7 Reasons Why Completing A Triathlon Should Be On Your Bucket List

Reasons A Triathlon Should Be On Your Bucket List

The Seven Reasons You Should Get Off Your Ass And Try A Triathlon

I know, I know… It’s a really long race and you’ve never thought of yourself as an athlete. Or you train every day but you hate running. You’re afraid of sharks. You never learned to ride a bike. You don’t have enough “free time on your hands.” I get it. There are endless excuses not to do a triathlon. Above all is that a triathlon is flat out difficult and scary. But there are just as many good reasons to do one (not to mention bragging rights). That’s exactly why you should pull your balls out of your purse and do one. I did. Here’s what I learned:

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You ARE healthy! Working in fitness I’ve met so many humans with athletic gifts. I’ve also met many with serious limitations; missing limbs, paralyzed by trauma or crippled by disease. Yet nonetheless, they pushed themselves daily, far beyond what their physical limitations allow. I was and am, inspired by these people. Because I love a good adventure and I live for exercise, I decided to do the one thing I was afraid of. Something I thought I was incapable of — well, there’s marriage, but that’s another story. So I took myself out of the comfort zone and signed up.

You Have The Time: My life is extremely busy. I thought finding the 5-10 hours a week necessary for training would be impossible. Once I committed to making the time those hours magically appeared. Do you lose some sleep and the casual #SundayFunday? Sure. Are there times when it feels like all work and no play? Yes. Less time for Instagram? Absolutely. But after my triathlon I liberated an extra 5-10 hours a week that now go to my passions and new goals. Plus the amount of mental clarity and personal intimacy I developed was priceless.

Physical Change: Sure you get in the gym with the same routine a couple times a week. When’s the last time you noticed a difference? Nothing changes your body like cross-training. Your ass gets higher and tighter. Thighs and calves get more toned (boy, do I love thick strong thighs on a man). Abs peek through or shred to a whole new washboard level. Your lats get huge and give you that super man body, and you skin glows from the daily detox by sweating like a nun in a cucumber patch.

Mental Strength: When you’re hundreds of yards out in the open ocean with no life vest, or 20 miles into your ride, you quickly realize that there’s no one there to rely on but yourself. Then you discover YOU actually have YOUR back. Every time you train you surprise yourself by learning something new about the sport, new about your insecurities, and just how capable you really are. Quickly you realize your body has become an efficient, well-oiled machine. Best of all, you’ve trained your mental game strong enough to get you through this insanely challenging task. If you think a triathlon is physical, you’re wrong. It’s mental. “Whether you think you can, or you think can’t - you’re right.” Henry Ford knew a thing or two about a thing or two.

Sense Of Purpose: I have donated to countless non-profits and worked with many charity events, but there is something profound about being the one actually DOING the work. Sweat equity is real. For my triathlon I participated with a group called Team in Training. We raised money for leukemia and lymphoma because, well… fuck cancer and philanthropy feels good. I was blessed with a strong and capable body, so when my endurance ran low and my courage drained, I swam for the ones who will never see the ocean again. I rode for the kids that will never feel the freedom of a bicycle and I ran because I have all four limbs. All I had to do was keep moving and my purpose became more than just a hashtag. When’s the last time you could say that?

Fear Is Fake: Fear only appears real until you’ve conquered it. Face it. Fear prohibits you from living your full potential. It holds you back from experiencing the true power of the mind/body connection. Once conquered, you’re left feeling proud and confident. That’s something tangible you can take with you. And let’s be real, confidence is one of the sexiest qualities a man can exude. Not to mention you may have fought off a shark or two. The ladies will love that (a little fabrication never hurt anyone).

Happiness is the byproduct of achieving your goals. So when’s the last time you pushed yourself and overcame something you thought you couldn’t do? You only live once, so try anything twice and let the training begin!

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Noteworthy Wednesday Option Activity: GOOGL, COP, JPM

Among the underlying components of the S&P 500 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Alphabet Inc (NASD: GOOGL), where a total of 25,750 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 2.6 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 120.3% of GOOGL's average daily trading volume over the past month of 2.1 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $685 strike call option expiring October 16, 2015, with 2,440 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 244,000 underlying shares of GOOGL. Below is a chart showing GOOGL's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $685 strike highlighted in orange:

Wal-Mart's A Wreck: Stock Suffers Worst Loss In 15 Years On Dim Outlook

Shares of Wal-Mart took a nosedive on Wednesday after the company issued a dim outlook for the year ahead.

Points A Plumber May Be Able To Do That You Can not.

The number of times have you hired a plumber, only to have him charge you an expensive rate for a simple repair that you could have done on your own? You could conserve a great deal of money if you recognize a bit more concerning your plumbing system. Read this short article managing some plumbing pointers that you can utilize.

Check out plumber Ang Mo Kio!

Ensure you obtain a great suggestion or check the recommendations before you hire a plumber. With good referrals, it will certainly ensure that you are employing a skilled plumber. He will have a totally equipped truck and also be able to complete most small jobs in one check out if the skilled plumber is specialist.

If you are preparing to leave your system closed off for a couple of weeks, make use of a product like BioBen. Water will still stay in the pipelines and can begin smelling due to the fact that it is not relocating. This sort of product will certainly keep the water from stagnating as well as from scenting regrettable.

If you have chrome or ceramic plumbing system components, be very careful when making any kind of kinds of repairs. These kinds of finishes are really conveniently scratched, as well as they are pricey to obtain dealt with. Make sure and also workout caution when handling these finishes. If it could be better to hire an expert, think about.

Use a device to pierce the ceiling beneath in numerous areas and also areas containers and frying pans under to catch the water if the pipelines have ruptured in an upstairs area. If this is not done, the weight of the collecting water could cause a collapse of the whole ceiling.

These fats cause clogs by solidifying in pipelines. Once it obtains hard, toss it in the trash or compost bin.

Consistently examine your appliance connections and faucets around the house for any type of kind of obvious leakages or neighboring indications of dampness. Not only do even the smallest leaks result in a large waste of water and cash, they likewise could result in harm to your residence or perhaps the growth of dangerous mold and mildews.

Job with plumbing contractors that provide flat rates. When a plumber is asking for by the hour, they do not have a reward to obtain the job done promptly.

Certain sounds imply the water stress is too high. Paying attention to your pipelines could save you a great deal of money searching down the problem.

When a plumber's solution is necessary, there are times. However, numerous plumbing concerns can be resolved effortlessly if you know how. Finding out even more regarding how your plumbing system works can save you money and time in repair works. Bear in mind these tips, and they might conserve you a bunch of frustrations the next time you have a plumbing trouble.


How many times have you called in a plumber, only to have him charge you a pricey rate for a simple fix that you could have done yourself? Make sure you obtain a good suggestion or inspect the recommendations prior to you employ a plumber. If the seasoned plumber is professional, he will certainly have a fully stocked vehicle and also be able to complete most small jobs in one go to.

When a plumber is asking for by the hour, they do not have a reward to obtain the task done promptly. There are times when a plumber's service is required.

We Found The Perfect Watch To Wear To The Office

Watches For The Office

The Watch Snob Weighs In On The Perfect Watch To Wear To The Office

An Affordable, Flashy Watch

I love your articles and your honesty. I'm a mid 20's sales guy working in Selfridges, an aspiring actor (doing a drama course). I’ll be very honest, I do like attention, I wear designer, but I always had a bit of disappointment showing my wrist. I own a GC & a Raymond Weil(a lot of time people told me that they love my watch, people who were wearing Cartier/Rolex). As I grew older I realised that what I own is a piece of Swiss made crap. I have less respect for entry level Swiss made.

Now, I do have a taste for Pateks, Panerais & Hublot's but my budget can't afford them at the movement. I live in London, travel by tube and honestly speaking I hardly ever see a "good watch." Rolex/Omega is the best I see, which for me is too boring.

Long story short, I want to buy a watch. There are few of them I would like to see on my wrist and be confident. When I wear a watch I should be ready to face a snob like you and be appreciated.

So the watches I have in my mind are Tag Link Chronograph, Porches Design Flat Six, Bell & Ross Classic, Zenith Star, Eterna Kontiki & Montblanc Meisterstuck. Really appreciate your time. Thank you.

And I in turn appreciate your honestly. So you want something a bit flash, but don’t have the money for anything really recognizable, and you have come up with a list of what, let’s face it, you and I both know are really also-rans. I think that given the fact that Patek, Panerai, and Hublot have little or nothing in common in any way whatsoever that you really do not yet know your own mind.

The first piece of advice that I would give you is to calm down and realize that a watch is not a two-week run in a piece of forgettable musical theatre; it is a longer term relationship (a lifetime relationship, in fact, if everything goes well) and if you are an actor, you will benefit a great deal from having a little bit of the stability on your wrist that you are not going to have in your professional life. The least expensive Panerai at the moment is, pre-owned, not much more than some of the watches you have named and for God’s sake, don’t settle for something just because you have the actor’s occupational hazard of having a gnat’s attention span.

A Watch For The Office

I am a 25 year old law student, about to start a government job in September, and will be in a suit and tie every day. I was wondering what office appropriate watches you may suggest, considering my lowly government salary of course. Any help would be much appreciated!!

Alas that I missed your missive back when you wrote to me in July, but as this is a nearly universal problem of a young man starting out at the beginning of what he hopes will be a promising professional life, allow me to dilate a bit on the subject. Here are three watches I hope you got one of, or at least considered.

First, the Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso. It’s distinctive, it’s interesting, it’s got great history, it’s laudably simple and very, very versatile. Second, the Rolex Explorer. It’s distinctive, it’s interesting, it’s got great history, it’s laudably simple, and very, very versatile. And finally, pretty much any Grand Seiko. It’s . . . well, you get the idea. There are certainly other watches you could consider, but in many cases they are either a bit specific as an every day office watch (the Speedmaster Professional) or they are a potential source of future disappointment if you learn anything about watches (a lot of Frederique Constant, although not all of it) or too expensive (AP, Patek, Lange, and Vacheron should properly mark the arrival of success, not the setting out in search of it.)

What Makes A Watch Great?

I understand comparing a $1000 watch with a $10000 watch (forgive me for relating cost with value) is much like comparing a meal at the neighbourhood "causal dining" joint to the upper class Parisian restaurant owned by the same family for 200 years. Sure, both are filling and may have similar nutritional values, but the latter is crafted as a form of art by real artists and for that it gains intrinsic value. I understand the value of value. I appreciate anything that contains subtleties, detail, meaning, a raison d'être. Most of these are experienced or felt: music is heard, food is tasted, paintings are seen. My question is, what are the experiences or feelings that separate good from great watches?

The only watch I ever wore was a Timex Ironman for a year or two, nothing since then. The past two weeks I've realised, however, watches are another form of art with intricacies worthy of appreciation. I'm starting to appreciate them but I don't know how. I feel like once I finally "get" it, my interest will last a lifetime.

I would like to know what is it exactly that separates the good from the great. I drink scotch and I can taste the difference peat and 20 years makes. Can we really experience the difference a quality movement makes? I mean, quartz is pretty accurate, right? What does "innovation" mean when it comes to this? Watches have been around a long time, is there really any room for innovation? Why do we care? I've seen $1000 watches designed very similar to $7000 ones too, what is it watch connoisseurs respect so much about those certain brands? I need to be shown the way.

This is an impossible question to answer in any format short of a book. That said, you are not wrong to ask it. As you have very perspicaciously noted, there is essentially an extremely steep curve of increasing price relative to very minute increases in quality in watchmaking. Essentially, it is a matter not just of the details, but what pains have been taken over the details, and how much those sorts of pains mean to you. A fine mechanical watch, even the finest, is in most respects functionally inferior to a Casio G-Shock, and if you are looking at mechanical watches there is almost no discernable difference to the uneducated eye —even a keen one —between a Seiko 5 and a Patek Philippe. The difference, however, lies in the amount of hand-work that goes into each, which means that much of what differentiates a really fine watch from a perfectly good one is finishing. This may sound like an invitation to be cynical, but it is not. It's a matter of realizing that what a fine watch does, is put you in touch with people —with craftsmen, both living and dead, who have contributed to keeping a very arcane set of skills alive and passing them down to the next generation. Modern watchmaking is very easy to feel cynical about, and even the best brands are hard pressed to resist the temptation to cheat, because they can make more money by doing so, and their clients are largely too stupid, or too unobservant, or too both, to know the difference. The brands most worthy of respect, however, are the ones who keep doing things the right way, because they know it is the right thing to do.

Do you have a question for the Watch Snob? Send it to him at editorial@askmen.com.

NBA Live 16 Review

NBA Live 16 is an improved game from last year's offering. But while shooting, passing, and dribbling all feel a bit tighter this year, the changes are too minor to push the total package beyond mediocrity. Some of the core gameplay modes are almost unchanged, and visually, NBA Live 16 floats in an awkward space between an outdated basketball sim and a poor attempt at an arcade classic. The series continues to inch toward relevance, but its deficient game modes and stunted systems fail to propel it off the bench and into the starting lineup.

If you consider each element of the on-court action--from the act of shooting to playing tight on-ball defense--it’s fair to say that NBA Live 16 is a much more playable basketball game than its immediate predecessor. Executing crossovers or hesitations and pulling up a quick jump shot actually feels good, with a new shot meter giving you a much more accurate sense of your player’s optimal release point. The previous gap between the peak of a player’s jump and the correct spot to release the ball has been tightened to eliminate any visual disconnect, and the smoother dribbling means you can fake and spin without always sloppily losing the ball or getting stonewalled by poor AI defenders.

The halftime reports by Jalen Rose are helpful and aesthetically sharp.

One-on-one, NBA Live 16 is a responsive push and pull between offense and defense. But with two full teams setting screens, rolling to the basket, crossing from corner to corner, and attempting to execute double-teams, this smooth operation capitulates quickly into a disjointed, jagged knot. Off-ball players set strange screens in the paint when called on to hold off immediate defenders, and limited layup animations force easy buckets to devolve into odd low-percentage shots--leading to offensive rebounds that send just about every player in the paint into an odd state of shock. Maybe more importantly, making long jumpers is just too easy. I put up 56 points in my first ever Rising Star game as a mostly unskilled created player, and that was from using simple screens to create just enough space to jack up a shot.

Each of the individual systems has been tightened, but when it’s all put together, NBA Live 16 has very little mechanical rhythm or consistency. This is most apparent when running the fastbreak, where you’ll often struggle to corral your team to fill gaps and take advantage of defensive breakdowns. There tend to be wonderful moments in good sports sims when it almost feels like the game knows exactly what you’re trying to do before you do it. In NBA Live 16, it can feel like the game isn’t just a few steps behind, it’s actively working against your train of thought. Even the commentary, which features noted ESPN analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen, can come off as sporadic audio clips recorded in separate buildings.

Sometimes, a player decides to leave his jersey and abdomen on the bench.

Despite a few minor gameplay improvements, the quality and depth of game modes remains disappointingly low. The modes start with the Rising Star campaign, where you create a rookie player primed to become a top draft pick. You adjust his height, weight, appearance, and position--with the welcome addition of a specific shooting, slashing, or post play concentration available within the five traditional roles. After that, though, you just run through season after season of regular and post-season basketball without any story or gameplay variation to drive you. Rising Star is just a vehicle for you to boost stats and focus on a single position rather than on the entire team, and with the recently released NBA 2K16 putting such a heavy emphasis on story, Live’s Rising Star variation feels woefully undercooked and inadequate.

NBA Live 16’s Ultimate Team and Dynasty modes suffer similarly from being largely the same as last year. Collecting players in the form of cards in Ultimate Team booster packs still holds an undeniable charm, giving you hope that each booster pack will include some new, top-tier player primed to turn your entire team around. However, since it’s relatively easy to find your shooting rhythm, I nearly doubled the score of the championship Golden State Warriors in my first game with volatile shooter J.R. Smith acting as my star player. I still felt compelled to earn new cards, but the massive impact of one sharpshooter makes the collection process feel a bit unbalanced. Dynasty, which lets you run team operations as a general manager, is still just as bare-boned and uninteresting as last year. Setting up a fantasy draft, proposing trades, and signing free agents gives you something to do off the court, but without any real standout new features, there’s little draw in taking on the managerial role.

Thankfully, the addition of the online Pro-Am and Summer Circuit at least gives NBA Live 16 a whiff of freshness. Here, you take your created player and either run through progressively more difficult co-op challenges in Summer Circuit, or join a full five-on-five pickup game against nine other online players in Pro-Am. It’s in this wild, fast-moving streetball jamboree where NBA Live 16 has the ability to shine brightest. Sure, you might run into a group of ball hogs who prefer taking deep, contested threes rather than spreading the ball around the floor. But when my stitched-together team of diverse created players actually came together to form at least the semblance of a real basketball squad, I actually found myself having fun with NBA Live 16’s unpolished systems. Plus, this mode gives you much more reason to care about building up your NBA talent in Rising Star.

Beyond choosing between being a point guard or a power forward, Rising Star lets you determine style of play.

Even with improved on-court control and an online Pro-Am mode that can lead to pockets of outlandish fun, NBA Live 16 still fails to justify its existence. Its Rising Star and Dynasty modes are too underdeveloped and unvaried to remain interesting beyond the first few hours of play, and the basic dribbling, passing, and shooting tend to trip over themselves during offensive rebounds or fast breaks. NBA Live 16 is heading in the right direction, but at this pace, the series will never be able to challenge--let alone surpass--its only real contemporary.

10 Destructive Habits To Avoid While Running A Business

The most successful people in the world share a number of time management habits that lead to higher productivity. But it's what they don't do that's most intriguing.