#but with a concrete objective... a routine that i can stick to...... hopefully..........

[theophagie]

Support group for people who want to lose weight not for body image issues or anything but because they want to fit into their brothers' trousers since they can't otherwise get their hands on men's clothes

[ketchupqueenboiiii]

Young Justice

A/N: Some cursing and poorly written fight scene. I will be making this a multichap fic, reposting it to its own work. Also name is a WIP.

@maribat-2k20

Whoosh.

Thump.

Clank-Clunk.

Repeat.

Happy Harbor doesn't make her very happy. But it doesn't make her that sad either. No different than New York City. But at least her Mama was there. The mother-daughter duo had made amends and Audrey invited Chloe to live with her in the city. It was nice, until Chloe got antsy. She itched to get out there and fight. But New York wasn't her turf and there were no bad guys to battle. Chloe also wasn't too keen on going to school in New York.

She was completely fine with video calling her Mari-bug, thank you very much. But even Mari saw that she needed to get back into the game.

"Bee, you can't have your only interaction being with your over-worked butler, your work-acholic mother, and your ex in Tibet." Mari's voice was hoarse from being out of breathe.

"You're just phrasing it weird. You're my best friend more than my ex. And Jean-Paul is not over-worked. He has off on Wednesdays and Sundays." Chloe responded flippantly and continued to file her nails on her sofa, which was placed right in front of the 85 inch flat screen mounted the wall of her room. She had linked her phone to the screen and webcam so she had a good view of her friend.

Mari gave her a unimpressed look while drying her head. She wore a pink sleeveless workout shirt with red flower designs sewn in and matching capris. She was also bald now. A guardian-in-training thing, Chloe was told when she first got the frantic call with the news. Her clothing choice was impressive since she lives in a temple in the mountains. Surrounded by snow.

"Chloe, you're lonely and you miss Sabrina. I can feel it from here." The pink clad girl said, before taking a sip from her matching water bottle.

"I'm not lonely, I have those trainers I practice with and I talk to Felix every now-" Chloe argued. But then was interrupted by her friend.

"You know, I think you should go to Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. And use Pollen and Stompp." She smiled as she cut off Chloe, tilting her head to the side with a content look on her face.

What. Chloe thought, head turning so fast to the screen she should have gotten whiplash.

"You should go. My instincts tell me that your gonna find something there. And as a Guardian-in-training, my instinct is usually right." Apparently Chloe said that thought out loud.

"Mari, I can't just leave. Mama has work in the city-" Chloe tried.

"Stop with the excuses, Chlo. Audrey has a headquarters in Happy Harbor, so she could just move her work there." Damn her preparedness and reasoning. Chloe stayed silent as she glared at her friend, even though it hasn't had an effect on Mari since they were ten-year-olds.

"And lucky for you, I already called Audrey to confirm it and she agrees that it's a good idea." Mari does a little dance, smirking with a wiggle of her shoulders and eyebrows. Fucking dammit, Mari-bug.

"I'll give it a chance." Chloe grumbles, a little peeved.

"Then get packing, honeybee, 'cause your leaving in three days."

Sometimes Chloe can't believe she still listens to her Bug's crazy plans.

~

Running across the roof tops in the middle of town. How inconspicuous. Was Mari trying to get her captured?

Now Chloe just felt stupid. She opened the screen of her top and prepared to arrange for another call with Mari when she felt a shift in the air. Someone was approaching, but she couldn't see anyone there. That wouldn't mean much though, since she had experience with invisible enemies.

Enemies, really? Even in death, you show her no respect. Sabrina should have-

Opponents. Invisible opponents. Chloe steadied her breath and banished the thoughts for another time. Faking ignorance, she tapped randomly on her top's screen.

The invisible entity came closer. And closer. Just a little closer. Almost within reach.

She grabbed a horn from her headset that doubled as a weapon and swung at the mysterious invisible person in one smooth motion. She grinned in satisfaction when she felt it hit something and heard it yelp in surprise. Or pain. Either was good.

Chloe looked over in time to see a green-skinned red-head girl lying on the ground, clearly disoriented by her surprise attack. Chloe's smile fell a bit when she envisioned a different red-head in her place, one much more familiar, thought only for a moment.

A memory of her faults and another thing that she lost.

She was quickly thrown out of her spiral when she saw two boys fall from out of a random place in the sky. Her instinct was to catch them and moved to do so before she saw the insignias on their chests.

"M'gann!" They yelled, probably because of the girl on the ground. Also, ever heard of code names?

Both boys wore a different emblem on their chests. After focusing on them, she recognized them to be the ones worn by the Superman and the Flash. So they must be their sidekick squad. The girl was probably Martian Manhunter's apprentice, since green skin and invisibility.

The boy with the Superman logo glared at her as a red and yellow blur came at her. The Flash's sidekick probably. And damn did whatever he did to her stomach sting.

Good thing she's an expert on stings. Her inner Adrikins was beside themselves laughing while every other part of her wanted to shake her head in exasperation.

Fighting a speedster was like fighting blind. Not something she particularly excelled at. All she could do was dodge as best as she could, which meant getting hit every eighth strike.

Chloe planted her feet and recalled everything Mari had told her during her probation and training period. Mari may not have been properly trained then, but she learned the ropes fast enough to teach everyone else;

"Every team's bound to have some variation of these core members. You need to be able to identify them. The heavy-hitter.

Probably Super-kid. For her, sometimes it was Adrien and others it was Rose using Stompp.

The strategist.

Redhead One or Redhead Two? Definitely not. Speedy over their just ran up to her and kept whooping her, it didn't seem like he had any other objective. And Mari, duh.

The one light on their feet.

Redhead Flash, obviously.

With the power of subjection, you must incapacitate the biggest threat. To you, the people, a team member, or the entire mission.

Looks like Redhead Flash is getting stung today. Serves him right, that hit was gonna bruise.

"Venom." She thinks, and thrusting her stinger-armed hand into where she predicted the boy would be. And she's right he comes to a complete stop, and, to her amusement, the momentum of his running caused him to face plant into the ground with a crack. His wrist probably, since a venom kept you from intentionally moving but allows movement by external forces.

Namely gravity and the concrete of the rooftop.

"Kid!" Exclaimed a young voice, probably from the figure falling from where the Redhead Flash and Super-kid fell from.

Super-kid helped up Redhead One and turned back to glare at Chloe again. She just smirked and armed herself with a top in her left hand and a horn in the other. To be honest, it look like an escrima stick.

A silent challenge hung in the air, each daring the other to move first. Though it actually gave her time to think up a plan. The most practical thing would be to jump off the side of the building, making it look like a retreat and then swing in to take him from behind. Yeah, that should work.

Chloe made a scene of contemplating fighting and running away, narrowing her eyes in thought. She ran to the edge of the roof top and jumped, briefly loosing herself to the nostalgia. Of the wind in her face and the adrenaline in her veins. It's been way too long since the last time she felt felt them.

She threw her top at the ledge of the roof, willing it to change into a grapple and swung her legs routinely. After doing this exact maneuver countless times before, she instinctively moved with just the right amount of force at just the right time. They used to call it the 'Mari Go Round', named after the girl who taught her the tact and the American nickname for a carrousel. Also because the swing takes you in a full circle.

Chloe straightened her legs in preparation to slam into his back, hopefully pushing him of the side of the building or at least give him some kind of injury with her heels. But he turned at the last minute and smacked her out of the air with his forearm. The bruise forming on her leg tells her that he has both super strength and invulnerability, since normal human strength wouldn't have sent so far and normal human arms would have broken if they tried to pull that trick.

The newest guest started throwing stuff at her. So Chloe quickly rose and jumped to the next building. She needed time to think.

Chloe wasn't here to fight the heroes, she here because Mari told she'd find something here. Maybe a lost miraculous, or guardian artifact. Or maybe someone-

"Boo." The young voice happily said, followed by giggles.

"Merde!" She shrieked, throwing one of her own boomerang weapons at the voice. Her eyebrows furrowed when she heard the unsatisfying noise of them imbedding themselves in the concrete.

She heard a fwuop and whoosh noise from the sidekick squad's direction, directly behind her. Not a good move on her part. She turned her head to see a net and inch from her face, leaving no room or time for escape.  She hit the ground with a thud, unable to get up due to the weight of the net. It likely was made for non-human threats. Not that Chloe wasn't human, but she was magically enhanced and that made her a lot stronger than one.

She felt hands pick her up and set her into a kneeling position, unknowingly giving her an  advantage. She quickly broke off the heel of her boot and hid it in her hand. They surrounded her, but were weirdly silent. They made faces at each other, like one would to convey emotion into words.

Redhead One tried to touch her forehead, and Chloe definitely wasn't having that. She summersaulted backwards into Super-kid, successfully knocking him down and allowing her to cut some of the net with the sharp side of her heel. Her legs were free now, and as she multi-tasked cutting the rest of the net, and dodging what ever the new guy was throwing at her and the now flying Redhead One, she ran and jumped as safely as she could.

Who was she trying to kid, that's what she'd tell Mari when this was over. Literally none of the stuff she does is safe.

Chloe landed on a roof top the one they fought on and she was so close to  getting the stupid weighted-net off her. As she finished cutting the last bit of the net and she reached for her top, she was bound again. This time by a... rope? Something like her weapon, just it was without a top or yoyo at the end and was... gold.

Oh, fuck.

[fatathlon]

IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells – La Quinta – Race Recap

* A video version of this race recap can be found on my YouTube channel here.

A triathlon is a game of contradiction.

You spend hours, weeks, months training for something that lasts moments of your life. Improve at one sport by mastering three. Train slower to race faster. Race slower to race faster. Do it alone, surrounded by people. Never see a finish line as the end.

One of the most challenging contradictions is the trap of identity. To do well, you have to immerse yourself in training for long periods of time. It can become you; consume you. And then what is objectively a meaningless act of physical exertion assumes a station in your life that it never deserved. And you are left with nothing but finish times and medals, to gather dust because nobody cares.

I thought about these contradictions a lot during my training for my first Ironman 70.3 race in Indian Wells – La Quinta California. It seemed fitting in this vein of contradiction that I would train in the cold and snow in order to race in the warm desert. I hoped that by recognizing the contradictions inherent in what I was doing, I could avoid that most challenging trap, and come away with an experience, rather than just another race.

After Musselman in July, I took a break for a few weeks, and then started training again. I had a few minor injuries, which were challenging, but for the most part my training was consistent. I did some bike fitting and got a set of aerobars on my bike. Winter arrived early in Vermont; we had snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. So most of my riding was indoors. I ran outside as much as I could. And weather doesn’t matter in the pool, of course.

Swimming was a major area of focus for me this fall. I got a second swim analysis and really worked on my technique. I was able to take another ten seconds off my 100-yard time, and by December I was swimming faster on average than I ever had.

I had also been trying to eat smarter, both to be healthier and to drop extra weight. With the help of a friend, I definitely had some success here, though it added some stress to our family routine. Kids like what they like.

I was a little concerned about flying my bike to California, because I had only done it once before and I didn’t have to assemble it myself when I arrived that time. So I broke it down and packed it up at the bike shop so I could get guidance with questions that I had and hands-on help from Darren, my friend who owns Vermont Bicycle Shop. I felt a lot more confident once it was all ready to go.

The flights were pretty uneventful, and we made it to San Diego in one piece — including my bike. One of the first things I did was put it back together; I wanted to make sure I would have enough time to solve any problems that came up. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be any and the assembly went pretty smoothly.

The Catamount, my custom Orbea Terra, ready to ride

We spent a few days with my brother’s family in San Diego, hiking at Torrey Pines and playing on the beach. It was a nice way to get acclimated to the environment. It wasn’t as warm as I thought it would be, but it definitely was a lot warmer than Vermont. Locals on the beach were dressed in winter coats and hats, but our girls thought it was the perfect weather for swimming in the Pacific.

Before long it was time to drive to Indian Wells. The amazing scenery on that drive took us all by surprise. We stopped for a moment but the day before the race was very busy so there wasn’t a lot of time for sight-seeing.

After getting the family settled at the hotel, I had my first Ironman athlete check-in experience and got to see the pro panel, which included the eventual race winners Lionel Sanders and Paula Findlay. I checked my run gear in to T2, a little overwhelmed by the enormity of the transition area. Then it was time for a half-hour drive to the swim start and T1, to see the swim course, check in my bike and decontaminate my wetsuit before hanging it on the racks where it would stay until race morning. I made sure to mark it well so I wouldn’t have any trouble finding it.

My day would have gone quite differently if it hadn’t been for my teammate Lacy. She and her husband gave me a lift to the shuttle buses, which was already a great help by itself, but when she mentioned her water bottles I realized I had forgotten something at the hotel. Specifically, all of my hydration. It was still sitting in my refrigerator. They drove me back so I could retrieve them and I was so grateful. Luckily we were up early enough that it didn’t affect our day — we got on a bus with no waiting and were off to the start area.

I knew the water would be cold. The reported temperature that morning was just under 59 degrees. There was no warm-up swim. We stood in line at the rolling start for a long time before finally getting into the water. And then, finally, after everything, I was racing.

The first one or two hundred meters were tough. I was hyperventilating from the shock of the water temperature and struggling to relax and find my rhythm. I expected that, but it didn’t make it any easier. Finally I settled in, though, and found my zone. It was clear pretty quickly that I should have seeded myself further forward; nobody around me was actually swimming at the pace they lined up for. I was crawling over people all the way. My goggles half-filled with water but I ignored it since I could still see. When I finally crawled out of the lake, I had a personal best time of 34 minutes. By my watch, I had swum ten seconds per 100 yards faster than my first 70.3 in July.

As I mounted my bike, I readied myself mentally to face the biggest contradiction of the day. I had programmed the wattage target my coach and I agreed on into my bike computer, and I was going to stick to that number like superglue. The paradox of my plan was that the number was low. It was lower than I had expected. It was lower than it was at my first 70.3, and it was low relative to my power profile. It was so low that it meant I’d be doing what amounted to a zone 2 ride for the entirety of the bike leg.

The plan was predicated on the knowledge that the course was pancake flat, and that triathlons succeed or fail on the run. We would conserve energy on the bike, allowing my inertia to do most of the work, and hopefully get off the bike with enough in the tank to really drop the hammer.

So what the bike ended up being was a test of patience, rather than fitness. My heart rate stayed low, peaking only at the very start during the excitement of transition and climbing a tiny hill out of transition. I spent a lot of the time focused on avoiding drafting as much as I could, but it was pretty difficult considering that the roads were absolutely packed with riders. That forced me to surge occasionally, but it was okay because the course was so flat.

The first 20 miles flew by so fast that I was actually surprised when I saw the mile marker sign. At 30 miles I felt no worse; very comfortable and just cruising along. It was a strong contrast to my last race, where the 30 mile marker saw me doing pretty solid work. I began to get excited about the paradoxical plan as evidence in its favor continued to build. That naturally inclined me to want to push harder, but I redoubled my efforts to stay focused and in my target zone.

The highlight of the bike course by far was the Thermal Raceway, which is a private racetrack for cars that we got to ride around on. My watts went up on that section for sure, but it was a match that was worth burning. It’s a unique experience to ride your bike around a banked track with perfect pavement, designed for million dollar super cars. I had a lot of fun there.

The rest of the course was technically uphill but the gradient was so gradual, I barely noticed. I rode into T2 just 2 watts over my target. My family was cheering at the dismount line, which was a nice boost going into the start of my run.

After racking my bike and strapping on my running shoes, I started out on the final leg, to see if the contradictions would be resolved. Here I was, running in the heat and sun after training for months in the cold and snow. Here I was, having biked slowly on purpose to see if I could do a faster race. And here I was, after weeks of training at a jog, pushing my legs to go fast, and stay fast.

I have always run fast out of transition, because it takes a mile or two before my legs really feel normal and I can tell how my body is actually doing. At my first 70.3, I slowed that pace after the first aid station, feeling that I would have to conserve energy to make it through the run without shutting down. This day, though, I felt strong. I felt no such impending decline. I felt like I could hold the pace. So I didn’t slow down.

The run followed asphalt roads for a couple of miles before turning off onto a golf course, where it tracked around the greens on a winding, undulating path that was a mix of concrete, dirt and grass. There were no long straightaways, no places to hide from the course. It was highly dynamic and constantly changing.

A conclusion I had drawn from my first 70.3 was that I had been underfueled. This time, I ate and drank everything I could get my hands on during the run. I think I probably ate two or three whole bananas, a half at a time, plus several gels and all the coke, gatorade and red bull I could grab. I didn’t slow down during the aid stations; I didn’t want to lose my inertia. At one point I took a cup of ice, dumped it in my hat and packed it onto my head. The contrasts had never been more stark — at home I had been wearing winter hats to keep the snow off my head; today, I was deliberately packing ice onto my scalp.

It was a two-lap course which meant that I had to run agonizingly close to the finish line at around mile seven, only to have to turn around and do the entire thing one more time. Now I knew what to expect, though, and I knew where to push and where I could relax. Now all I had to do was hold my pace.

When the second lap of the course started to beat me, I focused on my family, waiting for me at the finish, and steeled myself in the resolve to make this all worth it. What was the point of asking so much of them, to support my training, to spend an entire day of our vacation standing around, if I didn’t make it worth it? I wasn’t going to slow down for anything.

The last couple of miles were hard and my pace started to slip a little bit, but I was still moving faster than I had ever really expected. I found my family just before the finish line, gave everybody high-fives, and then took it over the line. It was a personal best by a long margin, with personal records in every part of the race. I almost couldn’t believe it, but there it was.

If there’s one thing I learned from this race experience, it’s that you can’t always see contradictions as obstacles. Sometimes, they are puzzle pieces in a larger pattern that you can’t fully recognize until you’ve put it all together. You can’t always resist the things that don’t make sense; sometimes, you have to lean into them, make them part of your plan and see them through to the end. And that’s when you can find clarity.

We closed out our trip with a drive through Joshua Tree National Park, marveling at the natural beauty of the desert before boarding our plane to fly back into winter. With California behind us, it was time to look forward to a new year, and new contradictions.

Watch the video version of this race recap:

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[ratthewrodent]

Shin splints are frustrating, and perhaps the most frustrating part is that since this problem doesn't happen to every runner, you've had the "why me!?" moment quite often. It could be tight calves, poor running form, over-pronation, weak hips, or even a combination of all of these. Getting rid of them - especially the extreme cases - is going to take time, self-discipline, and let's face it, some money.For starters, don't give yourself a self-diagnosis. If this has been a reoccurring problem that won't seem to go away, see a doctor or physician and make sure it isn't something like a stress fracture (not fun), bruised bone, compartment syndrome, or tibial tendonitis.If you've been suffering from shin splints for a while now, I'm sure you know a decent amount about the causes and effects that come along with it. To review some of this information, read here.There are several things out there that you can buy to make a tremendous difference when it comes to healing shin splints:New shoes - This should be a given. Go to a running store and have someone fit you a pair of shoes (foot mapping, stride test, etc.) Start with this, this way you'll have an idea of what shoe category you'll need. While I'm not going to go into the whole minimalist vs traditional support debate, it is something I'd recommend looking into.Compression socks - I love these things. I bought SKINS compression socks and I can't imagine running without them. It may just be a placebo effect, but these things feel absolutely amazing on my legs and help reduce tightness in my calves."The Stick" - The toothbrush for muscles. There are a few different versions you can buy. An old high school track coach ended up giving me one of his, so I ended up with this one. This thing is great for a deep tissue massage on your calves. You get what you put into it, really. For best results, lay flat and have a family member, running partner, or your significant other torture the shit out of you with this thing.Foam roller - Another fabulous tool for deep tissue massage. I like this better than the stick simply because I think it's easier to use and to me, it feels better. I use both the stick and the foam roller, but either will do. Buy a high density firm one, like this.Calcium and Magnesium dietary supplements - Calcium is essential for building strong bones and magnesium is involved in the function of your nerves and muscles. Getting your daily value of the two is very important. A bottle of these is pretty inexpensive.Inserts - Going with custom fit orthodic inserts is your best bet. I'm not sure how I feel about inserts, I really just think you should find a nice pair of fitted shoes. Some people have claimed that inserts did the trick though.Now, for my routine: Do this before and after you run.To warm up, I sit in a chair and lift my legs so my feet are a few inches above the ground. I tap my toes up and down for a couple minutes.I then do this exercise. Also, between each set I lay on my back, stick my feet up in the air, and write the alphabet with my toes.Next is the towel grab. Lay a small to medium sized towel on the floor in front of you. While seated, keep your heel planted and grab and pull the towel towards you by using your toes. Repeat this 3x for each foot.After that, get a bunch of marbles or tiny pieces of rolled up paper (this is what I use). Any small object will do. Scatter the pieces on the floor and set a cup on the ground nearby. Grab the items with your toes and place them into the cup. I also keep my heel planted as much as possible for this exercise to limit the movement in my leg. The more you use your feet, the better you'll be working your shins.Toe walks throughout my house.This is where I break out the massage stick and foam roller. Give your calves a deep tissue massage. If you don't own one of these, use your hands to the best of your ability. It can be extremely painful, but in a good way.Calf stretches. I do this one and this one. 3x on each side, 20 seconds each.Heating:: Use a heating pad or dip your legs in really hot water for 5-10 minutes and massage lightly before going on a run. This will help relax the muscles and increase blood flow.Icing: You also need to be icing at least 2x a day. Fill a solo cup with water and let it freeze completely. Wear a glove and let the ice melt by rubbing it all over your legs. This was easily the worst part for me. I did about 10 minutes on each leg. And instead of taking one of those dreadful ice baths after my runs, I simply put my legs in a huge bucket of ice.Interesting information about how you should kick the habit of icing. This was actually pointed out in the comments. I was completely oblivious and had no idea. Check it out yourself and take what you will from it.Running Form: Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSIDRHUWlVo. Chances are you probably don't have perfect running form and could make some adjustments. The efficiency gained from adapting to an improved form will reduce injuries and make you faster than ever. Fundamentals are everything.Change your surface!: I used to run exclusively on the treadmill. My personal trainer would constantly tell me to stay off of the thing, saying that it was terrible for my joints. I always figured that there was no possible way a treadmill could put more stress on my muscles and joints than running on concrete would, but I guess I was wrong. Believe it or not, ever since I stopped running on the treadmill and switched to concrete, my shin splints have gotten much better. Coincidence? Who knows. Switch it up and see what happens.When you start running again: Please, please, please start slow and take a few weeks to work your way back up. This is the most crucial part to returning from any injury. I have read this advice a million times and would never take it very seriously. My first day back I would always try running at least 2 miles. Don't be stubborn like me. For someone who was running 20+ MPW, dropping back down to just a few miles has been awful, but it really is necessary to start off this light if shin splints are a reoccurring problem for you. And when you start running again, continue with these stretches and exercises! Treat your legs like the shin splints never left. Don't get lazy and let them come back, stop the problem before it starts! This will ensure that they'll be gone for a long, long time. Hopefully forever.Well, there you have it. I hope this guide can be a helpful resource in your quest to conquering those awful shin splints of yours. Good luck! :)Edit1 - Formatting, typos, and added some information about returning from an injury.Edit2 - A lot of this stuff is subjective, I suppose. Take it as you will, I'm just sharing several methods that people have had success with, including myself. Some have claimed that inserts healed their problem over night, others just needed a pair of compression socks. Personally, I think it comes down to footwear + running form. Basically, think of this as a compilation of available options, not a list of essential tips and tricks that must be followed. via /r/running

[rancidtomatoes]

IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells – La Quinta – Race Recap

* A video version of this race recap can be found on my YouTube channel here.

A triathlon is a game of contradiction.

You spend hours, weeks, months training for something that lasts moments of your life. Improve at one sport by mastering three. Train slower to race faster. Race slower to race faster. Do it alone, surrounded by people. Never see a finish line as the end.

One of the most challenging contradictions is the trap of identity. To do well, you have to immerse yourself in training for long periods of time. It can become you; consume you. And then what is objectively a meaningless act of physical exertion assumes a station in your life that it never deserved. And you are left with nothing but finish times and medals, to gather dust because nobody cares.

I thought about these contradictions a lot during my training for my first Ironman 70.3 race in Indian Wells – La Quinta California. It seemed fitting in this vein of contradiction that I would train in the cold and snow in order to race in the warm desert. I hoped that by recognizing the contradictions inherent in what I was doing, I could avoid that most challenging trap, and come away with an experience, rather than just another race.

After Musselman in July, I took a break for a few weeks, and then started training again. I had a few minor injuries, which were challenging, but for the most part my training was consistent. I did some bike fitting and got a set of aerobars on my bike. Winter arrived early in Vermont; we had snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. So most of my riding was indoors. I ran outside as much as I could. And weather doesn’t matter in the pool, of course.

Swimming was a major area of focus for me this fall. I got a second swim analysis and really worked on my technique. I was able to take another ten seconds off my 100-yard time, and by December I was swimming faster on average than I ever had.

I had also been trying to eat smarter, both to be healthier and to drop extra weight. With the help of a friend, I definitely had some success here, though it added some stress to our family routine. Kids like what they like.

I was a little concerned about flying my bike to California, because I had only done it once before and I didn’t have to assemble it myself when I arrived that time. So I broke it down and packed it up at the bike shop so I could get guidance with questions that I had and hands-on help from Darren, my friend who owns Vermont Bicycle Shop. I felt a lot more confident once it was all ready to go.

The flights were pretty uneventful, and we made it to San Diego in one piece — including my bike. One of the first things I did was put it back together; I wanted to make sure I would have enough time to solve any problems that came up. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be any and the assembly went pretty smoothly.

The Catamount, my custom Orbea Terra, ready to ride

We spent a few days with my brother’s family in San Diego, hiking at Torrey Pines and playing on the beach. It was a nice way to get acclimated to the environment. It wasn’t as warm as I thought it would be, but it definitely was a lot warmer than Vermont. Locals on the beach were dressed in winter coats and hats, but our girls thought it was the perfect weather for swimming in the Pacific.

Before long it was time to drive to Indian Wells. The amazing scenery on that drive took us all by surprise. We stopped for a moment but the day before the race was very busy so there wasn’t a lot of time for sight-seeing.

After getting the family settled at the hotel, I had my first Ironman athlete check-in experience and got to see the pro panel, which included the eventual race winners Lionel Sanders and Paula Findlay. I checked my run gear in to T2, a little overwhelmed by the enormity of the transition area. Then it was time for a half-hour drive to the swim start and T1, to see the swim course, check in my bike and decontaminate my wetsuit before hanging it on the racks where it would stay until race morning. I made sure to mark it well so I wouldn’t have any trouble finding it.

My day would have gone quite differently if it hadn’t been for my teammate Lacy. She and her husband gave me a lift to the shuttle buses, which was already a great help by itself, but when she mentioned her water bottles I realized I had forgotten something at the hotel. Specifically, all of my hydration. It was still sitting in my refrigerator. They drove me back so I could retrieve them and I was so grateful. Luckily we were up early enough that it didn’t affect our day — we got on a bus with no waiting and were off to the start area.

I knew the water would be cold. The reported temperature that morning was just under 59 degrees. There was no warm-up swim. We stood in line at the rolling start for a long time before finally getting into the water. And then, finally, after everything, I was racing.

The first one or two hundred meters were tough. I was hyperventilating from the shock of the water temperature and struggling to relax and find my rhythm. I expected that, but it didn’t make it any easier. Finally I settled in, though, and found my zone. It was clear pretty quickly that I should have seeded myself further forward; nobody around me was actually swimming at the pace they lined up for. I was crawling over people all the way. My goggles half-filled with water but I ignored it since I could still see. When I finally crawled out of the lake, I had a personal best time of 34 minutes. By my watch, I had swum ten seconds per 100 yards faster than my first 70.3 in July.

As I mounted my bike, I readied myself mentally to face the biggest contradiction of the day. I had programmed the wattage target my coach and I agreed on into my bike computer, and I was going to stick to that number like superglue. The paradox of my plan was that the number was low. It was lower than I had expected. It was lower than it was at my first 70.3, and it was low relative to my power profile. It was so low that it meant I’d be doing what amounted to a zone 2 ride for the entirety of the bike leg.

The plan was predicated on the knowledge that the course was pancake flat, and that triathlons succeed or fail on the run. We would conserve energy on the bike, allowing my inertia to do most of the work, and hopefully get off the bike with enough in the tank to really drop the hammer.

So what the bike ended up being was a test of patience, rather than fitness. My heart rate stayed low, peaking only at the very start during the excitement of transition and climbing a tiny hill out of transition. I spent a lot of the time focused on avoiding drafting as much as I could, but it was pretty difficult considering that the roads were absolutely packed with riders. That forced me to surge occasionally, but it was okay because the course was so flat.

The first 20 miles flew by so fast that I was actually surprised when I saw the mile marker sign. At 30 miles I felt no worse; very comfortable and just cruising along. It was a strong contrast to my last race, where the 30 mile marker saw me doing pretty solid work. I began to get excited about the paradoxical plan as evidence in its favor continued to build. That naturally inclined me to want to push harder, but I redoubled my efforts to stay focused and in my target zone.

The highlight of the bike course by far was the Thermal Raceway, which is a private racetrack for cars that we got to ride around on. My watts went up on that section for sure, but it was a match that was worth burning. It’s a unique experience to ride your bike around a banked track with perfect pavement, designed for million dollar super cars. I had a lot of fun there.

The rest of the course was technically uphill but the gradient was so gradual, I barely noticed. I rode into T2 just 2 watts over my target. My family was cheering at the dismount line, which was a nice boost going into the start of my run.

After racking my bike and strapping on my running shoes, I started out on the final leg, to see if the contradictions would be resolved. Here I was, running in the heat and sun after training for months in the cold and snow. Here I was, having biked slowly on purpose to see if I could do a faster race. And here I was, after weeks of training at a jog, pushing my legs to go fast, and stay fast.

I have always run fast out of transition, because it takes a mile or two before my legs really feel normal and I can tell how my body is actually doing. At my first 70.3, I slowed that pace after the first aid station, feeling that I would have to conserve energy to make it through the run without shutting down. This day, though, I felt strong. I felt no such impending decline. I felt like I could hold the pace. So I didn’t slow down.

The run followed asphalt roads for a couple of miles before turning off onto a golf course, where it tracked around the greens on a winding, undulating path that was a mix of concrete, dirt and grass. There were no long straightaways, no places to hide from the course. It was highly dynamic and constantly changing.

A conclusion I had drawn from my first 70.3 was that I had been underfueled. This time, I ate and drank everything I could get my hands on during the run. I think I probably ate two or three whole bananas, a half at a time, plus several gels and all the coke, gatorade and red bull I could grab. I didn’t slow down during the aid stations; I didn’t want to lose my inertia. At one point I took a cup of ice, dumped it in my hat and packed it onto my head. The contrasts had never been more stark — at home I had been wearing winter hats to keep the snow off my head; today, I was deliberately packing ice onto my scalp.

It was a two-lap course which meant that I had to run agonizingly close to the finish line at around mile seven, only to have to turn around and do the entire thing one more time. Now I knew what to expect, though, and I knew where to push and where I could relax. Now all I had to do was hold my pace.

When the second lap of the course started to beat me, I focused on my family, waiting for me at the finish, and steeled myself in the resolve to make this all worth it. What was the point of asking so much of them, to support my training, to spend an entire day of our vacation standing around, if I didn’t make it worth it? I wasn’t going to slow down for anything.

The last couple of miles were hard and my pace started to slip a little bit, but I was still moving faster than I had ever really expected. I found my family just before the finish line, gave everybody high-fives, and then took it over the line. It was a personal best by a long margin, with personal records in every part of the race. I almost couldn’t believe it, but there it was.

If there’s one thing I learned from this race experience, it’s that you can’t always see contradictions as obstacles. Sometimes, they are puzzle pieces in a larger pattern that you can’t fully recognize until you’ve put it all together. You can’t always resist the things that don’t make sense; sometimes, you have to lean into them, make them part of your plan and see them through to the end. And that’s when you can find clarity.

We closed out our trip with a drive through Joshua Tree National Park, marveling at the natural beauty of the desert before boarding our plane to fly back into winter. With California behind us, it was time to look forward to a new year, and new contradictions.

Watch the video version of this race recap:

from WordPress http://www.stevemaas.com/ironman-70-3-indian-wells-la-quinta-race-recap/

[cheapggdbsale-blog]

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Introduction In this blog i will be discussing the importance of reflection in my academic studies since starting the course in september. I will be reflecting and analysing how my performance over the past couple of semesters has either improved or declined. I will be discussing my strenghts and weaknesses throughout my modules so far."in its simplest form, reflective practice is thinking about or reflecting on what you do. It is closely linked to the concept of learning from experience, in that you think about what you did, and what happened, and decide from that what you would do differently next time" (Skills you need, 2015). I will also be using web blogs and online journals in my literature, due to the increase in online journals that are available online in recent years, there has been a huge increse. The number of blogs doubled to 133 million between March 2007 and August 2008. A blog is a website comprising blog posts, or content written by the blogger, web-log designer and is typically organised into categories and sorted in reverse chronological order (Wright, 2006). Blogs combine the use of text and images to intise the reader and breaks up blocks of text by using images and videos to keep the reader interested. In this blog i will also be talking about my plans for the future once i have finished the course and where i hope to be in the next five years and what i will need to do to be in the postion i would like.

“ Reflective practice is an active, dynamic action-based and ethical set of skills, placed in real time and dealing with real, complex and difficult situations” (Moon. J, 1999)

                                               Josh Mills             26, Pinewood Crescent, Leyland, Lancashire PR25 1HQ                      Home: 01772 510876 Mobile: 07963297001                                     Joshmills882@Gmail.com Summary I am currently studying sports coaching at the University of Central Lancashire. Although i am a full time student i am very flexible to work as i am only in lessons Wednesday's and Thursday's so i am free to work all the other days. Whilst i am at university i am playing American football for UCLan, I have played the sport for five years before i joined the team and this and all of the other sports that i have played over the years have taught me many different skills, from giving and listening to orders and instructions to great teamwork. These skills will help me as i can transfer these skills from the football field to the workplace, showing that i can work just as efficiently on my own as i can in a team. Skills - Quick problem solver                 - Thrives in fast-paced environment - Commited team player - Bar terminology - Alcohol licensing and smoking laws familiarity - Certificate in food hygiene awareness - Courteous, professional demeanour - High energy - Flexible schedule capability - Up selling capability Work History WELLINGTON PARK Waiter, Burlington Gardens, Leyland PR25 3AB. September 2014 - July 2015 At this establishment i learned many different skills such as: - Consistently provided professional, friendly and engaging service. - skilfully promoted items on beverage lists and restaurant specials. - Followed all health and safety policies when handling food and beverages to uphold proper standards. - Displayed enthusiasm and knowledge about the restaurant's menu and products. - Routinely cleaned work areas, glassware and silverware throughout each shift. LEYLAND HOTEL Bartender, Leyland Way, Leyland, Preston PR25 4JX. May 2015 - Current I gained many different skills whilst working here such as:   - Skilfully prompted items on beverage lists and restaurant specials. - Provided friendly and attentive service. - Inventoried and restocked items throughout the day. - Precisely described menu items and special offerings and appropriately identified wine pairings - Delivered quality service by providing a warm and welcoming environment. - Assisted colleagues whenever possible. - Monitored guests for intoxication and immediately reported concerns to management. - Served beverages and replenished items as necessary. EDUCATION BALSHAWS CHURCH OF ENGLAND HIGH SCHOOL September 2009 - July 2014 RUNSHAW COLLEGE September 2014 - July 2016 University of Central Lancashire, Euxton Lane Campus September 2016 - Current

Kolb’s Learning cycle

David Kolb proposed a 4-stage experiential learning cycle that applies to all learners.  He suggested that immediate or concrete experiences provide a basis for observation and reflection.  These are assimilated and distilled into abstract concepts which can be actively tested, in turn creating new learning experiences. Individual learners will demonstrate differences in the way they think about things and the way they do things.

These differences can be plotted on a Perception continuum (along a spectrum that ranges from a preference for thinking about things in a Concrete or Abstract way) and along a Processing continuum (along a spectrum that ranges from Active to Reflective).  This results in identification of 4 Learning Styles. (Brian Boxx, 2016) Kolb refers to these as Accommodating - Diverging - Assimilating - Converging.

Action Plan

What are my development objectives? What do I need to do to achieve my objectives? What support do I need to achieve my objectives? Target date for achieving my objectives One of my main objectives for this course is to complete the course with the highest-grade I possibly can and progress onto the third year. To achieve this goal, I must make sure I work as hard as I can and to make sure I get all assignments and tasks completed to the highest grade and level I possibly can. To ensure I can complete this objective I need to make sure that keep to my time plan to ensure I get all, of the work done on time and to a high standard. I will also make sure that I am listening to the feedback that I get back from my tutors and take on board what they have said to me. June 2018 Another one of my most important objectives that I have, to complete is sticking to all the plans that I create for myself to ensure that I have all, of the work completed to the high standard that is requested and have it all done on time. To ensure that I complete the task I have set for myself is to keep in mind the final product that is graduating from the course. If I can keep this in mind the whole way through the course that will motivate me throughout the whole course. To make sure that I achieve this goal of me is that I stay motivated and stay focused throughout the course so there is not much support I can ask for, I just need to motivate myself to put myself in the position to succeed. Everyday One of my most important goals for the upcoming years is to stay motivated, focused and hard working. If I want to finish off this goal it relies purely on me, I need to keep myself motivated and keep things fun for myself so I do not give up and fall short of finishing the course. “you think training is hard? Try losing.” The only real support I will need to achieve this goal is the help of my peers and tutors who will hopefully be able to keep me in that mind-set of ‘I can do this’.   Now up until I finish the course

Journal’s I have used over the past few semesters

Personal and Vocational Development for Sport

( Atlay et al., 2009)

( Hughes et al., 2009)

( Ward et al., 2006)

Gough, D. et. al. (2006) 'A systematic map and synthesis review of the effectiveness of personal development planning for improving student learning', pp.1-127.

Clegg & Sally Bradley (2004) ‘Models of Personal Development Planning: practice and processes’ pp.57-76.

Keith V. Nesbitt,(2005)  ‘Using guidelines to assist in the visualisation design process, proceedings of the 2005 Asia-Pacific symposium on Information visualisation, p.115-123,

The Delivery of Sport and Physical Activity

( Sports Coach UK, 2016)

( British American Football Association, 2015)

( Sport England, 2016)

The Coaching Process

( Cross & Lyle, 1999)

( Kidman & Lombardo, 2010)

( Kidman & Hanrahan, 2010)

The Fundamentals of Sports Coaching

( BrianMac , 2016)

(Rogers, 2000)

( Beashel & Taylor, 1997)

Introduction to Sports and Exercise Psychology

( H. Chambers, 2011)

( Psychology Campus, 2004)

( Kremer & Moran, 2008)

Essentials of Training and Conditioning

( Bangsbo et al, 2006)

( Stolen et al, 2005)

( Double Coverage, 2016)

Friedman, k. (2016). ‘Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise’, pp.10.

Faigenbaum, Avery et. al. (2009) ‘Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper From the National Strength and Conditioning Association’

BIBLIOGRAPHY

( Moon. J , 1999) Reflection in learning and professional development : Theory and practice, Kogan page, London .

( Kolb . DA, 1984) Experimental learning : Experiences as the source of learning and development. Ennglewood Cliffs, N.J : Prentice Hall

Friedman, k. (2016). ‘Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise’, pp.10.

Faigenbaum, Avery et. al. (2009) ‘Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper From the National Strength and Conditioning Association’

Gough, D. et. al. (2006) 'A systematic map and synthesis review of the effectiveness of personal development planning for improving student learning', pp.1-127.

Clegg & Sally Bradley (2004) ‘Models of Personal Development Planning: practice and processes’ pp.57-76.

Keith V. Nesbitt,(2005)  ‘Using guidelines to assist in the visualisation design process, proceedings of the 2005 Asia-Pacific symposium on Information visualisation, p.115-123,