Doing "IT" for a cause

Well ironman training is underway. I finally got the go ahead from my wife to do a full ironman. Problem is i don't know which one i'm going to do. You see it all depends if i can knock up my wife and get a bun in the oven.

The deal is this. I need to get it done before the next baby arrives. If she falls pregnant now then i have to do St George Utah. If we can put it off a few months then i can put it off a bit and do Louisville. The benefit of doing the latter is that the run is flat. As some of you might know i have some knee issues and would much prefer a flat run.

It was probably my success at austin this year that finally made the decision to do this as it made me believe i have the ability to do it. with an awesome time of 5:06:35.

I have also decided to raise money for the research and awareness  of Alzheimer's.  Jennifer's mother recently passed away after a long struggle with the disease. After seeing first hand what this disease does im not sure there is anything more heart wrenching than Alzheimer's.

Wish me luck, this is going to be a long winter.

ironman 70.3 austin

5:06:35 bitches. thats all i have to say.........

No , No just kidding. but yes. Knocked out a 5:06:35 at ironman 70.3 texas on sunday.  I even surprised myself.

The weekend started with us heading down to Austin by car on saturday morning with Kiera in the back and jennifer next to me. Kiera was pretty well behaved until about 2 hours into the drive, when she lost it in the back seat and we knew it was time to pull over and let her walk around a bit. After a short pitstop and a new diaper we were on the road again.

We made it to the expo centre at about 12 oclock that day and got checked in and put my bike back together. After riding it down to the lake ( T1 ) i got the bike checked in and we headed out to the hotel which was in downtown austin.

When we got to the hotel the room wasnt ready for us yet so we headed to TGIF for a quick snack ( boneless buffalo wings ) and a quick beer.

After that we got up to our room and relaxed for a while, wresting with kiera on the bed and just hanging out with the family. Austin is a cool little city and is home to Mellow Johnny's so before dinner we walked down there to have a look and buy some extra gels and stuff for the race.

After the bike shop we headed to meet some friends at a local italian restaurant and had a good time meeting family members we dont normally get to see on our early morning bike rides and stuff.

Thats Lars on the right ( my main competition and motivation ). and shannon to the left that was doing his first 70.3.
After supper we went back to the hotel room and started winding down for the evening. If you are a triathlete you know that means packing and re-packing your gear bag 3 or 4 times before tossing and turning for the rest of the night.

I made it to bed at about 10pm and tossed around till midnight when Kiera decided to get sick and threw up all her dinner. we were pretty worried about her as she wasnt a happy little camper and kept waking up and getting sick. At about 3am she calmed down a bit and i managed to get about 2 hours sleep. No , not the best nights sleep before a half ironman.

5 oclock came and i jumped out of bed, got my things together and headed downstairs to catch my taxi. We decided it would be best if we dont wake up kiera and let her sleep and only come through if she felt better. Lucky for us she did wake up feeling better and my girls came through at about 10am in time to see me at T2 and support me on the run.

The Race

I got to the race site and headed straight for my bike to start setting up and lucky for me i found it with a flat front tire. Two little bastard thorns sticking out of the tire like they were taunting me. I got a bit worried as i only had 2 spairs and knew it was a long race and anything could happen. ( shout out to lynn that had about 4 flat tired on the bike portion and almost bailed) So i fixed the flat and prayed that my 1 spair tube would be enough. Met up with buddie Jamie and we hung out till we met up with Lars, lene, Lynn and shannon.

The swim started and i was confident that i would do well as it was wetsuit legal and we all know what sort of advantage that is to your time. I got out in the front of the pack and stayed there for most of the way, passing people from the 3 groups in front of us. Finishing the swim in 34:20 i knew i had a shot at beating my PB which i set in florida in may this year which was a 5:39:47 and on that day i had a 38 minute swim without a wetsuit.

Transition went well and i was out in about 3:30. i got out on the road and was happy my elastic bands snapped pretty easily and i was off. I was planning on keeping my HR low but the first 10 miles were pretty hilly so my HR was constantly up in the 150's so just decided to keep my HR where i felt comfortable

this is a pic of me coming out of T1

The bike was great. I was comfortable the entire time. My HR was a bit higher than i wanted it to be but it was still very comfortable. The roads were awful . very bumpy and rough. There were sections that were nice and smooth but if the website says nice country roads what they actually mean is farm roads that haven't been resurfaced in a while.

I completed the bike portion in 2:36 ( florida 2:47 ) and have to give props to the sufferfest. if you havent seen these indoor training videos yet you should head over now and check them out. I also have to thank Rocktape for keeping me going through some injuries earlier in the year.

I will post some pics of me all " rocktaped " and you will see what i mean.

So i felt great coming off the bike and headed out on the run doing a couple 7:30's for the first 2 or 3 miles and ran the first 6.55 miles in 53 minutes. QuadZilla wasnt to bad on the first loop but was pretty tough on the second loop as i did a 55 for the second half of the run. Finishing the run in 1:49 ( florida 2:04 ) i was over the moon with my overall effort and surprised myself with my great time. i was pretty surprised on the run when some guy came by me and said if i keep up this sub 8min pace i could do a sub 5 hour race. i was however only 3 miles into the run and whilst i entertained the idea for a while i knew that would take some special running.

In the end however, i am super stoked with my race. I have to firstly thanks my wife Jennifer who without her, i really wouldnt be doing any of this. My saturday morning bike ride buddies for pushing me to the limit ( of regurgitation ). All my frisco triathlon club mates who keep me motivated.

overall result
swim : 34:20
Bike : 2:36:40
Run : 1:49:21

for a total time of 5:06:35.

i have a lot more to write but its pretty long already.....

13 days to austin 70.3

well yes its 13 days to go till austin. Im as prepared as i've ever been for a triathlon and i'm expecting great things from myself. Best part is i have a bunch of friends doing the same race as i am. Some are faster and some are slower. Allen ( speedy ) Helton is going for 5 hours flat. holy cow. what i wouldn't give to be 19 again.

Im not sure what Jamie is going for but i know it will be quick as he is strong all round. Shannon is aiming for under 6 hours and Lars and i are going for 1 minute faster than the other person. Yes, we are pretty much racing each other. He is my training partner and it looks like i should have him on the swim and the run, but he will have me on the bike, for sure. Lars is in his 40's now but that no excuse right? his bike is worth about $8000 more than mine and he has a speed suit. Not to mention any other gadgets he gets from Kona this week. Yip he is on vacation in Kona to watch the race and to get a last bit of serious training in.

Training went really well today, i knocked out 1.3 miles in the pool and then 18 miles on the bike. After a spot of lunch i went for a two hour massage as well. I probably shouldn't of done that as i didn't get much work done but my legs are starting to get pretty tender. I've scheduled another one for friday morning ( my off day ). Im feeling really comfortable in the water at the moment and think i should pull in another 38 minute swim in austin. My bike and run is much much stronger than they were in florida and i'm sure i am going to probably be 5 to 10 minutes quicker than i was there. Even though austin has a few hills i'm sure i will still be quicker.

So my training mileage for september was :

Swim Distance: 6.58 miles		Swim Time: 3:30		Swim Calories: 2632		Swim Pace: 32:00
Bike Distance: 453.01 miles		Bike Time: 23:42		Bike Calories: 18120.4		Bike Pace: 19.1 mph
Run Distance: 74 miles		Run Time: 10:25		Run Calories: 7400		Run Pace: 08:30
Total Miles: 533.59 miles		Total Time: 37:38		Total Calories: 28152.4

My biggest month by far. here to being fast in austin.

Natural Running, with tape

Natural Running Contributed by Diaz Human Performance Labs, Camarillo CA 805-484-1347

www.diazhumanperformance.com

With the recent attention that “Natural Running” has received lately, much consideration has been given to the biomechanics of efficient movement.

Evidence in the scientific community has borne out some compelling evidence that heel strikers (runners who lead with their heels) set themselves up for a great deal of stress to the joints from what is coined the “impact transient effect”. In essence, what this term relates to is the amount of impact shock that is created upon impacting the heel with each foot contact with the ground.

Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, released research early this year (2010) where they compared the impact of heel striking in typical running shoes and mid-to-forefoot contact running barefoot. This study revealed that heel striking generates from 1.5 to 3 times a runners total body weight through the heel and up the kinetic chain upon impact.

On the “heels” of this research we’ve taken a hard look at methods of mitigating these gravitational forces for runners. What is obvious to us is that regardless of where initial contact is made, be it forefoot, midfoot or heel, it is important to soften the landing and minimize the potential impact forces through the kinetic chain.

As we work to soften our landing, we also hope to return energy into our stride and avoid losing the propreoceptive response created through elastic recoil generated from the muscles responsible for deceleration.

The short story here relates to the importance of engagement of our core musculature which serves to stiffen our spine. If our posture is out of alignment while running, we risk shear forces that can potentiate injuries to our lower back, generally to the L4, L5 region of the lumbar spine. Over the past decade, “core” training has become the buzz word in most training circles. Teaching people to find neutral spine while weight lifting and a host of other athletic endeavors is common among athletic trainers. We’ve found that verbal cueing while under the close scrutiny of a trained eye is helpful, but it is generally not effective enough to create a chronic adaptation to improve a functional posture.

We have employed what we like to refer to as “passive engagement techniques” using Rocktape to encourage Kinesthetic awareness. By positioning our client into a functional posture, we simply tape the area we hope to train in such a way that it is not overly restrictive but allows a constant awareness. The tape should only seem taunt if the client begins falling out of the desired postural alignment. Aside from the teaching effect the tape provides, a host of other benefits are gained, such as the reduction potential of inflammation and muscular facilitation, which too are clearly beneficial.

Postural taping technique of the thoracic region: We employ this technique for a host of our clients who develop muscular imbalances between the pectoral and antagonist muscles of the upper back.

PowerTaping 51ROCKTAPE

Technique: Have the client stand comfortably. Instruct them to draw the scapula towards the spine and gently release the contracting muscles until the spine and shoulders are neutral. Instruct them to hold this posture while applying the Rocktape. We prefer the Big Daddy Tape for this application. Begin by measuring the client from shoulder to shoulder across the upper back. Because of the elasticity of the tape be careful not to cut too long. We recommend measuring and subtracting about 4-6 inches depending on how much stretch you apply to the treatment. Fold the tape in half lengthwise and then again widthwise to create a crease that will guide your cut. Round the edges of the tape to avoid fraying. Cut the tape lengthwise down the center crease of each end, leaving about 4-6 inches intact at the center. Tear the paper backing of the tape down the vertical center crease and peel the tape back to the beginning of the horizontal cuts. Apply the tape to the center of the spine while the client holds the desired posture. Remove the backing from one side at a time and apply the lateral tails of the tape by anchoring at the posterior deltoid and again about 6-8 inches lower in alignment with mid triceps. Repeat at the other shoulder. After the tape has been well seated ask your client to relax. Your client should have an awareness that the tape is being stretched. The response to this tightening will be to again rest into the desired posture, thus creating the kinesthetic signal to correct and hold the desired functional posture.

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Treatment time: We advise our clients to wear the treatment for a few days unless they experience any irritation from the tape. We recommend application prior to participation in sport. Realize that this treatment is essentially training,

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which may require several applications over time. We also encourage our clients to implement exercises that help to promote the postural corrections as needed.

Postural taping technique for the lumbar region: We employ this technique for clients who present with hyper-lordosis, chronic low back pain or display instability at the hip while running.

Technique: Have the client stand comfortably. Instruct them to rock their pelvis forward and back a few times to assist in identifying a neutral spine. Have the client brace themselves against a wall during the application while maintaining the

neutral posture. Instruct them to hold this posture while applying the Rocktape. We prefer the Big Daddy Tape for this application. Begin by measuring the client’s hip width. Because of

the elasticity of the tape, be careful not to cut too long. We recommend measuring and subtracting about 4-6 inches

PowerTaping 52

ROCKTAPE

depending on how much stretch you apply to the treatment. Fold the tape in half lengthwise and then again widthwise to create a crease that will guide your cut. Round the edges of the tape to avoid fraying. Cut the tape lengthwise down the

!

center crease of each end leaving about 4-6 inches in tact at the center. Tear the paper backing of the tape down the vertical center crease and peel the tape back to the beginning of the horizontal cuts. Apply the tape to the center of the spine while the client holds the desired posture. Remove the backing from one side at a time and apply the lateral tails of the tape by anchoring the anterior oblique and again about 6-8 inches below the iliac crest. Then repeat at the other hip. After the tape has been well seated ask your client to relax. Your client should have an awareness that the tape is being stretched. The response to this tightening will be to again rest into the desired posture, thus creating the kinesthetic signal to correct and hold the desired functional posture.

In Summary: Our experience with these techniques has shown

that our clients begin to develop a neural cognition which elicits a stable foundation for dynamic athletic movement.

Because the tape does not restrict motion it is far more comfortable to wear while competing or training. We recommend these techniques to anyone who struggles with core instability or low back pain.

Contributed by Richard Diaz, founder of DHP elite training in Camarillo, CA www.diazhumanperformance.com

im tired this afternoon

Pretty good day today. Saturday is long ride day for me and today was no different. The only difference was my regular long ride partners are both out of town. Jamie is in austin riding the 70.3 longhorn route and Lars is already in Kona. No he is not racing but gone over there on vacation. He has taken his bike with him because he needs to beat me in austin in 2 weeks so he will be training hard while he is there. And of course to watch the ironman.

So i decided to ride with the other regular saturday morning A ride and that wasnt to bad as we normally do it anyway before our long ride or should i say as part of our long ride. The difference this week was i went to the local bike shop after the ride and joined the bike shop group for their A group ride as well.

So basically did 2 A group rides with a lot of hills at full speed, oh and finished with 60 miles under my belt. I must say going up our famous Windhaven hill at 48 miles was pretty tough ( that was the 3rd time i had been up it in the same day ).

My legs certainly are feeling good and i am ready for my race in 2 weeks. Ive got another week of hard training until i start tapering. Im sure 7 days will be enough time to recover.

After that i came home and had a shower, i tend to get my stink on during workouts. Jennifer, my wife went out for a little 3 miles run and then we went and did some baby shopping. Right now jen has gone out to finish the shopping and Kiera is in La-La land.

This afternoon we are going for an open water swim and a triathlon club social out at the lake. Should be fun.

Jason