SPIRIT!
He was supposed to do his first IM (Texas) in April, and instead, he participated in the 5/4/24 challenge on that day. He wrote his coach, Laura Marcoux, a post-workout comment from that day about how he was imagining himself sprinting across the finish line on the last 5-mile segment at 1:00 am. Laura shared that she did a double-take about that comment because it was at an average pace of 6:23/mile!
When Coach Laura wrote Joel's nomination she got right to the heart of being a triathlete and what has given Joel the motivation to keep pushing through during the setbacks of the pandemic. "Joel is the epitome of the Ironman spirit and it breaks my heart that he hasn't been able to hear his name announced as an Ironman. He has kept his spirits high with everything up in the air and actually just ran a half marathon PR yesterday, and continues to improve his bike FTP as well. He's been so committed to not only his training, but also being open, vulnerable, and balancing training with prioritizing his family. It's hard to be new to this sport and not get the payoff of racing, but it's just so obvious to me that Joel was made for this!"
Race cancellations have been tough on everyone, but what we do with the situation, how we handle it, that's within our control. Through his Q&A, Joel leads us down a path to better understand how our essence, our spirit, our true enjoyment of it all can make a difference day today.
1. You had plans to race IM Texas this past April, but like so many athletes, your race was canceled. You are ready to be an Ironman and that's a training rhythm that takes a lot of focus and planning. What adaptations did you have to make to get through that news to keep yourself moving forward? And, how did you refocus yourself/what have you been focusing on?
Urgh, it wasn’t nice was it!? We can all relate to that sinking feeling of disappointment when the cancellation email message hits. Thankfully, Coach Laura texted as the news broke and said “It’s OK to be disappointed! Take as long as you need.” As all of Laura’s athletes know when she says that, you take it! A few pizzas, beers later, some go-to music, movies and family hangs did the trick. It wasn’t long after this that we were in lockdown and working from home and homeschooling, and as you know, we endurance junkies can’t stay still for long! So it was back to training and a case of keeping up the workouts, but tweaking them to build strength and speed, rather than the volume build needed for an IM.
2. Coach Laura has shared that you've had some pretty sweet PRs (regardless of not racing) and found new training boundaries. Describe how that feels and how it might encourage you to keep pushing yourself.
Most of us are goal orientated, and if you listen to guys like David Goggins, it won’t be long before your trying to master your mind, push your limits and become an elite navy seal! In my case it stopped at pushing my limits, but I am committed to doing this again and again.
3. Is there something that stands out from the D3 training and/or the D3 community that has helped you stay focused on your goals?
Yes. It’s truly one of life’s treasures to find something that you’re passionate about and makes your soul happy! What’s even better is to find a community of people that share that passion! It helps normalize the things that other people in your world consider crazy!
4. Laura shared that she thinks you are made for this! 'This' meaning triathlon and all that it brings - the intensity, the training, the pay-outs and rewards. Someone's spirit is the nonphysical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character. Joel, that is what we recognize in you. Digging deep to push yourself and ride the ups and downs of triathlon takes spirit. Our #4 question is: What drives you to be a triathlete?
To be honest, my drive comes from the sheer LOVE of doing it! Whether it’s swimming, cycling or running I tend to get into a state of mind where all of a sudden the world feels like a better place! My main weakness is that I get lost in my own world a bit too much and need to learn to bring my wife, kids, and other close family and friends on the journey more.
5. What advice can you share with other athletes who have had to adjust and get through the agony of training for a race and realizing it's not going to happen.
I actually think that endurance athletes are better prepared to deal with disappointments in life, mainly because we deal with so many curve balls throughout each season, from painful and debilitating injuries to time sucking and frankly annoying bike mechanicals mid-race! So having the goalposts moved (pretty seismically!) in 2020 is HUGELY disappointing but also a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to shift focus and still get fulfillment and joy out of this season!!
We are pleased to share Joel's story because he recognizes that triathlon is a journey. While IM Texas didn't happen, there are other opportunities to dive into to become a better athlete, and Joel is embracing each of them. #D3Powered
ATTITUDE!
When you bring your best attitude toward the process and the circumstances that are presented, you can achieve excellent gains within a short period of time. D3 Coach Jim Hallberg shared a nomination for athlete Hunter Saunders and reflecting on their initial five months working together acknowledges that they've seen tremendous growth during that time, and despite not being able to race, it's Hunter's attitude that is helping the progress.
Hunter is positive and realistic (which is part of the trick too!). He has plans to do an Ironman but recognizes that it may not happen this year. Coach Jim says, "Hunter is truly loving the training. He keeps rising to the occasion, taking on the personal training challenges I am giving him and it is building his confidence in what he can do."
In his Q&A Hunter reveals a remarkably personal story about how he got into triathlon and what it means to him every day. "I look at every day not as work, but as an opportunity to silence distraction, harden my resolve, and attack my weaknesses." This attitude toward life, it is an outlook that many of us hope to achieve, and Hunter is living it.
1. What is your athletic background and what were some of the goals you originally intended to race/do this season?
I was a successful competitive swimmer for almost 20 years before I was sidelined by a shoulder injury. With the newly found free time and a relentless need for challenge and exercise, I picked up running and road cycling, never intentionally working toward triathlon. Fast forward a decade and I was asked to sherpa for a training partner at IM Louisville, and later that night she brought me to see the midnight finishers. It was a night that changed my life. The attitude, camaraderie, and pure emotion (not to mention the noise) fellow competitors and pros poured into bringing all those dreams across the finish line was all it took. I decided right then I needed to be a part of this sport and community for the rest of my life.
Over the past number of years, I have faced extreme hardships in areas of my life: death, divorce, suicide, physical and emotional abuse. All converged to strip me of everything I had spent a lifetime building, forcing me to face myself at the bare core with everything torn away, completely exposed, and answer the question: are you going to capitulate or survive? And while everyone has a different why, I saw myself in those faces in Louisville - behind the tears, the joy, the exhaustion. I recognized the sacrifice, the desire, and the relentless pursuit of something so personal many don’t know how to bring forth the words to describe it - and the pursuit of something so crazy to those outside the sport they just look at you cockeyed and ask “uhh… why?”, to which we all answer: “exactly."
So my goals have been a little broader than distance/time and are deeply personal (as many other’s also are), but 2020 was to be the season I really focus on competing at my best level. The only problem was as a lifelong DIY-er that I had absolutely zero idea what that was or could be. So that’s why Jim and I connected and started working together. The results speak for themselves and the progress we’ve made in 5 short months has been beyond remarkable. The man knows what he’s doing, and I get the relentlessly fun job of executing what he puts in Training Peaks. No joke. It’s awesome.
2. How have you had to modify those goals? What kind of impact has that had on your mindset?
Certainly. We all have. In addition to missing the competitions themselves, I’ve deeply missed the community. That’s starting to get better now that things are loosening up (I’m in Utah), but there’s still going to be a long way to go before things return to normal.
My mindset has always been focused on the process not only the final result. Races get pushed, swim starts get canceled due to weather, your legs just don’t show up off the bike that day for whatever reason, it’s windy, it rains, etc. In my opinion focusing one's personal payoff on that single A-Race event is tantamount to building a nuclear launch protocol with a single point of failure. It’s not if, but when things are going to go sideways. So to me, being in love with the process is the key to my personal growth and discovery. The hours spent on the bike, on the run, and doing endless laps in the pool, are where I have the time and opportunity to dig deep and to sit quietly with that person at the core of who I am. To clarify, simplify, galvanize, and amplify. In this way, I look at every day not as work, but as an opportunity to silence distraction, harden my resolve, and attack my weaknesses. Hate the wind on the bike? Go ride the windiest route you can handle until it doesn’t matter. Hate the rain? Run or ride in it as often as you can. Hate the open water? Keep going over and over until you don’t think about it. Everyday I have the opportunity to work on one or more of these things. To not to would be a waste, because there’s no guarantee in life that we ever make it to race day. If I didn’t love the process and my coach, and got run down by a bus next week, I wouldn’t want my last thought to be “what a colossal waste of time…”. Deeply loving the process, I get to say “I was the best version of myself right up to the end."
3. Is there something that stands out from the D3 training and/or community that has helped you stay focused on your goals?
Jim is an amazing coach. The coach/athlete relationship takes time to resolve, because it’s ultimately built on the foundation of trust. While it’s only been 5 months, Jim has quickly figured out what I need to hear (or not hear), and is dialed into what duration and kinds of physiological stress my body responds to. He’s also been great at hearing and understanding me (even if half my analogies make little-to-no sense). It’s this nucleus of trust and the continued building we do every week that feels super tangible to me, and I’m excited to see where this takes us. I obviously haven’t coached with anyone else in the organization, so I can only hope everyone else is getting the same experience I am.
4. What advice can you share with other athletes who are stuck in a mindset that they cannot race right now and that makes motivation for training tough?
Racing is not, and should not, be everything. In fact racing is sort of like a little graduation day - a celebration of all the early mornings, late nights and other incalculable sacrifices you’ve made and invested in each and every day. That shouldn’t have to change just because we can’t race. (Side note: Jim would call me out in a second if I said I wasn’t disappointed when my races got moved this year! Absolutely was.) But find a way to love the process. Love the incremental improvement for the sake of improvement itself. Reframe your why in these terms. Invest in hardening yourself and transforming weaknesses into strengths by deliberately attacking them. No better time to do this than when we have flexibility in our training and we’ll likely never have as much flexibility as we have right now.
Collaborate with your coach to find creative ways to do this. For example, Jim and I started running and cycling power challenges at different intervals to mix things up, yet the result was a different and better understanding of where I exist as an athlete on the spectrum of scenario-specific endurance. It was unexpected, motivating, and led to small changes that yielded immediate results!
Whatever you do, just… keep... going!
There are endless quotes about attitude and we think Hunter rises above them all. He lives each day through a lens that is inspiring. We are proud he is part of D3 and know you'll enjoy meeting him when we are able to return to racing.
Well, by now we’ve all (mostly) adjusted to the sudden shock of closings, cancellations, and stay-at-home orders. We’ve found new ways to move through life in the short-term and are now starting to think about maybe not the long-term, but the medium-term implications of coronavirus on our lives, and in particular on training and racing. Trying to look ahead three to six months raises a bunch of questions and while I don’t have definitive answers, I always have opinions:
Are we racing this summer / fall?
I have been asked this question by most of my athletes, and unfortunately, I don’t have any inside knowledge on this - or a crystal ball, which is what I’d really prefer to have in my bag of tricks these days. Given that we really don’t know yet what the summer and fall have in store, how you choose to approach the rest of 2020 should align with what makes you feel most comfortable. Do you want to avoid disappointment? Then defer your races to 2021. Do you like having a goal, regardless of whether it has to be altered? Then keep / add some races to your calendar, even if those dates are tentative.
Will my pool re-open in time for me to train for my race?
I really, really wish I knew. My belief, based on zero conversations with zero race directors, is that it would be irresponsible for races to happen - or more specifically, the swim leg of races - without adequate time to train. So, I think that if races re-start soon after or along with pools re-opening, we’ll be seeing races offering bike-run options or canceling the swim altogether. Ultimately, remember that you are not required to put yourself in a situation for which you’re not prepared. If something isn’t a good idea for you, just don’t do it.
Why am I so tired?
It’s important to remember that life stress lives in your legs the same way training stress does. And daily life right now exists on a stress level that most of us have never experienced before. Everything that used to be on auto-pilot and feel normal and routine - going to the grocery store, running errands, even putting gas in your car - now requires thought and energy and is just generally draining. So don’t worry about it if your workouts feel a little (or a lot) off sometimes; it’s not your fitness, it’s the context.
How am I supposed to stay motivated?
I get it. It’s hard to be motivated when the goal posts keep getting moved on you. Personally I’ve found that virtual challenges and races, as artificial as they seem, are surprisingly good motivators. So sign up for a D3 challenge or workout, the USA Triathlon virtual run-bike-run, an IRONMAN Virtual Race or Virtual Club Challenge (there are several every week), or even create a distance challenge among your friends. Any external, short-term goal can be a great motivator!
Jeff has his sites set on racing the Boston Marathon and it's his journey navigating the changes around the race, plus his unselfishness to un-retire as a physician to help on the frontline of the Covid-19 Pandemic that grabbed his coach's (Julie Dunkle) attention for this spotlight.
The Tokyo Marathon this past February was the intended warm up race for Boston, but it was canceled because of the COVID circumstances. With Coach Julie's guidance, Jeff pivoted and jumped into the Napa Valley Marathon instead. Jeff had an incredible PR - a lifetime personal best! That is momentum you want to build on and take with you into your A race, and they were excited.
The athlete-coach duo planned a strong recovery, and time to design the strategy for Jeff's Boston training (which should have only been a couple of months away). But then, Boston was rescheduled for September.
We know that scenario has played out for many athletes, so find comfort knowing this is a shared experience. But what's special here is that Jeff took the high road and genuinely took this in the most positive way and he grabbed hold of the opportunity to help on the Covid-19 front lines. Jeff and Julie made a decision to adjust his training emphasis and are now working on a bike focus to maximize what he can during this challenging time.
Coach Julie shares that Jeff exemplifies the D3 motto. "He is disciplined and determined to execute every workout as written. His desire for success is apparent both personally and in his profession.
We have an amazing partnership, he listens and takes direction but it not afraid to ask questions and will always listen to his body, even if that means a workout modification."
We are proud to call him a D3 athlete!
Read on for inspiration!
1. As a physician and a triathlete, your priorities must have shifted during this pandemic. What has changed for you? What has remained the same?
Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic I was a retired Internal Medicine physician turned full-time triathlete. I was enjoying the fact that my daily priorities were all about my training and racing. Medicine, however, was never just a job for me. It was my “calling.” Shortly after the pandemic began, I was asked by my medical group if I was interested in returning to work at any level (very sporadically all the way up to full-time). My specialty is Hospital Medicine and as such, I take care of the sickest of the sick and my skills and expertise are needed currently. I never hesitated to return to the workforce.
Still, one of my priorities is to maintain a healthy balance in my life which includes taking care of myself physically as well as emotionally and spiritually. Although I am back in the hospital caring for COVID-19 patients, I maintain my training as a major priority for me. My endurance sports training makes me a better physician. Swimming, biking, and running are my forms of meditation and allow me to clear my mind of the stressors in my life. I can return to my job as a physician with a clear and more focused mind.
2. What are you doing to stay positive, keep yourself motivated, and moving forward during this time?
I had a really nice race schedule planned for this year. My first race was the Pasadena Half Marathon which was set as just a training day prior to the Tokyo Marathon on March 1st. I had a fantastic race in Pasadena and placed 2nd in my AG. I was mentally and physically fully prepared for Tokyo until it was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo would have been my last required Major Marathon of the World to get my 6-Star commendation. I was quite disappointed but knew that it was the right decision by the race organizers.
Not wanting to waste my fitness, I immediately jumped on the internet to search for another race. I found the Napa Valley Marathon which was to take place on the same day so I registered and within 15 minutes had my flights and hotel reservations finalized. Although it was not Tokyo, I was excited again as the prospect of racing and I was motivated. My D3 coach, Julie Dunkle, and I agreed on a pacing strategy that would give me a PR for the marathon distance. My prior PR was a 3:24:29 at the Chicago Marathon last year. I was really hoping to hit 03:15:00 this year. Napa turned out to be a fantastic race for me. I have never felt more prepared thanks to my training and have never felt more energetic during a race. When I crossed the finish line at 03:04:04 I was ecstatic.
My finish in Napa gave me the energy and the confidence to continue training hard. I knew that what Julie and I were doing together was the right thing. Since then, I have had a number of races canceled. I still have IM Wisconsin 70.3 and IM Philippines 70.3 on the books but they, too, may be canceled or postponed and I am fully prepared for that. My goals for this year necessarily had to change. For 2020 I wish to be the best version of me that I can achieve. It is not about the race or the finish line.
It is about the process which is ongoing and THAT is what motivates me.
3. What are some things/ways that Coach Julie has helped you modify your training during this time?
Julie has been an amazing coach. From the beginning, we have communicated together extremely well and she is very attentive to my needs. Initially, I did not need my training schedule altered but once my pool closed, Julie made some modifications to work around that. In addition, once races started getting canceled or postponed, we took the new-found opportunity to work on the less strong aspects of my racing. I have already seen some very positive gains and once races start up again, I think that I will be in a much better position athletically than if we had not had this time handed to us.
4. You can put your physician hat on (or keep your triathlete hand on): what are 1-3 things that you would like triathletes to know right now?
We are all going through unprecedented and difficult times. We are concerned (even scared) about getting sick and have been disappointed that our race schedule has been up-ended. Take comfort in the fact that triathletes are some of the healthiest people on the planet. My advice as a physician and as a fellow athlete is to continue to do what we love doing.
5. Thinking back to the race where you had your PR in February, please describe your thoughts as you learned of your PR.
My first thought was elation, “ what did I just do?" This was immediately followed by “I hope Julie is not pissed at me for going faster than we had planned and faster than the pacing she pre-programmed into my Garmin.” As soon as I crossed the finish line and I got to my mobile phone I wanted to call her. I decided to wait just a bit to ride my “high” just in case she was upset with me. When I finally texted her she was as elated as I was so it was really the perfect day all around.
6. What is one thing (or two) that you want to remember about that race that you will carry forward?
Following my nutrition plan was very key for me and I felt physically fantastic with lots of energy throughout the entire race. I need to remember to ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PLAN! I also remember how I felt physically at various points in the race. I KNEW that this felt different from previous races and I knew that it was OK to listen to my body and turn it up a notch. I felt secure in my abilities based on being in tune with my physical self. I need to remember to “check in” with myself from time to time and that it is OK to make adjustments accordingly.
7. Please share anything else you would like to about yourself, your training, your career, your family/friends, or whatever is top of mind!
I am so fortunate to have had an amazing career both as a physician and as an athlete (I was a former high-level competitive figure skater as a teen and young adult and then a cyclist before becoming a triathlete) and to have a terrific family who has always supported me in everything that I ever wanted to do.
We are so proud of Jeff, and hope you draw on his amazing story for inspiration!
If there ever was a time to do some experimenting with your training or other aspects of the multisport life this is it. The idea is not new and you almost certainly see suggestions like this at the end of the season, like these recommendations from my D3 colleague Alison Freeman.
Following are some of my thoughts on things you can experiment with since our race season is pending. Some are things you've been advised (or should have been) to never tinker with during spring training/or this extended off-season. If you find success with the ideas below, they can be carried into the race season.
1. Work on run form: D3 U. and the D3 YouTube channel both have plenty of good advice on form and drills to help you improve your running. Identify one or two things that you can improve, then, focus on one thing at a time.
2. Run/Walk routine: A favorite of mine but something hard for many to get their heads around is developing a run/walk routine for training and racing. I covered this topic in a prior article and shared strategies and pace charts for an effective approach to this routine. You can do some testing to see how well this might work. Next time you do a Threshold test include some short, 15 second walk breaks. See if that gets you a better negative split.
3. On the same topic, make one workout a week a speed walk: Being able to walk fast is not something that will happen, you need to work on it.
4. Cycling form: You are probably spending more time indoors, and that is a great place to work on this. If your cadence tends to be slow, make one workout a week an experiment. After a warmup ride at the same power at your normal cadence for 5-10 min. then 10% higher. Your HR is most likely going to be higher at the higher cadence. Do this over 2-3 weeks to see if that difference diminishes. It is likely to always be a bit higher but if not excessively, it could be your new race cadence.
5. Cleat position: This is not something to play with during the race season and the best place is again indoors. Here is an article that has prompted me to experiment with midfoot cleat position. Moving the cleat to the midfoot is not something for those with no construction skills but there are easy ways to make less radical changes to the cleat position. If midfoot really interests you email me to discuss.
6. Diet – nutrition: Again, not something you should probably experiment with in race season but certainly OK right now. This is personally my big thing at the moment and here is some more about that.
Plant Based Diet
The diet idea actually started before the COVID-19 pandemic.
When I got home from the Ironman World Championships in Kona last year I headed to a new cardiologist for my first check-up with him. I got a bit of an unwelcome surprise; plaque has increased to a point where something in my diet had to change and/or I had to get on statins.
My doc suggested I educate myself a little further by watching The Game Changers and another documentary Forks Over Knives (with Rip Esselstyn’s father and doctor Caldwell), and reading The Seven-Day Rescue Diet (Rip Esselstyn). The message in the Game Changers is that you don’t need meat to be an endurance athlete, Olympian, or the world’s strongest man. It is a great thing to watch as you ride/run indoors. I came away convinced the diet would work but concerned that I could make the change after 70+ years of being a meat-eater. Statins were even less appealing so in December I went cold turkey (pun intended).
I have not managed to get extremely creative with DIY recipes. Ingrid, my wife, has done better than I have and is producing some great “stews” and soups found in the book Coach Mike referenced earlier this year Shalane Flanagan’s “Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow” as well as the Esselstyn book. Looking for a simpler solution I found a great family of pre-cooked foods from Loma Lynda, which is available on Amazon and there are lots of others out there in places like Whole Foods.
The November check-up also showed that my cholesterol was much the same as it has been for the past 10+ years, above what is now considered good, but not terrible (my interpretation). The total was 255 with a lot of that being the good cholesterol. In February, I got a follow-up test after two months of the Plant diet, and its down to 180! Still a bit high for the doc’s liking but obviously a great improvement. Two weeks ago I started a statin to see what that does to my cholesterol and if it causes any side effects. The big one is muscle weakness and/or pain. So far so good on the latter.
I am not rushing out for a blood test for a few weeks for obvious reasons. But, I sure hope my ideas get you thinking of some things that could help you right now, provide a challenge while we wait for our season to begin.
Coach Simon Butterworth works with athletes to develop both short term and long term objectives that work well within the context of the other things they have going on in their life. He encourages them to ask questions, look for clarification and to challenge them where appropriate.
He holds credentials from:
In the world of triathlon racing and training, bike handling is a must-have for improved performance. No, this might not raise your threshold, but with proper bike handling skills, you will be safer, develop more confidence and you can become faster (even when you aren't putting the power down!).
Coach Bill and Coach Jim collaborated on this video where Jim demonstrates seven (7) basic skills that are simple to understand and essential to work on - the present time is a good time to practice these and dial them in!
You can do most of these skills, in a soccer or football field, your local school parking lot, or anywhere that has just a little bit of space. These skills do not require high speeds, in fact, slow to moderate speeds are best. Your kids will also really enjoy them too!
https://youtu.be/i38hmQ7BAvE
#D3Athletes get the opportunity to take a deep dive with the coaches about this video and the drills in the Team's Facebook group. Get your questions ready.
Coach Jim Hallberg believes that every one of us has the capacity to improve our efficiency, get stronger and run, bike or swim faster. Sure, it takes time, dedication and discipline but it’s possible. Jim is a USAT, USA Cycling and Training Peaks Certified Coach.
Coach Bill Ledden knows that true success in the world of triathlon isn’t simply about crossing the finish line. It’s about the process of setting goals, being determined to reach them and most importantly, the learning that takes place along the way. Bill is a USAT and USA Track and Field Certified Coach.
This quick video will demo how to use swim bands as a dryland substitute for swimming. Mike demonstrates, the catch phase with a half-pull, a full pull, and the tricep extension. He also shows how to use the bands for a single-arm catch as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_RTm8mjpdM&feature=youtu.be
Everywhere we turn we are reminded of “the virus”. Depending on where you live that could mean the “flu” or the Covid-19 virus, or something else altogether. I know there are people heavily affected and those that are frustrated with the situation altogether. That said, I’m sure everyone can benefit from doing what they can to better their immune health.
Our immune system is a network of cells, organs, and chemical messengers all working together to protect us from foreign invaders and viruses. What we eat or do not eat makes a difference. Food can either help or hinder the situation.
The immune system needs key nutrients to work properly. Additionally, the bacteria in the gut make up quite a lot of the body’s immunity, this bacteria is influenced by what you eat. Lastly, some foods directly attack white blood cells making it hard for them to do their job.
Foods that will boost your immune system:
Breakfast ideas: toast with avocado, fruit, and eggs with some greens added in, or nuts or seeds. Another example might include plain Greek yogurt with berries, elderberry syrup, and pumpkin seeds on top.
Lunch or dinner idea: a favored chicken soup recipe that includes many of the “power” foods.
Chicken Broth Soup
Place water and all ingredients into a crockpot and turn on low to medium for 8-10 hours. 30 minutes before the soup is done add the parsley. If using a whole chicken remove the chicken and take off the meat from the bone, put the meat back into the soup and discard the bones. Put over rice or quinoa if desired.
Food to limit or avoid:
*Athletes - for training purposes may choose to use sugar to enhance performance in key/longer workouts. The benefit of being an athlete in this situation is that you are using up those sugars quite fast so they likely won’t have the same effect on the immune system if you were sedentary and eating sugar. That said, do what you can to stay hydrated and fueled and eat lots of veggies and drink lots of water even as an athlete.
Megan Forbes is a Registered Dietician with over 14 years of experience in the nutrition field and has adapted to all of its changes with research and education. She is passionate about learning what is best for each person and focuses on finding the root cause of problems. Nutrition is a lifestyle and passion that Megan has grasped throughout her life. Her knowledge and experience are great assets to include in your quest toward reaching your goals.
You have an icky feeling in the pit of your stomach the night before or morning of your race. You know the feeling—butterflies or churning or queasy or something. Your brain notices that feeling and makes a judgment about it—nervous, anxious, freaked out, whatever.
While it’s often useful to be keyed up a little before your race (it’s a race after all), icky feelings that are too intense can interfere with your performance if not your enjoyment.
Here are four things you can do, each taking only 15 seconds, to relive those nerves and get you to a more useful emotion on before your race.
Do each of these now one by one (yes you, yes now) and notice how your feeling changes, even though it’s not race day.
You can do these 15-second techniques in any order. I like the order presented, but maybe you might consider experimenting with the order that you like best.
They are quick, they are free, and they work. Try them anytime, whether it’s about your upcoming race or an important meeting or an interesting conversation with your child.
Ultimately, multisport is supposed to be rewarding and satisfying and even fun. Unwanted nerves get in the way. Try these fast, effective techniques to dial your emotional level right to the right level. Then go have a good time.
Will Murray is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and holds a practitioner’s certificate and more than 100 hours of advanced training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. He works with beginners to Olympians helping them use their heads to do more than just hold their hats!
I have personally been using my treadmill more and more lately. Partly due to cold temps and early mornings, and partly due to convenience. Treadmill running can provide a few benefits including a little more cushion for all the miles you may be running, helping you with pacing, as well as convenience. For example, starting a run when the kids are still asleep, being able to avoid the pitfalls of winter training including early morning or evening darkness, traffic and the cold.
It is not uncommon for me to do or prescribe (to my athletes) a bike and a run, or a run and a swim on the same day, and being able to turn in a double workout as a brick without having to change into winter gear can be very handy and time-effective too. Here are a couple of ideas you might consider in your winter multi-session workouts.
I suggest this bike interval session and a 30-minute run. (I call it a multi micro brick repeat):
Start with a bike warm-up and then do half of the bike intervals, hop-off and do a 15-minute treadmill run, then back to the bike for the remainder of my bike intervals with the last 15 minutes back on the treadmill for my run.
Because the bike is the focus, I will usually just keep my run in a controlled z2 heart rate, around 25-30 beats below threshold @ 1% grade.
I can flip this around another day and start a bike warm-up around 20 minutes, hop onto the treadmill and run half my run intervals, then back to the bike for a solid Z2 heart rate ride, and finish with the last of my run intervals.
I must admit, indoor high volume training can be challenging, but for longer weekend sessions:
I suggest riding up to an hour or more, then switch and run for 20 minutes, and repeat the cycle as long as is needed to accumulate your goal ride time.
You can do intervals or some sort of focus on any of your bike or run segments. Work on pacing and fueling. So make sure you have everything you need to consume and probably a bit more due to possible higher sweat rate from being indoors.
Mixing up between bike, run, bike, run keeps some of the entertainment value and the legs and mind engaged. The time doesn’t creep by so slow.
Okay, my personal favorite workout?
I will warm up as long as I need to, maybe 45-60 minutes, then turn on YouTube and watch and replicate a Super League Triathlon race at the same time they are doing it on the video. But I try to replicate their intensity for their length of time and work on my transitions.
For the swim, I will do a set of push-ups and planks, hop on the bike and go full throttle for 10 minutes. Then I will hop off and get on the treadmill for 7 minutes again at threshold. I will repeat this 3x! That’s 30minutes on the bike at or above threshold and 21 minutes of running at threshold. It is a great workout for those training in a variety of distances.
Watch and simply follow along with what they are doing. There are a ton of great videos. Here are two I personally like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lsity0FW4&t=141s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGbrvMQBgzM&t=3610s
Feel free to follow me on Strava or join me sometime on Zwift where I do all my indoor rides and runs!
Coach Jim Hallberg is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach, USA Cycling Certified Coach and a Training Peaks Level 2 Certified Coach. He believes that every one of us has the capacity to improve our efficiency, get stronger and run, bike or swim faster. Sure, it takes time, dedication and discipline but it’s possible.
If you are racing this course - you want this information! Coach Julie Dunkle shares a number of important strategies and tips to help you race this course successfully!
https://youtu.be/SNSXKuMhafY
Why:
Why should you develop your internal pacing when you have everything you need right in front of you on digital display? In a race, you probably know what your paces, heart rate, and power should all be ahead of time. So in an ideal world, everything goes to plan and you just follow your tracking devices all the way to the finish line. The problem stems from the fact that races rarely or never exist in an ideal world. We have to be prepared to make adjustments, and we have to be prepared to pace ourselves based on those adjustments.
By getting in touch with and developing your internal pacing mechanisms, or more casually described as racing by “feel,” you can be prepared at any point in a race to maximize everything you have left in your tank. We’ve all had those races where you show up and your body doesn’t feel how you expect it to feel. If you proceed by trying to hit your pre-planned objective measures of exertion, that could result in slowing down before the finish, or worse. From the opposite perspective, you may feel better than you expected to feel, and by rigidly adhering to your pre-planned paces, you end up crossing the finish line with energy left over. By learning how to correlate your subjective perception of effort with the objective measures, you can capitalize on all of your hard work and cross the finish line having gotten the best out of whatever you had in your tank on that day.
Data-Driven Athletes:
For athletes who have a healthy appreciation for numbers, PMC charts, and ERG-mode, learning how to separate yourselves from over-reliance on metrics is the first step. Tuning in to the difference between how a given pace feels on one day vs. another day is a great place to start. Pay attention to your rate of perceived exertion. This can help you better understand the intention of a workout, which will help you attain the appropriate training adaptations. Gaining or losing fitness throughout the year results in constantly changing zones, so the more awareness you have about how each zone should feel will allow you to get the most out of each prescribed workout.
“Feel”-Driven Athletes:
For athletes who may already feel like they listen to their bodies and race primarily by subjective exertion, it’s important to learn how to correlate your effort with the data in order to continue to make improvements. While having awareness of your body is a great starting point, athletes from this camp may fall into the trap of getting too comfortable. Check in to see where the heart rate, pace, and/or power that is supposed to correlate to an RPE zone falls throughout training cycles. For example, as you gain fitness your zone 2 RPE should correspond to an increased pace or power output. If the reverse is true, you may be either losing fitness intentionally because of the time of the year, or you may need recovery in order to keep progressing. Use this concept to stay accountable.
How:
Below are a couple examples of how you can begin to develop your pacing mechanisms in training. As you’re training, pay attention to the cues that your body is giving you. This is a great way to stay conscious of your form and technique, acknowledge your level of hydration, and evaluate your need for calories. Even with a nutrition and hydration plan, your needs will vary based on conditions, exertion, and what you did or consumed earlier that day. See if you can match an RPE value for a prescribed effort with a pace, heart rate, or power value after the workout is complete. Monitor the changes in zones throughout training cycles to keep yourself on track to your goals.
Going forward with these new strategies, I am confident you can learn to balance data and feel, and the resulting experience = a successful race day.
As a kid, I spent Saturday mornings watching cartoons, with one of my favorites being that of a likable bunny chewing a carrot! With the tagline, “What’s up doc?” this classic Looney Tunes character continues to bring laughs and smiles to fans across the globe.
With the onset of the New Year, many of us are considering equipment upgrades, finalizing race schedules and hitting our training sessions with great enthusiasm. As a coach, I am prescribing the all-familiar field testing to my athletes. The information acquired through field testing provides us with valuable baseline data to establish proper pacing, power and heart rate zones across all disciplines. We use this data as a compass to guide the training process. While field evaluations and equipment upgrades are important considerations, I believe the most precious equipment is our body and mind. A wise person once said, “Health is our greatest gift.” It is prudent to be disciplined with training and complete the field tests being prescribed, however, what are you doing to safeguard your overall physical and mental health?
Speaking from personal experience and my own journey as an endurance athlete, I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that until one month ago, I had not had a physical exam since my years playing collegiate soccer, over 30 years ago! Perhaps like many athletes, I had the somewhat naïve mindset that through my involvement in sport and living a “healthy” lifestyle everything must be A-Okay. I honestly did not really see the importance of having an annual physical exam, aside from bloodwork.
However, after completing a physical exam and colonoscopy in the last month, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to health care professionals about my overall health and lifestyle, including my endurance training, and now feel more confident about my own overall health and understanding the criticality of preventative health care. As endurance athletes, there are more demands placed on our bodies than that of the general public. Along with our training and periodic field evaluations, the early season is a perfect time of year to have some basic, yet important, screenings to ensure our physical and mental health is in top form.
Annual Physical Exam
Getting a physical exam is a good starting point to safeguard overall health. According to D3 athlete and emergency room physician Dr. Gary Lucchesi, “Having a primary care physician do an initial exam will help determine the frequency of future exams needed (younger and healthy athletes may not need a full physical annually unless things come up).” Other screenings are recommended and include colonoscopies, mammograms, and prostate screenings; the timing of your first screenings for each of these depend on age and family history, and your primary care physician can discuss this with you. Dr. Lucchesi also recommends an influenza (flu) vaccination to minimize the risk of having to take significant recovery days/weeks off from training. “There is a common misconception that the influenza vaccination can give you the flu. Can’t happen. And while not always 100% effective, it may save you an ill-timed ’week off’ recovering from a miserable illness.” Endurance athletes tend to push themselves when sick and are best served to take an unplanned rest day to avoid digging themselves into a hole.
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
For aging endurance athletes (above 40 years of age) or anyone with a family history of heart issues, an annual ECG/EKG is recommended. While triathlon and endurance sports typically lend themselves to a healthy lifestyle, there are inherent risks. We are seeing more cases of atrial fibrillation (A-fib), particularly in men. According to well-known and respected cardiac health expert Dr. Mark Estes, “As you get into the high-intensity/high-endurance end of the spectrum – typically more than 5 hours per week at greater than 80% of peak heart rate – the risk of A-fib increases up to 10-fold.” USAT now requires elite athletes of all ages (Junior, U23, Elite & Elite Paratriathlon) that wish to participate in International Triathlon Union (ITU) events to pass an ECG as part of their pre-participation exam.
Bloodwork
Bloodwork, including a complete blood count (CBC) and lipid panel, provides important information for all individuals. As previously mentioned, the demands placed on endurance athletes are different from the general public and warrant monitoring of other markers, including but not limited to ferritin, hemoglobin/hematocrit, Vitamins D & B12, cortisol, folate, testosterone, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) count. Your primary care physician can recommend and order additional markers that should be checked relative to your individual health and family history.
One of D3's partners is Inside Tracker and they are an excellent resource for bloodwork.
Skin Scan
With the amount of time endurance athletes spend outdoors, an annual skin scan (performed by a dermatologist) is very important. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Melanoma accounts for a seemingly low 1% of all skin cancers but is the cause of the majority of skin cancer deaths in the United States. Early detection through an annual skin scan, along with consistent use of sunscreen (even in winter months) will decrease your risk of skin cancer and identify cancers early. More information may be found here.
Mental Health
Life stresses (family, work, training, etc.) can affect the body and mind in many ways. Physiological manifestations from mental fatigue/stress can be readily seen in athletes. Performance can be dramatically impacted by stress and depression. Just this past year professional triathlete, Sara True, shared her story with depression in USAT Magazine. Mental health is often brushed aside or overlooked. Anyone with symptoms or concerns should feel comfortable sharing this information with their D3 coach and consult with a reputable mental health professional.
As you embark on your 2020 season, make sure to take care of your most powerful piece of equipment – your body and mind. Wishing you a healthy and speedy season!
Coach Brad Seng is a USAT Level II, USAT Youth & Junior Elite and Training Peaks Level II Certified Coach. His coaching methodology revolves around the roles that both the body and the mind play in an athlete’s ability to reach maximum potential. Training the body to swim, bike or run faster, further or with more intensity is hard work. With a custom-built training plan and good nutrition on board it definitely gets a whole lot easier.
If you work full-time, have a family and train, finding time to make healthy dinners can be a challenge. This is one of my family's favorite go-to recipes that achieves quality nutrition, covers the tastebuds of athletes and kids, and it is easy to make. I especially like to make it because my daughter and I work side-by-side on this one!
Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken
This is from Shalane Flanagan's "Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow"
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1) Take a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bag and combine vinegar, oil, honey, mustard, and salt. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and massage to combine.
2) Place in the fridge and allow the chicken to marinate for 4 hours or overnight.
3) Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes prior to grilling.
4) Grill for 4 minutes per side or until nicely charred and chicken is at 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
5) Use a nonstick grill pan if you don't have an outdoor grill.
"Add in a salad and you have a showstopping meal", says Shalane.
Coach Mike Ricci is the Founder and Head Coach for D3 Multisport. He is a USAT Level III Elite Certified Coach, Ironman University Certified Coach and Training Peaks Level II Certified Coach. His coaching style is ‘process-focused’ vs. ‘results-focused.’ When working with an athlete, their understanding of how and why they are improving is always going to take precedence over any race result. Yes, there is an end goal, but in over 2 decades of coaching, experience has shown him that if you do the right work, and for the right reasons, the results will follow.
I don’t always practice what I preach, but when it comes to how to run the marathon portion in an Ironman, I do. At least I do these days. And how I get it done is through planning for plenty of walking. I have not been shy about advocating this approach as you may have seen in earlier articles or heard from me in person. Unfortunately, many, like me, fought the idea that you could plan in walk breaks right from the start and still run fast.
Jeff Galloway proved you could finish a fast marathon at 70 while walking for almost 6 miles. His qualifying time for Boston was 4:18, and if I remember correctly, Jeff ran around 4:10 (you need to go under the qualifying time these days to get in) using something like the following:
Jeff has long been advocating a strategy like this. I personally started 10 years ago with the more obvious strategy of just walking through aide stations. To get down enough calories and fluids in the heat of Kona it was necessary to walk anyway. That morphed to walking for 30 seconds halfway between each aide stations and then in 2017 I started to analyze what I was doing more closely.
What became obvious was that even with a shorter run interval, 2 min., I could not hold a good consistent pace for the 2 min. The slowdown was apparent even in the early part of the marathon. By 13 miles I was starting each run slower and slowing down even more over the 2 min. interval. The other interesting thing was my recovery over 30 sec. was almost complete, respiration was almost “normal”, and HR down by 15-20%. Next step was to try 90/30 sec. With the shorter run I could start the run interval a bit faster but still as overall time progressed pace during the 90 sec. slowed too much, I thought, and 30 sec. walk was now clearly too long.
A year ago, I went to 45/15 and this seemed to be the magic bullet. In training I could hold my goal pace, a pace that would insure a very good IM finish, for my long runs (2-3 hrs). At sea level in the right conditions (not Kona) I could qualify for Boston, my measure of a good running pace. I gave it a go in Kona this past October (2019).
Unfortunately, the results, in Kona, for reasons I believe other than the run/walk, did not live up to my expectations. My run was a long way off my potential due to back problems. However, there is no doubt in my mind that had I not followed the planned run-walk strategy, it would have been the slowest IM of my career and there was a good chance I might not have finished. Just that 15 sec. walking plan gave me time to stretch my back and keep the momentum going. It also helped greatly knowing that I had to put up with the discomfort of my back for only 30 sec. at a time (the decision to go to 30 sec. was made just before the race because of my back.).
Since I started doing more than just walking every mile (aide stations) I have not been totally compulsive about it. If I am heading down a gentle hill I might skip a walk. If there is an aide station 20-30 sec. ahead I would run into it. When I get to mile 23 and the adrenaline kicks back in, I run to the finish, especially if there is competition nearby. Conversely, if I see competition at a turnaround, as I did this year in Kona, I would not change my plan, just try harder to run fast when I run.
So, at any opportunity these days I encourage my athletes and friends who ask to experiment with the run-walk approach. You do need to practice it and this time of year (off-season) is the perfect time to try something new. How long you should run and walk depends a lot on your running speed and goals. Younger, faster runners would probably find that 30/15 is way too short. However, everyone is unique when it comes to athletic ability, and most other things, so experimenting is essential. My approach of starting with longer run intervals is probably a good way to go but don’t take several years to reach a good choice, one winter is more than enough time.
Click here for my Walk-Run Pacing Calculator
If you have questions, please reach out to me at simon@tricyclesports.com.
This article by Jeff Galloway will help you find a good starting point. Just remember that Jeff, for the most part, is talking about marathon and half marathon running, not some crazy sport that has you swimming and biking for at least 2-3 hrs. first.
Coach Simon Butterworth is a USAT Certified Coach and in the big picture sees attitude more than age making the difference in many aspects of this sport. There are times in triathlon that to see improvements you need to slow down and spend some time working on your technique – which requires a great deal of discipline. So does having a coach and following the plan written for you. The best coach in the world can only be of help if you’re ready and willing to do the work.
Power meters on bicycles have long been the gold standard for measuring performance progression. In recent years, bike power meters have become more and more affordable, putting them within reach of most triathletes who are serious about measuring and tracking metrics.
The great benefit of power is that…power is power. It’s a measurement of force times velocity. Power doesn’t care about whether you’re going uphill or downhill; whether you got good sleep or tossed and turned the night before; whether you feel good or like crap; whether it’s hot outside; whether you’re caffeinated; and so forth. It simply measures the amount of work you’re doing over time.
Enter the running power meter. There are several research labs and companies working on creating running power meters. The market leader at this point is clearly Stryd. I’ve been using Stryd power meters for several years, starting with their first-generation heart-rate-strap mounted version. In the beginning, I found the data to be interesting, but not very reliable. It wasn’t useful as a training tool because of its inconsistency, among other issues. A couple of years ago, they introduced a small footpod to replace the chest strap version and it was immediately evident that they were onto something better. They have recently introduced their third generation version and, as both a coach and an athlete, I think running power is finally ready for prime time.
There are several ways to calculate running power. While initially, most people thought of mechanical tools like force plates, Stryd uses other metrics like ground contact time and vertical oscillation to calculate a power number. I’m sure that smart people could engage in lengthy conversations about whether Stryd is really measuring actual power, but even without a degree in engineering (my situation), there is a point at which it doesn’t matter. I’m not convinced, nor do I care, that what Stryd says is a watt is actually a watt. In research, you consider two factors: validity and reliability. Validity considers the accuracy of a measurement. Reliability considers the consistency of a measurement. It’s reliability that I’ve always been interested in when thinking about metrics that will help me as an athlete, and the athletes I coach. I don’t care whether 300 watts is actually 300 watts as long as every time I run up the same hill at the same speed, using the same form, in the same wind conditions, etc.---I see my power meter showing me 300 watts. Stryd seems to have that dialed in now.
Stryd’s phone apps are very good at collecting and displaying relevant information, interacting with Garmin and other watch brands, and uploading to Training Peaks. If you’re a data geek, Stryd’s PowerCenter website will give you a lot more feedback than Training Peaks will show in your uploaded workout. The app will assess your runs and provide you with a threshold value.
If you decide to give running with power a try, I have a few thoughts and recommendations:
1. Just run with it for a few weeks. Observe the power numbers that you see during your runs, but don’t adjust your running based on what you see.
2. Vary your running effort/pace. This is part of your training plan, no doubt. The Stryd software uses data from different kinds of efforts to determine your threshold power.
3. Once Stryd gives you a threshold power number, multiply that number by 1.05 (5% higher) to set your run power threshold in Training Peaks. I don’t have any hard data behind this recommendation but the zones that Training Peaks sets based on the 5% increase seem to me to give more accurate TSS numbers for any given run.
4. Let your coach know that you’re using Stryd. As of this writing, there’s not a coach portal to Stryd’s PowerCenter website so as an athlete, you’ll have more information about your running power than your coach will have. You may need to be in communication with your coach outside of Training Peaks in order to get the most out of the Stryd data.
5. When you run on a treadmill, use the Stryd phone app to collect data (rather than your watch). To calculate running power accurately on a treadmill, you need to tell the app what percent grade you have the treadmill set for. (Yes, this is an argument that Stryd isn’t actually measuring power, but see my note about reliability vs. validity.)
6. Once your threshold power and zones have been calculated, use power to pace your workouts (and races)—and stick with it over time. I have used power to pace quite a bit of training as well as a few 70.3 race runs and have been very pleased by how much I can rely on my power number. For shorter efforts, like sprint race runs or open 5ks, where you’re running close to or above your threshold, relying on power for pacing in the moment is less valuable in my experience. For high-intensity interval workouts, the power data provides great feedback when reviewing the workout, even if not in the moment. You don’t want to be checking your watch constantly as you run high intensity.
Note that there are several interesting metrics that Stryd generates for you beyond a simple power number (e.g., leg spring stiffness, form power, vertical oscillation, etc.). These metrics can be helpful as you work to improve your run. They will surely come up in a future article.
I hope this doesn’t read like an advertisement for Stryd. I don’t receive any kickbacks from Stryd. (Disclosure: I did get a discount on my personal Stryd unit and Stryd does offer a discount to D3 athletes—check with your coach for details.) I’ve been a curious user for years—hoping that a good running power meter option would emerge that I could recommend to my athletes. Stryd has gotten there first, in my opinion.
Coach Dave Sheanin is a USA Triathlon and USA Swimming Certified Coach. He believes that becoming “triathlon literate” is key to meeting your goals. Triathlon is indeed a lifestyle and like the other important areas of your life, knowledge is power. I encourage you to explore the nuances of the sport, be open to new ideas and ask questions – of yourself, of fellow swimmers, cyclists and runners, and of your coach. Whether you’re training to win or new to the sport, the most accomplished athletes are those who are open to coaching, eager to take on new challenges, and are committed to continuous improvement!
Team D3 Technique Clinic
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Longmont, Colorado (just North of Boulder)
6 am - 4 pm
$225*
Space is limited
*D3 1-to-1 Coach Athletes receive a $25 discount
COACHING and TRAINING GOAL:
Train under the direction of D3's Head Coach, Mike Ricci, a USAT Level III Certified Coach, along with Coach Jim Hallberg, a USAT, and USA Cycling Certified Coach during this day-long technique-specific clinic. We will be assessing your swim, bike, run, and strength training techniques with the use of video assessment. This clinic is for all abilities. Don't be intimidated as we will break into groups by ability and you will work with support from the coaches.
This is your opportunity to learn where your weaknesses are and what you can specifically do to improve upon them so that nothing stands between you and your goals! With a coach's eye on your technique, you will find a new level in your training capabilities that will translate to race day goals.
The Highlights:
Testimonial from Spring 2018 Technique Camp: "It was everything I imagined it would be. I have never been coached at this level in my life so it was very beneficial. It also brought a high level of clarity as to why we train the way we do. I have done many pool drills but have never understood why." ~ Mike M., Nebraska
Our action-packed day begins bright and early at 6 am and finishing strong at 4 pm:
To register, please email Melanie@D3Multisport.com
In-season - when you’ve got specific goals for a specific race, and your coach has mapped out a specific plan to get you there - it’s important to adhere to the training plan. I mean, #followtheplan and #trustyourcoach didn’t come from nowhere. But off-season, when you’ve got weeks or more likely months before you return to in-season training mode, the rules change.
Here are five things your coach won’t give you a hard time about during the off-season:
1. Taking a few weeks off of structured training.
I give all my athletes two unstructured weeks after their last race of the season. I think it’s important to have a few weeks where you don’t wake up every morning thinking about when you’re going to get your training in. This doesn’t necessarily mean you sit on the couch for two weeks (although some do, and that’s ok too!). It does mean that you wake up each day, and decide what you want to do that day - swim, bike, run, something else, or nothing - and do exactly that.
2. Missing workouts.
To clarify, I’m talking about missing occasional workouts, not skipping an entire weeks’ worth of training. But I do think it’s important to have a little more forgiveness in the off-season for how you balance life and training. In-season, with goals on the horizon, it can be appropriate to prioritize training over, for example, social plans. During the off-season, though, it’s appropriate for training to have a lower position on your list of priorities.
3. Going for a ride or a run without a specific target or goal for the workout.
In-season, every workout has a purpose and has specific goals or targets that support that purpose. Distances or durations are building toward what’s needed for race day, and pace or effort-level targets are designed to build endurance or speed or sometimes both. During the off-season, I like to send my athletes out on rides and runs without any of that - go where you want, for as long or short as you’d like, at whatever pace or effort-level feels good in the moment. In short: go out and have some fun!
4. Putting a sport in “maintenance mode.”
With reduced training volume in the off-season, sometimes it makes sense to “park” your fitness in a sport and do just enough work to (mostly) maintain it for a bit while you focus on other things. Those other things could be family or non-athletic hobbies, sports that don’t relate to triathlon (see #5), or you could do a big block of work on your weakest triathlon discipline to make big gains.
5. Doing some things that are not swim-bike-run.
With all the swim-bike-running on the calendar during triathlon season, there’s not typically room for much else. Off-season is the perfect time to make room for other activities: add in a weekly yoga class, hit the trails on your mountain bike, spend some time downhill or cross-country skiing, or head out on an epic hike. Your fitness will allow you to pick up those activities without too much issue, and those activities will provide benefits like flexibility or bike handling skills or functional muscle strength.
The early season for many triathletes marks the beginning of a strength training program to improve athletic performance for the upcoming season. Two vital components of a well-designed strength program are core strength, or a more accurate term core stability and equilibrioception or simply balance. Each athlete has their unique potencies and limitations when it comes to core stability and balance, so a training plan should be designed around a series of progressive exercises to meet the athlete’s requirements.
An essential component of athletic success is core stability, particularly in the lumbar, pelvic, and hip region collectively called the lumbopelvic-hip complex. We must keep in mind that stability allows us to control force, and in many instances, stability needs to come before strength to provide a stable platform against force. Perhaps a better way to think is our body must be able to resist the forces applied against it to achieve efficient locomotion. In other words, when pushing high watts on the bike you need a stable core to maximize power transfer to the pedals.
A well-designed core stability program will not only provide improvements in core stabilization but will also improve the neural pathways of the central nervous system that provides constant feedback and refinement of movement patterns. The lack of stability and balance in the sport of triathlon may have adverse effects on the ability to sustain force in unstable environments. All three of our sports are in unstable environments or on unstable surfaces, so a combination of core stability and postural balance training are key ingredients to maximize athletic efficiency, and quality of life.
Training in unstable conditions will stress the body’s neuromuscular system to a greater extent than stationary exercise. Spending the early season on a bike trainer will not prepare you for 20mph crosswind gusts on race day or the slippery conditions of a wet road surface. Incorporating cyclocross, and mountain biking into a yearly training plan with the emphasis of stressing the neuromuscular system adds improvements to balance and bike handling skills. Other outside actives like trail running, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing are other great tools to incorporate core stability and balance training into your workouts during the early season. These types of exercises move the body’s center of mass beyond its stable condition and increase synergistic muscle activity.
Resistance training to increase core stability can be achieved by a program of progressions in exercise programming that adds instability before an increase in load is applied. The advantages of free weights over machines have been well researched and documented since free weights require the athlete to stabilize the load throughout the movement plane. We can progress the exercise further by adding instability to the movement adding greater muscle core activation. The anti-rotation or Pallof Press/Hold is an excellent example of a core stability exercise that can be adapted to a progression framework.
To get started, you will need a high/low cable machine like a Keiser, Free Motion, or similar product. The progression starts in the kneeling position with the load perpendicular to the body and centered to the chest. Grip the handle with both hands and bring the handle to the center of your chest, and now extend the arms and hold, you will need to stabilize your core to prevent the load from rotating your spine, the focus is to apply stability to prevent rotation. Below is the progression of the exercise.
Pallof Press/Hold Progression - Note: we work both the left and right sides of the body, and we don’t increase the load only the amount of instability throughout the progression.
For the athlete to archive optimal performance, core stability in the lumbopelvic-hip complex and the ability to maintain balance are vital components, not only for quality of life but also for athletic success. Improvements in core stability can be enhanced by using unstable platforms within our resistance training with an increase in muscle activation and lower loads, thus increasing sport-specific gains and decreasing injury risk. Keep in mind that resistance exercises that contain an element of instability should be conducted with low resistance, and workouts with heavy loads should be performed on a stable base, never perform high resistance training combined with instability. So, train outside this winter to improve balance and add instability to your core workouts to see performance improvements on race day.
George Epley holds multiple coaching credentials including his USAT Level II Coaching Certificate. He has a passion for knowledge and believes it’s the key to maximizing your potential. He keeps abreast of the latest scientific studies, always trying to find more efficient and validated means of coaching his athletes. Knowledge in the form of communication is just as important. The more he knows about his athletes and the sooner he knows of changes in circumstances, lifestyle or training, the greater resource he can be.
Kalee certainly embodies all aspects of being a D3 athlete! Most notably to her coach, Brad Seng, was her Desire to improve and be her best. She had an extremely hectic summer outside of her training/racing with both work commitments/travel and multiple weddings. Kalee's ability to stay focused and desire to get the work done when having to make adjustments due to "life" happenings allowed her to make continued gains throughout the season. I was extremely proud of her ability to have a strong mental psyche in Cabo which put her in a position to secure the worlds slot (and beat her husband for house bragging rights). He admittedly was having a rough day. She is passionate about the sport and healthy lifestyle it offers which she shares with her husband.
After IM Mont Tremblant in August, she expressed the goal of qualifying for 70.3 Worlds in November's 70.3 Cabo and it's from there that we begin our Q&A.
Congratulations to Kalee for her amazing 2019 triathlon season.
1. You had a goal going into Cabo 70.3 and that was to qualify for 70.3 Worlds in New Zealand 2020. Coach Brad indicated that you two worked on three things to get you in the best position to achieve your goals.
Those are all specific and important things to dial in. Can you speak to each of those and what you needed to do, any trial and errors you experienced, how you persevered through everything and what you learned through it all?
More training in open water was one of the best things I did this season. I went and swam in some really rough waters and those swims felt terrible!! But, after battling through those swims, every OWS during races this year felt like a piece of cake (even the ocean swim in Cabo). It made me better at sighting, managing any nausea when the waters got rough, and helped me practice how to not drink all the lake/ocean water. I also regularly swam with swimmers who were faster than me (think sub 1 hour IM swimmers) so I had to fight to catch up – which also helped.
With hydration and fueling – I’d never taken the time to sit down and do the math I should pre-race, so Brad and I actually did that and made a plan for each race. I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten so much on the bike as I did this year, but it definitely helped for all my races! I also practiced nutrition during my long rides, which made a big difference (obvious, but something I had not done well in the past).
Positive self-talk/mantras were a big thing for me this year. Typically, in past races, when things got tough during a race I would talk myself out of pushing through the rough spots, or I would let negative self-talk take over. I got better and better each race this year at the mental part, but in Cabo, I had the best turnaround mentally I’d ever had in a race! As I got out onto the run (after what I felt was not my best bike ride), about 1.5 miles in I really felt the heat. I started to feel like I was spinning out of control and wanted to slow down/walk to cool down, but instead I started repeating to myself “you can do hard things” and “it is hot and that’s ok” (haha not a standard mantra but actually helped) and “YOU DO NOT QUIT”. I managed to slog it out and run everything outside of aid stations (which I used to pour ice water all over and cool myself down as much as possible). If I would have quit and walked, I definitely would not have gotten my slot to worlds.
It also really helped me to do race visualization this year. Coach Brad put some visualizations on my Training Peaks in the weeks leading into Ironman Mont Tremblant (my A race), and I would try to envision tough moments and what I would do to get through them. Every race has tough moments, unexpected things pop up, and I made sure not to visualize a perfect race that was easy but try to visualize how I would approach tough spots. Knowing that I would get fatigued on the bike, that the run would really hurt, but I always pictured that finish line, because that’s always my goal. A proud finish.
2. Describe the moment(s) as you learned you qualified for 70.3 Worlds.
I was very hopeful based on my placing and the number of slots allocated for my AG that there was a good shot I was going to get a spot. BUT nothing is certain until you’re there! I was SO STOKED when they called my name!! We were at awards with friends and it was so awesome getting to celebrate with them.
3. You have a year to wait for the race, how will you bide your time, prepare, stay focused?
I feel fortunate that I have the qualification part out of the way – now I can spend next year racing whatever I want instead of putting pressure on myself to qualify! I plan to race more local 70.3s (Victoria, CDA, and maybe the new race that might get added in WA!) and one full Ironman in July outside of Worlds. I love training and racing, so we’ll keep focusing on improving heading into worlds but keeping me fit as I race throughout the season! I am taking a few weeks off structured training, because I had a long season, and I’m trying to do more yoga, classes, etc.
4. What is a favorite workout that Coach Brad has given you (maybe more than once!)?
That’s a good question! I’m not sure I ever see a workout and go “that’s my favorite!” Instead, I end up loving when I get through a workout that I looked at and thought – “there is no way I can hit those targets, no way!”. I can think of a few specific run workouts this year – where the paces were speeds that I thought were too fast for me and even though I almost puked after, they were my proudest moments in training. For some reason I’m super intimidated by really hard/fast efforts. Accomplishing things I didn’t think I could and seeing proof of improvement end up being my favorite workouts… AFTER they’re done. So to answer, I only remember the worst workouts. But I know that if I don’t like the workout – it was one that I needed.
5. Which of the 3 Ds do you resonate with most: Desire, Determination or Discipline?
Discipline.
I do not miss workouts. I do everything I can to hit whatever workout I have on my schedule. I’m fortunate to be able to prioritize training over most things since my husband also trains/races and I have a consistent work schedule. I know even on days when I don’t want to train, if I show up and get it done, it’s all money in the bank or hay in the barn!
6. As you mentioned, your husband is also a triathlete. If you would like to, please share some race stories or support or training stories that will help us understand what it's like to have two competitive triathletes in one house!
Isaac and I almost always race the same races (at least the same A+B races) so it helps with planning life around training cycles. We do get a little competitive with each other during daily training (asking how long the other trained for to compare, trying to size up who did more, etc.) but we are very supportive of each other. My favorite part about racing/training with him is getting to see him on race course. He can tell when I’m having a good day and really helps me keep pushing. I can think of a few moments specifically that stand out during races:
During IM AZ 2017 – I had a goal to run the whole marathon. I saw Isaac at my mile 10 or so and towards the end of his marathon. He shouted at me “everything hurts but I’m still going” and for some reason that reminded me to keep going and what my goal was – just keep jogging until the day was done (I did run almost ALL of the marathon outside of some cramps) and was so proud I pushed when it would have been easier to walk (I had walked a lot of my prior 2 IM marathons, so this felt like a massive success).
Two really memorable highlights just happened in Cabo. My husband is pretty darn fast – he has beaten me in every tri we’ve ever done (always by quite a lot). He had a really tough day in Cabo which is not something I would ever be happy about, but it became clear on the run when we saw each other on some out and backs that I might catch him. I was in a good head space at that point and just kept chugging along and around mile 9 I saw I would for sure pass him. At mile 10 I made the pass, and I actually beat Isaac!!!
First time ever being the fastest Tyson on a course. He was really proud of me, and I got to hug him at the finish line as he came through. My favorite race moment in Cabo – when I got into T1 and saw Isaac was still there (we swam almost the same time) and we got to roll our bikes out together (it was a long transition). I’ve never been side by side with Isaac in a triathlon! It was such a cool moment and was a really nice way to start the bike that day.
Quick Bits:
What is one thing you always make sure you do before a workout (any of swim, bike, run, strength)?
Make sure I pre-hydrate with some Nuun! I love Nuun.
Favorite long workout recovery food?
Does wine count? I always eat a protein bar within 30 min of a long workout, and I love to make nachos or pizza with my husband after our long training days.
Favorite piece of tri equipment?
My new, Quintana Roo PRSix (thanks D3 for the hookup!) She’s hot pink and beautiful!
CONGRATULATIONS TO KALEE TYSON!
