3 workouts, 3 recovery meals.

As I mentioned in my last blog, recovery nutrition is important in the foundation phase, as it will help to kick-start the recovery process soon after your workout is complete. But you do not have to be super scientific and strict with what, how much and when you eat.

Remember -  recovery is everything and anything that happens between two workouts and right now in your season, you want to create eating habits that make your body feel good all day long, so that you can maintain a consistent training regime (balanced with your busy lifestyle).
By working on your  daily diet right now, you will set yourself up for great eating habits later on in your season when your training volume and intensity increase.
 
Here are three recovery meals that kept me training consistently last week.
(I had a pre-workout carbohydrate snack before all workouts and water during the workouts)

Swim Workout: 
400 swim
400 buoy

Pre set:
8 x 50's kick w/ fins (on back). 10 sec rest
800 band/buoy/paddles - build from 75% to 85% throghout

MS 2x's:
8 x 50's band and paddles, 85-90%, 15 sec rest
6 x 75's (build by 2 from 80-90%), 20 sec rest.
Repeat

50 EZ cool down

Post workout eats: 
Scrambled eggs with bell peppers, mushrooms and chives and a slice of rye bread with melted cheese.




Run workout: (outside on rolling hill course)Dynamic stretching
5 min walk
25 min run warm-up (nice and EZ, form focused)
Stop - let HR lower
MS:
5 x 1 mile - steady effort, conversational pace w/ 30 sec walk in between
~1 mile cool down jog

Post workout eats: 2 slices fresh challah raisin bread w/ honey, cinnamon and peanut butter
Smoothie (shared the following with Karel): 1.5 scoop Whey protein + 2 celery sticks + handful spinach/kale mix + 1/2 large banana + handful frozen berry cherry mix + 1% Organic milk (about 6 ounces) + water/ice as needed




Bike workout: 
10 min warm-up
Pre set: 

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 minute - increase cadence within each interval from cadence 75-100+rpm (no rest in between)
2-3 min EZ spin

MS: 10x's:
1 min Z2, choice cadence rpm
2 min at cadence 45-50 rpm (heavy gear work), Z2-Z3 effort (legs do the work, heart stays comfortable)
1 min Z3 effort, increase cadence from 50-95 rpm throughout
1 min EZ spin, choice cadence

5 min cool down

Post workout eats: 
1/2 cup Oats + 1/2 cup cherry berry mix + 1/2 large banana sliced + Veronica's Health Crunch mix (chopped) + raisins + milk + cinnamon + drizzle of maple syrup

Foundation phase - recovery nutrition

I found this slide on the internet and I find it to be so true for athletes.

We all want to maximize our performance and we can do so through training, rest and recovery and nutrition. 

Athletes know the importance of good recovery nutrition after a workout as what we eat can help reduce muscle soreness, replenish muscle glycogen, reduce oxidative stress and support the immune system.

Four to six weeks out from a key event and we certainly do not want to go into a workout with lingering fatigue and a tired, dehydrated and glycogen depleted body from poor recovery from a preceding workout. 

Nutrient timing is an important topic as it is a strategy to help athletes consume a combination of macronutrients (typically protein and carbs) to help rebuild muscle tissue and to restock energy stores after a workout to ensure quick recovery and to keep the body in good health.

Perhaps you know this time as the "window of opportunity" to optimize training-induced adaptations and to experience possible body composition changes.

Although the post-workout period is an important part of eating, don't be fooled that it is the only opportunity to keep your body in good health, to maintain good energy levels and to assist in recovery.

Your recovery "window" is actually open all day!
 Let this be a reminder to triathletes and runners who go out for a long workout on the weekend and then recover with a large meal which leaves you stuffed for 6+ hours later (or the opposite - athlete has no appetite post workout and 3-4 hours go by without eating and then the appetite hits hard and the athlete eats everything and anything in sight).

Of course, it is a good idea to kick-start the recovery process soon after your workout is complete with a recovery snack or meal and to properly rehydrate but don't forget to continue to focus on the diet as recovery is everything and anything that happens between two workouts.

Whereas much of the research on post-workout nutrient timing is dedicated to describing a scientific ideal ratio of carbohydrates and protein for glycogen repletion and for muscle protein synthesis, (respectively), it's important that athletes have different "recovery nutrition" protocols for each phase of training.

Foundation phase
Right now in the triathlon season, (hopefully) athletes are working on building a solid foundation. We call this our transition phase.  The intensity and volume is low and the focus is on skills, form, mobility and strength. After the off-season, athletes should be focused on creating good life and training habits to promote consistency with training throughout the upcoming season. Athletes should also prioritize good eating habits to keep the body in good health (injuries and/or sickness are very common in athletes who do too much too soon after the off-season or neglect a healthy diet and lifestyle habits as training becomes more structured).

Even though there is a heavy strength component to training in the foundation phase (swim, bike, run included alongside general strength work in the gym/home), athletes should not experience great muscle tension or damage with each workout.

Although athletes may experience some muscle soreness as the body slowly adapts to training, the nutritional goal post-workout is simply to optimize an adaptation to training. Laterin the season, the overall training load (intensity and volume) will be much greater and quick recovery methods are critical to ensure consistency in training with significant performance gains (and to keep the body in good health). But early in the season, recovery nutrition is heavily focused on keeping the body in good health so that the body can remain consistent with training.

To apply this science to real world, it is important that you focus on good recovery nutrition in the form of a real meal post workout. It is important to understand how your hunger and food choices are affected by your workouts and how your lifestyle schedule impacts your eating choices.

Although exceptions may apply (ex. a recovery drink or small snack before a meal), the foundation phase (or "base training" as many athletes say) should not induce a great amount of overall or lingering training stress in the form of inflammation, muscle/tissue damage and glycogen depletion so the macronutrients in the diet can be rather flexible.

Perhaps after a swim you may find that you need a little more protein and fat with moderate carbs to help a starving belly, whereas after a run in the cold, you may desire comforting carbohydrates with a little protein and fat to warm-up your belly. After an indoor, sweaty workout, you may find that you want something light and refreshing.

When it comes to what to eat post-workout during this phase of training, put your focus into creating healthy eating habits that will help you stay consistent with training, while keeping your body in good health.
Don't worry so much about the ratios of grams carbohydrates to protein.
Create a balanced meal that works for you.

To help get you started:
Aim for around 25-30g protein, 50-80g carbs and 10-15g fat in a recovery meal and work from there. Decide when/if you need more or less of protein, carbs and fat based on your appetite post workout (Again - recovery from workouts at this phase in training should not induce a large amount of fatigue/inflammation so you should be able to focus on your biological hunger versus training-induced hunger/depletion).

The ultimate goal is that by your next phase of training, you will have created a solid foundation of training with a great understanding of your daily diet needs. And when you start your next phase of training, you will feel more comfortable incorporating more nutrition before, during (sport nutrition products) and after your workouts to support your metabolic needs from the added training stress that will help advance performance gains.

In my next blog, I will share three recovery meals and workouts that kept me training consistently last week. 

Preparing for base phase training

There are many names to describe the phase that occurs between the end of a racing season and the start of more structured, specific training stress. 

For the sake of the masses identifying with this blog topic, I used the word "base" phase in this blog post but as you may know, we use the word "transition" as well as "foundation" to describe the first phase after the off-season.

Other coaches have different names for this phase. For example, Matt Dixon with Purple Patch Fitness uses the word "post-season".

The transition (base) phase of training is critical to athlete development. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, preparation for an event is more than just putting in the miles.

As athletes, we are always developing and we are always training in some capacity.
In order to maximize fitness, season after season, it is important to follow a periodized training plan that allows for progression. There must be specific emphasis on peak season training as well as the training to start the season.

Within Trimarni, we create plans that are organized in a way that our athletes are developing skills, endurance and strength before progressing with more intense or longer training.

Therefore, it is important that coaches and athletes see each phase of training as a progression from the previous phase. 

A periodized training plan sets you up for a great performance at your most important events throughout the season. 

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With the off-season emphasizing little to no activity for many athletes, with a combined freedom to indulge a bit more than normal, it is extremely important that you are taking the right steps to prepare your body for your next phase of training. 

I often relate to the transition phase as the beginnings of building a house. No matter the size of the house, the price of the house or the builder of the house, every single house requires a strong foundation.  Without a strong foundation, the house will break apart overtime.

Would you buy a house if the builders rushed through the foundation? How would you feel if the house you have desired to live in for the next 10 years was built by construction workers who liked to take short-cuts, just to get the final product done faster than their competitors?

Regardless of how many years you have been training as an athlete in your sport of choice, we all need an off-season and we all need to follow that part of the season with a return to the basics, addressing weaknesses and of course, laying down the foundation to which upcoming training stress will be placed onto the body. 

For many athletes, the off-season is a challenging time in that an athlete either does too much or does too little. And for many athletes, there is an uncomfortable feeling relating to diet, body image and lack of structured activity.
It's really hard to get the off-season right but maybe that's because there is no right way. But you do need an off-season.
Every athlete is different and the goals of the off-season for one athlete do not have to match the goals of another athlete. Also, each season may follow with a different off-season. This year, I returned to light structured training after 3 weeks of an off-season (after Kona) but in 2014, I took 6 voluntary weeks off with very little exercise. 

So as you think about your next phase of training and perhaps, begin to get excited to train with more structure again, I find it extremely important to encourage you to make sure that your body is in great health before you begin training again.
You do not have to have race day fitness or a race day body image when you finish your off-season but you should be in good health before starting your next phase of training.

Although a mental and physical break are necessary for a smooth progression from one season to the next, it is important that you see the off-season as an integral part of your athletic development. We don't want to make the off-season too long as you do not lose all that you gained in the previous season. And when your off-season is over, it is important to have a smart return to training by building your foundation as you focus on getting stronger before trying to get faster, before going longer.
Not just training where you left off with high volume or high intensity.  

Regardless of what your off-season looks like or what you call your first phase of training post off-season, it is important that you set yourself up for a great start to next season with the following off-season tips:

-Even with the holiday season approaching, it is important that you address your daily diet. Every day, you should be focused on eating a wholesome diet to help nourish your body and keep your immune system in optimal health.

-Now is a great time to work on your relationship with food and your body when the training stress is low. Do not overlook how important it is to maintain a healthy relationship with food and your body throughout the season.

-Be sure to stay hydrated....with water, all day, ever day.

-Focus on good sleep habits and good stress management.

-As you approach your first phase of training (foundation/transition phase), you should not feel as if your training is extremely structured right now. Exercise to maintain a comfortable level of fitness but your lifestyle should not look like you are in peak training (early season is not the time to make sacrifices in life just to train).

-Create a positive workout environment. Be sure your workout space at home is ready for consistent training, you have reviewed pool lane availability times, you consider the days that are best for certain workouts, you are prepared emotionally and mentally for more structure in your day-to-day life (and you have communicated this with your spouse/significant other) and you are ready to make investments to train smarter.

-If you are dealing with any niggles/injuries/sickness - address it, consult a professional and take care of it now. 

As an athlete, you likely live a very structured life and you like to have a plan. 

Preparing for your upcoming season is more than just following a plan and checking off workouts.
There's a lot that you need to focus on between workouts to ensure consistency in training with a healthy body.

As you give your mind and body a break from training, your health is top priority in your off-season.

As you approach your first phase of training, be sure you are prepared for it.
Take care of your body now so it will take care of you next season.

Trimarni 8-week Triathlon Transition Plan - Available NOW!

Why do I need the Trimarni 8-week transition plan? 

To improve next year's performance by making good use of the transition phase between 'off season' and your first phase of triathlon specific training.  The transition plan is designed specifically to help you develop the proper skills to progress smoothly throughout the year. Consider this the blueprint of building a strong house for your body. 

What makes this plan different than my regular base building triathlon training plan? 

Transition plan highlights:

-The swim focus is on improving your aerobic threshold, drills, kicking, upper body strength and form and improving your aerobic capacity.

-For the bike workouts, you will see some high intensity intervals mixed with skills/drills and cadence work. You will be doing single-leg drills, heavy leg drills and a little higher volume bike training on the weekends to improve aerobic threshold.

-The run workouts in this phase will be focused on form and improving your economy and efficiency as a triathlete. The strength training will pay off greatly in running improvements.

-The strength training will be periodized throughout the plan to ensure that you are strengthening key muscles groups that will yield favorable gains in swim, bike, run fitness.

-Checkpoints are determined in week 7 to establish realistic, current zones.

-Your first week of specific triathlon training (with bricks) takes place in week 8 to help you transition to your more specific training plan.

Remind me again why I need the 8-week transition plan?

This plan is vital to your season success. Because we do not build a roof before building the foundation of a house, we want you to think of this phase as the bottom tier of your season pyramid of training. Out of every phase of training, this is the most important, yet overlooked phase. We are confident that this plan will pave the way for a great season ahead!

Will I see Campy in your exercise videos? 

Yes!! But this one didn't make the final cut....

What do I get when I purchase the 8-week Transition Plan?

GO-TO GUIDE:

No training detail is left out of this plan. We created this plan as if you were a one-on-one Trimarni athlete. In this 10-page document, you will get the inside details on how we train and educate all of our Trimarni athletes.

Most importantly, you will understand why we have our athletes strength train throughout the entire season and what type of strength exercises are most appropriate throughout each phase of the season.

You will not only be instructed on what equipment we use when we train our athletes but also how to set up your gadgets for proper, effective training.  You will also learn how we (and our athletes) use Training Peaks to monitor training progress (Training Peaks is a FREE software program to upload your workouts for review).

In this plan, there are specific training details for swim, bike and run workouts that will help you better understand how to train smarter not only in the transition plan but also throughout your entire season. You will learn a lot in this guide, not only specific to the 8-week transition plan. 

FOUNDATION STRENGTH & DYNAMIC WARM-UP EXERCISES: 

Every strength workout includes specific exercises, sets and reps to follow. This will occur throughout your entire 8-week plan. You will have access to over 20 videos (corresponding to the strength exercises in your plan) in which Marni is demonstrating the strength exercise and giving important tips. As a bonus, you will also receive a very basic stretching routine as well as 7-9 videos specific to dynamic warm-ups for swimming, biking and running. We want to make sure you know how to warm-up properly before all workouts as well as for race day. We hope you enjoy the videos!

NUTRITION GUIDE (optional addition to your transition plan)

We do not believe in being extreme with your eating or modifying the diet only for a number on the scale. We also do not believe in any extreme use of sport nutrition products (or lack thereof) but instead, to use sport nutrition properly to support training demands and to keep the immune system healthy.

We want you to fuel smart and eat smart to train smart!

For 12 weeks, you will be given specific suggestions as a way to create a balanced diet, to develop a healthy relationship with food and to learn how to eat for fuel and for health.

To help you learn how to eat for fuel and for health (or to improve your knowledge), use the information in this guide as a way to help you reach your health, performance and diet goals.

The information in this guide is not a replacement for medical advice.  Always consult with your primary physician and registered dietitian before starting/modifying an exercise or nutrition regime.  

This guide is the beginning of a new way of thinking about food and your body. It’s time to learn how to create and maintain a healthy relationship with food and your body. We want you to appreciate a more real food diet and to eat the right foods that are timed appropriately with your workouts and lifestyle. There are no meal plans or off limit food lists but instead, every week you will have something specific to focus on or to address when it comes to your daily diet/eating routine.

As a bonus in the nutrition guide, you will also get a 30 minute hip/core workout and 30 min core workout that you can do anytime.

Can I see a sample workout? 

Sure!
Here is a bike workout from our transition plan that was featured on Triathlete Magazine online:
Transition Phase One-Hour Bike Trainer Workout

Are you excited to start the plan?

More information HERE

Transition triathlon plan - what are your weaknesses?

To be successful in life, you have to live in a successful environment.

For example, if you are changing dietary habits and decide to bring your lunch to work instead of ordering out, your kitchen must have Tupperware.

If you are determined to train for an event in the winter, your must have options as to how you will be consistent with working out in the cold winter months. 

If want to get to bed earlier for a more restful night of rest, you may need to avoid bringing (and using) electronics (ex phones)in your bedroom. 

But most of all, you have to know where you are going in order to understand why you are seeking a change.

Karel and I have worked long and hard and finally.....the 5-week triathlon transition plan is ready!!!

YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT HERE

My life is built on learning from my mistakes and studying successful habits of others. I don't wish to be like others but instead, consider my own goals, needs and lifestyle and figure out the best way to make changes for progress. I like to spend my energy on what works for the masses but also consider those who enjoy thinking outside of the box (but in a safe, ethical and realistic way - thus our "train smart" philosophy has been created from considering a different way of training for endurance events).

The transition plan is a perfect way for any triathlete, runner or fitness enthusiast (who enjoys swimming, biking and running) to learn about his/her own weaknesses within his/her body. Alongside specific nutrition suggestions for each week of the plan, there is a big emphasis on strength training. 

I have experienced years and years of hip/lower back issues. I have also never given up on my quest to better understand my body to keep it in good health as an endurance athlete. As you may know, I was not able to run from Feb until the end of April and had around 10 weeks to prepare myself for IM Lake Placid in July. It was through my determination to focus on myself and to not think about anyone who I felt had it "easy" that I was able to run my way to a PR for 26.2 miles off the bike but also a 10-minute Ironman PR. And 14 weeks later with a healthy body, I had another 6 minute PR in Kona of 10:37. 

This year, I am determined to continue my quest to be the best triathlete I can be, all while continuing to help other athletes (runners and triathletes) and fitness enthusiasts reach their personal fitness, body composition and health goals AND maintain a balanced life. Triathlons are my lifestyle, not my life and I love to race to travel and travel to race. 

Karel and I have started our own transition plan in our training and all of my 2014 athletes will be (or have) starting with a transition phase of training. The goal of the plan is to build a resilient body. A body that can withstand the stress of training. Also, for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who need structure and a purpose for workouts - EVER workout has a specific main set and there is a specific strength/hip circuit every time the plan calls for strength or hip/core work (pictures included). In other words - all you have to do is use your amazing body and make it perform during every workout. 

So even for myself, even the most determined, motivated and well-fueled person can experience a set-back if the body is not strong enough to tolerate a season of training and racing. And even if the set-back could not be prevented, it is still a learning experience.

And this thinking isn't limited to athletes. It's far too common that individuals will move too quickly with exercise when motivation is high or a goal is high on the priority list and without focusing on the smaller things (ex. is your glute medius strong enough to keep you running with good form when you "exercise"? Are you maintaining good flexibility to keep your body from getting tight?)

This plan is years in the making for I have made mistakes along the way and this year I want to be sure I can use my failures to help others identify weaknesses. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I will not be training for any running races this "winter" or triathlon "off season". I am a triathlete and I am a three-sport athlete. I don't want to miss out on this very important time of my periodized training plan to address my weaknesses so that I can work on them. Whatever your sport or fitness routine may be, remember that it is your body that has to make progress and it takes a lot to accept your weaknesses and work on them. Don't wait until it's too late and the regret not focusing on the little things when they really do matter in the bigger picture.

The goal of the plan is to not make you fast, strong or powerful now. The goal is to help you progress consistently with training/exercise so that you can have a successful season (or exercise routine) ahead of you. With a strong, healthy body throughout the season, you will be able to show off your fitness down the road when it counts.

As for now - focus on your weaknesses when no one is watching.

We can't wait to hear what you think of the plan, especially after you finish week 5 and "test" your fitness.

Any questions - send my way. Thank you!

-Marni and Karel 

Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition