Toby’s Blog
Sighting in Triathlon Swimming
Most triathletes do not come from a swimming background. Many were once cyclists or runners who only grudgingly accepted having to swim. If they were lucky, they could find open bodies of water for swimming practice and training. Most though don’t have that luxury, like me. Living in the desert affords me very few open water swimming opportunities so I spend hours following that little black line back and forth and back and forth… Thankfully, I enjoy swimming so that doesn’t bother me, well, doesn’t bother me much. ...
read moreTriathlon Race Checklist
Lists, lists, and more lists. Who doesn’t love and hate them? We make them because they work but far too often just ignore them, even after we’ve made them. Why is that? Who knows, your guess is as good as mine. I hate to admit it, but even I sometimes make these amazing checklists that are sure to dramatically improve my life. Then, I leave them on my desk, under a stack of papers, eventually putting them in the recycling. Rather ridiculous isn’t it? I spend time working on something to help me but then ignore it. ...
read more2013 Ironman Boise 70.3 Race Report
Hey, I just met you… And this is crazy… But, here’s my number… So call me maybe! Carly Rae Jepsen, 2011 There were other things that happened before this moment at the Ironman Boise 70.3 event, my third time racing at the Boise Half-Ironman, but in my mind that was how my day really started. Normally, the music playing at pre-race is a mixture of various upbeat songs. Some are good and some are so-so. But, at Ironman Boise, the playlist was a bit more eclectic than normal. That was how I found myself absentmindedly...
read moreLosing Weight and Your BMR
Looking to lose weight? Get leaner? Gain muscle? Get toned? Regardless of your fitness objectives, you need to know how to do something before you can actually do it. Yes, there are things where you simply start and learn by trial and error but most endeavors require some basic amount of foundational knowledge. Losing weight or any other fitness-related goal is a great example. If you wanted to lose weight, you might simply start restricting your eating to limit your caloric intake. This might work, for a while. You might shed...
read moreAvoiding the Top 10 Triathlon Mistakes
What gives me the right to dispense advice about avoiding common triathlon mistakes? Well, I’ve been racing for over five years. I’ve done six Ironman events (including Ironman St. George in 2012, yeah, THAT year and Ironman Lake Tahoe in 2013, yeah, THAT year too). I’ve been a Level 1 Coach with USA Triathlon since 2011. Most importantly, at least to me, I love this sport. (Oh, as an aside, I have made many of these mistakes. You can read my race reports for some of the more glorious Chernobyls, if you like.) Does...
read moreHealthy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
I’ve been pretty lucky in my life when it comes to traveling. I’ve been to three different continents. I’ve visited dozens of countries. I’ve been able to see some pretty amazing things. One of the things I love the most about traveling is sampling the local food. Sometimes it can be dreadful (e.g. Meat Pies covered in Green Pea Soup from a Street Truck at 2am in Australia – of course, I did eat these after many hours of enjoying some adult beverages… but I digress). On the other hand, it can also be...
read moreWildflower Triathlon Race Report
Wildflower is truly the One and Only. Having done this race three times, I can say it is by far one of my most favorite events. However, I must start this race report with a pretty depressing statistic. You see, Wildflower has a historical reputation of being somewhat of a party. The Expo is more festival than than anything else. The energy of the event, while extremely high, is very mellow. The vibe exudes laid-back coolness. Oh, and periodic nudity. That’s right: naked college kids. Now, the rumor is that Tri-California...
read moreVegetable Hummus Quinoa Wrap
While on a family vacation (and Beachbody Success Club Celebration) at Disney World, I unsurprisingly struggled finding healthy stuff to eat. My family and I did not have the luxury of a kitchen or even kitchenette in our hotel room. We did have a kick ass view, but that didn’t help me eat vegetables. Or feed them to my kids. More to the point, it seemed as if most of Walt and his minions were conspiring to prevent me from eating vegetables or tricking my kids into eating them. I had no way to make my Vegetable Shakes. I had no...
read morePerfect Pull-Ups Using Resistance Bands
What is it about pull-ups? They are tough, yet awesome. People that can do them, and do them well, just seem to project complete awesomeness. It’s like they know some super incredible secret and will never share it. Jerks. Why must they simply be so badass??? Ever watched someone bust out ten, fifteen, or even twenty flawless and smooth pull-ups? When done, he or she (yes, I just said she) is often the envy of everyone who just witnessed the display. Being good at pull-ups has been scientificaly proven to induce...
read moreLeadman Sprint Triathlon Race Report
When I mapped out my 2013 race calendar in December of 2012, the Leadman Triathlon was never included. Frankly, it didn’t even make the round of possible races. I didn’t want to swim in Tempe Town Lake. I didn’t want to race in the burgeoning Arizona summer heat. I only wanted to focus on training and long course events. But sometimes, you just have to seek redemption. After Ironman California two weeks ago, I needed to do something. That race was just so bitterly disappointing to me and I wanted that memory replaced...
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