Ironman is a happening. The nerves all inevitably lead to the water at 7am on raceday with 2,500 tapered triathletes, ready to go the distance. Sometimes it all comes together, sometimes it doesn’t. But as someone wiser than I once wrote, “Without a certain continuity of effort, without a certain duration or repetition of purpose, the soul is never deeply moved.” And that’s what it’s ultimately about, really:  You set a goal. You do the training. And you do your best to execute according to plan. On the other side, regardless of what happens to you between the start and finish, you realize that your place will never be with those cold and timid souls that know neither victory nor defeat.” We race because we move forward, in more ways than one. Plus, we get to drink frothy, cold ones after.

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TWO DAYS OUT

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ONE DAY OUT

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THE TRIATHLON EXPO (AKA: IRONMAN TRIATHLON’S MONEY MAKING MACHINE)

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RACE DAY

Greg Goebel, Matt Gallo, and Rod Matteri on the bike around mile 95.

Greg on the bike – YouTube

Matt on the bike – YouTube

Rod on the Bike – YouTube

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Greg Yaeger finishing the run – YouTube

POST RACE

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ROD, GREG G, MATT, SHAUN, JOHN, TIM, GREG Y, BILL AND ALL THE FINISHERS AT THIS YEAR’S IRONMAN COEUR D’ALENE TRIATHLON. I HAD A BLAST OUT THERE YELLING AT YOU ALL D*MN DAY!  : )

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COMPLETE RACE RESULTS HERE

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>>> Point Positive! <<<

Athletes, Ironman Coeur d'Alene

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