Those Who Tri

This is the best way for you to enjoy the NCAA Basketball Tournament this year because the money you're putting in is going towards helping to cure cancer!

Get started by using the PayPal donation button below (or if you want to pick now & pay later, email me at chriscbs@gmail.com and I'll send you an invite!).

Over 400 people have been invited to participate. Prizes will be 25% to the 1st place person, and 15% to the second place! If I reach my goal that will equal prizes of $2,500 and $1,500 or more!

I'm asking for a $25 Donation per bracket (maximum of 3). Use the PayPal donation button below to donate. You'll receive an email shortly inviting you to the CBSSportsLine.com bracket site where you can setup your brackets.

Donate now! The deadline to setup your brackets is Noon eastern time this Thursday! (March 19th).

1. Make your donation (below).
2. Click on the link in the email that you get to access CBSSportsline.com.
3. Setup your brackets!
   

Invite your friends; increase the prize amount and help me meet my goal!

All of the proceeds, minus the prize pay-out will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me so far in my attempt to raise $3,900 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and complete the 2009 St. Anthony's Triathlon, and good luck with your bracket!

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Chris Spiek is serving as a volunteer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Michigan Chapter, and is eligible to collect funds on its behalf. Click for full letter of authorization.

I was in the first group of little punks to go all the way through Hart Middle School in Rochester after it was first built (grades 6-8).

Up until a few weeks ago, I had almost completely forgotten that little useless fact, and then I met someone who reminded me of it.

Early on a Saturday morning, the St. Anthony's TNT Michigan team gathered in Birmingham for a bike+run brick. It turned out to be way too cold to run outside that day so it was decided that we would workout for an extra few minutes on the bike instead, then listen to a guest that our swim coach had brought with her who was visiting from Atlanta.

The team packed up our bikes, did some stretching, and gathered in a corner of the gym to hear what this amazing athlete had to say.

Our swim coach introduced her as Laura Sophiea, a three time Kona Ironman winner, and 16 time competitor.

She began to share her wisdom with us about what to expect on race-day, how to eat the night before and that morning, how to handle transitions, and all of the other incredible knowledge that she has accumulated through years of professional competition. We listened intently as she talked about her training schedule and how she prepares for a race, and exchanged the kinds of glances with each other that anyone could easily interpret as, "man this is gonna be tough ..."

As she spoke, I started to come to a shocking realization, "I know this woman from somewhere."

When she was finished speaking and gracefully answering all of the questions that we could manage to fire at her, the crowd dissipated and I finally had a chance to speak with her.

This was, indeed, my middle school librarian!

It was fantastic to have an opportunity to catch up with her and dig a little deeper into the life of a professional triathlete.

In addition to competing professionally, Laura has developed a triathlon coaching program which she offers through her company, Tri Masters Coach. If you're a triathlete and you're looking for some inspiration, visit their site and read through their race-day stories!

I need your help in reaching my $3,900 fund raising goal!

Here's your chance to make a donation, and come away with a cool looking tshirt! The shirt displays the Team in Training logo on the front, along with "St. Anthony's Triathlon 2009" and has the image to the right on the back.

$10 of every tshirt will go directly towards curing cancer. Every donation counts!

Order online at my CafePress store.

Last night, after laboring through a 1,900m workout in the pool, I fell onto my couch, flipped on the tv, and caught the end of 60 Minutes on CBS.

Anderson Cooper was doing an in-depth interview with Michael Phelps. At the moment that I started watching, he was talking about his workouts: 10,000m (6.2 miles; around two and a half hours of swimming) at full speed.

You've got to be kidding me.

Check out the video of him racing Anderson Cooper (without ever coming up for air, or taking a stroke).




So besides a brick on Saturday morning (hour on the bike and a two mile run), my workouts have been fairly swim-heavy recently, which is a very good thing.

I'm still exhausted after only a few laps, and my training partner Danielle is not only out doing me when it comes to endurance, but is also faster than me (once again, she's proven herself as a fantastic motivator).

I think our running coach, Stuart, put it best while watching me at last Tuesday's swim training:

Some people just naturally float, and some people sink ... you sink. :)

... always seem to get away from my AT!

There's something about a combination of swimming, cycling, running, and volleyball that makes the outside of your hips hurt a little. Is there a doctor in the house? Michael??

I got through the three mile run this morning, and did it slower than I usually do, to try to keep below my anaerobic threshold (AT), but wasn't terribly successful. I think I almost made it two miles before my heart rate soared and I started breathing harder than I should have been.

Oh well; that's what training's for!

In related news, my awesome volleyball team won our league last night with a fantastic upset in the finals (against a team that plays like they've been together since college, and who we've lost to repeatedly throughout the season). Great job last night guys!!

Yesterday's recovery day was much-needed. Although I wasn't sore from Sunday's swim/run, my legs were completely beat for most of Sunday, and still felt tired on Monday.

Tonight the group descended on Paint Creek Bicycle to learn a little about road/tri bikes from our coach (and the gracious shop owner), and for a cycling session.

Having my mountain bike on a trainer (a thing you put on the floor so that you can ride your normal bike indoors) was a bit harder than riding a standard stationary bike. The knobby tires didn't help, and our 45 minute training session felt about as hard as the hour-long sessions that Danielle and I have been doing at Lifetime.

I'm glad to have learned the ins-and-outs of road/tri bikes. This mountain bike is gonna have to go!

Click the picture above for a bigger version. After this coming Saturday's bike/run brick, I promise to have pictures of Bridget (the tri-diva) doing the triathlon dance!

Those of you close to me already know, I run, I bike ... but I don't swim. So I did feel a bit of hesitation when I found out that I'd be meeting my team members and coaches at our first training session which consisted of a swim and a run on Sunday.

"Hi, I'm Chris, the new guy ... now watch me choke and drown."

Fortunately, my training partner, Danielle, happily agreed to meet me at Lifetime on Friday morning for a swim. I knew that it wouldn't make Sunday any easier, but at least I'd know what to expect (the practice swim went well - lots of breaks, but we got through it). We followed that up with an hour-long cycling session on Saturday morning, as if my legs weren't going to be tired enough going into Sunday.

Then came the training session on Sunday. Showing up to the pool at Cranbrook was about what I expected with regards to how friendly all of the team members and coaches were! We got some inspiring words from the coaches, circled up for a "go team" (I'm in the blue boardshorts and backwards white hat, above), and jumped in.

We swam for 1,500 meters. Or maybe 1,200? Breathing and focusing on your stroke is hard enough. Adding in counting laps at this point is way too much to ask. Our coach, Anne, was incredibly helpful. A few quick tips from her about body position and breathing control went a long way!

An hour later it was out of the pool, back to the locker rooms for a quick change, and then outside for the run. I expected this to be the difficult part. Especially after a swim (which my muscles aren't used to), and taking into account that we were running in 32 degree temperatures. We ran a slow 1.5 miles around the lake at Cranbrook, and it went very smoothly. I'm used to running around three miles fast, so this was just what I needed after that swim.

Even in the cold weather, my IT band behaved itself (thank you!). We ended the session with a group stretch. I picked up a few great new stretches, some of which are very focused on lengthening the IT band.

This was definitely a fantastic start to my training!

Oh, and be sure to check out a video of the session!