Thoughts of a certain madman

Spirotiger - advanced respiratory training

2010-04-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

My Spirotiger just arrived this past week and I've yet to really test it out. What is the Spirotiger? It's a respiratory system training device. Sure, it's much more expensive than other training devices such as the Powerbreathe ($40), or Powerlung ($140), but this is the first true trainer that is meant to train your respiratory system in a very endurance-sport specific way.

When performing supplementary respiratory training (i.e. not when you are running or swimming or cycling), you want to be able to maintain a respiratory frequency and tidal volume that is quite intense. However, if you decide to do this without breathing into a bag (breathing your own CO2), you will end up hyperventilating.

How it works

To prevent this, the Spirotiger has a built-in breathing bag that lets you work your respiratory muscles hard (as if you were running a 5k or 10k running race), but you breathe a bit of your own carbon dioxide, which allows you to not flood your bloodstream with excess oxygen.

In addition to the Spirotiger, I also purchased a Spirometer to measure FEV1 and FEV6 (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec and 6 secs), which allows me to keep track of my progress with the Spirotiger.

I also purchased a finger pulse oximeter, which allows you to monitor the SpO2 % (or Oxygen that is saturated in your haemoglobin) to ensure that you're getting enough oxygen whilst using the Spirotiger.

A full review will come later... here's what it looks like:

http://crazymotion.net/spirotiger-appliance/wpym_yN6OXYkjAy.html

No, the girl does not come with it!!!!

Runaway Train

2010-04-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Goodbye
Your pocket full of dreams
Your mind in a daze
Keep on chasing rainbows
Fly high
Leave the past behind
The dark road you take bears no escape

2010-02-21T06:03:00.001-08:00

Intensity is what life is all about. It creates memories. Come the day when all we can do is sit on the porch and look back at what has been; they are all we will have. Even the spectacular failures will prove that we lived.

All the most useful information

2010-02-06T09:34:00.001-08:00

VO2 Max

When people use a metabolic cart to test VO2 max, they tend to leave the test with just one piece of data - their VO2 max test. Many people dread the test, because it pushes you to exhaustion, and many people rarely have the ability to get to the point where they cannot take another possible step.

However, I did the testing with a stark determination to get the information I needed. As a result, the test took nearly 3x as long as the normal protocol that this laboratory runs.

I wasn't really interested in the final VO2 number, which purportedly tells you how fit you are, by determining just how much oxygen you can actually use in your body. However, I have several problems with VO2 measures. Most of which is discussed capably by the author of the following link:

http://stevemagness.blogspot.com/2009/12/fallacy-of-vo2max-and-vo2max.html

Then what the hell was the test for?

I have been participating, with vigourous passion, in the Feldmann and Chlebek Testing System Forums. And I have been understanding some basic human physiology from an alternative angle. DISCLAIMER: all of you PhDs and MSc students in established universities will probably think I am crazy, but that's okay.

The Purpose:

So, the test that I performed with the Metabolic Cart was to examine the reaction of my respiratory system to increasing loads of exercise. Specifically, I wanted to see

1) How the depth of my breathing (Tidal Volume, TV), the rapidity of my breathing (Respiration Frequency, RF) changes as exercise got progressively more intense.

2) The rate of utilization of the oxygen (as measured by FeO2, fraction of air that is expired oxygen, i.e. oxygen that was not absorbed). This is an important measure, because it indicates when oxygen is no longer absorbed anymore by your muscles, and when your muscles move into a state of energy production that is independent of oxygen. (Commonly termed "anaerobic" by classical exercise physiologists).

The Procedure:

Initial pace: 9.5 kph

Step duration: 3 minutes 30 seconds (00:03:30)

Step increment: 0.5 kph

Once I reach a subjective "oh damn, this hurts, I cannot go any further", I turn the speed back down to the original speed. And then perform a second ramp-up back to the lactate balance point reference heart rate (LBP HR). The second ramp-up helps to confirm the findings in the first portion of the test.

The Results:

The following diagram plots RF and TV versus time:

Notice how Tidal Volume peaks very early into the first ramp up. This is very, very peculiar. I was running a very slow pace - around 6.8 mph or so. Compared to my half marathon pace of 8.6 mph, which is closer to 2/3rds into the exercise session (just before the second ramp-up).

Meanwhile, to support the constant flow of air, Respiration Frequency naturally has to increase. Think of it like this:

Ventilation (Air Supply) = Respiration Frequency x Tidal Volume

Litres per minute of Air Supplied = Number of breaths per minute x Volume of air per breath

If Ventilation keeps increasing (you need to get rid of increasing amounts of CO2 being produced from exercise), then either TV or RF needs to increase. In this case, TV actually starts to decrease and RF has to overcompensate. This is manifested physically in the form of weak, shallow breathing patterns that mimic panting. And this is exactly what I found to be problematic in some of my recent races. A lack of ability to get the air I need (or more likely, a lack of ability to intake oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide quickly enough)

The following diagram, meanwhile, plots FeO2 versus HR. Heart rate, in this instance, is roughly a function of time. Here are my thoughts on this:

1) The black upward sloping line at the beginning – this is the point where I assume the body is getting warmed up. As I started from “cold turkey”, the body is producing the energy (ATP) through the oxygen independent mechanism. It is not using the oxygen as efficiently as it should despite the low intensity. I think that this portion, I was running nearly 10:00 per mile at the beginning and slightly faster toward the end (maybe about 9:00/mile).

2) The first red trend line appears as though there is some sort of “steady state” reached. These points are well below my LBP HR of 167, which was determined through FaCT LBP analysis in December.

3) Now, once we cross the 170 range in the performance ramp-up, you can tell that the FeO2 increases quite a bit, which shows that expired oxygen is increasing as a percentage of total air exhaled. I would surmise that this is because we have crossed into the production of ATP that is mostly oxygen independent. As a result, any inspired oxygen isn’t being extracted to the muscles and is being exhaled again.

4) Once I reached my peak, I dropped the speed down to where it was at the start. Notice how my body goes into O2 dependent ATP refuelling stage – i.e. the downward sloping line. I wanted to walk very badly, but, I tolerated the “pain” and within minutes, my breathing and my legs felt better, and I did not need to walk.

5) Once again, there is another trend line that shows this “steady state”. I believe at this point, oxygen is used very efficiently, relative to all the other intensities I was running at. Note how FeO2 trendline is slightly lower than the FeO2 from before.

6) Again, once we get into the higher HR ranges, the 170 ish range, the FeO2 slopes upward noticeably again.

So this confirms two things for me: I have found my BI-STF-G (basic slow intensity fibre-glucose) zone, and I have found my FTF-G zone (fast twitch fibre zone). Also, that the original LBP test that I did with Absolute Endurance was BULLSHIT, and the second LBP test I did with Rick Choy was absolutely perfect.

Some issues for discussion:

- Why did the TV peak so early? What implications does this have on my training plan and program?
- Does this imply a respiratory system limiter? An inability to deliver oxygen from the very beginning point of entry? Is this a structural or functional limiter? How can I tell? If it's structural, it implies that my diaphragm and intercostals aren't as strong as they could be. However, if it's functional, does it imply that the amount of oxygen that is binding with the blood supply in my lungs is limited, and therefore TV did not need to be that big to support the oxygen inflow? (Don't forget, 21% of air is oxygen)
- If we are always only as good as our limiter (our bottleneck), should I always train with the view that I do not over fatigue the limiter?

And full disclosure:

- I am not an exercise physiologist.
- I do this purely based out of interest and identifying my personal limiters
- My relative VO2 max is 60.7 ml/kg/min for those who were curious.

Would I have done anything differently in the test?

- Yes, I would - I would have tried to elongate the warmup so that I can find my BI-STF zone, when FeO2 returns to normal at the beginning stage, so that it is not upward sloping.

Rethinking current exercise physiology paradigms.

2010-01-27T18:16:00.001-08:00

From someone I highly respect:

1.In case of existence of a CGM ( Noakes ) or ECGM (FaCT ) we would have very simply put 3 main situations where LBP may be influenced. a) In a "normal" helthy developping person , there may be a natural balance in developping respiratory systems , cardiac ability and metabolic extremity muscle development. This natural unique situation may lead to the point , where in a gradual step test the timing , where one of the systems ( heart , respiratory , extremity ) will reach a critical intensity of oxygen dependent energy production will be +0- at the same time. This gives us than the idea, that VT ( ventilatory threshold, CTT or cardiac threshold , and the non existing Lactat threshold as traditionally though for the extremity muscle are all reaching the limitation at the same time. b) There may be a real limitation of the respiratory system ( COPD ) or a simple cold in a normally healthy person. Now we will reach the VT first. So the respiratory system will have a limitation to move O2 into the blood and therefor to the heart and the extremity muscles. This reduced ability of the needed O2 supply will lead to a change in the VT as the first limitation , thna to a change ( less O2 available for the extremity and the heart , but the heart could beat stronger and faster, if it had more O2 , but now due to the lack of O2 it will kick in the CGM and the recruitment of the legmuscles will drop and therefor we will have a shift from FFA to glucose/ pyruvate - lactate- oxygen independent ATP prodcution , as ATP demand overrules the O2 delivery or ATP production with O2 = reaction + increase of lactate in the system . = decrease of LBP in a test. c) Respiratory syetm is good, but the caridac system is "fatigued" or we simply reach a limitation in SV and EF % and therefor the CO only can increase over HR. For us that could be potentially the CYY 9FaCT terminology ) for cardiac contraction time which is the result of HR x LVET . We use 30 seconds as a potential limitation, as over 30 sec. contraction time the filling of the coronary arteirwes is shorter so supply and demand of O2 may perhaps go out of balance. If this is the case, than again CGM will kick in with the now well known reactions and the lactate as a Bio marker of changes needed in the energy production in the extremity muscles due to the ATP demand and supply problem.

Heart rate training ... or not

2010-01-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

For years, I have been using heart rate training, thinking it's the be-all and end-all of guiding intensity through workouts. Of course, we are told the same stuff, that there will be day-to-day variation of heart rate levels for a given intensity because of dehydration (how thick your blood is).

Rethinking Heart Rate

You obviously run, ride, or swim if you're reading my blog. Or you're a secret AK fan. Haha. Whatever the reason is, let me throw a question out there:

Have you ever thought that everything that you have been taught regarding heart rate training is a complete lie?

If you haven't closed the browser window yet... read on.

Cardiac Output, not Heart Rate

If you've taken Phys Ed, you might know this equation:

Cardiac Output (CO) = Stroke Volume (SV) x Heart Rate (HR)

Where,

CO = litres of blood pumped per minute
SV = volume of blood pumped per beat
HR = beats per minute

It has been argued that cardiac output is the most important determinant of exercise. The higher the cardiac output, the better one's physical performance. Think about it like this - if we assume the oxygenation of the blood is consistent throughout the day (which it isn't, but since science likes to hold variables constant, we shall assume this), then for a given level of cardiac output, you are delivering x L/min of blood to your muscles for use. (Of course, another assumption is that we assume the muscles are able to make use of the oxygen at the same rate, day after day... which is not the case)

Increasing Cardiac Output:

If you increase cardiac output, it might mean that there is greater oxygen demand by your muscles (extremities, or respiratory). So, you can induce a higher cardiac output by beating your heart faster. But what about if you increase stroke volume? I.e. the amount of blood pumped per beat? Yes, that means your heart muscles are getting stronger, which means you don't need to beat as many times per minute, to achieve a certain level of cardiac output.

Waiiiit. You are telling me things I already know.

I know. But I have always wondered these questions:

1) Effect of low glycogen stores on heart rate. For me, my HR always increases.
2) Heat and HR. Hotter it is, HR is higher. Why?
3) For the same workout (same wattage on the bike, or same pace when running on the treadmill), why is my heart rate so different between each session, assuming rest and hydration are at similar levels?
4) Why does my heart rate sometimes not drop following an interval? Does that mean I'm not ready to go?

Anyway, this is what I have come to learn.

Heart Rate and what it's really for:

Heart rate, in the absence of other information, tells you this:

- How many times your heart beats per minute.

Meanwhile, it doesn't tell you any of the following:

- Creating exercise zones based on HR solely. Firstly, determination of maximum heart rate is difficult (how do you really know you've reached your max, especially if you are an inexperienced athlete). Secondly, heart rate is primarily a measure of the cardiac system and while there is correlation to other systems (respiratory and muscular), heart rate does not tell you about each of the other systems directly.

- You can't use HR to gauge recovery from intervals. If cardiac output is being reduced because of stroke volume (as witnessed by many elite athletes), then you won't know when to go again.

- Just because you ran at a HR of xxx bpm does not mean that you will have the same workout the next day. This brings up the concept of physiological stimulation. If I run at xxx bpm or xx:xx pace or hold xxx wattage, does it mean I am stressing my system out the same way? If I run at 136 BPM HR today, maybe my stroke volume is vastly different today than it was yesterday due to fatigue (lower ejection fraction today than yesterday). And you are producing less cardiac output. And you might be producing ATP from an oxygen independent source to make up for the overal energy output.

Further Reading:

I'm compiling a list of articles that I've read from the Journal of Applied Physiology and similar ones that discuss the importance of cardiac output. And weaknesses of heart rate training. I'll put them up when I find them.

Some more thoughts.

2010-01-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

PASSION

I'm not talking about just triathlon, or my studies, or anything else like that. I'm talking about my "passion" in general, whether I am talking about why VO2 max is the most RETARDED measure, whether I am talking about credit default swaps, or why I train 15 hours a week, so I can swim, bike, run in a circle.

When I talk about something, and I am passionate about it, or just display a lot of passion when talking about it, if the other person does not understand me, they tune out. That's fine. It's their way of saying "I'm dumb and I don't want to know why certain things work like this..."

- I f**king hate when people click the button just to get things done.

- I hate when people say run around this loop at xx:xx pace because that's what you need to do to get fitter. Have they ever stopped to think that the human body is so complicated that maybe it's not a simple rule of running xx:xx pace.

- I hate when people are doing accounting and "they just do it" because that's what they were told. Actually, seriously, that annoys me so much. And maybe that's why I hate accounting BECAUSE THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE NEED TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT. F**k it.

- I hate when people tune out on me when I am talking about something that THEY asked about. Especially when there's further explanation or the other side of the story. They just want to hear what they want to hear.

- Why the hell are swimming pools 25 yards or metres? Why do we do 100m repeats? There is no physiological reason to it. It's easy because the swim coach is f**king lazy and refuses to walk around on deck. (No, not you, Kelvin or Dan. I'm speaking about others)

- When I try to be proactive and try to help people understand what it is they're doing... why does it always turn into "AK, you're so arrogant, you're so overconfident, shut up, you don't have any right to tell me etc etc" ... listen, I'm just trying to help, or start an interesting conversation. This especially happens when I talk about stuff at work. To a lesser extent when I talk about exercise and fitness with people who are faster.

-----------------

Now that I've had my rant... I just want to thank Steve Bentley, my coach and friend, for sticking by me through all these years. Even when I kicked him to the curb, he still forgave me and took me back in. He is the role model for the perfect listener.

2010

2010-01-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

After some serious thoughts, I really don't know what I'll be up to this year. I've been thinking a lot about getting into a PhD program somewhere (first choice: U of T; second choice: WLU and York, tied). So, naturally, this has put a dent into training and racing. I need to keep my A average up in my Masters, which, should be pretty easy to do. I will also need to write my GMAT, as I want to aim to be in the 700s this time (it was so damn close last time).

With that in mind, I think that the early part of my summer will be spent restudying for the GMAT, and then writing the GMAT (hopefully once) in July or August and getting what I need. To be honest, applications for PhD programs start a year in advance, so, I need to get the ball rolling if I am to make this dream come true.

ANYWAY.

So, how does my training and racing fit into the grand scheme of things? The answer? It doesn't - I've decided that if I were to race this year, it would be a shorter distance triathlon, and, if I'm in outstanding shape by the end of the summer, I'd give Ironman Miami 70.3 a try. So far, my schedule looks something like this:

January to May - School - coursework. Training - lay down a massive base.

June - Finals, complete coursework for term

July - Independent research project.. and do some serious training at lactate balance point

August - Toronto Island Triathlon

October - Ironman Miami 70.3

I really do not feel like competing in any road races this year, simply because my running isn't where I'd like it to be. Also, the financial cost of running races is just too much (not to mention the recovery cost, injury cost, etc.). Given that I will likely be a poor grad student for the next four years, I can't convince myself to drop $70 to hurt myself for 90 minutes straight (make that 89 minutes??).

I don't like to write posts without pictures... so I will post one here. Apparently, someone who ran a very similar race to me at Scotia had purchased his picture set from ASI Photo, and I appeared in many of them. He sent this picture to me. You can just see how much I was hurting at the half way point in Scotia (the turnaround):

Things I'd like to see or happen for 2010

2010-01-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

There are always the obvious things - like, good health, good grades, happiness, etc etc. However, there are several things that I would like to see for 2010 that are not classified as essential, but are "good to have" items. So, in no particular order, here they are:

1) Sebastian Giovinco to become a star for Juventus, and to make the Italian 2010 World Cup team.

For too long, he has been playing second, third, or fourth fiddle to old stiffs like Del Piero or flops like Diego. This kid undeniably has the talent to do wonders in Italy, and not just that, on the international stage. He also has the aura of a "big game player", like Favre, Gretzky, and Jordan. Who could remember the impact he had on the game when he was subbed in during the Juve-Chelsea Champions League match last year?

2) Chris McCormack to win Ironman Hawaii again

I don't know why I have such an affinity for Chris McCormack. There's something about him that I thoroughly enjoy watching. His arrogance, his confidence, his style. I've always been very scared of uber cyclists when I race, and Chris has no fear of them. I remember in 2006 when he thought he could run down Normann Stadler. And in 2007 when he won, after letting Torbjorn and Chris Lieto ride away. I hope that I can rediscover my running soon so I can emulate my hero.

Ok ok, those were not personal resolutions, but, they would be definitely cherry on top of the icing. The following, well, pertain to me more specifically:

3) To Successfully do the 9-day Cleanse THREE times this year!

This one is gonna be tough. I felt that I was quite unhealthy last year, with bad eating habits, and gaining a bit of weight. Three times is difficult but if I can do that, I think that I can get back to my target weight of 148-152 lbs throughout the year. Currently I sit at 155-158 lbs, which is quite noticeable when I am in front of the mirror. I don't feel comfortable about this and I certainly feel it in my knees when I run!

4) To understand why and what is preventing me from doing my best from a physical perspective

Sure, this might be tied to the point before, but, physiologically, there are so many things going on in the human body, and that it is near impossible to improve from a physical point of view until you find the bottleneck (in Operations Management terminology), or, the limiter. Currently, I've identified that my respiratory muscles are the primary limiter when running (structural) and swimming (technique), and that my muscular system is my primary limiter when cycling. However, because the human body's systems are so intertwined, and that each system could potentially supercompensate for a weakness in another area of the body... you can't be certain.

So this year, I am not going to spend any more money on unnecessary gear. I have all the required items for training, but I want to spend the money on the testing and the knowledge that I am able to squeeze every last bit out of my performance.

As an aside, check out http://www.fact-canada.com/ and the forums there.

5) To understand why I constantly fail to maintain positive thoughts

Yes, I'm going to come out and be Chris McCormack about this: I likely train lots, and train hard, and train hard lots. However, whenever it's showtime (whether it's in school, work, or athletic endeavours), my mind always sells me short. I was talking to Steve Bentley, and he believes that I am always underperforming. Gareth, someone who I aspire to be, tells me the same. Well, it's time for me to face this problem up front. It's the second day of the New Year, and there is no reason why I can't face the problem.

With this, I leave you with positive thoughts, and a picture of Chris McCormack, on his best ever day in Hawaii, after seven years of trying:

Thoughts on wealth and happiness

2009-11-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a few weeks since I've had time to write my thoughts down - I have been that busy. Between exams in Accounting and Investment Management for my MBA courses, I have been dealing with a new job and a general lack of energy.

It's been two years since I finished Ironman Florida, and I have since signed up for every edition of Ironman Florida since. For the 2008 edition, I had the earlybird entry that was afforded to racers who raced in 2007, and then for 2009, I had waited patiently for the online registration to open and quickly entered. Then, some rash spending habits, unwise investment decisions, and the general downturn of the economy wrecked my chances of competing in 2009 in the event.

Triathletes are known to be big spenders, and, I am no exception. However, I also have expensive taste when it comes to cars, electronics, clothes, and anything related to my sport.

What I've Realized:

1. Finally, I have realized that for me to be happy, it has absolutely nothing to do with material wealth. This seems inherently obvious, and yes, I am pointing out the obvious, but, I've seen so many people who spend beyond their means (myself included), and buy tonnes of clothes, electronics, computers, houses, and whatever else for a short period of joy and utility, only to return to their spending habits once they've got tired of their latest toy.

2. My happiness comes from two sources: external and internal. However, the external sources do not have anything to do with material wealth directly. These external sources include: seeing my girlfriend/family/cats/friends being happy.

For me, my internal source of happiness comes chiefly from achieving a positive outcome with extreme hard work and suffrance. Why do I put myself through what I put myself through - such as triathlon or part time graduate studies while having a full time job? Because it challenges me to the limit and I enjoy this challenge.

And these two sources of happiness are linked together. For example, my family, who I know well, is happy, when I'm happy - and vice versa. This is a positive feedback mechanism. And we all become happier when we achieve personal, internal goals that we set ourselves, as they become happy for us, and we become happy for them for being happy, etc etc.

3. Material wealth will not make me happy. I used to go out and buy the super expensive computers or iPods or bikes or power meters or racing flats. Etc etc. I was very irresponsible with my spending. However, now, I have been saving my money. I realize that no material wealth is absolutely required.

I sometimes tell myself... "yes, that price on that bike is 75% off the regular price..." but is it necessary? Nope...

And so I sit here, with a bit more savings, thinking, what is the point of this blog?

Well, I just wanted to welcome myself to the Responsible Spending Club.

:-)

Eating and Exercise

2009-10-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

Judging by all my race photos, you might have assumed that I was fairly fit all my life. This was definitely not the case. Even after I started running and training for triathlons, I still had a bit of pudge. It was nothing compared to the time when I was 16 years old and 205 lbs. It was during that summer when my brother had to buy me a new pair of jeans, and he bought me a pair of jeans with 40 inches around the waist. Uh oh, that's when I knew I was in trouble.

This week's blog post is about the interaction between eating and exercising.

Eating for everyday health:

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. If you want to lose unhealthy body fat and feel great energy-wise, then you should stop eating all that bread, pasta, rice, and anything grain based. Even a little bit here and there. Start eating lots of dark coloured vegetables and fruits, and incorporate grass-fed meat in your diet for your protein.

If you're an avid exerciser - and I mean, at least 90 mins of rigourous cardio daily - that's when you can supplement with grain based carbs.

Exercising:

Nobody - and I mean NOBODY - should use exercise as an excuse to eat carbs, sweets, or food of any kind. Exercise should be treated as a separate vehicle from food, full stop. Exercise as a result of guilt, or exercise as an excuse to eat (insert indulgence here), it's just not right.

For people who exercise, the goal should be the following:

To develop flexibility, mobility, or strength
To relieve tension, stress
To have fun

The best form of exercise is the form you enjoy. In no way, shape, or form, should you be doing exercise that you don't like. There is something out there for everyone.

My own experiences:

Attached below is a before and after picture of me. One picture was taken in 2006, when I had finished running a 1:43 half marathon and completed my first triathlon. The next picture of me was taken almost a year later. Note that I had actually trained less in 2007, compared to 2006.

How come I managed to tone up and firm up so much? The answer had to do completely with the food choices I made. Here are my best tips, and these are generally taken from a few of my inspirations, including Steve, Gordo, Mark, and Joe:

The smallest choices you make define your success. For example, should I reach for almonds or should I have some low fat biscuits ... (answer is obvious, I hope)
Food is a reflection of your current lifestyle. Typically, under the periods of most stress, people go for the worst types of food. It's a really strong positive feedback mechanism. If you are under a lot of stress, have a look at what you will end up eating. Once you become consciously aware, make the right choice. Your moods will improve with better foods.
The people who are healthiest tend to eat the same during the weekdays and weekends
Sleep is super important and having sufficient amounts help to curb stress and unhealthy cravings.

Till next time,

Looking back at the year

2009-10-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

After yet another interesting end of the season, I've decided to do a different kind of review. A lot of people list out their races, their finishing times and position, and then talk briefly about the race. Because I had one of those seasons that Steve Bentley shudders at (lots of smaller races, without much goal or direction), I'm going to offer a season-in-review with a different style.

Proudest Accomplishment:

While I can't really say that there was one absolute defining moment, there was one moment that stood out in my head, and that was the Peterborough Half Ironman. Given that I DNF'ed Muskoka 70.3 last year, and DNS'ed Florida 70.3 earlier in the year, I was more than overjoyed to have finished a 70.3 distance race.

Yes, out of all the 2009 events, Peterborough was the only one where I had shed tears after breaking the tape.

Biggest Failure:

Still, my inability to break 1:30 in the half marathon is plaguing me. It's giving me nightmares. I've had three additional tries this year, and I'm going further and further away from my PB time of 1:31:33. Seriously, watching all my friends improve at the distance while I continue to languish in mediocrity has been very difficult to take.

I walked to a disappointing result in Chilly, blew up in Oakville, and had a very mediocre Scotia. And then another dreaded DNF at Toronto.

Most Significant Breakthrough:

It's a tie this year between mastering flip turns in the pool, and staying in the aerobars with confidence. Flip turns were definitely a big, big issue for me heading into this year, as I never found that I was in control of my breathing when I did flip turns; however, learning bilateral breathing this year really allowed me to become a master of flip turns. Even in a pool as short as 25 yards.

Staying in the aerobars was always a problem for me, from bike handling issues to really sore muscles in the neck and back have really contributed to my avoiding riding in the aero position. However, something clicked this year during the Welland Triathlon. I felt confident, comfortable, and fast, and did the entire ride in the bars, posting a PB 35.6 km/h average, and having a PB run off the bike as well.

Biggest Blunder:

Well, this one is easy. In the Toronto Island Triathlon, I was having the race of my life. A great swim, an even better bike, and I ran an extra loop on the run. The extra 700 metres of the run course cost me a sub 1:40 performance on the Island. It was the biggest, most absent minded mistake I have ever made in a race.

Most Impressed By...

While there were some amazing performances by my friends' this year on the race course, there were several results that really humbled me:

Adam Dunn qualifying for Kona
Gareth Scobie running 1:21 in the Mississauga Half Marathon
Victor Wong going 1:23 in his Half Marathon debut
Of course, my girlfriend Laura posting a near 30 kph average on the Florida 70.3 course
Syd Trefiak and Ryan Praet kicking everyone's ass, everywhere.
Ryan Power becoming a national champion, winning the Kelowna race outright.

Most Disappointed By...

I don't mean to continue harping on constant self failures, but it would be unfair if I talked about other people, so I'm going to highlight some of the lowlights:

Having to drop out of the Iron distance race in Ottawa in August, despite training for it all year
Not going to the washroom before the Toronto Half, despite the fact that nature was calling during the warmup
Not doing enough quality running, especially in June and July. Too much volume.
Not being able to commit to any single cause, but trying to do a little of everything - resulting in true mediocrity
Frequently changing running gait - going from forefoot to midfoot to heel etc etc.

Where to from here?

Obviously, if you know me well enough, I'm not one to quit. I am going to regroup and get stronger for next year, but just like in the winter of 2006/2007, I will focus on my running to get it back as my weapon. I've had a nice long chat with coach Steve, and I have made a vow to be decisive in my event planning for next year. It's very simple:

May 2010: Mississauga Half Marathon (Under 1:30)
October 2010: Toronto Half Marathon (Under 1:26)

It can and it will be done. I know. I'm putting triathlon on the backburner for next season.

This week, I am hoping to get some physiological testing done to determine some baseline figures for training, with Alan Couzens of http://www.endurancecorner.com/ to help me set up the training zones. Then, it's time to rock and roll.

The truth and nothing but the truth

2009-10-12T07:49:00.001-07:00

Hands up, people - who sometimes pretends to be things they aren't? Oh, yes, it's a sensitive subject for some. Or what about someone who pretends to be an expert when they're not? I am guilty of this all the time. My brothers call me out on it so much that it's hilarious. I've developed this trademark giveaway facial expression when I try to talk about something I don't know about. It's affectionately termed "the flaring of the nostrils." The origins of it aren't exact, but I think it's because I'm such a bad liar, that, when I attempt a lie, I want to burst out laughing, but I can't, so bits of my face start to twitch :)

I'm sick today, and I really need to start studying as I was given two take home exams for my MBA program, so, I'm doing my best to prepare for the studying - by warming up my brain with a senseless piece of writing.

The Truth

Which brings me into the subject of the day. I've been a liar all my life (ok maybe not a liar, but a fibber), and here are some of the things that I continue to profess even though it's a plain old 'front for some severe inadequacies.

1) AK as the student

Oh man, where to begin. I may have received straight As in my first year at the MBA program, but truth be told, I hardly deserve the straight As. I studied very, very little - almost even less than in undergrad. I likely lied everytime I posted on Facebook about how hard I studied. When really, I was either out running, swimming, playing PS3, or just listening to music. I did not work hard at all, even though I tell people I did. I coasted through the first section of my MBA based on my knowledge of economics, finance, accounting, etc from undergrad. I put in time where it mattered, so I did end up getting good grades in all of my courses, but to be honest with you, I really wasn't the best student and I don't ever think I'll be.

Unfortunately I won't be able to do this now. So that's why I'm scared SHITLESS of the next term. With the advanced accounting and investment management courses, I am in for a real beating.

AK at the WLU MBA Team Building Exercise, Spring 2008

2) AK the savvy expert of all things related to finance and investing

Another "oh man ...." ... don't even get me started with this one. I know nothing and only a fool professes to know anything about the markets, especially these days. Here's a tip (especially relevant in a job interview): say things that please people and things that they want to hear when asked. Or, if someone asks you for advice on "what to invest in" ... again, tell them what they want to hear. Don't get caught up in trying to explain to them what you really don't know about the markets. I mean, if anyone could have predicted the credit crisis of 2007-2008 and our subsequent economic downturn in 2009, they would have made a fortune.

Unfortunately, these and other events (September 11th for example) are just unpredictable... Go and read the book "The Black Swan" by Nassim Taleb...

3) AK the nutritionist

I have very strong views on nutrition and diet. They have been forged from my personal experience and by two others, including Mark Sisson (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/) and Loren Cordain (http://www.thepaleodiet.com/). In short, I eschew grains when I can, and aim for fresh fruits and vegetables. I also prefer meat and fat to starchy carbs. Kinda like Atkins, but with more emphasis on fruits and vegetables.

However, there definitely are limitations to this nutritional program and diet. For the majority of sedentary people, it works amazingly because... well... they are sedentary and don't need the carbs. If your body is already stocked full of glycogen (carb that is stored in muscles and the liver), any extra ingested carbs will be stored as fat. Meanwhile, protein and fat that are ingested are used structurally in the body and it is very difficult to overeat those. Yada yada yada ya ya... okay.

However, what if you deplete your glycogen stores on a daily basis through exercise? I have been known to recommend this Paleo Diet to athletes too. Which is probably a bad move. However, I don't know why I stick to this recommendation, especially when endurance athletes need carbohydrates. I continue to stand behind it even though I know that I need the carbs to continue training 15 hours per week in my three chosen sports.

I think I am fronting this because it's such a cool, natural diet. I love the thought of denying all those people who think that whole grains are "all that". But in reality, I'm going to have to eat carbs, and yet I am really the one in denial. I don't know all the science behind it either, and I continue to talk about The Paleo Diet like it's gospel.

4) AK the athlete

AK at the Milton Triathlon, compression socks and all, June 2009

Oh here's where I have the most fun with myself. I'm gonna be 100% honest here. I take myself so goddamned seriously. Almost as if I were a professional athlete. Almost like I made a living from what I do. So, I would plan my entire day around my workouts. Swim in the morning, lift at lunch, then ride or run in the evening, sometimes both. Often separating myself from other peoples' company for weeks, if not months, on end. And then when I do meet these people, either at work, at drinks, at school, or for any other occasion, I have absolutely NOTHING to talk about simply because I am so absorbed in my training.

But the truth is this. I am hardly a professional athlete. My results don't speak for themselves. I am as middle-of-the-pack as can be. I do what I do because it's badass (or I feel it is). I am mediocre in my chosen sports, but I feel like I am revered as some super fit world champion anytime anyone sizes me up at a race, or even on the street. Sad, I know, and that's the closest I'll come to feeling like Haile, Macca, Crowie, Phelps, or anyone of my gods.

I will continue to speak the lingo of the professional cyclist. I will continue to ride in the big gear when a drop to the small chainring is in my best interest (actually, I lie here too, I recently got a compact crankset for my road bike). I have all the fancy schmancy gear when the money could really have been used towards installing some lighting in the house so I can actually read this textbook when I am supposed to study.

And the epitome of my athletic career is this... I pick the small races, the ones where the real pros don't show up, so that I can finish higher up in the standings, maybe have a shot for the age group podium!

Summary

I'm not hardcore, and I admit it. I only look the part. Rarely do I play the part. However, I dare you to come out and say that to yourself. I dare you to admit that in public. We all have our skeletons in the closet.

This weekend, I was supposed to race the Toronto Half Marathon, but I am sick now, and likely will not race. This ends another season in the short career of mine. The reason I wrote this post is because I feel like I have to air out all these falsities about myself before I can truly achieve what I want to achieve.

I need to look at myself in the mirror and realize my shortcomings - maybe take myself down a notch or t wo - and then make a genuine effort to improve for next year. In every aspect, not just achieving a 1:2X half marathon, or competing in another Ironman. I truly want to be a good student, knowledgeable in various areas that I am supposed to be knowledgeable in.

Bravery

2009-10-06T16:44:00.001-07:00

What constitutes bravery, in the context of our everyday lives? I have had some time this week to think about this question because, as I reflect upon things that have happened to me recently, I have acted very much like a coward. So, I am going to write down my thoughts about this..

Bravery in the context of...

1) Embarassment:

While I won't go into detail about embarassing moments I've had in front of people, and trust me, I have had many, I feel this burning desire to avoid these people. Like, I have no testicular fortitude to try to talk to them, or even make eye contact. It's almost as if I worry that everytime we make eye contact, that person will think back to "oh my god, what a goof! I remember the time he...."

2) Shyness

What is this feeling of embarassment that all human beings feel at some point? And how do you overcome it? How come some people are able to not worry about it? I remember looking at a friend of mine at a grade 8 dance (my first ever dance.. I went to a single sex private school), and he just confidently strolled into the centre of the dance floor, while I was glued to the side where the walls were!

3) Fear

Where to start. Fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of not meeting expectation. I think most of us have fears, but not many have fears like me. I would say that I am one of the most paranoid persons in the world. And that's why I am now on my 8th attempt at trying to break 1:30 in the half marathon. Yes, this might be trivial. But it is not trivial to me.

In my short history of running and triathlon, I have had only one moment where I've let go of my fears, and gone for the ultimate goal I've set myself. At the 2007 edition of the Scotiabank Waterfront Half Marathon, I literally shut my brain off to attempt to run a pace I couldn't sustain. Sure, it was stupid, but I wanted to see just how hard I could push myself. This experiment ended disastrously - I remember walking towards the curb of the road at around 14km, and then next thing I knew, I was getting intravenous solution and woke up in the back of some medical van. It was explained to me that I got hyper dehydrated, due to not drinking water, and also that the gels I was taking had sucked water from my vascular system, and into my digestive tract to dilute the gels. Anyway. Too much detail, I know. Bottom line - I dug really deep for this effort and came up really short.

While I don't remember exactly what happened that morning, I wanted to say that I have held back in every race. I just couldn't reconcile myself with pushing myself to get to that level of effort again, especially for a race that lasts that long.

I'm still looking for the guts to reattempt an effort like that. But I obviously don't have that kind of cavalier, swashbuckling attitude towards racing anymore. It's like my brain remembers that super dark place I've been, and it's not letting me get there anymore.

--------------------------------------------

So that brings me to the question of the day... who do you think is most impressive?

1) The person who races exactly according to his/her pacing/HR/wattage targets set before the race. He/she felt great all race, and had a smile the entire time. And finished close to the front of the pack, maybe in the top third, setting a PB in the meantime.

2) The person who goes for broke... not knowing if he/she will make it. Obviously all is great if he/she makes it. But let's say he/she doesn't and blows up, and ends up jogging home, much slower than planned.

Unfortunately, I keep falling into category 1............

Baking protein bars!

2009-10-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

Laura and I are baking protein bars tonight. Here is the recipe we're using - taken from Mark Sisson's website: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Primal Energy Bar Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup slivered almonds1/2 cup pecans1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup almond butter (although cashew, hazelnut, walnut and even pumpkin butters will work well too!)

-1/4 cup coconut oil (check your local health food store)
- 1/4 cup almond meal (simply pulse approximately 1/4 cup of almonds until it creates a coarse flour)

- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp of raw honey (although, this is really kind of optional because the egg will help hold the mixture together)

-1/2 cup unsweetened whey protein powder (or 60g)1 large egg1/2 teaspoon sea salt1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries1/4 cup unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top

Method:

On a cookie sheet, toast nuts and shredded coconut until golden brown. In order for them to cook evenly, you need to shake up the tray at least once during cooking…trust us!

Once toasted, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped and the mixture becomes coarsely ground (sort of the consistency of bread crumbs).

In a mixing bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter (about 30 seconds). Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.

Add vanilla extract, honey and sea salt. Mix thoroughly.

Fold in nut mixture, almond meal and protein powder until mixed thoroughly.

Add whole egg and mix thoroughly.

Fold in blueberries/cranberries.

Press mixture into an 8 by 8 loaf pan (a modification that we made to keep everything crisper and help the bars to hold together).

Cook in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, sprinkle a ¼ cup of shredded coconut on top and place under broiler until top begins to brown.

Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut into 12 pieces/bars.

Enjoy or stack on wax paper/parchment and store in an airtight container.

Note: You can also add dark chocolate chips instead of the cranberries/blueberries (available at Whole Foods or health food store). If you add the chips while the mixing bowl is warm (from the coconut oil/almond butter mixture), they will melt into the mixture and you will have yourself a chocolate primal bar. Alternatively, you can just let the mix cool, then add the chips, then refrigerate the pan to get chocolate chip primal bars. The bars stick together pretty well without being cooked.

Nutrition Information:

Nutrition for 1/12 of the batch. Nutritional breakdown courtesy of FitDay.com:

Calories: 184

Fat: 15.4 grams
Carbohydrates: 6.4 grams
Protein: 7.5 grams

And, for those of you who feared they would eat the whole pan… the total nutritional breakdown for the whole darn lot!

Calories: 2,206
Fat: 184.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 77.2 grams
Protein: 90.1 grams

That’s 1659 calories from fat, 309 calories from carbs and 360 calories from protein. Or 72% fat, 14% carbs and 16% protein. A pretty decent Primal balance.

Knowing when to call quits

2009-10-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

This past week, I was told on separate occasions by two RMTs and one DC (who all happen to be excellent runners and athletes in their own right) that my hamstring has some serious irritation close to where the tendon is behind the knee. Of course, that hasn't stopped me from running, but evidently the running hasn't been enjoyable at all. I was planning on doing the Toronto Half Marathon in a couple of weeks time, but I obviously won't be able to run my best race.

So that brings me to the burning issues that I have been thinking about this whole week.

1) When should you quit?

There's a point where we should, but then there's a point where we must to avoid sacrificing the future for the present. This really applies to all walks of life, right? You might be an avid drinker, or smoker. It certainly presents a challenge to you to quit your current activities, as they bring you short term pleasure.

2) When willpower is not enough?

I keep reading all these Steve Prefontaine quotes. For those of you who don't know Pre', he was a famous American runner before I was born. He had such famous quotes as:

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."

"Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."

"The only good race pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die."

Contrary to what my coach(es) say, no, I am being realistic with you: I can't run the pace that you want me to run. Read it and weep! I'm admitting that I have hit my ceiling for this year. Sorry Steve, Darren, Scott and whoever else might have been a stakeholder in my training. It's not just as easy as "switch off your brain and run".

Sometimes people say to you: "Just put your mind to it..." unfortunately, this doesn't apply to anything with a physical (or physiological in this case) limiter. It's like asking me to drive a car through a concrete wall - it just ain't happening.

3) To live to fight another day, and,

Napoleon's saying: "Fight with the army you have, not with the army you want".

There's always next year, and the year after that, and the year after that. Obviously if I'm studying Shakespeare, but I am writing a calculus final, the skills and readings aren't interchangeable. And this applies to what I've tried to do this whole year too; training for a 140.6 mile race, involving three sports, does not translate into training for a 13.1 mile race. I've got an army to go for 12 hours straight, but they certainly aren't fast enough to get a job done in 90 minutes.

4) I'm just not having fun anymore.

So I think it's time to just sit back, relax, rejuvenate, and wait for bigger and better challenges. To be honest with you, I've wasted quite a bit of time writing this, so I better start studying my accounting and finance materials... I'm quite behind!

Peace -

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon

2009-09-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Time: 1:34:49.6
(Average 4:30/km pace)

239 out of 7,945 participants
31 out of 446 M25-29 age group
217 out of 3,412 men

-------------

There was no PB to be had this race; it was a particularly challenging race, with the weather being humid, despite morning temperatures being 15-16 degrees celsius. The morning started off reasonably well - woke up 2 hours before the race to have a nutella/almond butter sandwich and some fruit juice. However, I must have had too much water because I felt bloated by the time I jogged from the apartment to the start line.

0-10km - 44 mins and 39 seconds (4:28/km)

This was an interesting, interesting split. The reason I say this is because I usually hit 10km in 42-43 minutes in a half marathon, so that's when I knew it wasn't going to be my day. I had fueled with a gel at around 7km, which did not sit well, and the (big) breakfast had given me an abdominal stitch for the first 40mins. I was running reasonably well, with my HR pretty low, in the 160s. I thought I was running in a pack that really didn't run with much continuity and consistency with regard to pace - at some times, I felt we were going too slow.

10-21.1 km - 50 mins and 9 seconds (4:31/km)

I really struggled by the time we hit 13km - it was a case of "hanging on for dear life" - it might not have looked like it, given the superb (was it really THAT superb, lol) even pacing of my race. I took another gel at around 13-14km, and another one at 18km when I started to feel lacking in energy. The sprint up Bay street was particularly difficult, and I worked extra hard in the last 800m to ensure that I came in under 1:35, which was my goal for this race.

Where to go from here

I am running the Toronto Half Marathon in 3 weeks time, aiming for a personal best (faster than 1:31:33. The weather will be much cooler and the race is more downhill, with two significant climbs at 4-5km and the last km. I need to focus on shorter, faster runs in the next two weeks to really get that leg turnover going.... I'm putting away the heavier training shoes and bringing out the racers now!

Thoughts on Carbohydrate Loading

2009-09-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts from Team TBB from Slowtwitch.. sums up how I feel about CHO loading.

If an athlete gains [excess weight] during his taper for whatever reasons he will see a significant decrease in VO2max. As well, he will see:

A massive decrease in heat tolerance

Reduced performance on any significant uphills portions of the course

A direct impact on run speed.

So in a variety of quantitative and qualitative aspects, weight gain that takes place without corresponding fitness gains in whatever units you want to measure "fitness" equates to loss of fitness. Period.

That said, weight gain during the taper can be seen as a positive development too if that person has "overdone it" in training and the weight gain is restoring them back to "normal" and we see an increase in hydration, vitality, power output, or whatever other measure you want to take.

Generally this is an extremely small minority of participants at the sharp end of the game.

Unhealthy weight gain itself is generally attributable to multiple factors and not just "eating more carbs" during the taper. Hoewever, a noticeable craving for more carbohydrates during the taper is usually symptomatic of other, underlying factors that can combine with increased carbohydrate intake to result in very rapid weight gain and a hormonal shift leading to flatness and loss of performance. This could include:

Poor entry into their taper phase

Sleep deprivation

Increased stress levels

Poor control of diet and/or poor food choices that might otherwise be used to smooth out energy levels, leading to intensified insulin spikes, increased fluctuation in energy levels and a cycle of yet more poor choices

Lack of knowledge to correctly interpret these energy fluctuations and sugar cravings can easily lead to significant weight gains due to poor choices and understanding of our body, and easily so within a single week immediately in advance of a race.

We can help other athletes avoid hese errors by encouraging a more sophisticated understanding of the relationship between insulin, nature and timing of food choices, stucture of the taper, life management techniques, improved sleep habits and an improved pre-race travel schedule to avoid entirely the problems many poorly informed athletes face.

The Desire Is Evident!

2009-09-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

So for this Scotiabank half marathon for this weekend, the desire is definitely there.

All morning, I've been googling for some last minute ways to make myself faster, even by the second. I call this window shopping, online on the internet. Thankfully I have not actually bought anything yet, or else I'd have gone broke by now with all these gimmicks, Such as:

Breathe Right Nasal Strips - apparently they open up your nasal passages and let you inhale more oxygen. All I know, however, is that they will leave a nasty tan line, or, my boogers and snot will just freely flow out of my nose, making for a stupid finish line photo

Compression socks - no need to go there, we already know what they are "supposed" to do (yeah, right, whenever clothing company says that a pair of socks can manipulate the way your blood flows and the clearing of hydrogen ions from your body...... )

Acid Zapper tablets - as you know, a half marathon is to be run at lactate threshold intensity... apparently these tablets will help zap lactic acid from your body... To be honest, I really doubt that the acid zapper will do much (rather than give me a lot of burps, after mixing with stomach acid)!

Caffeine pills (to help shut off my brain).... why not just a cup of coffee?

Anyway, you get the idea. So instead, of paying for these things, I'm going with my own gimmicks... shaving my head/legs for the maximum aerodynamic advantage, wearing spandex, and drinking the remaining pouches of gastrolyte (contains the same electrolytes found in Acid Zapper), which my doctor prescribed for me following my 3 day love affair with the Norwalk virus!!

Lactate Threshold Testing

2009-09-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.fact-canada.com/LactatePro/lactate-pro-portable-analyzer.html

If I can scrape together half a grand, I would purchase this device in a heartbeat.

And in my perfect world of worlds, I would sneak this into Laura's lab at U of T, and concurrently give myself a lactate threshold test at the same time as a VO2 Max test (not for the purposes of eliciting a MVO2 figure), so I can find out the values of my respiratory exchange ratio at each level of heart rate and the associated lactate production!

Damnit, I'm a genius. Or am I? I stole this idea from Alan Couzens, from endurancecorner.com.

Actually, to be honest, I am going to engage Alan to do some consulting work for me to plot out those numbers exactly. I need to find out why I keep bonking 12k into a half marathon. He's got the exercise science background to do those stoichiometric calculations that I can't do. Or, I've forgotten how to. I mean, everything Dr. Damji taught me in Grade 12 chemistry has definitely gone down the drain!

Ideally, Alan will help me plot out a graph like this, so I can train not just harder, but smarter as well:

This is the third time

2009-09-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

And third time's the charm. I've decided to start writing again because I am having troubles getting my thoughts out. I've decided to completely remove any references to my full name on this page because of the potential privacy issues these days. You never know who on earth might be reading ... your current or future employer, some acquaintances you'd rather forget, etc etc!

An epic, epic race awaits me this weekend on the streets of Toronto in the Scotiabank Waterfront Half Marathon. I haven't properly trained for this race (I maintain that a long season of swim, bike, run does NOTHING for half marathon fitness), and the weather isn't looking too kind. The heavens will open up and it will likely rain heavily. Actually, this race may go down in notoriety simply because of my lack of training and the crazy weather... and of course, we never remember the perfect days in our lives. We just remember the ones that really, really sucked!