Denis Voitenko (scripthead on Drupal.org) is a talented Drupal developer and the founder of Firm Idea, a Drupal shop in Miami, Florida.
In addition to being the maintainer of the Sniff, Mail API, Webmail Plus and Turbo projects (among others), Denis is an avid cyclist, snowboarder and triathlete who regularly competes at events such as the Miami International Triathlon and Orlando Half Ironman.
Denis is now working on qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawai'i.
Christefano: Thanks for kicking off the Drupal Fit community spotlight. I've gotten to know you through the Miami Drupal meetups and have seen you at recent DrupalCons, but I think Drupal Fit members would also like to hear how what you do to train and stay in shape.
Denis Voitenko: Sure, it's my pleasure.
C: What's your personal definition of fitness?
DV: To me "fitness" means cardiovascular fitness which in most cases translates to overall health. If you're fit cardio-wise you're generally healthy. I have to note that looking healthy and being fit are very different concepts. It's not very hard to shed some pounds with the help of a diet or, in the worst case scenario, some weight-loss supplements. Such weight loss most likely will have some positive effects on that person's quality of life but becoming healthy is a much longer process that might take years.
C: What do you do to stay fit and how do you incorporate it into your day to day life?
DV: My training is focused on triathlon during spring, summer and fall. In winter I ease off the triathlon-focused regimen and focus on racing road and mountain bikes. Amazing year-round weather is one of the many reasons I decided to make Florida my home.
C: Do you do anything to break up your work schedule like stretching, meditating or otherwise taking time off?
DV: As a triathlete, I work out 2 times per day (morning and evening) so it breaks up my day nicely. I also take a 45 minute nap after lunch almost every day.
C: Do you do these things because you work a lot at the computer and you wanted to find a way to get and stay fit, or have you always done these things even before becoming a Drupalista?
DV: I started working out as a way to battle the cabin fever. Working from home I put in 10+ hours at the computer on a daily basis. I love what I do but the "night owl" schedule was quickly spiraling out of control and started to affect my well-being. I used to submerge myself in work and code for 2, sometimes 3 days straight fueled by nothing but coffee and chocolate. I still enjoy such "sprints" but they aren't sustainable and a lot less effective than a structured schedule in the long run.
C: How do you stay motivated? Are there any tips that would have been good for you to have known in your past that might help others in the Drupal community?
DV: For me motivation and discipline were the hardest things to harness. I was desperately searching for an outlet that would captivate me for long enough to provide both. Initially I got into bodybuilding which worked quite well for a while. The science behind it is well-documented and freely available online. A quality gym regiment doesn't require all that much commitment time-wise (about 45 min per day) and produces visible results within a month.
I found that setting goals is very important. Not just thinking about them but saying them out loud and writing them down. It helps them become "real." Your fitness goal should be as important to you as that project deadline. That's why it helps to set goals on the loftier side since they take a while to achieve and require a certain amount of planning and focus.
For this I highly recommend running as it has a low cost of entry (all you need is shoes) and there's plenty of running groups/clubs to help keep you motivated. A single visit to a specialized running shoe store (stay away from mall outlets) would probably be enough to get you going - they will spend the time to ensure you have the optimal footwear and would refer you to a local running group that's on par with your physical abilities.
Once you get started it also helps to "commit" by signing up for some race such as a 5K that's 6 months in the future. It gives you enough time try, fail, regroup and try again.
C: What fitness-related goals have you set for yourself and what techniques, software programs or fitness gadgets (if any) are you using to reach them?
DV: My personal fitness goals change every season, sometimes multiple times per year. I set a goal for myself and go after it with all my might. Once I reach it, I set a new one. A few years ago that goal was to be able to ride a 100 miles under 5 hours, then it was to finish an Ironman and now it's to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona. I "dilute" my lofty goals with smaller "performance benchmarks" such as running a 5K under 18 minutes. At this point I spend my "offseason" creating an annual training plan that I follow through the year, making adjustments as needed.
Gadgets play a huge role in my training. I don't leave the house without them. I use Garmin Forerunner 405 with a heart rate monitor to pace myself while running and a combination of Quarq SinQo cycling power meter and Garmin Edge 500 to track my performance on the bike. It's almost like having a coach with you every time you train. Once I get home I upload my data to TrainingPeaks WKO+ software which lets me analyze my workout data and monitor progress. It also makes it easy to share my workouts online. It often helps to have another pair of eyes look at your graphs and find room for improvement.
C: Would you be interested in people contacting you for organized fitness-related events at Drupal conferences and meetups? Can you propose a group event that you'd like to take part in?
DV: Absolutely, I'd love to share the knowledge. I could do an educational class on either nutrition or cardio training.
C: Nutrition is a good topic, I think, since everyone needs to eat. Not everyone can be convinced to do 45 minutes (much less 20) of cardio every day.
How about organizing a Drupal Fit BoF at DrupalCon Chicago in addition to morning runs? BoFs are great, I think, since they help keep the the participants' responsibilities and time investment relatively low.
DV: I agree.
C: Thanks, Denis. I can tell you've put a lot of thought and self-discipline into staying fit and I'm grateful you're sharing what you know with us. Thanks again for kicking off the community spotlight.
DV: I think this questionnaire is quite comprehensive. It is certainly a very good start. I can answer any additional questions by the audience via comments.