Greetings from Park City in Bridgeport CT.  This Olympic distance tri finds me in the middle of my season when I am suppossed to be "resting" but in order to stay in shape and have some good ol' raceing fun, i decided to test the wheels.

Swim:
-Starting from the second wave, M16-29 I run down the beach to the first buoy.  Oddly the swim starts at a diaganol across the beach and in order to reach the first buoy you can run or swim!
-I decide to slow my run rather than sprint into the water in order to keep my heart rate low.
-This put me in the second pack of swimmers and not up at the front where I wanted to be.
-The pack I swim with seems to be moving slowly so I make the pass only to find myself in no mans land!
-Sun is bright and in our faces as we make the turn; glad to have my dark goggles.
-Swim alone for the rest of the swim and as I come 100yrds from the finish I can see the lead swimmers from my wave in blue caps.
-Out of the water, "oh man my HR is maxed out!"  I make my way slowly into transition.
-T1 is slow... slower than last year but I take the time to get what I need an bike out onto the course.

BIKE:
-Hammer it, Hammer it.
-First lap I push the head down and pedal hard. My HR is so high I have to pedal and then stop to catch my breath and clear lactic acid.
-I back off a bit and try to collect myself.
-I can see some of the racers from the first wave on the return of the 5 loop bike course.  Hmmmm not down too far how much can i bump it up?
-Lap #3 take in some gatorade and start to feel my legs getting stronger as I warm up.
-After having done this course last year, knowing the turns I barrel through without touching the brakes.
-"Look out on your left!" as I pass other cyclists entering the bike course
-Head wind is not too bad on the way out and a nice n fast tail wind on the way back. 
-The disc sounds great and moves me foward at lightning speed.
-From the scouts on the course, "Your in 4th, two more just in front of you, go get em!
-Loop #4? No wait its five!  Good thing I set my watch.
-T2 much faster transition this time.. 

RUN:
-Grrrr this doesnt feel too good.  Grit my teeth and know just how little run training went into this one.
-No fear just dont stop.  Brain says stop.  Dont stop!
-On the loop out I chase down a couple folks.  (Im leading my wave but hard to tell how Im matching up against the first wave)
-Sip some gatorade at the end of each loop and pour a cup of water on my face and head.
-Its starting to heat up.
-Running along the beach towards lap #2 I can see the race leader from wave #1.
-He looks strong, (Go Arland)
-Run pace holds but not too fast here.  Feel ok and glad to be done with this LT workout!  ...ok I loved it.

FINISH:
-6th Overall, 1st AG M25-29
-Racing on base is hard to do. Mentally and physically
-It felt good to blow out some of the cobwebs from IM Coeur D'Alene.
-Foot feels a bit sore from the run, oh yea thats why I have not been running : )
-Looking at the powerfile for this workout shows that I increased my power each loop by ~10 watts. Nice.
-Back to base training for awhile...

**Post race anaysis; In chosing goals and achieving them rather than chasing them, I have decided not to do the Monaco Half Ironman.
This is the first race I am "pulling out of" in my racing career.  I have always said that I am in this for the long haul and I have bigger fish to fry later this fall at Ironman Arizona. This educated decision will allow me to have the proper build-up and recovery needed to throw down a deep effort again this year.  For now I look forward
to enjoying the rest of the summer!  See you at ITPman and IM Arizona.

Coach Cliff

        

So you just had a great brick. Your cadence, HR and nutrition are all on target. Sure your lower back hurts; that's standard. And you know your hips will lock up if you sit for any period of time today. So you have to decide if you're going to do some core work to help the back, or take time to stretch your hips. It's all about prioritizing these days. And since these muscle aches are nothing compared to running on legs full of lactic acid, you'll worry about it later.
 
It might help to know that both hip tightness ...

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Hello and greetings from beautiful Ironman Coeur d'Alene! After competing at Ironman Lake Placid for the past three years I decided to turn my sights West and take on the similarly beautiful and challenging Ironman course

              

Swim 1hr 00min
-2400 athletes line up on shore of 58 degree water to start the race!
-I line up to the far left hoping to swim away from traffic and starting inside the buoys.
-Hopefully this more clear swim line would get me started on the right foot.  I would still need to tangle with the large group rounding the first buoy at the end of the rectangular course.
-Bang from the cannon! Mass chaos!!
-make the first turn without much trouble or drownding.
-Difficulty finding a good draft out here and seems to be a bit choppy.
-Loop #1 29min 30sec... a little slow but in the right time frame.
-Loop #2 getting clearer still not good feet to draft.  Is this guy in front of me swimming drunk? He is all over the place!
-Decide that the swim is not the place to "make my move" and hold back to wait for the long day of biking and running ahead of me.

T1
-Nice n quick transition onto the bike, give a quick heal kick to the crowd and onto the bike.

                                                                            Bike 5hr 18min
                        

-Wooosh.  The disc and bike feel great.  Sailing along with a nice tail wind on the way out on a two loop course
-Start to work on my powerbars.. eventually eating four of them.
-Miles 0-20 lots of tail wind and relatively flat sections.
-Nice n easy on some of the harder hills.  Watch out for the AM wet roads and narrow hairpin turns!
-Riding alone...   very alone.
-Chain falls off the bike first time...  ~45 seconds stop time
-Keeping watts <315 on any steady climbs while standing up on the pedals for hills I could roll over
-On the out and back I can see some folks but still a good gap. Riding too fast? 
-Sun is shinning.. roll it on.  Boost the power!
-mile 56 still fun but starting to get grounded in the fact that the day is young and I am starting to feel my legs.
-Chain falls off the bike for the second time... ~30 seconds stop time.
-Ease up a bit as the guy in front of me jerks his wheel left then right to avoid a curious but unleashed dog!
-mile 80-95.  Oh yea, this reminds me of Lake Placid second loop.  Hills seem steeper, legs feel way more tired... and Im going to run after this?!
-Still moving at a good clip and my speed is there. Finish my bars and one gel flask moving on to Gatorade at each aid station. 
-Chain falls off the bike for the third time! Aaahhhhhhh!!  1min 30sec of stop time.  Grrrrr.
-mile 90-112.  Serious headwind directly in my grill.  Not little baby wind but big daddy wind.
-Pull into T2 with that not so fresh feeling but 5th off the bike in my age with the 39th fastest split of the day. 

T2
-Not many bikes in transition, this is great!  I get excited to run.
-In and out onto the run no problems here...

                                                                                  Run 4hr 3min
     

-miles 0-5 just relax and find a comfortable pace. Check heart rate and fuel.
-Quiet on the run as there are still not many runners on the course
-Stop at the bathroom #2.....  thats odd havent had that one before.
-miles 6-13 sputter sputter... cant get the heart rate up. Legs dont want to run. 
-run for a mile, walk for a bit, run a mile walk a bit. 
-Can see the pefect day slipping but I am still digging in to pull something out.
-Drink a cup of gatorade at each aid station and continue sipping three small shots of 2X strength gatorade from my camel back.
-Say hi to my #1 fans mom and dad.  Give them a hug and kiss and continue back onto the course for miles 19-26.2
-Really low blood sugar. Walk for ~20min
-As my HR drops so does the temperature, woah im getting cold walking here. KEEP MOVING! 
-Three miles to go and as I look at the time I can still finish under 10:30 but I have to keep running without stopping.
-Make the last turn into town and towards the beautiful main street with great fans and music.. YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!

As I close out my 8th Ironman I realize again and again just what an adventure and show it is each time I do this thing.  Such a coaster of emotions and experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything.  It may be tough but it sure is great when you are riding the edge of what you are capable of!  Till next time. Swim-Bike-Run-FUN!

~Coach Cliff

        

                     

NJ Masters State Championships - Second Place - Congratulations Haluk!

-Distance 30miles

-Field Size: 65 participants

-Course Description: Narrow road, hills and straights.  Got it all.

-Key Move: On the last lap and with 8miles to go,  haluk makes a break away uphill putting in 600 Watts to   break away with the eventual leader.  Twisting and turning 90 degrees and uphill both cyclists take turns pulling to the line. "I gave it everything I had, there were some great riders here today including some great time trial specialists.

 

Some of Haluks other recent cycling races and sucess.

Bear Mountain: 1st place, masters 45+
-Distance: 46miles

-Field Size: 102 particiants
-Race Detail: 3miles of climbing eventually breaking away with 5 other riders.  Race comes to a sprint finish downhill and haluk takes first.

Empire State (Prospect Park)  DNF - injury

-Distance: 30miles
-Field Size: 150 particiants
-Race Detail: cramped up. (Cramp from groin to toes!) Still went toe to toe with three cat 1-2 riders before eventually dropping the race.

                       

Three amigos, from left: Coach Haluk Sarci, Coach Cliff Scherb, Stefan the "Cho Choo" Kusurelis.  Masters prep ride at Nyacks Rocket Ride.
 

 

 

        

On the road to Couer D'Alene, the Ridgefield CT, Sprint Triathlon: Coach Cliff Reports

.5mi swim, 14mi bike, 3.1mi run

• 5:00am wake up to 70deg clear morning.
• 6:30am transition open
• 7:00am race start M14-39
• Swim in Great Pond.  Lots of warm sunshine standing on shore and the water was also warm - - get ready to go all out, all chips in!
• Launch into the water going anaerobic in the first 100m.  Gulp down some water and search for feet to draft
• T1 and my wetsuit is caught...  ask a volunteer. "Can you unzip me? Please!"
• 2:30 transition... that was slow. Oops.
• Bike: Hammer hammer hammertime.  Lots of twisty winding technical roads with steep climbs and descents and a couple hairpin turns.  Beautiful scenery and fresh air.
• Trying to catch my breath. Legs totally filled with lactic acid. (normally, it takes me 20-30min to warm up on the bike but the entire bike leg took me only 31:44!...Just as i was hitting a grove time to run.)
• Pass two others in front of me on the bike.  Dont see anyone nearby or ahead. Avg bike speed = 26.5mph.
• T2 better transition :38 sec
• Run: Here we go out on to the run in 3rd position. 
• Mile one is mostly uphill! 
• Mile two... lots of the same up hill!
• No one around to push or pull me.....
• Last mile to finish; all downhill. 
• Cruise in.. run pace = 5:57/mi 
• 3rd place overall and 1st AG M25-29
• This was a fun and short race, special thanks to Evan of Ridgefield Triathlon for putting on a great event and getting me into the race!
• Special thanks also to my family for coming to support me;  Mom, Dad and Ryan

3rd place Coach Cliff, 1st place Max Wunderle, 2nd place John Hirsch. Congratulations!

~Coach Cliff

        

Hello TriStar Athletes!  The following tips are sure to help you along your iron journey, whether its your first M-dot or just the most recent in your Iron career.  Some of the concepts are simple and are maxims on their own, while other ideas are the start of more complex training patterns and ideas.  Some are familiar and other tips will be new to you.  Try one or adopt them all but make sure to make the best of each tip by applying it to your own situation and experiece level.   Keep Tri-ing!   ~Coach Cliff


                                                      For Base Training.....

1. Train with a heavy bike, with the slowest wheels and as much water and gear as you can carry. It makes you stronger and adds a level of challenge to your workouts.  When you lighten the load on race day you will fly.

2. Dont worry about speed and pace.  Focus in on how many hours you are collecting at your Z1 and Z2 hear rate. This allows you to go easy and really teach the body to get the benefits of base training(burning fat as fuel), fitting more workouts in and not getting hurt.

3.Lose the weight during the base phase and focus on your nutrition; When you increase the miles at low intensity it is easier to shed extra weight from resting periods. Why?  You are burning fat as fuel = 9cal/gram vs. 4cal/gram for carbohydrate.  Harder workouts use more carbs/glycogen and must be replaced. This is difficult to do close to your 'A' race as it is important to be fueling for each hard session.

4. Swim more... lots more.   Easier on the body the extra yards help build the aerobic engine with less stress on the body.  Even consider double swims.  You will gain confidence the more time you invest in the pool. Be not afraid!

5. Run on the soft stuff, ALL T's.  This could be said for all year round and all the time but the more you run on TRACK, TRAIL, TURF, TOPSOIL, TREADMILL....  the more you save your joints from injury and can recover faster to get to that next workout!

6. Stick to your guns.  Sure its fun to go hammer with a bunch of friends on a ride during the base phase but you want to peak for your 'A' race. If you want to improve you have to have the confidence to ride like grandma when the faster cyclists tempt you to come play.  The same holds true for the run... Z3-4 with your good run partner does not equal a "quality" base run for you but might be for them.

7. Eat big on the bike; For rides that last three hours or more you better fuel up.  Training the body to absorb calories during a long ride takes practice. (pizza, large subs...) A lunch stop will make you feel better and last longer through the day.  Skimping on the calories will leave your legs wobbly and you want confidence after a long ride especially given that in the not so distant future your going to need to run off that bike.

8. Plan a 2-3 day training adventure and challenge yourself.  Try something different and keep the training interesting, dont force yourself in the base phase to do the same type of workouts each week without switching it up once in awhile.  Go for a long hilly ride, travel to a local park to hike/run, open water swim at the ocean, train with a team.  As you get closer to your 'A' race you will then get more specific with your workouts and regimens.  For now keep it open for exploration.

9. The wider your base training the taller your "peak".  As you build your foundation of training during the base phase realize that time invested here will yeild a higher peak performance on race day. 

10. Include a race in the base... The human body is adaptive and if you give it only one stimulus it will take on that stimulus.  Its ok to keep the engine tuned by doing a 5k, 10k, or cycling race in order to keep up your speed.  Sure you wont be sharp or fast as you were last year but it will keep your body ready for action so that when you do give it harder workouts (ie track, hill repeats, tempo swims) the body will respond more favorably.

                                                                   

                                                              On Tapering...

1. One day hard and one day easy.  The closer you get to your ‘A’ race focus on getting in those key speed sessions but really go easy on the recovery days.  A good rule of thumb is if you are showing up to your workouts not fresh and eager to train you should bag that session until you are rested.

2. Take two days off.  Its hard to do but it will really give you the physical and mental boost when timed right.  Sometimes less is more and in this case two days means a lot to a body that for most of us, is used to a constant level of activity and amount of training fatigue.

3. Take a nap.  Especially after harder workouts.  Also, eating a small meal before and after your harder training sessions will help facilitate good recovery. 

4. Eat Eat Eat!  Fruits and vegetables that is and lots of them.  Reduce the tendency for starches and high calorie foods.  It helps to eat more frequent smaller meals.

5. Three week vs. two week taper.  While this is highly individualistic, generally Ironman folks with more limited experience need to keep a higher volume of training in weeks 3 and 4 out from an   ‘A’ race.  Those with more experience may chose to taper off that volume and trade it up for more intense workouts shorter in duration.
 
6. Training with what’s on the course.  The best way to not have a nutrition collapse on race day is to train with the products that they serve on the race course.  While it is highly recommended that you experiment with your nutrition early in the season; in weeks 5 out to 1 we suggest trying to mimic what you will be eating on race day in all or most workouts.

7. Create a roadmap.  Take the time to sit down and plan out your race strategy starting with breakfast to the finish line.  Using a timeline mark down what you will be doing at each hour of the race with regards to fueling, pacing, hydration, and best case/worst case scenarios for swim, bike and run.

8. Swim more often in your final two weeks.  In order to increase your confidence in the water, spend as many sessions as possible in the water even if they are as short as 15minutes.  The increased tactile sensation of swimming with more “touches” in the water will make your forearm paddles feel larger in size as you move more water.

9. Don’t get sick! As triathletes our immune systems are already on the edge.  Avoid cute but germy kids, wash your hands and don’t burn the candle at both ends.  Try as much as possible to get work related projects done early so you can focus the last week on resting.

10. Final Workouts, swim-bike-run; two weeks out.  In order to stimulate fast twitch muscles, very short hard intervals are used to keep the intensity high and trade off some endurance for speed.  However, espcially in the last week and a half the rest between these intervals needs to be focused on full recovery. (Heart rate drops back down to Zone 2 or 1) Weeks 3-4 out from an 'A' race can have harder efforts seeing less recovery. This gives the body the chance to recover from harder efforts of the previous weeks while maintaining a high level of speed for race day.

                                               For you raceday performance

1. Wear a hat or visor.  During hotter races use a hat to keep your head cool by loading it with ice from aid stations or wetting it to also stay cool.  Lighter colors do help as well and visors or hats will help keep the sun off your face.

2. Dont blow up! Pace your race as two sections for the swim, bike and run.  Meaning, be conservative on the first half of each segment.  On the second segment of each, if you feel good go for it!  If you are feeling not so hot, pull back and conserve the energy.  Most of us have a tendancy to go too hard on the first part of each discipline (and since we are tapered and rested) as a result we expend most of our energy for less return. Making 5-10min on the bike by going hard vs losing 20min on the run is the differernce between 1st and 20th place!

3.Dont chage your plan on raceday... unless the plan calls for it.  What?  When considering your pacing / heartrate and or power values; stay within your limits and plan.  The art of racing "smart" is knowing when and where to push it.  Example; you start your bike ride and push xxxWatts however your HR for that wattage is 5-8 beats per minute higher on the day.  For a long race you would need to adjust that power down to bring the HR back within an acceptable range.  This is the art of racing smart.  The same principles might be rounded upwards if your watts were higher for a lower heart rate.

4. Draft the swim; For more experienced swimmers and even less, drafting = free speed.  (Not a whole lot of things come free or cheap in this sport!)  Take advantage as its long day out there and socking away some free energy is worth it.

5. Carry less on the bike.  Especially true on more hilly courses.  Loading down your bike with lots of water will make the bike ride more challenging for sure.  Carry one or two less bottles and rather grab from the aid stations your water needs. (**This strategy works but assumes that you grab a bottle at each station, if you drop/miss a bottle you have to go back and get it!)

6. Keep hydrating and fueling.  The moment you forget to fuel your body and give it the proper nutrients during a long race, the quicker the time will come where you will be soft pedaling or walking the run.  It would be like driving a long road trip in your car and only putting in a small amount of gas at each gas station.... eventually you are going to run out of gas.  (The same holds true for salt intake, even if its not hot!)

7. Use whats on the course, and train with whats on the course.  Gatorade, powerbars and gels are provided at the aid stations for a reason and that is because they work.  While some may have special food requirements during races, the more you can stick to using what is provided, the better off you will be.  This way if your super calore water bottle ejects on your ride, the race is not over!  It also means you have to carry less stuff.

                                                          


                                                            Towards your recovery...

1. Do what feels natural and when in doubt bag it.  Unless you are racing again very soon, recovery periods work best when training is unstructured and fun.  Try different sports and activities during this time and…. Dare I say take some time off?!

2. Don’t stretch too much right after your race.  Since your muscles have been pushed to capacity and have many small and possibly large micro tears, it is better to wait several days and the later part of a week post race to begin some light stretching routines.  During active recovery session you can include light stretches.

3. Take a bath in Epsom Salts.  This is a really great way to sooth aching muscles after your race (2-3 days afterwards).  Directions;  use 2-3 cups of Epsom salts in a warm bath and soak for 20-30min.  The effect is like advil for the legs and lessens the aches.  Avoid taking a warm bath immediately following a race as ice and cool water are better for hot/damaged muscles.

4. Continue to eat healthy; Just because your race is over doesn’t mean that your body doesn’t still need quality nutrients.  In fact the repair process demands complex amino acids / proteins and carbohydrates to rebuild and repair damage.  (This strategy however does not include post race celebrations where “recovery” food involves cookies, beer and burgers!)

5. Swim Swim your legs to recovery.  The first week post Half Ironman and post Ironman should be spent predominantly in the pool.  Water acts as a massaging force on your muscles and provides low impact activity.  For those in desperate need to run..  try aqua jogging for thirty minutes at a time.  You will be shocked what a great workout it can be.

6. Analyze your race and begin to plan your next move.    It’s rare that you have the perfect race, yet if every time you had a perfect race you would never learn anything for the next Tri!  Each race has important facts about you as an athlete.   Racing is hands on classroom experience.  If you don’t figure out what you did right vs what you did wrong your improvements will be less.  Write down what went right and wrong and adjust for your next race or season.

7. Wear compression socks.  High socks are now not just fashionable in basketball they are in style for triathlon too.  From a racing perspective a sheer compression sock that doesn’t heat up too much, can hold the muscles in place and increase blood flow.(as always don’t test them out on race day but use them in training if you are going to race in them)  They also aid in recovery by reducing swelling and inflammation.  Many drug stores carry them and perhaps you can borrow a pair of grandma’s cankle busters. : )

8. Ironman vs half Iron recovery;  Trying to figure out how long it may take you to recover from your ‘A’ race is tricky.  Some general rules say that those new to Iron distance may take 3weeks to 6 months to recover.  If you are an elite and have years of race experience a month might be enough.  For Half Iron, targeting 2 weeks to two months, again depending upon fitness race seasonality and experience, will help you determine when you are able to start “training” again.

9. Reintroduce yourself to the sport in the same event order.  In order to play it safe and be sure not to come back to quick, you can avoid further race injuries by swimming firstly, cycling second and lastly running.  (Running can be added much later as it has the greatest chance of producing a post Iron injury)

10. Get a massage.  You deserve it and your legs will thank you.  A massage soothes aching muscles and increases blood flow to injured and troubled areas.  Deep tissue massage is better than lighter pressures and can help the healing process and remove lactic acid from your muscles.

                                                             


                                                                Other key concepts

1. Get fit! On your bike that is.  Dialing in your bike fit from a certiied F.I.S.T bike fitterwill allow you to train longer, have less pain and allow you to recover faster to get to the next workout.  Dont be uncomfortable on your bike, it doesn't have to hurt

2. Establish a long term plan for Iron racing.  If you want to improve and move up the ranks you will need to be consistent.  No one is going to hand you the keys to the Ferrari right away!  Establish an aerobic base with lots of low HR base miles in your "formative" years.  Once you have this aerobic engine, start to ratchet up the more challeging race goals and training.  As a guesstimate it takes ~4-5yrs to reach your true Iron potential.  Depending on your background it may take shorter or longer.

3. Learn from the pros and coaches.  Go to seminars, camps, and lectures where you can absorb tri speak and learn best practices from people who have "raced there, and trained that!"  TriStar Athlete will be hosting a week long camp July 7th to the 14th in New York City with Pro Triathlete Brandon Del Campo, Coach Cliff and Coach Haluk.  The camp will be part information session and part speed training for the upcoming Lake Placid and New York City Triathlon events.  Click here to learn more and sign up!

4. Stretch now. Yes right now!  If you dont already incorporate stretching into your program you'd better start today.  Saying I will stretch later will bring on inury sooner.  While stretching may not be the most enjoyable or exciting part of your program, neglecting it is a sure fire way to end a season.  When muscles are more pliable greater force can be exherted on the swim, bike and run.  One area to spend the greatest amount of stretch time is the hips.  The hips get tight for triathlets when muscles contract from lots of cycling and running put together.  Keep the hips lose andyu will run and cycle faster- injury free!

5. Change your shoes and rotate a pair. Having two pairs of shoes to alternate for running is important for several reasons.  Firstly, when you start to rack up the mileage a shoe (depending on its weight and durability) lasts for ~200-600miles and most closer to the 200mi range.  If you decide to skimp on your shoe budget there is a high chance of developing injury.  Secondly, rotating a second pair of shoes helps lower moisture by giving ample time for the second pair to dry out before starting your next run.  (Foot fungus is no joke : )

6. Do a cycling time trial or road race.  Weeks 5-4-3 out from your 'A' race to help raise your lactate threshold

7. If wishes were horses, ride a disc;  Yes they are expensive and yes they are fast.  As long as you can stay in the aerobars when the wind is blowing,you should always ride the disc.  Its aerodynamically superior!

8. Hiking.  Walking may not be an part of a triathlon event (unless the race isnt going your way) but it does help to build leg strenght and clear lactic acid while minimizing run pounding.  Explore a hilly park near you!

9. Peak once but race short.  If you are lucky you can peak for two Iron races per year, most cant.  A good season strategy is to have one go for it race and supporting events to complement the 'A' race.  Perhaps in the early part of the season you select multiple sprints and olympics that help work on your speed.

10. Give it a rest. If your goal is to remain healthy and interested in triathlon for many years to come, make sure to schedue some time away from your sport.  Doing other sports to stay fit, and simply allowing yourself to mentally recharge will allow you to come back with a vengance. 


**The tips above are general guidelines and may or may not apply to you and or your training.  Working with a coach and a well thought out season plan will help make sure you have the best race day possible.

All the best,

~Coach Cliff

        

Traveling to the beautiful island of St Croix, this Half Ironman triathlon has it all.  Sun, surf, wind, hills, heat, rain, and did I mention hills?  The 2008 event included a who’s who of Pro athletes and top age groupers looking to get an early jump on gaining entry to the Kona and Clearwater World Championships as well as a good test race for those coming out of the winters grip. Congratulations to all TriStar Athletes in St Croix for braving a tough day and slaying the beast!

” Sometimes you own the course, sometimes the course owns you.”

Race Detail

Swim:

· 6am Swim from mainland to race start on the Cay

· 6:30am pros start

· 6:32am ask other swimmers their potential swim times to get a pair of feet to draft off of.

· 6:35am <Male 29yrs start! 

· 6:40am no fast feet in this group.. and can’t hang on with the fastest guy who leaps ahead to the pro field swimmers.

· Lots of chop out here; like the hull of a boat slamming into each wave it was hard to get into a swim rhythm.

· Stopped several times to sight the buoys.

· Finish the swim up the ramp in a slower than normal time 33min

Bike:

· Get on the bike and try to settle in but HR is 172!  Continue riding with HR 168+ for first 25min. (@ >280W)

· Settle in a bit and start to feel more relaxed but legs feel empty…

· Several small thunderstorms wet us and the roads as we cruise through town making the conditions  slippery

· Chain falls off the right side of my bike x 2 and have to stop to fix it.

· Up the beast, really working here; shouldn’t be so hard but sure feels like it. (HR 176bpm)

· Mile 45 on the bike big thunderstorms and high wind make for hard conditions.  I munch on my second wet Powerbar  and stick to my game plan dialing in my watts and noting the HR.

· Sun peeks out and wind picks up on the back of the island.  Legs feel depleted and don’t think I am eating enough!

· SRM troubles; as the course heats up (effecting the calibration of my power meter) I have to switch back to HR to pace the bike. 

· More hills… and some fast fun downhill sections.  Some gusty winds blow my front wheel around making the descent hairy.

· Mile 50 legs are toast and feel more like after an Ironman than finishing a half Iron bike :O

Run:

· Enter T2 and take my time to get set and ready to run.  Load up my camel back and wet my cap to start onto the run course without a cloud in the sky!

· Hot HOT HOT! Ice, water, sponge and Gatorade at each aid station.

· Mile three some walking and jogging.  The trail through the golf course is hot and stagnant until I reach the ocean side with a nice breeze.

· Get passed by Amanda Lovato on the run.. she is looking strong but suffering . 

· I walk some of the major hills and jog as much as I can to keep moving. My only words of the day to the cheering section as I walk up the steep hill on the 9th hole of the golf course, “Sometimes you own the course, and sometimes the course owns you!”  Though I did say it with a laugh and a smile : )

· Mile 6..  Starting to feel a little better after getting in lots of strong Gatorade from my camel back.

· Some blisters on the feet but keep moving. 

· To cool my body I put cups of ice from each aid station under my cap.  (Brain Freeze!)

· All about finishing as there is only 3miles to go.  Really suffering in the heat..

· One loop through the downtown heat and can hear the crowd cheering and see the finish line. Glad to be done : )

· Finish 5:05:30  Swim:33min Bike 2:41 Run:1:48, 6th place M25-29  [AVG HR 163bpm or (97% of LT on bike, and 96% of LT on run) Weather low 71 high 89. Sun and rain showers with  thunder storms.

While this wasn’t the stellar race I had hoped for it did blow out the winter cob webs and should get me ready for my ‘A’ race, Ironman Cour D’Alene.  Based on some of my experiences from this race I plan to tweak a few things for my nutrition going forward (Eat more on the bike) and also make sure NOT to get sick the week before the race!

~Coach Cliff

Need help planning your ‘A’Race nutrition?  We can help dial in your specifics!  Contact us!

        

You know the feeling. First thing in the morning, you jump out of bed ready for a training run. But as soon as your feet hit the floor, pain radiates along the soles. As you try to walk it off, your IT band makes your knee lock up. Now every step feels like a battle of wills between you and your body. Maybe it’s a good day for a swim. If you’re dealing with IT band strain and/or plantar fasciitis, there is some good news. The two “syndromes” are intricately linked. Therefore the protocol to prevent and rehab them both is intricately linked. More on the protocol in a moment. First, let’s get to know the enemy. (Or you can skip below to see both a stretch and strengthening protocol.) << MORE >>

As we roll into Febuary of 2008 is was asked to write a little blurb on "post Kona" training.  Since it was my first time doing the race it would also be my first time training "post Kona".  The past two years I have gone there to watch the race and train with the hopes of racing IM New Zealand in March.  This past year was quite different for me as I ended up taking off a good chunk of time after the race.  Going into the winter months would be a whole new game because I wouldn't be in the kind of shape I am used to at that time of year.

       

Most people, if they are not too fried from the race, will be pretty pumped up after Kona.  You will give your body the so called "rest" that it needs and then suddenly your day to day will begin to bounce back.  Many start to think that they are recovered and will get the itch to start moving again.  Often times that "itch" comes form the low you may experience the weeks after an Ironman.  We are an obseesed bunch for the most part and we like our athletic high and often prefer the quick fix over the proper thing to do.

I sure know that I need my fix.  I had taken a good 3 weeks off completely.  Part of that was due to the fact that I got my shoulder broken and AC joint badly jammed a few days after the race.  NOTE:  When at Lu Lu's DRINK LESS and don't think you are a cage fighter with your buddies on the lawn across the street!  The other part was that I knew I needed some time off both physically and mentally.  I had gone to LA to visit some friends and take care of things that I didn't have the time to do throughout the year.  But then I got the itch.  Hmmmm?  I sure would like to run.

One of the things that makes post Kona recovery and training different from other Ironmans is that it comes at the end of the season.  Obviously you need to recover from your race but what most people neglect is the recovery from the ENTIRE SEASON.  How many races did you do that year?  How much training did you put in?

Becasue Hawaii is ussually the last race of the year, unless you are one of the crazys that do 70.3 too, the week after the race tends to be a bit more of a party than usual. Hence my shoulder.  The care for the body is neglected and caution is thrown to the wind.  If you did an early season race to qualify for Hawaii (or several no doubt) I'm sure you took better care of yourself post race.  But none the less your body bounces back in a few weeks and you decide that you really think a track run is a good idea.

When you train for a race like the Ironman you are so used to being able to go long that you forget that it is okay to go short.  A 30 min run is okay.  Going to the pool and doing 2K is acceptable.  And coffee shop rides that don't involve you going through multiple cities is allowed.  Just becasue you feel "good" again doesn't necessarily mean that it is a "good" idea to start going long.

Now that I have had my first "Post Kona" experience I think I can give some quality advice on the do's and don'ts.  Ultimatley everyone is going to be differnt and you need to evaluate your body on your own or with your coach.   But before you jump back on the horse you may want to take a moment and ask yourself a few questions:

1) Did I reach my goals this year? 
   -If so, why do you think that is? 
   -If not, why do you think that is?
2) Did I have any injuries this year? 
   -If so, did you go into raceday with them?
   -If so, do you still feel them now?
3) What are my goals for the next year?  (Long and short term.)
4) Have I kept up with stretching, massage, proper sleep, and eating habbits since Kona?
5) How much time have you taken off since the race? 

If you answer these questions honestly and take your goals seriously you have a better chance of not only attaining you goals this season but you can also help avoid early season injury.  (It wasn't until I started to get my foot back under control that I began a realistic approach to my training.) 

  In conclusion, I went over all my answeres and with my new coach, decided what will help me in 2008.  (My first year racing pro so I really feel I need to step up the game!) Now its time for you to raise your game and give a little extra special attention on how you will go about racing faster through intelligent training.

Best,

Brandon.

[learn more about Brandon and his Bio]

 

        

......base, build, taper, race, base, build, taper, race and repeat.  Sound familiar? At this point most of us are thinking about the early season, we are looking at our calendars, logging base miles with fruitful aerobic workouts and deciding what races we will be doing. How many days off can we squeeze for 2008, what bike we may need, and other logistics to make the season go well.   STOP.

Have you thought about what you did last season?  What were your strenghts?  Weaknesses? Maybe you had a great season, can you replicate it?  The real question you need to ask yourself is "am i ready to change?" As humans we have the ability to act on our free will, sounds good right?  Well, not exactly since it is also free will that allows us to continue down the same path for many years regardless of how fruitless and void of purpose that path may be.  Actually, animals are better suited to adapt given a change of environment and they will mold their


behavior in order to survive.  Take for instance Mr. Turttle who crossed our path and the road during a training ride this winter in Florida.  He/She? crossed the road to get not only to the other side but to a better swampy habitat with better food and a safer home.

Ok so what does this mean for you and your season? Its time to shake things up and do things different.  You tried certain things in your program last year and you got X result.  Now try it differently; add one more hill repeat, try a criterium, be consistent with drills in the pool, give up bad food or alcohol.  Once you have made the decision to change you can adapt!  (Just like our bodies respond to different stimuli from our workouts, now you must decide what you are going to do different)

Lastly, realize that change is inevitable, dynamic, and steady.  Add changes to your regimen slowly and with measurement.  (Be more toirtoise than hare in training; but rather hare on race day!)

From all of us at TriStar Athlete we wish you an exciting 2008 and look forward to seeing you on the course!

~Coach Cliff