tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71022254395256117982024-03-05T18:36:45.614-05:00Jeremy HagermanThe untrained, unfit and unwilling present a risk... Those with a mastery of skill, sharp mind, fit body and full heart present a resource. At the time of true test aim to be the best resource available so that the decision may rest in the moment and the benefit. Preparation of mind, body and skill lies within our control, the moment does not.
~ Fire Service Warrior 2011Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-15967241311660604732014-10-13T21:35:00.005-04:002014-10-13T21:35:47.434-04:00Registered for Ironman Louisville 2015!I've recently talked with a few people about Ironman races and Ultra runs; during a few recent conversations, I've pointed to people to this blog to review my past race reports. It's dawned on me that with the business of <a href="http://motiv8training.com/">Motiv8Training.com</a> I haven't spent any time updating this. This past weekend as Ironman Kona aired, the World Championships of triathlon, I really started to think about how I missed long distance racing. With the gym opening and the busyness of scheduling and maintaining classes, I've put my training and racing to the side. At the same time, my training and racing has largely been a part of how and why I got to where I am as a coach and trainer. <br />
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I was slated to run a 100k in January but the event was cancelled last month. I wasn't prepared for it so it didn't break my heart not to do it. However, at the same time, I wanted to use it as a proponent to my coaching techniques and for my athletes to see that I follow the advice I give. There have been several recent 'things' that have made me think about completing another Ironman, beyond the sheer addiction to the event and training. The tipping point came this past weekend as 2 other people on Team Motiv8 had recently registered for IM Louisville but then with Kona taking place, I felt that it was time to go again! I mentioned the idea to Becky as we were driving to some friends house to stream the Kona race; she didn't say "no", rather, she said that it would be a good long term goal.... when we got to our friends house, I registered.<br />
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Ironman Louisville - what do I know about the race.... nothing. I did no research on it before I signed up. I knew a few things about the swim start and basic location, but nothing of course maps or elevation. The geek in me was on fire to start researching and to start mapping out a training plan. This week I hope to have that plan finished.<br />
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More to come soon, but in 362 days and about 9 hours.... I will be racing <a href="http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/louisville.aspx" target="_blank">Ironman Louisville</a><br />
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<br />Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-74384159407611882302014-02-12T13:54:00.002-05:002014-02-26T10:58:01.542-05:002014 American Lung Association - Climb Detroit<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">I hope that each of you are doing well and are enjoying your 2014 year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">It can be difficult to approach friends and family for donations right now, so I've tried to come up with a modest request towards my fundraising efforts for the Fight For Air Climb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">All I ask is that if you have $5 or $10 to give, it will go towards lung health advocacy, research, and education. Everyone has been touched by lung disease, whether you or a loved one suffers from Asthma, COPD or Lung Cancer; we all know someone who has been affected. This past fall I was diagnosed with Asthma, so this year, this event takes on a new meaning for me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">In past years I have been honored to have the MSU Alumni Associate help me raise funds for this event and they have graciously provided a few unique opportunities to meet with Sparty and create some fun videos. If you have some time, feel free to watch the videos through the links at the bottom of this email. Sparty is a rather funny fellow! This year, as in years past, I will be completing the 70 story stair climb in full fire fighter gear, complete with my helmet and air pack on my back. That’s almost 100 pounds of extra gear. No doubt, this is a difficult challenge!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Your money not only fights lung disease but it will aid in the fight for clean air – something we need! Over the past few years the American Lung Association has helped fund successful campaigns to eliminate indoor smoking at restaurants as well as a generated a lot of essential research and support for those with chronic breathing problems.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Some of you have supported me with large dollar amounts in previous years, please consider continuing your efforts in support of this journey. Every $5 donation will make a difference, so if you'd like to donate please do so by visiting my personal fundraising page. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Follow this link to make a secure donation to the ALA Climb Detroit event:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://action.lung.org/goto/jhagerman" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://action.lung.org/goto/<wbr></wbr>jhagerman</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">If you would like to register to join me in the fight for clean air, please let me know!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">MSU Alumni Association and Sparty Videos<br />2012: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3U_qFpeDaE" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/<wbr></wbr>watch?v=l3U_qFpeDaE</a><br />2013: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwMBxmjyRTs" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/<wbr></wbr>watch?v=ZwMBxmjyRTs</a><br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN5PtSdjiXA" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.<wbr></wbr>com/watch?v=NN5PtSdjiXA</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Previous blog posts about this event (the links in the blogs below are outdated, please do not follow them to make donations)<br />Spartans Helping Spartans blog: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://spartanshelpingspartans.com/2012/02/22/a-cause-worth-climbing-for/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>spartanshelpingspartans.com/<wbr></wbr>2012/02/22/a-cause-worth-<wbr></wbr>climbing-for/</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><br />Post event report - "How it feels": </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><a href="http://jhagerman.blogspot.com/2012/03/climb-detroit-report-2012.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://jhagerman.blogspot.com/<wbr></wbr>2012/03/climb-detroit-report-<wbr></wbr>2012.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Please feel free to forward this post or share any of the above links to Facebook or other social media outlets to help generate donations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Thank you,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">Jeremy Hagerman<br />Motiv8 Fitness and Training<br />St Johns, MI </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"><br />Motiv8Training.com</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"></span></div>
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Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-91592110703094873462013-02-27T10:42:00.004-05:002013-02-27T10:42:46.572-05:00Body MediaGood news to my followers - I have partnered with Body Media to bring you more tools to help you in your weight loss journey! Just like what you see on the <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/" target="_blank">NBC's The Biggest Loser</a>.<br />
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The armband has 2 options. The first option has a Bluetooth connection to your phone (iPhone or Android based) with an app that helps you track your progress through the day. The second option is for the armband to connect to your computer or give you feedback through a separate pod. You can also track heart rate by purchasing a heart rate strap (although this is a 3rd party option).<br />
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<a href="http://bodymedia.ojrq.net/c/50758/58883/1292" target="_blank">The Core Armband + Display is on sale right now for $129</a><br />
<a href="http://bodymedia.ojrq.net/c/50758/58883/1292" target="_blank">The LINK Armband (the one with the Bluetooth capability) is $149</a><br />
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When you buy a new Armband you also get 3 months free to their website (normally $6.95/month).<br />
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The benefit to the BodyMedia product is that you will get accurate feeback about your calorie expenditure, sleeping patterns and weight management. You can connect the BodyMedia with free apps such as MyFitnessPal (the app) to give you a detailed report of your daily calories consumed and expended. <br /><br />
Simply wear the armband throughout each day (except in the water) and you'll be given specific information to help you on your fitness journey! Better yet, work with a personal trainer, such as myself, and you'll benefit from direct day to day coaching about your progress. I will be able to track your day to day totals remotely, so as my client you don't have to live close to me. We can work together from across the world!<br />
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Follow the link below and check out the BodyMedia then contact me for coaching help!<br />
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<a href="mailto:Jeremy@Motiv8Training.com">Jeremy@Motiv8Training.com</a><br />
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Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-6771565654184005252013-02-21T10:02:00.003-05:002013-02-26T11:54:01.497-05:00Climb Detroit 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's time again to participate in the American Lung Association Fight for Air event: Climb Detroit! March 3rd, 2013 I will be climbing all 70 flights of the Detroit Renaissance Center in full firefighter turn out gear, complete with an air pack and helmet. </div>
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Last year our fire department had 8 guys step forward to raise money for the ALA. This year we have 5 members participating. Last year we exceeded our goal of raising $1000. This year we hope to move even farther forward with our fund raising; we hope to raise $5000. That's a big dollar amount! Donations can be made directly to the <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/ala/site/Donation2?idb=746143752&df_id=13160&FR_ID=5750&PROXY_ID=4775188&PROXY_TYPE=20&13160.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=vh8a6qdo82.app341b">American Lung Association through their secure website</a>. Follow the link to make a donation to our Team. </div>
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This year we are again honored to work with the <a href="http://alumni.msu.edu/">Michigan State University Alumni Association</a> to raise awareness of this event. They created this video during our first practice event at the MSU Spartan Stadium:</div>
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This week the <a href="http://alumni.msu.edu/">Michigan State University Alumni Association</a> added this video from our final practice at the Spartan Football Stadium:</div>
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<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1629352676"></span><span id="goog_1629352677"></span><br />
This event is now merely a week away! Last year I had completed a racing season full of speed work and interval training. This year I move forward after Ironman Florida, no doubt that I'll move a little more slowly but my heart stays the same: as a firefighter THIS IS job specific! Every step counts. This makes me better at what I do for the residents that my department protects.<br />
<br />
Meridian Township's HOMTV also completed an interview with me as well as Kristen, the Fire Department Secretary and with Cheryl Smoot of the American Lung Association. Josh did a great job over several days to get this broadcast completed. The video is about 25 minutes in length but I believe that it gives another perspective about the overall effectiveness of this fund raising campaign.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Jeremy is the owner of Motiv8 Fitness and Training and maintains certifications as a USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach and USAT Youth and Junior Coach, USA Gymnastics Instructor, ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and ASCA Level 2 Swim Coach. Jeremy is a full time firefighter/paramedic with more than 13 years of experience. He maintains license as a Paramedic , ACLS and BLS Certifications, Firefighter 1 and 2, Fire Officer 1,2 and 3, HAZMAT Operations, Trench Rescue and Wildland Firefighter. Most importantly, he is married to an avid outdoor enthusiast and they have two young daughters who love adventuring. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Twitter @JeremyHagerman<br />Motiv8Training.com</span><br />
<br />Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-48273251712117894052013-02-21T09:24:00.000-05:002013-02-21T09:26:37.257-05:00A Picture Is Worth…<br />
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<b><i>A Picture Is Worth…</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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By Jeremy Hagerman<br />
February 2013<br />
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<!--[endif]-->The Great Lakes
surrounding the State of Michigan are nothing less than impressive. We've heard the words, “a picture is worth a
thousand words” and sometimes we fall short of the vocabulary to describe what
we intend to portray. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Last August a good friend and I decided to take a backwoods
camping trip, a guy’s trip that would become an annual event to mark our
manhood. Sounds crazy, I know, but as a
husband and father of two little girls, I am surrounded by Barbie dolls with
pink and purple toys (don’t get the wrong impression, I absolutely love my
ladies). We play outside and take
adventures to our local park and we travel with our pop-up camper to state
parks for an occasional family trip; sometimes we even just pop up the tent or
camper in the back yard.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I get outside on a regular basis but the thought of this
trip wouldn't leave my mind. I work as a
full time firefighter paramedic. I coach
athletes who are preparing for their season of triathlon training and I help
people who want to lead more healthy lifestyles. I love adventures and traveling, I enjoy
running and racing everything from the local 5k to Ultra marathons and the
Ironman triathlon. My training always
leads me outside and I love every minute of it.
I hit the local dirt trails to run or ride mountain bikes; I cruise for
hours out on my triathlon bike and will swim in almost any puddle I can find. You see, I grew up to love being outdoors.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I grew up in a small farm town. As a child I ran through in the woods and played
in the corn fields. I had a tree fort in
my back yard and real tire swing. My
grandparents owned a cabin on a small lake where we would ‘adventure’ in the
woods, go fishing and play. My father
owned a small sailboat and he used to take me out sailing with him. I have a picture of my dad and I sailing
around Crystal Lake in Mid-Michigan; it’s one of my favorite pictures of him
and me. My family would go camping at PJ
Hoffmaster State Park on weekends and I’ve spent more than a few hours playing
in Lake Michigan. As our family grew up
he needed something better to sail, he bought a bigger boat and we traveled
across Michigan to the inland lakes and sometimes to the “big lake” Lake
Michigan. Eventually he settled on a 30’
sailboat that couldn’t be towed around.
Darn the luck, we had to keep the boat at a marina in Muskegon and for
the next several years of my life we spent our summer weekends sailing Lake
Muskegon, venturing out into Lake Michigan and swimming off the boat. I took more pictures of our family vacations
than you could imagine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenlgEZcx7eSJX9pUFD2ip6AwwGqU9vs0EOx_tqVini-MUeXPswkxB-4WS7lHd4MVD7BxodMnRH__D6PN7gVNQlzap3rASae-cLtpU2gwoUvr2gFGxMBQiZ6scZ0kP_m1iY9SdlqTSQps/s1600/IMG_2502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenlgEZcx7eSJX9pUFD2ip6AwwGqU9vs0EOx_tqVini-MUeXPswkxB-4WS7lHd4MVD7BxodMnRH__D6PN7gVNQlzap3rASae-cLtpU2gwoUvr2gFGxMBQiZ6scZ0kP_m1iY9SdlqTSQps/s320/IMG_2502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<!--[endif]-->My buddy and I decided
that our “guy trip” needed to set the tone for all future adventures. We decided to go to Pictured Rocks National
Lakeshore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
We planned to hike for four days covering about 30 miles and we would
only take the supplies that we could fit into our backpacks. Of course, I took my camera and phone and he
had a video camera… you know, just the essential stuff. As we bought our back woods camping passes we
had no idea what we were in for. The
trip was amazing and I have more stories from that single trip than from most
of my recent races. The campgrounds have
a single fire ring and in the evening the other campers come together. We met a few campers and hikers, some just
out for the weekend, some were minimalists, others made several trips in to
bring all their camping stuff; one guy was a Sasquatch researcher, no joke. It wasn't perfect and there were a few
problems; I ran the North Country Trail 50 mile Ultra Marathon just the week
before our trip, my feet hurt, we packed too much stuff and it became hard on
our shoulders to carry, one of the tent poles broke, on the last night I
thought I heard a 'Squatch at our campsite although there was no such evidence
the next morning. It was tough, it was
demanding, it was… a guys trip. The trip
was a success and it was truly a fun experience. As expected, I took a bunch of pictures! While they all show part of our journey none
of them can explain the experience. Several
of the places we hiked past were breathtaking, especially the Coves.<br />
<br />
When I got home I shared my photos with my family. They thought some of the pictures were neat
but my girls were more interested in the “Bear Poo” chapstick that I bought for
them. Someday they will look at these
pictures and see something that sparks an inner voice to <i>go outside, adventure</i>.
Hopefully they will think that some of the pictures make me look like a
manly man, not afraid of the bears or Sasquatch. Someday, I hope to take them with me on
adventures like my parents did for my brother and me. Someday they will create memories where their
pictures will be beautiful but words will not be able to explain the beauty
they saw.<o:p></o:p><br />
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I've taken hundreds of photos of sunsets over the Great
Lakes; there always seems to be that <i>one</i>
picture that from every summer that you keep forever, you frame it and it
becomes your desktop background for weeks on end. Sometime this month, go visit one of our Great
Lakes and take a picture of the sunset or a sunrise with you and your friends
or family (yes, I know it’s cold… that’s one reason this picture will be
memorable). Make it your desktop
background or have it printed, post it at your desk or on your living room
wall. That picture may not hold the
resale value of the paper it was printed on but your experience will live on through
that picture for generations to come. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Start planning your next adventure. It doesn't have to be a crazy guy’s trip;
your adventure could be a day trip to a state park or a more extravagant
overnight stay in a Traverse City bed and breakfast. Plan to take a picture and as the sun sets
over one of our Great Lakes, be Great Lakes Proud - <a href="http://www.greatlakesproud.com/pages/about-us">http://www.greatlakesproud.com/pages/about-us</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rNdcLrOQo6HcSK6bRa6nJNRKC4nHptFiLzhEy3u0qGcuRHmvr-UWLg3ccRezGuBhADLw-wEnQxdQ-rknAGaRrpO8azDqrpYCGxyIBj03_z0mt742C7mHbRc_YJO8Pr84f3NLRe6uZpM/s1600/IMG_2533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rNdcLrOQo6HcSK6bRa6nJNRKC4nHptFiLzhEy3u0qGcuRHmvr-UWLg3ccRezGuBhADLw-wEnQxdQ-rknAGaRrpO8azDqrpYCGxyIBj03_z0mt742C7mHbRc_YJO8Pr84f3NLRe6uZpM/s200/IMG_2533.JPG" width="150" /></a><o:p> </o:p>Jeremy is the owner of
Motiv8 Fitness and Training and maintains certifications as a USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach and USAT Youth
and Junior Certification, USA Gymnastics Instructor, ISSA Certified Personal
Trainer and ASCA Level 2 Swim Coach. Jeremy
is a full time firefighter/paramedic with more than 13 years of experience. He maintains license as a paramedic , ACLS and BLS Certifications, Fire 1 and 2, Fire Officer 1,2 and 3, HAZMAT Operations, Trench Rescue and Wildland Firefighter. Most importantly, he is married to an avid
outdoor enthusiast and they have two young daughters who love adventuring. </div>
Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-88244243069720949472012-11-06T15:41:00.003-05:002012-11-07T22:53:52.123-05:00Race Report - Ironman Florida 2012<div style="text-align: center;">
Ironman Florida 2012 Race Report - aka IMFL '12</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBhtOkf4hUEaE4lli4p-_wRWVOLZa0TvIkuVnzh7khAl31t26eLA5K-nw0T7fTxl-kOkIFMOtELifXWagj4vSXju_yB6V6f_t3keUR32pHq1MWAo1UXWnoazretHfx7mh4mi4PI3Xpo8/s1600/IMG_3006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBhtOkf4hUEaE4lli4p-_wRWVOLZa0TvIkuVnzh7khAl31t26eLA5K-nw0T7fTxl-kOkIFMOtELifXWagj4vSXju_yB6V6f_t3keUR32pHq1MWAo1UXWnoazretHfx7mh4mi4PI3Xpo8/s1600/IMG_3006.JPG" /></a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnW9puBvOl_-pSvtIZV0OWy1Xd18RNSF_1FVOUFco-snvFpYN89fg7rQqPD7fVIS7eMInEaMi8wpSiBNpvuJWmcBYqL6kiyMEkf7BnlFWhmvARmQSv3b1GMKHL6uFClLKVDVIE9DiKETc/s1600/IMG_3010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnW9puBvOl_-pSvtIZV0OWy1Xd18RNSF_1FVOUFco-snvFpYN89fg7rQqPD7fVIS7eMInEaMi8wpSiBNpvuJWmcBYqL6kiyMEkf7BnlFWhmvARmQSv3b1GMKHL6uFClLKVDVIE9DiKETc/s320/IMG_3010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our hotel - directly onto the swim start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKxmmnZ4183TJvWgYWc2SyDBMTVtpQxY7m03aUrQFkkNKGuxdHMzVukRF-8-yteaa9WVn9y3PYkNY9PP-wIThUEDRi_bkf_XvoX893douiyarxFHbvujwhrf-h46s2D0MK5-z_iQM7Lo/s1600/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><b>Training </b>- I hired my coach specifically for this race. I based my selection process on his passion for the sport of triathlon, his past race experiences, his frighteningly similar family/work dynamics, and his overall base of knowledge and certifications. Sometimes the coach was happy with my results, sometimes he was on the verge of shear anger with my performance... on a few occasions he actually yelled at me for my poor performance. He's extremely detail oriented and always expects my personal best in each workout. I've known him for a long time and he's basically coached me for my entire career. I've seen how he coaches other people and I like his style, although sometimes he forgets to call me back. Who is this crazy coach? ME. I chose to coach myself through this journey to Ironman Florida, specifically for the above stated reasons. I wanted to be able to bring this to my own resume as a coach.<br />
<br />
All of that being said... I must be honest, leading up to this race I had minimal weekly
training. No joke, I cannot lie. I averaged 6-8 hours a week and
peaked at 14 hours. But I have an indomitable will and based my decision to continue self coaching from my successful performances leading up to this race - in 2012: a few Olympic distance triathlons, some shorter stuff, 3 specific IMFL workouts, a bike leg for a 70.3 relay and a 50 mile run. It's far from the ideal training/coaching standard but it would have to work. Working as a full time firefighter/paramedic for an organization that has several open firefighter positions and continues to show and increase in annual call volume proved to be very challenging. We are up a lot at night and cannot truly rest during the day. With the rotating 24 hour shift, I haven't had a 'normal' month of sleep for over 12 years. In the past I have been able to get in an hour of training / workout on shift, not so much in this past year. With lower staffing levels and higher call volume, we don't have that luxury very often. On the home front, I am a stay at home dad for my youngest daughter (still too young for school) so my training at home needed to be very flexible and sometimes needed to include her. Of course, the evenings take priority for my family and I wouldn't have <i>that</i> any other way!<br />
<br />
So while that all seems crazy and maybe even like a lack of appropriate coaching expertise, I knew what I was up against when I signed up for this race. I mapped out my periodization plan and scheduled specific events throughout the year. My specific training plans changed week by week and sometimes I chose to skip workouts in order to catch up on sleep. I did hit 3 specific events leading up to this race that I really believe helped me create that DETERMINED attitude. Three of them were specific training days and one was a run: The first was a 5,000 yard swim in a short course pool (25yds) - I completed this with NO rest breaks, no food/water/rest. I did hurt but I forced myself to work through foot/leg cramps and to stay focused on how I would resolve similar problems in the Gulf of Mexico. Another workout was a planned 56 mile bike ride where I chose (20 miles in) to completely change my mind and go for 100+ miles and to NOT stop for extra food/water. What I took with me for the planned 56 miles needed to last for almost double the distance. I had to be smart about pacing myself and to stay in lower HR Z2/3 for fueling purposes. Lastly, I chose a 21 mile run over a very flat area near my home. I asked a few friends to run with me (they knew they were part of my experiment, but maybe not to the specific degree). I completed that feeling exhausted. The 50 mile run - yeah, about that. I chose that event a year ago, before I signed up for Ironman Florida. But having completed a 50 mile Ultra Marathon before, I knew that this would be good mental training for IMFL. Turns out, The North Country Trail Run (50 trail miles in the hills of Manistee) was the best mental training that I could have completed. The second 25 miles of that course changed the way I approached all of my long distance training - write this down - "First Half/Second Half" That is what I took to Ironman Florida.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeKHq_fYEEDDQEqTQGbab6NhR0PPQU8B64jVt5tSU76edjBSxawVBtm9g9yq-aOrKHVLZmAbyAOPALpqYrFmekJEz8DptA5aBhPubz7tXP5QQk9Yvrc2BfJi8fQUUN1QuRkMJrn85Jks/s1600/IMG_3007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeKHq_fYEEDDQEqTQGbab6NhR0PPQU8B64jVt5tSU76edjBSxawVBtm9g9yq-aOrKHVLZmAbyAOPALpqYrFmekJEz8DptA5aBhPubz7tXP5QQk9Yvrc2BfJi8fQUUN1QuRkMJrn85Jks/s200/IMG_3007.JPG" width="150" /></a><b>Arriving in Florida</b> - The 3 flights to Florida before the race turned out to be draining. Becky (my wife, who came with me to Florida - no way I would go without her!) and I had a flight change at the last minute... literally, just before we boarded our first of 3 flights we got a phone call stating that our middle flight was changed and that we had to be switched to a different flight. NOTHING that we could do about it, but IF we missed the 3rd flight in to Panama City Beach... I would miss the on site registration area and not be allowed to race. I needed to stay calm and figure it out after the first flight was completed. This was the first part of the trip where Becky was able to take over the "rational thinking" and help me stay calm. As it turned out, we literally got off that flight and straight onto the connecting flight to PCB, FL. We got there, our bags didn't. We did however pick up a hitch-hiker from the plane who was staying at our hotel and wanted to ride with us. I think that she is Becky's TriWife Twin - her husband was also racing IMFL for his first Ironman, and he was also raising money through the Ironman Foundation -- In fact, he is among the leading fund-raisers this year. Unbeknownst to his wife, he was chosen as a featured athlete and spoke at the athlete banquet Thursday night. Our checked bags - they were delivered to our hotel much later that night. Again, Becky was able to take over that aspect and kept me from freaking out. Ha!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The athlete banquet</td></tr>
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<b>Banquets and Bags</b> - The full distance Ironman events are like no other! The expo, the athlete banquet, the swag and the transition bags... what the Wha?? 5 years of perfecting my transitions and I can't put my shoes on my bike in transition? That's right. Research it if you are racing an Ironman, it's crazy and can be very confusing! There are plastic bags for different areas of the race and you'll need to have a plan about what goes where. That's where the Ultra run helped my planning. For IMFL there was a Bike bag, Bike special needs bag (that would be placed at the 56 mile mark on the bike course), a Run bag and a Run special needs bag (also placed at the half way point in the run). But the swag bag!! I was impressed, a transition backpack that was complete with Ironman logo's :) I'm a geek about the swag.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knee to waist high waves on the Friday practice swim</td></tr>
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<b>Friday</b> - Met up with a few friends and went out to swim in the ocean. This was my first ocean swim ever; yup, the day before the race. I was completely put at ease with this swim - the saltwater + the wetsuit = crazy buoyancy! We swam out about 400 meters and looked around then back in. The waves/swells weren't bad and the weather reports were stating that the water would be even more calm on race morning.<br />
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I had to finish organizing my race bags for drop off and get my bike to transition. By the way, I used TriBike Transport for shipping - amazing! I'll be using them again, look it up if you need your bike to go somewhere. There wasn't a lot to do think about once the bike was dropped off. I had a massage and rested. In the evening, Becky and I were able to go back near Inlet Beach. That's the spot where we got married. We then went to the restaurant where we had our wedding dinner party. It was a great time and it was very cool be back at that place, the food was amazing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky and I before the IMFL start</td></tr>
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<b>Saturday</b> - Who actually sleeps before an Ironman? Uh, I did. I slept great and woke up just before my alarm. I wasn't nervous, I felt prepared and I was ready to race! I ate food as planned and made sure my Special Needs bags were all set (it never hurts to double check those things). Dropped them off, did body marking and made sure my bike was ready to roll out. I was pumped! I planned to listen to music before the race but there was so much hype in the air. People were buzzing and the announcers were great - no lame music, no boring "Good morning, it's race day. Are you ready" junk, these guys know how to MC a big event! We stayed at the hotel where all of the events took place for the weekend - literally, the swim started on the beach in front of our hotel! So I went back to the room, geared up and Becky and I walked to the beach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What it looks like to tell 3000 people to swim towards 1 buoy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IMFL 2012 Swim course - 1.2 mile per lap, 2 laps</td></tr>
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<b>SWIM </b>There are no words to express how excited I was! The professional athletes took to the water 15 minutes before the age groupers. Funny thing about IMFL - there are 3 swim starts: Pro Men, Pro Women and then EVERYONE else. 2900 athlete's all getting in the swim chute at for a simultaneous start. I gave Becky a kiss, and get in the chute. 0645 the Pro field launched and then they started the National Anthem. I'll be honest and say that it was nearly a tear jerker - there was so much emotion built in to this one day for me. I was ready to race and all of the great things about my life played through my head at that moment. I'm Proud to be an American, I'm honored to be a firefighter, I Love my family and I Love to be a coach! It was all there. 10 second countdown.... 3. 2. 1. Cannon blast - GO! The ocean wasn't much better than it was on Friday, but at that moment it didn't matter. Almost 3000 of my new closest friends joined me in an attempt to reach the first buoy. The IMFL swim is a 2 lap swim - about 800meters out, 200m over and 800m back, a quick beach run through the timing mat and then a second loop. It was full on contact almost the entire first loop. Feet, elbows, hands, you hit and got hit. It's not necessarily intentional but it hurts to get hit in the face. I couldn't see any of the buoys. I swam with the crowd and the swells were bigger than I expected. Never underestimate the power of the draft from 3000 people. I rounded the second turn buoy and tried to sight to head back in. Nothing... but I could see the hotel, I swam towards it but it seemed like I kept veering off course. I have had that happen before where straight swimming isn't always possible but today I was really trying to keep it straight. I soon realized that it was the current pushing me away from the finish area on the beach. By the time I neared the shoreline I could see Swim Exit marker. The ocean swells were pretty big, I didn't know how big but I knew that when I was at the bottom of a swell I could no longer see the hotel. By the time I could stand the waves were breaking higher than my head. I dolphin dived with them and got to the timing mat on the beach, volunteers poured water over my face and mouth as I continued to run back to the ocean for lap 2. The ocean was brutal! The waves pushed against every bit of forward momentum I seemed to make between the swells. As I got past the breaking point, the swells continued and it felt like I was the bow of a boat, constantly being thrown up or down. It was hard, but as they say, "If it was easy, everyone would do it" and this is an Ironman! Unfortunately, several people never finished the swim and their day at Ironman Florida 2012 was done. Like the North Country Ultra run, I broke the swim into 2 parts. The second part was about trying to maintain pacing and control my breathing, it's easy to get excited. In the last 400 meters of the swim my left calf cramped up. It hurt, I couldn't even kick with my leg, I couldn't bend my toes or rotate my ankle - I wasn't about to stop and the swells wouldn't have allowed me to do anything about it, so like my long pool swim, I kept on swimming. When I finally reached the beach it felt good to get some pressure on my feet. Wait, wait, wait.... the swim was done? Already? I actually enjoyed that? I did. I ran up the beach to the strippers (or wetsuits peelers, if you will). Ran up the boardwalk to the PVC showers and then to grab my transition Bike bag. Got in to the changing rooms and tried to be quick about getting out of the transition area. The Garmin data and maps actually showed that I stayed right on course the whole time, I'm happy about that! Turns out, this was the worst swim conditions in the race's 14 year history - yeah, I was there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kcH1VyVrcdbCVgulA72hIYClQ2C-x_RAXDNvrwh6XDPk6FfAk7e5GSIQzRW18j31Hg8d04g-a6qs6X_rG-lXbU6865UzpjmNKjowMfAbeTo33hs6tcMB6lUng3l_jrcUQP-HrdUO080/s1600/IMG_3165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kcH1VyVrcdbCVgulA72hIYClQ2C-x_RAXDNvrwh6XDPk6FfAk7e5GSIQzRW18j31Hg8d04g-a6qs6X_rG-lXbU6865UzpjmNKjowMfAbeTo33hs6tcMB6lUng3l_jrcUQP-HrdUO080/s320/IMG_3165.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>BIKE</b> - Lola was ready to dance! I felt great, calf was no longer cramping. I got out on the bike course and started getting in some food. I had planned for about 400 calories an hour and since I just finished an hour and a half swimming, it was time to eat! I settled in on the bike. I kept my cadence high, just like coach advised :) It was easy staying over 80 for my cadence - at the end my avg was 84. I had a few miles over the course where my avg cadence was over 100. I used the PowerCal for power data but really wasn't prepared to use it for performance, I wanted to see where my avg would be afterwards - turns out that it was 174 watts over the bike course and with the expected 10% difference vs an actual power meter, it matches very closely to previous threshold tests putting me right on track for this 112 mile ride. Last data point on the bike was my HR. I knew that I needed to stay comfortable and I fully subscribe to using HR as a performance indicator (yes, Power is definite, but I don't have a PowerTap - PowerCal is great but it cannot be used for shorter interval training and it's partly based on HR, so the data can be inaccurate based on different non-absolute variables). The bike is the longest 'leg' of any triathlon. I planned to be out for a while and I didn't want to focus on the time - it's hard to comprehend 6 hours on a bike holding a high cadence AND trying to stay mostly aero. So I wore my Garmin 910 on my wrist and really didn't look at it except for the infrequent HR check. The aid stations are placed about every 10 miles and the first one seemed to sneak up on me. I refilled my water on the go - volunteers hand water out to you and you grab it as you pass by. The weather slowly became more warm and I really felt good the whole ride. When the sun peaked, I did start to sweat so I started drinking more water and stayed pretty close to my nutrition plan. I did use salt supplements and an amino acid supplement and a drink mix in addition to solid foods. I only used 2 gel packs the whole day - yeah, you read that right, only 2!! The 56 mile mark came up quickly. I did pull over to open the bag, grabbed my food and left. I made a PB and jelly sandwich (actually, Becky made it for me) had an apple, salt/AA supplements - stuck it all in my tri top pockets. I felt great eating real food. I ate slowly and drank water with the food, just like any other day 'at the office'. Miles 75-85 seemed to take the longest and I did have some minor cramping in my upper/inner legs. Not a big deal, extra nutrition and water and they subsided. There had been pretty funny signs along the road that entertained me most of the ride (I'm easily amused) but the last part of the bike was back into the city. The last hour of the bike seemed to be a straight head wind off the beach. I still kept my cadence up and tried to keep comfortable. While I was still keenly aware of the next part of the race, I didn't want to fall off pace. Once back on the beach front road everyone was spaced out fairly - I'll write up another post someday on the aspect to "Drafting at IMFL" (it's illegal but hard to avoid). Getting off the bike felt great! I took out some of the nutritional stuff that I hadn't eaten yet and grabbed my Run transition bag then went through the changing area and headed out on the run.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the 13 mile mark, only a half marathon to go!</td></tr>
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<b>RUN</b> - I was excited to start the run. I had hoped to keep at about a 10 minute mile. The run at IMFL is a double out and back: 6 miles out and 6 miles back, then go at it again. I wanted to be about an hour for each part. When I started running I hit my first mile too hard, jumped into a 6:30/mi pace -- Completely too hard and fast and NOT sustainable but it felt comfortable. At the aid station is when I realized I was going to hard, I dropped way back to my plan. It worked and then for nutrition I opted to walk at each aid station for 1 minute, no matter how I felt. I realized that it was too much for me to run the whole, or even half of the marathon. The first loop went well, it wasn't comfortable as I hoped it would be but it wasn't bad. At mile 10 I did start to notice some cramping in my legs, my paced started to show it. At the Special Needs spot I donned my compression sleeves for my calfs thought they felt alright. My quads are what hurt! On the second loop, a half marathon, I was hurting. My legs hurt but my mind was still strong! I was determined. I thought about all the good things in my life and I thought about Becky being at the finish line waiting for me. One friend reminded me to be 'present' in the moment, the whole race and for each part. For those last 13 miles, I lived by those words. I reminded myself about the Ultra, how it hurt. Relentless Forward Progress (a book I recently read). Never Stop Moving. My family. My friends who I knew would be keeping up on my stats. I thought about it all, constantly. If I had to walk, I was very intentional about getting back into a running pace. When I ran, it was a 9:30 pace or better but my intermittent jog turn walks became more frequent. I didn't have GI upset but I couldn't even think about eating anything more. I really had to THINK about what I was doing. I'm not good at math, but I tried adding up my calories on the run to that point -- I decided to stop trying to force more food in my mouth and only take water for the last 6 miles. If my legs cramped more, I would walk and get back in to a run. Mentally - I was there! I was present! I was determined! The thought of quitting never crossed my mind, but I did think about how good it would feel to be done! Then how good it would feel to get back home, to see my girls and talk with my friends... uh, oh... the emotions!! I was to the point of tears forming in my eyes, I was happy, and proud of myself. Not cocky, just proud. With about 3 miles left in the run you can hear the finish line activities. You can hear the announcer and the music. It's a party that you're invited to, you just have to get there! The spectators were amazing, all along the course - people watching, residents with costumes and sections of the run course dedicated to... well, you'll have to wait to see it for yourself sometime. At last, the finish chute. I think it's about a half mile long. People everywhere and more crowded with each step. I wanted so badly to walk for just a few seconds so I could cross the finish line running - no chance, my pace picked up. The crowds, the music the lights! It was my time! I flew in the last quarter mile peaking at a 7:00/mile pace -- no idea where that came from! I had thought for a long time about how I would cross the finish line (literally, for months leading up to the race -- see my report from my first HIM where a guy was caught in my finisher pic puking) on this moment I opted to lift up my hand for my first completion, for my family and friends who are number one in my life, for God and my church family, for Team Motiv8 and of course, in remembrance of my mom!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I opted to lift up my hand for my first completion, for my family and
friends who are number one in my life, for God and my church family, for
Team Motiv8 and of course, in remembrance of my mom!</td></tr>
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<br />
Jeremy Hagerman! YOU. ARE. AN. IRONMAN!<br />
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After my finish there was the biggest part of the race still to come. The hours leading up to midnight, the race time cut off. The music continued to get louder and the crowd had a hype like no other party! A few of the pro's came back to the finish to participate in the final hours of the race. They hung out in the run chute and brought in the runners. It's an honor to have met them and to been there with them. There is no other sport like triathlon - you race with the pro's and they come back to support you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJohu-mh_s9ko2dMK-ZT2FFZrDEZeQsNKn1SBpta4Agh39qv4EKSqUeAXbWYfnmLeyO_BafTmNJh0Hs0xWcpa0ywD89uD0UlKBdiv-vmaWs6anv7YxyDqRoZCQ9w72v9eCBVuAz6jLn10/s1600/IMG_3219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJohu-mh_s9ko2dMK-ZT2FFZrDEZeQsNKn1SBpta4Agh39qv4EKSqUeAXbWYfnmLeyO_BafTmNJh0Hs0xWcpa0ywD89uD0UlKBdiv-vmaWs6anv7YxyDqRoZCQ9w72v9eCBVuAz6jLn10/s320/IMG_3219.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My IronWife - she deserves more than that simple title after all of her support these past 5 years. For IMFL she was completely selfless and thus I deemed her, my Iron Wife.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VmO402G6-Ukuo1vOUz1odKga5tkUEWPuZs0TZgschWp7NsPUde_mjdDqNa8OSL1ecq8l1kQ83KObR_ffOzIQ44igurLuDrpY-W3g6ibaClR8vEBCEZEi7AlQuuX0MGbH7eP0jH_ecBI/s1600/IMG_3059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VmO402G6-Ukuo1vOUz1odKga5tkUEWPuZs0TZgschWp7NsPUde_mjdDqNa8OSL1ecq8l1kQ83KObR_ffOzIQ44igurLuDrpY-W3g6ibaClR8vEBCEZEi7AlQuuX0MGbH7eP0jH_ecBI/s320/IMG_3059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mirinda Carfrae - Among MANY other Podium placements: 2010 Ironman World Champion, '11 2nd place World Championships and 3rd place at the World Champions 2 weeks prior to IMFL'12 where she placed second.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBYZhbAFR1SWCrAtL54zp5hFpkMvuLylTH7j3LfH2TSSEnPbOeq7rU3jhtJZVMbccHPvg5P17a7JQlTpevSf1SxppNFwXGBCX02J-pk43woUS2fjEaiHHEV0cFsFcJQ0I02gpyZponQ8/s1600/IMG_3223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBYZhbAFR1SWCrAtL54zp5hFpkMvuLylTH7j3LfH2TSSEnPbOeq7rU3jhtJZVMbccHPvg5P17a7JQlTpevSf1SxppNFwXGBCX02J-pk43woUS2fjEaiHHEV0cFsFcJQ0I02gpyZponQ8/s320/IMG_3223.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Festivities during the final hours of the race - this... for the 500,000 Ironman Finisher of all time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIYRALdk-9FCk2yGDqlEZFu5MaFnNsC8JE6nYo0bigDnUVhoAfdb3u7VYwLmI3Ja7jIq8_c1WVqeWk-em9axc8baXU5lRyUNY_GXXmynLXm2HBZ0KSIZOTMKWTpbD6eHfTNZ6sXHvelE/s1600/IMG_3229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIYRALdk-9FCk2yGDqlEZFu5MaFnNsC8JE6nYo0bigDnUVhoAfdb3u7VYwLmI3Ja7jIq8_c1WVqeWk-em9axc8baXU5lRyUNY_GXXmynLXm2HBZ0KSIZOTMKWTpbD6eHfTNZ6sXHvelE/s320/IMG_3229.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of what each athlete see's as they approach the final steps of the run chute to the finish!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDKyh3j7gz2LiTev3ShTEIQN7fdXs3iCNF4dfKYsf-P7c7pCAOTP4BVmiFLJ6IOD8lSa9G5kaPFb2yANtB0NcbeUsvkDWSTMVdgRrXtIp7vW4IBa-T_A5x_Euf9-jqo0-Ka7-m1sUUug/s1600/IMG_3238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDKyh3j7gz2LiTev3ShTEIQN7fdXs3iCNF4dfKYsf-P7c7pCAOTP4BVmiFLJ6IOD8lSa9G5kaPFb2yANtB0NcbeUsvkDWSTMVdgRrXtIp7vW4IBa-T_A5x_Euf9-jqo0-Ka7-m1sUUug/s320/IMG_3238.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew Starykowicz the race winner with a new Ironman bike split and new IMFL course record - here he celebrates at the finish line as more athletes approach.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimGJWf9Ne8bSbgowIuWoOJ1aljzEw2jruztXGNvhIGQw2EafDYDUu_tGlINra24LhgqcaCCpf0Vde73ilJ08W9kypHtYzZBk_BfloT7_yVcIPomQtNnFGuZeL6ZHGPieQDyY3smvtq3A/s1600/IMG_3041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimGJWf9Ne8bSbgowIuWoOJ1aljzEw2jruztXGNvhIGQw2EafDYDUu_tGlINra24LhgqcaCCpf0Vde73ilJ08W9kypHtYzZBk_BfloT7_yVcIPomQtNnFGuZeL6ZHGPieQDyY3smvtq3A/s320/IMG_3041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T1 Bag setup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k2P1BpCXRMVSn6vc1jSac-AxOgv4kiExedMh4MNZqhO44GPpo_HJr8S9L8CzNE0X_d3mFyMetoMV-jHM0H6DtHCO0OeiYs07CI2LEf1SaStW4FGoWAwXNzvuNonXlcb__Bq_P9ZEeVQ/s1600/IMG_3042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k2P1BpCXRMVSn6vc1jSac-AxOgv4kiExedMh4MNZqhO44GPpo_HJr8S9L8CzNE0X_d3mFyMetoMV-jHM0H6DtHCO0OeiYs07CI2LEf1SaStW4FGoWAwXNzvuNonXlcb__Bq_P9ZEeVQ/s320/IMG_3042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T2 bag setup</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedlLaGQf9l9VFwN1JSF4AgiI0HqAsO66A08r-qyeJ9qbuKlafGN8f2SNFEcadIDWwRPSd3AgTP8uFcW8TIVMHVK_bMN3J435ls8epsh2cdw3W00T2VVoEiPwOSm3eEMs9TrgG0RKP_I4/s1600/IMG_3117a+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedlLaGQf9l9VFwN1JSF4AgiI0HqAsO66A08r-qyeJ9qbuKlafGN8f2SNFEcadIDWwRPSd3AgTP8uFcW8TIVMHVK_bMN3J435ls8epsh2cdw3W00T2VVoEiPwOSm3eEMs9TrgG0RKP_I4/s320/IMG_3117a+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swim start madness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaB5ApWs4CK8QWsVAVjkXc497C8tcF5_bYm-kRLpJAKPI-fX4r25QXGAtYfhwL52w_RpKVPXcUOUtzurx9eQzGXJSNLXaPL53Vqf7bY6zjTxgzie949lni-dpuIb-kLosx6m4tQ-gS14/s1600/IMG_3043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaB5ApWs4CK8QWsVAVjkXc497C8tcF5_bYm-kRLpJAKPI-fX4r25QXGAtYfhwL52w_RpKVPXcUOUtzurx9eQzGXJSNLXaPL53Vqf7bY6zjTxgzie949lni-dpuIb-kLosx6m4tQ-gS14/s320/IMG_3043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The middle third of the bikes in transition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-24340692013757576502012-10-30T11:47:00.000-04:002012-10-30T15:34:31.877-04:00Ironman Florida Prep<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvYufyq34SHen7RU7o6s4aua1a5Efeh7Da9t0y6zQomz0_PE-h5tqI7mE2PgnPnQgLJ2NjSLldW9K1rjQPU8b927T4y-FYJuMKInxWFF28cWghZQtzvws-R0KEmKw5HMAVJeI7c9gVdU/s1600/ironman+florida+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvYufyq34SHen7RU7o6s4aua1a5Efeh7Da9t0y6zQomz0_PE-h5tqI7mE2PgnPnQgLJ2NjSLldW9K1rjQPU8b927T4y-FYJuMKInxWFF28cWghZQtzvws-R0KEmKw5HMAVJeI7c9gVdU/s640/ironman+florida+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This week is my final taper week for Ironman Florida. This has been an incredible journey over this past 5 years, especially this past year as I've had one main focus: Complete my first Ironman Triathlon. I'm excited, nervous and I believe that I have experienced every level of emotion in preparation for this event.<br />
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I log almost all of my workouts, track nutrition and sleep habits, monitor overall health and the feeling of wellness. I have logged hundreds of hours and thousands of miles over the past 5 years in preparation for this race. This past year has been tough mentally when looking forward to the event. I've placed a lot of hype around this one event. I'm happy with my annual training, while my more recent months of training have had focus, they have not as much specificity as I preplanned. That being said, I ran an event earlier this year (North Country Trail 50 Miler) where I learned the value of mental toughness. When you're down to the wire, when you feel like you cannot make it any farther you MUST dig deep in your mind and you WILL find more motivation to complete what you started. Understand your limits but know your abilities. I am determined!<br />
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You can track my progress at the Ironman Florida website. There is an app named IronTrac that can be used to follow my progress. Sometimes the data relay is slow and rarely it has been known not to upload your info from Ironman. Becky will be making progress reports for me during the race but she will also be volunteering until 4 or 5 pm Central time -- no worries, I won't be done by then :)<br />
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Of course, I will report back here after the race.<br />
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Part of my focus has been on fund raising for a non profit organization that is based in Holland, Michigan. You can go to <a href="http://aquaclara.org/" target="_blank">AquaClara.org</a> to learn more about the organization and how they are specifically making a difference.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Aqua Clara International is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to
forge sustainable and scalable solutions to the problems associated
with potable water in developing countries. Their goal is to provide
those who live on less than $2 per day with affordable clean water.
Their team of engineers, scientists, business people and program
managers is dedicated to carrying out this mission by developing
and deploying solutions to worldwide water issues that are appropriate
to various local contexts and needs." </blockquote>
A goal that I set to achieve this year is to raise $1406.00 for this charity. I would greatly appreciate any support in meeting that goal. As an individual or as a business, this is a charitable donation which can be used as a tax write off. Every single $1 helps!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ironman.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=995802&lis=1&kntae995802=103C5EEB02634CE08EBA7317AC24400C&supId=356220089" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Click Here to Donate </b></span></span></a></div>
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Please forward this post to your friends or business owners who may be interested in donating. Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-14952214557369720522012-04-20T11:50:00.004-04:002012-04-20T15:30:54.325-04:00Train like your life depends on it... because it does!<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">My blog posts are almost always related to promoting physical fitness or reports of my racing endeavors; that's why you come back and check up, right? Today I was disheartened and quite frankly, upset. I got one of <i>those</i> emails again. I subscribe to the Line of Duty Deaths (LODD) email list. Whenever a firefighter dies on duty or has a duty related death, an investigation takes place and an email is sent out for the purpose of general information and community awareness. I always cringe when I see one these emails at my inbox; I know what's inside. I have gotten 32 of these emails this year and more than 4 this month alone! <a href="http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/ffmem/ffmem_results.jsp?p_mn_status=1&p_last_name=&p_first_name=&p_fd_city=&p_fd_state_code=&p_death_year=2012" target="_blank">Look at the list of LODD here</a>.<br /> <br /><b>Attention
ALL Firefighters</b>: We've lost 3 firefighters this MONTH due to heart
attacks and 1 due to a "medical emergency" It's time to make a change! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyK9V5ejJ2HrygQAkJel7gTTbOnIeIzPort8PqnB5dRufxl4eXLJp-UbKyTjpc4OQ8eozzSpt3JlZk43w847NS1Xqp6NHEGKesz9xDPoYNZKAw5SSrUXqRGEGL5QpjEUo5XFJNa2bmR4/s1600/lodd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyK9V5ejJ2HrygQAkJel7gTTbOnIeIzPort8PqnB5dRufxl4eXLJp-UbKyTjpc4OQ8eozzSpt3JlZk43w847NS1Xqp6NHEGKesz9xDPoYNZKAw5SSrUXqRGEGL5QpjEUo5XFJNa2bmR4/s320/lodd.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Make it a PRIORITY to do ONE THING every day, or at least every shift,
to better your health. I'm tired of seeing "Heart Attack" "</span>Stress/Overexertion" and "Medical Emergency" <span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">as a reason
for a LODD; yet it is, and has consistently been, the number 1 cause of
firefighter fatalities. While this may offend many, a heart attack is NOT a noble way for a firefighter to die in the line of duty. I can understand, yet not accept, a motor vehicle accident. I can understand, yet not accept, entering a known vacant building for an offensive attack on a fire that has been free for more than the 5 minutes it took us to respond. But I do not understand nor do I accept the mindset where we put physical fitness on a shelf and dust it off once or twice a year for an ability test that is set to sub par standards when compared to what new fire recruits are expected to do in order to pass an academy!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><i>If its predictable, then its preventable.
Proper preventative planning prevents piss poor performance.</i><br /> <br />
Officers and Leaders - YOU set the bar for your firefighters! You want
them to preform in a specific manner on a fire scene, you expect them to
do a task when assigned or in many cases, multiple tasks - they look to
YOU for guidance and rely on your experience and knowledge to make safe
decisions. Lead from the front! <i><u><b> Schedule</b></u></i> opportunities for your crews
to participate in some level of physical fitness EVERY SHIFT.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<i><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">"We
don't have time" is a <b>VERY POOR EXCUSE</b>. What we don't have time for is a
funeral! </span></i></div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<br /></div>
<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">We are short staffed with a regular increase in call volume -
we are doing more with less. I get it! But with this trend of "doing
more with less" we are put in the position where physical fitness is
even more important! The fire ground, 2 air bottle policy, still stands
even after we increase the capacity of our bottles.<br /> <br /> Physical
fitness is company officer level training! We don't need admin to set
the guidelines. Use the resources at hand; your crew can pick a team
based workout, find workout plans on the internet or *<i>insert expletive
of choice</i>* CALL ME! I try to post regular workouts <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=524329679" target="_blank">Here on Facebook</a>, I'll post
them to a blog, I'll send you an email or a text message (yes, even if I
don't know you - NO, I'm not going to charge you!) We don't have to be
on our feet all day, but we do need to take time to promote firefighter
specific workouts! I would even support a regular table top approach to understanding the metabolic expenditures we face during a fire and HOW we should approach nutritional choices on shift and during/after a fire. Pizza and donuts and a drink that's spiked with high fructose corn syrup is NOT an appropriate option.<br /> <br /> Firefighters - Don't piss and moan or mock
our Officers when we see them starting to implement physical fitness
into our schedule. They are doing it to protect our citizens, each
other and most importantly, YOU! They are taking initiative and leading
from the front. Support them! Encourage them! Thank them!<br /> <br /> Career or Volunteer status
does not make a difference - we <b>ALL </b>have the same responsibilities when
called upon by our citizens. We <b>ALL </b>have the same responsibility to
each other and to our families - To protect each other and then to GO
HOME after the call or at the end of your shift! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnmCd6hgoJO4Lkmr7KhshvACz2kw8M0Y3xG-a8v75aG4v5brPIx_oCjKuEKWeq1sXQ7ACbbijOU_g7yV1OesXuEp9JIXj1IIY7jxIy7TCIZSjeiVaU7qRkBaRo9xK71yyXnsgfKBRHe0/s1600/ManInTheMirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnmCd6hgoJO4Lkmr7KhshvACz2kw8M0Y3xG-a8v75aG4v5brPIx_oCjKuEKWeq1sXQ7ACbbijOU_g7yV1OesXuEp9JIXj1IIY7jxIy7TCIZSjeiVaU7qRkBaRo9xK71yyXnsgfKBRHe0/s400/ManInTheMirror.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"> </span></div>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><i>Firefighter Fitness
doesn't happen overnight - commit to this job and commit to this
lifestyle!</i><br /> <br /> No more LODD's - Everyone Goes Home! <br /> <br /> Please, Share. More importantly, Please Implement!</span><br />
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<br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">*** As a follow up to this post, I have a new website specifically setup to post Workouts for Firefighters. Visit the link below - the site is free, no advertisements and mobile friendly.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blackshiftwod.com/"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">www.BlackShiftWOD.com</span></a></div>
<br />The Black Shift WOD (workout of the day) is dedicated to providing regular workouts that can be preformed by firefighters while on duty or in the station using equipment typically found in house.<span style="color: #cccccc; font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-57788840566744091642012-03-06T12:06:00.002-05:002012-03-16T10:58:08.894-04:00Climb Detroit Report 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEZK0qoWgrVzS2LYtVZoCFmNCGsKaya_zZpkWNnGNsw_nd76kBsbAZ2V0f8E7L6QQyVeOVQFKsXtp1FLcVNp3i7O5C50rOeM8WUbNM8uOoAu6eOysb78wZmcXteOc0LE6_c9GZ4_bC-c/s1600/2012-01-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEZK0qoWgrVzS2LYtVZoCFmNCGsKaya_zZpkWNnGNsw_nd76kBsbAZ2V0f8E7L6QQyVeOVQFKsXtp1FLcVNp3i7O5C50rOeM8WUbNM8uOoAu6eOysb78wZmcXteOc0LE6_c9GZ4_bC-c/s640/2012-01-28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Crew before the climb</td></tr>
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The American Lung Association's Fight for Air - Climb Detroit event was a great success! They initially hoped to raise $175,000 and after this weekend they raised more than $185,000!<br />
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Our team of firefighters were also able to exceed our goal of raising $1000. We raised over $1200 for the American Lung Association. Each of our team members completed the entire event of 1035 stairs within the 70 stories at the Detroit Renaissance Center. We walked away knowing more about ourselves as individuals and about each other as a team.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About 200 firefighters took part in the "Full Gear Challenge"</td></tr>
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No doubt, this event kicked my butt! The event was very well organized and each person was launched in Time Trial style. When I took off the first 5 flights came pretty easy; let me clarify this statement by mentioning that this was NO run, we were in full firefighting turnout gear with air packs on our backs - that's about 100 pounds of gear. Turn out gear is designed to prevent thermal burns from exposure to a fire, it's also designed to keep you dry while spraying water on a fire. With this design there is no breathability of the fabric. With every step I got more warm... and then more and more hot! I hit the 10th floor with another team member and we chose not to stop at the water station until the 20th floor. 15-20 were tough but once I got to the 20th floor water station, I had that brief moment where I downed a small bit of water and chose to again, keep going. I continued the momentum and by the 30th floor I realized that I was so focused that I couldn't even listen to music, ear buds out and keep climbing. A volunteer at the 30th floor water station called out that we were 70% done, craziness! I didn't preplan any mental games for completing this event, only to climb until I reached the 70th floor.<br />
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My legs burned, my lungs burned and my body felt like it was on fire. The climb took place behind the elevator shafts - it was about a 5 foot wide space per flight with cinder block walls and fluorescent lights. Being that this was in the center of the RenCen, there were no windows and no ventilation. Heat rises and with each flight it was noticeably more warm. By the 40th floor I had to open my coat to let out some of the heat. I took 10-20 second breaks at the halfway point between water stations and it didn't seem like it was ever enough rest. Each time I stopped it seemed like there was a volunteer at the top of that next flight, since I'm stubborn, I didn't want to look like I was resting... I didn't think about the fact that I looked completely spent. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Jeff, John and Al <br />
Some crazy funny volunteer forced us to take this picture.</td></tr>
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Something about the 60th floor seemed to be a problem for me. The steps no longer hurt my legs, in fact, I couldn't even feel them. It was hot and each step made my body burn more. I couldn't count down the last few steps but as soon as I crossed the threshold to the 70th floor hallway I was grabbed by "the big security guy" who didn't say anything except "Get him to triage" Since he was pulling my gear off of me and simultaneously pulling me down the hallway to an air conditioned room, I assumed he was talking about me. I tried to say that I wanted to stay in the hallway and wait for my crew but apparently he was already prepared to deny that request. Recovery was quick - icepacks were stuffed in my shirt and some HFCS drink poured in my mouth /SARC I gathered myself and gear and walked to the hallway to watch for my crew. Soon enough they trickled in, one by one! Everyone took time to recover and we went back down (via the elevators) as a TEAM. In 2013 we will be back!<br />
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This was a great event that was well organized and a lot of fun! I'm glad that we had the opportunity to participate in a great cause. Take time to visit the <a href="http://www.lung.org/" target="_blank">American Lung Association</a> website and learn about the importance of funding their research. There are several great resources to help you learn about your body and what risks are in your area. There is also ample information about initiatives in your area that need your support!<br />
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While I previously thought that I was trained well enough for my job, Sunday I realized that I need to ALWAYS do more to be more physically prepared! While we only have a few high rise type structures in our area, we are short staffed, so we will be making several trips up and down the stairs in gear and with additional equipment. We, I, have to be better prepared for that. I read an article recently about firefighters being prepared for the "moments" in our careers when we have to rely on our physical and mental training, there's no chance to fall back on that training if it doesn't exist. I'll summarize the article and leave you with this:<br />
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<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">The
untrained, unfit and unwilling present a risk... Those with a mastery
of skill, sharp mind, fit body and full heart present a resource. At
the time of true test, aim to be the best resource available so that the
decision may rest in the moment and the benefit. Preparation of mind,
body and skill lies within our control, the moment does not.<br /> <br /> ~ <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=147566185298668" href="http://www.fireservicewarrior.com/" target="_blank">Fire Service Warrior</a> 2011</span></i></span></h6>
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<br />Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-61859651822714973472012-02-21T20:01:00.001-05:002012-02-21T20:01:06.420-05:00ClimbDetroit.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://secure3.convio.net/ala/site/Donation2?idb=823203650&df_id=7240&7240.donation=form1&FR_ID=3641&PROXY_ID=4775188&PROXY_TYPE=20" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcmOmMBfXaHuFVx1ntNcM-PfHVdPuykic6eyWyKkEQwVWVEeD9dEbUFT5HGdB41xgaKJryLVgSWNvSVlmqzm9v0jaTbaKcs5Io7IBry3YymOLLnN0cXLD2O6EEtjxn5Gwf5wCAMWlnnA/s640/2012-01-28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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March 4th, 2012 I will be climbing all 70 flights of stairs at the Detroit Renaissance Center. I'll be joining a few other firefighters from Meridian Township Fire Department, IAFF Local 1600. We are taking part in the American Lung Association's "Climb Detroit" event in the Firefighter Full Gear Challenge. <br />
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70 flights of stairs (1035 steps) in FULL FIREFIGHTING TURN OUT GEAR with air packs; this is a total of almost 100 pounds of gear. MSU's Alumni Association gave us a unique opportunity to climb the stairs at MSU Spartan Stadium today. We geared up and hit the 8 flights of stairs multiple times and after an hour of climbing, we had climbed 2000 steps. We were even honored with the presence of Sparty himself who braved the stairs with an air pack as well.<br />
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Watch the MSU Alumni Association's video about today's practice here:<br />
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Our team consists of firefighters from Meridian Township Fire Department and our team goal is to raise $1000 or more for the American Lung Association. This is a great opportunity for us to work as a team, build camaraderie and it's one crazy workout! I'm personally a sucker for this type of thing and jumped at the chance to join in the challenge.<br />
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If you would like to donate (even if it's only a few dollars) follow this secure link. This will take you directly to the secure ALA Donation page <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/ala/site/Donation2?idb=823203650&df_id=7240&7240.donation=form1&FR_ID=3641&PROXY_ID=4775188&PROXY_TYPE=20" target="_blank">Donate to the ALA now</a>.<br />
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I sincerely want to thank the MSU Alumni Association, which includes EVERY Spartan student, graduate and faculty, for helping us raise money toward this event. A special thanks also to Dave and Sue in the MSU AA office for organizing our practice run today. Thank you for your Spartan spirit and Spartan pride! I look forward to working with you in the future for any events!<br />
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Thank you for your support - we'll check back in after the Climb Detroit event to let you all know how well we represented Meridian Township Fire Department and Michigan State University.<br />
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<a href="http://climbdetroit.com/">ClimbDetroit.com</a>:<br />
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<b>FIREFIGHTER FULL GEAR CHALLENGE</b> <br />
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All
Firefighter Challenge participants are timed during their vertical climb
to reach the top of the 70th floor of the Marriott Tower of the
Renaissance Center and are to wear full structural firefighting personal
protective equipment which meets current NFPA standards.<br />
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This includes: Boots, turnout coat and pants, helmet, gloves, and SCBA harness with air cylinder.Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-64409832135705171542011-09-26T17:55:00.000-04:002012-03-16T10:58:25.564-04:00Run HOW Far? Dances With Dirt - Run Through Hell<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dances With Dirt - Run Through Hell 50 Miler (DWD) </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Be prepared for a dissertation below*</span><b> </b></span></div>
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<b>Let's just start with answering the most basic question... Why run 50 miles? </b><br />
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To be completely honest, I don't know. I've been intrigued by the idea of the Ultra Marathon (anything greater than a 26.2 mile race) for some time. I've had the honor of training with Lisa Taylor over the past few years - for those who don't know her, she's a Western States 100 mile runner, ultra runner freak, has run about as many marathons as the number of years I've been alive, and has competed with Team USA at the Duathlon World Championships on more than one occasion (in fact, just this past weekend she took 4th in her Age Group and 14th Overall Female athlete at the Duathlon World Championship in Spain). For me, watching her train for these events has been fascinating and what is more inspirational is the fact that she makes it seem normal.<br />
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Last year I read the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. He talks about a tribe of "super athletes" from a very remote village in Mexico; they run barefoot everywhere and do it from a very young age. The adult men run an endurance event annually for fun, after drinking copious amounts of a home brew the night before. The event is very long, as I recall, over 100 miles. The book highlights the fact that the human body was designed to run. He documents specific anatomical features and covers some of the basics to human development. Another aspect to the book is about our feet and how modern day shoes hide our injuries rather fix them... describing that we wear shoes and orthotics that prevent the foot from landing correctly when we run. For example - when you run barefoot, you will likely land on the front or ball of your foot, but when you put on shoes that protect your feet you will land on the heel of your foot, which does feel better with all of the padding, but it jars your joints with every step. After time you become more dependent on supportive shoes and may be prone to 'running' related injuries associated with the knees and hips. After reading this book I felt the initial pull towards completing an Ultra run. I started training barefoot on the treadmill or with the Vibram Fivefingers shoes. I started retraining my feet and the accessory muscles that support my feet, I made a serious effort to land with a forefoot strike, a process that I still struggle with. <br />
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A few weeks ago I picked up the new Dean Karnanzes book "Run" and couldn't put it down. I finished it in 2 days (practically a miracle for me). It's a compilation of a bunch of short stories that I found to be very inspirational and motivational on the topic of long distance running. Then I picked up one of his other books "Ultramarathon Man" and again I was hooked. While this book was more about who Dean is and how he got started in running, it also hit home for me. Dean ran in school but never really ran after school until one specific night (I'll spare the spoiling details - go buy the book) where he realized how out of shape he was. The point I drew out was that he was an adult when he started running long.<br />
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A couple of other things that prompted my desire to run Dances With Dirt - Hell were for the sheer fact of pushing past what I have ever thought was possible. I ran a marathon last year and have wanted go farther ever since. I couldn't justify the distance training with my higher priority goals for triathlon. I also love going in to my annual duty physicals and talking to the doctor about my training and races (she also has competed a few marathons). Lastly, with the USAT Clinic coming up soon, I felt like the timing for DWD would be good for me on my race history list.<br />
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I called Lisa and asked her opinion... She told me that it would be "Crazy Stupid" to try DWD 50m. I listened, but still had that desire inside! So I did what I figured anyone else would do - I asked someone else. As a Boston Marathon runner and recent 50 mile runner (At the North Country race he was in the lead pack until an accident where he broke his foot during the race), Nick Gooch said to wait until my volume was higher... significantly higher. 'Crap!' I thought. I wanted someone to tell me to go for it. That's when I decided to go for a long training run just to see how I could do and how my recovery would be.<br />
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I called a couple of friends, Ryan and Gus, and asked them to ride their bikes near me for a <i>few </i>miles. It was asking a lot... Someone to ride for several hours with a single objective: encourage me. These guys gave me that and a little humor as well. I'm grateful for their willingness to help out! We went 32 miles, it wasn't pretty and it wasn't as fast as I expected. I averaged a 10:15 mile pace. But finishing it gave me a huge confidence boost - after all, that <i>was </i>and ultra marathon distance. Recovery went well and a few minor aches worked themselves out relatively quickly. It was at that time that I decided to commit to the DWD 50 mile run.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVRcztOmoea8PXcsvR_BGtWPAIqUyu3G139E7iN8Y13Eu4pqLlGj3BdeBw3Pax4qvQR5fnBPfVjlf8bKaP2-eznqVBkA-nole-e5-bLs8b7T5tn3qNdgrF5MsbTqS9ZFZBqWhMvxgKOY/s1600/photo+1+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVRcztOmoea8PXcsvR_BGtWPAIqUyu3G139E7iN8Y13Eu4pqLlGj3BdeBw3Pax4qvQR5fnBPfVjlf8bKaP2-eznqVBkA-nole-e5-bLs8b7T5tn3qNdgrF5MsbTqS9ZFZBqWhMvxgKOY/s320/photo+1+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preplanning the Drop Bags</td></tr>
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As race day neared I started making mental notes of what to pack for race day. Prepping for a triathlon is always a multi hour process but packing/prepping for an ultra was all new to me. I called another buddy who would be running this race as well. David Potter has run Ironman triathlon and has been on a triathlon team that is well known for their speed (Team Fraser) and he was very encouraging. Now I was stoked! He gave me some great advice and I was on my way to start packing the 'drop bags.'
In an ultra distance event you pack 2-3 "drop bags" that are placed at specific locations where you can access them upon arrival and use whatever you put in them. In each of my 2 bags I put in extra clothes, shoes, socks, nutrition and body care items (anti-chafing stuff, athletic tape, etc). The bags would be awaiting my arrival at the 22 mile mark and the 43 mile mark. While I always over pack for any trip, I figure this would be one instance where I couldn't go wrong by over packing. I planned out worst case scenarios and even planned special "surprise" snacks for myself in case I got an urge for something that wouldn't be offered at the aid stations. I planned to be out running for upwards of 12 hours but also knew that the race cut off time was 13 hours. I knew the race covered some water crossing and several hills, some of which would be off the regular marked trails. I really had no idea what was in store for me!<br />
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Race morning came quick. I was up at 0330 and out the door at 0345 on my way to Hell (true, the race is held in Hell, Michigan -- The run takes place in the Pinkney Rec State Park). As I was just about 20 minutes away from home I realized that I had forgotten my iPod Shuffle. I normally have 1 earbud in while I run to help me keep pace and keep my mind off of how far I've gone or the how much time has passed, worse yet, how much time I still have to go. But not today, I would be running without music. I did bring my iPhone with me in case I got lost or needed some type of help, but with the possibility of some rain for the day, I had the phone packed in a Ziploc bag and stored in my Camelbak.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Uy573TDjpjAb8sE672ZuwG0hA9cYPHXNgyPNTd_Bol4p1Yo6WwMI1rsI6a98cYvnPGpxZpTwYOIbkRvxEqmvc-gKTth_EiBzpSqEUUj0_S0xqmfrpId29ShG_TpiN_cIS0LG4MyllKs/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Uy573TDjpjAb8sE672ZuwG0hA9cYPHXNgyPNTd_Bol4p1Yo6WwMI1rsI6a98cYvnPGpxZpTwYOIbkRvxEqmvc-gKTth_EiBzpSqEUUj0_S0xqmfrpId29ShG_TpiN_cIS0LG4MyllKs/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DWD Race T-Shirt</td></tr>
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Once I arrived and parked, I noticed several things that would stick in my mind throughout the day. First was that it was so dark and the sky was so clear that you could see thousands of stars! I grew up in the country so this wasn't a crazy new sight for me, but it was a simple thing that made me smile. As I approached the packet pick up tent there was something else in the air that was different than all of my other races. Everyone was chatty and outgoing. People were interested in everyone else and few people talked about themselves, rather shifting the focus on someone else or asking about me. I got my drop bags set and I was ready to go. Head lamp on and the announcer marked the countdown to the race start. Funny thing happened when the gun went off to start, people simply shuffled forward. There was no jostling or elbowing for position, no one even bumped into me or accidentally stepped on my heels. The "ReAwakening" was under way!
Please note: The Dance With Dirt organizers got pretty creative with the names of each of the stages of this race. On paper the event is broken up into 12 stages, each stage or 'Leg' is characterized by level of wetness, elevation and torture and then separated by aid stations. Below is my account of the race as best I can recall. I didn't take notes during the race and I didn't really know what to expect. Part of the DWD disclaimer is that it is "an adventurous trail run with difficult and stupid sections. Crying is acceptable" Another advertisement for this run titles itself an "Insanely fun extreme trail run". <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dances With Dirt - Race Start</td></tr>
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Leg A - "ReAwakening" starts at Half Moon Beach and is 5.3 miles and starts in the pre dawn darkness, claiming to be a dry run with 479 feet of climbing and 472 feet of decent. I was still tired after not sleeping very well in anticipation for the run, but it was now 0615 and Go time and as the Leg is titled, it was time to reawake! I started out slow, as planned. It wasn't long before I realized that we were already starting a slow ascent and before I knew it we were in the trails. This group run with headlamps was awesome! Most of this part of the race had to be single file due to how narrow the trails are, but still, no one was forcing anyone else out the way to get in a better position. When we hit some rugged area where there were ruts and roots someone would call it out and the pack slowed and then like a pack of sheep everyone would follow suit jumping left or right, weaving around the obstacle and then continue on. I planned to walk up every hill. As part of my preplanning for the long day ahead I followed the plan, even though some of the hills weren't too steep, yet. I wondered how long it would be before the sun started to appear. While I recently did a night run to assure that I had my headlamp set right, this was different and everyone around me had one as well. I was anxious to see the sun start to peer into the woods and it wasn't long until the light started to break the darkness. Now I could see some of the trails leading up the hills we were climbing, perhaps it was better when I couldn't see them coming. Before I knew it we were at the headlamp drop off area and there was a small water/aid stand. I stopped, took off my headlamp and took off my long sleeve shirt, tied them together and dropped them in the box to go back to the race finish area. Again, I was off running.<br />
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Leg B - "Limbo" starts at Hiland Access and is a 4.95 mile dry section designated as a horse trail with 417 feet of climbing and 394 feet of decent. Organizers advise you to watch out for horse droppings, ha! This part of the run was nice and not too difficult. The air was warm enough that there was quite a bit of fog which looked very cool when we would run out of the wooded areas. The sky quickly brightened and though it wasn't sunny, it was turning into a beautiful day. Time slipped away from me here. I found a groove and I was in it fully. We popped out of the wooded area and there was a fully stocked aid station. Already? Wow, I didn't really know how far in to the race we were until a volunteer yelled out that we were about 10 miles in and had about 5 more to go until the next aid station. I didn't let myself start doing the simple math but there was still 40 miles to go. I downed some PB&J sandwich squares and some cold boiled potatoes. Yup, you read that right and they were tasty!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just another part of DWD trails</td></tr>
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Leg C - "This Sucks, Less?" is a 4.75 mile section that heads out at Hell Creek Ranch. It is another dry section that claims to become "resistance running" with 400 feet climbing and 472 feet of decent. This was pretty much an 'Out and Back' section of the race. It went by quickly as I was quickly befriended by an old friend from my college days in the medic program. I saw him briefly during the packet pick up. Brandon Mulnix has been on an incredible journey in his weight loss and was in a very unfortunate car accident a few months ago; today he still has his jaw wired shut. He ran a 50 Miler a couple weeks ago and today was back at it. My hat goes off to him, there's no way I'd attempt something of this caliber when I couldn't eat normal food. "Hagerman, is that you" I heard a voice call from behind me. It was Brandon and the timing for him to run with me was perfect. Now I had some time to talk with, or rather to try to talk with. It's rather hard to hold a conversation while running trails, let alone when you have your jaw wired shut. As we approached the mini aid station, he stopped to refill his water bottle. I took a quick drink of some Gatoraid type drink and I was off.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stripper Pole</td></tr>
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Leg D - "Stripper Pole" is a 3.95 mile 'moist' trail with some "Chutes and Ladders" this leg has a demanding 492 feet of climbing and 456 feet of decent. While the name is slightly misleading, the description of this section includes terms like 'wicked hill' and 'hands assisted climbs' followed by the 'Butt Slide' downhills. Sure enough, these were some wicked trails! Flags marking the course led us off the normal trail and up the side of a hill that did, in fact, require the use of my hands to make the ascent. My heart rate was soaring and I wasn't even half way up. I only briefly thought about <i>WHY </i>I was running this when I realized that this is part of what makes this run so stupid fun. I loved it! I remember just simply laughing and wondering else lay ahead. The "Stripper Pole" alone separates this run from any other mud run! When I finally got to the top of the 'Stripper Pole' I again just had to laugh! Ran a short bit and realized that it was now time to start the 'Butt Slide' down the hill. Wahoo!!<br />
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Below is a video that Brandon Mulnix took while climbing this section of the run:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the River Run - Not me</td></tr>
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Leg E - "Styx, River of Death" is a 3.15 mile run listed as "Very Wet" It also states 262 feet of climbing and 295 feet of decent. The leg description includes "Wet, wet, wet. Dangerous river rocks that cut. Deep holes. The path to Hell is the River of Death" "If a shoe comes off, just reach into the mud, there are plenty of them in there". Through this section you cross the knee deep to waist high river waters 3 separate times; this ain't no little creek! It was at about the 19 mile mark where I had my first real cramp, in my right upper inner thigh/groin. Crap it hurt. No way was I going to let this get to me so 'early' on in the run. I doubled up on my salt tabs and amino supplement. I refused to stop moving forward, I stretched out and walked for about 4 minutes. The cramping subsided and I was back into a run. I really found it amazing at how my body was able to quickly adjust to the nutrition change and quell the cramps - very cool. Just when you think you're done, nope. Now it's time to get really wet. The last part of this leg runs in the middle of the river and against the current for about a half mile. This is, of course, where the first photographers are. The water was very cold but it did feel rather good on my legs. I joked with a couple of guys that I was running with "if I would have known we would be walking this far in the water, I would have brought my waders and fly rod". Still I could only laugh at how much fun I was having! When we reached the dam, we were officially welcomed to Hell by a man wearing a Satan costume. I was so preoccupied giggling to myself, I didn't realize that I was at the first bag drop location - 22 miles in! Time for some more food at the aid station and a dry pair of shoes. For this first 22 miles I wore my New Balance MT10 Minimus shoes. They felt great, and my feet felt great except for a minor blister under my left big toe. The Minimus MT10's were now mucky from the river and I thought that my next opportunity to change shoes wasn't until the 43 mile mark, so I changed shoes. In my prepping and planning for 'worst case scenario' situations, I packed super glue and athletic tape for blisters. I popped the blister and filled it with super glue, just as I had been instructed by something in a Dean Karnanzes book. I got my socks and dry shoes on, they were warm. I took my time at this aid station. No rush and I got my phone out and sent a text message to Becky letting her know where I was and that I was having fun. A coworker, Mark, then arrived, he was supposed to be running the 50k but ended up working an extra shift until 7 am. He still came out to the event and started an unofficial run through the trails. He said he would run with me for a while. I ate a bunch of food at this stop, anything tasted better than more gel packs at this point.<br />
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Leg F - "Bad Out of Hell" leaves Hell, Michigan and starts the next 2.9 miles of slow torture. 325 feet of climbing and 331 feet of decent. I was almost instantly assured of the poor decision to change shoes. Something didn't feel right, ah well, too late now. A significant portion of this leg was run on a hard packed dirt road with a gradual incline. As one of the shorter sections, this one went by fast. Again, it was good to have someone to talk with, or rather someone talking to me knowing that I wouldn't always respond. Mark has run a handful of 50k's and had also given me some pre-race advice, so at this point his words were encouraging and helpful.<br />
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Leg G - "Potto" is a long 6 mile dry jaunt with 577 feet of climbing and 591 feet of decent. My pace dropped significantly here, I knew it I could feel it. At one point I cramped up again, but now I was out of salt tabs since I had doubled up earlier. I couldn't stand the thought of more gel packs, luckily I packed some sport beans. I downed them. The cramming eased but didn't completely leave. By this point I had already drank through about 3 liters of water and I figured that I was somewhere around the 5-6 hour mark. Again, I found it crazy cool how the body can adapt to pain and utilize minor nutritional changes and the overcome a problem. This section of running had some running along the side of the hills where footing was blatantly uneven and then there were rock piles to run over. I let myself walk for a several minutes. Was I hitting the wall? I'd been there before in training and in last years marathon, where I found the wall at the 24 mile mark. What was it that I had just recently read about the wall? Dean Karnanzes wrote something to the effect of - when you hit the wall, just go around it. I was still enjoying the run, I didn't want to quit early, I paid for 50 miles. I knew that this was the last section before the 50k finish. Soon enough I was there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My blister after cleaning and more superglue</td></tr>
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The 50k Finish and Aid Station - I refused to even consider quitting but there was an overwhelming sensation knowing that I had just completed my first ultra marathon. I could call it a day, go home and say that I ran my first ultra. I still had half marathon to run without salt tabs. Maybe Lisa and Gooch were right, I wasnt ready for a 50 mile run; what if I got 1 mile out and couldn't take another step? As I approached the chute to the 50k finish there was a separate chute leading you off away from the glory of the finish line. People started cheering, I was running alone. I heard someone yell out "Way to go Ultra!" and another person yell "Go 731" - this was my race bib number and those who paid for the 50 mile run had a different color bib. No way would I stop now. I made the 50k cut off by more than an hour. I rationalized that I had time to make it to the next cut off at the 43 mile mark, even if I was slow and get some salt tabs and my extra goodies (as I put my second stash of them in my second drop bag so they wouldn't get wet and ruined in the first bit of the race). Of course, I veered off to the Ultra side of the chute and dropped in to the aid station where there was more food <i>and </i>to my surprise I found the first drop bags waiting for us there. I grabbed it like a child who just found the secret stash of cookies. I had good stuff in there... some nutritional items that I didn't have room to carry from the 22 mile mark. I sat down and was happy to be able to change my socks, which I hadn't planned on being able to do. One small problem. My sock was superglued to my toe, apparently I didn't wait long enough for the fast drying Krazy Glue to dry. Mark (form work) came over, his wife was volunteering for the day. They saw my problem. I had no choice but to rip the sock off, tearing the skin. I immediately grabbed the superglue and liberally applied it to the bleeding wound. I needed it to be fixed enough so that I could run the last 19 miles. I grabbed the athletic tape and this time, waited a bit longer for the glue to dry before covering everything up. Mark got me a couple of slices of pizza from the volunteer tent, it may have taken me almost 10 seconds to devour them. I shoveled food into my mouth after I got my shoes on. I ate every bit of food I could get my hands on, yet my stomach still growled for more. I felt better, the pizza tasted so good! I soon came to the conclusion that I should probably get out and finish my run.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abyss Muck - Not me in the pic</td></tr>
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Leg H - "Abyss" is a 2.55 mile run starts with the muck. There is only 233 feet of climbing and 226 feet of decent in this section. Just outside of the 50k finish I realized that the last 19 miles of this run would be completely different than the first 31 miles. The muck is described as "suspicious stuff" with "a good opportunity to sprain an ankle." I had just got new socks on and a fresh blister wound repaired and I was immediately swollowed up in the muck. With each step I sank up to my knees. A one point my right shoe got stuck, I couldn't lift my foot out. Crap! I stuck some sticks to put under my left foot to prevent it from getting stuck while I tried to loosen my right shoe. I heard about people loosing their shoes in this muck and running barefoot to 43 mile mark. I reached down behind myself and grabbed the heel of my shoe with my hand and pulled it up... Whew, that was close. But I still had about 50 yards to go. Finally makiout making out, I started running and again just laughing at what had been created for me in this adventure. I found a groove again and while I continued to follow my plan for walking up the hills, I found myself walking up the small hills just a little bit faster.<br />
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Leg I - "Vertigo" is another long section with 5.8 miles of trails, crazy steep downhills and is mostly a dry section. This section also includes part of the previous years course "Where's the F'ing Bridge" Here there are 545 feet of climbing and 525 feet of decent. I owned it here. I passed a guy who said I looked like I had just started the race with fresh legs. THIS was fun! My feet were trashed and mud still flung off my shoes with each step. I did manage to catch up with another guy and ran with him for a bit. He has been running ultras for a long time and has qualified for the Western States Endurance Run (the 100 mile run) two years running, but his name has yet to be drawn from the lottery. He is a addictions counselor and moved here many years ago from England. We mustered up a good conversation while he lead us through the winding trails. Suddenly he stopped... "Flags" he said. And I realized that there was no course flags in sight. How far off course did we get? We back tracked and found our way again and started to run with a few others. Maybe a half mile of course. There were warnings that some locals would go out and move the course flags or take down the course markers, in this case, we just missed an obvious turn.<br />
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Leg J - "The Stupid Lake" 3.65 miles. Hahaha! Really? Yes. This part of the run has 266 feet of climbing and 243 feet of decent and is listed as "Very Wet". The section description reads "Aquatics Running 101 is taught here" "Failure is not acceptable" "Who's stupid? Trail Dog measured the lake with his bike" We ran on the edge of some corn fields and quickly found... Guess what... a lake. Yup, a lake. Run it. Not beside it or in the marshy area next to it but <i>IN </i>it. At this point the course for the100k Relay runners matched up with the 50 mile course. Several of the Relay people caught up with us here, with their fresh legs they also passed us here. I heard things like this - 5 times "Are you doing the ultra?" <i>Yes </i>"the 50k or the 50 Miler" <i>The 50 Miler, the 50k mark was about 10 miles back</i>. They always laughed at us and wished us luck. It was rather fun to inform them that this was our 4th time in the water... They didn't get the same adventurous course that we did. But man, they were all FAST! At one point I found a hole under the water that managed to dunk me down to my chest, brrr. At the end of this section is the 43 mile mark and the final aid station with food AND our second drop bag. I changed my shoes again, this time my socks came off easily. I was drenched. The volunteers at this station were absolutely great! I had a nurse and a massage therapist tending to me. They made me laugh and asked if they could fill my Camelbak, while they stripped it off of me. They wanted to change my socks for me, help me with my shoes. I declined the offer, I wanted to do this on my own. They asked if they could do <i>anything </i>for me - I just smiled and they laughed. I noticed that I had some seaweed stuff stuck in and on my shoes, it made me laugh out loud. The volunteers found it funny too. I changed my clothes in the middle of the parking lot, relay runners were there, support cars everywhere. I ducked behind one to change my shorts. Fresh socks and another pair of dry shoes, I was clean and ready to rock! As I geared back up to head out for the final 7 miles I KNEW that I was going to finish. It was then that Mark Koonter found me. We have trained together quite a bit over this spring and summer and he had an offer to join a relay team for this race. He said that he would be running their final leg to the finish, so we would probably see each other during the final few miles. He offered to run with me - heck no! I knew there wasn't a chance I could keep up with him now. But I did wonder how long I could hold him off from catching up to me...<br />
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Leg K - "Don't Get No Better" is a dry and sandy 2.85 mile run with only 210 feet of climbing and 180 feet of decent. Lots of raspberry and pricker brushes, but I didn't care, I busted through them. I felt light on my feet. I was ready for the race to be done, but it was <i>MY </i>race now! I caught up with and passed some of the slower relay runners and that was a huge mental boost. I still made a slower progression up the steep hills but I was holding an 8 minute mile pace on the flats and downhills (I figured this out after reviewing my Garmin data back at home). Quickly came up onto the mini aid station where they asked if I needed anything, I thanked them without stopping and kept running. I heard the relay team members cheering for me as they awaited their runners to come in, only so they could soon smoke me to the finish - it was great!<br />
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Leg L -"Dirt's Revenge" Is the final 4.15 miles of the race. It boasts 371 feet of climbing and 453 feet of decent on a final attempt to kill each and every one of the runners out there. The climbs seemed more difficult and I was still walking them - no sense in cramping up again and being forced to walk in the final Mile of the course. I heard another familiar voice yelling from behind me, it was Mark Koonter and he was flying up the hill that I was walking. We exchanged a few short words as he flew past me. Now I was on a super mental high, this leg was mine. <i>Stay focused on the markers, hold tight on the turns... Go get it it!</i> <i>Go, Go, GO!</i> I wished my wife and girls could have been there to see my finish. While to them it wouldn't be any different than any other race finish, this was going to be one of my personal biggest running accomplishments ever!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_PYlEfe27U5ABAKVnSiKjTsqo8q2MRWaSc9CQ_135Qky9B_tbuuFnhiZXdxcfUeRSzCO53M_FVj4OvIyq51H5NUlyqWNjeJ-EUBqyAaVHdIx2kIQQy-_azKtbAWOTAC4dImeoPa3e5w/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_PYlEfe27U5ABAKVnSiKjTsqo8q2MRWaSc9CQ_135Qky9B_tbuuFnhiZXdxcfUeRSzCO53M_FVj4OvIyq51H5NUlyqWNjeJ-EUBqyAaVHdIx2kIQQy-_azKtbAWOTAC4dImeoPa3e5w/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back Home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally there! I run into the park, and jet down the final hill with what felt like a blazing pace, my lungs burning and legs on fire. There are several relay teams cheering on their own runners as well as yelling out "great finish ultra!"
Then I was there, the finish - I completed Dances With Dirt Run Through Hell 50 Mile Run! Mark Koonter met me at the finish. 11 hours and 21 minutes was my final time. 7th in my Age Group of 11 Men and 36th Overall out of 62 People. Koonter gave me a beer and I walked around to cool down. What a huge day. I feel hugely accomplished! I left it all on the course.
The last aspect to this day was to drive home. I felt good and my body felt pretty good. When I finally got home I realized how jacked up my legs and feet were. The recovery is going to take a while and there's quite a bit of swelling in my feet.
I own this pain! This race was mine!<br />
<br />
Much thanks to Marsh Findley at Escapes Theraputic Massage for prepping my legs and getting me back in shape after this run! <br />
<br />
*More Pictures to follow soon - several of the above photo's are from Brandon Mulnix. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pictures above are from the sites listed below:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> http://brandonmulnix.com/dances-with-dirt-hell-50-something-race-report/</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/trail-running/dwd-100k-insane-terrain-relay-rr </span>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-56195235960706198722011-09-01T23:32:00.002-04:002011-09-01T23:32:35.003-04:00So very close....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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September is here! I'm opting out of Rev3 Cedar Point half iron tri due to finances. I finally got in to the USAT Coaching Certification Clinic - very exciting as I've been trying to get in since March; it's a very limited class, both in registrants and location. It just so happens that the event I finally got in to is in Las Vegas. This will be a great opportunity for me as a personal trainer as well as for Team Motiv8 Fitness and Training! The cost of the class and travel is going to be rather expensive but it's a worthwhile investment. So sadly, I'm out for Rev3CP.<br />
<br />
That being said I will be racing a local sprint tri on Saturday the 10th - The Playmakers Classic. I see that the Capital City River Run Half Marathon is the 18th... I cannot rule that run out as I've run it the last 3 years, but I'm also not trained to race that distance. Run,yes - race, no. I was secretly hoping that I could convince my body to run Dances With Dirt - Hell 50 Miler, not going to happen, maybe the 50k. From there I'm looking into October at the MSU Triathlon and either the Grand Rapids or Detroit Marathon. <br />
<br />
This year it has been a struggle to get my needed workouts in. Childcare has been different with the prospect of losing my job with the fire department, though that is pretty much a sealed deal NOT to happen now. I'm thankful for that as I do enjoy being a firefighter/paramedic. Next week Anna starts kindergarten - my little princess is growing up! So now Sophie and I will have a lot more time alone during the days I'm home and it may be a bit easier to get one girl out with me on a run rather than two. But still, I wouldn't change anything... except the whole thing about my little girls growing up.<br />
<br />
August totals were as expected:<br />
<br />Bike: 91 miles, Run: 65 miles, Swim: 10 minutes... WHOA! WHA? Yup... my only swim in August was at the Lansing Legislator -- oops. Strength (other) training took a little boost to about 10 hours this month.<br />
<br />
The good news, I just broke 1000 miles on the bike for the year. Just shy of 400 miles running for the year. So that leaves me to get in 1000 miles more on the bike and about 350-400 more miles running. No big deal, right? That only means 8 miles a day on the bike and a merely 3 miles a day to run. Sept and Oct have always been high run volumes for me. I won't bail on the swimming as it's always been my biggest limiter - I've made several big gains this year, so I have to hit the water in this off season. But time in the water has been very poor so far this year.<br />
<br />
Races are pretty much done, now it's time to break some personal bests and annual totals!Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-4903832622414636322011-08-07T15:40:00.002-04:002012-03-16T10:58:47.924-04:00Lansing Legislator Sprint Tri Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCnObk5Kwc75OzlaNfdmrKhIyRn7B5X74nScOL7Qg7Nm0cxSQezMIdG3Exj53xSjJLmDH2K0eRDHSXMOl6cVNUrh1jeemM5vTKxBKIWISysa4Iu1Ar2nW4mUc__h1ZkiNRrGwFbGu7II/s1600/IMG_1537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCnObk5Kwc75OzlaNfdmrKhIyRn7B5X74nScOL7Qg7Nm0cxSQezMIdG3Exj53xSjJLmDH2K0eRDHSXMOl6cVNUrh1jeemM5vTKxBKIWISysa4Iu1Ar2nW4mUc__h1ZkiNRrGwFbGu7II/s320/IMG_1537.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="padding-left: 20px;"><span class="header1">Lansing Legislator Sprint Triathlon</span><br />
2011-08-07<br />
Laingsburg, Michigan<br />
United States<br />
3 Disciplines Racing<br />
85F / 29C<br />
Overcast</td>
<td style="padding-left: 10px;" valign="top"><br />
<span class="racetext"><b>Triathlon</b>
- <b>Sprint</b>
<br />
<b>Total Time</b> =
1h 09m 45s
<br />
<b>Overall Rank</b> = 8/<br />
<b>Age Group</b> = 30-34<br />
<b>Age Group Rank</b> = 3/<br />
</span></td></tr>
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<div class="header1">
Event warmup: A quick dip in the water and lots of jaw jacking with teammates and friends who I hadn't seen in a while.</div>
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</div>
<div class="header1">
<a href="http://team-motiv8.com/">Team Motiv8</a> was in full effect today! </div>
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<div class="header1">
<img src="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/swimicon.gif" /> <b>Swim Comments</b>: I
jumped my ability from the gun to the first buoy, but did well staying
with the appropriate pack once I settled in. I'm learning the draft!
Unfortunately those who I was drafting also knew how to sprint the last
straightaway and they left me alone. Great swim for me!</div>
<div class="header1">
</div>
<div class="header1">
What would you do differently?: Starting
out hard worked well for me. This swim wave/group was all the men for
the sprint race and the last wave of the days events. Lot's of
competitive people swim at the front of the group... I may have faired
better starting farther back, but I had fun trying to keep up with the
real swimmers.</div>
<br />
<div class="header1">
<b>T1 Comments</b>: Quick, but not as quick as others... picked up 11 places in T1.</div>
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</div>
<div class="header1">
What would you do differently?: Solid T1, no complaints.</div>
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<div class="header1">
<img src="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/rideicon.gif" /> <b>Bike Comments</b>: Lots
of fast cyclists out here today! Several avg 23mph. I'm very happy
with my performance and I feel it was a solid effort. Matches my faster
speeds from last year on comparable courses (training). </div>
<div class="header1">
</div>
<div class="header1">
What would you do differently?: I feel good about this bike.</div>
<br />
<b>T2 Comments</b>: In
retrospect I could have been a touch faster but I'm happy with a 44
second T2. I rode my bike in towards the dismount and did a partial
dismount until I hit the line. Running the bike into T2 there was a guy
who forgot which side his rack was and he cut me off, I almost lost it
and fell over. All I did was laugh - could have been me.<br />
<br />
What would you do differently?: Good - but Craig pulled a sub 30 second T2 :)<br />
<br />
<div class="header1">
<img src="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/runicon.gif" /> <b>Run Comments</b>: Almost
a double out and back. Kind of sucked, but it was short and you got to
keep seeing/passing the leaders which is an absolute motivator to run
harder. A big benefit was that they moved the run from where it was
last year - which is now a loose gravel road.</div>
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</div>
<div class="header1">
What would you do differently?: Wasn't as fast as the Motor City Tri earlier this year, but I felt like I gave it a good go today!</div>
<br />
<b>Post race</b><br />
<div class="header1">
Warm down: Nothing special - water. Forgot to bring along Fluid, though I remembered the bottle.</div>
<br />
What limited your ability to perform faster: I feel good about this race. If I were focusing on short distance tri's I could be faster on all 3 disciplines.<br />
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</div>
</div>
<b>Event comments</b>: 3D
really has picked up the pieces to organize a much better race than
they had in the past. Plenty of volunteers and a well marked course.
The run ended up a little long, but no big deal. I'm happy to do a well
run race when it's in my back yard.Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-87795778260755283882011-07-20T15:51:00.004-04:002012-03-16T10:58:37.375-04:00Ironman Racine 70.3 Race Report - 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YLOjWuc-8ogaCOZEMW-y1l7ugsvaAez_rqwyNnZofT8ju4vdWv56qdDgC-Xp8jDpd0RRzmXUUVF8LD0x9RvFMAROecAJbGZbRs3pnYQUJbzC-U5cA-fE2FP3FwE7BSs1B2WzOQarWe4/s1600/IMG_1331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YLOjWuc-8ogaCOZEMW-y1l7ugsvaAez_rqwyNnZofT8ju4vdWv56qdDgC-Xp8jDpd0RRzmXUUVF8LD0x9RvFMAROecAJbGZbRs3pnYQUJbzC-U5cA-fE2FP3FwE7BSs1B2WzOQarWe4/s320/IMG_1331.JPG" width="320" /></a>Here it is; my 2011 Ironman Racine race report. It was crazy hot from the time the sun came throughout the day with a heat index of over 100 degrees F. I was fortunate that my wife was there to cheer me on and good friend Eddie was racing as well, it was good to see familiar faces on the coarse. Several people from BeginnerTriathlete.com were there as well!<br />
<br />
My recovery is going very well! I did a short swim yesterday and had a massage with Marsha at <a href="http://www.escapespa.org/">Escapes Spa - Therapeutic Massage</a> She works wonders and today I'm feeling much better.<br />
<br />
Overall Time was 5 Hours 58 Minutes<br />
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Warmup: Did a little swimming / water acclimation. The water temp was 66F and little to no wakes. It was a beautiful morning.<br />
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<img src="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/swimicon.gif" /> Swim: Perhaps my best swim ever! I felt great and stayed with my pack. Everything seemed to be there for me. We did swim against the current, while it was barely noticeable at first, the final few buoys were a struggle. I was able to find someone to draft off of and this was the first time that I was able to move from one persons draft to another and successfully hold their pace. I did get stuck a few times behind some slower swimmers from the group who launched before us. I still need more work on speed, but I'm getting there.<br />
<br />
T1: I utilized the wetsuit strippers and had to wait for a second for their help. Got in to T1 and didn't rush.<br />
<br />
<div class="division">
<img src="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/rideicon.gif" /> Bike: Wow, it was hot before I started my swim and I definitely felt it on the bike. I didn't push the bike as I knew that I hadn't trained to race this bike. I wanted to save energy for the run and had high hopes of nailing my run. I felt that I held a good cadence on the bike but OA it was 67. I did coast a lot but my OA cadence should have been much higher! I started out holding a solid 20-22mph pace. I opted to slow a little to hold for the run, but near the end of the bike I felt spent. It was just crazy hot!<br />
<br />
Speedfil - if you don't own one, buy one! It's a 40oz container, but I refilled it at each aid station. I also had 1 bottle of Fluid with me. Never felt the urge to use the bathroom, so I know I was sweating out a lot more than normal.</div>
<br />
What would I do differently?: Spin baby, spin. My overall cadence was WAY too low by the midway point in the race. I should have known better.<br />
<br />
T2: T2 went well, but again, I took my time. I felt the burn in my legs so I let them rest for a bit. Started up the Garmin 410 and let it sync, took some MAP and SaltTab and I was off to run.<br />
<div class="division">
<img src="http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/runicon.gif" /> Run: I was hurting when I left T2. I knew from the first step of my run that this was going to take a LOT longer than I planned. I'm not exactly sure why I was so cramped and I have a hard time believing that it was solely the heat. Water and nutrition intake was good on the bike. Supplements were right on during the bike - so that leaves me with pre-race training. I made the immediate decision to take the Hal Higdon approach to running and followed it strictly for the entire first loop. I knew that it would cause my OA run to be slower than planned, but I wanted to be sure that I could finish the race without letting the cramping stop me. Again, nutrition and supplements were right on. Second loop I did pick the pace a little and limited my breaks. I hoped that this would still give me a sub 10min/mi time. At the last turn-around I stepped it up and then paid for it. I did take another minute walk break about a half mile before the finish. Then I took final stretch in with a sadly slow stride. Turns out that only 2 of my miles were sub 10 min/mi. So apparently my walking intervals was longer than Hal Higdon would approve of. Per the Garmin data (reviewing after the race), while I was running I held 8-8:45 paces. Thankfully the good citizens of Racine were out again in full force soaking down everyone with cold hose water! I took a bath at every opportunity and put ice down the front of my shorts at every other aid station. I took in oranges at every opportunity, grabbed a sponge and kept it cold and wet. </div>
<br />
What would you do differently?: I let my training fail me here. I should have been doing bigger and longer bricks over the past few months!<br />
<br />
Post race: Ate a turkey sub immediately and drank some water. I hate ice baths, but if one was available, I would have dove into it! From there I was able to watch several people cross the finish line; including Madison firefighter Rob Verhouse who did the event in full turnout gear, helmet and Scot Pak as well as Iraq War veteran Melissa Stockwell of Chicago who completed the race with an artificial left leg.<br />
<br />
All in all this was far from a PR for me at this distance but I cannot complain, I had a great time. My training was focused, but not specific enough and my volume was WAY under where I should have been for this race. I knew that going in. I knew that I was prepared to finish, but hoped that I could still race it. Ironman did a great job organizing this race. The only fault that I can point out is that one aid station ran out of cups - but with the heat and people taking 'extras' it does add up. I had a good time and hope to be back next year. I can't wait for the Lansing Legislator in August and then the Rev3 Cedar Point Half Iron Distance. I'd love the opportunity to get another 70.3 in this year, but at $250 I won't be able to swing it. I have high hopes for a full distance Ironman next year, but we'll see how this year progresses.<br />
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Again, my sponsors are the best! Take time to visit their websites and try what they have to offer! </div>
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<a href="http://team-motiv8.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Trinity-Multi-Sports-Logo1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://team-motiv8.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Trinity-Multi-Sports-Logo1.gif" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.trinitymulti-sports.com/">Trinity Multi-Sports</a> for the extremely comfortable tri kit!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.livefluid.com/img/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.livefluid.com/img/logo.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.livefluid.com/?referrer=JHagerman">Fluid</a> for the best recovery drink mix!</div>
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<a href="http://team-motiv8.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Escapes-Spa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://team-motiv8.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Escapes-Spa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Marsh at <a href="http://escapespa.org/">Escapes Therapeutic Massage</a> for a great pre and post race massage!</div>
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My family is the best. Much thanks to Becky's parents for watching the girls this weekend.</div>
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</div>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-7455562866137526032011-06-17T09:37:00.000-04:002012-03-16T10:58:58.354-04:00Training and a Season UpdateWe've jumped into June and it still feels like April with our cold and windy weather! The training for Ironman Racine 70.3 is going well and Team Motiv8 has had a successful first few weeks of racing.<br />
<br />
Craig Weaver and Family wrapped up the Curwood Half Marathon in style! Craig took 2nd in his Age Group at the Half Marathon distance. Craig's wife, Susan, took first in her Age Group at the 5k distance and son, Ryan, took first in his Age Group at the 10k distance. This absolutely shows the underlying reason that Team Motiv8 exists; to help encourage families to be active together!<br />
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I raced the Hawk Island Triathlon and the Motor City Triathlon. At Hawk Island (400m, 10mi, 5k) I raced well but I wasn't as fast as I hoped to be. In fact, I was about 20 seconds slower than I was last year. Unfortunately I was about 2 min 30sec out of contentions for an Overall finish; in a sprint distance triathlon that is a fairly big time gap! I had the disadvantage of working my normal shift (24 hours at the fire department) the day before the race. So I got off from work at 7am and went straight to the race. But I finished in 1h 2min with a 2min/100 swim, 21mph avg on the bike and a 7:10/mi paced run. A good friend, Adam, did race very well taking a 3rd place OA finish and setting a new PR at that course!<br />
<br />
Last Sunday at the Motor City Triathlon (500m, 12mi, 3.44mi) I raced very well! I set a huge personal best in swimming! I placed 6th Overall and 1st in my Age Group by over 7 minutes. I was still about 2 minutes away from a Podium Overall placement, but I am very satisfied with the performance! My swim averaged a 1min/100, biked 22 mph and runs were paced sub 7min/mi. My biggest advantage came in the swim where we had the help of a 3-4 mph current in the Detroit River - we swam mostly with the current and I used my full wetsuit as the water was a little chilly. What I find rewarding is that even if I would have experienced my "normal" swim, I still would have placed first in my Age Group. My bike split was very good and also a race PR for speed. My run followed suit where I raced a sub 7min/mi for the first time in a triathlon.<br />
<br />
This past week was my Peak Week in the Periodization Training Plan for Racine. So my volume was huge and the speedwork on the run was intense. I hit a big benchmark in speed training on the run and completed a new 1 Mile Best Effort Run in 5m42s. I feel like the past 4 years of training and planning and analyzing data are finally paying off. While my overall training volume is much lower this year than last year, I have trained much more intentionally and spent a lot of time working on form, both in the water and on the run. Perhaps later this year I'll be able to bring my biking up and show a big break to hit avg speeds of 24mph. <br />
<br />
Racine weighs heavy on my mind every day. I've looking back at race data from last year and trying out more specific nutritional planning. While I raced well at Racine last year, I know that my nutrition was low on a caloric base and I wasn't properly conditioned for the run. I cramped up on the run last year, partly due to nutrition/hydration and partly due to a storm that left the run course brutally hot and humid. Tuesday I will complete my final long distance bike/run session being a full distance brick session. From there I am only about 3 weeks away from Racine and will wrap up the Peak Training Plan and start my Taper.<br />
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After Racine I plan to enjoy the rest of the season with another 70.3 in September for fun, a local triathlon, a marathon and wrap up the year with the largest single mountain biking race in America - the Iceman.<br />
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I have to send out a big "Thank You!" to my family and friends who have helped me with training (support and encouragement, watching the girls and so much more). Becky has always been my biggest supporter! Marsha at <a href="http://www.escapespa.org/">Escapes Spa Therapeutic Massage</a>, <a href="http://www.livefluid.com/">Fluid</a> and <a href="http://www.trinitymulti-sports.com/">Trinity Multisports </a>continue to be very supportive sponsors -- You owe it to yourself to be treated the way I have been by visiting them! (Marsha even has a special offer for first time customers if you mention Team Motiv8) Please do mention Team Motiv8 when you visit or purchase from these sponsors - we get NO kickback from them when you utilize them, but they do like to hear that we are promoting them.<br />
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On the personal training front: I have set up a training studio in the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/PKSA-Karate-St-Johns/110891622277527">PKSA Karate Saint Johns</a> location (this link will take you to their Facebook page - please go 'Like' them. I hope to start building a solid client base in the St Johns area and still plan to meet others for sessions. I look forward with great expectations to this next month! Come out and swim, bike and run with me!Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-64202526985446763442011-03-02T21:48:00.002-05:002012-03-16T10:59:09.893-04:00Game Time!<div style="color: #cccccc;">
It's game time. Well, not time to race, but time to train. 20 Weeks until Racine! My racing plans have taken a definitive shape. Here's the list:</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b>4/02 Martian Marathon (Not set in stone yet)<br />
6/05 Hawk Island Tri - Sprint <br />
6/12 Motor City Tri - Olympic <br />
7/17 Ironman Racine 70.3 <br />
7/30 Warrior Dash MI<br />
8/07 Lansing Legislator - Sprint or Olympic <br />
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3 <br />
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon<br />
11/05 Iceman MTB Race - 27 Miles of Pain!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">To summarize my off season: October left me spent. Grand Rapids Marathon was a great race, but I was secretly glad the season was done. I had hopes to run an ultra marathon, but I needed the rest. I decided to take December easy, January came quick and I emphasized strength training and stretching. I did low volume running and no swimming. February proved to be a challenge to get back into the groove of training. Many times I had to really make a mental push to get in the workouts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Warm weather is close, here in Michigan, and everyday we see more sunlight earlier in the morning. I'm ready to go, I'm chompin' at the bit! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've registered for the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race. This was my 3rd year thinking about the race, but every year it sells out within hours of opening registration. This year I got in, the race sold out in 5 hours with 3700 participants. I'm pretty excited about this race.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Becky and I will be running the Warrior Dash just after Racine. I'm excited about this one too, it'll be my first adventure race and it will be super fun to run it with Becky!! Some good friends ran it last year and came back with stories and pictures that you wouldn't believe, I'm stoked to run this one!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Team Motiv8 is well under way! We're nailing down our sponsors and creating our tri training classes. We are also readying our childrens programs. I can't wait to get in with the kids and talk to them about the importance of making healthy nutritional choices and to encourage them to play (like kids should do). What a great opportunity that we have! Check out our website at <a href="http://team-motiv8.com/">Team-Motiv8.com</a> We'd love for you to join us and run with us across the finish line. Watch for us at local races and stop by our tent before and after the event! There will be good stuff happening at our tent! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As always, thank you to my girls! Becky, Anna and Sophia - you ARE my world! </span>You inspire me to be a better person every day.</div>
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February Totals:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="2'" cellspacing="0" style="color: #cccccc;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="35%">Bike:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">10h 29m 48s - 161.55 Mi</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="35%">Run:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">9h 31m 10s - 53.5 Mi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-41215248315293340262011-01-20T16:20:00.001-05:002012-03-16T10:59:25.228-04:00Crossfit and Firefighters<table bgcolor="#ccccff" border="3" bordercolor="#000033" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="5" style="color: black;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Crossfit for Firefighters</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2">As firefighters we NEED to be functionally strong. We need to do strength training that represents the conditions that we could face on a fire ground. You need to be able to give 100% in order to save your life or that of another person. Regular functional strength training may be the single thing that gives you the power and stamina to get out of a life threatening situation. Be safe and be prepared!<br />
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As triathletes now is a great time for us to be putting time in the strength bank. Those of us who periodize our training typically take this time of the year off, or may be in the early stages of base building. The off season is the best time to make gains in power. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.crossfit.com/">Crossfit</a> movement is gaining momentum in the multisport and endurance sport worlds. You will be seeing more extreme training plans popping up. <a href="http://www.crossfitendurance.com/">Crossfit Endurance</a> has already been taking the bull by the horns and mapping out WOD's (Workout of the Day) that will kick your butt AND incorporate multisport training! Take your training to the next level. <br />
<br />
Whether you subscribe to Crossfit and regular strength training or not, give this a try for a month and watch your speed, power and agility grow exponentially!</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2">Complete this workout 5 times in circuit style intervals. Using the pattern of 1 minute per station followed by a 20 second rest, this workout will take about 7 minutes per circuit. You may rest up to 2 minutes between each circuit. After 5 circuits, complete the 6th circuit with no rest intervals. With the Warm Up and Cool Down, the workout will take about an hour. You can have 1 firefighter at each station (5 firefighters) for the entire workout -- Develop crew integrity!!<br />
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The goal of this workout is to push you mentally and physically; push through the burn and complete each station. Your effort at each station should push your heart rate into an anaerobic state, just like on the fire ground.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><b>Warm Up: </b>Run for 10 minutes - Quick warm up and then a strong sprint (push for a 1 mile sprint). Any cardio warm up is fine, but be certain that you are getting your heart rate up!</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><b>3, 2, 1... GO!</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-iJ5JPDiBwCxO1RpghcXPETryPlsdlJnx0I2kHga9xxKZMVW9-1HG9QXL6uDPeDK_NwHjOgo1exmvKYIRJxxqEqaYqa2kYxiUbxLuAwP8TocdB11LIYYl5CS8FLFYTo8CrQg2fjxanY/s1600/P1010483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-iJ5JPDiBwCxO1RpghcXPETryPlsdlJnx0I2kHga9xxKZMVW9-1HG9QXL6uDPeDK_NwHjOgo1exmvKYIRJxxqEqaYqa2kYxiUbxLuAwP8TocdB11LIYYl5CS8FLFYTo8CrQg2fjxanY/s200/P1010483.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
</td><td><b>STATION 1:</b> “Sled Pull” with a rope, pull a rolled 100’ section of 5” hose across the apparatus bay floor from a seated position without foot anchors. Use a 40’ section of utility rope. Tie to the hose roll, pull on this rope. Consider placing extra weight on top of the hose roll to increase resistance (50# bag of salt/sand). When you've pulled the 'Sled' to you, run the rope out and pull again. Try to get 3 full length pulls in this minute.<br />
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Try this exercise as if you were rowing: stretch forward, grab the rope and pull while you lean back. This will work your lower back and help prevent the common back injuries.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGT50qMtvLs_yNoBb2mO7KaHBiekT43sjAahrypda4dod9mTIosw98_3myMTZ9EzbFFmI1ZjOd3FShxcRE8GT75IxTQ7o3VLBFFRoUdbqoe83LmBYFrGBefoAPtRPq3uTJ84jPA9WQD0/s1600/P1010484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGT50qMtvLs_yNoBb2mO7KaHBiekT43sjAahrypda4dod9mTIosw98_3myMTZ9EzbFFmI1ZjOd3FShxcRE8GT75IxTQ7o3VLBFFRoUdbqoe83LmBYFrGBefoAPtRPq3uTJ84jPA9WQD0/s200/P1010484.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
</td><td><b>STATION 2:</b> “Step Ups” while holding a rolled 50’ section of 1 ¾” fire hose, step up onto the tailboard of an ambulance (or any sturdy surface greater than an 18” height). Remember to alternate which foot steps up first.<br />
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Do not lean forward. Keep your chest out and your shoulders back. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9BVIveGVVHvS7P2Lm48Lwt7_DaqIH0l0uthD9lnIql6HgGOojYbBNN_XzGlGNa6e4rKvR9PnbQ6njNIV-NbKdM96cFXxhFmxfhx-vF5z0t5fERtVVBg1qAfVDjWBMtJl7myrsLUHcEs/s1600/P1010489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9BVIveGVVHvS7P2Lm48Lwt7_DaqIH0l0uthD9lnIql6HgGOojYbBNN_XzGlGNa6e4rKvR9PnbQ6njNIV-NbKdM96cFXxhFmxfhx-vF5z0t5fERtVVBg1qAfVDjWBMtJl7myrsLUHcEs/s200/P1010489.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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</b></td><td><b>STATION 3:</b> “Hose Ropes” swing ropes alternately creating ‘waves’ with the rope. Take a 25’ section of 1 ¾” fire hose, anchor it in the center around a non-movable object so that both couplings of the hose are at the starting point (You'll want to duct tape around the anchor point so the hose doesn't pull one way or the other). Grab the hose below the couplings and make ‘waves’ with the hose. Single Waves, Double Waves; mix it up with Isometric Squats, Skaters Lunge or run in place. Keep your upper body upright with a straight back!</td></tr>
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</b></td><td><b>STATION 4:</b> “Hammer Time” Use a heavy sledge hammer to hit an object on the floor (preferably one that is meant to be beat on). Kneeling or standing - alternate the dominate hand at the 30 second time mark.</td></tr>
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</b></td><td><b>STATION 5: </b> “High Rise Lunges” while draping a high rise hose pack or a 50’ section of 2 ½” across your shoulders, do step lunges 40’ out and back. Upon reaching the starting point, do 10 full squats.<br />
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Keep a straight and upright back. Push your chest out. When you squat - "Ass to the Grass" or You're Doing It WRONG!</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><b>Cool Down: </b>Rowing machine or Elliptical machine for 10 minutes. Any cardio is fine. Strong and steady effort, but not anaerobic.</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2">Lastly, after you've completed this routine a few time and can "comfortably" go through it without being excessively sore the following few days: Do it in your turnout gear! If you're not a firefighter or do not have turnout gear to 'play in' then use heavy pants, boots and a heavy coat (Carhart gear come to mind). Consider this a heat acclimation drill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-17927033929665683772011-01-08T10:27:00.000-05:002012-03-16T10:59:44.094-04:00The Year in Review: 20102010: What a great year!<br />
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I've been able to complete a few things this last year that I've been working towards for a while. Over the course of the year I exceeded each of the goals I set for myself. 2 of my biggest race goals were to run a marathon and complete a Half Ironman. Both went very well and were a big step up in 'The Plan'<br />
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Annual Swim/Bike/Run goals were met, though my run totals could have been much higher if I would have kept running through the end of the year. But again, my foot needed the rest and I think my mind needed it too - thus, the Off Season.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="2'" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">2010 totals</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" width="35%">Bike:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">2098 Miles</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" width="35%">Run:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">702 Miles</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" width="35%">Swim:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">31 Hours</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="35%">Strength:</td><td class="smalltext" colspan="2" width="85%">16 Hours</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" valign="top" width="35%">Other Exercise/Stretching:</td><td class="smalltext" valign="top" width="35%">55 Hours</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In 2011 my biking mileage will probably be about the same but I plan to do a bit more work on speed. My average race speeds are currently about 21mph and I'd like to be about 24mph for Racine. For my run goal I would like to shoot for 1000 miles in 2011. It's a huge step up, but based on my peaking from last year, I think it would be a good goal. I always need to improve my swimming so I'm not setting a specific goal for swimming. Yes, it is my biggest limiter and needs the most work, so if I could swim even 10-20 seconds faster (per 100m) I would consider that a pretty big success. <br />
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Strength training will need to be increased quite a bit. I've been fairly consistent the last 2-3 years in total volume for strength training, but in order to improve my overall speeds, I'll need to gain more power early this year. I've been on a kettlebell routine that will surely help me improve all around. I'll be working on basic calisthenics (like push ups, sit ups, pull ups and squats - body weight stuff). I've always liked the basics and enjoy the Navy SEALs workout programs. I've also looked at the newer things from books like "Convict Conditioning" - all body weight things... you know, everything you'll need to be able to do to prove yourself strong in the prison system! <br />
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I did learn quite a bit of valuable information from the MSU study that I was a part of. A big key is the total volume of aerobic activity that I need to be doing. A LOT! And along with that I am learning the importance of more frequent high intensity drills and circuit style training.<br />
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Lot's of things to incorporate in this years training program. I'm excited to start the new plan. My Racine plan will start in mid-February. While I haven't pinned down the exact race plans for the year, here's the list of events that I'd like to consider:<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> 4/02 Martian Marathon<br />
5/01 Steelcase Du<br />
6/05 Hawk Island Tri <br />
6/12 Motor City Tri Oly <br />
7/17 </b><b>IM Racine 70.3</b></span></b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b> <br />
7/30 Warrior Dash MI<br />
8/07 Lansing Legislator Oly <br />
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3<br />
9/24 DWD 50k <br />
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As always, THANK YOU to my family and friends for your support over this past year. My girls are my biggest supporters. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.livefluid.com/?referrer=JHagerman">Fluid</a> continues to be a huge part of my training and racing as a sponsor! Thank you Rich and Dave and to the whole rest of the Fluid crew. Give Fluid a try sometime and you'll find the best available recovery drink mix of electrolytes, protein and glutamine! For those who like the typical post workout protein shake, try the new Fluid flavor: <a href="http://www.livefluid.com/fluid-store/fluid-recovery-drink">Chocolate</a>!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://team-motiv8.com/">Team Motiv8</a> is underway. If you'd like see how you can get on board with our team, send me an email at <a href="mailto:JHag@Team-Motiv8.com">JHag@Team-Motiv8.com</a></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">We continue to look for sponsors who want to come on board and help us take the message of the importance of making fitness part of a child's everyday life! As part of that, adults need to be proactive WITH their children. If you are interested in completing your first triathlon - let me know. We will be putting on a First Time Tri training program that will lead up to the Hawk Island Triathlon in Lansing, MI. We will cover all of the basics that a "Noob" will need to know in order to successfully complete a sprint distance triathlon.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bring on 2011!!!</b></span>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-66643844827666311382010-12-09T10:49:00.000-05:002010-12-09T10:49:08.231-05:00Oops, Where Did October and November Go?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcyNh1r3rWrKBaolJsD5d6QiXxgQHtWfChyNNH0v3tJRq1cd7ByPBAMQLk5FJuULUWfHIuy6TtQgpJrGiPtaqC4F-Sjsl-vbpe0KZ2ifceyFejbqopRqsnKPeknOf7JGSNELx5wTn8TE/s1600/Grand+Rapids+Marathon+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcyNh1r3rWrKBaolJsD5d6QiXxgQHtWfChyNNH0v3tJRq1cd7ByPBAMQLk5FJuULUWfHIuy6TtQgpJrGiPtaqC4F-Sjsl-vbpe0KZ2ifceyFejbqopRqsnKPeknOf7JGSNELx5wTn8TE/s320/Grand+Rapids+Marathon+1.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>This past 2 months have flown by. I ran the Grand Rapids marathon and had a great experience at that site. The venue was great and the spectator involvement was huge. I didn't expect to see so many people out on the course cheering. At the 18 mile mark (they typical area where people "hit the wall") there was such a huge crowd! My finish time was 3h42 minutes - which was just over my "Perfect Race" goal of 3:30. I won't complain at all since it was my first marathon. Post race recovery was awesome! (Beers)<br />
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Another great aspect to this race was that Becky and a few of her coworkers also ran the marathon as a relay. Becky ran a leg longer than she has ever ran in a race before. She did great and said that she felt great during the run.<br />
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Since the GR Mary I took a 2 week time of minimal training in order to recover. I had hoped to run an Ultra Marathon in middle December but I opted to let my body rest and to take care of a small nagging injury to my right foot. November became a month of rest. I didn't plan to take the month off, but as time progressed it was a nice break. Over the last 2 years I have taken November off to recover. So not a big deal.<br />
<br />
This month I will be starting my new training plan back up. December and January are prep months - basically a way for me to get back into a regular routine without the specific demands of high intensity training; not that I won't be doing some high intensity stuff, but it won't be a mandatory part of the training plan. During this time I'll be doing regular aerobic base building which means long and slow. That means it's time to catch up on some movies while riding the trainer and going out to enjoy the cold weather for some runs. Swimming hasn't been in my regular routine lately. Why, you ask? Good question... to which I have no good answer. In part because I haven't had any specific event that forces me to stay in shape for the water. In January I will be back in the pool regularly building that base back up.<br />
<br />
I have a handful of races that I'd love to consider for next year. There's not a chance that I'll be able to do every race that I <i>want</i> to do, so it'll be a slow selection process. My A race of the year will be Ironman Racine 70.3 again. Last year it was a great race experience and I'm stoked to go back and see what I can do! I'm also considering Rev3 Cedar Point, also a half Iron distance race. I wasn't able to go last year while several good friends did, and it sounds like it was an awesome venue with outstanding race support! Races the I'm considering: 3D Motor City Oly, 3D Racing for Recovery Half Iron Distance (yes, that would make 3 70.3's), and 3D Lansing Legislator Oly. Also on the list would be Hawk Island Sprint Tri and, of course, another marathon - either Grand Rapids or Detroit. I'd like to think that I could consider an Ultra next year, but my schedule is quickly filling.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://team-motiv8.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7U_CBqUQG0-dxTVGcAXO7QubONNJfwg5D851KGqwJyJeeuAR0NMMG_jJ8Dg3AVzj4c_O5mbifL6vxs2BnECwB7JdyDPzsC7_paasEXgNdamENyLQyxXamwHvbgkGBBqE2VPZ79uLA60/s320/Motiv8-cw1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I have decided against running with the RACING GREYHOUNDS team this year. The last 2 years have been fun, but next year I will be racing for <a href="http://team-motiv8.com/">Team Motiv8</a>. Craig and I are starting this team as a non-profit with the main focus in educating young children about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle through exercise and nutrition. We plan to take our team out beyond the schools into the corporate world to encourage adults into the multisport world. We will be leading a "Your First Triathlon" experience where we will help guide individuals into a successful first triathlon. We will invite anyone and everyone to participate with our team during the year. We will be raising funds for other charities during several races throughout the year. We hope to be able to offer a special incentive to individuals who raise the most money during each event. Details will follow soon, so check back here regularly and start frequenting our <a href="http://team-motiv8.com/">website</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://team-motiv8.com/">Team Motiv8</a> is currently seeking out sponsorship opportunities. So if you or someone you know would like to financially assist us in making this team a reality, I would love the opportunity to talk to you. Our main focus will be in the programs that we will take into the elementary schools. Sponsors will be listed on our print material, website and given promotion at multisport events. We will be making a big impact and we would love the opportunity for you to join us.<br />
<br />
I have finally decided to become a certified personal trainer. About time, right? A lot of the study material is review given my background. I then hope to also become a USAT certified coach. Good things in the mix for next year!<br />
<br />
A huge <i>Thank You</i> to <a href="http://www.livefluid.com/?referrer=JHagerman">Fluid </a>for their sponsorship this past year! What a great product and a great company. Rich and Dave, you guys rawk! Check <a href="http://www.livefluid.com/?referrer=JHagerman">Fluid</a> out for the perfect blend in a muscle recovery drink mix. The new <a href="http://www.livefluid.com/fluid-store/fluid-recovery-drink">chocolate </a>flavor is my favorite! <br />
<br />
Thank you for all of your support over this race season!Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-81714033735262752042010-09-30T21:52:00.000-04:002010-09-30T21:52:49.473-04:00Sept 2010 - Capital City River Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZwaP3kykZ-4Db-JdJmmFJR9PDYUvMJiOhH8tFDKpL8Z1QzTBKyQpEaO2KteRyNkBWXW0pM7yKbJ78j1YwTcBer8ZOtOXJMaAjlrXHQLQUNE82LxxPb3-o8SBM8sJTJocgctY7xg5Nmc/s1600/CCRR10a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZwaP3kykZ-4Db-JdJmmFJR9PDYUvMJiOhH8tFDKpL8Z1QzTBKyQpEaO2KteRyNkBWXW0pM7yKbJ78j1YwTcBer8ZOtOXJMaAjlrXHQLQUNE82LxxPb3-o8SBM8sJTJocgctY7xg5Nmc/s320/CCRR10a.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>Wrapped up September today, another month in the books. <br />
<br />
I opted to run the Capital City River Run half marathon last Sunday. I figured that it would be a good final tempo run for training towards the Grand Rapids Marathon on Oct 17th. I ran it by the race clock 1 minute slower than last year with a final finish time of 1 hour 38 minutes. I would have liked to be faster than last year, but given that my recent training has been for a full marathon, I'll take that time!<br />
<br />
On my way to the race Sunday morning, my truck started leaking gas from somewhere. A half a tank of gas went missing along Michigan Ave. The tank went dry... not my glycogen tank you geeks. I happened to stop just close enough to the race site where I could walk in to PPU. I opted to race, even though I was upset. I could see where the gas leak was from, so I figured that since there was no more gas (thus no more gas leak) that I would have the truck towed home... after the race.<br />
<br />
I started off in front of the 7:30 pacer. Initially I thought that I would run as far as I could at a 7:20 pace. That lasted until mile 8. I slowed to a 7:35 pace and held it there for all of mile 8, 9 and into 10. I did take 1 GU at the 8 mile mark and water at every other aid station. I had hoped to have enough 'in the tank' (glycogen now) to finish the last 3 miles real strong. It was at that point that the 7:30 pacer caught up to me.<br />
<br />
Now, I'll give it to the pacers for running a specific pace while encouraging runners to give it their best. But I just didn't want to hear all that 'encouragement' I just wanted to finish my race. I couldn't get back in to a good groove. I could hold a 7:15 pace, but when I tried to push into the high 6's my HR jumped up. Funny thing - the 7:30 pacer found himself all alone and started running a 7:00 pace. C'mon!!<br />
<br />
I finished with a short final sprint. I felt great! I had a good run and was thankful for a beautiful race morning.<br />
<br />
Finally, finished off my morning with a tow truck ride home. Then replaced a minor part on the truck and spent the day with my family.<br />
<br />
Totals for the month: <br />
(yes, only 30 minutes of swimming due to a broken rib) <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="2'" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="35%">Bike:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">7h 16m 31s - 106.17 Mi</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="35%">Run:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">11h 50m 07s - 80.57 Mi</td></tr>
<tr><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap">Swim:</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%">30m - 1000 Yd</td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%"> </td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%"> </td><td class="smalltext" nowrap="nowrap" width="65%"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-77621658083944705432010-09-22T15:30:00.004-04:002010-09-22T15:35:11.795-04:00September UpdateIt feels like fall. The triathlon season is ending. It's time to start thinking about running with the arm warmers and a hat. I welcome the fall season this year. Something about it this year feels comfortable.<br />
<br />
August was a great month for to recover from my biggest race to date; and I may have taken advantage of the 'month' for recovery. My total biking miles were down, but my running was up as I will be running the Grand Rapids Marathon. I did have a minor injury, so my swimming has been exceptionally minimal. I dislocated a rib that caused an inflammation issue with the cartilage in the front of my chest. I was told to rest, relax... blah blah blah or something to that effect. I did, sort of. I'm pretty much back to normal now - so about that water.<br />
<br />
I was fortunate to participate in a study at Michigan State University for a PhD student who was finishing some research about energy expenditure in endurance athlete's. It was a 2 week study where I had 3 visits to his lab each week. I did complete body composition tests during each visit in a <a href="http://www.bodpod.com/">BOD POD</a> (an enclosure that measures body density and body fat in about 45 seconds - equally as reliable as a water submersion test). I also wore a <a href="http://www.sensewear.com/BMS/solutions_bms.php">SenseWear BMS</a> armband for the whole 2 weeks. This enables post week review of total calorie expenditure, activity and sleep efficiency (they are in for a ride looking at my sleep patterns!!). Week 1 of the study I needed to log 15+ hours of training and week 2 I needed to log less than 10 hours of training. Lastly, I did 2 separate VO2 Max treadmill tests. My VO2 Max is 56 with a max heart rate of 186 for that test. I've never felt my legs turn to noodles so quickly ever before. I will be getting a complete training review at the end of this month with specific details about how I can better prepare for races and how to focus my training. That was very cool to be able to be a part of.<br />
<br />
On the family front, Anna started pre-school. She is so very excited and I love her enthusiasm. This also means more time for Sophia and I to hang out together while Anna is at pre-school. Becky's work is stable and steady. My job... well, is not 100% stable. The township will be asking for voter support for a millage (essentially). If it does not pass, I was officially informed yesterday by the fire chief, that in 2012 I will be laid off (along with 2 other firefighters). Currently the fire department is down more than 6 positions and our monthly run volume has been consistently more than 100 calls higher for 3 months in a row. So the stress level at home and work has been a little higher than normal.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.livefluid.com/?referrer=JHagerman">Fluid</a> has continued to support me throughout this year. Today I received a new product that they are offering; the same great recovery drink with a new chocolate flavor. In fact, I'm drinking some as I type! Plus this flavor will mix great with milk - so for those of us training where it gets cold, it'll be a great post training session warm up (imagine the most nutritious and best tasting hot chocolate after playing in the snow)! Go give it a try or hit me up for some samples! It's only 140 calories and has protein and glutamine in the mix!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1215887312"><span id="goog_1215887315"></span><span id="goog_1215887319"></span></span><a href="http://www.livefluid.com/?referrer=JHagerman"><span id="goog_1215887323"><span id="goog_1215887333"></span></span><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJygVAT86CqPF_qlsBkO9dUXqjqssFilf1h3Ir91JAmroIuJkZVBXZ1e5xLItPu3XqVlNDd1SLsRhkGrGFBQ8-SzdNLruVSmUZXkck-lxvqfAp1xn9ThpShbW_ORD3R0MbY-xBg4H9-c/s400/Fluid+-+Chocolate.jpg" width="400" /></a><span id="goog_1215887334"></span><span id="goog_1215887324"></span><span id="goog_1215887320"><span id="goog_1215887325"></span><span id="goog_1215887326"></span></span><span id="goog_1215887316"></span><span id="goog_1215887313"></span></div><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sharkiesinc.com/">Sharkies</a> has also offered to bring me on board, the details are in the mix right now. As soon as I know anything, I'll post it here. Sharkies are a USDA Certified Organic snack-type source of electrolytes and complex carbohydrates. They are Gluten and Wheat free as well as Vegetarian. They have a few different flavors and even make a children's version of the snack. If you've been bike riding with me, you know that I swear by Sharkies as a nutritional supplement while training and racing. I've been using Sharkies for over a year. So this opportunity is pretty exciting for me!<br />
<br />
I look forward to this coming month and completing my first full marathon. Thank you all who have continued to support me! Fall is a great time to ride and run! I'm always looking for people to run with and I'm determined to get in a century ride again this year. Give me a call and let's play!<span id="goog_1215887327"></span><span id="goog_1215887328"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1215887329"></span><span id="goog_1215887330"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-69916536832245109252010-08-08T12:08:00.001-04:002010-08-08T12:11:18.601-04:00That's My Girl!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs130.ash2/39853_454095669679_524329679_6385254_5711316_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs130.ash2/39853_454095669679_524329679_6385254_5711316_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>So after deciding to compete at the<a href="http://www.grandrapidsmarathon.com/"> Grand Rapids Marathon</a> this year, one of my training partners (we shall call her 'Trixie') encouraged me to go for a long run. 16 miles was my farthest single run to date. I did it, we ran a planned pace of 8:22, but after 3 planned breaks our overall pace was 8:30. Good stuff, not too much pain. I should have been doing these regularly. It was fun, a bit painful, but a great marker of where I could be at for pacing during the marathon.<br />
<br />
So Friday we ran the 16 miles at <a href="http://www.metroparks.com/parks/index_all.aspx?ID=6">Kensington Metro Park</a>. Then Saturday I entered a 10 mile run - the <a href="http://mintcity10miler.com/default.htm">Mint City 10 Miler</a>. I was told... again by Trixie, that this would be great for my marathon training. I failed to see the real significance at first. The 'plan' was to run at a 8:15-8:30 pace and see how it feels to run on 'dead' legs (named due to the previous days' run).<br />
<br />
Before the race, I did some lite stretching. I was very happy to see my chiropractor at the race site - he was offering free ART treatment to the runners. Since he already knew where I needed the most help, he hooked my up! I felt great... as soon as I was off the table. I toe'd the line and the gun went off - I started out as planned, but simply felt great running. I jumped up my pace and held 7:30's for most of the run. The last 2 miles were mostly a slow grade uphill. This caused me to slow down... funny thing: I slowed to my pre-race planned pace. Near the finish the grade leveled off and I finished very strong with my last .25 mile at about a 6:11 pace. Post race, everything felt good.<br />
<br />
Then I took an afternoon nap on the sofa couch. I may have felt a bit of discomfort in my legs at that point. All is good, did some easy stretching and walked around outside with my family, and I'm good again. <br />
<br />
All in all the race was very well organized and there were plenty of volunteers across the course. I was very pleased with event as a whole. They offered a 5k run, a 1 mile kids runs and a 200 yd dash for the littlest runners. Becky didn't have to do very encouraging to get Anna signed up for the run. But at the last minute the RD changed the little kids run from 200 yards to a 300 meter dash. Becky describes that Anna was a little gun shy at first, but once she rounded the last turn on the track, she was off like a bullet! That's my girl!! It won't be long and my little Sophia will be out running me as well.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Congratulations to Anna for a race well run!</b></i>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-2101518180480643722010-08-01T14:04:00.000-04:002010-08-01T14:04:50.268-04:00What's Next??August is here! As summer will begin to wind down, fall approaches. You know what that means? The triathlon season is almost over and runners will be taking over the roads :) Now is a great time to reflect over the last 7 months of the year to see where you've come.<br />
<br />
I think that it's kind of funny, November is when I started my training plan for Ironman Racine. This November, I will start the same basic periodization plan. However I will be staring with my basic volume the same as it is right now. I'm excited to think about next year's training and racing, even though it's still several months away. I'm not ruling my tri season over yet, but September offers the last of the local tri's - so it's not far out.<br />
<br />
With the August calendar now on the refrigerator, I look forward to this new page.<br />
<br />
To me this is great for a few reasons: <br />
<ul><li>I chose to start a marathon training plan and I plan to run the Grand Rapids Marathon on October 17th... this year! I'll be running it with a friend who is hoping for a BQ time, she's got to finish under 3:45, so we'll be training to finish at 3:30. Just FYI - my BQ time would be 3:10... not happening!</li>
<li>I am participating in a study at Michigan State University. I will be one of a handful of people to be subjected to some pretty crazy testing that includes data tracking for 2 weeks of workouts, 1 week at a volume over 15 hours and a second week at a volume under 10 hours. There will be a nutrition/metabolism and threshold/ VO2 Max treadmill tests and blood testing before and after the study. It'll tell me a LOT about where I am, as well as where I could be in training intensity.</li>
<li>September is the Rev3 Cedar Point half distance triathlon. But due to some family happenings, I may not be able to run this race. I'm waiting for word back from Rev3 about a couple of options for me to get in to this event. Whether I do or do not do race this event, my training will have to peak during the same time frame due to the MSU study.</li>
<li>Lastly, August marks the month that I hired in to the fire department - this year I become Senior Firefighter... which is a fancy way to say that I get a significant pay raise! Sadly, I only have 1 person below me in seniority due to budget 'shortfalls' The 2011 budget will be tight, but word is - 2012 will be worse for the area that I work. Who knows. Right now, I'm good.</li>
</ul>Due to the Ironman Racine triathlon and the tapering for that race, my total training volume and distances for last month are lower than normal. However my run totals are still higher than what I wrote down for monthly totals at the beginning of this year. Last month I surpassed my total time swimming from all of 2009 and in August I will surpass my 2009 run total of 500 miles. I'm very close to passing the 2009 total distance on the bike as well, maybe in September I will break that mark.<br />
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SO, where are you in your fitness? Do you have a goal? What motivates you? What do you want to do this year or even next year? Get healthy, stay healthy! Live life to the fullest knowing that every step you take will influence someone close to you!!<br />
<br />
A <b>HUGE </b>congratulations to The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Chapter (Lansing Office) for committing 5 people to run the Grand Rapids Marathon as a relay this year! My wife will be on that team with 4 of her coworkers. That's a huge step to take and I'm soooper proud of all of you. Train like you want to win and represent TNC with pride!!<br />
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2010-07-18<br />
Racine,Wisconsin Temps - 95F / 35C and Overcast<br />
Total Time = 5h 35m16s<br />
Overall Rank =502/~2000<br />
Age Group Rank =68/384 (?)<br />
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<b>Event warmup:</b><br />
Early morning stretching and breathing exercises. A very brief swim just to get the cold water in my wetsuit.<br />
<br />
<b>Swim</b>: 00:45:26 | 2112 yards | 02m 09s / 100yards<br />
I liked that this was a straight swim vs a triangle course or other odd shapes. I started out great, my wave didn't seem too aggressive. I stayed outside so that I wouldn't get all screwed up fighting for a position at the first red buoy. I did veer out a bit too far after the first buoy but got back on track quickly. Tried to draft off a few different people, but I'm just not that good of a swimmer yet, better, but not good.<br />
<br />
I counted the buoys before the swim start. So I knew that at about 5 yellow buoys I would be half way done and then the buoys turned to orange, so it was a countdown from there! By far, my best swim - since I've only done that distance OWS in calm/clear ponds. But I feel like I could be much better with more specific practice!!<br />
<br />
<i>What would you do differently?:</i><br />
I was happy with how I felt coming out of the water, but I wish my time was at least 5 minutes less. I was hoping to be a lot more close to a 35 minute swim. The wind/waves picked up toward the end of my swim and the swells were noticeably larger at the last red buoy.<br />
<br />
<b>T1</b>: 03:37<br />
I got my cap/goggles off and pulled them into my suit sleeve planned. The run to T1 was a long haul up the beach to the sidewalk. I stopped to wash off my feet in the pools, got in to T1 and got my suit off. I took my time purposely. Everything else went smooth. Out of T1 and eased on to my bike so that I didn't get stuck while going up the hill.<br />
<br />
My bike seat wouldn't fit under the bike rack bar, so I had to place my bike with the handle bars on the rack (reverse). I've never had to do that before.<br />
<br />
<i>What would you do differently?:</i><br />
I probably should have gone a bit more quickly and saved a minute, but I'm satisfied.<br />
<br />
<b>Bike</b>: 02:40:54 | 56 miles | 20.88 mile/hr<br />
Avg HR 153. Tried to stay about 155-160.<br />
I pushed hard. I felt it. I wanted to be a touch faster, but this pace seemed right at the time. I had a high speed of 32. There were more hills than I expected, so they slowed me down; while they weren't hard hills, they were very frequent compared to the 3 or 4 hills that I typically train on. Took Fluid and water and nutrition at every aid station. Ate 2 bananas. That was the first time I'd every hit an aid station rolling through on my bike - AWESOME!<br />
<br />
<i>What would you do differently?:</i><br />
Include more hill repeats in training.<br />
<br />
<b>T2</b>: 01:54<br />
Given the overall size of the transition area and where I was racked, I think my T2 time was good.<br />
<br />
<i>What would you do differently?:</i><br />
Did pretty well. Didn't miss my rack or bike, in and out quick.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Run</b>: 02:03:07 | 13.1 miles | 09m 24s min/mile<br />
Avg HR 156. Fastest pace 6:51 with my first mile at 7:48.<br />
Just after I got out on the run course - before the first hill - the downpour of rain started! I'm thinking "Perfect, I'll stay cool and I enjoy the rain" But the rain was very short lived and as soon as it quit, the sun came out and made things terribly HOT and humid. Heat index over 100F. My first 3 miles were right on track for pacing. but then I dropped to almost a 9min/mi pace.<br />
<br />
I slowed and walked through the nutrition stations. My second loop I slowed to 9:30's. I walked through every aid station. At the turn around I noticed that I was no longer sweating - my arms and forehead were dry and the only reason my chest was wet was because I had been pouring water on myself. I knew that could mean disaster. I was so hot that I started dumped ice down my tri suit. I ran through every sprinkler<br />
and dumped water on myself at every opportunity (Thank you residents of Racine!!) At mile 10 my quads were so cramped up I couldn't help but slow down significantly. At mile 11 I had to take a few 30 second walk breaks. Just past mile 12 I could hear the loud speaker at the finish, I could hear the people yelling and cheering. I told myself that I wouldn't stop running for anything short of passing out. I finished some where near a 9:40 pace.<br />
<br />
<i>What would you do differently?:</i><br />
I'm thinking that I should have had more solid nutrition on the bike. I think that I could have taken it in and maybe the extra little bit of sodium would have helped my water retention during the run.<br />
<br />
<i>What limited your ability to perform faster:</i><br />
Heat!<br />
<br />
<b>Event comments:</b><br />
Carnage everywhere on the run course! People were passing out and puking due to the heat. I saw 3 ambulances transporting people out.<br />
<br />
I had a great first half! I truly feel like I left everything on the course, I finished empty - nothing left. I gave this race everything I had at every opportunity. I've never been so painfully sore during or after a race as I was/am post this race. I love it! I'll take this experience with me for life and I cannot wait to race another half!<br />
<br />
I'm now into my 3rd year of triathlon. A full Ironman was part of my 5 year goal; I'm halfway there.<br />
<br />
<b>On a final note: </b><br />
<br />
A huge THANK YOU to my wife and family for their support over the last 26 weeks that I trained for this event. Becky was absolutely the best - she made a sign for me at the race and endured some crazy weather while waiting for me to finish - I love you! A few others have helped in some significant ways to make sure that my race experience was everything I wanted and needed - You know who you are, Thank you!!<br />
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<b><br />
</b><br />
To those who I've had the honor to train with: Thank you! Craig , Lisa and Tom - you've both helped push me beyond where I imagined that I could go. I look forward to these next few weeks to see where we go next! Craig - Coming with me to Rev3 Cedar Point? Lisa - going to the World Duathlon Championships! Tom - time to try this triathlon thing out now that you've got a bike!<br />
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To my Wrenches: Al and Ray - thank you for picking up the dirty pieces and cleaning them. Lola loves you and I wouldn't have had the experience that I did this weekend without your help!<br />
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<br />
FLUID Nutrition - Thank you for making a saweet recovery drink and for sponsoring me while I trained and raced this race!<br />
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And Finally - The one big reason that I chose Racine as my first half was due to the race being on my mother's birthday. She passed away from brain cancer two and a half years ago. She never got to see me race a tri, but knew that I would be doing my first sprint tri that same year. I miss her so very much! I thought about her a lot during this race; and a big part of me knew that the pain I felt while racing was nothing compared to what she went through.<br />
<br />
I love you, Mom - Happy Birthday!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102225439525611798.post-67879611844705829192010-06-30T22:08:00.000-04:002010-06-30T22:08:45.091-04:00Wrapping Up June 2010It's the last day of June 2010. It's hump day during my biggest week of training EVER. <br />
<br />
On Monday I got hit by a car while running - tru. I'm mostly fine, nothing that will prevent training. But my Garmin Forerunner 305 was broke during the accident and the driver took off - also tru; Garmin is missing... gone. My biggest week of training and I don't have my GPS/Heart Rate Monitor/Cadence and all. I have been blessed to know a few people who have offered to let me borrow their Garmin for Racine - Great, but you know... still not mine.<br />
<br />
So beyond all of that where am I at with my training to date?<br />
<br />
June Totals:<br />
Swim - 3+ Hours<br />
Bike - 334<br />
Run - 112<br />
<br />
So June is beyond any distance training that I've ever done in a single month. This was my first month running more than 100 miles and my second month biking more than 300 miles in the last year. Big steps for me!<br />
<br />
For this stage in training (Critical Volume: Sat, June 26 - Wed, June 30 [5 days]) my totals to date are:<br />
Swim - Just under 2 miles (1mile swim in Lake Michigan)<br />
Bike - 146 miles<br />
Run - 24+ miles<br />
<br />
I still have a run tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. I also have a swim tomorrow and another bike on Friday.<br />
<br />
Almost there!! Racine is 3 weeks away!Jeremy Hagermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211425296688026658noreply@blogger.com0