Should your roll-on keep you dry?

Although my training has not been going the way I planned it, I still managed to endure my longest ever treadmill run yesterday - a half marathon. I didn't break any records, but to finish inside 1h55m is not bad for my standard.

There was an Austin Powers movie on the screen in front of me, which helped me forget about the run for a while. In the end, though, I had to stop watching because the screen is so high on the wall that my neck got stiff from watching. After that I could only stare at the dashboard in front of me. And at the mirror.

After about two miles, the fat guy in the mirror was soaking sweat. In fact, my sweat was splashing in all directions, so the two treadmills on either side of me were just as wet as mine was. Interestingly, they were the only treadmills in the gym that were not being used.  But anyway, seeing myself and my nearest environment so wet, I started thinking about all the deodorant-ads we see on TV and in other media. I accept that many of them have powerful enough smell to hide the body odor caused by sweat. They may also be able to somehow affect the bacterial growth and bacterial breakdown which causes the body odor, but what I don't understand is how anyone can say that the roll-on keeps you dry.

Being a big-time sweater, I have throughout my 43 years tried countless different types and makes of deodorants/anti perspirants/roll-ons and what ever else they may call these products. Not once have I come across any such thing that really managed to keep me from sweating. But as I watched my own wet and somewhat sorry self in the mirror, I realized that I should be thankful that I have never found a roll-on which lived up to what they promised in the ads. Sweating is the body's way to regulate its temperature,   otherwise you would be suffering from hyperthermia. Sweating is a sign of health.

So, as I was jogging the last mile on the treadmill, I reached the conclusion that from now on, I will never buy an anti perspirant that is claimed to keep me dry.  You know, they might just as well say "this product paralyzes your sweat glands, making you susceptible to hyperthermia and consequent breakdown in health and possible death."

Treadmill running is so much easier when you've got something important to think about.

Positive self-talk - negative split

A few days ago I participated in a 30 km cross country ski race, probably one of the last ski races this season. It was originally scheduled to be just one 30 km loop, but due to bad weather the loop was shortened to 7,5 km, which we skied four times.

As I said, the weather was bad. Heavy winds blew the snow in our faces, the visibility was almost zero, my nose and fingers were almost frozen. What was worse, still, was that the blowing snow quickly filled the tracks, so they more or less disappeared. Luckily we could follow some orange sticks around the course, otherwise a lot of people would have got lost.

I was not excited at all about skiing in these conditions, but the organizers decided that the shortened track was safe enough for the race to go ahead. My brain was full of negative thoughts already before the start, and they only got worse after the race got under way. I was cold and miserable, tired and stiff right from the beginning, and just downright bored. I did not enjoy this occasion for one second; I really did not want to be there at all.

The thing about skiing many small loops instead of one big one is that, when things are going wrong, you are tempted to quit the race every time you pass the finish area. I only just managed to force myself to continue after the first loop, and as I approached the finish of the second one I had more or less decided to call it a day. Then, however, I remembered that there was a club competition going on. The club that accumulated the most kilometers (i.e. the combined distances skied by all the club-members) would win. So if I should quit, my club would loose 30 km. And despite all the self-pity I was feeling, I just couldn’t let my club down.

I continued. Reluctantly at first but then I started this little conversation with myself. I basically decided that since I couldn’t quit the race, I would ski the remaining 15 km the best I could.  It was time to try some positive self-talk. Step one was to force myself to smile and say “money in the bank, babe – money in the bank” over and over again. I just said it silently, mind you, only for myself to hear, but it worked. I started feeling a little bit better.  Other things like “I’m a polar bear, I was made for racing in conditions like this” and “lousy conditions may break others, but they make me stronger” may sound silly when you’re sitting in the comfort of your living room, but out there in the storm, it worked wonders. I felt the energy flowing through my body. I started passing people, which again gave me even more boost and I realized that there was still a lot of energy in the tank; I could still go faster.  When I finished I was so pumped up that I wished the race was 50 km instead of 30!

Although I usually don’t bother studying results lists too hard after my races, I couldn’t help but have a look this time. The intermediate times show that I had a negative split, i.e., I skied the last 15 km way faster than the first 15 km. Cross country skiing is – like other sports – very physical, but we should not underestimate the importance of what goes on inside our heads during training and racing.

My club didn’t even come close to winning the club competition. My 30 km didn’t change anything after all. But I’m still glad I didn’t quit.

Race of the Week: Norseman Extreme Triathlon

If you are shaped like me, 30 lbs overweight, this race will definitely help you get rid of all the extra baggage you are carrying (although it is probably wiser to lose it before you enter the race!). The Norseman Extreme Triathlon has been called the toughest triathlon in the world. And for a reason. You start by jumping from a boat into the 15,5-17,5°C / 59-63F cold waters of the fjord Hardangerfjord. The task is, obviously, to swim safely back to land. What awaits you there is a hilly bike course of 180 km. I have never tried this race myself, but judging from the course map, it looks like you have to do some 1200 meters / 3940 feet of climbing in the first 40 km or so. After that you get some 50 km of gradual downhill, then then some rolling hills before you end with a nice long downhill.

The run - a full marathon -  is on no ordinary triathlon course, either. Ok, the first 25 km are relatively flat, but in the last 17,2 km you have to endure an extremely tough uphill, taking you from some 200 meters / 655 feet above sea level up to 1850 meters / 6070 feet, at the top of the mountain Gaustatoppen.

As if the course itself is not tough enough, the weather up there in the mountains can be extreme; heavy winds, cold rain or snow. Therefore the organizers have developed a very sound safety process and strict rules regarding cut-off times along the way. Those who make it all the way up to the mountain will be brought down by an elevator inside the mountain. If the elevator is not working, they have to walk back down.

The price for the winner is the same as the price for the last person to make it to the top of the mountain, a fabulous black T-shirt!

The course record for the Norseman Extreme Triathlon is unbelievable, 10 hours and 30 minutes, held by Bjorn Anderson from Sweden. The female record is 13 hours and 13 minutes, held by Susanne Buckenlei from Germany.

For more detailed information on the Norseman Extreme Triathlon, click the link in the "Race of the Week" column on the right hand side of your screen.  See a video from the event here below.

Always got time for training?

My tri group had an extra swim session on Saturday morning, with a guest coach who had the challenging task of trying to improve our technique. Due to the nature of this session – short drills, lot of stops to listen to explanations etc – it was in no way very demanding physically. As I was driving home afterwards, I therefore decided that I had to find the time to put in another training later that day. The weather was horrendous, or to put it more positively, it was a glorious day for indoor training.  I have a bike trainer ready at home and there is a gym close by with tons of treadmills, so there shouldn’t be any problems.  You know what they say: if you want it, you can always find some 30 or 40 minutes for training.

I got home to learn that my younger kid had suddenly got sick and was throwing up like crazy.  About half an hour later the older kid started doing the same. My wife had to attend some fundraiser-charity thing, so I got to spend a “quality daddy-day” with my boys.

I won’t go into any details, but I spent the day sprinting with the kids to the bathroom, cleaning up the mess when they missed the target, and making sure they got enough fluid and had something in their stomachs for the next round of throwing up.

In the late afternoon, when my wife was back and the kids finally started to feel a bit better, I perhaps should have gone for my training.  But I simply couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was feeling strangely ill and was convinced that my stomach would strongly object any attempt to train. Instead, I sat down in front of the TV and watched cross country skiing and biathlon, and tried not to think about how far behind schedule I have fallen with the training for my first full marathon.

They may say that you can always find some 30 or 40 minutes for training. But they are wrong.

Short race = lactic acid tourture

I participated in a cross country ski race yesterday. Just a very informal, small-scale local club race with some 20 people. The distance, 3 km, was the shortest I have raced for several years and I convinced myself beforehand that this would be a peace of cake. It turned out to be just the opposite!

I arrived quite late so there was no time for warm-up. I just put two thin layers of kick wax under the skis and then went straight to the start line. The pace was furious right from the go and after just one minute or so, my arms and abs were already hurting as the lactic acid started building up due to ferocious (for my standard, mind you) double poling. It was such a relief when I finally got to the first uphill, because changing to diagonal stride gave me a rest for a moment. But only for a moment. The hill was long and as I desperately tried to hang on to the guys in front of me I felt the lactic acid accumulating in my hamstrings and thighs.  I could barely make it over the top and into the downhill. At this point, after less than one km, my legs were so stiff I could hardly bend my knees as I glided down. It only got worse from there, because soon my lungs started burning as well. I still managed to stay in 8th place (which was marvelous for me) right until the very last half km.  On the final climb my legs said “no thank you”  and my lungs said “we agree with the legs” so I had to slow down and just walk the last part of the hill. On the final flat stretch to the finish line my arms and abs said “we agree with the legs and lungs” so I guess I was a pretty sorry sight as I stumbled across the line.  Some six guys passed me on this last part, so I finished in 14th place. Still managed to keep a handful behind me.

I couldn’t believe the torture and pain I endured for such a short race. I know that shorter distances obviously call for much faster pace, and perhaps it wasn’t a sign of intelligence to skip the warm up. But my lesson is that at my age the body prefers long-distance-slower-pace races.

Race of the Week: Vitruvian Triathlon

First, just to have it clear: The “Race of the Week” doesn’t necessarily have to take place during the week it is featured here on this site. It may take place any day of the year, but I´ll feature it here basically as soon as it catches my attention. And such is the case this week, as I briefly introduce the Vitruvian Triathlon.

Staged in Rutland Water, Leicestershire, UK, the Vitruvian Triathlon was voted the event of the year by the 220 Triathlon magazine for three consecutive years, 2008, 2009 and 2010. In its inaugural year, 2003, this race attracted less than 250 participants, but now they have put the maximum at one thousand and are already fully booked for 2012, apart from some 20 charity places.

The distance is basically half-Ironman, with 1,9 km swim (2 laps), 85 km bike ( 2 laps) and 21 km run (2 laps). For those who do not feel they’re up to the whole distance, there is also a relay competition with each team consisting of three athletes.

I have never done this race myself, but a friend of mine has, and he gives it his best recommendations. The organization was great, excellent atmosphere before, during and after the race, and he especially talks about the bike course as one of his all time favorites, being very challenging, but in an enjoyable way.

With the 2012 edition of the Vitruvian Triathlon fully booked, this might be something to look forward to in 2013.

For further information, go to the race website by clicking the link in the "Race of the Week" column on the right hand side of your screen.

I surrender - I'm eating healthier now!

I never thought this would happen to me. Never. But it is official nevertheless – I’ve started my own personal healthy-eating campaign! Not that I’m going to interfere with other people’s eating habits, this campaign is aimed at myself only.

I actually believe that my diet is quite normal; it consists of typical “home food” – much of it quite healthy – with the occasional sweet treat and junk food days. However, in later years the sweet treats and junk food days have become more and more frequent, resulting in an ever increased pressure on my bathroom scale, despite my rather regular training.

For many years I have followed the rule of not letting my sports spoil my love for eating.  But although I find it hard to admit, my opinion on this seems to be starting to change. I have a few races lined up in the next eight months or so. A handful of long-distance cross country ski races, one aquathlon, one duathlon, a couple of short triathlons, possibly a half-Ironman distance triathlon, an uphill bike race, and my first full marathon run.  As I have said in earlier posts, I’m not a very competitive-minded man, so where I finish on the results lists is not a big issue for me. I am, however, some 30 lbs overweight so my worry is that if I go though all the races, plus all the training required, carrying so much extra weight, it might be damaging for my ankles, knees, hips, back etc. Hence the improved diet. As an added bonus, I've been told that each pound I lose will make my marathon time one minute faster.

I’m not turning into a fanatic though, and I’m certainly not going to be on of those look-at-me-I’m-eating-soooo-healthy people, who substitute their lunch for some slimy, green semi-liquid which looks like something has been dead in it for months. Smaller/fewer portions and less yeast will be my main focus, at least during the first stage of this campaign. The plan is to later decrease my consumption of sugar, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go. After that my diet will be varied and balanced. I believe that the middle road is healthier that fanaticism in all aspects of life – including the diet.