If your thinking of doing an Ironman this is the type of training you need to do!
Sit back and watch, this is how it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Time to get your Wetsuit!
It is time to get that great deal on your next wetsuit!
For a limited time All3Sports is offering a 25% off coupon on all in stock, regularly priced 2007 Wetsuits! (use Coupon Code: bouy25). We carry 2XU, Blue Seventy, De Soto, Orca, Quintana Roo and Zoot wetsuits.
72 hours only! - beginning Sunday, July 22nd at 9:00 PM EST ending Tuesday, July 25th at 9:00 PM EST. Enter coupon code at checkout.
Valid for the specified time period on in stock 2007 wetsuits only - absolutely no exceptions will be made.
Coupon cannot be combined with any other shipping or product promotions (like our free wetsuit maintenance kit).
Internet orders only. See coupon policy for more information.
72 hours only! - beginning Sunday, July 22nd at 9:00 PM EST ending Tuesday, July 25th at 9:00 PM EST. Enter coupon code at checkout.
Valid for the specified time period on in stock 2007 wetsuits only - absolutely no exceptions will be made.
Coupon cannot be combined with any other shipping or product promotions (like our free wetsuit maintenance kit).
Internet orders only. See coupon policy for more information.
Wow this is my cousin
This is so very interesting!
I found this out when I was at Racine. My friend Jen and I were in the truck I was almost falling asleep until she asked me if I knew a Harvey Miller I said yes that's my cousins name then she asked what does he do? I said he's a attorney, where does he live? I said Ohio -far away! Then she showed me the news paper she was reading and there he was! "WOW" that was weird! I had to call my sister Bethanne at 4:00 am to let her know!
Here is the story there is more on it on the web if you want to see the video...
HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- All the way back to shore after an 8-foot tiger shark chomped into his left leg, Harvey Miller thought he might die.
"I just remember saying, 'Oh God, not like this, no way,"' Miller said Friday, a day after the fish attacked him off Oahu's Bellows Beach.
The animal went after the 36-year-old attorney from Toledo, Ohio, in clear blue waters in an area not known for shark attacks. The last such incident in that area happened almost 50 years ago, the state's Shark Task Force said.
The father of four was snorkeling and looking for turtles about 150 yards from shore when he noticed that some fish near him looked spooked.
Then he saw a large shark's flat snout and felt the animal spin him around.
Speaking to reporters at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was taken after the attack, Miller said he punched the shark twice right below its dorsal fin, scaring it away.
Then Miller started screaming and yelling for help and headed for shore.
A day later, he was sitting in a hospital wheelchair, tired and nauseous from the pain medicine but grateful for his doctor's estimate that he should be walking in a few months and, if all goes well, playing basketball with his teenage son in six months to a year.
"I'm happy -- one, to be alive and two, that I don't anticipate ... losing the leg," he said.
Miller said a stranger helped save him by wading into the ocean to answer his cries for help.
"He's my hero. I would not have made it out of the water without his assistance. I owe my life to that man," Miller said.
Dr. Patrick Murray said the shark came down on Miller's leg and knee with "tremendous" force.
"It went right to the bone, into the bone, broke some of the bone, and into the knee joint and then removed a fairly large portion of his leg up by the knee," Murray said.
Miller has two wounds on the side and back of his left knee, one 3 to 4 inches long and the other about a foot long.
Murray spent two hours operating on Miller's leg on Thursday. He said the Ohio man would need additional surgery to repair nerve damage.
Randy Honebrink, Shark Task Force spokesman, said the shark was likely looking for food when it came upon Miller. Two partially eaten dead turtles later washed ashore in the same area, showing signs of shark bites, he said.
"The only way a shark can tell if something is a potential food source is by biting it," Honebrink said.
He said the attack was the first known shark incident in a coastal stretch from Makapuu to Kaneohe Bay since 1958.
Miller said his 11-day vacation in with his wife Lisa and his in-laws turned about "180 degrees" from what he had planned. But he said he still loves the ocean.
"It's their environment. We're visitors to it," he said. "All we can do is try not to look like food"
Thank god he's here with us!
I found this out when I was at Racine. My friend Jen and I were in the truck I was almost falling asleep until she asked me if I knew a Harvey Miller I said yes that's my cousins name then she asked what does he do? I said he's a attorney, where does he live? I said Ohio -far away! Then she showed me the news paper she was reading and there he was! "WOW" that was weird! I had to call my sister Bethanne at 4:00 am to let her know!
Here is the story there is more on it on the web if you want to see the video...
HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- All the way back to shore after an 8-foot tiger shark chomped into his left leg, Harvey Miller thought he might die.
"I just remember saying, 'Oh God, not like this, no way,"' Miller said Friday, a day after the fish attacked him off Oahu's Bellows Beach.
The animal went after the 36-year-old attorney from Toledo, Ohio, in clear blue waters in an area not known for shark attacks. The last such incident in that area happened almost 50 years ago, the state's Shark Task Force said.
The father of four was snorkeling and looking for turtles about 150 yards from shore when he noticed that some fish near him looked spooked.
Then he saw a large shark's flat snout and felt the animal spin him around.
Speaking to reporters at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was taken after the attack, Miller said he punched the shark twice right below its dorsal fin, scaring it away.
Then Miller started screaming and yelling for help and headed for shore.
A day later, he was sitting in a hospital wheelchair, tired and nauseous from the pain medicine but grateful for his doctor's estimate that he should be walking in a few months and, if all goes well, playing basketball with his teenage son in six months to a year.
"I'm happy -- one, to be alive and two, that I don't anticipate ... losing the leg," he said.
Miller said a stranger helped save him by wading into the ocean to answer his cries for help.
"He's my hero. I would not have made it out of the water without his assistance. I owe my life to that man," Miller said.
Dr. Patrick Murray said the shark came down on Miller's leg and knee with "tremendous" force.
"It went right to the bone, into the bone, broke some of the bone, and into the knee joint and then removed a fairly large portion of his leg up by the knee," Murray said.
Miller has two wounds on the side and back of his left knee, one 3 to 4 inches long and the other about a foot long.
Murray spent two hours operating on Miller's leg on Thursday. He said the Ohio man would need additional surgery to repair nerve damage.
Randy Honebrink, Shark Task Force spokesman, said the shark was likely looking for food when it came upon Miller. Two partially eaten dead turtles later washed ashore in the same area, showing signs of shark bites, he said.
"The only way a shark can tell if something is a potential food source is by biting it," Honebrink said.
He said the attack was the first known shark incident in a coastal stretch from Makapuu to Kaneohe Bay since 1958.
Miller said his 11-day vacation in with his wife Lisa and his in-laws turned about "180 degrees" from what he had planned. But he said he still loves the ocean.
"It's their environment. We're visitors to it," he said. "All we can do is try not to look like food"
Thank god he's here with us!
Friday, July 13, 2007
This could help your next race!
Cracking the Code on Hydration
For most cyclists, competing in events under 90 minutes does not cause many problems for hydration, electrolyte supplementation and fueling. Water or a mostly-carbohydrate sports drink work well for both fueling and hydration. In most cases, cyclists do not need to supplement with electrolytes for sessions under 90 minutes long, but there are some athletes who lose above normal amounts of electrolytes while sweating that will benefit from supplementation during short sessions.
Sweat Rate and Electrolyte Losses
If you are attempting to delay the onset of dehydration during exercise, the first step is to determine your personal sweat rate in various situations.
Given the same fitness level and environmental conditions, your sweat rate will vary depending on your cycling situation. If you are sitting in the peloton and conserving energy, your hourly sweat rate will be lower than if you are in a three-person breakaway fighting for a podium position. Because the average speed you produce on a bicycle is not always an accurate reflection of your actual work effort, you can consider linking your sweat rates to your work effort in terms of heart rates produced or average power output. Cycling situation aside, your fitness and heat acclimatization affects your sweat rate and the contents of your sweat. See the table below.
Electrolyte Contents of Sweat and the Affects of Fitness and Heat Acclimitization
Electrolyte Sweat of unacclimatized, unfit subject Sweat of fit but unacclimatized subject
Sweat of fit and acclimatized subject
Sodium (Na+)
3.5
2.6
1.8
Potassium (K+)
0.2
0.15
0.1
Magnesium (Mg+)
0.1
0.1
0.1
Chloride (Cl-)
1.4
1.1
0.9
* All values in grams per liter.* Table adapted from Table 4.2 Electrolyte Contents of Sweat and Blood and the Affects of Fitness and Heat Acclimitization, "Fourth Edition, Lore of Running", Tim Noakes M.D., pp. 214 The major affects of acclimatization to heat can be accomplished in 10 to 14 days. As you can see from the table, if you are unfit and not acclimated to the heat you will lose almost twice the sodium, twice the potassium and one-and-a-half times the chloride in your sweat compared to when you are fit and acclimated.
The bottom line: Fitness and acclimatization reduces your electrolyte losses.
Electrolyte Replacement
It is much easier to determine your sweat losses during exercise than it is to determine your electrolyte losses.
Do you need to take electrolyte tablets or are the electrolytes in your energy drink enough?
Unfortunately, there is no easy and universal answer to that question. According to Noakes, it is "the amount of sodium and potassium in the body that determines the water balance, not the other way around." Therefore, your electrolyte balance affects your hydration balance.
A good place to begin is to consume a sports drink containing electrolytes when training or racing for durations over two hours. If you believe, based on the salt mine on your clothing and helmet straps, that you lose a lot of electrolytes in your sweat consider supplementing with electrolyte tablets. Begin with the low end of the manufacturer's recommended dosage AND the recommended fluid intake. Be very wary of water cooler or message board recommendations to pop a handful of electrolyte tablets because "top racer Ricky or Renee" does.
Remember: your body likes balance. Consuming too much water and no electrolytes during extended exercise is not good and can cause hyponatremia. Consuming too many electrolytes with too little fluid is not good and can cause your body to retain fluid rather than releasing it for cooling purposes.
Fluid Replacement
The average sweat rate is between 0.8 to 1.4 liters (roughly 27.4 to 47.3 ounces) per hour during exercise. The average fluid absorption rates range from 0.8 to 1.2 liters per hour (27.4 to 40.6 ounces). Unfortunately, while the sweat-rate range and the fluid absorption ranges are close, some athletes sweat at higher rates per hour than their fluid absorption rate.
Do you have to replace every drop of sweat you lose during exercise? The rule of thumb is that you should neither gain weight during exercise (consuming more fluid than you lose) nor lose excessive weight. Excessive weight loss is considered to be more than 2 percent of your body weight. If you lose up to 2 percent of your body weight, performance is affected less if you are performing in a cool environment than if you are performing in a hot environment. Weight losses above 2 percent of your body weight should be avoided.
Gastric Emptying Sloshing. It's a horrible feeling. Sloshing occurs when you are consuming fluids--and perhaps solids--but rather than moving to your intestines the mix just sits in your stomach. Sloshing is worse for runners and mountain bikers than road cyclists, but roadies get it too. Eventually, sloshing is followed by slowed-to-a-snail's pace performance, barfing or both.
You can increase the rate of gastric emptying by:
Keeping a small fluid volume in your stomach by consuming fluids every 15 to 20 minutes rather than attempting to consume larger quantities of fluid at 60-minute or more intervals.
Keeping fat, protein and carbohydrate concentrations low. How much protein and fat you can tolerate depends on your exercise pace and individual tolerance level. Remaining hydrated. Dehydration decreases gastric emptying. Keeping exercise intensity low. Intensity above 75 percent of maximum decreases the emptying rate. You can increase intestinal fluid absorption by: Using a low-to-moderate level of glucose plus sodium.
Using a low-to-moderate level of sodium.
What Should You Do?
All of this information can seem overwhelming. To begin cracking your hydration code:
Determine your sweat rate in various environmental and racing conditions.
Once you know your sweat rates, hydrate at rates appropriate to each situation. Your sweat and hydration rates are not constant and will need conscious modification given your fitness, the environment and your pace. Hydrate so that you keep your body weight loss to less than 2 percent during training and racing sessions. Avoid over-hydrating and weight gain during exercise sessions. Most importantly, know that you have a range of optimal fluid replacement and what is optimum for you may or may not work for the athlete standing next to you.
For most cyclists, competing in events under 90 minutes does not cause many problems for hydration, electrolyte supplementation and fueling. Water or a mostly-carbohydrate sports drink work well for both fueling and hydration. In most cases, cyclists do not need to supplement with electrolytes for sessions under 90 minutes long, but there are some athletes who lose above normal amounts of electrolytes while sweating that will benefit from supplementation during short sessions.
Sweat Rate and Electrolyte Losses
If you are attempting to delay the onset of dehydration during exercise, the first step is to determine your personal sweat rate in various situations.
Given the same fitness level and environmental conditions, your sweat rate will vary depending on your cycling situation. If you are sitting in the peloton and conserving energy, your hourly sweat rate will be lower than if you are in a three-person breakaway fighting for a podium position. Because the average speed you produce on a bicycle is not always an accurate reflection of your actual work effort, you can consider linking your sweat rates to your work effort in terms of heart rates produced or average power output. Cycling situation aside, your fitness and heat acclimatization affects your sweat rate and the contents of your sweat. See the table below.
Electrolyte Contents of Sweat and the Affects of Fitness and Heat Acclimitization
Electrolyte Sweat of unacclimatized, unfit subject Sweat of fit but unacclimatized subject
Sweat of fit and acclimatized subject
Sodium (Na+)
3.5
2.6
1.8
Potassium (K+)
0.2
0.15
0.1
Magnesium (Mg+)
0.1
0.1
0.1
Chloride (Cl-)
1.4
1.1
0.9
* All values in grams per liter.* Table adapted from Table 4.2 Electrolyte Contents of Sweat and Blood and the Affects of Fitness and Heat Acclimitization, "Fourth Edition, Lore of Running", Tim Noakes M.D., pp. 214 The major affects of acclimatization to heat can be accomplished in 10 to 14 days. As you can see from the table, if you are unfit and not acclimated to the heat you will lose almost twice the sodium, twice the potassium and one-and-a-half times the chloride in your sweat compared to when you are fit and acclimated.
The bottom line: Fitness and acclimatization reduces your electrolyte losses.
Electrolyte Replacement
It is much easier to determine your sweat losses during exercise than it is to determine your electrolyte losses.
Do you need to take electrolyte tablets or are the electrolytes in your energy drink enough?
Unfortunately, there is no easy and universal answer to that question. According to Noakes, it is "the amount of sodium and potassium in the body that determines the water balance, not the other way around." Therefore, your electrolyte balance affects your hydration balance.
A good place to begin is to consume a sports drink containing electrolytes when training or racing for durations over two hours. If you believe, based on the salt mine on your clothing and helmet straps, that you lose a lot of electrolytes in your sweat consider supplementing with electrolyte tablets. Begin with the low end of the manufacturer's recommended dosage AND the recommended fluid intake. Be very wary of water cooler or message board recommendations to pop a handful of electrolyte tablets because "top racer Ricky or Renee" does.
Remember: your body likes balance. Consuming too much water and no electrolytes during extended exercise is not good and can cause hyponatremia. Consuming too many electrolytes with too little fluid is not good and can cause your body to retain fluid rather than releasing it for cooling purposes.
Fluid Replacement
The average sweat rate is between 0.8 to 1.4 liters (roughly 27.4 to 47.3 ounces) per hour during exercise. The average fluid absorption rates range from 0.8 to 1.2 liters per hour (27.4 to 40.6 ounces). Unfortunately, while the sweat-rate range and the fluid absorption ranges are close, some athletes sweat at higher rates per hour than their fluid absorption rate.
Do you have to replace every drop of sweat you lose during exercise? The rule of thumb is that you should neither gain weight during exercise (consuming more fluid than you lose) nor lose excessive weight. Excessive weight loss is considered to be more than 2 percent of your body weight. If you lose up to 2 percent of your body weight, performance is affected less if you are performing in a cool environment than if you are performing in a hot environment. Weight losses above 2 percent of your body weight should be avoided.
Gastric Emptying Sloshing. It's a horrible feeling. Sloshing occurs when you are consuming fluids--and perhaps solids--but rather than moving to your intestines the mix just sits in your stomach. Sloshing is worse for runners and mountain bikers than road cyclists, but roadies get it too. Eventually, sloshing is followed by slowed-to-a-snail's pace performance, barfing or both.
You can increase the rate of gastric emptying by:
Keeping a small fluid volume in your stomach by consuming fluids every 15 to 20 minutes rather than attempting to consume larger quantities of fluid at 60-minute or more intervals.
Keeping fat, protein and carbohydrate concentrations low. How much protein and fat you can tolerate depends on your exercise pace and individual tolerance level. Remaining hydrated. Dehydration decreases gastric emptying. Keeping exercise intensity low. Intensity above 75 percent of maximum decreases the emptying rate. You can increase intestinal fluid absorption by: Using a low-to-moderate level of glucose plus sodium.
Using a low-to-moderate level of sodium.
What Should You Do?
All of this information can seem overwhelming. To begin cracking your hydration code:
Determine your sweat rate in various environmental and racing conditions.
Once you know your sweat rates, hydrate at rates appropriate to each situation. Your sweat and hydration rates are not constant and will need conscious modification given your fitness, the environment and your pace. Hydrate so that you keep your body weight loss to less than 2 percent during training and racing sessions. Avoid over-hydrating and weight gain during exercise sessions. Most importantly, know that you have a range of optimal fluid replacement and what is optimum for you may or may not work for the athlete standing next to you.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Five Common Race Nutrition Mistakes
by Dave Scott
Avoiding these five common race nutrition mistakes could mean the difference between a DNF and a PR in your next triathlon.
Mistake #1 - No plan
Perhaps the most common race nutrition mistake triathletes make is to come into races without a plan. This oversight leads to costly errors such as drinking too little and becoming dehydrated and eating too much and becoming nauseated. In order to avoid making such errors, you need to come into each race knowing what, when, and how much you're going to drink and eat from the time you wake up race morning until you cross the finish line. This plan should be based on 1) a basic knowledge of the principles of race nutrition, 2) knowledge of your body's specific fluid, electrolyte, and carbohydrate needs and tolerances, 3) the length and conditions of the race, and 4) your fitness level upon entering the race.
Mistake #2 - Overloading
During a triathlon, it's tempting to really pack in the carbs, knowing that it's impossible to consume enough to offset depletion. However, it's rather easy to consume more carbohydrate than your body can process during a race, and this is something that triathletes commonly do, with disastrous consequences. The average triathlete can absorb between 60 and 100 grams of carbohydrate per hour. You can easily achieve this range by using a sports drink alone. However, most triathletes racing in a half or full Ironman will use a combination of sports drink and gels or bars. A sensible ratio of liquid to solid calories is about 3:1 in long triathlons. Again, you may find that using a sports drink only throughout the bike and run will suffice. When an excessive amount of carbohydrates is consumed, quite often there is a backlog in the stomach which eventually may cause nausea, bloating and diarrhea.
Mistake #3 - Too much water
When you continuously sweat and drink water during a race, the electrolyte concentration of your blood becomes progressively lower. Hyponatremia is a condition that is characterized by dangerously low blood sodium concentration. Early symptoms include nausea, muscle cramps, and diarrhea. As it becomes more serious, dizziness, disorientation, and inappropriate behavior often manifest. Serious cases can entail seizure, coma, and death. You can easily avoid hyponatremia by taking in adequate quantities of sodium during races. A well-formulated sports drink contains enough sodium to maintain healthy sodium levels in the blood despite heavy sweating. For this reason, you should always drink a sports drink instead of water during races unless you combine the use of water with the use of gels or bars that contain sodium.
Mistake #4 - Bad breakfast
Often triathletes eat the wrong foods, eat too much or too little, or eat at the wrong time on race morning. Doing any of these things could completely ruin your race, or at least make your performance less than optimal. Here's what you should do. Try to eat two to three hours before your wave start. Eat as large a breakfast as you are comfortable eating. You should have some sense of this from your training. The meal should be high in low- to moderate-glycemic carbohydrates that digest slowly and should also contain some protein. It should be low in fiber and fat. Drink plenty of water, and be sure to take in some sodium and potassium (this can be accomplished with 1 or 2 pieces of fruit). Following up breakfast by consuming 4 to 8 ounces of A sports drink or an energy gel and water within about 30 minutes of the race start will ensure that your blood glucose level is as high as possible at race time.
Mistake #5 - Not consuming protein
Triathletes are slowly catching on to the now proven fact that consuming protein with carbohydrate during a race can improve performance and recovery, but a majority of triathletes still consume carbohydrate alone. New research shows a sports drink containing carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio (Accelerade®) significantly outperforms a conventional carbohydrate-only sports drink. Studies have shown that Accelerade, when compared to a carbohydrate-only sports drink, increases endurance by 29%, increases hydration by 15%, reduces muscle damage by 83%, and even improves performance in a subsequent exercise bout by 40%. It appears that the added protein speeds the delivery of carbohydrate to working muscles. This provides energy faster and allows the muscles to conserve their stored carbohydrate fuel. Other research suggests that using a sports drink containing protein during exercise also accelerates post-exercise muscle tissue repair, and it may even reduce the amount of muscle damage that occurs during workouts and competitions.
Dave Scott is a 6-time winner of the Hawaiian Ironman and triathlon coach.
by Dave Scott
Avoiding these five common race nutrition mistakes could mean the difference between a DNF and a PR in your next triathlon.
Mistake #1 - No plan
Perhaps the most common race nutrition mistake triathletes make is to come into races without a plan. This oversight leads to costly errors such as drinking too little and becoming dehydrated and eating too much and becoming nauseated. In order to avoid making such errors, you need to come into each race knowing what, when, and how much you're going to drink and eat from the time you wake up race morning until you cross the finish line. This plan should be based on 1) a basic knowledge of the principles of race nutrition, 2) knowledge of your body's specific fluid, electrolyte, and carbohydrate needs and tolerances, 3) the length and conditions of the race, and 4) your fitness level upon entering the race.
Mistake #2 - Overloading
During a triathlon, it's tempting to really pack in the carbs, knowing that it's impossible to consume enough to offset depletion. However, it's rather easy to consume more carbohydrate than your body can process during a race, and this is something that triathletes commonly do, with disastrous consequences. The average triathlete can absorb between 60 and 100 grams of carbohydrate per hour. You can easily achieve this range by using a sports drink alone. However, most triathletes racing in a half or full Ironman will use a combination of sports drink and gels or bars. A sensible ratio of liquid to solid calories is about 3:1 in long triathlons. Again, you may find that using a sports drink only throughout the bike and run will suffice. When an excessive amount of carbohydrates is consumed, quite often there is a backlog in the stomach which eventually may cause nausea, bloating and diarrhea.
Mistake #3 - Too much water
When you continuously sweat and drink water during a race, the electrolyte concentration of your blood becomes progressively lower. Hyponatremia is a condition that is characterized by dangerously low blood sodium concentration. Early symptoms include nausea, muscle cramps, and diarrhea. As it becomes more serious, dizziness, disorientation, and inappropriate behavior often manifest. Serious cases can entail seizure, coma, and death. You can easily avoid hyponatremia by taking in adequate quantities of sodium during races. A well-formulated sports drink contains enough sodium to maintain healthy sodium levels in the blood despite heavy sweating. For this reason, you should always drink a sports drink instead of water during races unless you combine the use of water with the use of gels or bars that contain sodium.
Mistake #4 - Bad breakfast
Often triathletes eat the wrong foods, eat too much or too little, or eat at the wrong time on race morning. Doing any of these things could completely ruin your race, or at least make your performance less than optimal. Here's what you should do. Try to eat two to three hours before your wave start. Eat as large a breakfast as you are comfortable eating. You should have some sense of this from your training. The meal should be high in low- to moderate-glycemic carbohydrates that digest slowly and should also contain some protein. It should be low in fiber and fat. Drink plenty of water, and be sure to take in some sodium and potassium (this can be accomplished with 1 or 2 pieces of fruit). Following up breakfast by consuming 4 to 8 ounces of A sports drink or an energy gel and water within about 30 minutes of the race start will ensure that your blood glucose level is as high as possible at race time.
Mistake #5 - Not consuming protein
Triathletes are slowly catching on to the now proven fact that consuming protein with carbohydrate during a race can improve performance and recovery, but a majority of triathletes still consume carbohydrate alone. New research shows a sports drink containing carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio (Accelerade®) significantly outperforms a conventional carbohydrate-only sports drink. Studies have shown that Accelerade, when compared to a carbohydrate-only sports drink, increases endurance by 29%, increases hydration by 15%, reduces muscle damage by 83%, and even improves performance in a subsequent exercise bout by 40%. It appears that the added protein speeds the delivery of carbohydrate to working muscles. This provides energy faster and allows the muscles to conserve their stored carbohydrate fuel. Other research suggests that using a sports drink containing protein during exercise also accelerates post-exercise muscle tissue repair, and it may even reduce the amount of muscle damage that occurs during workouts and competitions.
Dave Scott is a 6-time winner of the Hawaiian Ironman and triathlon coach.
What have I been doing?
This is a quick run down of what has been going on in my little life of fun!
I have another sponcer http://accelerade.com/
Training with Jen in open water swim, this is Jen first time wearing a wet suit! Doesn't see look like she's having fun!
Watching the Tour whooohoooo this is great!
This is Landen doing flips at river fest just like his mom! Go Landen GO!
Landen waiting in line!
Landen and Blane playing Star wars in the yard! Landen as you can see is confident with one sword. Where Blane has to have 2 to defend himself against "The Great Landen"!
Landen playing baseball! I can't miss out on this stuff!
I have another sponcer http://accelerade.com/
Training with Jen in open water swim, this is Jen first time wearing a wet suit! Doesn't see look like she's having fun!
Watching the Tour whooohoooo this is great!
This is Landen doing flips at river fest just like his mom! Go Landen GO!
Landen waiting in line!
Landen and Blane playing Star wars in the yard! Landen as you can see is confident with one sword. Where Blane has to have 2 to defend himself against "The Great Landen"!
Landen playing baseball! I can't miss out on this stuff!Training wise is going great!
Todd and I did the Time Trial that was fun! If you ever have the chance to do one get out and do it.
Swimming has been great I really don't have to much time so I just go out and swim 1 to 2 miles as much as I can. I know now we will not be able to use our wetsuits for Kentucky Ironman so I better start swimming without one!
Biking all the time I love it. This past Saturday was my long ride I did 102 miles I got really, really sick at mile 80 puking and everything so very fun. However I am getting used to just turn your head and puke and keep pedaling.
Now for my running "Oh crud" RUNNING! "OK" I haven't been good with this but I did start as of to day I ran 1-1/2 hours and ran stairs at UWL that was so very fun so running is starting up again. Know I'm not counting the running I do at 4:30 am.
What is Danni doing..
Living Life, Ironman Training, Training others to be the best they can be, Teaching, Coaching, Friends and having a Ton of fun! But not for getting the most important things in life My boys I'm so very lucky!
Remember: "You only have ONE Life so Live it up"!
Monday, June 25, 2007
A little story about this photo! We drove 3 trucks up to the race and Ron was in the front, we were on hwy 21 a 2 lane hwy. Ron went to pass someone and he was very, very close to a head on accident.. however in the 10 feet that he had he made it. Thank God! I called up to their truck to make sure we didn't have to stop, so they could wipe or go to the restroom. Then we stopped at a McDonalds and I went into the rest room and grabbed some t.p. and walked out with it like this... I went by Ron and told him I had to keep this just in case he was going to pull another close one..
Team Hoyt!
This was a huge dream of mine to meet this amazing dad! What a HUGE inspiration to me and to everyone, you can never give up!
Take a look at their site if you don't know who he/they are you will however you will need a tissue or a roll of TP.
Look at this first http://www.sermonspice.com/cart/?p=product&id=108&gclid=CP_kjrfq94wCFR6AWAodgXnXDQ
Support Team Hoyt by purchasing something from his site!
Bethanne Finished, did great, stayed strong, and loved it! I think I turned a new leaf for her. She was so very nervous but then again ready to tear it 
up.
There were 6 of us in one room, Beth had to learn quickly that when you get up at 3:00 am to eat for your race you need to go to bed early not go out and party! That was funny!!! So we went to bed as early as we could when you have 6 people in the room and a wedding party on the same floor as us. We woke up at 3:00 am Jason made us pancakes, ate some apples, and oatmeal “oh” yeah and gummy bears. Time to get ready and roll down to the race site we got there around 4:45. We started getting our bikes out rode them around to check the tires, gears, and yada, yada then get all the other stuff out of the trucks, and get it all to the transition area Beth was almost sick to her tummy ok, I think all of us were a little sick to our tummy’s (to me that just means you want to do great) so I think we hit the rest room about 10 times. When we were finished setting up our stuff we walked around talked to friends and kept our mind off the time as much as we could.
5 minutes to start we walk down to the water gave her a huge hug and said good luck, stay strong, you’re going to do it and of course Love you sis..
I was in wave 3 she was in wave 14 my swim went great! As I was coming out of transition area and hoped on my bike started to ride as fast as I could, I saw a green shirt up ahead then said to myself I have to pass that girl. I got closer and closer to her and here it was my sister she made it through the water whoooooohooo I told her to stay strong, your doing great see you in a little bit. Again I was doing the Half Ironman and she was doing the sprint so I should have told her I’ll see you in a couple hours…
My swim was awesome, my bike was awesome no women passed me so even better and my run was very, very, very tough! I finished 28 min. faster then last years time and felt great!
As I was coming to the finish line I heard the announcer say Danni nichols one of our cancer survivors I knew my sister had set that up.
Beth was waiting for me at the finish line and it was great to give her a huge hug! I congratulated her on her finish. My sister is a Triathlete something I have been working on for a year or so wow maybe longer… whooohoo it will be so fun to do more of these with her.
up.There were 6 of us in one room, Beth had to learn quickly that when you get up at 3:00 am to eat for your race you need to go to bed early not go out and party! That was funny!!! So we went to bed as early as we could when you have 6 people in the room and a wedding party on the same floor as us. We woke up at 3:00 am Jason made us pancakes, ate some apples, and oatmeal “oh” yeah and gummy bears. Time to get ready and roll down to the race site we got there around 4:45. We started getting our bikes out rode them around to check the tires, gears, and yada, yada then get all the other stuff out of the trucks, and get it all to the transition area Beth was almost sick to her tummy ok, I think all of us were a little sick to our tummy’s (to me that just means you want to do great) so I think we hit the rest room about 10 times. When we were finished setting up our stuff we walked around talked to friends and kept our mind off the time as much as we could.
5 minutes to start we walk down to the water gave her a huge hug and said good luck, stay strong, you’re going to do it and of course Love you sis..
I was in wave 3 she was in wave 14 my swim went great! As I was coming out of transition area and hoped on my bike started to ride as fast as I could, I saw a green shirt up ahead then said to myself I have to pass that girl. I got closer and closer to her and here it was my sister she made it through the water whoooooohooo I told her to stay strong, your doing great see you in a little bit. Again I was doing the Half Ironman and she was doing the sprint so I should have told her I’ll see you in a couple hours…
My swim was awesome, my bike was awesome no women passed me so even better and my run was very, very, very tough! I finished 28 min. faster then last years time and felt great!
As I was coming to the finish line I heard the announcer say Danni nichols one of our cancer survivors I knew my sister had set that up.
Beth was waiting for me at the finish line and it was great to give her a huge hug! I congratulated her on her finish. My sister is a Triathlete something I have been working on for a year or so wow maybe longer… whooohoo it will be so fun to do more of these with her.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Training with my 2 Best Friends -Beth my sis. and Jen my long time friend for their first triathlon
Beth is doing great on her biking we road 25 miles yesterday! She also did her first open water swim yesterday, she was like a rocket she swam her first 1/4 mile in 11:29 her second 1/4 mile was in 9:48 and she wasn't wearing a wet suit she did AWESOME!
Tonight's workout was running so Beth, Jenni and I went for a run. Just a little extra info...Jenni is recovering from her last surgery she's 6 weeks out and Beth hasn't run more then 1 mile without stopping for a long, long, long time however, tonight they both did great. We did 2.5 miles and they didn't even stop it was so very cool.
Also remember these girls have only been training maybe 2 to 3 weeks...
They are going to do great this weekend!
"Be positive and everything will go your way, it might take time however, we all have a ton of time"
Keep Training!
Tonight's workout was running so Beth, Jenni and I went for a run. Just a little extra info...Jenni is recovering from her last surgery she's 6 weeks out and Beth hasn't run more then 1 mile without stopping for a long, long, long time however, tonight they both did great. We did 2.5 miles and they didn't even stop it was so very cool.
Also remember these girls have only been training maybe 2 to 3 weeks...
They are going to do great this weekend!
"Be positive and everything will go your way, it might take time however, we all have a ton of time"
Keep Training!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Their first 40
My sister Bethanne, My self, and My best friend Jenni went out for a 40 mile bike ride- when we started it was nice and warm out when we finished we were soaking wet!This was Beth's and Jenni's first 40 miler they did great!
Next weekend will be their first Sprint Triathlon at High Cliff they are going to do AWESOME!!!
I will be doing the High Cliff Half Ironman I'm looking at doing better then last year!
Great Job today girls!!!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Group Photo after the race!
A little Race day updates...
Race day- woke up feeling great had my oatmeal and gummie bears.
Swim was awesome - Stayed lean long, Strong and in control, the swim course was very nice
Transition 1 - Went well I couldn't get my sock on and my hair pulled back into my helmet but it worked out..
Bike- the start was great/awesome until about mile 9 and I couldn't get my heart rate down it was at 198 "WOWZA" I couldn't climb the hills like normal I was huffing and puffing. Trying to take deep breaths, nothing was working...
By mile 13-15 I was a hurting unit. I was puking up Poweraid and Gu but I kept going I couldn't let any women pass me....
Transition 2 - I was the 3rd women off the bike I kept it up! :) off with the cycling stuff and on with the running shoes...
Run - Man oh man I was in for it my calf muscles were cramping and my quads were on "FIRE" but I was able to keep a nice easy pace of 8:36 now that was only for the first 3 miles then I lost it! I went down hill I was again almost at puking stage however, "I couldn't stop to puke then to many people would have seen it"! SO I had to back it off, I fell into 6 in the over all for women and 2nd in my age group I guess I'll take that for a bad day!!
However it was really fun to see all my clients finish their first triathlon that was the best part of the race!!!
Congratulations to them, They set a goal and they achieved it!
"Life is what you make it"
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
This is a good one Listen!
We all have times in our life called "Life's little bumps in the road"!However you just have to "STAND" and move forward!
"Love it, don't hate it, that's what makes you who you are today"!
http://www.cmt.com/loaded/player.jhtml?lnk=v&name=browse&vid=140470&source=OD_
VIDEO:undefined:Stand#140470&launchedFrom=loaded
"Love it, don't hate it, that's what makes you who you are today"!
http://www.cmt.com/loaded/player.jhtml?lnk=v&name=browse&vid=140470&source=OD_
VIDEO:undefined:Stand#140470&launchedFrom=loaded
Pace Strategies for race day!
You have successfully trained for your race. As the big day approaches, you begin to contemplate race-pace strategies. Should you be conservative or go for broke?
The answer depends on your current fitness level, the race distance, your predicted race finish time and your racing experience.
At any distance, the first concern is fitness level. If you consider your fitness level low, your initial choice should be a pace that enables you to comfortably complete the event. If you feel fantastic at the halfway mark during the run, then go ahead and pick up the pace.
The second consideration is race distance and current fitness. While distance is the same for every competitor in the race, the time spent on the course is not. You need to predict, based on your current fitness (not the fitness and speed you dream of having), how long it will take you to complete the event.
Race strategies
Listed in this column are some general race strategies. These strategies reference training and racing zones. You can find a guide to heart rate and rating of perceived exertion related to the zones here http://www.active.com/images/activeTrainer/Training_Intensity.pdf
For races in the 1:00 to 1:30 range:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 or 2 intensity.
Medium fitness: Include a warmup on the bike or running (15 to 20 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Begin each leg of the event at Zone 2 intensity, and then gradually increase to Zone 4 to 5a intensity. Most of each leg will be done at Zone 4 intensity.
High fitness: Warm up on the bike (20 to 30 minutes), by running (10 to 15 minutes) and in the water (10 to 15 minutes) before the race begins. Include a couple of 60- to 90-second efforts at race pace near the end of each warmup segment. Begin each event at low-Zone 4 intensity and finish at 5a. The bike can include some short efforts above 5a. The run can begin at Zone 4 to 5a intensity and finish the last mile with what you have left, possibly in Zone 5b.
For races in the 1:30 to 3:00 range:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 to 2 intensity.
Medium fitness: Include a short warmup on the bike or running (10 to 20 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Begin each leg of the event at Zone 2 intensity and get settled in. Plan to race each leg in a negative-split manner, with the second half of each leg to include effort at Zone 3 to Zone 5a intensity.
High fitness: Include a warmup on the bike (10 to 20 minutes) and running (five to 10 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Include a couple of 60- to 90-second efforts at race pace near the end of each warmup segment. Begin each event at Zone 2 to 3 intensity. Plan to increase to Zone 4 to 5a intensity during the second half of the bike and after the first mile or two on the run.
For races in the 3:00 to 5:00 range:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 to 2 intensity.
Medium fitness: Include a short warmup on the bike or running (10 to 20 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Begin each leg of the event at Zone 1 to 2 intensity and get settled in. Plan to race each leg in a negative-split manner, with the second half of each leg to include a good deal of Zone 3 intensity.
High fitness: Include a warmup on the bike (10 to 20 minutes) and running (five to 10 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Include a couple of 60- to 90-second efforts at race pace near the end of each warmup segment. Begin each leg at Zone 1 to 2, and plan to include a good deal of Zone 3 intensity. You can also include Zone 4 to 5a intensity, accumulating to about an hour to two hours on the bike and the run combined. How much time you accumulate at this intensity depends on your racing experience and predicted finish time.
Races that are 5:00 or more:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 to 2 intensity. Begin the first half of each leg at Zone 1. If you feel great, increase to Zone 2 in the second half of the leg.
Medium fitness: Begin each leg of the event at Zone 1 to 2 intensity to get settled in. Plan to race each leg in a negative-split manner, racing faster during the second half. The speed changes are subtle, so this may mean beginning at Zone 1 intensity and including low-Zone 3 on hills and in the second half of the leg. How much you spend in the higher zones depends on your racing experience and predicted finish time.
High fitness: A short warmup is optional, with 10 to 20 minutes on the bike or a short jog of five to 10 minutes. Get in the water and swim for about five minutes to settle in. Begin each leg at Zone 1 to 2, planning to spend most of it at high Zone 2. You can accumulate some Zone 3 intensity, around an hour to two hours on the bike and the run combined, depending on your racing experience and predicted finish time.
Discover what works best for you
These guidelines are very generalized. You need to develop your own pacing strategies for a given race distance and course. If you carry high fitness into the event, you can afford to push the pace higher and longer on race day than someone with low fitness.
If you don't have a lot of race experience, I recommend a more conservative approach by keeping the intensities on the low side. This strategy is most conducive to having a positive experience and creating the desire to race again. You can strategize for a faster event next time.
An experienced racer that would like to increase their speed but is worried about blowing up before the end of the race should experiment at a lower priority event. Pick a race you can designate as a test, and make a deal with yourself to push the limits, being aware that if you blow-up, at least you'll know where that red line is.
On the other hand, this experimental event may prove you are faster than you thought.
By Gale BernhardtFor Active.com
Something else I do on race day:
Sit in a quiet place, think how my race is going to go- that means I visualize every part of the race from the swim, transition, bike, transition, run and finish and of course always eating my Gummie bears on my bike and maybe my run...
Remember to live in the moment and have fun!
Life is what you make it!
The answer depends on your current fitness level, the race distance, your predicted race finish time and your racing experience.
At any distance, the first concern is fitness level. If you consider your fitness level low, your initial choice should be a pace that enables you to comfortably complete the event. If you feel fantastic at the halfway mark during the run, then go ahead and pick up the pace.
The second consideration is race distance and current fitness. While distance is the same for every competitor in the race, the time spent on the course is not. You need to predict, based on your current fitness (not the fitness and speed you dream of having), how long it will take you to complete the event.
Race strategies
Listed in this column are some general race strategies. These strategies reference training and racing zones. You can find a guide to heart rate and rating of perceived exertion related to the zones here http://www.active.com/images/activeTrainer/Training_Intensity.pdf
For races in the 1:00 to 1:30 range:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 or 2 intensity.
Medium fitness: Include a warmup on the bike or running (15 to 20 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Begin each leg of the event at Zone 2 intensity, and then gradually increase to Zone 4 to 5a intensity. Most of each leg will be done at Zone 4 intensity.
High fitness: Warm up on the bike (20 to 30 minutes), by running (10 to 15 minutes) and in the water (10 to 15 minutes) before the race begins. Include a couple of 60- to 90-second efforts at race pace near the end of each warmup segment. Begin each event at low-Zone 4 intensity and finish at 5a. The bike can include some short efforts above 5a. The run can begin at Zone 4 to 5a intensity and finish the last mile with what you have left, possibly in Zone 5b.
For races in the 1:30 to 3:00 range:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 to 2 intensity.
Medium fitness: Include a short warmup on the bike or running (10 to 20 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Begin each leg of the event at Zone 2 intensity and get settled in. Plan to race each leg in a negative-split manner, with the second half of each leg to include effort at Zone 3 to Zone 5a intensity.
High fitness: Include a warmup on the bike (10 to 20 minutes) and running (five to 10 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Include a couple of 60- to 90-second efforts at race pace near the end of each warmup segment. Begin each event at Zone 2 to 3 intensity. Plan to increase to Zone 4 to 5a intensity during the second half of the bike and after the first mile or two on the run.
For races in the 3:00 to 5:00 range:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 to 2 intensity.
Medium fitness: Include a short warmup on the bike or running (10 to 20 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Begin each leg of the event at Zone 1 to 2 intensity and get settled in. Plan to race each leg in a negative-split manner, with the second half of each leg to include a good deal of Zone 3 intensity.
High fitness: Include a warmup on the bike (10 to 20 minutes) and running (five to 10 minutes) and in the water (five to 10 minutes) before the race begins. Include a couple of 60- to 90-second efforts at race pace near the end of each warmup segment. Begin each leg at Zone 1 to 2, and plan to include a good deal of Zone 3 intensity. You can also include Zone 4 to 5a intensity, accumulating to about an hour to two hours on the bike and the run combined. How much time you accumulate at this intensity depends on your racing experience and predicted finish time.
Races that are 5:00 or more:
Low fitness: Keep the entire race at Zone 1 to 2 intensity. Begin the first half of each leg at Zone 1. If you feel great, increase to Zone 2 in the second half of the leg.
Medium fitness: Begin each leg of the event at Zone 1 to 2 intensity to get settled in. Plan to race each leg in a negative-split manner, racing faster during the second half. The speed changes are subtle, so this may mean beginning at Zone 1 intensity and including low-Zone 3 on hills and in the second half of the leg. How much you spend in the higher zones depends on your racing experience and predicted finish time.
High fitness: A short warmup is optional, with 10 to 20 minutes on the bike or a short jog of five to 10 minutes. Get in the water and swim for about five minutes to settle in. Begin each leg at Zone 1 to 2, planning to spend most of it at high Zone 2. You can accumulate some Zone 3 intensity, around an hour to two hours on the bike and the run combined, depending on your racing experience and predicted finish time.
Discover what works best for you
These guidelines are very generalized. You need to develop your own pacing strategies for a given race distance and course. If you carry high fitness into the event, you can afford to push the pace higher and longer on race day than someone with low fitness.
If you don't have a lot of race experience, I recommend a more conservative approach by keeping the intensities on the low side. This strategy is most conducive to having a positive experience and creating the desire to race again. You can strategize for a faster event next time.
An experienced racer that would like to increase their speed but is worried about blowing up before the end of the race should experiment at a lower priority event. Pick a race you can designate as a test, and make a deal with yourself to push the limits, being aware that if you blow-up, at least you'll know where that red line is.
On the other hand, this experimental event may prove you are faster than you thought.
By Gale BernhardtFor Active.com
Something else I do on race day:
Sit in a quiet place, think how my race is going to go- that means I visualize every part of the race from the swim, transition, bike, transition, run and finish and of course always eating my Gummie bears on my bike and maybe my run...
Remember to live in the moment and have fun!
Life is what you make it!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Danni, Ron, Tracie and Steve Saturday, June 02, 2007
Way to AWESOME!!!
New Fitness Event for Participants with Special Needs
A NEW event is coming to Northeastern Wisconsinthis summer and for the first time people with special needs will have the opportunity to participate in a triathlon. The "Physically Challenged" High Cliff Triathlon will live up to the motto of "Events for all abilities, all ages and all fun." Distances will be based on each athlete's individual ability and the cost to race is FREE!
The event will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 23rd at High Cliff State Park in Sherwood and will kick off the 4th Annual High Cliff Half Ironman and Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, June 24th.
All athletes participating in the special triathlon will get all of the perks! T-Shirt, goodie bag, medal, food and fun after the event.
Also featured on June 23rd will be a presentation by guest speaker Dick Hoyt at Kaukauna High School at 5 p.m. Hoyt, along with his son Rick, have competed in many triathlons and make up this father and son duo, Team Hoyt. What makes their team so motivational is that they participate together while Dick pulls, bikes and pushes his son Rick from the start to finish. Rick was born with cerebral palsy and together with his father they have crossed hundreds of finish lines. His inspirational talk on incorporating people who are physically challenged into every day life is free and open to the public.
Organizers are asking anyone wishing to participate to first contact our office at 800-429-8044 or 920-338-8741 to assist in registration as well as developing the individual distances for each athlete.
For more information visit midwestsportsevents.com, call 800-429-8044 or email gloria@midwestsportsevents.com
A NEW event is coming to Northeastern Wisconsinthis summer and for the first time people with special needs will have the opportunity to participate in a triathlon. The "Physically Challenged" High Cliff Triathlon will live up to the motto of "Events for all abilities, all ages and all fun." Distances will be based on each athlete's individual ability and the cost to race is FREE!
The event will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 23rd at High Cliff State Park in Sherwood and will kick off the 4th Annual High Cliff Half Ironman and Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, June 24th.
All athletes participating in the special triathlon will get all of the perks! T-Shirt, goodie bag, medal, food and fun after the event.
Also featured on June 23rd will be a presentation by guest speaker Dick Hoyt at Kaukauna High School at 5 p.m. Hoyt, along with his son Rick, have competed in many triathlons and make up this father and son duo, Team Hoyt. What makes their team so motivational is that they participate together while Dick pulls, bikes and pushes his son Rick from the start to finish. Rick was born with cerebral palsy and together with his father they have crossed hundreds of finish lines. His inspirational talk on incorporating people who are physically challenged into every day life is free and open to the public.
Organizers are asking anyone wishing to participate to first contact our office at 800-429-8044 or 920-338-8741 to assist in registration as well as developing the individual distances for each athlete.
For more information visit midwestsportsevents.com, call 800-429-8044 or email gloria@midwestsportsevents.com
Steve something to think about!
Thought for the Month
If you find yourself with the wind at your back in a road race, it's probably because you made a wrong turn at the last intersection. -- Dave Bange
heheheeeee
If you find yourself with the wind at your back in a road race, it's probably because you made a wrong turn at the last intersection. -- Dave Bange
heheheeeee
Friday, June 01, 2007
My Little Triathlete!
Look at the arms on him those are swimmers arms
He's ready to tear it up!
Looking great in those Tri shorts of mine!
He's ready to tear it up!
Looking great in those Tri shorts of mine!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Again: Some of you have been asking me about my schedule here it is!
Tentative Race Schedule
Here it is....2007 Race Schedule -
April 28: (Saturday) UW-L Coulee Duathlon- Out of town
May 5: (Saturday) St. Claire Health Mission Half-Marathon - Out of town
May 27: (Sunday) Mad-City Half-Marathon, Madison, WI ?????
June 2: (Saturday) Table Rock 5k West Salem WI
June 3: (Sunday) June Dairy Day Bike ride 62 miles West Salem, WI
June 10: (Sunday) Got Energy Triathlon (Olympic Distance), West Salem, WI
June 16: (Saturday) Grandma’s Half-Marathon, Duluth, MN
June 24: (Sunday) High Cliff Half-Ironman, Appleton, WI
June 30: (Saturday) B. P time trial Onalaska WI
July 7: (Saturday) Chileda Classic (10K Run), LaCrosse, WI
July 14: (Saturday) Lake Geode Triathlon (Olympic Distance), Burlington, IA
July 21: (Saturday) Castle Rock Triathlon (Sprint Distance), Adams, WI
July 22: (Sunday) Spirit of Racine Half-Ironman, Racine, WI
July 29 (Sunday) Chisago City Half Ironman Chisago MN
August 12: (Sunday) Oshkosh Olympic Triathlon
August 26: (Sunday) Ironman Louisville, KY
September 16: (Sunday) Tri-Quest (run-bike-golf) Maybe : )
September 23 (Sunday) Irongirl Bloomington Duathlon MN
September 29: (Saturday) Maple Leaf Races (5 mile run)
October 6: (Saturday) Dam Challenge (canoe-bike-run), LaFarge, WI
November 3: (Saturday) Ironman Florida
A little Note: The best thing about doing races like this, I can travel all over, do what I love to do, and have both my boys with me at all the races, unless it doesn't fall on my weekend! :)
Always Remember "Life is GOOD/GREAT and it is what you make it"!
Tentative Race Schedule
Here it is....2007 Race Schedule -
April 28: (Saturday) UW-L Coulee Duathlon- Out of town
May 5: (Saturday) St. Claire Health Mission Half-Marathon - Out of town
May 27: (Sunday) Mad-City Half-Marathon, Madison, WI ?????
June 2: (Saturday) Table Rock 5k West Salem WI
June 3: (Sunday) June Dairy Day Bike ride 62 miles West Salem, WI
June 10: (Sunday) Got Energy Triathlon (Olympic Distance), West Salem, WI
June 16: (Saturday) Grandma’s Half-Marathon, Duluth, MN
June 24: (Sunday) High Cliff Half-Ironman, Appleton, WI
June 30: (Saturday) B. P time trial Onalaska WI
July 7: (Saturday) Chileda Classic (10K Run), LaCrosse, WI
July 14: (Saturday) Lake Geode Triathlon (Olympic Distance), Burlington, IA
July 21: (Saturday) Castle Rock Triathlon (Sprint Distance), Adams, WI
July 22: (Sunday) Spirit of Racine Half-Ironman, Racine, WI
July 29 (Sunday) Chisago City Half Ironman Chisago MN
August 12: (Sunday) Oshkosh Olympic Triathlon
August 26: (Sunday) Ironman Louisville, KY
September 16: (Sunday) Tri-Quest (run-bike-golf) Maybe : )
September 23 (Sunday) Irongirl Bloomington Duathlon MN
September 29: (Saturday) Maple Leaf Races (5 mile run)
October 6: (Saturday) Dam Challenge (canoe-bike-run), LaFarge, WI
November 3: (Saturday) Ironman Florida
A little Note: The best thing about doing races like this, I can travel all over, do what I love to do, and have both my boys with me at all the races, unless it doesn't fall on my weekend! :)
Always Remember "Life is GOOD/GREAT and it is what you make it"!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Speedwork in Disquise
We demand our muscles to perform at a rate for which they are not conditioned. The truth is, our bodies can't supply the blood and oxygen that our hip flexors require to meet certain demands. Have you neglected working regular hill drills into your routine? Do you do them but don't know why? Do you vary the type of workouts you do? How do you approach the hill?
One of the most famous proponents of hill training is Olympic coach Arthur Lydiard. His hill circuit training requires the athlete to bound (focus on horizontal motion) or leap (focus on vertical motion) up the hill. Lydiard concentrated a great deal on hill running form to promote efficiency. Driving the knees, for example, is one aspect on which to focus -- as well as toeing-off and slapping the heel to the buttocks.
When done at a slower pace, a runner can focus more on technique and may actually feel more soreness than they expect from drill-like repeats. Consider a weight routine in which you are lifting and lowering the weight more slowly -- it hurts more. Gravity is our resistance on the hills.
The first cycle of hill workouts in Lydiard's ideal season is geared towards strength. It consists of 6-8 repeats on a 1,000-meter moderate incline. As the season progresses and the focus changes to explosive speed, the repeats increase to 8-10 and the length of the hill shrinks to 275 meters. The stride down the hill is always fast but in control.
Before the next hill repeat, Lydiard had his runners run about 250 meters at between 800 and 1,600 pace. For Lydiard, who primarily trained track athletes, hill workouts focused on building mileage after the base phase. However, incorporating hills throughout the season proves an effective way to improve efficiency without peaking too early.
Speed up
According to Stacy Osborne, an avid runner and podiatrist in the Cincinnati area, many of us don't address our biomechanics, one of the most controllable aspects of our training and keys to improvement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the leg on the ground that's primarily responsible for generating the power for forward velocity.
Rather, it's the non-weight-bearing leg -- the leg in the swing phase -- that generates momentum by creating a tug on the runner's center of gravity as it swings forward. The foot on the ground acts as a lever, and the runner is thus propelled forward. Those muscles responsible for this power stroke, the key hip flexors, are the illiacus, psoas major and psoas minor. These are also some of the most important muscles for cyclists, recruited during the pulling-up phase.
One of the best ways to strengthen those hip flexors and improve the power of our swing phase is with hill repeats. As we gain strength, our chances of getting injured are diminished, and we gain mental confidence. Once you've done 15 X 2:00 of a steep hill, 1:00 climbing a similar incline in a race will look like a mole hill. This is because running hills improves speed.
Your effort increases as you run up a hill, even if you reduce your pace. So, in a race, the best way to run a hill is to maintain effort and forget about pace while on the hill -- even effort is the surest route to a faster time. Trying to maintain pace on the hill is like surging and varying the body's perceived effort, which will only tire you prematurely in the long run.
How else can you build tireless, feisty, power strokes using hill workouts? One way to maintain volume is to do hill fartleks (Swedish for "speed play"). Pick a course with hills and focus on surging up the hills. If you're doing strict hill repeats, try varying the pace. For example, if you are doing four sets of three hills, do the first at 5k pace and the second at 10k pace.
Focus on slow and exaggerated form on the third hill. Instead of varying the pace at which you run, you can vary the hill lengths themselves. If you are working in a group, pair up and run them like a relay such that your rest depends on how long it takes your partner to get up and down the hill.
Should you decide to run hills by time (i.e. 90 seconds on five hills), mark how far you get each time with a rock or little flag. Try to reach or beat that landmark each repeat. It is also good practice to try to surge over and past the crest of the hill.
The mental factor determines how well we run on hills. Many of us see hill repeats as an opportunity to practice conquering or attacking the hill. One tactic is to approach the hill as a friend rather than foe.
Another helpful piece of imagery is to imagine strings attached to your hands -- and the string ends tied to a point at the top of the hill. As you pump your arms and thrust your elbows behind you, imagine the strings providing you leverage to pull yourself up more easily. You don't have to turn your mind off to escape negative, self-defeating talk; instead, recruit your mind to help you.
As runners, triathletes need to recognize the importance of strengthening our hip flexor muscles. Strong flexors help us maintain a grueling pace, attack a hill, kick with speed on the flats, and protect our bodies from injury. They are an integral piece of training year-round and, with variation, can make us more efficient runners and cyclists.
By Amanda McCracken For Active.com
Go ahead, be king of the hill!
One of the most famous proponents of hill training is Olympic coach Arthur Lydiard. His hill circuit training requires the athlete to bound (focus on horizontal motion) or leap (focus on vertical motion) up the hill. Lydiard concentrated a great deal on hill running form to promote efficiency. Driving the knees, for example, is one aspect on which to focus -- as well as toeing-off and slapping the heel to the buttocks.
When done at a slower pace, a runner can focus more on technique and may actually feel more soreness than they expect from drill-like repeats. Consider a weight routine in which you are lifting and lowering the weight more slowly -- it hurts more. Gravity is our resistance on the hills.
The first cycle of hill workouts in Lydiard's ideal season is geared towards strength. It consists of 6-8 repeats on a 1,000-meter moderate incline. As the season progresses and the focus changes to explosive speed, the repeats increase to 8-10 and the length of the hill shrinks to 275 meters. The stride down the hill is always fast but in control.
Before the next hill repeat, Lydiard had his runners run about 250 meters at between 800 and 1,600 pace. For Lydiard, who primarily trained track athletes, hill workouts focused on building mileage after the base phase. However, incorporating hills throughout the season proves an effective way to improve efficiency without peaking too early.
Speed up
According to Stacy Osborne, an avid runner and podiatrist in the Cincinnati area, many of us don't address our biomechanics, one of the most controllable aspects of our training and keys to improvement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the leg on the ground that's primarily responsible for generating the power for forward velocity.
Rather, it's the non-weight-bearing leg -- the leg in the swing phase -- that generates momentum by creating a tug on the runner's center of gravity as it swings forward. The foot on the ground acts as a lever, and the runner is thus propelled forward. Those muscles responsible for this power stroke, the key hip flexors, are the illiacus, psoas major and psoas minor. These are also some of the most important muscles for cyclists, recruited during the pulling-up phase.
One of the best ways to strengthen those hip flexors and improve the power of our swing phase is with hill repeats. As we gain strength, our chances of getting injured are diminished, and we gain mental confidence. Once you've done 15 X 2:00 of a steep hill, 1:00 climbing a similar incline in a race will look like a mole hill. This is because running hills improves speed.
Your effort increases as you run up a hill, even if you reduce your pace. So, in a race, the best way to run a hill is to maintain effort and forget about pace while on the hill -- even effort is the surest route to a faster time. Trying to maintain pace on the hill is like surging and varying the body's perceived effort, which will only tire you prematurely in the long run.
How else can you build tireless, feisty, power strokes using hill workouts? One way to maintain volume is to do hill fartleks (Swedish for "speed play"). Pick a course with hills and focus on surging up the hills. If you're doing strict hill repeats, try varying the pace. For example, if you are doing four sets of three hills, do the first at 5k pace and the second at 10k pace.
Focus on slow and exaggerated form on the third hill. Instead of varying the pace at which you run, you can vary the hill lengths themselves. If you are working in a group, pair up and run them like a relay such that your rest depends on how long it takes your partner to get up and down the hill.
Should you decide to run hills by time (i.e. 90 seconds on five hills), mark how far you get each time with a rock or little flag. Try to reach or beat that landmark each repeat. It is also good practice to try to surge over and past the crest of the hill.
The mental factor determines how well we run on hills. Many of us see hill repeats as an opportunity to practice conquering or attacking the hill. One tactic is to approach the hill as a friend rather than foe.
Another helpful piece of imagery is to imagine strings attached to your hands -- and the string ends tied to a point at the top of the hill. As you pump your arms and thrust your elbows behind you, imagine the strings providing you leverage to pull yourself up more easily. You don't have to turn your mind off to escape negative, self-defeating talk; instead, recruit your mind to help you.
As runners, triathletes need to recognize the importance of strengthening our hip flexor muscles. Strong flexors help us maintain a grueling pace, attack a hill, kick with speed on the flats, and protect our bodies from injury. They are an integral piece of training year-round and, with variation, can make us more efficient runners and cyclists.
By Amanda McCracken For Active.com
Go ahead, be king of the hill!
MMMMmmmm good!
The pre-race meal
By Matt FitzgeraldFor Active.com
Every meal is important, but no meal is more important than the one before a race. Choosing the wrong foods, eating too much or too little, or eating at the wrong time can affect your performance and possibly ruin your race, or at least make your performance less than optimal. Eating the right pre-race meal at the right time ensures that all your hard training doesn't go to waste.
The main purpose of the pre-race meal is to fill your liver with glycogen, especially if it precedes a morning race. Liver glycogen fuels your nervous system while you sleep, and as a result, your liver is roughly 50 percent glycogen-depleted when you wake up in the morning. Your muscles, inactive during the night, remain fully glycogen loaded from the previous day.
Timing
Timing is perhaps the most important consideration. The ideal time for a pre-race meal is about four hours before the race, because it's early enough to digest and store a large amount of energy (i.e. a large number of calories), yet late enough that this energy won't be used up by race time.
Most running races start early in the morning, and since sleep is also important, it's often impossible to eat a full breakfast four hours before the horn sounds. That's okay. It's usually possible to eat at least two hours out. While you won't safely be able to eat as much this close to race time, you can still eat enough.
The appropriate size of your pre-race meal depends on three factors: the duration of your race, your size and the timing of the meal. The longer the race you're competing in and the heavier you are, the larger your pre-race meal should be. The closer your pre-race meal falls to the race start, the smaller it must be. If you're able to eat four hours out, you can safely consume up to 1,000 calories. If you eat just two hours before the start, eat a smaller meal of 300 to 400 calories.
What to eat
At least 80 percent of the calories you consume in your pre-race meal should come from carbohydrates. Keep your protein, and especially your fat and fiber consumption low. These nutrients take up space that are better utilized by carbohydrate. Also avoid gas-producing foods such as onions.
The types of carbohydrate are not important. While some studies have shown a performance benefit associated with eating a low-glycemic index (GI) meal rather than a high-GI meal before exercise, these meals were eaten just 30 minutes before exercise (the worst possible time for a high-GI meal, because blood glucose levels tend to decrease about 30 minutes after a high-GI meal). Recall that in a high-GI meal, carbohydrates enter the bloodstream very quickly, whereas in a low-GI meal, carbs enter the bloodstream at a lower rate.) In studies involving a more sensibly timed pre-exercise meal, the glycemic index of the meal has had no effect on performance.
Choose foods and drinks that are not only easily-digested, but also easily-consumed -- especially if you're prone to nervousness. Few athletes have their usual hearty appetite on race mornings, but the butterflies in their stomach usually permit consumption of soft, bland foods such as oatmeal and bananas.
A liquid meal such as a breakfast shake is another good choice, as long as it's high in carbohydrate and low in protein, fat and fiber. If you don't have a ritual pre-race meal, try various options and pay careful attention to the results. As with your pre-race dinner, once you've settled upon a pre-race breakfast that works well, stick with it.
Here are my choices for the five best foods to eat (or drink) before a race:
BagelA bagel makes an excellent pre-race breakfast food, not only because it's rich in carbohydrate, bland and easily-digested, but also because it's something many runners eat for breakfast routinely, hence familiar. Eat it dry or top it with something low in fat such as a light smearing of reduced fat cream cheese.
BananaBananas are almost all carbohydrate. A large banana contains more than 30 grams of carbohydrate, just one gram of protein and no fat whatsoever. Bananas are also high in potassium (400 mg), which is lost in sweat during running. As mentioned above, their softness and light taste make them easy to consume even with pre-race nerves, and their natural "wrapper" makes them handy for eating on the road.
Energy BarEnergy bars such as PowerBar and ClifBar are made to be eaten before exercise. Most are very high in carbohydrates and low in fiber, fat and protein. The better bars also contain useful amounts of sodium, potassium and the antioxidant vitamins C and E. A cappuccino flavor PowerBar, for example, contains 45 g of carbohydrate, 110 mg each of sodium and potassium, 35 percent of the recommended daily allowance of magnesium and 100 percent of the RDA of vitamins C and E.
There's a huge variety of energy bars on the market -- some are better than others. Choose one that's close to the PowerBar formula I just outlined. Avoid the high-protein, low-carb bars that have become popular in recent years. The advantage of the wide selection of bars on the market is that it's easy to find one you like and can eat without unpleasantness before a race. Pay attention to texture too. Some bars are very chewy, and for some runners (myself included) eating chewy foods tends to exacerbate the stomach churning that's associated with pre-race nervousness.
Meal Replacement ShakeI drink one or two meal replacement shakes before almost every race. Brands such as Boost and Ensure have a nearly perfect nutrition profile, they take care of energy and hydration needs, they're super-convenient, and nothing is easier to consume before a race -- even if you're extremely anxious. And they taste good.
Ensure, for example, delivers a whopping 250 calories of energy in a little eight-ounce can, including 40 grams of carbohydrate. The one downside to these beverages is their efficiency. By providing so much nutrition in such little volume, they are not as filling as solid foods and can actually leave you feeling hungry in the middle of a marathon if you rely on them solely.
In the same general category as meal replacement shakes are performance recovery drinks including Endurox R4 and Ultragen. They are normally used immediately after exercise, but they can also be used for the purpose of pre-race fueling. They are sold as powders that you mix with water. Because these drinks are slightly more diluted than meal replacement drinks, they do an even better job of hydrating and fueling simultaneously.
OatmealLike bananas, oatmeal is almost pure carbohydrate, plus soft and light in taste. It is also the most filling food among the five best pre-race foods, which is good for those wanting something substantial in their belly before they head out to burn a few thousand calories. Some runners also prefer to eat a real breakfast food for breakfast, and oatmeal certainly provides that.
Oatmeal requires preparation that can be more challenging on the road than at home. If your hotel room has a microwave oven, you're all set as long as you've brought some kind of bowl with you. If there's no microwave oven, you can use the coffee maker to heat water.
There are so many factors we must think about before a big race. Following these guidelines can help you deal with one of the most important elements
By Matt FitzgeraldFor Active.com
Every meal is important, but no meal is more important than the one before a race. Choosing the wrong foods, eating too much or too little, or eating at the wrong time can affect your performance and possibly ruin your race, or at least make your performance less than optimal. Eating the right pre-race meal at the right time ensures that all your hard training doesn't go to waste.
The main purpose of the pre-race meal is to fill your liver with glycogen, especially if it precedes a morning race. Liver glycogen fuels your nervous system while you sleep, and as a result, your liver is roughly 50 percent glycogen-depleted when you wake up in the morning. Your muscles, inactive during the night, remain fully glycogen loaded from the previous day.
Timing
Timing is perhaps the most important consideration. The ideal time for a pre-race meal is about four hours before the race, because it's early enough to digest and store a large amount of energy (i.e. a large number of calories), yet late enough that this energy won't be used up by race time.
Most running races start early in the morning, and since sleep is also important, it's often impossible to eat a full breakfast four hours before the horn sounds. That's okay. It's usually possible to eat at least two hours out. While you won't safely be able to eat as much this close to race time, you can still eat enough.
The appropriate size of your pre-race meal depends on three factors: the duration of your race, your size and the timing of the meal. The longer the race you're competing in and the heavier you are, the larger your pre-race meal should be. The closer your pre-race meal falls to the race start, the smaller it must be. If you're able to eat four hours out, you can safely consume up to 1,000 calories. If you eat just two hours before the start, eat a smaller meal of 300 to 400 calories.
What to eat
At least 80 percent of the calories you consume in your pre-race meal should come from carbohydrates. Keep your protein, and especially your fat and fiber consumption low. These nutrients take up space that are better utilized by carbohydrate. Also avoid gas-producing foods such as onions.
The types of carbohydrate are not important. While some studies have shown a performance benefit associated with eating a low-glycemic index (GI) meal rather than a high-GI meal before exercise, these meals were eaten just 30 minutes before exercise (the worst possible time for a high-GI meal, because blood glucose levels tend to decrease about 30 minutes after a high-GI meal). Recall that in a high-GI meal, carbohydrates enter the bloodstream very quickly, whereas in a low-GI meal, carbs enter the bloodstream at a lower rate.) In studies involving a more sensibly timed pre-exercise meal, the glycemic index of the meal has had no effect on performance.
Choose foods and drinks that are not only easily-digested, but also easily-consumed -- especially if you're prone to nervousness. Few athletes have their usual hearty appetite on race mornings, but the butterflies in their stomach usually permit consumption of soft, bland foods such as oatmeal and bananas.
A liquid meal such as a breakfast shake is another good choice, as long as it's high in carbohydrate and low in protein, fat and fiber. If you don't have a ritual pre-race meal, try various options and pay careful attention to the results. As with your pre-race dinner, once you've settled upon a pre-race breakfast that works well, stick with it.
Here are my choices for the five best foods to eat (or drink) before a race:
BagelA bagel makes an excellent pre-race breakfast food, not only because it's rich in carbohydrate, bland and easily-digested, but also because it's something many runners eat for breakfast routinely, hence familiar. Eat it dry or top it with something low in fat such as a light smearing of reduced fat cream cheese.
BananaBananas are almost all carbohydrate. A large banana contains more than 30 grams of carbohydrate, just one gram of protein and no fat whatsoever. Bananas are also high in potassium (400 mg), which is lost in sweat during running. As mentioned above, their softness and light taste make them easy to consume even with pre-race nerves, and their natural "wrapper" makes them handy for eating on the road.
Energy BarEnergy bars such as PowerBar and ClifBar are made to be eaten before exercise. Most are very high in carbohydrates and low in fiber, fat and protein. The better bars also contain useful amounts of sodium, potassium and the antioxidant vitamins C and E. A cappuccino flavor PowerBar, for example, contains 45 g of carbohydrate, 110 mg each of sodium and potassium, 35 percent of the recommended daily allowance of magnesium and 100 percent of the RDA of vitamins C and E.
There's a huge variety of energy bars on the market -- some are better than others. Choose one that's close to the PowerBar formula I just outlined. Avoid the high-protein, low-carb bars that have become popular in recent years. The advantage of the wide selection of bars on the market is that it's easy to find one you like and can eat without unpleasantness before a race. Pay attention to texture too. Some bars are very chewy, and for some runners (myself included) eating chewy foods tends to exacerbate the stomach churning that's associated with pre-race nervousness.
Meal Replacement ShakeI drink one or two meal replacement shakes before almost every race. Brands such as Boost and Ensure have a nearly perfect nutrition profile, they take care of energy and hydration needs, they're super-convenient, and nothing is easier to consume before a race -- even if you're extremely anxious. And they taste good.
Ensure, for example, delivers a whopping 250 calories of energy in a little eight-ounce can, including 40 grams of carbohydrate. The one downside to these beverages is their efficiency. By providing so much nutrition in such little volume, they are not as filling as solid foods and can actually leave you feeling hungry in the middle of a marathon if you rely on them solely.
In the same general category as meal replacement shakes are performance recovery drinks including Endurox R4 and Ultragen. They are normally used immediately after exercise, but they can also be used for the purpose of pre-race fueling. They are sold as powders that you mix with water. Because these drinks are slightly more diluted than meal replacement drinks, they do an even better job of hydrating and fueling simultaneously.
OatmealLike bananas, oatmeal is almost pure carbohydrate, plus soft and light in taste. It is also the most filling food among the five best pre-race foods, which is good for those wanting something substantial in their belly before they head out to burn a few thousand calories. Some runners also prefer to eat a real breakfast food for breakfast, and oatmeal certainly provides that.
Oatmeal requires preparation that can be more challenging on the road than at home. If your hotel room has a microwave oven, you're all set as long as you've brought some kind of bowl with you. If there's no microwave oven, you can use the coffee maker to heat water.
There are so many factors we must think about before a big race. Following these guidelines can help you deal with one of the most important elements
Monday, May 21, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Will Having a “Long Stroke” Help in Triathlon Swimming?
There is some debate going on in the triathlon world about whether it is important to have a long stroke in freestyle, and if so, how can this be developed?Being long means extending your arm and gliding with each arm stroke. It also means getting more out of your stroke while saving energy (ideal for triathletes).Don't get me wrong, you can achieve a lot with a shorter stroke- in fact you could go very fast this way. However, for most people, especially the beginner crowd, this stroke is just not efficient enough to allow them to swim 1/2-1 mile, and still have a good amount of energy to tackle 20-40 miles on the bike, and an additional 5-10 mile run.
Very True!
The mistake people make is comparing competitive pool swimmers who swim 50, 100, 200, or 400 meters as either an all out sprint or a controlled sprint, to triathletes who swim much further and have to complete a race lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 10 hours!Here are some ways to achieve a longer, more fluid, more efficient freestyle:
1. Practice Kicking on Your Side. This will improve your balance in the water and aid in your ability to extend and glide. By all means use fins! I recommend getting a pair of Zoomers from Finis, which will help your swim in so many ways.
2. Count Your Strokes. Start by just keeping track of how many strokes you take per length when you swim. Then, begin to work on ways to lower this stroke count. Hint: Do not just kick harder to achieve a lower count! This defeats the purpose of the drill.
3. Play Golf. Well not really golf like the game the Scottish invented. Free golf! Do a set of 6x50's. Count your strokes, and for each 50, lower your stroke count. Also, keep track of your time on these. Maintain your pace as you drop the number of strokes you are taking for each 50.
4. Swim With Your Fists. Alternate a few lengths of swimming with your hands clenched in fists, with 1 or 2 lengths of open-handed swimming. This will force you to use your hips more as you swim, and you will not be able to "muscle" through the water.
5. Use This Paddle. Ok, I've been hard on paddles in the past. But the Freestyler (also by Finis) is different- it actually forces you to do proper hand entry, glide, and pull. Also, they do not cause shoulder problems. Use these for a long swim and then take them off for a few lengths. You will be amazed at how fluid you will feel! More details to come in the next issue on how you can get a discount on a pair of these stroke-improving paddles.While you may not ever become a top-notch freestyle sprinter, learning how to lengthen your freestyle will pay off as a faster, more fun overall triathlon.
Now that you have read this think about how much room you don't have in an Ironman when you are in the middle of the washer machine (the pack) unless you are in the front or in the back!
Remember what your goals are, they might not be the same as others, on that note they shouldn't be you are an individual, you make it what it is!
Very True!
The mistake people make is comparing competitive pool swimmers who swim 50, 100, 200, or 400 meters as either an all out sprint or a controlled sprint, to triathletes who swim much further and have to complete a race lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 10 hours!Here are some ways to achieve a longer, more fluid, more efficient freestyle:
1. Practice Kicking on Your Side. This will improve your balance in the water and aid in your ability to extend and glide. By all means use fins! I recommend getting a pair of Zoomers from Finis, which will help your swim in so many ways.
2. Count Your Strokes. Start by just keeping track of how many strokes you take per length when you swim. Then, begin to work on ways to lower this stroke count. Hint: Do not just kick harder to achieve a lower count! This defeats the purpose of the drill.
3. Play Golf. Well not really golf like the game the Scottish invented. Free golf! Do a set of 6x50's. Count your strokes, and for each 50, lower your stroke count. Also, keep track of your time on these. Maintain your pace as you drop the number of strokes you are taking for each 50.
4. Swim With Your Fists. Alternate a few lengths of swimming with your hands clenched in fists, with 1 or 2 lengths of open-handed swimming. This will force you to use your hips more as you swim, and you will not be able to "muscle" through the water.
5. Use This Paddle. Ok, I've been hard on paddles in the past. But the Freestyler (also by Finis) is different- it actually forces you to do proper hand entry, glide, and pull. Also, they do not cause shoulder problems. Use these for a long swim and then take them off for a few lengths. You will be amazed at how fluid you will feel! More details to come in the next issue on how you can get a discount on a pair of these stroke-improving paddles.While you may not ever become a top-notch freestyle sprinter, learning how to lengthen your freestyle will pay off as a faster, more fun overall triathlon.
Now that you have read this think about how much room you don't have in an Ironman when you are in the middle of the washer machine (the pack) unless you are in the front or in the back!
Remember what your goals are, they might not be the same as others, on that note they shouldn't be you are an individual, you make it what it is!
I hear this a lot!
Overwhelmingly, when I talk to triathletes and aspiring triathletes, I hear a similar theme when it comes to their view on swimming. It usually goes something like this:"I could to a triathlon, if it weren't for the swim!"or"My training is going well- except for my swimming- I'm just not getting any better!"or "I love doing triathlons, but I hate the swimming part!"If you've thought or said anything like the quotes above, the first thing you need to do is change your attitude!Admittedly, swimming is the most difficult part of triathlon in terms of technique and learning curve. It takes a lot of practice and drill work to get from beginner to competent open water swimmer.Most triathletes just want to work out hard and see the results in their race. Swimming starts to be looked at as a thorn in their side because it is much more complicated than just putting out more effort or adding distance.In order to succeed in swimming, and to fully enjoy the sport of triathlon, you must let go of these negative thoughts! There is no room for holding on to the beliefs that will hold you back.If you continually say that you "hate" swimming, you will dread going to the pool, and you will show up to your race with all kinds of uncertainty- and your chances of success will be slim!On the other hand, if you can train yourself to actually enjoy the swim, success will be yours!
Try these tips to turn yourself around and get the most out of your triathlon:
1. If you're using the word "hate" around swimming, drop it! Hate is a powerful word, and the more you say it, the more your brain will prevent you from being successful in the water, and it will make it pretty tough to ever enjoy the process!
2. It's not a destination! It's a journey! Yes, it's a cheesy, sometimes overused expression. But keep it in mind with swimming. You will grow as an athlete and as a person while you spend time doing your drills and improving your stroke.
3. Set reasonable goals and reward yourself. Don't think that because your race requires you to swim 1 kilometer, you have to do that distance on your first workout. Instead, set attainable goals for each swim workout (or each week of your training). The first few weeks it may be just working on one drill until it feels comfortable. Later, you may need to add 100 yards to each
workout. Make sure that you recognize your accomplishments, even the ones that seems small!
4. Realize that you are not a "bad swimmer". Nor do you "suck at swimming". You are a good swimmer that just has not realized your potential yet! Do all the right things and in time, you will see massive improvements. The physical part of training is easy. This is why many triathletes get tripped up in the swim- it goes far beyond cranking out hard workouts to improve.Improve your mental outlook and the way you look at the swim, and you will be amazed at the progress you make- and the FUN you will have along the way!
Enjoy,Kevin
"If we all did the things we are capable of,we would astound ourselves."-Thomas Edison
Try these tips to turn yourself around and get the most out of your triathlon:
1. If you're using the word "hate" around swimming, drop it! Hate is a powerful word, and the more you say it, the more your brain will prevent you from being successful in the water, and it will make it pretty tough to ever enjoy the process!
2. It's not a destination! It's a journey! Yes, it's a cheesy, sometimes overused expression. But keep it in mind with swimming. You will grow as an athlete and as a person while you spend time doing your drills and improving your stroke.
3. Set reasonable goals and reward yourself. Don't think that because your race requires you to swim 1 kilometer, you have to do that distance on your first workout. Instead, set attainable goals for each swim workout (or each week of your training). The first few weeks it may be just working on one drill until it feels comfortable. Later, you may need to add 100 yards to each
workout. Make sure that you recognize your accomplishments, even the ones that seems small!
4. Realize that you are not a "bad swimmer". Nor do you "suck at swimming". You are a good swimmer that just has not realized your potential yet! Do all the right things and in time, you will see massive improvements. The physical part of training is easy. This is why many triathletes get tripped up in the swim- it goes far beyond cranking out hard workouts to improve.Improve your mental outlook and the way you look at the swim, and you will be amazed at the progress you make- and the FUN you will have along the way!
Enjoy,Kevin
"If we all did the things we are capable of,we would astound ourselves."-Thomas Edison
Monday, May 14, 2007
Starting May 12th, it is "National Bike to Work Week." What a great time to promote physical fitness then showing your co-workers how dedicated of an athlete you are. So put that car in park, buy some extra bike tires and get out and bike. Oh yeah, you might even save some money since gas is now $3.15/gal.
Also, Tues May 15th is "National Boycott the gas Station Day."
Enjoy!
Happy Training!
Also, Tues May 15th is "National Boycott the gas Station Day."
Enjoy!
Happy Training!
Monday, April 30, 2007
WHOOHOOOO
Ironman officially announces the race course for the inaugural Ford Ironman Louisville taking place on August 26, 2007. The race will begin at Waterfront Park, where both transition areas will be located and athletes will finish alongside a festive atmosphere at Fourth Street Live. “In collaboration with the Greater Louisville Sports Commission (GLSC), we’ve developed a challenging course that showcases the many historic areas of Louisville and its signature landmarks. The course will provide a spectator-friendly environment for a town that truly embraces world-class sporting events,” says Ford Ironman Louisville Event Director, Steve Meckfessel.Swim: The 2.4 mile/3.8 km swim will consist of a one-loop course in the Ohio River. Athletes will travel against a slight current to the turnaround point then travel back toward the swim exit located at Louisville’s Waterfront Park.Bike: Athletes will experience much of the greater Louisville area on the 112 mile/180.2 km bike course. The route will take athletes east on River Road with the first 10 miles on flat terrain and beginning in Oldham County, competitors will encounter rolling hills. The course, not highly technical, will also include two loops through the city of LaGrange, and Oldham and Henry Counties. There will be multiple aid stations located throughout the course providing hydration, nutritional and communications support.Run: The 26.2 mile/42.4 km run, encompassing two loops, will take athletes past a variety of Louisville’s well-known sites to include the University of Louisville (U of L) campus, Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby and downtown. Competitors will encounter a flat, picturesque course with a turnaround point at Iroquois Park and a finish line celebration at Fourth Street Live. Aid stations will be located approximately every mile on the run course. Temperatures on race day are expected to range from the low 70s F to the upper 80s F. The Galt House will house Athlete Check-In and the Pre-Race Briefing, as well the Ford Ironman Village. The Welcome Dinner and Awards Ceremony will take place at the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC).
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Don't Forget to wear your YELLOW!
LIVESTRONG Day is the Lance Armstrong Foundation's (LAF) grassroots advocacy initiative to unify people affected by cancer and to raise awareness about cancer survivorship issues on a national level and in local communities across the country. LIVESTRONG Day 2007 will occur on Wednesday, May 16.
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Basic Crunch
Abs are very important!
Want ripped abs? If that's the case, doing various exercises to target all of the abdominal muscle groups — the rectus abdominus, the obliques and the transverse abdominus — will get you there.
First things first — you have to start with the building block of all abdominal work. Master the basic crunch and you'll be ready for more advanced abs exercises in no time. Coveted six-pack abs, here you come! Ready to get started?
Here's how to do the basic crunch:
Lie on you back with your knees bent and your feet placed flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Place your hands behind your head so that your thumbs are behind your ears.
Do not lace your fingers together. Keep your elbows open and out to the sides. Keep your chin up and off your chest.
Take a deep breath, and then exhale while curling up and forward until your shoulder blades are lifted off the floor.
Hold for a moment at the top of the movement, fully exhale all of the air in your lungs for a complete contraction of the abs, then slowly lower yourself back to the floor.
If you can't stop pulling on your neck, cross your arms across your chest and keep your tongue pressed on the roof of your mouth to help alleviate the strain.
Want ripped abs? If that's the case, doing various exercises to target all of the abdominal muscle groups — the rectus abdominus, the obliques and the transverse abdominus — will get you there.
First things first — you have to start with the building block of all abdominal work. Master the basic crunch and you'll be ready for more advanced abs exercises in no time. Coveted six-pack abs, here you come! Ready to get started?
Here's how to do the basic crunch:
Lie on you back with your knees bent and your feet placed flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Place your hands behind your head so that your thumbs are behind your ears.
Do not lace your fingers together. Keep your elbows open and out to the sides. Keep your chin up and off your chest.
Take a deep breath, and then exhale while curling up and forward until your shoulder blades are lifted off the floor.
Hold for a moment at the top of the movement, fully exhale all of the air in your lungs for a complete contraction of the abs, then slowly lower yourself back to the floor.
If you can't stop pulling on your neck, cross your arms across your chest and keep your tongue pressed on the roof of your mouth to help alleviate the strain.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Photo's are not in order oh well!
Jen, Ron and I
Bruise and I first Cancer Survivor's
across the finish line!
Were waiting for the results!
Jen and I at the finish
Jen and I at the start
What a day this was!
To start out I woke up with a terrible headache, stomachache, runny nose, stuffy and sore muscles that’s it. Today was a very important day for me the Midwest Security 5K race was today, and I wanted to do very well. Last year I won first Cancer Survivor across the finish line and today I wanted to do that again that was my goal. Plus I was going to run with my long, long time friend Jen just a little history on Jen, in school she would go to all my school events and watch me, at the time Jen couldn’t run she was a bigger girl and just felt that she couldn’t, but today Jen has lost over 150 pounds “Yeah” you read that right 150 pounds and she’s running, weight training with me whoohooo and I will be training Jen to do Ironman WI next year with me and a ton of other races..
I got out of bed at 10:00 (not normal for me) race was at 12:00 I talked to Jen a couple times before the race, I knew I was going to race no matter what! Got it together Jen showed up at my house we were off to the race. We watched Landen in the kid’s race walked around talked to some friends and then it was go time.
Then it was go time we were at the start line I asked Jen if she was nervous she said yea! “Which is good because you want to do good then”, I knew she would! Gun went off and we went Ron was pacing me today because I always want to do my first mile in 6:10 something then I die, however Ron kept me in line we were at the 1 mile mark at 6:56 which is good I was feeling great at this point, then mile 2 I was at 14:21, then I had to back it off a little I was feeling my tummy not liking what I was doing! Mile 3 I was at 21: something I finished with a 22:08 I was feeling great! I was 3rd in the over all, First Cancer Survivor, First in my age group and that’s all I wanted was to get the First Survivor.
Now for Jen- She did so very, very, very Awesome! She finished 2nd in our age group and finished in 22: something that is so GREAT! She is going to rock!!!
A huge Thank you to Ron for setting the pace for me in the beginning, I needed it! Ron did really well also he finished 3rd in his age group whoohoo to all of us!
"Remember life is what you make it, you only have one, live it up"! : )
I got out of bed at 10:00 (not normal for me) race was at 12:00 I talked to Jen a couple times before the race, I knew I was going to race no matter what! Got it together Jen showed up at my house we were off to the race. We watched Landen in the kid’s race walked around talked to some friends and then it was go time.
Then it was go time we were at the start line I asked Jen if she was nervous she said yea! “Which is good because you want to do good then”, I knew she would! Gun went off and we went Ron was pacing me today because I always want to do my first mile in 6:10 something then I die, however Ron kept me in line we were at the 1 mile mark at 6:56 which is good I was feeling great at this point, then mile 2 I was at 14:21, then I had to back it off a little I was feeling my tummy not liking what I was doing! Mile 3 I was at 21: something I finished with a 22:08 I was feeling great! I was 3rd in the over all, First Cancer Survivor, First in my age group and that’s all I wanted was to get the First Survivor.
Now for Jen- She did so very, very, very Awesome! She finished 2nd in our age group and finished in 22: something that is so GREAT! She is going to rock!!!
A huge Thank you to Ron for setting the pace for me in the beginning, I needed it! Ron did really well also he finished 3rd in his age group whoohoo to all of us!
"Remember life is what you make it, you only have one, live it up"! : )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)