training tips

Training and Racing Tips

New - Training Triad and Periodization. (1.9 mg pdf file) download

The Taper

The athlete has trained long and hard and the big A-priority race is quickly approaching. Now it is time to rest. Most athletes and coaches are aware of the need for a taper, but few understand the nuances of planning a taper appropriately. Learning to get the taper just right is critical to the athlete performing to their potential race day.

The basic idea of the taper is to get the athlete fully rested and fresh, but athletes rarely perform at their best immediately after rest. I like to think of the taper as a two-part process beginning with rest and then including enough quality work to sharpen the athlete's skills and fine tune fitness.
Full Article (download pdf)

Ironman Race Guide

Introduction
Here is a ton of race specific information that I would like you to read through in the next days leading up to you're "A" race for the season. Some of the info might challenge you in how you are currently addressing certain areas of your preparation. Please do not make any drastic changes in how you handle your race day. I you have questions please contact me for clarification.

Download pdf's

Part 1: Gear bag and pack list

Part 2: Race morning - warm up and transitions

Part 3: Race Day Diet

Part 4: Ride Nutrition

Part 5: Run Nutrition

Part 6: Mental Skills

The Journey
The thing to remember is that the real journey is not the race it is the training. For the most part we have control over our training, in how we execute it, how we follow the plan and how hard we work. I have found that the real joy, satisfaction, and success is in the training. It is hard to remember that when race day comes and we like to put all our success in how the day goes, but it is just a day and the end results doesn't define us. Yes - it is disappointing, but in the end - the journey was the training and all the sacrifice that goes along with it. I have found that this attitude helps keep race day in perspective!! Have a blast with your final preparation for your big race!

Hydration

Dr. Tim Noakes (Lore of Running) is the co-author of one of them and is cited in the other. He recommends that in endurance events that athletes drink 12-24 oz of fluids/hour and that they NOT be encouraged to drink as much as possible as this will tend to promote hyponatremia. Furthermore, he suggests that it is is the elite/faster athlete who needs to take in the most/hour. The slower one is, the less heat build up there is. He also suggests that thirst IS a good indicator of need as opposed to the commonly held position. One paper also suggests that for events lasting longer than 4 hours that sodium be ingested at the rate of 0.5-0.7 grams/liter of fluid ingested with the higher amounts when the weather is hot/humid or when adapting to hotter conditions. If drinking 24 oz/hr that is 400-560mg of sodium/hr. If drinking 12 oz/hr that would be 200-280mg of sodium/hr. (Accelerade has 190mg of sodium per 12 oz.) This paper also points out that there is no harm in taking sodium at this rate during activity if one is unsure what to do.
Full Article (download pdf)

Frame Materials for Bikes

This debate has been going on for decades. To put it in historical perspective, people thought aluminum was a “miracle material” when it first began service in things like aircraft engines, then cars, bicycles, etc. And relative to the steel alloys at the time it was: stiffer, lighter, cheap and easy to deal with. Full Article (download pdf)