Newton Motion running shoe review
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, The leader among the new breed of running shoe companies is Newton Running. In fact, you could make the case that Newton ushered in recent movement among running… Read More
Tag Archive: training
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6x World Champion Dave Scott on fatherhood, Kona, and the abyss
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Ironman is what it is today because of one man; Dave Scott. Although he didn’t create the race, he quickly became the most dominant figure in the sport… Read More
Can love save us from ourselves?
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Sometimes I imagine the room they found him in. The sheer linen shades pulled across the windows. The sun coming through them creating soft white light across the… Read More
Outrunning the Storm
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I decided to try something new in my training. For 10 plus years I’ve done my long ride on Saturday and my long run on Sunday. That’s standard… Read More
Live to Fight another day
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I had a decent training session on Saturday. I met my friends Daniel and Jeff at a country market near the house at 6am to start our ride. We… Read More
BASE Performance review
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, After 12 years of training and racing I’ve used a lot of products. In fact, that’s probably the most common question I get from new or aspiring runners… Read More
Shut off the voice that says you can’t
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Saturday I had a training breakthrough. Those are hard to come by at this stage of training and racing. I’ve been doing triathlons for a long time, so real… Read More
Peanut Butter Gu and Gu Roctane review
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I’ve become a bit notorious for my shifting nutrition strategies during training and racing. Some have worked and some have been a disaster (see my long walk at… Read More
A New Adventure: Why I decided to guide a blind athlete through a triathlon
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I got a phone call from an old friend on Monday. It was one of those moments when you hear from someone that you haven’t talked with in… Read More
Triathlon and The Endless Summer
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I was tired Sunday night. I did a long ride that morning and the rest of the day was full of activities, including the VBS closing celebration at… Read More
The Ken Coleman Show interview
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I did my first radio interview on Saturday. I was on the Ken Coleman Show where Ken and I talked about balancing parenting and pursuing your dreams with… Read More
Louis Garneau Elite Lazer Tek 2 tri top and bottoms review
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Triathletes are a loyal bunch. Although I’ve worn other apparel over the years, I still remember my first tri suit. It was a one piece Louis Garneau number.… Read More
30 Ironmans in a single year? And a father of 5? Meet James Lawrence: “The Iron Cowboy”
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I want to introduce you to some awesome Moms and Dads as I write these letters to you. I’m doing my best to balance being a husband to… Read More
Rudy Project Wingspan TT Helmet review
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I have to be honest with you; Sometimes I look for short cuts – legal ways to save time or go faster. Especially in my racing. I wore… Read More
Don’t be afraid of your reflection
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I took this picture yesterday while I was sitting on the front porch watching you kids play. I was thinking about other things, but casually watching you play… Read More
Summer weekends at home
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, We had a great weekend. It was one of those rare times when there was no where we had to be: no birthday parties, no trips out of… Read More
How surf films changed my life
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, We’ve been de-cluttering the house a little. Less stuff will give us freedom. And freedom has become the thing that mommy and I desire most in our life… Read More
Walking home
Dear Izzy, Max and Kate, I felt a little pain my calf muscle about 10 days ago. I pretended I didn’t. But 10 years into this triathlon thing I couldn’t just overlook it. I nursed… Read More
Why every kid should be a swim team kid
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I failed out of swim lessons. I’ve never even heard of a kid failing swim lessons, but your nana swears that I did when we lived in Belgium. Apparently… Read More
Rudy Project Zyon Sailing review
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I’ll never forget the first time I put on a pair of “good” sunglasses. I picked up a pair of Rudy Project sunglasses 10 years ago at a… Read More
The mix1 Project
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, When I was a teenager I was disciplined (with some things). As a wrestler I cut from my summer weight of 140 lbs down to 112 lbs for… Read More
Starting lines and finish lines: How to be Grateful
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Here’s my confession: I haven’t run a step or biked a mile since Rev3 Knoxville two weeks ago. I’m going a little stir-crazy. I took the normal week… Read More
The man’s guide to leg shaving: a step-by-step photo tutorial
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I’ve been shaving my legs for years. I resisted the peer pressure in my first year of racing, but gave in in year 2. I won’t list the… Read More
Why I decided get rid of my stuff
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I’ve been overwhelmed a lot lately. Something’s been tugging at me, pulling me under, causing stress in my life that I can’t identify. I haven’t been sure how… Read More
5 Ways to be a faster swimmer
I’m often asked for swimming advice, so I thought I’d post my most frequent tips here: Swim downhill – Most rookie swimmers tend to drag their legs like an anchor behind them. This… Read More
Watching your kids grow and the inevitable slope of time
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, A few years ago I remember sitting on the front porch on a warm spring day. I was feeling melancholy that day despite the weather change that normally… Read More
Inspiration, VIP parties, mud, BBQ, and getting lucky: Dad 2.0 Vision Quest Part 2
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, After the emotional trip to Dad 2.0 I wanted to just kick back and have some fun with the other writers and dads. I met so many cool… Read More
One Dad’s Vision Quest at Dad 2.0 Summit part 1
Dear Izzy Max, and Kate, I boarded an airplane last Thursday morning bound for Austin, TX. The idea was to attend Dad 2.0 Summit with my old friend Michael (friends since 5th grade),… Read More
Don’t be afraid…
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I stumbled upon this piece of art today. My friend’s sister made it. She creates cool stuff at Pitter Patter Art. I’ll let the message speak for itself,… Read More
Hello, I’m Uranus (plus the weekend training wrap up)
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, This weekend was what I consider the first big training weekend in my build up to Rev3 Half Ironman. Saturday I went on a 52 mile ride with… Read More
Confessions of a Bananasaurus
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, This morning I had a great swim. It seems that the sun and warmer temperatures are finally helping me break out of the funk I’ve been in with… Read More
Nothing is real if you don’t believe in who you are
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, The little kid in the picture grew up on Rocky Balboa. That’s your daddy in 1985. I wanted to be Rocky when I was kid. Sometimes I still do.… Read More
How Kids add Fluffy Clouds
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Last night before dinner I decided to sketch a friend for the “runner dude” I sketched earlier this week. Kate, you took particular interest in the process. What… Read More
Peeing off the deck and other things Dad’s should teach their kids
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, As I watch you all I grow I’m always coming up with random things that make me think “hey, that was a good thing to teach the kids.… Read More
We just called it spaghetti
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I came home from work early yesterday because Mommy was sick. That’s a good thing for Dad’s and husbands to do. The goodwill Dad’s create by coming home early and letting their… Read More
The Wrinkled Shirt
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I wear wrinkled shirts alot these days. A long time ago your Nana used to starch and press them for me, then before you kids came along I… Read More
The Hulk, weak as a kitten
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, It was a strange weekend at home. Izzy, you went to Aunt Carolyn’s in Knoxville with Grandma and Grandfather for a short visit so we missed you! Meanwhile… Read More
Don’t miss it
Valentines Mug shots from Max and Kate Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Lately I’ve been wrestling with what I’ve decided is an addiction to noise. Our modern lives are filled with it: email,… Read More
How a triathlete does the Truffle Shuffle
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I blame you. I blame you for causing me to gain 20 pounds since Ironman Boulder 70.3 in August! Once I started training again the reality of the extra pounds… Read More
Crushed cheez-its. Smashed poptarts. It’s okay.
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate I’m constantly trying to improve as a father. Mommy reminds me regularly that I’m already doing a great job, but to me if there’s one thing I need… Read More
It’s not the money, It’s the effort
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Happy Valentines Day! Thats your mommy cruising Charleston harbor in 1999. We loved Charleston very much. We lived there on Seabrook Island for the first year that we… Read More
Let Them Eat Cake
Busted! Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I ran my first 5k race since 2007 on Saturday morning. It was 24 degrees with 20mph winds. Luckily most of the race was on the heavily… Read More
Family Friday
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, I’ve been interested in our family history of late. I have lots of old pictures to share with you, but I’ll start here. This one is from 1939.… Read More
Don’t let your dreams be dreams
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Although “dreamer” sometimes carries a negative connotation, I think it’s okay to admit to being one, but only if it’s accompanied by action. When mommy and I first… Read More
Get to / Have to
Dear Izzy, Max, and Kate, Today is my rest day, so I didn’t get to do any training today. Did you catch that? I didn’t “get” to rather than “have” to. There’s a big… Read More
Chapters of Life
Dear Izzy, Max and Kate, We’ve had a busy weekend, so it’s been a few days since I’ve written to you. Mommy and I pulled out some old pictures this weekend, because mommy… Read More
The best thing I did today
Dear Izzy, Max and Kate, I’ve taken the last couple of days off from work just relax and get my head screwed on right before I tackle some new projects and challenges at… Read More
