Wow...how much do you get to eat?

One of the common things I get asked about training for an Ironman is "how much food do you get to eat". So I though I would post an image of my food log. As you follow along with our site you will start to see that many triathlete’s (definitely Dave and I) are Type A personalities.

A few of the Type A characteristics are being impatient, excessively time-conscious, highly competitive, and incapable of relaxation.

So how do I exhibit these characteristics?

• Impatient: I am what I am…I really have very little patience…mostly with myself, but I am working on it.
  
• Excessively time-conscious: I hate being late for anything…I pride myself on being at least twenty minutes early. You know that thing called “The 20” at the movie theater where they show all the advertisements…I usually get to see it twice.
  
• Highly competitive: All I can say is I don’t like to lose and I don’t like being passed on a training ride!
  
• Incapable of relaxation: There is always something I can be doing…like training
  

So by looking at the food diary you can see that I don’t really eat much more that 2000 calories a day plus my workout calories. There are days where I splurge if we workout for more than three hours, but because I am constantly trying to lose a few more pounds I stick to a pretty strict diet.

Workout calories are calculated based on the amount of time we train that day. I typically try and take in 240-300 calories per hour once we exceed a 1 hour day. Once we stop working out, I try to get in a recovery drink like Endurox, Slim Fast or low fat chocolate milk. After a hard cardio workout, you always want to replenish your muscle glycogen levels. It will help increase your next-workout performance and reduces post-exercise muscle damage.

The Morning Run

Today was a long run day. We ran 9 miles this morning. Each week we will add a mile to our longest run for three weeks in a row. The fourth week we cut it back by 40% for the recovery week. Next Thursday will be 10 miles.

We ran a 9:50 minute per mile pace today. This lines up with our goal to run the marathon portion of the race at a 10 minute per mile pace. The weather held out for us this morning with only a few sprinkles here and there. I was not looking forward to having to run that distance on the treadmill.

The article written by the OC Register that ran on Saturday was also printed today in the local Brea paper and is supposed to show up in the Yorba Linda Star.

Dave and I are both excited about a meeting we had with Villa Fundamental Intermediate School in Santa Ana, CA on Tuesday. With the support of North America Sports' Adopt an Athlete program and Amie Kato, health and fitness teacher at the school, we are putting together a series of lessons for a health and fitness class. We will have the opportunity to interact with 7th and 8th grade students regarding the sport of triathlon, staying active, eating healthy, as well as setting and achieving their personal goals.

With the overwhelming use of computers and the internet, video games and television, children are spending less time participating in physical activities which is causing child obesity to rise. Our goal is to serve as positive role models for the class by sharing our knowledge and past experiences with the kids to show that participation in sports can lead to improved physical, mental and social well-being as well as a positive self-image.

Getting iron-strong will for a good cause - OC Register

Hey, we made the paper. Check out the article on 140.6 Miles in the Orange County Register.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/miller-elmore-society-1981374-training-iron

A week in Seattle

I spent the week in Seattle for work and had a great time, but my training schedule was way off track. Luckily I found a hill right by the hotel and I did hill repeats for two days. My legs where toast after the second day. The weather was great, it wasn’t to cold and it only rained a couple of times.

The plane on the way home was almost two hours late, but that’s not a surprise. We sat at the terminal for an hour as they tried to figure out in the left engine had an oil leak. Eventually they decided it was good and we where off. As we taxied down the runway a passenger noticed that the crew had forgotten to latch the engine cover down…so back to the terminal for another 45 minutes. Here is a short video of my trip>>>

I also wanted to wish Taylor and her family good luck tonight. They are hosting a charity event for Taylor tonight for 250 people in St. Louis. They are going to be playing the video we made for Taylor. Check it out here>>>

We have two new profiles added to our Motivation Montage this weekend. The first is Lucia, she is 17 years old and from Blackpool in the UK. She is 17 years old and was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on the 29th March 2005. See her profile here.

Our second new profile is of Chris and he is Manchester, UK. He is 38 years old and is in remission from Hodgkin's Lymphoma. See his profile here.

Do you need a little motivation to make a difference?

We have another new member in our Motivation Montage named Taylor Warren. She is 5 years old and living with High Risk B-Pre Cell ALL since September 2007. You can visit here profile to learn more about here by clicking here.

You can also get a taste of what Taylor is going through by checking out her video by clicking here.

Fun at the gym

Today was a swim/run day, fairly easy. At the gym at 4:30am and got in 2000 yards and then a 45 minute run on the treadmill. The pool was empty and a little warmer today, which is unusual but good.

No major events other that an uncharged iPod, an exploded toothpaste container in my toiletry bag (good thing I just shaved my head and I didn't have to try to get all the toothpaste out of my brush) and a one pair of MIA running socks.

We also have a new member in our Motivation Montage. Bianca is the cutest 4 year old little girl from New Zealand that is living with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since June 2007. Read more about Bianca by clicking here.

Online Charity Aution Is Almost Here

We have begun to collect the product for our online auction. We have received a ton of support from the triathlon and running suppliers. We hope to have the auction up the first week of March. Here is a sample of the products you will see:

Tri-Swim and Trislide productsYankz Shoe Laces (qty. 6)
Core Performance Book sign by Pro Triathlete Jessi Stensland
Runner Core DVD and Audio CD by Coach Al Lyman
Beacker Concepts HydroTail
Beacker Concepts SpeedFold
Beacker Concepts VasoSocks
Headsweats Ironman All Terrain
Headsweats Ironman Fast Splits
Rocket Science Sports Espresso/Ice Blue Elite Transition Backpack
Rocket Science Sports Red Real Jane/Joe Backpack
Rocket Science Sports Transition Mat
Rocket Science Sports Timing Chip Strap
Rocket Science Sports Red Race Belt
Rocket Science Sports Thermal Swim Cap
Rocket Science Sports Dimpled Water Bottles (2)
Clif Bar products
Trigger Point Plantar Fasciitis Kit
Road ID gift cards (qty. 2)

Road ID Firefly Super Nova Light
Coffee Bean Gift Basket
Kynesis Gift Basket
Motor Tabs products (qty. 6)
Endurance Films DVD’s
Nuun hydration tablets for a year (36 Bottles)

Sport Skirts BikeGirl Skirts (3 pair)

Spinervals DVD's (qty. 6)

Thanks again to everyone who has donated to our charity auction. If you are interested in donating a product of any type (does not have to be triathlon related) to the charity auction please contact me at chris@140miles.com.

You know you're in a hurry when....

...you are late for a ride and you change in your car....hmmm, something just doesn't feel right...whatever, I got to get going. About 10 minutes into the ride after sitting down from a climb you notice that your bike seat feel's really hard today...BAM, that's when it hits you. You are 3 miles out on a busy highway with no cover around for miles and you realize your bike shorts are on backwards.

What do you do? Well about 16 miles later I found a park with a bathroom. Won't make that mistake again...I hope.

Pool Tournament

All I can say is I lost in the first round to a girl who had never played before. At least I sank myself by dropping the 8 ball.

This is proof that I spend all my time training and not playing pool.

Dinner time!

We rode for 2 hours and 30 minutes today in Santiago Canyon. The weather was great. We both agree that we are out of hill climbing shape.

I was busy all morning and really didn't eat much all day, so tonight I am inhaling a whole lot of sushi. We are having a little crunch roll, baby lobster roll, spicy tuna roll, magic roll, and some tuna sashimi.

I fell pretty pathetic after watching this

So last year while training for Ironman Coeur d'Alene Dave and I would go down on Friday mornings and swim in the bay in Long Beach. We would get started around 5:30am just as the sun was rising. The water is always so cold but really glassy at that time of day.

It started off like any other morning with a slow shimmy into the water. I was swimming just ahead of Dave as I rounded the buoys and was now swimming into the sunrise. It really is an awesome sight seeing the sun glistening off of the water. About 300 yards in as I was coming up for a breathe I see a massive animal (this could be an exaggeration...I tried very hard to erase this from my memory) come busting out of the water about an arms length in front on me. I have never seen anyone transition into a backstroke and scream as load as I did. I think I woke the entire city of Naples.

As I began to hyperventilate I dunked my head into the water to see what it was. As I tried to look around I couldn’t see anything beyond eight inches of my face. So I made a mad dash for the shore and as I came running out of the water an Asian man walking on the shore had seen the whole thing. Very excited he shouted at me shea…shea….shea. A shark I said…no, no…shea. He had such an accent I couldn’t understand him. I eventually came to the conclusion that it must have been the local seal that hangs out in the bay.

They funny part was Dave never knew what happened. He just kept on swimming and I wasn’t about to get back in and tell him.

Later that day Dave told me he found the ancient Chinese definition of Shea on the internet. Shea: The act of screaming like a girl….ha, ha, ha.

So know you can watch the following video and see why I feel a light pathetic...