Here is what I have planned as of right now, with my 'A' or 'most important' races that I will focus the most of my training on being Ironman CDA and Hy-Vee Oly. The other races really serve one of the following purposes:
- race simulation training
- fun
- experimenting in nutrition, strategy
Drake 1/2 Marathon - April 30th
Bluff Creek Olympic Tri - May 22nd
Dam to Dam 20K - June 4th
CDA Ironman - June 26th
Lifetime Fitness Oly Tri - July 9th (tentative)
RAGBRAI - July 23-26th - Iowa
Big Creek Oly Tri - August 14th
Pigman Half Ironman - August 21st
Hy-Vee Oly - September 4th
Des Moines Half/Full Marathon - Oct 16
I wanted to walk through the schedule a little more in-depth to explain why I chose these races, and the training changes that will occur over the season.
My 1st 'A' race of the season is Ironman Couer D' Alene, and has been the focus of my training over the past few months and will continue to ramp up until early mid June. The Drake 1/2 will help gauge my current running training and allow me to open up a little bit and push the intensity as the majority of my runs have been in lower z2. I will also test out running nutrition as far as water vs sports drink, gels, etc. The next race, Bluff Creek Tri, will allow me the opportunity to dust off the cobwebs of triathlon racing, work on transitions, and reacquaint my body to the feeling of going from the swim -bike-running. Finally Dam to Dam 20K race is something I've done about every year and will be more for fun and chalked up to a training day run.
Finally, IM CDA will be on the horizon which will mean no more racing and the taper will begin up until the June 26th race day! Ironman racing usually requires 4-6 weeks of recovery for amateurs, depending on the individual which is why I have the Lifetime Fitness Tri as tentative. This will probably be a 'week of the race' decision. Less than 2 weeks off and then back to high intensity racing is a probably not a wise decision, but we'll see how recovery is going before completely putting off this race.
RAGBRAI is going to be more about fun and getting in some solid riding. I am doing the 1st 3-4 days(which are the hilliest, and hardest) culminating with a century ride. My primary focus is going to be Hy-Vee, but I need to maintain my higher volume running and swimming for Pigman. I will also incorporate speed work during the week which should translate into positive results for the Olympic races. The long rides in late July will pay dividends in bike fitness for the Pigman.
I am not concerned about having Big Creek one week before the Pigman 1/2 because I'm confident I will be able to recover from that race pretty quickly and be ready for Pigman. I'll have 2 weeks between the 1/2 and my 'A' race - Hy-Vee Oly which may be a little aggressive from a recovery standpoint. I will have to take a look at my training/recovery data to see if doing Pigman is going to be an option this year. I'm guessing with a high volume of training of swimming, biking, and running throughout the year that recovery should be fairly quick as long as I'm proactive about taking the right steps to a quick recovery.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Skipping Meals = Weight Gain
During a lot of my initial client consultations one of the very first questions I ask a potential client is if they eat breakfast. Most of the time the answer is "no" and the reasoning is chalked up to:
a) not having enough time
b) don't like breakfast
c) not hungry in the mornings
One might assume that by skipping a meal and eating less calories would be advantageous in trying to achieve weight loss. That is not the case, in fact, most of the time the opposite happens - weight gain. Let's walk through what happens physiologically to the body.
The human body is incredibly smart and adaptable. When a meal is skipped, especially breakfast, the body goes into a 'fasting mode' and your metabolism (how efficiently you burn calories) slows down and your body uses protein as its energy stores - in essence it's using your lean muscle mass, and it is keeping your fat stores as reserve energy.
Typically skipping meals will result into cravings. When you cave into the cravings the result will be high blood sugar which causes the body to create triglycerides which convert directly to fat-storage. So the weight you are losing is going to be mostly water and lean muscle.
Once you do get a normal meal chances are high that you'll over-indulge. Your rate of metabolism is very slow and it will take a long time for your body to digest the meal which result in weight gain.
The long term effects include muscle loss, weight gain, poor energy levels, testosterone loss, depleted immune system, and decreased bone density.
Start the morning off right with something to eat. In this case eating something unhealthy is going to be better than not eating anything at all. I would recommend a protein shake, peanut butter on bread, or scrambled eggs mixed with veggies.
For more information on this article or weight loss visit http://www.gettingfitness.com
a) not having enough time
b) don't like breakfast
c) not hungry in the mornings
One might assume that by skipping a meal and eating less calories would be advantageous in trying to achieve weight loss. That is not the case, in fact, most of the time the opposite happens - weight gain. Let's walk through what happens physiologically to the body.
The human body is incredibly smart and adaptable. When a meal is skipped, especially breakfast, the body goes into a 'fasting mode' and your metabolism (how efficiently you burn calories) slows down and your body uses protein as its energy stores - in essence it's using your lean muscle mass, and it is keeping your fat stores as reserve energy.
Typically skipping meals will result into cravings. When you cave into the cravings the result will be high blood sugar which causes the body to create triglycerides which convert directly to fat-storage. So the weight you are losing is going to be mostly water and lean muscle.
Once you do get a normal meal chances are high that you'll over-indulge. Your rate of metabolism is very slow and it will take a long time for your body to digest the meal which result in weight gain.
The long term effects include muscle loss, weight gain, poor energy levels, testosterone loss, depleted immune system, and decreased bone density.
Start the morning off right with something to eat. In this case eating something unhealthy is going to be better than not eating anything at all. I would recommend a protein shake, peanut butter on bread, or scrambled eggs mixed with veggies.
For more information on this article or weight loss visit http://www.gettingfitness.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
What Happened to Hard Work?
When I think back to some of my accomplishments thus far in my career, athletic journey, or family life the most rewarding are often the most challenging and difficult. Greater effort = greater reward. I think one of the biggest components missing from today's society is the fact that what you want in life, career, and sport takes hard work. There is no other way around it. There is no silver bullet or magic pill that is going to get you to your goal without doing the work day in and day out.
A perfect example is this video of Miranda Carfrae running form analysis video. Miranda won the IM World Championship last year and is considered one of the best triathlon runners. When you watch her run it looks so easy and flawless. Her form is perfect and she looks so comfortable and relaxed - oh, and she was running between 6:05/6:13 miles.
My point is, it has taken her years and 1000s of hours of consistent training to be that good. (Genetics have played a role in her talent as well). She has dedicated herself to be one of the best in the world and now she is reaping the benefits of her hard work.
Find your passion in what you want to do and put in the hard work, that's the only way to meet your potential and success.
A perfect example is this video of Miranda Carfrae running form analysis video. Miranda won the IM World Championship last year and is considered one of the best triathlon runners. When you watch her run it looks so easy and flawless. Her form is perfect and she looks so comfortable and relaxed - oh, and she was running between 6:05/6:13 miles.
My point is, it has taken her years and 1000s of hours of consistent training to be that good. (Genetics have played a role in her talent as well). She has dedicated herself to be one of the best in the world and now she is reaping the benefits of her hard work.
Find your passion in what you want to do and put in the hard work, that's the only way to meet your potential and success.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Effects of Running in the Wind - Real Life Example
I had a zone 2 run today over lunch and it was particularly windy day. I was curious to what kind of effect it would have on my pace given the zone 2 effort so I set up my Auto Lap for every mile on my Garmin and off I went for a 5.5 mile run. Today's wind gusts are around 24 mph give or take and the temps in the lower 50s at best.
Keep in mind, this is not a scientific study by any means and there are conditions such as hills, traffic, etc that I'm not taking in account here, but this data will give you a rough idea of what kind of impact wind has on running.
Mile 1 - 8:23 - into the wind
Mile 2 - 8:14 - with the wind
Mile 3 - 8:42- into the wind
Mile 4 - 7:57 - with the wind
Mile 5 - 7:54- with the wind
Mile 6 - 7:46- with the wind
There is a pretty profound difference there. More research and info will be coming soon, but this is something to consider when out on your weekend runs. If your mile times seem off, see if wind is a factor.
Keep in mind, this is not a scientific study by any means and there are conditions such as hills, traffic, etc that I'm not taking in account here, but this data will give you a rough idea of what kind of impact wind has on running.
Mile 1 - 8:23 - into the wind
Mile 2 - 8:14 - with the wind
Mile 3 - 8:42- into the wind
Mile 4 - 7:57 - with the wind
Mile 5 - 7:54- with the wind
Mile 6 - 7:46- with the wind
There is a pretty profound difference there. More research and info will be coming soon, but this is something to consider when out on your weekend runs. If your mile times seem off, see if wind is a factor.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Throw Your Scale Out the Window!
After a long holiday break or weekend we always dread hopping on the scale wondering what crazy number is going to appear. The anxiety level goes up, the not-so-distant memories of all the food/drink we put in our bellies, and the lack of exercise we did enter into the equation as we look down at the number. Sometimes we’re surprised, other times we have a look of horror on our faces.
I tell all my weight loss clients to toss the scale out the window! OK, not really, but I make it a point to insist they don’t use the scale every day, and, if they do use it, 1 time a week is more than enough. Weight scales can give us pretty arbitrary numbers based on many different outliers. Here are a few of the factors that play into our actual weight:
- Time of day
- Level of hydration/dehydration
- Last time went to the bathroom
- Last time we ate
- How much salt/processed food we ate (retains water)
- Last time exercised(lost water weight in sweat)
- Clothing
- Muscle gain vs. body fat loss
I have found that a digital scale can offer completely different results each time I weigh myself, so I’m not completely sold on them. However, if you are willing to invest some money into one, reviews indicate they are reliable. If you have a digital scale that measures body fat, hydration, and weight be sure to weigh yourself under the same conditions each time so that you have a comparative baseline to work from each time you weight yourself. There are even some scales that can upload your data to your phone and/or computer. Here is a great review by DC Rainmaker. Same rules apply to your basic scale -same time, same scale, under same conditions.
I tend to advise my clients that instead of using a scale, base their weight loss on how their clothes fit.
- -Are your jeans fitting better?
- -Is that shirt a little tighter around the chest and more wiggle room around your mid-section?
- Are you able to fit into your ‘summer jeans’ easier.
These are great qualitative measures for success!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Base II Review and Base III Preview
I finished up my Base II block which emphasized working on my swim. I am pretty happy with the improvements made in the pool as a whole, despite 3 bouts of being sick for 2-3 days. After doing some self-evaluation and consulting with other endurance athletes I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t taking in enough calories which depleted my immune system and caused me to get sick. I’ve upped the amount of calories I’m taking in and things are going well.
This week I start my Base III block with an emphasis on the bike. I’ve been kind of dreading this block because my riding will be primarily done inside on my trainer. For those of you with experience riding on a trainer, it can be pretty boring and monotonous. At the same time, it allows you to work on specific parts of your cycling technique due to a very controlled environment and can build some mental toughness. My current bike fitness is really lacking now so I hope to be able to get outside to knock out a few 3 hour rides. If not, I’ll have to suck it up on the trainer. I will also work on some high cadence and big gear interval work which will improve my overall efficiency and my overall riding performance. So, at a high level this is what we’re looking at for the next 4 weeks:
3 swims
3 runs
4 bikes (1 high cadence focused, 1 bike gear focused, 1 long, 1 mixed)
2 weight training sessions
My goal is to spend between 6-10 hours on the bike during this period. Next task is to find some good movies to watch to pass the time :)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
3 Pillars of Endurance Success
There are many things you can do to improve your endurance, but there are 3 keys things you MUST have to be the best you can be:
- Do the Work (Train)
- Nutrition
- Recovery
Let's detail them out a little more to get a better understanding:
1) Do the Work - just as it says, you've got to put in the time and log the laps, miles, etc. This is where you're building your endurance muscles, making nueromuscular improvements, and improving your endurance "engine". Train right, train smart. The other 2 pillars are going to support your training.
2) Nutrition - nutrition is the fuel you need for your workout, and replenishes glycogen stores, feeds your muscles, and aids in recovery after your workout. It's important to have ample "good" carbs before a workout, and carbs and protein immediately after a workout. When I say "good carbs" I'm referring to whole grain, fruits, and vegetables. Proteins can come from fish, turkey, chicken, beef, or nuts and legumes.
3) Recovery - this is probably the most neglected pillar of the 3. Athletes spend hours training and eating right, but they end up hurt, burn out, or over trained because they didn't spend ample time to recover. Athletes tend to think that while they're recovering the competition is out training and getting the upper hand. If that is the case, the competition will be watching you from the sideline. You need at least 1 recovery day a week and 1 week after every 3 weeks where your volume/intensity is down ~50%. This allows time for your body to absorb the training, muscles to repair/grow, and mind to refocus. Sleeping is also a part of recovery and is crucial because when you're sleeping your body releases human growth hormone(HGH) to aid in muscle growth and repair.
Follow these 3 success tools and your will grow and produce better results.
- Do the Work (Train)
- Nutrition
- Recovery
Let's detail them out a little more to get a better understanding:
1) Do the Work - just as it says, you've got to put in the time and log the laps, miles, etc. This is where you're building your endurance muscles, making nueromuscular improvements, and improving your endurance "engine". Train right, train smart. The other 2 pillars are going to support your training.
2) Nutrition - nutrition is the fuel you need for your workout, and replenishes glycogen stores, feeds your muscles, and aids in recovery after your workout. It's important to have ample "good" carbs before a workout, and carbs and protein immediately after a workout. When I say "good carbs" I'm referring to whole grain, fruits, and vegetables. Proteins can come from fish, turkey, chicken, beef, or nuts and legumes.
3) Recovery - this is probably the most neglected pillar of the 3. Athletes spend hours training and eating right, but they end up hurt, burn out, or over trained because they didn't spend ample time to recover. Athletes tend to think that while they're recovering the competition is out training and getting the upper hand. If that is the case, the competition will be watching you from the sideline. You need at least 1 recovery day a week and 1 week after every 3 weeks where your volume/intensity is down ~50%. This allows time for your body to absorb the training, muscles to repair/grow, and mind to refocus. Sleeping is also a part of recovery and is crucial because when you're sleeping your body releases human growth hormone(HGH) to aid in muscle growth and repair.
Follow these 3 success tools and your will grow and produce better results.
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