July 2019

It’s been almost a year since I last posted on this blog. Time does fly. A few stats before I dig into the topic. I must report that Niki is doing great. I know a number of people reading this also follow me on Instagram and know our dog Nike had a big scare with rat poison. We almost lost her. Lucky for us she’s made a full recovery.

1. 130,000 - That’s the number of miles I’ve flown since the last time I posted. 
2. 10 - That’s the number of pounds I added since the last time I posted and more importantly the pounds I’ve struggled to lose. 
3. 37 - According to Strava that’s the number of activities so far this month. Those activities include running, cycling and yoga. 

130,000 miles - It’s the work that I do. When I worked at Road Runner Sports I was the source of information for the brands. I would spend a great deal of time being prepared for every meeting I had with them. I wanted to be really knowledgeable about who what buying what and why. It turns out they wanted that kind of information too. When I left RRS and started working for the brands I still wanted that information but it was hard to come by. Nobody around the world could provide us that information. Yes, there were sell through reports from retailers but that was not the real picture. Just because a shoe is selling doesn’t mean the true end user, the runner, was buying. One year about 9 years ago I was heading to Kona for the Ironman World Championships. A friend of mine, John Duke asked me to help Newton with their shoe count at the race. I enjoyed that day and through the years have simply taken over the entire process. About 5 years ago New Balance contacted me and wanted to know if I could take my process and apply it to the NYC Marathon. That’s 2400 athletes in Kona spread out to 50,000 athletes in NYC condensed. I figured it out presented my ideas and they hired me to do 7 events the next year. The process today is not even close to that first year. The data is deep and rich. In the last year I’ve been to the following events, 5h Ave Mile, Bronx 10 Mile, Reebok Women’s 10K, Ironman, Kona Beijing Marathon, New York City Marathon, Shanghai Marathon, New Balance Indoor Nationals, London Big Half, New York City Half, LA Marathon, Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Brooklyn Half Marathon, Westminster Mile, London 10K and the New Balance Outdoor Nationals. The database is not in the millions of runners and the clients are the whose who of running shoe brands.

10 - At the end of last year I stepped on the scale which I rarely do. It said 160lbs. That kind of scared me. When I did my first Ironman which happened to be in Kona I weighed 129lbs. When I had my best string of years between 35 and 40 I weighed 145lbs. I was comfortable at 150lbs. I was not comfortable at 160. Over the last 6 months I’ve done a great deal of “training” and feel myself getting faster but I hadn’t lost a single pound. 3 weeks ago I made a big change in my daily diet. Low Carb/High Fat. For that three weeks I probably went too low on the Carbs. I could feel in in my workouts. My weight however reacted. I dropped 7lbs. It’s a work in progress but I’m quite happy with where I am today. I have a plan, my wife is bought in and I feel better today than 2 months ago.

37 - My fitness is a funny thing. When you get to a really high level of fitness it’s very difficult to feel fit. I like to feel fit. When I’m traveling around the world I do my best to keep that feeling. I save most of my running for the road, ride indoors during the week to save time and swim when I can which is usually twice a week. I maintain my 15 minutes of yoga ever day. Now that I have more time I’m able to up the workload which brings me to 37. My week right now looks like this, 3 runs with one on the track, one long on the trails and one off the bike. The bike is the big time consumer so I’m choosing frequency over single ride distance. This past week I did two rides of 2:15 or so and 3 rides of one hour. Swimming is where I feel my fitness good or bad. When I’m swimming well it feels really good and I feel quite fit. Right now I manage 3 swims. All three are master’s workouts between 3,000 and 4,000 years. One is done at the local 50 meter pool which I love. I’ve been in the 1:35 per hundred lane and it’s beginning to feel too easy. I’ll move to the 1:30 lane for one or two workouts next week to see how fit I’m becoming. When I’m really really swimming fit I can comfortably swim in the 1:25 lane.

That’s it after a year. I’ll try to stay a bit more current.

It’s a good life........

Hard Work Plus Talent Pays Off

This week has been a reminder that hard work and talent pay off. It started last Sunday and it remains a constant reminder through the week.

Last Sunday we did the World Famous Tuesday Run loop. I was reminded just how hard that run was. It got me thinking about our regular three day adventure when I was young, had no family and only worked 35 hours a week.

Tuesday - The Tuesday run - A super hilly run on horse trails with the best triathlon had to offer. There was always a race during the Tuesday Run and there were those of us who used it as a workout. In other words I followed whatever Paula was doing for the day. Generally the total run was 80 minutes. Sunday we did it in 94 minutes and it was hard. We would eat breakfast then hop on our bikes for the 12 mile ride to the pool and noon masters. I'd ride home after masters, Shower, eat and be at work by 2:30. Depending on which job I was working, I'd close the store at 11:00 or 9:00pm.

Wednesday - The World Famous Wednesday Ride - Up the coast to San Clemente and back. Once on the Marine Base the pace would pick up all the way to San Clemente. We'd make it back to Carlsbad in time for noon Master's Swim. I'd get home eat and be at work by 2:30 to close.

Thursday - Master's Swim in the morning. Work all day. Track Workout at 7pm. More hard running.

That work along with long runs and rides on the weekend made me strong. I made it to Kona on that work. I made it to Hilton Head on that work. I won my age group often on that work. I was tired most of the time.

Our son is 16 and a very talented runner. He works at it but he doesn't work very hard. He's allowed his talent to take him each season to success. He knows to get to the next step he has to work hard. He's fighting that thought. 90 minute runs alone at 16 simply are not fun. I can't imagine doing that, but that's the missing component in his running and he knows it. Only he can decide if he wants it. If he chooses it will be worth a lifetime of memories.

It's a good life....

5 for Friday: Why I Like Indoor Cycling

I've spent all winter riding indoors except for my weekly Saturday Ride. I've ridden indoors when it's raining outside. I've ridden indoors when it's warm and sunny which it is most of the time. It's easy to go outside in San Diego. It takes some focus to stay indoors. I'm not afraid of cars so that's not why I do it. You can see in the background my road bike sitting against my paddle board both asking for my attention.

1. Bang for the Buck - There are no stop lights indoors and there are no down hills. 
2. Controlled Pain - You can control pain better indoors. In my case that means go hard. 
3. Short Hard Intervals - On this day I did 5 x 5 minutes at 100 - 110% threshold heart rate. It's really difficult to find a place that isn't 40 minutes ride first to do this on the roads. It's really easy to get on the bike warm up for 25 minutes and be done in 60 minutes. 
4. Results - My 40 minute time trial has gotten faster over the winter. 
5. My Wife likes it - she is afraid of cars. She likes that she doesn't have to worry about me indoors. 

Two workouts I like doing. 

3 x 15 minutes at 95% of threshold - This is hard because the interval is long and the effort is hard. 

9 x 2 minutes at 110% of threshold - I like this better than 5 x 5 

Both of these can be done in 60 minutes. I generally do the 3 x 15 in 75 minutes to give me more warm up. I run 20-30 minutes off the bike on these days. Those runs suck until they don't. 

One thing I've learned. In general while riding you don't grip hard on the bike you kind of just rest your hands there and bend the elbows. No upper body tension. When I go hard and it starts to get really hard I grip the bars with full tension like a sprinter. When I do that I get that extra 10% out of my legs that I need to finish the effort. This also works if you need to get that last pull up or whatever lift you are tying to do.  

It's a good life....

Bike Test #1 2015

It's fitness testing week. On Monday I did the bike test.

The Test
40 Minutes - Time Trial Effort
Fiesta Island

Time since last test 7 weeks.

Results
Time: 40:00
Distance: 15.58 Miles vs. 15.33 last time.

Conditions as you can see were sketchy. With lots of rain the day before Fiesta Island was a mess. There was some standing water and as you can see by the bike there was some mud too. I'm pleased with the results. I was in much more control Monday than the last test. The laps were much more consistent this time. I felt strong the entire way. I actually can't wait to do it again in 6-7 weeks.

It's a good life....

Run Test #1 2015

Today was run test day. Only two days after a bike test. Max effort again. I'm working hard at starting a business and sleep has been tough. It's not because of stress though it's because of sensory overload from the work. I'll take it because I own it.

I woke up and did what I've done now for two weeks. I jumped into a cold shower. Bam! I was awake and ready to go. I planned to head out at 7:30 after Marco left for school. I got a text from my buddy Andrew. He wanted to join but could not do it until after 8. I did a 15 minute warm up met Andrew and then did another 15 minute warm up.

The test was 5K at red line. It started off smooth, I hit some rough patches and finished sluggish. It was great to have Andrew there. It was a hard effort for him but not red line. He kept pace with me and kept me motivated.

5K
20:17
Avg. HR 158
Shoes: Saucony Triumph ISO

I'll take that in November. 8 weeks from now I'll do it again.

It's a good life....

Let the Testing Begin

People always ask me "What are you training for?" My answer is always the same, "For the rest of my life".  But that is only half true. I need motivation just like anyone. I'm super competitive so generally I don't get motivated until I have a race or a few races on the calendar. Even then like the last couple years I may not actually be motivated to train for the races.

I decided to break my workout life into small manageable chunks. Right now I'm looking out 14 weeks. That's as far as I can think. Today started the 14 weeks and today started with a test on the bike. 40 minutes at red line. I used my new favorite app. Wahoo fitness app. Those of you in San Diego will recognize the map. It's the first time I've ever done a test there and I'm convinced it's the best place in the world. No wonder Ironman World Champion Luc Van Lierde did his long rides up to 120 miles behind a scooter on this island.

My results are my results. I have no idea how they stack up. My HR was 155. In 8 weeks or so I'll do this again. My goal is to be faster at the same HR. That's something I can work towards. 

It's a good life....

Kona 2014 Running Shoe Count

On October 11,2014 there was a race, the Ironman World Championships on the Kona Coast of Hawaii. On this day a few friends from Newton and I counted 95% of the shoes worn by the athletes. Below is my view of running shoes and athletes beyond the count itself.

The Ranking

1. Asics - 17.7%
2. Saucony - 14.5%
3. Newton - 10.7%
4. Brooks - 10.3%
5. adidas - 6.9%
6. Hoka - 6.0%
7. Mizuno - 5.9%
8. Zoot - 5.9%
9. Nike - 5.0%
10. On - 4.6%
11. New Balance - 3.7%
12. Others - 2.4%
13. Kswiss - 2.3%
14. Pearl Izumi - 1.7%
15. Sketchers - 1.7%

Quick View

1. The big global brands pull their weight. Asics, Saucony, Brooks, adidas, Mizuno, Nike and New Balance - Their rank is somewhat attributed to how much they spend on the sport of triathlon as well as how they rank at running stores around the world. They are trusted brands, they have perfect fit for the most part and they have been around the longest. When I say global they are available in virtually every country in every retailer store where runners shop. 
2. Brands who use Triathlon as their entry into running shoes are also well supported, Newton, Hoka (thanks to a partnership with slowtwitch.com) and Zoot specifically. 
3. There is someone at Nike who looks at this count and gets mad that they are not further up the count. But that doesn't last very long after the results of the Lunar Glide or Free sales numbers come in. Nike is the largest running shoe brand in the world and they are billions of dollars larger than the next brand. 
4. The "big" brand missing from this list is Altra. For the amount of money they spend on TV they should show up bigger at this race but they don't. Less than 10 people ran in Altra. 

Individual Shoes that Stood Out

1.  Saucony Kinvara - It's by far the #1 shoe in Kona and that is now two years in a row. It's light, it fits most feet and it is the smoothest ride in running. Saucony does a good job on colors and for this race they release a Kona special edition model which goes over well. 
2. Brooks Racer ST - This is a theory of mine on why. Before the Kinvara the #1 shoe was the Asics DS Trainer followed closely by the Asics Gel Noosa. But neither of the Asics are as good as they once were. I believe the athlete who would have gone with the Asics has found the Brooks Racer ST. 
3. Newton Distance Elite - Newton has got to be happy with the results of the count and this shoe in particular. This shoe combined with a Ironman edition of the shoe are far and away their most popular shoes on course. I believe it was this athlete they were thinking of when they built the shoe. 
4. adidas Energy Boost - In previous years the majority of adidas product was their very popular racing flats. Those are still there but the Energy Boost has become their go to shoe for runners of all kinds including those racing in Kona. It's soft and flat to the ground. 
5. Hoka Clifton and Huaka - Both of these shoes came out in July and have been adopted quickly but runners and Triathletes. They are both much lighter than previous Hoka shoes and they both act closer to a regular running shoe still providing the maximal cushioning that Hoka is known for. 

The Trends in Running that Show up in Kona

1. Constant Ground Contact - The biggest trend in running and you see it in the Saucony Kinvara, adidas Energy Boost and both Hoka shoes is that the shoes are flat to the ground one piece midsoles. If you look at the Asics Gel Nimbus there are 4 distinct layers in the midsole. The top layer close to your foot, The Midfoot shank (Trustic System) that is under the arch of the shoe and is used to support the foot through transition. The bottom layer of foam closest to the ground. Put the top layer, trustic system and bottom layer together and you have the midsole that cushions and supports your foot. The final layer is the thick outersole for durability. This is what running shoes have been for almost 30 years. The new trend is simplification. Using new foam technology, shoes like the Kinvara, Energy Boost and Hoka are using one piece of foam, with very little rubber. You get the midfoot support from the ground and you get an increadibly light and smooth feel. This trend has been building steam and it's about to explode. You'll see more and more shoes built this way. 
2. Maximalizm - Hoka for sure is driving this. Running hurts and taking the shock and pain away is a good thing for a large number of runners. Hoka does that. But they are not alone. Of the 10 pairs of Altra, 8 of them were Maximal. Almost all of the Sketchers were Maximal. In 2015 Asics will introduce the 33 M which will bring Maximal ride with a classic Asics Fit. We should see Maximal as a category grow in Kona next year. Will Hoka be the driver, yes but they will not be the only game in town. 
3. Racing Flats are not dead - Kona is the World Championships and probably has more racing flats as a percentage the any Marathon in the world. Low to the ground go fast racing flats from every brand show up on this race course. My favorite was a guy in close to 1700th place (there were just over 1900 finishers) who had a Nike Mayfly on his foot.  This man was going to run a 5-6 hour marathon and do it in a 5 oz shoe. I love that! 

The Ironman run course Kona is like no other run on the planet. There are hotter marathons and their are hillier marathons. But there is not one hotter or hillier after 112 miles on the bike in the same heat and with bigger hills. Athletes get off the bike trashed at noon or later and then put on their running shoes for the marathon. Shoe choice is about comfort more than anything. The next time you are shoe shopping try one of the shoes highlighted above.  If they are good for Kona they are good for everyone. 

It's a good life....

My Ironman World Championships Kona 2014 - One To Remember

I think there needs to be a voice of Ironman and then a voice of the Ironman World Championships. There is not another race in the Ironman family that comes close to Kona. Yes, doing an Ironman is hard but put the heat, the wind, the lava, the lore and the pressure you put on yourself and there is nothing like it. 2014 was no different than any previous year for the racers. It was hot and it was windy and it was magical.

But that is not why I will remember this day or be reminded every Ironman Saturday from here on out. No on this day October 11, 2014 my brother Bob finally fell to ALS. His passing was not a shock but it was a shock. There is no surviving ALS, we know that. But I'll bet everyone who's been through this knows the feeling I had on that beautiful Island. Why Bob, why now!

Outside of that devastating thought there were some other things that stood out in my Ironman.

1. I stayed in a room way above town that I got through airbnb. It was a hike to go down to town and back. On my first day I got a ride to town, did I my things, had dinner with friends then walked for close to an hour back to the house. On the second day I asked the "owner" of the house how much to rent the scooter in the garage. He said, " you buy me a new front tire and it's yours to use". While scooter rentals are $100/day during Kona week I got mine for $60 for the week. 
2. I had lunch or dinner with old friends, New friends and best of all, random athletes. I had a great time talking triathlon and running shoes with the athletes.
3. For race day I did things different. The past few years I have been on the pier at the start and on the bleachers at midnight. I could have gotten the passes to do this again but I chose not to. I watched the start from the opposite side of the pier. And I stood on the street with about 300 meters to the finish line directing traffic with a friend. We had a great time. Athletes are staggering at this point but when they see the lights of the finish line and know they have less than 2  minutes they become athletes again.
4. I saw Dave Mirra walking down Ali' i drive late on race day. I stopped him, introduced myself and asked him if I could have his Cervelo P5. My son Marco asked me to do that so I did. Dave said know Marco said "you actually did it?" It was worth it.
5. I made it home from Kona in the best way to finish Ironman. I took the train from the airport to my home town. I had no ride after that and I did not want to pay for a cab. My first thought failed so I started to walk the 2+ miles home with my roller bag in tow. I here "Dave Jewell, do you need a ride?" I still can't believe the timing. I won't drop the name but in1982 a woman crawled across the finish line making history. This October she gave me a ride home.

I love you Bob Jewell. I hate you ALS.

It's a good life.....

Off to Kona for the Ironman World Championships

I never thought I'd be going to Kona so often for this race. When I competed in it I was convinced that I never wanted to actually watch it. Now I find myself at the event every year doing something. This year will be unlike the last 5. There will be no sweating setting up or taking down a booth. There will be know standing in the booth for hours each day. There will be no relying on the schedules of others. There will be no holding hands with company executives, or retailers. No this year I'm going just to go. I had the ticket.
Saturday race day will be the only thing I do that is consistent. On Saturday I'll count running shoes with the folks from Newton, On Running and anyone else who wants to join in. To be honest it's not counting. The process is actually calling out the brands as they run by. There are very few on the island as it turns out that can actually do that. I've found most brand people can find their brand but struggle with all others. I guess that's job security for me only that I don't get paid to do this. I actually very much enjoy it. My love of running shoes and runners is what makes this count so good. I'm often amazed at the shoe choices at a World Championship. I believe the running shoe choice is the most important choice of the day. You spend more time on the bike but there is no pounding and there is lot's of coasting rest on the bike. On the run there is no rest and it's all pounding. The surface temperature is 130F and you are in the sun the entire run. Well a little more than 1/2 of the field will run in the dark of the night but you get my point.

I've seen the following:

1. Shoes that don't fit - There is a tendency to bring shoes a bit large to the Kona race. The heat causes your feet to swell. But I've seen shoes that are just way too big which can only lead to blisters.
2. Bad Heel Fit - It amazes me how many runners run with bad heel fit. The heel of your running shoe should not slip. Yet I see that so often in Kona I'm blown away.
3. Over-Pronation - There is a great deal of chatter about over-pronation. Does it exist and do you control it? Come to Kona and do the shoe count with me. I'll tell you that yes it does exist and yes it should be addressed. The people I see over-pronating the most are running in shoes because they are the latest shoes loved by the triathlon world. It was Newton for quite awhile and now it's Hoka. I see people wearing both brands when they absolutely should be finding a better shoe for their gate. It's not the problem of the shoe company it's the problem of the athlete. This is an athlete choice.
4. Worn out shoes - It amazes me that this is the World Championships and you choose to run in shoes that are obviously worn out. When there is no compression happening in the midsole that shock goes one place, through your legs. Buy new shoes for a big race.
5. The funny shoe choices - Crocs, Hurache sandals. Vibram 5 Fingers, and even trail shoes. 2000 athletes, 1800 who qualify to race there, 200 who get in on the Lottery or gifted an entry and every year I see these shoes.

My next post will be a bit more than a week away. I'll share pictures and stories from my 2014 Ironman World Championships.

It's a good life.....

Ironman Sherpa Riding

116 miles
10,800 feet of climbing
104 degrees in parts
70+% humidity
12 bottles of fluids that's a bottle every 10 miles
2 flats not mine his
One faulty back break 60 miles in - his

One step closer to Kona for my partner - the Kona bike ride will not be this hard and that's the point of the ride.

Big congrats to James at www.jameswalshracing.com he got engaged over the weekend. Two Ultra Running, Dog loving people.

Also huge congrats to Javier Gomez on his 70.3 World Championship victory. I am lucky enough to visit Javi in his home in Spain, his Spring training grounds in the Canary Islands and was there when he took Silver in London. He is obviously highly talented but he is also very gracious. He respects those who have come before him.

It's a good life.....
Dave

Five for Friday: About Me

I've been sending my Resume and doing interviews. Answering the same questions. I thought maybe I'd share most none of it. Those questions and interviews are about my expertise in the running shoe industry from retail, to design, development, go to market to  sell through.

These are the things they don't ask in an interview:

1. Where are you from: In California specifically people ask this question all the time. I'm not from Ohio is usually what I say. When probed I tell the story of being born in Bogota Colombia, moving to the states and then back to Brazil. Moving to California the day I graduated from Southern Illinois University. My truck was packed and ready to go.
2. Music - I'm a fan of all music. I love the intricacies of voices and instruments. I can listen to most music and play the main riff on my guitar instantly.
3. A day late in July 1998 was the scariest and best day of my life. Our son Marco was born nine weeks early and I held him in the palm of my hand. This past Friday I cried while he was running a time trial mile. His focus, his determination and his unbelievably beautiful form brought tears to my eyes.
4. I love to ride my bike, I really enjoy swimming in the pool and the ocean but running brings peace to me. I can manage my mind while running. Slow and easy if I want to think and solve problems hard and nasty if I want to forget it all.
5. My mother-in-law pestered me about her daughter. One day I was on yet another trip to work at a race with her and she didn't show up. This young woman showed up. She introduced herself Mary Rodkin the daughter and I know I tried to run away. We spent the next three days working an expo in Atlanta and when I got home I told my sister Cyndi that I met my future wife.  

It's a good life....

Weekend Report - Santa Barbara Triathlon and More

Quote "OOH" - Body Marking Girl when I told her my age


A few things I learned from the Santa Barbara Triathlon

1.  My Swim sucks - For the life of me I can't figure out why my swim in the pool is so strong and in a wetsuit in open water I suck.
2. That bike course is totally fun to ride but it is one hard ride too.
3. Test your running shoes, test again and test again. I ran in these shoes 3-4 times on various different runs and had no issues. During the race my left foot felt like it had a rock in it the entire way. No matter what I did it was there. I have my theories and one of them is that it's my foot and not the shoe with the problem. We'll see when I resume running again this week.
4. Strength - I said last Friday that I view strength long term. Clearly it's the right strategy and clearly I have more work to do. I look around the transition at the faster 50 year olds and they all have a great deal more muscle mass than I do. Look at #1 and maybe I'm not strong enough, look at #2 and although I rode really well, the tough course took the spirit out of my legs. At mile 8 on the run my strength was gone. It's a sure sign that strength is a weakness and one I know I need to work on for sport and for life.
5. To the guy who set up next to me in Transition. Yes my bike was gone when you got to your bike. Yes my bike was there when you got back into transition. Yes that was me heading back on the run in fact you even said "There you are". I had you worried didn't I? Blame my idiocy that was confirmed by the starter on the beach. I read Men 40+ in wave #1. Apparently that was for those who asked to be in wave #1 with the Elites. When I asked the starter to confirm that all men 40+ were in wave #1 she confirmed. I didn't even know until after the race that there was a separate start. You won the age group but you already know that. We'll have a laugh about it next time.

Traffic - Remind me to take the train. Yes the train is slow but at least on the train I can do things. I take that back a little because to pass the time in the car I listed to a great podcast. For some reason my random selection of Rich Roll Podcasts always hits on a winner. Maybe all of his podcasts are great but I doubt it. This one however is one worth listening to Rich Roll and Dan Harris. It took me 5 hours to get home. That's a bit crazy anytime but even crazier after racing hard. Thanks Rich for some inspiration.

It's a good life...

The High School Runner: Triathlon Starts Now

Well maybe:

Saturday he road my road bike for the first time. He road from Cardiff to the top of Torrey Pines and back. He loved it.

Sunday he asked if he could do a workout with Jim Vance and Formula Endurance

On Monday I set it up.

This Sunday he'll do his first Bike/Run workout with a team. It's just about all he can talk about.

I only hope he has fun and meets a bunch of people he likes. The rest is up to him.

It's a good life…..

5 Things I Learned at Ironman 70.3 Saint George

Saturday I participated in Ironman 70.3 Saint George for the 2nd year in a row. The lead up and race itself went much like last year. Here are things I learned.

1. You can't fake bike riding on a course like St. George. - I ride my bike but not well enough to race that course. Like last year, I was fast when the course allowed fast and I was spinning up the hills. Snow Canyon the monster hill felt easier and shorter. 
2. Enve Wheels are really well built. I'm used to the sound my Zipp wheels made on the road and the Enve don't make that sound. In fact they make no sound at all. 
3. Bike Fit is everything - My P5 fit to my body was so comfortable. It was a total pleasure to ride. Sure the P5 is a Super Bike but I believe it's more the fit I have that makes it the best bike I've ever ridden. 
4. My running is the best part of my fitness. It was hot, really hot on race day so over the first half I simply managed the heat and the big hills. I was not running fast but steady and good form. Then over the 2nd half I picked it up. I negative split by over 3 minutes. Part of that is the course for sure, and part of it is the 1st half pacing. Looking back I know I could have paced it differently and run faster but it was a decision to hold back and finish strong that I went with and am happy with. 
5. My nutrition was spot on. Pre race I had  Bullet Proof Coffee, a bottle of Amino Acids 100% MR and Muscle Synthesis . During the race I had a 300 calorie bottle of a mixture of Generation UCan combined with 100%MR/Muscle Synthesis and on the run a 100 calorie bottle of the same. I drank water when I was thirsty and I had 4-5 swigs of Coke on the run. That's it. No Gel, No bars no Salt Tablets. My energy levels were perfect, my head was always in the moment and no gut issues during or after the race. 

On my daily practice of Journalling I write -  I will Celebrate Success and that I will Love Food. At about 4 pm I was starving so I went back outside in the very hot sun, found a Habit Burger and had my favorite meal of all time, a Double Cheesburger, Fries and a Coke. Loved every bite of it. 

Finally I rolled across the finish line for my brother Bob and ALS. I honestly believe that rolling is the most important thing I can do on race day and it's why I keep getting slower. It's not my age, it's not my training (Ok maybe I could fine tune that) it's my need to make sure I cross the line with a roll. Rolling is an emotional deal. There will be more racing to do but there will only be one Bob. 

It's a good life….

13 Blogs I read Daily

13 has always been my favorite number. Funny as it is, Mary and I share that number.

Running and Triathlon

Joe Friel - No better in cycling than Joe. What a gift he is to our lives.

James Walsh - James came to Triathlon and crushed it. Then on to cycling with the same result. Now he's taken up Ultra Running and it's a great adventure to follow. And if you are looking for the next Beer to serve at a party then this is a good place to start.

The Sports Scientists Generally after any big race I go to them for their analysis. They are brilliant in what they do.

Bree Wee I started reading Bree when we lived in Germany. I've followed her life. She's now a friend. What I like about her is she keeps it real. She puts it all out there.

Japan Running If you didn't know it, Japan is a massive running market. This is how I keep up on all things Japan Running.


My Head and Body

Gordo Byrn  I started following Gordo when I lived in Germany. His writings and stories about his life and racing where epically written. There was always great head or body information. Soon after, I hired him to be my coach. I think a younger Dave would have thrived under his coaching but the older Dave struggled with the time commitment. It was a fight between the schedule, my travel and my family duties. The coaching was not the problem my decision to try it all was. Gordo is still keeping it real and coaches me daily. Not professionally but through his writings here.

Seth Godin a daily dose of marketing/business/life wisdom.


Mark Sisson if you ask who I want to emulate when I'm 60, it's this guy.

Gluten Free Anna  Gluten Free can be great tasting and Anna brings it.

In-Q - Simply amazing, inspiring and keeps the it all real. Just listen to the story of the 85 year old woman on the home page.

Running Shoes

Run Blogger he came along with the minimalist world. He was a professor at a university and now this is what he does for a living. I don't agree with everything he writes but again that's why I read it.

Run Ran Run A bit of edge, fashion and passion for running.

Running Shoe Guru - Another like the Run Blogger



It's a good life...

20 Things that Shape Me

There is only so much room on the About Me section I think from time to time it's worth going a bit deeper. Otherwise you can read this daily or weekly and get lost in what I'm trying to do here. So I'm going to take a deeper dive into what makes me tick.


Family

1. My wife Mary and I committed to each other for life. That was 20+ years ago and the only thing I know is that if you don't work hard on the relationship every day then it won't last. 
2. 15+ years ago our son Marco was born and it changed our lives forever. There is nothing better in life then raising a child. He is his own man but at the same time he carries our values and our drive to succeed. He's a runner by choice and that's why he is fast. If it felt like a chore he wouldn't be fast. 
3. My sister Cyndi is my confidant. She has quietly guided my values for my entire life. Sometimes out of pure fear but mostly out of love. 
4. My brother Bob has ALS and it sickens me every day. It drives me to stop caring so deeply about my job and to start caring about the next 25 years with 1 & 2. 
5. What would Papi Do? I'm not sure how my Dad still influences me but he does. He calms me down and keeps me thinking straight. He passed away almost 5 years ago. 

Running

1. I started running because my brother Bob ran and my high school girlfriend ran. 
2. I decided shortly after I started that I love running shoes. 
3. I'm 100% committed to helping others enjoy what I feel when I run. It's such a beautiful sport that it's simply awesome to share. 
4. Running got me into Triathlon and that changed my life. Before Triathlon I was shy and not very confident in my ability. I went from Saying "No fucking way those people (Ironman Hawaii) are crazy to doing the race 2 years later and having a total out of body experience on the Lava fields. I went from running fast, to running between aid stations, to running the aid stations and walking between and then back to running fast over the last 6 miles. I still can't explain it. 
5. I owe Triathlon and the people in it my career. Paul Huddle asked me to sell shoes, Murphy Reinschreiber taught me the business side of the sport and taught me to go after what I want. 

Travel

1. I was born in Bogota, Colombia
2. When I was 3 I ended up in Sao Paulo, Brazil
3. I've been on every continent but Antartica. 
4. I've run in every country I've ever visited and there are a host more countries I want to run in. 
5. Work Travel is not glamorous. I won't miss it when that part of my life is over. 

Lifestyle

1. I believe in constant learning and my learning is personal (how to be a better person). The trend word is bio hacking and I've been doing that for a really long time. I read a ton and listen a ton and try a ton but when I'm lost or confused I go see my friend Chris and he sets it all straight. If he ever decided to write a book it would change the face of what we all know but he won't. 
2. I love technology and hate what it's doing to our society.  
3. I was once a vegetarian and although I didn't realize it at the time it's when I was in really poor shape. Then my friend Chris came along after his education and changed my diet and I got faster again. 
4. I relate better with dogs than people. Dogs trust me and I'm not sure I trust people enough. So if I'm forcing myself into a conversation it's because I'm working hard on that fact. 
5. California is best at slow speeds. In fact it's really amazing to Cycle, Run, Walk and most of all to get into open water. 

Running Shoes

1. There are too many running shoes on the market today. There are more shoes than retail space available which means there are more shoes than runners can actually absorb. Something will give soon. But this opens the door for me to educate on the tool that is a running shoe and I love to do. 
2. There is no running shoe if there isn't a runner to run in them and a running store to sell them. 
3. The most innovative shoe I've ever been a part of is the Nike Free. I was lucky to be brought into the project really early in concept and it was a total blast to work with scientists and engineers on that project. The cool thing is that darn shoe really hasn't changed and yet it is still way beyond the expectations of the concept. 
4. My favorite running shoe ever has yet to be built. But my 5 favorites are Nike Pegasus (90's), Mizuno Wave Rider (early 2000's), Nike Free 5.0 (the first one), Asics Gel Lyte 98, adidas SuperNova Classic (by the way I'm also the one who killed the SuperNova Classic) 
5. I love Hoka so much I hate them. Hoka became an answer to something nobody could clearly identify. Originally designed as a down hill mountain running shoe, Ultra Marathoners found it made running 100 miles "Painless" and then runners in pain found them to take the pain away. Simply something you have to love. 

It's a good life…...

My Running Shoe Program

I'm a big believer that you need to have a couple different shoes in your closet all the time for your running needs. For me I do this for three reasons.

1. I'm wear testing a shoe
2. I want a particular feel on a particular run
3. My mood dictates

The end result is a variety in my running which is always good. It's what keeps the legs and the head fresh. 

First up is the Zoot Solana. A new shew for this July. My goal here is to run in it until it dies. I've had it since early December and it has been my main shoe. Still going strong. The midsole is injected EVA with a constant ground contact. Incredibly smooth and quiet. The upper is a running shoe upper. Great Heel fit, ample room in the midfoot that I can lock my skinny foot down and room in the forefoot to breath. I humbly think it's the best shoe I've made while working for a brand. There was one quite close to this at adidas and if the Solana can come anywhere close to that shoe in sales I might get a raise. 

 I may do one or two sessions a week of speed work depending on the week. I'll usually do it in the Kiawe 2.0. It's firm, low to the ground and fits tight. You can see the constant ground contact in this Photo. I like it also because it has our carbon fiber piece in the midfoot. That little extra snap at toe off feels great thanks to the carbon fiber.

When my legs are hurting or I'm going long on the roads it's the Kalani 3.0. This shoe just feels like butter on the feet. Soft, smooth and with a little kick in it. I keep it on the roads because of the massive (for me) midsole under my foot and the upper is not very stable for off road. I never have a bad run in this shoe. It's that simple. 

 I also run once or twice a week in other brands. I have some favorites and I have some shoes I simply want to test. I picked up the new Newton Motion with their 5 Lug design last week. I think the new Lug design is way better than the older 4 lugs. I personally can run in any shoe with no issues. That's not so for runners who don't have the leg strength or form that I have. I'm afraid the new shoes may be even harder to adjust to than the previous versions. I say that because their new midsole is super soft which only puts you deeper into negative when your heel touches and your heel will touch, it always does on every runner. I do think the upper and the fit is dramatically better.

 When I was a young runner it was Nike all the time. I swore by the Pegasus. Then they stopped making it and I worked with Mizuno on the Wave Rider and my life was good again. The issue is the Wave Rider today is not one of my favorite shoes. I feel the balance is off and personally I can feel it when I run. But hey that's me. So my new go to other brand shoe is the Pegasus again. I like it's simplicity and Nike always fit my foot well. Usually if it fits my foot well it's not good for all the other runners in the market. Which brings me back to Zoot. I specifically try to build shoes that don't fit me.

 I've tried the Hoka Conquest. I love the design and manufacturing of this shoe. I so much wanted it to work for me but it doesn't. The Hoka Bondi was not too bad but this Conquest is terrible for me. It's too stiff, and if a shoe is stiff it better roll and this one doesn't for me, it's flat. Remember fit for me is critical. I'll adjust fit on any shoe with socks but I can't seem to find the sock that creates the best fit. So this shoe sits on my desk as an example of beautiful shoe making.

If a brand is spending a large amount of money to launch a shoe I'm buying it. I buy with the anticipation of the kid I was doing the same thing. I had to have the Nike Air Max when it came out. I had to try the Asics flat with the split tongue. So on launch day I went to the local running store and bought the Brooks Transcend. Now I'm not the target runner for this shoe. I'm too light, too leg strong and my form is too good. But I can run in anything and it's with that knowledge that I anticipate great runs in new shoes. I was bummed when I ran in it. The shoe did not meet my expectations for value and function. Too bad for me but I can see where it will probably work for large group of runners. So instead of running in it any more we cut the shoe to pieces to see how it's made. 

I get to do all this because it's my job. But that should not stop you from being smart about your running. Have a couple different shoes in your closet. Decide which to run in based on  criteria 2 - 3  above and your legs and head will thank you. 

It's a good life....

Building a Lean Body!

I've been working really hard to stay healthy, happy and strong. From the blood test I did recently and the work with my friend Chris there were some things to work on. Mostly lean muscle mass and the hormonal benefits that go with it. Chris turned me on to 100%MR and Muscle Synthesis. It has taken me awhile to dial it in but I think we have the protocol. Here's what I do: 

2 scoops of 100% MR and 2 scoops of Muscle Synthesis with water on an empty stomach twice a day. Normally that is after my morning workout and just prior to my afternoon workout. If it's just a morning workout than I drink the second stack when I get home from work. I am also putting the same stack in a gel flask and taking it on rides longer than 2 hours. At the 2 hour mark I down the flask. It's a super strong taste but as long as I have more water it's ok to wash down. The results are worth noting. I'm stronger on the bike for sure and Mary says she can see a definition in my body she hasn't seen in quite awhile. I'm not losing weight in fact I'm gaining weight which mean's only one thing, I'm getting stronger. More sleep and this product has got to be the result. Chris likes the powdered Branched Chains over the tablet form. He says it's easier for your body to absorb this way. After years of tablet form Branch Chain Aminos I have one that gives results. 

 I was starving at the Airport in China. If it wasn't 100% Sugar it was something else. This is what I found I could eat. Look at the label, Coconut flavored Peanuts. I'm telling you they were not great. This was a domestic airport so these nuts were not for the Western folks. Whatever, I ate them and lived with it.

100% MR yes, Coconut flavored Peanuts no.

It's a good life....

Rambling on in this Life

 It's been a rough three weeks. Travel to China is always a challenge especially when things don't go the way you expected. With the trip and the rough days at the office sleep was a challenge. The best sleep I got was 5 hours on the plane from Bejing to Chicago. Then it was off to Chicago to drive some business and see the family for a short time.

1. 5 hotels
2. 2 Overnight flights
3. 16 hour time change one way 2 hour time change the other
4. 30 hours on a plane

 By the time I got home I was wasted. I should have taken time off from work but the things in China caused me to push on. Finally on Friday I slept. 9 hours straight and it felt great. I've found over the years, Sleep is the biggest problem. When I don't sleep well, I get cranky. The people around me should know when I don't sleep well. I get mean. When I sleep well stress melts away. As my friend Chris says, excessive time change travel and a lack of sleep is a sure path to an early grave. It's a good thing I slept really well for 6 weeks before this travel and that I'm now back on good long sleep again. Minimizing the off sleep days is a big goal. I did not do so well this time around. But move on I must. 

The day I started running at the age of 17 I was sitting on my couch stuffing my face with Oreo cookies. Now Nabisco has invaded my Kindle and is tempting me with more Oreos. I haven't had one in 20 years and I don't think I'll start. Nice try Nabisco. Running over Oreo Cookies any day. 

The day before my trip to China. Marco the Runner broke a small bone in his hand. It's the one that allows our thumb to work properly and it's a bitch to heal. So little Marco is in a cast for 3 months. The great thing is against doctor orders he's still running. 3 days a week he runs 3-4 miles on the track. Last Sunday he and I ran 40 minutes side by side down the coast highway. Even with the cast he simply floats when he runs. It's so much fun to watch.

With a full cast on his arm he's not able to participate in the track meets. Thursday marked the first track meet at SDHS in years. The new track is beautiful and it was awesome to watch a track meet there. He'll get many opportunities to run here but even I was bummed that he couldn't run on this day. 

Snoopy here is my brother Bob's dog. Snoopy about says it all in this picture. Bob is not doing well. My only other experience with ALS was with John Blaze. John was able to do the Ironman World Championships with ALS. My brother Bob went from diagnosis, to Wheel Chair to Hospice Care in less than a year. He can't do anything without help and it's sad. His family is hurting, he's hurting and Snoopy here is struggling. ALS sucks, there is no cure and it's just a matter of when. I love my brother and it's tough to get through each day knowing that I'm able to do what I love and he sits in his chair waiting. His faith is strong and I'm glad he has such a supporting wife and son at home. There will be more trips to Chicago in the near future.

It's not very often that you randomly pick up the Wall Street Journal and find one of your products listed.  It was fun to see a running shoe I worked on show up in a feature article. This feature though was funny. They were putting the best of the best triathlon gear in this section and the retail price tag for all of it was $21,000. Not a motivator to jump into the sport.

Travel to China, Chicago and wherever else I have to go is always ok as long as I get to come home to this. This picture was taken at 11:00am this past Saturday. Not a cloud in the sky 75 degrees and the bright blue Pacific in the back drop. This never gets old and it's such a great place to call home. 

I hope everyone has a great week. You may not have Cardiff by the Sea but there are things to be grateful for. Find them and some sleep and maybe like me you can melt the stress away.

It's a good life....

Top 5 Running Memories #2 Ironman World Championships

It was October 1988. There were three of us there to do the Ironman World Championships. Tim Sheeper, Mark "Monty" Montgomery and Myself. Both Sheeper and I were new to the race and the distance. Monty had attempted Kona many times but never finished. In fact his DNF's are stories all of their own.

There was no training plan, we just went hard daily and worked at night. We all arrived skinny. Me, I was 129lbs. Monty was the swimmer and Cyclist, Tim the all around athlete and me just a guy exceeding goals. The anticipation was crazy race week. When the cannon sounded relaxation took over.

Out of the water in good shape I got on the bike and started riding hard. At the 10 mile mark I passed Sheeper puking on the side of the road. He had swallowed too much salt water. At the turn around in Hawi a guy introduced himself. Kevin Moats had finished in the top 15 a couple times. He said "Don't worry, everyone takes it out too fast, they will all come back on the way into town. " Uh Oh, maybe that was me too. At the Scenic point, Sheeper went roaring by me. I didn't see him again until the turn around of the run. He was way in front of me.  I calmed down and tried to conserve for the marathon I had never run.

Off the bike I felt great. I took off running and I was running well. I caught Monty on the way up Palani (this was roughly 6 miles into the run this year). Monty says "Dave this isn't a 10K, you are going too fast." I looked over at him with a quizzical look and just said "Finish the darn thing Monty". Well he was right, at the half way point I hit a wall. For the next 7 miles it was run between the aid stations and then it became walk between them and then run the aid stations. Somehow through that I kept my head. At mile 20 my legs came back and running became "easy" again. I ran down Palani and could hear the finish. I hit Ali'i drive and tears started gushing out. I could not believe I survived the thing. It changed my life forever. Mostly good and somewhat obsessive. I overcame what just 2 years before I claimed "Those people are stupid".

Sheeper finished strong and it was great to see him racing there again in 2013. A bit older but just as fast. Monty finished for the first time. It was amazing that the three of us had done all the training, listened to Monty death in Kona stories and all kept the goal in mind, Finish.

It's a good life...