Be All You Can Be

Hey,

No I am not joining the army, it was kind of a challenge at work. A co-worker and I dared each other to shave our heads. I went first and he followed suit. It's super comfortable for training.

Well if you're wondering what the timer is for on the side of my blog it is this new challenge that I want to do. My diet is goes up and down, sometimes it's ok, somtimes it's terrible. I tryed this challenge last year where I tryed to go a whole month with out eating fast food. This may not seem that difficult for you, but for me this is a huge challenge. If you remember, I didn't quite make it, I think it was like 28 days with out fast food. This included pop, burgers, fries. That's it, however even though I failed it did promote good eating and even though I failed a lost a bunch of weight through it. I also felt better while training through it. This year I want to up the anti. I'm gonna include more things on the list and double the time. Two whole months of not eating the foods that I'll list below. I know those of you that read this will hold me accountable. Here is the list;

- Pop
- Burgers
- French Fries
- Chocolate (new for this year)
- Chips (last year this was my saving grace and would help the cravings, not this year I'll have to find somthing else)
- ice cream
- Candy (this also helped me get through last year when I had the sugar cravings)
- and anything deep fried

There is the list. This will be really tough, especially starting as lately I've been drinking pop nearly every day. Oh well I've had it on my mind for awhile now. Time to put it into action. Anyone who wants to join in the challenge or make up your own, feel free to post me on your own challenge.

Cheers

PS: Hopefully the timer starts ok since I put a futre date on it, and I hope Susan doesn't mind as I stole that idea from her blog.

new and old memories

This is one of my favorite triathlon pics. An action shot coming into T2 in a olympic distance race. I believe the year was 1998, I'm not totally sure of my times, somthing like 24 min swim, 1:07 bike, and 42 min run. I know this was my fastest 1500 swim, because it was in a river and you'd swim upstream on the outside(where the current isn't strong) then go out and swim with the current in the middle(where the current is strong). Some of my lane buddies would get pissed because they could smoke me in the pool, but in the race with the wetsuit I could hold my own against guys two lanes up from me. I loved having that advantage. This race was pretty hot so the run wasn't as good. Good memories. :) Cheers to makin more memories with new friends. Not so new anymore but friends that I didn't have back then.

I always dreamt of doing Ironman as I've posted many times before. I finally got to do it last year, the time is not so important on the first one. Although don't get me wrong I'm stoked about the time, that was a bonus. But I think the first one is just all about the finish, getting through the day and saying to yourself, "I did it!!!" Hopefully Curtis will feel the same and hopefully I can share in his victory on the day. I'd like to improve and improve a lot, but I also have to remind myself that things can go a lot dif. then last year. I still have to race the same way, be patient and save myself for the run. Make sure I take the proper nutrition and PACE MYSELF!! Wouldn't it be great if all of us could have a good day and go out and celebrate afterwards. Sharing the race stories, weather it's struggles to get through, problems during certain parts, or just plain aggony that you felt it's great to relate afterwards. Cheers,

Darryl

PS: Curtis says he figures swimming likes me now. Hmmmm I'm not convinced yet but we'll see, I don't give up that easy. I have to learn not to fight it, the water is my friend, the water is my friend, the water is my friend. I'm gonna repeat that while I swim.

I hate swimming and swimming hates me

Hey,

I had a crappy swim yesterday. Come to think of it, last weeks thursday swim was crap too. I go through these hate swimming phases ever so often. It'll pass, it's fine, it's just hard to keep going. Maybe I'll just swim twice this week to take a little break. I know Curtis will probably give me a hard time cause of this blog. He'll say somthing like but you're swimming so fast, forms looks good, blah blah blah. lol Well I still hate it, I don't get any faster, and somtimes I just hate it. Yesterday I quit after 1k, why? just because I felt like it. Then I went to the track and had a good run. Ran 5 miles with the last lap in each mile hard. The slow part at 8 min a mile(1 min lap). Then down to 40-42 min laps. It felt much better then the swim that's for sure. Anyways that's my rant for the day, I'll get through it, it's no biggie.

Darryl

Guess Who #3

This is from a few years ago and the picture is kinda faint but it should bring back some memories. Guess who the two runners are starting with the runner on the side with the wicked side burns. Then also guess the one in the middle in the dark outfit. Don't worry I got permission to post this. ;)

Crazy Cheat!!

Hey,

I'm posting this whole article on my blog I found this so dumb, brilliant, stupid, smart, funny, and interesting all at the same time. I really didn't think people cheated in marathons much anymore. This person obviously thought they had it all figured out. I guess they overlooked the fact that the male runner may actually look at his results. Go figure, I think I'd notice too if woman had my identical splits. Not that I don't get beat by many women just that I'd notice if any one person was with me the whole way, and ON TOP OF ME for that matter. Notice how they banned her indefinatly, I wonder if that means for life.

Ghost runner go new
Written by: Herbert KrabelDate: Wed Oct 17 2007

Two weeks ago long distance runner Kerstin Metzler-Mennenga (LIE) became a national hero after running 2:42:21 in the Berlin marathon. But all was not as good as it seemed. The time of 2:42:21 was the new women’s marathon record for the country of Liechtenstein but it soon appeared that she did not even run the race. As it turned out, the 26 year old tried to get herself a ticket for the 2008 Olympics through cheating. Metzler-Mennenga had apparently been visiting various running forums under an assumed name and looked for marathon runners who could run between 2:45 and 2:48 to assist in some scientific research she was doing. (The Olympic qualifying norm for the country of Liechtenstein is 2:48:50). She eventually matched up with a German triathlete and just before the Berlin marathon asked him to carry the scientific small pouch for her. The pouch apparently looked nothing like the actual marathon timing chip and the triathlete obliged. He then ran and finished the marathon in a very respectable time of 2:42:21. After the race as he looked through the Berlin marathon results, he noticed that a female racer apparently had run step for step with him and seemingly had hit all the timing mats at the same time. Not having remembered any female runner near him he became suspicious and reported the incident to the race organizers. The whole scheme fell apart and Metzler-Mennenga admitted the cheating effort. She has now been scratched from the Berlin marathon results and is banned from racing there again. Her federation also banned her from participating in any international competitions. After this revelation it also came to light that she had used a ghost runner in the 2006 Frankfurt and the 2006 Hamburg marathons. Via:

FAZ.net Berlin Marathon, September 30, 2007 (Results prior to the organizers scratching her) Results Men 1. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:04:26 2. Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:06:51 3. Salim Kipsang (KEN) 2:07:29 4. Philip Manyim (KEN) 2:08:01 5. Mesfin Adimasu (ETH) 2:09:49 6. Lee Troop (AUS) 2:10:31 7. Arkadiusz Sowa (POL) 2:12:00 8. Joseph Kahugu (KEN) 2:12:08 9. Tomohiro Seto (JPN) 2:12:21 10. Ignacio Caceres (ESP) 2:12:46 11. Teferi Wodajo (ETH) 2:13:15 12. Moses Arusei (KEN) 2:13:46 13. Rafael Iglesias (ESP) 2:13:47 14. Asnake Fekadu (ETH) 2:14:12 15. Myhaylo Iveruk (UKR) 2:14:49 16 Satoshi Irifune (JPN) 2:14:54 17. Scott Westcott (AUS) 2:15:02 18. Kurao Umeki (JPN) 2:17:26 19. Roman Kejzar (SLO) 2:17:26 20. Javier Díaz (ESP) 2:17:44 Results Women 1. Gete Wami (ETH) 2:23:17 2. Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:24:51 3. Helena Kirop (KEN) 2:26:27 4. Irina Timofeyeva (RUS) 2:26:54 5. Naoko Sakamoto (JPN) 2:28:33 6. Hayley Haining (GBR) 2:30:43 7. Rose Kerubo (KEN) 2:31:33 8. Leonor Carneiro (POR) 2:31:41 9. Angeline Flueckiger-Joly (SUI) 2:35:57 10. Eva-Maria Gradwohl (AUT) 2:36:21 11. Ana Casares (ESP) 2:36:58 12. Lilian Magnusson (SWE) 2:37:47 13. Mina Ogawa (JPN) 2:37:50 14. Rosemary Ryan (IRL) 2:39:31 15. Maja Neuenschwander (SUI) 2:40:01 16. Anja Smolders (BEL) 2:41:36 (17. Kerstin Metzler-Mennenga (LIE) 2:42:21*) 18 Denise Robson (CAN) 2:44:31 19 Eva Trost (GER) 2:44:54 20 Rebecca Moore (NZL) 2:46:31

Good work out yesterday

Hey,

Here's the actual work out post. Yesterday Curtis and I had a awsome end to our work outs. It started out a lil rough in the pool. I was late and the coach(I forget his name) decided to try to crush us since I think we kinda deflated his ego by finishing his previous work out. It was a longer work out and I was also late and having some stomach problems so it started out rough for me. I think Curtis was a bit flat too so we didn't quite finish. The swim ends at 9:30 and we swim a bit more after and end up outside at around 10PM for our run. We had wanted to do two loops(it's about 4 miles per loop with one big hill) but my stomach was starting to bug me. By the end of the first lap I was sure I'd stop since I felt like puking. We had slowed down quite a bit for me. It was such a nice night I wanted to keep going, so we kept running a little further with the thinking that we'd turn around the moment I felt worse. Well it started to go away so we kept running. The turning around point came and went, so we were definatly doing the full lap. My stomach started to calm down and we started to pick up the pace. By the middle of the lap and the top of the big hill we really started to pick it up and the pace just kept going up and up right till the end(it's down hill at the end) which we were going quite fast. We both felt great by the end and conclude that somtimes you just gotta let it go. We weren't going all out, but quite fast. Neither of us had a fast run in the schedule we just felt like finishing fast. We still have a long ways to go, but this was a good indicator of a good start. Later, time to do some work,

Darryl

Guess who #2

Here is the second Picture. Try to guess the race and the two runners in the pic. There's also a third runner that some of you may know, name him and you'll get bonus points. I had this picture for the longest time before I recognized anyone in it. Weird Lisa(the photographer) and I thought it was just a pic of the start, it was pure coincidence that I spotted them in the picture.

Race - 2 points

Runner #1 - 5 points

Runner #2 - 5 points

Bonus Runner - 10 points

Sorry this definatly favors some of you more then others. I'll try to pick some other pics that will balance it out. Cheers,

Darryl

Guess who #1

Lets play a guessing game. Who are the three people in this photo? I'll give you a hint, two of them are former World Champions. All of them are ironmans though which makes them super studs(in Curtis's non gay voice). :P This is the first part of a series of Guess who picture blogs. I thought it would be fun. This one will be super easy for you tri geeks, not all of them will be this easy. I'll give points for each of the people to name in the photo of the day. Keep track of your own points, or post them later. Also post your guesses if you like. :)

Left - 3 points -

Middle - 1 point (if you don't know this one hang your head in shame)

Right - 5 points

PS: Notice I'll give higher points for the more difficult ones. If you're a non-tri person and want to play message me and I'll give you better clues.

inspirational verses

1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Hebrews 12:1
[ God Disciplines His Sons ] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Some inspirational quotes from the Bible. I know not all of you are that religous, heck I don't classify myself as religous, but I grew up in a Christian home and these verses have helped me in the past. I used to know of a lot more then this. From reading Paul's letters I was convinced he was a distance runner by how many times he compared running to life. Anyone can see the comparison between life and running a race. Sometimes life tosses me a tough time, or struggle and I remember seeing mile 20 of a marathon. 6 miles can seem so short and yet sooooooo long when you're hurting. But in the end if you persevere, take it one mile at a time(one day at a time) we can make it through. Life can be 10 times harder then any race, the next time you feel like quitting remember mile 20 of a marathon. You just have to keep going, you'll see easier times and you'll get to the finish, and it'll be that much sweeter when you do cross the line. Cheers,

Darryl

Weights who knew?

Heya,

Training is going good, I'm not doing too much or too little, but I am progressing. I'm taking Cam's advice and not doing too much, but I am gonna hit the ground running when spring hits. One way to do this is to hit the weight room. I've told a bunch of people last year when asked why I don't do weights is; Why should I do weights when it's not the weights that make me faster, it's the swimming biking and running, that will essentually get me faster? Untill I'm able to get enough of the miles I won't do weights.

Well this year I figure I'm starting a bit earlier and not cycling yet(I hate riding on the trainer), why not do some weights and get my core strength up? I got a co-worker who does weights so he makes sure we're covering everything and I get a training partner out of it. Today we did an awsome work out, we did back and legs. I don't have the greatest core strength and if I were to pick a weak point it would def. be my lower back. Wow I could really feel it doing the one exercise. I'm not sure what it's called but you're lower body is held in place and your upper is suspended. Then you lower it down to the floor and back up again. You can add weight by holding a weight up against your chest. It's kind of like a backward situp. This will really help strengthen my back so I'll be more comfortable on the bike for the long rides. More comfort on the bike in those later miles means more speed and more aero riding. woooooahhhhhhhh.

Yesterday we did arms, then swam in the evening with Curtis and a 47 min. run after with Curtis. I'm lovin the different training program. I get bored following the same training routine and I have to change it up almost every race. I'm soooo happy to not be swimming in that crappy Bob Bahan pool near my house. The old people and noobs that get in your way all the time are soo annoying. Plus now I get to swim with other triathletes(especially Curtis) in the club and actually follow a work out. Cheers,

Darryl

AquaMan sighting

Hey,

I actually got a glimpse of AquaMan in training. He was seen here wearing a brand new DeSoto wetsuit. He looks quite comfortable not having to support his own weight wearing that thing.

Seriously it's been a blast training with Curtis the last couple weeks in the pool and some short runs before and after the tues/thurs swims. We have now started doing a 32 min. loop that starts at the YMCA that we swim at. I'm quite pumped about the early start to the swimming and am confident we will both be rockin by the time summer hits. Curtis especially has noticed some improvment and is more and more relaxed in the water. I/we are swimming 2-3 times a week. The pics above are taken on saturday when we went and swam on our own at the Y. I'm also running almost every day and dong weights even 2-3 times a week. This is new for me, I figure the weights will get my back in better shape and help me on the bike and swim. I'll try to do it through out winter then drop it as the spring/summer riding takes over. I hope to be able to afford a bike by then, but we'll see.

Good luck to Cam this coming weekend, I wish him the best as he goes to Kelowna and runs the marathon there. He's confident about his fitness and I'm sure his run will show it. Lay the smack down Cam!!! (I hope it's ok if I steal that line from Matt). I'll write more often as there is more to talk about, cheers,

Darryl