SuperBowl Sunday

As a newcomer to Wisconsin from Minnesota, I can't say that I'm particularly enthused about the Packers being in the Super Bowl this upcoming Sunday. And as someone who doesn't really care about football to start with it's just kind of obnoxious to be surrounded by the population of a state who basically worships their team.

Turns, out though, it's good for me. Yeah check it out. According to Time.com, I might just be avoiding a heart attack. Apparently the emotional stresses of watching your favorite team lose a game as big as the Super Bowl can give you a heart attack. Okay, that's maybe a glossed over version and the game-day fare doesn't usually help either. But with no significant emotional ties to any professional sports team here in the US, I think I just eliminated another common American cardiac risk factor.

Although...what does that mean happened to my CV health last summer when I watched Andy Schleck lose the yellow jersey to Alberto Contador?

The February Challenge 2011

Wow, January just flew by. And despite a little illness towards the end of the month, the January Challenge is complete. 31 days and 3100 push ups later I'm ready for round two. Bring it on February.

This month you have full warning, so I hope that you have the gumption* to join me. Since February is a few days shorter, we're going to make sure that we're not lacking in challenge and the feat for the month will be a little more intense. Guaranteed to get your heart pumping in a month with a lot of hearts...yeah, I know, that was bad even for me...my daily challenge for the month will be: 150 x 2-armed kettlebell swings with a 20lb kettlebell.

That's my challenge. If 150 is too many for you, knock it down a notch. If 150 a day is too few, then crank up your limit. The two arm swing is also an exercise you could attempt with dumbbells or another weight of some sort if you don't have a kettlebell.

For those of you unfamiliar with kettlebells allow me to explain. A kettlebell is a lot like a cannonball with a handle. They come in a variety of sizes and weights and are intended to be a method of weight lifting/resistance training that uses multi-joint motions to avoid isolating and provide a more functional fitness. They are also a good way to hurt yourself if you are not careful. (there isn't much that hurts more than popping yourself in a sensitive spot with a flying 20lb handled-cannonball).

Watch the video and then give it a try. Be careful to keep your back straight and make sure that

you are using your hips and lower body to make the kettlebell move instead of your upper body and back. If you are having back pain, STOP, reexamine your swing and try again with proper form.

If you like kettlebells and are looking for more exercises you can see what else Phil has to offer with DV8 fitness. Or if you want someone who isn't boring and monotone you could try kbellqueen's youtube channel. There are also good resources out there like kettleworx, iron core fitness or if you want to get really intense try mike mahler... etc. etc. ad nauseum

Give it a try and enjoy the ride!

*gumption:

[guhmp-shuhn]

–noun Informal .

1.

initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness: With his gumptionhe'll make a success of himself.

2.

courage; spunk; guts: It takes gumption to quit a high-paying job.

3.

common sense; shrewdness.

Origin:
1710–20; orig. Scots

"Just do it?" Or "Just say no?"

I'm sick.

What to do, what to do?

It's mostly been a head cold so far, but it's been a nasty one and has stuck around for 5-6 days. Hopefully it's gone before tests start next week. I've been feeling like I could sleep for a day or two at a time every time I lay down, but I feel better each time I wake up (whether that's a nap or a night of sleep). Which leads to my question, one that many of us have posed over time: Is it okay for me to exercise when I'm sick?

Most often I've heard the "above the neck" recommendation that if your symptoms stay above your neck and don't seem to move into your chest when you exert yourself it's fine to keep on exercising. I've always felt fairly good about this and have passed it on quite frequently. I've used this guide for the first 4 days of being ill, but it seems to me now that I just need rest so that my body can deal with its invaders. Modern medicine, despite all its bells and whistles, is really aimed at creating ideal conditions for your body to work its magic and heal itself. I know that may be disappointing to some of you, but look at it this way...I'm saying that you have an amazing body. And since exercise is definitely a stressor on your body, taking a few days off might let my immune system kick it up a notch.

I can't help but hear Joe Friel echoing in my head "it's better to be over rested than overtrained..." In a situation like this, it's definitely true. I'm in the middle of base training, no impending races or events. I'm not going to have any significant deficit in my performance come spring time because I took a few days off to recover in January. Although it means the ego has to take a knock or two as I admit to myself and the world that I'm not superman afterall. On the other hand, if I don't take the time off and keep myself sick I may see a significant deficit in my performance when my first Physiology test rears its ugly head.

That's it. Problem solved. Early to bed early to rise...

A Uni(que)cyclist Tackles Pike's Peak

That's right a Unicyclist named Mike Tierney climbed Pike's Peak last year. Doesn't that just make you feel like a wuss. Sometimes when I read these stories I don't know if I should be inspired, or if I should just go climb in a hole and give up.

I'm going to opt for inspiration. This is so cool.

Last year was the inaugural year of "Assault on the Peak" at Pike's Peak. From my understanding it's the first time that the road up to the top of Pike's has been open to cyclists. The climb was 18.5 miles long with a total of 6,360 ft elevation gain and topped out at 14,115 ft. That sounds pretty tough on a bicycle and this guy decided to tackle it on a unicycle.

Apparently, though, this wasn't Mike Tierney's first rodeo. He's ridden many a mountain on only one wheel including Mt. Evans, another infamous Colorado hill climb that rises above that golden 14,000 ft marker. Amazingly he finished 147 out of 326 starters. You can read his entire account here and feel his pain as he tells you about the wind, the dirt, the double digit steepness and about how great it feels to pass bicyclists on a unicycle. That's right, pass them. Seriously, this is the kind of guy I want to learn from when it comes to setting and achieving big goals.

Next time you're feeling like you haven't got enough in the tank, dig a little deeper and think about the amazing things you can really do if you're willing to try.

Friction is not your friend

During my off season training I have been doing some running from time to time, and I am reminded of what I learned during my triathloning days...

Chafing is EVIL!

Let's be honest, when it comes to endurance sports, friction is not your friend. You're body does a lot of repetitive movements and whether it rubs against your equipment or itself the end result is not a happy one. To guard against this there are many options...

1) Appropriate clothing. When I run, I wear compression shorts. They are a handy way to wear a relatively seamless garment so that what I am wearing doesn't rub my legs and leave me raw. Likewise I never wear sleeveless shirts because they rub at my armpit and shoulder. On a bike this means having a good chamois in your shorts...and (for those of you who haven't learned it yet) no underwear in your shorts.

2) Chamois cream. For cycling, there's also chamois cream if you care to deal with such a mess. The products range from Chamois Butt'r to DZ nuts and all of them are a bit weird to get used to at first.

3) Body Glide. I have never used body glide, but I remember its rise during my triathlon days. It's a great product from what I understand. It started in the triathlon niche because when you start riding or running while wet you're at a higher risk for serious chafage, but as with all products the off label uses have sky rocketed as the product becomes more widespread.

Sometimes, though, despite your best efforts you wind up wounded in action. For those days I haven't found anything better than Aquaphor. I think they know it too, because there are several race packets that I have found with samples of the stuff. These are highly coveted. You may not think you need it; but when you do need it, you won't want to be without it.

Until next time, I hope you can safely slip through those sticky situations and stay friction free. Good luck.