Ordinary Marathoner Ordinary Marathoner

It took two and a half years, but it finally caught me. I finally caught the Covid-bug. I was starting to think maybe I had some kind of natural immunity, or maybe I had it but without knowing… an asymptomatic case, that may have helped boost my immunity.







My primary experience with Covid lasted 2-3 days. I was pretty sick, but I’ve had worse. A few days later, I tested negative and got out of my quarantine status and went on with life. However, there’s a lingering issue – chest congestion and sinuses mainly.







Some effects have been welcome – I’ve dropped about 8 pounds, for one. But others are nagging. The congestion won’t go away. For someone who was in a really good, consistent, disciplined training cycle, it’s hard to wait. I want to get back into training, but I need to be cautious. Stay tuned…







Looking to improve with a triathlon or running coach? Reach out to Coach Scott at coachscott@teamordinary.com and set up a free consultation.







DONATE to our nonprofit, The Ordinary Marathoner Foundation.







Become a Patron and help support the podcast! Check out our Patreon Page.







Or join the conversation at our Ordinary Marathoners Facebook Discussion Group.







I’ll also follow you back on Twitter if you follow me @OrdMarathoner.

What an incredible weekend in Lake Chisago, MN. This is exactly the kind of experience I was hoping to build when I started the Ordinary Marathoner Podcast. A cohesive and caring team with individual goals above and beyond anything they once thought possible.







Lake Chisago was host to a great event. As a team, we had a blast – swimming together, riding together, and enjoying our downtime. Individually, these athletes all went out and gave it what they had. And they all had great experiences – conquering goals, but also learning that there are still ways to improve! It makes me feel very satisfied, as their coach. Proud, if not inspired, of this team.







Looking to improve with a triathlon or running coach? Reach out to Coach Scott at coachscott@teamordinary.com and set up a free consultation.







DONATE to our nonprofit, The Ordinary Marathoner Foundation.







Become a Patron and help support the podcast! Check out our Patreon Page.







Or join the conversation at our Ordinary Marathoners Facebook Discussion Group.







I’ll also follow you back on Twitter if you follow me @OrdMarathoner.

It’s that time of year again! Ironman Lake Placid week! We have been traveling up to this serene vacation-area almost every year since 2017. I haven’t done the race since 2019, but I have eyes on the 2023 version. That meant that this year’s trip, along with being a spectator and volunteer, gave me an option to do a little recon for next year.







I swam the lake and biked the most difficult portion of the course. All to remind myself of what I was about to get myself into by registering for next year’s race.







But this weekend wasn’t just about getting ready for 2023. It was also about experiencing, and respecting, the 2022 race. My daughter Samantha and I watched the swim and then also got out there to Run Aid Station 5 in the middle of the night to volunteer. Watching hundreds of athletes in the late hours making their way back to town, the finish line, and Mike Reilly declaring them an Ironman, was super-inspiring. We are looking forward to going back in 2023.

Running has been the bane of my triathlon existence lately. I just can’t get off the snide – haven’t embraced it as I once did. With lofty goals of 140.6 Miles in Lake Placid next year, it’s time I confronted this issue head-on. How to go about doing so? Easy. Set a Medium-Term goal that emphasizes running and then GO AFTER IT!







Enter…. The St. Jude Memphis Marathon. 26.2 miles through the streets of Memphis. Battling the urge to listen to Marc Cohn, and running my way to a solid finish. I can do this… and it fits so well into the overall plan.







As I sat back and thought about the sport and my intentions of following through with a solid training plan, I thought of the simplicity of it all. Running – moving your body across a certain distance for a certain time. Distinct. Measurable. HONEST.







We don’t seem to get a lot of honesty these days. Fraud seems rampant – even in a Panera parking lot. But there’s no fooling the watch. Running is truth, and I think these days we can all use a little more of it.















Looking to improve with a triathlon or running coach? Reach out to Coach Scott at coachscott@teamordinary.com and set up a free consultation.







DONATE to our nonprofit, The Ordinary Marathoner Foundation.







Become a Patron and help support the podcast! Check out our Patreon Page.







Or join the conversation at our Ordinary Marathoners Facebook Discussion Group.







I’ll also follow you back on Twitter if you follow me @OrdMarathoner.

Last year I completed IM Mussleman 70.3 despite being a bit unprepared, undertrained, and overweight. Heading up to Geneva, NY this year, I had 3 distinct goals. Improve on the swim, improve on the bike, improve on the run. I am happy to report that I improved on ALL THREE!







It was a beautiful day – perfect for racing. Everything came together and I smashed all three goals. Now, it leaves me wondering… just how much can I continue to improve? There’s only one way to find out… keep on training!







#TrainingWorks







Looking to improve with a triathlon or running coach? Reach out to Coach Scott at coachscott@teamordinary.com and set up a free consultation.







DONATE to our nonprofit, The Ordinary Marathoner Foundation.







Become a Patron and help support the podcast! Check out our Patreon Page.







Or join the conversation at our Ordinary Marathoners Facebook Discussion Group.







I’ll also follow you back on Twitter if you follow me @OrdMarathoner.

Last week we talked about diet and the importance of not eating like a dick. This week, we bring a little more proof as to why.







As I recorded last week’s podcast, I speculated that my 2017 Ironman Lake Placid bike ride was faster than my 2019 bike. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the numbers in front of me at that moment, but the speculation was enough for me to go back and check.







And oh my, was I correct. Despite not being as strong or having the endurance I have today, combined with the fact I was completely inexperienced with racing or sustained outdoor climbing, my 2017 Lake Placid time was MUCH faster than 2019. The main difference between the two? I was about 20-25 pounds heavier!







The importance of dropping weight ahead of IMLP2023 has never been more pronounced to me after seeing those numbers. And though I have a lot of time, I want to make sure I do it the right way. No crash diets, no weight loss at the expense of losing strength. Just sustained, proper nutrition, solid training, and continue avoidance of eating like a dick (though post-race donuts are allowed.)







Looking to improve with a triathlon or running coach? Reach out to Coach Scott at coachscott@teamordinary.com and set up a free consultation.







DONATE to our nonprofit, The Ordinary Marathoner Foundation.







Become a Patron and help support the podcast! Check out our Patreon Page.







Or join the conversation at our Ordinary Marathoners Facebook Discussion Group.







I’ll also follow you back on Twitter if you follow me @OrdMarathoner.