A New Entrepreneurial Adventure

Over the past few weeks the frequency of my blogging has definitely taken a hit, but honestly for good reason.  You see, I have been busy working on a new project called My Athletic Life.  It is a website which will bring together content from some of the best writers, bloggers, and subject matter experts in athletic development and provide a community for athletes to share their goals, training plans, and successes.

If this sounds interesting, please check it out.  We will have a steady stream of content that is updated nearly every day.

You will also be able to keep track of us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter.

An Overview of My Training Plan

As I discussed in Pursuing Difficult if not Impossible Goals, I would like to run a sub-60 second 400m dash sometime before the end of 2012.  While it would be great if I could achieve my goal sooner, I don’t think it is realistic to expect to do so as 1) my current best time is 75 seconds and 2) my overall level of fitness/strength is still pretty poor. 

For those of you that know me well, you will not be surprised to learn that I have read a tremendous amount about sprinting over the past few months.  I guess it is part of how I get comfortable in doing something new (I try to gain knowledge and insight from others).  Specific to my training plan, the most valuable article I have read is called Masters Track is like a Car:  It’s Mileage, not Age that Matters.    Here are the seven recommendations the author makes for someone a bit past their prime entering the world of track and field:

1)      Get fit first:  I believe CrossFit is providing a great help in meeting this goal.  My guess is this part of my training will take at least 6 more months (before I have a solid base).

2)      Lose weight and regain flexibility & range of motion:  I definitely don’t need to lose any weight as I am 6’1” and 165 lbs; however it clearly wouldn’t hurt for a few of those pounds to be additional muscle (and less fat).  As to range of motion, I will continue to improve on that with specific shoulder and hip mobility work as well as a lot of dynamic stretching drills.

3)      Strength, speed, and explosive power are synonymous:  Out of all of the areas, I believe this one represents the largest area of upside for me.  Honestly I am surprised that my current 400m time is 75 seconds given how weak I am on squats, deadlifts, cleans, presses, etc.  As weight training is a big component of CrossFit, I don’t anticipate doing a lot of additional strength work outside of the gym with just one exception.  I plan to make core work part of my daily plan independent of my gym workouts.

4)      Recovery is king:  Check – I think I am getting very good sleep (about 8 hours per night), and making sure that I am not trying to train too much (my current CrossFit schedule is M, W, F).

5)      Nutrition is queen:  Check – see My So-Called Healthy Diet for more information on what I eat and why.

6)      Train on grass….  Surfaces, that is:  I am not sure it is realistic for me to try and do my entire sprint training on grass; however the principal of minimizing the impact from running on hard surfaces is a huge priority.

7)      Growth hormone and testosterone, naturally:  Focusing on #1, #3, #4, and #5 will encourage my body to produce these substances in abundance without resulting to supplementation.

As you read the list above, you may be wondering about the specifics of my sprint training.  Honestly, without a lot of improvement in areas 1-3 above, sprinting at a fast pace is good way for me to injure myself.  What I will do specific to my 400m goal is to focus on sprint speed drills (A skips, B skips, hurdle mobility, etc) as well as sprint technique work (learning proper mechanics to be more efficient and not waste energy).  If you think about speed as a learned skill, as opposed to a purely innate ability, performing LOTS of drills that retrain your brain about how to coordinate the complex movements of sprinting should be hugely beneficial.

As the title of this post suggests, this is simply meant to be an overview of how I am approaching my training.  Additional details about specific track workouts, including different types of speed and tempo runs, will follow shortly.

photo credit: tableatny

Pursuing Difficult if not Impossible Goals

With few exceptions, I tend to work at things for which I show some aptitude or ability. I am willing to establish goals only when it is clear that the effort required is not overly taxing. It is only during the past few months that I have recognized this about myself and it doesn’t make me proud.
Being physically fit is something that most of us would like to achieve; however for me (and likely some of you), it is something that is difficult and requires a lot of work. I am now about 3 months into my CrossFit experience and showing steady but not spectacular progress. In other areas of my life this would likely have led to some serious rationalizing about how this activity isn’t important or necessary. NOT THIS TIME!

UNC Track Camp

Neil running with coach Smith

A few months ago Jenny and I signed the boys up for a 3 day track camp that would be taught by the UNC track coaches along with help from several team members.  Neither of us thought that Neil and Evan would suddenly be transformed into 8 year old track stars, but rather our hope was that they would be inspired by being part of that setting.  After three days of hard work, my kids blew me and my expectations away.

I had assumed that there would be a wide range of ages represented at the camp (the reality was a bit different).  After Neil and Evan, all but one of the campers were in high school.  Initially I was concerned; however it turned out to be a huge advantage.  A coach or track team member was CONSTANTLYgiving the boys one-on-one help and encouragement.

Evan preparing to jump

With Father’s Day as a backdrop, I can honestly say that I have NEVER had a better parenting moment (or moments) than watching my kids in this environment.  This isn’t to say that they were or became gifted athletes, but instead their attitude and enthusiasm were absolutely infectious.  The love and genuine appreciation that was shown by the coaches, team members, and other campers toward Neil and Evan was powerful and palpable.  When I thanked one of the coaches for the special attention he gave the boys, he remarked, “Are you kidding – they made the camp.”

Everyday Paleo Review and Contest Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered the June Fitness Challenge by posting a goal for the month and also to Sarah Fragoso for providing a signed copy of her book, Everyday Paleo.  As promised a winner was selected on June 1 (congratulations to Donovan, my buddy from CrossFit Local Boot Camp).  Honestly it is somewhat surprising that we were able to pick a winner given that we were pulling the names from a Chicago Cubs baseball hat.  

For those of you that didn’t win, seriously consider purchasing Sarah’s book – it is a great resource for folks new to eating a Paleo diet or for encouraging family members to get on board, especially kids.  There are suggestions on what foods to stock your pantry with, color photographs of each recipe, and a 30 day family meal planner to get you over the initial hump. 

My family has already sampled the “Pecan-Crusted Chicken” recipe and it got thumbs up from everyone.  This week we are planning to try the “Spice Rub Slow-Cooked Chicken” and also the “Marvelous Meatballs.”  Yum!

And Everyday Paleo isn’t just an outstanding cookbook.  It contains an introduction to Paleo from Sarah’s point of view, including her personal struggles and challenges.  For me, Sarah sharing her story (both the good and the bad) is what makes the book so compelling.

Lastly, the book contains about 70 pages of basic fitness routines.  By basic, I don’t necessarily mean easy, but rather exercises that can be done in your home with little, if any, additional equipment.  And like the section of the book focused on food, the fitness section is geared toward family participation.  Getting family buy-in on things like food and fitness can be incredibility challenging, but Sarah definitely has some excellent tips for making this easier.

June Fitness Challenge – Win a Signed Copy of Everyday Paleo

In no way do I want to nag or harass anyone about setting fitness goals, but I do have a challenge (if a little extra incentive might help).   

For the month of June, I challenge you to pick a fitness goal that you feel is achievable and will move you towards better health.  For some of you this may mean beginning an exercise program, it may be to simply walk X miles during the month, or it may be something much more advanced.

Please post your goal in the comment section below.  For those of you that participate by publicly posting your goal, you will be eligible to win an autographed copy of Sarah Fragoso’s new book, Everyday Paleo. 

Also, please let me know if you shared this post and/or provided a link to it on your blog.  For each of these activities, you will receive additional chances to win the book (the winner will be selected on June 1).

Reflections on My CrossFit Boot Camp Experience

A few weeks ago, I posted that I had signed up for a one month boot camp at CrossFit Local.  With one more day to go I wanted to offer a few thoughts about the experience and my exercise plans for the coming few months.

• Boot camp was incredibly challenging in spite of my belief that I had built an OK base of conditioning doing Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint for Fitness (PBF).  That isn’t a negative against PBF, but rather on me for doing it incorrectly (taking rests between each movement).
• 6:15am is too early for me to exercise.  Even though I was getting up only 45 minutes earlier than normal, my body wasn’t quite primed to work that hard.
• After the first few sessions, I was INCREDIBLY sore.  That subsided but I was still tired on the day immediately following the workout.
• Without a doubt, my fitness level improved during the month, and I learned to pace myself better.  The proper pacing (in my opinion) is at about the effort level you would use to run 2 miles, not a 400 meter sprint.
• I found muscles (i.e. soreness) in my upper back that I never knew existed (from using kettlebells).
• Most of the boot camp exercises were based on bodyweight movements; however “real” CrossFit incorporates much more of a strength training component using free weights.

The verdict:  I have signed up for the next step which is a Foundations class.  Over the course of a few weeks, I will be introduced to the remainder of the CrossFit experience in preparation for  the normal Workout of the Day (WOD).   Probably the biggest reason for me to take this next step is for accountability.  Yes, I could do much of this at home (for free), but would I push myself as hard?

More luck will be needed!

photo credit:  Biggunben

CrossFit Day Zero

photo credit impicard

Tomorrow it begins – at 6:15am to be precise.  Thanks to the Daily Deal at Groupon, I am signed up for a one month “boot camp” at CrossFit Local.  Normally $150, this 12 session, structured introduction to CrossFit was priced right at $39.  What a deal!

As some readers may recall, I have been following Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint for Fitness for a couple of months (with good success).  CrossFit is similar in that the focus is on short duration, high intensity workouts that improve overall functional fitness.  The benefit to CrossFit is that I will be receiving regular instruction and community support.

So it is with excitement AND apprehension that I am approaching tomorrow morning.  I believe my overall fitness level is still pretty abysmal; however it has certainly improved, hopefully enough to get me through a tough workout.

Wish me luck!

Fitness: Inspiration and Humility

Regarded by many as the godfather of fitness, Jack LaLanne passed away last week at 96.  I have never seen any of the 3000 episodes of his television show, and before last week I didn’t know much about the man.  However, after a quick scan of the internet, I am pretty sure the “godfather of fitness” label is absolutely correct. 

At 42 he set the world record for pushups:  1033 in 23 minutes (on television).  At 45 he completed 1000 pushups and 1000 chin-ups in 1 hour 22 minutes.  At 54 he challenged the 21 year old Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwartzenegger, to a chin-up competition and terminated the Terminator! 

The picture above is Mr. LaLanne at age 90, an inspiration for us all.

As I mentioned in this previous post, I have been running sprints every week with my family.  I knew I hadn’t set any records, but I was happy with my improving times.  Curiosity got the best of me, so I looked up the USA Masters Track and Field Rankings for 2010.  Let’s just say the men’s 400 meter champ (age 80-84) has me beat, as does the women’s champ (age 70-74).  Ouch.  And Wow!

How do you stack up?

Age Group	400 Meter Men	400 Meter Women	100 Meter Men	100 Meter Women
40-44	50.28	57.26	10.99	12.67
45-49	49.77	59.97	10.86	12.29
50-54	49.85	1:06.77	11.39	13.11
55-59	54.80	1:07.76	11.57	13.77
60-64	55.37	1:14.98	12.29	14.49
65-69	58.01	1:21.89	12.48	14.70
70-74	1:04:80	1:20.44	13.24	14.60
75-79	1:13.47	1:25.40	14.27	16.15
80-84	1:19.23	2:37.19	15.49	21.45

 

I find it humbling that Jack LaLanne did more than 50x the number of pushups that I can do.  Equally humbling is the fact that several 80 year old men and 70 year old women can beat me in a lap around the track.  In spite of that, I am inspired by their accomplishments and even more motivated to keep improving.