Tied for First

TireBaby
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

What's harder? Putting two new, out-of-the-box Continental Grand Prix 3000 tires onto my road bike or feeding, bathing, and dressing a squirmy, slippery, grabby, seven-month-old?

After a day in which I did both, I'm calling it a tie for first. Yes, squeezing the new tires onto my bike rims brutalized my thumbs. But moving Baby from Point A to B to C tested my patience and skills just as severely.

Here's a handy tip: Throw it in the dryer and heat it up to make it more compliant. I substituted time in the dryer with placing it outside in direct sunlight for a few hours and it really worked. I'm talking about the tire, not the baby.

Training for the Sanford and Son Marathon

A 26-year-old Connecticut man is preparing to realize his dream of participating in a TV marathon.

"Marathons are exhausting, but exhilarating," said Alex Bryce." "Afterwards, my muscles are stiff and my eyes are bloodshot, but it's always worth it."

Ironman Canada Photo Galleries

Tim Moxey shot some stunning images of Ironman Canada. I like "Start Your Engines:" 2,000 Ironpeople getting ready to hit the water. And St. Louisan Chris Arnold also posted an excellent Ironman Canada photo gallery.

Here's a race recap from Triathlete Magazine.

Running Burns More Calories Than Walking

"Running burns twice as many net calories per mile as walking," reports Runner's World. "And since you can run two miles in the time it takes to walk one mile, running burns four times as many net calories per hour as walking."

He Runs With Bulls

Todd Lewis, "the ultimate goal-oriented guy" featured yesterday, emailed Activeness! to alert us of his www.irunwithbulls.com web site. "I would like to hear from people that might have the same interests and attitudes," writes Todd.

The Catastrophe in New Orleans

I don't think the mainstream media is doing a good job capturing the terrifying and deteroriating situation in New Orleans. Brendan Loy is.

Activating the Fat Man Walking

Former Marine Steve Vaught has decided to burn off his fat--at 39 years old he was at 400+ pounds--and regain his life by walking across the U.S. So far he has walked more than 800 miles; he still has more than 2,000 to go. This is his journal, as written by his wife, April. For refusing to sit on the couch and accept your plight, Steve Vaught, you and your journey of exploration have been Activated!

Activating the Goal Guy

St. Louisan Todd Lewis, 37, has lots of goals. One is to run a marathon per month in 2005. Next up: the Lewis & Clark Marathon in St. Charles, Mo., and the Dublin Marathon in October. Among his secrets for a quick recovery: 15-20-minute post-marathon ice baths. Todd Lewis, for your passion for life: You have been Activated.

Liggett on Armstrong's Current Battle

Cycling commentator Phil Liggett writes about Lance Armstrong's EPO accusation from the French.

"The ethics of the case are highly suspect as the only person to be able to link the samples taken in 1999 to the provider of the urine should have been the collecting inspector."

Hello, Onstar

OnStar: Hello, OnStar.
Customer: I'm trying to get home but I just realized I passed my highway exit 10 miles ago!
OnStar: Are you drunk?
Customer: No! I just rode my bike for five hours in the blazing heat and I'm toast.
OnStar: Sir, did you hydrate well? Salt tabs? And gels and bars: What was your nutrition plan?
Customer: Is that really important? How do I get home?
OnStar: Sir, I'm showing that the gels and salt tabs never made it out of your backseat cooler.
Customer: Please get me home. Last time I was this late my wife stuck a steak knife into my new Ironman Stealth Wetsuit!
OnStar: I'm dispatching a state trooper to administer some lemon-lime Accelerade and guide you home.
Customer: Thank you, OnStar!
OnStar: I've also notified your tri club of your bonk. It's totally a newbie move.
Customer: Damn you, OnStar!
(A JPD/John collaboration)

Rising Gas Prices Hit Home

The X-Man still loves to take out the femininas. But times are tough. Tiffani, who freaked out after the heart-rate monitor misunderstanding, hasn't shown up to masters since then. Word on the street is she has resorted to dating guys with no training plans. Whatever.

My prospects in the singleathletes.com pipeline are about seven deep right now, which isn't bad. But with gas prices on the rise and the price of oil continuing to ratchet up, I need to step back and reevaluate. Until prices stabilize, babes who aren't living within a 10-mile radius of the X-Man's crib will be closed out. Disappearing fossil fuel is the latest setback to beset the X-Man, but I will not be deterred.

Hawaii? OK!

It’s nice to be lucky once in a while. That’s the only way to describe how I’m suddenly entered in the World Age Group Championship Triathlon in Honolulu on October 9.

After earning a spot in Nationals and then getting a free pass to Worlds when bad weather canceled Nationals, a wasted drive across the state of Missouri has turned into an opportunity of a lifetime: to race against the best short course amateur triathletes in the world, enjoy a vacation, and witness Ironman Hawaii in person. Whoa!

With two other upcoming races and a busy work schedule to boot, six weeks of being super-focused is my only hope to make a respectable showing.

Reason #745 We All Should Be Out Riding

Gas
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

At what point are Americans going to start worrying about gas prices and altering their driving habits or making other lifestyle changes? $3.00 a gallon? $4.00? James Howard Kunstler believes that energy scarcity is going to rock civilization as we know it. Whether or not you believe him, more people need to start thinking about scenarios and solutions for a post Peak Oil world.

Trail Running With Kik

It feels like we write about Lance too much on Activeness!, so let's move on ... to his ex-wife. Trail runner Scott Dunlap took Kristin Armstrong for a trail run in Woodside, Calif., as she prepared to write an article on trail running for Runner's World.

"She has braved more in the last six years than all of Oprah’s guests put together – loved ones with cancer, a whirlwind rise to fame, in vitro, being pregnant in a foreign country, twins, divorce, and more. On so many occasions she has risked everything for love, and won. Not to mention she’s a hottie."

Here's Kik's story on running with Dunlap.

"I still have a lot to learn about trail running, but I gathered this much: Pretty view? Stop and see. Hungry? Have a snack. Thirsty? Drink. Long hill? Walk. Treacherous footing? Slow down. The lesson wasn't lost on me. This isn't just how to run, it's how to live."

San Francisco Columnist Calls Armstrong "Teflon Doper"

A San Francisco Chronicle columnist compares Lance Armstrong to Barry Bonds and wonders why Bonds has never been invited to the president's ranch.

"Bonds and Armstrong have too much in common for them to be treated so differently. Either both should be presumed clean and accorded full admiration for their athletic accomplishments, or both should be presumed highly suspicious superstars in a doped-up sports world."

Of course, unlike Bonds, Armstrong has never admitted to a federal grand jury that he used BALCO's "the clear" and "the cream"--or any illegal performance-enhancing substance.

Split Calculator

Calculate your IM Wisconsin splits.

Riding Solo?

Dan Empfield wonders why Lance Armstrong is being forced to stand alone against these EPO accusations. Where are USA Cycling, the UCI, the World Anti-Doping Agency?

"I'm stunned by the lack of inquiry by those who fashion themselves the vanguard in our fight against performance enhancing drugs in sport. Lance may be guilty and he may be clean, but there is one thing for sure: He is alone. Few or none in the machinery of sport are weighing in on the behalf of process, as one of its athletes twists in the wind."

Later: USA Cycling has come around to Empfield's way of thinking.

Live Coughing

Young hipster guy spotted smoking a cigarette while wearing a Lance Armstrong "Live Strong" yellow bracelet: You have been deactivated.

The Golf Gene

I must not have gotten the golf gene. Barring the discovery of 30-hour days, I don't think I'll ever find time to play. And watching it on TV? I'd rather tune in to the the Paint Drying Channel.

Trial by Press

L'Equipe has been unfairly taking justice into its own hands and for its own purposes in the paper's Lance Armstrong exposé, says British cycling legend Chris Boardman to Eurosport.

Is Delayed Testing Possible?

In the wake of the latest Lance Armstrong doping allegations coming out of France, the director of Canada's top anti-doping lab wonders if delayed testing is even possible.

"EPO is a protein hormone and it is not stable in urine, even when kept frozen," said Doctor Christiane Ayotte. "This has long had implications for any plan we've had to keep samples and specimens for long periods of time with the hope that we might, some day, retest those samples for a new substance."

Lessons in Honesty

National Tire & Battery (NTB) on Manchester Road in Kirkwood, Missouri: For lying and telling me I also needed an alternator when my battery died (a lie confirmed by the guys at the dealer), you have been permanently deactivated. Fortunately, my spider sense told me you were pond scum and I walked.

Homewood Suites Chicago hotel valet parkers who ripped off my Nike sunglasses (might as well take my first-born next time): F*** you, too, dirtbags. Even worse than deactivating you, I hope the lenses explode into thousands of tiny fragments that pierce your eyeballs. Do they sell insurance on sunglasses? That's the second pair I've lost this year.

Honest young 20-ish runner who returned my wallet with $200 cash, which dropped out of my car alongside the running path: Thank you for seeking me out and preserving some of my faith in humanity. I'm not surprised it took a runner to do it.

The Fascinating History of Gatorade

It might be time to re-think your priorities and shut down your tri blog if your nightstand includes a copy of Darren Rovell's new book called, The First In Thirst: How Gatorade Turned The Science of Sweat Into A Cultural Phenomenon. Now, on the other hand, a book on the history of Clif Bars...dude, that would be so sweet.

More Armstrong Allegations

French newspaper L'Equipe continues to raise questions about Lance Armsrong and doping. This time it is claiming that signs of EPO use showed up in Armstrong's urine six times during the 1999 Tour de France.

Know French? Here's the story.

Book Review: Lance Armstrong’s War, by Daniel Coyle

When co-worker triathlete Jeff loaned me this book, I figured it would be another book about the cancer recovery, yellow bracelets, Sheryl Crow, 7 tours, yada yada. I was wrong. To say that Coyle gets behind the scenes of professional cycling is an understatement. His ability to capture the essence of these intriguing characters and then describe them to the reader in a clear, understandable way is amazing.

Depictions of note include the “whoof-shrugging” Belgians, the “tidy” Belgian schoolchildren, and the chattering Spanish riders drinking their endless coffees. It was a perfect description of my Belgian uncles’ way of shrugging their shoulders and my school-age cousins wearing their non-colorful daily outfits. And if I listened hard enough, I could almost hear the spoons swirling in the Spanish riders’ coffees.

I have always been more intrigued by characters on the periphery than the conquering hero, so I especially liked this book for going into great detail about the other riders--Hamilton, Landis, Mayo, Ulrich, and lesser-knowns--and the people surrounding the teams and Tour, including a group that Coyle refers to as the “Bros and the Dudes.” Perfect. (See post on Muppies.)

It occasionally seemed like Coyle tried too hard to find the perfect word and so it came across as forced or overdramatic. Yet this is one of the best sports books I’ve read. Mr. Coyle, for an outstanding job with this book, you have been Activated!

The 'Tour de Crawford'

Lance Armstrong and President Bush rode 17 miles on Bush's ranch on Saturday. "He's a good rider," said Bush. The Discovery Channel will air footage of the ride later this week.

Running Barefoot

Some runners eschew shoes.

A Fickle Mistress

When you ride into a stiff headwind on the way out, aren't you supposed to be rewarded with nice a tailwind on the way in? Mother Nature, for giving us headwinds going in both directions today and for your futile attempt to derail Diesel with a nasty bee sting: You have been deactivated.

Tips for a Fast Swim Start

Triathlete magazine offers three tips for a fast swim start:
1. Train for the lactic-acid fest.
2. Get in a good warm up.
3. Find a good spot.

Greg Welch: Something Completely Different

Greg Welch reminisces on his "most majestic week" in triathlon.

"Now, it wasn’t your ordinary group. Take Mark Allen, Norman P Huddle, Scott Tinley, Scott Molina, Ray Browning and myself, throw in a couple of cooks like Paula Newby Fraser, Erin Baker, and Julie Moss …"

PEZ's Dave Zabriskie Interview

PEZ caught up with Dave Zabriskie. On his crashing during the Tour's team time trial:

"As I was skidding on the pavement I was also saying 'noooo….' I talked to some people who were standing right there where the crash happened and they said there was a seam in the road, but honestly I still have no idea how or why the crash happened."

Saint Ralph

Have you seen Saint Ralph yet? It's the story of a 14-year-old who thinks he needs to win the 1954 Boston Marathon to trigger a miracle that will save the life of his ailing mother. Slowtwitch.com's reviewer didn't like the running scenes.

Taking Personal Training to the Extreme

More than six million Americans hired a personal trainer in 2004. Some New York trainers are taking it to the extreme. One earned $14,000 for coaching a man through his final two weeks of preparation for an Olympic-distance triathlon. And five investment bankers paid another trainer $4,500 to spend three days in Canada jump-starting their preparations for an adventure race.

New York's Heavyweight Challenge

A Manhattan multisport store is looking for an out-of-shape New Yorker who wants to be an Ironman.

"Guys must weigh at least 220 pounds and gals have to tip the scales at 200 pounds. The prize is a year's worth of hard-core training and a trip to Panama City Beach for the 2006 Florida Ironman Triathlon."

Close Shave

Today I was two blocks from home when I realized I forgot to shave. It may sound vain, but I didn't feel right about going to work unshaven. So I hung a quick U, zipped the Rover back into its spot, and jogged back into my apartment to shave. Off came my trousers and out came the Norelco shaver. Weak, I know, but I rationalized to myself that I just didn't have time to lather up and go with the blade. I'm posting this from work, and I must say I feel much better. Kenny says the girls in accounting wouldn't have noticed the stubble under my cargo pants, but I'm quite sure they would have sensed it. Besides, tonight I'm going straight to master's after sweaty yoga, and what if Tiffani has signed up to swim again this session? To show up stubbly would not be cool. - Racer X

Any "Obsessive Exercisers" Out There?

A New York Times article reports that, "While most Americans remain sadly sedentary, there is a small group of active people for whom exercise becomes something of an obsession, pursued despite physical injuries, damaged relationships and time stolen from work, family and social activities."

The Times' explanation of the optimal amount of exercise one should get:

"Aerobic activity that burns 2,000 to 3,500 calories a week is considered the amount of exercise to attain and maintain optimal health. This would entail 40 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise four to six times a week. Beyond that, there are no added health benefits, but there is an increased risk of exercise-induced injuries."

Taking a Pull

This kid on the tricycle clearly needs to cut down his drag. Perhaps some wind-tunnel testing is in order.

My Name Is Fred and I'm a Group-Ride Junkie

This VeloNews writer comes clean about his addiction to fast and furious local group rides:

"Now, the group-rides that have always whetted my appetite aren't just the ol' cruiser-bike stroll in the park with mom 'n pop. Nope, I love the speedy ones with plenty of muscle flexing and attacks. Bring on the trash talk for good measure. I want a ride where no one even flinches when someone suffers a flat. With a nod and a 'see ya next week, pal,' you carry on with the business at hand."

Race Director of USAT Nationals Weighs In

National Age Group Championships race director Mark Livesay writes a piece for Inside Triathlon explaining his thoughts on what happened in Kansas City.

"August 13th was the worst day I've ever experienced in the sport of triathlon. I had tears in my eyes the moment we were forced to finally cancel the event. My staff and I were looking forward to showing these athletes and the entire triathlon community what kind of world class event Ultramax Events is capable of producing. Like USAT, we put everything we had into the preparations for this event. In the end, neither USAT nor Ultramax Events were prepared to put 1,200 athletes and hundreds of volunteers in harm's way."

Because they had no qualifying event, USAT has granted a Worlds slot to all who picked up their race packets in Kansas City. Does this mean Activeness!'s Jan is Hawaii-bound? Stay tuned.

Talking Trash to Become a Leader?

Classy, quiet University of Missouri quarterback Brad Smith senior quarterback unloads a puzzler: This season he's planning to talk more trash to emulate Michael Jordan and be a better leader.

"I talk a little trash to the defense (during practice), and that helps our guys (the offense) out because they like to hear that. It helps you be a leader. It helps your teammates become more confident in what they're doing and know that you have confidence enough to talk trash. And I like that."

Huh? This story doesn't add up. Brad Smith, because of your past record as a wholesome, good human being, you have earned the benefit of the doubt: You have not been deactivated.

Reason #744 We All Should Be Out Running

Because we could be at the Iowa State Fair watching incredibly annoying "humorist" Garrison Keillor eat pork chop-on-a-stick.

Do You Remember Your First Time?

Bri
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Brother Brian: For finishing your first triathlon without wrecking my bike, you have been activated. We'll work on that "reaching down and grabbing the water bottle while riding" thing.

This was an untimed, "noncompetitive" race with five swim heats. Very casual. Yet it was motivating to watch 125 athletes of all ages and abilities push themselves to the edge and "redline" despite the fact that nobody else could possibly know their overall times. "Way to do," triathletes.

Some Perspective on the Cancelation of the National Age Group Championships

Matt Cazalas over at SwimBikeRunStLouis offers some good perspective on the USAT's cancelation of the National Age Group Championships:

"Chest thumpers who claim to have trained in worse storms should probably ensure that their life insurance policies are in good standing, or renew their health club memberships. Granted, this writer didn't throw a thousand or more hard-earned greenbacks at the race, didn't suffer the frustration of an entire season's focus getting washed away with the torrents of rain runoff, or didn't endure double-digit hours behind a steering wheel to arrive in Smithville then suffer through what surely must have seemed an even longer return trip home. By the same token, this writer didn't spend months wrestling with a thousand behind-the-scenes race-related details, wasn't confronted with staging a prestigious national championship in unthinkable conditions, or didn't face making a decision, the result of which was sure to elicit 1,250 highly charged emotional reactions."

Fad Burner

Chris Carmichael has some diet tips that never go out of style.

From Noble Beginnings Come Change

"There's a funny secret about exercise: It sometimes has a way of sneaking up on you and changing your life."

Most Chimps Are Left-Handed

So a new study shows that most wild chimps are southpaws. I guess that helps explain pitcher David Wells.

Lance's Next Domestique: President Bush

Lance Armstrong is headed to Crawford, Texas, to mountain bike with the president.

Bush said he prefers mountain biking to road biking, where riders often shave their legs and wear Lycra shorts: "There are certain things that age brings with it, and not wearing the form-fitting Lycra shorts is one of them, if you know what I mean.'"

Age Group Triathlon Nationals – Recap

August 13, 2005, Kansas City, MO
4:45 am – Wake up call from front desk. Get dressed, eat.
5:15 am – Leave for race site in pouring rain and lightning storms.
6:10 am – Arrive at race site (Yes, that’s almost an hour away from the host hotel.).
6:30 am – Park car. Hear on radio that the race is delayed 30 minutes to 7:20 am.
7:15 am – Start time is delayed another 15 minutes, to 7:35 am.
7:30 am – Swim is canceled. Lake is turbulent with lightning and rain still coming down with high winds. Race will be bike-run with a time trial format starting at 8:00 am.
7:50 am – Race delayed. First biker will start at 9:00 am.
8:00 am – Decide to head to car to dry off and stop shivering. Ryan not there, can’t get in car. Climb in rental minivan with welcoming group of West Virginians. Nice folks: A former college wrestler, Hawaii Ironman qualifier, ER doctor, beer distributor, and part-time football referee and I become acquainted as we wait for more instructions.
8:45 am – Race is officially canceled. But there will be a 10K “fun run” starting at 9:15 am.
9:20 am – Drop off my timing chip and Ryan and I join the fun run near the back of the pack. Starting with an easy pace and some jokes to try and lighten the situation, we gradually build our speed and run a medium-hard effort through the steady rain. There were actually volunteers at the aid stations after all this. Incredible.

Observations: National-level athletes don’t do “fun runs.” Most people kept their timing chips on and the “winner” ran the 10K in under 33 minutes.

At the postrace festivities we were, for the most part, able to shrug off the lousy weather and enjoy food, drinks, and dance floor comedy. From West Virginia to North Dakota to California, I met some very cool, humble superstar triathletes.

Since this race would have determined who goes to the World Championship in Hawaii in October, USAT soon will be announcing how they will go about the selection.

A Father's Triathlon

While Jan was busy attempting (see cancelation recap) to rock the course while competing with the country's best triathletes at the national championships in Kansas City, I enjoyed a new type of father's triathlon: run-run-run. Here goes:

2:30 pm - Run 3 miles.
3:00 pm - Meet 2 kids at playground while wife runs errands; play for one hour.
4:00 pm - Run 3 miles after wife and kids' cousins arrive at park.
4:30 pm - Loop back to park and play more with kids. Help pack scared kids in wife's car when unexpected thunderstorm blows in.
5:00 pm - Run 3 miles in driving rain and wind; enjoy cleansing feeling of rain because hadn't had time to shower yet this day.

USA Triathlon Nationals Canceled

Thunderstorms caused officials to cancel the 2005 USA Triathlon age group national championships in Kansas City. This open letter from Joe Triathlete raises some questions about the cancelation.

A Slowtwitch.com forum is buzzing about the cancelation.

A Polar Bear's Arctic Endurance Swim

Scientists have tracked a tagged polar bear swimming at least 74 km (46+ miles) in just one day. Since the bear probably didn't swim in a straight line, it probably covered closer to 100 km (62 miles). Its average speed was 3-4 kmh--about the speed of a person walking.

The Best Online Tri Retailers

Slowtwitch.com has a list and descriptions of the top 10 tri retailers in North America. The top three are TriSports.com, Tri-Zone.com, and All 3 Sports.

Slowtwitch.com judged the retailers on number of transactions executed per year, breadth of product offerings, web site usability, service and return policy, promptness of shipping, and ease of use factors.

Review: Sugoi Bike Shorts

Should you shell out $115 for Sugoi's 10-panel RS Flex cycling short? Read the review.

Activating Danny Way

Skateboarder and 2004 X Games gold medalist Danny Way became the first person to jump the Great Wall of China without a motorized vehicle. Watch the video on Danny's site.

Don't Stand So Close To Me

Business has taken the X-Man to Chicago this week. There's nothing better than a run along the Windy City's happenin' lakeshore path. Conversely, there's nothing worse than when that run gets rained out by brutal thunderstorms. So that's how the X-Man found himself at a downtown Chi-town gym called "Crunch" early this morning, pounding away on the treadmill at 8.4 MPH. You regular readers know I'm all about the femininas. Yes, X-Man loves the ladies. But let me ask a question of the "muscle guy" at Crunch: Why were you standing directly behind my treadmill and staring at my shorts between your sets? The friggin' gym was 5,000 square feet and completely empty except for us; there was plenty of room to loiter somewhere else. If your mission was to make the X-Man uncomfortable, then consider it a success. If you had another more devious purpose, I'm flattered, but X don't play that. Next time you best stand somewhere else or there will be consequences. Stand down, dude.

Triathlon Poster

Art and triathlon.

Sports Drinks With Protein

Recovery drinks infused with protein are becoming the drink of choice for some of the world's fittest people, reports The New York Times.

"The science justifying drinking protein during a workout may be preliminary but to some it is intriguing. Researchers from James Madison University looked at the effects of protein drinks on cyclists pedaling to exhaustion. Their study, published in May in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that a 4-to-1 carbohydrate-protein solution taken during exercise could decrease muscle damage."

I've had good results with Accelerade (lemon lime) and this is an interesting article, but somebody needs to tell the author that a traditional marathon is not "26.3 miles."

Get Figgy With It

Want to be healthy and fit? Eat Fig Newtons.

"As a three-time Ironman champion, I need short and long-term energy from carbohydrates to help me perform at my peak," says Heather Gollnick, Ironman competitor and triathlete. "That's why I'm helping bring figs and Fig Newtons to the forefront -- to encourage everyone to experience the power of the fig."

Fig Newtons also are the 'Official Energy Snack of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship.'

To Kraft Foods' creative/PR agency, for this campaign I say: "Nice try."

Track Work

track
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Heading to the high school track for Wednesday night speedwork is like being in the cool part of town--the eclectic neighborhood where people of all shapes, colors, and sizes hang out together.

In recent weeks I've seen nine-year-olds practicing the relay baton handoff, 2:20 marathoners clicking off 2:20 800s, a boxer shadowboxing his way around the oval, a triathlete pounding out 400s, a masters track competitor working out with a stopwatch, and a college soccer player putting in some miles.

What these people share is a drive to improve and a willingness to do the work. Instead of simply having "the courage to start," they have the guts to battle their personal limits to improve.

Losing Respect for the Marathon Distance?

Fueled by charity groups like Team in Training, there's an obvious and growing trend of novice runners attempting marathons. Are they risking their health? "I tell patients all the time who have this in their plan, that training for and running a marathon is not a healthy thing," said Dr. Mike Cannon. "It does put them at risk for injury."

Et tu, Dilbert?

Interview With Daniel Coyle

PEZ's Stephen Cheung, Ph.D., chats with journalist Daniel Coyle, who has written "the brilliantly insightful book Lance Armstrong's War." Cheung deems the book "one of the most insightful and gripping books ever written about professional cycling."

In Love or Overtrained?

Dear Blog:

Despite my mega-training, chiseled physique, and sweet new Softride (Bernice), the X-Man has not been achieving the expected race results this year. But why? To find out if I’m training at the optimum intensity, I’ve turned to heart rate monitoring.

I've been downloading HRM data to my leased Dell laptop and analyzing the heck out of it. I’m not exactly sure what all the cool charts and lines mean, but I'm sure my ticket to Kona resides in there somewhere.

Lately I’ve taken the monitoring to another level by wearing the chest strap 24-7. Since I'm still training for IM Korea, I'm typically a zombie when taking the femininas out to the local cantina. The beautiful part about wearing the monitor is I don't really have to pay attention during my dates. Instead, I can rely on the heart rate data to determine the real candidates for becoming the future Mrs. X. When I get home from a date, I immediately download the data, and “boom!”, I can see if there was any excitement in X's ticker.

At first I didn't know if Tiffani was worthy of a second date. But when I charted myself at an astounding 81 BPM while giving her a goodnight peck on the cheek, I immediately emailed her about setting it up. At the end of that second date, though, she freaked out when my heartbeat surpassed my target zone range as I walked her to her door (anticipation, I suppose). Damn beeping alarm! I left a message promising to keep the zone alert on mute during future dates, but for some reason Tiffani isn't returning my calls.

The data indicates that the X-Man really liked her, but I think, in retrospect, I was just overtrained. - Racer X

Reason #743 We All Should Be Out Riding

Bo, Luke, Daisy, Boss Hogg, Uncle Jesse, and the General Lee in the runaway #1 movie last week? America, you have been deactivated.

Landis on Zabriskie

Floyd Landis talked about his relationship with Lance and offered mixed praise for his housemate--TDF stage 1 time trial winner Dave Zabriskie:

"He needs a little more practice at staying relaxed in the peloton, but other than that he's one of the best chances of Americans winning the Tour after Lance. Zabriskie's better than me, I'd say that. He's certainly one of the strongest guys in the world. He just doesn't have the confidence to relax in the peloton so he spends a lot of energy uselessly, but he'll figure it out sooner or later."

Boom Goes the Dynamite!

A dude who resembled Napoleon Dynamite passed me on the running path this morning. Gosh! When it comes to a sweet running stride, tasting defects in milk, and dancing, Napoleon might have great skills ... but I'd kick his ass in tetherball.

Activating the Crawling Guys

Two college seniors crawled their way into the Guinness Book of World Records while raising $20K for pediatric aids. The two crawled more than 32 miles over 44 hours on a high school football field in Colorado Springs. Both were treated at a hospital after the crawl--one for hallucinations and motion sickness and the other for severe dehydration.

Rafael Palmeiro, President Bush, and Drugs

Slowtwitch.com's Dan Empfield muses that the president's unwavering support of his friend Rafael Palmeiro "places Bush's core values, at least on this issue, on a par with those of Don Corleone."

See Jan Run...See Jane Run Away

Here's Jan from Activeness! finishing the Quartermax Triathlon last week.

I knew he was a very moral guy, but I never suspected Jan walked on water.

Masters Track Blog

Here's a masters track blog. These folks are serious. I recently met a 50-something woman (stopwatch in hand) at a Wednesday night track workout who planned to drive three hours each way to compete in a 90-second race the next night.

By the way, the world track and field championships begin tomorrow in Helsinki, Finland, where the sun doesn't set until 9:30 p.m.

It's Raining Cats

Active jumping cats, you have been activated.

Epicman Lake Placid

The I-dot is cool, but do you know how to earn a coveted E-dot finisher medal? From xtri.com:

"Epicman is a mega training day, originally designed by Ottawa triathlete Devashish Paul, consisting of 3K of swimming, 180K of riding and 21.1K of running."

Yoga For Weight Loss

My body is about as flexible as the religious right's views on gay marriage, but, thanks to a helpful "nudge" from friends at the fitness club, I'm working on it. And it feels good. I don't want to be THAT hunched over old guy. I should ready this fall, after the Chicago Marathon, to try a beginner's yoga class. Here's an article on how yoga may help people keep weight off at mid-life. One question, though: When did ages 53-57 become mid-life? Might I really live to 106-114? Hope not.

Let's Raise the Bar

"How wonderful that no one need wait a single moment to improve the world." Anne Frank said that, I think. It was either her or Barney Frank. One of the Franks.

Anyway, the point is that when I run the park on Sundays, I have noticed that most casual bike riders circling the path are riding on seats that are far, far too low. This really has reached epidemic proportions and I can't stand for it another single moment. I won't stand for it. These people simply must sit higher to generate more watts of power; it's basic algebra.

Effective immediately, I've begun a personal crusade to raise seats. I am flagging down the most egregious offenders and forcefully explaining my position. If they respond and raise their seats, I can only hope other cyclists will take notice and fall in line. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. To that end, I've even begun carrying an Allen wrench in my fuel belt; giving up one 8-oz. water bottle to help these weekend warriors maximize their bike workouts is a small price to pay for slight dehydration.
- Racer X

New American Dream Towns

Check out Outside's list of 10 U.S. towns with a "commitment to open space, smart solutions to sprawl and gridlock, can-do community spirit, and an active embrace of the adventurous life."

Ironman USA Lake Placid Photo Gallery

You are so "Money" and you don't even know it!

Quartermax Triathlon – Race Report

July 31, 2005 – Innsbrook, Missouri
A massive field of 500 triathletes took on the ¼ Iron-distance “Quartermax” triathlon on a warm and sunny summer Sunday. Temperatures climbed toward 90 degrees throughout the morning, but, based on the previous weekend's triple-digit temps, there wasn’t much complaining.

Much to my chagrin, the lake temperature was well above the wetsuit-legal limit. My wave-1 comrades and I blasted forward when the cannon sounded, counter-clockwise around the buoys for the .6-mile swim. There were well over 100 guys in their 30s, several of whom were podium contenders. I emerged around my expected time to a boisterous crowd on the beach and heard the announcer read my racer bio. As I ran up the hill to my bike, I heard encouragement from friends’ voices and thought, “This is cool, even if the announcer can’t pronounce my name.” As I reached my bike, I realized I had completely lost focus and needed to concentrate on a quick transition.

The first five (of 26) miles of the bike were inside the scenic resort, loaded with hills, turns, and speed bumps. My Profile drink bottle dislodged and crashed to the pavement. No turning back. I had another bottle on my bike and could get more at the aid station. Once outside the resort I started to get the feel of my new Javelin Barolo tri-bike. It flies on the flats. I pulled back a lot of people, working my way up to about 12th into T2.

I got more encouragement as I headed out into the shaded hills for the 6.5-mile run. I caught a few guys and started counting my place at the turnarounds. The guys in front weren’t slowing down, though, and I eventually ran out of real estate, crossing the line in about 10th for the 1st wave. After everyone came in, I dropped to 20-something, 6th place in my age group. My pre-race prediction for my age group had exactly the five guys I thought would be tough to beat finishing 1-5. Respect.

SwimBikeRunStLouis.com has a video recap (17.3 MB, WMV file) of the race.

Next Race: Age Group National Championships, Olympic Distance, August 13, Kansas City, Missouri.

He's Running Across Europe

Bob Brown will run more than a double marathon a day for the next 80 days as he aims to set a world record for crossing the continent on foot.

"In the mid-90s, before he began crossing continents, Brown was already ranked in the top tiers of competitors in extreme endurance events. To prepare for an ultra-triathlon comprising a 24-mile swim, a 1,120-mile cycle and 262-mile run, he trained himself to sleep in one-hour bursts and spent entire nights on his exercise bike."

Quote of the week, from Brown:

"It sounds very easy on paper to run around the world. The reality is totally different."

Easy on paper?

Runners = Sex Gods

Runner's World is reporting that running improves vascular health:

"Male runners seem to have the sexual prowess of men two to five years younger, it found. Vigorous exercise, combined with lifestyle factors such as diet and not smoking, can improve a man's sexual status by up to 10 years."

Something tells me the magazine wouldn't be reporting this story if the results went the opposite way.

Dog Eat Dog

A four-year-old golden retriever named Jake finished 72nd overall among 500 competitors in a 1.2-mile Alcatraz Invitational swim from the prison island to the San Francisco shoreline."It was colder and rougher than we thought it would be," said Jeff Pokonosky, Jake's owner and swim partner. "Jake amazed me. He was very focused. He started out really fast. I was trying to slow him down. He increased his pace to stay with the pack."

Activeness! believes braving that swim together is a truly awesome accomplishment for owner and dog alike; it's one I have no desire to try. We also were able to take a look at Jake’s dramatic triathlon blog before his owner, Jeff, apparently jealous over the pooch’s success, pulled the plug on the dog blog. Excerpts:

"I can’t believe Master fed me scrambled eggs before a 1.2-mile swim. That dairy wreaks havoc on my digestive system. He claims he is my best friend but combine this garbage he’s feeding me with the fact that he refuses to let me wear goggles, and I’m beginning to believe he wants to see me fail. Best friend my hindquarters!

"As I prepared to dive into the murky waters of the San Francisco Bay, with its rising and falling waves—indeed a metaphor for life—thoughts raced through my mind. Should I be scared or excited? If I’m calm, why is my tail wagging so intensely? Is my collar too tight or am I choking from the anticipation of testing myself in this epic battle of dog versus water? Why can’t they make wetsuits for dogs? As I found my swim rhythm and took aim on the shoreline, AC/DC song lyrics popped into my head:

'Hey, hey, hey
Every dog has his day
It’s a dog eat dog
Dog eat dog
Dog eat dog
Read the news
Someone win
Someone lose
Up’s above and down’s below
And limbo’s in between
Up you win, down you lose
It’s anybody’s game'

"Clearly Angus Young was a poet...even a shaman. Anyway, 41 minutes later--about 287 minutes in dog time--I had placed four feet on solid ground and was shaking the salt water off my coat. Though I tried to stay humble, I couldn’t help being proud. Eddie the Jack Russell Terrier from Frasier: Where are you now? Why don't you put down the latte and swim a few laps? And let’s see Taco Bell's talking Chihuahua do this! Yo quiero a harder race. Woof!”

How was the Race?

Preparation. Anticipation. Excitement. Nervousness. Pressure. Self-Doubt. Fear. Chaos. Rhythm. Timing. Support. Amusement. Focus. Transition. Relax. Adapt. Observe. Steady. Panic. Refocus. Position. Hydrate. Tempo. Climb. Breathe. Pace. Confidence. Visualize. Encouragement. Camaraderie. Smile. Continue. Hunt. Dig. Compete. Listen. Count. Think. Check. Kick. Realize. Feel. Finish. Relief. Pride. Gratitude.

Lance Show with David Letterman

See if you can detect signs of a personality as Lance Armstrong appears on Letterman tonight.