Calorie Counter for Running, Biking and Swimming

I ran across these slick calorie counter's for running, biking and swimming.  I also threw yoga in there for good measure. SWIMMING - Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate the calories you burned swimming:
Pace:	swimming, treading water, moderate effort, generalswimming, lake, ocean, riverswimming, leisurely, not lap swimming, generalswimming laps, freestyle, slow, moderate or light effortswimming, backstroke, generalswimming, crawl, slow (50 yards/minute), moderate or light effortswimming, sidestroke, generalswimming, synchronizedswimming, treading water, fast vigorous effortswimming, breaststroke, generalswimming laps, freestyle, fast, vigorous effortswimming, butterfly, generalswimming, crawl, fast (75 yards/minute), vigorous effort
Weight:		PoundsKilograms
Time:		HoursMinutes

BIKING - Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate the calories you burned on your bike ride:
Pace:	Biking < 10 mphBiking 10-12 mphBiking 12-14 mphBiking 14-16 mphBiking 16-20 mphBiking > 20 mph
Weight:		PoundsKilograms
Time:		HoursMinutes

RUNNING - Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate the calories you burned running:
Pace:	running 5 mph (12 min/mile) - 8.04 kmh (7.46 min/km)running 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile) - 8.36 kmh (7.18 min/km)running 6 mph (10 min/mile) - 9.66 kmh (6.21 min/km)running 6.7 mph (9 min/mile) - 10.78 kmh (5.57 min/km)running 7 mph (8.5 min/mile) - 11.27 kmh (5.32 min/km)running 7.5 mph (8 min/mile) - 12.07 kmh (4.97 min/km)running 8 mph (7.5 min/mile) - 12.87 kmh (4.66 min/km)running 8.6 mph (7 min/mile) - 13.84 kmh (4.34 min/km)running 9 mph (6.5 min/mile) - 14.48 kmh (4.14 min/km)running 10 mph (6 min/mile) - 16.09 kmh (3.73 min/km)running 10.9 mph (5.5 min/mile) - 17.54 kmh (3.42 min/km)
Weight:		PoundsKilograms
Time:		HoursMinutes

YOGA - Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate the calories you burned doing Yoga:
Type:	Intense Yoga (Ashtanga/Vinyasa/Power/Classical Hatha)Bikram Yoga
Weight:		PoundsKilograms
Time:		HoursMinutes

5 Ways to Run Past Your Mental Blocks

You slept in and missed your 6 a.m. run. Do you feel like a failure the rest of the day? A pit stop during a race costs you time toward your PR. Do you berate yourself the entire way to the finish line? You feel a shooting pain during a workout. Do you ignore it and finish up your mile repeats?By Nancy Averett
Runner's World

If you answer yes to those questions, you're probably a perfectionist. About 40 percent of recreational runners are, says Oliver Stoll, Ph.D., a professor of sports psychology at Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg in Germany. Not that striving for excellence is bad. "Perfectionists set goals, train hard, and rarely struggle with motivation," Stoll says. But runners who beat themselves up also set themselves up for problems.

"Athletes, no matter how ambitious, have to learn to accept a certain amount of imperfection, otherwise they risk burnout and injury," says Nate Zinsser, Ph.D., director of the performance enhancement program at West Point Military Academy. Here's how to talk back to your mental bully so you can keep your running healthy and fun.

Improve your racing performance and your expectations with these rulesto run by.

THE CRITIC: "I was up all night with a sick kid. But I still have to race hard."

THE COMEBACK: "It's okay to adjust my plans."

One race day there's always the risk you'll face an obstacle — illness, travel delays, weather extremes. When these things happen, you need to lower your expectations and tweak your strategy without deeming yourself a failure. Stoll says to follow the example of German marathoner Sabrina Mockenhaupt. At the World Championships last August, it was humid and 73ºF. Knowing she doesn't run well in the heat, Mockenhaupt decided to start conservatively. In the second half of the marathon, she felt strong enough to increase the pace and move up from 28th place to 17th while other runners struggled and faded. "She couldn't control the sun," Stoll says. "So she listened to her body and ran a race she could feel good about even if she didn't medal or PR."

Had a bad race? Here's how to recover physically and mentally.

THE CRITIC: "I can't keep up with the frontrunners in my running group. That means I must not be a good runner."

THE COMEBACK: "It doesn't always make sense to compare myself to others."

Some unhealthy perfectionists judge their performance against other runners even if the playing fields are hopelessly skewed, says John Dunn, Ph.D., associate professor of sports psychology at the University of Alberta. "If I'm a 52-year-old overcoming an injury and I'm running with a bunch of healthy 25-year-olds, is it really realistic to judge my performance against theirs?" Genetic predispositions, age, injury history, work and family responsibilities can affect how well we run at any given moment, Dunn says, so it's much healthier to measure your performance against yourself. "If you're seeing improvement relative to your own abilities, then you're improving," he says.

When you're not as young as you used to be, you can still run your best with this guide to running through the ages.

THE CRITIC: "My foot hurts, but I'll run through the pain so I don't get out of shape."

THE COMEBACK: "If I listen to my body, I'll recover faster from minor injuries and have fewer serious ones."

Running coach Roy Benson of Amelia Island, Florida, says backing off at the first sign of pain is the smartest thing runners can do. "When you feel a twinge or an ache, cut back your workouts to 50 percent right away," he says. That is, if your long run is eight miles, only run four; if your speed workout is four half-mile repeats, do two instead. "That alone could cure a minor issue. And it'll prevent it from turning into something bigger." If not, take three days off. Don't worry about losing fitness during such a short period of downtime. "Aerobic fitness begins to decline without any exercise in about a week to 10 days," Benson says.

THE CRITIC: "I'm a lazy bum because I took a day off."

THE COMEBACK: "If I allow myself to rest, I'll stay healthy."

It's great that you love running so much, but a routine rest day is the best way to stay committed. If you don't give your body that opportunity to recover, you risk injury, which could sideline you for several days or worse. "You need to view rest days as a time when your muscles are performing necessary recuperation work," says Patrick Cohn, Ph.D., an Orlando sports psychology expert. "A rest day is just as important to your training as a workout." If you have to do something, make it a low-impact activity like swimming, biking, or yoga.

Want to improve your speed and race better? Make sure you get enough rest.



THE CRITIC: "To set a PR I have to do an interval workout, tempo run, hill repeats, and long run every single week"

THE COMEBACK: "It's healthy and smart to allow myself to occasionally run for fun."

Allowing some flexibility in your training doesn't just prevent burnout, it can actually help you clock a faster time. "If you are constantly pushing yourself hard and always critiquing every training run, you can become tense and anxious about your running," Zinsser says. "That stress will follow you into competition and hurt your chances of performing well." Zinsser suggests giving yourself a break from the rigors of prescribed workouts—hit the road without a time or distance goal, or hook up with a buddy for a relaxed, social run. "Anything that helps you recapture how it felt to run as a kid when it was all just for fun."

First Lake Swim (Bhhrrrr) and Another Personal Best in the 1/4 Mile Swim

Yesterday I had my first swim in Lake Washington and as expected, it was sooooooooooo cold.  My lips were numb for the entire swim.  I was thinking the temp was probably around the typical 44 degrees for this time of year, but just checked online and it is 51, so now I'm a tad bit freaked, as Alcatraz will probably be around 52-54 degrees.  This just means I need to start cold showering it, sleeping w/ the windows open and a few more lake swims to acclimate to the temp.  This is something I maybe should have started doing a month ago considering the race is in a week and half.

Pics at bottom of this post are of Walter pre swim and me post swim w/ purple lips. Isn't Walt styl'n in the googles?

And here's the GREAT NEWS, on Sunday I broke my personal best on the 1/4 mile swim.....again.  About two weeks ago I broke it w/ 6:52 and on Sunday I shaved off 12 seconds bringing it down to 6:40.  Thank you to P90X again.....seriously.....no other explanation as I am not swimming any more than usual.  I've actually been swimming less and P90X is making up for it AND more.  I've also been getting emails from people inquiring on the specifics of how I've been implementing P90X w/ a tri training program.  It's been a combo of people, some already tri training wanting to get stronger core and would like to implement P90X and then there are some who have just ordered or are currently doing P90X and would also like to do a triathlon this summer and are curious to know how to combine the two.  Send an email to me and I'll share the goods w/ you.  Sjogren@gmail.com.  I'm also a coach now for P90X (still learning the ropes), but you can check out my page, as well as the programs and products through this link.

For those of you doing the race, good luck w/ the rest of your training, stay injury free and we'll see you in 11 days at Alcatraz on the side of that boat.

Personal Best on 1/2 Mile Swim....Another Thanks to P90X!!

Yesterday was the first day back in the pool after a 12 days of no swim due to me being out of town and not close to a pool.  Well, the incredible news is that I beat my 1/2 mile swim record ever....once again....unbelievable. How in the world does this happen when you haven't been training in 12 days??? I honestly can't believe it and if you've been reading my previous blogs over the past month, you'll know I have only one thing to attribute this too and that's P90X!! 

I've been dedicated to the P90X program and am currently at Day 77.  A few of you have emailed me inquiring on P90X  to find out the detailed specs on how I've been coordinating it w/ the tri workouts.  If you're interested, please send me an email and I'll provide you w/ all info.  sjogren@gmail.com. The physical transformation to the body is also incredible as well.  I'm now seeing abs I thought I never had.  P90X Day 90 will be four days before the race...perfect to end w/ the tri taper.

Below is more for my own record to reference down the road. My swim splits were as follows:

1/2 miie: 14:29

1/4 mile: 7:03

1/2 mile: 14:09 (THE RECORD SWIM FOR ME)

1/4 mile: 7:09

1/2 mile: 4:18 

I also ran 8 miles post the swim at Alki and that felt great as well.  Below is a bit of a clip on that run introducing my running partner Walter to you all.

Triathlon Training for Beginners: the Top Ten Questions!

I found this great article for newbies on EverymanTri.  Check it on out!

There are some key answers to questions about triathlon training for beginners that you must know if you're just getting into the sport or you're trying to learn a few new tips to enhance your triathlon experience.

I get questions every day from a wide range of beginner, intermediate and advanced triathletes, but these are some of the more popular triathlon training for beginners questions. Today's article will keep the answers quick and easy-to-digest!


10. Q. Is my bike saddle supposed to hurt? A. Initially, yes. It generally takes 4-6 weeks for soreness and saddle discomfort to subside as you begin to form a "butt callous". If you find that even after a couple months training, you're still constantly shifting in the saddle to find a comfortable position, then make sure that your bike is fit properly (especially noting whether or not your seat is too high), and explore some options such as noseless saddles, better bike shorts, and a good slathering of chamois cream.


9. Q. How should I eat while I'm running? A. You're going to have the best luck with liquid fuel, so that you don't have to worry about breathing and chewing simultaneously, and your stomach doesn't have to worry about trying to break down food while you're bouncing up and down. Go for gels, or a small amount of carbohydrate based fluid - in the range of 200-250 calories per hour.


8. Q. Is it normal for my feet and calves to cramp while I'm swimming? A. If you run or bike directly before you swim, this can happen. It can also happen if you swim for more than 45-60 minutes without water, or you're very low on electrolytes. Should you find yourself in a cramping situation, try to push off the wall very gently, or with just the non-cramping leg.

7. Q. Should I lift weights? A. Yes, especially if you're a "skinny" or "small" person. Until 4-8 weeks prior to a big race, you should focus on gaining strength and building or maintaining lean muscle. This will help prevent injury. As your race approaches, begin to de-prioritize weightlifting and spend minimal time in the weigh troom, instead prioritizing swimming, cycling and running.


6. Q. How should I eat while I'm biking? A. Unlike running, you can generally handle solid foods on the bike, and you can consume about 50-150 more calories per hour compared to running.


5. Q. Do I need a wetsuit? A. If you're in a cool climate, like the Pacific Northwest, a wetsuit is recommended. If you're in a warm climate, you don't need it to stay warm, but it will certainly make you faster. There is absolutely no crucial need for a wetsuit, and most races don't require that you wear one.


4. Q. Should I stretch? A. Before workouts, we recommend dynamic stretching, like leg swings and arm circles. After workouts, we recommend longer, static stretching, like yoga. Stretching will help elements like your shoulder mobility, your position on the bike, and your comfort during long runs.


3. Q. Is a road bike OK, or do I need a triathlon bike? A. While you'll probably find that it's easier pedal faster, be more aerodynamic, and run more comfortably when you get off a triathlon bike, it is just fine to start on a road bike. If you do use a road bike, however, try to find some aerobars for it! This will make the eventual switch to a triathlon bike much easier.


2. Q. How long will it take me to get ready for an Ironman triathlon? A. Our programs inside the academy range from 25-36 weeks for the Ironman. If you're fit and you frequently race, 25 weeks is completely possible. If you're really wanting to achieve a fantastic time, or you're not experienced at Ironman, closer to 36 weeks is ideal. If you're a complete couch potato, give yourself at least a year.


1. Q. How much protein should I eat? A. Although everyone is different, a good rule of thumb for active individuals is to consume about 20-30% of your daily calorie intake from proteins sources like seeds, nuts, lean dairy, whole grains (if you can handle the gluten), healthy meats (like bison, fish and lamb), and hemp, pea, soy or whey protein powders that are low in additives and preservatives.

Source: Ben Greenfield via www.bengreenfieldfitness.com
 is the Renaissance man of the sport of triathlon.

17 Days Away!!!

Race day is getting so incredible close. I can't believe it's less than three weeks away. Training has been a tad neglected over the past week due to a wedding and best man role this past week out-of-state. I kept up w/ the P90X training each day though and am hoping that will allow me to easily pick-up where I left off w/ each of the three sports before I left for the wedding. I'm still amazed with that program. Day 76 right now!!

It's time to crank 'er up big this week w/ various blocks inside (gym) and outside. The first plunge into Lake Washington happens this weekend. My guess is that it's probably about 48 degrees, which will be about 6 degrees cooler than SFO Bay, so that will be very REFRESHING!! :)

Feel free to share how your training is going, if any of you are crank'n 'er up for this awesome race!!

Transition Drills and Race Tips for the 30th Annual 2010 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

Swim Tips for the 30th Annual 2010 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

We're getting sooooo close!! Only three and a half weeks away!! This clip came across the wire today and I thought I would share. The narrator provides a number of swim tips and tricks for quickly and safely navigating the 30th Annual 2010 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon swim in the Bay.