IM Canada: Day 2

Now that we are officially settled into Whistler, I can honestly say that I've fallen in love with this place. Never have we raced in such a beautiful venue - and we've raced in some beautiful places! The scenery is jaw-dropping and I keep finding myself wowing at every mountain view and scenic river. It's just beautiful here.

While it's always good to adjust to the time zone as soon we arrive, it's actually easier for us to get to bed a bit earlier so that we can wake-up a bit earlier - similar to our schedule at home on the east coast. With a super early race start on Sunday (6am), I am trying to get to bed around 7:30/8pm so that I can get a restful night of sleep and still wake-up feeling rested. This morning I woke-up around 4:45am after a solid night of sleep. The temperature has been very comfortable during the day and drops slightly in the evening.

After a pre-workout snack (waffles + PB and Canadian Maple Syrup for me and oatmeal for Karel), we drove a few miles down the road to Rainbow Park to swim at Alta Lake (swim venue). Today was a packed day of training - which was good since we needed yesterday to fully recharge, unpack and settle after a long day of travel on Tuesday.

Karel and I had a specific OWS workout this morning and it was perfect to have something to focus on for the duration of our swim.

Workout:
10 min warm-up
4 x 30 strokes fast/30 easy
5 min smooth
4 x 60 strokes fast/30 easy
5 min smooth
4 x 30 strokes fast/30 easy
5 min smooth

The water was fresh and clear and the views were incredible. Although a little nippy to get in, the water turned out to be the perfect temperature - not too cold and certainly not too warm. It was around 67 degrees when we swam around 7am. There were small buoys set-up in a line parallel to the shore and each buoy was labeled by 100 meters. I swam to the 1200 meter buoy and then turned around.

After the swim, we drove back to our place, had a quick bite to eat, changed and grabbed our bikes to load in the car. We drove on the bike course (Sea to Sky Hwy) and parked at Brandywine falls park. Our athletes Erick and Gin met us there and we all biked together.

We biked to the Callaghan road climb and did the entire climb to scope out this section of the course. Although a significant part of the course, there is 8000+ feet of elevation gain over 112 miles - with no flat section - so I'd consider every mile significantly important :)

The climb was absolutely beautiful. We rode easy/conversational pace for the 8 miles (1000 feet) to the top. There were a few declines to shake out the legs but overall, it was a nice steady climb - something we are use to living in Greenville (although the roads are much smoother here!).

It took us about 36 minutes to get to the top and a speedy 18 minutes to get to the bottom. The total ride was about 75 minutes with about 1660 feet of elevation gain. Again - we are use to this type of riding living in Greenville but in an Ironman, everything becomes more difficult as you get more fatigued. 

I didn't find any of the segments too difficult on the climb. There were a few windy segments on the way down but nothing technical or scary. I think this is going to be my favorite part of the bike course.

After the drive home, we got our run stuff on for a quick jog on the trails. There are so many running paths here, along with mountain biking trails. My run wasn't the best as I was struggling with some tugging in my hip/inside knee from my hip. I tried not to get discourage so I just walked it out and finished with a jog when it eased up. Although I was making some great progress with my pelvis getting back into alignment before we left, I think all of the travel caused me to get back out of whack.

I'm still trying to stay positive but if anything, I'm going to make the most of the swim and bike - in the case that I can't start or finish the run. 

As for the rest of the day, we attended the athlete briefing at the expo - which is situated right behind our condo at the Marketplace Lodge. We then checked in to get our packet. Even for my 15th Ironman, I still enjoy the entire process of getting my wrist band and all the "stuff" needed to officially be an Ironman participant. We have been seeing more Trimarnis around the venue which makes me super happy to see so many familiar faces.

After the check-in process, Karel and I walked around the village and checked out some of the local shops. The town is super cute with so much to see and to do. Did I mention how much I love it here?

I am fighting with myself as I want to go to bed right now but I'll try to make it to 7:30pm before I call it a day. Excited to experience another beautiful day in Whistler tomorrow!

IM Canada: Travel + Day 1

We finally made it to Whistler and wow, it is breathtakingly beautiful!!

But to get here, it was a long and stressful trip. 

I allowed 7.5 hours to travel to the Atlanta airport from our home so that we wouldn't be rushed for our 7:30pm flight. Our plan was to check in our bags and bikes at the airport, drive to our friends house to drop off our car and then head back to the airport. Again, I planned 7.5 hours for all of this.
After dealing with the unavoidable Atlanta traffic, we arrived to the airport around 3:15pm (3 hours and 15 minutes after we left our house). Check-in was surprisingly smooth and thanks to Delta's new bike policy, our bikes were free!! Wahoo! All we had to do was pay for an extra bag (we each had 1 suitcase and 1 bike bag) so we paid only $100 instead of $300. When we travel, we park in the hourly parking to check in several hours before our flight as it's a lot easier to take our stuff directly from the parking garage across the street vs. dealing with the shuttle (especially when traveling international). After we check-in, we aren't rushed to deal with the car/parking. 

After our bikes were inspected, we went back to the car and left with plenty of time to get to our friends house (~18 miles away) to drop off our car. However, plans quickly changed when it took us about 15 minutes to travel only a few miles - more traffic. So we decided to ditch that plan and park in economy. After driving back to the airport and finding the economy lot, it was completely full. We then had no where to park! Luckily, we found a place at the Park n' Fly and it turned out to be a few bucks cheaper than economy. Although we don't like Atlanta traffic, I weigh my options when we travel for a race and the flight I found was a direct flight (5.5 hours) from Atlanta to Vancouver and I could also use some of our miles on Delta which saved us money. I then used that extra money to upgrade our seats to comfort and to select our seats (we each had an aisle). 

Since we saved some time by parking at the airport, we weren't rushed when taking the shuttle from domestic to international. The security line moved quickly and we had ~2 hours until our plane boarded so that we could get some dinner. We both had a delicious dinner - Karel got chicken and rice and veg and I got two salads and a wrap. 

After enjoying our dinner, we made our way to our gate for our 7:30pm flight, which was to board at 6:30pm. The flight was delayed so instead of a 7:30pm take-off, it was now 8pm. Not too bad. Well, as the minutes ticked away, the departure time kept moving back...8:30, 9pm. It wasn't until it was just after 9pm that we boarded our flight. Luckily, Karel and I could get some work done on our computers which helped pass time by. And we met up with our athlete Reid who is doing his first Ironman at Whistler! 

Although we planned for a long day of travel and late night, we didn't arrive to Vancouver until just after midnight PST - which was 3am EST. Next came customs - which was Karel's first time using his American Passport since becoming a US Citizen in Sept. After that, we waited for our luggage and bikes. We were told to go to a special line with our bikes for questioning so that took a few more minutes. Finally, nearing 1am PST, we arrived at the rental car kiosk. By 1:30am PST, we were in the car, making our 2 hour/85 mile drive to Whistler. Thankfully, there was zero traffic but it was raining - which made it a little sketchy on the windy up and down roads on the Sea to Sky hwy. Karel did the driving and he was really tired but we both made it safely to our rental place at the Olympic Village.

It was just past 3:30am PST/6:30am EST when we crashed in bed but it was a little restless of a night as we were almost too exhausted to fall asleep. We managed a little over 5 hours of on and off sleep and woke up HUNGRY. 

With no shortage of places to eat, we made our way to Purebread for a delicious selection of fresh breads and bakery goods. Now that's how you start the day when you are sleep deprived! We then did a hefty grocery store shop and had a good breakfast meal at 11am PST. 

We ran into more of our athletes at the grocery store. We are excited to see more familiar faces as the days go on as this is one of our 4 team key races of the year where we will have a good showing of athletes (15 Trimarnis racing, including me and Karel).  

After taking our time in the morning, Karel put together our bikes around 1pm and in the mid afternoon, we finally got outside to spin our legs. And wow - what a beautiful place to ride!

 We moved some blood and stretched out on the bike with a nice easy spin (~50 minutes). We rode from the village (where we are staying) to Alta Lake (swim start/T1).

We spent a few minutes at the lake just soaking in all of this beautiful scenery. 

After our spin, it was time to eat! Karel made homemade vegetable noodle soup, which hit the spot. The weather is just perfect (in the mid 60's) and I can't stop smiling because of how amazingly beautiful it is around here! We are looking forward to checking in and getting our packet tomorrow, attending the athlete briefing and fitting in a swim/bike/run workout (I'm hopeful I can do a run tomorrow - crossing my fingers my hip/leg/back is continuing to improve - last update here) and to see more of this incredible race venue. 

It's Ironman Canada race week!

I can't believe it's finally race week! Today we leave for Canada and on Sunday, we get to race a bucket-list race in beautiful Whistler, Canada. 

We selected this race venue because of its challenging, yet beautiful course. The weather is predicted to be in the low 50's at the start of the day (race start 6am PST) and it will rise to the low 70's. The 2.4 mile swim is a two loop course in Alta Lake. The water temp should be around 65 degrees and wetsuit legal. The 2-loop bike course features ~8000 feet of elevation gain over 112 miles. It will be a "slow" bike course that will require a lot of strength, tactics, good riding skills, fueling and mental strength. The run course will be just as spectacular as the bike. The 26.2 mile run is a two loop course with a little over 1000 feet of elevation gain. The finish of the 140.6 mile race is in the Olympic Village of Whistler.

I'm thrilled to share the course with 13 of our athletes. We selected this race venue because it offers an Ironman and 70.3 distance on the same day. We will have two athletes racing the full (one first-timer Ironman) and eleven athletes racing the 70.3. I just love racing with our athletes as it's great to see familiar faces on and off the course and to share the entire experience with others.

This Ironman journey has been an interesting one. Our coach (Cait Snow) did an incredible job preparing us for this race. While it felt like a lot of training, every week was carefully designed with our needs in mind. There was a nice mix of frequency and volume with a touch of intensity sprinkled in. Overall, it was a solid build to Ironman Canada. I loved the training/workouts and it was a lot of fun to see what my body could do each day. We had daily communication with our coach and the closer we got to the race, the more she was careful to make sure we were still adapting to training stress.

Karel is bringing great fitness to this race. He was pushed hard by Cait in ways that he didn't know was capable by his body. I'm super excited to see what Karel can do on this race course as I feel he is getting stronger and faster every season.

I have felt stronger than ever before - specifically in swim and bike. Because of my previous running struggles (injuries) in the past, Cait was extremely careful to build me slowly with my running and to design workouts that would help build my confidence and suit my strengths (running off the bike). I was able to put together many months of consistent training, tolerating a high volume of training in swimming, biking and running.

Unfortunately, near the end of our group training camp in late June, I started to experience some left lower back pain on the bike. I contributed it to a lot of twisting to look behind me at our athletes and altering my riding style throughout the camp environment. Karel and I did not do any of our own training throughout our group training camp as it was all about our athletes and making sure they got the most out of their camp experience.

On the last day of camp (June 30th), we were getting ready to head to the lake for our last camp workout (swim and run) and as I was bending over to put on my socks and shoes, I felt a painful tug in my lower back. I had to lay down to relieve the pain. It was something that was a bit familiar to me as I have had issues with my back/hips for as long as I can remember. This reminded me of when I injured myself back in 2007 before my first Ironman World Championship. I was a little worried but the pain subsided, I taped my back/hips with KT tape and we drove to the lake. I was a little tight during the swim but the run felt fine as I ran with our campers.

To play it smart and safe, Cait had me take the next two days really easy to let things calm down. I took a day off on Monday (mental day to recover from camp) and Tues was an easy swim. I felt a little tightness in my back but no pain during the swim.

On Wednesday we did a "test" workout on the bike with some building efforts to see how I responded to different efforts. I felt a bit of tightness in my back but it actually got better as the ride went on. I ran off the bike and all was OK. I actually felt fine running. So on Thursday I was back to normal training and didn't feel concerned about my back anymore - what a relief!

I put together four solid days of training (Thurs-Sun) but come Sunday, near the end of the run, my left side started to feel off. It wasn't painful, just a bit of tugging in my left leg. After I returned home from my 90 minute run (my last long run), my inner thigh and groin started to tighten up. It was really uncomfortable. I did my afternoon swim - which helped to loosen things up - but to make a long story short, I've been dealing with hip/back/upper leg issues since July 7th. To be extra cautious, I haven't really ran since then as I was feeling a tugging and tightness around my hip/back/leg. Again, this is nothing new for me as I have dealt with hip/back issues for all of my triathlon career but have been able to manage it for the past 6 years without any hiccups. Until now....

So here I am, just a few days away from my 15th Ironman in uncertainty. Will I be able to run at all and if so, how much? I am mentally preparing myself that I will not finish this Ironman and I am ok with this.

While this injury has altered my run training over the past 2.5 weeks, Cait made sure that I was maintaining my fitness and focusing on what I CAN do. So instead of running on land, I have been doing water jogging in place of my runs. That means interval runs, brick runs and even a double run - all in deep water. I have been swimming and biking as planned as both cause me no pain or issues and I actually feel better after I swim and bike.

During the first week of this setback, I focused on calming down my leg. So this meant massage and dry needling and exercises to help get my ribs/pelvis back into a good spot. My SI joint likes to give me issues and this time was a nasty one as my pelvis got all out of whack. After things calmed down, my next goal/focus was to walk normally. I was bracing my leg (straight leg) because of the tugging I was feeling in my groin and adductors. My ITB was taking the grunt of this so I needed to relearn how to walk normally again. By the 2nd week, I was walking normally. My last goal was to hop with my left leg. Finally I am at that point. So on the positive, I am walking normally, I don't have any pain, I can hop on one leg and aside from after sitting and sleeping (when I get a little tight), I feel "normal" again. I have tried to run and while it is not painful, it's still not "right" just yet. I am being extra cautious and safe as I am not just thinking about IM Canada but Ironman Kona in a few months. I have resisted "testing" the leg as I don't want to do something silly out of ego or fear and put myself back. I am in a good place now and I don't want to jeopardize my health - especially since I want to be active for a lifetime.

The first few days were tough as I was a bit emotionally and in pain but after a few days, I made myself get into a good mindset to put everything into perspective and to use my mind to help me heal. To help with this, I have been repeating a few mantras to help me get through this setback with a positive mindset. These mantras have provided me perspective and also gratitude and I am still excited to travel to Whistler, start the race and give my best for as long as my body will safely allow me to. If I have to drop out in T2 or in the run, so be it. While I'm sure I'll be a tiny bit sad, I have so much to be happy about by watching our athletes and Karel and traveling to a new race venue.

Here are a few mantras that I have used to help me during this time: 

• I don't need to run for a lifetime but I do need to walk.
• I'm an athlete for life - not just one race.  
• Focus only on today. 
• Don't spend energy on things that are out of my control. 
• I can't change the situation but I can change my attitude and how I deal with the situation. 
• Focus on the small things.
• There are so many great things in life to be happy about. 
• I'm thankful for all that I have done with my body this season. 
• If there's a "good" time for an injury, it's when 99% of the work is done. 
• I can still swim and bike - my two favorite sports!
• I am so excited to swim and bike in Canada and tackle this tough sport! 
• If I can't run on race day, that means I get to watch my athletes and cheer. 
• Focus on what you CAN do, not what you can't do. 
• There are worse things in life that can happen to me. 
• There are worse things in life that deserve my tears. 
• Injuries heal. 
• It's just one race. 
• Believe that you are healing every day. 
• Complaining and tears don't solve issues. 
• Invest into therapy/treatment so you don't have to pay for MRI's and more intense treatment. 
• Be patient and smart. 
• Quick fixes don't fix issues. 
• Don't rush the healing process just to meet a race day deadline. 
• Thank you body. You are still awesome. 

Although race day is still a bit of an unknown, I can assure you that I will not do anything silly. Running in pain is NOT my idea of what it takes to finish an Ironman - or any race. I worked really hard to get to where I am right now with my swim/bike/run fitness and over the past two weeks, I invested a lot to be able to move without pain and I don't want to take steps back - only to delay my return to run training in route to IM Kona. I still plan to share pictures/videos/posts about our Ironman Canada experience on my blog and Facebook page over the next week.

Off to Canada!!

Training in the heat - nutrition tips

Triathletes and endurance athletes are very susceptible to dehydration and even more so, a heat-related injury at this time of the year. Whereas in the cold/cooler months of the year, athletes can get away with haphazard fueling and hydration strategies and poor pacing, now is the time in the year when a poorly planned fueling/hydration regime and pushing too-hard or too-far will negatively affect workouts, adaptations and health.

Let it be known that training in the heat is incredibly stressful for the body. Seeing that training (in any environment) already creates difficulty for the body to adequately digest and absorb nutrients and fluids, you can imagine why so many athletes experience harmful health issues, GI struggles, extreme fatigue, heat stress, dehydration and so many more issues during the summer months when training for an event.

As an example, exercise increases body temperature. The harder and longer you train, the higher your resting temperature. Your body compensates by moving the extra heat to the skin via the blood - it then dissipates into the air through sweat (so long as humidity levels allow for evaporation). But when you exercise, your blood serves another important role - it carries oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. Blood is shared between the muscles and the skin. The higher your core temperature, the more blood is used for cooling and less for the working muscles. In other words, your body will always sacrifice muscle function for temperature control. This is why an athlete's body will begin to "shut down" when overheating as this state is life threatening.

Every athlete has his/her own threshold for when the body begins to experience a decline in health and performance as a result of heat stress, dehydration and glycogen depletion.

To keep your body functioning well (in training and on a daily basis), it's extremely important to care for your body with proper fueling and hydration strategies before/during/after workouts and to respect the conditions by pacing appropriately.

Don't be the athlete who......

• Does not stay well-hydrated on a daily basis (before/after workouts and during the day)
• Does not bring along fluids/nutrition when running (especially when running off the bike)
• Is not comfortable drinking while running/riding
• Rations fluids to avoid stopping (or does not have enough places to refill bottles)
• Does not have enough hydration bottle cages on the bike (or if they are on, they are not easily accessible)
• Does not use sport nutrition products properly (not enough or too much carbohydrates, fluids and electrolytes)
• Does not use sport nutrition products or does not plan ahead and relyies only on water (or nothing at all)
• Feels it's only a  "short" workout - so you don't need to fuel/drink

There are dozens of excuses and reasons why fluid/electrolyte/calorie needs are not being met during training and racing and not only is it holding you back from training consistently and executing well during workouts, it is also extremely damaging to the body - placing you at risk for injury, sickness, burnout and other serious health complications. Remember - you are not just fueling/hydrating for one workout but for the next series of workouts. If you struggle during one workout, it will affect your future workouts.

Common side-effects of dehydration and heat stress:

• headache
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• loss of focus
• chills
• high heart rate that won't drop even when you reduce the effort or stop
• no appetite post workout
• excessive sleepiness
• extreme weakness
• low blood pressure
• stop sweating
• dry mouth
• dark urine
• dry skin
• no/little urination
• extreme cramping
• bloating/puffiness
• excessive thirst/lost of thirst
• rapid, elevated pulse (despite effort slowing down)
• muscle spasms (during and post workout)

Are you currently experiencing any of the above?
If yes, your current fueling/hydration and pacing strategy is NOT working for you.


Every human body is different so you must pay very close attention to your body signs/symptoms/signals when it comes to training and racing in endurance events. If you do not make the effort to keep yourself in good with proper fueling and hydration (and pacing), you will be forced to spend a lot of time getting your body healthy again before you start even thinking about training again.

To help you out, here are a few very simple tips to help you adapt during hot-weather workouts

• Sip frequently in small amounts, don't gulp fluids. Gulping (especially from a straw) causes you to swallow air, which can cause bloating and belching. This also may disturb the function of the stomach and slows down absorption.
  
• Be sure to have a sport drink with you for all workouts lasting more than one-hour - this should contain a mixture of electrolytes, carbohydrates and fluids in an appropriate concentration to digest well and to be efficiently absorbed. I suggest a hypo or isotonic solution with ~20-25g carbohydrates per every ~12-16 ounces and at least 250mg of sodium to optimize gastric emptying.
  
• Aim for 24-32 ounces of fluid on the bike per hour and at least 10-12 ounce fluid for every 30 minutes while running (this should be in a sport drink - not plain water in the heat!).
  
• Aim to sip your bottle on the bike every 10-15 minutes (you need at least 3-4 gulps to ensure that you are getting in around 3-4 ounces of fluid) and 1-2 sips every 5-8 minutes while running. Frequent drinking on a schedule will not only help to delay fatigue and prevent dehydration but will prevent overdrinking on fluids (particularly ice cold water), which often causes a sloshy stomach.
  
• While keeping your insides hydrated is critical, consider ways to keep your body cool on the outside. Suggestions include exercising early morning or in the evening and avoiding workouts in the heat of the day (10-5pm). Choosing indoor workouts over outdoor when health may be compromised (extreme heat). Using water/ice to cool yourself while exercising. Wear a cooling towel/cooling sleeves. Use a visor over a hat. Choose shady areas over direct sunlight. Wear sunscreen to prevent burning. Wear protective clothing.
  
• Always plan ahead with your bottle refill stops. Be sure to STOP before you really need to stop so you are never rationing your fluids or going without.
  
• Be sure you are setting yourself up for good hydration actions. Cages/hydration systems on the bike should be accessible and easy to use in ALL conditions (ex. bumpy roads, rain, technical courses, rain, etc.). Your run courses in training should allow you to refill bottles that you bring with you OR set up bottles on your course. Everything you do in training should be practice for race day.
  
• Wear a hydration belt/pack so you can drink what you drink, when you want to drink it. There are many types on the market - find one that works for you and never run outside without it.
  
• Do not wait for thirst to kick in during endurance workouts/racing to start drinking. Start drinking/fueling early. An athlete who waits to drink until he/she is thirsty is already behind on fluid requirements and many times, this will cause an athlete to drink an excessive amount of water. This may cause hyponatremia (very serious health condition) or may cause a sloshy stomach/bloating/stomach cramping. When you fall behind on your fluids, you will likely drink too much at once to play catch up (often a hypertonic/concentrated amount from guzzling a lot of drinks at aid stations or stops at gas stations in training).
  
• Make your fueling/hydration strategy during workouts as simple as possible. You should not be using several different methods of consuming electrolytes, calories/carbohydrates/sugars and fluids. But ok to use 2-3 different products/flavors to help with taste bud fatigue. Also, DO NOT overconcentrate your flasks/bottles.
  
• Pace yourself and be OK with slower paces that will elicit a higher RPE. Even mild dehydration can negatively affect performance and can cause drowsiness, irritability, loss of concentration and headaches - none of which are performance enhancing or healthy. When dehydration worsen, serious issues occur which affect the heart, brain, muscles and organs (ex. kidneys).
  
• If you overwork your body, it is not possible to overfuel/hydrate the body to meet your training/racing demands.
  
• Be respectful of your body in the heat. If you are feeling any changes with your body that concern you, first slow down. Don't be a hero and push through - stop! Remind yourself that when your body starts to shut down or gives you signals/signs that something is wrong (ex. headache, chills, vision changes, etc.), your body is no longer adapting to training stress but it's trying to protect you. Never get upset at your body for a bad workout or race if it is simply trying to protect you from a serious heat or other-related injury.

There are far too many athletes failing with workouts and experiencing negative health issues due to poor fueling/hydration strategies before/during/after training and improper pacing. Sport nutrition is a complicated area with many misguided tips and suggestions that are not always practical or healthy. If you know someone who can benefit from this blog, please share.

Training for race day success

Training is easy. You feel great when you get your endorphin boost, you can control your environment (or select your terrain), there is no pressure because no one is watching or tracking you and you know that if a workout doesn't go as planned, you always have tomorrow to try again.

On the other hand, race day is stressful! Feeling pressure to perform - especially in an unfamiliar and/or uncontrolled environment - brings anxiety, nerves and expectations. It's easy to compare yourself to other athletes and experience a heightened fear of failure. Never in training do you feel what you feel on race day. Far too many athletes complain that they can train better than they race - finishing a race feeling like they underperformed, relating back to all the amazingly great workouts that they crushed, yet feel defeated as to why they were unable to perform on race day, despite feeling so prepared. 

One of the great challenges for triathletes is translating training into a great race day result. Despite feeling overly confident in training, it's important to master the necessary confidence, physical skills, nutrition readiness and mental strength for race day.

Competing like you train seems like an obvious strategy but a better approach is to train like you want to compete.

If you think about all that you (try to) do on race week/day in order to set yourself up for success, why not put that same focus, energy and attention to detail into training? 

• Restful sleep
• Organized and planned diet
• Good mobility
• Planning, focus,, oganization and time-management 
• Relaxation and visualization/meditation
• Good warm-ups
• Proper fueling
• Great daily hydration 
• Reviewing the course maps
• Staying in the moment 
• Rehearsing pacing/strategy/execution
• Ensuring gear/equipment is in great condition
• Fine-tuning sport nutrition 

It seems obvious that if you are going to do something on race day, you should repeatedly do it in training - far too often is this not the case. Rushed and busy schedules, poor planning and lack of application causes athletes to lack confidence for race day. 

If you want to perform well on race day (who doesn't?) it is important that you nail the small (yet very important) components in training. 

For example, this means practicing your pre race and race day nutrition many times in training to ensure confidence for race day. The purpose of training is to build physical and mental skills, habits and strategies that will translate into an optimal performance by your body on race day. Sadly, many athlete get really good at performing workouts underfueled and undernourished and expect to put together a fail-proof pre-race and race day fueling and hydration strategy. I think of this like riding a bike - if you are always riding with poor bike handling skills, you can't expect to master bike handling skills on race day, just because it's race day. The same is true for nutrition. If you are putting together a complex, detailed and precise diet and fueling/hydration strategy for the 48 hours before a race and for race day, but you never practice this approach in training (repeatedly), you've been training half prepared but you are expected to compete 100% prepared. Unfortunately, success doesn't happen this way. You must give 100% to your training if you want to compete well on race day.

The more you treat your training decisions like it's race week/race day, the easier you will find it to perform at your highest level when it counts. Simply put, don't do anything drastic on race week/day that you didn't practice in training. 

Mentally cope with your taper

Taper is an uncomfortable time for most athletes but it can also be one of the most confusing times for an endurance athlete. 

Physically, tapering ensures that the body is rejuvinated and recovered from previous training. Although training volume is greatly reduced, intensity is sprinkled into training in order to wake-­up the body for race day. The endurance athlete who has invested many months to training can now "cash-­out" from previous training investments.

For the first time in a very long time, the body is under little physical stress as it enters race day with a healthy, fit, resilient and responsive body.  

The tapering approach will differ among athletes, depending on fitness ability, prior taper experience and any recent history with setbacks.    

While taper can be physically easy, many athletes mentally struggle with taper. A drastic change in your training schedule can make you feel a little "off." This sudden, yet expected, time in the season can bring question, doubt and uncertainty, alongside an intense fear of athletic readiness.    

Regardless of the type and length of taper, it's important to embrace your taper. As much as you love to train, if you don't taper adequately, you will arrive to race day sore, exhausted, mentally checked ­out and physically unable to perform. But rest too much, and you will arrive to race day flat, exhausted and feeling unfit.    

During taper, most athletes struggle with the change in appetite, sleepiness, random aches/phantom pains, fatigue, mood changes, uncontrollable nerves and extra time that come with the reduction in training volume.   

If you love taper, you likely embrace all of the free time that you have on your hands, not to mention the nervous energy that means your race is quickly approaching.    

Here are a few of my tips to help you mentally cope with taper: 

Enjoy your new (temporary) normal - There is absolutely no reason to be inactive during taper and certainly you don't want to see taper as a time to be sedentary.  When you officially start your taper, enjoy a few days of a very light training (or complete days off). Use this time to enjoy a new normal by doing very little with your body. Sleep in, sit on the patio while sipping your morning coffee or relax on the couch after work and watch a movie. Take advantage of this time after your last big block of training, because then you will gradually bring back structure to your training and spice it up with a little intensity.    

Be smart with your new normal - You should avoid fear based training during taper. In the 2 weeks before a race, you can not gain fitness. Therefore, testing yourself to see if you can run x-­miles or swim at x­-pace or hold x­watts will bring you no physical benefits for race day. Although mentally you may feel more confident going into the race, you want your best effort to be on race day and not in training. Save your energy for when it counts! Additionally, even though your training routine is reduced, this is not the time to pick up a new sport like soccer, basketball, rock climbing or water skiing. Be smart with how you use your time/energy. 

Work on mental strength - With reduced training volume, you now have more time in your life to work on your mental skills (Don't use this extra time for house projects). It's recommend to dedicate at least 20 minutes a day to meditation and visualization in the 2 weeks before your race. This can be done anytime so long as it is done without distractions and in a calm, comfortable place. Although you have the physical skills for race day, you can only compete at the level you are capable of if you remove the fears, anxieties and stressors preventing you from performing at your best. Instead of "hoping" that you will do well, you must believe in yourself, with the abilities to stay calm under pressure and focused on only the controllables.    

Maintain a healthy relationship with your body - In the 4 weeks before a race, you should not be obsessing about your "race weight". Your body may feel different and it may feel tired but changing your diet to try to change how you look will be disastrous for your race. For many athletes, a drop in volume and a change in routine may cause a heightened sense of awareness of body image. Self imposed pressure and anxiety may bring feelings of unworthiness, leading to self defeating thoughts about the body. Change this thought process immediately. A vulnerable athlete who feels uncomfortable with body image is likely to look for coping strategies, like dieting and over-exercising in order to gain control in the weeks before a race. Never is underfueling, intentional dehydrating (or fasting/detoxing) or overexercising performance enhancing. This can severely sabotage performance and health.  If you struggle in this area, you must focus on what your body is capable of doing on race day. When was the last time you thanked your body for allowing you to train for your race? 

Your taper is the culmination of many months of training. It is a very critical time in your training plan where you intentionally change up your normal training regime. Although taper can be an uncomfortable time, athletes who embrace taper are destined to experience race day success.

No matter how you feel your training during taper, trust that you will be just fine on race day.  Yes, even if you feel absolutely horrible in the 24 hours before your race, you WILL be able to perform amazingly well on race day.

Should you snack between your meals?

Snacks often get a bad reputation because most people choose packaged snacks that are packed with sugar, salt and artificial ingredients, adding energy dense and nutrient poor calories to the daily diet. Additionally, it's easy to snack out of boredom and stress.

But if you choose your food wisely, snacking can give you energy to survive the day, help stabilize blood sugar, decrease hunger and fill in nutritional (or energy) gaps. While reducing mindless, boredom snacking will reduce unwanted calories, going too long without eating may slow your metabolism – making it difficult to lose weight, particularly if that was your intention by not eating between meals - and may lead to overeating at your next meal. 

Snack tips:

• Change up your snacks based on appetite, energy, mood and meal options. 
• Keep non-perishable snacks on hand for all situations (ex. meeting, traffic, errands)
• Snack with reason and purpose - hold you over until the next meal, fill in nutrient gaps or control blood sugar?
• Don’t go more than 3-4 hours without eating.
• Snacks should look like mini meals - carbs + protein/fat. 
• A snack should satisfy you. Avoid grazing throughout the day.

SNACK IDEAS
Comfort food
1/3 cup instant oats + 1/2 cup milk or water + 1/2 large apple (chopped) + 1 tsp cinnamon (more to taste) + 1 pinch salt. Heat in microwave and top with 1 spoonful dark chocolate chips.

Sweet Heat
1/8 cup cashews
Mixed sliced bell peppers
1 ounce/slice Pepper jack cheese

Crunch attack
3 tbsp air popped corn
1 brown paperbag
Roll down the top of the bag three times and pop in 30 sec intervals until the popping stops to one pop every 3-4 seconds. ~90 seconds.

Standard and Simple
1 plan Greek yogurt
1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries
2 spoonfuls granola

Quickie
Banana
Spoonful of peanut butter
Sprinkle of chopped nuts or drizzle of honey

Hodgepodge
1 Apple or pear
Small handful pistachios
3-4 dried dates or figs

Ten easy-to-digest pre-workout carbohydrate-rich snack options (~25g carbs each)

●      ¾ cup cooked rice

●      ½ cup cooked oatmeal

●      1 English muffin

●      1 slice sourdough bread

●      ½ cup applesauce

●      6-ounce yogurt

●      1 small potato

●      10 saltine crackers

●      1 cup grits

●      1 medium banana

Top five foods to avoid/minimize in the 4 hours before a workout due to risk for intestinal distress:

1. Bulky salads (dark leafy greens)
2. Foods with bran
3. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions
4. Sugar alcohols, artificial flavors, sweeteners
5. Beans

Recovery from a long-distance race

Being sore, exhausted and a little run-down after an endurance event is normal. And to be honest, I think many athletes enjoy the feeling that comes with racing in an endurance event as that post-race feeling signifies the effort that was needed to get from the start to the finish. You earned it!

Although there is no one specific guideline, rule or method to speed up recovery after an endurance triathlon event, I feel it's important to walk you through some of the factors that contribute to recovery time after an endurance event, some of the mistakes that athletes make when recovering from an endurance event and a few strategies to help you get back to good health after a long-distance triathlon event.

Why is recovery important?

In training for an event, we welcome (and need) intentional and residual training stress for proper peaking and then we need to provide the body with a taper, in order to reduce the psychological and physiological stressors of consistent training in order to optimize performance and enhance previous training adaptations.

After a race, recovery is the time when the body returns to a normal state of health and mind, so that you can once again, consistently do high-quality training sessions with no residual fatigue from the last event.

Many athletes make the mistake of training for one race at a time and not seeing the season as a progression of fitness from race to race. In other words, you can actually gain fitness from race to race, so long as you properly recover and continue with well-planned, structured training. Take too long of a break and you lose what you gained in previous training but come back to soon, and you remain stale, tired and fatigued with little ability to take fitness to that next level.

Factors affecting race recovery

How fast or effectively you recover from an event depends on many factors. Even within one season, recovery time for one athlete may differ race to race, as some races require a longer recovery time than others.

Factors affecting race recovery include:

• Distance of the event
• Prior experience in the sport
• Finishing time
• Racing intensity relative to distance
• Racing intensity relative to race priority/season planning
• Race preparation and ability (or lack thereof) to remain consistent to training
• Life stressors (family, travel, personal, work)
• Age
• Athletic ability/resilience
• Length of taper
• Health status leading up to the race
• Nerves/anxiety before the race
• Nutritional status leading up to the race
• Fueling/hydration execution during the race
• Pacing during the race
• Difficulty/ease of race course
• Environmental conditions on race day
• Terrain management on race day
• Type of course layout (ex. downhill running, extreme heat or cold)
• Setbacks on race day (ex. dehydration, cramping, bonking, nausea/fatigue)
• Post race nutrition, including refueling and re-hydration
• Post race sleep habits
• Post race stress
• Post race travel
• Timing of next race
• Mental state post race

Although you can not control every factor listed above, it's important to consider that your post race recovery doesn't simply include what you do (or don't do) in the 24-72 hours after a race. In addition to the muscle, tendon, bone and joint stress on the body during an endurance event, there is great stress on the heart, organs and brain. Therefore, recovery after an endurance event should not be taken lightly, nor should it be assumed that just because you complete a race that you will return to 100% health in x-days so that you can get back into training again.

Common mistakes made by athletes post-race

The 48-72 hours after an endurance event are critical for optimizing recovery. Seeing that poor sleep, poor hydration and nutrition, extreme muscle soreness and travel will all impede recovery, athletes should be aware of the consequences of returning back to training too quickly. However, doing nothing is not helpful for recovery. Considering that racing is a great stress on the human body, returning back to training too soon, without optimal recovery, may negatively affect metabolic and hormonal health, central nervous system functioning and mood, not to mention lingering fatigue. In other words, if you rush the recovery, you may dig yourself into a hole that you can't get out of for several weeks, if not months - or the rest of the season.

Here are some common mistakes made by athletes post-race: 

• Using anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation
• Not executing a rehydration and refueling strategy in the 24 hours post race
• Eating "too" healthy in the 24 hours post race
• Eating "too" unhealthy in the 24 hours post race
• Resuming "normal" training, despite being sleep deprived
• Resuming "normal" training, despite form being affected by soreness and niggles
• Being too sedentary in the 3-4 days post race
• Returning back into intense training because a race didn't go as planned (ex. didn't PR, podium, etc.)
• Returning back into intense training because a race exceeded your expectations and you are itching to get back into training for the next race
• Returning back to training because you don't know how to function in life without training
• You hate resting/recovery
• Following a fixed training plan and not listening to your body post race.

Get your body back into good health after a long-distance triathlon

You can't 100% recover in the 48 hours after an endurance event as glycogen needs to be resynthesized, hydration status needs to normalize, tissues, muscles and fibers need to heal and sleep patterns must return to normal before any type of training (for physical adaptations) is initiated. However, moving blood can certainly help to expedite the recovery process. Here are a few suggestions to help you recover from your long-distance triathlon.

• Give yourself 4-6 hours to rehydrate and refuel after the race. Understanding that it may take time for your appetite to return to normal, it's OK to eat what you crave but just be sure to eat and rehydrate with water and electrolytes. Not eating/drinking for 6-8 hours after a race is not good!
• Continue to focus on good refueling and rehydration methods for the next 48 hours with permission to indulge as you wish, within reason. By this time, you should be slowly returning to your normal eating habits, emphasizing real, wholesome food options.
• Don't sit in the car or get on an airplane in the 4-8 hours after a race. Ideally, give yourself one extra night of rest and light movement before you are forced to sit for an extended period of time, so that you have an opportunity to move your body.
• Avoid getting a massage in the 48 hours post race. Rehydrate yourself and focus on daily mobility for the next 48-72 hours. Schedule a flushing massage at least 4+ days post race.
• Consume anti-inflammatory foods, like pineapple, fish and leafy greens in the 48 hours post race.
• Wear compression (or compression boots) post race. Graduated compression socks (and not calf sleeves) will help with blood flow.
• Use a safe and muscle relaxing cream (ex. we use Mg12) on any tight/sore muscles after a race. Avoid taking any anti-inflammatories in the 48 hours post race.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages in the 48 hours post race. Avoid caffeinated beverages in the 6-8 hours before bedtime.
• Try to get yourself into a good sleep routine as soon as you can. Do not allow yourself to return back into structured training until you can get a consistent 7-8 hours of sleep without waking up throughout the night.
• To hurry the recovery process, it's advised to do something non weight bearing and very light on the body in the 24 hours after a race (if you can spin on your bike for 15 minutes in the hour after finishing a race, that would be recommended). Instead of recovering by being sedentary, try to move blood through swimming and bike riding.
• Give yourself 3 days to not follow a training plan but instead, exercise as it comes natural to you. When you have the time, go for a swim or spin but avoid setting an alarm or returning back to your structured training regime too quickly. There's plenty of time for that after you recover.
• Consider avoiding running for at least 48-72 hours. Since running is very corrosive on the body, it's advised to keep your runs short (ex. 15-60 minutes) while including walk breaks and running every other or 3rd day for the next 5-7 days (ex. if your race is on Sunday, your first run should be no earlier than Wednesday or Thursday and then for the next 5-7 days, you should be running 15-60 minutes every other day or every 3 days).
• Understand that some body parts will recover faster than others but there is deep damage inside you that you can't feel. Generally speaking, you will not make any additional training adaptations for at least a week and for the less trained/fit, it may take at least 2 weeks to fully recover so that you can begin to train for physiological gains. On the flip side, an elite or trained athlete who is on the verge of overtraining or is racing very intensely, may require 2 weeks to feel fully "healed" after a race.
• Accept that age, previous fitness and racing execution will affect your recovery. Don't compare your recovery to another athlete, focus only on yourself.
• If you can't keep good form during a workout, stop immediately. Poor/inefficient form is a sign that your body is not yet recovered and you could risk further damage or injury.
• Have fun in the 5-7 days after your race. There will be a time to push hard again. Enjoy the lower intensity workouts and having a bit more free time, as you slowly ease back into structured training.

The traveling triathlete - going international

One of my favorite things about being a triathlete is traveling for a race. Today, there are so many incredible places to visit so it's extra special when you combine a love for traveling with a love of racing. 

Traveling to another country is not a simple process. Now add in the gear for swimming, biking and running and travel can become a very overwhelming (and expensive) experience.

Over the years, Karel and I have enjoyed many incredible race-cations - Austria, Prague, Canada, Lake Placid and Kona to name a few. Here are a few tips to help you feel more prepared for your upcoming international event.

TRAVEL

• Review your passport to make sure that it won't expire when you are away. Review country requirements for travel.
• Review all airline policies for your bike (and bags) before booking your plane ticket, call the airline in advance to notify them that you will be traveling with a bike and when you arrive to the airport, have printed-out information about bike fees/sizing, etc. Arrive to the airport with extra time (at least two hours).
• Traveling with your bike is not cheap or easy so be sure you educate yourself on how to best travel with your bike to your final destination. Compare prices (and ease-of-travel) with Tri Bike Transport (if available).
• Consider how you will get to your final destination from the airport with your bike, bags and yourself and others. Rental car, bus, van, etc. Reserve modes of transportation in advance whenever possible.
• Always confirm your reservations and arrangements at least two weeks before your travel to make sure there are no mistakes made in your travel itinerary.
• Consider cost vs. ease-of-travel. Sometimes it costs a bit more for an easier travel experience. Do not expect stress free but many times you can plan for a smoother trip by paying for convenience. Budget in advance for your trip so you don't book things last-minute.
• Review your lodging arrangements. Can you eat healthy while dining out or do you have to be creative in your hotel room?
• Always allow extra time. If you think you only need 3 days to get yourself adjusted to a new time zone, give yourself 4. I also recommend to enjoy your race-cation after the race (instead of touring before the race). Give yourself a few days to explore with your family/friends after the race.
• Consider races that are family/friends-friendly so your team is not bored, with nothing to do in an isolated area, in the days leading up to the race. Having a team travel with you can be a very enjoyable experience. You can also use the extra help (ex. driving around/dropping off, cooking food, running errands, etc.) in an unfamiliar environment.
• If you (or family/friends) have dietary/health issues, be sure to be prepared by notifying airlines, lodging, etc. and reviewing/planning as much as you can, in advance.  Have all medications with you.
• Notify your bank (credit card) before you travel so that the 'foreign' charges do not cause your credit card to be frozen. Also, be sure to have a written paper of all emergency numbers to carry with you in case of an emergency. Keep a family member back at home in the loop of where you are each day.
• Make a list of what you need to bring with you as some items may not be available at your final destination (ex. nutrition, gear, etc.). Never make assumptions when you travel. Always be prepared by doing your research. 
• Don't carry all of your cash with you/in one place. Divide up your cash (but still keep on you at all times) in different places in the case you accidentally lose your wallet. 
• Consider the best places to exchange currency, instead of relying on the airport kiosk.

GEAR

• Don't forget chargers and gadgets. Make sure you are prepared for different power plugs and sockets. Don't forget a universal travel adapter. 
• Bring your most important gear items with you on the plane, instead of in your suitcase. It's recommended to have at least one set of extra clothing with you in case your luggage gets lost, as well as swim or run gear so that you can still workout when you arrive if your bike/luggage doesn't arrive with you.
• Pack sport nutrition products in your suitcase and label everything. Double bag your products in case of a spill.
• When packing, make sure to allow extra room for gifts/swag for your return trip. When considering what to bring vs. what to buy when you arrive to your final destination, factor in the exchange rate if you plan to buy something when you arrive.
• Have phone numbers available with you in the case your luggage/bike gets lost or you need to reach your accommodations. 

NUTRITION

• Stay hydrated during your travels, with water and electrolytes. 
• Bring snacks with you during travel, and a few bars (ex. Amrita protein bars - discount Trimarni) for emergency/snack situations.
• Research the typical cuisine at your final destination and nearby grocery stores.
• Be mindful of food and water safety while traveling. Consider how food is prepared when you are eating out in a new country as well as any hidden ingredients that may not be well-tolerated in your nervous/traveling belly. Wait until post race to explore a new cuisine. Depending on the water safety at your final destination, plan to have bottled water with you at all times.
• Eat mini meals every 2 hours to adjust to a new time zone instead of sticking to your normal meal schedule (or grazing throughout the entire day of travel). Do not overdo it on caffeine to stay awake during traveling. When you arrive to your final destination, try to quickly get on the new time zone. Be aware that everyone adjusts differently. Avoid mid-day naps when you arrive. It's better to go to bed early than to struggle to fall asleep.
• Try to follow a similar eating pattern (but in a new time-zone) to your regular routine in your home environment.
• Check the airline/country requirements of what you can/can't bring on to the plane (food). Always have food on you in the case of an emergency (even if you need to purchase at the airport). Never assume your travel will go smoothly without delays. 
• Be firm on your dietary needs and requirements and be confident with your food selections. If a food/meal concerns you, do not eat it. I am all for enjoying a new culture but not at the expense of a body that is not well-fueled or sick on race day. 

MAKE IT FEEL LIKE HOME

• Bring your recovery routine to the new country. Foam rollers, trigger point therapy sets, compression socks, epson salt, etc. to help you stay relaxed.
• Trust your training and your race plan. Don't second guess yourself just because you are in a new environment.
• Review weather well in advance and be prepared for anything.
• If you have a favorite sheet or a sound machine, bring it with you. Familiar is comforting.
• Bring ear plugs and an eye mask to help with restful sleeping.
• Get good sleep to help you feel relaxed and to keep the immune system functioning well.
• Review all course maps, the race week event schedule and any other race details that will give you a more enjoyable and calm race experience.
• Search out safe training environments or train with others so that you do not compromise your health/safety before your race. Use a race forum/social media page to ask questions about the best places to train in the days before the race. Look for a pool option if open water swimming is not available before your race.
• Be sure to thank your team, even if they are not with you in your final destination. Facetime/Skype, call, email - be sure to communicate with those who support you and believe in you. Don't forget to bring home lots of souvenirs for your team.
• Thank your body. You are not able to do what you love to do without your body. Even if things don't seem to go as planned (they probably won't), this doesn't mean that you are doomed for a bad race.
• Have fun!  Life is all about experiences and making memories and how cool that you get to race and travel at the same time! 

The aging athlete

This past weekend was an exciting one as there were many triathlon races occurring around the globe. In Michigan, I had three athletes (one coached and two nutrition) racing IM 70.3 Steelhead.
A big congrats to Diane, Julia and Karen for placing 5th, 3rd and 1st (respectively) in the 50-54 age group! These ladies are showing that age is just a number. Even at 50+ years of age, you can still feel fit and perform well with your body.

It's often said that every athlete will "peak" by a certain age and will then decline in speed, endurance and strength. In the mind of an athlete, you may believe that you are losing fitness and you will no longer experience success in your sport. This couldn't be more far from the truth.

One of the great aspects of triathlon is that you can start the sport later in life and still feel like you are still gaining fitness, endurance and strength. Triathlon is not a sport that rewards the young and genetically gifted.

Most of us never come close to our true fitness potential. Therefore, you can't put an age as to when your fitness will begin to decline. It's all about being smart with your training, lifestyle choices and health. And of course, "use it or lose it."

Although several physiological changes occur later in life, this doesn't mean that the aging athlete (ex. over 50 years) should stop setting goals for self-improvement.

As it relates to the fitness and performance decline that many older athletes experience, I believe the biggest mistake that aging athletes make is failing to accept that lifestyle, nutrition and training regimes need to change. You can't train, sleep, eat and recover like your 20-year old self. No longer will your body let you push hard, day after day, as it did when you were younger. There is less margin of error. Whereas a younger athlete may be able to thrive off limited sleep and a poorly planned diet, you need to be smarter when it comes to the best approaches to adapting to training stress.

As you age, you must be willing to change and adapt. For example, when it comes to training, you will only get slower if you just focus on long or aerobic training sessions. Instead, you need strength and intensity added safely into your training. The aging athlete can not compromise sleep - which is often the first to go with a busy life schedule of work and kids and extracurricular activities. Lastly, the aging athlete must constantly fine-tune the daily diet, taking into account energy expenditure, macro and micronutrient needs and fluid intake. Age-related changes in body composition, resting energy expenditure and volume/intensity/frequency of training influence how much and when you eat.

For more information on this topic, I have two past articles for your reading pleasure:

Case Study: The Proactive Senior Athlete
Nutritional needs for the older female athlete.

Greenville Endurance Triathlon Camp - recap

We recently finished our 13th group training camp. We had triathletes travel to Greenville, SC from all over the U.S. for 4.5 days of swimming, biking and running. The campers left feeling accomplished and exhausted - with new skills, knowledge, memories and friendships.

Although putting on a triathlon training camp for 15 athletes is incredibly time-consuming, stressful and exhausting, it's always a rewarding experience to see how our campers stretch comfort zones, push physical and mental limits and are open to trying new things. Most of all, we feel incredibly lucky that such incredible human beings attend our camp. Every camper is kind, supportive, humble and supportive. While there are times that we want our campers to shine and show-off their strengths, we believe that no camper ever feels too slow or too fast at our camp. It's the perfect mix of learning, working and fun.

The final stats are in and over 4.5 days, our campers accomplished.....

~4 hours of swimming

~12 hours of cycling (~12,000+ elevation feet gained on the bike)
~3.5 hours of running
Total: ~19.5 hours of training!!

This camp would not be possible without the help of our SAG support Joey (and photographer), our on-course support (and giver of positive energy) Al and our amazing assistant coach Joe (who is an expert problem-solver).

Also, a huge thank you to the following Trimarni affiliates who supported our camp with sport nutrition products for our campers to use throughout their intentional training overload: 

Infinit Nutrition
BASE Performance
Breakthrough Nutrition
Skratch Labs
CarboRocket
CLIF Bar

As a sport dietitian, I feel it’s important to align myself with a variety of companies who offer well-formulated sport nutrition drinks. By offering these products to my athletes, they can try out different products, during all types of workouts, and then decide which ones will work the best based on personal experience.

A big thanks to Mg12, AMP performance and Veronica's Health Crunch for supplying products for the camper swag bags!

Here's a quick recap of camp: 

Thursday:
AM: 90 minute OWS-specific pool swim at Furman
AM: 75-minute hill run workout
PM: 3 hour terrain management/heavy gear work bike workout

Friday:

AM: 3 hour terrain management bike + time trial

AM: 30 min brick run (race pacing)
PM: 90 min endurance focused swim + smoothies from Dane at Run In!

Saturday:
AM: 5 hour ride
AM: 30 min interval brick run

PM: Pizza party (Yum Sidewall pizza!)

Sunday:
AM: 1 hour open water swim workout
AM: 90 minute progressive interval hill run

Congrats to our campers for surviving camp!

We can't wait to see you next year!

TriWeek: Race Day Worries

With the taper-induced phantom pains and niggles and lethargy behind, you may find yourself with a bit of self-doubt, worry and anxiety with only a few nights of sleep before your triathlon race.

While it's perfectly normal to feel some stress, nerves and pressure before an important event, use that powerful energy to fire you up so it brings out the best version of yourself on race day.

Because lack of self-belief and worry can have a disastrous effect on your race day performance, here are a few tips to improve your confidence for race day:

1. Stop worrying about the uncontrollables - If you find yourself emotionally stressed out in the week or two before a big event, there's a good chance that you are dealing with a roller coaster of emotions dealing with the "what ifs". Worrying about things that are out of your control, like the weather or competition, is self sabotaging. Turn those negative thoughts into something positive so that those thoughts do not paint a bad mental picture and drain your energy before the race.
2. Stop focusing on the outcome - Too much mental energy on paces, speed. times or results can leave you emotionally drained, worried and anxious. It can also keep you from making good decisions, in the moment. Remove any extra pressure on what needs to happen as an end result and focus on the process of delivering yourself to the finish line. Remind yourself of all the tools that you have gained over the season and that a great race day performance is all about being in the moment and dealing with obstacles as they come about.
3. List your mantras - Every athlete will have low moments in a race - lots of them. There will be voices in your head that will try to convince you to slow down and maybe even quit when the going gets tough. How will you challenge these voices? What will help you take your focus off your self-doubts and refocus your mind to get you to a positive state of flow? By repeating a powerful statement to yourself over and over again in your mind, you'll find yourself pushing through these low moments and getting through the low moments of racing.
4. Reflect on your journey - Look at your individual journey to see how far you've come. Don't compare yourself with anyone else. Remember that time when you couldn't do what you can do now? Or when you completed that tough workout that you didn't think was possible? What obstacles did you have to overcome to get to the start line? Focus on the highlighted moments instead of dwelling on what should have or could have been.
5. Mental preparation - Picture yourself at various points during the race and work through all types of scenarios - the good and the bad. Look at course maps, videos and pictures to help you put images to places on the course. And don't forget to visualize yourself crossing the finish line.
6. Focus on what you can control - Take care of yourself. Don't worry about anyone else. Focus on what you can control such as your gear and equipment, your sleep, nutrition and hydration as well as your thoughts. Surround yourself with energy givers, not energy suckers and avoid forums/media that cause self-doubt, worry or stress.
7. Have fun - Remind yourself that this is just a hobby. Your self-worth and athletic worthiness is not determined by one race. Enjoy being on the roller coaster of emotions as it's your body's way of preparing you for action. Make sure to remind yourself why you signed up for this event and how special it will be to cross that finish line. Don't let your nerves and worries suck the fun out of racing. Focus on what you can control, trust your training, visualize success, mentally prepare yourself and don't forget to have fun.

TriWeek: Running Tips

Running is the most convenient sport of triathlon - you can do it anywhere, anytime. 

Running is the most cost effective sport of triathlon.

Running is the sport where you will likely experience a big endorphin-rush.
Running is a way to relieve stress.
Running is a way to get outside.
Running is familiar to most triathletes - either from road racing (ex. 5K, half marathon, marathon) or running for fitness.
Running is a way to change the body composition.

Running is the sport where most triathletes feel there is much room for improvement.

Running is the sport where most triathletes experience GI distress.

Running is the sport that is most remembered at the end of a triathlon.
Most triathlon performances are defined by the run portion.

Most triathletes feel they need to run harder or longer to run better off the bike. 

Many triathletes feel that if they lost weight, they'd be a better runner.

Running has the greatest risk for injury.

Based on the above, triathletes have a strong emotional component to running. Because of this, athletes put a great amount of extra attention into run training - feeling like they always need to run more (harder or faster).

Interestingly, great runners rarely make great triathletes. Because the sport of triathlon is swimbikerun, you need to train in a way that makes you a better triathlete. To run well off the bike, you need to be strong on the swim and bike and most importantly, you need to be efficient and strong on the run. Instant of putting the focus into running distance or speed, you need to learn how to hold good running technique as you get tired/fatigued.

Training to become a faster runner does not mean that you'll become a better runner off the bike. Therefore, your run training must train you in a way that allows you to tolerate the demands of running on tired legs. Therefore, your ability to run well off the bike is not determined by how fast you can run but how well you can resist fatigue.

Sadly, there's no secret strategy for preparing for a perfect run off the bike. There are many variables that can affect running performance, like the terrain, weather, fit on the bike and swim environment. Nerves and mental toughness can also impact the run. Many successful triathletes have had incredible race day performances despite feeling horrible on the run.

Because running off the bike is extremely demanding (some triathletes are better at it than others), you want to think of ways that you can improve your potential to run well off the bike on race day.

To help reduce your risk of injury, train more consistently and improve the chance of running well off the bike, here are some workout suggestions to break you from the bad habit of just running for distance and/or pace/time. 

1. Speed work - Fast running does mean faster running off the bike. Fast running is a recipe for injury. However, this doesn't mean that triathletes shouldn't include speed work in training. Short intensity efforts (ex. strides) will help active fast twitch muscle fibers and strengthen the glutes and the muscles in the feet. It's important that the distance (and intensity) is not great enough that you would risk poor form, which would increase the risk for injury. Speed can also be incorporated into a brick or long run, to help you learn how to run well with tired legs.
   
2. Long runs - It's important for triathletes to accumulate running volume, but there are many ways to do so. You "long" run should be safe for your body, at your current level of fitness. Ultimately, for your run training to pay off, you need to be consistent. There's little benefit of running more than 2.5 hours at one time as the longer you run, the more time you need to recover from that run. The goal is to train with the least amount of training stress, while making the most performance gains. Instead, it's better to think about what happens within a long run. Progressive running, brick runs, double runs and back-to-back running days can all help to build running endurance, in a safe and productive way.
   
3. Easy runs - Running easy does not mean running slow. It's important to learn how to run at an effort that costs as little energy as possible (less stress on the joints, muscles and heart). Most triathletes have two speeds when it comes to running - tempo and hard. When asked to run easy, it feels impossible - this is because the athlete has never learned how to run with good running economy at an easy effort. Don't make the mistake of making 80% of your runs at 80% effort and higher. You'll become a faster runner by learning to run easy. Work on controlling breathing/heart rate without being tied to running a certain pace.
   
4. Hills - Hill workouts offer a strength component of running. Hills also force you to run with good form as you don't have to work for the propulsion like you would on the track/flat road, despite having a high heart rate. Running on hills will make you a stronger athlete, preparing you for the demands of triathlon running.
   
5. Frequency running - To reduce the risk for injury, but to train enough to improve resilience and endurance, it's important to run often - but not too much. It's not about how many miles you run but how those miles add up. Running somewhere between 4-5 times per week can help with running economy as you have several opportunities to run easy, with good form and also a few times to tax the system with hills and intensity. By breaking up your long runs into two runs in one day, incorporating walk breaks in your runs, running off the bike or running a few days in a row (and then with a day off from running) can help you safely adapt to running, while minimizing the risk for injury. Most of all, you have to figure out the right prescription for your body so that you can be consistent with your triathlon training.
   
6. Other workouts - Your bike and swim workouts can help you become a better runner. Running more doesn't make you a better swimmer. Swimming is a great way to build endurance while giving your land legs time to recover. By placing non-weight bearing load on your body, you can build endurance, strength and power - which will transfer to your running. Strength training will also help stabilize your muscles to improve balance and posture. 

Knowing that running is where most triathletes get injured, it's important to be smart with your run training. The body can only manage so much training stress - be wise with how you place that stress on your body so that you can be consistent with your swimbikerun training. 

TriWeek: Cycling Tips

The bike portion of a triathlon represents the majority of your overall racing time. However, most athletes look to the run as the area where significant improvements in fitness need to be made. But to run to your potential, you must consider what precedes the run - the swim and the bike.

When it comes to training for the cycling portion of a triathlon, we can't see the bike as a time trial event. If you are simply seeking a personal best time/power wattage/speed, you are likely overbiking. On the flip side, if you simply "save your legs" on the bike because you are worried about running out of energy for the run, you'll underbike.

To deliver a strong race day bike, you must train to do so. Instead of putting all of your focus on FTP, TSS, IF or average power watts, consider the following that will have a huge impact on your cycling and running abilities:

• Posture and form
• Skills/bike handling
• Pedaling mechanics
• Terrain management
• Fueling/hydration
• Pacing

To become a better triathlon cyclist, the first thing you must learn to do is learn how to ride your bike well. If you are afraid to reach for your water bottle cages or if you don't know how to change your gears on variable terrain, all that indoor training to improve your FTP will not show when you ride outside. If you are athletically uncomfortable on your bike or afraid to ride hills or around other cyclists, this will likely cost you a lot of mental energy. If you are unable to make tactical decisions with your posture, pedal stroke, pacing or terrain management - especially when you are fatigued - you'll finish the bike feeling exhausted. It's important for your safety and overall cycling enjoyment to improve your cycling skills and terrain management. 

Here are a few components to master to help you become a better triathlon cyclist:

1. Resilience - Because of the corrosive nature of running, use your bike training to become a stronger athlete. Strengthen your muscles, your aerobic system and mental toughness through your bike training. This will pay off with a stronger body to run well off the bike. This means - ride your bike often. Let your (specific) bike training make up at least 40-50% of your overall weekly training volume. While there's nothing wrong with going out and riding your bike, it's important to make sure that your workouts are helping you become a stronger and more economical rider.
   
2. Pedaling mechanics - Learn how to ride your bike well. A smoother pedal stroke makes for improved riding efficiency. Workouts should include riding at variable cadences (fast and slow cadences) at different intensities.
   
3. Posture - Don't overlook the importance of a proper bike fit. Your position on the bike should allow you to ride efficiently with a wide or open hip angle so you can make smooth pedal strokes. Your bike fit should take into consideration of how your load is distributed from your aerobars/elbow pads, pedals and saddle. With the right fit, you'll ride stronger and faster. When you ride, you should be an active participant in what you are doing. Stay engaged, attentive and aware of the decisions you are making as you ride your bike. Learn how to stay relaxed but also aerodynamically efficient. Learn how to sit up and stand while you are riding - don't assume that staying aero is the "best" position to stay in for your entire triathlon bike portion.
   
4. Neuromuscular firing - Muscle fibers receive messages from the brain. Train in a way where you have to think about what you are doing instead of just pedaling at one effort, with one specific cadence and at one specific riding style.
   
5. Fueling and hydration - Master your fueling/hydration in training so that you are well prepared for the demands of race day. What you take in during the bike will impact your run.
   
6. Enjoyment - To improve your bike fitness, you need to ride relaxed. If you are scared or tense, you will not ride your bike well. You want to feel safe and confident on your bike. To improve your comfort on two wheels, practice, practice, practice your skills. 

Helpful Cycling Drills

• Specific cadence drills -
  Workout main set example: 3 x 12 minutes as (2 minutes at 55rpm, 100+ rpm, 65 rpm, 100+ rpm, 75+ rpm, 100 rpm). 3 minute EZ spin (choice cadence) between.
  
• Standing Drills (must be done outside) - learning how to shift your weight and to take the load off your quads.
  
• Heavy Gear -
  Workout main set example: 2 x 20 minutes at 50-60 rpm - all at moderate effort.
  
• Fast pedaling/high cadence -
  Workout main set example: 8 x 30 sec at 100+ rpm (strong effort) w/ 90 sec EZ between (but keeping a smooth pedal stroke)
  
• Single leg drills -
  Workout main set example: 4 rounds of (30 sec right leg, 30 sec left leg, 90 sec normal pedaling)
  
• Figure 8's, u-turns, cornering (must be done outside) - Perform in an empty parking lot. 

For most triathletes, there is a big disconnect between fitness and skills. While you can develop great fitness through indoor training, you must have the outdoor skills to transfer your indoor fitness to the outdoors. Your biggest room for improvement will come through smart bike training (not from more/harder running). By learning how to ride your bike better, you'll ride faster and run better off the bike.

TriWeek: Swimming Tips

It's National Triathlon Week!

National Triathlon Week is an initiative created by USA Triathlon to celebrate multisport and all its constituency groups. "National Triathlon Week is a celebration of not only triathletes, but all members of the multisport community, including officials, coaches, race directors, families and friends of triathletes and more."

On behalf of Triweek, I'll be sharing some information on each sport (swim, bike, run) to help you make the most of your triathlon training journey. If you are new to the sport (or thinking about training for a triathlon), I hope you find this information helpful.

                                                 -------------------------------------------------

Without a doubt, a pool offers a very controlled, safe and consistent swimming environment.

Add in 1000+ athletes in the open water and you have a very different situation compared to pool swimming.

As a triathlete, you must remember that your swim training should be preparing you for open water swimming. You are not a competitive swimmer - you are a triathlete. Your race day swim will last between 10 minutes to 2 hours (depending on the distance) and when you are finished swimming, you need to have the energy to bike and run (knowing that as the race continues, you'll be experiencing more fatigue). Because of the unpredictable and uncomfortable nature of open water swimming, it's important to equip yourself with the proper technique and fitness that will help you swim efficiently and confidently on race day.  

1. Improve your body posture in the water. If you did not grow up as a swimmer, you likely struggle to "hold" yourself in the water. In other words, it takes a great amount of extra energy just to position your body in the water so that you don't sink. Unlike land sports, where gravity helps you hold your posture, in the water, you are not familiar with your body weight. Once you are in the water, you weigh about 10% of what you do on land. It’s no surprise that when you are in the water, you expend a lot of extra energy in your legs (kicking) to help you stay afloat. Because of poor body posture, there's a good chance that you are dragging yourself through the water, making swimming extremely exhausting. As an example, think about how easy it feels to swim when you have on your buoyancy shorts, a wetsuit or a pull buoy. The buoy or buoyancy garment is helping you achieve good posture in the water. But remove the added buoyancy and you lose that good posture in the water and swimming suddenly feels more difficult This has less to do with your swimming fitness and more to do with your swimming posture. 
2. Tautness - When you look at a "fast" swimmer, they are usually stiff and firm. Most triathlon swimmers are soft and floppy in the water. Tautness in your core and torso is what helps you swim more efficiently in the water, helping you conserve energy. Once you learn how to swim with a “stiff” or taut body, it will be easier to achieve good posture in the water, helping you swim faster (less drag) with less energy expended.
3. Improve your body alignment - When you swim, proper alignment helps you swim through the water with the least amount of resistance possible. Without good alignment, errors occur in your stroke. If your body is anything but aligned (ex. noodly, scissor kicking, crossing your arms over the midline of the body), you create an excessive amount of drag and you must expend more energy than needed to move through the water. It's important to avoid excessive movements that are preventing you from staying in a straight line. 

TRIATHLON POOL TOOLS

As it relates to your swimming fitness and technique, the greatest benefit you'll receive is through the use of pool tools. Many newbie triathletes try to master perfect swim technique, similar to a competitive pool swimmer. However, gliding, rolling and a slow arm cadence will not help you in the open water. 

Swimming tools are not crutches (or cheating). Every tool has a purpose and each tool is designed to help you improve your body position, tautness and alignment in the water for more efficient open water, triathlon specific swimming. I've been swimming competitively for over 20 years and I use the same pool tools as Karel, who has only been swimming since 2012.

Whereas you may not feel the benefit of using the pool tool immediately, the goal of using the tool is to help you swim better without the tool. In open water, you have no walls to rest on, no black line to follow and you have to navigate yourself through waves, chop and current, as well as hundreds of other swimming bodies. Your pool tools will help you become a better triathlon swimmer. 

• Ankle strap - The ankle strap/band/lock is an effective method to force you to be “taut” in the water. By eliminating the use of your legs, requiring you to keep a more taught/stiff body with your core, you are forced to use your upper body to move you through the water without the use of your lower body. If you have poor body position in the water and struggle to keep a taut body position, you will likely find it impossible (and exhausting) to swim with the strap as you feel like your feet are dragging on the pool bottom. With time, by using the ankle strap (and a small buoy or buoyancy shorts for a helpful lift), your body position and tautness will improve.  The ankle strap will also minimize excessive hip rotation. A higher cadence and stronger catch will also increase your propulsion through the water – which is the most efficient way to swim as a triathlete (propulsion should not come from kicking!). 
• Pull buoy - To help with your body position, a pull buoy is a tool, not a crutch. Therefore, anytime you swim with the buoy, you want to feel how the buoy is lifting your body in the water. As you swim with the buoy, you’ll find it easier to keep your head, hips and feet in a straight line and your legs and hips will not swing from side to side with every stroke. The buoy is also a tool to "rest" your legs while requiring you to use more of your upper body (which is what you need for more efficient open water swimming).  Let the buoy be an aid to developing better form in the pool and don’t hesitate to use the buoy when you feel tired in the water, when form suffers. Keep the buoy between your thighs. Another way to give your body a lift without restricting your legs is through buoyancy shorts. 
• Snorkel – A snorkel is a training tool that helps you focus on technique without the disruption of moving your head. The snorkel also allows you to focus on all of the components of your stroke without needing to turn your head to breath. Many stroke flaws, like scissor kicking, crossing your hands in front of the body and swinging hips occur when you turn your head to breath. The snorkel allows you to correct specific flaws while also building fitness in the water.  I suggest to use a nose clip if you feel like you are suffocating with just the snorkel. If you normally do flip turns, you can do an open turn with the snorkel, if needed. 
• Paddles – Paddles offer a strength component to swimming. They should not be viewed as a way to swim faster. You want to think of the paddle as an extension of your forearm position. We have our athletes use three different types of paddles for each provides a different tool for the job to help with your arm mechanics and catch.  For example, the FINIS agility paddles do not have a strap, which forces you to have a palm positive hand position to correct incorrect technique when your hand enters the water and pulls through the stroke. Paddles should be small (the size of your hand) and should be used wisely as poor form with a paddle can cause shoulder issues. 
• Fins – Sure, you may feel super fast with fins but when used properly, they are designed to help you with fluency. Fins help you move through the water with a rhythm, providing less work for your lower body as you focus on your upper body mechanics.  Do not overkick when using fins. And to avoid cramping, you need to kick from your hips and not from your knees, feet or calves. Think of the fins as an extension of your legs, with the kick coming from your hips. Fins will also help you work on ankle flexibility. Fins can help you learn how to drive your kick from your hips and not from the knee. Fins are also helpful when performing drills (ex. single arm drills).  Kicking is important but it doesn’t propel you forward as an open water swimmer/triathlete. Save your legs for the land! If you cramp with fins, this may be a sign that you tense your calf or feet muscles when you kick. Also if you run before you swim, you are more likely to cramp. Make sure to warm-up your ankles and feet before you swim and be sure to relax your feet, calves and legs when you kick lightly in the water.  

Triathlon swimming take-away tips: 

• Swim frequently (3-5 times per week) and consistently throughout the entire year. Stay accountable to your swim training. 
• Be patient. Swimming is a technique driven sport. It's takes a lot of practice. 
• When you are tired from running and biking, you'll feel it the most in the pool. Don't get frustrated when you form feels off. 
• Incorporate swim "bricks" where you swim and run or swim and then bike to get yourself use to transferring from the horizontal swim position to being more upright. 
• Make every swim workout purposeful - with a specific warm-up, pre-set and main set to get the most out of your time in the pool. Avoid non-stop, continuous swimming "workouts" as you'll only teach yourself how to swim with poor form due to fatigue. 
• Stay present, focused and dedicated to each swim session. You need a clear pathway so you know where you are going with your swim training.
• Your swim training should first focus on your body position. Next comes the strength/propulsion component. Then comes specificity to prepare you mentally and physically for the open water. Focus less on gaining speed or trying to achieve a certain distance for each swim but instead, focus on swimming efficiently and effectively so that you can become swimfit for the open water. 

SIPE and Triathlon Swimming - what you need to know

A year ago, we experienced something incredibly scary as we had a coached athlete suffer from SIPE (Swimming induced pulmonary edema) during the swim portion of IM 70.3 St. George. Thankfully, he survived. Other triathletes, sadly, have not been so lucky. He is an experienced and fit triathlete so this was a big shock for us all. The water temp was in the low 60's and he was wearing a wetsuit. He didn't have a warm-up in the water. After entering the water, he started out with his effort and quickly felt tightness in his chest. He mentioned he felt a similar tightness (but not as severe) on the day before the race during a pre-race practice swim. He started to cough severely and noticed pink phlegm coming from his cough - he was able to get to a kayak to rest. He tried to swim to the next kayak but was getting weaker. He finally exited the water and went to medical. The med tent didn't take his BP after the event but he later followed up with his doctor. All was ok with his heart but we learned a few things from this.

"While the exact pathophysiology of SIPE remains uncertain, it is believed to be related to exertion, immersion in cold water, and overhydration. The body's normal response to exercise is to increase cardiac output to meet the increased oxygen demand. Although an increased cardiac output is known to cause pulmonary edema in racehorses, this increase is rarely enough to produce such an effect in humans. Cold-water immersion is instrumental in this process because the peripheral vasculature constricts to divert blood away from the extremities in an effort to maintain the core body temperature. This results in a central pooling of blood, leading to an increased preload, increased pulmonary artery pressure, and an increased cardiac output. The vasoconstriction also causes an increase in afterload, which leads to an increase in pulmonary vasculature resistance. The increased cardiac output from exertional activities coupled with an increased preload and afterload from immersion appear to be sufficient to rupture the pulmonary capillary membranes, thus resulting in pulmonary edema. In several documented cases of SIPE, it has been noted that the patients consumed anywhere from two to four liters of water in the hours leading up to their swim in an effort to remain well hydrated. It is believed that this degree of hydration led to a fluid overload that contributed to the onset of pulmonary edema by increasing the pulmonary capillary pressure. Patients may present with symptoms, such as cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, tachypnea, and confusion with hypoxia, after exertional cold water activity such as swimming and scuba diving."

First off, triathletes need to take the swim portion seriously. This includes race day tactics and swim training preparation. Far too many triathletes don't train appropriately (or enough) to be prepared for the open water. For most developing triathlon swimmers, you need to learn how to swim at different intensities in the (with proper open water techniques), have more practice in the open water, know your abilities when you start the swim portion of the race and understand the demands of your swim course (ex. waves, currents, etc.).

We need every triathlon to offer a practice swim on the morning of the race. Not only does this provide a sport-specific warm-up but it gives athlete time to acclimate to the water and to adjust swim gear to the right fit/comfort. But to be honest, even when a practice swim is allowed, most triathletes don't take advantage of this practice swim because they don't want to be wet or they want to save their energy for the actual race. At IM 70.3 FL, there is a pool at the race venue. This year, I would guess there were no more than 50 total triathletes in that pool in the 90 minutes that the pool was open before the start of the race. You want to prepare your heart for the effort of the swim before you actually start swimming. 

I am strongly against the use of "boosters" before a race - caffeine, energy drinks, etc. There is so much anxiety and stress from swimming alone and the added stress on the heart is not worth it. Triathletes need to create a go-to warm-up strategy before the race - something that is familiar and well-practiced. This can help ease nerves and reduce anxiety. 
There's so much emphasis on sodium before a race that many athletes are overdoing it on pre-load and salt pills in an attempt to off-set the effects of dehydration. However, a hyper-hydration style beverage (or pills) may predispose an athlete to SIPE due to the potential of retaining excessive fluid. This will be worse if an athlete already has high blood pressure. SIPE is connected to a quick increase in blood pressure.  

Although a wetsuit can be to blame, many triathletes feel more comfortable swimming in a wetsuit due to the buoyancy. However, triathletes need to practice in the wetsuit (at race intensities) to ensure it's the right fit (and race intensities are realistic). Gerry Rodrigues did a great discussion on his Tower 26 podcast on finding the right wetsuit. 

Things to consider: 

• Many athletes go into races overly hydrated - an increase in body fluid is not a good thing. 
• Abrupt cold water exposure and/or compression of the wetsuit can push fluids to the core. I advise athletes to use a bottle of water to pour down the wetsuit and try to get wet before the race so the water is not a shock to the body when you can't warm-up in the water. 
• Athletes who already have high BP can experience a further increase in BP at the race start - causing fluid in the lungs (similar to flash pulmonary edema). 
• Interestingly, even though research has shown cardiac issues among elite athletes, I will generalize and say that swimming related deaths appear more common in the less experienced and in males. Instead of making assumptions of the risk of death in the triathlon swim, it would be beneficial if we could better understand more about the background of the athlete who passed away. For example, did this person have a preexisting heart condition, was she/he wearing a wetsuit for the first time, is she/he on any medications/drugs, what was the nutrition like on race day morning, was she/he stressed before the race, what type of training did she/he do on race week, etc.? This additional information may help us further prevent or reduce the risk of future triathlon swimming deaths. 

What can we do to reduce the risk:

• Start slow in the water - give yourself time to warm-up and get breathing under control before taking your first stroke. 
• No more than 30 ounce water on race morning.
• Get a medical exam (as comprehensive as possible) before a race (or before training for a race). 
• Fuel and hydrate appropriately - don't restrict, don't overdo it either. 
• Take training and racing very seriously. Long distance triathlon should not be seen as the new "marathon" but as an extreme endurance event that comes with great risk. 
• Choose races appropriately - consider the water temperature, water environment (ex. chop, current, etc.) and how you will prepare for your open water swim (can you do practice swims in similar conditions)?
• Test out your wetsuit several times in advance - in the pool and open water. 
• Take your health (and swimming ability) seriously. 

Additional reading:SIPE
Triathlon swim deaths
Management
Diagnosis review
Risk factors

DEXA Body Composition Testing - Review (and results)

Several weeks ago I was contacted via email by someone from a company who asked if I was interested in receiving a complimentary DEXA Scan (along with Karel) in return of a review. As you may know, I am not a fan of the scale and I never weigh myself. Considering all that makes up your body, your body weight can’t accurately be told by a number on the bathroom or BMI scale. But this doesn't stop far too many athletes from daily or weekly scale weighing - often feeling like the scale runs or ruins the day.

A DEXA Scan is a reliable, gold-standard way to precisely measure body composition (I discussed this in my book Essential Sports Nutrition). DEXA stands for dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.  More than just a weight, a DEXA Scan tells you what you are made up of - muscle, fat and bone. You can see muscle asymmetry, visceral fat and bone density.

For the athlete with excessive body fat, weight loss may improve health and sport performance. However to pressure from society, coaches and social media, it’s not uncommon for many athletes to have body image struggles, feeling like the body should always look differently. Because many athletes resort to unsafe weight loss methods and strategies when feeling “fat”, the first step in a weight loss program is to gather baseline information of your current body composition – what are you made of? Your bathroom scale does not tell you what you are made of - it only tells you a number.

Understanding body composition 
Your body weight is made of two parts: body fat and lean body mass.

Body fat can be divided into two types; essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is stored in organs, like the heart, lungs, spleen, kidneys, intestines and liver, as well as in muscle tissue, the central nervous system and bone marrow. Although a small amount stored in the body, the body requires this type of fat for bodily processes. Essential fat is very important for your overall health. Women have more essential fat than men for child-bearing purposes. Essential fat is also needed for hormone related functions.

Storage fat (the more familiar fat) consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue. Subcutaneous fat helps to protect the skeletal structure and to conserve body heat. Visceral fat (or abdominal fat) lies just beneath the skin surface. An excessive amount of visceral fat has been linked to health issues. It's important to know your android fat level and gynoid fat level (and ratio) for metabolic health. Gynoid fat storage (pear shape) is common in women as this fat is stored primarily around the hips and thighs. This storage is often seen as healthy for child bearing. Android fat (apple shape) is stored in the midsection, predominately in the abdomen, but can be also be found in the chest and upper arms. This type of fat is consistently shown to place people at a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, hormonal issues and more. Knowing the distribution of fat in your body can be helpful to monitor health risks and to minimize health issues later in life. Because a DEXA scan measures different types of fat in every region of your body (even your head!), the ratio of android to gynoid fat (A/G ratio) is something to monitor. You want this ratio below 1.0.

Lean body mass is everything that is not fat. Your bathroom scale doesn't know how much of your body is lean vs. fat. For example, your scale doesn't tell you the weight of your bones, organs, muscles, fluid, ligaments and tendons. More so, if your body composition is changing, your weight won't tell you why it's changing - is it more/less fluid, more/less muscle, more/less fat, more/less bone?

When we think of words like lean, fat or overweight, what do those words really mean? For example, according to a height and weight table, I may be classified as normal weight (but on the high end), but this table doesn't take into account my muscle mass and bone density. And although excess body fat can have an impact on your overall health, you do need body fat for important bodily functions.

If you are concerned or interested in your body composition, I highly encourage you to ditch the scale and get a DEXA scan. The DEXA Scan website will help you find the nearest location (and pricing) to get your body composition tested. Although not every center with a DEXA scan is listed on this website, it's a good starting place. The average price of a DEXA scan varies from $50-150 (on average). I'd say that's extremely reasonable, considering all the information you receive and the ease of the test. It only takes ~6-8 minutes for the machine to run the scan on you - while laying down - and you immediately get your results right after the test.

Because a DEXA scan tells you a tremendous amount of information about your body composition, here are some practical applications from the analysis of your body composition:

• If you feel the need to change your body composition, you should know exactly what you are made of before attempting to change your diet or exercise regime. And because you can't target your fat loss or spot reduce, even if you try to build muscle or reduce body fat, repeated testing (ex. every 3 months) can show you trends over time after establishing a baseline - particularly, how your body composition has changed over time. This will also emphasize the fact that healthy and sustainable body composition changes can not be quickly achieved, especially through extreme exercise or strict eating methods. Far too many athletes overexercise and undereat for the reasons of wanting to weigh less to perform better. If you are serious about changing your body composition, you need a very specific program/approach that will help you achieve your goals (ex. decrease body fat, increasing muscle) without compromising your health, performance and quality of life. And because body composition changes don't guarantee performance improvements, your primary focus for changing body composition should be for health reasons - not aesthetics. 

• Although a DEXA scan is not a bone density exam, it does give you a general overview of your bone strength. As an athlete, you should be very concerned about this number. A high bone density (higher Z-score), means strong, healthy bones. Interestingly, a DEXA scan may tell you about  imbalances, that may have resulted in (or predispose you to) an injury. This information may help your PT/trainer better understand the exercises that you need to be doing to rehab appropriately (after an injury) or to reduce the risk of an injury. For example, in the DEXA scan, you can see the difference between your right side and left side bone density. A large imbalance may indicate a muscle imbalance from a past muscle injury or an injury waiting to happen.
• Body weight is a sensitive topic and many athletes are trying to avoid the scale for that reason. I agree - the scale is not a good indicator of your self-worth, athletic talents or overall health. Because poor body image can lead to obsessive behaviors (ex. eating/exercising), a DEXA scan may give you reassurance and satisfaction that your body is actually in great health. I feel there's something extremely powerful in knowing exactly what you are made of - it also shows you how incredible your body is because of all that it's made of. Plus, if you have recently gained or lost weight, you want to be assured that it's the "right" kind of weight. For example, you could avoid carbohydrates for a few days and lose a lot of water weight. Your weight may be lower but your weight loss likely didn't come from fat. 

Karel and I found this experience to be very enlightening. We never obsess about our weight/body image and our eating habits are not regimented or strict. The information we received from our scans was more about knowing what we are made of, instead of feeling like we need to use this information to make changes. We don't plan on making any changes with our diet (or training) to change our body composition for we are both healthy, performing well and enjoy our current style of eating/training. Plus, we feel our body composition  naturally changes throughout the season based on our ability to adapt to training stress and recover between sessions. We also know that serious health issues can occur from getting too lean (the body gets weaker, not faster). And seeing that it's only June and we still have over three more months of Ironman specific training, we don't want to jeopardize our health in favor of attempting a leaner body composition.

Here is a recap of our body composition analysis from the Lovelace Family Medicine Center in Prosperity, SC. 

KAREL

Age: 42
Weight (weighed with shoes and clothes on, I feel this should have been a naked weight): 145.0 lb
Height (shoes on - I feel they should have taken our shoes off): 67.5 inches
Body fat percentage: 12.4%
Android: 13%
Gynoid: 13.6%
Android/Gynoid ratio: .96 
L Arm: 10.7% fat
R Arm: 11.3% fat
L leg: 12.9% fat
R leg: 12.2% fat
Head: 21.7%
Z score: 0.1
T score: 0.1
(a score of -1.0 or above is normal bone density. A score between -1.0 and -2.5 means low bone density or osteopenia and -2.5--4 is osteoporosis. A T-score is your bone density compared to what is normally expected in a healthy young adult of your sex. Your Z-score is the number of standard deviations above or below what's normally expected for someone of your sex, age, weight, ethnic or racial origin). 
L Arm: 0.950 BMD (bone mineral density, the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue)
R Arm: 0.997 BMD
L Ribs: 0.736 BMD
R Ribs: 0.639 BMD
T Spine: 0.887 BMD
L Spine: 1.093 BMD
Pelvis: 1.205 BMD
L Leg: 1.251 BMD
R Leg: 1.254 BMD

MARNI

Age: 37
Weight (weighed with shoes and clothes on, I feel this should have been a naked weight): 114.0 lb
Height (shoes on - I feel they should have taken our shoes off but I'll take the height increase :): 61.5 inches
Body fat percentage: 17.1%
Android: 13.9%
Gynoid: 23.2%
Android/Gynoid ratio: .60 
L Arm: 16.5% fat
R Arm: 14.3% fat
L leg: 21.3% fat
R leg: 19.5% fat
Head: 21.3%
Z score: 0.5
T score: 0.8
(a score of -1.0 or above is normal bone density. A score between -1.0 and -2.5 means low bone density or osteopenia and -2.5--4 is osteoporosis.)
L Arm: 0.794 BMD (bone mineral density, the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue)
R Arm: 0.842 BMD
L Ribs: 0.571 BMD
R Ribs: 0.632 BMD
T Spine: 0.966 BMD
L Spine: 1.212 BMD
Pelvis: 1.078 BMD
L Leg: 1.128 BMD
R Leg: 1.148 BMD

Although athletes tend to have lower body fat percentages, extremely low body fat can pose health issues - for men and women. When it comes to seeing where you stack-up with your body composition compared to someone else, be mindful that your body is unique. We must keep in mind that there an extreme variability of body shapes, sizes, heights, bone structure, genetics, weight and fat and muscle distributions. No two bodies are the same so it's not worth comparing your body composition (or image) to that of another athlete. Two athletes, each with 15% body fat can look extremely different. You can also be very fit at different body fat percentages. You can also be extremely lean but in poor health. This is why it's also important to never assume that weight loss will result in performance gains. Through DEXA testing, you can see how your body is put together and what you are made of. It's up to you if you want to do anything with that information.

Final thoughts....we found this process informative. I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to see how strong and healthy my body is in the inside and to see what I am really made of. Because athletes can become so overly focused on body image, make sure you are spending your energy in the right place - to become a stronger, healthier and better athlete. Performance gains don't come quickly and you should never make assumptions that lean = fit. Strive to be in great health and don't tie your happiness, confidence and self-worth to an image or body composition.

If you are interested in getting your body composition tested, you can use this link, DEXA Scan, to find your nearest location. 

I was not paid to write this post and all thoughts/feedback are my own. In return of this blog post, I received two complimentary DEXA Scan tests at a location of my choice. The closest location per the DEXA Scan website was ~90 minutes away. The test was performed on June 4th, 2019. 

5 weeks until IM Canada - update

This isn't my first rodeo of training for an Ironman but life has presented me with an incredible opportunity to take my training up a notch with the professional guidance of my coach, Cait Snow (with the JD crew). Having already qualified for the Ironman World Championship at IMWI last September, this upcoming Ironman is an opportunity for me to remember what it's like to race an Ironman. While I have processed-driven goals for the race (which are keeping me motivated, patient and disciplined with my training), I have no time goals. With ~8,000 feet of elevation gained on the bike and unpredictable weather, my goal is to simply put together a race with the fitness that I've accumulated over the past 8 months and to cross the finish line feeling like I made good decisions for all 140.6 miles.

With my 15th Ironman distance triathlon approaching in just 41 days, I thought this would be a good time to share some feedback on this Ironman journey.

HEALTH
My health is the most important thing to me. Therefore, in order to ensure that my health isn't compromised by my training, I keep the communication going with my coach. She knows when I'm predicting my menstrual cycle each month, I leave detailed feedback on my execution of the workout, weather and any niggles/concerns in Training Peaks for every workout and if I have a concern, I text or email her. I also don't neglect the things that I can do between training sessions to ensure that I can perform well and recover well between sessions. I sleep between 8-9 hours a night, I eat before every training session, I use sport nutrition for every training session, I have some type of recovery snack/meal after every training session. I've learned that I can not neglect daily mobility so I make sure to spend at least 5-10 minutes before every run workout on mobility and strength for my hips/glutes and I spend 5-10 minutes on hip exercises from my PT before bed. I try to get a massage once a month but sometimes it's twice if I am feeling extra tight - prehab is worth the investment over rehab. I've also had several dry needling sessions which I feel really helps my tight spots. There's nothing magic or secret about keeping my body in good health - it's just the daily decisions that add up to optimal health  - otherwise, when these little things are neglected, health becomes compromised. I still get my period on a monthly basis, I have not been sick in well over a decade and I haven't had an injury since 2013. I have my share of niggles but in knowing my body, I've managed to keep something minor from turning into something major. This comes with experience as in the past, I wasn't so good at listening to my body. I feel extremely fit, healthy and strong. I do love this feeling but I know it takes a lot of work, commitment and effort and it's not something I take for granted. I constantly remind myself that I only have today - tomorrow is not guaranteed.

DIET
Nothing has changed here. I'm still a lacto-ovo vegetarian (been one for the past 27 years) and my diet consists primarily of real food. With the more frequent training and longer training sessions, I don't see my diet as Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and snacks between but instead, I'm constantly focused on eating to keep my calories up. I incorporate more processed foods like granola, pretzels, salty chips and fig newtons as they are more energy dense foods to compliment the many nutrient dense foods in my diet. I'm a great water drinker, I salt my food and I don't believe in off-limit food. I don't weigh myself or worry about what I look like but instead, I'm focused on how my body performs so food is my nourishment and fuel. Some meals are thrown together pretty quickly but I still enjoy cooking on a daily basis.

TRAINING
I wish I could give a typical training week but my training varies each week. I do a lot of repeated workouts that are familiar and sometimes there will be a minor tweak in distance or effort. Most of my workouts are at or below threshold and if the workout is intense, it's typically short in duration for the interval/workout. So in other words, I don't find my training as "too hard" to complete. The biggest thing is training through fatigue. This requires me to be constantly in-tune with my body and to also trust the training that my coach has planned for me. There are easy sessions built in so I make sure to keep these sessions easy so I can go hard when needed. I am not a slave to my metrics so I use them for guidance. Most of all, training is fun for me. It's an escape from my busy life and I remind myself that training is something I "get" to do - not have to do. When I train, I love it. I feel grateful and thankful for what my body can do and I constantly remind myself that I am in charge of the workout and what I can do during the workout. I try to make everything training session a productive one - not defined by metrics or distance completed but I try to finish each session feeling like I executed the best that I could on the day. My training is challenging but not so much that I am so smashed that I can't function in life. It's actually been a lot of fun to push myself to new limits and I feel my coach really cares about my health and joy for sport so it's a nice mix of workouts that I like and workouts that I need.
I do a lot of frequency with my training (2-3 sessions a day), I have 3 scheduled strength sessions a week that I can do any day during the week (I try to do them on my hard days of training to keep the easy sessions easy), I run three days in a row but never run more than 5 runs a week), I do a lot of brick runs, my longest run so far has been 79 minutes, I swim a lot (4 days a week) and I bike a lot (like - a lot!). My longest bike has been 5 hours.

I have been averaging around 20 hours a week of training for the past two months and the break down typically looks like the following (for reference, here was my last week of training):
-22:18 hours of training
-4:34 hours of swimming (19,390 yards)
-11:50 hours of cycling (191 miles)
-4:28 hours of running (33.7 miles)
-1:15 hours of strength

RELATIONSHIP
Life with Karel is always entertaining but we certainly have our ups and downs when we both train for the same events. The ups include having great workouts and sharing them with each other, being able to train together (mostly biking outside as we often have different swim and run workouts and Karel is too speedy on the run for me to hang along) and to live an active lifestyle together. We hold each other accountable and support one another. The lows include having an off-workout, working through a niggle and feeling overwhelmed with a lot on the daily plate. But the highs absolutely outweigh the lows. There's a lot of communication between us so that we both know how the other is feeling and the upcoming training, day of work and other to-do's that need to get done. There's a great sense of teamwork in our relationship as oppose to you or I need to do this. Campy still gets a ton of attention with lots of walks. We try to include Campy in our training sessions, even if that means one of us walking Campy around Furman when the other one swims or finishing a run workout with a Campy walk. But once our workout is over and we chat about the highs and the lows, it's back to normal life. I try not to bring my training life into my work life so once a workout is over, it's behind me and I focus on the present without dwelling what's in my past. I feel like our training is really working for us and we both see it as something good in our life. We both communicate with our coach to make sure training makes sense - this also helps our relationship so that training fits into our life. For example, next week is our endurance training camp so our training will take a backseat for 4 days so that we have enough mental and physical energy for our campers.

LIFE
Life is busy. Although I put a lot on my daily plate, I try to not overload myself so that I can still have some downtime - even if that means an hour of watching TV before bed between 8-9pm. I turn off "work" in the evening so I can go to sleep with a clear mind, while getting excited about another day of life. Right now I am working on two books (just finished one and writing the second one) but I actually love the combination of training and writing (writing a book is much more demanding that Ironman training!) as it keeps me focused and structured. I still have several nutrition consults throughout the week, coaching athletes and other work obligations for Trimarni so I think of my job(s) as flexible but non-stop. I work 7 days a week. For example, I had my long ride on Friday (5 hours). I woke up before 6am, worked for two hours on the computer, did my ride, worked for another 3 hours, and then went for my evening swim. Over the weekend, I had about six hours of training but worked on the computer for about 12 hours. I am not complaining as I look forward to every day of the life I created. I make sure when I am doing something, I am 100% focused and present. So when I train, it's all about training. When I write/work, I don't think about training. Most of all, training is a compliment to my life - it's not something that takes over my life. It has it's place and I feel my training makes living that much more fun and meaningful.

Bouncing back from a bad workout

Most of the time, workouts put us into a good mood. We feel much better after the workout is complete, then compared to when we started.  But what if the workout doesn't go as planned and suddenly you find yourself grumpy from the workout that didn't go so well?

Seeing that we will all have a bad workout, here are a few tips to help bounce back from an "off" training day.

Nutrition
Look into your diet. Long hours without eating, not using sport nutrition products properly, dehydration, low blood sugar, overeating, undereating, consuming food too close to bed, too much fiber/fat too close to your workout, or poorly planned meals will affect your energy and how your body performs. 

Nutrient timing
Did you not time your nutrition well with your workout? Address what sport nutrition products are not working for you. What did you eat in the 2-4 hours before the workout. Generally, it is recommended to reduce fat/fiber before a workout  to help with digestion and be sure to drink water to promote digestion/absorption of nutrients before and during the workout. Many times, athletes under-fuel before/during workouts so it is important to recognize the importance of timing your nutrition with your workout.

Sleep
If there is one area in your life to blame for feeling off, it is not getting enough restful sleep. Try to create an exercise/training schedule that allows for a restful night of sleep most days a week. For many people, 7-9 hours is the magic number - which may mean going to bed earlier. 

Mobility and strength training
It's common for athletes to skimp on strength training and mobility to squeeze in more cardio. Remember, your body needs time to wake up and to get the blood flowing so it can perform to its capabilities. And a strong body is a resilient body. Factor in 15 minutes before your workout to properly warm-up and include strength training into your weekly routine at least three times per week. 

Mindset
If your mind is filled with thoughts and to-do's before you workout, try to bring yourself into a positive state of mind before working out. Many times, we allow stress, emotions and negative thoughts to take over and it's difficult to stay focused and present during the workout. 

Don't be all or nothing 
Whether you are having a hard time with motivation or struggling with fatigue, give yourself permission to adjust the workout. If you aren't feeling good by 20 minutes into the workout, just call it a day. If you planned to run and you are just too tired, just walk. If your workout called for intervals, reduce the intensity or duration. Some of the most successful race performances come after modifications with training. No training plan should be set in stone. 

Keep it fun
Remind yourself that you train because you love it and it's something that you choose to do. If you are putting too much pressure on yourself with expectations of how you think the workout should go, you may find yourself frustrated or disappointed.  Don't worry about pace, time, HR, speed, etc. Just enjoy your time with your body and mind. 

Recovery
Just because you complete a workout, this doesn't mean that you are gaining fitness. During the recovery process, adaptation takes place. This is where the true fitness gains are made. With the right mix of training stress, fatigue and recovery, the body can adapt. Recovery is everything that happens between two workouts. Give yourself an opportunity to recover in order to adapt.

Don't let a bad workout affect you mentally. Think back to all your great workouts and remember that fitness improvements are not linear.  Focus on one day at a time. It's the accumulation of workouts that allows for fitness gains - don't worry about one off day. 

Protein Powder - what to use, how to use.

I am always interested in trying out new sport nutrition products. A few weeks ago, a nutrition athlete of mine asked me about Cocoa Elite. I was familiar with the company but had never tried their products. I was connected with the company owner and a few days later, I received a small shipment of sample products to try out. I've tried two of their powders and so far, I find them easy to consume - not too grainy. Karel loved the taste of double cocoa flavored protein powder. I haven't used these products long enough to tell if they "work" (typically I like to use a product continuously for a month to see if it works or not). Right now, my go-to protein powders that work for me include INFINIT Raw protein, Skratch recover drink mix, CarboRocket Rehab, NBS recovery and Clif Recovery protein drink. 

This got me thinking about the array of protein powders on the market. In our protein-obsessed society, you probably feel like you are always falling short of your protein needs. With good reason, you should be concerned with consuming adequate daily protein. Protein is a component in every cell in the body and your hair, skin and nails are made of protein. It’s used to construct and repair tissues, build strong bones and muscles and make enzymes, hormones and other chemicals. However, there’s a tendency for athletes to rely too heavily on supplemental forms of protein (ex. powder or bars) instead of real food, often replacing nutrient and energy-dense carbohydrates and healthy fats with more dietary protein.

Protein supplements have a long history in sport. Athletes commonly reach for protein supplements as a meal substitute, to increase energy, boost recovery, promote weight gain/loss, repair muscle and boost performance.

With an array of available protein powders on the market, you'll likely see that the primary protein ingredient is either whey, casein, soy, or vegan (ex. brown rice or pea). All proteins contain amino acids but not all proteins are considered equal. Milk is made of 20% whey and 80% casein. Whey protein is a complete protein but protein content can vary (ex. isolate vs. concentrate). Whey empties from the stomach rather quickly whereas casein provides a slower release of amino acids.  Soy contains a low amount of leucine (an anabolic trigger), which makes it inferior to whey but a suitable option for plant-based athletes. Because vegan powders lack all essential amino acids, quinoa protein may be the next ground-breaking protein because it contains leucine, lysine and methionine, similar to that of milk.   Although protein supplements are convenient for increasing or quickly consuming protein, bars and protein shakes should never replace real food.

Falling short on recovery nutrition can place you at risk for sickness as intense or endurance competition can suppress the immune system. You can also risk losing muscle mass, lean tissue and bone density. So although real food is generally encouraged over a packaged powder/product, protein powder may have a place in your daily diet. In many scenarios, a protein powder or protein powder + carb drink may be useful, especially when lacking an appetite or when recovery needs to be quick and effective (and calorically dense).

Simple recovery nutrition tips:

Short but intense workout (less than 60 minutes):
When: Within 30-60 minutes post workout (as tolerated)

What: Recover with a snack or meal.

How Much: If choosing a snack: 20-30 g protein + 40-60 g carbs. Meal: 20-30g protein, 50-80g carbs

Fluid Intake: 16-24 ounces

Moderate distance workout (1-3 hours)
When: Within 30-60 minutes post workout (as tolerated)

What: Recover first with a snack. Meal when ready (within 90 min post workout)

How Much: Snack: 25-30 g protein + 60-90 g carbs. Meal: 20-30g protein, 60-90g carbs

Fluid Intake: 16-24 ounces in the 60 min post workout. Additional 16-24 ounce fluid in the next 90 minutes.

Long distance workout (3-5+ hours)
When: Within 30-60 minutes post workout (as tolerated)

What: Recover first with a snack. Meal when ready (within 90 min post workout). Continue to eat and hydrate every ~2 hours. 

How Much: Snack: 25-30 g protein + 60-90 g carbs. Meal: 20-30g protein, 60-90g carbs. 

Fluid Intake: ~16-24 ounces every 60-90 minutes for the next four hours.

Selecting the "best" protein powder

I'm often asked about the "best" protein powder. With so many protein powders on the market and different reasons for consuming protein powder, here are some of my criteria when searching for a quality protein powder to meet your needs (not set in stone but a good way to help navigate through all the powders on the market). 

1) Serving size - 1 scoop

2) Protein content per scoop  - ~20-30 grams if supplying only protein (whey, soy or brown rice/pea) or ~10-15g if supplying protein in addition to carbohydrates.*

3) Calories per scoop - ~80-150 if supplying only protein or 180-250 if supplying protein and carbohydrates. *

4) First ingredient - protein (ex. whey protein isolate, pea protein, soy protein, etc.)

5) Ingredient list - short! natural flavors, no artificial flavors or colorings, no added sweeteners. If the product is only supplying protein, no or minimal added sugar. 

6) Quality manufacture, reputable company - I do not suggest to buy protein powders from a big box sport nutrition supplier. Instead, buy from reputable brands that market to your sport. 

7) Use your best judgement  - why are you taking the product and is it a quality product manufactured with quality ingredients.

* - many recovery drinks are designed to supply just protein or both protein and carbohydrates. The later increases the caloric content, as carbohydrates are combined with protein for dual purposes: To repair and replenish. Because these powders are rich in carbs (sugars) with a moderate amount of protein (typically ~8-12g), these types of drinks are best utilized after very long workouts, when daily caloric needs are at their highest. You may need to add a plain protein powder to the mix to increase the protein content. Otherwise, a protein powder mixed with milk (of your choice) is adequate after your shorter, more intense or moderate effort workouts where damage has been done to your tissues (just don't forget to eat carbs post workout to replenish your muscles). Remember - not every workout requires a protein powder. Although every athlete has his/her unique protein needs - determining when, what type and how much protein is needed post workout, here are some general guidelines to  help you understand when to use protein powder post workout or choose real food.