5 days to the 2010 Ironman Coeur d’Alene…

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I’ll be watching these fellas get the job done on Sunday in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, albeit from the sidelines! From there, I’ll gain the novel perspective of what an Ironman even looks like through the eyes of a spectator. As an athlete, I’ve pushed myself over this course, and to the ragged edge, on two occasions (2004, 2007). As a coach, this will be a great vantage point from which to gather more invaluable coaching experience. No doubt, the Point Positive crew is ready to throw down in stoic fashion. Sunday will be an awe-inspired day all around!

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Skyline Drive Century, Virginia (10,000′+ vertical gain)

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TRAINING

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NUTRITION

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Fellow tri-coach, Dave Latourette, of Train to Endure, gave a great clinic on training & racing nutrition Monday evening at Echelon Cycle & Multisport. Here’s some of the highlights from Dave’s talk -

Goals for the triathlete -

> Consumption of calories on the bike without gastric distress

> Pacing – continually build your effort over the day [what you save early will be there for you later]

> Align your nutrition with race pacing!

Strategies for the triathlete -

> Conduct race simulation workout to help dial in nutrition/hydration needs.

> Recognize that pace increases fluid needs while decreasing rate of fluid absorption [Find a balance!].

> Break bike leg into thirds. Example: 6hr Ironman bike:  2/2/2 [Perceived exertion could be 4/5/6 respectively]

>  A concentrated bottle of calorically dense [800+ cal. for IM] endurance sport-drink such as Sustained Energy or Carbo-Pro can last you the entire bike ride, while setting you up for success on the run [chase with big gulps of water!].

> Hydration schedule: fluids in every 20min.

> Breakfast 3hrs prior to swim-start [top off your glycogen stores]

> Use an electrolyte replacement products wisely [Endurolytes, for example, 1-3/hr based on temperature].

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Recovery

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Coach Bob’s Training Log for 6/15 – 6/20:

Trail Running – 16hrs (15,000′ climbing)

Road Cycling – 12hrs (11′000 climbing)

Power Yoga – 1.25 hrs

Ice Baths – 3

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Parting Shot -

Learning to Ride

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Just a few days later, not-yet-3 Dylan was pedaling his first two-wheeler.

(Click HERE if unable to view. I’ll take you out to YouTube.)

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>>> Point Positive! <<<

Ironman Coeur d'Alene, Nutrition, Training

What do you enjoy more, training or racing? Listening to an Endurance Planet podcast with 6-time Hawaii Ironman champ, Dave Scott, a few months back I listened to Dave talk about his frustrations about coming back to form after a collision with a motorist some time ago. “The Man” spoke about his “all or nothing” personality type, for better or for worse. Granted, Dave loves to go big, but he’s also known for his methodical preparation for key events. I mean, c’mon, the guy came back to Kona at 40 and placed second, overall! He knows, better than just about everybody, how to get the most out of his body. Naturally, we should get smarter as we get older. We can still go big in training, but we need to do it with great care and attention to detail. Any knucklehead can go out and bury himself (as I’ve done time and time again) but the big epiphany hopefully happens at some point when the knucklehead realizes, “Hey, going big is fun but what if I was smarter with the timing and executi0n of my gargantuan efforts???” And so it goes, another layer of that athlete’s potential is thus pealed back. Or, at least that’s the idea.

And, in order to have a good idea, you have to have a lot of ideas. To illustrate, I got an idea to conduct a 9-hour run last Monday. But, instead of running all over God’s green earth for 540 minutes, I brought an idea forward that I stole from another athlete: break that 9 hours up into 3 equal pieces. So, I ended up getting in my 9 hours but I wasn’t near as “buried” as I would have been had I conducted the whole crazy thing at once. In fact, it was probably the most high quality day of running I’ve ever done. What was tough though was all the stuff I did to take care of myself throughout the day. This is the “pealing back” part for me. It will look different depending on the goals you have set for yourself.

In my example, it’s not the training I’m highlighting, it’s the recovery. Context is important here; I’m training to run 100 miles on July 17th so running all day is the task I have before me. Early morning, hot afternoon, and at night. I’ll see it all. Specificity of training must be the integral component of your training plan too. After a long weekend having some great fun with friends, I took Monday to go big. I conducted three 3-hour long runs with three hours of rest in between each. I ate and drank well before each run but consumed no food or water during my runs as I am attempting to improve my metabolic efficiency. I brought a cooler along with plenty of fresh fruits and water so it was available immediately following each run.

After a quick stop by Safeway for a 20lb bag-o-ice I arrived home and took a 20 minute ice-bath. I showered and put on compression tights, was sure to eat well with foods rich in protein, ice-wrapped my knees, and elevated my legs. I changed up the venue throughout the day, hitting Annadel State Park in the morning and evening while running some tougher hills at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park in the warm afternoon. And yes, going back out for that third run (in the dark) was pretty tough mentally. With all that recovery between efforts though, you can imagine the difference I experienced in that 9th hour since it was broken up, allowing me to bounce back faster and resume a week of continued high volume training.

So, the next time you’re planning a big weekend of training, I challenge you to put equal time and thought into your recovery protocol. In the days leading up to the big training day, ensure that you anticipate your recovery needs in advance, and you’ll find that it becomes a part of who you are as an athlete. If you think that this sounds like a lot of extra work, well then consider the benefits of being able to recapture your energy as a result of enhanced recovery strategies. Anyway, being an athlete and a coach these last few years has been illuminating. Working to be better at one is making me better at the other. Cheers!

Coach Bob’s Training Log for 6/7 – 6/13:

Trail Running – 15hrs (11,000′ climbing)

Road Cycling – 12hrs (9,500′ climbing)

Power Yoga -  2.5hrs

Ice Baths – 4

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What other exciting things have been happening lately? Well, as I’m again winding up for the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 on July 17, a lot of folks, including Rod Matteri, Greg Goebel, and Matt Gallo, are winding down their epic training days as they continue tapering for the 2010 Ironman in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on June 27th. Amanda & I are flying up to watch the show and cheer on Team BORG as they embark on their 140.6 mile journey.

And here’s some random pics I’ve thrown in for your viewing pleasure…

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NUTRITION

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SPORTS NUTRITION

From the Hammer Nutrition Website: (for your information)

Comparing Sustained Energy and Perpetuem

• Sustained Energy is neutrally (a.k.a. “plain”) flavored. Perpetuem is available in three options: an orange–vanilla “Dreamsicle” flavor, a caffeinated caffe latte flavor (12.5 mg of caffeine per scoop), and in an unflavored/plain version.
• Perpetuem contains lyso–lecithin fat, whereas Sustained Energy does not.
• Perpetuem contains tribasic sodium phosphate, which is a tremendous lactic acid buffer. Sustained Energy does not contain this nutrient.
• Both fuels contain l–carnosine (an antioxidant that also buffers lactic acid), l–carnitine (to promote fatty acid utilization), and chromium polynicotinate (to stabilize blood sugar levels).

Bottom line: With Sustained Energy and Perpetuem, you have two great long distance fuel choices. When exercise goes beyond about two hours, you can use either product as your primary or sole fuel, in any combination with each other or any other Hammer Nutrition fuel.

That said, we have noted that Sustained Energy may be the ideal fuel choice when endurance exercise intensity is at a higher level (approximately 70–85% MHR), whereas Perpetuem may be a more attractive choice the longer the longer the athlete goes and when exercise intensity is at a more aerobic pace (under 70% MHR). Additionally, over the years we have noted that Sustained Energy may be the ideal choice for very lean athletes (the “high metabolizer/hyper–metabolic” types), while Perpetuem—with its added healthy fat component—may be the ideal choice for athletes with a naturally higher body fat percentage. The rationale for this suggestion is that athletes with a higher body fat percentage have a greater volume of calories available from body fat stores, which the lyso–lecithin component of Perpetuem may effectively assist in accessing for use as energy.

Again though, because the applications for Sustained Energy and Perpetuem are identical, either fuel can be used as the primary–to–sole fuel during prolonged bouts of exercise. Test each product in your long–duration workouts, under a variety of conditions, to find which product works best for you!

Parting Shot:  Fun times on Chalk Hill

Training

Another school year is coming to a close. Whew! I still don’t know how teachers who aren’t endurance athletes manage. I’m actually enjoying my final days with my kiddos and having “some” fun this week getting back into my old routines of riding and running to-n-fro school each day. With the exception of a rainy ride yesterday, it’s been a welcomed return to car-less commuting.

Also, I had the pleasure of doing my first clinic at Echelon Cycle & Multi-Sport last week on Tapering for Triathlons. Here’s a Top-10 Taper Tips from my presentation:

1. You must have a periodized plan in place with an effective taper built in. Work backwards from race-day.

2. You need a substantial amount of volume from which to effectively taper down (seriously!)

3. Expect to experience some amount of lethargy as you decrease you training volume. It’s normal and a sign you’re doing it right.

4. Maintain intensity during your taper (intensity is defined as race-pace or slightly faster).

5. It’s better to come into your race 10% under-trained than 1% over-trained.

6. For longer races, there’s nothing you can do 10 days out from an event to improve your fitness.

7. During your taper, re-commit to the fundamentals of training, namely, proper rest, adequate hydration, and good foods.

8. Write your race plan during the week of your event. Write it in the past tense (looking back on your perfectly executed race!)

9. Shift your mindset from training mode to rest/recovery mode. You are absorbing and growing stronger each day!

10. Maintain a positive outlook as the race draws near. Optimism builds strength!

Next up, I’d like to welcome two new Point Positive athletes. First up, is Eric Gardner, who will be taking a trip to the Big Island in October. He’ll also be getting in shape for the big dance by hitting Vineman 70.3 in July. Eric is the first athlete I’ve worked with going to “The Show.” I have to say I wouldn’t mind going back someday. That’s my favorite triathlon, hands down. Once you do it, it keeps calling you back. So, be careful Eric!

Secondly, a recent phone call to an old friend has led to a new partnership. Chuck Potter, now of Germantown, Maryland and formerly of Cambridge, MD (home to the EagleMan & ChesapeakeMan Triathlons) is now embarking on a new journey to Arizona in November. He’s relocating to AZ only long enough to set a new Ironman PR. It’s a thrill to be working with Chuck since, for years, he graciously opened his house to poor student-athletes like myself, who were always in need of great homestays. I have some wonderful memories of my races at EagleMan; my 70.3 and my half-marathon PR still reside there!

When I first met Chuck, he was winning the local YMCA fun-run 5k’s. Then after a few years of “encouragement,” he signed up for the EagleMan 70.3 and hasn’t looked back. In 2006, he “encouraged” me (mercilessly) until I pulled the trigger and signed up for Ironman Coeur d’Alene, where he completed his first Ironman Tri. Since then, Chuck married a fellow rock-star triathlete, Michelle, and the duo does swim-bike-run trios all over the place. Chuck & Michelle will be getting some solid training in this summer, building up to IMAZ by hitting the Pyrenees in July and catching some of the Tour while they’re at it. Welcome to Chuck and Eric. I’m looking forward to our 2010 journey!

Running by the news stand on the way home today, I caught a glimpse and had a chuckle at the front-page headline from Lance Armstrong, “Does it always rain here?” Lance tweeted this upon his arrival to Santa Rosa yesterday. Armstrong has brought the rain with him each time he’s come to SR for the Tour of California. It’s especially odd that it rained on May 17 in Sonoma County, and unfortunate since the race was moved partly to have better weather for the riders. No worries though, the rest of the race should be pretty sweet for Lance, Levi, and the boys racing the ToC this week. That’s one helluva ride!

Great YouTube vid taken by Michael Cook. Check out Michael’s sweet blog @ seetherace.wordpress.com

I was on the fringe of the excitement over the weekend having been up in Auburn doing engagement photos and pie tasting with my lovely fiancee, Amanda. I did squeeze in a sweet long run on the Pioneer Express Trail while Amanda was getting her hair done. I have to admit, the photo session was quite the adventure and I definitely need the calories in the pie I shoveled down.

Point Positive athletes, Marc Kelley and Nick Sandahl, are gearing up for the triathlons in Auburn this weekend while a lot of folks here at home will take in some events at the inaugural Windsor Green Half-Marathon, 10k & 5k. 1000 athletes are expected, including many of Mr. Shebest’s students. Over $5000 was raised for our Windsor Health & Wellness Department. Thanks to race director Brad Illing and Loren Barker (my former principal at Windsor Middle School) for their tremendous and tireless efforts.

Events With Sole

Brad Illing, who is also doing IM Coeur d’Alene this year may not be racing this weekend but I know three guys that are using the half-marathon as part of their Ironman build. Rod Matteri, Greg Goebel, and Matt Gallo will be out taking in the first-ever event. Jeff Ottoboni is toeing the line at the 13.1 as well to continue steeling his legs for the incipient Vineman 70.3. Finally, Amanda and I will be out taking part in the 10k and enjoying all the race-day festivities. Windsor is ripe for an event such as this. The race is sold out but come on down anyway. It’s gonna be a fun time out there!

In closing, I’d like to pay a special thanks to Kim Derum of New Vintage Print, Inc for working so closely with me to create some sweet new business cards in time for my clinic at Echelon. I was amazed at Kim’s professionalism, creativity, and efficiency. It sure is nice having a card to hand to folks when they ask for one!

>>>  Point Positive!  <<<

Athletes, Tapering, Training