The Art of Triathlon Training - Learning from Dirk Bockel

It's a pretty cool experience when you can learn from an Olympian and Ironman champion.

On Tuesday evening, we had the honor of hosting an event at the Carolina Triathlon store with guest speaker Dirk Bockel. Recently retired professional triathlete, Dirk brings 27 years of experience, knowledge, stories, wisdom and strategies to help triathletes feel prepared for a race.

But this isn't just another triathlon training book. Dirk's passion for the sport of triathlon has helped him navigate through the stressors of life, surviving many lows that went along with his highs. In his book, he shares with us his strategies for how to create a successful and enjoyable triathlon journey.

During the talk, there were a few big takeaways that I found very beneficial for athletes:

• Dirk performed at his best when he switched coaches and reduced his weekly training volume almost in half.
• Dirk placed 3rd in his first Ironman and ran sub 3 hours after overcoming a foot injury that kept him from running more than 30 minutes on land in the month leading up to his race (only water jogging).
• Dirk was always told that he was a "bigger" athlete and would not be successful on the run. He consistently ran sub 3 hours in the Ironman distance.
• Dirk had several serious injuries, most notable was breaking his hand 10 days out from Ironman Kona (while training in Kona). He had finished 4th in Kona the year prior and felt as if he was in the best shape of his life. Despite a broken hand, he finished 10th.
• Dirk used mental skills to visualize himself in a race well before it happened.
• Dirk recommends that brick runs are no more than 15-30 minutes off the bike.
• Dirk made himself a medal before his first Ironman and used that as motivation to help him train for the event.
• Dirk is donating profits to: To walk again and SOS Villages D'Enfants Monde. 

So much of Dirk's training was mind games and the mental/visual aspect of training and racing along with having great trust in his coach.

To hear more from Dirk's talk, you can check out the entire chat on our Facebook page:



For more information about the book and his Facebook mentorship page: visit HERE.
Check out this great interview with Dirk on the Intelligent Racer Podcast: click HERE.

Triathlon Science By Joe Friel and Jim Vance - Book review

When I started graduate school in the fall of 2004, I saw myself as a former college swimmer. I was exercising to stay in shape but I really missed competition. 

As a long-time athlete, my mind functions best with structure. When it comes to exercising, I enjoy it but I like to have a plan. I like to work hard within my plan, knowing that I am moving closer to my goals. 

Exercising is fun and it makes me feel healthy but a structured plan helps my body get faster, stronger and more powerful for a bigger goal than just to "be healthy."

During my studies to earn a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology, I started to inch my way into endurance sports. Well, more like jump in with a smile on my face as I starting training for my first marathon without ever completing more than a 10K road race. 

Throughout my educational career, I found myself overwhelmed with the information that pertained to the human body in motion. Although I was forced to learn it in order to pass my classes, it wasn't until I started to apply the information to my training (more so than when I was studying Exercise Science in under grad as a collegiate swimmer) for my first marathon did I really begin to grasp a good understanding the physiology of the body as well as metabolic processes. 

When it comes to coaching athletes, I find it more important to accept the human body and to thank it for what it allows us to do on a daily basis than to constantly try to challenge it, always expecting it to be better, slimmer or fitter. 

Many times, athletes improve just be following a structured plan but if athletes can learn how to train smarter, not only is the athlete more respectful to the body during intentional physiological stress but there's a greater sense of enjoyment when it comes to receiving performance gains. Although we, as athletes, do want to challenge and test the body in order to discover our greatness, it's important that we, as athletes, accept how physiological adaptations are made. Sometimes we get quick, strong or fast rather quickly and other times, it takes a while to receive gains (ex. improved aerobic threshold). 

When Human Kinetics contacted me to review Triathlon Science, I jumped on the opportunity to add another well-written book of information to my textbook library. 

This book is filled with information and when I saw filled- 651 pages to be exact. 

There is a long list of knowledgeable contributors, each with a specialty area that is included in a chapter in this book. 

Although some of the information may not get you excited like I get when I read about the physiology of the body during exercise, I feel that reading this book will give you a great understanding of all that is involved when it comes to training smart, training hard and keeping your body healthy, strong and injury free. 

As an athlete, it's likely that you do not grasp the science of the body during exercise and that is OK. You are not suppose to and that is why there are individuals who devote their careers to coaching athletes like yourself so all you have to do is follow a plan. 

But if find yourself wondering why you are not improving as quickly as you would like, or if you find yourself signing up for racing and struggling to stay consistent with training, or if you find yourself wanting to "become one" with your body and mind and to learn how to have a better relationship with your body (and perhaps be a bit more appreciative of how awesome your body is and all that it allows you to do) I would recommend to get this book for there is a chapter that is written just for you!

My number one concern with endurance athletes (or any multisport athlete) is expecting too much out of the body too soon. Whether it's wanting to be fast and to have the endurance to go fast or making the body to do too much distance, too soon in a training plan, it's a common issue that I hear from athletes that the basic understanding of training the human body for performance gains is not well understood. 

This book will help!

Physical Attributes of Triathletes

Chapter 1: Physiology and the Multisport Athlete
Chapter 2: Genetics and Inheritance in Triathlon Performance
Chapter 3: Gender and Age considerations in triathlon 

Technical Execution and Efficiency in Each Event

Chapter 4: Swimming biomechanics for triathlon
Chapter 5: Cycling biomechanics for triathlon
Chapter 6: Running biomechanics for triathlon 

Environmental factors and equipment options
Chapter 7: In the water

Chapter 8: On the bike
Chapter 9: For the run
Chapter 10: Triathlon Training Technologies

Physiological Function in Triathlon Training
Chapter 11: Aerobic capactiy
Chapter 12: Economy
Chapter 13: Anaerobic Threshold
Chapter 14: Muscle Types and Triathlon Performance
Chapter 15: Fatigue resistance and recovery

Training modes and methods for triathletesChapter 16: Warm-up and cool-down
Chapter 17: Flexibility and core-strength
Chapter 18: Strength Training

Chapter 19: General and specific training
Chapter 20: Interval Training

Training strategies in triathlon 

Chapter 21: Duration, frequency and intensity
Chapter 22: Periodization
Chapter 23: Tapering and peaking for races
Chapter 24: Physiology of overtraining

Training base building for triathlonChapter 25: Swim base building
Chapter 26: Bike base building
Chapter 27: Run base building

Multisport event-specific training and racing tacticsChapter 28: Sprint
Chapter 29: Olympic
Chapter 30: Half Ironman
Chapter 31: Ironman
Chapter 32: Duathlon
Chapter 33: Combination workout training

Sport Medicine for TriathletesChapter 34: Triathlete body maintenance and medical care
Chapter 35: Triathlon injuries and preventive measures
Chapter 36: Triathlon injury recovery techniques

Nutrition for triathletes

Chapter 37: Energy needs, sources and utilization
Chapter 38: Nutrition periodization
Chapter 39: Nutrient timing for triathlon training and racing
Chapter 40: Supplements for triathletes

Psychology of MultisportChapter 41: mental toughness for triathlon
Chapter 42: Psychology of triathlon training
Chapter 43: Mental skills for peak triathlon performance
Epilogue: The Application of Science in Triathlon 

As you can see, there is a wealth of information from Joe Friel and the other contributors. 

The wonderful thing about sports is that the information to improve fitness, to fuel better and to build mental toughness is constantly evolving. As important as it is for coaches to keep up with research, webinars and real-world experiences, it is also important to recognize that the human body is unique and reacts differently to different situations. You will probably find that there are many different philosophies when it comes to training and fueling, perhaps some "by the book" and a few that break the mold as to the right vs. new way of helping the body reach performance gains. 

As an athlete, it's important that you not only do your research when selecting a coach or training plan to help your body train for a race but also, take some time to do some research on yourself. 

The better you understand your own body, when it is at rest as well as when it is active, the more you will appreciate how amazing it is when you ask it to swim, bike and/or run fast, strong or long.

I was not paid to write this review. I was provided the book for free and was asked to provide a review on the book.

My 2nd marathon was the 2006 Boston Marathon, just a few months after a finished graduate school. 

This was the start of my endurance racing career as an age-group athlete and the start of me being incredibly grateful for what my body allows me to do through sport. 

Since 2006 (24 years old), I have finished 7 Ironman triathlons and 7 half ironman triathlons (and a bunch of triathlons and running races). That's over 1476.3 miles of endurance-specific swimming, biking and running in 8 years....WOW!! Thank you body!!!

The Plant-Powered Diet - book review teaser

 

More info : HERE

As a long-time reader of Environmental Nutrition, I was very excited to receive an email from Sharon Palmer's PR agent who asked if I would like to receive a free copy of her new book. I will be honest in saying that it's been many, many years since I have picked up a "nutrition" book as much of my time (and money) has been used educating myself on topics of nutrition and sport nutrition thanks to lectures from professors, school, conferences, journals, research and real-world experience. Hands down, there's no better truth in understanding the relationship between food and exercise than training for and participating in an Ironman event (140.6 miles). Additionally, as much as I love reading credible research, it isn't until I step foot in the hospital and see trends among patients, that I begin to understand the beautiful relationship between the body and lifestyle choices.

 

I took advantage of this opportunity to read a book that encourages individuals to eat more whole, plant-strong foods, in order to achieve optimal health.

 

As you have learned to realize, I am not one for fad diets. I don't do extreme, even though it's desired by the public. I don't quick fixes because I believe that hard work and patience bring the best outcomes. I also believe that we are all individuals and every body should be respected.

As a lacto-ovo vegetarian, I will be celebrating my 19th turkey-free Thanksgiving next week. Almost twenty years of no meat or fish all because at the tender age of 11ish, I decided I didn't want to "kill animals". My mom, dad, brother and Karel all eat meat - that's ok. All my relatives eat meat. What we all share in common is an appreciation for keeping our bodies in good health. It's funny because I don't consider myself "different" than anyone else (well, I may be a bit different in that I train for events that last for 10+ hours of swim, bike, run - kinda extreme) because there is no nutrition-related research study to match the genetic code and lifestyle for everyone in this universe. However, there is a common theme that we can all learn to love.....eat more fruits and veggies and stay active for the rest of your life.

When it comes to radical shifts in dietary habits, many people have mentioned that Forks Over Knives changed the way they eat. I'll agree that it was a very powerful documentary encouraging people to eat a more plant strong diet but it did not mention that this "diet" was a vegan low-fat, 100-percent plant-based, no oil, no nuts, no seeds, no fish "diet". The results were significant when the patients started following this "diet" but certainly, a lifestyle of eating a large amount of processed, refined, high sugar, high fat, high salt foods will put your body at risk for health problems that will need to be reversed or minimized if you want to live a quality life.

 

So the question is....is it the diet itself that should be followed by the public to "be healthy" or would it be more practical for us all to take a more proactive approach with our lifestyle choices in order to live a more quality of life? Certainly, I think most people would agree that that they need to work on their relationship and their body and not just start making a list of off-limit foods. In my opinion, I would rather take a more balanced approach to diet and exercise since I am not a fan of rules when it comes to how I choose to eat and live.

Here are a few other approaches (some extreme) to a plant-based diet but with a few similar trends:
(Source here)

 

 

Barnard Diet (by Neal Barnard, MD, founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine): Based on starches, vegetables and fruits. Diet is low-fat. Emphasis is on no animal foods, ever.

Biblical Daniel Diet: More than 2500 years ago a diet of vegetables and water was found to improve the health of men in 10 days, compared to men eating meat (the king’s food).

China Study Diet (by T. Colin Campbell, PhD): Based on starches, vegetables, and fruits. Animal foods may account for 10% or fewer of foods consumed.

CHIP Program (The Complete Health Improvement Program by Dr. Hans Diehl): Based on starches, vegetables, and fruits. Emphasis is on eating low-fat.

Esselstyn Diet (by Caldwell Esselstyn, MD): Based on starches, vegetables, and fruits. No nuts, seeds, avocados, or other fatty plant foods are allowed. Emphasis is on eating very low-fat.

Engine 2 Diet (by Rip Esselstyn): Based on starches, vegetables, and fruits. Emphasis is on eating very low-fat.

 

Fuhrman Diet (by Joel Fuhrman, MD): Based on green and yellow vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Not always low in fat. Small amounts of animal foods allowed. Emphasis is on eating “nutrient-dense” greens.

Hallelujah Diet (by Rev. George Malkmus): Consists of 85% raw, uncooked, and unprocessed plant-based food, and 15% cooked, plant-based foods.

Kempner Rice Diet (by Walter Kempner, MD): Based on rice and fruits. More plant foods and a few animal foods are allowed after recovery. Emphasis is on eating very low sodium.

Macrobiotic Diet: Based on grains (rice) and vegetables. Fish, seafood, seeds, and nuts may be eaten occasionally.

McDougall Diet (by John McDougall, MD): Based on starches, vegetables, and fruits. Healthy, trim people can eat some nuts, seeds, and avocados. Animal foods for holidays, at most. Emphasis is on eating starches.

Natural Hygiene Diet (by Herbert M. Shelton, ND): Advocates a raw food diet of vegetables, fruits, and nuts; and also periodic fasting and food combining.

Ornish Diet (by Dean Ornish, MD): Based on starches, vegetables and fruits. Low-fat dairy, some fish, and fish oils are used at times. Emphasis is on eating very low-fat.

Popper Diet (by Pam Popper, PhD): Based on starches, vegetables, and fruits. Emphasis is on eating very low-fat.

Pritikin Diet (by Nathan Pritikin): The original diet was based on starches, vegetables and fruits. Small amounts of meat, poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy are allowed. Emphasis is on eating very low-fat.

 

 

I have a long way to go in the book so this is not yet a book "review" but rather a teaser as I feel I can already recommend this book to individuals who desire to eat a more plant-powered diet.
There are no pre-reqs as to what kind of diet you have to follow before reading this book or what you are suppose to "not eat" when you are finished with this book. The book is simply a step-by-step approach to understanding how you can incorporate more plants into an omnivorous diet or why you should continue to enjoy your current plant-based style of eating. With a 14-day meal plan and 75 delicious recipes, this book keeps "balance" in mind and will likely leave you excited to live a healthier lifestyle.

Dr. David L. Katz (Director of Yale University Prevention Research Center) wrote the forward to this book. After I reach his forward, I was moved beyond words as to how he describes his views on food. Considering the many diets out there and the desire that you may have to follow the masses, please enjoy the following two paragraphs as you consider changing your views about food and your body, aiming for a more enjoyable and positive approach to "healthful" living.

 

The theme of healthful eating consistently emphasizes the same basic constellation of foods: vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. There are several legitimate variations on the themes: some include low- and nonfat dairy and eggs, others do not. Some include fish and seafood, others do not. Some include lean meats, others do not. All banish to the realm of rare indulgence those highly processed foods that deliver concentrated doses of refined starch, sugar, trans fat, certain saturated fats and sodium. All start with the building blocks of actual foods that are recognizable and pronounceable, especially plant foods, and the portion control that tends to occur all but automatically when eating these foods.

That we can assert a theme of healthful eating with a confidence we lack for any specific variant is arguably a good thing. An allowance for variations on a theme is an allowance for customization. Food is a source of important pleasure in our lives, and while we should not mortgage our health for that pleasure, neither should we mortgage that pleasure for our health. The dietary sweet spot, as it were, is loving food that loves us back! Variations on the theme of healthful eating allow us each to get there in our own particular way. Several of these dietary variations have been investigated regarding their potential for health promotion.