Silver Sage Goes Hawaiian

This week, Dr. Pasternak and I had the opportunity to ParvoMed Vo2 and lactate threshold test two world-class paddlers, Jay Wild and Mike Gabor. The rhythmic paddling motion transformed the lab in to a tropical paradise – well maybe not. But it was thrilling to watch these guys’ power in action. 

Jay is a multi-talented paddler, who established his fate when joining an Outrigger Canoe Club in 2004.  Jay approached his paddling career with determination, paddling year-round on the cold Tahoe waters.  Always looking to improve, Jay is constantly training and has built a solid team around him which has helped him move up the ranks  among the best SUP paddlers in the world.  Never one to limit his opportunities, Jay is looking forward to experiencing every aspect of paddling, continuing to improving his OC1 and Prone paddling skills. For more information visit his site, http://wildlifeathletics.wordpress.com/

Racing Highlights:

TEAM USA stand up paddleboard team member 2012
4th place copper medalist @ 2012 ISA world championships, Marathon race 

Mike has over 20 years of experience racing and training. His career began when he went to college where he started to lift weights and compete in intramural sports. After college, he took up mountain biking and competed in running, biking and triathlons. Later he competed in adventure racing which led him to paddling. Eventually he started coaching others in paddling and decided he needed to capture some of his experiences in a book that could be shared with others. He became a well rounded athlete as a result of competing in a variety of sports and has hundreds of podium finishes in his career.

Outrigger Racing Highlights:

2nd Place 2011 Ironman Outrigger Racing Championships

1st Place 2011 Weekly Standup Paddle Races South Lake Tahoe, CA (2 times)

1st Place 2011 Monterey, CA Outrigger Race

1st Place 2011 Kahanamoku Klassic Outrigger Race, Marina Del Rey, CA

1st Place 2011 Crystal Pier Outrigger Race, San Diego, CA

2nd Place 2010 Catalina 9-man Outrigger Race, Newport, CA

1st Place 2010 PaoPao 9-man Outrigger Race, Dana Point, CA

4th Place 2009 Catalina 9-man Outrigger Race, Newport, CA

1st Place 2009 Whitney Harrison 9-man Outrigger Race, Oceanside, CA

O2fitness launches Ironman Tahoe 2013 Individualized Training Plans

Wow its January and time to start foundation phase training for Ironman Tahoe 2013. I look forward to training with and supporting a crop of new clients prepping for this inaugural Ironman – all with their own individual Ironman goals. What an opportunity in our Sierra backyard.

Speaking recently with one of my Ironman clients, I was reminded that with all of our athletic goals – it is not the destination of race day, but the daily training, with its mental and physical challenge and resulting confidence and empowerment that enriches our lives. Registering for events like Ironman also provide the opportunity to maintain balance in our busy lives – goals on the horizon help us wrench ourselves away from the desk and minutia of life and escape to training time.  We own our training – no one else’s decisions or actions can skew or blur the outcome.  

But rallying fitness focus does not require registering for an Ironman – any goal on the horizon from bagging a peak to cycling a century that reminds us to carve time out of our busy lives and invest in physical and emotional balance – is the E-ticket objective.