The wonderful part of such a grueling endeavor is that winning is not an important part of the day for 99% of us involved in the race. The Ironman Triathlon is considered to be the most difficult one-day athletic event in the world yet the sportsmanship of the athletes is remarkable.

My training for this event has been rigorous. I have been preparing for this race for 5 months. As you can imagine, the amount of time and effort to be physically and mentally conditioned for a 140+ mile race has been extensive. Working out for as much as 28 hours per week in addition to family and work responsibilities.

Along with aggressive workouts comes soreness, stiffness and injuries. Preventative sports medicine is an important responsibility of myself and my wonderful staff here with the Jaguars. With that being said, I have utilized the very same techniques as I use for the Jags' players for myself to stay healthy and to be able to training at a very high level.

I realized a long time ago that if I lived by the motto "do as I say not as I do" that I would soon be injured and to be forced to stand on the sidelines watching others do what I love to do...to be active & healthy while challenging myself as an athlete each and every day!

Is the athlete in you content with your activity level? What can you do to improve your health so you, too, can get back to doing what really makes you happy?

Joe Z and teammates hit the lanes

Jaguars long snapper Joe Zelenka hosted the 5th annual Joe-Z Celebrity Bowling Classic on Monday at Jax Lanes Groves Park. The event benefitted the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville.

More than 30 of Zelenka's teammates were in attendance including the entire 2009 rookie class. Each team bowled two games with the players as well as other local celebrities.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville supports the health and well-being of children by providing lodging and other services for critically ill, chronically ill and seriously injured children and their families. Through the Ronald McDonald House® and Ronald McDonald Family Room® programs, the non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation offers compassion and service in support of families whose children are seeking healing in Jacksonville. For more information, visit www.rmhcjax.org.

Trivia question

Jaguars will wait tables

Walker ready for a fresh start

Third-year wide receiver Mike Walker is ready to move on but not forget 2008. The Orlando native experienced a plethora of emotions last year as his personal life was turned upside down with the death of his father and his best friend. On the football field, he saw his first career NFL action but injuries limited him to only nine games.

Walker's best friend, Winfred "JR" Ezell, died following an incident the day after Thanksgiving. A week later and the same day Ezell was being buried, Walker's father, Michael Sims, passed away after a two-year battle with colon cancer.

"I'll never forget those guys," Walker said. "My dad was probably the biggest man, biggest person in my life, impact-wise. All my life he was there for me. I lived with him and took care of him when he was sick. He took care of me when I was in the hospital after the Pittsburgh game."

Walker spent his rookie season on injured reserve after suffering a setback on the knee he injured in college. He finished with 16 receptions for 217 yards in his second NFL season but there is one game that stands out. Against Pittsburgh on October 5, he had six catches for 107 yards with receptions covering 18, 16, 14, 9, 32 and 18 yards. He wants to put up those numbers on a consistent basis.

"It's the NFL. Every Sunday is a big game," Walker said. "You know with the Steelers they've got a big fan base, a legendary team so it kind of amps you up. You've just got to approach each game with that same mentality."

Following the Steelers game, he was hospitalized for four days with a staph infection in his knee and missed the next three games. He has been a constant in the club's offseason workout program, getting noticeably stronger while also spending time on the field running routes with quarterback David Garrard.

The goal is for all the hard work to add up to a breakout season.

"There's not a doubt in my mind, not one doubt that as long as I keep doing what I'm doing and prevent all these injuries," Walker said. "I'm in the weight room every day and just working hard because that's where most of the injuries come from. It's great. When you can go in there and not pound your body with a lot of weights and still get the results and the same type of strength and power that you use, it's great."

NFL 101 Workshop

The NFL 101 Workshop for Women presented by PRI Productions will hold the first of six events tonight at One Ocean Resort at Atlantic Beach. Women are invited to learn about the game of football and hear from current and former NFL players. Offensive tackle Tra Thomas, linebacker Thomas Williams and tight end Greg Estandia will serve as instructors at tonight's event.

The six opportunities to participate are as follows:

These two-hour workshops will begin at 7:00 pm and end at 9:00 pm. The attendance fee is $30.00 per person. Seating is limited at each location and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Each attendee will receive a NFL 101 Workbook, a special gift and a ticket to a Jacksonville Jaguars 2009 home game. Attendees will also have a chance to win special autograph prizes.

To register call Lori Pugh at 904-398-8179 or go to www.priproductions.com. This event is made possible through the support of Lennar, Comcast Spotlight, WOKV, WAPE, Jacksonville Magazine and CBS47.

Trivia answer

The last word

The Jaguars will be featured on NFL Network's Total Access on Monday, June 1 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Brian Baldinger of NFL Network visited the Jaguars at OTA practice last week and enjoyed a behind the scenes look at the club.

Joe Zelenka showed off the club's new uniforms and new helmet for the 2009 season. In addition, Baldinger learned the art of long snapping from Zelenka on the field. First-year strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson talked with Baldinger as the offensive players went through a workout following practice. Fans will also hear from Maurice Jones-Drew, Torry Holt and first-round pick Eugene Monroe on Monday.

Trivia question

How many former Florida Gators are on the Jaguars' current roster?

Six questions with Curtis Dvorak (Jaxson de Ville)

What is the offseason like for an NFL mascot?

"As soon as the season ends, hopefully not until late January, it's school appearances. We start doing preparation for the FCAT with a lot of schools around here. We have Valentine's Day which is a huge day for me, 30 or 40 appearances in one day where I deliver a present called a Jax-O-Gram. I send out an ad to all our season ticket holders. I do as many as I can do in a two-day period. Every other year there is the Pro Bowl thrown in there at the end of the year and I have appearances at the Super Bowl for the different corporate events. Locally, it's just school stuff all the way through May."

Do you spend time watching a lot of tape of your performances?
"I watch my skits after I finish, just to make sure what I thought I was projecting on the field was what I was doing. After 13 years I don't have to watch as much. If I do a dance with the ROAR, I will watch that over and over to see where I messed up. If you're on the field thinking you are projecting one thing to the crowd, you can usually tell on the field if they got it but not every skit goes perfectly whether the timing was off, something happens to one of my props or to the music or with the PA. Depending on what it is, I just want to see what I could have done different."

Are there times where you get scared before a stunt?

"Only in rehearsal because the stadium is empty. I'm not scared at all on game day because there is too much adrenaline. In rehearsal you are staring down and looking at an empty stadium, usually I'm looking at it at night and without the suit on. When you have that suit on you feel like you can do anything. There are a lot of stunts I do in the costume, like walking on the rails down sections and then jumping off the 10-foot wall down to the field and rolling. When I stand up there out of the suit I'm holding myself down the wall to get down, but when you're in the suit it doesn't seem to affect you. I just don't like rehearsal because it's usually dark and cold. There is nobody there and you have to do it. I have always joked that if I screw up in rehearsal then I get replaced but if I screw up on a game day I'm a legend. If I'm going to go down in flames doing something stupid then I would rather go down with a lot of people watching."

How have things changed for mascots over the years? Is there more pressure to do more stunts?

"The NFL has cut back so I don't get to do as much. That is the most disappointing thing for me because I don't get to be as involved on game days. The late 90s around here was definitely a unique time. Everything was new. I was fresh out of college and it was my first time in the NFL. The whole city was new to an NFL team so all the experiences we were going through together were all new. There was just something a little extra special about it. Looking back on it now, they are extremely special because you thought it was going to happen all the time. We thought we would be in the playoffs and championship game all the time. We thought this is what you do. The league has put restrictions on us so that has changed. I used to go out every timeout on the field to do something. Now I have pregame and maybe a timeout throughout the game. All it's done is change the way I have to approach a game. I have spent more time in the stands the last few seasons. All last season I probably spent more time in the stands than I did the first 12 years combined. I was literally up and down the aisles taking pictures with everybody. You are still able to do stuff for the fans to entertain them but you are right up on top of them. That is pretty cool. There is still nothing like being out on the middle of the field doing a skit and getting everybody into it."

Is there a fraternity among mascots?

"Yes. It doesn't matter who it is. I'm friends with a lot of them but they change every few years. There is such a limited amount of professional jobs that once guys get them then they are reluctant to get rid of them. If I go back to my first year, there is only one guy still in the league doing the same character."

Do you have a favorite mascot of all-time?

"I admire the performer because there have been different guys in the suit that don't make it come alive the way others do. I appreciate a good skit when I see a guy pull it off, when he gets the entire crowd to react to it and respond to it, I appreciate that. It doesn't matter what kind of entertainment, whether it's a concert, a play or a game. You can tell when someone can hold an audience and that's impressive. People always tell me they heard I was the number one mascot in the NFL. That was all self-promoted. I started writing into my skit in 1997, NFL's top mascot. We said it at the beginning of every skit, 'Here he is, the NFL's self-proclaimed greatest mascot.' The problem is all people heard was NFL's greatest mascot and they didn't hear the self-proclaimed part. The story started to go around."

Going to camp

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew and linebacker Thomas Williams are among 18 current NFL players that will attend the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp on June 22-25 at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

The camp is organized by the NFL Broadcasting Department and covers a wide range of topics with instructors from all of the NFL's broadcasting partners - CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, NFL Network, Sirius Satellite Radio, Westwood One Radio, plus local radio and TV stations.

The program offers current and former players the opportunity to explore the multiple on-air job functions of the television/media business with hands-on workshops for field reporting, game studio analysis, radio broadcast and research. Other NFL players scheduled to attend include Antwaan Randle-El (Washington), Osi Umeyiora (N.Y. Giants), Matt Light (New England) and Damien Woody (N.Y. Jets). Instructors include CBS NFL Today host James Brown, ESPN's Ron Jaworski and CBS' Solomon Wilcots and Ian Eagle.

Rookie club

The 26 members of the Jaguars rookie class have been participating in the Jaguars Rookie Club since their arrival last week. The club was created by head coach Jack Del Rio in 2003 as part of the club's player development program. Executive Director of Football Operations Skip Richardson and Manager of Player Relations and Youth Football Bahati Van Pelt oversee the program on a daily basis.

The meetings are scheduled around workouts and are limited to once a week. The topics are wide-ranging and involve numerous guest speakers. In addition to the meetings, the players make several visits across the First Coast including a visit to Wolfson Children's Hospital, Mayport Naval Base and the group had lunch on Wednesday at Landon Middle School.

Trivia answer

Four. Defensive end Derrick Harvey, offensive lineman Drew Miller, defensive end Jeremy Mincey and safety Reggie Nelson

The last word

"When I first got there I was a little nervous but once I got into my element and we were up there grooving and playing together. It is like a team on the field when we are on stage. We just had fun. That was the best thing about it. The thing about jazz is that it's so open and so free. There is really is no making a mistake because you are just up there having a good time. The music is what you make it so you have a lot of freedom."

Running back Montell Owens on playing the trumpet with the St. Johns River City High School Jazz All-Stars at Jazz Fest in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday

The Jaguars went through a two-hour practice on Monday in a steady rain and swift winds as temperatures hovered in the high-50s for their first of 12 OTA practices. It was a far cry from the past two months when temperatures have been in the mid-to-upper 80s with a blistering sun.

Count safety Sean Considine as one of the few players who wasn't complaining. Considine, a native of Byron, Ill., is used to the cooler weather after playing collegiately at Iowa and his first four NFL seasons in Philadelphia. He has spent his first two months getting adjusted to the heat in Jacksonville.

"I kind of liked it," Considine said. "It felt like a day off. It was kind of nice to get a cold, windy day down here. It was right up my alley."

Another day at the office

There is not much Reggie Hayward hasn't seen in his eight seasons in the NFL. With the start of the club's OTAs on Monday, Hayward knows what this time of year is about.

"It's the same type deal where you see who's in shape, who's not in shape. Who knows the playbook, who doesn't know the playbook," Hayward said. "We are just getting acclimated, getting started and getting ready for training camp."

Hayward said he feels particularly good this offseason after working with first-year strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson and his staff for the past two months. Part of the program was geared toward changing Hayward's diet, which has improved his quality of life.

"I feel good," Hayward said. "The strength and conditioning coach is doing some wonderful things with me. I feel healthy. I changed my diet, more of a lifestyle thing. Just really tuned in on what I want to accomplish and get done this season. I'm off to a good start."

Trivia question

What is the only offensive position that does not have a rookie among the group?

Day of fun

Quarterback Paul Smith, tight end Greg Estandia, wide receiver Nate Hughes and tight end Charles Davis did more than just visit St. Pius V Catholic School on Friday for Field Day. The players took it a step further and fully participated with the third and fourth graders at the school. Events included tug of war, a hula hoop relay and a two-legged sack race.

Finishing their degrees

The Jaguars had three players receive their bachelor's degree at graduation ceremonies on Sunday in offensive tackle Eugene Monroe (Virginia), defensive tackle Terrance Knighton (Temple) and cornerback Derek Cox (William & Mary). 2009 seventh-round pick Tiquan Underwood will attend the ceremony at Rutgers on Friday where he will receive his degree in sociology.

Judging the BBQ

David Garrard, Mkristo Bruce, Charles Davis and Greg Estandia joined general manager Gene Smith on Saturday at Firefighter Hall to serve as judges for the inaugural Jacksonville Backyard BBQ Championships. The event was hosted by WOKV Radio's Cole Pepper and featured 21 teams cooking ribs, chicken and pork. Memphis Blues was crowned the King of Jacksonville Amateur BBQ Grand Champion.

Proceeds of the event went to the Glyn Cook Memorial Scholarship Fund at daniel. daniel serves the needs of abused, neglected and abandoned children. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to daniel kids seeking to further their education.

Burmeister pays visit

NFL Network personality Paul Burmeister attended the Jaguars practice on Monday, along with Jaguars alum Tony Boselli. Burmeister will be in the TV booth alongside Boselli to call the play-by-play for the Jaguars' preseason games for the third straight year. He serves as the main host of "College Football Now" and "Path to the Draft" on NFL Network.

Trivia answer

Quarterback. The group features David Garrard (8th year), Cleo Lemon (6th year), Todd Bouman (11th year) and Paul Smith (1st year).

The last word

"I looked at the secondary. I think they have talented guys here. I didn't look at the secondary and think the spot was mine. I didn't see a gaping hole at the strong safety position. I knew I was going to have an opportunity to come in here and compete for that job. The guys they had down here and the guys they have brought in since I have been here are talented people. If you get comfortable around here people are going to pass you up. The guys that are here right now are talented and you just have to worry about what you're doing, keep working hard or else someone is going to pass you up."

Safety Sean Considine on signing with Jacksonville

http://www.nflplayers.com/user/content.aspx?fmid=178&lmid=443&pid=3145

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/football/orl-eagles-jaguars-nfl-charity-031409-photos,0,5094720.photogallery

"On behalf of the entire Eagles organization, I want to thank Tra Thomas for a fantastic 11-year run in Philadelphia," said Eagles president Joe Banner. "It's not often that offensive lineman get much praise and attention for their hard work, leadership and Pro Bowl play. But Tra deserves every ounce of it, and I know that our fans feel equally appreciative for everything he has done for this organization and the Philadelphia community. We will miss him and wish him all the best as he continues his career with the Jaguars."

"Tra has helped this organization win a lot of football games from a very important position on the football field," said head coach Andy Reid. "During his 11 years in this city, he's been nothing but a true professional and leader, both on and off the field. Most importantly, he's a proven winner in the National Football League and will go down as one of the finest offensive tackles in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles. We wish he and his family all of the best in Jacksonville."

The Jaguars own six picks in the draft; their seventh-round pick was part of a second-round trade with Tampa Bay in 2008.  Here is a look at where the Jaguars are scheduled to draft:

1st round - 8th overall

2nd round - 39th overall

3rd round - 72nd overall

4th round - 7th pick of the round

5th round - 8th pick of the round

6th round - 7th pick of the round

Walker was selected in the third round by the Jaguars in 2007 and finished with 16 receptions for 217 yards in 2008.  As a senior at Central Florida, Walker produced a school-record 90 receptions with 1,178 yards and earned first-team All-Conference USA honors.