My Six-Week Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Training Program

Has it really been a month since I last posted anything? Where did June go? Travel. I’ve been to Chicago, Austin, Washington, D.C., Sacramento, Oklahoma City, and Garden City, Kansas, in the past four weeks. I woke up one morning this week in a hotel room and it took me a minute to remember where I was…and I was at home in my own bed!

That's me in DC overlooking the White House during a reception at John Deere's DC office

I realized today that I have exactly six weeks from tomorrow until the Boulder Ironman 70.3 triathlon. Guess I need to get with the program. The problem is I don’t really have one. I haven’t been in the pool in a month and I been riding on the road much (maybe 300 miles this season including the Elephant Rock Century ride three weeks ago).

Travel makes triathlon training tough. I can’t take my bike with me. Hotel pools big enough to swim laps in are rare. All I can really do on the road is run or workout in a hotel gym (about my least favorite form of exercise). So I do what I can when I can. That’s my training program.

I haven’t been able to run much since the Bolder Boulder 10K on Memorial Day and not at all for the past two weeks after taking an elbow to the rib cage in a “friendly” family basketball game while on vacation in Sacramento (two brothers, a brother-in-law, his brother, my daughter, two nephews and a niece who plays ball at Lewis and Clark where she was named to the 2010 All-Northwest Conference Team -- her freshman year!).

The finish of the Bolder Boulder 10K is inside Folsom Field at the University of Colorado

I did spend a lot of time riding on my Cyclops Fluid2 trainer this past Spring and winter and I can feel the results when I do get out on the road. I rode 24 miles to work yesterday morning in a personal best 1:17 (19.1 mph). I rode 50 today including 2,784 ft. of elevation gain and my legs feel good. So I’m not too worried about the bike portion (56 miles)

I rode up to Daniel's Park today to take in the amazing views of the
Front Range of the Rockies

I’ve got two weeks to prepare for the Boilermaker 15K Run on July 11. I plan to modify my two-week half marathon training program for Boilermaker. If my ribs will allow, I’ll run three miles tomorrow, four on Tuesday, five on Thursday, nine on Saturday, three on Monday, three on Wednesday, and an easy three on Friday. That’s thirty miles in two weeks, followed by the 9.3 miles that Sunday. In two weeks I’ll know whether I’m on track for the run leg (13.1 miles).

As for the swim (1.2 miles), I just need to get up and hit the pool more often in the coming weeks. I think I’ll start tomorrow morning before church. I can run in the afternoon. Heck, I might as well throw in a ride and do a personal mini tri tomorrow (with a church break built in!).

And tonight, of course, I’ll be eating BEEF to fuel up. The only question is which cut? I love a juicy Ribeye on the grill. Then again, a medium rare filet with blue cheese and sautéed Portobello s is hard to beat…and Tenderloin is one of the 29 Lean Cuts. Decisions, decisions…

Ride on!

Daren

A Fit End to BEEF RUNNER Month

Several weeks ago I pointed out that May is not only my birth month (Taurus, the bull, of course) but is also National BEEF Month and National RUNNER Month – two of my life’s passions. So I combined the two celebrations into one and launched the National BEEF RUNNER Month Challenge – eat at least 3 oz. of lean beef and get at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping exercise every day. I think I started something!

[Above: Runners like Calli Thorne from North Dakota know BEEF provides essential nutrients like zinc, iron and B vitamins that provide fuel for physical activity. This past weekend Calli ran the Fargo Marathon -- her first full marathon -- in 4:07:13. Congrats Calli!]

My theory is that if you eat lean BEEF and get some exercise every day in the month of May you’ll be ready for the opening of the swimming pools this weekend. So how are you doing?

I was feeling pretty good about my progress – having dropped five pounds – until this past weekend. My daughter’s high school graduation meant lots of friends and family and food and drink (lots of fun and lots of calories). I smoked up two BEEF briskets and four racks of pork "the other red meat" spare ribs. Yes, we ate a lot of meat but the calorie busters were my wife’s cheesy corn (corn, butter and cream cheese) and broccoli salad (with bacon and cheese, of course!). Oh, and maybe the beer.

But I don’t worry about indulging during these times because I know I’ll quickly drop the added pounds when I return to my normal routine. So far this week that was running five on Sunday, riding on my indoor trainer for 30 minutes Monday morning and running 3.1 today.

This weekend I am planning to top off National BEEF RUNNER Month with two major BEEF and RUNNING events.

On Saturday evening I will be enjoying a great big steak at SW Steakhouse at the Wynn in Las Vegas (voted “Best Steakhouse in Las Vegas” by the New York Magazine in 2009). I’ll be in Vegas with my brothers and several others celebrating my nephew’s 21st birthday. I’m sure the prime aged steaks will be amazing and the wine will be flowing. I just have to remember that I have a race to run on Monday!

Returning to Denver Sunday I’ll be up early on Monday headed to Boulder to run the BolderBOULDER 10K on Memorial Day. “Sea level is for sissies” is the slogan of the second largest running race in the USA with over 50,000 runners! This will be my first BB. I’ll be joined by a number of other BEEF runners from the Colorado Beef Council BEEF Running Team.

It’s supposed to be a great event with 31 bands and other entertainers along the 6.2-mile route. Following the race is a Memorial Day tribute with the Mile-Hi Sky Diving team, a jet flyover, a 21-gun salute and recognition of Medal of Honor recipients.

[Left: In 2008 a Team ZIP (Zinc, Iron and Protein) runner from New York ran the Boilermaker 15K carrying full size American and Marine Corps flags to honor his brother in the Marines]

It should be a great day and a fit end to National BEEF RUNNER Month! So dust off your grills and break out the running shoes. Wherever you celebrate Memorial Day weekend enjoy a great burger or steak on the grill and get some exercise. Your bathing suit will thank you…and you can show off your fit end!

Ride on!

Daren

Let's Make a Deal with Dar

Meet Dar Giess (pronounced geese). I met Dar at the Youth Beef Industry Congress in Minneapolis a month or so ago. We immediately connected. Dar is from Kansas. I am from Kansas. The Kansas connection is strong. Dar is definitely "good people."

[Above: Dar does his best Royal Canadian Mounted Police impression at the World South Devon Congress 2008 Tour of Western Canada]

Dar and I had another connection. We’ve both had to battle the bulge. In my 20s I gained an average of seven pounds per year, growing from 200 to 270 pounds. Dar has a similar story.

I ran track in high school. So did Dar. I ran the two-mile. So did Dar. I ran the two-mile in around 15 minutes. Dar ran it in 10 minutes and 33 seconds. That's where the similarity ends. In case you don’t know, that’s really fast (5:16.05/mile).

[Above: Dar holds up his prize catch. “South Devon World Association – good cattle, good people having a good time” - Dar Giess, South Devon World President, Kananaskis, July 2008]

“Now it takes me about 10 hours and 33 minutes,” Dar said, in his self-deprecating way. “I actually haven’t timed myself. But I have started running again.”

After I shared my personal weight struggle with Dar he asked me to make a deal – if he would lose 50 pounds before the Annual Cattle Industry Convention in January, could I get him on NCBA's Cattlemen-to-Cattlemen to talk about the importance of youth programs in the beef industry? I made the deal (and thankfully Melissa, the producer of Cattlemen-to-Cattlemen agreed!).

Dar asked me to hold him accountable so I called this week to see how it was going.

“I’ve lost seven pounds so far. But it’s hard. This is not an easy project,” he said. “I just like to eat.”

I understand, Dar. I always said I’d never diet. I like to eat, too much. I always knew the only way I’d lose weight, and keep it off, was with exercise. But when I hit 270 I knew I had to do something. My brother had started selling a popular herbal weight loss program so I signed up. And I lost 40 pounds really fast. But then I gained half of it back.

Dar has a similar story. “Three times I’ve lost 50 pounds and every time I gain it back,” he said. “This time I’m not going to do it.”

I’ve kept my weight off now for over 10 years, so I shared the secret of my success with Dar. And now I’ll share it with you. Eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean protein like BEEF! And, for those of us who like to eat, get some exercise – at least 30 minutes per day, three to five times a week.

[Above: That's me, at 270 lbs. in 1985, and at 210 lbs. in 2009 after riding up the highest paved road in North America to the summit of Mt. Evans (14,240 ft.)]

Maybe I should write a book. I’ll call it, “Eat Right and Exercise – the Secret to Maintaining Healthy Weight.” My next book will be “How to Make a Million Dollars Writing a Book about How to Make a Million Dollars.”

There is no secret formula. No book wil  give you willpower or make you get out of bed in the morning.

“I was at a sale barn today,” said Dar “There was a box of apple fritter donuts. I walked away.”

Keep walking, Dar. And keep running. I promised to hold you accountable. Now we all are! We’ll keep checking back on your progress. And we’ll be watching you on NCBA's Cattlemen-to-Cattlemen next January.

Ride On!

Daren

P.S. Dar and his wife, Lynn, helped start the American Salers Junior Association and the North American South Devon Junior Association. They are passionate about cattle and the future of young people in the cattle business. Dar said he was asking people to pledge $2 for every pound he loses before January that he will donate to youth programs. I’m in. Are you?

P.P.S. Please post a comment with your pledge or words of encouragement for Dar.