Fellow Tri Blogger

OK, I can't hold out on you anymore. For all of you who just can’t get enough triathlon news, take a look at Fat Slow Triathlete. Written by JC Harris who is a fellow triathlete from Tampa. Essentially JC’s blog is about everything triathlons! Now that’s what I call a blog! Although, this is not your typical triathlon blog. He keeps his blog very rich, contextual and up beat. He will touch on book reviews, interesting training methods, life experiences etc. Its simply refreshing to read, not only as a fellow triathlete but as someone who just enjoys a good read.

Today I read his blog Training-Report-for-June-2013 which was written on June 26^th.  JC writes at first about having something we all have, writers block! (Once again, refreshing to hear someone else struggles with this problem.) JC writes, “What to write about .... Ok .. I know ... a Training Report Update. That's the ticket ...” I couldn’t agree more JC. When in doubt, let’s look back on our training!

He then dives into a quick update on his training for his next race that is now taking place in 12 weeks (13 weeks at the time.) I found his progress so interesting because it actually supports my previous blog Science Project where we both touch on the immense difficulties in understanding how to train your own body during training. Everyone is different, so understanding your own body is essential. You can't just simply replicate Chris Mccormack's training methods(Triathlon God.)

To further support our similar points, JC's explains how he is having trouble with his running as he is currently injured, so it is very important for him to not push himself too hard. For me, I have always been comfortable on the running portion. Once again, everyone is different. The bike portion for me has always been my downfall. But I noticed, when I train for the bike portion I tend to work myself too hard and either get injured (knee) or I lose focus on my swimming training. I have yet to master my bike training but I think that I am close. The trick might be to do more long slow rides, rather than hard short rides.

Anyway, I hear you JC, It is not easy to dictate how your training will go. Although, I am convinced that practice makes perfect. I know, cliché right? But it's true! So keep up the training JC. I look forward to reading your upcoming blogs. Best of luck in Augusta!   

IronKIDS

For some odd reason, important events that you just can’t miss always seem to fall on the same weekend as that big race you were hoping to do! In fact, some triathletes have to sacrifice a lot in order to compete as often as they would like.

For example, let’s say you plan to do a race in August, chances are your son wants to hang around the house and play catch, or maybe your wife assigned you to babysitting duty for the weekend. There is no way you can miss that! Well the triathlon god’s have come to realize the pain and suffering some athletes have been subjected to and said “No more!”

So what is the answer? Let’s have a triathlon for kids! Check out the video below for a better idea of how much fun these can be. 

Just think, this way we don’t have to hire a babysitter, you get to spend time with your kids and you can introduce them to a great sport! There is nothing better than seeing a group of kids try to look and act like their parents. Despite the convenience it generates for parents, it can also be a great pleasure to see your children follow in your footsteps.

To see how these kid tri’s work for yourself,  come check out the ToughKIDS triathlon in Westchester, NY on Saturday September 7th! 

Iron Minds

Anyone can comprehend the thought of your body controlling your mind. But can your mind control your body? An upcoming documentary, “The Iron Minds” will explore this very question and explain the various methods triathletes practice to master mental preparation while underlying test of finishing a triathlon.

The documentary is based around the three members of the Orca Brand Triathlon team Asa Lundstrom, Andrew Starycowicz, and Sebastian Kienle. They are phenomenal triathletes and are very well known in the sport. Perhaps we can say they are comparable to be the Tiger Woods of golf, or the Michael Jordan of basketball. So gear up as the three triathletes take us on a journey through their personal experiences and share their outlook on mind over body.
 I am sure you can imagine how excited I am for this to come out! Check out the sneak peek video interviews with the three athletes below!


Asa Lundstrom

“To win is to overcome others. Victory is to overcome yourself.” – Asa Lundstrom.


Andrew Starycowicz

“Iron can bend, but it cant break” - Andrew Starycowicz (Fastest 70.3 bike split in history) 

Sebastian Kienle

"Your body could do much more than you think, only if your mind has control over your body." - Sebastian Kienle

It's Not so Much the Heat...

As I've mentioned in previous posts, the Florida half Ironman was HOT! As soon as I landed in Orlando, I instantly thought of the movie "Cool Runnings" If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend. To give you a very brief background on the movie, A few Jamaican sprinters who have never left Jamaica, end up going to Canada to compete in the Bobsledding competition in the Olympics after they do not make the Olympics for sprinting (true story) When they land in Canada they look petrified because they have never felt such cold weather. Then one character says very sarcastically “it’s not so much the heat, it’s the humidity that will kill ya.” Gets me every time.

 When I landed in Florida, it was a very similar feeling except it was very hot, not cold. I laughed for a brief second when I was reminded of the movie but the thought of racing in that weather quickly beset any laughter.

Because of the heat and humidity, I knew it was imperative that I stayed hydrated. Not only to help me finish the race but also for my own health. Being dehydrated during any sporting event is very unsafe. Every year, we hear stories of athletes passing out or even losing their life due to dehydration during a sporting event. So throughout the race, I doubled the amount of liquid that I would normally intake. I also made sure I was not over heating as well. To keep my body temperature down I made sure to stay soaking wet for the entire run portion. Yes, I just poured 2 sometimes 3 cups of water on my head at once to stay cool. I may have looked kind of silly but it helped!

Here is the only photo I have from the race which is when I am crossing the finish line. I laugh at this shot because at that very moment I was thinking “Why did I do this again” All jokes aside, finishing that race was a huge load off my shoulders. I knew that finishing this race under the circumstances was a nice accomplishment. This was also a great learning experience. I now know after doing this race, I am in no shape to finish the full Ironman and I need to understand that heat conditions can greatly effect your performance. Ultimately, what I learned from this race was, I need to train a lot this summer. 

More photos to come!

Inspiration

Before any race I like to search for some sort of inspiration. With the right source of inspiration, I find myself pushing my limits and striving to finish strong. The motivation that derives from a simple source of inspiration is so powerful that it defeats any fear or doubt I might have going into a race.

For example, my brother and I ran a race to raise money for the non profit organization that he works for which is called “The Empowerment Center” During our fund raising I learned a significant amount about his company and the people that they strive to assist. During my race, I inadvertently thought about the people that gave money to our cause as well as the people that were directly affected by the money we were able to raise. It was an extremely humbling experience and I was so proud to be apart of it.

When I decided to do the Arizona Ironman, I quickly began my search for a direct inspiration. So I did what most people do for research now a days, I signed on to Youtube! The clip I found blew me away. I instantly felt an urge to begin training with the hopes that when I finish the race, I will have a similar experience as the woman in the clip who finishes seconds before the cutoff! Before you watch, I will give you a brief background on how the Ironman finish works. Quite simply you start the race around 6:30 am. You have until midnight to finish the race. If you do not finish the race by midnight you are disqualified. If you do not make the finish, suddenly the countless hours of training, the injuries and the sacrifices you made become a waste. Perhaps “waste” is a harsh way to put it but I am sure at the moment it feels like a waste. In this clip you will learn first hand how incredible the finish can be. The search for this moment is my inspiration this time around. Enjoy the clip!  Ironman Inspiration

Tricks to Survive the Dreaded Swim!

More times than not, beginner triathletes build up apprehension for the swim portion. Some people say it is initiated by the fear of being out in the open and too tired to swim any further.  After all, it’s not like being in a pool because you can’t grab onto the side if you get tired. Yes, being out in the open water is somewhat scary if you are not used to it. I will also put into consideration, the fact that hundreds of people are splashing and kicking water into your face. So I am sympathetic for someone first starting. Believe me, I was very nervous for my first swim. In fact I still feel nervousness before I get in the water.  Despite all the fears we all face, there are several tricks you can do that will not only ease the apprehension but will get you to the finish line faster!

      1) When you start the race, don’t start in front! Let the people in your wave go first, and find your way to the back of the line. Let's be honest, you’re not going to win the race your first time. Just focus on finishing. By starting in the back you don’t have to worry about people swimming over you, and accidentally hitting your face during their stroke (happens to me all the time) This also enables you too swim at your own pace and focus.

 
    2)   Focus on your breathing. When we are overwhelmed or nervous we tend to breathe heavier as our heart rate increases. Especially when swimming it is important not to breathe sporadically. It is a very easy mistake to make during the swim so remember to take calm deep breaths, one after the other.

   
    3)   Don’t stop kicking! I admit I am the king of not kicking. But when I remind myself, I notice I not only   move at a better pace but I take tension off of my upper body which I need to preserve if I want to finish. So help your body and distribute the tension by kicking as well.

 
   4)   Don’t think about time, or where you are in the race. Your thoughts can become very manipulating!  For example, I often make the mistake of counting the buoys as I pass them. This may seem like it would help but it always makes time drag. 45 minutes can sometimes feel like 3 hours if you think about the time you have left. Do yourself a favor and let your thoughts wander. Think about your childhood, girlfriend, family, your goals in life, where you see yourself in 5 years etc. This is the perfect time to reflect and have fun with it! I like to think of this time to yourself as an exploration or an assessment on your life.  I’ve never meditated but I imagine the feeling is very similar. But remember; don’t lose your focus on the race. Remember trick number 2?

  
    5)   Most importantly, have fun. We enter these races to enjoy ourselves and push ourselves to new limits. So why waste the time being afraid of the swim? Its silly. Remember there are lifeguards all around watching you in case something were to happen. Your safety is always the most important factor and the race organizers take this very seriously. So be conscious of your surroundings and enjoy!

Clearly, there are several ways to increase your confidence before a triathlon. To keep it simple, remember to stay calm, focus on your breathing, remember the fundamentals, forget about winning the race, and have fun. Remind yourself of these factors and you will have a great experience.

Things to Remember on Race Day

Prior to race day it is not uncommon to experience some apprehension about forgetting something. Much like packing for a long vacation, you always feel like you're missing something. This is simply due to the fact that there is so much you need and it becomes overwhelming.  Believe it or not, I forgot my goggles on race day once. I don’t have to tell you how embarrassing that was twice. To avoid these situations I always go through a checklist the night before. My checklist goes something like this…

•          GOGGLES
•          Bike Shoes
•          Running Shoes
•          Bike socks
•          Running socks
•          Wet suit
•          Swim cap
•          Ear plugs (They are uncomfortable. I usually throw them out during the swim)
•          Bike shorts
•          Run shorts
•          Bike/run jersey 
•          Sun glasses
•          Towel
•          Two water bottles
•          Bike helmet
•         chamois butt'r
•          Food
•         Sun screen! (I’ve forgot this before too)

And all of this has to fit into a relatively small bag! So now that you’ve seen the list, you can understand how I could overlook something. Right?