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Trimarni is place where athletes and fitness enthusiasts receive motivation, inspiration, education, counseling and coaching in the areas of nutrition, fitness, health, sport nutrition, training and life.
We emphasize a real food diet and our coaching philosophy is simple: Train hard, recover harder. No junk miles but instead, respect for your amazing body. Every time you move your body you do so with a purpose. Our services are designed with your goals in mind so that you can live an active and healthy, balanced lifestyle.
I wish I had the same confidence, passion and joy for running as I do for swimming and cycling. I look forward to my swim and bike workouts. It feels so good to push hard. I don't feel the same way about running. I always stress about what my body will feel like when I run. Running does not feel natural to me. I don't feel like "a runner" when I run. Sometimes running is very hard for me. It's often hard to get started and to keep going. Running has given me several injuries. As much as I try to do things right, it's the only sport that can make me sad and frustrated.
Although me and running have had a rocky long-term relationship, I've never given up on running. It has helped me during difficult times in my life. I have found comfort in running as it serves as an outlet for grief, anxiety and depression.
When I run, I become a great problem solver. I come up with the best ideas when I am running. Running is the only sport that I can truly finish a workout feeling equally accomplished and relieved. I have overcome so many run-related setbacks which means I never take a run for granted. Running gives me an opportunity to reflect on what I am grateful for in life. Running gets me outside and gives me the opportunity to fill my lungs with fresh air and my eyes and ears with different smells and sights. Running provides a temporary mental escape from life.
Thank you body for allowing me to run. I am proud to be a (triathlon) runner.
For over 10 years, Karel and I have used hydration belts for every single outdoor run. It doesn't matter how short or long, a hydration belt is part of our running gear. And now that we are doing more XTRI and and off-road triathlon racing, it's been an easy transition to our self-supported events.
It surprises me how many athletes undervalue the many benefits of a hydration belt/pack. We have been long-time supporters of hydration belts (and packs) because we feel they bring so many great benefits to athletes when running outside.
Sport usage of hydration packs, belts and bands Interestingly, hydration belt/pack acceptance is sport dependent. For example, hydration belts are not very popular among stand-along-runners and most refuse to wear them in training and racing. Furthermore, some races prohibit the use of bringing nutrition (belt/pack) with you on race day for safety reasons. In the ultra and trail running community, hydration packs are popular and widely accepted and seen as a necessity. Ironically, stand-alone runners complain heavily of dehydration, bonking and other health/injury issues in training and on race day yet fail to realize that lack of accessible hydration/fueling could be to blame. In the triathlon community, triathlon belts/packs are sometimes worn, but are not extremely popular. And in cycling events, hydration packs are more common in gravel and mountain bike events but are rarely seen during road events.
Reasons for not using packs, belts and bands There are several reasons why athletes don't want to wear a hydration pack, belt or band. First off, it's rare for an athlete to complain about the cost of a hydration pack or belt as compared to a pair of running shoes or the cost of a triathlon bike, packs and belts are extremely affordable. In my opinion, the number one reason for not regularly wearing a hydration belt (or pack) is that "it's not comfortable." And I get it. It's absolutely more freeing to run without anything wrapped around your waist or on your back. But like any piece of clothing or gadget, it takes time to get to wearing something new. I've been wearing a hydration belt for so many years that if I were to run without one, it would feel strange - as if I forgot something. Similar to running without a watch or a hat/visor, certain items become part of you.
Sadly, with live in a time where many athletes feel that "less is best." It's almost a badge of honor for some athletes to brag about how little they consume during long workouts as if those who fuel (or hydrate) during workouts are weak, inefficient or too fuel/fluid dependent. The wonderful thing about sport nutrition is that, when used correctly, it can keep you healthy so that you can stay consistent with training and adapt, without compromising your health.
Although many athletes prefer to use aid stations on race day (instead of being mostly self-sufficient by carrying their own fuel), there's a big problem to this strategy. The reliance and convenience of race day aid stations has caused many athletes to neglect learning about their individual carbohydrate, sodium and fluid needs. As a result, many athletes underfuel and underhydrate in training and go into races with a haphazard fueling "plan." This approach is performance limiting because it prevents the athlete from training their gut in training (thus increasing the risk for GI issues on race day) and does not allow the athlete to perfect their personalized fueling/hydration strategy in training to feel prepared for race day.
Too much added weight. I hear this a lot from athletes who don't want to add extra weight from carrying more liquids (ex. water bottles) while cycling or by wearing a hydration pack. Being more self-sufficient on race day (and in training) is not necessarily a necessity but it does make training and racing much less stressful as it keeps you in control. Even if a strategy (like having 3 or 4 water bottles on your bike) may look to be a performance limiter (ex. extra weight, having to refill bottles, etc.) and you think it will slow you down, you need to think about how this strategy can be a performance enhancer. With so many variables affecting race day performance and so many factors affecting how you can gain and lose time during a race, a strategy that can help you perform well on race day is worth the added weight (or time).
Athletes may prefer to use a handheld bottle, which is simple and makes it easy to drink while running. However, adding weight to one side of your body imbalances your entire body. This added force can bring on tension in the arm/neck/shoulder/upper back and increase the risk for injuries. When you hold a bottle, you are adding weight to a very important part of your running form - your arm. This increases the asymmetry of your gait and can add stress to the opposite side of your body. This is why a hydration pack/belt is encouraged as the center of your body is least impacted by added weight.
Benefits of using a hydration pack, belt or band In addition to the benefits that I mentioned as arguments for why athletes should wear a hydration pack, belt or pack, one of the less obvious reasons for wearing a hydration pack, belt or band is to reduce waste. Gel wrappers, chew wrappers, water bottles and paper cups add up, especially when you have 1500-3000 athletes on a race course. Individually, we can all do our part by reducing the massive amount of waste that is associated with aid stations. Now this isn't to say that you can't use aid stations as we do need the water (and ice) for health reasons but bringing your own nutrition (and a way to carry it throughout the race) does make a positive impact for our environment.
As a coach, my first priority is protecting the health of my athletes, which means selecting and using gear that will keep the body functioning well, especially in stressful situations - like running in a fatigued or heat-stressed state.
Here are a few more reasons for why you should be wearing a hydration pack, belt or band during training and on race day:
You are (mostly) self-sufficient - you can drink when you want to drink without needing to rely on others. This helps you drink on a schedule to prevent underdrinking and verdrinking (both of which can cause a sloshy stomach/GI issues). By understanding your individual nutritional needs and planning for them on race day (and in training), this can help delay fatigue and prevent a massive slow down. I say mostly because we do need to replenish water so this requires advance planning as to where and when you will refill your bottles with water (and bringing powder with you in baggies/sachets).
You can test out different sport nutrition products in training that you can use on race day - in every single training session. You can also train your gut to tolerate nutrition/fluids when running (it's a skill to be able to drink and digest nutrition while running).
You can utilize well-formulated sport drinks instead of gels, which provide you with the correct formulation of electrolytes, fluids and carbohydrates to optimize gastric emptying. Just because you are taking in calories, this doesn't mean it's actually emptying from your gut and being used by your working muscles. For a sport nutrition product to work, it must have the correct formulation to clear the digestive tract and to be absorbed by the small intestines - otherwise, it's just sitting in your gut, potentially causing distress. Most gels are extremely low in sodium relative to what you need to replenish what's lost in sweat and simply relying on sodium pills can bring on GI distress when not mixed properly with the right concentration of water.
Research shows in spite of depleted muscle and liver glycogen stores, the consumption of sugar (ex. sport drink) acts as a source of "energy" for the central nervous system to delay fatigue. In the later stages of a long distance triathlon (ex. running), there's great benefit of being able to take a small sip of a sport drink to immediately give you a mental boost to help the brain communicate with the muscles to keep functioning or to prevent an unexpected drop in blood sugar. If you are only relying on the aid stations, you can't drink when you need it.
Reduced risk of injury and health issues by never starting or finishing a workout in a dehydrated or depleted state. Thus, you can recover relatively quickly from your runs (regardless how short or long) to help you train consistently.
You build confidence in your race day fueling regime by practicing nutrition over and over again in training, with similar products for race day. Come race day, your run nutrition is not an unknown but instead, a performance-enhancer because you were able to fine-tune it in training.
It can become part of our running atire. When something is practical, necessary and functional, it makes sense to always wear it.
You never know when blood sugar will suddenly drop or when fatigue will set in. Having a properly mixed concentration of sugar with water (and electrolytes) can help keep blood sugar levels stable - especially in the later part of long runs and when running off the bike. By keeping yourself hydrated and fueled, you can also keep better running form to help reduce the risk for niggles and injuries.
There are so many belts/packs on the market. I personally like the Naked Running Band. Karel is currently wearing the Compress Sport Free Belt Pro. He also has the PYFK Running Belt Hydration Waist Pack. We both us USWE Outlander Pro for off-road cycling.
Find one that works for you so you can enjoy the many benefits of being a self-sufficient, well-fueled and hydrated runner. The biggest benefit we have found with our belts is being able to run with well-formulated nutrition (fuel, fluids and electrolytes) to keep the body functioning well so that it helps us adapt to training stress and so we can perform to our potential on race day. Running is very corrosive and brings the greatest risk for injury to athletes so we want to do everything we can to reduce the risk for a setback. Wearing a hydration belt can help you excel in triathlon so you can become and stay reslient, healthy and strong.
Lastly, a lot of athletes think that you can't be competitive by wearing a hydration belt or that hydration belts are only for "slow" athletes. Karel and I have been very successful at the Ironman distance and one of the reasons for this is our ability to focus on what we can control. And nutrition is a big controllable. In this video of Karel racing 2023 Ironman Chattanooga, you can see Karel wearing his hydration belt throughout the entire run. Karel won his age group and placed 5th overall and also went 8:59.57 - his first time going under 9 hours in an Ironman (at the age of 47). Around 1:56 in the video you will see Karel approaching an aid station. Prior to this aid station, he took a baggy of sport nutrition powder (from this hydration belt) and poured it into his bottle. When he got to the aid station, he had a volunteer help him fill his bottle with water. This took 5 seconds. Karel could have started to run after this stop but he took advantage of the aid station and poured ice water on his body to help cool him down. This entire stop took 20 seconds. While it may look like he is losing time because of this stop, he is actually helping his performance by reducing the risk for a massive slowdown. Karel is taking care of his needs to help him perform throughout the entire run. Karel also stopped at special needs to grab 3 more bottles of sport nutrition for his bike and decided to get off his bike to stretch out his hips and back at that stop. The Ironman distance is all about decision making and being great at not slowing down. By taking care of yourself and not worrying about what other athletes are doing, you can improve the odds of putting together a strong and successful race.
On Wednesday, we woke up to cooler temps and a cloudy sky. Despite not having AC in our Airbnb, we are sleeping amazingly well - 9-10 hours a night! I absolutely love sleeping and I am feeling so much more refreshed. My recovery from workouts is a lot better too. It's great to not be woken by cats throughout the night.
After eating and working on the computer, we drove 30 minutes and returned to the race course in Elgin Valley for redemption after a low energy ride and run on Monday. It’s amazing how poorly the body performs when it’s sleep deprived, low in energy and off a normal routine.
I’m happy to report that we both felt 100% better. And the cooler temps in the 70s and cloud cover helped a lot! We each rode the course on our own. Karel did the rock garden twice and waited for me after the big loop before we went to the smaller loop. I made the technical sections fine but I had a few rough patches llike getting stuck in sand, blocked by cow puppies and attacked by bushes, I rode almost 30 min faster than Monday. On Monday I averaged 7.7 mph and my legs were throbbing and my heart was beating crazy fast. But on Wednesday, I averaged 8.8 mph. I felt so much better.
I went through most of the sport nutrition in my USWE hydration pack (3 scoops INFINIT Fructose in 1.5 L water - we are buying our water from bottles just to be on the safe side) for the 2 hour, 17 mile ride.
Karel finished with 21 miles and averaged 10 mph. He said that after participating in Breck Epic, the rocks here are like pebbles. It's nothing compared to the "boulders" that he had to ride up and down on in Breck Epic. He said that Breck Epic was the most technical and difficult event that he has ever done but it has given him a lot more confidence for mountain biking.
After the ride, we each set out for a run. We put the bikes in the car, which we felt was safe as there are cameras around the area, outside the country club. We met a guy from Italy who is here for the race and he followed us for the run. Karel went his own way to backtrack some of the course and I followed the course. I took a short cut to avoid the waist-high creek at the bottom of a hill and ended up meeting Karel.
We made a wrong turn on this road here and later realized that there is a new section of the course that takes us through two more water crossings. Below is us backtracking the course for the last water crossing.
I finished with 40 minutes of running and 4.3 miles and Karel had 5 miles in 42 minutes. After our successful workout, we stopped at the Orchard to get some bread. Karel also got an apple turnover which he said was perfectly flaky.
We worked for a few hours in the afternoon and then walked down to the ocean/beach in the evening as the sun was setting.
Thursday was a "lighter" day of training for us. Our plan was to swim at the indoor 50-meter Strand Pool which was a few miles away. It was raining on and off all day and much cooler outside so we thought swimming locally would be better than driving the 35 minutes to Stellenbosch. When we arrived to the pool the lady at the counter said the heater was broken and we could feel the water to see if we wanted to pay and swim. We felt the water and it was on the cooler side. It would have been doable but not enjoyable. Plus the pool was inside and it was dark and since we are on vacation, we decided that we should swim outside.
Because the Stellenbosch pool opens at 12pm and it was around 10:30am, we made a few stops at bike stores so that Karel could fix one of his pedals, which he lost the bolt during a previous ride. We first went to Pedal Works, which was a small store and they weren't able to find a bolt that would work. We then went to RA Cycles. They also didn't have the bolt (it's a very specific bolt for the pedal) so he ended up buying a new set of pedals that he has wanted to try out. He got the HT M2 pedals.
When we arrived to the pool it was raining but it stopped shortly after we got in. The pool got pretty busy but we were able to keep our shared lane to ourselves. The pool was filled with mostly triathletes which was great motivation. I swam 4000 meters and Karel swam 3000 meters. My main set was 4 x 400s - steady strong. I was able to do the last 400 on 5:59. My body position felt a bit off today but it still felt great to be in the water. I didn't want to get out.
After we swam, Karel got us smoothies from the gym cafe/coffee shop and then we drove back to our Airbnb.
We worked for a few hours in the afternoon. My Training Peaks account was acting up and I couldn't put up workouts for my athletes so I decided it was a good time to stop working and head outside for a run. I went out for a few miles of easy jogging and finished up with 6 x 25 sec hill strides to activate the posterior chain. The weather was great - it was in the low 70s. I ran for 51 minutes and 5.9 miles.
When I returned back to the Airbnb, I made a recovery drink and then we rode our mountain bikes a few blocks down the road to order pizza from Mia Bella. The restaurant was super cute with a small brick oven and friendly staff. During our 20 minute wait, we walked over to the SPAR grocery store and Karel went inside to get some fresh strawberries (the produce is sooooo tasty!) and milk. We then picked up our pizzas and rode home (Karel carried the pizzas because his pizza-carrying bike handling skills are much better than mine :) Karel got the Tizka (I can't remember the name) and I got the Margherita (which is a cheese pizza). The pizza was great, especially the thin crust!
I had a hard time falling asleep on Thursday evening but I slept for 10 hours and woke up feeling rested on Friday morning. One more sleep before Xterra South Africa!
I was really looking forward to today (Feb 13th/Tuesday). I love swimming and I love swimming outside and during my online hunt for an outdoor swimming pool around the area, I came across a 50-meter outdoor pool in Stellenbosch at Coetzenburg University. I asked the open water swim group on whatsapp about allowing vistors and the group said that visitors were allowed.
I looked online at the lane availability schedule and noticed that after 8am was a good time to swim. We left our Airbnb around 7am for the 15 mile drive to Stellenbosch but there was a lot of traffic so it took us over an hour. Our route took us through Strand, which goes by the beach, so I made a mental note of this route for my run later in the day.
The Stellenbosch area has a different vibe to Gordon's Bay as the campus as there are several schools and students and the area is very pretty with lots of fields, trees, and paths for biking. As we got closer to the area, we saw a lot of people on mountain bikes as the area is known for the mountain biking (we biked there last year).
When we arrived around 8:15am we needed to fill out a lot of personal information on tablets, inside the gym. This took about 15 minutes. When we finally paid (80 rand each or $4.20) the girl behind the counter told us that the outdoor pool was only open until 9am. This crushed me. We drove all that way to only swim for 30 minutes. She said we could use the indoor pool at 9am.
After swimming for 30 minutes straight to make good use of our time in the outdoor pool we noticed that a small group of triathletes moved over into other lanes to free up the reserved lanes for the swim teams. We asked the coaches on deck if we were allowed to keep swimming and they said the first few lanes were open for gym users. I think the "open" swim times for vistors were until 9am but the pool was still open so we continued to swim. Thankfully we didn't get in trouble and we were able to get in a great workout in the outdoor 50 meter pool.
The water felt great and it got warm swimming. There were hoses emptying cool water into the pool to help cool off.
I felt pretty blah to start and it took me an entire 2000 meters to finally start to feel better in the water. I felt heavy in my arms (perhaps from the open water swim the night before) and just low in energy but as I continued to swim, my energy came back and my arms loosened out.
For my main set I did:
10 x 100s steady on 1:45 (coming in around 1:23-1:25 long course meters which is around 1:13-1:15 short course yards) 500 w/ buoy smooth (we only brought FINIS Agility paddles and buoy for pool toys) 5 x 100 w/ paddles steady w/ 10 sec rest
Karel finished with ~4400 meters and I finished with ~4800 meters. After our swim, we changed in the outdoor changing area and had some food and drinks in the attached coffee shop. The price of food is very reasonable here. We each got a smoothie and I got a bran raisin muffin and Karel got a flat white all for ~$6 USD (or 114 Rand). My banana whey smoothie was so good. It tasted like a cupcake! Karel got a strawberry smoothie (and he brought a croissant that we got from a store yesterday).
Karel needed to get some CO2s for our bikes (which go by the name bombs here ;) so we went to the local Specialized bike store. This was one of the nicest bike shops that we have ever seen. There was a track outside for kids to ride on (and a few specialized kids bikes laying around). There was also a coffee shop with indoor and outdoor seating. The shop was huge and it had everything you could ever need for biking.
When we returned back to our place around 1pm, we were pretty tired. We worked on the computer for a few hours and then around 3pm, Karel did some mobility and then went for a run.
I had a very stressful afternoon as I received an email from the organizers for our upcoming MTB stage race (which starts next Wed) that I had booked a flight to the wrong airport. I accidentally booked us flying CemAir from Cape Town to Plettenburg instead of booking Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The website said PE and because our event was PE Plett I thought we would be flying into Plettenburg. Well Plettenburg is 2 hours away from Port Elizabeth and we were being picked up by a shuttle service in PE (which I now know is Port Elizabeth). I learned a major lesson about checking airport codes.
Thankfully I was able to cancel our flight and get most of our money back (CemAir was responsive as soon as I emailed which I appreciated) and I also cancelled our hotel room from before and after the race (received 50% money back but thankfully the room wasn't expensive). The good thing was that the new flight from Cape Town on Safair was much cheaper and we only needed a hotel room for one night (Mon) so we ended up saving some money in the big picture. But oh the stress to have to make all of these changes so last minute when I had booked everything back in October.
When this was all settled, I needed to get outside and exerise to release some stress. I did ECFIT mobility for ~20 minutes to loosen out and then around 4pm I went out for my run. I ran 3 miles on side streets to Strand and I was so happy to be running by the ocean. It was a bit windy. When I got to the beach I did 6 x 1/2 mile pushes with 75 sec EZ between (plus some extra stops for pictures in my recovery). I ran 3 intervals out and 3 intervals back (a bit more wind coming back). It was a very scenic run. The weather was much more tolerable than on Monday as it was in the mid 70s and I was feeling so much better (and heart was more controlled/normal). I was surprised with my paces as well.
I really enjoyed my run and felt so much better when I returned home. I ran 9.46 miles in 1:14 and Karel ran 8.3 miles in 58 minutes.
I had a recovery drink (INFINIT custom protein mix) w/ milk after I returned home and then had leftovers (tofu potato stir fry) for dinner. I worked a little on the computer before going to bed around 10:15pm.
When runners and triathletes think "hill repeats" they generally assume that the workout is designed for building strength.
Although training on hills can significantly improve strength and power, there are a few other (not so) hidden benefits.
Of those benefits, an improvement in speed and economy and reduced risk for injury are some of my favorite reasons why I like to head to the hills (and off the track) for "speed" work. When I want to stress my cardio system (elevate heart rate) while also improving muscular endurance, it's much safer and effective to do hill repeaters.
After a few weeks of priming my system with 10-12 minute 1-minute building efforts (thanks Grace A for the awesome workout idea) on gently rolling terrain, I was excited for more specific hill work. Yesterday my morning run workout was: WU: ~30 min EZ (gently rolling hills)
MS: 6 x 2 min controlled strong uphill efforts w/ EZ jog down (~2:30) + 20 sec rest
Post set: EZ home (more hills) Total: 1:14 (9 miles)
The hill was ~4% grade and 0.3 miles. I had a start and finish point so that I didn't have to look at my watch, except for the 20 sec reset at the bottom.
When running uphill, the body has to recruit a lot more muscle fibers than running on the flat. Because the incline requires you to work harder with each step forward, every workout can translate to a more powerful running stride when you take your workouts to flat ground or rolling hills. When you run on flat surfaces, specifically speedwork on the track, running biomechanics are extremely important. This is why track athletes spend almost more time warming up compared to their actual workout. To drive you forward at a fast pace with an elevated heart rate on flat surfaces, your legs need to turn over faster and there is a change in the muscle fiber tiring and biomechanics. There are so many factors that can increase the risk of injury on flats. But when running uphill, the propulsion forward is much safer for the body as you are less likely to overstride. And since you are not running as fast, athletes may find it safer to increase heart rate than on the flats. This isn't to say that there isn't a risk for injury when running hills (especially the eccentric action of running downhill) so like any run training plan, proper warming up and progression is key.
After the award ceremony, we made our way back down from Snow Basin and arrived back to our Airbnb around 3pm on Saturday afternoon. I was pretty exhausted from all the walking and spectating during Karel's race. I also had a very odd niggle in my right knee (probably from the spontaneous running to get from one location to the next while cheering for Karel). I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed relaxing (and eating/hydrating) and around 7pm, I was ready for bed. I didn't have any nerves for the race so I found myself sleeping pretty good.
I woke up to the alarm at 6:30am and had my typical pre-race meal of a cup of instant Nescafe Gold coffee, water and a cinnamon raisin bagel, peanut butter and strawberry jelly. I did some foam rolling and mobility work and then went for a short jog around our complex. My knee felt better which was a good thing. It was nice not feeling rushed for the race. We arrived at 7:45am and it felt like I had forever until I raced. We hung out in the Snow Basin lobby for a while (downstairs) and then I did some more warming up before making my way to the start line around 8:45am. Karel was on his mountain bike so that he could spectate at various places on the course. He was really sore from his race so he had absolutely no interest in running the next day. Mountain biking while spectating was hard enough.
Although I had registered for this race a week before we left for IM 70.3 World Championship in St. George, I had no idea how I would recover. Within the 7 days from race to race, I tried my best to keep myself moving. Sunday was a 2-hour leisurely hike in Snow Canyon, Monday was a 1:48 bike/17 min run, Tuesday we swam (3300) before leaving for Ogden and then I did a short run when we arrived (22 minutes). On Wednesday I ran the big loop of my run course (some of Karel's bike course) for 80 minutes (8 miles) and on Thursday I did a morning swim w/ Karel (4000 yards) and an afternoon 2 hour ride around the reservoir and then up to (and down) Snow Basin. On Friday I ran the other part of my run course (57 minutes) and on Saturday I spectated Karel at his race. In total I did 18.4 miles of running between the two races. It wasn't until Thursday that I felt like my legs were finally starting to become less sore (the run on Wed) kinda helped. By Saturday, I felt recovered from the race - only to smash my legs once again.
With this being my 2nd ever trail race (and first at altitude), I knew it was going to be a challenge. I had no goals for the race and I knew the competition would be fierce with this being the trail run national championship. This race was all about me having fun, challenging myself and being in nature - all things I like to do when training/racing. I just had no idea how hard it would really be.
Quick Recap: In total, the race was 12.8 miles and it took me 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete (10:11 min/mile). I was 2nd in my age group (35-39). The race started at 6600 feet and went up to 7400 feet. In total, I covered ~2800 feet of elevation gain. For reference, the half marathon in the 70.3 at the World Championship in St. George had ~1500 feet elevation gain. I've never had to walk so much in a half marathon as my legs were just not able to run up the steep hills. My calves were screaming at me going up and my quads were yelling back on the way down. And the altitude was so tough! This all made for a memorable and challenging race!
We started the race with 2 "parade" laps around the parking lot for 0.9 miles. I am not one for sprinting when I start running so I was already being passed by a lot of runners. I thought that I would be able to make up some ground on the climbs and while I was able to pass some of the runners back, it eventually came down to who could walk the fastest up the climbs.
The 21K had two distinct sections. The first section was on some of Karel's run course. Since we were at a ski resort, we climbed up the mountain for 1.5 miles on rocks and gravel. It just kept going and going. I finally got to the downhill section (2.34 miles) but my lack of trail running skills made it tough to pick up a lot of ground. I also wanted to be courteous to those behind me so I often pulled over to the side when runners were behind me so that they could pass. Everyone was really nice, supportive and encouraging. Even when I passed another runner (which didn't happen a lot) he/she would say "great job." The 3.9 mile off-road section took me 38:55 (or 10:00 min/mile average). And I thought I was walking a lot but that wasn't until I got to the next section where I was making all types of deals with myself to try to run (but my body just wanted to walk).
Nearing Karel's bike course (up to Sardine Peak), my legs were already so sore and tired. I had two flasks with me of Orange Skratch (1 scoop each flask) and I also brought a sleeve of Ginger Chews (Clif). There was one aid station before the climb up to Sardine Peak and I regret not topping off my bottles with water as I felt myself rationing my fluids for this loop.
Next came a 1100-foot, 2.84 mile climb that took me 35 minutes (12:30 min/mile). I tried to run as much as I could but walking seemed to be the theme. I would tell myself - just run for 30 steps or run the downhill (for 10 steps) just to see if I could do it. But I was pretty tired and the altitude made it hard to push (and recover). Thankfully, my endurance and resiliency helped me keep going but it was a challenge to get to the top. I saw Karel near the top and it was great to see him. He knew how hard it would be to run this trail (as he just biked it during his race).
Once I finally got to the top, I had 3.29 miles of downhill (1260 feet elevation loss) to enjoy (8:48 min/mile, 29 minutes). Although I had gravity on my side, it was a lot of work to stay mentally engaged for almost 30 minutes of downhill running on rocks, dirt, roots, and switchbacks. But it was fun. I never worried about my pace but instead, I just used my watch to check off the miles.
With only 1 mile left to go, I stopped at the aid station to top off my flask with water (I finished my flasks of Skratch and had two chews) and I got some cheers from Karel as he biked back to the finish line. The last 1.8 miles felt like they took forever and even with the finish line so close, I still had to walk some of the hills as I made my way to the finish. I didn't have many athletes around me in the last 4-5 miles so while it was a lonely run, it was also very therapeutic as I was alone with my own thoughts. Anytime I found myself with a negative, ego-destructive thought, I immediately replaced it with something positive - often relating it to how lucky I am to be healthy and in nature, doing something that I enjoy with my body. This run experience was very humbling with so many fast trail runners (most of which live/train at altitude).
When I got to the finish line, I was elated that this adventure was complete. Two challenging events in 7 days. Our Utah race-cation was finally complete!
Here's some pics from the run course (taken during my training run - thankful I had an opportunity to enjoy the views before the race! The timing of this race was perfect as the leaves were just starting to change color):
While you’ve likely run at some
point in your life, triathlon running is very different than running as a standalone
exercise. During a triathlon, by the time your feet hit the pavement, nearly
70% of your race duration is already complete. As a triathlete, the swim and
bike will exhaust your body, making your legs feel like heavy bricks by the
time you start running. As a triathlete, it’s not uncommon for your normal
running mechanics to change due to fatigue. Oh, and there’s
also the physical and mental struggle of having to run with depleted energy
stores and slight dehydration.
To properly prepare for a
triathlon, you can’t train like a distance runner
or track sprinter. Even if you are already an experienced runner, transitioning
to triathlon may not be an easy adjustment – mentally or physically. But
with the right training, you can feel excited and confident for the triathlon
run.
Becoming a better triathlon runner is much more than training for
speed or distance or accumulating weekly running miles. Proper run training
means thinking like a triathlete—not like a runner.
One of the most important physiological components of successful
triathlon racing is resiliency. The stronger and more efficient you are, the
easier it is to run well under fatigue. Training to improve your 5K or half
marathon times in a road race will not guarantee that you will become a faster runner
off the bike. Training for a marathon or targeting a 2+ hour run to become "ready" to run a marathon off the bike in an Ironman will not translate to a better race day performance.
Historically, most of the top triathletes lack a
background in competitive running. Some elite triathletes can run faster off
the bike relative to their own stand-alone run times! Not surprisingly,
triathletes who are strong on the bike and efficient in the swim tend to fair better running off
the bike than their competitors. In other words, becoming a better triathlon runner is not just about becoming a better runner.
Run Training: 5 Tips
Don’t be afraid to run easy. You should be able to hold a conversation without getting out of breath.
Improve your swimming and biking. Without a doubt, what precedes the run immensely impacts run performance. To become a better runner off the bike, the answer is not harder running or longer running, but being consistent with your running (and staying injury-free) as you train to become a stronger cyclist and open water swimmer.
Before a stand-alone run, dedicate at least 5-10 minutes to mobility, glute strength and active stretching.
Incorporate walk (or reset) breaks into your running to reduce fatigue and to help support the central nervous system.
Learn how to take in nutrition (e.g. sport drinks) while you are running. Become comfortable wearing a hydration belt/pack everytime you run so that you can drink on a schedule.
When you are in the early part of a workout or race, it’s
easy to hold good running form. But when fatigue sets in, your running
technique will quickly fall apart. Your posture slumps, cadence slows, and stride
length increases. You also lose communication with your glutes and hamstrings,
which comprise your posterior chain—the muscles that help your leg
propel you forward after your foot hits the ground. Not only that, but the oxygen
cost of running increases, making it more exhausting to run. It’s
no surprise why so many triathletes shuffle (or walk) en route to the finish
line.
To prevent these breakdowns from happening, always focus on your running
mechanics. Form over force. Identifying and correcting your individual mechanic
flaws will help you move with optimal mechanical efficiency, while also mitigating
some of the injury risks that occur under fatigue.
Different terrains affect your running form, pace and tactics.
Although most triathlon runs take place on asphalt or concrete, it’s
beneficial to train on a variety of surfaces.
Triathlon is a strength-endurance sport. Even at the sprint distance, you need to be strong. A decrease in running economy is often linked to dehydration, glycogen depletion, a decline in neurological muscle activity, and muscle damage. But thankfully, training can improve running economy.
The more power you can generate with each stride, the faster you can run. The stronger your glutes, core, and lower legs, the longer you can generate that power with good form.. Because of the corrosive nature of running, there’s great risk for injury when you chase running miles or paces. Bricks, progressive efforts, easy efforts, double run days, hills, endurance efforts, soft impact runs, and treadmill running can help you become a better triathlon runner.
Don’t be afraid of running on
hilly terrain. Triathlon running requires you to be strong and resilient. Compared to flat surfaces, hills make for an effective training
tool because they promote more economical running form when your heart rate is
elevated. In other words, unlike speed work on flat terrain or on the track, you don't have to rely on propulsion to raise your heart rate. This may help reduce the risk for injury.
The treadmill may look like a boring way to run but it’s actually a valuable training tool—one that allows you to build your mental strength while controlling the specificity of your workout. And because
the treadmill belt is smooth and cushioned, it can be more forgiving on your
joints, especially for an easy run. Research shows that when you set the
treadmill on 1% incline, it closely simulates the energy cost of outdoor
running. By increasing the incline even more, you can simulate different types
of hills. Some treadmills are even equipped with a decline mode to mimic
running downhill hill.
Dehydration and glycogen depletion severely impair your running ability, especially in hot environments. Learning how to take in calories, electrolytes, and fluids in training keeps your body functioning well - this is also a critical component of successful triathlon racing. To keep your hands free to comfortably swing by your sides and to reduce neck and shoulder tesntion, a good, ergonomically designed hydration belt (or pack) will let you carry your nutrition with you. It’s sort of like having an insurance policy against dehydration, bonking and heat related stress, by allowing you to drink on your own schedule.
Over the past 14 years as a triathlete, my body has experienced a wide variety of run workouts. Without getting into too much detail, I've learned that some workouts build confidence, some workouts don't carry over to performance improvements, some workouts increase the risk for injury and other workouts are really beneficial to the demands of triathlon.
Becoming a better at running off the bike is much more than training for speed or distance or
accumulating weekly running miles. Proper run training means you must think
like a triathlete and not like a runner.
If you think about the sport of triathlon - specifically any distance at and above the Olympic distance - the sport is all about resisting fatigue. Speed is relative to the distance.
One of the most important physiological
components of successful triathlon racing is resiliency. The stronger and more
efficient you are, the easier it is to resist fatigue. Training to improve your
5K or half marathon times in a road race will not guarantee that you will
become a better runner off the bike. In fact, historically, most of the top
triathletes lack a background in competitive running. Some elite triathletes
can run faster off the bike relative to their own stand-alone run times! Not
surprisingly, triathletes with a great background in cycling tend to fair
better running off the bike than their competitors.
In my book Athlete to Triathlete, I discuss four main
areas that will help you become a better triathlon runner. While there's no
order of priority to the following, it's unlikely that your running will
improve if you master one without the others.
Learn easy, efficient running.
Improve swimming and cycling.
Triathlon is a strength-endurance sport.
Practice
proper fueling and hydration.
Here are a handful of my recent run workouts. As you can see, there is a wide variety of workouts, no workout is set by miles (all by time) and there are no pace guidelines to adhere to. I also have the freedom (and permission) to walk and reset my form anytime (which I do often). Some workouts are repeatable but many are new. With this said, I look forward to my run workouts, I love feeling challenged by some workouts, I really enjoy the runs when I can run as easy as I want and I find myself feeling accomplished after every workout. Even though I listed the more specific run workouts, I also do a lot of brick runs and most of them (unless I run on the treadmill) are on hilly terrain (so the terrain is the interval and I focus on running well up and down the hills). I always start my stand alone runs with ~15-20 min of mobility, light strength and dynamic stretching. And I always bring liquid calorie sport nutrition with me (and consume it) during every single run (with my Naked Running Band).
Treadmill Walk (50 minutes)
WU: 10 min EZ jog
Pre-set:
4 min walk 10% incline
2 min walk 12% incline
1 min walk 15% incline
1 min rest
MS: (with 20 lb weight vest)
4 x (4 min walk at 15% incline w/ 20 sec rest btw)
Post set:
12 min form focused running at 1% incline
CD: walk
-------------------- Neuromuscular firing run (50 min)
WU: 15 in EZ run
MS:
30 minutes as (1 min fast/4 min best easy pace x 6)
CD:
5 min EZ
------------------ Strength run (80 minutes) WU: 20 min EZ
Pre-set:
15, 30 45 sec build effort to strong uphill w/ EZ jog down btw each
Main set:
4 x (3 min steady strong uphill w/ smooth good form running down)
Post set:
30 min best easy pace
------------------ Variable speed (1:45)
WU: 20 min EZ running
Pre-Set:
30 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
60 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
90 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
60 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
30 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
10 min Best EZ Pace
MS: 2 rounds
10 min as (1 min at tempo / 1 min Strong x 5)
20 min Best EZ Pace
I went through a rollercoaster of emotions this summer with my back/hip/glute injury. Although this injury was nothing new or unfamiliar to me, it had been a good six years since I've had a run-related setback. Thankfully, my stubborn past self taught me a lot about how to best mentally and physically overcome an injury. While I felt like I handled it the best I could from learning from my past and being optimistic, there were certainly some moments when I wanted to give up on myself and count myself out of my two Ironman events.
Just to backtrack, 3 weeks before Ironman Canada I felt some lower back soreness on my left side on the 3rd day of our endurance training camp. I contributed to a lot of twisting while riding my tri bike to look at the other campers. The next morning, I felt stabbing pain in my lower back after bending over to put on my socks. My training was modified over the next 6 days and I felt like I had escaped a possible injury but a week after I experienced the excruciating lower back pain, I finished my long run and within an hour I had really bad groin pain. Oddly, I was able to hop side to side and jump backward with one leg but I couldn't bound forward or jump without pain. I took safe but extreme measures with dry needling (which I've done in the past), PT and ART but come Ironman Canada race day, I had three weeks of no luck taking any running steps forward without pain. I maintaining my run fitness (and soundness of mind) through water jogging but Ironman Canada was a big unknown. Since swim and bike were painfree, I approached the race with the mindset that I wouldn't finish the race but give the run a go (my first run in 3 weeks) and see how I felt within 2 miles. If I was in pain, I would call it a day. Somehow endorphins (and the positive energy of Karel and my athletes) let me cover 26.2 miles to finish my 15th Ironman. Thank you body!
And even more, I am incredibly thankful that I didn't do any harm to my body. I was able to walk, sightsee and hike and still ride my bike and swim without pain in the weeks following the race.
For the next few weeks, I was scared to run. With IM Kona on the horizon, I didn't want to experience the pain and torture of my very first Kona (back in 2007) when I had a very similar injury to my ride side. I went into that race with 30 days of no running and then ran the entire marathon - refusing to walk.
I was then on crutches for a week or two after as I couldn't bear weight on my right leg. It was so painful and something I never ever want to repeat again in my life. No race is worth my health.
Fast forward back to 2019 and I was literally afraid to run. Who knew if I was able to run but I just didn't want to take any chances. So for the next 6 weeks after IM Canada, I stuck to swim bike and water jogging. I actually liked the deep water jogging because I had intervals to follow and well, I love being in the water. I embraced it and just kept focused on what I can do (instead of wallowing in pity that I couldn't run). Sure, it was hard to see others run when I couldn't but I reminded myself constantly that we all have our own battles to fight. This was mine and I was going to come out a winner - eventually.
For the next three weeks, I was able to run on the treadmill but it wasn't comfortable. I was still experiencing some catching in my leg and then pain was subsidding. I was still worried but also had trust in my body. I spent a lot of time, energy and money on PT, working with a movement specialist and ART. While time always heals, I committed to these extra services because I was committed to getting myself back to running. Although I felt like I had a timeline for IM Kona, I made sure to stay patient. I knew I would go into the race undertrained in the run but I didn't let that affect my mental state. I put my energy into what I could control and remained positive and grateful for my body. Unlike my first IM Kona - when I felt like it was going to be the only time I would ever compete in the race - I knew that this Kona was a celebration and not an indicator of my self-worth or future sucessses as a triathlete.
Four weeks before IM Kona, I had what I would call my first real week of pain free running in 13 weeks. Of course, I should count the marathon I did at Ironman Canada :)
It wasn't until two weeks before IM Kona that I did my first run outside - in the energy lab. And interestingly, I felt confident before the run even started. I had waited long enough and my body just told me in was time to run outside. I kept the runs short with a spice of intensity for neuromuscular firing and included walk breaks to reset my form. I was grateful and thankful to be running pain free. That is, until I started to experience some niggles in my right hip/knee/back. Jeez - can't catch a break!
Although I was able to put together a super strong swim and bike and survive the run without pain, it was a very long summer of minimal running and I was ready to put this season behind me. It's been a tough one.
But like the past, life goes on. Injuries heal. Goals change. And we get to turn the pages in our book of life to write a new chapter.
Here I am with my first week of my 2020 season of training under my belt and a full week of pain free, happy running. Funny how life works. Nearly 5 months of struggling to run and two Ironmans completed and I take my off-season and in two weeks, I feel like I never took time off from running. I am running outside and on the treadmill and running happy. Me and running have a rocky relationship but I am not giving up on it.
No athlete enjoys being injured but injuries are part of the journey. While some athletes get lucky and can escape an athletic career without a setback, the downside is that these athletes never get to the learn the valuable lessons that can be gained throughout an injury.
Here are some of my lessons learned through injury.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement over the past few weeks of marketing my new book, "The 365-Day Running Journal." I hope you enjoy the journal as much as I loved writing it!
Upon receiving your book and putting it to good use, I would appreciate if you could take a few minutes to write an Amazon review and post it online. Just a few sentences can make a big difference in the success of the book.
To write a review, go to the book's Amazon Page and scroll down toward the bottom and click on "Write a Costumer Review."
Also, if you would be so kind as to post a picture of the book on social media, please tag me (Trimarni or Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition) so I can share the excitement with you as you record your progress and goals in your new journal. Thanks!
Running, like any other individual sport, teaches you many life lessons. It's simple, and yet deceptively complex.
People run for different reasons, such as weight loss, health or stress relief. Running doesn't discriminate. With every run, you're presented with a new challenge, a time to reflect and an opportunity to problem-solve. It's your cherished "me time," a way to run from, for or to something. It connects you with your community, helps you explore nature, inspires you to travel the world, and temporarily removes you from the stresses of life.
The confidence and feeling of accomplishment from any type of run will carry over into your daily life, reminding you that you have the strength to conquer anything that comes your way. Running is the ultimate badge of perseverance.
More than just a blank space to document your training miles, the 365-day Running Journal is designed to teach you more about yourself as you give meaning to your life as a runner.
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Thank you to everyone who entered my last giveaway on Facebook. What GREAT tips!! Here are your best running tips for beginners.
Enjoy the process! Embrace every improvement and celebrate each one!
Don’t get so bogged down in perfection that you miss the progression! Your body is a beautiful gift ❤️full of potential and ability! Have fun!
It’s ok to walk, or to stop and recover during a workout, or take a whole day off. It’s starting again and moving forward that matters.
Increase weekly mileage slowly to minimize injury and wear the right shoes!
Slow down, higher cadence.
First, invest in quality running shoes, preferably fitted by a knowledgeable and experienced runner!
The first mile is always a lie. Do what you can to get through it. The motivation will follow!
Consistency is key. If we only run on days we feel good we will never make progress. 😎
Run the Mile You are In.😃
Take it slow! Making sudden changes are a recipe for failure.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Run your own race and don’t compare your journey to others. Find your running tribe and embrace them!
Walk if you need to. Short stride, fast feet.
Don’t stress over pace, heart rate, etc...just get out and have fun!
Find yourself a good group of like minded people and train together as you can motivate each other as you will not all have a tough day at the same time! Running with friends is so much fun! Also you can challenge each other to slowly increase your mileage and help each other get out of your comfort zone a little bit more every run. And believe that “yes, you can run little farther and harder every time”... run happy ❤️🏃🏼♀️❤️
Focusing on a distance can be really overwhelming, especially if you've never run before. Instead break it down further. Try starting out with two minutes or five minutes, whichever sounds more doable, and then every couple runs try to bump it up by thirty seconds.
Don’t rush the process. The shiny things will come. Focus on nailing the basics
Just get moving! If you’re training for an event like a 5K or a 10K or half marathon and are following a plan, remember that something is always better than nothing when getting out for your workout! If your day gets hectic or you run short on time it’s always better to do something Compared to just throwing in the towel on that days work out.
Buy a good pair of running shoes and good socks that fit well and it may take a few times to figure out which pair are the best for you.
Have fun and don’t take things to seriously.
Run and walk easy enough so you'll want to run again the next day.
Strength training is as important as the miles you put in.
Make your Easy Runs “EASY”!
1. 😊Pick a goal and a coaching program (couch to 5k, couch to 10K, etc.) and STAY CONSISTENT. Don’t get ahead of yourself, don’t make up workouts, just follow the program. 2. Create sustainable habits: warm up, cool down, stretching.
Consistency is key.
Less is more. Focus on strength and fundamentals before distance.
If you remember the “why”—the “how” is easy. 🙏🏻
Every run is not a race! It's ok to be slower today than you were yesterday. With consistency over the long term you will get faster and suffering will become optional.
You CAN run for “fun,” or just the simple joy of moving your body. And you are a runner if you run, even if you’re slow or just want to go for an easy run.
Enjoy being outside and relish it as your “me” time. Focus on the adventure/path you’ve chosen for the day and take in all the beautiful sights, sounds, and feelings.
You don’t need fancy gear or gadgets to start running - just a good pair of shoes and enjoy each step of the process.
Run well before you try to run fast.
For more running tips, motivation and education, don't forget to reserve your copy for the September 24th release of my next bookThe 365-day Running Journal.
Click HEREto pre-order.
Back in November, Karel and I were discussing a few running races with our coach to use for training purposes. During this chat, Karel realized that he has never ran a 5K before! Back in 2006, Karel joined me for the Tampa Bay Times 10K Turkey Trot - which he quickly flew by me within the first mile and finished in a blazing time of 39:45. This was back when Karel was bike racing and didn't really care for running as he loved riding/racing his bike.. To prepare for the Turkey Trot, Karel only ran 4 times before the race, in the weeks prior - starting at 20 minutes and working his way up in time (and speed) to the 10K distance.
Fast forward 13 years, an older (I mean wiser) Karel decided to sign up for his first 5K race. There was no special training (or tapering) for this race but instead, this was a workout where Karel was told to run as hard as he could to get his heart rate up as high as possible. His "workout" on race day also included running 25 minutes before the run and another 25 minutes after. Karel was looking forward to his first 5K as he loves to push hard and be in a race environment.
The morning started a little before 6am when we both got up to start the day. In typical fashion (nothing changes on the weekend), we both got a little work done on the computer before getting ready for our "workout" for the day.
Karel started his warm-up at our house with some mobility work and a ~16 minute jog on the treadmill to get his system going so he could go to the bathroom before he left the house. This also included a few pick-ups. Around 7:15, Karel drove the 8 miles down the road to downtown Greenville for the race, which started at 9am (we picked up Karel's bib number/shirt on Friday so he didn't have to deal with lines on race morning).
After Karel left, I started my workout with a 15 minute spin on the trainer (which I do before all my runs - something new I've started per my coaches advice) and then out on the road for my run workout. I had a 65 minute run (no intervals) which worked perfect for me to run from our house to downtown Greenville, via the Swamp Rabbit Trail. A 5K is not something that suits me (or my physiology) but I still wanted to see Karel race (and be in the race environment). I timed it perfectly so that I arrived to the race start just a few minutes before 9am to give Karel a smile and a wave.
The weather was perfect (in the low 40's) with light rain (drizzle). There was a big crowd for the 41st anniversary of this event. We have an incredible running community in Greenville so Karel knew that there would be some fast feet ahead of him. With no set pacing strategy, Karel focused first on his breathing and form and then gave it all he could. The course was rolling with very little flat (no surprise here in Greenville), which suited Karel. The only hard part was the fast downhill running. After the race, Karel finished his "workout" by running on the Swamp Rabbit Trail to the bakery. I met him there (I drove Karel's car from downtown) and we enjoyed a coffee and croissant before heading to Furman for a swim workout. Karel loosened out with an easy and short swim (I had a different swim workout) and he finished off with strength training right after the swim. Although a lot to pack into race day, the purpose was to get in the workouts before the soreness sets in.
Karel is happy with his performance and at the age of 42.5 yrs, he's happy that he can still chase around the "kids" in running races.
Over the past few weeks, I've had several athletes reach out regarding painful side-stitches while running and if they are nutrition related. Well, the answer is yes and no. I thought it would be helpful to go into the details behind the dreaded side-stitch and how to minimize the chances of one occurring while you are exercising (primarily running).
What is a side-stitch?
Also known as ETAP (Exercise-related transient abdominal pain), a side-stitch is a localized pain, typically sharp or stabbing, that occurs in any region of the abdomen but typically on the right quadrant of the abdomen. Most athletes experience side-stitches during running and the intense pain typically resides when at rest. Athletes of all fitness levels experience side-stitches, however, fitter (more trained) athletes may experience them less frequently.
What causes a side-stitch?
That's a good question! Research is unclear of the exact mechanism that causes a side-stitch, however, a few things may contribute to its occurrence:
Diaphragm ischemia (decrease oxygen supply to diaphragm)
Pressure or stress on the visceral ligaments that attach abdominal organs to the diaphragm
Abdominal musculature cramping
Irritation of the parietal peritoneum (the portion that lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities)
Posture
Jostled organs
Rapid or short breathing
Weak core
How to quickly reduce or eliminate the pain when experiencing a side-stitch?
If the stitch is not severe, it's ok to keep running. Try to pair your gait with your breathing so that you exhale when your left foot hits the ground. If exhaling when the right foot strikes, the liver is dropping and the diaphragm is rising with exhalation, which may stress the ligaments, causing pain. This may prevent the stitch from getting worse.
Slow down your pace, walk or stop completely. Take the time you need to massage the stitch, take deep inhales and exhales (balloon breathing) and try slightly bending over and tightening abdominal muscles.
Pursed lip breathing may reduce the pain of the stitch.
Tips to avoid or minimize a side-stitch from occurring:
Sport nutrition - Drinking large amounts of fluids (at once or per hour) or consuming high carbohydrate content (hypertonic) drinks (or food) may stress the visceral ligaments due to increased gastric mass. Drinking in small, frequent intervals (ex. 4-5 sips every 10 minutes) and using a sport drink with a lower (iso or hypotonic) carbohydrate content may increase gastric emptying, absorb faster and reduce weight in the gut.
Pre-workout nutrition - Avoid eating a high fat/fiber meal in the 3 hours before exercise as it takes longer to empty from the gut. Avoid eating quickly or eating too much food too close to your workout (ex. 20 min before).
Proper breathing - Respiration plays a huge role in reducing stitch pain. Instead of shallow upper chest breathing, inhale and exhale as if you are blowing up a balloon. This is very important when you start running (ex. off the bike in a triathlon or in the first few miles of a running race) as well as in the later miles of running when you try to pick up the intensity. It's also recommended to avoid straw-based hydration systems (ex. bike) which require "sucking" in fluid which can cause excessive air swallowing.
Psychological factors - Stress, nerves and anxiety may increase the risk of abdominal pain and GI issues. To reduce sympathetic activity, focus on muscle relaxation and mental skill techniques.
Stay well-hydrated (but not overhydrated) - During intense or long-duration activities, blood flow to the gut and diaphragm is reduced so that blood can go to the working muscles (especially in the heat). This can cause pain in the abdomen area. It's important to have a hydration protocol that's easy to apply and implement when training (ex. wearing a hydration belt/pack).Remember, staying hydrated doesn't simply mean drinking a sport drink when you feel thirsty but taking action to prevent dehydration during workouts and also doing a great job of proper hydration in the hours and days before and after your workouts.
Warm-up - Take your time when you run. Get your breathing and form controlled before you try to increase the effort.
Biomechanics - Running causes intestinal jarring so it would be wise to strengthen your diaphragm and abdominal muscles to help you run more efficiently and to reduce the jostling of organs. Focus on running light and fluid and when form falls apart, don't be afraid to stop, reset the body and mind (neuromuscular control) to help you keep running with good form. If you find that you experience side-stitches in the later miles of training/racing, this could be a result of fatigue and form falling apart (requiring more effort and heavier breathing to move yourself forward).
If you experience abdominal pain at rest, consult with your doctor as there may be an underlying issue going on that needs immediate attention.
6 minutes or 14 minutes. It doesn't
matter how long it takes you to cover a mile, a mile is still a mile.
Today isGlobal Running Day- a day for people around the
world to celebrate the joys of running. Share your passion for the sport of
running and inspire others to get moving.
For all fitness levels, running is a great sport to challenge your mind and
body. But even better, running does not require a gym membership, it's fairly
inexpensive and you can do it almost anywhere (and anytime) and it comes with a
list of benefits including body composition changes, fitness gains, stress
relief and self-confidence.
While running can provide you with a great endorphin-rush, making you feel like
you are capable of tackling everything on your to-do list after you finish a
run workout, running does come with a few downfalls.
Running is very corrosive on the body and in order to reduce the risk for
injuries and health issues, longevity in the sport of running requires a
careful balance of consistent training, good economy, proper recovery,
excellent nutrition and listening to the body.
Running is rather hard on the body and not every human body is designed to be a
runner. Running requires good flexibility and range of motion as well as
exceptional cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular strength. Injuries due to
overtraining, poor biomechanics and improper shoes or increasing mileage too
quickly are very common in runners of all fitness levels.
If you are looking to extend your running career or you are hoping to improve
your running fitness, I have a few important tips to help make the most out of
your running journey.
Build a strong body – As great as it
feels to check-off an hour run from your training plan, it’s important that you
build a strong and resilient body before you try to increase your speed and
distance. Strength training is an important part of a balanced running routine
for a weak body increases the risk for injury. It’s recommended to include 2-3
x 20-40 minute sessions of functional (ex. run-specific) strength training each
week into your running routine alongside strength based running (ex. incline
walking and hill strides). One of your strength workouts should include
power-based strength. Runners should aim to improve strength in the hips,
glutes, lower back and core to ensure good pelvis strength but don't neglect
the arms and feet. Bottom line, don't try to run yourself to a stronger body.
Incorporate strength training and strength-based running to become a more
resilient runner with better economy.
Consistency is key – When you start your run
training, you will either feel amazing and the miles will tick away naturally
OR you will struggle with recovery after runs and you will find yourself sore,
tired and unmotivated to continue. Based on research, the magic number of runs
per week is between three and five. Less runs can place just as much stress on
your body as running too much. Frequency training improves endurance, speed and
stamina but you need consistent training to help you adapt to training stress
with proper recovery. Also, frequent running allows you to focus on your
economy and cadence, without having each run be a "key" workout
designed to improve your lactate threshold or aerobic endurance. Develop a
smart training plan that gives you several times to run per week,with different
intensities and duration's, with no run workout being too exhausting that you
can't recover from it before your next run workout. When you aren't running,
consider cross training like swimming or cycling to bridge you from one run
workout to the next.
It’s not just about miles completed – Nothing can
replace hard work so if you want to be a better runner, you have to pay your
physical dues. But being a "better runner" requires so much more than
running x-miles a week or running x-pace. Take a look at your lifestyle and
recognize that good restful sleep (7-8 hours), a positive attitude, good stress
management, attention to sport nutrition, balanced daily nutrition, a healthy
immune system, good mobility, proper pacing, using RPE instead of being a slave
to your gadget and a good warm-up will help you improve your running fitness.
In other words, think about what you are doing when you are not running
if you want to become a better, stronger and faster runner. Be an active
participant in your run training so you are constantly making smart choices.
Going into a run with tension, stress and tight muscles will cause you to run
with tension, stress and tight muscles.
Running is not punishment - You do not need to earn your food by
running. If you find yourself running to earn a treat or to burn off food that
you feel guilty about eating or because you hate your body, you are running for
the wrong reasons. Running allows you to enjoy the fresh air, it takes you to
different places, it helps you socialize with like-minded individuals and it
helps you de-stress. Running should make you feel good. If you find yourself
using your run training as a way to feel more in control over your eating
choices or to reward yourself with "off limit" food, you may be
forming a dysfunctional relationship with exercise, which may lead to
disordered eating or excessive exercising. Make sure your reasons for
exercising or training for an event are for the right reasons. Run to get
stronger, to relieve stress, to feel confident about your body and to challenge
your limits. Do not run for punishment, to earn food, to reward yourself, to
justify eating certain foods or because you shame your body. Running should not
control your life, your food choices or your thoughts about your body but
instead, should add value to your life. Be grateful that you can use your body
to run for there are many people in this world who are unable to enjoy the
benefits of running.
Optimize the energy cost of running - Specifically for athletes (triathletes/runners),
you must be being able to sustain a high rate of energy production for a prolonged
amount of time. Your ability to run well is not determined by how fast
you can run but how efficient you are at using oxygen in order to resist
fatigue throughout your entire training session or event. By improving your
running economy, or how well your body uses oxygen for whatever duration and
intensity you are running, you can actually get you running faster with less
work. Imagine that – if you want to run faster, just run more efficiently! The
winning formula is: Good posture/form = Improved efficiency = resistance to
fatigue = faster running.
Cross Train -Cycling,
swimming and strength training can all help improve your running mechanics.
Running does not necessarily make you a better swimmer or cyclist but swimming
and cycling can make you a better runner as you can work on mobility, balance,
posture control and speed without placing weight on the body. Knowing that
running is an injury-producing sport, cross training offers a healthy amount of
stress and literally "takes the load off."
RUNNING TECHNIQUE TIPS
Establish good posture before you start running.
Typically marching into power walking will help.
Avoid forcefully swinging your arms in front of your body. Thumbs
toward armpits, elbows behind you. Any forward arm movement should be a
counter movement to your arms swinging behind you.
Relax your shoulders and hold no tension in your neck/arms/
Head looks ahead of you toward the ground, not to the horizon,
straight up or straight down.
Forward lean - hips in front of knees, in front of ankles. Don’t
lean back or upright.
Avoid bouncing up and down and instead, propel yourself
forward.
Don’t overstride or try to land on your toes. Focus on landing
your feet under your hips.
Minimize your time on the ground to help you run light, to
minimize fatigue.
Use your warm-up and any time before your run main set to work on
posture and form.
To help run downhill, hold your arms closer to your body to feel
more control.
Incorporate walk breaks to help you reset form.
Fuel and hydrate to help delay fatigue
and to keep good form.
Always run with good form. If you
can't keep good form, your risk for injury increases
In honor of Global Running Day, my friends at StrideBox are offering you 50% off the
first box for a new monthly subscription to StrideBox.
StrideBox is a fun and exciting way to discover new running
products. It makes for a special surprise gift for a running friend or gift
yourself a monthly box of running nutrition, accessories and essentials.
In early February, I was contacted by StrideBox, which is a running subscription box company that features a workout and recipe in the box from a coach/athlete along with a variety of running products and accessories. Each box also includes The Stride Guide, which describes the products in the box
StrideBox asked me to provide a recipe and workout for the Make It - Food & More and Do It - Time to Sweat cards that are included in the box. Of course, I couldn't turn down this opportunity to offer a workout and recipe to StrideBox subscribers as I love services that provide education and awareness of many different ways for athletes and exercise enthusiasts to train, fuel and eat.
StrideBox has now sent me two free boxes and I wanted to share what was included in each box. I have to say, getting a box in February and March was exciting as I couldn't wait to open up the box and see what was inside. I think this is a great service for those who enjoy trying out new products and accessories but also for those who need that special gift for a like-minded friend/training partner or coach. StrideBox does offer a gift subscription service for one, three or six months, which ranges from $20-$90. The StrideBox monthly subscription is only $15. For more information, you can check out the frequent questions on the website, here.
February Box:
Buff Bake Protein Cookie
Sprint Energy Natural Energy Gel
Honey Stinger Waffle
Hyper Go After Sport Wipe
Surface - SPF Lip Protection
StrideBox - Star Recovery massager
Recipe: The best running pasta ever by Nathan Freeburg.
Workout: The Pyramid Fartlek by Sarah Tucker
March Box:
Jimmy Bar High Protein Low Sugar Crunch Bar
Boom Nutrition Carb Boom Gel
Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Drink Mix
NUUN Vitamins for Daily Health
Peanut Butter & Company Dark Chocolate Dreams
2Atoms Blister Shield
Recipe: Fruity endurance gel blocks by Camilla Saulsbury
Workout: Firing up the glutes by Coach Debbie Runs.
-------------------------
If you are interested in starting your subscription, you can click HERE.
If you are interested in sending a gift, you can click HERE.
It was so nice to sleep in until almost 7am on Saturday morning. We were in no rush to get up since we had planned to ride indoors on our trainers. Another reason why we could sleep in was because our cat Madison let us sleep in way past her normal internal alarm clock (aka "feed me now!") went off (which is usually around 5:30-6am).
After getting some work done on the computer and eating a yummy pre-workout snack, it was around 8:30am when I went to our workout room to get myself ready for my bike workout. As I was writing my bike trainer workout on the white board, Karel looked outside and said "it's sunny, let's ride outside." What a relief as I wanted to ride outside but with the temps nearly 30 degrees, we both first thought it would be too cold to ride outside but without a cloud in the sky, we decided to bundle up and enjoy a few hours on our road bikes.
Although our toes were a little cold even with our shoe covers on, we both dressed well and stayed rather comfortable throughout our entire 3 hour ride. Of course, it helps to have lots of hills to warm us up.
With no set plans as to where our bikes would take us, we made our way onto roads that we had not ridden on in over a year. It was so nice to be outside and to enjoy what felt like new roads in Greenville. Since we have so many options for riding, every ride seems like a fun, new experience.
Karel lead the way for our ride and I followed along. I felt really strong during our ride thanks to so much trainer work (and variable cadence sets, with lots of heavy gear riding) so it was a big confidence builder for me to be able to stay on Karel's wheel for most of the ride, even on the climbs. Plus, I love riding my road bike so this was one of those rides that I just didn't want to end.
With it being so cold (temps nearly breaking 40 degrees), I knew that I would need something solid in my tummy in addition to my bottles of sport drink (a bottle of Infinit Trimarni base fuel and a bottle of strawberry Levelen). I went with this yummy Luna bar as the chocolate peppermint stick was just perfect on this cold morning of riding. I snacked on it throughout the ride, along with drinking my sport drink at frequent intervals throughout the ride.
A nice 4400 feet of elevation gain in 3 hours and 6 minutes of riding. We only covered 48 miles but that is pretty typical in Greenville as our terrain is very challenging so the miles go by very slowly, despite us working hard for every mile.
I finished the ride with a 25 minute treadmill run just to keep myself comfortable with running off the bike whereas Karel didn't run off the bike and he was just fine with that decision.
After a good night of sleep on Saturday evening, Karel and I started our long run around 9am in 40 degree temps. Although we started and finished the run together, we didn't run together. Without a plan as to where I was going to run, I let my legs lead the way. Since I don't enjoy running on flat roads, I stayed on the hills and Karel went to the flat Swamp Rabbit Trail for the majority of his run (he warmed up on the hills first). We both ran for 2 hours but Karel covered almost 3 more miles than me due to his speedy legs.
My run workout included a 40 minute warm-up of nice, form focused running followed by 1 hour of endurance running, broken into 1 mile at a time, with the last 1 minute of each mile as a surge to fast effort followed by a 30 sec walk. It was a nice way to add in some speed into my legs but nothing too hard that would damage my body more than what was done with 2 hours of running. I was able to keep good for throughout my entire run and it was another confidence builder. I have been very patient with my run fitness and extremely diligent with my run training and strength training this season and it's finally all coming together.
It's always fun to recap our workouts to one another after we train so I was really happy for Karel that he had such a great run.
Here's my run recap, which includes the walk breaks. I sure do love my Greenville hills!
Like usual, Campy was SO excited for us to come home. We just love the feeling that after 8.5 years of having Campy in our life, he still gets so excited to see us and showers us with kisses and hugs. We feel so lucky that we rescued this little 9 year old, golden (with a little white hair) nugget.
As for the weekend eats, Karel had to run some errands on Sat afternoon so he stopped by the European Market (new to Greenville) and enjoyed finding some of his favorite European eats. It's fun when Karel finds a food that reminds him of his upbringing in Czech Republic as he always has a great story to tell with that food.
After our Sunday afternoon swim (2300 yards), we made a stop at the grocery to pick up a few items for our Sunday night dinner which was homemade grilled pizza. We buy the dough at Publix and then grill it up on the outside grill and top with veggies and protein. It was SO good like usual!!
I also made this European-inspired salad with thinly chopped onion, tomatoes and cucumbers dressed with a little vinegar, olive oil and salt topped with crumbled farmers cheese.
It was another great weekend of training and we could not be more grateful to our bodies for allowing us to stay so consistent with training this season. I wouldn't consider us obsessive with our eating and training but we do place a lot of attention on proper fueling and hydrating during our workouts, effective eating before and after our workouts and healthy eating throughout the day. With good daily nutrition, the body can perform to its full ability during workouts and there's a good chance that it will be easier to stay consistent with training. Consistent training = performance gains.
6 minutes or 14 minutes. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to cover a mile, a mile is still a mile.
For all fitness levels, running is a great sport to
challenge your mind and body. But even better, running does not require a gym
membership, it's fairly inexpensive and you can do it almost anywhere (and anytime) and it comes with a
list of benefits including body composition changes, fitness gains, stress
relief and self-confidence.
While running can provide you with a great endorphin-rush, making you feel like you are capable of tackling everything on your to-do list after you finish a run workout, running
does come with a few downfalls.
Running is very corrosive on the body and in order to reduce the risk for injuries and health issues, longevity in the sport of running requires a careful balance of consistent training, good economy, proper recovery, excellent nutrition and listening to the body.
Running is rather hard on the body and not every human body is designed to be a runner. Running requires good flexibility and
range of motion as well as exceptional cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular
strength. Injuries due to overtraining, poor biomechanics and improper shoes or
increasing mileage too quickly are very common in runners of all fitness
levels.
If you are looking to extend your running career or you are hoping to improve your running fitness, I have 4 important tips to help you enjoy your running journey.
Build a
strong body – As great as it feels to check-off an hour run off your to-do
list, it’s important that you build a strong and resilient body before you try to increase your speed and distance. Strength training is an important part of a balanced
running routine for a weak body increases the risk for injury. It’s recommended
to include 2-3 x 20-40 minute sessions of functional (ex. run-specific) strength
training each week into your running routine alongside strength based running (ex. incline walking and hill strides). Runners should aim to improve strength in the hips, glutes, lower back and core to ensure good pelvis strength but don't neglect the arms and feet. Bottom line, don't try to run yourself to a stronger body. Incorporate strength training and strength-based running to become a more resilient runner with better economy.
Consistency
is key – When you start your run training, you will either feel amazing
and the miles will tick away naturally OR you will struggle with recovery after
runs and you will find yourself sore, tired and unmotivated to continue. Based on research, the magic number of runs per week is between three and five. Less runs can place just as much stress on your body as running too much. Frequency training improves endurance, speed and
stamina but you need consistent training to help you adapt to training stress with proper recovery. Also, frequent running allows you to focus on your economy and cadence, without having each run be a "key" workout designed to improve your lactate threshold or aerobic endurance. Develop a smart training plan that gives you several times to run per week,with different intensities and duration's, with no run workout being too exhausting that you can't recover from it before your next run workout. When you aren't running, consider cross training like swimming or cycling to bridge you from one run workout to the next.
It’s not
just about the running miles – Nothing can replace hard work so if you want to be a better runner, you have to pay your physical dues. But being a "better runner" requires so much more
than running x-miles a week or running x-pace. Take a look at your lifestyle and recognize that good restful sleep (7-8 hours), a positive attitude, good stress management,
attention to sport nutrition, balanced daily nutrition, a healthy immune system, good mobility, proper
pacing, using RPE instead of being a slave to your gadget and a good warm-up will help you improve your running fitness. In other words, think about what you are doing when you are not running if you want to become a better, stronger and faster runner.
Running is not punishment - You do not need to earn your food by running. If you find yourself running to earn a treat or to burn off food that you feel guilty about eating or because you hate your body, you are running for the wrong reasons. Running allows you to enjoy the fresh air, it takes you to different places, it helps you socialize with like-minded individuals and it helps you de-stress. Running should make you feel good. If you find yourself using your run training as a way to feel more in control over your eating choices or to reward yourself with "off limit" food, you may be forming a dysfunctional relationship with exercise, which may lead to disordered eating or excessive exercising. Make sure your reasons for exercising or training for an event are for the right reasons. Run to get stronger, to relieve stress, to feel confident about your body and to challenge your limits. Do not run for punishment, to earn food, to reward yourself, to justify eating certain foods or because you shame your body. Running should not control your life, your food choices or your thoughts about your body but instead, should add value to your life. Be grateful that you can use your body to run for there are many people in this world who are unable to enjoy the benefits of running.
In case you missed it, you can learn more about nutrition for runners in my recent Q&A Facebook LIVE chat with Run In.
It's hard to believe that we will be racing in about 8 weeks at the conclusion of our Clermont training camp. We have been putting in some good work training indoors over the past few weeks due to the cooler temps and rainy days but with the weekend forecast looking good, we gathered up the crew for a Saturday long ride. Exploring Greenville on two wheels was on the training agenda and we took full advantage of our nicer weather!
But first, a Friday swim workout for me and Karel to leave the arms heavy all day.
MS: 30 x 100's at 85% on 1:28 cycle.
Whew...that was a long swim requiring a lot of focus and energy!
Karel swam with his buoyancy shorts (which have helped him out a lot with his swimming development) and paddles so he was much faster than me. He did his 100's on a 1:26 cycle!
As for the rest of Friday, after working all day, I had my teeth cleaned at the dentist (yay for healthy teeth and gums!), stopped at the grocery to stock up the pantry and fridge for a weekend full of cooking and baking (recipes and food pics to come in the next blog!) and then took Campy for a long 1+ hour walk as I was tired of sitting all day.
The weather was absolutely beautiful (70's and sunny) and it was just a perfect evening to be outside. Around 5pm, Campy and I walked to my mom's house and then we walked around her neighborhood before returning home. Karel had a RETUL fit on Friday afternoon + a private bike skills session to follow so he was rather tired from being on his feet and riding all afternoon so he had an early dinner and then relaxed in the evening while finishing up some work on the computer. Campy and I returned home from our walk and then I ate dinner before getting started with some cooking and baking (yum) for the next hour, before going to bed around 10pm.
Thankfully, my no-rain dance worked and the rain that was planned for Saturday morning didn't happen so we had dry roads and cloudy skies instead for our 8:30am roll out. After spending the last two weekends inside for long trainer rides, it felt so good to be on the tri bike outside (and in great company with Trimarnis Bryan, Karel, Thomas and Al).
Our plan was to ride to and up/down Caesar's head mountain, which was a great idea until the fog became too unsafe for us to continue riding to the top. Karel was leading the way and made the call that we needed to stop for safety reasons (even with lights on bikes). We stopped about 2 miles from the top, which was still 20 minutes of climbing and a fun descend to the bottom.
The fog made for some pretty neat scenery while climbing and all around, it was just a great morning to be on my bike.
After 3 hours and 45 minutes of riding (a little over 5000 feet of climbing), we made it back to Trimarni HQ's for a quick gear change to get ready for our brick run. Once again, the brick runs have been on the treadmill for the past two weekends so it was nice to pound the pavement with the guys for 25 minutes.
After the brick, it was time to refuel with a recovery drink and some of my yummy treats that I made on Friday evening. Campy didn't want to miss out on the eating fun so he joined us in the garage, just in case anything tasty "accidentally" dropped on the ground.
After resting for an hour on the couch, it was time to get some work done on the computer and then get to more cooking. We invited my mom over for dinner so she brought the main dish (stuffed shells with tofu) and I made the side dish which was a Moroccan lentil dish. And for dessert, chocolate cookies! Don't worry, I'll share the recipes and food pics tomorrow but to make your mouth water, you can head over to my Facebook page to check out the pictures.
Karel and I were pretty tired on Saturday evening so we made it until about 9:30pm and then it was time to get ready for bed. No surprise, Campy was pooped from his exhausting day.
Sunday was absolutely great for running. Just like Saturday, not too hot, not too cold. It felt so nice to be outside for 1 hour and 48 minutes of running. My run workout started off with a little hip/glute activation in our home-gym and then some outside dynamic stretching and then a 5 minute power walk to get the blood flowing. As for the rest of the run, it was a conversational pace run, where I incorporated 30 sec walk breaks every mile to reduce the overall training stress and included a stronger effort up any hills. Of course, where I live there are no shortage of hills so I had about 1000+ feet of stronger efforts. Surprisingly, my legs felt rather good throughout the entire run and I was able to keep good form. I stayed well hydrated with my Nathan hydration belt and refilled as needed throughout my run at water fountains. It was great to see so many people outside enjoying the nice weather!
Campy happily joined me for a post run walk as Karel was still out running (he warmed up with a 30 minute trainer bike before his 90 minute run). Karel rested for a little bit (and refueled) before an afternoon RETUL fit and I had some work to do on the computer before getting in one last swim workout (2250 yards) in the late afternoon to wrap up another great week of training.
It was a successful, busy, yummy and active weekend of training and I could not be more thankful to my body for keeping me in good health so that I can live such an active lifestyle.
Starting a Kona blog with little to no clothes on can only mean one thing.....
It's Thursday of race week!
Which means it's time for the 2016 Ironman Underpants Run!!
While this Kona spectacle has turned into a looked-forward-to event among, well, everyone on the island, there is actually a story behind the Kona Underpants Run.
My day started early as I biked to the Clif Bar base house at 5:50 to arrive by 6:10am to lead the Clif Bar media group (and my contact Lisa from Clif Bar) for a 4 mile from to town. The miles went by fast and before we knew it, we were in town just in time for me to take off some clothes to join my Trimarni teammies.
The walk to the official start of the undie run (behind the King K hotel) is filled with laughs as the streets are filled with lots of well designed (and some, not so much) underwear "costumes".
Even the doggies came out to participate.
The UPR (underpants run) is a mix of enjoying running around with little clothes on, taking pictures and checking out what other athletes are (not) wearing.
The actual "run" is about 1.5 miles (if that) and is a mix of jogging, walking and running.
And a lot of picture taking.
Trimarni athlete Justine designed our Splish Trimarni suits (which I absolutely love) and Karel ordered his jean-inspired speedo from Shinesty.
Ali'i drive has never looked so good.
Thank you Justine's hubby Eric for these great pics!
After the run, it was time to cool off in the ocean for a swim to the coffee boat. The media girls (and a few others) from Clif Bar wanted to experience the fun of swimming to the Clif Bar coffee boat so I lead the group out to the boat (about 500 yards out). I was really proud of a few of the girls who had never swam in open water before!
While I just love swimming, this swim was extra special as we not only saw dolphins but the dolphins put on a show for us with lots of twists and flips. It was totally unreal and so hard to describe but it will go down as one of my top moments in life that I never want to forget. Thank you dolphins!
And if swimming with dolphins wasn't enough, I received some puppy kisses in the ocean.
I love swimming but it's even better when you can get a little love from a furry friend. Thanks A.J. for making my day!
After the run/swim, it was finally time to head back to the Clif Bar base camp house for breakfast.
Talk about a delish breakfast!
But then again, I'm not surprised at the goodness of our breakfast meal as Clif Bar takes pride in real, locally sourced, food.
These Acai bowls were amazing!
After breakfast, we were introduced to a few new Clif Bar products (coming out in 2017 - stay tuned!) and then I gave a nutrition talk at the Base Camp house regarding the diets of Ironman athletes, how Ironman athletes fuel before, during and after the race (and training) and a few tricks/tips of Ironman athletes. The media girls asked some great questions.
Around 12:30pm, it was time for me to bike back to my condo to get a few things done before heading off at 3:30pm (on our bikes) to the PPF house for a pre-race talk by Matt Dixon.
Matt gives the best pre-race talks, always filled with great advice.
After the meeting, Karel and I biked down the hill to the Clif Bar base camp house for a lovely dinner with the Clif Bar family (including Gary Erickson and his wife Kit - the creator of Clif Bar)
Karel only stayed for a short time before heading back to our condo (on his bike) to attend the athlete banquet with Trimarni athlete Leigh Ann. Karel also stayed for the 8pm mandatory athlete briefing.
When I finally returned home from a full day of activities around 8:30pm, I had a chance to unload my box and bag of goodies from Clif Bar, including a lot of items from ROKA, Under Armour, Hoka, Zoot and Garmin.
Thank you Clif Bar for being more than a company that makes "products".
You make great tasting food, made with organic ingredients, to fuel active lifestyles.
You care about the planet. You care about people. You care about farmers. You care about food. You care about athletes.
My 5th IM Kona, as a first time non-participating athlete, has been a special one thanks to being here with my Clif Bar family.
IM Kona race week is nuts. Until you are here in Kona to experience the craziness in which athletes from all over the world take-over Ali'i drive, it's really hard to describe what it is like here in Kona during this week. Seeing that triathletes are extremely passionate about swim/bike/run and ALL gear and products related to the sport, this island feeds any triathlon addiction and you simply feel "normal" all week as you are surrounded by thousands of other like-minded individuals.
I say all of this as a 4x Ironman World Championship finisher but also as a first time spectator. I'm overwhelmed by all the stuff going on and I'm not even racing! :)
There's really no other way to describe this week as it's filled with so many to-do's.....funny enough, many of which have nothing to do with race day! There is no much hype going on with the Ironman World Championship and it's so easy to be busy all day, every day.
Our athletes are sticking to their training while still making a little time to experience everything going on here in Kona.
On Tuesday morning, we planned a 40-45 minute run at the energy lab for Justine and Leigh Ann to see the 4 miles that they will cover from mile 16-20 of the marathon run of the Ironman but first we made a stop at the Levelen house for sweat testing.
I have always wanted to get a sweat test for more concrete analysis of how much fluid and electrolytes I (and my athletes) loose during training. I have had great success in working with athletes and adjusting their sodium and fluids based on things like urination, weight loss, etc. but this takes away the guessing. Oddly enough, my athletes and Karel were almost spot-on with replacing their electrolytes per my recommendations of how much salt I have them add to their drinks.
Certainly, here in Kona, fluid loss is extreme so most athletes will drink at least 1/2 - 1 full bottle of water per hour in addition to a bottle of sport nutrition.
I'm hoping to incorporate sweat testing into my nutrition services where I can use a system to test my athletes so stay tuned. Thank you Levelen for introducing us to a great system of dialing in sport nutrition to optimize performance!
The method of sweat testing: -Get naked and weigh yourself -Weigh all bottles that you will use during training (and fluids) -Put on the patch to collect sweat (fluids and electrolytes) -Go workout -Weigh yourself for fluids lost -Remove patch, get it analyzed -Get your results -Adjust your nutrition protocol as needed
My results below.
After we left Levelen, we drove to the energy lab (6 miles from Palani drive) and we parked at the parking lot at the end of the main road of the energy lab).
It was nearing 8:30am and it was warm and a little windy. Certainly not extreme conditions for the "natural energy" portion of the island.
After a dynamic warm-up, we went off for our run workout: 10 min EZ jog
Stretch it out
MS: 3 x 6 min build to strong effort w/ 4 min EZ jog/walk in between CD Total 45 minutes
The energy lab has a slight net decline for about a mile off Queen K (which occurs at mile 16 of the IM run course) and then it veers to the right to finish up the out section of the energy lab. Special needs is at mile 18. Then it's a slight incline back up to mile 20 to exit the energy lab for the last 6 miles of the IM run course on the Queen K, to Palani and back into town to the finish.
It's been very special to share this all with my athletes (and Karel) as everything is so new to Justine and Leigh Ann so we are trying to give them every tip and trick and suggestion for the best race performance, execution and experience possible.
Leigh Ann's athlete (she is also a coach) Mike ran with Karel - two speedsters!
After a hot and sweaty run, it was time to return back to Levelen to turn in our sweat samples.
After we returned back to our condo (Kona Plaza) we walked to the pier for Justine and Leigh Ann to see the main stage (start/finish area) of the IM World Championship for the first time.
With SO many triathletes everywhere, it's hard not to bump into familiar faces. It was great to see Trimarni campers Alex and Angie who are here in Kona to spectate.
Since this was the first time for our athletes to be in the ocean, we let them play around for a 15-20 minute "splash" to see the fishes and to experience the beauty of swimming in the Kona ocean.
Yay pink.....
After getting some food into our bellies, I accompanied Karel to registration until I was no longer allowed to cross the line "Athletes only".
In the mean time, I snapped some pics.
Official!!!
Karel is now officially an IM World Championship participant for the 2nd year in a row.
Around 5pm, it was time for the Parade of Nations where we watched athletes from all over the world walk down Ali'i drive.
Go CZECH! :)
Mike Reilly cheering on the athletes
GO USA!
For dinner, we made edamame and plain pasta w/ veggies which was delicious. It was a long day so we were asleep by 9:30pm in order to get a good night of rest before another exciting day in Kona.
