Posts Tagged ‘triathlon’

A Triathlon Juggling Story

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

On August 11th (2012), Bob and Trish Evans, teachers and performers, became the first people to complete a triathlon while juggling 3 balls the whole way. This was an epic effort to raise money for Special Olympics programs in the United States. Interested donors can still help through TriJuggle.com. Here’s their firsthand account of the triathlon experience:

SETTING THE GOAL

The idea of juggling through a triathlon had been brewing in our minds for the last couple years. When we sat down last December to review 2011 and set goals for 2012, we decided it was finally time to go for the triathlon juggling. In the previous year we had both worked really hard to beat the women’s and men’s Guinness world records for fastest 5K while juggling three balls (Trish- 19:46, Bob- 16:34) and now we were ready for a new challenge.

TRAINING

Right away in December we added two days of pool training to our weekly training routine because we knew swuggling (swimming and juggling) was going to be the hardest part. We also replaced our long run on Thursday with a long unicycle ride. The unicycles we use have big 36” wheels that allow you to go up to 9-14 mph. We kept our running mileage around 20-25 miles per week and mixed in some elliptical and strength training. We also continued to joggle (run and juggle) many weekend races.

FINDING A TRIATHLON

The next step was finding a triathlon that would be willing to let us juggle through the event and use unicycles instead of bikes. We also wanted to find a pool swim. After a few phone calls, we found a triathlon director who enthusiastically welcomed us to his triathlon in Iowa Falls, IA. The Panther Pride Triathlon is a sprint triathlon with a 300-meter pool swim, 15-mile bike and a 5K run. This seemed like the perfect place to conquer the triathlon juggling challenge.

FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Now we know from experience that juggling through races draws a lot of attention and we knew this would be especially true for the triathlon. We wanted to use that attention for something good. After a lot of thought, we chose to raise money for Special Olympics. In our years as high school teachers, we have both developed close bonds with students with special needs and we have seen the power that Special Olympics programs can have on people’s lives. We set up a website to collect donations: TriJuggle.com.

RACEDAY

After months of training we were more-than-ready when race day came along and we were able to thoroughly enjoy the experience. We loved wearing our My Race Ragz jerseys. We are always amazed at the quality of the shirts. When we think homemade shirts, the immediate image that comes to mind is an uncomfortably thick white cotton tee and some puffy paint or Sharpies, but My Race Ragz is quickly changing that image for us. Our growing collection of My Race Ragz gear is on the same level with any of our high-performance racing/training apparel. We love it.

A BIG SUCCESS

Overall, the triathlon juggling challenge was a big success. The community of Iowa Falls, the race director and our fellow racers welcomed us warmly and were generous in many ways on race day. For the fundraising, people have responded well as we have currently collected $3,275 for Special Olympics. We are really grateful for the generous team at My Race Ragz and for all the people that have supported us through our adventures. Thank you.

Final Travel “Year” Stats (8/28/2011 to 9/1/2012)

  • on August 28th (2011), we decided to take a year-off from our high school teaching jobs and enjoy a U.S. road trip tour
  • In the past year, we’ve raced 33 times in 21 different states, won in 12 states
  • put over 37,000 miles on the car (“Gary”)
  • Trish’s fastest 5K (19:46) was in Philadelphia on October 2nd, 2011 and Bob’s fastest 5K (16:34) was in Indianapolis on June 23rd, 2012

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Charity, Triathlon | 1 Comment »

Holiday Gift List: My Race Ragz Crew Faves

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Favorite Top 10 Gear Ideas from My Race Ragz!

There’s not much time left to get your holiday shopping done, but if you have runners, fitness buffs or triathletes in your life, we’ve compiled a list of our favorites, straight from the My Race Ragz crew!

Here at My Race Ragz, we do a little of everything. Mr. My Race Ragz, Kevin, is the cyclist at heart who loves to run for brews and does some triathloning too. (Did you know he rode from Florida to Washington D.C. by himself? He did.)

kevindc

Mrs. My Race Ragz, Joanna, is the runner. She’s pretty hard core. And really fast.

joanne

The My Race Ragz socialite, Christie, tries to do a little of each in a mid-packery fashion.

DSC01137

So here’s some of our tried and true favorites and all of these have gone swim-bike-and-running miles and miles with us, so we hope you can find some ideas for the athletes in your life!

The My Race Ragz Top 10 Holiday Gifts

1. My Race Ragz OK, yes we made our own list, but we wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t love it, would we? We wear our products, it is what we wear on race day and in training. You should too! You really can’t go wrong with a personalized moisture wicking shirt. #theend By the way, we should mention you can purchase a My Race Ragz gift certificate so your athlete can design their own shirt, or you can design one for them!

2. Swim lap counter Oh but there’s more! Keep losing count of your swim laps? You think you swam 1,000 meters but really you swam 700? Keep track with a lap counter that fits on your finger. Who knew there was a convenient lap counter this small? It’s cool.

3. Cycle Ops Indoor Bike Trainer It might be cold out. It might be icy. It might be rainy. But with a bike trainer, THERE ARE NO EXCUSES. So get on your bike already!

4. A visor or a Bondi Band Moisture-wicking sweat bands that have cool sayings on them? Shah! We’re all about cool sayings on stuff! Plus these really keep the sweat out of your eyes. Visors and Bondi Bands used obsessively by both Christie and Joanna.

5. Yurbuds Ear Buds Taking your earbuds to the next level! The Ironman Earbuds used by Kevin, who says (and I quote) they “turn a cheap earbud into an awesome one.” Sold! Now I want some.

6. Pandora iPhone app Also a Kevin favorite. You can personalize your own radio station with your favorite artists for your workouts and for race day. That’s pretty cool.

7. Garmin None of us can take nary a step without a Garmin or we feel nekkid. They’re all pretty amazing but the 310xt is partially waterproof, while the 305 is only water resistant (yes there’s a difference). The 405 is water resistant but the face doesn’t detach like the others do. However, it wirelessly uploads data to your computer. (Schwing!) Whichever you decide on, you will not be sorry. Caution though: after you’ve been using it for a while, you will feel paralyzed if you forget it.

8. Water. We don’t have a favorite water vessel but we all agree that WATER is our favorite. You can’t really give water as a gift, (well I guess you can, but would you want to?) You can however, personalize your own water bottles at Cafe Press.

9. Go Sport ID or Road ID Don’t train without wearable identification! What if something happens to you and you can’t speak? People get hit by cars all the time! What if you have allergies? Don’t you want your significant other to be contacted right away? Of course you do! They’re not that expensive and they make great stocking stuffers. You really shouldn’t leave your home without one of these. Safety first!

10. Waterproof Headphones & Case Oh, you haven’t lived until you’ve swam with music. It’s pretty cool. Unless of course you get stuck in the middle of a playlist that includes international festival music you downloaded for your child’s spring festival and you’re left swimming to parade music. Followed by Christmas music in August because you forgot that “shuffle” means “shuffle.” Oh, and make sure you CLOSE the waterproof case BEFORE you swim. Or else you will turn off the “waterproofing” feature of the case and then you will need a new iPod. Just saying. Learn from us. But swimming with music is fabulous.

What are your favorites in your workout & running arsenal? Feel free to share in the comments!

Happy holidays!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in My Race Ragz | No Comments »

Offseason Training Tips

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

Man Working Out
Baby it’s cold outside! (Well not where we are, we’re in Florida but trust me, I at least wish it were cold. I really do. I’m not even lying.)

But for most of you, it’s cold and if your races are done for the year, you are on the “offseason.” And you might be spending more time indoors.

What will you do with all that time (i.e. how will you continue to burn holiday calories while you’re not training for something?)

We have some tips for you!

First of all, it’s ok to take a brief time out for yourself. If you’re like me, you needed to hear someone else say that, so we’re saying it.

Go ahead, take a break.

Go light. Maybe a week, maybe two depending on how busy you were during the year training and racing. If you had a busy running or triathlon season, your body needs to catch up and heal from all the stress you put it through during the season. Just remember, if you lay off the exercise a little, eat better so you don’t add those calories back on.

OK, break’s over.

When you’re ready to get back at it, here are some things that you can do that will help you burn calories, stay fit and also get you refreshed for the coming year:

-Take classes at the gym unrelated to what you’ve been training for, like body pump, zumba, or kickboxing
-Do yoga or try something new like hot yoga
-Focus on core work
-Focus on strength; do squats, lunges, hill work, etc.
-Reconnect with family members who you might have left in the dust while training throughout the year

FLI082

-If you’re into triathlon, focus on your weakest discipline
-Run short local races or fun runs
-Join a Master’s swim
-Get a Massage!

The season will be here before you know it and so will your structured training plan! So, do you already have 2012 planned? How are you spending your time until then?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Fitness | No Comments »

9 Pre-Race Tips to Get You Through the Big Day

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

CSP059
So you’ve spent hours upon hours upon hours training and (probably) watching what you’re eating.

You’re gearing up for the big day. It is almost here.

After spending the last however many months making sure you’ve trained right and that the race will go off without a hitch, you don’t want anything to mess it up in the days leading up to it.

Here are 9 tips to get you through that big day — from nutrition to hydration to sleep.

Hydration

1. Start hydrating two days before the race (at least).

2. Don’t drink all water. You don’t want to water dilute your body’s electrolytes, so be sure to mix in some sports drink or even a soda in between. Super tip: Still got some long runs in your training? Practice your hydration strategies in the long runs beforehand so you know what works.

3. The golden rule of racing: NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY. Don’t try new nutrition, don’t try new gear. Always practice with it first.

4. Sleep. Chances are it will be hard to sleep the night before the race. So make sure you get a full night’s sleep two days before so you can at least have some sleep in your arsenal. Somewhere.

5. For a long triathlon (1/2 Iron or Full): drive the bike course beforehand. This might not always be practical because the bike course is very likely long and it will take a while (or you might not even have a car if you’ve traveled). But if you can, it will help you to navigate the day of the race. You can pick out landmarks that will give you a visual on how far you have left (which could be a good or a bad thing of course.) You’ll also be able to know which hills you have to tackle and where they are so you can leave something in the tank when you’re riding.
CB005681

Nutrition

6. Carbo load doesn’t mean carbo-GORGE. Start eating more carbs two days beforehand but not in one big lump sum. Spread it out into easy payments throughout the day by eating rice, oatmeal, bread, pancakes, bagels, etc. (Things like that, not ALL of that…)

7. The most important pre-race meal is not dinner the day before the race but LUNCH. So eat a healthy lunch with carbs and some protein. And again, the “nothing new on race day” rule applies. If you’re not used to eating lots of beans and broccoli the day before a race or long run, don’t do it. Stick with what you know or you could end up a gassy mess.

8. If you’re traveling, find out what restaurants are around and look up the menus beforehand so you don’t have to drive around looking for something to eat. You can also see if you can make reservations because restaurants near the race course get packed the day before.

9. Find out what brand of nutrition (gels or sportsdrinks) the race is providing and if you don’t want to carry your own, use the brand the race is providing during your training. Remember: NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY.

What is your race day prep advice?

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Race, Tips | No Comments »

The My Race Ragz Top 25 Races Nominations!

Friday, September 30th, 2011

We’re conducting a highly (non) scientific poll around here! We are compiling a list of the top 25 running and triathlon races of YOUR favorites. We want to know which ones you love the most and why! And for any reason whatsoever, whether it’s the course, the swag, the beer, the food, whatever, the bling, the hot race director, it doesn’t even matter. You nominate, we compile, and in two weeks, you vote. So if you want your favorite in the running for the vote, nominate away!

You can nominate in four different ways:

  • TWEET. Tweet the race name & location and why in 140 or less to @myraceragz (and make sure you have @myraceragz in there so we can see it!)
  • Facebook. You can list your favorite race and even tag them on our fan page at www.facebook.com/myraceragz
  • This poll. You can answer in the poll right here! http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/536681
  • Comment below. If you want to leave it in the comments below, that’s great too.

Rules:
-You can nominate any running race or triathlon whatsoever.
-You must include its location and we must be able to find it online somewhere. A link to the race would be helpful but not mandatory. However, if we can’t find it, then it won’t be included in the final vote.
-You must include why you love it so much. That is sort of the point.
-You can nominate multiple races but you must nominate each race separately.
-No whining.

NOTE: Again, if at all possible, leave the link to the race in your nomination so we can find it and check it out to make sure it’s legit! The race page or the link to it on Active or whereever else it is listed will be helpful. If we can’t find it, it won’t make the voting page.

That’s it! We can’t wait to see which races you LOVE and why! If you have any questions whatsoever, leave them in the comments below. We will get back to you.

Happy training!
The crew at My Race Ragz

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in My Race Ragz | 3 Comments »

Race Day & Training: What Works for You “Odd Fuel Stash” Edition

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

We’re starting a segment here at My Race Ragz called “What Works for You?”

We’ll present the topic on our Facebook page the week before and we’ll publish the intel we collect on Facebook and Twitter right here for you. Out of all these runners here in cyberland, there’s bound to be some outside-the-box secrets, and we’ve already found some.

This week we’re working on fuels and we’ve gathered up some intel from some of our runner friends to talk about what works for them during training and on race day.

Our top five most interesting finds we gathered from you are:

  • Mustard packets. This one touted by Clearwater swim coach Joe Biondi as a savior for cramping. And it’s true. At the Ironman Augusta 70.3 this weekend, some people in our group packed mustard packets in their arsenal. Why? According to “Core Performance,” the mustard contains acetic acid, which helps stimulate the production of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that tells the muscles to work. So there you go.
  • Caffeine pills. Forget the Gu or the 5 hour energy, the pills cost very little for a whole bottle of em and you can pack em and go and pop one halfway through a long training session or race. They last forever and they don’t cost much.
  • PayDay bars. Remember this classic? Former pro triathlete Laura Drake used it for fuel. Lots of peanuts (protein), good to go.
  • Uncrustables. Great for long bike rides and half-iron distances where you need something more than a gel or a chew along the way. They’re frozen, they’re in their own package, you stick it in your cycling jersey or tri-top and they thaw by “meal time.”

    • Swedish Fish: September 16, 2008

  • One of our favorite finds? Swedish Fish or Gummi Bears. We’d never have thought of it but it makes sense, a sugar pick-me-up that doesn’t melt! That one from @katierunsthis (www.katierunsthis.com) during #bartchat, a Twitter chat led by Runner’s World CRO Bart Yasso. Thanks Katie!

What are your favorites? Leave a comment or even better — feel free to post about your favorites and leave the link to your blog in the comments!

We’ll have another topic this week so watch the My Race Ragz Facebook page!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Nutrition | No Comments »

Finally- Race shirts go a LONG way!!!

Monday, June 6th, 2011

Race Shirts… some runners and triathletes get excited about race shirts, some only do the races for the shirt, some wear them proudly. But many (and what seems like a majority) of women don’t have a use for them. Especially since these race shirts are usually unisex and much too big for female athletes… they get stored in overflowing drawers, put away in boxes and simply wait until a great use can be found for them.

Well, the wait is over! MyRaceRagz has started a charity to put your unwanted race shirts to great use! MyRaceRagz Charity is working with international groups that support the disadvantaged. We will be sending donated race shirts to people who will receive this new shirt with joy.

The first charity MyRaceRagz has partnered with is RUN WATER, which raises funds to provide safe water wells in villages globally. On June 19th, volunteers from Run Water are heading to Africa to build drinking water wells. With their help, MyRaceRagz Charity is sending shirts, mostly dri-fit wicking shirts, to the poverty-stricken residents of those villages in Africa. We are thrilled to be able to help those in need and know that something that we don’t necessarily need could be so helpful to others! We are excited that all the MyRaceRagz shirts donated for this cause will be moisture wicking – to increase comfort in that tough climate – but of course we are happy to send shirts of any fabric, it will all go to great use!

The first batch of shirts will be heading to Africa on June 19th- but MyRaceRagz will need to ship them to Run Water by June 11th.

If you would like to contribute to this great cause, please contact Joanna@MyRaceRagz.com

To a better community, in health, and in fitness!!!

MyRaceRagz Charity

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Charity, Running | 17 Comments »