Hello all,
Today marks the 9th month of my crash back in last July, and the start of my trip from hell. For those of you who do not know my symptoms and ailments, my TBI(Traumatic Brain Injury) is causing me to lose my vision, gives me constant migraine cluster headaches, and is building inter-cranial pressure. Doctors I have been seeing have tried nearly every treatment for me so far, to no avail, and my body is unable to tolerate the massive amounts of drugs being forced into me to try and alleviate my symptoms, any longer. So, as of now, it has been a long time since I've blogged, trained, or really, done anything related to triathlon recently. Motivation and drive is crippled as pain takes over your mentality, incapacitating you from doing anything you try to put your mind to.This has brought me to an inner conflict over the past weeks and months, because as the drugs wreak havoc on my body, they also torture the mind. As I've battled with my thoughts and feelings and pain, I have come to the decision that I will retire from the sport of triathlon.
For the time being, I need to focus on battling this mental disease, and if I regain my health, then make a return to sport. But for now, I will not be racing any longer, and training has stopped completely. My body needs time to rest and recover and heal, and hopefully by taking off a year or so, it will have recuperated. This has truly been the most difficult decision of my life, and I hope and trust I will be able to come back from it. I love all of my followers for your continued support and encouragement, and I sincerely hope the best for all of you in the upcoming season.
Happy training, guys.
Through all our races, you've gotta have some fun out of it. This is my first time just casually swimming in White Lake.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Yurbuds!
Hey guys,
As I've moved more training time into the gym, I've found that you need a good pair of headphones to help you get through painful, muscle burning exercises. I was using some off brand headphones that wrapped around your ear, and they worked alright, but they kept hurting because they were in my ear too long and pulled on my earlobe. So, recently, my friends over at Yurbuds sent me a model of their headphones that would save me all of my problems: The Inspire Duo. This pair of headphones is amazing, to say the least. They don't tangle, because the wires are wrapped in cloth, and they have Yurbud's Twistlock technology to ensure that they never fall out. The headphones, made of silicone, are very comfortable and don't hurt your ears, and they are designed to be worn in any conditions, and so sweat and rain don't affect their sound or performance. They're a great headphone, and they've already made a lot of my workouts a lot more bearable, getting me through hard sets and helping me push through the pain. And they don't lie either-I was exercising on a shoulder press and my phone, which I was using to listen to music, was on my lap and I forgot about it. I stood up, and my phone fell off my lap and towards the ground-but it never hit the ground! My Yurbuds were in my ears and they don't fall out-period. It took the full weight of my phone falling towards the floor and caught it and stayed put in my ears-pretty crazy. They are great headphones and I recommend you go out and try them sometime!
In fact, I'm going to do a giveaway of two pairs of Yurbuds-the original Inspire-one for men and one for women. These both have a retail of $29.99 and are a fantastic pair of headphones! The Inspire headphones have Twistlock technology, allow ambient sound in, are made from that soft silicone, are sweat and water resistant, and have amazing sound quality!
Comment below with your favorite race mantra-I'll pick a winner on March 2nd! Comment and share this around. Good luck!
Happy training guys!
As I've moved more training time into the gym, I've found that you need a good pair of headphones to help you get through painful, muscle burning exercises. I was using some off brand headphones that wrapped around your ear, and they worked alright, but they kept hurting because they were in my ear too long and pulled on my earlobe. So, recently, my friends over at Yurbuds sent me a model of their headphones that would save me all of my problems: The Inspire Duo. This pair of headphones is amazing, to say the least. They don't tangle, because the wires are wrapped in cloth, and they have Yurbud's Twistlock technology to ensure that they never fall out. The headphones, made of silicone, are very comfortable and don't hurt your ears, and they are designed to be worn in any conditions, and so sweat and rain don't affect their sound or performance. They're a great headphone, and they've already made a lot of my workouts a lot more bearable, getting me through hard sets and helping me push through the pain. And they don't lie either-I was exercising on a shoulder press and my phone, which I was using to listen to music, was on my lap and I forgot about it. I stood up, and my phone fell off my lap and towards the ground-but it never hit the ground! My Yurbuds were in my ears and they don't fall out-period. It took the full weight of my phone falling towards the floor and caught it and stayed put in my ears-pretty crazy. They are great headphones and I recommend you go out and try them sometime!
In fact, I'm going to do a giveaway of two pairs of Yurbuds-the original Inspire-one for men and one for women. These both have a retail of $29.99 and are a fantastic pair of headphones! The Inspire headphones have Twistlock technology, allow ambient sound in, are made from that soft silicone, are sweat and water resistant, and have amazing sound quality!
Comment below with your favorite race mantra-I'll pick a winner on March 2nd! Comment and share this around. Good luck!
Happy training guys!
Monday, January 6, 2014
Good News!
Hey guys,
So, as of this week, I got a very nice surprise in my e-mail inbox-I've qualified for the 2014 Olympic Distance US National Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin!! For my performance at Lake Royale of this year(the one where I broke my wrist starting the run), I had qualified and could run at Olympic Nationals! Now, this was super exciting to experience, just getting that e-mail was really cool, like eye-opening, almost as if it was a reward for such a hard 2013. But you all know how tough the sport of triathlon is, physically, mentally, and emotionally-but don't forget financially! I am regretful to say that due to my current financial situation I will not be able to afford to go to Milwaukee this year, but hopefully I will still be able to save up some money for years down the road. It's hard to fund all of your races and gear and travel! So, an up and a down, but regardless, this is a plus-definitely a good experience to have had! Maybe I'll be able to swing getting to a Sprint National Championship sometime down the road, we all can hope! Just an update.
Happy training guys!
So, as of this week, I got a very nice surprise in my e-mail inbox-I've qualified for the 2014 Olympic Distance US National Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin!! For my performance at Lake Royale of this year(the one where I broke my wrist starting the run), I had qualified and could run at Olympic Nationals! Now, this was super exciting to experience, just getting that e-mail was really cool, like eye-opening, almost as if it was a reward for such a hard 2013. But you all know how tough the sport of triathlon is, physically, mentally, and emotionally-but don't forget financially! I am regretful to say that due to my current financial situation I will not be able to afford to go to Milwaukee this year, but hopefully I will still be able to save up some money for years down the road. It's hard to fund all of your races and gear and travel! So, an up and a down, but regardless, this is a plus-definitely a good experience to have had! Maybe I'll be able to swing getting to a Sprint National Championship sometime down the road, we all can hope! Just an update.
Happy training guys!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Commitment Day 5k
Hey guys,
Happy New Year! After all of the festivities and parties of last night, I headed to bed early, resting for the January 1st Lifetime Fitness Commitment Day 5k. This is a 5k race that Lifetime has developed to inspire people to commit to a healthier lifestyle for the year. This race actually had a great turnout, with over 700 people! It was ran by FS Series, which did a fantastic job of putting on a great race, despite different start and finish locations. Moving along, the weather was really great, not too cold and sunny.
The countdown started, from 15 seconds to zero, and we started-FAST! I recently bought the Garmin 910XT, and I used it for this run, and for about our first minute of our race we were running below a 4:30 mile pace. But eventually, myself and another runner broke away from the group, and we were running alone, side by side, battling it out. At around a mile and a half, I made my move, and gained about 5 meters on him. I waited to see if he would respond, and after about 15 seconds, he still hadn't, and so I put on more heat. I got out of his range of sight, as we were on a winding greenway, and maintained as best I could. I did my best to hold on, but I could tell I was fading fast in the last half a mile or so. But, as we got closer to the finishing stretch, I was able to kick it up some more, and held on for the overall male title, which was great! An amazing way to start the New Year, I think.
I hope everyone had a safe, fun, and happy New Year! Let this year be your year, stay motivated, inspired, and hopeful. Be careful with injuries, with races, and with your gear, of course! But just enjoy training and racing, above all else. Have a great 2014 everyone!
Happy training!
Happy New Year! After all of the festivities and parties of last night, I headed to bed early, resting for the January 1st Lifetime Fitness Commitment Day 5k. This is a 5k race that Lifetime has developed to inspire people to commit to a healthier lifestyle for the year. This race actually had a great turnout, with over 700 people! It was ran by FS Series, which did a fantastic job of putting on a great race, despite different start and finish locations. Moving along, the weather was really great, not too cold and sunny. 
I hope everyone had a safe, fun, and happy New Year! Let this year be your year, stay motivated, inspired, and hopeful. Be careful with injuries, with races, and with your gear, of course! But just enjoy training and racing, above all else. Have a great 2014 everyone!
Happy training!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Vacation Adventures
Hey guys,
First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a late Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year! I have to apologize for the absence of posts, because I was up in the mountains for a week with my family for a Christmas vacation!
Now, for everyone who lives in a mountainous region, you know how beautiful the scenery is. However, as a 16 year old, I'd actually never seen mountains in person before. Driving in to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where we stayed, was truly a magical experience for me, seeing mountains and hills roll past the car windows, like in a movie. But that wasn't going to compare to what happened later on in the trip. Now, I had brought my oldest bicycle on this trip, a 1987 Trek 1200, which is a very special bike to me. It is an all aluminum frame, with down tube shifters! :) It's a very classic bike, and I love it. Unfortunately, almost all of our trip was freezing cold, icy, snowy, and rainy. But, on one day, it started out in a downpour, but around noon the rain stopped and the sun came out. I decided to take control of the stop in rain to go out and ride, and I told my parents I was going to explore a town about 5 miles away from our hotel, mostly uphill. So, I set out, and was having an absolutely magical ride-picture rock slabs right next to the road with waterfalls coming through holes in the rock, with a large river flowing off to the left side of the road, moving quickly from the recent rain. Then, a tunnel-and on the other side heavily wooded areas with streams running through them in the underbrush. It was absolutely breathtaking.
After making it past all of that beautiful scenery, I reached the town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and was riding around, down the main and back streets, looking for fun things for my family to possibly do there. Then, as I was riding, I saw it-a mountain, rising from the horizon, and going up for a very long time. About halfway up the mountainside, fog and clouds had accumulated, hiding some of the scenery from view, but then the peak of the mountain again looked out from above the mist. I had one thought and one thought only-"I have to climb that mountain." I started riding in the general direction, and as I got close, I stopped on the side of the road and asked a man who sold firewood what mountain it was and how to get there. He told me it was Bluff Mountain and told me how to get to the top, and I set off. Soon, I turned down Bluff Mountain Road, and began my climb. At the bottom of the mountain, the incline isn't bad-just a little up here and there. But as soon as I turned a corner, the road seemed almost straight up. My heart rate shot up to over 200BPM, and I struggled to keep turning the pedals. However, I was able to, and started my trek up the mountain. The roads, to my delight, were in the same format you see watching the Tour when the climb any mountain, but I thought of the Alpe d'Huez personally-with the winding 180 degree turns like this!
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The road continued for a very long time, and as I made my way up, up, up farther and farther I began to get very fatigued, having to get off my bike and breathe for some time before I could resume the ride, it was so steep. But I was determined to make it to the summit, and soon I could tell I was close-because as I turned another 180 degrees, up the road I could see the fog I had seen from the bottom! I rode through the mist, climbing higher and higher, and soon the fog began to disperse, and I knew I had climbed out of it. Even so, I still had some time to go, but then, as I struggled up a final stretch, Bluff Mountain Road ended. Looking out past the road, into clouds, I could see I was high above any other mountain and really, anything. I could see the cloud level, but I could also see where the clouds stopped and where the sky began, and I could see for miles. It was absolutely inspiring, beautiful, and extremely meaningful. Because as this whole year comes to a close, that bike ride couldn't have meant more. It meant to me that no matter how much hardship you endure, no matter what you're put up against, no matter how much you struggle, you can find the strength to continue going, even when life knocks you off your bike-you can get back on, and you can ride to be on top of the world. And that's where I was.
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Happy training guys, and to all a Happy New Year.
First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a late Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year! I have to apologize for the absence of posts, because I was up in the mountains for a week with my family for a Christmas vacation!
Now, for everyone who lives in a mountainous region, you know how beautiful the scenery is. However, as a 16 year old, I'd actually never seen mountains in person before. Driving in to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where we stayed, was truly a magical experience for me, seeing mountains and hills roll past the car windows, like in a movie. But that wasn't going to compare to what happened later on in the trip. Now, I had brought my oldest bicycle on this trip, a 1987 Trek 1200, which is a very special bike to me. It is an all aluminum frame, with down tube shifters! :) It's a very classic bike, and I love it. Unfortunately, almost all of our trip was freezing cold, icy, snowy, and rainy. But, on one day, it started out in a downpour, but around noon the rain stopped and the sun came out. I decided to take control of the stop in rain to go out and ride, and I told my parents I was going to explore a town about 5 miles away from our hotel, mostly uphill. So, I set out, and was having an absolutely magical ride-picture rock slabs right next to the road with waterfalls coming through holes in the rock, with a large river flowing off to the left side of the road, moving quickly from the recent rain. Then, a tunnel-and on the other side heavily wooded areas with streams running through them in the underbrush. It was absolutely breathtaking.
After making it past all of that beautiful scenery, I reached the town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and was riding around, down the main and back streets, looking for fun things for my family to possibly do there. Then, as I was riding, I saw it-a mountain, rising from the horizon, and going up for a very long time. About halfway up the mountainside, fog and clouds had accumulated, hiding some of the scenery from view, but then the peak of the mountain again looked out from above the mist. I had one thought and one thought only-"I have to climb that mountain." I started riding in the general direction, and as I got close, I stopped on the side of the road and asked a man who sold firewood what mountain it was and how to get there. He told me it was Bluff Mountain and told me how to get to the top, and I set off. Soon, I turned down Bluff Mountain Road, and began my climb. At the bottom of the mountain, the incline isn't bad-just a little up here and there. But as soon as I turned a corner, the road seemed almost straight up. My heart rate shot up to over 200BPM, and I struggled to keep turning the pedals. However, I was able to, and started my trek up the mountain. The roads, to my delight, were in the same format you see watching the Tour when the climb any mountain, but I thought of the Alpe d'Huez personally-with the winding 180 degree turns like this!
The road continued for a very long time, and as I made my way up, up, up farther and farther I began to get very fatigued, having to get off my bike and breathe for some time before I could resume the ride, it was so steep. But I was determined to make it to the summit, and soon I could tell I was close-because as I turned another 180 degrees, up the road I could see the fog I had seen from the bottom! I rode through the mist, climbing higher and higher, and soon the fog began to disperse, and I knew I had climbed out of it. Even so, I still had some time to go, but then, as I struggled up a final stretch, Bluff Mountain Road ended. Looking out past the road, into clouds, I could see I was high above any other mountain and really, anything. I could see the cloud level, but I could also see where the clouds stopped and where the sky began, and I could see for miles. It was absolutely inspiring, beautiful, and extremely meaningful. Because as this whole year comes to a close, that bike ride couldn't have meant more. It meant to me that no matter how much hardship you endure, no matter what you're put up against, no matter how much you struggle, you can find the strength to continue going, even when life knocks you off your bike-you can get back on, and you can ride to be on top of the world. And that's where I was.Happy training guys, and to all a Happy New Year.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Kinetic InRide Power Meter Review
Hey guys,
So, yesterday was very exciting, cool, and eye-opening to me. I had my first brush with training with a power meter, and it really was an awesome experience. I had a 2 hour trainer ride I needed to do, and I set up the power meter in less than 10 minutes, and it worked right off the bat, giving me a ridiculous window into seeing my effort directly correlate into watts! Here's the review:
So, this is the completed product. The InRide comes in a small little cardboard cover, and includes the Sensor, Grommet, Magnet, HR Strap, HR Device, and instructions/manual to the power meter. So, with the unboxing process, it all went very quick and easy for me. The instructions are very simple and easy to follow. For those of you with Kinetic trainers, I'm sure you've noticed the little hole on the cylinder part of your flywheel: that was designed for the InRide. The only thing the boxed product lacks is a isopropyl alcohol pad, which is needed to clean the plastic area of the trainer where you will be placing the sensor.
The first few steps are very simple. I have taken pictures of the instruction booklet, as I have already installed the magnet and sensor on my own trainer. To start, you take the rubber grommet, and push it into the hole that is on the cylindrical part of your trainer, right next to the flywheel; and it should be very tight-this holds the magnet. You can use the screwdriver to push the grommet into the trainer, until it is sealed against the lip of the trainer.
Once you've installed the rubber grommet, you need to install the magnet. This is where you need your flat-headed screwdriver, because it is the easiest way to get the magnet installed. Simply snap the magnet to the metal, flat-headed edge of the screwdriver to hold the magnet steady. After you've done this, you maneuver your screwdriver over the hole in the rubber grommet, and carefully remove the screwdriver from the magnet; with the magnet staying in the grommet.
You can push the magnet in with your hand, but it is better to use the rounded part of your screwdriver to push the magnet into the grommet further, making it flush with the edge. This is very crucial that the magnet needs to be flush, otherwise it could spell some problems down the road.
Now, on to installing the sensor. This is also fairly easy, but it is much more critical, as in it is very important to where you place the sensor. First off, you need to get your hands on some isopropyl alcohol, which you can find pretty commonly(I found a cleaning pad in a first aid kit) and clean the area around where you will be placing the sensor, which is just to the left of your flywheel, in that immediate area close to the hole where you've just installed your magnet and grommet.
After you've cleaned the area, allow the alcohol to dry for a few seconds, and then get ready to install your sensor. This is the crucial part, where you have to have good placement in order for your sensor to transmit anything. The sensor must be aligned with the edges of your trainer bracket, and by all means, install the sensor so that the notch in the sensor is aligned with the magnet. This is VERY IMPORTANT, if you want your sensor to actually work.
I practiced placing the sensor before I removed the adhesive, just so I could get a good placement when I was actually placing the sensor. After you've practiced. or are confident in knowing where you need to place the sensor, you remove the adhesive on the back of the sensor, and place the sensor on the spot and press it onto the trainer and hold it for a few seconds firmly, to get a good stick,
So, this is your home page for the app, and the instructions are included in your box or on Kinetic's website. What you do is with your HR strap on, or not, depending on if you like HR data or not, you select Configuration. It is important that you have ensured your iPhone has Bluetooth enabled before starting configuration.
After you select Add New, this pop-up comes up, and you can select either your Watt Meter or HR first, either way works.
Once you select Add New Sensor, it brings you here, and the sensor will be found after a few seconds. Once it pairs, you select Save, and then you return to the Trainer Preferences. From here, you repeat what you've done with the Watt Meter with the HR Monitor.
This screen is similar to the inRide Watt Meter screen, but it has the HR function instead. All of the steps are the same.
The HR monitor has to be on your body in order to pick up, and once it does, it remembers the HR strap.
After pairing your two devices, you move on to the personal information input. Return to the main screen, and then select the Wrench icon in the upper right hand corner.
This brings you to a Config page, and you can input your personal information such as FTP, max HR, and your body facts, i.e. height, weight, etc.
After selecting User Profile, you can input E-mail, select unites, and input height, weight, birthdate, and gender. A cool feature I found was that the app keeps track of your HR zones, as well as your Power Zones, if you know them. Kinetic has a solution for both, with your max HR being 220-your age, and then it has an Auto-Calculate Zones feature that does the math for you, and on the Kinetic website it has a test that determines your FTP(functional threshold power), which, after you find out, has the Auto-Calculator for your power zones.
And, finally, you're done! You are ready to ride. Go ahead and press start, and you're off-power data is displayed, as well as cadence, HR, distance, speed, and time. Also, there are multiple data screens you can scroll through. Once you finish and save a workout, you can upload it to any of your shared sites, I sent mine to TrainingPeaks. This is the Workout Details page, where you can view your ride after you've completed it. I averaged close to 200 watts for 2 hours, and it just made me dumbfounded at how pros average over 350 watts for 4+ hours, absolutely ridiculous. But it was a good tool to acquire, one I've been saving up for a long time! It really is a good option for you triathletes on a budget, like me. The inRide only costs $229.99 USD, and although it confines your workouts with power to the trainer, it is well worth it to be able to see power during your trainer rides, which I assume are pretty frequent, due to the cold.
This is the power data from TrainingPeaks, and as you can see, there are a few spikes in power as well as a few dips, but they are not frequent and come back to being consistent quickly. Overall, for my first experience with a power meter, it seemed to do very well and I am very satisfied with its performance, and worth the price.
So, yesterday was very exciting, cool, and eye-opening to me. I had my first brush with training with a power meter, and it really was an awesome experience. I had a 2 hour trainer ride I needed to do, and I set up the power meter in less than 10 minutes, and it worked right off the bat, giving me a ridiculous window into seeing my effort directly correlate into watts! Here's the review:
Overview:
So, the InRide supports Kinetic by Kurt trainers, but only a select few; the Road Machine, the Rock N' Roll Trainer, and the Pro Trainer. The way to view the power data requires an apple device, either the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5, the iPad 3, the iPad Mini, or 5th generation iPod touches. The app is free in the App Store, and downloads quickly onto your device, and even has a sharing feature once you complete the workout to upload onto training sites, like MapMyFitness, TrainingPeaks, Garmin Connect, and more. In a nutshell, hardware inside the sensor measures speed and cadence at the wheel of your bike, and then translates that data in power using an equation. However, from my research, experience with the product, and other reviews, the meter is very accurate.
Setup
Once you've installed the rubber grommet, you need to install the magnet. This is where you need your flat-headed screwdriver, because it is the easiest way to get the magnet installed. Simply snap the magnet to the metal, flat-headed edge of the screwdriver to hold the magnet steady. After you've done this, you maneuver your screwdriver over the hole in the rubber grommet, and carefully remove the screwdriver from the magnet; with the magnet staying in the grommet.
You can push the magnet in with your hand, but it is better to use the rounded part of your screwdriver to push the magnet into the grommet further, making it flush with the edge. This is very crucial that the magnet needs to be flush, otherwise it could spell some problems down the road.
Now, on to installing the sensor. This is also fairly easy, but it is much more critical, as in it is very important to where you place the sensor. First off, you need to get your hands on some isopropyl alcohol, which you can find pretty commonly(I found a cleaning pad in a first aid kit) and clean the area around where you will be placing the sensor, which is just to the left of your flywheel, in that immediate area close to the hole where you've just installed your magnet and grommet.
After you've cleaned the area, allow the alcohol to dry for a few seconds, and then get ready to install your sensor. This is the crucial part, where you have to have good placement in order for your sensor to transmit anything. The sensor must be aligned with the edges of your trainer bracket, and by all means, install the sensor so that the notch in the sensor is aligned with the magnet. This is VERY IMPORTANT, if you want your sensor to actually work.
I practiced placing the sensor before I removed the adhesive, just so I could get a good placement when I was actually placing the sensor. After you've practiced. or are confident in knowing where you need to place the sensor, you remove the adhesive on the back of the sensor, and place the sensor on the spot and press it onto the trainer and hold it for a few seconds firmly, to get a good stick,
This is my completed and installed sensor and magnet, and it took me less than 10 minutes. As soon as I was finished, I got on the trainer and started the configuration-and as it turns out the configuration wasn't as hard as I anticipated, and it took me about 2 minutes, very quick.
Configuration
*Read these pages from left to right, as it is the order of configurations*
So, this is your home page for the app, and the instructions are included in your box or on Kinetic's website. What you do is with your HR strap on, or not, depending on if you like HR data or not, you select Configuration. It is important that you have ensured your iPhone has Bluetooth enabled before starting configuration.
You then see this screen, where you can edit your workout preferences. To add your power meter and HR monitor to your device, you select Add New.
After you select Add New, this pop-up comes up, and you can select either your Watt Meter or HR first, either way works.
When you select inRide Watt Meter, it brings you to this screen, but yours will only say Add New Sensor, mine is already paired, which is why it shows Blue 2 as being On.
Once you select Add New Sensor, it brings you here, and the sensor will be found after a few seconds. Once it pairs, you select Save, and then you return to the Trainer Preferences. From here, you repeat what you've done with the Watt Meter with the HR Monitor.
This screen is similar to the inRide Watt Meter screen, but it has the HR function instead. All of the steps are the same.The HR monitor has to be on your body in order to pick up, and once it does, it remembers the HR strap.
After pairing your two devices, you move on to the personal information input. Return to the main screen, and then select the Wrench icon in the upper right hand corner.This brings you to a Config page, and you can input your personal information such as FTP, max HR, and your body facts, i.e. height, weight, etc.
After selecting User Profile, you can input E-mail, select unites, and input height, weight, birthdate, and gender. A cool feature I found was that the app keeps track of your HR zones, as well as your Power Zones, if you know them. Kinetic has a solution for both, with your max HR being 220-your age, and then it has an Auto-Calculate Zones feature that does the math for you, and on the Kinetic website it has a test that determines your FTP(functional threshold power), which, after you find out, has the Auto-Calculator for your power zones.
When returning to the Config page, you can select Sharing and pair your device with training sites, like those shown here. After you configure where you want to share, you're ready to ride! On the home page, all you have to do is select Get Ready, and it will bring you here. Your HR should be displayed, but power will show n/a. Don't be worried, this is normal! In the upper right hand corner, you see the letter C with an arrow going around it. Select this, and you can do a spindown, which is where you increase your speed slowly from 10mph to 21mph, and then let your trainer wheel coast down to a stop. What this does is it allows the power meter to calibrate and recognize the power and adjust accordingly, ensuring a more accurate ride.
Performance
As I started the ride, the power was not displaying at all, only my HR showed up. After a few minutes of reading some troubleshooting forums and fumbling around with the iPhone, I discovered that the watt meter had been turned off, making sense as to why nothing had been showing. So after that little bump in my set-up, I started my ride, and all of the data started up and worked well. Power was overall pretty consistent in the beginning, and seemed very congruent to my effort. Although, there was a few jumps in the power, going from a small amount to a large amount after a little lag, but nothing extremely significant, and this is typical behavior of a power meter from any company.
This is the power data from TrainingPeaks, and as you can see, there are a few spikes in power as well as a few dips, but they are not frequent and come back to being consistent quickly. Overall, for my first experience with a power meter, it seemed to do very well and I am very satisfied with its performance, and worth the price.
Overall, I hope this review helps you guys out and has some useful information! Have a great winter season on the trainers!
Happy training everybody!
Monday, December 2, 2013
The Story Becomes A Story
 |
| Congratulations to all of the athletes on their accomplishments Jarod Nizen, 16, won with the fastest time in the race's history, 1:05:11. This is an amazing feat in itself, but for Jarod, this was his first race since a serious bike accident in July of this year. This event always brings stories of inspiration. |
But, when I got home from work yesterday, my mom had something to show me. She pulled up the Royale Reporter online and showed me a page that was all about the triathlon. In a collage of other photos, I was in the top left corner, and on this blog is the single picture of the collage. But the caption you see underneath the picture is what was printed in the news! This was very good to hear, because I feel like a few more people have heard my story so far. I think it kind of gives off a inspirational effect, a come-from-the-bottom victory that was lined with obstacles, but can still be achieved. Hopefully that's what other people think when they read it, not just me. That's been one of my goals all along; to be an inspiration to someone, to show them they can accomplish their dreams. I know this doesn't mean that by any means, but it's a start, something I can build off in the future. However, the article did miss one fact-the fact that I broke my wrist prior to starting the run! A crazy turn of events, but still a win and a CR. Very happy and blessed to have returned to racing well, and I am looking forward to a similar 2014!
Happy training everybody!
Friday, November 29, 2013
56 Reasons I Am Thankful For Triathlon
Hey guys,
Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and after all of us have sore legs from running various Turkey Trots all over the nation, as well as sore stomachs from all of our Thanksgiving meals, we take a step back from the world of training, nutrition, gear and racing to give thanks for what we all have. Listed below would be my particular reasons I am thankful for triathlon and all that comes with it, and all that is to come. The reason I choose the number 56, is because it is my favorite number, being the bike distance for the Half-Ironman.
1. I am thankful I can train for a sport I love each and every day
2. I am thankful for each and every single person I have ever met from a race, training session or expo, because each and every triathlete is amazing and have a unique story to tell.
3. I am thankful for my career, working at a triathlon store here in North Carolina.
4. I am thankful for the knowledge I have gained from my experiences, and all of the experience it has brought me.
5. I am thankful for my determination in the sport, and the dedication I show each day.
6. I am thankful for my bicycle, one of my best friends.
7. I am thankful for good running shoes, ones that handle high mileage while giving good support and keeping you injury free.
8. I am thankful for swimming shampoo, for keeping the chlorine smell out of your hair.
9. I am thankful for aerodynamic helmets, because, well they do look awesome in action.
10. I am thankful for water, one of the greatest gifts on Earth, getting us through intense workouts.
11. I am thankful for sweat towels, the towels we all have to bring to trainer sessions so we don't drip sweat all over our bicycles.
12. I am thankful for power meters, because when I get to use them I can see my power output
13. I am thankful for cycling chamois pads, for helping us stand being on a tiny saddle for 6+ hours.
14. I am thankful for my Garmin 810, for providing all of my training metrics on the ride, and directing me to long, far-off places through the GPS.
15. I am thankful for cycling jerseys, both summer and winter, for either keeping us cool and vented in the summer or tight and warm during the winter.
16. I am thankful for running gloves, because they keep our hands and fingers warm during a run, a crucial place to keep warm.
17. I am thankful for swim workouts that include a cool down that is less than 400 yards.
18. I am thankful for cycling bibs, because they make you look cool and are pretty comfortable, too.
19. I am thankful for good movies, because they get us through the long winter trainer rides
20. I am thankful for a good pair of running shorts, specifically this pair-------------------------------->
21. I am thankful for rubber bands, that keep our bike clips held in place when we mount
22. I am thankful for carbon wheels, because they are oh so nice to look at and they sound really intense when you ride with them. Oh yeah, they make you faster too.
23. I am thankful for compression socks for two reasons: the recovery aspect of them, and the fashion boost too: if you wear shorts + compression socks = pants!
24. I am thankful for ice baths-seriously, I take a lot of them. The benefits are worth the pain
25. I am thankful for heart rate monitors, for giving us good feedback of where we are with training and telling us when we're going too hard/too easy
26. I am thankful for good race swag-whether its a finisher medal, a cool T-shirt, a pair of socks-or anything else unique and good to have
27. I am thankful for my Trigger Point foam roller, it is awesome to be able to massage sore muscles after a hard day
28. I am thankful for the clocks on the pool deck; because they may be very difficult to accept how fast they go, but they help us get faster in the water
29. I am thankful for a good pair of sunglasses, which block out the sun, look cool, and don't fog up in the cold.
30. I am thankful for aero bars, because they add so much speed onto your road bike
31. I am thankful for shaved legs-let's be real guys, you all love keeping your legs shaved as much as the girls do!
32. I am thankful for the awesome bodies we as triathletes develop; lean, mean, strong running machines
33. I am thankful for the good nutrition we get to eat in long training sessions; like GU, Chomps, HAMMER Gels, Clif Bars, Bonk Breakers, and and water!(again)
34. I am thankful for the gear we get to race in that makes us look super cool for the day-spandex speedsuit, compression socks, running shoes, and a visor-and then we go out in public wearing that.
35. I am thankful for bike mechanics at races and at shops all over the world. for keeping our bikes working well and going fast, and fixing any last minute issues on race day.
36. I am thankful for all the volunteers we have each year, for all of the time they sacrifice and hard work they do just so us athletes can have a good day.
37. I am thankful for the race directors and people who work behind the scenes of our races that really make them happen, and, without them, we wouldn't be triathletes.
38. I am thankful for bike fitters, for helping us get the most efficient and comfortable position on the bike
39. I am thankful for events that go towards a fundraising cause, so we can help make a difference
40. I am thankful for physical therapists, for helping us get back on our feet after an injury
41. I am thankful for my chiropractor, who realigns me perfectly every time and has solved my hip issues early this year.
42. I am thankful for nutritionists, for their expertise with helping athletes use nutrition to an advantage
43. I am thankful for EMS personnel, who have helped me when I needed it most.
44. I am thankful for surgeons, who performed my surgery very well and healed me
45. I am thankful for the older triathletes, you guys know, in the 70 year old range and higher? True inspirations to all of us younger people
46. I am thankful for where I live, here in central North Carolina that has such a strong running and triathlon base in this area
47. I am thankful that I have never been hit by a car when riding my bike
48. I am thankful that such a growing year where I learned many life lessons
49. I am thankful for my aunt and uncle, who got me a signed picture from Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee
50. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given and the experience I have gained
51. I am thankful that I have participated in over 50 events and I never plan on quitting
52. I am thankful that I did better running than years before
53. I am thankful that I have been able to visit the places that I have for racing, because money is tight
54. I am thankful that I discovered trail running this year and that it is amazing
55. I am thankful for my mother, who is the most supportive, understanding, and beautiful woman, inside and out, in the whole entire world. I would not be a triathlete without her, and I owe so much of my experiences to her doing, in triathlon and in life. This is why she is number 55, the second most important thing I am thankful for-because there is one more that I am thankful for, more so:
56. I am thankful, for my life. With so many opportunities to die this year, it is a blessing that I am still here; and so for that, I am thankful.
I want to wish everybody a very Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and spent time with their loved ones. Add anything you would like onto this list by commenting with what you're thankful for in triathlon. But now it is time to get up, climb back onto the training schedule, and start to work off those turkey legs ;)
Happy training!
Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and after all of us have sore legs from running various Turkey Trots all over the nation, as well as sore stomachs from all of our Thanksgiving meals, we take a step back from the world of training, nutrition, gear and racing to give thanks for what we all have. Listed below would be my particular reasons I am thankful for triathlon and all that comes with it, and all that is to come. The reason I choose the number 56, is because it is my favorite number, being the bike distance for the Half-Ironman.
1. I am thankful I can train for a sport I love each and every day
2. I am thankful for each and every single person I have ever met from a race, training session or expo, because each and every triathlete is amazing and have a unique story to tell.
3. I am thankful for my career, working at a triathlon store here in North Carolina.
4. I am thankful for the knowledge I have gained from my experiences, and all of the experience it has brought me.
5. I am thankful for my determination in the sport, and the dedication I show each day.
6. I am thankful for my bicycle, one of my best friends.
7. I am thankful for good running shoes, ones that handle high mileage while giving good support and keeping you injury free.
8. I am thankful for swimming shampoo, for keeping the chlorine smell out of your hair.
9. I am thankful for aerodynamic helmets, because, well they do look awesome in action.
10. I am thankful for water, one of the greatest gifts on Earth, getting us through intense workouts.
11. I am thankful for sweat towels, the towels we all have to bring to trainer sessions so we don't drip sweat all over our bicycles.
12. I am thankful for power meters, because when I get to use them I can see my power output
13. I am thankful for cycling chamois pads, for helping us stand being on a tiny saddle for 6+ hours.
14. I am thankful for my Garmin 810, for providing all of my training metrics on the ride, and directing me to long, far-off places through the GPS.
15. I am thankful for cycling jerseys, both summer and winter, for either keeping us cool and vented in the summer or tight and warm during the winter.
16. I am thankful for running gloves, because they keep our hands and fingers warm during a run, a crucial place to keep warm.
17. I am thankful for swim workouts that include a cool down that is less than 400 yards.
18. I am thankful for cycling bibs, because they make you look cool and are pretty comfortable, too.
19. I am thankful for good movies, because they get us through the long winter trainer rides
 |
| Matthew Russel, 2013 IM World Championships |
21. I am thankful for rubber bands, that keep our bike clips held in place when we mount
22. I am thankful for carbon wheels, because they are oh so nice to look at and they sound really intense when you ride with them. Oh yeah, they make you faster too.
23. I am thankful for compression socks for two reasons: the recovery aspect of them, and the fashion boost too: if you wear shorts + compression socks = pants!
24. I am thankful for ice baths-seriously, I take a lot of them. The benefits are worth the pain
25. I am thankful for heart rate monitors, for giving us good feedback of where we are with training and telling us when we're going too hard/too easy
26. I am thankful for good race swag-whether its a finisher medal, a cool T-shirt, a pair of socks-or anything else unique and good to have
27. I am thankful for my Trigger Point foam roller, it is awesome to be able to massage sore muscles after a hard day
28. I am thankful for the clocks on the pool deck; because they may be very difficult to accept how fast they go, but they help us get faster in the water
29. I am thankful for a good pair of sunglasses, which block out the sun, look cool, and don't fog up in the cold.
30. I am thankful for aero bars, because they add so much speed onto your road bike
31. I am thankful for shaved legs-let's be real guys, you all love keeping your legs shaved as much as the girls do!
32. I am thankful for the awesome bodies we as triathletes develop; lean, mean, strong running machines
33. I am thankful for the good nutrition we get to eat in long training sessions; like GU, Chomps, HAMMER Gels, Clif Bars, Bonk Breakers, and and water!(again)
34. I am thankful for the gear we get to race in that makes us look super cool for the day-spandex speedsuit, compression socks, running shoes, and a visor-and then we go out in public wearing that.
35. I am thankful for bike mechanics at races and at shops all over the world. for keeping our bikes working well and going fast, and fixing any last minute issues on race day.
36. I am thankful for all the volunteers we have each year, for all of the time they sacrifice and hard work they do just so us athletes can have a good day.
37. I am thankful for the race directors and people who work behind the scenes of our races that really make them happen, and, without them, we wouldn't be triathletes.
38. I am thankful for bike fitters, for helping us get the most efficient and comfortable position on the bike
39. I am thankful for events that go towards a fundraising cause, so we can help make a difference
40. I am thankful for physical therapists, for helping us get back on our feet after an injury
41. I am thankful for my chiropractor, who realigns me perfectly every time and has solved my hip issues early this year.
42. I am thankful for nutritionists, for their expertise with helping athletes use nutrition to an advantage
43. I am thankful for EMS personnel, who have helped me when I needed it most.
44. I am thankful for surgeons, who performed my surgery very well and healed me
45. I am thankful for the older triathletes, you guys know, in the 70 year old range and higher? True inspirations to all of us younger people
46. I am thankful for where I live, here in central North Carolina that has such a strong running and triathlon base in this area
47. I am thankful that I have never been hit by a car when riding my bike
48. I am thankful that such a growing year where I learned many life lessons
49. I am thankful for my aunt and uncle, who got me a signed picture from Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee
50. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given and the experience I have gained
51. I am thankful that I have participated in over 50 events and I never plan on quitting
52. I am thankful that I did better running than years before
53. I am thankful that I have been able to visit the places that I have for racing, because money is tight
54. I am thankful that I discovered trail running this year and that it is amazing
55. I am thankful for my mother, who is the most supportive, understanding, and beautiful woman, inside and out, in the whole entire world. I would not be a triathlete without her, and I owe so much of my experiences to her doing, in triathlon and in life. This is why she is number 55, the second most important thing I am thankful for-because there is one more that I am thankful for, more so:
56. I am thankful, for my life. With so many opportunities to die this year, it is a blessing that I am still here; and so for that, I am thankful.
I want to wish everybody a very Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and spent time with their loved ones. Add anything you would like onto this list by commenting with what you're thankful for in triathlon. But now it is time to get up, climb back onto the training schedule, and start to work off those turkey legs ;)
Happy training!
Thursday, November 28, 2013
My First Turkey Trot!
Hey guys,
So, first off, Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this blog. It really is a special blessing for me to be able to write out my thoughts here and people actually read them, so thank you. Second, I have to share my first Turkey Trot experience!
So, I signed up for this 5k last-minute for three reasons: 1. See where I'm at in my training, and adjust accordingly, 2. Possibly win a race with a high number of participants, and 3. Justify the Thanksgiving dinner coming up later on.(But that's the reason really anybody anywhere does a Turkey Trot, right?) Regardless, I just wanted to have a solid performance.
Race morning came, and it came cold. 26 degrees was the temperature we got into the air at, and it was not too pleasant. But, it was good running weather, on the bright side! I went running around for a few extra minutes than my typical warm-up, just to stay warm leading up to the start. After stretches, drills, and strides, I made my way up to the front of the line just 5 minutes before the gun. There were quite a few very fast-looking guys up on the line with me, and I knew it was going to be difficult to win, but I stayed hopeful, and readied myself for a battle.
The gun went off, and we jumped out of the starting chute, quickly forming a pack of 5 runners, all running essentially even paces. Moving away from the MASSIVE group of runners(over 800 participants!) we settled in, trading places as we ran through the very hilly course. After mile 1, myself and the another started to distance ourselves from the group of the remaining three runners, and worked our way up a long hill. It seemed to me that I was the stronger on hills out of we two, but I decided against breaking away from him. We hit the turnaround, and, seeing that the three runners we left behind weren't far behind us, picked up our pace. He started to pull away on a descent, but we turned a corner and saw a very large, long hill ahead of us. I stayed with him, and as we neared the crest I could tell I was fading fast, my hamstrings were burning! So, in a last-ditch effort, I surged ahead and attempted to drop him on the very last stretch of the long, slow climb. I made about 2 yards of ground on him, but he responded aggressively as soon as we reached the flat and dropped me, gaining the 2 yards back and adding some distance in between himself and me. So, I did my best to hold on. The final stretch of the race was a extremely steep hill, and I was gone when I reached it-barely a jog, and, as I deserve, was passed by another runner just 60 meters from the line.
So, in conclusion, a 3rd place overall in a 800+ person race sounds good to me! My time ended up being 18:22, somewhat respectable for such a hilly race. But definitely a fun race, and I'm sure I'll do longer Turkey Trots in the future! Does anybody have a specific race they like to do on Thanksgiving? Let me know!
Happy training, and a Happy Thanksgiving!
So, first off, Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this blog. It really is a special blessing for me to be able to write out my thoughts here and people actually read them, so thank you. Second, I have to share my first Turkey Trot experience!
So, I signed up for this 5k last-minute for three reasons: 1. See where I'm at in my training, and adjust accordingly, 2. Possibly win a race with a high number of participants, and 3. Justify the Thanksgiving dinner coming up later on.(But that's the reason really anybody anywhere does a Turkey Trot, right?) Regardless, I just wanted to have a solid performance.
Race morning came, and it came cold. 26 degrees was the temperature we got into the air at, and it was not too pleasant. But, it was good running weather, on the bright side! I went running around for a few extra minutes than my typical warm-up, just to stay warm leading up to the start. After stretches, drills, and strides, I made my way up to the front of the line just 5 minutes before the gun. There were quite a few very fast-looking guys up on the line with me, and I knew it was going to be difficult to win, but I stayed hopeful, and readied myself for a battle.
The gun went off, and we jumped out of the starting chute, quickly forming a pack of 5 runners, all running essentially even paces. Moving away from the MASSIVE group of runners(over 800 participants!) we settled in, trading places as we ran through the very hilly course. After mile 1, myself and the another started to distance ourselves from the group of the remaining three runners, and worked our way up a long hill. It seemed to me that I was the stronger on hills out of we two, but I decided against breaking away from him. We hit the turnaround, and, seeing that the three runners we left behind weren't far behind us, picked up our pace. He started to pull away on a descent, but we turned a corner and saw a very large, long hill ahead of us. I stayed with him, and as we neared the crest I could tell I was fading fast, my hamstrings were burning! So, in a last-ditch effort, I surged ahead and attempted to drop him on the very last stretch of the long, slow climb. I made about 2 yards of ground on him, but he responded aggressively as soon as we reached the flat and dropped me, gaining the 2 yards back and adding some distance in between himself and me. So, I did my best to hold on. The final stretch of the race was a extremely steep hill, and I was gone when I reached it-barely a jog, and, as I deserve, was passed by another runner just 60 meters from the line.
So, in conclusion, a 3rd place overall in a 800+ person race sounds good to me! My time ended up being 18:22, somewhat respectable for such a hilly race. But definitely a fun race, and I'm sure I'll do longer Turkey Trots in the future! Does anybody have a specific race they like to do on Thanksgiving? Let me know!
Happy training, and a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
That College Thing
Hey guys,
As that time of my life comes around, the junior year of high school, I've been, *ahem* "forced" to start looking into colleges that I plan on applying to. Hopefully I'll be able to major in a sports-related field, like physical therapy, kinesiology, or sports sciences. Now, college is a great thing, as you all know, and is most of the time, the key to success later in life. So, no problems with college, right? Well, apart from the selection process(i.e. stress, additional work, recommendations, and overall leaving your home), there is only one problem that relates to us junior triathletes, and that, is scholarships.
There are many conflicting issues with college triathletes, the biggest of which is that triathlon is not an NCAA sport, and so there are no scholarships at all for it. This is a problem for a couple of reasons; first of which being the obvious, and that is triathletes cannot go to college for the sport of triathlon. More often than not, however, a triathlete may receive a scholarship for an individual sport of the three, swimming, cycling, or running, because of a specialty, which almost every triathlete has. While this seems like not so bad of a option, it can ruin a triathlete's training. For example, I know a former college swimmer who was a triathlete at the time she was swimming for her school. In our conversation, she told me that, due to the high-intensity, fierce competition of college single-sport athletes, she was forced under her scholarship agreement to train almost exclusively in the water, and left her almost no free time to train for running and cycling. That is one way a triathlete is put out of commission, and this may be why our sport has not gathered as much popularity as football, basketball, soccer, etc., because one would have no incentive to start in a sport that has no college offers!
Although, club teams are very well established at some colleges. In my immediate area, I have met athletes from the UNCW Triathlon Club, the NCSU Triathlon Club, ECU Triathlon club, and Duke Triathlon Club. All of these colleges have very interested collegiate athletes, and are the base for triathlon exposure in the college life! Tell me, how many of you have heard of collegiate nationals? Because that is a thing, where college triathlon clubs meet to race against each other and for a national championship. It has many races, including a draft legal race and Olympic distance race as well. But a big obstacle to this event, is funding. Many colleges have issues with finding the appropriate funds to be able to travel to the qualifying events and then to the actual championship, which is yet another hurdle that the athletes have to overcome. You all know triathlon is expensive enough, without all the travel!
So the big picture here is that in order for triathlon to get as big as other sports, like it deserves(because, let's be real here guys, triathlon is awesome), then the NCAA needs to make triathlon a collegiate sport! Bottom line, at the end of the day, that's what needs to happen.
Happy training guys!
As that time of my life comes around, the junior year of high school, I've been, *ahem* "forced" to start looking into colleges that I plan on applying to. Hopefully I'll be able to major in a sports-related field, like physical therapy, kinesiology, or sports sciences. Now, college is a great thing, as you all know, and is most of the time, the key to success later in life. So, no problems with college, right? Well, apart from the selection process(i.e. stress, additional work, recommendations, and overall leaving your home), there is only one problem that relates to us junior triathletes, and that, is scholarships.
There are many conflicting issues with college triathletes, the biggest of which is that triathlon is not an NCAA sport, and so there are no scholarships at all for it. This is a problem for a couple of reasons; first of which being the obvious, and that is triathletes cannot go to college for the sport of triathlon. More often than not, however, a triathlete may receive a scholarship for an individual sport of the three, swimming, cycling, or running, because of a specialty, which almost every triathlete has. While this seems like not so bad of a option, it can ruin a triathlete's training. For example, I know a former college swimmer who was a triathlete at the time she was swimming for her school. In our conversation, she told me that, due to the high-intensity, fierce competition of college single-sport athletes, she was forced under her scholarship agreement to train almost exclusively in the water, and left her almost no free time to train for running and cycling. That is one way a triathlete is put out of commission, and this may be why our sport has not gathered as much popularity as football, basketball, soccer, etc., because one would have no incentive to start in a sport that has no college offers!
Although, club teams are very well established at some colleges. In my immediate area, I have met athletes from the UNCW Triathlon Club, the NCSU Triathlon Club, ECU Triathlon club, and Duke Triathlon Club. All of these colleges have very interested collegiate athletes, and are the base for triathlon exposure in the college life! Tell me, how many of you have heard of collegiate nationals? Because that is a thing, where college triathlon clubs meet to race against each other and for a national championship. It has many races, including a draft legal race and Olympic distance race as well. But a big obstacle to this event, is funding. Many colleges have issues with finding the appropriate funds to be able to travel to the qualifying events and then to the actual championship, which is yet another hurdle that the athletes have to overcome. You all know triathlon is expensive enough, without all the travel!
So the big picture here is that in order for triathlon to get as big as other sports, like it deserves(because, let's be real here guys, triathlon is awesome), then the NCAA needs to make triathlon a collegiate sport! Bottom line, at the end of the day, that's what needs to happen.
Happy training guys!
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