Triathlon is a sport that is constantly evolving: new products, new gear, and new recommendations. Whether we read a training article in an issue of Triathlete magazine, see a new bike at our local cycle shop, or admire someone’s gear in transition, it leave us with doubts about our current system of training and product choice and fills our minds with questions  about our future methods.  

With the explosion of new technology guaranteed to make us better, faster, stronger, and lighter, there are a few fundamentals that can not be ignored in our sport. Some don’t cost us anything; others may be an important investment to ensure comfort, injury reduction, and safety. Putting the time in effective training, getting enough sleep to allow the body to recover and repair, eating the appropriate foods at the right time in the right volume, using gear that suits you and your body type, and mentally adjusting to the emotional and psychological aspect of training and racing are the most basic of things to follow. However simple these concepts are, they still leave us stumped and searching for the right answers.

Keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. These are guidelines or tips that need to be customized according to you, your body, your schedule, your goals, and where you are at in your racing year. When working with my athletes or personal training clients, I cover most of these areas either directly or indirectly. I have learned from my own trial and error, from education, from observing, from research, and from personal and client success.

Triathlon Tidbit #1: Get a Plan, Stan!

There are many benefits to having a professional coach create a customized plan for you and assist you through your training. If a personal coach is not in your budget, a professionally created plan should be. There are many plans available that can be purchased from coaches, from on line sources, and in books for every race distance. In addition, put your plan and goals on paper, follow a weekly training plan, and log your progress. It is amazing at years end to look back in awe at the volume of swimming, biking, and running that you accomplished. A log also serves as a way to improve training for the next year, especially if you were plagued with injuries or had major successes.

Triathlon Tidbit #2: And They’re Off!

The swim is proportionately the smallest portion of all races but can be the largest worry for many. Spending the time to drill, work on form and endurance is time well spent. Swimming outdoors with a group will help you with your sighting and following a steady course. If you are new to triathlon hang back at the race start or swim a little wider from the pack so you don’t get kicked, swam over, and tossed around like a sock in the dryer. And don’t be afraid to wear the colored cap that the race director provides for newer swimmers.

Triathlon Tidbit #3: Spinning Wheels, Round and Round

I learned a hard lesson, twice! I purchased bikes that on paper, and on the rack, seemed perfect. They were sleek, technologically advanced, lightweight, but wrong for my body, even with professional fitting. I sold both and went back to one that worked for me. In some cases, it is not the bike but the fit that needs to be adjusted. If you are buying, consult with a professional fit specialist to determine the right bike for you. After buying, or if you have had your bike for a while and feel twinges of pain or discomfort and begin looking around for a new bike, think about getting fitted by a certified fit specialist. Our bodies change over time too, so to might our position and need for a re-fit. The ride is the longest discipline in all races so it is important to be comfortable, powerful, and remain injury free. It is worth the investment.

Triathlon Tidbit #4: Run, Forrest, Run!

Running keeps us in shape and race ready, as long as it is done in the right running shoe. As much as I like Nike Shox Oz, they are not for me. Going to a specialized running shop to have your gait analyzed and fitted for the right shoe will help you run all those miles injury free.

Triathlon Tidbit #5: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Ah nutrition, the 4th discipline. Last year in training for Ironman USA, Lake Placid, I actually gained weight. It was the first time in 7 years of training for triathlon that this happened but it was also my first Ironman distance event. I over-consumed, partly to avoid bonking while doing long distance training, and partly to ensure that I was adequately replenished post exercise, and was I ever.

Tough to admit? Absolutely. Glad it happened? You bet. I am not a sports nutritionist or registered dietician but I am an athlete and triathlon coach – my experiences have made me better at both. Training and race day nutrition are as individual as it comes. There is no one magic recipe for us all to follow but I have learned, through practice and research, that there are a few golden nuggets, and not the McDonald’s kind, to chew on and swallow, err follow:

• Experiment now, not on race day. In the first loop of the Ironman USA run, I ate a piece of Snickers Marathon bar that was provided on the race course, a food that I had never tried, did not know the ingredients of, but it was food and I was hungry. It stayed with me for most of the remaining 19 miles, and I found myself wishing I would get sick to get it out of me. My GI system was not happy with me for doing this on race day!
• Establish a plan – learn what you can eat/drink before and during training, when to eat/drink it, and follow it for race day.
• Eat foods that count – not empty calories.
• Gel and water, not gel and electrolyte drinks. Drinking an electrolyte replacement drink with your gel will not properly dilute the gel, thus slowing the absorption rate. Your stomach can become irritated and you may experience dehydration as other fluids are drawn to aid in the absorption of the gel. If your plan includes drinking sports drinks, wait about 20 or so minutes after the gel, and wait 20 minutes before consuming a gel after drinking a sports drink.
• Eat sufficient protein and carbohydrates within 30 minutes of training or racing for most benefits of recovery and repairing.
• Learn the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates.
• Protein and fat are you friends – just in the right amounts.
• For IM bound athletes, Dave Scott recommends avoiding drinking/eating to quickly after the swim. Allow the blood flow to move from the arms to legs; taking in excessive fluids or foods can interfere with that process. Small sips of water, one or two ounces are okay but try waiting about 15 minutes before you take fluid-replacement drinks and no more than 2-4 ounces; same thing at about the 30 minute mark. After 30 minutes, begin your nutrition plan for the remainder of the ride/day. Thanks, Dave!

For a detailed plan including how much carbohydrate, protein, fat and calories you need to consume daily, and broken down pre, during, and post training, consult a Registered Dietician that specializes in Sports Nutrition.  There are books and articles to further help you understand this issue and formulas to help you calculate your needs. There are many trainers out there giving out detailed programs that are not qualified to do so – you don’t go to your dentist for an oil and filter change, you go to a qualified mechanic. Same applies here. Ask around, word of mouth is the best referral.

Triathlon Tidbit #6: Sleepless in Seattle, or Boston, or Chicago…..

Sleep is so underrated. All you type A’s who live full throttle, jamming it all in 20 hours and sleeping only 4, think again. While you’re a sleeping your body is working hard to repair all the damage you have done to your muscles, joints, connective tissue, etc. while training.  Basically, you are getting rebuilt.  The average recommendation is 7-8 hours per night. Think about how much more you can do in less hours with a healthy, repaired, energized body.

Triathlon Tidbit #7: ChaChaChaChanges

For the pros and speediest of age groupers, transitions can make the difference between a win, place, or show. For the rest of us mortals, they still count and should be practiced regularly. During training, set your running shoes, glasses, hat, Fuel Belt, etc up – whether it is in your car, home, or gym locker, and move quickly from the bike to run, practicing methodically getting things off and putting things on. Even if your run is only a quick 5 or 10 minutes, going through the motions prepares you mentally and physically for your post bike task.

Triathlon Tidbit #8: Riders in the Storm

Mother Nature has a way of upsetting our ideal race conditions. Train in all types of weather and conditions to be prepared for what may come your way, especially since your body’s physiological response may vary by weather conditions. Don’t let bad weather conditions drag you down, remember that everyone in the race has to deal with the same conditions. Sometimes just laughing about it is best since the weather is one thing that you can’t control but how you respond you can control.

Triathlon Tidbit #9: I think I can, I think I can, I KNOW I CAN!

Your mental attitude can make or break your race. You have plans for nutrition and training, why not motivation? The longer the race, the more chances to trigger a mental breakdown - the weather (rain, heat, and wind), flat tires, exhaustion, uncertainty with one’s abilities.  While in the solitude of your own thoughts during long training rides think about possible scenarios and your reaction to them. Being calm and collected will help you think more clearly, act more responsively, and get you back on course more positively. You’ve trained hard for that race moment; don’t blow it with negative thoughts. Let your mind, your will, your desire, and your confidence be the wings that carry you across the finish line.

Triathlon Tidbit #10: Do What You Love, Love What You Do!

Need I say more?

Best of luck as you hit your season head on! Speaking of head on, always wear your helmet, and make sure your young ones do too, regardless of how young or old they are. And don’t forget the sunscreen!

           

In Training and Racing,

Coach Cheryl

Cheryl is a USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach, an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified Personal Trainer, Johnny G Certified Spin instructor, and YogaFit Level 1 instructor. She has 15 years of sport coaching experience, 7 years of personal training and indoor cycling teaching experience, and has been a competitive athlete for over 30 years, including 6 years as a triathlete. Learn more about Cheryl on her webpage or email her directly.