MY TAKE ON LONGEVITY IN ENDURANCE-SPORTS (Anecdotally-Scientific) Part 2

Ironman 70.3 Philippines 2017: Thankfully, did not walk except between aid-stations

This concludes a two-part series of my tacit experiences and wisdom gleaned from racing in endurance sports for 14 years.

11) Stretch whenever you can, systematically would be best. However, in its absence a sports massage, or self-massage (with a trigger ball or roller) helps in promoting recovery. Learn to knead, jostle, press and pummel sore muscles.
12) Water-based activities like swimming or water-jogging, reduces undue impact from land-based activities like running. Use aquatic activities to release the body from gravity-based sports-induced stress. Also, cross-train by including other activities (swim, ride and run are examples).
13) I never had a major spate of injuries, save for one case of a hairline fracture on my toe (2 months NO running), mild plantar fasciitis, and being hit by a taxi while riding (beyond my control) where I sustained a cheek fracture in 2010. Staying injury-free means being disease-free. Move from dis-ease to ease!
14) Increase your intake of antioxidants, and choose those that suit your body (natural and packaged). Include tonics made from herbal remedies and concoctions. Bone-broth or soups are very useful.
15) Seek the help of physiotherapists, chiropractors, bodycare specialist, nutritionists, massage therapists, and the like - they help remind us to stay mobile, nimble and functional.
16) Include High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions, occasionally. 1-2 such sessions awakes the body to new-found activation and, perhaps, speed. Use strength-based , gym sessions to supplement your development of musculature.
17) Seek a coach to help you with plateaus and form/gait correction. Seek a coach if you wish to be competitive and improve on your personal best (PB) timings.
18) If you are racing, then train to race. You cannot work beyond your trained threshold of intensity.
19) Seek your motivation: If you train with a team, it has its inherent 'push and pull' factors. If you prefer the occasional solitude, then do your long sessions alone. If you are uncomfortable with toxic members, steer away from them. Mix with those who help you achieve your Best Version of Yourself.
20) It is a life-long journey towards personal excellence, so there is still much to learn, educate and glean from personal experience.

MY TAKE ON LONGEVITY IN ENDURANCE-SPORTS (Anecdotally-Scientific)

After being in the endurance game since 2002, I wanted to share my mild wisdom sustaining my performance over 4 competitive age-groups.
1) Have more than 6 hours of sleep each night. Get a comfortable mattress, curtains drawn, and away from electronic devices (if possible).
2) Skip a day of exercise, if you feel like it. It is, after all, an extreme sport. You need not be extreme about life, in general.
3) Nutrition is one of the keys to recovery: Eat sensibly, guided by what is healthy for you.
4) Reduce your intake of refined sugar and refined grains. Whole-foods, relatively-unprocessed, home-cooked, allows control in this option. Pack your home-cooked food to work.
5) You need not live a monastic life: Exercise may be part of your lifestyle, and may not be your only life. Exercise is a form of self-expression.
6) Race occasionally to test yourself, however each race is an intense workout that requires full recovery. Our races validates our hard and consistent training.
7) Focus on good sources of fats: coconut oil, olive oil (EVOO and normal), butter, eggs, and animal fat. Figure this one out on your own as it is very subjective based on beliefs and practice. Reduce the GMO-versions (corn & soya), when possible.
8) Have 'easy' days intersperse 'hard' workout days. Off-Season, focus on Low Heart-Rate, Distance-Training.
9) 80:20 Rule when it comes to eating. Use your intuition and tastebuds as your guides.
10) Check for food allergies. Once identified, reduce or eliminate that food type.
*This was first posted on my Facebook page.*

OF INSPIRATIONAL AND INSPIRING PEOPLE

Wow! 

I watched the Ironman World Championships today, and was stoked not only by the winners and professionals, bu also with the age-groupers. Each age-grouper - all amateurs - earned their spot to participant by some form of qualification. It is one thing to qualify, it is another to complete the entire 226km of swimming, riding and running within 17 hours. There are also wonderful stories of these age-group athletes who brave many trials and tribulations to take their spot at the deep-water start-line of the race.

Queen of Kona - Paula Newby-Fraser - who dominated Kona in the Ironman eight times. 

Having completed my dream of finishing this same race in 2013, I was assisted in reliving my own memories vividly. I recall most of the details, mostly of emotional upheavals and suffering. However, indelibly etched in my brain are my personal experiences. Again, these involve inspirational people - competitors, champions, volunteers, and supporters. 

My friend's father, Kor Hong Fatt - octogenarian Boston Marathon finisher encouraged me to qualify for this race, and I did.

 

Soonchul - Sydney-based friend who is a Ironman finisher and consistent sub-3 hour marathoner.

I love inspirational people! They inspire me to get off my seat. I assure you, I spend a lot of time sitting with my notebook or paperback book - so these people help me kick my ass from the comfortable throne of procrastination and Sloth. 

It is so easy to conjure excuses. It is much harder to do what we are supposed to do: choose, duties, errands, paperwork, cleaning up, organising, and the like. Sometimes, part of the process of achievement involves doing what is necessary and needful. Inspiring people have fewer excuses, and they inspire and motivate us indirectly by doing the seemingly impossible.

Dr Hannes Koeppen - World Champion in the Ironman triathlon (Physically-Challenged). Strong and fiercely determined. I appreciate that - as a corporate trainer and speaker - that my profession allows me to stand 95 percent of the time, and that hobbies also engage my mobility. Thus, I have been busy writing, interviewing and researching actively these past few days. My fellow blogger and former-corporate leader, Khairil Annuar has stimulated my mind with attractive conversations. Of course, our mutual interest in India Pale Ale (IPA) beer and craft-beers lubricate our dynamic arguments.

And, of course, when training with other athletes I have to work harder. Plus, the people who nominate me for physical challenges. I am glad you know I would likely complete my task. 

Once, I blogged everyday for three years - thanks to a challenge suggested by marketing-guru Seth Godin.

Thank you, to all my connections on Twitter, Facebook, as well as face-to-face friendships and acquaintances.

How To Earn A BQ For Boston Marathon

With an upcoming running clinic, I would like to share some of my thoughts about how you may qualify for a Boston Qualifier (BQ). Be warned: My approach may not be aligned with yours. Although sound, it is non-conventional, perhaps because of my age and background in multi-discipline, endurance, sports.

The Boston Marathon, is the holy grail for serious marathoners, and it sits parallel with Ironman triathletes for a dream-ticket or podium-slot for the Ironman World Championships in Kailua, Kona. These events and many others in the endurance sports, including ultra-marathons and desert-runs, and Mount Everest represent the zenith in one's training/racing history.

I have earned three BQs, in 2011, 2013, and 2015

I completed my first Boston Marathon in 2014 in 'Boston Strong', and hope to earn another slot amongst the 30,000 on Patriot's Day 2016. My approach for all three BQs were similar and minimalist.

1) I ran, predominantly, on-road: My chosen races were all road-races, thus, I raced specifically, on tar/tarmac.
2) I raced both on-road and off-road/trail (ultra-marathon, 52.5km) to engage different muscles and responses. In my last BQ at Gold Coast Marathon, I integrated off-road sections and some slopes/bridges, which seemed to help me finish strong (although I ran much less).
3) I trained 3-4 days per week, mostly single sessions. Additional aerobic stimulus came from riding indoors or outdoors (2-3 hours per session). My total training mileage per week has been about 40-50km per week.
4) My run training was based, mainly, on one long/two short sessions - all at tempo/time-trial pace. I eliminated 'Junk Miles'. [I subscribe to 'Run Less, Run Faster' philosophy, although I intuitively applied that since 2010 after my biking accident.]
5) My workouts include 2 X 10km, plus one long 21-24km, all done at Tempo or Fartlek (. I did no track intervals, hill-work, and very few group-running. Consistency and discipline is key! A short run is better than no run. However, skip runs if you are feeling unwell, as illness sabotages your training plan.
6) I included one more run/race before my marathon preparation block (12-week). The race could be a 10km, 21km or 32km. A 32km race or run would be done 2-3 weeks before race-day.
7) I cross-trained (cycling and swimming) all-year-round, as required of a triathlete. I race two Ironman triathlons annually since 2006, so that included two in-race, marathons already. 
8) I did some strength and conditioning workout, using bodyweight (circuit), kettle-bells, or free-weights. I relearnt my gait, focused on mid-sole (as forefoot running may have led to my first hairline toe fracture in 2012, and a dismal Berlin Marathon timing of 4:00 hours).
9) As racing is a personal event based on tactics and strategy, I raced regularly to accustom myself to race-pace (or faster, over-10km and 21km) and earn my confidence to race uncomfortably (including Zone 4/panting zone).
10) I learnt to eat well, using the 80:20 Rule, focused on more essential fats (including coconut oil, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, and nuts).

My Boston Marathon Journey

I am not a big fan of running. I love watching runners. I enjoy watching competitive runners on television. I enjoy the big sprints to the finish-line by Olympic-Distance triathletes.

I began long-distance running in 2003, having never gone beyond one 10km race in my life. I had assumed a middle-distance running career in my youth; mostly self-trained and driven by personal motivations. I studied all I could about running and runners. I lived and breathed Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovette, Jim Fixx (The Complete Book of Running), Dr. George Sheehan, Abebe Bikila, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar, fartlek, interval training, cross-country, Adidas, et al. I was obsessed about running, doing it almost daily while pursuing an education.

I excelled in running although it was more a means to an end: To finish the session as soon as I could. My mantra was ‘Get it over’.

In 2004, I began doing triathlons and my first marathon. I was hooked on both. No, I did not enjoy running but I loved running faster and earning Personal Bests (PB) and Personal Records (PR).

The cool weather (end-winter) in July on the Gold Coast is conducive for a BQ/PB.

My first marathon yielded a 4:11; my second was 4:24 (with my first and only attack of ITB syndrome). That was when I discovered the need for deep-tissue massage before races. A spate of sub-4 hour marathons followed when I completed the Bangkok Marathon under the elusive 4-hour mark. When I earned a 3:36 in Singapore and 3:37 in Berlin (2010), I knew I had the capacity and capability to earn a BQ on my flip-side of 40 years.

I qualified for Boston Marathon in 2011 at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon (SCHKM). I clocked 3 hours 29 minutes and 59 minutes, which put me within one minute of the qualifying time of my age-group (45-49 years). With my first BQ, I applied for the lottery and was declined.

My second attempt to earn a BQ at the fast course in Berlin Marathon 2012 was marred by a hairline toe fracture two months before. I was diagnosed with that painful symptom during Ironman Switzerland, and I hobbled to an uncomfortable 4:00 finish. And, that was that.

Minutes after clocking my second BQ of 3:16 at GCAM2013.

My second BQ (and third attempt at a BQ) was at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon (GCAM), where I clocked 3:16. I was eight minutes within the revised BQ of less than 3:25:00. I also improved my PB/BQ by 13 minutes on my ‘Run Less, Run Faster’ approach: 3-4 running sessions of 10-21km each, supplemented by a triathlon diet (cycling and swimming). I applied for Boston marathon 2014 and was accepted into the 118^th edition. Despite strong objections from naysayers that it would not be possible on such a meagre running diet, I achieved it. It is important to strongly believe in your ability, training plan, performance, and be focused to accomplish the seemingly impossible. What is deemed ‘impossible’ might be ‘unrealistic goals’ at one time.

My next goal is to earn a stronger BQ for the 120^th edition of Boston Marathon. A performance near-3 hours would be deeply satisfying. I will begin serious training for it after completing one marathon (within Ironman Lanzarote) on 23 May. A narrow recovery and fitness training of seven weeks, will make it highly challenging after my 19^th Ironman attempt to hold less than 4:30/km throughout the July 2015 race.

I will share more of my Boston Marathon journey shortly.

Letting Them Beat You Occasionally: A Coach's Journey (Part 2)

Another Coaching Milestone occurred whilst I was working with a fellow trainer, Enrico Varella in Singapore.  One of my hobbies is competing in triathlons – Olympic and Ironman distances.  Enrico was a very dedicated bodybuilder and athlete, however he could not imagine swimming, riding and running in a one event, let alone competing in an Ironman race. After much coercing and convincing him that any one can do it – as long as you are willing to put the work in – he started to train for a short distance race. Over the next six months, I would send words of encouragement and training programs but he seemed to have hit a plateau. So, the next trip I was in Singapore we linked up for a run after one of our workshops.

The goal was to complete a 10km run. We aimed to run along the East Coast of Singapore for 5km then turn around at the halfway point and run back. After about 2km, I noticed he was taking it very, very easy and lagging behind. I asked,  "What are you waiting for, a taxi?" You have the ability and fitness to make the 10km easy. He informed me that he had only run 10km, two other times but very slow.

So, I set him a challenge: he was to turn at the 5km mark and run back to the start point, I would run 5.5km and chase him to the finish. Enrico would run 10km, and I would run 11km all up.  Last one back had to buy dinner.   We got to the 5 km mark and he turned for home, I bid him farewell and headed for the 5.5km mark.  As I ran off I noticed his pace had increased considerably. So I gave it all and ran as hard as I could. With 1km to go I had closed the gap to within 100 metres and started to yell out, "I'm closing up behind you!" Enrico lifted the pace like a man possessed. I reduced the gap to 20 metres and backed off to allow him to cross the line first very exhausted. He had run a PB, the fastest 10km ever for him.

Since then he has gone on to complete 11 Ironman races and is highly recognised throughout Singapore for his rapid progression and dedication towards training. Sometimes we have to set ourselves challenging goals to stretch and achieve our real potential. Sometimes we need to take a loss to have a win also. Well done Enrico, it was a pleasure buying the dinner. You are an IRONMAN!

EV: Thanks a million - mate [shakes his head in disbelief]! What was it like to qualify, and complete Kona?

CH: Fantastic, the whole journey was very fulfilling. It was a sense of achievement and closure. After all the years of hard training and sacrifices made by my loved ones and myself, it was nice to achieve the goals I had set.

EV: Do you think triathletes need coaching?

CH: Yes, definitely. There is so much to learn about the sport. I have a different coach for Swimming, Riding and Running. Other aspects that need attention include nutrition, equipment selection, mental aspects, (mind control), race tactics, tapering before a race, post training and race recovery, physiology, maintaining work/life harmony and most important of all, your loved ones.

EV: How can triathletes get on a coaching program?

CH: There are many different means available for triathletes these days, ranging from triathlon magazines, the Internet, online coaching, tri clinics to personal coaches. I think it is important to seek out a coach who you respect and is able to tailor the coaching program to suit your individual needs. You need to be considerate of your work, family, mental and physical situations, and adaptable enough to adjust the program accordingly.

EV: Thanks, Fox for the interview!

Ironman World Championships 2005, Kona, Hawaii – 10 hours 38 min

2002 Forster Australian Ironman – 10 hours 32 minutes

2005 Forster Australian Ironman: 10 hours 2 minutes

2010 Ironman New Zealand: Sub-11:00

2010 Ironman Western Australia: Sub-11:00

Australian Defence Olympic Triathlon Championships - 2 hours 2 min 35 seconds

1st place: Fuji-Xerox Singapore Open Water Swim 2006 (1.5km)

1st place: Fuji-Xerox Singapore Open Water Swim 2007 (1km)

2nd place: OSIM International Triathlon (Singapore) 2007, 45-49 years

And many more!

Craig Holland provides Leadership Training and Motivational Coaching to develop your peak performance mentally and physically. He can be contacted at foxholland@aapt.net.au [Editor: I have since progressed into a Boston Qualifier, sub-3:30 marathoner, ultra-marathoner, and aiming for my 12^th Ironman finish in March.]

© 2009-2011 Enrico Varella & Tri2Lead.com

Reproduction of material from any Lead2Tri.blogspot.com pages without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Letting Them Beat You Occasionally: A Coach's Journey (Part 1)

Editor: We first conducted this interview with my Australian triathlon coach, Craig ‘Fox’ Holland in 2009. He was one of three people who inspired me to take up the sport of triathlons in 2004. As he has coached me over the last seven years, I felt that it would be useful now, to publish this again (updated), for those making their first attempt at Ironman Western Australia 2011 or Ironman New Zealand 2012. Fox has been coaching several Singaporean triathletes over the last few years; his popularity being that he is highly accessible, and he is passionate about developing his coachee’s athletic potential. In subsequent days, I will post some of the Fox’s pre-race, motivational pieces he submitted over the years. Enjoy!

Craig ‘Fox’ Holland resides in beautiful Nelson Bay, Coastal Beach Village in New South Wales, Australia. He represented Australia in both the Olympic Distance as well as Ironman distance in the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in 2005. He is the holder of many age-group triathlon awards. Since 2004, Fox has coached dozens of executives on how to start their training for biathlons, triathlons and endurance races. He has helped his students and neophytes realise their personal dreams of completing their first triathlon, open water swim, marathon, and Ironman triathlon. He was an aircraft technician in his previous life, and is now an International Management Consultant/Trainer.

Craig Holland and Enrico Varella were in Nusa Dua, Bali for this interview. We were seated on deckchairs by the swimming pool, watching the waves plough the shores mercilessly. Fox’s skin showed a crispy, sun-kissed tan, of having spent three weeks surfing 6-foot waves. As planning and coincidence had it, we met up with him and his family (wife, Sue; sons, 16-year-old Cameron and11-year-old Mitch). We chatted about his 10 years of working on projects in Singapore, his admiration for Bruce Lee (whom he finds most inspiring as an athlete), and his yearning to qualify for Kona in his new age-group of 50-54. By the way, years of competing in endurance sports has taken its toll on his joints, and he has undergone reconstructive shoulder and knee surgery. In spite of his condition, he enjoys racing and the camaraderie his sports bring to him. 

Seizing the day, this interview was developed further with mobile technology (Skype and electronic mail) since we were nomadic executives.

Enrico (EV): What are your professional views of coaching?

Craig Holland (CH): I believe coaching should be personalised to the individual needs, with goals set higher than the coachee's expectations. 

Quite often, we set goals that under-estimate our true potential. I'm don't mean un-realistic/un-achievable goals, but challenging enough to make the coachee exceed their limitations, physically and mentally.  You want to put/see that sparkle in their eyes where the coachee actually thinks…

Yes, maybe I could do it. Wouldn't it be great if I did? I think it is possible with more dedication and refinement. If they can do it, so can I. Why not? I'll show them.

EV: What are your personal views of coaching?

CH: Coaching should be a two-way relationship of trust between the coach and the coachee. The coach has to be willing to loose to the coachee at times to achieve a win in the long term. The biggest compliment to the coach is when the coachee becomes more skilled at the practice than the coach. This reminds me of your favourite Zen saying: "When the Student is ready, the Master will appear." Correct?

EV: That is correct, Grasshopper! What is your experience with coaching executives, internationally?

CH: I have been involved with coaching executives internationally for the past eight years in Australia, Asia, The Middle East, and Africa. Whilst there is a large diversity of cultures between the countries, we humans "yearn to learn" and are willing to listen and change behaviors if they can see the benefits. It is important to identify the improved skills and how they will change the coachee' s work/life harmony.

EV: When does it work best?

CH: When the coachee has not had the chance to learn bad habits. When the coachee has the time/infrastructure and support systems in place to allow them to practice, refine the skills with continuous guidance/feedback and reassurance. It also helps if the Coachee has constant exposure to experts/masters in the field to model excellence. Seek out what the best do and learn from them.

EV: When does coaching get challenging?

CH: When the coachee does not see improvement in their performance immediately and they become de motivated. Loose focus. When the coachee wants to change but does not have the support of their supervisors.

EV: How do you measure the impact of coaching?

CH: It is important to initially identify the coachee' s skills/abilities and then set sub-goals/milestone/challenges for them to achieve along the way.

EV: How do coaching triathletes tie in with your coaching of adult-learners and executives?

CH: You need to believe in yourself, and have the right mindset. When coaching executives try to get them to believe they do have the capabilities/talents to achieve. I often use stories of athletes I have known/coached that could only dream of taking on a triathlon or Ironman. But with perseverance, dedication and guidance they have climbed their mountains.

EV: Which are two of your best coaching stories?

CH: I have many great success stories involving both business and sports.

One recent success story involved working with Nokia; I have been responsible for training Nokia Manager's in the Middle East, South African and Asia. It is a Leadership program with an emphasis on Psychological Profiling, Coaching and Change Management with three post-course virtual coaching sessions. One particular manager was very stressed out about their failing relationship between his Boss and work colleagues. They stated that they had no work/life harmony and that their relationship with their partner and young child was also suffering and that they never had time to exercise or play sport. The Doctor had also commented about their raising blood pressure.

After working with the manager we discussed issues about their individual personality preferences, their staff's/Boss’s personality and management style and what work/life harmony would they like to have? Over the next three months the manager implemented many changes, such as instigating regular focus groups between themselves and work colleagues, prioritized their work commitments, did not micro-manage staff anymore (which gave them more time for other duties). They had also joined a local gym with their partner and were dedicating time to watch their children play sport one night a week and on the weekend. Their boss had noted the changes and the manager had recently been offered a promotion.

(continued on next post)…

Journey To Personal Excellence

My students have asked me – other than as an educator – how and why I have several other roles. My reasons include being curious to learn, discovering my aptitude and attitude for a new field, and wanting to excel in more than one field of expertise. Being excellent in a field of interest can raise your confidence, self-esteem and direct you towards being a better person. When you raise your bar of performance, you begin to attain a higher level of competency. The results can be positively repercussive, toppling upwards to a staircase of more possibilities, abilities and motivations. 

I enjoy practising sleight of hand magic, due to my curiosity about the four-century-old craft of deception-as-entertainment. Once I passed the initial stage of learning about the secrets of magic, I was intrigued with the thinking process behind the tricks. I became fascinated by the cleverness and creativity behind some of the illusions. In the last 20 years of this private and public hobby, I have met many amazing magicians, illusion-designers, magical authors and thinkers. I had the privilege to be friends with magical consultants (for David Copperfield and David Blaine) – all very nice people with a common, fiendish mind to astonish and amaze audiences. I also had the privilege to hold leadership positions in my magic club, and appear on television to share my magic performances.

Desmond Peh, Entrepreneur of the Year, 2010 who excels in magic, mathematics, and managing his chain of tuition agencies

With triathlons and marathons, I learnt to pursue excellence in another way. You can progress in your fitness in many dimensions. You can become faster and stronger with consistent training, the occasional racing, and strengthening of your core muscles. I also met many inspiring athletes who encouraged and helped me step up on my game, so that I may realize my dream of being the best runner and long-course triathlete I can be. Earning elite qualifying times, and participating in world championships has help me orientate my goals, aspirations and dreams.

Leadership Lessons: How do you attain personal excellence? When have you exceeded your interests and develop those into something you can take great pride in? Create a sense of purpose, and aim to change, develop and grow. It is better to be great at a few things, than be mediocre in many.


Running Photo-credit: Le Giang