Change the game

Since this is a triathlon blog, I'm not going to dwell on last night's thrilling national championship game between the Auburn Tigers and my alma mater, the Oregon Ducks. Oregon came back from the dead to tie the game up with just over two minutes to go. At this point, I think many were grabbing another beer and looking forward to an overtime period. Auburn proceeded to benefit from a tough call that resulted in a 37 yard gain and entered field goal range. The game was decided by a field goal as time expired. So what is the point of this post? Check out the ad Nike ran today.



The significance of what the Ducks accomplished by getting to the game last night, and nearly pulling it off, is not lost on me. Have they set a new trend? Fast, up tempo football that relies on incredibly fit athletes? Ask yourself, did you see Auburn running more up tempo than normal last night? The Ducks altered everything they did as a program when Chip Kelley (formally the offensive coordinator brought in by ex head coach Mike Bellotti) took the reigns. Practices were moved from the afternoon to the morning. Nutritionists were brought in, the strength and conditioning coach ("RAD"cliffe) was all of a sudden more important. Pylometrics, recovery drinks, core and band workouts, and an entire different weekly schedule was developed...all in the hope to provide our athletes with a physical and mental advantage over the competition.

As I sat on my couch last night watching the field goal seal our fates as second best this year, I was obviously sad. Yet, here was my school...from little Eugene, OR...nearly winning the national championship in college football. Primarily because we had a coach that changed our game, and possibly...the entire game of football. One thing was evident, the hybrid, what Auburn had...was enough to win. BUT, realize that they are just that...a hybrid of what Oregon helped develop. SO, this is supposed to be a triathlon blog. As I was laying awake last night I thought about everything this year represents to me in triathlon. It is all about changing the game. My workouts are much different this year. It is not just about putting in the miles or hours, put being incredibly smart about utilizing intensity, recovery, and volume to help achieve our goals. Ultimately, my goal this year is to become, "a master at the conservation and allocation of energy."

At least in my mind...to change my game.

-T

Resolutions

OK, so I mentioned in my last post that I don't normally make these. As I sit here on my couch, sick, I have decided to make one. As many of you know I struggle with asthma. I am also prone to sinus infections. Common cold? Turns into an infection. Sore throat, hey there sinus infection. What does all this have to do about resolutions? Well, when I contract a sinus infection, my asthma gets really bad. Although I have done and continue to do almost everything I can from a medical standpoint to reduce these infections, they still occur. So, my resolution this year is to try and eliminate these infections by doing one simple thing...Keeping a daily log.

Each day I plan on recording the following:
Training, including core and stretching
Diet, including alcohol if applicable
Sleep the previous night
Stress level 1-10 scale
Wellness level 1-10 scale
Morning weight

As the season progresses I am confident that keeping a daily tally of my activities will help my coach and I avoid illness when possible and recover faster when infected. Hopefully this helps. I am confident however that it won't hurt :)

Below are some pictures from our New Years eve ski the other day.

Check out that powder!!!

Meg setting the pace!

It was a beautiful day. Cold and sunny.

All smiles!!

I did good right?

-T

Updates

Wow, hadn't realized how long it had been since I had posted. To be completely honest, I believe that is because there hasn't been a ton to talk about. Christmas was wonderful. Meg and I had a wonderful time celebrating with our two families as well as just by ourselves. I'd been eagerly awaiting Christmas to come as I had the perfect gift for my perfect gal and I absolutely hate keeping secrets! Around Christmas I got sick. I took two days off, got back on the bike and then realized I probably needed more time off. Consulted with coach, and he had me take 3 days off. Today was my first day back exercising and just happens to be our first day of a 3 day mini vacation in Bend, OR. That means XC skiing!

Today's XC ski adventure included an extra 4 miles or so. All in the bride and I ended up pumping out 4 hours of nice aerobic effort on the skis. I absolutely love XC skiing. Great cross training. On the theme of cross training, Muddy has me still hitting the gym and doing some work with bands to help work the outside of my legs. Most of our movement in triathlon is forward and little side to side, yet that doesn't mean you don't work those muscles in preparation. We want to be properly prepared for our heavy periods of training. The last thing we need is the body breaking down as we get into larger/harder training blocks.

That's about it for now. I've seen a lot of resolutions out there for 2011. I don't really have a resolution, but I do have a mission this year...and that's to kick the shit out of IMCDA in June. Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Years!! We are off to have some awesome sushi before cracking open some nice Champagne back at the inn as count down to 2011. For what it's worth, we will be counting down to the Eastern midnight as we are old and just xc skied for half the darn day :) Thanks for reading,
-T

Anticipation

Nerves show that you care right? That is what we were told as kids as we hopped up onto start blocks at big swim races. I'm sure most everyone has felt it at some point, before a 5k, a pick up basketball game, etc. I remember when I first started triathlon, I couldn't sleep before a race. Period. Now I take Ambien before races. But, what about before the start of a race? I'm often asked what it feels like right before you start a big race like Ironman.

To be completely honest, the feeling is much different than it was during say my first year of triathlon. Even before races that I had to race sick, such as Boise, I no longer worry about the distances or conditioning, etc. The only real concern that drives some nerves before the start surround the bike. Tires pumped up to proper pressure? Set up in correct gear for leaving transition? I never worry about the swim because I'm a good swimmer. I think the swim is a real concern for most competitors. They just want it over. For me, I just want to get it started! I think that is what I feed off of going into the big races...the excitement of testing yourself against some of the best athletes in the world. I don't worry about anything else because I am there to have fun and I know I have prepared as much as I can for the day. What more can you do?

As Rudy Garcia's mom said though (Rudy is a paraplegic athlete that competed and finished Ironman Arizona last year) "What's bigger than Ironman?" As I was standing there in the water at Ironman Canada this past year, her words rang true. Bagpipes, 2500 competitors, thousands of fans, and a helicopter. This is what it's all about. As I prepare for another season of competition, I'm eagerly awaiting that feeling of anticipation leading into a race. It keeps me hungry and wanting more!

From a training perspective, Muddy is giving me two weeks of reduced volume to refresh and be prepared to start the New Year with a new block. I'm still feeling good and quite fit. Looking forward to spending some time with family and loved ones the next two weeks. Merry Christmas to all!

-T

Favorite time of year

Well, I guess that would actually be summer time, but the Holidays are not far behind on my list. Although winter in Oregon means lots of training indoors for me, it is also a time to surround myself with family and friends. When you are constantly trying to balance everyday life while throwing in Ironman training, this time of year is awesome!! Although volume and intensity is down this time of year with training, I enjoy the fact that I have extra time to spend with my friends and family. I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with some loved ones over the next few weeks!

Not much going in regards to training to report on. Still feeling strong and just waiting for the intensity to turn up! Pretty soon I will be back on consistent two-a-days and long weekends of training, so a little family time sounds pretty darn good right now! I almost have our house figured out for Coeur d'Alene. This is kind of one of the final "big items" to cross of the list early on in the Ironman season. Lodging goes quick, so you need to be on top of it! Plus we will have a fair amount of people coming this year it appears so I'm hunting for a good size home. I guess that's it for now. Thanks for taking the time to read.

-T

One month down

When I was sitting on the beach in Hawaii this past September I made myself a promise: 6 months of complete dedication and commitment to arrive at Coeur d'Alene for my third Ironman race this coming June...in the best shape of my life, with the ultimate goal of going sub 10 hours and make a run at qualifying for the World Championships in Kona. I hired a coach (thanks Erich!!), have a bike fit coming up for some fine tuning, and gained entry into the premier triathlon racing team in the Northwest (they had 9 athletes at Kona this year). Sitting there watching the waves break in front of me, with a beautiful bride on my side, I thought about what it would take to make this happen. All the aforementioned changes/adjustments, are only part of the puzzle. The rest is up to me.

So the other day I finished my first full month with my new coach, and my new mission. Although if you are looking at a calendar, the 6 months don't really start until January. And that's something Muddy and I discussed. That being said, your body needs to be prepared to make it through that 6 months, without distress. This is a tough thing to do. I have a good couple of years already in my body so that's a start, and Muddy has set me up with a plan for the first two months that is pretty easy to follow (and low stress/impact) yet already has me feeling fitter than ever as of Dec 1st. I will flip the calendar into the new year in better swim and run shape than ever at this time of year, and my bike is right there as well. Yet my volume is down, except on the swim.

So here is month one down. I guess now I officially have 6 left...until taper!

-T

A patient wife...

If there is one thing that is required beyond all else when training to become an elite Ironman competitor...more than desire, work ethic, pain tolerance, etc...is the love and support of your family and friends. In particular, your partner in life. I'm lucky enough to have the best little lady around! We were recently watching Modern Family and there was this part where the older father is yelling at his wife and son as they are late to a birthday party, "Let's go, let's go, let's go!!!" I was instantly told that this was me! It's true, I'm always in a hurry. Seriously, always. You might think I'm impatient, but you would be wrong - in my opinion :)

Here is the deal. I have a lot to balance. We all do, I know. But for me, I wake up every morning with a fair amount of work and training staring me in the face...on top of domestic responsibilities. You should watch me post work, pre dinner. I'm a machine when it comes to my training routine and dinner prep. But in all honesty, if I'm not then a minute here or there turns into 15-30 and all of a sudden I have even less time to spend simply sitting and talking/hanging out with my wife and or friends. Also, you can say I have a "hungry monster" so we are always avoiding blood sugar crashes around the Yates' house. Let's just say Meg makes me travel with snacks!

So, in conclusion...I might be slightly impatient, but I feel like I'm extremely organized :) Right, wrong, or other, I have the most supportive wife in the world who loves me for who I am. When I'm out there training late at night or early on a weekend and want to cut a workout short or simply skip one altogether, I think of this woman and her dedication to my pursuit to chase my dreams. I hope you are all happy and healthy. I would also like to congratulate Trevor D on becoming an Ironman at Arizona the other week! I have yet to meet you in person bud, but it's been fun following you along on your journey. Congratulations on a great race, you should be proud.

-T

In Oregon, you can cut your own tree down!! $5 and a fun filled day :)

Race Schedule

Well, I've spent a lot of time trying to nail down a schedule for this upcoming year. For me, it's a little easier than years past as I know what my key race will be, IMCDA in June. I will try and get in 2 triathlons prior to Coure D' Alene. I'm looking at a half Ironman in April down in California and hopefully an Olympic race 3-5 weeks out from CDA. Beyond that, I hope to get in some 5 and 10k races during the late winter, early spring and mix in some road racing (bike) potentially. After saying this though, my schedule will be determined with the help of my coach. I have committed to putting everything I have into the next 7 months and this includes utilizing the experience and guidance of my coach.

Speaking of my coach, it is wonderful to have someone else preparing my workouts for me! I didn't realize over the past few years how much time and energy I was spending trying to put together workouts and yearly schedules myself. Furthermore, it helps me stay focused on putting 100% into each workout because I don't want to waste anything, including the commitment I have made to my plan, my health, and my coach. 3 weeks with Muddy at the helm and I can already say that I feel like a different athlete. Sure, I'm in better shape than years past at this time, but something is different. My workouts are sharper, my mental state is more focused, and overall I just feel more confident leading into the new year. This is a great place to be in. Thanks for taking the time to read,

-T

Holidays approaching!

One concept that I hear from time to time is, "must be nice to eat whatever you want and stay (insert your fit/skinny/slender, etc adjective here)." Truth is, you are what you eat. And furthermore, your body is an engine...if it was a race car would you fill it with regular unleaded? Of course you wouldn't. Heck, same logic goes for a nice sedan. So yes, I can eat whatever and would probably maintain a certain waistline, up to an extent. But my goals in triathlon goes beyond a waistline or appearance, I want to perform. So I watch what I eat, consistently. To give you some perspective...

I stay away from processed foods whenever possible, natural and organic. I don't drink cola, except during races. I will drink diet cola, but try to limit this when possible. Sweets, after the calendar turns the page to a new year, you will probably not see me order a desert at a restaurant. I do eat low fat ice cream at home as a treat though. I try and eat lean cuts of meat whenever possible and stay away from chicken thighs, fatty cuts of steak, etc. Pizza is a weakness of mine so I allow myself to have it every so often, but ask for half the cheese. And as far as cheese, I don't eat it unless it's on pizza. Out to breakfast, I'm that dude, the one ordering egg whites. Vegetables and fruits all day long. Alcohol, like a lot of other people, I enjoy our local wines and micros. Post January 1, I limit my intake. If I'm going to have more than a beer or glass of wine, it's a weekend and I'm slamming water before bed to try and rehydrate before my workout in the morning. And finally, water, sleep and vitamins. Repeat daily.

So, at the end of the day, I try and fuel my body with proper fuel that will help my engine preform to a level that it's capable of. I don't eat whatever I want, but I also don't feel guilty if I have a steak from time to time (great iron content!) for instance. With the holidays approaching, I make a concerted effort to balance my diet and yet still enjoy a few escapes from the daily diet. Thanks for taking the time to read!

-T

Time to blog

Well, I haven't posted in a while. Why? Well, things have been pretty dull around the Yates' house. Actually, not really, but...in terms of training they have. And it is in training, and racing, that I get my inspiration for writing. So what's new? Actually, a lot. I celebrated a birthday the other day. Yes, I am older. And getting older by the minute. This kind of sucks when I relate it to triathlon as I'm in the second most competitive age group for Ironman racing right now. The most competitive is the next one! Oh well, if I didn't like competing than why do this right?

Other news. I have a coach. I am no longer coaching myself with the assistance of my father. I am professionally coached. I interviewed a few coaches and talked with a few athletes before reaching my decision. Ultimately, I ended up going with http://www.coachmuddy.com/. I had read about Muddy prior to hearing about him through a friend and fellow athlete so I was already aware of his reputation, but I must saw it was my friend Erich that really helped me pick up the phone and call Muddy. Erich is a phenomenal athlete that has had great success under Muddy and had nothing but great things to say about him and his programs. After talking with Muddy for nearly an hour over the phone the other night, I knew he was my guy. He cares about his people. He understands the sport. And he is incredibly passionate about the sport and his people. I am in my second week of "Muddy training" and can assure you that I am ecstatic with my decision. If you are thinking of a triathlon coach, please consider this individual. All levels.

Second announcement: I will be racing with a new team this year. Since moving to Wilsonville (South Portland, OR) a few months ago, I realized I was going to have a difficult time continuing to rely on Life Cycle in Eugene for my bike and triathlon needs. Furthermore, I wanted to be apart of a team. Here I am trying to make a run at Kona, I want to be surrounded by people with the same ambition. Enter the Ironheads. I'm happy to say I was accepted to become a member of their racing team the other day! If you live in the Portland area and have never heard of them, check them out!! http://www.ironheadsmultisport.com/ These guys are legit. They sent 9 members of their team to Kona this past year, the most in the NW I believe. I am extremely exited to be racing under the Ironhead logo this upcoming year!! It will be great to be able to train and race with the some of the most elite age group athletes in our region on a consistent basis.

Beyond that, everything else is pretty much the same. Muddy has me doing weights so my legs are tired! I was counting laps in the pool this morning while following the black line and again asked myself, "Why?" Why the hell do I do this? I spend all this time, energy, and money to suffer. Months and years of my life for one day. Maybe two, in one year, where I peak. I put all my energy into one or two races each year. Why? Because there is no greater feeling than to have committed 100% to something and seen your commitment through to the end. I have another year or two of Ironman racing before family comes first. I absolutely love the challenge and despite the fact IMCDA is over 7 months away...I was thinking about the marathon today. Bring it on.

-T