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A Golf Fitness Tip Must Focus On The Golf Swing
There is no way that you can separate a good golf fitness tip from a good well executed golf swing. The golf swing is the most strenuous aspect of the game and a good golf fitness tip is one that helps you improve on your golf swing. The basics of...
Be the hunter, not the hunted - Hunting Safety Tips everyone should know
By Rebecca Blain of http://www.discount-hunting-supplies-and-tips.com . Out of all of the sports participated in around the world, hunting is considered to be one of the most dangerous. Due to this, many safety precautions must be made to ensure...
Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain
Copyright 2005 Internet Publications When people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called the Grand Unified Theory, or even "Theory of Everything," they probably think of it in terms of physics, where a Unified Theory, or single theory...
Latest Extreme Sport, Kitesurfing
Looked at many extreme sports but just can't find the right
thrills? It's time to take a look at the ocean, you might just
find some inspiration.
The latest craze in extreme sports is kitesurfing, it only
started out in 1990 but there are...
Looking for Cheap Batting Cages? Here's some Basic Advice.
Cheap batting cages can be found in a number of places. One
option is to look in your local newspaper for garage sales or in
the ads under sporting equipment for sale. Garage sales would
probably be a good place to look for smaller, cheap...
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Beginners Luck?
For most athletes, finishing an Iroman triathlon is beyond their physical and mental capabilities. To be an actual competitor is unfathomable. Maintaining the speeds these elite individuals do, over the courses and distances, is a truly amazing feet of human perseverance and endurance. That is why I was astounded by the incredible finish of Alex Morton, a 35 year old first time Ironman rookie.
Alex raced the Great Floridian Ironman in October. Not only was this his first Ironman, but it was his first marathon. Alex was 26th out of the water, moved up to 7th at mile 116 on the bike, and reached 5th at mile 11 on the run. It was at this point his inexperience took its' toll. Alex did not eat or drink enough on the run and hit the wall. He got sick, recovered, and still managed to limp in to finish first in his age; 12th overall. I have no doubt in my mind that if Alex had stuck to a more regimented plan for staying fueled and especially hydrated, he could have maintained or exceeded the 5th placed he attained.
There is no denying Alex is a gifted natural athlete. But he only began his training with CTS in spring of 2002, just 6 months before his Ironman race. Alex competed in cycling from 1986-89. He had to stop riding for some time to allow a back injury to heal up. He did a few sprint tris in 1994 and took up cycling again in 1995-97, but hung the bike back up. He did not get back in the saddle again until July of 2001 when he weighed a stout 195 lbs. His exercise at that point consisted mainly of golfing.
Alex told his wife Sandy that he wanted to race an Ironman. She gave him an account with CTS, and the time
to train as a gift. Alex started training with me in April. Pretty much from the beginning I realized he had enormous potential. His numbers were superb and he had great determination. Alex also has tremendous ability to recover from even the toughest work outs. His weight dropped to a pre-competition 165 lbs. His speed continued to improve through the summer as his heart rate dropped. Alex came down with a bad case of bronchitis, but decided to compete in a large sprint race in Cleveland against my better judgment. He did not realize until someone called him the next day he was first in his age and second overall! This is when I began to consider I was working with someone truly exceptional.
Moving forward, Alex would like to qualify and compete for the Kona Ironman. He would also like to finish an Ironman in less than 9 hours. He could not train like he does without the full support of his wife Sandy. He has two children, Gabriel 3 and Alex 1, and is General Manager of Preferred Industries. Obviously this requires some serious time management skills and understanding from his family. Alex is motivated by the need to demonstrate to his children they can achieve great things if they work hard for them. Competing is his way of proving anything is possible. I am very optimistic about his future.
About the Author
Matt Russ has coached and trained athletes around the country and internationally. He currently holds licenses by USAT, USATF, and is an Expert level USAC coach. Matt has coached athletes for CTS (Carmichael Training Systems), is an Ultrafit Associate. Visit www.thesportfactory.com for more information.
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