New Toys

I'm excited for my new Xmas toys.. and whats awesome is my birthday is only a week away, so whatever I didn't get for Xmas, I can get for my bday. hehehe Awesome! I really feel that Speedfil is coming soon. heheh

I'll post up a more legit review for the items once I start using them, 
I got my TYR Tri Transition Bag.

My Wireless Bike computer with Speed and Cadence! Cateye Strada double wireless with cadence.

And the best headband EVER!!

Xmas Wish List

Here are a few things I hope to receive


1: TYR Tri Bag 

2: More Compression Socks / Sleeves   

3: Thorlo Experia Running Socks  

4. CatEye V2C Wireless Cyclocomputer with Cadence 

5. Blue Seventy Hydra Vision Open water goggles.

6 : Race Entry Fees
 ` Boston 13.1 $80
Frog Super Seal Tri $125
SF 1/2 Marathon
and maybe a few Rock and Roll marathons inbetween

oh almost forgot
7 - Speedfil 

Thanks Santa!!

Stress and Self Revelation

About 3 years ago, I had on and off, (more "on" than "off") stomach pains for about 6-8 months. It would be a lovely stabbing pain right in my belly. After several different doctor visits with no resolutions,  and went to see a GI Specialist. Having an endoscopy and colonoscopy revealed I had GERDs brought on by stress..

OK. Sounds simple enough, except for the fact that I have no idea "what" I'm supposedly stressed about.

The same goes for teeth grinding.. My dentist's simple solution is to "stop stressing" and I'm about to punch someone in the face for saying those words to me again, because I don't have anything on my mind that I'm stressed or worried about! (now to think of it, I'm stressed over trying to figure out what I'm stressed about)

So over time, I have come to accept the fact that my mind and my body are not 1. They like to battle with another quite frequently. So if my mind isn't stressed about anything, my body will stress itself out, with another case of GERDs or whatever it feels like dabbling into.

My solution Training. I find that with training, my put my body in such a stressed/overworked state, that when I'm actually "relaxing" it enjoys that time and stops bothering me..

The past few days its been raining, and I try not to get myself in a bad situation so I do not run in the rain (I was caught in a hail storm it wasn't pleasant). I'll go to the gym instead, but its really not the same.For the past few days my body has been on a little high of trying to annoy the crap out of me with pains, stress, mood swings, and stomach acid so great I swear I feel a hole burning through my body. Even my friends can tell I was extremely grumpy.

The rain has stopped (for the next few days at least) and I finally got a 5 mile run in, and now things are at peace.

I feel so great and so level.

Time vrs Distance

Most people already set it in their minds that they can't run a mile, that it would physically be impossible for them to do so.

I've heard, "I will die", "My legs will fall off", "it will take me hours to run 1 mile"

1 mile can sound pretty daunting,
But instead of thinking in terms of Distance, just go for Time.

Just say,
"Today I'll run for 5 mins." 
"Today, I'll run for 10 mins"
"Today, I'll run for 15 mins"

It doesn't sound so bad right?

And the plus side, usually people can run 1 mile in 15 mins or less, so you've conquered your greatest feat in just 15 mins.

Happy Running!

Hills, Hills, Hills

Someone said: "YOU Might be a Runner IF... You have a love-hate relationship with hills"

Very very true. We hate them because they're tough, but we love them because it makes us stronger.. which what every endurance athlete strives for.. to be better, to be stronger.

Recently I moved and my neighborhood is seriously ridiculously hilly. Biking has definitely been a challenge, you have to either bike 2+ miles uphill before you can even get to a decent flat area to ride, (which isn't even that flat, just more manageable rolling hills) or go downhill and save that awesome 2 mile uphill stretch for the end.

Pick your poison.

Running these routes are equally as challenging, although I feel running uphill is easier than biking, but that's probably just the inner runner inside of me. My prior training routes were generally flat, downhill and with a small portion of a steep uphill. However with new neighborhood, I had to adapt, and as much as I struggled at first, I LOVE IT.

Hills make you so much stronger, physically and endurance wise and my quads are in the best shape they've ever been.

Forefoot running makes taking the hills a more graceful as well.
But, whatever foot your are, here's a good recipe for tackling these hills

1. Keep your body upright
• Often when people go uphill, you notice that they lean forward too much, this throws off your form, and added strain to your back, especially around your shoulders (since your hunched over) and your lower back because now that is the focal point for all impact.
  
2. Bend your knees.
• Often when people run uphill, they run the same was as if they're running on flat ground, using the calves more than the quads, which if you tune into your body, you will feel your calves working much harder going uphill. You need more power to push up those hills. Imagine how your legs feel when you're walking up stairs, you bend your knees and you use your quads. When you bend your knees going uphill, you will feel your quads working instead of your calves.
  
3. Palm your waist.
• When our body gets tired we tend to swing our arms across our chest. This is NOT good arm form because you restrict your lungs from expanding and getting enough oxygen. Keep your arms bent at a 90 degree angle (at your elbow), palms open and loose, and each time you swing your arm, your Palm should tap your waist. By doing so, you ensure that your elbows are in and parallel with each other, and your lungs are open
  
4. Keep your pace
• Often a person with either go up too fast or too slow on the hill. Just try to focus on keeping the same pace or just a bit slower, keep your leg turnover as you would normally run. Its just a change in the ground, nothing more. No need to speed up because you might tire yourself out. Just bend your knees and keep everything the same.
  
5. Keep your feet low
• Going up hill and bending your knees, you migh end up lifting your legs up too high = more energy = more exertion. Unless you're trail running, and trying to avoid rocks, you want to conserve as much energy as you can.
  
6. BREATHE
• Focus on your cadence breathing.
  
  
  
  Happy Running!

Germs, Germs, Germs!

I haven't gotten "ill - ill" in quite some time since my training. I really attribute my training to keeping me healthy.

Training and exercising really helps to reduce your chances of getting sick. However it can increase it as well, because you expose yourself to unpleasant germs without realizing it. (All the germs in the gym, pool, or publicly touched areas)

Yesterday an hour or so after my run, my throat glands started to swell up. For me, that's the first thing that always signals to me that I've caught a bug, and immediate action is needed before a full blown malady kicks in.

I was really confused on "How" I caught it. I didn't come across any people, and I work at home. Then I remembered, the Cross walk buttons! Damn those things. I need to use my elbows next time! Ugh! how annoying!


Let see if I can get rid of this before it multiplies.

1 - Water, and lots of it.
2 -  1000 mg of Vit C every hour,
3 - Orange juice
4 - Ginger - Slices of ginger root and hot water
5 - some Zinc and Vit B - not too much.

Water

Vit C

Thin slices of ginger root

Ginger Root

Hey Sexy!

its comforting to know that no matter what you look like,

bundled up,
100 or 300 lbs,
arm rolls jiggling,
leg fat jiggling,
tummy rolls bouncing,
snot dripping down your face,
hocking a loogie,
blowing a snot rocket,
black toe nails,
missing toe nails,
blisters,
calluses,
sweat,
acne,
licking the salt crystals off your face to get some electrolytes,
sun burns,
runners trots (when you get the "runs" when you run),
puking,
regurgitating, but then swallowing it again
drool,
spilled Gatorade/sports drinks over your face and body,

rain, sleet, snow or shine,
guys will always honk and yell, "Hey Sexy"

Xterra vrs Orca Wetsuit Review

Before I purchased my first wetsuit I asked a lot of people, and read a bunch of articles, and pretty much unanimously everyone recommended, "Sleeveless"

So my first wetsuit was an Xterra Vortex 3 Sleeveless suit for <$99. However, when I arrived at my first meeting with the OC Tri Meetup group for my first Ocean Swimming session, I noticed that everyone in the group had Full Sleeve wetsuits. After my first few swims, it was so COLD. My hands and arms would be so numb from the 55-60 degree water, so I went to buy for a Full Sleeve suit. Then everyone I talked to, started recommending, "Full sleeve suit" oh, the irony.. I ended up with the Orca S3. A very good beginner wet suit because it is reasonably priced around $160 ish (on sale usually) and it has good reviews. Also, its easier to put on than the Xterra suit because parts of the suit are neoprene (see the black parts in the photos) and the zebra striped areas on the Orca suit are thinner than the rest of the suit to allow better movement of the arms.



So my advice if you're new and looking for full sleeve vs sleeveless.

1 - Temperature - What is the Temperature of the water you will be swimming in?
If its less than 70 degrees, I say go with Full Sleeves. If its warmer water - go with sleeveless.

2 - Brands - The beginner suits for Xterra and Orca are around the same price, so its up to comfort for you.
Xterra Vortex 3 (sleeveless) is all 1 soild material (that rubbery stuff). Where Orca (Full and sleeveless) has a parts (near the ankle and under the shoulder blades and arms with a more flexible neoprene (kinda like a denser surfer wetsuit material) because of that, it makes the suit easier to put on and more flexible when you're swimming.

Overall, I felt the entire neoprene of the Orca suit is more flexible than the Xterra suit.

3 - Performance - Full sleeves will help you swim better because more suit = more buoyancy.
Most people have told me that the full sleeves prohibit the full movement of their arm when they swim, but I really didn't have any problems with it.