The Trial

2009-10-29T13:13:24Z

I’ve heard Triathletes say over and over again, “I do triathlon so I can eat and drink anything I want”. Hell, I have said the same thing right before finishing off 30 wings and a case of beer on a fun Saturday night. I have also never walked across a finish line feeling like it was the best I could do.

I have been doing triathlons for the past 8 years. The first 2 years I was learning how to even do this sport, the 2 years after that I was enjoying college and the ability to still push hard after 2 hours of sleep. 2 years following that I was learning how to work a 9-5 and enjoying the (what seemed like at the time) GIANT pay check. The last 2 years I have watched my ability to spring back from injuries diminish and started to notice that I cant just "gut it out" like I used to.

I’m not saying that I’m old, I’m saying that I am letting myself think I’m old and using that as an excuse. I feel like a lot of triathletes use the excuse “I do triathlon so I can eat as much as I want” in order to excuse the feelings that they have a couple of days after a not-so-great race "you know if I just ate a little better, or if I had just done those couple of extra workouts".

I’ve decided to see what would happen if a triathlete decided to switch from” I do this so I can eat what ever I want” to “I eat this way so that I can do what ever I want”.

Over the next two months I will be documenting my change from your typical 9-5, find an excuse to miss 2 workouts a week, eat what ever I am craving at that moment, drink a case of beer on the weekend triathlete… to a lean, healthy, swimming, biking, running MACHINE.

The first two weeks I will change nothing. I’m only documenting my workouts, my nutrition, and general healthy and mental state. I am doing two weeks in order to get a solid baseline of your typical triathlete.

Weeks 3-6 I will meet with Christine Lynch, of www.liveandeatbetter.com and we will go over my current diet. We will talk about the things I’m doing wrong and where, with some changes, I’ll be able to be healthier. I will also be eliminating several things from my lifestyle: alcohol, coffee, soda and large quantities of red meat. Then, for 4 weeks, I will document every bit of information.

The last 2 weeks after living this healthier lifestyle I will slowly introduce things back into my nutrition plan and document how my body reacts when I have Taco bell again, and when I have my first cup of coffee, and my first beer.

I think this will be an interesting experiment to show people that by making a few minor changes in their lifestyle, they can go from “I just do triathlons so I can eat what ever I want” to competitive age group triathletes.

TE + 3

2009-06-18T03:41:21Z

Wednesday June 17 2009

Recap
Second day back in the office and we had a full staff meeting. i slept really well after beating the living hell out of my body the day before. Before the staff meeting i felt like having a cup of coffee and so pulled myself one and went into the meeting. The entire time i did not feel like i needed the coffee but was enjoying it. 30 min later i was WIRED like nothing else and was extremely proactive and productive.

Got home and was not feeling as enthused having just learned i was not aloud to wear my fitted hat when working on survey crews and if you have ever spent 9 hours outside in either the sun or the rain you know how much nicer it is to have a wool fitted cap on then some crappy trucker hat on.

Ate a HUGE lunch, still working on that lunch portion control, i keep kicking myself for not prepping my lunches so this will not happen but still not quite back in full swing sense getting back from vacation.

Got on the trainer because it was still raining and was suppose to ride 24 miles, at mile 14 i was ready to kill someone but tried to stick it out, i lasted a whole MILE and then decided i would rather jump out a window then continue the workout.

Nutrition

Breakfast

Skim milk
Granola

Lunch
Beef with Broccoli
Brown rice

Dinner

Large handful of chips
salsa

Exercise
15 mile bike ride 15-mph

TE + 2

2009-06-18T03:41:01Z

Tuesday June 16 2009

Recap

First day back in the office after vacation. purposefully stayed away from the coffee to make sure i was not depending on it. Did not feel like i needed a cup until the afternoon after my huge lunch. Had a small breakfast so by lunch i was starving, turns out there was left over pizza in the fridge having not had pizza for a month i was all over it. grabbed two slices of veggie pizza and was feeling good.

then found out we where going out in the field, not sure how long we would be out for and still felt a little hungry i grabbed two more slices and off we went. on the way to the job site i wolfed down the slices only to find out we had an hours worth of work and then back home. the pizza sat like a brick in my stomach and did not feel well for the rest of the day, wondering how much of that was because of the grease and how much of it was from portion control.

Got home and headed out for my workouts considering i missed all of them when i was home on vacation. the swim went really well however i was burping up pizza the entire time and had swimmers gut when it was all said and done. got home and headed right out on the run, legs felt super solid under me and was able to hold what seamed like an too easy rhythm for the 45 min and put up 8:45 min miles!! was so happy to hear i did that, finding that i think i really could run 8 min half marathon and that it is not just some number i am throwing out.

went to the store and grabbed a pound of salmon (because i didn't get enough when i was home (4 pounds))

Nutrition

Breakfast
2 bananas

Lunch
4 large slices of pizza

Dinner
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 pound salmon (raw)

Exercise
1700 yard swim
45 min run 8:45 pace

TE + 1

2009-06-18T03:40:23Z

Monday June 15 2009

Recap
The flight home, got dropped off at the airport at 4 am from the night before, fairly certain i was not completely sober but felt fine just a little tired. checked in and took a nap at the gate until boarding. Woke up with a growling stomach and my flight boarding, did not have time to grab a bite. got on the plane and fell asleep in my chair. but it was not a good sleep and woke up halfway through the flight more tired then when i got on. i had missed the drink cart twice and with all the turbulence never got a chance to get up and grab a glass of water.

at the 4 hour mark was finally able to get a drink of water this was my first drink sense 4 that morning (6 hours ago) my head did not feel good and i was getting flop sweats as i tried to get comfortable with only an hour left in the flight.

finally landed and went right to the snack store and grabbed the biggest bottle of water and finished it off before i got my bag and my buddy picked me up. by this point i had not eaten for 16 hours.

grabbed a salmon salad at Jackson's a local/chain restaurant in the area and went home and went to sleep.

Nutrition

Breakfast
0

Lunch
0

Dinner
1/2 pound salmon cooked
LARGE plate of salad

Alcohol
12 oz

Exercise
0

TRIAL END

2009-06-18T03:39:11Z

Sunday June 14 2009

Recap
Last day in Washington and was going to spend it up in Seattle with my friend Sayward. Saw my sisters flute recital and grabbed lunch with my buddies Jon and Chad and off to seattle i went. Grabbed a beer at a small bar in seattle and then went to Saywards friends graduation party then off to a local coffee joint at 11 p.m. then over to a bar called pies and pints then back to another persons apartment for some more beers then off to the airport.

All in all a GREAT NIGHT!

Nutrition

Breakfast
strawberries and cherries

Lunch
Teriyaki chicken
brown rice
cabbage salad

Dinner
mexican rice
1 burrito (home made)

Alcohol
13 x 12 oz beers for the entire night

Exercise
0

Day 29

2009-06-18T03:38:45Z

Saturday June 13 2009

Recap
Little Sisters graduation! Woke up early and had breakfast with Grandpa, Ann, Miss Debbie, Mom and little SIS, Had my first cup of coffee and MAN WAS THAT CRAZY!! Caffeine is a HELL OF A DRUG! it was weak ihop coffee too. After breakfast was Stephanie's graduation which was a blast then the family went over to Red Robin for lunch. (when i graduated we went to Red Robin before lunch a little bit of tradition)

The first cub of coffee out of the way it was time for the true first drinking event. Was very curious to see how this was going to turn out. Went to a local bar that used to be a 7/11 when i was growing up in Lacey. its called Pints and Quarts, well me being me decided i might as well get out of the game big and get out early. 3 quarts later i was feeling good but not nearly as drunk as i thought i would after not having a drink for 30 days. Ended up drinking 5 quarts and then headed back to Tims for 4 more tall boys and a cigar. Had a great time catching up with Tim, Robby, and Jon who i had not seen in forever

Nutrition

Breakfast
Omelet

Lunch
Mushroom Burger

Dinner
nothing

Alcohol
5.5 quarts of Guinness

Exercise
0

Day 28

2009-06-18T03:38:20Z

Friday June 12 2009

Recap
FLIGHTS OUT!! Woke up at 345 to take Austin and Jen to the airport then came back packed my bags grabbed a big breakfast and headed to the airport myself. Flew to chicago then into seattle got in starving. My buddy Tim picked me up from the airport and off we went to Lacey. 1 hour later we where sitting down at Osaka for GREAT sushi. then i grabbed my little sister and drove back up to seattle for her graduation dinner at the Palisades.

Had a great seafood dinner there along with my first bit of alcohol as we had a toast in Stephanie's honor.

Nutrition

Breakfast
Soy Milk
Granola

Lunch
6 pieces of salmon sushi
8 piece philly roll

Dinner
Large king crab leg
2/3 pound salmon cooked
4 crab stuffed prawns
small salad

Exercise
0

Day 27

2009-06-18T03:37:54Z

Thursday June 11 2009

Recap
Had not packed and had not done any laundry this was haunting me as i got off work and looked at the 30 min swim workout i had to do and everything still left in the apartment to take care of. unfortunately i skipped the swim and took care of all the household needs that where calling me instead.

Nutrition

Breakfast
Soy milk
Large bowl granola

Lunch
Ham sandwich

Dinner
Bowl of chile

Exercise
0

DAY 26

2009-06-18T03:34:02Z

Wednesday June 10 2009

Recap
Decent day, Felt good on my brick but not great, rode with thunderstorms looming in the background and during the run heat lighting was going off all over the place. felt fairly solid.

after almost 30 days i finally have a day where i forgot to write down everything for it and it is now 8 days later and i am trying to remember (my apologies)

Nutrition

Breakfast
Granola
Soy Milk

Lunch
Ham Sandwich

Dinner
Salad
Chile

Exercise
12 mille bike ride
3.3 mile run

Day 25

2009-06-10T02:47:59Z

June 9 2009 Tuesday

Recap
Knew i was going to be out in the sun all day, so i ate a BIG breakfast and then went out on the job site. i was staying hydrated while the sun beat down but when the party chief said we are stopping for lunch at 2 i just couldn't sit and watch them eat so i grabbed the smallest healthiest looking thing on the menu.

when i got home i was exhausted and tired. old me would have drank half a case of beer and gotten beef with broccoli from the store and watched baseball for the rest of the night. new me went to the pool and swam then came home and ran in the thunderstorm then sat down ate healthy and watch the game.

Nutrition

Breakfast
Large bowl of granola
skim milk
2 banana’s
Raspberry non fat pre-parabolic yogurt

Lunch
small grilled chicken sandwich from jerrys (it was the sun i swear 5 hours in 95 degree weather i couldn't take it anymore needed food.)

Dinner
Large plate of salad (carrots and mushrooms)
half a cup of chili on top
small plate of potato wedges

Exercise
4 mile run in 32 min
1000 yard swim in 30 min