Posted on May 6th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Bicycling, Organized events, Running, Social aspects |
I learned these from The Non-Runner’s Marathon Training Guide, but they really make sense for any kind of athletic endeavor, particularly like these runs and bike rides. Here are your two most important athletic goals with any event:
1) No injuries
2) Finish
In particular, the Non-Runner’s Marathon Training Guide asks that you not have a time goal for your marathon, but instead you simply focus on these two goals instead. Similarly, while I sometimes give myself targets to aim for in terms of how quickly I finish something–like a century or metric century (100 kilometers, about 62 miles)–the reality is that for someone like me who is in competition only with myself and the elements, the actual goals are just those: to not hurt myself and to be able to say I finished.
I think that we’re raised in a competitive society–it is, in many ways, the American way. But while competition is indeed healthy, it’s important to be clear about who you’re really competing with. I’m not trying to finish 100 miles on the bike faster than my neighbor or even faster than other 40 somethings; I’m battling the heat, the rain, the wind, and myself. When I struggled through the marathon last December, I was fighting the heat and my bum knee–and yes, I did finish, even though I hurt more than I ever have. Fortunately, I had no lasting injuries, just some bad blisters and soreness.
Do I wish I was faster? Sure. An old training adage says train your weaknesses and race your strengths–my strength is endurance, so I wish all rides were forever. I don’t like getting left in the dust by riders who are faster than me, and so I do work on speed, but I realize that I’m not a racer, and I’m not trying to be, so what’s important, most of all, is what I said above: no injuries and finish.
Hope to see you not injure yourself and finish your personal big run or ride soon!
Posted on May 5th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Bicycling, Exercise |
As mentioned before, to do an event like a century, you need a plan. There are several to choose from. Bicycling Magazine has a ten week program to get you ready for a century. Ten weeks isn’t that long, but there’s two significant catches: first, you have to ride six days a week–which is a […]
Posted on May 4th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Diet, Exercise, Medical care |
I just finished up reading this book that I discussed in brief a few posts back: While it is not my favorite beginning diabetic book (that remains the great Type II Diabetes: The First Year), it’s quite useful, particularly for those who read in small doses and want concrete ideas on what to do rather […]
Posted on May 3rd, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Administration, Carnivals and Festivals, Links |
A “blog carnival” is a blog event, where many different blogs throughout the Internet submit entries to a host and the best are featured in perhaps a weekly or monthly edition. This week Athletic Diabetic was featured in its second blog carnival, this time over at the Weight Management and Fitness Forum. If you are […]
Posted on May 2nd, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Bicycling, Diet, Exercise, Running |
Things don’t always go according to plan–but that doesn’t mean to not have a plan. As I stated the other day, I was planning on doing some early morning bicycling. What I didn’t count on was having a cold that, while not horrible, certainly had me lying in bed at 4:45 am thinking there was […]
Posted on May 1st, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Bicycling, Exercise, Organized events, Personal |
Sorry to disappoint those of you who are tuning in for yet another episode in my story (like I’m all that interesting), but I thought I’d let you know that I did register yesterday for the Honolulu Bicycling League Century Ride, marking the fourth straight year I’ll participate in it. I’m training, although not as […]
Posted on April 30th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Organized events, Running |
If you want to run the Honolulu Marathon in 2009, your days are May 23rd and 24th. Those are the days for early registration at The Sports Authority in Waikele. If you register then, your cost is a meager $30, as opposed to the “late” registration of $225 after November 13 (ouch!). So, if you’re […]
Posted on April 29th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Bicycling, Exercise, Organized events |
I love cycling, but it’s also work, especially when training for an event. When I’m gearing up for the century ride, I’m riding four days a week. It’s fun but it’s a commitment. When you have a full time job (and a part time job, and a blog, and another blog, and other commitments), it’s […]
Posted on April 28th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Exercise, Social aspects, Technology |
Sunday afternoon was just looking great for a bike ride. I was behind all weekend as my niece had a birthday party on Saturday and there were all kinds of missed communication by the family, but from about 3 pm I was on the Bianchi, possibly the best ride I’ve had yet on that bike. […]
Posted on April 27th, 2009 by ryan
Filed under Diet, Exercise, Medical care, Weight loss |
If job one of a newly diagnosed Type II diabetic is to lose weight, fixing your diet needs to be job two or three, in other words, way, way up there in terms of what you do. Unfortunately, improving your diet is not quite like improving your lungs if you’re a smoker–if you smoke, you […]