Training Week +Zoot Tempo Review

Training Week 12/20-12/26...Xmas Style

Happy Holidays Everyone!
I have started to use this blog, as well as my own jeffpet.blogspot.com, as a weekly training log. To me it is more simple, easily accessed, and fun to share. Just a note on my training...I ususally keep the write ups pretty minimal. This makes it easier to keep and ,for your purposes, easier to follow. Also, along the way I will highlight my experiences with my sponsors' wonderful products, especially Zoot.
This past week I have really honed in my racing shoe for 2011 - the Zoot Tempo. Last year I had the opportunity to run in this shoe. However, for me, it seemed like more shoe than what I was used to. I raced in the Zoot "Race" in 2010. This month, I have had the privilege to run in the updated Tempo (the 4.0!) and I could not be happier with a shoe. From High School running through college with a Nike team and beyond, I have had the opportunity to try many different shoes. This one really feels well-rounded and the fit is perfect. I feel comfortable using it in a 5k, Marathon, maybe even on the trails as it has more support than any other racer I've used. Look for this shoe and do not hesitate on giving it a try!





Training

12/20 -12/16


Monday - AM – 10mile run on Tam with the doggie…We hammered!

Tuesday – AM – TJ’s Crossfit - WOD“Helen” Rx(400m run, 21 Kettle Ball Swims (53lbs), 12 pullups x 3) 8 minutes and 59 seconds of intensity…loved it…
PM – Jogger Stroller 9 miler on the bike paths

Wednesday – AM – 3000yd swim
PM – Track workout with the Wednesday Night Crew, “The Michigan “ Marin Style. Mile track interval, mile off the track in the hills at tempo, 1200m track, mile hilly tempo, 800m track, mile hilly tempo, 400m

Thursday – AM – TJ’s Crossfit – WOD 800m run, 25 95lbs Thrusters, 800m run, 25 95lbs thrusters, 800m run…this one put me on my arse.
PM – Evening swim with Scott and Curt at the Olympic Club…a short one because we spent too much time in holiday traffic from Bloomingdales and a little too much time relaxing in the hot tub.

Friday – AM – TJ’s Crossfit – WOD “Fight Gone Bad” Rx (3 rounds of 5x60secs of box jumps, row, wall ball with 20lbs ball, Sumo Deadlift High Pull, Push Press) Going for max reps in all and cals burned in the row – score 315
PM – Jogger Stroller 8 miler on the trails w/ Ramsey, Clara and Carolina…tough stuff

Saturday –AM –MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Played for a long time and ate a ton.
PM – Houston….we have a bike! Thanks so much Emily! 45 mins, with Tony DeBoom “stomps” on the trainer while Clara was on the neighboring treadmill.

Sunday – AM – Long Run on the trails, about 2 hours with pickups on the hills. Tons of new waterfalls. Very enjoyable…
PM – Crossfit Traveler’s WOD 50pushups,10situps,40p,20s,30p,30s,20p,40s,10p,50s


Review – Got in 4 CFs, 6 runs (mostly hard efforts), 2 swims, 1 bike, and a partridge in a pear tree. I already am feeling a difference in strenth because of Crossfit, especially in the pool.
It was a really great week off from work(day job as a teacher/coach) and although the training doesn’t depict this, it was restful and magical with my family. More of it this week with hopefully some more swims/rides…Happy New Year My Friends!

JP

Something Different...

Early New Year's Resoloution and a New Lifestyle


(Be Forewarned…I am not worried about grammar, sentence structure, or general flow.. I am here to provide REAL content for anyone who wants to read)

If you are reading this, you may have noticed that this is the only blog post on this page. A clean slate….I am embarking on my New Year’s Resolution early and the resolution is to be active and HAVE FUN. I think I have the first part of my resolute decision down, it is the second part that I struggle with.
How am I active?
In the past decade of my life I have been active in a variety of ways. I ran in high school and was very competitive with the top middle-distance runners in the country. This landed me down South where I went on to compete for the University of North Carolina cross country and track & field teams. Then, following college, I married my beautiful wife and began running as a “post-collegiate”. This was a weird time for me because you go from having all the time in the world to dedicate to your sport, having fun, being with the ones you love often, and relaxing… to….squeezing in workouts, juggling family/occupational responsibilities, never relaxing, and certainly not enjoying any activity that is not your primary sport. This model did not work for me. So, why not give triathlon a try? That I did and it was pretty cool… I had instant success, maybe not a good thing, and I really started to dedicate myself and obsess over training. During this time, I should mention that we had our first child, a studly young boy named Ramsey. However, my training did not suffer (I thought) because I would “just” start getting up at 4:30AM to get my workouts in. This worked for a while and 10 months after I started the sport, I won an “elite qualifying race” at the Pacific Grove Triathlon… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR_-Qx2Tdv4 I was a “pro-triathlete”….
Going into triathlon, my goal was to turn pro and one day…MAYBE!!!...I could do this as a real profession…Delayed gratification has always been an underlying factor of sport for me. Whether in a race, or a goal down the road….
The days, weeks, and months went on. I trained day in and day out, 4:30 AM wakeups and 7pm double sessions. I was getting fit….However, things started being less fun….I thought, I’ve come this far and I really want to see where I can take this in 2010.
I had the equipment, I had amazing sponsors, I even had the support of my loving wife…I was going to do this….Then, our family took another step in increased growth when my, then 10yr old, brother came to live with us. I even had his support!!! So, on I went and on I went…mornings and evenings….Workout…work…workout…sleep…repeat

This is where I will transition this blog in the interest of time…..I was fit, I was strong and I was fast….yet, it was not fun anymore. The reason for getting into sports, I THINK, was no longer inside of me. Time for a change….
I turned to running, my first love and 1/3 the work I was doing for triathlon. It was kinda fun and I shared very common ground with my studette of a wife. Maybe I can take it somewhere? Pacific Association series? Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier? The groundwork was there, the 90mile weeks were coming easy, I hopped in a half-marathon after 3 weeks of training and ran 1:09, I had the support of many people along the way (thank you so much, sorry for being “uncoachable”!!), but something was missing. I began to avoid things – basketball with friends, surfing, social events, anything that would deter me from my path. If I asked myself the REAL question…are you being the best friend, father, husband, brother, teacher, coach, fun guy like you really always wanted to be (like Uncle Don!!!) ???? ….I would have to answer NO.
Also, I missed the total body-work and well-roundedness that triathlon had given me. I I didn’t feel “strong”… I didn’t feel like the best “athlete” that I could be. Where is the common ground??? How can I have my cake and eat it too!?!
That is where I am right now….. What is fun?
Fun is…. All of the above… For me, fun is – being a loving husband, a consistently present father and brother, a friend that you want to have a beer with, a teacher that gives his best every day, an after-school hoops compadre, a guy out in the lineup at Bolinas Beach, and being a competitor….
If I had 34 hour days then I think all of that is more than doable. But, I do not…So, how can I still get my competitive kicks off but also have room for fun…My answer ….Crossfit…. Crossfit makes you a better athlete in half the time… Crossfit is primal at it’s core and enlightening on it’s surface. It is also competitive as it’s own entity… Now, combine it with a few HARD runs, bikes and swims …I’m set…I’m sold and buying in…
I plan to use crossfit as my baseline for fitness and life. There is a word commonly used in crossfit… “unscared”. I plan to be “unscared” about taking this plunge into a completely different way of training. I am “unscared” to spontaneously race 50 miles(which I did 5 days ago) or Ironman or a 5k or a paddle race or any competition. I am “unscared” to cut my training in half. I am “unscared” to go out for a surf or play some hoops. I am certainly “unscared” of providing myself with fun, which I can then share with everyone around me.
I absolutely, whole heartedly believe that this is the key to balance in my life. I plan to follow this regime through a season of run races, triathlons, surf sessions, basketball games, and tons of fun with my family & friends.

And here’s a secret…I plan to do it better because of it…We'll see come Spring Triathlons.

I am in my early protocol stages of Crossfit. I am learning movements and activities that I have avoided for years. I am throwing everything I know about training for endurance sport out the window. I am excited, I am happy, I am having FUN, and I am “unscared”… I will post weekly about my journey… read, or read not….

So my New Year’s Resolution is to be Active and Have FUN…

Shout out!!! To my….family, friends, sponsors ( especially Zoot, what amazing an innovative stuff all the time...Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) that have supported me throughout my spontaneity, naivety, indecision, short-lived passions, and time wasted… Much love!!!

JP

Addendum: I will be using Zoot more than ever in ALL of these ventures..Ultra Runs, Crossfit, Xterra, obviously triathlon, and in my general lifestyle... Many NEW and innovative posts will be highlighted here and at jeffpet.blogspot.com

Dear Zoot- I am impressed you make such nice winter clothing considering you might have gone surfing over lunch today. -Mark

2nd at Best-of-the-US Championships

70.3 World Champs

I think my body was in denial with the fact that I still had one more race to go this season. The training leading up to Worlds had gone very well and I knew I was ready to have a great race. My body however, seemed to decide that it wasn’t in the mood to race on Saturday. Mentally I knew I was ready for the race season to be over but with the great training I had done I was excited for my second chance at the World Championships. I headed down to Clearwater on Wednesday night with the parents in tow and my husband to join us the next day. It didn’t take me long to remember how much I loved Clearwater with it’s white sandy beaches, palm trees and warm weather. I enjoyed my pre-race training and relaxing and was happy to have the chance to catch up with sponsors, friends, and the Lifesport crew. Race morning came fast and other than a last minute flat tire in transition, which I was able to get changed very quickly, everything went smooth. I did a quick swim warm-up and lined up for the start of the race. It was a fairly windy day and the ocean was a little choppier than I had hoped but I love swimming in the ocean so I wasn’t too worried. It was a beach start and the water was pretty shallow for a while so we had to a lot of running, a few dolphin dives and then finally got down to actually swimming. I got a great start and managed to be in the front group but that’s where the good part ended. I somehow managed to get passed by almost everyone despite trying multiple times to get on feet and keep up with some of the other women. For some reason I just could not find that next gear. Finally the swim ended and I made my way up through T1. The fears of my bad swim were quickly confirmed when I saw hardly any bikes left on the racks. I was pretty mad at myself but coming out of the water behind is not a new situation for me. I didn’t panic too much (ok, maybe I did...) but I headed off on my bike and prepared myself to kick some butt on the bike. Just like with the swim though, my body did not want to cooperate. My legs felt heavy and I could not get my speed up. After getting passed by 2 women, I finally got so frustrated and just started hammering. This probably wasn’t the smartest reaction but at that moment I didn’t care. After I settled down a bit I realized that my legs were actually sarting to feel better and I finally found my rhythm. I don’t really know what changed but I was glad for it. The second half of the bike went great and I finally started seeing my average speed get closer to what I had been hoping for and I was able to catch a few girls before getting back to T2. I headed out on the run somewhat hesitantly and not really knowing what to expect. For the first time all season my legs actually felt good right from the beginning. I settled into my pace quickly and just focused on keeping things steady and keeping up with my calories and fluids. I love 2 loop run courses and it was great having so many people out there cheering. I managed to catch a few more girls and even though things really started to hurt at mile 10 I was able to pick it up enough to catch one last girl before the finish. At least I ended on a good note! In retrospect my race wasn’t really as bad as it felt at the time and I’m glad I kept pushing and never gave up. Of course I wish I had raced a bit better but it was still a HUGE improvement from my race here 2 years ago and I’m happy about that. Overall it’s been good year for me with tons of improvements and I can’t wait to see what comes about for next year. A big thanks to all my sponsors, Zoot Sports (thanks Jake!), Orbea, Zeal Optics and GU and to my coach Dan. And of course thanks to my parents for all their support and my husband for putting up with me all season! Now it’s time to relax, catch up on sleep, catch up with all my friends, and start planning for next year. You can follow my off-season activities on my blog. I’ll hopefully be posting a bit more often! -Heather Leiggi

Kona 2010 Race Report

The week prior to the race was great and well exceeded my expectations. It was awesome to be able to get up, jog down Ali’i drive and go for a swim each morning. Everything and everyone was focused on the race. Ali’i was filled with athletes from sunrise to sunset and all of the major triathlon companies had a presence there. Zoot had both a booth at the expo with 2011 gear available to try as well as a store on Ali’i where current and some future product could be purchased.

The race was equally as exciting and everything it is hyped up to be.

There was something special about floating in bay waiting for the start with the helicopters overhead and camera crews everywhere. After the cannon went off the normal mass start mayhem began however in this race it never really broke up as everyone seemed to swim about the same speed. I came out of the water in 1:08, while being slightly slower then I wanted I was pleased with my improvement in the last year (1:12 with a wetsuit was my previous best).
The bike started out well like usual. I felt great and hit 56 miles ahead of my plan and under my target watts/hr. Around mile 58 I had to swerve to avoid being hit by someone and I hit a reflector in the road. To make a long story short the cut in my tire was actually worse then I though as it put a dent (with a sharp edge toward the tire bead) in my wheel as well. With about 6 inner tube patches wrapped around the brake track and 14 minutes wasted on the side of the road I was back on my way. Riding out of Hawi at high speeds in the cross winds with all those patches made me pretty nervous and I took it very cautiously. I ended up with a 5:18 bike split and at that point didn’t care about the time and was just happy my bike and I both survived the rest of the ride.

Starting the run I went out very slow pre my plan. I was bummed about the mechanical on the bike and decided to just enjoy the day and make the best of the situation. I ran easy and smiled for most of the marathon. For the first time I stopped to talk to my wife during the race and really took the time to soak in the experience. It’s an ironman and even at my relaxed pace it got tough around the energy lab. I was able to push through and then jog in slowly and really enjoy the finish on Ali’i drive. With a 3:33 run my total time was 10:08.

Part of me is very happy that I was able to really enjoy the experience, finish comfortably and take everything in. However part of me is also disappointed that I did not push myself on the run and see what I could have done, which may have lead me to the medical tent or to a PR, I’ll never know. Now that I have first hand experience with this race, I want to go back even more then I wanted to get there in the first place.

Thank you to Zoot, the Ultra Team Sponsors, and my teammates it has been a great year and I look forward to next year.

- Matt

Nationals

1st in my age group in Tuscaloosa.
(Race photo thanks to Paul Phillips at Competitiveimage.us)
-Mark Harms