Swimming in a pool is unlike cycling and running where you can create situations to make the workout more difficult by adding things like resistance from going up hill, turning into the wind or changing gears (cycling). In swimming, we don't have the option to swim uphill, but that leaves us coaches with the opportunity to go into our little labs and tinker around until we come up with devious sets to get our athletes more fit in the water!

One of the tools I love to see our athletes use is a swim band, and at the end of this article, you'll find a video link from D3 Coach Brad Seng about "How to Make a Swim Band'". The swim band has been around a very long time and can be beneficial in a few ways. In this article I'll share why the swim band is helpful to your swimming, and I'll demonstrate a progression on how to use the swim band properly.

Once you've created a swim band, and you want to try it out here's what you'll do:

• Swim a proper warm up of at least 300 yards (or meters).
• Swim 6x50 yards/meters of drill for 25/swim for 25.
• Then, you should be ready to give band swimming a try.
• Put the band around your ankles. It should be pretty snug, enough so that you can't kick when you swim.

Now, if you put the band on your legs and just start swimming, you'll have a pretty big problem! Your legs will be drag along beneath you, and swimming will be a near-death experience. I tell you this through personal experience. The first time I used a swim band was in 2005, in Christchurch, NZ. The pool was 50m long and about 14 feet deep. I made it about way across before I thought I might actually drown. It took every ounce of energy I had to make it the final 25m to the opposite side! Of course I could have removed the band under the water, but the adrenaline had me moving toward the other end of the pool. I learned pretty quickly that I had a lot to learn about swimming with a band.

What I'd like you to do is push off the with both feet, and create some momentum toward the other end of the pool, with a very streamlined push off, and you should be much better off! So, bear in mind, there is a strategy to swimming with a band and being able to push off, to get those legs up behind you is key.

Once you push off, and you can't kick to propel yourself, all the power has to come from the front end of your stroke. You have two options here:

1. You can have a deep catch*, with a lot of resistance, and plenty of power or,2. You can have a shallower catch* with less resistance, and less power.

* Your catch is the power portion of your stroke. Once your hand enters the water, you catch the water with your fingertips pointing to the bottom of the pool, your palm facing the wall behind you and your elbow close to the surface of the water.

I know some will argue with me, but science tells us that drag (resistance) trumps power every time. So, do your best to keep your swim stroke shallow and hinge your arm at the elbow in order to move yourself forward through the water, with less power, yes, but also with less drag. Keeping this momentum going across the pool is a difficult task but this is where the pay off is. Once you have a better handle on swimming with the band, you'll see the power increase in the front of your stroke. Once you can get your legs to follow behind your body at the surface of the water, your body position will improve tremendously! It's much easier being a speedboat racing across the top of the water vs. a tugboat that is creating a lot of drag due to how deep it sits in the water. Tugboat or speedboat which do you want to be you choose.

Following is a six week progression for swimming with a band. Remember, start with at least a 300 yard warm up, and then a few easy 50s broken into 25 swim, 25 drill. This will get you warmed up and ready for the band.

Week 1 (work these into each swim this week):Main set and then:4x25 with band and pull buoy2x25, with band and no pull buoy

Week 2: (work these into each swim this week):Main set and then:6x25 with band and pull buoy2x25 with band and no pull buoy

Week 3: (work these into each swim this week):Main set and then:8x25 with band and pull buoy4x25 with band and no pull buoy 1x50 with band and pull buoy

Week 4:(work these into each swim this week):10x25 with band and pull buoy8x25 with band and no pull buoy 2x100 with band and pull buoy

Week 5:(work these into each swim this week):12x25 with band and pull buoy12x25 with band and no pull buoy 100 with band and pull buoy 2x100 with band and no pull buoy

Week 6:(work these into each swim this week):16x25 with band and pull buoy16x25 with band and no pull buoy 100 with band and pull buoy 4x100 with band and no pull buoy

Once you have moved through this progression you can start swimming longer sets involving swim paddles as well. Sets such as 3x300 with the pull buoy, paddles and band will help challenge you and help you to keep improving your body position and power in the water. In addition to these sets, create a goal such as swimming 1,000 yards with just the band. I's a tall task, but with proper progression you should be able to get there in a couple of months of dedicated band swimming! Good luck and if you have questions feel to e-mail me here.

• Coach Brad demonstrates how to make a swim band.  CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO!

Most athletes are aware of the importance to be well hydrated when exercising and during races. This is even more critical when events are longer than 60 minutes or have high temperature and humidity levels. If hydrated properly your body will be able to maintain physiological functions needed for an increased effort, essentially increasing your endurance.

Being well hydrated and aware of your hydration level is one matter, but it is very important that athletes also understand you can hydrate too much as well. Excessive fluid consumption combined with low sodium intake during exercise can lead to a life threatening condition (fairly rare occurrence) known as exercise-induced hyponatremia. Hyponatremia refers to a severe reduction of sodium concentration in your blood. This is something where too much of something is not always a good thing and can turn very bad quickly.

To know how much water is too much during exercise is typically associated if you are gaining weight during exercise (replacing more fluids than you sweat). If matching sweat loss, your body will remain balanced. The problem of hyponatremia occurs when athletes force themselves to drink well beyond their sweat loss. By drinking too much water, and doing so too quickly, it will cause the sodium concentrations in your blood to drop quickly due to the fact that you can drink faster than you can urinate (void excess fluids). Due to the inability of the body to relieve the excess fluids your body cannot keep up with maintaining safe levels of sodium in the blood.

Typical symptoms that hyponatremia provides is swollen extremities (fingers, toes), swollen ankles, headache, fatigue, confusion, seizures, bloating and swelling of the brain. The population that has been considered the most at risk is small female endurance athletes that excessively drink water during exercise.

The ironic thing is that you can be both dehydrated and hyponatremic at the same time. Typically, this occurs in athletes that have a heavy salt loss in their sweat. Each athlete's salt needs are different. If an athlete that loses about 8 liters of sweat that is high in sodium loss and only replaces it with 5-6 liters of fluid, it is likely they are both hyponatremic and dehydrated.

This condition and fluid balance is critical to not only success in training but also for your own health. Monitoring and understanding your fluid needs by evaluating your sweat loss is imperative (I have provided instructions below on how to determine your fluid needs). The goal is to try and match only fluid loss during exercise. If you are gaining weight during exercise, typically you are taking in too much fluids.

Another way to avoid this condition from occurring is to monitor your hydration status. This can be done through monitoring your urine color and the volume of urine voided. A well hydrated athlete will have a urine color of lemonade vs. someone who is not hydrated well which will resemble an apple juice like color. As you become dehydrated, your body will try to hold in more fluids which means your urine volume will be smaller. So if your urine is dark and low volume you are more than likely dehydrated.

Sodium and electrolyte supplementation during exercise is something to consider as well. Every liter of sweat has an estimated 1 gram of sodium lost. Each person is different in how much of each electrolyte they excrete through sweat so everyone's needs are different as well. Sodium being the primary electrolyte in sweat can account for large losses. Taking in sodium supplements during exercise will help maintain fluid balance levels and blood volume. It can also help reduce the amount of urine excreted.

Ideally, your goal is to maintain your hydration level. Know your sweat rate and understand what it will take to stay hydrated throughout your workouts and day. Do your best to mitigate dehydration but do not over drink.

CALCULATE YOUR SWEAT RATE: To begin, record your nude body weight prior to exercising (target a 60 min run). When you are finished exercising, dry yourself off the best you can and record your nude bodyweight again. Record what and how much you consumed of fluids during your exercise. Subtract your pre-exercise weight from your post-exercise weight and add the amount of fluid you consumed to that number. This will give you the amount of fluid you lost while exercising. Then you need to divide that number by the amount of hours you exercised for and that will equal your sweat rate. Be sure to record the weather conditions as well, as to see how this may fluctuate.

1. __ Record your nude body weight prior to exercise.
2. __ Record your nude body weight (dry off best you can before recording weight) after exercise (convert weights to ounces; 1 lb = 16 oz).
3. __ Record how much fluid you consumed during exercise (use ounces).
4. __ Subtract lines1 & 2 from above for total weight loss and add line 3. This is the amount of fluid your body lost while exercising.
5. __ Take the number from line 4 and divide it by how many hours you exercised for. This will give you and idea of what your sweat rate is.

Nick Suffredin is a race day fueling expert for D3 Multisport. His expertise has helped athletes achieve breakthrough performances on race day! Learn more about his services here.

This is a case study of an athlete with hydration and nutrition issues:

Male Athlete's Statistics:

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 200 lbs

Race: 70.3 Galveston, TX

Report:

The athlete hydrated every 10-15 minutes averaging 30 oz of fluid an hour totaling 75 oz on the bike portion.

Took in about 480 calories an hour (288 from liquid, 192 from gels).

Total sodium intake per hour was 1160 mg (1080 mg from liquid and 80 mg from gels).

Lower average watts for bike portion and felt like some energy was needed to be saved in order to finish the run.

Athlete reported to have brown urine color with a bad odor at the end of the race meaning he was severely dehydrated.

Initial first step is to determine what the athlete's sweat rate is. The athlete did this in race like weather conditions with a 120 minute run. A nude body weight was taken prior to exercise and again after exercise (and after being wiped down dry with a towel). Convert the weight lost into ounces (1 lb = 16 oz). The athlete drank 80 oz of water during exercise and consumed 2 bags of chews totaling 120 g. Then add back the amount of liquid consumed with the total lost. Divide this number by the hours he exercised and notice his sweat rate is 96 fl oz/hour (~6 lbs an hour) or ~2.8 L/hr.

During the sweat test you can tell he was 5% dehydrated when he finished which is not good. Your performance decreases significantly at 2% dehydration (~4 lbs an hour for this athlete). Another problem noticed in this sweat test was that there was not enough electrolytes or carbohydrates consumed during exercise. The electrolytes will help maintain your fluid balance, increase your thirst mechanism to encourage hydration, and will help you optimally perform. The carbohydrates will help fuel you through the work out, also allow you to attain better training adaptations. Another aspect to keep in mind is that recovery can improve with proper hydration and fueling.

Recommendation:

Sports drinks (ideally 3-6% carbohydrate beverage with 2:1 ratio blend of sugars, no protein) will need to be consumed since this subject has such a high sweat rate and energy needs. Plus they will help provide electrolytes to aid in maintaining hydration. Since the athlete is a heavy sweater, extra electrolyte supplementation may be needed. Typically when losing 2 Liters plus per hour you are losing a lot of salt as well (~1500-1700 mg).

This athlete should focus on about 320-350 calories an hour for a half ironman or full ironman distance race. This needs to be trialed in brick workouts. If he were to add gels, he would need to make sure that he doesn’t add too many carbohydrates because that can lead to stomach distress (caused by slow gastric emptying).

The target for fuel should be 75-80 g of carbohydrates an hour. Typically endurance athletes will oxidize or utilize that much per hour with the highest being recorded over 90 g per hour (rare to oxidize at the highest amounts).

This wasn't a pure scientific test, but a good quick and dirty method to fine tune nutrition and hydration plans to help this athlete race at his best in the future. These are merely suggestions to start at, and tweaks may be needed.

Another reminder: the days leading up to your race that your nutrition and hydration is just as important and can play a role on your race day performance. As this could have played a role in this case. Never start a workout or race dehydrated.

~Analysis conducted by Nick Suffredin, formerly a scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute where he worked on testing elite professional athletes to enhance their hydration practices and nutrition intake to improve their performance. He has been part of human performance and sports nutrition advisory boards. Currently provides endurance and nutrition coaching as well as consulting. 

Everyone would like to get faster on the bike portion of the triathlon. I came up with five best bang-for-your-time tips to increase your bike speed on race day. Each tip can make a small difference that can add up when executed.

First, race light. Don't load your bike up with 8 pounds of liquid. Why spend money on a light bike and wheels only to add unnecessary weight on race day? Utilize the aid stations and special needs. There is no need to start an IM with more than 48 oz. The weight issue applies to the athlete as well; work on reaching your optimal and leanest race weight possible.

The second idea is to reduce drag. Take the time to get a professional bike fit. Get an aerodynamic position and then address comfort. Too many athletes go with a position that is comfortable first. A better approach is to get aero then address comfort with strength training and adjustments to the initial fit. Fast wheels, an aero bike, and helmet will not be maximized if your position is upright.

Third, do some training at faster than race pace. You won’t average 25 mph if you always ride 18 mph in training. Long blocks at race pace and short intervals of faster than race pace will help increase your race day speed.

Fourth, proper race pacing. It is always best to start conservative and build the effort. I like to start a ½ IM at IM pace, an Olympic distance at ½ IM pace, and so on. Using a power meter is the best way to monitor this. In the early stages of the bike portion, heart rate will not be an accurate reflection of true effort.

Lastly, open your lungs. On the uphills, get out of your aero bars to open up your lungs. You can produce more power out of the aero position, and being in the aero bars won’t help your aerodynamics unless you are going over 20 mph.

These five simple tips can make a big difference come race day.

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In the fall of 2013, I wrapped up my 25th season of racing triathlon, and over the course of those 25 years, I can only remember one stretch of time, in 1995, when I was injured and unable to run. I've taken time off from running when I was healthy for various reasons (simply taking a break, or focusing on another goal at the time). However, I've never had a running injury so severe it stopped me in my tracks, until this spring. I've had a history of calf issues in my lifetime, usually a pull or a knot that I can recognize pretty quickly and alleviate with a short week or two of rest. As fate would have it, this spring I severely pulled my calf and wasn't able to run consistently for 6 months. I could hobble through a few miles at a 9 or 10-minute pace, but it wasn't fun or easy, and I thought about just not running for a month, or 6, or even a year. My mood was always determined by how bad I felt running, and running is something I LOVE to do. As I've told my wife countless times over the last few months, "I love to swim and I love to bike, but I can live without both. I can't live without running. I'm just miserable when I can't run". Her reply was "I've noticed".

When I was first injured, I tried some ART (Active Release Technique), and I was able to get my calf loose enough to run for a day or two, but it wouldn't stay healthy. Meanwhile, I continued to swim and bike, some days with passion and other days, going through the motions, not knowing if I'd be racing in 6 weeks or 6 months. My emotions would swing from "Yeah, I was able to run almost pain-free today" to "If I have to hobble through another run then I'm going to quit running for a year". I'd go from feeling good to terrible within minutes. It was pretty unbearable. Of course, this trickles down into the rest of your life too – your spouse, your work, your kids – no one getting your 100% attention, because all you can think about is, "How long do I have to endure not being able to do what I love?"

When the injury first occurred, I had some deep tissue massage done on my calf as well – and it seemed to help – temporarily. Needing a permanent fix on an old problem, I spoke with Dr. Martina Young of Altitude Physical Therapy. Dr. Young is not only a Doctor of Physical Therapy but also a triathlon coach (for D3! Coach Martina Young), and she's certified in dry needling as well. While I'm not a fan of needles in general, she asked me to give dry needling a try. I had heard great things about it, so I figured I had to give it a shot!

I've had acupuncture in the past for vertigo, so I decided I'd give this a try. We worked on my calf once a week for a few weeks, and it was definitely better. But, I would slip into the old hobbling after 30 minutes of "not really running, running", and then the next day be completely convinced I'd never run again. You see, for someone who never gets injured, it's even worse because they don't know how to deal with all of the rehab.

By the end of June, after more regular needling sessions, I had a little breakthrough. I was running 4 times per week and feeling a little like my old self. I even jumped on the track and did a speed session once a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Unfortunately, the trouble returned when I tried to do 3 hard sessions in 4 days. I kept forgetting I'm not 25 or even 35 any longer and my body needs more rest than I'd like to give it! More needling sessions.

A little later into the summer, I was in Arizona and decided I would run a track workout on a Thursday, and it went well. I didn't push the pace, and my legs felt fine. The next morning, I started out on an 8-mile run, only to realize I could run to the top of Camelback Mountain in the same amount of time. So that's what I did! I felt great and then to top the week off, I raced an Olympic distance race on Sunday. My legs were trashed from the "normal" week of running, and by the time I got to the run, I was shuffling along. My pace was falling off as I was approaching the halfway point of the run, but my calf was holding together. I was really encouraged even though my run was just a quick "jog". After a turnaround at the bottom of a hill on the course, I felt a slight twinge in my calf and literally shuffled in. Ugh! Another setback, and I knew the Boulder Peak Tri (which was two weeks away) was out, and most likely any racing for the remainder of this year. I was back to "I'll never be healthy again". Up and down went my emotions!

I talked to Dr. Young and realized that seeing her once per week was good, but we hit a plateau and I assumed that I REALLY wouldn't run for a year. I felt defeated thinking my race season was over in June, and there wasn't a foreseeable way for me to get healthy, at least that I could figure out. As someone who's been basically bulletproof over the course of his athletic career – and this goes back to playing baseball at 9 or 10 years old – it's quite a punch in the gut when you can't train like you want to, never mind race at the level you are used to. And I mean that on a personal level, not how I fare against others when I race. My goals are simple when I race – push the swim as hard as I can and come out near the front, pace the bike smartly in order to set up my run, which has been my strength my entire triathlon career. When I stay healthy and can run consistently, I'm happy with my results. When I can't run consistently, I'm just a miserable person who isn't fun to be around (once again, ask my bride of 12 years!).

Dr. Young made a suggestion that we try dry needling 2x a week for 4 weeks. I booked 5 weeks of appointments by mistake, but that was actually a good thing. We were going to get this injury put to bed once and for all. The first week was pretty painful as dry needling involves pinpointing the trigger spot and then wiggling the needle on that spot. It's painful but only when you feel the jolt of electricity go through your body. And yes, I've had the needle in my hamstring and could feel a shock to my little toe. That wasn't pleasant, but sometimes you have to go through hell to feel better. I'm ok with that, although I probably whined a little bit too much. My favorite appointment was when I was standing up leaning against the wall, face first, and Dr. Young needled my hamstring and then my calf. My second favorite session was when she put 4 or 5 needles on the trigger points and used the electric stim to send

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Five years ago this month my wife Ingrid had a stroke. It's an event we sure wished we could have avoided, and we could have had we understood the warning signals. Since then I have thought about writing this article. It does not quite seem right to use the tragedy of a major illness to make a point about athletic endeavors but it has been such a powerful lesson for me I think it is time. If you are wondering what this had to do with training for an endurance sport don't give up on me yet.Many of you reading this may still be under the impression, as are most insurance companies, that you can only make recovery progress from a stroke in the first few months afterwards. That was the accepted medical view as recently as the 1980's.

The seeds of change started in the 1960's with full recovery of Pedro Bach-y-Rita, a university professor, after a protracted effort by his two sons's to get their father crawling then walking and taking again. Pedro went back to work at City University in NY some 5 years after his stroke. Son Paul Bach-y Rita went on to be a pioneer in the understanding of Brain Plasticity.How does this translate into learning to swim, bike and run efficiently. In theory it's rather simple. Keep doing the motion the correct way until it becomes automatic. This is not possible to do all the time but you can come close. Certainly the wrong way is to dutifully do a set of perfectly executed drills in your swim warm up and then hammer the main set to make to send off or crush your friends in the lane.I watched one friend a long time ago do it right. He had injured himself somehow and was forced out of his normal lane in a large swim group in NY.

Once back in the water he moved to the slowest lane and there he stayed for most of the winter. Drill set after drill set, at first with fins then without. I was dumb at the time and thought he should be moving up the lanes as he recovered at a faster pace. He explained that he was using the recovery time to correct some swim flaws he had before the accident. Then before I noticed it he was swimming in our fastest lane, something he had not done before.Alexander Popov https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Popov_(swimmer) coach was said to have a practice of pulling Popov out of the water when he got too tired to be able to execute perfect form. This would start with longer rest intervals but once he got to the point of not being able to do what his coach wanted it was off to the showers.To me all this means is that an athlete who wants to change a well ingrained bad habit has to swallow pride and move down a lane or two and stay there until the habit is gone under all circumstances. If a change in running form is in order you better get used to being passed on the trail by your peers.The good news is this is the time of year to get religion and work on good technique.

The treadmill can help in working on cadence and shortening an over striding condition. The indoor bike trainer especially a Computrainer (a disclosure is needed here, I work for Computrainer) can help develop an efficient pedal stroke. And the pool is open, at least the indoor ones, all winter.Since swimming is the most technical of the three sports joining a masters program is a huge plus in the effort to get more efficient. Having a coach on deck who can tell you what and when you are doing things wrong, or right is invaluable. You might even be able to get them to take some video of you. If there is no masters program were you live there are still video cameras, put your family or friends to work. Going to a Swim Clinic is also a great idea but it needs to be followed up with the help at your own pool, a master swim coach or friends with a camera, to be fully effective.Develop some free speed this winter with an all out focus on good technique.

This past September and October I had two of my athletes qualify for Kona, which was such an amazing feeling as a coach. The paths they took to earning those spots were very different and had their own challenges. Greg Lindquist nailed a spot by winning Ironman Lake Tahoe outright and Sarah Peltier punched her ticket a few weeks later by earning 3rd in her Age Group at Ironman Chattanooga. Both had raced Ironman Boulder the past two years, and both were close, but no cigar type races. It can be tough on a coach when a plan doesn't come together and you start to doubt that you are doing the right types of workouts, or maybe the taper wasn't long enough or maybe too long. And the numbers can always be viewed in your favor or not: maybe the athlete was using a low volume, high intensity approach in training. This works well when things go well on race day, but when they don't you can always say the answer is "more volume" or maybe it was "too much volume". Bottom line is there's never an easy answer when your athletes don't get the results they want. As a coach you can't give up, but you have to learn to keep pressing for the training process vs. results type training. The one thing I try to look at is "How is the athlete doing week to week, month to month? Is there progress?" To me, that's really the key. When things don't go well on race day then we have to look at the race plan and the execution of the plan. It's not always easy to figure out the answer.Working with athletes on a long term basis can be a lot of fun when they reach goals and you feel as though you are doing your job as a coach. But, the road to success is often paved with potholes, bonks, tough courses and if you win in the end, an unstoppable attitude! One of the biggest stumbling blocks that we had with Sarah over the past 3 years is that the workouts always went according to schedule, but the races were always less than what we expected. I was stumped for a while and quite honestly, frustrated. After IM Boulder this year Sarah (11:22 and 6th AG) and I sat down face to face and talked about what she needed to do to improve and to move up to the next level of racing. Those are tough conversations, but when you respect someone and care about them, they are conversations that have to happen. My intention is always to make sure the athlete is getting what they want out of me in terms of my help, my attention, my knowledge and my resources.

Part I: Coaching Sarah

We knew after Boulder that we could change up Sarah's swim workouts a bit. Since she swims alone and doesn't have a swim background, adding specific time goals on certain swims would be productive. Typically she's a 1:20 swimmer in an IM race. Coincidentally, she misses the podium and a Kona slot by, you guessed it, 20 minutes. We knew we weren't going to make up 20 minutes on the swim between IM Boulder and IM Chattanooga, but we could improve her swim economy by taxing her swim fitness a bit. It's low risk and high reward since she was resting her legs a bit after IM Boulder. Another change is that we bumped her "IF" (% of Functional Threshold Power) that she would train and race at to 75%. Almost all of my athletes ride at 68-72% and that works well for them. With Sarah, I wanted to try something new and wanted to see if riding harder would affect her run off the bike. We did two race simulations before IM Chattanooga and both went well. The intensity factor she rode at, didn't seem to matter, so we opted for the 75% range. The last change we made was instead of looking at what she "should" be running, we did the opposite we had her run at what she "could" be running. There's talk in triathlon coaching circles about your athletes running the pace they "should" vs. the pace they "could". So, we took another calculated risk, this one was high risk, but high reward. Sometimes you have to take risks to achieve the goals you set for yourself. This was no different.

In the end, it all paid off, as Sarah had a great swim, biked where we thought she would (even though she came off the bike in 10th place AG) and ran her way onto the podium at IM Chattanooga and into a Kona slot! Even though the day turned out great, it wasn't how we drew it up. We were thinking in order for her to have a shot, she'd have to come off the bike in the top 5 and run past 1 or 2 girls in her age group. The fact that she ran past 7 athletes to get into 3rd was even better! As a coach, these are the moments that make the job. Helping an athlete achieve a goal is something wonderful, but I couldn't be more proud of Sarah and all that's she's accomplished this season!

She was awarded the November 2015 D3 Athlete of the Month, and she shares her journey qualifying for Kona here.

Part II: Coaching Greg coming up next!

After racing triathlons professionally for 12 years I have transitioned to coaching full-time. Looking back, I have been coaching in some capacity for the last twenty years with my coaching roots in swimming and soccer. It is a privilege to work with our D3 athletes and I embrace the opportunities and challenges with great enthusiasm. People often ask me if I miss racing professionally and the training. Having spent hours upon hours the last 12 years training and racing, I now enjoy not having my weekends being consumed with "doing the work". While I wouldn't describe myself as a weekend warrior type athlete, I still enjoy the active lifestyle and maintaining enough fitness to keep up with some of the young guns on the University of Colorado triathlon team.

Being able to share my triathlon knowledge with individual athletes while crafting training plans to help them achieve their goals brings great satisfaction to my day-to-day living. I was born to coach and thoroughly enjoy the creative aspects of putting together training plans, analyzing data, providing feedback and of course delivering the occasional swift kick in the pants when necessary!

My typical day begins with e-mail correspondence and reviewing data files from key sessions from the prior day. I like to see how my athletes are responding to the training stimuli via the various tools in Training Peaks and any notes an athlete may leave about how she/he felt during a particular session. Working remotely with my laptop and various phone apps has some nice perks and allows me to get in my own training around coaching commitments, athlete phone consults, data review, etc. Just with my own racing, one of my favorite days of the year are race days where I can either attend in person or track athletes during races. I always love race mornings and often find myself falling asleep the night before with the excitement as if it were my own race.My general coaching philosophy is rooted in four pillars: character, community, commitment & courage. One of the main themes I strive to instill in my athletes is patience, especially with long course racing. Additionally, I want my athletes to trust the plan and extend themselves, becoming comfortable when things get uncomfortable. Ultimately, my job is to provide a service where athletes are challenged physically & mentally while enjoying the process.

Wishing you the best this race season!
Coach Brad

Every athlete's sweat rate is different. Your sweat rate depends on your body size, exercise intensity, climate (temperature, wind, etc.), physical fitness, clothing, gender, and how you acclimated to the current conditions you are exercising in. Your sweat rate is the starting point to developing a successful race plan. As you begin to exercise more than an hour, hydration becomes increasingly more important. Hydration has a large role in exercise performance as well as recovery. Maintaining proper hydration levels throughout the day and post exercise can help improve recovery.

If you do not know your sweat rate use the below instructions and equation to determine a estimate of what your fluid loss is. This is a good test to do for athletes who also want to double check their fluid loss in any temperature.

Right now, being winter, it is a good check point to understand what your needs are while exercising outdoors with multiple layers. Same for conditions where you typically may be exercising indoors on a treadmill or trainer. You can compare these test results with those of different climates to monitor fluid needs in varying conditions. This practice helps if you need to make hydration or fueling plan adjustments for your race if weather changes unexpectedly.

Calculating Your Sweat Rate

This is a simple way for you to calculate your sweat rate. To begin, record your nude body weight prior to exercise. When you are finished exercising, dry yourself off the best you can and record your nude body weight again. Record what and how much you consumed of fluids during your exercise. Subtract your pre-exercise weight from your post-exercise weight and add the amount of fluid you consumed to that number. This will give you the amount of fluid you lost while exercising. Then, you need to divide that number by the amount of hours you exercised, and that will equal your sweat rate. Be sure to record the weather conditions as well. This will help you determine how your sweat rate fluctuates in different temperature ranges.

Use the list below to calculate your sweat rate.

1. ________ Record your nude body weight prior to exercise.

2. ________ Record your nude body weight (dry off best you can before recording weight) after exercise (convert weights to ounces; 1 lb = 16 oz).

3. ________ Record how much fluid you consumed during exercise (use ounces).

4. ________ Subtract lines 1 & 2 from above for total weight loss and add line 3. This is the amount of fluid your body lost while exercising.

5. ________ Take the number from line 4 and divide it by how many hours you exercised for. This will give you an idea of what your sweat rate is.

Nick Suffredin is an expert in fueling strategies for athletes, and we are proud he is a resource for D3 athletes. Nick Suffredin is a former scientists at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) where his primary responsibility was to support the GSSI physiology research program. As part of the innovation team, Nick supported research to help improve athlete recovery and performance.

He provides exceptional race day fueling strategies for D3 athletes! See his info below. 

I decided to quit triathlon on Tuesday. But on Saturday, I found myself racing to determine whether it was the racing itself, the training, or just life's overwhelming demands that had been dragging me down. What unfolded taught me a few things, which I'll share in detail.

Let's rewind to the beginning. I did my first race in 1988, a time devoid of aero bars, transition racks, or energy gels. I raced in a speedo for years because there were no "tri shorts" or race uniforms. In essence, I'm saying, "I'm old."

For about 25 years, I remained injury-free. Last year, however, I endured a six-month calf injury. Despite that setback, I managed to rally at the end of the season and achieved a decent result in a Half Ironman in Tempe, AZ, securing 2nd place in my age group with a 4:54 on limited training but decent fitness. I was motivated for 2015. Then, I encountered a non-training injury that persisted for another six months. My training became sporadic, with great weeks followed by weeks of inactivity. Swimming averaged once every 10 days for about 1500-2000 yards, mostly consisting of hard 200s. I rode my bike maybe once or twice a week. Suffice it to say, I was far from being in shape for swimming, biking, or running.

On Tuesday, I headed to the track to do a few 800s. But I felt fatigued, under-fueled, and even the warm-up felt like a chore. After running a few drills and strides, I ran my first 800 at a pace far from my goal pace. I stopped my watch, picked up my water bottle, and walked home. Upon arriving home, I moved my bike from my office to the basement, where it would remain unseen for a few months. After showering, I searched for a t-shirt unrelated to triathlon – a surprisingly difficult task – but eventually found one. I quit triathlon. Done. Finished. Or so I thought.

The following day, I went for a run without wearing a watch, deciding to forego any timing pressure. On Thursday, I went for an hour-long walk. Friday saw me rise early for a one-hour run (still without a watch), during which I felt surprisingly good. It was then that I decided to participate in a local race to test if I still cared about racing. Would I have a nonchalant attitude when passed by others, or would I feel the urge to fight back and assert dominance? I needed to find out if I still cared.

I reached out to the race director of the Loveland Lake to Lake Race, Peggy Shockley, to inquire if I could still sign up. I assumed she would be too busy to respond promptly, giving me an excuse to opt-out. Since online registration had closed, I needed to sign up in person. To my surprise, Peggy replied within minutes, urging me to sign up that day. This unexpected promptness caught me off guard. Despite having scheduled phone calls and my daughter's softball game, I managed to squeeze in a quick swim – 4 sets of 200s, all around 2:50 – before deciding to sign up. I multitasked by making a phone call while driving to Loveland to register, then returned home in time for a scheduled Skype meeting at 4 pm and my daughter's game at 5:45 pm. It seemed like things might just work out.

I made it to Loveland, registered for the race, and returned home for my 4 pm Skype call. Afterward, I swapped my regular wheels for race wheels on my bike, albeit with a brief struggle due to brake issues, which I quickly resolved. Later, my wife informed me that the game was at a field near our house, just 1.5 miles away. So, I hopped on my bike and rode downhill to the game, covering only 6 minutes of biking. Despite the unexpected change in plans, I remained unfazed, hoping my brakes wouldn't rub during the race.

On race day, I aimed not to embarrass myself and to rediscover my passion for racing. For the first time, I decided to race without a watch, eliminating any time-related pressure. I simply wanted to enjoy swimming, biking, and running. When the gun went off for the swim, I noticed two guys surging ahead, but I had no intention of keeping up with them. Throughout the swim, I found myself swimming alongside another guy, who displayed poor navigation skills, veering off course repeatedly and adding extra distance. Despite his erratic swimming, I maintained a comfortable pace, avoiding overexertion.

Exiting the water together, I transitioned swiftly to the bike. Shortly into the ride, the guy I swam with passed me, displaying impressive muscular calves. Feeling slightly intimidated, I let him go initially, questioning my ability to sustain the aero position. However, I soon found my rhythm and caught up to him, passing him briefly before he overtook me again. Opting to draft behind him, I rode conservatively, especially when a sharp pain flared up in my lower abdomen, prompting a brief stop to alleviate it. Once the discomfort eased, I resumed pedaling, only to realize that the gap between us had widened considerably. Summoning my resolve, I launched a surge on a hill, overtaking him decisively. As I made a turn, I spotted him accompanied by a motorbike, indicating he was leading the race. Surprised by this revelation, I pressed on, determined to maintain my lead.

Pushing hard despite both calves cramping from the effort, I worried about being caught by the second-place contender. But I refused to relent, reminding myself of my years of training and my ability to endure suffering. As I reached T2, I was relieved yet apprehensive about the upcoming run, considering my exertion on the bike.

Approximately 400m into the run, both calves seized up, threatening to derail my race. After a brief walk and some stretching, I cautiously resumed jogging, gradually picking up the pace until I found my stride again. With doubts creeping in, I questioned whether I had veered off course or if anyone had overtaken me. Nonetheless, I pushed onward, determined not to relinquish my lead. With about a mile to go, fatigue set in, but the fear of being overtaken spurred me on. Spectators reassured me that no one was close behind, urging me to maintain my pace. Their encouragement fueled my determination, propelling me toward the finish line. Crossing it as the first-place finisher was surreal, considering my lack of training and doubts about racing.

Reflecting on the race, I realized that even in my worst physical condition and contemplating a year-long hiatus, I shouldn't give up. Often, when you're at your lowest point, you're closest to a breakthrough. Believing in yourself and giving your best effort yields no regrets, unlike pursuing goals half-heartedly. The lesson is clear: never surrender. Your best day may be right around the corner, or that long-awaited goal might be within reach sooner than you think. Who hasn't stood on a starting line and dreamt of winning a race? I've harbored that dream for years, and it's surreal how relinquishing expectations often paves the way for unexpected victories. Life works in mysterious ways.

Strategies for getting used to running off the bike when starting triathlon or taking on a new distance.The old saying that practice makes perfect is bit overstated, when in reality, the quote should be 'Perfect practice makes perfect'. Preparation is the key to racing your best in triathlon and nowhere is more important than when you move up in distance or even doing your first triathlon.

‍Sprint distance triathletesStarting with a sprint triathlon, I recommend that the athletes get off the bike and run at least once or twice before the race and experience the feeling of your legs weighing a thousand pounds. For someone who doesn't have a lot of experience in swimming, biking or running, just going through a simple run off the bike will help their confidence so they know what to expect. An experienced racer (cyclist or runner) who is racing their first sprint can certainly do bike/run (bricks) more often than what's suggested for the beginner, but keep in mind, you don't have to try to race these runs off the bike. Just getting your legs used to the feeling will go a long way to helping you have a successful triathlon debut.

‍Olympic distance triathletesMoving up from Sprint to Olympic or Olympic to Half Iron or Half Iron distance can seem like a big jump and of course it is as the distance off the bike is twice as long! Running well off the bike at Olympic distance has a lot to do with bike fitness and holding back (as little as 5 percent) in order to run to your ability off the bike. Your pace for an Olympic 10k shouldn't be much slower than 7 percent from your open 10K time.

‍For a beginner, my suggestion would be to do a few different things:1.Bike to a 10K race and ride hard the last few minutes or even last 20 minutes. Then do your warm up for the 10K, and go out and run the 10K as best you can and see how that feels to you. It should be a good eye-opener to what a triathlon run would feel like.2.Another option would be to run 2 to 3 miles easy to warm up, then ride 30 to 40 miles, nonstop, then get off the bike and run 3 to 4 miles. This will let your body know a similar sensation to what a race day run off a hard 40K bike will feel like!

‍Half Iron distance triathletesObviously, for Half Iron (HIM) races, the distance goes up and intensity down. For beginners, I would suggest working on the bike pacing. Far too many people ride much too hard in a HIM just to implode on the run. I hope to help you avoid being a statistic like so many others. Nutrition is just as important, but that's a topic for another article. If you can ride your ‚Äòall day' pace for the first third of a HIM, you'll set yourself up for a good run. The next third should be a notch higher in effort, but you should always be able to push a bit harder for that last third. In the last third, you should be pushing into a tempo effort and a Zone 3 HR range. Getting off the bike, you want to be able to run using your ‚Äòall day pace'. If you can get off the bike feeling good, you've increased your chances of having a solid run tenfold.

‍Some ideas for HIM bricks for Beginners:1. 50 to 70 mile ride followed by a one hour walk/run. You can ride this pretty easy, just get the miles in, and then the run is a walk/run where you simulate walking through an aid station each mile. Maybe you run for 10 minutes and walk for one or maybe you run for eight minutes and walk 30 seconds. This is something that you'll need to find the rhythm to, but once you do, it will work wonders for you.2. Another option is to find a half marathon and do a long ride the day before. Go out there and ride 60 to 75 miles at a solid effort and then the next day get up and run the half marathon. Your legs will tell you that you did some work the day before. This is a great way to understand how hard it is to run 13.1 miles off the bike.

‍Key points:With all that being said, there are a few keys to running off the bike well at any distance.1. Ride your long rides in the aero bars as much as you can. Riding long while sitting up doesn't prepare you for the position your legs and back will be in when racing a 40k, never mind a 90k effort!2. Execute your bike intervals in the aero position as well (see #1).3. Learn to mix up the paces you run off the bike (some days easy, some days tempo).4. Learn to take in the proper amount of hydration, sodium and calories so you are properly fueled for the run.5. Practice taking your brick runs out easy and coming back fast. If you crush the first half in training, then you'll probably do the same thing on race day. The usual result: Crash and Burn.The most important aspect of all these workouts and race day expectations is to stay realistic with your goal pace. Pacing the bike, taking in the proper nutrition, and taking the run out easy are key to having a great day!

Many athletes have a hard time with regard to intensity. We all work hard in our daily lives, and it's only natural to want to work hard at being a better athlete. Working hard at doing the right things is far different then working too hard in an aerobic sense. How hard should you train on a daily basis? Of course this depend on what time of year it is, what distance you are training for, and of course what your coach has on your schedule.

When I write a workout and I give an athlete a 'Zone1-2' workout, I expect the athlete to find the happy medium and train at a pace they could sustain all day. What I usually get when I check over a log is "..I went out too hard, and well I bonked.." or "..I was much faster on the first hour of my ride and then I kind of faded".

Run Pacing:

My solution is to do a better job of explaining 'exactly' what I want from my athletes. To provide you with a frame of reference, my LTHR (lactate threshold heart rate) on the run is about 168-171. My Zone 1 ends at about 145 bpm (beats per minute).

When I run training in a Zone 1-2, and I am running 'easy' which is like a 'guilty pace', I am around 140 bpm. That would put me close to the top of my Zone 1. When I am running 'Steady' (which I also call my Aerobic Threshold or AeT) I am usually around 148-150 which puts me about the middle of my Zone 2. With the exception of running tempo runs, I don't run over 155 in training. Sometimes I may see 160 on a steep hill, but I quickly get my HR back down by walking. Most of my 'Steady' running is done at 150 bpm, so for me that 150 bpm is my AeT or 'Steady'.

Your average HR during any particular run may vary by what type of terrain you are running on but take notice of your HR when you are running 'Steady' on the flats; this HR should be in the comfortable zone where you can stay all day.

Now, having said all that; let me back up for a minute. Running 'Steady' to me may be much different for you. You may find your 'Steady' zone at the high end of Zone 1. Or you have may find your 'Steady' zone at the top end of Zone 2.

You should be able to see a marked difference between running 'Easy' and running 'Steady'. When I am around 140-145 it's a pretty easy run. Once I jump over that magical number of 147-150 I see a change in my breathing and my effort is increased. I can still run aerobically here, don't get me wrong, but I am no longer running 'easy'. You should feel and even hear a change in your breathing pattern. This is when you are running 'Steady'. Once I get into this zone, I don't look at the HRM (heart rate monitor) too much, I know where I am effort-wise and the HR will usually settle between 147-152. Your objective should be to get comfortable enough with the HRM that eventually you can look at it and know exactly what your HR is. By monitoring your breathing you will know when you have crossed that line of 'Easy' to 'Steady'.

If you can follow the above and practice the discipline of just running 'Steady' when you are assigned those 'Zone 1-2' runs, you will improve your running. Spend as much time as you can running 'Steady' and it will pay off.

Bike Pacing:

Now how does this apply to biking? Once again, to provide you with a frame of reference, my LTHR (lactate threshold heart rate) on the bike is about 155-160. My Zone 1 ends at about 141 bpm (beats per minute).

When I bike train in a Zone 1-2, and I am riding 'Easy' I am around 125 bpm. That would put me close to the top of my Zone 1. When I am biking 'Steady' I am usually around 135-140 which puts me about the middle to the top of my Zone 2. With the exception of climbing hills, I don't run ride over 140 in training. Sometimes I may see 145 on a steep hill, but I quickly get my HR back down by spinning easy. Most of my 'Steady' or AeT biking is done at 135-140 bpm.

The fun thing about cycling is that you can tie in your HR to your cadence and then to your power (in watts) if you access to that type of equipment. I enjoy being on my Compu Trainer pedaling along at 125 bpm, and seeing my watts at 200 and my cadence dialed in at 90 RPMs. Riding 'Steady' becomes easier the more you do it.

Work on the difference between 'Easy' and 'Steady' between now and next your next build period and you'll go into your A race feeling more prepared than ever.        

Are you amazed at Lance Armstrong's cadence? Do you try and achieve that same cadence on your rides? If so, should you? There has been a great amount paid to Lance's high cadence, but does that cadence translate to better performance for triathletes?

When we see Lance at the Tour the focus is on his tremendously high cadence. But it is not just the rate of RPM's that get Lance up the mountains. Force on the pedals also plays a large role in getting Lance to the summit first. Remember that when Lance first started out in cycling he was a masher. He was able to muscle his way to victories in one day races and stages of the Tour De France. By pushing a big gear at a low cadence. Doing this developed Lance's force and muscle endurance. When he started to work on his now famous high cadence his aerobic threshold caught up with his muscular endurance, a balance was struck and he became one of the best cyclists ever.

So, what does this mean for your average triathlete? It's good to be like Lance, if you remember that force plays a big role in his success. Many triathletes already have the aerobic capacity and threshold necessary for a fast bike, but are held back by a lack the force. So, what can you do to increase your power?

Find a slight uphill grade and ride at 55 to 60 R.P.M. for 3-5 minutes, spin easy for 3 minutes and repeat this cycle 4 to 6 times. During this workout your heart rate should stay low, if it rises than you need to shift into a bigger gear. This workout will help you generate more force while pedaling. This can be done during the latter part of the base phase and early in the build phase. After this point you want to incorporate a simple extended force workout like pushing a bigger gear at 60 RPMs for an extended period of time. I have heard that some professional triathletes will do this for an hour, spin for 10 minutes and do another hour of big gear. This type of workout will give you the ability to put that force to the pedals for a longer period. Both workouts are necessary for transferring gains made in the weight room to the road and faster bike times.

Remember that balance is the key here. I feel that triathletes have been focusing too much on spinning and aerobic capacity. The idea of increasing power is not to make you a masher, but to allow you to spin a bigger gear at the same cadence, thus increasing your speed and lowering your bike time. Balancing the ability to spin with more power is going to help you reach new levels next race season.

We all know that improvements on the bike can yield huge gains in your next race. Regardless of what distance your racing, a solid bike is right around the corner.Let's discuss a few ways to make improvements on the bike for the upcoming race season. Notice that the time of year is the fall, and we are in November. This a great time to develop something new, without any rush. Improvements on the bike may take time, months, and miles. As most of us have family and job time commitments, we need to be efficient with how we approach these improvements. Following are a few ways to kill your old personal bests and make new ones!Before we get into that killer list, you have to commit to wanting a better bike, more than ever before! This will be a big challenge if you prefer to do a half marathon or marathon in the spring because that means you will be committing to your run. Which is great, if you want to improve your run. I'm here to share that you don't have to sacrifice one discipline for another discipline. What I mean is, don't trade.

You don't have to make one a weakness to gain improvements in another. You can have a good balance between all of the tri-disciplines, but commit to the bike, love the bike! Embrace it and know you will be a whole different animal.

‍Here we go!
‍Get to the weight room. The priority in the gym is GOOD technique and form. I recommend a once a week core and stability session with another day per week of body weight exercises. Get your plank on. Planks will strengthen your hips, glutes, hamstrings, abs, and lower back. All that strengthening will lead to increased stability, and flexibility. I also recommend at least one day a week focused on strength. Classics such as squats, weighted lunges, single leg exercises, etc. are easy go-to exercises. A weight program that is a bit leg heavy will translate as much as the planks. I also recommend changing the routine every 3-5 weeks, rotating between a basic traditional transition period to hypertrophy and strength periods throughout the winter months. Send me an email if you'd like more information on those three.Make the time. Plan on two workouts for most days with most days having a bike workout. For example, swim and then bike, run and then bike, bike and then run, weight room and then bike. Then, using your weekends for long rides (2-3 hours). Assign a purpose/a focus to one workout each day. Either a priority of effort, or a certain intensity. You might decide that your bike/run day that your priority is really the run that day, or vice versa. Focus on that objective as you move through the workout. Priority number 1. Get on the Bike. The objective i the purpose and intensity of the workout.Frequency. If you want serious gains, plan on a minimum of four days a week, but 5-6 days a week should be a consideration for at least one training week per month. I suggest most of those days riding for an hour (either trainer or outside), and one day each week should be an endurance ride.Be mindful of good pedal technique. Practice cycling drills: single leg pedaling, pushing over the top and scrapping the bottom of the pedal are two drill examples.

Are your legs pistons simply moving up and down, or do they have a flow, a bit of round flexion at the ankle? Be a little heal driven especially if your a toe-down pedaler. Be mindful and practice coming over the top of the pedal stroke, engaging in a flatter foot and sweeping the heel back through at the bottom.Intensity. For the most part, all your rides and all your workouts dont necessarily need to have a detailed structure of time, intervals, specific numbers to watch out for. Its simply about getting some miles in on the bike, If you start riding too hard you'll be forced to go easy at some point, or you'll be sick of going hard when its really time to go hard in the spring or summer. Now that doesnt mean its simply easy and fluff. I would recommend most of the riding you do, commute to work, lunch time rides, trainer rides long rides, should be about enjoying the time on the bike, getting in the miles. I would say that maybe 1-3 workouts per week could have some form of intensity. Especially if they are on the trainer and it keeps the boredom at bay. I usually recommend short bursts right now and not a lot of long threshold stuff. If it plays out that your riding with a friend, or your feeling good and want to push it, have fun, Go with your body feeling go take advantage of that. But most of your miles will be fairly comfortable Z1-2.Have fun, and try to ride with others.Zones. Remember the race you did last summer, you had your PowerMeter on, or you averaged an incredible speed, well that was your summer fitness. Your training now, should revolve around your current fitness. It's November, and a few months have passed since your last race. In fact, your not racing, and your intensity is not the same.

Therefore your zones will not be the same as they were in the summer. You need to test to see where your fitness is at the current time of year your training in. I might be 30 watts lower in the winter for my threshold, but if I pretend to train at my summer threshold during the winter months, I will most like not have any fun. Make sure that you train at your current fitness. You will most likely regain that summer threshold with the goal of surpassing it, at the right time of the season.Bike fit. Comfort, power and efficiency yield better endurance. If your having pain or problems or discomfort, this is NOT normal. D3 has a great partnership with ReTul Bike Fits and they will help you gain comfort and power.Handling. Lets admit it, bike handling is probably the number one reason cyclists don't like riding with a triathlete. We break too hard in the corners, and some of us get a bit tense and wiggly when we are enclosed in a pack. Here's a suggestion to fix those jitters: get to a closed parking lot and use the islands and really practice coming through corners. Get your center of gravity nice and low and keep the speed up. Stand on your outside pedal. Push on it. Take a skills clinic and then practice it. Be part of the machine your are spending so much time on. Get comfortable in every condition that you'll be exposed to during a race. That way, the next race you are in, you won't have to be accelerating back up to speed from all that was lost from breaking in the corners. You can lose anywhere from 8-20 seconds per corner, depending on your cornering confidence (or lack there of).

This applies to both a road bike and TT bike.Long rides. Call me crazy but I create little micro vacations. I make them for myself, for my wife and I, and then for the family as a whole. In the spring and maybe again in the early summer, plan a 3-5 day bike focus, where that is all you have to do! The time in the saddle will be well spent. Perhaps you can go with friends, or through a supported bike tour, anyhow you get out there, know that putting in 65 miles a day will add up to incredible gains. Bike focused distance days will solidify all focused effort and will boost your confidence.Be the animal, that is the most efficient animal to ever live on the most efficient land machine ever created, a bike!

When I left home to go to work on December 16, 2004, I had no idea my life would be drastically changed forever, testing my character, determination, willpower, and proverbial "heart." My career as a Police Officer allows me to contribute to the betterment of our world daily. In my profession, we all know there is potential every day when we go to work; we could pay the ultimate sacrifice. Yet, when we walk out the door, that thought is not in the front of our minds.

I grew up an athlete and was taught goal setting by my parents from a very early age; in fact, it's all I can remember. I loved baseball as a kid and had no real natural talent. Like a lot of red-blooded American boys, I dreamed of being a major league baseball player and worked very hard to improve my baseball skills. My hard work paid off when I was selected as a walk-on athlete for the University of Utah baseball team.

After graduating college, my first job required travel, and that meant being without a gym. So, I began running regularly. When I entered the Police Academy in the spring of 1999, I was one of the better runners, and it showed. There is an annual Law Enforcement relay race called the Challenge Cup Relay, or Baker to Vegas. Participating agencies provide a team of twenty runners who each run one leg, averaging a 10k distance, across the California and Nevada desert. The race starts on a two-lane highway approximately 20 miles outside of Baker, California, and extends 120 miles into downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. My Department was consistently one of the top teams in the race, and quality runners were handpicked to be assigned to a specific facility and train for the team. Upon graduation, I was selected for that facility and put on a rigorous training plan. I am a competitor, always have been, and now had a new goal. After running the race my first year, I was hooked and made it a goal to run the race every year of my career. I could write several paragraphs about the race and the character it takes to run by yourself across the desert in every different type of weather and have personally run over mountain passes, across desert flats, and up steep inclines when it was 90 degrees, with ice on the ground, in high winds, and in perfect running conditions. My opinion was that those moments pushing myself to the mental and physical limits were helping me to become stronger and would pay off.

That opinion was affirmed on December 16, 2004. At the time, I was assigned to graveyard patrol. We worked a 12½ hour shift from 6 pm to 6:30 am. My first clear memory of the night is from approximately 10:15 pm when I was startled, as if from a dream, at the feel of metal running up the back of my leg. I opened my eyes to see one of my best friends, Rick, directly over my face and realized his hands were holding my head. The metal I felt was paramedic's scissors cutting my pants off. I asked Rick what was going on. He told me I had been hit by a car, to which I responded that we had just had dinner. Rick will tell you we had that same exchange over and over again as the paramedics worked on me and prepped me for the ambulance ride, which was no picnic because the ambulance was really moving, causing every bump and turn to send waves of intense pain through my body. It was able to go so fast because we had an escort of police cars and a helicopter clearing the way so I could get to the hospital as fast as possible. The arrival at the hospital resulted in a flurry of activity as I was rushed into the trauma room at a teaching hospital. For those of you who have never seen or experienced such a phenomena, the room is filled with what seems like 50 people all doing and saying something.

At some point amidst all of this, my memory flooded back to me: I had been assisting other officers investigating a burglary alarm at a residence when our helicopter spotted a car driving without its lights on through a park nearby. I was on a street to the rear of the residence and officers at the front said I could go check out the suspicious vehicle. At the time, I was unaware the alarm had been false and thought it possible the occupants of the vehicle may have been involved in the burglary. The helicopter crew directed me to where the suspicious vehicle had parked, indicating a male had exited and was crossing the street directly in front of me. The street had two lanes traveling in each direction with a two-way center turn lane in between. I drove in the two-way center turn lane toward the male and illuminated him with the driver's side spotlight on my unit. He immediately turned very quickly toward me while reaching into his right front pants pocket in a manner reminding me of someone reaching for a weapon. My reaction was to quickly park the car, exit, and draw my gun to protect myself. The male was not doing exactly what I told him, but he had stopped moving and not removed a weapon from his pocket. When I had him in a position where I felt comfortable until other officers arrived I moved in the only direction I could, which happened to be further into one of the traffic lanes. I felt like I had the situation relatively under control and began to evaluate my surroundings. When I looked down the street I could see a car coming directly at me in the lane I was standing in, realizing I was in trouble I began to run toward my unit; however, upon further inspection realized I did not have time to run out of the way. I decided my best option was to jump and slide on my butt at an angle across the hood of the oncoming car. With no time to spare I picked a spot on the hood, lifted my left leg, and jumped off of my right... I remember seeing the headlight of the car swoop by under me before everything going dark until being awakened by the scissors on my leg.

The car hit me at approximately 40 mph, and the driver never slowed down because he couldn't see me through the spotlight I had pointed at the male. I hit on the hood of the car in the spot I intended, which is where my plan failed terribly due to the momentum of the car. My butt and legs dented the hood, and I slid up into the windshield, shattering it, before my body was thrown 50' down the street. I cartwheeled through the air and landed on the back of my head. My partners arrived to find me unconscious in the middle of a major street with a rapidly expanding pool of blood under my head. The first sergeant on the scene, a thirty-year veteran at the time, told me later he had never seen a cop down and out like I was, and it seriously affected him.

Lucky to be alive, the doctors told me I had two fractured cervical vertebrae, which was their major concern even while I complained to them my right knee was in severe pain. Of course, the back of my head and neck were covered with abrasions and cuts from the windshield, and my entire body was bruised. I was admitted and taken to my hospital room with my neck immobilized facing the possibility of surgery to repair it and fearing if it went wrong I would never walk again. The next day after several more X-rays and tests, it was determined my spinal column was intact, I would not need

‍

As a new father to a healthy baby girl, my priorities have certainly shifted. Races and training have taken a necessary back seat to feeding and helping out. Additionally, having just moved to a new home there is no end to the home projects that pile up. While my training hours may have decreased I actually feel more fit than before. Here's three reasons why.First, every session counts. Gone are the days of heading out for an undecided amount of time to pedal where and how I please. I used to set out and be focused on having an adventure, going somewhere I hadn't been before or seeing how fast I could climb my favorite routes. These days every session is focused on accomplishing a set goal. Sometimes that goal is just to clear my head and sometimes it's to build my FTP. Some rides are easy and others are brutally painful- but they always have a purpose.

Second, my sessions are shorter. I know this sounds counter intuitive, but I feel like my endurance has stayed strong despite not riding long. The reason I believe is that in the past I would ride 4 to 5 hours moderate and now, doing 2 hours hard has built up my upper aerobic end- a key aspect to going fast and long. You can't ride at 15 mph for 5 hours in training and then expect to ride 20mph for 3 hours. It just doesn't work. Without high end aerobic work built into longer sessions that adaptation can't take place.

Third, my motivation is now at new level. Now I know I'm missing time with my daughter so this ride I'm on had better be worth it in some way. When I'm out pedaling and I picture what my daughter is doing, laughing, smiling, even if it's crying, I often feel like I'm missing something- something I won't be able to get back. My reward doesn't always have to be physical though. As any parent will tell you keeping your sanity can be difficult and if an hour spinning in the fresh air will re-set your mind it's well worth it. We all need a break, from work, stress and even family so let your training be that release valve.

I'm lucky that before we started a family I was able to get in tremendous base miles and I have a depth of endurance that will stick with me for years to come. I had my days of super long rides, swimming when I wanted and taking the naps that are now a luxury. It's easy for me to walk away from a session because I've been down that road. What I've found is a new perspective on my training. Though it's fewer hours it is still as enjoyable as ever. I'm not competing with anyone but myself.

I'm lucky that I had that time and now I can look back at training with a perspective many don't have. I went farther in this sport than I ever thought I could (three trips to Kona and two years racing professionally), so I am at peace with cutting back and taking on a completely new, yet equally challenging chapter in my life.

From my perspective I see too often that athletes get super focused on a goal and lose sight of certain realities. The key is to make sure that your training doesn't become another source of stress. This is another difficult balance because reaching a new PR or just finishing an Ironman takes time, dedication and discipline. You'll have to make sacrifices of your time, and those around you will also feel that sacrifice. But as much as your goal means to you, do not let is consume you and lose sight of the bigger goal of life- to find your happiness. If keeping in the good graces of the family and spending quality time with them means that you may go 20 minutes slower in your Ironman is it worth it? For me it's an absolute yes, but each athlete has to make their own choice with their own perspective.

Try not to let the training consume you to where you lose sight of what's important. I did that in the past but with no children and a very understanding wife I came out the other side with little lost. I could not imagine making the sacrifices I did now, but that’s because I have the benefit of hindsight.

If you have a coach than no doubt triathlon is important to you. You take it serious and understand the value of your time. Just like you need to be balanced in triathlon to be successful you also need a balance in your life.

Workout #1 by Coach Jim Hallberg

For a winter bike trainer session, prepare a movie or Tour de France video to keep you engaged for 2 hours and follow this routine:

1. Start with a 20-minute spin in Zones 1-2.
2. Transition off the bike and complete 3 sets of 10 reps of 1-arm and 1-leg exercises. For example, alternate between squats and bench press, or reverse lunges with weights and push-ups.
3. After completing the 3 sets, return to the bike.
4. Spend 20 minutes either in Zone 3, or simulate a 5-minute hill climb on the trainer. Maintain a cadence of 70-80 rpm at 85% FTP or Zone 3 effort, with a 3-minute spin in between repetitions. Repeat until 20 minutes have elapsed.
5. Dismount and choose 2 new exercises for 3 sets of 10 reps each. For instance, alternate between weighted fast-switch leg step-ups and pull-ups.
6. Return to the bike for another 20 minutes, gradually increasing intensity every 5 minutes. Progress from Zone 2 to Zone 4, avoiding exceeding 100% FTP, but conclude the last 5 minutes at 100% FTP. Alternatively, adjust gears while maintaining the same effort level.
7. After biking, perform another set of arm and leg exercises. For example, hamstring curls or straight-leg deadlifts to engage glutes and hamstrings, and dips off a chair or bench.
8. Return to the bike for 20 minutes in Zone 3.
9. Finally, cool down!

Workout #2 by Coach Brad Seng

For a running workout, try the Mona Fartlek (named after Steve Moneghetti, Australian Olympian):

- Warm-up: Jog for 15-20 minutes, incorporating several strides at the end.
- Main Set:
  - 2 sets of (90 seconds fast, 90 seconds easy)
  - 4 sets of (60 seconds fast, 60 seconds easy)
  - 4 sets of (30 seconds fast, 30 seconds easy)
  - 4 sets of (15 seconds fast, 15 seconds easy)
- Cool Down: Jog easily for 10-20 minutes.

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Many triathletes gravitate towards filling their schedules with high volumes of training, believing that more miles or hours equate to better performance. However, solely chasing volume is not enough to maximize your potential. This mindset, which I call the "Rocky Effect," often leads athletes to believe that sheer volume alone will suffice to achieve their goals. While it may get you across the finish line, it won't necessarily help you reach your peak performance. Pushing for more volume in swimming, cycling, and running might allow you to cover longer distances, but it won't necessarily make you faster. Ultimately, the objective is to maximize your speed for the distance of your race.

While volume is undoubtedly crucial, it's just one piece of the puzzle. If you find yourself stuck at a certain finish time or plateaued performance, resist the urge to simply add more volume. Riding for six hours at a certain power output is not equivalent to riding for three hours at a higher power output, just as running for two hours at a certain pace differs from running for ninety minutes at a faster pace. Merely increasing volume won't meet the physical demands of pushing harder. Instead, focus on raising your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) for both biking and running. This involves incorporating short, intense intervals ranging from 5 to 30 minutes at zones 3 and 4, which helps develop the power and aerobic capacity needed for sustained speed over long distances.

Rather than solely focusing on total time spent training, pay attention to the time spent in the appropriate training zones during these sessions. Shorter but more intense workouts, when done correctly, can yield better results than longer, moderate efforts. Given the intensity of these sessions, most athletes can only manage two to three per week. It's crucial to allow adequate recovery between sessions to ensure sufficient energy for quality training. Consider focusing on one sport for several weeks before switching to another to bring up its specific performance.

Additionally, integrating race pace or harder intervals into longer sessions can enhance aerobic capacity while simulating race conditions. These intervals, typically ranging from 3 to 10 minutes for running and 10 to 30 minutes for cycling, teach your body to handle the demands of race day while improving overall endurance. Testing your nutrition plan during these intense efforts is essential to ensure it supports race-day performance under similar conditions.

Long-distance triathlon success hinges on striking a balance between volume and intensity. Overemphasizing one aspect over the other can hinder performance. Instead of fixating solely on volume, evaluate whether excessive volume is hindering your progress. Coaching involves tailoring individualized strategies to each athlete's unique characteristics, goals, and potential. When everything aligns, the results are truly remarkable.

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As I sat gazing up at Mt. Princeton one Sunday night, I pondered the daunting task of ascending that towering peak. Standing at 14,197 feet above sea level, it ranked as Colorado's 10th highest 14er. Despite having conquered five 14ers in recent years, I found myself not quite in the peak physical condition of my past mountaineering expeditions. Nevertheless, I fortified myself mentally for the impending challenge. Experience and fitness, while valuable, were only part of the equation required to summit a 14er. My thoughts drifted not only to the ascent but also to the descent – for reaching the top was merely half the journey. A failed return would deem the trip unsuccessful, echoing the tragic tales of many who dared summit Mt. Everest but never descended to share their triumphs. Mountaineering is no leisurely pursuit; it's fraught with peril, demanding meticulous preparation. Though our excursion would span a mere 6-7 hours, we readied ourselves for an overnight stay, adhering to the wilderness ethos of over-preparation. Planning for a two-day venture meant packing supplies for four days, including ample dry clothing, extra matches, flashlight batteries, and emergency rations. While this thorough preparation extended our pre-trip timeline, it promised enhanced safety and comfort should unforeseen circumstances arise. This preparation prompted reflections on the ingredients for building a successful company – one that not only dispenses training plans and advice but also generates employment opportunities for dedicated coaches driven by passion and ambition. I contemplated the factors that hinder some coaches from scaling the pinnacle of success. Is it a deficiency in their can-do spirit or a lack of requisite skills? Perhaps they settle for 90% effort rather than giving their all. Maybe they overlook the significance of minor details crucial for success. Reflecting on my own journey, I've streamlined my weekly objectives to three key priorities, inching closer to my Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) in this industry. I recognize the arduous ascent that lies ahead to reach the summit of success. Indeed, reaching the apex of a mountain is no fortuitous occurrence; it's the culmination of relentless toil and unwavering determination. When all is said and done, the individual atop the mountain did not stumble there by chance – they earned their place through tireless effort and unwavering resolve.

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Buying a new bike can be an exciting and confusing proposition. With so many models, options and sizes to choose from the process of selecting the right bike can be daunting. This is especially true with mountain bikes. The rise of Xterra events, as well as the benefit athletes receive from a hard day in the mountains has meant an increase in the popularity of mountain bikes. In this article I will help you create a checklist for you to use as you shop for that new rig.

First, and most important is sizing. Mountain bikes go by inches, and can be even or odd numbers, or even small, medium, large. As with any bike, a proper fit is key, Initially you want to ensure you are on the right size frame, and from there you can dial in the stem length, height and other variable. How do you determine the right size? The best way is to simply ride them. Do you feel well balanced on the bike? Are you too stretched out? Do you knees hit your chest? How you feel on the bike is the best indication of proper sizing. Some athletes like an aggressive position, while others need an upright position to deal with back issues. Take the time to ride multiple bikes, don't buy the first one you sit on!

After fit, the style of the bike is next. By style I mean is it a full suspension bike or a hard tail? I recommend that if you are going to take your mountain biking seriously you go with the full suspension. The weight penalty is minimal these days and the travel allows for better grip when climbing, or when bombing downhill. Most bikes allow for plenty of adjustment so you can dial in both shocks to your personal preference. An all mountain, do everything bike should have four to six inches of travel in both shocks, and will start around $1200.

Next up are the brakes. Mountain bikes will have either V brakes (standard pad to rim type) or disc brakes (rotor to caliper, like a car). As you guessed, the disc brakes are better, but cost more. Disc brakes have better, more consistent stopping power, especially in the wet. The only drawback is the extra maintenance needed for disc brakes, but it's worth it.

Then check out the rest of the components. Is it a high end or low end spec for the derailleurs, crankset and wheels? In most bike lines the frames are the same and the only difference comes in the components on the bike. For instance, a bike may come in a Comp, Pro or Expert level. Usually the frames are the same, it’s simply the components that get better as you move up in price. The biggest component you need to look at is the front shock. Does it have rebound and dampening adjustment? If you are going to be racing Xterra's, bike set up is key. The more adjustments you can make to the bike overall, the better it will handle the course. Take the time to play with the adjustments of the front and rear shock when test riding the bike.

Having the right equipment can make a big difference in your training and on race day. Whether you are looking add variety to your training, or want to stand on the podium, mountain bikes are a fun way to stay in shape. Do your research, know your priorities and find the bike that's right for you.