10 Truths of No-Bullshit Triathlon Training.

tomdemerly

By Tom Demerly for tomdemerly.com

Triathlon is big business now. With profits to earn and gadgets to sell how do you cut through the marketing haze and decide what really gets you to the finish line?

There are 2,377 books about triathlon on Amazon.com. An online seminar, a Facebook page and- bam, anyone is a triathlon coach. Add triathlon forums, that guy with an M-Dot tattoo dispensing advice and the amount of bullshit heaped on new triathletes is harder to cut through than the swim pack at Lake Placid.

Here are 10 no-bullshit, hardcore, old-skool insights on triathlon training. No quick-starts, no “12 Weeks to Ironman” plans. They aren’t easy, they aren’t pretty, but they produce results. You may not like them, you may disagree with them, but history proves these are solid producers for getting better.

1. Fire your coach.

You don’t need them and they’re probably not qualified. You…

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Haiyan/Yolanda Relief Operations in SG [Working Document]

Sections:
I want to volunteer!
I want to donate in kind!
I want to donate cash!
In what other events can I participate?

I want to volunteer!

Platitos SG
Volunteers needed to sort donations
When: Nov 16-17 (Sat-Sun), 12 nn – 12 mn
Where: 1 Tras Link, #01-08 (nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar)
Site: https://www.facebook.com/platitosSG/info

Pinoygraphers / Kigwa Badminton Group / Bagong Bayani / LBC
When: Nov 16 (Sat), 8-10 pm
Where: Marina Bay Sands (in front of Louis Vuitton)
Site: https://www.facebook.com/PinoygrapherSg

Singapore Red Cross
Volunteers needed to man the hotlines and fund collection booths.
Site: http://www.redcross.org.sg
Contact: 6664 0500

GK Singapore
Volunteers needed to handle volume of calls, and office manager Claire Pascua urgently needs help for a number of disaster-related efforts (1-2 people needed a day to help).
Where: 352 Tanglin Road, #01-02 Strathmore Block
Contact: cpascua@gk1world.com or 8522-4098

Bayanihan Center
Volunteers needed for packing goods
Contact: Bembit Villa bembit.bosavilla@gmail.com

I want to donate in kind!

LBC (in partnership with the Phil. Red Cross) @ Lucky Plaza
Goods needed: canned/bottled food, medicine, bottled water/juice/milk, sleeping bags, mosquito nets, toiletries, laundry detergent/soap
When: Until Nov 30
Where: LBC Lucky Plaza, #03-46, 304 Orchard Road (nearest MRT: Orchard)
Contact: 800-1012708

Kigwa Badminton Group @ Yio Chu Kang Sports Hall
Goods needed: Clothes, food, etc.
When: Nov 16 (Sat), 8 am – 3 pm, during GOB’s Cup Filipino Badminton Tournament
Where: Yio Chu Kang Sports Hall (nearest MRT: Yio Chu Kang)
Site: https://www.facebook.com/PinoygrapherSg

Platitos SG
Goods needed: canned/bottled food, medicine, bottled water/juice/milk, sleeping bags, mosquito nets, toiletries, laundry detergent/soap
When: Nov 16-17 (Sat-Sun), 12 nn – 12 mn
Where: 1 Tras Link, #01-08 (nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar)
Site: https://www.facebook.com/platitosSG/info

Macoline (S) Pte Ltd @ Jurong Port Road
Goods needed: bottled water, ready-to-eat/canned food, biscuits, baby needs (milk powder, diapers, wipes, etc.), feeding bottles, old clothes (pls do not send torn or tattered clothes), used children’s/baby clothes, blankets, slippers
When: Mon-Fri, 9 am – 5 pm until Nov 20 (Wed)
Where: 31 Jurong Port Road, #05-20 Jurong Logistics Hub 619115
Site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/179859388876067/

I want to donate cash!
(source: Website of the Embassy of the Philippines, Singapore: http://www.philippine-embassy.org.sg/news/2013/11/typhoon-yolanda-relief-assistance/)

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC)
Account Name : NDRRMC Donated Funds
Account Numbers: 0435-021927-030 (Peso Account);
0435-021927-530 (Dollar Account);
Swift Code : DBPHPHMM Account #36002016
Address: Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Camp Aguinaldo Branch, PVAO Compound, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippines 1110
Contact Person: Ms. Rufina A. Pascual
Contact Number: (632) 421-1920;911-5061 to 65 local 116
Email : accounting@ocd.gov.ph; website : http://www.ndrrmc.gov.ph

2. Philippine Red Cross (PRC)
http://www.redcross.org.ph; Tel. (632)527-0000
Banco De Oro: (Peso)00-453-0018647; (Dollar) 10-453-0039482; Swift Code: BNORPHMM
Metrobank: (Peso)151-3-041631228; (Dollar)151-2-15100218-2; Swift Code: MBTCPHMM
Philippine National Bank: (Peso)3752 8350 0034; (Dollar) 3752 8350 0042; Swift Code: PNBMPHMM
Unionbank of the Philippines: (Peso)1015 4000 0201; (Dollar) 1315 4000 0090; Swift Code: UBPHPHMM
Donations can also be sent via Groupon SG: http://www.groupon.sg/deals/singapore/Singapore-Red-Cross-Society/717760697

3. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Account No.: 3124-0055-81
Bank Branch Address: Land Bank of the Philippines, Batasan, Quezon City, Philippines
Contact Person: Ms. Fe Catalina Ea
Contact No.: (632)931-8101 local 226; CP(632)918-628-1897
Website: http://www.dswd.gov.ph

4. Singapore Food Bank
Cash donations needed to fund food packs to be sent to the Philippines
To donate, go to http://www.foodbank.sg/masaya/
Contact: nichol@foodbank.sg or shermain@foodbank.sg

In what other events can I participate?

Mass for the special intention of the typhoon victims
When: Nov 15 (Fri), 8pm
Where: St. Ignatius Church, 120 Kings Road.

GK Singapore’s 5k/10k Fun Run (apologies for the seemingly inappropriate name but only this week was it converted to a fundraiser specifically for Typhoon Yolanda)
When: Nov 24, flag-off at 7 am
Where: Bedok Reservoir
Site: http://runtobuild.gksingapore.org/

 

Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dHZDkITH7tvCXq3VhAksDCFMDi2Mxyc714OyuzY5DjI/edit

Playground: Katong Swimming Complex

Location: along Wilkinson Rd.
Nearest MRT station: Mountbatten MRT

This was the  swimming complex where I relearned how to swim. During my first session here back in 2009, I was not able to finish a 50m. Over the past years, with some friends, I started to build a bit more endurance and confidence. During my injury years, the swimming complex’ teaching pool was a source of comfort and therapy.

The complex offers a wading pool, 50m teaching pool, 50m lap pool, and a kiddie pool. Friendly staff. Clean changing rooms and shower.

Through a prayer

On the 26th of April, we attended a weekday mass. At the end of the ceremony, I asked her to kneel and pray with me.

 

Lord,

Thank you for bringing Jewella back home to me. Thank you for keeping her safe during her stay in Iligan, in keeping her healthy until she has come back to my arms. I am grateful for all that you have given to both of us. Thank you for our families and friends who have continued to love and support us. Please continue to keep them safe and strong. Continue to bless them as you have blessed me and Jewella.

In front of you Lord, I make this solemn promise to continue to love and cherish Jewella. I promise to take care of her the best I can. I know that to promise the world to her is impossible but she means the world to me and through you I offer myself to her, now, and especially as we take this next step in our life together…

If she accepts.

Trifactor 2013 – 3K Swim

A month ago, I finished a sprint distance triathlon. Yeah, great! A month after that, just last Sunday, I finished my first 3km open water swim. A tick off the bucketlist but not one that was easily breezed through. Swimming is relatively easy for me if it were only in the pool but dealing with current, salt water, and other swimmers is a totally different ball game. Never mind that I sort of have experienced the same during past triathlons but this 3km swim was more than just sprinting towards the finish.

 

Playground: Fort Canning

Location: Fitness corner at Fort Canning Park at the River Valley entrance. I think the future Fort Canning MRT station will be quite close to this side of the park.

This playground was introduced to me by a friend fitness trainer and we have been using the place for a while now. Instead of the matted flooring, you get to play on sand. A nice hill and some stairs for a bit of cardio. Step ups, 2 height pull up bars, flat bench, inclined bench, 3 weight logs, and several chairs for dips.

Playground: Geylang Park Connector

Location: Along Geylang river between Dakota MRT and Mountbatten MRT stations.

One of my playgrounds for the past 3 months. Monkey bars, 3 heights pull up bars, parallel bars, flat bench, inclined bench, and several chairs for dips.

A little bit of body weight exercises and running for much needed improvement to my fitness level. 🙂

Bayon

Metasprint Series 2013

Well, the past 4 months of training and tweaking have paid off. I didn’t drown. I didn’t fall off my bike. I didn’t collapse despite the heat during the run.

Yup! After the Aquathlon last February and the Duathlon last March, I have done the Triathlon yesterday. It wasn’t easy, for sure, but it was great fun! I was not the strongest nor was I the fastest. But damn right I did my hardest.

It’s true what they say. Getting into the sport requires a lot of commitment, especially when you need to get up at 430 in the morning to pedal or run. More than motivation from friends, it requires you to give a constant reminder to yourself on why you’re doing this.

 

To my training buddies, to our coach-by-force, to friends, and most especially to the one person who continued to support and cheer for me despite the distance, a huge huge thank you! I finished the race with a smile on my face.

I move on happy at what was done and looking forward to the next challenge… 😀

 

2012: A year in focus, of change

2012 turned out to be not what I expected when it began. Nevertheless, it allowed me to refocus and change. It was a difficult start of the year when I hurt my back and diagnosed with problem that had to make me stop doing a lot of things. I gave up a lot of things and it was difficult to get over the fact.

But when life gives you lemons, cut it in half and sprinkle over your salmon. Piece by piece, I guess, you can get back up your feet. Now, with new eyes and a different perspective, I’d probably be able to look back on 2012 and think of it as when hell of a meal.