bishop Newton and I were discussing our training schedules and he mentioned how he hadn't had the time to workout as much as he would like.  Because he didn't have a lot of extra time he was finding other ways to help himself stay fit.  He referred to this effort as incidental exercise.  The examples he gave were how he tries to park his car the furthest from the door as possible and how he always tries to take the stairs.  

22 floors total (Talk about a stair master)

Simply put, Incidental Exercise is the movements you engage in during your everyday life.  We all have tasks we complete throughout the day that require varying levels of physical exertion.  Most of the time we try to make each task as easy as possible, which is only natural, but to get more out of our everyday routines we should always choose to do them the hard way.  

The nice thing about incidental exercise is that it's really easy to do.  It requires the minimum amount of motivation since you're just adding to the tasks you're already doing.  To help you all get started I've brainstormed a few ideas of how you can incidentally get some exercise while you putter through your day.  

≽ Stand instead of sit whenever possible

≽ Sit on a medicine ball instead of a chair

≽ Walk or ride a bike to school, church, or work

≽ Carry the heavy items when helping people move

≽ Hide the TV remote so you have to get up

≽ Have your washer and dryer on separate floors (This one is for you mom)

≽ Do your own gardening and lawn maintenance instead of hiring out

≽ Walk to the store to pick up the milk

≽ Walk up the escalator instead of lazily standing on it (One of my biggest pet peeves)

≽ Get off Trax one stop early

≽ Take those papers to your coworker instead of using the inter-office mail

≽ Play with your kids instead of just watching them

≽ Walk on a treadmill while reading, watching a show, or playing video games

≽ Do calf raises while waiting at the bus stop

The gardens outside of the Assembly Hall at Temple Square

Hopefully those are enough ideas to get your creative juices flowing.  I'll leave the rest up to you!  Now get out there and start being less lazy than you are right now!  

Remember, progress is the key.   

Foundations of Success

We often forget that exercise is not the only ingredient of a healthy body.  In fact, it's not even the most important.  So all of you who abhor exercise can cheer!  ...but not too loudly because it's still a critical part of staying healthy.

Keeping your mind and body strong and healthy can be tough at times.  Luckily the method is comprised of just three, easy to understand components.

Health Component	Level of Importance
Nutrition	Most
Sleep	Second Most
Exercise	"Least"

Nutrition

I am no dietitian so I won't give any in depth advice, but I will share a few of the basics of a healthy diet.

1. Keep your glucose levels even throughout the day.

Minimizing the spikes in your blood sugar levels can help prevent diabetes, give you more energy, and prevent hunger between meals.

2. Carbs in the morning, protein and fat in the evening.

In the morning you need the energy and later at night your body needs to rebuild and refuel for the next day.

3.Count your calories but don't "cut" them.

Who you are and what your goals are will determine how many calories to have each day.  Figure out your ideal number and then make sure to get close to that.

4. Stick to real food as much as possible.

The more processed food you eat the more junk you put in your system.

5. Eat lean proteins.

Fish, chicken, duck, legumes, beans, nuts, etc.

6. Drink plenty of water.

Water is essential, but if you're training a lot you'll need to include some electrolyte drinks as well.

7. Moderation in all things.

Switch things up every once in a while and don't completely deprive yourself of all the "sweets."

Disclaimer: Picture displays only part of a complete meal.

Sleep

The average adult needs seven to eight hours of good sleep in any given 24 hour period.  Sleep not only helps your body repair itself and boost your immune system, it also improves your learning, memory, and performance.  If you look at the alternative to getting plenty of sleep it doesn't look too pretty.

Negative effects of lack of sleep:

Heart Disease

Depression

Lack of Motivation

Decreased Learning

Aging

Forgetfulness

Weight Gain

Impaired Judgement

From the "Odd Sleeping Positions of Collin" collection.

If you are needing more sleep but finding it hard to get, there are a few things you can do to help. Keep in mind that it may just be that you're too busy.  If that's the case then you'll have to rethink your priorities and figure out what you can nix from your weekly schedule.  If it's not that, then you should try these strategies below.

Improve Sleep:

Routine/Prepare for Bed

Avoid Stress

Quiet Environment

Naps

Consult a Physician

Exercise

This is where you can really get creative, depending on what you're trying to accomplish.  Swimming, biking, running, and weight training are great workouts and very beneficial, but they're not the only ways that one can stay in shape.  You can do anything you want!  Just get up and move, like those cheesy commercials tell you to.  Wii fitness counts, or jazzercise, or even prancercise.  There is no limit to what you can do for a workout.  Including the few I've mentioned, here are some ideas for "out of the ordinary" workouts.

Rollerblading

Water Aerobics

Tumbling

Gymnastics

Ultimate Frisbee

Extreme Dog Walking (aka walking your dog)

Jumping Jacks (aka Side-Straddle Hop or Star Jump for all you Brits)

Kayaking

Hula Hooping

Salsa Dancing

Running Backwards

Trampolining

Just Dance (Video Game)

DDR

Horse Racing (as in you race a horse)

Tai Chi

Parkour

Whatever you do just make sure you get your heart rate up and create some sort of resistance for your muscles.  

And don't forget, "your heart is a muscle" - Carly Rae.

Family Ironman

History Lesson

Every family is different.  They each have different traditions and ideals that contribute to this world in numerous ways.  Some families even have the good fortune of impacting the world as a whole.  Take Alexander III of Macedon as an example.  You think Alexander the Great just randomly decided one day that he was going to try and take over all much of the Middle East and beyond?  Heck no!  His father and family before him set him up in a way that made all of his accomplishments possible.  It was Philip II of Macedon, Alexander's father, not Alexander who built up an army that was nearly unstoppable.  He was also the one, along with his predecessors, who got Alexander into an environment where he was able to receive the necessary training to command an army and run a government.  

Now I'm not belittling what Alexander did, because he was clearly a brilliant commander who knew how to wield the weapon he had been handed.  What I am trying to do is point out how critical our family situation is in deciding what we do in our lives and how successful we may become.  Yes, occasionally there are those success stories of people rising up from the ashes of a broken life, but those stories are often romanticized or are rare in most cases.  Genghis Khan may be one of the few truly "great" people in history who were given nothing and obtained everything upon their own merits.  I mean, he was born in poverty in the harsh climate of the Mongolian steps.  Later on he may have employed some of the most brilliant military minds in history but that just shows how smart he was himself.  He was a brutal, efficient, and magnificent ruler.  No wonder Mongolians today revere him.  His sons were more like Alexander in that they each inherited a piece of an enormous empire with a seasoned military, and that is why they continued to expand long after Genghis Khan was gone.

So your family culture is typically a good indicator of what your life will be like.  Some other great examples of this come from the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell.  In it he describes how Bill Gates was born in the right place at exactly the right time and also into a family that could cultivate the environment necessary for him to become an expert programmer and technologist.  Malcolm also talks about his own family history and how because his mother was "a lighter skinned black woman," living in Jamaica, she was given opportunities that others weren't.  So because of her mixed race and a grandmother who pushed her to get a good education, Malcolm was brought up in a completely different situation than the one his mother grew up in.  This was largely due to the example and influence of his great grandma.  She taught her family to respect others and use their strengths to succeed.

So What?

What do we learn from this?  Simply put, we learn that cultivating a healthy, educative, and productive environment for families provides the best opportunities for each member of that family.  That is why the triathlon lifestyle is so appealing to me.  Its centered around exercise, healthy eating, dedication, and hard work.  All of these things contribute to a good foundation for any family and they are core elements that I want to have when I eventually start my own family.

So after all of that, we get to the whole reason for this post.  The Whitmore Family Ironman!  Collin came up with the idea that each member of our family would complete the full distance in each discipline of an Ironman during the month of March.  This means that each of us will be swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles over the course of one month.  This will be harder for some members of the family than it will be for others, but it's manageable for everyone and in the end we will all be better off and closer for having suffered together.

Here is what our training logs look like:

This is what our cumulative goals and results look like:

Join In

If a family Ironman isn't the thing for your family then find something that is.  You could do a monthly or weekly Temple trip, study different topics together on a certain night, or even do something with a musical performance.  I heard of one father who would pay each child $10 if they exercised more days than he did that week.  He has seven children, so needless to say it was a great motivator for everyone.  Whatever you choose to do, just make it something that will benefit everyone and bring you all closer together.  After all, families are forever.

Wish us luck!  If you have any other family relationship building ideas please leave them in the comments!

Workout Music

Top Songs

Working out often requires good music just to get you through the session.  It's a great distraction from the pain but doesn't take too much of your attention away from what you're doing so you can keep pushing.  We thought it would be good to share our favorite songs with each other and you because you can never have too much music to choose from.  Below are our individual lists.

Andy

1.  "Thrift Shop" - Macklemore

2.  "We Are Young" - Tonight

3.  "Boyfriend" - Justin Bieber

4.  "Living On a Prayer" - Bon Jovi

5. "Don't Stop Believin' " - Journey
6.  "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor

Isaac

1.  "Dark Horse" - Katy Perry

2.  "Pompeii" - Bastille

3.  "Burn" - Ellie Goulding

4.  "Lost and Found" - Katie Herzig

5. "All Night" - Icona Pop
6.  "Odds Are" - Barenaked Ladies

Steve

1. "Wavin' Flag" - K'Naan

2.  "Lose Yourself" - Eminem

3.  "Sail" - Awolnation

4.  "Coming Home" - Diddy

5. "One Day" - Matisyahu
6.  "My Body" - Young the Giant

Spencer

1. "Choices" - Nero 

2. "Unison" (Kill the Noise Remix) - Porter Robinson

3. "Kill Everybody" - Skrillex

4. "I Will Not Bow" - Breaking Benjamin

5. "Some Chords" - Deadmau5
6. "Till the World Ends" - Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha

Mental Fatigue

Whether it's during a training session or a race, your mental state plays a massive role in how well you perform.  If you feel depressed, unsure, or overwhelmed you will put less effort into your workout than you are actually capable of doing.  A study on fatigue showed that, in general, you can do more than you think you can.  Your body is programmed to preserve itself and it will naturally send signals to your brain and tell you to slow down or take it easy if you are getting close to "overdoing" it.  It's as if it has a fail safe mechanism that triggers when you hit a certain level.  The problem is that after we hit that point we can actually keep going a lot longer before we get into dangerous territory.

That is why it is important to train your mind just as much as you train your body, so you don't have to suffer from mental fatigue.  The professional triathletes have this down pretty well.  At least the really successful ones do.  Chrissie Wellington, for example, would frequently train on a treadmill in a dark, windowless basement without any form of entertainment.  Not only does this help with keeping a quick and efficient running pace, but it gives you a lot of mental toughness.  Then when you're in the middle of a race and you feel like you can't keep going you can think back to those mindless sessions on the treadmill where things were much worse.  It's enough to give you that needed boost to keep pushing hard.

So the key to keeping your mind in shape is to make it work extra hard.  This can be done in many ways.  When it's windy outside, make sure to get out there on your bike and ride...into the wind.  When you only have time to run 4 miles, throw on some ankle weights and let them make you suffer.  If you're going to swim in open water, wait for when it gets choppy (but be safe).  If you're confined to a pool, go all out and do 100x100 laps.  There are myriad ways to turn your workouts into mental exercises, you just have to be a little creative.    

Ultimately, what we all need to remember is that we grow through experiencing trials.  I could quote Kelly Clarkson right here but I won't.  Instead I'll refer you to watch the movie "The Impossible."  It's about a family who goes to the Philippines on vacation for Christmas.  While they are there, the tsunami hits and they get separated from each other.  The rest of the movie is about the trials they face and the impossible odds they overcome.  When I saw this movie it made me think of all the people who have lived through terrible events, both personal and public.  Those people are typically the ones that come out of those times stronger than ever and ready to face any challenge because in their minds they believe they can to anything.  That is where we want to get in our own minds.

Things could definitely be worse

At the Salt Lake Triathlon Club's 2014 kickoff party this last week, the guest speaker talked about "self talk."  Self talk is the non-creepy term for talking to yourself in a positive manner.  Many athletes use it but it is a powerful tool for anyone.  The key is to tell yourself why you can do something and essentially convince yourself that you can.  Because if you believe it, then you should be able to achieve it.  This is something that can be done daily.  I recommend taking the few minutes you have in the shower or your car to practice this.  I know it will benefit you greatly.    

Don't let mental fatigue ruin your race, or test, or whatever else you have to do.  Start preparing your mind and make sure it is properly trained to conquer the challenges you've placed in front of yourself.  If there are other things putting you in a bad mood or making you feel depressed, then take the necessary steps to eliminate those worries from your life.  Your mind is no different than the rest of your body, it too needs to be worked, cared for, and molded in order to be an effective tool.

Running Through My Head

While perusing the Quora website I came across this question: "What is it like to participate in a triathlon?"  Most of the answers discussed things like what to bring, how hectic it can be, and advice on how to tackle the different aspects of the race, but the top answer was much different.  In it the guy gave a 14 point breakdown on what one may be thinking during a triathlon.  It was both accurate and comical.  I decided to share his list with you and include my own commentary.

The 14 Stages of Triathlon on Race Day

1. I can't believe I'm going to do this.  I need to pee.

It doesn't matter if you used the bathroom 10 minutes before.  You'll still feel like you need to pee.

2. I can't - **smack** - believe - **thwack** - I'm doing - **slap** - this.

I usually question my sanity when I'm floating in the water waiting for the gun to go off.

3. That swim wasn't as hard as I thought.  I feel good.

If you always expect the worst then you'll usually be pleasantly surprised.

4. This is easy.

Enjoy it while you can, it doesn't take long to learn the error of your ways.

5. This is tiring.

This is around the time that everything little thing starts to irritate you.  ie. That incessant sound your bike makes in the wind.

6. Get me off this bike.

No matter how much you ride, eventually your butt will hurt, it's inevitable.

7. My legs feel funny.

"Funny" feelings are typically precursors to feelings of pain and anguish.

8. My legs feel tired.

Sometimes other parts of your body are tired too.

9. Make the bad man stop.

There is usually one point in every race that I tell myself I'm never doing another triathlon.

10. I can do this.

Soon after I hit rock bottom I remember Macca's saying, "Embrace the suck."

11. This is amazing.

I think this is the point that your body starts to release some sort of addicting natural drug into your veins.

12. I love this.

During the last mile all the discomfort magically disappears and you can suddenly sprint again.  It's weird.

13. That was the best feeling ever.

Could be the joy of the race you're feeling or the joy of stopping you're feeling.  The studies are inconclusive.

14. Where do I sign up for my next one.

Best, idea, ever... of all time.

"Ice Ice Baby"

An ice bath is one of the quickest ways for your muscles to recover after a hard workout.  Studies vary on how long you should keep your muscles submerged or even how effective this method really is, but my personal experience has shown that it works.

   

The only problem is that in order you take an ice bath you need a lot of ice.  This means you have to take the time to run to the store and buy it.  Now, of course you can plan ahead and do it with your weekly grocery shopping, but this isn't always the best idea.  Most people don't have a lot of extra freezer space that can hold 6 bags of ice.  It's also a pain to try and buy it right after a workout.  This is why I have put together a short list of alternative ice baths that can be handy in a pinch.

The Poor Man's Ice Bath: Use the garden hose and run water over your legs

The River Plunge Ice Bath:  If you live near a river or stream, just end your run at the waters edge.

The Cold Climate Ice Bath:  Those who live in places where it snows during the winter are extra lucky.

The Magical Ice Hose Ice Bath:  If you can make your garden hose do this, then you have it easy.

The Swim Cap

Any of you who have donned a swim cap before know how frustrating it can be to put on.  Well, fret no more!  The swimming experts have discovered a revolutionary way to "slap" that lycra on your head!*

*Assistance required

Rectification

What Good is the Goal

Setting goals is easy.  We do it all the time, especially when the new year rolls around.  The hard part is making sure we actually work toward those goals.  Because what is the point in setting a goal that we never actually try to achieve?  I think the Canadian Hip Hop artist Moka Only was on to something in the Swollen Members song "Watch This" when he said, "Plus, what good is the dough if you can't blow it, what good is the goal if you stay below it."  Now I'm not sure I agree with the first part of that lyric but the second half is all too true.

I've learned a few things about goals throughout my life and one thing that I know for sure is that everyone has their own process for setting and accomplishing goals.  No single plan is right for everyone.  With that said, there are certain elements of goals that can be beneficial for everyone.  Here are a few that I have found particularly useful.

The size and shape of the goal don't matter.

SMART

Goals should be S.M.A.R.T.  That is they should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.  Although this is not always easy to do, it is possible and it is very effective.  I think another way you could interpret this acronym is to look at what a goal shouldn't be.  Namely stupid, miserable, annoying, ridiculous, and tiring.  I believe the jury is still out on whether positive or negative reinforcement is more effective so I'll let you choose which one you prefer.  Although I should warn that I totally made up the negative version and the other is a legitimate guide.  

Getting Things Done

One of the many guest speakers I have heard in grad school talked about the Getting Things Done methodology.  In short, it's all about what processes you use to eliminate distractions, stay focused, and ultimately get things done with a busy/hectic schedule.  The part of his presentation I remember most vividly is when he talked about breaking our goals down into manageable tasks that will help us move toward achieving that one overarching goal.  As humans we look at large tasks or projects and it takes an incredible amount of effort to get started on those, but if we break them into smaller bite sized pieces they become simple and require much less motivation.  This reminds me of the White Stripes song, "Little Acorns."  If you haven't heard it listen to it here.  It's quite inspiring.

Action Triggers

Each night before going to bed I usually get on my computer to check my email and other accounts online.  Somehow this always leads me to YouTube.  You wouldn't think this would be a big deal, but it is.  According to this article, visitors spent about 10 minutes a day on average on the site back in 2011.  I'm pretty confident that I am one of the outliers in that statistical population, and not in a good way.  For me, one video unfailingly leads to 40 more.  This is a problem.  

From this example you can clearly see that the action trigger here is getting on my computer right before going to bed.  It's the thing that triggers the behavior that follows.  Much like triggers in a database that set off certain stored procedures, our personal action triggers set off certain behaviors.  What should be learned from this is the importance of setting good triggers.  When we have action triggers that lead to beneficial behaviors we are able to improve ourselves and achieve our goals.  This doesn't happen naturally so we need to make a conscious effort to set our action triggers so that they aim us in the direction we are wanting to go.  

A great example of this is what you do when your alarm goes off in the morning.  If you have a goal to exercise every morning, but run out of time because you hit the snooze button, then maybe you need to change that action trigger.  Instead of hitting the snooze, make it a rule that you have to jump up and do 25 jumping jacks (or star jumps for those of you in the Commonwealth) before you are allowed to hit snooze.  Once you're up and blood is circulating then you're far less likely to climb back under the covers.  The point is, figure out where you are and where you want to be and then set your action triggers appropriately.  It won't solve all of your problems, but it will help you improve.    

Like a Glove

Ultimately, you have to find what works for you.  No one solution is best for everyone.  We all think differently and are motivated by different things and that will always be the case.  Why do you think there are so many different workout programs out there?  It's because what works for you, might not work for me.  I would have struggled to get in shape in the 80's because Richard Simmons just doesn't do it for me.  Others loved him in his time and probably still do.  Anyway, you're welcome to incorporate the methods from this post, or find your own.  Either way, don't just write a list of goals and stick it in a drawer.  Set manageable, achievable goals, plan out how you will accomplish them, recruit others to help you along the way, and always remember what Yoda says:

Only once, you live.

Yolo