The Tri For It! Development Team had a great morning on Saturday at the Chisago Lakes Kids Tri. Zach took first in the 11 year old boys division and Jenna overcame a lengthy T1 to place in the top 1/2 of the 9 year old girls. The day wasn't really about placing though (same as adult races really). More importantly it was an opportunity to reinforce how fun a healthy active lifestyle can be.
Tri For It! Coaching Youth Development Team - Zach and Jenna pre race.
Body Marking
Chugging towards finish.
Chicking on the left!
Up the hill to the finish.
The finish hurts so good!
Zach with Karl Oskar Days Princess and his 1st place schwag.
Sometimes enough is too much. Among the many ways to group triathletes, I see 2 distinct training theories. There is one group that has a plan and by god they are going to follow it. Another group trains based upon . . . well, I'm not sure what their training is based upon - the weather? what their buddy is doing? I'm speaking to the first group - those with the plan.
Having a training plan and following it is a great idea. Except when it isn't. Some triathletes will ignore all kinds of warning signs just to follow the plan. I give you an example near and dear to my heart - ME. Last year I was training for my first Ironman at Coeur D'Alene. I had my plan and I was going to follow it. An improper bike fit manifested itself in knee pain on the bike after a preparatory half iron race. The knee had bothered me a bit leading up to the race but I ignored it to follow the plan. I ended up in physical therapy and taking 3 weeks off the bike right at the peak of my training. Oops.
This year I'm training for Ironman Wisconsin. I'm taking a radically different approach. A lot of people training for Ironman races wander around like zombies most of the time. They still have work and family obligations and training eats into their sleep schedule.
A couple of weeks ago I hit a wall. I had 3 lousy nights of interrupted sleep (one downside of being married to a physician who delivers babies). I was up early training each morning. Saturday I had a long run. Sunday my son had an early morning hockey game and the schedule called for a 3 hour brick (2 hour bike followed by an immediate 1 hour run). When I got back from the hockey game all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. My body was fighting the plan. Last year I would have dragged myself out to the garage and started on the bike. This year I listened to my body and slept for 2 hours. I woke up refreshed and spent the rest of the day with the family.
I don't doubt that if I had followed the plan and done that brick I would have gotten very little out of the workout and most likely would have ended up getting sick.
Overwhelming fatigue is not the only warning sign that the plan needs modification. Other signs include:
irritability (more than usual), depression, heavy limbs, changes in sleep patterns and appetite. When I find myself having less patience with the kids I know I need a break (maybe from them, but more likely from training).
It's still important to train and to train hard. Knowing when to take a break requires paying attention to the body's check engine lights.
Both Anne P. and Mike V. completed their first full triathlon at Minneman this past weekend. Anne P. took 3rd in the Novice Women 40-44. Coach Rich barely held off a charging football carrying Clydesdale named Dooby for 3rd place. Mike V. just missed 3rd in the Novice Men 30-34 by 14 seconds. (We're pretty sure the shorts alone cost him that much time.)
Mike V. is already looking for a fall 10k for his next challenge. Anne P. is gearing up for the Minneapolis Women's Triathlon in August.
Coach Rich will be in Madison this weekend for WIBA (a low key training camp for Ironman Wisconsin). After that is the Chisago 1/2. What's your next race?
If you're going to be at Minneman this Saturday you're sure to see TFI! We're supplying a water bottle for each registered athlete. We'll have 3 athletes competing and a good sized support crew.
It's easy to forget where we started from. We often get caught up in the barriers to improving from our current levels. I think it's important to think back to when we first got into this sport (for some of you that may not be that long ago).
A couple of newbies at Land Between the Lakes really made me appreciate all I have learned over the past 5 years. A couple of weeks ago in Albert Lea, I saw not one but TWO people with their wetsuits on inside out. Yes, to newcomers there is an awful lot to figure out.
Here's a general rule of thumb - think be like a fish - you want the slippery side out.
Never forget what it was like to try and figure out how to lay out your stuff (and what stuff did you need) that first time you raced.
We've all come a long way - even if we still have a long way to go.
It was a great day down in Albert Lea. The wind howled which made the bike interesting. TFI athlete, Brian K. (pictured on the left) saw one athlete get blown across the road into another in a crosswind section.
I finished in second place in the Clydesdale division.
Here I am collecting my bling.
I'll be at the New Bri Tri this Saturday - either volunteering or racing. If you're our there be sure to say hi.
When you head to the pool do you swim countless laps at the same pace? Does the length of your ride dictate how fast you go? One speed for your midweek one hour ride and a slightly reduced speed for your long weekend ride? Mix it up for improved performance.
Many triathletes come from a running background. They are comfortable with speed work such as tempo runs, fartleks and strides.
If you are unfamiliar with those terms, a tempo run includes a warmup, a sub-threshold portion and a cool down. Sub-threshold pace is usually around 30 seconds per mile slower than your 5k pace. Fartlek literally means "speed play" in Swedish. A fartlek consists of alternating intervals of fast running (10k pace or faster) and easy running or walking. Strides involve relaxed sprints for short periods of time sprinkled throughout a training run.
This speed work provides higher aerobic fitness and improved running efficiency. Most of us know this.
Yet, we swim lap after lap at the same pace. Pedaling mile after mile in the upper- middle area of our aerobic zone. We're all comfortable there in the dreaded grey zone. When we are done, we feel like we put in a good workout, but didn't really suffer.
Here are a couple of ways to include some speed in your swimming: Following your basic endurance sets (100s, 200s, 500s, include some 25s or 50s at maximum speed with 20 to 40 second recoveries. It's like lifting weights in the pool.
You can also replace your basic endurance sets with fartlek sets. Either alternate fast and slow laps, or slowly build your speed over some laps and then back down your pace.
Adding speed to cycling is even more fun -especially in a group setting. Rather than spinning along in your group, institute some "telephone pole sprints." As in, "race you to the third telephone pole." Drop the hammer on your buddies. Recover for a couple of minutes and do it all over again. You can also do this on your own, but it's definitely more fun when you are pushed by others.
When you are on your own, you can add some speed with a tempo ride. Warmup with around 15 minutes of easy spinning. Be sure to include some short bursts of higher effort (around 30 seconds). Increase your effort to near race pace (sprint or olympic distance). Hold this effort for 20 minutes or break it into 2 x 10 minute blocks with 2-4 minutes of recovery in between. Finish up with 15 minutes of spinning.
By including some speed work in your swimming and cycling, you will improve your race performance. Variety also makes training more fun.
When running and biking (and occasionally swimming) in the Twin Cities, we often encounter wildlife. It's usually one of the benefits of being out early or late in the day. Sometimes it's a nuisance (goose poop on the trail). Other times, it's downright dangerous.
Last spring when I was training for IM CDA, I turned a corner (one that's on the Minneman Triathlon route) and found myself bearing down on a black bear. Though I wasn't in any real danger, if I had been going faster I might have had to hit the ditch or the bear. Neither option is very appealing.
I've also been sprayed indirectly by a skunk while doing a 20 mile run before my first marathon. That was about 3 miles in. The next 17 miles were not all that fun.
This past Sunday was a gorgeous day for a run. I did a 90 minute run on a paved trail that ran next to a fairly busy road. Less than ideal but it was where I needed to be to fit the run into my day. Normally the only danger I would feel would be from inattentive motorists (or more likely cyclists on the trail).
As the trail approached a retention pond I noticed two geese close to the edge of the trail. One goose was eyeing me warily. As I got closer I moved to the far edge of the trail. The goose lowered it's head and started hissing. That's a lot like a bull in a movie stamping its foot before it charges. I had visions of getting arrested for drop kicking a 30 pound goose. I yelled "HEY" which gave it pause as I moved away without getting pecked. I've seen marks on other runners from geese.
The worst part wast that I was on an out and back so I knew I'd have to cross that grouchy goose on the way back. Those things smell fear, I swear it. Fortunately they had moved on.
Surely some of you have had encounters with wildlife. Share your story as comments below. Be sure to provide an email address. I'll contact you about sending you a free TFI running cap.
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