Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Top Ten: Who You Callin Tough?

Awhile back, I chanced upon an article on Sports Illustrated entitled 'The 25 Toughest Athletes'. Toughness, in the context of the article, pertained to anything from grace under pressure, to the ability to overcome injury and personal setbacks, to fighting through pain or just utter domination. This is certainly a bar-room type conversation which nobody really wins, but proves to be interesting nonetheless.

The article included some of the obvious ones like Tiger Woods (whose mental game is second to none), Kobe Bryant (who can dominate when he wants in Michael Jordan fashion), Rafael Nadal (he's just a grinder. Period) and Allen 'The Answer' Iverson.

There were a few more interesting names like Anderson 'Spider' Silva (Current UFC Middleweight Champion, best pound for pound MMA in the world), Fedor Emilianenko (One of the toughest MMA Heavyweights) and Floyd Mayweather (#1 Boxer in the world) - real world tough guys. The rest were a merry mix of athletes, who were mostly american football and hockey players. The lone Triathlete was Chrissie 'Chrissie Who' Wellington, 2 time defending Kona Champ.

Although up to a certain extent, I agree with the article, I'd like to make my own top ten of the toughest triathletes. The elites will always be elites, and there's no doubt how tough they are so I have chosen to highlight the ones who finish in the dark (most of them).

It'd be tougher than completing an Ironman to cut the list down to 10, so just allow me to pick some of my favorites. Here they are, all inspiring...in no particular order.

1. Dick and Rick Hoyt - Together, they have completed over 200 Triathlons, 60 Marathons, and inspired millions with their story. For the runners out there, Dick and Rick have the following personal bests: (Marathon 2:40, Half Marathon 1:21, 10k 35:48, 5k 17:40). Need I say more?

2. Sister Madonna Buder - She's the 'Nun on the Run'. The oldest woman to complete the Ironman Triathlon (at age 76). She has completed over 20 Ironman Triathlons since she started in 1982 (at age 52).



3. David 'The 100 Mile Man' Goggins - This weightlifter transformed himself into an UltraAthlete in months, won Ultraman (triple Ironman Distance) on a rented bike! Daily workouts include 20-30 miles of running, 50 miles on the bike and 90 minutes of weightlifting.

4. Jonathan 'Blazeman' Blais - Fighting ALS, he completed the Ironman at Kona in 2005, and became the first person with ALS to complete the Ironman. Although he did not need to, he log-rolled over the finish line, an act which those who race in his support, continue to follow. The next year, he returned in a wheelchair, and was only a spectator. In May 2007, he died.


5. Scott Rigsby - The first Double Amputee on prosthetics to complete the Ironman. Having no legs didn't stop this man from Tri-ing. Through his racing, he continues to inspire amputees and double amputees to look beyond their physical disability.

6. Brian Boyle - From Coma to Kona! It's difficult to sum up in a few words what this young athlete has done, but he escaped death a few times, and came back, learned to walk again, and eventually became an Ironman.



7. Sarah Reinertsen - The first female amputee to finish the Ironman Triathlon. She holds or has held world records at 100m, 200m, 400m, Half Marathon & Full Marathon distances. She is also the youngest member of the U.S. Paralympic team.

8. Jason Lester - Already an Ironman, Jason persisted through many obstacles, which included the loss of his family and a near-fatal accident which left him with one arm. He will be taking on a more difficult challenge this year - Ultraman Hawaii - a double Ironman distance held over a few days.

9. Marc Herremans - This once Elite athlete has bagged two top ten finishes with a best 6th at the Ironman World Championships. A near fatal cycling accident left him crippled from the waist down. Keeping his Kona dream in check, he transformed himself, and in 8 months captured the Ironman World Championship in the Handicapped Division.

10. Julie Moss - Julie's crawl towards the finish line at Ironman Hawaii in 1982 will always be remembered as one of the sport's most inspiring moments. Competing as research for her thesis in Exercise Physiology, she found herself in the lead but severely dehydrated with 2 miles left in the race. Her body had given up, but her mind and heart had not.

Now...who you callin tough?

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Love/Hate. This is the New Balance



LOVE/hate. Love Running More. This is the New Balance. New Balance could not have put it any better.

Six months ago, I hated running. Six months ago, I had never ever run for more than 15 minutes. Six months ago, I did not think my knees would hold up ... and yet this morning, I found myself staring down my very first 25km race.

The LOVE/hate relationship between running and I began as early as 6, when I started playing competitive soccer and basketball. I simply hated it. Fast-forward through grade school...high school...college - nothing changed. You see, I was more of the 'let's skip the warm-up and drills, and get right to the scrimmage' kinda guy. I loved sports...but I hated running.

A few months ago though, things changed, as I guided Hannah through the gates of her first 5k. A few triathlons, duathlons, an a ton of mileage later, and here I stand - a convert. Yes, I love running.

This morning's New Balance Power Race was very well organized. Extribe did an excellent job. There were aid stations galore, and the route was simply excellent. Kudos to the organizers for putting up possibly the best race of the year!

I have never run 25k ever, so I did not know what to expect. It's a good thing my buddy Drew promised we'd run together. We started off pretty slow, but as the crowd began to thin out, we began to pickup our pace. To pass the time, we were exchanging stories and goofing around with the people around us... before we knew it, we were at the halfway point (at 1:11:45 on my watch). At this point, I knew that even with a positive split, I was on route to make my 2:30 target. Drew, on the other hand, is Mr. Negative Split...which only meant one thing - one of us would have to budge assuming that we were to stick to our plan.

Long quick downhills and a few aid stations later, we found ourselves at the 21k mark (at 1:59). My legs were starting to shutdown at this point, and my knees were starting to feel the pain, but we pushed on. We went on to post a negative split and finished in 2:20 (unofficial - my watch). Mr. Negative Split got the better of me today - Thanks Buddy!

I used to hate running. Sometimes, I still do...but things change.






Here's one of the New Balance Ads - the LOVE/hate campaign - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kviG6cGzpTU

Monday, November 10, 2008

Play it Forward

I originally wanted to call this blog 'Play It Forward', this blog being about sharing experiences, hoping that readers would be able to take something from my experiences, and learn from it. Someone had already reserved the URL, so I just ended up with Positive Split.

This year's triathlon and duathlon season is coming to an end, and has been very fulfilling. Diving headfirst into the world of triathlon is no joke, and it would have not been possible, without the help of my fellow athletes. This entry is my way of P(l)aying it forward...giving back. I am no expert, but I have learned alot the past year, and I'm hoping you would too.

Here are some of my favorite tips & tricks, which are a culmination of what I've read (in books, magazines or on the Internet), what I've learned (through my experiences) and what others have taught me.

Learning
  • Research, research, research! There are a ton of sites and forums on the net, and a ton of Tri-bloggers to learn from. Also, there are always friendly people around who are always ready to give advice (sometimes unsolicited) - so don't be afraid to ask. See bottom for my favorite sites
  • Experiment! Don't be afraid to try out new things. Not all you read or hear will suit you. Also, if something works for you, however alien it may be, stick with it - for as long as it will not put you, or your body in danger.
Training
  • Make a plan and commit yourself to it! There are alot of training programs available on the Web. At the start of the week, plan out your training schedule, and try your best not to miss a workout.
  • Resist the urge to Overtrain! Although volume can do wonders, doing too much too soon will only result in overtraining. Resist the urge, listen to your body, and take a break once in a while. If you're following your program, chances are you're doing alright.
  • Mix it up! It may get boring and monotonous at times, so try and change things up. Swimming/Biking/Running the same distance at the same speed every time won't really help speed you up. Incorporate some Interval and Speed Sessions in your training program. Try Brick workouts too.
  • Join a Master Swim Class, Group Ride or Running Group! There's alot to learn from these people, and you will benefit most from a few workouts with them. Better yet, join a Triathlon Team.
  • Incorporate stretching, yoga and core workouts.
  • Maintain a training log - Jot down your workouts, what you ate, and even what you wore - it might come in handy one day
Equipment
  • Get a good pair of running shoes! Have your feet, old shoes and gait checked, and make sure you buy a shoe that's right for your foot
  • Get bike-fitted, or if you already have a bike, have a bikefitter adjust your bike so that you will pedal and ride efficiently, and avoid the aches and pains that is a result of a mis-fit.
  • Get a tri-suit, or worse case, a 2-piece. It will not only save time, but it will be comfortable. If you're not commited, you can start with trunks, and a top.
  • Get a road bike! You MAY not need a triathlon specific bike (contrary to what most people say), especially if you are targetting short distance triathlons & duathlons (with bike legs 40km or less). Research, ask for advice, then decide. If you have to borrow a bike for your first triathlon, do so.
Racing
  • Taper the week before the race!
  • Relax, and enjoy the race! You've done the work, so enjoy the race. Don't be too hard on yourself, especially on your first race.
  • Hydrate! Make sure you drink enough fluids (and have some Power Gels if need be). Even if you are not thirsty, drink water or Gatorade. For a Sprint Tri, have at least 2 water bottles on your bike, and make sure both are empty before you begin the run.
  • Finish strong, and smile! It may be difficult, but it will be worth it.
Keep on Tri'n Hard...and P(l)ay it forward!

Favorite Sites/Blogs:
Please feel free to provide your own tips & tricks :)