tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30299679120036300862024-03-14T02:05:48.528-07:00E-Endurance Coaching BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-58736393399101720652018-11-15T20:02:00.001-08:002018-11-15T20:02:09.613-08:00Tune out the negative and be prepared! I am not sure if this year is abnormal or not, but it feels as if there have been more unexpected challenges this year with athletes at races then most others. I don’t have any statistics to back it up, so maybe it is just a feeling, but the list of challenges for many athletes this year seems rather long. This year the Boston marathon had, what some are calling its worst weather ever, with temps hovering around at 40 degrees, 20 mph head winds, and rain, which all caused many runners to drop out due to hypothermia as well as it was the slowest race for men and women in the past 20-30+ years. 70.3 Stealhead had water so rough there were report of 150 swimmers being pulled from the swim as well as it being really hot and humid for those who made it to the run. 70.3 Wilmington was cancelled, Ironman Louisville swim was shortened due to currents so strong many age group swimmers swam the shortened distance of 1 mile in 16-18 minutes not to mention it was abnormally cold that athletes could not open their nutrition on the bike or tie their shoes in T2. Then Florida was moved to Haines City because the Hurricane came through and decimated Panama City.<br />
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From these races’ themes emerged that I would like to address. The first is all the negative comments and complaining that resulted due to these challenge. The 2<sup style="line-height: 0;">nd</sup> are all of those who failed to look ahead and prepare.<br />
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Tom Hanks stars in a movie called “Bridge of Spies.” In the movie he asks a spy who has a very calm demeanor and is at risk of being killed at any time if he ever worries. The Spies response? “Why, would it help?” This line is something we can all learn from. Why? In speaking with athletes and friends who were at all the races I mentioned above, something that always comes out are all those who complained about the situation. Many of these challenges are out of everyone’s control. No one can control the weather or stop hurricanes. Yet you could find Facebook and social media with athletes all up in arms about it. One athlete who was scheduled to race Ironman Florida asked if anyone had gone to the media about the race being moved to Haines City, despite the fact the city could not reasonably host an event due to the city being torn apart. The city needs to take care of the people that live that and have all its resources go to those who need the help, not a race. Extremely hot and humid conditions or an unseasonably cold race also brings out the negative talk. I am not saying we shouldn’t raise a stink about races that put athletes in harm’s way or let others know about a bad race environment due to poor race direction. What I am saying is, all the things that are out of your control, even a poorly run race, will worrying about it help? Control what you can. Don’t let it effect your race. Do the best with the situation that has been presented to you.<br />
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The second topic I want to address is preparation. As athletes we train to get ready for a race, but many athletes don’t actually plan for what will happen on race day. With all the technology available to us to predict weather, even in race venues in a different state, or country, there should be no reason to be unprepared. When we area planning for race day athletes should be doing everything in their power to put themselves in the best possible situation to have a great race. If it will be overly hot, then make sure you plan to carry extra fluids. If it will be cold, make sure to bring extra clothing to wear. You should be plan for the worst, but hope for the best. It is better to be overly prepared then under prepared. The best example I can think of is the Boston Marathon this past year. There maybe several things that you may never think of, it may not cross your mind. Mostly because you simple lack the experience. An example: I was lucky my wife had run Boston before and if some pretty bad weather. She suggested I bring a pare of old shoes to throw away and put on my race shoes right before the start. I would never have thought of this and it was extremely helpful as the ground was saturated and if I did not have a throw away pare of shoes, I would have been racing in muddy and wet shoes. However, what everyone did know is that it was going to be wet and cold. I brought several layers of throw away cloths to try and stay warm before the race and even decided to buy more when I got there. Many athletes did not. There was one athlete who stood behind me in line when waiting for the porta potty who only had his running shorts, run singlet, and a very thin poncho on. He was freezing and looked miserable. There was no reason he should have put himself in that situation. As athletes we need to think ahead, plan ahead, and be prepared<br />
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The best advice I think I can give is the advice that has been given to me. Control what you can control and ignore the negative people. Will worrying about it help? No. Simply try do your best to tune out the noise. Finally, learn from the Boy Scouts motto, “Be prepared!” Do not set yourself up for failure, but rather, set yourself up for success.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-6583819033792140602018-08-08T14:42:00.001-07:002018-08-08T14:42:28.555-07:00Are you Motivated or Engaged<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
A conversation I have had with almost all the athletes
that I have coached, from very young swimmers to older athletes trying to finish
their first 5k up to an Ironman, or qualify for prestigious races, the topic of
motivation comes up. It is a topic I asked Olympic swim coach and head of
University of Texas Men’s swimming Eddie Reese of how he keeps his athletes
motivated. My time as a contractor with the Navy you could often hear comments about
hard workers of “they are really motivated” or those who did not meet a minimum
standard that they were “not motivated enough.” As a younger athlete I would at
times struggle with what I though was my motivation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Over
time I learned something, that motivation comes and goes for everyone. It is
true, at times we are highly motivated, and we feel like we can do any race or
any workout. But motivation is fleeting, it can feel like it is there one
moment and instantly gone the next. We
can feel motivated for weeks or months at a time, but it can also come and go
within a day or a single workout. Motivation is really tied to our energy
levels. We only have so much. It is hard to be motivated when you are exhausted,
stressed, or overworked. The idea that motivation is the secret to success, to
achieve amazing heights, is, a myth. One only needs just enough motivation to
get up off your butt. To do the rest, what you need to be is committed or
engaged. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What
does it mean to be committed or engaged? The best example I can think of that almost
everyone can relate to in one way or another was when my first child was born.
When he first came into the world I was full of excitement and emotion. There
was this amazing mix of constant happiness and worry. One could say that I was
extremely motivated to make sure he was taken care of with making sure diapers were
changed and him being fed. The nurses found it funny how much detail I would go
into when I recorded how feeding went and how much he filled his diapers. The
lack of sleep did not bother me, I was motivated to care for my son. Eventually,
as all parents find out, the lack of sleep starts to catch up with you and any feelings
of motivation disappears. On the surface, this may sound terrible, how can one
not be motivated to care for their child. But it was not motivation that kept
me wanting to change my son’s diapers or help feed him in the middle of the
night. Motivation went out the window with the lack of sleep. It was my wife’s
and I’s commitment to him. It was and is being engaged in his wellbeing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I coach my son’s t-ball team and
it is, as anyone who has coached a 3-4-year-old t-ball team can relate, a
challenge. After a long day of work and lack of sleep if my daughter does not
sleep through the night, I may have used up all my motivation. What gets me
there, even when exhaustion feels overwhelming, is being committed to helping
him and his teammates learn not only the sport of baseball, but also the values
it teaches them. To be honest, I have not always been at my best. I have left many
practices, from T-Ball, to swimming, to track workouts, to clinics, feeling like
I could have done more. And my commitment to wanting to be better, wanting to
help others is what makes me vow to be better next time. The only real
motivation I need is just enough to get up off my butt. After that, then it’s a
matter of being engaged to get done what needs to be done. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now,
what do we do when we don’t have that small little bit of motivation to just
get off our butt or out of bed. Let me start this by saying, if you have a hard
time getting out of bed, doing day to day activities such as cooking, cleaning,
taking care of yourself, you find yourself skipping work, or anything that is detrimental
to your wellbeing, please seek professional help. There maybe more going on
that you will need assistance with. I can name many amazing individuals who
have looked for and found professional help and they are the better for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Start
small. Look for your number one obstacle that you can identify that is keeping
you from finding that little bit of motivation it takes to then be engaged. It
could be something as simple as not getting enough sleep or not eating healthy.
It maybe more complicated such as your job or a relationship. It maybe that you
need to take a step back from the sport for a while. Athletes that I have coached
have done this, taking anywhere from a eek off to several months to a year. I
have done this. I needed a break. Racing professionally, I took almost a full
year off racing. I stayed in shape, trained, but without a race on my calendar
and lots of flexibility in my day to day training. My first race back was the
fastest I have ever gone in an Olympic race. Later I completed my first half
Ironman and Ironman. Whatever it is, identify what changes you can make and
start to make those changes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Make
it a habit. To make it a habit, start with one day. It can be hard to balance work, family, and training
along with everything that life throws at you. It is easier if what you do is a
habit, or part of your routine. How does one make it a habit or part of their
routine? By going by the old cliché of taking it one day at a time. It really
is true. All you need to do is find enough motivation to get up and get the day
started. Then the day after that, do the same. By taking it one day at a time,
it will eventually become a habit or part of your routine. It may take a week,
it could take a month, but by taking it one day at a time, it is much easier to
manage. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Find
or create a challenge. To help a couple athletes try to get through a slump, I suggested
a 100-day challenge. It was 30 minutes of activity a day. If there was a
workout but they could not do it, then they were to do a 30-minute walk, yoga
class, or any physical activity that was 30 minutes. I joined in, did it as 30
minutes of running every day and it helped my lay a good foundation for when I
would start my Boston Marathon training. The goal, if you do something similar,
is to get in around 20 days straight. After that, you don’t want to break the
streak, so you find ways to get in what you need to get done. Some of my runs I
did at 9 at night because that is when I could get it in. It’s a lot easier to
do when you are 60 days in and you don’t want to break the streak. The streak
kept going because of the simple desire not to break it. During this time I
found new challenges, such as seeing how many miles I could get in a week (78
miles for those who are curious with the longest single run being 12 miles). The
streak finally ended at 175 days after a half marathon and the birth of my
daughter. I did not think it would go over well if I told my wife I had to leave
her in the hospital while I went to run to keep my streak going. What made it successful
is that it gave me a daily goal. That daily goal kept me engaged and then it became
a habit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> We
all faces challenges, we all have times where we lack motivation, loose our
commitment and are no longer are engaged. But do not worry, you can get it back,
reach out to your coach, make sure they know what you are going through and find
a plan that works for you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Did you find this useful? Please feel fee to share by clicking on the twitter or facebook icons.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-73551039502853882372018-07-09T13:59:00.000-07:002018-07-09T13:59:10.643-07:00Race Day Nutrition- Screw the science and find what works There is a lot of information out there on race day nutrition from articles to advice from friends, coaches, and fellow racers. What is the best product, what will help an athlete achieve their PR or get them to the finish line of an Ironman?<br />
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When it comes to race day nutrition, I am not against science (I will admit, the title is a little bit of an attempt at click bait). Science has allowed us to make amazing strides in nutrition and training and I use it to guide me. However, I also like to go by the philosophy of find what works best for you. It does not matter how great a product is, how science has proven it is the best product. If your stomach cannot tolerate it, if it will make you sick, then it does not matter how great it is if you will not be taking it in.<br />
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The most important thing you an do is to try different products in your training and see how you respond to them. How does your stomach tolerate it, how does it make you feel during and after your training session.<br />
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Coach Dana, when she did Ironman Wisconsin, had to find what would work for her. She could not stomach gels, they made her sick. So she did some reading and tried different products. In the end she discovered her stomach could tolerate white bread with almond butter and shot blocks. It worked for her as she had a 3 hour PR. Another athlete I had ate SPAM sandwiches when she conquered her first Ironman after having an unsuccessful first attempt. Personally when I race shorter distance tri's I drink a mix of half orange Gatorade and water. I do this because the orange flavor suits me and the reason it is half water is because I don't like the taste of warm Gatorade, which happens in the summer as your bike sits in transition. By diluting it, it tastes a little lighter and I am more likely to drink it. For Ironman Wisconsin I used Nuun because I could not choke down what was being offered on the course. I liked the taste of it and it was easy to have the tablets if I needed to mix more up during the race. The decision was made to change to eating bonk breakers as that was offered on the course and I like them. If there were any problems taking in bonk breakers, then it would have required me to find a different solution. My preference for gels is GU, however, what flavor of GU I use will depend on the outside temps. If it is really hot, flavors like Chocolate, Mocha, Chocolate mint, Salted Caramel don't appeal to me, I find they are hard to eat. My preference are for flavors that seem to be lighter when taking them in, such as citrus flavors or raspberry.<br />
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If you are convinced a certain product is best do to reviews you have read or advice from coaches and friends, but you you keep finding yourself not feeling well or having GI issues, try something different. The definition of insanity is trying the same thing or and over again and expecting a different result. The good news is, there are a lot different products you can try and you will find what works best for you.<br />
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Have you found something that has worked best for you? Please leave a comment as it may work for someone else.<br />
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If you find you like the information on this blog, please share! If there is something you want me to address, please leave a comment.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-7552294897821519822018-06-05T11:12:00.003-07:002018-06-05T11:12:36.715-07:00Its Getting Hot Out There- How to Make Smart Decision for Better Results We are again getting into the race season and that means it is getting hot outside. In the Midwest one weekend we had temps in the 50's and within a week temperatures reached 90 degrees. For those who live in Florida and other warm weather locations are thinking the 90's are no big deal. And this is true, if you are acclimated to hot weather, it can be easier to manage. The challenge is, when we hit the summer months and we have spikes in the temps. I am sure everyone can agree doing a run in 50 degrees weather and then a few days later doing one in 90 degree weather is just not enough time to acclimate and we need to be smart in out training to not only have a good training day, but to be able to recover so we can have another good day the next day. The heat can wear us out more then we realize and can not only have negative effects on a training session, but due to the recover time, may have negative effects on our recovery several days later.<br />
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Since a pool can keep us cool and the bike with wind resistance and being able to carry more water and fluids makes it easier to keep our core temps down, I am going to focus on tips for running in hot weather. However, some of these tips can be applied to swimming and biking as well.<br />
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1. If you can, schedule your run workouts in the morning or evening. It will be cooler during these times and will allow for a better overall workout.<br />
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2. Slow down and watch your heart rate: You may have been prescribed certain paces to hit on your run, but pay attention to your HR. Even though your pace maybe at a recovery or endurance the heat maybe causing your heart rate to sky rocket. If you are doing an endurance run and your HR is reading 170, then you are taxing your body to much. Pay attention and realize it is ok to slowdown, you are still getting the work in. If the HR is to high, you will be working much harder then you need to and it will take longer for you to recover.<br />
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3. Carry water and fluids. You need to replenish your fluids and electrolytes and the hotter it is, the more you need. With fluids on a hot day it is better to take the side of caution and carry more then you think you will need or plan a route were there are water fountains or water stops to fill back up. It is better to have it and not need it vs need it and not have it.<br />
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4. Wear a hat or visor and sunglasses. The shade covering your face along with your sunglasses blocking the sun will help keep you cool. On race day a mesh hat is a good idea. During ice stations you can take ice and put it under your cap and hold it in your hands to help keep you cool.<br />
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5. Find a shade. If you are running, try to pick route that has plenty of shade. If you find yourself over heating get in some shade to bring your body temps back down.<br />
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6. Be honest and be safe. If you are over heating stop!! There is no need to think you need to gut it out. You do not want to get heat exhaustion or heat stroke. I have dealt with those situations where someone has had heat stroke and heat exhaustion and it can be scary. All three times we had paramedics on staff and could give immediate assistance. If you are out on a run by yourself or far from immediate assistance, the results could be devastating.<br />
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Stay safe out there. I would personally have an athlete tell me it was just to hot to run so they skipped it vs getting a phone call that something bad has happened because they felt they had to get a workout in. One workout will not make or break you if you need to cut it short due to the heat. However, one workout where you push too far in the heat could end your season or something worse.<br />
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Stay cool and stay safe<br />
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- Coach NickUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-73516627778749844352018-05-04T14:08:00.002-07:002018-05-04T14:08:45.809-07:00What's the End Game? What's Next?Recently I was speaking with some parents of young athletes. Our topic was the overall goal of youth athletics and what they want to see their children accomplish and learn from their experiences. What's the end game?<br />
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I will not get into the entire discussion on the topic and my opinions youth athletics as that is a different topic for another time. However, it is a good question we should ask ourselves and revisit from time to time as we train and take on these challenges we have set out to conquer. Below are two of the many reasons we should do this.<br />
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The first is that it is important to have a reminder of why we have set out on this journey, why have we chosen the road we we are on. We all face different challenges and obstacles and, given enough of them, along with the fatigue that comes with training, it will wear anyone down over time, just as the smallest trickle of water, over time, will crack the largest rock. There will be times almost all athletes question why they have decided to try and do a race. This is is the same for life and what we take on outside of racing. Reflecting on why the first step was taken in the first place will help guide us through the tough times and serve as guide to help us keep pushing forward, to stay the course.<br />
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All our goals are different. Some of use race to beat a time, some race to try and get a certain place, others race to finish. And all of these reason are admirable and its important to understand that not one of them is more important then the other. Never think or let anyone tell you that because your goal has nothing do to winning it carries less value. It is important to you, and that is all that matters.<br />
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In addition to these, ask yourself what other reasons are you out there? If your only reason is to have a certain place or a time, then, with factors out of your control, you end up not reaching your goal, the day will feel will feel empty., and you will take no joy from it. A good example is Boston this year. With running into 20+mph winds, temps at 40 degrees, and rain, it is not an ideal day to achieve a goal time. If I had wanted to only hit a certain time, I would have been very unhappy. But I also wanted to walk away feeling like I went after the race and had a solid effort. In the end, I did and it that is something I can hang my hat on. So find more then one reason. Perhaps it's to stay healthy and active. Maybe its the challenge of a tough course. Maybe you want to set a positive example for your children, nieces, or nephews.<br />
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If you want to explore this further, I encourage you to read "Magical Running" by Bobby McGee as he speaks about targets vs goals and how you can find more meaning in your racing. Yes, it does have the title running in it, but it can be applied to any sport.<br />
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The second is to have an idea of what is next. You may not know exactly what you want to do, but having an idea will help you transition after your goal race. Some athletes set out to run a marathon or a do an iron distance triathlon. Then, after a lot of work, time (could be years) and focus the goal is accomplished and they are now left without an idea of what they should do to fill their time. No real thought was put into what comes next.<br />
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Did you know many Olympic athletes will deal with depression after their careers are done. To compete at that level and to accomplish what they do, they put the blinders on and push forward and do whatever it takes. Once they are done, there is now a lot of time that is hard to fill and to fill it with the passion and drive they pursed in their careers. Trying to figure out what you want to do next is hard when you just want to focus on your current goal, but having at least an idea will help the transition. It does not have to be a race, it could be you want to focus more on a hobby, write a book, maybe go back to school, or simple have the time to coach your child's soccer team. Having an idea of what you want to do next will allow you to be be able to put your time, energy, and efforts into the new challenge and allow you to have the fulfillment and satisfaction out of life that you deserve.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-70060607713824965032018-03-15T08:43:00.001-07:002018-03-15T08:43:25.570-07:00Fall Back on Training. Don't Leave Your Goals to LuckSpring is just around the corners and many of us have early season races on the horizon that we are preparing for. Additionally, it is March Madness with many other championships happening in college and high school sports. As I listen to ESPN radio and read the news and hear radio hosts and coaches talk about players, there is a common phrase that is repeated again and again that, to me, is like fingers on a chalk board. It's when they say this player or that athlete "really stepped up today" or they "rose to the occasion."<br />
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Why is it that I do not like when this is said? Because if you ever have to rise to the occasion or step up to the occasion, then you are not properly prepared for your race or competition. In my time working as a contractor with the Navy, I was told something that really made me think how we as coaches should prepare our athletes and how, as athletes, we prep for races. I was told they never want anyone to rise to the occasion, they want them to fall back on their training.<br />
The thinking is, we want to take as much chance out of our situations as possible. There are many things we cannot control, however we want to control everything that we can. No one should show up to the start line hoping on luck or chance to reach their goal. Anytime a world record is set, that athlete trained to set that record with efforts at or faster then race pace. Anytime a distance or goal is achieved, the athlete is prepared for that. The game winning shots in the NCAA basketball tournament and game winning drives in football have been rehearsed time and time again. It is the preparation of the athlete that allows them to take advantage of those moments, that makes others look on in awe and say "WOW".<br />
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This coming Sunday I have a half marathon as a prep race for the Boston marathon in just over four weeks. This race was chosen because it is hilly and will prep me for any hills at Boston. Even though the half is being used as tune up for Boston, I will also be prepared for the half, I want to know everything I can about the course and competition. On packet pick up on Saturday, I will drive the course to familiarize myself with it and finalize my race strategy so I know what to expect on race day. What are the hills like. Is it more down hill in the beginning, with more up hill at the end? Were are water stations? I will gather as much information as I can as that will dictate my pace and effort. Example, if it is an uphill finish for the last couple miles, I want to make sure I have conserved energy so I do not suffer and break. For Boston, I have found a Youtube video of the Boston course and I have watched it a couple times and will watch it more so I can familiarize myself with the course as much as possible, where the hills are, how it should be broken up, and what are key landmarks to look for.<br />
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You may not be able to drive the course before your race and there may not be a video to watch, so you want to do what you can. Look at the course map, look how it compares to google maps to find landmarks, find something that shows elevation differences so you know when the race has a hill or is flat. The more prep there is, the less there is left to chance and you can enjoy race day and fall back on your training for a successful race day.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-20009430322773415832017-10-10T13:39:00.000-07:002017-10-10T13:43:18.034-07:00How to structure your off season!For most athletes they are now entering or about to enter their off season. How an athlete structures the off season will have a direct impact on their success for next season. Here are some tips on how we at E-Endurance approach the off season.<br />
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The first step is to set goals for next season. Many athletes, especially ones coming off racing Ironmans, find it difficult to find their motivation to continue to train. It is important to take some time off, but one needs to be careful as two weeks off can become one month, then 2 months, and then 4 and the longer one takes off, the longer it will take to get your fitness back. By having goals it will allow you to map out your training plan and give purpose to your workouts. </div>
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Whatever your goal race, determine how many weeks will be needed for a specific build to that race. It maybe a 12, 16, 20, or 24 week build. Count backwards and determine when the build will start. If its a late season race, you may find the build starts in May or June.</div>
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With your build to your goal race figured out, you can now plan the off season. There are many ways this can be approached. If your build does not start till May or June, there maybe a spring race you can peak for. Or perhaps a spring half marathon so can improve your run. Cyclocross is another option. Not only will you improve your biking, but you will also improve upon your bike handling skills. The Illinois Masters swimming state meet is in April every year. Work on improving your time in the 500 and 1650 free and watch how it improves your swim in a triathlon. </div>
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Regardless if you plan to do a spring race or not, its is important to take some time off. Normally we will require athletes to take 2 weeks completely off before moving into a couple weeks of light training with little structure. This allows not only the body to heal, but the mind to rest as well. </div>
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Its a good time to work on getting rid of any nagging injuries or pains. You may need to do physical therapy. Take the time to get completely healthy. Build in strength training. It will be important to build up the body so it will be able to handle the strain you will put on it. </div>
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If you find getting in the pool, biking, or running is a little to much, find something else you like to enjoy. If you like to kayak, get it in while it is still warm enough out. Perhaps you always wanted to snow shoe or do more down hill skiing. Perhaps you were an ice hockey player at one time or a soccer player. Find a hockey or indoor soccer league. It does not matter what you do as long as you stay active. </div>
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Finally, now is a good time to spend time with family and friends. Training can take up a lot of your time. use extra time you currently have to spend it with those who support you.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-65821745927348147112017-09-17T19:24:00.004-07:002017-09-17T19:26:22.054-07:00Training with IllnessRacing season is coming to an end, the leaves are starting to change color, and the temperatures are starting to cool off and that can mean only one thing, flu season and dealing with illness. I recently have had athletes reach out to me and ask what they should do since they have gotten sick. Should they push through, take time off, or reduce what their training load is and continue to workout. They have a big race coming up and do not want to take time off. Here are two points to help you get through being sick.<br />
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1. Don't panic: If you have been consistently training, don't worry, a couple days off will not cause you to loose fitness. Training breaks your body down. If you are sick and you go out and do a hard workout, you may do more harm then good. If you are sick and need time off, take the time off and don't rush yourself back. Be patient and smart. Think of it this way, if you need to take 2 days off to get healthy, but you don't take the time off, it will take you longer to get health. That 2 days may become 4 days. During that time you are doing more damage to your body, risking injury and it will take you longer to get back to normal training. </div>
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<br /></div>
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2. Be patient: The amount of time that you missed should be, at a minimum, equal to the time that was missed. If you are out for 2 days, then take 2 easier days to get yourself back into training. From there you can see how you are feeling. If it takes an extra day, then take the extra day. Better to be healthy and your body ready before putting heavy demand back on to it. Keeping the first point in mind, would you rather miss 2 days, take 2 days to build back into training, and be back to full training on day 5, or be sick for 4 days with crappy training, risk injury, and then only be back to full training in 8 days. Training is all about optimizing your recovery so you can push your body again as soon as possible. If you get sick you need to do the same. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-65105119008478411032015-09-01T18:18:00.004-07:002015-09-01T18:22:42.554-07:00Preparation and planning for race day.<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.0pt; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Preparation and planning for race day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.0pt; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Benjamin Franklin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.0pt; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I remember hearing a story of a stage actress (sorry, her name
slips my mind) who, before every show would go on stage and run through every
line, every movement, and hit every mark before the show started. Without fail,
she did this every show, even if the show ran for several months. One would
think that after so many shows, she would stop this routine. But there she was,
every night before the curtain raised, going through every line on stage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.0pt; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> This really stuck
with me when I heard it. It was her dedication to her craft and the seriousness
that she took her job. Her excellence may have been seen as talent, something she
was born with, but what no one saw were the hours of work she put in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.0pt; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">What would a theater production and stage actress have to do
with a triathlon or any race for that matter? Great ideas, focus,
determination, and preparation are important in everything we do if we want to
achieve success. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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It is
coming to the end of the season. Everyone’s “A’ races are just around the
corner, whether it is your first race, a local 5k, World Championships,
Wisconsin, Kona, Arizona, or any number of other races. What I have come across
recently are many athletes who have put in a lot of training, but outside of
nutrition, heart rate, or power data, they have no real race plan. They know
little about the course. They know what they will have for breakfast, which is
good, but only know if it is a flat bike or hilly run, etc. When you go into a race, leave as little to
chance as possible. Here are some areas to think about when coming up with a
race plan. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Know
your course.</u></b> When I did Ironman Wisconsin, I knew the bike route like
the back of my hand. I rode it with friends many times before and I went up to
ride the loop several times before I raced it. Every time I rode the course, I
planned out my race. I knew when the roads were fast, I knew when they were slow.
Everything was planned out, from how to take a corner so it was fast to the
large rollers- carry speed down and use momentum to carry myself over the top
as to not use too much energy climbing. I never rode the entire route out and
back, but I did drive it. A big mistake
I made when training for Wisconsin was never looking at Observatory hill. It
would have been easy for me to bike most of the run course on one of many trips
up there and that little extra riding would have helped on race day. Every
Olympic I have raced, I drive the course a day or two out. At one pre race
dinner I was telling other Pro’s about the bike course and warned about a
dangerous turn. Sure enough on race day a very famous triathlete was being
loaded into an ambulance on that same corner (he was not in our discussion). I
don’t know if he ever drove the course, but I knew a hard turn there would end
in a possible accident. Riding the run
course is part of my day before race prep. Knowing where the turnaround is on
an out and back can be a huge mental advantage. Knowing of any hills, exposed
areas to the sun with no shade can help prepare for the run. You may not be
able to see the entire course, but there are maps out there. Study them. Look
at elevations and where on the maps any climbs are. You may not be good at
reading elevation maps, but will have a better idea of what to expect. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Segment
the course:</u></b> I tell all my athletes to segment the course. Break it down
into parts. This makes it a lot easier on race day from a mental approach. 112
miles can sound daunting. If you break it into 4 x 28 miles stretches, it does
not sound as bad. Wisconsin is an easy course to segment on the bike. There is
the ride out, and then each loop, and finally the ride back in. If you focus on
each section then the parts are easier to handle then the whole. Break your
swim up by buoys and turns. The bike and run can be done by aid stations and
out and backs. The longer the race, the more important it is. During Hell Week
for Navy Seal Training, where the candidates get very little sleep, they are
told, just make it to each meal. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. When it gets
difficult, if you focus on each individual segment, it becomes a lot easier to stay
motivated and keep moving through each section.. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Train
to your race strategy:</u></b> Once you have a race strategy and know your
course, train to it. If there is a bike course that has a lot of turns (ITU
World Champs in Chicago for example), work on your cornering and pickups out of
those corners. If you go into a race without working on small spikes in power
for a race with a lot of corners (you spike in power as you get back up to
speed), then when the run comes, your legs are going to feel flat. If there are
hills, do some practice on hills or simulate hills in some way. What is the
history of the swim venue? Is it usually choppy, flat like glass? Make sure to
prepare yourself at least mentally for the conditions you will race in. </div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Practice
every situation:</u></b> What are you going to do if you get a flat during your
race? Have you practiced changing a flat so you are quick and efficient and there
is not panic? Prepared if it is a non wet suit swim? Do you know what to do if
you throw your chain? Preparing for as many situations as possible will not
only make correcting the situation faster, but will also keep you calm.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-85666755848416433952014-12-21T13:46:00.000-08:002014-12-21T13:46:29.808-08:00Life and Training<div class="MsoNormal">
How does one train with a full time job and a family? It’s a question I get from my family and friends and as new father I find myself asking this question. You would like to race and compete, but you also do not want to take away time from your family. Anytime you are training or away from your family, you may feel guilty since it’s time you can be spending with them. When I think of this I keep coming to 3 key areas for you to consider. What is it you value, how much time do you have, and what are you willing to sacrifice?</div>
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What is it you value? Before taking on a goal, I would suggest looking at your life and consider what it is you value and make a list. Put everything in order. This list will mostly likely include your family, your relationship with friends and extended family, and living a healthy life so you can see your children have their own children one day. It can even include that <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1504563802" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">6 am m</span></span></span>orning coffee before your family wakes up as that is your quiet time to think, reflect, and helps you keep your sanity. Everything should be written down. Think of what you do in a given week. Do you stay up late waiting for Jimmy Fallon to come on? How much do you value this? Fantasy football, poker night with the buddies? What makes up your week, months, and year?</div>
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How much time do you have? Take a look at your week and month and think of when you have time to workout and train. Evaluate how much time there is day to day. Make sure you are honest with yourself and a week you can do 95% of the year without making major changes. What days do you have the least amount of time, what days would you have the most amount of time. If you look at your week, you may find that you can get in 2 hours per week, or perhaps it’s 10 or more. Maybe it’s more, maybe it’s less. This will be important on what race or goal you under take. If you have 2 hours to commit you can do a 5k, 10K, swim meet, etc. If you only have 2 hours a week I would not suggest trying to take on an ironman.</div>
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What are you willing to sacrifice? Whenever we take something on, whether it’s a new job, training program, having a family, there will be something that you give up. You may find that in your current week you have little time to workout or enough time to accomplish your goals. That means something will have to be given up. You won’t want to give up what you value the most, but you may be willing to give up those poker nights, the late night Friday and/or Saturday dinner plans. The late night T.V. or changing your weekend sleep by going to bed early and getting up early. If you find that you still don’t have the time to accomplish your goals, you may want to reevaluate them. If you want to do an ironman, but your children are still young, you may want to wait a couple of years until they are more independent and focus on sprints since they don’t take as much time.</div>
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The final step is to be creative and try to look at your week differently. If your child goes to bed at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1504563803" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #222222;">8 pm</span></span></span>, can you go to bed at the same time so you can workout early in the morning. Can you squeeze in 30 to 60 min of exercise over your lunch period by coming in a little earlier and leaving a little later? Is it possible to run or bike to work to mix your commute with your training? Do you find that traffic is so bad after work that if you leave 30 minutes later you will get home at the same time because traffic has cleared up? That is 30 minutes that you may be able to run or swim at a local pool and you are not losing any time in your day. Are your children old enough to bike? Have them bike with you as you run and ask them about their day. This allows you to spend time with them and running at a conversational pace will help you on those easy days. Do you drop your kids off at practice and you find yourself chatting with other parents the entire time? Can you use that time to get in a short workout?</div>
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Three are many ways to find time to train if you put your mind to it. Sometimes you may have to be realistic and put off a goal for a couple of years. However, if you always find reasons not to pursue a goal (to busy, its raining out, to cold, to hot, next year, etc.) versus finding reasons to achieve your goals, you will find your opportunity has passed. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-76028113716169943822014-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:002014-12-03T08:53:08.546-08:00To Kick or not to kick. That is the question.One debate I seem to come across often in regards to triathlon training for the swim is whether triathletes should kick or not. I feel each triathlete will find better overall results if they learn an efficient kick.<br />
<br />
Triathletes as a general observation seem to hate to kick (many swimmers do as well). The main reason I hear is because triathletes want to save their legs for the bike and run. By not kicking you are actually not saving your legs more for the bike and run as much as you may think and are hurting your over all performance. Lets explore why.<br />
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<u><b>Creating lift:</b></u> The kick itself does not normally create enough propulsion to make a swimmer faster, so why kick? What it does do is create lift in the legs, as a result, the swimmer is now swimming higher in the water which creates less drag making the swimmer faster while using less over all energy. If I told you you can get from point A to point B faster while using less energy, wouldn't you find that a benefit. I know some are thinking, "most races are wet suit legal, so the wet suit creates all the lift I need." This brings me to my next point.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Rotation:</b></u> It is common knowledge that a swimmer who rotates will swim faster by generating more power by using their core to swim and not just their arms and legs. By kicking, this helps the rotation. Almost all athletes use their core to generate power in their respective sports. A pitcher in baseball and a quarterback in football are the best examples when compared to swimming. To help generate power they need an anchoring point. A pitcher uses the mound as leverage, the quarterback uses the ground. If they are lifted off the ground, their power is greatly diminished as they no longer have the anchor. When watching a football game, the announcers may say that the quarterback did not set their feet and as a result did not have a good throw. The quarterback was not able to generate their normal power as a result of not having a good anchor.<br />
<br />
The kick for a swimmer acts the same way, it creates an anchor to help the swimmer rotate their body and generate more power from the core. Next time you are in the pool, tie your feet together and swim a length of the pool and have someone video tape you (they are also their to make sure you are safe as you have just tied your feet together). You will probably find that it is harder for you to swim, to rotate your core. Also observe the lower part of your body in the video. As you are not able to engage your core as much your legs as a result are fish tailing behind you. This extra side to side movement is creating additional drag and slowing you down. By not kicking you are using more energy while creating additional drag to slow you down and in turn it is taking you longer to get from point A to point B while using more energy.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Saving the legs:</b></u> An efficient kick will not tax your legs so much that you will have less of a bike or run. If you are over kicking, yes, you will be more fatigued. Kicking efficiently will not create the muscle fatigue that some triathletes are worried about. If you are over kicking, it will tax your cardiovascular system to the point that it will negatively effect your race. So how do you know? A good way is to have a coach watch you and give you feed back. If you are on your own, your kick should not feel like you have to put extra effort on it. For a triathlete work on keeping a steady beat/rhythm.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration: underline;">What the Pro's do:</b> If none of this convinces you, then there may be nothing I can say that will. But since there are many articles that have the head line, "What the Pro's do" then I will use it as well. Find me one top level triathlete that does not kick. They all utilize their kick, they just don't over kick.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-88918611758441643522012-04-08T18:09:00.001-07:002012-04-08T18:20:14.721-07:00Fitting Training into Life When talking with athletes about training for an event, whether its completing their first 5K race or doing an Ironman, a major concern is how will it effect their life. They do not want to have to put so much time and effort into something that they miss out on other aspects of their life, mainly their friends and family.<br />
<div> The first and most important thing I tell them is to consider how much time it will take to train for their race. Many times someone who has a goal of running a 5K feels they do not have the time, with family, work, etc, to train. Their reference many times is a friend who races marathons (not 5K's) all the time and how much time they train. Or they hear how much a college athlete trains and tells themselves there is no way they can dedicate that much time to training. If your goal is to complete your first 5K, you don't have to commit the same amount of time. </div><div> If your goal is to do an Ironman, that will take a much larger time commitment and will take a lot of time away from your family and friends. You will have to evaluate if you are willing to commit this time. I encourage everyone to live an active life, but not at the expense of your happiness or your families.</div><div> To fit your training into your everyday life does not mean that you have to separate them. Encourage your significant other or friends to workout with you or do the same race. It will give you an opportunity to spend time with them. If you have children, get a running stroller. If they are older, have them go for a bike ride while you jog. You could do a 30 minute run while they bike at a pace you can chat with them (you can even do this with your significant other if they are willing to bike while you run). It will be a good pace for you to build some miles and spend time with your children. At the same time they get some exercise in as well. Get up early on a Saturday or a Sunday, get a workout in and then come home and make pancakes (or whatever your favorite breakfast is) for you and your kids. You will enjoy the breakfast and time with your family. </div><div> It is possible to fit training into your everyday life. Evaluate your goals and your time, but be honest with yourself. For the amount of time you can devote to training each week should not be any more then what you can do for 48-50 of the 52 weeks out of the year without having to make major sacrifices or changes to your life. When you train, to get the time in, be creative. Maybe there is a way you can train and spend time with your friends and family. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029967912003630086.post-52481920876311319332012-04-08T16:33:00.002-07:002012-04-08T16:33:38.831-07:00Swimming Tips<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I have recently been receiving a lot of questions on training for triathlons and the number one concern for most triathletes is, “how do I improve my swim to reach my goals.” To evaluate this, one first needs to be clear on their goals. If you do not have clear defined goals, then it will be difficult to structure your workouts to obtain them and you may end up swimming endless yards without a clear purpose. Always be aware, goals will vary from athlete to athlete. An athlete who is trying to complete their first triathlon and has little to no swimming experience will have different workouts than an athlete who is trying to improve their swim to move up in their age-group. So never compare what you are doing in your training with what someone else is doing as your goals and workouts will vary. Since most triathletes with a swimming background normally do not ask this question, this entry will focus on two types of athletes. The first athlete is someone who has little to no swimming experience and is trying to complete their first triathlon and the other is the athlete who has done triathlons and is looking to improve their swim and want to move up in the placing of their age-group or trying to improve their personal record (PR).</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> My first tip for anyone is to get in the water now. If you put the time in early on, then you will have greater success in your training and you can focus more on your endurance and speed later in the season instead of just getting into shape or attempting a quick build up at the end of the season to reach your goals. Waiting for a couple weeks or months before your event will only leave you scrambling to get to the level you need to reach to achieve your goals, but is also setting yourself up for failure. Always plan for success, do not set yourself up for failure. You will feel better about your training and have more confidence going into your race.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Whether you are a first time triathlete trying to improve your swim to complete a race or you have done several triathlons and are just trying to improve your PR, try to find a masters swim team to swim with. A masters swim team is similar to an age-group team, but for adults. In a masters team you will find similar athletes with similar goals. They can assist you in your training and give tips on how to train, along with helping you with your technique. A couple things to look for when looking for a masters swim team. First, look for a team that has a good reputation (you can ask a fellow triathlete or swimmer friend) and has a coach on deck. Some are athlete run and the duties of writing the practices will rotate through the certain team members and will be in the water training, so you may not receive the attention and consistent progression you are looking for. When looking at the masters program, make sure they have a lane for your ability level (beginner, intermediate, etc) that will teach you to swim and will help you meet your needs. Check with the team for private lessons or group lessons that you can take or if they have a suggestion of a local organization that can help. These can be great options as good lessons will be based off the progress of the group or the individual and not just following a plan that is one size fits all. In these settings you will receive more individual attention which will improve your learning curve. If you are taking group or individual lessons, don’t rely solely on the lessons to get better as many times you may only take a class once a week. If you only swim once a week, you will not improve at a rate that will meet your needs. In addition, lessons are designed with a strong focus on technique and will make you a good technical swimmer for a short distance such as a 25 or a 50, but the lessons alone will not build you up to the distance or fitness level you will need for your race. Get out and practice what you have learned in the lessons either on your own or in a combination with a masters program. They only way to get better is by putting in the time. Ask the coach or instructor teaching the lessons for “homework,” practices you can do on your own outside of the lessons.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> If you don’t have the option for a masters swim team, there are couple simple of tips on how to structure your workout that can help. First, always start with a warm up. The warm up will be different for everyone. An example is, if you are an Olympic distance swimmer, you may warm up 2000-3000 yards before you really get started on your workout. For a beginner, that can more be an entire workout. So don’t base your warm up off of what someone else does. It is up to your ability. It may be as short as doing 100-300 yards for the initial warm up and that is fine.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Next I would get in a drill set or a secondary warm up. If you are doing more of a recovery day, this can be a longer set or even the main set. If the drill set takes up a larger portion of the practice, then the initial warm up can be shortened as the drills will accomplish the same as the initial warm up. If you are a beginner swimmer, you can start off with the drilling as the main warm up, doing sets of 25’s, 50’s or 100’s to reinforce good technique. As part of the drill set/secondary warm up mix in some build ups or faster swimming to get the body ready for the main set. These are very similar to doing strides when running. When doing the build ups or faster swimming, don’t swim any faster than what you can do to maintain good technique. Don’t swim sloppy, have bad technique, and become short and choppy. Focus on your technique but don’t try to be so perfect when swimming fast that you are focusing on every little placement and pull of the hand that you are not swimming any faster than you would in warm ups. One tip I always tell swimmers to focus on is big fast strokes and to try and swim taller than then are. Example would be if you are 5’ 10”, try to swim like you are 6’4.”</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Next have a main set, your main focus of the day, the number one objective you are trying to achieve in the workout. No matter what you are doing I would encourage you to have a focus for every workout, even if it is longer swimming so it becomes more than just garbage yardage. This will give you something to focus on while you swim, which will help keep you motivated and make the practice seem like it goes a little faster. This could be something as simple as focusing on a high elbow catch on your pull or making sure you breathe to your week side by breathing every 3 or on every other length. If your goal for the main set is to build up to a certain distance so that you can complete the swim portion of your race, you can break that distance up and take short breaks and over time swim longer and longer. If you are trying to complete the distance, build up to longer than the distance you are going to be swimming. A pool has many walls, but open water does not. Even if you are quick off your walls you are still getting a short break after each length. If your swim is a 400 meter swim and you swim in a 25 yard pool, I would suggest trying to build up to a 600-800 yard swim. This will not only get you used to swimming the distance, but it will build your confidence for the swim as you have completed a distance farther than you will be racing. Being able to swim farther than the distance you will race will be good practice as well so when you do race, you will have more energy to bike and run. If you are trying to improve your swim time to move up in your age group or achieve a new PR, many of the sets can be built around increasing your speed. Doing repeats of 100’s or 200’s faster than your race pace can be beneficial. Doing longer sets of 400’s or 500’s at race pace can help get a feel for your desired speed. But remember, when swimming in a pool the walls will make you faster, so you will want to be a couple seconds faster per 100 then your open water goal pace. Example is, if you are a 1:30 per 100 open water swimmer, your pool pace maybe around 1:28 per 100 for race pace. One tip I encourage everyone to remember is to be patient with your progression and enjoy the process. What I mean by this is, if you are a 1:30 per 100 swimmer and you want to be a 1:10 per 100, don’t write and do your workouts as a 1:10 swimmer. You may see some early results, but in the end, you are trying to swim way past your current abilities and this will only leave you feeling frustrated, tired, and broken down by the time you reach your main race and when you don’t got your goal time in the swim, you will feel as if your race was a disappointment. Set your times in practice to where you are at now. You will see progress in your swimming, you will feel better about your swimming, have more motivation and most likely you will extend your triathlon career by avoiding burn out.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> After the mains set, you may want to add an additional drill set. This can be good to do as you will be reinforcing good technique while you are tired. I will sometimes have swimmers do a set of 50’s working on Distance Per Stroke (DPS), counting the number of strokes per 50 they do and trying to reduce that number on ever 50 as they progress through the set. Again, working on good technique and efficiency while being tired so that when they are racing or getting tired in practice, they will rely on the good technique instead of letting their stroke become sloppy.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Always finish will a cool down. This will help you feel better for your next workout. If you have a shorter workout where you are working more on sprints, make sure you do a longer cool down. Many times a sprint workout requires a longer cool down then a distance workout does. It does not have to be a longer swim, you can break it down into 25’s with 10-20 seconds rest between each one, this allows you to enjoy the cool down and feeling good about the workout you just completed and you may be more inclined to complete the cool down then if you were doing a straight swim.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> As I mentioned earlier, enjoy the progress and be patient. I feel it is a good thing to try and push yourself and to test your limits, occasionally doing a workout you are not sure if you can do, but understand you cannot do this in every workout. You may see quick results, but by the end of the season you will find yourself frustrated, tired, and wanting to quit the sport. Swimming tends to be the hardest discipline to pick up of all three, but through hard work, focus, patients, and smart training, you can achieve your goals. </span></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0