Kite Flying and W.I.N.ning

And another thing... with the money that parents spend on personal training sessions once a week, they could use that dough to purchase a 6-8 week program at their local YMCA for their child. Our children have participated in group swim lessons, floor hockey, football, soccer, baseball, and basketball. It costs a fraction of what a personal trainer would cost. Children get to participate in a group sport, learn swim technique, team dynamics, stretching, all while having a lot of fun with their peers. The rhetoric of the parents on television astounded me, "We don't know how to get our child off the couch." Really? (There I go again with my "Really[s].) Balancing work, training, and a family life is incredibly tricky. I need to be flexible. I recently read an article in Triathlete magazine about one elite athlete's approach to this delicate balancing act. He said he operates with the W.I.N. method: 'What's Important Now.' When he is spending time participating in an activity with his family, that is all that matters. He does not think about his next training session. He said that one day he was on his bike, ready to go out for a long ride when his two young children came out and said "Daddy, don't you want to help us fly our kite?" His heart sank, and of course, he got off his bike and had an awesome time with his kids, and said he never would have traded that bike ride for the smiles on his children's faces that afternoon. Of course, I don't need any convincing. I would MUCH rather be flying kites, playing catch, and having tea parties then doing a 3 hour run. But their is balance, and triathletes have to remember—at least this one does—not to be selfish. My family are the ones who support me and allow me to follow my crazy dream of competing in my first IM.

Running: I have picked up the running this week. I ran three time this week already for a total of 12 miles (patience young grasshopper) and I feel great. Adam and I picked out our 36 week training plan for Ironman. We start our training on 3 January 2010. We are going to try to find some run and swim experts to help us with our form along the way. Mary Eggers, a IM triathlete and coach, suggest video taping your form to improve efficiency and preventing injury. Good advice. That is on the agenda this month. I will keep you updated. Will I ever transform into a decent runner? Hmm, we'll see, but it will not be from lack of trying.

Personal Trainers for Children, REALLY?

As I was watching the news last night, I was absolutely horrified by a story they ran on a segment called "Kids Watch," about parents hiring personal trainers for children as young as seven. Wait, what? A personal trainer for a seven year old, really? Working parents are shelling out as much as one hundred dollars per hour for a session with a certified personal trainer for their children. Really? I really need to reconsider my career choice. The only problem is that this story left me feeling terrible for these children and wanting to knock some sense into their parents. Really, the parents who were being interviewed kept saying "We really didn't know what to do to get our kid off the couch in front of the t.v." Really? How about telling them to go outside and play. You live in a townhouse and you really don't have a yard? Okay, why not bring them to the park to play? A trip to the park to play for an hour will save you a hundred dollars, and help build a strong bond between you and your child—if said parent can manage to disconnect from their wireless headset, or texting for that time. I can't tell you how many times I bring my children to the park and see their parents making phone call after phone call, or continuously texting as their child is vying desperately for their attention. Look, I get it, we all need space. But as a parent, your shift does not end until the rugrats are fast asleep. Even then, if duty calls, you have to trounce to their room to console them from their bad dream, help them to the bathroom, find their teddy bear, or any other of a thousand unforeseen minor emergencies.

When I was a child, my mother would say "I don't care what you do so long as you do it outside." Boy, was that a dangerous thing to say! Really? You don't care WHAT I do? I get the idea though. When I was a kid, I spent countless hours with the children in my neighborhood playing baseball, football, kick the can, basketball, jai alai, riding bikes, etc. (Okay, I am just kidding about the jai alai thing, but what a cool sport. It looks like it should be included in a Madmax film.) I see a ton of working parents at the Y that I go to. They work hard all day, but still manage to get to the gym for a workout, setting a great example for their children. Their children get to be active while they are there as well through a variety of activities.

Okay, that is my miniature diatribe for the day. Am I off base here? Is it crazy to think that your children should be active throughout the week without the help of a personal trainer? Kids like to play. Get rid of the 'Crack Station,' or whatever else is keeping them or their parents glued to the couch.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that older kids not watch more than 1–2 hours of TV or video per day, and that kids under age 2 not watch any television. They also recommend that the shows children watch be nonviolent and educational. Above all, TV shouldn't be a substitute for activities like playing, exercising, or reading."

More soon, happy training!

Planning a Plan

I have delayed it long enough. I have to start looking around for plans to attempt my Ironman on 12 September 2010 in Sandusky, Ohio. It feels particularly daunting looking at 4000 yard swims, 4 hour bike rides and 3 hour runs in the dead of winter. It always feels especially nauseating waking up to pitch black arctic winds and three feet of snow over my car to go swimming at 5:15 a.m. Am i going to complain? Only slightly from time to time. But no one wants to hear it, least of which, my wife who puts up with my obsessive craziness because she is the most patient human being on planet Earth.

Ah, but if I don't start training soon, I shall suffer the bitter consequences of being ill-prepared for the Mecca, the gold standard of endurance events: Ironman. My goal this time around is to find a plan that gives me some idea of what I should be doing in terms of nutrition. That was my biggest weakness this season. I trained well and felt confident in the disciplines, but I did not really train with my nutrition, unless I was going out for a long bike ride. I did not exactly dismiss my nutrition entirely, but I just figured I am only doing a few long brick sessions near the end of my training, why use my pricey gels and recovery drinks during low volume workouts. Well, now I've learned that you to practice using nutrition in training to see how your body is going to react at various points in the race.

Speaking of training, I think I now have a fairly firm 2010 race schedule. I will mix in some smaller races—5, 10K's, trail races, etc. but here is the short list:

Cats Half Marathon, April 2010: This is a ridiculously difficult half marathon course. I ran the course this past summer—unofficially—with Adam and Vanessa. We stopped counting hills when we reached number 50. Afterwards, our legs were pretty fatigued and cramped. We looked like cowboys getting off of a steed at the end of the day, but we convalesced with some Ben & Gerry's ice cream afterwards. I would strongly recommend ice cream following this race.

Spring Forward Formula 1: The format for this race is a R2/B10/R1/B10/R2. Last season, I did a "Poor Man's" Version of this race with my training partners. Poor Scott had 3 flat tires. We waited for him to change his tires. We all won our age group.

Keuka Lake Triathlon: This is one of the earliest triathlons of the season on 5 June 2010. I have never personally run this race, but I have heard it is often a brutal temperature change from the swim to the ride. The lake has usually not turned yet, and the air is hot and humid. Mr. Hall said that he did not even know he knew how to backstroke until he did that race. The water was so cold, he did not want to put his face in it. Good times!

Cayuga Lake Triathlon: This is one of the most scenic courses that I have raced. The

ride takes you past several Finger Lakes wineries along Cayuga Lake. If you can resist the urge to stop for a tasting, you will make it to a run turnaround at Taughannock Falls that is nothing short of breathtaking—a 215 foot drop—making it 33 feet taller than Niagra Falls, and one of the largest single-drop waterfalls east of the Rockies (Thanks Wikipedia!) Of course, by that point in the race, you will most likely already be out of breath, but that scenic gorge and that beautiful waterfall will put a smile on your face and keep you motivated to finish strong.

My first attempt at this race was after a 10 hour car ride through the night coming back from Maine. I can not wait to see how I will do on this course with some sleep.

Musselman Half-Iron: The race director, Jeff Henderson puts on an unbelievably well-organized event. The race day nutrition, volunteers, awards, post-race meal(s) were second to none. I met with Jeff Henderson about two months prior to the triathlon to discuss the Arts Triathlon that I put together with some colleagues the same weekend. We had a half hour meeting. Two months later, he saw me race morning and remembered my name. I felt like Norm.

Rev3Cedar Point Ironman: Two words: I'm scared. I am not too proud to admit it. I know Sandusky pretty well having gone to school up there. It is pretty flat, but 140.6 miles is still 140.6 miles.

Crankskins: Finally, thanks to E.J. and the fine folks at crankskins.com for throwing me some love and becoming an official sponsor for my 2010 race season. I shall be sporting some sweet new crankskins on my ride this summer. Pictures and updates to come.

To Boise and Back: A Premier

As a composer, it is always great fun doing a "runout" somewhere to hear a performance of your music. If your performance is taking place at a university, it is not uncommon to spend time meeting with composition students, talk a little music, and give some feedback on their compositions. I have even been asked by some music departments to go into the local high schools to put on performances and talk about composing, and my experiences working with choreographers and dance companies. This past week I flew out to Boise for a premier of a new work by the Rothko Piano Trio titled Trio for the Common Man. What made this trip especially great is that I got to work with my friend, violinist Jo Nardolillo, for whom I wrote Suite for Jules for violin and violoncello a couple of years ago. I met Jo while we were enduring a rather tenuous doctoral seminar in post-tonal theory. We were both trying to negotiate the rigors of la vie quotidienne, while working feverishly on trying to finish our degrees.

Me with cellist Brian Hodges on the "Smurf Turf"

My runout to Boise State University was a short, but amazing trip. I flew out Wednesday evening, spent 33.5 hours in Boise (the only reason I know that is because the cellist in the Rothko Trio—Brian Hodges—told me he figured out the math,) and returned back home. The players were not only stellar musicians, but wonderful human beings. It is rare that I can walk into a rehearsal with any ensemble and immediately feel comfortable. It usually take a little period of unpacking each others language and understanding just what you are trying to get out of the music.

The Rothko Trio almost had an intuitive sense of the rhetoric of the piece before I worked with them. I had a great premier performance. I need to rewrite a couple of things after I finish the commission from the Society for New Music.

With the Rothko Trio: Jo Nardolillo,

Brian Hodges, Betsi Hodges

The only negative part of my trip was that I felt really under the weather from the moment I left for Boise, and I was neither motivated, nor had the time for any exercise while I was there. I tried to keep the fluid intake pretty steady throughout the day. It was agonizing to see everyone running and biking along the Boise river on a beautiful, crisp winter day and know that I did not have the energy to take part. Hopefully I can convince them to have me out again. When I left my scores with Boise State faculty composer Wallis Bratt, I told him that I will have to come back to talk about this music. I will keep my fingers crossed!

Next Up: Finish Commission from Society for New Music: A piano concerto with a March 1 deadline!

My workout itinerary: Hit it hard this week and get serious miles in the pool, bike and run.

Why I Should Be Given A Mandatory 10-Minute Head Start At Every Race

I love my children, all one hundred and fifty, er, uh... I mean, five of them. It only sounds like I have one hundred and fifty children at any given moment in my house, or when I call my wife from work to say hello. I especially love it when I call home and my wife stops listening to me every three seconds to tell the children to stop doing something that will either: 1) put them in immediate danger, 2) annoy my wife enough to the point when she says "I have to go" many times in quick succession. Whenever I hear the excessive noise in the background through the phone, I often think that perhaps my wife has invited a couple of girlfriends and their children over for a play date resulting in a small army of kindergartners romping around the house. I am amazed to find out that not only is it only just our children, but at several points throughout the day, exceed maximum decibel rating at a Who concert.

Every Sunday my wife leaves for rehearsal around 9:30 a.m. I get to fly solo with the children until 1:30. Have you ever tried to get a couple of kids—let alone five—dressed, fed, and out the door to go anywhere? Fed and dressed you say? How difficult could that be? There are times in the morning when my wife and I feel like short order cooks. Getting the girls dressed has become increasingly more difficult as they seem to have a very particular idea about what types of shorts they should wear with their winter boots and tights. Look, I am not complaining at ALL. The real goal here is to help illuminate my training partners—sans children— just why exactly I am completely tapped before I ever begin any workout.

It always seems especially taxing when you have to try to get somewhere at a particular time, as is always the case with our family. This Sunday, as with most Sundays, I went to the YMCA for my bi-weekly Masters Swim. It never fails though. By the time I arrive anywhere with the children, they usually have me so mentally spent, that I'm tapped of a great deal of physical energy as well. The ten minute car ride to the YMCA can be a fun little jaunt, singing our favorite one hundred children songs (literally, we have a CD of one hundred children songs in the car,) or the longest ride in the slowest moving machine on the planet that you would ever want to experience. I think the incessant bickering is the most mentally draining. You know... "Yes you did!" "No I didn't" "Yes you did" "No I didn't" "Yes you did" Voice a little louder now "NO I DIDN'T!" Ah, yes! This could go on for minutes. A close second is having one of the girls sing "Happy Birthday" the whole car ride without ever modulating to the V chord (obviously suffering from voice modulation disorder,) thus leaving me in a constant state of post-minimalistic tension. To up the ante, one of them might try to flex her vocal muscles at the same time with a song that she feels more appropriate for the car ride, or perhaps they are just really into Charles Ives.

Our 2250 yard workout last week consisted of four 50 yard sprints. My training partner Adam whipped me pretty good on the sprints, and of course, let me know it in the locker room on the way out (I would expect no less. It keeps the ego in check.) My response was "I think what makes you faster is that you have five less children than I do." To which a fellow father in the locker room shook his head affirmatively and added his own "they'll drain you good." I told them that I should get a ten minute head start at every triathlon I race. Adam agreed that two minutes per kid sounded like a fair handicap system. I called Adam later on that afternoon to see what he was up to and he informed me he was taking a nap. A nap! On a Sunday afternoon! I can not imagine!

Okay, here is where my diatribe takes an unexpected turn. I believe that all the mentally and physically draining days I spend with my kids actually makes me a more efficient and faster triathlete. When I go away somewhere to race a longer event, I am usually somewhere quiet away from home, and getting more sleep than I have throughout my training, or any other time throughout the year. I have five alarm clocks that go off around 6:45 every morning, not to mention that one will invariably crawl into bed to cuddle with me during the night, usually kicking or slapping me in the face at some point, leaving me pinned like a burrito between them and their mother.

This Weeks Goals: Run 25 good miles sans pain

Run in Boise

Write a ridiculous amount of music

Post Race Report: No Pain, Well Trained

My Turkey Trot was successful. I was pretty excited to get back out there and run a race again, but I was a little nervous about how my knees were going to feel throughout the race and afterwards. To ensure that I could subside any pain during the run, I took a couple of ibuprofen about fifteen minutes before the race. This was also the longest distance I had run since running a marathon back on 13 September.

One thing I've learned about cardiovascular fitness by training for triathlons, is that one discipline (swimming, biking, running) can not take the place of another. I have been swimming regularly since the marathon, but it is a different kind of cardiovascular fitness. To build up your running—you need to run, to build up your bike, you need to bike. Having the mindset that your long runs are a substitute, or are going to somehow transfer over to your cardiovascular fitness on the bike—I've learned—is erroneous. First of all, you use different muscles running than you do biking, which require a different type of effort. Just because your hamstrings are well conditioned, does not mean your quads are going to take the pounding of a two hour bike ride. Trying to climb a steep grade on your ride is difficult if you have not been putting in the hours. It can take some serious wind out of your sails. That is mostly what I felt yesterday—the lack of training.

With brother Leonard

I ran the first three miles with my friend Manuel. Our first three splits were 7:10, 14:45 and 23:50. I knew that I was not going to maintain that pace (with minimal training)—despite the fact I was eager to run negative splits. Between miles three and four, Manuel pulled away on one of the gradual climbs. I wanted to finish sub-50 minutes, but I ended up with a fairly respectable 50:21. I can not complain. The good news is that my knees felt good last night and they feel great this morning! I am ready to start training for double digits again. I look at this as a training run at the end of the day.

Here I am with Manuel and Vanessa

Congratulations to friends Terry Christo for her first place age-group finish (55-59): 45:27, Vanessa Taylor's 6th place age-group finish (20-24): with a time of 46:35, Karen Leastman's PR of 52:55, Manuel Pacheo: 48:15, and my brother Len with a 1:01:04.

Here I am with age-group champion Terry Christo.

10K Turkey Trot

It's official. I am going out tomorrow morning to run my first 10K since the dreaded marathon. It will be especially nice because I know a lot of my friends, and people I train with will be out there. The weather looks like it is going to cooperate as well—partly sunny, high of 50. My brother Leonard and I are registering in a couple of hours as a brother/brother team. I am especially excited for him because he has recently bumped up his running, with his first eight mile run this past week—ever! Hey, Len... only 5 more to go to run a half, and you are more than 9 months out still. I will also be running (behind) my friend Vanessa, who recently qualified for the Boston Marathon.

I know I have not been running a lot, so I have a pretty conservative game plan for the race: survive. Well, the actual game plan is a bit more ambitious. I want to run a solid eight minute pace for the first three miles and then try to run negative splits the last three. That will put me somewhere around 49-51 minutes. The cooler air this time of year is a blessing. What I have to be conscious of now—at my ripe old age—is leg fatigue. I have been doing squats and stretching quite a bit since about mid-October, so I am hoping fatigue is not an issue. If I feel good after the run tomorrow (i.e. knees,) it may just give me the confidence to start striving for double digits again. I also feel a bit of excitement about getting back out there and training. I have not felt that way since before the Musselman half-iron on 19 July. My secret weapons for the race are ibuprofen, 2 endurolytes and one vanilla flavored GU with caffeine. Perhaps I should try to get to bed at a reasonable hour as well.

Good luck to my friend Jodie who will be running a half-marathon in Vegas—or so she says. Of course, what happens in Vegas... And good luck to my fellow runners out there tomorrow, especially Vanessa, Manuel, Len, Tom, and Karen. Let's burn some serious turkey calories!

Post-race day pictures to follow!