Garmin 910xt

I know it's been a while, but I'm back with a product review on the Garmin 910xt multi sport computer/watch. This is probably the single most impressive training device on the market. It does everything a tri geek needs. The 910xt maps and tracks runs and rides using GPS, and can be worn like a watch and/or mounted on the bike via a quick release mounting system. It gives all the information needed including pace, lap pace, heart rate, cadence, power ratings, etc, etc, etc! But the most impressive feature of the Garmin 910xt is it's ability to track and analyze swim data in real time. Whether you in the pool or open water, the 910xt will track your distance, pace, stroke count, stroke efficiency, type of stroke, SWOLF rating, and much more. It also automatically keeps track of multi sport activities, such as a brick. And when you're finished with your workout, it's easy to upload all your data to garminconnect.com. All you you have to do is plug in the USB ANT stick, bring the device within 3 meters and it automatically uploads all the day's workout information.

I've been using the 910xt for about three weeks now, and I get absolutely giddy when ever I get a chance to use it, especially during my swim workouts. Now I don't have to worry about counting laps, which I always forget after about the 15th lap, the total distance I've swam and the time I've swam it in. It also keeps track of intervals and the amount of rest taken between simply by pushing the lap button. It doesn't matter if you're swimming long or short course in the pool. The 910xt allows you to set the distance of the laps. It still gives you all the same info in the open water but uses the GPS to track your swim. I'm truly happy with my Garmin!! But there are a couple of downsides for me.  It's a little bulky, but I have wrists like a four year old girl, and it's expensive. I got mine for about $100 off because I bought a refubished model on Ebay. It still comes with the full one year manufacturer's warranty, but I haven't had any problems with it yet.

My training continues,  just 51 more days until St. George! Getting a little nervous....

Perspective!

This past Sunday at the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, a 46-year old man from Austin, TX died during the swim segment. Reports say that he suffered from a major cardiac event upon entry into the frigid 49 degree waters. Rescuers immediately attempted to resuscitate him in the water, but were unsuccessful. The race director claims this is the first death in the triathlon's 33 year history.

Whenever I hear about an average person who is trying to stay fit die during exercise, it hits very close to home. I have cardio vascular disease, more specifically atherosclerosis, and have survived three episodes where my right coronary artery (RCA) was blocked. The RCA is commonly known as the widow maker! During one of these episodes my RCA was 100% blocked, and happened while I was on a training ride. I rode my bike straight into the ER since I was only about a mile away and it was all downhill. That was the most painful, intense experience in my life. The Doctor told me I was very close to my heart stopping! I lucked out...no muscular damage to my heart whatsoever!

So, every time I hear a story like that one at Alcatraz, it puts things in perspective. I often wonder if I should keep pushing myself as hard as I do. But all my cardiologists encourage me to keep exercising, just be aware of the early warning signs. Warning signs such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and intermittent chest and arm pain which can't be ignored. These signs don't have to be very intense. For example, during my third episode, which happened during a ride wasn't very painful at all. I was able to ride home, take a shower, and drive myself to the hospital. But I recognized the signs and didn't ignore them. Then there's the "why me?" syndrome. Why am I still alive when all of these good people have died from the same disease that I have? A question that haunts from time to time, especially when I hear stories like the one above. The answers I tell myself: obviously it's not your time to go yet, and you're too stubborn to die!

My thoughts and prayers go out to the husband, father, brother, son, that passed away during the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. May you rest in peace and swim, ride, and run in God's grace!

Insignificantly, here are links to yesterday's workouts (yes two of them swim and run): http://connect.garmin.com/activity/280930157# and http://connect.garmin.com/activity/280929998 I took Monday off because I was dead after my 8 mile 3am Sunday run. I'm also resting up today because my legs are still sore and fatigued. And congrats and thanks to my buddy Wes Hollero for finishing the Escape from Alcatraz tri and bringing this story to my attention.

TRAUMATIZED!!

Last Thursday was my first open water swim in Lake Las Vegas. Let me tell you...it was a traumatizing experience. I thought the swim was  going to be one of my strongest segments, but after swimming in that ice cold lake, I'm just hoping to finish within the time cut off! My swim buddy, Wes, and I didn't expect it to be as hard as it was. We only went 400 yards and it took us 20 minutes! In the pool I swim 400 yards in under 8 minutes! So now I have to contend with a whole new aspect of the swim!

The problem wasn't keeping my core temperature normal because I had a wetsuit on. It was when I put my face and head in the water. Ever had brain freeze? Well, this was like brain freeze starting on the outside and working its way inside! My breathing was short and labored from the shock. I tried to relax and control my breathing, but when I did the furthest I was able to swim was only a 100 yards non-stop. It was also disorientating! After I swam a 100 yards straight, I stopped, looked up, and I was in the middle of the lake going the opposite direction I thought I was swimming. I felt like was drunk! When I got out, I missed a step, twisted my ankle and ripped my wetsuit. I took me a few minutes to collect myself. I can't imagine what it's going to feel like when I have to transition to the bike!

I learned a few things from my first open water experience. I definitely have to find a way to get used to the cold water. I plan on swimming in the lake at least once every other week. I expect the reservoir in St. George to be about the same temperature. I also have to get used to my wetsuit. 400 yards wasn't far enough to see how my body would react to the snugness of the suit. My Orca suit didn't restrict me as much as thought it would. But, like I said, I think I have to swim longer in it to really find out. The most important lesson was to be able to re-orientate myself when exiting the water. Those first few steps could be catastrophic if I don't take my time.

My journey just got longer! I thought I was close, but now I know there's so much more work to do. Look for some product reviews in my next blog. I got a couple of new toys that I'd like to share about.

Milestone #1!

Last Friday I did my first outdoor cycle/run brick. I rode 35 miles in the hills with 1800 feet of elevation gain, and ran 5.4 miles afterwards. It turned out to be a 3 hour workout, which is supposed to prepare me for the real thing. I felt pretty good throughout the ride, but when I got to the run my quads started cramping up. I walked from time to time and still averaged a 9:45 mile pace, which was very surprising to me. I thought I was going a lot slower. This is my biggest milestone during my triathlon training, and there are a few things that I learned from this workout.

The most important thing I learned is the cramping tells me that I need to  re-evaluate my nutrition prior to my brick workouts, and on the bike. I think I need to take in more sodium and gels, which leads me to my biggest worry. Taking in too much fluids. It makes my stomach feel bloated and full, and that's not a good thing for the run! I have to figure out a way to take in enough sports drinks, water, and gels without my stomach feeling full. Nutrition is very important to me, I don't want to bonk, and I want to finish strong.

I also learned how to deal with cramping (where I've never cramped before). I just kept moving whether it was walking or running.  I have a feeling that I might be dealing with this during my race. Stretching only seemed to give me cramps in other parts of my legs. Message worked a little better. Also, Shot Blocs worked really well, until I ran out. I'll have to remember to carry more with me for my run. I also ran out of Powerade and water about a mile and a half from home. Not good!!

Lastly, this workout took a lot out of me. I took Saturday off because I was really sore and tired. I swam 3300 yards Sunday, which was thoroughly exhausting, and not at the pace I was required to swim. Which means I have yet to recover from the brick, so I took today off too. I'm still a little sore and my heart rate was higher than normal. Both signs of not being fully recovered. (Side note: I read an article about an athlete that only trains 12 hours a week and won his age group in Kona and Vegas last year. His workouts are extremely intense, so he uses an Internet program, RestWise.com, to help him decide whether or not train the next day. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm seriously thinking about it.) So I took today off too, except for riding around town because my car is in the shop. Nothing intense or formal. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.

Here are the details to my brick workout: http://tpks.ws/WhrW.

GEAR!!!

Let's face it....the gear for triathlons is very expensive!! Time Trial (TT) bikes range anywhere from $1500 to $15,000. Yeah, that's right!! Fifteen thousand dollars. Not to mention, an athlete can spend up $4000 on carbon wheels! Then you need a wet suit ($150 to $500), a tri suit or shorts and top ($80 to $200), running shoes ($80 to $200), tri cycling shoes ($100 to $300), swim gear ($100), and other miscellaneous gear ($200). Not to mention the entry fees and travel expenses for the races, where you can pay up to $1200 and get a t-shirt and a medal if you finish! So I'm talking about spending a minimum of $2,200 and upwards of $20,000 just on gear!!! There is no doubt that this a rich/upper middle class sport! That's why the largest participating age groups are 40-44, 45-49, and 50-54. People late in their careers, who have established themselves with their companies, and have plenty of disposable income. Well, I'm here to tell you how to reduce gear expenses. Especially if you're like me, an average guy just trying to make ends meet.

The most expensive piece of equipment is the bike. There are a few ways to save money when shopping for a bike. First of all, buy a bike that's relative to your abilities. You don't need a $10,000 Cervelo P5 if you're just starting out. If you are new to the sport, buy a road bike and throw some clip on TT bars. That way you could use it for training and group rides, as well as races. When you improve, then you can purchase a TT bike that you can use specifically for racing and special workouts. But save your money for now and use it for other gear. You can also buy new, old inventory from your local bike shop (LBC). Your LBC will offer some good discounts on the previous year's models. The best time to buy is at the end of the season and right before the new season starts. Besides your LBC, scour the clearance sections of sites like Nytro.com, All3Sports.com, and trisports.com. The best deal I've seen on the web is the complete Tri Package that Nytro and All3Sports offer. Everything is included to get started in the sport for less than $3,000, except for running shoes. Hands down the most convenient, one-stop shopping deal you can find!


The absolute best deals that I've found are on Ebay. This is where I purchase most of my gear. If you have the patience, and know-how you'll get unbeatable deals. Buyer beware, that most of the gear is used or returned items, which doesn't make it bad. Just make sure you scan the pictures with a fine tooth comb and read the descriptions thoroughly before you bid. Also beware of snipers, bidders who will out bid you with just seconds left in the auction. One way to avoid them is to purchase items with the buy it now option.

I bought this wetsuit on Ebay for $106, shipping included.

Triathlons are expensive! Save money where you can, and use your savings for race entries, nutrition, and/or other smaller items that you might need for race day. Good luck!!

Obstacles and Set backs

Now matter how motivated I've been this week, there have been some major obstacles I've had to overcome. It's a recovery week, which means I cut my volume in half and do some performance testing to see where I'm at. My first test was a  30 minute treadmill run to estimate my lactate threshold heart rate (LTH). I did that Monday night during my son's guitar lesson. All was going well, and I was feeling great until the 18th minute of my run. My shorts somehow got tangled with the emergency stop line and prematurely ended my run. I restarted and ran for 12 more minutes. The end result was a my best guesstimate, which I  hate to do for testing! The only thing accurate about the test was my Average Heart Rate, which was a little high at 165 bpm. But it was a test, and I was pushing it, so I wasn't too concerned. So my best guess is 3.6 miles in 30 minutes, which comes out to 8:49 m/mile pace. It's an improvement, and I can live with it as long as I'm not too far off in my estimation.

Then, what I thought might end my pursuit to complete an Ironman 70.3! Tuesday night I started having chest pains at work. I left early and ended up spending the night at the hospital. I was released the next morning and the cardiologist on duty reassured me that it wasn't my heart. My EKG and blood work came back negative! I didn't even have to do the stress test. After all that, the worst part of being in the hospital was they didn't give me anything to eat and I only got 45 minutes of sleep. Lack of sleep really screws up my workout routines. So I slept all day Wednesday, and woke up at 1:00 pm on Thursday, which doesn't give me much time to train. So I took an extra day off.

Today I rescheduled my 30 minute bike TT, and felt great during my warm-up. Except for one thing! A lady rolled through a stop sign because she was looking at her phone, and came within 6 inches of hitting me. I yelled out some expletives, and she was very apologetic. So I just kept going. Here are my results http://tpks.ws/h5VS.

After all that has happened this week, I'm happy that I my health is in tact. Next week I'm back to the grind and excited to crank up the volume (now that I know my heart can handle it)! Stay tuned....

Rest Day!

You ever feel guilty about not doing anything? That's how I feel on my rest days. I feel like that I need to be doing something...anything physical! But I know it's necessary for recovery and to prevent burnout. Burning out is a major concern for me, especially now because I'm at the point in my training where I need to increase my volume. And because I'm old!! It takes me just a little longer to recover from hard workouts, and I need an extra day of recovery here and there. But it also feels like that I can't get enough done in one week to accomplish my training goals.  Therefore, a guilty complex! A common problem for triathlets from what I've heard. I'm contemplating on experimenting with 10 day training blocks so I can accomplish my training goals.

Next week I back off the volume for some quality testing to see where I'm at. Hopefully, my fitness has improved from my last tests. If not, I'll have to reevalute my training plan. Possibly going to the 10 day block that I mentioned above. Just 83 days left until St. George!!