New-trition in 2022

January 1, 2022andflow Future, nutrition Tags: diet, losing weight, nutrition Leave a comment

I recently realized that I need to prioritize my nutrition. I have reached a weight of about 210 lbs. while exercising. At 6’0″, I am technically obese or overweight. So far, my BMI is 28.3, which is high but not very high. However, my fat percentage is 24.5% which is normal. And my muscle mass is extremely high. So all things considered, my health metrics are fine. But that’s no reason to ignore my health.

But the more I can slim down, the better I can reach my goals; the more my muscles can propel me over the same distance. So, I consulted an expert nutritionist from Allina Health, a clinic local to my area, to learn more,

Here’s what I learned: “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” This means that just because part of something is bad, doesn’t mean that I should remove it completely. Because I may be losing something valuable by throwing it out. For example, eating meat often causes higher health risks. But, this case isn’t a universal reason to stop eating meat, because meat has other benefits that would be lost.

Nutrition is highly personal. Don’t take the advice for me as advice for you. You, the reader, have your own body and goals and quirks. Here are my lessons:

I need to consume about 150 grams of protein per day. That means keeping meat in my diet to make this easier. I can increase the percentage of legumes I eat, but I cannot lose the protein that I need to maintain my lifestyle and goals. The best practice calculation is 1.4-2 grams of protein per weight in kilograms.
I should add lentils, beans, or similar protein- and fiber-rich legumes to every meal. Recently, I have been adding a salad to nearly every meal as an add-on. I should do the same thing with lentils and beans to boost my protein and fiber intake. Protein gets me to my goal of 150 grams per day. And fiber fills me up quicker, so I can eat less and get full quicker.
I can eat all kinds of legumes. Different vegetables contain different nutrients depending on whether they are raw, cooked, or roasted. I thought raw veggies always have more nutrients. However, sometimes cooking veggies can bring in new nutrients! I should eat a variety of colors of veggies, prepared in different styles.
I should continue reducing sweetened foods with added sugar. But, I don’t need to throw out all sugar completely. I get benefits from the other nutrients in sugary foods.
Soy milk is generally better than almond milk because it has more protein.
I should buy more frozen fruit when we run out of fresh fruit. Typically, we go shopping every three weeks or so. But our fresh fruit goes bad by the second week. So, we should get frozen fruit to eat after the second week.
I should eat without distraction: focus on eating the meal rather than multi-tasking. This gives me a better indicator of how much to eat until I’m done. So, I am less likely to overeat.
I should eat when I’m hungry. Intermittent fasting has some benefits, such as maintaining stable blood sugar levels. However, it’s not a universal solution to weight loss or health. I lose valuable opportunities to take in nutrients while fasting.
Below is a visual I can follow for each meal. Then depending on my goals, I can adjust the portions and sizes from this starting point. For example, in the morning, I should take in more protein. Whereas in the evening, I should take in more carbohydrates.

Ode to the light in the steam room

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021andflow Present, ultramarathon Tags: poem, poetry Leave a comment

Boiling breath;

Am I the valley of

Death?

Waiting for

Air, but sawdust instead;

Twenty gazillion more;

Every time I look at you,

Rain pours down my eyelids.

Goal Achieved: The Sub-4-Hour Marathon

December 6, 2021December 8, 2021andflow Present, ultramarathon Tags: marathon, running, sub-4-hour 1 Comment

A few months ago, I set a goal to run a marathon (26.2 miles or 42.2 km) in under four hours. That would require a pace of 9:09 minutes per mile (5:41 per kilometer), including rest stops. I did a lot of research and put together a training plan. I focused on my diet, nutrition, and daily lifestyle. I incorporated certain types of workouts that would benefit my faster tempo speed. For Ironman training, I hadn’t been running with a high heart rate. But in my previous failed sub-4-hour marathon attempt, my heart rate was too high for too long. So, this time I worked on improving heart rate efficiency.

In the end, I achieved the goal! I want to thank Taylor H. for his huge help during the pivotal 3/4ths of the race. He ran with me and handed me bottles when I was feeling down. Thank you!!

This attempt was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. One way to visualize it is by Relative Effort (RE). Strava calculates Relative Effort from a variety of metrics like heart rate and pace. Out of all 1,200+ activities I have recorded on Strava, this sub-4 hour marathon was my highest relative effort by a massive margin.

406 Relative Effort: The sub-4-hour marathon

330 RE: 84 mile hot, hilly ride
311 RE: Failed sub-4-hour marathon
249 RE: 107-mile hard rainy ride
245 RE: My first marathon
244 RE: Another 100-mile ride

Strava Relative Effort of Grant by Nov, 2021 (Strava file here: https://www.strava.com/activities/6285022972)

I went through stages of grief during this race. To better understand the experience, I’ve summarized each mile of the race.

Mile 1: LET’S GO!!! I just finished listening to a David Goggins’ speech I was super emotional at the start.

Mile 2: I realize now that I forgot to pee before starting the race.

Mile 3: Selecting my music: epic Christian hits to go deep outside of myself.

Mile 4: First time I stopped for a drink of energy/electrolyte mix. Feeling solid.

Mile 5: My fastest mile by effort. Settling into a good pace.

Mile 6: My neighbors raking the leaves are looking at me funny after seeing me six times in the last hour.

Mile 7: I took a longer break here to pee and refresh with my drink mix and ginger tea. My stomach was feeling good. I took off some warm outer layer clothes, like my hat and gloves, as I warmed up.

Mile 8: One hour done. Feeling way better here than I did last time.

Mile 9: My heart rate starts to rise from my all-day pace into my tempo pace. From here onward, I’m burning more than I can replenish. That means the clock starts ticking on my energy reserves.

Mile 10: I start to get that small voice at the back of my mind telling me I’m uncomfortable.

Mile 11: The last mile that I run during which I feel “good.”

Mile 12: This is when the run starts getting difficult. I’m barely halfway and I feel like I’ve been running forever.

Mile 13: At the halfway point, I feel a boost of positivity, but this is short-lived. I’m under pace, but not by much. I bought myself a bit of wiggle room by running faster than I need to. But I’m getting tired.

Mile 14: The voice gets louder, yelling at me that I’m tired. But I get a savior: Taylor texts me that he’s on his way, and to stay strong. I shake my head in disagreement.

Mile 15: Taylor joins me for this mile. I can barely talk or breathe. I’ve still got my headphones in. We run together and blast out a solid mile time.

Mile 16: Taylor lets me run alone and instead manages my water station. Every mile I complete the loop, he hands me a bottle so I can sip and jog without stopping. I drink my mix according to the plan of one bottle per hour. I continue sipping lemon & ginger tea to help my stomach settle.

Mile 17: The wall gets bigger and my legs are heavy. I push a last effort to stay under pace, but I can’t. I fall backwards into stages of grief.

Mile 18: Grief stage 1: Denial. I have more than an hour remaining. My pace is slowing. I push harder, worrying that I’m about to hit the same wall that destroyed me last time at Mile 19.

Mile 19: Grief stage 2: Anger. I am livid at myself. This is the first mile during which I can’t run under pace. My speed starts slowing. Negativity washes over me like a deluge telling me that I won’t make it. I cry weakly.

Mile 20: Grief stage 3: Bargaining. I tear apart my old self and begin from the start. I don’t care about maintaining a pace. I care about finishing under 4 hours. I will do whatever it takes. I start doing mental math at how slow I’m going: calculating how much time I can lose on each mile and still make under four hours. Taylor has to leave so I’m on my own for aid.

Mile 21: Grief stage 4: Depression. For the last six miles, my heart rate had entered threshold pace. This is like putting the clock on my energy reserves into overdrive. I now have minutes, not hours, of energy left. I start to lose touch with reality; in a way the connection between my perception and surroundings starts to “melt.” I wonder if I can live with myself if I can’t finish. The reality of failure starts to make more sense.

Mile 22: Grief stage 5: Acceptance. I’m at my lowest. I would cry but I don’t have the energy to. I’m in a unique kind of pain. This pain is not sharp and obvious. It’s like the earth has ratcheted up the force of gravity pulling down on me. I can’t stay upright. Roots and molasses rip me downward. I know only one thing: I have to keep moving forward.

Mile 23: I build upon my acceptance. The clock on my energy has entered hyperspace as my heart-rate enters super-threshold. I am working the hardest that I’ve ever worked before. I switch my playlist back to David Goggins, looking for inspiration. But I feel distant from it.

Mile 24: I count every step, minute, and second until my torture is over. This is my slowest mile by time, but my hardest perceived effort so far. I finish my last drink bottle and throw it to the ground. Nothing else can help me now.

Mile 25: Wait, there it is. I can see the light now. The pacing math becomes easier. I see now how I can maintain this exact pace without pushing more, and still finish under four hours.

Mile 26: But it’s going to be close. I push harder again. My mind starts to reconnect back with my body and surroundings as I realize that I can do this. I count each .01 mile interval and I look down at my watch every couple of steps. I repeat to myself that I have to finish. I have to do it.

Mile 0.2: I push my pace to a sprint, which is the hardest I can run. This is the longest two minutes of my life. The only thing I’m focused on is staying upright. I stare down at my watch as the distance creaks higher.

Finished. I see the watch hit 26.22 and I’m done. I collapse onto the ground. I thank God and I am grateful to be done. I text Sahyli and text Taylor and call my brother Peter.

It’s over. A few minutes pass by and I am heaving air through my lungs.

I turn over. Struggling, I stand upright.

The next thing…

November 12, 2021November 13, 2021andflow Future, ultramarathon Tags: afteractionreport, running, ultramarathon 2 Comments

I’m onto my next adventure. I realize now that physical races are something special for me. They incorporate body, mind, and spirit in a way that is engaging and empowering. I rise to the occasion because I have to. These challenges force me to be better.

My next long-term goal, as of now, will be an ultramarathon running race. Or a running/hiking/walking race. It feels right. I ran the marathon slowly during my Ironman marathon, and I want to know that I can run longer. So, I’m looking into 50K and 50M races next year. I bought a new pair of shoes. I’m seeing a chiropractor. I’m changing my walking and running gait. I got a book. I’m listening to experienced ultra runners.

The odds are stacked against me: I’m heavy (more than 200 lbs / 94 kg). I am stocky and not built like a runner. I don’t have a coach. I hate the 3 Hs: Heat, Humidity, and Hills. I never really learned how to run: I just ran.

So, it’s a perfect challenge.

There’s something special about an Ultra that has a time cut-off. For a first-timer like me, I’m just hoping to finish. I don’t care what position I finish. I’ll be happy to arrive in last place, as long as I’m within the time limit. There’s something special about showing up to a race and not knowing whether you can finish it. Either I’m within the time cut-off or they drag me out on a stretcher.

So, my next challenge will be finishing a long distance within a certain time limit; but it’s not finishing under a specific time or pace (other than the time limit). Ultra time limits have some buffer. You don’t have to run fast to finish within the time limit. Some Ultras can be finished at the pace of a fast walk. But they’re so damn long and difficult that some races have more DNFs than finishers. So to me, the challenge is making the distance, not the time. I actually don’t know if I can physically make that distance at all.

There’s another thing I looked for in this next challenge. I want to do something big in an area in which I can do something smaller. For example, I can run a mile. So, why not run 30 miles? 50? 100? Maybe the next challenge after this will be an entirely new sport. Who knows.

I have to train more to get there. Specifically, I need to train my mind to invest all-in on this challenge. I need to prove some things to myself. I’ve run two full marathons already. Both times, I’ve hit the wall that broke me and I slowed to a walk. My best time is more than 4 hours. My next goal is training to run a sub-4 hour marathon. That pace is exactly 9:09 minute per mile pace for 26.2 miles including rest stops. I’m aiming to run under 9:00 minutes per mile to buy myself time for rest stops.

After a couple weeks of training in October, I spontaneously tried to do it. But I failed after 19 miles. I analyzed what went wrong and set a new date. Below is my After Actio n Report.

Anyway, I’m going to spend the winter running either way.

Now I’ve just got to decide for which race to sign up.

19 miles out of 26.2 Miler: After Action Report on 2021-10-10

It bent me; it broke me; but it did not kill me

September 22, 2021September 22, 2021andflow ironman, Past, Present Tags: ironman, triathlon, Wisconsin 4 Comments

I completed the Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon race on September 12, 2021 with a time of 15:30:46.

I had to dig deep to finish. I made all the excuses and hit all the walls. I was ready for the race to be over around mile 30 of the bike ride, with 80 more miles to go plus the marathon remaining. And there were the pangs of soreness and loneliness and weakness while running in the dark past 10:00pm: the feeling of molasses when the legs just grind down to a walk.

Photos taken by FinisherPix (I started 30 minutes after this clock started)

I learned that everyone hits waves of difficulty during the Ironman. It’s that feeling of deep exhaustion that weighs down your attitude. I hit the first big wave around mile nine, when my pace slowed as my effort stayed the same. I was trying harder to run faster, but I was going slower. My heart rate was dropping, my glucose levels flatlining, my stomach turning upside down. I still had to complete lap one while running. I watched others run by me who were finishing. Meanwhile I had another 13-mile lap. My wife and brother were cheering me on as I started that 2nd lap. I told them I’m going to finish this motherfucker. I told myself I had to finish it now, today, so I would never have to do it again. I vomited on State Street a short while later in front of some college kids and families. Then I kept going.

I knew that my training increased my physical fitness. Training beats back The Wall so it hits later in the race, closer to the finish. But sooner or later, it hits. The Wall is the biggest one that finally breaks you.

I remember around mile 23, hitting the biggest wall of my entire athletic career. I’ve never been hit with a wall like that. My past races were short enough that the breaking point hits differently. But this one was unique: it was a slow creeping of vines out of the abyss, grasping and constricting my limbs until I was chained in place. My vision and senses grew distant as I started to lose touch with reality. I had to focus 100% of my attention on moving my limbs. I was losing control of myself.

How do you go through The Wall that breaks you?

The answer for me is to put one foot in front of the other. The answer is to not stop. I stop when I’m done. I told myself to finish it now so I’d never have to do it again.

It broke me not only because of the physical toll, but also because of the mental toll. By that point, I started failing all the mini-goals I had set for myself. Don’t walk between aid stations: failed. Don’t say negative thoughts: failed. Run an average pace-per-mile: failed. My mental attitude starting unraveling. But not completely, because there was still one goal left: finish within the time limit. I had to concede the little losses in order to win the war. I talked to both angels and demons in the last couple of miles, but my legs never stopped.

By the time I crossed the finish line, I didn’t feel strong and accomplished. I felt broken and weak. The race preparation over the last two years had taken my time, attention, and comfort. And today it was literally killing me. But it didn’t kill me. And that’s the only reason I finished.

I had spent the first couple of miles of the run imagining what I would do when I crossed the finish line. I thought I would let out a guttural roar at the top of my lungs. Over the course of the marathon, slowly I lost interest. By the time I pushed through the chute down the finish line and into the bright lights… by the time I heard my name called over the loudspeaker by legendary Mike… I gave a grin for the camera and then hobbled across the finish line. I let out a weak “Yes” to myself and started crying. The weight of years slipped off of me and I felt empty. I wasn’t even hungry. I didn’t want to celebrate. I wanted a shower and bed.

It was truly an amazing experience in total: pushing myself to my absolute limit of physical and mental capacity. I feel very close to the entire day. I get emotional when I think about it. But completing an Ironman Triathlon on one particular day was less of a stepping stone than I thought it would be.

But I don’t feel different. I truly feel that I was changed in small increments over the last two years during my training. That day, I thought I would feel strong. In reality, the race showed me how weak I could become when I am broken. But it didn’t kill me. I’m strong in how much brokenness I can handle. And even when I was broken and crawling on mile 23, I kept going. So in fact, this shows strength.

The last two years have been an intense ride. There was an easter egg in my training sessions that I posted to Strava:

I listed every excuse to NOT train. To NOT do the Ironman. To NOT push myself. Every workout that contributed to my training, I labeled with an excuse like “Stop Pre.”

In total, every training session was like the race itself. Every stroke, every pedal, and every step broke me down further and further into the deep dark of excuses, weakness, and death. Now I can grasp the entire list of every training session and every excuse in my two hands, and then smash them to dust. Every excuse along the way could not stop me, just like every step I needed during the race could not kill me. I can look back with pride at all the workouts I did, reminding myself that I didn’t succumb to the excuses. My goal remained. I was beaten and broken for two years plus 15 and a half hours, but I still made it out alive.

To see all these excuses at once, here’s a list of all my workouts that contributed to my Ironman Triathlon. There were others that I didn’t name with “Because,” especially in early 2020. So it’s not every workout. But what remains is a list of 506 workouts and 506 excuses. But I bolded some of my favorite titles.

Now the question is, what’s next?

Date	Workout	Type
Aug 27, 2019	Because what if I give up?	Run
Aug 28, 2019	Because I had too many Sweet Martha’s cookies last night	Run
Aug 28, 2019	Because Happy Hour	Ride
Aug 29, 2019	Because I’m too hungry	Ride
Aug 29, 2019	Because I’m tired	Run
Aug 30, 2019	Because I’m too busy	Run
Aug 31, 2019	TK: Because I shouldn’t push it	Ride
Sep 1, 2019	Because I’d rather snooze	Run
Sep 3, 2019	Because I’ll get stuck in traffic	Run
Sep 4, 2019	Because I’m sore	Ride
Sep 4, 2019	Because I’m tight	Run
Sep 5, 2019	Because I forget how to swim	Run
Sep 5, 2019	Because I got a bloody nose (not pictured)	Ride
Sep 6, 2019	Because I must’ve tweaked something	Run
Sep 7, 2019	Because it’s too steep	Ride
Sep 8, 2019	Because it’s raining	Run
Sep 10, 2019	Because I don’t have time	Run
Sep 11, 2019	Because I just swam	Ride
Sep 11, 2019	Because I’m about to ride	Swim
Sep 12, 2019	Because my heart rate tracking is not accurate	Ride
Sep 12, 2019	Because thunderstorms	Run
Sep 13, 2019	Because I woke up late	Run
Sep 14, 2019	Because it’s in the 40s	Ride
Sep 15, 2019	Because I usually sacrifice form for speed	Run
Sep 16, 2019	Because there’s no place like home	Run
Sep 18, 2019	Because of standing all day	Run
Sep 20, 2019	Because my flight was delayed	Ride
Sep 20, 2019	Because my hip flexors are tight	Run
Sep 20, 2019	Because no GPS	Run
Sep 21, 2019	Because we need to get a couch	Ride
Sep 22, 2019	Because I didn’t know you could lace your shoes in a way to increase ankle support	Run
Sep 23, 2019	Because it’s Monday	Ride
Sep 23, 2019	Because of weak rotator cuffs	Swim
Sep 24, 2019	Because of detours	Ride
Sep 24, 2019	Because bricking makes for wobbly legs	Run
Sep 25, 2019	Because warm-ups take longer and longer	Run
Sep 25, 2019	Because I’m ready for rest day	Swim
Sep 27, 2019	Because I got a flu shot	Run
Sep 28, 2019	Because TK	Ride
Sep 29, 2019	Because fireball, dancefloor, and boats	Run
Sep 30, 2019	Because it’s too nice not to ride	Ride
Oct 1, 2019	Because I’m already soaked, so might as well	Swim
Oct 3, 2019	Because I just had dinner	Swim
Oct 3, 2019	Because it’s too late	Run
Oct 4, 2019	Because it’s too easy to blame the technology	Run
Oct 5, 2019	Because the Coastline Paradox is a thing apparently (FitBit 7.31 mi = Strava 8.66 mi)	Run
Oct 6, 2019	Because of that wind though!	Ride
Oct 7, 2019	Because my light ran outta juice	Ride
Oct 8, 2019	Because winter is coming, but not today	Ride
Oct 8, 2019	Because why start now when I could start later?	Run
Oct 11, 2019	Because say it ain’t snow, Joe!	Run
Oct 13, 2019	Because of the Vikings celebration	Run
Oct 14, 2019	Because now it’s actually cold	Ride
Oct 15, 2019	Because I hate the 5am alarm	Run
Oct 16, 2019	Because it’s just a quickie	Run
Oct 18, 2019	Because it’s hard to say “no”	Run
Oct 19, 2019	Because I can’t Stillwater in less than 3 hours	Ride
Oct 20, 2019	Because I am out of electrolytes	Run
Oct 22, 2019	Because lobster ravioli is waiting for me	Ride
Oct 23, 2019	Because you have to keep your steps light	Run
Oct 23, 2019	Because all I need is SUN: Sleeves, Umbrella, and Night vision goggles	Run
Oct 25, 2019	Because the best laid plans and mice and men oft go awry	Run
Oct 26, 2019	Because I’m right on the edge of zone 2	Ride
Oct 27, 2019	Because you gotta have a plan	Run
Oct 28, 2019	Because it’s a homemade brick	Swim
Oct 28, 2019	Because it’s too perilous	Ride
Oct 29, 2019	Because I finally got warmed up after the first 12.56 miles or so	Ride
Oct 30, 2019	Because it’s back into the belly of the beast	Run
Oct 30, 2019	Because the pool is empty	Swim
Oct 30, 2019	Because it’s the 25th hour	Run
Nov 1, 2019	Because this month has to be “no snooze November”	Run
Nov 2, 2019	Because my feet turned to ice blocks	Ride
Nov 3, 2019	Because of dogs, dogs, dogs!	Run
Nov 5, 2019	Because it takes more than hail to cancel a ride	Ride
Nov 4, 2019	Because I need more lunch	Swim
Nov 5, 2019	Because it only takes 10 minutes until mediocrity gives up	Ride
Nov 5, 2019	Because I was ready for this one to be over before it started	Run
Nov 6, 2019	Because it’s a bit slippery	Run
Nov 6, 2019	Because it’s hard to stay upright while 2-beat kicking	Swim
Nov 8, 2019	Because will is a muscle	Run
Nov 9, 2019	Because how did I forget my padding??	Ride
Nov 10, 2019	Because it’s ice in snow’s clothing	Run
Nov 11, 2019	Because it’ll take months before improvements come	Swim
Nov 12, 2019	Because vroom vroom	Virtual Ride
Nov 12, 2019	Because I need a trainer tire	Virtual Ride
Nov 12, 2019	Because I saw it happen today	Run
Nov 13, 2019	Because it’s a snow day	Swim
Nov 14, 2019	Because other people’s reasons for your insanity wear off after 2 months (3.73 actual miles at 10min pace)	Run
Nov 15, 2019	Because it’s like a tattoo. Even if you don’t see it, it may still be there	Run
Nov 16, 2019	Because beware the coyotes	Ride
Nov 18, 2019	Because was the extra Friendsgiving pie slice worth it?	Run
Nov 18, 2019	Because I have water in my goggles	Swim
Nov 18, 2019	Because did you know the average bladder holds up to only 20 fl oz?	Ride
Nov 20, 2019	Because these two	Run
Nov 21, 2019	Because if you can get through to doing things that you hate to do: on the other side is GREATNESS. Thank you, Goggins.	Run
Nov 20, 2019	Because float like a manta, sting like a jellyfish	Swim
Nov 23, 2019	Because go east, young one	Run
Nov 24, 2019	Build Me Up – Sneaky – Because today I’m fighting something	Virtual Ride
Nov 24, 2019	FTP Test (shorter) – Because 318 never felt so good	Virtual Ride
Nov 25, 2019	Because my whole body is tired today	Swim
Nov 26, 2019	Because it’s a mini rest day	Run
Nov 26, 2019	Build Me Up – Zone Benchmarking – Because of things that go creak in the bike	Virtual Ride
Nov 27, 2019	Because brace yourselves	Run
Nov 27, 2019	Build Me Up – Pedaling Drills – Because why not?	Virtual Ride
Nov 28, 2019	Build Me Up – Devedeset – Because gobble gobble	Virtual Ride
Nov 29, 2019	The McCarthy Special – Because I’m trigger happy	Virtual Ride
Dec 1, 2019	Build Me Up – Red Unicorn – Because I need a fan and a towel	Virtual Ride
Dec 3, 2019	Because ice skating in the dark without skates is actually incredibly good training for mental focus and light cadence	Run
Dec 2, 2019	Because it’s a bother	Swim
Dec 3, 2019	Because treadmills and I typically disagree	Run
Dec 5, 2019	Because if you can’t go slow, you can’t go fast	Swim
Dec 8, 2019	Because of creaky knees	Run
Dec 10, 2019	Because I thought about running outside for a second	Run
Dec 12, 2019	Because of allergies	Swim
Dec 13, 2019	Build Me Up – Yellow Unicorn (only half because tacos)	Virtual Ride
Dec 15, 2019	Because shoelaces are for finishers	Run
Dec 15, 2019	Because I could be watching football	Swim
Dec 15, 2019	Because no skipping	Run
Dec 17, 2019	Because the pool is under maintenance	Run
Dec 17, 2019	Because of pride	Run
Dec 19, 2019	Because I should fight evil until I can’t. Then, run.	Run
Dec 21, 2019	Because the tracks may be gone, but the legacies remain	Run
Dec 22, 2019	Because arm blasters beats rest day	Run
Dec 23, 2019	Because if you know, then you know	Run
Dec 26, 2019	Because Connor and I had some catching up to do	Run
Dec 30, 2019	Because literal ice skating is better than the treadmill	Run
Dec 31, 2019	Because how else will I practice water-in-goggles drills	Swim
Jan 1, 2020	Because my phone froze to death at 38% from exposure	Run
Jan 1, 2020	Because God witnessed me, even though Strava didn’t	Run
Jan 2, 2020	Because it’s New Year’s at the gym	Swim
Jan 4, 2020	Because I’m at 18,000 steps already…	Run
Jan 6, 2020	Because you can’t forget to log	Swim
Jan 9, 2020	Because I fought sharks	Swim
Jan 11, 2020	Because it feels like a dream	Run
Jan 12, 2020	Because why walk when you can take the armored motorcade to the helipad?	Run
Jan 13, 2020	Because always look both ways	Run
Jan 15, 2020	Because of a scratchy throat	Run
Jan 17, 2020	Because it’s a bit too cold out	Run
Jan 18, 2020	Because what if I forget to enjoy the journey?	Run
Jan 19, 2020	Because I need a double of Zone 2, over ice	Run
Jan 21, 2020	Because burns take a long while to heal	Swim
Jan 22, 2020	Because I already summited Alpe Du Zwift	Run
Jan 24, 2020	Because double in the lane makes for a bumpy ride	Swim
Jan 25, 2020	Because nothing like stepping in a big ole puddle in the first 30 seconds	Run
Jan 26, 2020	Because never skip the cooldown	Run
Jan 27, 2020	Because there are ants by the pool!	Swim
Jan 29, 2020	Because what if I can’t squeeze in the time	Run
Jan 30, 2020	Because who invented this drill, anyway?	Swim
Feb 2, 2020	Because I cannot part the puddles	Run
Feb 3, 2020	Because I’m wobbling hard right now	Swim
Feb 5, 2020	Because transition has 11+8 steps. How can I remember 19 steps?	Run
Feb 8, 2020	Because the goggles go under the cap	Swim
Feb 8, 2020	Because apparently one leg is longer than the other	Run
Feb 11, 2020	Because today I need a revival	Run
Feb 11, 2020	Because the couch is calling	Swim
Feb 13, 2020	Because there’s an exam on Saturday	Swim
Feb 16, 2020	Because there are 24 hours in a day	Run
Feb 17, 2020	Because there are storms coming	Swim
Feb 19, 2020	Because a little less conversation, and a little more lower my heart rate	Run
Feb 20, 2020	Because restructure, rinse, repeat	Swim
Feb 21, 2020	Because of achy legs	Run
Feb 23, 2020	Because surprise parties	Run
Feb 25, 2020	Because blink and you’ll miss it	Run
Feb 25, 2020	Because suck it in	Swim
Feb 26, 2020	Because shifting rest day	Run
Feb 27, 2020	Because I don’t have a swimmer’s body	Swim
Mar 1, 2020	Because yesterday was bonkers	Run
Mar 2, 2020	Because it’s almost beach week	Swim
Mar 10, 2020	Because there are many shades of blue	Swim
Mar 11, 2020	Because of morning showers	Run
Mar 12, 2020	Because salt water is a good way to lose a pair of contact lenses	Swim
Mar 13, 2020	Because I am who you say I am	Run
Mar 14, 2020	Because la vida es un carnival	Run
Mar 18, 2020	Because the pool is closed	Run
Mar 22, 2020	Because the events will probably be canceled	Run
Mar 24, 2020	Because of Jocko	Run
Mar 26, 2020	Because of social distancing	Run
Mar 27, 2020	Because a little detour for us can mean the world for someone else	Run
Mar 29, 2020	Because it’s another brick in the wall	Run
Mar 31, 2020	Because my hips don’t just “release”	Yoga
Apr 5, 2020	Because everything in moderation, including moderation	Run
Apr 6, 2020	Because warriors aren’t static	Yoga
Apr 9, 2020	Because of virtual family happy hour	Run
Apr 10, 2020	Because it’s Good	Yoga
Apr 11, 2020	Because some habits never change	Ride
Apr 12, 2020	Because pasta has many shapes	Run
Apr 13, 2020	Because what’s good doesn’t feel good at the time	Yoga
Apr 15, 2020	Because I can’t touch my toes	Yoga
Apr 15, 2020	Because I need a spin	Virtual Ride
Apr 19, 2020	Because this is the only way to watch Netflix	Virtual Ride
Apr 21, 2020	Because I need extra recovery	Virtual Ride
Apr 21, 2020	Because leave no stone unturned	Run
Apr 22, 2020	Because the quarantine bod is out in full force	Run
Apr 25, 2020	Because 100+ cadence in the drops = drills over frills	Ride
Apr 25, 2020	Because my first mile heart rate is too damn high	Run
Apr 26, 2020	Because this half, too, shall pass	Run
Apr 27, 2020	Because make sure to hold your breath as you pass	Ride
Apr 28, 2020	Because when I woke up sore I knew I’d go to sleep sore	Run
Apr 28, 2020	Because the wind feels like winter again. Should’ve worn something, anything else.	Ride
May 1, 2020	Because factor out the transportation time	Ride
May 1, 2020	Because of my Hesiod seminar	Run
May 2, 2020	Because I’ll have one for takeout, please	Ride
May 3, 2020	Because ice cream is not a good pre-workout	Ride
May 3, 2020	Because the 70.3 is postponed anyways	Run
May 5, 2020	Because yesterday is too easy to blame	Ride
May 5, 2020	Because it feels just like I’m riding on broken glass	Ride
May 5, 2020	Because new supplements, new gut	Run
May 6, 2020	Because my headphones are broken!	Virtual Ride
May 7, 2020	Because due in 10 minutes? Do in 10 minutes.	Run
May 9, 2020	Because everybody in the house is streaming HD video	Virtual Ride
May 10, 2020	Because that warm-up was a bit much	Run
May 11, 2020	Because Plato just hits differently	Ride
May 12, 2020	Because I cry out for glucose right around 1.5 hours	Run
May 13, 2020	Because a little squeak gets louder	Virtual Ride
May 15, 2020	Because that was the lowest heart rate brick I’ve ever done	Run
May 15, 2020	Because what if the big boy pants don’t fit?	Virtual Ride
May 16, 2020	Because I could just sleep in	Ride
May 17, 2020	Because I thought the pools were closed	Run
May 18, 2020	Because that gust almost knocked me out	Ride
May 18, 2020	Because one thing leads to another	Run
May 19, 2020	Because finals	Ride
May 19, 2020	Because of intermittent fasting	Run
May 20, 2020	Because footwear	Run
May 23, 2020	Because all cleaning and no riding makes Grant a dull boy	Ride
May 24, 2020	Because the early bird gets the rain	Hike
May 25, 2020	Because everyone is out	Ride
May 25, 2020	Because is any day really extra	Run
May 26, 2020	Because beat the rain	Ride
May 26, 2020	Because the Simpsons already did it	Run
May 30, 2020	Because the nation is looking to us for how to act	Run
May 30, 2020	Because there’s imbalance	Ride
May 31, 2020	Because the line separating good and evil passes through every human heart	Ride
Jun 1, 2020	Because why not the longest run of the year be on the hottest day of the year	Run
Jun 3, 2020	Because blisters	Ride
Jun 3, 2020	Because long term or short term?	Run
Jun 5, 2020	Because it’s quiet, too quiet	Ride
Jun 6, 2020	Because life isn’t a box	Run
Jun 7, 2020	Because it’s a headwind or heatwave: pick your poison	Ride
Jun 8, 2020	Because waffles are part of a balanced diet, right?	Ride
Jun 12, 2020	Because there’s nothing like a new shoe feeling	Run
Jun 13, 2020	Because something is grinding and it ain’t coffee	Ride
Jun 14, 2020	Because I resolved the grinding but the popping remains	Ride
Jun 14, 2020	Because at least the popping isn’t in the knees	Run
Jun 15, 2020	Because the Garmin body battery makes me feel like a robot	Ride
Jun 16, 2020	Because there be Zombies, so Run!	Run
Jun 19, 2020	Because holidays give us a reason to remember	Run
Jun 20, 2020	Because the new kit is fresh	Ride
Jun 22, 2020	Because rest days beget rest days	Run
Jun 23, 2020	Because Velofix comes in the clutch	Ride
Jun 24, 2020	Because school is re-canceled	Ride
Jun 24, 2020	Because check that: school is un-re-canceled	Run
Jun 25, 2020	Because it’s just a few seconds longer	Ride
Jun 25, 2020	Because next stop, Virginia	Run
Jun 28, 2020	Because that’s 2L of water in 45 minutes ü•µ	Ride
Jun 29, 2020	Because some things stay the same, like construction on Custis	Ride
Jun 30, 2020	Because don’t look back	Ride
Jul 1, 2020	Because so hot the earbuds are falling out	Run
Jul 3, 2020	Because it only feels like a gazillion degrees	Hike
Jul 6, 2020	Because of overnight drives	Ride
Jul 6, 2020	Because no aero bars on my Brooks	Run
Jul 7, 2020	Because there’s nothing like turning around and all the trees look the same	Swim
Jul 8, 2020	Because I haven’t lifted in months	Run
Jul 9, 2020	Because the stones don’t worry me; the empty space does	Ride
Jul 12, 2020	Because tomorrow will be sorer than today	Run
Jul 13, 2020	Because my broken bottle and broken holder can only last so long	Ride
Jul 15, 2020	Because now it’s the backs of my hips that get tight	Run
Jul 16, 2020	Because some doors close; some doors open	Ride
Jul 17, 2020	Because some days I feel like this car	Run
Jul 18, 2020	Because it’s cleaning & anniversary day	Ride
Jul 18, 2020	Because the path is well traveled	Hike
Jul 21, 2020	Because it’s the first ride after the head bang	Ride
Jul 22, 2020	Because the fruits must be crazy!	Ride
Jul 25, 2020	Because it’s the humid-er remix to Giro de Pepin	Ride
Jul 26, 2020	Because more water required	Run
Jul 28, 2020	Because all it takes is one Evil Corp	Walk
Jul 28, 2020	Because it’s rabbit season	Ride
Jul 29, 2020	Because GAFA got shook today	Run
Jul 30, 2020	Because it’s Randonautica vol. #1: “Refreshing”	Ride
Jul 31, 2020	Because it’s Randonautica#2: “Attractor”	Run
Aug 1, 2020	Because I would ride 100 miles and more: 2 flats, a spectacular crash, and many Tour De Tonka wannabe riders.	Ride
Aug 2, 2020	Because it’s after the fact	Hike
Aug 3, 2020	Because the oven is getting replaced	Walk
Aug 4, 2020	Because every day is day one	Run
Aug 4, 2020	Because the wheels come off	Ride
Aug 5, 2020	Because we hurry up to wait	Run
Aug 6, 2020	Because it’s too “intense” – Randonauting #3	Ride
Aug 6, 2020	Because there are only 48 half-hours in a day	Run
Aug 6, 2020	Because we have a 23:19. Rando #4: Simple.	Ride
Aug 7, 2020	Because news will be news	Run
Aug 9, 2020	Because you should be dancing	Ride
Aug 10, 2020	Because who needs sleep when there’s fun to be had?	Run
Aug 10, 2020	Because a watched tire never pops	Ride
Aug 11, 2020	Because the world goes by with our earbuds in	Run
Aug 11, 2020	Because the cities are flat they said, there aren’t any hills they said	Ride
Aug 12, 2020	Because the gateway to happiness is a moving target	Run
Aug 12, 2020	Because there are miles to go before we sleep	Ride
Aug 14, 2020	Because the I Do is affordable	Ride
Aug 15, 2020	Because it’s a toss up: post hike burger or post hike remove the boots	Hike
Aug 16, 2020	Because I’ve got to keep up with Kenny	Run
Aug 17, 2020	Because what if biking is more fun	Run
Aug 20, 2020	Because of	Ride
Aug 20, 2020	Because worship only the sacrifice	Run
Aug 22, 2020	Because canceled plans = free time	Ride
Aug 24, 2020	Because out of service	Run
Aug 24, 2020	Because it’s better left unsaid	Ride
Aug 25, 2020	Because on Tuesdays, we forget headbands	Run
Aug 25, 2020	Because it smells like paint	Ride
Aug 26, 2020	Because it’s a small world!!!	Run
Aug 27, 2020	Because curfew	Ride
Aug 29, 2020	Because I could be watching Le Tour	Ride
Aug 30, 2020	Because you know I had to try it	Run
Sep 1, 2020	Because what if you had one gear	Ride
Sep 2, 2020	Because make it count	Ride
Sep 8, 2020	Because today is the first day of winter	Ride
Sep 10, 2020	Because maybe we’ll just order pizza	Ride
Sep 12, 2020	Because it’s time to cash the checks	Ride
Sep 13, 2020	Because of the 4.5 hour Zoom sesh	Ride
Sep 15, 2020	Because it’s so catchy	Ride
Sep 17, 2020	Because we’ve entered the Alpes	Ride
Sep 19, 2020	Because if Pogacar can do it	Ride
Sep 21, 2020	Because fall is here	Ride
Sep 25, 2020	Because I could use a day off	Ride
Oct 25, 2020	Because of symmetry	Walk
Oct 30, 2020	Because the fire alarm takes priority	Walk
Nov 1, 2020	Because it’s 75 degrees… Inside my jacket	Walk
Nov 21, 2020	Because it’s the first breath after shave	Walk
Nov 25, 2020	Because if you have to trip and fall, go the long way round	Walk
Dec 5, 2020	Because the final stretch is always the best/worst	Walk
Dec 6, 2020	Because you can’t hide from the clock	Run
Dec 8, 2020	Because I need boost	Run
Dec 9, 2020	Because I thought it was shorts weather	Run
Dec 11, 2020	Because some fears are rational	Run
Dec 13, 2020	Because I’m incomplete without my phone	Run
Dec 16, 2020	Because it’s DIY cryonics out here	Run
Dec 17, 2020	Because one day I’ll learn the difference between St. and Ave.	Run
Dec 19, 2020	Because what if I repeat myself?	Run
Dec 21, 2020	Because futility is resistance	Run
Dec 22, 2020	Because tonight’s gonna be a long one	Run
Dec 24, 2020	Because everyone has an angel. Wendel skidded out onto the median and after taking food to friends. Madison stopped by and offered a cable. We pulled Wendel out and he got home safe.	Run
Dec 25, 2020	Because a time trial is better when it’s summer	Run
Dec 27, 2020	Because it’s impossible to get the sand out	Run
Dec 28, 2020	Because doing nothing is scarier	Run
Dec 30, 2020	Because this light takes 5 minutes to change	Run
Jan 2, 2021	Because the cobwebs are dusty	Virtual Ride
Jan 2, 2021	Because the gps caught me skating	Walk
Jan 11, 2021	Because I wasn’t fitted	Ride
Jan 22, 2021	FTP Test: 343W, 3.61 W/kg – Because you’re closer than you know	Virtual Ride
Jan 30, 2021	Because it’s all a game that can be made or un-made	Run
Feb 5, 2021	Because we’re out of vegetables	Virtual Ride
Mar 4, 2021	Because the niche is nailed	Run
Mar 4, 2021	Because it feels like Friday	Run
Mar 7, 2021	Because rough living grates on me	Run
Mar 9, 2021	Because I’m already sunburnt	Run
Mar 11, 2021	Because we skipped right to autumn	Run
Mar 13, 2021	Because the shoes haven’t arrived	Virtual Ride
Mar 13, 2021	Because the elevator is so convenient	Walk
Mar 13, 2021	Because no coffee on race day	Run
Mar 14, 2021	Because of daylight losing time	Ride
Mar 16, 2021	Because the gasoline is watered down	Run
Mar 17, 2021	Because everyone needs a tour of their backyard + Taylor!	Run
Mar 18, 2021	Because it was just a little love tap	Ride
Mar 19, 2021	Because the sun still sets	Run
Mar 20, 2021	Because just follow the monster	Ride
Mar 21, 2021	Because determinism is a choice	Run
Mar 24, 2021	Because it’s easier to run in snow than rain	Weight Training
Mar 25, 2021	Because it’s afternoon TT time	Ride
Mar 26, 2021	Because to love something, love everything	Run
Mar 28, 2021	Because missed turns are just new opportunities	Ride
Mar 29, 2021	Because just 100 steps more, then I’ll stop	Run
Apr 2, 2021	Because my reduction was too viscous	Ride
Apr 2, 2021	Because my last run gave me food poisoning	Run
Apr 3, 2021	Because it’s easier to drive	Ride
Apr 4, 2021	Because what if I run out of calories?	Run
Apr 5, 2021	Because the AC broke	Ride
Apr 8, 2021	Because we were 10 steps away from 10k	Run
Apr 10, 2021	Because all it takes is 5 windbreakers, 3 sandwiches, and 1 spare tire	Ride
Apr 11, 2021	Because the will gives up before the legs do	Run
Apr 14, 2021	Because there’s no need to look over my shoulder since nobody’s out tonight	Run
Apr 14, 2021	Because I can multitask	Ride
Apr 15, 2021	Because if could ever drop 20 more pounds, this shit’ll get easier	Run
Apr 16, 2021	Because I am Klarg the bugbear now	Ride
Apr 17, 2021	Because just keep smiling when you’re going up	Ride
Apr 20, 2021	Because I don’t have to Zwift	Ride
Apr 20, 2021	Because life is a rollercoaster	Run
Apr 21, 2021	Because I’ll have salt sticks for dinner	Ride
Apr 21, 2021	Because the difficulty is a choice	Run
Apr 23, 2021	Because this is the first second vaccine dose	Ride
Apr 25, 2021	Because it’s only a footnote of life	Run
Apr 26, 2021	Because I’ll need at least 14mph	Ride
Apr 26, 2021	Because I need hip correction every day	Run
Apr 29, 2021	Because lakety lake lake	Ride
Apr 30, 2021	Because they didn’t let me swim	Ride
Apr 30, 2021	Because there’s a monster in the lake	Run
May 1, 2021	Because I packed for only 50	Ride
May 1, 2021	Because this is it	Run
May 2, 2021	Because Lionel can do it	Run
May 3, 2021	Because my legs can’t move	Ride
May 6, 2021	Because when you’re going through a migraine, keep going	Run
May 8, 2021	Because what are the chances the world is small?	Hike
May 9, 2021	Because it wouldn’t be possible without moms	Run
May 17, 2021	Because it’s hard to be easy	Swim
May 20, 2021	Because what if these habits are bad	Swim
May 21, 2021	Because get in loser, we’re going shopping	Ride
May 22, 2021	Because don’t taunt a guy with a weapon	Ride
May 23, 2021	Because it’s duck season (w/ Taylor)	Run
May 24, 2021	Because reaching is faster than pulling	Swim
May 26, 2021	Because it’s wine o’ clock	Swim
Jun 1, 2021	Because reach long out, turn on the side, manage endurance, build the pace, and breathe in 3s	Swim
Jun 1, 2021	Because red eyes are no fun	Ride
Jun 2, 2021	Because it’s snowing allergens	Run
Jun 3, 2021	Because what if nature dials #2	Run
Jun 3, 2021	Because don’t thread the needle	Ride
Jun 4, 2021	Because I still have so many questions	Swim
Jun 5, 2021	Because it’s too hot too early	Ride
Jun 6, 2021	Because outdoors is way different than indoors	Ride
Jun 6, 2021	Because everyone’s a gangsta til they run out of bottles	Run
Jun 8, 2021	Because don’t forget to bring a towel	Swim
Jun 8, 2021	Because high elbow, straight arm, trickle breath	Swim
Jun 9, 2021	Because it sure does look like a storm	Ride
Jun 9, 2021	Because yep, it’s a storm	Run
Jun 10, 2021	Because my body cannot do it	Ride
Jun 10, 2021	Because everything is so hot right now	Run
Jun 11, 2021	Because it’s just a start	Swim
Jun 12, 2021	Because PB&J a la sweaty jersey is not that bad	Ride
Jun 12, 2021	Because we all have plans	Run
Jun 13, 2021	Because the recovery is the workout	Run
Jun 15, 2021	Because I need to zip up and keep those fingers down	Swim
Jun 16, 2021	Because why isn’t this a crit	Ride
Jun 16, 2021	Because I’m still fasted	Run
Jun 17, 2021	Because it’s just 38 more of those 100s	Swim
Jun 18, 2021	Because where the heart goes, I follow	Run
Jun 19, 2021	Because we don’t go out anymore	Ride
Jun 20, 2021	Because memories rush in like a brick wall	Run
Jun 22, 2021	Because all I get is 3 perfect strokes in the middle of a workout	Swim
Jun 23, 2021	Because what if I forget how to change a flat	Ride
Jun 24, 2021	Because I used to be much faster, I swear	Run
Jun 25, 2021	Because no one would notice if I took a rest day	Ride
Jun 25, 2021	Because I’m not breaking any records	Run
Jun 26, 2021	Because there’s a first time for everything	Swim
Jun 28, 2021	Because even the best fail sometimes	Run
Jun 29, 2021	Because it takes 72 hours to sink in	Swim
Jun 29, 2021	Because my bike bag was stolen, again	Ride
Jun 30, 2021	Because it’s a long drive	Ride
Jul 2, 2021	Because it do be that hot	Run
Jul 3, 2021	Because I’ve got to practice the post race celebration	Run
Jul 6, 2021	Because I’m back from the abyss	Swim
Jul 7, 2021	Because there’s no time to waste	Ride
Jul 7, 2021	Because this bottle ain’t big enough for the two of us	Run
Jul 8, 2021	Because safety is relative	Ride
Jul 9, 2021	Because I should eat breakfast	Swim
Jul 10, 2021	Because I don’t even go here	Ride
Jul 10, 2021	Because of the tummy rumbles	Run
Jul 11, 2021	Because the clock don’t stop	Run
Jul 14, 2021	Because it’s the flu, at worst	Ride
Jul 15, 2021	Because it’s all I can muster	Run
Jul 17, 2021	Because I guess the steam room is open	Workout
Jul 18, 2021	Because I’m back	Ride
Jul 19, 2021	Because the wetsuit feels better now	Swim
Jul 21, 2021	Because the air quality is bad, mmmkay?	Run
Jul 23, 2021	Because new tires make all the difference (thank you, Velofix!)	Ride
Jul 23, 2021	Because I don’t have to worry about the cold temperature	Run
Jul 31, 2021	Because family first	Walk
Aug 1, 2021	Because I’ll sprint it next time	Hike
Aug 2, 2021	Because 1 week is long enough	Swim
Aug 2, 2021	Because I’ve got to get comfortable with sitting	Ride
Aug 3, 2021	Because no one was at the auto shop	Run
Aug 3, 2021	Because it’s just 5 minutes a day	Weight Training
Aug 4, 2021	Because it works now	Run
Aug 4, 2021	Because what if I lose steam	Ride
Aug 5, 2021	Because it’s better together	Run
Aug 7, 2021	Because I missed my swim today	Weight Training
Aug 7, 2021	Because it’s only miserable if you let it be	Ride
Aug 9, 2021	Because the only thing that happened in my hometown for 18 years was a guy on the loose with a samurai sword	Run
Aug 10, 2021	Because sometimes it’s better to recover (steam)	Workout
Aug 10, 2021	Because I learned about new shoulder muscles during that one	Swim
Aug 11, 2021	Because failure is an option	Run
Aug 12, 2021	Because my 2nd water bottle cage is a clip-on	Ride
Aug 12, 2021	Because I have Gatorade in my veins	Run
Aug 13, 2021	Because my eyesight is pretty bad	Run
Aug 14, 2021	Because the 40% rule applies	Swim
Aug 15, 2021	Because taste the pain	Ride
Aug 17, 2021	Because I can’t hold my bottle without my rubber band	Run
Aug 18, 2021	Because sometimes multitasking is necessary	Swim
Aug 20, 2021	Because take care of your eyes today	Ride
Aug 21, 2021	Because the berserker is a state of trance	Run
Aug 23, 2021	Because I’m on nurse duty	Weight Training
Aug 23, 2021	Because it’s one eye at a time	Swim
Aug 24, 2021	Because the number of the counting shall be three	Ride
Aug 25, 2021	Because does pain have a limit?	Run
Aug 26, 2021	Because there’s only a 51% chance of hail	Run
Aug 28, 2021	Because it’s State Fair szn	Run
Aug 29, 2021	Because just one more turn	Ride
Aug 29, 2021	Because it smells like autumn	Run
Aug 30, 2021	Because we gotta replace the whole engine	Swim
Aug 31, 2021	Because it all needs to be rewritten	Run
Sep 1, 2021	Because it’s orientation week, when intersections are made up and traffic lights don’t matter	Ride
Sep 3, 2021	Because existence is ambiguous	Run
Sep 4, 2021	Because I need a mental toughness day	Swim
Sep 5, 2021	Because I’m elevated	Hike
Sep 5, 2021	Because I’m iced	Hike
Sep 5, 2021	Because I’m rested	Hike
Sep 5, 2021	Because it’s taper week	Hike
Sep 6, 2021	Because I got 8 badges	Ride
Sep 7, 2021	Because I’m afraid of fish	Swim
Sep 10, 2021	Because it is too late to back out now	Ride
Sep 10, 2021	Because there are plenty of reasons to say no	Run
Sep 12, 2021	Because I only need one reason to do an Ironman (1/3)	Swim
Sep 12, 2021	Because I only need one reason to do an Ironman (2/3)	Ride
Sep 12, 2021	Because I only need one reason to do an Ironman (3/3)	Run

The Final Tweaks before Game Day

August 30, 2021August 29, 2021andflow Future, ironman Tags: ironman, Preparation, triathlon 1 Comment

These past few weeks after the half Ironman Triathlon, I have been making some final tweaks to my training. I addressed the issues that came up during the half Ironman triathlon a few weeks ago.

To boost my swim confidence, I swam 3,000m at Ironman pace for 1:15 hrs. It felt long and a bit tedious, but I made it. It was my longest swim ever. And this is about 3/4 of the distance of the Ironman swim. If I can do 3/4, I can do the last 1/4.

To reinforce my confidence on long bike rides, I finished a group century 100 mile ride, two weeks after the triathlon. We went faster than I would while solo and took longer breaks. But this gave me confidence that my body can handle 100+ miles.

To address my gastrointestinal issues on the bike, I fed myself on a long ride by eating first and drinking my performance mix later. I think drinking the performance mix first gave me those issues during the triathlon. I got my body used to eating solid foods on the ride before drinking that energy mix. And ultimately I felt better by ordering the nutrition in this way. I’m sure there’s a science to this, but I’m going off of my own experience and what works best for me.

On that same solo ride and other longer rides, I forced myself to sit without standing in the saddle. That put a lot of pressure onto my butt bones. This seat discomfort was another big issue from my previous race. I began seeking out more pain in the saddle. Hopefully I have raised my pain tolerance as a result. For a long 112 mile ride, I’ll need to stand up to rest my seat muscles and take longer breaks. But now I’ll be able to stay locked in position for longer as a baseline.

To increase my leg strength, I incorporated hill workouts into my runs. I even did hill repeats as the singular focus of that run.

I also added some mile-long pick-ups in other runs to jolt the legs. During those, I would keep my heartrate at threshold or tempo pace, which means I’m not overexerting myself. Then for the last repetition, I would go all-out since I’m competitive and like to go fast. Doing this helped me adapt to the higher active heart rate during the Ironman triathlon, because my heart will be tired from the swim and bike before.

Lastly, I have visualized every step of race day. I see myself waking up, preparing well, swimming, transitioning, biking, and running. I see myself grinding across the finish line, no matter how late I arrive, and hearing my name over the loudspeaker.

All in all, I’m ready. I know what gear I need and how to use it. I have a better race day nutrition plan. I know my body can finish each individual discipline. On race day, I’ll have all the support from family, friends, aid stations, and fellow competitors.

I know that I’m ready because if you told me that the Ironman was suddenly scheduled for tomorrow morning, I would be excited, not scared.

Ironman 70.3 Ohio – Post-Race Recap

August 10, 2021August 10, 2021andflow ironman, Past, Video Tags: ironman, narrative, triathlon Leave a comment

Here we are two weeks past the Iron Man 70.3 in Ohio. And I figure it’s time to give a full overview of how the race went.

Watch the full video below!

(Youtube full link: https://youtu.be/xglXq4Q2xpA)

Once I get sponsored, I’ll have a bigger budget to add some B-side footage of me during the race. But for now, enjoy the simple 1-take video recap!

I completed the half Ironman 70.3 Ohio!

July 30, 2021July 29, 2021andflow ironman, Present Tags: ironman, Ohio, triathlon, Wisconsin Leave a comment

On July 25, 2021, I completed the half Ironman 70.3 in Ohio, USA. It was one of the hardest experiences of my life! But I had so much support from family, friends, and volunteers on the race course. Thank you!!

My times:

SWIM (1.2 Miles, 1.9 Kilometers) = 00:44:59

T1 SWIM-TO-BIKE = 00:08:11

BIKE (56 Mi, 90 K) = 3:00:22

T2 BIKE-TO-RUN = 00:08:31

RUN (13.1 Mi, 21.1 K) = 2:37:59

TOTAL TIME = 6:40:02

I am planning on doing a more in-depth analysis of the race.

I’m looking forward to the full Ironman Wisconsin in September, which will double all the distances.

This is a simple notification that I did the half Ironman.

So for now, time to celebrate!

Grant at the finish line of IM OH 70.3, July 25, 2021

Ironman 70.3 Packing List and Day-by-Day plan

July 23, 2021July 23, 2021andflow ironman, Present Tags: gear, ironman, Packing, triathlon 1 Comment

It’s two days before race day, which is Sunday, July 25th. It’s the half Ironman 70.3. I’ve done all my tapering and relaxing these past two weeks. I’ve already put in the miles and hours of training. Now is when I need to finalize the packing list and plan out each item for each step. I use Trello to organize checklists so they’re easy to understand.

Take a look at my packing list and day by day plan.

I’ll talk to you after the race!

Ironman Training: 2021 vs. 2020

July 19, 2021July 18, 2021andflow ironman, Past, Present Tags: bike, ironman, nutrition, run, swim, training, triathlon Leave a comment

In 2021, I did things better than in 2020.

In 2021, I started doing longer swim sessions and once per day. In 2020, I was doing two-a-days and shortening the swim. But I’m not a strong swimmer, so I need to spend more time in the water.

In 2021, I started doing more brick workouts. A brick is a combination of bike then run, in that order. A brick trains your body to get used to running right after biking. I was only doing one brick workout per week in 2020. But in 2021, I was doing at least 2-3 bricks per week.

In 2021, I took swim lessons from a coach. I learned so much about efficiency and power that I would not have picked up on my own. In 2020, it was me, myself, and I.

In 2021, I got fitted onto my bike in a road position and aero position. I also got aero bars. In 2021, I will race in the aero position, which is much faster and more comfortable. In 2020, I only had the road, upright position to ride in.

In 2021, I got another pair of goggles. These goggles are anti-fog. In 2020, I only had one pair of cheap goggles. Also in 2021, I bought a wetsuit that I didn’t have in 2020.

In 2021, I got calf compression sleeves for my legs. These reduce muscle fatigue for races or intense workouts. In 2020, I was relying on my bare legs.

In 2021, I started practicing with nutrition. I tested out 3-4 different endurance mix powders and took them on long workouts. For what it’s worth, I landed on Infinit Performance Nutrition. I also bought the Maurten gels and Quantum bars that will on course at the race. I bought Salt Sticks and took them everywhere. I trained with a mix of Gatorade and water. In 2020, I was trying out a things without much discipline.

In 2021, I started running with a water bottle. I can’t understate how important this is. I will race with a water bottle containing my Infinit endurance mix. And, I can refill the bottle with water and Gatorade and cola. This way, I can sip on fluids in between aid stations.

There were other smaller things I did differently from 2020 to 2021, but these are the big ones.

One thing that remains the same is the commitment and motivation from 2020. That has only grown in resolve in 2021.

And Flow

Explorations into the power of technology, language, and symbols.

Author: andflow