Sick Injuries

No matter what team you are on eventually there's a setback. Sometimes its in your control. That's called being lazy. You know the alarm rings and its just too cool on your side of the pillow. Or it's raining outside even though your workout is inside. Call it excuses or reasons...it's laziness.

However, there are times when the body sends signals in the form of pillow talk (not that kind of pillow talk).  Usually real sick injuries happen when you get knocked off your routine. In my opinion that's what a consistent workout plan or lifestyle is- your routine. Travel, illness and real injuries can throw you off that routine. Notice I said real injuries not soreness. There is a difference and your body knows when to stop and take a day or two off and when to take it slow and work out the kinks.

I'm not a doctor but there is a rule when you're sick to keep training. Let me explain. For example, if you have a head cold (minus a high fever of course) its training day. Don't let a little runny nose get in your way. However, if it's in your chest-yuck. Take a couple days off.

That's where I find myself today. Been on the road in another bed. Back aches. I ate all the wrong foods. And it gets better. I'm back on the road next week. Different bed and different routine. I hope my body, or is it my brain, can tell the difference between being sick and being injured.

Tough Muddering It



It is like a pit stop but harder

Eric (L) and Pete (R)

A few years ago I started to have triathlon training burnout. Actually can't say the sport burned me out. To be honest it was several reasons. First, life and my family (Team Keaton) began to emerge. It's a lot of fun watching my son play soccer and baseball. And my little girl sparkles when dancing. I know they are real young, but those activities take time so I decided to cut back the training. Then there is the cost. Some of these triathlon events are as expensive as the family vacation. Oh that's right they are supposed to be a family vacation. Yeah right. The last thing my wife wants to do is take a few days of me ramping up to do a triathlon then be in pain a few days after while she wants to see the sights.

Maybe when the kids are grown. The problem is I get to damn competitive. I guess the final reason is my love to just run and the exposure to P90x. Because of the lifestyle and the program, events like Tough Mudder are kind of cool. I have been training with P90x and every other week with The Next Level in Oldsmar. My former TV pal Pete Williams has a website about the training at endurancesportsflorida.com. Pete snapped this picture of me the first week I trained with Tough Mudder trainees. Check out his stories and check out Toughmudder.com.

On Degree Team

Allen keeping pace

I remember in the late 90's seeing a small flyer on the St. Anthony's Triathlon. It would take me a few years to actually get hooked on the sport. Of course like most, I wish I would have taken that flyer up on its offer to swim, bike and run. I would be a few years ahead of the game. So eventually in 2003 I was an age grouper and my first race was in Clermont.

It was only a sprint race and I was so tired after 1 hour and 30 plus minutes. I slept all afternoon. A friend at work Allen Jette pointed me in the right direction with better swim training and within a few months I was competing in the Team in Training program. If you have not tried it you should for the simple fact it raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. By the way the race for the TNT team was St. Anthony's. That's me above exiting the .9 mile swim with Allen taping every step. I finished that race in about three hours. It was fun and I raced St. Anthony's about four years in a row. I improved and landed on Team Degree and Team Amino Vital. The training I put myself through was tough, fun and the Florida sun drained my endurance at times.

Looking back that training and/or working out was working. It got me to the finish line but I look at my pics and my diet and training regimen was not complete. It would take several years to find the routine, the right routine- Team Keaton.

Team Keaton

On vacation at Grandview State Park in WV

It's been more than a decade since I have been engaged on the www. Now I have decided to share what I have learned since 2003 and share my fitness experiences with others. This blog is about getting in shape, getting off the couch and getting on with your life. To me, to us it's all about a  healthy and fun lifestyle. It will be tough, it will be fun and it will be about how Team Keaton does it. Follow along!