Ballerina's Rule!

The Bet Is On!!!!!

Oh what a fun race season it will be!!!

In the world of triathlon it is essential that you find new methods to push yourself to new highs or Personal Bests. For my first season in racing, simply finishing each race was my motivation and that was all I needed to push me. However, I found that towards the end of the season I began to finish with energy still “in the tank”. I was complacent with my racing and my times didn’t improve too much. I wasn’t happy with this.

Solution?

A BET!

Last year two of our top club racers in BR-tri challenged two racers from a nearby club in Alexandria Louisiana. They raced in five events and combined each team member’s time then which ever team had the lowest race time total won the event.

The prize . . . The non-winners had to do the last race of the year in a skirt.

The BR-tri members Vanilla and Brianna won the challenge or bet. Bammaboy and Don from the other club had to wear the skirt. Which I am not sure they did, however I am not sure.

DING DING DING!!!!!!!

My new motivational tool had been spawned. Many of you have read my blogs where I have written about my friend Michael Pate. He too is from Alexandria Louisiana and a member of the Tri Club there. Michael was my motivation and mentor to even begin triathlon after much contemplation. He has struggled with the bulge for many a year as well. What better way to get us going!!!???

I pitched the idea on our forum. The members of my club Brianna and Vanilla were a bit hesitant at first I believe. I am not a fast racer AT ALL. Michael Pate and I split the two races we were in last year 1-1. Michael has been racing much longer than I have, so the odds are not in my favor, but I understand that and I am prepared to face this challenge.

I want you to know they beauty of this is more than the challenge. More than the bet.

This is very important for me to relay to you. Win or lose, that is not my motivation. I am going to tell you the PRIZE for the winners at the end and you will love it, however that is not my motivation.

I want you to think about yourself for just a second. Ask yourself these questions.

Do you feel comfortable exercising in public, especially with buff, in shape, Adonis’s?
Do you wish some times that you could hang out with those elite individuals in the gym or at the jogging park, or in your tri club?

Why don’t you?

I asked myself those questions and then I FORCED myself on two of the best in our club. I posted on our forum antagonizing the other club and my friend Mike was all for it right from the start. His friends, Don and Bammaboy were all over it too and excited for him. My friends Brianna and Vanilla are psyched about it now and we have a challenge!

THERE IS MY MOTIVATION!

Christopher Boggs, fat, slow, last in almost every race, is on a team of elite racers where his race counts.

I am in. I am one of the team. Not that I need this for my self image. I don’t need friends to make myself feel better. People are going to love me for me no matter, but this is different. This is me being a contribution to a team in an atmosphere that two years ago I would not have attempted. I have surrounded myself with awesome people who are willing to . . .

HERE IT IS!!!!

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is it. That is my motivation. Period.

Everyone is happy for me when I finish. If I am not too slow and people have waited around I also love that feeling I get when I cross the line and people are cheering and clapping.

However, this . . . This is a new feeling that I have found in my fight for health. These guys on my team are not just giving me obligatory pats on the back. These guys are putting themselves on the line. Their humility on the line. Their compassion on the line.

I am touched AND . . . I am motivated.

This is the challenge schedule and the prize:

We all do, Louisiana Tri (4-28-2006)
Heatwave Classic (06-03-2006)
T-Gator #3 (07-16-2006),
River Cities Tri(08-06-2006)

Mike and I are doing T-Gator #1 on 04-02-2006. We will add our times to you guy's IM MOOO for total times on that "event".

That will give us 5 opportunities before Meat Pie.

Non-winners at Meat Pie will

Do the swim portion in pink Speedos, the European style.

The bike with pink ballerina skirt, the pink European Speedos, and pink bra that is "stuffed" accordingly.

The run will require a platinum blonde shoulder length wig that make be put into a scrunche, however no hat or cover is allowed.

That is it.

Think positive thoughts for team BR-tri and I will keep everyone posted with the results!

Be brilliant today!!

2006 Race Season Begins!!!

And they’re off!

The race season has officially begun!

Morning, cold, wet, windy. After loading the vehicle with 4 bikes and loads of gear I quickly decided the day called for long sleeves. As I pull open the drawer to my semi cold weather clothing I move my wool gloves in order to retrieve my long sleeved t-shirt. This is an important moment since it will dictate most of my race.

The Evangeline Oaks Duatlon, my first of the duathlon sorts. A duathlon is a race that incorporates a run, a bike, and a run. Different from the triathlons I have been doing which are swim, bike, and runs. Today was a short 2mi run, 10 mi bike and 2 mile run. I was prepared as well as I could be and looking forward to the day.

Nice short ride to St. Martinsville located a few miles from Lafayette, which is approximately 55 miles from Baton Rouge. Nice ride with Matt, Corey, and Todd while Mark, a new member to Br-tri, was following in his jeep. We talked about the upcoming year and races we were planning to compete in and shred with Todd some of the things to look forward to in the sport. Todd is a friend of mine who is just beginning the sport of triathlon, welcome Todd.

We unload, check in and rack up our bikes. It is slowly sinking in that the day is going to be very cold and even more windy. About now I am thinking to myself, you know I had to actually move, yes move my wool gloves out of the way to get to my t-shirt.

Mistake number one.

We line up at the start. Corey makes a statement that we should get in the back and not up here in the front of the pack. I pointed out, in response, that if we began in the rear, that is at a minimum an additional twenty or so paces and I was not willing to risk losing that much energy!!!! We laughed and the director started the race.

The run was an out and back. I am not so found of out and back runs and bikes since I get to see how far behind EVERYONE I am. As I reached the half mile mark of the run the first runner flew by coming the opposite direction, I cheered him on and continued to sludge forward.

This year is like beginning over for me. I think it will take a few more races before people know I am not a running heart attack. As I was coming in off of the run, I was feeling GREAT. My cardio was kicking butt. I felt like I could run all day. I was implementing the fundamentals I had learned at my recent Multisport.com camp and I was on a roll.

However, I was getting the look. The one that expresses great joy and extreme fear for me all at the same time. The nice gentleman that was running the transition area seemed to be really worried about me. He offered to walk my bike to the mounting point, he continued to ask me if I was ok, etc. I guess he plenty of reason when I began to run off with my bike and he reminded me that I still had on my running shoes and not my cycling shoes. Oooops.

Here is where the whole gloves still in the drawer thing really began to sit badly with me. The bike was cold. The wind was in your face the entire way out on the ride. I was watching people fly down the road towards me with smiles and legs pumping! I was MISERABLE!!!!!

What is worse about the wind is being me, in the wind. I am basically a mast. Mast are a good thing when you have the “wind to you back” however, when you don’t it’s . . . Not good.

After the turn around the wind let up and then on the last leg home the wind WAS to my back, to bad I spent most of my energy trying to get through the wind. However, I did realize why everyone was smiling when they passed me earlier.

Back into the transition area, running shoes on, cramps beginning a little and I was off. My friends Corey, Matt, and Todd decided to join me on my run, since they were all finished. I was very happy about this. Les, another Br-tri member, also joined in.

God love them, because I do. They are each super awesome guys. Yes, there is a but, coming.

It was a little demoralizing that I was doing my “run” part while they were walking beside me, chatting it up. I will get better. I will become faster. I will make them jog next time!!! HA!!!

My finish was awesome. The guys ran ahead and began to cheer me in as did the rest of the race participants. I would say that was one of the first times I had a cheering squad that large. It makes it so worth while. I know they are cheering for a guy that they are happy for as well as a bit astonished by. It means so much to me.

I finished in 01:56:21 which was 11 minutes more than my goal, but it was windy.

It’s ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Race season 2006!

I feel good now and I am looking forward to my next race.

Thanks to everyone.

Amazing Day!

What a day.

It is only 11:20AM here in San Diego, but I have already had the greatest day!

I woke at 5:15AM and did y morning rituals. After my shower, I got a phone call from Roch telling me he wanted to run with me since he is rehabbing a hip injury. That took a lot of stress off of me worry about holding up a group or being dropped from a group and getting lost or sum’n.

We headed over to UCSD’s track and did a short mile or so to warm up and then hit the track for drills. Roch and I just ran 3 min on 2 min off. We worked on my running form. I have been practicing on my own in the afternoons by runnin a couple miles down by the beach trying to reshape my horrible nonproductive form. I am doing better hitting on my mid foot rather than my heel. In changing my style I got another massive blister, but I don’t care because I could have run ALL DAY LONG!! I really could have. I don’t know why and I am not sure if I will be able to do it again, but after somewhere around maybe 2.5 miles, I was just getting pumped, but the there was the blister.

After returning to get some grub and shower we headed to the meeting room to hear a lecture from Faris Al Sultan. Now many of you will know him, but for those of you who aren’t as familiar with him, he won Kona, Hawaii Ironman last year. He kicks butt. More than that . . . he is as cool as the other side of the pillow, just an all around cool dude.

He is pictured, with me, in at the top of this post. He didn’t speak, rather he just took questions. There were many and then he signed the Triathlete Magazine cover where he was pictured for winning Hawaii.

Wow, I am having a blast.

Again, I would advise anyone who enjoys this sport or is thinking about taking it on to attend this camp. There are all levels here. There are groups that could be pros to me, my individual group, but I get a lot of one on one attention, so it works out.

Until tomorrow . . .

The Day of Redemption . . . Sorta

Redemption?

I find myself regretting moments in my life as I had yesterday. There is no use for that, none the less, I regret it.

Today has made that regret much worse since I woke in high spirits avoiding all mirrors and focusing on the day that lay ahead. The sun was coming up, the air was crisp and chilly, and the soul was shinning, soulshine shining.

All of these things left me thinking about what the day could have been yesterday, but no worries as the my Canadian friends here say relentlessly.

We took a short ride, about 1 ½ miles to the pool. I think we did about 1,200 all together?? It was nice. We practiced the drills Roch taught us and the filmed in the water. I felt great. I love the water. I think I may have been a turtle in a previous life, maybe an otter, I like otters. As I swim I always feel fluid and . . . thin actually. I can’t explain it really, but I feel the water elongates me somehow?? Later we watch the video, I probably will recant this feeling thin thing once I see that!!

After we finished in the pool we headed out for our ride. In Louisiana, no hills, none, Nadda! In San Diego, Hills. But we didn’t hit the really tough hills, we only hit the steady long hills and I almost lost my cookies twice and had an out of body experience once, until I almost ran off the road. I came back to in body quite quickly.

My highlight was having Heather Fuhr as my personal coach today. Wow, so cool and easy going and makes you feel good about yourself, even when you clip in and layout flat on your back in the middle of the road. Yes, that would have been me. I hit the ground like a rock, however, to even my surprise, I got my big butt up lightning fast!

I told her about the only other time I had fallen, in Georgia, when I feel UNDER a car. I was pulling up to a red light and was clipping out (taking my foot off) of the right pedal, but the bike began to lean to the right. There was a car full of nice looking women to my left. I proceeded to tilt and fall onto and then under their car. Smooth, that’s what they call me.

Back to my awesome day. Heather and I rode and she helped me with my pedal stroke, I tend to lead with my toe and I need to have my heel flatter or even lead with my heel. We think that is why my calves cramp so much.

We did a little more than 18 miles today and called it quits. I had a great day.

To top it off, as you see above, Mechellie Jones and Heather took a picture with me!! Woo Hoo! They are just too cool, what a great sport.

If you don’t know, Heather is a Hawaii winner in 96, and multi winner of Lake Placid, and several other IronMan races.

Mechellie (Pronounced mAkili, sorta) was second and led most of Hawaii last season and was silver in the 06 Olympics. She will win Hawaii very soon.

Off to lunch.

Again, thank you all so much, my success is a result of your commitment to me and I cherish you dearly.

A Follow Up From THe Last Post . . .

Thank you all . . .

The day was not lost.

I went to the lectures on Heart Rate Training and the Periodization Training and learned a great deal. I am looking forward to utilizing it in my workouts.

Afterwards I hung out by the pool, still feeling a little awkward about missing the morning events. I know I shouldn’t worry about all that stuff I have no control over, but I do. The good news is that Paul Huddle, one of the coaches spent about 45 minutes with me. We talked and I expressed my morning distress to him and he was very helpful to my state of being for the day. After our talk, I feel better, I feel OK. That may not seem like much, however feeling “OK” in times like this is a lot, because I like being OK, on many levels.

I will report tomorrow after the morning events and let you know how I did.

Thanks again to all of you for my messages; I am not sure what the day would have become without them.

Until tomorrow . . .

Ashamed . . . Struggling.

Shame

I woke this morning at 5:40AM and showered. Put on my cycling gear and packed my swim gear in a bag.

Today is cycling skills and swim taping. Then some great lectures this afternoon.

After I packed I sat on the bed. I looked in the mirror and began to destroy myself. I don’t know how I do this. I was out of my mind excited about this camp. I thought about all of the pro triathletes I would meet, the things I would learn, the skills I would acquire and I was pumped!

There some great people here running this camp. Roch Frey is really cool. He set my bike and I do feel good on it. Heather Fhur is very nice. Paula Newby-Fraser is a spark plug, she is funny. Great group of people here.

Yesterday we did some different tests and heard from Danny, who works with Pros on the running form and in particular orthopedic support. And Roch went over swim technique and a few nice drills for us to work on. I had a great time.

Then this morning happened.

As I sat there looking into that damn mirror, the destruction of all that was good until that moment had begun. I systematically ripped my confidence and motivation apart. I thought about not being able to do these hills people were talking about. I began to see myself in my swim suit and how disgusting I look to myself. I literally pushed myself into a depression in about 10 minutes.

I sat on the bed, took off my sandals and convinced myself to stay in my room.

This camp is not cheap. As a matter of fact, my wife was not thrilled with the cost, but she was excited about the idea so she accepted the cost. Now I have let her and me down. I am still sitting in my room and I am contemplating my choices this morning and what in the world to do next.

I missed the ride and swim taping because of my inferiorities. It is not like this is a camp of hundreds; this is a small group for strong interaction with the coaches. The coaches know I wasn’t there.

ISN’T THIS SICK!!!!! I am angry at myself right now and I am shaking.

I am ashamed now and just want to disappear from this camp.

I will go have lunch next door.

I am so ashamed at myself. Why can I not succeed at this fat thing? Why am I so destructive of myself? Why can I succeed at ANYTHING else in my life and accomplish so much, but fail consistently, time and time again.

I am stronger than this. I am smarter than this. However, I can’t do it.

The destruction continues . . .

Multi Sports Tri Camp . . .Here I come!

http://www.multisports.com/camps.shtml

Today begins my first day of the 2006 race season. I am in Dallas/Ft. Worth sitting in the airport on a 3 ½ hour lay-over, woo hoo! I am heading to San Diego for my 5 day triathlon camp.

Do you ever find yourself looking around an unusual setting, daydreaming, wondering why you are there?

That is where I am right now, sitting here in Dallas. In 5 hours I will be in San Diego with 35 triathlete studs, I am assuming. The camp brochure and description says this week of training is for triathletes of “all” levels.

Did they mean the 400 pound level?

I began to stress Sunday on my drive from Shreveport to Baton Rouge. That is one thing about my work; I have long drives that allow for deep thinking. As Amanda and I cruised down the interstate, I began to dwell on my inferiorities and slowly the magnitude of this week began to smother me.

Amanda and I had a wonderful morning in bed Tuesday. Easy . . . Not that kind of wonderful, or at least I will never tell about that. I was really struggling with attending this camp and my weight. As you all know I sent in my video and application to the Biggest Loser and next week I am flying to Los Angeles for an open audition. We talked about the many things culminating in my life that has to do with my health.

My wife was such a wonderful support foe me, as she always is, however on that particular morning, she was brilliant.

I am I need of a different life when it comes to food. I am trying to re-introduce myself to food in a style that makes food a part of my life instead OF my life.

However, for today . . . I tackle a new experience in my library of this thing called life. I will walk into the camp with a smile and my chin high. I know triathlon folk. They will be stoked to see the 400 pound triathlete. I will do my best and push myself to new limits. I will be proud of myself and take time to enjoy each day with the eyes of a child, for this is how I must re-learn or re-introduce myself to the new relationship of health, as though it were for the first time, as though I were a child.

Until tomorrow when I update you of the first day in camp, be brilliant and be kind to someone. We all need it.