I Am Ironman
That’s the way I feel right now. I am leaving tomorrow for my first real race of the season. A season which will be a lot of work for me - with two half Ironman and a full Ironman. I am headed to the
I have to admit I am a little nervous. The temp should be around 85 degrees and very humid. Way different than our 45 today. But when I think back two years ago, I was training for the HRMS sprint tri and I was very nervous. But I ran the event. And although it was hard, it was very rewarding and fun.
Just think! Who would have thought I would be doing this today. I am looking forward to seeing just how many of you will be doing more and longer events after the HRMS Tri. Even if you only do sprints every year, it will keep you physically fit. I want nothing more than for all of you to be healthy, and spread the word of how GREAT this makes you feel. Trust me. I know it can be a little scary and depressing at times, but to know that you are pushing yourself to be the best you can be. WOW! That, in and of itself, makes you a winner, not like others who are whiners. I heard a great analogy about whiners on the Deadliest Catch show the other night. The guy said whining was like rocking in a rocking chair. It takes a lot of energy, but you never get anywhere. So, no whining from anyone on Team HRMS.
I can’t say it enough times, how proud I am of all of you who are participating in this program. 20 of you showed up for the run in
Ok, so I’m leaving for the islands for my race on Sunday. If you want, you can track my progress on www.ironman.com. Go to the
Dan
What Ever It Takes
Today is a Blog day. Actually, it has been for many days now but I couldn’t sit still long enough to write it or stay focused and dictate my thoughts.
The weather is starting to turn in our favor so we can get out and swim, bike, run or walk. If that’s where you are in your training. We can ride our bikes and, yes, we still have to swim. Actually, I am starting to like the swim. It is really the easiest of all the sports. That is, of course, if you know how to swim.
Recently we added some new services with one of our clients. We became the health insurance broker for a recruiting client and he wants me to let him beat me in the HRMS Naperville Sprint Triathlon. I think that with the right training he could beat me anyway, but for his own wellbeing, I am going to have to do my best in the race. Of course I have a swim challenge from another team member who wants to race me in the 100 freestyle. The loser has to buy a bottle of wine for the winner. The good news is that we’re going to share the wine.
How come everyone wants to beat me? I’m not the pace setter, but I will be if it motivates you all to swim bike and run harder. So bring it on! That’s my personal offer. Place your bets ladies and gentlemen.
Hey! Don’t forget we have a group run this Sunday – April 27 – in downtown
Dan
Support
There is so much to talk about today. Last Wednesday night more than 30 Team HRMS members gathered at the pool at the LifeStart Fitness facility in Lisle. Now, none of us particularly wanted to be seen in a bathing suit, but we came out in force to support each other in our quest to improve our well being (and our swimming techniques). We had people who had barely swum in the past, doing laps to get stronger and healthier.
You know, I was thinking about my last blog about sacrifice, and I decided it’s like compound interest. Invest today and your money compounds, growing as your interest earns interest. Invest a little time today in your well being, say a half hour a day, and this could result in more active years added to your life.
Oh, by the way, Team A picked a team captain – Pat Pipp. Pat is the CFO of Roman Inc. a specialty gift company. I’m sure he’ll do a great job keeping Team A focused and on point. They are having their challenges with extra meetings to attend and extra workouts to get through. I have to give them credit for giving their all. Not cash credit, of course, but “atta boy” credit. It’s not like the banks…or is it? They’re not giving much credit either.
Dan
Sacrifice
Recently, one of the staff here at HRMS said, “Boy, you really have to sacrifice to be healthy. All the time you put into working out, biking running and swimming.” At first I agreed that it is a lot of work being really healthy, and yes I do have to sacrifice to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But you know people who don’t take good care of themselves, people who are sedentary, and people who smoke or drink to excess. They sacrifice, too.
What do you mean unhealthy people sacrifice? What I mean is that everything we do is a choice and it’s like a pay me now or pay me later type of deal. People who sacrifice today by working out and looking after their health and improving their wellbeing sacrifice a little time today so they can have many tomorrows. People who party today and who are sedentary are sacrificing many tomorrows for a little time today. Unhealthy people are sacrificing time future time they could spend with their children, grandchildren and spouses, as well as friends and other people you meet along the way. The later years of our lives should be filled with fun and activity. But if you didn’t sacrifice time early in life, then chances are you won’t be able to live those later years in an active way -- because you won’t be physically up to it. You are sacrificing a prosperous retirement for a little time today.
So I think it’s pretty simple. Do you want to sacrifice a little today or a lot tomorrow?
Dan
Special Edition Blog
So I hear you are all Olympic swimmers? Or are you afraid to be seen in a bathing suit? Come on. Call Glenn and sign up for our swim session on April 9 at LifeStart Fitness in Lisle. This will be a good training program! Don’t be a wet noodle. Call Glenn at:
630.536.2024 or email him at gbushong@hrmsllc.com
We are in this together, so don’t let you teammates drown. If you are a good swimmer, we need you to attend so you can help us out.
Dan
Find Your Motivation
I am hopeful that everyone is able to keep up and continue with the exercise program. It gets easier after about a month of doing it because it becomes habit. Of course that assumes you do it for a month straight to begin with. Then after a couple of years it becomes harder to stay motivated unless you are training for some type of fun event like a local run or tri.
I think this weather is going to change here soon, so if you have not investigated new running shoes I suggest you do it now before every one else does. I hate crowds in stores. I want all the attention for myself. And don’t forget to go to Naperville Running for your footwear needs. As for biking, please, if you are using your own bike, get a tune up! No, you don’t need to change the oil. Your personal oil is going to change as you start this exercise regime. But seriously, get your bike checked out. It can save you from a wreck if the tires and brakes and gears are in good working order. And if you need or want a new bike get it now while the supplies of sizes are readily available. And as with the shoes use our sponsor SPOKES
Remember, ladies and gentlemen. You can do this. You are an ATHELETE!
Dan
So We Have Picked The A Team
So, we have picked the A team. If you’re not on it, you may be disappointed…But, please don’t be, because you will gain so much by staying involved. You want to be an athlete, right? You only get out of anything what you put into it, so if you don’t put anything into this you will not benefit. Put some effort into this triathlon team and you will benefit double what you put in. Help others in their efforts and you will benefit tenfold. The Team A members were picked based on the written words on their application and letters sent after the first meeting – not on the basis of their physical fitness. I was looking for ATTITUDE.
In addition to benefiting emotionally and physically from being an active part of HRMS Team AA, participants will continue to get some really cool stuff (The biggest gift of course is good health). Remember that everyone is eligible to win a Tri bike at the end. And don’t forget about our “wrap” party following the race! Enough about A and AA Teams.
What about exercise? I didn’t do my workout in the morning yesterday so I had to do it at night. I am currently training for a half iron man May 3 in
Dan
From Five to Eight
10p.m. Thursday March 20. I just got home from swimming in the pool a mile and ¾ … about an hour workout. Today was beautiful and sunny, but tonight and tomorrow it’s going to snow 3 to 10 inches, so I took advantage of the good weather and rode my new bike in the Morton Arboretum. What a great ride! Two hours in the sun. It felt terrific. The next few days are going to be crappy, so it was nice to ride outside.
The second meeting of Team HRMS on Wednesday was really exciting. People were pumped. We had about 50 folks, including some first-timers. Cheryl and Tony demonstrated stretches and strength exercises that – trust me – will make a big difference in your triathlon performance. We picked our Team A members. The pick was so hard that I increased the number from five to eight – and one member was chosen at random from all the people who were in attendance.
But as I said Wednesday night, whether you are Team A or Team AA, it is really all Team HRMS. And Team AA participants get plenty of cool stuff as well as monthly training sessions. (Next one is at a pool in April.) Plus, Team AAers are eligible to win a bike we’re raffling off at the end of the race.
That’s all for now. I am tired and I’m going to sleep like a baby. Talk to you after the holiday weekend. Keep up the exercises Cheryl showed you!
Dan
Turning It Over
Today, I'm turning the blog space over to you. Frankly, I am blown away by the dedication and enthusiam I am seeing and hearing!
Holly writes: " I cannot tell you how much this team has changed me in as little as 3 weeks. I have lost 14 lbs. I have not done that EVER! When I know I'm part of something, nothing stops me."
And from Scott comes this: "I'm so impressed with what you are doing in promoting fitness! ... You have taken action in a non-intimidating way for people to get involved. You've provided resources, networking and motivation..'Triathlon is a life style not an event!' I am sure many of the first timers will be forever changed."
Yes, Scott. It is a life style. And I am delighted to see how eagerly our Team members are embracing that way of life.
Trust me. The rewards will go way beyond August!
Dan
Where It All Started
Okay! Day two of the Blog. At least I’ve done two days in a row of writing.
I’m on a ski vacation in
Now I’ m here in
The coolest thing is that I have dropped 8 pounds while I’ve been here. If I stop drinking alcohol, I could drop even more weight and perform better. I have a reason not to stop drinking. Remember, in yesterday’s Blog I said we need balance in our life. The key I’ve learned after 46 years is to not drink to the point you lose your balance.
Dan
We're On Our Way
As I promised, I am starting a blog about Team HRMS and the HRMS Naperville Sprint Triathlon – or actually our trials and tribulations as future athletes. The difficult thing is putting information in here every day. The workouts are tough at times, but I find the writing worse. By the way I want you all to start calling yourselves “athletes.” It’s hard at first, but after time it will motivate you and it feels and sounds good. I have been on this wellbeing adventure for two years now and it is definitely a journey. So I have to keep on rolling.
I am finding my motivation from a number of sources. Self-image for example; I don’t want to be fat anymore. I didn’t like it to begin with and I’m not going back. It feels better mentally to be fit, to be an athlete. I like having energy and I like the diversion from life’s other challenges by working out. What a great stress reliever. I like the positive health effects – like being stronger and maybe living and loving longer. I am also getting motivation from all of you, the people just like me, who don’t like where they are or where they have been and want to change it. We can be like a support group. I get excited and motivated by hearing other people’s stories about improving their wellbeing.
You know wellbeing doesn’t just come from losing weight or exercise. It is a state of mind as well. If all we do is work it causes more stress. If all we do is workout it causes injury and stress. We have to find balance in our lives and that is not easy either. So as I said, this is a journey so don’t stop believin’. YOU CAN DO THIS!
Dan
