On the road again... Today, I'm on my way back to Florida from New Jersey after giving a talk to the Young President’s Organization. My training has been going well for the past few weeks - when I'm able to train. My travel schedule is really making it difficult. I’ve missed quite a few workouts in the past two weeks, but when I do work out I feel good. This weekend, I plan on having a long run, a long swim and a long bike to give me a better idea as to where I am in training. My swimming is my weakest area, and the first part of the event. The weather, lately, has prevented me from swimming in the ocean, so I’d like to try more open water swimming to see what it feels like.
Physically, I’m getting strong and dropping weight. I’ve lost over 20 lbs – I haven’t worn 34 jeans in quite a while! My weight is just under 200 lbs, and my fat is about 22% whereas before it was in the high 20s. I’m looking to peak in my training this week, then I’ll taper and take it easy in a rest phase for the last 10 days before the triathlon.
My nutrition is great; I’ve liberalized my diet to include healthy carbs like whole wheat pasta and bread, couscous, brown rice, and sweet potatoes when I need them, because I need the fuel for my recovery. I try to find healthy alternatives rather than skip meals when traveling, and I need more calories than what salad offers. So sometimes I grab a turkey panini or sandwich. I try to eat every 2 or 3 hours, which isn't always possible with job challenges like patients and conference calls.
The lifestyle you lead can really make it tough to stick to training, but the goal is to do the best you can. My girlfriend, France, is really supportive on tough mornings. She says, “Get out of bed, you have a job to do!” In the 80s, there were days I didn’t feel like training and I had no one there to support me. Franz has been there to support me nutritionally, and every other way, when I want to give in to the demons. It’s been fun to have someone make a joke of it while still being supportive.
I’m a little more empathetic to people who can't complete the Ironman, but do the best they can. It’s a lifestyle, not an event. I’ll go to Arizona with an open mind and do the best I can... It’s just the beginning of my journey back to Hawaii. I’ve had dreams about Ironman, Hawaii. I watched the event a few days ago on TV and remembered every turn and every hill. When I watched it, I had tremendous recall for what happened every step of the way, and what my thoughts were.
I’m definitely feeling like a triathlete again.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
A Morning in the Life of An Ironman
Watch me on a typical Friday morning as I swim, run and bike my way closer to the Ford Ironman Arizona on November 21 - all before starting my day at the office. Video captured at my home on Friday, October 9.
The Beginning of My Journey Back to Kona, Hawaii
Let me tell you a little bit about myself... Who I am, where I come from, and, most importantly, where I'm going. Plus, what exactly goes through the mind of a 69-year-old training for the Ford Ironman Arizona? Find out in video captured on Friday, October 2, in my office at Cenegenics Boca Raton.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
This Week: Putting the 'Eat' in Triathlete
Friday, September 24
It was fantastic to be able to train in Las Vegas this week, although riding the “little hills" was a humbling experience. I forgot how hard it was to ride up a mountain! The weather here is outstanding. It’s dry, and about 66 degrees in the morning. Since the race is in Arizona, the temperatures are very similar. The sun comes up early enough that you can get out at 6 a.m., when I bike and run in the hills. I had a really good ride of 60 miles on Sunday. Overall, I trained Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
With all my training, I did get a blister from my new running shoes. That’s why you buy them early, so you can train in them. I have it covered up for now, so I can cycle, but not run. Physically, I’m feeling good. I’m still a little congested from last week, but it’s almost completely cleared. My energy is really good. These next 8weeks have to be really intense, with a focus on running and swimming
I’m currently 15 pounds above my ideal racing weight at 200 pounds. I need to get to 180 or 185, which will happen easily if I keep my diet clean. I weighed 155 in my first Ironman, a stark difference. I’m a lot more muscular than I was 26 years ago. Even in the 14 marathons I did before that, my weight was only between 170-180.
I was actually a strict vegan at my first triathlon. I started incorporating meat when I moved to Boca Raton, where there aren't many vegetarian restaurants. I haven’t eaten beef or pork since 1977. Even tuna looks too much like steak to me, so I eat white fish or trout or salmon instead. I can’t stand the smell or consistency or ground meat, like hamburgers or even turkey burgers... The one exception are the ground chicken meatballs from Whole Foods.
Normally, I eat 5 meals a day (3 meals and 2 snacks), but it’s tough to get good snacks while traveling. Plus, in Vegas, you have to drink a lot more water all day long because of the dry climate. So I’ve been drinking less coffee, more water. I have to have completely clean my nutrition up for the next few weeks.
This Week's Diet Log
Breakfast: A spinach omelet (8 egg whites and 3 whole eggs or 6 egg whites and 2 whole eggs) with one slice of whole grain toast and 2 cups of coffee
Midmorning Snack: Nuts and fruit, or pure protein like turkey slices. Today I had chicken salad around 11 a.m
Lunch: Protein, no carbs. Salmon, turkey breasts or chicken with salad or 1 vegetable
Mid-Afternoon Snack: Unfortunately I've been pretty lax with my snacks this week, due to travel. One day I even had 2 slices of pizza, which is really unusual for me. I usually opt for nuts and apples, or a protein bar on rare occasion. (You’re much better off if you can get turkey slices from a deli or some tuna, because artificial proteins don’t fuel your body as well as real food.)
Dinner: I ate dinner in restaurants every night this week and had fish or chicken with 2 vegetables
You can still train as a vegetarian and get sufficient protein. I recommend yogurt with nuts, and a salad. Vegans can have a salad with tofu. Good options for both vegetarians and vegans are garbanzo beans, vegetarian chili, black bean soup, and lentil soup.
As I continue training and get closer to Ironman Arizona, my diet will become more strict. Every day, I try to work harder and make improvements in all aspects of my training. This has been both an experiment and experience, and I look forward to seeing the outcome.
It was fantastic to be able to train in Las Vegas this week, although riding the “little hills" was a humbling experience. I forgot how hard it was to ride up a mountain! The weather here is outstanding. It’s dry, and about 66 degrees in the morning. Since the race is in Arizona, the temperatures are very similar. The sun comes up early enough that you can get out at 6 a.m., when I bike and run in the hills. I had a really good ride of 60 miles on Sunday. Overall, I trained Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
With all my training, I did get a blister from my new running shoes. That’s why you buy them early, so you can train in them. I have it covered up for now, so I can cycle, but not run. Physically, I’m feeling good. I’m still a little congested from last week, but it’s almost completely cleared. My energy is really good. These next 8weeks have to be really intense, with a focus on running and swimming
I’m currently 15 pounds above my ideal racing weight at 200 pounds. I need to get to 180 or 185, which will happen easily if I keep my diet clean. I weighed 155 in my first Ironman, a stark difference. I’m a lot more muscular than I was 26 years ago. Even in the 14 marathons I did before that, my weight was only between 170-180.
I was actually a strict vegan at my first triathlon. I started incorporating meat when I moved to Boca Raton, where there aren't many vegetarian restaurants. I haven’t eaten beef or pork since 1977. Even tuna looks too much like steak to me, so I eat white fish or trout or salmon instead. I can’t stand the smell or consistency or ground meat, like hamburgers or even turkey burgers... The one exception are the ground chicken meatballs from Whole Foods.
Normally, I eat 5 meals a day (3 meals and 2 snacks), but it’s tough to get good snacks while traveling. Plus, in Vegas, you have to drink a lot more water all day long because of the dry climate. So I’ve been drinking less coffee, more water. I have to have completely clean my nutrition up for the next few weeks.
This Week's Diet Log
Breakfast: A spinach omelet (8 egg whites and 3 whole eggs or 6 egg whites and 2 whole eggs) with one slice of whole grain toast and 2 cups of coffee
Midmorning Snack: Nuts and fruit, or pure protein like turkey slices. Today I had chicken salad around 11 a.m
Lunch: Protein, no carbs. Salmon, turkey breasts or chicken with salad or 1 vegetable
Mid-Afternoon Snack: Unfortunately I've been pretty lax with my snacks this week, due to travel. One day I even had 2 slices of pizza, which is really unusual for me. I usually opt for nuts and apples, or a protein bar on rare occasion. (You’re much better off if you can get turkey slices from a deli or some tuna, because artificial proteins don’t fuel your body as well as real food.)
Dinner: I ate dinner in restaurants every night this week and had fish or chicken with 2 vegetables
You can still train as a vegetarian and get sufficient protein. I recommend yogurt with nuts, and a salad. Vegans can have a salad with tofu. Good options for both vegetarians and vegans are garbanzo beans, vegetarian chili, black bean soup, and lentil soup.
As I continue training and get closer to Ironman Arizona, my diet will become more strict. Every day, I try to work harder and make improvements in all aspects of my training. This has been both an experiment and experience, and I look forward to seeing the outcome.
Sometimes In Training, You Hit A Speed Bump
Friday, September 17
My schedule as the CMO of Cenegenics is usually pretty packed with travel, and this week was certainly no exception. I left Boca Raton, Florida, to travel to Washington for my Kabbalah studies, Cenegenics Chicago and the Cenegenics headquarters in Las Vegas, all in one week. On my way back from Washington, I got hit with a cold. I was totally out of training from Saturday to Tuesday, and even though I started back slowly, training has been limp.
When I resumed training on Tuesday, I swam a half mile in the pool, followed by a 15-mile bike ride (when I ideally would have done a long ride between 70 and 100 miles). On Wednesday, I ran for an hour in the morning, then flew to the Cenegenics in Chicago, where I'm able to do laps in the hotel pool. Although I normally would have trained about 16 hours this week, I only ended up up training 4. Next week, I should be able to put in 18 to 20 hours of training in Las Vegas, where I’ll have access to pool and a bike. I’m looking forward to it because Vegas has same climate as Arizona, which will put me in training mode.
Over the next 8 weeks, my training will be more intense. Week 9 will be a rest week, then there’s the event. But if I feel like I’m piqued on week 7, I’ll taper week 8 and 9. You always let your body recover from trauma and injury for 1-2 weeks to go into the event rested. Nothing you do in that week will change the event. You’re either ready…or start training for the next race.
On a scale of 1 to 10 of how busy my schedule currently is, I'm at a 12. It's challenging to find time to train. But that’s the life of a triathlete, you learn to live with it. So, I try to do my training in the morning, before the sun is up, or at night when no one else is out.
My advice to anyone trying to reach a physical goal, or any goal, is to learn that adversity is part of the game in all aspects of life. Just roll with the punches and go with the flow. Sometimes your mind is clear, but your situation doesn't allow your body to follow suit. Don’t beat yourself up, just stay focused and keep moving. We're not all pro athletes, we find ways to fit training into our lives. I’d like to be able to say to never let work interfere with your training, but the bottom line is that life goes on all around you. You have to find a way to fit it in. It is always possible to train and live a full life.
My schedule as the CMO of Cenegenics is usually pretty packed with travel, and this week was certainly no exception. I left Boca Raton, Florida, to travel to Washington for my Kabbalah studies, Cenegenics Chicago and the Cenegenics headquarters in Las Vegas, all in one week. On my way back from Washington, I got hit with a cold. I was totally out of training from Saturday to Tuesday, and even though I started back slowly, training has been limp.
When I resumed training on Tuesday, I swam a half mile in the pool, followed by a 15-mile bike ride (when I ideally would have done a long ride between 70 and 100 miles). On Wednesday, I ran for an hour in the morning, then flew to the Cenegenics in Chicago, where I'm able to do laps in the hotel pool. Although I normally would have trained about 16 hours this week, I only ended up up training 4. Next week, I should be able to put in 18 to 20 hours of training in Las Vegas, where I’ll have access to pool and a bike. I’m looking forward to it because Vegas has same climate as Arizona, which will put me in training mode.
Over the next 8 weeks, my training will be more intense. Week 9 will be a rest week, then there’s the event. But if I feel like I’m piqued on week 7, I’ll taper week 8 and 9. You always let your body recover from trauma and injury for 1-2 weeks to go into the event rested. Nothing you do in that week will change the event. You’re either ready…or start training for the next race.
On a scale of 1 to 10 of how busy my schedule currently is, I'm at a 12. It's challenging to find time to train. But that’s the life of a triathlete, you learn to live with it. So, I try to do my training in the morning, before the sun is up, or at night when no one else is out.
My advice to anyone trying to reach a physical goal, or any goal, is to learn that adversity is part of the game in all aspects of life. Just roll with the punches and go with the flow. Sometimes your mind is clear, but your situation doesn't allow your body to follow suit. Don’t beat yourself up, just stay focused and keep moving. We're not all pro athletes, we find ways to fit training into our lives. I’d like to be able to say to never let work interfere with your training, but the bottom line is that life goes on all around you. You have to find a way to fit it in. It is always possible to train and live a full life.
One Man's Journey From Kona to Kona
Friday, September 10
If you've found yourself on my blog, you're already one step closer to making a change in your life.
I'm Robert D. Willix, M.D., CEO of Cenegnics Boca Raton. I'm 69 years young and training for my second Ironman exactly 26.2 years after my first, an interesting twist of fate (Note to soon-to-be triathletes: The running portion of Ironman is 26.2 miles). I'm here to show you that, throughout life, you can and should set goals for yourself, whether you are 25 or 75. Goals do not all have to be physical, you can set goals to slow down your mind or to improve your diet, or you can aim to reinvent yourself spiritually and emotionally. All of these components are part of the whole package.
I completed my first Ironman at age 43 on October 6, 1984, in Kona, Hawaii. Watching the Ironman on TV the year before, I witnessed Paula Newby-Fraser collapse and literally drag herself across the finish line. I thought, “What could make someone want something so bad that they would put themselves through such agony just to finish?" I had to find out. I trained rigorously, and placed about 550th out of 1,100 athletes with a time of about 13 hours and 26 minutes. I learned then that finishing is never as important as the road you take to get there.
I haven’t attempted another triathlon since 1984. When training for the Ironman in 1985, I was hit by a car and was in a brace for 18 months. I didn’t think I’d ever even want to compete again; it’s just too physically demanding. But I was ultimately inspired by my son. He completed the Ironman last year, at the same age I was during my first Ironman. He struggled, really struggled, to get through it. Being reminded of that struggle, first through Paula Newby-Fraser then through my son, gave me the bug. This year, we'll be entering the Ironman Arizona together.
People try to convince me to do a shorter triathlon before the Ironman. They say, “Can’t you just run a 10K?” My answer is, “No! Because I think I can do the Ironman.” My only goal is to get through it, period. The big question is whether my body can put in the same miles at 69 as it did at 43. But when I feel like my legs just can’t turn the bicycle pedal again, my mind kicks in and says, “Yes you can. You’ve done it before, and you’re going to do it again.”
Some people say it’s ridiculous to attempt such an enormous goal at 69. Well, I like ridiculous. Come back every week to stay posted on my progress, and be a part of my first steps back to Kona, Hawaii (the home of the Ironman World Championship) in my marathon of life.
If you've found yourself on my blog, you're already one step closer to making a change in your life.
I'm Robert D. Willix, M.D., CEO of Cenegnics Boca Raton. I'm 69 years young and training for my second Ironman exactly 26.2 years after my first, an interesting twist of fate (Note to soon-to-be triathletes: The running portion of Ironman is 26.2 miles). I'm here to show you that, throughout life, you can and should set goals for yourself, whether you are 25 or 75. Goals do not all have to be physical, you can set goals to slow down your mind or to improve your diet, or you can aim to reinvent yourself spiritually and emotionally. All of these components are part of the whole package.
I completed my first Ironman at age 43 on October 6, 1984, in Kona, Hawaii. Watching the Ironman on TV the year before, I witnessed Paula Newby-Fraser collapse and literally drag herself across the finish line. I thought, “What could make someone want something so bad that they would put themselves through such agony just to finish?" I had to find out. I trained rigorously, and placed about 550th out of 1,100 athletes with a time of about 13 hours and 26 minutes. I learned then that finishing is never as important as the road you take to get there.
I haven’t attempted another triathlon since 1984. When training for the Ironman in 1985, I was hit by a car and was in a brace for 18 months. I didn’t think I’d ever even want to compete again; it’s just too physically demanding. But I was ultimately inspired by my son. He completed the Ironman last year, at the same age I was during my first Ironman. He struggled, really struggled, to get through it. Being reminded of that struggle, first through Paula Newby-Fraser then through my son, gave me the bug. This year, we'll be entering the Ironman Arizona together.
People try to convince me to do a shorter triathlon before the Ironman. They say, “Can’t you just run a 10K?” My answer is, “No! Because I think I can do the Ironman.” My only goal is to get through it, period. The big question is whether my body can put in the same miles at 69 as it did at 43. But when I feel like my legs just can’t turn the bicycle pedal again, my mind kicks in and says, “Yes you can. You’ve done it before, and you’re going to do it again.”
Some people say it’s ridiculous to attempt such an enormous goal at 69. Well, I like ridiculous. Come back every week to stay posted on my progress, and be a part of my first steps back to Kona, Hawaii (the home of the Ironman World Championship) in my marathon of life.
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