Cycle Training Wheels

I attended a spin class with my wife. I've been wondering if I would be able to ride a bicycle again. I got into the saddle and pedaled and did my best to follow along with the spin instructor. I definitely still have some aerobic issues, sometimes my lungs will start burning way earlier than I think they should. I had a little bit of back pain. The session lasted 45 minutes and I stayed to the end. My core is still a little weaker than I would like it to be. I tried the aero position and was able to maintain it for a few minutes with a little discomfort. Again, this inspires hope that I may indeed participate in an Ironman triathlon.

My first Swim Snorkel to Rebuild Lung Capacity

I underwent chemotherapy for 12 weeks in July 2013 and finished in November. You can read about my experience treating Testicular Cancer here.

On my last chemotherapy treatment day, I had to skip it because I had lost so much lung capacity. The chemo drug Bleomycin had harmed my lungs to the point that I could hardly breathe. I would get dizzy standing up. I needed help to build my lung capacity and exercise to build up lost muscle tone. I visited a local swim shop, Poco Loco and purchased my first center mount swim snorkel by Finis.

My first visit to the pool was with some trepidation. I had not been in the pool for over a year. I put on my swim goggles, snorkel and a new pair of swim jammers. I moved through the water at a slow deliberate pace. I had to take consistent breaths and felt like I was going to pass out several times. My arms got tired very quickly and sometimes I would just float. I made a goal to stay in the pool for 30 minutes and achieved it. I think I almost fainted when I got out, I had no energy but I moved very slowly to get up, get dressed and leave.

After four additional visits to the pool, I noticed that my breathing capacity was increasing with each visit. I highly recommend the swim snorkel for increasing lung capacity. Being forced to breathe out of a straw is a good exercise! Anyone else use a swim snorkel?

The end of Triathlon Class

I decided to end my enrollment in Triathlon class. I have learned technique and improved my fitness. Now I must continue applying what I learned. It has been a challenging transition. I feel some resentment and disappointment for what I hoped to learn but didn't. I was disappointed with the results from my VO2 tests and the fact that I declined in fitness after trying to follow my instructors advisement. I am struggling to find a new path to Ironman. I spent more than I could afford for training, equipment and testing. I am trying to find as much value in my investment as I can and move forward.

Vince told me that he will run in the Salt Lake Marathon with me. He asked if I wanted a great time or to finish the race. I smiled and said that I'd prefer to "finish" the race comfortably instead of risking injury. He mentioned running at a 11 min/mile pace. I told my wife about Vince's offer and she remarked that was a very kind of him and how did I rate so well. Vince, you are still my hero. You have helped me when I've needed you most, thank you.

MonaVie Fuels My Dream

MonaVie is my employer. I am on the corporate side of this MLM phenomenon. I can't sell or sponsor a downline but I can share my experience working for the company and using its products. I'm a seinor technical writer and I was skeptical at first of the health benefits of the MonaVie blends and the acai berry it contains.

MonaVie sponsors healthy habits. Twice a week during lunch breaks, employees may participate in a session of Yoga. MonaVie organized  a 5k run to raise money for the MORE Project. MORE is a foundation established with the mission to help educate, feed and clothe children in Brazil. It is another way MonaVie supports and gives back to the people who work to produce Acai berries. Employees are offered a subsidized membership at LifeTime Fitness in South Jordan. MonaVie sponsored my team to run in the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay; six men and six women ran 188 miles from Logan to Park City! The experience was a triumph and made me proud to run under MonaVie's banner.

My fears, doubts and lack of confidence have been transformed and uplifting by the support I have received from MonaVie. I found inspiration by reading Henry Marsh's book, The Breakthrough Factor. He is one of MonaVie's co-founders. Henry represented the United States in the men's 3,000 meter Steeplechase in four Summer Olympics, from 1976 through 1988. His stories and advice in those pages helped me find my own breakthrough.

Running in the Wasatch Back Relay and completing it succesfully woke up within me the dream to compete in an Ironman Triathlon. I kept running after the race with enthusiasm and vigor. I kept drinking MonaVie Active to help ease the pain and swelling from sore joints, knees and ankles. It was as effective as ibuprofen for pain relief. As I tore down. and stressed the connective tissues, MonaVie Active provided a blend of 19 beneficial fruits with plant based Glucosamine and Chondroitin to build it back up stronger. It is easy to consume because it tastes so good and it comes in convenient single serving gel packs.

My heart has been a concern too. Electrolytes don't necessarily help build an athletes heart. MonaVie Pulse does. By drinking Pulse, I believe my heart has grown stronger allowing me to enjoy a lower resting heart rate and better fitness scores (VO2). My heart rate seems to slow down faster when pausing or resting during interval training.

So you see MonaVie fuels my dream to compete in an Ironman Triathlon. It has supported me through it's generous employee benefits and by hiring excellent staff. It's founders have inspired and motivated me.

Sharing my passion for Training and Workouts

I can't help it. I want to share my goals and interests with anyone that will listen and share my enthusiasm.

Jenn Parry has joined me in my lunch time workout sessions. She has a goal of losing weight and building her strength up. She is a SharePoint Developer and is currently writing a section for an upcoming publication for SharePoint Server 2010. She likes working out on the eliptical machine and has made some good progress since starting. It is fun to talk while working out.

I was serving in my ward library making copies, passing out pictures and scriptures and talking to people passing through. I talked to Tyler Vongswald about my latest results from my VO2 tests. Peter Haws walked up and joined the conversation. These two have already completed a triathlon and talk about training together. Its too bad these guys have a different gym membership, it would be fun to do a gym triathlon with them.

My Triathlon Training Thoughts

I started thinking seriously about competing in an Ironman triathlon while I was in the Wasatch Back Relay Ragnar 09. The race inspired me to want to fulfill a dream I held since I was 18. I wanted a coach or trainer to help me stay motivated. Ironman requires extraordinary endurance and strength to finish.

I started out by taking swim lessons at my local Recreation center. Becca and Britany helped me improve all of my swim strokes: free style, breast stroke, back stroke and butterfly. They had both participated in triathlon competitions. I asked for strength training routines And was shown a simple routine for building upper and lower body strength.

At work, we had a gym benefit that would pay most of the membership fees at Lifetime Fitness. I visited the gym and was impressed with the facility. I was introduced to Robby who told me about their triathlon class. The class met on Monday (swim), Wednesday (run) and Friday (cycle). I signed up immediately.

I was introduced to Polar exercise systems, a watch, heart rate monitor and foot pod. I was told that the systems worked with the treadmills, eliptical and stationary bikes to display heart rate. The watch can also download information to the computer and analyzed with polar pro trainer.

Vince told me about his plans to test his VO2 maximum. The test measures how much oxygen the lungs absorb and maps it to heart rate to determine exertion zones. The zones are described on a scale from 1-5. Zone 1 being active recovery, zone 2 base, zone 3 aerobic training, zone 4 anaerobic training and zone 5, peak training. I retest every 3 months to adjust training zones and to provide a report card of how I'm doing.

The Polar system measures key performance indicators, i.e. heart rate.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Green Smoothies

I recently mixed avocado, spinach, apple, kale and orange juice to make a tasty green smoothie. I was drinking a smoothie every day but after a few mistakes, its been a struggle to drink. Taste is a big deal; especially when it has the look and texture of a green gruel. I enjoyed more energy and faster recovery after strenuous workouts.

I started eating pizza or donuts and noticed a big drop in energy and endurance. The difference was very obvious.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Finding inspiration for Ironman

I was 18 and had a job in the advertising office at Roth's IGA. I was inspired by the idea of the Ironman. It was the challenge to go beyond what I believed possible at the time. The race requires 2.4 miles (3.86 km) swim, a 112 miles (180.25 km) bike ride and a marathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run, raced in that order and without a break. The challenge is alluring and to this day, I feel the fire and passion race through me to prepare myself to match my strength and will against it.

Over the years, this dream has been neglected as responsibilities to provide for a family of five occupied all of my time and energy. I experienced several years of partial employment leading to debts and the fears that accompany it.

I started work for MonaVie and was approached by Tara and Rich from Human Resources asking if I would be interested in running in the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay. Tara mentioned seeing me running into work each day and asked if I was a runner. I explained that I had once been a runner and that I commuted on the bus to Sandy and ran 2 miles from the bus stop to MonaVie in South Jordan. At the time I didn't know that the race was a relay with 12 members running 3 times that were 3-8 miles each for a total of 188 miles from Logan to Park City. I wondered what I had got myself into and if I could really do this!

When I started, I could only run for about 5 minutes and would have to walk for a time before I could continue running. My ankles, knees, hips and legs would ache and complain and sometimes I could barely walk into work. Vince, a coworker who also is an ultra Marathoner told me to shorten my stride and to make sure that I didn't heel strike. I followed his suggestions and the pain began to subside.

I started running races and really enjoyed myself. I started looking for a trainer and found out that LifeTime Fitness offered a Triathlon class. It meets three times a week and the coach, Ryan Meyers leads a class in swimming, cycling and running. I saw a path to make my dream come true!

See Wasatch Back Relay Team to read about the race!