Big Island Mountain Biking Association’s 12th annual Poker-Run Fun-Ride

Adam invited me to join he and Joe to the 2009 "Kulani Experience". I don't have a mountain bike so he was kind enough to lend me his. I haven't been on a bike since my last race, so this would be fun. Oh yeah, and I haven't gone off-roading since childhood. Being somewhat out of shape and on an outdated, unfamiliar MTB, I opted for the beginner's 7-mile course along the mac-nut farm.

It was cold, wet and foggy. The race started around 11am and I don't even know how long I took. I just know that a few miles in, I started to have some FUN! I felt like a kid again. Just letting go and enjoying the ride.

http://hilobikehub.blogspot.com/2010/01/uh-at-hilos-mountain-bike-scene-and-fun.html

Since it was a poker run, we collected cards throughout the journey. I had 2 pairs, which was the highest hand. I had first crack at the table of prizes from the Hilo Bike Hub. I went straight for the road bike helmet. Thanks Chris!

I also got to catch up with my buddy Joe while waiting for Adam to finish the advanced course (17.5 miles!). Those are Adam's legs. One was from eating dirt. The other was from his pedal. Ow. Joe's currently fighting fires on the South side right now so I pray that he stays safe out there.

Mango 2009 Post-Ironman Sprint Triathlon

This had to have been the most wickedly fun triathlon I've participated in yet. What a great turnout. At least 10 new faces, probably due to IM inspiration.

Beach start, 2 lap, 1/3 mile swim made for a frenzied pace. Bree took off like a... like a Bree Wee! Yup, that's her out in front, with a 7 minute finish. 1/2 of the swimmers bottlenecked around the surfer/turnaround point. I had to grab my knees for 2 secs after my first lap but felt good after the 2nd lap.

Saw Jeremy and Adam at T1. Jeremy was taking his time until he saw me hurrying, then he took off. Began counting the leaders as they passed me near the hotels. 1, 2, 3,4, JOE! He's doing awesome! Got picked by 2 people on the bike, but got them back on the way back. I was 21st onto the turnaround, and ended up 18th off the 10 mile bike. Forgot my socks, and it didn't feel too bad. I need single strapped bike shoes to save a few extra secs.

Immediately passed 2 people on the run, before Hualalai. I wasn't sure if I could hold the pace, but I pushed. My stomach was feeling it. My breathing was heavy. Fuck it, it's only 2 miles. Squirted some water on Joe as I cheered him on. He looked strong. How is this man getting so fast?

Tried to smile and shaka as Bree took my pic while I "sprinted" the last hundred meters. It felt like a sprint, but looks more like a brisk walk lol! The smile looks more like a grimace, cause I was huffin n puffin.

Speaking of puffin... Jeremy "the cigarette-smoking-man" actually beat Adam. I'm gonna have to step it up. Called Jessica today (Tuesday) and she's gonna help me win. Also gonna keep up the strength training so I look better than I do in that nasty off-season pic.

As usual, the ride over with the Hiloans was a blast. Much of what was said was too disturbing to post here. Chuckle. Jeremy and I were lost when Adam and Joe were comparing cars in which they owned at least 5 of (Adam's Chrysler New Yorkers and Joe's Pontiac LeMans). Rigging a 3-speed tractor tranny in reverse to a normal car motor... backwards... so they could haul-ass in reverse. One of the funniest stories I've ever heard was of how Joe "ended" his first car by stuffing the wagon with 8 buddies and "park-dropping" it. Ow?

Penis!

On the road again!

After Mango, I took a month off cardio to focus on strength training and relax a bit, on the advice of friends Adam and Joe.

Exactly a month later, Kona buddy Bree calls for a scenic ride through Kilauea Volcano Park. I'm down for that!

Riding the Volcano...

Bree's version of the story is a lot more pretty.

What a ride! The sun was out in full force... and WOW that's a tough climb. Not the ideal ride to start the year with, but no regrets! No way! I didn't tell Bree and Pablo this was my first ride in a month. Yeah... I got to ride with them! :P

24 miles down a 4500ft descent... then back up!

Muscle cramps. I've never seen my legs flex and twitch like that before! lol

Pablo and Bree had to come back to find me laying on a cool bed of grass in the shade, about 10 miles and 1000ft of elevation left to travel. And they basically pushed and pulled me the rest of the way. Riding in a car was not an option. I couldn't have done it without such great friends.

I wanna do it again! (after I get more training in, of course)

Road Trip! MangoMan 2009

Tanner decided not to race at Mango Man on Sunday and I noticed we got the start time wrong. So I called up the boys (Jeremy, Joe and Adam) on Saturday afternoon to let em know we'd be late by half an hour. Turns out we've all been kinda resting the past 2 weeks after Lavaman. The rain hasn't helped our motivation much this past week either. Bill's been going full steam, but he's in Oahu for the week.

I picked Adam's brain for a good hour or so then left with some new tri-shorts, fuel belt, and Heed. He told me about pre-race fuel and why oses (glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc) are bad alone.

Off to get some marinara. Foodland is on the way home. WTF, oh shit Hoolaulea! Place was packed. Found some with maltodextrin near the top of the ingredients list. I missed meat so I added some to my pasta (I had it already defrosting... self-defeating attitude?). Topped it off with fudge sundae ice cream. Oses!

Tried to hit the hay by 9am. Woke up every 2 hours on the dot (11, 1, 3). Re-heated yesterday's whole-grain banana pancakes and ate 3 on the way to town, dipping them in blueberry syrup. More yummeh oses!

We all pack into Joe's truck outside of Hilo Bike Hub at 4am. Not sure if squeezing in 4 bikes was tougher than 4 guys into an extended cab. Joe and Adam entertained us with stories. Jeremy vibrated the entire truck while telling us about a car he was following on the way to Lavaman. The "I just said that, dumbass" game unofficially began midway on this trip. Joe got the first point when Adam made the same topical joke Joe told a minute earlier. We made a pitstop at Chevron Waimea to unload, fuel the truck, and answer questions about triathlons from the attendant. This quickly became a history class on bicycle frame construction, which Joe interrupted before we were a day late for the race.

Fastforward to the pier. We got there around 6:30am. I felt relaxed while gathering my gear.

I'm finally not stressing out about having everything. Even if I'm missing something, like gels, the world isn't over. I had enough pre-loaded and I have my Endurolytes.

tires - pump pump pump!

tri-suit - run to King Kam hotel to change... check! On the way back, Macca and a pack of 8 rode past. Cool beans. But I didn't get too excited like my usual schoolgirl cheerleader self. Weird.

swim cap - check

swim goggles - check

socks - check

bike shoes - check

helmet - check

sunglasses - check

run shoes - check

fuel belt - check

watch - oops!

water bottles - empty! run to the faucet... yummeh.. extra chlorine!

Endurolytes - 2 pre-swim, 3 for the bike, 2 for the run (just in case)

Joe, Adam and Jeremy are getting course directions from the race director, Carl Koomoa. The water was choppy and the turnaround buoy wasn't visible (1km out). The water was choppy. I inhaled a buncha water. I wanted to see big fishies. I only saw little ones. I followed Jeremy the entire way, but still sighting more than I've ever done before. On the way back, I aimed for the big antennae tower. That seems to work. Jeremy and Adam mentioned a ginormous Honu. Dang I missed it. But a school of little fishies swam with me for a minute or so. That's when I found my rhythm and just glided through the water. Wish I could glide a lot faster though lol. 1.2 mile swim in about 43 mins.

Jeremy got in 30 secs earlier and waited for me so I could show him the bike route. He had trouble getting his tri-top on so I got up to help him, but he finally got it on. Turns out Joe had to do the same for Adam LOL. He broke loose up the hill and I tailed him the entire bike. My stomach was hating all the saltwater. Breath breath breath. There was a fresh blacktop on Kuakini, which was nice and smooth and added some grip. Each 500ft climb got easier. 15 mile bike, 1500ft total climb and equal descent, 3 loops in... oh yeah forgot my watch. Carl said my time was about 1:30 including the swim.

Still about 30 secs behind Jeremy. I tried to relax on the run. I tense up on race days. Aww... gotta piss again. Found a hedge and used it early this time. Ahhh feelin good... Awww... gas. My stomach is busy. Better take it easy. I walked on 2 steep portions of the climb. I tried to break loose at the top but felt my quads tighten up. Jeremy really picked up his pace on the last 4 miles of the run. I ended up 4 minutes behind him at 1:31.30. I think my run was about 9min pace. His was an 8. 6 mile run, 500ft climb, same descent, 55min run or so.

Cooled down in the freezing shower. I swear the shower water is colder than the water fountain. They must be pumping from OTEC, hah.

And now for the best part. Beef Stew!!! Wow, I love these guys. A full platter of warm rice and a giant pot of steaming beef stew. Delish.

I moaned about my ankle that's been bothering me for the past 2 weeks. But it was only a problem AFTER the run.

Saw Bree, Carl, Kris, Monica. Met Pablo, Rob VanUltraMan (Jeremy's nick for him). I love this sport and the people who make it lovable.

Post-Lavaman Keauhou Party, Peaman Biathlon, Pre-IM Tri Course Preview

Joe hosted a Post-Lavaman Keauhou Celebration where I helped Bill lose in a game of pool volleyball against Mark and Joe. They were snipers against us... well me, particularly.

Food was awesome! Jeremy and Kelly made stuffed pasta shells. Bill and Lorraine brought Chinese Chicken Salad. The guys hibachi'd the chicken I picked up on sale from KTA, while we played vball. Joe and Veronica made fruit salad, hot dogs, burgas (with all kinds of toppins), and best of all... deserts and drinks!

I was about to drive over to Tanner's to stay the night and drive over together to Kona in the morning, when I realized I was missing my charger and my cell was almost dead. So I slept at home. Only, I got about 3 hrs sleep. Meh.

Got to the race an hour ahead of schedule. Oops... Sorry guys!

We were definitely relaxed before the race, with tons of time to prep. We setup a towel to put all 3 of our transition items atop and wipe our feet on.

Peaman gave the race instructions and we were off at the pop/fizz of a 2 liter soda bottle reacted with Mentos. Conditions were a little rough. The currents made me zigzag a bunch. I have never sited soo much in a swim before. At least it wasn't choppy, or tooo choppy. 1200m in 26:30 for a 2:21/100m pace. But I felt like I worked a lot harder than the 1500m last week. My shoulders and chest feel worked. Got bumped a lot more, even though there were 1/4 the participants at most. Got my goggles elbowed, but they hung on tough! Tanner's leaked, though. He should look at a different style.

Transition was kinda fun. Wasted 5-10s getting my running shorts over my speeedo briefs (and untying/loosening them as well). Rinsed my feet, wiped em on the towel, put on socks, shoes in about a minute. Grabbed my water bottle. Up and at em in about 1:15.

I realized after about a mile that... I have never ran immediately after a swim! LOL this is new. I couldn't find my stride, my right calf gave symptoms of an upcoming cramp. Better take it easy. Kept pace with a friendly local Monica for a half mile, then felt okay to move up. While chatting with her, Bree zips past us at an unreal pace, still smiling! Joe crossed me a hundred yards or so from the turnaround. He looked strong though. I told Monica I wouldn't be able to catch him, but I'd try. Before the turnaround, a guy in a black ponytail zooms past me. I barely see him throughout the race. Joe is long gone.

Finished the run with a stick labeled 65. My overall time was 58:00 even. Estimated run was 30:25 for a pace of 7:34. Not too shabby. Tanner came in shortly after. He looked strong at the finish. I still wanna know how Adam trains with 9min/mile runs off the bike, and races at low 7's.

Joe and I later talked stories with the other athletes. The ponytail guy was Fredo. There was another guy around same pace, name Rob (I think... me and names... yeesh), who wore a lauhala hat on the run!

I also bumped into Kris after the race. He didn't race. I offered for him to join us on the pre-course ride, but he was headed out for a long ride on QueenK. He's prepping for Ironman 70.3 Championship! Good luck bro! Good luck to his wife as well, Kim (I think), who is training for Ironman Championship!

Finally got a pic with my Super-Friend Bree! She's gonna rock Ironman 2009 Championship. Representing Hawaii, F.B.I.!

I had called Bree about a description of the TeamMangoRaces Pre-IM Tri course but... me and directions, and times... yeesh. Each bike loop is just under 5 miles, for a total of 3 nasty loops. 1.2mile swim at Kailua Pier (should take me about 42 mins), then ride along Ali'i to Hualalai and up onto Kuakini. Uphill took me about 7 mins (with about 15s of heavy hammering at the end). The remaining ride was about 10 mins. Then, after 3 of those (about 51mins), we get to run it once! 6 mile run which I'll shoot for 7:40 pace (about 45mins). Total time 138mins plus 3 mins transition = 2:21.

Oh

Heating it up this morning, I realized that I slow-cooked my pre-race oatmeal before Honu but nuked them before Lavaman Keauhou. Oh!

lol if only it were that simple

-- Posted from my iPhone

Restless Mind

Oops, not asleep yet. 7hrs before PMan biathlon and bike training day (2hr drive to Kona). Read some of my old blog posts. Did the Honu in 6:26. Swim portion 1.2mi in 41 for 2:04 100m pace. Keauhou 1500m was 31:57 for a 2:08 pace. I actually did better in May. Thought I was stronger Now. I had more in the tank into the bike in Keauhou though. Maybe the short amount of time in master's swim class helped. What's different? Jess?

I think my mind is clear enough to sleep now. The drizzling rain helps.

This is turning into a blog post. Moving this from FB comment to blog.

Have a great day!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Without a DREAM there is no DRIVE

9/16 Wednesday Morning

Insa90x 1.11 - P90x CST

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2
In/Out Shoulder Flys	10#16
Chair Dips	25
Plange Push-Ups	15
Pike Press	6
Side Tri Rise	12
Floor Flys	20
Scarecrows	10#15
Overhead Tricep Extensions	15#15
2-Twitch Speed Push-Ups (Wide)	All
Y-Press	25#12
Lying Down Tricep Extensions	15#8
Side-to-Side Push-Ups	10
Pour Flys	10#15
Side Leaning Tricep Extensions	15#7
One-Arm Push-Ups (80/20)	6
Weighted Circles	10#20	10#14
Throw the Bomb	15#12
Plyo Push-Ups (Clapping)	10
Slow-Mo Throw	15#10
Front-to-Back Tricep Extensions	10#18
One-Arm Balance Push-Ups	12
Fly-Row Press	15#15
Dumbbell Cross-Body Blows	15#80

9/16 Wednesday Noon

Pool Swim

400m medium (1:42, 1:54, 1:52, 1:51)

8x25y stretch

10x25y on 30 (20-22s with 8-10s rest)

4x25y breathing (3-2-1-0)

2x25y stretch

9/17 Thursday Noon

Pool Swim (times may include 5-10s rest)

6x100m medium (2:06, 2:15, 2:14, 2:20, 2:11, 2:17)

4x100m buoy (2:18, 2:14, 2:24, 2:20)

2x100m stretch

9/17 Thursday Afternoon

Yoga Class - Core

On our backs, holding legs up. Chair pose. Downward dog with kicks.

This morning I had a brief chat with a good friend. I listened to him talk about his passions and dreams. They involved large sums of money, and his plans with said money. I got excited for him. I pictured him enjoying the money and enjoying sharing it with family and friends.

Dreams are a subset of goals. It's my belief that there are 3 levels of goals:

• Level 1 Goals you HAVE to accomplish
• Level 2 Goals you know you CAN accomplish, but require tremendous time and/or effort
• Level 3 Goals are Dreams

My dreams are the polar opposite of his. I prefer to live in a world without money. Does that mean I don't strive for success? HELL F'n NO! My definition of success depends LESS on money. Sadly, money is a necessity in this era. I'll get mine to support family, and get a few material necessities (and some not so necessary). My point is that you need to work to get your money to do the things you want to do or to get things you want. My dream is to live in a world where you can do/get what you want NOW. I'm partially living that dream by enjoying outdoor activities. Sustainable living with a healthy family. Now that's a dream I can live for; I can drive towards.

Dreams are sometimes almost unattainable. Something like winning an Ironman triathlon. Qualifying for and competing in the Ironman World Championship is a goal I KNOW I CAN do, and WILL do.

Another dream is to become a Paramedic for the County of Hawaii. Scratch that. Level 1 goal.

Traveling the world is another Level 2 goal.

I've accomplished a buncha Level 1 goals (that were probably Level 3 goals when I was laying on a couch 2 years ago). I've dropped more than 50# of fat, and have put on some meat. I've done several endurance races. I've completed 2 rounds of P90x and am currently working on a mix of both P90x and Insanity to supplement my triathlon endurance training.

Oh yeah, coach Hope wanted me to put up before and after pics on my BeachBody profile. This is me all pumped up and shit after P90x CB (Round 3, Day 11). I have NEVER been athletic. Getting this far was once a dream. But you gotta keep setting new goals and crushing them.

Bree and Me at Orange Tree!

Monday was all rest. Besides work. I tried to stay off my feet though. Bill took me out for a victory 2 Kona Brew Longboarders and an Aloha Burger with Onion Rings while watching Raiders vs Chargers.

Up and at em for a beach run! 5.8 miles downhill in 45. 10 minute break before 2 laps through breathtaking Kahalu'u Beach Park (my favorite beach, bar-none). 10 minute break before taking on Kam3 in an easy 22 minutes. Legs felt great. Total run back up to the house was 2.5 miles in 33 mins.

Cruised the day with my compression tights under my khakis :) A good portion of this work day was on my feet, but I felt good.

On the way back to www.KonaAutoCenter.com from our lunch meeting at Big Island Grill, I spotted a runner coming down Kuakini. Nice pace. Cute. Hey that's Bree! Honk Honk! Whoah, I almost swerved into her. Still waving and smiling back at me. She calls and I meetup with her and lil Kainoa at Orange Tree. We need this in Hilo! Bree's got a huge heart, is soo down-to-earth and I'm a nervous wreck. She's got me motivated to qualify at Honu. I'm gonna do it.

Check her out and support her at www.hibreewee.com. IM2009Kona: Bring it, Bree!

Lavaman Keauhou 2009

Mark scored us a sweet apartment at Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort. Joe and Veronica whipped up some spaghetti, chicken Caesar salad, fruit salad, and 2 flavors of homemade bread. Mean. They and Mark also had cases of community Gatorade/Powerade.

We all shared equipment and checked each other's gear. Amazing teamwork.

Shared stories about how we got into triathlon (mine was reading about team Hoyte).

Joe put on some early Ironman videos.

We met up and set up as a team and started as a group. We all did very well at the race. Joe had his best pace ever. Hearing that gave me goosebumps.

The race was fun, but the camaraderie was the most memorable part. Crossing the finish line to find your buddies cheering you on (even though they beat you there). There's rarely a better feeling.

Jeremy and I were on spot with our predictions versus each other.

The water was a little cloudy, just a tad choppy, and Jeremy was shivering. Long, easy, relaxed strokes until I unleashed hell on the last few hundred meters. This was the best I've ever felt in the water. I was finally comfortable with the distance and the people around me. 31:57, only 37 seconds behind Jeremy, but 2 minutes ahead of schedule. He saved up for the bike.

But I was close on the bike as well. I dropped my water bottle near King Kamehameha hotel on the bike, right after Jeremy broke away. 1:18:11, now 0:01:54 behind Jeremy. Getting into the run, our distance apart was on schedule, but we were waaay ahead of our predicted paces.

I was supposed to catch him at mile 4. I trained with a fuel belt, and decided to forgo it on the short run. I was thirsty, so I gulped down 6oz of Gatorade at T2 after sitting down to wipe feet and change socks (worth it). Thanks to Mark for picking up the terry shop cloths! I was in and out in about 1.5 mins.

The first mile was up. 8 mins on the dot. Downed some water at 1st Aid station. I gotta pee. Second mile was up. 9 mins...? BOOO! Side pain. Third mile was flat, but offroad (in a good way). Very nice change of scenery. Too bad I'm grimacing cause I have to pee soo freakin bad. Crossing paths with Jeremy on the turnaround. Hmmm, I can still catch him. Probably another 8 minutes. Small boost of energy helped me get out of a pack onto the golf course. Hello Mr Coconut tree, you look thirsty.

Now I'm ready to rock! I musta blazed on the second half (remembering what Jess told me), cause my run pace was 7:26. Jeremy kept glancing back every minute. I hid behind some dude for a minute and rested while drafting. I laughed to myself while Jeremy took a second take. He saw my hat behind the guy. Jeremy would not let up.

17 seconds off his tail for a total time of 2:36:14. He earned that. I told him, I got his # at Waikoloa.

http://www.jtltiming.com/results/lavak.html

Without each other, we wouldn't have done so well. We're looking forward to the future. For the first time, I'm looking forward to the training as much as the races.

What I see in each individual in our training group:

Bill going nuts on the bike, and his passion of life.

Adam with his uncanny pace, and immense knowledge of nutrition.

Jeremy with his diehard attitude (he just might need to be injured to do well). We share the same goals and easy-going attitude.

Joe. Animal. If it ain't tough enough to present a worthy challenge, he makes it so. I easily relate.

Mark, Tanner and Brandon are fresh faces. Helping them helps us learn as well. Tanner is soo excited about continuing to race. It gets me all fired up as well.

Mark and Joe also get credit for bringing us all together as a group. Firefighters know damn well the importance of teamwork.

If you wanna know why our training team did really well in this race, read my previous post. 4 of the 7 of us hit the podium. And we had fun doing it.

Triathlon is a Team Sport

Had my loose clothes. Forgot my Yoga mat. So I grabbed the huge blue beach towel from the car. Rochelle let me borrow her purple mat. My hands were slippery, so I had to lay the towel near the top of the mat for grip. We held downward dog positions for the better part of the class. The shoulder burners / clie from Insanity Core / Balance, and noon swim was an excellent warmup for the pose. My shoulders were on fire.

I tripped out when I looked at the class from Warrior2. I was the only one dripping with sweat. The rest of the class were warrior poses. My glutes got their 2nd workout of the day. If you're familiar with these set of poses, you know it also works the shoulders.

I felt a lot better after class, but had to rush to Sook's to get a quick buzzcut, then to Coconut Island to meet Jeremy for a quick run. We did the 5k route in 13:30 + 12:00 negative split. Very easy, until we loosened up after the bridge, going downhill.

We talked about how we felt before this race, but more so about Ironman. His mind is set on qualifying. I told him I didn't feel like I was pushing hard enough on my swims and was thinking about swimming at 5:30am before my P90x or Insanity workouts on MWF.

Cousin Mark called me soon after, inviting me to a practice sprint tri the following morning (Friday). 8am would be too late, so they agreed to push it up to 7am. I knew Jeremy wanted to get in a bike ride before the race so I got him in too. I met Tanner, another fresh young triathlete. I don't think he trained as hard as Brandon did, but he's got a lot of heart and will finish strong. Mark is going to a concert the night before. lol

When you think about doing a triathlon, you think of it as a solo event. Nobody can physically help you progress forward during a race. I trained solo for my recent races. I finished. But I didn't do as well as I'd like. Training solo, I didn't push myself hard enough. I forced myself into isolation during training, and it also felt like it on the races.

I called Adam one day and he invited me to a group ride. That was probably the most beneficial change to my training I have ever done. The camaraderie. We bounce ideas off each other. Most times Adam and Joe have already experienced them and can give us a quick, detailed answer along with justification.

We want to continue the weekly, long group workouts beyond the race. I also suggested to Adam that we begin hosting monthly triathlons at the beach, similar to TeamMangoRaces on the west side. We can offset the schedule so people could do either race, and so they don't coincide with big events.

Coach Jess sent me some motivational advice today. Such a small gesture really does help me a ton.

Blah

Wednesday 9/9/9 7am

Insa90x 1.11 (Core & Balance Cardio)

I moved up my recovery week from Week 4 to Week 2 to ease into Lavaman Keauhou (Olympic Distance Triathlon happening this Sunday). This video is still an intense workout. It's easy, relative to the other Insanity workouts I'm familiar with.

Body Part	Duration	Severity
Glutes	30 min	4-5
Hams	20 min	3-4
Calves	35 min	3-5
Abs	35 min	2-3
Chest	5 min	2-3
Quads	3 min	1-2
Shoulders	5 min	5
Tris	3 min	1-2

I was planning on going swimming out in Kona, but spent too long trying out shoes after work.

Thursday 9/10 7am

Insa90x 1.12 (Core & Balance Cardio)

Same as yesterday. Then I shaved my Mountain Man beard. I have a haircut after work. Then I'll shave the limbs on Saturday. I'll make a hair puppet for cousin Mark.

Thursday 9/10/9 12pm

Swim at the pool. Lack of motivation, focus, energy. I read Bree Wee's blog to help motivate me, and it worked for about 15 minutes. I kept track of laps until they switched to long course.

Too many thoughts raced through my head. Are my legs dragging? Are my hips up? Am I rotating enough? How's my kick?

I need a swim buddy. Jeremy goes to the pool at 4:30pm. I can't make that. The Master's meets are too crowded and I felt like the slow kid. I want more individual attention for quick results. I'm too needy! Is that wrong?

Why do I feel soo negative? I hope I'm just tired.

I just realized I have Yoga today! I feel better now. I'll save that for another post. Let's keep this one strictly negative.

Insa90x1.10, A Cold One (Run)

Tuesday Sept 8, 2009 7am

Insa90x 1.10: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Glutes, hams and calves got a good kick in the... glutes, hams and calves. Trying to keep it light. I'm gonna have to turn this into a recovery week so I can taper for this weekend's Olympic Distance Triathlon. I still had trouble with "Ski Abs" and "In/Out Abs", but I'll nail them next week. They're going down! Okay okay, maybe I couldn't exactly keep up with those "push-up to plank run to jump" things either.

Tuesday Sept 8, 2009 6pm

A Cold Run

Rain came down along with the first footsteps of my run. Got in a mile and a half before my socks got wet. Didn't bring my good socks so I turned around before I made myself upset. I took Adam's advice to speed up only on the downward slopes. He said this will help prepare my legs for my unbelievable speed on Sunday. Not a 100% on the "unbelievable" part. I may have ad-libbed.

It was pouring, a little cold, and I had on my white singlet. Nips supplemented my navigational system's deterred vision by acting as antennae. Kind of like Daredevil.

I'm fkn bored.

Near Fall

Rested Friday after P90x, and Saturday (minus some house chores). Met up with Ferd Babas, Joe Wedemman, Brandon Parea, and Jeremy Buttz at Adam Busek's house for our weekly brick at 1pm on Sunday. We ventured up from the middle of Kaloli (200' elev.) onto and along the Keaau Bypass Road (400-600') for 10 miles. We turned down onto Kapoho Rd then Pohoiki Rd (where Big Bill Hubbard joined up with us) for 4.5 miles to reach sea level.

View Larger Map

This was a great warmup. Mostly downhill, but windy. The roads were wet and we were going at a relatively unsafe speed. I can't even begin to imagine how fast Bill was going, cause he took off like a madman, and I didn't see him until we got to the water faucet.

Kalapana Road (sea level, 11.5 miles) was a bit hilly. This was the most scenic portion of the ride. About 5 miles onto it, I realized I wasn't gaining momentum before the uphills. That's why I was getting beat up and building a gap (they were just within sight). I also blame the scenery for losing speed. I caught up with about a mile left till Ahia Rd and got into 2nd position. I almost missed the turn! Glancing right on Ahia, I saw Bill's white shirt and made a quick U-ey.

We stopped for about 5 mins to refill water. Insane Joe ventured up Opihikau (sp?), grew unpatient at the top, then came back down to meet us.

It was a 7 mile climb from sea level to 1k ft elevation. Just over 17 miles total back from sea level to Adam's house.

Joe punished the hills and I tried to keep up with the monster. On a downhill section of Kalapana Rd, we were going at least 30, maybe close to 40 (I didn't have my speedometer onboard). I tried to avoid something nasty on the road, and ended up slipping on either the white line or a reflector. I wobbled for a split second or more. I kept low and tried to keep control. There was a 75% chance I was gonna hit pavement hard. Luckily, I made it through. I took a deep breath or two, and used the adrenaline rush to gun it. I overtook Adam and Joe and went about 90% all the way back. I glanced over every few minutes and didn't see anyone behind. I wanted a good lead on the bike this time instead of playing catchup on the run. Overall ride was 44.5 miles in 2:35:21 including the water break.

1:52 in transition; refilling my gel and Endurolytes. Leaving the driveway, I was surprised to see Ferd and Brandon coming in. I cheered them on and took off. 30 seconds later, I realized I was speeding. I loosened my stride, easing up my breathing and HR. I committed to 6 miles. Passed Brandon again about 1.5 miles in and told him where to turn around. He looked winded but was trying to maintain composure. Almost 2 miles in, I passed Bill who was hunched in agony. He had bad cramps in both hamstrings. I gave him some endurolytes and my water.

I turned into the driveway (16:07 minutes into the run) to refill on water and endurolytes (an extra 3:49 to get back to main road). I felt pretty damned good. But it was getting sunnier and I was headed uphill. I kept my long-sleeve dri-fit on to help take a beating in the sun. I'm wondering now if it actually did the opposite by helping me keep shaded and cool. 3.5 miles in, I poured some water on my hat, back and chest to help lighten the load I was carrying in my hand. Oops, that made my shirt heavy.

Another 15:18 into the run, I hit the turnaround. Cool. I opened up and turned the 15 into 13:20, following Brandon's 4 miler. Turns out I only went 5.25 miles on the run. But I ran into the driveway twice, so I may have topped 5.5. Overall training time was 3:25:20.

Bill told me the Endurolytes and H2O fixed his cramps in about 5 minutes. That made me feel great, and was good to know. I have a feeling Bill's gonna take the podium for his age group.

Turns out Brandon's only 18! He's gonna make a name for himself in the next few years. He might make the podium also for his age group.

I want it. I feel great. I actually trained for an event. My age group (M30-34) is stacked. Last year's Lavaman Waikoloa featured Chris "Macca" McCormack, Tim Marr and John Flanagan, placing 1, 3 and 4 overall, respectively. All 3 pros with sub-2hr times. The age-groupers were only about 10 minutes behind. For now, I just want to break 3hrs.

We're also planning on hitting up the www.TeamMangoRaces.com Pre-Ironman Triathlon on Sunday, September 27th at Kailua Pier. 1.2 mile swim, 15 mile hilly bike, 6 mile hilly run. All fun, and free!

I couldn't convince Ferd to get into triathlon yet. I think he's in once he gets his first marathon over with (he's also doing the www.HonoluluMarathon.com in December). Jeremy might do it also.

Insani-P90x 1.9

Thursday 9/4 7am

Insani-P90x 1.9 Legs & Back. Yeah, this workout should not happen after a day of leg workouts. We should have worked Chest & Back again.

P90x Legs & Back	Set 1	Set 2
Balance Lunges	0#25	-
Calf Raise Squats	15#25	-
Reverse-Grip Chin-Ups	12	12
Super Skaters	25	-
Wall Squats	All	-
Wide-Front Pull-Ups	12+5	12+5
Step-Back Lunges	15#15	-
Alternating Side Lunges	10#20	-
Close-Grip Overhand Pull-Ups	10+5	12
Single-Leg Wall Squats	60secs
Dead Lift Squats	20	-
Switch-Grip Pull-Ups	12	12+6
3-Way Kicks	5	-
Sneaky Lunges	20	-
Chair Pose	60secs	-
Toe-Roll Iso Lunges	22	-
Groucho Walk	All	-
Calf Raises	15#+	-
80/20 Seiber Speed Squats	30	-
Total Pull-Ups +Chair	46+10	48+11
	94+21

P90x AbRipperX	Set 1	Set 2
In/Outs	25	-
Bicycle Kicks	25	-
Reverse Bicycle Kicks	20	-
Cruncy Frogs	20	-
Wide-Leg Sit-Ups	20	-
Fifer Scissors	20	-
Hip Rock & Raise	16	-
Pulse Ups	14	-
V-Up Roll-Up Combos	17	-
Oblique V-Ups	25	-
Leg Climbs	12	-
Mason Twist	40
Total	254	-

Body Part	Duration	Severity
Glutes	4	4
Hams	4	4
Calves	4	3
Abs	4	4
Back	4	4
Quads	4	4

Insani-P90x 1.8, Swim, Yoga, Run

Wednesday 9/3, 7:00

Insani-P90x 1.8 - Power Cardio

I need to start rating the amount of abuse each body part gets per workout so I can schedule Insanity, P90x and Endurance training together. Scoring is 5 extreme, 0 untouched

Body Part	Duration	Severity
Glutes	4	4
Hams	3	4
Calves	4	3
Abs	4	2
Tri's	2	3
Shoulders	2	2
Chest	1	2

Had enough time to recover from P90x Chest and Back on Monday to do well on the push-ups. The tri rises at the end were a bit tough after Wednesday's P90x Shoulders and Arms. The V-Ups didn't seem to be a problem though. Do the smaller muscles heal quicker?

Wednesday 9/3, 12:30

Got soaked while pulling my bike from the car in the rain! Pedaled to the pool for a quick 1km swim. I watched another swimmer during my interval rest. He's quick. I mimicked how he kept his feet near the surface. Seemed to be more efficient. It's also much easier to swim after Insanity days than P90x days.

Wednesday 9/3, 16:30

Yoga. I did a headstand!

Wednesday 9/3, 17:45

Run. 8 miles with Jeremy. Easy 38min run from Coconut Island to Richardson's and 40min back.

Nervous, Insani-P90x 1.7

Tuesday 9/1, 12pm

Was surprisedly worried/nervous about swimming today. Did I sleep enough? Did I eat enough? Do I have enough energy? Will I have enough energy for this afternoon's run?

Took it real easy until about 400-500m. My pace was about 2:05 - 2:10 per 100m.

Opened up a bit until I gassed at 750m. My form was absent. I was pulling with my neck to breath. My legs began to sink.

Rested for a min, remembering Adam's advice about a particular type of interval. After recharging, I decided to really open it up. I only had 150m to go anyway. Didn't time them, but it felt great to really pull and kick.

Finished up with an easy FS/BS/FS. IDK why, but I felt like it.

So I did 1100m, with a little rest. Been awhile since I've done so. Confidence is up a notch.

Jeremy asked my time for the Honu swim. I couldn't really remember so I looked it up after today's swim. 41:10 for a 2:04 pace. A little faster than my training pace back then. I was undertrained for the swim then, and I'm undertrained for it again now.

WTF am I thinking? I don't train enough for events. I just sign up and do them. I thought this would be the race in which I got serious for and do well instead of just finishing.

Maybe I'm subconsciously doing this just to keep things interesting.

I need to get more than 7 hours of sleep tonight so I can make my training day count tomorrow. Headed to Kona for the day.

Tuesday 9/1, 5:30pm

Had the same nervous thoughts about the afternoon run. Exhausted, fatigued, tired. Met Jeremy at Coconut Island just before 5:30pm. He had just done about 1km of swim intervals and then some. And now we're gonna do an 8 miler. 37 mins to Richardson's. 33 mins back. We cruised and talked most of the way there about training, fitness, nutrition, races, and future events. Halfway back, we decided to pick up the pace a little. We picked up the pace quite a bit for about 2 miles, then went easy again. We both agreed that it hardly seemed worth the 4 mins for all the extra effort we put in.

He's a stronger, faster swimmer. He should finish the swim at least 3 mins ahead of me.

On longer rides, he's got me again. He'll gain another minute or less on the bike.

I have to kick butt on the transitions and the run.

12 days till the inaugural Lavaman Keauhou and counting...

Wednesday 9/2, 7am

Insani-P90x 1.7 Shoulders and Arms - Decided to rename this hybrid workout. I'll increment for each "working" day, including 1 recovery day a week. Not including Sunday's brick yet, need to decide if I'm gonna include a short cardio or strength workout on those days (cause there's yardwork too).

Got 7 hours sleep. Almost got more. NO-Xplode almost brought me up to normal. Really had to push myself.

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2
Alternating Shoulder Press	20#15++	30#12=
In/Out Bicep Curls	20#16+	25#16=
2-Arm Tricep Kickbacks	15#15+	20#12=
Deep Swimmer's Press	20#12=	25#12=
Full Supination Concentration Curls	20#8=	25#8=
Chair Dips	25	35!
Upright Rows	25#12=	30#10=
Static Arm Curls	20#12=	20#12==
Flip-Grip Twist Kickbacks	15#8+	20#5-
Seated Shoulder Flys	15#16=	15#16+=
Crouching Cohen Curls	20#15+	25#12+=
Lying Down Tricep Extensions	15#15+	20#10=
In/Out Straight-Arm Shoulder Flys	10#16+=	15#16
Congdon Curls	20#10=	25#8
Side-Tri-Rise	17	30!

This time, I took it easier on the first round to see what I could do on the 2nd.

Insanity 1.6, Double-Brick, P90x 3.1, Yoga, Insanity 1.7

Insanity 1.6 was... skipped. Saturday is my rest/recovery day. I'm not sure if I should push everything back or just lose a day. Sunday was double-brick day and I didn't have enough in me to do Power Cardio also.

---

Met some cool endurance athletes at the Sunday HPP double-brick. Adam Busek (veteran Triathlete, kickboxing instructor, Human Anatomy Biologist Bicycle Salesperson who I regularly seek for nutrition and training advice) kindly hosted John (Adam's young nephew from SF), Brandon (young fresh Triathlete from Hilo, HS wrestler), Bill Hubbard (older, fresh Clydesdale Triathlete from Kapoho area), Joe Wedemman (Clydesdale veteran of many things. I look up to him in more ways than one), Jeremy Buttz (young fresh Triathlete from Hilo, fast fast fast), and another young guy but can't remember the name.

First 20k bicycle loop was done as a pack in just under 40 mins. Adam has an excellent judgement of pace and maintained that throughout. I slowly crawled my way from the back of the pack to the middle. When a large gap appeared behind Adam (leader), I rode up to 2nd and encouraged the other 2 to follow and close it. The last 3 miles are downhill with a strong headwind. Jeremy and Brandon sped up to take the lead. Adam kept his pace and eventually caught up. I focused on pulling up with my core to save my legs for an efficient stride on the run.

Transition was lightning quick for each of us (15-30 seconds).

I'm not sure when/where but I broke loose on the run and maintained the lead for the majority of the 2 miles. I loosened up near the turnaround only to find Adam a few steps behind. Aww shit, "pick it up... pick it up!" (Tony-ism #27). And the 2nd half is uphill. Yay...! All I can say is... thank you P90x/Insanity. Adam finished right behind me in about 15 minutes. Big Bill commended me on my posture and stride. I was more impressed that he was right behind, at his age and size.

We rested for 10-15 mins. Reloaded our fuel. Reapplied sunblock (don't forget it!). This time around, I loaded up on NO-Xplode.

2nd bicycle loop, Jeremy took OFF! Brandon and Joe held steadily behind until halfway though. Joe caught up to Jeremy, and Brandon faded to just within my sight. Big Bill laughed when I later told them my highway mantra "I'm gonna get you f'rs... I'm gonna get you f'rs..." It helped me focus on breathing and pulling up with my core again. I barely saved anything for the run. As I pulled into the driveway, Joe and Jeremy were already running out. As I parked my bike, Brandon was heading out. I finished in 39:46 including transition.

I took off like a maniac this time. I passed Brandon by the time I got to the road. There's no way they're beating me here. Jeremy/Joe were a few roads ahead (1/3 mile or so). I was landing harder on my heels and pushing long strides off my toes. I overemphasized my arm-swing to "pull" myself closer.

1/3 way through, some random guy on a mountain bike whispered "they're about a quarter-mile ahead" as he passed. I laughed back "Thanks! I got em... I got em"

I joked with Joe a bit at the turnaround "Pleasant day for a run, isn't it? How do you do?"

We all encouraged each other as we passed (it really does help... even a sun-burnt, sweat-ridden smile helps keep you going).

I slowly closed the gap to 1 road. But they were too fast. My watch read 14:39 as I entered the driveway. I didn't have enough energy to stop it.

Then when I tried to stop it, it wouldn't. No matter how much I cursed at it.

We all shared advice and laughs as time flew by while we recovered. What a fun training group.

We planned to meet at Richardson's to float and stretch. I couldn't find anyone when I got there so I jumped in and took an easy swim and left.

---

Back to P90x with Chest and Back.

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2
Std Push-Ups	30	25
Wide-Front Pull-Ups	15	9+3
Military Push-Ups	25	20
Reverse-Grip Chin-Ups	15	10+5
Wide-Fly Push-Ups	25	20
Close-Grip Overhand Pull-Ups	10	10
Decline Push-Ups	15	17
Heavy Pants	30#x20	30#x25
Diamond Push-Ups	20	17
Lawnmowers	30#x15	30#x20
Dive-bomber Push-Ups	8	9
Back Flys	30#x20	30#x25

I went heavy/hard on the first set. I forgot what I was(n't) capable of. Now I have a new list for next time. I'll start with the 2nd set #'s. But this won't happen for 2 weeks because of Lavaman Keauhou.

---

Yoga Class. We did a bunch of core work. I don't remember much of the class because I felt soo relaxed afterwards. I kinda zoned out on the way to Richardson's. Did a quick 300m. Joe, Shaun and Harry were hanging out and called me over.

---

Insanity 1.7 Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. LOL at Shaun-T-ism "Damn! That SH*T was baNAAnas, YO!" I substituted the push-ups (from the suicide push-up drills) with extended plank run (healing from yesterday's P90x chest workout). I also subbed the much missed (seriously) push-up jacks with jumping jacks and running in place. It's not the same without either workout. But I didn't do too bad in scheduling (only missing out on 2 parts of the drills).

I FORGOT MY FINS! I hope my legs aren't too burnt out for a 1km swim. The stretching should help my chest and back though. LET'S DO IT!

Wait, I need to rest my legs for this afternoon's 8 mile run with speedy Jeremy. Oh boy. Balance. I'll use my core. Wait, I just did a 15 minute ab workout this morning. I'll just drown...

New Personal Fitness Goals

New Personal Fitness Goals to be accomplished by the end of 2010

Ironman - I may not be able to qualify for next year's World Championship, but I sure as hell will do my best. If I don't qualify via Honu, I'll sign up for a full Ironman Distance Triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bicycle, 26.2 mile run) somewhere else in the world. I want to finish in 12 hours or less, but finishing is most important for my first IM.

300 - I want to be able to do the prestigious 300 Workout in under 18 minutes. What is the 300 Workout?

1. Pullups - 25 reps
2. Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50 reps
3. Pushups - 50 reps
4. 24-inch Box jumps - 50 reps
5. Floor wipers - 50 reps
6. Single-arm Clean-and-Press with 36lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps
7. Pullups - 25 reps

All exercises are done without scheduled rest between moves.

Toe Be-Gone, Yoga, Insanity 1.5

Warm-up ride to the pool and an easy 600m swim. My left side baby toe kicked the wall at the end of the 200m warmup. 75% chance it's broken, but on the bright-side: my right side big toe has healed since I finally kept off it by not running for a while (P90x and Insanity don't count :P ). That little bugger's almost a useless toe anyway. But I can hardly run correctly without the big toe. I need to incorporate fins in my next swim so I can re-learn to force my feet flat. Breathing's getting easier again. I think I can handle 1000m non-stop. 1 week to bring it back up to 1600m. Just a little concerned. I think I could do it under pressure, but my form would get all whack.

Rode up to Yoga class. Forgot my loose clothes and mat so I had boardshorts, an undershirt, and had to bike to Pono's for my workout mat. Trout made a make-shift carrying strap and off I went. Still made it just about on time. Sat down and was already dripping profusely with sweat. This class focused on back extension and it's natural curve. Years of slouching especially disagreed with the wide-legged sit.

Rachelle really got my butt off the ground doing bridge. I could barely get the top of my head off the ground until she pulled my hips up. I forced my pose to lessen the resistance on her hands. I think that's what she wanted me to do. Don't think I got anywhere near the stance in the pic, but it sure as hell felt like it! It's really difficult to push the elbows toward each other while keeping your hands below your shoulders.

Had trouble sleeping with the throbbing toe pain, but I was too exhausted to not sleep.

Insanity 1.5 - Pure Cardio. When Shaun-T says he's nervous about today's workout, embrace it. 15 minutes of non-stop Pure Cardio, after that brutal 3-stage warmup. You know you're doing a badass workout when these fitness freak demonstrators take breaks in between. At one moment it appeared that only a third of them were on-stage. If they were only acting winded, I was sold on it. It helped me feel powerful. Being able to keep pace while they were taking breaks. 5 days in and I'm already feeling massive improvements in the depth and explosiveness of my squats (frog jumps, power squats, power jacks, etc). I just wonder how the hell am I supposed to do Cardio Abs after this mofo.

But I'm grinning. You know why? Next week is HELL WEEK. Check out my Google Calendar if you're curious. I haven't added the noon workouts yet, but they're gonna be 1 hour of either swim, bike and/or run.

5 O'Clock Shadow, Insanity 1.4

Rode my bike home to Pepeekeo yesterday (roughly 10 miles from work, slightly uphill) in 40 min. Waited a little at 2 stoplights. Other than that, it was just me producing a slow 16.6mph. Along the way, I noticed a shadowy character keeping me company. He had no voice, but managed to help me correct my posture.

Insanity 1.4 - Cardio Max Recovery

. This video was easier and tougher at the same time. It's like a mind-f**k. There's no intense cardio warmup. It feels like you're gonna be doing easy stretches and deep breathing for 45 mins. About 10-15mins(?) in, we get into some good deep, burning stretches, then another 15 mins we get into an awesome slow-twitch workout. I do feel relaxed, and believe my HR was around 130-160. I'm really interested in my HR, and should've been monitoring from 1.1. Next week, I suppose. Cousin Mark still has my Polar HRM, so I'll use my secondary strap and download an iPhone app to monitor it.

Insanity 1.3

This just keeps getting better and better. Today's Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance was freakin sweet!

The moves were soo intense that I actually voluntarily sat and involuntarily lay down on the precious 30 second breaks of the last circuits. Mastered the 1-2-3's (Heisman with the tap-taps in the middle). The floor towel is 5 feet away. I have only enough time to wipe the sweat off the floor and throw it back (running now), OR drink water and wipe sweat off me.

Did I mention how much I freakin love Insanity?

Didn't have time to really check the movements of the moving push-ups but I know we're moving side to side. My version is a close hands pushup, move hand out, wide hands pushup, close hands pushup, reverse direction. You can get in a crapload of pushups and do it with sincere intensity.

My squats need a ton of work. This video series will make me crush my first Lavaman Keauhou Triathlon.

New eye candy in this video, but I could only enjoy it in the warmup. Everything until 15 minutes after the workout was a complete blur.

Sooo hungry right now. Chris Kua, my saviour went to pick up breakfast cause I rode my bicycle in and couldn't sneak in an egg. Will I ever tire of omelettes? Nahh...

Swimming for Recovery?

My back was beginning to bug me again by late morning. I was also running on E. Checked on Eric, and his energy was low also. Good.

Had a choice at noon between a nap or the pool.

Something about the water that heals. Jessica was right about being able to swim everyday.

Felt I had to refine my stroke because I was exhausted before even starting. Stretched out, glided though my fingertips and tried a slow rhythm. Took me 60 strokes across the 50 (quite a bit there buddy). But I felt relaxed. My back didn't bother me.

It's been 5 hours since the swim and it's only beginning to bother me a little now.

Pain, Delivered | Insanity 1.2

Pain, Delivered - After Insanity 1.1 Fitness Test, I felt empty. I missed the aftermath in pain from P90x's strength workout. I do believe emphasis was specifically placed on muscular pain. Oh snap, that's what I got. Yesterday's yoga class was focused on neck and back. We did some moves on the ground; pulling the neck using our palms, neck/shoulder stand, neck bridge, etc. Rachelle had us hold bridge until my ass, lower back and quadriceps were on fire. Then we lay on our backs for a minute to rest.

Next move was downward dog. I thought that was in awkward transition. I couldn't picture how to fluidly move into it, so I did a "B-boy Flare" into plank. Rachelle giggled cause nobody knew how to do a reverse tuck-roll into downward dog. Her demo wasn't the most graceful move, but I wanted to try it. First attempt was horrible. My mind was on mastering the transition instead of the downward dog stretch. On the 3rd or 4th attempt, my toes almost touching the ground, a sharp pain comes from the left shoulder blade. I have to push hard to continue rolling backwards, then drop to my knees. Downward dog is gonna be a little tough now. But I suck it up and push through the next 30 minutes.

Rachelle had one of the more flexible girls demonstrate child's pose to downward dog, while keeping the head on the mat. Ow? My head is nowhere near the mat in downward dog. I get elevation sickness, it's soo high.

Sleep was tough. Got about 5 hours max. There was no comfortable position to ease the back pain. At the second snooze... rarely gets to that point... I was about to call Eric to cancel, and rest for another hour. Then I thought about how I'd hear it from everyone about dropping out after the 1st day of Insanity. I hopped out of bed... okay, I crawled out... but my mind was thinking hop. Got my shot of NO-X and slowly but eagerly got to Pono's 15 minutes late.

Insanity 1.2 Cardio Plyo Circuit was INSANE! Then we got to the stretches and I smirked at Eric... "Yeah, that WAS the warmup" From then on, all you would hear out of me was deep breathing, an occasional hysterical laugh, and some bitching through my teeth.

When Shaun-T tells you to remember to breath during those double-tap Heisman's at 3x speed, I laughed and exlaimed "I don't have time to breath, asshole!"

Exercises that truly kicked my ass: Power Squats (1-3rd revolutions), the plank ski kicks (kick legs left-in-right-in, etc) (1-3rd revs), Plank In-Out Kicks (1-3rd revs), Suicides (3rd rev, 3rd rep). The other moves kicked my ass normally.

Water breaks are the shit. Post-workout, I downed the recovery drink and we agreed that was most our bodies have ever craved the fuel. And that was after drinking a full pint of water during the workout and 12 oz prior.

Today changed my doubts about Shaun-T's motivational abilities. He really pushes you, maximizing your potential.

Eye-Candy. These are the hottest workout women I've ever seen on a video. And they fuckin push it hard! If the eye-candy ain't motivation enough, somebody better check your pulse.

We're sticking to our plan for of going through the series once, then Insanity: TTh; P90x MWF. I'll do the Insanity alone at home after work... but that's our dirty little secret.

2nd and 4th meals (snacks)

Snacks. Chips, cookies, crackers, candy bars. Yummy. Sweet. Trans fats. Processed. High GI.

Reset. Need a new list.

• Cheese (sharp cheddar)
  
• Beef Jerky
  
• Eggs
  
• Pork Skins
  
• Tuna
  
• Yogurt
  
• Celery
  
• Carots
  
• Peanut Butter
  
• Pickles? Maybe
  
• Almonds
  
• What else would make a great snack?
  

I'm used to eating oatmeal as 2nd breakfast. It's low GI, but still a bunch of carbs. I've been replacing with eggs. I need to avoid carbs so my body begins burning dietary and bodyfat for fuel (hopefully more of the latter).

2nd lunch will be picked from the list.

Usually have a protein shake and/or low-carb yogurt right before sleep.

Also did some reading about NO-Xplode's creatine content. It's said to only have 1g per serving. Gonna go for some monohydrate form to stack with NO-X.

Brick on N.O., Insanity Day 1

Sunday Brick with Adam, Jeremy and Brian (bike only) - Warmed up, stretched out with a 400m open water swim at Richardson's then headed to HPP for the 2pm brick. Sun was in/out of the clouds, ~80F, Humidity in the mid 70's. 1.5 scoops NO-X, 30 min pre 40k ride, and 1.5 scoops NO-X at transition to 10k run. Stomach wasn't bothered much on the run. This might just work. I've been going no/low carb up until Sunday morning with 2 pre-race organic pop-tarts.

Quads cramped a bit at 9k, downhill portion of the run. Walked for a few seconds and decided to push through. Loosened and lengthened my stride. The P90x back and core workouts helped me improve and maintain my posture throughout the run. It was easier to focus on gently pulling my shoulders down and back. The second half of the run was finished strong. I waited too long to take my gel on the ride, and my stomach gave me noise about it.

Had trouble sleeping. Propped my feet up and wore my compression socks to sleep and into Insanity.

Insanity Day 1 - Fitness Test (what I now will call Confidence Test :)

Exercise	Mike	Eric
Switchkicks	110	110
Squat Jump?	55	55
Power Knees R	75	86
Power Jumps	50	41
Globe Jumps	14	5
Suicide Jumps	23	16
Push-Up Jacks	45	31
Low-Plank Obliques	60	32
Power Knees L	70	N/A

I noticed the vid skipped the opposite side Power Knees, so I RW to finish up. Was a bit tougher to do the other side at the end of the test.

Quite a workout for 30 min. Gotta loooove the quick warmup! Shaun-T gets right into it. Eric's a beast at strength, but cardio is my game. We're planning on pairing Insanity and P90x on the short Insanity days. I have to credit P90x for our ability to keep pace with the demonstrators' results. It's gonna be tough to improve upon our scores. We'll see if Insanity can deliver as expected.

Looking through the discs was hilarious. Cardio this, cardio that, cardio cardio. This is gonna kick our asses. We hope.


Got a fresh pair of compression socks at work, and trying to give my legs a rest (AFTER standing around with a 130min tech support call in the garage). They're not bothering me as much as last night, but they deserve a break.

Gonna shoot for 600m in the pool within the next 30min, then Yoga class after work.

Back to no/low carbs until Sunday for a double-brick (Jeremy's crazed idea).

Bare Naked... Feet, Yoga Class, NO-X Schedule, Carbless

Yesterday's mid-day run was... yes, planned. You may have guessed that I purposely "forgot" my running shoes. I've been wanting to run shoeless for a while now (probably since Waimanu). The only thing I really worry about is glass on the road/sidewalk. So I used the Teva Proton 3 water shoes I bought for the Waimanu hike.



As you can see, they're barely even shoes. Neoprene (wetsuit material) inner, with a thin rubber sole. It still gave me a ton of "feel" for the hot pavement/cement. Nice 30 minute run from the Kawamoto pool along the bay and back. My calves and hamstrings felt fairly tight last night and this morning. P90x X-Stretch this morning felt really good. I put emphasis on the downward dog and single-leg hamstring stretches. The low-squat was a meanie.




I highly recommend doing this at least once. Even if it's a quick run around the ballpark or playground on the grass. You get a better feel of your body. Give your heels a rest. Even though mine barely touch the ground anway, it forces me to stay off them for start to the very end. Just be prepared to patch up your feet a bit afterwards... haha mines were hash anyway, so wtf!

Monday was my first Yoga class. Held by Yogi, Rachelle of the http://www.balancingmonkey.com/ in Hilo. It's a beginner class. Some of the P90x YogaX moves are advanced, so I had little trouble following along. She helped me with my form though. I had trouble with fold and flat back. I wasn't aware that my back had something against being flat. I think I've got the hang of it now... err... straight of it.




So, NO-Xplode has a 6-12 week cycle, and 4 week minimum off-cycle. Going with the max 12 week cycle, I'll have until the beginning of October to decide which other pre-training chemical formula to subject myself to while off of the nitric oxide supplement.




Been doing fairly well this first of 4 weeks of my Carbless diet. I flopped a little today, on accident of course! That chicken long-rice was worth it. I took my NO-X right after to help flush the carbs. Oh yeah the rest was good too (lau lau, poi, lomi salmon, chicken long rice, small poke, haupia for $10 from Wiki-Wiki kitchen next to Ken's House of Pancakes in Hilo. Big tubs of poke from Suisan)

P90x Round 2 Day 93 Chest and Back Evaluation

Exercise	Before			After
	Weight	S1R	S2R	Weight	S1R	S2R
Standard Push-Ups	160#?	30	20	170#	25	25
Wide-Arm Pull-Ups	Bands	0	15	170#	12	12
Military Push-Ups	160#	15	15	170#	22	20
Reverse-Grip Chin-Ups	Bands	0	25	170#	12	12
Wide-Fly Push-Ups	160#	20	15	170#	20	20
Close-Grip Overhand Pull-Ups	Bands	0	20	170#	12	12
Decline Push-Ups	160#	15	10	170#	15	15
Heavy Pants	Bands	20	15	30#	15	20
Diamond Push-Ups	160#	10	9.5	170#	15	15
Lawnmowers	Bands	20	20	30#	20	20
Dive-Bomber Push-Ups	160#	8	5	170#	10	8.5
Back-Flys	Bands	20	20	30	20	22
Total Push-Ups	160#	98	74.5	170#	107	103.5
		172.5			210.5
Total Pull-Ups				170#	36	36
					72

S1R = Set 1 Reps
S2R = Set 2 Reps
Bands = Purple or Green Bands (don't recall)

P90x Round 1 - Day 1

I wasn't impressed with the difference in quantity for push-ups, but I bet my quality has drastically improved. My core is a lot stronger, and my body is a plank with EVERY repetition. I'm also more explosive on contraction of the muscle and slow/steady on expansion.

The weight and numbers speak for the back workouts.

I haven't been 100% on the 90 days, but have been off and on. My focus was on slowtwitch and cardio before I began the program. I have been neglecting long-distance and time cardio workouts. My nutritional guidelines have also become more of a distraction to me enjoying bad food.

I've got 4 weeks until Lavaman Keauhou Olympic Triathlon. I've began my no-carb diet on Friday and paid for it over the weekend with headaches. I think my body has adjusted and I feel lighter already this morning. The machine is burning again.

Eric got in Insanity and it looks fun. He's still sick, so we'll start it next Monday. He'll attempt some P90x tomorrow morning.

I've got Yoga class this afternoon with Mommy for some afer-hours Community College Course. I told her Yoga isn't a walk-in-the-park, but it's an excellent start at getting fit! Twice a week, should be a nice addition to my afternoon program. I'll have to reintroduce noon runs... maybe tomorrow. Okay definitely tomorrow. Bike on Wednesday, noon or afternoon.

Gotta commit!

Mauna Loa Hike & Sea-to-Stars Mauna Kea Bike Climb

Haven't posted anything in a while. Doesn't mean I haven't been up to much, just tired of writing.

2 adventures happened since last post. Both were up mountains.


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I've never been up Mauna Loa, so I signed up for a backpack trip with the Sierra Club July 25-26. We hiked from 6,000ft elevation for 6mi to 10,000ft where we stayed at the Red Hill Cabin. It took us over half a day to get up there with breaks every hour. I pounded my PB&J sammiches every hour, which gave me tons of energy. I felt lightheaded around 9k ft, but no headaches. The sun was intense, and I burned easily. When we got to the cabin, my legs were good, but I felt dizzy. We ate dinner and I lay down on one of the top bunks to relieve some neck and upper-back strain. 15 minutes later I felt nauseous. I sat up for a while until it had to come out... twice. So I decided to sleep outside. Sherryl and Cheryl were nice enough to lend me an extra sleeping bag and jacket to keep warm. The fresh air was a huge help though. Took an aspirin and slept good after that. Turns out, as Diane pointed out, elevation decreases the body's ability to digest food. So I shouldn't have ate enough for 3. Next morning, I felt like a champ! After at least 8 hours of rest, I was ready to go. I signed out early and ran down. I made it until 8,500ft where the path was only navigable at a slow pace. Plus I owed Sherryl a sammich. So I lay down and waited for the group. That was a good 1 hour nap :) We all joined up at Lava Cafe for burgers and monster taco salads. Made great friends on this trip (Cheryl & Dave, Alina, Sherryl, Rodney, John and Diane) and hope to see them again on the next hike.

Yeah, I don't feel very descriptive today.


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This past weekend, I went up the other mountain. This time on 2 wheels. We started from the singing bridge in downtown Hilo and rode up 9,000ft for 34mi to Hale Pohaku on Mauna Kea. It was 5 hours and 45 minutes of hell. My legs were burning for the first and last 2k ft. They managed to go numb in between. My taint is still sore. I took 5min breaks every hour to gain back feeling in my crotch, so Jr should still be good to go. I gave my bike a break and walked her up a mile or so on the Mauna Kea Access Road, which isn't hilly... there's no level areas. I'm just glad I finished. Not bad for managing to stay off my bike since Honu (2.5 months ago). I'm breaking 4hrs next year. Bree Wee congratulated me on my finish and took a pic with me too! She's got such a great personality and am glad I met her.

Relay for Life Run

I had planned ahead to run a marathon at the Relay for Life. I trained hard to do so. And my knees paid the price for it. 3 days prior, I could barely run. So I decided to just walk at the RFL.

Derrik's son James ran for at least an hour. When he stopped I commended him. I was inspired to run. My knees felt okay. It was 1am when I went to the car and put on a long sleeved running shirt. Oops, I left my shorts at home. Oh well, I have these old Saucony running shoes and my board shorts. I can do a few laps with these.

Steady pace. 8-9 minute miles maybe. A few laps turned to twenty. The Speed-O crew's cheers every single lap kept me going. Twenty more laps later, other crews joined in with the cheering and clapping. Aw shucks, I better keep going. I drank 6oz juice every half hour. The li hing mui oranges was a life saver. That and the cheering kept me going for over two and a half hours and 65 laps.

I walked a few laps to stretch out and regain energy. Then the aerobics started. Everyone seemed excited to join in. I saw Uncle Timmy head over so WTF, if that big guy can do it, I can. 30 minutes of aerobics ain't easy after a 15-16 mile run.

Taking down and carrying the tents and supplies was super fun after that. I slept all of Sunday, and don't regret it.

Nitric Oxide

Gonna test out this whole Nitric Oxide mumbo jumbo. Started yesterday before P90X and a 35 minute run. Seams to aid in muscle recovery, and gives a boost in energy during second half of workout. Could be all the other ingredients in the N.O.-Xplode product I'm testing out. I'm consuming product 30 minutes prior to workouts (suggested minimum).

I agree with the manufacturer's declaration of improved focus, energy, and power. In that order.

I'm also gonna look into Volumaize for N-Training during cardio workouts.

Waimanu Valley Weekend Hike

Day 1 - Overpacked

The fact that I am writing this on my iPhone on the first morning of the camping trip is questionable. There's no signal outside of Honokaa town, which barely gathers a signal already.

I've been awake for at least half an hour now. It's barely 1:30am. The waves outside are echoing through the valley. It's calming and startling at the same time. There was a high surf advisory issued early yesterday but I didn't hear, or it wasn't stated, from which direction. The ocean was calm along the North and East facing shores throughout yesterday. I had to get up to piss and figured I'd jot down yesterday's happenings so I can concentrate on the present come morning.

Thursday night I grabbed all the things I wanted and lay them out next to my pack on the cement patio floor. Included were new gear from Wal-Mart: tent, sleeping bag, hammock, mosquito net. Tried calling Shannon to see if we needed anything extra before i lef the store but he sounded drunk and he coildnt hear me over the loud music. Finally went to sleep around midnight.

Woke up at 6 and eagerly began packing.

We parked about a mile and a half outside of the top of Waipio entrance, and began our hike there. The park guard welcomed us with Aloha and advised there were several groups of campers. 3 kayaks, and about 3 groups of 6 heading down shortly before us.

The road downhill into Waipio was a quick test to my new Teva wet terrain booties. I wore them a few hours after buying them Thursday night, and notice the wetsuit lining holds in moisture as well as it kept it out. So I wore my thin racing socks with them. Only problem with that is they don't protect from the backside grinding down my achilles.

The river mouth looked narrow from above. I guess rain has been scarce. The water funneled down to a fast pace where we crossed. I took off the socks and secured them to the front of my ruck. My clothes and other dry goods were sealed against rain but not so much against river. I did pack the dry stuff higher up. Although narrow, the water carved deep through the black sand and round beach rocks. We were quickly in waist deep. Shannon fell forward and was smart to have re-secured his sleeping mat, which would've been soaked.

We decided to carry our mocasins across the beach. It was now past 11. There were what seemed to be wild horses and a few dogs roaming around. 2 surfers getting some shore break. 3 sun bathing chics for eye-candy and ow, hot hot hot, our feet are on fire! We cross onto the wet sand to cool off then get onto the shaded rock path a few minutes later.

Soon enough, we get to our first switchback out of Waipio. We take a rest and Shannon packs his pipe. I place myself appropriately so I don't inhale any of it; HFD interview in a week, might make it through. Drink some water and eat an energy bar. Up we go. Some parts were steep but it wasn't too narrow. Shannon decides to remain hobbit as long as his feet can bear it. People came up here with horses? Must have been mules, right?

Well, it's 2:15am now. I should try to sleep.

So, we made it to Waimanu by around 6pm. Shannon wanted to take 'smoke breaks' at the bottom of every gulch. I don't mind and I don't judge. I just don't know how he functioned the entire hike like that, as well as barefoot. I enjoyed the surroundings, took a dip in Queen's Bath, hunted for prawns in the rivines, and fought mosquitoes.

There were 9 camping sites, of which all were occupied. The beach is about a mile long, and not so fun to walk across the round rocks while carrying our packs that seemed to grow heavier every second. Everyone there seemed to be pretty cool and friendly. We saw a few groups who we met along the trail. I doubt anyone really had a camping permit. We put our packs down at the end and hiked about 250 paces along the far cliff towards a small waterfall where we filled water with Shannon's filter. We decided to set camp next to a group of hunters at Camp Site 4, who seemed to be the only other locals there. They had fashioned a house out of five 8x8 tarps, had a fire going, and already had a set of blades (lower jaw of a boar) hanging near the hut. I asked if we could setup at the site next to theirs and they didn't mind.

My tent was a 5x6 jr pup tent from Wally World for $22.88. Geometry told me I'd have almost 8' of sleeping room diagonally. The 8x9' regular size for $36 was twice as heavy and required more carrying space. I passed on the $40 self-inflating bed mat and opted for my existing yoga mat. I bought the zippered fleece blanket for $11, which was durable and fairly light in weight. I forgot to pickup an inflatable pillow so I brought my cylindrical neck pillow (which should not be used for more than half an hour at a time).

Day 2 - The Trail is Gone, and We Tread On

The sun is up before 6am and so am I. The camp is quiet and motionless from an eventful Friday night. I eat an apple and lightly stretch before taking a swim. Camp Site 4 is in the middle of the beach so I go straight out and dive right in. The water feels great, of course. I swim towards the left beach end where 3 young ladies are doing yoga on the dry sand. I get about 100ft only to be engrossed in greenish-brown seaweed. Every stroke pulls in two handfulls. I can't see a thing underwater. After a few minutes I get freaked out and swim to shore to walk to the end. The water is very visible there. The waves break consistently right to left. I'm on vacation. Let's bodysurf! The first wave was incredible. I rode it all the way in and take a split second to get back out for a few more. I'm knee deep in love with this place.

Sun's coming up; time for breakfast. I run over to the drinking waterfall and rinse off the salt. Shannon and the boys have the camp fire going and have already blazed 4. I set my water on the fire to prep for my oatmeal. They ask what time it is and I tell them it's about 7. They start laughing, thinking it's already 10.

Shannon and I get our gear ready for a day hike and set off at 8am for the north side shore to find papayas. We find several caves inhabited by junk (broken fishing pole, old tents, and literally - garbage). I climb up a 10ft rock face to get in one. It was easier than I expected. I want more of that action. On the way back, you can see a spectacular view of the shore and realize how high up we hiked (several hundred feet, see pic on right).

Kinda bummed we head for Goal 2, the fresh water spring which the hunters drink from. On the way we encountered a ginormous taro plant. It was about 7ft tall and the leaves spanned 3ft. 2 hours on the hunting trail, Shannon spots a male papaya tree. Next to it, I point out a hermie with green fruit. Immediately after, we simultaneously exclaim "papayas!" A tree stood, bearing large twin yellow fruit. It was like finding a treasure chest. He shook the tree and I gently caught them one-by-one. Those were the most satisfying papayas we've ever had. Halfway through each we were already full, but didn't want to waste so we had to do our duty and finish the job.

An hour later we found the spring, tagged with blue tape on a nearby tree. Examining it, Shannon noted that the water was flowing swiftly enough from the source to not allow stagnant water near. I pumped the first bottle and Shannon just filled his directly. I did the same with my other 20oz bottle and two 10oz bottles. We sat, finding small bottomfish and prawns, enjoying peanut butter sandwiches and fresh spring water, filtered through volcanic rock for what may be hundreds of years.

We have come to the end of the beaten path. We want to see how far we can get near the second bowl. We hit all sorts of terrain. Heavy brush, overgrown guava roots, river rocks, mud, sharp rocks, gravel, kukui nuts... the works. I now wish I had taken pictures of the tough stuff, but we were busy quickly sweating through it. After an hour of pushing through the thick, we agree to head up the river. This was a great idea. Shannon does a pushup in the river to cool down, and I follow shortly after. We follow the river towards the second bowl until 1pm and needed to switch direction towards the first waterfall. We encounted more unusual terrain along the way. There was a thick patch of tall, skinny, single-stemmed trees, with thick underbrush and mud. It appeared to be the most difficult to navigate yet so we opted to follow the river instead. We zigzagged for a while, finding more unusual things like symbiotic fern, oily water, "plant island", and fresh water opihi, until running into another batch of the same trees. We went through it this time. Wow, this was the easiest of all! We made great time until we got into heavier mud and had to cross a small, slow-moving river. We finally got to the finger blocking us from the waterfall at 3pm.

On the other side of the ridge were heavy boulders, loose gravel, and fallen trees on a 45 degree angle on the left of ther river and impassable bamboo on the right. The river was stagnant, muddy, near waist deep and blocked by more fallen trees. We took the left. The pounding water slowly grew louder. Not soon enough, it opened up to a clearing and the waterfall came in to site.

As we entered the clearing, we could hear and feel the wind blowing at us from the lake. The wind is apparently created from the continuously falling water. It was now 3:30pm and the sun was still high in the sky, but just on the other side of the ridge. The water would be cold, but we couldn't leave without swimming under the fall. Afterwards we sat on some rocks and dried off using the giant blow-dryer, talking nonsense.

The journey back to camp was quick. I lay right down and let my legs and shoulders rest. I ate 3 dinners in between naps and went to bed around 11.


Day 3 - The Race

I found out the eldest brother Kaeo was in MMA training and would be running back to Waipio nonstop. 5 minutes behind, I chased after and caught up with him a few gulches away. He was sitting down with their 3 dogs, waiting for his friends to claim the 2 that ran off to him. We talked and I got some energy from an apple. When everybody arrived, Shannon and I agreed to go at different paces. When Kaeo was ready to go, I jumped up and began running downhill. Along the way, I drank all my water and ate 2 trailmix bars. When I got to the Waipio lookout, I felt a little dizzy. I stopped to take a picture at the top 2 switchbacks. 10 steps after the second one, I heard a voice behind me "how you brah?" I jumped back cause I didn't even hear him coming. I guess that's how they catch pigs haha. The path was narrow and very rocky. I barely kept up with him and his faithful dog. We shared training thoughts along the beach back to Waipio River. All the locals knew him cause he goes to Waimanu every full moon. They occasionally go horseback too, crazy!

The next guy came up half an hour behind and the rest another half hour later. They were kind enough to squeeze us in the full size Ford diesel truck up the hill. It was old and shaky even along the sand at the bottom. I held on for dear life. I heard gears slipping every now and then. That was probably the scariest part of the entire trip for both of us. Kaeo offered a ride to the pretty Asian girl from Maui that took a liking to him along the hike. She jumped in with a big smile "score duude!"

Shannon and I finished the trip with a pitstop at Blanes in Honokaa. He had a double-teri-burger. I had a grilled ahi plate and a boneless Korean chicken plate, both with fries. I gave him my second fries but devoured most of everything else. 10 miles out of Honokaa, the van began to shimmy and made a loud howling noise. The rear-driver-side tire had separated. All exhausted and full from lunch, we had to change a tire. I cranked the jack and he handled the bolts.

Back home from the short trip, all comforts are taken less for granted. I spoke with my dad before dinner, about the trip, the fire dept, and about trekking through the world. He loved the idea and has been reading newsletters about Chris Guillebeau, a web developer who's goal is to visit every country in the world. I don't plan on doing the same, but will read up on his travel techniques. This post was already long enough before I strayed from the topic and I'm kinda tired from writing, so thanks for reading!