Training can take a toll!

The temperature outside was nice and cool, the air was almost completely still...perfect weather for mountain biking!  I was nearing the halfway point in my ride...about 6-miles out from where I had parked, when I decided to take a little different route than I had originally intended.  I ride alone most of the time, and when I ride alone, I limit the amount of chances that I take...for obvious reasons.  My split second decision to go left rather than right, would not take me to an area that I consider dangerous...unfamiliar would be a better way to describe it.  I suppose however, in the sport of mountain biking, unfamiliarity can lead to some degree of danger...kind of like choosing the Red pill or the Blue pill.  Lesson learned.

My choice to go left had resulted in a very challenging, technical climb through loose rocky terrain...nothing too different than anything I have encountered during my years of riding mountain bikes.  With my lungs searing and my legs running on empty, I crested the short climb and found myself looking down at a challenging, rocky downhill section...one which I had never attempted before.

One of the rules of mountain biking is to maintain speed.  What I mean by that is if you slow down too much, balance becomes a factor as does stuffing your front tire into a rock, and going for a tumble.  So...while many have heard the phrase "speed kills"...in the mountain biking world, speed saves.  I'll be honest with you all...it can be a little daunting carrying the appropriate amount of speed to prevent the dreaded 'front wheel stuff' when you are heading down steep, rocky, loose, and unfamiliar territory.

Another well known rule of the sport is too look ahead.  It sure sounds simple...I know.  Lifting your eyes and looking ahead however, is one of the most difficult tasks on a mountain bike.  It is very easy, and common, for a rider's vision to become focused on the ground just inches in front of the tire.  Short-sighted vision often causes the rider to look too long at a particular object...like a rock or cactus.  Looking too long at something usually results in a crash...into that particular object!  So...riders who are able to lift their field of vision often crash less, and ride faster.

So anyway...I crested the hill and was met with a very challenging descent.  One which would require me to maintain speed,but not too fast...while going slow, but not too slow.  Sounds fun huh?  I stopped atop the hill and quickly sized up my challenge, picking out the line that I thought would get me down with the least potential for crashing.  The bottom however, was out of sight.  The trail turned left after about 50-feet, which meant that I would have to perform another size-up...on the fly. 

I began pedaling, dropping into the descent and grabbing the line I had picked out moments before.  I pushed on the handlebars as I slid my rear end off the back end of the saddle, keeping my weight shifted toward the rear of the bike so the front wheel could 'float' over the terrain.  My line was working out great, and I was able to stay off the brakes and keep my speed up...all was going well.  I neared the apex of the turn where the trail bent to the left, and quickly picked my next line.  Again I was able to pick up some speed and avoid stuffing the front wheel. As I neared the bottom, I realized that my line was going to take me directly into an area that was full of thick, loose granite, followed by a quick right turn...not what I had anticipated.

My eyes opened wide...a reflexive action that is part of the sympathetic nervous system...the fight-or-flight response.  My brain was taking in as much information as possible, while conscious and subconscious thoughts began to direct my actions...all of which was happening over a period of one or two seconds.  The human body is amazing!  In an instant I knew that I was in trouble.  If I grabbed the brakes too hard, I would end up going over the handlebars onto the rocks.  If I modulated the brakes, I could slow the bike too much, and stuff my front wheel into a rock, which would also result in a quick trip over the handlebars.  If I maintained my speed, I would enter the mini 'gravel pit' too fast, which would most certainly cause my wheel to turn sharply to the left or right...again I was going over the handlebars...in this case however, I would at least land in gravel rather than solid rock. 

The choice was made...keep up the speed and do my best to not let the front wheel wash-out in the thick stuff.  Seconds later, I felt a tremendous amount of pain in my left thigh as my wheel was forcefully turned to the left, by the thick, loose granite.  As my wheel turned left, my body kept going forward...something about a body in motion stays in motion...inertia...kinetic energy...blah, blah, blah.  That Newton was one smart guy!  What that law states is that a body (me) in motion (riding my bike) will stay in motion unless acted upon by another force...which in this case was the handlebars of my bike, and of course...the ground.

You see, as my wheel was turned 90-degrees to the left, so too were my handlebars, thus placing the left end of my handlebars in close proximity to my left thigh...wonderful.  As Newton's law unfolded, my thigh made contact with the end of the bar, as my bike made contact with the ground...while I was still moving forward, exerting a large amount of directed energy right into my thigh.  Yep, it was painful...and to make matters worse,  I would have to ride another 6-miles back to the car.  Fortunately, I had bar end-plugs on my handlebars, or I would have taken a rather large, deep tissue sample from my thigh!

This is gonna be ugly tomorrow!

Please understand that I am not complaining...just sharing :) That's mountain biking!

Until next time....

Some Bad News...and then a little more.

Yesterday, after blogging for the day (and forgetting to push it out to Facebook), I was able to finally make phone contact with the Marketing Director at Intense Cycles.  I explained to him who I was, and what I was doing, and that I was hoping that his company would be able to help me out along my journey.

He then, proceeded to tell me that while he thought it was a great idea, and certainly a worthy cause to support...they would not be able to help me out.  Not one to take no for an answer...well, at least not the first time around...I asked if he could at least help by selling me a frame and fork at their cost.  This time I took no for an answer.

So...what this means is that I will just have to spend the money and purchase the frame, and hope that I am able to secure some help for the remaining components.  It's tough out there right now for small businesses, so I completely understand their position, and I harbor no ill feelings whatsoever.  Oh, by the way, pay no mind to the dartboard in my garage with the intense cycles logo in the middle!  Just kidding...just kidding.

Today however, is a different story.  Today was a training day, and on training days...I get to ride my bike!  After sorting through some other pressing issues this morning, I was finally able to get suited up, load my bike on the trusty Honda Element, and head out to a great riding spot not too far from my home...the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve trail system.

The Phoenix Sonoran Preserve

The trails in the preserve are, for the most part, multi-use trails, which means that hikers, bikers, and horses can use them.  Trails of this type are rather wide to allow for multiple users, and therefore not technically challenging.  The challenge of these trails lie in the climbing.  Right out of the parking lot, riders are met with a grueling climb before they are even given the chance to warm-up...it's what I like to call a rude introduction to the ride.  The climbs make for some great training, and the views of the surrounding desert make the multi-user aspect of these trails somewhat tolerable.

The last time I set out to get some training in on this system, I took my single-speed bike.  A single-speed bike, for those who are not familiar, has but one lonely gear...hence the name, single-speed.  Single-speed mountain bikes are a lot of fun...if by fun you mean pain.  Mountains are full of steep climbs, and the 30-speed drive train...that's right, I said 30...that I have on my other bike, makes climbing super-steep, super-rocky uphill sections easier.  Take away 29 of those gears, and then you've got a pain inflicting, torture machine.  If it's so much torture, then why ride it?  Huge gains in leg strength and power...both of which are absolutely necessary for climbing.  I simply view it as a training tool.

So as I was saying...the last time I took on these trails, I did it on my single-speed.  Big mistake.  Aside from the torturous hill climbing, my bike broke while I was about 10-miles out...yep, that's a long hike back in riding shoes!  Fortunately, I was able to fix it enough that I was able to ride it, but I certainly was not going to be able to climb back out of the area I had dropped into.  So after a lot of hiking, and some adventurous riding through some pretty sketchy areas, I found my way back out to a paved road, and made my way back to the parking lot...some 20-miles later.  Today's ride would prove to be only slightly better.

After hitting the trail, and cresting that first brutal climb out of the parking lot, I was starting to feel good...to feel that flow that riders experience.  I made my way along, traversing the mountain that I had just conquered, looking forward to the fun, fast downhill section that I knew was right around the corner.  My heart raced with anticipation of what I was about to experience, and my eyes opened wide as my brain signaled my fight or flight system to engage.  Today however, there would be no fighting...just flying!

For the next half-mile or so, I was in heaven.  There is nothing better on a mountain bike than bombing a downhill section...riding ride on the edge of being out of control.  As Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) said to Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) in the movie Days of Thunder..."Loose is fast, and on the edge of out of control."  As I neared the bottom of my little roller coaster ride, I shifted down...into a lower gear, as I could see that there was a sharp turn coming up that would take me across a dry wash bed, then quickly swing me back to the right...right into a short, steep, rocky little climb.  As I floated across the sandy wash, I began to pedal in anticipation of the climb.  I noticed a funny clicking feel in my right foot as I pedaled, but thought it was just the cleat on the bottom of my shoe getting a little loose.  As the terrain quickly transitioned from relatively flat and sandy, to steep and rocky, the clicking got worse...and then a little worse as I mashed the pedals in order to make the climb.  And then...Well...then my pedal broke...and I fell to the nice soft, pillow-like ground.  NOT!  I did fall, but there were no pillows to be found...just very hard, unforgiving rocks.

It doesn't work too well when you can hold it in your hand!

As you can see in the picture above, the pedal came right off of the spindle...and pedals don't work too well when they don't stay attached to the spindle!  Fortunately, I wasn't too far out.  I was able to find a trail spur that led into a neighborhood not too far from where I had parked.  I made my way out to the road, and limped my bike back to the car...and called it a day.

I might have to think twice before heading back there again...the third time could be really bad!

Ellsworth for Sale!

I received my replacement frame from Ellsworth the other day, and all I can say is WOW...what a beautiful frame!  The 2013 model has some new great looking new graphics that really help to set off the amazing lines of this beautiful frame.

A true piece of art!

This frame is truly a piece of art however...for me, it is time to move on to something different.  Something that has the ability to be built up to keep pace with some of the most technologically advanced road bikes!  So what does this mean, you ask?  It means that this beautiful, super light, carbon race frame could be yours!  That's right, it is up for sale, and ready for you to take it home!

I plan to use the money from the sale of this frame to help with the build project for my new bike...of which I do not yet possess!  I am still waiting to hear back from Intense Cycles about my request for support.  I am also still awaiting a response from Reynolds Cycling about my request for some wheelsets.  Hopefully, they will understand just how beneficial the Ride 430 Challenge is, and graciously provide me with much needed support.  If not...well, let's not go down that road just yet.

I did get in touch with John Greenway, the Big Cheese, the Head Honcho...the Chairman of the Ride for Semper Fi organization.  It looks like I'll be sporting official Ride 430 Team gear for my 12-hour solo endurance race on December 1st!  This means that I will be accepting per-mile donations, which will go towards next year's fundraising drive for our injured heroes.  More on that later...but be forewarned...I WILL be hitting you all up for donations!

Until next time....

Time to Build a Bike!

Those of you who have followed me before may remember that I was fortunate enough to be sponsored by a great U.S. bike company...Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes.  I chose to solicit the support of Ellsworth because they are known as an extremely high quality company that hand builds their bikes.

Unfortunately, I have had a few problems with the carbon frame that they graciously donated me, so now I am on the hunt for something different.  You see...I really need to build up a bike that can keep pace with those sleek, fifteen-pound road bikes that the rest of the team will be riding.  That means I have to build this thing up really light!  I also have to be able to quickly and easily swap out a part here and there, and have it ready for off-road use,  as I will be using this bike for both short track and endurance mountain bike events.

I believe I have found my weapon of choice...in fact, it's beautiful lines grace my blog page.  Yep, that's it to the left there...she's a beaut ain't she Clark?!

This bike is manufactured by another U.S. company located in Temecula, California.  The company in called Intense Bicycles, and like Ellsworth, they hand build their incredible machines.  This particular bike is named Hard Eddie...but I'll just call it Ed.  The great thing about this bike, is that it can be paired with a proprietary rigid fork...which will be great for the road.  Come race day, I'll swap it out for a nice cushy suspension fork, and be ready to roll over some rocky desert trails, at high speeds...for 12-hours or so.

As I did with my other bike, I am attempting to seek support from Intense...basically, I'm trying to get this bike for a highly discounted rate.  Bikes these days are uber-expensive, and this one will be even worse due to that fact that I will need to double-up on some of the components to make it a 'road' and mountain bike.  I have figured somewhere in the area of about $8,000!  That's just too much money for me to shell out for a bike on my own, which is why I have decided to seek support from Intense, and other bike component manufacturers to help me use my love of mountain biking, to raise money for our wounded heroes.

I plan to share with all of you the challenges I face, as a regular guy, trying to secure 'pro' sponsorships from these companies.  These challenges however, pale in comparison to those that our nations heroes face.

Follow along, and become a fan of the page!

The Hard Eddie 29er...a beautiful bike!

Here I go again...

Hello everyone, it's been a while since I last blogged, and I am feeling a bit rusty!  Many of you have never seen my blog before, so for those of you who are new...I'll give you all a very brief rundown of what has taken place here in the past.

Nearly two years ago, I decided I would enter a mountain bike race...but not just ANY mountain bike race!  Nope...I went big right out of the gate...I signed up to race in the 2011 World Police and Fire Games.  The WPFG attracts firefighter and law enforcement 'athletes' from all over the world, to compete in over 60 different events.  Believe it or not, the WPFG are the second largest multi-sport event in the world...second only to the Summer Olympic Games!  So yeah...it's kind of a big deal.

Anyway...I chose to use this platform to chronicle my journey towards competition.  I had some weight to lose, and some riding shape to get into...so I figured this would provide some level of accountability for me.  And...it did!

I trained for roughly 9-months, and shared virtually every detail of my journey along the way.  By September 2011, I was in peak physical condition, and ready to compete.  Hurricane Irene (remember her?) however, wasn't feeling it.  You see, the 2011 WPFG were being held in New York, and the surrounding areas.  Irene decided she would come in and wreak havoc on New York and New Jersey, and effectively served to cancel a number of WPFG events...including Mountain Bike Racing! 

So...there you have it...but wait, this time it's different.  Last time it was all about me.  This time, it's all about someone else.  Sure, I'll be the subject of this chronicle however, the end result is me being prepared to ride a mountain bike 430 miles, in just four days. 

Why you ask?

To raise awareness and financial support for injured United States Marines, and their families.  I have committed to join the 2013 Ride 430 Team.  The Ride 430 Challenge is a non-profit cycling event that helps give America's injured military service members and their families, hope and assistance as they travel the road to recovery.

The Ride is a four-day, 430-mile challenge in which cyclists complete more than 100 miles per day, some of which are brutal mountain climbs.  In addition to training and completing the ride, each participant must raise funds for the cause.  The average rider raises more than $6,500 for this amazing cause; more per rider, than any event of it's kind.  The 2012 campaign raised nearly $500,000!

Money raised by the Ride 430 Challenge team supplements military assistance and bridges gaps to help injured service people and families who have lost loved ones, recover.  The funding helps provide everything from financial assistance, scholarships and adaptive sports equipment for injured heroes, to camps for kids who've lost a parent in combat.

It is truly an amazing organization, and I am proud to say that I am now part of the Ride 430 Challenge family.

So...over the next 12-months I will be sharing with each of you, my journey.  A journey that will be comprised of many different challenges including fundraising, sponsorship support, training, and of course...the Ride!

Let's talk about the ride...

This event is a road bike ride...yep, you heard right...a road bike ride.  I am not a road biker...or roadie, as the are affectionately referred to.  I am a mountain biker...remember?  In an attempt to hold true to my mountain biker roots, I have elected to complete this 430 mile ride on a mountain bike.  I know, I know, stupid huh?  Here's the real deal...

A friend of mine (Josh), has been a part of this event for the past two years.  He has raised an incredible amount of money...in fact, he raised nearly $50,000 this year alone!  He has held fundraising events at a wine bar...Brix Wine Spot...which is located in Cave Creek, Arizona.  The owner of Brix (Bryan) and I were talking one day about the ride.  In fact, he probably doesn't even remember the conversation.  Anyway...we were talking, and I told him that if he would do the ride, I would do it on a mountain bike.  Well....last week he apparently went 'all in' and has committed to ride next year.  So you all understand what that means right?  As a man of my word (whether he remembers it or not), I have now committed to participate as well...on a mountain bike.

So...in the coming months you will no doubt be asked to assist in some way (most likely financially) to help the Ride 430 Challenge team break yet another financial goal.  The 2013 Ride 430 Challenge ride is officially on YOUR radar screen!

Check out the Ride 430 Challenge by clicking on the link under the Check Out These Links ection on the right side of this page.

48 Hours in Panama...The Conclusion!

Alrighteee then...let's wrap this thing up!

Dinner at Manolo Caracol was awesome!  It was an eight-course Tapas menu...however, I'm pretty sure we had at least ten courses!  All of the food was incredible, but my favorite was the pumpkin soup, which had a hefty chunk of lobster meat in it...very good!  We also had a very good bottle of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, which I selected from the most interesting wine list I have ever seen.  

This is a cool wine list!

The wine list was presented on a pizza peel.  For those of you who are not familiar with a pizza peel, it is the utensil used by pizza chefs and cooks to place pizza in, and remove it from the oven.  I am not sure if pizza is a staple of the Panamanian culture...but the peel made for a really cool wine list!

We called it a night fairly early...no partying in Panama City for us!  Scott and I had an early start the next morning, as we would be testing one more of the Adidas team who was unable to make it to testing the day before.  This individual's tests were slated to begin at 0600, which meant that I would need to be up by 0500, and downstairs to set up in the hotel fitness center by 530.  We would need to have testing wrapped by 0630, and on our way to Adidas HQ by 0700.  We were meeting with the team to introduce them to Daily Prep...you know, the light exercise program that we were supposed to do the day prior...but instead ended up jogging...and breaking my feet :)

The Hotel gym..nicer than many fitness clubs I've been too!

We arrived to find the room already set up for Daily Prep, complete with exercise mats and towels.  The only thing missing...tennis balls.  Yep, that's right, tennis balls.  We use tennis balls as tools to perform various self-massage techniques, that serve to improve blood flow to tired, achy, over-used muscles; 'turn on' under-active muscles, and improve both flexibility and mobility.  Quite the list of possibilities for such a basic little tool huh?

All set for Daily Prep

Daily Prep went off without a hitch...there were a few moans and groans as the group experienced the benefits of self-massage, or self myo-fascial release, as it is officially known.  This is to be expected, and honestly, if the moans and groans are not present...well, let's just say it's not being done right.  It shouldn't be overly painful, but it should hurt a little.  Tennis ball massage was followed by a series of light, dynamic stretches...which also elicited a few moans and groans as the group felt their bodies being tasked in a different manner than ever before.  

Once daily prep was completed, it was time to eat some breakfast, and say my goodbyes to the group.  I was scheduled to fly out a few hours later, as I was supposed to be back on duty at the fire station the next day.  Scott and Tanis however would be staying for one more day, taking the group through the rest of the program, which included presentations on mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery techniques...all of which are designed to improve one's ability to maintain a high level of performance in the corporate world.  

It's really an amazing, visionary program, and I encourage you to visit the Tignum website for more information about what they do (www.tignum.com)

Please take a couple minutes of your time to watch these short videos that really paint a great picture of what it is that Tignum does.  I am confident that after watching these clips, you will see that this is not just another wellness program!  I know some of you out there who are reading this are part of this world...the world of the high-level executive, or you network with those who are.  I encourage you to look into this for yourselves, or pass this information along...it truly is an amazing concept that is long overdue, and has long been overlooked.

Click Here to View

  Click Here to View

 

 Click Here to View

OK...enough of plugging Tignum...although I could go on and on about them!  Now, let's wrap up this story and put it to bed!

Remember my aching feet?  Well, let's just say that they were getting nothing but worse!  I brought two pairs of shoes with me to Panama...well, actually just one.  I brought my athletic shoes...Adidas of course!...and one pair of flip flops...hey, it was a casual trip!  Since my athletic shoes were the ones that resulted in my current foot predicament...I opted to wear the flip flops for my journey home.  In hind site...I'm not sure which would have been worse.

I arrived at the airport, and actually cruised through security without any problems.  I arrived at roughly 1230, and my flight wasn't leaving until 250.  This would allow me time to grab a bite to eat, and take a load off of my feet for a little while.  I was elated to see that the Panama airport was outfitted with the type of seats that don't have arm-rests...you know, the ones you can actually lay down in.  This is exactly what I needed.  I was tired, I needed to put my feet up, and I needed some rest.  Thank you Tocumen International Airport!

After standing in line for at least ten minutes, I noticed a group of fellow coach passengers who had entered another...much shorter line.  I took the risk, and stepped out of line to inquire...thankfully!  I found that this line was for passengers who had not checked any bags...ME!!  I had not noticed the line due to the fact that there were a number of Airport personnel congregating...doing absolutely nothing by the way...in front of the very small sign that stated "NO CHECKED LUGGAGE".  Fortunately I had seen those other passengers from my flight, otherwise I would have stood in that line for a long, long time...thanks Houston Airport personnel!  Go chit chat somewhere else you Jack-Wagons!

In less time than I spent in the previous line, I was through Customs...even greeted with a welcome home Mr. Metzger...a first for me!  Thinking I was home free, I made my way to the gates, where I planned to grab some dinner and rest my old-man, aching feet!  Remember that sound of a scratching record?  Insert it here...

I was less than happy to find that we were being re-routed through security, once again.  I have never had to go through security again upon returning to the States, and coming through Customs...wonderful.  Security was a mess to say the least.  It was as if we were cattle being herded into loading chutes, only to be trucked off to some processing plant.  The TSA staff members were constantly shouting the same instructions over and over..."Keep the line moving folks...Keep the line moving folks!"  They looked to be completely enthralled by their jobs...not!  One of them actually put his hand on my back and pushed me forward, trying to pack more people into an already packed can of sardines.  I turned back quickly to see a knee-high little guy leering at me...my emotions took over...but not to their full potential, thankfully.  I calmly told the little tough-guy "I don't recommend pushing me again"...thankfully, he moved on.  Whew...that was close!

As I approached the tray table...you know, the place where experience and common sense (or a lack thereof) really shows through...I noticed a middle-aged woman who was very slowly taking off all her jewelry, her shoes...and oh yeah...taking out all of her lotions and fluids...which by the way, were not in a clear plastic bag, nor did they meet the volume/size requirements!  She was actually getting yelled at by people behind me...and they were not nice comments at all!  Let's just say it was ugly!  I finally cleared security, and limped off to find some dinner.  It was very clear to me that the Houston airport was not on board with healthy eating.  I ended up at Ruby's Diner, stuffing a bacon cheeseburger and fries down my gullet!  I posted the picture below on facebook, but for those of you who don't follow me on facebook, I have re-posted it here for your enjoyment.  Check out the sign in the background...and realize that this sign can be clearly seen by everyone in the restaurant.  While we, as customers, understand that businesses are in business to make a profit...maybe they shouldn't shove it in our faces in such a blatant manner...just sayin'.

What is the focus of your business...customer service?

Alright...so I made it to the gate, and I must say that I was less than impressed with the George Bush International Airport.  First...no healthy food to be found.  Second...the seating at the gates didn't allow for lying down!  Get rid of the armrests already!  Deep, cleansing breaths...in and out...

I made it home to Phoenix, and I cannot tell you how happy I was to see Donna!  I was home!  I enjoyed my trip and all of the experiences that it provided...but those of you who know me, know that when it's time to head home a switch trips deep within me, and I enter into my 'homeward bound' mode...which isn't always pretty!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my little adventure into uncharted territory...travel blogging that is.  It wont happen often, but at the encouragement of a great friend of mine, I decided to share my experience with all of you.  

For a fantastic travel blog, visit www.travelwithscott.com

48 Hours in Panama...Part Four

I was riding on one of the brightly lit Panamanian buses, when all of a sudden, there was a loud pulsating, buzzing noise.  It was getting louder and louder, and the lights were starting to flash brighter and brighter in time with each loud buzz.  Everyone on the bus looked very concerned, and quite panicked.  I was certain the bus was going to explode.  As I prepared to jump off of the bus, I looked around and noticed that the bus was full of children...all of them crying hysterically as the noise got louder, and the lights became so bright they were blinding.  I struggled with my decision as to which of these kids I would take with me...I could only save two or three.  I grabbed two children who were seated next to me, and prepared to jump as the deafening buzzing sound changed from pulsating to solid...I knew what was next.  Just as I was ready to jump...I woke up.  Yep, that's right, I woke up to the sound of the hotel alarm clock buzzing loudly in my ears.  It was just a dream...again, welcome to my messed up world!

As I rolled to my right and blindly smacked my hand on top of the alarm clock, desperately searching for the solution to the noise problem...I thought to myself "somethings wrong...I just went to bed."  I checked my phone to see what time it really was, and just as I went to grab it...the alarm on my phone went off.  "Okay" I thought..."it must really be time to get up."  As I rolled out of bed, the phone rang...yep, my 5:00 am wake up call from the front desk...there was no question now...it was time to get up and make the donuts...so to speak.  Three alarms...that's the way I roll! I don't know about you, but i typically have no problem getting up in the morning for the usual...you know, like going to work, or getting out of bed on any normal day...I have no problem.  Throw in something unusual however, or different...like maybe...my first Tignum program...and voila!, I become very concerned about oversleeping.  Okay, all together now...welcome to...you've got it...say the rest out loud...that's right, my world.  Very good.

To say the least...I was tired.  I hadn't slept well, and I went to bed late...around 1:00 am.  We finished up working that night at around 11:30pm, but I was a little wound up from the travel, and needed to relax a bit before hitting the sack.  I decided to sit out on my little balcony and enjoy the cool breeze, and the smell of the ocean...very relaxing.  Okay...I even took advantage of that bathtub that was placed right in the middle of the room...no details...just know that I took a bath!  Soon, I was relaxed enough to attempt  to go to sleep.  I plugged the headphones into my iPod, and turned on some relaxing binaural brainwave files...hoping they would do the trick, and put me down for the count.  Then the buzzing began.

View of the pool at night...27 floors below my balcony

Another cool night view from my balcony

A quick shower, followed by a cup of espresso...and I was a new man!  The plan for the day?  A little low intensity movement with the Adidas group, then testing for the remainder of the day.

Insert sound of scratching record here...

That was the plan...keyword, being was.  I was supposed to introduce the group to a series of low intensity exercises known as Daily Prep.  Daily Prep is designed to wake the body up, and prepare it for the demands of the day.  These exercises...movements...help to improve circulation, wake up the nervous system, improve right-left brain function, improve flexibility and mobility, and even provide a strength stimulus.  Daily Prep is a great way to start the day...for anyone!  The Adidas folks however, had something completely different in mind.  They...okay, maybe just the top guy...thought it would be a great idea if their Daily Prep was replaced by a short jog along the causeway.  More on the jog later...let's talk a little Panama history first.

The Amador Causeway, as it is officially referred to, was built from excavated material during construction of the Panama Canal. It took 18 million yards of solid rock extracted from the famous Culebra or Gaillard Cut of the Panama Canal to build this Causeway.  It is very beautifully lined with trees, and provides great views of the Panama coastline.  The causeway has become a thriving tourist attraction over the years, and contains restaurants, shops, hotels, and marinas.  It is a popular area for runners and cyclists to get their morning workout in...like us, apparently.

The Amador Causeway

We were informed that it would be a short run...nothing long at all...roughly a 30-minute jog.  "Alright" I thought, " I can do that".  I have not run however, in quite some time.  Remember...I am a cyclist...not a runner.  I'm in good physical condition though..."I can do this no problem".  We headed out, and to no surprise, the Adidas 'top-dog' took off like a bat out of hell...obviously a runner.  It was all starting to make sense now.  As Scott and I set a comfortable pace, I began to think about just how much rest I had planned on giving my over-worked IT-bands...you know, the ones that got worked for twelve hours during my race, the weekend before?  Yep, they were already starting to talk to me...and we had only run about a quarter-mile.  This was not going to be fun.  

To make things worse, I was running in shoes that are designed for performance training, not running.  These shoes have a very stiff ridge that runs along the outer edge of the shoe, which serves to provide superior lateral support when doing agility and multi-directional speed training...the type of training I do with my clients.  Unfortunately, that lateral support does not allow the foot to function the way it should during long runs.  The lateral support material also ended up slamming into the bone structure of my feet, ultimately causing bruising to bones in my feet.  So...after all this whining...what I am trying to convey to you is that my feet hurt...badly.  Following our run, we all met for breakfast, replenishing our spent fuel, and recovering from our 'light morning workout'.

Breakfast complete...now it was time to get a shower, and get set up for testing!  Tignum testing involves a number of evaluations, some of which take place prior to the first day of the program.  These tests typically include blood panels and EKG evaluations.  The results of these tests are combined with the results of the tests that we would be performing this morning, ultimately providing the client with a comprehensive view of his/her current and potential 'performance profile'.

The test that I ran for this program is a ventilatory threshold evaluation.  OK, without getting too scientific...ventilatory threshold refers (roughly) to the point at which the human body transitions from an aerobic state, to an anaerobic  state. These two 'states' rely upon two distinctly different energy systems to provide the body with fuel during exercise.  The results of this evaluation can be used to determine a number of things, including one's VO2 (cardio-respiratory fitness level), as well as to identify user-specific heart rate training zones for the development of interval training programs.  

My office for the day...Ventilatory Threshold Testing

The test can be conducted on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical trainer, etc.  The most common, and the method we use, is the treadmill.  Some of you may be interested to hear how this works, so I will explain briefly.  Those of you who have no interest in this should scroll down to the next paragraph :).  A speed protocol is selected for each victim...I mean client.  The speed is based upon their current level of activity, prior/current injuries, etc.  For example...if I select a 6mph protocol for a client, they will progressively work up to 6mph, but no faster...that is their top speed.  Each client begins at a comfortable walking speed of 3mph, increasing by 1mph every minute until their top speed is reached.  Once the top speed is reached, the intensity is gradually increased by raising the incline of the treadmill until the client achieves approximately 70-80% of his/her maximal effort.  This is a sub-maximal evaluation, therefore the clients will not be taken to the point of failure.  During the evaluation the client must wear a mask, which is connected via tubing, to the 'magic box'.  The 'magic box' is loaded with sensors that detect respiratory changes, and provide a digital display of the client's ventilatory effort, and ultimately their ventilatory threshold and overall level of cardio-respiratory fitness.  It's a great test, and only takes between 5-7 minutes to complete.

The iMett Ventitlatory Threshold Detection Device

We performed close to twenty evaluations throughout the day, wrapping up at nearly 7:00 pm.  Once the evaluations were complete, it was time to crunch some numbers.  Number crunching was wrapped up fairly quickly, then it was off to hit the showers...we had dinner reservations at a highly acclaimed restaurant...Manolo Caracol.  Tanis had selected this restaurant, based on the recommendation of one of the local Adidas employees.

Manolo Caracol Restaurant, Panama City

Alright...this is getting pretty lengthy...time to shut it down.  Stay tuned for Part Five...that's right, Part Five of my Panama adventure...I promise I'll wrap it up on the next one!  Thanks for reading!