Ironman Nutrition: The Basics

September 19th, 2011 smchtri

We thought it would be fitting to provide an article this month in lieu of the Ironman World Championships fast approaching in early October. It is very common for athletes to either forget about their nutrition until the last few days before the event or have no idea the large impact it can make on the day of an Ironman race.

This article will provide you a few outside of the box nutrition tips as you develop your Ironman race day nutrition plan either for a late season Ironman or one that you may complete in 2012.

Tip #1: Beware of the blood shunting response

Many athletes will try their normal training nutrition plan during longer aerobic training sessions and while this is okay to a certain extent, it is important to remember that the gut will respond differently when the intensity of exercise increases. Specifically, there is a blood shunting response which means that during higher intensity exercise, more blood is directed to the working muscles so more oxygen can be delivered to support locomotion. This means less blood in the gut and thus when you try to eat something when pushing the pace a bit, your body responds negatively and you will either feel like you are going to throw-up or you must slow the pace down to redirect the blood flow back to the gut to process any calories you have consumed.

The solution involves not overfeeding your body with calories during exercise so the body is not confused regarding where the blood should go. Read the next tip to learn how to do this.

Tip #2: Develop metabolic efficiency

You have likely heard of the concept of metabolic efficiency but if you have not, I will outline it for you in brief because it has completely changed the nutrition paradigm for Ironman athletes. Metabolic efficiency is the ability of the body to more efficiently use the nutrients it has stored, specifically carbohydrate and fat.

The body has extremely limited stores of carbohydrate (enough to fuel about 2-3 hours worth of moderate intense exercise) but almost unlimited stores of fat. The goal is to teach your body to use more of its abundant fat stores during exercise. By doing this, you will preserve those precious carbohydrate stores longer thus you will not need to feed much during longer training or racing. By lessening your bodyʼs need for supplemental calories during exercise, there will be less blood shunting happening and the body (and gut) becomes much happier! Be forewarned though, like developing any type of efficiency, be it mechanical or nutritional, it takes a daily nutrition shift and about 2-4 weeks of nutrition training to begin the transformation to metabolic efficiency.

If you put in the small amount of time needed to make this metabolic shift, the rewards can be fantastic. Most athletes change their hourly calorie needs during an Ironman from 300-400 down to 40-120. That is music to an Ironman athleteʼs ears because as you learned in Tip #1, the more calories you put in your body during training, the more blood is shunted away from your gut and the incidence of GI distress is greater. Plus, you will not have to worry about your nutrition as much and you will actually be able to focus on racing without nutrition being a limiter!

The only true way to test the waters and apply these nutrition tips is to implement a nutrition plan during training sessions that have race predicted intensity built into them. The true test becomes when your bodyʼs thermostat best simulates your Ironman race so be sure to add about 90-120 minutes of race pace during your longer bike and brick sessions to test your metabolic efficiency and how your digestive system will respond with the added intensity. In the end, developing metabolic efficiency will support a higher level of performance and health.

Happy training!

Originally written by : Bob Seebohar   coachbob@fuel4mance.com

Posted in Little Bit about Everything, Nutrition, Triathlon No Comments »

“Pace Yourself” Tips for Beginners and Age Groupers

September 4th, 2011 smchtri

You don’t need try to prove to your  spouse, your family, your training buddies, your dog, or anyone else that you “can do it”. If you don’t start off  your race  slowly, pacing yourself  and then gradually build up to both greater speed and sustainable effort , you will only prove that you can make yourself too exhausted to be competitive on race day or, worse, that you know exactly how to injure yourself , keep yourself out of the picture  for several weeks or just walk away from a race .

Do not spend time comparing  yourself with other athletes performance or a goal time, it is better to focus on yourself and understand how to use your fitness capabilities the best possible way to achieve the goals you set based on the actual training you did and not the one you hoped to do.

SWIM : It is important to concentrate in maintaining a good technique during the whole course and not in your goal time , avoid anxiety  by focusing in your  whole race and by thinking that the swim part is the shortest one . Play the game  and  be smart by selecting a good position with minimal contact with others and a good view of the buoys .

BIKE : Warm up , for few minutes and allow your muscles to adapt to the new position , always hydrate and respect your nutrition plan . Pacing  is the single most important factor in a successful bike leg of a Triathlon and you need to execute it based on your efforts and your fitness capabilities  do not try to follow others. If you pace yourself correctly, you’ll have  successful run.  Allow your heart rate to settle down few minutes before the Bike legs ends ,reduce some gears but try to keep up a  80-90 cadence till the end .

RUN : It is  common for triathletes to suffer with the transition from bike to run leg. So it is very important to finalize your bike leg thinking on a smart running start .  ” Pace yourself “and allow your body to adapt to the new environment for the first few miles based on the length of your race you need to plan your warm up section , a simple rule that can help is to use 10% to 15% of the distance for those purposes. Use all the aid stations to hydrate and follow your nutrition plans. Try to keep a steady pace with a good effort, push yourself  up to 15% above your confront zone  and keep it up till the last few miles then push yourself to the maximum and give it all , your endorphins will do the rest ..

Posted in Cycling, Little Bit about Everything, Running, Swimmimg, Triathlon No Comments »

Plan your Hydration

August 3rd, 2011 mix

Now is the time to develop your personal plan, and the only way to do this is to experiment during your workouts.

The three biggest considerations for your race nutrition are hydration, calories, and sodium. Getting enough of each one in an Ironman distance race is as important to your results as the training you are doing right now to get prepared for them. And now is the time of year when you can experiment with each of these as the weather slowly begins to warm over the next few months and you start to encounter heat and humidity for the first time this season. Here are some tips to keep in mind about how each of these plays into your performance and how you can develop a race day plan that will keep in the safe zone for peak performance with each one.

Hydration

Hydration is the easiest to experiment with. The main issue is to make sure that you take in enough liquid to sustain your body weight during your long workouts. How you do this is simple. Weigh yourself before you head out the door for your long rides and runs. Keep track of the amount of time your workout takes you and also how much liquid you take in during your session. Then when you get home, weigh yourself again. If you have hydrated well, your finishing weight should be within a pound or two of your starting weight. Even in the longest workout, you will lose at most a pound due to fat burning. So if you lose five pounds or more during your workout, the bulk of it is due to water loss. And even a small percent loss of water as it relates to your total body weight and your performance will start to drop off.

Your maximum sweat rate is reached well below your aerobic maximum heart rate when the heat is high. This is a good thing because it enables you to start to collect a mental log of how much you need to drink to maintain your body weight without going at race pace to do it. If you find that you are good at keeping your weight up during the workouts, great! If you are coming home significantly lighter than when you start, work at upping the amount of liquid you take in during your workouts.

Calories

The amount of calories you will need to sustain a high level of output will vary widely depending on how consistent your workouts have been, the amount of food you eat before the workouts and in the day before the long workout, and also whether you are well rested or tired.

Start with the average amount of food that research says you can absorb per hour (approximately 500 calories) and see how this works for you. Depending on your body weight and effort level, you may need slightly more or less than this. Keep in mind that at a high output level you can burn as much as 750 calories per hour.

So you can see that there is a difference between what science says you can absorb and what you may be burning up. The difference can be made up over time training your body to absorb more calories per hour than the lab results say is possible. The ideal amount of calories to take in is the amount that will leave you feeling well fueled at the END of your long bike rides, as opposed to the amount that leaves you feeling like you are running on fumes by the finish.

Remember, in an Ironman you have a marathon after the bike, and the ideal situation is to start that run well fueled and well hydrated. Doing this will give you both the information and the confidence you need to have a calorie game plan in place well before your race day.

Sodium

The third and final section to work on right now is whether or not you need to supplement your fuel intake with sodium. The first question to ask about this is whether or not you ever crave something salty during a long ride? If so, you might benefit from having a source of sodium with you during your race. A key note is that if you have any history of hypertension, consult with your primary health care provider before experimenting with this.

Research has shown that after about three hours of maximum sweating, performance begins to drop off if sodium is not taken in. On average, a person loses 350mg of sodium per hour. So after you lose about 1000mg of sodium the performance begins to drop. Keep in mind that this is VERY individual. Some people will sweat out twice this and others only half. Experiment with what you need.

One sign that your sodium intake is not enough to keep up with your sodium sweat rate is that if you are drinking enough and eating enough calories but still feel like you are flat or feel like you are sort of bonking and are having trouble concentrating and are losing motivation, this is a sign that you may be low on sodium. The best source of sodium is buffered sodium tablets that you can get at any pharmacy. There are a lot of electrolyte tablets available, but most of them are in a capsule that makes it impossible for you to taste the salt when you take it. It is very important to be able to have the tablet melt in your mouth. This will enable you to keep it in until your body says “enough” at which point you can spit out any remaining part of the tablet.

Keep track of how much sodium your electrolyte drink is providing. Keep track of how you feel during your workouts, especially after about three hours. Try sucking on a buffered salt tablet and see how your body and energy levels respond. Start conservative and build up until you find the right amount for you, especially during hot and long workouts.
There you go! Refining the liquid amount, calorie amount, and sodium amount of intake you will need can answer a lot of questions about what to do during your race.

Posted in Little Bit about Everything, Nutrition No Comments »

Are You Ready To Run A Marathon??

June 30th, 2011 mix

If you answer these questions with more Yeses than Nos, it’s a sign that you’re up for the marathon challenge

Have you been running for a year?
Logging at least three miles a minimum of three times a week for about 12 months allows the musculoskeletal system to build the strength it needs to handle 26.2. “Injury can crop up when you go from not running to training for a marathon,” says Jason Karp, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and running coach in San Diego. “So build fitness and strength first.”

Do you have enough time to devote to training?
Here’s the minimum: three runs of four to eight miles midweek plus one long run on the weekends. That’s equal to about six hours a week of running–not counting stretching or strength training or additional running days or the recovery time you’ll need after a 20-miler. “Sit down and plot it out on a calendar to help you assess whether you can really commit to the time,” Karp says.

Are there other stresses in your life?
Even if you think you have the time, training during major life changes like a big work project or a new baby might lead to unnecessary stress. “I used to always say, ‘Come on, you can do it,’” says Andrew Kastor, coach of the High Sierra Striders in Mammoth Lakes, California. “Now I advise runners to wait if life is too busy. As a result, I’ve had fewer runners finish marathons, but I’ve seen less injury and more runners having a positive experience.”

Do you think you can do it?
If you answered “yes” to this and the previous three questions, start training. If your response to this question was “no” or “not sure,” start with a half-marathon. “If you build your long run up to 13, do a half, then continue to build your long run, you’ll see that 16 is doable, then that 18 is doable, and so on,” Kastor says. “Test it out physically to bring yourself along mentally.”

Why do you want to run a marathon?
One Saturday morning midtraining you’ll wake up and realize you’d rather sleep in or watch cartoons with your kids than run 18 miles. Your reasons for wanting to finish a marathon will influence whether you blow off the run or head out the door. “If you’re running the marathon because your friends are, you might not have the intrinsic motivation to stick to the training,” Karp says. “But if your reasons are highly personal, like raising money for a cause you care about, or proving to yourself you can, you’re more likely to find motivation when training gets tough

Posted in Little Bit about Everything, Running No Comments »

How To Avoid Dehydration

June 27th, 2011 mix

Dehydration is a very real threat which all runners should recognize and develop a plan of action for avoiding this problem. Runners are susceptible to dehydration both in warm weather and cold weather. This may be surprising to some who incorrectly assume that there is only a potential for dehydration during warm weather when the runner is likely sweating profusely. While runners do lose a great deal of fluid through this type of sweating, they are also usually more aware of the potential for dehydration and as a result are more likely to take the proper precautions. Additionally, the runners usually experience signs of dehydration such as thirst which will usually prompt them to begin to drink more. However, dehydration is also a concern in cold weather. When running in this type of weather the runner may still sweat and may also lose fluid through respiration. However, the runner may not be aware of this fluid loss and therefore may not realize the need to drink enough water or replacement drink to avoid dehydration. This article will provide readers with a few useful tips for avoiding dehydration while running.

One piece of advice which can help to combat dehydration is to carefully weigh yourself before and after running to establish how much weight has been lost through fluids. Weighing yourself before the run will give you a good baseline weight. After returning from your run, remove any clothing which is soaked with sweat and weigh yourself again. For every pound of weight you have lost, you should consume 16 ounces of water or sports replacement drink. This is because any weight which was lost during the course of a run is likely the result of fluid loss and runners should aim to replenish the fluid which was lost as soon as possible.

Making a concerted effort to drink before, during and after your run can also help you to avoid the dangers of dehydration. Before each run, the runner should take care to ensure he is properly hydrated. This may be accomplished by drinking a cup or two of water or sports replacement drink shortly before a run. However, care should be taken to avoid drinking too much liquid immediately before a run because it can make you feel uncomfortable during the run. Runners should also plan on drinking during their run as well. There are a number of commercially available products which make carrying your own water during runs both comfortable and easy. These products include simple water bottle holders as well as packs designed to hold a bladder which can be filled with liquid. These are similar to hydration packs often worn by bicyclists except the ones for runners are usually worn around the waist instead of as backpacks. During the course of the run, the runner should make an effort to drink according to a schedule instead of waiting until he feels thirsty to drink. This is critical because once a runner starts to feel thirsty, dehydration has already set in and it can take substantially more liquid to replenish what has already been lost. Taking in small amounts of water every 15-30 minutes should work well to help a runner avoid dehydration.

Runners who are going for longer runs such as marathons or training runs for a marathon or other long distance event should plan on taking along a sports replacement drink instead of just water. These drinks contain sodium which not only helps to replace the sodium which has been lost through sweating but also helps to encourage the runner to drink even more. This can be helpful during long runs because losing too much salt and only using water as a replacement can make the runner susceptible to hyponatremia.

Posted in Nutrition No Comments »

How to Choose a Healthy Saddle

June 15th, 2011 mix

Saddle-induced discomfort isn’t just an annoying and uncomfortable by-product of long hours spent on the
bike—it can present major physiological problems that affect many triathletes’ overall quality of life. We dug
into the oh-so-delicate topic to bring you important advice that will keep you happy and healthy on and
off the bike.

By Lauren Ventura | “The endurance athlete community doesn’t seem to want to know about it, and the cycling industry doesn’t want anyone to be aware of it,” says Irwin Goldstein, M.D., of the San Diego Sexual Medicine health-care facility. He is urologist and researcher who has studied in-depth the physical link between erectile
dysfunction and bike saddles.
“I just had a very famous cyclist come to my clinic,” Dr. Goldstein says. “They have a sponsor who God forbid should
hear that they’re complaining about a real physical problem from riding on their bike. They’re afraid they’ll lose their sponsorship.”
Although many of Dr. Goldstein’s pa-tients were eager to talk to me about their saddle issues and their triathlon or cycling training, many would not provide their names. Except Danny Finneran. Finneran, a former professional cy-
clist who raced with Adageo Energy Pro Cycling and Rock Racing, retired in May 2009 from the sport at only 20 years old.
“The cycling world is stubborn,” says Finneran. “No one wants to hear about my problem due to its potential to affect
people’s jobs, the sport, managers, etcetera, so they just choose to shove it under the rug. And the athletes don’t talk about it, either, because it’s an issue of manhood and masculinity.” Finneran explains that although he had experienced tingling and numbness after riding, he never thought much of it. “Even Lance Armstrong said tingling is normal,” he chuckles.
Then came a rude awakening early last year. “In February, I got a bike fit and two weeks after I had full-on ED,” he says.
That’s when Finneran finally sought help. Doctor after doctor for months merely prescribed Viagra and sent him on his
way. He was only 19. Everything changed after his consultation with Goldstein.
“After taking three months off the bike, I realized that to one extent or another I’d been affected by a lesser form of ED for
my whole career, not just after the bike fit,” Finneran says. He is still on the road

For the past decade or so,doctors and researchers have confirmed what many triathletes have long known but never
fessed up to: Long hours and high mileage in the saddle can cause some serious sexual health issues. What starts
with mere numbness or tingling in a male triathlete’s groin area during a strenuous cycling session can lead to long-term Cialis or Viagra use. What begins with a woman complaining of extreme discomfort in the saddle can lead to permanent
swelling, nerve damage, or worse. These sexual health issues plague many endurance athletes, amateur and
pro alike, but there are options out there to prevent them from derailing your training and overall health.

After studying exercise physiology at the University of Colorado, Todd Carver’s first job was at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, where he first started using 3D motion-capture technology to analyze the motion of the cyclist (rather than taking static measurements). At the same time he started working with Specialized to help test its saddles. “I was privy to a pressure mapping system that we laid across the saddle,” says Carver. “The Specialized body geometry saddles for women were designed around eliminating pressure in certain areas.” He also traveled with the Specialized team to Hamburg, Germany, to work with a urologist studying 30 men on a variety of racing saddles, measuring things such as penile blood flow and pressure on the saddle.

“From all my experience doing this kind of testing, a lot of times the problem is not the fault of the saddle; sometimes it’s just a poor position on the bike,” says Carver, co-founder of Retül, a company that uses a 3D motion-capture system designed specifically for bike fitting in the retail environment.
The first thing Carver, based in Boulder, Colo., does with people who come to him complaining about saddle issues
is raise the handlebars.
“We don’t see this issue with mountain bikers, who sit more upright on the bike and back on their sit bones,” he says.
“The issues arise more often with road cyclists and triathletes that ride in a more aerodynamic position. Fifty percent
of the time we can bring the handlebars up a little and reposition the rider on the saddle in a comfortable way and get
rid of the symptoms.” But the downside to that solution is that the rider is now in a less aerodynamic position.

If you don’t want to compromise aerodynamic savings, Carver recommends switching to a noseless saddle style like the ISM Adamo. “If you talk to the urologists and the people who study sexual health, they’ll say the only thing you can possibly do to help is ride a noseless saddle. Anatomical saddles are quite nice because they allow you to ride forward in
an aero position on the saddle and roll your pelvis forward while keeping pressure off those sensitive areas.”
Carver says that women are typically more vocal about expressing their saddle issues, whereas men are a little more tightlipped. “I hear about it more from women but I think the problems are different. For women, the complaint is pressure and the long-term effect is loss of sensitivity in areas. With men, there are two issues: erectile dysfunction and sterility. When you have too much pressure on the front of the saddle, the testes can ride further up and you can lose your potency. The only time I hear about that from guys is when they come from a urologist and say they’re
having troubles in the bedroom.”
Carver says that a lot of athletes just learn to deal with the discomfort, chalking it up to their active lifestyle. “A lot of people think it’s part of the deal with cycling.” It’s a widespread misconception Carver is working to
correct one bike fit at a time.

“The bottom line is that triathletes shouldn’t have to sacrifice comfort or quality of life in pursuit of their training
goals and lifestyle. The sport continues to evolve and introduce innovative products that enhance the training experience,
saddles included. As pro cyclist Finneran notes, “At one time, helmets were not even mandatory. What makes changing
our saddles or behaviors toward them any different?”

Posted in New Products and Reviews 1 Comment »

June 4th. 2011 Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i Race

June 2nd, 2011 mix

2011 Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i Race PreviewThe Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i, held this Saturday, June 4 along the Kohala Coast of the Big Island is celebrating its eighth annual event and has become the destination race of choice of many triathletes. The 2011 race has registered a field of over 1,800 athletes, many of them returning to the course with family and friends in order to experience everything this event has to offer.
These athletes will experience the exquisite amenities and hospitality of host hotel The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i, the warm aloha of the Hawaiian culture and the stunning landscape of the Big Island. This race always manages to attract a long roster of talented triathletes while, at the same time, maintaining a laid-back, unassuming vibe. Perhaps it’s the constant proximity of the sparkling, blue Pacific Ocean, or the framing of the race under the awesome volcanic peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Whatever the reason, athletes here are welcome to challenge themselves on the demanding course while maintaining a spirit of friendship and family, creating a true ohana with volunteers, spectators, sponsors and organizers.

The course offers a one-loop swim course in the warm, clear waters of Hapuna Bay. Participants will exit the water and step through the fine white sand of Hapuna Beach State Park to begin their cycling journey on the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway. Racers will continue on an out and back course toward the town of Hawi, playing hide and seek with the Big Island’s notorious winds.   The run course takes place within the bounds of the Mauna Lani Resort, where participants will traipse over coastal pathways and award-winning golf fairways, past historic petroglyph fields and tidal basins. The finish line and post-race celebration awaits them on the beautiful grounds of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i.

Men’s Pro Field

The men’s race this year features cycling powerhouse Chris Lieto. He last competed in Honu in 2009, and came second to Craig Alexander after creating a substantial lead on the bike. The scenario repeated itself a few months later during the Ford Ironman World Championship, when Lieto came close to cycling to the win, only to have Alexander reel him in over the long, hot miles of the marathon.

2011 brings different associations for Lieto, though, as he prepares to test himself on the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway once again. Lieto and his family have spent the last seven months living in Kona, and he says he’s made a lot of friends who he’ll be looking forward to seeing on race day. “It’s an honor to be a part of the race now after having been a part of the community,” he says. Lieto pulled out of the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas two weeks ago a few miles into the run course. He says he had been limited in his training leading up to the race with a sore Achilles tendon and a stomach virus. He’s looking forward to the challenging run course at Honu with its cart paths and off-road tracks to see how his Achilles is faring. His brother, Matt Lieto, who finished third here last year, will be racing Honu as well and Chris says he’d like to see a “one-two” brother finish.
The Lietos will have to make their way past some other tough competitors to make this race a family affair, though. Australian Luke Bell, who finished second here last year just 90 seconds back from two-time Ironman World Champion Tim DeBoom, is coming off a strong performance at the Hermann Memorial Ironman Texas, where he finished third in a stacked field. Bell also took second four weeks ago at the St. Croix Ironman 70.3.

Fellow Aussie Paul Ambrose will also be on hand to keep the race competitive. Ambrose won the 2010 Ford Ironman Louisville and recently took sixth on the challenging course at the Ford Ironman St. George. Hailing from the neighboring island of Oahu, Tim Marr is a perennial top finisher here and capable of exerting pressure throughout the race. The men’s pro field also includes 2006 Ironman Canada Champion Canadian Jasper Blake, American Ian Mikelson, Venezuelan Salvatore Cali, Columbian Rodrigo Acevedo and Shinya Suganuma, from Japan.

Women’s Pro Field

The Big Island’s own Bree Wee will once again be toeing the line in the women’s race. Wee finished second last year to Ironman-distance phenom Belinda Granger. Wee recently took the title in the Olympic-distance Honolulu Triathlon and Lavaman Waikoloa Triathlon. Earlier this year, she placed ninth at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 San Juan.
Wee’s career as a triathlete has taken her around the globe and she revels in exploring new places and meeting new people. Participating in hometown races has always meant a lot to Wee. “I’ve been super fortunate to see a lot of the world,” she says. “My triathlon travels have taken me to amazing places, but there is no place better for a race than at home. No matter where on Earth you live, waking up in your own bed and racing in your back yard is a good place to be.”

Wee will be joined in the pro field by Emma Garrard, Christine Fletcher and Elly Franks. Garrard, from the United States, ranked fourth in the 2010 XTERRA USA Pro Series and recently finished fifth in the XTERRA Southeast Championships. A six-time Ford Ironman World Championship competitor, Canadian Christine Fletcher finished fourth last year at the Ironman 70.3 Boise. Australian Elly Franks, a fast swimmer and biker, last raced the Rohto 70.3 Ironman Hawai’i in 2006, when she took first in the W18-24 age group.

Posted in Recent Events 1 Comment »

6 Memorial Day Races to Do With Your Family

May 27th, 2011 mix

By Fara Rosenzweig
Active.com

Honor those who serve our country this Memorial Day at a family-friendly race. These six courses offer scenic views and lots of entertainment.

North Andover 4th of July
Memorial Day 5K Run

Hayesville, North Carolina – May 28, 2011
Take a nice morning run with your family that offers scenic mountain views. After you cross the finish line stay for the military ceremony.

Utah-Desert-Road
Memorial 10K/5K

Orem, Utah – May 28, 2011
Kick-start Memorial Day weekend with a family race. Run in honor of those who have fought for this country. Make sure to stay for post-race festivities.

Beach View
Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Run

Laguna Hills, California – May 30, 2011
Enjoy the scenic views that Laguna Hills has to offer while you run the half marathon, 5K or kids run. Make sure to stick around for the community expo.

4th of July Run
3rd Annual Memorial Day 5K Freedom Run / 2 Mile Fitness Walk / Kids Rock Hopper Fun Run

Oxfor, Conneticut – May 30, 2011
Take part in the Kids Rock Hopper Fun Run while you run to celebrate freedom.

Florida
Memorial Day Family Affair 2011

Boca Raton, Florida – May 30, 2011
You and your kids will enjoy this ocean front course that is fast and flat. Stick around for food, kid’s entertainment and awards.

Family Biking
Memorial Day Triathlon/Duathlon & Kids mini-tri

Elma, Washington – May 30, 2011
Participate in the 4th annual triathlon/duathlon & kids mini-tri. This course is fast and flat,which is perfect for beginners or veterans.

Posted in Little Bit about Everything No Comments »

Top 5 Physical Benefits of Triathlon

May 23rd, 2011 mix

Choosing triathlon over other sporting activities certainly asks for a lot of courage and great determination. This is because getting everything associated with the sport, right from triathlon schedule, to training for triathlon and getting the triathlon diet and necessary infrastructural basics in place can be quite a daunting task. After all, triathlon is not about mastering a single sport, but about daring to take up and then excelling at three varied sporting activities.

Interestingly, notwithstanding the fact that pursuing triathlon can be actually very demanding, an impressively large number of sportsmen choose to enter this arena and take it extremely seriously. Any rational reader would be perplexed at this contradiction and would without doubt begin to wonder what could the reason behind this be? To answer the dilemma for the rational minds then, the truth of the matter also is that embracing triathlon involves a wide array of physical benefits for the practicing athletes too! Some of the most prominent of these benefits include:

1. Speedy Weight Loss
Since triathlon involves such energizing sporting activities, the practicing athletes can expect to lose all the excess flab that might have been clinging on to them for years in a matter of a few weeks. In fact, they begin to experience the difference as soon as they begin training for triathlon.

2. Lost Weight Retention
Triathlon schedule and diet are such that triathletes can also expect to retain their lost weight over the years to come. So they don’t have to worry about becoming out of shape again.

3. Acquiring a Toned Physique
Apart from weight loss, triathletes can as well enjoy to stay in top shape, and flaunt and be able to retain a great physique. Running, cycling and swimming offer such an amazing combination of fitness training that by indulging in them every single body part and bodily muscle comes under the fitness scanner and benefits fantastically.

4. Boosted Immunity
As a triathlete’s body faces extreme stress on a regular basis, their immunity levels too are generally higher than other sportspersons’. The extended benefits of this can be reaped by them in the form of reduced incidence of illnesses and improved overall health.

5. Improved Energy Levels
If one is a part of this sport and strictly sticks to the Triathlon Diet and workout schedule, increased physical energy and better endurance levels would as well be experienced automatically by him/her.
These physical benefits negate the hardships that the sport entails in such a wonderfully balanced manner that a true, passionate athlete cannot elude the temptation of embracing triathlon.

Posted in Training Plans, Triathlon No Comments »

From 70.3 To Ironman

May 19th, 2011 mix

Whether you’re getting ready for your first Ironman or your fourteenth, a 70.3 race is a great competition to include in your race preparations. But it’s not just a matter of finding a 70.3 race in your area; it has to be the right race, at the right time, to help you optimize your Ironman performance.

The trick is to schedule your 70.3 race at the right time in relation to your Ironman. You want to go into your 70.3 prepared and well trained, but if it’s scheduled too far out from your Ironman, you may not be able to increase your fitness and maintain the workload long enough to get to your primary race. Peak racing fitness is like an ice sculpture in the spring sun; it takes a lot of work to create and it will last for a while, but as time goes on the sharp edges and detail work melt away.

In contrast, if you schedule your 70.3 race too close to your Ironman, you may not have enough time to recover from the 70.3 and get in both one last strong training block and a taper before your Ironman. This scenario often leaves an athlete in limbo; there’s not enough time left for a productive training block, but it’s too early to start tapering. And if your 70.3 race reveals a specific deficiency in your fitness, there may not be enough time to address it.

The right time to schedule your 70.3 is about eight to nine weeks out from your Ironman. With a race this far out, you can afford to taper for seven to 10 days going into the 70.3, take a recovery week immediately following the race, and then complete a solid block of training before starting your final taper before your Ironman race.

What you’re going to get out of the 70.3

You have to realize that you’re racing a 70.3 triathlon around two months before your primary goal, which means you need to be realistic about your expectations. You’re training for a full Ironman, so you won’t necessarily have the speed that dedicated 70.3 racers might have, and you’re going to be racing against athletes who targeted your training race as their season goal. This race is about you, not your relation to others.

Your 70.3 race is an opportunity to put your hydration and nutrition strategies to the test. It’s one thing to see how you respond to foods and drinks during a six-hour training ride, but something very different to test your nutrition and hydration habits in racing conditions. Some athletes get caught up in the frenzy of racing and fail to stick to their routines, or have a different response to the amount or timing of feeds based on the intensity of racing vs. training. This is also the reason it’s helpful to find a 70.3 race that has some similar demands (hilly vs. flat, windy vs. calm, humid vs. dry, etc.) to your Ironman race.

Although this is not a perfect correlation, the run pace for your half-marathon during your 70.3 race is likely to be similar to your marathon pace for your Ironman. This is assuming, of course, that you’re nutrition and hydration on both race days is good to great. In the weeks that follow your 70.3 you’ll hopefully gain some additional fitness and have a very good taper, so you might expect to run faster during your Ironman, but it’s unlikely that you’ll run much faster than during your 70.3 because of the additional fatigue from the longer distances in the Ironman. Again, this isn’t a concrete point of fact, but your run pace in the 70.3 can give you an idea of what to expect your marathon pace to be in your Ironman.

On the bike, the 70.3 race is also a great place to examine your bike fit and your on-bike accessories. If you’re not comfortable and powerful for 56 miles, you’re not likely to have a great bike leg in your Ironman. The reason you might not realize this until your 70.3 is – again – because racing elicits a different response than training. You push harder, for longer, and go to a place you rarely – if ever – reach in training. Similarly, if something on the bike is inconvenient or annoying after 50 miles during a 70.3, it’s going to drive you nuts in an Ironman.

Posted in Recent Events, Triathlon No Comments »
« Older Entries