If you never failed... You never lived!

I'm ready to risk failing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjYoKCBYag&feature=related

400 Pounds to Ultra Endurance Athlete and Ironman.

As many of you know, I'm constantly reading Beginner Triathlete. This forum is a great starting point for not only resources, but also motivation. On the forum Dan decided to share his story from 400 pounds to Ultra Endurance Athlete. Here is the video;

Amazing Video!

To read more about Dan you can also visit his website at:

http://www.trimywill.com/

It's reading and seeing how far some people have come to not only reach their goal, but change their lives that I find so inspirational. If they can do it, why can't I? What's my excuse... and what's your excuse?

The Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll Trainer

As mentioned in an earlier post, I have been looking at the differences between stationary trainers and rollers. While there are many pro's and con's to each method of indoor training, I think I may have stumbled across a possible compromise.

The Kinetic by Kurt Rock and Roll trainer seems to have all of the benefits of a traditional stationary trainer, however, still seems to engage your core as if you were using rollers. Here is quick video demonstrating how this trainer works:

Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll Trainer

Why are motorists aggressive towards cyclist?????

If you ride long enough it's not a matter of "IF" but "WHEN" will you have an encounter with an aggressive driver. It's sad to say but this is the cold truth. The majority of the motorists I encounter are respectful and are more than willing to give a cyclist room to ride safely. I think the most common complaint I hear from cyclist is about getting buzzed. Even the act of getting buzzed comes down to perception as opposed to reality. It's the motorists perception that as long as he/she does not cross into the shoulder or bike line they have given us enough room, while it's MY reality that 24 inches feels like 2 inches when a car buzzes you at 50+ mphs.

But this post, I mean rant, isn't about the motorist who is inattentive, inconsiderate, or obvious. It's about the motorist who is aggressive, the type that will throw ice from a soft drink, or will intentional see how close they can get to you.... My "WHEN" was this past Saturday.

I was riding on 528, a route I have ridden over a 100 times. It's a busy road but it has a wide shoulder and a designated bike line. I was about 20 miles into the ride, in aero, doing some short intervals. In between leg burn and sweat in my eyes my only focus was on the road ahead and not what was coming up from behind. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye I see the bumper of a maroon F-150 and think to myself, why aren't they passing... then it hits me! They slowed down to roll down the passenger window, hang out, reach towards my head, and give me an ear full of the best an air horn has to offer!!!! Needless to say I panicked, almost went down, and took a few minutes to recoup. Then the anger hit me like wave. Did they realize what they did? Did they realize the harm they could have done? Are people really that stupid? Well luckily for me the light up ahead was red and they had no where to go, so I got the chance to ask!

Friday's Recipe...Homemade Energy Cookies

Autumn is here so lets break out the cinnamon, peanut butter, and brown sugar... it's time for baking! And what's better to bake than homemade energy bars to help us get through our long Saturday ride. While I would much rather prefer a think gooey chocolate brownie, these energy cookies will taste much better than the store bought variety, and will also be a healthy treat. So enjoy and start baking!

One change suggestion.... use crunchy peanut butter instead!!!!!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Cream the butter, sugar, molasses, and peanut butter in a large bowl. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. Mix the flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, until evenly blended.
2. Stir in the oats, raisins, choc chips, and nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
4. Shape dough into large balls using 1/4 cup of dough per cookie. Place on greased cookie sheets, leaving 3 inches between them. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. When done, the tops will still be soft to the touch. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Trainers Vs. Rollers

Now that the days are getting shorter, and my training plan calls for many two-a-days I've come to the realization that I will not be able to complete all my training rides outside on the friendly streets of Friendswood, Texas. I've been doing some research regarding the benefits of rollers versus a stationary trainer. Everybody I speak to "hates" their trainer and often refers to this sadistic piece of equipment as a "drainer", so why follow the same path?

Here is an article I found at coachlevi.com which I found helpful.... 

Stationary Trainer

A stationary trainer is a device that attaches to your bicycle’s rear wheel. It holds the bike upright with the rear wheel off the ground, allowing you to ride in place.
The rear wheel is clamped against a roller to provide traction, and there is also a resistance unit attached to the roller, so you can train against heavy resistance levels if you wish.
Trainer Pros:
First, riding a trainer is stable. That’s because the bike is supported by the trainer. So if you are fairly new to riding, or just don’t want to worry about balance, a trainer provides that stability.
That also means you can easily stand, sprint, or even read a book while riding the trainer.
Also, say you want to ride even though you have a broken arm or dislocated shoulder. A stationary trainer is about the only way to do that without extra danger.
Second, you can dial up the resistance for a hard workout. Most trainers have an adjustable resistance unit, usually magnetic or fluid, which allows you to set a level of resistance to pedal against. If you want to push some big gears and do interval workouts, you can.
Trainer Cons:
The problem with being so stable is that a trainer will not improve your balance. Since the bike is held in place, you don’t have to worry much about falling off, which is very different from outdoor riding!
Also, your bike is clamped down pretty tight in one of these trainers. That poses two problems. First, the clamps can scratch and/or break your quick-release levers and possibly your frame. (My road bike’s frame lost a lot of paint chips the first time I clamped it into a trainer!)
Second, the rear tire will wear out very fast from all the pressure. If you are riding a trainer, plan to use some cheap, durable tires so you don’t ruin your good ones. ($5 tires are a good choice.)

Rollers

Rollers are a cross between a treadmill and a log rolling contest for your bike. Rollers consist of three drums held in a frame. Two drums go under your rear wheel and one under the front wheel, and there is a band connecting them so that your front wheel spins, too.
As you ride, the wheels spin the drums, and you effectively ride like usual, but you stay in one spot.
Rollers Pros:
Riding on rollers provides a very realistic feel. Since your bike is free to move around, it gives you that feeling of riding on the open road. That is a lot more fun than a trainer, where it feels like you’re stuck on an exercise bike.
That freedom of movement brings more benefits, too. It is also great for improving your balance. You have to consciously keep the bike upright, or you’ll fall over! It’s the same concept as balancing while riding outside, but since you’re not moving forward, it’s more difficult.
Similarly, you learn to ride in a straight line. Since the rollers are only 12-18″ wide, you need to ride in a straight line or you’ll fall off the edge. Being able to ride in a straight line is a vital skill for riding in a paceline, and rollers really help you with that.
Consequently, rollers are a great way to improve your pedal stroke. If you have a choppy pedal stroke that doesn’t apply power through the full pedal stroke, it will be very hard to stay balanced on the rollers. So you are forced to pedal in circles or you’ll fall over!
Lastly, there is no excess wear and tear on your bike. The only contact is between your tires and the smooth rollers. There is no extra pressure there, and the surfaces are smooth, so rollers are actually easier on your tires than riding outside.
Rollers Cons:
While rollers are so great for improving your riding skills, they are not beginner friendly. If you just ride your bike to burn some extra calories, you might not want to “fight” the rollers just to do a short ride.
Also, rollers usually don’t have a resistance unit. This can be a setback if you plan to do some very high-resistance interval workouts. (You can get a resistance unit for some rollers, although that can be expensive.)

In the end, which would you choose?

Monday Motivation....

The Philadelphia Eagles won, the Houston Texans won, and the Dallas Cowboys lost... what a great way to start the week. The only problem? You still have to wake up on Monday morning, so here is a little kick start to motivate you this (raining in Houston) Monday morning.

And just remember everyday you either get faster or you get slower.... So are you going to get faster or slower today?

Ironman Till I Collapse