Our next triathlon event will be XTREME!

With this year being unpredictable and different, we have approached our training as a way to try different things and to explore different events. Cancelled races meant new opportunities.

Earlier this summer, Karel was itching for a physical challenge. He wanted some type of event where he would be challenged physically and mentally. After 14 years together, I've learned that anytime Karel says to me "Marni, I have an idea...." I know it's something epic or exciting.

Or, it's a new bike 😄

When Karel mentioned the Florida Xtreme Coast to Coast triathlon in mid November, I immediately told Karel that I wanted to do the event with him. We registered and committed to the 3-day event. He also mentioned applying for Ultraman Florida but I told Karel that I would gladly support him during that extreme ultra endurance event (and not be a participant). 

After completing 16 Ironman distance triathlons (and qualifying for the Ironman World Championship six times), I feel that I understand what it takes to successfully navigate through the physical and mental obstacles that occur over swimming, biking and running for a total of 140.6 miles. I still feel extremely challenged by the Ironman distance and I absolutely love the journey of preparing for an Ironman. I also never take the Ironman distance for granted. I've been so thankful that my body has allowed me to train for the Ironman distance for 14 consecutive years. But this year has been all about trying new things and exploring new opportunities. 

From November 13th-15th, Karel and I will be participating in the Florida Xtreme Coast to Coast Triathlon. This will be a true test of our physical and mental limits and it'll be a challenge unlike any other endurance event that we have completed. 

Not only will we cover over 300 miles over three days - swimming a total of 6 miles, biking a total of 244 miles and running a total of 50.3 miles - but this event takes us from one coast to the other...a triathlon journey over the state of Florida. 

Here are the logistics: 

• Stage 1: November 13th - 2 mile swim in Crystal River, 102 mile bike (from Crystal River to Ocala), 18.6 mile run in Ocala.
• Stage 2: November 14th - 2 mile swim in Ocala, 73 mile bike (from Ocala to Starke), 18.6 mile run in Starke. 
• Stage 3: November 15th - 2 mile swim in Starke, 68 mile bike (from Starke to Palm Coast), 13.1 mile run in Palm Coast. 

Although we only registered for the event in September, I feel as if all of our years as endurance triathletes has prepared us for many of the physical and mental components that we will experience over three days of racing. However, this event will test us in many new ways - physically and mentally. The logistics of this event will be a new experience for us but we have no idea how our bodies will perform day after day after day. Then you toss in weather, course navigating and a small racing field and it's all a big unknown for our body and mind.  Over the summer, we have experienced training through fatigue on a whole new level. We have explored new mental limits and have tested ourselves physically. 

We are really looking forward to event as it's much more than a physical challenge. 

It's easy and fun to live a life staying in your comfort zone. Life is filled with obstacles, detours, peaks and valleys and road closed signs. There is great value in challenging yourself and getting outside of your comfort zone. Not only do you discover that you are capable of things that you didn't think you could do but you also learned that you have so many more skills, strengths and talents if you just give yourself a chance to explore your limits. Challenging yourself doesn't have to be physical. Learning a new skill, traveling to a new place or changing your normal routine can all be wonderful challenges that force you to break old habits or change mental barriers. 

We all go through difficult times. These moments can take a heavy toll on mood, health and outlook on life. As a result, you may feel helpless, hopeless, stressed and anxious. Resiliency is the ability to cope with trauma, loss and change. The more resilient you are, the better you are able to tolerate uncomfortable and challenging times. Resiliency isn't something you achieve in one day and it's not fixed. It's an ongoing process that requires effort as you build resilience over time. 

To build resilience, you must accept the situation for what it is. You must focus on things within your control. Take a step back and maintain a hopeful outlook. You need to be able to look at past successes and coping strategies to gain confidence in a difficult situation. You must feel your feelings but manage your emotions. And most of all, during turbulent times, we must pursue activities and interests that nourish our spirit. Never give up on something that defines you as an individual and brings meaning to your life. 

The Florida Xtreme event will teach us so much about ourselves and the world around us, it will strengthen us and help us continue to evolve and grow as human beings. 

You can follow along with our event at Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition, Trimarni and on the Xtreme triathlon website. 

To learn more about the event, visit HERE.

It's time for your mental health check-up

 

It's been a difficult time for everyone. 

I came across this article on assessing your mental health. After reading this article and going through the self-exam questions, I am surprised that more people don't admit to having mental health issues. There's no shame in not being okay. If feelings of sadness, worry, hopelessness, anxiety, nervousness or irritability are effecting your ability to fully engage in work, physical activity or relationships, do yourself a favor and seek help. One in four people in the US is living with a diagnosable mental health issue, yet less than half seek treatment. It's so easy to reach out for physical health help but far too many ignore mental health help. Your brain is part of your body. Your mental health is part of your physical health. 

I wanted to invite you to check-up with your mental health:

• Have you felt more anxious or worried than usual?
• Have you lost interest in activities that usually hold your attention?
• Have you felt more sad than happy lately?
• Do you have trouble concentrating?
• Do you struggle to give yourself appropriate “me” time?
• Do you regularly skip meals or snacks?
• Have you noticed a change in your appetite and eating habits?
• Do you struggle falling asleep or staying asleep?
• Have you experienced significant mood swings or thoughts of suicide?
• Do you feel overly fatigued or exhausted by the end of the end?
• Have you recently lost interest in activities that used to keep you interested, happy and engaged?
• Do you rely on alcohol or drugs to cope with stress or emotions?
• Do you feel alone and wish you had someone to share your personal thoughts and feelings with?
• Do you feel as if you lack purpose in life and are scared about what the future holds?

Your responses to these questions does not take the place of a formal mental health exam. 

If are concerned about your mental health or need help building better coping skills, seek the care of a licensed mental health provider or for immediate care, call the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

You are not born hating your body

We live in a society where we are constantly being told that losing weight is good and gaining weight is bad. Although segments of the population may benefit from dietary changes that will promote healthy weight loss to reduce the complications from metabolic syndrome, many individuals (particularly athletes) are constantly striving for a smaller version of themselves. 

Often times - as a result of undereating, dieting, overtraining and underfueling - physical health gets destroyed and emotional well-being becomes compromised. 

You are not born hating your body. You are not born fearing weight gain. You learn to feel fat. Thanks to a society that believes that gaining weight in any context is shameful, unhealthy and bad, you grow into hating your body. Society is constantly trying to sell you the idea that you will never be good enough the way that you are. That you would be happier, healthier or fitter if you weighed less, had less fat around your stomach or toned up your arms and legs. As you buy in to the damaging and deceiving messages from the media, you learn that any type of weight gain will negatively affect you socially, physically and psychologically. You have been told that if you gain weight (or maintain your weight), you will look worse, you are not a good person, you are lazy or you are unhealthy. 

I know this mindset shift is challenging. It will take time, it will feel like an everyday task and you may need help. It can be extremely difficult to learn how to love your body what you have spent so much time hating your body. But you must fight these thoughts in order to restore your health and to heal the damaged relationship with your body and food.

It won't be easy but the ultimate goal is to learn to really love yourself and to detach your value and self worth from your appearance. Continue to challenge negative talk. Surrender to your fears. It's time to put more energy into what's most important to you in your life. There is so much more to you than your body image. Learn to love and to accept yourself. Your body is amazing. 

12-year wedding anniversary

 

Today we celebrate our 12-year wedding anniversary. 

Karel and I met on two wheels. We were set-up by mutual friends. We officially had our first date during a group ride. When we met, Karel was an experienced bike racer who had no swimming skills and only ran a few miles a week in his off-season. I was training for my first Ironman and I was an unskilled cyclist who loved to swim and run. Today, Karel and I share of love for triathlon. Karel has become a speedy efficient runner and my cycling fitness has improved drastically over the years. I still love to swim and well, Karel tolerates swimming. 

Since our entire relationship has involved bike riding, I think of marriage just like riding a bike. 

Marriage requires work. There are difficult times - like riding a bike in headwind, or up a really steep hill. There are times when you are flying downhill or you have the wind at your back - these are the fun and easy times. And sometimes you fall off and need help. And then there are moments when time just rushes by.

Marriage requires communication and trust. Choices should be made for the good of the team. If individual actions are for the benefit of the team, then the relationship will be a fun ride. Like a bike, marriage requires balance and the right amount of speed. When two people stop working together, it's easy to crash because balance can no longer be maintained. If one person moves at his/her own pace, it may be fun at first but eventually the momentum slows and a wreck may happen.

Marriage requires commitment. Bikes have a lot of moving parts. As the bike ages, you must spend a bit more time on the bike. With so many working parts, you have to be willing to invest time and energy. And if one part is missing, the bike won't work. 

Marriage is an adventure. There are hills, valleys, mountains, smooth paths and bumpy roads. Despite the difficult, frustrating and tough days you get to ride through life with someone who want to share the ride with you. Often times you discover things about yourself that you never knew were possible. 

Karel and I have been on many bike rides together. Over the years, I've learned that you can't go the distance without some discomfort. But no matter how easy or hard, I wouldn't want to share the ride with anyone else. 

How to build your daily diet

An optimal athlete diet is made of many inter-related parts that are constantly moving - all in an effort to support your training. In other words, every meal and snack that you consume during the day is an essential part of your training plan. Many athletes fail to construct the diet in a way that supports the demands of training and supports health. There’s no value in putting all your effort and energy into your training if you lack a solid foundation of nutritious eating. As the saying goes, you can’t out-exercise a poorly planned diet. Your diet is the foundation in which your body can function optimally in life and during your workouts. 

Just like a training plan, your diet requires nutrition modifications throughout a training season. There will be many times throughout the year when you need to build from your “normal” style of eating. This increase in calories, carbohydrates and more energy-dense foods allows you to support the more rigorous times of training (higher volume and intensity). 

On the bottom level of your many different variations of eating, your diet should be designed in a way that reduces your risk for disease, supports a healthy functioning immune system, optimizes a healthy body composition (this shouldn't be confused with a "race weight") and provides a source of energy so you can perform daily activities. This is your foundational diet. The diet is made of primarily wholesome or real food to supply your body with a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as carbs, protein and fat – all to support metabolic and hormonal processes and to keep the body in good health.

But this diet alone can not support your training demands - specifically when training volume and intensity increase. If you fail to adjust your diet in times of added training stress, your health will be compromised and you will perform below your athletic capabilities.

When your training volume/intensity increase, your diet should remain nourishing. The foundational diet should not change. But, there needs to be extra emphasis on what and when you eat (nutrient timing) and the addition of sport nutrition products. Although anyone can get by with subpar nutrition for a short term, overtime, if you fall short on your daily and sport nutrition requirements and you can sabotage your physical health and your psychological well-being – this is where the hormonal, endocrine and metabolic disruptions occur.

You must first build a solid foundation of eating for your "sport specific" diet to work for your body, health and performance. 

To help you build a solid foundation of eating, it's important to determine your daily nutrition needs to support a low level of physical activity (~1/hr exercise a day, a few days per week). From there, you can add in additional calories, primarily in the form of carbohydrates and protein (these added calories will be prioritized around workouts to support the added training stress and fuel requirements. Often these foods are more energy dense - lower fiber/fat and packing more calories per bit - and are consumed in the 1-4 hours post longer or more intense workouts). 

Build your foundational diet
1) Take your weight in lbs and divide by 2.2 to determine your weight in kilograms. 

2) Take your weight in kilograms and multiply by 3 to determine your daily carbohydrate needs. 
3) Take your weight in kilograms and multiply by 1.5 to determine your daily protein needs. 
4) Take your weight in kilograms and multiply by 1 to determine your daily fat needs. 

Example: 140 lb = 64 kg
Carb intake = 64 x 4 = 256g/d (or 1024 calories)

Protein intake = 64 x 1.5 = 96g/day (or 384 calories)
Fat intake = 64 x 1 = 64g/day (or 576 calories)
Total = ~2000 calories/day

This would be the minimum amount of calories (and carbs/pro/fat) to consume to support a low intensity workout regime of one-hour of exercise a day, a few times per week. This diet also applies to off days of training. If you exercise more than this, you will need to increase your carb needs to at least 4-5g/kg/day and increase protein needs to around 1.8g/kg/day.

Example: If you are working out for 2-3 hours a day, your carb needs will go from 256g to 384g (or 1536 calories). By focusing first on your foundational diet, you can do a better job of ensuring that you meet your daily nutritional needs when your training volume increases in volume and intensity. 

Many athletes fall short on fueling the body properly on higher intensity and higher volume training days because of falling short on calories from the foundational diet. 

Build your foundation diet now to maintain a healthy and strong body in your more rigorous times of training.

Responsible indulging - can it be done?

 

What's your favorite comfort food? My favorite are pancakes. My dad loved pancakes and I think of him every time I make a homemade batch. I also LOOOVE any type of warm bread - banana bread, zucchini bread, cinnamon rolls.....yum!

There's nothing wrong with loving comfort food. A comfort food is something that makes you feel good - it brings you comfort. Comfort foods have a strong psychological link - reducing loneliness, improving mood and possibly connecting you with childhood memories.

Interestingly, comfort foods aren't connected only to emotions. For many, comfort foods are consumed because you feel you deserve a treat. Or, perhaps it's because you survived a long day or accomplished a physical feat. Maybe it's because you are celebrating a special occasion or having fun with friends. And sometimes comfort foods are turned to out of habit - without any rhyme or reason.  

Sadly, comfort foods don't always bring positive emotions - sometimes they bring great shame, anxiety and guilt.

Learning how to set intentions, recognize habits and eat attentively can be a life-changing experience, especially when it comes to comfort foods. 

In honor of national dessert day (which was on Wednesday), here are a few tips to help you indulge responsibly: 

1. Before you indulge, ask yourself where your desire is coming from? Pay attention to your mood, the thoughts in your head and any other feelings before eating. This will allow you to make a conscious decision about what you should eat (and/or if you need to indulge).

• Are you physically tired or in need of a pick-me-up?
• Are you stressed?
• Are you depressed, anxious or frustrated?
• Are you upset or lonely?
• Do you feel physically hungry?
• Do you not feel satisfied from a previous meal/snack?

2. Indulging should be an enjoyable, guilt-free process. Indulging should not make you feel bad about yourself (or your body). To avoid mindless, anxiety-provoking or emotional eating, create structure to your treat. 

• Don't eat out of the bag/jar/carton.
• Portion your treat in an amount that will leave you satisfied and not stuffed.
• Eat sitting down in a quiet setting without distractions.
• Do not indulge if you have skipped meals (or snacks), gone long hours without eating or indulge because you are starving.

3. Make it a special moment. Choose homemade over store bought. Go out for ice cream instead of lounging on the couch with ice cream from the fridge. Bake dessert from scratch. All of these strategies make indulging a special experience. 

• Take a few deep breaths before you eat. You should feel relaxed and calm. 
• Look at your treat. Smell the food. Notice your surroundings. 
• When you take the first bite, make it a small bite. Be sure to taste the flavor and feel the texture in your mouth. 
• Eat with silverware (not with your hands). 
• Put the spoon or fork down between bites and take a large sip of water.

4. A few extra tips

• The first bite is always the best. You will likely be more than satisfied before the dish is fully consumed.
• Don't worry about wasting food. Save the rest for another time. 
• Always pay attention to what you are eating so you are eating mindfully and intuitively. 

If you missed the latest recipe in the weekly Trimarni newsletter, you can access it here:
No Bake Peanut Butter Pumpkin Protein Balls

Facing your food fears

 

Have you recently taken healthy eating to the extreme? Have you rid your diet of all processed or non organic food? Has your fear of sugar reached a new level of obsession? Do you put carrots, bananas and raisins in the same "off limit" food list as candy, ice cream and cookies? 

Food restriction is a common disordered eating symptom. This avoidance behavior involves setting rigid rules that tell you which foods are "allowed" in your diet and what foods are "off limit." 

While calorically-dense foods are the most commonly avoided, fear foods vary from person to person and they may even vary depending on the day. Fear foods are foods that you may feel anxious or uncomfortable eating - thus the reason why they are feared. The fear may come from thoughts of how this food may affect your weight or body composition, how this food may affect how you feel about your body or any past negative experiences from a food. With no underlying medical, ethical or religious reasons, the thought (or act) of eating this food can make you feel ashamed or guilty. 

The reason behind your thoughts and fears about a food can stem from friends or family but more common reasons include social media, news and the ever-so-damaging diet culture. In our weight-obsessed society, diets are filled with "good" and "bad" foods. In attempt to lose weight or change body composition, the "bad" foods are removed in an effort to succeed with the diet plan. These off limit foods are correlated with the idea of cheating on the diet - and things bring great anxiety, guilt and shame. The more diets or meal plans that you follow, the more rules you develop - which can lead to many different food fears. 

Consider your diet as a whole before obsessing over and restricting sugar, gluten, dairy, carbs, calories or any other food, food group, ingredient or food component. The more fear you have around food, the more anxiety and guilt you bring to eating. This can cause lack of pleasure in food (and eating), food rigidity (only eating "safe" foods), isolation (not eating out or eating with others) and avoiding food-related events and activities. Food fears also creates an increased obsession with food which can lead into an eating disorder. Food fears requires a lot of time and mental energy with so much thinking and planning regarding food - which means having less time and energy to living a quality-filled life. 

All foods can fit into a healthy and active lifestyle. A nutritious diet is built on long-term, sustainable behaviors that enhance your quality of life. Challenging your food fears takes time, effort and courage. Disordered eating habits keep your life small. If rules and restrictions are not challenged, it's difficult to make your life big and meaningful. 

Because of the great fear of binging on fear foods, it's best to work with a dietitian who specializes in disordered eating when facing food fears. The dietitian will help you work through your food fears by helping you build confidence and trust in your food related decisions as you create coping strategies to use during the feared food process. 

The more power you give to food, the more you obsess over it. Disordered eating removes important things from your life - from relationships to travel. In an effort to gain control over eating, it's likely that you may lose more than just weight - relationships, careers, family, friends, vacations, joy, travel, etc. It is possible to have a healthy relationship with food. You have within you the courage and strength to face your food fears as you work toward a life where food no longer has power of you.

Training on empty

Do you intentionally underfuel during workouts and/or on race day? 

Intentional calorie/carb/fluid/sodium deprivation is not uncommon. As a Board Certified Sport Dietitian, I often work with athletes who struggle with their relationship with food and the body. There's a fear of consuming calories around/during workouts and often train and race with the mindset of "how low can I go??" In other words, the athlete tries to complete a given workout or event with the least amount of calories/carbs possible. Although many athletes learn the hard way through a performance or health decline, it's a wonderful "ah ha" moment when an athlete experiences what a body can do when it is well fueled. 

For many athletes, the desire to lose weight and/or change body composition or to become more "metabolically" efficient are the primary motives for underfueling. Intentional insufficient fueling is often the result of a desire to lose weight (or to avoid gaining weight). 

While an athlete may be able to complete a given workout or race with less fuel/hydration than recommended, there are consequences. Ultimately, when an athlete is in a negative energy balance (expending more calories than consuming) during the day and/or not taking in adequate fuel/hydration before/during/after workouts, the many metabolic processes that allow the body to adapt to the stress of training are compromised. More so, the body struggles to recover between training sessions. Here are some of the consequences of underfueling. 

• Increased risk for injury and illness
• Inability to train at high intensity
• Lack of strength and power 
• Delayed recovery 
• Trouble concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Moodiness
• Feeling run down
• Underperforming 
• Hormonal issues 
• Decreased mental function, increased depression

How can you improve your health, well-being and athletic performance? 

Eat enough. 

Don't let a season of training and/or racing become compromised or cut your athletic career short due to inadequate energy consumption. Underfueling sabotages your health and performance - it does not make you a better athlete. Restricting calories because of an irrational belief that performance will improve if weight is lost (or because you are afraid to gain weight) is not the strategy to becoming a better athlete. By fueling your body properly, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that you feel and perform better. 

With so many voices and sources providing you nutrition advice, there's one simple message to remember....

If you want your body to perform well, respect it by giving it the fuel that it deserves. 

Alcohol is not a recovery beverage

 

Alcohol is a good recovery drink – MYTH

You see it at many races and in post workout pictures. We can't deny that beer is a popular beverage consumed after exercise/physical activity. It's a way to celebrate, relax and quench thirst. Containing carbohydrates, water and small amounts of sodium and potassium, the nutrition profile may lead you to believe that beer is a suitable rehydration beverage. I can't tell you how many times an athlete has expressed that beer is a great recovery beverage. Well, I hate to say it but beer is not a recovery drink. Sure, the non-sweet carbonation may have an appealing taste, but alcohol can delay recovery and suppress the immune system, increase risk of delayed muscle soreness and sickness - all impairing recovery (not promoting recovery). Alcohol also slows reaction time, judgment, information processing, focus, stamina, strength and speed, which can last up to 72 hours after alcohol intake. Alcohol may also cause hypoglycemia. While a common celebratory beverage, it can also cause restless sleep (you fall asleep quick but sleep is disrupted and infrequent). 

As a poor source of nutrients, alcohol passes readily from the stomach into the blood and goes straight to the liver. Interestingly, when alcohol is consumed, it takes priority over any other macronutrient. The metabolic by-product of alcohol is acetate, which is toxic to the body. Your body is smart and before it metabolizes fat, protein or carbs, it prioritizes removing the toxins from alcohol. Because the body can’t store alcohol, with seven calories per gram, your body has to deal with the alcohol first, instead of helping your muscles and tissues recover with protein and carbs.  If you must celebrate with a beer after an event or workout, choose non-alcoholic over a full-strength beer. However, if you are serious about your performance and health, it’s not worth the buzz as it may impair recovery and health.

Although there may be health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption, I don’t suggest you start drinking or drink more frequently. Moderation is key and in many situations, it’s best to avoid entirely. 

Widespread from the weekend warrior to elite athlete, alcohol is often consumed as a way to celebrate, de-stress or relax. From an athletic standpoint, the use of alcohol, even in a small amounts, may negatively affect hydration status, recovery, sleep, motor skills, motivation, judgment, and overall performance and may cause weight gain, depressed immunity, nutritional deficiencies, elevated cortisol and increased risk for injury. Because of the large variance of alcohol tolerance among active individuals, athletes are strongly discouraged from alcohol consumption before, during and after exercise and around competitions/races. 

Alcohol - addictive, dangerous and socially acceptable

Bread is villainized yet beer is socially accepted. 

Despite the fact that alcohol is addictive and dangerous (contributing to countless injuries and deaths), alcohol is normalized in so many societies around the world. From "mommy juice" to a way to relax or celebrate, alcohol is advertised, touted and consumed in ways that you wouldn't see with any other drug. Even though alcohol is a drug, it's extremely accessible and as socially acceptable as drinking water. In fact, in several places in Europe, beer is cheaper than water when dining out! 

The popularity of alcohol and the pressure to drink is everywhere. This makes it incredibly difficult for the many recovering alcoholics that are working incredibly hard to maintain long-term sobriety. I have several friends that continue to battle alcohol abuse triggers and temptations.

Weddings, sporting events, backyard BBQs, birthday parties, office events and holiday functions. In almost every social function, you are likely to find an assortment of alcoholic beverages - you may even expect that alcohol will be present and available. Alcohol is legal, easy to access and socially acceptable. 

Although alcohol is socially acceptable, many people have made a habit of abusing alcohol. 

• Beer and other alcoholic drinks are marketed as a way to have a good time. 
• Many people see alcohol as a way to relax. 
• Some people can't have a good time without alcohol. 
• Alcohol is used as a coping mechanism. 
• Alcohol can make you feel more confident.

If you have recently found that you can't go a day (or more than a few days) without a glass of wine or glass of hard liquor or beer, you turn to alcohol when you are stressed, anxious or overwhelmed or you can only relax/destress when you consume alcohol, you may be using alcohol to assist with mental or emotional needs. 

Once step above of alcohol use is alcohol abuse. 

While you may feel relaxed, calm or joyful after an alcoholic beverage, alcohol dependence or abuse should not be overlooked. With more data indicating that people are drinking more than usual due to anxiety and isolation related to the current pandemic, reach out to a professional for help. 

If you or someone that you know needs addiction help, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  1-800-985-5990.

Nutrition self-sabotage

Self-sabotage has a simple definition - when you undermine your own goals and values.

As a dedicated athlete, you likely know that hard work will help you move closer to the goals that you want to achieve. However, as it relates to nutrition, you may be making choices that directly conflict with your goals - this is self-sabotage.

For example, here are a few common nutrition self-sabotage scenarios that athletes make. Are you guilty of any of the following?

• Intentionally undereating before a workout in order to "save" calories (or in attempt to burn more fat for fuel). 
• Forgetting to fuel before an afternoon workout, only to cut the workout short because of low energy/fatigue/hunger. 
• Intentionally not eating before a workout in order to validate consuming calories during the workout. 
• Intentionally underfueling during a workout in order to indulge post workout.
• Dieting to change body composition in order to become a faster/stronger athlete. 
• Neglecting to recover well with nutrition after a long workout, only to overeat in the evening or feel low in energy (and sore/tired) the next day.

Whether your self-sabotaging behaviors are intentional or unintentional, everybody engages in self-sabotage at some time. If done occasionally - such as indulging in a late night dessert or forgetting your sport nutrition during a workout - the consequences may be minor. But for some athletes, self-sabotaging behaviors become a chronic pattern that affect training, health and life. For example, intentionally skipping or skimping on nutrition before, during and after a workout in an effort to "offset" poor eating habits that occurred in the last 24-48 hours is performance limiting and can negatively affect physical and emotional health.

To stop your self-sabotaging behavior(s), take some time to understand why you are doing what you are doing and to determine a more constructive way to fix the underlying problem.

• Why are you self-sabotaging yourself?
• What need is the self sabotaging behavior feeding?
• What purpose is the behavior serving?

When you understand the need that your self-sabotaging behavior is filling, you can learn alternative behaviors to fill that need. As an example, if you afraid to fuel adequately (consume enough calories) during your workouts because you are unhappy with your body composition/image, you need to understand that intentionally restricting fuel/calories is a way to help you feel control over your diet and body composition. Although the behavior has negative consequences to your performance and health (and body composition), it's important to be compassionate with yourself as you explore the deeper meanings of your self-sabotaging choices. 

Why do you self-sabotage?

Often it comes from a place of self-doubt. It's time to stop the self-sabotaging behaviors. You are capable of so much more than you believe you can accomplish.

How to overcome Body Shame

In the latest Trimarni newsletter, I discussed shame and how it affects body image. 

Shame is an uncomfortable feeling. Unlike guilt - which is associated with doing something wrong - shame is believing that you feel inadequate, wrong, unimportant, undeserving, not good enough or flawed.

As it relates to body image, it's easy to understand how shame can result in low self-worth and self-love. Whether you feel like you aren't living up to your own self-comparisons or expectations or feeling judgement from others, body shame can occur when you feel you do not fit into "ideal" standards of beauty, athleticism or health.

Interestingly, control and shame are intricately related. To avoid negative feelings, shame can be a strong motivator. To reduce uncomfortable feelings, modifying behaviors can temporary reduce feelings of shame. However, shame is a strong predictor of eating disorders as it can drive self-destructive behaviors.

The next time your food choices or body image makes you feel flawed or unworthy, recognize the triggers that may be involved.

• Self criticism
• Negative thinking
• Not feeling good enough
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Bullying
• Social media
• Comparison 

Here are a few tips to help you overcome body shame:

1. Disconnect yourself from your thoughts by challenging the critical "bully" in your head. Remind yourself that there is nothing wrong with you. You are a good person. Speak kindly about yourself to build up your self-esteem and sense of personal worth. 
2. Use positive affirmations on a daily basis. Replace negative thought with affirmations focusing on what you love about yourself and all of your many strengths. 
3. You are more than a body. You have great value to this world - you are so much more than a physical self. 
4. Move and wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself. Find clothes and activities that help you grow more comfortable with your body. 
5. Make peace with food. You are in charge of your relationship with good. Learn to live a life with food freedom (not food rules). 
6. Surround yourself with body positive people. It's incredible hard to be nice about your body if you surround yourself with (or follow) people who constantly obsess about body image. 

Lessons learned from Kona - beat the urge to quit

I have never had an easy Ironman race. I've wanted to quit every Ironman that I have completed. But through it all, I've crossed every Ironman that I've started. That's 16 140.6 mile events of my mind battling with my body. 

Triathletes spend many months - if not years - preparing for a 140.6 mile event. You learn a lot about yourself when training for a long-distance triathlon. But the most learning happens on race day....often when you are so close to giving up. 

As an endurance athlete, being fit gets you to the start line. Knowing how to battle when you are close to failure is what gets you to the finish line. 

Here are a few tips to help you keep going when the going gets hard:

• You are not suffering alone. If it's hard for you, it's hard for others. If others can handle it, so can you. 
• Tough times don't last. For every low moment, there's a high moment around the corner. 
• Remove the pressure to achieve a certain outcome. Let go of any goal paces/watts and don't worry about your final results. 
• Take it one mile (or destination point) at a time. Make deals with yourself to keep yourself moving forward. 
• Don't give up, be smarter. Remove emotion (or judgement) from the situation. 
• Work through the problem with skill and focus. 
• Repeat a mantra in your head. A few of mine: Never quit on an uphill. You didn't come this far to only get this far. It's not supposed to be easy. You trained to feel this way. 
• If your health is compromised or you could endanger your well-being by continuing, the right decision is to stop. It takes great courage and strength to stop when it's the right thing to do.

Lessons learned from Kona - spend your $$ wisely!

After nearly a day of flying, it's a relief to finally get outside and smell the salty, flowery Kona air. There's something indescribable about the feeling of stepping out of the last airplane of the journey, knowing that you have arrived to your final destination - the venue of the Ironman World Championship.  

The Ironman World Championship is an incredible spectacle of an event. No matter if you are a participant, volunteer or spectator, it's worth the trip to the big island to experience all that is Ironman Kona. From all of the race week events to the massive expo to swimming in a clear, blue fish tank, the event itself is simply the icing on the cake. For seven years, the Ironman World Championship race week has always made for a memorable and inspiring experience for me. 

But let's not beat around the bush. If you are participating in the Ironman World Championship, it can get rather expensive. 

According to a past article, the average income of an Ironman triathlete is $247,000. Well, I can assure you that our household (and that of many other long distance triathletes) does not make that kind of money. Being a long-distance triathlete (or a triathlete training for any distance) is not inexpensive but it does provide many fulfilling opportunities and experiences that make the costs all worth it. 

Here are the typical expenses for an athlete at the Ironman World Championship: 

• Ironman Kona entry fee (after qualifying): ~$1000+ (per person)
• Flight: ~$1000 (per person)
  
• Airport parking: ~$120-$150
• Bike fees: ~$150 (per bike, one way)
• Rental car: ~$600-$800
• Food: ~$400+
• Lodging: ~$200-$220 per night (Airbnb)
• Extra (ex. massage, merch, last minute items like CO2, nutrition, etc.): ~$300+
  Total  - $😮$

(this does not include sight-seeing activities and some of the above amounts account for at least a 7-10 day stay). 

A lot goes into traveling to an island that is holding a World Championship event. To make Kona affordable and enjoyable, I have a few suggestions that I've learned after seven years of being a participant (or spectator) at Ironman Kona: 

• Plan in advance - Make reservations as far out as possible. Lodging and rental cars can be reserved at least 10-12 months out. Plus, the sooner out you reserve your lodging, the more options you will have (note: many athletes stay in the same condos/houses year after year so that is why many places are booked the day after the previous IM Kona). Make sure your condo/house has AC - many do not! I always look at the reviews and confirm with the owner of the airbnb/vrbo. 
• Flight considerations - Review your flight bike policies and consider layovers of at least 2 hours (so that your bike can move from one plane to the next). Try to minimize layovers to help with the shuttling of your bike. As a note, Hawaii airlines does not allow soft bike cases. When booking your flight home from Kona, you will likely have an overnight flight. Consider a seat that will allow you to (somewhat) rest with an exhausted body. 
• Bring as much with you - Shopping on an island is expensive. Some athletes ship heavy items to the island. Consider the costs of paying for an extra piece of luggage to bring items with you so that you don't need to panic shop when you get to the island. Not only is shopping on an island a bit expensive but if there's something that you need for your trip/race, there's a good chance other athletes need it as well (and that item may be in short supply). 
• Where to pay extra - Although I try to make our trip as "affordable" as possible, there are a few splurge items. For example, we like to be within walking distance of the race start. I account for this when looking for lodging (we typically stay at the Kona Plaza). I also like to pay extra for extra leg room on the plan (especially for Karel - we often don't sit together so that he can be near the front of economy with plenty of leg room and I sit in an aisle a few rows back). We do not eat out much on the island except Karel loves the Poke bowls and we both love the Acai bowls. I do encourage that you arrive at least seven days out. Participating in the 2.4 mile Ho'ala Ironman training swim (which is open to anyone, be sure to register at least a month out as the event does fill up and there is no race day registration) on the Saturday before the event (one week out) is absolutely worth it. Plus, it's good to give yourself time to become one with the island, get to know the course and acclimate. You could go without a rental car but I think it's worth having one for grocery shopping and to train on the bike course a bit further north of the island (the first 7 miles of the bike course are between the airport and Kailua-Kona, which can get very busy with cars). 
• Where to watch your money - Many athletes spontaneous spend on the latest and greatest. Some of this is feeling vulnerable to buying "speed" (ex. upgrading your bike for $1500+ on the two days before the event) whereas it's easy to overspend out of worry or fear (ex. a new helmet, new shoes, etc.). My advice is to only spend on items that answer yes to these questions: Will it make your race more enjoyable? Will it make your race safer? The Ironman World Championship is still an Ironman. A lot can happen over 140.6 miles. And the island can be unpredictable. Because of this, spending money on items that you think will make you faster is not worth it. Instead, if a race kit or helmet will make you feel cooler in the hotter than hot conditions, that can make you race more enjoyable. If spending money on a new pair of goggles will help you swim better without worry of your goggles fogging up, it's worth it. If using super deep wheels because so and so said that you will go faster, will you enjoy riding those wheels in gusty, trade winds? Purchasing a hydration belt so that you can carry your own nutrition with you can certainly make your race safer for your body. 
• Make smart investments - It doesn't matter what level athlete you are. If you are training for an Ironman distance event, you are undergoing an amazing human feat. Participating in a 140.6 mile event should be taken very seriously. Therefore, I encourage you to make smart investments with your money. Investing in a sport dietitian, massage therapist/PT, sport psychologist, bike fit and coach will be worth your while. Having someone help you in your journey will allow you to better do what you love to do - swim, bike and run. Plus, with so much going into a one day event, investing into the areas that will help you feel more confident and prepared on race day will make for a more enjoyable (and safer) race day experience. The latest wearable gadget with a dozen different settings to help you monitor your health is worth nothing if you lack an understanding of how to fuel and hydrate your body before and during a 140.6 mile event. 

If you have any questions regarding traveling to Kona, Hawaii for the Ironman World Championship (as spectator, volunteer or participant) or racing the event, I'd be happy to help you out. Feel free to send me an email: Marni@trimarnicoach.com 

Happy 13th Birthday Campy!!

 

I can't believe that my lovey, my buddy, my snickerdoodle, my golden nugget, my chihuahy, my Campy camp is turning 13 today. 

For the past 12 years, I've been spoiled with unconditional love from my furry best friend. To celebrate another year added to his lottery-winning life, I thought I'd share 13 fun facts about Campy: 

1. Campy loves to sleep under blankets and he loves pillows. 

2. Campy loves road trips. 

3. Campy does not mind being carried around like a baby. 

4. Campy is very gentle around cats, puppies and kittens. Strangers (humans), not so much. 

5. Campy suffered from seizures in the summer of 2015. He was put on phenobarbital and takes 1/2 pill in the morning and in the evening. He has been seizure free ever since. 

6. Campy was attacked by a dog off the leash in December 2018. He handled it like a champ. 

7. Campy is not a big eater. He doesn't care for dry dog food but loves dry cat food. 

8. Campy loves being warm. He loves to sit outside in the summer and by the indoor fire in the winter. Campy despises the snow and does not like to be wet. 

9. Campy loves to be active (and outside). He used to run with me but now we go on long walks and hikes. 

10. Campy has traveled to many cycling and triathlon events all along the East Coast. 

11. We found Campy online at Petfinder.com. His original name was Sparky. 

12. Campy is my therapy. We have been through so much together. 

13. Campy loves toys ("bears") with squeakers. The process of taking out the squeaker is his favorite hobby. 

Since I have a bazillion pictures of Campy (around a million of him sleeping), I thought I'd share a few of my favorites. For more pics, you can check out #campyslife on Instagram. 

Lessons learned from Kona - choking under pressure

The triathlete who qualifies for IM Kona will have invested a lot of time, money and energy into the craft of preparing the body and mind for this grueling 140.6 mile event. There are no shortcuts or secret sauces. It's a lot of hard work, sacrifices and investments.

It's understandable that many Ironman athletes experience tremendous pressure to perform incredibly well on race day. 

Far too many athletes arrive to a race fit, ready and prepared only to underperform compared to performances in training. It's likely that anxiety, fear or stress gets in the way. 

Far too many athletes enter race week in panic mode and change the winning formula. Rituals and routines that were once in place to build confidence for race day or quickly replaced with haphazard, last-minute decisions and changes - all due to worry, fear and self-doubt. Sure, the Ironman World Championship is a big spectacle but racing with an outcome focused mindset can paralyze your abilities to have a great performance.  

Fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons why athletes choke under pressure. Worrying about an outcome is a big source of pressure for athletes. Beyond a finishing time or place, many athletes worry about what others may think about them - not wanting to disappoint a coach, friends, teammates, family or training partners.

If you feel like your mind is constantly getting in the way when you need to perform, it may be because you are used to always performing in safe and controlled conditions - always trying not to have a bad workout or race. 

Although it sounds counterintuitive, performing safe can lead to over control. Under pressure, athletes default to trying to control every scenario from pacing to nutrition. Although it's good to have a plan, over control is simply another form of over thinking - feeling an intense need to focus and control every detail of what needs to happen. Over thinking does not ensure a desired result. It only increases the risk of choking under pressure. 

Familiarity builds confidence. Trust yourself. When you want to do your best, rely on what you intuitively know. Let it happen, don't force it to happen. 

Don't worry about how others will react to your performance. Remove the high or strict expectations that you place on yourself. Unrealistic or perfectionist-like expectations can sabotage your ability to intuitively perform. Manage your thinking. Focus on the process. To deliver your best performance when it counts, release the worries, doubts and fear of failure. Don't let yourself get in your own way. 

Lessons learned from IM Kona - Body Image

Today would have been the start of the Ironman World Championship race week. If you've ever been to Kona at this time of year, it's an incredibly special and inspiring week. Although Karel and I were not planning to race this year, we had a few Trimarnis on the start list. Although it's sad to know that their IM Kona dreams are now on hold, we know the wait will be worth it and they will get their Ironman Kona experience and a one-of-a-kind finish line feeling. 

Around this time in October, I've spent seven of the last 13 years on the big island of Kona, Hawaii. Five of those years as an IM Kona athlete (2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019) and two of those years as a spectator for Karel (2016 and 2018). We have been privileged to call Kona our second home for so many years for at least a week in early October. 

In honor of this week being IM Kona "race week" I will share a few of the lessons I've learned as an Ironman World Championship participant (and spectator). I'll start with a very important topic and one that I am extremely passionate about.....body image. 

BODY IMAGE

I believe in setting a good example for my athletes by always embracing and encouraging a healthy relationship with food and the body. Karel and I do not follow any extreme styles of eating, we don't restrict food/fuel in an effort to change body composition and we do not manipulate our diet in an effort to change our body image for a race (ex. race weight). Food is our fuel and our nourishment and we firmly believe that when the body is well fueled and well nourished, it's healthy. And a healthy body performs well. 

Sadly, we live in a society (and within a triathlon sport bubble) that involves competitive leanness. Rather than taking great care of the incredible vehicle (your body) that gets you from the start to the finish line, many athletes fall victim to chasing a specific weight or body fat percentage, assuming that leanness is a criteria for race day success.

Truth be told, in the sport of triathlon, specifically in the Ironman World Championship, the winner across the finish line is not always the leanest athlete. There is no consistent, conclusive evidence that "leanness" directly correlates with Ironman race day readiness. As a 16x Ironman finisher, I can confidently tell you that there are so many variables  that can affect the body over 140.6 miles.

• Your body image does not make you mentally stronger on race day.
• Your body image does not make you immune to needing sport nutrition on race day.
• Your body image does not mean that you won't fatigue or have low moments on race day.
• Your body image does not mean that you won't have an equipment related issue on race day.
• Your body image does not mean that you will have endless energy on race day.

On race week, you should find your relationship with your body at its strongest. You should be thanking every part of your body every for what it's about to let you do. You receive no athletic benefit in bashing your body, restricting carbohydrates/calories, dehydrating yourself, feeling shame for your body, wishing for a different body image or feeling intense pressure to quickly weigh less.

Manipulating your diet (or taper regime) on race week in an effort to quickly attempt to change your body composition will only put you at risk for a race performance far below your athletic potential.
As it relates to comparing your body to the body of another athlete, never let the body image of another athlete make you to believe that your body isn't ready or good enough for a great race day performance. 

Having a great relationship with your body not only builds your confidence for race day but it also enables you to make good eating and fueling choices on race week, which will help you arrive to your  start line fresh, fueled and mentally ready to race. 

It's normal to feel a little heavier than normal on race week when you are properly fueling and hydrating your body for race day. You may even feel a little uncomfortable at times because of taper and this is ok. I always remind myself that when my body feels a little heavy, it means that I am fully ready for the race.

It's normal to look a little different in the mirror when your body is rejuvinating and repairing itself during taper. Remind yourself that what you look like doesn't determine how your body will perform on race day. Far too many athletes arrive to Kona looking extremely lean and fit but unhealthy and nutritionally unprepared for the necessary fuel/hydration that is required to get the body to the finish line.

Healthy and strong look different on every body. Be proud of your body and how far it has taken you in your training journey. Direct your energy beyond a look and instead, focus on the amazing upcoming race day adventure that you will take your body on. 

Fuel and eat for performance and not for an image. Be honest with yourself - what is it that you want your body to do on race day? Do you want to look strong and fast or do you want your body to be strong and fast? 

When you arrive to a race with plans, hopes and dreams of performing well with your body, don't sabotage your performance by letting your appearance get the best of you. 

Replace the negative self-talk and self-criticism with meaningful statements that reflect a positive appreciation for your amazing body.

A different perspective on World Vegetarian Day

 

Today is World Vegetarian Day. 

When I became a lacto-ovo vegetarian nearly 28 years ago, I didn't know that a vegetarian diet has a positive benefit on the environment or my health. I was only 10 years old. I simply stopped eating meat for animal reasons. Today, I continue to enjoy my vegetarian diet knowing that I am protecting animal rights, the environment and my health. 

Although a vegetarian diet helps create a better world, there are many different definitions of a plant-based style of eating. On World Vegetarian Day, I'd like to offer a different perspective on plant-based eating.

If you are looking to adopt a more plant-based style of eating, I encourage you to pursue your own definition of what plant-based means to you and how it can be good for the environment, good for animals and good for your health.

If you are considering transitioning to a more plant-based diet, there's no need to immediately title your diet as vegan or vegetarian to take advantage of the many health, ethical and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet. When adopting a different style of eating, start with the mindset “less is best.” Make small changes by learning about nutritious plant-based substitutions for every animal food reduction. A slow gradual process is less extreme, it’s easier on your body and intuitively, it’s more gentle for your mind. 

Starting a new style of eating (especially for health reasons) and restricting food groups or demonizing certain foods can lead to feelings of deprivation, guilt and shame - not to mention a risk for nutrient deficiencies or heightened cravings. 

To incorporate more plant-based nutrition habits into your diet, choose small changes that allow for a health-promoting and sustainable approach.

Diet rules, lists and labels are used to control your eating. They tell you exactly what you should and shouldn’t eat in order to lose weight, improve health or change body composition. I realize that a vegetarian diet has an off-limit food list. But don't be misled that avoiding animal protein will provide you with improved health or changes in your body composition.  Eating a plant-based/vegetarian/vegan diet shouldn't be viewed as a diet plan. It should hold a deeper meaning as to why you avoid certain foods. 

Extremes and absolutes are never healthy. Strict and restrictive eating can run and ruin your life, health and emotional well-being. Often times, it can create disordered eating patterns. If you struggle with body image and are seeking a vegetarian/vegan diet in an effort to gain control over your eating or to change body composition, I encourage you to reach out to a sport dietitian with experience in plant-based eating and disordered eating. 

If you don’t diet, you can never cheat, break, mess up, feel guilty, fall off the wagon or have a bad day of eating. A vegetarian diet is a lifestyle, not a fad diet. And it's ok to try something and overtime, realize that it's not the right fit for you. With every new style of eating, there is a period of adaption and learning. A vegetarian diet is not about what you can't eat but what you can and should eat....a diet rich in plant-based, wholesome foods. 

Your eating choices belong to you. If you choose to reduce, minimize or avoid certain foods for ethical, medical, religious, health or personal reasons, your diet should remain simple, flexible, varied and nourishing. Your personalized style of eating is constantly evolving. Keep it practical, enjoyable and sustainable. It’s not a fad, it doesn’t require meticulous calculations, there are no strict rules, and it should never cause guilt, stress or worry.

If you are seeking a dietary change in order to improve your mental and physical well-being, the outcome should serve you well in all areas of your life. 

Happy World Vegetarian Day.

The role of sugar in an athlete's diet

Over the past few years, carbohydrates have endured an extreme amount of backlash. Labeled as unhealthy due to a link to obesity (and contributing to many other metabolic diseases and health issues), it's understandable why so many endurance athletes fear carbohydrates. With so much negative attention placed on this one macronutrient, it's easy to assume that carbohydrates are the enemy and will negatively affect body composition, health and performance.

To help clear up the confusion, endurance athletes have two different styles of eating:
-Sport nutrition
-Daily nutrition

Your daily diet provides the foundation to optimize health. This diet is rich in wholesome (real) foods, fiber, quality proteins, heart-healthy fats, and slow-digesting carbohydrates and contains a large amount of fruits and vegetables. Your daily diet is the vehicle to help you maintain a healthy (realistic) body weight, reduce the risk for disease/illness and optimize quality (and longevity of life). An optimal diet is made of many inter-related parts that constantly need adjusting based on your lifestyle, activity regime and health needs. To maximize your nutrition, your daily diet should be well-planned and personalized to your lifestyle and health needs. 

On the other hand, your sport nutrition diet focuses on optimizing performance. Certainly, you can't out-train a poorly planned diet. For your sport nutrition diet to work, you must have a solid foundation of daily nutrition to keep your body in good working order. To optimize performance, what you consume (food, drinks) before/during/after exercise can enhance the adaptive response to exercise.

Unfortunately, sport nutrition is a confusing topic because many strategies conflict with "healthy" daily nutrition advice given be experts in regards to optimizing health and body composition.

For example, on Sunday morning I consumed over 1000 calories worth of sugar. OK, so it wasn't straight-up sugar but the sport nutrition products I consumed over the course of 5 hours and 45 minutes of riding 103 miles (and over 12,000+ feet elevation) included different forms of carbohydrates - glucose, fructose and maltodextrin. I am a strong advocate of utilizing sport nutrition products during training sessions - all year long - as I feel it's a vital component to maximizing performance and keeping the body in good health. 

Because all carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars (which are then absorbed into the bloodstream), carbohydrates are a very important and readily available source of energy. It would be unwise (and potential unhealthy) to not take advantage of the many sport nutrition products available that are scientifically formulated (and easy-to-consume) to support the human body during endurance and/or intense physical activity. Certainly not all sport nutrition products are the same - product selection and application is critically important. 

Eating too many refined carbs in your daily diet - such as the sugars found in candy, soft drinks, refined grains and processed foods - does not optimize health. These foods are easy to access, easy to overconsume, taste delicious and aren't too filling - it's easy to eat more of them then needed. And truth be told, the nutrient poor options like candy and soda - supply empty calories with no nutritional value so they technically aren't necessary in the diet.
(I'm not against any foods and I don't believe in an off-limit food list.... even empty calorie foods can be enjoyed responsibly on occasion. I enjoyed 1/2 can of a coke during 6-gap :) 

For endurance athletes, attention should be placed on the daily diet and on sport nutrition. There's a role of sugar in an athlete's diet and it comes in the form of sport nutrition. 

Although sport nutrition advice may appear "unhealthy," implementing smart fueling practices before, during and after your intense and long workouts can maximize performance and health. While added sugar (not the foods containing natural sources of sugar like dairy, fruits, veggies) should be minimized in the daily diet of an athlete, special considerations and attention should be given to the sugar/carbohydrates, sodium and fluids that your body requires to support your training demands.

Sadly, many athletes tend to underfuel in training and overeat outside of workouts. This is not health promoting or performance enhancing. By understanding the difference between your daily diet needs and your sport nutrition needs, you can improve performance by staying more consistent with training, reduce the risk for injury/sickness and maintain a healthier relationship with food and your body.

For more information on this topic:

Nail your nutrition with these 3 simple tips (article)
Essential Sport Nutrition (book)
Making sense of sport nutrition advice (blog post)

2020 6-gap Century Recap

 

As the story goes, 2020 is providing us with different racing opportunities. We feel extremely lucky that we have options for races. Although there aren't a lot to choose from, we have been able to get into different race environments which has allowed us to scratch our competitive itch and be around other athletes. After the Tugaloo Olympic triathlon two weeks ago and the Upstate open water splash a week ago, it was time for our bikes to Dahlonega for the 32nd Annual 6-gap century ride. 

This was our 2nd time participating in this event. Our last time was in 2009 - eleven years ago! We haven't been back since so it was a ride down memory lane as we did our course recon ride on Saturday (we did 3 of the gaps - Wolfpen, Woody and Neils on the day before the event - 39 miles). If you would like to read my even recap blog from 2009, you can check it out HERE. I found it to be extremely entertaining as I've come sooooo far with my cycling skills and endurance. I was joking with Karel the other day that I should not have been allowed to do the event in 2009 as I had very poor bike handling skills and I was deathly afraid of descending. Now, I can enjoy the fun that comes after every climb and ride safely and confidently on the downhills. I have to thank Karel for always (safely) putting me into uncomfortable riding scenarios, which have forced me to stretch my comfort zone and improve my skills. 

I booked an Airbnb in Blairsville, GA which was around 26 miles (~40 min drive) away from the event venue in Dahlonega (at Lumpkin High School). We shared the house with our friend Al and a friend of a friend from Jacksonville. The house was tucked away off a country road (next to a farm) and it was very peaceful and quiet. The house was also on the bike course, which was great for our recon ride on Saturday. We always prefer houses over hotels as it allows us to prepare all of our meals in a kitchen (and have space). 

The check-in process for the event was very smooth. It was a drive-thru process and took less than 10 minutes. The volunteers were amazing for this event (there were over 400 of them over the course of the weekend)! 

Here are a few pics from our recon ride on Saturday. 

On Sunday morning we woke up at 4:45am and left the house at 6am. We prepped our bottles the night before so all we had to do was pump the bike tires, eat and put on our cycling bibs and jersey. Although we did not feel nerves for the event, we knew it was going to be a challenging day. Even though my bike fitness has drastically improved over the past few years (thanks to our incredibly challenging terrain in Greenville), this doesn't make climbing (or group riding) any easier. You just go harder and suffer more. ;) 

I want to give a bit of love to my new NS1 Ventum (received in February) as it's such a dream to ride. I love the disc brakes, the handlebars and brake/electronic shifter set-up (thanks to Karel), my Alto carbon wheels and the responsiveness of the bike. I feel very comfortable and confident on the bike. It's so fun to ride....Plus, it's super pretty. 

The event started at 7:30am and we arrived around 6:50am. The line for parking was getting rather long so I feel like we timed it just right when we arrived. We slathered on the Amp cream before we left so all we had to do is put on our cycling gear, grab our face masks, stuff our pockets with some nutrition and take a quick bathroom stop. The weather was perfect - it started in the mid 60's (cloudy) and approached mid 70 as the morning went on. We had little sunshine, a little wind and a lot of clouds and fog (and a bit of a mist of rain). 

Yannick, Alvi, Karel and I lined up near the mid to the front of the first wave. And before we knew it, we were off. As for the plan for the day, we each did our own effort with the goal of staying safe and having fun. Oh and let's not forget the suffering that was needed to get to the finish line. 

As for the event itself, it was a challenge. The first 18 miles were a pure endorphin rush as it was a fast pace in a large group. We went up and down hills and I was sure to stay alert as there was a lot of slowing and accelerating and a few sketchy moments where I was careful not to crash. 

The featured 6 gaps were (in ordered): 

• Neel's Gap
• Jack's Gap
• Unicoi Gap
• Hogpen Gap (K/QOM timed)
• Wolfpen Gap (K/QOM timed)
• Woody's Gap 

The ride was 103 miles and covered over ~12,000 feet of elevation. I managed to stay with a strong group through Neil's Gap but after the descend, I struggled to stay on the wheels when the road became flat. I was super proud of my descending and I was able to stay with smaller groups on the climbs. I found myself bouncing from one group to the next group (behind me) as I couldn't stay on the wheels of the riders after the descends. I gave it my all throughout and tried to be strategic as to when I pushed and when I looked for opportunities to save energy. But even when I rode with a group, it was still really tough. The descends were awesome - they had a nice rhythm to them, the roads were well paved throughout the entire course and nearly every turn was a sweeping turn (not tight). The only tight turn was after the road about after the long descend from Woody's gap. Karel stayed with the front group through the first half of Neil's gap and then he cracked and struggled. He spent most of the ride by himself as he dug a hole pretty early trying to ride like his old self 11 years ago. He's ok with it as he loves riding his bike and it's just his nature to want to suffer and dig as deep as he can (his past bike racer mentality). His back was also bothering him which made it hard to get low on the descends. But he was still glad he did the event. He also enjoyed seeing some familiar faces that he hasn't seen in many many years from way back when in his bike racing days.

We both made our one fuel stop at the top of Hogpen and the volunteers were awesome. The entire 6 gap organizers, police, medical/safety staff and anyone else who helped with the event was amazing - it was truly a safe, well supported, fun event. And for the 32nd year, I think they nailed it once again - especially during a pandemic. 

As for the specific stats of the ride (from our Garmin bike computers, I estimated the distances as I am not sure exactly where the gaps start, except for Hogpen and Wolfpen which both had timing mats): 

• Neel's Gap ~7.5 miles
  Marni - 33:27
  Karel - 30.11
• Jack's Gap ~6.46 miles
  Marni - 25:57
  Karel - 25:22
• Unicoi Gap ~2.6 miles
  Marni - 15:17
  Karel - 13:11
• Hogpen Gap (K/QOM timed - the most difficult climb) ~6 miles
  Marni - 39:42
  Karel - 39:07
• Wolfpen Gap (K/QOM timed) ~3:02
  Marni - 22:01
  Karel - 21:58
• Woody's Gap ~1.28
  Marni - 9:40
  Karel - 7:08

Max speed descending: 
Karel - 56.1 mph
Marni - 57.1 mph 😱

RESULTS

                              Karel finishing time/placement            Marni finishing time/placement

Here are some post event pictures....

Chilling with Yannick and hearing all about his day. He placed 12th overall! 

Having fun with Yannick and Alvi before we scarfed down food from the cafeteria (provided to us as part of our entry fee). 

Karel decided it would be "fun" to run 3 miles off the bike. I couldn't stop laughing at his undershirt (thus the logo over it :) 

Oh Karel.