Why do you compete in endurance events? What goals do you have?
Initially for me, competing, or should I say, participating in endurance events came as a way to help me stay focused on the end result of losing weight. I needed something to look forward to one summer, so I decided to sign up for my first Sprint Tri. Now 4 years/3 seasons, (out 1 season due to injury), I’m looking at doing a Full Ironman in November. I got hooked! I have three main goals this year for me and my endurance adventures. 1st Goal – Go Sub 3 hours at my Olympic Distance race in July. 2nd Goal – Go Sub 17 Hours for my Full Ironman, (I have a time I’d really like to hit, but I’m really looking forward to finishing, and, I’m keeping that time in my head and not sharing.) 3rd goal is to get and remain injury free.
Do you have any memorable experiences that you’d like to share with us?
Where should I start? Marrying my best friend? The birth of my son? Being on the Oprah Show. Finishing my first Sprint Tri. Crossing the finishing line in my very first “race”, getting a finishers medal and landing in my wife’s arms. Crossing the finish line at my very first 1/2 Marathon, my very first 1/2 Ironman…Pick one. They are all extremely memorable. I haven’t and won’t forget any of them.
What do you enjoy most about training? The least?
I enjoy “getting away from it all” the most about training. In other words, when I swim, bike or run, my mind is solely focused on those things that I am doing and the rest of the world is all a blurr…All of the other things just go away. I also enjoy the camaraderie of it all. Training, (read = pain) with friends is a lot more fun than pain without friends. They keep us honest. The least…Well, all good things must come to and end, right? In other words, getting back into the “real world”.
Any recommendations for someone who is new to endurance training?
Find people who are 1) Smarter than you are about what you’re about to do. And 2) Find someone faster than you. Smarter will help you learn the right things about the sport. They can help you figure out what to do and what NOT to do. Depending on what distance or goal you’re looking at doing, you don’t necessarily need a coach, but at least someone who has been involved in the sport for awhile, and knows what they are doing. Finding someone faster than you makes training a lot of fun. You’ve got to keep up, which, in turn, makes you faster.
Could you please tell us about auggiesdad.sweat365.com?
http://auggiesdad.sweat365.com/ It’s a place I go to remember how many days is it until my next event, (or, more importantly a place I go to remind myself I’ve only got X amount of days until my Ironman, and then I say, ‘HOLY SH@!$%T’!. It’s a place I go to track my workouts. It’s a place I go to see how far I’ve swum, biked, and ran year to date. It’s my little place in the internet space.
What was your inspiration for starting your blog? Has your blog changed since you started?
My inspiration for starting was just so I could hang with the cool kids…No, I’m kidding. I thought it would be a hoot to see how far I go and track distances. A place to write about what I see when I swim, bike and run. My own little place for everyone and anyone to see, whenever they’d like. If they want to.
How has keeping a blog enhanced your running experience?
It shows me how far I’ve gone. It motivates me to go further, (when I’m not injured). It inspires me to keep moving. Move More, Every Day. I like to see results, so when those results grow on a daily basis, (as in, when I log my workouts), those results grow. That moves me more tomorrow than today!
Do you have a particular post that you’re proud of?
http://sweat365.com/blog/2008/05/14/lifestyle-changes-yield-big-results/ (pretty self explanatory as to why it’s my most proud post…But, let me know if you’d like me to go into details). It’s not technically a post on my blog, but it’s a post on sweat which features me, which I wrote the answers to.
What has been your most rewarding experience through your blog so far?
Meeting new people and making new friends. When you start reading other members questions, comments or blogs, you get to meet all kinds of interesting people from all over the place. And, some who just so happen to be local. So, you throw out an invite for a run, and before you know it, you’ve got a group ready to meet up for a run. Then a little while longer you’ve got a training ride together. Not too much later you’re heading out for a run and coffee, and the learning continues, and you get new friends!
What are your favorite websites or blogs related to running?
http://runningbrothers.com/ and slowtwitch.com mostly.
Do you have any tips or ideas for a new running blogger?
Be yourself. Be true to whom you are, have fun! And, to steal a slogan from Brooks Running…”Run Happy!”
What are you most passionate about?
My family. My friends.
What is something that you think everyone should do at least once in their lifetime?
WOW, to pick one is difficult. The list is huge…But, I guess, I’d like to make someone elses life just that much happier. Change the life of someone else for the better.
You can learn more about Peter Engwall by visiting his website, auggiesdad.sweat365.com
Hey! That’s me! Thanks Guys! It’s awesome!