An Alternative To Triathlon

Perhaps, after the Ironman California 70.3, I will spend a couple of months training for The Wife Carrying World Championships in Finland. It'll be a way for The Great Magnetic Wife and I to spend more time together.

John Thum

Runing and Spinning

On Tuesday I ran four and a half miles in the morning and I'm feeling pretty good. The running is getting easier, but I am painfully aware that the cycling and swimming are lagging. One way to remedy the cycling part is to take a spinning class. The Hollywood Bally's offers one on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30. I tried it for the first time yesterday and boy, was it hard! This will be quite good for me. The spinning bikes even have peddles that allow one to use one's bike shoes. Next time, I'm getting there early and bringing my bike shoes and shorts.

Running in the morning, Spinning after work. I had no trouble falling to sleep.

John Thum

Tri-ku VII & It's Getting Closer!

Up at five a.m.
Ironman in November
Every mile counts

The new tri-ku says it all. I just noticed that my countdown clock for the Ironman Arizona is now under 300 days. Somehow 300 days or more seem like a year and once it goes below that number there is a reality that sinks in. I am not ready!

I do, however, still have ten months to get ready. I have been so focused on the L.A Marathon that I haven't spent enough time on other aspects of my training. I must remember that I not only have an Ironman in November, but the Ironman California 70.3 in two months. Yikes!!!!

John Thum

Running/Biking, Lots Of Water, No Swimming

I ran twelve miles with the L.A. Leggers yesterday. For some reason I thought it was going to be ten, but when I heard it was twelve, not a problem. Just another indication of how far I have come.

About 3/4 of a mile from the finish, I heard a woman say, "who wants to finish strong?" She started taking off fast. I thought that sounded like a good idea and so I went with her. When we got to the final hill, which I usually walk, I just took off and beat everybody. I have always thought it was best to walk hills to conserve energy. I may change my tactics and assault hills. If I can do it at the end of a twelve mile run, I could do it any time.


I wanted to get in a bike ride before it rained and went out for about three hours in the afternoon. It started out sunny and ended up very threatening. It started to rain a few minutes after I got back. Good Timing. It started to rain hard and didn't let up until very early in the morning. It is raining again as I write this.


We went to Front Runners to get new shoes for the L.A. Marathon. I noticed that my current shoes were developing a hole in the toe. This way I will have time to break them in before the marathon.


John Thum

Spirit Of The Marathon

I saw Spirit Of The Marathon last night. It was both inspiring and familiar. I saw a lot of myself in the stories that were told. Since I had run seven plus miles in the rain yesterday morning, I was pleased to see people training in all kinds of weather and making sacrifices for their marathon. Some of the people they profiled where a little bland, not that they weren’t perfectly good people, but I would have like to see a bit more personality. I guess the point was that very ordinary people can do a marathon if they are determined enough. I know that is true.

The marketing of the movie was very interesting. It played in a lot of different theaters around the country, but only one showing on one night. So if you were going to see it, you had to go last night. They marketed it to running/tri clubs, stores, etc. It was probably very smart, because the screening I went to was sold out.

I went with my secret movie club. I was pretty sure Jim Jones would like it, he is a very good runner who has qualified for The Boston Marathon. Mike “The Wine Guy” Bronsnan has voiced interest in training for a marathon, but has yet to do so. Reza Fatemi has no interest in the subject. However they all said they liked the movie.

If you are a distance runner, I would recommend the movie when and if it every comes around again or when it comes out of DVD.

*UPDATE* There will be another screening on February 21, 2008 at 7:30pm at 250 Theaters across the country.

John Thum

Happy National Pie Day & Pie-Ku

Happy National Pie day! The Great Magnetic Wife and I will be celebrating by having Chicken Pot Pie for dinner and Apple Pie for dessert. If you need suggestions on how to celebrate National Pie Day, you can visit the National Pie Council website.

One of the reasons I do triathlons is that if I train enough, I can enjoy pie without guilt.

I have written a Pie-Ku for the occasion.

The fork breaks the crust
The filling oozes slowly
Pie is sweet delight


John Thum

Tru-Ku VI

A frigid mile
In the dark winter ocean
The Ironman looms

John Thum

There's A Rumor Goin' 'Round...

Comm over at Common Man Syndrom says that he has it on good authority that the California Ironman 70.3 will become a full Ironman in 2009. Apparently, they'll just make every thing two loops. There's nothing on the website at the this writing, so we'll see. Had I known this last November, when I signed up the Ironman Arizona for November 2008, I might have waited. Oh, well...it's still just a rumor.

John Thum

The Katie Holmes Conspiracy

I'd hate to think this is true.

Did Katie cheat?

Tri-Geek Dreams thinks so.

John Thum

Tri-Ku V

The wetsuit clings to

His ankles and so he sighs...

No PR today

Tri-Ku IV

Water on the left

There's Gatorade on the right

The choices we make

18 Mile Run

I equaled my longest run by doing 18 miles today with the LA Leggers. I felt much better than the last time I did it and we completed the run on an 11:28/mile pace, which was about 15 seconds a mile faster than last time! I think I will sign up for the L.A Marathon this weekend!

John Thum

Tri-Ku III

It is not candy
This sweet, gelatinous goo
It is nutrition

John Thum

What A Wimp!

I ran yesterday morning for 45 minutes and did 20 minutes of speed work on the treadmill yesterday afternoon. Felt good.

Today is gym/strength day with an easy swim. I got up early to swim at the Van Nuys pool, but their heater is on the fritz and it was just a little too chilly. What a wimp. I'll swim at lunch at Bally's in Chatsworth and do stength after work.

John Thum

Tri-Ku II

He looks at her age
Marked on the back of her leg
As she speeds past him

John Thum

Best Laid Plans...

I had planned to bike for two hours in the afternoon on Saturday and for four hours on Sunday. However, I had the opportunity to record a song with my friend Warren and couldn't pass it up. I did manage two hours of cycling on Sunday and, of course, a twelve mile run on Saturday.

John Thum

Twelve Miles With The Leggers And A Celebrity Sighting!

I ran 12 miles with the L.A Leggers this morning. (Actually 11.5, but who's counting? Oh, I guess I am.) Anyway, it felt great. I got a nice greeting from a number of people who asked how my leg is and I was given a yo-yo at the end. I'm not sure why. We saw Calista Flockhart twice while going around the golf course at the Brentwood County Club. An exciting L.A. kind of celebrity sighting run!

John Thum

Tri-Ku

Entering T1
He looks for his bicycle
Next time a balloon

John Thum

Running With The Leggers

It is hard to express how much I am looking forward to running with the L.A. Leggers again. I have not run with the Leggers since I injured my calf on December 15. I like running by myself, but I always feel I do it better with the group. We have a twelve-miler on Saturday. This will be the farthest I will have run since the eighteen-miler on December 1, 2007.

John Thum

Progress and Concerns

Another good run yesterday, the fastest since my injury. I averaged 10:50/mile. The thing I am starting to fear is that running will no longer be my limiter in triathlon. I am going do a big concentration on swimming and biking in the next couple of months. This Saturday, after my twelve-mile run with the LA Leggers, I will ride for two hours. This Sunday I will ride for four hours.

I swam 1500 meters today at the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks pool. It was harder than I expected. I haven’t been swimming much.

John Thum

L.A. Tri Club

I really like the L.A Tri Club and I am very glad I joined. I will probably renew when my membership comes due in March. However, I growing quite frustrated with the problems with the new and “improved” website. Many of the things that I look to LA Tri for like the roster of races and workouts just seem to have problems that are not being fixed. I’m not a website designer, so I have no idea what these problems could be, but how hard can it be to post some races and workouts? The L.A. Leggers have offered a discount on the Desert Triathlon in April, but L.A Tri has not even listed it. LA Tri is a for-profit business. If service continues to be sub-par then I’m sure there will be alternatives.

John Thum

I Love This Site!

I just discovered Map My Tri, a great website that where you can do all kinds of great workout planning. Heck, it's even fun just to play on it. Here is the run I did this morning that I mapped on Map My Tri.

John Thum

Long Run, Etc.

I did my first long run (10 miles) since my calf injury. I came through okay. I ran slowly, about 11:50/mile, but I felt okay. Unlike my 10 mile runs before the injury, I didn't feel as if I could do it again, but that is okay. It has been three weeks since I did a long run. The other difference than my last few long runs is that my legs are still a little sore two days later. I will do twelve miles with the Leggers next Saturday and try to keep to their schedule up to the L.A. Marathon. The only exception being that I plan on twenty miles on the day they do twenty six.

It has been raining and was seriously threatening to rain all of yesterday, so I went to the gym to work on the stationary bike and to swim. After 25 minutes on the stationary bike I had to get off. It was an old LifeCycle that was really uncomfortable. I finished the rest of my aerobic workout on an elliptical machine. I planned on swimming, but the idea a swimming in that super chlorinated pool made me think again. I ended up doing an upper-body strength session instead.

Today is a rest day and tomorrow I start a pretty intense week.

John Thum

Swimming With The Seals

Went swimming in a very cold Pacific yesterday with my new neoprene cap and booties. I was glad I had them, but I wish I would have bought the gloves also. I got out of the water about a hundred yards or so before my swimming partner, Tim Bomba. I was following him on the shore and noticed a seal was following him about ten to fifteen feet behind. this went on until Tim was about twenty yards from the shore. At that time the seal was sticking his head out of the ocean and seemed to be thinking, "where are you going? We were swimming. Come back!" Very cool.

Today I ran, very slowly, for an hour. I did twelve minute miles, but it felt good. I could barely feel my calf. The Leggers have a twenty three mile run planned for Saturday. I probably will not attempt that, but I might go with the half marathoners and do fourteen miles.

John Thum

Happy New Year!

I guess it is time to reflect and time to plan. Reflection for me is mostly how blessed I have been. From my from my wonderful wife, to my great family, to my tremendous friends. I know that even though I am not deserving, God has blessed me for reasons I cannot fathom. Every hardship in my life seems to have ultimately made made my life better and made me more happy. I feel quite grateful that I have found triathlon to help me have goals to focus on and to help me keep fit.

We went out to Taylor's Steak House last night for what has become our traditional New Year's Eve dinner with The Grand exalted Poobah, Chris Bailey and his lovely wife Lisa, Greg Vargas and Ann McClean. The food was delicious, the company was great.

What are my resolutions this year? 1. Finish the L.A. Marathon. 2. Finish the Ironman 70.3 California (half-ironman.) Finish Ironman Arizona. 4. Move into a new place to live.

I was able to run for a mile and a half this morning. I then felt a little twinge in my calf and stopped. I walk for almost another two miles for a total of 3.8 miles. This is positive. I will be able to get back on track for the marathon and the half-ironman in March.

John Thum