I did it! It has been along time since I last participated in the COM-BAT tri.  I love this particular triathlon for multiple reasons, one, it takes place on my old stomping grounds, College of the Mainland... great memories at this school... two, my first ever triathlon was the COM-BAT tri, and three, it's short, sweet, and fast.  I prepared for this triathlon on short notice, uh, how about a week of training.  I hate it when I do this, but I got it done.  Over the course of this year, I have been building a base, so I new I would be OK to race.  This race included a 300 yd swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run.  If you are ever in the market for your first triathlon, this is a good one to do or at least one like it because the swim takes place in a pool.  Takes the stress off of you.  Worse case, you can walk the swim.  I posted a time of 1hr and 20mins.  Once again, not too bad considering my lack of training.  Next time, I will be better prepared, that's for sure.  Stay tuned as I consider my next race... either the La Porte Triathlon or Tejas in Sugarland... we'll see. 

Well, it's been awhile since my last post, so I thought I would take this opportunity to update my current adventures.  On May 9th, I participated, with fellow bootcamper (bayarea Adventure Boot Camp) Christina, in the Pear Fun Run.  The run took place in Centennial Park and was a blast.  Christina actually place 2nd in her age group.  Pretty good for her first fun run.  The majority of preparation for this fun run was mainly through boot camp along with other training runs.  Good Job, Christina.  I on the other hand, placed 14th out of 22 runners in my age group and 62nd overall with a time of 27 mins. and 52 sec.  Not bad considering I haven't ran a sub 9 minute pace in about two years or so.  Of course, I owe this pace to trying to keep up with Christina.  This was my first race in month following the Seabrook Marathon, so it felt good to get out and run again.  This race also was a stepping stone for me into triathlon season.  Up next, the com-bat triathlon in Texas City. 

I finished the marathon, on my watch, in 5hrs. 28 minutes/ 12:43 per mile pace.  Officially, I crossed the finish line in 5 hrs. 40mins.  My garmin (gps watch) stops when I stop, during the race I took numerous breaks, stopped to stretch, get rocks out of my shoe etc. the official clock runs nonstop, and doesn't take into account any stoppage.  This marathon consisted of 4, 6.5 mile loops, around the seabrook trails.  The seabrook trails are just west of the Kemah bridge and are a fun and interesting place to jog/walk. 

It was a great learning experience for me as I gear up for a full IronMan in september.  I had to overcome two "weird" injuries, one in my right knee and one in my right ankle.  For two weeks following the austin 1/2, I couln't train like needed to for this race.  My goal was to run Austin (13.1), the following weekend run 18, then the next weekend, run 20.  Well, the injuries put a stop to all that and the longest distance I could "muster" up prior to the marathon was 10 miles.  I can tell you that this lack of training really put a damper on a strong finish. The first 13.1 miles went well, as it should, but around mile 20ish... phew, what a challenge.  Once I surpassed 13 miles, I was venturing into uncharted territories, no doubt.  I honestly didn't know what my body was going to do, or if my lower right leg would hold up.  Cardiovascularly, I felt fine, physically (muscles, joints, tendons) was a different story.  Luckily, I had a back up plan that I had used for my last 1/2 ironman.  I resorted to a run/walk method for the last half.  At first, miles 15 - 18, I would walk at every water station, for miles, 19 -22, I used the 5 min. run/1 min. walk.  For the finish, I walked more than I ran.  No big deal, the bottom-line is that I finished.  Next time, I will be stronger based on this experience.

Just like bootcamp.  The first monday is always a learning experience for everyone, especially if it's your very first monday, ever.  You feel weak, fatigued, etc., but by the next monday, your are stronger than ever due to your body becoming accustomed to moving and being active.  You learn to listen to your body, you condition your body and mind, and boom... the reps/sets and exercises are no problem for you... that is, until I change it up on you.  The key, as always, is set a goal and do everything in your power to achieve it. 

vince g.

PS- I had the privilege of carry my son, kai, in my arms through the finish line. 

   Well, maybe it wasn't the real deal on television, but either way you look at it, I won!  Quick review, I teach at Berry Miller JH, in Pearland, and we put on a version of the "biggest loser" contest for the faculty and staff.  Not only did I win this contest at our school but I also consulted (workout routines and nutritional advice) the winner of last fall's "biggest loser" at another jr. high within the district.  Pretty cool huh?  2 for 2!  Not tooting my own horn, well sort of, but the main reason I am sharing this information with you is because what I do... what ABC is about, .... WORKS... for YOU and ME!!!!  Stay consistent, eat well, get active and your life will change, trust me. 

So, what did I do... For starters, I re-evualated everything I was doing, nutrition wise.  My activity level was fine, so I had to dig just a little deeper to get to the root of the problem.  As I mentioned before, I checked into my sodium intake and also began to "REALLY" study those labels.  Nothing new here, nothing fancy, I simply went back to the basics of nutrition.  I limited myself to 1000mg per day, although the daily recommended is about 2300mg, and I also cut back on my caloric intake as well.

Here's what  I  was doing...

(diet coke)Breakfast - (diet coke)snack- lunch - (diet coke)snack- snack -(diet coke)dinner - snack (diet coke)... get the picture!
I was eating healthy as well, not a whole lot of fat or empty calories in my diet.  A lot of times, fast food was mixed in prior to the competition, once again, I would order grilled chicken, with a diet coke.  Imagine that! 

The biggest issue with my diet was the sodium intake.  Diet Coke (Can) has about 40mg of sodium per serving, the 20 ounce bottles has about 70mg, with 2.5 servings.  When you drink 4 cans a day, plus one 20 ouncer... now you are talking about consuming over half of your daily sodium intake on diet coke alone. 

Now, allow me to discuss my lunch... progresso chicken noodle soup, tuna fish, diet coke... well, the soup is fat free, for the most part, but it contains 950mg of sodium X 2 servings... 1900mg just on the soup, plus the tuna fish, approx, 250mg per serving, not to mention the diet cokes.  Ladies and gentlemen, here lies the problem!!! Did I mention that this was just lunch and drinks?  Every now and then I would mix in a "lean cuisine"... not good... high in sodium as well. 

As you can see, I wasn't necessarily eating high fat/ empty calorie meals everyday, but I was consuming too much sodium to say the least.

I was also eating too much per day.  Yes, it is recommended to eat 5 - 6x per day to increase your metabolism and avoid the hunger pains which can trigger an unwanted emotional response to eating everything is site, but I was taking it too far. 

Here's what I do today: 

First, I cut out all diet cokes to almost zero.  I will have one every now then, but not every day or every hour per day. 
Second, replaced diet coke with water!!! So simple!!!! 
Third, switched to salads... lots of greens, with chicken or turkey for lunch.  If I do have soup,  I find the one with the least sodium and I do not drink the broth. 
Forth, read the labels.
Fifth, switched from eating 6-7 times per day to 5 times per day.
And lastly, I simple picked up my activity level. 

There it is, nothing fancy, just good 'ole fashioned work habits and basic nutrition.  Guess what?  I feel so much better, clothes are falling off of me, plus my performance while I am working out is better which allows me to see even greater results.

You can do it, too!!!  I wish I could say or write a book on a new "DIET TREND"... maybe I could call it the "NO SODIUM" diet.  Heck, there for a little bit, people were hooked on the "NO CARB" diet!!! LOL... No carbs = no energy to workout!!! Don't do it. 

This is the last week of the Feb. 9th bootcamp, and it has been a ton of fun.  We have good numbers, but more importantly a supportive environment and bunch of ladies who work hard.  Keep pushing into this last week and you will achieve your goals.  PUSH!

Typically, we have a week off b/t camps, but this is not the case this month!  Although the last day of this camp is March 6, we will begin the next camp March 9th.  The March 9th camp is special for two reasons,
one, it's our two week spring break body blitz camp!  Believe it or not, you can see a difference in yourself in just two weeks. 
two, if the numbers are good, I will begin a new evening boot camp class beginning at 6:45pm at Centinnial Park.  (south end of the park, across the bridge.)  This camp will be a 3 day camp, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday only.  It will also be CO-ED, so bring a friend, husband, or significant other along for the ride.


NEXT RACE:  SeaBrook Trails MARATHON>>>  phew... 26.1 miles.  This will be my first marathon, ever!  Anxious to say the least, but excited as well.  This will be my stepping stone towards my training for a FULL IRON MAN in September.  More on that at a later date.

Keep checking back as I intend to update this blog daily.

vince g.

Well, it's been awhile, I tell you.  I do a lot of my updating via facebook, for starters, but I also have been busy with training, boot camps, races, and now... coaching track and field at the jr. high I teach at here in Pearland. 

1.  Weight Loss...
A couple of coaches at the jr. high I teach at decided to run a "biggest loser" contest for the faculty and staff just to for a little fun, competition, and for everyone, a goal to accomplish.  So, I decided to enter it just to not only push my limits but also to provided a testament based on my experiences and results.  The contest is in its final week beginning tomorrow, and well... I am in the LEAD!  I initially weighed in at 224lbs about 5 weeks ago, now  I am whopping 210lbs although last week I weighed in at 207lbs. 

Last week, I "tweaked" my knee and couldn't run all week including this past weekend, and ventured away from diet just a tad.  (another faculty member decided to throw a fat tuesday luncheon... go figure) Once again, increase caloric intake with a drop in activity level equals wt. gain not wt. loss.  Plain and simple.

I will reveal my regimen next week.  But basically, staying discipline and practicing what I preach is my secret.  Eat breakfast, small snack, lunch, and dinner.  I also have increased my activity level as well... more on that later. 

DIET COKE:  phew... basically stopped drinking it cold turkey!  One every now and then is fine, but drinking them at a drop of hat is not healthy nor good for your metabolism, period.

SODIUM:  I really began to watch this in my diet.  I limit myself to just 1000mg per day.  Began to check all labels and was shocked as to how much I was consuming during lunch, alone.  Soups, frozen foods, quick meals like "healthy choice" microwavable meals... and diet coke all have high sodium content.  Sodium, taken in excess, can slow your metabolism and inhibit your fat burning process.  Excess sodium can be stored underneath the skin and slow down your body's ability to burn fat.  Crazy, but true. 

DAILY EATING HABITS;  Figured out my basal metabolic rate and use this as my guide based on my activity level.  I now eat a well balanced diet consisting of salads, lean meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables.


I will keep you posted on my wt. loss as I get closer to Friday... the last day of the contest! 



AUSTIN 1/2 MARATHON:  I completed the 13.1 miles in 2 hrs. and 20 minutes.  Although, I have completed 3 1/2 iron men, which ends with a 1/2 marathon, this was my first 1/2 marathon race.

It was nice to only have to run, but nonetheless it was challenging.  

DAD:  MY RUNNING COACH!!!
My father also completed the race as well.  This was his first 1/2 marathon, but he his no stranger to endurance running having completed 9 Houston marathons, 2 Austin marathons, 3 san antonio marathons, 3 1/2 iron men, 1 New York marathon, and countless other marathons that I have lost count of, not to mention all the 5 and 10 k's he has completed as well.  

He has also completed the big daddy of them all when it comes to endurance running... a 50 miler in Sam Houston's state park... 10 hrs of running.

Having mentioned this, going into this race he was coming off the Houston and San Antonio marathons, respectively, and the Conroe 1/2 iron man this past November.  Needless to say, he was glad to only have to complete 13.1 miles while battling a severe heel spur. 

Did I mention that he only started the whole running thing and multi-sport after the age of 45!  Not like he has been doing this stuff his whole life.  He simply wanted to make a change for the better which sparked his interest in eating healthier and becoming active. 

You can do it as well!!!!! All you have to do is "JUST START." 

2009 is your year to shine!  What a great start to the new year for my campers.  Had a great first workout for this boot camp season with more, yet to come.  Although it was 5:15 in the A.M., we had tons of energy and excitement to get moving and generate a sweat.  We started off with a few basic body weigth movements that chained together for a nice little circuit for everyone.  This also included some running as well. 

I am proud to say that no two workouts were the same in 2008, your talking 11 camps, 5 days a week @ 4 weeks... hmmm, that's about 220 different workouts.  Well, this year will be no different.  Matter of fact, today was a workout that I have never used before.  Although some of the movements and set up may be similiar, my goal is to throw away everything I did in 2008, and come up with completely NEW and FRESH stuff for this year.  So, be ready, because you never know what may be around the corner, tree, lite pole, hill, bridge, playground, hurdle, etc.

I am also in the same boat as each of my campers are in... need to get in shape, reach goals, stay in tune with my body and nutrition.  Check back on my blog as I chronical my fitness and nutrional routines and habits.  This past week, I ran 3 miles and surfed for 3 hours.  I am also watching that diet of mine as well... eating more fruits and veggies and drinking more water to help in the digestion and transportion of vital nutrients and vitamins throughout my body.   Also taking a b-12 complex and multivitamin as well. 

More later as I gear up for the 1/2 marathon in Austin.

Well campers... I did it... it's official... I signed up for the Red Man Iron Man in Oklahoma City, OK.  What a great challenge I have ahead of me... jeeze what was I thinking?  Just Kidding, I actually will embrace this challenge for many reasons, one, to set a foundation for my son.  Although he is not quite one yet, but he is sponge right now and is soaking up everything we (my wife and I) do.  By preparing for this race, nutrition is vital... it's king!  Training habits must be stepped up and followed to the letter.  Not that I am trying to push anything on my son, but I feel it's my responsibility to be his role model.  Two, for you the camper.  Just like I mentioned last time with my 1/2 IronMan, what better way to show you that I practice what I preach.  "Plain and Simple."  Plus, I want to expose you to the sport of triathlon.  It's a great way to stay in shape. 
Three, definetely to prove to myself that it can be done, plus (sound familiar) it's a great way to stay in shape!  My goal is to drop down to 185-190ish for this race.  I am not about to carry around 220+ lbs for 12 hours or longer in September for this race.  No way, buddy! 

Let's switch gears... how about you?  What are you gonna do about your own health and fitness?  We all know it's that time of year that can cause a tremendous amount of stress... the traffic alone could put anyone of us over the edge, plus other outside factors such as company lunches and parties with food that is well... not what you should be eating.  It's ok to eat that stuff a few times, but day after day through the new year!  So, don't add additional stress to yourself by putting your health and fitness on the back burner.  Exercise is what your body needs the most, plus it well help reduce any holiday anxiety.  Simple things:  walk the dog, take the kids to the park, join a different exercise class, i.e., spinning, hip hop aerobics, yoga, pilates, etc.  GO FOR IT!

We are offering the last week of camp for $49.00.  You can choose any three days you want to help curb those cravings.  let us know. 

vince g.

Well, hopefully you survived the thanksgiving feast with little damage to yourself.  One more to go with christmas and then the we are on the homestretch towards 2009.  Couple of things can happen between now and then.  First, you can say... "heck with it, the year is almost over, I gonna begin my fitness and diet regime in 2009..." or "It's the 'holiday season' what's the use of getting out there when I know this month is filled with all those sweets and high fat foods that I love so much."

Or second, Beginning Monday, "I am going to beat 2009 to the punch and get active before the year is up."  This way, you are already setting that foundation for next year.  Don't wait!  Strike while the iron is hot.  Same can be said about eating habits.  If you end the year eating horrible guess what will happen as we crossover to the new year?  You will find yourself in a tailspin and wanting to get out.  Watch what you eat and get outside year-round and you will find yourself happier, healthier, and energized!

 This is where I bring in my own personal experiences... I signed up for the Austin 1/2 IronMan in February.  There is no possible way I am going to wait until January to start training.  I have to start now.  The great thing is that I already have set the foundation through the training from my 1/2 IronMan.  My goals for 2009 are simple, stay as active as possible and do as many triathlons as possible, peroid!  One of major goals for 2009 is to complete the big daddy of them all... a Full IronMan.  I will keep you updated as this year comes to an end.   

Take some time and write your goals down... maybe it's to run in a 5k or complete a sprint triathlon or just stay active and change your attitude about health and fitness.  Who knows... skies the limit!

Let me know what your goals are and I will do my best to help you achieve them.

Today, I have a date with the gym... need to move! 

Training this past week... Rode 37 miles on the bike, wednesday morning.  Fun ride, perfect weather.
Monday morning went out for a 3 1/2 hour surf session.  The waves were awesome and the water was perfect.  Surfed til my arms felt like noodles. 

Saturday Morning, pumped some iron over at LA fitness and ran a couple of miles on the treadmill.


Next Camp begins December 1st.  See ya soon!

vince g.

Hello and Welcome to Adventure Boot Camp's Blog spot.  Well, I did it!  I completed the 1/2 ironman in Conroe, TX.  It was alot of fun, but also grueling at times... especially the first 400 yards of the swim and the middle part of the run.  The bike, as always, was the best part.  Cruising through the hills in and around Sam Houston Nat'l Forest was awesome and beautiful to look at.  

To recap the race let's start with the swim.  Needless to say, we were farther north which made for a colder race start ... and I mean cold!  Low for the morning was 40 degrees, and I didn't have a wetsuit.  This was probably my number one concern, but I was stuck b/t a rock and hard place.  I could've purchased one the night or even the week before, but I have not trained in a wetsuit for an open water swim prior to this race.  I surf in a wetsuit, but it's different when you have a board underneath you for support.  So, here I am thinking... if I buy one, then I could very well struggle with this extra weight on me, but if it's too cold then I won't swim as well, but at least I don't have to worry about a suit weighing me down.  Never do anything on race day that you haven't trained for.

I opted to suck it up and just swim without one.  Let's just say that I will buy a wetsuit for next season because it was colder than I would have liked.  In cold water, your body is trying to become warm, muscles are constricting to create blood flow, your heart is trying to pump this blood faster than normal to try and warm up the body, all the while your breathing becomes faster and shorter.  Not Good.  So, it took me a while to get into rhythm and not panic... just breath easy and start swimming.  Finally, after 400 yds. or so, I got into a good rhythm and finished the swim in 46 minutes or so.  Not bad considering the last time I swam this distance in open water was 3 years ago.

The bike... I would have to say my strongest event of the three is the bike, hands down.  The only concern in this part was the hills.  Everytime you looked up there was a hill.  The were all types of hills, one "Walker Hill" was a beast of hill.  It was the steepest hill I came across and slowed me down to a measly 8 mph... phew.  Another hill I encounter was on a road called "Dacus-Johnson."  For the most part, you hit a hill coast down, it may be flat a few miles, repeat.  Well, Dacus-Johnson rd. was one long gradual hill that lasted for 3 miles!  Fought through it and finished the final 12 miles strong.  Finish just over 3 hours on the bike.  

The Run... the dreadful run... well, out all the events, the run was probably my biggest concern.  A... I have been having a knee issue, B... also having a calve muscle issue, and C... the longest I ran during my training was 9 miles.  The longest brick I did was a 50 mile bike and 4 mile run.  So, I went to my method of 6 minutes of running/1 min. walk which turned into 5 minute run/2 minute walk, and so worth.  I did alot of playing around with my ratios... at one point I walked for 5 minutes ran for 1.  I thought I ran a smart race from both a nutrition standpoint and the actually running of the 13.1 miles.  I didn't try to be a heroe or let my ego get the best of me because this would have spelled disaster.  Bottomline... just finish safely and healthy... do not kill yourself or injure yourself.  And so, with each mile that passed by, I ultimately finished the run just under 3 hours and crossed that finish line.

The finish... crossed the finish line around 2 o'clock or so, started the race at 7 am, all in a days work... 7 hours to be exact.  As I finished, I grabbed my commenrative IronStar race mug and headed straight for the pizza!  I must have ate 5 pieces, consumed plenty of liquids, drank a diet coke for a treat, and headed back home.  

All in all, it was a beautiful day for a race, great weather, great people, and best of all... I accomplished my goal.

How does this apply to you?  

Enough about me... how about you.  I simply stated a goal four weeks ago and then set out a path to accomplish it.  A by-product of the goal is a better fitness level, eating well, and being discipline enough to follow all of the above.  You can do the same.

Goes back to my motto from a few weeks ago... JUST START.  Set a goal for yourself to become physically fit, join our camp, and stick with it.  It doesn't have to be a 1/2 ironman that motivates you, but it could be one or all of the following:
drop inches
drop body fat
increase my endurance/stamina
become stronger
stay consistent with exercise
eat better
Make better choices in terms of my health
get into those JEANS!
Feel better, and so on.
Pick one or all and get after it.

Thanks a million for all of your support before the race as it truly motivated me to finish!  Trust me, tons of thoughts go through your mind on race like this... yes, quitting or stopping is one of them.  Like any great challenge, you have to be stronger than your mind or body, and just punch through it.  I felt like if I did quit, I am not only letting myself down but also my co-workers, my students here at Berry Miller Junior High, my wife, my son, my family and friends, and you... my campers.  So, no matter how much mile 7 and 11 kicked my behind... I knew I had only one choice... FINISH!  I would also like to thank Abby and Dr. Lee at the TX Chiropractic School's student clinic for the work they did on my knee and calve muscle.  Physically, this helped me get through the run.


Yours in Strength,
vince g.