Reason Number 299 to always wear a helmet

It's always a good policy to wear a helmet during bike rides. There are many people who don't like to wear helmets because they think helmets don't look cool, helmets mess up their hair, they don't ride fast or on busy roads, or they never fall off their bike. I've had this discussion with a friend of mine who doesn't wear a helmet and I keep recommending that he does. I always wear a helmet when I ride and of course, a helmet is mandatory during races and group training sessions with Team in Training.

As you can see from the picture on my left, it's a good thing that I was wearing my helmet this past Saturday morning while riding in Central Park.

I was circling the north end of the park, when a rider in the left lane drifted into the right lane on one of the downhill curves. Normally that's not a problem unless I am already occupying the right lane. Add in the wet pavement and next thing you know my bike is sliding out sideways and I am slamming into the road. Luckily my head seemed to take most of the impact and my body protected my bike from any major damage. As you can see from the pictures, the helmet cracked with a visible crack from the bottom to the top along the left side.

View from the inside of the helmet

So in order to help those people who like my friend think that they are too cool for school and don't need to wear a helmet.

Here are the top ten reasons to wear a helmet while riding.

10. All the cool kids are wearing them.
9. Fashionable bike helmets are one of the criteria for PEOPLE Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. That's why Lance Armstrong, Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal and Patrick Dempsey made the list.
8. Even though you are an awesome rider; drivers, pedestrians and other riders may not be so awesome.
7. Especially for riding in Central Park - Tourists!
6. You never fall off your bike - until you do.
5. Helmets are required for many of the organized rides in the city such as those put on by the New York Cycle Club.
4. A head injury can ruin your whole day.
3. You won't have to listen to your mother say: "You should have been wearing a helmet," when you wake up in the hospital.
2. 900 People die each year in bicycle accidents, 75% of them from head injuries and 88% of all cyclist brain injuries could be avoided.

and the number 1 reason to wear a bike helmet
1. Helmets are less likely to damage the asphalt and leave a stain on the pavement.

Of course, the plus side of cracking my helmet and not my skull is that it gives me an opportunity to go shopping for new cool stuff. So below is my new helmet, a Giro Stylus.

Training Motivation

Team in Training coaches are willing to provide motivation to both TNT athletes and anyone else who looks like they need a helping hand.

Capital of Texas Triathlon Course

Last year I had the benefit of training for the most part on the race course that the NYC triathlon takes part on. While I didn't ride my bike up the west side highway in advance (not the most bike friendly road when the cars are on it), I was able to swim in the Hudson and run countless (and I mean countless) laps in central park.

This time I will be heading into Austin without the benefit of having trained on the race course. With the benefit of the official course map and a trip down to Austin for the annual SXSW festival, I have been able to remedy the situation. First the swim, and no I didn't jump into the lake and start swimming, although with the number of free parties and alcohol being consumed this week, some others may have. I nice smooth lake, no rough water and chop, but also no current assist as in the Hudson river. Apparently a bag of cheetos was able to finish the swim portion of the NYC triathlon faster than I did. Perhaps a new training plan base on a diet of Cheetos, or a new wetsuit design based on a colorful foil design?

Next up the bike ride. Across the River and up north into the downtown area. This appears to be a mostly flat ride. While I didn't have a bike to ride the actual route, I did spend a bit of time walking north into downtown. Although I usually didn't make it much past 6th street. 6th Street is well known for its selection of bars and live music venues which make up the little known 4th (or maybe 5th) leg of the triathlon. Depending upon whether you are counting transition as the 4th event in the triathlon, post race refueling is just as important an event. Being the team player that I am, I made sure to take some time and explore proper places for post race refueling. For example, this evening I visited the Chuggin Monkey. The Chuggin Monkey is obviously a friend to endurance athletes. Also there are a number of factors that are important to look into for a post race refueling location.

First, hydration is very important. Luckily there seems to be a good selection of beverages for re-hydration. Next availability of protein and carbohydrate past race meal. Once again 6th street seems to provide with a wurst stand and a taco stand on each side of the street and ready for consumption. Finally, whats the best thing for post-race recovery with sore muscles? A massage could be just the ticket. Luckily, 6th Street in Austin doesn't disappoint.

Located on the way to the Chuggin Monkey on 6th Street is the Midnight Cowboy "Modeling" Oriental Massage. Before you ask, no I didn't partake. Some things are best left to the imagination. I will say that when the doorbell was rung in the evening, the women who came to the door was neither Asian nor very happy to have people ringing her doorbell. Although, seeing an executive in the digital media/publishing industry performing the ring and run ( and I mean run) was worth the trip. Names and other identifying information have purposely been left out to protect the guilty.

Finally, the run portion. Got a little distracted by the post-race refueling. I was able run most of the race course and I will say that there seem to be no major hills and a very scenic crossing of the Congress Ave bridge.

All in all, I am confident that myself and the rest of the NYC TNT team will successfully complete our race in Austin as well as any required post-race refueling. For any Austin teammates reading this, I leave you with one final thought, "What happens in Austin, Stays in Austin."

Band at the Chuggin Monkey in Austin, TX

NYC Triathlon Team Training Begins

Today was the first group training session for the New York City Triathlon team. It was a little deja vu as we repeated the first training session from way back in December from the Capital of Texas team. It was practically balmy as the temperature read 41 degrees at 7:30am this morning as I was leaving to head to the park for the 8:00 am session. The difference this time is that I am now a mentor for the NYC team.

Today's run was a short fun to give everyone an opportunity to meet the members of the team and start getting into the habit of exercising. The muddy field didn't deter Coach Jay from stretching us out afterwards. Although we didn't lie down in the mud for core conditioning exercises. Maybe next week.

Two of my mentees, Catherine and Janine, enjoying the post run stretch.
While Catherine is smiling, Janine has her game face on!

Snowflakes in the City

Ironically enough the NYRR Al Gordon Snowflake Run, has been canceled due to snow. To be fair, the run was not totally canceled but converted from a scored race to a fun run. However that was not enough to deter the triathletes from Team in Training who showed up in force to run through the park for the morning GTS while training for the Capital of Texas Triathlon, St. Anthony Triathlon and the Gulf Coast Half-Ironman.

For those who decided to stay home, they missed a great run where the park was covered with a blanket of white instead of its normal green (okay for this time of year, make that brown). It almost makes you forget that you are in New York City. Even at 8:00 in the morning the roads were pretty clear. Just a few other runners seen in the distance, that is, until the hordes from Team in Training descend upon the scene.

For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to take an early morning run in the park after a snow, you don't know what you are missing. I say throw on your cold weather gear and take a run or at least a stroll through the park.

VIDEO: History of Team in Training

This year the national goal of Team in Training is to raise 1 billion dollars to aid in the fight against blood cancers. It's amazing to think that just twenty years ago, Team in Training began with one man trying to raise money for the Leukemia Society after his daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Please click here to support my personal effort in raising money for the society.
Thanks!

Who's Who in Team in Training - Honored Teammates

One of the great things about Team in Training is that you really feel the support of the whole "Team" as part of the training. Besides, making the experience a whole lot more fun, the group and team aspect can really provide the motivation and inspiration to keep going during a long season. There are many groups that make up the team. They include Staff, Coaches, Mentors, Participants and last but not least, Honored Teammates. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I'll do some posts about each of these different groups.

I thinks its fitting to start off with the Honored Teammates, who in reality are why we are all here doing this. The Honored Teammates have been diagnosed with cancer and often will train with the team for a particular event, either triathlon, marathon or century bike ride. If the thought of training for a triathlon or marathon on a weekly basis seems like a momentous feat, try doing it while undergoing chemotherapy. Yet many of our honored teammates do just that. Somehow, it just doesn't seem right to complain about being tired when the guy or girl next to year is running just as far and undergoing weekly treatments for Leukemia or Lymphoma at the same time.

One of the events that Team in Training organizes each season is the "Connection to the Cause." This usually takes place on a Saturday morning after a group training session for all the teams. At this event we get to hear from honored teammates and other cancer survivors about how the money we have raised for the society has directly impacted their lives. It really makes you feel that you are making a difference and provides the inspiration to keep going. Personally, I enjoy the social aspects and the physical challenges of the training, but its really nice to know that you are helping out a worthwhile cause and gives it so much more meaning than just going to gym.

There are two stories that really stood out for me that morning that I will share with you. One of the honored teammates who is training for the marathon team spoke about how the most important thing that Team in Training and the Leukemia Society provided for her was hope. She shared with us that many people, including friends and medical professionals, seemed to make statements that at best seemed insensitive and at worst callous. At the time, she was undergoing treatment she was not training with TNT, but had a friend who was training for a marathon or triathlon. After attending some of the team parties and events with her friend, the positive atmosphere and support that she felt at these events was worth more to her than any new drugs or treatments.

Another participant spoke about her personal conection to the casue. Her father passed away from cancer when she was 22 years old after being diagnosed when she was 11 years old. One of the many areas that the money raised through team in training supports is research into new drugs and treatments. While these treatments may not provide a cure for everyone, they are often instrumental in extending and providing a better quality of life. As this women explained, she wanted to give back to Team in Training and the Leukemia Society because she felt that as a result of new treatments funded by the society, she was given a second life with her father that she may never have had.

Whether it is providing money for new drugs and treatments, patient aid programs, family and peer counseling, or simply hope and inspiration; Team in Training and the Leukemia Society is providing help that is in many way unmeasurable to the families and patients fighting blood cancers. Please help the society continue in its mission to fight blood cancers and provide support to these patients and their families. If you would like to help, please click here to visit my fundraising page. Thanks to everyone who has and continues to support my efforts.

Two down ... three to go

Crossed the Bronx off the list of Half marathons as of this past Sunday. While I finished about five minutes faster than Manhattan, I definitely felt it more. It could be a combination of jet lag (a 17 hour flight from Bangkok, Thailand the day before will do that to you), too fast of a pace for the first half of the race, or the being on vacation for the previous two weeks, or most likely a combination of all these factors. The weather was not as nice as Manhattan being colder, windier and grayer, but at least it didn't rain. One thing for sure, I could have used a traditional thai massage after the race. Just one of the things that I will miss about Thailand.

Next stop, Brooklyn.

My First Half-Marathon

Today I checked another milestone off the list, I completed my first half marathon. I plan on doing the same thing again in June, of course I will be running the 13.1 miles after swimming for 1.2 miles and biking for 56 miles. Today was the first half-marathon of the NYRR Grand Prix Half-Marathon series. During the year, a half-marathon will be held in each of the five boroughs of New York; Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.

Most running events bring with them an assortment of colorful characters and neither the 30 degree chill nor the prospect of 13.1 miles was enough to deter Larry the Lighthouse. Although neither Wendy the Windmill nor Suzie the Sailboat were anywhere to be seen. I guess if I have one goal, I should have a better time than the guy running with a giant lighthouse on his head. I passed Larry as I begun my second lap so, I'm confident in reaching that goal for today. Although definite props to Larry for running with a lighthouse on his head. A friend saw him this year at the NYC Marathon and I don't think I could have completed a marathon dressed as a lighthouse.

Overall I felt good during the course of the run and while I ran the first half at a slow pace, I decided to pick up the pace during the second half and came in at about 2 hours and 20 minutes which averages out to a 10:41 mile pace. I still was running strong at the end of the race andfelt good afterwards, although the bagels were all gone. I knew I should have grabbed one as I started my second lap! A little soreness around the knees later in the day, but my leg muscles were not sore at all.

The best of the race is the chance to run with and see the various friends that I have made with team in training over these two seasons. It's great to have such a supportive group and really makes a difference both on race day and just doing the training. Keep your eyes peeled for some more posts about who the various people in TNT are.

Goofy Challenge

One of the things that happen after doing a triathlon is you start hearing about other races that seem very cool, especially if they are destination races. A destination race is on that people go to for the destination, just as much as the actual race. Now, some of my friends probably don't understand the idea behind taking a vacation and racing at the same time. However they also thought that doing more than laying on a beach in Costa Rica was strange.

I have this year pretty planned out with several triathlons including the Capital of Texas Triathlon in Austin, Texas, the Tupper Lake Tinman Half, Nautica NYC Triathlon, and the Montauk Mighty Man Half in New York. However some races have come up that I think will have to go on the schedule for next year. 2009 will be my marathon training year with plans of doing the NYC marathon, possibly the Paris marathon, and the Goofy Challenge. Of course there will be some triathlons on that schedule as well.

The Goofy Challenge takes place at Disney World in Florida. As the back of this years medal says "2 days, 4 Theme Parks, and 39.3 Miles." The Goofy Challenge is to complete the Disney Half-Marathon on Saturday and then the Disney Marathon on Sunday. Sounds like a good challenge, and of course you get the cool medals. Above is this years Goofy challenge medal, plus you get additional medals for the half and full marathon. Anyone want to visit Disney in January of 2009?

Polar bears join the TNT Triathlon team

Well, maybe not, although this guy would probably have enjoyed this past weekend in New York with the arctic air blast that hit the city this weekend. While Saturday's GTS was practically balmy with temps in the low thirties, this morning was damn cold. The arctic air blast had outside temperatures in the low twenties with wind chill even lower.

As a result, I decided to forgo the outdoor training on Sunday for an indoor yoga class and an hour on the bike at the gym. With an overnight low of sixteen and a high of thirty, tomorrow doesn't look much better.

Alot of people may ask, why head out to train when the weather is so cold. Of course these are the same people that may object to training when its hot as well. This all comes back to motivation, to continue training when the weather may not be optimal or when you may not be feeling optimal. One source of motivation are your fellow teammates. It's easier to make the effort to get out there when you know that other people will be there and counting on you to show up as well. Personally, I look forward to the group training sessions to catch up with friends and have a good workout.

Another source of motivation comes from our honored teammates. The honored teammates are cancer survivors who provide a real life connection to the very people that the money we raise for the Leukemia Society help. Many of them train with us for events, sometimes while they are currently undergoing treatment including chemotherapy. Its hard to complain that you are tired, when the guy or girl next to year is training just as hard and battling cancer. So what's a little cold weather after that.

And if this weather keeps up, the polar bears may be joining the run sessions after all. The main question is, how is he on the bike?

Dropped some LSD this afternoon ...

Once again for those of us with the more experimental college years, I am referring to Long Slow Distance runs with the emphasis on slow. The purpose for this type of training is to build up your base by keeping your body out of the anaerobic training zone and solely in the aerobic zone. Of course for me, the only way I am able to make any distance is on the slow.

So today's workout was planned for two five mile loops in Central Park at a 12 minute pace. I have never run 10 miles before so I was a bit concerned about the distance. But I finished the distance in two hours and did not feel like crap afterwards. So I think I will try for the first of the NY Road Runner half marathon grand prix this year, which happens to be the Manhattan one on January 27.

Swimmin, ridin and runnin

We have had fantastic weather in NY this past week which has been great for training. Especially since most of our training is outdoors. Temps in the fifties when we ran earlier this week and a beautiful day yesterday to ride across the George Washington Bridge for a ride up 9W in NJ.

Things are getting busy here in training land. This past week started our official swim training. Since I was busy on Tuesday night when the beginner/intermediate session is held, I went to the Monday night advanced session. While, I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt and was not totally exhausted at the end of the hour, I also am not fast enough for the advanced session. The end of the night involved a half mile swim to be completed in 20 minutes. While I did not think that I would finish within that time frame, I did manage to complete about 10 laps out of the 16 within the 20 minutes. So my plan remains to attend the beginner/intermediate workouts.

Due to the unseasonably warm weather, the coaches have tried to take advantage of biking opportunities when they can. The Saturday session was changed to include an optional bike ride across the GW bridge into NJ up 9W. Its a very popular ride for cyclists in the area with many riders heading up to Nyack to stop and grab coffee and a muffin at the Runcible Spoon. I believe the trip over to Nyack is about a 4o mile round trip from the NJ side of the bridge, so I haven't made it there yet. Yesterday's ride was a 30 mile round trip for me from my apartment to our turnaround point on 9W and back. It was a good ride, although I definitely was feeling it later in the day. I'm sure later this year or Spring I'll be up for heading out to Nyack for a muffin. I've heard they are worth it.

Later this week will be more swimmin, bikin and runnin. For today I plan on dropping some LSD with some other training buddies. Now for those of you who may have spent your college years not inhaling and in other experimental pursuits, I'm referring to a long slow distance run and not other activities. In this case, a planned 10 mile run in Central Park with some other triathlon training buddies. Looks to be another great day for running outside, sunny with temperatures in the mid to upper forties.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year everyone. Goodbye to 2007 and hello to 2008. Among the more traditional new years eve activities of parties in homes, restaurants and homes of random strangers that I took part in last night, I also got to experience another New York tradition. No, not the times square ball drop, I think given a choice of standing in times square or root canal, I would take the root canal. At least it would be less crowded. Rather, I took part in the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run which is put on by the New York Road Runners.

This is a four mile run that takes place in Central Park on New Years eve. The park is the site of huge party for New Years that includes a costume contest and music before the race and continues after as well. At the stroke of midnight, the starting gun goes off along with the fireworks and the hordes of people ringing in the New Year with a nice run around the park.

Another nice touch is the addition of a champagne station at around the second mile mark in addition to the water station. Although, I believe it was the non-alcoholic variety.

Midnight Run in Central Park (102nd St. Transverse)

Here's wishing everyone a happy and healthy new years!