mailboxes and minutes

.         I left you guys hanging with only 2 of Janie’s 3 posts in a series on running.  [I've been away from my computer and all forms of internet now for about 4 weeks, and I'm just easing back into it.  I'll let you know what I've been up to in my next post.]

.        I won’t do much to introduce Jane Reneau again; I will however point you to her first two posts in the series — here and here.  And, since she’s writing today about getting started in running, I’ll let you in on this little secret…  Janie ran her first half-marathon at the age of 16.  She placed last.  Very last.

.        But she still won her age group.

 

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I started running somewhere around the age of 14.  My mom had been running for several years by that point and I wanted to give it a try myself.  The only way I knew to start was to simply start, to lace up my shoes, throw on my Umbros and a t-shirt, and run down the road.  I used mailboxes as my measurement of distance and each day I tried to go one mailbox further than I had the day before.  At the very least, I tried to reach the mailbox I’d run to the day before.  I did not think about pace or how quickly I should reach the next mailbox, I just ran.

Before long I had a mile and then two.  Before the time of GPS watches and Google pedometer, I used Mom’s routes which she measured in her car.  I started running 5ks and even the occasional 10k, reaching 10 miles by the age of 16.

Today, there are all sorts of plans and programs to help new or returning runners reach their running goals.  Programs such as “Couch to 5k” or “No Boundaries” take inactive and semi-active people and help them train to run a 5k.

My sister and I are approaching our fourth season as coaches for the No Boundaries program, and I really like the plan this program uses.  It is a walk/run approach where the runner begins to lengthen the minutes spent running and shorten the minutes spent walking until they are running an entire 3 miles.  This approach also allows runners to start where they are athletically.  We have some folks who are literally coming straight off the couch and their bodies are not used to any physical exertion whatsoever.  We also have those who are regular gym goers and they can usually run longer from the beginning.

For someone who is not very active, the training plan might look something like this:

Week 1
Walk 2 minutes, run 1 minute – repeat 5 times.  Do this 3 times a week.

Week 2
Walk 2 minutes, run 1.5 minutes – repeat 6 times.  Do this 3 times a week.

Week 3
Walk 2 minutes, run 2 minutes – repeat 7 times.  Do this 3 times a week.

Eventually, instead of repeating these sequences a certain amount of times, you would do them until you reached 1 mile, 1.5 miles, and then 2 miles. Also, the walking time would eventually move to 1 minute while the running minutes continued to increase. By the time the program reaches 2.5 miles, those with the goal to run the entire 5k are running most of the training runs.

Plans of this sort also exist for the 10k distance, half-marathons and marathons.  So once you get started, the sky is the limit and you can find all the help you need in your local running community, online, or you can always e-mail me and I will be glad to help in any way I can.  Or you can just use the mailbox method.  There is no magic formula – it is about finding a good starting point that is doable, yet challenging.

As far as what you need to get started, I am not a huge fan of all the things your local running store will try to convince you are necessary to run down the road.

A good pair of shoes?  Sure.  Try some on and run around the store.  Mine are usually a half size bigger than my non-running shoes.  For beginners, I’d stay away from extra inserts of any kind unless prescribed by a doctor – and even then my opinion is that any injuries or discomfort are probably caused more by incorrect running form instead of a bad pair of shoes.

Maybe some running attire that makes you feel strong and athletic?  Sure!  You want something that is comfortable, loose, and you want to feel like you look good in it.  Otherwise you won’t want to put it on and go workout.  It sounds so silly, but it is true.  How you feel about yourself affects how well you run and train.  Having the right apparel will also help you run in less than pleasant conditions such as extra humid days or really cold ones.

For informational and motivational articles and such, visit www.runnersworld.com or www.active.com.  Two books that I really enjoyed were “My Life on the Run” by Bart Yasso and “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall.  This last book addresses the issues of shoes and running form as well.

There is so much more, but for now I think that covers the basics.  One last thing, however, is do not give up!  Not every day is going to be easy or feel great.  But there are days that will feel that way and both kinds will be totally worth it.  Consistency is the key to getting better and hopefully, to falling in love with the sport. I have and it has enriched my life immensely. I pray it does the same for you!

consider it pure joy

I introduced Jane Reneau yesterday, so today I’ll add just one tidbit of biographical information.  Janie turned 30 on January 5, 2010 — and celebrated by running 30 miles.  [She didn't run 31 this year, though.]  This got me wondering (about an incredibly unimportant question):  At what age are human beings generally in the best position to run in miles the number of years they’ve lived.  I know my daughter’s completely unprepared to run 1.1 miles today.  And my mom won’t be running 39ish miles on her next birthday.  The longest I’ve ever run at one time is 31 miles, and I turn 34 next month.  Any ideas?  I’m guessing around 22-25…

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The other day I was running with a close friend of mine and we were talking about running, training, and racing.  As we talked about strenuous training plans and how to stay focused even when we begin to lose steam, she paid me one of the biggest compliments I could receive.  She said, “Jane you actually enjoy running.  You really love it.” She confessed that sometimes she did not like it and did not want to go, but that in talking to me, reading my blog, etc. she could see someone who actually liked running just for the sake of running.

This is true.  I absolutely love running.  When I don’t run first thing in the morning, I find myself looking forward to the moment when I can sneak out of the office and get in some miles.  I stare at the clock until it says 5:00pm and then I am out the door, impatient to get home and hit the streets.  And then when I am running…I cannot explain with the words in our language how much joy it brings to me.

I love the feeling of my muscles working as I pick up my pace or run up a hill.  I love feeling my heart and lungs work to take in oxygen and send it to my limbs.  I love a good sweat.  I love being outside with the cold air of winter whipping past my ears or the thick morning heat of summer as I race the rising temperatures.  And the sunrises… I have witnessed a thousand and each one is unique and gorgeous, almost causing me to pause just so I can stare at it…almost.

Not only do I love the activity itself, but I love what it does for the rest of my life. Let’s talk about blood pressure, cholesterol, sickness, disease, metabolism rate, body image and energy levels.  My mom has been a runner since the age of 36.  She is now 61 years old and when she goes to the doctor for her regular checkup, he is amazed at her blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  He claims to have never seen anyone with such low bad cholesterol levels and high good cholesterol levels.  He is blown away by her numbers.

Out of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States, 5 of them are nutrition related with heart disease, cancer and stroke being in the top 3, followed by diabetes at number 6 and kidney disease at 9.  This means that by simply leading a healthy life of exercise and eating right, you can avoid some horrible diseases, not to mention enjoy an amazing quality of life while you are here on this earth.

Being strong, healthy and fit not only provides for a wonderful physical existence, it affects your mental and spiritual state as well.  The endorphins released during exercises like running can be used to fight depression and other psychological disorders.  So what do you suppose they do for someone without these?  The idea of going for a run when feeling stressed or anxious is not without good cause.  These endorphins (sometimes referred to as “runner’s high”) can affect your overall mood throughout the day, which will affect how you view yourself, others, and anything you may face throughout your day.

For me, I find that it makes it easier to look beyond the little things in this life or even the bigger things that seem to overwhelm and to see the joy and the peace that often get pushed aside for the worries of this world.  It may sound silly, but I’ve always felt that being a runner has drawn me closer to my Creator and King. Not only does it clear the mind of thoughts that don’t belong there, allowing it to be filled with thoughts from Him, but I like to think He takes joy in seeing me use what He has given me to the fullest.  Sure, a lot of it is simply for me and maybe selfishly so.  But there is rarely a run completed that I don’t feel truly and humbly grateful for the experience.  As long as I am able, I will continue to run and to thank my God for all the joy it brings to my life.

discipline for the undisciplined

Jane Reneau is a friend of mine from Camp Wiregrass (the church camp I went to every summer from 1st grade until after college).  But she’s not guest posting on my blog because of Camp Wiregrass (as wonderful a place as it is); she’s posting because she’s a runner.  A passionate one at that.  And I believe running is good for people.  I want you to be a runner (or a better one, if you already are one).  And Janie’s just the gal to convince you.  [Though her words here today will be beneficial to anyone seeking discipline in any area of life.]

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Janie’s first marathon was in Los Angeles in 2003; she was 23-years old at the time.  She’s now run 22 marathons in 19 states.  She completed that first marathon in 5:26, and her current personal record is 3:58 (but I believe she’ll set a new record this month).  Janie runs between 40 and 55 miles a week, and has run two 40-plus mile trail runs.  She dabbles in triathlons and lives in Huntsville, Alabama, with her husband (a 2:38 marathoner) and her dog (who prefers short sprints).  Janie blogs here.

 

**********

When Brett asked me to write about running, he brought up the topic of discipline and how it comes into play. I had to chuckle a little bit.  While many runners are, in fact, disciplined athletes with resolve of stone, I am not one of these people.  Disciplined I am not.  I eat too many sweets.  I don’t read my Bible as much as I should.  I don’t send out the birthday cards I vow to send each year, I don’t mop the floors regularly, and I’d rather sit on the couch and watch TV than do the dishes.

When it comes to the sport of running, however, I am up at 5:00 a.m. to pound the pavement.  I run almost every day no matter how tired I might be, how cold it is, or how much my body may complain (within reason, of course).  Some call this discipline.  Some call this obsession.  I call it pure enjoyment.

I absolutely love to run.  It brings me great joy and fulfillment, makes me feel strong, fit, and healthy, draws me closer to my Creator, and makes me an overall better person.  I love to run races and I prefer to run them well.  This makes the commitment to a rigorous training plan possible.  It is, simply put, what I love to do.

Despite how much I enjoy it, however, there are still days when I don’t want to go. Days when I have to cajole and berate and force myself to lace up my tennis shoes and get out the door.  I have to dig deep and rummage around for any hint of discipline there might be, dust it off and take it with me.

So how does that work, exactly?  How do you find the discipline to do something you don’t want to do, but know you should?

I’m going to tell you what works for me. I’m also going to say that these tips can apply to any type of fitness goal, not just running.  Running is not for everyone, but I do believe health and fitness is.

1. Find something you love. This is key.  Like I said with running, I LOVE it.  So it is not so difficult to be disciplined on days when I am not feeling it.  If you hate running and are forcing yourself to do it anyway…and failing, you might want to find something else.  Swimming.  Racquetball.  Cycling.  Jump roping.  Dog walking.  Find what you enjoy.  That is the first step.
2. Incorporate the buddy system. It may sound silly, but when I know I’m meeting a friend or two, I will be there.  It is harder to back out on someone else than it is to back out on yourself.  Make a gym date.  Find a running partner.  Walk with a co-worker at lunch.  Get a dog or borrow your neighbor’s.
3. Plan ahead and be prepared. When I know I’m getting up early in the morning to run (which is most days), I set my clothes out the night before.  All I have to do at 5:00 in the morning is put them on.  If I know I might want to go the gym after work, I pack my bag the night before and stick it in the car.  My yoga mat lives in my car, so if the notion to attend a yoga class occurs to me, I’m ready to go.  Make it easy on yourself to be disciplined.  Don’t predict backing out.  Predict going.  You will live up to what you predict.
4. Keep motivation around. Magazine articles.  Motivational quotes on sticky notes.  A picture of the goal you are trying to reach.  Music that gets you going.  The internet provides a plethora of this stuff.  When I’m feeling unmotivated, all I have to do is go to Runnersworld.com or a running blog and read for a minute.  Sometimes while I’m getting dressed to run, I put on a pump-me-up song to help me get going.  I also have these songs on my ipod shuffle to accompany me on a run to keep me going.  Surround yourself with positive motivators that remind you of what you want and what you like to do.
5. Fake it ‘til you make it. Sometimes just going through the motions is all you’ve got.  There have been days when I have gotten dressed, walked outside, stood in the driveway for a minute and gone back inside.  Sometimes you just don’t have it.  Believe it or not, that is okay.  So, your buddy couldn’t meet you at yoga and you didn’t go either.  That does not mean you should give it up.  That simply means tomorrow is a new day.  It doesn’t have to be January 1 for you to start anew.  It can be a Monday in March.  Don’t give up on yourself for one bad day or even a bad week.

These tips aren’t for the die-hard disciplined.  They are for average Jane’s like me (pun sort of intended there) and like you.  These bodies we have are amazing and can do amazing things.  Just as with everything we have in this life, I believe we are to be good stewards of our bodies as well.  They are one of the many gifts God has given us, and taking care of them is important.  Everything you desire to do in life is made easier if you are healthy.  Whether it is being a missionary in a foreign country, tutoring kids after work each day, raising good kids of your own, working hard at your current career – it is all made easier by a strong, healthy body.

So get out there and get after it.  You won’t ever regret it.

auburn wins the national championship

photo by todd van emst — courtesy of jay g. tate

 

Auburn defeats Oregon, 22-19.  War Eagle!

Just as predicted the Auburn Tigers are your BCS national champions.  I listened to the game on the internet (at 4:30 am) while drinking coffee and making (and eating) pancakes.  I wish I could have watched it, but our internet connection just won’t do it (I was booted off-line at least 20 times during the first half — only 3 in the second).  The game wasn’t any closer than I thought it would be — but it was a LOT lower scoring.  I expected to see it come down to the last possession, but I never ever would have guessed that neither team would break 30 points.  I was envisioning something like 48-45.

A few interesting stats and whatnot:

• This is Auburn’s first national championship since 1957.  [But they were shafted in 2004.]
• Auburn finished the season as the only team to beat more than five teams ranked in the top 25.  They beat seven. ONE-HALF of the teams on Auburn’s schedule finished their seasons ranked in the top 25.
• Gene Chizik is 7-0 in bowl games, and 2-0 in national championships.  [But he was shafted in 2004.]
• Heisman Trophy winner Cameron Newton ate three Oregon players while throwing for 265 yards and rushing for 64.
• Freshman running back Michael Dyer rushed for 144 yards and was named offensive MVP.
• Wes Byrum ended his Auburn career by kicking yet another game-winning field goal for the Tigers.  He’s the highest point-scorer in school history.
• Defensive lineman Nick Fairley had 5 tackles, 3 for a loss, and won defensive MVP.  Also, it’s been reported that he will, for the next few weeks, be visiting at least three of the Ducks in their nightmares.
• Speaking of Nick Fairley, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas rushed for -6 yards on the night.  [Yes, that is a minus sign.]
• This is the first season in which Auburn has won 14 games in a season.  And they came from behind in 9 of them.
• Auburn is the 5th consecutive SEC team to win the national championship.  But this was a down year in the SEC, you know.

Uniforms

Nike designed some super awesome uniforms for Oregon to lose in.  And I use those words super and awesome to mean it looked like 5th graders were given charcoal and highlighters and asked to draw football uniforms with feathers on the shoulders. I know Nike gave the feathers-on-the-shoulder order, because not even 5th graders would think that looks good.  Here’s a photo of an “athlete” in the uniform:

an oregon "athlete" in uniform designed by 5th graders with charcoal and highlighters

And here’s a photo of a scared athlete in the same uniform:

a scared athlete in the same nike uniform (note the nice-looking auburn jersey)

I kind of hesitate to make fun of these Oregon uniforms, though.  Because the last time I did, I was told it was bad of me.  I think the exact words were, “This blog drips with the hypocrisy of Christianity.“

Odds and Ends

I have only one friend who is an Oregon fan.  His name is Charlie. You ought to head over to his blog and say hello.  But don’t be rude; I’m sure he’s already pretty upset.  As a matter of fact, if his comment on my post yesterday was any sign, I’m not sure he’ll even get out of bed today.  Anyway, a simple “sorry for your loss” should suffice.

And to close it out today, would you guys do me this one small favor?  [Of course, as usual, everyone is welcome -- encouraged even -- to comment below.]  But just out of curiosity I’d like to know how many Auburn fans regularly read my blog.  Would you guys let me know? You don’t have to type anything more than “war eagle” (though you’re welcome to type more if you like).  Now, I’m talking actual Auburn FANS, though, not just those of you who were cheering for us last night.  Though we do sincerely appreciate your support and thank you for your encouragement.

War Eagle!  The SEC rules.

 

rock city “marathon”

 

I miss races — running races, bike races, and triathlons.  There just aren’t very many around here.  So you can imagine my delight when Mwanza, Tanzania, decided to host an international half-marathon last year, and to do so annually.  So, as of today, I have run every “Rock City Marathon” (two) since its inception.  Here’s a little about my goals and such for the race today:

• My primary goal was to run my first race in “minimalist footwear.”  I’ve switched to “barefoot” running now, though I’m much more concerned with barefoot running form than with actually being barefoot.  I do 80% of my running in water socks and the other 20% actually barefoot.  Today was my first race in the water socks.  It felt fine, other than a single blister on a single toe.
• Because I’ve been working to switch over to “barefoot” running, I’ve purposely not used a watch or timed any of my runs (except for one) during the past six months.  So I had no idea how I’d do today on time.  I ended up running 1:49:10 for a 13.1 mile race.  That’s 8:20 per mile, which I’m happy with for my first “minimal shoe” race.  I think I would have been a tad faster had the race started on time, but this is Africa — and things rarely start on time.
• Most of the runners involved in this race are professionals, many of whom compete for their countries in international meets.  So there’s no chance of me being anywhere near the top — or even in the top half.  Last year I was the 3rd place white person, and finished in the top 4 or 5 of the amateurs.  This year my goal was to be the 1st place white person.  I was.  But I was the only white person racing this year.  I did finish towards the top of the amateurs again, though, so that was good.

Below is a link to an article about the race — with my comments mixed in for good measure:

Rock City Marathon Takes Place Today

Mwanza city won’t be the same today as the finest runners will vie for top honours in the Rock City Marathon 2010.

Are journalists really allowed to say things like “the finest runners” without clarifying among whom these runners are the finest?  Mwanza is known as “Rock City” — hence the picture above.  And the word marathon is quite misleading here — as the race was only a half-marathon.  Still, all the advertisements, programs, and finishers’ shirts read “Rock City Marathon.”

Co-ordinator of the event Raymond Kanyambo told reporters that preparations for the biggest sporting event in the Lake Zone were complete where the race will start at the CCM Kirumba Stadium at 7am.

Mr. Kanyambo may have said that preparations were complete, but our “7am” race didn’t begin until after 8:00 am.  The reason:  Coca-Cola had not yet delivered the bottled waters to the water stations along the course.  It’s nice they didn’t want us to run without water (there was none after the six-mile mark last year), but I woke up, ate, drank, used the restroom, arrived, and warmed up all for a 7 am start.  I was hungry and thirsty and needing to warm up again by the time we started, and the sun was NOT getting any cooler.

He said that the marathon to cover 21-km has attracted over 1,000 runners while over 2,000 participants have enrolled for other races expected to take place today.

The “marathon” would cover 21 kilometers, eh…?  As for the “over 1,000 runners” competing in the half-marathon?  Make that 50 — and that’s an incredibly generous head count.

“We have also got a good response for the three-kilometre corporate classic race and for people with physical disabilities as well as two kilometer race for children.”

I didn’t hear anything about the results of the 3k race, but there were indeed a lot of kids running the 2k.  And watching them finish was really great.  Several of our friends in Mwanza ran it with their children.  It’s always nice to see kids enjoying exercise.

He said that the winners in the half marathon will each get Sh500,000, runners up would take home Sh300,000 while the third placed winners will be given Sh200,000 each. He said the 21 kilometre race will start at the Kirumba Stadium while the other races will start in town and end at the stadium.

500,000 shillings is about $330, which may not sound much.  But it’s five times the monthly pay of a salaried manual laborer.

The marathon organised by Capital-Plus International Limited. He said that over 3,000 runners are expected to compete in the event; the biggest sporting gala in the lake Zone. “We have got confirmations from Mwanza, Mara, Tabora, Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, Manyara, Singida, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Zanzibar and Kagera,” he said.

Again, 3,000 runners?!  The biggest sporting gala in the Lake Zone?  Most people in town had never even heard of the race and only knew it was happening if they happened to be walking down the street as runners with numbers on (reused from last year) passed them.

He said that runners from the neighbouring countries like Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda have also asked to compete in the marathon. Kanyambo said that the route was measured last month by an official approved by the International Amateur Athletics Associations (IAAF). We expect the race to be very entertaining.

The measurement seemed to be right this year.  Last year we ran 19k, giving me an easy PR (which doesn’t count).  By the way, I’m pretty sure every racer from Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, AND Uganda beat me.

But the race was indeed entertaining.

* For an interesting look into Tanzanian culture that relates to marathons and newspaper articles, go here.

college football and a decade in the sec

And college football begins.  As you guys are all enjoying your Saturday afternoon cookouts and football, I’ll be listening to Auburn games on a slow-buffering internet radio station at 3 am.  But a happy “War Eagle!,” all the same.

In honor of the big day, please enjoy the past decade in SEC football according to Facebook:

image courtesy of chadgibbs.wordpress.com

brett’s morning blend (27jul10)

Morning Blend is all running-related today:

Barefoot Chronicles

This is the blog of one Jason Robillard, barefoot running extraordinaire.  I refer to it regularly for barefoot training advice and inspiration.

See Jane Run

This is Jane McGuire Reneau’s running blog.  Janie and I grew up going to the same church camp, both went to Auburn, lived in China at the same time, and now read each other’s blogs.  Janie runs way more than I — and SHE’S a talented writer.  Oh, and her husband is pretty much a professional runner.  He once finished a 50K trail run before I got to the first drink station.

Pre: The Story of America’s Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine

I just started this book and am enjoying it so far.  For those of you not familiar with Steve Prefontaine, he was largely responsible for the running boom of the 1970′s and broke dozens of distance running records before his untimely death in a car accident at age 24.

Hey There Delilah

So I realize I may be years behind on this one (just like above book).  I was reading the March 2008 issue of Runner’s World magazine and came across an article about Delilah Dicrescenzo, now a professional Steeplechaser for Puma.  She’s a great athlete, but is better known as the Delilah of Plain White T’s fame.  The link above is about her running.  This one is about her involvement in the song.

the not-yet-won-or-tied-a-match bracket

It’s halftime of the World Cup match between Germany and Uruguay.  I’m watching the match, but I’m not writing to comment on the game itself (things like how Germany just doesn’t look good, which should give Netherlands greater confidence versus Spain).  No, I’m writing to protest there being such a thing as a 3rd place match in the World Cup. I’m generally not one to complain about being able to watch more football on television, but this is just ridiculous.

This is a worldwide tournament in the world’s most popular sport.  The World Cup only comes once every four years, and is more popular than the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Playoffs, every Texas Hold’em Tournament ever held, and LOST, all put together.  Qualification alone requires more than two years.  And we have a 3rd place match?!

What’s next?  Participation trophies and pizza parties for every country who played?  Maybe we should give 5 or 6 MVP’s each match, so every athlete has a chance to be honored at least once.  I hear in 2014 they’re going to ask moms to slice oranges at half-times and host pool parties after the tournament.  Maybe we shouldn’t “eliminate” teams, and instead allow them to play in a separate bracket after being beaten — but we couldn’t call it a loser’s bracket.  We should call it the once-defeated once-beaten not-yet-won-or-tied-a-match bracket.  Yeah, that’s it.

And do you think we could institute a rule in which every player on the roster gets at least 15 minutes of play during each match?  It’s not fair that some of these athletes are just sitting on the bench, getting their feelings hurt, after having practiced just as hard as the other guys.  And what about all the poor countries not even represented in South Africa — maybe we should start an NIT for world football? Oh, and forget this trading jerseys stuff; line all those guys up on the half-line, and make ‘em slap hands in an orderly fashion after every game.

3rd place match… that ought to be for little kids.  Get that corn out of my face.  I’m turning it off and going to bed.

form or fitness: ronaldinho sits

A lot of people have been asking why Ronaldinho didn’t play in the 2010 World Cup.  The Brazilian footballer certainly has been an exciting fixture in tournaments past.  I think he’s won FIFA World Player of the Year on three different occasions.  I’ve read that it was form, and not fitness, that kept Ronaldinho off Dunga’s roster this year…

But I wouldn’t be so sure:

before

after

The two players whom I myself have missed the most are Sacha Kljestan of the U.S. and Michael Ballack of Germany.  Their coaches couldn’t find room for them on their 23-man rosters?  Sacha is a lot of the reason the U.S. even qualified for the World Cup, and you can’t tell me Ballack wouldn’t have been (at the very least) a quality substitute.

Prediction for the Cup

Last summer, during the Confederations Cup, I picked Netherlands as my winner for the 2010 World Cup.  In every bracket I filled out, I cast that same vote.  I love the way the Dutch are playing these days.  Of course I’m sticking with them through the one game that is remaining.  I think their defense is too strong for David Villa to score, and Torres has done absolutely nothing for his team.  Puyol won’t score from the back again, and Holland will possess the ball against Spain like Spain did against Germany.  Go Orange! Netherlands 2, Spain 0.

why i watch le tour

Why I watch the Tour de France:

Endurance and Determination

These guys test the limits of what is humanly possible.  Riders participating in the 2010 tour will travel 2,263 miles over 23 days (including the two “rest” days) at an average speed of 27 miles per hour, while climbing mountains in both the Alps and the Pyrenees.  200 of the very best cyclists in the world will begin the tour — 25 of them will not finish because of injury or a race that is simply too hard.

mathias frank has already exited the tour -- broken thumb, torn muscle, and a little blood

Competitions within a Competition

• General Classification – The rider with the lowest overall time.
• Team Competition – The team with the lowest overall time.
• Points Classification – Sprint points are available at each finish line and several intermediate sprint locations.  The rider with the most sprint points wins the points classification competition.
• King of the Mountains – Climbing points are available at the top of many hills and mountains.  The rider with the most climbing points wins the King of the Mountains classification.
• Best Young Rider – The rider under 26-years old with the lowest overall time.
• Most Combative Rider – Basically the most aggressive rider, who takes the greatest risks.
• Stage Wins – A prologue and 20 stages provides 21 opportunities for single-day wins.

jerseys of the tour de france

Jerseys

Not only do there exist all these competitions within the larger race, but it’s easy to keep an eye on the current leader in most of these categories — they wear a special jersey:

• @ Yellow = General Classification / Overall Leader
• @ Green = Points Classification / Sprint Leader
• @ Red Polka-Dots on White = King of the Mountains
• @ White = Best Young Rider

* The “Most Combative Rider” doesn’t get a special jersey, but rather has his number printed in white on a red background (all other riders have black on white).

Teamwork

Generally speaking, each team has a couple of guys capable of winning one of the individual competitions within the tour.  But there are nine riders on each team, meaning most of them will play the role of domestique (French for servant) to a stronger rider. Domestiques are asked to do anything from shielding wind to leading out sprinters to chasing breakaway groups to getting water for teammates.  These guys regularly set aside personal glory for the sake of their team (or other members of their team).

map of the 2010 tour de france

Strategy

Tour cycling is a unique sport because:

1. The races are so incredibly long.  This allows strategy to be played out over weeks rather than over minutes or even hours.
2. There are several competitions for every team to consider, most requiring different strategies.
3. So much of the strategy can be internalized.  Mind games are constantly employed — more so, I believe, than in other sports.
4. Teams are often forced to work with one another, as are riders from different teams.  With every breakaway, there are decisions to be made as to whether to chase as a group or send one of your own riders in the breakaway.  One team might be left with the responsibility of leading the entire peloton of riders back to the breakaway.  Or several teams might share the work, depending on who’s in that lead group.  Today’s enemy may be tomorrow’s ally.
5. All of this strategy is played out while being forced to conserve energy for future team and individual opportunities.

Individual Time Trials

Just one man against a clock… against 200 other men against clocks.

Phil Liggett

One of the best announcers in sport.

Lance Armstrong

Dude had testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and his brain.  He had surgery on his manly area and his brain, and went through numerous rounds of chemotherapy.  Then the guy won the Tour de France a record seven times, retired, came back to place third in last year’s race, and is racing his last tour (de France) this year.  He’s currently ranked fourth, and has arguably (undeniably really) the best team in the tour.

lance wins his seventh tour

If you’ve never given the tour a chance, you really ought to.  My advice:  watch the Sunday, July 11th, Stage 8. It’s the first high mountains stage, and it’s followed by one of the only two rest days.  Contador will try to take the yellow (even though I don’t think he’ll be able to defend it).  Should be a really exciting stage.

Why do you watch the tour?  Or… “Why not?” might be the better question…

* You can find my tour predictions here.