Attack40

If you have not seen this video yet, you have to take a few moments to stop and enjoy. It gave me chills, even on the 3rd viewing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY&NR=1

Susan Boyle embodies everything behind Attack40 - not letting age determine who you are, what you are capable of, or what you decide to try. For me it has been athletic endeavors, for her it is a career as a singer - but that is not what is important. She is almost 48 years old, and for the first few minutes it felt like it would be one of those sad reality TV moments where they just ridicule someone who, for whatever ill-conceived reason, volunteers to be humiliated. But not Susan - she will send chills up your spine. So, Susan Boyle is my inspiration for attack50 - with the same spirit I have pursued with attack40. It is why I am pursuing an Ironman triathlon and why I write this blog, and why I hope to continue challenging myself 10 years from now.

BTW, I am not a good singer and don’t like personal attention too much, so Karaoke has been one of the things that frightens me the most. I joke that it alone keeps me off the entire Asian continent. I know people don’t expect you to be good at it, but it hones in on so many of my fears and weaknesses that it terrifies me. But, rather than hide from it I am considering making it the theme of my 40th birthday party, and address my fears head-on for the next 40!

even if they are all pretty and easter colored. If you are lucky you will barf, more likely you will feel you need to barf for your whole run and feel like a** the whole. I was supposed to run 16 miles today, instead I walked my way through the last half of 8 miles and felt as athletic as a mule in clogs. Ugg.

In the last week, I have hit the point in my training where I feel stronger and I enjoy the workout. After the initial enthusiasm (that lasts about 15 minutes into the first run :), I find the next few weeks pretty frustrating. I remember what I used to be able to run and am very aware I can not do that, plus it hurts. In the last week, I have crossed a threshold where the runs feel good - able to maintain a good pace for a good distance and the feeling is more “workout” and less “pain.” I now look forward to my 6 minute interval pace and the 10-12 mile long runs.

I recently posted about Dara Torres as part of my series on people who exemplify the spirit of Attack40 - people who don’t let age get in the way of being their best and continue to strive to be their best and get better.  Lance is an obvious example of this - his battle with cancer and 7 wins at the Tour De France have been well documented, and he recently made headlines again by deciding to return and compete again.  I was saving writing about Lance until something unique or distinctive came along and BAM, I get these 5 photos from the final leg of the Amgen Tour of California that say more than in a 1000 blog posts - Be sure to watch from the beginning.

So, I learned a lot in the last year.  On a fitness level, I completed all the events of an Ironman Triathlon during the year, exactly what I set out to do.  I also realized how hard it is to do those events at a high level - while I finished all 3 I wouldn’t say I nailed any of them.  My sub 4 hour marathon was missed by 3 minutes and left me with only 7 toenails, I was last in my age group for the La Jolla Rough Water Swim, and the bike was endurable but definitely left me drained.

I also learned how hard writing an interesting blog is.  Writing posts about how a particular run felt, or how hard it is to get up and swim at 5:30 bored me, so I can only imagine how the blogosphere reacted (if I could get anyone to actually read  it :).

But, that brings me back to why I started attack40, which is to challenge myself to do things I am not sure I can do, and not to be peaking at age 40 but continuing to challenge myself and make myself better.  So, in 2009 I am going to run the marathon again with a goal of 3:30, finish the swim in under 1:45 (and get the damn t-shirt), and work on writing an interesting blog.  I am also considering adding the Challenged Athletes Foundation Triathlon Challenge (a  half Ironman) into the mix, just to make sure I keep challenging myself and don’t get soft :)  I welcome any feedback and encouragement.

Well, the swim is done.  I finished, which is better than most people can say but I did’t do as well as I hoped.  I finished in just over 2 hours, last in my age group.  Still, my first competitive swim is done and I can say that I have completed a 3 mile open water swim, and not many people can claim that.

The most memorable part of the swim was actually after the swim was over.  I came out of the water and was greeted by my paddler, Eric, who had been pulled because he got seasick from the waves (and maybe a little bit of a hangover :).  I knew I hadn’t done as well as I had hoped, but he was really encouraging and congratulatory, getting me focused on that “I did it”  and not that I hadn’t done as well as I had hoped.

The unforgettable part, though, was when I came out of the water and went to the t-shirt stand to get my t-shirt and medal as a finisher.  I was greeted by a women who didn’t look like she could swim across the course, let alone the 3-mile length, who arrogantly informed me that, “This is an elite event, and we only give t-shirts to people who finish in under 1:45.”  Naturally, I thought WTF?  Are you kidding me?  I just swam for 2 hours and you aren’t going to hand over the f***ing t-shirt!?!  Sensing my anger, she informed me chirpily, “The good news is that if you work hard, you can get a t-shirt next year!”  I think that I just stared at her in disbelief, lacking the energy to argue with her and also picking up that it would be futile as the sadist enjoyed this little bit of power and watching me suffer.

I am not sure if this is their intent, or if it just pure meannness, but not getting the t-shirt has definitely made me want to do the swim again and get the shirt in 2009.

This is a great time to attack40!  There are so many inspirational athletes who are showing that you can still be at the top of your game at 40.  This post celebrates Dara Torres, who not only competed in the Olympics at 41, but one 3 silver medals!  In a game where millseconds separate competitors, it is incredible that she has not lost a step and can beat the young kids who should have so much more energy, strength, etc.  When asked about competing at her age, she responded, “The water doesn’t know what age you are when you jump in, so why not?”

I love this attitude - it is exactly what I mean when I say attack40!

What does this mean to you?  You may not be going to the 2012 olympics, but that is not the point.  The point is not to let ‘getting old’ stop you from continuing to get out and do your best.  Whether that means walking a mile, running a marathon, or competing against 20-somethings at the Olympics, get out there and attack40!

So, today was the first day in stage 2 of my Personal Ironman training, the 3 mile La Jolla Roughwater Swim in September. I went to sign up for the Masters Program at the La Jolla JCC, and it was closed for a Jewish Holiday. So, I went to the Mission Valley YMCA and paid $10 for their day pass. I swam for 100 laps (or maybe it was only 80…it gets hard to keep track…but I am pretty certain it was 100 which is about a mile and a half! Needless to say, there were some breaks in between, I did 40 of them with a leg float, and it was in a pool, but it makes me confident that I will be able to make the 3 mile open water gatorman 3 months from now if I keep practicing. I need to find a suggested workout schedule like I had for the marathon, and I want to read Total Immersion by Terry Laughlin to improve my technique, but it is exciting to be underway!

Well, 2 days ago I finished the Rock n’ Roll Marathon, in San Diego - my first! Even though I thought I trained pretty well and was ready, it was way harder than I had anticipated. From mile 18 on, it was a real fight to keep going. I finished in 4:00:27, so i missed my goal of a sub 4 hour marathon by 28 seconds - damn close! All that talk about a surge of adrenaline to push through the finish - never felt it.

High Point - running by family and friends at Mile 5 downtown, still feeling great and passing out high-fives.
2nd high point - meeting up with family and co-runners at the finish line, once the pain had subsided.
Low Point - so close to the finish line I could see it, and still feeling unable to avoid walking, even if only for a few steps.
2nd Low Point - just after the finish, lost in this open space of outprocessing, legs and toes searing in pain, and unable to locate friends.

A couple of other cool moments:
1. Cruising through downtown near the ballpark, surrounded bu high rises, and no sound other than the steady pitter-patter of hundreds of marathoning feet.
2. Cruising along the highway, in a space that was so open that it produced complete silence.
3. Seeing all the friends wearing TeamEd t-shirts and signs that read, “Ed’s got the runs”

1. Set a goal. I want to complete the events of an Ironman within a year (a marathon, a 3 mile swim, and a century ride), but it doesnt have to be that big. Pick something that will push you, whether that is a fundraising walk or an ultramarathon. Goals will force you to set a plan to achieve that goal and help you stick to it. If you think a goal will be too hard, go to the finish line of a similar event and watch the people finishing - I guarantee that you will be impressed by the people who dont “look” like triathletes, runners etc. but are still competing.
2. Tell People about your goal. If you tell your spouse, friends, coworkers, etc. that you are going to run a marathon, it is a lot harder to back out than if you keep it to yourself. They will also support and encourage you along the way.
3. Prepare for some pain, and take it easy. This is attack40, not attack20, and you will experience some pains that you dont remember. Don’t try to recall the old days by working out faster and harder than you are ready to, and dont be surprised when you are sore or in pain. Take time to stretch, cool down, and apply ice to pain spots.

4. Write down your plan, and mark your success. There are lots of free plans online for training for the event you selected. I am following a running plan from Coolrunning Coolrunning but do a google search for one you like, and check it off every day after your workout it is very rewarding. Some day I would like to publish some specifically for the attack40 crowd on this site. Logging the pace, distance, and feeling of your workouts is also a great way of measuring your progress. I use the traning log from active.com. The Nike + tool collects the data more automatically, and everyone I talk to loves it.