Activating Bill Gates

That Gates Foundation is providing a staggering $258.3 million in grants to help find ways to prevent and treat malaria. More than a quarter-billion dollars? Wow. I'm ashamed that I know who won the last five Ironman Hawaii races but had no idea that malaria kills 1.2 million people a year—the majority of them African children under the age of six. Bill Gates, for an amazing act of philanthrophy, you have been Activated.

Hawaiian Diary: Part 2 – Race Day

Read Part 1 – Pre-Race

Age Group World Championship Triathlon, Honolulu, Hawaii
Olympic Distance (1500m Swim, 40k Bike, 10k Run)
Sunday, October 9, 2005

My swim wave (Male 35-39) is scheduled to start at 7:10 AM. One hour earlier, the older athletes and the AWAD (Athletes With A Disability) wave got the race underway. You can’t help noticing that these folks are what TV ads tell us we are not: happy. Not to mention positive, friendly, and — most importantly — forward-looking. You have my utmost respect and admiration for your abilities and attitudes.

The 25-29 men would start at 7:00 AM, the 30-34 year olds five minutes later, and then my group. The beach area is packed with fans and athletes. I go out to do a short swim warmup on an adjacent beach, but quickly abort when I cut my hand on some shallow rocks. I go back to my age group “corral,” which basically is a fenced-in square on the grass beyond the edge of the sandy beach. “Wait here until your wave is called to get in the water.” There are 124 of us with our black swim caps twitching nervously, checking out the various countries, noticing that everyone looked strong and fast and super-fit. No first-timers at this thing — these guys are studs.

Soon we're in the water and a rush of adrenaline hits me. This is it, dude. You are here, at Worlds! Never mind exactly how you got here, just think about the work you put in to get ready: running intervals at the track in the dark before work, Friday nights on the trainer, etc.. The two groups ahead are off and we're next into the water. The ocean water temperature is comfortable (no wetsuits) and rolling us up and down with rhythmic swells. We tread water for several minutes before the start. It's a bit chaotic as the officials keep yelling at the guys in front to move back.

SWIM
Boom! Here we go. Chaos, arms, legs, foam, waves, salt, cough, kick, stroke, go man, go! Two loops of 750 meters in a rectangle parallel to the beach. Not much of a rectangle, though, as we swim down counter-clockwise and practically do a 180. Inevitably there are head-on collisions. At one point I stop to find 10 guys confused and in what looked like a football line of scrimmage, not knowing which play just got called by the quarterback. I want to call a timeout. Keep going!

The swimmers are thinning out and there is more space, which is nice, but I know it probably means I am getting dropped. Oh, no, I just hope I’m not last. Shut up! Keep going! I glance up at volunteers on surfboards to see if I can tell if there are any guys behind me. There must be, right, but what does it matter? Keep going!

Finally, out of the water and onto the beach. I look at my watch – oh, geez, this is my worst Olympic distance time I can remember doing. Glance over my shoulder to see if anyone is behind me – maybe a couple, can’t tell. Keep going! Smile man, people are cheering for you: “GO USA!” Cool. Pick it up.

By the time I reach the bike transition, practically all the bikes are gone. OK, stay cool, you can try to catch up now. Don’t panic. (119th out of 124 in the swim – ugh)

BIKE
A decent transition and out on the bike. Hit the first hill within five minutes. Feel good, but not great. Keep it steady. Passing some old-timers from the early waves. Once on the main road, I start to catch some guys. I notice packs of bikers on the other side of the road already well ahead and heading back to town. Climb the big hill at the turnaround, no problem, down the steep hill, no risks, starts to rain, lasts about 10 minutes. Notice my average speed on my bike computer. Not my best ever, but a solid 22+mph. Come into transition, flub the shoeless dismount, but don't lose time because of it. More “Go USA!” encouragement. OK, I have moved up a little. Time to run and try to make this respectable.

RUN
Have a solid pace going and am catching guys every now and then, but everyone is moving pretty quickly. The sun is out and it is heating up. Hear some cheers from a few spectators who I actually know. I am holding what feels like an even pace and come through the first lap on schedule. 5K to go man….this is it…..do your best, the season will be over after this, keep it going. I make my way around the flat course for the final time, wishing the shade would last forever. As I get closer to the finish, I know my overall time is nothing special (I had dug an insurmountable hole with my swim time.) but I feel strong, keep my form and pace, and soak in the feeling of running down the finishing chute of a world championship, with international flags flapping, Hawaiian drummers, and cheers.

Whoa! That was tough. I’ve never competed in an event this competitive. It's a taste of the big time and I was just trying to hang on and keep it respectable. In the end I was 105th out of 124 in the age group and the 22nd American out of 29. The top 18 were officially designated as Team USA members.

POST-RACE
All my racing friends are in waves behind me, so I watch for and cheer them on. Despite a slower than normal run due to injuries, Mark has a great performance, at one point leading his age group, which included some dude named Scott Molina, and holds on for 6th in his age group. Jennifer and Bob also made team USA for their age groups. The Marys, Marty, and Dana (and Marylene, representing NC) all push through and, with varying degrees of satisfaction, had to feel good about the experience. Congratulations to all! Mahalo!

To watch a video of racers finishing, click here and follow the instructions.

Thirty-Nine Years and Out?

Busch
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

This is the view from my seat of the last game played at Busch Stadium. On October 19, 2005, the St. Louis Cardinals lost Game 6 of the NLCS 5-1 to the Houston Astros. Busch Stadium, which opened the year I was born, is now succumbing to the wrecking ball to make way for new Busch Stadium. What's my wrecking ball? I'm going to try to make like the St. Louis Gateway Arch, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, and remain viable for at least a few more years.

Nine-Year-Old Swims Alacatraz for Katrina Victims

Fourth-grader Johnny Wilson swam 1.4 miles from Alcatraz to San Francisco, in 53-degree bay water, raising $30,000 for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

This is our youngest "Activation" to date: Johnny, you have been Activated!

2006 Tour de France Course Announced

VeloNews profiles the recently announced 2006 Tour de France course, calling it a throwback to the pre-Lance Armstrong era.

"There's no team time trial, four fewer transfers between stages, two long individual time trials, lots of stages for the sprinters, and five challenging mountain stages."

USA Today notes that, breaking tradition, Lance wasn't around for the presentation of the Tour route.

Pez sez Discovery Director Johan Bruyneel didn't appreciate the snub.

"I walked away a bit angry but at the same time, and I have to thank the Tour for this, more driven than ever before," Bruyneel said. "One of the things Lance passed on to me was to find motivation out of unpleasant things. I walked away thinking about how we are going to try to win the Tour de France next year."

If Jules Winnfield Coached Youth Hockey

In this hilarious short video, NHLer Chris Chelios explains why Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction, aka Samuel L. Jackson, was his favorite youth hockey coach. Watch it if you have Windows Media Player.

"And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee."

Hawaiian Diary

These are memories of my recent trip to Honolulu to compete in the Age Group World Championship Triathlon (Olympic Distance) and my experience watching the Hawaii Ironman World Championship in Kona.

Part 1 – Pre-Race

Tuesday, October 4
Still at work in downtown St. Louis, I keep checking the clock in the bottom right-hand corner of my monitor. The minutes are flying by and I am thinking I won’t be finished with everything to make it to masters swimming by 8:30 PM. Taking off work for nine days requires lots of delegation, written instructions, and pre-work. There’s too much to do, and I don’t make it to the pool. I head home and finish packing.

Wednesday, October 5
I get up and ride my indoor bike trainer. During the cool down, my back tire rips apart and that’s that. I got a lot of mileage out of that tire and it picked a good time to die.

I head to the pool. Good sign: Mark G., swim coach and my travel partner/roommate for the Hawaii trip also is there doing a final swim workout. As the 2003 U.S. National Champion in the 45-49 age group, Mark has a chance to do very well at Worlds.

We fly from St. Louis to Dallas to Los Angeles to Honolulu. I catch up on magazines and try to translate a customs form to an Italian couple that speaks no English. My newly invented French/Spanish combo language doesn’t work very well. I do manage to establish that they are not carrying any animals or seafood and that they are going on a 25-day cruise. Viente cinquo: 25! Si, si. By the end of the flight they offer me a place to stay in northern Italy. Grazi and arrivederci!!

Mary, Mark, and I get our bikes and luggage into a taxi van and head to the hotel, passing the Local Motion surf shop that I recognize from MTV’s The Real World Hawaii!

Thursday, October 6
I wake up early, as my body still is on Central Time. We put our bikes together before 9 AM and I head out to ride the bike course with Mark, Mary, Jennifer, and Marilene. Sun, rain, wind, all are mixed together. Though my bike shimmies on a steep downhill, I avoid crashing and vow to check the wheel alignment. We ride back into town with athletes from New York, California, and New Zealand. When we go for a swim near the actual swim race course, Mark does a flip-turn off the stone wall by the beach and I almost choke from laughter.

That evening we meet on the main street for the “Parade of Nations.” Athletes line up alphabetically by country. Our uniforms are blue Polo shirts with red USA lettering. We are behind Tahiti and have twice as many athletes as the next biggest contingent, which could be Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, or Canada. Every country has a flag: Switzerland and South Africa are just up ahead and Brazil near the front. In between is a country called Krzghstan.



Lots of people turned out to watch the parade and I feel a sense of pride “representing my country” and hearing the applause. “U-S-A, U-S-A!” I notice some familiar faces from the U.S. Nationals in Kansas City back in August. For some reason I keep picturing Magic Johnson walking in the Olympic parade as part of the Dream Team. Native Hawaiian drummers pound away and tiki torch flames flicker in the Pacific breeze. Chills, I had ‘em. I randomly see a girl that I knew from my apartment complex when I lived in Arlington, Virginia, more than 10 years ago. Turns out her sister is competing.

Finally, all the athletes enter the outdoor theatre for the official multilingual welcome and for opening ceremonies before the dinner. I have a hard time understanding the Dutch guy, but maybe I am just distracted by Miss Hawaii, who somehow was racing for Argentina.

As we head back to the hotel we exchange pleasantries with Sister Madonna Buder, the famous 70-something nun who is racing in both Worlds and the Ironman a week later.

Friday-Saturday, Oct 7-8
I do a few more short workouts in each discipline. Jennifer and I run one loop of the run course. Flat!! On to packet-pick up and race meetings. Olympic bronze medalist Susan Williams is introduced at the USA race meeting. Her husband is competing. Back at the hotel later, she asks me for directions to the packet pick-up. I take the opportunity to compare notes with her about our blood clots. What a down-to-earth woman. An Olympic medalist talking to me about her experience while her little daughter shows me her stuffed dinosaur. Nice.

We ate an early dinner at the famous Duke’s restaurant of Waikiki, Honolulu. I believe Duke is a legendary surfer. Mark gets an “offer” for a “nightcap” from a lady (ahem) on the street outside the hotel and we have a good laugh about that. His excuse is something about racing for the World Championship in the morning!

Next: Part 2 – Race Recap

Lisa Bentley's Big Week

Top triathlete Lisa Bentley writes about her experience nearly finishing the Hawaii Ironman before withdrawing during the run because of appendicitis, her surgergy and recovery, and then getting married after she got out of the hospital. Interesting piece.

"After crying going up Palani Hill, Lance and Dave made me stop. Of course, I cried. I believe that we have a path. I believe that I am guided and I believe that I will always take the right turn of the road. This was my turn I cried, but I accepted it. But the crying stopped and Dave and I walked contently down Palani back to transition."

She’s Moved On

My daily commute takes me past a large park with multiple soccer fields, always empty Monday through Friday. But when I made the dreaded Saturday trip to work this past weekend and saw several games taking place on a perfect fall soccer morning, I felt something strange. It was like unexpectedly spotting an old girlfriend smiling in a crowd without her knowing you were there and noticing that she had moved on.

Did I give it everything I had? Yeah, I think so.

He Ran Around the World

The New York Times' Ira Berkow tells us about Jesper Olsen, who ran across the world over the past two years. One Russian child asked him how many laps around the world he was running. Here is his World Run web site.

Another Death at the Toronto Marathon

Peter Hadzipetros from CBC Sports comments on the third death in five years at the Toronto Marathon.

"I wonder how many Canadians died from the accumulated effects of a sedentary lifestyle on Sunday, October 16, 2005 – the same day a 36-year-old Oakville, Ont. man collapsed and died after completing a half marathon in Toronto?"

"I Just Felt Like Runnin'"

Joey, have you ever seen a stocky man running down the sidelines naked at a college football game? Do you like movies about gladiators?

An Unplugged Summer

This summer, Slowtwitch.com's Women's editor unplugged from the TV and Internet, lost weight, and found happiness.

Mapping New York

Here's a Google map of the New York City Marathon course, which I hope to run next year.

VeloNews Photo Contests

Some great shots here and here.

The Fittest CEOs

Transition Times tells us who won the CEO Ironman Challenge.

"Frank Karbe combined the second fastest swim of all CEOs (1:05) with the fastest bike (5:06) and run times (3:25) to finish in 9:43, 30 minutes ahead of Peter Scharer of Images in Foil in Laguna, CA, and 35 minutes ahead of Alex May of Citigroup in New York."

It appears Savvis's CEO would win a lap-dance spending challenge. Seems like he'll have some free time in the near future...maybe he'll take up triathlon.

What Was Parked in Kona's Bike Corral?

Slowtwitch.com surveyed what brand of bike Ironman Hawaii competitors were riding in 2005.

"Cervelo not only debuts as number-one in Kona, but by almost 30 units (195 to Trek's 166)."

Deactivating Hypocrisy

So kids lying on the couch for hours at a time watching cartoons and commercials for all kinds of crappy food are going to respond to messages from Bill Clinton, SpongeBob, and Dora the Explorer urging them to eat healthy foods and exercise? What's next, fun messages on cigarette packaging in which Elmo warns teens about the dangers of chewing tobbacco?

Deactivating the Retro Guy

Guy who runs the 10K park trail backwards, you have been Deactivated. We're all impressed and I know there probably are performance or rehabilitative benefits but, seriously, just turn around.

Brain Flood

With the New York City Marathon approaching, the New York Times is warning runners about the perils of drinking too much water.

"There are no reported cases of dehydration causing death in the history of world running," said Dr. Lewis G. Maharam, the medical director for the marathon. "But there are plenty of cases of people dying of hyponatremia."

Activating Art De Vany

Art De Vany describes his blog as "a scientist/athlete looks at fitness, sports, the movies, uncertainty, and adventure." Interesting stuff.

Here are De Vany's 10 reasons not to run marathons. Liver damage, muscle damage, kidney problems, elevated cancer markers, spine degeneration? Is there a doctor in the house?

Hat tip to our Anonymous Economist for pointing us to the blog of her fellow economist.

Global Journey

A Minnesota cancer survivor is attempting to run a marathon on every continent.

Racing With a Rupture

Nine-time Ironman winner Lisa Bentley tried to race in Kona with a ruptured appendix! She dropped out during the marathon.

You Are an Ironman

Among the Ironman Hawaii finishers were amputee Sarah Reinertsen, 76-year-old Sister Madonna Buder, 80-year-old Robert McKeague (the oldest person to complete the Kona race), and Johnny Blais, who has ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Book Review: Scott Tinley's Racing the Sunset

RacingTheSunset
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

If, like me, you open straight to Scott Tinley's back-page column when your new copy of Triathlete magazine arrives, you know he always has explored beneath the surface of triathlon, searching for more than a tastier recovery drink or speedier transition times. A few years ago, when the sport's philosopher-king finally relented to the staggering amount of miles he had placed on his body's odometer and retired, he had no choice but to "grow up" and discover life after triathlon.

"I had been so busy doing things that I stopped being anything," writes Tinley.

What’s next for an ex-champion with an arthritic hip whose main connection to the world had been through his body’s gifts and an otherworldly ability to suffer? What happens when the sun sets on the clarity of the 40-hour-a-week training plan and the battle of the Big Race? Racing the Sunset is Tinley's brutally honest attempt to answer those questions both for himself and for any ex-athlete seeking meaning and purpose.

Through interviews with hundreds of pro athletes and frank accounts of his own highs and lows, Tinley depicts the emotional pain and loneliness experienced by the casualties of our "disposable hero" society. The book compels us to look at the Mark McGwires and Darryl Strawberrys of sport with a more compassionate gaze.

Racing the Sunset takes readers on a journey that will resonate with anyone dealing with the trauma of change: from the jilted lover to the parent struggling with empty-nest syndrome and the downsized executive wondering who got his parking space. The book also offers inspiration to any thinking person who chooses personal growth over stagnation or finding his or her true place in the world over merely existing.

Tinley observes that he didn't choose triathlon — it chose him. Sound familiar? But he didn't just accept: He poured his heart and soul into the sport for a quarter of a century. And then, when his body balked, triathlon moved on like a fickle ex-lover and broke his heart. Racing the Sunset describes Tinley's courageous attempt to not only mend that heart, but to build it up stronger than ever so it can carry him well beyond the finish-line tape.

Would you expect anything less of ST?

Racing the Sunset: An Athlete's Quest for Life After Sport, by Scott Tinley, 2003 (The Lyons Press).

Chaos at Delhi Half-Marathon

Chaos marked the start of the Delhi Half-Marathon, as organizers couldn't control the 5,000 runners. Perhaps they should consider outsourcing this task to Chicago Marathon Race Director Carey Pinkowski?

Fast Times on a Kona High

Inside Triathlon says it was all Faris Al-Sultan.

"No one took the fall harder than last year's daring winner, Normann Stadler of Germany. Coming in confident after last year's breakaway win and a repeat of his bike breakaway in Ironman Germany, the emerging German superstar suffered not one, not two, but three flat tires and a bee sting on his leg before dropping out in a Teutonic tsunami of bitter tears."

Simon Lessing also had a rough day:

"Over-raced and overworked, Lessing was second out of the swim and rode with the first chase pack until multiple vomiting episodes on the bike left him fatally depleted."

Al-Sultan, Badmann Win Ironman Hawaii

Racing in near perfect conditions, German triathlon star Faris Al-Sultan won his first Ironman world title with a time of 8:14:17--the fastest time on this course since 1996.

“I only knew [that I would win] when I was two miles from the finish line,” said Al-Sultan. “I didn’t want to shake hands with anyone before because I was so afraid [of Reid catching him].”

Defending champ Natascha Badmann, who at 38, inspires all of us who are pushing 40, won her sixth Kona title in 9:09:30.

Punch Drunk: Jesuit Magazine Condemns Pro Boxing

An influential Jesuit magazine has lashed out at pro boxing, comparing it to legalized murder. Good to see the Vatican latching on to the important issues of our day. I'm no fan of boxing and I have supreme gratitude for my Jesuit education, but articles you won't see coming out of the Vatican any time soon include "The Immorality of Excessive Alcohol Consumption;" "The Immorality of Banning Gay Men from Catholic Priesthood;" and "The Immorality of Refusing to Ordain Women."

Reports From Kona

* Thought all agree it's difficult to predict the outcome of Saturday's Ironman Triathlon World Championship, defending champ Normann Stadler says, "It's my race." (ESPN.com)

* IronmanLive.com notes that "Stadler is brimming with self-assurance."

* But 36-year-old Peter Reid would like to win his fourth championship. (Canada.com)

* And New Zealand's Cameron Brown has been working on his cycling. (Inside Triathlon)

* Triathlete magazine believes the event "promises to be one of the most contested races in recent history."

* XTri.com is picking Aussie Michellie Jones to win the women's race.

* Thursday was Kona's Underpants Run. An unfortunate pic is included. (USA Today)

* Of course this guy doing back-to-back-to-back Hawaii races has discovered it's a "balancing act" to find time for his wife and four young daughters. Yeah, let's go ahead and give him the Father of the Year Award now. (ESPN.com)

The Best of Interbike

Pez highlights the best of the best from North America's largest bicycle trade event and show.

Kona Blog

Lee Greunfeld is writing a Kona blog for Competitor magazine.

What's the Best Cycling City?

Cast your vote. I have to cross a bridge to another STATE to get a good ride.

Chicago Marathon Video

Watch a complete wrap-up of the Chicago Marathon on CBS 2 Chicago WBBM-TV.

Ball Dribbler

Seated Amsterdam football dribbler: You have been Activated. Watch the video.

Limo Time

Limo
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Here's Chicago Marathon winner Felix Limo (#3) in the lead pack during the first half of the race. Limo posted the world's fastest marathon time this year: 2:07:02. (Photo by Sami's girlfriend, Elizabeth)

Activating Deena Kastor

The United States' Deena Kastor won the women's race at the Chicago Marathon today with a time of 2:21:25. As my brother was stepping onto the elevator at the marathon headquarters hotel, Kastor was coming out. A guy walking past said, "Hey, what was your time today?"

"Two twenty-one," replied Kastor, failing to mention she won the race. For being a humble elite athlete, Deena Kastor, you have been permanently Activated.

Here's Kastor breaking the tape.

Heroes

Heroes
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

These wheelchair athletes are amazing. I can't imagine moving 26.2 miles with my arms. Sami saw one guy crash on the course. (Photo by Sami's girlfriend, Elizabeth)

Activating Chicago

Downtown
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Chicago Marathon runners experience one of the country's greatest cities. (Photo by Sami's girlfriend, Elizabeth)

The Penguin Lends a Sympathetic Ear

Penguin
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Runner's World columnist John "The Penguin" Bingham takes time out from manning his booth at the Chicago Marathon Expo to reassure a caller that, "It's OK to go slow."

Activating the Human Statue

Human Statue
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

New Balance's human statue held this pose for like 9 hours at the race Expo. Maybe I'm exaggerating. The sign on the pedestal said she was running the marathon the next day.

Going Up

Elevator
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Live From Chicago

Looking From Hilton
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Here's our view from our room at the Hilton of Grant Park and the Chicago Marathon start-finish area. It will be nice to just stroll across the street to the start tomorrow. In years past I've walked 1-2 miles. After training all summer in what felt like a sauna, the forecast is decent: High 40s at the start with some cloud cover.

Bears QB Orton Gets His Jack On

Chicago Bears starting quarterback Kyle Orton: You have been Deactivated.

Deactivating Damaging Saddle Designs

The New York Times reminds us that men need to be careful about our bicycle seats:

"Dr. Steven Schrader, a reproductive health expert who studies cycling at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said he believed that it was no longer a question of 'whether or not bicycle riding on a saddle causes erectile dysfunction.' Instead, he said, 'The question is, What are we going to do about it?'"

Mulder Vows Revenge

Actor David Duchovny isn't happy that Tate Donovan beat him in a Malibu triathlon.

Ironman on OLN

Just in time for trainer season, the Outdoor Life Network will air five 2005 Ironman North America Kona-qualifying events this fall. The series starts October 9 with Ironman Arizona.

Litter Doesn't Pay for Triathlete

Kelly "Mountain Man" Guess lost first place in the Scott Tinley Adventure races because he had to serve a two-minute penalty for dropping a gel wrapper on the bike course.

Pez's Finest Dropping

Pez publisher Richard Pestes has a great account of his ride with Lance and George and 30 others at the Tour of Courage:

"I just got dropped by Lance and George. I was even one of the last guys to get dropped--I consider my whole season my best ever. I consider it my finest dropping ever."

Dragged Under a Six-Story Wave

Ken Collins describes what it feels like to be chewed up and spat out by the world's most ferocious wave, off Maui's north shore:

"For 30 seconds, it felt like King Kong had me by the feet and was just going apeshit rag-dolling me. I relaxed and took a dozen breaststrokes, but I was still down deep. Stars flashed in the corners of my eyes. I finally broke the surface, gasping for air. A film-crew chopper buzzed overhead, and I thought, I'm saved! But they just sat there filming me die. I prayed for them to harpoon me in the leg and fly me away. Then the third wave hit."

New Study: Prepare to Be Fat

A new study shows that 9 out of 10 men and 7 out of 10 women will become overweight. The study shows Americans live in an "environment in which it's hard not to become overweight or obese. Unless people actively work against that, that's what's most likely to happen to them."

I guess watching TV for more than 8 hours per day doesn't help. (That's amazing.) I recently asked Scott Tinley for the secret of life. His answer included: "The problem is it’s getting more difficult to feel happy because the media is trying to make us unhappy so they can sell us things. The secret of life is to kill your television!" Word.

Typical American lifestyle: You have been Deactivated.

It's an Endurance Sport

A guy sat on an Elite Magnus bike for nearly two days in order to win it from a New York City multisport shop.

Activating Scott Tinley, Part 3

Tinley bike
Originally uploaded by jjactive2.

Triathlon legend Scott Tinley recently talked to Activeness for a Q+A session that appears in the October issue of SwimBikeRun St. Louis Magazine. We're also running pieces of that interview on Activeness in serial form. To read the whole thing, get the magazine.

Read Part 1 of the interview.

Read Part 2 of the interview.

TINLEY Q+A, PART 3

What are you teaching?
I’m teaching at San Diego State and Cal State San Marcos. I teach a class called “Sport in Society” that covers sociology and social theory in sport. I teach that and the occasional writing class at a community college.

What do you like about teaching?
Everything. It’s similar to athletics. You have autonomy. Preparation is important. You feel like you are doing some good. You are an entertainer of sorts in the classroom. Unfortunately, it’s not a very well-compensated gig in America. I earned more for some two-hour races than I will for teaching a semester-long course in which I’m spending hundreds of hours trying to impact America’s future leaders.

But you don’t do it for the money. I don’t have a huge overhead and I don’t have a lot of needs other than paying my daughter’s college tuition. I’m lucky — we don’t need a lot.

Do you enjoy being in an academic environment?
Having been so physical for so many years, it’s nice to throw myself into the mind. I get a gas out of hanging out in the pub and engaging in these elaborate philosophical conversations. Before I would have laughed at those types of people and said, “What a bunch of geeks!” Now I’m going, “Yeah man, that’s me!”

Your most recent book, Racing the Sunset, deals with life after sport for professional athletes. Why did you write it?
For several reasons. First, it was something I needed to do to understand what I was experiencing psychologically.

What were you experiencing?
It was a classic case of being over-identified with something and not realizing it. Mine was not a sudden exit from the sport — I was fading away for a long time. When I finally left, I thought I would have lots of other opportunities and wouldn’t have problems adjusting. But the opposite happened and that took me by surprise. I was in a real funk for about two years. It affected my health.

How so?
For years I had been propping myself up with the constant release of various endorphin-style chemicals into my system. You don’t feel good until you go out for a run or swim. When you stop having that release, your body has to start all over and reach a level of homeostasis. That required a couple years of de-training.

Was it like withdrawing from a drug?
Absolutely. You are physically, psychologically, and emotionally addicted to what is being provided both from a chemical standpoint into your body and from a lifestyle perspective in terms of being outside doing all these activities. Then you don’t do them and it gets rough.

Part of my self-healing was to understand it. So I went back to school and studied it and did research. I did a master’s thesis that tried to take research threads to the next level and to explore new ideas. The culmination came with writing Racing the Sunset, which is part memoir and also has a lot of oral history. In writing the book I spoke about this topic with hundreds of ex-professional athletes, including a lot of A-listers.

Any stories hit you the hardest?
A lot of tragic stories don’t get told. Like the one about the guy who pitched in the majors for a year-and-a-half but threw out his arm and now is sleeping on cardboard under the bridge: Those stories still exist.

This whole concept of disposable heroes is troubling. We are in a disposable society. We go through cars, food, everything — it’s all very temporary. But when that ideology spills over to people, you have a real problem. In California the divorce rate is something like 62 percent. So nothing lasts, including our own ideals and ethical standards. As a critical thinker and having lived through it, I feel a responsibility to get the word out.

Did you succeed?
The book did OK. It’s actually selling better now based on word of mouth than it was when it came out two years ago. I receive one or two emails a week from people around the world telling me their stories and how the book resonated with them. Some tell me what helped them and others just thank me for sharing. That’s my reward.

I’m also trying to create a university institute that would be a clearinghouse or a networking group for various organizations that provide services for retired athletes. I’ll know soon if there is enough support to take this to the next level.

Can the general public relate to the plight of these athletes?
Many don’t give a damn about a retired pro. They say, “That guy has millions of dollars in the bank and he can be or do whatever he wants.” That’s fine, but a lot of people die rich and unhappy. They don’t need the money. They need other things.

Like what?
Like purpose, fulfillment, meaning, a reason for living, spirituality, camaraderie, a family. All the solid things that are not as fleeting as material possessions and everything this “culture of fame” in America has brought us.

Will Lance Armstrong struggle with that?
Lance is a different breed. I’ve known him since he was 14 when he came out to Southern California to train for a summer and lived a few doors down. He’s a good guy.

What do you like about him?
He’s still brash and outspoken and a little rough around the edges. But he honestly cares about people and about the people close to him. And he has done an incredible amount of good for cancer survivors. There are millions of people around the world who have been inspired by his athletic achievements. And he has given away a lot of money through his foundation. He has created this universality that a lot of athletic cultural icons never manage to do. Either they don’t take the time or they don’t understand their role.

Can Lance stay off the bike?
I don’t know — probably not. He’s too young. This whole deal with the French press is a little entertaining but it’s also disconcerting.

Is it lighting a fire under his butt?
But they [L’Equipe] aren’t going away. They love it. What does Lance have to gain? Is he really going to put it in their face? It’s like two kids fighting in a sandbox. The smarter kid gets up and walks away and says, “Fine, you take the sandbox and live there for the rest of your life because I’m going to go build a house.”

Could you tell when he was a teenager that Lance had what it took to be a champion?
He did have incredible inner strength. You knew he was going to reach a certain level. As far as triathlon goes, he was good swimmer and a great cyclist. With his body type, though, he could never run as fast as the sport demands. Even back then you had to run a 33:00-something 10K to be in the hunt to win a short-distance race. Of course now they run 30:30s. I think he made the right move to cycling!

Beer Vendor Michael: You Have Been Activated!

Michael
Originally uploaded by jjactive.

Activeness reader Marshall writes to request Activation of his favorite beer vendor. Michael roams the Busch Stadium bleachers dispensing $7.00 Bud Lights, wisdom, and an overall good vibe. "He accentuates positivity," writes Marshall. Activation request: GRANTED! Michael, you have been Activated!

What exactly does it mean to be Activated? It means you're "doing it right."

By the way, Marshall: The other pic you sent was good but blurry. Perhaps Michael did his job too well?

A Link Between Bike Sales and Gas Prices?

This article claims rising gas prices are prompting more people to hop on a bike for their commute to work. Sounds nice for the college professor wearing a backpack and select others, but I don't believe most people's living patterns make that practical or even doable. Me? It's going to be tough to navigate my bike down the steps to my basement office, but I'll give it a shot.

Deactivating the Cowardly Steircrow

As part of a weekend celebration surrounding the final regular-season games at Busch Stadium, prodigal son Mark McGwire returned to St. Louis for the first time since his embarrassing "Steroids is bad" House committee testimony last March. Media access was severely limited. Fox Sports Network Midwest, which broadcasts Cardinals games, declined an interview because questions about steroids were put off limits. One good question might have been, "Mark: Why haven't you fulfilled your vow to become a national spokesperson and to redirect your charitable foundation to support anti-steroids programs?" Some also believe McGwire attempted to deflect the boo birds by carrying his young son with him on to the field. "I've moved on from it," he said. "The media should move on from it."