April 2012
1 post
Did obsession over an arbitrary number cost...
World’s leading mobile photo sharing site just sold for one billion dollars. Awesome and congratulations! I think they might have sold themselves short because of how our brains fool us: we often obsess over arbitrary numbers and outcome goals.
People – myself included – get easily obsessed over an arbitrary number or outcome goal that they think defines success and/or ultimate happiness. Take...
March 2012
1 post
February 2012
3 posts
FastCompany: Treat Your Startup Like Triathlon... →
This interview shares some of the secrets I’ve used to optimize both my own physical performance (in Triathlon racing) as well as building a winning team in a tech company.
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How we put a number on employee happiness and did...
I just recently – finally – finished reading Zappo’s CEO Tony Hsieh’s Delivering Happiness book, which I liked a lot. With my first company I didn’t think much of employee happiness; if something couldn’t be solved with spreadsheets, it didn’t matter. And something as fuzzy as happiness certainly couldn’t fit into that framework.
The approach that we’ve taken at my current company Trulia since...
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How does a founder operator of a 200+ person tech...
Through my early experience at McKinsey&Company, I – unfortunately - learned that time is almost an unlimited resource in getting things done: after all, there are 7 nights a week that exist as a flexible resource you can always tap into. But we’ve always been focused on Impact at my company Trulia, not just getting things done or pure output. After having a growing feeling that maybe I’m not...
January 2012
4 posts
4 tags
Snorting caffeine: Get buzzed and ripped off all...
I’ve had an obsession with the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug, caffeine, since I had to perform caffeine extraction in my 10th grade chemistry club. In the last couple of years this obsession has turned into a frustration for two reasons:
shopping caffeine FREE products has become increasingly difficult, and;
too many people are getting ripped off by ridiculously...
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Scary: How to spend less than $3/day on food and...
I just had the pleasure to visit Europe and upon landing at one of the Middle-European airports, I saw hundreds of people around me and something seemed off in the scenery. Soon I realized what looked so different from what I was used to in American airports: I didn’t see a single truly obese person in sight, except one: a lady carrying an American passport in her hand on my right (for real)....
tonyleachsf asked: You mention that you track everything about your workouts, nutrition, sleep, etc. I'm guessing most of your spreadsheets are homegrown - do you mind sharing (offline is fine...)? I've started to build my own but if there's something out there that works, I'd love to use that at least as a starting point?
iceehann asked: Sami,Love your blog and info. I just competed in my first Ironman and unfortunely succumbed to the most common rookie mistake; poor nutrition. I started cramping up at mile 60 of the Bike, and fought for the next 10 hours to finish until Mile 18 of the run had me working hard to break a 22 minute mile. I'd be interested in hearing more about you pre race nutrition plan and your race day...
November 2011
4 posts
ironmanmarc asked: Hi Sami. I wanted to ask more about the run sessions you do. I know you like a just below, just at, and just above marathon pace, but what other sessions do you do? As I'm gaining improvements on the bike, is it reasonable to assume 4x8 mins and 8x4s at threshold or just above are good run sessions too? I quite like a pyramid session to get my HR really high for short periods too as I feel I...
Getting fatter with more exercise? There is a way...
I recently had lunch with another entrepreneur, who was complaining how he’s again gaining weight after increasing exercise. Not all weight gain is bad; everyone knows that the same volume of muscle weighs more than fat and it’s possible to gain muscle weight with increased exercise, especially weight training. But now we are talking about fat! (I’ve yet to find a healthy person, who wants...
cleanbottle asked: Sami - great blog post on IM training. I own my own business and didn't want to jump back into IM because last time I did one I was training 20+hrs a week. You've given me the confidence that it is possible to compete on less training. Question for you on nutrition - what is your approach to it during an Ironman? What do you like to eat and how many calories do you like to consume...
byu123 asked: Loved the article. Doing first IM next May (St. George). I have indoor trainer (Cycleops 400 Pro) could you PLEASE post/email your bike interval workouts? Thx. Steve
October 2011
11 posts
derossjr asked: Hey Sami- Nice work this year! I wanted to know what you focus on when you're training on the bike. I assume you use a power meter, as do I, but I tend to get wrapped up in the average watts for the workout. I feel this compromises my recovery during the sets. Do you focus on the overall watts of the workout or just the watts for a particular set/interval and how do you track? I too track...
ironmanmarc asked: I've been really inspired by your article on IM secret source. I've been a follower of the conventional wisdom and have sorta accepted a lot of the associated problems, namely being tired, home issues, work issues. However, I recognise now and again when I am recovered, I have great training sessions! You mention about mini-tests to see if you are improving. What might be an appropriate...
untitled63204 asked: Congrats on your success! Have you ever had your VO2max tested? (I understand if you'd rather not answer, it's sort of a personal question). I've seen similar athletes who excel on high-intensity and minimal volume work, and I always wonder how much genetics factor into the response you get from that sort of training (my vo2max is around 60, and getting my FTP to 290 is going to be...
bryanhomrighous asked: I read your article (and passed it to many of my tri friends) (MY) SECRET SAUCE TO A SUB 9HR HAWAII IRONMAN: UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM. What a great article. What does your caloric intake look like? Are you training with watts when you are on the bike? Are you blowing yourself up on the days you are running and biking? What does a typical interval training day look like? And CONGRATS! I did...
pmccrann asked: Sami, thanks for sharing your season and your incredible results. I follow a similar methodology as you, and am curious to know what your sporting background was before triathlon. I know a ton of triathletes, but only a few with an FTP of 390....I am guessing that you have lived a pretty fit life before dominating the start up and tri space. Thanks!
scheikh asked: Hello Sami - your last post was quite interesting for an amateur semi-ironman like me - who tries to train as little as possible but who's aiming to complete in a goot time. :-) I was wondering if you'd share your semi ironman program with me? It will give me an idea... Thank you in advance, Stephane C.
mpersinger asked: Sami: I really like your Ironman training philosophy. Are you using a training program that is available to someone like me or is it a plan you developed yourself? I just completed Ironman Louisville on very limited training time and would like to increase the quality of my workouts to better my overal time. Thanks.
markracher asked: Hello Sami congratulations on a great 2011 season you must be over the moon. I have read your great write up on how you have trained for this year and I'm very interested in knowing more , like what kind of training session you do on the run training and do u always on the long bikes just go steady or is there intervals in that session with under IMRP -IMRP-OVER IMRP . I think you should do...
kristianmanietta asked: Hey Sami, A huge congrats on both Vegas and Kona. I'm intrigued about your latest post (kona) and what looks like a lack of swimming. It looks like you could have swum maybe 90 minutes per week. I'm defintiely in favor of the less is more approach and have also gone under 9h twice, but 1 maybe 2 swims seems hard to see how you swum well enough in Kona to get that results. Just...
dudleyadventures asked: First, great season. For years I succumbed to the more is better IM training philosophy and quickly reach a plateau rife with overuse injuries and withering motivation. This year, while at a class with Max Testa (BMC team doc and longtime cycling expert) he advised that current thought chose specific intensity over volume. Never ride more than 4 hours unless it is a social need, he told me. ...
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(My) Secret sauce to a Sub 9hr Hawaii Ironman:...
To do very well in – or even just to complete - an Ironman distance triathlon (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike, 26mile run), you would need to do many bike+run brick workouts, complete weekly 2-3 hour long runs, pedal 6+ hour rides and spend at least 20 hours swimining-biking-running per week? Yes or No?
I did none of those and had the best triathlon results of my life in 2011, including a sub 9hr...
August 2011
1 post
Five rookie tips for shopping a new road bike
Every now and then someone asks me for advice for buying a new road bike. Today was one of those days. Unfortunately I don’t have massive quantities of data to prepare the ultimate buyer’s guide, but since I’ve struggled with the same question myself, I decided to share my limited notes here.
1. Rent several different bikes before buying Renting even a very high-end carbon road...
May 2011
1 post
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Top 5 tips: Getting and staying in shape for busy...
Two of the most common questions I hear from other business people when discussion turns into my obsession with health and fitness are:
I wish I could…can you tell me how I can lose weight, get and stay in shape?
How do you do so well in (time-consuming endurance) sports when you run a company at the same time?
Now I’ve heard the questions so many times that I thought it’s time to share some...
April 2011
1 post
March 2011
1 post
5 tags
