My Ironman Music

So being the athletic and music junkie that I am, I tend to make playlists for the various moments of my life.  Chill lists, driving lists, party lists, pump up lists... and the latest is my Ironman list.

Right now it only has 14 songs on it but whenever I find a song that gives me the chills or makes me feel inspired / full of energy, I add it.  I figured i'd share these songs with you now.  

1. "Remember The Name" - Fort Minor

2. "Someday" - Flipsyde

3. "Dream On" - Aerosmith

4. "My Way Or The Highway" - Limp Bizkit

5. "Welcome To The Jungle" - Guns N Roses

6. "Extreme Ways" - Moby

7. "Square One" - Coldplay

8. "City Of Blinding Lights" - U2

9. "In The End" - Linkin Park

10. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem

11. "Glorious" - Andreas Johnson

12. "Heroes" - Wallflowers

13. "Right Here Right Now" - Van Halen

14. "Speed Of Sound" - Coldplay

So that's what I listen to at the moment to help me push though workouts and get inspired.  

What's on your ipod?

It's arrived

May 27: First Annual Bocce-Whiskey-Croquet Triathlon A Success

Memorial Day weekend brought a birthday party (Friday) followed by a weekend getaway (Easton, PA: The Austria of Rural Eastern Pennsylvania).

On Friday I completed an upper body workout followed by a ten minute run and a 35 minute bike-spring. Since I don't trust any of the digital measurement devices on the stationary bike I just set the resistance high and pedaled as hard as I could for fifteen minutes, dropped down to rest for 5, then picked it up again for another fifteen. The poison ivy I got exactly two weeks ago today had created a large area of dry skin on my leg and when I got off the bike the guy next to me asked, "How come your leg is falling off like that?" I smiled and responded, "Too much dedication." Which got me a quizzical look. So I said, "Poison ivy." Looking back, I should have said, "...and Mr. Freeze." But it's hard to be snarky when you're tired. And itchy.

As noted in the title, I did compete in a particularly cutthroat triathlon this weekend in Easton. I was strong in bocce and whiskey on Sunday, but I went for a morning run by the Delaware River Monday morning and I think it sapped my strength as I was unable to assert myself on the croquet pitch (field? grounds? downs?) The yellow/black team was forced to accept a 2nd place finish behind the always-strong red team.

Next year, red. Next year.

My new baby

Saturday I made the plunge. No.. I'm not talking about swimming (although that is going to be my world for the next 16 weeks) Seriously... how can I become a fish? Anyone have any ideas?
I just need to become one with the water.

On Sunday I was just walking down Chestnut Street and what do I stumble upon...a TRIATHLON STORE. Seriously, who effin knew? Bf and I promise ourselves to just walk in and browse and guess who is dropping serious dough on a bike 30 mins later....this guy.

Behold... the new love of my life...



Pretty ain't it. I wanted to show you a picture because you won't be able to really see it as I will just be a red blur speeding by you most of the time. Just hope I don't fall off of it. Being short, I'm not used to being that high off the ground.

Ran a lot this weekend...feels good. My breathing is great... not tired at all. If I could just figure out how to not have my right knee and shin hurt, I will be golden.

What do YOU think of my bike? Any name ideas for it?

Cheers,

e

Rumors...

So... rumor has it that a certain two people purchased some equipment in the past few days.  What i cant figure out is WHY hasn't the fact been blogged about as of yet.  

My excuse for not having interesting things to write about is that i can't train and get cool things until i return to New York... but i can't fathom what your excuses are!  

I won't mention any names (eric and adam.)

Good talk.  See you out there.

Someone Had To Win...

No post yesterday, my apologies.

On Tuesday, 5/20, I swam a half-mile in about 45 minutes, including multiple pauses for air and to watch other swimmers. I'm not sure if my form was terrible or if they were swimming in thinner, lighter water, but it certainly seemed much easier for them to traverse the length of the pool than it was for me. Even the guy on the kickboard seemed to be cruising.

Yesterday, 5/21, I did a chest/shoulders workout followed by a ten minute bike and a 25 minute run. I watched the Mets/Braves game as I biked and I encourage everyone to watch Chipper Jones play baseball. It's intensely enjoyable to watch him take control of an at-bat. He's locked in right now, and if the pitcher falls behind him in the count it is next to impossible to get him out. He had two walks and a home run to deep centerfield in his first three at-bats.

Yesterday was also the Champions League Final and, unfortunately, someone had to win. Manchester United walked away with ol' Big Ears, and, although it was difficult to watch 120 minutes of soccer between players that have no souls, there was a moment of joy at the end when Cristiano Ronaldo missed his penalty kick. God, that was sweet. Also, Drogba got a red card for sissy-slapping Vidic. Now, somebody is going to say, "This is why soccer will never succeed in the US, we don't like sissy-slappers." To which I respond: "WWE Wrestlemania."

Clarence Seedorf was a guest announcer for the first half of the game, which was awesome. He didn't say much of interest, but Clarence Seedorf painting a kitten would be awesome. He's Clarence Seedorf. (Nate: Do you follow a Serie A team?)

There is an article in the NY Times Magazine entitled, "You Walk Wrong". It discusses how supposed advances in running shoe technology actually hinder our body and increase the risk of knee and ankle injury. I'll find and post it here.

I CAN

I'm pushing harder to make my body do what I WANT.. not what it says I can't do.

That's what I told myself before I started my workout last night. I will work through the pain and just run. I really do hate running on the treadmill. I hate the sound of my feet hitting the belt and the little numbers on the screen taunting me. And the distance count is so ridiculously wrong. So I don't trust it... I just make sure I am running for at least 30 minutes straight. Breathing and legs felt good.

Swimming is proving to be a disaster. Any tips would be really appreciated.

I am sorry that this will be a long post but there is an article I want you to read. I know that those of you that have visited Eric On A Diet may have already heard this story, but it's worth sharing again.

My inspiration:

From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.

This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. "No way,'' Dick says he was told. "There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? "Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want To do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described "porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. "Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. "Dad,'' he typed, "when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

"No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, "Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? "No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for "the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

"No question about it,'' Rick types. "My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. "If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, "you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

"The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, "is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

Chills.

Watch the vid.

Cheers,

e

Yup. Couldn't get rid of me.

Nate here, coming to you live from Budapest.  Our next segment: the Triathlon experience from the mouth of a pro:

triathlon is more than just competing in one or two races, its about getting up before the sun rises and taking the time to enjoy an early morning swim, its about taking a step back and putting everything into perspective. whether that means spending time with friends or just taking time to be alone. triathlon has allowed me to live this unique lifestyle, and through all the peaks and valleys, it has been an amazing journey.

- Wes Hobson

Numb Butt

13.7 miles in 1:05. Thats my stationary bike benchmark right now. Not entirely impressive but I have a feeling I am better on the open road. Well I am hoping anyway.

Felt good even though there were some burning leg moments. Pushing through those felt very good and today I am minimally sore. All in all, a great workout. I can say this though, I need to reduce that time by a lot because man, did I get bored.

Thanks for the words of encouragement Nate. Your particular brand of harassment is one in a million. :)

Tonights the swim. God help me.

Cheers,
e

Stationary Bikes Designed By Spinal Tap

A ten minute run followed by 13 miles on the stationary bike last night.

13 Miles in 52:19. That's my benchmark for the bike portion of the sprint triathlon. In a month or so I'll ride 13 again and compare results. And eventually I'll collect enough change on the subway to afford a real bike (There is always more change on the blue line, don't ask me why).

I'm not sure if this will violate Nate's "No Whining" rule, but I'm not at all happy with the arbitrary number system used to indicate resistance on the stationary bike. I believe the numbers went from 0-20 on my bike. This tells me absolutely nothing. For all the money they cost, stationary bikes should be able to tell me how its resistance numbers translate into outdoor riding. The thing can calculate how many calories I've burned but it can't tell me how steep an "8 resistance" hill is? (Note: I'm fairly certain the calorie calculator on the bikes and treadmills operates on the same principle as Jessica Alba: You know she isn't real, but the fact that she moves gives you just enough pause to keep your mouth shut and accept it.)

Anyways, the new The Hold Steady single came out today. You can listen to it here:

http://thetapeisnotsticky.com/uploads/2008/05/the_hold_steady_-_sequestered_in_memphis.mp3

It's not superb, but they're my favorite band so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. There is another song from the new album floating around the 'net called Stay Positive and it does qualify as superb so I'm putting my chips behind that song as more representative of the album.

What was the best part of the 13 mile stationary bike ride, you ask? It had to be around mile 6, when the TV on the left was showing a commercial for Viagra while the TV on the right showed a commercial for a genital herpes drug. Two eerily similar middle-aged white couples at very different points in their relationship!

Stay Positive.

Taking a Hungarian vacation... from my Italian vacation...

Well... it's been a hard, stressful life here in Florence, Italy.  The beautiful weather, historic piazze, sitting outside in a cafe, sipping on a cappuccino... life gets pretty overwhelming.  For this very reason, I have found it necessary to take a break and head to Hungary for a week.  

I know I know... it will be difficult for you all to deal with my extended absence... but believe me, when I start posting regularly, you will WISH I was without a computer.  

Now... I feel like I should attempt to inspire in some way... how about this:

When I return I don't want to read that you've been whining about pain and difficult workouts... pushing through the pain is what makes it worthwhile.  Can you really be proud of what you've accomplished without having to sacrifice and endure pain in order to reach that goal?  The greatest accomplishments in my life are those that hurt, that others thought couldn't happen, that even I had doubts about finishing.  The end result makes it that much sweeter.

So when your legs burn, when you get off that bike and collapse under your own weight, when you cramp up and nearly drown in the pool... just think about 3-4 month from now and how far you will have come.  How you'll feel crossing that finish line.  Knowing that you proved everyone else wrong, and more importantly, that you proved yourself right... that you CAN do whatever you want.  There's no way everyone else can possibly know the pain you've gone through... but thats ok.  You're doing this for you, not them.

Annnd this is where I hop into a Peugeot convertible with a beautiful woman and head to Hungary.  No, really... that's what I'm doing.

Have a great week, train hard, and don't have any regrets!

Weekend

Let me just give little updates as to what this weekend looked like.

Friday night was the bike and swimming. Let's just say that the bike went a lot smoother than the swimming. I am a really bad swimmer. I need to really work on that a lot. Maybe I should get a swim coach. Who knows?

Saturday, bf and I went running along the river. 3 miles which was not bad considering it was hotter than hell and it has been forever since I ran outside. Felt okay... my legs are of course on fire today, but that might also be from the hangover that was all day Sunday. Yeah Sunday was a rest day... not proud of it and will punish myself this week for it.

Adam has a new workout schedule that we will post soon. Thanks for the positive thoughts out there.

Cheers,

e

May 19

Saturday soccer game so no training, but Sunday featured a 41 minute run covering approximately four miles. Post-soccer days will feature slow, distance work since opposing teams insist on kicking/knocking me over at indeterminate intervals. The resulting Sunday-soreness is not solved by imbibing excessive amounts of tequila, although this theory has now been officially field tested.

Also discovered this weekend: Poison ivy rash burns like hell in chlorine. Who knew?


Occasionally I will end posts with a quick summary of Liverpool Football Club or AC Milan news or thoughts. Today's thought: Buy Berbatov!!!

Diet Tips?

Now that we have a training schedule we can move on to other areas of our lives that we need to regulate. Specifically, diet. Since I'm assuming we haven't had any visitors to this blog besides the occasional friend, I don't know if you can post comments to us. I'll appeal to Nate for tips: Hi Nate. Any tips?

And I'll appeal to the rest of you out there: If you have any dietary tips for us, please start a blog called "The Hold Steady Amy Adams Bob Dylan Lyrics Blog". Since I search for at least one of those items at least 17 times per day, I'm sure I'll stumble across your blog at some point. And don't worry! You will receive full credit for any dietary plan you design or advice you provide. I've been very careful about giving credit where credit is due ever since those Black Eyed Peas didn't give me any credit for my help on "My Humps". As if just anybody could craft a lyrically and philosophically cogent response to the age-old question of what to do with junk in a trunk and breast in a shirt!

Training Schedule

Here is Adam and my New Training Schedule. It may change as to how we find it working, but here it is for now.


Hint: Click to expand to full page. Thanks

I am Legend

But it's pronounced "Adam". Most of you don't know me because, well, the internet has hundreds of millions of users and last time I checked, not very many of you had sent me any postcards. Not that I'm bitter (I'm looking at you, Tom Glavine!) I'm moving into a new apartment at the end of May, so this is a hectic time for me to start training. My rabbit and I are moving downtown and I'm attempting a full restart of my life by moving about 15 blocks... not exactly Into The Wild, but probably much more interesting than Speed Racer (that's a burn, Emile Hirsch).



Name: Combo
Age: 24
Eye Color: Sepia
Height: Hakeem Olajuwon's sternum (according to my poster at home)
Weight: 11.07 stone (seriously, I looked it up)
Zodiac: Pisces

Likes: Soccer (Anfield is heaven, Fowler is God, Torres is... spectacular), baseball (Red Sox), left-handed 3rd basemen, playing/watching any sport, reading, Roberto Bolano, Vladimir Mayakovsky, The Blues Brothers, The Hold Steady, Simon & Garfunkel, Robert Zimmerman, pets (Salah-al Din is my rabbit's name), old movies (Bogart, Grace Kelly, Claude Raines), gnocchi alla gorgonzola, nobody's reading this anymore right?, doing my homework in the dark, Pam Beasley, the moment in a friendship when you realize you can have a long moment of silence with someone else and it won't feel awkward.

Dislikes: ManchesterUnitedChelseaArsenalInterMilanJoseMourinhoRioFerdinandCristianoRonaldoWayneRooneyFrankLampardDidierDrogba(diiiiiver)JohnTerry, seafood, fantasy-baseball-fans-who-think-they-are-baseball-fans, Joe BuckTimMcCarverJoeMorgan, pretensions, zealots, Bush administration, Wes Anderson movies, Starbucks (and everything it represents), postmodernism (nice try, guys... wait, no it isn't), New York Yankees.

I am looking forward to the organization that training for a triathlon will bring to my life. The most difficult thing for me is going to be learning to exercise without an iPod. For some reason, if I'm playing soccer or just very tired from training and I don't have any music, my mind automatically starts playing Britney Spears' "Sometimes". I have no idea what that means, but I'm sure all the psychoanalysts who surf beginner triathlete sites will have a field day with it.

E-ROCK

A lot of you already know me but I'll just do this incase any of Adam's friends or Nate's are reading this... or if there are some strangers out there that have stumbled on here.

Name: Eric A. Puglisi

Age: 25
Eye Colour: Green

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 143 pounds

Zodiac: Aries

Likes: Art, Music, the Office, my dogs and bf, movies that do not star Kate Hudson, anything Apple (mostly my iPhone) going to the gym, food (oh...sooo...much), celeblogs, and my new swimsuit

Dislikes: Drama, lasers being used for anything, that Blu-Ray won, Kiersten Dunst, small talk at work, the rain, being short and finally movies that star Kate Hudson

So I am completely new to this Triathlon thing but with Nate's help and encouragement, WorkAdam and I might just survive it. Words of encouragement and positive thoughts sent here to all of us will really help.

Don't forget to donate to our LIVESTRONG challenge. It is a great cause and anything you can do would be so great.

Hope to see you in Canandaigua at the finish line

Cheers,

e

Hi! I'm Nate!

Due to the request for some introductions for the fellow bloggers on this site... I felt it was necessary to oblige.

Name: Nathaniel P. Rychlik

Age: 25
Eye Colour: Blue

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 170 pounds

Zodiac: Capricorn

Likes: Long walks on the beach, music, soccer, Guinness(TM), languages, red wine, travel, Italy (among other things.)

Dislikes: Alarm clock sounds, hamburger gristle, injuries, subsequent reconstructive surgeries, fatigue, not reaching my goals.

I've been living here in Italy for the past year, playing soccer, drinking wine, and enjoying life. When I return stateside I will begin my training for the 2009 Ironman in Lake Placid, using this summers races as stepping stones towards my ultimate goal.

Possible set-backs: I have already had an ankle reconstructed and I need double knee surgery. Minor details right?

Here's the link to my site (although it's already posted on the bar to the right.)

Iron Nate

Cheers!

Bike You!

So according to my handy-dandy training schedule the Adam and I have found, last night was a biking night.

Since I have not yet sunk some money into buying a fantastic bike, I am forced to use the stationary bike for now. Still managed to completely kick my ass.

30 mins = 8 miles. Not bad but still a long way to go. I wonder if a real bike on the road will be different?

The government better send me my economic stimulus check so I can go bike shopping.

Tonight is a rest/strength day at the gym so I will be taking it easy today.

Please remember to DONATE to my race efforts for the LIVESTRONG challenge in August. And of course let me know if you want to come join the team.

Cheers,
e

Hopefully Adam and Nate will make an appearance here soon....come on slackers...

Run Day

So late night was my first time on a treadmill at the gym. Let me just say that all the modern technology and high-techness of the equipment at the gym can be very intimidating. I had no clue how to start the thing and it took me 3 mins to set up the time and get the little belt moving.

Luckily I had the CNN election results to keep me moving (along with some American Idol...I can't HELP it)

Yeah let's just say that running is absolutely different than the elliptical. My SHOX were screaming in pain but I got through it. The time was not good (2.5 miles in 30 mins) but I got through it. It can only get better from here.

LIVESTRONG Challenge Philadelphia

Those who are interested, we have started a team to run the LIVESTRONG 5k on Sunday August 24th in Philadelphia. I will post the sign up later and we are trying to raise at least $1000. If you register by midnight tonight, the registration fee is only $25!

Click on the link here to donate money and click on "My Team Page" on the site if you want to join our team.

Donate or Join!
The discount code to type in at the end is LSDAY08

Let's do this for a great cause!

May 13

September 21, 2008 is just over 18 weeks away.

Over those weeks, Eric and I will undergo significant changes. Where we are now mere Office Caterpillars, we will emerge from a four-and-a-half month cocoon of hard work, will power, and many, many visits to the Rocky steps as Triathletes. This blog will chronicle our arduous and (hopefully) rewarding journey into a world where swimmers, bikers, and runners only finish a third of the race; a world where only the strong survive, and the weak carry their health insurance cards in their socks.

The goal is the Finger Lakes Sprint Triathlon. Originally, I thought that this was an Ironman Triathlon sponsored by Sprint Wireless. Luckily, I was wrong. A sprint triathlon is significantly shorter than an Ironman triathlon. It involves a half-mile swim followed by a 13.1 mile bike, and ends with an endurance-testing 5K run.

Today is 5/13/2008. Today it begins.