A Tribute to Mentors

It was sometime during the summer of 2006 when I was just beginning my endurance sport journey and was training for the 1/2-Iron distance Square Lake Triathlon when I became aware of the running group at work. It was neat how I was quickly taken under their wing and was provided with continual encouragement and advice (when requested).

I remember Gordy stopping by a couple of times a week asking how it was going and how I was feeling. I remember being excited to share my little achievements, like, 'I ran for 20-minutes today without stopping', or 'I ran a 5k @ a 10 min pace', or whatever.

I also remember sharing my aches and pains and being encouraged by the, 'oh that', you should try this...' response.

When I decided to run my first marathon, Grandma's 2007, it was back when you still had to fill out the paper form and send it in to register. I remember the group making sure I had the right info and was reminded to make sure to have it mailed right away. I remember the anxious discussions and wondering if I'd get in or not and how nervous I was once I did.

I remember the guidance I received on training plans, and once I settled on one, the pointers on what worked for them and what didn't. I was in awe of the knowledge they seemed to posses and the experience they had under their belt.

I remember being encouraged to make accommodations early and was happy that the group included me in their plans. The snow was still on the ground and running outside was just a distant dream when the reservations were made to stay at Spirit Mountain Campground, but I was excited nonetheless.

As race day approached and the last few long runs were being planned, I was grateful that the group worked together to plan the final 20-mile run about three weeks out from race morning. We ran the Cannon Valley trail that year from Cannon Falls to Red Wing, which happens to be almost exactly 20-miles. I remember that day and how nervous I was and remember the encouragement I received throughout the day and the reassurance that 'yes, you can do this'.

When race day finally did arrive, I remember how they knew exactly when and where we needed to meet to get on the bus, and where the best place to meet afterward would be and where the family should hang out to get the best opportunities to see the runners.

When the race was over and we were all completely spent, I was amazed by how they were genuinely excited about what I had achieved, and the interest they had for how the day went for me.

Over the past few years the group has changed and evolved, with new members being added and some being sidelined due to injury. New members are still encouraged and mentored and the wiry veterans are still providing encouragement and guidance. Even for some who have been sidelined due to longer term injury, they are always there to provide positive, reinforcing words, and a genuine interest in the activities of the group.

It is truly amazing to me in sports that are about individual competition and individual achievement how much TEAM spirit there is. You will not find another group of individuals so willing to share their experiences, their knowledge, a spare Co2 cartridge, or a hand in changing a flat. I've been blessed over the past few years and have had a variety of mentors in the sport and if I've learned anything from my mentors, I've learned that sharing your experiences with others, and encouraging others to obtain their goals is an integral part of the journey. I want to take this moment and thank those who have mentored me, it has been instrumental in what I have been able to personally achieve. Thank You!

2010 Road to Madison - All Aboard

By car, from my door step to Madison, WI is 268-miles and takes just about 4-1/2 hours (dependent on the number of rest stops and breaks along the way). But what fun would that be? Anyone with a car, $25 for gas, and a half-day can do that.

As with last year, the road I've chosen for us is much more interesting. It will take us nearly another 7-months and by the time we arrive at the starting line in Madison, we will have once again traveled a long but memorable road.

The fact is, to arrive in Madison prepared to finish this journey, we will swim 225-miles, bike 3,960-miles, and run another 935-miles just to get to the starting line.

This years plan also has a few stops along the way, just brief moments in time, opportunities to pause and reflect on our progress. Oh I'm sure we'll have a few additional unplanned stops along the way but here is what I've planned so far.


The first stop this year is new! Campwannrunamileormore - 1/2 Marathon, sponsored by Tri fitness. Now that's a mouth full. Tri Fitness is a great little store in White Bear that caters to the endurance athlete. Stop in and tell them that Miles sent you! The race takes place at 8:00 AM on 10 April @ Bald Eagle Regional Park, in white Bear Township. I leave later that day. Off to the UK for business, hopefully the exercise will tire me out and help me sleep on the plane.


Next, The Minnesota Ironman Bicycle® Ride, now in its 44th year, is the longest running century bike ride in Minnesota. This year I've registered us for the 100-mile ride again. I don't think I'll ever forget last year's adventure...read more. The event this year is on Sunday, 25 April. I've been trying to talk a few others into joining me. It would be nice to have someone to draft. The ride takes place in Lakeville MN, and is the official start to the cycling season in the upper Midwest.


Another new event on the schedule this year is the Oakdale Duathlon sponsored by Vacation Sports. The event is to be held on Saturday, 15 May. Over the past few years I have done several of Randy's events. They are typically fun, low-key, safe events. I take advantage of the earlier bird registration so these events have been extremely economical. The race takes place in the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The reserve is a beautiful 2165 acre square mile park with 80 percent of its acreage set aside for preservation and protection. This should be a great warm up for the first of my three A-Races which follow.


The first of my three A-Races for 2010, is the Buffalo Triathlon. The event takes place in Buffalo, MN, on 06 June. This race continues to be one of my favorites, the Buffalo Triathlon is an Olympic distance race, with the swim in Buffalo lake. Last year the weather was less then ideal. For a trip down memory lane click here to read more...

Sunday, 17 July,we'll be at Frank Murphy Park, on the Door County Peninsula, in Wisconsin for the 3rd rendition of the Door County half-iron Triathlon. This is my second A-Race of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed this race last year. This challenging Half Iron course begins with a 1.2 mile swim in the clear waters of Horseshoe Bay. The 56 mile bike route travels along Door County's scenic backroads, through the main retail district in Sturgeon Bay, along the shipping channel, out and back on a wooded back road and gradually ascends 200 feet up the famed Door County Bluff before returning to Murphy Park. The 13.1 mile run course takes participants north to the Egg Harbor Dock, up Harbor Heights Road, through the village of Egg Harbor, up the infamous Bluff Pass Road (200 foot climb in 1/2 mile), and through the stacked stone fences of Horseshoe Bay Golf Course before a downhill descent to the finish line.


The third and final A-Race of the year! The Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon. To read about last years event click here.

It goes without out saying, this is REALLY not the destination. Just as in life, it's not really about the destination, it's the journey that matters. Over the past few years I have met some amazing people, have formed numerous new friendships. I'm always amazed when I speak to others who have taken to the endurance sport life style with the excitement and passion they have. We are all in different places along our paths. Some of us are training to do our first 5k or sprint triathlon, others are on their way to Boston or Kona, and still others, just trying to find time to get out for a walk a few times a week. No matter where you are on your path, its okay, just keep looking, planning, striving for the next destination, and enjoy the journey!






So pack your overnight bag and join me. I promise, no 100-bottles of beer on the wall or A-Z car games on this ride!

Metabolic Testing: VO2max Testing - What's Your Number?

A triathlete’s VO2max number can be a good basis for bragging rights in the endurance sports arena. If you know this number, which defines your maximum aerobic capacity, and it’s a good number, you can talk trash while hanging at the pool edge, chatting in spin class or stretching on the track.

But as a measurement that originated in the second century with Greek physicians blowing into sheep bladders, is the VO2max really that valuable?

I've had a VO2max test each of the past three seasons. This year I had the test performed on both a treadmill and an electrically-braked cycle ergometer. My reasoning for testing has been to establish my training zones and particularly my AT (Anaerobic Threshold).

My goal as a Triathlete is to continue to improve, and unlike the professional athlete, I have a limited amount of time to train so I need to make sure that I get the most out of every workout. To me, improving means being able to swim, bike, and run faster for a longer duration.

I've been lucky and over the past few years have had some very knowledgeable Group Fitness Instructors at Lifetime Fitness. I've also spent time reading and researching a variety of training methodologies for endurance athletes. I wish I can tell you that I have found some magic formula but I haven't.

What I have learned is that at some point when increasing intensity during exercise, your body switches from burning fat as the primary source of energy to burning primarily carbohydrates. This point is referred to as your AT or Anaerobic Threshold. Why is this important? Well, I'm glad you asked. The average human body can only store about 1500 to 2000 calories of carbohydrate where as it can store upwards of 30,000 calories of fat. Even the leanest of endurance athletes have a nearly limitless supply of fat calories.

AT is also the point at which you begin to notice marked fatigue, and this marks the beginning of the end. Your muscles will soon lose the ability to maintain that intensity and you will either have to slow down, to an intensity below your anaerobic threshold, or stop.

To achieve our overall goal to swim, bike, and run faster / longer we must train our bodies to work at ever increasing levels of intensity for longer periods of time below AT.

Therefore, accurately knowing your AT is pretty important to your training.

There are several methods of determining your AT. A very simple method for estimating the anaerobic threshold is to assume anaerobic threshold occurs at 85-90% maximum heart rate (220-age). Unfortunately heart rate varies greatly between individuals and even within the same individual so this is not a very reliable test.

For the more experienced athlete, a time trial of a 10km run or 30km cycle at or close to anaerobic threshold can be used to determine AT. By simulating a race in training and recording heart rate, the anaerobic threshold may be determined. Alternatively, exercising for 30 minutes at the fastest sustainable pace can be used. The key is to sustain a steady pace which is why this test is more suited to experienced athletes who can gauge how fast to set off. A heart rate monitor with split time facility is required to record heart rate at each 1-minute interval. Take the average heart rate over the final 20 minutes as the heart rate corresponding to anaerobic threshold.

The most accurate way to determine lactate threshold is via a graded exercise test in a laboratory setting (1). During the test the velocity or resistance on a treadmill, cycle ergometer or rowing ergometer is increased at regular intervals (i.e. every 1min, 3min or 4min) and blood samples are taken at each increment. Very often VO2 max, maximum heart rate and other physiological kinetics are measured during the same test (2).

Blood lactate is then plotted against each workload interval to give a lactate performance curve. Heart rate is also usually recorded at each interval often with a more accurate electrocardiogram as opposed to a standard heart rate monitor.

Once the lactate curve has been plotted, the anaerobic threshold can be determined. A sudden or sharp rise in the curve above base level is said to indicate the anaerobic threshold. However, from a practical perspective this sudden rise or inflection is often difficult to pinpoint

So the bottom line is that whichever method you chose will have some inherit flaws. Personally, my lab results have not corresponded to the data I've collected from race day and time-trails. In fact the lab results are significantly different and are of no practical use for training. For me, recording my heart rate during race conditions at near maximal efforts has produced the most reliable results. This race day data seems to correspond to what I perceive to be AT. Since my lab results have been suspect I'll continue to use a combination of time-trial and perceived exertion to determine my Anaerobic Threshold for training purposes.

References
1) McArdle WD, Katch FI and Katch VL. (2000) Essentials of Exercise Physiology: 2nd Edition Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
2) Maud PJ and Foster C (eds.). (1995) Physiological Assessment Of Human Fitness. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics