tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12713565623203013092024-02-08T09:55:29.070-08:00The Triathlon CoachLearning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-51454272988356292222020-11-25T08:04:00.003-08:002020-11-25T08:04:53.036-08:00<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: normal;">Even the Loan Wolf Has to Howl with the Pack</span></h1><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c4cbfbe-7fff-18a4-3064-7fd5be3d4989"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning I woke up feeling a bit fragile. A poor night’s sleep, stress from a number of directions and, of course, the reality of these pandemic times all weighed a little heavier than in recent days. No matter how polished our skills are at gripping on to perspective we’re all human and things can and will finally catch up with us. Some days perspective simply seems a little out of reach. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three things helped to bring perspective back into reach this morning: family, music and coffee. Coffee is easily understood. A little stimulant to open my eyes to the world and put a poor night’s sleep behind me can be a good thing. Listening to a favourite song made a difference as well though the reasons for that are likely too complex to explore here. More importantly it was when my family came downstairs that things really turned around. </span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Getting a Boost</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are social animals and no matter our personality we all need to connect, some need very little contact while others need considerably more. I’m somewhere slightly to the ‘need little’ side of that spectrum and often underestimate how important social contact is to me. But here is the simple fact of how I function: when I teach an online class I leave feeling happier than when I arrived. This was always the same with my in-person coaching as well.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no question that the exercise itself makes a difference as it fires many biological processes that result in an enhanced mood. We can’t underestimate the simple social benefit of a workout as well, though. In my case I can tell you that even when I coach in a static manner, not working out myself, I still leave the experience in a better mood. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have spent the last twenty years helping to build community in our city through sport but my own workouts are, more often than not, performed solo. In fact, I’ve even done a solo marathon and more than one solo decathlon. I mention that as a means of reaching out to those who are like me and enjoy working out alone. My message for you is that mixing in some social workouts can do you a world of good. You can be actively social, chatting with others, or passive and just take in the banter around you. Either way, sharing time with others in a shared pursuit can have a powerful effect, soon turning that one workout into a weekly highlight in your calendar. </span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scouting New Friends</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The benefits to group workouts can go far beyond the immediate. Listening to others speak of their lives and experiences can not only help you to gain knowledge but also draw you into new friendships. The fact is that in adulthood it can be hard to make new friends. Through our 30’s and beyond we have other priorities that top the list like family and career. But more so we spend less time in structured communities like schools where there are ample opportunities to gather with others in clubs, on teams or just in casual gatherings. This is where exercise-related pastimes can play a key role for adults.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is another reason that some have for shying away from investing in new friendships in adulthood and that is their own personal history. We have all likely had people in our lives that we maybe spent a little too much time with, time that detracted from our wellness instead of enhancing it. This means we carry some caution with us when it comes to investing in new friendships. Again though, the social experience of exercise classes or clubs offers just the right opportunity. You can opt to sit back and play observer, learning more and more about those around you as the weeks go by.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moving It Into the Real World</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beyond the game or workout, perhaps there is a trip to the pub that gives you the chance to see individuals in a different setting to further learn about them. Then, with all that knowledge, perhaps there is someone with whom you think the chemistry is there for friendship. You are then ready to step out from the existing structure and test the waters in your personal world. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Life is challenging at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. Staying healthy physically and emotionally is more difficult now than ever for everyone. Just remember that one possible option to enhance your wellness is to join a sport or exercise-related club or class. Not only will it feed your body and soul each week, it would help to enrich your life for years to come.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To close I wanted to share with you a list of some of my favourite clubs here in Ottawa.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.ottawaonlinefitness.ca/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #dd9933; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ottawa Online Fitness</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, of course!</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.ottawaswimming.ca/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #dd9933; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ottawa Swimming</span></a></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.ottawarunningclub.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #dd9933; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ottawa Running Club</span></a></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.ottawatriathlonclub.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #dd9933; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ottawa Triathlon Club</span></a></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.ossc.ca/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #987238; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ottawa Sport and Social Club</span></a></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 23pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.rideausportscentre.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #dd9933; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rideau Sports Centre</span></a></p></li></ul></span>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-54118002367552959162020-11-25T08:02:00.004-08:002020-11-25T08:02:57.685-08:00<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;">How Often Should I Workout?</span></h1><span id="docs-internal-guid-956c9d85-7fff-ee0a-4430-ee50a0cd3bed"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our workouts are underway with online classes on the schedule each day of the week. It didn’t take long before the question arose from members: Should I workout everyday? Here’s the answer I shared with them.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Exercising once a week is great.</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most people don’t do that. If you can dedicate yourself to a weekly workout that using a variety of movement patterns and raises your heart rate a little, you will be a far fitter and healthier individual than if you do nothing.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two workouts a week is amazing.</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This increase in frequency or range of movements can make a big difference and help further develop or maintain your fitness, depending on where you’re starting from. It can also inject some variety by featuring two totally different activities which can add even more enjoyment and motivation.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three times is considered ideal.</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the typical adult, three workouts a week is considered ideal by many. This allows both increased adaptive stimuli and the critical component of recovery time if you have one day off in between workouts. Of course, if you enjoy the other elements of the workout, the social side for example, doing it more improves your mental health more too!</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 7pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four-plus workouts per week needs some planning.</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 16pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four-plus workouts per week is really good but now you need to start to think about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">balancing your overall workload</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If your body isn’t given time to rebuild, you will simply become overtired and progress will stall. When working out on consecutive days, make sure both are not hard or taxing workouts. For example, if you do our Athletic Strength classes (resistance exercise, gentle plyometrics, agility moves) on back to back days, take it really easy in the second one, keep the loads and effort light. Or, perhaps just do part of the class to get activated and loosen up. Such light workouts on the in between days are highly beneficial.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The above guidance is summarized by our philosophy of following the path of the JETI – do Just Enough To Improve. Always remember that consistency is the key to progress so set yourself up for success by establishing a sustainable weekly schedule. More consistent exercise means better health, physically and mentally.</span></p><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-35875096737942758132012-10-24T04:55:00.003-07:002020-05-15T12:48:38.983-07:00Find It and Fix It<br />
Many triathletes are heading into the off season now with physical limitations; the very same problems they will finish next season with because they ignore them. They know they have this ‘thing’ with their right leg but they were able to still run and bike pretty well so it can’t be that bad. If ‘pretty well’ is your goal in life then I guess you’re on the right path. However, if your goal is to be the best you can be and to continue doing it for a long time to come, then you better fix the problem. A small strength or mobility issue can very quickly become a big problem that can leave you on the sidelines.<br />
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Some athletes aren’t even aware they have a problem so step one is to uncover it. Just as we have an annual physical (you do have an annual physical, right?) I recommend that triathletes have an annual check up with a trainer or Physiotherapist to check their muscular function and mobility. One tool these professionals may use is the Functional Movement Screen. This is a seven test procedure that brilliantly analyzes all of the bodies key muscular and mobility function. If your core is not firing properly, it will show. If your right leg is stronger than the left, it will show. If your left shoulder is lacking mobility, you’ll find out.<br />
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Find out what your weaknesses are and now, in the off season, get to work to fix them with strength and mobility exercises. That way, you’ll be stronger, fitter and faster next year and, you’ll be able to continue in triathlon for many years to come. (This post originally appeared on TritonTriathlon.com)TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-6412847272500829462012-10-15T16:44:00.003-07:002020-05-15T12:49:05.044-07:00Electing Ironman<br />
So, you watched the Hawaii Ironman over the weekend and now fancy a go yourself. You’re not alone. Many people set a goal to do an IM but some do so without much knowledge of what is involved. It’s like saying I’m going to be a become mayor and make a difference in this town without realizing an election is involved.<br />
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Crossing the finish line at your first Ironman triathlon (or Iron Distance if it’s not a race owned by the WTC) is one of those life events that will never be forgotten. But crossing the finish line is just the end of a journey and you want to make sure you enjoy the journey, right? I was speaking to a friend once who was nearing her Ironman event and I asked her how it was going. She shared with me words so simple yet powerful, so poetic yet clear, that I offer them for consideration to anyone considering this daunting event. She said, “I’m in the best shape of my life, but my life is not in very good shape.”<br />
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You will need to make many sacrifices along the way. The training time will be accompanied by ‘thinking time’. When you’re not training you’ll find yourself thinking about training. You talk about the things you think about so, you will be talking a lot about Ironman. Those around you need to be prepared for all of this.<br />
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My Ironman story features a journey that I value even more than the finish line. I managed to keep it all in balance but it was a challenge. For Ironman, the life plan comes before the training plan. (This post originally appeared on TritonTriathlon.com)TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-85505397396557941472012-10-03T05:14:00.002-07:002020-05-15T12:49:36.143-07:00Teach Your Children Well<br />
Earlier this year one of the most promising young talents in triathlon decided to retire at the age of 22. Hollie Avil was an Olympian and two-time world champion but she was desperately unhappy. Despite being incredibly blessed as an athlete, as a young woman Hollie had been crushed by the pressure to fit the mold of what many around her believed a triathlete should look like. What started with counting calories soon became a full blown eating disorder. While she continued to race after starting to heal herself, Hollie found she must leave the sport of triathlon to truly recover.<br />
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The physical is only part of the success equation for a triathlete. The mental strength required to tap into that potential is the real key. Hollie has shown this year that she has greater strength than most any athlete out there for she has walked away. But more impressive than that is the manner in which she has shared her story to help others. (This post originally appeared on TritonTriathlon.com)<br />
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Hollie’s <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/triathlon/9280566/London-2012-Olympics-triathlete-Hollie-Avil-reveals-why-she-has-decided-to-bring-an-end-to-her-promising-career.html" target="_blank">original explanation of her retirement</a> from The Observer.<br />
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Here’s a recent blog post in which she shares <a href="http://www.hollie-avil.com/index.php/news/9-press/47-lack-of-education" target="_blank">important lessons learned</a>.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-72571064631859609072012-10-01T05:00:00.003-07:002020-05-15T12:49:54.856-07:00Renovating a Triathlete<br />
My friend renovates old homes so his job is just like that of a triathlon coach. He looks at every variable, does a thorough blueprint plan for all the work, and then sets about executing. While a great planner, his greatest skills surface when facing the constant challenges that arise during the job, the surprises laying within the walls. These problems always seem to be unique so he goes about adapting the plan to still reach the desired end result.<br />
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Taking a set 16 week triathlon training plan from a book seems sensible enough yet you have no idea what is within your walls; you have no idea day in and day out how your body will react to it. If you charted the results of 100 individuals following a set 16 week plan, you’d have 100 unique charts. A set plan doesn’t change so that next workout is there whether it’s right for you or not. The art of coaching is in the ability to constantly adapt the plan, and that is the most important element that Triton offers. The plan is always changing based on how your body reacted to the previous workouts.<br />
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A overall plan is important because you need to know where you’re going. The key to success though, lay in committing to the process and executing the plan intelligently. The intelligence comes in the ability to adapt to make sure you reach success, be that a beautiful new addition to your house or a beautiful new addition to your collection of finisher medals. (This post originally appeared on TritonTriathlon.com)TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-43398767154169691222012-09-28T06:30:00.001-07:002020-05-15T12:50:16.749-07:00The Old Guy<br />
I have a triathlon dream. Ok, I have many triathlon dreams, but this may be the one I most relish. I want to be the old guy at the events, the guy everyone knows and of whom people say ‘Wow, he’s amazing! They say he’s been doing these local events for 60 years!’. (Let’s be clear about this: this will be the only way the word ‘amazing’ will every be linked to my triathlon career.) My first race was in 1986 so that means I’d be 81 and still swimming, biking and running. The environment of a triathlon is something special – so positive and celebratory. Who wouldn’t want to make that an ongoing part of one’s long, healthy life? Add to that the fact that once I’m a little older I won’t be as inclined to run so hard I vomit, the whole picture is looking pretty good to me. Easy swim, easy bike, easy run and then I hop back into my flying car and return to home to my space pod (it’s 2046, after all).<br />
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Today we salute Sister Madonna Buder. A few weeks ago, at age 82, she became the oldest person to ever complete an Ironman triathlon. What a way to cap off a career. But wait – no, she’s not done yet. She’s preparing to do the Hawaii Ironman on October 13th. That is one cool lady. And, she’s a great writer. Read her race report here: <a href="http://ironstruck.com/sister-madonnas-amazing-grace">http://ironstruck.com/sister-madonnas-amazing-grace</a> (This post originally appeared on TritonTriathlon.com)TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-56350847119296316392012-09-27T17:36:00.001-07:002020-05-15T12:50:52.013-07:00Lights, Camera, Triathlon<br />
Triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports in North America and it is coming more and more into the public conscience. Witness the Malibu Triathlon last weekend where Hollywood stars took part in relay teams, stars like Rainn Wilson from The Office. The entertainment press was there and, hence, our sport made it to the TV's of a whole new audience. In fact, the story of one of those actors, John Cryer, crashing on the bike course, may have been the most read triathlon story of the year.<br />
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Someday, maybe we'll see a triathlon scene in a major motion picture or a television character who trains and participates in the sport. God knows we triathletes are idiosyncratic and, as characters, could supply plenty of potential humour or drama.<br />
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The starting point may be for us to be in commercials. But here we face an enormous road block. How do you do a triathlon commercial when you know it will certainly pale by comparison to the trail blazer: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6tOzt-nfM" target="_blank">Wes Hobson's Clif Bar commercial</a> from early last decade.<br />
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Have you seen triathlon appear in a TV show or movie? Post a comment and we'll track the sports ascension to the upper levels of pop culture! (This post originally appeared on TritonTriathlon.com)TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-86964092162708754552011-10-01T17:23:00.000-07:002011-10-01T17:24:27.857-07:00Maintain Speed During Marathon TrainingFrom <a href="http://running.competitor.com/2011/09/training/dont-let-marathon-training-steal-your-speed_5048">Competitor.com</a><br /><br />The message is clear: from strength comes speed. The ability to run short intervals at a given pace doesn’t mean squat if you don’t have the strength to maintain that speed over the course of your goal race distance. While shorter intervals focused on specific speed certainly have their place in a post-marathon training program, it’s the marathon training itself that allows you to reap the benefits of such sessions.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-55012517365327378752011-09-24T07:24:00.000-07:002011-09-24T07:25:21.830-07:00Training Pain ToleranceFrom <a href="http://running.competitor.com/2011/09/training/no-pain-no-gain_37688">Competitor.com</a><br /><br />While it is seldom talked about, one of the most important objectives of a competitive runner’s training is to increase his or her <a class="mandelbrot_refrag" href="http://running.competitor.com/2011/04/training/why-you-shouldn%e2%80%99t-%e2%80%9crun-your-own-race%e2%80%9d_24463?lc=int_mb_1001">suffering tolerance</a>. The only way to do that is through familiarization. To resist suffering more successfully, dig deeper into those reserves, and perform better in races, you must first break through limits of suffering tolerance in training. Most runners have only physical rationales behind their toughest workouts. That’s okay, because the best workouts to stimulate physical improvement are more or less the same as the best workouts to teach suffering tolerance.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-16099131599908618592011-06-26T17:17:00.000-07:002011-06-26T17:21:31.768-07:00Top Ten Habits of Highly Effective CoachesFrom <a href="http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/ten-habits-highly-effective-coaches/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsCoachingBrain+%28Sports+Coaching+Brain%29">Sports Coaching Brain</a><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; "><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/coach-athlete-coach/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">Great coaches </a>realise that success is a moving target and to stay relevant they must be committed to life-long learning, honest personal and professional evaluation and <a href="http://www.businesscoachingbrain.com/continuousimprovement/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 68, 187); ">continuous improvement</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 14px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; "><p><em>Example: A swimming coach realised that two of the athletes in his team had the potential to be world record holders but that he had not coached world record holders previously. He raised some money and invited two world class coaches from other nations to come and honestly review his coaching and his program regularly to ensure his knowledge and skills were also world class. Result: One world record.</em></p></span></div>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-46235715634926061952011-06-26T16:57:00.000-07:002011-06-26T16:59:45.315-07:00Max Heart Rate: Fitter = Lower<span class="Apple-style-span" >From <a href="http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/06/max-heart-rate-and-fitness.html">Joe Friel</a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >So as you become more fit in the lead-up to your race you might expect to see lower heart rates at the high end. The reverse of this is also true. As fitness declines MHR increases. The review reported 3% to 7% shifts with training and detraining. So, for example, someone with a MHR of 200 at the start of the Base period may expect to see their MHR decline to 186 to 194 by the time of their first race.</span></span></div>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-81596351611788908162011-06-05T10:54:00.000-07:002011-06-05T10:56:21.884-07:00Drop the Garmin<a href="http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21243&PageNum=1">From Running Times</a><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial; font-size: small; ">"After I had got over the withdrawal symptoms of being without my monitor I noticed that I was tuning in to my body a lot more. I thought I was already very aware of what was going on, but it became apparent that I had 'delegated' oversight to the monitor. Without an external time/distance read-out I was forced to tune in to my pace, breathing, energy level, how my legs felt -- all of that -- and adjust things minute by minute to stay comfortable. Some days I found I was running very slowly, but it turned out that useful work was still getting done. Previously I would have been looking at the monitor and have been desperately trying to stay out of the so-called 'junk miles' zone."</span></div><div><br /></div>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-65350070263129587192011-04-21T17:40:00.000-07:002011-04-21T17:41:50.197-07:00Train Movement Not MusclesFrom <a href="http://ironmaven.blogspot.com/">IronMaven<br /></a><br />"I don't think there is one best way. I guess you could say I follow a 'functional training' mantra and do what I think is best for that athlete, at that time, given her/his needs. My philosophy is based on training movement, not muscles. There are some basic movements: squat, lunge, push, pull, rotate, walk, run, jump, crawl, throw, catch, hit, kick. The goal is to create basic musculoskeletal durability, physical competency and movement literacy in the context of sport and/or life."TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-34082759972967488102011-03-12T08:03:00.000-08:002011-03-12T08:04:54.818-08:00Why Sprints are Key to Masters<span style="font-size:100%;">From <a href="http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=22042&PageNum=1">Running Times</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">And fast-twitch fiber isn’t just about sprint speed. It’s a primary component (along with hip and knee range of motion) of stride length. Studies over the past 20 years have all come to the same conclusion: As we age, our stride frequency remains the same, but our stride length decreases – an average of 40% by the time we reach our 70s and 80s. Slowing the decrease in stride length through speed training simultaneously slows the decline in our distance race performance. Otherwise, we’d need almost twice the stride frequency to maintain our mile pace from age 40 to age 80. </span>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-54349722194329077952011-03-10T06:55:00.000-08:002011-03-10T06:58:31.326-08:00Maybe You're Already a TriathleteFrom Ottawa Outdoors Magazine<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Editors Note: I write for magazines from time to time so I thought I'd start posting the articles up here as a way of filing them publicly.</span><br /><br />Hammering up the legendary Mill Street climb, the break away of cyclists are hoping they still have enough in the tank to make it to the finish. Off their bikes and onto the run, heavy legs slowly find the goal pace till at last they dive into the cool water and swim towards the raft in the middle of the river. There, the endurance test is complete and these 8 year olds can now enjoy laying around in the sun counting the remaining days of summer vacation. <br /><br />Many of us share memories such as this. We didn't call ourselves 'Triathletes', we called ourselves 'Kids'. In 1974, some adults in California decided to do the same thing over set distances and click a stop watch at the start. That's when the term 'Tri-athlete' was born.<br /><br />If you have 3 hours a week for exercise, you can become a triathlete again and relive your childhood. I use the words 'become a triathlete' because, apparently, it holds some kind of cachet in our community or culture. At pre-race talks, tongue firmly in cheek, I always recommend that when the athlete marks their body with their race number in magic marker (part of the strange culture that is triathlon) they put it on dark and thick so that it's still visible at work the next week. When they then tell inquisitive co-workers that they were in a triathlon, their office cred skyrockets because the only association their colleagues have with triathlon is the Hawaii Ironman; they don't know about the shorter stuff. There are triathlons that feature distances as short as a 100m swim, 10km bike and 2.5km walk/run. For some, this is their Ironman, and that is the beauty of the sport. Triathlon offers a suitable challenge for a very wide range of individuals. <br /><br />Finding the right race distance for you is a simple process. How much time each week do you have available for exercise while maintaining a balanced lifestyle with family, friends, work and other priorities? If you can fit in 360 minutes of exercise a week, a Super Sprint or even sprint triathlon is within your reach, depending on your starting fitness. If you have 10 hours plus available each week, an Ironman is not out of the question. Personally, I have 5 to 6 hours a week for exercise. I have done many Olympic distance triathlons but now find that the shorter Sprint distance is perfect for my balanced lifestyle with a young family, work and community involvement. Life was very different for me back in 1997 though, and my lifestyle at that time supported my Ironman year. <br /><br />Everyone can enjoy triathlon as part of their balanced lifestyle. To paraphrase a friend: Get in the best shape of your life, but keep your life in good shape at the same time. We did it when we were kids so let's get out and play again this summer.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-13681123450669369772011-03-05T16:43:00.000-08:002011-03-05T16:44:49.205-08:00Finding the Sweet SpotFrom <a href="http://running.competitor.com/2011/02/training/determining-your-sweet-spot-mileage-part-i_5764">Competitor</a><br /><br />So, rather than arbitrarily adhering to some fixed number, Lydiard tweaked the prescriptions for his runners based on their recovery abilities. All good coaches do this with their athletes. Rather than adhering to an arbitrary number of miles (from a book or a fellow coach or an excessively detailed training forecast), the intelligent coach takes into account the recovery profile of the athlete when determining how many miles to run.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-9426536551854578182011-03-03T15:25:00.000-08:002011-03-03T15:27:39.780-08:00An Abstract Look at Anaerobic ThresholdFrom <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3551513">PubMed</a><br /><br />During exercise, the oxygen consumption above which aerobic energy production is supplemented by anaerobic mechanisms, causing a sustained increase in lactate and metabolic acidosis, is termed the anaerobic threshold (AT). The oxygen consumption at the AT depends on factors that affect oxygen delivery to the tissues. It is increased when oxygen flow is enhanced and decreased when oxygen flow is diminished. Its value is quite low in patients with heart disease. The AT is an important functional demarcation since the physiological responses to exercise are different above the AT compared to below the AT. Above the AT, in addition to the development of metabolic acidosis, exercise endurance is reduced, VO2 kinetics are slowed so that a steady state is delayed, and VE increases disproportionately to the metabolic requirement and a progressive tachypnea develops.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-6259630451043190932011-02-27T17:32:00.000-08:002011-02-27T17:36:00.805-08:00Shoes Rarely Cause Injuries, Poor Training DoesFrom <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/running/training-and-technique/debunking-the-myth-of-specialized-running-shoes/article1921657/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Health%20&%20Fitness&utm_content=1921657">Globe and Mail</a><br /><div class="articlecopy s6of12 fl"><br />In fact, numerous studies have found that training decisions – how far you run, how fast, how much recovery you allow – are far more important than shoes in predicting injuries. Those factors account for about 80 per cent of injury risk, according to one prospective study by Dr. Nigg’s group. So where does that leave runners trying to choose a shoe? “The only thing we have is comfort,” Dr. Nigg says.<aside class="articleseealso"><header><aside class="articlesidebar s3of12"></aside></header></aside></div>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-72322522834632549002011-02-20T13:39:00.000-08:002011-02-20T13:41:45.502-08:00Highlights from Running Injury SeminarFrom <a href="http://www.runblogger.com/2011/02/new-trends-in-prevention-and-treatment.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Runblogger+%28Runblogger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Runblogger<br /></a><br />1. Running is good for humans – it has been shown to significantly reduce both mortality and disability risk.<br />2. Running doesn’t ruin our knees, in fact it might actually benefit knee cartilage over the long term (see this NY Times article for more)<br />3. Lots of runners get hurt – range is 20-80% depending on the study.<br />4. Most running injuries are overuse injuries that can be attributed to stubborn and obsessive runners doing too much too soon. In doing this, runners exceed their body’s stress threshold and something gives. The end result is an injury. I write a post largely devoted to the topic of overuse injuries in runners a few months ago.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-44021922136997665902011-02-19T07:34:00.000-08:002011-02-19T07:36:25.470-08:00Maybe Carbo Loading is All in the HeadFrom <a href="http://sweatscience.com/carbo-loading-with-a-hyperglycemic-hyperinsulinemic-glucose-clamp/">Sweat Science</a><br /><br />.....carbo-loading makes more carbohydrate available, but it doesn’t seem to change how much carbohydrate (versus fat) is actually burned. A number of other studies have found similar anomalies, which has made some researchers question whether we really understand <strong>why</strong> carbo-loading works to improve performance: <blockquote><p>The essence of this theory, supported by appropriate findings, is that muscle glycogen may have a signalling function that influences pacing strategy. Subjects who start exercise with elevated levels of muscle glycogen would be able to exercise at a higher pace due to signalling between muscle and the brain than when in a glycogen depleted state.</p></blockquote>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-28343592095233299312011-02-13T16:17:00.000-08:002011-02-13T16:18:48.095-08:00Keeping the Spring in Your Step<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;">From <a href="http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21918&PageNum=1">Running Times</a></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Our muscles are never fully relaxed, and maintain a small degree of tension in them at all times. The exact amount of tension kept in a resting muscle can be altered, and plays a large role in running performance. If resting tension in a muscle is too low, then it can't contract as quickly or produce as much force. The end result is that sluggish feeling that impairs performance. If tension is too high, the muscle is less efficient. Fortunately, we can manipulate the resting tension in the muscle through training so that on race day or for your next hard workout, your muscles are primed and ready to go.</span>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-79100165934682421042011-02-12T19:08:00.000-08:002011-02-12T19:13:43.713-08:00Ok, one more time, here it is: the secret to successFrom <a href="http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com/a-piece-of-string-is-twice-as-long-as-it-is-from-one-end-to-the-middle/">Sports Coaching Brain</a><br /><br />We all know what the *secret* to success is - it is so obvious it has no right to be even called a *secret* - here it is for free:<br />Work harder, more consistently than anyone in your sport in the world ensuring that you commit everything you have physically, mentally, technically and tactically to every training, recovery and competition experience.<br />The best gym in the world will not make an impact on a team with a poor performance culture, who turn up late, who have poor discipline off the field and who are not totally committed to living excellence in training and preparation. Spending thousands of dollars on sports nutrition products do not make up for a poor attitude, a bad technique, a lack of skill and a sloppy recovery program. Yet, in the next 24 hours, tens of thousands of sports people around the world will spend millions of dollars on sports equipment and sports nutrition products seeking a performance advantage which in all reality does not exist -or if it does exist, is a short term solution.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-84240030967730289832011-02-08T09:55:00.000-08:002011-02-08T09:56:45.075-08:00Why IM'ers Shouldn't Skimp on Swim TrainingFrom <a href="http://www.endurancecorner.com/Kevin_Purcell/ironman_swim_fitness">Endurance Corner</a><br /><br />Over-swimming will likely lead to decreased ability to fuel and hydrate the bike and run. Being very fit in the water affords us the opportunity to stay competitive on the swim while protecting bike performance (power), the ability to fuel and run fitness. Developing swim strength will save you more than the five minutes you drop from your swim split. Our ability to swim long and strong without generating fatigue is critical in ironman. As stated above, we don't want the swim to materially impact your bike or run splits. You want to come out of the water absent fatigue, seeing appropriate heart rates in transition.TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271356562320301309.post-24774635175182349532011-01-31T05:53:00.000-08:002011-01-31T05:55:00.468-08:00Plyometrics Help Distance RunningFrom <a href="http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21777">Running Times</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">An <a target="_blank" href="http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2010/07000/Effect_of_Plyometric_vs__Dynamic_Weight_Training.17.aspx">article</a> published just this summer in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Journal of Strength and Conditioning</span> highlighted the importance of plyometrics for improving running economy. In this study, researchers had 35 distance runners, all running the same mileage, subscribe to either a dynamic weight training program or a plyometric exercise regimen. After eight weeks, it was found that the plyos were more effective in improving “energy cost of running,” or running economy, than the weight lifters. Another <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12580657">study</a> showed that just six weeks of plymometrics led to improved running economy. Other research has identified a significant link between anaerobic power and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11726249">10K</a> running performance and <a target="_blank" href="http://jap.physiology.org/content/86/5/1527.full">5K</a> running performance.<br /></span>TriathlonCoach.cahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14700566283842501746noreply@blogger.com0