"Don't Stop Believing" Journey to Ironman

Triathlon Race Secrets--Tummy and Cramping Troubles

 Knock wood and anything else I can find, but I haven't had tummy problems in a race for quite a while. But just in case, I put a couple of the Gas-X strips either in my shirt or Bento Box. They are as thin as a slip of paper, so carrying them is a non-issue. You just never know. :)

Oh yeah, unpeel them just a bit so you don't have to fuss trying to open it on the bike or on the run. If you're reaching for it, you're in enough distress as it is. :)

What has saved me from stomach and cramping troubles--and I credit this product 100%--is Succeed S!caps. Stomach and cramping issues disappeared when I began using this product. I used to have terrible problems in both areas, so I looked to the ultra-running community to see what they used to stave off the nausea and cramping beasts. Do yourself a favor, and take the time to read these articles by S!caps owner/developer Karl King, as well as the FAQ on his web site. Karl's description of their efficacy reflects my experience exactly. It's incredible how well this product works for me. Do just as he says, and you won't need the Gas-X! (Old habits and fears die hard so that's why I still carry it!)

Triathlon Race Secrets--Wetsuit Chat

Here's some helpful wetsuit chat.

• Putting plastic bags on your feet helps get the wetsuit on really easily! I see people do this all the time, but I forget to do it myself most of the time. Have to remember this for myself. Also, the bags give you something to put nasty clothes in later!

• Spraying myself with a product called TriSlide also helps a ton with getting the wettie on. It doesn't contain the kinds of oils that can hurt the neoprene. There's no scent, and it doesn't leave you feeling covered in a heavy oil like spraying with Pam. I like it.

• Don't forget to lube your neck. You can do 100 triathlons and never have a problem. Then out of the blue in a race swim, you will get the worst neck chafe you can imagine! Ouch, it hurts. It takes five seconds to lube this area, and it can save you a world of pain.

• Here's a pointer that requires a little more Zen. Take a breath after you get your wetsuit on, and make sure it's on perfectly. And I mean perfectly. If there is the teeniest feeling of a twist, fix it. Make sure the crotch is pulled up all the way, and the underarms are in the right place; the neck is comfortable. Only when you stand there and do a head-to-toe scan and everything is exactly where it should be is your wetsuit "on." That little twist or gap in the underarm will come back to haunt you. Trust me.

• Assuming you are wearing a long-sleeve wettie, here's a great tip I had not thought of before! As you exit the water and run towards T1, unzip, then remove goggles and cap. THEN--as you pull your arms out of the top, leave the goggles and cap inside the sleeve! They stay there without falling out, and it's one less thing to deal with in T1. Bonus--after the race, you'll know where your cap and goggles are as you clean up the yard sale that had formerly been your beautifully organized transition area. :)

• From my personal point of view--spend the money, get the Aquaman Bionik. :) After four different long-sleeve wetsuits, this one went beyond my expectations. I don't even need to kick in it, and it comes off like a hot knife through butter. Love it.

Happy race day swimming! It's often my favorite part of the day!

Triathlon Race Secrets--Let's Talk Heat

Following up on the race secret thread from yesterday, here are a few hints for hot-weather racing. I can't believe how many triathletes say, "I hate the heat"..."running in the heat is death for me". And I know one such racer very well. Moi. :) New England often doesn't get warm consistently until June, and I run at dawn when it's cool. I'm always looking for ways to mitigate the effects of the high sun on my triathlon run. Here are what a few Endurance Nation friends had to share:

Ice Cuffs
EN Coach Patrick McCrann is shown here running in Kona. Those funky sweatbands on his arms are simply the tube part of tube socks. He just folded some ice in there, and it was hands-free running while staying cool.

Ice Sleeves
Another teammate uses uses Desoto arm coolers as "ice sleeves." He says,  "AMAZING. I just grabbed two Gatorade cups per ice at each station, shoved the ice in the top of each of the arm coolers, and this would keep me very cool for 2+ aid stations." The funny guy that he is continues, "These won my 2008 Best Race Innovation award. This season, I'm trying the Craft stuff that Tjorbjorn uses as a further attempt in my 'better racing through clothing innovation' series."

Ice Hat and Shorts
Fill  your hat with ice at aid stations, and throw a handful down your shorts. Top and bottom cooling. I've done this, and while I don't like the rivulets that melt down my face and legs, it does help keep you going.

Ice Bra
Sorry guys, can't help you here. But ladies, wearing that annoying article of clothing can help cool you down. Shove a handful of ice down the jog bra. Ahhhhhhhh! Trick is, moving it closer to the armpits makes it instant air conditioning! I've seen pro triathlete Barb Lindquist do this in race coverage on TV.

Sunglasses
Sure, it's obvious, but shading your eyes and not staring at hot, reflected sunlight off the pavement can trick your brain into thinking it's actually cooler than it is.

Let's see what new tips come my way over the next few days!

Triathlon Race Secrets--Shoes to Take You to T1 in a Hurry!

Over in my team forum at Endurance Nation, we have a thread going about race secrets. Over the next few days, I'll post my personal winning suggestions. Here's one of my own I think isvery helpful!

This is an idea that I came up with in the mid-90s to save my feet at my favorite little sprint triathlon at the RI shore. The run from the swim to the bikes is over a rocky beach full of sharp stones and lots of shells. I would be in pain for days after since my feet would get cut up and bruised. Plus, my  bad feet make it difficult for me to run barefoot. So I came up with the following sneaker modification. I've never seen this in any magazine, nor have I seen anyone else do it. I think it's original material. :) Here's what you do:

Cut the backs off of a pair of old running shoes. Cut out the tongue. Use elastic laces to hold the uppers together really loosely. Place on the beach at the swim exit. Slip on when you come out of the water, shuffle two steps to get your feet planted, then fly by the people tiptoeing over hazards, or limping up hill in T1.



I use them in just about every race I do (where it makes sense). These shoes must be 10+ years old. No one has ever messed with them or taken them. Work like a charm. You're welcome. :)

Nearly 14,000 Views of My Bike Fit Video Series!

A little over a year ago I put up a Bike Fit Video Series here on this blog. The videos follow the process each cyclist undergoes with master fitter Husam Sahin at ATA Cycle in Concord, MA, focusing on the state-of-the-art Retul and Dartfish systems he employs for fit precision. I saw Husam today, and he told me that the videos have been viewed more than 10,000 times, and that returning customers and new patrons refer to them all the time. He also said that the series has been very useful to him, particularly with prospective clients--including people flying in from Europe for fittings! It has been my pleasure to help him build his business and enhance his well-earned reputation.

It turns out that as of today, the videos have been viewed 13,963 times!

With spring here, you may be looking to purchase a new bike, or tweak the fit of your existing ride. Take a look at the bike fit vlog here. Perhaps they can help you hone in on the kind of fitting service you're looking for, or zero in on issues to review with your local bike fitter. Nothing is better than a bike that fits perfectly! Here's to lots of long and happy riding!

Have That Cup of Coffee-- Caffeine Does Make You Go Faster!

We're known for years that caffeine helps with performance. Many of us who are hardly world-class athletes can feel the difference just trotting around our neighborhoods. Have some caffeine before a workout, and you feel sprightlier and better overall. No caffeine, and it can be a slog jog the whole way.

The New York Times has a great article on the effects of caffeine on athletic performance. They quote Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of McMaster University in Canada: “There is so much data on this that it’s unbelievable...It’s just unequivocal that caffeine improves performance. It’s been shown in well-respected labs in multiple places around the world.”

They also share research that shows how much caffeine you need--as little 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight. Diminishing returns start to happen at 9 milligram per kilogram of body weight. At that level, performance actually starts to decline.

Personally, I'm a Zipfizz addict. I way prefer that to coffee before a workout. But I have a little math to do to see if, before my next bike test, I need to have a cup of coffee too!

Why I Do Ironman--The Spirit of Titans

In the past few years, so many people have asked me why I choose to do the Ironman--and not all of those conversations have been pleasant. I've been called crazy, warned it's harmful, and even been told I am abusing my body akin to those who suffered in concentration camps--and that last accusation truly happened. But I do have a number of friends who get it, and many of them are not triathletes. They get it because they live the quest, and experience triumph in their own personal way. You know who you are, and I hold you dear to my heart.

It's always difficult to put into words what the Ironman means to me--how it is so much bigger than the sum of its parts. My friend Marianne sent me this video, and it does a pretty darn good job capturing the essence of what I strive for, what I have experienced, and what Ironman has allowed me to carry in my spirit every single day.

Take a few minutes to let yourself connect to the power and mystery of what a grand quest like Ironman can bring. Then take the energy into your heart, and use it to reinforce your own goals, meet your challenges, and chase your dreams, whatever they may be.

Oh yeah, my friend Marianne is the pretty lady smiling in the orange swim cap at the 2-minute mark in the video. She was finishing a practice swim the day before Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Enjoy.

2009 Theme Song--Roll If You Fall by Barefoot Truth

The past few years Ironman training years, I've enjoyed having a theme song to return to for motivation--and for a happy beat while running! In 2006 it was Journey's Don't Stop Believing In
2008 it was Jimmy Cliff's You Can Get It If You Really Want. Both songs came from suggestions from my kids, which added a nice dimension to the choice, and kept the songs close to my heart.

Well, even though this is not an Ironman year, I wanted to have an anthem for 2009. But what???? Then it came to me. The song is Roll If You Fall by Barefoot Truth.

 Here's what I relate to in the song:

The title:
Roll if You Fall reminds me to never, ever give up. Always keep it going in a positive way.

From the lyrics:
"Stand tall behind your commitments"
"Don't live somebody's else's dream"
And the best line of all--"When they add the score at the end of this life, I want to say I won the game."

Triathlon and Ironman is a big part of that score for me.

You can hear the song, and this great young band here. Take a few minutes and let it brighten your day.

A special part of selecting this song does, in fact, involve my oldest son. Some of you may remember that my son rode his bike across the US last summer with his friend Pete in their Pedal for Peace endeavor. Barefoot Truth is Pete's brother Jay's band. My son introduced me to their music and that song in particular. The band is doing really well, and I'm told put on quite a show. So "Roll if you Fall" comes with a nice personal connection too.

Here's the Barefoot Truth website.

"It's a simple inspiration, that always blows my mind...."--that's me singing! :)

Dance of the Eleven Minute Ironman Superstars!

I just found out I'm an 11-minute superstar! That's what my coach Rich Strauss dubs Endurance Nation athletes like me. We're the athletes who set massive Ironman PRs this year (mine was 1 hour 35 minutes) by ticking off the miles between 18-25 of the marathon by RUNNING, and not walking like 90% of everyone else around us. Granted my quad pain derailed my experience a bit, but that was the only thing that got in my way. From my experience at Endurance Nation, I KNEW there was another way to work the Ironman from start to finish. I had the fitness, execution strategy, and confidence to not slow down and walk in those miles. I had the goods to keep it going all the way to the finish.

Rich puts it perfectly:

The net is that the Endurance Nation athlete begins the race with the confident knowledge that there IS another way!...I’ve been to every US Ironman this year and have become intimately familiar with miles 18-25, for the people on track to finish between 11:30 and 16:30. I say intimately because I’ve been out on the bike course as well, either as a competitor, draft marshal, or specatator. I’ve seen Tom, Dick, and Harry mixing it up at mile 45 of bike and then I’ve seen our three friends at mile 18 of the run. And, race after race, the Endurance Nation athlete is the Eleven Minute Superstar who is ticking away at 10-11′ pace, not slowing down, while these guys are walking. If you are standing on the course between miles 18 and 25 between 6-9pm on race day, what is most remarkable is how many people are walking and how few people are running. The few who are, who continue to tick away at 10-11′ pace, are superstars by comparison.

The result? Ernie EN’er sets a massive 1:30-2hr PR simply by not slowing down! Sure, he rode and ran faster because he was faster on race day…but the majority of that PR is the result of just doing it differently this time, showing up extremely prepare, out-executing the competition, and not slowing down.

For my next Ironman, I'm going sub-13. No doubt EN can get me there, and I'll do it by being an 11-minute Superstar one more time! You can too! Here's Rich's complete post on Dance of the 11-Minute Superstars.

 

FREE Triathlon Ebooks--Heart Rate Training Redefined and Out-Season Training Guide

  Here are a few more FREE e-goodies from Endurance Nation. For heart rate athletes interested in the EN approach to training and racing, here is Heart Rate Training Redefined.
    Reading the Out-Season Training Guide is a first step to using their incredibly effective winter training regimen that puts "fast before far." By spring, you will be primed and ready to race like you will not believe. All I can say about the EN Out-Season training is--if you're not doing it you should be! :)