In 2009 on the way to Florianopolis, Brazil my flight was cancelled because of a broken windshield on the runway at LAX 3 days before my Ironman race was set to go. I barely made it to Brazil on time in order to register for my race. The flight to Florianopolis, Brazil was about 20 hours on 3 connecting flights.
I hope all of you are enjoying all your success in accomplishing your goals for 2011. As I look back to the past 3 to 5 years I can’t help but think about a very different journey I had in my completion 2 full Ironman’s.
Beach Sprints are here! The once a year unique virtual indoor rowing race is presenting its 30th Annual Concept 2 Sponsored Event.
 Three-time Olympic rower, Miroslav Vrastil of the Czech Republic has taken his love of competing to a new level. Vrastil, 58, plans to break a world record by completing 22 Ironman triathlons in one year and the father of five has already begun. Vrastil started rowing when he was 12 years old in Olomouc, Czechoslovakia. For 18 years he competed in rowing while representing his country up to the age of 35. After competing at three Olympic Games (1972, 1976 and 1980), Vrastil was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his leg.“I was not sure if the doctor was telling me or somebody else,” says Vrastil. “I could not believe it and my hands started shaking. I was only 30. Their final diagnosis was a necessary amputation of my right leg. I made my decision of not having my leg amputated even if that meant living for three months only or less.”Vrastil received no cancer treatment, opting just for surgery to remove the tumour. He estimates he stepped back from training for just six months.” I was not doing sport actively during this six-month period – my knee was out of function and I was trying hard to make it move with the help of my father no matter how painful it was. It went very slowly but it went. The tumour  was still growing but it stopped after three months from the operation. I started to train again slowly in a rowing swimming pool with the help of my colleague Pavel Konvicka in the spring of 1982.” That year Vrastil rowed at the world championships finishing fourth in the men’s four. After retiring from competitive rowing, Vrastil remained involved in the sport as a professional coach. He continued this for five years but with the political change and his country becoming the Czech Republic, Vrastil stopped coaching to become a school teacher. Even when two of his children started to row, Vrastil did not come back to the sport. Then triathlon entered Vrastil’s life. After a 10-year period of doing very little physically, Vrastil was persuaded to try triathlon. His first race, a duathlon, is memorable in his finish.”The result was horrible for me, in fact I was nearly the last out of 130 competitors of all age groups. It was there (in 1988) that I decided to change it and go for it with all that it takes,” says Vrastil.”My rowing experience and sports experience in general have helped me in life. To strive, to compete, and not to give up, and that reflects in triathlons too,”says Vastil.Then along came the idea to beat the world record of doing 20 Ironman races in a year. Vrastil has set a target of 22 races and his list includes races around the globe. An Ironman consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a 42.2km run and to reach the target of 22 Vrastil will be doing two, sometimes three, in a month. |
Dr. Mitra Ray, PhD,
Dr. Mitra Ray, PhD, Stanford University, Bio-Chemist: talks about Exercise Induced Oxidative Stress, Exercise and Diet.
Typically, when a person decides that they are ready to take their health seriously, one of the first things they’re taught is to begin to exercise. There’s all sorts of logic to this, as the benefits of exercise are dramatic, however it’s actually NOT the first thing a person should do when they set out to get healthy. For many people (including myself) adding exercise to their lives is easier than dramatically changing the way they eat. And we have been taught that if you exercise enough, you can eat just about anything to stay healthy. If you exercise enough, you may be able to keep the scale weight stable, but again that’s NOT necessarily ‘healthy.’ In fact you may become unhealthier in certain ways if you exercise vigorously but don’t eat the right food.
Guess What?? We are going to be unique this year and offer class at 9:30AM at the Warehouse (1347 Loma Ave, L.B.) on Thanksgiving Day in order to kick off the 2010 Holiday Challenge. Jack Nunn will be leading class and making sure that can maximize your Thanksgiving Day.
Be sure to join in the fun on the Holiday Challenge and log your meters online at www.Concept2.com under team affiliation Powerhouse Fitness . It’s FREE..It’s FUN.. It’s VERY MOTIVATING and..It’s for CHARITY!!!
As in the past two years, we have selected several charities to choose from for those who wish to allocate their meters to a good cause. This year, the theme is water—protection of this resource for both health and conservation.
Jack returns to Swoop’s World Radio Wednesday night for another interview with Swoop and Peter. Jack returns to the long Beach studios this time to join his good friend U.S. Olympics Gold Medalist & 9/11 Ground Zero responder Jason Read.
Jason and Jack will join Swoop’s World Radio to give lowdown on their friendship, the sport of rowing and Jason’s experiences on 9/11.
Of course conversation will cover the long and difficult road Jason travels as he trains for a third Olympics in what some have referred to as one of the toughest most competitive sports in the world.
The following blog was inspired by this article that was featured In The July 2010 Issue of Rowing News Magazine … ‘Top 12 US Rowing Coaches Of All-Time’
In America, intercollegiate competition commenced in 1852 with the start of the Harvard Yale dual race.
Whether you already row or are considering rowing to keep in shape, lose weight, cross-train for another sport, compete on the water or rehabilitate from injury or surgery, rowing is the complete exercise for you.