A new sport requires a beginner's mindset

 

I first heard about the concept of a "beginner's mind" from my long-time friend Gloria. Back in 2015, she wrote a blog about the "beginner" triathlete. She wrote about her first triathlon and shared the following:
"I can recall those early race memories with a warm heart and excitement because I remember how excited I was to learn from every race, to be excited about the possibilities or being better or learning something new. I remember being the newbie triathlete and didn’t care about rankings or qualifying but only in asking myself “did I give my best effort and what did I learn?” and being content with that."

Considering that I've been training for and racing long-distance triathlon events for nearly 16 years, I miss the moments of learning something new. Although I always keep an open mind and I am willing to try new things to help me improve, there's something incredibly special about doing something for the first time. 

Over the past few months, I've found myself cultivating a beginner's mind through the sport of mountain biking. Mountain biking is an invigorating sport. It requires you to think, respond and act quickly. Each ride provides an adrenaline rush, beautiful views in nature and unpredictable terrain. But you also need a great set of skills to be able to get over obstacles and to keep yourself safe.
 

For my first ride, Karel took me to the trails at Furman University for a very gentle introduction into mountain biking. Experiencing a suspension on a bike was very new to me. I had no idea what it felt like to ride over bumpy terrain until this first mountain bike ride. For my second ride, Karel took me to Dupont to ride on real mountain bike trails. It was another lesson of firsts as Karel taught me how to navigate over roots, rocks and gravel. There were a lot of features that I had to unclip and walk over as I lacked the skills to get over them safely. But as the ride went on, Karel would stop and he would discuss the right line (and skills) needed to get over the technical elements. I kept an open mind and I didn't let fear or frustration get the best of me. 

Since then, most of my riding has been at Pleasant Ridge. The trails are hilly and technical but there are several options that I can choose from - and the 5-7 mile loop changes directions each month (and there are a few different loop options) so every ride requires a new set of skills that I am forced to learn in the moment. But Karel continues to walk me through each obstacle or gives me the cues as we are riding. Sometimes I get scared, sometimes I go for it and hope for the best. I tried one hill with a lot of rocks and roots and I found myself on my back, sliding down the hill as I wasn't able to unclip in time on my non-dominate leg. But as the ride went on, I got better. This past weekend we went back to Dupont and I found myself able to go over most of the obstacles. There were several that I had to walk over, a few that I tried and had to unclip to avoid falling and I even experienced going up and down on my first "rock garden." And today, I went on a new route at Pleasant Ridge and struggled on almost every rock obstacle. 

Learning how to mountain bike is a new sport for me. While I know how to ride a triathlon and road bike, I started mountain biking as a pure beginner. Although there are moments of failure, self-doubt and frustration, I refuse to give up. I want to get better. But these uncomfortable experiences actually make the whole learning process so much more fun. Even when something feels familiar, having no expertise, experience or opinions is incredibly fresh and exciting. 

Whether you are an experienced athlete or new to a sport, consider the following benefits of training with a beginner's mindset: 

• Stay open, curious and looking for ways to improve. 
• Stay humble. Use your experience to help, teach or to inspire others. 
• Look for new ways to challenge yourself. 
• Work with someone better and more experienced than you to grow and to improve. 
• Try something completely new. 
• Teach what you have learned to someone else. 
• Be willing to change, even if it feels uncomfortable. 
• Don't be afraid to fail. 

Here are some videos of us riding at Dupont. I was so happy about descending down and halfway climbing up my first rock "garden." 

Is your good enough, enough?

Over the past decade, hundreds of athletes have come to me for help with daily nutrition, sport nutrition and training assistance. Most of these athletes have identified a specific limitation that is preventing them from optimizing performance, maintaining good health and/or advancing fitness in preparation for an athletic event.

But I also hear statements like the following from athletes who are not comfortable with change. 
"I eat good."
"My workouts are good."

Why be good when you can be great? 

Last week we had our athlete Kaley in town for 2 days. Kaley traveled to us from the DC area and she is a developing triathlete athlete who is a super speedy swimmer and is very strong on the bike. However, she hasn't been able to master the bike/run combo to her potential so she made a trip to us to update her bike position on her tri and road bike and to work on bike handling skills.

The first day of Kaley's trip was dedicated to Karel fitting her on two bikes (road and triathlon). This process took all afternoon. The second day we ventured outside for 2 hours and focused on terrain management and mastering basic bike handling skills for safer, smarter and stronger riding on hilly terrain. We started off on gentle rollers and wide turns to practice shifting, standing and interacting with the bike. We then rode up and over Paris Mountain to practice climbing, descending, tight turns, body position and proper gear shifting. The end of the ride took us through the punchy hills, twists turns and technical terrain on the backside of Paris Mountain. Although we only covered 30 miles in 2 hours, we covered almost 2000 feet of elevation to help Kaley take her skills from good enough to even better. 

But this trip was not all about Kaley. I was so excited to have Kaley in town because she is a great swimmer. Since we both come from a similar swim background, I was really looking forward to having her push me in the pool. Although I have a great swim partner in town (Kristen), Kaley is just a bit faster than me so I knew I would need to work extra hard to keep up for her. 

Wow - I have not been that tired in such a long time. I also haven't swam that fast in a very long time. For such a long time, I had been trying to break 36 seconds in a 50. And then with Kaley pushing me, I was coming in around 34 seconds. I knew I had it in me but I wasn't willing to let myself suffer that much on my own. Not only did I realize that I had more in me that I was not giving during the faster/all out sets but I also need to eat a bit more after the swims to ensure that I was recovering well from these really intense swim workouts on Thursday and Friday. 

I believe that every athlete has somewhere in their life and/or training where improvements can be made. Sure, things may be good but I bet they could be even better. Just like Kaley could have settled for her good skills and I could continue to settle for good enough in the water, we all have more in us that we are capable of.....If we are willing to take the necessary steps to go from good to great. 

Consider the following examples: 
-You don't eat before your workouts but you feel like you have good workouts. What if you ate before and had even better workouts? 
-You don't do mobility before your workouts but you feel you have good workouts. What if you did mobility and had even better workouts? 
-You sleep ok and you eat low carb and you feel like you have good workouts. What if eating more carbs could help you sleep better and you could have better workouts? 

Perhaps it's fear of the unknown, fear of failure, not having the right tools or being a bit stubborn, when you choose to settle for less than what you are capable of, you are limiting yourself and restricting your own potential. 

Take a moment and ask yourself if you have been settling on being average instead of taking the steps to become the best possible version of yourself. 

If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting the same results. Raise your standards for yourself. 

Don't let good enough be good enough. 

When new kit day causes body image dissatisfaction

After several months of waiting, we finally received our 2022 Trimarni kits. We have a new company, new design and new colors. We weren't sure how it would all turn out but we could not be happier!

Receiving a new training or race day kit is a special moment. As an athlete, you do incredible things with your body on a daily basis. And when it comes to race day, you are often doing what others think is impossible. Every time you get dressed to use your body for sport, you deserve to wear clothes that make you feel confident, empowered and happy. A great mood boost can come from wearing clothes that make you feel so proud of your active and healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the long-awaited arrival of your new outfit may cause a mood drop - especially if you feel unhappy with your body image when trying on your new training or race day kit. When something doesn't fit right and you feel uncomfortable, it can mess with your head. 

If you are an athlete, there is a good chance that you have found yourself unhappy with your body when trying on clothes. I can remember trying on dresses for my high school senior prom and it was clear that the clothing manufacturers were not catering to my athletic body. I couldn't find anything to fit my short stature or my wide back and broad shoulders acquired from competitive swimming. I finally found a two-piece dress that had a tie-back top, which I could adjust to fit my unique physique.

Still today, I find it difficult to dress for my body type. But I take pride in my athletic body and I refuse to conform to societal norms of changing my weight, size and shape in order to fit into an "ideal body type".

How many times has your day been ruined after putting on clothes that didn't fit your body type?
Do you feel embarrassed and ashamed when you need a size bigger than what you are used to?
Does a preoccupation with your weight/size trigger food restriction, dieting and over exercising?

Because your experience of your own body comes from how you believe you compare to the images you see on social media, this often means you are comparing your body to unrealistic standards. It's not surprising that so many athletes feel insecure and obsessed with their bodies when trying on athletic wear. 

If you don't fit the mold, you do not need to change your body. Resorting to unhealthy dieting or exercise regimes to reach an "ideal" body type is not the solution. Do not give power to a generalized body sizing system that negatively impacts your self worth. 

Having a strong, fit and healthy body is not defined by a specific look. 

Find clothes that make you feel proud of your current body. Purchase clothes that fit your here and now body. Purge clothes that no longer serve you well physically, emotionally or mentally. It's ok to change sizes - you are human in a changing body.

Your exercise gear should never make you feel guilt or shame. Wear clothes that make you feel proud of your shape, size and image.

Don't blame your body for ill-fitting clothing. Being thinner will not necessarily make you happier or healthier. Remind yourself of what your current body can do and the healthy lifestyle that you live with your amazing body. 

Thankfully the fashion industry is evolving. We chose Epix for a variety of reasons but we appreciated that they offered a variety of sizes (without an extra cost for larger sizes), the material fit all body shapes and sizes and there was even a custom option to tailor the sleeves and shorts. 

I'm no fashionista but I know that I don't need to fix my body to feel good about what I wear and I am not defined by a number on a clothing label or bathroom scale. 

Nobody is built the same. There is nothing wrong with you. Find acceptance with how you are built.... there is no perfect fit. 

How to improve your gravel biking skills

Last week (while dealing with Madison's declining health) we had two of our athletes in town for a 2.5 day private training camp. The focus of the camp was improving off-road bike handling skills (gravel biking). We also included swim/run training in the camp as our athletes have several triathlons on their schedule. But with their first ever ultra-distance gravel event (150-mile) happening late summer, it was important that our athletes improve their gravel skills to that they can both feel more comfortable, safe and confident when training off-road. 

Although the weather was not in our favor with predicted rain all day on Thurs and Friday (the two full days of their camp), we got incredibly lucky in that we were able to drive to two different locations and entirely miss the rain. Even better, on Thursday we were able to ride in a short sleeve jersey and shorts! 

For Zach and Ashley's camp (husband and wife from Nebraska) we completed the following over 2.5 days: 

Thursday: 
9-10am: technique focused swim 
1:30-4:30pm: Gravel ride near Sumter National Forest, SC
10 min run off the bike 

Friday: 
7-8:30am: Master swim, group workout
1-3:30pm: Gravel ride near Zirconia, NC
30 min run off the bike

Saturday: 
9-10:20am: Run workout w/ hill intervals

Riding gravel is all the rage these days. Some perks include the wider tires, disc brakes, a change in scenery, being in nature, being able to ride on the road and off the road and feeling much more adventurous on two wheels. More so, many people are switching from road to gravel biking due to far fewer cars/trucks. Although the chances of experiencing motorized traffic is very small on gravel roads, there's a greater risk of crashing due to the uneven surface under your wheels. And not all "gravel" is created equal - neither is tire pressure. There are silky smooth dirt roads and then there are washboard-like roads which will have you bouncing uncomfortably on and off your saddle. Add in climbing and descending, tight turns on loose rocks, deep sand and peanut-butter clay, you may find that gravel riding is much harder than it looks on social media. Oh and don't forget to add in riding over puddles and water crossings. You never know what you will get when riding off road. Additionally, risk of heat stress, fatigue and bonking is also greater than on the road due to the lack of "convenient" stops to refill bottles and to restock edible fuel. 

The truth is that riding a gravel bike is very different than riding on the road. On gravel, you can't just sit on your bike and pedal. Weight distribution is key on technical terrain, especially with turning, braking and descending. With gravel biking, there is a lot of weight shifting that should occur efficiently and smoothly. Whereas you may be able to get away being stiff and rigid on a road bike, safe gravel riding requires you to stay relaxed. For your bike to float freely under you, you need to become the suspension of the bike to absorb the bumps under you. When you watch experienced gravel riders, you'll notice that they are rarely sitting - there's a lot of standing, hovering, moving the hands into different positions on the handlebars/drops and weight shifting. The key is making small adjustments to stay stable and in control. When it comes to turning, this is very different than riding on the road. On a paved road, what you need to do to turn is the complete opposite of riding on gravel. 

Similar to the road, you need to go easy on the brakes. When you squeeze on your brakes, your wheel is not free to roll. Depending on how quick and tightly you squeeze your brakes - and the position of your body - there's risk of washing out, losing control or flying over your handlebars. Learning how to brake on and off road (and the braking power of your brakes) is one of the easiest skills to learn to improve your safety. 

When you are riding off road, it's easy to get distracted and enjoy the scenery around you. While this is easy to do on smooth surfaces, I find that gravel biking requires a lot more mental energy as I am constantly scanning 10+ feet ahead of me to find the best line. And when I'm descending, there's a lot of adjustment to find the right body position to safely navigate down a hill, especially if there are deep piles of gravel or sticky sand/clay. 

Lastly, unlike on the road where you can comfortable ride with your preferred cadence, the key to off road biking is to keep up the speed, which often means pedaling with a higher cadence or a bigger gear - both can feel uncomfortable if you haven't trained yourself to ride with variable cadences (high cadence can cause great cardio stress and low cadence can cause great muscular stress). There are some scenarios where you will feel like you are pedaling and going no where. Learning to pedal at a high cadence, with great power, while also keeping your grip loose and letting the bike autocorrect is a skill that takes time to master. 

Ashley and Zach did an excellent job at their gravel riding camp (no falls!). They tackled all types of conditions from crushed gravel and light sand to thick peanut-butter-mud and washboards. Karel did a great job on helping with water crossing do's and don'ts as well as climbing and descending skills. The biggest takeaway was not to tense up and to just sit on the saddle but to relax, move the body and let the bike flow under you. 

If you are interested in improving your gravel or road riding skills, we have a few slots left for our April bike skills/climbing camp. You can find out more here. 

Every Trimarni camp is guaranteed to include farm animals. 

The hardest part of having a pet

 

For any pet owner, saying goodbye to a beloved furry family member can be one of the most difficult times in life. This past week was incredibly hard as we were so close to saying goodbye to our eldest cat Madison (14 years old). Although she is still with us, we aren't sure how much time we have left with our sweet, kind, affectionate and always-by-my side Madison. 

On Saturday evening (1/29), Madison was acting completely normal. She was eating normally, following her normal routine and not showing any signs of concerns. On Sunday morning (1/30), everything changed. Madison stopped eating and drinking and started acting unlike herself. She became lethargic and wanted to be by herself. Although this had happened twice in the past (2019), we were a bit concerned with her being older. We took her to the vet on Monday (1/31) and the vet was concerned about her hat. She was quickly diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (a feline type of cardiac disease that causes the muscular walls of a cat’s heart to thicken, decreasing the heart’s efficiency and sometimes creating symptoms in other parts of the body). Madison also presented with a fever and she was still not drinking or eating. The vet gave her fluids and prescribed heart meds and we went home hopefully that she would make a turn for the better. On Tuesday, things got worse. 

Madison stayed under the bed all day and didn't move. She was still refusing to eat and drink and not like herself. Concerned that things were getting worse, we took her back to the vet on Wednesday. 

For the next three days, from 7:30am - 5:30pm, Madison spent all day at the vet. They were concerned about her pancreas, heart, lungs and GI tract. We absolutely love our vet but we were also concerned about Madison being away from us all day as she is a very attached cat who gets stressed very easily. Madison received fluids, had x-rays and got some more meds. Her fever remained for two days and then her temperature suddenly dropped. She was kept warm and they continued to monitor her condition. We took her home for the evening as we didn't want her being alone at the vet overnight. Karel and I were not able to sleep as we were constantly worried about her and checking on her throughout the night. I even slept on the downstairs couch on Thurs and Friday so I could sleep with  Madison by the fireplace. 

By Friday, things weren't looking good. The x-ray showed Madison's lungs were filling with fluid and she was breathing very deeply with a little wheezing. At this point, we wanted to exhaust all our treatment options so the vet called in the late morning that he wanted to perform a pleural tap to remove fluid from her lungs. This should help her breath a little easier. But this procedure required her to be lightly sedated and there was a risk that the stress would be too much for her body so we went to the vet in the late morning to give her a kiss and told her to stay strong and to fight through the procedure. Thankfully, a few hours later, the vet called that all went ok. He took another xray and drew more labs and felt that at this point, we were dealing with heart disease - likely end-stage. 

With it being Friday evening, we were worried about the weekend and not being able to take Madison to the vet for fluids so he gave us some injections to give her at home to help her condition. On Friday evening, we were just so thankful to have Madison home with us.

After such a stressful week, all I wanted was to enjoy time together and to have her by my side. We found Madison outside of our apartment complex in 2009 and ever since, she has been such a special cat for us. She shows us so much love and gratitude and she loves being around us. When Maddy came home, we were just so thankful that she could be with us. We were so excited when she finally drank from the bathroom sink (her fav place to drink) and even jumped on the bathroom sink for water in the evening. 

But just when we felt like Madison was really making a dramatic improvement, she had a convulsive seizure on Saturday late afternoon. It was the scariest thing for us and we felt like it was time to let her go. We contacted a few at-home pet euthanizing companies but nobody had any options available for that evening. We were still struggling with the idea of Madison no longer being in our life but we also didn't want her in pain. 

There were a lot of tears, sleepless nights and discussions this week/weekend but right now, Madison is stable and doing so much better. She is now drinking and we have found a few cat food options that she enjoys. We are doing all that we can to keep her happy, loved, comfortable and stress-free. 

To be honest, Madison seems completely back to her normal health. She is breathing normally, she is drinking and snacking on some cat food treats. She is walking normally, jumping on the sink/bathroom counters, chatting with me and back to her normal routine. She is a fighter and so strong. After 8 days of not eating, we are so relieved that she finally has food in her stomach. I am not sure if the seizure was from hypoglycemia or a blood clot or something else so I will speak with the vet on Monday.

Madison is spending all her time with us and we are so grateful that we can enjoy this time with her knowing that we may not have that much time left together. 

We were stretching our energy and focus all over the place this past week so we are both feeling empty and exhausted. 

Over the past week, Karel and I have done a lot of talking. We love our animals as they are part of our family. Madison has been there with us through so much. It's interesting how we both handle these types of situations so differently. Whereas I am the emotional/sensitive one in our relationship, I find myself staying strong and realistic when it comes to these types of things and Karel is much more emotional. But you just never know how you are going to react to a hardship or setback. When it comes to injuries or sport, Karel is so much more realistic, positive and accepting of the situation. 

I've always tried to be open and honest on social media when it comes to sharing details about our life. Although I don't share all of our struggles, I feel it's important to document the highs and lows in my life as I want to be transparent and authentic. Like so many others, we have our share of struggles. 

But I do believe that being grateful is a choice and we should never take a day for granted. Finding the positives, focusing on what you can do and keeping perspective can help us feel less overwhelmed by unfortunate circumstances. Going through life with a grateful mindset does not mean you are being superficial. It means you are making the most of everyday, knowing that you are taking nothing for granted. 

Do athletes need regular blood tests?

A few millimeters of blood holds a vast amount of personal information. Although a blood test may appear costly and inconvenient, blood testing offers a quick, reliable and straightforward way of receiving a powerful amount of personalized information that can help you maximize health, overall well-being and performance.getting your blood analyzed with careful interpretation by a sport-specific professional can show how your genetics, training, nutrition, recovery and lifestyle factors impact your biomarkers.  Why guess when you can test? 

Let's look into a few reasons why athletes (and fitness enthusiasts) should get routine blood tests: 

• Health - Blood tests are not just for optimizing performance. First and foremost, a blood test can check for certain diseases, conditions and deficiencies. Because every biomarker has a range or specific number that represents "normal," you can learn if you have a shortage or excess of a specific factor in the blood. A blood test is a portrait of your current health. A nutrient deficiency may be easily corrected with a supplement whereas other metabolic biomarkers are influenced by genetics and lifestyle factors. 
  
  
• Performance - Because your ability to perform to your best ability is influenced by training, nutrition and recovery, blood testing is a window inside your athletic body. You can receive vital information on nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, hydration status, muscle health and injury risk and uncover long-term or recent patterns/reactions from your lifestyle choices, nutrition habits and training methods. 
  
  
• Understand your body - Periodic testing gives insight into your unique biomarker levels and how your nutrition, recovery, training and lifestyle impact those levels. Ultimately, this impacts how you feel, think and perform. By focusing on your "inside" you get to know what is specific to you as an athlete - and as a human. However, every athlete is different....especially athletes. It's important to have a trained professional (specializing in athlete biomarkers) review your labs before making any changes with fueling, training and recovery. 
  
  
• Periodic testing - Blood testing is one of the few "testing" measures where you can't cheat the test. By getting routine blood testing, you can learn more about your physiology, health, nutrition and performance and make necessary changes. To truly benefit from blood testing, it's recommended to invest into at least 6 tests spread over 2-3 years. The first routine test is to screen. The second and third test (at least 3-5 months later) can give feedback on any new training/nutrition interventions. The next two tests can help establish any trends and the last test shares a story over several seasons. It's recommended to test before you start advancing your training (ex. end of your off-season) as well as another test in peak training. If possible, a test in the start of your off-season (at the end of your season) can also be valuable. All of these markers will give insight into how your body is managing the training load, as well as any positive or negative impacts on recovery and nutrition. 
  
  
• A look inside your body...
  Nutrient metabolism and overall health labs: CBS, CMP - glucose, A1C, cholesterol, BUN, albumin, triglycerides, vitamin D, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, Omega-3 index, etc.
  
  Hydration status: plasma osmolality, plasma sodium, BUN, eGFR, serum creatinine, urine specific gravity, etc. 
  
  Muscle health: BUN, myoglobin, CK, Cytokines, IGF-1
  
  Endocrine health: Testosterone, DHEA, IGF-1, SHBG, Cortisol, LH, Thyroid
  
  Endurance/stamina: Serum Ferritin, TIBC, Total Iron, Transferrin, Transferring saturation, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit 
  
  Female health: Cholesterol, estradiol, testosterone (free and total), TSH, progesterone, DHEA-sulfate, FSH, LH.

• Decoding results - Just because your biomarker is out-of-range or normal, this doesn't tell the entire story. Your numbers are influenced by a variety of factors and what's normal for you may not be normal for your next door neighbor. Depending on your biomarker results, a professional can instruct on how to best supplement for a deficiency or adjust the diet/training for better recovery.

After several years of waiting for the perfect partnership with a blood testing company, I partnered with Athlete Blood Test as my go-to blood testing company for my nutrition consultations. ABT provides individually-tailored, athlete-focused blood biomarker testing to help athletes dial in nutrition, recovery, training and performance. Even more exciting for the female athletes, the Athlete Blood Test She (ABT.she) blood analysis panel empowers women to better understand their physiology by analyzing female-specific sex hormones (ex. estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone). ABT.she takes into account where you are in your menstrual cycle when analyzing biomarker levels.

If you are interested in using Athlete Blood Test for your blood testing needs, send me an email (Marni@trimarnicoach.com) for a discount code on the test panel of your choice. 

The grand finale - GVL WBL #8

 

True to its name, the last GVL WBL was a cold one. Like really really cold. The location changed to Donaldson (~7-mile loop) due to possible ice/snow on the planned route. The start time was also moved back to 11am to give time for it to warm up. However, when we started the ride, it was ~32 degrees F and the wind chill was in the 20s (and the wind was gusty!). It was one for the record books for me - I have never biked in such cold conditions before! I was really proud of myself for doing the group ride and collecting a few more points before the podium ceremony at the Think Tank Brewery. The ride was "only" 35 miles (1:46). We did one warm-up loop and then it was time for the action - each loop had a designated group that was "sprinting". The women went on loop 3 and 5. The last loop also included the QOM/KOM. It was a spicy ride and the strong wind and cold made it even tougher. And just when I thought I was done and ready to defrost in the car, a group of ~8 riders were heading out to do the ~30 mile country loop. Just when I thought I had no more left in me (and my feet frozen), I found myself riding with the group and adding another 1:36 of riding time to my ride. I ended up with 67 miles (3:27) which made me happy because I didn't want Karel to one-up me by too much with his gravel ride. I managed to talk myself into a run off the bike (thanks Yannick for the accountability!) and ended up feeling somewhat good (and my feet finally dethawed around 1 mile into my 2-mile brick run).

Karel joined a group in Walhalla, SC (~75 minute drive) for another Southeast gravel recon (69 miles) and he said it was also very cold and there were some sections with ice/snow. 

And that's a wrap on another series of the Greenville Winter Bike League (GVL WBL). This was my second year participating in this group ride series put on by Debbie, Cate and Andrew of the Supra Cycling team. I attended 6 of the 8 events. I missed #1 because we were in Maui for our Xterra events. I didn't attend #7 because the location changed due to bad weather (snow) and I opted to stay indoors on the trainer. Unlike last year, the weather was not in our favor but I'm proud of myself for attending 6 of the 8 rides. Most rides had at least 20 riders and sometimes over 50. The ride starts at 10am from Trailblazer Park and the routes are typically 3-4 hours (~60-70 miles) with a SAG vehicle following the A-group and a designated store stop. Each ride has a specific route planned with a KOM/QOM and near the end of the series, a sprint zone. There are raffles prizes to be won and a points to be earned for attending. There is even a cash prize for winning the KOM/QOM (typically $40-$50!). There were so many incentives for attending, not to mention socializing and gaining a good amount of fitness. Every Saturday I found myself excited and nervous for the ride. But at the end I felt so accomplished - especially when the weather was cold, windy and dreary. This group kept me accountable to showing up no matter how I felt or how cold it was outside. 

The Supra team gave out awesome awards and a lot of great prizes. I placed 2nd in the women's category with my friend and riding buddy Carley in 3rd and Cate (the sprinting rocket) in 1st. I was also 3rd "overall" (it was actually Men Pro 1,2 category but Cate and I earned enough points to be counted in this category. Although I earned $150 cash for my placings, the idea of collecting points was a big incentive for me as I always arrived nervous and excited for the opportunity to give my best effort. 

Although I've finished every A-ride that I've started, no ride has been easy for me. Each ride takes me out of my comfort zone. And that's exactly why I love doing this series. 

A bit of background....
I did not grow up riding bikes. Karel and I met on a group ride when I was 24 and I was scared of being around others while riding. Karel was an experienced cyclist and I was a triathlete training for my first Ironman. I had a tri bike but I had no idea how to really ride it - I had no skills. Of course it didn't help that I lived in flat Florida as I could get away with bad riding habits and poor cycling skills. I was ok joining in on the local group ride but there was nothing too technical about the ride. The group rides were more about ego than tactics. 

When we moved to Greenville in 2014, I was forced to improve my skills. With ~1000 feet of elevation gain for ~1 hr of riding (unless you climb one of our many mountains, which could add another 2000+ feet of elevation gain in 2-7 miles) you have to have great skills, strength, resiliency, confidence and endurance to train outside in our incredible cycling playground. It took me several years to improve my skills, strength and confidence on my bike (triathlon and road bike) but it has given me so many more riding opportunities. Again, I am just so proud of myself for completing these rides. Aside from the socializing aspect and having good endurance, these rides showcase my weaknesses and that is why I keep coming back for more and more suffering. 

A big thank you to Debbie, Cate, Andrew and all the participating sponsors and support for putting on the GVL WBL series. 

Understanding fatigue as an endurance athlete

After completing 17 Ironman distance triathlons, I have become good friends with fatigue. Over the past few years I have become much better at tolerating fatigue. Winning my age group at IM Chatt ('17), IMWI ('18) and IMLP ('21) and qualifying for the Ironman World Championship six times has proved to me that becoming a better long-distance triathlete is all about consistency, patience and strength. 

Over the past few years, there's been a great amount of talk over fat burning as a metabolic approach to delay fatigue and to improve endurance performance. Carbohydrate fuels are limited in the body and glycogen (stored carbs) depletion is a major cause of fatigue during high duration activities. Therefore, by increasing the reliance on fat for fuel (because fat fuel supplies are unlimited in the body), endurance athletes can delay fatigue through increased fat burning. To increase fat oxidation during exercise, athletes often resort to fasted training, a high-fat/low carb diet or a high amount of very low-intensity ("fat burning zone) training. 

With so much hype over fat burning to delay fatigue, many athletes are blaming poor race day performances on not being metabolically efficient (aka not being a fat-burning machine) and in turn, are spending a lot of time and effort on manipulating training and dietary methods to increase the body's capacity for fat oxidation. 

Fatigue is certainly a limiter to endurance performance. It affects your physical and mental ability to perform as it's the point when you can no longer maintain a given output of force. Too much training fatigue leaves you unable to perform well the next day. Minimizing fatigue on race day means faster times due to less of a slow down. Interestingly, there are many causes of fatigue - from neurological to mechanical. Fatigue is a product of many factors and the mechanisms that cause fatigue are specific to the task being performed. Many times, fatigue is mental - it's a feeling or a decline in mental function. 

With no single cause of muscle fatigue, the primary definition leads us to believe that fatigue is the inability to continue a task - whether it's finish a workout or a race, the body and/or mind become too exhausted to continue the task at a given effort. 

This brings me to my point - is metabolic inefficiency to blame? 

While fatigue can result due to depleted energy (carbohydrates), becoming more fat-adapted does not necessarily improve the capacity of your muscles, nervous system and cardiovascular system to work better. Being fat adapted does not mean that your muscles will no longer be imbalanced, it does not improve your terrain management skills or that your movement patterns become more economical. 

Not fueling appropriately will not make you a better athlete. Intentional fat adaptation will not improve your performance if you are not training in a way that enables you to become a stronger, more resilient and fitter athlete. Not eating before a workout doesn't mean you are changing your physiology through training. Becoming fat adapted doesn't guarantee that your body composition will change. 

Instead of blaming fatigue (or lack of endurance) on not being a great fat burner, be consistent with your training, fuel and eat smart, be patient and build up slowly. 

Endurance refers to the ability of a muscle to undergo repeated contractions against a set resistance for a period of time. 

Building endurance and becoming better at resisting fatigue takes time. It's a very slow and gradual adaptation. Naturally, overtime your body will become more efficient with how it uses fuel. You do not have to force it through fasted training, a high fat diet or a significant amount of low intensity training.

Consistent training at various intensities (to stress different metabolic systems) will induce major adaptations in your skeletal, nervous and cardio systems to improve your ability to better perform endurance exercise training. The stronger you get, the less you fatigue and the faster you will be. 

Should you become an intuitive eater?

Mindful eating. Intuitive eating. Both approaches are used by Anti-Diet and Health at Every Size dietitians. While these two eating approaches complement each other, there are some important differences.

Intuitive eating is a framework created by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch based on their work with eating disorder recovery. They are most known for the 10 principles of intuitive eating, which center around making peace with food, rejecting the diet mentality and to learn how to develop a healthier relationship with food. Intuitive eating goes beyond the eating experience to encourage people to change their relationship with food and the body.

Mindful eating is awareness that arises from paying attention, eating with purpose, eating non-judgmentally and being in the present moment. Mindful eating encourages you to use your senses in choosing to eat food that is satisfying and nourishing to you and your body. It means you acknowledge your likes, dislikes and neutral responses to food - without judgement. Mindful eating requires you to be aware of your hunger and satiety cues to help guide your food and eating related decisions.

Regardless which approach appeals to you the most, it's important to recognize that these are not diet plans. There are no rules but instead, principles to help you develop a healthier relationship with food and your body. 

In our appearance-body focused culture, it's easy to slip into unhealthy or disordered eating practices, often as a way to manipulate the look of your body or to feel a sense of control. Intuitive and mindful eating challenge rigid "diet" principles and all-or-nothing thinking. 

Learning to eat more intuitively - or mindfully - can help you honor your body and mind, tune in to your body, identify hunger/satisfaction cues and free up brain space that is wastefully spending too much time overthinking calories and bad food. In turn, positive benefits include greater life satisfaction and eating/exercising with gratitude instead of guilt.

Although you may find a diet plan or off-limit food list helpful to take away the guessing, the best style of eating for you is one that you can maintain for the entirety of your life. It takes time, compassion and patience to learn how to listen, honor and respect your body with food - but it will be worth it with a healthy life well-lived. If you have been following food rules for a very long time, mindful/intuitive eating can be viewed as a path of self-discovery, helping you learn  how to eat for pleasure and enjoyment while also meeting the needs of your body and mind. 

A note for athletes....
A major component of mindful and intuitive eating is learning how to honor your hunger and fullness. While this sounds simple, if you have struggled with your relationship with food for some time, you may not know what hunger and satisfaction feel like. Additionally, hunger cues may be blunted after intense, hot or high volume training. Your appetite may be nonexistent when you are nervous. Only eating when you feel hungry and stopping eating when you feel full may cause you to undereat and fall short of your total energy needs. As athletes, there are instances when you need to eat even when you don't feel hungry and times when you shouldn't eat what you want to eat, when you feel hungry. For example, honoring your food cravings when you are cycling or running may lead to GI issues. 

For endurance athletes, there are many times when we need to override what our body is telling us and then there are times when we need to listen. Logically, there are going to be times when you need to mechanically eat, even when your body doesn't "feel" hungry. 
Fueling your body, eating foods you enjoy and nourishing your body are all acts of self-care. 

Learning to eat more intuitively and mindfully can help you improve your relationship with food, your body....and athletic performance. To help you get started, here are a few tips....

• Stop dieting and treating food as the enemy. No more feeling deprived, "earning" your calories or terming foods good or bad. 
• Create a flexible balance between foods you enjoy, a nutrient-dense diet and foods that fuel your training. Use rational, not rigid thinking to help with food planning. 
• Be present. Plan your meals in advance. Make time to eat. Slow down when you eat. Truly enjoy the food choices that you make. 

For more nutrition, health, wellness and lifestyle tips and delicious nutritious recipes, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE.

Must Watch YouTube: The Impossible Route series

 

Several weeks ago I came across a YouTube documentary series called "Impossible Route." I started watching the first few minutes while on the bike trainer but stopped myself from continuing as I wanted to share the viewing experience with Karel. We both love watching endurance events, especially when it involves cycling. 

I would highly recommend giving it a watch. If you are like us and you love endurance events, I have a word of caution.....you will quickly find yourself planning your next impossible route as you watch each episode. I don't think it's possible to watch this documentary series and not feel motivated about doing something incredible with your body. 

The mission of this series is finding adventure, pushing your limits and going beyond what is thought to be possible. What I love about each episode is that it's not about racing. 

After 16 consecutive years of endurance triathlon racing, I still love the race day experience. When I train, I rarely think about race day.  I love feeling mentally, physically and emotionally challenged by the process of preparation. With every season of preparing for endurance events, I crave experiences, opportunities and teachable moments. 

Sport teaches us so much if we are willing to step beyond outcome goals, metrics and the desire to achieve an idealized body image. All too often, athletes focus only on the destination and never learn to appreciate the process. If your reason for training is to only reach a finish line, you may find yourself "one and done" before you even reach the finish line. 

Training for an endurance event is a challenge but to get the most out of the journey, you need to have a real love for it. This love shouldn't be confused with obsession. 

You are not your sport. Sport should be an extension of self, not the definition of self. 
Sport should add to the fullness of life. 

If you are getting your training done every day - no matter what, finding yourself chronically exhausting, lacking social connections, losing sleep in order to train, unable to meet your energy needs or repeatedly going to your doctor for sickness or injuries, you've selected the wrong list of ingredients to help you prepare for your upcoming endurance event. 

My biggest takeaway from watching the Impossible Routes is to live life fully by enjoying the process of working toward a goal that rests on the edge of what you believe is possible. No matter what type of athletic event you are training for, find joy in the journey. 

Check out the Impossible Route HERE.

2022 Trimarni Endurance Camp - July 7-10th, 2022

We are very passionate about providing our campers with instruction and education throughout the entire duration of camp. Although it's great to be able to check out of life and train like a professional for 4 days, we feel the best investment of time away from your normal training is to receive instruction from a coach so you can do things better in your home environment. 

Although we will always provide education at our camps, we understand that some camps serve the purpose of safely accumulating a lot of quality training miles to build fitness and confidence for your long distance triathlon. Being able to check out of life and having time (and energy) to focus on your recovery, nutrition, sleep and mobility are top reasons why you can gain a lot of fitness from an intentional overload of training at a group training camp.

Our “Endurance” camp is designed for athletes who are preparing for a half or full distance triathlon. We expect our campers to arrive to the endurance camp with excellent fitness to absorb an intentional overload of training (likely more training volume than what you are used to over 4 days). You should feel comfortable riding in a group, biking for at least 5 hours on hilly terrain, completing 3 workouts a day and being able to train over 4 hours a day. Your health and safety is important to us as we stretch your comfort zone and help you discover your strengths.

We carefully select routes and plan the timing of your workouts so that your body can safely absorb the training stress. We put a heavy emphasis on proper fueling, hydration and daily eating. We always start with more of a skill-focus on our first day of camp and then build the volume as the camp progresses. We include challenging climbs and scenic views for all bike and run workouts to show you how strong you really are in both mind and body. Swimming in Lake Jocassee is always a favorite among our campers, even if it precedes an extremely hilly long run. Our campers love the group comradery and being able to go through all types of emotions with one another. Because no one wants to be the weak link, it's incredible to see how everyone brings the best out of one another. 

By the end of our endurance camp, our campers are exhausted and accomplished. Once they let that training overload accumulate, they experience that long awaited fitness breakthrough. 

If you'd like to read my recaps of our previous endurance camps, you can check them out below....
2021 Endurance camp
2020 Endurance camp
2019 Endurance camp
2018 Endurance camp
2017 Endurance camp and this one.
2016 Endurance camp
2015 Endurance camp

If you feel like you are up for the challenge of attending our endurance camp from July 7-10th, 2022 you can learn more HERE.

We never want any athlete to feel left out so if you feel this camp is not for you, we do offer private camps for to meet your individual needs. Please reach out and we can discuss some options for you.

2022 Trimarni Early Season Camp (+ sprint triathlon race)

We held our very first triathlon training camp in Clermont, Florida from Feb 27th-March 2nd, 2014. For several years I had dreamed about putting on a training camp but it took me several years to have the confidence (time and energy) to finally make that dream come true. After six years of Karel working as the GM of the Trek Store in Jacksonville, FL. there were some changes with upper management and we decided that the timing was right for him to take the courageous leap to work with me at my small business, Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition. 

To be honest, we really had no idea what we were doing when we put on our first camp. We had no experience holding group triathlon camps and we had never attended a group triathlon camp. But somehow, we made it work. We learned a lot and found new ways to making the camp experience even better for the future.  Thankfully, our campers had fun, they learned a lot, everyone was safe and we continued to coach all of our campers for many more years! And for those who we no longer coach, we are still friends with everyone who attended our very first triathlon camp. They will always hold a special place in our hearts because they trusted us when we had little group camp experience. 

A few months after our first camp, we moved to Greenville, SC. We quickly learned that our new town would be the perfect playground for future training camps. Although we returned to Clermont, FL for several more group training camps, Greenville continues to be the perfect location for group training camps. 

At our first group training camp, we finished the camp by having our campers participate in a mock triathlon. We set up the course and even had a transition area. We loved the idea of having our athletes apply their new skills to a "race" scenario while also proving to themselves that they could complete a triathlon after several days of structured training. In 2015 we returned to Clermont for our group training camp and all of our campers completed an Olympic distance triathlon on the last day of camp. Participating in a sanctioned triathlon was the perfect ending to camp as it helped our campers build confidence and excitement for their upcoming racing season. 

Over the past seven years, there have only been three early season camps that did not have a race at the end of camp. It's been a few years but we are so excited to finally return to our roots of having our campers participate in a triathlon on the last day of camp.

We love putting on an early season camp because it's a great way for athletes to dust off the rust after a long winter of training. For many of our campers, our camp is the first time that they can safely ride outside. There's nothing better than that first outdoor training session when you can feel the spring air on your face and warm sun on your neck when training outdoors. Additionally, being in a group environment can make training so much more fun as you have accountability and support for your fellow campers. 

Our early season camp is a fantastic way for athletes to learn new skills, accumulate some good training miles and to build off strengths and to recognize areas of improvement. Stepping into a different training environment can also help spark motivation for the season ahead of you. 

We combine our early season camp with a race because it's a safe and fun way to put our campers into a race environment. As part of your camp registration you get a free entry into Andy's Race. Plus, athletes will often perform at their best when they race with no expectations or outcome goals. We have had many best-ever, PR performances from our campers at the race on the last day of camp! Our campers can go through the motions and emotions of racing without the typical nerves and expectations that athletes often bring to early season races. More so, our campers get to share the race experience with their new friends/campers - knowing that everyone is doing something epic by completing a sprint triathlon on the last day of camp. Seeing our campers cheer for one another and share the race experience together is one of the best parts of our early season camp. And we love it when our campers are able to apply their new skills and strategies (learned at camp) to the race. Every camper leaves camp sad that it's over but confident and excited for upcoming training sessions and races.

To meet the criteria for this camp, you should have enough endurance to ride your bike for at least 3 hours on hilly terrain, you can train for at least 3 hours a day (total) for the duration of your camp (two or three workouts a day) and should arrive to camp with at least 6 months of consistent training (and fitness) to get the most out of this camp experience. Your health is important to us, thus the criteria. We never want any athlete to feel left out so if you feel this camp is not for you, we do offer private camps to meet your individual needs. Please reach out and we can discuss some options for you.

To learn more about this camp from April 7th-10th, 2022, click HERE.

2022 Trimarni Bike Skills Camp

 

After much request by triathletes, we are now offering a group cycling camp. This camp is limited to eight athletes to ensure plenty of one-on-one attention.

Athlete is preparing for a triathlon. This athlete spends months training in order to feel prepared for this event. This athlete invests into coaching, the latest recovery gear, equipment and nutrition strategies in order to optimize performance.

But come race day, this athlete is unable to perform to his/her potential because this athlete never learned (and mastered) basic bike handling and terrain management skills. Less fit athletes are going faster because of better skills and riding techniques.

Learning, improving or mastering your bike handling and terrain management skills should not be something you only practice on race day. Because many cycling skills are not intuitive and can not be learned on an indoor trainer, improve your safety, confidence and fun-factor when riding your bike by investing in our bike skills climbing camp. 

This camp is designed to help you work on your climbing, descending, terrain management, gearing and bike handling skills. All fitness levels welcomed. However, you will be climbing hills as part of your skill work so we ask that you have good endurance and strength to be able to safely climb various grades/inclines.

While you will be performing your skills in real-world situations (which will bring some fatigue and soreness to your legs), this camp is not designed for accumulating a lot of riding miles. At this camp, you are accumulating new and improved skills. The miles that you will cover at camp will help you improve your bike handling skills so that you can leave camp with improved confidence, skills and safety while riding your bike outside on all types of terrain. We welcome road and/or triathlon bikes at this camp.

Each day of camp will have two distinct sessions. The morning session will be skills, drills, technique and education. The afternoon session will take you to different terrain to put your practice into effect. On the last day of camp, you will have the opportunity to put all of your skills to good use by climbing up and descending down a mountain! Don't be scared/worried - we will help you feel prepared, confident and safe! 

Is this camp right for you? 

• You never learned (or mastered) basic bike handling skills like shifting gears on variable terrain, standing out of the saddle, riding one handed, sudden starting/stopping, u-turns, descending and climbing. 
• You have great fitness on the indoor trainer but when it comes to riding outside, you can't seem to ride to your potential. 
• You don't enjoy riding your bike outside because you feel scared, exhausted or uncomfortable. 
• Riding in a new environment/course/terrain makes you feel tense, scared and anxious. 
• You don't feel comfortable riding your bike around other cyclists. 
• You want to get more out of your cycling abilities but you can't do it on your own (and where you live). 
• You struggle to ride in challenging environmental situations - wind, rain, hills, heat, cold.
• You want a decisive advantage over your competition to ensure that your hard work pays off on race day. 
• You want to learn how to master basic bike handling skills to make riding outside more enjoyable and safer. 

One of the main reasons why we moved to Greenville, SC was because it was incredibly bike-friendly. With countless country roads, we have endless biking routes to choose from - right from our doorstep. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for many triathletes. Because we used to live in Jacksonville, FL (prior to our move), we understand the worry, concern and anxiety that comes from riding outside. Additionally, due to the advancements of indoor trainers, indoor stationary bikes and reality training apps, many triathletes lack the skills, confidence and balance to safely ride outside due to always training in a controlled environment. A trainer is a wonderful tool but it does not allow you to manage rolling terrain, descending, climbing and basic bike handling skills like braking, standing out of the saddle, u-turns, cornering and balance.

When I moved to Greenville in 2014, I was not a fast, confident or strong cyclist. I was scared of riding downhills and I was constantly fearful of routes that I had never been on before. I craved familiar and what was within my comfort zone. But overtime, I had to challenge myself in order to become a better, safer and stronger cyclist. With a great teacher (Karel), my skills improved and I was able to enjoy cycling so much more - and my triathlon bike times significantly improved! 

Just because you can ride a bike doesn't mean that you really know how to ride. If you never learned basic bike handling skills and you predominantly train indoors, this can greatly affect your riding performance (and ability to improve) as well as your outdoor riding enjoyment and safety. 

To improve your skills, you need to practice regularly but more so, you need to learn the right ways to master the skill (which will likely place you in a sate of discomfort or fear as you learn something new). Don't wait until race day or your warm weather training to find yourself in a scenario where your bike handling skills are not up to par with your fitness abilities.

For more information and to register, click HERE.
CAMP DATES: April 1st-3rd, 2022. Limited to only 8 athletes for individualized attention. 

2022 Trimarni Training Camps - NOW OPEN!!

 

If you are new to the sport of triathlon or you are a seasoned athlete, a training camp can be a valuable investment to your triathlon journey. 

Since our very first training camp in 2014, we have remained extremely passionate about our triathlon training camps. We take great pride in selecting beautiful venues, which are conducive to safe and effective training, while carefully planning every detail of our camp itineraries to make the most out of your entire camp experience.

For each of our 14+ group training camps, our focus has remained the same.

Our mission is to provide you with a fun and enriching camp experience, empowering you to stretch your athletic limits while offering a great amount of education and instruction to help you become a more confident triathlete.

When you participate in a Trimarni camp, you will learn new skills and training techniques, and you'll probably find yourself breaking some old bad habits. While you'll gain a lot at camp, our hope is that when the camp experience comes to an end, you have more "tools" to use in your home training environment. 

Why attend a Trimarni group training camp? 
The structure of each camp will depend on the purpose of the camp. But you can expect to be surrounded by like-minded triathletes. Each camp is designed and developed to meet the needs of every camper. When you attend camp, you get to leave your stressful and busy life behind you. This allows you to focus 100% on yourself - something that you probably don't experience on a daily basis. We take care of almost everything for you - from providing sport nutrition/fueling guidance and sport nutrition products to planning the routes and SAG support - so that all you have to do is show up to each camp training session.

Your camp is an investment into yourself. As your camp guide, we want you to have fun, learn a lot and safely put yourself into new situations to help you stretch your comfort zone and develop new skills. Karel and I will be there alongside you for every training session as this camp is all about YOU.

YOU are giving yourself the unique opportunity to train in a group format (alongside experienced coaches) while gifting yourself great sleep, nutrition and time for recovery. You will eat well, fuel smart and receive a lot of education, motivation and instruction to help you become a better, smarter and more confident triathlete. You are attending camp because you want to have fun while you explore your mental and physical abilities.

To learn more about our 2022 group training camps, click HERE. 

Bike skills/climbing camp - April 1-3rd (Fri-Sun) - Max size 8 campers. 

Early season kick-off camp + triathlon race - April 4-7th (Thurs-Sun) - Max size 12 campers. 

Endurance camp - July 7-10th (Thurs-Sun) - Max size 12 campers. 

Our camps are open to the public - you do not have to be a Trimarni team member or coached athlete to attend. Be sure to sign up soon as we will sell out. 

Over the next few days I'll share a bit more about each of our training camps to help you decide which camp is right for you.

If you have any questions, send us an email. 

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Congrats Trimarni TEAM!

In almost every aspect of life, a team can accomplish and achieve more than any individual.

We are so proud of our team for placing 3rd in the 2021 Ironman TriClub Global Rankings!!!
A team empowers you and doesn't suck positive energy from you.

Just imagine what you could accomplish in life if you had a team around you to support you, encourage you and to hold you accountable to your goals? What if you were part of a team that showcased your strengths, successes and improvements, but also challenged you to be the best that you could be? 

If you have ever been part of a supportive team, you probably recognize the benefits of being part of a team. A team can guide you on your individual path of development. A team gives you the right words of encouragement to keep you moving forward.

A supportive team enjoys your journey with you - no matter the day. When you experience success, your team celebrates your high moments with you. When you are having an off-day, your team doesn't let you give up. Your team never gives up on you. 

Your team should not sabotage your efforts. Your team should not make you feel like a failure. Your team shouldn't make you feel unworthy or not good enough. 

Having a successful team is not about having the best coach or leader.
Having a successful team is not about having the most talented athletes.

Individual success comes from having a healthy team culture.
A team culture with clear team values, attitudes, goals, ethics and expectations, individuals can nurture individual growth, fun, development and success.

As athletes, we have to find something to continually motivate us and that thing is best found when we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

Work independently, compete together.
Way to go TEAM!

If you are interested in learning how our team can help you become a smarter, stronger and more accomplished triathlete, click HERE.

Are you ready to try a triathlon?

For more info, click HERE.

If you've been thinking about trying a triathlon, I encourage you to consider an indoor triathlon. Indoor triathlons have become very popular at gyms, YMCAs and other types of athletic clubs as a fun winter indoor event. It's a safe place to start if you want to see/experience what a triathlon is all about. An indoor triathlon includes a swim in an indoor pool, cycling on a stationary bike and run on a treadmill (or around a track) - either for a set time or miles. Unlike a standard triathlon where you swim in an open body of water and ride/run on the road, an indoor triathlon takes place, yep you guessed it - entirely indoors!
And no need to invest in a lot of equipment or gear. All you need is a swim cap, goggles, swim suit, running shoes and cycling shorts - all things that you can find at your local run, tri or bike shop (or online).

As an example, the Kroc Center in Greenville is putting on an indoor triathlon on February 5th. You can find more info HERE. If you have been tri-curious, give it a try! You'll feel super accomplished and proud when you finish! 

Triathlon has been part of my lifestyle for the past 16 years. the sport has given me so much and has helped me through some really tough times. The swimbikerun lifestyle has taught me how to overcome obstacles, love my body in motion and to experience the rewards that come with hard work, patience and enjoying the journey. I've also met a lot of really cool people along the way. 

But even if you see me an experienced, accomplished triathlete.....

Every expert was once a beginner......

When I participated in my very first triathlon (2003), I knew little about the sport. I saw a flyer on the YMCA bulletin board promoting a triathlon race. As a collegiate swimmer, I felt extremely comfortable with pool swimming (little open water experience) but the bike portion was super scary for me. I had a little experience with running so I was so relieved when my feet finally hit the pavement for final leg of the triathlon - I was just so happy to be off the bike. I was equally exhausted and thrilled at what I had accomplished by finishing a sprint distance triathlon. It just seemed so crazy to me that my body could do three sports back to back to back. 

One year later in 2004, I participated in an Olympic distance triathlon. I had just graduated from college and I was a few weeks away from traveling to Florida for graduate school. I owned a hybrid bike and helmet but my triathlon equipment list was minimal - running shoes, swim suit, goggles and a bike (with a kick stand).

After spending ten years as a competitive swimmer, I missed the comradery of training/competing with others. Plus, a student-athlete lifestyle was all I knew. In 2005, I participated in my first marathon. I was in graduate school studying exercise physiology and I was craving some stress-relief through structured training.

In 2006, I was bit hard by the endurance bug.

I completed the Boston Marathon, my first half ironman (IM 70.3 Florida at Disney) and my first Ironman (IM FL) - all in one year. All at 24-years old. I was amazed at what my body could do and I loved being in the triathlon environment. The athletes were so supportive, inspiring and positive. Biking was my weakest leg of the triathlon - and the most unnerving to me. However, over the years I've been able to go from weak to strong, scared to confident.

Karel came from a competitive cycling background and after a lifetime of bike racing, he was seeking a new challenge. In 2012, he participated in his first triathlon. He really struggled with swimming. He could barely swim 25 yards without getting out of breath. And for the first few years of triathlon racing, he would experience great anxiety when swimming in the open water. Interestingly, he became a fast and efficient runner. Although he doesn't love being on his triathlon bike, triathlon has kept him loving cycling. 

For me and Karel, our love of endurance sports has allowed us to recently explore new and different opportunities - like trail running and mountain biking. While I plan to always keep learning about myself as an endurance athlete, I have learned the most from 14+ years of triathlon coaching. Although my specialty is endurance triathlon training and racing, I know exactly how it feels to be a beginner triathlete. It was scary, overwhelming, fun and exciting.

When I started the sport, there weren't a lot of resources for beginner triathletes - especially for individuals who had some type of athletic or fitness background. I felt like I had to learn as I went along. Because of that, I made some mistakes and had to figure things out the hard way. I experienced injuries, I probably trained too much/too hard and I spent money on gear/equipment that I didn't need.

Anytime you pursue a new sporting event, there's a good chance that you will feel confused and overwhelmed yet excited and eager. 

The sport of triathlon has experienced significant growth since becoming an Olympic sport in 2000. Since I crossed my first finish line in 2003, much has changed in the sport. From gear and equipment to the training and fueling - triathlon has evolved and grown over the years. However, there are still several barriers to entry - such as cost, time and intimidation. From the outside, triathlon may appear complicated, exhausting, elitist and overwhelming. For these reasons, many active individuals are hesitant to train for and participate in a 3-sport event.

To help you feel more comfortable about the sport of triathlon, check out my book Athlete to Triathlete. I wrote this book to help individuals feel more welcomed and comfortable on race day while also safely and confidently entering the sport of triathlon. I want others to feel the same excitement that I felt as a newbie but prepare for a triathlon event in a smart and effective way. 

Athlete to Triathlete also serves as a triathlon training guide with features such as: 

• How to choose a triathlon race
• How to plan your season of training and racing
• Race day gear checklist
• Transition and brick workout tips
• Training principles and measuring progress
• Rest and recovery
• Motivational tips 
• Tapering for a race
• Swim, bike, run gear 
• Open water swim tips
• Warm-up recommendations
• The pre-race check-in and race-day procedure
• Triathlon lingo - yep, there is a language spoken by triathletes
• What to expect at the race (from start to finish) 
• Nutrition guidelines for training and racing 
• Race day rules
• Strength and stretching pictures 
• Workout advice tailored to swimmers, bikers and runners
• Detailed, day-by-day training plans to prepare for a Sprint or Olympic distance triathlon (12-week training plans). 
• And so much more!!!!

Along with ordering my book, you can help me get the word out by writing an Amazon review and sharing with your friends, training partners and anyone else you feel would benefit.
You can order your copy here: Athlete to Triathlete.

See you at the finish line!

Addressing the body positive movement and weight loss

Picture source

Body positivity challenges the ways in which our society presents, celebrates and views bodies.  Sadly, far too many body shapes and types have been shunned by the mainstream media or not classified as beautiful. Our society has a fixation on the "tiny" ideal and encourages everyone to fit the social standards of being lean. This is why there are so many movements promoting body positivity. Because many people feel discriminated against because their body doesn't meet the "ideal" image, the body positive movement challenges social norms and promotes the belief that all bodies - regardless of size, shape, gender, physical abilities or skin tone - should be accepted.

The body positivity movement is a necessary movement but it can also be controversial - can you have a positive relationship with your body and desire weight loss/a change in your body composition? 

First off, it is a myth that large bodies are unhealthy. Being bigger doesn't mean being unhealthy. Someone can be thin and unhealthy. As an example, all runners are susceptible to injuries and overuse injuries - not just larger bodies. 

Secondly, your body = your choices. You deserve respect, equality and kindness regardless of your body size, what foods you eat or your health status.

Lastly, large bodies are not the only humans who can struggle with body image. Learning to hate your body is the primary goal of the diet industry. You can be small/thin and have a negative body image.

One of the missing focal points when discussing the body positive movement is the topic of developing and maintaining a positive body image. A positive body image means you embrace, accept and appreciate your body for all that it can do. You can be body positive but not have a positive body image - and vice versa. But both are important when it comes to weight loss. Body dissatisfaction often leads to unhealthy behaviors. If you love something, you are more likely to treat it well.

First off, the decision to lose weight should be a personal choice - not because you feel pressure to achieve an idealized image. This is why the body positive movement is so important. You should never feel pressure to look a certain way. If you desire weight loss, you need to be body positive and have a positive body image.

Choosing to become more active, eat a more nutritious diet and to live a more healthy lifestyle doesn't need to happen because you hate your body. Taking better care of yourself is a positive thing to do for your body.

The diet industry wants you to believe that your looks are everything and with weight loss, you will be happy and healthy. This desire of happy and "healthy" can lead to unhealthy behaviors like overexercising, dieting and eating disorders. When it comes to body positivity, I want to remind you that health is made of many different factors. You can't tell how healthy someone is from how they look.

And just because you lose weight or change the way your body looks, this doesn't mean that you will feel happier - or become healthier. Don't pin your happiness on achieving a smaller version of yourself. Weight loss should not come from a place of hate towards your body. Changing your body doesn't change how you feel about food, exercise and your body image.

For those who don't understand the body positive movement, there's a belief that this movement is normalizing unhealthy bodies. And this is not what this movement is about.

There's tremendous social pressure to look a certain way. Most people are not comfortable with what they see in the mirror because society has brainwashed you to believe that you need to change how you look in order to be healthier, fitter, happier and more successful. The diet industry has created an illusion that smaller = healthier.

All bodies deserve to be accepted. Your body should not be judged. But let's also celebrate self-care - even if your self-care acts don't lead you down the road to significant weight loss - and that is ok.

Body positivity is about finding an exercise regime that you enjoy, changing your diet because it makes you feel good, sleeping well to be more rested and looking after your mental health. Weight loss goals or not - don't forget to be kind to your body.

Live a more courageous life

On Sunday (January 8th), Facebook shared this memory of Campy from 2014. Not only was Campy just a young pup at six years old but this was a very important moment in our life - it was our first trip to Greenville, SC. We were living in Jacksonville, FL and after six years, we were ready for a change. Although there was nothing forcing us to move, we felt like there was more to life for us and it wasn't in Florida. 

It was extremely risky to move from Florida to South Carolina. This was a big change and nearly everything that we would be experiencing would be new for both of us. 

Thankfully, Greenville, SC. has been the perfect place for us to grow our business and to live an active and healthy lifestyle. 

For much of my life, I hated change. I feared failure and I did not like stepping out of my comfort zone. Karel has helped me become much more courageous. With Karel leading the way in most of our adventures, it has forced me to understand (and work through) that paralyzing moment of anxiety, stress and worry. Because fear has the power of stopping us from making the most out of opportunities, I realized (with time) that being courageous means making the choice to get more out of my one and only life. 

Prior to moving to Greenville, SC we knew our move wouldn't be easy and smooth but we also thought about the things that were important to us - and that helped us act in spite of the fear of giving up the familiar. 

Since moving to Greenville, SC. I have found myself doing a lot of new things - I've really strengthened my courage muscle - and it's not without tears, worry and struggles. But each time I stretch or step out of my comfort zone, I find myself getting more excited about life. I no longer fear failure and that has allowed me to grow as a human being. 

The memory of our first trip to Greenville on January 8th, 2014 could not have come at a better time. 

On Saturday, it was nearly 30-degrees and we were getting ready for the 10am Greenville Winter Bike League weekly ride. The old me wouldn't have even considered the thought of riding outside but the new me likes to put myself into uncomfortable situations. Unfortunately, I didn't feel strong on the ride and it was a real struggle for me but I showed up and gave it my best effort. I finished the ride feeling accomplished (and even went out for a 20-min run off the bike!). 

It’s easy to avoid things that feel hard, uncomfortable and overwhelming. It’s normal to have an expectation that we should be in the mood to do something and that it will be comfortable, fun and pleasurable.

But this mindset means we teach ourselves that we can’t do hard things.

I love putting myself into challenging, uncertain, uncomfortable and difficult situations.

For many years, I was scared of failure. But I learned that I was robbing myself of great opportunities and meaningful experiences by shying away from difficulty.

Do the things that make you feel uncomfortable. 
Try to live a more courageous life. 
Learning to be comfortable with discomfort is an important skill to living a truly fulfilling life.

Simple meal planning tips

 

Meal planning is the simple act of planning (and writing down) your meals and snacks for the upcoming week. By giving advanced thought to your meals and snack, you can save time and money, and have more control over your food choices. 

Meal planning shouldn't be frustrating, rigid or overwhelming but it does require organization, flexibility and forward planning. As someone who has a lot on your daily plate, it's important to start the New Year developing new skills, strategies and tricks so that meal-planning becomes second nature - and part of your daily life.

Here are some easy tips to help you become a better meal planner:

1. Think about the next three days - Write out your weekly schedule. Take note of commuting, work meetings, delays, eating out, family needs and leftovers. To make this less overwhelming, I suggest to only plan for 3 days at a time so that you can create sustainable auto-pilot habits without feeling overwhelmed. Think progress, not perfection. 
    
2. Prep your kitchen -  To make meal planning easy and stress-free, you should have a well-organized kitchen. Your spices, oils, pantry staples and pots/pans should be easy to access. Same goes for Tupperware and meal storage bags/containers. You may also find it helpful to keep a standard grocery list (with staple items) and to add/remove as needed each week. 
    
3. Create a meal prep schedule - Meal planning should feel part of your routine. For example, consider meal prepping on Sunday and Wednesday. You may also find it easier to develop a theme meal for each day of the week - example, chicken on Monday, vegetarian on Tues, stir-fry on Wed, Mediterranean on Thurs and Italian on Friday. You don't need to make a new recipe each day of the week - leftovers are super helpful. Keep it simple with 3-4 go-to meals to get you started. I suggest to find a few recipes for 15-min meals (using store-bought prepared ingredients/foods) to help get you started. 
    
4. Keep your pantry, refrigerator and freezer stocked - A well-stocked pantry, 'fridge and freezer can help you when you are rushed, when fresh food is running low or when you are exhausted from high volume training. Be sure to have items that you can quickly throw together for a healthy meal (ex. microwavable rice, frozen veggies, ready-to-eat protein, etc.)
    
5. Get some help - If you are extremely busy and time-crunched, consider using a grocery delivery service to cut down on time spent grocery shopping. Otherwise, select a designated grocery-shopping day (or two) when the store is not packed. It's recommended to shop early in the morning (or off-peak times during the week) to avoid crowded aisles and quicker check-out. Don't put off grocery shopping until you have enough time - it may never be convenient.  Although making one big shop may be less-timing than having to make several small trips, you may find it less overwhelming to do two small grocery shops a week. Keep a running list of of items that need to be replenished (and what you can buy in bulk) so you don't over (or under) shop.
    
6. Make extras - To save time, make large batches and extra portions of food/meals. Chop and prep items in advance like veggies and fruits, eggs, grains, potatoes and protein. Set aside time on a lighter training day to use all equipment in your kitchen (stove top, microwave, oven, crockpot, etc.) and get to work in your kitchen. Listen to a podcast or watch a video/movie as you are cooking. Freeze single-item portions in plastic containers or freezer bags to use for future meals. 
    
7. Prep and pack in advance - A hungry and tired individual rarely makes good food choices. Prep and pack all training foods, snacks and meals in advance (the day before). While this may feel stressful at first, you'll be thankful that you made the time when it finally comes time for you to eat. 

For more tips and delicious recipes, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox every Wednesday morning. 

Anaerobic vs. Aerobic training for endurance athletes

Triathlete magazine recently asked my thoughts on the importance of anaerobic training for endurance athletes - you can read more HERE. 

Why is it important to train different energy systems? 

There are two ways to produce energy in an oxygen deficient (anaerobic) state. The first is the lactic acid system and the other is the ATP-CP system (Adenosine Triphosphate-Creatine Phosphate). In efforts lasting less than 10 seconds, your body uses the ATP-CP system. During these short very high-intensity efforts, no lactic acid is created. Immediate energy is provided from the breakdown of high energy phosphates.

The lactic acid system is formed within the muscle cells during glycolysis - breaking down of glucose (thus the importance of keeping glycogen levels stocked with proper recovery nutrition and the daily consumption of adequate carbohydrates).

As pyruvate accumulates in the muscle cell (by-product of glycolysis), it converts to lactate and releases hydrogen ions in the process. Lactic acid (lactate and hydrogen ions) is a by-product that fuels your body for efforts lasting less than two minutes. The point in which lactic acid begins to accumulate is called the anaerobic (or lactate) threshold. The hydrogen ion lowers the pH of the muscle tissue, making it more acidic. This leads to the burning sensation felt during intense exercise.

Lactic acid isn't bad for you - it actually provides fuel for the muscles once the lactate gets recycled. Interval training and high intensity efforts are important components to improving endurance and maximizing aerobic capacity.

If this excites you and you are interested in a different style of "endurance" training to improve your strength, resiliency and steady state efforts for your upcoming long distance triathlon, check out our training plans HERE.