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# Holistic Athlete

Optimum Health, Peak Performance

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.holisticathlete.net/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [The New US Dietary Guidelines](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/the-new-us-dietary-guidelines/)
- [Metabolism As We Age](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/metabolism-as-we-age/) - There is without a doubt conventional wisdom about metabolism. It goes something like, “Most people gain weight each year no matter what because their metabolisms slow down, especially around middle age.”. We’ve also been told that women have slower metabolisms than men. Menopause only makes things worse, slowing women’s metabolisms even more.Turns out, none of
- [What is "Science"?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/what-is-science/)
- [New 2025 US Dietary Guidelines](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/new-2025-us-dietary-guidelines/)
- [Is Fluoride Safe?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/is-fluoride-safe/) - ​Before we dig into it’s safety, let’s go back in time. Why is fluoride in our water anyway? It all goes back over 120 years to 1901, when a young dental school graduate named Frederick McKay left the East Coast to open a dental practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When he arrived, he found the
- [The Death of BMI (Hopefully)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/the-death-of-bmi-hopefully/)
- [No Sugar November - 2024 Edition](https://www.holisticathlete.net/eating/no-sugar-november-2024-edition/) - See a transformation in your body and health in just 28 days with No Sugar November!
- [Latest on Alcohol. How much is healthy?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/alcohol/latest-on-alcohol-how-much-is-healthy/) - I’ve always been curious about how society views alcohol. There are many mixed messages out there around what amount of alcohol consumption is unhealthy or if some amount is even healthy! I often think that people look for excuses to continue doing what they have always done and tell themselves they are doing something good.
- [What is Earthing / Grounding?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/what-is-earthing-grounding/) - Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth—whether being outside barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems—may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic disease.
- [Can Flat Feet Be Corrected?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/can-flat-feet-be-corrected/)
- [Resistance Training for Kids? Yes or No?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/weights/resistance-training-for-kids-yes-or-no/)
- [What is The Bliss Point in Foods?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/what-is-the-bliss-point-in-foods/) - I’ve heard nutritionists and diet “experts” give the advice to only eat a few bites of something. While there is evidence that you can satiate your cravings through just two or three bites and that after that you are no longer getting that dopamine release that gives you the pleasure you seek through sugary foods
- [Fatty Liver Disease. It's not just from Alcohol.](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/fatty-liver-disease-its-not-just-from-alcohol/)
- [The Scoop On The New Weight Loss Drugs](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/the-scoop-on-the-new-weight-loss-drugs/) - FDA has approved weight loss injections. Are they for everyone?
- [Link to Cooking Oils and Brain Health](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/link-to-cooking-oils-and-brain-health/) - Vegetable and Seed Oils have been linked to neurological disorders. Here's what you need to know.
- [3 Sets of 10? Why Do We Do This?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/strength/3-sets-of-10-is-over-70-years-old-why-do-we-still-use-it-when-lifting-weights/)
- [Spartan Trifecta World Championships](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/spartan-trifecta-world-championships/)
- [Interpreting Blood Test Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/interpreting-blood-test-results/) - Leading up to my trip to Greece where I will race in the Spartan Trifecta World Championships, I had to get a medical release form signed. While I was having this physical done, I asked that I have a blood panel done as well. It has been a few years since I had this done
- [Another One About Drinking Water](https://www.holisticathlete.net/water/another-one-about-drinking-water/) - Kelly Anne Hyndman, a kidney function researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will tell you that staying hydrated is definitely important, but the idea that the simple act of drinking more water will make people healthier isn’t true. Nor is it correct that most people are walking around chronically dehydrated or that we
- [The Link Between Exercise and Anxiety](https://www.holisticathlete.net/aerobic/the-link-between-exercise-and-anxiety/)
- [Best Time of Day To Exercise? Depends On Your Goals.](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/best-time-of-day-to-exercise-depends-on-your-goals/) - A study published at the end of 2020 found that those who completed afternoon workouts upped their metabolic health far more than those who performed the same exercise earlier in the day. The results are the latest in a line of results that show the time of day we exercise may change the benefits we
- [How To Make Those Hard Runs Easier](https://www.holisticathlete.net/run/how-to-make-those-hard-runs-easier/) - A recent study found that the more runners distract themselves from what their bodies are doing, the more effortless their run may feel, and the better their performance. The new study was published on October 1st of this year in the Journal of Motor Learning and Development. Researchers at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville
- [Calculating Calories Burned Through Exercise? Turns out it’s Wildly Inaccurate!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/calculating-calories-burned-through-exercise-turns-out-its-wildly-inaccurate/)
- [What We’ve Been Told About Metabolism Is Wrong](https://www.holisticathlete.net/eating/what-weve-been-told-about-metabolism-is-wrong/)
- [Healthy Eating Tips When You Are At Work](https://www.holisticathlete.net/eating/healthy-eating-tips-when-you-are-at-work/) - It's hard to eat healthy at work...unless you plan ahead!
- [KY Derby Festival Marathon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/ky-derby-festival-marathon/)
- [Plant-Based Meat](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/plant-based-meat/) - During the pandemic-forced lock downs and quarantines, food categories from baking ingredients to canned beans have seen gigantic sales boosts. Both plant-based and conventional meats have seen sales spike as consumers filled their refrigerators and freezers when restaurants closed and shelter-in-place regulations led to an increase in in-home consumption. While there may be fewer innovative
- [The 2020 Annual Health Report is out. How Did KY Fare?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/2020-annual-health-report/) - Every year the United Health Foundation does a report on America’s Health Rankings. This report is the longest-running annual review of the country’s health on a state-by-state basis. The America’s Health Rankings model includes four drivers, or determinants of health: social & economic factors, physical environment, clinical care and behaviors, all of which influence the
- [Is Your Home Safe For Indoor Gatherings?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/is-your-home-safe-for-indoor-gatherings/)
- [Teaching Your Kids About Food Choices](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/teaching-your-kids-about-food-choices/) - One of the things I look most forward to when things return to “normal” following the pandemic is being able to take my kids to the grocery with me. I know that sounds insane and some people go to the grocery just to be away from their kids, but I feel like food knowledge is
- [No Sugar November – 2020 Edition](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/no-sugar-november-2020-edition/)
- [Strength Training for Runners (Yes, you need to be doing it!)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/run/strength-training-for-runner-yes-you-need-to-be-doing-it/)
- [How To Combat Coronavirus (or any other virus)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/how-to-combat-coronavirus-or-any-other-virus/) - On January 31, 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19. The virus that causes COVID-19 is infecting people and spreading easily from person-to-person. Cases have been detected in most countries worldwide and
- [Why Are Some People More Vulnerable to COVID-19?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/why-are-some-people-more-vulnerable-to-covid-19/)
- [How Quarantine Has Changed Exercise](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/how-quarantine-has-changed-exercise/)
- [The New Dietary Guidelines](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/the-new-dietary-guidelines/) - Every 5 years since 1980, two departments, HHS (Health and Human Services) and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans – the Nation’s go-to source for nutrition advice. The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines are supposed to reflect the current body of nutrition science, help health professionals and policymakers
- [8 (Simple) Things You Can Do To Live Longer and Healthier](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/8-things/)
- [Nutritional Ideas That Were Proven Wrong Over the Last Decade](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/nutritional-ideas-that-were-proven-wrong-over-the-last-decade/) - Before I get into the meat of the post (pun intended), I thought it would be worth mentioning that there is debate on when the current decade actually begins and ends. Most Americans (64%) believe the next decade will begin on Jan. 1, 2020, and end on Dec. 31, 2029. But nearly 20% said they
- [No Sugar November – 2019 Edition](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/no-sugar-november-2019-edition/) - October is coming to an end. So you know what that means? It’s time for “No Sugar November”! Can you go from November 1st until Thanksgiving with no sugar? It might seem like a monumental task, but take a few minutes to read the rest of this post and I’ll guide you through the three
- [Why You Should Switch Up Your Workout Routine](https://www.holisticathlete.net/strength/why-you-should-switch-up-your-workout-routine/)
- [The Holistic Hundred (2019 Edition)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/the-holistic-hundred-2019-edition/)
- [7 Reasons You Can't Lose The Weight](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/7-reasons-you-cant-lose-the-weight/)
- [Why Do Long-Established Races End?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/aerobic/why-do-long-established-races-end/)
- [How Does Time Off Affect Fitness?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/aerobic/how-does-time-off-affect-fitness/)
- [A Few Holistic Hundred Approved Recipes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/a-few-holistic-hundred-approved-recipes/) - Following The Holistic Hundred can be challenging. Especially if you are not used to cooking your own meals from scratch. With that in mind, here are a few recipes that I found that are guaranteed to get you through some of those days when you are craving a sugary snack or ​tired of eating the
- [My Top 5 Body-weight Exercises](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/my-top-5-body-weight-exercises/) - Part of the current Holistic Hundred Challenge is doing 100 body-weight exercises every day! This might sound simple to some of you, but I would challenge everyone to try this, even if you are not doing the Holistic Hundred Challenge. This time of year, lots of people spend a lot of money going to the
- [Can Running Outside in the Cold Make You Sick?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/run/can-running-outside-in-the-cold-make-you-sick/)
- [Chasing Bourbon, Bikes and Warriors](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/chasing-bourbon-bikes-and-warriors/) - My race schedule has been different in 2018 than previous years. It has not been littered with triathlons and road running races. This year was a year for me to explore new things and challenge myself. As the year progressed and I found some races I wanted to do, I saw that October was going
- [No Sugar November - 2018 Edition](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/no-sugar-november-2018-edition/)
- [The 2018 Holistic Hundred Challenge](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/the-2018-holistic-hundred-challenge/)
- [Spartan Fort Knox Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/obstacle-course-racing/spartan-fort-knox-race-report/)
- [Is Sparkling Water Healthy?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/water/is-sparkling-water-healthy/)
- [You Get Out What You Put In](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/you-get-out-what-you-put-in/)
- [Are Eggs Without Chickens, and Meat Without Animals Possible?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/eggs-without-chickens-meat-without-animals-possible/)
- [The U.S. Dietary Guidelines](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/u-s-dietary-guidelines/)
- [Why I Lift Weights, And So Should You](https://www.holisticathlete.net/strength/why-i-lift-weights-and-so-should-you/)
- [What Is Fasting and Should You Be Doing It?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/what-is-fasting-and-should-you-be-doing-it/)
- [Why Counting Calories Doesn’t Work](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/counting-calories-doesnt-work/) - We’ve all heard that the key to losing weight is to simply burn more calories that you take in. Calories in < Calories out. Part of this thinking is that consumed calories, regardless of their sources are equivalent; i.e., a calorie is a calorie. Historically, calorie-focused thinking has been biased against high-fat foods, many of
- [More Nutritional Myths and Misconceptions](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/nutritional-myths-misconceptions/) - I’m not a Doctor. I’m not a Nutritionist or Dietician. I do not have a degree in nutritional science. I am not registered, licensed, and/or certified in anything related to health or nutrition. BUT, I have spent the last eight years learning as much as I can about the human body and how what, when
- [Ironman Louisville 2017 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/mental-training/ironman-louisville-2017-race-report/)
- [2017 Ironman Louisville Pro Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/2017-ironman-louisville-pro-race-preview/)
- [2017 Ironman Louisville Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/2017-ironman-louisville-race-preview/)
- [Louisville Landsharks Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/louisville-landsharks-triathlon-race-report-2/)
- [7 Rules for Eating Healthy at Work](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/7-rules-eating-healthy-work/)
- [Ironman 70.3 Ohio Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/ironman-70-3-ohio-race-report/)
- [Holistic Hundred 2.0 & 2.1](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/holistic-hundred-2-0-2-1/)
- [Tri Louisville Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/tri-louisville-race-report/)
- [What's the Deal with Probiotics?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/whats-deal-probiotics/)
- [Healthy Food Swaps](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/healthy-food-swaps/)
- [Solid Steps Radio](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/solid-steps-radio/)
- [Kentucky Derby Festival MiniMarathon Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kentucky-derby-festival-minimarathon-race-preview/)
- [How to Stretch Before Exercise](https://www.holisticathlete.net/injury/how-to-stretch-before-exercise/)
- [Shelbyville Triathlon #2 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/shelbyville-triathlon-2-race-report-3/)
- [Why You Should Stop Using R.I.C.E. To Heal An Injury](https://www.holisticathlete.net/injury/stop-using-r-c-e-heal-injury/)
- [What My Diet Looks Like](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/diet-looks-like/)
- [Water Fast 2.0](https://www.holisticathlete.net/eating/water-fast-2-0/)
- [The 5 Best Things You Can Eat Or Drink](https://www.holisticathlete.net/eating/5-best-things-can-eat-drink/)
- [The 5 Worst Things You Can Eat or Drink](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/5-worst-things-can-eat-drink/)
- [How Dehydration Can Make You Fat and Sick](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/dehydration-can-make-fat-sick/)
- [What Changed About Food in 2016?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/changed-food-2016/)
- [Blood Lab Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/blood-lab-results/)
- [The Holistic Hundred Challenge Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/holistic-hundred-challenge-results/) - Way back on August 16th, I started a 100 day journey that ends today (November 23rd). The Challenge had two parts. The first part consists of not eating any sugars or grains. The second part consists of doing 100 body-weight exercises each day. I've done 30 day challenges before, but I knew doing anything for
- [Holiday Eating Tips](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/holiday-eating-tips/) - It's pretty easy to go overboard and gain a few pounds over the next 5 weeks. It starts with Thanksgiving and then with the constant parties during December, there are way too many opportunities to either over-eat or eat junk that you normally wouldn't. Don't worry, I'm realistic - I know that completely staying away
- [10 Rules of Health to Live By](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/10-rules-health-live/) - Last night I had the privilege of sharing my "10 Rules of Health to Live By" with the Louisville Landsharks, our local multisport club. There was a wonderful turnout and the staff at HopCat did a great job of helping me get set up and keeping everyone's glass full and the food moving! As I
- [No Sugar November - 2016 Edition](https://www.holisticathlete.net/eating/no-sugar-november-2016-edition/) - On November 1st, I will be through 77 days of my Holistic Hundred Challenge. The goal was to go 100 days with no sugar, no grains and doing 100 body-weight exercises each day. As I type this post, I'm still on track for my goal. I'm very proud of everyone that has joined me on
- [Healthy Food Substitutions](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/healthy-food-substitutions/) - As I write this post, I am 38 days into 100 days of eating no sugars and no grains. There are been some temptations along the way, but I've managed to stay on track so far...each day it gets easier. As I do this Holistic Hundred Challenge, I've come across some pretty good alternatives for
- [I'm a Lion...What Are You?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/im-a-lion-what-are-you/) - Do you describe yourself as a "morning person"? Maybe people say that you're a "night owl". Do you feel like you have more energy at 10PM or 10AM? Estimates vary, but up to half are either morning or evening people. However, most people are neither evening nor morning types but lie somewhere in between. According
- [Best Protein Powder Review](https://www.holisticathlete.net/diet/best-protein-powder-review/) - I had a really good response to my post about pre-workout supplements, so I thought it was time to do another review of a review. I've been asked at least three times in the last few weeks about what type of protein powder I use. I don't use it on a daily basis, but 2-3
- [2016 Ironman World Championship Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2016-ironman-world-championship-race-preview/) - This Saturday, a new World Champion will be crowned in Kona, Hawai'i. After qualification and some recent withdraws, as of right now, there will be 59 pro men and 44 pro women chasing the title. I like to make prediction each year before the race. I've actually had some luck picking in the past, so
- [Pre-Workout Supplement Review](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/pre-workout-supplement-review/) - I review lots of products, but sometimes, it's just not feasible for me to buy from several different manufacturers and try the products myself. So when I come across someone that has done the research for me, I'm always curious as to what the criteria was for the review. I can usually poke lots of
- [Four Weeks Until Ironman - What Should I Do Now??](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/four-weeks-until-ironman-what-should-i-do-now/) - Ironman Louisville is October 11th...which is now just under four weeks away. Bib numbers have been issued (I'm # 582) and it's starting to get real! So what am I going to do over the next four weeks to assure that I am as ready as possible for the race? Hold off on the taper
- [The Holistic Hundred Challenge](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/the-holistic-hundred-challenge/) - This Tuesday (August 16, 2016) marks Day 1 of the Holistic Hundred Challenge. If you are going to join me on this challenge, then this post will hopefully answer all of your questions. If doing anything for 100 days is a little intimidating for you, this post will hopefully provide some insight into some eating
- [My Favorite Summer Olympic Moments](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-favorite-summer-olympic-moments/) - I love the Olympics. As I typed that I was reminded that last night at dinner my family and I were having a discussion about how "love" is a emotion that is shared with other living things and not a food or object...so let's just day that I "really like" the Olympics. As I was
- [Landsharks Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/landsharks-triathlon-race-report-3/) - This is a first for me...a race report from a race that I didn't participate in. Despite not wearing a bib number or crossing the finish line, the 2016 Landsharks Triathlon will be a race that I will always remember. It was the first race where I was able to pair up a special needs
- [Nutrition Facts Label to Change](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/nutrition-facts-label-to-change/) - I've written about Nutrition Labels several times in the past. You can read those posts at the links below. What Does a Food Label Really Tell You More On Food Labels The purpose of this new post is to tell you about some changes that are now officially coming the label that I love to
- [Mohican Endurance Festival Half Triathon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mohican-endurance-festival-half-triathon-race-report/) - Just six days after racing Tri Louisville on a bum ankle, I was in the car with my friend Aaron on our way to Perrysville Ohio to race the Mohican Endurance Festival Triathlon. With a new addition due in mid-August, I wanted to find another Half distance triathlon to fit into my 2016 race schedule.
- [Racing Injured - Tri Louisville Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/racing-injured-tri-louisville-triathlon-race-report/) - You know the type. That person that's dead-set on doing something no matter what. When it comes to racing, I unfortunately fall into this category. So when I sprain my ankle pretty badly three days before the Tri Louisville race, I knew in the back of my mind that I would still try and do
- [Why I Asked A Dentist To Drill On My Tooth](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/why-i-asked-a-dentist-to-drill-on-my-tooth/) - I've always had good teeth. I religiously brush twice a day and floss daily. I've done this since I was in middle school (before that, it was on my parents). Unlike other members of my family, my teeth came in straight and I was never the kid with braces or a retainer. I'm thankful for
- [Survey Book Winners](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/survey-book-winners/) - Thanks to everyone that filled out the survey. I look forward to reviewing the responses and tailoring my future content to meet your needs. As promised, I will be giving away a copy of my book The Balanced Approach to four people that responded prior to last night at midnight. I won't keep you in
- [Complete the survey below for a chance to win a free copy of The Balanced Approach!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/complete-the-survey-below-for-a-chance-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-balanced-approach/) - Here's the scoop. We are giving away as many as 5 free copies of The Balanced Approach in order to pick your brain. All you have to do is fill out the anonymous survey below, then send an email to luke@holisticathlete.com and let us know you have completed it. For every 10 surveys completed we will
- [Rev3 Knoxville Half Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rev3-knoxville-half-race-report/) - Driving to Knoxville in May has become a family tradition. This is the fifth year in a row that we've piled the family into the Tahoe and made the journey from Louisville to Knoxville. The first year we went, we just had an almost 3 year old and a 16 month old. This year we
- [My Minimalist Approach to Marathon Training - 2016 KDF Marathon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-minimalist-approach-to-marathon-training-2016-kdf-marathon-race-report/) - Since January 1st, I've averaged just 17.2 miles run per week. Most marathon training plans call for at least double that. The average time each week that I spent out pounding the pavement was only 2.3 hours. I also only had one "long" run, which was 18 miles. This Runner's World article recommends 100-140 miles
- [Barry-Roubaix "Killer Gravel Road Race" Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/barry-roubaix-killer-gravel-road-race-report/) - I can now say that I've participated in "The largest gravel road bicycle race in the world". At least according the the Barry-Roubaix race website. With 3,500 riders, I believe it! When I won a gift certificate to VO2 Multisport last spring, I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do with it. My triathlon
- [2016 Shelbyville Triathlon Race Series Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2016-shelbyville-triathlon-race-series-report/) - I've been doing at least one or two of the Winter Shelbyville Sprint Triathlons for the last six years. The races are a great way to kick off the season and I always enjoy the competitiveness and supporting Headfirst Performance races. These early-season races also have an extra element of excitement...the weather! Depending on the
- [2016 Shelbyville Triathlon #2 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2016-shelbyville-triathlon-2-race-report/) - As strange as it sounds, I was very disappointed as I pulled away from Clear Creek Park yesterday. On the surface, it wouldn't make much sense to feel disappointment after a race where I finished 1st in my Age Group and 5th Overall. But a small mechanical issue with my bike had my thoughts going
- [Genetic Testing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/genetic-testing-2/) - Two years ago I did a genetic test through 23andMe. The test consisted of simply spitting in a few tubes and mailing it off. A few weeks later, I was emailed a link to a full report. I did a post on the ancestry-related genetic reports (what countries/regions my ancestors most likely came from) back
- [Metabolic Efficiency Test - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/metabolic-efficiency-test-part-2/) - In Part 1 of my Metabolic Efficiency Test (MET) review, I gave some background on the test and how it is used. In this post, I'm going to tell you why I wanted to have this test done so bad that I asked for it as a birthday present (yes, I'm a geek). I will
- [Metabolic Efficiency Test - Part I](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/metabolic-efficiency-test-part-i/) - Last week I went to Fitness RX here in Louisville to have a Metabolic Efficiency Test (MET) done. I've been curious about having this test done for some time now. Before I get into why I wanted to have a MET done and tell you about the test procedure and my results, I wanted to
- [What You Might Not Know About Biking](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-you-might-not-know-about-biking/) - If you read this blog, there's a good chance that you ride a bike outdoors once in a while. I see people breaking the law on their bikes nearly every day. Some are people riding a bike around downtown for transportation. Some are just cruising through the neighborhood to enjoy the fresh air and get
- [Beginner Triathlete Tips](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/beginner-triathlete-tips/) - Tomorrow is the first of three Sprint Triathlons in Shelbyville put on by Headfirst Performance. These races are well suited for first timers as they are short, the swim is in a pool and there are not thousands of other athletes to contend with. I did my first triathlon in 2008 and I had no
- [From the Archives - 2010 Shelbyville Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/from-the-archives-2010-shelbyville-triathlon/) - Here's my race report from a rainy Shelbyville Triathlon in 2010...this was the March race that year. https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triathlon-report/
- [Ironman Louisville is 33 Weeks Away](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/ironman-louisville-is-33-weeks-away/) - Ironman Louisville 2016 will be held on Sunday, October 9th. That is 33 weeks from this past Sunday. That may seem like a long time, but if you want to be ready come race day, the work needs to start now (if it hasn't already). I've completed this race three times in five years and
- [Plastic Water Bottles - Is It Ok To Reuse Them?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/plastic-water-bottles-is-it-ok-to-reuse-them/) - I hope that everyone knows the importance of drinking water. Whether you are an athlete out on a long run or ride or just someone that knows the benefits of sipping on water all day, what you drink out of is important. If you're refilling a disposable water bottle that isn't really meant to be
- [My Water Fast Experience](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-water-fast-experience/) - Like most of my crazy ideas, the idea of fasting for an extended period of time came from listening to a podcast. Once the idea seed was planted, I started doing lots of research online to determine if it was something that I wanted or needed to do. The idea is pretty simple. You drink
- [Finding Your Ideal Racing Weight](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/finding-your-ideal-racing-weight/) - In August of 2006, I weighed 206 pounds. I was lifting pretty heavy back then and was doing very little cardio (doing triathlon's was not even on my radar). I didn't eat very good and although I thought that losing a few pounds would do me some good, I could have never imagined myself weighing
- [Setting Goals for 2016](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/setting-goals-for-2016/) - I don't believe in New Years Resolutions. I've never made them and I think the premise is kind of silly. Most people make resolutions on a whim and never take the time to honestly figure out how they are going to accomplish their goal for the new year. Aside from New Year's Resolutions, I set
- [Supplement Give Away Winner Is Announced!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/supplement-give-away-winner-is-announced/) - Thanks to everyone that entered the contest - we had well over 200 entries! The winner is....Samantha! a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure and visit all of my sponsor's websites. I sought out these companies because they provide great products and services. Swag's Sports Shoes Rudy Ellis Sports Medicine Center Garden of Life GreenBEAN Delivery Meridian
- [Supplement Review - Omega 3 and Vitamin D3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/supplement-review-omega-3-and-vitamin-d3/) - You don't have to look far to find an article touting the benefits of fish oil. There have been a number of clinical trials assessing the benefits of dietary supplementation with fish oils in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in humans, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and migraine
- [Supplement Review - Digestive Enzymes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/supplement-review-digestive-enzymes/) - Research in the last decade has established a clear link between gut microbiota (micro-organisms) and brain function. The human gut (esophagus, stomach, intestines & colon) is a complex, multifaceted communication system needed to establish a healthy balance for brain development and function. Digestion is a complicated business, so it makes sense to have a dedicated
- [Supplement Review - Protein Powder](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/supplement-review-protein-powder/) - Most athlete's currently use or have used a protein powder as part of their diet. They are so popular now that you can pick up a giant tub at just about any store that sells food. The problem is that most of the brands that you find on the shelves are full of junk and
- [Supplement Review - Wobenzym N](https://www.holisticathlete.net/triathlon/supplement-review-wobenzym-n/) - It's got a weird name, but this proteolytic enzyme can work wonders for athletes. Enzymes are proteins that facilitate chemical reactions in living organisms. They are required for every single chemical action that takes place in your body. All of your tissues, muscles, bones, organs and cells are run by enzymes. Proteolytic enzymes have many
- [Your Health is A Gift](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/your-health-is-a-gift/) - 2015 has been a HUGE year over at The Holistic Athlete. The new book, The Balanced Approach: How to Complete a Full Distance Triathlon Training Seven Hours a Week, is nearing completion and that's cause for big celebration. I feel like the information contained in this book is going to revolutionize the way folks look at
- [My 2015 Ironman Louisville Race Video](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/my-2015-ironman-louisville-race-video/)
- [Adventures of Training Away From Home](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/adventures-of-training-away-from-home/) - When working out and/or training for a race becomes part of your lifestyle, you have to find ways to fit things in when you travel. Whether it's a business trip or a vacation, I always plan to workout when I'm away from home. It's as simple as throwing my running shoes and some workout clothes
- [No Sugar November 2.0](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/no-sugar-november-2-0/) - After starting to feel the effects of adding some sugar back into my diet, last year at this time, I decided to completely eliminate sugar for the month of November (up until Thanksgiving Day). After a not-so-subtle hint from my wife, I've decided to do it again this year. Before getting into the details of
- [Best Moment of My 2015 Season...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/best-moment-of-my-2015-season/) - You would think that setting a 23 minute personal best at Ironman Louisville would be the highlight of my 2015 race season, but that was a distant second to the race I did back in August in tandem with the special needs athletes from The Kids Center. You can read my race report from this
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/ironman-louisville-race-report/) - Unlike my previous Ironman Race Reports (2011 & 2013), I'm going to keep this one to a single post. I had my alarm set for 3:30AM on race morning, but I woke up at 3:10 and had to pee. So at that point, I just decided to get me day started. I ate a medium
- [Ironman Louisville Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/ironman-louisville-race-preview/) - This Sunday will be my third time racing Ironman Louisville. This year will be different from the previous two in the fact that they race is in mid-October instead of the end of August. This means cooler temperatures and a wet-suit-legal swim. There was some concern about algae blooms forcing the race organizers to cancel
- [Ironman Q&A Session- Tonight!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-qa-session-tonight/) - This evening I will have the pleasure of joining a panel of accomplished triathletes for a Q&A session at VO2 Multisport, sponsored by the local triathlon club, Louisville Landsharks. You won't want to miss this event, as it will be a time of learning and sharing that will benefit everyone, first-timers and experienced racers alike. Here are
- [Kona Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/kona-race-preview/) - While the eyes of Louisville will be on the Ironman race taking place on Sunday, the rest of the triathlon world is eagerly anticipating a race that takes place this Saturday...the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. In fact, since there are no longer pro athletes racing in Ironman Louisville, the race here is unlikely
- [The Great Buckeye Challenge Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/the-great-buckeye-challenge-race-report/) - I don't often do races out of town, but it always makes for a fun adventure. These trips usually involve taking the entire family, but since this one was a longer race (Half Ironman), and I knew that it was likely to be hot, I decided to not ask Jessica to suffer in the heat
- [The Great Buckeye Challenge Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/the-great-buckeye-challenge-race-preview/) - With Ironman Louisville looming in the not-to-distant future (less than 7 weeks), I'm going to test my skills at a Half-Ironman this weekend. With both of the planned local half distance races being cancelled this year, I was left to searching the Inter-webs to try and find a race that wasn't too close to Ironman
- [Landsharks Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/landsharks-triathlon-race-report-2/) - I've competed in over 50 triathlons, but I still get a little bit of nerves the morning of a race. The 2015 Landsharks Triathlon was no exception...only this time, the nerves were magnified by the fact that I was also responsible for getting a raft, bike trailer and a jogging stroller to the race...AND making
- [Meet The Athletes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/meet-the-athletes/) - This Sunday I will have the honor of racing the Landsharks Triathlon in tandem with three amazing children. These kids and their families have refused to let disabilities keep them from living life to the fullest. Through the tireless work of the therapists at The Kids Center, these children have made great strides in their
- [Exercising to Lose Weight? Bad Idea!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/exercising-to-lose-weight-bad-idea/) - If you've ever participated in or been a spectator during an Ironman triathlon, you will notice that there are people competing in the race that are not only carrying a few extra pounds, but some that are actually overweight. Even the average spectator understands that you cannot physically complete a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile
- [Ramping Up To Ironman](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/ramping-up-to-ironman/) - This is the third time that I've trained to race an Ironman (aka "Full") Triathlon. I will be participating in Ironman Louisville on October 11th. The previous two times I've done this race, it was held at the end of August. So due to this change, my training has been shifted by six weeks. I'm
- [Racing In Tandem](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/racing-in-tandem/) - I can't really remember the first time I saw the video of Dick Hoyt doing a triathlon with his disabled son Rick. They have been racing as a tandem team literally longer than I have been alive. If you have never had the opportunity to watch these two in action, it's worth your time. They
- [Challenge Knoxville Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/challenge-knoxville-race-report/) - My typical race reports consist of lots of words and a few pictures. Since I came away with so many good pictures this time, I'm going to flip the script and show you lots of pictures with just a few words to describe each. So here we go... The race venue in Knoxville, Tennessee is
- [TriFest Race Reports](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/trifest-race-reports/) - What a day! I experienced a season's worth of highs and lows over an eight hour period... TriFest is a series of races that take place in and around the beautiful Taylorsville Lake State Park. The plan for this year was to have two races on Saturday, a Sprint and an Olympic distance and then
- [Metabolic Efficiency Test - Part 3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/metabolic-efficiency-test-part-3/) - This will be the final segment of my series on Metabolic Efficiency. In Part 1, I discussed the history and gave a description of the Metabolic Efficiency Test (MET) and then in Part 2, I gave you a recap of what the test actually consisted of. So to wrap things up, I'm going to show
- [Shelbyville Triathlon #3 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/shelbyville-triathlon-3-race-report/) - Every time I find myself setting up my transition area before a triathlon, I'm reminded as to why I've devoted so much time and energy to the sport over the last five and half years. That combination of excitement and nerves is one that isn't easy to come by in day-to-day life. I'm so happy
- [ACV](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/acv/) - Every night, just before I head upstairs for the night, I take two big swigs of ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar). The main reason I do this is because my wife loves the smell of vinegar on my breath as I crawl into bed next to her. There are actually many (more than I can list)
- [Shelbyville Triathlon #2 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/shelbyville-triathlon-2-race-report-2/) - Sunday's Sprint Triathlon was proceeded by Rodes City Run 10K on Saturday. I didn't have very high expectations going into the 10K and it showed. My time was over two minutes slower than my PR for that race. Even though I wasn't expecting to do well, I was still disappointed in my time. So at
- [Max Heart Rate](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/max-heart-rate/) - A little over a week ago, I ran in the Anthem 5K. This is a local 5K (3.1 mile) race that I've done for several years...this was actually my seventh time. Over the last four years, my times have been nearly the same (within a few seconds). But this year, I was around 45 seconds
- [Shelbyville Triathlon #1 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/shelbyville-triathlon-1-race-report/) - They say that football is a game of inches. If this is true, then Sprint Triathlons are a game of seconds. I knew that the forecast was calling for a "wintery mix" overnight Saturday and into Sunday. So while I really wanted to get my bike out on the road, I figured the odds were
- [What Happens When We Exercise - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-happens-when-we-exercise-part-2/) - In my last post, I talked about what happens from a cardiovascular standpoint when you exercise, describing how the blood is pumped though the body. As I discussed, your heart rate increases with physical activity to supply more oxygenated blood to your muscles. The fitter you are, the more efficiently your heart can do this,
- [What Happens When We Exercise - Part 1](https://www.holisticathlete.net/health/what-happens-when-we-exercise-part-1/) - If you are reading this blog, then there's a pretty good chance that you try and practice some sort of exercise on a regular basis. Have you ever stopped to think about what exactly is happening in your body while you are running, biking, lifting, rowing, swimming, climbing or even doing yoga? I'm going to
- [Top 5 Lies About Food](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/top-5-lies-about-food/) - Lies may be too strong of a word for some of these, but I do believe that sometimes things are said to purposefully deceive people in order to make a profit. There are some lies out there that are pretty big, like eating fat will make you fat or that artificial sweeteners are better for
- [Life Balance](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/life-balance/) - I just returned back from a trip to Chicago. The trip was a mix of business and pleasure. My wife and I flew up Friday night and returned home yesterday (Tuesday) morning. It was a great time that included some shopping on Michigan Avenue, some site seeing, mass at the second oldest church in Chicago,
- [2014 Training Totals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/2014-training-totals/) - I love data. I love to record data. I love to transform data into charts and graphs. I love to stare at charts and graphs. This is really the only reason I became an Engineer. I just thought I should explain myself a little for those of you that are new to my blog. I've
- [Most Popular Posts in 2014](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/most-popular-posts-in-2014/) - I had a total of 38 blog posts in 2014 and I thought it would be interesting to look back and see which one's were the most popular - based on number of page views. So here we go... #3 - Papa John's 10 Miler and Shelbyville Tri #3 Race Reports (March 28th) - There
- [What Your Blood Can Tell You - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-your-blood-can-tell-you-part-2/) - In my last post, I looked at the Lipid Panel results from my recent blood analysis. Today, I'll look at the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) portion of the results. This CMP is also commonly referred to as a Chemistry Panel or SMA 12/20. This panel gives you important information about the current status of your
- [What Your Blood Can Tell You - Part 1](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-your-blood-can-tell-you-part-1/) - I feel like I'm in pretty good health. I exercise, I eat well, I don't let things stress me out. But even if I appear to be healthy on the outside, it's impossible to know for sure until I see what's going on INSIDE my body. A few weeks ago I had some blood drawn
- [What I Learned From Cutting Out Sugar](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/what-i-learned-from-cutting-out-sugar/) - Today is day 25 of my no sugar journey...it's also the day that I will eat sugar. After all, it's Thanksgiving and I can't imagine the day passing without a piece of pumpkin pie or some sweet potato casserole. It started on a whim. I just decided on November 3rd to cut all sugar (natural
- [Reviewing My 2014 Race Season](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/reviewing-my-2014-race-season/) - My 2104 race season is over (technically it has been for a few months), but it's now the time of year when I like to look back and review my races. My training for 2015 won't start up sometime after the beginning of the year, so I use this time of year to analyze this
- [No Sugar November](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/no-sugar-november/) - Now that Halloween is over and we are still a little over three weeks from Thanksgiving and the start of the "holidays", I'm issuing a challenge to myself and my blog readers - eliminate sugar from your diet from now until Thanksgiving! To some people it might sound simple, after all it's only 24 days
- [Understanding Bike Gears](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/understanding-bike-gears/) - When I first became involved in triathlon, I purchased a road bike. I hopped on and as I expected, I was able to ride it even though it had been several years since I had been on one. It took a few rides to figure out how to shift gears. The shifters were on the
- [Louisville Landsharks Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/louisville-landsharks-triathlon-race-report/) - I've been involved with the Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies for for over 5 years now. Since the first time that I set foot in that place, I've been inspired and wanted to help. Something that has been on my radar for the last few years was doing a triathlon in tandem with a disabled
- [Louisville Landsharks Triathlon Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/louisville-landsharks-triathlon-race-preview/) - What is a Louisville Landshark? If you are not familiar with the local multisport club, let me tell you a little about it. Once a small group of less than 20 athletes, the club now hovers around the 300 mark. The club has lots of group activities that not only involve swimming, biking and running,
- [Buffalo Trails Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/buffalo-trails-triathlon-race-report-2/) - I was really excited to load up the truck and hit the road with my three year old son Adrian on Friday afternoon. We make the 140 mile trip from Louisville to Maysville in around three hours. We arrived a little after four o'clock and went down to pick up my race packet. We then
- [Buffalo Trails Triathlon - Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/buffalo-trails-triathlon-race-preview-2/) - The Buffalo Trails Triathlon takes place in the beautiful and historical areas of Maysville and Mason County, Kentucky. I was curious as to why they call this race, the "Buffalo Trails" Triathlon, so I did a little investigating. Before European settlement, herds of Buffalo migrated along a route which passed through the Maysville area from Ohio,
- [It's Ironman Louisville Week!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/its-ironman-louisville-week/) - Although I am not racing this year, it's still an exciting time for the sport I love in the city I love. This will be the 8th year for the annual triathlon and the end (kind of) to the tradition. Starting next year, the race will be moved from the end of August to the
- [USA Triathlon Nationals Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/usa-triathlon-nationals-race-report/) - Several years ago I was chatting with a guy at the gym (called Gold's Gym at the time, I think it's LA Fitness now). I told him that I did triathlons and he asked if I was doing the National Championships. At the time, this seemed ridiculous to me. I had only been in the
- [USA Triathlon Nationals Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/usa-triathlon-nationals-race-preview/) - I've always wanted to race in the Age Group National Championship, and I've actually qualified for it the last three years. In 2012 the race was in Connecticut and was just too far to drive. Last year it was close enough to drive (Milwaukee), but I was doing Ironman Louisville at the end of August
- [Essential Oils for Athletes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/essential-oils-for-athletes/) - In our quest to avoid using drugs (both prescription and over the counter), my family and I started using essential oils about three years ago. Before that time, we had a cabinet full of medicine. Bottles and bottles of cold and cough medicine, Antibiotics, Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil), decongestants (Sudafed), Benadryl, Pepto-Bismol, Tums and even
- [MAC Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/mac-triathlon-race-report/) - My 2014 race season is built around my "A" race, the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship in Milwaukee on August 9th. As I laid out my race calendar, I knew that April and May were going to be full of races. I planned out my training so that the 9 weeks leading up to
- [Meal Replacement Drinks](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/meal-replacement-drinks/) - It seems like meal replacement shakes and drinks are all the rage in the health and nutrition world right now. These "easy" and "conveinent" options for people to drink in place of a solid-food meal are nothing new. Slim-Fast has been promoting their shakes for almost 30 years now. Remember the slogan "a shake for
- [Little Debbie Ironman. Huh?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/little-debbie-ironman-huh/) - Two weeks ago it was announced that Little Debbie was signed on as the title sponsor for the newest Ironman race to be held in Chattanooga. The race will take place on September 28th in the beautiful mountains of eastern Tennessee. If you are a friend of mine, or follow this blog (hopefully you are
- [Gluten Part 3 - Why Are Some Gluten-Free Foods Bad?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/gluten-part-3-why-are-some-gluten-free-foods-bad/) - If you haven't read the first two posts in this series, please go back and read those first. They can be found at the links below. Part 1 - What Is It? Part 2 - What Happens When You Eat It So in this third and final post, I'm going to explore the ever-increasing world
- [Race The Bridge Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/race-the-bridge-triathlon-race-report/) - I'm tired. As I tried to plan out my race calendar back in January, I knew of a few races that I wanted to do this year...but the dates had not been set. I built my season around two races that I knew I was going to do, Rev3 Knoxville in May and the Age
- [Gluten Part 2 - What Happens When You Eat It??](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/gluten-part-2-what-happens-when-you-eat-it/) - In part 1 of my series of posts on Gluten, I described exactly what it is and how it's made. The purpose of part 2 is to give you some details as to what happens to gluten and how does your body use it once you eat it. The molecular structure of modern gluten plays
- [Rev3 Knoxville Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rev3-knoxville-race-report-2/) - This was my third consecutive year racing the Revolution 3 Triathlon in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's become a staple in my race calendar for several reasons. First of all, Rev3 does a fantastic job a catering to racers that bring their families with them. Second of all, a Rev3 race has a "big-race" atmosphere and they
- [TriFest Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-race-report/) - I hate looking at extended weather forecasts. I usually don't count on them being accurate until you get within a 12 hour window. I'll often wait until the night before to decide if I'm going to run outside or do an indoor trainer ride - depending on the chance for rain at 5am the next
- [Gluten Part 1 - What is it??](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/gluten-part-1-what-is-it/) - The word Gluten mean "glue" in Latin. In simple terms, it's the glue that holds breads, cakes, pastas and other wheat products together. Gluten gives dough its elasticity and makes the final food product chewy. If you've ever made bread or cookies from scratch, you know how sticky the dough can be. This stickiness is
- [KDF miniMarathon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/kdf-minimarathon-race-report/) - As I stated in my race preview post, my goal was a 1:36 half-marathon. When I turned the corner from Main Street onto Brook Street, I was hoping that the finish line had been moved up...because that was my only shot at getting under 1:37. When I saw a few hundred yards between me and
- [Shelbyville Tri #4 Race Report / miniMarathon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/shelbyville-tri-4-race-report-minimarathon-preview/) - I'll keep this race report fairly simple. I felt good coming into the race, but my times were not what I was hoping for. I didn't do this race last year, but I did in 2012. My times for the swim, bike and run were all a few seconds slower this time around. I know
- [Sprint Triathlon Check List](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/sprint-triathlon-check-list/) - This Sunday will be the fourth and final race of the Headfirst Performance Shelbyville Sprint Triathlon Series. Instead of doing a typical race preview post, I thought that it might be useful to go over all of the items that I will take to the race. I'm a list maker. I don't necessarily make lists
- [Why I Love Small Races](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/why-i-love-small-races/) - The sport of Triathlon continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Most estimates put the growth over the last 15 years at 500%! I've only been involved with the sport for five years and I've witnessed a boom, especially locally. Our Multisport Club, the Louisville Landsharks has grown from about two dozen members in 2009
- [Papa Johns 10 Miler & Shelbyville Tri #3 Race Reports](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-milers-shelbyville-tri-3-race-reports/) - I wasn't exactly sure how to approach the back-to-back races last weekend. I knew that in order to do as well as possible in the Triathlon, I would need to skip the 10 Miler...BUT I really enjoy running that race...SO I decided to do both. The plan was to run the 10 Miler at a
- [Weekend Double-Header - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/weekend-double-header-part-2/) - A few weeks ago I ran a road race on Saturday and then did a triathlon on Sunday. It was so much fun that I decided to do it again this weekend! But instead of just doing a 5K, I'm going to conquer a tough 10 miler. This is the 14th year for the Papa
- [Genetic Testing ](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/genetic-testing/) - A few months ago I filled up a tube full of saliva and mailed it off the 23andMe. Once they received my specimen, they did a full DNA analysis and provided me with ancestry-related genetic reports as well as tons of raw genetic data. This is a really cool test and the amount of information
- [2013 USA Triathlon Rankings](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2013-usa-triathlon-rankings/) - It's kind of fun to see where I stack up against the rest of the county. Every year the USAT comes out with their rankings. Note that only USAT Sanctioned races count...AND the race director has to actually send in the results, which doesn't always happen. It's a very complicated ranking system that I have
- [Shelbyville Triathlon #2 Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/shelbyville-triathlon-2-race-report/) - I've done this race a few times in the past. Part of the fun when getting gear together for a race in late February is deciding what to wear. The temperature usually hovers right around freezing this time and year and Sunday was no exception. It was in the high 20's when the race started
- [Anthem 5K Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-results-3/) - I'm not going to waste time harping on the logistical nightmare this race was for almost everyone involved. All I know is...unless they change the venue, I will not be participating in this race in 2014. Official Results 20:13 (6:29 / mile) 18th out of 338 in my Division 122nd out of 2482 Males 147th
- [Weekend Double-Header](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/weekend-double-header/) - I'd be lying if I said that this weekend was going to be fun. I'm definitely excited about getting to race on back-to-back days, but it's the nature of the races that will make them less than enjoyable. On Saturday morning, I will run the Anthem 5K for the sixth time. This race is the
- [Polar Bear Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/polar-bear-triathlon-race-report/) - My 2014 season is official underway! Sunday was my first race of the season, a modified triathlon at Clear Creek Park in Shelbyville, KY. Our little glimpse into what Winter is like for Canadian's continues and the bike portion of this Sprint Triathlon had to be cancelled due to concerns over ice on the roads.
- [My Top 4 Treadmill Workouts](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-top-4-treadmill-workouts/) - The weather around here (as in most of North America) isn't very pleasant right now. I will run outside in almost any conditions - rain, cold, extreme heat, etc.. But when it's below zero or the roads are covered in snow and ice, there's no choice but to take the runs indoors. I was proud
- [2013 Season Recap](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race/2013-season-recap/) - I haven't really had a chance to look back at my 2013 calendar year, so I thought I should devote a post to it. I won't bore you with all of my race results, you can always click on the tab at the top of the page to see results from every race I do.
- [Eating Healthy in 2014](https://www.holisticathlete.net/food/eating-healthy-in-2014/) - It's January 1st. The start of a new year - a clean slate, a fresh start. I've received several messages from people over the last few days telling me that they have decided to start eating better in 2014 and wanted to know if I had any easy tips or tricks for them. I do.
- [My 2013 Race Season In Charts - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-2013-race-season-in-charts-part-2/) - In my previous post, I took a look at my Performance Management Chart. In this post, I'll take a quick look at a few other metrics that I tracked over the course of my 8 month race season. I've never been a big proponent of weighing myself every day. Before I started doing triathlons, I
- [My 2013 Performance Management Chart](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-2013-performance-management-chart/) - I love data. This is no surprise to anyone that reads this blog or knows me. I'm sure I over-analyze things, but I also believe that you can more easily improve performance when you track it. I enter every workout on a website called Training Peaks. By uploading all of the data from my Garmin
- [Wellness Warrior](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/wellness-warrior/) - I was listening to a podcast a few weeks ago and heard an interview with a woman that left me thinking about a lot of things. I listen to pod casts on a daily basis. Usually it's while I'm in the car. I find this a good way to pass the time while actually learning
- [My Off-Season](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-off-season/) - Some years I'm not quite ready for my triathlon season to be over. This was one of those years. I finished my 'A' race for 2013, Ironman Louisville, at the end of August. I had already begun to think about my 2014 race calendar and I knew that I was NOT going to be doing
- [Reader Give-Away](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/reader-give-away/) - Time again to give away some supplements to two lucky readers. One of my sponsors, Garden of Life has been generous enough to provide me with a few things to give away.The first is a Men's Multivitamin. Their Vitamin Code RAW One for Men is a once-a-day supplement designed especially for men. As with everything
- [An In-Depth Look At My Ironman Run](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/an-in-depth-look-at-my-ironman-run/) - In my last post, I covered the 112 mile bike leg of my 2013 Ironman Louisville race. This post will be devoted to the 26.2 mile run.The whole reason I rode within a strict range of power was so that my legs would be in good enough shape to run a marathon. It was all
- [An In-Depth Look At My Ironman Bike](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/an-in-depth-look-at-my-ironman-bike/) - So this is one for the geeks like me. If you love data, you will enjoy the next 10 minutes of your life.I raced Ironman Louisville on August 25. It's hard to believe that it was 2 months ago! I talked about my experience during 112 mile bike portion of the race on a previous
- [The Bourbon Chase Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-bourbon-chase-race-preview/) - Last year was my first year participating in The Bourbon Chase. I had heard of the race and it seemed like fun, but I had no idea just how much fun it was! We had a great team last year and I couldn't wait to do it again. The only potential issue was that due
- [Happy Kona Week!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/happy-kona-week/) - If you are a veteran triathlete, then you understand the title of this post. If you are not, you are probably thinking that I'm referring to coffee or a sushi restaurant.This Saturday, the Ironman World Championship will be held in Kona, a district on the big island of Hawai'i. This is the race that will
- [Reader Give-Away](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/reader-give-away-2/) - I have a gift certificate to give away to a lucky reader. It's good for five (5) classes at Pure Barre in The Summitt (aka Paddock Shops), on Brownsboro Road in Louisville.If you are unfamiliar with what Pure Barre is, it's a studio where a woman can get a total body workout that utilizes the
- [Deer Creek Fall Challenge Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/deer-creek-fall-challenge-triathlon-race-report/) - I believe it was Aristotle that said "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". That saying is definitely true for this race.This was my second "destination race" of the 2013 season. The first was Rev3 Knoxville, which you can read about here. That trip was fun for the family, but it literally
- [Blog 2.0](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/blog-2-0/) - My blog has transformed into much more than the training and racing updates that I was doing when I started this four years ago.I now also share lots of insight into my thoughts on eating and over health and wellness. So with this in mind, I've decided to change the name and layout of my
- [Tri For Sight Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-for-sight-race-report/) - I was up at 4:00am and out the door by 4:30am. I arrived at the race site and checked in to get my athlete packet. Unfortunately, they lost my #28 bib number. So I improvised and cut the bike number sticker and cut some slits in it so I could put it on my race
- [Tri For Sight Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-for-sight-race-preview/) - This Sunday I will toe the line for my last Triathlon of the 2013 season. I'm always a little sad when the final race comes around. I will have plenty of running races to occupy my time until the 2014 triathlon season starts, but it's still a little bitter-sweet.This will be my first time racing
- [2013 Ironman Louisville Video](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2013-ironman-louisville-video/) - Instead of trying to post all of the video and pictures from the race, I compiled them all into this little video...enjoy.Be sure and visit all of my sponsor's websites. I sought out these companies because they provide great products and services. Swag's Sports ShoesRudy Ellis Sports Medicine CenterGarden of LifeGreenBEAN DeliveryMeridian Acupuncture and Herbal
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 4 (The Run)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-4-the-run/) - As I mentioned in Part 3 of my report, I had a nice boost of energy during the last 10 miles of the bike. I pushed out my fastest splits of the 112 miles, all while holding a steady power and having my heart rate actually decrease slightly. I think I know how and why
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 3 (The Bike)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-3-the-bike/) - So I ended Part 2 with me exiting the water after the 2.4 mile swim. My transition time officially started after I got to the top of the steps coming out of the river. There is then a pretty significant run to get to the changing tent. After exiting the water, you run through a
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 2 (The Swim)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-2-the-swim/) - If you missed Part 1 of my race report, you can read it here. So I left off with me jumping into the river. The 2.4 mile swim course for IMLOU consists of going upstream approximately 0.8 miles, then turning around and going approximately 1.6 miles downstream to the finish. When I jumped in the water,
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 1 (Pre-Race)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-1-pre-race/) - Instead of having a blog post that would take you an hour to read, I'm going to break my Ironman Louisville Race Report into several smaller posts. The first one will cover everything I did from the time I woke up until we jumped in the water.Before I actually get to the morning of the
- [Ironman Training Review](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-training-review/) - While I never really stopped training after my 2012 season was over, my "official" Ironman Louisville 2013 training started 36 weeks ago. I started with a basic outline of the plan I followed in 2011, which was called Triathlon Dominator, and then I modified it considerably to fit my goals and plan for this year.
- [What is The Underpants Run??!!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-is-the-underpants-run/) - I had planned on reviewing the Professional Field for 2013 Ironman Louisville today, but since there is no list of said athlete's anywhere to be found, I decided to go in a different direction.This Saturday (the day before Ironman), there will be around 50-100 people running on the riverfront in just their underwear. If this
- [Welcome to Ironman Week!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/welcome-to-ironman-week/) - It's officially Ironman week in Louisville! Most people living in the city won't know this until Saturday or Sunday, but in my circle of triathlon friends, it's all anyone is talking about.I thought that I would use this post to take a look back at the history of this event. But before Ironman came to
- [9 Tips For The Last 9 Days Before Ironman Louisville](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/9-tips-for-the-last-9-days-before-ironman-louisville/) - My second Ironman is only nine days away. The taper is in full effect and my workouts are short and sweet! I'm trying to stay rested and basically not do anything to hurt myself before the race. I do lots of things all season long to try and stay healthy and well (both physically and
- [So Just How Hard Is Ironman Louisville?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/so-just-how-hard-is-ironman-louisville/) - Before I get into this post, I wanted to mention that four years ago today I started this blog. I really wasn't sure what it would turn into or if I would even keep up with it. It has evolved a lot since my first post, and instead of just telling readers about my training;
- [Staying Hydrated](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/staying-hydrated/) - Check out this clip from The Waterboy: Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) was right. Water is better. Sports drinks are full of bad stuff, but I won't get into that now. I wanted to use this post to talk about how to properly acclimate and hydrate when exercising in the heat.The human body regulates internal temperature
- [Changing the Definition of a Good Ride](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/changing-the-definition-of-a-good-ride/) - Cycling is in my genes. My dad raced competitively for many years - both on roads and the velodrome. I even have his old aluminum-frame bike, named "Silver Shadow". One of these days I will get around to making it road-worthy again.When I started doing triathlons five years ago (hard to believe I've been at
- [Cardinal Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-triathlon-results/) - News came via a text message at 12:13am on Friday morning that the swim was cancelled due to "dangerous current" in the Ohio River. Not the best news to be see on your phone when it wakes you up in the middle of the night.So while I was disappointed in the fact that this race
- [Cardinal Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-triathlon-preview/) - This Saturday I will compete in the Cardinal Triathlon for the third time...yet this will be the first time I've done this race. Confused? So am I. Every July, Headfirst Performance puts on a Half-Ironman in the Louisville area. For a long time, this race was know as the Cardinal Harbour Triathlon, because it started and
- [Recovery](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/recovery/) - With less than two months until Ironman Louisville, my workouts have really ramped up in intensity and frequency. I'm also now scattering in one or two long runs/rides once a month. If you've asked me how my training is going, I've no doubt told you that I'm going with a non-typical approach to Ironman training
- [What I Eat](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-i-eat/) - I devote a decent amount of posts on this blog to telling readers about what NOT to eat. I've done posts on how to frind what's hidden on nutrition labels, the dangers of eating saturated fats, bread, fast food, artificial sweeteners, throwing out processed food, why you shouldn't drink diet soda, why food dyes are
- [Supplements 101](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/supplements-101/) - I'm a big believer in getting vitamins and nutrients through the food you eat. This guarantees that they are in their most natural form and easiest for the human body to breakdown and use. However, I also realize that it's not easy to eat in a way to make this happen. This is where supplements
- [Swim Stroke Analysis - Revisited](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/swim-stroke-analysis-revisited/) - The last time I had a real in-depth analysis of my swim stroke was back in December of 2011. I wrote a post back then describing some of the glaring flaws in my swim technique. I figured that it was time to have an expert take a look at my swimming and tell me how
- [Buffalo Trails Triathlon - Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/buffalo-trails-triathlon-race-report/) - I haven't had the best of luck this year when it comes to triathlons and the weather. A very cold (25F) Sprint in Shelbyville back in February, as it always is. Then a cold and rainy day in Knoxville, followed by an unseasonably warm (85F) Half-Ironman at Taylorsville. I was due for some good racing
- [Buffalo Trails Triathlon - Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/buffalo-trails-triathlon-race-preview/) - I first heard about this race several years ago. Our local multi-sport club, the Louisville Landsharks always sends a large group of people up to Maysville, Kentucky for this race. My interest in making the 2-1/2 hour trip northeast grew even more when my brother and his family moved to Maysville two years ago. When
- [TriFest Half Ironman Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-half-ironman-race-report/) - As I mentioned in my race preview, I felt very fit coming into this race. The only unknown was how my foot would respond once I started running? As it turned out, the tendonitis has healed up...but I paid dearly for the time I spent letting it heal.When I woke up Sunday morning, it was
- [TriFest Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-race-preview/) - This will be year #2 for TriFest. It's a full weekend of racing for the triathlon enthusiast. It's sponsored by our local triathlon store, VO2 Multisport and organized by Headfirst Performance. These two companies play a huge part in keeping the multisport community strong here in Louisville.There are a total of three races this year.
- [The Nutella Epidemic](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-nutella-epidemic/) - Nutella is not a new product. It's made in Italy and has been on the shelves in stores there since the 1960's. It's even been here in the US in certain places since the early 1980's. But it just in the last 4-5 years that it's been readily available in just about every grocery store.
- [Rev3 Knoxville Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rev3-knoxville-race-report/) - It was wet.I could just end the report now, but I'm sure that if you actually clicked on the link to read a report, you would like a few more details.The last two seasons, Rev3 Knoxville has been my lone "destination race". It's not easy to pack up three small children and drive 240 miles.
- [Rev3 Knoxville Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rev3-knoxville-triathlon-preview/) - This will be my second year doing this Olympic Distance race in Knoxville, Tennessee. I had a great time last year, which you can read about here...so I decided to get it on the race calendar again in 2013.The race will consist of a 0.9 mile (1500 meter) swim, a 24.8 mile (40K) bike and
- [Peroneal Tendonitis and A Look Ahead](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/peroneal-tendonitis-and-a-look-ahead/) - Two weeks ago I was in Scottsdale, Arizona for a work-related sales meeting. I knew that the weather was going to be nice out there and since I needed to get in a long run, I decided to pack my running gear. I did a little recon the night before and found a nice little
- [Too Close To Home](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/too-close-to-home/) - I've crossed lots of finish lines. Some are just a line spray painted on a parking lot with only other racers standing around. Others are huge productions with lights, speakers, hundreds of people cheering you as your name is called - accomplishing a major goal in your life. No matter how extravagant the finish line
- [Rodes City Run Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rodes-city-run-race-report/) - For those of you living in other parts of the country, this past weekend was the start of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I am typically (8 of the last 10 years) in Las Vegas for a guys trip during this weekend. Due to lots of factors, including the fact that I'm getting too old for
- [Run Gait Analysis - Part 4](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/run-gait-analysis-part-4/) - So let's wrap up my run gait analysis. I've looked at several different aspects of my running form over the last few weeks, you can find those blog posts here:Part 1: Forward LeanPart 2: Foot StrikePart 3: Leg Extension, stride anglesThe final things that I want to cover involve hip drop, shoulder position and arm
- [Anthem 5K Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-race-report/) - Official Results:Avg Pace Per Mile: 6:27Division (M 30-34) Place: 33rd out of 436Gender Place: 166th out of 3316Overall Place: 185th out of 7800My ultimate goal this season is Ironman in August. So doing a 5K this early in the year, when I've done very little speed work, isn't ideal. That being said, I was hoping
- [Run Gait Analysis - Part 3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/run-gait-analysis-part-3/) - So let's get back to analyzing my run form. I've already looked at forward lean and foot strike, so today I will try and cover the rest of what's going on with my legs. The next post will look at my hips and shoulder's while I run.Leg extension is measured by how far behind the
- [Shelbyville Sprint Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-sprint-triathlon-race-report/) - I'll get back to the run gait analysis posts later this week, but I wanted to write up a quick report on yesterday's race.New race jersey for 2013Left legRight legI wasn't 100% sure if I was going to do the race, but I decided to give it a shot. One of the main reasons I
- [Run Gait Analysis - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/run-gait-analysis-part-2/) - My previous post addressed forward lean. This one will look into foot strike and the role that it plays in running. Foot-strike is the exact moment when your foot makes contact with the ground.Even the causal runner has probably heard something about foot strike. The "barefoot/natural" running craze focuses on foot strike as the main
- [Run Gait Analysis - Part 1](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/run-gait-analysis-part-1/) - Just about every triathlete I know has had a bike fit. Almost all of them have worked with a swim coach to try and shave a few seconds off of their swim times. But very few have ever had their running mechanics reviewed. Why is this? My thought is that most of us have been
- [More Test Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-test-results/) - My previous post looked at my foot scan. Another thing that Mike Rowles at Occupational Kinetics did was test for muscle weakness/imbalances. He had me do two different exercises. First was a single leg swat. Performing this move can give you a good idea of any balance and hip weakness issues. Here are the videos
- [I'm A Freak Of Nature!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/im-a-freak-of-nature/) - "I bet I have the flattest feet you have ever seen." This is what I told Mike Rowles at Occupational Kinetics before he did a foot scan of my feet last week. After it was done...he agreed. I have no arch at all. None. Here's the proof:It might be hard to tell what's going on
- [So Much Information...So Little Time](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/so-much-information-so-little-time/) - With the addition of a Garmin 910XT watch and Quarq Power Meter, I now have a lot of swim and bike data that I've never had before. The only problem is that I haven't had time to dive into the data and see how it can help me improve. Since the power meter stuff is
- [2012 Highlights](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2012-highlights/) - I toed the starting line a total of 17 times in 2012...more than any other year. This was a different approach than past years. Coming off of a long year training for Ironman in 2011, I decided to do lots of short races in 2012. When it was all said and done, here's what I
- [2012 Totals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2012-totals/) - At the end of each year, I like to look back over my training logs and see how many miles and hours I spent swimming, biking and running. So here are the numbers for 2012:Swim - 133.78 miles (83 hours and 32 minutes)2:08/100yd avg. Bike - 1614.7 miles (81 hours and 53 minutes)19.7 mph avg.Run
- [My Final 2012 USAT Ranking](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-final-2012-usat-ranking/) - Every year the USAT, the official governing body of triathlons in the U.S., issues a ranking. It's kind of a weird ranking system, but still better than the BCS! Each race that you do has several "pace setters". These pace setters give USAT a "par time" for that particular race. Therefore, every race has a
- [Healthy Eating Guide](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/healthy-eating-guide/) - It's been two years since my wife Jessica and I decided to go from eating "healthy" to really eating as clean as possible. We emptied out nearly everything in our cupboard, throwing out or giving away all of our processed foods and basically anything that comes in a package. The first few weeks were tough.
- [Otter Creek Trail Race Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/otter-creek-trail-race-results/) - Distance - 8.83 milesOverall Place - 8th out of 136Division Place (M 30-34) - 2nd out of 10Gender Place - 8th out of 78Total Time - 1:17:02.64 (8:44/mile)It's kind of strange to wake up on race morning without having to worry about a full list of things that I need to make sure and take
- [Otter Creek Trail Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/otter-creek-trail-race-preview/) - Tomorrow morning I'll head down to Otter Creek Park for my first ever trail race. I've run on trails exactly seven times...and all of those have been in the past two months. It's only taken that long for me to fall head-over-heels (not literally) for trail running. It's been a great addition to my off-season
- [Why I Take Cold Showers](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/why-i-take-cold-showers/) - When you hear someone talk about taking a cold shower, it's usually related to cooling down a fire in your loins (if you know what I mean). Thankfully, this is not the reason I take cold showers.For the last six months or so I have taken cold showers. I can only think of one or
- [IRH Thanksgiving Day Race Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/irh-thanksgiving-day-race-results/) - Distance 5.0 MilesOverall Place 80 / 924Division Place 14 / 55Gender Place 69 / 485Total Time 34:47 (6:57/mile) I felt better than expected during this race considering my lackluster training this time of year. I guess the climbing I've been getting in on the trails has helped my hill running. The first mile was
- [IHR Thanksgiving Day Run Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ihr-thanksgiving-day-run-race-preview/) - I love Iroquois Park. I grew up a block away from it and when I first started running, I did the majority of my runs in the park. The constant hills were good training grounds for me. I know the road that loops around the bottom of the park better than any 3 mile stretch
- [Trail Running](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trail-running/) - I never knew what I was missing!After the triathlon season is over, several of my tri-buds like to run trails. I thought about doing it last winter, but never got around to it. This year I knew that I wanted to give it a try, so I went out and bought a pair of trail
- [What is Prop 37?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-is-prop-37/) - Yesterday was election day here in the United States. Everyone was focused (rightly so) on the race for the White House, but there was a bill on the ballot in California that had my attention.Proposition 37 would have required that most foods containing genetically modified ingredients carry a "Made with GMO" label on the box.
- [Thanks Lance!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/thanks-lance/) - You can (and should) blame Lance Armstrong for lots of things...including the potential demise of cycling. But one thing we can thank him for is NBC moving their telecast of the Ironman World Championship up 6 weeks. They normally don't air this pre-recorded version of the race until early December...but back before Lance's world came
- [What I Learned From My Blood Test](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-i-learned-from-my-blood-test/) - I recently had a blood and urine test done as part of an application for some additional life insurance and disability. I thought just telling them that I was an Ironman would be enough...but they wanted to do the blood and urine profile anyway.The results of the test arrived in the mail the other day.
- [Kona Recap, Trail Running & More](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kona-recap-trail-running-more/) - We had a very busy day on Saturday around my house, so I didn't get to watch much of the Ironman World Championship online. However, thanks to the 6 hour time difference, I was able to see the last hour or so of both the men's and women's races after I got the kids to
- [Ironman World Championships Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championships-preview/) - The Ironman World Championships (aka Kona) will take place tomorrow. For the first time in several years, I don't personally know anyone racing. That will not stop me from following the race online. Unfortunately, live streaming video online is still the only way to see the event live. When Lance Armstrong was going to race,
- [The Bourbon Chase Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-bourbon-chase-race-report/) - Triathlons and road races are individual sports. Your races results are based strictly on how YOU perform. Doing The Bourbon Chase made me realize how much I miss team sports. I've been a member of baseball, football and basketball teams in the past...and I've always enjoyed the comradery of a group.Our team consisted of twelve
- [The Bourbon Chase Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-bourbon-chase-preview/) - Despite only being 3 years old, this race is hugely popular. The race sold out quickly this year and consists of 288 teams! Runners literally come from all over the country to experience a race that combines two of my favorite things...running and good bourbon! The Bourbon Chase is an overnight relay road race that covers
- [Landsharks Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/landsharks-triathlon-race-report/) - Subtitle: You get out what you put in!I thought maybe all the training I did up until the beginning of August would be enough to carry me through. I thought maybe I could cheat a little on my diet and still be able to slim down enough the week before the race. I knew better...but
- [Landsharks Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/landsharks-triathlon-preview/) - This weekend will mark my final triathlon for the 2012 season. After racing nearly every 3 weeks since the beginning of the year, I'm excited to get back out there - it's been a whole 6 weeks since my last race!The Landsharks Triathlon is an Olympic distance race (1500m swim, 40K bike, 10K run) on
- [My Thoughts on Lance Armstrong](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-thoughts-on-lance-armstrong/) - I'm about two weeks late on this, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the whole Lance Armstrong fiasco. For those of you that live under a rock, I'll bring you up to speed...June: The USADA (United States Anti-Doping Association) officially charges Armstrong with doping and trafficking of drugs, and was suspended from competing
- [Ironman Louisville 2012](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-2012/) - I dare you to watch this video and not want to be a part of this next year... Volunteering at the swim start was an awesome experience. I got to see all of my friends and training partners start start their Ironman journey.My view from the dock right before the race started. I ushered all
- [It's here.....](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/its-here/) - It's officially Ironman week in the city of Louisville. To the average citizen, nothing will seem different until Sunday when roads are shut down for the race and the local media devotes a little airtime and print to cover the race. But to us triathletes, it feels like the Superbowl is in town. There's a
- [London Olympics Recap](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/london-olympics-recap/) - I didn't get to watch as much of the Olympics as I wanted to. I watched several events live online during the day and then caught several others on NBC during prime time. I was a little annoyed that NBC chose to wait until the 11:00-12:00 hour each night to show the events that everyone
- [Tom Sawyer Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tom-sawyer-triathlon-race-report/) - The swim portion of this race was in the pool at Tom Sawyer State Park, so it was a time trial start - one at a time in the water - every 20 seconds. As I was setting up transition I started to look around at other people's race numbers (my race number was 352),
- [Tom Sawyer Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tom-sawyer-triathlon-results/) - Swim (800m)14:44.16 (1:51/100m pace) – 2nd out of 10 in my age group (10th out of 126 overall)T11:18:14 -1/10 (1/126)Bike (14 miles)38:57.70 (21.6 mph) - 1/10 (2/126)T20:36.40 – 1/10 (3/126)Run (5K)21:16.52 (6:51 min/mile) – 1/10 (2/126)Total1:16:52.9 (1/10) (2/126)I cut almost 4 minutes off of my times from four years ago and managed to finish 2nd
- [Tom Sawyer Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tom-sawyer-triathlon-preview/) - August 2, 2008 is when my adventure in this sport called Triathlon began. At the suggestion of my buddy Kelly, who was also racing, I signed up for a Sprint Triathlon. On just 7 weeks of training I struggled through my first Tri, the Tom Sawyer Triathlon. It was brutal. I had to swim side-stroke
- [Olympics Viewing Guide](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/olympics-viewing-guide/) - The fact that the Summer Olympics only come around every four years makes them even more special. If they were held on an annual basis, it was take some of the luster away. I have always loved the Olympics and have some very fond memories dating all the way back to the 1984 games. That
- [Buckhead Border Challenge Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/buckhead-border-challenge-race-report/) - This disaster of a race started with a text at 11:22pm the night before. It was from the race director and it woke me up...then I couldn't get back to sleep. Things only got worse from there...But instead of making this a post about all of the things that went wrong yesterday, I will flip
- [Buckhead Border Challenge Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/buckhead-border-challenge-race-preview/) - This Sunday is the Buckhead Border Challenge Triathlon. It's an Olympic Distance race that takes participants across the border from Kentucky to Indiana. This is the second year for the race, but at this time last year, I was training for Ironman...so I skipped this race in favor of a longer half-IM one. This season
- [Post #400 - How Healthy Is My Gut?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/post-400-how-healthy-is-my-gut/) - This my 400th post...and I have chosen to devote it to my gut. More specifically, the results of a recent complete Gastrointestinal panel test that I had done. I was tested for parasites, allergens for cow's milk, soy, egg and gluten, intestinal function and overall gut heath through multiple stool and saliva samples. Yes, you
- [How I Recover](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/how-i-recover/) - Last week was not supposed to be a "recovery" week. However, based on how sore my quads were in the days after the Southern Indiana Triathlon, I decided to listen to my body and take a week to recover. So what exactly does a week of recovery mean for me? It contains three key ingredients: Easy
- [Southern Indiana Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/southern-indiana-triathlon-race-report/) - I had several goals heading into this race. Top priority was to try and beat my Olympic distance PR of 2:25:11. Granted this time was set on a different course, but with this race being fairly flat, just as that one was, I knew I would be able to challenge that time with a good
- [Southern Indiana Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/southern-indiana-triathlon-results/) - OFFICIAL RESULTS1500m Swim - 28:29.4 (1:44/100yd) includes run from swim exit to T1T1 - 0:53.1 24.8 mile Bike - 1:07:11.3 (22.2 mph)T2 - 0:43.36.2 mile Run - 48:51.4 (7:52 min/mile)Total Time - 2:26:08.84th out of 22 in my Age Group 17th out of 138 OverallA little upset that I missed the goal time of sub
- [Southern Indiana Triatlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/southern-indiana-triatlon-preview/) - This is the second year for the Southern Indiana Triathlon (aka "Race the Bridge"). I didn't participate in the inaugural race last year, but from what I heard, it was a good time. After my June 16th race in Washington DC was cancelled, I started to look for a race to do in June. This
- [USA Olympic Triathlon Team](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/usa-olympic-triathlon-team/) - The Olympics are less than 60 days away...see the countdown clock on the left sidebar. I love the Olympics...especially the summer games. I can't get enough of it. The level of competition combined with the patriotism is something that I look forward to every 2 years. My DVR will be loaded up with events that
- [Don't Rely on the FDA - Educate Yourself](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dont-rely-on-the-fda-educate-yourself/) - So what if I told you that large corporations such as Kraft, Coca-Cola, Kellogg's and Walmart were able to easily eliminate potentially harmful artificial food dyes from their products, but chose not to? What if I told you that they are already making their products without these dyes for non-US markets? Would you be shocked?
- [2012 TriFest Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2012-trifest-race-report/) - I'm not sure who's brain came up with the TriFest idea, but it's a good one. During the inaugural TriFest last year, there were Super Sprint, Sprint and Olympic distance races. This year, the "fest" dropped the Super Sprint and was combined with the annual Half-Ironman in Taylorsville. The 2012 TriFest featured Sprint and Olympic
- [TriFest Race Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-race-results/) - SPRINT DISTANCE RACE750m Swim - 15:01.8 (1:50/100yd) includes run from swim exit to T1T1 - 0:54.4 12.4 mile Bike - 37:08.9 (20.1 mph)T2 - 0:40.9 3.1 mile Run - 22:25.6 (7:13 min/mile)Total Time - 1:16:11.62nd in my Age Group 9th out of 59 Overall1 hour to rest and set transition back up, then... OLYMPIC DISTANCE
- [TriFest Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-race-preview-2/) - My string of 4 races in 15 days comes to a close this weekend. I will be competing in two triathlons tomorrow morning as part of TriFest, a Sprint at 8am and an Olympic at 10am. The Sprint distance triathlon consists of a 750 meter swim in Taylorsville Lake, a 20K (12.4 mile) bike and
- [2012 Rev3 Knoxville Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2012-rev3-knoxville-triathlon-race-report/) - My race started around 1:20pm on Friday (a full 42+ hours before the starting horn sounded), when we finally had all of our bags and children loaded into the truck for our 238 mile trek from Louisville to Knoxville. The trip took us about 5 hours and included a few stops to calm our restless children
- [Rev3 Knoxville Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rev3-knoxville-results/) - 1500 meter Swim - 28:26 (1:44/100yd)T1 - 4:21 - (time includes 1/4 mile run from swim exit to T1)40K Bike - 1:10:11 (21.2 mph)T2 - 1:3010K Run - 47:27 (7:38 min/mile)Total Time - 2:31:5514th out of 40 in Age Group (30-34)79th out of 291 Males87th out of 412 OverallVery fun race - complete race report
- [Rev3 Knoxville Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rev3-knoxville-race-preview/) - Instead of staying in town and enjoying various Kentucky Derby festivities, tomorrow afternoon I will pack all of my triathlon gear and our family of four into my truck and head south to Knoxville, Tennessee. The 250 mile trip will no doubt be littered with several stops considering we have a 13 month old and
- [2012 KDF miniMarathon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2012-kdf-minimarathon-results/) - Distance - 13.1 milesOfficial Time - 1:37:46 (7:28 min/mile pace)Division Place - 78th out of 761Gender Place - 396 out of 5159Overall Place - 483rd out of 12,091This was a weird one for me because I found myself more worried about my wife's race than my own. Knowing that I have a couple of tough
- [Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kentucky-derby-festival-minimarathon-preview/) - The very first road race that I ever ran was the 1998 Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon. It also happened to be the 25th running of the race. I think back about how I trained for that race 14 years ago and what I did and didn't do. I wore a crappy pair of Reebok tennis
- [Top 10 Ways To Live Longer](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/top-10-ways-to-live-longer/) - People in today's society are always looking for a "magic bullet" or an easy way to lose weight, be healthy and live longer. Unfortunately, this does not exist. But there are several things that you can do that promote good overall health and will in turn, extend your life expectancy!Courteously of Ben Greenfield, here are
- [Shelbyville Triathlon Race #4 Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triathlon-race-4-report/) - No, this wasn't my first triathlon...but I did two things that would have made it seem that way anyone watching me. I woke up Sunday morning and had my customary race morning sweet potato. I was feeling pretty good considering the 12 straight hours of digging, planting and mulching I had done on Saturday. I packed
- [5 Races in 28 Days...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/5-races-in-28-days/) - This weekend starts a crazy month of racing for me. Here's what my race calendar looks like for the next month:April 15th - Shelbyville Sprint Triathlon12 days April 28th - Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon7 days May 6th - Rev3 Knoxville Triathlon (Olympic)5 days May 12th - TriFest Triathlons (Sprint & Olympic)While I'm really excited to
- [Politics and Food](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/politics-and-food/) - Two topics that I love to talk about - politics and food, have a lot more in common than most people realize. I recently listened to a podcast that talked about how the two are intertwined. Author and nutrition professor Marion Nestle was interviewed in the podcast and had a lot of interesting things to
- [Papa John's 10 Miler Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-miler-race-report/) - Official Results: Avg Pace Per Mile: 7:39Division (M 30-34) Place: 76th out of 430Gender Place: 377 out of 3121Overall Place: 445th out of 6914As I indicated in my race preview post, I wasn't feeling very confident about this race. Jessica and I made it down there in plenty of time (thanks to my awesome driving and
- [Papa John's 10 Miler Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-miler-preview/) - Something's a little off. I've had a week full of bad workouts. My times for the sprint triathlon last weekend were not bad considering my condition, but every workout I've done this week has been horrible. In order to try and rectify things, I only ran once and biked once this week, while hitting the
- [Shelbyville Triathlon Race #3 Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triathlon-race-3-report/) - So in my post last week, I indicated that if UofL won their game Saturday night, I would likely party all night and give up the idea of racing on Sunday morning. Well, they won; I partied all night; and I still raced Sunday morning.It was a crazy afternoon/evening on Saturday. I got to the
- [Revised Race Schedule](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/revised-race-schedule/) - The third race in a four race Sprint Triathlon series takes place this Sunday in Shelbyville, KY. I've raced the first two and planned on doing all four...however, a few weeks ago I noticed a wedding on my calendar for Saturday night. Not just any wedding, the nuptials of a good friend of mine, Matt.
- [Anthem 5K Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-race-report-2/) - Official Results:Avg Pace Per Mile: 6:29Division (M 30-34) Place: 37th out of 465Gender Place: 171st out of 3678Overall Place: 192nd out of 8495 This is the first race that both Jessica and I have run. So we had to get the kids to her Mom's house and get down to the start line by 8am...not an
- [Anthem 5K Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-race-preview/) - Tomorrow is my first road race of the year. It's going to be weird for me to just run 5K and then not have to bike and swim...but that means I can leave it all out on the pavement!This will be my 4th year in a row running the Anthem 5K Fitness Classic. Here are
- [Shelbyville Triatlon Race #2 Results (Revised)](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triatlon-race-2-results-revised/) - The errors on T2 and swim times have been corrected (some people were in the wrong age group also). It didn't change my final placing in my Age Group or Overall, but my transition and swim times moved up in the ranks.Revised Results:5K Run:20:51.4 4th out of 7 in Age Group, 12th out of 66 OverallT1:00:34.51st
- [Shelbyville Triathlon Race #2 Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triathlon-race-2-report/) - Forecast all week long called for rain overnight Saturday turning into snow Sunday morning. I never trust forecasts! I woke up Sunday morning and immediately got on the computer to check the radar. Since I do all almost all of my running outside year-round, I like to think that I'm pretty good at reading a
- [Shelbyville Tri Series Race #2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-tri-series-race-2/) - This Sunday will be the second of four sprint distance races held in Shelbyville, KY. While it was a little chilly for the first race, the weather was really not a factor. The forecast (depending on who you trust) is calling for temperatures right around freezing Sunday morning and a 30-50% chance of rain/snow overnight
- [Running Form - Arms](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-form-arms/) - The position of your arms while running might not seem important. After all, you run with your legs, right? For me, the only thing that I've ever focused on when it comes to my arms was to keep them bent, relaxed and to not cross my centerline. I figured that if I did these three
- [Polar Bear Triathlon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/polar-bear-triathlon-report/) - It's been five months since I had a "race morning", so it was kind of like learning from scratch. I had everything packed up the night before so that all I needed to do was put my bike rack on my truck, put my bike on it, and go. One problem...my bike rack doesn't fit
- [Polar Bear Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/polar-bear-triathlon/) - It's January, which is when most triathletes are enjoying their off-season. It's the perfect time of year to work on your swim stroke and get in some good miles on the bike trainer while watching some movies or sports. For me, it's the perfect time of year to get back into racing. I haven't been
- [What Limits Your Performance?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-limits-your-performance/) - The two guys that I trust more than anyone else when it comes to the sport of triathlon are Joe Friel and Ben Greenfield. Both are very accomplished coaches and authors and when it comes to endurance training, I consider them to be two of the best resources available. Both Joe and Ben, through their
- [Zero Calories Drinks](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/zero-calories-drinks/) - If you watch much TV, your are going to see commercials for zero calorie, zero sugar drinks. A few examples are Coke Zero, Pepsi Max and Powerade Zero. They all show, fit, active people enjoying the taste of their favorite beverage without any guilt...because there's no calories! Woo Hoo! It's not a news flash that
- [2011 Stats](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2011-stats/) - So even though my training/race season doesn't exactly follow the calendar year, it's fun to look back each January and see the total amount of time and distances I logged the previous year. So here's what I did in 2011:Swim - 90hr 5min (149.64 miles) Bike - 156hr 15min (2,963.62 miles) Run - 83hr 3min
- [Swim Stroke Analysis](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/swim-stroke-analysis/) - A few weeks ago, our local triathlon club, The Louisville Landsharks, held a 100 x 100 swim relay challenge. Teams had to complete 10,000 yards as fast as possible. Our team was able to complete the challenge in around 2 hours and 20 minutes (1:24/100yd avg. pace) and finished in second place out of eight
- [Food Guide for the Holiday's](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/food-guide-for-the-holidays/) - So this time of year it's easy to pack on a few pounds. Everywhere you look, there are homemade candies and cookies. Not to mention all the holiday parties with all the food and adult beverages. Plus, that Santa guy is around so much, he just makes you want to be fat and jolly. So
- [True Financial Cost Of Doing an Ironman](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/true-financial-cost-of-doing-an-ironman/) - So people are always asking me how much I trained for Ironman. They want to know how many hours a week I devoted to swimming, biking and running. I spent about 12-15 hours a week training...which is about half of what the majority of Ironman triathletes do. I've shared my training strategy before, so I
- [Ironman World Championship on NBC](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-on-nbc/) - This Saturday NBC will air their coverage of the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship. The actual race took place on October 8th in Kona, Hawaii. Why someone (NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports, Versus, etc.) can't seem to find a way to show a live broadcast of this race, I have no idea. I understand that NBC
- [Santa Sprint 5K](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/santa-sprint-5k/) - It came to my attention last week that the company I work for was one of the sponsors for a little 5K here in Louisville. So even though I'm not exactly in shape to run a 5K (been training for endurance races for over a year and I'm still about 10 pounds heavy), I'm going
- [Check Your Finger Lengths](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/check-your-finger-lengths/) - There have been numerous studies over the last few years that focus on "digit-ratio". All of these studies involve the length of your index finger (2D) vs. the length of your ring finger (4D). In women, the length of both fingers is usually equal. In men, the ringer finger is usually slightly longer.No that you've
- [Off Season Weight Lifting](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/off-season-weight-lifting/) - I'm finally getting back into a routine. I've settled into doing short, high-intensity training sessions. Right now I'm swimming once a week, while biking and running twice a week. Most weeks I end up taking two days off completely...hope to cut this back down to one soon. In addition to my triathlon specific training, I'm
- [A Comparison: Ironman and Natural Childbirth](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-comparison-ironman-and-natural-childbirth/) - Ok, so based on the title of this blog, I'm sure that I already have some women ready to give me a piece of their mind. Obviously, I have never, and will never, experience child birth first hand. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way saying that I could even do it...but just
- [Running Myths](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-myths/) - The more you run, the more you want to know about how to improve your stride, increase your pace, extend your distance and prevent injuries. You start to read articles online and in magazines. You pick up tips from other runners that you talk to. Heck, maybe you even read a blog or two! With
- [Popular Gear](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/popular-gear/) - Each year, during the Ironman World Championship race in Hawai'i, a count of what gear everyone is using is done. I find this interesting, so I thought that I would share it. Speed Suits:TYR - 411Blue70 - 316XTerra - 96Aquasphere - 51Bikes:Cervelo - 488Trek - 185Felt - 124Specialized - 122Scott - 96Cannondale - 79QR - 61Argon
- [Why This Ironman is WEAK](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/why-this-ironman-is-weak/) - I've never considered myself weak. Before I started training for triathlons, I lifted weights. I was one of those dudes in the gym that loaded up the bench press or squat rack and pushed out some reps while grunting uncontrollably. In fact, if my memory is correct, once upon a time I could bench press
- [2011 Ironman World Championship Recap](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2011-ironman-world-championship-recap/) - The race started at 1pm Eastern Time, so I had my laptop all set up and ready to view the race live on IronmanLive.com. I was able to catch the entire swim and the start of the bike leg while the kids were napping. Once they woke up, we headed out to Harvest Homecoming (if
- [Ironman World Championship Predictions](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-predictions/) - It's the "Super Bowl" of traithlon, so of course I'm going to pick a winner. To my knowledge, Vegas has not yet made it possible to wager on this race...so I'm going to make my predictions by giving my odds on the top pro men and women crossing the line first. Of course, all gambling
- [Happy Kona Week!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/happy-kona-week-2/) - If you have been involved in the world of triathlon for any period of time, hearing "Kona" only means one thing...the Ironman World Championship. If you are not immersed in triathlon, than Koan probably brings thoughts of coffee, a restaurant or maybe just place in Hawaii. A race this Saturday on the big island will
- [Performance Level Percentages](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/performance-level-percentages/) - I have a subscription to a magazine called Running Times. I'm not sure why or how I get it, but once a month it shows up in my mailbox. It has some good articles, but like most magazines I get, I can blaze through it in about 20 minutes. I typically save my magazines if I
- [Books I'd Recommend](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/books-id-recommend/) - Most people read books while lying in bed at night, using it as a way to unwind. Training for any triathlon, much less an Ironman, takes time. During this past year, sleep has been very important to me. If I could get an extra half-hour, heck, even fifteen minutes...I would take it. So I didn't
- [My Final 2011 USAT Ranking](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-final-2011-usat-ranking/) - According to USA Triathlon's rankings for 2011, I'm ranked 1567th out of 5897 in my Division (Males, ages 30-34). That's in the top 26%, so it's not too bad. I was ranked 1539th last year out of 3133 (top 49%). So while my ranking was lower, there were over 2700 more athlete's this year and
- [Ironman Louisville Video](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-video/) - Pictures and video courtesy of:Jessica PowellLorna & Alan PowellJohn & Kira PowellBecca HillChris HaraganThe Key family
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 4](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-4/) - 7:10pmAfter crossing the line and becoming an Ironman, I was immediately given my finishers medal and a hat and shirt. I was then greeted by a volunteer that asked me how I was feeling (that's him in the white visor). I don't remember what I told him, but he decided it would be a good
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-3/) - 2:40pmIf you follow my blog or have been around me much the last month, you no doubt know that I've been suffering from ITBS. The IT Band in my left knee has been very tight and in the six weeks leading up to Ironman, I hadn't run more than a few miles. To say that
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-2/) - 8:18amThe 112 mile bike course starts out fairly flat. It took a few minutes for my watch to pick-up my heart rate monitor strap, but once it did, I saw that my HR was in the low 120's...perfect. The goal was to keep my HR low during this first flat stretch and not let my
- [Ironman Louisville Race Report - Part 1](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-race-report-part-1/) - 3:00amAlarm goes off. To my surprise, I was able to sleep well the night before the race. This night is usually filled with tossing and turning as my brain goes over the plans for the race and what I need to do in transition. With this being my first full Ironman race, I expected a
- [Ironman Louisville - Check In Video](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-check-in-video/) - Here's a video I shot last Friday at the Ironman Check-In...it was actually pretty seamless...they have this perfected!Full race report coming this weekend!
- [Ironman Louisville - Enhanced Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-enhanced-results/) - I promise that I'm going to get around to typing my race report, just haven't had time yet.In the mean time, here's some cool stats from Slowtwitch.comLuke PowellBib # 1255Overall Place: 661Gender Place: 559 (yes, I was "chicked" by 102 females...including pros)Division Place: 112Total time: 12:08:39SWIMTime: 1:12:23Pace: 1:54 / 100 metersOverall place: 828Gender place: 662Division place:
- [Ironman Louisville Official Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-official-results/) - Official 2011 Ironman Louisville race results:2.4 mile swim1:12:23 (1:54/100m pace)137th out of 366 in my age group828th out of 2439 overallT1 - 6:42 112 mile bike6:08:01 (18.26 mph)142nd out of 366 in my age group851st out of 2439 overall T2 - 11:2526.2 mile run4:30:08 (10:18 min/mile pace)101st out of 366 in my age group 624th out
- [Ironman Louisville...It's Here!!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-its-here/) - "Ultimately, triathlon is about pain. Enduring it, knowing when it will come, and persisting through it. No matter how much you love being a triathlete, at some point a race is going to really, really suck. You don't play triathlon. You play soccer, it fun. You play baseball. Triathlon is work that can leave you
- [Ironman Louisville Week - Gear Check](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-week-gear-check/) - Basically every piece of triathlon gear that I own is in one of these five bags:
- [Ironman Louisville Week - 250 days](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-week-250-days/) - I started my Ironman specific training program way back on December 20, 2010. That was 250 days ago. It's been quite a journey. I suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain less than a week into my training. I healed up from that and felt great during the long, hard training sessions this summer. The long
- [Ironman Louisville Week - Course Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-week-course-preview/) - Living here in Louisville gives me the advantage of getting familiar with the course over the last year years of training. I've been able to spend lots of time in the river, on the bike course and I've actually run the majority of the marathon route several times over the last 10-12 years....so yeah, it's
- [Ironman Louisville Week - Women's Field](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-week-womens-field/) - Yesterday I took a look at the professional men that will be racing here in The 'Ville on Sunday. Today I'll give a quick overview of the pro women's field. As of today, there are 14 Pro Women racing. Seven of these ladies have experience with this race, including 2009 winner Nina Kraft (pictured to
- [Ironman Week...It's Here!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-week-its-here/) - The big race is now less than a week away. I'm going to try and make a post every day this week leading up to Sunday's Ironman Louisville.Today I'm going to take a quick look at the professionals that will be joining us amateurs out on the course this year.While this list is subject to
- [Heat Acclimation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/heat-acclimation/) - It's no secret that Ironman Louisville is one of the toughest races on the planet. I went into some details as to why on this previous post. The weather plays a large factor in the difficulty of completing the race. Here's what the weather has been like for the first four years of IMLOU:2007 -
- [Ohio River Open Water Swim Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ohio-river-open-water-swim-results/) - Saturday morning provided a good opportunity to get in 2.4 miles in the Ohio River prior to Ironman Louisville. The water temperature was actually warmer than the air temperature, which is a weird feeling. After getting more body marking than I thought was possible (both arms, both legs, top of my back and on my
- [Ohio River Open Water Swim](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ohio-river-open-water-swim/) - Tomorrow is the 3rd Annual Ohio River Open Water Swim. The event is put on by the Lakeside and the North Oldham High School swim teams. As usual, they are offering races of 1/2 mile, 1.2 miles and 2.4 miles. I did the 1.2 mile swim two years ago and it was a struggle! My
- [Supplements](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/supplements/) - Supplements are one of those topics that I hear/see come up pretty often on podcast that I listen to and articles that I read on-line or in running and traithlon magazines. It seems like no matter what you are trying to accomplish or prevent, there's a supplement out there that someone advertises will take care
- [Ironman Bib Numbers Published](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-bib-numbers-published/) - Bib numbers came out today for IMLOU. THIS JUST GOT REAL!The numbers are doled out based on age and gender, so the youngest females have the lowest number. The Pros get numbers 1 thru 34, then it's all the females, starting with the youngest. The males start at number 676 and go up to 2800
- [T-Minus 23 Days...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/t-minus-23-days/) - Ironman Louisville is a mere 23 days from today. It's hard for me to believe that the day is almost here! Although my training has been derailed by ITBS, I'm still really excited about competing in my first Ironman and I'm anxious to see how my knee responds once I start the marathon. I've been
- [Last Long Ride](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/last-long-ride/) - Yesterday marked my last long bike ride leading up to Ironman. With just 4 weeks to go, my workouts will now be more of the high-intensity, low-volume nature. Wheels started turning at sunrise and I rode longer and further than I ever have. I completed the exact 112 mile course that I will ride in
- [Second Worst Time To Have An Injury](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/second-worst-time-to-have-an-injury/) - I have an injury. A pretty serious one. One that will keep me from running between now and Ironman (which is in just 33 days)! I say that this is the second worst time to have an injury because the only time that I can think of that would be worse would be the day
- [Everything You Need To Know About Hydration](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hydration/) - It's summertime. It's sunny. It's hot. It's humid. None of this is a news flash, but how your body reacts while exercising in these conditions may surprise you.I download triathlon and running related podcasts from iTunes all the time. I listen to these while on my indoor trainer or driving in the car. I recently
- [Cardinal Triathlon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-triathlon-report/) - The day before a race I typically look over the bike and run courses, print out my check list, pick up my race packet and load up on carbs. The day before this race was a little different. I started out the day sitting on the pavement with Flash laying in the road beside me...and
- [Cardinal Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-triathlon-results-2/) - Here's the official results of the 2011 Cardinal Half-Ironman Triathlon:Swim (1.2 miles)45:36.80 (38:00 min/mile pace) - 15th out of 28 in age group (90th out of 169 overall)T12:31.9 -6/28 (73/169)Bike (56 miles)2:54.53.2 (19.2 mph) – 8/28 (37/169)T20:53.60 – 3/28 (12/169)Run (13.1 miles)2:06:26.7 (9:39 min/mile) – 7/28 (43/169)Total5:50:22.15 (8/28) (35/169)Full race report coming in the next
- [Cardinal Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-triathlon-preview-2/) - Tomorrow will be my second half-Ironman on the 2011 season. Given the challenging course and the added heat component, topping my race at Taylorsville Lake is going to be tough. While this race has been in existence for several years, this year marks a change in the venue. The race has moved from Cardinal Harbour
- [Sunscreen Review](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/sunscreen-review/) - Despite all of data showing that the sun's ultraviolet rays (UVA and UVB rays) damage the skin, people still spend long periods of time outside with no skin protection. This leads to lots of wrinkles, spots on your skin and even cancer. If you have been around me long enough you will at some point
- [My Feet and My Shoes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-feet-and-my-shoes/) - I already know that I'm going to stir up some controversy with this post. There is a large group (growing every day) of runners that believe that a minimal shoe is the answer to all of those nagging injuries that runners face. I for one, do not believe this to be true. In fact, I've
- [Not Months, But Days](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/not-months-but-days/) - The countdown to Ironman Louisville started when I registered back on August 31, 2010. At that moment it seemed like I had a lifetime to prepare. I found a 36 week training program (Triathlon Dominator) that I wanted to follow and it didn't even start until the week of Christmas...which felt like an eternity. Time
- [Stretching](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/stretching/) - I generally love everything about training for endurance sports. I actually enjoy my early morning workouts in all three sports, I like seeing gains, I like researching ways to become faster and stronger...what I don't like is stretching. Despite everything that I know about it's benefits, I just never have made stretching a consistent part
- [Combining Engineering and Swimming](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/combining-engineering-and-swimming/) - During the five years I spent pursuing my Mechanical Engineering Degree (so what if some people do it in four years), I had at least one course that focused solely on Fluid Mechanics. I believe that this was a 300 level class that I took sometime during my Junior year...although it's been 10+ years, so
- [Dehydration](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dehydration/) - I did one of my first long workouts in the heat on Friday. I headed out around 1:15pm for a 50 mile bike followed by what was supposed to be a 8-10 mile run. It was 87° F without a cloud in sight. I weighed myself before and after the workout so that I determine
- [Bricks / Group Rides](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/bricks-group-rides/) - Brick workouts (bike followed immediately by a run) are going to be part of my weekly routine from now until Ironman. Getting your legs used to running after being on a bike is something that takes time and that your legs will forget how to do if you go too long without reminding them!This past
- [Buying Organic Foods](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/buying-organic-foods/) - Research over the last few years shows that pesticides, hormones and other chemicals that are used on/in the foods we eat have a link to various cancers and other serious health problems. Plus, we now know that our government is even failing to test meat for the harmful chemicals that it's supposed to by law!
- [TriFest Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-triathlon-race-report/) - A little background info first:I make the 40 minute drive from my house down to Taylorsville Lake fairly often, maybe 8-10 times a year or so. I've done a total of four races there over the last two years and made several other trips to get in training rides/runs on the hills that surround the
- [TriFest Race Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trifest-race-preview-3/) - My third triathlon of the 2011 season is this Sunday. I'm racing in the three race/two day even known as TriFest. This is the first year for TriFest and all indications are that it's going to be an awesome weekend and will be an annual event going forward. On Saturday there's a Super Sprint and
- [Take A Hike, Food Pyramid!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/take-a-hike-food-pyramid/) - This morning, the USDA, First Lady Michelle Obama and Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin unveiled the new food icon, called My Plate. This new icon replaces the old USDA Food Pyramid, which had been around in one form or another since 1980. The USDA has a long history of steering people in the wrong direction when
- [Ironman Bike Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-bike-preview/) - There are six organized bike rides that travel along the Ironman Louisville bike course. I joined in on one of these rides, which took place this past Saturday. When I say organized, I mean that there is someone (his name is Bob Baney) that designates a time and location for everyone to meet. He also
- [Surviving Open Water Swims](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/surviving-open-water-swims/) - The first two triathlon's that I competed in held the swim portions of the race in a pool. The third race that I did had the swim in a canal that was only 4 feet deep and about 20 feet wide, so I don't count this one as open water either. My first experience with
- [My 2011 Sponsors](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-2011-sponsors/) - This is my third full season of racing triathlons. I started with a single sprint distance race in 2008 and have slowly progressed since then to the pinnacle of the sport, Ironman, which I will do this August. For the first time, this year I decided to pursue some sponsorships to help supplement the cost
- [Taylorsville Lake Triathlon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/taylorsville-lake-triathlon-report/) - I usually try not to spend much time worrying about things that I can't control. Despite my best efforts, I found myself checking the extended forecast as soon as this race was 10 days away. From the very first time I saw it, rain was being called for on race day. I checked it every
- [Taylorsville Lake Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/taylorsville-lake-triathlon-results/) - Here's the official results of the 2011 Taylorsville Lake Half-Ironman Triathlon:Swim (1.2 miles)36:28.6 (30:23 min/mile pace) - 3rd out of 10 in age group (16th out of 76 overall)T12:04.9 -4/10 (23/76)Bike (56 miles)2:45:26.5 (20.3 mph) – 4/10 (21/76)T20:58.60 – 4/10 (10/76)Run (13.1 miles)1:54:47.9 (8:46 min/mile) – 5/10 (24/76)Total5:19:46.5 (5/10) (23/76)Full race report coming in the
- [Taylorsville Lake Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/taylorsville-lake-triathlon-preview/) - Last season by training was broken into two segments. The first was leading up the the Taylorsville Lake Triathlon, the second was leading up to the Cardinal Harbour Triathlon - both Half-Ironman distance races. I went through a complete cycle of periodization for each. A Base Phase, a Build Phase and then a Peak Phase
- [Race Week Simulation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/race-week-simulation/) - So if there's one thing that I know about trying to complete an Ironman Triathlon (or any race for that matter), it's not to try anything new that you haven't tried before, leading up to and during the race. Practice EVERYTHING before trying it on race day.So with a half-Ironman race this Saturday, I decided
- [Another Brick In The Wall](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/another-brick-in-the-wall/) - Building up a strong base in training is essential for triathlons...especially long course and Ironman distance races. A great way to build this base is with bricks (they are a "building" material after all). If you keep up with my training, you know what I do bricks of various distance and intensities about once a
- [2011 Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2011-kentucky-derby-festival-minimarathon-results/) - Distance - 13.1 milesOfficial Time - 1:37:27 (7:26 min/mile pace)Overall Place - 408 out of 11,394Gender Place - 346 out of 4,958Age Group (30-34) Place - 61 out of 678Race morning started with my typical sweet potato around two and a half hours before the start of the race, which in this case was around
- [KDF miniMarathon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kdf-minimarathon-preview/) - The first race that I ever competed in was the Kentucky Derby Festival mini Marathon back in 1998. I've done this race a total of five times now, which is more than any other. I think of this race as my arch-nemesis, my Kryptonite. Out of the five times I've run it, I've only crossed
- [Data...lots and lots of data...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/data-lots-and-lots-of-data/) - I've always kept very good records of all of my workouts. I've used a couple of different websites over the years to keep track of things. As part of the Triathlon Dominator package that I ordered, I could get all of my planned workouts automatically uploaded to a website called Training Peaks. So naturally, I
- [Bikes and Boats...They Need Names](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/bikes-and-boats-they-need-names/) - Ask anyone that owns a boat and they will tell you that it must have a name. People get very creative when naming their vessels. Next time you are out on a lake, river or the ocean, make a point to look at the back of boats and check out the names...funny stuff!While not everyone
- [2010 USA Triathlon Rankings](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2010-usa-triathlon-rankings/) - The rankings for last season have been released by USAT. The rankings are calculated as a comparison between an athlete's race time and the projected time of the best age grouper (aka Amateur) in the rankings. It's basically like calculating a golf score. The best athlete's time is "par" and your score is calculated based
- [Shelbyville Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triathlon-race-report/) - First of all, I want to thank my awesome wife Jessica for taking our newborn into the living room for the night so that I could get a full, uninterrupted night's sleep before the race. Getting a solid 7-8 hours makes a huge difference the night before a race!I woke up at 5:45am feeling refreshed
- [Welcome to the 2011 Triathlon Season!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/welcome-to-the-2011-triathlon-season/) - My 2011 triathlon season will begin Sunday morning around 8:30am. I'm participating the a Sprint distance race is Shelbyville, KY. The race will consist of a 400 yard swim in a pool, a 16 mile bike through rolling hills and then a 5K run that consists of a mixture of pavement and gravel trails. The
- [Dialing In My Nutriton for Ironman](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dialing-in-my-nutriton-for-ironman/) - Building fitness is obviously the key to being physically able to complete a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run all in one day. But it's impossible to do all of this without properly fueling your body during the race. Being fit is no guarantee to success on the day of Ironman,
- [It's April...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/its-april/) - ...and that means that it's finally Triathlon season! I have a race on the calendar for each of the next five months and I'm more than ready to get this 2011 season underway. From now until the end of August is going to be crazy, but I'm excited to see what the season brings. Here
- [The Aspirin Debate](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-aspirin-debate/) - As I was walking through the locker room at the gym the other morning the CBS Early Show was on one of the TV's. I wasn't really paying attention until I heard a man say "...should people just start taking aspirin as a safety precaution?". Once I heard this statement, I decided to walk over
- [Time to Get Down to Business](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/time-to-get-down-to-business/) - Tomorrow morning I will tackle my first long brick of my 2011 training season. I've done a few shorter bikes followed-up up immediately with a short run, but those were easy. Tomorrow I will do an 80-90 mile ride, a quick transition, then a 7-8 mile run.During this brick, I will attempt to simulate race
- [Papa John's 10 Miler Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-miler-results/) - Official Time - 1:14:00 (7:24 min/mile pace)Overall Place - 346 out of 7013Gender Place - 303 out of 3208Age Group (30-34) Place - 65 out of 474My primary goal was to set a PR - check. My secondary goal was to finish in 1:14 - check (barely!).I'm happy with the results. My legs felt heavy
- [Papa John's 10 Miler Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-miler-preview-2/) - This is going to be an interesting race. Our family was blessed with the birth of our son, Adrian this past Tuesday night. Needless to say, this past week hasn't been ideal for race prep. Not being ready for a race is a small price to pay for all the memories I've made in these
- [Training For Endurance](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/training-for-endurance/) - As my races have progressed from Sprint Triathlons to now full Ironman distance, I've focused on training smarter. I knew that I didn't have the time to put in 15-20 hours a week of training like most people gearing up for an Ironman do, so I had to figure out the smartest way to train...making
- [Foods to eat EVERY day](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/foods-to-eat-every-day/) - I've eaten what I consider a healthy diet for a long time now, but as part of my Ironman training this year I've we've taken it up a notch. As I described in this post, we (my wife and daughter included) have gone to a more holistic approach to eating over the last three months.My
- [Finding Your Race Pace](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/finding-your-race-pace/) - As part of my volunteer effort for The KIDS Center, I've been helping a group of runners train for the upcoming Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon. Most of the people in this group are tackling the 13.1 mile (or 26.2 for some) distance for the first time.As part of the "packet" that we provided for the
- [Rodes City Run Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rodes-city-run-results/) - Official Time - 44:07 (7:04 min/mile pace)Overall Place - 325 out of 7951Gender Place - 290 out of 3520Age Group (30-34) Place - 53 out of 503I stayed up watching the Louisville vs. Notre Dame game until after midnight. The game had me so jacked-up that I had trouble falling asleep. So after about 5-1/2
- [Rodes City Run Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/rodes-city-run-preview/) - I've only run two "stand-alone" 10K races in my life. The Rodes City Run in 2000 and 2001. These were some of the very first road races that I ran...and my times make that evident. I clocked a 55:51 in 2000 and a 52:17 in 2001. Since I started triathlons in 2009, I've logged two
- [Seeing Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/seeing-results/) - Last season, I followed a training program outlined by Joe Friel in his book The Triathlete's Training Bible. It followed a basic structure of periodization training. The phases were Prep, Base, Build and Peak. Joe laid out the workouts pretty well in his book and it was easy to follow. During the Base building phase
- [Anthem 5K Pictures](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-pictures/) - Here's some pictures from Saturday's race. The first two are copyright of Brightroom Photography. The third picture is of some of our KIDS Center run team after the race!For the record, the older guy in these pictures is 60 years old...and fast! I only beat him by 45 seconds. He finished first in his age
- [Anthem 5K Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-results/) - Official Time - 20:03 (6:27 min/mile pace)Overall Place - 269 out of 8720Gender Place - 238 out of 3759Age Group (30-34) Place - 46 out of 538I demolished my PR by a minute and 20 seconds. I'm happy with the results - great way to start the season off! Congrats to the rest of my
- [Anthem 5K Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-preview/) - The first road race of the 2011 season is tomorrow morning. The Anthem 5K is the first leg of the Louisville Triple Crown of running. Net proceeds from this race go the WHAS Crusade for Children, which helps children with special needs.If you follow this blog, you know that I am raising money on my
- [My New Rig](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-new-rig/) - During the swim and run legs of triathlon, you are relying strictly on your body. If you've trained and fueled yourself (aka your machine) properly, you should be able to complete the race. The bike portion is a different story. It's the only stage in which you rely on something other than your body's ability
- [Not All Ironman Races Are Created Equal](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/not-all-ironman-races-are-created-equal/) - I'm an Engineer, so by nature, I'm a stats-geek (actually I'm just a geek in general). I recently came across a website that does an awesome comparison of all Ironman traithlon races. They also compare half and full marathon's if you are interested in those results. The website is RunTri.com.RunTri analyzed 25 Ironman distance races
- [Why Swimming Helps You Lose Weight](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/why-swimming-helps-you-lose-weight/) - I listen to podcasts a lot when I'm riding the indoor trainer. Riding indoors is VERY boring and listening to podcasts helps pass the time. I have a couple that I subscribe to, but one of my favorites is done by Ben Greenfield. Yesterday I listed to one with that discussed using your body's temperature
- [Pimpin' Running All Over The World](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/pimpin-running-all-over-the-world/) - Within a week I ran in two very different environments. My wife and I went to Chicago the weekend before last for a little get-away and then I was in Las Vegas this past weekend.Chicago was snowy and cold. It was 9° F and snowing the morning that I went for a run along Lakeshore
- [2008 Summer Olympics Best Moment](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2008-summer-olympics-best-moment/) - During my group swim this morning, as I was doing my 25 yard sprints to finish out the workout, my coach mentioned that my form "goes all to hell" when I try to swim fast. I knew this.He then asked me if I remembered Jason Lezak's amazing anchor leg in the 2008 Beijing Olympics 4
- [Running For A Cause](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-for-a-cause/) - I've often thought about using my triathlon training and racing has a vehicle to raise money for a charity or cause. Over the last few years I've looked into several charities and non-profits that I feel strongly about or have a connection to, but I never pulled the trigger on getting something set up.That all
- [USA Triathlon Hall of Fame](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/usa-triathlon-hall-of-fame/) - This past Saturday, three individuals were inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame...including one from just a few miles down the road.The third class of inductees were Dave Scott, Dave McGillivray and Susan Bradley-Cox.Dave Scott (aka The Man) is simply put, a legend. Dave has competed in the Ironman World Championships 13 times and
- [Swim Aerobic Threshold Test](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/swim-aerobic-threshold-test/) - During the first week of my training plan, I did Aerobic Threshold tests for both biking and running. I was scheduled to do the swim test on the next Monday...but my ankle injury the day before put this test off. I finally felt that my ankle was no longer hampering my swimming, so I went
- [Runners Toes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/runners-toes/) - If you are a runner, or live with someone that is, seeing deformed feet and toes is nothing new. The wear and tear that the feet take from running is easily visible. My feet have been jacked-up ever since I started running again almost three years ago.The most common ailment is black toenails. They are
- [Let Me Upgrade U...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/let-me-upgrade-u/) - I bought my current bike back in July of 2008 and loved every minute of time I've spent on "White Lightning". However, she is a good bike for a casual cyclist, or someone that is just beginning in the sport of triathlon....I am no longer either of those things.So as Beyonce is famous for saying,
- [Cleaning Out The Cupboard](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cleaning-out-the-cupboard/) - Not only am I following the training plan Ben Greenfield outlines in his Triathlon Dominator program, I'm also going to follow the guidelines he has set for eating (fueling). I've eaten what I considered a "healthy" diet for years now, even before I started doing triathlons. However, after reading Ben's book "Holistic Fueling for Ironman
- [Run Log](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/run-log/) - Since 2010 marked my first full marathon, I thought I would take a look back at my running workouts for the calendar year. I had a total of 127 runs for 940.73 miles. If I was so inclined, this distance would have taken me from Louisville to Toronto. I'm guessing I would decided to fly
- [Run Lactate Threshold Test](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/run-lactate-threshold-test/) - So yesterday I did a LT test for the bike. Today I did the same thing for the run.Here's the test:15 minute warm-up at an easy paceThen run a 30 minute time trial at my maximum sustainable pace. The key is to run at a pace that you can sustain for 30 minutes, without slowing
- [In 250 days, I will....](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/in-250-days-i-will/) - ...be smack-dab in the middle of Ironman Louisville. Training for that day started today (technically, I've been building up my endurance over several years, but from now on, every training session is done with a purpose - to survive Ironman!). I'm using the 36-week Triathlon Dominator program designed by Ben Greenfield. Today is Day 1.Today's
- [Will Running In The Cold Make You Sick?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/will-running-in-the-cold-make-you-sick/) - I don't mind prefer running when it's cold outside. I've yet to find a temperature that is too low for me to run in. I take proper precautions if it get's below zero and cover all exposed skin, but air temperatures in the teens or even single digits don't bother me. I ran last week
- [Offseason](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/offseason/) - Offseason to a triathlete is no different than that of any other serious athlete. While you may cut back on workouts, you never completely stop training. I've been limiting myself to just a few short runs (4-7 miles) a week and focusing on some strength and core building exercises.I've been doing each of these circuits
- [Legal System Fails](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/legal-system-fails/) - I try not to get too political on this blog. The purpose of this blog is to help my friends and family keep up with my training and races, and to hopefully give some tips to other triathletes and runners. If I give my opinion, it's normally regarding a training style or piece of equipment.
- [Enjoying The Offseason](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/enjoying-the-offseason/) - As of the moment I crossed the finish line a week and a half ago at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, I officially started my offseason. I might do some short running races between now and the spring, but my training for next season won't officially start until the end of December.So I'm trying to enjoy
- [2010 Season in Review](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2010-season-in-review/) - The video sums it up pretty well....I really do want to thank my very understanding wife, Jessica, for supporting me 100%. She sacrifices a lot in order for me to participate in all these races. I also want to thank my parents for making to almost all of my races this year, even the ones
- [Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/indianapolis-monumental-marathon-report/) - I thought I had everything planned, I remembered to put on my Chamois Butt'r, covered my feet in Vaseline and had all my cold weather gear. My Garmin watch was fully charged and I had my three Hammer nutrition gels in my pockets. I said goodbye to Jessica and Kate and walked from Sona and
- [Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/indianapolis-monumental-marathon-preview/) - Saturday morning I will ask my body to do something that it has never done before - run 26.2 miles. Sure, I've done triathlons that lasted more than six hours and hopefully I will be on the way back to Louisville six hours after this marathon starts, but running for three and a half to
- [What Exactly is Ironman?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-exactly-is-ironman/) - If you are a triathlete, I'm sure certain things immediately come to mind when you hear the term "Ironman". I first heard this word/term in the late 80's when I was a lad watching the NBC coverage of the Ironman Championship in Hawaii. The term Ironman to me meant completing a triathlon that was comprised
- [Things I Learned While Training For A Marathon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/things-i-learned-while-training-for-a-marathon/) - I started running for fun while I was in college. Studying for Engineering classes can really drain your brain, so I started running a few days a week to clear my mind. I like goals - so I set a goal to run the miniMarathon in April of 1998 and did so in 2 hours,
- [News Flash: Don't Run A Marathon Without Training](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/news-flash-dont-run-a-marathon-without-training/) - According to a shocking study by a cardiologist, marathon runners who lack proper training can temporarily damage their heart. Lack of aerobic fitness may impair how the heart copes with the stress of running a marathon.The study looked at 20 marathon runners with varying levels of fitness (based on their VO2 max). Those in the
- [Marathon Simulation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/marathon-simulation/) - With 2 weeks to go until my first attempt at a full marathon, I really needed to get in one last long run. I had planned on doing a "Marathon Simulation" run with about 3 weeks to go, but the injury to my foot really messed up my training plan. I figured that I would
- [Plantar Fascia Failure](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/plantar-fascia-failure/) - The Plantar Fascia is the tendon that runs under your foot from the toes to the heel. This tendon can become strained if it is overused or stressed. A combination of the extra miles I've logged during my marathon training and my run-in with the hickory nut have left my planta fascia begging for a
- [Sugar Alternatives](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/sugar-alternatives/) - So by now we all know that High-Fructose Corn Syrup (or Corn Sugar) is BAD. As in it affects the levels of insulin that your body releases and leaves more sugar in the bloodstream...which translates to fat. Look for it on labels - it's in nearly everything you buy that is processed.Table sugar, while a
- [2010 Ironman World Championship Recap](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2010-ironman-world-championship-recap/) - This past Saturday was the Ford Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii. It started around 12:30pm Eastern Time and I was able to watch it online on and off all day. I could go off on a tangent about how stupid it is that we can see poker tournaments and Canadian Football live on TV all
- [Running In The Dark](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-in-the-dark/) - During my long run on Wednesday I went a few miles into Seneca and Cherokee Parks. I like running through parks because it takes you away from civilization. I run through neighborhoods and populated area's all the time - it's nice to run amongst the trees. One of these trees produces what I believe are
- [Happy Ironman World Championship!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/happy-ironman-world-championship/) - The 2010 Ironman World Championship is this Saturday in Kona, HI.The top athletes in the sport of long-course triathlon will race for the title starting at 6am (12pm EST) on Saturday. Although I have never yet to race in an Ironman distance triathlon, I do know that it takes a special athlete to qualify to
- [A Different Type of Recovery](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-different-type-of-recovery/) - A few times a year (last time being in May), usually after a big race, I move away from my typical healthy eating habits and "splurge" for a week or so. I refer to this week as my "Week of Gluttony". The Boilerman Triathlon last weekend was my final triathlon of the year, so while
- [LSD](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/lsd/) - In the world of running, the term LSD has nothing to do with tripping on acid and having flashbacks of Greatful Dead concerts. For runners, it stands for Long-Slow-Distance. While these runs aren't all you should be doing when training for half or full marathons, they need to be in the training plan somewhere. Building
- [Boilerman Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/boilerman-triathlon-race-report/) - Is there such a thing as a perfect race? I doubt it, but what I managed to put together yesterday was as close as I've ever come to achieving one.I wasn't too optimistic while loading up the car and leaving the hotel to head towards the race site. It was 52° with a light rain.
- [The Boilerman Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-boilerman-triathlon/) - It's going to be a fun weekend! A little road trip up to West Lafayette, Indiana to see a Purdue football game tomorrow and then to race in the Boilerman Triathlon on Sunday. Jessica, Kate and I will be in our car with all my race gear and my parents will head up there as
- [Fast Food Lunch Deals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/fast-food-lunch-deals/) - As Jessica and I sat down to watch some episodes of The Office on TBS last night I noticed that during every commercial break there seemed to be an ad for a fast food restaurant offering a cheap lunch meal, usually for $5 or less. For someone that is forced, or likes to eat lunch
- [My Garmin Forerunner 405](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-garmin-forerunner-405/) - My wife knows how hard I train. She hears my alarm go off every morning at 4:30am. She has the joy of hearing all about my training session every evening when I get home from work (or when I get my morning phone call from her once our little one is up). I tell her
- [Almost Back to Normal](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/almost-back-to-normal/) - I've been battling a stomach virus all week. It hit me Monday afternoon and came in waves all week long. I took Tuesday off thinking a few hours of extra sleep would help me heal up. Feeling a little better, I attempted to continue with my planned workouts on Wednesday and Thursday...neither of which worked
- [High-Fructose Corn Syrup](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/high-fructose-corn-syrup/) - If you read nutrition labels at all, you know that you should try to avoid high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It is a sweetener and preservative used in many soda's and fruit drinks. It is made by changing the sugar in cornstarch to fructose. The end product is used to extend the shelf-life of processed foods
- [Triathlon Dominator](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/triathlon-dominator/) - I first heard the name Ben Greenfield back in April while searching for triathlon related podcasts on iTunes. I listen to podcasts to help pass the time while I am doing my long rides on the indoor bike. Ben has a podcast called "Ben Greenfield Fitness". This weekly podcast gives lots of good info on
- [I Thought Running Was GOOD For Your Body](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/i-thought-running-was-good-for-your-body/) - Relax, running IS good for your body. It sheds fat and makes your body lean and your heart strong. But, it does have some side effects...see if any of these issues sound familiar:Runners Trots - Thought I'd start off with the fun one! When you run, your intestines get jostled around and move any contents
- [My Mind Wanders](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-mind-wanders/) - During every run and ride now my mind seems to drift towards next year's Ironman. It's only been 6 days since I signed up, but this race, which according to the handy countdown clock to the left of this post is still 356 days away, is dominating my thoughts as I train.As difficult as it
- [Ironman Registration](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-registration/) - E-mail confirmation of my 2011 Louisville Ironman Registration:I've registered for lots of triathlons and road races over the last few years, but this one was definitely unique. Typically you are just asked your name, age, and your USAT Member number. The Ironman registration asked a total of 30 questions. Here's some of the things that
- [Misery Loves Company](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/misery-loves-company/) - With the end of the 2010 Louisville Ironman less than 48 hours in the rear-view mirror, I thought I might share some facts about this years race.2,951 people started the race2,154 people finished the raceAlmost 1 in every 4 people that started the race, didn't finish itThe average age was 37There were competitors from all
- [Ironman Louisville](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville/) - As I'm typing this Paul Ambrose is running down the chute on his way to his first Ironman title!The crowd, which is huge at 4th Street Live! is going crazy as they welcome him to the line. It has been quite a day for the 26-year-old who is a citizen of Great Britain.Paul finished with
- [Ironman Louisville](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-louisville-2/) - In less than 48 hours, over 2500 of the world's triathlete's will be racing in here in Louisville. With only eight official Ironman races in the continental United States each year, it's not hard to see why people get excited about having the chance to see and/or participate in one that takes place in your
- [Mental Training: Conclusion](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-conclusion/) - So in the last six posts, I've covered key aspects of mental training that are often neglected. I've just scratched the surface on this topic. The book is over 280 pages long, so obviously, if anything I've written has peaked your interest, go buy the book. It's called The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training by
- [Mental Training: Pain](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-pain/) - This is part 6 of 6 looking into the mental factors discussed in "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training". The six factors are motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, and pain.Pain can be the ultimate determinant of whether you achieve your goals.Pain offers a powerful and persistent physical warning to your body that is difficult to
- [Mental Training: Emotions](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-emotions/) - This is part 5 of 6 looking into the mental factors discussed in "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training". The six factors are motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, and pain.Emotional aspects of training and racing are often more taxing than the physical ones.During the course of your racing and training you will experience the entire
- [Mental Training: Focus](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-focus/) - This is part 4 of 6 looking into the mental factors discussed in "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training". The six factors are motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, and pain.Focus is defined as the concentration of attention or energy on something.The "something" that we as athletes need to focus on is often misunderstood. There are
- [Mental Training: Intensity](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-intensity/) - This is part 3 of 6 looking into the mental factors discussed in "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training". The six factors are motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, and pain.Intensity is defined as a passionate and serious attitude.Intensity is made up of two components. The first is what you feel physically, that is, what you
- [Mental Training: Confidence](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-confidence/) - This is part 2 of 6 looking into the mental factors discussed in "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training". The six factors are motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, and pain.Confidence is defined as how strongly you believe you can perform your best and achieve your goals.Whether your confidence is high or low, once you start
- [Mental Training: Motivation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training-motivation/) - This is part 1 of 6 looking into the mental factors discussed in "The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training". The six factors are motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, and pain.Motivation, simply defined, is the ability to initiate and persist at a task.It's pretty simple - your motivation will determine your effort in training and races.
- [Mental Training](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mental-training/) - I've read lots of books and articles about how to physically train for a race. Everything from how to plan out your whole year of training down to how to position your foot while riding for optimal power. Something that I never gave much thought to until a few months ago was the mental aspect
- [What To Eat Post-Workout](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-to-eat-post-workout/) - I'm a creature of habit. I'm sure that my wife would back me up on this. I wake up at 4:30 am every morning. I pack my gym bag and get my clothes for work together the night before. I pack my lunch and post-workout food while eating a beagle with peanut butter...then I hop
- [Today's Post is Brought To You By The Letter "H"](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/todays-post-is-brought-to-you-by-the-letter-h/) - As in Heat, Humidity, Hills and Heart Rate.These words were the theme of my run this morning. After doing some shorter races over the last few weeks, my endurance has really taken a hit. It's now time for me to start building back up my base (aka Aerobic Engine).The plan for today was to do
- [Tri Indy Pictures](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-indy-pictures/) - Transition area as the sun came up. Beautiful morning!My Buddy Jon and I before the race. Congrats on finishing your first Olympic Distance Triathlon Jon!Massive transition area full of bikes. Around 1200 participants!!This is the canal where the swim portion was held. It's a very unique venue...a little dirty, but unique. My girls and I at
- [Tom Sawyer Triathlon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tom-sawyer-triathlon-report/) - Sometimes everything just comes together perfectly. While there's no such thing as a perfect race, this one is about as close as I've ever come. Looking back, there are very few things that I could have done to improve on my performance...and it shows.Started off with my standard bagel and cup of yogurt about 2
- [Turn Back The Clock - Tom Sawyer Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/turn-back-the-clock-tom-sawyer-triathlon/) - The very first triathlon I did was the Tom Sawyer race on August 2, 2008. My friend Kelly had decided to do the race (his first triathlon also) and convinced me that it would be a fun. Of course this conversation took place exactly 7 weeks from race day. So with only 7 weeks to
- [How Long Do Running Shoes Last??](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/how-long-do-running-shoes-last/) - I'm quickly closing in on 300 miles on my current pair of running shoes. That's usually when I start thinking about heading out to see my friend Swag to purchase some new ones. I could probably get by going 350 or even 400 miles in shoes, but I don't feel it's worth the risk.Despite what
- [Tri Indy Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-indy-report/) - What a fun weekend! We drove the 2 hours from Louisville up to Indianapolis on Friday afternoon. We immediately hit the Indianapolis Zoo upon arrival in Naptown. Our later-than-planned departure meant that we only had about an hour at the zoo before headed off to meet up with our good friend Jeff and his daughter
- [Tri Indy Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-indy-results/) - Official Race Results:1500 meter (0.93 mi.) Swim34:52.2 (37:24 min/mile pace) – 36th out of 48 in age group (285th out of 443 overall)T11:32.6 – 10/48 (100/443)40K (24.8 mi.) Bike1:09:56.6 (21.3 mph) – 26/48 (175/443)T21:08.1 – 10/48 (94/443)10K (6.2 mi.) Run49:58.4 (8:02.5 min/mile pace) - 23/48 (154/443)Total2:37:28.8 (27/48) (184th out of 443 overall)I accomplished all 3
- [Tri Indy Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-indy-preview/) - Tomorrow afternoon I'll pack up the car with my wife, daughter, all of my triathlon gear and the hopes and dreams of an entire nation everyone sitting in front of my computer right now. Sunday morning is the Tri Indy, which is our course, in Indianapolis.Races away from home pose a different kind of challenge.
- [Not All Runners Are Friendly](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/not-all-runners-are-friendly/) - A head nod, a quick wave, a smile, a "hey" or "good morning"...any acknowledgment of the presence of a fellow runner. I always do it - usually a verbal acknowledgment if we pass close enough, a short wave if we are on opposite sides of the road. Over the past few years, I've had the
- [Tour de France](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tour-de-france/) - Today was a sprint stage in the Tour de France. The riders actually sprinted 123 miles. Think about that. The main group finished in 4 hours, 37 minutes and 9 seconds for an average speed of 26.63 mph! That is a crazy fast pace to hold for just a few miles...much less 123. These guys
- [Cardinal Harbour Triathlon Pictures](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-harbour-triathlon-pictures/) - One last post on last weekend's race and then we'll close this chapter of my racing career...for good!Transition area before the race. Beautiful Ohio River in the background.Putting the final touches on my transition area prior to the race.Dad and I before the race. I can't express how great it is to have a supportive
- [Cardinal Harbour Triathlon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-harbour-triathlon-report/) - Some days you just know are going to be bad from the beginning.I woke up at 2:45am to the sound of thunder. I never did get fully back to sleep, so I felt a little sluggish as I loaded up and drove to the race in the rain.The rain stopped before the race started, and
- [Cardinal Harbour Triathlon Preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cardinal-harbour-triathlon-preview/) - So tomorrow morning I will tackle my second half-Ironman triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). Literally months of preparation comes to a close as I enter the mighty Ohio River around 8:00 am. I'm feeling confident and yet nervous at the same time. I've done all I can to prepare, so
- [Lance (yes that one) Coming Back to Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/lance-yes-that-one-coming-back-to-triathlon/) - Lance Armstrong is currently "competing" in the Tour de France over across the pond. He said prior to the race that this year would be his last. Several days ago, after a few crashes put him way behind the leaders, he conceded that he now has no chance to win title number eight.He's already started
- [Race Week!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/race-week/) - It's officially race week. The Cardinal Harbour Half-Ironman is this Saturday and I'm excited to get through this week and get to race day. I've had some good workouts lately, so my confidence is pretty high going into the race. Workouts this week will be even easier than last week as I continue my taper.I'm
- [Stomach Sloshing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/stomach-sloshing/) - With the Cardinal Harbour Half-Ironman a week away, I'm finally (a little late) getting around to reviewing what I did well and what I need to improve on from the Taylorsville Lake Half leading into next week's race.Nutrition is a huge part of a race this long. I did some research leading up to the
- [A Little Something For The Ladies](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-little-something-for-the-ladies/) - If you were expecting some pictures of me in a Speedo, sorry to disappoint you. This post has to do with calculating a woman's maximum heart rate, which if you are serious about training, you need to know. Many runners, cyclists and other exercisers monitor their heart rates by taking their pulse (or wearing a
- [Catching Up](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/catching-up/) - I've been able to get in some good workouts over this 4th of July weekend. Here's what I've been up to:FRIDAY'S WORKOUT:Bike1h30m on the bike at the gym. Did some good hill intervals and focused on keeping my heart rate above 130 for most of the ride. Avg HR = 133 bpmSATURDAY'S WORKOUT:Bike30.30 miles in
- [2 Simple Rules on Carbohydrates](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2-simple-rules-on-carbohydrates/) - Carbohydrate intake is key during races...but it also needs to be a key part of your diet during training. Two simple rules which I'm stealing from Ben Greenfield are below:1. Don't Go Hungry. If you are going more than 4 hours between meals, it's likely that your blood sugar levels are dropping very low. When
- [Finally, Some Signs of Speed!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/finally-some-signs-of-speed/) - My running pace has been showing some signs of improvement over the last few weeks. I'm not sure what to attribute this new found speed to, but I'm sure it's a combination of the increased interval work and a little dose of confidence. Maybe it's the horrible run splits during my last few triathlons that's
- [Training on the Road](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/training-on-the-road/) - I have to travel out of town once in a while for work, but I try not to let my training slip while I'm away from home. You can run anywhere and most hotels have a fitness center with a bike. So I was able to get in a decent run and bike while in
- [Build Phase](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/build-phase/) - Training during the Build Phase (which I'm in now) should start to become more like the event that you are training for. During the Base Phase, I spent lots of time in heart rate zones 1 & 2. Now, my workouts take place in zones 2, 3 & even sometimes in 4 & 5 during
- [It's Finally Summer!! Uh...wait...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/its-finally-summer-uh-wait/) - Today is the first official day of Summer, i.e. Summer Solstice. Even though the temperature has been in the high 90's for what seems like the past month, we can now say that it's summer time according to the calendar.Today also marks the longest days of the year. There will be more sunlight today than
- [Beating the Heat!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/beating-the-heat/) - It's hot. If you live in the Louisville area this is not news to you. It's been over 90F for the last week and looks like temperatures will continue to top 90F for at least the next week. So what affects does this heat and humidity have on your body as you run or bike?Recently,
- [The Heat Continues](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-heat-continues/) - It's been 25 days since it didn't reach at least 80 degrees....and 6 straight days in the 90's....with a forecast showing 90's for the next 10 days (this is as far out as the forecast goes!).I've had enough! Even though I do the majority of my workouts early in the morning, it's still in the
- [Back To Health Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-to-health-triathlon-race-report/) - Official Results:Swim38:24.5 - 11th out of 13 in my age groupT11:07.8 - 4th out of 13Bike1:19:42.6 - 8th out of 13T20:39.9 - 2nd out of 13Run56:46.6 - 6th out of 13Total2:56:41.4 - 8th out of 13 / 56th out of 130 overallI'm not really pleased with my race, but it was a "C" priority race
- [Back To Health Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-to-health-triathlon/) - Unofficial time - 2:56:48Tough race. Here's a little hint:Issued by The National Weather ServiceLouisville, KY Sun., Jun. 13, 2010... HEAT INDEX VALUES TO REACH 100 TO 105 DEGREES TODAY... A VERY WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM INTO THE UPPER 80S TO THE
- [FOG](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/fog/) - I'm competing in the "Spine Center Back to Health Triathlon" this Sunday. It's an Olympic Distance [1500m (0.93 miles) Swim, 40K (24.85 miles) Bike and a 10K (6.2 miles) Run] Triathlon. This race takes place at Taylorsville Lake State Park, which was also the site of the Half Ironman that I did last month. So
- [Bike Safety](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/bike-safety/) - A friend of mine, and fellow triathlete was hit by a car while riding his bike last week. Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet and all of his injuries were external (lots of missing skin and bruises), and his bike is toast - but it could have been much worse!He was doing everything right. He
- [End of Base Phase](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/end-of-base-phase/) - Today marked the end of my second round of Base Phase training...thankfully! This high volume / low intensity stuff is tough. Not only does it require more time, but moving at a slow rate of speed doesn't do much for your confidence level either!Tomorrow I move on to the Build Phase, in preparation for my
- [Don't Eat What You See On TV](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dont-eat-what-you-see-on-tv/) - The June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association discusses a new study comparing the nutritional content of food choices influenced by television to nutritional guidelines.Researchers analyzed 84 hours of primetime and 12 hours of Saturday morning broadcast television over a 28-day period on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.No big surprise here. Investigators
- [Wheat Bread vs. 100% Whole Wheat Bread](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/wheat-bread-vs-100-whole-wheat-bread/) - We fired up the grill a few times over the Memorial Day weekend. A few burgers, dogs and even some brats were consumed. Of course, those fine "meats" need to have a place to sit, so we naturally included buns. After eating on Sunday afternoon, we were standing around and I noticed that there were
- [Memorial Day](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/memorial-day/) - I've often heard that completing an Ironman Triathlon is the ultimate test of physical and mental strength. After running a race half of this distance two weeks ago, I thought that I agreed with this statement.That was until I received a dose of reality last night. Jessica was working and the little one was fast
- [Endurance Building](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/endurance-building/) - I'm back in the Base Phase of my training. This mean's lots of volume at a low intensity. My runs and rides are based on two things - time and heart rate. Pace/speed is not a concern at this point. Today was my first long run since my race a week and a half ago...and
- [Back to Base](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-to-base/) - While I enjoyed my Transition Phase last week, I'm paying the price for it now. Believe it or not, by limiting myself to three short workouts and not eating as healthy as I normally do, I gained 6 pounds last week! Must have been the lunch buffet at Mr. Gatti's I had on Wednesday...or maybe
- [Transition Phase](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/transition-phase/) - If you follow my blog, you know that over the last seven or so months, I've worked through several phases of training leading up to my race last weekend. It started off with the Prep Phase, then several levels of Base Phase, followed by several levels of Build Phase, then Peak Phase and finally Race
- [Taylorsville Lake Triathlon Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/taylorsville-lake-triathlon-race-report/) - Six hours...that was the goal. Finish the race in under six hours.I had done the math in my head. 50 minutes or less in the water, 3 hours or less on the bike, 2 hours on the run...with 10 minutes to be used in transition or on the bike if I had a flat or
- [Official Taylorsville Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/official-taylorsville-triathlon-results/) - Swim (1.2 miles): 46:50.50 (39:02 min/mile pace) - 8th in age groupT1: 2:49.60 - 8th in age groupBike (56 miles): 2:56:08.9 (19.1 mph) - 9th in age groupT2: 1:15.9 - 5th in age groupRun (13.1 miles): 2:10:33.9 (9:58 min/mile pace) - 8th in age groupTotal: 5:57:38.8 - 9th in age group, 34th out of 78
- [Numbers for the year...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/numbers-for-the-year/) - My first "A" Priority race of the year is tomorrow. I'm really excited right now, nerves will probably set in once my head hits the pillow tonight.Before any big race, I like to look back and see exactly what my training volume has been for this race. Here's a look back at what I've done
- [Gear Checklist](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/gear-checklist/) - I'm starting to get excited about Saturday's race. With all almost all of my training done, it's time to focus on some other aspects of triathlon racing...such as getting all of the required gear together. I've made a list of everything (hopefully) that I will need to pack in the car and take with me
- [Replacing Calories Burned](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/replacing-calories-burned/) - So the half-ironman triathlon that I will do this Saturday will take approximately 6 hours to complete. This is 6 hours of non-stop, high intensity exercise. Many, many calories will be burned during the swim, bike and run.I estimate that I will burn approximately 500 calories swimming, 1900 calories cycling, and 2000 calories running....for a
- [Race Week!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/race-week-2/) - It's race week! I'm excited and can't wait for Saturday morning to get here!In the last several weeks before an event it is too late to significantly increase fitness, but it is not too late to increase fatigue. So based on this fact, I will be doing some short, high intensity workouts this week -
- [Busy Saturday!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/busy-saturday/) - Started off the morning by heading out to see my wife Jessica run her first road race. It was a 5K through the zoo. She did an awesome job and has now apparently caught the "bug". She's already looking for another race to run. I couldn't be more proud of her. She's the definition of
- [Happy 4 minute mile day!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/happy-4-minute-mile-day/) - No, I didn't run a 4 minute mile, but Roger Bannister did on this day in 1954. For many years, the scientific and athletic communities thought that it was impossible to run a four-minute mile. It was first achieved 56 years ago by Roger in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. The 'four minute barrier' has since
- [Peak Week](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/peak-week/) - With my first Half-Ironman Triathlon only 10 days away, my training has turned to Peak Phase this week. Peak Phase is basically high-intensity, low-volume workouts to help your body reach maximum fitness right before your key race. Most of these workouts involve "race pace" training. Next week will be race week where things will taper
- [Weather Is Not Cooperating!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/weather-is-not-cooperating/) - Plan was to do a long run and do a brick this weekend...mother nature saw to it that this did not happen!Saturday...rain.Sunday...rain.I managed to get in a short workout both days, but I can't help be feel like I'm a little behind now. One more week to make it up before race week. Workout details
- [The Wind Is Not My Friend!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-wind-is-not-my-friend/) - I love riding, and even though long rides can be uncomfortable on my backside and make my legs burn, I still love it...I guess I'm just sick in the head. Today was the first time I can ever remember getting mad during a ride.I wanted to ride the bike course for the Taylorsville Lake Triathlon
- [New Shoes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/new-shoes/) - I've always thought it was weird how excited most women get over getting a new pair of shoes. I feel this way every day except for the three or so days a year that I get a new pair of running shoes. Today is one of those days.I've logged a total of 330 miles on
- [Open Water Swimming](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/open-water-swimming/) - This past Sunday morning, I met a group of people at Taylorsville Lake for an open water swim. This was my first time swimming in my new wetsuit and I had mixed results.The water was chilly at first, but I definitely felt the wetsuit doing it's job as once I was in the water and
- [KDF miniMarathon Race Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kdf-minimarathon-race-results/) - Official Time = 1:46:30 (8:07 min/mile)768th out of 10,715 overall630th Male out of 4633110th in Age Group (30-34) out of 655I accomplished 1-1/2 of my 3 goals for the race. I came out uninjured and I improved on my PR for this race (by a whole 20 seconds), but not my PR for this distance.
- [Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon Goals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kentucky-derby-festival-minimarathon-goals/) - I try to set goals for every race I do. Tomorrow will be no different.Since this race is technically a training race for my Triathlon next month, the #1 goal is to come out of the race injury free and feeling good. I've listed this race as a Priority 'B' race on my training plan.Goal
- [miniMarathon Route](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/minimarathon-route/) - If you are running the miniMarathon on Saturday, I'm sure that you know the course has changed slightly this year...so that the finish line can be on Preston and Witherspoon by Slugger Field and Waterfront Park. I don't mind the change, although the course planners got pretty creative once the race gets downtown...lots of quick
- [Negative Splits](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/negative-splits/) - I've found that one of the hardest things for me to do is to negative split a course, whether it be running or riding.This basically means the second half should be slightly faster than the first half. There shouldn't be a huge difference, and as a general rule, the 51-49 principle is usually recommended. So
- [Boston Marathon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/boston-marathon/) - Today was the 114th running of the Boston Marathon. This is the Super Bowl of running. It's the most prestigious and historic race in the world. Unlike most running races, not just anyone can enter. You have to qualify to get the opportunity to torture yourself for 26.2 miles...and qualifying is not easy. You have
- [Brick](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/brick/) - "Bricks" refer to training on two disciplines during the same workout, one after the other with minimal or no interruption in between, just as you would do in a race. Usually a brick is a bike/run because it's easier to set up for than a swim/bike.When you stop biking and start running the legs feel
- [Wetsuits](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/wetsuits/) - With the Taylorsville Triathlon coming up in 4 weeks, I figured I better go ahead and buy a wetsuit so that I could get in a few practice swims before the race.Here's the wetsuit guidelines set forth by USA Triathlon:USAT rules state that competitors may wear wetsuits if the water temperature is 78 degrees or
- ["No Snoopy, No!"](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/no-snoopy-no/) - Let me set the scene: I've got less than a mile to go on my run this morning. I feeling good and I'm running at a pretty good pace. I'm annoyed that my RunKepper App is not working, but all in all, it's been a good run.Side note: I see people walking their dogs most
- [New Gatorades On The Way](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/new-gatorades-on-the-way/) - Over the next few months, expect to see a series of new Gatorade product lines focused on the serious athletes and the health conscious consumer. Here some of what you can expect:G Series – The "G Series" is a three-part regimen designed to fuel every step of sports performance. Stage 1 (Prime) is a gel
- [Back on White Lightning](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-on-white-lightning/) - With the exception of the sprint triathlon a few weeks ago, I haven't been on my bike since November. All of my riding has been indoors on the stationary bikes at the gym. The weather's been nice enough the last few weeks, but getting in a ride just hasn't worked out. So I planned early
- [Swim Form Analysis](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/swim-form-analysis/) - A little over a month ago I had a friend take a video of me swimming. I then took this video and compared my swimming form against some of the best swimmers out there. I noticed a few things in my technique that I'm going to work on correcting. Take a look:So the still short
- [My legs are shot!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-legs-are-shot/) - My legs were feeling a little heavy on Sunday after the race Saturday morning. I thought the day off would be enough for them to fully recover. They were still tired on Monday, but I put in over 2 hours on the bike anyway. Then did running intervals yesterday...I paid the price for all this
- [Build Phase](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/build-phase-2/) - Today marks the start of the Build Phase of my training. Typically, this stage consists of three, three week periods. But, due to my knee injury back in January, I had to make some adjustments and cut this stage down to a single, four week period. Details on the change can be found here.I've been
- [Papa John's 10 Miler Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-miler-report/) - Dropped off Jessica and Kate at my parent's house around 7:00am and headed over to the starting line at Central Ave. and 3rd Street. Not many people there, so I had time to jog a little and get loose. I made the same mistake as last year and drank way too much water last night
- [PJ 10 Miler Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/pj-10-miler-results/) - Official Time = 1:17:35 (7:45 min/mile)488th out of 6925 overall421st Male out of 321268th in Age Group (30-34) out of 4821st half in 38:34, 2nd half in 39:01Good race, full report later.
- [Papa John's 10 Miler Goal](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/papa-johns-10-miler-goal/) - So as with any race that I've done before, the goal is to beat my PR (Personal Record).I've run this race two previous times:2001 - Time was 1:23:33 (8:21 min/mile)2009 - Time was 1:23:23 (8:20 min/mile)I was 10 seconds faster last year than in 2001. I didn't realize the times were that close until just
- [Catching Up](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/catching-up-2/) - It's been a busy week, but I've been able to get in some good training sessions. Here's a recap of my week:Monday's Workout:1h25m on the bike. This was a pretty easy ride just to get me legs back after Sunday's race. I kept the HR is Zone 2 and did about 30 minutes of weights
- [Shelbyville Triathlon Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-triathlon-report/) - My race day started at 12:00am Sunday morning as I was leaving the airport parking garage. After spending less than 24 hours in Miami, I wasn't able to get an earlier flight home...so needless to say, this wasn't the best way to rest up for a race.By the time I got home and settled in,
- [Shelbyville Sprint Triathlon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-sprint-triathlon-results/) - I'll give a full race report tomorrow, but here's my official results from yesterday's race:Swim - 7:16.6 (31:36 min/mile pace)T1 - 2:00.3Bike - 36:49.8 (19.6 mph)T2 - 1:04.4Run - 23:38.0 (7:37 min/mile pace)TOTAL - 1:10:49.1Goal was to beat last year's overall time, which was 1:13:41...so mission accomplished.Here's my comparison vs. last year's race, numbers in
- [Shelbyville Sprint Triathlon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-sprint-triathlon/) - Sunday morning's race in Shelbyville will be my first Triathlon of the 2010 season. It's a short race and I've labeled it as a Priority C race...meaning that it's not the race that my training is focused on. However, I'm really excited about the race and I'll give 100% from start to finish!The races consists
- [Struggling...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/struggling/) - The last two weeks haven't been/won't be very productive from a training standpoint. I got in a good run last Wednesday, then got on a plane to Vegas. During my 5 days and 5 nights there, I was only able to squeeze in one short (7 miles) run. After flying back all day Monday, yesterday
- [Max Heart Rate On The Bike](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/max-heart-rate-on-the-bike/) - So things got a little crazy in spin class this morning. I usually do this class as part of my longer rides, only getting my heart rate slightly above zone 2 for a minute or two during the class. Today was different. The instructor informed us that today we were going to find out what
- [I Thought I Knew What Hills Were](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/i-thought-i-knew-what-hills-were/) - Today was the first day of running from home since we moved. My training plan called for me to run for 1h40m. So I took a quick look at a map and planned out a route. The thing that I didn't look at was the elevation of this run. I quickly found out what I
- [Calories Burned vs. Calories Consumed](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/calories-burned-vs-calories-consumed/) - I burn a lot of calories. It's just the nature of the beast. Training for long distance triathlons requires high volumes of swimming, biking and running...which all burn lots of calories.Depending on what my week looks like, I usually burn around 1000-1200 calories a day from training. This doesn't include the calories I would burn
- [Hello Spring, Nice To Meet You](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/hello-spring-nice-to-meet-you/) - No gloves.No toboggan (they still called that?).No Under Armour.It was 52F this morning at 5:30 when I set off on my run...and I took off in a t-shirt, shorts and hat...and was comfortable.One draw back to the warmer weather is the fact that I sweat more, which caused the tape on my knee to come
- [Anthem 5K Race Report](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-race-report-3/) - I spent all day Friday filling boxes full of everything in sight in preparation for our move on Saturday. This was after logging 2 hours on the bike and 25 minutes in the pool Friday morning. I was worn out by the time my head hit the pillow Friday night around 11:00pm. I normally love
- [Anthem 5K Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/anthem-5k-results-2/) - Time - 21:23 (6:53 min/mile)Division (male 30-34), finished 60th out of 522Overall finished 348th out of 8518 finishersAccomplished my goal time of 21:45.Complete race report later.
- [First Race of the 2010 Season](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/first-race-of-the-2010-season/) - The Anthem 5K is this Saturday. I'm really excited to finally "race". Truth be told, I enjoy the training almost, if not more, than the actual races. That being said, I'm still eagar to get that feeling that standing at the start line before a race gives you...nothing else like it in the world!This 5K
- [Louisville Ironman](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/louisville-ironman/) - Volunteer registration for the Ironman Triathlon here in Louisville opened up yesterday. My triathlon ability has not taken me to this level (yet), but I really enjoy being a part of this day. I volunteered last year and it was a great experience. I've already signed up to work in Transition 1 (swim to bike)
- [Joe Friel](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/joe-friel/) - If you follow this blog, you've heard me mention Joe Friel before. He's written many, many books on endurance training and trained athletes for over 30 years now. I'm currently using his book, "The Triathlete's Training Bible" as my guide through my 2010 season. Joe Friel came to Louisville this past Saturday for a day
- [Back In The Groove...Almost](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-in-the-groove-almost/) - Today finished off my first week of full training since my knee injury 6 weeks ago. I've been able to swim and run (short distances) since the injury, but wasn't able to put together a full week of swimming, biking and running. So after my run this morning, it seems as if everything is back
- [How Do We Stop This Trend?!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/how-do-we-stop-this-trend/) - During the past 20 or so years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. If you are more than 30 pounds overweight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers you obese.In 2008, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%! Thirty-two states had a prevalence
- [Who Has the Healthiest French Fries?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/who-has-the-healthiest-french-fries/) - According to Men's Health Magazine, the worst fries in America belong to Five Guys Burger & Fries. Five Guys Fries 1,464 calories71 g fat (14 g saturated)213 mg sodiumFor those of you living in Louisville, Five Guys Burgers and Fries recently opened its first restaurant here at The Summit shopping center...just don't get the fries!!!Who
- [Nutrition Info on Menus](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/nutrition-info-on-menus/) - Would you read nutritional info on menus at restaurants? Over a dozen states have laws on the books that will require restaurants to post this info on menus or menu boards. Part of one of the versions of the national healthcare bill would require restaurants with 20 or more locations to post nutrition information, along
- [Dynamic Stretching / Warm-Up](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dynamic-stretching-warm-up/) - I used to just lace up my shoes and go. I didn't stretch or warm-up at all before my runs...then I turned 30. Not that becoming a year older made it necessary for me to warm-up, but I could tell that my muscles needed more time to warm-up than they used to. So now before
- [Lance Armstrong vs. Chris Lieto](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/lance-armstrong-vs-chris-lieto/) - Everyone knows who Lance is. Chris Lieto is someone that you are probably not familiar with unless you follow the sport of professional triathlon. I could tell you all about him, but I'll spare you and just say that he's the fastest cyclist on the pro circuit. You can learn more about him here.Anyway, both
- [Winter Triathlon?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/winter-triathlon/) - I saw a story on a triathlon website about the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships. Who knew that they was such a thing? The race was held in Norway, were the temperature at the race start was 17F!So what exactly is a winter triathlon? They start with a 6K run (on trails covered in snow),
- [Back In The Saddle](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-in-the-saddle/) - My last training on the bike was Monday, January 18th (4 weeks ago). After riding through pain that morning, I knew that I needed to take some time off from the bike to let me knee heal. This morning I taped up my knee and climbed back on the saddle for a "test the waters"
- [The Importance of Weight Training](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-importance-of-weight-training/) - Since the time I was 12 or 13, I've lifted weights of some sort. My Dad had a nice little set up in our basement and he would let us come down and lift some light weights once in a while. I've maintained a steady weight lifting routine ever since then, including a "weight lifting
- [Louisville's First Triathlon Store!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/louisvilles-first-triathlon-store/) - I started training and competing in triathlons about a year and a half ago. Ever since then, I've thought that Louisville needed a triathlon specific store. Not that I mind going to a separate running store, bike shop and swim store, but this city hosts one of only 25 worldwide official Ironman triathlons...it doesn't seem
- [That Boy Sure Is A Swimmin' Fool](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/that-boy-sure-is-a-swimmin-fool/) - If the old man in the barbershop from "Forrest Gump" was at the gym in the mornings, he would probably see me walk in and say "That boy sure is a swimmin' fool". I feel like that's all I've done the last few weeks. With the knee still healing (hopefully), I've been off the bike
- [Confirmed: More Exercise = Better Health](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/confirmed-more-exercise-better-health/) - I don't make a habit of reading the San Francisco Chronicle, but I saw a link to this story on a triathlon website, so I thought I would share it.You can read the whole article, but here's the gist: The results of a study show that the more miles people run, the less likely they
- [Swim Intervals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/swim-intervals/) - One if the keys to getting last in any sport is to do some speed work. So I mixed it up today and did some swim intervals. As I revealed on a previous post, the pool lengths are a little off, so that explains the weird distances:5 minute warm-up5 x 210 yard (10 pool lengths)
- [Top 10 Energy Foods](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/top-10-energy-foods/) - All the fad over the last few years has been low-carb diets. If you run, or do any type of aerobic exercise, you NEED carbohydrates. Limiting the amount of carbs you eat will make you slower and drain your energy faster. The important thing is to eat the right kind of cards. So here's a
- [My Favorite Triathlon Related Websites](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-favorite-triathlon-related-websites/) - There are several websites that I use as part of my triathlon training/racing. Here's a few of my favorites:OnTri.com - This is where I log all of my workouts. I upload my training plan for the year via an Excel spreadsheet and then I can pull up the website through their iPhone app and see
- [Suck it up!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/suck-it-up/) - I'm not sure if those are the exact words, but my Dad used to tell me this or something similar when I was younger. Maybe I had just missed a big shot in a basketball game, struck out with runners on base, or dropped a wide open touchdown pass...wait...none of that ever happened, did it?
- [How much is this time off hurting me?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/how-much-is-this-time-off-hurting-me/) - So I'm officially 13 weeks into my training plan for 2010. I'm in the middle of my Base building phase, where I increase my aerobic capacity by doing long workouts in my aerobic heart rate zone. Up until two weeks ago, things were progressing well. My volume (mileage) was increasing at a steady pace while
- [Sunny and 75!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/sunny-and-75/) - So after a few days here in Orlando, I was finally able to get out for a quick run this morning. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I haven't run in 7 days or that I was up late partying at Universal CityWalk until midnight, but this wasn't the easy run I
- [Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/patellofemoral-pain-syndrome/) - So my knee pain is what is known as Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Patellofemoral refers to the joint that includes the knee cap or the patella and the thigh bone or the femur. It can result from malalignment of the patella on the femur, weakness of the quadriceps muscles, or tight structures on the lateral aspect of
- [My 2010 Race Calendar](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/my-2010-race-calendar/) - Several of the races that I plan to compete in this year have set official dates and opened up registration. For the most part, they are right when I anticipated...which is good since I've based my training plan around these dates!Orange = date set and I'm already registeredRed = date not yet confirmed3/6/10 - Anthem
- [Sounds Like I Need a Wetsuit](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/sounds-like-i-need-a-wetsuit/) - So I've registered for the "Score Clinic Triathlon" in Taylorsville on May 15th. It's a 1.2 mile swim, followed by a 56 mile bike and a half-marathon (13.1 mile) run. The swim is a two lap rectangle in Taylorsville Lake. The bike course is "challenging but scenic" on rural roads passing through several small communities.
- [Dealing with an injury](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dealing-with-an-injury/) - I've been very fortunate in the injury department. I've been training exclusively for triathlons for a little over 13 months now and I've yet to have any major injuries. A shin splint and a sore shoulder are all I've dealt with and neither kept me out (running for the shin and swimming for the shoulder)
- [Injuries...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/injuries/) - So after my 10 mile run on Tuesday morning I noticed some slight pain in my right knee. I felt fine during and immediately after the run...it was only when I got to work that it began hurting. I went on with my day and put ice on it for about 10 minutes that night.
- [Running Intervals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-intervals/) - TODAY'S WORKOUT:Run- Did some pyramid intervals at the track in the gym. I call this workout "Twin Peaks"...for obvious reasons. Lap count was 2,4,6,8,6,4,2,4,6,8,6,4,2 with a minute rest between each interval. Here's a chart of my distance and pace.While I try to maintain the same pace whether I'm going 2 laps or 8, you can
- [More on Sports Drinks](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-sports-drinks/) - So yesterday I narrowed down my sports drink selection to the four that had what I was looking for in both sodium content and carbohydrates. I took a few quick minutes to do a price check on those four.Prices are per Amazon.com, but I priced them elsewhere and there wasn't much difference.Gatorade Powder - Makes
- [Sports Drinks vs. Water Only](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/sports-drinks-vs-water-only/) - The topic of sports drinks came up between myself and a few other people that were still on the bikes after Spin Class this morning. I only had my bottle of water while others were drinking PowerAde. They wanted to know why I didn't have a sports drink with me if I planned on riding
- [Running in a Winter Wonderland](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-in-a-winter-wonderland/) - Even though a lot of the roads are still covered in snow and ice, I decided to head out on a early morning run today. Left the house around 6:40am and it was very peaceful. The snow kind of makes things quieter and there weren't a whole lot of people out that early, so for
- [Are Vitamins Necessary?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/are-vitamins-necessary/) - For as long as I can remember, I've taken vitamins. Seriously...my dad started us out on chewable multivitamins as soon as we had teeth! The Flinstones chewables were great, but I eventually graduated to a more complex adult multivitamin. I've changed brands a few times over the years, but I still take one everyday after
- [Derby Festival Marathon/miniMarathon course changes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/derby-festival-marathonminimarathon-course-changes/) - The mini won't start in front of Iroquois Park?!?! That's part of the changes they have made to the course this year to allow for EVEN MORE RUNNERS! I always enjoyed starting at the park and having the option of going into the woods to relieve myself one last time before the race starts, without
- [Efficient Running](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/efficient-running/) - What makes someone a fast runner? Genetics? Body type? Amount of time they've spent running? Aerobic capacity? All of these are factors, but the secret to running fast is your running economy.Running economy is basically how efficiently your body uses oxygen. So how do you improve your economy? Step 1: FORMThe feet should strike the
- [Start of Base 2 Phase](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/start-of-base-2-phase/) - Today marks the start of the Base 2 Phase in my training. It's similar to Base 1 in that there will be a focus on volume more so than intensity. I will still be doing most of my work in heart rate zone 2, but will be adding in force training. Some examples of force
- [A Look Back at 2009](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-look-back-at-2009/) - Thanks to OnTri.com, I have all my workout data from 2009. Check out the stats for the year:Swim62.26 miles38 hr 18 min 24,904 calories burnedBike2,239.44 miles122 hr 43 min 89,577 calories burnedRun632.02 miles87 hr 35 min 63,203 calories burnedTOTALS:2,933.73 miles248hr 36 min177,684 calories burnedTODAY'S WORKOUT:Ran 7.27 miles in 1:00:01 (8:15 min/mile pace) in Zone 2.Avg
- [A little R & R](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-little-r-r/) - Every 4th week during the Base and Build phases of my training is reserved for rest and recovery. It's desperitly needed after the fatigue accumulated over the three previuos weeks. Without this regular rest, my fitness won't progress as required. The idea is to let the muscles recover and for my body to feel rested
- [Pure Fit Radio](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/pure-fit-radio/) - A little over a month ago, I was asked if I would be interested in becoming a reporter for Pure Fit Radio. It is a national radio/podcast program all about endurance sports. The Pure Fit Radio website, found here, contains lists of events (road races, triathlons, etc.), a great list of links (running, cycling, triathlon,
- [New shoe smell](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/new-shoe-smell/) - Anyone else LOVE the smell of new shoes? As I pulled mine out of the box this morning, I took a good long sniff...mmmmm. If I'm alone on this one, so be it. I'm not ashamed. Some people love to smell coffee in the mornings to get them going, I think that new shoe smell
- [I must have been a good boy...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/i-must-have-been-a-good-boy/) - because Santa brought me lots of good gear! My beautiful wife must have sent Santa the specs because he brought me the exact watch that what I wanted. It's the Timex Ironman Race Trainer/Digital Heart Rate Monitor. Isn't it beautiful?Just a Few of the Watch Features 10 Workout Memory - Automatically saves latest workout; lock
- [Will Santa bring new shoes?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/will-santa-bring-new-shoes/) - Headed out around 7:15 this morning for a long run with lots of hills. It was a great morning for a run, upper 30's with very little wind. It rained over night, but the precip held off long enough for me to get in 13.1 miles. There were actually more hills than flats. Check out
- [Kona 09 Review/Run Bonk](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/kona-09-reviewrun-bonk/) - I finally found the time last night to sit down and watch the NBC coverage of the Ironman World Championships that aired last Saturday. As always, NBC did a great job. Good interviews and stories on athletes and pretty decent coverage of the actual race...of course, I watched live coverage of the race on Ironman.com
- [Fast Swimmer = Slow Triathlete](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/fast-swimmer-slow-triathlete/) - I'm not saying that if you are a fast swimmer, you will suck as a triathlete. I'm saying that if you train for speed in the pool, your overall triathlon times will likely decrease. You simply won't have the energy required coming out of the water to succeed on the bike and run. Occasional speed
- [Training alone](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/training-alone/) - Due to when I train (early morning) and how I train (following a pretty strict plan), I train alone. I've been on rides and runs with other people before and it's a nice change of pace, but I actually prefer to train alone. Some triathlete's have training partners or groups that they run and ride
- [Base Phase week 2 complete](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/base-phase-week-2-complete/) - It took me an extra day, but the weather finally cleared up and I was able to get in a long run today to complete Base Phase 1, Week 2. I ran lots of good hills today and was able to stay in Zone 2 for most of the run. I actually had a problem
- [Swim Drills](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/swim-drills/) - I had about 15 minutes of my required swim time for the week left heading into yesterday. I decided to incorporate some drills into my workout. I learned these drills while meeting with swim coaches in the past. Here's a list of the drills that I did and how each one can make you a
- [Shelbyville Sprint Triathlon Series](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/shelbyville-sprint-triathlon-series/) - Registration opened yesterday for the first Triathlon I plan to participate in during 2010. There are a total of 4 races, all sprint distances. They are held at the Clear Creek Park in Shelbyville, KY. If you are new to triathlon or have thought about doing a race, this would be a great starting point.
- [Time](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/time/) - "Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend." - Theophrastuscolor>I'm doing my best to follow the training plan outlined in Joe Friel's "The Triathlete's Training Bible". The plan is for a half-ironman triathlon, which I hope to compete in during 2010. As I've mentioned before, I'm currently in the Base Phase of the
- [Water](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/water/) - I love water. Most people have a favorite drink (Coke, tea, coffee, kool-aid, beer, etc.)...but my favorite drink is honestly water. I drink it constantly. Not only when working out, but all day long. When I wake up...water. When I work out...water. With meals...water. Before bed...water. You get the point.I usually drink water that has
- [Need Another Reason to Not Eat Fat?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/need-another-reason-to-not-eat-fat/) - Mice fed a lard-based diet over a long period got worse at fighting bacteria in the blood, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy.The mice fed the lard-based diet derived 60% of their total calories from fat. They were compared with mice fed a low-fat diet, where no more than 10% of their calories came
- [Exercising in the Morning](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/exercising-in-the-morning/) - Getting up early is something that my body has become accustom to over the last 5-6 years. The mornings have become my only option for working out now that there's a little one around. Alarm clock goes off around 5am, and most mornings I hop right up and get going. I feel a little off
- [More on Food Labels](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-food-labels/) - I wrote a post about how to read food labels a few months ago (read it here). I read an article the other day stating that the there were going to be some changes made to the label design. Among the suggested changes to the food label:1. Put calorie and serving size information in larger
- [WIND!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/wind/) - From weather.com:The National Weather Service in Louisville, KY has issued a HIGH WIND WARNING FOR JEFFERSON CO., KY* SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED... AS WELL AS WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 55 MPH AT TIMES... ESPECIALLY IN ANY HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS.color>To emphasize the strong winds that I ran in this morning, I
- [Breathing technique](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/breathing-technique/) - 17 months ago I could not swim. If I was on a ship that had just hit an iceberg, I could swim enough to save myself...but this is very different than swimming in a triathlon. When I started training for my first triathlon in July of '08, I quickly realized that swimming with my head
- [Set your DRV...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/set-your-drv/) - For the 19th consecutive year the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship broadcast will air on NBC, Dec. 19, 2009, from 4:30 - 6 PM ET (check local listings). The telecast will highlight the physical and emotional journey taken by athletes during the renowned 140.6-mile triathlon. Veteran sports commentator and narrator Al Trautwig will provide the
- [More on Base Phase](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-base-phase/) - As I mentioned yesterday, the Base Phase of my training starts this coming week. I will focus on building my endurance during this stage. As you've read several times over the last few months, the best way to ensure that I'm working on building endurance is to do my training in the aerobic training zone.
- [Bye, Bye Prep Phase...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/bye-bye-prep-phase/) - Hello Base 1 Phase! Tomorrow is the last day of the Prep Phase of my training. I'm following the phases outlined in Joe Friel's "The Triathlete's Traning Bible". The Prep phase was basically used get my body back into "shape". Over the next 12 weeks, I will be in the Base Phase, which is divided
- [Busy morning](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/busy-morning/) - It's days like today that I'm thankful for my gym membership. It was in the low 30's with light rain...no way that I could run or bike outside this morning. I made it to the gym in time for the 5:45 spin class. Did a good solid hour on the bike with a few long
- [How important is sleep?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/how-important-is-sleep/) - Even if you don't exercise at all, your body still needs sleep. If you are training for a race and are running/biking/swimming in addition to your normal routine, your body needs MORE sleep. Sleep helps strengthen the immune system, helps the nervous system work properly, and keeps the mind sharp. Too little sleep can leave
- [Back in the water](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-in-the-water/) - For various reasons, it's been 3 weeks since I put on the swimmies and hit the water. I waited around for someone else to get in the pool (see here for explanation), then hopped in for a quick slash. I didn't want to push things too much, so I just did 10 minutes of laps
- [Trigineer](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trigineer/) - Yes, I made that word up. It's what happens when an Engineer becomes a Triathlete. I have way too much "gear" on every time I go for a run. I decided to count the items that I wear every time I head out (excluding clothes and shoes):1. RoadID strap on my ankle2. Watch (for timing
- [A Look Back](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-look-back/) - It was about a year ago this time that I decided to start training specifically for triathlons. I began to plan out my workout schedule to include several sessions of swimming, biking and running each week. Thanks to OnTri.com, my training log is saved going all the way back to December 15, 2008. I decided
- [Eat right....even on Thanksgiving](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/eat-right-even-on-thanksgiving/) - Here's some tips to make sure that you don't blow your healthy eating habits over the holidays.1. Eat slow...enjoy the food. You can go back for seconds later in the day.2. Eat lots of turkey! It's lean, low in calories and delicious!3. Load up on sweet potatoes, green beans and spinach...take small portions of casseroles.4.
- [Triathlon Related Terms](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/triathlon-related-terms/) - I saw a post on SwimBikeRun.com this morning with a list of Triathlon terms. I thought that it was a good list, so I'm going to use some of their list with a few additions of my own:70.3; 1/2 IM, HIM color>- This term is used to describe a Half Ironman race distance, which is
- [I found the cut off...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/i-found-the-cut-off/) - for what temperature I will attempt to get out and ride. It's 38 degrees. When I looked at the forecast last night it said that the overnight low was 45F, so I knew that it would be chilly, but not too bad. I bundled up this morning and set out right as the sun came
- [Running/Riding in the Dark](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/runningriding-in-the-dark/) - I haven't been on a treadmill in 6 months and if you work typical business hours like me, it's almost impossible to train outside in the daylight this time of year. So I thought that I would share some "Exercising in the Dark " tips:1. Move in the right direction! color> - Bike with traffic,
- [Lovin' me some fall running!!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/lovin-me-some-fall-running/) - TODAY'S WORKOUT:4 laps around the mall (45F this morning...perfect weather!!)color>Lap 1 (warm-up) - 9:54Lap 2 - 9:43 (8:01/mile pace)Lap 3 - 9:37 (7:56)Lap 4 - 9:26 (7:47)Total: 4.84 miles in 38:42 (7:59 min/mile) HR stayed in the 143-145 range during the warm-up lap. Moved into the high 150's (zone 2) during lap 2, and then
- [Intervals are getting quicker](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/intervals-are-getting-quicker/) - Started with 5 minutes of warm-up jogging, then 5 minutes of drills. Intervals were once again 1/2 mile with 1:00 rest in between. In the past, I've aimed for the 3:40 mark, but after several sub 3:30 times last week, I've moved the goal to 3:30. Here's the results of today's training: (1) 3:32(2) 3:30(3)
- [RunKeeper App](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/runkeeper-app/) - So I'm really glad that I didn't buy a $400 watch that has GPS capabilities. If I knew that I could get all the same data (distance, current pace, overall pace, elevation, time) through a free iPhone Application, I would have bought the phone months ago.I downloaded "RunKeeper" an used it for the first time
- [Catching up](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/catching-up-3/) - Haven't had a chance to post anything in the last few days...so here's what I've been up to:Thursday (11/12): 75 minutes on the bike15 minute warm-up followed by 5 min. of hills, then 5 min. of fast flatsRepeat the 5x5 five times10 minute cool-downTried to keep HR in zone 3 during the entire 50 minute
- [Drafting...tisk, tisk](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/drafting-tisk-tisk/) - So if you are a triathlete or follow triathlon's you may have seen a video from last weekend's Ironman Florida that's floating around the internet. It's a video showing about 20 or so athlete's on the bike portion of the race. It's recorded from a camera mounted on a cyclists helmet. They are all very
- [Back to Tuesday Intervals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-to-tuesday-intervals/) - It's been a few weeks since I did any intervals, so after a failed attempt at swimming (see below), I did some 1/2 mile intervals. Started with 10 minutes of warm-up, then went right into my intervals with 1:00 rest in between. As usual, I wanted to keep them around the 3:40 mark:(1) 3:28(2) 3:29(3)
- [Ladder Intervals on the Bike](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ladder-intervals-on-the-bike/) - Mixed it up in Spin Class this morning. We did some interval training, which was a good way for me verify my cycling heart rate zones. After a good 15 minute warm-up we started in with 5 minutes at an easy pace (Zone 1). Then 4 minutes of a little harder work (about 5 beats
- [Back on the bike](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/back-on-the-bike/) - Headed out around 7:30 this morning for a ride. It was about 45F, so I put on the Under Armour gear and long bike pants. I pledge my allegiance to Under Armour...the stuff works! Only part of my body that didn't stay toasty was my toes.With all of the run-specific training I did over the
- [Heart Rate Zones](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/heart-rate-zones/) - During my run on Tuesday of this week, I wore my HR monitor and was disappointed to learn that my "comfortable" running pace put my HR in the 155-161 range. According to my HR zones established during my VO2 Max test, this put me in Zone 3-4. In order to train aerobically and increase endurance,
- [Trying to eat heathy...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trying-to-eat-heathy/) - My wife and I have been making an effort to eat at home more often. We've decided to do this for lots of reasons (it's cheaper, we have a 4 month old, it's easier to eat healthy at home). We both try and eat as healthy as possible and it's just tough to find something
- [Power Output at VO2 Max](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/power-output-at-vo2-max/) - Read this on Joe Friel's blog this morning...regarding VO2 max:If you want to be an elite athlete you need to have a high VO2max. But that just gets you to the start line. To compete well you also must be economical...and you need an anaerobic/lactate threshold at a high percentage of your VO2max. [The winner
- [Training zones](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/training-zones/) - Today's workout consisted of a run and a quick swim.The run was to be a 5 minute warm-up followed by 25-30 minutes of running in zone 2 (extensive endurance zone). My heart rate for zone 2 is between 139 and 151. This is the zone that I need to train in to build my endurance.
- [Training for 2010 starts today!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/training-for-2010-starts-today/) - Finally getting back into a routine following a few weeks of easy training after the Louisville Half-Marathon. This phase of my training is called the "Prep" phase. Based on the training plan outlined in Joe Friel's "The Triathlete's Training Bible"; you start with the date of your first "Priority A" race. Then counting backwards, you
- [At the risk of sounding like a whiner...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/at-the-risk-of-sounding-like-a-whiner/) - I'm going to complain some more about the pool situation at the gym (Urban Active). My first complaint was that the pools are not a standard length. While it makes my training a little more difficult, it's something that I can deal with. My latest complaint has to do with a recent rule change. The
- [More on Training Zones](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-training-zones/) - The VO2 Max Test gave me some good information on what my heart rate should be while training. Triathlon coach and author Joe Friel uses 6 workout intensity zones. Here's his description of each:Zone 1 (Warmup/Recovery): These are the easiest workouts, and the ones that help fit and experienced athletes rejuvenate the body following hard
- [Should I Train Even Though I'm Sick?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/should-i-train-even-though-im-sick/) - You may have noticed that I didn't have a "TODAY'S WORKOUT" posted yesterday...or today. It's because I've used my morning workout time to catch some extra ZZZ's and try to get over my head cold. I feel like I could do some training, but should I? It's a common question..."Should I train when I'm sick?"Here's
- [More on VO2 Max Test Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-vo2-max-test-results/) - Warning! Warning!color> Engineering nerd alert!!! This post contains lots of charts and graphs, which I love, because I'm an Engineer...I can't help it!So the main reason for having my VO2 max tested was to determine what my correct training zones should be. I've always trained hard, but with this data, I can now train smart!I'm
- [VO2 Max Test Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/vo2-max-test-results/) - Keith Sherman from Velocity Sports Performance (free endorsement) did my VO2 Max Testing on Saturday at Cycler's Cafe. It was a pretty interesting test. Keith did a great job explaining exactly what I needed to do and how the test was going to go. The actual test is pretty much what I expected, but I'm
- [VO2 Max Testing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/vo2-max-testing/) - My bike shop of choice here in Louisville is the Cycler's Cafe on Lexington Road. They are a small shop compared to others, but that's one of the reasons that I like going there. I had them do a bike fit for me when I bought my bike and I have all of my tune-ups
- [2010 Louisville Triple Crown of Running](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/2010-louisville-triple-crown-of-running/) - If you live in or near Louisville and are a runner, you have to participate in the races held around Kentucky Derby time every year. The dates of the races have been announced and registration is open! There are a total of 4 races (first 3 are called the "Triple Crown of Running"), and no
- [These dudes are hard core!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/these-dudes-are-hard-core/) - If you are a runner, you've at one point or another had a black toenail or lost a toenail altogether. It's just a part of being a runner...not pretty, but you deal with it. According to an article in the New York Times today, some ultramarathoners have their battered toenails surgically removed — for good.
- [Louisville Half-Marathon Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/louisville-half-marathon-results/) - Results were posted yesterday and to my surprise, my time was good enough for 5th in my age group. Here's my official results:Chip time - 1:43:39.90Gun time - 1:44:36.70 (01:11.00 difference)Pace - 7:54/mile5th out of 56 in the male age 30-34 group70th out of 577 overall runnersThe chip time is my official time based on
- [Revenge is a race best run in the cold: The Louisville Half-Marathon Story](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/revenge-is-a-race-best-run-in-the-cold-the-louisville-half-marathon-story/) - So after running the worst race of my life during the Derby Festival mini-marathon back in April of this year, I knew that I had to redeem myself...that's why I signed up for the Louisville Half-Marathon as soon as registration opened. I needed revenge on 13.1 miles! After my embarrassing time of 2:09, I tired
- [Louisville Half-Marathon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/louisville-half-marathon/) - With the race less than 38 hours away, it's time to talk about what my goals are for the race. Since this is technically an "off season/training race", goal #1 is to stay healthy and avoid injuries. Goal #2 is to run my fastest half-marathon evah! This will be my 4th time running this distance.
- [How much water should you drink each day?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/how-much-water-should-you-drink-each-day/) - Staying hydrated is critical to any endurance athlete. Leading up to my race on Sunday, I've been making an effort on getting plenty of water this week. You can't just drink a lot of water the day before, it takes several days to properly hydrate before a long race. Every day you lose water through
- [Carbo-Loading: Does it work?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/carbo-loading-does-it-work/) - As I'm doing my final few runs leading up to Sunday's race, I've been asked if I'm "Carbo-Loading" this week. The answer is not really. I'm pretty much sticking to my normal diet, which naturally consists of lots of carbs.There's lots of carbo-loading plans out there. They all pretty much start a week before your
- [Best way to increase endurance is...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/best-way-to-increase-endurance-is/) - to either run long and fast or run long and slow. Yes, I know that they are not the same, but what works for one runner may not work for another. So it's best to try one method for a while...if you don't see results, try the other.The endurance program based on long, hard runs
- [More on Ironman World Championship Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-ironman-world-championship-results/) - I wasn't there, so I'll just give you what someone that was wrote...Karin Stanton/Hawaii247 Contributing EditorCraig Alexander ran down Chris Lieto in the last 5 miles to capture his second straight world title, the first man to repeat since Tim De Boom in 2002.He crossed the finish line at 8 hours, 20 minutes, 21 seconds
- [Ironman World Championship Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-results/) - With the help of Ironman.com and Twitter, I was able to follow a lot of the race today. Andy Potts led out of the water before Faris Al-Sultan passed him on the bike. About half way through the bike American Chris Lieto took the lead. He built a big lead and was looking good heading
- [Ironman World Championship - Part 5](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-part-5/) - We know how tough it is to get to Kona, much less be competitive in the actual race. Here's a look at some of the more memorable athletes that have raced in the last 30 years...Dave Scott - won the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii six times (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1987). Because of
- [Ironman World Championship - Part 4](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-part-4/) - The last few days we've covered the swim and bike portion of the Kona Ironman...so that just leaves us the run. As you know, this is a full marathon (26.2 miles). The run leg in Kona is a tale of two courses. You have the incredibly humid five-mile out-and-back stretch along Ali'i Drive, and then
- [Ironman World Championship - Part 3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-part-3/) - From everything I've read, the bike portion of Kona is the toughest of the three legs. The majority of the ride is along the Queen K Highway- which is hallowed ground to a triathlete. Sort of like getting to play baseball in old Yankee Stadium, basketball in Madison Square Garden, or a round of golf
- [Ironman World Championship - Part 2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship-part-2/) - I've done two races that had a "wave" swim start. This means that you are in the water with other competitors and they fire a gun/cannon/buzzer or just yell "go" to tell you when to start. This is a very interesting experience. Trying to swim in close quarters is not easy. I've been kicked in
- [Ironman World Championship](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-world-championship/) - A few weeks ago I had a post discussing the origins of the sport of triathlon. The first triathlon was held in September of 1974. A few years later the first long-distance race was planned, it was called the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon.The race included a 2.4 mile (3.86 km; 77 lap) swim, a 112 mile
- [Cold hands!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/cold-hands/) - So while I was waiting for the sun to come up this morning, I jumped online to check the temperature...it as 49F. I was already in my running attire, which consisted of a t-shirt, shorts and a hat. Is 49 too cold to run in a t-shirt? Nah.As a got started on my run, I
- [Long run](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/long-run/) - Just got back from an 11 mile run. Weather was perfect (65F and cloudy). Route was pretty flat, mixture of sidewalks and pavement. Started from my office downtown and went down 3rd Street and Southern Pkwy all the way to New Cut Road and back...exactly 5.5 miles each way - with a bonus water fountain
- [Is it more expensive to eat healthy?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/is-it-more-expensive-to-eat-healthy/) - According to Men's Health magazine, over the past two years, the cost of vegetables, meat, fruit, and other high-nutrition, low-calorie foods has increased by an average of 19.5 percent. But the price of junk foods have actually decreased slightly, by 1.8 percent. Researchers recently estimated the cost of a diet based on high-calorie foods versus
- [Fartlek run](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/fartlek-run/) - Instead of my typical "Tuesday Intervals", I decided to mix it up and do a Fartlek run on the indoor track at the gym. Here's the workout:10 minute warm-up run (8:30/mile pace)10 minutes of drills (butt-kickers, shuffles and grape-vines)40 minutes of fartlek running - picking up the speed for one lap, every third lap10 minute
- [Treadmill vs. Outdoors](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/treadmill-vs-outdoors/) - Up until my last minor injury (shin splints), I would routinely run on a treadmill at the gym for at least one of my running workouts each week. It was mainly for convenience, but I could also keep close tabs on my pace and pass the time while watching SportsCenter.Once I got shin splints, I
- [Hills](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/hills/) - Ran these same hills again this morning. As a bonus, it actually felt like fall this morning. It was around 56 degrees, but it felt cooler than that after the miserable heat this past Thursday morning. I'm excited about more mornings like this!Time was 23:44 on the way out (7:49/mile)Time was 23:29 on the way
- [Happy 35th Birthday...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/happy-35th-birthday/) - to Triathlon! It all started back in 1974, in Mission Bay, California. The idea was conceived by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan. In 1973 Jack competed in the second annual "Dave Pain Birthday Biathlon". Which consisted of a 4.5 mile run followed by what was billed as a quarter-mile swim (the actual distance was between
- [Well...that was not fun](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/well-that-was-not-fun/) - My post yesterday talked about how excited I was that we were officially starting Fall. Well, let me assure you, it didn't feel like Fall this morning! When I got started around 6am, it was sprinkling rain and it felt like a sauna. Temperature was in the low 70's, but the humidity had to be
- [Autumn has begun!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/autumn-has-begun/) - Autumn officially arrived at 5:18pm yesterday, so that makes today the first full days of fall! I'm really excited to welcome fall in this year. Summer will always hold a special place in my heart, but the heat and grass cutting keep it from getting the title of "Luke's favorite Season".I like fall the best
- [A new kind of Intervals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-new-kind-of-intervals/) - Today is Tuesday, so of course I did some interval work this morning. My normal intervals are called repeats...same distance several times with breaks in between. I decided to mix it up again this week and did a kind of intervals called pyramids. Pyramid intervals are defined as starting out with a short interval, then
- [Mrs. America - a triathlete?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/mrs-america-a-triathlete/) - So turns out the the newly crowned Mrs. America (Andrea Robertson, 32) is also a triathlete. Apparently she has participated in over 50 triathlons and has even won her age group before. Robertson hopes her beauty pageant title helps put a new face on female athletics. Her pageant platform focuses on healthy life habits, and
- [Dodging the puddles](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/dodging-the-puddles/) - Managed to get in a 4 mile run this morning in between rain storms. Went 4.0 miles in 30:23 (7:35/mile pace). Nice easy, recovery run, didn't push it too hard. Speaking of rain, if you run much, you've most likely been caught in the rain or had to run when it was raining. As you
- [Medium run](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/medium-run/) - Thursdays are typically reserved for a long run. To my surprise (and excitement), my training program only called for a 5-6 mile run today, which I'll call a "medium" run. So I did 5 laps around the mall for a total distance of 6.05 miles. Lap 1= 8:58 (7:24/mile pace)Lap 2= 9:25 (7:46)Lap 3= 9:38
- [Am I faster than Shaq?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/am-i-faster-than-shaq/) - Last night we watched the show "Shaq vs". If you haven't seen it, it's pretty entertaining. NBA star Shaquille O'Neal challenges other professional athletes at their sport. I've seen a few episodes and I have to admit that Shaq is a good all-around athlete. Last night he got in the pool to challenge Olympic superstar
- [Intervals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/intervals/) - I might consider renaming "Tuesday" to "Intervals" - any objections? On my current training plan, I do intervals every Tuesday. I typically try and work in speed training at least once a week, sometimes twice (see fartlek training). So some people might ask why I do speed training when I'm training for endurance events. Simple
- [Aquaman?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/aquaman/) - A few months ago at the gym I noticed a guy wearing what looked like gloves on his feet. They looked like something Aquaman would be wearing. They were about as thick as socks and had a "sleeve" for each of his toes. They were very weird. So of course, I went up and asked
- [That's more like it.](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/thats-more-like-it/) - After a sub-par run on Thursday, I was eager to get back out on the pavement this morning. Went for a 4 mile run and felt good the whole way. Time was 29:15 (7:18/mile pace). I'm not sure if I could keep this pace up for a full 13 miles, put right now doing it
- [What does a food label really tell you?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/what-does-a-food-label-really-tell-you/) - My wife sometimes gets annoyed with my standing in the grocery isle reading and comparing nutrition labels. I try to eat healthy, so knowing exactly what I'm looking at is important...otherwise I could be thinking that I'm eating good foods when in reality I'm not. Here's some of the key things that I look at:
- [They all can't be good days...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/they-all-cant-be-good-days/) - It's Thursday, so that means it's time for a long run. This morning's run was 7 loops around the Mall St. Matthew's, which equals approximately 8.54 miles (each loop is 1.22 miles). I felt slow from the first stride...and never got into a good rhythm. Not sure why, but it was just one of those
- [Weight Training](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/weight-training/) - I typically lift weights 3-4 times a week depending on my schedule. Weight lifting used to be the only thing I did at the gym, but it's taken a back seat since I started doing triathlons at the end of last summer. Instead of lifting to get bigger, I now lift to improve strength in
- [Soreness](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/soreness/) - With 6 weeks to go until the Louisville Half-Marathon, it's time to step it up a notch! Instead of running only 3 days a week, I'll add in an extra day of running while still mixing in some swimming and biking on the off days. That means that there's going to be back-to-back days of
- [Hills!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/hills-2/) - Since changing my cadence last week, all of my training runs have been on fairly flat ground...that all changed this morning! I decided to take my new running style on to some hills. Total change in elevation for the 6.05 miles was 334 feet. I did an out and back course from my house. Way
- [Fartlek training](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/fartlek-training/) - Say what? Fartlek - Funny word, sounds like something my newborn does. Fartlek comes from the Swedish word for speed. Fartlek training involves varying your pace throughout your run. In other words, you integrate intense sprints into your workout, followed by a recovery run or slow jog slightly below your normal running pace.For example, on
- [Little too much](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/little-too-much/) - My training plan called for me to do a distance run yesterday. It said to go 7-8 miles...so of course, I decided on 8. Left work and parked the car on 3rd Street north of UofL. Ran 4 miles south on 3rd St. & Southern Pkwy to New Cut Rd. and back. First 4 miles
- [What's the goal?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/whats-the-goal/) - Over the last few days, my wife Jessica and I have had a recurring conversation. The topic has been whether it's good or bad for the sport of triathlon that the number of people competing in the full Ironman distance races continues to rise while the number of participants in the shorter distances doesn't. The
- [Tax deduction for gym membership?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tax-deduction-for-gym-membership/) - The Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2009 or the PHIT Act of 2009 was introduced in the House on April 27, 2009. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a medical care tax deduction for up to $1,000 ($2,000 for married couples filing jointly or heads of household) of qualified sports and fitness
- [The perfect food for runners is...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-perfect-food-for-runners-is/) - bananas! This is good news, since I love bananas and usually eat one everyday as part of breakfast. Bananas are nature’s energy food. They are easy to eat and transport, offer plenty of quick carbs, and are 75 percent water. So in addition to giving you needed fuel during and after a run, they keep
- [Hmmm...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/hmmm/) - so maybe there is something to this running cadence thing after all. Sunday normally isn't a training day for me, but with all the golf and fantasy football drafting on Saturday, I missed my workout. I ran 3 miles yesterday afternoon - concentrating on my cadence the entire time. I counted my foot touches about
- [Awesome Day!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/awesome-day/) - Viktor Zyemtsev just won this year's Louisville Ironman Triathlon in record time, 8 hours, 25 minutes, 27 seconds!As you know if you follow this blog, I volunteered during the first few hours of the race this morning. While getting up at 3:45am wasn't exactly fun, I'm glad I did...it was a great experience. (check out
- [IRONMAN is here!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ironman-is-here/) - When most people here the word "Triathlon", they think of the Ironman race. It's the distance that started it all. 2.4 mile swim • 112 mile bike • 26.2 mile run.Tomorrow is the Ironman Louisville Triathlon. Around 3000 athletes from over 20 countries will be competing. Even though I'm not racing, I'm really excited about
- [I've got beef...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ive-got-beef/) - with the guys who designed the two Urban Active gyms here in Louisville that have lap pools. I've been swimming in these pools for over a year now, getting in my laps, improving my times, etc. All along, I assumed that both of these pools were 25 yards in length. Why would I assume this?
- [More on cadence...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/more-on-cadence/) - Ran 5 loops around the St. Matthew's Mall this morning (it's right next to the gym - I didn't drive to the mall to run around it!). That translates to 6.1 miles. Time was 49:04 (8:02/mile).I made an effort to get my cadence to 29-30 strides per 20 seconds on the first lap and it
- [Running Cadence](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/running-cadence/) - I first heard the term "cadence" in spin class several years ago. Cadence represents the amount of full revolutions taken per minute (rpm). This is pretty easy to understand for cycling, but in running a revolution can also be referred to as a stride. I was reading an article on a triathlon website a few
- [Feet. Meet Road.](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/feet-meet-road/) - Went for a 4 mile run this morning - weather was perfect! Got started right as the sun was coming up around 6:45 or so, and it was cool enough that I didn't even get a very good sweat going. Ran 4 miles in 31:56 (7:58/mile).I decided to wear my heart rate monitor (HRM) this
- [Louisville Half-Marathon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/louisville-half-marathon-2/) - The Louisville Marathon/Half-Marathon is on Sunday, October 18, 2009.I will be competing in the half-marathon (13.1 miles). I've never done this race before, but it starts at Zorn Avenue and runs along River Road down past Waterfront Park and back. Flat course with a great view...should be fun!My training started this morning with an hour
- [Week of gluttony](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/week-of-gluttony/) - We'll, not really gluttony...but the closest I'll ever get to it. Once or twice a year, I will take a week and pretty much each whatever I want. The rest of the year, I'm pretty strict about my diet.This past week was one of these weeks. So what did I eat? Here's some of my
- [Ohio River Open Water Swim](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ohio-river-open-water-swim-2/) - Good learning experience today in the Ohio.Things I learned:1. Treading water for 5 minutes while fighting the current of the Ohio River is not easy! They had us all get in the water to "warm up" about 5 minutes before the race started. I swam out to the starting area and then began to try
- [What's that smell?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/whats-that-smell/) - It's the Ohio River!So they've pushed back the start of tomorrow morning's swim 90 minutes, so it will be around 10:15 before I'm in the water. This means I get to sleep a little longer!Spent about 15 minutes in the pool this morning working on a few drills, just to get the muscles moving again.
- [Wetsuits. What's the deal?](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/wetsuits-whats-the-deal/) - So the Tri Indy was the first triathlon I participated in where wetsuits were allowed for the swim portion. I had heard a lot about people using them in open water swims, but to me, I thought of them as just something else to slow you down in T1. After all, it's not easy getting
- ["You're going to swim in the river?"](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/youre-going-to-swim-in-the-river/) - KRAMER: Well my swimming pool problems are solved. I just found myself miles and miles of open lanes.JERRY: What is that smell?KRAMER: That's East River.JERRY: You're swimming in the East River? The most heavily trafficked overly contaminated waterway on the eastern seaboard?KRAMER: Technically Norfolk has more gross tonnage.JERRY: How could you swim in that water?KRAMER:
- [A little perspective...](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/a-little-perspective/) - After months of training, race day has now come and gone. While I'm not completely satisfied with my performance, I've put some things in perspective the last 48 hours. I competed in my first triathlon just over a year ago with very little preparation. Most of my swim during that first race was spent doing
- [The Good, The Bad and The Stupid](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-good-the-bad-and-the-stupid/) - Actual finish times:Swim: 00:36:58 (43rd out of 54 in my age group)T1: 00:01:44 (10th out of 54)Bike: 01:09:37 (7th out of 54)T2: 00:01:22 (16th out of 54)Run: 01:00:19 (36th out of 54)Total: 02:50:02 (30th out of 54)So my times we're exactly on par with my goals...but regardless of how hard you train, things don't always
- [Tri Indy in the books!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/tri-indy-in-the-books/) - So I didn't reach my goal for overall time. I finished with a time of 02:50:02, which is around 15 minutes slower than I had hoped. I could have probably shaved about 8-9 minutes off of this time with a better swim and run, but obviously my overall goal time was a little lofty.Even though
- [Ready to go!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/ready-to-go/) - Just finished up a nice dinner in downtown Indy with Jessica, Sona and Dave. Heding to bed soon. Morning comes at 4:30 tomorrow. I visited the race site earlier and checked out the transition area and drove the bike course. Course is pretty flat, but roads are not in the best shape. Can't wait for
- [Setting goals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/setting-goals/) - I'm a firm believer in setting goals, both in my professional and personal life. I'm a good self-motivator, but having a goal for myself and telling others what my goals are gets me though those tough days. It's risky, if I don't accomplish my goal, then everyone knows. On the other hand, if I never
- [Training is complete!](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/training-is-complete/) - Today was my last day of training before Sunday's triathlon. Tomorrow will be a rest day and I will probably run a little once I get to the race site to pick up my packet on Saturday. I spent 25 minutes in the pool this morning doing some interval work. 400 yard warm-up6 x 100
- [The taper continues](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/the-taper-continues/) - Short brick this morning wearing the tri suit. 8 miles on the bike, followed by a 2 mile run. Bike ran smooth after the tune-up, I sure can tell that the rear breaks were adjusted! Tri suit felt good on the bike and run, so we're a go for wearing it on Sunday.Last night I
- [Easy run](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/easy-run/) - This morning was spent doing some interval running on the track at the gym followed by some light weights. My intervals were pretty simple:1 mile warm-up run (14 laps of the track at the gym) at my race pace4 laps (.285 miles - yes, I know, it's a weird distance) at 90% effort - I
- [Trying out the tri suit](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/trying-out-the-tri-suit/) - Spent about an hour on the bike this morning at the gym (roughly 20 miles), and then hit the pool for 20 minutes of swimming (1000 meters / 0.62 miles). Worked pretty hard on the bike, but took it easy in the pool...after all, this is suppoesd to be an easy week.For my birthday back
- [7 days and counting](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/7-days-and-counting/) - 7 Days until Tri Indy! This will be my first Olympic distance race and I'm excited to see what I can do. God rested on the 7th day, and so do I...Sunday's are my rest day and believe me, I need them!Olympic Distance Triathlon = 1500 meter (0.93 mi.) swim, 40K (24.8 mi.) bike, 10K
- [Brick](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/brick-2/) - Last long ride before next weekend's race. Took White Lighting (that's my bike) on a 40 mile ride this morning, followed by a 2 mile run. Doing two disciplines back-to-back is known as a "brick". I wanted to practice the bike to run transition because to me, this is the most difficult part of a
- [First post](https://www.holisticathlete.net/uncategorized/first-post/) - Thought that I would create this blog so friends and family would be able to keep up with how my training and races are going. This might also be a useful tool for other multisport athletes looking for training idea's. My plan is to post as often as possible so check back frequently.

## Pages

- [Luke’s Race Results](https://www.holisticathlete.net/race-results/) - Indicates race done in tandem with special needs athletes 2026 2026 Spartan Cincinnati (Sprint) 1:26:45 (1st in Age Group) 2026 Spartan Cleveland (Ultra) 6:56:20 2026 Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Race (36M SS) 3:01:49 2026 Spartan Atlanta (Sprint) 54:21 (1st in Age Group) 2026 Spartan Atlanta (Super) 1:28:49 2026 Spartan Atlanta (Beast) 2:33:10 2025 2025 IRH Thanksgiving
- [About](https://www.holisticathlete.net/about/) - Hi. I’m Luke Powell and I am the I’ll get to the whole typical about-me stuff, but if you don’t mind let’s talk about you first. You strive to improve your health and life through fitness and nutrition. You balance a professional career with family demands, and you probably have children still living at home.
- [Luke’s Upcoming Races](https://www.holisticathlete.net/upcoming-races/)
- [Sponsors](https://www.holisticathlete.net/sponsors/) - Be sure and visit all of my sponsor’s websites. I sought out these companies because they provide great products and services.
- [Shop](https://www.holisticathlete.net/shop/) - Go here to purchase The Balanced Approach: How to Train for a Marathon In Less Than Five Hours a Week Go here to purchase The Balanced Approach: How to Complete a Full Distance Triathlon Training Seven Hours a Week Go here to purchase The Holistic Hundred Challenge Guide
- [The Balanced Approach Guide](https://www.holisticathlete.net/balanced-approach-guide/) - SAVE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS and 15+ hours a week while training for a full distance triathlon Conventional training plans don’t account for your busy lifestyle. Your kids, your spouse, sports, school, friends. You struggle with balancing it all. You want to reclaim your free time without giving up on your athletic goals. Hi, I’m Luke.
- [Thank You](https://www.holisticathlete.net/thank-you/) - You Have SuccessfullySigned Up! Click instant access for your copy of the Top 10 Most Common Triathlon Training Mistakes Instant Access
- [The Holistic Hundred Cheat Sheet](https://www.holisticathlete.net/the-holistic-hundred-cheat-sheet/) - ​Click the image below to download this handy reference guide to help you through the challenge! Click to download the Holistic Hundred Cheat Sheet
- [MET Photos](https://www.holisticathlete.net/met-photos/)
- [Blog](https://www.holisticathlete.net/blog/)

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- [local races](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/local-races/)
- [2014](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/2014/)
- [bike swim](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bike-swim/)
- [weights](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weights/)
- [strength](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/strength/)
- [balance](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/balance/)
- [chicago](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/chicago/)
- [life](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/life/)
- [diet](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/diet/)
- [eating](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/eating/)
- [milk](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/milk/)
- [bread](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bread/)
- [fat](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fat/)
- [cardio](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cardio/)
- [threshold](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/threshold/)
- [anaerobic](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/anaerobic/)
- [aerobic](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/aerobic/)
- [heart](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/heart/)
- [lungs](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/lungs/)
- [oxygen](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/oxygen/)
- [muscles](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/muscles/)
- [LT test](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/lt-test/)
- [muscle](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/muscle/)
- [slow twitch](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/slow-twitch/)
- [fast twitch](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fast-twitch/)
- [muscle fibers](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/muscle-fibers/)
- [ATP](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/atp/)
- [endurance](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/endurance/)
- [weight lifting](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weight-lifting/)
- [Shelbyville](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/shelbyville/)
- [Sprint](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sprint/)
- [Multisport](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/multisport/)
- [Ice](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ice/)
- [heart rate](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/heart-rate/)
- [5K](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/5k/)
- [max heart rate](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/max-heart-rate/)
- [transition](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/transition/)
- [recovery](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/recovery/)
- [natural remedies](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/natural-remedies/)
- [sugar](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sugar/)
- [detox](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/detox/)
- [acid reflux](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/acid-reflux/)
- [heartburn](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/heartburn/)
- [ACV](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/acv/)
- [apple cider vinegar](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/apple-cider-vinegar/)
- [bike laws](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bike-laws/)
- [MET](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/met/)
- [metabolic efficiency](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/metabolic-efficiency/)
- [Metabolic testing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/metabolic-testing/)
- [CO2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/co2/)
- [O2](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/o2/)
- [testing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/testing/)
- [Taylorsville](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/taylorsville/)
- [TriFest](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/trifest/)
- [knoxville](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/knoxville/)
- [challenge](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/challenge/)
- [rain](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/rain/)
- [Olympic](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/olympic/)
- [daytona beach](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/daytona-beach/)
- [sand](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sand/)
- [river](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/river/)
- [Halifax River](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/halifax-river/)
- [open water swim](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/open-water-swim/)
- [ocean](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ocean/)
- [beach](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/beach/)
- [vacation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/vacation/)
- [training](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/training/)
- [CTL](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ctl/)
- [Fitness](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fitness/)
- [calories](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/calories/)
- [fiber](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fiber/)
- [overweight](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/overweight/)
- [starch](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/starch/)
- [70.3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/70-3/)
- [buckeye challenge](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/buckeye-challenge/)
- [HFP Racing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/hfp-racing/)
- [springfield](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/springfield/)
- [cancer](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cancer/)
- [addiction](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/addiction/)
- [weight gain](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weight-gain/)
- [supplements](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/supplements/)
- [joint](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/joint/)
- [inflammation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/inflammation/)
- [pain](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/pain/)
- [tendon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/tendon/)
- [immune](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/immune/)
- [supplement](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/supplement/)
- [protein](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/protein/)
- [enzymes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/enzymes/)
- [digestion](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/digestion/)
- [mental health](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/mental-health/)
- [IBS](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ibs/)
- [fish oil](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fish-oil/)
- [vitamins](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/vitamins/)
- [goals](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/goals/)
- [resolutions](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/resolutions/)
- [milestones](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/milestones/)
- [fasting](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fasting/)
- [HRV](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/hrv/)
- [Ketosis](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ketosis/)
- [weight loss](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weight-loss/)
- [water](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/water/)
- [bottles](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bottles/)
- [bacteria](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bacteria/)
- [BPA](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bpa/)
- [balanced](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/balanced/)
- [DNA](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/dna/)
- [Genetics](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/genetics/)
- [gravel](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/gravel/)
- [road race](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/road-race/)
- [Detriot](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/detriot/)
- [Hastings](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/hastings/)
- [dirt](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/dirt/)
- [marathon](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/marathon/)
- [derby](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/derby/)
- [Rev3](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/rev3/)
- [dental](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/dental/)
- [teeth](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/teeth/)
- [cavity](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cavity/)
- [Injury](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/injury/)
- [Mulligan](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/mulligan/)
- [sprain](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sprain/)
- [heat](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/heat/)
- [Ohio](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ohio/)
- [Olympics](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/olympics/)
- [USA](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/usa/)
- [NSNG](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/nsng/)
- [grains](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/grains/)
- [no grains](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/no-grains/)
- [sleep](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sleep/)
- [productivity](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/productivity/)
- [review](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/review/)
- [motivation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/motivation/)
- [energy](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/energy/)
- [Learning](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/learning/)
- [Hydration](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/hydration/)
- [Outdoors](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/outdoors/)
- [Relationships](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/relationships/)
- [blood](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/blood/)
- [dehydration](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/dehydration/)
- [soda](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/soda/)
- [energy drinks](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/energy-drinks/)
- [donuts](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/donuts/)
- [vegetable oil](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/vegetable-oil/)
- [mushrooms](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/mushrooms/)
- [avocados](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/avocados/)
- [eggs](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/eggs/)
- [broth](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/broth/)
- [fish](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fish/)
- [Headfirst Performance](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/headfirst-performance/)
- [stretch](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/stretch/)
- [probiotics](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/probiotics/)
- [oil](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/oil/)
- [snacks](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/snacks/)
- [office](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/office/)
- [preview](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/preview/)
- [body](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/body/)
- [USDA](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/usda/)
- [meat](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/meat/)
- [plants](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/plants/)
- [vegan](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/vegan/)
- [vegetarian](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/vegetarian/)
- [sparkling water](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sparkling-water/)
- [Obstacle](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/obstacle/)
- [OCR](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ocr/)
- [Spartan](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/spartan/)
- [Cyclocross](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cyclocross/)
- [Relay](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/relay/)
- [sick](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sick/)
- [cold](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cold/)
- [weather](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weather/)
- [exercise](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/exercise/)
- [holistichundred](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/holistichundred/)
- [cycling](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cycling/)
- [racing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/racing/)
- [triplecrown](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/triplecrown/)
- [weightloss](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weightloss/)
- [weight](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/weight/)
- [hormones](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/hormones/)
- [workout](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/workout/)
- [health](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/health/)
- [fats](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fats/)
- [oils](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/oils/)
- [lifting](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/lifting/)
- [#2020 #myths #health #diet #sugar #](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/2020-myths-health-diet-sugar/)
- [COVID-19](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/covid-19/)
- [natural remedy](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/natural-remedy/)
- [wellness](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/wellness/)
- [smoking](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/smoking/)
- [drinking](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/drinking/)
- [nosugarnovember](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/nosugarnovember/)
- [kitchen](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/kitchen/)
- [cooking](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cooking/)
- [kids](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/kids/)
- [ventilation](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/ventilation/)
- [chronic](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/chronic/)
- [work](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/work/)
- [junkfood](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/junkfood/)
- [metabolism](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/metabolism/)
- [trail](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/trail/)
- [exercise diabetes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/exercise-diabetes/)
- [obesity](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/obesity/)
- [mental](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/mental/)
- [mood](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/mood/)
- [skiing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/skiing/)
- [anxiety](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/anxiety/)
- [stress](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/stress/)
- [fear](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fear/)
- [tension](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/tension/)
- [worry](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/worry/)
- [study](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/study/)
- [electrolytes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/electrolytes/)
- [checkup](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/checkup/)
- [greece](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/greece/)
- [myths](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/myths/)
- [gym](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/gym/)
- [resistance](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/resistance/)
- [brain](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/brain/)
- [aging](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/aging/)
- [drugs](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/drugs/)
- [BMI](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bmi/)
- [NAFLD](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/nafld/)
- [processed foods](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/processed-foods/)
- [processed](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/processed/)
- [bliss point](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/bliss-point/)
- [academic](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/academic/)
- [school](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/school/)
- [cognative](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/cognative/)
- [feet](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/feet/)
- [shoes](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/shoes/)
- [earthing](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/earthing/)
- [grounding](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/grounding/)
- [alcohol](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/alcohol/)
- [longevity](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/longevity/)
- [sweetener](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sweetener/)
- [sweets](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/sweets/)
- [fluoride](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/fluoride/)
- [HHS](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/hhs/)
- [carbs](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/carbs/)
- [marcos](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/marcos/)
- [science](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/science/)
- [autism](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/autism/)
- [tylenol](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/tylenol/)
- [research](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/research/)
- [saturated](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/saturated/)
- [saturated fat](https://www.holisticathlete.net/tag/saturated-fat/)