Dedication

It seems every year I write about the topic of dedication, commitment or perseverance.  It is usually triggered after reviewing my clients logs and noticing a pattern between those who succeed in accomplishing their goals and those who can never seem to get "there".  Perhaps I'm different, but I've always thought that if I put money out there and set a goal, that the motivation naturally follows.  Everyone has different goals, talent levels, genetic make up but the effort to reach individual goals  isn't much different from the podium finishers to back of the packer.

During my initial interview with athletes we have a long conversation about triathlon goals in relation to life goals. This interview sets the tone for how I will monitor progress and the level of feedback provided.  You coach someone differently who tells you that sport is a hobby and balance is important in their life versus the person who tells you that "Kona" is the ultimate goal and they have time to train. After the initial meeting I watch closely to see if the actions of the athlete meet the goals and work ethics they have outlined for me during our introductory meeting.

What separates those who succeed and those who don't?  I found an article I wrote for Triathlon Life magazine in 2009.  In reading the article, there are  very few changes I would make today.  I've updated a few references and added a new section but the message remains the same.

                                                                WHAT IT TAKES

Being a multisport athlete requires dedication, perseverance, commitment and an attitude of doing WHAT EVER IT TAKES to accomplish ones goals, what ever they may be.  The athletes who reach their dreams are those that are consistent in the approach they bring to training and life.  It means making sacrifices that others aren’t willing to make.  It means preparing both physically and mentally.  It means taking a business like approach to reaching goals.

 As a coach, I see many different approaches to racing and training.  Obviously not everyone has the talent to be the first person across the line. Winning is defined by accomplishing what you set out to do, NOT being first.   The working parent who finishes an Ironman is more of a winner in my eyes than the pro who “wins” the race. 

In the late 80’s when I first started racing, the sport was filled with former jocks, the ex high school football player, volley ball player looking to fill a void in life.  The sport remains the same but the faces have changed.  It is now vogue to be a triathlete and more people than ever are participating in the sport.  USAT reports (2009) that 75,000 people are card carrying members.  The computer geek, the guy down the street who used to weigh 300 pounds and more women than ever now toe the line with the ex jocks. In 1992 when I completed my first Ironman I filled out an application and held on to it until February ( I didn’t have $175), today Ironman races fill within 15 minutes.  Ironman is becoming the marathon of the 80’s. Tri for the Cure, Danskins and your local sprint triathlons fill to capacity year after year.    

But I’m seeing a pattern of athletes who don’t understand “what it takes” to set goals and make the sacrifices both physically and mentally to attain what they set out to accomplish.   People who sign up for an Ironman but they have never done another multisport event.  People sign up for a sprint tri and don't go to the pool before the race.

I have a good friend who is infamous for saying “SHUT THE HECK UP AND RIDE!! QUIT TALKING ABOUT RIDING, QUIT TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO, QUIT TALKING AND PUT YOUR BOTTOM TO THE LEATHER AND RIDE!!”.  People just laugh at him, but as simplistic as the approach may seem, there is a lot of truth to what he says. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a plan and follow it.  It means that as athletes we need to stop talking about doing what it takes, and do the things necessary to achieve what you set out to accomplish.  The time to talk is after the gun goes off and before you cross the finish line.

I find that when I call athletes out for lack of commitment I get a lot of push back.  The goal remains the same but the commitment level doesn't live up to the pre season promise.   My wife is a three time Kona qualifier (podium finisher in 2010) and will enter her 30th year of racing in 2012.  Twenty years ago, she stepped on a broken beer bottle exiting the swim portion of a triathlon.  She was told she would never run again and spent six months in a cast. She has very little feeling in her right foot. People ask her all the time, how a working mother (she is a sales representative who travels a three state territory) of two teen age children does “it”.  We are often taken back by the question because we have done this for so long it has become natural.  The answer is a bit complicated but in short she/we “does what it takes to succeed”.  We follow some very simple guidelines.

• Manage Your Time:  Set up a training schedule which is realistic and manageable.  Don’t try to do 25 hours when realistically you have 15 open hours a week.
• Be Consistent:  Designate certain days and times to swim, bike, run and lift. 
• Be Creative: Drop the kids off at practice and go for a run as opposed to sitting in the stands talking to the other parents.  Wake up at 5 am and ride the trainer.  Hire a baby sitter and go for a ride.  Work out at lunch. Ride your bike to and from work.
• Work out in the morning:  Most busy people don’t have time after work. Become an early riser and get your workouts out of the way before your real job.
• Plan Ahead: Prepare meals in advance.  Review the weekly family/work activities in advance and then enter in your workouts. 
• Make exercise a priority: You don’t find time, you make it.  There is plenty of time in a week to get in 8-15 hours of exercise.  Do you really need to watch all that reality TV?
• Make it a priority to accomplish your goal. Don't let life distractions throw you off course. 

“That’s what it takes” has different meanings for different people.  Only you have the ability to look at a situation and truly know if you are capable of achieving your dreams. Your dream may be to finish the Danskin triathlon or complete an Ironman.  However, when you commit to your goal, do what ever it takes to succeed.  Sacrifice, determination, commitment, dedication, perseverance, attitude… “That’s what it takes”

My Time With Michel and Beyond

Dr. Michel Herskovitz is the owner of Performance Acupuncture and Lifestyle Medicine.  She is strong in her faith and very passionate about following a "Natural Hygiene Diet". Before we go any further, , I really don't care what you call this method of eating, I just care that you are open to realizing there is a different way than what you read and have been taught over the years.  Meat isn't the only source of getting protein.

As I explained in my previous post, we began the week by unplugging and water fasting for three days. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.  I read books, sat in the sun and took short walks.  During this time Michel had me read some books by Herbert Shelton.  A lot of what Shelton writes is over my head but the key points surrounded food combining.  In short, a lot of the foods that we combine do not do well in our stomach thereby causing us to not feel well. I highly recommend a simple read called Green For Life by Boutenko or you watch the movie Fork Over Knives to get a simple introduction on moving toward a plant based diet. You can also reach out to Michel as she does provide consulting services.  

Michel switched me to a plant based diet and taught me how to shop for what I would need. There were a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, no meat and nothing in a can or bottle.  I came off the fast and Michel started teaching me how to prepare some simple meals. Organic salad with lots of vegetables but no dressing, bok chot, cucumbers and fresh made carrot juice and an assortment of different smoothies all made naturally.  I was surprised how good the food tasted "naked" and astonished that I wasn't waking up hungry in the middle of the night like I always had.

What is a plant based diet?  I can tell you what is not. It's not Vegan and it's not vegetarian.   Plant based diet meant eating nothing processed and nothing that was cooked. If you think about it for a second, that is a lot of what I was eating before and what you are probably eating now.  In Michel's approach you paid close attention to foods you combined together so the nutrients would be absorbed into your system with no side effects.  If you think about it for a second, that is a lot of what I was eating before and what you are probably eating now. Before you ask where I get my protein, there is plenty of protein in leafy greens, fruit, nuts and vegetables. Do the research and you will note meat is not the only way to get your protein.   You have to eat a lot of them but they are there and as you will soon find out, you get plenty of everything you need to feel energetic.  Sometimes we believe by reading the research, other times we believe by experimenting or observing and drawing conclusions.  My wife soon joined me on this diet. Although she had just placed 3rd in the wolrd at the Ironman World Championships she liked what she saw in the new me.  I wasn't back to racing and I was still skeptical that endurance athletes could follow this diet and succeed.  In short, she raced three times last season.  First in her age group at Kansas 70.3 (won by 26 minutes and had her fastest run split ever at age 50), 4th at 70.3 world championships and 2nd at long course ITU worlds.   She dropped 11 lbs from her Ironman race weight and still performed at a world class level. That should put to bed any questions about if you can perform well on this diet.

The biggest learning I had from my week with Michel was how much sodium is in the food we eat and "think" is healthy.  A simple rule of thumb is that if the sodium count per serving is greater than the calories per serving there is too much sodium.  The ratio should be 1:1.  Use this rule of thumb and I guarantee you that 80% of what you currently eat will be eliminated.   This article isn't intended to be an overview of the plant based diet.  I will tell you that for 40 days I did not drink any alcohol and ate only foods which were not cooked or processed.  I went from 182 lbs to 150lbs in less than three months and I hover between 151 and 154 a year later. Have I fallen off the wagon on occasion? No when it comes to eating read meat and chicken. Yes when it comes to pizza and occasionally a bowl of pasta or fish.  I don't beat myself up when I go to the dark side on occasion.  My body does that for me.....

We eat a lot of salads with no dressing and drink a lot of smoothies which contain bananas, organic blueberries or cherries and leafy greens. I'm immune to all the jokes my friends throw at me.  I've found that when people don't know what to say they make jokes. They don't mean harm they just don't understand. I was recently asked if I miss "real" food.  Initially I did and on occasion when my kids cook something that smells good I think I miss the taste of those foods.  There have been times when I've traveled and had limited options on the road and have allowed myself to eat a vegetarian burrito, pizza or vegetable soup.  The food tastes good but I can quickly tell that my energy level drops and I don't think as clearly as I did before.  I'm astute enough to realize that I can easily get caught in the trap of eating how I did before.  By most peoples standards I was eating "healthy".  However, I knew my energy levels were low, I had no desire to exercise, my body ached, I couldn't sleep at night despite taking sleeping pills and I was generally at a loss for who I was or where I was going.  Post diet change, I have clear direction, I'm thinking clearer, I have the energy to exercise and will be racing in 2012.  I'm pleasantly surprised that my times are not far off from when I was at my training peak in 2004 (when I last raced endurance events) and I'm anxious to see how my body and mind respond to the training.  Another HUGE benefit of this diet is that because I'm not putting all the chemical byproducts that come with eating meat and processed foods I have less inflammation in my body. I can go out and run 10 miles and have little to no residual pain the next day.  Recovery is vastly improved which allows me to have quality workouts.

The pictures below are before and after. They were taken 1 year apart, one in 2010 and the other in 2011.  In the first photo I weight about 180 lbs.(note the roundness in my cheeks)  In the second photo I weighed 151 lbs.

I often tell Michel she saved my life. We keep in touch and she is sincerely moved and touched by my transformation.  People come in and out of our lives for a reason.  I hadn't been in touch with Michel for over 10 years but as I sought answers to my problem I felt a strange urge to reach out to her for help.  It required me to put life on hold and make a significant change to a way I had lived for 48 years.  How honest are you being with your current situation? Where is your energy level as opposed to where it was 10 years ago? Are you gaining weight although you are still exercising? Does your body ache? How is your mental clarity?  The answer is not I'm getting old and these things are going to happen. The answer may be as close to what you put in your body? Do some research and see what chemicals and additives YOU put in your body every day.  Just remember there is no silver bullet in a pill that makes you feel better.  Take control of your health by selectively putting food in your system which makes you feel good in the long term. Let go of what you have been taught for years and search alternative manners in which you can restore your enthusiasm for life.

Another Comeback ???

    I know I'm long over due on updating my blog,  but as I wrote in my last published post in 2008,  it was never my intent to write about being injured and create  a pity party.  In fact, within months of my last post, I was back on my bike when another cyclist, who was descending a hill in front of me, made a u -turn and I struck him going about 25-30 mph and flipped over my handle bars. 

I have no idea if I will write anything that anyone will read or if anyone will follow me. but I have a lot to share regarding what has happened to me the past 4 years and what is going on now in my life. I'm healed and have started racing again but the path back to health was long and filled with many detours.

My injuries were numerous with the most severe being a compression fracture of the back at T-11/T12.  I spent the better part of the past 3.5 years in various states of despair, feeling sorry for myself, hurting and generally doing very little athletically. It was one of the worst phases of my life. I felt lost with which direction life was taking me.  I didn't know if I should fight through the pain and forge ahead or find a new direction.. At one point I had convinced myself I would just start hiking. After all it was just walking and I could still do that.   It would keep me in relatively good shape and  I could see some great places in the state of Colorado. I never acted on this impulse.

During this period of being out of commission I vowed to be  a supportive husband and father,  growing Mile High Multisport and catching  up on chores around the house that had been neglected during my triathlon years.  I took the kids to swim, golf, hockey, guitar... you name it. If they wanted to go somewhere the answer was always yes.  Kathy continued racing and I'm glad she did.  In 2010, on her 50th birthday. she took 3rd in the world at the Ironman World Championship (http://www.milehighmultisport.com/category/training-tips/race/).  I was proud of my role in supporting her and the victory was all of ours as we really worked well as a family during this journey. But something was still missing from my life but I couldn't put my finger on it. I was getting through each day but I wasn't fulfilled in the least bit with anything I was doing except work which was going very well. Perhaps Gods plan for me was to be supportive and live vicariously though my clients?

I continued to see different Doctors and therapists in an attempt to make a return to being active. On occasion I would feel better, attempt to run 1/2 a mile  only to have the same aching feeling in my body.  My back throbbed, my head ached and I knew something wasn't right.  I saw acupuncturists, massage therapists, physical therapist etc.  My pill box rivaled that of my grandmothers in her 80's. I got to the point where I was photocopying the sheet which contained all my medicines so it made filling out medical questionnaires easier.

At the end of 2010, I started to feeling pains in my stomach and my throat hurt.  I was convinced I was dying of cancer. The number of aches and pains throughout my body was increasing. I asked myself what was the purpose of all the medications and herbs I was taking if I continually felt worse. I made the decision to see two Dr.s I had been treating with.  One suggested I take more medicine and the other questioned why I was taking some of medicines prescribed.  A full blood panel was ordered which came back clear with the exception of a very high Iron count.  I took a special blood test and was sent to a specialist who told me that everything was fine.  During that meeting, he questioned why I was taking some of the medicines I was prescribed.  So now, besides myself, I had two Dr.'s asking why I was on certain medicines.  I knew immediately what I would do and as soon as I got home I threw away everything with the exception of my sleeping pills.  I felt better, but I still wasn't "living life" so my mind continued to search for what was my next course of action would be in my quest to be happy.

 I turned to an old friend whom I hadn't spoken to in years. We had reacquainted via face book.  Michel Herskovitz, Performance Acupuncture and Lifestyle Medicine ) is an Oriental Medicine Dr. out of Las Vegas, Nevada.  When I last saw Michel she was on this crazy "Raw Food Diet" and quite honestly I thought she was out of her mind. Something inside of me said to reach out to Michel and before I knew it, I was on my way to spend 10 days with her at her residence which doubles as a retreat for people like me who are searching for a better way. What happened over the next 10 days changed my life.  When I arrived she confiscated my electronics. There was no tv in her house and I knew immediately I was just unplugged from my normal day to day living. When I went to visit Michelle I couldn't run 1 mile without experiencing pain. I wasn't cycling and I could swim 2000 but with no intensity.   Since then, I've completed a half marathon (one year to the day after I left her retreat) and am signed up for various triathlons throughout the summer, including a 70.3 race in April.  I'm happy to report that I am feeling a lot better than I have in years and take no medications, herbs, supplements at all!! Not a single thing!  In my next blog, I will report more on what Michel did with me that changed my life.....

7 days and I'm OUT!!

I last posted to this site almost a month ago. At the time I was still hopeful that I would have a race season and was on course, even with some set backs to attempting the races outlined in a previous post. Kathy was on target with her season objectives and we were settling into a nice rhythm at home and with training.

A few weeks back Kathy comes home and tells me she had a Dr. check up and she needed to have some minor surgery. No big deal, she has the surgery but they tell her they found some other complications, fixed them and "no training for a month". Wow, that sucked but we move forward and start attacking some projects around the home.

Seven days after Kathy has her appointment I go into the Dr. for a small growth I detected and low and behold "outpatient surgery" is scheduled for later that afternoon. Kathy is on the road traveling so we make arrangements for the kids activities and she heads home. I have a friend drop me off at the hospital and 4 hours later I'm on my way home. No big deal, I'm feeling fine. An hour after I return home Stand up and blood starts gushing out of me. To make a long story short, this happens a couple more times and I'm on my way back to the hospital of surgery number two. I find out I have blood clotting disorder and ended up taking a lot of stitches and losing a lot of blood. Two and a half days in the hospital, early season racing over.

So my intent of this site was to never create a "whoa is me" public log. I've had surgery in the past. In fact I completed an Ironman 9 weeks after having tendons reattached to my thumb and forefinger. Although the outlook is bleak today, I've been down this road in the past. I'll be back in due time when I'm mentally ready. For now it looks like the Alfino clan is laying low in 2008. Home projects, vacations which don't include tri gear and growing Mile High Mulitsport.

Until I have more to write about "My triathlon Life" I will be off line. I'll continue my company blog at Mile High Multisport. Thanks to all of you who have read my posts, I've been touched by the contacts I've received from all over the USA. The blogging tri community is part of what makes the triathlon world oh so special.

Peace to all. Remember why you train and race is to have fun. This is your hobby (unless the Lovato's read my page which I doubt) not your profession. Enjoy each and have minute you have in this sport. You never know if your last work out will be your last.

Whew!!!!!!!

Patience is something I'm not very good at. So when my back flared again I decided that the best thing to do was to give up training for last week and see how things went. I didn't do anything until Friday then swam about 2500 yards. After the warm up I decided to do 1 x 100 and see what my time was. I swam a 1:28 so decided the main set would be how many 100's I could do on a 1:40 interval but didn't drop below 1:30. I did ten and called it a night.

Saturday I road the trainer for 45 minutes and Sunday ran 4 miles. I felt pretty shelled after the run but it was encouraging. So I followed this up with a 3000 yard swim Monday and then Kathy and I did hill repeats for our main set Monday night. My swimming and biking have taken a small hit but I didn't lose much. My running is behind but then again it always is. It appears I may be back in the saddle. We will see how the rest of the week goes.

The new ride is sweet and I climbed a lot better than I have in some time. Kathy always rides well and I'm sure could kick my ass if we raced against each other. She struggled a bit yesterday but she swam a harder master session in the morning and ran 9.5 yesterday. I'm expecting her to have a good season.

Big week for our clients as we have one heading to California and another to Galveston. As we get closer to the race season we get busier. This week as seemed odd as we have spent a lot of time consulting customers on bike choices. Personally I think it is a little late to start the process of buying a new bike. It takes time to settle in on a new ride and it isn't good to make bike selection decisions when you feel pressured.

Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement. One of my favorite sayings is. "I can't go back, I can't stay here so I must move forward"

Peace

Take Nothing for Granted........

For those of you who have read my blog since the beginning you know that last year was a special year for me. I was able to return to racing after 2.5 years on the disabled list. I raised my expectations this year and after the Scottsdale trip believed I found my mojo again. Even after last weeks set back I knew in the back of my mind that I had it in me to have a good season.

This weekend I was at my nieces 8 year old birthday party when my boy challenged me to a game of one on one basketball. Never being one to back down to a challenge the "game was on" until I drove to the basket and my back decided it was driving me to the ground. Down and out again.... I spent the better part of the last 3 days in considerable pain and barely able to walk or get out of bed. Thankfully there was some pain meds left in the cabinet from someones prior injury (always get the extra bottle of pain meds as you never know when you will need them!!). Each day the pain has been reduced and today I could get out of a chair without looking or sounding like my grandfather when he was 85. I'm not sure how bad this is but I do have some weakness in my left leg. I remain hopeful that I just pissed off a muscle and that if I take off a week or so I will be good to go again. Really I'm not worried about it but I did look at my new bike today and promised it that I would be on it soon.

The point is, that everyone should be thankful for every day they are able to participate in this sport. Don't take training for granted. Quit worrying about personal records and pushing the limits but slow down and enjoy the health you have. I recently had an athlete I coach be told he couldn't run again due to a hip impingement which is causing some changes in his hip socket. One week he is preparing for a half ironman and the next week he is a swimmer/cyclist. Life changes quickly.

After my heart incident in Arizona I went to see my Dr. for an annual physical today. He told me that the bee pollen was probably the root cause of my heart spiking that day. Then he listened to my heart and said "that doesn't sound right". They took an EKG and drew blood work. Results to follow in a few weeks. I also learned that a recent MRI on my brain returned with a small polyp on my pituitary gland. Apparently this is very common but is something I need to monitor closely (A brain MRI every 12 - 18 months). I was a little taken back at first but my Doctor informed me that in the majority of cases these things turn into nothing. Life continues to throw me curves but I refuse to quit. As far as I'm concerned all I've heard is that there is the potential for some bad news but I haven't heard anything definitive yet. The only thing that will change is how I choose to live life.

A few weeks back in San Francisco there was a terrible loss in which a pro triathlete and pro cyclist were killed while riding in a pack. Apparently a sheriff fell asleep at the wheel and drove into a pack of cyclist. We've heard the words so many times, "enjoy each and every day as it were your last". We hear the words, for a couple days we live life with a little more zest and then we go back to our old ways.

So as I reflected today I'm thankful for everything I have.. my wife, my kids, where I live, the Rocky Mountains, my job and my athletic accomplishments. I'm thankful that those of you who read my blog find me interesting enough to return for some words of wisdon. I'm not worried about my back, my heart, my brain or anything. I enjoyed the day to the fullest and tomorrow when I wake I plan to do the same.

Continued: I saw the Rolfer today and she did a lot of work on my Piraformis and Glutes. I think they resonded well. My QL on the left side is still bad and my left hamstring feels weak. Looks like another week of relative inactivity. I'll try some swimming tomorrow. Positive thoughts for postive outcomes. Tough when it is 62 degrees out and you see people cycling and runnnig all over the place.

What's new

Since the big posts of Arizona I feel compelled to write something but the truth is it sucks to be back to reality. Work, family, taxes, volunteer work doesn't lend for the big miles I was able to put in a few weeks ago. I've struggled in my training and now have bad allergies. I haven't don anything since Tuesday and today I cleared my calendar of my only appointment. I plan to sleep and finish my taxes.

The bottom line with these types of detour's is you have to remember that we all hit bumps in the road of life and training. If we dwell on them too long they only serve to derail our progress. Although I may question my desire this week I know that it is only temporary. Right now I would die for a good night sleep.

My New Ride!

What I learned and Totals

Steve, Kathy and I rode 40 miles in some gale force winds on Saturday. Following are my totals for the past 6 days and what I learned during my trip.

Photo of Camel Back mountain at night

Cycling: 304 miles
Swimming: 10,000 yards
Run/Walk: 2:30 minutes

* Jonathan Nixon is in outstanding shape, mentally and physically
* Steve is a stronger cyclist than I gave him credit
* I am in better shape than I give myself credit
* I need to focus more on the positive
* If I work hard I can regain my old form and perhaps even be better than I was before
* A week of cycling regardless of the terrain makes you a stronger cyclist. Nothing beats putting in the time and miles
* I'm looking forward to the race season
* Hiking provides a tremendous aerobic workout. I will do more walking and hiking as part of my total fitness plan
* Be happy and enjoy life more