Sometimes we let minor issues get in our way and they stop us form achieving our goals.  For the beginner triathlete this can be so true.  Often as a beginner we want everything to be perfect before we start… And what happens… It is never perfect and as a result there are so many people out there that would love to give triathlon a go, yet they are waiting to be fit enough, strong enough, skilled enough, have a better bike, learn to swim better and on and on and on…

And what happens… They never ever do a triathlon.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLdi0hMkinM

Not so for Sarah Reinertsen.  Sarah removed all excuses and become the first female above-knee amputee to complete the Hawaii Ironman.

So what is your excuse for either not getting out there for your first triathlon or for getting out there and doing a half-ironman or full ironman?

It is never too late to start…

To living your dreams and living into the person that you can be…

Proper Hydration

By Cassidy Phillips – Trigger Point Performance Products

At the same time many are beginning to dust off the bikes and running shoes to explore the beauty of Spring, the temperatures take the ascent from spring cools to summer highs, and before you know it, the heat will once again be playing a big factor in how you plan and accomplish your workouts.  Here at Trigger Point Performance, deep in the heart and heat of Texas, we know too well the importance of proper hydration for successful workouts.  

Proper hydration is necessary for cardiovascular function, thermoregulation, metabolism, central nervous system function (Murray, 2007), and can combat fatigue as well as enhance performance (Maughan, Shirreffs, & Watson, 2007).  To ensure you are getting enough hydration, base your intake on the general formula of 1 ounce per 2 pounds of body weight.  Also, always increase your intake according to your activity level.

One of the best indications of hydration is the color of your urine.  Monitor your hydration by using a mental “pee chart”.  Light urine indicates that you are well hydrated, while at the opposite side of the spectrum, dark urine means that you need hydration and possibly need to seek medical attention.

An important aspect of proper hydration is intake of electrolytes.  Electrolytes are critical for optimal performance and health maintenance (Rehrer, 2001).  Electrolytes can be viewed as the “cogs” for the “wheel” of water and nutrient movement within cells.  Sodium and potassium trigger water movement in and out of the cells.  We suggest using an electrolyte supplement for active hydrations.  These are easily portable and simple to use. They are formulated with a balance of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Remember, stay hydrated and stay active.  Monitor your water intake, supplement with electrolytes, and use your mental “pee chart” to determine if you are getting adequate hydration for your activity. As our CEO Cassidy Phillips puts it: “we turn our bodies more into beef jerky than we do a supple steak, so monitoring your hydration is imperative to your athletic success.”
References:

Maughan, R.J., Shirreffs, S.M., & Watson, P. (2007). Exercise, heat, hydration, and the brain. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 26(5), 604S-612S.

Murry, B. (2007). Hydration and physical performance. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 26, 542S-548S.

Rehrer, N.J. (2001). Fluid and electrolyte balance in ultra-endurance sport. Sports Medicine, 31(10), 701-715.

Original Article Source: Trigger Point Performance Newsletter – 3rd April 2012

Jarrod’s Comments

Hydration is so critical to your well-being.  Not just your physical body, also your mental state and mood.  To get the most out of your body you need to be adequately hydrated.  Always have a bottle of water with you.  If you are well hydrated you will have less chance of injury as your muscles will be are more pliable.  If you are dehydrated they become like that of beef jerky.

What are your thoughts on hydration?  We would love to hear from you…

Click here to learn more about Trigger Point Performance

Newton’s 10 Laws of Running Better

01 GET A PROPER FIT. Standing with your heels pulled to the back of your Newtons, you should have a thumbs width in front of your longest toe. The ball of your foot should line up over the middle of the red actuator lugs.

02 INSERT ORTHOTICS IF NEEDED. Newtons are not a substitute for custom orthotics. Remove the sockliner to accommodate your custom footbeds for the ultimate ride.

03 PRACTICE GOOD FORM. Relax, lean slightly forward and shorten your stride. Your foot will naturally land on your midfoot at a point under your hips. Keep a high cadence and your stride length short. (Do not run on your toes.)

04 LAND-LEVER-LIFT. Good running technique is as simple as Land-Lever-Lift: Land quietly in an athletic position with each footstrike under your hips; Lever off the front of the lugs; Lift your knee (do not push off or pull back with the toes) to begin a new stride.

05 ADAPT SLOWLY. To adapt to Newtons Action/Reaction Technology, start with short, slow runs (about a mile or so) a couple times a week for the first two weeks. Focus on good form and gradually increase your time and distance as your body feels ready. As with any sport, too much too fast can cause injury.

06 REDUCE FRICTION. Landing heavy, breaking on your heels, bounding on your forefoot and pushing off too hard with the toes all create friction. Excessive pounding creates more shock to your muscles, tendons, and bones. Land lightly and run smoothly and efficiently.

07 LEARN FROM YOUR SHOES. Newtons wear like tires. The shoes act like a coach. By studying the friction wear patterns, you can learn how to adjust and improve your running form.

08 KEEP THEM CLEAN. Hand wash with mild soap and air dry. Do not place in direct sunlight.

09 STAY EDUCATED. Follow our website to keep updated on information, videos, tips and customer service. Share your stories and experiences on our blog.

10 HAVE FUN!

Original Article: http://www.newton-running.com.au/run-better/laws-run-better

Jarrod’s Comments

I love No. 10 – Have Fun.  That is what this sport is all about.  It is about having fun, both during your training and your racing.  There are some great tips here from Newton Running.  If you can focus on just one or two of these at a time you will improve your running.

Which is your favorite, leave a comment and let us know.

Will next time, happy running…

What Are The Best Test Sets For Swimming?

• By Gale Bernhard

Photo: Nils Nilsen

I have my athletes do broken sets—rather than one long continuous swim—for testing. I find that it’s easier for swimmers to pace themselves during the test, making the results more accurate for use in workouts. In both of the test sets (one for sprint racers and the second for Olympic distance or longer) the goal is to swim the fastest sustainable speed for each repeat. Avoid sprinting on the first repeat only to fade on the last one, resulting in a big discrepancy in times. After the test, you’ll know your T-pace (test pace) that you can apply to future workouts.

For both tests, warm up with your choice of swimming, kicking and pulling for about 15 minutes. Near the end of your warm-up, include 4–6 x 25 at goal pace or slightly faster with 10 seconds’ recovery between each.

Sprint test: Swim 3×100 fast. Recover for 20 seconds between each. Note your time for each 100, aiming for no more than 5 seconds’ difference between each one. Your T-pace per 100 is the average of all three times.

Olympic, half-Ironman, Ironman test: Swim 3×300 fast. Recover for 30 seconds between each. Note your time for each 300, aiming to have less than 15 seconds’ difference between each. Average the times to determine your average 300 pace. Your T-pace per 100 is that number divided by 3.

Once you have determined your T-pace, use it to design swim workouts. For example, let’s assume your T-pace is 1:45 (105 seconds) per 100. If you’re a sprint distance racer, swim a set of 5–8 repeats of 50 on a repeating send-off of 1:15. Your goal would be to swim each 50 faster than your T-pace (105 divided by 2, or 52.5 seconds). By swimming shorter segments faster than T-pace, you can work toward improving your speed over longer distances. Retest your T-pace every six to eight weeks so you can make adjustments to your workouts.

Original Article Source

Jarrod’s Comments

Performing test sets such as this gives you a really solid base to work from.  It also breaks up the swim.  There is nothing worse than just swimming lap after lap at the some speed day after day.  You want to mix up your training so that you are building endurance & speed and at the same time improving your technique.

Do you know what your average speed is?  If not, now would be a great time to find out.

Did you like this article?  If so, please leave a comment.  It would be great to hear from you and your experiences…

Happy swimming…

Two-time Abu Dhabi International Triathlon champion Julie Dibens and Ironman winner James Cunnama share five rules of a successful open-water swim with a group of local high school students.

Rule 1: Keep your space

“In the pool, you’re in a lane by yourself. In a triathlon, you have 50, 100, even 200 people trying to get to the same spot. It’s hard to stay in a straight line. You have to figure out how to make the most of it and get a draft,” says Dibens.

“Don’t hang on to a boat, kayak or buoy [before a deep water start],” adds Cunnama. “It doesn’t make a good start because something is in your way. It’s hard to get a good kick in. Get some space.”

Rule 2: Run when you can

“For a beach start, you want to run as far as you in into the water without falling over because most people are faster running than swimming,” advises Dibens.

Cunnama adds, “Once you’re up to the thighs, it’s hard to get that dive going,” so leap in the water once it’s up above the knees.

Rule 3: Control your breathing

“At the start of a race, your heart rate is going to be very high, so for the first couple hundred meters, I breath to one side and get to bilateral breathing later on [in the race],” says Cunnama.

Dibens adds, “Bilateral breathing is a great skill. It helps you watch certain people and see where you’re going, but I definitely have a favorite side during a race. I prefer my left.”

Rule 4: Exit quickly

Rather than standing up as soon as possible at the swim exit, Dibens recommends to “swim in as far as you can” toward the shore. “Once your fingers start scraping the sand, stand up,” says Cunnama.

Rule 5: Watch where you’re going

Without lane lines to keep you on course, sighting becomes very important. “Eyes up at the start of a stroke,” says Cunnama. “Look forward, then turn your head to the side and take a breath before dropping the head back into the water. Dibens adds “And don’t lift your head too high, just enough to have a look. Using a buoy to sight is okay, but they’re not huge, so ideally you want something big like a tree, building or mountain that’s behind the buoy.”

Original Article Source: http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/03/training/open-water-swimming-tips-from-the-pros_48850/1

Jarrod’s Comments

These tips whilst simple are key factors to your success with swimming in open water.  The swim is the most feared aspect of a triathlon and practicing these 5 tips will put your mind at ease when you enter the water for your triathlon race.

So practice these tips and if you are still uncertain ask some questions, go for a group swim and get confident swimming in open water.  You will be amazed at the difference this practice will make.

Till next time, happy swimming…

As always please leave a comment below.  We love to hear from you…

Turn the Corner

Practice these skills, and you’ll be riding through bends quickly and easily.

As a pro cyclist, I worked to improve my cornering skills. During a stage of the Tour of Britain, I remembered there was a turn 400 meters before the line. I attacked early, railed the corner and opened a gap. I raised my arms in victory at the finish, only to be told that this gesture was against the rules. I was relegated to last in the break, but relished the fact that my strategy had worked.

Once you feel the power and control of a properly carved turn, there is nothing better. It takes practice, so be patient. Find an empty parking lot and mark off a corner with water bottles or cones. Here are some techniques that helped me.

1. Mind The Terrain Look for and avoid sand, rocks or cracks that could cause you to slip. After you know what the riding conditions are in a particular corner, you can slowly increase your speed each time.

2. Apply Pressure Do all your braking before the turn. Weight distribution is critical: To keep from sliding out, weight the front wheel by putting your hands in the drops of the handlebar with your elbows bent. Next, exert pressure with your outside hand and foot, creating angulation like you would in a ski turn. Don’t try to pedal in a corner.

3. Lean The Machine Release the brakes and start the turn by leaning the bike—not your body—into the turn. This can be accomplished by pushing lightly with your inside hand; some call this counter-steering. If the turn is tight or your speed increases, lean the bike farther in, and vice versa.

4. Aim For The Inside Carve a smooth arc through the apex of the turn: Start at the outside of the corner, near the center line. Aim toward the inside of the turn, then exit as far to the outside as possible. Do not cross the double yellow line.

5. Keep Looking… in the direction you want to go. This will help you maintain a smooth line.

6. Make Your Exit As you come out of the turn, gradually straighten the bike until it’s upright, then start to pedal again.

7. Mind The Rain Painted lines, manhole covers and oily pavement become slippery in wet conditions. Wet roads exaggerate everything you do: Braking while the bike is leaning will cause you to skid more easily, and sudden turning can make your wheels slip. So slow down.

Original Article Source: http://www.bicycling.com/beginners/bike-skills/turn-corner

Jarrod’s Comments

For anyone who is wanting to improve their cycling.  Even the seasoned cyclist can learn much by following the 7 tips in this article and practicing them.  As a triathlon coach, the skills of corning on a bike are essential and mastering this skill can make the difference between blitzing your bike leg or not.

As a triathlete you can easily set up a small course for you to practice on.  The more practice you do the better you will get.  I will also suggest talking with a  cycling coach or watching one of the many videos on YouTube that show how to perform corning.

If you enjoyed this article please leave a comment below..

Till next time, safe cycling…

I just read an article that was talking about training with a heart-rate monitor and its effects on your training.  You can see the article here

I totally agree with the author of the article.  He pinpoints some critical issues with using a heart-rate monitor to base your training on.

I have been an advocate of not training with a heart-rate monitor for many years.  I have seen far too many instances to count or to remember where the athlete will not be happy until they hear that alarm on their monitor that tells them that they have hit their target.  Yet time and time again, I am witness to fatigue, illness, injury because of the constant push to hear that heart-rate monitor alarm.

The best way that I have found personally and through the athletes that I train is to use your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).  This allows your body to cope with the varying stresses that are placed on it from day to day.  Whilst some may disagree that you cannot just rely on RPE, I have found this method to work very well and with great results.

So, how do you train?

If you train with a hear-rate monitor I would love to hear your thoughts…  If you train using RPE I would love to hear how you find your training and racing using this method…

Till next time, train safely and have fun racing…

I just love this sport.  The sport of triathlon offers so many opportunities for an athlete of any level to compete and have fun.

Our local triathlon Club – Temora Running & MultiSport Club (www.temoratri.com) hosted its first triathlon event last Sunday.  This is the 3rd year for triathlon in Temora, the first as a Club organised event though.

It was so great to see so many different levels of competitors out there giving it a go.  And to see a huge number of kids out there on the course was so great to see.  The sport of triathlon is in great hands with the quality of the kids that are out there racing and having a blast with the sport.

You see, triathlon is not just about racing.  Racing is just a small component of the sport.  Triathlon is a game you have with yourself.  The thing to remember is to make it a winnable game.  And by winnable I don’t mean that you are out there to win your event of age group – if you do that is fantastic – that is not what I am talking about though.  Are you setting your training and racing up for you to learn, have fun and to challenge yourself?  That is a winnable game – a game that will make you a bigger person.

I was on a coaching call yesterday and the topic of a winnable game was the focus of the call.  One thing that was spoken about was how excited you are when you get of of bed in the morning.  If you wake up and are excited about getting into your day (whether that be your training, your work or just life in general) than you are on your way to playing a winnable game.  If you do not, then the chances of having a winnable game that day is reduced.

So I ask you a question – what do you need to do to make your triathlon training a winnable game for you?  What do you need to do to ensure that you as a triathlete are reaching the goals that you have set for yourself and are enjoying the process?

It is worth thinking about… because if you do not know than your initial excitement of the triathlon will fade and you may be left wondering what you are doing

I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think and what you are doing to play a winnable game…  So please leave a comment below…

To playing a winnable game…

This is a great video by Dave Scott, 6 time Ironman World Champion.

In this video you will find some great suggestions on the types of kicking to incorporate into your triathlon swim training.

Check them out and use some in your next swim workout.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OsfFjdnzGc

I would love to hear if any of these drills make a difference to your swimming performance.

As always, please leave a comment and let me know.

Is knee pain a problem for you?

Do you have trouble running up and down stairs or hills?

Do you want to eliminate that knee pain for good?

Then watch this video now…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMpdl9cfMrg

As a triathlete I understand that there is not much call for stair running, the principles in this video can be applied to hill running as well.  So take note and the next time that you are out on your triathlon run training, use the information provided - I am certain it will assist you.

As always please let a comment below.  Let me know if you do as per the instruction in the video and if it helped you.

To freer hill running….